#c.c for men is HELL IT'S HELL

[ladyseidr]

@rapxir asked: ❝ ((This is the world's most important question. Clean-shaven Henry or dad beard Henry.)) ❞

answering this with an extremely WIP attempt at trying to decide on my henry's appearance

[madhatterbri]

New Beginnings | C.C.

Summary: Christian and you finally confess each other's feelings.

Author's Note: Part two of Too Late

Dedicated to @1dluver13xx and her incredible taste in men. 🤌

The tension was suffocating during dinner. Adam and Beth continued to talk about your brother's new adventure with AEW. He was still so hyped about having one last ride with his best friend. Meanwhile, Christian sat across from you doing everything in his path for you to look at him. You were ignoring him.

Deep down you knew despite everything that happened you needed him. He was in your life before he debuted in wrestling almost thirty years ago. The past three years had been absolute hell for you. It felt like you lost an arm. Christian was always there for everything.

"I wonder if we can get these two involved in some story line," Beth teased and elbowed you softly. Your sad thoughts pushed to the back of your mind. You looked at her with a fake smile. There was no way you wanted to be around Christian after tonight. "Maybe you can be with me while Christian is yelling at us while Adam is out in the ring,"

"Whatever brings viewers I am in," you answered and looked around the restaurant. Christian's light eyes continued to watch your every move closely. Despite being the one to break your heart he had to make sure you were going to be okay.

"Maybe even a cheesy storyline where you find out they had an affair," Beth joked to Adam and rubbed his hand with her thumb. Adam laughed and looked at his wife before turning his attention to you and Christian. "Imagine the whole best friend and little sister story. They would eat it up,"

"I would kill him," he laughed and playfully punched his best friend in the arm. "You want a husband in jail?"

The dinner ended longer than you hoped. Adam drove back to the hotel. Christian was in his own car allowing you space to breathe.

"Talk to her," Beth whispered and motioned her head towards you. Adam looked at you through the rear view mirror. Your head rested against the glass while watching the city pass you by. He noticed the crushed expression on your face. One similar to when your mom died.

At the hotel, Beth rushed off to attend to the girls. Her parents had come down to watch them. They must need some sort of break at this point. Adam assured her he would be right up after he walked you to your room.

"Everything okay?" Adam asked and placed his hand on your shoulder. The elevator ride suddenly felt a lot longer. You prayed someone would come in to interrupt but it was late.

You smiled briefly and looked away. He could always tell when you were lying. Your face turned a bright red. Your eyes watered. Damnit.

"I can't tell you. You would kill him and my nieces wouldn't have their dad," you confided in him. He sighed instantly remembering dinner. You wrapped your arms around him and buried your head in his shoulder. After a few seconds you took a step back.

"I love him, Adam. We were together one night three years ago and the next morning he told me they were giving their marriage a second chance," you stuttered trying to hold in your sobs. "Tonight he tried talking to me but... I don't know what to do,"

"Hear him out, sis. He misses you. He always asked about you whenever we went to a hockey game or he whenever he saw Beth and I," he admitted. "I didn't want to get involved but since we all are going to be seeing each other more. Text him to see you. I won't stop you both from being happy,"

He gave you one last hug before the elevator doors opened signaling your stop.

For the first time in three years you unblocked Christian. The weight of the world lifted off your shoulders. Your heart swelled at the thought of him coming back into your life. You stared at the message screen and sighed. Your thumbs quickly typed a message and sent it to him.

Hey don't fuck yourself quite yet. I'm in room 807. I'm ready to talk.

Within minutes Christian knocked on your door. You opened the door to see him with a bouquet of white roses. Your favorite.

"Come in," you greeted and opened the door wider. Christian walked in and handed you the roses. You thanked him and placed them on the counter for now.

"What did you want to talk about?" He asked standing uncomfortably by the door. The talk at the arena didn't go exactly as planned. He hoped the two of you would have gone to being a couple.

"Christian, I'm sorry for what I said at the arena. I was so hurt and I... I missed you," you confessed. His eyes widened in shock but you couldn't read them. "I told Adam what happened between us,"

Christian flinched unsure if this was good or bad news especially after dinner. Once he didn't hear Adam running at him to murder him he calmed down a little more. He still didn't say anything. The man that always had so much to say. Speechless.

"I love you, Christian, and I need to know how you feel about me before I can continue,"

You were met with silence but he appeared to be thinking. This was the moment, his moment. The things he should have told you before breaking you. He cleared his throat.

"You and I have always had something, your name. I couldn't put a finger on it until that night. It wasn't just the sex but the way we acted like a couple. The dinner and just cuddling on the couch watching hockey. I hadn't had that in so long and it made me realize I had to end it with her once and for all," he licked his lip trying to figure out his next words. "I told her what happened between us and she was going to tell Adam unless I stayed. I figured our daughter deserved both her parents and tried with her again. You know the rest,"

The air felt light once more like it always had been between the two of you.

"So where does that leave us?" You asked wanting to hear him say it. He pointed at the white roses. The symbol of purity, innocence, and....

"A new beginning,"

The next morning found you lounging in a pool chair. Today was going to be an easy day for the two of you. Just making up for lost time. You chatted away with Beth while Adam sat next to Christian.

"Some of those punches are going to connect next week," Adam warned him and looked at him. His serious face clashed with the playful twinkle in his eyes.

"Wouldn't doubt it, brother," Christian smiled. "And I'll gladly take them,"

[starrypawz]

squishing the other’s cheek

AO3 Touching Prompts Apparently I decided it was time to put Fiama and Jonny in the Get Along Shirt Light spoilers for the end of @the-passenger-if I guess?

It’s a sleepy morning, as it often is in St George and  C.C. Diner is quiet. 

But all three of them know it’s better than to comment on the fact as they sit there. 

Jonny who’ll admit he’s still not quite awake is only half paying attention as Lucas talks to Fiama as he tries to process things like: 

How Lucas somehow convinced him to come out this early in the morning

The sheer amount of pancakes Lucas has managed to get through in the time he’s made it through half a cup of coffee

The fact Fiama is right in front of him. 

“Yeah I’m… we’re doing… ok? Somehow” Fiama shrugs.

“That’s… good?” Lucas sighs, “I’ve… been meaning to check up on you,”

“I appreciate it,” Fiama smiles, “It’s… It feels weird as hell sometimes though.” Fiama pauses, “Somehow things here are the same as they always are even though… you know…”

“Yeah,” 

“And the whole… you’re an alien thing,” Jonny sighs and looks up from his coffee, “Cosmic horror,”

“What?”

“Newman’s a cosmic horror if you want to be technical about it,” He pauses, “He’s more… The Dog from The Thing than… The Xenomorph…. You know from Alien?” 

“Right…” 

“Aww… you remembered,” Lucas leans into his shoulder and although for a moment Jonny feels embarrassment seize him and he swallows he leans back with a soft smile that makes Fiama raise an eyebrow and… it’s petty but he’ll take that. 

Fiama snorts, “But yeah I mean still not as weird as the fact that one Jonny Escudero is sitting right across from me and two that you two are… together, like… not quite sure what-”

“Wow,”

“Hey,” Fiama puts up her hands and Jonny feels the softest of nudges under the table from Lucas’ foot and Jonny sighs. Maybe a while ago he would’ve thrown in a barb about how Fiama is one to talk about Lucas’ taste in men but… things are… different now. 

“Look… I mean you’re…” Fiama sighs. 

“A Creep? A Weirdo? A  Freak?” Jonny sighs, “C’mon Brandle I’ve heard them all and then some,”

Lucas gently squeezes his knee and Jonny swallows. “Wow, way to put words in my mouth,” Fiama snorts, “What I was trying to say is… ok fine you are a creep, a weirdo, a freak and whatever else but…” She pauses, “Newman… likes you and I don’t understand why…” She pauses again, “But I mean that also helps with telling me that you’re not… you’re not that bad ok?” 

“Oh…” Jonny tenses his hands a few times around the coffee mug, “You’re… actually not that bad either?” Jonny sighs, “Guess… there’s something about nearly having known reality ripped apart that… puts some things in perspective right?” 

“Right,” Fiama clears her throat. 

“See,” Lucas grins as he lightly pokes Jonny in the cheek, “He’s actually sweet when you get down to it,” And Jonny groans but doesn’t resist it as Lucas pulls him in close. 

Fiama goes to say something but then the bell on the door goes. 

“Right… better actually get back to work, if you need anything let me know,” Fiama gives a parting smile and Jonny… smiles back.

Things are different now.

[ilikethequiet]

Conversations With Dead People (A The Nanny Fic)

Title:  Conversations with Dead People Summary: While at The Place, C.C. gets visited by her best friend.  Rating: PG Author’s Note: Dear lord what is this? I’ve written fic for The Nanny? What? I recently went back to watch it; it’s been years, but I love it and there needs to be more fic out there. There are so many things I could write about in this fandom, so many. If you read, yay! Do tell me what you think of it! I hope you enjoy 😁

I checked it through with Grammarly, so it sounds okay, tell me if it doesn’t 😘

Feedback/likes are so appreciated. Will also be posted to AO3. Also, random but do you think I should post my fic on Fanfiction.net, too? I mean I have an account there, I could...

Only a few more days and C.C. would be out of this place and back to her old life; the time away had been good for her and had helped her through a lot of personal hang-ups but she was ready to get back to the real world. She missed her job; she didn’t have much in her life, but she excelled at that, and it would be her focus from now on. She had accepted the fact that Maxwell and Nanny Fine were going to be wed, she didn’t like it, but she accepted it.

After one of her therapy sessions, C.C. made her way back to her room and stared at herself in the mirror, her next goal would be to lose some of the weight she had put on before her arrival ‘Stupid Niles and his stupid cooking’

“Hey C.C.”

C.C. froze, she knew that voice. She turned slowly and let out a surprised yelp when she saw a woman with honied blonde hair in a floral dress sitting on her bed.

“Sarah?” No, this wasn’t possible, Sarah had died close to ten years ago now yet here she sat looking as perfect as she did when she was living. If she was seeing ghosts then clearly, she should be in The Place but on the other hand, she had missed her friend so much, it would be foolish not to say hello. “What are you doing here?”

Sarah shrugged “I heard what happened, came to check on you.”

C.C. smiled, not even her family had come to check on her; Noel had sent flowers and Niles even managed to write, though it was mostly about Maxwell and Miss Fine’s wedding plans. C.C. sat down next to her on the bed, if this was a hallucination brought on by her medication it was a damn good one.

“You’re looking well for a dead woman.” She answered finally, Sarah looked the same as C.C. remembered her; the phrase only the good die young applied here. A frown suddenly appeared. “Are you haunting me? You’re mad about my advances towards Maxwell after your death?”

Sarah gave a small smile and shrugged. “To be fair, you were doing that before my death.” C.C. from the first time she met Maxwell believed him to be the perfect man, the one for her; he was handsome, had money and good breeding, what more could a person want? Ideally, they would want someone who was passionate about them, and Maxwell just did not feel that way about C.C.  “I wanted you to look after Maxwell, and you did to the best of your ability. I did not think you would still be pining after him so many years later.”

C.C. shrugged; it sounded silly hearing someone else say it. Perhaps she had indeed held on too long but then Nanny Fine came onto the scene and C.C. wasn’t about to lose to some big-haired floozy.  “He’s getting married, did you know that? She’s terrible.”

Sarah knew this topic was going to come up, she nodded “Yeah, I knew. I think she’s sweet; Maxwell and the kids adore her and all I’ve ever wanted was for them to be happy.” She smiled. “It’s nice to know my loved ones are thriving, now if only my best friend could find her happiness.”

“We can’t all have nice things, Sarah.” C.C. frowned, she was called the Bitch of Broadway for a reason; she was known for being harsh and cold, Nanny Fine’s exact opposite; that woman could charm anyone, including C.C.’s own family members; Chester even liked her more. “Men aren’t exactly lining up to date me.” Hell, she had scared away the few suitors that had tried, her infatuation with Maxwell had closed her off to several possibilities and for those she did engage with, there were never fireworks.

“You only need the one, C.C.”

“Well, if you find a suitable candidate while you’re haunting the Upper East Side, let me know.” Sara always had impeccable taste, especially in men, maybe she could hook her up with an earthbound angel of some description.

Sarah looked at her friend mischievously, she had someone in mind but the chaos it would cause would be immeasurable. Still, maybe it was time for some tough love.  She folded her hands in her lap and grinned at C.C. “What’s going on between you and Niles?”

“Excuse me?” It was such an out-of-pocket comment that C.C. snorted, this had to be her mind playing tricks on her. “Being dead has really made you take leave of your senses, there is nothing going on between me and Niles.”

“You see, I’d believe that except there is evidence to the contrary.” Sarah smiled. “I see everything that goes on in that house, Chas. Everything.” There had been more than a few moments between C.C. and Niles that were…interesting to say the least.

C.C. blushed deeply going over the scenes in her mind that her friend could have witnessed. She cleared her throat. “He’s caused me bodily harm more than once.” C.C. reminded her. “He puts me down every chance gets. We fight like cats and dogs.”

“Yeah, cats and dogs who fancy each other.” This had been something that had been going on for years, Sarah had noted, when they had met C.C. and Niles had got off on the wrong foot and they continued to get off, daily. “If I went to the mansion right now, I would find him miserable because you’re not there.”

C.C. wasn’t sure she believed that many times the butler tried to get her out of the picture for a chance at some peace and quiet. “So, you can just do that? Pop between places? See whatever you like?”

Sarah nodded. “Yeah, it’s like I’m watching a soap opera. Mostly I’m watching the kids, they’re so beautiful, I miss them dearly. Sometimes I hang out in the kitchen and watch Niles cook, the man is a true artisan.” She missed his cooking, people in her position, unfortunately, did not need food. She smiled at C.C. “And sometimes I see my best friend and the butler get sloshed and make out in the living room.”

“That happened one time!” C.C. said defensively but she had to admit it was a moment that had stuck in her memory. She also remembered how much she wanted to tell Sarah what had happened, but her friend was no longer there. She sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“The most complicated thing is how stubborn you both are, I mean what do I need to do? Lock you in the wine cellar?”

C.C. frowned, that had happened once before. Her eyes went wide. “Wait, are you saying when I was locked in the wine cellar with Nanny Fine, that was you?!”

“I wanted you to get along!” If it wasn’t for Maxwell, Sarah thought the two would like each other despite them being from different stations. “C.C. I worry about you; I mean look where we are.”

C.C. pulled her coat around her; she was in the sanatorium because somewhere along the line her mental health took a sharp downturn. It wasn’t something she liked to admit; that she needed help to get back on track.

“You’re a strong woman C.C. you’ve so much more to give. You’ll get through this, and you’ll come out of it better than you were before. Maybe you’ll even give a certain butler a chance?”

 C.C. rolled her eyes, it was unlikely but stranger things had happened, she was talking to a spirit after all. She smiled at Sarah fondly. “I miss you. I’m guessing you can’t stay?”

Sarah shook her head. “We only get to be visible at epiphany moments, this is yours; besides, if you tell them you’ve started to see dead people, they’ll make you stay here longer.” That wasn’t ideal. “I will be watching you with great interest, my dearest friend.”

And just like that, she was gone leaving C.C. alone on the empty bed. She was left to wonder if the conversation had really happened, it felt real, but it couldn’t possibly have been, could it? Still, she felt comforted and somewhat hopeful for the future. 

It had been a while since that had happened.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Copycat: Cryptomnesia —(Marvel Fem!Oc)

A/N: Hope you guys had a nice Christmas! I just realized the chapters lined up with the holidays that is so cool lmao -Danny

Words: 2,155

Phase Five Masterlist

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Listen to: ‘skinny dipping’ -by Sabrina Carpenter

xxii: A Christmas Miracle

The moment Cat got rid of the last man standing —without killing him— she saw the Christmas tree falling into the ice rink.

"Kate, you had one job!"

"I got it done, didn't I?"

"We do not destroy more than necessary!"

"Now you care about a dumb tree? Who are you and what did you do to Copycat?"

"This is Copycat!" She exclaimed. "I was sloppy Cat before!"

"Guys, while I'm glad to hear C.C.'s finally behaving like an adult, I am surrounded by a bunch of armed men, so if you could hurry..."

Cat teleported and Kate ran towards her, she put her arms around Cat's neck and both appeared next to Clint on the ice rink. Kate shot several smoke arrows, but it wasn't enough.

"We're too exposed, let's go!" Clint shot a magnetic arrow at one of the poles surrounding the rink and urged them to hide behind the fallen tree. "That should hold them off for a bit..."

He took off the shirt he was wearing to reveal a suit identical to Kate's.

"Oh, my God, you wore it!" Kate beamed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah—"

"Oh, my God, it looks so good, I told you!" Cat couldn't help but think her excitement was cute.

"Listen to me," Clint insisted. "We need to get off this ice, okay? The only way off this ice is up those stairs."

"Great," Kate groaned, looking at all the men. They were recovering from the beating Cat had inflicted. "There's only about a thousand of them and three of us."

"I count for at least three," Cat frowned, she was upset about how quickly the men had recovered, but if she was planning not to kill anyone when working with heroes, she had to get used to it.

"Here, take these," Clint grabbed a bunch of his arrows and placed them inside Kate's holder.

"No way!" Kate gasped. "Is it time?"

"It's time."

Kate looked at her looking for double confirmation, Cat shrugged.

"The only way to be ready is to get out there and do it. Welcome to the Avengers, Princess Bishop."

The girl gave her a winning, beautiful smile.

"All right, girls," Clint grabbed an arrow, he smiled at them. "Let's give 'em hell."

Cat ran, jumped, and teleported around the rink to take down as many people as she could. She used her spear and thought of how convenient it'd be if she could split it in two like Daredevil's baton.

"Kate! Your mom just came out of the side door!" One of their larpers announced.

"Copy," Clint replied.

"Yeah?" Cat showed up next to him.

He gave a start. "I wasn't talking to you! I said copy as in we heard it!"

"Oh!" Cat pouted. "Yeah, this happens. Spider-man used to say 'beep-beep' instead of copy so I wouldn't get confused."

"Like the roadrunner?" Kate smiled. "That's so cute. He sounds like a fun guy."

"He's sloppy like you," Cat pointed at the Christmas tree. "Go find your mom."

"I, uh... can you come with me?"

"Why?"

"We're partners, Copy."

Cat hummed. "Yeah okay, let's—"

A gunshot interrupted her, behind them, on the opposite side of the rink, Kazi was holding a gun and he had two guys standing on each side of him.

"Just go," Clint told them. Kate obeyed, but Cat rush back to his side. "Cat—"

"I'll catch up with Kate, this will be quick," she raised a brow. "Or are you too slow?"

Clint picked up an arrow, shot it, and the projectile was divided in three. Kazi caught the one directed at him, but the remaining two got the other men in the chest.

"Nice shot!" Kazi shouted sarcastically.

"Yeah, no shit!" Clint looked at her. "You were saying?"

