#chris lurking in the background

[killedbythegroove]

this interview living rent free in my head today

[warpedpuppeteer]

buddie drabble: buck brings home a stray cat and eddie says no…. until eddie ends up being the only one the cat likes and he falls in love with it; established buddie, fluffy, chris is annoyed that the cat likes his dad more than him even though he feeds it treats

Thank you for the super adorable prompt! It's not all exactly as you wanted but I tried to stick to the prompt as close as I can. Hope you enjoy ☺️🫶🏽! (Link to AO3 is provided at the end for those who prefer that)

Fur-st Mew-ting

“No”. Eddie puts as much authority that he could muster in his best dad-voice. “Absolutely not”.

As expected, Christopher but dad’s him immediately.

“Look how cute he is, dad! And he has nowhere else to go!”, his son tries his best to make his case with his best puppy eyes.

Eddie looks over Christopher's curls where Buck is lurking in the background innocently.

His boyfriend is still in his uniform because he came here straight from work, and he is holding the tiniest kitten Eddie has ever seen close to his chest. It looks unrealistically small in Buck's large arms.

And fuck. It is a very cute sight.

Absolutely not, he tells himself determinedly, even if his heart beats slightly faster at the devastating sight of Buck coo-ing at the kitten.

It's a scruffy little thing. Fur sticking out ridiculously everywhere, tiny paws and big pitiful eyes staring right into his soul imploringly as if it was coached by both his boyfriend and his son to do its best to wear Eddie's defenses down.

And dammit; it's working.

Buck meets his eyes and has his own best puppy eyes weaponized.

Eddie sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.

Chris whoops loudly exactly like Buck and Eddie mourns the fact that their son is already learning Buck's frat boy ways. He makes a mental note to hide all the baseball caps in the house.

A tiny questioning mew joins their whooping.

The Ap-paw-intment

The first thing that Eddie does the next morning is to call the closest vet they could find to fix an appointment for the kitten. The girl on the other end of the line is cheery and polite and tells him they have a slot open at 4pm today. Eddie agrees easily and she asks for the name of the ‘pawrent’ for the appointment. “Eddie Diaz. And Evan Buckley”. “And your fur baby’s name?”, she asks innocently. Eddie wishes for all the strength and patience in the world as he looks at Buck who has his lips pursed, trying his best to pretend he's not laughing. “Baby Eddie”, he finally grits out. The girl, bless her heart, only goes quiet for a few seconds before thanking him and tells him they're excited to see them later. He hangs up, mortified. Buck finally laughs gleefully. “Oh the look on your face!” He puts the phone on the kitchen counter and scowls at his boyfriend. “Shut up, Buck. I can't believe you named the stupid kitten that”. “Hey!”, his boyfriend, who has the kitten on the table, gently folds its ears down, “don’t call Baby Eddie the s-word. He's named after my boyfriend you know”. Eddie glares at him, “a boyfriend who is re-thinking the decision of dating you currently”. Buck grins at him, unrepentant. “It was just a funny idea me and Chris had. He looked so excited about it and I couldn't say no”. Eddie just shakes his head knowing he's going to regret asking but he does anyway. “Why is that even a funny name?”. Buck gently lifts up the kitten to show Eddie like he couldn't already see from where he's making breakfast for them. “Because look at him! He looks just like you. Has the scowl and big cow eyes and everything!” Eddie scowls harder at him and Buck laughs so hard he nearly falls off the chair.

A fur-tunate coincidence

Baby Eddie settles down easily in the Diaz household (soon to be the Diaz-Buckley household but Eddie-the human one- is currently still working on it). The vet's appointment had gone well which didn't come as a surprise because apparently Buck and Chris had picked up the kitten from a shelter. A fact that only came to light after Eddie had agreed to house the scruff-ball. Eddie had done his best not to seem embarrassed everytime the vet said Baby Eddie while talking about the kitten. Even when Buck had gleefully told the vet assistant that the kitten is named after its other dad and pointed at him. They also find out that Baby Eddie is a girl. Turns out Buck and Chris had missed that part when they picked up the kitten. They refused to change her name despite Eddie's very convincing arguments though. She is now officially Baby Eddie Buckley-Diaz. Later that night, Buck had plastered himself on Eddie's back and mumbled, “I was only actually fostering her, you know. I didn't mean to make you an involuntary cat dad”. Eddie turns around in his arms. Buck has that look on his face, the one he has when he thinks he's done something wrong. “I'm not mad Buck”, he says softly. “I've been planning to either adopt a dog or a cat anyways for Chris' next birthday. It just happened a little early”. Buck's eyes light up, “really?”. “Really”, Eddie assures him and kisses him gently just to be sure. “I'm going to be a hands-off parent though. And I still don't like her. And she looks nothing like me”. Eddie tucks his face into Buck's neck, hiding his smile, feeling the thrum of Buck's laughter against his cheek.

A meow-ment of weakness

Buck has searched through all the drawers, the clothes hamper and the washing machine but his favorite blue hoodie is still nowhere to be seen. Frustrated, he heads to the kitchen to ask Eddie if he's seen it anywhere and stops at the entrance. Eddie is sitting by the kitchen table, doing something on his laptop, headphones on. He's wearing Buck's hoodie, sleeves pushed up to showcase his delectable arms. That's not what makes Buck stop and stare though. It's the fact that Eddie is wearing Buck's hoodie the wrong way around because he has Baby Eddie snuggled up in the hood of it. Baby Eddie has her head out, staring at the screen in fascination. As Buck watches on, Eddie pets Baby Eddie’s head softly with a finger and kisses her tiny scruffy head before going back to what he was doing. It's absolutely adorable and Buck thinks he falls even more in love with Eddie than he already has (he's going to put a ring on it soon, he's working on it). He takes at least 10 photos as proof and then calls Chris as an eyewitness just in case before confronting Eddie about the stolen hoodie and about him claiming he would be a hands-off parent just a few nights ago. When Eddie refuses to plead guilty to the charges, claiming he didn't realize it was Buck's hoodie and that it was just a moment of weakness because Baby Eddie looked lonely since neither Buck nor Chris were looking after her, Buck sends one of the photos to the group chat, grabs Chris and runs for his life as Eddie yells out “Buck!” when he checks his phone as his notifications go off.

Playing fur-vourites

To the disappointment of everyone involved, Baby Eddie has decided that human Eddie is her favorite human amongst them all. She follows him around like a shadow everywhere he goes, purrs up a storm whenever he comes back home from work, and snuggles up and falls asleep on him anytime he sits somewhere. Chris does get slightly annoyed at the development. “I give her extra treats but she still likes you more. That's unfair dad!”, he complains, as only a pre-teen could. Eddie feels bad for his son. He's not sure why the kitten has taken such a liking to him either. He'd rather she get attached to Chris or Buck instead. “Well, is it a surprise though kiddo? Your dad's really great. I mean, he's your favorite and mine too. So, it's not really surprising Baby Eddie likes him too right?” Buck attempts to placate him. Chris grumbles a little bit more but seems happy enough with the explanation. Of course, the fact that Baby Eddie chose that exact moment to butt her head against his ankle to get his attention might have helped as well. As Chris sits down on the floor to play with her, Eddie mouths ‘thank you’ at Buck, feeling warm. Buck simply winks at him, his stupid adorable boyfriend.

Pawrents, Interrupted

“This is all your fault”, Eddie accuses- unjustly if you ask Buck- when Baby Eddie climbs up Eddie's thighs to curl up on his chest. They had been busy making out on the couch as Chris was away at Pepa's for the night. Buck is already shirtless, hair a mess from Eddie running his hands through them, lips kiss-bruised. Buck looks at his boyfriend - pants unbuttoned, a hickey already blooming under his jaw and lips kiss-bruised just like his own- and snorts at him before smirking deviously, “to be fair, you do have very nice tits”. The pillow smack to his face was totally worth it if you ask Buck. (He does however, banish Baby Eddie into Chris' room, where her bed is, temporarily, while he apologizes to his boyfriend for his remark, very profusely and thoroughly in ways not suitable for a young and impressionable kitten's eyes to see. Baby Eddie might not have ended the night very happily but human Eddie very much did.)

Imagine Baby Eddie to look something like this lil one here:

READ ON AO3!

[lifeonmvrs]

study of chris bachalo’s art style (plus some other artists who popped in also)

[Image Description: digital sketches of deadpool, spider-man, and a random girl. top left corner has two colored sketches of spider-man, one from the front and the other a side profile. both show his head and half of his arm only. he looks angry and confused in the first one, and angry and thoughtful in the second one. top right corner is a colored sketch of deadpool with his mask halfway up. by his side, there’s a little blonde girl with a purple beanie. bottom left corner has two colored sketches of deadpool, both a headshot. first one is an angry looking deadpool from a 3/4 view. second one shows him lurking and peeking into something from a side profile. bottom right corner is a colored sketch of deadpool looking sideways in confusion. he’s drawn from his face to half of his torso, but the arms have not been drawn. in the middle of the canvas, there is a little spider-man mask and a very open eye with a light blue pupil. the background is a solid white. the next picture is a collage of all the references used taken from the comics. /end ID]

[wildlife4life]

WIP Wednesday

I HAVE RETURNED! Hey ya'll, I know its been a hot minute since I've participated in a tag day and just been quietly lurking in the background. I have see everyone's tags in the past several weeks and thank you for not forgetting about me! Quick update, my daughter is doing amazing after getting tubes placed in her ears. Thank you to everyone for the well wishes.

Alright, lets get into it then. Tagged today by @wikiangela @hoodie-buck @fortheloveofbuddie @disasterbuckdiaz @devirnis @thewolvesof1998 @daffi-990@callaplums @jesuisici33 and @steadfastsaturnsrings Thank you all so much and thank you to all those who have tagged me in the time I was just lurking and not posting! I look forward to all your works!

As stated previously before, I am taking a small break from NFL Buck and currently working on halloween fics. Its looking like I'll probably only get one out, so I am focused on this one. An established wolf Eddie and witch Buck. Hope you enjoy!

“Chris I don’t control the traffic lights or at least not in this truck I can’t.” He responds in a level voice. “I know that, and I know it’s not the red light’s fault. It’s yours.” The thirteen-year-old snarks back. Eddie whips his head around, eyes flashing gold, only to find his son’s doing the same, “Christopher that is enough.” He growls, meeting the teen’s challenging gaze with his own. Stubborn to a fault and at an age where challenging older wolves is seen as a must, Christopher stares his father down without a single flinch. Eddie just quirks an eyebrow at the challenge and straightens himself up a few inches, showing his son that he still a pup and should stop provoking his father. A minute passes and small golden eyes flick downward in defeat. The color would not fade, not this close to the full moon cresting. “Sorry.” He whispers, sadness lacing he apology. Sighing, Eddie reaches back and grips Christopher’s knee, “It’s okay. And you’re right it is my fault. I shouldn’t have taken so long with saying goodnight to Buck. I know I’ll be seeing him tomorrow afternoon.” Christopher sniffles, “Dad, no. It’s not your fault. I was just… I didn’t want to say goodnight. I wanted Buck with us, and I lashed out at you.” A whine catches in the back of Eddie’s throat, reacting to his pup’s and his own longing for the witch who was family in every way but shifter blood. “I want Buck with us tonight more than anything, but it’s always been this way and we have to trust him when he says it’s for the best.” A small rumbling growl, “He should become a wolf, like Aunt Karen did.” The light turns green, Eddie presses on the gas and grips the steering wheel tight. Karen was entirely human and dying when she finally accepted Hen’s bite.  It was an entirely different situation with Buck. “Or even a Lynx shifter like Aunt Maddie.” Christopher adds on and Eddie is close to breaking the steering wheel.

Basis of this story, its a full moon which means meet up with the 118 pack, but Buck is now the only non-shifter among them. Hope you enjoyed!

Tagging (no pressure and thanks to all those who had previously tagged me that I didn't mention above): @spotsandsocks @exhuastedpigeon @try-set-me-on-fire @rogerzsteven @theotherbuckley @eddiediaztho @cowboy-buck @eddiebabygirldiaz @loserdiaz @thekristen999 @lizzybizzyzzz @shortsighted-owl @homerforsure @sibylsleaves @monsterrae1 @eowon @911onabc @housewifebuck @honestlydarkprincess @bvckandeddie @arthursdent @elvensorceress @glorious-spoon @bigfootsmom @athenagranted @rainbow-nerdss @gayhoediaz @gayedmundodiaz @giddyupbuck @watchyourbuck @buddierights @witchesdiaz @jesuisici33 @spaceprincessem @hippolotamus @forthewolves @ladydorian05 @lover-of-mine @adiazhalloween

[kisskissbanggang]

Disavowed - pt. 3

[5.3k Words/20min. Read - Priest!Chris x Reader - NSFW/Smut - Church, What Are You Doing?, Disgusting Old Men, Jisung is... Nice, Something Feels Off, Harrowing Guilt, Guilty Pleasures, Self-Doubt, Priest Kink, Semi-Public Sex, Hand Jobs, Fellatio, Confessional Sex, Outdoor Sex, Uncomfortable Moments]

[a/n: ty to @therhythmafterthesummer and @magicficwriting for beta reading and previewing 💗]

[Part 1 | Part 2 | Come Say Hi!]

Maybe you were wrong. 

Maybe Jisung was annoying. 

All you’d asked for on Monday was a place to hang out on your breaks, but today Jisung brought you a cup of tea while you hung out in the library. You’d been searching for a little peace and quiet, but the reverend was far too polite to leave you alone. 

Was he being nice? Or was he “being nice?”

This was crazy. You were being crazy.

That bite mark from your first night together still wasn’t gone.

