#cellar door moon crew

[moon-huny]

Stole the Moon - Chapter Four

CW: My content is not for anyone under 18. Minors DNI. Youre kidnapped, hostage situation, standard pirate stuff. mention of attempted assault, murder, afab reader, she/her pronouns.

Word Count: 3.6K

Summary: Going ashore, something about Buggy seems off.

A/N: I could not fit all of the smut that I wanted to include in this chapter so onto the next, which will exclusively be the chapter. I would just hate to rush and waste all of the angsty potential.

Learning more about our reader in this chapter tho. Gotta love some backstory. You know what they say, uncertain pasts make the heart grow fonder.

Okay, that's all, enjoy.

masterlist ✧˖°

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“Fuck off to where you came from Cabaji, you can pry her from our cold dead hands!”

You were laid out on the yellow loveseat sipping water while Lettie kneeled beside you and gently cleaned the red makeup from your neck. Marie was on the other side of the small cabin, pushing the door shut and spewing threats. She gripped the little iron knob and pushed her entire body weight against the door to keep the swordsman out.

“You forget that I happen to know at least eight different ways to kill you,” Cabaji shot back, the door once again shuttering against Marie’s attempts to keep it closed.

Last night, the two young women stumbled their way to the kitchen for a late night snack – and to perhaps steal some of the wine you and the captain might have left behind. Only what they found was you slumped forward in a dining chair, Cabaji with his feet up sleeping and an empty bottle.

Lettie’s eyes had gone wide at your predicament and Marie nearly slit Cabaji’s throat. Immediately the two of them carried you to their room to let you sleep the rest of the night.

“And you forget, Greenie, that I know just as many!” Marie shouted.

The hangover you had was impossible to ignore. Lettie’s gentle hand nursed you back to health for the most part, but that blanket of pain draped over your head didn’t make it easy to get off your feet.

You kept thinking back to last night. The way his lips had connected with your skin lit a fire that you couldn’t put out. The places where his kiss landed on your body had left an imprint like steps on the sand. Every thought you had the whole morning fell back to him, and his hands, and his voice, and his kiss.

You almost regret pushing him away. Your head was swimming with all of the potential things you could be doing this morning had the night gone in Buggy’s favor. 

His incessant need to have your allegiance was a subject you had no intention of ever budging. He kept you in a cellar on his ship as a prisoner, it’s not exactly strange that you wouldn’t want to join the very crew that imprisoned you.

“Captain wants her on land with him,” said Cabaji. “He said she has to be there.”

“Oh, come on!” said Lettie standing up from her place next to you and walking to the door. “What good will it do for Buggy to tote around this poor girl?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Cabaji said with a mock confusion from the other side. “I didn’t realize we were staging a mutiny! Although, for you two surely that’s not a new concept. In fact, maybe I should remind Captain Buggy about your backstory? Hmm?”

They both looked at one another nervously. After that comment, you immediately stood – dizzy as you may be – and made your way to the door. Moving around Marie, you pushed the threshold open to see Cabaji standing there waiting for you.

“Leave them alone,” you said. “I’ll come with you, just let me get dressed. That okay with you?”

Cabaji just shrugged and leaned against the wall with a bored expression. Closing the door, Lettie mouthed an ‘are you sure’ to which you simply nodded and began pulling some clothing together from their crammed reserve.

///

Cabaji did as was instructed and escorted you above deck. The two girls followed behind under the guise of wanting to go into the town just like every other crew member. 

Stepping out onto the deck of the ship, you looked out over the island. It was seemingly small, but with the amount of buildings stacked on top of one another you wouldn't have known it. Teeming with life in every direction, the little city was unlike anything you’d seen before. 

The sight of land caused you to remember –

A small seaside town.

 just big enough to spend time alone but small enough to know the names of all the residents. You were eleven years old again and walking the dusty road to the dock. The sun was setting through the beautiful trees and over the open pastures, the bridges on your path took you over sweet little streams reflecting the warm orange glow of the sky. 

Nearing the rocky shore, you came upon the tiny dock. Stomping your little feet to the end of the planked walkway, you hopped onto a woman’s boat. It was a fishing ship, large enough for three to be comfortable but small enough to be sailed by one.

“I told you to wait for me at home,” said the woman. In your memory you saw her wearing your necklace. The beautiful antique moonstone pendant. She was putting away fishing nets with a swift precision only someone with intense experience could do.

“I got bored,” you said with a shrug. “I want to go out on the boat.”

“You know we can’t do that, it’s getting late,” replied the woman hardly regarding you and continuing her chores.

“Aw come on,” your youthful self replied, crossing your arms and dragging out all the syllables in a whine. “I want to go see them.”

The woman stopped, put her work aside and strode up to you. Gripping both of your shoulders she said in a serious tone, “just because they let you live that one time, does not mean that those monsters will allow you to live a second.”

“They aren’t monsters, they are my friends,” you responded.

“And I am your mother, and I say no.”

“(Y/N)?” Lettie touched your shoulder gently.

“Yea!?” you jumped out of your memory. “Yes, yes, I’m sorry. I just had a moment.”

She looked at you with suspicion. You looked visibly shaken like you’d seen a ghost.

“Okay, well, if you need anything,” said Lettie.

“Just call for us,” chimed Marie.

You nodded back at them in return. Cabaji, Lettie and Marie marched off the ship and down the dock to enjoy whatever the island had to offer. Watchinging them continue up the street, no one ran in fear or called for help, yet the three acrobats did instill respect. People moved out of the way, regarded their presence humbly.

The clothing you’d chosen was suitable for the warmer climate. A long patterned dress with a slit up the side was perfect for the tropical air. But you would be lying if you said you didn’t pick it with him in mind.

As you stood looking out over the side of the ship, you heard footsteps approach from behind you. You turned to face him. His expression was blank, no self important smirk, no drag of the eyes along your body, nothing. He simply stopped, eyes connecting with yours, and with a bored expression, looked off toward the town.

“Let’s go,” he said, making his way toward the ramp down to the dock.

“Hey!” you called after him from higher ground. He turned to look at you with a dramatic head turn.

Raising his eyebrows all he said was, “what?” in the most annoyed tone you’d ever heard him use with you.

You scoffed, mostly in shock at the way he was speaking to you. You’d been threatened, sexualized, and outright ignored, but never had he been this … this … petty.

“What is your problem?” you said with all of the accusatory intent you could muster.

“My problem,” he responded. “Is that you wont shut up and follow where I am telling you to go. Now Let's. Go.”

You were stunned, absolutely in shock. Your jaw hung open but no words came out all you could do was stand there and attempt to find the right insult to throw, but nothing came to you.

He simply chuckled at your astonished expression and continued down to the dock. The events of last night sat with him late. He barely slept and while the lack of rest certainly contributed to his mood, seeing you this morning looking like that made him a whole new level of irritated.

Deciding you had nothing better to do and nowhere to go, you followed him. Chasing after the clown you felt your feet finally connect with land, you said what you’d been thinking since you docked.

“I could run away you know,” you said over his shoulder trying to keep up. “There isn’t anything keeping me following you, I could just book it and you’d never see me again.”

He stopped quickly and spun to face you, the quick movement causing you to bump into his chest. He’d forgone his coat and hat opting to keep just the vest and throw his long hair into a bun high on his head. The shorter pieces fell down around his face and some tucked behind his ear. 

“Then why haven’t you?”

His eyes had finally connected with yours and stayed there. You couldn’t explain it, but it felt exactly like what you’d been waiting for. Locked in his gaze you couldn’t think or speak, you just stood and let yourself search his beautiful green eyes.

“Yea,” he whispered for only you to hear. His eyes flicked down to your lips and back up. “That’s what I thought.”

Turning away from you and continuing on his way up the busy street, you snapped out of whatever trance you were under. He spoke loudly enough for you to hear him as you followed behind.

“Plus, even if you wanted to escape nobody here would aid or abet you,” he detached his torso and spun, arms crossed to face you while his legs continued walking on their path.

Outstretching his arms, “I own this city!”

Taking the time to look at the buildings you passed and the people all around, you saw a spectacular amount of Buggy related iconography. His jolly roger hung in bars, on fruit stands, and hotel welcome mats.

“You’re joking.”

“Is it really so hard to believe that some people would rather live under the banner of a pirate than between the iron jaw of the Marines? Isn’t that right ladies and gents?”

When you both rounded the corner, as if on cue, a chorus of “That's right, Captain” fell sweetly from the mouths of a gaggle of gorgeous young men and women standing on the street corner. They were dressed in beautifully scandalous clothing. The name Madam Zell’s hung above the door of the dimly lit building.

“I love when they call me that,” Buggy said, shooting the group a wink before floating back to attach himself onto his hips.

“Know them?” you asked, feeling jealousy making a home in your chest.

An all too proud smirk pulled on his face looking over his shoulder to say, “intimately.” 

You saw red. The gorgeous nymph-like gathering outside the bordello made you second guess yourself. He clearly didn’t have a type, the look of each individual completely different from the next. And yet, you still found yourself jealous of the beautiful individuals Buggy clearly visited. 

“Almost there!” he called back to you.

///

After a few more blocks, Buggy turned into a skinny alleyway squished between two larger brick buildings. At the end was a heavy carved wooden door. 

“Wait here,” he said, turning to you as he placed his hand on the knob.

“In the alley on an island run by pirates? Very funny clown,” you replied.

“Suit yourself,” he said, as the door opened into one of the strangest places you’d seen.

There were incredibly detailed scarves and lamps hanging from the ceiling. All around the room was bathed in different hues of light. The front foyer branched off into a few different hallways and rooms, from around the corner, someone popped their head out.

Their long lavender hair was pulled into a high ponytail, small circular glasses sat on the end of their nose, they wore a long black skirt, a dress shirt and a tailored waistcoat. 

“Ah, Captain,” said the shopkeep. “And … guest?” Their eyebrow went up inquisitively and their eyes darted back and forth between you. They then disappeared into the other room.

“Who is that?” you asked

“Beau,” said Buggy. “Chemist, alchemist, fortune teller.”

“And we need them because…?”

“Because they have all the goods that I need to keep making my very special ammunition, sweet cheeks.”

From the other room on the right, Beau reappeared. Walking over to Buggy and handing him a small purple sack. They turned to address you. Their eyes were done with beautifully colored makeup that would put the blue haired pirate to shame.

“In case you hadn’t yet had the pleasure, Captain has an affinity for flashy projectiles. My alchemy produces the kind of ingredients he needs for –”

Beau’s face fell. They stared at you for a long moment, something that made you noticeably uncomfortable. 

“You don’t even know what you can do,” they said.

“How did you –” you began before Buggy grabbed you by the wrist and led you to the door.

“Plans are just that, Buggy, plans. You can’t make anyone do anything,” Beau called out after you both. His comment clearly struck a nerve with the pirate as he stopped and turned around.

“I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” said Buggy. “And it’s Captain to you.” He finished, pointing a finger in Beau’s all too relaxed face.

The alchemist leaned around their boss to speak directly to you.

“You’re going to have to figure it out for yourself. But, I suggest getting reacquainted with the moon … in your spare time,” Beau smiled. “I see a certain someone in your future taking up those nighttime hours.”

You were dying to know what they meant, you wanted to stay longer, ask more questions. If they could see the future, could they also tell you your past? Before you could open your mouth to speak, Buggy was pulling you out the door and back into the alley.

“Hey, no wait,” you tugged at his grip on you. “I want to go back inside, I want Beau to tell me more about myself.”

“And I want to get a drink,” he said, pulling you out of the alley and around the corner. You were able to get one last look at the door before it disappeared from view.

///

You sat on the small rooftop bar alone. Buggy had long since disappeared downstairs to one of the other floors of the nightclub to do whatever it is that pirates do best. Truthfully you had no idea what he was doing.

The night was beautiful. The bar wasn’t far inland, but it was also one of the highest points in the city. You could look down and see all the way to the ships in the harbor.

Like Beau had told you, you began to watch the moon. Surely it could tell you something about yourself. Unless, of course, the chemist was lying and working for the round nosed menace you can’t keep your mind from wandering back to.

“If I made a run for it, would you tell the clown?” you asked the only other lone soul in your vicinity.

The stoic bartender simply nodded his head and you rolled your eyes.

“Hey gorgeous,” said a voice you had hoped wasn’t directed at you. “Sitting all alone at the bar isn’t something a pretty girl like you oughta be doing.”

“I’m not alone,” you responded quietly.

The guy was twice your size and clearly used to getting his way. He started to lean over you, forcing himself into your personal space.

“You look very alone to me,” he said, leaning further into you. Out of fear, anger and god knows what else, you reached over the bar and picked up the nearest wine bottle before bashing it over the man's head sending him staggering back in pain.

“I’m going to run now,” you said to the bartender as you pushed yourself out of the bar chair and made a break for the stairs.

You ran and jostled your way through people right and left as you heard Goliath chasing after you. Each floor you’d sped down you would stop and look around frantically for Buggy before descending again at the sight or sound of your pursuant.

Eventually, when you realized the blue haired slacker was nowhere to be seen, all you could think to do was book it back to the ship and hope that climbing aboard would be enough of a deterrent for this ridiculously angry and frankly very insistent maniac.

Taking off down the street, the ship was insight, however, as you reached the docks, he had caught up with you and grabbed your arm.

“You pant little pant bitch!” He pulled your body to his face and spit his anger through gritted teeth. “Nobody gets a hit on me and lives, I am going to fucking kill –”

He is cut off by the view of a massive wall of water erupting behind you. The wave, stationary and towering fifteen feet tall descended.

You imagine the water encasing him, forming a barrier around his entire body. He floats there, in mid air in a sphere of ocean you created with nothing more than pure thought.

He is drowning. He tries to swim for the sides of his prison, the bottom, the top, but the current you’ve created is too strong. Eventually he stops fighting and you let the water go and crash upon the wooden dock hearing the thud of his body hit the deck.

Your body crumpling from exhaustion. 

The last thing you hear is him calling your name. You catch a glimpse of the full moon as you slip into unconsciousness.

///

You stand in his quarters, still, and boiling with rage. All he does is sit in his chair and look at you. The tension in the room was thick as blood, something you coincidentally have on your hands.

“You should not have left me alone.” you say. “I killed him.”

“Baby, please, I kill people all the time.” He replied sticking to his petty nonchalance from early in the day.

Your eyes went wide daring him to keep talking. He shut up very quickly then.

“I don’t even remember what happened. All I can remember is running and when he caught me I blacked out.”

You paced in your spot of the room across from him biting your thumb and plastering a worried expression across your face.

Buggy knew exactly what you did, he watched the whole thing happen. He watched you call up the sea and use it to drown a man midair. But it would be a cold day in hell before you knew that.

Sea water might as well be poison to him. The devil fruit inside was responsible for his inability to swim and if you so happen to get a hold on those powers before you had a loyalty to him, he’d be a goner for sure.

“What happened?” you asked the pirate. His long hair down and shirt changed into a loose linen.

“You know I wish that I could tell you, doll,” he said from his relaxed position in his chair. “But I didn’t see anything.”

He had lied dozens, hundreds of times before and while on the outside it seemed no different, he felt an uncomfortable weight on his chest, like he could feel the lie pushing him down. The way you looked so out of control. This wasn’t like you. You were confident and strong and always trying to stay one step ahead of him.

Your body fell into one of the other chairs in the room. Your head in your hands, all you could do was sit there and feel overwhelmed.

Perfect thought Buggy. He may have felt bad but he wasn't about to go back on a plan, not one so developed as this. You were in the palm of his hand all he needed to do was squeeze.

The clown captain made his way over and knelt in front of you. You peeked at him from behind your hands.

“Let me take care of you,” he said quietly, running his hand up the side of your leg from ankle to knee. 

Usually, you’d say no. Kick at him, demand a fight, challenge him. But him before you like this, begging in such a delicate way. You just wanted all the stress and frustration and fear to go away.

You nodded your head as he began to move the slit of your dress to free your left leg. He placed a gentle kiss to the inside of your knee and made his way higher, and higher. Soft lips connecting with your even softer skin.

Then you did something you’d wanted to do for so long. Between your hands you held his face and lifted him to your lips. Still kneeling before you with his hands moved to firmly grip your thighs in the chair, Buggy hesitated. The plan was just to eat you out, send you over the top with pleasure on his tongue, then discard you, make you beg for more.

But to kiss you ... could it possibly be so bad.

You ever so gently touched your lips to his own, teasing and testing to see what he would do, but he let you take the lead. Pressing your lips to his, Buggy was hit with a wave. It was unlike anything he had experienced before. The gentle supple feel of your kiss sent butterflies careening in his stomach. His chest felt tight and his pants felt even tighter.

He was used to the kinds of kisses that people share when they're just looking to fuck but never something like this, like you. It was addictive filling him with a desire he hadn’t felt in a long time. Not a want or even a need, a desire.

He could kiss you forever this way, his hands massaging up and down your pillowy thighs. You grew hotter pushing further into his kiss and moaning for more. This kiss, it was the kind that could seal the deal, make you love him.

But that was when he realized. He understood Beau’s fortune. He was already too far gone and losing control with every moment his mouth was on yours. He pulled away.

“Get out,” he said. His head hung in front of you still on his knees.

“Wha– What?” you questioned.

“I said get out.” He pushed himself to get off the ground and made for his desk to busy himself with something, anything that wasn't your body.

“Did I do something?”

He didn’t answer.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚

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[beginagain--]

Download Festival Add Over 70 Names To Their 2022 Lineup

Download Festival Add Over 70 Names To Their 2022 Lineup

After confirming that the 2021 iteration of Download festival will not be taking place this year, the festival have revealed some more of the names who will be playing Donington Park in 2022.  Joining the already announced headliners KISS, Iron Maiden and Biffy Clyro will be… DeftonesKornThe Pretty RecklessRise AgainstBlack Label SocietyTheoryMonster TruckPower WolfWayward SonsThose Damn…

[festive]

Be quiet!

Kazuha x Fem!reader

content+warning: exhibition kink, vaginal fingering, creampies, vaginal sex, use of pet names.

tagging: @novaresque & @bubble4u​ (if you’d like to be tagged in any of my fics, here’s a form, everyone say thank you ms.Kiki!)

It was quite lively tonight on the crux, cheering and yelling could be heard underneath you, along with the sounds of the waves hitting against the boat. You watch in amusement as the various crew members drink and gamble on the deck below. Some drunk already and dancing with one another, you’re not quite sure what the special occasion was, however you’re not going to question it. Moments like these are rare and always welcomed in this day and age. You turn your head towards the sky, admiring how the stars lit up the night sky. So caught up in your own world you don’t even hear your boyfriend approaching you from behind, his finger tapping against your shoulder to catch your attention - causing you to jump in surprise.

‘What are you doing up here alone?’ He questions and you lean your head against him.

‘Sometimes a change of scenery is nice.’ You murmur, not making eye contact as you continue gazing at the moon.

Kazuha lets out a hum in agreement, before asking you if you’d like to go somewhere more ‘private’ to bask in each other's presence. You agree, placing your hand in his while allowing him to lead you towards the cellar, opening the door he guides you inside.

‘It’s dark.’ You complain as you try not to run into a barrel of booze, it was hard considering you can barely see anything, you manage to trip over an out-of-place board. You’re lucky Kazuha was there to catch you before you planted face-first into the ground.

‘Hold on.’ Helping you back on your feet, he grabs at the conveniently placed lantern before lighting it up. The way the fire lit up your boyfriend's face had you smiling, you were able to fully admire his beautiful features before allowing your eyes to land upon his lips. You couldn’t help it, they just looked so soft.. so kissable.

It’s like Kazuha could read your mind as he leans his face closer to yours to plant a kiss upon your lips - before he could pull away you hold him in place so you can deepen the kiss, you grind yourself against him as his arms wrap around your frame.

One thing leads to another now here you are, back against Kazuha’s as he’s leaned up against a rack of alcohol. One hand hovers over your crotch while the other toys with your plump breasts - pinching and teasing at your nipple.

You could hear someone outside of the cellar, it sounded like two someone’s to be exact — a man and a woman. Furong and Juza, and by the sounds coming from outside, they were surely going to step inside the cellar.

‘Come on, Juza. Help me carry a few of these things back.’ Furong says, hoisting a barrel over her shoulder. Juza nods, walking towards another rack of booze. His footsteps grow louder, and he approaches the rack you and Kazuha were hiding behind.

With a swift movement, Kazuha moves his hand from underneath your shirt. You move a little, stepping on yet another out-of-place plank causing it to let out a creaking noise and you swear you could your blood turn cold as you exhale sharply, Kazuha quickly places his hand over your mouth.

‘Shh, sweetheart. Gotta be quieter than that.’ Kazuha’s warm breath fans against the shell of your ear — and honestly that did nothing to soothe your nerves.

‘Hey, Furong. Did ya hear that?’ Your actions didn’t go unnoticed, no matter how drunk he might’ve been he was still as sharp as ever.

‘Ya must be imagining things. I didn’t hear anything. Now hurry up and help me carry these back to the others. Juza shakes his head before grabbing a few barrels and carrying them out the door. You’re just happy he didn’t try to pry further, a few steps more and he would’ve found you humping your lover like a bitch in heat.

As soon as Kazuha hears the cellar door close, he dips one of his hands into your pants - his fingers tracing the outline of your cunt through the fabric of your underwear while the other hand is planted over your plump lips - ensuring that you don’t make any other loud noises to not signal any more unwanted attention. He slides his other hand underneath the band of your panties and into your dripping hole. His fingers pumping in and out of you - dragging across your walls at an agonizing pace while he lazily thumbs at your clit, the sensation causing your lips to quiver against his palm.

He trails wet kisses up and down your neck, letting out a low chuckle as he feels you grind your plump ass against his crotch, rubbing against his hardening erection - he lets out a low hiss due to the friction.

‘Someone’s impatient.’ It comes out as a forced whisper and the hold he has upon your face tightens as he forces you to turn to him - your doe-like eyes staring into his red orbs that were fueled with lust.

‘Cute.’ He smiles, picking up the pace - pumping his fingers in and out of your aching cunt at an alarming rate that has you trying to close your thighs as he angles his fingers just slightly to rub and prod at your spongiest spot. He can feel you’re close by the way your walls clench and constrict against his fingers then suddenly he pulls out just as you’re on the brink of your orgasm. You let out a soft whimper at the loss of feeling, you turn your head around to stare at your lover, and in return, he gives you a soft sympathetic smile as he licks at your remaining essence on his fingers.

Kazuha moves the hand that was around your mouth and places it on your hip holding you even close against him - while the other is fixated with freeing his cock from its confines. As soon as it’s free you can feel it poke against your inner thighs - he teasingly rubs it against you, smearing your own juices along your folds before aligning the tip with your hole. You can hear him take in a sharp breath as he pushes himself inside you until he completely bottoms out.

‘Good girl. You’re doing so good taking my cock.’ He praises, setting a steady pace as he slams his hips against yours. His thick cock rubbing inside you so nicely with each thrust makes you feel — oh so — full, while his tip kisses your cervix.

You whine and writhe in pleasure underneath his hold, silently praying he would be rougher - and yet it’s like he heard your prayer by the way his hands tighten against your hips - fingernails threatening to leave marks later, although it’s not like you cared much. If anyone questioned them, you could easily lie.

Kazuha could feel that you were close to cumming, it wasn’t hard considering the way your velvety walls constrict and squeeze against his dick, threatening to milk his cock for all it had. He slams into you one final time; you can feel his cock twitch and pulsate inside you before he’s emptying his heavy load inside and coating your walls white.

As soon as he pulls out his now softening dick and places it back into his pants, he helps you look presentable. Although he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like how his seed is spilling through your pussy down onto your thighs - but he supposes he can’t have others staring at you like that. After he helps you, he grabs your hand and interlaces it with his before leading you back to the rest of the Crux, whispering small words of reassurance and adoration.

‘Oh, and where have you two been?’ Beidou questions, and before you can even answer she’s already eyeing the small hickey that had formed upon your neck. Letting out a loud laugh before she walks away, but not before giving you both a knowing smirk - of course, nothing gets past Beidou. Yep, you’re certainly not making eye contact with her for the rest of the night.

[crystalgirl259]

Wolves Of Secrets Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Lone Wolf

Dark was the night as the full moon shined over the great city of Ninjago. The cold, misty wind whistled through the city as the citizens went about their own business, either going home to be with their families for the rest of the evening or to their evening jobs. The city of Ninjago was built on the sunny side of a gentle mountain and was truly a beautiful place. Its grace was only matched by the backdrop of lush, green forests which have helped shape the ancient city to what it was today.

The city had a very clear Japan, Tokyo feeling too it.

The city's skyline was growing with stylish skyscrapers and they each represented the many different aspects of the sizeable city. Businesses were booming in Ninjago and it had attracted a lot of attention. A few new cultures had left their mark not just on education, but also upon the city's identity. What historically was a city of predictability has grown into a new culture of variety and it's this that united the nearly 6 million people to this day.

It's this multicultural identity that had truly left its mark.

Hundreds of gastropubs, bakeries, and clubs offer a plethora of culinary choices. Those who felt hungry for something else could enjoy art galleries, musical activities, photography, or one of the many other recreational activities. Just outside the main city area, right on the edge of the dark forest, stood a large, lone house. In this house was a very special family. From the outside, this house looked cosy. It had been built many, many years ago with white bricks and had spruce wooden decorations.

Small, half-rounded windows added to the overall style of the house and had been added to the house in a fairly asymmetrical pattern.

The house was equipped with a large kitchen, two bathrooms, and three bedrooms. It also had a large living room, four bedrooms, a roomy dining room, a garage, and a large basement. The roof was high and slanted to one side and was covered with black ceramic tiles with a small chimney. Many smaller windows let in plenty of light to the rooms below the roof. The house itself was surrounded by quite a modest garden, with mostly grass, a few colourful flower patches, and a small shed at the other end of the garden.

Inside the house, a young teenage boy sat on the couch, eating popcorn and watching a movie.