She snorted. "Guess you're not that old after all..."

Cat teleported, she pointed her watch at Kazi ready to shoot him tranquilizers, but before she could do it, Maya arrived in a byke and almost ran over her.

"Shit!" Cat jumped out of the way.

"You should've left, Maya!" Kazi signed, then spoke out loud. "You know what I have to do..."

The mutant watched the scene in silence from her place, none of them looked happy to be reunited. Maybe they would take each other out. With this in mind, she believed Kate needed her more than these two.

Unfortunately for her, Kingpin found the Bishops first. After making sure Kate's mom wasn't dead, Cat got inside the toyshop and stopped the man from hurting Kate. She tried to tase him, however, when the weapon came into contact with him, Cat realized he was wearing the same armor Matthew owned.

"Goddamit."

"Copycat," he groaned, fixing his shirt. "we meet at last."

"Last indeed, you're going back to prison," she replied.

Her claws jerked out and she aimed for his face, he lifted a fist that she scratched deeply, making him hiss in pain.

"I'm surprised," she extended her spear and enlarged the blades on each end. "None of you get my name right on their first try."

"I've heard a lot about you," Fisk said, stepping forward. Close action wasn't gonna help her with this guy, so she stepped back. "I've heard some interesting rumors... about who you're friends with."

He was surprisingly fast for a man his size. He seized her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. Cat tried to free herself, but she wasn't successful. She tried to use her spear to stab his side and he slapped it away, the weapon rolled across the floor.

"Where is Daredevil?" He growled.

Cat teleported out of his grip and landed behind him, she used her watch to shoot several tranquilizers at his back. The suit got ruined, but he was still standing.

"Are you made of cement?" She coughed in annoyance.

"So you can teleport, what else can you do?" He turned to face her, unbothered by her attempts to take him down. "Smyerdakov told us all kinds of stories..."

Cat straightened her posture and stared at him through the goggles. "What?"

"I don't want to kill you," he explained, and once again tried to approach her. "We're all trying to get you, and now you're here, so I'll get you before them. If what Billy said it's true, and the powerbroker sent you as a way to claim a territory that—"

"You guys are all so stupid," she said in exasperation. "Whatever that dumbass told all of you, she was lying and so was Smyerdakov. He underestimated my abilities and it got him killed."

"INCOMING!" Kate shouted unexpectedly.

When the arrows at Fisk's feet exploded, Cat teleported over to Kate, spreading her cape to cover both of them from the explosion.

The mutant moved a little, cupping Kate's face to examine it. "You okay? How many eyes are on my face?"

"Aren't you supposed to ask how many fingers am I seeing?" She mumbled, blinking off the dust from her eyes.

"Can't show you any fingers, I'm holding your face," Cat pushed her goggles away. "Mouse, check her vitals..."

"She's stable. Her mother might be in need of assistance, though."

Copycat pushed herself up and then helped Kate to her feet. "Let's go."

"What was that thing Kingpin said about you and a power-something?"

Cat's expression darkened. "I'll take care of that later."

She went back to Kingpin, crouched close to his face, and tilted it to the side with her claws. She shot four tranquilizers in line on his neck.

"That should keep him under control..." she hesitated, then shot one last dart. "Okay, now we can go."

Cat heard police cars approaching once they made sure Kate's mom was okay. "I have to check on Clint, he said he'd be here but he's not and Yelena's still out there..."

"Yeah, go ahead. I should talk to my mom alone, anyway," she eased her. "I'll see you in a few, yeah?"

She squeezed the girl's hand. "See you in a bit."

She found Yelena standing above Clint, ready to kill him. Cat landed next to him and was about to attack Yelena when he caught her ankle.

"Don't... it's okay..."

Yelena's expression was one of heartbreak, she wasn't trying to kill him.

"Lena?" Cat asked tentatively.

The blonde looked up at her in frustration. "It's not fair, that you got so much time with her."

"We did," Clint agreed weakly.

"It shouldn't have gone this way," Yelena's eyes got teary. "If I was there, I could have stopped it. I could have— I could have changed it."

"Nothing was gonna stop her, Yelena... you know Natasha," Clint replied. "She made her choice... We're gonna have to find a way to live with that."

The statement was as much for Cat as it was for Yelena. She'd claimed that her hurting would forever blind her, but somehow, she saw things clearer in what she could only call a Christmas miracle. After two whole years of mourning and guilt, a new perspective arose:

Her brother had been the fastest man alive, she knew how his powers worked. The day Pietro died, he hadn't rushed in trying to stop the spear, he was looking at her, making sure she was okay.

When Tony was dying, he didn't ask about Thanos, he asked about Peter and the Maximoff twins, cause all he wanted to know before leaving was if they were okay.

There was no point in inflicting all those punishments on her person, her friends hadn't died for her. Staying miserable was not a proper way to honor their sacrifices. Nothing could hurt them anymore, and it was up to her to continue their mission.

"I loved her so much..." Yelena sobbed.

Between doing things the way she wanted, and the way others thought was better, the key to a happy life was to choose kindness regardless of what she knew.

"You're not alone, Lena," she said gently. "You have the other widows, they're your sisters too... and you have us if you ever need help."

Yelena didn't speak, she approached slowly and offered a hand to Clint so he could stand. The two women helped him stand, and he placed his hand on Yelena's shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

The agent started to walk away, and Cat followed her.

"C.C..." Clint warned her, but she was quick to put his worries to rest.

"I'm making sure she gets out of here safe, that's all," she threw her spear and her taser at his feet. "I promise."

Yelena walked with her until they reached a quiet street, where the blonde stopped and glanced at the sky. Cat pushed the hood off her head and her mask disappeared, she inhaled the cold air, it stung her, but she didn't mind the feeling.

"Russo and Kingpin are not the only ones trying to find you," Yelena said at last.

"I guessed as much," she admitted, not even surprised to find out Yelena knew about it. "But the only way I'll work as a bag guy's minion is if they reach my price or kill all my friends... and the number both is pretty high."

"I didn't know it was a setup," Yelena revealed. "I found out at the same time as you. I couldn't warn you. I don't hate you, Z... but I saw how this life worked for my sister, and you can't change that."

Cat smiled a little, gazing at the sky. "I don't want anything to change. If I die fighting... it's a good way to go."

"Can I ask you something?"

"I'm listening."

"You grew up in a lab because of these people, all the bad things that'd happened to you, it's because of them... why help them?"

"My brother wanted a normal life," Cat looked back at Yelena. "He got what he wanted. Nat didn't want to live in half a universe, so she fixed it. Heroes don't have perfect lives, but most of their dreams come true in due time... you wanna know why I help them?"

Yelena just stared at her, so she continued.

"I thought I could fix my problems alone, but that's not what makes me good at what I do. It's who I become when I'm part of something. Having a soft place to land where I stumble, that's where my real power resides."

The agent hummed, looking up again. "You lived in space for a while, yes?"

"Three good years."

Yelena took a moment to form her question. "Was it pretty? The place where she died?"

Cat swallowed the lump in her throat. "Looked like a heaven."

The widow closed her eyes. "I won't tell Valentina you're Copycat, but this is the only time I'll cover for you."

"We can find a way to hide you, you don't have to go back to her—"

"I don't have a problem with what I'm doing, Z." She replied calmly. "If I need help I'll call you, but don't come uninvited."

"Alright," she knew this was as close as they'd get to becoming friends. "Take care, blondie."

"Don't die," the woman turned and started to walk away. "Don't waste my mercy."

She smiled and raised her voice. "Don't worry, Death doesn't want me around, she knows I'm insufferable."

Yelena stopped and spoke one last time, moving her head a little to the right. "Will you give me a tour around the city next time, or do I point a gun at your girlfriend's head to convince you?"

She tried not to laugh. "Okay. Stop threatening Kate's safety, she's not my girlfriend yet."

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[errorthedumbone]

Name: Sarah Emily or Sarah Afton

age:??? (Looks late 40’s)

height: 5’5 (without her inch or 2 heels)

death: stabbed by William

relationship status: divorced

sexuality: straight(thinks being gay is a sin lol)

job: to rot in hell

About: Mother of Terrace, Micheal, Elizabeth, and Christopher(or chris/even) HEAVILY Christian, homophøbįc, a bit r*cist, was in a Christian cült, THE REASON WHY TERRACE IS DEAD AND FNAF IS REAL(in this au this isn’t cannon in real fnaf lore lol) demon cuz of her sins

Personality: really abus*ve to Terrace and a bit to mike, Liz, and C.c, mad to the head, she sees did nothing wrong to her kids and William, heartless, and cruel mf

likes: god, men (Idfk) vegetables, being a b”tch to her kids, Elizabeth(she looks a lot like her she hasn’t seen her before she died)

dislike’s demons, satan, her kids, William, hell, animals, the meat isle in your local Walmart or Freddy’s( Fred Meyers)

hello creator of this au here, If you think I hate Christians I don’t hate christians or anything they are fine it’s just a au preference

[when-life-gives-you-lemons-if]

😫 I pray all details are correct and also.... sorry for any and all grammatical error. Enjoy C.C.

Fuck!

Monroe, stood in the middle of the room, with an icy stare, directed at you and Barlow. The brown paper bag, in his/her/their hand, slipped, spilling it's contents. You couldn't bare to look, as the small container, with freshly made chicken soup, spilled on the rug. This wasn't what you wanted. No. Wait, please. This wasn't suppose to happen!

Barlow's arms tightened around your thin frame. You wanted so badly to hit him/her/them, but how could you, when you were trapped in his/her/their iron clad hold.

"Fever huh? Feeling under the weather? Haha... how ridiculous!" Monroe said incredulously. He/she/they raked his/her/their hand through his/her/their, hair. "... how could I be so stupid...."

"Monroe it isn't what you think!" You practically yelled.

"Then what is this exactly mc?! On the little bun's birthday, you told me, that there was nothing going on between Barlow and yourself!" He/she/they said, angrily. "And now, I come here only to find you, in the arms of another?!"

Like a fish out of water, your mouth opened, and closed.

Monroe's face redden, to an unhealthy shade. With a look of disgust Monroe stalked towards you and Barlow.

"Barlow, release him/her/them."

"Monroe, a simpleton like yourself, will never understand, the hell I've been through......."

Monroe didn't allow, Barlow to finish his/her/their sentence.

"Bullshit!" Monroe spat coldly.

Don't fight. Please don't fight.

Monroe, grabbed a hold of your hand, which hanged loosely at your side. Barlow growled, as if he/she/they were a wounded animal, when Monroe effortlessly tugged you, out of their/her/his. But it wasn't that easy. Now your body was stuck between two, hot blooded men/women/persons. Who wanted to kill each other. Each one had a hold of your hand and wouldn't let go. You were guilty. You wanted nothing more than to turn back the hands of the clock. But you couldn't.

If you had just... spoken to Barlow on the porch. This wouldn't have happened. But Monroe has always been stubborn. You had told him/her/them, you were sick in hopes that, he/they/she would stay away, instead this man/woman/person...... no!

"Don't look at me like that, MC." Monroe grunted, with clenched teeth. Gone was their/her/his aloofness. The hurt in his/her/their eyes, was more than enough to send you over the edge. Monroe.... don't.... I....

Barlow, tugged your hand, and you couldn't help craning your neck to look at him/her/them. He/she/they looked at you with desperation. At this moment, the only thing keeping him/her/them grounded, was the hold he/she/they, had on you. His/her/their eyes, were as red as a monkey butt. Each droplet of, tear that, dripped from his/their/her eyes, splattered on your heart, making it ache even more.

"MC, I love you....."

"No...." You croaked, despondently.

"I love you."

You didn't want to hear it.

"MC. I love you." Barlow pressed his/her/their tear soaked lips against your fingers. ".... after cheating on you all those years ago. I felt so dirty, tainted. To think I would stoop, so low to hurt the man/woman/person that I loved because I felt insecure...... everyone leaves eventually. Just like..... my parents.... MC.... I.... forgive me. Please. Forgive me.... MC. I love you so much...... don't leave me....."

Thanks for sharing.

Some notes: Monkey butt 😅😂

Monroe is not really the angry or jealous type, but it's your headcanon so it was funny to see that side of them. They are fighting for MC after all. 🤭

That last bit about Barlow's family leaving. Damn! You got that sooo right. 😭

[cardest]

New Orleans playlist

Hungry for some po boys? Feeling the Mardi Gras vibes for this weekend? This is the ultimate NOLA playlist, right here. Play the songs here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC182dTlE-Gii6ZOO5ZrN1Z1T

Louisiana and New Orleans, all in the one awesome playlist. If there are songs I left out, let me know and I can add those. Or come meet me at Le Bon Temps Roulé  and we’ll listen to this NOLA playlist together with drinks.