You’d been veritably losing it since Chris kicked you out early on Saturday morning, after you'd attempted to sympathize with him. He apparently saw right through you. You’d tried to feel bad, but no one made him sleep with you. 

Twice. 

He kicked you out right after that. 

“I think you should go.”

You didn’t even try to fight it. Instead, you marched right out to your car parked outside and drove the humbling 30 minutes home before attempting to ignore your fellow boarders curiously watching you come home at the crack of dawn. 

Church was so awkward on Sunday. 

And now you were hiding out in the library again. The front office felt cramped even though it was only you and Roberta, the elderly school receptionist. It was more than likely the presence of Sister Judith looming in the background at all times, lurking in her office, or the occasional intrusion of Father James. The old man had greeted you on Sunday before mass, patting your shoulder but not saying hello. You would’ve preferred it the other way around, but instead you let it go. 

Unlike this whole fiasco with Chris. 

When you weren’t busy wondering how you could make Chris do the right thing and turn himself in, you were hideously consumed with the thought of making him crumble again the way you did on Friday night. He’d been so eager, so overcome and willing to succumb that you were convinced he’d do anything you wanted. A part of you wondered why you were so rabid about this, but another part of you thought that seemed pretty obvious.

You used to never be like this.

Or, at least, you used to be pretty sure that you’d never been like this.

Jisung slid into the chair across from yours, startling you where you were tucked away in a back corner of the library. “Enjoying your break?” the reverend asked chipperly. He gestured at the mug in front of you. “You’ve hardly touched your tea.”

You helplessly shrugged. “It’s not a chamomile type of day, I guess,” you fibbed.

“I have a whole stash if you’d like to try,” he quickly offered, holding up a hand to count. “I got black, jasmine, green, Earl grey–”

“That’s alright, Reverend–”

He humbly waved you off, a gesture that looked oddly familiar until you realized you saw Chris do it the week before. “Oh, please, call me Jisung–”

“Jisung,” you interrupted him in return, “thank you. But I should get going back, shouldn’t I?”

You were lying through your teeth. Shameful. Sister Judith hardly ever left her office, so she’d never know you were missing, let alone care. The only evidence of your overly long breaks would maybe be security tapes, but it’d already been explained to you that footage was wiped every 24 hours. You got up, thanking Jisung again before trotting out of the library and finally relaxing–

Until you rounded the corner and ran into Father James. 

You didn’t know much about the old man. He was fairly friendly and kind, and he admittedly had a decent sense of humor. However, there was no one at school he seemed to spend time with, no members of the congregation that he chatted with after mass. You supposed he lived a lonely life.

Father James looked down at you, brows raised in surprise before he let out a chuckle. “You scared me, lamb. Are you out for a stroll, too?”

“Oh, no,” you panicked, feeling caught. “I was just, uhm, stopping by to say hi to the reverend on my way to, uh, pick up some attendance reports.”

“Ah,” he nodded. “Maybe you’d like to escort me to the courtyard? It’s time for my break.” The father patted the pack of cigarettes in his breast pocket. You looked down the hall. The courtyard was between the church and the walkway to the church, out behind the gym–

The gym.

What a good escape plan. You’d gracefully leave the father’s company, and get to see how Chris was doing. Father James cheekily offered you his arm and you hesitated before taking it. For an older man, he had a surprising definition of muscle under his shirt sleeve. This made you shiver for some reason you weren’t quite in the mood to unpack just yet.

“I’ve hardly met you, lamb,” Father James smirked. “I hear you’re staying in Mr. Kim’s boarding house with all those rowdy young men. Is his grandson treating you kindly?”

“Er, you mean Seungmin?” you asked. “He’s great. All of them are gentlemen, honestly.” You were confused. Rowdy wasn’t exactly the word you’d use to describe the boarding house and its inhabitants. The most commotion you’d witnessed was a betting pool fiasco for some dating show and discovering who was shirking their dishwashing in the kitchen. 

“And you moved here all by yourself?” he continued. “Not looking to find a beau here, are you?”

You nearly visibly gagged on this new set of questions. “Uh, heh, no,” you babbled, “I mean, yes, I moved here by myself, but–”

“I’m joking, lamb,” the old priest condescended. “That’s you and your business. But if that’s actually one of God’s gifts for you, you’d be wise to accept it.”

“What about you?” you curiously asked. “Do you ever wonder if it was originally one of God’s gifts for you?”

Father James shrugged, his bicep brushing uncomfortably against you and making you take a sidestep as you walked together. “I don’t worry myself with that anymore. I can enjoy plenty of God’s gifts from right here where I’m at.”

That shiver was back, and you’d never been more happy to see the gym before in your life. You craned your neck to see as you passed by the door and sure enough, there was Chris, supervising his class doing sit-ups. Although you’d done nothing to announce your presence, he happened to look up from his clipboard right at that moment. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say his eyes widened at his notice of you.

“Excuse me, Father,” you giddily apologized, “Father Chris was one of those teachers I needed attendance reports from.”

“Would you like me to wait for you?” he asked.

“No thank you,” you insisted. “You should go take your break.”

Father James nodded benevolently, watching you leave before resuming his casual stride out to the courtyard. You strolled into the gym, trying to contain how satisfying it was to see Chris be visibly alerted by your presence.

He held your gaze, unyielding as he blew his whistle. “Five laps outside,” he announced to the class, gaining groans in response.

He was cute in his joggers and hoodie. You both waited until his last student trudged outside before he finally let out a sigh he’d been holding.

“Can I help you?” he asked, half depleted, half resigned.

“I’m just seeing how you’re doing,” you innocently answered.

“Friday night should not have happened.”

“Well it happened,” you shrugged, “so now what do you suggest I do? Because I have half a mind to report you for misconduct–”

“You do not have to do that,” Chris blustered. “What are you getting out of antagonizing me like this? Last I checked, it takes at least two to… Do that.”

“Last I checked,” you bit back, “only one of us took vows to not do that. So, again: what would you suggest I do?”

Father Chris reeled, about to snap his clipboard in half. “Go to confession and let it go, would you?!”

You folded your arms indignantly. “Good idea. Thanks for the tip.”

Chris watched helplessly while you ended the conversation before he expected and sauntered out of the gym. Judging by his bewilderment, he was prepared for you to dig your heels in again. But you weren’t interested in keeping up a petty confrontation when you knew you could very well turn in Chris of your own accord. The whole point was to make him do it himself, really turn this around and do the right thing. That was the hard part here, the nuance to this entire debacle that made it so impossible for you to “let this go,” as he put it.

You loved that for something seemingly so easy to you, he was well and truly struggling with it. Despite his vows, he wanted you and he wanted you bad enough to fuck up twice. That was too crazy to move on from.

Not without going to confession first.

╚⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╝

Confession at Pinewood Falls Church was held on Wednesday nights, after choir practice and youth group. Your housemates were confused, to say the least, when you grabbed your coat after dinner to head back out.

“You’re going… to confession?” Felix ogled. Seungmin smirked in the background, amused. Felix, apparently, ended up in Pinewood Falls filling in for the local librarian.

“What could it hurt?” you nonchalantly asked. “I’m trying to be part of the community.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to confession,” Minho thought out loud, not even looking up. He was reclined on the window bench, paging through the newspaper. From what you knew, Minho was some sort of accountant by trade, but he deemed his work too boring to talk about. “I don’t even know how it works, come to think of it.”

“It’s terrible,” Jeongin moaned. The youngest of all of you, Jeongin was Seungmin’s cousin and worked a blue collar job at the local post office. “You sit in a tiny room alone with the priest and tell him everything.”

“You never had a screen?” asked Hyunjin, sounding distant while he did the crossword from Minho’s newspaper. He was a full-time artist, a job that seemed too simple to ever be easy. “There was always a screen between me and the priest when my parents made me go.”

“You guys never just went to confession?” Changbin butted in on his way from the kitchen, pulling off a pair of rubber gloves after washing dishes. As it turned out, Changbin also worked at a school, but not Pinewood Prep. He actually worked in Briar Bay, humorously enough, at the public school there as a math teacher. “I sort of liked confession, before I ever learned what therapy is.”

“Well I’m going,” you shrugged. “It’s an experiment. I’m trying new things.”

“Have fun then,” Seungmin grinned, humoring you. “Stay out of trouble.”

Fair enough. It seemed that when Chris was involved, that was a good warning to give. You drove your trusty little beater back to school, parking behind the dumpsters by the gym where no one would easily spot you. Chris’ truck was parked right by Father James’ closer to the building, the two sporting annoyingly matching vehicles with eerily similar paint jobs. It was almost like Father Chris was chemically made in a lab to make the old man love him as much as humanly possible, and that made his betrayal of his morals that much more wild to you.

The crowd inside the chapel was beginning to thin by that point. You’d made a distinct effort to come near the end of the night, if for no other reason than to reduce how many people saw you there. A fair line of students and a few choir members still remained so you lingered. Minutes passed, and you watched penitents intermittently enter and exit the two confessional booths. Being left to stew like this was agonizing. For as self-assured as you felt, it was hard not to hook on one thing. 

You’re so bad for me.

He’d said it in the heat of the moment, but the sentiment was driving you, ever since Chris kicked you out on Saturday. You were “bad” for him but he let himself have you nonetheless. The power in that felt formidable. Chris wanted you bad enough to be tested by you, and you wanted him to be. You didn’t fully know what to do with this so it sat, tugging at you.

Father James eventually exited the confessional on the left, sliding a little “closed” sign into place over the door handle. You pivoted, with the rest of the remaining parishioners, to join the line on the right, making sure to pull up the rear now that you knew the right way to go. You counted heads in front of you while you tried to hush your stubbornly persistent thoughts. Finally, you were next, and no one else was around. 

Your breath wavered for a second before you opened the confessional booth door. As much as you wanted to carry this out, there was still some intimidation. Maybe your conscience was trying to get through to you. 

Inside the dimly lit booth, it was clear that it had been, at one point, a traditional set-up where the partition wall was once a screen and the priest and penitent would be in their respective halves. In its present state, this booth was cramped, small with its two chairs facing each other. Chris was seated in the far seat, head bowed in reflection. He was fully robed, and a rosary was wrapped around his hand, currently holding a bible in his lap. 

When he lifted his gaze, you could tell he typically didn’t look all the way up so he could give some grace and privacy, but he did this time. 

And he was nervous. 

You were enjoying this too much. 

Chris swallowed a lump in his throat before motioning for you to sit. You set down your bag and coat. He crossed himself, leading you to mirror him. 

“In the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

He waited, perhaps patiently, for you to continue. Thankfully, you did know this bit. 

“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. This is my first confession in a pretty long time.”

You didn’t bow your head. Instead, when Chris looked up from his lap, he found you looking right at him. The young priest cleared his throat a second time and nodded for you to proceed. “Whenever you’re ready,” he assured you. Or maybe himself. 

You were so oddly at peace. Maybe it was his dread energizing you. 

“I unknowingly slept with a priest,” you stated, clear and concise. 

Chris nodded with a frown. “I see.”

“And then I did it again,” you clarified.

“Why’s that?”

You crossed your legs, catching Chris’ eye as if you weren’t just wearing the same skirt and blouse you’d worn to work that day. The move pushed your modest high heel under his robe. 

“You’re not supposed to ask questions,” you chided. 

“I just want to know why you did it,” he defended, dropping any professionalism left by now. 

“I’m more concerned with why he did it,” you challenged. 

“Why do you think so?” asked Chris. 

What a terrible question. 

The priest watched helplessly as you slid your patent leather pump higher under his robe until you were at his knee. 

“Maybe he’s lonely,” you thought out loud, teasing your foot higher up his thigh. 

Chris’ grip on his bible grew tighter.

“Maybe he’s desperate,” you continued. The sole of your shoe now pressed gently against the unmistakable bulge in his slacks.

Father Chris winced when he twitched in response to your touch.

“Maybe,” you emphasized, “he has some regrets that he’s working through.”

“That is more than enough–” he tried to argue, except he was interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

Chris’ eyes widened, if not for the intrusion then for you capitalizing on it, slipping onto your knees in front of him in the dim confessional.

“Christopher? You’re not still seeing anyone, are you?”

Father James.

You met Chris’ eye, and he silently begged you to slow down with a firm shake of his head. However, you continued toward your objective, lifting the priest’s robe enough to access his belt and zipper. He was egregiously warm in your hand.

“No, sir,” he finally coughed out, “everyone’s gone for the night. I was just doing some, er, reflecting on my own.”

“Ah,” came Father James through the door. “Will you be much longer?”

Chris stared down at you, silently cursing and nearly ripping his bible in half when your tongue delicately extended to tease his length. “Nh-no,” he half-moaned, half-answered. “I’ll finish what I’m doing and lock up.”

“Fair enough. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

The two of you locked eyes in excruciating silence while waiting for the old priest to leave.

At least, it was excruciating for Chris.

“Why are you doing this?” he feebly asked, curling in on himself enough that he dropped his bible. His hand extended, the rosary wrapped in his fingers leaving little prints on his skin when he fought between wanting to push you off of him and wanting to pull you closer.

You cocked an eyebrow and leaned down to kiss the leaking tip of his erection. “Why’d you lie?”

“This is your confession,” Chris persisted. “What’re you getting out of this?”

There was the question again, only rephrased this time. What were you getting out of this?

Aside, you supposed, from how satisfied you felt watching this man crumple for you.

“What does it matter?” you answered, aloof. “I told you how to make it stop. You like following your calling? You want to make it up to the powers that be? Maybe start with your own confession.”

You got up then, dusting off your knees and coolly grabbing your bag and coat. Chris gaped at you, a myriad of emotions running through him as you abandoned him, hard and aroused in the confessional booth.