This was Lloyd Garmadon. He had long, blonde tousled hair, and brown arched eyebrows with bright emerald green eyes that many people would state could sometimes glow in the dark. He wore a dark green jacket with a white t-shirt and black pants and black and dark green sneakers. As the clock was about to strike midnight, Lloyd was about to turn the boring movie off when suddenly with was a rustling sound outside. Fearing the worst, he quickly switched off the TV, grabbed his coat, and ran outside.

As soon as he stepped out into the cold night, however, instead of the rustling he had heard mere seconds before, all he could hear was an owl hooting nearby and the wind howling through the trees.

He was about to go back inside when all of a sudden he heard a loud crash from the other side of the house. He quickly ran towards the sound and was shocked by what he saw. He saw a full-grown, grey timber wolf sniffing around some turned over trash cans, snacking at the rancid chicken meat. He looked to the steel doors to the basement and was horrified to see another wolf attempting to jump out. As soon as the grey wolf sensed him, it slowing turned around to face the teen with a low growl, baring its sharp teeth.

Lloyd, however, was completely unfazed by this and he simply stood up straight.

"Get back inside!" He roared, startling the wolf for a second before it crouched down and started snarling louder. Instead of running away, however, Lloyd simply lowered onto his knees and bared his blunt teeth at the wolf. His emerald green eyes suddenly turned to a stunning gold that shined in the dark. The teen and the wolf snarled at each other as Lloyd slowly crawled forward, making the wolf back up. The grey wolf suddenly yelped as it fell back into the dark cellar.

Lloyd's eyes returned to their normal color as he stood up and looked into the dark pit.

Suddenly one of the wolves jumped up and bit into his thick coat's sleeve, ripping it off as the wolf fell back down. Not missing a beat, Lloyd quickly closed and locked the cellar doors, looking at the full moon as the wolves muffled howls sounding into the night...

****************

The next morning, as the rain came pouring down, Lloyd quickly got dressed and ran down to the cellar. He loudly slid the iron door open and stepped inside where he saw his mother Misako and his uncle Wu slowly getting to their feet as the finished getting dressed. His mother had ash grey hair braid into a ponytail with a snowy white streak and pale green eyes. She wore a pale khaki utility jacket with dark brown pants and a short, dark green scarf.

Wu was an elderly man with a long white beard.

He was wearing white robes and a conical straw hat. They both yawned and stretched as Lloyd glared daggers at them.

"I think that chicken was off." Misako gagged as she clutched her stomach.

"I can't believe you two." Lloyd glared Breaking out and raiding the bins."

"Oh, Lloyd!" She cried as she rushed forward and examined his arm. "I am so sorry! I didn't break the skin, did I?! Does it need stitches?!" She panicked, but he pulled his arm away from him.

"You always say how I have to stay hidden from humans and never give in to our wolves." He growled as they walked back upstairs to the kitchen. "Yet the moment you get a chance, you're out of the cellar and away!"

"You don't understand how powerful the pull of the full moon is," Wu explained. "When you're old enough to take wolf form-"

"I won't be a hypocrite, who says stay hidden and then breaks out at the first whiff of food!" He replied and turned to his mother with a slightly disgusted look. "And that chicken..."

"Actually, your mother's not the only one who's been eating things she shouldn't, is she?" Wu frowned as he opened the trash can to reveal the leftover popcorn.

"Yes, and you were still dressed when you came outside, young man." Smiled Misako when her son froze. "Didn't we agree in bed at 10 on school nights?"

"I'm going to miss the bus." He quickly said and ran for the front door. When he made to grab his coat, however, he let out a long sighed when he saw the missing sleeve...

****************

Lloyd blushed furiously as he kept his eyes on the school floor as the other students stared and laughed at his soaked clothes. He let out a small growl as he shivered; his mother owed him a new coat.

"Hey, Lloyd!" A voice called out and he looked up to see his friends Zane Jullien, Jay Walker, Kai Smith, Nya Smith, and Cole Brookstone stood by their lockers, waiting for him.

Jay reddish-brown curly hair with brown eyebrows and light freckles with dark blue eyes. He wore a blue jacket with a white stripe over a white t-shirt and blue pants with an orange wooly scarf.

Zane had platinum blonde, almost white, hair that stood up straight in something like a crew cut and bright icy blue eyes. He wore white pants and shoes with a long-sleeved, cyan blue shirt under a navy blue knitted vest.

Kai had tall, thick spiky brown hair, shaped like fire and bright amber eyes that shined like burning embers. He had a focused expression on his face, with a scar visible on his right eyebrow and bandage above his left. He wore a red half-zipped-up jacket over a white shirt with some kind of Japanese symbol on the back of the jacket and brown pants.

Nya was Kai's younger sister who had long black hair kept in a ponytail, pale pink lipstick, small dimples on her cheeks with dark brown eyes, and she had a beauty mark on her right cheek. She was wearing a leather jacket over a white shirt with blue stripes and dark blue torn jeans.

Cole had a very muscular body, being the strongest kid in the whole school, with long, shaggy black hair and bushy eyebrows with very dark green eyes that reminded Lloyd of cold emerald stones. He wore a black leather jacket and pants with a dark brown tank top and black heavy-duty boots.

Lloyd smiled as he walked over to them. They were the only people who could possibly understand the struggles he faced every day as a teenage werewolf; because so were they. Well... sort of anyway. Only he and Nya had yet to transform on a full moon, but they knew it could happen any month now and they were both nervous and excited.

"What happened to you?" Jay asked when they saw he was dripping water into the hallways.

"My coat got eaten by werewolves." He deadpanned.

"Don't you start too." Kai groaned.

"We've already had this from... Oh, Pixel!" Nya suddenly smiled as the said girl walked over to them. Pixel had pale, almost white, skin with wide lips and bright green eyes. Her hair was styled like Nya's and was a very light platinum blonde. She had a purple dress with red details and an opening in her left arm that showed a part of her chest, and red heels. Lloyd simply smiled and rolled his eyes. Pixel Borg was the only one in their friend group that wasn't a werewolf.

She was a very good friend to them, mostly to Zane, since childhood and it hurt them they couldn't share their secret with her.

"Did you hear last night in the forest?" She asked with a big smile on her face, but they all shrugged. "Howling." She replied and they froze as she pulled out her cell phone. "Here, look what I found on Carper's Lane this morning." She explained as she showed them a picture of a paw print in the mud. "I'm going to compare it to paw-print photos of different dogs."

"What, every type of dog?" Cole scoffed.

"This is proof." She insisted. "Proof that there's something weird over there in the forest."

"Pix, if your father found out that you snuck off into the forest in the middle of the night again he wouldn't be too pleased," Zane warned.

"If I can prove there is some kind of undiscovered creature in the forest then that alone would guarantee my scholarship into Horizon Academy."

"You know your father could pull some strings and get you in there no problem." Jay pointed out.

"I know, but I want to earn my spot and my father understands and respects that." She explained.

"Hey, Pixel!" One of the cheerleaders, Maggie, suddenly called out. "I saw something weird in the forest, you!"

"Haven't you got hair-curlers to play with or something?" Nya snapped before she and her friends quickly walked away.

"I really need to start my research, I'll catch up with you all later." Pixel smiled before she made a beeline for the library; as soon as she was out of sight, Nya suddenly grabbed the boys and shoved them into a nearby janitor's closet.

"Alright, who was it?" She glared.

"Wasn't me!" Jay exclaimed fearfully and the rest quickly denied it as well. Lloyd eyed each of them carefully. It could only have been Cole, Kai, or Zane; they were the only ones who spent the full moon on Zane's father's property deep in the forest. Since she couldn't transform yet Nya stayed in their apartment in the city and Jay spent it on her parents' junkyard on the other side of the city. The only problem was that Dr. Jullien's home was far from where Pixel said she found the paw prints.

He also knew the guys wouldn't go near the city, full moon or not.

"Maybe it wasn't one of us," Lloyd suggested. "My mom managed to get out the cellar last night and when I got them back in they started howling, and that paw print could have come from a normal dog."

"I suppose." She sighed when the bell suddenly rang; the group sighed as they made their way to their first classes. Lloyd quickly ran to his locker to get some of his textbooks when he suddenly caught the scent of something odd. It was a new scent, meaning whoever it belonged to was here very recently. He was about to follow the scent when he walked right into one of his teachers, Miss Koko. She had bright orange hair with amber eyes.

She wore orange lipstick and a pale brown suit.

"Lloyd, what are you doing? It's time for class." She ordered and Lloyd quickly scurried to his first class, making a mental note to investigate the scent later...

****************

As soon as Lloyd ran into the classroom he immediately took his seat next to Jay. This was one of the few classes he and all his friends had together. As soon as he took his seat a teacher he hadn't seen before walked in with a big smile on his face.

She had greying brown hair tied in a bun and a dark blue dress.

"Welcome aboard students! My name is Ms. Laudita and I'm your new Social Studies teacher," She smiled as a student stepped into the room. "Everyone! This is Morro Ren, he's new here so I hope you'll all make sure he feels welcome." She explained and Lloyd was suddenly hit with the same smell from before. He looked up and saw the new kid eyeing them all cautiously. Lloyd quickly looked to the others and saw they had realized the same thing as him.

Morro Ren possessed long jet black hair with a dark green streak dyed in it and dark brown eyes.

He was wearing a pale green shirt with torn brown pants and black boots. As he moved to take a seat at the back of the class, he and Lloyd glared each other down without a word. The class continued as normal until the bell rang and Morro all but ran out, Lloyd and the others following close behind. As soon as Morro stepped into an empty stairwell Kai and Cole blocked his path.

"What are you doing here?" Nya growled.

"What?" The new kid asked, confusion clear on his face. "I'm looking for-

"No, here! On our territory!" Jay exclaimed.

"Do you not know the rules?" Zane asked.

"You can't stay here." Kai huffed.

"If my mom and uncle get a sniff of you-"

"I don't even know you!" Morro snapped as he took deep breaths.

"Exactly!" Lloyd exclaimed in frustration.

"I don't care whose territory this is; I'm not sticking around anyway, and why would I in this dump?" He sarcastically asked. "No smelly brats tell me whether to stay or go." He stated before shoving passed Kai and Cole and running down the stairs...

****************

Later that day everyone was sat at their usual table in the cafeteria, enjoying their lunches. When Pixel and Dareth had joined them, Zane had explained what had happened with Morro when Pixel asked why they were all in a sour mood; leaving out some key details of course.

"We're not smelly!" Cole hissed angrily as he devoured a large slice of cake.

"Well, except for Jay." Kai shrugged absently, getting a hurt cry from the said boy and a kick from Nya.

"You did kind of start it." Pointed out Pixel.

"No, we didn't." Nya defended.

"Someone must know something about him or his family." Suggested Zane. "Seen moving vans, something." He added as a member of Kai's soccer team, Chad, walked over to their table.

"Hey, Kai, are you going to ask the new kid to try out?" He asked though it sounded more like an order.

"I don't think he's the right sort for the team." He replied, keeping his eyes on his food.

"Fine, I'll ask." Chad huffed and walked over to Morro's empty table.

"Wait." Cole gasped but it was too late.

"Relax guys, he won't bite." Pixel frowned at their behavior and the group shared nervous looks. They turned back to Chad and Morro when the new kid suddenly got up and right into a startled Chad's face.

"I don't like soccer and I don't want to hang around with you and your weirdo friend! You got that?!" He roared, sending a pointed look at Kai and everyone sat at the table.

"Obviously, they don't teach manners where he's from." Nya glared as Chad speed walked over to them on shaking legs.

"Next time, you need to approach the weird kid." He hissed to Kai as the cheerleaders suddenly pushed passed them and over to Morro's table, completely looking over the way he had just spoken to Chad. Before the new kid could escape, a blonde cheerleader named Harumi Jade took a seat next to him and practically curled around his arm, much to his disgust. Harumi had long white hair with long bangs fashioned in a bun with chopsticks.

She wore a green jacket with matching pants, a white shirt with red lotus flowers, and full lips painted red.

"Hey cutie, since you've only just got here the principle thought it would be a good idea for someone to show you around, and we know everything about this school; all the best clubs and people to hang out with." She explained as she flashed him a big smile.

"Those weird kids, who're they?" He asked as he pointed over to Lloyd's table, where they were still watching him.

"Oh, that's just Lloyd Garmaddon, Pixel Borg, Zane Jullien, Jay Walker, Kai Smith, Nya Smith, and Cole Brookstone." One of the cheerleaders happily said, only to cower away at Harumi's glare.

"Their families have lived here for centuries." She quickly dismissed. "Never leave the area, don't like strangers or questions."

"They're all cuckoo!" Another cheerleader added.

"What are we talking about them for? Let's talk about you." Harumi smiled as she leaned closer, only to gasp when Morro suddenly stood up, grabbed his bag, and stormed off, leaving a furious Harumi and a dumbfounded Lloyd behind...

****************

After an awkward lunch, with Harumi and Chad and their groups giving them the stink eye, Lloyd and the others finally had had enough and went to their lockers to get their stuff for their next class.

"Are you guys joining us on Miss Jinro's forest stakeout?" Zane asked hopefully.

"It's open to anyone but is part of the ninth grade syllabus so all freshmen have to go," Pixel added with a smile. The others just rolled their eyes and chuckled, only to stop when Cole suddenly froze right in front of them. They looked over the taller teen's shoulder and were irritated to see Morro looking through his own locker from something.

That wouldn't have been a problem if it wasn't for the fact that his locker was right next to theirs.

Before they could do anything, however, Chad and his gang pushed them and 'accidentally' knocked into Morro, causing him to drop his bag and pieces of vegetables to come flying out. To say he was still sore about what Morro did in the cafeteria was an understatement.

"I thought I smelled something funny," Chad smirked as his gang laughed. "Is that your snack, freak?"

"Piss off," Morro growled. Unfortunately, this only made Chad angrier as he marched over to the new kid and violently shoved him into the lockers.

"Got a problem?!" He challenged, failing to see the veins on Morro's hands darkening as he bared his teeth. Before anyone could even blink, Morro suddenly jumped up, almost as high as the lockers, and pounced on the bully, sending them both to the ground. Feeling their stomachs dropping, Lloyd and his friends didn't miss a beat as they ran to stop the fight before any serious damage was done.

Kai and Cole managed to rip a snarling Morro off Chad while Pixel and Jay checked on the jock to make sure he was uninjured.

Quickly, Nya and Lloyd pushed the new kid into an empty art classroom just as Miss. Koko burst through the crowd of onlookers.

"What on Earth is going on here?" She glared as Zane, Cole, and Kai leaned against the door to the classroom, and Jay and Pixel helped Chad to his feet. Meanwhile, in the classroom, Nya and Lloyd mirrored their friends leaning against the door as Morro curled up on the ground, gasping for breath.

"What are you doing?" He cried out between breaths. "Get out!"

"Just breathe." Lloyd tried to reassure but Morro started growling as he backed further away.

"You have to get out!" He screamed as the veins in his face and neck started turning dark and his brown eyes turning a stunning yellow. Realizing it was too late now, Morro slowly looked up at them with a defeated look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry." He whimpered before he erupted into growls. Nya and Lloyd could only watch as his body shrunk and rearranged itself.

His clothes fell off his body as his skin was replaced with thick dark brown fur.

His face stretched out into a muzzle as his blunt human teeth sharpened. Once it was over, Morro slowly stood back up, but instead of a human, a full-grown timber wolf looked back at them. He snarled at the two teenagers before he suddenly started running around the room and on the tables, knocking several art supplies onto the floor.

"Morro!" Nya shouted and the wolf jumped down and snarled at them again.

Slowly, both teens knelt down to the floor with their heads down; when they did raise their heads they revealed their own bright yellow eyes, causing the wolf to freeze. He stared at them for a few moments before relaxing and lying down on the floor. Unfortunately, things weren't going so well outside the classroom for the others.

"He's crazy!" Chad cried as he finished telling his side of the story to Koko.

"You started it!" Pixel exclaimed.

"And where is Morro?" She asked but everyone just shrugged and looked around, still leaning against the door. "I'll catch up with him later; you two, follow me." She sighed as she led Pixel, Chad, and his group away. The friends waited until the crowd of students finally disappeared before they quickly ran into the classroom; only to find a human Morro putting his shirt on as Nya and Lloyd picked up all the items he had knocked over.

"I knew there was something about you guys." Morro smiled like a child on Christmas Day. "It's true, isn't it? You're all like me!"

"We're not like you!" Cole quickly said, a look of rage on his face, causing Morro's smile to drop.

"Yeah, we don't show off and pick fights and invades other packs' territory." Kai hissed.

"You're a danger to us all and the sooner you leave, the better," Nya added when all of a sudden the door to the classroom opened and one of the teachers walked in, only to freeze when he saw the state of the classroom.

"What happened here?" The teacher asked in shock. Morro simply huffed in annoyance as he pushed passed the stunned teacher and stormed down the hall and out of sight. They just let him go. Lloyd wanted to chase after him but he knew the others were right; Morro didn't belong here...

****************

After school, the gang went to their favorite hangout, the Yin & Yang Bistro, to gather their thoughts. They would have gone to Wu's tea shop, Steep Wisdom, but they didn't want Lloyd's uncle to listen in on their conversation. Alas, instead of a quiet place for them to discuss what they had witnessed as they had hoped, the gang had to watch as Miss Jinro's forest stakeout class met at the cafe to prepare.

"Apologies, students." She sighed as the class started to get impatient. "We're waiting for the last few stragglers to show and then we go."

"Ya've got five more minutes unless yer buying somethin'" The cafe owner, Mr. Burke, grumbled from the counter.

"I still think we should tell someone, you know," Jay whispered.

"Yeah, let's tell Mom and Uncle Wu that a strange werewolf just showed up at our school and trashed a classroom after trying to attack a student." Lloyd laughed bitterly.

"To be fair who hasn't wanted to kick Chad's ass." Kai snicked, only to yelp when his sister kicked him under the table.

"This isn't a joke Kai." She hissed as Pixel and Zane walked over to them.

"Are you coming to the forest walk too?" Zane kindly asked.

"Pass," Cole said as the rest scrambled for excuses. Just when they thought their day couldn't get any worse, however, Harumi and her army of cheerleaders suddenly walked in and scanned the room.

"Hey, Burke, has Morro been here?" She asked sweetly.

"Who?"

"He's this tall and dreamy and he beat the crap out of Chad."

"Ah, the Dobsons' new foster kid." Burke laughed and the gang paled.

"M-Morro's in foster care?" Zane asked.

"Yeah, must have been a bad boy ta get moved all tha way up here for a fresh start."

"He's an orphan?" Cole gasped as a look of shame on his face, hard with the others.

"Most foster children have parents somewhere." Pixel stated. "He was probably moved up by Social Services so he to get away from them." She added and Lloyd's stomach dropped in horror. Morro was probably all alone in the world, stuck in a strange place, with no-one to turn to; trying to make it in the world all alone and he and when he does meet another one of his own kind they reject him. Before anyone could say another word, Lloyd, Cole, Jay, and Kai ran out of the bistro, leaving everyone in a stunned and confused silence...

****************

The four teenage boys spent the better part of half an hour tracking the new kid all over the entire city until they followed his scent to the forest at the edge of the city. The giant forest was tremendous, gloomy, and lush. Its canopy was ruled by willow, oak, walnut, and cottonwood, who let through enough dancing beams of sunshine for a hodgepodge of sprouts to rule the insect riddled soils below. Many people were too scared to enter.

Only nature lovers, hikers, and the occasional dog walker ever went in the forest.

Coiling branches clung to many a tree, and a potpourri of flowers, which desperately tried to avoid the shadows, spruced up the otherwise homogeneous scenery. A mixture of beastly sounds, most belonged to foraging animals, added life to the forest, and were out of sync with the sound of the wind blowing gently through the forest. Many normal humans had gotten lost in the dense green world, but Lloyd and the others knew this place like the back of their hands.

They decided to split up, hoping to cover more ground.

Jay and Lloyd went to search closer to the road while Cole and Kai went deeper into the forest. As they walked along the empty road, Lloyd suddenly grabbed his friend's arm and pointed further up the road where they saw Morro Ren walking along the edge of the road, his head down. They knew must have smelled or heard them, so he was simply ignoring them.

"Morro!" Lloyd shouted as they ran to catch up to him.

"Don't worry, I'm out of here." He growled, still looking at his feet as he picked up the pace.

"Please don't! We're sorry, don't go, we can help you." Jay pleaded.

"Help?" He scoffed. "I've had help; counseling and other stupid shit."

"You need to learn to control your wolf self before someone gets hurt... probably you," Lloyd explained, only for them both to jump when Morro suddenly turned around and glared daggers at them

"You're just like the rest of them!" He snarled.

"We know about the Dobsons," Jay replied in a trembling voice. "We know you're alone."

"So?"

"We're like you, you saw that." Lloyd tried to reassure, only for the new kid to shove them away.

"You might like me, you think the same as them!" He snapped. "You're just trying to make me better; but, you know what? What I am, what I turn into, that is way better!" He roared with a big grin on his face. "It's better than anything I've ever known and I'm not letting anyone take that away from me!"

"We're not gonna let you do this," Lloyd warned.

"Go ahead, stop me!" He jeered with a cruel laugh. "Use your wolfy powers and see how long it takes for someone to find out what you are; because no one at school knows your little secret, do they?" He asked and they looked away, their thoughts drifting to Pixel for a brief second. "I thought not; I've got nothing to lose here, unlike you." He smirked before taking off into the forest at full speed.

"Hey!" Jay cried as they chased after him.

"Stop!" Lloyd called as he disappeared into the trees. If they hadn't been werewolves Lloyd and Jay might have lost him, if not for their incredible sense of smell, or Morro's cheap cologne. They quickly tracked him down and before the smug kid could even blink he was tackled by them both. They all cried out and grunted as they rolled down the hill and crashed into the dirt trail. After they managed to untangle themselves, Lloyd was shocked to see Pixel and Zane standing in the middle of the trail with Miss Jinro's forest stakeout class.

Seconds later Kai and Cole came running over the hill and into the awkward tension.

"Sorry, we're late, everyone." Kai weakly chuckled. "Seen any squirrels yet?"

"No, you lot have scared off every animal for miles." Miss Jinro glared before turning to the group of students. "I'm sorry, everyone, we'll have to come back another day." She sighed as they walked away, leaving the gang, Pixel, and Morro alone. As soon as the teacher and class were gone, Pixel glared and advanced towards the group of boys.

"Well done, guys! This was something important to me and Zane." She snapped.

"There's something important we have to do." Cole tried to explain.

"Like what?"

"Morro is more important than any club." Lloyd glared. "The thing is... Morro and I... are related?" He quickly lied, shocking everyone. "Distant cousins; he's the black sheep of the family, and I didn't want him here, so I treated him badly, which is why he lashed out and trashed the classroom."

"We don't have to be best friends, but Morro's here now," Zane added.

"OK." Jay smiled.

"Sure." Pixel sighed.

"Welcome to Ninjago." Cole smiled as he gave the new kid a firm handshake.

"You really don't like soccer?" Kai suddenly asked. Everyone stared at him for a few seconds before they all burst out laughing, Morro included...

****************

Later that evening, as the sun was starting to set, casting it's beautiful orange and shadows among the forest, instead of going home with Zane and Pixel, Lloyd and the others stayed in the forest to have a talk with Morro. There were things they needed to sort out.

"So... where you from?" Kai asked.

"My parents used to live in Stiix; they... they died when I was two," Morro mumbled, his eyes fixed at the rustling branches of the trees.

"And nobody knows what you are?" Cole asked in shock and awe when he shook his head.

"So, what did you do for the full moon last night?" Jay asked.

"I couldn't stay in my bedroom, could I?" He scoffed. "I climbed out of my window and made for the forests."

"So it was your paw-print that Pixel found!" Lloyd gasped; none of them would have been nieve enough walk so close to the city in wolf form.

"Was it your first full moon change?" Asked Cole sympathetically, knowing how scared he was for his first full moon transformation.

"Second." He replied. "The first got me kicked out of my last foster home."

"What happened?" Jay asked.

"Don't know." He shrugged. "I went to bed and woke up in a ditch naked; turns out I trashed my bedroom, so they kicked me out." He mumbled before clearing his throat and straightening up. "Anyway, what about you? I mean, full moons must be epic out here."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool." Cole shrugged.

"Well, I and Nya haven't started transforming yet." Lloyd sighed.

"So, I know more about this stuff than you do?" He laughed.

"Yeah, you're the expert." Kai laughed. "That's why you lost it with Chad in front of half the school."

"I didn't know that could happen." Morro glared. "I only thought werewolves went hairy at the full moon."

"We feel the urge to change when we feel threatened or angry too," Jay explained. "Learn to control it, and you can transform whenever you want."

"How do you know all this stuff?"

"Our parents tell us." Kai shrugged and Morro's eyes grew to the size of saucers.

"You have parents like us?" He cried.

"Well, sort of." Lloyd winced and turned the others, who all gave their nods of approval. "I live with my Mom and uncle who are like us, Kai lives his sister and his parents are werewolves too but they're usually out of town on business, Cole lives with his dad but Lou's human, Zane lives with his dad who's one of us and Jay lives with his parents, but they're both humans."

"I'm adopted but they know what I am and they don't care." Jay quickly added when he saw Morro's confused look.

"We were all born this way, you're normal." Lloyd smiled. "Everything you thought made you a freak: sight, hearing, speed, sense of smell, they're all completely normal for a werewolf; if you stay you'd have a pack, at last, people to teach you."

"So, say I did stick around, only for a bit, no promises." He quickly said when he saw the hopeful looks on their faces. "No rules, no lectures, you can keep your group hugs and your big, furry family, I'll do things my way."

"A lone wolf, huh?" Kai smirked. "I think you and I are gonna get on great."

"Next time you lose control over your wolf self, what happens then?" Cole asked.

"Well, that'll be an interesting day, won't it?" Morro smirked as he got up and walked away. Lloyd and the others shared a nervous look, worrying about what the new day would bring...