LOUISIANA & NEW ORLEANS

001 Bob James - Take Me To The Mardi Gras 002 Earl King - Ain’t no city like New Orleans 003 John Lee Hooker - goin’ to Louisiana 004 Crowbar -  Wrath Of Time By Judgment 005 True Detective - Theme (The Handsome Family - Far From Any Road) 006 EyeHateGod - New Orleans Is The New Vietnam 007 The The Meters -  Chicken Strut 008 Paul McCartney - Live And Let Die (from Live And Let Die) 009 The Rolling Stones - Brown Sugar 010 Lucinda Williams - Crescent City 011 King Hobo -  New Or-Sa-Leans 012 Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting 013 Down - Underneath Everything 014 True Blood Theme Song (Jace Everett - Bad Things) 015 Corrosion of Conformity -  Broken Man 016 The New Orleans Jazz Vipers - I Hope Your Comin' Back To New Orleans 017 Willy DeVille - Jump City 018 Left Side - Gold In New Orleans 017 Necrophagia -  Reborn through Black Mass 018 Johnny Horton -  The Battle Of New Orleans 019 Dr John - Litanie des Saints 020 Foo Fighters - In the Clear 021 Redbone - The Witch Queen Of New Orleans 022 Jucifer - Lautrichienne 023 Danzig - It's a long way back from hell 024 Harry Connick, Jr. -  Oh, My Nola 025 The Gaturs - Gator Bait 026 Jon Bon Jovi - Queen Of New Orleans 027 Cyril Neville -  Gossip 028 Carlos Santana - Black Magic Woman 029 Gentleman June Gardner - It's Gonna Rain 030 Eddy G. Giles - Soul Feeling (Part 1) 031 Tool - Swamp Song 032 Beasts of Bourbon -  Psycho 033 Seratones - Gotta Get To Know Ya 034 Chuck Berry -  You Never Can Tell 035 Grateful Dead - Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodleoo 036 Pale Misery - Hope is a Mistake 037 Exhorder - Homicide 038 King James & the Special Men - Special Man Boogie 039 Chuck Carbo -  Can I Be Your Squeeze 040 Amebix - Axeman 041 Tomahawk - Captain Midnight 042 Waylon Jennings - Jambalaya 043 Heavy Lids - Deviate 044 Red Hot Chili Peppers -  Apache Rose Peacock 045 Necrophagia -  Rue Morgue Disciple 046 Johnny Cash -  Big River 047 Albert King -  Laundromat Blues 048 Meklit Feat Preservation Hall Horns - You Are My Luck 049 Le Winston Band  - En haut de la montagne 050 Dr. john - I Thought I Heard New Orleans Say 051 Down -  New Orleans is a dying whore 052 Samhain -  To Walk The Night 053 Creedence Clearwater Revival -  Green River 054 Southern Culture on the Skids -  Voodoo Cadillac 055 Bonnie, Sheila -  You Keep Me Hanging On 056 Warren Lee -  Funky Bell 057 Elf - Annie New Orleans 058 Cannonball Adderley - New Orleans Strut 059 Doug Kershaw - Louisiana Man - New Orleans Version 060 Willy deVille  - Voodoo Charm 061 The Animals -  The House of the Rising Sun 062 Porgy Jones -  The Dapp 063 Lost Bayou Ramblers - Sabine Turnaround 064 IDRIS MUHAMMAD - New Orleans 065 John Lee Hooker - Boogie Chillen No. 2 066 Hank 3 - Hillbilly Joker 067 Nine Inch Nails -  Heresy 068 Talking Heads - Swamp 069 Irma Thomas - I'd Rather Go Blind 070 Mississippi Fred McDowell -  I'm Going Down the River 071 Dee Dee Bridgewater   - Big Chief 072 Dr. John  - Creole Moon 073 Agents of Oblivion -  Slave Riot 074 Steve Vai - Voodoo Acid 075 Saviours -  Slave To The Hex 076 Kris  Kristofferson -  Casey's Last Ride 077 JJ Cale - Louisiana Women 078 Cher - Dark Lady of New Orleans 079 LE ROUX - Take A Ride On A Riverboat 080 The Melvins -  A History Of Bad Men 081 Floodgate - Through My Days Into My Nights 082 Opprobium - voices from the grave 083 Quintron & Miss Pussycat - Swamp Buggy Badass 084 Child Bite - ancestral ooze 085 Sammi Smith - The City Of New Orleans 086 The Explosions - Garden Of Four Trees 087 Bobby Boyd - straight ahead 088 Bobby Charles - Street People 089 Wall of Voodoo -  Far Side of Crazy 090 Rhiannon Giddens - Freedom Highway (feat. Bhi Bhiman) 091 Elton John - Honky Cat 092 Serge Gainsbourg - Bonnie and Clyde 093 Fats Domino - I'm Walking To New Orleans 094 Cruel Sea - Orleans Stomp 095 Down -  On March The Saints 096 Danzig -  Ju Ju Bone 097 The Neville Brothers ~ Voodoo 098 Megadeth -  The Conjuring 099 Miles Davis - Miles runs the voodoo down 100 Elvis Presley - King Creole 101 Led Zeppelin - Royal Orleans 102 The Lime Spiders -  Slave Girl 103 BIG BILL BROONZY  -'Mississippi River Blues'   104 Kreeps - Bad Voodoo 105 Dirty Dozen Brass Band -  Caravan 106 Kirk Windstein -  Dream In Motion 107 Eletric Prunes - Kyrie Eleison - Mardi Gras 108 Merle Haggard - The Legend Of Bonnie And Clyde 109 Corrosion of Conformity -  River of Stone 110 THE ADVENTURES OF HUCK FINN (MAIN TITLE) 111 Zigaboo Modeliste - Guns 112 ReBirth Brass Band - Let's Go Get 'Em 113 Inell Young -  What Do You See In Her? 114 Jimi Hendrix - If 6 as 9 (Studio Version) Easy Rider Soundtrack 115 Deep Purple -  Speed King 116 Exhorder - The Law 117 Crowbar -  The Cemetery Angels 118 A Streetcar Named Desire OST - Main Title 119 WOORMS - Take His Fucking Leg 120 steely dan - pearl of the quarter 121 Tabby Thomas - Hoodoo Party 122 Black Label Society -  Parade of the Dead 123 Dwight James & The Royals - Need Your Loving 124 Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter (2012) The Rampant Hunter (Soundtrack OST) 125 PanterA - The Great Southern Trendkill 126 Ween - WHO DAT? 127 Earl King - Street Parade 128 Ernie K-Doe - Here Come The Girls 129 Dejan's Olympia Brass Band ~ Mardi Gras In New Orleans 130 Body Count -  KKK Bitch 131 Goatwhore - Apocalyptic Havoc 132 C.C. Adcock - Y'all d Think She Be Good To Me (from True Blood S01E01) 133 The Meters - Fire On The Bayou 134 Dr. John - I Walk On Guilded Splinters 135 Balfa Brothers - J'ai Passe Devant ta Porte 136 Ween - Voodoo Lady 137 King Diamond -  'LOA' House 138 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Born On The Bayou 139 Dax Riggs -  See You All In Hell Or New Orleans 140 Professor Longhair - Go to the Mardi Gras 141 Dixie Witch -  Shoot The Moon 142 Ramones - The KKK Took My Baby Away 143 Fats Waller -  There's Going To Be The Devil To Pay 144 Mississippi Fred McDowell -  When the Train Comes Along with Sidney Carter & Rose Hemphill 145 Treme Song (Main Title Version) 146 Tony Joe White - Even Trolls Love Rock and Roll 147 Nine Inch Nails -  Sin 148 Exodus -  Cajun Hell 149 NEIL DIAMOND - New Orleans 150 James Brown - Call Me Super Bad 151 Jimi Hendrix -  Voodoo Child ( Slight Return ) 152 Allen Toussaint - Chokin Kind 153 Dash Rip Rock  - Meet Me at the River 154 Hawg Jaw- 4 Lo 155 Hot 8 Brass Band - Keepin It Funky 156 Hank Williams III - Rebel Within 157 Dejan's Original Olympia Brass Band - Shake It And Break It 158 Jelly Roll Morton -  Finger Buster 159 The Royal Pendletons - (Im a) Sore Loser 160 Little Bob & The Lollipops - Nobody But You 161 Gregg Allman - Floating Bridge (True Detective Soundtrack) 162 Michael Doucel with Beausoleil - Valse de Grand Meche 163 Dolly Parton - My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy 164 Othar Turner & the Afrossippi Allstars – Shimmy She Wobble 165 Jucifer - Fleur De Lis 166 Soilent Green -  Leaves Of Three 167 Ides Of Gemini -  Queen of New Orleans 168 Betty Harris -  Trouble with My Lover 169 Lead Belly - Pick A Bale Of Cotton 170 Candyman Opening Theme 171 Goatwhore - When Steel and Bone Meet 172 Acid Bath - Bleed Me An Ocean 173 Pere Ubu - Louisiana Train Wreck 174 Walter -Wolfman- Washington - You Can Stay But the Noise Must Go 175 Alice in Chains -  Hate To Feel 176 Body Count -  Voodoo 177 Live and Let Die - Jazz Funeral 178 Smoky Babe -  Cotton Field Blues 179 Professor Longhair - Big Chief Part 2 180 Lewis Boogie - Walk the Line 181 James Black - Theres a Storm in the Gulf 182 The Balfa Brothers - Parlez Nous A Boire 183 The Jambalaya Cajun Band - Bayou Teche Two Step 184 The Deacons -  Fagged Out 185 Thou - The Changeling Prince 186 Black Sabbath -  Voodoo 187 King Diamond -  Louisiana Darkness 188 Doyle -  Cemeterysexxx 189 KINGDOM OF SORROW - Grieve a Lifetime 190 Hank Williams III - Louisiana Stripes 191 FORMING THE VOID - On We Sail 192 BUCK BILOXI AND THE FUCKS - fuck you 193 Down in New Orleans - The Princess and the Frog Soundtrack 194 Trombone Shorty & James Andrews  - oh Poo Pah Doo 195 Whitesnake -  Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City 196 The Dirty Dozen Brass band - Voodoo 197 Joe Simon - The Chokin' Kind 198 Down -  Ghosts along the Mississippi 199 AEROSMITH  - Voodoo Medicine Man 200 Nine Inch Nails -  The Perfect Drug 201 The Byrds - [Sanctuary III] Ballad Of Easy Rider 202 The Iguauas - Boom Boom Boom 203 PJ Harvey - Down By The Water 204 Louis Armstrong - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans 205 Dr John - Right Place Wrong Time 206 ESTHER ROSE - handyman 207 Lightnin Slim - It's Mighty Crazy 208 Slim Harpo - Blues Hangover 209 Irma Thomas - Ruler Of My Heart 210 WEATHER WARLOCK - Fukk the Plan-0 211 Superjoint Ritual - The Alcoholik (Use Once And Destroy) 212 Stressball - dust 213 Trampoline Team - Kill You On The Streetcar 214 Xander Harris - Where’s your Villain? 215 Dukes of Dixieland - When The Saints Go Marching In 216 Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds - Su Su 217 Danzig - I'm the one 218 EyeHatteGod - Pigs 219 Hank Williams Jr - Amos Moses 220 The Cramps - Alligator Stomp 221 Crowbar - The Serpent Only Lies 222 Shrüm - drip 223 Thou  - The Only Law 224 DR. JOHN - Babylon   225 Garth Brooks - Callin' Baton Rouge 226 Wild Magnolias - All On A Mardi Gras Day 227 NCIS New Orleans TV Show theme 228 Skull Duggery - Big Easy 229 Harry Connick Jr. - City beaneath the sea 230 Elvis Presley - Dixieland Rock 231 Tom Waits - I Wish I Was In New Orleans (In The Ninth Ward) 232 Neil Young - Everybody's Rockin 233 Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals - Delinquent 234 CORROSION OF CONFORMITY - Wolf Named Crow 235 Widespread Panic - Fishwater 236 Lillian Boutté - Why Don't You Go Down to New Orleans 237 Bryan Ferry - Limbo 238 Scream - Mardi Gras 239 EyeHateGod - Shoplift 240 Better Than Ezra - good 241 Duke Ellington - Perdido (1960 Version) 242 Bob Dylan - Rambling, Gambling Willie 243 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - sAve my soul 244 Le Roux - So Fired Up 245 Concrete Blonde - The Vampire song 246 Boozoo Chavis - Zydeco Mardi Gras 247 Idris Muhammad  - Piece of mind 248 Les Hooper - Back in Blue Orleans 249 Doug Kershaw - Cajun stripper 250 DOWN  - Witchtripper 251 Soilent Green - So hatred 252 Professional Longhair - Big chief 253 Willie Nelson - City Of New Orleans 254 Tom Waits - Whistlin' Past The Graveyard 255 Brian Fallon - sleepwalkers 256 Patsy - Count It On Down 257 Into the Moat - The Siege Of Orleans 258 Bruce Cockburn - Down To The Delta 259 Jello Biafra · the Raunch and Soul All-Stars - Fannie Mae 260 Exhorder - Asunder 261 Cane Hill - Too Far Gone 262 The Slackers - peculiar 263 Crowbar  - A Breed Apart   264 COC - Wiseblood 265 Necrophagia - Embalmed Yet I Breathe 266 EYEHATEGOD - Fake What's Yours 333 Alan Vega - Bye Bye Bayou 666 DOWN  - Stone the crow

I don’t beads by the way! Hit play here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-iHPcxymC182dTlE-Gii6ZOO5ZrN1Z1T

[kamwashere]

STORY UPDATE! (Chapter Six)

Title: guide me towards salvation

Fandom: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)

Relationships: Ricky Goldsworth/C. C. Tinsley

Characters: C. C. Tinsley, Ricky Goldsworth, Kwo Wey, Holly Horsely

Additional Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Nightmares, Grief/Mourning, Tinsley lives in a farmhouse and Ricky ruins his crops by bleeding all over them: the fic, Alternate Universe - Mob, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, no beta we die like men, Slow Burn, Mild Gore, Obnoxious Pet Names, Power Play, tinsley is done with everyone's shit, Alternate Universe - Noir, Substance Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD

Summary:

A clearly injured man is sitting on his porch, trailing blood everywhere. His eyes are shut, groaning as he clutches his bleeding side. He looks dangerously pale. Tinsley feels strangely awkward just standing there so very casually, he says, ‘You know, you could have just knocked.’

‘Jesus fucking Christ!’ The man yelps, startled. He tries to stand up and instantly falls over, howling in pain. In normal circumstances, Tinsley would have found that hilarious but the man obviously seems to momentarily forget he was bleeding to death. He winces sympathetically instead.

The man looks up at him, blinking his dark brown eyes at him, ‘I thought you were a ghost,’ He wheezes out pathetically.

‘Thanks,’ Tinsley replies dryly.

-

C.C. Tinsley is a resigned private investigator plagued by the past. He reinvents himself in a quiet, little town—confident that nothing will ever disturb the life he’s trying to build. Then comes Ricky Goldsworth, who keeps trying to make his way through Tinsley’s life, one injury at a time.

Chapter Summary:

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ Tinsley finally asks, voice flat.

The criminal lowers his book, taking his sunglasses off to look at him up and down. He smiles, ‘Have to say, the apron suits you, darling.’

link

read from the start

[semi-occasionally-writing-stuff]

Of Bullets & Blood - Chapter 3

Read on AO3

Summary

C.C. Tinsley. A preacher’s son. Now a bounty hunter who will do whatever it takes to find who killed his wife and son.

Ricky Goldsworth. A former samurai running from his past. Now a bounty hunter trying to stay honourable in a land riddled with crime.

At first glance, these men were opposites in every way. However, through betrayal, blood, corruption, and the crimes of a serial killer, they will find that they have much more in common than they first expected.

Western/Samurai AU!

Chapter 3: A Warm Meal & Bad Company

To say Ricky’s day wasn’t going that well would be an understatement. He had been out hunting for almost 7 hours and still hadn’t caught a thing. He found a deer, but his boot got stuck in the stirrup and he ungracefully fell off his horse and spooked the poor thing. Then an hour later Francesca bucked him off his horse when a rattlesnake slithered out onto the path. Other than that, there wasn’t much that he could find and he knew he didn’t have anything left in the cupboards as he donated it to the local church to feed the poor. Accepting defeat, Ricky started to head home until he came by a dirty white house where an old man was sitting on the steps of the porch.

“Hey son! You look like you’re in desperate need of a warm meal. Why don’t you come on in?,” he hollered.

Ricky noted that the man seemed pretty harmless, there was a walking stick resting beside him and he was had a wide welcoming smile that beckoned him in. Despite this, he didn’t really want to bother the man.

“It’s okay sir, I’m just passing through. No need to put yourself through all that trouble.”

“Nonsense, it would be my pleasure! Good company always has a seat at my table. My wife always makes too much for me and my son. It’s best that you do come in and help us eat all of it.”

The front door creaks open and an older lady appears who waves at Ricky, “Abe, that’s dinner ready. oh hello there, I’m Delilah! Come on in, I’ll set an extra place at the table for you.”

“The lady has commanded you to the table now boy, you better get in there,” the man laughed as he stood and walked inside.

Ricky sighed and decided that eating a homemade meal with a family instead of stopping by the general store for some awful tinned food was a better alternative. So, he climbed down from his horse, brushed the dirt off his clothes the best he could, took off his bow and quiver, packed them onto the horse and straightened his jacket as he walked up to the house and into the dining room.

“There’s our guest of honour! Come take a seat next to Samuel here. When was the last time you had a good meal with family?” Delilah said as she placed a plate full of stew in front of him.

“It’s been a while, they’re all back home. But I have to thank you, ma’am. This is real kind of you all.”

“You aren’t the first to say that and you sure won’t be the last.”

Before Ricky could find the words to come up with a response, he felt a sharp pain exploded in the side of his head as everything went black.

When he woke up, he was on his back in a dark and dirty well. His head was pounding and his whole body was stiff and achy. A foul but sickly-sweet smell invaded Ricky’s nostrils as he put his hand on something smooth and tried to push himself up, but his hand went right through and plunged into something cold and slimy. As Ricky took a closer look at what his hand was in, it was clear that his hand was in the guts of the rotting corpse of a young woman. He screamed and cursed as he scrambled back into the wall of the well. There were skeletons and half rotting corpses strewn around him. If he didn’t get out soon, he would be one of them.

The family had taken all his possessions from him, all he could do was try to climb out or stay here and starve to death. With a deep breath, he tried to grip onto the uneven rock that lined the well and tried to pull himself up with the little grip that he had.

“Alright…right hand there, push up with left leg then grab onto that jagged rock there with the left hand. What could go wrong?”

Unfortunately, many things could go wrong. As soon as Ricky grabbed onto the rock, he slipped which caused the rock to slice his hand open as he fell back into the depths of the well. He hit the bodies with an ugly crunch and prayed that the bones that broke were not any of his.

As the panic and desperation set in, he heard an echoey but familiar voice, “You know, of all the places I feared that I would run into you again. This was not one of them.”

“You know, this may be the only time that I’ll ever be happy to hear your voice Tinsley.”

Tinsley snorted, “And you call me pain in the ass, someone was certainly self-projecting there. Give me a second and I’ll throw down a bit of rope for you. Then you can tell me who the hell dumped you down there.”

Ricky slowly dragged himself back up onto his feet as he applied pressure to his bleeding hand. When the rope was lowered, he grabbed it and began to climb up as Tinsley worked to pull him up at the same time, “You might want to savour this moment, it will be the only time I will appreciate you Tinman.”

“Alright Golden boy, don’t taunt the hand that saves your ass.”

As Ricky reached the top, Tinsley grabbed onto his forearm and helped him over, “Well, don’t you look rosy. You doing okay, Goldsworth?”

“I got knocked out by some old man, spent God knows how long down a well filled with dead bodies and sliced my hand open. How do you think I’m doing?”

Tinsley carefully took Ricky’s injured hand in his and examined the cut. Without saying a word, he retrieved some whiskey from his bag and a bandage. He poured some whiskey on his handkerchief and gently cleaned his wound and then began to wrap the bandage round his hand as carefully as he could.

“Who did this to you?” Tinsley murmured.

“Why do you care?”

Despite how Tinsley presented himself and how desperately he tried to suppress it, he cared deeply about every victim he has come across. From the little boy he found drowned in the river with dark red and purple bruises all over his neck to the kind old lady that he found with her skull caved in from a robbery gone wrong, the weight of every life he wasn’t able to save or avenge haunts him. Even though Tinsley wasn’t too fond of Goldsworth, he knew he was a decent enough man worth saving.

“This is the first time in years that I’ve found a victim that was still alive. So, forgive me if I care about who is responsible for this.”

Ricky sighed; he has had his own fair share of failings. Often times it’s not the victims faces that haunt him; their names are long forgotten. It’s the little things left behind that stick out the most. A lone burnt children’s sock next to a smouldering house or streaks blood being carried down a river.

“It was some family. I think the old man was called Abe? He had a wife and a son but I can’t really remember their names. It was at some big old house, not too far from the pig farm. They very kindly served me with food that I didn’t get a chance to eat before robbing me.”

Tinsley finished bandaging up Ricky’s hand and clapped him on the shoulder, “Well, luckily for you, I think I know where that house is. The general store owner mentioned that he had heard a rumour that bodies were being dumped in this well. I found the bodies last week but didn’t have any leads and I knew if I reported it, then whoever was doing this would get away.”

“So, you waited for another victim to get thrown down the well? What if the next one was killed before being dumped here? You’re just letting another person die!”

“If there’s no trail to follow then there’s no killer to catch. They’ll just get a little more careful and keep going. This was the fastest way to find the killer and save as many lives as possible. It all worked out in the end though, right?” Tinsley reasoned.

Ricky grunted, relenting because deep down he knew that Tinsley was right.

Tinsley nodded, climbed on top of his horse, and stretched his hand out to Ricky. “There you go, Goldsworth. Now, how about we have a friendly chat with your hosts and show them that your sins do truly come back to haunt you?”

Ricky grabbed his hand and climbed onto the back of his horse, “I would love nothing more.”

By the time the two men reached the house, with the extra horse outside, Ricky knew they had picked up a new victim.

“We need to be careful here, wouldn’t put it past them to use whoever they have lured in as a hostage to get away,” Ricky said as they jumped off the horse.

“So, I suppose you’re not planning on announcing our arrival so they can fight us?”

Ricky opened his mouth to answer but Tinsley held his hand up and cut him off, “Don’t answer that, I’m afraid what you’re going to say. Listen, your whole honour thing works when you’re up against other honourable folk and when the time comes, I’ll let you have at it. But these folks are cowards that will put anyone they damn well please in danger if it means they get away. We can take them in alive but we need to do this the right way or that person is as good as dead.”

“Does the right way include being a sneaky little shit?”

Tinsley laughed as Ricky slowly broke out into a grin, “We can be direct little shits if you’d like?”

“I’d like that,” Ricky hummed.

Tinsley reached into his horse’s saddle bag, pulled out an old large revolver and handed it to Ricky, “Here, you know how to shoot a gun right?”

“Of course. Just because I favour the sword and the bow doesn’t mean I don’t know how to shoot a man.”

“Good, because we’ll be outnumbered, and I don’t feel like doing all the work if things go sideways. Anyway, I’ll go in the front and you’ll go in the back. Sound good?”

Ricky thought it through and with the little that he remembered of the house, he knew that it would take longer for him to go in the back and through the kitchen which would leave Tinsley outnumbered long enough to get riddled with bullets.

“Sounds like a great way for you to earn a couple extra bullet holes. I’ll smash through the window of the dining room, get the poor guy out and we’ll deal with them that way.”

Tinsley drew his pistol and cocked it, “It’s nice to know you care but if I get shot doing it your way, you’ll never hear the end of it. You head on round and on 3, we’ll smash in like the direct little shits you wanted us to be.”

Ricky nodded, quietly snuck round and pressed his back against the wall next to the window as Tinsley bounded up the stairs to wait at the front door. Ricky peaked through the window and saw two men with their backs to them conversing, one of which Ricky was sure was the son.

1

Delilah emerged from the kitchen and handed him the bowl of stew.

2

From his position he could see Abe reaching into a drawer and slowly pulling out a revolver.

3

Taking a deep breath, Ricky aimed at Abe and fired once, hitting him in the head and splattering blood all over the wall, then smashing the rest of the window with his gun and stepping through as Tinsley kicked the door open with his gun aimed at Delilah who was screaming next to her husband who was missing a chunk of his head.

“Alright folks, let’s play a game called ‘all the killers in the room stay still so no one else dies,’” Tinsley shouted as he nervously darted his eyes between the family and Ricky who had his gun pressed against the back of Samuel’s head, half expecting him to shoot them all in quick succession.

Ricky grabbed the back of the shirt of the young man whose eyes were wide with fear, hauled him to his feet and ushered him through the broken window, “We’re not going to hurt you, but you should most certainly run. Can’t imagine this scene is going to get any friendlier.”

The man frantically nodded and held his hands up, “Of- of course! I won’t tell anyone about this, I promise!”