╚⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╝

For all intents and purposes, you were doing great now. It truly felt like, for the first time since you met him, that you had the advantage over Chris.

You only wished, then, that you weren’t in such a terrible mood.

This was Father James’ fault this time. You’d brought the old man his mail, a task Jacqueline used to do, all the way at his office in the back of the chapel. 

“Shame the weather’s turning,” he’d lamented. “But I thought that’d mean you’d start wearing those sweaters you were wearing when you first started again. They were so flattering on you.”

You could’ve puked, and there was still acid in your throat in the thirty minutes that had passed since then. There was something off about that man, something that didn’t sit right with you. No, you were in a horrid mood. 

Which meant it was a terrific time to see if Chris had taken your suggestion to heart.

You strolled into the gym with 15 minutes to spare in his planning period. Finding the gym empty, you checked his office next. 

However, the office was empty, too. You hazarded a quick look around, though, your curiosity getting the better of you. For such a warmly received man, Chris had no photos hanging in his office. Aside from his computer and phone on his desk, he had a filing cabinet, a clock radio, and a bookshelf. From here, however, you could see that the door to the boys locker room was open. You were about to peek inside, when a hand on your shoulder startled you.

Chris looked as pissed as he seemed to typically be lately. He had on his cute sweats and hoodie again.

“Can I help you with something?” he sighed.

“Well, I can see you still have a job, so I’m guessing you haven’t turned yourself in.”

The priest groaned in frustration. “Would you stop toying with me?! Is that all you want, for me to lose everything?”

“What can I say?” you shrugged. “Doing the right thing isn’t always supposed to be easy.”

“Right,” Chris said, “but you’re not exactly making it any easier.”

“You could always admit you just want me instead,” you offered. “That should be easy. You did it just fine last week.”

However, as simply as you said it, this stopped you in your tracks. This was never on your list of demands. Your objective, so far, was to torment Chris until he finally gave up and turned himself in.

But, no.

Something about him. 

You’d accept devotion, too.

Chris glowered in opposition to you. “James was right,” he growled, “you looked better in those sweaters you were wearing.”

The audacity of the remark caught you off guard, and you were suddenly on edge. Not only had Father James made the ridiculous comment in the first place, but he’d also shared the sentiment with Chris?

The sensation of acid in your throat returned and you turned heel at once, prepared to walk out and try to calm the hell down. 

But you barely made it out of Chris’ office before his hand was on your wrist and reeling you back inside.

“Wait wait wait,” he pleaded, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have said that–”

He’d already herded you onto his desk, the paperwork there getting shuffled off as he feverishly kissed you all over, your lips down to your neck and back.

“Chris–!” you gasped, your hands balled in his hoodie. “You fucking asshole, why should I–”

“I said it in the heat of the moment!” he backpedaled. “You make me so angry but fuck–”

“You want me?” you taunted, even while Chris shimmied your skirt up around your hips. He pulled your panties aside but paused then.

“I do,” he pathetically nodded, “let me have you, I need you so fucking bad.”

You mercifully nodded, letting out a small, sighed moan when Chris sank into you.

“I swear to God,” he groaned into your shoulder, “I haven’t always been like this, there’s just something about you…”

He trailed off then, lost in how he was fucking you hard into his desk, enough for the surface to rattle and creak. Chris was interestingly quiet. It was as though he were convinced someone would come at any second, or that he’d waste his shot too soon if he didn’t focus. That didn’t mean you couldn’t coax him along, of course. Again, there was something about the way he gave into you that energized you. You threaded your fingers into his hair, whispering sweet little taunts and praise in his ear while you wrapped your legs around his hips. An orgasm didn’t seem to be on the horizon for you, not with how little time left you had in the class period, but it was fun to see how much you could rush him. Soon enough, Chris cursed harshly under his breath into the crook of your neck, his hips shuddering against you as he came.

You held him for a moment while he caught his breath.

Maybe affectionately, you humored.

“I need to see you again,” he murmured into your skin. “Come see me tonight.”

You considered this. That same uneasy feeling returned.

╚⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╝

Why you said yes was beyond you. 

Day by day, you were playing more and more with fire and close to getting burned for it. 

Not to mention it was a school night. 

But Chris looked amazing in the low light of the Trawler.

He’d even picked you up at your place. Not with flowers or anything, and it’s not like he was going to risk being recognized by coming to the door, but still. The boys that were home at the boarding house were all peeking from around corners or through the front window to see who you were leaving with, but Chris had opted to wear another ballcap tonight for good measure. You definitely aroused your roommates’ curiosity in the first place, however, with how you’d opted for a cute dress to wear under your cardigan. Even now, after all this time, you were still patting concealer on the love bite between your breasts in case anyone accidentally saw down your chest. And as for your ride, Chris’ truck was far more comfortable to ride in than it was to fuck in, but you humored that that was probably the case for most vehicles. 

The worst part was that this was a good time.

Chris wasn’t pushy. He wasn’t gross or crude. When you arrived at the Trawler, he pulled out a chair for you and went to order drinks.

This was terrible. It was like getting a hint of what this could really be like if you were actually willing to keep this charade up any longer.

Because you weren’t going to keep this up.

Right?

Eventually, Chris pulled off his hat and rolled up the sleeves of his sweater, the heater in the bar and the rosiness in his cheeks finally getting to him. He was maddeningly cute, his curls flattened by his cap and the lighting in the bar highlighting the dimple in his cheek.

“How long have you lived here?” you asked. “I know you’re supposed to be moving to Pinewood Falls, but how’s Briar Bay been for you?”

“Gosh,” chuckled Chris, “it feels like a lifetime ago. I love it here, though. And maybe I won’t move to Pinewood anymore.”

“Why?” you questioned, too surprised.

“Because you live there,” he laughed. “And apparently you’re trouble for me.”

The night transitioned to a walk that you knew wouldn’t end up back at your room at Seungmin’s boarding house. He’d been the one to ask, and you accepted.

He held your hand, gentle yet steadfast as though he were afraid you’d leave if he let go. You still couldn’t get much information out of him, but you begrudgingly loved everything you learned. Chris loved studying interpretation theory in seminary. He wanted to live in Briar Bay because of how close it was to the water. While you strolled through neighborhoods, he said he loved the way you glowed in the moonlight.

So he even had a little romance in him.

Your walk led to a field behind the house Chris rented the upper floor of. This was clearly a sanctuary for countless teenagers over the years, with an old bench seat of a truck and a few milk crates laid out in a clearing of the tall grass. This was how you ended up making love to Chris that night, right there on the ratty, beaten bench seat underneath the dark blue sky.

Chris took his time with you, savoring this like either of you might forget again. He brazenly tasted you, an appetizer for him that left you exposed to the night air, and already had you gasping and aching by the time he crawled up in between your legs. Your warmth accepted his own, smoothly stretching to take him deep inside you. It was like you were a few years younger, more naive, simply enjoying each other in the moment. He was generous with his kisses in between thrusts. If he pulled away from your mouth for too long, his lips were cold from the chill of the night, so he simply kept kissing you.

To try and keep yourself from reaching a peak too soon, you kept your eyes fixed on the attic window of the old house. Frankly, you’d been thinking about why Chris had been weird about it off and on for the past week, but now it was a convenient distraction. The window was fogged with dust, further obscuring anything inside, forming a neat little void in your limited vision under the stars. There was a small bit of movement, but you quickly decided that there was a loose shingle in the roof, letting in a breeze that was shaking an old curtain.

“I’m sorry,” Chris suddenly said, jarring you out of your train of thought.

“What?” you worriedly asked, cupping his face and causing him to minorly adjust his angle, making the both of you gasp with an incidentally improved position.

“I said I’m sorry,” groaned Chris. “I shouldn’t even fucking tell you this but I feel like I love you. Is that okay?”

You stared at him, mouth hanging open while you processed this.

This was far too much.

Beyond acceptable.

But you adored it.

“Yeah,” you nodded hungrily, still holding his face in your hands and kissing him again. “Yeah, that’s okay.”

╚⊶⊶⊶⊶⊶✞⊷⊷⊷⊷⊷╝

You didn’t wake up alone the next morning this time.

This time, you woke up alone in the middle of the night. 

Same room, same dim light coming from the kitchen. This felt more like a dream. You slipped out of bed, not surprised to find yourself clothed. This time, you distinctly didn’t remember doing anything following your tryst in the field behind the house, so the only gap was from there to here.

Your footfalls felt muted when you stepped into the kitchen. Really, it felt like your ears were full of cotton, like you had a sinus headache. “You’re not kicking me out again, are you?” you lightly teased, only to find that you were alone. 

In fact, the light wasn’t even coming from the kitchen. It was coming from above you.

From the attic.

Yeah. This was a dream.

You spied an old folding step ladder sitting by the refrigerator and dragged it over. The way it creaked and flexed when you opened it didn’t make you feel confident, but you set it under the attic door nonetheless. Whatever it was making your hearing feel muffled was worse, now sounding like a low tone being played in a physician’s office for privacy.

The step ladder felt shaky under your feet. You gingerly pushed up the attic door, peeking inside. The hushed roar of sound raised to the volume of a jet engine.

But there was Chris.

And there was the light.

What a weird dream.

“It’s not fair!” Chris argued, almost whining, his voice strained as though he were choked up. “I’m not as strong as you think I am! I want this, I honestly want all of it–”

"̴̫͕̪̔͐͒Y̵̠̘̦̿̽ó̵̝͚͎̈́̈́u̴͎͖͓̔͆͠ a̴̡̠͕̿̐͠r̸̙̘̓̕̚͜e̸͇̻̓́͑ n̴̦̘͒͆͘͜o̸̘̞͇̓̀̿ b̸͕̟̓͒é̵͖͎̐̀͜t̴̝͖̐͝͠t̴̡̙͍͛̈́͝e̵͔̠͇͘͠͝r̸̼͖̘͑̀͠ t̴̫͍͊̓̈́h̴̘͓͖̔̔͋a̵̟̫͓̾̔͠n̸̡̠͙̓͋͋ a̴̢͉͋͒͘ p̵̢̻̫̐͊͒e̸̘̪͙͑̚͠t̴̟͔͚́̓͋u̴͎͉̐̽̒l̴̞͔͖͘͠a̴͓͙͎̽͊͝n̵̙͉͔̒̓͊t̵̪̘͓̒͛͊ c̵͚͓̘̒̈́h̴͕̪̝̓͠͝i̵̡̘̼͑͊̐l̴̡͎̝͌͛͌d̴͉͔̺̓̓͠.̵͇͉̈́͛͝ T̸̡͎̙̽͝ḧ̴͎͇͔́͆͝é̸͇̺͝ p̸̞̞̘̽͑̿a̸͙̪̪̽͊t̵̙͚͑̚͝h̸͉̼̟̓͌͘ w̵̫͎̺̾̔͒i̴̘̟͊̈́͘͜l̵͕̻̻͆̕͝l̴̪͖͕̒͐ r̵̘͚͛̔͒u̴̝͚̘͐̿n̸͇͕̦͋͝ i̸̪͔͓̐̕͝ẗ̴͚͚̫́͝͝s̸̫͍̓̓͋ c̵̼͙̻̿̐o̵̡̘͌̈́͜͝u̸͇͇͎̚͝͠r̸͎͙̻͆̐͘s̵̠̘̝͒̓͊e̴͓͔̼̐͛͘ t̵͍͓̪͆̽͆o̵͎̻͉̓͐̾ ẗ̴̪́̓̀͜h̸̺͔̽́͒e̸̙͍̺̽̔͠ é̸͓̙̪̕͝n̴̟̙͎̒̿͝d̸̞̼̝̔̚̚.̸̻̫̠̐͛͐ I̴̦̺͎̓͊̚t̵̫̠͙͒͋͝ w̵͔̞̞͑̓͒í̵͙̙͘̕͜l̴̟͓̦̓̿͘ĺ̵̢̺͖̐̽ e̵̢̪̼̓̿̽i̸͍͍͇̐͐̚t̴͕͕͕͌͌̚h̴͚͕̼̔͝͝e̸͖͚̫͐͑͘r̴͔̪̓͌͜͝ s̵̡̺̟͋̽̚u̸͚̪̔̚͜͝c̵͔͔͙̈́͛̈́c̴͎̟̒́͌e̴͉̦͖͐͐͋è̵̪͎̠̔d̸̪̘̼͊͆̕ ò̵͇̼͚̈́̒r̵̠̘͙̈́̒͠ f̸̡͙̺͋̈́̈́a̴͓̼̽͑̈́͜i̴̡̘͖͑̓͝l̵͎̟͉̽͐̚, a̵̺̝̾̕͠n̸͇̘̪̽̓̀d̸̦̫̔͘̚͜ t̴̞͓̟͒͆̾h̸̙͓̔͒͊a̴̢̫̙͐͘̚t̸͉̻͑͋̈́ i̸͓̪̽͝s̸̞͖̦͆̈́̚ a̸͙͉͎͛͋̓l̴͙͇͔͋́͒l̴̢͔͖̈́̓͋.̴͖̝̼͛͑͆ B̸̪͇͌͆̚u̸͓̙̐͒͝t̴͉͚̙̓̓̽ i̴͙̻̘̔̚͝f̴͉͍̘̓͋͑ y̸̢̢̠͊͋͘o̴̡̺͉͊̈́͝u̵̞͎̘̓́ s̴̪͙͙͐̐͐ǘ̵̦͙̘̾̓c̸͎̼͓͛̔̔c̴̝͖̙͐̚é̴͖̠͉͛̿e̸̠̫͉͛̔͑d̸̘̦̪̾̀, y̵͉͔͑̈́͝ó̸̟͕̪̓̚ǘ̴̡͓̝͊͠ w̵̙̻̺̿͒̐i̸͙̟͚͛̀̕l̸̠̻͔̔͛̕l̴̪͓͙̐̚͝ b̴͚͕̦͆̀͌e̵̠̻̓̚ r̵̫̟͚̕͝͠e̴͙̞͚͛͆̕w̸͓̠͕̓͌͑a̵̦̪͊̓͑r̴̼̪̔͜͝d̸͉͓͎̓͠͝é̵͙͓͖̔̒d̵̢̘͉̓̔͝.̴͙͍͖̓͝"̸͎̻͋̀̽͜