[cardest]

New York playlist

New York! New York! So good you gotta say it twice! What it also so good is this epic New York playlist I put together. Took me a while. I had many bands, musicians, artists to research before deciding on songs. Not to mention the endless list of talent that hail from that part of the world. Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx just to mention some of the surrounding areas with their own unique musical history. This list took some time.

Well, next time you’re in New York City,go to this NY playlist and feel the city vibes like never before. Enjoy!

001 Sesame Street '12' And Pinball Animation song 002 Handsome - Ride Down 003 Blondie - Dreaming 004 Sonic Youth - Kool Thing 005 Luscious Jackson - Citysong 006 Joan Armatrading - Heading Back to New York City 007 Lou Reed - Hold On 008 Helmet - Rollo 009 Late Show with Colbert and the Humanism theme song 010 Heavy D & The Boyz - Now That We Found Love ft. Aaron Hall 011 James Brown in Black Caesar - Down and Out in New York City 012 Guerilla Toss - Future Doesn't Know 013 Sonny Rollins - Harlem Boys 014 Biohazard - Tales From The Hardside 015 Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five - The Message 016 PRONG - _Turnover 017 Billy Idol - Hot In The City 018 INXS - Different World 019 Ramones - I Just Wanna Have Something to Do 020 Chandra - Subways 021 Cro-Mags -  Days Of Confusion 022 B Boys - Energy 023 Diff'rent Strokes - theme song 024 David Bowie - New York's in Love 025 Living Colour - Type 026 Swans - Sex, God, Sex 027 Leroy Hutson - cool out 028 Chick Corea - central park 029 S.O.D. - Pi Alpha Nu 030 Alan Vega - Saturn Drive 031 Jaume Branch - Theme 002 032 Michael Jackson - Billie Jean 033 PJ Harvey - Good Fortune 034 Bobby Caldwell - What You Wont Do for Love 035 Saun & Starr  - Sunshine (Youre Blowin My Cool) 036 DOPE movie OST - Rebirth Of Slick (Cool Like Dat) 037 Type O Negative - Wolf Moon (Including Zoanthropic Paranoia) 038 Harlem River Drive - Harlem River Drive (Theme Song) 039 Simple Minds - Up On The Catwalk 040 C.H.U.D. OST - C.H.U.D. main theme 041 Public Enemy - Harder Than You Think 042 Peter Criss - Blue Moon Over Brooklyn 043 The Beach Boys - The Girl From New York City 044 Bob Marley - Reggae On Broadway 045 Black Anvil - My Hate Is Pure 046 Motorhead - Ramones 047 Echo and the bunnymen _ empire state halo 048 Cerebral Ballzy - Downtown 049 Harlem- Suicide 050 Cyndi Lauper -  Girls Just Want To Have Fun 051 Marvels Daredevil - Opening Titles theme song 052 Fleetwood Mac - The City 053 3rd Bass - Brooklyn-Queens 054 Anthrax - Only 055 RAMONES - Cabbies On Crack 056 Unsane - Rat 057 Daryl Hall - NYCNY 058 Love Bug Star Ski & The Harlem World Crew - Positive Life 059 Pist.On - Grey Flap 060 The Sex Pistols-New York 061 Talking Heads - Wild Wild Life 062 Los Straitjackets - Brooklyn Slide 063 De La Soul - A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays 064 THE DRAMATICS - Blame it on New York City 065 Aerosmith - Rats in the Cellar 066 GG Allin - NYC tonight 067 The Brooklyn Bronx & Queens Band - On The Beat 068 Le Butcherettes -  New York 069 New York Dolls - Subway Train 070 Laurie Anderson - The day the devil 071 Marvels Jessica Jones - Opening theme song 072 Skull Snaps - My Hang up Is You 073 Janet Jackson - What Have You Done For Me Lately? 074 Blondie - In the Flesh 075 Agnostic Front -  City Streets 076 Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman 077 Charles Bradley -  Aint It A Sin 078 Liquid Liquid - Cavern 079 Bill Withers - Harlem 080 Cherry Vanilla - The Punk 081 Ace Frehley  - New York Groove 082 Rolling Stones - Harlem Shuffle 083 Seinfeld Theme song 084  Beastie Boys - Stop that train 085 Boney M -New York City 086 Biohazard - Five Blocks To The Subway 087 MOD - Rally (NYC) 088 Herb Alpert - Manhattan Melody 089 Nazareth - new york broken toy 090 Fishbone - Sunless Saturday 091 Mortician - Necrocannibal 092 Fantomas -  The Godfather 093 Joe Jackson - Steppin Out 094 Sick Of It All - Insurrection 095 Paul Simon - Boy in the Bubble 096 The Shangri Las - Leader Of The Pack 097 Tombs - V 098 NINA HAGEN - New York, New York 099 The Cure - NY Trip 100 Cameo - Word Up 101 Rollins Band - Disconnect 102 Luke Cage: OST - Theme song 103 GEORGE BENSON - On Broadway 104 Jim Croce - You Don't Mess Around With Jim 105 Law & Order SVU  Intro Theme song 106 Le Tigre - My My Metrocard 107 Leonard cohen_First we take Manhattan 108 Prong - Snap your fingers,snap your bra strap 109 Velvet Underground - Rock & Roll from Loaded 110 Tito Puente - 110th St And 5th Avenue 111 NICOLE feat Timmy Thomas - NEW YORK EYES. 112 Kid Creole & The Coconuts - Broadway rhythm 113 White Zombie -  Super-charger heaven 114 Plasmatics -  Monkey Suit 115 Cats on Broadway - The Overture 116 Roy Ayers - We Live In Brooklyn, Baby 117 The Vibrations - Ain't No Greens In Harlem 118 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - Coney Island Whitefish 119 Mel Torme - Broadway 120 Helmet - Biscuits For Smut 121 Swans -  Better Than You 122 Madball - Pride (Times Are Changing) 123 The Damned Things -  Handbook for the Recently Deceased 124 Handsome - Needles 125 RUN DMC - Beats To The Rhyme (Instrumental) 126 Jane's Addiction - Underground 127 Vision Of Disorder - Loveless 128 The Ronettes - Be My Baby 129 Marnie Stern - East Side Glory 130 Televison - See No Evil 131 Madonna - Into The Groove 132 Lunachicks - Subway 133 Type O Negative - In Praise Of Bacchus 134 Bobby Womack - Across 110th Street 135 Quicksand - Fazer 136 IGGY POP - Dont Look Down 137 Surfbort - Back to Reaction 138 Marvels The Punisher - Opening theme song 139 Blondie - The Hardest Part 140 Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood - Greenwich Village Folk Song Salesman 141 Agnostic Front - Police State 142 RAMONES - 53rd & 3rd 143 FEAR - new yorks alright if you like saxophones 144 Lydia Lunch    - Spooky 145 Native New Yorker - Odyssey 146 Little River Band - Statue Of Liberty 147 Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side 148 Motherlover (feat. Justin Timberlake) 149 Aretha Franklin - Spanish Harlem 150 Luscious Jackson - Ladyfingers 151 The Cars - Hello Again 152 Stetsasonic - Talkin All That Jazz 153 Kajagoogoo - Big Apple 154 David Bowie - Andy Warhol 155 Voices Of East Harlem - Wanted Dead Or Alive 156 Talking Heads    - Life During Wartime 157 Joe Strummer - Love Kills (Sid and Nancy: Love Kills SOUNDTRACK) 158 Galt MacDermot - Cotton Comes to Harlem 159 Unsane - D-Train 160 The Warriors OST - The Warriors Full Theme Song 161 Biohazard - Black and White and Red All Over 162 WILLIE WOOD & WILLIE WOOD CREW - WILLIE rap 163 The Cult Sonic Temple New York City 164 Andrew W.K.- I Love New York City 165 BT Express - Peace Pipe 166 Baby Shakes -Turn It Up 167 Public Enemy - A Letter to the New York Post 168 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion - Tales of the Old New York The Rock Box 169 Chicago - Another Rainy Day In New York City 170 Brooklyn Nine Nine - Main Title Theme 171 Cro-Mags - These Streets 172 AC/DC - Safe In New York City 173 Gogol Bordello - AVENUE B. 174 RUN DMC - Hard Times 175 Breakfast Club - Right On Track 176 Foo Fighters -  I Am a River 177 Cameo - New York 178 Ratt - 7th Avenue 179 Dr. Boogie - Get Back To New York City 180 Frank Sinatra - New York, New York. 181 PRINCE  - All The Critics Love U In New York 182 The Rising - Bruce Springsteen 183 The Night Flight Orchestra - 1998 184 Necro - Tough Jew Instrumental 185 TOM WAITS - Midtown 186 Scorpions - The Zoo 187 Stevie Wonder - Living For The City 188 Leeway - Mark of the squealer 189 Nuclear Assault -  Cold Steel 190 Fantomas -  Rosemary's Baby 191 Wu Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M. 192 Hanoi Rocks - 11th Street Kids 193 Patti Smith - Piss Factory 194 Moondog - Fog on the Hudson - On the Streets of New York 195 RAMONES - Something To Believe In 196 Neil Diamond - Brooklyn On A Saturday Night 197 Immolation - Despondent Souls 198 John Lennon - Just like starting over 199 PJ Harvey - you said something 200 Velvet Underground - I'm Waiting For The Man 201 John Cale - The philosopher 202 Bee Gees - Stayin Alive (Saturday Night Fever) 203 Suzanne Vega - Luka 204 Gorilla Biscuits - New Direction 205 Whodini - Escape (I Need a Break) 206 Agnostic Front - More Than A Memory 207 Beastie Boys - Helllo Brooklyn 208 Foreigner - Love on the Telephone 209 Gargoyles TV show Original Theme 210 Bush Tetras - Too Many Creeps 211 Lou Reed - Coney Island Baby 212 Ramones - Rockaway Beach 213 Public Enemy - Welcome To The Terrordome 214 Nico - These days 215 Swans - The Sound Of Freedom 216 Billy Joel - 52nd Street 217 XTC - Statue of liberty 218 Overkill -  Hello From The Gutter 219 Twisted Sister - Come out and play 220 Kiss - Deuce 221 Skinless - Savagery 222 Rob Zombie - Dragula 223 Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five - New York New York 224 Ric Ocasek - Rockaway 225 Ministry - Lieslieslies 226 Gogol Bordello - Wonderlust King 227 Iron Fist - intro 228 BPD - South Bronx 229 INXS - Calling All Nations 230 Pyrhhon - Liberty at the ashes 231 Shelter - Civilized Man 232 James Brown - Don't Tell It 233 Bob Dylan - Visions of Johanna 234 GSH -17th Street 235 Helmet - Iron Head 236 Salt-N-Pepa - Expression 237 Alice Cooper - BIG APPLE DREAMING 238 Profanatica - Ordained In Bile 239 John Coltrane - Grand Central 240 PRINCE  - Lady Cab Driver 241 Lou Reed - NYC Man 242 KISS - Naked City 243 Brutal Truth - Ordinary Madness 244 Quicksand - East 3rd St. 245 Teruo Nakamura And The Rising Sun - Manhattan Special 246 Herbie Mann - Turtle Bay 247 The Jimmy Castor Bunch - Its Just Begun 248 Prong -  Whose fist is this anyway? 249 Rolling Stones - Undercover Of The Night 250 Biohazard - Failed Territory 251 Brian Eno - Over Fire Island 252 Mutilation Rites - Axiom Destroyer 253 RATM - Renegades Of Funk 254 Blue Oyster Cult - Burnin' for You 255 Whiplash - Last Nail in the Coffin 256 Billy Cobham - Total Eclipse 257 The Rods - Too Hot to Stop 258 Lalo Schifrin - No One Home 259 David Shire - Manhattan Skyline 260 The Doors - Strange Days 261 WASP - The Headless Children 262 Budos Band - Black Venom 263 Roy Clark - Twelfth Street Rag 264 Guerilla Toss - Human Girl 265 Cecil Taylor - Steps 266 Heartbreakers - Born To Lose 267 They Might Be Giants - Where Your Eyes Don't Go 268 Frehleys Comet - Into the Night 269 West Side Story Act I -  Something's Coming 270 Sleater Kinney - Far Away 271 The Clash - Gates of the West 272 Betty Davis - nasty gal 273 Crumbsuckers - Beast on my back 274 SOD - Pi Alpha Nu 275 Led Zeppelin - custard pie 276 Insect Ark - In the nest 277 Sweet Tee - On the smooth 278 Virgin steele - American girl 279 Hugo Montenegro - Moog power 280 Laura Branigan - hot night 281 Chad Mitchell - The other side of this life 282 Vanilla Ice - Ninja rap 283 ELF - First avenue 284 Pro-Pain - Voice of rebelion 285 Simon & Garfunkel - the 59th street bridge song 286 RIOT - Fight or fall 287 Ramones - Teenage lobotomy 288 Gang Starr - The place we dwell 289 Billy Joel - All you wanna do is dance 290 Manowar - Fighting the world 291 Manic Street Preachers - Patrick Bateman 292 Ray Parker - Ghostbusters 293 Futurama theme song 294 Sick of it All - Alone 295 Anthrax - NFL 296 Street trash OST - Viper theme 297 PJ Harvey - good fortune 298 Don Cherry - Awake Nu 299 The Contortions - dish it out 300 Sonic Youth - Disappearer 301 Sonny Rollins - East Broadway run down 302 White Hills feat. Jim Jarmusch - Illusion 303 Fishbone - Ugly 304 Jeffrey Lewis - Sad screaming old man 305 Debbie Harry - Jump, jump 306 Cro-Mags- From the grave 307 John Lennon - New York City 308 R.E.M. - Leaving New York 309 Escape From New York OST - Main Title song 310 Type O Negative - Everything Dies 666 Richard Marx - Remember Manhattan

I reckon my New York playlist could reach 350 songs! Can you help me? Add your own songs. Bring it!

[daebakinc]

JB from Got7 in a Pirate Prince AU pretty please! Genre: Romance/Drama ^^

So I totally missed the genre when I read the request, but thankfully the AU naturally leans towards that lol. You’re the only one who’s requested so far, so your drabble turned into more of a mini fic. Hope you enjoy!

At this hour, the docks are less crowded. Most of the usual inhabitants are back at home, out at sea, or mired in the taverns. Now, the only obstacles you have to worry about are the uneven cobblestones, puddles and the occasional drunk. For that, you are eternally grateful as you race back to your tavern, The Moon, with your precious bundle.

“What kind of idiot tavern-keeper runs out of wine at night?” you mutter to yourself, jumping over a puddle.

You hadn't even heard of the vintage Junho had sent you out for with a hurried demand and gold thrust into your hand. He was lucky you were friends with the tradesman's daughter, Jia. She had unlocked the door when you pounded on it minutes after the shop closed and let you in. Thankfully, she recognized the name of the wine and dug it from the cellar.

Why in the world Junho needed this wine so desperately, you had no idea. The tavern's own cellar had been full when you last checked it to get more rum for Chan's recently docked crew. He could have easily pulled a wine from there. Any sailor worth his salt knew you went to The Moon for good food and better alcohol to chase away the cold of the sea.

Turning the corner, you can see The Moon herself. Moonlight slants across her sign, a crescent moon high above unruly waves. As it always does, your heart warms at the sight of the light-filled windows and from within,, the faint tune of a sea shanty passed down through so many hands none knows where it came from.

Sure, the clientele could be rough, with its mix of merchant sailors, naval soldiers, and pirates alike rubbing elbows. But you can hold your own among them. You can throw a punch as hard as any man and drink just as much as one too. Plus, the drunk ones usually tipped incredibly generously.  One day, you'll have enough money saved up to open your own tavern to rival The Moon.

“One day,” you say softly to yourself. Slowing your run to a walk, you walk down the street.

A shadow melts from an alleyway and blocks your way. Back bent, the figure holds out a weather-worn hand. “Spare a penny, miss?”

“I'm sorry, sir. I don't have any money on me,” you reply, kicking yourself for leaving your purse on your bed. You move around the beggar. “But if you come to the back of the kitchen of The Moon just down there, I can get you some hot food if you'd like. Just ask for–”

Faster than you can react, the man straightens, grabs your arm, and slams you to the wall of the shop. Clapping a hand around your mouth, he growls, “I don't want food, damn you. You night wenches always have gold on you. I asked nicely, so now I'll just have to take it.”

You splutter and try to bite his hand, but his grip is too tight. When you try to kick him, he slams his body more fully against yours, your head smacking against the stone so your vision blurs. That doesn't stop the disgusted shiver that racks your limbs as your attacker's hands roam your body in search of money. Instead, he finds the wine in its sack and wrenches it from your grasp.

“What is this?” He holds it up to the streetlamp, trying to read its label.

A hand snatches it from him. “This is mine, as is the woman.”

You both turn your heads to stare at the interloper. Spotless black boots and trousers hug his legs and the street lamp's light catches the silver thread in a white shirt that flutters slightly in the night breeze. More silver winks at his ears, partially hidden as they are beneath shaggy ebony hair and the gray velvet hat on his head. If not for the circumstances, you would have very much admired his face, for it is more handsome than any prince's you've ever seen.

The foul-smelling man pressed against you recovers his wits first. “Yours? Says who? I found her first.” He tightens his hold on you, and you can't help the whimper of pain that escapes your covered mouth.

Something sparks in the other man's eyes, then dies as he shrugs nonchalantly. “If you want to do it that way, fine. I was trying to be civil, but you force my hand.” With the smoothness of a dancer, he pulls a pistol from his back and cocks it with his free hand.

You're suddenly dragged from the wall and held by the throat against your attacker. “This really your woman? You wouldn't shoot her then.”

You fight the urge to throw up as your heart pounds and your knees weaken with the lack of oxygen. You don't want to die tonight and now you just might. It's just a question of who will be your killer.

The handsome man winks at you. For a second, you have hope. Then a gunshot rings out.

You squeeze your eyes shut, prepared for death, but you feel nothing. Did he shoot you through the heart so you died instantly?

“Ha! You missed! You only had one shot!” The sound of your attacker's voice rudely brings you back to the present where you are very much alive.

“I did miss, but I did that on purpose,” he says with a smile. It's the cold smile of a cat who's caught his prey and is about to snap its neck. “Because he cannot miss.”

The unmistakable click of a pistol sounds behind you. The next second, you're on the ground, gasping for air. Footsteps run back towards the docks and the sea.

“Should I take care of him, your Highness?” a new man's voice asks.

“He tried to steal my wine, Jinyoung. You know the answer. Join us in the tavern once you're done.” Hands, much gentler than the pair before, grip your shoulders to help you sit upright. “Are you alright, miss?”

You're unsure if it's still your lack of air or just how impossibly good-looking the man is up close, but it takes more than a few minutes for you to find your words. “I'm fine, thank you, sir.”

“Jaebum is fine.” He lifts your chin with his thumb and forefinger, eyes searching over your face. “That may bruise later, but I think you'll be fine. He didn't hurt you anywhere else, did he?”

“No, he didn't. He might have if you hadn't come when you did.” You offer him a small, thankful smile, flattered when he gives you one in return.

Sweeping his hat from his head, he gives you the best bow he can for being already kneeling. “Rescuing beautiful, young ladies in distress is something I don't get to do a lot, so I can't let the opportunity pass when it happens. May I escort you to your destination?”

“No need, it's just there.” You point to The Moon's sign, trying not to let his compliment go to your head like strong rum. “I'm a barmaid there. But I will need that wine back, please, Jaebum.”

Jaebum shakes his head with a laugh. “I think I'll keep it as payment for my good deed. It is my favorite wine after all.”

“I thought you said you liked rescuing ladies in distress? Shouldn't you do it for free then?” You put your hands out to push yourself to your feet, but instead, Jaebum offers his hand. After a second's hesitation, you take it.

“What kind of pirate would I be then? Careful!” He catches you easily when your legs refuse to hold your weight. “Well, we can't have you continuing to sit on these cold flagstones. If you don't mind, my lady.”

With no other warning, his arm slides beneath your legs and you're suddenly airborne. Your hands instinctively goes to his chest, your fingers finding the slit of his neckline to meet both the warm skin and cool chain there. Bemused, you notice he's still firmly holding the bottle of wine.

“A pirate,” you remark as Jaebum carries you towards the tavern. “I should have known.”

“You have objections to my profession?”

“No. The wealthy who you rob have far too much money if you ask me, and in the end, all your money is gold.”

Jaebum laughs again, the sound as much music as the fiddle coming from within the tavern as you reach the door. “A woman after my own heart, though I do prefer silver.”

Somehow, he manages to open the tavern door without your help. To your surprise, silence sweeps through the large room like a winter-gale. All eyes are on you and Jaebum as he strides in and makes his way to the biggest table by the fire occupied by five men. They stand as Jaebum approaches.

“At ease, gentlemen,” he says, depositing you on one of the benches. “My lady, this is my crew. The best pirate crew you've ever and will ever seen.”

You notice now that despite the differences in their clothes, all of their shirts bear the same twin silver lines down the front as Jaebum's. Odd for pirates to wear uniforms, but you've seen stranger.

“Where's Jinyoung?” one of the men asks, glancing at you with questioning eyes. Behind him, the tavern slowly comes back to life, but many eyes continue to steal furitive glances at the table.

“He had to take care of a small rat problem, Youngjae. He'll be back soon.”

“And who is this?”

“My guest,” Jaebum says simply.

“I couldn't possibly,” you immediately reply, swinging your legs over the bench to get up. “I have a job to do.”

“A word of advice, my lady.” Another of Jaebum's men lays his hand on your shoulder, the weight not forceful, but its purpose undeniable. “When the Prince of Pirates himself requests your company, you comply.”

“The Prince of Pirates?” you repeat, looking at Jaebum again. Son of the Pirate King, the Dread Pirate Roberts?

He seems to read the unease in your face and gives you a reassuring smile that you're sure has charmed many other women before you. “You have nothing to fear from me, my lady. I can be the perfect gentleman when I want to be.”

“I –“ Your words stop in throat when he takes your hand to kiss the back of it.

“Tonight, you're my guest.” Those dangerous, intriguing cat eyes are back as he looks at you over your hand. “I insist.”

For the life of you, you can't find the will or desire to deny him.

[sockablock]

Once upon a time, @inkedinserendipity tagged me in a post by @superssonica asking what would happen if Caleb got a bit too used to the Polymorph spell. 

Seren, you monster, this one goes out to you: 

- - -

Beau disappears into the clouds below the branches, trailed—then outpaced—by a second crack of thunder.

After a moment, the massive boughs sway. A few leaves tremble, then fall still.

Caduceus takes a seat in the newly-sprung grass. Yasha joins, sheepish at his side.

“My wings were not made for flying,” she mumbles. “I think I will just stay on the ground.”

Nott tugs on Caleb’s sleeve. “I kind of want to go,” she says. “Do you have a way to get us up?”

He follows her gaze. He considers the tree. He mulls over a mental list of spells, then rummages around in his pouch for silken string.

The tiny cocoon gleams silver in the light.

He gives Nott a smile.

“Ja, sure. Hop on.”

—

Caleb is flying. 

He’s never flown before, only seen and heard through Frumpkin’s eyes, back on the safety and security of the ground. But for a person, for a human, for the child of a farmer and a soldier, long ago, he’d like to think that he’s not doing a bad job.

The skies seem to tug at something deep within his soul, something feral and instinctive, something finally freed, something soaring, something lifting, something wild—alive.

In this euphoria, he tucks his wings close, driven on by a craving he’d never felt before. 

He spins into a barrel-roll, diving through the clouds, Nott on his back, screaming—maybe it’s a cheer—all he really knows is the rush of the wind, the thrill of the ether, the endless expanse.

It is beautiful, so high in the clouds.

His mind lets go. There’s no need for control.

It is empty. It is peaceful. 

Serene.

—

Later on, he turns back into the same bird to ferry Beauregard up to the nest. He lingers in the form a bit longer than needed.

It’s to save spell slots. You never know.

—

They arrive in Bazzoxan well after dusk and fall into the first and only bunks they can find. Jester and Caduceus look well enough tapped, and Fjord still occasionally plucks gravel from his chest. Yasha and Beau are as unfazed as ever, but this is as much of a habit as an act. Nott is fretting somewhere in the background, still searching desperately for her flask.

As far as evenings go, this one is fairly standard. It has been nearly a year since the Mighty Nein assembled, and all of these bustling midnight sounds are just a part of the familiar nightly song.

But when the lamplight fades, Caleb cannot sleep. He lies there, unmoving, eyes open in the dark.

He cannot stop thinking about what he’d done that morning. He cannot forget the way that it had felt.

Of course, he cannot forget anything. He’s never been able to, never known how.

But for that a minute, for that hour, for that daydream in the breeze, it had been so wonderfully easy.

—

He changes a few more times during the trip. Once towards the tomb, once within, once to dive past narrow, winding stairs. He mostly sticks to eagles—he knows them, they’re safe, and a part of him fears the uncertainty of other shapes.

He remembers the story that Jester had told about becoming a moth. She hadn’t been able to control her mind. She hadn’t been able to focus her thoughts. He remembers being a giant ape, and knowing nothing but the adrenaline and the bloody haze.

To a wizard, to a scholar, to a son of the fields who’d crawled his way up through sheer brains alone, this is something that rips at his core. It is horrifying. He must avoid it at all costs.

Still, though, he wonders, at dusk, by the campfire, as he stares alone into the flames:

What would it feel like? How far could he go?

His fingers brush a tiny cocoon. It glimmers faint and gold in the light.

—

They go home. To a home, anyways. They report to the Queen and her stance does not change, but Caleb’s convinced that there’s a new nod of care, maybe fondness, for their motley crew. They have continued to serve the Dynasty well. They have continued to help the Krynn win the war.

And gods, if the reports can be believed, the Krynn are winning this war. 

She allows him to see the Vollstrecker. 

Caleb’s soul is still rattled when finally, he leaves.

—

He goes to bed alone that night, alone in his room on the first floor of their house. 