“Now, will one of you kindly tell me where you put my things?” Ricky asked calmly despite the rush of adrenaline pumping through his veins.

“Fuck you!” Samuel growled.

Using the barrel of his gun that was pressed against the back of his skull, Ricky pushed his head down roughly onto the table, “Wrong answer, you really should try again.”

“It’s in the compartment behind the painting on the wall there, you murdering bastard!” Delilah screeched, pointing at the painting that was hung a few feet to the right of her.

“You got it?” Tinsley asked.

“Just watch my back,” Ricky answered, slowly moving his gun away from Samuel and walking towards the painting as Tinsley set his aim on the man to avoid friendly fire.

Once Ricky reached it, he tucked the gun into his belt, lifted the painting off the wall and was met with his katana, tanto, and a bundle of money. He tucked the money into his pocket and sheathed his tanto but kept a hold onto his sword.

“So, what now, you going to turn us in? You really think that is a punishment to us? You’ll make us famous and our legacy will be remembered for generations while the fools that we killed have no one around to even know that they’ve disappeared,” Samuel sneered as he slowly rose to his feet.

“What makes you think either of you will be leaving here alive? Can’t tell your story then huh?” Ricky chuckled.

Tinsley started to feel his sweat running down his back, there was a slight manic glint in Ricky’s eyes that alluded to something dangerous that was buried deep within, “Uh Goldsworth…What exactly are we doing? I thought the whole point of this was to catch them and turn them in?”

“Unfortunately, there has been a change of plans. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”

Before Tinsley could question him further, he stuck his katana into Delilah’s chest who frantically tried to reach for the gun her dead husband grabbed earlier.

With a shout of protest, Samuel rushed towards Ricky but didn’t get far before Ricky threw his dagger which lodged itself in his throat. He only made it a few more steps before collapsing to the ground and coughing up blood, wheezing and gurgling as he tried to draw more air into his lungs.

With a sigh, Ricky withdrew his sword from Delilah’s chest. Then he slowly walked over to Samuel and pulled his dagger from his throat, letting the blood pool on the wooden floorboards but ignored the clear sings of Samuel’s dwindling life.

Tinsley’s arms slowly lowered to his gun to his side, “What the fuck was that?”

“They're a bunch of cold-blooded killers Tinsley.”

“And it seems like you are as well. You going to kill me too?”

Ricky took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from his blades, “I did what I had to do. You know that better than anyone. I'm willing to bet you've killed many unarmed folk in your time.”

“That's...different.”

Ricky snorted, “You might pretend to stand there all calm but we both know you've hunted down criminals and slaughtered them in a blind fury.”

He was right. It didn’t matter how hard he tried; Tinsley would not be able to suppress the memory of bone crushing underneath his fist or the spray of blood that hit his face. Two men had been foolish enough to dig up the grave of not only his wife but also his child. They had taken his wife’s necklace, her wedding ring and had also stolen the charred teddy bear that he buried with his daughter which they regarded as some sort of trophy for their hard work. This ignited a burning fury that was fed by the pain of grief which turned him into a raging inferno that left a river of crimson and a howling wind of mercy that was silenced with a violent unforgiving blow.

Tinsley sharply holstered his gun and tried to control his heavy breathing, “They took something that didn't belong to them and well…they had it coming.”

“Then why is that principle different now? They took the only thing I have that connects me to my family! They took this and many innocent lives just to birth a legacy of blood and fear. Are you really saying that you wouldn't have done the same?”

I did. I did and perhaps the worst part of it is, I don’t regret any of it.

Tinsley held hands up, “You got me there. What do you want to do ‘bout this mess then?”

Ricky sheathed his weapons and started to light the lamp, “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s if you want to destroy a legacy then you must burn it to the ground. And that is what I intend to do.” Tinsley nodded and walked out, “Alright then. Now, you’ll have to excuse me, I’ve got an appointment with a cigarette.”

Tinsley didn’t quite understand Goldsworth. One minute he was yelling at him for being a cold killer but then went ahead to cut anyone down that dared to invoke his wrath. But perhaps he understood him more than he let himself believe. Tinsley used to try to be good but more of what he had to give was brutally taken from him and all that was left was an insatiable desire to seek revenge on anyone who had dared to wrong him. Maybe they were one of the same, one trying to be better than he was and the other who knew what path he had taken but couldn’t find it in him to change.

He lit his cigarette and as he held it between his lips. He took a deep drag to let the hot smoke fill his lungs. He heard the crash of the lamp being thrown onto the floor and soon felt the warmth of a dying legacy press against his back. And with the cigarette smoke shifting through the air like a ghost, Tinsley can’t help but wonder if he died right now, would the legacy that he would leave be more than one forged with the bullets he fired and the blood he has spilled?

Yes? No? He cannot find satisfaction in either answer. He knows that he never will.

[madhatterbri]

Only Us | C.C.

Summary: Hey! I love your writing and was hoping i could get prompts 9 + 10 with christian? That man has a choke hold over me😂.

9.) Taking a vacation somewhere to escape the cold weather.

10.) First Christmas together

@biforrollynch (requested ❤️)

@theswitchbladessweetheart

@1dluver13xx

Author's Note: I live in a place that is known to be over 75 all year so this was easy. 😂😂

"Are you sure Adam didn't mind us coming to Miami for Christmas?" You repeated for the hundredth time. You stood against the glass door frame with two bottles of beer in your hands. The thought of intruding on a forty year friendship made you panic. Adam had always been so nice.

Christian remained silent while staring at the ocean before him. The full moon illuminated the water the two of you had been in previously. His barefeet propped up on the balcony fence enjoying watching the waves roll up on the sand. He took in a deep breath of the fresh ocean air and leaned his head back. His head lulled to look at you.

"For the thousandth time, he doesn't mind at all. Besides if he minded I think it would be too late to let me know now," he teased and reached out for his bottle. You handed it to him and sat next to him on the bench. He wrapped his arm around you while taking a swig. His thumb rubbing against your arm reassuringly.

As usual he was right. Today was Christmas. The airport, while always hell year round, would have been a disaster today. The streets would no doubt not be much better. This was ceetainly a better option. Warm weather was greatly appreciated for all the aches and bumps taken over the year while working with AEW.

The discussion of where to go for Christmas began two months ago. You didn't want to go somewhere cold and he wanted to go wherever you wanted to go. Christmas parties with friends sounded like more of a chore than something that would bring enjoyment.

As a couple, this was your first Christmas together. You wanted it to just be the two of you. No fuss over family and friends. Just the two of you being selfish and cutting yourselves off from the rest of the world. A resort on an island overlooking the ocean was a dream come true.

"Am I boring you?" He asked while taking another sip.

"Not at all. I'm just happy it's the two of us," you answered truthfully.

"Me too," he confessed. You rested your head on his clothed chest and soaked everything in.

Christmas lights were wrapped around the railings of your balcony. Another room played Christmas music. On the horizon a sailboat with Christmas lights passed by the resort. You stayed still listening to his heartbeat. A sound you often fell asleep listening to.

"Hey, do you remember the AEW party after All In?" He asked while playing with your hair lazily. He placed his empty beer bottle on the table next to him. You placed yours on the floor.

You cracked a smile. "When someone spiked the punch and seeing grown men cry like babies while puking in plants? How could I forget?"

"I meant after the party,"

You sat up and looked at him in confusion. To be honest, you didn't remember much of the party. The punch didn't have as much of an effect on you but it was still pretty strong. "After?"

"After," he smirked and kissed your lips. His lips trailed down to your jaw and down your neck. You blushed darkly remembering the previously mentioned event perfectly in your mind.

"I still can't believe we weren't caught by someone," you spoke and placed a hand over your head. "I would have been mortified,"

"I don't think anyone knows about that night except us,"

"I remember it perfectly, you know," you responded playfully and kissed him. "It was one of the best nights of my life. I had a crush on you for so long,"

Christian leaned down and kissed your lips. You wrapped your arms around his neck and scooted closer to him. Your legs placed around his as you sat on his lap facing him. His hands slid up the back of your legs and cupped your butt. Your lips separated from his slowly.

"Christian?" You asked. Your foreheads touched together.

"I think we should take this somewhere else," he advised. "It will be hard for parents to explain to their kids that adults can be on the naughty list,"

"After parties seem to be your favorite," you teased and stood up from the bench. He grabbed your hand and led you inside towards the bedroom.

"I love having only us for Christmas," you murmured between kisses as you closed the door behind you.

[sctisfctions]

( emeraude toubia, 28, cis female, she/her ) Have you seen CARINA TORRERO around ? I hear they’re an ESCORT who can sometimes be GREEDY & IMPULSIVE. But I also heard they can be DETERMINED & ADAPTIVE if you catch them on a good day. They’re usually hanging around LA CASA DI MATEO in their spare time. I sure hope they’re alright ! ( mandy )

Hello all! I’m Mandy and this is my child, Carina Torrero She’s… a lot, so bless your soul for finding your way to this intro.

Full name: Carina Cecilia Torrero Nickname: Care, Cari, C.C. Age: 28 Nationality: Mexican and Lebanese  Religion: N/A City of birth: Laredo, Texas The current place for living: Chicago, IL Job title: Eden Escort Married? No Spoken Languages: Spanish, English Birthday: October 30th Does she own a home? Yes

B A C K G R O U N D : ( updated Feb. 25th, 2021 )

Carina is the baby of her family and has always was spoiled as such; showered in gifts. In the small town of Laredo, Texas, the Torrero family was known as the richest family in town. While it was rumored that there were some underground dealings going on in the family business, none of those were true. In fact, The Torreros prided themselves on being the purest and most righteous family in the region. Rev. Torrero owned and pastored a Mega Church that made millions of dollars every week, on top of people throwing money at her parents for their “good work”. But it meant nothing to Carina because she always felt like the church always came before her. Every time they were absent from her biggest life events, a gift was sent to make up for it. 

When Carina went to Drexel University to get her degree in fashion design and marketing, she planned on spending the first year goofing off and exploring what the world has to offer her. In a city like Philadelphia, it was easy to get lost in the hype of pre-game drinking sessions and post-game parties, getting sucked into hook-up culture and living as thought she’d never have a chance to touch this many people all at once. 

Getting out of college and moving back in with her family in Laredo was odd, at first, leaving the sweet life of sin behind and pretending to be the angel the town was so used to. Kidding, of course, she couldn’t leave it behind. She started doing modeling on the side and ended up getting commissioned for a huge gig with a very risqué magazine. Before the photoshoot even happened, word reached her parents church and the rumors spread like wildfire across the town. Her parents looked down on her with shame and disgrace. 

It felt all so overwhelming until she realized it’s all just Texas life. Outside of their region, no one even knows who her family is. She knew the only thing to do was to pack up her things, steal a couple million dollars from her parents ( which was barely a dent for them ), and move to Chicago where she could carry on a life of her own. Within a month of moving, she made friends with some people who worked at a club called Eden. They got her a job as an escort and, to this day, she’s been operating as a freelance designer by day and an escort by night. 

Family:

Sisters or brothers: One older brother and sister Wife or husband: N/A. Children: None. Other important persons: Roommate(s)

Physical Characteristics:

Addictions: control, power Bad Habits: acting only for the good of herself Color of Eyes: brown The color of Hair: black The color of Skin: tan Dialect: american accent Does the character drink regularly? always Does the character have any disabilities? no Does the character prefer any proverbs? “the most important thing is to enjoy your life and be happy” - audrey hepburn Does the character smoke? sometimes Good Habits: open-minded, forward thinking, tidy. Height: 5′3″ Hobbies: reading, working out, instagram, binge watching, skin care routines, healthy eating Is she wearing Glasses? no Is the character healthy or does he have any diseases? she’s healthy What’s the style of the character? (modern, outmoded): sporty and sexy. is almost always wearing a sports bra, leggings, and sneakers.

Mental Characteristics

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and Marketing Intelligent or not? smart enough. she picks things up quickly. Fears: being misunderstood, spiders Life Goals (next 5 years): get a mansion Life Goals (next 25 years): own a fashion empire Self-perception: idk she’s just trying to keep it all together Assumed external perception: she thinks people think she’s either great or a bitch, there is no in between. Self-Confidence: extremely confident Rational Or Emotional: rational How could you upset this character? compare her to her family

Wanted Connections ( all based on crazy ex-girlfriend/galavant songs )

any of these could be filled with gang affiliates of any kind !! It’d be fun to see how a gang affiliate would spice up these connections !! 

PLATONIC

FRIENDTOPIA: Carina loves very few people on Earth. They’re the Joey/Chandler/Monica/Phoebe to her Rachel. They do practically everything together, as they spend pretty much every waking second together. They’re her roommates (they can work at Eden with her, but it’s not required). 

LET’S GENERALIZE ABOUT MEN: a bitch-type group of friends that get together, sometimes drink, sometimes shop, or sometimes just share gossip and personal thoughts about what the hell is going on around them.

SECRET MISSION: They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend. These people mutually hate someone and often come up with different ways in which they can make this person suffer. But it’s all just in good fun…… or is it?

OFF WITH HIS SHIRT: Any of the men she’s been with exclusively through Eden. Her “regulars” or “visitors”, if you will. She gets paid quite heavily whether she offers sex or just her general company.

MAYBE YOU WON’T DIE ALONE: Carina is the self-proclaimed Hook Up Guru of Chicago, so she’ll definitely attempt to hook you up with that person you’ve had your eye on and it sometimes isn’t subtle. But sex makes her happy, so helping her friends get laid makes her happy too. 

AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE DONE FOR YOU: This person has gone to hell and back for Carina, yet she shows little to no gratitude towards them. It’s only a matter of time before their lid pops right off. 

FACE YOUR FEARS: These are her older friends who help her figure out her shit and she ACTUALLY listens to them because she just trusts them more than anyone else. 

GREG’S DRINKING SONG: Drinking buddies!! A lot of the instances Greg mentions in the song can basically just be different scenarios they’ve gotten themselves in.

ROMANTIC/SEXUAL:

IT WAS A SHIT SHOW: A bittersweet ex-boyfriend. They really didn’t have any choice but to end things. He has some things going on in his life, Carina wasn’t anywhere near ready for a monogamous relationship. They both agree… it was a DISASTER.

SETTLE FOR ME: Someone who, stupidly, has a crush on Carina and he literally doesn’t have a single chance in hell. I just think this kind of energy would be hella hilarious.

STRIP AWAY MY CONSCIENCE: One of the guys that she regularly hooks up/hooked up with. Maybe even dated, but it wasn’t anything more than sex, really. They’re still friends to this day. 

SEX WITH A STRANGER: This is pretty straight forward. All of her hookups. I’m just gonna list them here for data purposes. They coulda been friends before or barely know each other. Honestly, if she avoided everyone she’s ever had sex with, she’d never leave her house. 

ENEMIES:

MAYBE YOU’RE NOT THE WORST THING EVER: Bitter, toxic exes. This was one of her first real and intense relationships that happened in a time when she was the most vulnerable and unprepared. It ended HORRIBLY when they lashed out at each other and it’s hard to let those feelings go. If they can get over their own pettiness, they can at least hope to be frenemies.

JACKASS IN A CAN: People who really just DON’T think she’s all that. They thinks he’s very stuck up and don’t fall for her charming, blunt persona in the slightest. I’d just love someone to call her out on her bullshit.

I DON’T LIKE YOU: General dislike and sworn mortal enemies kind of situation. We can talk over what happened between them, but honestly, it wouldn’t be that hard to find something that she did… or someone. 

WHEW this was long, but go ahead and press some buttons if you like and wanna plot with her!! 

[twoidiotwriters1]

Copycat: Cryptomnesia —(Marvel Fem!Oc)

A/N: Happy New year! -Danny

Words: 1,583

Phase Five Masterlist

Previous Chapter // Next Chapter

Listen to: ‘High Hopes’ -by Kodaline

xxv: A Really Good Lawyer

The mutant arrived right on time for her first day, she had her sunglasses on, and her silver hair was falling neatly on her back for the first time ever. Now her identities had switched places, and Cat was the one who would remain hidden.

She entered the elevator, and two men walked out of it.

"Good morning!" Foggy Nelson looked at her as if she were Santa Claus. "You're Copycat!"

Matthew tensed, but Cat was too shocked to feel anything. "Yes."

"I'm Franklin Nelson, but everyone calls me Foggy," he said amicably. "This is my partner, Matt Murdock, we just had a reunion with your boss."

"Oh," she said. "Okay. I, er... I-I suppose we'll be working together?"

"Well, there's no reason to believe your boss will need us soon, he just asked for a bit of legal advice. Matt's friends with him."

Matthew cleared his throat. "It'd be better to not go around saying that to everyone, Foggy."

"Sorry," he looked at Cat with a faint blush.

To make him feel less awkward, she decided to share as well. "I'm friends with Mrs. Stark, she hired me to protect Harley. He's got no Iron Man suit so he'll need to be looked after."

"But you're an Avenger, right?"

Matthew did a throaty noise that sounded like laughter. Cat looked at him with a frown. "I work here, not with the Avengers."

Foggy nodded at her, Matthew excused himself and started to leave. Foggy said his goodbyes too, and she closed the elevator.

"What the fuck..."

Happy was waiting for her outside Harley's office. "Boss wants you at her office."

"Haven't done anything!" She complained.

"She doesn't want you there to scold you."

"Oh. Hey, I have a question," Cat followed him through the hall. "Are we going to hire Nelson, Murdock & Page?"

"It was Harley's idea," Happy shrugged. "Thought you'd be happy to see them."

"Why don't we stick with the old law firm?"

"That's not up to us."

Cat walked to Pepper's office with a clear pout on her face. Outside the door she fixed her posture, Cat knocked once, and Pepper told her she could come in. She made her way to stand behind Harley, who gave her a brief smile. Cat was trying hard to pay attention to what they were saying.

Despite the tension, seeing Matthew safe and sound gave her peace.

"Take a seat, C.C." Pepper looked at Harley and Cat with a serious yet motherly expression. "You're gonna tell me what the hell you're up to."

The young adults shared a look, and Cat sighed.

"I thought you wouldn't notice for at least a month..."

"Speak."

"All I'll say is... we're about to save you so much money."

Pepper's face fell. "You're so much like Tony it's scary."

"Let's not go there," Cat took off her sunglasses and placed them above her head.

"Okay," Pepper grabbed a few files, "but I'm warning you, C.C., I'll retire next year and I'll leave Harley as the CEO—"

"Wait, what?"

"You're far more responsible and put together than Tony was at your age, and you're already older than he was when he became CEO— but that doesn't mean I don't have other options. You can bring new and good things to the table, if you ruin this, you won't get a second chance."

Harley was pale and speechless, Cat nodded somberly. "Got it."

"Good," Pepper walked to the door and opened it for them. "See you."

"You look like you're about to die," Cat placed the tea in front of Harley. "Calm down, I have everything under control."

"The CEO!" He drank half of his cup at once. "Is she crazy?"

