#chaptered: ain't even jealousy

[b0ther]

ain't even jealousy

you fucking hate the basketball team, but there's no one you hate more than aomine.

pairing : aomine daiki x reader (feminine pronouns. afab) rating : explicit, not safe for work (sexual content) type : chaptered tags : aomine is a bully im not even kidding he is quite cruel, porn with PLOT, reader is besties with satsuki, reader also has a crush on imayoshi, reader also was wakamatsu's ex, hate sex, semi-public sex, manhandling, vaginal penetration, thigh fucking, semi-clothed sex, some slutshaming going on here, reader has big tits, slight dubcon. word count : 4,323

author's note : title from 'want u back' by cher lloyd. this is comissioned by a dear friend. hope you enjoy mwah. this first chapter (and whole fic im ngl) is centered around the onsen episode.

( masterlist │ ask/request │ ao3 )

After a long and hard day at school, all that you ever really want to do is to quickly get to your part-time job and finish up your shift. Perhaps you can get some convenient store food after that, or go straight home to shower and rest.

Whatever it is that you daydreamed of, it wasn't this.

Satsuki calls out to you, her voice soft against the bristling wind with her lithe arms circle around yours as you try to walk away, dragging her body forcefully with you. She whines your name over and over again, over the beating speaker against your ears before you finally had enough, ripping your headphones off your head, turning to face her.

“Satsuki!” You try to sound stern, but you end up whining in the same tone that she used. You can only be so serious as a high school girl, after all.

Her pink strands fall against her face messily; you use your other hand to tuck them behind her ear as she elongates the way she enunciates your name and begs, begs, begs you to listen to her. “Please! Just—”

“Satsuki!” You groan, shaking her off your body. “I’m busy. I have a part-time job, I’m failing maths, I have club activities. I can’t just… ditch everything and go !”

“You can!” It’s like she was not listening to a single word that you uttered. “It’s a month away and on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—which you can begin asking for a leave day starting today , they will definitely let you if you do it a month in advance!—and maths!? That’s easy! I’ll teach you!”

You slant your eyes at her, arms crossing on your chest. “Alright. What about my club activities?”

“You mean your journalist club? One that encourages their members to leave their comfort zone in order to bring back interesting stories? One that basically has a crush on the basketball team?”

You roll your eyes. “Oh, don’t be dramatic.”

She gasps. “Don’t you love me!?”

“Don’t do this to me…”

“If you love me at all, you wouldn’t even think twice about going with me. Imagine me, a girl, going alone on an all-boys’ trip to some secluded place—”

“You’re being dramatic—” You tried reiterating your point.

“I’m not!” She whines, even louder this time, attracting attention from all the other Touou students around you. “You literally have nothing to lose by coming along! Give me five reasons—five good reasons—and I will literally stop bothering you.”

You shake her off again, and this time, Satsuki lets go and stumbles back a couple of steps as the mischief on her eye continues to shimmer. You have never lost an argument to Satsuki—but there is a first for everything, and you have a feeling that you are going to break some personal records today.

“First,” you take a deep breath as you hold up a finger. “Aomine’s gonna be there—”

“Perfect!” Not giving you a chance to speak, she cuts you off, eyes glimmering like starlight. “You like him!”

She strikes a nerve with this one.

One of your eyes twitches as you cross your arms under your chest. The excited smile on her face fades in an instant, recognizing in an instant that something is wrong.

Recognizing in an instant that something she should have known about is wrong.

She blinks a couple of times, trying to use all that intelligence in her head to analyse the error in what she said (which turns out pretty useless—guess all that she is good for is basketball).

“Have you been paying attention at all?” You begin to blabber after letting out a huge gasp, arms waving around in the air. “We’ve been friends for years— years ! Since the first year of middle school, and you know nothing of  my strong, burning opinion of Aomine!? Flash news, Satsuki, it’s not love!”

“You—” She stammers, “You talk about him a lot!”

“I complain about him a lot!” You correct her, blowing out air in frustration, feeling somewhat betrayed that your best friend had just accused you of liking your archnemesis… your enemy… your… your rival.

The point is! You hate him!

You would rather live in a world without television and the internet and good music if it means that you will have to never hear him say another word.

Aomine.

You shiver in annoyance.

Just saying his name irks the hell out of you. Imagining his face causes a feeling close to that of an explosion in your chest. You just wanna grab him by his face and shove him down a flight of stairs.

You cannot even count all the shitty things he did to you in high school: revealing your crush on Nijimura Shuuzou not just to the then-basketball team captain, but the entire student body; tripping you in the cafeteria multiple times; stealing your undergarments during P.E. and commenting crassly about how you were two sizes under his favourite adult model. Granted, you never told Satsuki about the last thing. That shit was just too embarrassing—you were glad that no one else was in the room when he threw your bra back at you.

Still, your frustration remains at her. Jogging down memory lane boils your wrath, and you close your eyes to calm yourself down.

He’s just a bully.

A damned bully.

And you would be damned if you are going to willingly spend your weekends in the same vicinity as him.

“Well… Dai-chan likes you!”

You roll your eyes.

Yeah, right.

You would agree if she had claimed that he found you attractive, or he thinks you’re hot. But liking you? Highly improbable—impossible, even.

Aomine Daiki does not seem like he is capable of feeling any emotion aside from boredom and mischief. The only thing he loves, or even likes, is probably his beloved Aya-chan from his gravure magazines.

You’re not even sure if he still likes basketball.

Which is a shame—seeing someone so tall gradually shrinking to the size of nothing, even if you despise the guy, the whole ordeal with whatever-the-fuck Satsuki’s basketball team went through still managed to extract some sympathy from the bottom of your heart. You’ve been paying attention to Aomine, after all, albeit not under any positive light.

“Whatever,” from past experiences, you know better than to argue against Satsuki. “I don’t care anymore. And you know what? Aomine himself and your blatant disregard of your best friend’s feelings—me!—should be enough to fit all five criterias!”

You know that look in her eyes, the way her lips press against each other and how one of her hands is clenched into a fist. 

“I’ve been friends with him for 16 years, (Y/N),” she bumps her fist against her chest in pride. “Best friends, even! I know him better than you do!”

You scoff. “People who like someone don’t bully them, Satsuki. Open your eyes.”

“He isn’t bullying you!” She groans.

“Oh, so now not only are you attempting to kidnap me, but you’re also defending my bully?”

“Argh!” Satsuki hugs your arm again, earning her a groan from you. She calls out your name again, enunciating each and every syllable. “ Pleeeaaaaseeee? You don’t have to pay a single dime! You don’t even have to see Dai-chan if you want to. Imayoshi-san will be there—you like him, right?”

You slant your eyes at her in suspicion, not buying anything she just told you. You just know that you will have to see Aomine sooner or later if you come with her to the onsen. 

“No man is ever worth that much headache, Satsuki.”

“Yeah,” she sighs, still shaking you ferociously. “But it’s Imayoshi-san!”

You decided to come along. Because of course you did.

It’s either that, or Satsuki pestering you for the rest of the month, bringing either Imayoshi or Aomine or whoever she thinks will get your attention.

And Imayoshi Shouichi? Sure. He’s hot as hell.

But is he worth dealing with Aomine?

You like to think not.

Satsuki dragged you along to a basketball team meeting—the one that would be discussing the practice trip and the whole onsen ordeal.

It wasn’t like you needed to be there at all. You know just a little more than the average person about basketball. All that you were preparing for the onsen was your clothes and deciding whether it’s you or Satsuki who should be bringing her hairdryer.

“Why me?” You said, crossing your arms when the attention of the entire basketball team was redirected towards you, and Imayoshi laughed. The only problem they were facing was convincing Aomine to come along.

And you were happy with not being the babysitter. You were happy with twiddling your skirt as you sat on the edge of the stage of the hall, scrolling down your social media timeline as the team argued on how to get that blue-haired freak into coming.

That was until Satsuki ruined your afternoon by offering up your name.

To your surprise, everyone in the team seemingly agreed almost immediately to offer you as a sacrificial lamb to feed Aomine’s ego and coax him to at least come to the trip.

“He likes you,” Wakamatsu scoffed when you asked why, and you glared at him, but said nothing. Out of respect, you guess, to the upperclassman. It’s not like you respect him, though. You’re on bad terms with a lot of the basketball team, but no matter your disagreements with Wakamatsu, you will never dislike him the way you loathe Aomine.

“He does have a soft spot for you,” Imaoyshi mused as he flashed you a smile—and lord , you cannot say no to Imayoshi. Especially when he’s being so nice.

You saw Satsuki smirking from the corner of your eyes and internally cursed her.

That was how you found yourself climbing the ladder leading to the rooftop. 

And that was how you found Aomine with one hand between his backpack and head, and the other holding an obscene magazine.

He doesn’t even spare you a single glance—probably thought you were another manager or even worse: Satsuki again. But the moment you open your mouth to call out to him, his head snaps in your direction, an eyebrow raised in amusement as he pushes himself to rest his body against his elbows.

“What are you doing here?”

You try not to let your rage spill. You try to keep the boiling water down. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, and continue to climb the ladder before approaching him.

Think rational, you think to yourself, he hadn’t even said anything yet.

“The Captain wants to see you,” you manage to say between your gritted teeth, staring down at him before looking away. Imayoshi didn’t ask you to make Aomine see him, but Aomine probably respects Imayoshi more than you, so you try to throw him under the bus just to get out of the situation quicker.

“Imayoshi-san?” He frowns before repeating his initial question: “What the fuck are you doing here?”

I want to punch him.

“You own this roof or something?”

“Calm down,” he scoffs, tilting his head before eyeing your body up and down. You shift your weight into your other leg, ignoring the uneasy feeling on the pit of your stomach. “I just wanted to know.”

Sighing, you glance up at the sunny sky, sweat starting to form on the base of your neck and you are dying to leave at that very moment. You shelter your eyes from the sunlight, despite finding it more appealing than Aomine’s face.

“We’re discussing the practice trip thing—whatever, and also the onsen trip,” you lazily explain, not bothering to hide your disinterest. “Imayoshi-senpai wants you to be present for the meeting. Obviously.”

You cannot fathom the fact that you were explaining his basic responsibilities as a club member to him. What a fucking child.

“You coming with us?”

His focus seems to be misplaced, and you glare at the sky, imagining it was his stupid face.

“I’m going with Satsuki,” you correct, still not willing to look at him. “I don’t give two shits about you or the basketball team.”

“Hey,” he sits up, wrapping his fingers around your wrist before tugging your body towards him. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

You scoff, finally letting your gazes meet before pulling your hand away. “Fuck off.”

He, in fact, does not fuck off.

Aomine pulls on your wrist again, this time hard enough for you to lose your balance and fall, your knees landing on the coarse floor as the bottom of your skirt rides up your thighs. The skin of your knees scraping against the gravelled surface and you curse, jerking your hand away only to immediately shove his shoulder.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” You shriek, annoyed at how he remains unmoving even as you push him again.

He towers you, even when sitting, and keeps his eyes peering down at you.

Maybe it’s the heat that day; summer has just ended, but even the soft Autumn breeze cannot conceal the searing flare creeping up the skin of your cheeks. Aomine slants his eyes and grabs your wrist yet again—you weren’t quick enough to retract away from his athletic instincts, and so, you fall again when he pulls you in closer.

You hiss in pain as your knees drag more against the floor, desperate to find your balance only to grab on his shoulders.

“Hey,” He calls out to you, a lame attempt for your attention. “Look,” he says again, and your dumb ass looks.

He grabs the magazine on his lap and tautens the pages together, showing you the spread where he left off before you interrupted his peaceful afternoon. “(Y/N), remember Aya-chan?”

The girl that ruined your life?

How can you forget?

You cannot hide the distaste in your eyes as your eyes scan her beautiful, black hair falling against the sheer material of her white uniform top. The black lace bra she was wearing underneath is apparent as she pushes her two tits against each other, legs spread to reveal an equally seductive pattern on her panties.

Before you even realise, Aomine’s arm begins to wrap itself around your waist as he holds you up, fingers creeping up the side of your torso, tracing invisible lines before resting on one of your breasts. Your stomach begins to churn in excitement, embarrassingly enough, and you press your legs instinctively when the muscle between your thighs tighten as he continues fondling you.

You circle your arm around his neck under the pretence of keeping your balance.

“Mhmm…” He clicks his tongue, resting his face on the side of your upper arm—his nose touching the side of your tit as his hand palms your other one. “I feel like you’re no longer two sizes under Aya-chan. Maybe a size under? Maybe the same size?”

You grit your teeth. “You talk big. Have you ever seen her outside your magazine? She probably edits her photos.”

He grins, gaze shifting to drink in your frustration. “No, but you’re real, and I’m groping you right now. Isn’t that better?”

“Better than your pretty Aya-chan?”

Aomine raises an eyebrow, humming knowingly. You can’t even believe the word escaping your mouth.

“You have a cute side to you after all,” He muses after a short, mocking whistle. “What do you want me to say? Want me to tell you how much better you are than her?”

“Want you to shut the fuck up.”

“Calm down, tiger.” He laughs, pulling away from your arm. He tosses the magazine to the side, straightening his back to press a short kiss to the peak of your cheekbone. His hand begins to work; he slowly kneads your breast while continuously trailing kisses down to your ears. Your nipples brush against the fabric of your damned lace bra, and he stops for a moment only to tug on where your bud is protruding.

A whimper leaves your mouth.

“Excited are we?” He whispers, voice dropping lower as he presses his lips against your ears. “I like hearing you like that.”

“Shut up,” you run out of words, turning your head to the other side, exposing your neck to him. Which turns out to be a bad idea, as he takes it as a sign to sweep his tongue over the skin of your neck.

“A–Aomine—”

“God,” he chuckles. “Who would’ve guessed that you can be this sexy?”

He pulls away from your neck, and drags his hand from your tits to rub against your torso, feeling the material of your uniform. He presses one hand on the small of your back, pressing his forehead against yours. In a swift motion, he pulls on your body, drawing out a squeak as he lays you down against the concrete floor.

“What if…” he trails, rubbing a thumb under your eye as he hovers over rested body. Your cheeks sear with heat, alongside your chest and the pulsating on your cunt. “...I just fuck you right here?”

“W-what?” You whimper.

He laughs. “I’m hard as hell. You made me this way.”

“You were the one groping my tits!”

“You liked it,” he shrugs, pushing himself off of you, forcing both your legs open as he moves between them. His fingers begin to unbutton your uniform, unravelling the bra you are wearing underneath. Sucking in a deep breath, he stops midway down your torso, and without taking his eyes off your chest, he asks, “Want me to stop?”

Your cheeks flare, and you don’t answer him. You don;t even look at him.

He takes a quick glance at your expression.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’.”

“...Whatever.”

A wide smirk forms on his face, fingers continuing to unbutton your uniform all the way down.

“Do me a favour and get up for a bit,” he murmurs, pressing one of his hands against your back once again to get you to sit up. The feeling of his palm against your bare skin sends you to shivers, coupled with the soft wind whistling between the two of you.

“What’re you—”

You wrap your arms around his neck, pulling him closer as his fingers fumble with the hook of your bra. It took him two wrong moves before getting it right with the third—the fabric loosens around your body, and you pull him closer to conceal your humiliated expression.

“See,” Aomine chuckles after some awkward motion, tossing your stupid bra to the side when he finally gets it off. “You’re so pretty like this.”

“Shut up,” you groan, nails digging into his skin deeper and deeper.

He pulls himself away from your grip, taking a nice hold on your torso to pull your ass up his lap, letting you fall against the hard floor again.

“Goddamn,” he mutters, roaming his touches against your legs. His eyes cannot leave the heaves of your jugs.

“Stop fucking staring,” your hiss, trying to pull your uniform together, hiding your chest away from him.

Aomine scoffs, using one hand to unbuckle his pants. Your eyes travelled from his face to the loose button on his collar to the wet stain on the grey briefs around his hips to the bulge underneath them.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

He tilts his head at your question, furrowing his eyebrows as he takes his cock out from under his briefs. “Fucking you?”

The precum leaks from the tip of his cock, little drops of white strings rolling down his length. He pulls your hips closer to his body and presses it flat against your soaked panties.

He groans at the contact. Your warm slick welcomes him entirely as he presses more against the fabric, rubbing his tip along the length of your pussy.

“S’that feel good?” He whispers, hastily hooking his fingers on your panties, pulling it up your legs, then tossing it to go with your bra. He presses his arm on the side of your head, leaning into you again.

“Don’t put it in,” you whine, trying to hold back your hips from rolling. “You’re gonna get me pregnant.”

“You can’t say shit like that,” he groans against your neck. He positions the tip of his cock against your cunt, and even with your sopping lips, you aren’t sure if you are ready to accommodate his size at all. 

“You don’t want to be a teen dad,” you bite your lower lip, hand going to rub his neck.

“I wanna fuck you, though,” he breathes, using his thumb to run along your wet slit. “Wanna fuck you raw, wanna cum inside’a you.”

You tremble with his words, feeling two of his fingers now circling your pussy. “D— don’t be stupid.”

“You’re so fucking pretty,” he whispers, making your cunt wish it has something to tighten around. “D’you know how long I’ve been wanting to get you like this?”

He pushes himself off of you, and holds your wounded knees as he watches your chest heaves, heavy tits rolling with every staggered breath. He flips your skirt over, exposing even more of your cunt to the chill.

He rubs his length against your slick, his tip now pushing against your swelling clit. “I’d jack off and wonder if you were tighter than my fist,” he wraps his cock with his hand and places it again on your entrance, pushing in a slow, deliberate motion.

Between your drooping eyelids, you saw him inaudibly mutter a curse.

“Used to wanna fight Wakamatsu ‘cus he’d stuff this pussy all he wanted. Right?” He scoffs with a stupid, satisfied smile that you wish you could wipe off his face. “Shame that you broke it off, huh? Did he dump you when he realised how much of a whore you are?”

“Shut up…”

“Well, I don’t care. More fun for me.”

“Aomine—“

“Who else have you fucked in the basketball team?” He grunts. “In Touou?”

“Shut— shut the…”

You slap the back of your hand against your mouth—not willing at all to let him hear you be satisfied with his size—biting down on the flesh as he pushes his cock in. All of his cock in.

“Aomine—”

His cock is dragging against your wall, kissing every possible inch of your insides. Your hole continues to burn as he stretches you wide open, draining every last bit of energy from inside of you.

“ F-fuck…”

Your hand goes to fondle your own tit, rolling your hard nipple between your fingers, sloppily trying to garner more and more pleasure. His dick fills you more and more, stuffing you full, before finally stopping.

“Don’t act all reserved now,” he raises an eyebrow as you mewl out his name. He stays still for a moment, a bud of sweat rolling down his temple before pulling out of your homey cunt. “You don’t have to lie.”

Aomine bites his lips, letting his cock rest between your pussy lips. He sees the way they engulf his dick, moving his hips to rub against your core.

“Letting me fuck you on the school rooftop,” he murmurs, “where’s your fucking self-respect? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if this isn’t your first time getting dicked down up here.”

Your eyes slant up at him, but he quickly shuts down any of your retaliation by pressing his thumb flat against your clit, slowly circling the nub. Your teeth press down hard on your bottom lips.

“We aren’t— we are not …” You babble, putting a thumb between your teeth to stop yourself from moaning, “...having sex.”

He scoffs, drinking in how your eyes roll with your head turned to the side.

“I was inside you just a moment ago.”

Filthy noise of his cock squelching against your cunt filled the air—if someone were to come after you, they would hear Aomine’s dick fucking your pussy lips.

“Fuck,”Aomine spits, pressing your legs tightly against each other then down on your lips.

“A-ah,” You gasp as he drills into your thighs, the tip of his cock rubbing quick and hard against your swollen clit. “Oh my God—”

“Are you cummin’?” He breathes, one hand reaching to roll your tit on his hand. “Fuck, baby,” he murmurs, and you whine at the nickname. He snickers, “You’re so sexy like this, y’know that?”

Your back arches, little whimpers of encouragement swallow your pride whole as you fall completely into him. Aomine grunts at the expression, seeing the lewd expression on your face. He picks up the pace, slamming his hips against your ass.

“M’gonna cum,” he hisses. “Fuck. Wish I could shoot my load into your tight little cunt.”

“Fuck it,” you manage to spit between your groans, “F-fuck it. Just— oh God, just don’t stop—”

Your words rile him up even more—he tightens his grip on your leg, his fingers bruising your fragile skin. Your head begins to spin. Your slam your fists against the ground and your mind numbing orgasm comes the moment strings of Aomine’s thick, white cum comes flying down your skirt and stomach.

“Shit,” he loosens the grip on your legs, letting them fall even with your still convulsing ass and core. His gaze stays on the tip of his dick, the white cum oozing from it, then to your face—your parted lips, dumb eyes, and the sweat dripping down the side of your head down your neck.

He feels himself getting harder as he watches your plump lips whine, wondering how they would wrap around his thick length, if the colour of your lipstick would stain the veins of his cock.

“You coming to the onsen trip?” Aomine tries to distract himself.

You roll over, blindly reaching out for the bra that he tossed God knows where.

“Fuck you.”

[punkshort]

Swept Away | Chapter 6: Undertow

Pairing: sugardaddy!Joel Miller x f!reader

Chapter Summary: Joel does his best to distance himself after that morning on the yacht, but you finally have enough of his games after attending an art gallery exhibition.

Chapter Warnings: language, slow burn, sugar daddy/baby vibes, food and alcohol consumption, jealousy, sexual tension, flirting, threat of physical violence, good ol' fashioned argument where reader demands some goddamn answers, fingering

A/N: thank you @txtattoostark for beta-ing ❤️ And Happy Birthday @pedropascalsbbg 🎂

WC: 8.7K

Series Masterlist

You weren't going to beg. At least, that's what you told yourself over and over whenever Joel grazed a hand over your back at dinner or you caught him staring at you in your bikini just a little too long.

It had been five excruciating days since the yacht. Five days since that morning you shamelessly fucked yourself on his lap. And five days since you had found another envelope of cash on your pillow after you took a shower. You had stared at it, stomach churning with shame before you tossed it in your bag with the other unopened envelope. You had held out hope that the morning on the yacht would finally tear down his walls and he would let you in, but the cash on your pillow told you that you were wrong.

Ain't part of the deal.

Was that all this was? Were you too naive to think there was something more developing between you?

More than once that week you laid in your bed and wondered how he managed to get you all twisted around so fast. You don't let people steamroll you and you know your worth. That was his assessment of you when you first met, and he was right. That first day in his office you could hardly stand his overly confident and pompous attitude. You stood up for yourself and had a fucking spine. So where did that girl go?

Why don't you hear my terms first and then decide how much your dignity is worth?

How much was your dignity worth now? You rolled onto your side and pulled your knees to your chest, your stomach suddenly feeling queasy. You've never, ever acted this way over a man before. Was it because he kept rejecting you? Were you really that vain? No, that wasn't you. It was something more. You liked him... or, at least, you liked the parts of him he allowed you to see.

And, you don't quit. You're determined.

You breathed out a heavy sigh and rolled out of bed, giving up on the idea of sleep. You had plans to get lunch with Zoe that afternoon but until then, you had nothing but time to kill. Joel had thrown himself back into work the minute you came back from the yacht, so he spent most of his time doing that or he joined Glenn and the others to golf or play cards in the afternoons. He rarely came up for air. If he joined you by the pool, he stayed in the lounge chair, no matter how warm it was, but you could feel his eyes on you when your back was turned. You knew deep down this attraction wasn't one sided, but his resistance was driving you insane.

It was early. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting the living room in a dark blue hue. You sat with your legs tucked under you on the couch, your robe pulled tight over your sleepwear with a cup of coffee clutched between both hands, watching as the sun began to rise over the ocean.

Stop feeling bad for yourself. You're in fucking paradise.

"Oh, you're up."

"Jesus!"

You swiveled around in surprise when you saw Joel standing between the kitchen and living room, panting and covered with sweat. Your eyes swooped down before you could stop them to take in his drenched shirt and athletic shorts before looking him in the eye.

"I didn't even know you were gone," you said while trying your best to ignore the very physical reaction you were having to a post-workout Joel.

"Got an early start," he said before reaching into the fridge for a water. You turned back towards the windows to continue watching the sunrise because if you didn't, your brain was going to short circuit.

It was silent for a few minutes and you had assumed Joel had went to his room to shower, but suddenly he spoke up directly behind you. "Any plans for today?"

You took a sip of coffee so you could resist turning around to gaze at him with big fuck-me eyes. "Just lunch with Zoe."

He hummed while he chugged his water. The hairs on the back of your neck stood up from his proximity, but you remained firm and refused to turn around.

"Meant to tell you last night - Glenn invited the group of us to his daughter's art gallery. She's the curator there," Joel rounded the couch and sat down next to you with a grunt, causing you to tug your legs closer. "She's got some exhibition show all weekend, supposed to be a real big deal for her. Told 'em we'd go and show our support."

You nodded and took another sip from your coffee, eyes still glued to the ocean.

"Alright."

He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and handed you a credit card. "Why don't you go shoppin' with Zoe and get yourself a dress?"

You finally tore your eyes away to look at the heavy, black card dangling from his fingers.

"I think your assistant already bought plenty of options."

"So what's one more?" he asked with a little grin. He tilted his head to the side and caught your eye before saying, "I want you to pick somethin' out. Not my assistant. Want you to get somethin' you like."

The gesture was weak, but it was there, so you slowly took the card and slid it into the pocket of your robe. "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome, darlin'," he said breezily before standing up to head towards his room. Only then did you allow your eyes to slide appreciatively down his back, your gaze lingering until he disappeared down the hall. You set your coffee mug down on the table before pulling the heavy credit card from your pocket to examine it. He infuriated you with how easily he was able to disregard what happened while you had spent almost every waking moment for the past week obsessing over it. Then a slow smile spread across your face as you tucked the credit card away for safe keeping.

If he wanted to play games, you could play right back.

"Holy fuck, girl," Zoe gasped when you stepped out from behind the curtain of the fitting room. She was holding a glass of champagne daintily between her fingers, her long legs crossed over one another as she perched on the edge of a pure white sofa. "That's the one. You have to get it. Joel's gonna lose his shit."

You grinned and turned towards the three panel mirror in front of a small platform. Stepping up, you swished the red satin material back and forth, admiring the way it hugged your curves but the eye was particularly drawn to the long slit up your left leg, ending mere inches away from your hip.

"You think so? You don't think it's a little much for an art gallery?"

Zoe shook her head and stood to join you in the mirror. "No, it's absolutely stunning. It was fucking made for you."

You couldn't stop smiling as you fiddled with the off the shoulder sleeves. "Alright, fine," you conceded as Zoe giddily clapped her hands.

After you carefully stepped out of the dress and handed it to a sales clerk, you put your own clothes back on and made your way through the store to the register when something else caught your eye.

You picked up a matching red silk thong with black lace embroidery, feeling the smooth material between your fingers.

"No brainer," Zoe said before you even questioned if you should get it. You giggled and tried your best to ignore the absurd price tag and brought it to the counter with you. You handed over Joel's credit card while the sales clerk carefully wrapped up both items in what you thought should be solid fucking gold given the price of everything in the store, then you were both on your way back to the hotel.

"Good use of an afternoon, if I do say so myself," Zoe said with an easy laugh. You had to agree, although for a different reason. For the first time all week, you felt like yourself again. The shame and the embarrassment didn't have room in your head while Zoe kept you entertained over lunch. You thought when it came time to shop for a dress with Joel's money, those feelings would come rushing back, but no. You felt confident and sexy and if Joel's reaction to your new acquisitions was half of Zoe's, you would finally have the upper hand.

By the time you arrived back to your room, you were feeling worlds better. You quietly shut the door behind you in case Joel was on a call and kicked off your strappy sandals before making your way into the living space. Joel turned around from the dining table to glance your way once before turning back to his laptop.

"Have fun?"

"Mhmm, thank you," you told him, sliding his card across the table. His eyes flickered from the card to your face to the wardrobe bag and small box in your hand.

"Found somethin' you liked?"

You grinned and nodded vigorously. "Very much."

Joel could pick up on your improved mood almost instantly and a wave of relief washed over him. He kept fucking things up with you, but that was no surprise. What was a surprise was how bad he felt when it became apparent you were hurt by something he did or said. He convinced himself it was all for the best, anyway. The more he pushed you away, the easier it would be.

"That's great," he said, eyes trailing after you as you walked towards your room. "Goin' to meet Glenn and the others for golf in a bit." He fucking hated golf, but he sucked it up to rub the right elbows. "You gonna be alright on your own for dinner?"

You glanced over your shoulder and nodded. "I think I'm just going to sit out by the pool and call it an early night. Didn't sleep too well."

You disappeared inside your bedroom and he focused back on his work. You must have went outside because it was so quiet, he became so engrossed in work that he nearly lost track of time. When the calendar reminder popped up on his phone, he quickly shut down his laptop and stood, gathering his things so he could run and get changed, but he only made it one step away from the table before he froze.

He swallowed thickly when he saw you sunbathing, which wasn't out of the ordinary but this time you had chosen to remove your bikini top completely, leaving it discarded in a pathetic little pile next to your chair. You were face down so he couldn't see anything except your perfect ass covered by a deep purple, barely there swimsuit bottom, but it was enough to send a rush of blood between his legs.

He had been doing so good. He forced himself into staying busy, staying away from you, because otherwise he knew it wouldn't take much to tear down what little defenses he had left, especially after that morning on the yacht. And now here you were, practically laid out on a silver platter for him once again while he fought with his inner demons.

Forcing one foot in front of the other, he began to move slowly down the hallway, the destination his bedroom but his eyes remained glued to the window at the end of the hall. He was within arms length of his room. If only he had moved just a hair faster because then he wouldn't have seen you sit up to get a drink of water. He wouldn't have seen the towel you had been laying on get stuck on the arm of the lounge chair. And he wouldn't have caught a quick but very revealing eye full of your bare chest.

"Shit," he whispered to himself as he continued to stare, feeling like a creep but still unable to move. You had quickly covered back up, unaware he had seen a thing as he stood cemented to the ground outside his bedroom, his cock uncomfortably hard. So hard that it made his stomach hurt.

He should have fucked you when he had the chance.

No, that would be wrong. You had no idea the type of man he was, and you deserved far better than him.

But maybe you would like him anyway.

He shook his head, muttering no under his breath as he tore his eyes away from you and slipped inside his bedroom.

He wouldn't fall for it. Not again.

"Glenn's daughter's name is Rose," Joel had told you in the car. He was forcing himself to stare out the window instead of your exposed leg in that slinky fucking dress that made him lightheaded the moment he first saw you in it. "His youngest. It's her first big exhibition as a curator. Supposed to be mostly abstract art from a local artist that's growin' a large following online."

You hadn't been to an art gallery since you were in high school. Art was never really an interest of yours and it was a topic you knew very little about, so you prayed nobody would try to test your knowledge at any point during the night.

When you first stepped into the modernist building, you had to take a moment to absorb your surroundings in awe.

The floor was a shiny, dark hardwood that contrasted nicely with the off white walls which held stunning paintings around the entire room. There was the occasional piece of furniture, a couple of chairs or a table, but the room was designed mostly with space for movement in mind.

The room itself appeared to have three or four partially closed off smaller rooms, most likely created that way so the artist could break up different sections of their collection. And most of the lighting came from the small spotlights hung directly above each wall so it allowed guests to view the works of art in the best possible light.

"This place is beautiful," you whispered so only Joel could hear. He had his arm wrapped protectively around your waist, hardly giving his surroundings a second glance when he had you looking like a piece of art right next to him.

"Hey, Miller," a deep voice said from behind, startling you both. Turning around, you tried to keep your face from falling when you were greeted by Scott and Tammy. Scott stretched out his arm and Joel reluctantly removed his grasp on you to shake his hand.

"Some place, huh?" Scott remarked, glancing around at the art while you and Tammy tried to avoid looking at one another.

"Yeah, seems like a really talented artist," Joel replied. Scott shrugged and made a face just as a young woman in her early twenties walked slowly past, all alone, and stopped in front of a blue and pink painting.

"Abstract ain't really my thing," he said, "I'll have to take your word for it." You frowned and looked around incredulously.

"Are you kidding?" you asked without even thinking. All three looked at you in surprise and the young woman nearby tilted her head to listen.

"What do you mean?" Tammy asked with an air of fake politeness.

"What I mean is this artist is extremely talented," you said, sweeping your arm out to your side to gesture to a wall of paintings. "Look at the way they used complimentary colors in each piece. Look at the texture. I don't know much about abstract art, either, but if you can't feel something when you look at these paintings, you probably should check your pulse."

The young woman smirked to herself and walked away while Scott and Tammy stared at you in surprise. The corner of Joel's mouth twitched and he ducked his chin into his chest.

"N-no, you're right," Scott stammered guiltily, taking another look around the room. "It's always good to broaden your horizons and try to find enjoyment in things you don't expect. Right, Tam?"

You smiled sweetly at them both as you felt Joel's hand slink around your waist again.

"Yes," Tammy hissed through her teeth. "Of course, you're right. Why don't we go admire the paintings that look like someone kicked a few cans of color over the canvas and called it a day?"

Scott's ears turned a little red and excused them both. While they walked away, you caught them angrily whispering to each other and you turned to smirk at Joel.

"Sorry," you told him. He just shook his head and steered you in the opposite direction.

"No, you ain't."

You giggled. "Yeah, you're right."

Then much to your surprise, he leaned over to kiss the top of your head. Before you had a chance to react, you were greeted by Glenn and Mary.

"Oh, there you are!" Mary exclaimed before wrapping her fingers around the shoulders of a beautiful blonde girl who appeared to be in her mid twenties. Her hair was brushed back into a neat, professional bun and she wore a white blouse with flowing sleeves and well fitting black slacks.

"This is our daughter, Rose," Mary beamed. You both eagerly shook her hand and introduced yourselves before you added, "This is such a lovely gallery, thank you for having us."

"Pleasure's all mine," she said with a wide grin. "Truthfully I was terrified only five people would show up."

You laughed and glanced quickly around the packed room. "Looks like it's a little more than five."

"And I'm so grateful," Rose said sincerely. "The artist is so talented that I would have felt horrible if we had a poor showing."

"Where is the artist, anyway?" Glenn asked.

"They have an anonymous persona, it's how they prefer it. Even online, no one knows their real name or what they look like. Took a while before they even trusted me enough to meet face to face," Rose explained with a smile and shrug. "Genius tends to bring along little quirks."

Shortly thereafter, someone else stole Rose's attention and with a quick wave to Glenn and Mary, Joel led you away to look at the art a little closer.

"So, what'dya think so far?" Joel asked, plucking two glasses of champagne from a serving tray before joining you in front of a pink and blue painting that caught your eye earlier. You thanked him softly for the drink and continued to stare at the painting.

"I'll be honest, I thought I would hate it but I think I'm in love," you joked. Joel chuckled and gestured to the painting with his glass.

"You like this one?"

You nodded and took a sip of champagne. "It reminds me of something," you said, tilting your head to the side, studying each stroke of blues, pinks and bits of white throughout the canvas. "I find it so peaceful to look at."

He nodded in agreement and inched a little closer to your side. "So it makes you feel somethin'."

You flushed and averted your eyes. "I hope that didn't embarrass you."

Joel shook his head. "'Course not. I liked it. I like when you stand your ground and speak your mind."

"Careful what you wish for," you chuckled. He grinned and let his eyes roam up and down your body for a moment before blowing a disbelieving puff of air past his lips and shaking his head.

"Did I tell you how beautiful you look?"

Butterflies erupted in your stomach and you wanted to kick yourself for being so weak for him.

"Thank you," you breathed, watching as his eyes continued to devour you. "I picked it out for you," you added a little nervously. His eyebrows shot up and you held your breath as he leaned in a little closer.

"That right?" he murmured, knuckles dragging gently down your arm and sending a shiver down your spine. "Thought 'bout me when you were tryin' on dresses? Wondered what I would like the most?"

"Mhmm," you hummed, eyelids growing heavy as you fell under his spell with ease. "And I got something else, too," you whispered, knowing full well you were pushing it, but you couldn't resist.

It took him a moment, but he figured out what you meant. You could see it in his eyes when they flickered down to your waist and then back up. They turned a shade darker and his jaw tensed, like he was physically trying to restrain himself.

"Careful," he warned lowly. The way he said it made you wonder if he was talking to you or himself.

"Or what?" you teased, cocking your head to the side playfully. He maintained his intense stare for another moment before dragging his gaze away and clearing his throat. His eyes found the painting again and he jutted his chin towards it.

"You really like it that much?"

You blinked, trying to keep up with the quick change in tone. At this point, you weren't sure why you were surprised anymore. Turning back to look at it, you nodded.

"Alright, then," Joel said firmly. "Excuse me."

You swiveled around and watched him weave his way through the crowd, making a beeline for Glenn, Mary, and Rose. You had to stifle your laugh when you realized what he was doing, but then you made eye contact with a set of dark brown, almost black eyes next to Rose and the smile slid right off your face.

Of course Brooks would be there. Why didn't you think of that sooner?

When you spun back around to give the painting one last look, you were surprised to find a young woman standing next to you admiring the painting, as well.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, then tucked a loose piece of brown hair behind her ear. The rest of her hair was pulled into a messy bun and she wore a midnight black suit with a matching tie.

"No need, I wasn't paying attention," you said sweetly. The pair of you stood in silence for a few minutes while the laughter and clinking glasses from the other guests occupied the air.

"Isn't this piece beautiful?" you asked her, trying to strike up a conversation. She grinned and shrugged.

"What do you find beautiful about it?"

You looked back at the painting, letting your gaze slide over the differing shades of blues, pinks, and whites.

"It's calming," you said. "I feel like I've seen it before but I can't pinpoint where."

The young woman nodded, urging you to continue.

You studied it a moment longer and then let out a dry chuckle. "You know, I'm gonna sound crazy, but there are these pink seashells in the ocean. My fiancé picked some up for me when we were swimming last week. It reminds me of the way they looked through the water, like the pink all distorted with the blue."

"That's exactly right."

You turned to her in surprise. "W-what do you mean?"

She stuck out her hand and you could see the beginnings of a tattoo running up her sleeve. "I'm Ellie. The artist."

"Oh, my god!" you practically exclaimed, covering your mouth before remembering your manners and shaking her hand, giving her your name. "You are incredibly talented," you told her, "and I swear I'm not just saying that."

"I know," she said, releasing your hand and shoving it back into her pants pocket. "I heard you defending me to that asshole and that overly botoxed wife of his. Thank you, by the way."

You laughed and shook your head in disbelief. "You're so welcome." You looked back at the painting as you tried to calm your racing thoughts. "So the seashells on the ocean floor inspired this?"

"Yep," she said, rocking back and forth on her heels. "That one over there's palm trees in a tropical storm. The one next to it is all the different colored beach umbrellas at a resort. And the one all the way in the corner is -"

"Wait, let me guess."