His mind is a well of isolation and regret, of a churning desire for a wish he’ll never have, of plans and ruminations, more distant by the hour, of dreams, calculations, memories long and past, all flooding, all filling, overflowing, overmuch, much, much too much—

He drags his fingers down the sides of his head, sweat dripping from the tangle of his hair.

He needs air. Breathe. He needs air.

Below the silence of the ever-present moon, his footsteps creak against a polished floor. His palm brushes the smooth wooden banister, and then he reaches the stairs to the roof.

He opens the door.

He inhales, below the tree.

The little globes of daylight are dormant at this hour, still and cold beneath the stars.

Caleb looks up into the branches across the sky. Their tree is not nearly as large, as enormous, but still, it is familiar all the same. It makes him think...it makes him remember...

"But not a bird if it’s night,” he murmurs. “Something else, something...”

Ah, yes.

He reaches into his little leather pouch. He pulls out another silk cocoon.

He’ll have to pick up more, soon. But that is a problem for another time.

Polymorph trips off the curve of his tongue like a dream he’s dreamt a thousand times before.

And then he is nothing but a tiny, squeaking bat, a single lone heartbeat aflutter in the night.

—

The spell lasts an hour. 

—

If you cast it once.

—

That next morning, Caduceus makes breakfast. Caleb trudges down the stairs.

“Hey, what’s up with you?” Beau asks, as he pulls up a chair and collapses against the table. “Did you sleep bad? You look like shit.”

“Thank you, Beauregard,” he mutters, and pulls a mug of...of something, to his face. “Your razor-like honesty is always appreciated.”

“Alright, fuck me for asking,” she scowls, and turns around to harass Fjord instead. 

Nott, seated across the table, is feeding something to Yeza. It is amazing, the change he brings to her.

Caleb’s gaze drifts away. He focuses on a faint spiral in the wood, a little point of difference in a world of smooth grain.

After a while, he is aware of someone calling his name. He jerks up, just in time to see a fried egg slide onto his plate.

“Didn’t sleep well?” Caduceus asks kindly. “You, ah, I hope you don’t mind my saying, but you seem a bit tired, today.”

Caleb gives him a weak smile. “Ja, I stayed up last night. Working on...working on magic,” he adds.

Technically, it is not a lie.

However, Caduceus is hard to talk around. His eyes give a flicker, and though he doesn’t argue, it certainly doesn’t seem like he is fully convinced.

Still, he gives a nod. He moves on to feed the others.

Caleb feels guilty, and he isn’t sure why.

Then again, he muses, stabbing at his plate, there’s a lot for him to be guilty for.

He sinks just a bit lower in his chair.

— 

They decide, unanimously, that despite the uncertainty, they desperately need a break before heading to the north. Another week wouldn’t be too bad, adds Jester, so one more week of downtime is had. Almost immediately afterwards, Beau grabs Fjord to train in the cellar, saying something about—I can’t let Dairon down. Nott and Yeza disappear to the lab, to steal every moment they can before they part ways. Jester and Caduceus opt for some therapeutic shopping, leaving Caleb by himself, alone with his own devices.

Three months ago, that wouldn’t have been so bad.

He drifts around for a bit, idly doing tasks, re-sorting the library and polishing the windows, making his bed and then stopping to make the others’. He even takes a whole hour to scrub their tub, draining out the water and rolling up his sleeves, getting down on both knees and working the basin with a towel.

It is noon by the time he is finished. There are still seven more hours until sundown. 

There are still one hundred and fifty-one until their week-long vacation ends.

Caleb sits down at the edge of the pool. His fingers run aimless across the soapy rag as he tries desperately to think of more to do.

He even briefly debates seeing Essek. 

After a little while, he stands up. 

It is pointless. Nothing is as good.

—

“—and we’ve got a deal on clay, too. Great for Earthquakes, Feeble Mind, Shaping Stone, if that’s something you’re interested in. Only 10 silver for a—no?”

“No, no,” Caleb says quickly, carefully pouring the silk threads into his pouch. “Thank you, but I am well-stocked in that...regard. Er...thank you, madam.”

“Well, if you change your mind,” says the goblin, waving her hand and watching him go. “Come back soon, you know where to find me!”

Caleb does. 

And he is sure that he will.

—

He deliberates only a few minutes more as he stands atop the stone wall along their tower. It is dark in Rhosana, that is the problem, otherwise a bird would be the obvious choice. Then he thinks harder, and laughs at his own foolishness, and smashes the silver cocoon in his hands.

His wings spread wide, don’t make a sound.

His eyes, large, yellow, seeing all, drink in the energy and movement of a city that he—for now—does not entirely understand.

—

He comes home that night feeling mildly rumpled, somewhat wind-swept, all his spells spent. Still he agrees, as he collapses at the dinner table, that was a long afternoon well-spent. Caduceus is cooking again, of course he is, though Nott is assisting and Jester offers advice. 

The food is amazing, once it is complete. Though he eats much, much much more than he usually would, a fact that a number of his friends pick up on.

“Did you and Essek bone or something?” Beau asks. “Dude, chill out, there’s plenty more where that came from.”

Jester snickers as Fjord thumps him on the back, giving him a sympathetic hand.

“I did not,” Caleb says, affronted, and coughs one more time just for good measure. “I can assure you, we did nothing of the sort.”

“So what did you do?” Caduceus asks. His eyes, usually so dazed and relaxed, have focused onto Caleb with an uncomfortable accuracy. Damn the priest, Caleb thinks. What is this? A confession?

“We just reviewed dunamantic basics,” he murmurs, well aware of how it sounds to Jester. “I do not have any spell slots left, but I can certainly show you at a later time.”

“Firing blanks now?” Beau asks with false sympathy. “He must have really worked you hard.”

Caleb groans, and deliberately turns so that he cannot see her. Even Nott is grinning at him widely, seemingly pleased at the idea of...well, of whatever they think that he is doing. 

He wonders, idly, as the conversation shifts to other inane topics, if this is because she is gently, in her own way, trying to let him go. 

After all, she has Yeza now. She has a son she needs to go home to. She has a mission she needs to accomplish.

Caleb is supposed to have one too. But at some point during the months that have passed, he is trying less and less to think about it.

He has a feeling he knows why, but that does not make it any better.

—

That evening, his mind churns again. But he is exhausted, and depleted of his spells. He has to force himself to rest, even a short nap will do. He lies there in bed, undreaming, for hours, until he is finally dormant long enough to tap into his old training and conjure up a burst of magic.

It is just enough for one final spell. Time to make it count.

He closes his eyes.

He curls up against the mattress, and imagines what it would like to be Frumpkin.

—

There is no sunlight in this city, which means no morning gleam through the windows, but the distant hum of activity in the house, the far-off clamor of voices and life, signals to Caleb that the day has now begun.

And Frumpkin is there. Asleep against the covers, but stirs when Caleb starts to shift.

Very quickly, he is up and locking eyes with his wizard, draping across his lap and purring up a storm.

The sleep-muddled curve of Caleb’s mouth forms a smile. He runs his fingers across Frumpkin’s scalp, gently strokes his thumb against his cat’s fur.

“Dir auch einen guten morgen,” he murmurs. “I thought you were out enjoying yourself in the city.”

Frumpkin mrows in response and rolls over onto his back.

There is a moment, and then suddenly, Caleb frowns.

“Was? What are you talking about? Do not be silly, everything is fine.”

He absently scritches the fur on Frumpkin’s chest. But now his rhythm is a little unsteady.

“I am not sure what you mean,” he adds, after another pause for silence. 

Frumpkin purrs. He opens one eye and peers at Caleb.

“I am not,” Caleb says. 

Frumpkin turns over. Caleb scowls.

“I do not see why this is any of your business. And even if I was doing for that reason, it is not a harmful habit. I am just taking advantage of the skills I have learned. There is nothing wrong with that.”

Frumpkin stares until Caleb can no longer stand it. Brow furrowed, he plucks his cat from his lap and drops him onto the bed.

He says:

“I need some time alone. Do not bother me.”

—

Frumpkin is a familiar, bound by an eldritch pact. He cannot allow his master to come to harm, and he cannot disobey Caleb’s commands.

He cannot disobey Caleb’s commands. He cannot allow his master to come to harm.

Frumpkin is a familiar, and they had made a pact.

Then again, Frumpkin is also fey. 

And fey do not take “no” for an answer.

—

“Gods above,” Beau grumbles, leaping to the side, “hey, jeez, calm down, already. What’s gotten into you?”

Frumpkin sits back on his haunches and yowls purposely at her knees. His tail lashes through the air impatiently.

Beau scratches the top of her head.

“Are you trying to tell me something? What’s wrong?”

She can swear that the feline is rolling his eyes. She crouches down and frowns at him.

“Is...oh, shit, is it Caleb? Where is he? Is he alright?”

—

The spell that Jester and Caduceus had woven into the ribbons of daylight on their tree illuminates the top of the tower for a few hours every day. 

It is the closest thing that Rhosana has to sun, to a good and honest warmth. Caleb had decided, just minutes ago, to utilize this to its fullest potential.

He is content, here. He is basking, and at peace.

And then, just at the edge of his hearing, there is a faint disturbance.

“—what, that? Are you sure?”

The voice is familiar. Right now, Caleb can’t seem to remember whose it is, but he is vaguely irritated. It had been so quiet before, it had been so calm—

“You have to be really sure. I’m not gonna kill a random lizard.”

His little reptilian heartbeat leaps. He can sense a shadow looming over him now, all his instincts scream to run—

“Alright, alright, calm down, I’m doin’ it—”

—his muscles bunch, he gets ready to jump—

And a hand descends from the heavens above, the edge colliding with Caleb’s spine, there’s one second of awful, horrible pain, of a bright-yellow smudge staining the rocks, and then he is growing, aching, stretching, tumbling onto two legs, not four, glaring up in a light too bright and snarling at the unmoving face of Beau.

Now the physical is secondary. His mind is back, and it is angry.

“Arschgesicht! I had forty-two minutes on that spell!”

Beau doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t even respond. Instead, in true Cobalt Soul fashion, she stares him down with such a gaze that for but a second, Caleb almost feels sheepish.

Then the furry bubbles right back to the surface.

“Why did you do that?” he demands. “Beauregard, why would you interrupt me?”

“Uh, what exactly did I interrupt?” Her eyebrows are raised, her chin turned up. “Caleb, what the fuck were you doing?”

“I was—I—magic!” he shouts. He gestures wildly to the smooth stones. “I was just practicing my spells! You know you are not supposed to interfere!”

He feels something dull at the back of his skull. It is like a pressure, though rapidly fading, and as he whirls around towards the source, he just sees the tip of a ginger tail vanishing down the tower stairs.

He almost shouts. He does not, but almost. He begins to storm off towards the door, his foot falls once, hard, into the grass, but then comes a grip like iron against his wrist.

Beauregard always says that her hands are her weapons. Even Caleb, in this state, remembers this well.

“Good gods,” she says, eyebrows rising further. “Dude, seriously, what’s up with you? Why’re you pissed? You can cast it again, can’t you?”

“Yes, Beauregard,” he manages, “yes, of course, of course I can. But that is not the point, here. The point is that Frumpkin disobeyed what I said, and, and coerced you to come here. I know you are innocent here, but he—”

“Wow.”

Caleb pauses.

“‘Wow’ what?”

Beau lets go of his wrist. She takes a step back, crosses her arms, looks him over with the sudden terrible stare of understanding. “Damn, dude, I came up here because I thought you were in trouble. That something was attacking you, or something’. But I guess trouble comes in different forms, huh?”

Caleb frowns. “What do you mean?”

She points at the rocks, where he had been resting. “Sometimes it’s a lizard. I’m guessing sometimes it’s a bird? A giant one, with eagle-wings?”

His eyes narrow. “I do not know what you are talking about.”

“Yeah, well, I barely do either, but Frumpkin seems to think there’s something wrong. With you, I mean. And I guess with your spells.”

“There is nothing wrong with me. And there is no reason for you to think that.”

She leans in.

“You and your cat are telepathically linked.”

“And? What of it?”

“If there was something goin’ on in your head, don’t you think he would have noticed?”

“He is overreacting,” Caleb huffs, “there is nothing—”

“Come on, man, this is Frumpkin. He cares about you, he’s just worried. And honestly, based on the way you’re acting, I’m starting to worry too.”

Caleb stops.

He goes still.

His gaze falls to the ground.

“Ja, well,” he murmurs. “Perhaps you should not bother.”

To his amazement, Beau rolls her eyes.

“Aw, come on,” she says, stepping forward. “Don’t play that face with me, alright?” She prods him in the chest. “Alright, spill. What’s up? Are you still pissed about that Scourger that got caught?”

Caleb sighs. “No, no, that is not it. It is…” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “It is just...other things. You know.”

“I don’t.”

He inhales. Then he sags, finally defeated.

“Ja. Ja, I suppose that is true.”

He watches her cross her arms.

“I won’t know unless you tell me,” she says. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

He feels the last of the rage drain away. His stares intently at the dirt.

“It is...I believe it is everything. Everything that has been happening. Everything that has happened.”

He falls quiet.

“I think it may be too much.”

Beau gives him a very level stare.

Eventually, she gestures to the stones. Warm under the glow of light made by a friend.

“Alright,” she says. “Fine. Let’s talk.”

They both sit. It is quiet, for a moment. And then, Caleb sighs one last time, and speaks:

“We are in a very strange place. And we are trying to...we are trying to do some very big things. Things that...as every day goes by, seem more and more impossible to accomplish.”

Beau leans against the bark of the tree.

“Yeah, I…feel you there.”

Caleb raises an eyebrow.

“What did your mentor say, by the way? How much does she know about...about the things we have done?”

Beau meets his gaze, eyes blank and cool.

“Oh, no. We’re doing your problems now. We can talk about all that later.”

Despite everything, this makes Caleb laugh. It’s nothing more than a faint chuckle, but Beau smiles back, gives him a nod.

“C’mon,” she says. “Go on. Keep going.”

Caleb tilts his head up to the boughs of the gnarled tree.

“I am...well, I am not sure. Not really. I do not think I have been, for a long time. And…seeing that V—that Scourger, it made me realize that…that for all of my memory, all my knowledge, for all the things I had swimming in my head, I realize now that I did not really have to think. I just...really, I just had to believe. I had to obey what my Lehrer—teacher, said. Really, I was not expected to think. And everything, for all its complications, everything was so, so simple.”

He glances down at the ground. Tufts of grass lay silent below his feet.

“Today, my friend, today they are not. We are...we are trying to do very big things. And we are trying to help many people. And I think that is good. Really, I do. And I think it has given me...in some ways, a...a goal. Something that seems a bit more feasible, anyway.”

“More realistic then bending reality.”

He gives a faint smile.

“Ja, you could put it that way. But, ah...but as you can likely see, that goal has gotten slightly more...complicated. And trying to stay on the right path...even finding that path itself, is not a straightforward process. It requires thought. It requires so much thought. And now, after everything, after all we have seen and tried to do, I believe...I am sure...that I am just tired of thinking.”

Beau nods sagely as his voice trails away.

“Okay,” she shrugs. “Then you should just stop.”

Caleb blinks.

“Jus—what?”

Beau sighs. “I…I dunno, man. I think, honestly, I think that’s all you need. To stop thinking about all that shit. Not—” she adds hastily, “—not in the way that you’re doing with the lizards. Not like that. But just...I dunno. When you’re being you.”

“But when I am me, I cannot do that,” Caleb says. “I have a perfect memory, Beauregard. There is nothing I can forget.”

“Oh, wow, look at you. Wow. I’m so impressed.”

“Beauregard—”

She grins and raises her hands. “Sorry, sorry, I couldn’t resist. But, uh...yeah. I guess that makes sense. That...that sounds pretty rough, dude. If I had a record of my greatest failures playing all the time in my head, I think I’d go pretty crazy too.”

Caleb raises an eyebrow.

“Now I am confused,” he says. “Is this conversation supposed to help me?”

Beau throws her arms into the air.

“Hell, I dunno,” she says. “I’m not the feelings expert, or whatever. I’ve just seen people do this kind of shit before. You’re supposed to talk things out, right? That’s supposed to...I dunno, fix things, or something?”

“Is it?” Caleb asks, incredulous. “Who told you that?”

She scratches the back of her neck. “Uh...I dunno. Probably Caduceus.”

“That seems like something that he would say.”

They fall silent for a few moments after that, drinking in the sunlight and the distant city sounds.

Then Beau says:

“I wasn’t lying, though. I don’t really know what it’s like to feel like you. I can’t imagine having a brain like yours. But...but I do kind of know what you’re going through.” He glances over, and she nods. “Yeah. I do. I think...I think it’s a pretty common thing. Maybe not in such perfect detail, but...it can be hard to stop thinking about all the times you’ve fucked up. And it can be even harder when you know that, uh...when it feels like the fate of a hundred thousand souls rests on every stupid decision that you make.”

“We have made many stupid decisions, eh?”

“God, you’re telling me?” Beau groans. The back of her head rests against the tree. “I’m amazed Dairon didn’t kill me. And honestly, I’m amazed all of us are still alive. But...I mean...I guess that’s just it, right? We’re still alive. We’re still here. And, most important, we’re still truckin’.”

She tilts one eye towards Caleb.

“We’re still here, and we’re still trying to figure it out. As shitty as it is, sometimes. As much as...as much as it hurts. And as tired as we get. We haven’t given up, and we’re still alive. Seriously, think about it in math. The odds are definitely that we should’ve died by now.”

He can’t help but snort. “Ja, absolut.”

“But we aren’t,” Beau shrugs. “And as shitty as that is, as much as it hurts, as fuckin’ terrible as it can sometimes be...that means we still have a chance. To do...whatever it is that we’re supposed to do. Or not supposed to do. And I always get pissed when people tell that I’m lucky for it, or whatever, but...I dunno. Maybe we are. And maybe it’s rotten luck for the world that it’s us, but...here we are. All of us, here we are. And...and we’ve got each other. And I won’t pretend to know what I’m doing, and I definitely don’t know...not really, how to help, but, uh. I’m here for you. Okay? Whatever...whatever you need. As long as it’s not bullshit—" she raises an eyebrow, Caleb chuckles. 

“—but yeah. Seriously. I’m here. And I’ll always listen, whenever I can.”

She leans back against the bark. She closes her eyes and gives a nod.

“I mean that,” she says. “I really do.”

Caleb feels the sunlight glow against his skin, feels the warmth of its whisper brushing across his face. And there’s another light too, maybe brighter, maybe warmer, coming from either side of his form—it’s the gentle sigh of a shoulder pressed against his own, and the curling, purring softness, of a cat beneath his hands.

He glances down at Frumpkin. Then he turns to look at Beau.

Here we are. All of us, here we are.

Very, very slowly, he closes his eyes.

And it isn’t the cure. Not by a long shot.

But certainly, it’s a start.

[charmed-asylum]

🔪Midnight Desire🔪

Midnight Desire, part one

Summery:  A group of seniors simple night of drinking and partying at their local grocery store. Turns for the worst when they realize they are lock in with something far more dangerous then they ever imagine

Declaimer: Midnight Desire has a few curse words and hints at some abuse. This is my very first story I am posting onto tumblr so please be kind give it a glance. Also my sweet lovers I do have dyslexia so for me to jump the head 1st and do this is a big deal for grammar might be a bit off.  I promise you a good ride from beginning to end. So buckle up and enjoy the ride. - xoxo Charmed- Asylum 

tagged: @weapinggwillowss��� @strangerfictions​

wanna be tagged let me know. wanna tell me i suck heck let me know. 

________________________________________________________________

Fire alarm sound police sirens heard off in the distance.  The noise  of such importance however is muffed from the sound of a soft cry, crying for help . Nothing can break this cry , it plead can break glass hurt even the biggest monsters. Where is this cry comes from this dark cool winter night.  As the cry becomes loud so loud that it more a scream  a bloody hand comes out of a chained cellar door.

24 Hours Earlier

Beep beep. A hand lounges out the bed and press the snooze button, old Hello Kitty stickers cover, alarm clock. Slowly getting up. A young girl around 16 with golden brown beginning of October soft skin with matching midnight sky eyes and short curly golden honey brown hair that came up to her chin.While she could ever tell from looking into a mirror her beauty would make anyone want to stop and give a second glance. A few minutes she mumble into the pillow. As the time slowly past she finally decide to get up.  Her eyes were closed as she slumped forward still in deep sleep went across the hall to the bathroom. Another girl tall with fair skin long store bought blonde hair about  18 came from behind and rushes into the bathroom before other girl can realize what was happening.  Slammed the door in her face. Upset. The girl starts knocking on the door full of rage. 

" Cora come on. I got up first. Let me in! You take forever" she said banging at the door with all her might .

 An older man in his late 40s advantage build with ash brown hair  came from  behind and quietly watch the young girl in her old Queens T shirt attacking the door like a punching bag. A smirk appears .  Music start blasting from inside the bathroom. 

" Good morning,  sweetie. Don’t worry  just come use our bathroom. Mom done and I just need to finish getting dressed Jolie" the man says smiling at her with his hand gently place on upper backside. Looking back at the door pissed she kicks the door one last time as hard as she could and follows him to the other bathroom.  As she closed the door to get ready she sees him sitting on the bed in a still daze just looking at her with a jester grind.  She glanced back at herself she never felt pretty even though her mom told her time and again she was. She had freckles across face that was a bit closer to her long lashes that blink across  she never worn makeup so her face remain bare. She always wishes she had more of Cora beauty the ones some girls are born with ones that everyone has a picture of ones that they use to paint a picture or create another barbie after. Her hair drop in front of her face. Ripped jeans that sits slightly below her waist that went with Velvet Underground t shirt that drop over her mom old denim jacket. Satisfied with what she was wearing she decided it was best to face the music and start her day.  She peak around before walking out ready to get another day over with. 

" Jolie how was your sleep last night" her mom asked. She was a bit younger than the man with a face that belongs in a museum by itself. With tired eyes  she came over and kiss Jolie on  the forehead. Smiling at her. Jolie says nothing and grab a piece of bacon and sit down on a wooden stool by the kitchen. 

The older girl skips down the stairs, pushing into Jolie causing her to spill her orange juice. Jolie looks up at the girl then starts to pick up the broken glass. The man comes from behind  her holds her back gently for a minute before helping with broken glass. Looking up with eyes that burn with a blue fire. 

" Cora it's been almost a year. You need to stop acting like a  fucking baby. Be nice to Jolie she your baby sister " he says firmly. 

Cora rolls her eyes and smirks at him. " Not my fault the loser. Does not pay attention to me or her surrounds. It’s stepsister by the way we are not related" Cora said while taking a bite out of an apple. Jolie gets up and throw the rest of broken glass in the trash. " Thanks. But it's fine. Mom how are you this morning. Take your pills" Jolie said pretending Cora said nothing.

 A gentle kiddish like laugh left her mom small plump lips as played with her curls between her white manicure nails. Kissing her cheek as she walked passed her. " I'm fine. Jojo Stop worrying about me. I’m the sick one not you. You need to be like your sister and start….. You not always guaranteed a tomorrow, Jolie Wellstone" she stops and looks at Cora putting makeup on. " You need to socialize not staying here. Maybe you should do something with Cora" she says looking at Jolie as she drinking a cup of hot green  tea. 

Jo glance at Cora as she finished her face. Thinking of other things she wants to do then do that. So far her list has living the zombie apocalypse and eating vegan food. 

A car outside honk, BEEP. Not missing a beat ,Cora excited to end this charade bounces up and rushes for the door. Jo watched Cora from the window to get a better look outside to the red convertible. A guy that looks like he came out every cliche John Hughes movie was driving while another guy was in the back smoking weed. Cora hops in the front and the guy grabs at her perfect 40C boobs and starting to make out with her before driving off. God I hate it here Looking back at the stock photo picture perfect couple she slug back into the chair and plays with her tea bag with her spoon. The man watches her as she slipped into her own thoughts then looks at mom concern. 

" Richard being so good to us. I know you understand but. ...Eventually he and Cora will be your family, Jojo. She like us not used to this. You just need to find something" mom says holding Richard hand tight. She hated when her mom use her name worst when she used her nickname. Jo looks at him then looks away back at her cup.

" I try on the behalf of the both of us, mom. It's been some really good months here. Don't want you ups..." a bus horn beeps. Saved by the bell she thought to herself.

Grabbing her bag and lunch she kiss both of them on the forehead and goes out to start her day. She was glad to leave she hated lying to her. But knowing mom she knows she already knows she always know Jo thought to herself.

 The bus is basically a collection of the body snatchers. It was an oddball of folks. The bus crew. Jolie was nothing like Cora at less not here. She was lonely and  no one could give two cents who, Jolie Wellstone was. Best way she found herself making sense of this feeling was like her birthday, it is a month that millions others she share with but  don't know. Weird way of thinking yes. But that's how she was brought up how her mom and dad taught her to be like. Only other group she talks was groups she put with because of  class. This week Ivy, Kyle, Robinson. 

School for Jolie was different since she moved . She use to jump early before the alarm go talk to her many friends give everyone a smile and high five in the hallways. She wasn't alone but ever since Richard came into her and her moms life it all she knew now. She use to be more than just a piece of space moving from classroom to classroom. Now and days Jo basically rush to class answer the questions the teacher asks right in her head.  Only once she got it wrong 5th grade health class,the human brain can read up to 1,000 words per minute . 

Lunch use to be full with laughter as she made her friends spill their milk and juice out there noise or she talk up anyone with a smile to sign her newest protest of the week. Now lunch was a time she spent by herself in the bathroom or on brave days outside by the basketball courts. She like it there because eight of ten times she would see Garrett . Nothing more then her high school crush. He had a surfer tan that was just perfect even though it was never above 60 degrees  6’5 tall glass of yummy with matching  gorgeous summer sky blue eyes and a voice that all alone made you explode.  You all had one why not to him she always says as she goes through his iBook page . Checking like it was a daily ritual. Still single. Thank you baby Jesus yes. 