"She wants to focus on being a mother," Cat sat in front of him. "This is a tough call for her, you know? She'd love to see Tony's legacy through, but it must be tiring... she's been doing this for fifteen years."

"Could keep going though, she's young."

"That's not the problem," Cat pointed out. "Bet all she wants is a quiet life after all that's happened, enjoy Morgan before she's off to college."

Harley frowned. "Morgan's seven."

"Kids don't stay little forever. We were eighteen yesterday and now we're twenty-four."

The young man pushed his short curls back. "It feels like yesterday when I found Tony in my workshop..."

"And now you're the future CEO of Stark Industries," she smiled.

"Feels wrong."

"Well, I think you deserve it," she shrugged. "Can't think of another guy as smart and hardworking. You were by far the best choice. The only choice."

Harley hesitated. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

Cat looked around, her friend fitted there perfectly... but she had to do what she had to do, she'd just make sure it wouldn't risk Harley's future.

"If anything goes south, I'll take full responsibility. You hired Nelson Murdock & Page for this reason, right? Matt knows who I am and he'll know what to do if I mess up."

Her friend made a face. "I haven't, I knew you'd be against hiring him. I just asked for advice."

"Well, I'm not mad exactly," she sighed, "he's a mighty good lawyer, he's the best choice."

"Really?"

She snorted. "Fuck no! If I need a lawyer I'll call Jennifer Walters. But I won't deny it didn't feel good to see him again."

Harley rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. "Fine. Let's move on to the next part."

Cat called Bucky Barnes, and the man replied almost instantly.

"What?"

"Hi, grumpy, nice to hear my voice, I expect," she said. "Are you sitting down? You should sit down."

"What do you want?"

"It's not what I want, it's what I'm about to do," she said sweetly. "You know Sharon Carter?"

"What about her?"

"She's the powerbroker," Cat revealed. "You're the only guy I can trust with this information."

"What about Sam?"

"I don't have his number."

"Wise guy."

"Buck, are you not listening—"

"First, don't call me Buck, alright?" He said. "Second, why would I believe you? You've been missing for months. Valentina's got Ken and taskmaster after you?"

"They won't find me. You haven't told them I'm Copycat, right?"

"Of course not."

"Well, as long as you keep your mouth shut I'll be fine. I'm not lying, Sharon threatened to reveal who I was to every mobster I've ever inconvenienced."

"You got proof?"

"I got her fingerprints all over an envelope with dirty money. And I know where she lives in Madripoor... and I know some of her pals are after me."

He was quiet for a moment. "You realize if we go after her, she'll know it was you."

"I'm counting on it."

"Cat, what are you gonna do?"

"Call me once it's done. Oh! And don't tell Valentina about this, she's working with Wilson Fisk."

Cat hung up, Harley was staring at her.

"Just say it," she rolled her eyes.

"You must be one, if not the most exasperating hero to partner with."

"You would know, you're my number one collaborator," she smirked. "And I'm no hero, Junior."

"I believe the number one title belongs to Nightcrawler, thank God," he snorted. "Probably because he's equally annoying."

"I love him," she beamed. "Well, Sharon's no longer our problem, now we move forward."

"Phase two," Harley turned on his computer. "Stark Expo."

The second time she ran into Matthew, it was just the two of them.

This time she felt less awkward about it, she'd been mentally preparing in case a surprise encounter happened. Besides, she'd been caught up thinking about the prospect of seeing Kate that weekend, and Matthew didn't look as tense when she accidentally bumped into him.

"Good morning," she said.

Matthew waited until they entered the lobby to respond. "Thought you were in L.A."

"Haven't been there since April last year," she replied. "I heard you were there assisting She-hulk, was it fun?"

"What are you doing here?"

"That's not what you wanna ask me," she said with a smirk. "But I won't force you. I'm Harley's bodyguard 24/7 now. Whether you believe it or not, that's your business."

Matthew tilted his head. "You're not lying."

"You were listening to my heartbeat?" She asked in outrage. "No, I'm not lying 'cause I'm not a mythomaniac," Cat shook her head, she was tired of being so defensive all the time. "You were right that night though, I was a coward."

"Cat—"

"You see right through me," she laughed, pressing the elevator's button. "No pun intended. I didn't want to be a good person 'cause I wasn't good at it, but then Karen told me she'd never seen you that happy and I... I didn't know how to handle being someone's source of joy. I dropped the ball."

"So what are you doing working as a bodyguard instead?"

The doors to the elevator opened and they got in. "You don't expect me to just go ahead and tell you, right?"

Matthew sighed. "Didn't hurt to try."

Cat wished she could get closer, her heart ached for more of him. It frustrated her, progress and months apart felt like nothing standing beside him.

"Are you okay?"

He chortled. "That's not what you wanna ask me."

" I didn't want to hurt you—"

"You're alright and so am I. Let's focus on the present."

"Matthew..."

"Please, Cat. Let's not."

She lowered her gaze. "Okay."

"I heard you're seeing someone anyway," he continued. "Happy warned me as soon as he saw me."

"He can't keep his mouth shut. It's none of his business."

Matt hummed. "You know, I actually went to L.A. to get my suit fixed in that place you mentioned. That's how I met Jen."

Cat was aware of how selfish it was to feel jealous over nothing. "Cool."

"She was here last month."

"Let's not," she responded curtly.

Matthew smiled. "Maybe we should a little, to get it out of the way."

"What for?"

"To make sure we stay away."

The elevator opened on Cat's floor, she walked out but Matt stayed in.

"I don't think we can stay away considering what we are."

"Coworkers?"

The doors started closing.

"Idiots."

Next Chapter—>

Taglist.

@mikaelsonwhxrebae​ @ieatpanicattacksforlunch​ @jesuswasnotawhiteman​ @siriuslysirius1107​ @greengarsstuff​ @itsyagirl01 @23victoria​ @espressopatronum454​ @jkthinkstoomuch

[eye-raq]

Ember 11.

Erik’s conflict.

In short, this is a co writing fic with my baby @panthergoddessbast she has helped me out ALOT with where this is going and how it’s ending. Thanks to all of those who have been with me every step of the way, loving my writing, commenting, reblogging. This one is gonna pull at some emotions from you guys, I just hope you enjoy.

[I suppose that a lifetime spent hiding one's erotic truth could have a cumulative renunciatory effect. Sexual shame is in itself a kind of death. ]

“Ladies and Gentlemen! Excuse me!!!”

The voices slowed down to a low whisper.

“I know the wine and appetizers are delicious, but it’s time to begin the private event!”

The entire room began to laugh, the plastered smiles of all the rich black folk giving Cyprine a wide smile. Dressed in a sexy backless slit dress colored wine red, chocolate skin acting as the perfect contrast, Cyprine waited with her fancy cue cards and microphone. She had the important job of hosting Fashion Through The Ages, one of the Getty Centers most popular private events.

“Let me introduce to you all the new Lead Curator, Cyprine Lewis!”

Cyprine put on her professional smile, walking out to main stage in a catlike fashion. She waves at the crowd of people clapping, bringing the microphone to her mouth. That action alone silenced everyone, more than the guy who talked before her.

“Hello hello! welcome to Fashion Through The Ages. Today we will join fashion historian and art muse, Sara Holmes, as she explores the museum’s collection through the lens of costume to consider issues of gender, society, and history through the ages. This promises to be a fun way to consider the Getty collection while thinking about fashions past and present.”

Cyprine motions to side stage, “please give a round of applause to Miss Sara Holmes!”

The entire room raised their glasses and clapped, Sara Holmes approaching dressed in Fendi from head to toe. The women always had the best designer, but she was tacky with colors. Following behind her, was a man in all forms.Tall, chocolate, thick and toned, a head full of waves that shined with a beard to match, wearing a tailored tuxedo with a simple black bow tie was Lorenz Allen. Entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Director. Cyprine caught his eye, watching him wink with those long lashes and that million dollar smile. He sponsored a lot of events through the Getty Center, so Cyprine expected that he would show up.

“Thank y’all for coming out. It really moves me when everyone can come together to support a cause, but at the same time enjoy yourselves and the beautiful art that the Getty Center has to offer.” He points a single finger at C.C, that finger wrapped in a gold ring set with diamonds. None of which meant anything of matrimonial significance

I bet those rings would feel good around my throat. She thought.

“I don’t think you all gave this beautiful, successful women here enough praise! She planned this event out, worked her ass off!”

The audience gave her the credit she deserved. Cyprine blushed, speaking her thanks into the microphone.

“No, thank you.” He stresses, his eyes only on her. Cyprine could see what he was trying to do, that’s all that mattered anyway.

“Thank you Mr. Allen, and thank you to everyone who came today to support this private charity event! Now, let us get started with the exhibits!” After a final round of applause, the lights dimmed and multiple spot lights along with music began to start up. A small fashion show on behalf of the guest of honor started, women and men wearing fashion from the renaissance era to start. All models were of different ethnicities, and some also apart of the LGBTQ community.

Cyprine watched the entire thing unfold, pride coming over her. With pride, came attention, and Lorenz gave Cyprine all of his attention with those dangerous eyes of his.

“C’mere” He whispers.

Cyprine didn’t argue with that, strutting over towards him. The smell of mild Creed Aventus filling her nostrils; bold and memorable.

“Yes?” She folds her arms.

“Keep me company.”

She fights a smile, staring at him with her wide brown eyes.

“Why should I? What makes you think your company is more entertaining than this show?”

“Because you’ve been eye-fucking me for some time now, so I know I got your attention.”

Humming in approval at his impressive response, Cyprine smiles faintly, “what can I say, I like what I see.”

“Same here, babygirl.” He licks his lips quick, Cyprine stared at his tantalizingly pink tongue wishing it was between her legs right now.

“Which is why I would like to take you out on a date tomorrow night, if that’s okay?”

Cyprine and dates didn’t go so well.

There were a few she could vouch for that ended up pretty nicely, but all in all she was single and every last guy she’d dealt with disappointed her to some degree.

“A date.” She repeats his words, eyes in wonder.

“Yeah, a dinner date, with me.”

Lorenz seemed to be a cool guy so Cyprine decided to give it a go, just to see where this takes her.

“Okay, i'll let you take me to dinner. We riding in that blacked out McLaren P1 you got, right?” Cyprine had a keen eye, not just for Lorenz but for cars as well. Her interest in cars that included make and model was all thanks to Erik and his obsession with it.

“Babygirl, it’s whatever you want.” He smiles that gorgeous smile.

“Good, cuz I like to have it my way.”

—————————-

“You’re getting better my man! Keep this up and you could become a professional boxer!”

Erik bends his body over the ropes of the boxing ring at the gym, sweating and dripping from his forehead and the tip of his nose.

“Nah, I’ll keep it strictly for workout purposes.” Erik lifts finally, clutching his ribs from the soreness he felt from constantly receiving blow after blow.

“Pick your punk ass up, homie!” Tre, Erik’s best friend, laughs at him while punching at a speed bag.

“Shut up nigga! I’m not the one who needs picking up! You don’t even know what you doing!” Tre puts his middle finger up at Erik before returning back to his workout.

“Unc, How’s that your nephew and you ain't teach him no tricks?”

TJ, the owner of Champs Boxing and Tre’s uncle puts his hands up in surrender.

“His knucklehead ass didn’t wanna learn, too busy playing them damn video games.”

Erik laughs, clutching his sore chest, “I was right along wit em though, so I can’t talk shit.”

Picking up his Gatorade, Erik takes a long sip, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. Tre enters the ring, towel around his neck and durag on his head.

“Bro, who that?”

Erik turns to notice a short caramel skinned women with a nia long cut. She was heavy at the bottom, the yoga pants she wore making her thick ass stand out more. Her sweaty skin glistened and the blaze in her eyes made her look even more tantalizing.

“Damn,” Tre tucked his pouty bottom lip into his mouth.

“She a bad one, might have to check that out before I go.”

Erik recognizes her, even without her glasses.

“Her name is Kaylin, I work with her.” Erik gives her a head nod of acknowledgement, watching as she gives him the same motion, but sexier.

“Why is it that all the FINE ASS WOMAN, gravitate to you?”

Laughing, Erik shoves Tre, “Tre, stop acting like you don’t get pussy.”

“Nah, man you gotta hook me up! She fine as hell with her thick ass.”

Erik pats Tre on the shoulder before turning to exit the ring.

“Don’t always get hypnotized by the ass.” Erik knew first hand about that.

“I can’t help it, a fat ass is my weakness.”

“Erik!”

The two men turn to face a sweaty Kaylin.

“I didn’t know you boxed at Champs! How long?”

“Used to come a while ago, just started back.”

She laughs, the light sound contagious.

“Cool! Maybe you can teach me some things. I’m trying to get the hang of it, the shit isn’t easy.”

“I can help you out sweetheart.” Tre steps up before his best friend could even speak.

“You just as good as E? I saw his moves in the ring and yours wasn’t looking so great on that speed bag.”

Erik couldn’t hold back his chuckle, slightly snorting and all at the way Kaylin played his friend.

“Chill, girl. That’s my nigga, he getting there.” Erik defends Tre.

“No shade, just saying.” Clearly Kaylin wasn’t interested in Tre, all she wanted was that Erik Stevens.

“You coming into the office tomorrow?” She got a little closer, Erik noticing the flushed look of her skin and the sweat glossing her cleavage.

Hell...Kaylin was a cutie.

Erik has eyes.

He could tell a bad bitch from a mile away, nothing wrong with looking. However, Erik wasn’t touching.

“I might, still got some paperwork to finalize.” Erik kept it short and simple.

“Okay, just saying, I’ll be there. We could get lunch or something. Thai food?”

Erik shrugs, “We can make it takeout for the office.”

A look of disappointment clouded her pretty brown eyes, but that only lasted a second.

“Okay! I’ll see you then. Oh! And your treat.”

Erik waves her away, “I got the money, I don’t mind.”

Erik said his final goodbyes before turning towards the locker rooms, leaving a flustered Kaylin behind.

“Like I said, you got these chicks thirsty” Tre had to add his two cents.

————————-

Finally home, kicking off her Saint Laurent heels in a pretty black and silver, Cyprine lets her hair down, smoothing out the pinned up curls with her fingertips, eyes closed, and a deep sigh escaping her mouth.

Not only did the event go as planned, she also snagged a date with Lorenz Allen, the successful black man and eye candy.

She had tomorrow night to look forward to, but right now preparing herself for Erik’s little get together at his place was her main priority. There was a Golden State game happening and finally, Cyprine would meet his other friends besides Tre who she already knew since him and Erik were the closest. Cyprine pulled a bottle of Hennessy XO from her kitchen liquor cabinet that she wanted to gift to Erik since he hadn’t tried it yet. It had a lovely long after taste of cinnamon and vanilla, fragrant with crystallized fruits, spices, and emanations of old leather. Cyprine knew Erik, he valued his drinks and he enjoyed the craft of mixology since he was a licensed one now.

The high pressure shower cleansed her body and the water droplets pricked her skin in the best way. All that ran through her mind was the date she had to look forward to and its possible outcome.

Men.

They could be an absolute disappointment.

Cyprine was single for a reason, she was tired of giving her all to a man and he gave her the minimal. Cyprine ran her fingers over her curly hair, conditioner working it’s magic to clear away her tangles stroke by stroke. With closed eyes, C.C’s mind wandered to her conversation with Erik about the last time they both had sex. She was reminded once again of the heat she felt, how much she missed calling a nigga ‘Daddy’ and getting her pussy fucked from behind.

That pussy is pure velvet heaven, juicy and succulent.

Man...she missed being praised in bed. She was a brat after all; a brat and a princess. Cyprine misbehaved; frequently too and the overpowering urge to be put in her place with some good dick and a sharp nasty tongue ate her from the inside out. She could feel water filling her mouth, snapping her out of the erotic daze she was in. Cyprine forgot where she was, and she forgot that her mouth was under the shower and not on her knees waiting for a dick to choke her out.

———————————

“Yo! You making the chicken nachos, right?”

Erik smiles faintly, slightly shaking his head as he cut the fresh mozzarella cheese in thin slices, plating it along with the mixed Mexican cheeses.

“Chicken nachos, shrimp nachos, veggie nachos…”

He wiped his fingers on a damp towel, reaching for some cheese to snack on while the sliced chicken breast simmered in the pot.

“Why don’t you make yourself useful nigga and call Jae, Malachi, and Torrey to see if they’re on the way.”

Tre hopped off the counter, walking away with a smart remark that Erik didn’t care to respond to. The game had just started, and the Jaguar Den already had snacks and all the drink essentials. The alone time gave Erik the chance to respond to Kimora’s naughty texts. They’ve been going back and forth never ending with this or that questions, and coming up with sexy scenarios they would like to be apart of. She was silly, fun, alluring, daring, confident, smart, and addicting.

-Tell me you aren’t wearing any underwear.

Sorry lover boy, it’s a thong.

He chuckles, biting his lip while adding a little garlic butter to the chicken.

-what the panties smell like? I bet your pussy smell like lavender oil and rose water right now.

This time around it smells like my homemade blueberry bliss body cream.

-that shit sound like a fruit roll up flavor lol.

LOL—Would you lick a fruit roll up off my pussy?!

-Without a second thought. Prolly taste better than that nasty ass flavored lube.

I’m sure it would, my pussy already sweet and sticky, Erik.

-So since it’s like that I’m making it a fucking command for that pussy to be eaten by me whenever I want it.

That’s cool with me, I like my pussy ate. Make sure you suck on it everywhere…that shit drives me wild.

His teeth dragged over his lip, a low groan vibrating his throat. He could feel the arousal in his fingertips, but it was stronger in his dick. It ran hot over his long stick like electricity to a wire. He felt his phone buzz, forgetting to send a reply back, he was that stuck.

I had my entire pussy covered in peach preserves before. I have these crazy cravings for peaches, so he spread it all over my pussy and sucked it off.

GOTDAMN.

Erik. Calm. Down.

“You good, E?”

Erik whipped his head around a little to harshly, startled by Tre’s unexpected arrival.

“I was until you creeped up on me like that! You know niggas couldn’t do that back at home, right?”

“Nigga I still live in Oakland! You the one that moved out.”

Shaking his head, Erik prayed to himself that the erection he had would go the fuck away.

Think about blood and guts, or fungus.

That always seemed to work, he was good as new.

-Kimora. I’d suck anything from honey, syrup, jelly, sugar, and whipped cream off that motherfucking pussy.

“Guess who showed up?!!”

Cyprine enters the kitchen, curly hair up in a bun, silver hoops in her ears, jeans so tight they looked painted on, and the littlest sweater that would give you a view of her under cleavage if she reached too high.

“Wassup, sexy?” Tre grabs her hand, attempting to kiss it sloppy, C.C pulling away with a repulsed expression before laughing.

“Ew nigga! Keep your mouth to yo self! I don’t know where that shit been!” She rolls her eyes, finally looking at Erik.

“Hey, peanut head, guess what I got?”