Ellie smiled. "Okay."

You studied it for a minute, tapping your finger against you chin, deep in thought.

"Oh!" you said excitedly. "All the hibiscus flowers along the highway!"

She nodded with a look that told you she was impressed.

"How'd you tell?"

"We drove by them on our first day. You used greys at the bottom and bits of green in between, representing the bushes, right?"

"You got it," she said with a laugh.

"Wow," you breathed as you looked around at her paintings in a completely different light. "I know I sound like a broken record, but you're so talented. You truly have a gift."

"Thanks," Ellie said shyly. "I don't do good in crowds though, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone who I am."

"Promise," you said, giving her your pinky finger. She grinned and looped her finger around yours with a firm shake, and then her phone chimed in her pocket. She let you go and pulled it out, her expression unreadable.

"This painting just sold," she said softly, eyes slowly widening. "Shit, I'm sorry. I would've-"

"It's alright," you told her, glancing over your shoulder, but you couldn't spot Joel anywhere. "I think I know who bought it."

Ellie breathed a sigh of relief and put her phone away. "The fiancé?"

You nodded. "I should probably go thank him."

"Thank him for me, too," she joked. "It was great meeting you."

"Likewise," you said, giving her hand one more shake. "Good luck with the rest of the evening."

You weaved your way through the crowd, heading towards the back of the building where you last saw Joel. On your way, you caught Zoe's eye from across the room and waved, laughing when she fanned herself and gave you an exaggerated once over.

"Hi, honey," Glenn said when he spotted you walking by.

"Hi... have you seen Joel?" you asked, then Brooks piped up with an sinister smile.

"Think he went towards the bathrooms with Scott's wife," he told you, pretending to search his brain while his foot tapped restlessly against the wooden floor. Then he snapped his fingers as if struck with a great idea. "Tammy! That's her name, right?"

Your blood felt like fire in your veins and it must have shown because Brooks grinned and shot you a wink before you hurried off towards the back of the room.

The bathrooms were down a long hallway and around the bend. You walked as fast as you could without the sound of your heels causing someone to think you were running. As you approached the turn, you heard Joel's voice before you got a chance to see him. You couldn't hear what he said over your own heavy breathing, but his tone sounded surprised.

When you turned the corner, you stopped dead in your tracks, unable to believe your eyes.

There, right in front of the men's bathroom, was Tammy. She was pressing her lips against Joel's with her long, fake fingernails raking through his hair. You were too stunned and just barely had a moment to process the shocked look on Joel's face, one where his eyes didn't even close and his brows furrowed in anger before he pushed her back and wiped his mouth with his hand.

Before he had a chance to say anything, someone shouted down the corridor, causing them both to swivel in your direction. It wasn't until you had almost closed in on them that you realized you were the one shouting.

"You fucking bitch!" you yelled, lunging forward, completely fueled by white hot rage. Joel's arms wrapped around you before you could hit her like you intended, but you did manage to get your fingers around a good chunk of her hair. She yelped and clawed at your wrist, begging you to let go, but you ignored her pleas. Instead, you shook her head back and forth like a dog and it wasn't until her hair-do was almost completely destroyed that you finally let go, but not before angrily kicking in her direction while Joel hauled you away.

"You fucking psycho!" she screeched, frantically trying to tame her hair as she stumbled against the wall. "Nothing even happened!"

"Stay away from my fucking fiancé or so help me, I'll undo a decade of plastic surgery in ten minutes," you sneered.

"Relax!" Joel told you sternly. He turned his attention to Tammy, who was catching her breath and looked like a dissolved mess. "Get outta here," he snapped, and just like that, she scurried into the women's room to try to fix her hair.

He released his grip around you and you immediately turned on him.

"What the fuck?" you seethed, jabbing a shaky finger into his chest. He held up his palms and shook his head.

"You saw it, I didn't kiss her back, I need you calm the fuck down right now."

You dragged in a deep, ragged breath but you were still driven by unbridled anger.

"You told me this was over," you said through clenched teeth. Joel grabbed your wrists but you shook him off and stepped back. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand propped on his hip.

"It is," he said calmly. "She was waitin' for me and - y'know what? I don't gotta explain anythin' to you," he glanced up and down the hallway before dropping his voice and towering over you, anger now radiating off him. "Do I gotta remind you this ain't real?"

Tears sprung up in your eyes but you quickly blinked them away. "I don't care. Anyone could have come down this hallway and seen you, and then what? Huh? What if it was Glenn? What if it was fucking Scott?"

He knew you were right, but he just silently glared down at you, each of you breathing heavily as the adrenaline began to wear off.

"I'm leaving," you told him, gathering up your dress and straightening it out. "I'm so sick and tired of your fucking head games and I won't stay here and let you embarrass me any longer."

Something in his expression changed but you didn't linger long enough to find out what it was. You bunched up the skirt of your dress and quickly walked away, doing your best to move fast without breaking a heel. You heard Joel call your name but you ignored him, hellbent on disappearing into the crowd and getting away from him as fast as possible.

Something inside him broke when you said you were leaving. Something deep in his chest he didn't expect to feel, and suddenly he was overcome with an immense amount of guilt and shame. He needed to apologize. He needed to make things right.

Shit, did you mean you were leaving for good? Or just leaving the art gallery? Why did he keep saying the wrong fucking thing?

Panic coursed through his veins in seconds and he found himself rushing after you. He must have looked like a fool when he raced out of the hallway and back into the bustling gallery, head twisting around every which way as he desperately searched for a flash of your deep red dress, but all he saw was a sea of unrecognizable faces.

"Better keep an eye on that one."

Joel spun around, eyes wild, when he came face to face with Brooks.

"Which way did she go?" he asked. Brooks just grinned and casually swiped at his nose with a sniffle and Joel narrowed his eyes.

"Where?" he said, dropping his voice angrily. Brooks held up his hands and chuckled.

"Calm down," he warned, making the hairs on the back of Joel's neck stand up. "She looked like she was going towards the side exit. Looked pretty upset. Hope there's no trouble in paradise."

Something about the way Brooks said it gave Joel pause.

"No," Joel said, eyes flickering towards the door, "We're fine. She just wanted to head back to the hotel."

Brooks nodded and rubbed at his chin. "That's a relief. I'd hate for someone to come along and snatch her up from you."

"What did you just say?" Joel asked, taking a menacing step forward before catching himself. What the fuck did that mean?

"C'mon, you know what I mean," he replied, nudging Joel's shoulder good naturedly as if he were in on some joke. Joel clenched his teeth and tried to refrain from doing something stupid, and if he wasn't Glenn's son, he might not have held back. "Girl like that needs to be taken care of."

"I take care of her just fine," Joel said defensively, and as much as he wished he could figure out exactly what Brooks thought he knew, he didn't have time to waste. "Tell your parents she wasn't feelin' well and we had to leave."

Before Joel stepped away, Brooks winked and gave him a thumbs up. "Sure thing, man."

He hurried through the crowd, a chorus of excuse mes being uttered from his lips every other second until he finally reached the door.

The moment he stepped outside he was hit with the tropical humidity he had somehow grown accustomed to in the past two weeks, but also finally found some quiet.

He took a moment to take a few deep breaths and look around. When he spotted you further down the street with your arms wrapped around your middle and your dress fluttering in the night breeze, he breathed a sigh of relief.

You were waiting for the car to pull around with your chin tucked into your chest and he swore if he had made you cry again he would never forgive himself. But when you heard him approach and lifted your head, he didn't see tears. Instead, he saw disappointment mixed with anger.

He couldn't decide which made him feel worse.

"I'm sorry," he tried, but you shook your head as the car pulled up to the curb. He tried to reach out and open the door for you but you didn't allow it, so he hurried around to the other side of the car and slid into the seat next you.

Once the driver pulled out onto the street, he readjusted himself in his seat and turned to look at you.

"Not here," you said coldly before he could speak, gaze pinned to your window. He clamped his mouth shut and sat back. It was smart. He couldn't risk the driver overhearing something and spreading rumors, so instead he focused on what he was going to say to you to make things right once you were back in the room.

I'm sorry, she doesn't mean anything.

Would that imply you do mean something to him? Of course, you did, but he couldn't share that with you. Not after he just told you twenty minutes prior what you had wasn't real.

I'm sorry, this situation is more complicated than you thought.

Somehow he thought that wouldn't go over well.

He knew what he should really say but he couldn't bring himself to do it. I'm sorry for confusing you and leading you on. I can't help myself, I'm weak.

So instead, he settled on I'm sorry, you were right. If someone else saw, it would have ruined everything.

That is exactly what he said to you once the hotel room door finally closed behind you and you kicked off your heels, snatching them up in your hand and storming into the living room.

"Yeah, no shit," you muttered over your shoulder.

"C'mon, you know what you saw," he pleaded, "you know she took me by surprise when I was comin' outta the bathroom. I had nothin' to do with it. I told you it was over and it is, I don't know why-"

"Good question, Joel," you said, spinning around to pin him with a glare. "Why did she think she could do that? Hm?"

Joel shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know."

"Alright, let me ask you this," you said, dropping your shoes to the floor and perching against the dining room table. "What did she say to you on the yacht?"

"When?"

"You know damn well when," you snapped. You were getting too fed up now to play nice and it felt liberating to have that side of you back once again. You don't let people steamroll you. "When she followed you inside that day before the island dinner. When you told me, I only need to know what you say I need to know. Well, Joel, I need to know. So fucking tell me. What'd she say?"

His nostrils flared when he took a deep breath. People didn't talk to him like that. If it were anyone else, he would send them packing without a second thought, and maybe with a few choice words in return. But you? He couldn't do it. He couldn't stomach the thought of losing you.

"Fine," he grumbled, yanking out a chair at the table next to where you were standing and collapsing into it. He tugged at his tie, loosening the knot so it hung wide at his neck, then unfastened the top two buttons of his dress shirt before he spoke.

"She was surprised to hear 'bout our engagement. Wondered why I didn't warn her. Asked if we're happy. Usual beatin' 'round the bush shit."

You quirked an eyebrow and crossed your ankles. "What do you mean, beat around the bush? What was she really asking about?"

He raked his fingers through his hair and shrugged. "Y'know. Lookin' to see if I was interested in meetin' up with her during the stay."

"And what did you say?"

He rolled his eyes and gave you a disbelieving look. "The hell you think I said? No. I fuckin' said no."

"And she still kissed you after you said no on the yacht?"

"Yeah," he replied, crossing his arms and glancing up at you. "Think you ruffled her feathers a bit. Got her jealous."

You scoffed and looked away but secretly you found a sick sense of satisfaction from it.

"Happy now?" he asked after the silence dragged on a moment too long for his liking.

"Thrilled," you said sarcastically. You clasped your hands together in front of you and stared down at the floor. He watched you for another minute, feeling the energy in the room begin to shift back to normal, and he smirked to himself.

"What?"

"Never had two women fight over me before," he said with a wide smile, one which he tried to cover with his palm when he dragged his hand over his mouth.

"Yeah, well," you murmured, fiddling with your ring, "I would have wrecked her if you didn't stop me."

"I got no doubt," he replied, his hand dropping to find your exposed knee. Now that you seemed less pissed, his focus was being drawn back to you wearing that dress just for him. And then he remembered your earlier comment and it took every ounce of restraint not to slide his hand up your thigh and under your skirt to see what else you had on.

"We were havin' such a nice time 'fore all that happened," he murmured, his gaze wandering up and down your leg and you felt yourself begin to soften. "Think you were sayin' you bought more than just the dress, hm?"

Goddamnit, how did he do it? How did he manage to pull every emotion out of you in just one evening?

"You wanna see?" you asked, hoping he didn't hear the tremor in your voice or notice the way your legs fell open a fraction more.

He lifted an eyebrow and smirked, gaze still fixed on your bare leg while his hand began to migrate further past your knee.

Yes, he wanted to say. Yes, please show me. Let me see all of you. But he caught himself and his hand stilled.

"Why don't you just tell me, instead?"

"Or you could just move your hand a few more inches and find out for yourself," you teased, spreading your thighs a little more. His fingers pressed into your skin and you saw him swallow.

"Can't, y'know that."

You let out a frustrated huff and pushed yourself off the table, away from him.

"You're confusing the fuck out of me, Joel! One second you're all over me and the next you're pushing me away. And don't try to tell me it's all for show. You do this shit all the time."

You marched into the living room and plopped down onto one of the couches. You were fucking tired. Tired from the rollercoaster evening, tired from Joel's mixed signals, tired from everything.

He stood up with a groan and followed you to the living room, raking his fingers through his hair as he moved.

"I'm tryin' to protect you," he snapped, startling you. "I don't fuckin' trust myself 'round you, don't you see that? Don't you see what you're doin' to me?"

His fingers twitched at his sides as he stood in front of you, imploring you to understand with a pained look on his face.

"Then why are you fighting it?" you whined, standing up. As you approached you saw his shoulders stiffen, but he didn't move away. "Why can't we-"

"'Cause I ain't a good man, darlin'," he said sadly, gaze dropping to the floor. "You deserve so much better."

"But I like you," you told him softly, reaching out and taking his hand. You brought it up to cup your face while a war waged behind his eyes. "I refuse to believe you're not a good man, Joel."

You turned so you could press a kiss into the palm of his hand, then slowly guided his arm lower, all the while staring him right in the eye until his fingertips brushed against the slit in your dress. Your breath hitched as you led him lower, underneath the material until his fingers finally came in contact with the silky red panties trimmed with black lace.

"Fuck," he whispered, cheeks tinting pink and eyes all wide and dark when he felt the wet patch that had seeped through. After that, he couldn't stop himself. "Dirty fuckin' girl," he growled, taking a step closer so he could tower over you while two thick fingers pressed and stroked steadily over your panties. A breathy moan slipped past your lips and you released his arm so you could grab onto his shoulders for support. Joel wrapped his other arm around your waist and walked you back towards the sofa, all the while staring down at you like he was a predator who finally caught their prey.

You thought he would have laid you down but to your surprise, he twisted you both around at the last second and sat down on the couch, legs spread wide. He removed his hand from between your legs and you were about to protest when you heard the deafening tear of fabric. You gasped and looked down to see Joel had torn your brand new fucking dress from the slit up, exposing half your stomach.

"What the f-" you were about to scold him and tell him how much you liked that goddamn dress when he grabbed you by the hips and yanked you forward so he could bury his face against your clothed pussy. Your eyes bugged out of your head and you grabbed his hair to keep you steady, your shaky legs no longer able to be trusted. And when he took a deep, steady breath in through his nose, your face flushed with heat while staining the red satin of your underwear even darker.

"You smell so fuckin' good," he groaned before taking another deep breath. "Bet you taste even better."

"Jesus Christ," you whimpered, your fingers getting tangled in his hair. "Please, Joel, please..."

"Sit on my lap," he demanded, tearing himself away and leaning back into the couch. He slapped the tops of his thighs and ushered you forward with his fingers.

On shaky legs, you obeyed, spreading them wide so you could rest them on either side of his thighs. He stretched up to latch his mouth onto the hollow part underneath your jaw while his fingers resumed their torturous pace over your center.

"You're right, these were made to be seen," he murmured against your throat. Your hips began to rock, encouraging him to keep going with each little sound from the back of your throat. "Got these just for me, huh? Wanted me to see 'em?"

"Yeah," you whined, arms circling around his neck and jaw falling open as he brought you closer and closer to your climax without still having actually touched you.

"What'd you want me to do, baby?" he asked softly. Your breath was growing shallow and the noises you were making were getting louder and he smirked, knowing you were close from just a few minutes of petting you through your clothes. If this is how responsive you were from just his fingers, he couldn't fucking wait to take you apart with his cock. "Tell me. Did'ya want me to bend you over the table?"

You nodded and gasped when his fingers began to move faster. "Everywhere. In the car. At the art gallery. In the fucking elevator... fuck, Joel!"

His cock swelled in his pants, the material already too unforgiving and tight, when you came shouting his name. A shudder ran through your body when you slumped forward to rest your head on his shoulder, but unfortunately he didn't give you the courtesy of recovery because in an instant, he hooked the material of your underwear to the side and two fingers slid right into your soaked cunt.

You weren't sure who groaned louder, you or Joel, but it felt like both of you were equally desperate.

"Oh, fuck," you whimpered, sweat dotting your forehead and upper lip from the welcome intrusion his fingers caused. You forced yourself to straighten back up so you could grab his face with both hands and slant your mouth eagerly over his. His tongue immediately invaded your mouth and his wrist began to snap between your legs, causing your mind to go numb as you focused solely on the pleasure he was giving you.

"Joel," you moaned in between biting at his lower lip. "I don't think I can come again."

"Yes, you fuckin' will," he said roughly. His free hand, which was clutching your hip, began to guide you up and down on his fingers. "You wanted me so bad and now you're tellin' me you can't come again? Gimme what I want and maybe I'll give you what you want."

You nodded dumbly and followed his lead, rolling your hips and then bouncing on his lap until you found what worked and you felt that familiar warmth building low in your stomach again.

"Keep going, just like that," you panted against his lips. He nodded, eyes so dark they looked black as he stared up at you. Your eyes were squeezed shut, too focused on chasing your high to see the way he was looking at you. It was probably for the best because he was fairly certain you would be able to see right through him in that moment and it scared the shit out of him.

"Oh, fuck, baby, that's it," he breathed, pulling you closer so he could hide his face against your throat. He could feel you tightening around his fingers and your nails were digging into his shoulders, the bite of pain sending shivers down his spine. Your moans grew more high pitched and your skin felt hot to the touch. He leaned forward on the couch and, circling his other arm around your waist, tugged you as close as possible while using the force from his entire body to thrust his fingers as deep as he could into your cunt, curling them inside you each time he retracted his hand.

"Oh, god, Joel," you whined breathlessly, stomach tensing the closer you came to your orgasm. "I think... I think I'm gonna-"

You cut yourself off with a shaky moan when you came for the second time, your entire body pulsing in his arms as your orgasm shot through you violently, taking every shred of energy you had left.

You murmured softly against his neck when he eventually dragged his fingers out of you. Your eye cracked open just in time to see him pop both fingers into his mouth and hum appreciatively to himself while still holding you close against his chest.

"You alright?" he asked before kissing the top of your head.

"You ruined my dress," you whispered sleepily. He chuckled, the vibrations from his chest melting into yours, making you smile.

"It's not funny. It was over a thousand dollars."

"Money well spent," he replied before tipping the back of his head against the couch with a deep sigh. He was still painfully hard but you were too weak and tired to do anything about it. He maneuvered you so your legs were no longer spread open on his lap, then hooked an arm underneath your knees. With his other arm around your shoulders, he stood with a groan and began to carry you down the hall.

Your own arms were still wrapped tightly around his neck and once he approached the bedrooms, you opened your eyes to see which room he would pick. It didn't surprise you when he turned into your room but you were too tired to really care.

"You oughta change outta this dress," he murmured as he laid you down in bed.

"Mhmm, I will," you promised, then smiled when he brushed your hair out of your eyes and kissed your forehead.

"Get some sleep," he said, and just as he was about to step back into the hall, you called out his name. He spun around, the sight of you spread out over your bed, all fucked out in a torn up dress giving him pause before he cleared his throat and responded.

"Yeah?"

"You better not fucking tip me this time."

You giggled when you saw the grin on his face and he shook his head in disbelief.

"'Night."

"Good night."

Once he left, you slipped out of the dress but you couldn't bring yourself to throw it out, so you zipped it back up in its bag and tucked it into the back of your closet before drifting off and feeling the calmest you ever felt.

Please follow @punkshort-notifs and turn on notifications for fic updates ❤️

[charmandabear]

Office Hours - Chapter Five

Summary:

Astarion can barely contain his jealousy when he sees you and Dr. Dekarios having a friendly chat over coffee, and you're really not a fan of how it makes you feel.

Pairing: Astarion/F!Reader Rating: Explicit Word Count: 3.9k Tags/Warnings: possessive Astarion, jealous Astarion, praise kink, rough sex, library sex, I might get too deep in the weeds about theatre in this one, sorry

Y'all we are well on our way to a pivotal chapter. I'm not sure if you're ready for it. I'm not sure if I'm ready for it. But for now, have some flirty banter and jealous library sex.

Both Gale and Astarion screenshots provided by our queen, @zipzoomzaria.

Read on AO3 ~ Masterlist

“Ahh, we've given up on life then, have we?”

Astarion's voice pierces through the din of students shuffling and chatting as they settle for class. You're just passing through the hall on your way to get a much needed pick-me-up from the student union.

“C’mon Ank-yunín, it's college, we all wear PJs. Ain't no one cares how you dress.” Mol’s signature twang rises above the rest, and you can't tell if she’s deliberately mispronouncing his name or not. Knowing her, she probably is.

“Hells, Mol, are you positive you're registered for a 300 level English course?” The sneer in his voice is evident.

You poke your head in the doorway to watch him banter with his students before class. He is, in fact, particularly well-dressed today - and gods does he look good. He’s wearing a crisp and well-tailored white suit dressed down with a black v-neck tee shirt. He stands with one hand in his pocket and the other lightly sifting through papers on his desk. He's looking over his glasses with disdain at Mol and immediately your breath catches in your throat.

His eyes flick up towards you and your cheeks flush when you realize you've been caught. His lips curl into a mischievous smile.

“Oh Professor,” he calls to you, voice dripping with honey, “I was so hoping you'd stop by. We’re discussing iambic pentameter today, care to give an impromptu lecture?”

“Oh!” He's completely caught you off-guard and your heart speeds up. His smug little grin reveals he knows exactly what he’s doing. Not wanting to get roped into something you’re unprepared for, you hesitate, “Well, I'm not sure, I'm a bit busy…”

“Nonsense! You're not on your way to a class, are you?” He plants his hands on his desk and leans forward, grinning devilishly. You're not sure if he’s memorized your teaching schedule, but you wouldn't put it past him.

“I'm not, no,” you mutter through gritted teeth.

“C’mon miss, you know loads about this stuff,” Mol chirps enthusiastically, leaning dangerously on the back of her chair. “Way more than Ank-yunín over here.” She jabs her thumb at him and rolls her eyes.

“I suppose… I have time for a quick overview,” you say reluctantly, and Astarion’s smile grows. You walk into the classroom and glare at him as soon as your face is out of view of the students.

“That heart of yours keeps giving you away,” he murmurs when you're close enough to hear. You ignore him and turn to face the class.

“Oh, Thaniel, I didn’t know you were in this class!” you say when you recognize your student’s face. “That's a lot of Shakespeare for one semester, isn't it?” The class titters and your face grows hot.

“Unfortunately for you, that's Thaniel’s twin, Oliver,” Astarion says behind you. You clench your jaw in embarrassment.

“I'm so sorry, I didn-”

“No big, it happens a lot,” he waves you off. His energy is so much more confident than the timid kid in your Classical Acting class. You feel even sillier for not having realized it.

“So how much have you all actually done on Shakespeare's meter?” You shift your glance between Astarion and the class, trying to assess exactly what he’s pulled you into.

“None at all, they're a blank canvas,” he smirks, enjoying your discomfort far too much. He sits on the edge of his desk and folds his arms, watching you closely.

Fine. He thinks he can fluster you? You've taught iambic pentameter a thousand times, you can practically teach this lesson in your sleep.

“Fantastic, so I won't need to undo any of Dr. Ancunín's mediocre teaching,” you return his smug grin, a silent declaration of two can play at this game. “How many of you have heard the phrase iambic pentameter?”

A smattering of hands go up in the air. You nod and turn towards the white board. Not a single marker in sight. You turn to Astarion with a blank stare.

“Where the fuck are your white board markers.” It’s less of a question and more of an accusatory statement. He shrugs noncommittally.

“I don't need to write things down, that's what they do,” he says, jerking his head towards the students. You roll your eyes and shove him off the desk so you can rifle through the drawers.

“Does anyone know the first line of the prologue for Romeo and Juliet?” you ask once you've procured a marker.

“Two households both alike in dignity!” A redheaded girl calls out enthusiastically. You nod and write the line on the board.

“Awesome! What’s your name?” you ask.

“Yenna,” she states with a beam of pride that you’re showing interest in her. You feel like you can tell everything about her from this small exchange.

“Any chance you know the next one, Yenna?”

“No, that's all I've got.” She frowns a little, clearly wishing she could show off more.

“That's okay, let's talk about the first four lines.” You turn and write the next three lines of the prologue.

“Dang, d’you have the whole thing memorized?” Another student pipes up, a Tiefling with indigo locs.

“Well, I've been in R&J a few times, and I've seen it many more,” you shrug casually, and his eyes light up.

“No way, didja have to learn the whole thing?” he asks, just as another student chimes in, “Who did you play?”

“No, just my lines, but I heard the prologue a lot,” you say to the first kid, then turn to the second, “I played Juliet in high school, and a few years back I played Mercutio over at the Rosewood.”

Several students start to ask questions at once, and you hold up your hand to stop them.

“Woah woah, slow down, I'm only one person. Gods, do you ever talk to them about how these plays are actually performed and not just words in some dusty old book?” you ask Astarion incredulously.

“Who do you think Dr. Ancunín would play in Romeo and Juliet?” Oliver calls out from the back. 

“I think Dr. Ancunín would make an excellent Tybalt.” You flash him a coy smile. “Just the right amount of obnoxious.”

“Doesn't Tybalt kill Mercutio?” Yenna asks. Astarion looks at you more salaciously than he should in front of students.

“I'm certain I could offer a little death,” he croons in a low voice, sparking a flame deep in your core. You press your lips together, trying not to giggle like a schoolgirl.

“Aaaaaanyway,” you say quickly, moving the conversation back to the text and away from his flirtatious banter. 

You’re surprised by how much fun you have teaching Astarion's class. His students are lively and eager participants, if not to actually comment on the subject then at least to try to get in a jab at his expense. By the end of the three hour lecture, most of them have completed the scansion for the entire prologue on their own.

“Alright, we’ll meet again in a tenday,” Astarion calls over the sounds of everyone putting their books and papers back into their bags. “Don't forget that your soliloquy explication is due next class. And don't bother asking for an extension because you know I won't grant it.”

“I hope you enjoyed using me to slack off during your class,” you say to him quietly as the last few students trickle out. He lets out a throaty laugh.

“I do enjoy using you, it's true,” he hums, and you involuntarily press your thighs together. “Although you cannot deny that you had fun.”

“With you? Always.” You toss your hair and grab your bag. “Now I'm headed over to the student union for coffee because teaching your class wore me out.”

“Hmm, I would've thought you had a little more stamina than that.” His tongue darts out to wet his lips and your ears grow pink. You start to move away to leave but he grabs your wrist and pulls you into a heated kiss. You need to force yourself to push him away.

“Astarion!” You hiss, panting and lightheaded. You whip your head around to see if any students are left, but the room is empty.

“Just wanted to remind you who’s in charge here,” he says with a haughty grin and you roll your eyes.

“Goodbye,” you say pointedly and make your escape, but not before he gives your ass a cheeky little pinch.

***

Of course the student union is swamped when you get there. The long line to the little university cafe is moving agonizingly slowly. The work-study students behind the counter are taking orders as fast as they can, but it's clear they don't have enough coverage for the between-class times.

After waiting for about ten minutes, you’re considering getting coffee off campus when you see Dr. Dekarios crossing the union. Reminded of the conversation he had with Astarion while you were trapped under his desk, you call out to him. He turns and there's a vague note of recognition in his wave.

You glance at the four people in front of you still and the half dozen or so orders hanging off the espresso machine. Deciding it's not worth the continued wait, you bound over to the arcana professor.

“Dr. Dekarios, I'm so glad I caught you. I wanted to chat about your theory regarding bardic magic and the humors,” you say excitedly. His face lights up and then falls confused.

“Oh, I hadn't told you about that, how did you-” he begins and your stomach drops when you remember that you were not technically a part of that conversation.

“Uh, Astar- Dr. Ancunín mentioned that you were looking for me,” you say quickly and your eyeballs feel like they're about to melt out of your head. Not wanting either of you to spend too much time remembering the state he caught you in with Astarion, you continue.

“Tell me a little more about this theory, because I think it tracks, but I want to hear the basis of it first.”

“Oh, but you were just about to get some coffee, weren't you? I feel terrible that you stepped out of line on my behalf,” Dekarios frowns, peering over your shoulder at the cafe behind you. It’s beginning to peter out as the time approaches the beginning of classes.

“No worries, I should probably save my money anyway,” you say with a shrug.

“Well then allow me to treat you at least,” he implores, and he beckons you back into line. 

The wait is significantly shorter, and when you approach the counter he says, “Hello, good afternoon. I'll have a small black tea with just a splash of that vanilla almond milk you know I love so much,” he says with a secretive chuckle and the poor work-study behind the counter plasters a pained smile on their face. Dekarios then turns to you and says, “And for the young lady?”

“I'll have a large iced double dirty chai with oat milk, thanks.” The student barista turns to start making the drinks and Dekarios’ brows pop above his wire frames.

“Goodness, that amount of caffeine this late in the afternoon would keep me up all night,” he laughs.

“The caffeine barely impacts me anymore, at this point I just need it to get through a rehearsal,” you respond with a polite joviality. 

The two of you sit at a small table in the student union to talk. For a pretentious arcana professor, he’s surprisingly easy to get along with.

“Walk me through your thought process, because I think you're onto something here, but I need a little bit more,” you ask, taking a sip of your chai. Dekarios gestures wildly while he speaks, clearly very enthusiastic about the subject.

“Well, we know that Shakespeare was responsible for a massive shift in how playwrights and audiences alike thought of characters, yes? From a balance or imbalance of humors to something more complex?”

“I mean, he wasn't solely responsible, it was more or less an inevitable cultural and technological shift, but yes, he was definitely at the forefront of that shift.”

“Oh fascinating,” he murmurs as his eyes grow wide and he leans forward on his elbows. “So do you think the advancement from from the College of Swords to the College of Lore was inevitable? Do you think they were related?”

“Related, yes, but not in the way you're suggesting, I think,” you muse, absentmindedly pressing your drink to your lips. As you're contemplating your next thought, you're startled by a hand on your shoulder. You look up and Astarion is looking down his nose at you, eyes gleaming.

“Dr. Ancunín, what a surprise!” you say in a strained voice, trying to decipher his body language. “Thank you so much for telling me about Dr. Dekarios’ theory regarding bardic magic, it's really a fascinating subject.” You lean heavily on the lie, although truth be told, all three of you know that you were in his office that day.

“Of course, darling, I thought you might find it intriguing.” As he speaks, he runs his fingers through the hair at the base of your neck, and the shiver that runs down your spine isn't quelled by the confusion blooming in the back of your mind. Why is he being so affectionate? And in public, no less?

He shifts his gaze to Dekarios and his eyes narrow.

“Dr. Dekarios, how are you faring? Well, I hope?” There's a slight venom in Astarion’s voice. Is he… jealous? The realization fills you with conflicting feelings of annoyance and arousal.

You can practically feel Shadowheart’s judgemental stare down from across campus. Possessiveness is not cute.

And yet…

There’s a thrill in the grip of his hand on your neck, the ice in his voice as he speaks to Dekarios, the flagrant PDA almost as if to say “This one’s mine.”

Maybe a conversation for your therapist later.

“Well, I'll leave you to it,” Astarion’s sharp voice breaks through your thoughts and you bring yourself back to the conversation. “Dr. Dekarios, always a pleasure. Darling,” his voice drops into a register that fills you with an intense heat. He pulls your chin up with his finger and plants a kiss on your lips that’s borderline inappropriate for being in public. It's certainly inappropriate for your workplace, but your head is too fuzzy to protest.

“I'll see you later,” he breathes and walks off. At minimum, he's left you flustered and embarrassed, but far worse than that, you are now insatiably horny. You press your legs together for some relief as you shake your head to clear it.

“I'm sorry,” you say to Dekarios, your cheeks unbearably hot. “I don't know why-”

“No worries at all,” he says, holding up a hand. “Far be it from me to get in the way of young love.”

“I don't know if I'd go so far to say love,” you murmur into your drink, but he seems to not hear you, or at least he pretends not to.

“Anyway, where were we?” Your voice returns to full volume as you try to expel the x-rated thoughts running through your head.

Your conversation with Dekarios - well, Gale, he insists - is delightful, in spite of Astarion’s peacocking. He's wonderfully knowledgeable about bardic magic, something you've always wanted to learn more about but struggle to find the time. Meanwhile, you're able to provide the cultural context and connections that are completely unfamiliar to him.

You eventually realize just how much you've lost track of the time.

“Oh gods, I need to go, I have to grab something from the library before it closes,” you say in a rush, picking up your bag.

“My apologies! I've monopolized your time, completely unthinkingly.”

“No worries, I enjoyed our conversation. And I will definitely check out that podcast that you mentioned. Remind me of the name?” You throw away your and Gale’s long empty cups.

“If Books Could Kill. Wonderfully informative, and the hosts are enchanting and amusing.”

You nod and mentally file it away for later.

“Great, yeah, I'll look into it. Thank you for a lovely conversation, we’ll chat again soon.” You wave as you scurry in the direction of the library.

***

You make it to the library about 20 minutes before it closes. You dash up to the third floor and make a beeline for the 800s.

You're scanning through the book titles when suddenly you smell that telltale combination of bergamot and rosemary. Before you can move, he’s pressed into your back, his hands tight on your waist and lips on your neck. You exhale in a long shudder and bite your knuckle to stay quiet.

“Astarion, what the fuck?” you accuse in a sharp whisper. You're fairly certain the floor is empty this late in the day, but you'd rather not take your chances. You grip the shelf as he pushes you into it and try desperately to suppress the moan threatening to tear from your throat. He breaks from his assault on your neck just long enough to put his lips to your ear.

“I don't like the way he looked at you,” he growls and reaches his hand around to grab your breast. You gasp and find yourself grinding into him despite your best judgment. It's like all logic evaporates when you're around him.

“I can talk to whoever I want, Astar- ah-” you manage to keep your voice steady until his other hand slips beneath the waistband of your skirt. You can feel his length along the cleft of your ass and you catch the whimper on your tongue.

“Of course you can, I wouldn't dream of stopping you.” His voice is a honeyed poison and his hand continues its journey south, sliding through the hair on your mound. “Just as I can be jealous of whomever I please.” He slips a finger into your folds and your hips buck into his hand.

“We- hnng- we can't do this here,” you pant even as your grip on his arm tightens, pulling him more into you.

“We can if you're quiet,” he breathes and runs a slick finger over your clit. You let out a high-pitched squeak that may have been mistaken for a mouse by someone wearing headphones. Maybe. He roughly pulls away and spins you around so your back is pressing into the shelves behind you. He hikes up your skirt and pushes his growing bulge into your core. He swallows your moan with a heated kiss and you grasp at the collar of his clean white suit. Which, given the way he’s grinding against your now drenched panties, might not be clean for much longer.

“I've half a mind to bite you just so everyone knows you're mine,” he hisses into your neck and pulls your leg around his waist, giving him unfettered access to your cunt. You let out a cry and he slaps a hand over your mouth, turning the cry into a soft grunt. Your pussy clenches in anticipation, waiting to be filled by him.

“But we don't need them to catch us to find out, do we?” he snarls and you let out another muffled moan. Every controlling grab, every fierce growl, every possessive word turns you on more. You want to let yourself succumb, be consumed by him. A quiet voice in the back of your head tells you “No, this is wrong, he’s being an asshole, don't reward that behavior.” But there is a much, much louder voice that works its way out of your throat.

“Ffkkk, msstrnn.” His palm catches his name from your lips. One of your hands grips onto the shelf above you while the other slides down his front and fumbles awkwardly with his belt. His hand leaves your leg to help you unbuckle his pants and your ankle hooks around his thigh.

His cock springs free and your breath hitches to see its pink bulbous tip already leaking precum. Your voice gets high and needy, your breath coming out sharply through your nose. He grinds his now bare erection into the wet fabric covering your pussy and presses his cheek to yours so his lips are right on your ear.

“Would you like that? Do you want me to claim you as mine? Mark you so everyone knows who you belong to?” With every word you gasp and twist against him more wantonly, rolling your hips to increase the friction.

“Say it,” he rasps and pulls his hand away from your mouth. You gasp and the words tumble out of you in a breathy whisper.

“Yes, gods yes. Mark me. Make me yours,” you plea, gripping the shelves even more firmly so you can arch into him, indifferent to the pain of the books digging into your back.

“Good girl,” he grunts and clamps his hand back over your mouth just in time to catch the loud whine that his praise elicited. He yanks your panties aside and sinks into you, and your slick lets him easily slide up to the hilt. You tilt your pelvis forward to feel even more of him inside you.

He pounds into you with short rhythmic strokes, making the books on the shelves behind you shake. Each thrust lifts you off your toes slightly, your one foot stretched to stay on the floor while the other remains firmly wrapped around his hip.

His breathing grows ragged with the effort, his breath warm and wet on your shoulder. You tangle your hands into his hair, tugging on his curls as you guide his lips to your neck. He sinks his teeth into the marks that have been taking longer and longer to heal. He drinks deeply as you keen into his hand, and it doesn't take long for your blood to reach his cock, making it throb inside you. 

The increase of sensation sends you rushing to the edge. Your arm curls tighter around his neck as the uneven pace of your jagged panting increases. You feel the familiar tightening in your core and your toes curl as heat and pleasure flood your body. You bite down on his hand as you're on the precipice and he unlatches from your neck. His feral growl, bloody mouth, and disheveled hair falling into his glasses send the orgasm rocketing through your body, and you feel him follow moments after. His dick pulses with seed and when he pulls out, you can feel it dripping down your leg.

The only sound in the library is the two of you trying to catch your breath, until, horrified, you hear a timid voice from a few stacks down.

“Um… the library will be closing in five minutes, please bring your books to the checkout counter.” You can hear little feet shuffle away followed by the door to the stairwell opening and slamming shut. You're silent for a moment longer before you both break into a fit of giggles.

***

You sit in your car in the university parking lot as you start and erase about a hundred different texts to Shadowheart. You're so conflicted that you don't even know what advice to ask for.

You finally settle on a simple, “I'm coming to your place. Open a bottle.”

[yetanotherhiddlestoner]

(MDNI 18+, smut will be eventually happening in this story line but still please respect the MDNI)

(Plus size reader x Negan. In the world of the dead rising, you just happen to fall for the one fucked up person who has no interest in you. And I am aware the timeline doesn't add up but for the story I had to make the timeline longer than a couple months.)

~Thank you to all that read the first chapter and commented, means a lot that you like this story. Sorry for taking so long to post a second chapter, I have at least 2 more chapters up and ready to post when I can.~

(Word Count - 2262 Words.)

~<3~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER TWO - I FELL HARD, YOU'LL FALL HARDER.