“Rewarded? But how?!” Chris begged the voice. The labored gasps of tears marred his stubbornness. How were you so understanding in the middle of such a vivid dream? The attic window shined, almost like a Christmastime storefront, as if it were simply a spotlight recessed in the wall. “I can’t stand it, I feel sick, I can’t sleep, I’m weak and hurt–”

"̸̡̡̠͊̔͒C̴̦͚̘̿͘ë̴̼̟̪́͛a̸͎̪̝͛̀̚s̴͙͕̪̈́̈́͝ë̵̡͕̼́̽͐, m̸̡͓̫̈́̐y̵̪̝͓̿̓ é̴̢̙͉̈́͝ń̸̙͖͍̈́͒t̴͕̝͖͑̾r̸̫͎̝̓̀̕u̴͕͉͋́̾s̵̢̻̻̈́̓̈́t̵͔͙̠͑̾͝e̸͙̻͎͛̈́͠d̴̙͖̪̔̀͠.̴̙̫̙́̔͘ Y̵̡͉͖̽́̐o̴̼͕͊́u̵͓͎͖̓̈́̈́r̴̡̞̓͒͋͜ f̸͓̼̝̔̽͝a̸̢̫̝̓͛͠i̴͖͉͙͑̿t̴̻͇͎̒̈́̕h̸̠͔̪͆͝͝ i̴̢̙͘͠͠s̴̼͕͙̾̓̓ ẅ̸̫̪́́͝a̵̡̻͛͆͝v̵͖̞̽̀͘ë̴̢̘͎́̈́̒r̸̞͍̻͊͒͝i̵̻̞̐̚͠n̸̺͍͖̐̓͠g̸̡̦̘̀͑͘.̸̡͖̻̾͝͝ Y̸̡̝͎͆͘o̴̢͉͉̓̿̾u̴͇͖͓̓̓͘ c̴̼͖̓͐͠ä̵̺̟́͋̐͜n̸͓̼̞͋͌̈́n̴̠̙̐̿͒o̸̙̦̼̾͌͝t̴̙̪̓̾͝ s̸͔̦̔͒̽e̴̞͚̪͑̐͆e̸͔̫̦͑̒͝ t̴̞͖̦͒͊̚h̴͍̘̐͒͝e̵͕̫͍̓̈́̐ r̴͎͓̞͆́͝e̴͍͕̽̾͘͜w̸̟̙͐̔͛á̵̘̼͚͛͐r̸͔͇͎̀̓͝d̵̡͎͙̽̒͘ b̸̼̪̝̽̓̕e̴̟̺͚͋̚͠c̵̡̼̽̒̿à̵̝̼̟͘̕ǘ̵̡͚̘̽̀s̵͚͙͍̽͑̿e̸͓͎̦̿͑͠ y̸̢̪̓́̈́o̴͇̙͛͆̚͜u̴̺͚͖̾͐̽ l̴̪͛̕͜͝á̴̡̢̻̈́̾c̵̢͕͍͐̒̕k̵̙͙̘̔̀͆ r̴̫͖̘̓͋e̴͓̫͖͊͌̀s̸̝̫̻͒̒̀o̵̝̠͐̔͠l̴͙̪̻̿̈́͘v̵̡̦̔͐̾e̴͔͚̼̐̈́̚.̸̢͙̦͑͘͘ Y̴͎͍͉̔̽̚o̸̫̘̘͛͊̓u̵̫͎̘̾͆͠ k̴̡̢̝̽̚͠n̴̝̪̫̈́̿͘o̸͔͉͕͊͋̓w̴͉͎̼̒̚ t̵̟̝̟̿͠͠h̵̘̙̘͆̚͘e̵̝̠͕͊̽̐ r̵̡͙͓͐̀̈́e̸̢͇̻͊̒͠w̴̠̟̙̓͛͝a̵̙̻̟͋̓͘r̴͇͔͋͋͒d̸͓͚̽̕͜͝.̵̪͕̘͒͝ Y̴͓͉̠͊̈́͝ó̸̺͕͓͛̀u̸̟̞͑̿͜͝ w̴̼̘͔͑̓̓i̵͓̠͎͑̓l̵͙̻̪͛̓͝l̸̺̝̘̀͠ ḧ̵͕̟̪́͋̾á̴̫͍̼̽̓v̸̡̼̙͊̈́̈́è̴̪͓͓̒̕ i̵̡̟͙̿̒t̸̘̟͊̈́̿ a̴͚̝͕͐̽̔l̵̙̫̙̓͛̓l̵̞͐͜͠, e̴͎̪͍͊̽̿v̸͓͎͖̐́e̵̢͖̓̈́̽n̸͉͍͔̈́́–̵͎͙̀̈́̒͜"̴͔͇̻̐͌͋

Me. The voice is telling Chris that he can win me, but I don’t understand. There’s a pit in my stomach, like I’ve learned a terrible secret. 

Because I have. 

I feel watched but no one is looking at me. I can’t feel my fingertips. My skin feels like it’s made of static. There’s perspiration on my brow that’s turned to ice. I feel a sharp pain in my chest, and I realize it’s because it feels as though I can’t fucking breathe. My haphazard stance, tiptoeing on the old stepladder, dangerously falters, and I clutch onto the attic door with a pathetic cry. 

Chris looks right at me, gaze snapping in my direction and he looks terrified, pallid and ill and like I’ve caught some small animal running from a bear. 

And I fall

right

back

to

sleep

[yellowwithalisp]

𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙸𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 - 𝙰 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗.

You are a simple S.T.A.R.S member just trying to live your life. But your past keeps finding ways to make you scream in the dark….

(Remember that Wekser x reader requests are still open!!) ( I hope you enjoy! And if anyone gets the references made in this chapter. the first to comment it will get to have a shoutout as a background character in an upcoming chapter! - Yellow 💛🌻) (Final count- 7,018 words.)

(I'm sorry this one is small. Please forgive me!)

𝙷𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝙸𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 ����𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚎𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 - 𝙰 𝙱𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗. (𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙶𝚎𝚝 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝙵𝚘𝚛.)

🖤🔪▪ 𝙸𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚡 🥀 🖤▪ 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜~ 🖤🔪▪ 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 🖤🔪▪ 𝘉𝘢𝘤𝘬 🖤▪ 𝙰𝚖𝚋𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛: 🖤🚗▪ 𝙲𝚊𝚛 𝚍𝚛𝚒𝚟𝚎: 🖤🚓▪ 𝘚.𝘛.𝘈.𝘙.𝘚 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦. 🖤🚔▪ 𝚁.𝙿.𝙳. 𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚊𝚕𝚕: 🖤🏬▪ 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙻𝚘𝚝: 🖤🏠▪ 𝙰𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝: 🖤🌧️▪ 𝚁𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚊𝚛 🖤▪ 𝘈03𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.

🖤▪ 𝚃𝚊𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝. @bisexualforestfire (𝚂𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚊𝚜𝚔 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚊𝚐 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝!)

"Mouse, mouse. come in. Mouse"

I jumped realizing that I had been lost in thought as I quickly blinked. Look down at the radio. Crap!! Wesker had been trying to get a hold of me!

Panicked, I grabbed the radio microphone and quickly responded, "Apologies, Captain. Mouse here. I must have drifted off for a moment. No signs of unusual activity to report at the moment."

Wesker's voice came through the radio, calm but tinged with concern. "We need you alert, Mouse. We don't know what we're dealing with out there."

"Yes sir- I understand, sir." I assured him, my voice nervous with my momentary lapse in focus. I couldn't afford to let my guard down, I couldn't let my guard down with my uncle still here somewhere. I knew he wasn't going to leave anytime soon. The rain started to pour, creating a rhythmic pattern against the car's roof. The sound seemed to heighten my senses, sharpening my focus in the face of the eerie quiet that enveloped the city. Wesker went quiet for a moment before responding with a sigh.

"Redfield I requesting for you to come back so that your not alone." Wesker said. I hesitated for a moment, torn between the desire for companionship and my need to prove my capabilities as a member of S.T.A.R.S. The rain continued to pour, the droplets beating against the car's roof in a steady rhythm. I glanced out at the darkened streets, shadows shifting and lurking, reminding me of the dangers that awaited. I know that it would probably be for the best if I took Redfield's offer. I took a deep breath, weighing my options. As much as I wanted to prove myself capable, I couldn't ignore the concerns Wesker had expressed. The night was already taking on a sinister tone, and having backup would provide an extra layer of security. And it was Chris. So hopefully not so much doom and gloom. "Understood, Captain," I replied, my voice a little calmer this time. "I'll head back to the station and rendezvous with Redfield. It's better to be safe than sorry." Wesker's voice crackled through the radio, his approval evident. "Good call, Mouse. Redfield will meet you at the designated location. Stay sharp."

With the decision made, I turned the car around and headed back to the police station. The rain beat against the windshield, obscuring the streets with its relentless downpour. I couldn't help but think about Wesker's concern, and a small smile played at the corners of my lips. Perhaps it wasn't just a concern for my safety, but something more. As I parked the car in front of the station, I saw Chris Redfield waiting near the entrance. He acknowledged me with a nod as I stepped out of the vehicle, the rain soaking through my clothes. "Mouse! I heard you needed backup," Chris said, his voice calm and steady with a lighthearted smile. I rolled my eyes and smiled at him. "Pretty sure the Captain said that you asked for this?" Chris blinked before that shit-eating grin came back on him. "Ohohoh? Is that what he said?" He quickly got to the car with a then grin on his face. I raised an eyebrow as I slowly got in the passenger side.

"What's got you so smug, Redfield?" I teased, trying to hide the growing smile on my face.

"Oh, just enjoying the chance to tag along with you, Mouse," he replied with a wink. "And the fact thaaatt- Wesker asked me to do this" I turned my head as he pulled out of the gouge. "Wesker asked you to do this? But he told me-"

"But he told you what?" Chris asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he kept his gaze on the road.

I crossed my arms. "He told me that you were concerned for my safety and thought it would be best if I had some backup. He didn't mention anything about him telling you to do this."

Chris chuckled, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Well, let's just say I may have given him a little nudge in that direction. I was trying to get him to be the one to go with you, but the Chief came storming in and pulled him away."

My eyes widened in surprise as Chris's words sank in. Wesker hadn't mentioned anything about Chief Irons interrupting his plans. I couldn't help but feel a mix of confusion and amusement at the thought of Chris orchestrating all of this. He really was full of surprises.

"You... nudge him?" I asked, a hint of skepticism in my voice.

Chris grinned, focusing on the road. "Well, yeah. I couldn't let you go out there alone. And besides, I know about what happened at the hospital."

"At the hospital?"

He smirk.

"Right, you don't know. He probably woke up before you and moved back."

"... What? Chris, what are you talking about?"

I said as I stared over at Chris as we drove in our night petrol. "I-I was only in the hospital for overnight? Did something happen?" Chris had a large smirk on his face.

"Well, I can't check in on you. In the morning. The Captain had fallen asleep next to you holding your hand."

I rolled my eyes as I slowly stopped at a stop light. "Yeah, right "

Chris smiled and nodded before holding up a Polaroid of Wesker asleep next to me. Holding my hand, and his glasses off of his face. I blushed brightly as my eyes widened. 

"W-When- how-!?"

“This? This is nothing!” Chris laughed as he drank some of his coffee. I find the situation very funny. The smile on his face was infectious yet he stopped smiling as he looked at me. I didn't know whether to glare at him or throw his drink out of the car. "You’re in love with the Captain…" My eyes widened as I didn’t know what to say or think. The blush on my face growing darker wasn't helping at all. My heart was beginning I could hear it in my ears. "I-I'm not!"

Chris smirked. "Sure ~ but you always have a blush on your face when he’s around. You always make excuses to go down to his office with whatever document you think he needs to have. You love his  hair, his piercing eyes, and his deep voice-" He said with a smirk before a cut him off. "What about you and Jill huh!?" I said, calling him out on his own crush on Jill.  Chris was stunned for a moment - but only for a moment. It was Chris after all. He quickly took a moment to compose himself and had that same infectious smile back on his face when he looked back at me and replied “Don’t try to change the subject. We’re talking about your obvious feelings towards the Captain. The same way I have feelings for Jill, I can’t deny it.” He smirked and looked back at the road as I drove the car through the rain. “But my feelings for Jill are irrelevant compared to you and the Captain.”

"There are no feelings for the Captain."

Chris rolled his eyes playfully. "Yeah, and the Captain wasn't the one who ordered me to go with you on the night petrol to make sure you would be okay. I think he wanted to be the one to go with you."

I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I stared out the windshield through the rain. "Sure..."

Chris chuckled away as he saw the blush on my face only getting redder.

"I think the Captain is interested. I’ve seen him checking you out too."