Cyprine held up the esteemed cognac bottle, flashing Erik her biggest smile yet.

“I remember you said you wanted to try it so...”

Erik was about to speak, before his phone buzzes.

Text me later, I’m on my way out. This convo is too juicy to neglect.

-Bet, say no more, beautiful.

Putting his phone away, Erik steps towards C.C, kissing her forehead before snatching up the bottle to examine it.  

“I heard good shit about it, Henny shots for every basket golden state make?”

Cyprine scuffs, “nigga you know I need my pineapple juice with this.”

—————————-

Okay.

So Erik hadn’t expected the attention Cyprine was receiving.

Actually...

“Yo, how the fuck you keep all that control?” Jae stood astounded behind the bar with Erik, light brown eyes shocked.

“Control of what?” Erik responded with a confused tone of annoyance.

“Keep from fucking the shit out Cyprine that’s what. Fuck you mean CoNtRoL WhAT?”

“Got more control than you do. You ain't gotta think about fucking every fine ass woman you come in contact with bruh.”

Erik was even shocked with his words. His eyes followed its path towards C.C. She was seated next to Tre, laughing and sipping her third drink so far. Erik could feel the lustful energy radiating from his friends as they looked at Cyprine from head to toe, wanting nothing more than to take turns fucking her.

That thought brought back memories of their early escapades.

Nah, not Cyprine.

Erik would normally be okay with hooking a girl friend of his up with one of his boys, but for some reason he didn’t want to with Cyprine. Erik watches as she takes her tongue to scoop up an ice cube, the pink slippery appendage dripping and mouth making slurping noises.

This wasn’t the first time he’d looked at his friend that way. She wore outfits that showed her beautiful sepia skin, smelled delicious, innocent eyes…

“You sure you got control? I see you focused on that chocolate baddie.”

Erik shakes the thought, going back to mixing Jae’s drink.

Cyprine couldn’t lie to herself and say she didn’t like the eyes on her. Erik had some very handsome friends, she could only imagine the things they used to get into.

“Where you and Erik meet?”

Cyprine turned to Torrey; tall, thick and with a beard against his light brown skin.

“Golden Speed, a friend recommended I go to him for some work.”

“Oh really?” The bravado of his voice made her smile, he really laid it on thick.

“Yeah, he told me to give it a try.”

The look in Torrey’s eyes let her know he was hoping it were a women so he could try his luck.

“I bet y’all were wild back then.” Cyprine states between eating her ice.

All of them minus Erik laughed, sharing knowing glances.

“Shit, we all claimin’ it.” Tre spoke for them.

“Ain’t no way you sticking around for some ‘just friends’ type of shit.”

C.C folds her arms over her chest with sass, “So, what? Erik can’t keep a girl as his friend?”

“You wanna know what happened to the last chick he had as a friend?” Malachi spoke while trying to hide his smile full of a diamond grill.

“Game is on why don’t y’all shut the fuck up and watch.” Erik approaches with his own drink, seating himself on his black recliner chair. He caught the cocoa’s cuties eye, watching her stick her tongue out at him.

“Oh! So you do know then?” all three men laugh, Erik ready to punch ever last of one of them in the face.

“Y’all ready now or later for the rearrangement of y’all wack ass faces,”  His jaw gets tight.

“Last chick, woke him up talking bout I accidentally licked your dick.” Cyprine could laugh. Who would accidentally lick dick anyway? That shit was meant to be loved in a special way.

“How that shit accidental, I don’t know.” Erik finally joins in, laughing.

Cyprine held up a finger, trying to catch her breath.

“OKAY! But what you say though?!”

He simply shrugs with those dimples and dominant brown eyes, “I guess I accidentally fucked her mouth.”

Cyprine couldn’t shake the heat she felt from that.

“And accidentally tore that pussy up.” He drinks from his glass of straight Hennessy XO, licking his lips that Cyprine had to peel her eyes away from.

———————-

“You sleepy yet?”

“Yeah, I am alittle. You should know by now with those drinks.”

Cyprine attempted to clean up, sweeping crumbs from the table. Erik smacked her hand away, earning a yelp from her and a death glare.

“Did you just hit me like I’m some child?!”

“Yeah, and?” He spoke in that calm unbothered tone that drove her crazy.

“You’re infuriating,” Cyprine said that, but she liked when Erik picked on her.

“ What’s up with you and Tre? Y’all was looking real cozy and cuddly”

Cyprine looked at Erik like he sported two heads, mouth opening and closing in shock then lets out a small snort like laugh.

“What?! Boy you crazy. There is nothing going on between me and Tre.”

“You know my nigga want you, right?”

“Not surprised, most men want me.”

She took in that smile he fought to show, the way his eyes would light up and those teeth as white as the porcelain piano keys, blinding her.

“So not only are you-“ Erik puts up air quotes, “that bitch, you can have any nigga you want, huh?”

Cyprine picked up as many dirty glasses as she could, bringing them to Erik’s blacked out bar  with gold trimming to clean.

“Did I stutter?” She bit back at him with those razor sharp teeth like a wild cat. Erik’s dominance screamed to claw back and show her who really had the upper hand, but his body was too tired to entertain it and he had to be up in the morning.

“Watch your mouth,C.C. AYE!” Well, clearly not tired enough.

She paused in between cleaning his glasses.

“Put that shit down, and go to bed. I got this tomorrow.”

Putting her hands up in surrender, she didn’t realize she had a glass still in her hand, dropping it and causing it to break in the sink.

“SHIT!!” She went to reach to clean it, her finger getting cut a little from her rushing.

“Shit, fuck, damnit!” Erik rolled his eyes, letting out the loudest most aggressive groan she had ever heard, she knew then she’d done it.

“What I tell you to do?! Didn’t I say leave the shit alone?!”

Erik stormed over to her, instantly picking up her finger, examining it.

“You like a little girl. Defiant.” Erik picks up a napkin, applying pressure. His jaw went tight with tension, the muscles of his face peeking through and his eyebrows creased so hard he looked damn near evil. Cyprine was speechless, she couldn’t form words or sounds.

“I-I’m sorry, Erik.” She finally spoke out with a quiet tone, the tightness of his grip on her hand almost cutting off her circulation.

“Nigga are you trying to take my damn hand off?!” Erik blinked like he was brought back to reality, letting go of her quickly, the color flooding his face from embarrassment.

“My bad.” He laughs nervously.

“What the fuck was that about? Something you need to tell me Stevens?” She looked at him with curious eyes.

“I-I can be a little forceful, that’s all. Just...I don’t do well with chicks not listening to what I say, then you went and hurt yourself so it kinda made me mad.”

“KINDA?” Cyprine felt like she’d stepped into new territory with Erik. So, not that she didn’t want to make everything about sex, but that entire confession reeked of sex and control.

“You get like this with Kimora?” Erik’s eyes landed on hers, briefly.

“How can I ? I haven’t seen her yet.” Silence settles between them both as Erik walked past her to clean up her mess.

“You wanna know what I think?” Cyprine pushes.

“What?”

“I think you’re afraid of how you feel about her and that you’re avoiding it as much as you can.”

He didn’t respond, just simply cleaned the sink of shards of glass careful not to cut himself in the process.

“As much as y’all talk, I know your dick is probably begging for a release.”

Kissing his teeth, Erik shakes the glass into the trash. She could tell she was getting to him, she could read his posture and the way he fought to ignore her.

“A guy can only jack his dick for so long, Erik.”

“I know that, C.C.” He responds with a curt tone.

“So, maybe have some sex?” She tosses a black rag at him that he catches swiftly with one hand.

“Why is my sex life so interesting to you? I don’t go around asking you to get the pussy beat up.”

“You don’t have to, I know it’s been a while for me. It might happen sooner than later.” She could only imagine what Lorenz was packing.

“Hmph, I wonder who.” Erik cuts his eyes at her, winking suggestively.

“Shut up! Me and Tre are strictly friends, asshole.”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

———————————

Eyes opening against fresh white linen that smelled of tropical Tide detergent, Erik lifts his head, rubbing at the dried spit on the side of his face, pads of his fingertips feeling sleep lines along his skin. He checked the time on his phone, noting that it was 9:45 am and he had to be into the office to finalize some paperwork for his engine. As soon as his body fully stretched and lifted from the bed, he could smell sautéed veggies and sausage. That smell made his stomach growl, and the throbbing in his head more painful.

He had a hangover and his mouth felt like cotton from all the drinking him and his friends did the other night. Erik’s body was too tired to clean anything so after the guys left he made his way toward his room. All Erik wanted to do before he filled his stomach with that good smelling food was brush his teeth and whizz. That’s what he gets for staying up in bed until 2 am talking on the phone with his beautiful distraction. Kimora made him go against his word of jerking off, something he’d grown so accustomed to since he first laid eyes on her. Speaking of jerking dicks and erections, his was at full attention and when that weapon was ready for work it was hard to calm himself down. The moment he laid eyes on the dent in his pants, was the moment he thought about their previous conversation over the phone.

I bet you like the tip of your dick sucked on the most. I could do that for you E.

What emotion do you feel most often?

What do you think the perfect kiss feels like? Do you like a lot of tongue or do you like slow soft kisses?

Her voice was so carefree and wild it drove him crazy.

On top of thinking about naughty girl Kimora, there was another brown beauty, t-shirt clad and barefoot cooking in his kitchen

After rinsing his mouth out with mouthwash and scrubbing his face with the African black soap he had gotten from a local all natural apothecary shop, Erik pulled a crisp white tee over his body and a pair of black sweats, because grey sweats wouldn’t do with the way his dick was swinging.

—————————

“Aye.”

Cyprine looked up from her plate with a big sausage omelet, pausing between chewing.

“Morning! Oh, and I cleaned up too by the way, just so you know.” She was rather chipper.

“Pssh, I ain’t even mad at that no more you gon’ do what you wanna do anyway.” Erik noticed the repeated smile on her face.

“Something wrong, lil nigga?” Erik scanned the kitchen, whispering a ‘yes’ at the sight of extras. He had to have a cooked meal for breakfast every single morning and he was thankful of Cyprine crashing in his guest bedroom, too drunk to drive home, and Erik hated when she used to do that shit.

“No, why would it be something wrong and I’m all smiles, Erik?” With a perfectly arched brow, she took a sip of her apple juice, eyes never leaving his.

“Nah, it’s just...you look like you're blushing.”

“And if I am?” She sassed him, giving her usual bratty stare down that had Erik itching to reprimand.

“So it’s a secret then? Cool, you ain’t gotta tell me. Just remember that you’re the only one of my homies that know about Kimora.”

Cyprine couldn’t argue with that, it was definitely true but at the same time she just got a date with Lorenz, she didn’t want to jinx it.

“And I’m glad you told me about her.” Cyprine flashed her pageant worthy smile, focusing back on her food.

“Going into the shop?”

“No, that’s what I got new hires for when I’m busy with other shit.” Erik busied himself with fixing a plate, aware of Cyprine giving him a dirty look because of his smart response.

“So...what the fuck you doing then?”

“Going into the office for some final shit about my engine.”

“You putting one of those in my car, right?” Cyprine looked at Erik sternly, eyes tracking him up and down with a hand on her curvy hip.

“You got a whole new engine so no. Come back in about ten years.”

Flabbergasted, Cyprine’s bright wide eyes almost popped out of her sockets, “Ten years?!”

“Use to be around 8 but with the new and improved tech and service standards the average life expectancy is 200,000 miles or about 10 years.”

Erik always hit her ass with car facts, something she didn’t ask for in the slightest.

“Think of it as me looking out for you and saving your pockets.” Erik winked at her, laughing afterwards in that low pitch tone, almost boy next door-ish.

“Whatever, let me go, I got shit to do.” Cyprine forked the last bit of her omelet, hopping off the stool towards the dishwasher. Erik thought about one of his responsibilities that he agreed on when he saw Kaylin at Champs the other day.

“You know any good Thai food around here? I gotta buy some for the office today.”

Cyprine wipes her hands on a paper towel, “Yeah, try Pailin Thai Cuisine.” Cyprine tried for a winning shot of her balled up paper towel, missing the trash can completely and earning a thumbs down from Erik.

“You know better than to do that in front of me, no game having ass, now pick it up.”

Cyprine gives him the finger before walking to pick up her trash, bending over slightly. Erik had to blink twice, no...three times.

“Uhm…” he says without even realizing, his eyes trained to her hips and his dick knocking at the crotch of his sweats. Cyprine’s shapely round ass was visible to him, not the whole thing but enough to let Erik know that she had nothing on under that T-shirt.

She stared in confusion before something clicked in her brain, her hands reaching for the hem of the shirt with caution, turning away from Erik completely and stepping around the kitchen island.

They just shared an awkward glance, Cyprine searching Erik’s eyes, hoping he would crack a laugh or tease her, saying something along the lines of, you got an ashy ass butt. Nope, nothing at all like that, just unblinking eyes that she couldn’t quite discern.

“So this what we doing now?! Staring until we see who blinks first?!” Cyprine decided to make her exit quickly, unsure of how to react to this version of Erik Stevens.

————————

“Erik! Welcome back!”

Erik walks in, adjusting his black tie with a simple gold tie cufflink, black slacks, and polished Calvin Klein dress shoes on his feet. The gold Rolex on his right wrist reflected the sun coming from his office window, catching the eyes of Kaylin and making a rainbow on her glasses.

“Didn’t think you were really coming in!” Her light voice could have almost caught him in its web if it weren’t for the image of Cyprines ass in his head, and not to mention the text he got of Kimora’s tits as a good morning present.

“Morning, Kaylin.” He gives her a simple smile, unable to fight the fact that it came with dimples.

“Oh, there’s that money making smile I love,” she winks, giggling afterward with a bounce of her breasts. Erik knew exactly what she was doing. He just KNEW.

“Ever heard of Pailin Thai Cuisine?” Erik removed his gold rimmed reading glasses to wipe them with a simple Kleenex.

“Uh, yes. I eat there often on my lunch break.” Without even asking, Kaylin makes herself comfortable at Erik’s desk. He wanted to question her actions but decided against it since his mind was elsewhere. He could feel this nervous feeling in the pit of his gut, almost like butterflies except it drew heat. He wasn’t sure just yet if it was because of his undeniable attraction to Cyprine, and the thoughts of being with Kimora, but man was he conflicted. And here comes Kaylin, dressed in a nude pencil skirt that showed off the alluring curve of her ass and a pastel blue silk top that stretched over her chest almost ripping at the seams. These women were driving him crazy.

“Let the office know I’m ordering in, it’s a celebration.” Erik opened his desk drawer, pulling out a bottle of champagne.

“Golden Speed is taking off, Kaylin.” He smiles prideful and confident, his eyes on a fidgety Kaylin who couldn’t keep her legs still.

“You good?”

“Yes…” she forcefully smiles, bothered about getting up to walk away after making herself comfortable on the warm suede chair of his office. Turning to leave, Kaylin stopped directly in his doorway.

“Erik.”

The tone of her voice spoke as if she wanted to share something deep.

“Yes?” Erik looked at her over his gold rimmed glasses as he put them back on to study some files.

“Uhm...I just, you know…” she lets out a shaky breath that seemed to lack oxygen, did he really have that much of an affect?

“Kay, if this is about the conference in two days I got it, girl. Don’t worry your pretty self, go manage things.”

“E, I really gotta get this shit off my chest, otherwise it will bother me all day.”

“Close the door, Kaylin, if you need to talk.”

She does, slowly.

“I...you know there is a quiet room where employees can go to take naps and relax in this building, right?” Where was she going with this? Of course Erik knew about it, he’d been in there a few times in the early stages of starting his business when there were at least three meetings a day, each lasting about two hours.

Erik intertwined his fingers against the surface of the desk and scrunched his forehead, “Yeah, what about it?”

“Well, you see…” Kaylin looks down at her nude So Kate pumps in a patent leather, “I was wondering if we could take advantage of that.”

Erik swallows spit, almost coughing on it as some reached his windpipe instead. He puts a fist to his mouth to be more discreet.

“I guess what I’m trying to say is, I wanna fuck you.”

Oh boy. He reached to pull at his collar, because the buttons there felt like he was choking.

Erik kept his cool, and kept his gaze on her. He could see her caramel skin heat up, nipples hardened, her voluptuous lips lined brown shining with gloss.

“It’s been that way for me. I just want you inside me.”

She lifts the small key to the quiet room, “C’mon. I know you want to. A single man such as yourself…”

Erik didn’t know he read single man. Sure, it was true, but he wouldn’t have guessed he gave off that vibe.

Kaylin toyed with the first button of her top, looking towards him with a pleading look and a swing of the small gold key.

“There’s no denying that you are very beautiful. And yeah, it’s tempting  but I don’t think we should. I’m sure it would be real good, but Kaylin…” Erik trails off.

“I get it! professionalism is most important….” she was saddened, and Erik didn’t want to make her sad, but NO, he didn’t want to fuck Kaylin and complicate things.

“But...can you reconsider?” She was talking to him like she was trying to make him a business offer.

“Sorry, love.” He smiles, trying to lighten the mood which ended up with her smiling faintly. She looked defeated, but her eyes still told him she wasn’t gonna give up so easily.

“Whatever woman has your interest is a lucky one. What I would give to be at your command.”

His hands slightly shook; Erik had to busy himself with moving. Erik adjusted the cup of pens he had, the wireless mouse for his MacBook, his tie, and even the blazer he wore. He prayed that she would leave so he could breath and fight through the temptation. It was difficult to fight off his erection when he normally would have fucked her crazy. Damn, this was the third erection of the day and it hadn’t even started. Finally, the caramel beauty made her exit, closing the door with a soft click.

Throughout the rest of the day, Erik watched from his desk as the office played music and drank champagne. Half empty containers of thai food littered every desk surface. He enjoyed the sights from the open blinds of his office, his own food half eaten and instead of champagne, he had the bottle of Hennessy Cyprine gave him in his briefcase.

A pair of light brown eyes kept a close watch on him from her own cubicle that resides directly in front of his, sipping her champagne, folding and unfolding her legs seductively. Erik noticed she had nothing on under her skirt, just bare shaved pussy lips.

She was still targeting him, even after he turned down her advances, clearly Kaylin didn’t like to be told no.

It was creamy too, all rosy pink on the inside and fat as a bitch. How was it that no one noticed her little show but him?

She turned her chair completely towards his glass window, hiking up one smooth leg and spreading her pussy lips to show him the real mess she had.

“Please? Come taste me.” She mouthed to him.

Erik peeled his eyes away from her exposed slit, tapping his foot. He tried settling for reading emails.

“To Erik Stevens in regards to your interview prep questions…” his eyes looked back at her, failing him, watching her rub her clit and place that same finger into her mouth.

Fuck. He was extremely turned on.

Erik tried another tactic to get rid of the distraction, closing his blinds and blocking the view for good. He lifted from his seat walking to the window, giving her one final look, watching her tease him with a smile and a scorching look in her eyes before closing the blinds, letting out a shaky breath. His phone buzzed in his pocket, Thank GOD.