~<3~-------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were out scavenging when the fall of Negan happened. You didn't want to fight anyone, so Rick asked you to go during that time, making your way on a weeklong journey for supplies. You weren't sure what you to expect when you returned home, was it still going to be there, was it going to be taken over by Negan fully or would Rick win this war. You didn't know and you were worried, you were uncertain what you would do it Negan came out the winner.

You approached the gates carefully looking around for the day shift guard. You sighed relief when Daryl popped his head up and smiled at you, the gates opening before you drove your vehicle inside slowly.

"Welcome back you, how was your mission?" Daryl said hugging you tightly.  "Was a great success, the truck is full of food, ammo everything I could pick up and stack I did, even managed to grab a little bit of petrol for the car. We should be ok for a couple weeks."  You say as you open the door and jump out of the truck. "Well that is good news Y/N but I got some bad news that you may not like unfortunately." Daryl said looking over to the jail cell that was located under the first house on the street.   "What?" You look over and don't see anything, was someone hurt, dead or worse. "Rick, well he, kind of let Negan live and bought him back as a prisoner" Daryl says waiting for your response. 

You felt yourself become sick, why would Rick do that?  "But Y/N he can't hurt anyone, trust us, he is safe and locked away." You walk over to the barred windows; you can hear him whistling before he spots you. "Hello Y/N" Negan says smiling.  Daryl comes up behind you, his hand resting on your shoulder offering a small comfort. "You look amazing doll, have I ever told you that? Loving the long hair on you, suits you." You want to believe him, but you tell yourself that he is just doing this to get under your skin, to get a reaction out of you. 

"Daryl, doesn't she look wonderful, you are a fucking lucky man to be hers." "We ain't dating." Daryl says to Negan, he lets out a long whistle, "Well shit why not?" Negan probes, feeling a bit of jealousy flowing within him. "We're just friends Negan; not that its none of your business who I date anyway" you say.

While you weren't going to deny Daryl was hot, and when you met him you thought maybe if given the chance you might date him but after a while your love for him turned to more a friendship love and you and him were more like brother and sister. "Let's just get this truck unloaded Daryl" you say pulling him away from the prisoner.  Negan watches you go, he takes in how your jeans hug your curves tightly, how your hair flows underneath the bandana you are sporting and how amazing you look covered in knives and guns. This wasn't the same scared girl he rescued years ago, this was a woman who found herself, her confidence and her place and damn he was proud of you.  Every day he would watch you work; watch you talk with the men and women of the community and play with the kids on your down time. He noticed the way you smiled when someone said something to you that you found funny and how quickly you were to react to whatever danger that tried to enter your home.  Each passing day he sat there silently, admiring you, wishing he could talk to you again, missing your new fiery wit and sharp tongue. 

He often found himself wondering if you would have had the same spitfire nature back at the Sanctuary, was it hiding inside you, waiting till the right time to be release. You radiated confidence in everything you did.  Negan was somewhat sad that he wasn't the one who bought it out in the first place.

Negan was waiting for his dinner as usual, waiting for Gabe to bring it down but was surprised when you came down those stairs holding the tray instead. He noticed how you kept your head down and quickly passed it under the bars, the sound of it scraping on the concrete breaking the silence in the small room. "Are you going to ignore me for the rest of my life?" Negan asks, placing the tray on his cot. 'Gabe usually keeps me company while I eat." "Yeah, well I am not Gabe and if I had my way you wouldn't be getting anything from our pantry." You snap at him. "Especially nothing I risked my ass for" 

"Shouldn't you be happy? If you had stayed with me, you would have been either captured, dead or abandoned again but here you are safe, and sound and I am the one being treated like a caged animal at the zoo." Negan says take a bite of his bread. You glare at him "I would be happier if you had never came here, if Rick didn't bring you back alive as far as I am concerned, you're still a threat to us." "I am unarmed, I have no men, no followers, nothing. I am not a threat."  "You could kill a man with your bare hands, I fucking witnessed it once and that is a risk I really don't want to take, but since Rick is leader and he is content with you being kept like an animal then I have no say."

You get up to leave when you hear Negan say, "I'm sorry". You turn back to him, and he is standing at the bars, his arms hanging out casually, staring at you. "What did you say?"

"I said I am sorry. I shouldn't have said what I said back then. You were right, I was scared that I was going to lose it all and in the end I did. To me you were never overweight, you were perfect. You made me feel things that I haven't felt in a goddamn long time. Your smile, laugh, the way you look at me as if the world shone out my ass was why I could start my day, just knowing I could talk to you was enough for me."

"A little late for your "kind" words now don't Cha think? You could be saying this now so I will forgive you and let you go" you say pointing out the obvious. "I can tell you that I will not be the one setting you free" You growl as he gaze softens.

"I am 100% telling the truth. The day after you left, I went to your room to talk to you, when I entered and found it empty I went and searched the entire compound for you, I had Simon patrolling outside hoping you were just trying to prove something to us but when night fell, and you didn't come back I knew I fucked up and then you show up here that day and the feelings I felt seeing you, I can't describe."

"And yet you didn't learn, you did the same thing to Olivia. If you hadn't of said shit, maybe I would still be flying under the Negan radar." "You're right, I didn't learn and what I said to Olivia wasn't nice at all. I hurt you twice without even thinking." 

You stand there looking at the once powerful Negan, "You are pathetic, a man like you never learns." You snarl as you get closer to the bars, "You are going to rot in here." You were so close to him; you could feel his breathe on your face.  Negan was getting pissed off, he had tried to apologize, something that he never did, and you spat it back at him. He didn't want you to forgive right away but you didn't even give it time to sink it. You were so close, so angry, he couldn't help but get turned on, the scent of you drove him crazy.

  He grabbed your arms, slamming you into the bars, you fought against him, but he covered your lips with his and you stopped fighting for a moment. Your lips were warm and soft just like he had imagined. His facial hair tickled your skin as you felt his tongue glide against you closed lips. You pulled away from his grip, using the back of your hand to wipe your lips of his kiss, you stood there staring in shock a minute before storming out of the cell and heading home. Negan watched you rush home, he could see your house from his cell, it was one of his past time favorites, watching you in your room, the silhouette of you always got his attention. When you thought no-one was watching you would sit on the windowsill and have a smoke, or just stare at the stars. Negan would watch you, wishing he could join you, to hear you laugh and smile at him as you spoke to each other.

His fingers touched his lips, remembering how soft they were, he had been wanting to kiss you since the day he found you. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day Negan didn't see you around the compound, you didn't leave for a supply run, so you had to be in your home. "If you are looking for Y/N she not feeling well today so Rick gave her the day off" Gabe said passing him his food under the cell door. "Is she ok?" Negan asks not in the mood to eat, looking at the tray on the floor. "You tell me, she has never once taken a day off sick and the one time she comes down here and she is "unwell"? Want to tell me what happened?" Gabe ask sitting down next to Negan's cell.

"Nothing happened, she gave me the food and that is it" Negan lies. "I am a priest Negan, think of this like a confessional, whatever you say stays between us." Negan looks at the priest then sits next to him. "I tried to apologize for my past behavior, but she wasn't having any of it. Words got heated and when she got close enough, I grabbed her and kissed her, I don't know why I did that I just had the urge to pull her in, kiss her crazy but then she left without saying anything" Negan confesses.

Gabe looks at the man next to him, he now understands why you stayed home today.  "Listen, I know I should not be doing this, but I will. First just I suggest give her time, I'll try and send her down next week to deliver your food, I can't promise anything ok" Negan nods and watches the man leave.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 DAYS LATER

Daryl comes to grab you for a supply run with him. You place you knife and guns on your hip and calf and walk over to his bike, knowing full well who is watching you. "Good morning, Y/N, I heard you have been sick lately I hope you are ok now" Negan says giving you that cocky smile you knew him for. "I don't need your concern Negan." You tie the bandana around your head and lean on Daryl's bike. "I don't want to hear that you have been unwell. Especially since you were the last one to see me before you got sick. Who knows what you gave me with our kiss." You look around and make sure no-one heard him; you storm over to his window. "What the fuck are you doing?" You growl as you kneel down. "I am doing nothing Y/N. I don't want to get sick to." He tilts his head as he looks at you. "You know damn well I am fine." "Which brings me to my next question, why were you hiding and pretending to be sick, surely the kiss wasn't that bad.?" "I was embarrassed ok" That was a lie, but you had hoped he couldn't tell.  "You are OUR prisoner; it makes me look bad if anyone finds out about it." "We are adults, we can do what we want, why would it look bad?" Negan pushes you.

"If anyone in this community finds out our past it wouldn't look too good for me or Rick. He is the one keeping my secret about where I come from" You say spying Daryl approaching and you get up to leave. "You want me" Negan watches you turn around to face him again "Don't deny it, that kiss was just the tip of the iceberg. You may have told yourself that you have no feelings, nothing, for me but that is a lie, you want me just as much as I want you." You listen to him carefully and shake your head. " You only want me now because I am unattainable and skinny. You wouldn't be saying that if it was fat me" You leave before he can shout out anything. "Hey Daryl" you say as he hops on his bike, you jump on behind him, hugging his waist tightly as he goes to start the bike, you smirk back at Negan, resting your head on Daryl's back. "Hold on" Daryl shouts as he starts the bike up and rides out the gates. Negan feels the pits of jealously rising inside him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[stusbunker]

Spotless: Vivace

Chapter Twenty Five

Featuring: Dean Winchester/Reader, Dean/Bela

Other characters: Bobby, Tiny, Lee, Kevin, Annie, Pamela, Sam, faceless fans and support staff

Word Count: 2900

Warnings, etc: Mutual pining, jealousy, grief, musical backstory and hope

A/N: The band played on.

Series Masterlist

You held your breath as Bobby gathered the band backstage. Two dozen roadies, stage crew, and security stilled as he looked past the boys and Pam to their support staff, only Charlie and her team were missing, already in place in the booth. You shivered and waited. Jody’s voice echoed behind the bend thanking the crowd and promising a great show from Phantom Traveler to come. Andy slinked around and continued to snap pictures, despite the glare it earned him anytime Bobby caught the lens pointed toward him. The ragtag group buzzed with excitement and you silently prayed that it would go off without a hitch. 

Finally, Bobby began to speak, “I know a lot of you are nervous about tonight, ‘bout this tour— hell about this band. But it means a lot that y’all signed on for another round of nonsense with these idjits. It means you believe in them, that you’ve got faith they can pull together and get it done. Well, I’m here to tell you it’s not a time to worry, because ain't no other band that can do what these guys do. It’s a time to celebrate. Let’s get out there and fuckin’ rock’n’roll.”

Lee hooted and people cheered, you couldn’t help but clap and shriek along. Then everyone crowded in for the circle of hands and chanted “Phaaaaaantom TRAV-ler!”

The band and crew maneuvered in the dark, letting the interim instrumentals keep the crowd distracted as they set up. You scurried back to where you had left Bela in the wings, under Tiny’s care.

“Everything alright?” Bela asked out of the side of her mouth, shifting in place as she tried to clock Dean amongst the many moving shapes.

“Aces,” you replied, bouncing on the balls of your feet as the crowd started to clap with an increasing beat.

You spotted Sam and Kevin’s silhouettes high five and then Lee strummed a teaser chord. Walkie talkies crackled around you as the all clear was called. You kept an earpiece in, but without much left for you to do, you turned it to the lowest setting besides mute. 

It was go time. 

“Bring ‘em up, Charlie,” Bobby prompted over the line and the Forum erupted. 

Lights and wavelengths of sound shot off in every direction and Phantom Traveler took off.

You wouldn’t have stopped yourself from screaming bloody murder even if you had remembered you were directly beside your very posh best friend and her security detail. 

It was happening. They made it back home.

“Good evening Inglewood!” Dean greeted, pointedly accurate. Plus you could tell he was grinning from where you stood, from just the sway of his head and a glimpse of his profile.

There was no other chit chat, no grand speech thanking them for coming out, it was just the band, the music, and the audience.

They started off with ‘Woman in White’, their first major single and something high energy enough to get people out of their seats. Then on to the B side of their first EP, which was a cult favorite called ‘Playthings’ that featured something affectionately referred to as ‘the beat off’ between Sam and Pam.

But at the time it was written, it was played by Sam and Cas.

Pam did it better.

It was like someone was racing up the stairs or against time itself as the two rhythm setting musicians fought for dominance. The crowd ate it up. And you could tell they both were already dripping sweat by the time the song ended and they tuned it back and finally jumped into their last fateful album.

‘Scarecrow’ was haunted and foreboding, reminiscent of early 90s metal that you knew Dean adored. It was also Cas’ favorite track off that entire album. And Kevin killed the bridge as the keyboard turned into an ancient organ chasing the crows away with the dawn. Charlie even added a cackling Vincent Price at the end that couldn’t be topped.

“How’s everybody doing tonight?!” Lee took the words out of Dean’s mouth, which earned him a kick in the ass. They were having a blast up there and it was infectious.

The crowd roared.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Dean bellowed. “I hope you don’t mind, but we’d like to bring somebody out for this next number.”

Shrill ruckus pierced the air, they knew what was coming.

“She’s our very dear friend and we just so happened to convince her to tag along with us this tour. You know her, you love her, please— give a very warm welcome to the incomparable Ms. Annie Hawkins!”

Everyone screamed and stomped, watching as the spotlight followed Annie from the farside of the stage towards the standing mics centerstage.

“Oh, she looks amazing,” Bela spoke for the first time since you’d gotten back. And she wasn’t wrong.

“The girls probably had a blast with her in their dressing room,” you tacked on thoughtfully.

“Her top though,” Bela continued. “I want it.”

You chuckled at Bela’s priorities and quickly got sucked back into what was happening barely thirty feet away.

“You sure you’re ready over there?” Annie teased as Dean adjusted his mic after rushing to set down his guitar.

The crowd laughed in unison.

“I’m ready, do you think they’re ready?” Dean asked coyly, gesturing to the crowd.

All around you camera screens glowed and flashed burst through the darkened arena. Concert security lined the stage and guarded the partitioned areas for the crew and band to navigate the area. Until that moment you really hadn’t been able to pull any single response from the cacophony. You hadn’t been trying anyway. But when Annie goaded Dean a cluster of women in the pit got your attention.

“And here I thought you were out here warming them up for me?” Annie teased.

The crowd loved it, but one catty comment made it feel like you and Bela were right there up on stage with them. “Bela needs to get her man before that cougar gets too cozy up there.”

They eyed your little corner below the VIP suspiciously. You missed whatever Dean said in response, instead watching the women glare and Bela adamantly ignore them in equal measure.

But then the song began. A slow and slinking start reminiscent of Springsteen’s Fire. Which you clocked the first time you heard it, but that was just the intro. The lyrics started up as a quick conversation, a compromise even and then they were harmonizing into the chorus. 

The band hadn’t done many duets, even with such talented singers in their ranks. It wasn’t their style. But this song felt like it had always existed, it was timeless and familiar and really fucking catchy. Annie beamed at Dean when he slipped closer on stage and they belted out the final lines.

It made you feel like they were performing only for you, for their people. It was honest and intimate, but this wasn’t rehearsal or karaoke and the audience would not be forgotten.

Everyone cheered. Even the judgy bitches that kept watching Bela at your side.

Dean hugged Annie and made sure she got the reception she deserved, egging the crowd on and bowing in homage to her talent.

She rolled her eyes, did a snarky curtsy and waved her way back off stage.

“You guys seem to be digging that one. Maybe we could play some more new stuff for y’all tonight?” Lee asked. “I mean— the album isn’t out yet.”

Naturally, the crowd shouted and begged for more.

Bela turned to whisper to you. “They’re not gonna get in trouble for this are they?”

You shook your head. “They’ve got permission to do a few songs until the album is actually out and then they’ll change up the set list to cover more of the new stuff.”

“Got it.”

“Yeah, bootlegs always exist, but this way they’re building excitement but not giving away the farm.”

“Lee!” Dean admonished playfully. 

“What?!” Lee spat back, smirking.

“Sam— tell him.”

Sam shook his head, always stoic on stage.

Dean kept up the ruse. “I don’t know if we should. Pamela?”

Pamela thudded the bass drum and hit the crash. 

“Okay! Pammy’s in— Kevo?” Lee kept the momentum going.

And without any warning or time for Kevin to actually respond, they burst into the opening of 'Prophet and Loss'. 

“I would kill for a drink—- is there somebody we could send to concessions?” Bela asked midsong. And you looked around, wondering if any of the staff could actually leave their posts without getting in trouble. 

You suddenly felt like a bad host. “We’ll get you a box for Vegas. I know this isn’t as fun as it sounds standing for two hours straight.”

“Y/N, I’m fine. Promise.”

“Okay, well I’ll go after the next song. You want anything, Tiny?” you asked your silent companion.

“All good, boss.” He replied and straightened his stance, clasping his hands in front of him.

Kevin silenced the space with the burst of chords at the beginning of his solo, showcasing what Julliard training could do and how rock’n’roll could still be classy as hell. The key changed, turning the mood broken and lamenting as they stumbled into the bridge where Dean pelted out about losing Cas without so much detail.

 Dean let the note hang in the air. “'Prophet and Loss', everybody.”

Whistles filled the air, keeping the mood somber but with enough reception to know that small offering was gratefully accepted.

“Thanks— uh, I, we really appreciate being here tonight and being able to share some of the new album with everybody. But we know you wanna hear the stuff you know, too. So we’re gonna hop back to it and have a kick ass night. How’s that sound?” Dean checked in.

The crowd cheered.

“Did you hear something?” Dean asked Lee jokingly.

The crowd got louder.

“I don’t know if they’re up for much more,” Lee taunted back.

You rolled your eyes and turned to Bela. “Okay, I’ll be back, text me if you think of anything besides drinks.”

The crowd continued to take the bait, howling behind you as you made your way out of the off limit areas and up a side stairway towards the general admission cavern-like hallway. For the first time it felt like all day, you exhaled. Your pass flapped against your chest as you strutted quickly towards the concession area, bypassing the VIP lounge because you didn’t want to get distracted by Madison or any of the mid-level suits that might be milling around.

You could have stolen something from the dressing room, but that wouldn’t have taken nearly as long and you needed some time off of Bela duty tonight. Which made you feel guilty as hell. She was your best friend! She didn’t do anything wrong. And yet you were incredibly frustrated with even the thought of her.

So you waited in line, ordered two extremely overpriced and depressingly weak cocktails, and put them on your expense card. 

The thing about regret is that it isn’t a one time experience. There might have been a moment in the process of you contriving this scenario for Dean’s redemption where you second or third guessed yourself. But the biting sting of seeing him play happy with Bela online and even in person had come at you in waves.

Regret was bearable if it meant it worked, if Dean could have some peace.

But this wasn’t just regret, it was petulance and jealousy and injustice.

Because Bobby had asked all the way back in the beginning, why couldn’t it have been you playing arm candy? And the fact that people could see what you had tried so hard to bury and ignore plain as day, well, it made you feel incredibly small and even more pathetic.

There was no reason for you to be the one at Dean’s side. But damn did you want to be.

And somehow you had managed to keep that from one of the most important people in your life. So it wasn’t just that Bela was getting a part of Dean that you’d never have. Or parts. You shuttered at the thought of where his mouth had been. It was that your best friend hadn’t even clocked the elephant in the room.

Like she didn’t even know you at all.

Or maybe that was on you too. Maybe you hadn’t been honest with yourself until it was too late. How could you put that blame on her too?

You slammed your drink and got back in line for a replacement, not wanting to return with only Bela’s cup like some kind of maid. You could hear the crowd singing along with Lee on ‘A Reaper’s Offering’, a bluesy cut from their second studio album. 

You probably had another two songs before you’d miss anything else new. But you also knew Bela was waiting and the longer the show went on, the more drunk and ballsy random fans could get. You couldn’t leave her with the forever nonplussed Tiny for backup. You smiled at the woman working the bar cart apologetically and ordered another husk of a cocktail.

After another stream of applause, the opening bars of ‘Abandon All Hope’ started and you knew you had to book it. This was Jo’s song, you couldn’t miss it. You never left Dean to get through this one alone. Huffing down the service steps with two drinks in hand in heels was something that you managed only from practice, but you made it in time for the first chorus.

“Oh aren’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Bela murmured to her drink before sipping it and wincing. “It’ll do. Took you long enough,” she teased and winked, hip checking you as you struggled to get your breathing under control as you mouthed along with Dean’s words.

“Trapped by your side with no exit, we had to let you go—”

Bela quickly picked up on your shift in mood and reeled in the playfulness, for which you gave her a grateful glance before turning back to try and lock eyes with Dean on stage.

“Defending that night while trying to give comfort, we should have known—”

“To abandon all hope,” you sang out, the last lyric rising up to hover in the air. 

Dean turned and glanced in your direction and then looked again once he finally saw you. He nodded and tapped his heart and you returned the gesture, you both kept her safe as you could now. He blew a kiss to the ceiling and bowed.

The crowd continued to echo around you, suffocating yet as distant as thunder. 

“Alrighty, folks, we’re gonna take a short break for Sammy to find another shirt and we’ll get you one last sneak peak,” Dean explained. “Kevin? Think you and Pam can keep ‘em busy for me?”

“Aye-aye,” Kevin said and saluted, out of range of his mic stand.

Pam started in with the count and Kevin peeled in down from the upper registers, like he was sliding in from Heaven and crashing a party. The instrumental interlude was a mesmerizing feat of jumping genres and killing time while showcasing just what all each of them could do. But you weren’t even paying attention. Dean made a beeline for the back of the stage and he wound around security until he could find you. 

He gripped the ball of your shoulder and leaned in. “I didn’t see you until the end— had me worried, Trouble!”

He had to talk over the crowd, his back firmly towards the nearest wedge of fans.

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be!”

He stared at you, sweaty and down to a single layer, earpiece still in his left ear. 

“You’re killing it up there,” Bela said, making you both stop and blink. Dean grinned and pulled her into a hug, a boyfriend hug, arms tight around her waist so her arms can loop around his neck. She even kicked a leg back for balance. 

God was she good.

“You keep an eye on her, okay? She’s gonna need tissues for the next one,” Dean warned playfully down his nose at Bela about you.

She rolled her eyes. “You are a menace on the emotional, aren’t you?”

“All in a day’s work,” Dean shrugged and set her back on her own two feet.

The crackle of a nearby walkie made Dean look around for whoever was sent to find him. “Sam’s looking for you,” an unimpressed lackey of Benny’s pointed out from ten feet away.

“Yeah, I bet he is. Alright, well, see you ladies later— Tiny,” Dean stepped back nodding. He soon disappeared only to hop up on the wing of the stage, grabbing an acoustic and sliding it on.

After the chaos of the crowd dissipated from Pamela’s and Kevin’s antics, Dean and Sam walked on stage and sat down on a pair of stools that had been left out for them. They didn’t look at each other or even the crowd and you knew in that moment that Dean hadn’t been lying. You weren’t gonna survive the next song live with a dry eye.

‘Brothers Keeper’ nearly took down the entire venue. 

Cell phones and lighters blazed in the dark, enraptured space as Dean and Sam sang about each other, about family, and about forgiveness.

Tagging:

@deans-spinster-witch

@mrswhozeewhatsis

@cosicas-cuquis

@fics-pics-andotherthings-i-like

@suckitands33

@ladysparkles78

@deans-baby-momma

@stoneyggirl2

@sassy-pelican

@leigh70

@globetrotter28

@winharry

@lastactiontricia

@rockhoochie

@brightlilith

@coldhearted93

@djs8891

Chapter 27: Polyphony

[sunflowersteves]

forgiving you was easy || j.m.

part three of ain't no sunshine

pairing || joel miller x f!sunshine!reader

summary || who knew Joel Miller would be jealous of the entire town of Jackson, Wyoming.

author's note || chapter threeee! sorry it took me a bit! i was on spring break and then a lost a little motivation for writing for this series and joel but im back! better than ever! this isn't edited either so i'm sorry for any mistakes. can be read as stand alone but follows a series!

warnings || jealousy, angst, fluff, insecurities, dependency, joel is so in-love, SMUT, soft dom!joel, cockwarming, a little sub!joel if you squint, unprotected sex, food play, [18+ only]

part two || series masterlist || masterlist

You know I'll always love you And I can't forget the days when you were mine Forgiving you is easy

The warmth of spring in Wyoming settles in between the fluffy green grass and the perk of white from the wildflowers that start to bloom. Spring was always your favorite, especially after the calming storm of the harsh, frosty winter. 

Ellie and Joel could always tell the changing of the seasons when you were around—like an alarm clock that pleasantly buzzed against their ears. The days they watched you with a book in your hand, hot tea in the other, and a blanket snuggled over your lap were over. 

Instead, you were humming along to a tune outside as you tended to your garden. You would fluff out an old blanket to have a picnic under the cedar trees. Spring was just your season, and Joel and Ellie’s smiles couldn’t be brighter when they saw just how much you thrived.

However, Joel hadn’t had the pleasure to watch the seasons change this year. He couldn’t watch the late evenings of watching you and Ellie catch fireflies on the back porch. He hadn’t seen the new sundresses you had traded with one of the taylor’s in town. He hadn’t had the pleasure of going on a hike near the river and skipping rocks until your arm hurt too much.

It wasn’t like it was entirely his fault that he hadn’t seen you. He had been trying for the past two months to get your attention but seemingly failed every time. He knew that you being injured spooked the entire town—hell, it spooked him too. He would argue that it scared him shitless more than anybody else in the entire world. 

But everyone wanted their chance to hang out with you—the world was full of violence and chaos, something that many people in the town had forgotten, and the reminder of your injuries had struck them intensely. Everyone in Jackson, Wyoming wanted every ounce of your attention. 

Tommy wanted your help on a surprise for Maria. Maria wanted your input on the things happening around the town. Jesse wanted to show you a new weapon he had gotten. Dina wanted to ask for more supplies for the new cabin she built. Even when you were back at your own cabin, Ellie wanted to show you all of the new things she had discovered at school. That last one, though, Joel didn’t mind so much. 

And you. You. You were as happy as you could be—a smile plastered onto your face and a sweet voice ringing out saying, “I’d be happy to.” Joel’s sunshine—the person that he was truly starting to miss and crave. 

Joel felt as though was about to simmer over like a pot of water that was about to completely boil over. Joel could feel you slowly start to detach yourself from him—the wall seemingly becoming much higher. 

You never caressed his face anymore in the mornings. You had been waking up too early that your mind fogged over with sleep, no longer cuddling into his side. You never kissed him goodnight, already asleep in the bed. You never hugged him behind the waist when he cooked anymore. 

That was just the way things were when more than half of the damn town wanted your constant attention. He couldn’t really blame anyone else either because he understood. You were the glue to everyone’s smiles and laughter, the town was undoubtedly happier with you around. 

He knew it wasn’t on purpose. He knew you couldn’t help it. But, you were his glue too.

A deep sullen feeling rushed over his chest as he thought about the little time he had spent with you. His hands itched to feel the soft plains of your skin again, to hold your hand as you danced around in the kitchen. 

He closed his eyes, and one of his hands gripped the couch so hard he thought the stuffing might fall out. His breathing was deep and labored, the lonely ache settling into his bones. He knew that all of this would soon pass, at least he hoped.

His fears always get the best of him, especially when all the people he has loved die or leave. The mere thought of you leaving was about to take seize of his chest and break it whole. You and Ellie were the family he thought he could never have, again. You were it for him. 

“Good morning, handsome.” You made your way down the stairs and smiled at the fresh pot of coffee. 

Joel could only grunt as a response. 

You arched an eyebrow, though. While that might be a normal response to everyone else, you were always greeted with a deep scratchy, ‘good morning, darlin’.” You poured yourself some of the coffee into your favorite mug—bright yellow sunflowers that covered the ceramic glass. 

You looked over your shoulder to see Joel completely lost in thought. A frown sat right on top of his pretty features, the curve of his lips was almost starting to become red. “Joel?”

The sweet plains of your voice seemed to catch him out of his daze. His eyes softened and the frown slowly disappeared from his lips at the sight of you in the kitchen. You still had your pajamas on and the sleep under your eyes was still a bit prominent. 

“Sleep any good?” He watched you tiredly nod, knowing you just lied to his face. Even with the warmth that flowed through your body from being next to Joel, your sleepless nights were still taking a toll. He knew you weren’t getting good sleep, but he still wanted to make sure you were okay.

“No, you haven’t.” You open your mouth to retort something back, but the smile that shines on his face halts your jaw to stop. “You don’t have to lie to me, darlin’, I already know.”

You huff out in playful annoyance before sipping some of the sugary coffee. “You always seem to know, Miller.”

You saunter over to him, placing the coffee cup at the end table, and placing your knees over to rest near his thighs. His arms immediately find their home on your hips and he gives them a squeeze. 

You smiled brightly at him, as you always did, and Joel couldn’t contain the pure happiness that flowed through his veins. He pressed a kiss to your cheek and trails his lips up to your nose and finally pecks the tip.

You giggle in his arms, your own hand resting along the back of his neck and shoulder. He lets himself contently sigh and his eyes flutter closed at the relaxed feeling. “Can’t seem to get you to myself.” 

You raised an eyebrow as you start to press soft kisses to his jawline—feeling the gruff of his patchy beard. “What’s that?” 

He opened one of his eyes, peeking to look at you. He huffed, almost childlike, at the thought of having to share you again. “You’ve been busy all week, darlin’. I jus’ haven’t seen you.”

You nodded, your hands making their way past his shoulders and down to his hardened chest. He groaned at the newly founded attention of your touches. His hands start to wander around your hips, one lowering to your side, while the other hand feels the plains of your stomach. 

He could feel the desperation kick in between his chest and his heart. He whimpered at the feeling of your wet tongue skating across his neck. Your hot breath fanned up against the pulse point on his neck and his body couldn’t help itself as it puddled into you.

You nibbled right against the spot below his ear, knowing that would make him melt even further. You had realized through all of the messes that you were cleaning up around town that you missed him too. Even unbearingly, so. 

You missed the way he would press his rough lips against your chest. You craved for the breakfasts he would make in the mornings and bringing you a tray of it to your shared bed. 

Your heart thumped across your chest as his hand trailed up underneath your pajama shirt. Then, as if the universe was out to get the two of you, you heard the call of your name and stopped the assault on his neck. 

“Y’all in there? I just need some herbs for the lunch I’m makin’ for Maria.” Tommy calls from the front door. 

Joel’s hands tightened incredibly fast around your hips. The grit of his teeth is almost striking and his tongue snaps against the roof of his mouth. “Don’t you fuckin’ dare open that door.”

You sighed. Joel could tell that you were contemplating on letting Tommy think that no one was home. Something flashed between your irises, though—something that he couldn’t quite see. Slowly, you pulled yourself out of his grasp, so slow that he almost didn’t feel it.

But then he felt cold—it was harsh and piercing as the warmth from your body dissipated. You walked over to the front door and opened it up. You started chatting with Tommy about the garden before letting him in.

Tommy had even greeted his older brother, but he didn’t say anything. He wasn’t sure that he could without blowing up in his face. So, he stayed silent with a grind of his jaw and a squint of his eyes. 

He watched you and Tommy make your way to the backyard, all while Joel sat on the couch, alone once more. 

═ ∘◦❦◦∘ ═

Joel was pissed—anger bursting through his chest and almost falling out of his ears in steam. His anger wasn’t regarded at you, never you. He just couldn’t help but be so irate at the entire town around him—even his own flesh and blood. 

After Tommy had talked to you about parsley for ten-fucking-minutes, he had the audacity to ask another favor. He grits his teeth together even harder before as you and Tommy made your way back through the house and right out the door. Tommy had said something to him, too, but he couldn’t listen. He couldn’t listen as you gave him a guilty smile—one that shined a promise that you would be back soon.

Joel had just about been stretched paper thin. He was warring on a side that showed his mean and off-putting nature. He stood up, almost about to pack all of yours and Ellie’s bags so he can take you three far the fuck away from Jackson, Wyoming. He had never been to Nebraska. Maybe it would be just as nice and calming as Wyoming was. 

He shook his head, though. His thoughts were always calculating and stirring in his head. He couldn’t take Jackson away from you, no matter how hard he wanted some peace and quiet. Wyoming was your home now—including his. His dusted, sour heart couldn’t even bear that. 

He had decided he had just about enough.

Joel got up from the couch, his knees cracking at the still position he had been in for over an hour—he had been patiently waiting for your return. 

He heard someone tumble down the stairs just as he was about to walk out the door. He then turned around to see Ellie grabbing a piece of toast from the kitchen. Damn, she was getting quicker and quicker these days. She had grown up so much since they had settled down in Jackson. 

She stopped, though, looking him up and down. “Oh my god, would you just tell her already?” Ellie was exasperated, almost laughing at the old man in front of her. 

Joel could only stare, blinking occasionally. “You two are a mess, sometimes.”

“What are you talkin’ about, kid?” He huffed. He was trying to hide from her, hoping she wouldn’t notice the sullen pining he had been doing for the past couple of months. 

“You love her so much, it’s gross.” She fake gagged. 

She noticed that his eyebrows couldn’t be any more furrowed. Joel protested. “I do love ‘er. I’m just—I don’t know. You know I’m shit at feelings, kid.”

She crossed her arms. “Joel, even I’ve noticed you two haven’t been around each other and I can’t see for shit.” She leaned forward and patted his upper arm—it was the highest she could reach. 

“Just tell her you miss her, man.” With that, she walked up to the door. “By the way, I’m staying at Cat’s. She’s a new friend from school.” 

Joel opened his mouth to protest as you and Joel were supposed to make dinner that night, but Ellie didn’t even hear him. She was already out the door and halfway across the lawn with the biggest smile on her face. 

Joel couldn’t believe he was going to tell himself this, but Ellie was right. The only problem was that he needed to get you alone. 

═ ∘◦❦◦∘ ═

After Tommy had picked out the spicy he wanted, he told you in a hushed tone about his new idea as a surprise for Maria. You raised an eyebrow at the secrecy but nodded nonetheless when he asked if you could talk with him at his house. 

“Sorry, I know you wanted a day with your family. Ellie jus’ likes to blab out stuff to Maria. She can’t keep a secret for shit.” You couldn’t deny that one bit. You loved Ellie and the lack of filter she has, but she, in fact, can’t ever keep secrets. 

You smiled as big as you could. Despite the change in plans, everything was still genuine for you. A shimmering spark shot through your heart at the fact that so many people in Jackson cared about you and were excited to see you well again. You appreciated each and every one of them.

It had been five after seven o’clock by the time you had come back to the house. Your limbs were utterly spent from the day you had had. All you wanted to do was crawl into bed with Joel and never have to deal with anyone else ever again—besides Ellie, of course. 

You sprawled yourself across the couch, a little sigh leaving your lips. Your body ached from practically standing on your feet all day. Just as you were about to inevitably get up and go make dinner, spices and savor hit your nose. 

You turn your head to see Joel standing in the kitchen—an apron hung around his neck as he hummed a tune. You guessed it was Johnny Cash by the way his vocal cords clung to every sound. 

You stood there for while, leaning on the doorway, and watched as he continued to cook a meal. Tears sprung to your eyes, the thoughtfulness of the man in front of you had never ceased to amaze you.

Instead of kicking back his legs and watching a movie to wait for you to get home and make a meal as most men do, he immediately took on the task like no other. You maybe had to show him how to cook, but he was quite a fast learner. 

He finally looked over, his eyes were wide at the startling presence of you by the door. “Darlin’! You jus’ about gave me a heart attack.”

You laughed and shook your head before going over and wrapping your arms around his waist. He sucked in his breath at the feeling of your hands against his frame. Everything felt right again, everything felt perfect. 

He let the onions sauté a bit too long as he let the moment of your arms around him fully sink in. He didn’t want to take any more moments with you for granted—not like he did such a thing previous to your accident. 

“I’ve missed you, sweet girl.”

The nickname sends shivers down your spine, a gasp leaving your lips. You start to press small kisses against his shoulder blade and breathe in the smell of whiskey and oak. “I’ve missed you too, cowboy.”

He turns off the stove and takes a spoon to push the onions onto two plates, nice and even. You almost pull him in a bit tighter, wanting to be as close to him as you possibly could. He turns around in your arms and presses a firm kiss against your lips.

You almost whine, though, from the quickness that his lips leave yours. “Dinner’s ready, darlin’.”

You grab the plate and go to sit down in your usual spot. Normally, there would be a chair between you and Joel so that Ellie could sit right in the middle. Joel shook his head, though. 

“Ellie’s gone. She’s at Cat’s.”

Your eyes brightened with excitement. “Oh! Yes! She was telling me the other day that Cat is a tattoo artist and Ellie was thinking about—” You stopped mid-sentence from the disapproving sound that leaves his mouth. 

You looked at him with a frown. “Hey, when Ellie turns eighteen next year you can’t just—”

“No.” He gruffs, shaking his head. “Not that. You’re just—you’re too far.”

Your mouth opens just a bit out of surprise. Joel’s eyes glance down at his lap for only a moment, before flicking up back into your eyes. 

You stand there, for just a moment, trying to collect your thoughts. Before you know it, your legs are moving on their own and straddling his waist. He hums in contentment at the feeling of your body weight on top of his—the warmth of you already filling up his bones.

You were right where you needed to be. 

You start to move to turn around and eat your food, but Joel stops you. He takes the plate out of your hand and places it on the table. 

“I need you to stop movin’.” He looks at you with one eyebrow raised. Then, he saw the change in your demeanor almost immediately. 

Your back straightened, your eyes dilated—you were a sight for sore eyes. You looked at him innocently, but he knew the darkness that swam through your eyes told him another story. “What do you mean, Joel?”

His hands gravitated toward your hips, giving them a gentle squeeze. “Don’t act all stupid on me, darlin’.”

He could feel his cock harden with each wiggle that his hips shift over his lap. Your crotch laid right on top of his—giving you access to the perfect amount of friction against his member. 

“Fuck—” He whispers.

His cock was already weeping—practically begging for him to unleash and sink down into you. The sound of your mewl as you rocked back and forth was utterly ethereal to his ears. The pure desperation to be near you again—finally all to himself was almost too enticing. 

He didn’t know what he needed first. “Please, baby—lemme—lemme jus’ feel you. I need to feel you so bad.”

You nod vigorously against his broad chest. “Need you too, Joel. N-Need you.” 

You weren’t sure how much more you could say. Your mind was already slipping into an unconscious state of pure love and wanting at the humping of his lap. You would do anything and everything for the man underneath you. 

Joel unzips his jeans and gently lifts his hips, with you on him, so he can shimmy them down his ankles. Your mouth begins to water as he takes out his pre-cum smeared, girthy-veined cock. 

“Don’t move. What did I tell you ‘bout movin', hm?”

You open your mouth to protest, but it dies on your tongue. Joel just wanted to feel you. He just wanted your warm heat to sit on top of his cock—the sensations that rolled through you were almost too much to bear. 