Chris laughed as he had a hand over his mouth - clearly trying to hide how amused he was at my flustered state as I flipped him off as the rain grew harder. “You should take this chance and ask the Captain out on a date when- the R.P.D charity ball! You can ask him to go with you-" My eyes grew wide as I quickly slammed on the bricks a bit. Fuck- I forgot that was still happening in a week. "Absolutely not." Chris giggled as he saw I was trying my hardest to stay mad. He could see right through my facade. He was going to enjoy this. “I won’t take no for an answer, missy!” Chris laughed heartily as he could tell how red my face was getting. “What’s the matter, Don’t wanna go to the ball with the Captain just the two of you?” Chris was playing along with my bluffing. He was having too much fun with this.

"It won't be just us. And while we're on it why didn't you ask Jill!" "I already did that." My eyes widen as my head whips over to him. "What!? When!" Chris smirked at my confusion as he quickly looked over "A couple of weeks ago. She said yes " Chris smirked and he turned back to glance at the rain. "Now, about you asking the captain to the dance~" I blushed brightly. "Not doing it" He was enjoying this and smirked as he stared at me from the passenger seat. "Hey, do you mind if we go past the R.P.D station? I need to grab my jacket real quick." He took this opportunity so he could go inside and tell the Captain something He had a sneaky plan in mind. I raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, our petrol is almost done." I said as he smirked."Thanks, Mouse!"

Chris seemed delighted that I was okay with driving past the station. He had a sneaking suspicion that Mouse would be alright with it. The thought of her being alone with the Captain, or rather getting closer to him, made Chris smirk. Once the car pulled up near the station, Chris told me he just needed to go inside to grab his jacket. I said that was fine, and told him that I was going to go park the car. I drove last the from of the R.P.D over to the was and parked the car. Pulling out my keys and stepping out of it. I locked the door before making my way inside the building.  "I didn't know who to bring it up to. Just say the station and figured I would be it up here before going to drop off my kid." The voice was more of like a fancy New York accent. The man was in an expensive black suit and a black hat. A smaller man was standing next to him. Who was also in a fancy suit and hat? The taller one was carrying a sleeping girl on his back. I realized those two. My father had them work under him, along with the other two who weren't here.  They were talking to Mister Larson at the front desk. Something must have happened for them to be here.

"Droog? Deuce?"

The two men turn their heads over to my voice.

"Whaa'! Little Okhotnik!! But that can't be! You were barely taller than me when we last met!"

"Tha' was years ago Deuce."

The taller one- Droog said as the sleepy girl on his back mumbled a bit in her sleep. Mister Larson blinked as he looked over at me.

"You know these men Miss?"

I smiled and nodded. "They worked for my father when I was younger," I said before looking at the girl on Droog's shoulder. "Never knew you settled down Droog."

Droog shook his head as Deuce smiled. "It's so nice to see you!! You had all of us worried after that night! Even Slick was worried!"

The small man said as Droog turned to face me fully. "We kind of all do! It's a weird story but- it happens!"

Deuce said with a big smile. I... raised an eyebrow but just slowly nodded. "Rriight... But what are you guys doing here? It's far away from your home town"

"We're meetin' up with the other two for a job."

Droog said as Mister Larson smiled and gave us some space. Droog reached into his suit and pulled out a file. "But- this is somethin' for you." I raised an eyebrow and slowly grabbed the file. It.... Had my father's name on it in Russian. "It was what he assigned us to retrieve before the fire happened."

"Yeah! He also asked us to do him a favor!"

Deuce said as he pulled out some wires out of his pockets. Droog.... Glares at him and he slowly puts the wires back into his pockets. Deuce was the... Boom expert so... Probably a good thing to not have him mess with those inside the R.P.D.

"What did he ask you guys to do?"

"Mainly to keep an eye on you. And to keep you away from your Uncle."

"Y... Yeah, about that. I kind of already ran into him. Said something about me not being able to trust my own Captain. You guys know anything about that?"

Deuce shrugged as Droog shook his head. "No clue. We've just stopped by to report somethin' before hearin' the guy says your name."

"Yeah! We were so happy to hear that you were alive. We tried finding you before the building went down but.. All we found were your parents."

My eyes widen slightly. "My mom and dad... Are they-"

"Both shot in the head."

Droog said as Deuce looked down at the floor sadly.  I stared at with with a sad look in my eyes then looked at the ground as we'll. "Then my hunch was right. I know who did it."

The two stayed silent before Deuce spook up. "Want me to rough him up! I can give him the one-two! And deal him a senseless shin-drubbing with my crook of felony-"

Deuce went on and on as I slowly leaned over to Droog. "He still doesn't have that... Cane does he? The bull...."

Droog sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. That's all the reply I needed. "Got it..." Droog looked over at Deuce before Druce realized both of us were not responding to him. Droog reached into his pocket and handed me a card with the group's numbers on it. And two red diamonds on it like a playing card. 

"We'll be in town for a bit. Call if you need anythin'."

I smiled as I thought of him before giving them both a hug. Droog grew extremely stuffed as a board while Deuce smiled and warmly hugged me back.

I watched them both leave before I started up the stairs to going into the West Wing. Chris said that he was only going to be gone for a few minutes and when he returned, a grin etched its way across his face.

"You're going to the ball with the Captain!" He said the lights in the building flickered due to the storm. I stared at him in horror.

". . . . What?"

Chris laughed. As I stared at him horrified.

"I asked the Captain since you didn't want." 

"Aww, don't be like that Mouse! How could you not like Captain Wesker? He's handsome, tall and very dashing in that uniform!"

I rolled my eyes as we walked. "Admit it. You'd like to hold his hand in a storm, as he kisses the rain from your face."

Chris just smiled as we both entered the empty S.T.A.R.S office.

"It's true, you're definitely attracted to the Captain."

He looked at me as I walked to my desk and smirked.

"That's why you're blushing. If you liked him, you'd probably flirt with him."

He laughed.

"It's kind of cute, Mouse."

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my things. Not giving him a response.

Chris was still watching me from the other side of the room with a smirk on his face. I had either a pissed-off look or the ' I'm going to punch you look.'

"The truth is hard to hide." He said as he leaned on his desk a bit as I grabbed my notebook and a few other things off of mine.

He was going to continue this till the end of our shift, till we walked out the door to go home. 

"So, did you drive here today?"

Chris asked as I froze for just a moment before I started to put my raincoat on. "Yeah... Sure...."

He blinked before his eyes widened slightly. "Didn't he just scold you about this a few-"

"I'm fine! I'm a big girl who can walk home by myself!"

The rain and storm outside got worse as you two were the last two in the S.T.A.R.S. So the thunder echoed around the room. We could hear the rain hitting the roof of the building. Chris came over to my desk after he finished getting ready. He placed one hand on my desk and leaned on it, and the other over his eyes pretending to look out a window.

"Hm. Yup! That's a storm!"

I glared at him as I zipped up my coat.  "Thanks, Captain Obvious. Anything else I didn't know?"

He held his hand up in defense. "You're right. You're a big girl and can walk home by yourself. I just wanna help keep you safe after what happened with your uncle Mouse." He said as I glanced up at him before looking away. He's right, it was him and Wesker who were cut off from me during the missing. They both saw me injected with something. He had a right to be worried as well. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh. "No, your right... Sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Chris was starting to say it was no problem, but he had that look on his face that said I was being too hard on myself. I placed my bag over my shoulder as he walked up to me.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I understand.  He said as I glanced up at him.  

The thunder rumbled through the building again. "Man.. This may be the worst one yet." Chris said as he walked over to the door. Stepping out into the hallway to glanced out the window. 

"Hey, Mouse! Come check this out!" Chris yelled as I set my bag back down and walked over past the S.T.A.R.S office door to see what he was looking at. The taping of the rain grew heavier as the seconds went by.  The rain was coming down so heavily you could only see the lights of the cars passing by and that was mainly it. 

"I wish I would have asked Wesker to drive me home in their weather," I mumbled as I crossed my arms over my chest. Chris had a fake hurt expression on his face. "Mouse! You don't trust me to drive you home! I'm a good driver?" My thumb pointed to the window.

"You? Driving in that ok? Yeah right." "I was a pilot you know! I have flown in worse!" "Wish is why I will be driving Mouse home Redfield. And not you." 

A cold voice came behind us as we both jumped. "C-Captain-" I studdered. 

Wesker was standing behind us with a cold look. Like we had just interrupted something important. He glanced over at Chris and then at me before speaking in a cold and stern voice.

"Why are you looking at that window? it's not gonna stop the storm."

I brushed slightly as Chriss still had his smile on his face. "Captain. Remember when you told Mouse that you wanted her to drive her car here to work every day?"

My eyes widened as my head snapped over to Chris with a smirk on his face. Giving him a 'Don't you dare' look.

Wesker would stay still for a moment to think as the rain fell harder than before

"Fine. I will drive you home this one time Mouse. Tomorrow you will be receiving a punishment for displaying orders. And you will drive yourself to work." 

He stared right at me without blinking. His glasses hide any movements of his eyes

"Redfield, I will need to speak with you about something very important before we leave."

He said as he turned and walked back into the office. "Yes sir." Chris said before glancing over to me as he called in after Wesker. Leaving me alone in the hallway.

Thankfully I wasn't left waiting til long. Both Chris and Wemse came out of the office soon. Chris smiled as he handed me my things. "Here you go Mouse." "Thanks." I said as I reached out and took my things from him. Glancing over at Wekse truth a light blush in my face. "Ready to go sir..." Chris smirked. "Have fun driving Mouse back home sir!" He said with a chuckle as he walked away from the two of us.

Wesker would notice the blush but wouldn’t comment on it. He would just stay quiet to himself.

Wesker would give Chris a cold glare as his face remained straight and still hiding his intentions and emotions as he watched Chris walk away. Wesker’s voice would remain stern and cold.

"Come now, we need to hurry the rain is getting worse we can talk on the way." He said as he would walk with me over to the main hall. I nodded as I tried to keep up with him over to the main hallway. 

"If you don't mind sir... What are you still doing here." He didn't turn his head to look at me as I asked. He simply moved his hand behind his back as we walked.

"I had a meeting with the Cheif." 

"This late?" 

Mister Larson did say something about the chief setting meetings at unreasonable times. As we walled, the halls that were normally full of commotion were silent. "This is getting old Mouse." He would say in a stern voice but without any anger as it sounded a lot more like care than anything else. I glanced down to the ground. "Sorry sir..."

He said nothing as he gazes stayed ahead if us. "How have you been feeling? What happened in petrol tonight."

"It went fine sir."

He would pause and stop walking for a moment as he heard my response. He would keep looking forward with his stern and cold face and glasses, still hiding his eyes as he spoke.

"Now I need to talk to you about something."

He would then start walking again. "Um- yes sir?" I asked as we made our way to the front doors of the RPD. "What Is it?"

Wesker would walk a little further before stopping and turning around to face Me. His face was still cold and not showing any signs of emotion.

"My words on what I'm about to say to you is that this stays between us, Mouse."

He would then take off his black sunglasses revealing his ice blue eyes filled with a cold and stern look in his eyes a stare not of kindness. Wesker’s voice would remain stern and cold.

"We need to have a talk about who your partners are for tonight."

"Tonight?"

I asked confused as I looked up at him. "I can take care of myself sir. If this is about how my Uncle attacked me I-"

No that’s not why I want to talk about that.

*Wesker’s voice would remain stern and cold as he glanced over at me. The rain starting to fall harder.

"It’s about who you got for your assignment tonight."

His eyes are cold and it would seem that his words are not meant to come out as rude. But they still do sound that way a little.

"I’ll be your partner for your assignment tomorrow."

Wesker’s voice would now sound stern and cold but just a tad bit more friendly and soft. Wesker would turn around without waiting for me to respond.

"The rains getting worse. We should go before we're stuck here."

He would start to walk again his glasses still hiding his eyes.

My eyes widened as I quickly went after him as he made his way to his personal car. "But- Sir- I'm meant to be pared up with Berry tomorrow? Why would you want to take over for him?' I yelled as the rain almost drowned out my voice. 

"I know mouse."

He would continue walking to a black SUV that looked like a police car. The rain dripped off of his sunglasses.

"That was my plan originally to have Berry be your partner."

He moved to unlock the door and open the passenger side of the car.

"Hurry and get in the rain is getting worse as we speak."

I nodded my head as I carefully got into the car. Wesker walked around the car as the rain poured down harder and harder and the thunder and lightning flashed more and more. He would climb into the driver's seat, close the door, and look over at me.

"Get your seatbelt on, now."

I nodded as I pulled the seatbelt over myself. Looking back over at him. "I didn't expect it to come down this bad..."

"Neither did I. I didn’t even think we would get more rain today."

He would turn the key in the ignition making the car start as he turned back to face forward.

"We need to hurry to get out of here.'

He would then put the car into drive as it slowly started moving and the rain continued pouring.

"It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened so I am fine with that."

They would both remain silent for a moment as Wesker would just watch the road not saying anything.

"Mouse may I ask you something?"

"Is there something going on with Chris that you know about?"

Wesker’s voice would remain stern and cold. My eyes widen as a blush grew on my face. He would look right over at me for a moment as if waiting for my answer.

I looked confused. "No sir?"

"Really nothing at all?"

Wesker’s voice would remain stern and cold. He looked right at me as he spoke.

"... Captain sir.. Are you jealous?"

"Jealous?"

Wesker’s voice would drop a little in pitch for a moment as he spoke.

"Jealous of what exactly?"

He would look right at me as he spoke and asked.

"... Of Chris... He... Did say that you fell asleep on me at the hospital."

Wesker’s eyes would remain cold and stern. I felt a shiver running down my back as I looked away from him. The rain grew louder as he slowly drove to my house. At this rate, some of the streets will be flooded till the morning. "No, I would never be jealous of him." He seemed to be thinking of something now as he stared out into the windshield of the car. He took a moment before speaking again.