It was a call from his Oakland Auto Shop.

————————-

“You, Cyprine, are one beautiful goddess.”

The extremely low cleavage, high slit evening dress in an eye piercing white hugged her luscious curves tightly, wasting no time with letting everyone around her know she was the shit, and her body was the shit.

She wore her long curly 4A hair in an effortless bush that framed her beautiful face. Gold Cartier bracelets decorated her wrist, with simple round cut diamond stud earrings with 14k yellow gold.

Lorenz wore a pair of Ralph Lauren navy blue slacks with a black belt, a cream colored dress shirt that hugged his able-bodied frame and a new model yellow gold and diamonds Rolex on his right wrist, and polished Saint Laurent dress shoes on his feet.

Cyprine couldn’t help but to blush at those words, he could keep saying things like that all night and he just might get lucky.

“I’m impressed as well, Lorenz. You look amazing.”

Lorenz gave her a soft smile with his high cheekbones.

“I figured you would like the look, I wore it especially for you.”

Cyprine bit her lip slightly, playing with a strand of curly hair with her eyes focused on the five star restaurant he was taking her to. Supposedly, a friend recommended it to him, so it would be his first time trying as well. There was valet, so Lorenz handed one of them the keys to his McLadden and proceeded to escort Cyprine into the romantic eating establishment settled on Melrose Ave.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you the reservation list is so full, the only dates available are around thanksgiving.” He chuckles in a snarky manner.

“So, how did you snag a reservation then?”

“Chef Michael Cimarusti is a friend of the friend who recommended me, he catered her wedding.”

Approaching the hostess station, Lorenz and Cyprine were greeted with a Paris Hilton look alike that moved and spoke like she was the talk of Hollywood.

“Hi, I’m Blair, welcome to Providence, the innovative seafood destination in a tranquil setting, can I have a name for a reservation, please?”

“Lorenz Allen, friend of Michael.”

The look in Blair’s eyes showed scrutiny, but nonetheless, she looked anyway. Cyprine rolled her eyes at the stereotypical reaction white people give about black people being able to afford to eat at places like this.

“Aha! I see, the Chef personally made a notation about you, why don’t you follow me this way. Would you like to eat out in the garden or inside with candle light?”

Cyprine loved the idea of sitting in a garden to eat dinner, it was romantic.

“ The garden would-“

“We’ll take the inside table with the candle light.”

Cyprines lips snapped shut in an instant, her head turning towards Lorenz, visibly confused at his sudden outburst and clear disapproval of wanting to eat in the garden.

“You don’t like gardens?”

“You see these shoes, right? Not cheap, ran me 730 dollars. Ain’t no fertilizer messing these shoes up.”

Cyprine blinked at him like he was speaking insanely, deciding not to speak on that.

“Okay, right this way.” Following Blair, Lorenz brings a single arm around Cyprines waist to lead her along the way, giving her a heart fluttering smile, causing her to return the same.

Finally seated, Cyprine takes in the atmosphere of the upscale eatery, impressed so far by the interior design and the smells that made her mouth water. The toasted vanilla votive candles give light to the seductively dim restaurant, tables draped in ivory colored tablecloths, some decorated with candles and others with an assortment of roses. Lorenz ordered a bottle of aged red wine, the oldest bottle they had. Cyprine wanted to object, but Blair had already gone away.

“I’m not really a fan of red wine, they don’t have any Moscato wine, sangrias?”

“Cyprine, gorgeous, why not be open minded? You’ll be surprised, you may enjoy it.”

She laughs lightly, “I doubt that. Do you think they may have Hennessy?”

Lorenz doesn’t respond with words, only a single brow lift and a look of disapproval.

“You didn’t peg me as a Henny drinker. Let me guess, you twerk any and everywhere too?”

What a change of energy.

“What’s wrong with that?! It’s all in good fun, Lorenz. You can’t sit here and tell me you don’t have fun.”

“I’m more of a yacht club kind of guy, sitting with old valedictorian friends, reminiscing on college days, smoking cigars.” Cyprine knew Lorenz had expensive friends, but she didn’t think he was one of those uptight types. That threw her for a complete loop, she didn’t get that vibe  from him at all. Now she was unsure of how this night would play out. A young Asian guy who looked to be in his early twenties approaches their table with a perfect posture and a faint smile.

“I am Ethan, I will be your waiter this evening. Here is the red wine you requested Sir, the oldest we had dates back to 1977.” Cyprine felt herself cringe.

“I’m sorry, Ethan, is there a way I could get a glass of white wine instead?”

Ethan smiles, “yes, of course, I will bring a bottle to the table for you.” As Ethan makes his exit, Lorenz chimes in.

“Why’d you do that?” He seemed annoyed.

“Look, you’re taking me on a date, right? So, I would think that means being a gentleman and wanting to understand my likes and dislikes.” The bitter tone in her words didn’t go unnoticed, and neither did a new wave of irritation coming off Lorenz. Had Cyprine been wrong about accepting this date? Clearly it seemed looks weren’t enough.

“Let me look over this menu.” Lorenz decided not to give his opinion on her words, and Cyprine thought it best he didn’t. As Lorenz looked over the prices, Cyprine sipped her white wine, studying his face. The handsome features contorted with distaste.

“These prices are ridiculously high.” Lorenz closes the menu, Cyprines eyes growing a fraction.

“I’ll order us the broiled Caviar with shrimp cocktail.”

Cyprine didn’t speak, she just drank her wine and filled the glass whenever it was half full. Whatever white wine it was, she could feel an instant buzz already and it put her in a better disposition.

“What was it like growing up in LA, Lorenz?” She figured small talk would lighten the mood.

“I grew up in Arizona, I’m an Army brat.”

“Wow, how was that? Moving from place to place and what not.”

“Okay I guess. Had to deal with it, no other choice when you had to do what your parents wanted you to do.” Cyprine could agree with that.

“For me, I grew up here in Cali. My childhood was fairly great, both of my parents raised me, participated in a lot of extra curricular activities like dance, Taekwondo. I enjoyed my school days too, hanging with my girls, getting into shit.”

Lorenz gave a hum of approval, but no feedback so the topic went dry. They both sat in silence until Ethan came, Lorenz ordering the appetizers. Pouring another glass of wine, she was already tipsy, but the wine was so good.

“How many glasses have you had?” Lorenz asks with a raised brow.

“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you.” Cyprine giggles.

Lorenz scanned the restaurant, noticing eyes on them.

“Hey, maybe you should lay off a little. I don’t need for these people to worry about what’s going on over here.”

Cyprine wasn’t drunk, she could hear the disapproval in his tone.

“Oh, and I ordered you the Santa Barbara Spot Prawn, it’s in my price range and I think you may like it.”

“Excuse me? I wanted to try the wild thai shrimp with salmon.”

“Cyprine, bare with me.” Lorenz puts up a hand to her, and Cyprine didn’t take too well to that shit at all.

“Lorenz, I don’t do all the disrespect. Don’t raise your hand to silence me like a child I’m a grown ass women.”

He chuckles, clearly unfazed.

“If you so grown, then why do I have to tell you to put the glass down? You're drinking like a fish and it’s not appealing.”

She felt like she’d been slapped in the face.

“You are really showing your true colors tonight,” Cyprine adds more wine to her glass, laughing to calm her nerves.

“What true colors, Cyprine? Enlighten me.” He spoke low and discreet as to not draw attention.

“You’re cheap, but yet you bring me to a five star restaurant and talk about yacht clubs and fancy college friends clearly to impress me. You don’t let me speak or think for myself, you just assume shit about me when you don’t even know me. Speaking of knowing me, you don’t care to do that either. And let’s not forget the drinking, if I wanna take this bottle to the head I will, I don’t give a fuck what these white people think, I know who I am.” She downs the drink, licking at her lips.

“I mean, is this even a date or do you just expect me to go back to your expensive place and have sex with you?”

Lorenz folds his arms over his broad chest, giving her a look that could only be shared if two individuals were on the same page.

“Isn’t that what this is? You hardly ever spoke to me, just looked at me like fresh meat. And you knew the way I looked at you, Cyprine. Did I expect sex after this, yes. Am I proven wrong, obviously.” Lorenz leans in closer, those eyes she once saw as dreamy were now nothing but pits of tarnished mud.

“Sorry, babygirl, But I think I should make my exit. I can’t stand a black woman with an attitude and no table manners.”  A beat and a breath passed between them and then the entire glass of his chosen aged red wine was spilled, covering his entire chest and staining that fresh cream colored shirt he wore. He was shell shocked, eyes wide and unbelieving that she actually poured a drink on him. The gasps and comments could be heard faintly, but Cyprine didn’t care. Lifting her own glass to her full perfectly glossed lips with a look of aloof mischief in her sparkling eyes.

“I’m sorry babe. My hand just slipped. I hope that outfit wasn't expensive.”

“You know, I feel sorry for the next man. You are truly a piece of work Cyprine, now you’re about to eat alone.”

“Oh good I can order the shrimp and salmon.”

He lifts up angrily from his chair, wiping his face with his white napkin, storming past her with the faint sound of ‘bitch’ escaping his mouth.

Cyprine could feel the embarrassment creeping up on her, but no, she wasn’t gonna give these people the satisfaction of seeing her down.

“Well, there goes another failed attempt down the drain.” Cyprine laughs to herself, motioning for an apprehensive Ethan to come over to her table and get her another round of drinks and new order of food, she had the money to spend on it.

———————————-

KNOCK KNOCK

So much for his personal smoking session. He had just gotten finished eating some homemade pho, and currently he was seated in his living room, on the couch facing the LA cityscape. His laptop was untouched for the past hour, even though he told himself he would send out emails to the board of his company about the conference they had to do. It was A LOT OF PRESSURE for him, spotlights, press, presentations. Erik strained his ears, hearing small whimpers from outside of his door. He recognized those whimpers, but why the fuck is she here around almost 12am?

Cyprine.

“What the fuck?” Erik mouths to himself, he had on no shirt and just a pair of royal blue basketball shorts, black nike socks, and his signature gold chain with his father's ring around his neck. The closer he approached the foyer, the louder her complaints became.

“ERIK!!!! Pleassssseeee open the fucking door! I’m PISSED OFF!”Her words slurred a little, and from that point Erik knew she drove all the way to his place drunk out of her mind. He fumbled with the locks, finally getting it open and with quick reflexes, catching Cyprines falling body into his arms.

“What the hell?! What the fuck are you doing drunk driving Cyprine?!” Her body was almost like dead weight on him, her white dress sliding from her shoulders, feet unsteady, and eyes hazy.

“CYPRINE!” Erik shakes her a little, causing her to open her eyes wider at his elevated tone.

“Hello?!! Can’t fucking hear?!” He was pissed.

“I’m sorry I went alittle heavy on the liquor.”

“ALITTLE?!”

“Aye nigga stop yelling. Gon bust my eardrums. So this nigga did me foul! He fucking left me at the dinner table ALONE E! Fucking alone!” She punched at the wall, leaning against it as she walked further into his apartment. Erik follows, eyes piercing.

“I thought it would be a good idea to go out with a nice man, get wined and dined. Maybe get some dick you know?!” She bends down languidly to peel off her strappy red bottomed heels, fingers fumbling with the simple buckles and kicking them off. Rising from her bent position, she put her hands up with an exasperated puff of air.

“I need another fucking drink.”

“No the fuck you don’t!  You need water. And what you mean left you at the table? You went on a date or some shit?”

She simply nods her head, eyelids fluttering slowly.

“...wasn’t gonna tell me you and Tre-“

She groans, hands over her face.

“Not with Tre! With this cheap ass nigga name Lorenz!”

Erik strokes his chin hair, slowly settling down on the couch across from her.

“Lorenz? Lorenz what?”

“Lorenz Allen. A bitch ass nigga.”

Erik pinches the bridge of his nose, taking meditating breaths.

“I could have warned you about him girl if you would have told me what the fuck was going on!”

Cyprine looked over at Erik from her drunk stupor,

“What you mean?!”

“I MEAN, that nigga is lame. He ain’t the one to fuck wit, C, I know him through some people, nigga is straight trash.”

Cyprine pouts, hugging a pillow, “doesn’t do me good now, Erik!”

“I told you about Kimora! How I felt and shit and you couldn’t tell me this?! Why the fuck not?”

Her voice cracked with anger, “I wanted to see if this would work out before I did that! And now I’m glad I didn’t do that, I would be even MORE messed up.”

Erik shakes his head, eyes dangerously low and angry.

“Still don’t give you the right to keep that shit from me.”

“Damn nigga chill out! I don’t owe you shit.” She whines.

“Shut the fuck up. You out here drinking and fucking driving-“

“I didn’t drive, I got an Uber over.”

Erik could have yanked her up. He practically hollered at this chick for her to tell him that?

“So, you mean to tell me...you got a ride, and made me think you were out here cruising drunk?”

Cyprine rolls her eyes, “You the silly ass nigga that assumed. But you not my daddy! I can do what the hell I want so why does it matter?”

Erik wasn’t having that, the glare he sent her was shuttering.

“You better watch that little mouth. Why don’t you take your ass somewhere and get some sleep,” as soon as he stood up, she followed.

“No,” folding her arms, Cyprine battles with Erik, keeping eye contact.

“No? See...” Erik steps closer, looking down at her.

“Cyprine, I ain’t got time for your bratty ass. I don’t wanna have to put you in your place, you already fucked up my quiet.”

“You and your quiet will be alright nigga.”

It has to be the alcohol talking, the way she challenged him with those eyes and that stance. She looked flustered and sexy and Erik felt like he was fighting to keep it together.

“I’ll make my way to that fucking basement. I need another drink to ease my mind and cleanse my soul of bumb nigga energy.” Before she could walk away, Erik had her arm in his firm grip, pulling back against him with so much force it damn near knocked the glass coffee table down.

The rush he felt from that had his mind swirling. All the hugs he received from Cyprine was nothing compared to the way her body was pressed against his, dress half way off her chocolate frame, eyes glossy. He was turned on so heavy, there wasn’t a damn thing that could ruin this mood, not even that fucking weed he was just smoking.

“E...let go.” She spoke through clenched teeth.

Cyprines eyes fluttered, conflict within her orbs.

“I came here for support and all you tryna do is act like my damn daddy!”

What the hell was going on? That primal look in his eyes was all too familiar in men. Was it…

“When I tell you to do something, what you do?” He spoke softer. She didn’t respond, and she didn’t want to.

“Cyprine...I said,” his hand came to her hip, she couldn’t breathe anymore, fuck being drunk she needed oxygen to fill her lungs.

“What you do?”

She swallows spit, “do it.”

Those two words, the energy it took to SPEAK them. The blaze behind them, the force that it placed on her aching body. Her pussy throbbed, her legs quaked, her breathing was uneven, she felt like she was undergoing vertigo.

“Good girl, now, is that hard, babygirl?”

“What happened to calling me lil nigga?”

He laughs, “you don’t get to be called lil nigga right now with the way you acting.”

Erik was definitely inviting her into this confusing game. She wasn’t sure where to go, her head pounded and her limbs felt like cement blocks were holding them in place.

“Now, I’m putting you in the bath and then you laying that ass down.”

“A bath?!” She gave him a wide eyed look of shock, Erik’s expression so passive and unfazed. Erik pulls Cyprine by her arm and up the steps; silent and nerve wracking. She wanted him to say ‘gotcha’ anything, it gave her butterflies.

“Listen, nigga, I can take it from here-Ahhh!” She felt his hand come down on her ass and it went straight to her pussy. Wasn’t no way she would speak after that, what in the hell came over this man, the very man who just 24 hours ago treated her like one of the homies. Erik gave her a look that dared her to talk, and she didn’t. The trip to the bathroom was quick, Erik sitting her on the toilet while he set up the bath. She wanted to say something ANYTHING to him, but he was in the zone.

“What you doin? You can’t take a bath with clothes on can you?”

“E…”

“What? Am I right or wrong, girl?”

Cyprine looked from her dress to him. Her stomach felt queasy, her heart damn near left her chest. His scent made her nose burn every time she inhaled and his unrelenting eyes had a powerful hold on her. She noticed the bulge in his shorts, and clearly as visible as it was he knew she would notice. Cyprine was a little hesitant in front of him because she didn’t know what to expect from Erik.

“The longer you sit there, the colder this water is gonna be.”

She began undressing, her eyes focused on him, waiting for the April fools, but nothing came...well, except for the deep grunt he made from watching her strip naked. She was mind blown, felt like a rocket had been set off in her head. She wanted an explanation, and she wanted it FAST.

“Now, come on and get in this tub before I beat yo ass.”

Without any resistance, the naked woman gently eased herself into the deliciously hot water. It felt so good when she sat down that she almost groaned. Erik proceeded to get down on his knees and reached under the sink, pulling out a pack of the makeup remover wipes she usually buys that she didn't remember ever leaving there. It was clearly a brand new pack that had never been open cause he used some force to get it open before pulling a fresh piece to gently wipe off the makeup on her face. It took two wipes to get her down to a bare face and then he took her hair in hand, separated it into two sections, combing through with his fingers as much as he could without hurting her and braided them into pigtails. She didn't even know he could do that. He grabbed a clean white hand towel and wiped Cyprine’s face again to get it completely  clean and followed with a baby blue loofah and some lavender castile soap to wash her body. Once he was satisfied, he let out the water and wrapped her petite frame in a fluffy towel. He took her hand in his, helping her out of the tub and patted down the water on her skin. He massaged some african shea butter into her skin while she stood in front of him. After she was moisturized, he carried her bridal style, cradled against his pebbled chest and gently sat her down at the foot of the plush bed.

“Stay here lil one. Ima go get you something to sleep in and warm ya feet.”

With that, he popped out the room leaving Cyprine to fidget about on the black velvet king sized bed. She felt hot all over and the more she sat, the more the anticipation escalated. Cyprine was practically exposed sitting on the bed within his guest bedroom. Hell, she could sleep naked from how horny she felt, fuck clothes.  After all of this that transpired so damn quickly, would Erik want to do more? Would he slip in between the black bamboo Lyocell bedding that has a silky smooth and feathery soft texture? Would he wake her up from her slumber with his hand between her legs, fingering her to climax while she bucked her hips? Does he prefer to keep the lights off? Only hearing his breathing and her pussy sucking his fingers in and out of her like a vacuum.

Cyprine should have known.

A man who’d been without sex for five months straight, constantly horny, blue balls often, a build up of nasty thoughts that he wanted to reenact in his own bed. As if feeling his eyes on her, Cyprine lifts her head towards the doorway, watching as his henched frame glowed from the small lamp light on the nightstand. Cyprine’s eyes watched in a different way this time and she remained quiet too, waiting to see what would happen next, this game was exciting.

“I hope you don’t mind this old Navy training T-shirt, it’s a little faded. And here’s some socks too to keep your pretty feet warm.”