He just wanted you to sit pretty. 

You moved your hips to shove your underwear to the side and slowly sunk down onto his cock. You both moaned in unison, his forehead leaning to press up against yours. 

Joel wasn’t sure how much he could handle—his cock throbbing from your slick, wet core. He had missed this so much. He had missed you so much. 

He could tell that the feelings were mutual from the juices that flowed down to his balls. He groaned at the vision that flushed through him. He pressed sweet kisses onto your temple and down to your jaw. 

He grabbed a fork full of the steak that he had made. You giggled, opening your mouth and he fed the meat to you.

You hummed in delight, the flavor was so good and the meat was so tender. Joel just watched, mouth slightly open in awe. “Fuck, sweet girl. ‘M missed you.” 

You whined, feeling absolutely full to the brim. You missed him too. You didn’t realize just how much your body craved the man in front of you. 

You were starting to get impatient. You pressed your breasts right on top of his chest and wiggled around in his lap. Joel growls in your ear and rushes his hands to still your movements. 

“What the fuck did I just say?” 

You were able to get a full roll of your hips and your eyes almost rolled in the back of your head. “Joel, please, please. I-I can’t—”

“You gettin’ cock dumb, darlin’? Hmm?” He groaned at the clench your walls gave around his cock.

“Haven’t even done anythin’ and you’re already all stumped.” He had a shit-eating grin that spread across his face. He loved when you were needy—he loved when you were just as desperate as he was. 

“Joel—I—please, Joel, please—” It was as if those were the only words you could say or do. You desperately claw at his chest and Joel just couldn’t resist. 

“F-fuck darlin’, you’re fuckin’ squeezing me.” He grunts, shifting his hips to thrust into you fully. You let out a scream, hands clenching his shoulders and your nails dug into his skin through his shirt. 

“I’ve got you, pretty girl, okay? I’ve got you, don’t worry.” He mutters that over and over again, his hands steading your hips in a rhythm. He shoved the cockwarming plan out the damn window when you beg so pretty. 

Your jaw hung slack as Joel’s cock pierced you again and again, thrusting deep and hard. The chair underneath you creaked and rattled, but you paid no mind. “J-Joel–”

You could feel the tight coil begin to snap already, the long-absent months of his cock were taking a toll. He could feel the tightening of your walls and he damn near came at the sight. He watched as his cock completely disappeared into your wet little pussy. 

Joel took some of the mashed potatoes onto his fingers and shoved them into your mouth. “Suck, baby, c’mon.”

You do right as you're told and suck on the garlic mashed potatoes—the ones that he knew were your favorite. Your eyes roll into the back of your head—the slick and spasm of your cunt makes Joel growl against your cheek.

“That’s it, sweet girl. I need you to cum, let it go. That’s it, pretty girl. You’re doing such a good job f’ me.”

You let yourself go in the pure pleasures of Joel Miller. Your walls clench once more and a rush of feelings flow through you—love and lust intertwining as one. Your juices spill all across his lap and squirt over to his shirt. He moans your name, almost too deep for you to hear. 

He groaned loudly, yelling your name into your ear and spilling his seed inside of you. The rush of his thick, sticky cum that hits your cervix fills you even more than before. You whine into him as his thrusts begin to cease. 

He snuggles right on top of you, pressing his forehead against yours. His chest heaved up and down—completely out of breath. 

“I love you, sunshine.”

You giggled, wiping a bit of caramelized onion off of his hand. “I love you too, cowboy.”

The food was definitely cold by now, but Joel didn’t mind. As long as he had you, he never had to worry.

[vexieeeee]

My fav yuri couples / ships <3

(In no particular order)

No one asked for it but I'm bored and wanna do it, you guys can give me ideas for lists to talk about like that in the future too.

Gonna make more parts too <3

Rae and Claire (I'm in Love with the Villainess) (Canon)

My thoughts: Okay so I absolutely adore everything about this series like manga and anime and light novels are all so good <3 It even defeated my ultimate yuri series which is Bloom Into You and that's something. So of course Rae and Claire with their amazing and such an interesting relationship had to make a list here. I don't know why but something about them just fills me with warmth. The way Claire goes from absolutely not being able to stand Rae to falling in love completely is just so 🤌 Dare I say my fav yuri relationship 💖

Sorawo and Toriko (Urasekai Picnic) (Canon)

My thoughts: With my last posts no one should be surprised at the next pair because COME ON GUYS, they're the lesbians we need but never deserved fr... I love everything about them, girlfriends who are accomplices and explore a world with monsters and other fucked up shit while being absolutely gay and protective of each other. I adore them <3

Yuu and Touko (Bloom Into You) (Canon)

My thoughts: My first ever fav yuri (Can't believe Rae and Claire beat them though-) for a reason. Everything about this was perfect for me, characters, plot and just the writing in general. Yuu and Touko's relationship with each other kept me entertained for the whole anime and then manga. I don't know what to say except that I love them <3

Adachi and Shimamura (Adachi to Shimamura) (Canon)

My thoughts: THEM. I just think they're so cute and that's all. And I know a lot of people are gonna come and say "Omg Vex Shimamura doesn't care about Adachi like that, she's such an annoying person-" Shut up because I do not tolerate Shimamura slander on this blog. Girl went through a lot but she cares about and loves Adachi. "The end of her life was the end of mine" bitch stop I'm sobbing, if that ain't love then I don't know what is.

Mitsuki and Aya (The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All) (Canon)

My thoughts: Obviously I HAD TO add my green lesbians here. Mitsuki and Aya are the syrup to my pancakes and I'm so serious. Don't you guys just love it when two girls bond over shared interests and fall in love? Yeah me too 🙂‍↕️ If you need some serotonin then just read it, trust me guys.

Himari and Yori (Whisper Me a Love Song) (Canon)

My thoughts: Himari and Yori are so 💖 I've been reading this manga since it first came out in 2019 and my feelings towards them never change. In every chapter they're just so cute and their relationship is just adorable and I just love them <3

Aki and Shiho (Whisper Me a Love Song) (Canon)

My thoughts: Since we're on topic of Whisper Me a Love Song, since the first time we got introduced to their relation I WAS HOOKED. Everything about them was just so interesting and their storyline only highlighted their love later on. Plus I think both Shiho and Aki deserve to be happy after everything so I'm happy they're girlfriends.

Kumiko x Reina (Hibike! Euphonium) (Not Canon)

My thoughts: It physically hurt me to put not canon there because why? 😔 Honestly when I first started watching this show I thought they're so into each other until my brother spoiled me that they're indeed NOT into each other like that. Still in my heart they're girlfriends no matter what. No one will ever tell me there was absolutely nothing between them. I'm obsessed with them.

Chika x You (Love Live Sunshine) (Not Canon)

My thoughts: All of you Love Live stans may criticize me for talking about them first since "There's so much more better Love Live ships-" No. Nuh uh. Chika and You are my absolute fav ship in all of Love Live for some reason that I can't explain. They're just so cute and I may be a sucker for childhood friends trope in anime 🫠 The whole jealousy moment in the anime was feeding me too much and now it's showing fruits of it (Me being absolutely OBSESSED)

Ayumu x Yuu (Love Live Nijigasaki) (Not Canon)

My thoughts: Since we're on the topic of the childhood friends trope, obviously Ayumu and Yuu couldn't be missing from any part of this list. They're just so good together that it's shocking. Ayumu going yandere whenever a girl is close to Yuu and Yuu being absolute women charmer being surrounded by girls in the club is giving me life. They're just absolute adorable together and with them I'm absolutely sure they ended up together somewhere in the future.

[lucidlivi]

Chosen For Pleasure (XII)

Series Masterlist/Warnings

Tag List: @ladysparkles78 @suckitands33 @little-x-wolf @stoneyggirl2 @creative-writing92 @jc-winchester @mrsjenniferwinchester @lessons-of-red @jamerlynn @deans-spinster-witch @kazsrm67 @deans-baby-momma @willow-sages @ritz-hell-hotel @perpetualabsurdity @mhessellund @itzabbyxx @chriszgirl92 @abbybarnesstuff @larrem88 @commonsenseishard @impalaspixie @notsogoofyjelly @hzllxhoundxx @taylortots-world @k-slla @heavenlyackles @spnfamily-j2 @buckybarnes-1917 @foxyjwls007 @spnbaby-67 @readingsins @lauraashley93 @antisocialcorrupt @anixiiee @jackles010378 @alternativeprincess @rosecentury (I love that half the battle of writing my updates is writing the tag list! I'm so grateful for all the love you guys have shown me and this fiction! If you would like to be added please send me a message or an ask so I can easily look back on them, there are too many names for me to keep track of!)

a emotional roller coaster of a chapter, you ain't ready..

"is that.."

"Elle."

oh you've got to be kidding.

"Jensen?" I questioned trying to get his attention.

He has yet to take his eyes off the blonde, as she clung to an older gentleman talking to another couple.

I instantly felt jealousy burning through my entire body.

"Jensen." I snapped.

He finally tore his eyes away, meeting my own.

"are you okay?" I asked hesitantly.

He took a deep breath before plastering a smile on his face. I could tell it was fake.

"yeah, I won't let this ruin our night." He said.

Why didn't I believe him?

Jared once again gave him an apologetic look. Jensen took my hand, walking in the opposite direction of Elle.

Jensen gripped my hand tightly pulling me through the crowds of people.

"J hang on." I said stopping us.

He turned to me hesitantly.

"you're not okay, I can see it." I spoke.

"I'm fine." He was quick to defend.

"why don't I believe you?"

Jensen ran a hand over his jaw letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I let that girl ruin my life for a long time, I don't want her to ruin tonight too. I'm here with you, I want to enjoy tonight with you." Jensen said emphasizing the word you.

I felt like we were just sweeping the issue under the rug, but I would be lying if I said I didn't want to enjoy the night with him too.

"okay." I breathed reluctantly.

Jensen offered me a smile as he snagged two champagne glasses off a serving tray being passed around. I sipped it hesitantly as my eyes traveled around the room, looking for the blonde girl. Jensen led me over to a table where Jared and Genevieve sat with other members of the cast. I offered Gen a smile as we took the spot next to them. Jensen conversed with Jared and Misha as if he wasn't bothered by the situation at all.

So why was I?

I felt like we were just pretending, something I'd never been good at.

I tried my best too though, I chatted with cast, sipped champagne and even picked at the fancy dinner. I felt myself start to loosen up, even if just a little bit.

"may I have this dance?" Jensen asked extending a hand out to me.

"of course." I smiled placing my hand in his.

Jensen led us over to the dance floor, a slow song coming from the band on stage. He wrapped one arm around my waist, his other hand held mine as we swayed back and forth to the music.

"you really do look beautiful tonight." Jensen smiled.

"you clean up well too." I laughed.

It was silent for a moment until I spoke up.

"I apologize if I freaked you out earlier with my confession." I whispered before biting my lip.

"I'm not freaked out, flattered actually." he quickly spoke.

"flattered?"

"a sweet girl like you being in love with a fuck up like me, I don't know what I did to make that happen." he spoke quietly.

"Jensen you don't seriously think you're a fuck up do you?" I asked grabbing his chin and forcing him to look at me.

"oh I think I'm completely fucked up." He said with a painful laugh.

"I think we're all a little fucked up." I said.

"I'm just thankful you put up with me."

"yeah well I've always liked a bit of a challenge." I smirked.

He laughed as he pulled me closer, wrapping both arms around me. I felt completely at peace slow dancing with him. It was as if we were the only two people around. It just felt so right being with him. For once I forgot about everything wrong about us and just focused on the right here right now. I held on to him tightly as if as soon as I let him go he'd float away.

I was completely and irrevocably in love with this man.

I sighed as the song ended, longing for the moment to last. Jensen leaned down, placing his lips to my forehead in a gentle kiss.

"I'm happy you're here with me tonight." Jensen spoke.

We walked back towards the group. I wore a real smile for once tonight.

"I need to use the restroom, I'll be right back." I said kissing Jensen's cheek gently.

I was thankful there was no wait in the bathroom. I quickly did what I came there to do before going to the sink to wash my hands. I wiped off some excess lip gloss and glanced at myself one last time in the mirror.

I could suddenly feel someone come up beside me. I saw blonde locks out of the corner of my eye. I didn't need to look at her to know who it was.

Elle.

I took a deep breath mentally cursing the world.

"with the billionaire Jensen Ackles, lucky girl." she spoke uncapping lipstick and swiping it on her over lined lips.

I hesitantly turned my body to face the last person in the world I wanted to see.

"Elle, but I have a feeling you already knew that." she introduced.

"no, you know what I don't think your name has come up." I said crossing my arms.

"If only I believed that, I just had to meet the girl that Jensen was so smitten with."

"well now you have, and now I'll be going." I growled turning to leave.

I didn't want to be in her presence another second.

"he looks amazing tonight, maybe I'll have to go say hi."

I stopped in my tracks at her words. I clenched my hands into fists at my sides. I really wanted to knock this girl out right now.

"as if he would even talk to you." I growled turning my body back towards her.

"I think you underestimate the power I have over him. If I wanted him to, he'd come running back to me in a heartbeat."

I felt my heart shatter at her words. I knew she was just trying to get under my skin, but part of me wondered if she was right.

"yeah well he's not a toy you can play with and drop when you get bored." I growled.

"of course not, I did love to play with him though, you know he is the best kisser."

I could feel the rage building inside of me with each word she spoke.

"oh wait I forgot, you wouldn't know, my bad."

"are you trying to intimidate me, cause it isn't working."

"intimidate you? oh no, I just want to know who my competition is." Elle said before departing from the restroom.

Competition? What the hell was she talking about?

I quickly escaped the bathroom making my way through the crowds of people. I could feel my chest tightening as my breathing became sporadic. I needed some fresh air. Jensen immediately noticed my departure as he pushed through the crowd after me.

I kept walking, even as the night air hit my face. I had to get out of there.

"wait, (y/n) please stop." Jensen called running to catch up with me.

I kept walking, ignoring his protests. He finally caught me, making me turn to face him.

"I want to go home." I said choking back the tears that threatened to spill out any moment.

"what did Elle say to you?"

"nothing just drop it." I growled.

"no I'm not going to drop it, what did she say?"

"Jensen please."

"I thought we weren't keeping secrets from each other? I thought we'd moved past all this?"

"don't you get it, we can't move past all of this until you move past her!" I yelled throwing my hands in the air.

"what the hell are you talking about?"

"do you still love her?" I asked, letting a few tears slip.

"what no of course I don't love her." Jensen scoffed.

"is that why you won't kiss me?"

Jensen looked as if I had just slapped him in the face.

"no that's not why, I thought you understood." Jensen growled

"I thought I did too, but now I'm not so sure." I whispered turning my body away from him.

"don't do this please." Jensen begged coming to stand in front of me.

I let another tear slide down my cheek as I stared at him.

"please just take me home." I whispered.

Jensen looked hurt as he opened the door to the limo allowing me to slide in. It was silent as Cole drove us back to Jensen's, a van that contained the extra security guards led the way.

I don't know why I let her have this power over me.

Actually I did.

It was because I was terrified that she was right. I was terrified that if she called, he'd go running. Jensen said it himself, he was prepared to spend his life with her. Elle had manipulated him once, something told me if she really wanted she could do it again.

"you know we're going to have to talk about this at some point." Jensen said, lifting a wine bottle to his lips taking a swig.

I didn't respond, just continued to stare out the window.

"I don't care about Elle anymore, not since I met you. God you're all I think about. Why can't you see that? You're everything to me." Jensen spoke.

I let the tears fall freely from my eyes. I hesitantly glanced at him, but he was already staring at me.

"I don't kiss you because I'm afraid that once I do, you'll realize how much better off you are without me, and I can't stand to lose you. (y/n) I'm so in love with you." Jensen whispered, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

I cried as I wrapped my arms around him. He squeezed me tightly, as if he were afraid of letting me go. It was everything I had ever wanted to hear from him. He loved me.

"Jensen, I could never be better off without you. No one has ever made me feel even a fraction of what you make me feel." I said placing a hand on his cheek.

Jensen leaned his forehead down on mine, looking at my lips. I could tell how nervous he was.

"if we do this, no going back." Jensen whispered, his lips dangerously close to mine.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Jensen's lips brushed mine slowly. I felt my pulse increase. I had waited for this moment, dreamt of it.

"Mr. Ackles, you should come look at this." Cole spoke up from the front seat sounding worried.

Jensen pulled away quickly. I let out the breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"stay here." He ordered.

I watched as Jensen and Cole got out of the limo, the security guards dispersed around the property. I could see them looking at something but I couldn't see what. Jensen looked distressed. I disobeyed him, getting out of the limo.

"oh my god." I gasped.

Jensen and Cole stood in front of my car. It had been destroyed. I saw the tires had been slashed, and the windshield smashed in. I could see key marks on the hood as well as various dents. I didn't even recognize it as my car with all the damage done to it.

However the most haunting thing was the words He's Mine spray painted in white along the side.

Riley.

"I'm getting (y/n) out of here, find her Cole." Jensen growled.

Jensen grabbed my hand pulling me to one of his cars. He quickly opened the door, so I could get in before running around to get in as well. He started up the car, speeding out of his garage and down the road.

"where are we going?" I asked fearful.

"somewhere nobody else knows about." He spoke.

He pressed down on the accelerator speeding up even more. I looked at him as he gripped the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turned white.

"Jensen slow down, you're scaring me." I said gripping the door handle and slinking back in to the seat.

"I told you to stay in the car." He growled.

"Jensen please." I begged.

He glanced over at me, seeing I was incredibly scared. He quickly took his foot off the accelerator, slowing down.

"I don't know how she got in, she shouldn't have been able to get in the garage, I'm so sorry." Jensen apologized taking one of his hands off the wheel and grabbing my own.

I took a deep breath squeezing his hand.

He kept driving, not letting go of my hand. I looked out the window to see we were getting far away from the city, and heading up a mountain. It was at least another hour before Jensen finally stopped the car. I saw we were way in the woods at what appeared to be a cabin.

"it used to belong to my aunt and uncle." Jensen whispered.

"she won't find us here?" I asked worried.

"no, I promise." Jensen said getting out of the car, coming to open the door for me.

I got out, falling straight in to his arms.

"I'm scared Jensen." I admitted.

"I know baby, I'm so sorry." Jensen said running a hand through my hair.

I stood in his embrace for awhile before looking and meeting his eyes.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you, if anything ever happened to you because of me, I'd never be able to forgive myself." Jensen whispered.

I saw in his eyes that he was scared too. Not so much of Riley, but scared that she could have gotten to me.

"Jensen I love you." I said leaning my forehead against his.

"then kiss me."

Author Note:

AHHHHHHH IT'S HAPPENING! I REPEAT IT'S HAPPENING! I'm done playing with your feelings tonight, but make sure you come back so I can play with them some more cause we just getting started.... please show some love in the form of a heart, comment, reblog, and a follow! I appreciate all the love!

xoxo

Liv

Part (XIII)

[cheesus-doodles]

I’m not sure if this has been asked before, but why do the red dragonflies hate izana?

Red Dragonflies Masterlist | Masterlist

‎‎

hello anon! ahh more asks about my reds :D

I partially answered this question in Don't Look Back In Anger (its in the second half but I ain't complaining if you read the whole thing again cough) but I'll make it more concise here and expand as much as I can without spoiling future chapters!

I would say first and foremost, despite Izana and Boss dating, the Black Dragons and the Red Dragonflies are technically still rival gangs at the end of the day. There was never an alliance drawn up between the two so that the Reds could preserve their neutrality and not be seen favoring one gang over another. So the night that Izana decided to break your leg and carve his name into your hip, despite it being in a fit of jealousy and a quarrel between lovers, the Reds took it very personally and saw it as a direct attack on their boss by a rival gang leader. You did put Izana under your personal protection, which is part of a promise you made to Shinichiro when the two of you first started dating, but that meant that the Red Dragonflies have never been able to get their revenge because they can't touch, let alone beat the fuck out of, Izana without very serious consequences.

‎‎

Second, this whole issue comes on the back of the Reds' executives - referring to Furusawa, Hase and the other Wings - already having a distaste for Izana (and Shinichiro) to begin with. Why the Reds aren't particularly fond of Shinichiro is not something that will be discussed here since I think it might be a spoiler for the upcoming chapters. But back to Izana, your Reds executives already disapproved of the relationship at the start because they felt that you were way too young to be getting into one, and this was before Izana got a tad too attached and swung straight into yandere territory. And after that, he became too overbearing, too controlling for your friends to ever approve. Hase, Jun and Koji start actively trying to keep you away from Izana, encouraging you to break up and doing anything they can to break this relationship apart.

But you only seemed to be digging yourself a deeper and deeper hole, starting to associate Izana with an actual connection to your older brother, who passed away when you were young. This is around the time when Izana starts to gift you old photos of your older brother that he finds around the Sano property, usually courtesy of Shinichiro, who used to be friends with your brother. And all this while, you aren't listening to your Red friends, who keep trying to get through to you that this isn't healthy in the slightest, that you should take a break from Izana and step away.

‎‎

This actually leads nicely into the third reason why they despise Izana so much - when Izana snapped and attacked you, and you decided to not only break it off with him but also with your Red Dragonflies, the Red Dragonflies have always seen it as Izana's fault that you left them. If he hadn't been in the picture, you would probably have never even considered quitting gang life. Sure, Shoji, your hand-picked successor, was a good boss while it lasted (more spoilers, not elaborating), but it just wasn't the same without you. And the scars from Izana run deeper than just skin, and it hurts Furu and the rest that they aren't able to care for you and help you heal. You had always looked after them, and the one time you needed them the most, they couldn't return the favour.

And now that you were back as the Red Dragonflies' Boss once more, it seemed to have drawn Izana back onto the scene at the same time - and once more, your friends are forced to sit back and let things run their course. Though not for the lack of trying.

‎‎

All in all, the hatred just sort of built and built into utter despise for Izana, but at the same time, there isn't anything the Red Dragonflies can do in retaliation, and even less now that you were back on the scene.

[applepiesupreme]

American Apple Pie

Pairing: Low/Mid Honor Arthur Morgan and female OC.

Rating: Explicit

Summary: Savigne Ricci is a temporary guest at the Van der Linde camp. Her path crosses with the enforcer of the gang, Arthur Morgan, and despite their differences, a relationship develops between them. Whole lot of smut and fluff, slow burn-ish.

Chapter 39

AOC link:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/54945853/chapters/153704167

The next morning she got up, got dressed, did her hair, counted her money and went to Cricket.

As she patted him she watched a flock of cranes across the body of water stalk around, the late morning light brandishing their beautiful plumes and wondered where they came from and where they were going back to. What they had seen. And if they remembered things like she did - with great detail and yearning, or if animals were blissfully blind to the past and so much luckier than she was. She tried to imagine living day to day, from sunup to sundown and brushing over the past day every morning to write anew. 'Definitely lucky' she thought. 'I would take that deal any day.'

In the corner of her eye, Sadie walked up to her and went to Cricket’s other side to caress his neck and watched the cranes with her. They hadn’t spoken much since the doctor visit and the days after. Sadie was always hovering around, but she remained respectfully distant enough to let her come to terms with her situation by herself.

"How ya feelin'?"

"I’m good," Savigne said. A long while later she begrudgingly added: “Everything went okay yesterday, I see.”

Sadie’s eyes flicked up at her as if she could read the jealousy and bitterness in Savigne’s head and she understood it without judgement. "He ain't dead."

Savigne sighed, offering Cricket a shriveled carrot.

"That what my gut says,” the other woman pushed.

A string of words such as 'Your gut didn't warn you when those O'Driscolls were coming to your cabin, did it?' hurtled against her teeth and she bit them back because they were sharp and mean. Savigne hung her head, ashamed even though she hadn't spoken them. But the bitterness wouldn't go away so she had to say something:

"So what?"

"So...he gonna come back."

Savigne turned to her, eyes flaring and Sadie gazed back, hers calm and cool. "So what?" she repeated. 

Sadie clicked her tongue and looked away. “I know you mad. At him. At us. At yourself. Trust me, I get it. And I know you gonna go through this at your own pace. But I was you, wouldn’ do the mournin’ just yet - all ‘m sayin’.”

Truthfully, despite recovering from the laudanum, Savigne had carefully avoided thinking about Arthur’s demise. She felt like if she did, she would spiral something fierce and all the laudanum in the world wouldn’t help. He was a room in her head that was off limits - a terrible, forbidden room, like the one in the Bluebeard tale. 

“I’m not going to sit here and wait for man who couldn’t even tell me what he was going to do.”

“He didn’ wanna worry you.”

“Well mission fabulously failed. I worried. I worried enough to sit here in a daze for weeks and I probably lost the job I trained years for. Now I’m going to have to find another. For the few months I have left before I show, that is.”

She was surprised when Sadie's rough hand grasped hers and looked up. 

"Why you going to town, sugar?”

“I’m going to see a friend.”

Sadie gave her a long look. “For?”

“I want to move forward. Work. Find a place…”

“Promise y’aint going to sniff around for some dingy back alley doctor.”

Savigne snorted. “I promise. My brain’s working again, don’t worry.”

Sadie nodded, relieved. “Okay. If you need money, you know Arthur left you his.”

“I thought he was coming back?” Savigne’s eyebrows shot up.

“Damn right he is! I ain’t givin’ the satchel, just the money. He gonna be mad if you need it and didn’ take it.”

She couldn’t help the bitter huff that fell from her lips. The way all of them stubbornly held on to Arthur’s presence, tried to honor his wishes and orders “until he returned” and refused to acknowledge the alternative was amusing. In a dark, depressing way.

“I don’t care what he would be mad over. I don’t want his god damn money. I worked for everything I have, I’ll work again.”

Sadie let out a frustrated breath. “I ain’t gonna defend that lughead, what he did was stupid. He should ‘ave talked to you. Men are dumb, I get it. But if you gonna pass on money in your condition, yer dumb too.”

“Have you even met me? I’m the picture of dumb.”

Then the blond woman looked at something over her shoulder and yelled “Oy! What I say ‘bout goin’ near that wagon?!”

Savigne turned and found Uncle frozen in his tracks on the way to her cot.

“She leavin to work!” he yelled back. “Ain’t nobody usin’ a perfectly nice bed!”

“Ain’t yer wagon, ain’t yer bed! You take one more step, ‘m shootin’ you in the ass! And ‘m tellin’ Arthur when he get back.”

The man shuffled away muttering under his breath.

“Lazy son of a bitch,” Sadie growled before she turned to Savigne again: 

“You wanna work - I respect that. But…I want you to stay here. I know it ain’t great…” Sadie waved her arms about, “…I know it’s a downgrade. But it’s safe. Ain’t safe out there for a woman on her own.”

Sadie’s horrible experience hung between them and neither spoke it out loud but both thought it. 

“I’ve been bad at showing it,” Savigne inhaled softly, “but I know you care. I owe all of you. A lot.”

“Look here, ‘m okay with you doin’ yer own thing. Yer grown, yer smart, you have to look after yerself, I get it. But…!” She gave Savigne a hard look. “…Yer stayin’ right here where I can see you. You can work and come back here like before. Ain’t nobody gonna bother you.”

“Would you?” Savigne pushed back. “An outlaw camp in a swamp - would that be your preferrence?”

“Preference?!” Sadie snorted. “Hell no! But after what I been through…yeah, yer stayin’ here.”

Savigne’s jaw muscles moved.

Sadie, sensing that she had to walk a delicate line reluctantly added “Until you find somethin’ better.” Savigne looked up at her from under her brows. “What? I ain’t unreasonable.”

“I’m going to look for a place. It’ll take me a few weeks anyway. That’s the best I’ll agree to. I’m not growing big here in a fucking swamp.”

“Don’ blame you and I’ll take that deal,” Sadie said. “If you promise - promise, ya hear - you gonna swallow yer pride and come to me if things don’ work out.” She extended a hand. “Yeah, the swamp sucks. But we got women who can help you and we got folks to protect you.”

“You mean Charles?” Savigne laughed, as he was practically the only capable man left - discounting the new addition of John.

“Excuse you, I mean me and Charles,” was the offended response.

Savigne grinned despite herself and shook her hand. “Okay, fair.”

There was a short silence as they assessed each other.

“Thank you,” Savigne sighed. “For everything. But eventually, I hope to move on. I’m done with the gang. I was done long ago but stayed because Arthur said few more months. Well that time is up. I don’t want to be around this anymore.”

The blond woman threw up her arms. “What, you think the rest of us love this shit?”

“You must,” Savigne said softly, watching her. “Or else you wouldn’t be here.” Sadie clenched her jaw and looked away. “They left you in charge, I get that. But what’s stopping Tilly? Mary Beth? Pearson? Everyone complains about the way things are, and yet I’m the only one who is riding out to find a job. They’re just sitting around washing laundry and hoping the men will come back and risk their lives to drop money in their lap. They’re delusional, lazy and entitled.”

“Didn’ know you was this harsh,” Sadie gave her a narrow eyed look.

“Tell me I’m wrong then.”

“I can’t,” was the regretful sigh. “You got a point. A sharp one, but true.”

“I’m not going to sit here and wait for a man to come save me,” Savigne sniffed. “I’m going to go and find a job and save myself. And if I can’t, I’ll go to the damn workhouse, they’ll find me something to do.”

Sadie gave her a long look. “Arthur might hate me for sayin’ it, but I don’ give a rat’s ass what a dumb man thinks: good for you.” She fished in her shirt pocket and retrieved a slim band. “From the camp loot box,” she held it up. “Like the doctor said - who gonna know? Good luck.” She dropped the band into Savigne’s palm who slipped it on her finger. It was a little loose but would do.

Savigne smiled a broken smile inspecting the band and looked up at her. “Okay.”

They hugged awkwardly and Sadie gave her a smack on the shoulder. “Don’ be late comin’ back. Gets dark early now and this the Bayou.”

“Yes ma’am,” Savigne said, then impulsively embraced her again. Like Arthur, Sadie wasn’t big on being touched. Maybe she never had been or maybe that horrible experience had changed her forever, Savigne wasn’t sure. But today and here she not only allowed it, but hugged her back fiercely.

She went to Antoine’s first. The sous chef was apoplectic to see her. He yelled at her for ten minutes straight before he had to stop and gasp for air. Savigne shifted on her feet, uncomfortably watching his face turn a blotchy red. Then, when he was finally out of breath, she calmly explained that she had had a health emergency and didn’t feel well and she understood that this was unprofessional and unacceptable.

“I know it’s not an excuse but I was really unwell. I’m sorry.”

He harrumphed but lost his blistering heat at that. “Can’t take you back,” he growled, crossing arms. “I can’t encourage people disappearing for weeks.”

“I know. Just wanted to come in and explain.”

He gave her a side eye. “That’s a real shame Savigne. I know you and I know you wouldn’t do this lightly. You’re the best damn cook I had. Real shame.”

She bit her lip, touched. “Thank you, chef,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. Just…life I guess.”

He grunted, not happy about it. “I will, however,” he brushed his apron, “give you a recommendation if you should need it.”

“Really?” she blinked, genuinely surprised.

“Like I said, you’re a very good cook. Sorry it hasn’t worked out.”

“Thank you,” she said politely.  She looked for Sarah but apparently Sarah had advanced to the dinner shift which stung because Savigne knew that had she returned to work, she most definitely would have, too. Another colossal mistake, another missed opportunity. The list of her missteps just kept getting longer.

Then she went to the steakhouse. Luther did a double take at her arrival and left his station to amble over which was a rare occasion.

“Savigne,” he folded her into his impressive mass, voice shaky, “Woman…think I aged damn ten years. Where the hell ya been?”

First the sous chef and now Luther - her inner voice was wrong, people did care about her. It welled her eyes as she hugged him back long and hard for a whole minute.

“I wasn’t well, Luther,” she mumbled into his chest and somehow he heard her.

“Course ya wasn’t,” he cupped the back of her head with one massive paw, voice uncharacteristically emotional. “Course. Come over.”

They walked back to the station, a palm on her lower back. “Come sit,” he said quietly and gave her the stool. 

“Woman…” he sighed and gave her a long look. “Ya know how worried I was?”

“I’m sorry,” she choked again. “I couldn’t…do anything. Just sat there like a stupid doll.”

“I know ya wasn’ back at work, I snooped.”

“Yeah, lost my job.”

He shook his head, then returned to flipping his steaks. “It’s fine. I talk to Mister Harrison. You come back here, where ya belong. Then, when youse better, you climb again.”

She snorted at that, “Won’t be any climbing in my future.”

“Why’s that?”

She shrugged. “You probably know about Arthur…” she fidgeted.

“Course. Fool gone playin’ pirate.”

She swallowed and looked away. “Is that what they call ‘dead’ these days?”

“No,” he said, slowly returning to his normal argumentative self. “They call dead, ‘dead’. We don’ know if he dead.”

“Why is everyone so optimistic?”

He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Yer man crafty. Tough. Clever.” He mused on that for a moment. “In some ways. Other ways, I gotta admit, dumb as dirt. But! He strong. We don’ know what we don’ know.”

“You shook hands with him once for like five seconds. I don’t know where you’re getting these ideas from, but whatever, that’s not even the worst news.”

“What is?” he stilled.

“I’m…I’m…” she let out a big breath, trying to squeeze it out of herself. “I’m with child.”

She startled when he snorted and waved the fork in her direction. “I knew that.”

“Excuse me?!”

“I seen it, that how,” he grinned. “Flatters me you forget sometimes ‘m old and gray.”

“Wow,” was her stunned recovery a whole minute later. “I think I was the only one who didn’t know. Me and the pirate.”

He flipped steaks and didn’t comment. 

“I had a really bad few weeks. Tell you what, this baby in me must be as stubborn as Arthur if it’s still hanging in there.”

“What ya wanna do, Savigne? I get you a job. What else ya need?”

“I want to rent a cabin.”

“Lord above!” he groaned with exasperation.

“I don’t want roommates. And I can’t afford a flat here.”

“I find ya good roommates. They ain’t gonna be fancy, but good folk.”

Savigne shook her head. “I’m not downgrading back. I earned living alone. Please help me sign a cabin. A rental - only until…you know…birth. Then…well I haven’t decided that part yet. One step at a time.”

“Alone in a cabin, Savigne? With child?! Ya gone mad.”

“I know.”

“I can help with the money if ya wanna rent in the city. Would be close to me.”

“No, Luther. I need to stand on my own two feet.”

“The hell are friends for? What’s family for? You gotta lean when you gotta lean, Savigne. Yer too proud.” he sneered, a tad angry.

“I need to prove to myself that I can do it. I’ve…” she swallowed the rising desire to cry back down. “I’ve made some dumb choices. And I lost a lot of confidence and respect in myself. I know it makes no sense, but it’s really important to me right now to know that I’m not completely useless.”

He took a long frustrated breath in clear disagreement and flipped steaks for a bit to hide his ire.

“Just…let me try. If I fail and I’m miserable, we’ll try something else.” She could tell he wasn’t convinced but it was also obvious that he didn’t want to push back too hard.

“Fine.” The fork pointed at her again. “But we look together. And I ain’t signing anythin’ unsafe.”

“Okay,” she smiled. 

Long moments passed as he prepared a plate for her and she didn’t object when he pushed it over. “How ya feelin’ ‘bout this other thing?” he said at last.

She chewed and swallowed the morsels mercilessly down. “I’m…less enthusiastic than I should be,” she managed at last. “You think…” she flustered with her napkin, “…that makes me a bad person?”

He snorted. “No. Makes ya smart, is all.”

“Really?” she looked up, surprised that at least one person understood.

“Sure. I get it - timing’s off. Yer man gone. That ring on yer finger fake. I don’ live in Timbuktu, I know what this means, course I get it.”

Her heart swelled at the validation. “I’m scared. About this, but also…what it means for me. My future. I had so many plans…” her voice broke.

“Ain’t gonna lie - it’s gonna change things,” he flipped steaks. “But by how much - that’s up to youse.”

“How?”

“Don’ let folks tell you how to live yer life, Savigne, you only got the one. Child or no child, You do as you see fit. Ya wanna climb, strap that kid on yer back and go climb.”

She played with the band on her finger, thoughtful. When she looked up, he was giving her an inscrutable look. “Ya want me to make that real?”

“What do you mean?” she startled.

“I got lotta friends,” he shrugged, watching her carefully. “I find you a nice man. Ain’t gonna be Arthur, no, but he gonna respect you. Help you. Support yer dreams. Treat you kindly. A teammate for life.”

This made her very sad. “I don’t know,” she mumbled, close to tears again. 

“Just think on it. Ain’t gonna pick someone off the street, hell no! Gonna find someone worthy. Gonna check real well, then check again.” His eyes turned a harder shade of black as he added: “Ain’t gonna hand youse over like a lamb. Never!”

She wiped the single tear off her cheek and looked away.

“I get it. You care for yer man. That’s fine. But I care for youse. He ain’t here. Gonna be hard for you and the child without a man. Hundred years from now, maybe not. I sure hope not. But today, here, it will.” He sighed and looked away. “Sleep on it, is all. Maybe we can try after this stupid cabin idea?”

”Yeah, maybe,” she conceded.

The Sunday after Arthur woke up from his profound dream a thousand miles away and made a deal with Hercule, John stepped out the hut and watched Savigne tying up Cricket and Frost to the cart.

“You going or you just gonna stand there?” Abigail mumbled from behind the door.

“Woman, ‘m goin’,” he grumbled.

Thing is, he was gonna go anyway. He had promised Arthur, so of course he meant to. But then, out of nowhere, Abigail and Sadie had told him he had to accompany Savigne and now it was all ruined. Pissed him off that two busybodies had turned his voluntary gallant deed into a task he was merely talked into.

“Oy,” hissed Sadie from inside the hut, “She ‘bout to leave...”

John took a frustrated breath and checked his guns. At least I’ll get away from the naggin’, that’s gotta be worth somethin’he thought and stepped off the dilapidated porch to stalk towards the horses. 

“Hey.”

“Hey,” she squinted at him.

He walked around to help tie Frost. “Goin’ somewhere?” As if it wasn’t obvious.

“I’m going to see a cabin.”

“Mind if I come with?”

She blinked at that. 

He shrugged, self conscious, and patted Frost. “Got nothing else to do.” 

“I’m sure you can find something more fun to do,” she chuckled. He scratched his beard and looked away. “What’s this about?” she grew curious.

“Got tired starin’ at gators. Wanna help, is all.”

Savigne clicked her tongue. “Let me guess - you promised Arthur.”

“Somethin’ like that,” he admitted.

“No thanks.”

He took a deep breath and nodded, but didn’t move away. Her eyes flicked up to him. “You’re going to follow me, aren’t you?” was her tired groan.

“Yeah,” he grinned awkwardly.

She rolled her eyes and jabbed her chin at the cart. “Fine.”

He jumped up before she could change her mind and took the reins. 