They had four classes together including lunch. He was older but same age as Cora,18. Four had became her magic number so far. 4.  Four on the amount of times they talk or was close. First day bump into him , put on his team in gym, ask for a pen, and passing English Lit chapter 7 test to him. While Jo was a sophomore she had all senior classes. Something she hated  until she saw Garrett for the first time.  

Jo was a loner and sadly he was too. However, for him it was by choice. He was better at hiding it but she knew even though they never really talk outside of those four times in her months of being stuck in this hellhole. Her Winston to her Holmes. Her moon to her stars. That magic number would be something of the past after today. Today was different. It was the second to last class study hall in the library, also with Garrett and one of her favorite class. What can ever be better than reading books, doing homework, and  looking at Garrett as he had his feet kicked up on the table smoking a cigarette playing with his lighter and no care. 

Jo was simply looking at the black and white checkered floor walking to class when she saw Fred, Mr. John Hughes  and Farrah making out, Cora’s bestie and boyfriend. She knew she should've left but she couldn't  help herself but get a quick look and see. Creeping in the shadows like a ninja.  Part of her wanted to watch see what was happening out of concern. She might of had a very strong dislike of Cora , still cared. Wasn’t that she hated her just there were a lot of things she would hope happen before she admit it. Going down the list  like starve to death or god forbid not be able to see her mom, or Garrett again. The root to all her evils. Caring about others before herself. The bell rings. Being late or being caught. Very hard decision Jo turns around and bumps right into Fred . Caught red hand. 

She grabbed her things tried to make a break for it. Fred being Mr. I’m a meathead and press 450 easy was able to stop her in no time. 

" Macy right your Cora new step  sister" he says holding onto Jo bag strap. Looking at up into his storm gray eyes Jo nods. 

" It's kinda not Macy though but that's fine " Jo says trying not to stress sweat. She never spoke to him she got a few looks from his when he would pick or drop Cora off. Or when he came by one of the first days she and her mom move here and Richard had a little barbecue for them.  He does not say a word just brings himself close to her still holding onto her bag.His eyes could turn her to stone that how intense it felt What was going on between the two was nothing close to any good tension but more  like they were about to have a staring contest. He looks her once over and smile. 

 " I actually was worried seeing you  watching me until I realize who you are, Macy. Did it turn you on watching me.Like the little holy mary virgin you are ” he stops and twist her curl that dropped down into her face with his finger “That was her doing . I stop it as soon as it  started to happen. So no word right " he says in a very very serious but creepy tone his finger still twisting her curl. 

Feeling her ten seconds was up Jo nod and bolted to class without a word. Busting right into Garrett strong define chest, he held tight to her small figure a bit tight as she almost fell. He glanced back to where she came from then back down at her. That one touch almost sent her sent her places she only went to when she was alone in her room or in her dreams. She bit corner of her bottom left side of her lip as she mouth sorry and ran off embarrassed.

 After that touch by heaven moment Jo spent the rest of her day hiding from the world.  She even decided to walk the 12 minutes walk home in hops she would not bump into Fred or Garrett. Today word be bad luck Jo Jo she said to herself as she continued her walk home. The name her dad use to call her. Everyone can call her Jolie even Jo but no one but him use to call her Jo Jo that was his and his alone.

Her Mom came home from work 5 ish beat. Just in time for their alone time, watching the news and Family Feud for an hour or so. Then by 7  she would play house wife for Richard. Something she never did before. 

" It's Friday .Do you have any plans? Me and Ricky are going to the doctors then a party. Fun uh. What abo-..." her convention was interrupted by the Cora and Richard arguing in the next room. 

Which for some reason still gets her startled but for Jo it was the new normal. She and her mom never was as vocal as they was but after the fifth scream match it shock value lesson . Cora lungs her bag on the floor and stomps up stairs. Richard loosens his tie and un bottom a few bottoms from his shirt walk into the living room, where Jo and mom was at.  Watching the real Family Feud in front of them. Kissing both of them on the forehead. He pushes his way between Jo and her mom putting one arm tight around Jo shoulder. And like a switch of the light her mom got up to mostly likely continue her housewife duties. Jo never understand why she did it. She never did that before but she was young. She could not remember how much time past when Richard stop talking to her and they got up to do something. 

She had to get away from him as far as she could. Walking pass Cora’s bedroom door. She peeks in like the weirdo she is to see if Cora was hot gluing her face on. Covering the evil witch that she was. Why a witch easy because she can make everyone foul that she actually nice. Nope. Just on the phone talking. As she started to walk pass. She stops and turns around back into the lion dean.

"Cora we need to talk" she said blunty. Why What uh. The simple thoughts started flashing in her mind. Cora chewing on gum rolls her eyes and continue to talk on the phone as if Jolie said nothing. Same thing she did earlier.

 " I lost my dad just like you lost your mom and brother only difference is you still have time with your dad. I lost mine young and found out I'm losing my mom all”  Jo stops and looks away hiding her tears" I found out the same time….. You stay here. I left my life. I'm going to be stuck here. You got lucky always lucky. You leave in a few months. Everyday I'm alone. Because at the end of the day. I got the dang short stick. Never nothing I want. You might hate me well I do sometimes too. But I still care about you and... Richard, always will. Just like my mom does. Can you at least fake it. Then when she gone you can go back to whatever this is" Jo stops. She hated talking about any of this. Her father, mom, the future, her path. But she was tired of it. Sick. Jolie decides not to wait for Cora response. Not this time. Later maybe but not now. Also she had to pee. 

Dinner was as normal as abnormal it always was. Eating her corn, " So dad. Can I get a 50 I’m going out with the squad to" Cora starts to say to Richard.

 Richard devouring his stake looks at her then at mom. " No way. It's dinner time. Family time. Your n" he starts to say cutting Cora off. Mom feeling and seeing the same overdone clip cuts in. 

" Honey..... so Cora what are you plans with your gang  " she says trying to sound hip. Jo looks at her and smiles at herself. There it goes. There where I got all my social traits from. Richard was of course was talking to himself attack the stake. Which from the look of it the plate was really the loser. Poor plate. 

Cora mad looks at Jo. " Daddy. Me and lo- Jolie talk. She new and being such a nice person I am I bringing her to the homecoming game then to the movies afterwards. Starting a new leaf. Which is why I need the money daddo. Also we will be back by 2 ish" Cora says looking at Jo. Smart move using the socially awkward girl to get what you want Jo thought to herself as she looked down at her food. 

Mom excited smiles. "Really oh my shit balls. I’m so gosh darn happy. See Jolie. Of course. Your dad be glad to. Ricky. It gives us some alone time,after the party. HUH . Give Jo some money. And  Jo remember the rules. And 1 am Cora. No more than that not even a second" mom says getting up grabbing her plate. What about board game night we was gonna play Trouble she thought to myself watching her mom getting all the dirty plates.  Richard smile and waits till  mom leaves. 

" Cora, don't do ANYTHING to hurt her. Only reason you're going is her" he says gulping rest of  his Budweiser. Cora smirks at his threat and rolls her eyes and looks at Jo.

 "They are like so gonna be here soon. REMEMBER so hurry up....and don't forget the cash" Cora says with a plastic Barbie smile and storms off. Jo slowly looks at Richard still gulping down rest of his Budweiser.  As she starts to leave Richard grab tight to Jo tiny wrist. " Have fun. Baby . This night ...will be one you will never forget. Here. Take the money. Tell the coach I said hi" he says to Jo with a smooth demeanor one he did not have seconds ago . Numb by the feeling. Jo simply smiles and leave. 

She fumbles up to grab her things. Nothing much: her keys or janitor as she calls it, her wallet, lighter for Cora because she always losing hers and asking. A few books no less than three. Two normal and a color book. Pens and markers. Gum. Tissues. And charger. All stuff with way to much more crap in her old backpack cover in bumper stickers and buttons. 

Mom was down stairs taking pictures like it was a senior prom. Memory She always said before she would go over overboard with it. Ok not this time but for the most of the time. She goes over over board. Cora was enjoying every second of it. Posing and laughing like she was going to be cover of Seventeen .

 " Come down Jolie two pictures that's all then you can go " mom says. Jo stand by Cora and waited. click click. And one selfie of all three on mom's phone. Simple kiss on the check and wait let me email this to you Jolie second. Mom hold her close. “Thanks Jolie. We both need this. Love You sweetie” she said then wave goodbye. Jo hold her tight and whisper I love you before leaving. 

Cora was more than excited minus Jo was coming. In the car were the same three people as this morning . Jo walks slowly behind her nervous praying to baby Jesus. There was no one drunk and or cops would pull them over because of drunken foul . Newspaper reads poor loser dies when mom force her to socialize with others 

" Hey dumb shit let's go" Cora says sitting in the passenger seat. Jo looks back and wave goodbye once more. “ You won't believe how I got out. This space cake actually help me. And got cash. Was able to even score more than what I ask. Gonna have to bring my little pet often" Cora says laughing putting more of blood red lipstick on. A boy with a bad case of twitch looks at Jo like a glass of water in the desert.

 " So you visiting or something"he says looking at Jo.

 " No actually I been living her with Cora for months now. Hi name Jolie but you can call me Jo ”  Jo says trying not to give off the you smell like yucky weed face. He smiles and look at the girl sitting next to him, Farrah aka bestie who made out with you know who. She had black hair blue eyes look as perfect as Cora did.  Cora gets up from her seat and turn around. " Does anyone have like cigs or liquor on them. Babysitting lil dumbo here. Forgot to grab out daddy stash" Cora said. 

Jo look at everyone as no one offer her anything. " I got pop and some matches"  says like a silly head. The boy deadpans her then starts to bust out laughing. Pointing at her crying like he was Banzai from the Lion King .

 " I....I....I..Oh I like her. What is she like 2 and retarded. Pop and....and matches" he says giggling to himself. Fred turns around and curse at himself. " How we gonna have fun at a game with no fucking stuff" he says. Cora looks and whispers to him.Fred looks out to the road and makes a sharp turns around. 

After a few minutes pass. They pull up to an old grocery market in the center of the town. It late, deserted. Snow was falling gently like the beginning of a Christmas movie. Something that caught Jo eye so she did not realize it at first what was happening. Fred exchanges some looks at everyone and grab a flashlight got out and started to walk  towards the store. Follow by Farrah and Lex, the boy that was differently high. Cora was left behind checking herself once again. Jo rocking back and forth.

 " Cora Cora we made a wrong turn. We are not by the school anymore. What are we doing here. Mom and Richard are going to be worried. What happens if they stop by and we are not there…. Lord cheese crackers. That's it I’m texting her" Jo says stumbling around her bag freaking out. Cora making a fish look glancing in the mirror to see Jo still looking for her phone.

 " So you want to look  and act like a baby. Baby. Well congrats you are top of that list. Hey stop. We already heard the game gonna suck. Like we are gonna win and blah blah. Same thing every year. We already made new plans before we left. So either you suck it up and come in or stay out here in the cold till we come back"she says getting up and leaving Jo speechless. 

Jo watched as Cora catwalk in the store in the freezing cold in her high heels and small pink Michcal Kors jacket . Her phone in her hand she starts to text her mom.  She stops mid way texting her mom to see the pictures from earlier her mom sent her.  A long struggle Cora put her though. I’m not a baby. Just ... Okay I'm a baby. One that does not mind being the helper and loner. I bet Garrett would thinks that be fine. If he knew me. They playing a joke I just wait out here. I show who a baby Jo whisper to herself looking  out to the empty roads. Laying down in the back Jo looks up at the stars. Passing time till they come back out. It was quite. Only thing you could hear was the sound of the lights. Light of the street lights, neon or store lights. Then the cold breeze. Cold very cold breeze. She slowly gets up after a while when she realize she was all alone.

 Looking around again. She stops. Fudge It she pouts to herself.  Start to walk inside. See what was taking so long. The front of the store was locked . Chains and chains oh wait some more locked chains. Jo tried to look through but she could only see the outline of what looks to be a person. Jo following to the back to see a door with a rock keeping it open.

It looked like it was one of those vintage out a magazine stores. She came with her mom a few times but her mom prefer the one town over more populated and better selections.  Following the noise she heard laughter and arguments. Walking closer she sees a figure talking to Fred. Cora lending across closer to Fred but in a mid distance as she was waiting for her call. Farrah and Lex was smoking giggling at each other stupidity. Lex of course was the first to realize they weren't alone anymore. He strung his head to Fred and then he stop giggling.

 Screaming from afar it sound like mumbling. Lex closer smiles and says" Cops outside. Girlie" he says chuckling at Jo. Shaking her head no she looks around then back at him .

 " Uh....No. Just. No" Jo says. 

Fred strugs. " So you finally decided to come in we were betting. I guess we are technically all wrong. Cora and I said never, Lex said ten minutes, Farrah had no faith in you and said a second" Fred stops and laugh. Looking at his watch " 1 hour and 49 minutes. What were you doing ? It's freaking cold as ice breaks out there " Fred says with a devilish grin. 

The figure behind them upset throw it hands up  rushes off between the allies. 

" What is going on is this a joke" Jo says looking at Cora. Cora rolls her eyes " We are seniors in a boring ass hick town. We wanted to do something legendary so why not sneak into the town old ass market and party to dawn. Think of it as a senior prank. Look we did a nice thing. You are our  like well witness. The person that gets to spread it around and be the undergrad that was apart of history"Cora says proud of herself. 

 Jo shock not only by the coldness of emotions but the fact she was even numb by the blow. " I'm not getting in trouble. Why should I....anyway we can get caught. Trouble. I can't do trouble. I am not built for that . NO WAY JOSE I'm out where the nearest bus towards home or taxi" Jo says starting to go back outside looking at my phone for service. 

They tried to stop her reason with her best a couple of drunk and high teenagers could do.  Fred piss came from behind her grabs her collar of her shirt and pull her back. Jo clumsy stumbles back bumping her head against a rack  stack of photo chips  .  

An Hour Later 

 Jo woke up still a bit dizzy from the fall ice on her forehead laying on a stack of old Sunday newspaper. She holds the ice closer to the back of her head looks up. Fred was talking to Cora. Cora looks royalty piss like worse then the time Jo accidentally slipped paint on her expense Gucci shoes and Richard had to hold Cora back from killing Jo. Fred look back to see Jo walks to her with Lex.

 " Look. Kitten. You would mess up things. We are not doing anything wrong. Party till game ends clean up then leave. No ones out there everything close. So stay here like a good baby . And be grateful we are nice to a loser like you. You got it" he says with a mean tone pointing into her chest. Jo looks at him then glance at everyone else. Nothing. Empty. Still no figure. Jo shakes her head yes. Still feeling the pain with each nod. What could she do say. She was not tough brave. She was a baby.

Cora walk back with the figure. It walked passed everyone till it got to Jo. She could not tell it close arm distance to see who it was. Garrett. Shock and piss. And if Jo was not so dizzy from the hit him coming this close to her would have made pass out from all the excitement in going on in her body.  " I can't lose this job. You got till midnight. Then we are FUCKING though. Go get drunk in the parking lot all I care" he says looking back at the group pissed. He stops and glance at Jo. His eyes shift from pissed to concern.  Jo shock starts to open her mouth to say something but before anything he leaves once again.

 Fred rolls his eyes and brush it off as what's ever. Drunk now he grabs Cora and start to dance  with her to Lex mp3 player . They spend some more time drinking and smoking around the store. Jo sat still on the floor, glancing to the back a few times to see if he comes back.  After a while she was pulled back into reality and force to dance with Farrah. Who was as slutty as a video vixen. As time passed they either left to explore or grab some munchies aka find somewhere to make out . Jo decided to make the best of things and found a quiet spot closer to the vents with a cool  breeze. Reading one of her books in her zone her space. She stops mid paragraph mid word  death . There was something cutting her breeze.

 " You mine I chill here with you. Everyone hooking up and I'm not in the mood to smoke. Been trying to quite a few months ago the huh the smoking" a voice says. Jo shakes her head no looking at the page. Pain was not as intense but annoying . She looks up to see Garrett standing there. He looks down at you with his drop dead smile and glitter blue eyes piercing back at you. Garrett sits down and looks at the book Jo was reading, " Good book. So much irony. Jo is that your real name" he says still holding the book in his big marvel  hands. Jo shakes her head no. Surprise not only he knew her name but it being his first question " Jolie. Its huh Jolie. Most people call me Jo. Before you ask kinda. My dad  used to call me Jo Jo. Why" she says trying to default all her butterflies away.

 Garrett smiles a bit bigger. He looked away for a second then back to her. She was mesmerized at his face eye darted to his pink lips. GOD THOSE KISS READY LIPS. " Jolie. That's pretty beautiful . Fits you more then Jo. Mind I call you that Jolie not Jo. I seen you around. I think we got classes together. How your head" he says looking up at her head. Jo slowly touches it wincing at the pain. 

 " Gym, English lit, and something else" he stops he was closer to her and takes her bag while she wasn't paying attention. Smiling with such charm he starts going though. " Running away huh. That never helps anything, Jolie" he says playfully. Jo smiles iffy about the name but he sure changing that" I’m not runway no more. Or at least NOT now. That's to help me remember a reason to stay. Can't believe even you " she says scratching back of her ear. She stops and look at him. Garrett smiles and goes through her bag not fully pay attention.

 " Well I’m happy. You would have kept me alone with these drunk horny retards. Dang. Jolie got a lot of stuff.  Cool stuff. Wait why the keys and fake tattoos. No nope these must have a story" he says looking through the fake tattoos. Jo smiles. " Dad said more keys you have the more opportunities you have. Now I’m pushing endless. A lot of them it's like endless stories.Ideas” Jo says trying not to blush. 

He scoop a bit closer still looking through her things. His dirty blonde hair was the perfect blend of messy with a purpose. Match with a scent that always drove her crazy it was a mixture of lumber wood and sex appeal. She has been close to him but mostly back of his head in class or behind him in gym class. Never out of class never him coming to her. Was it that he was bored and she seems easy.  Or was he really put on babysitting duties. She wasn't sure she really wasn't. But for a quick second before it clicks into reality she just decided to enjoy it. Garrett look up to speak, interrupting Jo inner thoughts. 

" Don't see any pictures of your boyfriend how come. Or girl-" Jo interrupts him " Boyfriend. BOYS. MEN. I mean I'm single" she says looking at him  as he took out a pop and a bag of chips. He glances at her for her approval. Nodding. " My turn. More of a statement. You don't have to baby me. Or whatever they have you doing. And I'm not that type. That take you against some canned food or on the cold ass floor. I'm sure you can understand" Jo said looking at him. He freezes with sour cream and onion flavor chips in his hand and stuff in his mouth. Chewing slowly he just look at her confused . Clearing her throat. " I mean. What about you any special girl in your life" she says cursing at herself for saying something. 

He smiles at her with that million dollars just won the lottery smile. " No. But I do have my eye on a girl to be honest. But it complicated. And I sorry. I can imagine what it looks like. Me here. You. But reality is I just feel your more my speed" he stop and look at a have no clue Jo" Sober. Good vibes. Cool" he says drinking some of the pop. She wanted to smile so bad blush even. Text her mom the cool news. Her mom knew from there little talks she had a crush on Garrett.  But instead she just said nothing. "So this girl. Why not tell her. What she some cheerleader or something" Jo says trying to hide the bit of jealous for this girl. Garrett struggles and blushed a bit. " No. She actually new here. And she no cheerleader. She way way  more fucking prettier them those dust bag. Smarter too. She also a bit younger not much . Not sure she likes a guy like me" he says looking down at the bag of chips. 

Jo hated this girl already no name or face but she hated her more than anything. "Hey uh Garrett. As a girl who shares class with you. This girl she be stupid no borderline retarded beyond repair  if she doesn't like you... Hey want do something fun out of my bag" she said to him trying to change the subject before she confessed her undying  love for him in the middle of a grocery store. He glances up after a long thought. And says yes. They talk a lot more. What they thought of class today. Taste and music. List was endless. She for once did not feel alone or afraid or even flushed by being by this close to Garrett. Instead she felt normal like the girl she used to be before moving here.

Garrett looking at his cool new panda bear with roses and bar wire, " It must be hard. Coming here. Not really belonging anywhere both at school and home. If it makes you feel better it's the same with me, Jolie. I kinda want to confess something" he starts to say. The alarm on his phone went off. Damn he whispered to himself. He looks at Jo sipping on some water listening to his music, Foo Fighters. " Have to do rounds. Want to come with. Also with what Fred did kinda don't want to leave you behind, Jolie" he whispered into her ear. Nodding at the delight of continuing this affairs or the omfg this isn't happening tour. They walked side by side down each row.  Jo looking up at him as he talked about the job, his family or the many stories he smile and laugh as he told her. 

" Hey tour guide. Do you know if we get a bathroom break. The water getting to me" she said trying to hold her pee. Garrett smiles down at her as she did her pee pee dance. " Sure but I might have to meet stay outside" he says.

 He stop by these old metal swinging doors. She looked back and sneak in. Garrett stood watch with his flashlight. The hallway was dark and musty. A few old lights winging from the ceiling. The bathroom was in worse condition. Dirty. Smelly. Something even the best horror novelist couldn't even make up. She lends over and tries to go. The old metal door starts to open. Creek creek. Jo gets up a little to see what it was. Nothing but a shadow. Unsure what to think she turns around for some toilet paper. Footsteps now . Heavy as a meter. Stomping towards her. She froze her hand press on each side of the stall . The footsteps stop in front of her. Jo mouth open a little to slow her breathing. She couldn’t tell whatever it was.She tried to listen to see if someone else was here. Jo slowly put her feet up close to her and lends towards her legs to her chest. A sharp sounds goes across the door. Jo shivering trying not to scream. Froze. Keep it together just a joke she thought. She tilts her head to the side to peak. It was gone. What or who ever wasn't there. She waited a little to make sure it was gone. She opens the door to peak. Nothing. She gulp and rush out as fast she can. Not even a hair or turtle could catch up to her. As the doors swing open. She landed right in Garrett strong arms for the second time and one day . She held him tight her head dodged into his chest. Only thing that stops her for crying was the warm touch he gave as he rubbed her back.  But it did not stop the fact she was freaked out by what just happened to her. 

" What wrong you ok? " Garrett said still holding her. She said nothing just hold him tight her head on his chest looking down at his sneakers. He looked down at her. Nothing but the head of curls and a silent whimper.  Under her breath she says" something was down there with me". He looks up at the door. " We have a lot of rats was what scared you. It's alright shi-" he start to say. 

" No a person. A shadow was there. Watching me. I want to go home now" she said still holding him. Using his shirt as a tissue as her tears roll off her face. He shocked his head pissed. 

" That bitch ass jerk" he says quietly to himself. 

" I bet Fred did this. Does not know when to stop come on let's find him" he says grabbing at her small wrist. 

They were all laughing smoking a joint. " You're freaking dead. Now Fred" Garrett says rushing right to Fred forgetting he was still holding Jo wrist. Fred turns at Garrett and Jo then back at everyone else. " What the fuck you talking about" he says laughing at him. Garrett was mad. He glances at Jo who was giving him Bambi eyes then at him. " That real cool. You scared her half to death. She literally came out to me screaming like she saw the fucking devil. Look at her" he says shaking Jo. Jo for the first time look up out of her daze. Fred blows out big poof of smoke at Garrett and Jo. " Really like. Bro you sniffing to many things of white out again . That never happened. Whatever that  baby got scared of must of been her own shadow. I was with Farrah checking out the joint. Cora was here with Lex sleeping off the liquor" he says licking his top lip. 

Jo looks at Cora who face look puzzled. As if he not saying something. Farrah was standing by Lex fighting something she wanted to say. Jo tug at Garrett shirt. She leaned in close to him on her tippy toes. " Garrett it's fine. Can we just chill it" she said to him then glanced at Farrah and Fred. Garrett still mad makes a mad face then turn to apologize to Fred. Fred piss off walk away with no other than Farrah behind him. Cora upset shakes her head and mouth the words  you slut. Hope you choke on a stick. Garrett looks at Jo then walks towards the others with his head down. Cora was now screaming at the top of lungs at Fred.Garrett rushes up to Fred and tries to calm him down as if the last five minutes never happened. Jo looks at Cora storming pass her. Cora was sitting on cashier filing her nails. 

" You ok. Cora" Jo said sincerely . Cora looks at her then raises her eyebrow up.

" I'm not stupid. I know that bottom eater is doing. I'm popular duh. But I have my limit. Doing it and being so obvious in front of people. That does it. Twice a day" she says to a puzzled face Jo " I know what you saw today. Damn thing went around faster than a twit. No one thing. May you my witness. Who ever does Cora wrong gets put on the freaking list" she said still filing her nails. Jo look at her then back at Fred. " If you knew why then be with him. There much more guys heck captions then him" she said looking at her. Cora looks at her and then walk away.

 Garrett walk right past her to Jo . " Hey Jolie. I need your help. I need to get the key. Thought I had them on me but mines are the wrong ones. Master keys in the office. Door locked everything shut down. Can you stay here. Keep watch. I'm gonna take Lex so nothing happens. He kinda upset" he says looking at Jo. 

She glanced at him then shook her head yes. She watched him leave. Placing her hands up above her head she tries to focus. As she started to walk she remembers something. Earlier the figure she saw. Was it something or just her imagination. She had to figure it out. Garrett won't do that . At least she hope not. She had to figure out was it  and the one in the bathroom is the same.

Looking at the car Jo then rushes to Fred and Farrah talking.

 "Look Freddie. She knows Lex knows why not just be together. We had sex. We make out alot why not" Farrah said trying to touch Fred face. Pushing her hand down he starts to laugh. " Look I’m starting to sober up so let me make this quick because it's kinda sad. You're like an on the street bootleg of a movie. Might think it's a good deal. Because it's cheap and looks like the real deal but always mess up quality and a waste of money. Cheap worthless. Lex told me he only with you because you give it out.Cora a real girl. I have to fight for her. You I smile and give you a second attention and your hook. What? " he says looking at Jo. 