"Chris has some bad qualities. He’s always had an issue with being late."

He then took a moment to turn his head back to me still staring right at myself.

"He’s also very immature sometimes."

He would say these things in a blunt manner.

"... Sir. You sound... Jealous."

"I am not Jealous."

His face would become even more stern as he spoke in a more serious and calm tone. He then turned his head back to drive the car again.

"There is nothing that I am jealous of him for." "No... Not jealous of him... jealous that he spent the night petrol with me instead of you..."

"Really mouse?"

Wesker’s voice seemed a little surprised and he stopped driving for a moment as he looked over at me. He was not mad or angry at me though his voice did seem a tad bit surprised. He then started to speak again but this time his voice seemed a little softer and more curious

"Jealous? Of spending time with you?"

He would continue to drive as he spoke still staring right at me.

"I mean, you were going to spend the petrol with me and then the chief came in."

It seemed he was beginning to see where I were heading with this.

"Well... Chris spend it with me instead of you."

Wesker stayed silent for a moment as he thought about what I was trying to say.

"You think I wanted to spend some time with you?"

Wesker’s voice would stay curious still wondering what I was trying to get at with all of this. I blushed and looked away. "N-no sir..."

"No, I see now."

He would be quiet again as he would look at the road and as his eyes scanned the surroundings.

"Are you perhaps blushing right now?"

He would turn his entire head towards me as it almost seemed he was trying to see if I was really blushing. My whole body froze as I quickly looked away. "N-no sir..."

"Are you sure Mouse? Your voice sounded just a bit high-pitched for a moment." His expression stayed curious and his eyes looked right over at me, almost as if he was trying to check if I was really blushing or not. I faced fully away from him and looked away from him. "Are you certain you are not blushing right now?." Wesker would still sound curious as I keep looking away from him. "Yes sir..."

The rain was getting worse the streets started to get flooded a little. He turned into the road leading to my apartment building. 

"Mouse, I do believe you blushing. You seemed to answer back rather quickly." 

"N-no, I just answered your question sir." 

Wesker’s voice would get a little more curious and soft in a caring way. I glared at him from the corner of my eye before he pulled into a parking spot. The either was getting worse as the winds grew. There was no way I could let him drive back to his home in the either. This storm was getting worse. He stayed silent as he turned off the car and pulled the keys out. Wesker then got out of the car and got his umbrella out from the back of the car in order to stay dry and not completely wet as he walked towards the passenger side of the car. He opened the door as I slowly stepped out. He held it above our heads as he started to make his way to my apartment's front door. The rain dropped hard on all the buildings and the wind started to get faster. I glanced around as the rain fell down on us before looking up at Wesker.

"I stand corrected."

He then saw a sign near the elevator that said maintenance service down due to damage caused by the storm as he let out another sigh. I looked over at what he was looking at and read the sign. "I suppose you are correct." He said as I turned my head to look back at him. Water dropped off of the pieces of his hair that fell in front of his face. "The storm is getting worse, I hope you don’t mind if I take refuge in your apartment. He then looks back at the entrance door and looks at me. I blushed as I tried my best to not think about the fact that the Captain was about to spend the night in my apartment." A serious expression appears on his face. "Not a word of this to anyone." 

He said as he turned and walked over to the stairs. "Y-yes sir-" I said quickly as I rushed after him. Climbing up the stairs with him. The thunder rumbled through the building as the light shined on us for a brief moment as we walked. We got to the second floor as we made our way to my door. Wesker would look back at me as I opened the apartment door and let him inside. Wesker took his shoes off and put his umbrella against the wall.  He moved the fallen bits of hair

"Mouse, do you have a fresh set of clothes for me to change into? I don't want to be soaking wet while in your apartment." "Y-yeah. I have some larger clo..." I slowly paused as I saw him roll back his solders, letting his wet coat roll off of him. Reveling his blue shirt wet underneath it. Clinging to his skin he took a deep breath in. Setting his wet coat over a chair. All around him the shirt tightly cling to his skin. "I'll- go get you the clothing." I mumbled quickly as I rushed through the living room and over to my bedroom, quickly shutting the door behind me. As he waited for the dry clothing, his phone started to ring. He answers it after he takes out his phone glaring slightly at it before he answers it. "Hello." His voice sounds a bit annoyed.

"Albert, where are you? You never came back to the lab?" Willaim's voice came through the phone.

Wesker would stand up and walk over to the couch and look around the apartment as he heard William asking for him. He wasn't able to get a good look at what was around here the last time he was here. 

"I am at Mouse's apartment. I have to spend the night here thanks to the storm." 

Wesker heard the sound of papers rustling in the background of the phone. 

"I know, I had to leave to make sure Sherry got home safely earlier. I never made it back to the lab."

William said as Wesker started to look at the photos in frames Mouse had on the wall.

"But- you're at the one who's immune to the Brass gas? You seem to be getting awfully close to her."

William teased softly as Wesker let out a small huff in annoyance. 

"What did the blood samples tell you." Wesker asked William.

William sighs softly."Nothing yet. I was able to find a gene that is present in both the t and the Golgatha virus strains in her. I have yet to find a proper conclusion, however."

Wesker picked up an old photo with Mouse as a young child. Sitting in her mother's lap as her father stood next to her. Wesker took his glasses off as he stared at the man in the photo. 

"But- I did find something odd." William began. 

"Her DNA matches a woman by the name of Salko Olena Okhotnik. It's clear that someone tried to hide it. But her is almost the exact same as hers. Too much for a mother-daughter DNA."

"William, did you ever hear of a doctor known as Docter Rolf Buchtel."

"Rolf Buchtel? The name sounds familiar. He was the man that made the Pesimis Disease right?"

"Yes."

Wesker said as he slowly set the photo back down on the end table. 

"He was a doctor that lived in Russia that Umbrella tried to hire. But he refused each time, rumor had it that his mansion was burned down to the ground. Along with his notes and research."

"Where are you going with this Albert?"

William asked. 

"I believe he did have a wife and child did he not?" Wesker said as he glanced over to Mouse's door.

"Yes, he had a wife and child, I believe the wife passed away when the child was young though. Are you suggesting that we're supposed to believe that this Docter Rolf Buchtel, whom Umbrella tried to hire and failed. Had a child who has the exact same DNA as her mother? But with no direct link to either mother or father?"

Wesker took a few steps around the room. "It could have been an affair, but that wouldn't explain the odd similarities to DNA between the supposed mother and the daughter." William went on.

"You said in her gene there are presents of both the t and the Golgatha virus strains in her." Wesker asked.

"Yes, you heard that correctly."

William pauses briefly, thinking about how that could even be possible. "This case is getting crazier by the minute." William mumbled.

"Are there any other virus strains present in her." Wesker said as he unbuttoned a few of the buttons on his wet shirt. "No, none that I have detected."

William pauses as he thought.

"It appears as if her entire genetic code has been heavily manipulated, I am amazed that she is even alive."

William pauses again "What am I saying she is alive with no negative side effects. This could be the key to advancing our research."

Wesker pauses, glancing over to Mouse's door, which was shut. This was curious, Wesker could hear faint sounds coming from them.

"I won't be able to find out more till I can get back to my la-"

William's voice was cut off as Wesker could hear him move away from the phone. 

"Dad... I-I can't sleep." Wesker could barely hear Sherry's voice coming through the phone. He heard William turn his chair a bit to face his daughter.

"Is the storm keeping you awake Sherry?"

"Yeah.." Her voice could be softly heard.

"Give Daddy a few more minutes and I'll come tuck you in again. Daddy just had to call Uncle Al to make sure he was ok."

"Okay... H-hi Uncle Al."

The smallest smile appeared on Wesker's face as he closed his eyes.

"Hello Sherry, I won't keep you father for long. I'm sure your mother is already upset about him staying up this late."

He could tell that William sent him a small glare through the phone. William sighs softly, still on the phone with Wesker as Sherry looks over at him. "I'll send you what I found out tomorrow Albert." Wesker nods as puts his sunglasses back on his face.

"I assume you already know not to tell a soul about this."

"I know Albert." William huffed.

"Okay... Well, goodnight Uncle Al." He heard Sherry said. William sighed softly "Yes... Goodnight Albert."

"Dad, could you tuck me in like before please?" Sherry asked.

"Of course sweetheart... Good night again, Albert " William said as Wesker nods. "Good night William, Sherry."

He said before he heard William hang up the phone.

"Sorry to keep you waiting sir!"

I said as I quickly brought him a fresh change of clothing.

"Thank you, Mouse."

Wesker said as he took the clothing from my hands.

"Y-you can change in the bathroom sir."

I mumbled as I stepped aside so Wesker could walk past me. He nodded as I took one last glance at the wet shirt sticking to him. 

I blushed nervously as he stopped just in front of the bathroom door. Wesker chuckles softly. "I promise I’ll close the door as I change so you don’t have to worry about being embarrassed." He said as he opened the bathroom door. 

"I'll only be a moment or a couple of minutes so I can change out of my soaking wet clothes. As well as drying myself off." I blushed as I nodded my head as he entered the bathroom.

Wesker entered the bathroom and started to change into the clothes. He dried himself using the bathroom towel to get rid of all the excess water on him and he then finally stepped out of the bathroom wearing his fresh black clothes. He put his black sunglasses back on, but his hair was still wet and dripping a little bit as he turned the handle of the bathroom door he looked over at me.

Wesker looked at Mouse "Yu don't happen to have a hair dryer in your apartment do you Mouse?" I nervously smiled as I nodded my head. "Yeah, but it broke a few days ago... Sorry sir."

Wesker waved his hand. "It's fine Mouse. I'll let it air dry." He said as he moved the few stubborn bangs back in place. "Sorry sir..."

He shook his head "It's fine Mouse. I understand." After he was done moving his bangs back into place he looked around for the second time. He turned to face me as he took his sunglasses off. 

"You know. I have been wondering. Why was the nickname Mouse given to you? Is there a story about how you got the nickname?" He glanced down at me as he sat down on the couch. "It's what my old teammates would call me. I was the shortest in the group and could sneak into places easily, hence the nickname Mouse." 

Wesker nodded his head "Ah that makes sense. Very creative and your old teammates huh" Wesker took his time to think about his next question. He decided to change the topic to her old teammates. He wanted to know more about them. Even though from the Umbrella report, he knew what happened to them.

"So who were these teammates who came up with the nickname Mouse for you? If you don't mind my asking."

I took my jacket off as I went to hang it out for another chair like Wesker had done. "I was assigned to a team tasked with dealing with the situation that happened overseas. There were 7 of us." I said before I let out a yawn. I grabbed some pillows and blankets for Wesker to use. "Would you like to use my b-bed  or the couch?" 

"The couch is fine, I don't think you're ready for a man in your own bed yet Mouse."

Wesker said with a slight smirk. I could feel my face turn bright red as he took the items from my hands as he stands up.

"Was... Was that a joke sir?'

He hummed as he placed the pillow and blankets down on the couch. Glancing around before walking over to the kitchen/dining room to turn off the living room lights.

"I... Don't believe I ever heard you try to tell a joke before sir..."

"You still haven't Mouse."

He said before turning the lights off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 𝘖𝘴 𝘪𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘮, 𝘌𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘢 𝘦𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘶𝘮.

𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘳 𝘲𝘶𝘪 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘮, 𝘘𝘶𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘤𝘶𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘦.

𝘒𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘦, 𝘧𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴 𝘒𝘺𝘳𝘪𝘦, 𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯

[fonulyn]

I just want to say I’m literally obsessed with your fic where Chris and piers find out about Leon being pressured into becoming an agent. I think that’s such a huge sad plot point that gets looked over and none of the other characters know. No one else knows that this traumatized 21 year old rookie was forced to become an special agent under threat of killing a child. I wish so badly it was explored more in fandom and game.

ansjdkfn first of all, thank you 💖 i'm so happy to hear something i wrote resonated with someone!

and i agree, i wish it was addressed in canon properly, and I wish the fandom remembered it more. there are so many Hot Takes out there that just ignore that he didn't choose to be a hotshot agent but was literally forced to take the job. (and that's something else I wish was talked about more! how he chose to sacrifice himself for a girl he barely knew! that is a good man, damnit)

it'd be so interesting to see the reactions from other characters, too! everyone else had some agency over their choices, got to do what they felt was right and choose the path suitable for them. aside from Sherry, of course, who was a victim of this same shitshow too. and that's just another added layer of hurt to Leon's situation.

personally, i've hinted at that in like two dozen of my fics lol because it's just such an integral part of Leon that anything that isn't a straight up pwp or pointless fluff somehow ends at least referencing it. and i'm gonna use this moment as a shameless self-promo :'D lmao.

but yeah, the fic that was already mentioned: where the past meets the future, which is an ot3 fic specifically with the premise of Chris and Piers finding out about Leon's recruitment.

I also wrote about Leon telling Piers about that in the self-indulgent series in you're the world that i wanna discover. there's a lot of fluff lol but then at the end there's That Conversation. there's also a small scene of Leon telling Sherry about it further in the same series in happiness is made not found.

then there's of course question all my doubts, although it's less Leon getting to open up about the recruitment and more Krauser throwing it in his face but 😅

for something that's so often in my mind I haven't utilized it a lot in fic, either. but it's always there, lurking in the background, and it's vaguely referenced and offhandedly mentioned much more than these. still. Leon's been through so damn much shit that i guess it's natural for some of it to slip past and get less attention.

anyhow! this is me rambling and saying that i absolutely agree it'd be wonderful to see more of it :3

[grayintogreen]

Pinned Post II: Electric Boogaloo

Hi, I'm Chris! I'm updating my pinned post to be more streamlined so here we go.