She climbed up after. “Just so you know, I don’t appreciate being bullied,” she said as he turned the cart around.

“The hell?! I ain’t bullyin’.”

“Yes you are. You, Sadie, Abigail… I know you all mean well, but I’m a grown woman.”

“Ya know what?”

“What?” she sounded downright combative.

“Ya got a point.”

This stunned her into a long moment of speechlessness.

“Really?”

“Listen,” he huffed. “I get it. Yer proud and you used to ridin’ alone. But you gotta put yerself in my boots.”

“Okay? 

“Imagine Arthur took care of yer folks for over a year. After, too. Then laid his life out to save yer son. Proud as y’are, I know you’d want to make that ledger even, no?”

“I guess,” she sighed and looked ahead.

“Okay good. You can see my point. ‘Sides,” he have her a side eye. “Yer Arthur’s family and so am I. Means you and I family, too.

“I don’t have a family,” she mumbled to herself.

“You do. Just ain’t the usual kind, is all.”

They rode in silence for a bit.

“You think he’s alive?” was her quiet question.

John didn’t answer right away and the fact that unlike everyone else he didn’t jump at the question with certainty seemed to both intrigue and unnerve her.

“I know, unlike me, he can swim,” he said at last. “It’s somethin’, no?”

“Yeah,” she admitted with a broken grin. “It’s something.”

The Saint Denis skyline rose ahead of them. “Ride into town. We’re going to pick up a friend.” This made him nervous and as they clopped by the first buildings, he pulled his hat down. The rest of the gang was assumed dead and off the hook for now, but he had escaped prison just days ago and he had obvious scars that made him easily recognizable.

Savigne noticed his trepidation and put two and two together. She took off her shawl and had him wind it around his neck to cover most of his face.

“Sorry, I didn’t think about that. Do you want to sit in the back?”

“It’s fine,” was his muffled response. 

She tsked and snatched the reins from him. “Go on,” she motioned. He didn’t want to argue so he climbed into the cart.

They rode through the quiet Sunday streets until she slowed down and stopped. He turned to look when the cart swayed and creaked and was glad for the shawl covering his surprised face because lo and behold, her friend was none other than Mister Luther.

Luther’s passive eyes gave him a long look. 

“This is John,” Savigne introduced them as she rode on. “John, this here is my friend Luther.”

John muttered something under his breath and put his back to them. He had never been good at deception and hoped to god the ruse of not knowing each other held.

Luther, on the other hand, sounded amused when he said “He from the gang?” He hummed at Savigne’s nod as he glanced over his shoulder. “This the one papers say was sprung outta prison?”

John stiffened despite himself. Fat bastard, he thought sourly.

“Yes,” Savigne said absentmindedly, fishing in her satchel for her pocket watch.

“Bet he got a good reward on his head.” John bit his cheeks and tried to ignore the teasing. “Ya need money, dont’cha?”

“Cut it out, Luther,” Savigne gave him a dry side eye.

“‘M here to help Savigne,” John offered just in case the cook was half serious.

“Reward would help,” Luther drawled, dark eyes glinting over his shoulder.

“Ignore him,” Savigne quipped to John. She handed the reins to the black man and noted the time in her notebook.

It was a damp, chilly day and the streets of Saint Denis were half empty. John sat in the back, rocking with the gait of the horses and thought how fucked up it was that he was practically sitting where Ecco sat and the woman for whom that ordeal was done sat right there and was none the wiser. Sometimes life really teased you by putting you into places with folks you had no business being in. 

The whole thing made him think of Arthur and he huddled into his jacket when the familiar pang sang through his gut. Wasn’t it strange how you knew things and you still didn’t know? He knew how important Arthur was to him and the gang since the day he joined. Envied it, fought for it, downplayed it for years. And yet, it still gutted and surprised him, how big of a hole he left. Was like someone cut a big tree and now everything that used to grow under its shade withered and baked under the heat of the sun. Everything was broken, dirty and glum. Gang mulled about like the past was done and the future wasn’t coming and it was all the same long, endless day. Everyone was doing this weird dance where they sat around, pretending they wasn’t sad because being sad meant he was dead and nobody wanted to say he was. Even he, annoyed as he was about all this nonsense and swearing on unflinching honesty, had assured Jack the other day that Uncle Arthur was on a mission and coming back any day now, all the while feeling like a two faced clown.

He glanced at Savigne and felt ashamed for the days he had thought ill of her. Her life was gonna get a lot harder here on out and worse, here she was, tryin’ to leave the gang behind. On the one hand, good for her, gang was shit and wasn’t getting better. On the other, he cringed at the idea that she was gonna live in some cabin. He felt anxious about the whole thing and inexplicably responsible for her. He had promised Arthur that he would take care of her if something happened to him, and here he was, on a trip to check out a cabin that could be the coffin for her and his child. The notion heated up his innards. If Arthur knew, he would have a fit. But what could John do? When Arthur wanted to shoot down an idea, all he had to do was just pin you with those eyes, roll those damn shoulders and say “No” and shit was over. Non debatable, no negotiations, closed, dead, done. When John said ‘No’ folks just smiled and patted his shoulder as if he was trying to be cute.

Worse - the only person who could talk her out of this nonsense was sitting right next to her, helping her! Must be nice, he thought glancing at the big man, to know that if something happened to her in that cabin and Arthur returned, it was John, not Luther who was gonna get his windpipe crushed.

His mood darkened and he ruminated these things until Luther turned into a side trail and Savigne announced “Twenty minutes from Saint Denis.” She scribbled into the notebook. “That’s good, right?”

The cook nodded and rode on. Couple of minutes later they came around a bend and there was the saddest looking cabin John had ever seen in his life - and he had seen plenty.

It was obvious that his fellow passengers shared his disappointment and yet Savigne made a hearty effort to recover:

“Could be worse. Right?”

“Could be worse,” agreed Luther gently.

She climbed off and approached the door and fished for the key.

“This it?” John hissed at the other man, unwinding his shawl. “Our camp with gators look like a mansion next to this.”

Luther gave him a pointed head to toe. “Didn’ build the damn thing, did I?”

“Don’ think anyone did. Looks like it was blown together by a storm.”

“‘M guessin’ we headin’ to yer suggestion next?” was the acerbic response and John almost lost his balance with how much the cart rocked when the man climbed down. “Or youse just here to shit on things other folks do?”

John jumped down and looked up at him. “We gotta talk her outta this.”

“The fuck ya think ‘m here for?” Luther rumbled and followed Savigne indoors.

Indoors thankfully looked somewhat better, but John still got goosebumps as his eyes trailed the state of the floors. The cabin must have been empty for years and it showed. By some miracle the walls were intact but the floorboards were basically soft with water thanks to the sieve of a roof. There was a subtle smell of mildew and rot. He carefully walked about pretending to look at things, but Arthur or no Arthur, his disinclination to let Savigne live in this dump intensified by the minute.

“What do you guys think?” Savigne looked up to them, pulling out her notebook.

“Uh…it..I mean…” John flapped about.

“Needs a lotta work,” Luther finished for him.

“Yeah I get that,” she said, glancing up at the ceiling. But it’s practically free.”

“Should be,” John sniffed. “In fact, they should pay you for livin’ here.”

“It’s prime location. And cheap because the owner expects us to fix it.”

“Can you? Fix it, I mean.”

She shrugged. “Obviously I will have to hire people. But that might still be cheaper than rent until Spring.”

Luther’s lips bowed as he gingerly stepped around a stack of broken furniture. “Could be more expensive, too.”

“Bet it’s more expensive,” John eagerly agreed.

Savigne’s shoulders deflated. She trudged to the bedroom.

John gave Luther a nod and followed. 

“The bedroom looks okay,” Savigne said optimistically. 

“Looks like a dump,” he retorted. When her expression fell he added “An okay dump.”

Savigne stared at the broken frame of a bed. Something scurried away underneath it and she took a hasty step back. 

“The ceiling here looks intact,” she suggested.

“Yeah,” was all he could say. Emphasis on the looks, he thought grimly.

She walked back out and exited the cabin to walk around. 

“Ain’t no way she thinkin’ on rentin’ this, right?” he asked Luther. 

Luther lighted a cigarette and scoffed in amusement. “Oh she thinkin’, alright.”

John exhaled in frustration and stepped out to talk some sense into her.

“Savigne…” he found her by the outhouse, “…can I be honest?”

“Sure,” she said, scribbling in her notebook.

“This place ain’t right for ya. Needs too much work.”

She bit her lip and gave him a glance. “Indoors is fine, no?”

“Yeah but…”

“Has a huge lot,” she waved her arm. “Huge! Secluded. Twenty minutes from Saint Denis! That means twenty minutes to work. And the doctor.”

He scratched his beard, uneasy about her enthusiasm. 

“True. But…!” He glanced over his shoulder at an approaching Luther. “Kinda think we can keep lookin’.”

“We’ve been looking for two weeks! If you think this is a dump, you should have seen the other, more expensive dumps.”

He gave Luther a side eye, urging him to chip in.

“Don’ like it,” the black man said flatly. “Yer man will kill us if we sign this.”

“Us?” John balked but was ignored.

“My ‘man’ isn’t here, is he?” Savigne spat. “I’m doing the looking and I’m doing the paying and I will do the fixing!”

“Woman, get off the cross!” Luther harrumphed. “‘M standin’ right here with ya.”

“And you’ve shot down every single cabin we looked at,” she protested, her eyes starting to blaze up.

“Ain’t my fault they was all shit,” he said, all innocence.

She exhaled in frustration. “It’s been two weeks. We’re only renting until Spring. You want to wait until I give birth or what?”

“Listen here,” Luther waved his cigarette, “We got time. We don’ gotta settle.”

“In the time I look for the perfect place, I can have this cabin fixed.”

“More likely you be crushed under that damn roof!” Luther barked.

The speed of the switch caught John off guard. Savigne’s eyes flooded in an the instant, her lips wobbled, she flung her notebook into the mud and stomped towards the cart.

The two men glanced at each other. “Guessin’ that could ‘ave gone better.” John sighed.

He snatched the notebook from the ground and looked at Savigne’s neat handwriting. Then thoughtfully flipped it around in his hand for a while. “I can help,” he offered softly at long last. “With the fixin’ and whatnot.”

Luther gave him a mean eye. “Ya gettin’ soft on me, ya turncoat?”

“The hell?!”

“Thought we agreed this a dump?”

“I know that,” John rolled his shoulders, watching Savigne climb on the cart and cry. “But the inside is okay.”

Luther’s eyes narrowed.

“Has a huge lot,” John swung his arm. 

“The hell ya doin’?”

“You said could be worse!”

“That don’ mean nothin, everythin could be worse!” the other man slapped the outhouse wall.

“Look,” John shifted on his feet and glanced over his shoulder. “She had a rough go. Ecco. Everythin’ that came after. We used to livin’ rough, Savigne not so much. She didn’ even unpack her wagon, that ain’t like her…”

“She be okay. She strong,” Luther stubbornly crossed his arms. “Few more of these, she gonna agree to livin’ in the city, as she should. Where I can keep an eye on’er.”

John looked about, trying hard to ignore the sniffles in the background.

“Has a huge lot,” he tried again. 

“What ya gonna do with it, youse a cow?” was the hard question.

He rolled his eyes. “Thinkin’ I can pitch my tent out here. Keep an eye on her.”

This surprised the cook and he was favored with an intense look. “That so?”

“Got a woman. She can help with the other thing.”

Luther took a menacing step towards him. “You gonna ride ‘round robbin’ folk and bring the law to her door?”

“What!? No?” was his sullen response. “‘M lyin’ low, don’ need that shit. It’s only till Spring anyway, right?”

The cook took a deep breath and mulled it over.

“What ‘bout yer gang?”

He thought of Sadie and Charles. “They got better folks takin’ care of them. Don’ need me.”

“What if the men return? Won’ ya have to move with’em?”

“If they return, Arthur gonna take over. He won’ abandon her.”

There was a silence.

“What if he ain’t with’em?” Luther’s dark eyes locked with his.

John hesitated. He didn’t like responsibility, that had never been his thing. His thing was to do as told. Responsibility was for the likes of Arthur. What he was offering to do for Savigne was madness, was in fact more than he had done for his own woman and kid!

But…

But he couldn’t deny that there was a certain kind of justice in it. After all, when he ran off on Abigail and Jack, Arthur had done no less. Sometimes life was funny like this, served you the bill for your meal years down the road and was your choice to pay your debt, to even the scales or pass.

“Then I stay. Least till Spring.”

Luther’s eyebrows quirked up. “You gonna do this for Savigne?”

John shrugged and looked away. “Arthur did same for me. Carried my folks when I couldn’. Reckon it’s my turn.”

Luther gave him such a long look, he started to fluster under that gaze. Then the cook stepped close and smacked his shoulder. A meaty arm was pressed across his back and turned him towards the cart.

“Ya know what they say,” Luther mused as they walked back.

“What they say?”

“The blood of the covenant thicker than the water of the womb,” the cook quoted.

“The hell that mean?”

“Means family we make and choose more real than family we born into.” Then he raised his voice as they got closer. “Savigne! Woman, stop wailin’! Guess what I talked this fool into!”

A week after that Savigne was sitting in a cafe in Saint Denis. It was chilly and dark outside but the cafe was warm and crowded. Not too formal and uptight, but definitely a notch or two above Connor’s paygrade. And yet, he had insisted on bringing her here which was very generous and showed his enthusiasm to please her. He sat in his best Sunday clothes, his paddy cap in his lap, ready to be twisted and pulled when he became too nervous.

She had resisted the suggestion to meet someone for as long as she could, but the deal with Luther was that she would give it a go - no promises, no strings attached - when they found a cabin. Well, the cabin was rented as of last week, so here she was, fulfilling her end of it. She took a sip of tea and gently placed her cup back on the saucer.

Connor mirrored her. He dabbed the handkerchief along his brow again. “Sorry,” he whispered.

“For sweating?” she grinned.

“Yeah.”

She gave him a long look. He was a cute man. A little taller than her, slim but with a good build and a good frame, a mop of reddish chestnut hair he had obviously made an effort to tame with pomade, a clean shave and warm brown eyes with the fullest, longest eyelashes she had ever seen. There was a softness to him, a shyness she quite liked. Arthur was shy at times, but in a very different way. Connor embraced his shyness.

“Why are you sweating this much anyway?” she asked, trying to break the ice.

“Wasn’t expecting someone as pretty,” he blurted, then did that particular huff he did when he seemed to be surprised he had said something out loud.

She chuckled despite herself. “Maybe you need glasses,” she teased.

“You kidding me?” he wiped his brow again. “Maybe you need a mirror.”

Savigne’s eyebrows rose as she smiled, pleased despite herself. She picked up her cup and he immediately reached for his.

They sipped tea.

“I don’t want to waste your time,” she cleared her throat when they replaced the cups in tandem. “I’m hoping you were told that…I’m a package deal.”

“Sure,” he shifted in his seat. “I’m okay with that.”

She watched him for a while. “How come? I mean that has to be a hard thing to do for a man.”

He shrugged. “I like kids. Always wanted a big family. The more, the merrier.”

“Even if they’re not your own?”

“Will be if we marry, right?” Another self conscious huff. “I mean I will raise them. I raised my siblings when ma died, I’m good at it.”

Savigne played with her spoon for a while, thoughtful. “What do you expect me to do in this…marriage?”

He blinked at that, a tad uneasy. “Whatever you want,” he said carefully. “Figure if you’re happy, we’re happy.”

“I want to work.” She watched him from under her brows.

“Sure. I work. All my brothers and sisters work.”

“Even after a baby?”

He squirmed in his chair. “Sure,” was his cautious response. “Maybe not immediately. I mean…you might not want to for a while.” She clenched her jaw and he quickly added “I’m only saying, it’s fine if you want to take a break. I can work twice as hard. Could get a second job...”

“Take a break so I can have another child?” she asked coolly. “And then another?”

“I mean…if that’s what you want?” was his cautious response.

“What if I don’t want more kids?” she pushed up her chin.

“I…sure,” he stammered, dabbing his brow again. “If that’s what you want. Don’t want, I mean.”

Savigne sighed and drank her tea dry and he did the same. She missed Arthur fiercely and was cross that she had agreed to this meeting. True, she owed it a fair go for the child, but why did Connor have to be this god damn nice? The rejection would have been a lot easier if he wasn’t this agreeable.

“I have a lot of siblings. And aunts and uncles. We’re a close bunch, big Irish family. They can help with whatever you need.” He noticed her uneasy silence and tried to clarify: “But they won’t come swarming soon as we marry or anything! Don’t want you to think it’ll be mayhem. All I’m saying is, if you want a family, you’ll get lots of it. And then some.”

She swallowed and looked away, feeling increasingly boxed in. It’s like the universe had concocted this man just to trip her. As far as husbands went, he was an excellent choice. Probably as a father, too. Someone who was going to support her. Respect her, revere her. Wasn’t it good that he was malleable? Wasn’t it good that he was polite, kind and humble? Someone she could steer and shape to her liking, someone who would let her take the lead and not mind following her decisions?

“Marriage is one thing,” she cleared her throat. “But I have a mind to live separate for a while.”

He blinked at this and scratched his head. “Can I ask why?”

“It’s a big change. And I’m still recovering from some things. I would like to be somewhere familiar. Until…after.”

Surely he’ll say no. What man would agree to his wife living alone and giving birth while away? It’s an absurd ask. He’ll say no and this charade will be over.

Connor played with his cap for a while and thought this over. “I scared you with that big family thing, didn’t I?”

“A little,” she grinned.

He nodded in acknowledgement. “Knew that was a bit too much. With you being an orphan and all. But I was trying to sell it, you know?”

Her grin grew. It was refreshing how transparent he was.

“I can see why you don’t want big changes in your condition right now,” he mused, weighing her with narrowed eyes and a soft wag of his finger. “That’s clever. A bit unusual, sure, but…wise.”

Savigne was so stunned, she mimicked his huff.

“Thing is,” he licked his lips and placed his elbows between them, “I know I’d be marrying up.”

“How so?” she laughed.

Connor did his signature huff. “You’re smart. Well read, I can tell. I barely know my letters. I heard you worked in a fancy place, really hard to get into. You did all this alone! That’s very ambitious. Also…you’re gorgeous. Like, really pretty. And neat.” He chuckled nervously and twisted his cap. “So…way I see it…you’re doing fine by yourself. Someone like me lecturing you…would be silly, right? Frankly, I’m hoping it’ll rub off on me a little.”

In many ways, he was the polar opposite of Arthur. Compared to this man Arthur was a bully. Set in his ways, old fashioned, a man of convictions. Arthur was awkward in showing affection, stingy with compliments. He could be infuriatingly stubborn and at times cruel and petty. This man would worship the ground she walked on. A smart woman would pick this man and never look back.

But nobody (except for the delusional man sitting across from her right now) had ever accused her of being smart, and her heart wilted at the idea of waking up next to him instead the familiar weight of Arthur behind her.

The memory seared as it always did and she took a shuddering breath, her eyes welling. Connor stilled and sat back a little as she hastily fished for the napkin and dabbed the corner of her eyes, fighting the urge to break into sobs. “I’m sorry,” she managed.

“It’s fine,” was his quiet answer. “I understand. I have a lot of nieces and nephews. Know what my sisters went through.”

It took her a while to pull herself together. Arthur used to get supremely uneasy about her crying episodes and his usual solution was to ignore them. Connor acted like it was perfectly normal and politely sat through it.

“If I was so smart and crafty,” she sniffed at last, “we wouldn’t be having this date, would we?”

He played with his paddy cap for a moment, glancing up at her. “Life happens,” he said softly. “I don’t know what happened to you. Maybe you’ll tell me some day. It’s fine if you don’t want to. Because…life happens.”

She nodded, relieved. “I had a nice time,” she tried to smile.

He huffed nervously and grinned. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Okay!” he sighed with a relief so deep, it made her chuckle again. “Okay! How about dinner next week?”

“Sure,” she said as he motioned for the waiter to bring the bill.

He walked her back to the stable and waited as she picked up Cricket. They shook hands and she rode out of Saint Denis, towards the Bayou. During that ride, her mood darkened and she became sad and cried. She fished out the enormous stack of clean handkerchiefs and peeled one off, stuffing the rest into her satchel. Her emotions churned in her gut, one overpowering the other only to be pushed down by the next. Anger, anguish, anxiety were bubbling in her. It felt like such a betrayal to even look at another man when her heart still belonged to Arthur. Betrayal to him, to herself and to Connor. But at the same time, it felt like doing the right thing for her child. Who was only here because of her own actions. If Sister Rodriguez was here, she would say this was Savigne’s penance. That she had no right to snivel and cry because she was facing the consequences of her own actions. But the same Sister Rodriguez was the inflection point of this shitstorm, so why should it matter what that hag thought?

When she arrived, the camp was quiet. It was always quiet now which suited her fine. She unhooked Cricket and fed him an apple, then went over to Frost and offered him the same. “Don’t hate me,” she whispered to him, kissing his cheek. “I’m trying to do the right thing. Even though it sucks.”

Then she trudged to her wagon and slumped into the chair. The same old newspaper still sat there with the bent corner. 

You’re selfish, she thought, selfish and spoiled and ungrateful. He’s not coming back. Never again will someone look at you like he did. Never again will someone make you writhe and moan under him. Never again will your heart flip at a mere cocky grin and the way your name rolls off a tongue. You have stood on that mountaintop and you will never come this way, never rise that high again. You knew people were fickle, people were fragile and you gave him your heart. Now it lies at the bottom of the ocean and you can never retrieve it. It will float in that dark, cold, salty water, forever out of your reach. Your best days are behind you, but your child can flourish. And maybe, maybe maybe maybe one day, years from now, you will make lasagna again and not even once think of Arthur.

She balked at the notion and covered her face. Then there was a motion in her belly and a realization dawned in her. It washed over her heart like cool water, pushing the pain away.

”No,” she whispered, removing her hands from her face to place them on her bump. “That will never happen. Because I have you and as long as you’re with me, he will be, too.”

[icanseethefuture333]

A energy reading on

Megan Thee Stallion

Megan's energy for 2024:

Megan's energy is going to be very sensual, feminine, and confident for 2024. There is a transformation in her spirit and we are going to witness her enter a new chapter in her life. A snake concept has been a big theme for her music lately and I see her really embodying the nature of a serpent. She is "shedding" an older version of herself that was in pain and dealt with a lot of suffering. I'm getting strongly There are people who want to keep her there in that place. "Dark night of the soul". I geniunely believe people are praying on her downfall. It's very disturbing there are energy vampires surrounding her and she should definitely make sure to protect her peace. Megan is going to be the center of attention for sure. People won't stop talking about her, good or bad. There is a lot of jealousy and envy pointed towards her as well. Men hate on her because they know could never be with a woman like her and women wish they could be her. Megan is going to rebel from what the traditional roles that women take place in the industry. I heard "Nobody is gonna pimp me out! I ain't scared of nothing." Megan is going to open doors for female rappers to speak up about the mistreatment they have faced in the industry. Allowing for people to do what has never been done before. People are already exposing celebrities like Nicki Minaj for example for her malicious behavior. What's standing out to me is the "Queen" and "Goddess" card. There are female spirits watching over her. I believe this could be her ancestral family watching over her and guiding her through this journey. I also believe this could be a goddess Megan worships perhaps or is taking inspiration from. We might see a music video with this concept in particular. Alchemist? I believe she is manifesting something or doing spellwork. Megan is knowledgeable about spirituality and the occult more than we even know. This is not to imply that this is her religion but I remember when Judi from Bad Girls Club would say "I got the voodoo for you bitch!". So I believe how that pertains to Megan is that she knows she is divinely protected and regardless what people do/say to her she knows her faith, spirit guides, and ancestors will protect her from harm.

What's going to happen in Megan's career:

Megan is going to be coming to terms with her past trauma and releasing any feelings of grief, shame, and misfortune. Megan could of had thoughts where she felt her loved ones passing was her fault and that she should have done more for them. I'm hearing like "No this wasn't your fault, you did your best". So perhaps she went to therapy, she consoled herself, or had a love one to be by her side during this trouble. Whatever the case may be, the conversations provided her with great clarity. I also believe she went through a period of isolation and reflection to think about what she should do next. (Channeled song: Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash) Megan could have contemplated if she should leave the entertainment industry entirely or continue to live her dreams. "Is this really worth my peace of mind?" I am hearing a older woman's voice and she is saying "Girrrl, I know I taught you to keep your head up and not let anyone take your place. If they keep picking on you, you have to be strong and fight back." I feel like this is the words her grandmother would tell her growing up. Her grandmother is persistent on her to keep fighting for her dreams and not to let anyone treat her like a punk. "Y'all better stop messing with my grandbaby". I believe Megan is having this mindset of "If you do good unto others, good things will happen to you". So she is focusing on loving herself and being helpful, kind towards other people. Maybe even helping musicians who are not as famous in the industry and giving them a platform. She is wishing to spread joy and her positive energy. This year Megan will be very abundant in her career and I can see a lot of her desires coming into fruition. There is many accomplishments she will be rewarded for and goals that would be achieved.

[frenziedslashers]

Why Can't You Be Mine Already?

A/N: This is based on the idea that @joelsgeetar gave me! This was going to be multiple parts, but I suck at those so I just made it one for now. I hope to do a multi-chapter rick fic someday though :)) Sorry if this isn't the best either. Kind of started losing brain fuel halfway through 😭 Also tagging @catt-leya because they asked to be tagged :)

Pairing: Rick Grimes x GN!Reader

Request: What about Rick crushing on reader? How would he act? Would he confess? Would he show any jealousy? Does he get overly protective? Is he crazy like shane? (Bad joke). Fr I wanna know how this man is when he is IN LOVE. Bonus points if reader is a lil younger and related to Daryl. 😏

Warnings: Jealousy, possessiveness, MENTIONS OF CANON TYPICAL VIOLENCE AND BRIEF MENTIONS OF THE BIKER THAT SA'd CARL!!! mutual masturbation at the end, that's really it tbh.

REQUEST INFO || TWD MASTERLIST

The sun hit your skin just perfectly. Making you glow like no one he'd ever seen before. He couldn't take his eyes off you, he never could.

"Rick," his head turned when he heard the familiar voice behind him. A welcoming smile graced his lips as Maggie came to stand behind him. "Y'starin' at them ain't gonna make them kiss ya any sooner," she teased her friend, noticing how his face flushed a little darker. Smiling at the way he ducked his head down, bashfully. "I know," he muttered. Everyone knew that Rick had these feelings for you, but he was so scared to act on them. After everything with Lori, he was afraid he might lose you. Or he might not love you the same. Or- "why don't you tell 'em?" God, he wished it was that easy.

He felt like he had sunk further into the ground he stood on as he thought. His mind racing with thoughts while his thumbs were hooked on his belt loops. "Maggie.." He muttered under his breath. "It ain't that easy. After Lori..." He frowned, and she nodded. "I understand, but sooner or later they're going to move on from you. Just gotta do like Glenn and me, we didn't waste no time." She added with a cheeky grin. "Which reminds me, Glenn wanted me to ask you if you could help him with the walkers on the fence? I gotta help Beth and Daddy with some things." He nodded, looking over to the Greene girl, "Yeah, 'course."

That was months ago, now. He still hadn't opened up to you. He was going to, but it seemed like every time he wanted to tell you the moment wasn't right. The outbreak inside the prison happened. Then Woodbury happened, then they attacked and everyone was left running. He wasn't even with you when everyone ran. You were stuck hiding in the forest, searching the nearest areas for survivors with Michonne. Not that you were complaining, you knew that she would protect you and you would do the same for her. She was a friend.

"So," she muttered, fingers grabbing at her sword to pull it out of the holder. "You and Rick, what are you?" She asked, decapitating a walker with a swift movement of her sword. You truly admired what she did. It was a talent you wished you had. "Friends, I guess?" She laughed at that, shaking her head before putting her sword back. "I see the way he looks at you, how Daryl tries to pull you away from him. I don't think he thinks you're just friends." She quipped, and you felt your palms go sweaty, eyes darting to the side while you scoffed. Trying to cover up how embarrassed you felt.

You shook your head, strolling next to her down the street. "No way, I'm too young for him. He's ten years older than I am, why would he like me?" She shrugged, "I don't know, but he does. He cares about you a lot. When the Governor attacked, he was quick to put you behind himself. To order you to run even though you stayed to fight. He cares," She smiled over at you, and you shrugged. You wanted the subject changed, looking around the street until you noticed an empty can. "Look, what's that?" You asked, the both of you lurking forward. Eyes looking around for any sign of danger until you both reached the can of.. pudding? It still had wet pudding inside of it as well. Looking at it, then at each other, and finally, at the house next to you both and the can.

Michonne was the first to head up the steps. Her sword ready, you holding the hunting knife Daryl had given you for your birthday so many years ago - who knew it would be this handy?

Her stiff stance made your furrow your brows. Cocking your head with a slight frown. "What is it?" You asked once noticing the tears rolling down her face. Stepping up to the window to peek through the boards when she stepped to the side. Seeing Carl and Rick was the best feeling you could have felt. Your heart burned with excitement as you looked at your friend and the both of you stepped up to the door.

The stiff knocks at the door had the father and son scurrying to their feet. Looking at each other while readying their weapons. Rick gulped before ordering Carl to step behind him. Holding his revolver to his side while peaking through the peek hole in the door. It was Michonne, and you.

Even after all of that Rick only greeted you with a smile and a tight hug, which he quickly departed from. It was frustrating for both of you. Mostly yourself. The mixed feelings you got from the man were torturous, and you could tell Michonne was just as annoyed by Rick's actions. The four of you decided to stay back for a while. At least until Rick healed up enough for you all to leave. Or so you hoped. A group of men chased you all out of the safety of the house after sneaking in while Rick slept in the upstairs bedroom.

"Rick," you muttered to the man, breath hitching when his knuckles grazed the back of your hand and his shoulder bumped against your own while you all walked the train tracks. Hoping to find others from the prison. "Yeah?" He asked, drawl strong in his voice. You opened your mouth to say something, but you didn't even know what you wanted to say. Pursing your lips while focusing on the scenery in front of you. Rick kept his eyes on you until you spoke. "I'm glad you're okay," he felt his heart stutter at those words. His stomach clenched when you reached and gently grabbed his hand with your own. His eyes met yours as you turned your head to look up at him, smiling. "I'm glad you're safe, too." He hummed with a smile, giving your hand a light squeeze. The both of you continue down the road like this.

It seemed like nothing could go easy for the four of you. Further down the road, you just happened to stumble upon the Biker gang that Rick just so happened to kill one of their men back at the house you all reunited at. You held your ground as they lurked forwards and threatened you all, but you froze up when you saw Daryl. Your older brother pushing forward and shouting that you were all off limits. "Daryl," you spoke, and the leader smirked, giving you a once-over while licking his teeth. "That your lover?" Daryl scoffed at his words, "No, I'm their older brother, what are you, sick?" Daryl asked with a scowl. The gaze darkened when he noticed the way the biker looked you over. The hunter was thankful for Rick who pushed both you and Carl behind him.

The fight was a lot, to say the least. You were drenched in blood, having stabbed the man that pushed you against a car with your knife. Michonne shook out of anger while standing over another body. Daryl looked you over to make sure you were safe. You were more worried about Carl though, once Daryl knew you were safe, he was, too. You all were. The boy crying while holding onto his dad like if he let go the man would get him again. You gave Rick a sympathetic glance, offering a weary smile, to which Rick nodded. Face covered in blood after biting into the leader's throat.

Further down the road only seemed to get worse, too. One event after another seemed to happen, but Rick was there to save you. Again and again. Whether it be from Walkers or the hellish communities you all came across. He wasn't losing you. He never would, not on his watch at least.

It wasn't until you all reached Alexandria that you were all able to relax. You especially found joy in the little community. Bonding with a couple of the people within the walls. Joining your brother when he would go over to Aaron and Eric's house - you especially liked their company. Daryl seemed to as well, you could tell.

You had been so focused on hanging out with some of the new people that you hadn't even noticed the way Rick stared at you each time he caught you with someone he didn't know. The way his eyes lingered on you with longing eyes; with want. It hurt seeing you with other people, and he couldn't help but think about what Maggie told him all those months ago. "Sooner or later they're going to move on from you." Maybe she was right, and this was it. He was slowly losing you from his grasp. You weren't as wrapped around his finger as you used to be - or at least he didn't think you were.

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Rick muttered to you, grabbing your arm to ensure you wouldn't walk away from him. You noticed the look of worry and dread in his eye. Smiling softly while nodding. "Yeah, is everything all right?" He shrugged, motioning for a more private area. "Just.. Come on." He muttered, and you nodded, following him into the house.

He stood in front of you, but he didn't look at you. Both of you standing in the living room, his eyes fixated on the wall beside you. "Rick," you frowned, "what's wrong? You're scaring me," you added with a lighthearted chuckle. He finally looked at you, but his expression hardly changed. He still looked just as distraught. "I don't like you hanging out with Spencer," you furrowed your brows, confused as to where he was coming from. "I was just helping him out with some stuff." "I don't care, I don't like the way he looks at you," and you scoffed. You couldn't believe what he was saying to you.

A part of you was relieved that he still seemed to care, but that part of you was small. You were more annoyed and pissed than anything. Crossing your arms over your chest with a glare. "Why do you care?" You spat, and he winced at your tone. His own glare settled in his eyes. "Because I care, why do ya gotta be so damn stubborn?" Two could play at this stupid game. "Yeah? Well then you have to stop hanging out with Julie or whatever her name is." You shot back, and he looked taken back.

"What?" He asked in disbelief. "That blond chick, don't act like you don't know who I'm talking about. You see a damsel in distress and you go running to them. If you can make rules for me, I'll make rules for you too, Rick." He went back to staring beside you, but not for too long. Eyes snapping back to yours with a look you couldn't quite place. "Her names Jessie," "Do I look like I give a fuck?" He grinned, chuckling. "You act like you do." You rolled your eyes again, leaning back against the wall. "Oh please, don't act like you weren't just telling me to stop helping Spencer." You added, tilting your head, and his eyes stared. Flowing down to your lips, your neck... God, he wanted you so badly.

You caught his staring, smirking a little. "Deal?" He sighed, eyes tracing back up to yours. "Fine," you smiled, patting his chest, before pushing past him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I gotta go help Daryl with some stuff." He nodded, watching you leave. His eyes scanning over your body and wishing he would have just pulled you in for a kiss.

This went on for days longer, and it only seemed to get worse. You would catch him still talking with Jessie, so you'd talk to Spencer out of retaliation. Only pissing the former Sheriff off more. "I thought we had a deal!" He shouted, and you sniggered, "we did! But you broke it talking with Jessie yesterday! Don't act like I didn't see you, you asshat!" He looked genuinely hurt at the name-calling, and you almost felt bad. Almost.

"Jesus Rick! What are we even doing?" You hissed, and he stayed quiet. "What are we?" You snapped, but he had no idea how to answer that. "I don't know," he muttered, and you sighed, shaking your head before heading for the door. "Come find me when you figure out what the hell it is you do want, Rick. You don't find me soon, I'm gone," you muttered, the last bit of your phrase dripping with a hint of disappointment. You almost sounded, sad? He wasn't sure, all he knew was that he hated that tone in your voice, and the upset look in your eye as you stormed out. He was left standing there again, for the second time. Just this time it hurt him a lot more.

Daryl was the only person Rick could think about talking this out with. Dragging his feet to where he knew the hunter would be. Sitting in the workshop drinking a beer while fixing up his bike. "Hey," he muttered after the man when he realized he was just where he assumed. "You blew it, didn't ya?" Daryl asked without looking up from his work, and Rick furrowed his brow. The silence caused him to look up, shaking his head. "Don't act like I didn't know. I been their brother forever, Rick. I know when they like someone and I know when you like someone," he added, looking back down to what his hands were doing. "Everyone does," he muttered under his breath with a breathy chuckle.

Rick had no idea what to say, hands hanging awkwardly at his sides before pulling them up to cross over his chest. "Well, uh... Do I have your permission to ask them out? We had a fight, and they asked me what we were, I said I don't know." Daryl shrugged. "Rather it be you than any of the preppy pretty boys in this shit-hole." He added, looking up at Rick with a smile. "No promises they don' bite, though." Rick smiled, laughing lightly at that. Glancing down before his eyes met Daryls again. Noticing how his stare seemed to darken. "No promises I ain't gonna beat the shit outta ya if ya hurt 'em, too." He snarled, and Rick nodded. "I understand, I won't. You have my word," Daryl nodded. "Ya better go find 'em before they fuck the Monroe kid t'get back at ya." Rick rolled his eyes at Daryl's words, but he understood. Thanking the man before he turned to wander off and find you.

It took him nearly twenty minutes before he discovered where you were. Walking up to where you sat near the pond in town. Sitting next to you with a sigh. "Hey," you hardly acknowledged him. Rick ached, not realizing how much he loved your smile that always greeted him anytime he spoke to you. "Look, I'm sorry 'bout everythin', I just got worried 'bout you. I know you can handle yourself," he muttered, hands resting on the ground beside him, legs resting in front of him. "I just.." He sighed, "I care about you, a lot more than I'm comfortable with." You kept your gaze in front of you but listened to everything he said. "I was just so scared that I was losing you here, every time I looked you were with someone new. Chatting away, smiling, and don't get me wrong. I love seeing you happy, S'one of my favorite things, but..." He paused again, sighing as he raked his brain for words. "I hated that you stopped talking to me as much. I wanted it to be me makin' you smile like that. Me who you ran around with and laughed with." He ducked his head down. "It's stupid, now that I say it out loud." He chuckled, and you shook your head, smiling softly as you reached to grab his hand.

Rick's head jerked to look down at your hand. Smile slowly spreading to his lips as he looked up to meet your eyes. His gaze was soft, speaking all the words he wanted to say. "I like you too, Rick Grimes," you spoke, and he smiled more. "That mean Spencer's out of the picture?" You hummed, teasing him by pretending to think, even though you knew the answer was 'yes'. It was always yes. "Yeah, only if Jessie is too." He snickered, bringing his arm to wrap it around your shoulders, leaning his head on top of yours. "She never was in the picture," he commented before you both fell quiet again.

"S'a pretty view." He stated, and you smiled, "Yeah, it is," you sighed, "Think sleeping would be a nicer view," you chuckled, and he nodded, his own body screaming for him to go to bed with how late it was. "Wanna lay with me?" He asked, and you smirked, "No promises I won't keep ya up," he chuckled, shifting so he could stand up and pull you up to your feet as well. "Well, we better get there fast so we aren't up any later than we gotta be." He cooed, staring down at your lips with a soft hum. You didn't stand long enough for him to be able to kiss you, though. Pulling him off towards the house.