She responded in a softly spoken tone, “it’s fine, E, I’m just sleeping.”

He chuckles before that smoky voice lulled her, “Aight, little one.”

Erik walks toward her, finally reaching her personal space and kneeling down in front of her, meeting her eye level. With steady and skillful hands, eyes on her like what resided from her shoulders down wasn’t completely exposed. She could smell the shea on her skin, and she could feel her nipples grown and stiffen. Erik gathered the shirt, placing it over her head.

“Put your arms through.”

She lifts her arms through the sleeves, the smell of his fresh shirt soothing her. It had a smell of old cologne and fabric softener. As if teasing her, Erik lowers the shirt down, his eyes never leaving hers until the shirt settled at the top of her thighs like a dress.

“Lay back.” She did, until her weight rested on her elbows.

“Give me your feet.”

Her smooth pretty feet stretched out in front of him and one by one Erik placed the socks on her feet while staring at her toes longingly. Oh she liked that, she liked that he was mesmerized by her pretty toes. Erik lifts from the floor, crawling onto the bed, before settling next to her. Cyprine felt herself exhale as she watched him watch her.

“Since your settled in bed, Cyprine, let me tell yo ass once. You too good to set yourself up like that. Fuck niggas don’t deserve your time, believe me, I know a lot of fuck niggas and Lorenz is one of them.”

She could have melted in his arms, she didn’t know how she could do it for so long, be around him and not be swept off her feet. He was definitely a charmer.

“Aye, look at me while I’m talking to you, not my lips.”

With a honeyed voice, she says, “but your lips are moving, which means your talking, right?” Cyprine was being sassy.

Erik shifted on the bed, pausing for effect.

“I need eye contact.” He spoke in a gruff tone.

He looked her up and down, smiling at her, “You cute, but save that little voice you talking wit,”

“Why?” Cyprine wanted to push him, see how far he would go. They came all this way might as well see.

“Don’t worry about all that,” Erik hooks his hands under her arms, pulling her up and onto one of the silk pillows, pulling the bedding out for her to slip in. With a smooth, slow kiss to the forehead, Erik lifts from the bed, walking away like he always did on those regular nights when Cyprine was drunk or all too tired to walk on her own two feet.

Walking out that room was a challenge, his stiff dick resting against his thigh from the thin material of his shorts and he could also feel the precum stain his thigh. Erik needed to meditate, take another shower maybe and sit on his shower chair; just think. That interaction was all it took, he needed his dick sucked and fucked on right now, it’s been too damn long. Erik turned, hand on her door knob, ready to risk it all and get what he so desperately needed, maybe even doing her a favor; non accidentally.

@unholyxcumbucket @wakanda-shit-is-that @yomiloo @forbeautyandlife @turn-thy-paige @vikkidc @panthergoddessbast @whorderofthepheonix @whoramilaje @trevantesbrat @hearteyes-for-killmonger @thehomierobbstark @drsunshine97 @disneysdarlingdiva @janelledarling @tiava143 @abeautifulmindexposed @supersizemeplz @forgottenthoughtsandmemories @brattywriters-anonymous @blackpinup22 @killmonger-dolan @eriksjournal @thadelightfulone @chaneajoyyy @madamslayyy @loosewindmill @softnani @ljstraightnochaser @faatassbitch @blackpantherismyish @erikslulbaby @youreadthatright @youcan-die @blowmymbackout @muse-of-mbaku @heyauntieeee @iamrheaspeaks @destinio1 @scrumptiouslytenaciouscrusade @bakarijordan @shookmcgookqueen @purple-apricots @unfriendly-blk-hottie @uhlxisback @wawakanda-btch @bartierbakarimobisson

[tophatsftw]

I read this auto straddle post, and it spoke to me. let’s go lesbians.

what people are fighting about on Twitter

falconer

sensitive, white girl Ikea decor

being in the Midwest (cheese)

which craft stores are ethically sourcing their wool

why pie charts suck

Having multiple conflicting feelings at the same time

Mitski’s right hand in the Geyser music video

Nora Ephron

trying not to be a U-Haul Lesbian and also being a U-Haul Lesbian

Bottle-feeding kittens

my dog & her various doggy woes

being Very Online™

homophobic 80s-90s action/horror movies

Cate Blanchett

large appliances

screaming and crying in socially inappropriate spheres

Sandra Bullock’s entire filmography

Vermicomposting

unlikely instances of near death experiences

the neopets stock market

animals that look like people

Kristen Stewart’s facial expressions

Apocalypse prepping

Satanic philosophy and history

why queers love My Chemical Romance so dang much

casseroles

cultivating hobbies in your 20’s to feel alive again

a fascination with straight people’s behavior

I also am extremely into bees. Like, my dudes, you have — I swear to you, on my mom, that this is an absolute fact — never, ever met someone who knows or cares about bees as much as I do. Everybody says, “Oh, I love bees; hell yeah, save the bees!”… but they’re only ever talking about the European honeybee, apis mellifera, a species transplanted from its original endemic territory to support large-scale agriculture, a practice that has had a purely negative impact on the earth and upon ourselves ever since humanity’s shift to agrarian society from hunter-gatherer culture circa 3000 BCE. Have any of these people who “love bees” even HEARD of solitary species? Do they know about thyreus nitidulus, the neon cuckoo bee? It’s blue! It’s beautiful!

intersectional Satanic feminism

boobs??!

eating a 1lb bag of Sour Patch Kids in under an hour

MILFs

Cringey mid-2000s teen dramas that had too few lesbians

Paul Giamatti’s film and music career

baseball caps worn backwards

Amish romance novels

everything about donuts

wholesome thirst trapping

the Venn diagram of Janelle Monae and Carly Rae Jepsen fandom

insulting men who say gross stuff to me in my DMs

…cooking pasta?

saying embarrassing things that make me want to die in a hole

going on 100 first dates without ever getting a second

Committing to a bit that was never that funny to start with, but now that I’ve started you can pry it from my cold dead hands

knitting penis-shaped pillows

identifying what episode of The Nanny it is based on C.C. Babcock’s hair

running long distances very slowly

puppets, just all types of puppets

communications cables and antennas

girl groups of the ’60s

moss

The Devil Wears Prada Cerulean Monologue

telling people to quit things they should quit

power tools one can rent from Home Depot

Hayley Kiyoko (I’m a three-time award winner of the “Most Likely to Mention Hayley Kiyoko in a Piece Not About Hayley Kiyoko” award at [redacted publication])

Irish country singer Daniel O’Donnell

golden retrievers

geology, specifically volcanoes

Fyre Festival

The Boys Are Back In Town

Film bros and how to shut them down

ruining vegan cakes by accident

having two straight women as best friends

loud eyeshadow

horses, Jodie Foster

Which Lana Del Rey Song to Make Out To

Mid 2000’s MySpace/Emo Culture

lesbian weddings (not my own)

Charcuterie Boards

the perils of being Very Tall Indeed

media to watch while stoned

escape rooms

18th century satire

basket-weaving, I am not kidding do you want to see a picture of my basket

Hannibal Lecter

History of the ball-point pen

swords

old dyke stuff

I’m not a sex toy expert, but I’m sure I could learn

drawing ugly stick figures

70’s soft rock

A-Camp

Big Little Lies, the audiobook of Big Little Lies

middle aged actresses

Bath and Body Works candles

consuming popular media years after everyone else and letting people enjoy it again vicariously through you

how to take care of a backyard above-ground pool impulsively purchased at Target in Denver, a place with no water and weird weather (an ongoing investigation)

spending money I don’t have to support women on Kickstarter

a deep knowledge of 1800s British literature that I did not ask for

treating your plants as your children

HORSES

Should a Duggar ever come out, I am READY to write that article yesterday

aggressive inline skating

Barbra Streisand; circus history

identifying British birds

being an Appalachian in New York during the Year of Our Dumpster Lord 2019 when the New York Times seems determined to profile everyone I’ve ever been to Walmart with

being friends with theater people

how to make couples fall in love with you even when they totally thought they were just going to “try” a threesome “once” lol

Linoleum

[tinsley-goldsworth]

you live like that, you live with ghosts (chapter 2)

read on ao3 here!

Summary: c.c. didn’t expect to get backstabbed so soon and obviously, things did not go according to plan

Wc: 2411

Tw: descriptions of violence

When C.C. showed up to the abandoned building that Maizey had told him to meet at, he was surprised to find that everybody was more active than yesterday. People were milling around, grabbing at weapons and suiting up. C.C. was confused and wondered if they were simply preparing for some minor assault for later but his assumption was wrong. Gene ran up to him, shaking with excitement and energy, as if he had just drunk fifty cups of coffee, and almost yelled, “We’re doing it today! Maizey figured out the logistics and we’re doing it today!”

“Doing what?” C.C.’s heart sank to his feet when he had a feeling that he knew the answer already. Mike walked past C.C. with an eerie smile on his face and a large gun in each hand and C.C. hoped he didn’t let his fear slip through his expression.

“We’re going to take down Night Night’s gang! Here, grab a weapon! We’re all gonna attack Night Night and his men at his base in a half an hour! We’re leaving in a couple minutes! Don’t get that outfit too bloody!” Gene tossed C.C. a handgun and gestured to the outfit he wore, the one that Gene chose for him. C.C. barely had a proper, safe grip on the gun before Gene threw an extra pack of bullets towards him.

“Thanks! I need to call somebody real quick before I grab some more weapons,” C.C. offered a convincing smile before he hurried out of the building, fumbling with the pack of bullets and the gun as he took out his phone and dialed Ricky’s number. With every empty ring, C.C.’s hope that Ricky would answer started to crumble and he squeezed his phone tightly, anxiety coursing through his veins. Ricky picked up after the fourth ring and C.C. wasted no time with alerting him.

“Ricky, tell Night Night to get ready. Apparently, Maizey moved the date to today and she’s planning to attack you and Night Night in half an hour. Don’t tell him men to leave because that will be too suspicious but tell them to get ready for a fight,” C.C. rapidly informed, barely breathing between words. There was a brief moment of silence on Ricky’s end before there were shuffling noises as Ricky quickly replied.

“I’m heading over to Night Night’s right now and I’ll call him to let him know. We’ll figure something out. Keep me on call but don’t talk to me directly so I can hear what’s going on. Talk to you later.” Ricky didn’t end the call but the line went silent on his end. C.C. hid the phone in the pocket of his jacket along with the pack of bullets and walked back into the building, holding the gun in his hand. Gene’s eyes lit up as he saw C.C. but before he could ramble on, Maizey intervened and began speaking with C.C.

“So, we’re going to spring a surprise attack on them and they should be destroyed by tonight. You don’t have to worry about a lot and if you want, you can borrow a mask to hide your identity if it makes it easier to kill. We have a more powerful gang than them so don’t worry about having to face any consequences. It’s a win-win situation,” Maizey grinned, sending a shiver down C.C.’s spine. Maizey’s emotionless face was always terrifying but now that she was smiling, she looked even more intimidating than ever.

“I can’t wait!” C.C. managed another smile before he looked pointedly at the pile of weapons and walked towards it. A churning feeling started in his stomach as C.C. sifted through the inventory of weapons thinking about how one of these weapons could be the one responsible for his boyfriend’s death. He pushed those thoughts away into a corner as he decided to stick with one gun and walked over to Gene to avoid talking with other people. Gene seemed oddly excited about killing people and animatedly described how he hoped that he could be the one to rip Night Night’s head off to prove his abilities.

C.C. pretended to be listening and he knew that it was awkward for Ricky to be listening but he couldn’t exactly mingle with the other gang members or else they would start to get suspicious. He was rescued from the rest of Gene’s rant when he heard Maizey yell something about a van and everybody began charging out the door. C.C. followed them and saw that there were two white vans waiting by the side of the building. Everybody piled into the backs of the two vans and C.C. joined them in the back of one of the vans. He was crouched next to Brandon, who was strangely enthusiastic like Maizey (maybe these gang members just really had a thing for killing people), and Brandon had two giant machine guns clutched in his hands.

As the doors of the van were roughly shut, Brandon turned towards C.C. and glanced at him through his tinted sunglasses, breaking into a proud smile, “You’re going to have so much fun. Thanks for letting Maizey use your identity to get Night Night’s location.”

“No problem,” C.C. answered, gripping his gun a little tighter. So that was what Maizey needed him for. He had no idea why Maizey had to meet C.C. before stealing his identity but from all the cases C.C. worked, it was most probable that she had to learn his behavior in order to replicate his identity. He remembered that Ricky was listening and knew that his possessive boyfriend was probably fuming at Brandon’s remark.

There were no windows in the back of the van so C.C. had no idea how close they were to getting to Night Night’s place. There were scattered pieces of conversation throughout the back of the van that mostly consisted of gang members trying to describe how they planned to kill people. C.C. tried to seem excited about killing his ex-boyfriend’s brother but on the inside, he was wishing to be anywhere but with these psychopaths.

Finally, after what was probably only fifteen minutes but what felt like three hours, the van screeched to a halt and everybody clamored over each other as the doors opened, eager to be the first one to kill somebody. C.C. stepped out of the van at a moderate speed that conveyed that he was willing to join them but still slightly cautious. Maizey spotted him over the stream of people carrying weapons charging at a familiar-looking warehouse and waved him over. C.C. made his way to Maizey, successfully avoiding running into anybody carrying a weapon, and Maizey commanded, her voice a little loud so she could be heard over the sound of people’s eager war cries, “Stay here for a second! I want to talk to you before you head in.”

C.C. nodded and watched as people began storming into the warehouse. He wondered if Ricky could hear the cries of the gang members from inside the warehouse or if he was primarily hearing the cries through the call he was on with Ricky. It took all his willpower to not wince when he heard shots firing and he turned towards Maizey, wanting to go join the fray so he could protect Ricky. Instead of facing Maizey’s face, he was met with a gun, reminding him of his first meeting with Maizey.

Maizey had a chilling grin on her face as she tilted her head, looking at C.C. in an analytical way. When C.C. let confusion slip into his expression, Maizey let out a laugh that sounded scarier than an earthquake. “You really think I could trust you? I knew you were going to backstab us. I figured that I could get rid of you, Night Night, and Ricky at once. Thanks for leading Ricky to here. I know you’re on a call with him. I hope he knows that the last thing you’re ever going to see is me.”

As soon as Maizey finished speaking, she pulled the trigger and shot a bullet right through the phone in C.C.’s pocket and into his abdomen. Pain fogged C.C.’s mind as he buckled to his knees, clutching at his bullet wound. Maizey’s maniacal laughter rang in his ears and he looked up at her amused expression, too in pain to feel angry. Suddenly, there was another gunshot and red began spreading through the shirt Maizey wore. A bullet had embedded itself into her ribcage, in the place where her heart was and C.C. managed to turn around to see Ricky holding a gun.

Ricky dropped the gun immediately when he saw C.C. and ran to his boyfriend’s side. This was far worse than getting kidnapped but this reminded C.C. of the last time he had to deal with his boyfriend’s past, namely with Banjo. C.C. seemed to always get the short end of the stick when it came to wanting to help people out. Was it raining or was Ricky crying? C.C.’s vision was blurring and he was having trouble figuring out what was going on around him. There were still shouts and gunshots and as C.C. felt blood coat his hands, he wondered if many other people were bleeding too. After this thought crossed his mind, he decided to try to stand up but he only managed to stumble further into Ricky’s arms. When did Ricky start holding him? And why was it getting harder to stay awake?

He heard Ricky murmur something about how he was going to kill everybody if C.C. died and he answered back with something that sounded like, “If you do, I’m going to come back and haunt the hell out of you” before everything went black.

If C.C. wasn’t in extreme pain, blacking out should have been effortless, as it was shown in movies, but when he passed out, the pain from the bullet wound seemed to be amplified as he was numb to all other senses. He had no idea how long he had passed out for but when he woke up, he was lying in a hospital bed.

C.C. tried to sit up straighter and let out a hiss of pain as pain threaded through his lower torso. He almost gasped with surprise when he felt a hand on his knee and turned his head to see Ricky sitting in a chair next to his bed. There were a couple of bruises on Ricky’s face but other than that, Ricky didn’t look too wounded, other than his crestfallen expression.

“You’re awake! How are you feeling?” Ricky’s frown relaxed as he broke into a small smile, pressing a kiss on C.C.’s cheek. C.C. couldn’t help but smile too, glad that Ricky was feeling a little less worried now that he was conscious.

“I’m still in a little bit of pain. Where are we?” C.C. sat up straighter, pressing down another hiss of anguish as he felt sparks of pain under the bandages on his wound. He wondered if the bullet was still inside his body and made a note to ask later.

“We’re in a hospital that isn’t run by the government. Don’t worry about it too much, you’re in good hands. I was here when I was shot in the shoulder and stabbed in the chest and I survived thanks to the doctors here,” Ricky obviously was trying to reassure C.C. but C.C. was too shocked by the news that his boyfriend had gotten hurt badly before.

“You were shot in the shoulder? And stabbed in the chest?” C.C. knew he sounded incredulous and Ricky waved a dismissive hand, signaling that was a story for another time, namely a time when C.C. wasn’t in a hospital bed in pain.

“The important thing is that I’m fine now and you’ll be fine too. You’ve been out for a little over a day and I think you’re going to have to stay for a couple more so you can rest and heal,” Ricky held C.C.’s hand, an ungodly amount of affection seeping into his voice. It was hard to believe that this was the same person who murdered a gang leader in cold blood.

“How are Night Night and his men doing? Did you help them out?” C.C. asked, not sure if he wanted to know the answer or not. He saw the size of Maizey’s gang and their weapons and had a hunch that the odds weren’t in the Night Night’s gang’s favor. He also felt guilty for not being able to help Ricky but knew that if he admitted his feelings, Ricky would immediately tell him that he did his best and had already done his part by going undercover. And even though he would be partly correct, C.C. was still doomed from the start as Maizey already had her suspicions about him.

“They’re doing fine. The surprise attack was a bit of a blow but thanks to your warning we managed to get somewhat of leverage. We lost some people but we’re still together,” Ricky’s relieved demeanor changed into a rather angry one quickly as he began to talk about Maizey. “But that green-haired bitch’s gang is going down. They’re still functioning without her but I’m going to take them down. She hurt you and she deserved to die.”

“Wait, you’re going to take them down? By yourself? At least ask Night Night or the Silent J’s to help,” C.C. worriedly fretted, clearly not endorsing Ricky’s plan, whatever it ensued. Knowing Ricky, it probably involved putting his life or reputation on the line and while it probably was successful, C.C. didn’t want Ricky getting hurt. C.C. had already been hurt at the hands of Maizey’s gang and he didn’t want his boyfriend getting hurt worse than he did.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you soon,” Ricky pressed a lingering kiss on C.C.’s forehead before he stood up and left, leaving C.C. to wonder why everybody was telling him not to worry when he had so much to worry about.

~ taglist: @hot-mess-writer @thesevensins-1990

chapter 3 (the final chapter) is up now!