I liveblog Critical Role every week and tag with "cr spoilers" up until Monday. This tag also gets used for Candela Obscura and any one-shots. Dimension 20 spoilers are labeled “d20 spoilers.”

This is primarily a Critical Role and Dimension 20 blog, but I contain multitudes. You will see a lot of random shit depending on my mood. I’m really into Hazbin Hotel right now, for example, so my blog is kinda inundated in that. Honestly I might as well admit I am also a Hazbin blog at this point. Sorry, women.

I write a lot of fic, which can be found on my AO3 here. I primarily write fic centered on minor/supporting characters. I'm also the author of the life in the margins of redemption and red roses and dead things series- more about these below.

I have a ko-fi if you'd like to give me a tip for any reason.

I am the assistant manager of a convenience store that is part of a large retail chain and if you tell me that you shop there because “Wal-Mart is crooked” I’ll kill you. Mine is worse.

My two big series are as follows:

red roses and dead things (or Roseverse), a canon divergent Hazbin Hotel (goes AU after 1x06) series that deals with working on continuing the story while I wait for new material. It is lore-heavy, Team as Family, and redemption-focused with focus on Huskerdust, Alastor and his deal, Lucifer and his relationship to Heaven and Hell and his family, and Charlie continuing to pursue her dreams. Also contains significant amounts of Helluva Boss because we’re not beholden to copyright here.

life in the margins of redemption (or LitMoR), a For Want of a Nail CR2 Canon Divergent series, is a duology (with additional side stories) that takes the alternate path outlined in the Harvest's Close session notes- Cree rescuing the Nein from the Gentleman's wrath should they betray him- and takes it a step further with Cree reviving Molly on the Glory Run Road and traveling with the Nein in the hopes of finding a way to bring Lucien back. It is extremely Canon Divergent, but does feature CR2 plots under radically different circumstances and with additional characters. It's worldbuilding heavy, character-driven, often dark, but has a guaranteed happy ending. You may heard of it as "that 1.5 million word fanfic series."

It is not canon compliant with TNEOL as I had finished OUADYA before TNEOL came out. While I use some elements from the novel, the backstory presented for Lucien and the Tombtakers in the series is entirely different.

More details, including links to the fics, beneath the cut.

THE MAIN STORIES.

Note that while the series features Fjorester, Beauyasha, and Widomauk as primary ships, it is above all a gen fic that focuses on the platonic relationships even more than the romantic ones. I cannot in good faith rec this fic to you if you HATE any of those ships, but I can say if you're indifferent/just want a plot and platonic relationship focus, this fic will appeal to you.

once upon a damn-you-all. Cree saves Molly on the Glory Run Road, sending the Nein's trajectory off the rails in a story about redemption, change, fate, and team-building. Also Molly having to contend with the Somnovem.

you can't deny high noon. The Nein continue their journey with an additional member- a reluctant, captive Lucien- as they continue to face numerous challenges while enemies lurk in the background. While OUADYA is mostly original plotlines, this fic follows the majority of the major plot beats of canon albeit a bit twisted around and out of order.

THE SIDE STORIES

While not necessary to read in order to understand the main duology, I feel like not reading them causes a loss of impact, as often events/characters from them are referenced in the main narrative and having more perspective on the events adds more oomph. This is an extremely detail-oriented series and barely anything goes in without some thought put into it. For the sake of not overwhelming my audience, I'm only listing the side stories I think are actually important to the overall narrative, but please do read the others if you have the time.

there's something divine in the way screams can sound. The events of OUADYA as seen through the eyes of someone trapped in the Astral Sea- or Lucien's utter breakdown, now with context. Introduces several backstory elements that become super relevant in YCDHN.

as in the painted parlor, ophelia dreams. The story of how Ophelia came to the Run, became a Mardoon, and gave up her son.

all of the dreamers defying convention. A fic that takes place in the two month gap between the two duology stories and bridges the two narratives.

OTHER LINKS

original character guide. A guide to the many original characters featured in the series.

[balllightningcomics]

Island of the Slaughtered: The Castaways Except: Meet The Castaways

Summary: One day in the year 2007, twenty-two teenagers from different backgrounds had gone to participate in what was supposed to be a reality show called Total Drama Island hosted by Chris McLean…only 7 came back. 12 years later this Island of the slaughtered has become something of an urban legend thought to be little more than a ghost story…until group of teens coming home from a summer cruise find themselves shipwrecked and stranded on the remains of camp wawanakwa and in the hands of the spirts that live in it, but  is it the ghosts that are the threat or something else lurking on that island? If the teens all hope to make it out alive, not only will they all need to work together…they’ll need to make some friends. 

Note: This is an excerpt of the prologue. 

This is a sort of fanmade sequel to @eavee-ry’s Island of the Slaughtered. If you haven't read it, first of all ... .how did you even find this fic? Second of all, read it and support her, seriously. Her work is amazing. 

e a v e on Tumblr

“It is only during a storm that a tree knows how strong it is.” – Matshona Dhliwayo

Michael sat quietly in the corner of the cruise ship as he read the good book. He tried his best to ignore the hooping and hollering of the partying going on around him by his fellow classmates. He hated parties, honestly he hated the hustle and bustle, the noise, not to mention some of the uncomfortable subject matter that was brought up especially when underage drinking was involved. 

So why was he here? That answer was as simple as it was sad. He may not have liked parties or cruises or summer trips, but they helped him escape his home life. Anything was better than being at home. 

“Hey mike! Why don’t you come out and jon the rest of us?”

Michael looked up to see Alex waving him over. Alex was a linebacker of the highschool football team. He was nice but he was a bit of a party hound. Honestly all his friends seemed to fit into a type

You had Clint, He was your stereotypical geek. Video games were his forte but he also had a thing for boardgames, movies, novels. If there was a subject matter he probably had some knowledge about it. 

There was becky. she was a cheerleader and Alex’s girlfriend but aside from cheerleading she was also loved to cook. And she loved to run. 

Dan and sam were something straight out of a horror movie, Aside from the fact that they both looked like Vampires they had a strange habit of finishing each other’s sentences. It was like they were a unimind of sorts. As much as Michael was viewed as the creepy kid, he viewed the vampire twins as the real unnerving people. 

Jessica was the army brat of Alex’s little group. Tall and broad, she was probably the most athletic of the group next to Alex, and on top of all that she had skills both in firearms and bushcraft so if there was ever a citation where you need to survive the wilderness, Jess was the girl you wanted. 

Last but not least was Hiroshi He claimed to be a descendant of a samurai and frankly both Mike and Alex believed it. The guy often carried a Katana with him outside of school and he DID know how to use it. It. Mike never talked to him often, but he always did find Japanese culture to be fascinating, even if a lot of it was romanticized…

Island of the Slaughtered: The Castaways

[wellthatschaotic]

Hello, sorry to bother

What do you mean by plural or being plural? I’m unfamiliar with the concept.

You've Activated An Unskippable Cutscene (/silly)

tldr: got multiple people in my head/body :)

sO essentially plurality is an umbrella term for all types of systems/systemhood. a system is made up of headmates/alters/system members. there's median systems which are less Distinct than multiple systems which usually have Fully Separate Headmates. although all brains are different and there are a million different ways a system can be organized and formed. there are also different Roles system members can have (like host, gatekeeper, protector, etc) that some systems assign (we don't personally. too much work /lh).

another thing to do with plurality is introjects! which basically means the Guy is sourced from somewhere other than the brain. some of the most common types are fictives (from movie/tv/book/other fictional characters) and factives (real people, historic or current). our system is FULL of paratives though, which are introjects of paras (madd* 'characters') from the paracosm (madd world/setting). there are. So many. and yes they will ramble about their source(s) but that would be an even longer unskippable cutscene

if the tone changes a lot during this that's because we're switching so often writing it lmao. switching is when one (or more) headmates takes control of the body over another one(s) (takes front). some systems can control their switching but we unfortunately cannot- there's also cofronting which is multiple headmates both controlling the body (like a co-op video game), cocon (co-conscious) which is when there's a Guy Lurking In The Background, rapid switching which is exactly what it sounds like. brain go too fast. and blurriness which is Who Am I(TM) moment. we also call it front soup.

i am being reeled back but i WILL ramble more if you like

-eli. and luke. and chris. but mostly eli. haha i win

*maladaptive daydreaming disorder

[annislittleshopofhorrors]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-11701239/Chris-Evans-girlfriend-Alba-Baptista-abducted-stranger-age-10.html

Anni, do you remember this article claiming alba was abducted. I remembered some fans said its a copy paste from an old article in 2018. i can't find the old one, some mods has post it.

Why they published it in 2018？would they try to cover something by then? what is the intention and context they post it in 2018.

I'm sure ab's people are lurking tarot, intuitive blogs. Around January, Sophia first posted her vision about ab's dirty history, and some closed friend will expose her, she scared to death.

This abduction article was published in Feb.1th. Its highly possible abla saw her posts. She scared and published the article to cover something as she had done in 2018.

Its so weird why she suddenly posted this abduction article. i remember her side posted tons of wedding articles around that time. Totally two different narratives?

I sensed these articles were some dirty laundry. Its gross she used Chris's name to cover it!! I hope his team pay more attention to this and double check her background.

Wasn't her demon p*rn in 2018? If so, maybe she tried to cover that "film". 🤭

[miss-bluerose]

TDI23 Season 2 ep 2-4 thoughts and theories. Spoilers ahead.

Ep 2: The slides were awesome and I kept laughing when most of the cast missed the hoop or bounced off. But I did feel like 21 was too low of a target score and it should have been a bit higher. Also the rejected 4 point slide should have been roped off or something jfc.

Ep 3: Getting sprayed with sticky sap and running across the island to the finish line in 30 minutes isn't the most unique challenge ever but it was still entertaining I guess. Olivia Von Trash Panda is absolutely precious and must be protected at all costs. If something bad happens to that raccoon, I'm actually going to cry tears of sadness which I don't think I've done while watching this show before.

Ep 4: Getting across a glass bridge by answering questions correctly was the least interesting of the 3 for me but it's the second challenge reference to Squid Game so that's cool. I hope they do the cookie challenge too just because I would like to see some of the tougher contestants struggle a bit. Some of those questions were really gross but Priya's reaction to if she'd want Chris as her father was hilarious.

Chris:

He's such a troll, I can't believe he counted the bear towards Team Skunk Butt's total. Him roasting Ripper was funny. There's no way that he doesn't know MK/Team Skunk Butt is cheating, she's so obvious about it. He's probably just waiting for the right time to call them out or something. "Can we show a decapitation or is that going to be a problem?" killed me 100%.

Chef:

He looked at MK pretty suspiciously during the meeting we saw so I think he knows what she's up to. Speaking of which, why in the world are the meetings held out in the open? Couldn't the other contestants just hide in the nearby trees and listen in? His exchange with Caleb about if he skipped leg day was funny.

I'm glad that the purple haired intern is back and I think it'd be hilarious if she ended up exposing MK's cheating somehow.

More characters are doing the "sparkly eyes" this season and that's pretty funny to me.

Eliminated contestants:

16th: Lauren/Scary Girl - I didn't see her lurking in the background anywhere sad to say but I still have my fingers crossed that she's there on the island somewhere. It was nice to see her in ep 4's challenge though.

15th: Chase - My god was he dumb and annoying throughout ep 2 but I did laugh when he fell off the cliff while recording himself and the last part of his last confessional was funny too. "Chase please, we need you! I'll be like 'ppfffftttt ok'."

14th: Millie - She tried her best during the slide challenge but wasn't the best at it and her tricking Damien into taking the 4 point slide was super wrong even if it gave them the win. Why didn't she try to convince him into taking the 2 point slide instead and why didn't any of her teammates hustle their way back up? Her apology to him the next episode was kinda sweet but I get why most of her team wanted her gone and at least she can learn from her mistakes again.

13th: Emma - I was impressed with how easily she got in Chase's head which led to his elimination in ep 2. She didn't do much in ep 3 except getting covered with feathers and attacked by a cat. I'm not really fond of her but even I felt bad for her in ep 4. She really thought that she was a people person but kept messing up the challenge. Then Priya had a kinda smart idea that worked for a while until Zee messed it up and she responded by pouting about it like a child. I did think that she should have ignored Priya about the last question and just trusted herself. At least she didn't get back with Chase, although her friendship with Bowie seems to be dead for good, they didn't even talk to each other once.

Team Rat Face

Priya:

I'm not liking her crush on Caleb tbh. It's affecting her leadership skills and she's putting one teammate above the others. For example, when Zee and Caleb smacked into each other and fell in the water, she only showed concern and helped Caleb when Zee also needed help. Easily "falling in love" seems to be part of her social awkwardness/unawareness/naiveness. I do feel a little bad for her but I don't think she'll figure out his plan until he tells her. I really hope this plotline doesn't go on too much longer.

Caleb:

Yeah...I don't like him very much. There is no way he doesn't know that Priya is crushing on him unless he's denser than an element on the periodic table. And yet he's continuing to charm her instead of talking to her about becoming an alliance. He's also kinda rude like when he put Zee into the 1 point slide despite him not looking too good at that moment or when he said that he's glad Millie is gone. I did notice that when he was praising Priya for letting Team Skunk Butt go first in the slide challenge, most of the other Rat Faces were looking at him and none of them were smiling. I hope someone calls him out for being such a suck up soon.

Damien:

Using a blindfold to face your fears is pretty dumb but I'm glad that he still participated in the slide challenge. And then Millie betrayed his trust which left him beat up and very angry. He had every right to be mad at her and I don't blame him at all. I didn't expect him to forgive her that quickly even after she apologized but it was kinda heartwarming. He needs to keep improving himself if he's going to stick around for a while.