Looking back at Cora then at them. " You should at least have the respect and talk to her. I get it. It's a joke. On me. The noises the playing with me when I was in the bathroom. It's not funny. We are already in trouble so let's just go" Jo says. Fred laughs at her then walks towards Cora. Farrah upset starts to walk off. Jo afraid of anyone leaving by themselves follows her.

 " Wait wait. It's not safe" Jo says running behind her. There was a creepy creak coming from behind but far enough that even if you tried you could hear it. 

" What do you want. Im piss and you're not helping" Farrah says still walking. Jo looks back again. There was the sound again. No one heard it.  " Look I don't know is still part of the prank. But I'm over it. I saw you when I was in the car, when I was using the bathroom. You running away now is letting him win. Now if I can put pass the silly nonsense you guys are doing so can you. You deserve better then a descent 3rd division college player that gonna be either back here working at some depressing job if he smart get a bookie to do all his work or a mid wage in some middle state overweight loser. Either way. He not worth it. You're not perfect but you don't deserve to be treated like horse poop" Jo said. She was upset. She was upset that this was happening she really only wanted to be home with her mom. Safe. Nope  instead she trying to pump up a you can do the high road to the school slut. Farrah came and raise her hand to slap Jo. " It wasn't a joke. On you. You're not worth it. You're seeing things. We was smoking a joint when we first got inside then we.....we..... we found this weird place. In the back.  Fill of old meat and big ass fucking knifes. Some straight A fucking shit. He wants to do it but I couldn’t. So after we play around broke something crap and left" she stopped and started to walk back towards the group. She stops " Thanks. You're actually cool. Cora was wrong" still walking. There was the noise again. The never ending feelings someone calling for you but know no ones behind you. Then that's when it happened. All at once. 

They were taken.  

[quirkykayleetam]

Hands in the Dark

This is the fourth entry in the Page and the Unicorn series.  The previous piece is The Shadow of Stable Man Jax.

TW for bodily whump and non con of a minor (15-year-old).  The character’s non-binary identity is fully addressed, but it’s also met with hatred, so read with caution.  Specific warnings in the tags, but that’s the main theme.

Page cried when Jax shaved their head.  

It hurt--Jax was not being careful and he was never handy with a knife--but it wasn’t the pain that bothered Page.  It was the look in Jax’s eyes.  Page understood at that moment that they had been bought and paid for.  Jax took Page from the orphanage, yes.  He gave them a home and a life.  But now Page had to be the stable boy Jax expected them to be or he would carve them into shape.

Randall found Page behind the inn, still sniffling.

Page wasn’t sure what to think of the older boy.  They just knew he liked to stare.

“Men don’t cry,” he said suddenly, kicking at Page.

Page winced away.

“I’m not a man.”

“Well, a boy then.  We’ll have to toughen you up.”

“I’m not a boy,” Page whispered to the ground.

“What’s that?”  Randall’s voice was sharp, but Page’s pain was sharper.

“I’m not a boy!”  Their chest puffed as they said the words.  Page closed their eyes and remembered weaving their hair into braids, even as short as it was, looking in rain puddles to see their reflection.  They remembered feeling strong and beautiful and real.

“You a girl, then?  We need to pull out the skirts and see you mucking in them?”

“No.”

“Then what are you?”

For a moment, Page caught that realness and held it in the palm of their hand.  They thought of authors who, in writing, could be the hero and the damsel and the dragon all at once.

“I’m me.”

Page will never forget how that felt.  It was the first time Randall touched them.

The older boy stooped to grab Page’s chin and tilt it towards him.  He traced a finger down Page’s face, smearing blood from their newly-shaved head.

“I think I can work with that.”

The second time Randall touched them was in a horse stall.  Page didn’t hear the boy enter.  They just felt his hand on their shoulder, forcing them backwards towards the wall.

Randall’s lips slammed into Page’s.  His hands pressed their back further against the wall.

Page bit down, hard.  They tasted coppery blood before Randall yelped and jumped away.

Page moved too.  In their haste to get away from the boy, they upturned a metal bucket, sending it clattering through the stall.

“Oi!  What’s going on in there!  I won’t have you spilling anything!  You hear, boy?”

“It hurt me!” Randall cried, wiping blood from his mouth as Jax appeared in the stall doorway.

“Well, then, hurt the boy back,” Jax said.  He looked at Page.  “I won’t be hearing anymore of this or there will be hell to pay.  You understand, boy?”

Page looked from Randall to his father.  They could still taste the blood in their mouth.

“Yes, sir.  I understand.”

***

The moon was but a shadow in the autumn sky the night Randall found them on the stairs.

Page shivered and looked back inside the inn.  They could smell the stew brewing for the guests.  If they waited, maybe they could get the spoilings from the bottom of the pot when everyone else had eaten.  Page close their eyes and imagined the taste of meat, even just meat broth, with a sigh.

“That sounded longing.”

Page lept to their feet at the unfamiliar voice.

“So..sorry ma'am!  Please excuse me.  Can I help ‘ya with something?”

The woman simply laughed and sat on the abandoned steps, gesturing Page to sit beside her.  She was beautiful.  Page couldn’t see her lips or the color of her hair from the dim light of the kitchen, but she wore a sparkle in her eyes.  Maybe ten years older than the stable hand, she smelled clean, like hay right when Page first harvested it.  Her gaze was soft and her laugh was magic.

“I don’t like all the noise,” she said softly.

“The warmth is nice, though,” Page said.

“Maybe I like the feel of cold air.  Reminds me of riding.”

“You can ride?”

“Oh yes.  I rode here, didn’t I?  My mother says it’s not mannerly even when I do it proper and sidesaddle, but I can’t help it.  My mare can be too gentle for me sometimes.”

Page looked at her in wonder.

“Oh, I don’t mean to say anything bad about the horse.  And she’s not really mine anyway.  I just like to sneak her greens I don’t like from my plate so I pretend that she likes me best.”

“I…”

“There you are!” Randall snapped, striding around the corner.  “Father needs you in the root cellar.”

He turned to the woman as Page scurried away.

“I’m sorry for the interruption, ma’am.  Our stable hand is quite...agitating.”

If the conversation continued beyond that, Page didn’t hear it.  They reached the root cellar door in a rush.

“Master Jax?  You needed me?”

To their surprise, the door was closed tightly against the chill.

“Master Jax?”

Page opened it and stepped inside.  They didn’t want to get in trouble for not coming swift enough.  A wishful part of them still hoped to make it back for some bits of the stew.  Still, they could remember their tour of the inn when their first arrived and Jax’s menacing finger as he told them never to think about what was down in that cellar.

“I won’t have you stealing from me.  You hear, boy?” Jax said.

Page stared at the gaping mouth of the cellar, hesitating whether to call out once more when a blow hit them hard in the back and sent them sprawling.  Page cried out as their body hit the unrelenting stone of the stairs down into the darkness.  They couldn’t see.  They couldn’t stop their tumble.  They winced through sprained shoulders and bruised ribs until they finally hit the bottom and had trouble moving at all.

“How dare you?”

Randall’s fist collided with Page’s face, knocking the stable hand sideways.  The older boy stamped down on their stomach, driving the air out of Page with a startled cry.

“Do you even know who that was?  Do you care?”

Randall’s blows fell heavier now.  Page tried to curl into a ball, but Randall lifted them up by the neck of their tunic.  Page heard the fabric rip as they were forced to their feet.

“You’re not even a boy.  How dare you look at a woman!  How dare you presume to be better company than me, a better fit for her than a man!”

Page ached from twisted shoulder to bruised ankle.  Their head swam from the fall and they couldn’t see Randall’s face in the darkness, but they didn’t care.  They faced their attacker with all the calm they could muster.

“I am twice the man that you will ever be.”

With that, Randall threw Page to the ground.  Their face slammed into the stone, leaving them barely conscious of more ripping fabric as Randall tore the rest of their shirt away.

In a moment, he was on top of them, his warm breath in Page’s ear.

“We’ll see about that.”

***

Page gasped, trying to escape the memory.  They huddled in the corner of the root cellar, rocking slowly, trying to find comfort without hurting their back.

“It’s not then.  It’s not real,” they whispered.

Still, they could feel Randall’s hands on them.  Even when they closed their eyes, they couldn’t get away from the hoarse whisper of his voice, his pressing hands in the dark.

“Morning,” Page said.  “I just have to make it until morning.”

Jax and Randall would still be there, Page knew, but Page would face them in the light of day.  They had to believe that was better, though they didn’t know how yet.  They had to believe they weren’t as hopeless and broken and dirty as they felt in the dark.

This fulfills the Flashbacks square for @badthingshappenbingo​.  We’re really close to 5 in a row!!!

Author’s Note:  This was probably the hardest piece I’ve written to date.

Tagging the Page and the Unicorn Crew (Please let me know if you want to be added or removed from this list!): @castielamigos-whump-side-blog​​, @stoic-whumpee​, @straight-to-the-pain​​, @doglover82​​

[princessalethea]

Once Upon a Ghost

Just in time for Women in Horror Month!

It’s always fun to have a new release out in the world — Happy Book Birthday to Once Upon a Ghost! This anthology contains my story “The Ghost of Beilstein Castle.”

Twenty dark and ghostly faerie tale retellings from the bestselling authors in the award-winning Once Upon Anthologies series! Push open the creaky cellar door and prepare for chilling re-imaginings of your favorite tales. But beware! Blood and revenge, creepy haunted houses, and evil magic lurk within the pages. Are you brave enough to venture in?

A HUNTER’S MEMORY OF WINTER – Annie Bellet Ka is a hunter for hire. She’ll kill anything, for a price. But her newest job will require more than just a bullet… for her prey is already dead…

HAUNTED – Kay McSpadden The old Bayer house might be haunted, but that doesn’t keep the little golden-haired girl from going inside–again, and again, and again.

FAERIE SONG – Anthea Sharp The Pipers have rid the city of vermin, but their music hides a dark magic that only one courageous girl can break.

FORGIVEN: A Djinn Wars Story – Christine Pope Celia Graham might have survived a deadly plague, but that didn’t prevent her from becoming a ghost doomed to haunt her opulent home for all eternity.

WHAT MAGIC LIES BENEATH – Shawntelle Madison Long ago, a bog witch killed Everbelle’s brother. Now the memories of him haunt her–as well as his ghost…

THE GHOST OF BEILSTEIN CASTLE – Alethea Kontis From a riverside castle in post-war Germany, a tormented young American widow recounts her ghostly adventures with a dead bride, a fiery-eyed hellfrog, and a lost treasure.

SNOW WHITE BETWEEN TIME – Julia Crane After eating the cursed apple, Snow White awakens in a strange land. The sun and moon have disappeared, and her only friend is a red-eyed wolf.

QUEEN JOANNA.- Kate Danley Thrust into a loveless marriage of state, Queen Joanna discovers her new palace is home to dark secrets…

RAPUNZEL DREAMING – Yasmine Galenorn Sometimes beauty–and the obsession with that beauty–doesn’t fade. It just transforms with time…

WHAT TALES SPECTERS TELL – Kasey Mackenzie Amelie Baudelaire faces off against the cruel Necromancer who saved her life two years earlier. Now he demands her most precious prize of all–her firstborn child.

THE DEVIL’S DUE – Melissa Marr Never cross a devoted sister, especially one fond of sword fights and sea-faring.

THE BREMEN SHIFTER BAND – Debra Dunbar Geriatric shapeshifters in an assisted living facility discover with the help of Elvis’ ghost that they’re never too old to Rock and Roll.

THE BANSHEE OF LIATH WOOD – Jenna Elizabeth Johnson Kye of Haebach Heath must enter one of the most haunted places in all of Eile in order to free a maiden from her dark curse.

THE GHOST QUEEN – Nikki Jefford When the King of Gloria offers gold to anyone who can present him with the fairest bride in all the kingdoms, two necromancers resurrect the loveliest woman to have ever lived.

IMMORTAL PORTRAIT – Colleen Gleason Frost Elite escort service’s Shep arrives to meet a new client in the hills of Hollywood, and poses for a deadly photograph…

TO BE REMEMBERED – Jamie Ferguson After her brutal murder centuries ago, Ilona haunts the forest with her newfound sister nyavka, luring men into the woods–and to their deaths.

THE SOUL CAGES – Phaedra Weldon When her treasure is stolen, the vengeful Sea Goddess destroys the country’s ships and takes the souls of their crews. Only one woman can save them.

ELLA AND THE HAUNTED HOUSE – Sarra Cannon Descended from a long line of ghost hunters, Ella is forced to spend her birthday in a haunted house with her horrible stepmother and stepsisters.

THE THORN KING – Alexia Purdy Trapped in a scorched rose garden, Riley finds himself in the domain of a malevolent creature cursed by a dark magic ready to claim him as well.

LITTLE FLAME – Devon Monk Avens is not powerful, she is not a witch. But she is the last hope to save the world.

The post Once Upon a Ghost appeared first on Alethea Kontis.

from Once Upon a Ghost

[foxghost]

鎮魂 Guardian [Zhen Hun] extra 3 full translation

No real spoilers in this one, just fluff and crack. [TN: the other extras are here, you may want to check out #4 for notes on names.] Original Chinese character count: 4363 English Translation + notes word count: 4042

===

Later, the Special Investigation Department moves away from 4 Bright Road to 9 University Road, just one pedestrian crossing away from Dragon City University.

Lin Jing lingers at their old address just before the move, reluctant to leave and goes around and around the empty office with his recently upgraded equipment — a long barrel SLR camera — and photographs every last detail; not even the cobwebs escapes his scrutiny. When he’s done, Lin Jing picks out the few he’s satisfied with and sends them to a magazine publisher, hoping to make a name for himself in the “Former Haunts” series.

Thus leading to the editor-in-chief of the magazine suffering a great blow to his delicate psyche.

The editor-in-chief ends up in the hospital over the incident, and reporting what they perceived as a 'malignant, intentional manufacturing of supernatural photographs for the purpose of scaring people" to the police. As familial shame cannot be spread abroad, Zhao-chu can only show his face and quietly settle things behind the scenes. When he comes back, he beats the crap out of that idiot fake monk in the path of his innocent gaze.

Eat, sleep, beat Lin Jing; the crew at 9 University Road finally fall back into their ordinary, everyday routine.

The accommodation at their new office is decadent to the extreme, with a sunny attic upstairs and a double cellar below. The second cellar houses their book collection, while the first cellar is a shrine-like space with a mahjong table surrounded by a circle of memorial tablets. During the day it provides a resting place for their ghost employees, and any individual suffering from insomnia can get up and play a round of mahjong.

… And so, during the day, one can often hear the sound of shuffling mahjong tiles from the mysteriously locked first cellar.

On the top floor, the attic is warm and bright with sunshine, painted with a thick layer of soundproofing paint; those who are tired can take a noon nap, and opening the windows affords one the view of the whole courtyard — unfortunately there is no beautiful scenery to be had.

Since members of the S.I.D. could not come to an agreement regarding a plan for the garden, there’s no unified theme. After they divided up the space, the courtyard has become a weird mixture of styles containing a little bit of everything.

Zhao Yunlan claims the entire rear courtyard for himself. With an oddly cultivated aesthetic that has nothing at all to do with the arts that he’s ignored his whole life through, he vetoes Zhu Hong’s favoured Japanese roses, vetoes Chu Shuzhi’s suggestion of vines, vetoes Lin Jing’s request of a Bodhi tree … ultimately planting an entire rear courtyard worth of vegetables.

There’s mini cole, cherry tomatoes, pumpkin seedlings, pea sprouts, Chinese cedar sprouts … a veritable neighbourhood of assorted vegetables growing side by side. In the middle of it all stands a coquettish eggplant surrounded by all the other plants the way stars surround the moon.

[TN: 風騷茄子 / Coquettish Eggplant is a dish…this ia a pun.]

Zhao Yunlan hints that come winter he’ll even fill the entire rear courtyard with bok choi.

From then onwards, neither mortal nor ghost has played in the rear courtyard that has become a vegetable garden.

By the time Shen Wei finishes class, the sun has already begun inclining towards the west. It’s still warm outside, and the short stroll from school even counting the time it takes to wait for the light to change is only five, six minute at most.

The entire staff of the S.I.D. each holds a copy of Teacher Shen’s class schedule. They wait eagerly for his arrival daily as one watches for the stars and the moon. There was once a time that the soldiers skipping out on work along with the leader was routine, because when the ceiling beams are crooked the pillars came along; since their leader Zhao Yunlan stopped messing around and started calmly spending all his days in the office like a hermit though, those days are long gone.

In this respect, everyone feels a little depressed, even in light of their new surroundings.

Yet when Teacher Shen arrives he can always swiftly take the leader away. And if the leader is gone, naturally it implies that everyone else can leave work early as well.

As he steps through the door, Shen Wei is greeted by countless “good day Teacher Shen” and “good work Teacher Shen” and many more besides along with such fervent looks from everyone that it’s borderline like the staff are held in enemy territory awaiting a liberating army. Shen Wei finds it hard to adapt to this at first, but as time goes by he’s no longer fazed by all the attention.

Guo Changcheng is zoning out, Zhu Hong is doing some online stopping, Chu Shuzhi is watching the candlestick graph, Lin Jing is tinkering with a new model of wiretapping device: a fish scale-like thing the size of a girl’s fingernail that turns invisible and records in secret once it sticks to anything.

Black cat Daqing nests on the staircase handrail, waving his tail at Shen Wei. “He’s in the attic.”

Shen Wei makes an approving hum, nods as he says “Thank you,” but when he’s just about to pass by, he lifts a brow slightly and glances at Daqing. “Be careful, don’t fall off now.”

… The handrail only looks half as big as Daqing’s stomach. The way he’s lying prone on top of it looks extremely weird.

Daqing stares blankly for a full second, then with a wail he turns into an angry furball. “I’m practicing—Yo—ga! What’s wrong with practicing yoga? You got a problem with that?”

Keeping a smile on his face, Shen Wei reaches out to stroke his head, and goes upstairs.

Daqing furiously drapes himself back down on the handrail. Lin Jing asks, teasing, “Aiyoh, little princeling Daqing, which yoga pose are you practicing?”

Daqing says after a pause, “Cat pose.”

Those who follow the Way never lies, so goes the doctrine. Lin Jing appropriately shows his evaluation with a peal of laughter.

… As a result he gained two new bloody scratches on his face. The wiretap in his hand goes flying towards destination unknown, turning invisible.

Lao-Li, who’s always appearing without a sound and vanishing without a trace, appears now to quietly supply cotton swabs and bandages as if he’s the hapless master responsible for the aftermath of his cat’s crimes. Yet the cat has no appreciation for his love at all, and doesn’t bother with even a snort as he jumps off the railing into a cat stretch and leaving the scene.

There are times when such a thing as love is like a fragile pane of glass. It doesn’t matter what kind of love it is: nothing can glue it back together after it shatters, even if the ones involved no longer cared, even if they have already chosen to forgive.

That’s why a person should be faithful to oneself unto death. Whether choosing to be so selfish as to hurt countless without regrets, or to cherish another’s affection from the beginning, even at the risk of looking like a fool.

Shen Wei pushes open the door to the top floor lightly. There’s a sofa bed in the attic situated for a full day of sunlight, and Zhao Yunlan naps there with a blanket thrown across his waist, fingers still trapped between the pages of a book in his hands.

Shen Wei approaches quietly, stooping to kiss him lightly on the lips. Zhao Yunlan doesn’t bother opening his eyes, he hums lazily with sleep and says, “You’re done with class?”

Shen Wei answers with an agreeing noise, reaching out to prop up Zhao Yunlan by his back so he can sit down. “Wake up a little. It’s not early anymore, and if you fall asleep again you won’t be able to sleep later.”

Zhao Yunlan takes advantage of the shift in position to lie down on Shen Wei’s thighs. Yawning, he says blearily, “I didn’t actually want to sleep.”

With half-lidded eyes he waves the “Vegetable Planting Techniques” in his hands and grumbles, “I’m telling you, this book has to be cursed. I can’t ever get to the first chapter. Just the forward is enough to knock someone out. I only made it to the 8th page now and I’m still stuck in the introduction.”

Shen Wei picks it up and flips through its pages. It’s a textbook from the agricultural university, and not a single centimetre of white space is wasted — even the pictures are black and white and so serious it has no entertainment value whatsoever. Shen Wei puts it aside and says without thinking, “Why do you bother reading it? If luck’s on their side, whichever seed you sow may even chance into a refined essence and become Yao. There is no chance that any of them wouldn’t grow.”

Zhao Yunlan says, “No, only science and technology is the primary productive force.”

[TN. he’s quoting fundamental principle of Marxism here so that’s why SW makes fun of him.]

Shen Wei says after a pause, “Why don’t you go back to study science and technology then.”

Zhao Yunlan rolls his eyes, and harbouring ulterior motives, says, “The primary productive force and I are jinxed. It reduces me to sleep in a single glance.”

[TN. 犯克 roughly means “it disagrees with my birth hour.” So it does mean jinxed, but with him ONLY.]

Shen Wei looks down, discovering that whatever sleepiness in Zhao Yunlan’s pitch black eyes have already evaporated, and they stare up at him with wordless amusement.

Zhao Yunlan reaches around so he’s holding Shen Wei by the waist. “If I can’t keep reading, then I’ll forget my meals, my mood will plunge, and if it goes on any longer I’ll fall into a depression!”

Shen Wei just looks at him without saying a word.

One lie after another comes out of Zhao Yunlan’s mouth. “Listen, the suicide rate is really high in Northern Europe because the cold climate leads to depression. Kunlun mountain is covered in ice and snow that never melts — it doesn’t even have heat, so my bones must carry the genes for depression.”

Shen Wei is silent for a time before saying, “You must forgive my inability to see this.”

Zhao Yunlan says, “You must not love me anymore! You … man of easy virtue!”

[TN. ZYL says SW has a “nature as ever changing as running water and alights on all like flower petals,” and it’s usually a phrase meaning ‘fickle woman.’]

Shen Wei pushes at his temple as if to hold back a headache. “Stop acting so spoiled. What would you like?”

Zhao Yunlan laughs a mischievous laugh, revealing a row of neat white teeth.

“Fine. I’ll read it to you when we get home,” Shen Wei says, helplessly gentle, before uncomfortably averting his gaze. “But if you’re going to listen, then be good and listen. If you get drowsy listening then sleep. You’re not allowed to mess around.”

His ears are taking on a flush, and he looks like a half-willing young bride that’s just been picked on by an evil tyrant taking liberties, only half-willing because he’s left without a choice.

Zhao Yunlan grabs hold of Shen Wei’s collar indignantly and pulls him closer. “Can I trouble you not to be such a pure white lotus okay baby? From the fucking moment we met 'til now have I ever successfully taken a single dime of advantage of you … fine I’ll admit I’ve had more criminal attempts, but I haven’t any criminal reality!”

Shen Wei hastens to placate him. “Okay okay okay, get up. Let’s go home.”

“I can’t.” Zhao Yunlan turns his face to the side, expressionless. “The muscles in my lower back are strained.”

Shen Wei says softly, bashful, “Then should I carry you?”

Zhao Yunlan takes a look at him in silence, and stands up in silence. He finds that his back doesn’t hurt at all anymore — but he does feel a pang in his stomach.

As soon as they step through the front door, the rest of the staff scatter like birds and beasts. Zhu Hong’s the first to slip out, with Lin Jing closely following. Chu Shuzhi pours himself a cup of cheap tea, holding fast until the stock market closes before leisurely putting things away. As he’s about to go he raises his head to discover that Guo Changcheng still hasn’t left yet.

[TN. 茶水 / cha shui / lit. tea water / cheap tea is the kind of tea you get in diners, usually ceylon, comes in a plastic cup, made with cheaper leaves and brewed bulk in a metal dispenser.]

The room is empty save for them. Guo Changcheng sitting there staring into space without a word looks like a painted stage set, dazed to distraction. Chu Shuzhi asks casually, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

As if shaken from a dream, Guo Changcheng trembles violently and bumps the water-dwelling plant, spilling it all over his desk.

Chu Shuzhi subconsciously reaches for his own face; suspecting that maybe he’s been slack in the cultivation of his arts and his livor-mortis is showing, somehow managing to scare this unfortunate child until he’s beside himself.

Guo Changcheng stammers, “I um I’m leaving,” and cleans up in a flurry of activity.

Chu Shuzhi can read body language well enough, so he asks, “Are you planning to go bomb a bunker? Why do you look like you’re going to war?”

If Guo Changcheng has a pair of dog ears, he guesses now they would be drooping.

Twenty minutes later, the two emerge from 9 University Road with Chu Shuzhi furrowing his brow and coming to a conclusion. “That is to say, your second uncle wants you to go to a xiangqin.”

[TN. 相親 / Xiangqin. A marriage interview arranged by a matchmaker. A direct equivalent is the Japanese o-miai. The characters mean mutual-intimacy.]

A spray of sparks explodes out of Guo Changcheng’s pocket.

Chu Shuzhi quickly sidesteps. “Watch it. What’s with the groundless worry? Is this girl you’re meeting a tigress?”

To avoid setting his pants on fire, Guo Changcheng hurriedly takes the stun baton out of his pocket, but that only attracts the attention of passersby instead; they don’t even manage to make it to the parking lot before the traffic cop at the crosswalk yells at them, “What’s going on? You can’t set off fireworks within city limits! Where’s your sense of civic responsibility?”

Chu Shuzhi silently covers his face and pretends to look up at the sky.

The lich king is reclusive and detached; aside from the occasional garrulous words he exchanges with acquaintances, his entire person gives off an aura of do not approach， so he’s often lonely in the cold emptiness of his life. Outside of cultivating his essence, he has little to do in the long hours outside of work, leaving his well-hidden desire to gossip eternally unsatisfied. He feels a sudden curiosity of how this human custom of xiangqin is conducted, and with a tone like he’s volunteering to join a war, he says, “Ok, stop spraying fireworks. You’ll get a fine. Why don’t we do this — I’ll sit by you pretending to be just another customer the whole time for your xiangqin, alright?”