His eyes were on you the whole time. Watching your body as he drug behind you. Just the thought of lying next to you got him hot and bothered. Cursing himself mentally for how much you turned him on. For how touched deprived he really was. If anything, the hand-holding wasn't helping the tent that slowly grew in his pants. Growing more and more uncomfortable with each step. All he could think about was your hand compared to his, and how his dick would feel in your hands.

The second that door to the bedroom closed behind you both, he was shoving you up against the wall. A hiss leaving your lips at the force of his actions. "Shit, Rick," you hummed with a smirk, "You want me bad, don't ya?" He only grunted in response, mouth moving straight to your own. "Wanted ya for a while," he murmured against your lips, caging your body with his own. His breathing only hitched when your fingers snaked into his hair and pulled. God, he forgot how much he loved that feeling. Pressing his body against you while kissing you with force.

He was quick to move down to your neck. Kissing and nipping, leaving hickeys in order to make sure that Spencer and everyone else that looked at you got the message that you were his. The noises you made from the action were just a plus. His hands pawed and groped at your skin before hastily working on removing the clothing from your upper body. He was far from gentle when he did this. Ripping and tugging at the fabric. "Jesus, you dick," you huffed out, "Lucky this isn't my favorite shirt," you scoffed, and he chuckled, pulling his own shirt over his head.

You were quick to shut up at the other's exposed skin. Both of you eating each other's figures up. Hands roaming in order to map the other's bodies. Both of you found where the other seemed to like to be touched the most. It was your turn to leave marks, though. Pushing him towards the bed while your mouth latched onto his collarbone. Kissing and sucking while pushing him down onto the bed. Climbing over him so you were straddling his lap with a grin. Leaving a mess of hickeys on his neck that showed the shape of a heart. Pulling back to admire your work and the panting mess that Rick had become underneath you. "There, now no one's gonna be takin' you from me either." You snickered, and he smirked. He loved feeling owned just as much as he loved feeling like he owned you now, in a sense.

He was quick to grab at your thighs when you ground down against him, a growl leaving from behind his teeth while he clenched his jaw. Watching as you repositioned your legs so you were between his thighs. Smirking at the curious glint in his eyes, and the way his face seemed to turn even more red than before.

"What're you- fuck!" He snarled, bucking into your hand as you palmed him through his jeans. His head fell back with parted lips. He was beautiful. "Just let me take care of ya, Rick," you cooed, and he nodded, "Fuckin' hell, just take m'jeans off, please." he pleaded, and it was like music to your ears. "Anything for you, baby," you teased, trailing kisses over his chest while undoing his pants. Working quick since you were just as eager as he was. Daryl was right, too. You did bite, but Rick wasn't complaining in the slightest. If anything, it just had him eager for more. Hands grabbing eagerly at the back of your head when you leaned down to pull him in for another kiss.

His lips parted when you finally undid his jeans and reached past his boxers for his dick. His hips bucked into your hand when your thumb brushed over his tip. "Fuck, feels so good," he blurted, and you smiled, hand working up and down his shaft after spitting into your own palm while he became a panting and grunting mess below you. Biting his bottom lip to do his best to stay quiet. "Shit, wanna fuck you so bad," he murmured, and you hummed, feeling your stomach knot up at the thought. "Really? Why can't I fuck you?" He shuddered at the thought, growling into the kiss he pulled you in for.

Rick was grabbing at your jeans while you continued jerking him off. Calloused hands pulling your pants down enough so he could reach down into your own boxer to touch you. Pulling away from the kiss to spit on his own hand and give you the same treatment. His hand reached down your undergarments in order to grab you. Your hips thrust into his hand at the contact. "Shit, Rick," you hissed, and he smirked, though it quickly faded. Furrowing his brows with a groan when you squeezed his shaft.

The both of you touched each other until you were both reaching your highs. Rick was the first to go, and you followed shortly after. Fluids covering each other's hands. Rick panted while pulling his jeans off the rest of the way in order to feel more comfortable in the bed. Watching as you did the same.

"Shit, haven't felt that good in ages," you murmured, and he chuckled, nodding his head. "Neither," he lazily spoke. Eyes feeling even heavier than when you were both sitting at the pond. He still brought himself to stand up, though. Throwing his legs over the side of the bead to head for the bathroom. Coming back with a towel in order to wipe the both of you down. Giving you a chaste kiss while tossing the towel back toward the bathroom. Settling when it hit the tiles right at the entrance before climbing back into bed next to you. "Next time we're more awake, maybe we can do more than just that," he murmured into the side of your head as he pulled you close. A small hum left your own throat as you lazily draped yourself over him. "Definitely, not lettin' ya go now," he smiled, "You're just as stuck with me."

[stararch4ngelqueen]

La Dama Sin Cara (18+)

Part 7 of Ghosts and Mirages

Warning: STRONG mentions of blood/gore/violence! Heavy angst, use of guns/knives. Breach of trust, trust issues, jealousy, mentions of suicide, suicide letters. HEAVY smut, choking, aggressive sex, radio sex, overstimulation, unprotected sex, minor knife play, mirror sex, slight bondage, possessive kinks.

!Please Beware! This part contains multiple chapters, with their own unique summaries, tags/warnings!

Summary: Trust was everything to him, just as it was to you. You trusted him as much as you adored him to not hurt you, those were your own words. He trusted you to not actively seek out that pain, believing he was keeping you physically safe. You should’ve known better then to be too curious.

Additional Summary: Will take place into leading mission into Las Almas, where you learn the cultures of Mexico and its hidden vipers, alongside your new teammates, as well as discovering the consequences of your own actions.

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

"Mirage? You listening?"

"What? Yeah, I am."

"Right. So, they're estimating we'll be arriving aroun' 0200, hopefully we'll be back before mornin, y'know?"

"Mhm."

"Yeah," Soap slowed his words, staring at your bowed head, your gaze lingering down along your plate in front of you. "An' if you were listenin' to me, you'd agree that I'm a better shot than you."

"In your dreams." You looked back at him while stabbing your fork into your food, smirking just a bit at his cheeky grin.

“Christ, eat woman. Or I’ll force feed ya myself.” He muttered while bringing his spoon down towards his tray, watching you roll your eyes before shoving food in your mouth.

The two of you found each other during dinner time, taking up residence at one of the vacant tables by the entrance. Usually, Gaz would join the both of you, but his current mission with Price had him in Amsterdam, but you weren't saying you enjoyed Soap's company any less if he wasn't here regardless.

With the raging lines entering the mess hall dimming down significantly, you could eat more comfortably with your mask off, sitting in a way where anyone would at least see the normal side of your face upon first glance without doing unnecessary double takes.

Everyone stares, it's the human's natural curiosity. Even you were victim to it, but it didn't make you feel any better regardless of how many times you've tried to ignore it.

"So," You brought your knuckle over your lips. "You want me to be completely oblivious if he asks me?"

"I'm just sayin' if he asks, pretend you don't know nothing. That's all."

Soap watched your head nod, smiling a bit before losing focus once more. You looked like you had an awful lot on your mind lately, and he wasn't too sure why. Maybe it was just for the mission the two of you were assigned to tonight, wondering if you were planning on getting in a few hours of sleep before the trip.

The silence made him a little weary, clicking his tongue purposefully loud to break you from your thoughts.

"Christ, for a woman like you, I'd imagine you'd pay better attention to your superiors."

"A woman like me?" You huffed as your head rose again, reaching your left hand over for your drink. "Elaborate, please. I'm dying to know what you mean by that."

"Oh, y'know, a woman like you." He gestured at you with his spoon, swallowing his food before continuing. "Yer strong, smart, got bigger bollocks than any other man I've met thus far."

"Easy there, Ghost might get jealous." You snickered a little, watching him smirk. "Eh, Simon ain't around to glare at me for it, think I'm in the clear."

You giggled again, setting your cup down beside you. "You're sweet John, but you're just being nice."

"I'm bein' serious, learn to take a damn compliment every once in a while." His brow firmed, making your gaze grow a bit firmer towards the Scotsman.

"What you've been through to get here now, an' everything that's happened in between, I need to admit, I admire you, lass. You're still standin' an' still smilin', that takes strong guts."

You reached for your drink again, lowering your gaze for a moment down into the liquid in your cup. Your mind raced with various thoughts, not really expecting a talk to from Soap like this of all times like now, of all places.

"Hey," John spoke up to gain back your attention, watching your eyes nervously glance up back at him. "Hope I didn't make you nervous, it's just... I don't know, you've changed is all. Just wanted to remind you of the strong woman I see now. The one who looks like she'll kick me under the table if I say another word."

Change? You almost snorted into your cup, catching the thin streams of liquid that rolled down the sides of your lips.

"Jesus, John." Reaching for the napkin he held out to you with a loud chuckle, you cleaned your mouth before composing yourself, showing him a slight smile after that minorly embarrassing outburst.

After composing yourself, your eyes trailed down towards his casually rested forearm on the table. You reached your hand out to rest against the back of his large palm.

As sweet as he was trying to be, a small part of you deep in your mind wanted to refuse his words. Compliments like these were flattering, sure, but you were just you. Despite what's happened, you were just as much of a soldier as anyone else.

Still, you couldn't deny the warmth that spread throughout your chest from his words.

"You don't have to say those things, John. I appreciate it though. Thanks."

"Aye." John smiled a little more, glancing down at your hand, his gaze following as you removed it.

"Is he starin' at me?" He suddenly asked in a low mutter.

"Who?"

"Ghost." He states, making you raise a brow. Ghost?

Your eyes flicked upwards towards the exit, spotting none other than the tall, ever so familiar man standing in the vacant entryway behind Soap.

His posture was stiff, his shoulder pressed against the left side of the wall he leaned against. His broad arms were crossed, his head tilted downwards as he glared at Soap with hard, narrowed eyes at the display, almost making the whites of his eyes look nonexistent from the black paint shadowing his lids.

Maybe he heard every word Mactavish said, or maybe he came and saw the moment your hand settled on his. Regardless, he stood there like a bouncer at a nightclub, glaring down at someone who tried entering with a fake ID.

"No. He isn't." You chose to say, meeting John's gaze with your attempt at a serious expression.

"You're a terrible liar, lass." John squinted his eyes at you, watching your corners of your lips diligently try to refrain from smiling.

"Check." You flicked your head upwards, watching him turn his head to look over his shoulder.

Just like you expected, he was gone. As if he was never there.

The relieved look on John's face right after left you trying to use every facial muscle you could to stop smiling.

"Coulda swore he was there." John chuckled just a bit, proceeding to smirk at you again. "You looked like you had hearts in your eyes when you looked up."

"Oh, fuck off," You giggled, picking your abandoned fork off your tray.

"You sure he didn't come by to view his most favorite Seargent?" You tilted your head, watching his hand freeze. His brows fiercely furrowed, looking at you with an intense look of confusion.

"Who? Me?" He pointed at himself.

"Duh. Who else?"

"N-no," He chuckled, proceeding to shake his head. "No, lass. Don't get any ideas."

"Are you blushing??" You smiled more, starting to laugh when he shook his head again, a faint flush kissing his cheeks. "John! That's cute!"

"Christ, enough!" He barks at you, unable to hide a smile as you laughed again, joining in with you when you head tilted back in amusement.

"Forget everythin' I said. You didn't change a bit, kid."

"So, who exactly is it again?"

"Major Hassan. Long story short, the Ambassador I was sent to oversee get executed during a meeting with the Russians a few months back, this is his second in command."

"So, he's got all this army together and upgraded in less than three months?"

"It has been three months, but you're correct."

You asked questions you already knew the answers to, all for the sake of putting up the minor facade to keep Ghost from questioning otherwise. That was the plan, supposedly he had no idea that you and Soap were getting assigned under his command to go tonight.

You found him in his office after dinner, busying himself with his work. His office space was quite similar to Price's, but more... plain. Bland.

Price's office had a bit more character, which was a fancy way of saying he had a lot more clutter during the time you spent with him, mostly due to the fact he was always busy with the paperwork. That was part of being a Captain after all, it wasn't all just leading soldiers into battle.

Ghost's office was neater, no clutter of any kind laying around along his desk or overflowing the filing cabinets. All the offices that you've seen looked the same; limited space, bare bones walls, all sealed in by a single door.

When you came in after knocking, Ghost glared at you like nothing more than a recruit, an unknowing fly invading his personal space. In a matter of seconds, upon recognizing your pretty face once you pulled down your mask, his hardened, cold gaze melted just a bit.

You two spoke for a short while, the man attempting to continue his work, but eventually set down his long-forgotten pen. His eyes followed you as you mindlessly paced around his office, not really finding much to look at to keep yourself visually occupied.

You set Ghost's mug of lukewarm tea down on his desk after nursing on it while he spoke, exhaling a little bit while crossing your arms. "Wow, looks like you got your work cut out for you then." You paced away from his desk a bit, bringing your thumbnail to your mouth. "Capture mission, right?"

"Right," Ghost nodded once, watching you from where he sat in his chair. He didn't have spare chairs. He wasn't keen on visitors in his office in the first place.

“C’mere.”

“What?” You turned your head to look at him.

He glared at you, raising his settled hand from his lap to beckon you over with two fingers.

“I said, come here.”

Lowering your hand, you came closer, walking around the edge of his desk to stop in front of him as he turned his chair to face you.

"Why're you here?" He asked, watching you avoid your gaze for a split second before shrugging. "Just wanted to come see you."

"Did you now?" His large hands settled along your waist, instinctively making you take a step closer. "Sure it wasn't for somethin' else?"

Your hands settled along his shoulders, watching his head tilt to look you firmly in the eye. Small height differences like these never mattered, with eyes like his, piercing cold blue on a shade of pink tinted white canvases, he always looked stern, even if he didn’t intend to be. Or maybe it was just his mask doing a very, very good job.

"Tell me, love." He says, giving your waist a minor, semi-warning squeeze.

You leaned closer, keeping eye contact while settling your forehead over his. Being this close left you taking in his natural scent, his sharp, spicy musk mixed with a hint of generic aftershave from this morning, scents that had no business being so comforting, but they were his.

"Are you still jealous over John?" You confessed.

“Which one?” He gruffly questions.

“The one you stared down earlier,” You retorted, huffing a bit.

"What're you jealous over? What did we leave out last time? Hmm?" You leaned your head down to the side, pressing a kiss against his covered jaw before bringing your head back.

"Nothin," He mutters, giving your hips another additional squeeze, his palms slowly lowering down the sides of your thighs.

“Are you jealous because we laugh a lot? Is it cause Soap makes me laugh?"

He didn't look all too pleased with your choice of words. You tilted your head a bit, thinking of something else to say.

“Try it." You then proposed. "Make me laugh."

"You serious?" His brows either furrowed or raised in surprise.

You looked at him with said seriousness while nodding, giving him a bit of a shrug. "Tell me a joke.”

Ghost blinked, finding himself caught a bit off guard by your words. Tell you a joke? What an interesting request.

"Alright." He lowered his arms, folding his hands together in his lap while sitting forward.

“You’re aware that the terms ‘I’m sorry’ an’ ‘I apologize’ are the same thing, right?” He starts off, watching your face contort while thinking.

“Yeah,” you nodded slowly.

“Right. Well, not at a funeral it isn’t.”

You blinked. Ghost blinked right back at you, watching for any sign of... something. Anything.

Your lips started to curl, turning your head to the side as your cheeks puffed. A small snort left your mouth, followed by a growing giggle as the dam quickly fell apart.

Ghost simply continued to stare at you, watching the way your eyes closed as you tilted your head back, your arms falling out of their crossed position. It wasn't a loud bellow, nor was it really an overexaggerated chuckle. It was an honest laugh, your honest laugh, and he could tell was genuine.

That was more than enough to make his heart flutter.

"Christ Simon, not bad." You smiled through your words, "Didn’t know you were hiding some jokes in that head of yours.”

"You'd be scared to find what goes on in it." He sat back in his seat just a bit. "We all have our fair share of secrets to hide, kid."

“Oh, sure. I have a ton of secrets in my fluffy diaries.” You mused, settling your arm comfortably behind his shoulders, pressing your thumb along a strain of muscles that had his eyelids slowly lowering in delight.

"On a side note, I don't like keeping secrets from people I care about." Your voice was soft, as if you were speaking to yourself. Convincing yourself that you would never do such a thing.

His gaze lingered on your face, his hidden lips turning downwards for just a minor second or two.

"That a promise, sweetheart?" He questions you, glancing at you as you reached for the mug once again.

“Of course.” You smile at him before taking another sip of his tea, watching his eyes slowly soften with your answer, though something was a little off about the way he looked at you. You couldn't exactly place your finger towards how.

Releasing your hold on him, you took a step back until you leaned comfortably against his desk, cradling his mug in your hands.

“That can't be comfortable.”

“It feels fine to me.” You adjusted your footing, running your palm along the edge of his desk. “It's quite sturdy.”

He hummed a bit, proceeding to offer his left hand towards you. You rested your palm against his, smiling a little when his thumb brushed along the back of your hand.

“Get off.” He gave your hand a firm tug.

“Make me." You stated, determined to stay where you were.

“My office isn’t the place for that.” His eyes hardened at your choice of words.

“Offices are boring," You rolled your eyes, setting the now empty mug down. "I bet you if I walked in here in a coat with nothing under it, you’d change your mind.”

A hidden brow rose at your sudden, peculiarly interesting choice of words. “You suggestin' that I’m missing a coat rack in here?”

“You have any I can borrow? Coats, I mean.”

“Got a gray one. You could borrow that, if you get off my bloody desk.”

"Again, Mr. Riley. Make me."

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

Enjoy the chapter so far? Enjoy the rest of these (smutty) chapters on my Ao3!

Read here as well on my Wattpad!

[halothenthehorns]

Chapter 10: MY MATH TEACHER GIVES ME A LIFT

Oh my gods does Jason get some long-overdue character development in this opening. I've only been dropping pebbles for him this whole time, and then I just drop a boulder down here. Still connected to Nico and Thalia, but hey, progress! I honestly considered making this its own chapter it got so out of hand with all I'd planned, but frankly it's not to terribly long it can't be here either. Hope you all enjoy, and many thanks as ever for the constant love and support you give this fic!

PJOPJOPJOPJO

Will counted to sixty slowly in his head to give Nico time to get wherever he was going and take a breath before getting up to go after him.

He stopped and watched Percy for a moment, hand still in Annabeth's as he gestured awkwardly to the rooms and muttered something about showing her how the fridge worked. Will considered going over and telling Percy to get his butt in on this, but he was to worried that would make things worse. Whatever Nico was so worried about, there was a nine out of ten chance it involved him.

When a tap came on his shoulder, he wasn't that surprised, but he was a bit jealous and worried as Jason stopped him. "Can I come?"

Will sighed. What was he asking permission for? He didn't decide who Nico could be friends with...he realized he'd kind of been helping as he glanced over at Alex who was watching them intently and clearly in hearing range.

"What do you think he's blaming himself for this time?" Jason asked instead when Will didn't answer.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Will sighed. He'd felt intrigued by Nico the second he saw him in here. The child of the Big Three who clearly felt out of place among his peers. It had been fun getting to know him, and yeah, he'd developed a pretty heavy-duty crush along the way.

He was pretty sure he got now where Jason's interest in Nico was, but it still didn't tamper down his mild jealousy. They could have so much in common Will would never understand about the responsibilities of their father's names.

This could be good for Nico though, he tried to muse his green thoughts away. Will always wanted to make sure Nico was okay, and he truly hoped he'd made Nico believe that by now, but it would be all the better if he felt he had more of a support system than just him and Alex who was all over the place making best buds with Percy and Thalia, and being so weirdly intense around Magnus.

"Actually Jason, maybe it would do him good if you asked?" Will nodded.

He looked surprised, a little shy for a moment maybe, but then nodded and took off. Will sat down and leaned over his couch to tell Alex, "am I being overbearing?" Trusting he'd call him out on any bullshit.

"Nah," Alex shook his head, also watching the door. "Nico would slap you if you were. Don't underestimate the fireball. He's got problems, but having a backbone ain't one."

...

"I have a deal for you," Jason grinned as he leaned by Nico on the rooftop railing. Nico didn't seem as young as Jason had once mentally deemed him. He'd relaxed some, since that first time they'd been up here. He seemed more like he was walking around glancing over his shoulder all the time instead of being up here actively waiting for someone to push him off.

His mouth twitched, but he continued looking out over the dark landscape. "What's that?"

"You tell me what you think Percy's going to kill you for this time and I'll stop him."

Nico's little snort of mirth should have been more offensive. "You have no idea what you'd even be defending."

"My problem while I hold my up my end of the deal," Jason shrugged.

Nico still didn't answer. He was fiddling with his ring absently and glancing at the door.

"Okay, let's start with something simpler," Jason sighed. "Did you actually do something wrong, or are you just worried people think you did something wrong, again."

Nico finally did look around at him with an annoyed frown. "It's not my fault the only person in there with a normal reaction is usually Magnus."

"Normal?" Jason cocked a brow. "What the heck is normal in our life? There are now four children of the big three in this place that weren't supposed to exist at all. I'm supposed to be dead. You and Percy just had a really poor lunch with a mortal who watches her son die every day. What is normal, Nico?" He sure was an evasive one, Will wasn't the only guy to notice how well Nico perfected even staying on one train of thought, let alone place. "Are you going to take my deal or not?"

"I thought you'd be talking to Thalia right now," Nico rolled his eyes as he looked back away, as if that were an actual answer. Now he wasn't even trying to be subtle. Will must have the patience of a saint.

Jason had the stubbornness of one. "I intend to, but if she comes up here I'll just ask her if she knows what's fixing to happen and hear her side, then Percy's. Don't you want yours out too?"

Will had said something similar to him too, and Nico still felt like the odd one out more than ever everybody else kept throwing advice at him like it was obvious when he seemed the only one to think it wouldn't matter. What was so different about him he couldn't even think like them?

His old jealousy at his sister flared up hard at how naturally she'd fit in with the hunters. She'd basically woken up with the worst lot in life having to take care of him and then instantly found her place only months later.

Then he glanced again at Jason, who like Will, had gone out of his way to want to learn how to play Mythomagic with him. He shook his head at himself, that he was really mad at himself he just hadn't fit in with the guy he wanted to. He'd probably be doing fine otherwise, with the assumption Percy didn't decapitate him coming up.

"I may have led Percy to the Underworld under not entirely honest pretenses," he finally sighed.

Jason studied him with interest. "To find out about your mom, right? Why would you think he wouldn't help?"

"My source wasn't reliable enough I thought Percy would trust it. He would have been right. It went, bad."

"Did you fulfill your end of the deal before it went bad?" Jason asked after only a few moments of consideration.

"No, though that part was true, I really was trying to, help," Nico sighed.

"Then it seems like they're the one who caused the problem, not you," Jason shrugged as if it was as simple as that.

Nico chuckled darkly because it was a nice delusion. "Not so much how Percy saw it."

"Ah," Jason said in a little more understanding. This wasn't a baseless fear this time. By the tense set of his shoulders, Nico obviously remembered exactly what was coming where Percy didn't. "So, is this a done deal?" Jason hoped Nico didn't think he'd missed the obvious in that Nico's source and the cause of this wasn't revealed.

Nico slowly turned back to look at him. He looked drained. "We never even agreed on our last deal."

"I'm not sitting around being worried about you being cryptic and wanting to come to camp with me?" Jason shrugged. Nico, who should have felt like an enemy more than anybody, had still been so honest with him he probably trusted him most. Nico probably just wanted a summer camp away from his summer camp or something, after all that had gone on there with his sister. "So yeah, deal," he reached out his hand to shake.

No matter how much Nico studied him for it, he couldn't find the hint of a lie in him. He shook. "Deal. You're now in two very open-ended deals with a child of Hades." He couldn't help but say it out loud to make sure he hadn't been just getting really high and hallucinating on sea-bottom algae.

"Yeah, more than Zeus probably ever bothered with your dad, I feel so special and awesome," Jason chuckled.

Then Jason realized the missing link as Nico winced.

Oh. Well. That wasn't going to be fun.

....

Thalia was at the bottom of the stairs, saving Jason the trouble of awkwardly asking her aside and wondering if she'd continue to avoid him.

She had her head bowed though, one ankle cocked against the wall, twining the links of her bracelet so hard it must be twisting her skin and hurting. The silver circlet on her head glowed in the faint light like a warning.

Nico gave Jason a questioning look and was relieved when the blonde nodded him away. Nico had more than enough of his own sibling drama he was still processing, but he would have stood there and been whatever Jason needed him to be in this, whether witness or on his side. He probably knew how Jason felt better than anyone.

"Were you going to tell me?" Jason asked stiffly.

"Yes!" Thalia instantly assured, looking up at him and clearly hurt he'd think otherwise. "I, I just wanted to figure out how, what happened. Come to you with more answers than questions."

"And our mother!" Jason snapped then, challenging her to tell anything. He felt blindsided as he kept replaying that image of her ghostly form over in his head.

She flinched, and he felt instantly like the worst person. That drunken woman who had made Thalia feel so small.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, backing down at once, taking a step back right into the wall. He was taller than her, he hated the sudden dominance he'd felt demanding answers of her, the worst of a male hero.

Thalia studied him with eyes to old for her face, same as him. She hadn't been the least bit intimidated by him. He'd just hurt her. "I wasn't lying to Percy, she did get drunk and crashed a car, I found it in an old newspaper Annabeth helped me find. I'd run away long before that happened." She bit her lip for a moment before telling him what little more she could. "You were two, we were going out for a picnic. I went back to the car for something, I was only gone a second, but when I came back she was babbling about you being taken to justify, something. I, didn't realize, until, all this," she gestured at the mess of their life in that room.

That he'd probably been taken away to the other camp, somehow. Sacrificed for Zeus having two children when he shouldn't have even had one? Justified in Jupiter abducting his child without warning to raise him however he'd wanted?

"I searched everywhere, but I, I honestly believed you were dead until we wound up in here." Thalia finished, pleading to be understood. Jason never would have suspected she could sound so vulnerable with anyone.

You're like a ghost to me, she'd once told him. He studied her with such a sharp sense, one she recognized, and it wasn't because of the coloring. Jason had spent time sizing up others, sussing out the truth. "You were waiting until Percy's life was back on course," he finally surmised, "to tell me."

She winced with guilt, again, her heart plunging. "It's not like that Jason, he's..." she fumbled off with no good justification other than what he'd given himself.

Percy was familiar, someone she had no problems being comfortable around. Percy was her friend for years, he was reliable with whatever insanity came next. Percy was a real person to her, and he was the one who needed to be taken care of. 

He'd never get all that with her too if he held onto this grudge. "Well," he sighed, but offered her a tentative smile. "At least it wasn't because I'm, Roman." The word sounded strange on his tongue, it was the first time he'd acknowledged it out loud. It felt good. "Right?"

"No, it was not because of that, not in the slightest," she nodded, matching his cautious confidence. "I didn't even know that, I was only seven and barely figuring out what was going on myself." She paused with a frown, trying to dredge up memories she'd long since tried to bury. "He was different the second time he came around, Zeus- Jupiter, whatever. More straight-laced, more formal, hard to believe, I know," she smiled at his confusion of all they'd heard of him in Percy's time. "He paid me no mind like I wasn't even there."

"So we're not even half-siblings through our dad, kind of," Jason actually chuckled. "Just our mom?"

"Sure, let's go with that, if it makes you feel better." She shrugged. He'd always be her little brother no matter what side of the family he wanted to call it.

He studied her for several tense minutes before he smiled like normal again, causing his scar to flutter. "I guess it doesn't really matter, in the long run. Jupiter, Zeus, either way, he was an absent, crappy dad." His face settled into that familiar mask of confusion as he started rubbing his tattoo in irritation.

She gently touched his face, smiling as her finger thumbed the scar on his lip before she dropped her hand away with a fond shake of her head. "I can tell you one thing, if you'd like. How you got that scar."

His eyes lit with interest instantly, so she said without further ado, "you bit a stapler."

"I what?" The involuntary laugh that burst out of him sounded a tad insulted.

"I swear," Thalia crossed her fingers over her heart. "I was there!"

"All this time, all these badass scenarios I had in my head," his grin was still confused, like he was half convinced she was teasing him. "I escaped with my life by a brush of death to the face, I jumped in the way to save a friend, I got into an epic battle with a killer monster. You're telling me it's because I was to blonde to function as a toddler?"

"Sorry Jase," she crossed her arms superiorly. "I got all the smart genes."

"Ha, as if," he mimicked her pose, annoyingly taller than her by a few inches. What a traitorous little brother. "You're a tesla coil with an attitude, you steal all your strategies from Percy."

She gasped and hand pressed to her heart. "How could you betray me like that? Stabbed in the back by my own baby brother?"

Then they both started laughing, and they didn't stop for a long time.

...

"So, Nico seems different," Annabeth said as she twined a bit of spaghetti expertly against a spoon. She'd watched every exchange between them with the kind of interest she had taking in a National Geographic episode.

"Feel bad for him," Percy nodded, looking anxiously at the door, still wanting to help but more than happy to admit he'd probably make things worse. "Clearly something bad happens in the Underworld; but yeah, he's been laughing a lot with Will," Percy shrugged as he shoveled his own pasta in, not caring how it hung from his lips and chewing fast to keep talking, mostly without food in his mouth. "Don't know why they didn't hang out at camp more, they get along fine."

"Right," Annabeth said with a look at him as if fearing he were about to be clubbed over the head. She was just a little sad, and a little relieved Percy really was that oblivious to say anything more to him. Especially because Nico seemed happy talking to Will all day, so it clearly wasn't a major concern.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw no one. Then he glanced at her again, then Nico's empty seat, and froze with a meatball lodged in his throat and started coughing violently.

Crap. He hadn't once thought about Nico's crush on him since she'd been here. Should he have been like, more considerate of how he acted around her because of that?!

It didn't seem to be bothering Nico any, as he'd kept smiling along with Will this whole time, mostly, until this recent appearance.

Annabeth was smacking between his shoulders and he finally swallowed and turned back to her. He decided saying nothing was the best policy here, like Thalia had said, let Nico blab that to whoever he wanted. Percy certainly wasn't going to tell Annabeth.

The idea felt like the right sign from the universe as Nico came in chit-chatting with Magnus. He couldn't tell what about, but they were both holding food for their usual seatmates who Percy had heard snippets of some strange back and forth over color theory or something. Percy really hadn't been following. Orange was cool, why did it need a meaning?

Jason came in with his hands in his pockets but a more comfortable smile they'd seen on him all day.

Thalia at least looked less likely to pitch someone off a roof too, which was always a great relief to Percy's personal safety.

She gestured like she was asking if he was going to move his seat. He hesitated, but then shook his head and gestured to Nico.

Doing a pretty good fake smile, Thalia nodded but did a melancholy plop into her beanbag. Percy offered her his garlic bread, such a gift even she couldn't deny as she began nibbling on the knot.

Alex was more than content to wait until everyone had their fill and the general mood in the room was calm, ish.

He picked up the book with one last worried look at Nico, who had only eaten under duress of Will's striping bits of ham and cheese and feeding them to him in smaller than bite-sized pieces as he devoured his own sandwich. Alex truly hoped whatever had Nico so newly glum, it was at least the last time. He'd been through enough.

The chorus of groans around the room for the new chapter title probably amused Annabeth more than it should have. It was just, funny. That they all knew without another word this was a fury, Mrs. Dodds leaping unpleasantly back into Percy's life and probably snatching him off the Underworld ground and threatening to drop him on sharp rocks before he decapitated her again.

Instead of anybody at Camp, who would have gasped in horror and fear at the idea of a Kindly One being anywhere near their thoughts. These guys really were great friends with Percy.

We emerged in Central Park just north of the Pond.

"There would be a freaking entrance in my backyard," Percy already looked plenty grumpy. "Grover's shoes couldn't have dragged him in there first, noooo, we had to deal with every stinking roadblock and pothole life could throw at us! Does my life look like it needs the worst sewer entrance possible there too!"

Annabeth was rubbing his shoulder in commiseration and considering suggesting a better way to vent right now might be stress eating, while Nico was watching with disappointed disdain. He wished Percy had kept that to himself like he had back then, did he have to be so blatant how much he hated where Nico called the closest thing he had to home?

Mrs. O'Leary looked pretty tired as she limped over to a cluster of boulders. She started sniffing around, and I was afraid she might mark her territory, but Nico said, "It's okay. She just smells the way home."

"I mean, it wouldn't surprise me if she could be doing both," Alex offered. "Maybe when she doesn't feel like traveling she's marked plenty of entrances."

"I really hope the dryads at Camp don't revolt against her," Thalia winced in agreement.

I frowned. "Through the rocks?"

"The Underworld has two major entrances," Nico said. "You know the one in L.A."

"Charon's ferry."

Nico nodded. "Most souls go that way, but there's a smaller path, harder to find. The Door of Orpheus."

"The door of, many holes?" Magnus asked in concern.

"Or-fee-us," Will clearly enunciated. "Not orifice."

"And that means?" Magnus demanded, wanting some kind of forewarning. Regular people had many holes too, so, maybe it was just a nice, normal door?

"The darkness of the night," Nico said with a sorry smile.

"Kay," Magnus sighed. "The tunnel will be dark and creepy, what else would I expect?"

"I am not," Will pouted, causing Nico and Alex to laugh while Magnus smirked at least he'd gotten a laugh before they had to descend and he'd just pretend being an idiot was going to be the worst of this.

"The dude with the harp."

"Dude with the lyre," Nico corrected.

"Thank you Nico!" Annabeth groaned.

"It's one of my dad's signature items," Will agreed in exasperation. "Percy, you are not that bad at this, I believe in you to learn the difference."

"Thanks, but no thanks," Percy chuckled.

"But yeah, him. He used his music to charm the earth and open a new path into the Underworld. He sang his way right into Hades's palace and almost got away with his wife's soul."

"That was, sweet," Magnus said in surprise. Nice to know some of these Greek stories used these fangled powers for more than blowing up cities anyways.

"Wait for the end of it," Thalia muttered.

I remembered the story. Orpheus wasn't supposed to look behind him when he was leading his wife back to the world, but of course he did. It was one of those typical "and-so-they-died/the-end" stories that always made us feel warm and fuzzy.

"Oh, well then," Magnus sighed.

"Still one of the nicer ones I've heard," Jason offered, better than being betrayed or tripping along the way or just being trapped in an endless tunnel forever wondering for all time if it was going to work. This time it was just, human fear of the unknown.

"So this is the Door of Orpheus." I tried to be impressed, but it still looked like a pile of rocks to me.

"How does it open?"

"We need music," Nico said. "How's your singing?"

Annabeth didn't even pretend to hide her horrific face. "Please, no, tell me you didn't!"

"Gods I hope I'm never that desperate, even one of my insane plans would never work if it came to that." Percy nodded fiercely.

"I'm suddenly so, so grateful this isn't an audiobook though," Thalia nodded as she rubbed at her ears at the mere idea. While it would be nice occasionally to crank up the volume over these blabbermouths, nothing was worth that.

Will coughed and didn't say anything, which was probably the nicest thing he'd ever done in his life while the others tried their best not to laugh at the idea of everybody making a run for it if Percy ever tried to belt along at the Camp sing-alongs.

"Um, no. Can't you just, like, tell it to open? You're the son of Hades and all."

"And you're the son of an earthshaker," Alex looked at him, "just stamp your foot and use your stern, Sally voice."

"With my luck it would just create an earthquake in the city and the rocks would ignore me," Percy shook his head quickly.

"It's not so easy. We need music."

I was pretty sure if I tried to sing, all I would cause was an avalanche.

"An avalanche is what you need to happen though," Magnus said in confusion.

"An avalanche in the Rocky's too though, it just seems like to much collateral damage," Percy huffed. "Apollo's busy, I don't need him taking the time to come over and glue my mouth shut now of all times."

"I'd say you're overestimating your power, but man, after the volcano, I believe you," Alex cackled.

"I have a better idea." I turned and called, "GROVER!"

"Why didn't we ever think of that," Thalia smacked the side of her head. Even hearing the explanation in more detail wasn't going to make it feel that much better. "Just shout at him to get his butt over here. Alex was onto something with you using your Sally voice."

"Ha, ha, ha," Percy said with a smile.

We waited for a long time. Mrs. O'Leary curled up and took a nap. I could hear the crickets in the woods and an owl hooting. Traffic hummed along Central Park West. Horse hooves clopped down a nearby path, maybe a mounted police patrol. I was sure they'd love to find two kids hanging out in the park at one in the morning.

"That would just go, so not well, I can't begin to imagine all the bad of it," Magnus said in disgust. Trying to take Percy and Nico into custody, even the Mist might not get them out of what they'd do to resist. Having to call Sally down to the station, dear gods she'd just said goodbye to Percy and this was the phone call she'd get? Percy and Nico having to run, possibly shadow travel to LA, when Nico's already pretty worn out? There weren't enough warning labels for it all!

"I've been going through enough deja vu," Percy groaned, "please don't make me the star of another manhunt!"

Nico kept his mouth shut about what did happen, but he was personally pretty confident they'd have gotten out of it. He'd been avoiding people the better half of two years now.

"It's no good," Nico said at last.

But I had a feeling.

"Oh, so now we know it's going to work," Jason said in excitement. He really hoped Grover was okay.

"If it does, than we finally have our proof that Oracle has been secretly feeding Percy her mist at night," Alex snorted.

"The best demigods have a sense of these things," Annabeth shrugged. "I think it's why Percy made friends with Grover, Tyson, and Rachel immediately. Even if he had no logical reason to do so, just a part of his gut feeling on what would help him survive. I theorize it's something we inherit from our parents."

Percy grinned at her and then patted his gut in thanks. Annabeth smacked his hand and called him a seaweed brain.

My empathy link was really tingling for the first time in months, which either meant a whole lot of people had suddenly switched on the Nature Channel, or Grover was close.

"Does that Nature Channel thing happen a lot?" Thalia asked with interest.

"Often enough I finally figured it out the second time Paul tuned in," Percy agreed as he rubbed at the base of his skull. He was half convinced his whole apartment complex was secretly in on it, and he needed to drink some serious coffee to cool his brain down when it did.

I shut my eyes and concentrated. Grover.

I knew he was somewhere in the park. Why couldn't I sense his emotions?

"You never have in the past," Jason frowned. "Grover's only been able to find yours."

"It's been coming in and out a bit since I've been really trying," Percy insisted. "Not much, but it's why I'm so positive he's alive, and not just because I should be dead. It's like, if I really try and think of him, I think I know what he's dreaming about. It's usually food, but sometimes I get little glimpses of his nightmares. It's easiest when I'm falling asleep, and man was it late enough my brain thought I should be."

All I got was a faint hum in the base of my skull.

Grover, I thought more insistently.

Hmm-hmmmm, something said.

Jason looked ready to rip Percy's head off and examine it under a microscope in excitement at this development. Percy tried to subtly shift his beanbag behind Annabeth.