Axel:

I love how much of a team player she's become but she still has an edge to her which is great. She had a few nice moments with Ripper and seemed to feel bad about rejecting him initially. Likes poetry surprisingly. I'm not sure how I feel about the 2 of them dating yet but I'm interested to see more of them especially if she's not just playing him.

Zee:

I didn't like seeing him get hurt in the slide challenge but I did like how even he was annoyed with Millie. He held Damien back from attacking her and said that she wasn't worth it. That's not the first time he's played peace keeper but I like that part of his personality. His moments with Olivia the raccoon are adorable, especially when he hummed to get her to calm down and I'm disappointed that Chef won't let him keep her. He didn't do much in ep 4 except mess up Priya's plan at the worst possible moment but then he wasn't called out at the elimination ceremony? If he goes home in the next batch of episodes like a lot of people are saying then I'm going to be really upset and probably put a lot less effort into the rest of my episode reviews fyi.

Nichelle:

Her athletic abilities and usefulness in challenges is going to her head, just like I said it would. I did laugh at how she wasn't phased when she got dropped from the glass bridge and then kicked/stomped a wolverine. I could see her being the villain in the second half if Julia and MK get eliminated at the merge and if she wants to flex on everyone by winning immunity every challenge.

Team Skunk Butt

Bowie:

He's trying so hard to keep control of his team but the odds are a little stacked against him. It's nice to see that he's a little conflicted about cheating in challenges since Raj is against it and he doesn't want to upset him or break up with him. I can definitely see them going through some angst about this issue but I hope they work it out.

Raj:

My theory that he helps Emma and Bowie become friends again was totally wrong, he didn't even talk to her or bring her up at all. I laughed when he clogged the toilet with Wayne. He's against cheating and is disappointed that Bowie isn't/likes it. When he finds out about him breaking his promise in ep 4, it'll probably be heartbreaking.

Wayne:

I loved it when he laughed at Julia missing the hoop. He's also against cheating and might try to say something to someone not on his team about it. Which could lead to him getting voted off with Bowie's help that would absolutely crush Raj. I do think that he's going home before him and I'm not ready for those emotions.

Julia:

Seeing her get hurt in the slide challenge was great. Some of the things that she says to/about MK makes it sound like she's falling for her which is a little odd because I thought a staff member from the show said long ago that there would only be 2 LGBTQ+ contestants in this gen? Idk if that person was lying but we'll just have to wait and see. I still think that she's going to get backstabbed though.

MK:

Her going right through the backboard at the end of the slide challenge was really funny. Her intern disguise is so bad, she's still wearing her beanie and didn't put her hair up. The cheating does bother me but I can't wait until she gets found out, it's going to be fantastic to see her try to defend herself and fail at it spectacularly. It also seems like she's falling for Julia a little bit but she'll still probably backstab her.

Ripper:

He's developed a crush on Axel and is trying to impress her anyway he can which leads to the funniest moment in the slide episode. Seeing him butter himself up, then scream going down the trash slide, get his speedo caught on a nail but still stretch out far enough that he could grab the hoop before it snapped back and launched him out of the slide and into the forest naked, makes me laugh every time I see it. Him and Axel accidentally getting stuck butt to butt in ep 3 was funny and of course they got unstuck because of a fart. His poem to her in ep 4 was cute and I'm intrigued to see what he does next in the name of love. I don't think he'll throw challenges for her but I can see him having a problem with his team's cheating and he could tell her about it before he gets eliminated.

All in all, not a bad batch of episodes, I enjoyed most of the humour and I'm excited for the next few. Thanks for reading!

[cursemewithyourkiss]

My ranking of the Sydney Cartons

Ranking the different portrayals of Sydney Carton in five major adaptations of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, based on accuracy and performance. Opinions are my own, though I'm most willing to argue about them.

5. Dirk Bogarde in A Tale of Two Cities (1958).

Dirk Bogarde is witty and charming as Sydney, and his performance is a fairly engaging one. Unfortunately, whoever he is playing, it's not Sydney. One may blame some script choices—Sydney is placed in a lot of scenes where he does not appear in the book—but the way he acts is distinctly unlike Sydney too. Instead of lurking in the background, Bogarde's Sydney is forward, flirtatious and extremely chatty, and while he keeps insisting he's lazy, he is constantly doing things. Besides, he doesn't look the part at all.

Accuracy: 4/10.

Performance: 7/10.

Average: 5.5.

4. James Wilby in A Tale of Two Cities (1989).

James Wilby's blond hair as Sydney is outrageous, but at least it's long? There are certainly some strange writing choices here, which the decent acting doesn't quite make up for, but the characterisation is fairly on point in terms of performance. Wilby's occasional moments of strong emotion still make his portrayal worthwhile.

Accuracy: 7/10.

Performance: 8/10.

Average: 7.5.

3. Chris Sarandon in A Tale of Two Cities (1980).

Once again we are met by some baffling writing choices—including Sydney asking Lucie to a cricket match!—but overall Chris Sarandon's performance as Sydney is perhaps the most accurate out of all of them. Unlike in other adaptations, he is not at the forefront too much, or too charming. He looks the part as well. Unfortunately Sarandon does comes across as rather stale and never quite reaches the emotional weight the role desires.

Accuracy: 9/10.

Performance: 7/10.

Average: 8.

2. William Farnum in A Tale of Two Cities (1917).

While William Farnum may have been a bit too old when he played Sydney, he does get points for having both long and dark hair. It is not just his looks though that cause this Sydney to excel in accuracy, for in terms of his characterisation this version rarely strays. The film being a silent one bars Farnum from ever truly making the same impact as his talkie counterparts, but he certainly makes an impression with his wonderfully expressive face.

Accuracy: 9/10.

Performance: 8/10.

Average: 8.5.

1. Ronald Colman in A Tale of Two Cities (1935).

Ronald Colman's Sydney may be too old and have short hair, and certainly he ends up being perhaps a bit too likable, but he completely makes up for it by his excellent performance. He is utterly convincing as an embittered man, and his portrayal is full of depth and emotion, especially in those haunting eyes. Colman's Sydney may not be as exact as could be, but he captures the soul of the novel, and in such a way as to move one to tears.

Accuracy: 8/10.

Performance: 10/10.

Average: 9.

[maverick-werewolf]

NEW BOOK - Tales of Wulfgard, Volume I

Newly revised for 2023, Tales of Wulfgard: Volume I is a collection of short stories. All have been edited, revised, and expanded, and one of my stories - “Hunted” - has been completely rewritten and greatly expanded to better accompany another of my Wulfgard story collections, The Hunt Never Ends.

For werewolf fans, this book includes two stories focusing on a werewolf/werewolves/lycanthropy and my own fictional takes thereon! Be sure to check it out!

Tales of Wulfgard, Volume 1 is a collection of stories by brother and sister Justin R. R. Stebbins and Maegan A. Stebbins, set in the dark fantasy world of Wulfgard! There are 5 tales, each exploring the background of a particular important character of Wulfgard.

Available for purchase here on Amazon in both ebook and paperback!

Details on each story below:

"Speak No Evil" - Whisper's Tale - by Justin -- Whisper has never lived anywhere except the City - never even been beyond its walls. She knows it like the back of her hand, knows the long faces of its dark buildings like the faces of old friends - almost her only friends. But there is a new gang in town: a shadowy cult kidnapping young street urchins for an unknown purpose. And Whisper becomes one of their victims.

"A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" - Chris's Tale - by Maegan -- On a lonely farm on the far northern frontier of the Achaean Empire, a young boy is born with stark white hair - a sure sign of witchcraft and sorcery. His loving parents protect him and keep him hidden from the sight of other people, who would surely see him killed for his dangerous abilities. But the fearful locals are not the only thing the family has to worry about: something lurks in the shadows of the forest near their home. Something with a taste for blood...

"Potential Energy" - Lord Plutarch's Tale - by Justin -- The House of Plutarchus is one of the oldest and most powerful families in all of the Achaean Empire. But its youngest son, Septimus Plutarch, wishes to make his own way in the world. With great care, he begins planning a life of power and prestige, and more importantly, independence. But one day he makes a discovery about himself that brings all his plans crumbling down... and opens up a new, far more dangerous path to even greater power.

"Hunted" - Caiden's Tale - by Maegan -- Since before recorded history, the ancient organization known as the Venatori have protected the people of the Achaean Empire from the threat of creatures far more powerful than any man: monsters. Even Caiden and Gwen - both highly trained hunters - find themselves outmatched when confronted with one of the deadliest beasts in the mortal realms: a werewolf. It will take all their experience and cunning to survive.

"Wake Not the Sleeping Bull" - Jörgen's Tale - by Justin -- Jörgen the Lone Bull is a proud son of Northrim, despite being an orphan. He wants nothing more than to protect his home from conquest by the ever-expanding Achaean Empire. After fighting skirmishes against them for years as an outlaw, he finally joins a Northern army willing to take the fight to the Imperials directly. But Jörgen finds that real war is not quite as glorious as he had hoped, and he may never be able to go home the same man he was before.

[all-interests]

Has Jordan Peele Redefined Horror Movies?

Jordan Peele made a bold leap into the realm of horror cinema in 2017 with his unforgettable classic, “Get Out.” Since then, he has dedicated himself to honing his craft within this challenging genre. Breaking into a new cinematic territory, especially one as demanding as horror, is no small achievement. Peele, however, has navigated this transition with remarkable finesse, earning himself a well-deserved reputation as a highly respected filmmaker with several notable accomplishments under his belt.

How did Jordan Peele successfully pivot into an entirely unfamiliar genre and creative space? Most of us are familiar with his comedic background, primarily through “Key and Peele” and their renowned sketch comedy. It’s intriguing to witness a comedian known for making us laugh transition into such a serious and dedicated pursuit.

What makes “Get Out” stand out as a cinematic masterpiece? Following its success, Peele followed up with “Us” in 2019, a film that leans more towards traditional horror. However, “Get Out” remains exceptional and groundbreaking, even earning accolades like the prestigious “Best Original Screenplay” award.

What is Jordan Peele bringing to Horror that is new? “Get Out” and its classic influence

As a comedian who transitioned into the role of a horror director, Jordan Peele has masterfully harnessed the ability to evoke the unsettling emotions inherent to the horror genre. “Get Out” presents a chilling experience, with a fresh perspective into the realm of psychological horror.

As a black male, I can personally relate to the palpable unease that Daniel Kaluuya’s character, Chris, experiences in “Get Out.” When you approach the story without any prior knowledge, you can’t quite pinpoint the eerie nature of the situation, which adds to the sense of impending danger. I can easily imagine myself in his shoes, initially dismissing the odd behavior of the white characters as mere randomness or eccentricity, only to later discover the unsettling truth lurking beneath the surface.

Jordan Peele’s deep understanding, particularly as a black man in Hollywood, shines through in his portrayal of the discomfort that comes with being in predominantly white spaces. He skillfully crafts an atmosphere of genuine creepiness and strangeness around Chris, the protagonist. Chris grapples with a pervasive sense of unease, torn between questioning his own paranoia and the unsettling behavior of the affluent older white individuals he encounters. Peele’s casting choice of Daniel Kaluuya, an extremely dark-skinned actor, for this role adds another layer of excellence to the film, contributing to its overall impact and resonance.

Allison Williams delivers an outstanding performance as Rose Armitage, skillfully portraying a character who excels at playing it cool and luring Chris into a sense of trust. Her character appears genuine and even defends Chris, which initially makes her seem like an ally. As the story unfolds, it becomes evident that this isn’t Rose’s first time down this unsettling path. Her ability to say and do the right things to achieve her sinister objectives becomes chillingly clear as the film progresses. Williams’ portrayal adds a layer of complexity and deception to the character, making her a pivotal part of the movie’s suspense and intrigue.

What’s next for Jordan Peele…

The journey of witnessing Jordan Peele’s evolution as a director has indeed been a delightful one, marked by captivating follow-up films like “Us” in 2019 and “NOPE” in 2022. Each of his projects showcases innovative ideas impeccably executed by a talented ensemble cast. Lupita Nyong’o’s remarkable portrayal of Red in “Us” was particularly unforgettable, while Daniel Kaluuya’s return alongside Keke Palmer in “NOPE” added to the anticipation and delivered spine-tingling moments, even within the sci-fi genre.

With Jordan Peele’s upcoming film, “Blade,” set to release in 2025, there’s an exciting prospect of witnessing his directorial prowess in full bloom. The anticipation is high, and I trust in his ability to present fresh ideas and concepts for us to savor and enjoy. Peele’s contributions to the world of cinema continue to be a source of excitement and intrigue for audiences everywhere.

[littlemissidontcare]

Oh she made it private when she posted that cringey shadow picture (like ale did), and when she posted that story with his voice in the background while she was looking at some stupid gift basket? Yeah, real private // lets not forget that helicopter video with his voice in the background and then the liked comment saying it was indeed his voice as if confirming it. But nahhh, we’re the crazy ones because obviously her finger slipped on her screen and got her into that comment section, and slipped again when she liked that specific comment / Oh, the girl’s obviously lurking and cares about what’s being said and the desired narrative. Remember those pics of her back from Chris Benz’s house? A fan trollingly asked her what happened to her back and she replied and then edited the caption to specify that those were scratches from a lounge chair. It was literally just one comment asking but they did come from the blogs that were talking about it. No one outside of that comment and the blogs said anything and yet she went out of her way to bring attention to it herself when she could’ve easily ignored a fan (not her fan) comment and keep the vibe.

Oh my gosh how did I forget about this 🤣🤣🤣