[TN. 屍王 / lit. corpse king. I suppose it could also read “necromancer” but he’s a corpse himself, so closer to a lich.]

Guo Changcheng gives him a tortured look, and from Chu Shuzhi’s solemn face he can just glean a hint of the curiosity of a gossiping fishwife.

They arrive more than thirty minutes earlier than the appointed time, and it’s only after Chu Shuzhi flip through an entire old magazine to pass the time before the girl arrives.

Chu Shuzhi looks on as Guo Changcheng freezes solidly into a human stick, and thinks with some amazement that he hasn’t seen a mortal with such great potential to become a jianshi for many years.

[TN. 人棍 / human stick is actually a brutal ancient torture that’s best not described here. CSZ uses some harsh language in his head…

殭屍 / Jiangshi / what Chu Shuzhi is, is a culturally unique mythological creature that originated from the way undertakers were said to have ordered corpses to jump as they led the dead back to their hometowns for burial. Depending on the telling, they eat flesh, drink blood, sleep in coffins, fear the sun, and only in some stories do they have minds of their own.]

Chu Shuzhi moves his gaze downwards, finding Guo Changcheng’s pant cuffs shaking uncontrollably, his entire body resembling a quail that found itself falling heavily on its ass on broken glass. He congratulates himself for confiscating Guo Changcheng’s little stun baton beforehand, otherwise he’s sure the young lady’s perfectly ironed straight fringe would have been fried immediately into natural curls.

“Oh, come on. Grow up,” Chu Zhushi thinks, feeling rather disappointed on his behalf.

Fortunately, the young lady has a good temperament, and doesn’t go on Weibo on the spot to start a post titled, “Ran into someone outrageous at the xiangqin” as a souvenir. Instead she confidently attempts to keep the conversation going by cycling through a list of seemingly endless topics. From the start Guo Changcheng acts exactly like a criminal at a trial, whatever question thrown his way he must tremble thrice, all the while sending a continuous distress signal in Chu Shuzhi’s direction. Unfortunately Chu Shuzhi feigns interest in the menu and is utterly unreceptive.

Ten minutes of trembling later, the lady finally can’t help asking, “You … are you a little nervous?”

Guo Changcheng, red all over, nods at her.

The lady smiles a little. “It’s not important. We’re only having a casual chat.”

Guo Changcheng, still red all over, nods again, and carefully gives her a single glance before looking extremely ill at ease, turning his gaze away.

Normally when coming across someone that can’t even speak clearly, the other side would flip desk and leave, but this young lady who’s come to this xiangqin seem to have an odd weakness. Facing someone like Guo Changcheng, a sense of protectiveness inexplicably grows in her heart.

“I think you’re just like Raj from the Big Bang Theory,” she says happily. “Especially cute — my aunt says you’re a police officer. Really?”

Guo Changcheng makes a sound of agreement that comes off like a mosquito’s hum.

The lady says, “Really! I can’t tell at all. Then what do you do normally when you meet a bad person?”

Guo Changcheng spends a moment recalling, then truthfully illustrates just how he catches ‘bad people.’ He makes a clawing gesture, pretending to pick up his ‘secret weapon’ and says, “Just like this, and I tell, tell it, ‘you you you you you can’t come over here,’ and then I catch them.”

The lady stares at him blankly a second, and realising that it’s possibly a joke, she laughs, swaying back in forth in her mirth. “You’re just too cute!”

With naive eyes Guo Changcheng stares at her, utterly clueless.

Chu Shuzhi watches with his cheek in his hand and all the coolness of a bystander. When he thinks back on what they actually get up to during work, he does manage to find a hint of what one may call ‘adorkable.’ As he takes another look at the still happy girl and the utterly out-of-form Guo Changcheng, he glances at his watch. It’s starting to feel rather dull sitting here.

But once these two start chatting they seem to go on and on; Chu Shuzhi reins in his impatience, takes out his phone and plays games for ages until his vision’s starting to blur and he can’t take anymore. He waves at the waiter, “Ready to order.”

The waiter diligently comes over only to hear Chu Shuzhi say in a quiet and eerie voice, “One order of Kung Pao chicken, make sure the meat is only three parts done and still bloody.”

The waiter is silent.

Guo Changcheng overhears this from across the room and immediate turn around to glance at Chu Shuzhi, recognizes the gloomy corpse-like scowl on the lich (corpse) king and finally realises that he’s gotten carried away.

But while he racks his brains trying to wrap up the conversation, the other side suddenly goes from easy to stern and says to him, “Oh, right, actually I still want to say that …”

She pauses then, as if what she wants to say may be too embarrassing to mention.

Guo Changcheng asks, “What is it?”

The lady stares down at her lap and seems to think for a moment before saying, “This is our first meeting, so it’s probably not appropriate for me to be saying this, but I really do like you quite a bit …”

Guo changcheng sits as straight and stiff as a red Songhum tree — even his eyes seem to turn vertical.

She continues to say, “So there is something I want to say before anything else. I didn’t really want to come here today at first because my aunt said you were a criminal police officer. I don’t think living with a cop is especially stable, really. Everyday I’d have to be on edge all the time thinking about how you are, and as time goes on,” she trails off then, sighing. “Is this line of work something you must do?”

Guo Changcheng stares blankly for a second, and before he’s able to answer, a hand grabs onto his shoulder without any warning, hauling him right up from his seat.

Guo Changcheng says, “Chu-ge?”

It’s too sudden for the lady at her xiangqing to react, and her gaze at Chu Shuzhi shows no reaction.

Chu Shuzhi gives her a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes, before his attention shifts down towards Guo Changcheng, and he says with a tone that’s meant to cause confusion, “A Xiangqing behind my back? Why, you certainly have such gall!”

Guo Changcheng is shocked to silence.

What, what is this situation?

The lady’s eyes widen, captivated, completely in awe of the lich king’s aura and this utterly contrived plot. Chu Shuzhi reaches into Guo Changcheng’s pocket, digs out a few Renminbi bills and leaves them beneath a cup. Without another word of explanation, he stuffs Guo Changcheng beneath one arm and carries him out.

[TN. Renminbi, lit. The People’s money, the cash of the PRC.]

Guo Changcheng BSOD on scene and remains unresponsive until Chu Shuzhi stuffs him into the car. Chu Shuzhi stretches out his legs, and like an arrogant master of old, commands, “Start the car. Drop me off first.”

Guo Changcheng telegraphs ten thousand emotions tied up in knots in a single glance.

Chu Shuzhi says, “What are you glaring for, I’m doing this for her sake. To think she would dream up an idea like that, go digging at Kunlun-jun’s foundations. Really…”

[TN. 挖牆腳 - lit. dig at the foot of a wall. Applicable both in the case of someone seducing your husband or a competitor trying to lure away an employee.]

His speech halts, and a phrase comes to him unbidden like good fortune. He blurts out, "Stupid humans.

…Stupid human Guo Changcheng doesn’t say anything, and with his face still bright red, he silently starts the car.

On his satchel, a little round disc that resembles a scale invisibly transmits.

The next day, a rumour seem to spring up from everywhere at once: Chu-ge and Xiao-Guo’s gone steady, 9 University Rd is a nest for gays.

[TN. 搞大象 lit. setup-big-elephant. It came from 搞對象 lit. setup a partner. It’s just slang to replace the middle character with 大 / big, or 小 / small to indicate whether the partner is serious or casual.]

And what’s become of the person unfortunate enough to hear something he should not have, the Lin Jing who spread the rumours?

Oh, may the lord Buddha preserve us, he’s gained so many bumps on his head it’s wrapped in enough bandages to resemble a turban.

===

Much thanks to @lifeishwaiting for the final once over.

I’ve been sitting on this draft forever trying to get around the couple of derogatory terms the author used, and I did change them above, so I’ll note them here:

Raj from BBT was referred to as “The little Indian from BBT”

The last line used 印度阿三 and here’s the Baidu entry. I ended up using “turban” instead because it’s what she really meant as a description, and it’s a word used in Chinese history — think “Yellow Turban Rebellion” before the Three Kingdoms period.

[primalvessel]

[ In return for the BanxMaru hot-tub pic. Cut for length and 18+ content ]

- x - x - x -

“Oh HELL naw! Thal’s fuckin’ balls!”

“I think you’ll find it’s actually Thal’s Mercy.”

“Oh! Cap’n! Beggin’ yer pardon...”

‘Griever’ waved him off and the deckhand scurried away to begin preparations for making port along with everyone else bustling about on deck. Deep red eyes roamed over the crew until they reached the mast and he cast his gaze upwards to watch as his crew stowed the sails, feeling a pang of nostalgia for the days when things were simple, when he did as he was told and monkeyed around on the ratlines and the yards.

The presence of Thal’s Mercy in port promised at least a brief return to simple matters though and his happiness at seeing the rival ship couldn’t really be hidden, though his crew were too busy to pay attention to him.

As his crew finished making ready to disembark, the Miqo’te captain retreated to his cabin with a spring in his step to make sure his valuables were stowed and hidden and his affairs were otherwise in order. There would always be several members of the crew aboard the ship but it didn’t hurt to be cautious.

- x - x - x -

Solid ground always took a little while to get used to, after one had been at sea for moons but he didn’t intend to be on his feet for long.

The one he sought was waiting for him too and Maru’s tail flicked happily behind him when he laid eyes on the broad Roegadyn’s form shrouded in shadow at their usual meeting place.

The feline stepped past him with a flick of his tail and he was rewarded by a large, warm hand groping his ass before the heavy thump of the Roe’s footfalls sounded behind him. Maru was smiling as he led the way down a couple of dimly lit pathways and then pulled open the cellar door that Ban had unlocked before meeting with him.

There came a gentle laugh from behind him as some of his eagerness displayed in how swiftly he descended into the cellar, already lit with oil lamps to reveal the cosy space within and no sooner had the Roe pulled the doors closed behind them and stepped into the comfortable area than Maru he pulled him close and pressed a needy kiss to his lips.

“Hungry are you, Cat?” Ban growled against the Miqo’te’s lips as both large hands slid down over that pert little ass and he groped firmly, pulling the lithe body in close and making the captain of the Mad Manticore grind against him. He was rewarded with a moan and the feel of the feline’s fingers curling into the front of his simple shirt.

“You’re no captain down here,” the Roe reminded him in a voice deep and rough with his own lust. “Tell me what you want.”

Maru didn’t answer immediately, instead he chose to take from Ban another hungry kiss and then another, nipping at Ban’s bottom lip between.

“Lay me down and spread my legs,” the feline murmured against the Roe’s mouth as he wound his fingers into Ban’s hair and pulled. “Fuck me deep.”

“And?” Ban prompted, using his hands position on the feline’s ass to lift him easily and feeling one of Maru’s hands glide down his arm, over the lightly straining muscle, and the shudder that accompanied it.

“And cum inside me, fill me up ‘til I can’t take anymore,” he breathed before he was lowered to sturdy cot covered with fresh sheets.

Ban didn’t bother stripping. He was hard already, his breeches bulging at the front in a way that he knew made Maru want to lean in and rub his face against the barely contained cock but tempting as it was to encourage the cat to nuzzle, lick and suck at his erection, the captain had made his desires known, so once Maru was divested of his pants, Ban only reached down to free his length and stroke it under the hungry ruby gaze without removing his clothes.

As soon as the Miqo’te’s pants were tossed aside, Ban pressed Maru’s legs open, exposing him completely and he felt the shiver run through the feline when he did. He enjoyed the sight for only a moment though, before he settled between those parted thighs and drove into the willing, pliant body below him in one firm, deep thrust.

Maru arched off the cot with a lust-soaked shout, split open by the sizeable cock that stretched him so wide around it. He had only a few moments to adjust to the girth that filled him so completely before Ban was pulling back slowly, letting the feline feel every ilm of him before he thrust back in.

Within minutes, Ban had the Miqo’te a squirming, mewling mess beneath him. That lightly barbed cock bounced against the feline’s belly, smearing it with precum as the Roe fucked him into the cot’s thin mattress and one of Maru’s hands descended to stroke himself in time with each impossibly deep thrust inside him, firmly dragging fingers and thumb over the raised, gentle barbs.

The ragged gusts of their heavy breathing, the wanton mewls of the feline and the slap of Ban’s hips meeting Maru’s ass was cut into by the harsh litany of curses from the Roe’s lips as he both cursed and praised the way the feline’s passage gripped him so tightly, driving him closer and closer to his peak.

It was Maru who came first though, clawing at Ban’s shoulders and tearing his shirt as he sought purchase against the rush of pleasure that surged through him. Sticky cum splashed up over his chest and belly, narrowly missing the silver ring in his left nipple, and he stroked himself through it even as he was rocked by each one of Ban’s increasingly desperate thrusts.

The twitch of Ban’s cock inside him amidst the staccato pace of Ban’s thrusts were a warning he managed to note in his lust-clouded mind, that Ban too was about to cum and the Miqo’te’s reflexive clenching as he rode out his orgasm practically milked Ban of his.

And just as Maru had asked, Ban filled him until the excess leaked to the sheets below and the feline lay there, chest heaving as Ban pulled out, letting more mess leak from him. He could feel the Roe’s appreciative gaze on him, drinking in the sight of the miqo’te as he lay there, marked by Ban’s fingers gripping his hips so tightly, skin glistening in the warm glow of the oil lamps.

“So fucking hot...” Ban whispered, trailing his fingers along the inside of one trembling thigh as he arranged the thoroughly fucked feline into a more comfortable position.

“Rest a moment, Maru,” he urged gently, smirking as he reached to brush some sweaty hair from the feline’s face. “And then we’ll go again...”

[mikeisafighter]

200-1:My best of the best

This is it. The last of the best of the best from my top 1000 personal list basing it on so many factors which I will not reveal right now

FINAL WAVE

200 Lindsay Ell - Worth The Wait 199 Jason Aldean - She's Country 198 Temperance - Save Me 197 Cimorelli - Oceans [cover] 196 Danny Gokey - Rise 195 Joe Nichols - Sunny & 75 194 Dream - When I Get There 193 Martina McBride - Just Around The Corner 192 Nemesea - Forever 191 3 Doors Down - It's Not My Time 190 Cimorelli - Reckless Love [cover] 189 Daryl Hall & John Oates - Out Of Touch 188 Christina Perri - Arms 187 Rachael Fahim - What I Don't Know 186 Kira Isabella - Shake It If Ya Got It 185 Cimorelli - I Can Only Imagine / What A Beautiful Name [cover] 184 Baylor Wilson - Daddy's Girl 183 Koralyst - Run Away 182 Runner Runner - So Obvious 181 Cimorelli - Never Let Me Fall 180 Oblivious Signal - Crash 179 April Kry - While We're Young 178 Kerrie Roberts - Come Back to Life 177 Lindsay Pagano - Everything U R 176 Cimorelli - Easy To Forget Me 175 Luke Bryan - I Don't Want This Night To End 174 Skillet - Hero 173 Third Eye Blind - Never Let You Go 172 Lifehouse - Hanging By A Moment 171 Five Finger Death Punch - I Apologize 170 Walk In Darkness - A Way To The Stars 169 Zac Brown Band - My Old Man 168 Cimorelli - Pretty Pink 167 Chris Young - Who I Am With You 166 Kobra & The Lotus - Light Me Up 165 Ashentide - Homelands 164 Lindsey Carrier - I Would 163 Britney Spears - Stronger 162 Aaron Shust - My Hope Is In You 161 Kenny Chesney - Rich & Miserable 160 Abi Ann - Future Ex-Boyfriend 159 Atlantis Bound - It Was My Fault For Waiting 158 LeAnn Rimes - How Do I Live 157 Shinedown - If You Only Knew 156 All That Remains - The Thunder Rolls 155 Cimorelli - One More Night 154 Matt Moore - Fading 153 Of Mice & Men - Feels Like Forever 152 Delta Goodrem - Believe Again 151 Matthew West - The Motions 150 Signum Regis - Come And Take It 149 Temperance - Of Jupiter And Moons 148 Unwritten Law - Seein' Red 147 Cimorelli - Fight Song [cover] 146 Ashley Tisdale - He Said She Said 145 Eclipses For Eyes - DeadWeight 144 M2M - Everything 143 Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway 142 Elferya - Fairytale 141 Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles 140 12 Stones - Broken 139 David Cook - Light On 138 Joanna Beasley - Energy 137 Adley Stump - Stay At Home Soldier 136 Carmen Justice - Flaming Arrows 135 Cimorelli - Hearts On Fire 134 Hollow Haze - An Ancient Story 133 Veracity - Back To Life 132 Against Myself - Through The End Of Times 131 Cassie Steele - Bluebird 130 Chris Young / Cassadee Pope - Think Of You 129 Cimorelli - I Got You 128 Sleeping Romance - Where The Light Is Bleeding 127 Starset - Carnivore 126 Tim McGraw - Humble And Kind 125 Helion Prime - Life Finds A Way 124 Cimorelli - Fall Back 123 Play - Us Against The World 122 The Ones You Forgot - Here Forever 121 Poison - Every Rose Has Its Thorn 120 Sirenia - Dim Days Of Dolor 119 Belinda - See A Little Light 118 Kelsea Ballerini - Peter Pan 117 Scene 23 - I Really Don't Think So 116 Within Silence - Heroes Must Return 115 Adora - Save Yourself 114 Christie Lamb - Judgment Day 113 Don Henley - The Boys Of Summer 112 Paula DeAnda / The Dey - Walk Away (Remember Me) 111 Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Keith Urban - Highway Don't Care 110 Roxette - Listen To Your Heart 109 Maggie Baugh - Catch Me 108 Hilary Duff - So Yesterday 107 Hinder - Better Than Me 106 Searching Alaska - Abandoner 105 Touchstone - Contact 104 Blameshift - Secrets 103 The Offspring - The Kids Aren't Alright 102 Trivium - Strife 101 Weezer - Pork And Beans 100 Zoe Ann - Better Than Revenge 99 Cimorelli - Hope For It 98 Love & The Outcome - King Of My Heart 97 Silversyde - Circus Circus 96 The Dirty Youth - Alive 95 Stone Sour - Bother 94 Lost In Atlantis - Hypnotic 93 Britt Nicole - Believe 92 Caroline Kole - If He'd Ever Look Up 91 Cellar Darling - Avalanche 90 Michelle Branch - All You Wanted 89 Seduce The Heaven - Reflection 88 No Secrets - That's What Girls Do 87 Cimorelli - Before October's Gone 86 Natalie - Goin' Crazy 85 Willa Ford - I Wanna Be Bad 84 April Kry - Perfectly Imperfect 83 Victoria Avenue - Knock Knock 82 Skillet - Rebirthing 81 Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box 80 3 Doors Down - Here Without You 79 Abi Ann - Matches 78 Stacie Orrico - I Promise 77 N Sync - Tearin' Up My Heart 76 Divine Ascension - Answers 75 Halflives - Crown 74 Lonestar - Amazed 73 Elisa - Come Speak To Me 72 All That Remains - What If I Was Nothing 71 Lights - Second Go 70 Tight Leash - Closer To God 69 Starset - Halo 68 Shiny Toy Guns - You Are The One 67 Melissa O'Neil - Speechless 66 Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful Of Sunshine 65 Skarlett Riot - The Wounded 64 Cimorelli - Alive 63 Joanna Beasley - Rooftops 62 Ashley Tisdale - It's Alright, It's OK 61 Bad Pollyanna - Hollow 60 Jump5 - Beautiful World 59 Soundgarden - Black Hole Sun 58 Rachael Fahim - Brake Lights 57 Krystal Meyers - The Beauty of Grace 56 Sleeping Romance - The Promise Inside 55 Crossfade - Cold 54 Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want 53 Lillix - It's About Time 52 P.O.D. - Alive 51 Fools For Rowan - Dead 50 Cimorelli - Good Enough 49 Pat Benatar - Love Is A Battlefield 48 April Kry - Beauty Queen 47 Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody 46 Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World 45 Pia Ashley - Dream 44 Goo Goo Dolls - Here Is Gone 43 Bryan Adams - Heaven 42 Lastwatch - The Countdown 41 The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight 40 Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars 39 Mixi - I Miss Those Days (Ghost) 38 Britney Spears - Born To Make You Happy 37 Kerrie Roberts - Outcast 36 1GN - While We're Young 35 M2M - Don't Say You Love Me 34 Cimorelli - Worth The Fight 33 Savvy & Mandy - Comin' Back As A Cowboy 32 Amaranthe - Hunger 31 Tori Darke - Disposable 30 Belinda & Finley - Your Hero 29 Hearts Under Fire - Knots 28 Eden's Crush - Get Over Yourself 27 Delain - Stardust 26 Stephanie McIntosh - So Do I Say Sorry First 25 'Song Suffragettes' Crew - Female [cover] 24 Caitlyn Shadbolt - Running In Circles 23 KSM - Read Between The Lines 22 Aerosmith - I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing 21 Kaylens Rain - Is That All There Is 20 Natalie Grant - I Will Not Be Moved 19 Victoria Avenue - Quit You 18 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me 17 Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer 16 Three Days Grace - Never Too Late 15 R.E.M. - Losing My Religion 14 Icon For Hire - Get Well 13 Dream - He Loves U Not 12 Pearl Jam - Jeremy 11 Megan & Liz - Simple Life 10 Within Temptation / Tarja - Paradise (What About Us?) 9 Creed - With Arms Wide Open 8 Tim McGraw - Live Like You Were Dying 7 Fuel - Hemorrhage (In My Hands) 6 Aly & AJ - Rush 5 Gary Allan - Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain) 4 Linkin Park - One Step Closer 3 Scorpions - Wind Of Change 2 Carrie Underwood - Blown Away 1 Cimorelli - You're Worth It

[wanderingnork]

For made-up-fic-title prompts: (1) Merlin’s Keys and the Puzzle Box; and (2) Something About a Bakery

(In reverse order!)

2. Something About a Bakery

Modern AU. Jacob Kowalski just wanted a quiet life, but somehow his bakery keeps attracting more and more outlandish characters. Newt Scamander runs in one day with an illegal pet cheetah he took from its abusive owners to hide in the pantry until the police and local humane society can get there. Local police officer Tina Goldstein chases a suspect straight through the bakery, leaping over the counter. Queenie Goldstein, her sister, comes and works on her novel at the table in the middle of the room--Jacob is pretty sure that she’s just writing about all the other patrons. A crew of religious protesters set up shop right outside the door, and the oldest son keeps coming in to buy food for everyone else. A guy Jacob’s pretty sure works for the FBI keeps holding shady meetings in the corner while drinking waaaaaaaaaaay too much coffee.

By some bizarre happenstance, all of these events turn out to be connected to the crooked dealings of Gellert Grindelwald, the local politician running for state governor--and one of the biggest threads? Everything happened in the middle of Jacob’s bakery. It’s got to be something in the air.

1. Merlin’s Keys and the Puzzle Box

SO. @luminis-infinite has this lovely OC, Percival Graves’ son Gabriel. I imagine that for this one, Gabriel stumbles across a box hidden in a bricked-over alcove in the cellar at the Graves estate. It’s a puzzle box, with a note atop it written in ancient script, that says that the box contains the keys to the legendary lost vault where the sorceress Nimue locked Merlin away.

Gabriel brings the box to his father, who’s never seen the thing before. After a little work--and help from Newt, who’s good with artifacts--they determine that the puzzle box is of the right age to really contain the keys. It appears that it was brought

Unfortunately, getting the box open to reach the keys is a whole other matter. Getting it open requires solving riddles and puzzles as well as placing in missing pieces of locks and sides--missing pieces which they don’t have, and riddles they can’t answer. Twenty separate puzzles, riddles, and missing pieces stand between them and the keys.

The quest to open the box will take Gabriel and his entire family--his father and his five surrogate parents, a group better known to the universe as the Suitcase Family--across the ocean to England, where they have to travel the length and breadth of the island, from the southern coast to the northern coast of Scotland, and to Wales and the ancestral Graves home in Ireland. 

They’ll visit Sutton Hoo to find a glittering gem hidden away in the ancient king’s burial hoard, the key to unlocking one side. They’ll visit Stonehenge to solve a puzzle relying on the movements of the sun and moon. Gabriel will finally pay a visit to Hogwarts, where they’ll search for a missing amulet that will unlock another side. They’ll delve into ancient hill forts to discover the answers to riddles in languages no one now speaks, break into the Tower of London to find a missing solution to one puzzle hidden in a manuscript kept in the Tower, and even more outlandish adventures.

And then they have to find the actual vault where Merlin lies buried, hindered by two very big problems. First, the vault is supposed to be located on the legendary island of Avalon, which no one has ever been able to find. Second, it turns out that Nimue might not really have been dead, and she’s taken serious exception to all this meddling.

In the final moments, while the rest of the family holds off Nimue and her minions, it’s up to Gabriel to solve the final puzzle of the box, retrieve the key, and unlock the vault which might well contain the still-living Merlin, the greatest wizard who ever lived...

[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/7-brisbane-wine-bars-and-urban-wineries-worth-your-thirst/

7 Brisbane wine bars and urban wineries worth your thirst

Wine and bar. The two go together like brie and prosciutto, summer and rosé. But just because a bar has a wine list does not make it a wine bar. No no. A wine bar, when done well, is a thing of true beauty. Think small and intimate, with dimmed lighting and a curated list of different varietals from regions across Australia and the world, just waiting for you to taste them.

Brisbane may be the home of XXXX but its residents’ love for grapes has hit fever pitch. Here are some of the city’s best wine bars.

Arc Wine Bar

This latest offering from the Howard Smith Wharves crew is sophisticated and refined, while still being relaxed. Located at the New Farm end of the precinct, it offers uninterrupted views of the Story Bridge and CBD skyline. Step onto the timber deck and pull up a seat at one of the beautiful pink marble tables, which are complemented by matching-coloured menus.