An image came into my head. I saw a giant elm tree deep in the woods, well off the main paths. Gnarled roots laced the ground, making a kind of bed. Lying in it with his arms crossed and his eyes closed was a satyr. At first I couldn't be sure it was Grover. He was covered in twigs and leaves, like he'd been sleeping there a long time. The roots seemed to be shaping themselves around him, slowly pulling him into the earth.

"What was Grover attacked by, and why is it the most ironic thing ever?" Jason frowned.

"Was Grover actually cheating on Juniper?" Alex gasped at him being found in another tree's roots.

"Oh am I getting to the bottom of this," Percy reminded with a frown for whatever the answer.

Grover, I said. Wake up.

Unnnh—zzzzz.

Dude, you're covered in dirt. Wake up!

"What did you think that would do?" Annabeth asked him in surprise. "I've seen Grover roll in dirt when he gets itchy and just shake it off."

"It was a pretty important detail to me, he was taking the right kind of dirt nap at least," Percy shrugged.

Sleepy, his mind murmured.

FOOD, I suggested. PANCAKES!

His eyes shot open. A blur of thoughts filled my head like he was suddenly on fast-forward. The image shattered, and I almost fell over.

Percy frowned at the amount of times that must have happened to Grover. Being dragged to the Big House by him, waking up in Polyphemus's lair, countless others he did and didn't know about. The amount of times Grover woke up still fearing for his life probably rivaled Percy's.

"What happened?" Nico asked.

The number of times Nico had watched Percy stagger like that, clutching his head in pain and confusion had become an all to common sight. It was far more times than Nico had ever seen him grit his teeth through bleeding pain in his shoulder and scowl like a warrior at his old Vice Principal. He really wished first impressions weren't so strongly fixed in him, or at the very least, he didn't still want to gently guide him to the ground and offer him his ice-cold hands.

"I got through. He's . . . yeah. He's on his way."

A minute later, the tree next to us shivered. Grover fell out of the branches, right on his head.

"Thank Athena for those horns," Annabeth smiled in sympathy. She wasn't nearly so lucky to have such shielding when it happened to her.

"Athena made the satyrs?" Percy asked blankly. He'd swear he heard once they'd been fathered by Hermes. But then wait, what was their connection to Dionysus again?

"We literally have Greek classes at camp, how are you like this?" Annabeth sighed.

"They've never tried to kill me, it's not been that important," Percy shrugged.

Annabeth opened her mouth with a very 'you-seaweed-brain' expression that probably meant she was going to launch into the exact history and detail of how the satyrs came into being with every cliff note known to man before Alex cut her off very loudly. Jason looked at him in betrayal while Percy mouthed, 'thank you!'

"Grover!" I yelled.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary looked up, probably wondering if we were going to play fetch with the satyr.

"You, you mean-" Magnus tried to correct in concern.

"She always brings them back," Percy shrugged. Magnus kept his mouth shut so he could ignorantly believe he was just having his leg pulled on that one.

"Blah-haa-haa!" Grover bleated.

"You okay, man?"

"Oh, I'm fine." He rubbed his head. His horns had grown so much they poked an inch above his curly hair. "I was at the other end of the park. The dryads had this great idea of passing me through the trees to get me here. They don't understand height very well."

Jason's eyes glazed over with such interest, Nico was pretty sure he could have waved a donut around and he wouldn't have blinked. Nico smiled to himself at his endless well of curiosity, it really was great to see in someone who wouldn't go around with an 'I told you so attitude.'

He grinned and got to his feet—well, his hooves, actually. Since last summer, Grover had stopped trying to disguise himself as human. He never wore a cap or fake feet anymore. He didn't even wear jeans, since he had furry goat legs from the waist down. His T-shirt had a picture from that book Where the Wild Things Are. It was covered with dirt and tree sap. His goatee looked fuller, almost manly (or goatly?), and he was as tall as me now.

"Poor guy's finally showing his age," Thalia smiled fondly at how far removed that was from the shrimpy little thing that had promised to take them to safety. She still remembered exchanging unimpressed looks with Luke...but then Annabeth had run forward and shown him her knife and squealed with excitement that there was a whole camp of kids that both Thalia and Luke could come to.

The temptation to risk it on their own like they had been vanished. She probably did have Grover to thank for Annabeth surviving all these years and their pride not getting them all killed trying to do it alone.

"Good to see you, G-man," I said. "You remember Nico."

Grover nodded at Nico, then he gave me a big hug. He smelled like fresh-mown lawns.

Nico had never been more grateful to feel so dismissed. All Grover had probably seen was the child of Hades was back, but hey, at least he didn't get mauled by those hugs either.

"That's the thanks you get for finally finding Grover?" Alex looked so wounded on his part. "I hope Juniper at least gives you a fruit basket!"

"I'll take a gift card," Nico shrugged.

"It was a group effort," Percy frowned.

"Where is your apartment Percy?" Alex challenged. "How many times have you passed this place before Nico got you plopped there."

Percy didn't answer, and Alex nodded his point was made.

"Perrrrcy!" he bleated. "I missed you! I miss camp. They don't serve very good enchiladas in the wilderness."

"Make sure to bring that one up next time he goes on about us nature destroyers," Will chuckled.

"I did, it shut him down for like, three days, before he went on a farming rant," Percy looked so proud.

"I was worried," I said. "Where've you been the last two months?"

"The last two—" Grover's smile faded. "The last two months? What are you talking about?"

Percy sighed in understanding of that horrible feeling. He'd been experiencing it in small patches over his many quests, and now too, he realized as he glanced around. "Annabeth, how long have we been down here?"

She frowned to herself. "It was the 20th when Artemis came for me, you'd been missing over a week."

"That happened on the fourteenth, and I was dumped in here about two days later," Thalia easily kept track. "We don't seem to be skipping time down here at least."

Those missing two days made Percy and Jason exchange concerned looks though. They'd already lost their memories in that span, what else could have been done to them without having a clue before Posideon seemed to have stepped in?

They let Alex keep reading without another word, because, what else were they supposed to do?

"We haven't heard from you," I said. "Juniper's worried.

"Worried," Annabeth echoed. That small, simple little word that really did nothing to encapsulate the kind of feeling you lived with when you didn't know where someone you loved was.

We sent Iris-messages, but—"

"Hold on." He looked up at the stars like he was trying to calculate his position. "What month is this?"

"August."

The color drained from his face. "That's impossible. It's June. I just laid down to take a nap and . . ."

Jason shivered as he wondered what he'd been doing right before he vanished from the planet. He wished with all his might he could remember something, even just a hint of a voice, a feeling, but it was still as blank as ever. As awful as he felt for Grover, he almost envied the idea of having that much time sucked away from you if you still got to keep all your memories.

He grabbed my arms. "I remember now! He knocked me out. Percy, we have to stop him!"

"Whoa," I said. "Slow down. Tell me what happened."

He took a deep breath. "I was . . . I was walking in the woods up by Harlem Meer. And I felt this tremble in the ground, like something powerful was near."

"You can sense stuff like that?" Nico asked.

Grover nodded. "Since Pan's death, I can feel when something is wrong in nature. It's like my ears and eyes are sharper when I'm in the Wild. Anyway,

"You need to share your brain cell with Grover right now," Alex groaned. "You shouldn't just anyways past such an awesome detail!"

"I know Pan said to spread his message, but did Grover become like, his successor? That sounds even more," Magnus stopped with a contemplative look, "more." He concluded it just summed that up to well. "I thought Grover summoning panic was, like a one-time thing, now that Pan was released and his, his essence was supposed to be in them all or something."

"I thought I saw a little more of that mist energy go into him than us," Percy reminded with pride in every word. "Makes sense to me if Grover's like, an actual lord of the wild who can do that awesome kind of stuff but isn't a lazy rump like those old goats on their thrones."

I started following the scent. This man in a long black coat was walking through the park, and I noticed he didn't cast a shadow. Middle of a sunny day, and he cast no shadow.

"Do monsters, cast shadows?" Magnus had never thought to question that.

"Oh trust me, they do," Annabeth sighed. She couldn't believe the kind of life her cousin must have led to only ask such a thing instead of growing up fearing every movement of the darkness.

He kind of shimmered as he moved."

"Like a mirage?" Nico asked.

"Yes," Grover said. "And whenever he passed humans—"

"The humans would pass out," Nico said. "Curl up and go to sleep."

"Nico, why do you know that?" Percy looked around now when he'd been riveted on Grover before.

"I'd been keeping tabs on the gods that had defected," Nico shrugged. "I was just confirming a theory."

"That's right! Then after he was gone, they'd get up and go about their business like nothing happened."

I stared at Nico. "You know this guy in black?"

"Afraid so," Nico said.

"Know him personally, no," Nico chuckled awkwardly at so many people staring at him. "I know of him."

Annabeth smacked Percy's shoulder. "This kid doesn't have Greek classes and he still keeps up better than you."

"Yeah, yeah," Percy rubbed his shoulder as he grinned at her. "He's a genius. You'd get bored if you didn't have to explain everything to me all day."

"Not the point," she rolled her eyes.

"Grover, what happened?"

"I followed the guy. He kept looking up at the buildings around the park like he was making estimates or something. This lady jogger ran by, and she curled up on the sidewalk and started snoring. The guy in black put his hand on her forehead like he was checking her temperature. Then he kept walking. By this time, I knew he was a monster or something even worse. I followed him into this grove, to the base of a big elm tree. I was about to summon some dryads to help me capture him when he turned and . . ."

Grover swallowed.

"Grover's lucky he didn't get captured," Thalia said darkly.

"He can take care of himself," Percy said confidently. A little to much so, considering he'd found him passed out under a tree after two months.

"Percy, his face. I couldn't make out his face because it kept shifting. Just looking at him made me sleepy. I said, 'What are you doing?' He said, 'Just having a look around. You should always scout a battlefield before the battle.' I said something really smart like, 'This forest is under my protection. You won't start any battles here!'

Alex chuckled as he read that. Not because he underestimated Grover could back up that statement, but because he hoped this monster did.

And he laughed. He said, 'You're lucky I'm saving my energy for the main event, little satyr. I'll just grant you a short nap. Pleasant dreams.' And that's the last thing I remember."

Annabeth ground her teeth up in frustration that she'd have had no way to counter this even if Grover had been able to pass along this information back then. They would have been just as blindsided by what was coming because how on earth could she imagine such a scale as what they'd lived through?

Knowledge was supposed to equal strength, but this answer wouldn't do her any good, and that rocked her so much she took Percy's hand for the stability he always was.

Nico exhaled. "Grover, you met Morpheus, the God of Dreams. You're lucky you ever woke up."

"I tried to find him," Nico said sporadically, "Morpheus," he clarified. "I didn't even know Grover was missing until I got to camp." Nobody was sure why he needed to tell them that. "I wanted to study his ways, and, you know, find out how he did that and if I could replicate it." He sounded just a touch of crazy by the end as he smiled awkwardly.

Annabeth thought she got it though. Studying the tactics of the enemy could draw you in and blur the lines of what you were and weren't capable of.

"Two months," Grover moaned. "He put me to sleep for two months!"

Annabeth shivered and held Percy's hand tighter than any support beam she'd ever build. The thought still sickened her where she couldn't push it away, how long he would have been missing if whatever all this was hadn't been interrupted?

I tried to wrap my mind around what this meant. Now it made sense why we hadn't been able to contact Grover all this time.

"Why didn't the nymphs try to wake you?" I asked.

Grover shrugged. "Most nymphs aren't good with time. Two months for a tree—that's nothing. They probably didn't think anything was wrong."

"We've got to figure out what Morpheus was doing in the park," I said. "I don't like this 'main event' thing he mentioned."

"He's working for Kronos," Nico said. "We know that already. A lot of the minor gods are. This just proves there's going to be an invasion. Percy, we have to get on with our plan."

"Wait," Grover said. "What plan?"

We told him, and Grover started tugging at his leg fur.

Alex started muttering about mutiny, always having the answer dangled above his head and the constant glossing over and now even Percy was doing it.

Percy swallowed nervously who Alex planned on mutinying against, and wouldn't be surprised to find himself bound in a chair and being forcibly read to in the future too. As long as Alex put their chairs facing each other, he'd try to get through it.

"You're not serious," he said. "Not the Underworld again."

"I'm not asking you to come, man," I promised.

"I would," Annabeth and Thalia groaned.

"You should have three people, it's like a mini-quest," Jason nodded.

"Grover needs to get home and tell camp about this, we've got it," Percy shrugged without a trace of concern.

Nico smiled and tried to calm his painfully thudding heart like a monster was lurking about. Percy really didn't seem agitated at all at what was about to happen. He really hoped this time he was just being over dramatic and nothing bad was about to happen in this room.

"I know you just woke up. But we need some music to open the door. Can you do it?"

Grover took out his reed pipes. "I guess I could try. I know a few Nirvana tunes that can split rocks.

Magnus couldn't help but laugh in delight at the sudden idea of Grover going around and trying every song he ever heard on his pipes to see what would happen to nature when he did. It sounded like the best gift any kid could be given...even if they didn't all sound to great.

"I haven't heard that one," Thalia said in delight. "Remind me to ask him to play that when I see him. I'm surprised you recognize it Perce."

"I always liked their band name and know like, three songs," Percy nodded. "I have it on good authority that getting high and listening to Nirvana is roughly what I should imagine actual Nirvana to be like."

"And who's authority is that?" Annabeth asked with interest.

"I hung out with some kids on the basketball court," Percy shrugged. He'd been tempted to try a little himself, but...well, he was to afraid to let his guard down and be to lax if a monster came calling.

But, Percy, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Please, man," I said. "It would mean a lot. For old times' sake?"

He whimpered. "As I recall, in the old times we almost died a lot. But okay, here goes nothing."

Percy had meant the old times at Nancy. When he'd nearly been suspended that first day Grover came in hobbling so badly like he had two broken legs and the first thing some kid nearest him had done was trip him. Percy had shoved him out of his seat, and then raised the tray in his hand to crack it over this animal that even Rachel wouldn't start a protest for.

Grover had grabbed his wrist. He was standing on one leg and using Percy for support as he tried to quickly get his shoe on what looked like a misshapen foot, like every bone in his foot had been put in wrong. He didn't seem to care, only a terrified light in his eye as he looked all around the cafeteria and whispered at him it was okay, just step back.

He had. It hadn't felt good, but not moments later the principal came in and he and Grover had shuffled along like nothing had happened, and he hadn't even gotten in trouble that time for some reason. Percy had started to believe they'd be inseparable for life not long later.

His first best friend wasn't just some scared little kid anymore who would take that kind of abuse for the next several months, always telling Percy to stand down and it didn't matter as they swapped sandwich ingredients the other wouldn't eat and movie critics.

Hestia swam back to mind, which felt silly. As accepted as he'd always been around Grover, the goddess hadn't sent him to that tree when he needed to go home.

He put his pipes to his lips and played a shrill, lively tune. The boulders trembled. A few more stanzas, and they cracked open, revealing a triangular crevice.

"I think I need to look into this Nirvana stuff," Jason chuckled.

"Don't get me started with your taste in music," Thalia frowned at him. If her little brother listened to something like opera, she might have to brainwash him all over again.

I peered inside. Steps led down into the darkness. The air smelled of mildew and death. It brought back bad memories of my trip through the Labyrinth last year, but this tunnel felt even more dangerous. It led straight to the land of Hades, and that was almost always a one-way trip.

"Says the guy who's done it twice," Will rolled his eyes. He'd have thought Percy of all people would be slightly more comfortable going in there by now, especially with such a tour guide.

"Jumping off twenty-plus stories is also supposed to be a once in a lifetime experience, yet here I sit," Percy shook his head.

I turned to Grover. "Thanks . . . I think."

"Perrrrcy, is Kronos really going to invade?"

"I wish I could tell you better, but yeah. He will."

I thought Grover might chew up his reed pipes in anxiety, but he straightened up and brushed off his T-shirt. I couldn't help thinking how different he looked from fat old Leneus.

"They're not even the same species," Alex scoffed. "Leneus is closer to the rodentia rotund order."

Percy thought for a moment he was just being smart about his weight, but then Magnus couldn't help saying, "and Percy thought his rodent problem was bad."

Causing the laughter to double as they put together the rest.

"I've got to rally the nature spirits, then. Maybe we can help. I'll see if we can find this Morpheus.'"

"Better tell Juniper you're okay, too."

His eyes widened. "Juniper! Oh, she's going to kill me!"

"I understand the sentiment," Annabeth nodded while Percy studied her carefully. He should probably be more hopeful she stayed in the relieved part of him being alive longer.

He started to run off, then scrambled back and gave me another hug. "Be careful down there! Come back alive!"

Percy smiled and wished he could still hug him back, pull him under his arm and proclaim them inseparable.

But, they'd grown up. Grown apart. Grover had always had his own mission in life, and Percy was happy for him getting to live it. He'd love to have Grover come with him, but he didn't need it.

Once he was gone, Nico and I roused Mrs. O'Leary from her nap.

For a dog with hearing better than Grover's she'd sure tried to pretend she couldn't hear her name. There had been a lot of rump shaking and promises of treats for her to yawn with the force of a jet engine starting and her eyes to finally open and land on them without much enthusiasm for once. Guess she'd really needed that nap.

"We need to take her on more shadow travel walks Nico," Percy sighed. "Get her used to exerting that energy."

"Uh, sounds like a plan," Nico said, trying his hardest not to glance around like an idiot and ask every one of them individually if he'd really heard what Percy just said.

When she smelled the tunnel, she got excited and led the way down the steps. It was a pretty tight fit. I hoped she wouldn't get stuck. I couldn't imagine how much Drano we'd need to un-stick a hellhound wedged halfway down a tunnel to the Underworld.

"Yeah, it's, probably not a good idea to call maintenance for that," Will nodded, imagining Chiron showing up to their cabin with tools and a sigh to see her tail wagging hard enough in their door to cause structural damage.

"Ready?" Nico asked me. "It'll be fine. Don't worry."

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Will sighed as he glanced at Nico and Jason. Nobody had warned him what exactly Nico was so worried about, so he really hoped Jason had convinced Nico it wasn't going to be to bad.

I glanced up at the stars, wondering if I would ever see them again.

"Maybe not all of those specific stars," Thalia said oh so helpfully. "The constellations change all the time Perce."

"Child of a ball of gas, you would be the authority here," Percy smirked, leaving Annabeth once again wondering how these two hadn't killed each other locked up down here.

Then we plunged into darkness.

The stairs went on forever—narrow, steep, and slippery. It was completely dark except for the light of my sword.

Will couldn't stop a shiver he wished Nico didn't feel, but he wasn't moving away. The dungeon they were in already wasn't his favorite vacation spot, he was starting to feel more drained every day from being so far from the sun and never getting to feel the warmth of anything other than Nico. This place, so dark you couldn't see your own hand, with death on every breath. Gods he was glad Percy and Nico were doing this together to keep each other sane.

I tried to go slow, but Mrs. O'Leary had other ideas. She bounded ahead, barking happily. The sound echoed through the tunnel like cannon shots, and I figured we would not be catching anybody by surprise once we reached the bottom.

"Why would you want to?" Alex asked oh so innocently. "You're not down there to cause anybody trouble, for once. You're there to do some mysterious thing nobody seems to approve of to help you defeat Kronos, I can't see how Hades won't roll out the red carpet."

"What do you mean, for once?" Percy frowned at the completely wrong part of that sarcasm. "The last two times I was only down there for other people's trouble, not my own."

"Percy, stop talking," Annabeth said, pinching the bridge of her nose while Alex couldn't have held in his laughter in a life or death matter.

Nico lagged behind, which I thought was strange.

"The excitement must wear off after so many times down there?" Magnus couldn't help but phrase it as a question, hoping Nico would just casually agree he was bored, not...anything else.

"You okay?" I asked him.

"Fine." What was that expression on his face . . . doubt? "Just keep moving," he said.

'You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend,' Percy frowned at the nagging voice of his first prophecy. Must just be all the bad memories and deja vu, with Luke and May Castellan's eyes, and now back here.

I didn't have much choice.

He did have a choice though, Annabeth pursed up her lips. It wasn't a good choice, but one Percy was making by taking the next step. Percy could have jumped into the ocean to help his dad win this war or any number of things to get out of the responsibility he was walking towards. He was following through on the promise he'd made to Nico, all those years ago in the forest. That this was going to end on his terms.

She glanced at Nico in surprise that he would know that now. She wondered if Nico had felt like all that greatness had been ripped away, or if he was relieved and grateful to her boyfriend for this burden.

Judging by the way he was still watching Percy's every move anxiously, she'd guess he himself hadn't decided.

I followed Mrs. O'Leary into the depths. After another hour, I started to hear the roar of a river.

We emerged at the base of a cliff, on a plain of black volcanic sand. To our right, the River Styx gushed from the rocks and roared off in a cascade of rapids. To our left, far away in the gloom, fires burned on the ramparts of Erebos, the great black walls of Hades's kingdom.

I shuddered. I'd first been here when I was twelve, and only Annabeth and Grover's company had given me the courage to keep going.

Percy's hand in Annabeth had yet been more needed as he shivered and squeezed. He'd already owed Artemis the best offerings ever for what she'd done for them on top of Mt. Othrys, now he wasn't sure what he'd have to do to repay her for this gift, but gods he'd find a way. How many lion coats would it take before that crossed over into animal cruelty?

Nico wasn't going to be quite as helpful with the "courage" thing. He looked pale and worried himself.

"Nico," Percy tried to ask in concern, but Alex ignored him and read as if an interruption was suddenly the highest of concerns in this room.

Percy sighed but let it go, even if he was tired of still, forever, always feeling like he was missing something. Hadn't his life had enough of that?

Annabeth was studying Nico just as intensely too, and Percy decided it probably was for the best. His greatest fear had already been worrying he'd kill these guys any moment, now he had Annabeth down here to protect from that too. Best not to pressure himself over a detail that had already happened.

Only Mrs. O'Leary acted happy. She ran along the beach, picked up a random human leg bone, and romped back toward me. She dropped the bone at my feet and waited for me to throw it.

"Um, maybe later, girl."

"You owe her and Cerberus so much playtime Percy," Alex groaned.

Percy half listened as Alex proclaimed he was going to confiscate the guardian of the underworld and Mrs. O'Leary and set them up on a playdate in the best dog park ever while trying to catch Nico's eyes. Nico was not obliging, and it was causing a pit the size of the underworld to form in his gut the longer he kept telling himself not to think about it.

I stared at the dark waters, trying to get up my nerve. "So, Nico . . . how do we do this?"

"We have to go inside the gates first," he said.

"But the river's right here."

"I have to get something," he said. "It's the only way."

He marched off without waiting.

"Are you hiding a secret recipe in your room?" Jason tried to ask like this was as casual as anything else they could get up to.

"Nico, I swear if you're stopping to pick up your deck of cards, I'm going to strangle you," Thalia didn't seem quite so indulgent as she looked at him in confusion. As far as she knew the myth didn't need the tear of Hades or anything else for Percy to go into the Styx, and he was already acting shifty. Something odd was going on.

Nico's throat convulsed with fright. He grabbed Will's hand and averted his eyes quickly away, trying not to look like the guilty party he was and use Will's available arm as a shield to cover up her target. Jason's deal had not applied to Thalia, and he wouldn't want it to anyways. They had enough going on between them, he'd never risk whatever friendship he might be having like that.

I frowned. Nico hadn't mentioned anything about going inside the gates.

Nico hadn't really mentioned anything at all about what was going on to Percy, Annabeth couldn't help but grumble to herself. Percy was so trusting, he barely knew the basics and was just following him blindly when he should have stopped him and demanded every step of this plan.

But now that we were here, I didn't know what else to do. Reluctantly, I followed him down the beach toward the big black gates.

Lines of the dead stood outside waiting to get in. It must've been a heavy day for funerals, because even the EZ-DEATH line was backed up.

"Woof!" Mrs. O'Leary said. Before I could stop her she bounded toward the security checkpoint.

Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades, appeared out of the gloom—a three-headed rottweiler so big he made Mrs. O'Leary look like a toy poodle. Cerberus was half transparent, so he's really hard to see until he's close enough to kill you, but he acted like he didn't care about us. He was too busy saying hello to Mrs. O'Leary.

Okay, so maybe meeting Mrs. O'Leary was the lesser of another option Magnus had never considered, as he sunk as far down in his seat as he could with dread at the excitement in Alex's voice.

Right, he was sure that would help so much when he met her. Just remind himself she could be even bigger!

"Mrs. O'Leary, no!" I shouted at her. "Don't sniff . . . Oh, man."

"For all you know that's been her life goal, to say hello to him as all dogs do," Alex grinned in delight.

"Yeah, who am I to stop an acomplishable dream." Percy sighed.

Nico smiled. Then he looked at me and his expression turned all serious again, like he'd remembered something unpleasant.

"Did I have Underworld in my hair?" Percy asked, mock ruffling it out.

Nico was now looking so intensely at the door Percy looked over and checked there wasn't a monster hanging around waiting to pounce. He was starting to wish there was. The kind of tension Nico was causing wasn't even summoning stirring shadows or icy coldness in the room like the last time he'd been really upset. This quiet acceptance of just, something bad coming, was giving Percy a nervous tick.

"Come on. They won't give us any trouble in the line. You're with me."

"Percy gets VIP with fish, Nico gets that with ghosts," Jason looked a little pouty. "What do we get Thalia?"

"Jack all," Thalia snorted.

"VIP treatment with demigods?" Annabeth answered pleasantly, batting her eyes in over-the-top adoration of her. "Even Percy can't get enough of having you around."

"Hardy har, you're hilarious," she snorted.

"VIP treatment with monsters, they come for you first," Magnus answered much more clearly, which wasn't as funny but at least made Jason smirk for a moment he'd get first crack perhaps.

I didn't like it, but we slipped through the security ghouls and into the Fields of Asphodel. I had to whistle for Mrs. O'Leary three times before she left Cerberus alone and ran after us.

"Percy's the only one with a dog too besides Cerberus," Alex was clearly over there more invested in his monster dog park idea than whatever he was supposed to be reading. "Hey, who's been looking after that dragon? I didn't hear about Reid, maybe they'd like to go! And Peleus!"

"Um," Will rubbed awkwardly at the back of his head as he realized he was expected to answer. "The, dragon, Reid, is um, currently ill-disposed and down for maintenance?" He really didn't want to say any more than that. Beckendorf had been doing the majority of the work on it in whatever spare time he had that wasn't helping Percy, or the camp. Which wasn't a lot. Nobody had been fool enough to keep trying in recent times with him gone.

Annabeth was distracted from adding what little more she could, in that she'd been scouring Deadelus's laptop for answers on rogue automatons also in-between said madness and the project had pretty much come to a halt with her Olympian designs taking precedence; as she watched Magnus. Just smiling at Alex like a complete dope, like seeing him be in his own little world over there was the best thing he'd ever do with his time.

Ah. Her poor cousin. She wondered how long they'd known each other.

We hiked over black fields of grass dotted with black poplar trees. If I really died in a few days like the prophecy said, I might end up here forever, but I tried not to think about that.

"Oh, yeah, thanks man, just leave us to think about it," Jason frowned.

"It's not my fault you guys won't get out of my head," Percy shrugged.

Nico trudged ahead, bringing us closer and closer to the palace of Hades.

"Hey," I said, "we're inside the gates already. Where are we—"

Mrs. O'Leary growled.

For the first time in this room, Alex gave something resembling a nervous laugh. "Well Percy, what else was inside the gates aside from the palace? I know you're not as dense as this pressure," he waved his hand around the room in a really poor showing because it was perfectly normal.

Magnus was now looking restlessly between Nico and Percy. Yeah, Alex knew full well something was about to happen and hadn't asked the more obvious question on purpose. What would Percy's dog growl at down there? She'd either think it a friend of the Underworld like her or...or? An enemy Nico had walked them right into?

Like his old math teacher.

A shadow appeared overhead—something dark, cold, and stinking of death. It swooped down and landed in the top of a poplar tree.

Unfortunately, I recognized her. She had a shriveled face, a horrible blue knit hat, and a crumpled velvet dress. Leathery bat wings sprang from her back. Her feet had sharp talons, and in her brass-clawed hands she held a flaming whip and a paisley handbag.

"Can you believe Sisyphus thought I looked like that?" Percy jabbed his own chest. "Come on, I don't plan on having wrinkles like that until I'm my mom's age, and don't get me started on how bad I'd be with a whip as a weapon."

Annabeth was once again looking at him with the unsettling feeling of a gag gone over her head, and nobody else could even crack a smile. They were to busy looking from Nico to Percy in true confusion what this was.

"Mrs. Dodds," I said.

"Who is she married to exactly?" Alex asked as he looked up from the book and Percy's title for her. "One of the other fury's? Secret affair with Ares too?"

"Gods we've got to find a way to sedate him one of these days or I'm going to have a panic attack," Jason groaned as he rubbed his forehead in pain.

Alex looked at him in delight for the mock threat. "Come on Jason, you know you want to get in on this! I'm sure there's some god out there only you're privy to who would love to be the Mr. Dodds Fury."

"Make it stop," Jason grinned back, pitching his voice to a whiny toddler poorly.

"I will when somebody gives me a good answer on who this knitting, whip lashing, math teacher is married to," he insisted, now hugging the book close to his chest.

"Secret drunken night with Chiron nobody's ever tried to fix," Nico happily jumped into the fun kind of trama as the Campers looked at him in horror. "The grounds originally started as a monster retiring home and that's where they met."

Alex laughed in delight, the evil kind where lightning should have been flashing behind his head. Nico had rarely felt so proud of himself as getting Alex to laugh like that.

She bared her fangs. "Welcome back, honey."

Her two sisters—the other Furies—swooped down and settled next to her in the branches of the poplar.

"You know Alecto?" Nico asked me.

"If you mean the hag in the middle, yeah," I said. "She was my math teacher."

Nico nodded, like this didn't surprise him.

That his father had kept an eye on Percy. Not in the slightest. That his dad had sent his most trusted minion. Obviously. That Alecto had disguised herself as a math teacher, the worst of those infernal school subjects. Please.

He looked up at the Furies and took a deep breath. "I've done what my father asked. Take us to the palace."

"You're father-" Percy yelped.

"Oh gods, Nico, what did you do?" Thalia groaned, covering her eyes and really not wishing to see the rest.

Annabeth jumped out of her beanbag, her shriek nearly to loud for their ears to hear. "Nico!"

Jason opened, then closed his mouth as Nico gave off the embodiment of a hotdog on Mrs. O'Leary's radar. "I never said I'd protect you from her," he protested.

"Hey, chill princess," Alex leaned forward threateningly in his seat.

Annabeth had already taken a stalking step forward and was gesturing at Percy like a lost lamb. He was reaching for her hand she'd dropped with a very mingled look of anger and terror as he looked everywhere but at the son Hades-

A sharp, piercing noise ripped through the ocean, burning their eardrums and quite possibly stopping everybody on this half of the continent in their tracks.

Will was still sprawled out in place, looking grumpier than Annabeth had ever seen him as he lowered his fingers from his mouth to say, "jeez Annabeth-"

But her face had gone stark pale, and Percy had his arms wrapped around her as his worst fear was confirmed by the sudden storm of bubbles in the room that seemed to make the walls themselves throw out tendrils of power and shadows in his presence.

Seven yelps of fear accompanied Oceanus's sudden dominance of the room as he glowered down at Annabeth, like a spotlight of darkness overshadowing everything.

"Don't. You. Dare." Percy growled, his arms a vice like shield as he glowered up at him. If the Titan had thought he'd been a problem child before, he'd be in for a world of trouble if he dared to snap her out of here. Alex's hand twitched in place to grab his garrote and hold the Titan down if necessary.

Thalia was right beside him, her hands crackling with electricity like a killer night-light in the dark room, she was one finger away from bringing out Agies.

Jason watched Oceanus rub his temples, studying every crinkly line they made into his dense, turquoise skin, like the world's oldest sea turtle. He looked near tears with exhaustion. He was in disturbing lionfish toga pajamas that had an uncomfortably un-done belt hanging on by a thread.

"What, in Gaea's name, is it going to take to shut you kids up?" He sounded truly drained. Magnus almost would have felt bad for him if they weren't being held prisoner.

Nico expected Percy and Annabeth to throw him under the bus any word. His eyes were out of focus, his lips pursed tight as he looked dead ahead, a bead of sweat coming down his brow as he could only imagine where he'd end up. It would almost be a relief to get away, even to worlds unknown.

Annabeth slowly lowered Percy's arms as if staring down, well, the ocean itself, as she knelt into a bow. Her voice was firm, but clearly apologetic as Percy remained standing over her, sword in hand to make sure Oceanus thought twice about moving his hands. "My apologies, I know we can get out of hand. I assure you I've gotten designs started in my head, and there will not," she threw a scowl at the darkness where Nico last was, "be another interruption."

He sized her up, then looked around at all of them, his filmy eyes sunken so far into his head they vaguely wondered if they were going to vanish altogether soon. It didn't stop him now from seeing each of their mouths was very firmly shut with fear.

He made a harumph noise, like every grumpy old person Percy had ever met when they were told they couldn't stack coupons at an early bird breakfast. He scowled, "one more chance, half-mortals, or my deal with Posideon is off! You can all rot in whatever Hera has planned for you, and be damned what that puny god wants to say to me about it."

Swirling out of there with several loud mutters about, "lucky for Tethy's soft side-" there was painful silence for five seconds.

Then Nico released a massive breath and started coughing as Will popped back into existence through the bend of night, the dim lighting returning the room back to normal. He instantly started rubbing Nico's back with a look of concern, murmuring to him for deep breaths.

"That was so cool," Magnus couldn't stop blinking, it looked painful.

"Thanks," Nico rasped, his chest hurting with every breath. Gods he wished he could figure out how to breathe while doing that!

"What, did you just, when did you, how did you-" Jason was looking from Will, shaking himself but looking unharmed, to Nico who hadn't released his vice-like grip on him.

"I'll get some water," Alex promised, getting up, going slightly cross-eyed because they were surrounded by water.

"No, it's horrible for people who are choking to drink-" Will started.

"Don't change the subject!" Annabeth snarled through gritted teeth, her low voice the deep silence of a predator about to pounce. "You could have gotten him killed! What deal did you make with Hades!"

Nico's eyes were still a little off with pain as he tried to focus on her through his burning lungs. Her words stung worse, but it wasn't unexpected of everyone at camp always assuming every deal came with death when it came to him and his dad. He looked instead at Percy. "Never," gasp, "hurt you," gasp, "on purpose."

He looked spent, but still half considering leaping over the back of that couch and fleeing for his life while his eyelids drooped with exhaustion.

It instantly broke Percy out of his anger. He didn't want to be feared. He'd never wanted anyone to see him as a bully, throwing his weight around against someone smaller than him. Even if Nico hadn't brought up his own crush, Percy instantly couldn't hold on to his own temper no matter the sting of betrayal from someone he'd really hope could one day be his friend.

"Annabeth," Percy firmly took her hand again. "I know, okay, I'm sorry I keep getting kidnapped by gods and vanishing." His temple pulsed with a new pain he didn't understand why, he had a bad feeling about whatever Hades was going to do to him made this situation down here feel a little to familiar. He stood up and took her other hand, begging for her full attention while she kept glowering at the other dark-haired punk. "Hey," she finally looked at him, anger now wavering with desperation as her storms chased his. "I promise, I'll never leave you again."

She made a strangled noise, suppressing a mingled yell of to much as she threw her arms around him. She was shaking as badly as Nico as Percy supported most of her weight to his beanbag where she sagged down mostly into hers but still half on him very awkwardly with her weight sort of hanging in the worst possible non-space between the two cushions.

"You're my lifeline," he whispered into her ear as her hands tightened on his back, only one spot felt painful for some reason as her nails dug in like hooks, his whole body was tingling with her arms around him. "I'm always going to get out of whatever madness this is for you, I swear." He'd swear it on the styx if he didn't fear the rumbling thunder to vow his words in place. He would the second they got out of this.

She nodded and tried to catch her breath while Nico finally managed the same, rubbing his sternum with his knuckles and eyes still on the floor.

"Quick thinking Nico," Percy applauded over her shoulder, rubbing her back.

"Thanks," he nodded, his eyes still trying to fall closed without his permission, but snapping back to meet Percy's. "Please don't ask me to do that again in the next wee-" he yawned so hard it might draw Oceanus back. "Don't even think about it Will," he managed, rubbing stubbornly at his eyes so much he was seeing spots as Will opened his mouth. "I want to get this over with, we're barely into this one and we're not stopping for the day on my account."

"You should at least eat something," he insisted.

Nico wasn't going to argue that point and slumped against the armrest as Will squeezed his hand and went off.

By the time he came back with a tray of fruit parfaits for everyone, and the largest heaping helping for Nico, Annabeth had calmed down and was stirring her's moodily and tentavily eating it with everyone else.

"How's your shoulder?" She asked Will, her tone as apologetic to him as it had been the Titan's.

"Forgot all about it," Will chuckled, rotating it obviously. "Godly food is great like that."

Nico was looking in confusion between the two but decided he didn't want to know as he savored every bite. He somehow managed to finish his first to his surprise, and he wasn't fighting against every blink anymore.

Alex gently picked the book back up like an unfinished mold as she glanced moodily around at the walls as if daring Oceanus to interrupt her again. She fully believed the eight of them were incapable of finishing this book without another outburst, they were human!

Annabeth was clearly thinking the same thing as she set her empty cup down. She watched it whizz into the trashcan with a still dark face, but spoke to the room at large in a modulated voice she'd perfected years ago, being the head of her cabin at twelve. "I know that last one was rough, but guys, the next time someone in here needs a yell, start with screaming into a pillow. We can't afford to anger him like that again until Percy and Jason get their life back."

"Sorry," Will said, probably not as much guilt as he should have felt at all of them nearly getting snapped away by a Titan for distracting Annabeth's death glare. "That was my bad guys."

"There was no way he wasn't going to show up with that one, not how pissed off somebody was," Percy said with a look at Annabeth.

There were nods of agreement and some mutters, but nobody really felt like that was going to fix this. It was certainly not Annabeth's most well-constructed plan, showing just how tired she must be.

Alex didn't keep reading though. Magnus was signing something to her. Who was using she/her pronouns. Magnus had just asked her something while signing at his chin, which he'd explained very early on was the female denotation...it caught her so off guard she didn't even register what he was actually trying to say.

"Alex?"

She heard her name and finally snapped away from looking at his sweet, concerned face with no clue what was going on. "It's she/ her pronouns," she said like someone had punched her in the ribs before she started reading, only vaguely hoping Annabeth had been done talking.

I tensed. "Wait a second, Nico. What do you—"

"I'm afraid this is my new lead, Percy. My father promised me information about my family, but he wants to see you before we try the river. I'm sorry."