As if the view and the Anna Spiro décor weren’t enough, the wine list has been prepared by sommelier Ian Trinkle, who won best wine list of the year in 2018 at Aria Brisbane. He’s brought together his favourite producers and drops from around Australia and Europe, including Cobaw Ridge in the Macedon Ranges and NSW’s Jilly Wines, who have come up with a private label just for the venue.

Arc Wine Bar is the perfect place for people who love good wine, or who want to learn all about it.

Where: 5 Boundary St, Brisbane City

Prefer you wind-down drinks with a view? Head here for a list of Brisbane’s rooftop bars.

City Winery

Brisbane’s first urban winery since the 1800s opened its doors in the old Campos Coffee warehouse in Fortitude Valley just this month. Owners Adam Penberthy and winemaker Dave Cush have transformed the space to include a 70-seat restaurant, as well as a cellar and private dining room but the hero is the cellar door, winery and barrel room, which by night turns into a wine bar.

The expansive space at the front of the venue, with its bi-fold doors that allow it to flow into the courtyard, is unlike anything else in Brisbane. It’s also just the third urban winery currently in Australia.

The bar features wines from City Winery’s brand, Gerler Wines. Cush, a former Tasmanian winemaker, knows how to make good vino. He sources the best grapes for his varietals – which most recently included fiano, chardonnay, vermentino, grenache mataro and shiraz – from all over Australia.

Where: 11 Wandoo St, Fortitude Valley

Carl’s Wine Bar and Cafe

City Winery’s little brother opened in late 2018 as part of a plan to introduce people to Gerler Wines before the cellar door’s big reveal. But it’s been so successful it’s now become a permanent fixture of the Newstead bar scene.  

The small Wyandra Street venue is modern but elegantly quaint. All the focus is on the wines mentioned above, which are highlighted on individual shelves perched on a blackboard wall at the rear of the space.

Each are available by the glass or the bottle (to have there or takeaway) but they also do tastings. The food should also not be overlooked. Featuring a selection of small and large share plates, most of the ingredients are sourced directly from a Granite Belt farm and put on a bus within hours of being picked.

Put this place on your to-do list for a sneaky mid-week dinner or a weekend date night.

Where: 1/22 Wyandra St, Teneriffe

Beer more your scene? Head here for Brisbane’s ultimate craft beer crawl.

Greenglass

It’s easy to forget you’re just a staircase away from the hustle and bustle of George Street in the CBD when you’ve got a glass in hand here. With its high ceilings and wooden floors, the expansive French bistro resembles a New York loft. But when it comes to the wine list – which is rotated weekly – it’s Aussies only.

Small batch and boutique producers like Mac Forbes, Somos Wines and Honey Moon Vineyard take centre stage, with everything on offer available to buy through the owners’ Spoken Wine website. Pick from the menu or stroll down the length of the bar and pick a bottle at random.

These guys also love to teach people about the different wines on offer and the people who make them, so keep an eye out for their epic winemaker dinners.

Where: 336 George St, Brisbane

Cru Bar & Cellar

This mainstay of Fortitude Valley’s James Street precinct still draws a crowd every day of the week. Toddle up to the bar and take a seat on one of the dusty pink velvet stools or grab a table outside and do a spot of people watching in the cool breeze. Day or night, Cru Bar has a buzz about it.

If you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion with a back vintage, this is the place to do it. The wine list is extensive and features bottles from all over the world, with an onus on Australia, France and Italy. It’s broken down by varietal and country, with 30 available by the glass.

Cru Bar also uses the Coravin system, which allows wine lovers to sample limited and aged wines without oxidising the rest of the bottle. Hello, Penfolds Grange!

The food menu is available all day and is designed to share. Don’t leave without trying the hoisin chicken and char sui pork spring rolls. If you’ve got any room left for mains, take your pick out of local banana prawns, Black Angus eye fillet and confit duck with Paris mash and broccoli with speck as sides.

Where: 22 James St, Fortitude Valley

La Lune Wine Co

Everything about this bar oozes French sophistication. Even the name – translation: ‘The Moon’ – has a romanticism about it. The wine bar opened on Fish Lane at South Brisbane a few years ago and has become popular with those with a love for the finer things in life. Like good wine.

Bottles line the wooden shelves behind the marble bar, while those available by Coravin are written in cursive black pen along white tiles. Sheer floor-to-ceiling curtains gently separate the outside world, making it feel like you’ve walked into a bar in downtown Paris.

While it’s perfectly acceptable to drop into La Lune for a quick tipple, we suggest making it a longer affair; think Sunday lunch or a date night. Their five-course tasting menu is a steal at $50 on weekends and $60 during the week. Add wine pairs for $40 extra. Oui oui.

Where: Shop 3/109 Melbourne St, South Brisbane

Clapham Junction Wine Bar Provisions

The northern suburb of Banyo (15kms from the city) is probably not where you’d expect to find an urban wine bar, let alone one with such old-world charm. But push through the old red doors and it’s like stepping back in time to a 1920s speakeasy, where jazz ruled and cocktails were a work of art.

Settle in for an intimate dinner for two at one of the small tables or spend a night with friends at one of the high bars.

With Champagne cork-embellished wallpaper it’s hard to go past a bottle of sparkling, but wines available by the glass include the 3 Drops riesling from Mount Barker in WA, a rose from France’s Loire Valley and a shiraz cabernet from Angas and Bremer in SA.

Cured meats and cheeses reign supreme here. Buy one or five at a time, accompanied by generous serves of warmed baguettes, crackers, pickled vegetables and chutney. Save room for the ANZAC biscuit with toasted coconut, dark chocolate gelato and mango puree for dessert.

Where: 17 Royal Parade, Banyo

Something stronger, perhaps? Head here for Brisbane bars with cocktail flair.

What are your favourite Brisbane wine bars? Tell us in the comments below.

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[callunavulgari]

SCRAPBOOK 2017 - TAKE TWO

Scrapbook for the second half of 2017, because tumblr doesn’t like it when you have a million links on one post.

Italicized titles = enjoyed muchly, bold titles = love, titles with an asterisk* = OBSESSION and titles in (brackets) are re-watches/re-reads. And lastly, strikethough = DISLIKE.

Goals are: read thirty-five new books this year (yikes, way behind), finish four video games (definitely on track here), finish writing and publish the Sabriel AU (eh heh), and write something original (does coming up with the idea count?). 

MOVIES

June

Wonder Woman

(Doctor Strange)

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Bronson

Chocolat

Tristan and Isolde

(Moana)

Power Rangers

July

Spiderman: Homecoming

Mona Lisa Smile

Baby Driver

(Logan)

Ouija: Origins of Evil

(Star Wars: Rogue One)

Passengers

Atomic Blonde

King and I

Stranded

August

The Sixth Sense

(Armageddon)

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

9

(The Princess Diaries)

(X-Men: Apocalypse)

Legend

(Silent Hill)

BOOKS

June:

Authority | Jeff Vandermeer

July:

Authority | Jeff Vandermeer 

The Secret History | Donna Tarte

A Wrinkle In Time | Madeline L’Engle [Fin]

The Archived | Victoria Schwab [Fin]

Scythe | Neal Shusterman  [Fin]

Shadow and Bone | Leigh Bardugo [Fin]

August

Siege and Storm | Leigh Bardugo [Fin]

Less | Andrew Sean Greer

Authority | Jeff Vandermeer

A Wind In The Door |  Madeline L’Engle [Fin]

PODCASTS

June:

The Bright Sessions Eps 31-32

Alice Isn’t Dead Eps 3-4

Welcome to Night Vale 1-3

July:

Alice Isn’t Dead Eps 4-5

EOS 10 Eps 1-3

August

N/A

TV SHOWS BY SEASON

June:

Grace and Frankie

American Gods

(Stranger Things)

How to Get Away With Murder s2

Black Sails s2

July:

Black Sails s2

Grace and Frankie

Stargate SG-1 s2, s3

Doctor Who s8

The Strain

Boku no Hero Academia 

August

Westworld

Voltron s3

Game of Thrones s7

The Strain

Yamishibai

Jerry Springer  (Vacation w/ boyfriend’s family. Brother and friends are awful.)

VIDEO GAMES

June:

LoZ: Breath of the Wild (Definitely more than 40 hrs; Fin)

Dishonored 2 (Corvo Playthrough, 7 hrs)

Witcher 3 (15 hrs?)

July:

Witcher 3 (15 hrs?)

(Final Fantasy XV, 2 hrs)

August

(Final Fantasy XV, 2 hrs)

DELIGHTFUL FIC

June:

Running on Air by eleventy7 (HP; Drarry; 75k;  Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.)

Slithering by astolat (HP; Drarry; 27k;  Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.)

Bitter Honey, Green Night by Faith Wood (faithwood) (HP; Drarry; 14k;  An inn, an Auror, a criminal, a mystery.)

Hermione Granger's Hogwarts Crammer for Delinquents on the Run by waspabi (HP; Drarry; 93k;  'You're a wizard, Harry' is easier to hear from a half-giant when you're eleven, rather than from some kids on a tube platform when you're seventeen and late for work.)

Stately Homes of Wiltshire by waspabi (HP; Drarry; 57k; Malfoy Manor has mould, dry rot and an infestation of unusually historical poltergeists. Harry Potter is on the case.)

stranger things than polyamory by trepan (Stranger Things; Jonathon/Steve/Nancy; 3.5k;  Somebody spray-paints NANCY WHEELER HAS TWO BOYFRIENDS on a wall she walks by on her way back from school in May. There are a couple of other students watching her as she passes. Nancy gives the sign a long look, then smirks at them politely.)

the heart its own rough animal by trepan (Stranger Things; Jonathon/Nancy/Steve; 21k;  “Where’s her daemon,” says one of the boys urgently. “Guys, she doesn’t have one.”)

in the bone by patho (ghostsoldier) (Dishonored; Corvo/Outsider; 2.8k;  It all began when Corvo started kissing the Mark for luck.)

The Sea and Stars Are Yours, My Dear, But the Moon Would Not Cooperate by NeverwinterThistle (Dishonored; Corvo/Outsider; 25k; The Outsider explores the murky seas of human courtship while Corvo watches in bemusement, and in the background Emily draws, Callista takes charge, Piero sulks, and Cecelia accidentally becomes indispensable. There's also a plague, a vase of asparagus, and about a hundred singing whales who randomly showed up in the harbour one evening.The squid is still wriggling.)

apocrypha by aerynlallaboso (Dishonored; Corvo/Outsider; 95k+; WIP;  The Eighth year of the reign of Empress Emily Kaldwin, First of her Name, the second year without a whisper from the Outsider, is the year the Void chooses to mark the end of an era.)

a small soft death by patho (ghostsoldier) (Dishonored; Corvo/Outsider; 2.8k; “The finest steel,” the Outsider says, “is forged with true purpose in mind. Elements that enhance the strength of the weapon are carefully chosen, and those that make the metal brittle and weak are burned away. It is an exacting process. The most beautiful dagger will be of no use at all if the steel is not properly tempered. Do you understand?”)

in·car·nate by bygoneboy (Dishonored; Corvo/Outsider; 21k; The Void’s Chosen have loved him before.)

The Crown of the Summer Court by astolat (Merlin; Merlin/Arthur; 24k;  "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court.")

the king of oak by saltpans (HP: FBAWTFT; Credance/Percival Graves; 38k; The first thing Percival Graves does after being released back into the world is buy a new wand.)

Hi, You Were My Husband in Another Life, Professor by littlebirdtold (Star Trek; Spirk; 48k; Um, hi. I'm Jim. Jim Kirk. You don't know me, but I know you. Well, sort of. It's a long story.)

  Bluebird by waldorph (Star Trek; Spirk; 7k; Jim whipped around so fast most of his drink ended up on Spock, who was reaching for the phaser that wasn’t there. The Enterprise crew was parting like the biblical seas before Moses, and Jim could feel the temperature dropping. “Mom,” Jim croaked.)

Misethere by astolat (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 46k; Emhyr was looking at him for once, with a strange expression. “I have misjudged you,” he said, sounding irritated actually: how dare Geralt surprise him.“I get that a lot,” Geralt said.)

Blooded Crown by astolat (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 24k; “You need not thank me,” Emhyr said. “I have an ulterior motive.”It annoyed Geralt to be surprised. He should’ve known from the start. “Yeah?” The words came out with a little bite. “Have another daughter you need me to track down?”“If I wished to hire you, I would hire you,” Emhyr said. “No: I want you to come to my bed.”)

Cursed by astolat (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 8k;  Geralt was reasonably sure this was the worst damn day of the worst damn month of his life, and it hadn’t hit bottom yet.)

July:

The War of Silver and Ash by astolat (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 15k; He hadn’t come here with a contract. He’d come here to get the faces out of his head: the bloodless dead sprawled in heaps through the streets of Beauclair, the morning after the rampage Detlaff had unleashed; the blank eyes of the boy in the orphanage tilting his head to let Orianna drink from his throat, with the lullaby she’d been singing him still hanging in the air.Wasn’t working that well so far.)

A Year In Toussaint by astolat (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 30k; Geralt had no damn idea what to do with a vineyard when Anna Henrietta gave him Corvo Bianco, but he figured it couldn’t be that bad.)

circling by xpityx (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 5k; Emhyr sighed, as if Geralt’s lack of immediate understanding was a fundamental failure of his character.)

Running Behind by Asidian (FFXV; Prompto/Noctis; WIP;  There's a tag hanging on his storage pod, instead of the clipboard that documents his progress. On that tag, there's a single word stamped in red: defective.)

Toys by astolat (Lucifer; Lucifer/Chloe; 2k; “You want to fuck me!” he said gleefully.)

Emblazoning by astolat (Merlin; OT4; 19k; Morgana turned away from the high, barred window and rubbed her arms, chilled and bare. Arthur was sitting in the dirty straw at the very limit of his chains, which kept him a few inches too far away to touch Merlin's limp body. Outside they were putting up the stake.)

Redemption Merry Go-Round by astolat (Lucifer; Lucifer/Dan/Chloe; 8k;  Dan was deeply sorry for whatever he’d done in his life that had landed him in this mess, and also reasonably sure that despite all the shit he’d pulled in the last couple of years, he still didn’t deserve this.)

wild peaches by notbecauseofvictories (The Labyrinth; Sarah/Goblin King; 3k;  The morning after Sarah Williams defeats the Goblin King, she gets up and makes toast.)

where the weeds take root by beenghosting (Supernatural; Destiel; 30k+;  “Are you happy? Y’know. Just—being here,” Dean says, gesturing to the yard with his beer bottle. “Being with—I mean, you used to fight in celestial wars and—and save the world. Now you’re growing vegetables and talking about chickens.”)

damnatio memoriae by temporalDecay (Witcher 3; Geralt/Emhyr; 12k;  “May I walk the estate?” Emhyr repeated, and his nose crinkled in that familiar twitch of displeasure that Geralt had always secretly delighted in causing, despite how downright suicidal it was to invoke it on purpose. “I'm not going to run away,” he added, with a slight glare. “I'm merely bored.”)

Heart and Home by lc2l (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 97k; In an alternate Paris, werewolves occupy the majority of the ruling classes, making and adjusting policy to suit their interests. The punishments for a human attacking a werewolf can be brutal, unless they have the protection of a wolf pack.How this translates to 'claim Grantaire as your mate to get him out of prison' is something Enjolras is still trying to get his head around, but he's never been one to give up on a cause even when it's sleeping on his sofa.)

August

How the Future's Done by barricadeur (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 12k;  "Grantaire," he says slowly. "What do you have in that box?")

vocal ink by sarahyyy (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 3k; “Officially, we don’t have a leader, everyone here is equal,” Courfeyrac says, keeping his voice low as Enjolras starts his speech, “but if we did, and we don’t, it would be Enjolras.” He looks over to Marius. “Do not approach him. Let him come to you, let him be the first to initiate conversation, and for the love of God, do not mention soulmates.”)

Years Since It's Been Clear by lady_ragnell (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 10k;  Grantaire really doesn't expect Enjolras to force him to move in with him when he hears how shitty Grantaire's apartment is. And he definitely doesn't expect Enjolras to want him to stay, or how easy it turns out to be, or the way Enjolras has a habit of doing his studying in the sunshine on the living room floor ...)

Tolerable (Inuyasha; Sesshomaru&Miroku; 30k; “The scent is not entirely unpleasant.”)

Silence Is the Speech of Love by lady_ragnell (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 50k; Grantaire's life has a pattern: he pays his respects to Aphrodite, he goes to work, he loves Enjolras and provokes him because he can't bring himself to do otherwise.)

The Five Year Plan by Neery (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 16k;  Enjolras loses his memory. Thankfully, nothing unexpected seems to have happened to him in the five years he can't remember. Well, except for the boyfriend. The boyfriend's kind of a surprise.)

dance this silence down (the emergency room remix) by Fahye (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 54k;  He's sitting in a car with all of his belongings in the back seat and his hands wrapped around the steering wheel, admitting to himself that a stupid, dizzy firework of a one-night-stand with a man he'd barely known is one of the only bright memories he has right now.)

World Ain't Ready by idiopathicsmile (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 185k; Enjolras presses his lips together. He already looks pained, and Grantaire hasn't even opened his mouth yet. That's got to be a record, even for them."I need a favor," he says at last)**

  The Ghost of You by luchia (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 25k; Grantaire moves into an apartment inhabited by a poltergeist. Enjolras haunts him, and Grantaire should really win an award for most complicated relationship status ever.)

box of secrets by nightswatch (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 53k;  Grantaire leaves his doodles all over the place. Enjolras collects them without knowing who drew them.)

Yes, Sir by mikkimouse (Voltron; Sheith; 8k; "Are you all ready to get started?""Yes, sir!" twenty voices answered in unison.Shiro's stomach flipped at the words. Oh, no.The soulmark on his right wrist burned, confirmation that his soulmate was one of the twenty people who'd just uttered the phrase.)

despite what you've been told by caseyvalhalla (Yuri On Ice; Yuuri/Viktor; 14k; When Victor falls, he goes down hard.)

these things take time by sonhoedesrazao (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 63k;  He’s always wary of making assumptions; even more so when Grantaire is concerned. He knows he’s not the easiest person to deal with. People either like him or can’t stand him, and it’s easy to respond to those reactions, but Grantaire—Grantaire is hostile and mocking, Grantaire scorns his beliefs, and Grantaire stays.)

In the End We Have Each Other by samyazaz (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 50k; what startles Enjolras the most is that he manages approximately half a step through the door into the back room where they all meet before Grantaire rattles his glass down on the table in the back that he's taken for his own and drawls, "Is there something you forgot to tell us, Apollo?"That silences the room, predictably enough. Everyone breaks off their conversations and swivels to stare at him. At him, and at the baby carrier that he's got hooked over one arm.)

True Colors by lady_ragnell (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 4k;  The first thing that catches Enjolras's eye when he enters the Musain Cafe for the first time is the walls. They're a dull black that it takes him a moment to realize must be chalkboard paint, because near the tables there are words and doodles, and all over, even the erased sections are stained with faint colored marks like the walls have soulmarks.)

Hit Me With Your Best Shot by tellthemstories (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantaire; 10k; Fourteen times Grantaire tried to kill Enjolras.And one time he fell in love.)

RSVP (+1) by tellthemstories (Les Mis; Enjolras/Grantire; 21k;  When Enjolras is invited to Marius and Cosette’s wedding, he fully intends to ignore the ‘plus one’ on the invite. He’s busy at work and he has a lot on - he doesn’t have time for relationships. What he doesn’t expect is for Grantaire to invite himself along and then hit it off immediately with all of his friends.)

always there to remind you by estora, taywen (Dishonored; Corvo/Daud; 8k;  Later, after he had killed a number of people for coin, but before he killed so many that he lost count, Daud was glad he had no mark. No soulmate deserved to have his words marked on their skin.)

( Watercast by Fishwrites (Voltron; Lance/Keith; 96k; WIP;  Shiro has been a Galra prisoner for over a year; with his flight feathers clipped and unable to fly. Desperate to escape, he jumps overboard while being transported to the capitol on a Galran ship. Lance is a merman who saves him from drowning. Keith thinks Shiro is about to become mermaid dinner. Hunk just wants Lance to stop going to the surface all the time, dammit!))

DELIGHTFUL FANVIDS

June:

Multifandom || Tessellate (TYS: round2)

Multifandom || Bleeding out (collab w/ KatrinDepp)

Multifandom || Is this Real?

Multifandom || Insane Like Me (TYS: round1)

Multifandom │ Warriors

July:

the beast of america | percival graves

Get You Killed || Percival Graves

Percival Graves - Hit & Run

► Graves (+Credence) | Are You Insane Like Me?

Credence Barebone/Percival Graves || And I wanna fight, But I can't contend

[FIREFLY] - She always did love to dance

[Multifandom] - Dance with me

The Last of Us || Can't Pretend

The Walking Dead || Bottom of the River

Multifandom || Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight

Doctor Who (Logan Style)

Spider-Man (Peter Parker) // Everybody Loves Me

Iron Man (Tony Stark) // Gold

In The Flesh | we're gonna die, die, die

In The Flesh || We're Alone Now

Fantastic Beasts || Step into the light

Stranger Things|| Knocking On Heaven's Door

Jonathan & Nancy|| Tighten Up

Multifandom|| Stuck.Broken.Dead.

[Multifandom] - One Word

Marvel | Human

percival graves | can't hold us

August

Hela // Castle

grantaire & enjolras - help me kill the president

Game of Thrones || Blood of My Blood (for 60k)

(GoT) House Stark | The North Remembers

(GoT) Jaime Lannister | Oathbreaker

Jonathan Byers || I'm not like everybody else

Uptown Funk || Marvel Universe

MARVEL || Can't hold us

GLITTER & GOLD || Multifandom [HNY●2017]

I'M SO SORRY | Marvel Cinematic Universe

David Haller [Legion] | Dysfunctional

(Legion) It's Better When it Feels Wrong

unless you make it real [Legion]

not today [yuri on ice]

Haikyuu!! || not today

Multifandom | Tame Your Demons (w/SnowLightxx)

Six Of Crows - Trouble

marvel || battle royale

(GoT) Jon Snow | The Targaryen Wolf

Arya Stark // See What I've Become

(GoT) Jon Snow || The Wolf With Dragon's Blood

MARVEL/DC || BORN ready 

DELIGHTFUL MUSIC

June:

Johnny Hollow - Boogeyman

Sia - To Be Human feat. Labrinth

Lorde - Green Light

The National - "Don't Swallow the Cap"

The Growlers - "I'll Be Around"

The xx - I Dare You

Phantogram - Fall In Love

alt J - In Cold Blood

And I Waited All Night For You To Come, But You Never Did

Sia - The Greatest

Hopeless Fountain Kingdom - Halsey (Album)

History - Monakr

Wildcat! Wildcat! - Relentless (feat. Wynne)

Ingrid Michaelson - In the Sea

Cities in Dust Lyrics- The Everlove

Prides - Messiah

ODESZA - It's Only (feat. Zyra)

Metric - Breathing Underwater

Purity Ring - Sea Castle

Hundreds - Fighter

Labyrinth Ear - Urchin

Rasputina - Dig Ophelia

Sóley - Fight Them Soft

Soap&Skin - Boat Turns Toward The Port

CocoRosie - R.I.P. Burn Face

AURORA - Nature Boy

July:

Hamilton Soundtrack

Karen O - I Shall Rise

Miracle of Sound - Lady of Worlds 

Annie Lennox - I Put A Spell On You

Woodkid - IRON (Sara cover)

Peronal Yeezus By Chambaland (Atomic Blonde Trailer Music)

Kesha - Praying

twenty one pilots: Screen

Lemaitre - Higher

Regina Spektor-Blue Lips

Zaz - Les Passants

Katie Costello - Stranger

Arctic Monkeys - Knee Socks

Silversun Pickups - The Pit

If I Apologized - Mirrormask 

August

Les Mis - One Day More

Les Mis - Red and Black

Les Mis - Do You Hear the People Sing

Les Mis - Epilogue

Sleeping At Last - Mars

Hozier - Take Me To Church

Lynrd Skynrd - Freebird

You - Keaton Henson

Radical Face - All Is Well (It’s Only Blood)

Valerie Broussard - Trouble

Erutan - The Willow Maid

Imagine Dragons - Gold

Imagine Dragons - Thunder

Which Witch - Florence & the Machine

Paint It, Black - Ramin Djawadi

Honor For All - Dishonored

Daniel Licht - The Return

Patrick Wolf - Teignmouth 

Ballet Breakup - RvB

WRITTEN FIC

June:

it's warm, this skin i'm living in (SGA; Rodney/John; 1,170 words; When he is thirty-seven years old, John Sheppard thinks about the universe.

it's good to be in love, it really does suit you (KH; Sora/Riku/Kairi; 1,694 words; “We’ve done dangerous before.” Sora shrugs. “Getting a mortgage was dangerous, but we did it anyway.”)

a hazy shade of winter (Stranger Things; Steve/Nancy/Jonathan; 1,863 words; In November, they build a tree house.)

July:

can't deny your appetite (SGA; Rodney/John; 4,031 words; John finds out that there’s a vampire in Atlantis the day after they’ve stepped through the gate.He finds out that the vampire in question is Rodney McKay four weeks later, when they’re all hunkered down in the yawning shadow of some crumbling ruins and Rodney looks at him, his eyes eerily bright in the darkness, sees the blood on John’s face, and says, “Oh.”)

August

caught off guard by you (FFXV; Prompto/Noctis; 1,671 words;  “I just got you back,” Prompto says quietly, words muffled into the curve of Noctis’s neck.)

take me to church (Teen Wolf; Sterek; 3,129 words;  Derek scoffs. “You want to take me back to Quantico.”)

FANMIXES/GRAPHICS

June:

N/A

July:

the salt water sting:  wor·ship | noun | the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.

The Flash | Fire Fire [Vid]

August

love has no heart: A mix for those with no hearts.

i believe in you: You love him. The story still ends.

January.

February.

March.

April.

May.

June.

July.

August.