Annabeth's hands were still tense like she wanted to wring Nico's neck right along with him. Percy jiggled his fingers against hers until she slowly relaxed and let his hand back in. While he understood every thought racing through her head, he almost couldn't blame him now that he'd taken a moment. Wouldn't he do the same to learn anything about his past?

Not make a deal with Hades!

His dad had apparently made a deal with a Titan on his behalf to get him in here though, out of whatever scheme another god had planned for him. Nothing really felt like a good answer right now in all the meddling they lived through.

"You tricked me?" I was so mad I couldn't think. I lunged at him, but the Furies were fast. Two of them swooped down and plucked me up by the arms. My sword fell out of my hand, and before I knew it, I was dangling sixty feet in the air.

Will winced at Percy actually making a move like that. Percy had never hurt another person though, Will really didn't want to believe he'd do more than shove Nico to the ground like he had Leneaus.

There was an edge to his thoughts though, one that stemmed from to many of his siblings dying and being able to do nothing to stop it.  If he had to step between Nico and Percy, or the entirety of Mount Olympus to make sure Nico felt safe, he would. Nico deserved to have someone in his corner who would never hurt him, which now he couldn't even claim in Percy. He didn't know how, hiding him under his bed probably wouldn't work, but he would. If Nico could make a wall of shadows to hide someone, maybe he could do the same with sunlight?

For now, he tapped Nico's arm so that he could mouth, 'gods' at him. He felt over his head at just the idea of what Nico must have been going through. The only friend he'd had at the time being dangled by his father to know about his own past.

Nico gave him a grateful smile. He had no clue how he'd gotten so lucky, but he was probably indebted to Posideon apparently for all this.

"Oh, don't struggle, honey," my old math teacher cackled in my ear. "I'd hate to drop you."

"Would she though?" Thalia bravely offered the first comment as if nothing had happened. She looked pretty peeved at Nico too, but at least she had a fearless attitude in the face of death about it. That titan couldn't make them shut up, just quiet down.

"You know Thalia, I don't think she would," Alex was right there with her nodding.

Percy shook his head affectionately as he looked between them. "Glad you two are having fun."

"I'm on vacation," Thalia agreed, a really miserable one she couldn't book the first flight out of, but an enforced period of leisure all the same. She'd dealt with worse monsters than Oceanus.

"I'm always having fun," Alex chuckled.

Mrs. O'Leary barked angrily and jumped, trying to reach me, but we were too high.

"I was half convinced she was going to rip one of their wings off," Magnus admitted, the mental image making him piss a bit. It certainly scared him more than a pissy Titan Percy and Annabeth could stare down.

"I'll tie a cape on her later and play the theme for super-dog, just for you," Percy grinned.

"Tell Mrs. O'Leary to behave," Nico warned. He was hovering near me in the clutches of the third Fury. "I don't want her to get hurt, Percy. My father is waiting. He just wants to talk."

"If my dog gets hurt because of this shit you pulled-" Percy stopped himself by sheer stubbornness against himself, to close his mouth and turn his scowl away. He really couldn't guess what Nico cared about anymore besides himself. He was positive Mrs. O'Leary was one of them though with the way he smiled upon seeing her no matter how many times they'd approached her that day.

I wanted to tell Mrs. O'Leary to attack Nico, but it wouldn't have done any good, and Nico was right about one thing: my dog could get hurt if she tried to pick a fight with the Furies.

Jason was still looking sadly between Nico and Percy. He couldn't believe how fast Percy had turned on him, in what was clearly a complicated situation.

He was also extremely relieved Percy hadn't the chance to react to badly in here. He hadn't wanted to actually hold him back from attacking him, even if he would have.

He would have used Thalia as a human shield to deal with Annabeth in a pinch.

I gritted my teeth. "Mrs. O'Leary, down! It's okay, girl."

She whimpered and turned in circles, looking up at me. "All right, traitor," I growled at Nico. "You've got your prize. Take me to the stupid palace."

What would she have done to get Percy back? The dark thought kept circling Annabeth's mind at the blind vow she'd made to Artemis. What if the goddess asked for Chiron's head? What if she'd asked her to drag Thalia into the den of a monster but made her swear not to tell, for whatever reasons a god's will was.

She kept forcing herself not to shoot murderous looks at Nico. She probably owed him an apology too she didn't feel right now. It was only partially his fault he'd triggered every abandonment issue she had in this stupid, ill-timed stunt.

But it hadn't lasted, she kept reminding herself as she held her lifeline's hand tight, their fingers entwined in a pattern only they felt. He'd come back.

Alecto dropped me like a sack of turnips in the middle of the palace garden.

"Because if she'd dropped you gently, we'd know something unfortunate was fixing to happen," Alex rolled her eyes.

"Pretty sure something unfortunate did happen anyways," Magnus muttered. No way did Percy get in and out of this without more problems with the way it was already starting.

It was beautiful in a creepy way. Skeletal white trees grew from marble basins. Flower beds overflowed with golden plants and gemstones. A pair of thrones, one bone and one silver, sat on the balcony with a view of the Fields of Asphodel. It would've been a nice place to spend a Saturday morning except for the sulfurous smell and the cries of tortured souls in the distance.

"It's called decorative feng shui Percy," Alex helpfully informed him.

"It's called creepy," Percy told him flatly.

Skeletal warriors guarded the only exit. They wore tattered U.S. Army desert combat fatigues and carried M16s.

The third Fury deposited Nico next to me. Then all three of them settled on the top of the skeletal throne. I resisted the urge to strangle Nico. They'd only stop me. I'd have to wait for my revenge.

Nico rubbed the side of his neck and winced. He kind of regretted not waiting, like, at least an hour before he'd come to rescue Percy.

For all he knew though, maybe those thoughts would have escalated to something more creative, so, it might have all worked out for the best.

Assuming Percy's inner demon didn't make a comeback in here.

He wasn't real convinced of that yet.

I stared at the empty thrones, waiting for something to happen. Then the air shimmered. Three figures appeared—Hades and Persephone on their thrones, and an older woman standing between them. They seemed to be in the middle of an argument.

"—told you he was a bum!" the older woman said.

"Mother!" Persephone replied.

"We have visitors!" Hades barked. "Please!"

"Because this is really the scene I'd hoped to walk in on," Nico groaned like he was just as unhappy about all this as Percy was, which seemed unlikely judging by the fact he was supposedly about to get his answers, the little squit!

Hades, one of my least favorite gods,

"Why?" Magnus asked blankly like he hadn't been here for Percy's entire ordeal of a life up until now. "You've had far worse problems with, like, the rest of them!" Between Zeus, Aphrodite, and Ares actively causing problems and Heaphastus sending him off to his unwitting doom, not to mention Hermes now waving a red flag over Luke's life; Hades seemed like a minor inconvenience considering all he'd done to Percy was give back his mom.

Well, that taking her would rank higher than the rest, Magnus decided he'd answered his own question, which was a good thing, because Percy clearly wasn't going to oblige as he just looked at him with a raised brow.

smoothed his black robes, which were covered with the terrified faces of the damned.

Alex cleared her throat as she looked around at Annabeth with a casual smile. Annabeth wasn't fooled, those heterochromatic eyes flashed to easily between mayhem and mischief to believe she'd settle on merry after what just happened. "One of Percy's first thoughts upon meeting him was to wonder what horrible thing someone would have to do to get woven into Hades's underwear?"

Percy didn't even bother to call Alex a traitor this time, mostly because he wasn't sure he wanted to sit around and hear theories on an answer as Annabeth gave Percy an affectionate, exasperated look. She'd long since accepted his train of thought had no tracks.

He had pale skin and the intense eyes of a madman.

"Which I am so glad Nico didn't inherit," Jason shrugged. "Apparently his kids get a bad enough rep."

Will kept to himself he hoped that wasn't Jason's subtle way of thinking Nico was much more of a looker assumedly taking after his mother, because he was now.

"Percy Jackson," he said with satisfaction. "At last."

Queen Persephone studied me curiously. I'd seen her once before in the winter, but now in the summer she looked like a totally different goddess. She had lustrous black hair and warm brown eyes. Her dress shimmered with colors. Flower patterns in the fabric changed and bloomed—roses, tulips, honeysuckle.

The woman standing between them was obviously Persephone's mother. She had the same hair and eyes, but looked older and sterner. Her dress was golden, the color of a wheat field. Her hair was woven with dried grasses so it reminded me of a wicker basket. I figured if somebody lit a match next to her, she'd be in serious trouble.

"Because that's the first thing you should think when seeing a god," Thalia still somehow managed to sound surprised and exasperated at him all this time later.

"The gods perception of me hasn't changed, why should mine to them," Percy grumbled.

"Hmmph," the older woman said. "Demigods. Just what we need."

Next to me, Nico knelt. I wished I had my sword so I could cut his stupid head off. Unfortunately, Riptide was still out in the fields somewhere.

Will was like, ninty percent sure Percy didn't mean it, not the same guy who hesitated to kill Ethan, repeatedly, and still couldn't unsee Luke in Kronos's new face; but he gave him a look of distaste anyways for the uncalled for violence. So far Nico hadn't gotten anybody hurt in the slightest and had given Percy a valid enough reason he should at least be pissed instead of murderous.

"Father," Nico said. "I have done as you asked."

"Took you long enough," Hades grumbled. "Your sister would've done a better job."

Alex choked like she'd just read that while someone punched her in the throat.

"You know what, I take it back," Will said venomously. "Someone in there does deserve a beheading, but at least it's the god who can grow his useless mouth hole back."

Nico still flinched under Will's arm. He wished he'd forgotten this was coming in the mess of everything else, but honestly that still hurt as bad as the second time, and fifth time, and every time he'd said it to him. His father obviously approved of Bianca abandoning him and growing stronger with the Huntresses. Maybe he had some grand idea about taking her away from Artemis and breaking her vow so that she could grow to be the greatest child of Olympus and fulfill the prophecy instead of Nico's useless butt.

Jason was rubbing his own heart like he felt that one personally, and Thalia winced as she guessed he would. Zeus, or Jupiter, whatever, had shown some pretty obvious favoritism from his perspective, or lack thereof.

Nico lowered his head. If I hadn't been so mad at the little creep, I might've felt sorry for him.

Magnus could barely give Percy a, well at least you tried, grimace. This really was just a sucky situation, period.

I glared up at the god of the dead. "What do you want, Hades?"

"To talk, of course." The god twisted his mouth in a cruel smile. "Didn't Nico tell you?"

"So this whole quest was a lie. Nico brought me down here to get me killed."

"Oh, no," Hades said. "I'm afraid Nico was quite sincere about wanting to help you. The boy is as honest as he is dense.

"So, you're not very honest?" Alex looked around in mock confusion. "What a weird way to phrase that, I wouldn't even think Hades would consider that an insult."

"Ha, ha," Nico said with a smile tugging at his lips he couldn't help but feel.

I simply convinced him to take a small detour and bring you here first."

"Father," Nico said, "you promised that Percy would not be harmed. You said if I brought him, you would tell me about my past—about my mother."

Queen Persephone sighed dramatically. "Can we please not talk about that woman in my presence?"

"Then why did she come?" Thalia asked with blatant disgust. She still hadn't forgiven her for turning her bow into honeysuckle.

"So Hades couldn't escape hearing more of that riveting argument," Percy reminded distractedly, not that she'd needed the reminder. She obviously just wanted to complain about everything going on in the Underworld right now, a common theme.

"I'm sorry, my dove," Hades said. "I had to promise the boy something."

'Something,' Alex didn't like the sound of that. Like Hades might even lie about Nico's mother because he'd had to tell him something.

The older lady harrumphed. "I warned you, daughter. This scoundrel Hades is no good. You could've married the god of doctors or the god of lawyers, but noooo. You had to eat the pomegranate."

"So, like, this entire immortal family is kind of garbage, huh?" Magnus frowned.

"Good of you to finally catch on," Thalia rolled her eyes. There were some major exceptions, but nobody was really crying out in distress anymore at now everybody just casually mouthing off to gods.

"Mother—"

"And get stuck in the Underworld!"

"Mother, please—"

"And here it is August, and do you come home like you're supposed to? Do you ever think about your poor lonely mother?"

Annabeth was still in a pretty bad temper and wanted to hurl some corn at her. Did she ever think of any children except her special extra favorite? While Katie Gardner busted her back every day looking after all of Demeter's other children!

"DEMETER!" Hades shouted. "That is enough. You are a guest in my house."

"Oh, a house is it?" she said. "You call this dump a house? Make my daughter live in this dark, damp—"

Nico couldn't help but watch Will, just to see if he agreed with any part of that. Even he knew some of the most common dating around camp came from kids of Apollo and Demter's offspring, they usually had so much in common.

Will still looked more like he was trying to add up how much a never-ending marching band would cost him to run through Hades's domain to get a good read. Grumbling all kinds of unpleasantries about disturbances and noise complaints. Well, Will obviously could be an expert on that if he put his mind to it.

"I told you," Hades said, grinding his teeth, "there's a war in the world above. You and Persephone are better off here with me."

"Aww?" Magnus couldn't help the surprised, sweet noise. How did Hades go from a useless ass dirt sperm donor one moment to someone who clearly cared about his family the next? It was kind of sickening and hopeful all at once, to think he'd be capable of apologizing to Nico, to clearly not caring.

"Hades is getting more visitors to his life this day than he's ever had in, like, millennia. No wonder, he's a shit hoast apparently," Will said as if the world's biggest problem right now really was there weren't enough hors d'oeuvres around.

"Excuse me," I broke in. "But if you're going to kill me, could you just get on with it?"

Annabeth smacked him upside the head.

"I'm not sorry," Percy shrugged.

"Of course you're not," she sighed.

"You know I have a problem waiting around," he insisted.

"I know," she groaned.

All three gods looked at me.

"Well, this one has an attitude," Demeter observed.

"Indeed," Hades agreed. "I'd love to kill him."

"Father!" Nico said. "You promised!"

"Husband, we talked about this," Persephone chided. "You can't go around incinerating every hero. Besides, he's brave. I like that."

"I guess she's not mad about me threatening to throw her in the Lethe anymore?" Percy raised a brow in disbelief.

"Honestly Percy, I'm more surprised if she remembers you after you finished running her errand," Thalia scoffed.

Hades rolled his eyes. "You liked that Orpheus fellow too. Look how well that turned out. Let me kill him, just a little bit."

"As long as he promises to bring you back," Annabeth said dead pan.

Nico choked in surprise while Percy snorted with laughter. She managed a half-hearted smile while the boys full-blown grinned. It was nice she could turn around and laugh about this, even a little in mocking.

"Father, you promised!" Nico said. "You said you only wanted to talk to him. You said if I brought him, you'd explain."

Hades glowered, smoothing the folds of his robes. "And so I shall. Your mother—what can I tell you? She was a wonderful woman." He glanced uncomfortably at Persephone. "Forgive me, my dear. I mean for a mortal, of course.

Percy said a few foul mothed things about how his mother could kick Persephone's ass with a cookie sheet, but Nico was to distracted to hear it. At least now he could recall with vivid clarity a memory taken away. How Hades had adored Maria and offered her a palace in the Underworld. It had seemed like more than just a fling he'd gotten over all these years later. What better outcome was there? His stepmother never would have let them live anymore than Zeus if it wasn't for time passing on and all of them losing interest in the matter, some to more degrees than others.

Her name was Maria di Angelo. She was from Venice, but her father was a diplomat in Washington, D.C.

Alex spluttered in a painful sounding laugh. "Why is that the most perfect thing I've ever heard for Hades? Attracted to a woman with a stereotypical temper in the middle of snake central, it's so perfect I swear I'm going to die."

"Don't," Nico advised. "My dad won't let you off for his good taste in women."

That's where I met her. When you and your sister were young, it was a bad time to be children of Hades.

"Was it ever a good time?" Jason mock whispered.

"I seem to be fairing in the scraping by camp, as opposed to my other abundance of siblings," Nico said, dower sarcasm as far as the ear could hear.

World War II was brewing. A few of my, ah, other children were leading the losing side.

There was something really messed up in that Alex packed a wallop into reading. Hades knew he was losing a war his own children were in. Was he even referring to his half-blood children right there? It was kinder to assume not, but with the gods, it was hard to tell.

I thought it best to put you two out of harm's way."

"That's why you hid us in the Lotus Casino?"

Hades shrugged. "You didn't age. You didn't realize time was passing.

"He became master level at all video games I'm sure," Magnus offered.

"Eh," Nico waved his hand. "There was a Mythomagic tournament there while I was, I spent most of my time learning how to play that."

"Was that your dad's influence?" Annabeth asked in surprise.

"What?" Nico frowned, why would he care about that?

"So that when you'd come out, you'd be knowledgeable of our world, even if you didn't fully know it." She was even starting to smile again at this puzzle.

"Um, I don't think he has that kind of power, do they?" Percy shook his head.

"It's not clear," Annabeth seemed to be speaking to herself the longer she talked, like her eyes were glazing over before their eyes. "Odysseus rescued his own men from the original lotus-eaters without any interference. I can't imagine it would overpower a god, ergo they may even be able to influence what the current Hotel could make its occupants do to some degree."

"That's dangerous isn't it?" Magnus looked unsurprised, but still a little hurt. "Sally didn't tell Percy any of that stuff, because ignorance kept him safe. When Hades pulled them out, well, no wonder Grover found them so fast when they'd only been out for a few months along with how many monsters?"

"More preparation from my dad if so," Nico nodded as if this made perfect sense now.

Annabeth shook herself to here and now as Alex kept going, and Percy was back to smiling as if nothing had happened as he watched her go in and out of a nerd daze. Nico was almost smiling again too. He really might get out of this better than worse. It seemed to good an idea to let himself linger on for more than a second, to afraid he'd jinx it.

I waited for the right time to bring you out."

"But what happened to our mother? Why don't I remember her?"

"Not important," Hades snapped.

"To who?" Will's scowl was something else, he looked ready to hurl the sun.

"Himself, that's obviously the important part of this conversation," Jason said dully.

"What? Of course it's important. And you had other children—why were we the only ones who were sent away?

Nico still didn't really have an answer to that, and to his surprise, he found himself looking around hopefully as if they would. The idea lingered that it was because Hades had loved his mother, had done her wish, not that he'd done it for them.

"It's possible he started with the youngest set," Thalia offered half-heartedly. "If the rest of his kids were already over the age of sixteen by that point, you two would be his priority."

Nobody else hazarded a guess to Hades's plans. Most of them thought he was a psychotic maniac who couldn't rip a decent bone out of a dead body anyways.

And who was the lawyer who got us out?"

Hades grit his teeth. "You would do well to listen more and talk less, boy. As for the lawyer . . ."

Hades snapped his fingers. On top of his throne, the Fury Alecto began to change until she was a middle-aged man in a pinstriped suit with a briefcase. She—he—looked strange crouching at Hades's shoulder.

"Okay, that one actually sounds kind of obvious now that he said it out loud," Percy shrugged.

"What is the difference between a lawyer and a vampire?" Alex asked with a devilish smirk. "Law School."

Thalia grinned and said her favorite, "There is a new Barbie doll out for Christmas, she's called Divorce Barbie. She comes with all of Ken's stuff."

"How long have you been saving that for the Aprhotide cabin?" Percy laughed in delight.

"We are not going to sit around and tell lawyer jokes!" Jason spluttered. "Thalia, that's practically blasphemy!"

Thalia gave him a pitiful look he thought she cared. Honestly, it's like he hadn't gotten to know her at all.

"I'm on Jason's side," Annabeth said in exhaustion. "Guys, we might be able to get through another chapter, two at most before we all pass out. Let Alex finish."

"Alex was enjoying the show," Alex huffed, but obliged for the yawn Nico was still trying to muffle.

"You!" Nico said.

The Fury cackled. "I do lawyers and teachers very well!"

"This surprises literally no one," Magnus rolled his eyes. Not even him!

Nico was trembling. "But why did you free us from the casino?"

"You know why," Hades said. "This idiot son of Poseidon cannot be allowed to be the child of the prophecy."

"Even if I hadn't made up my mind before, now I definitely would be," Percy scowled while Annabeth patted his shoulder with a defeated look in place for knowing the same.

I plucked a ruby off the nearest plant and threw it at Hades. It sank harmlessly into his robe.

At least he didn't throw it at Nico, Will thought in relief. It would have been, well, a really crappy moment for Percy to force Hades to show his hand how much he cared about his kid. It would show how great of an insult that was to Hades by what he did next.

"You should be helping Olympus!" I said. "All the other gods are fighting Typhon, and you're just sitting here—"

"Waiting things out," Hades finished.

"Not something I'd brag about," Nico muttered. Not voicing that at the time though was probably the actual reason he still had his head.

"Yes, that's correct. When's the last time Olympus ever helped me, half-blood?

It didn't feel great that Jason could kind of see his point though. Hades was outcasted unless he was needed. If Hades had shown up to that fight, darkness slinging, he might have just gotten a nod of thanks and then ignored again until the next solstice. What reason did he have to join in?

 When's the last time a child of mine was ever welcomed as a hero? Bah! Why should I rush out and help them? I'll stay here with my forces intact."

It was sadly not the worst argument Annabeth had ever heard, that honor still belonged to Percy defending his claim of rock skipping champion, but it was pretty high up there.

"And when Kronos comes after you?"

"Let him try. He'll be weakened. And my son here, Nico—" Hades looked at him with distaste.

Nico had kept his head bowed and carefully on the highly polished floor so he could only see the reflection and pretend it was just warped. Thanks Percy.

"Well, he's not much now, I'll grant you. It would've been better if Bianca had lived.

"If he talks shit to you one more time, I'm going to go malevolent on his ass," Alex said deep in the back of her throat.

Everybody decided they really didn't want to know what that meant, except for Nico it seemed as he opened his mouth curiously.

"Anyways!" Percy squeaked, but enough Alex heard him and gave a sigh.

But give him four more years of training. We can hold out that long, surely. Nico will turn sixteen, as the prophecy says, and then he will make the decision that will save the world. And I will be king of the gods."

"He'll be the only god left," Percy frowned.

"So technically, he's not wrong," Thalia shrugged.

"Demter's down there you single-minded-" Annabeth stopped and put her face in her hands in further exhaustion and groaned. Apparently she got crabby when she got no sleep for going on nine days.

"And a lot of the minor gods are running around too," Jason nodded. "Honestly Annabeth, I think Grover just ran off with their time-share brain cell."

Percy and Thalia exchanged a look. Those two were getting a little to comfortable.

"You're crazy," I said. "Kronos will crush you, right after he finishes pulverizing Olympus."

Hades spread his hands. "Well, you'll get a chance to find out, half-blood. Because you'll be waiting out this war in my dungeons."

Annabeth couldn't stop herself from flashing Nico another murderous look. Not just the 'if looks could kill kind' but genuinely her gray eyes seemed as if they could turn him to marble in a Medusa-worthy stare.

Then she sighed and turned back away and Nico kept breathing. The worst part? He was pretty sure that was her 'I'm less mad at you, but don't you ever do that again' face.

"No!" Nico said. "Father, that wasn't our agreement. And you haven't told me everything!"

"Thanks for trying man," Percy still couldn't say that like he meant it, but at least he nodded at him while managing not to roll his eyes.

"I don't take lightly to people not honoring their deals," Nico said it simply enough, but Percy got a gut sense. He remembered what The King of Ghosts had done to Minos. Percy had gotten out of there, and a sporadic rescue mission on Grover's part might not be the only hope for his future. Then he winced at a new stab of pain and quickly looked away.

"I've told you all you need to know," Hades said. "As for our agreement, I spoke with Jackson. I did not harm him. You got your information. If you had wanted a better deal, you should've made me swear on the Styx.

Why did that feel like the obvious answer to most of these problems and yet nobody used it, Magnus rolled his eyes. He really didn't want to say that to Nico though.

Now, go to your room!" He waved his hand, and Nico vanished.

"Where, where's your room?" Magnus asked with dread, thinking Hades was the kind of disciplinarian to throw Nico into a volcano to see if he survived that as well as the idiot son of Posideon could.

"With a great view of Elyusium," Nico said sullenly. He would have preferred the volcano idea.

The worst part was, he must have created that room on the spot too, because he'd explored the place numerous times. He'd found this view, but it had just been one of a stretch of windows that showed each corner of his father's domain so he could stand and view them all from one tower without turning his head to much he'd guess.

Now the circular room was decked out with a bed of deepest black silk with a gold frame and more jewels adjourning the other decorations than existed in a billionaire's brain. Nico had landed on the bed, looked out the window and known. His dad wanted him to see what Bianca had missed out on. What he should want. He'd passed the other options without glancing as he went to the door that was locked. Shadow travling hadn't worked.

Good thing his dad remembered to send up servants to feed him within a decent time frame, and he'd been practicing his invisibility in the shadows, even from creatures of the Underworld.

"That boy needs to eat more," Demeter grumbled. "He's too skinny. He needs more cereal."

Ah, that explained that, Nico scowled at his own thoughts. It hadn't even been his father. Possibly Demeter sending him up that bowl of cereal. Whatever. It had all worked out. He didn't care.

Gods, yes he did! If anyone in the pantheon shouldn't treat him this way, it should be the one god who knew how he'd feel! He'd definitely have to ask someone in here to confirm he wasn't nuts later when Hades came to help, because Nico had no clue what he'd done to manage that.

Persephone rolled her eyes. "Mother, enough with the cereal. My lord Hades, are you sure we can't let this little hero go? He's awfully brave."

"No, my dear. I've spared his life. That's enough."

"Under other conditions, I almost might agree," Thalia said with a torn expression this seemed generous to the point of absurd.

"Thanks Thals," Percy rolled his eyes.

"You can't say it's not true Percy," Will nodded too. "This does sound like Hades in a good mood."

"Yes, fine, we're all besties now!" Percy crossed his arms and leaned back so hard in his seat he tipped it over. Annabeth watched his feat kick around to get himself back upright with a long overdue smile.

I was sure she was going to stand up for me. The brave, beautiful Persephone was going to get me out of this.

She shrugged indifferently. "Fine. What's for breakfast? I'm starving."

"Does she not feed herself?" Alex frowned.

"I'm with Alex, she clearly has more than enough free time on her hands," Percy grumbled as he straightened out his beanbag.

Annabeth looked between the pair and decided against pointing out the actual problem of what had just been said there. It would fall on deaf ears.

"Cereal," Demeter said.

"Mother!" The two women disappeared in a swirl of flowers and wheat.

"Well at least she has a chance to avoid getting scurvy with that diet," Magnus frowned.

"Not you too Magnus," Annabeth looked at her cousin in betrayal.

Magnus shrugged without a drop of defense for himself. "Sorry cuz, I've learned it's just best to ride the crazy Alex train. Much more enjoyable."

"Choochoo," Percy said hopefully next to Annabeth's ear.

"You are all seriously lacking in something alright," but she couldn't stop herself from saying it with a chuckle.

"Don't feel too bad, Percy Jackson," Hades said. "My ghosts keep me well informed of Kronos's plans. I can assure you that you had no chance to stop him in time. By tonight, it will be too late for your precious Mount Olympus. The trap will be sprung."

Annabeth's breath still caught with more riveting attention than any building plans ever had captured her as Percy's attention switched from her goofy boyfriend to the child of the prophecy. How he went back to glowering at the book, to Hades, and what she knew would come out of his mouth. A demand he help his brethren, an accusation of how worthless Hades was. The kind of things only Percy would say to a god after he found out this kind of information wasn't being shared with those he cared about.

She didn't know how Alex kept reading as if nothing had changed except a slight rise of anger in her own voice.

"What trap?" I demanded. "If you know about it, do something! At least let me tell the other gods!"

Hades smiled. "You are spirited. I'll give you credit for that. Have fun in my dungeon. We'll check on you again in—oh, fifty or sixty years."

"I will not be middle-aged before I've gotten my license!" Was Percy's big protest to that.

"I will be," Thalia sighed.

"You don't count Thalia," Percy was instantly sidetracked, "you chose that problem."

The two fell off bickering like absolutely nothing new had happened in the span of an hour until Annaebth threatened to dump iced coffee on them to break it up.

It was such an engineer's dream really, Magnus chuckled as he watched Percy shrug and walk off to get the book while Thalia rolled her eyes and Annabeth gave her the 'stop instigating him look so I can go to bed.' The three really were their own cogs in each other's wheels that the other could always keep spinning.

[ziteyra]

A good soldier

Chapter 2

Chapter 1 and Chapter 3

🐟 Synopsis: You get to meet some other members of Team Phoenix in person but the tension between you and Quaritch still doesn't seem to be gone.

🐟 characters: Quaritch Recom, Walker Recom, Waynfleet and Zdinarsk Recom (🥳)

🐟themes: same as the last chapter. A bit of cursing, roughing around but nothing serious.

🐠Note: heyyyy. Thanks for all the likes in the last chapter ! Didn't expect that (⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡ so I just followed the formula of the first one and wrote all fo this in the middle of two night. Ahahah hope you like it. Feel free to suggest any more themes or ideas ! Love y'all 💙

Sorry that's it's so short btw

Enjoy this awesome edit I found on insta which motivated me to continue 😁

Tagging: @babyduk213 💙

"This is Lyle Wainfleet, my second in command. "

You nodd in the general direction of the multiple blue recom soldiers that entered the room after Quaritch. Of course you had read their files and overseen their medical transitions, but seeing them in action and so alive was something quite different.

After the tall and smiling Navi Soldier squeezed through the small door frame, two barely clothed female ones follow him on foot.

"And these two beauties are Walker and Zdinarsk. One lethal with a grenade launcher and the other just with her mouth." Quaritch grinned as he introduces the last two and closed the door behind them. "They'll be holding my hand, while you, little scientist do your beloved tests. If it doesn't bother you of course. "

"Glad to finally meet you" you note "but I believed we would be doing the tests alone. It's quite fragile equipment I've got here anyway."

"And we too have quite fragile equipment" Lyle laughed out loud, "no need to worry about us little one, we just need to give the boss a few quick updates on the Sully situation."

" Still y/n for you Waynfleet. I suppose if you keep this quick we can arrange something." you say judgingly looking up and down the two woman. They both make themselves quite comfortable around Quaritch, nagging him with their tails and playfully hissing.

It was definitely no sting of jealousy you were feeling, that would be embarrassing just after a few days of knowing him. But at last he was one of your textbook idols, come to life again. Not yet as impressive as you made him out to be but still quite fascinating. And at last, your hero.

"Now you got my poor little scientist all railed up Lyle. She's on our side don't forget that, even if you have a hard time remembering sides." Quaritch quickly shifted his attention towards his team and let you start your testing.

While they were talking about ground locations and basic intel you took various samples of both his blood and hair.

While he didn't seem bothered by the tests at all you could see his tail twitching every time you got closer to him. His eyes were pinned onto Waynfleet while he was talking but just out of the corner of your eye you could see his cat like ears turning your direction wherever you went. Almost lost in the mesmerising patterns on his body only a slap on the head brought you back to reality.

" And why the hell should we trust her boss. She's like that Valentine woman back from base. We shouldn't be talking about our intel right in front of her anyway." scoffed the women named Walker while inspecting you from head to toe and showing her exceptionally long teeth.

"She ain't got no other choice Walker. And y/n knows that I'll be her worst nightmare if any of this information leaves our little group, isn't that right." Quaritch menacingly answered as he waved Walker away with his hands and pulling you even closer to him. "Do you understand?"

With a loud metal clunk your tablet fell to the ground while Quaritch face was only a few millimeters away from yours. Again you thought, but this time you weren't planning on being humiliated in front of his other teammates. At last you were supposed to be part of the team. As you knew their body and anatomy, probably better then they did themselves, you just needed one good pull to gain your freedom again.

"Damn that little scientist has claws." laughed the last woman Zdinarsk who up until now, hadn't really spoken at all.

"Lt. Quaritch, Sir , we are all members of this operation here and you shouldn't be questioning any of our loyaltys under any circumstances." you say while picking up your tablet hoping to regain at least a bit of dignity.

You quickly brush past him, as we was still frozen in his place holding his Braid with both of his hands.

"It was a pleasure working with you soldiers but I really must be going now."

[caffinedragon]

Bear with the Heart of a Dragon

Chapter 2: God Fucking Damnit, Corypheous.

"Ugh." Ursa groaned as she skipped another stone across the lake towards the Chantry. "How in the Fuck did you do this all the time? My head is fucking killing me."

"Practice." He answered as he settled in next to her.

"I mean seriously? Why is it now, when there is a hole in the fucking sky, everybody and their mother thinks its more important to beat on their chests and throw their tiny cods around instead of deal with the problem?"

"Ego, mostly."

"Fucking incompetent, selfish pricks, more like."

"I don't disagree with you."

She sighed as she stretched her arms up over her head, "At least that Sera gave me a good laugh. I respect her determination to take the time to do a prank based on a pun."

"A fellow menace."

"Good to see such energy still lives on." She was silent for a few seconds before, "Blackwall isn't a Grey Warden, by the way."

Solas looked at her in surprise. "He isn't?"

"Nope. The Blight smell is missing. Not that i care much. He is a good man and a good warrior so I don't really give a fuck. Just makes me wonder what he is running from that makes him have to pretend to be a Grey Warden of all things. Wouldn't be my first choice but, he seems to respect and revere them so at least he will do them justice."

"You're not concerned?"

"Nah." She started digging out another stone to throw with her boot. "I ain't the Inquisitor nor am I a Warden. Not my problem."

"What if you are picked to be the Inquisitor?"

"Then I will deal with it. "

"You already have a plan i take it?"

"Don't I always?"

"Fair enough."

"Too be honest, I would rather be the Inquisitor than The Herald of Andraste. I can work with being an Inquisitor. It's just a different type of military leader and I am good at that but..."

"But?"

"Being a Herald is like being some holy artifact that has to be protected. I am put up in a pedestal because i am nothing more than a symbol. A thing to rally behind. Not even a person, ya know?"She got the stone out of the dirt and chucked it across the lake, the stone making chirping sounds as it skimmed across the ice. "At least as an Inquisitor I have a purpose, a job to do and the freedom to get shit done. As the Herald i feel like I am sitting on my fucking hands. Ugh." She kicked some snow from the ground. "I hate it."

She then looked at him, sad, frustrated and afraid...but not for her. "Hey...You...you still okay? They ain't fucking with ya still are they?"

She worried for him. Feared for his safety.

For a moment he stopped seeing the elven warrior before him but the horned and clawed Mother of Dragons, the day their fellows declared they were gods.

"Are you all right wolf? Did they hurt you?"

He felt his blood burn and rush, just as he did that night. His heart racing and longing to be devoured again.

But he tempered it.

"Some look at me with suspicion, others with jealousy. Ever since it was revealed that we were aquainted it has been harder to hide away but, I can manage."

She stepped into his space then, her form feeling as of she was towering over him. For a moment he swore he saw her eyes flash gold and slitted but when he blinked they were back to green again.

"Are there people harassing you?" She growled as her hands gripped his shoulders.

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Who. Names."

He looked up at her, disbelief and skepticism in his eyes. "And what do you plan on doing to stop them?"

"Whatever I have too."

Her eyes changed as he looked at her, scales as deep and blood red as her hair beginning to crawl up the sides of her temples.

Shame and guilt flooded him just as much as desire did.

He could nit let her fight his battles for him, as much as he would enjoy watching her do it.

"Peace Lethalin. Please." He cooed as he reached up and placed a hand on her cheek. "It is nothing i can not handle. I will be all right." He then pulled her face down and pressed his forehead against hers. "You have already lost so much because of me. I can not have you risk more just so a handful of hecklers and gossips stop twittering behind our backs."

He felt her strong arms wrap around him and pull him into her thick muscular form. Her body was soft and hard at the same time and, Spirits, was she warm.

He burrowed his face into her shoulder before he could catch himself, letting himself sink into the embrace that was tight, protective and safe.

She sighed, sadly, the growl in her voice all but gone. "Solas. The loss of my dragons was not your fault. It was the Evanuris."

"But the Veil-"

"Was the only and best solution we had at the time. If we hadn't put the Veil up when we did, you and i both know what was going to happen. I would gladly give up any and all of my magic if it meant that horrific bullshit stayed contained." She kissed his temple then. "My kids understood this and knew what they were getting into. It was their choice. Please, do not blame yourself for that."

"You have lost all but two."

"Four actually."

"Four?"

"Mhmm. Dumatt was the recipient of the first reincarnation ritual i worked out during the First Blight. He and ironically enough, Mythal's daughter used the same ritual to save Urithmiel who is now named Kieran and a little boy. And then my youngest two, the twins, Lucasan and Razikale never went below ground so they avoided being corrupted by the darkspawn."

"Dumatt is The Hero of Ferelden?"

"I mean, are you surprised? He was practically a carbon copy of me."

"True." He then remembered that she had been awake during the first blight and needed to ask, "Do you know who the Blight got out?"

"It's the one thing the Chantry actually got right. Which is why I am surprised the Veil is still up to be honest. I lost count a long time ago how many holes have been poked in it over the last millennia."

Solas pulled out of the embrace and looked up at her surprised, "Tevinter magisters actually got past the veil?"

"And landed smack dab in the middle of old Arlathan. Which is of course filled with..."

"The Blight."

"Yep. So when they ran back with their tails between their legs they brought it back with them and-"Her eyes suddenly widened as if she just realized something. The expression was quickly followed by frustration and anger, then by several strings of curses again as she picked up a thick branch and snapped it in half over her knee.

"What is it Lethalin?"

"I just realized who the fuck took the fucking orb."

"Who?"

"Coryphous. The leader of the chuckle fucks who punched a hole in The Veil and brought the Blight back with them. It didn't occur to me when I caught the scent of the Blight in the area since it wasn't that long since the fifth one had ended but now i feel like a fucking idiot."

"The fact that you put that together, proves the opposite, Lethalin."

"Yeah. I am more than a dumb old soldier, I know."

Her voice was heavily sarcastic.

"You are far smarter than many i knew, even among the Evanuris. It is not your fault that your have the entire world in your head and that makes you forget small things from time to time. You discredit your own skills Lethalin."

She turned to him with a smirk, "Pot meet Kettle, Lethalan."

"Touche."

"But that is gonna throw a wrench into the plan. No matter who we pick, that bastard is gonna take it as a slight and come for us as soon as we close that breach. And as much as i would want to make sure Haven could withstand such an assault, even if it is only to make sure our people can get out, I can't exactly tell them why i know what i do."

"Approach Cullen with, 'If our adversary has the power and resources to create a hole in the sky, there is a logical conclusion that they could build some sort of army. Perhaps, just in case, we could see if there are ways to fortify Haven or at least figure out an escape route in case of retreat.' No need to tell them anything beyond that."

"That is a good idea, actually. Thank you."

"Your welcome."

"Well, no time like the present. Maybe if I am lucky Josie will part with some of that coffee i smelt her brewing this morning."

He chuckled as he followed her back to the main camp, "We can only hope."