#coups x oc

[finallydelight]

Heart To Heart | Ming Chapter

February 5, 2023

''What are you really doing back home?'' 

Ming's head swiftly glanced up from the scattered leaves on the ground to her younger brother, whose eyes were already on her. She furrowed her eyebrows. ''What do you mean, Woo?'' 

The unimpressed expression on his face was one she didn't get to meet often. ''You always let us know when you're coming home, this time you didn't. So, what's up with that? Is everything okay, Noona?'' 

The ''home'' Jungwoo referred to was their house in Daegu, the one she had surprisingly turned up to a few days earlier. Her youngest brother was correct about saying that she would always let someone of her small family know that she would be coming over. Whether it was through text or via a phone call, she'd always let someone know. 

Ming should've known that someone would speak up about it, she hadn't expected that it would be the youngest of the family, however. Jungwoo never seemed like the observant type to her, he cared deeply for others, but normally he would wait for others to come to him. 

Despite the nonchalant tone in his voice, the concern was visible on his face. Ming never liked making her loved ones worried about her, it made her feel guilty for some reason. She opted to lie and explain to him that there were no other intentions than just wanting to surprise her family, but she knew her brother would look right through her and tell her to not speak such lies to him. 

''A lot of things happened back in Seoul and I need some time away, to be honest.'' It felt weird to her confiding to the youngest, the roles usually reversed. 

Jungwoo nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. ''What happened? Something with the members?'' His question didn't come across as nosey or invasive, he was genuinely interested. 

''No, everything's okay with the members,'' Ming assured him, ''it's just that…''

''There was this person that I really liked and they liked me back, but I made some mistakes that hurt their feelings. I went to talk to them and I apologized. I also told them that I loved them, but they, uh, told me that they think we shouldn't see each other anymore.'' She explained to him, describing the situation as vague as possible. 

The younger man took her words in, happy his older sister gave in and told him her worries. ''Oh, that's not fun, especially cause you know they liked you back.'' 

A sarcastic chuckle left her lips. ''Yeah, my heart's been ripped apart.'' The contrast of the tone of her voice and the words she said made her brother not know what to say, struggling to understand if she could already joke about the incident or not. 

''Well, you're a great person, so it's their loss anyway.'' He bumped their shoulders, a nervous laughter coming out. A small smile graced her face, her brother's support never failing to cheer her up. ''Thanks, Woo.'' 

''Things happen for a reason, you know? Whatever happens, let it happen.'' 

February 27, 2023 

''Hi, bunny.'' Cheol walked into her room, watching her stare at the ceiling. Ming's vision didn't stray away from it, as if all her thoughts would go away if she looked at the leader. 

He figured she had sunken deep into her own mind palette, her nose scrunched up and her eyes looked very intense. Cheol laid himself sideways next to her, watching her. ''You don't have to tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours, but I think you could use some company.'' 

''I've been feeling kinda empty these days… like there's just something missing, you know? I haven't felt that in a while and it's just not a nice feeling.'' Ming spoke up after a minute of silence. 

''At first, I thought I missed my family a lot, so I visited them, but it didn't go away. I started working out again, I tried writing lyrics, I picked up my guitar again, I went on a small road trip with Soomin… hell, I even went cycling with Mingyu, I've tried everything.'' 

Cheol listened attentively, nodding his head to every word she said. ''How long have you been feeling like this?'' He asked her. 

Ming thought for a few seconds, trying to recall when the emptiness washed over her. ''A few weeks now, I think. A couple days before I drove down to Daegu.'' She answered him, not totally sure about the timeline. 

''Oh, poor kid… that's quite a long time,'' he caressed her head, sympathizing, ''I'm sure once we start rehearsing and performing again, you'll feel better.'' Cheol reasoned. 

The younger woman nodded, agreeing with him. ''Yeah, I think so too. It's been a long time since I've been able to properly perform with all of you.'' 

''It kinda sucks that I'm fully recovered now, but then Myungho gets himself injured.'' Ming sighed, being reminded that it's still 13 members performing instead of all 14 members. 

Cheol nodded, sighing as well. ''I know, it seems like there is some kind of curse around us.'' He laughed, pulling his phone out and typing something. 

''Yeah,'' Ming chuckled, ''but he'll recover quickly, his isn't as bad as mine was. He can go to rehearsals and watch, I couldn't even get out of bed.'' 

''We shouldn't compare injuries, Hao is super upset that he can't dance.'' Cheol semi-scolded her, looking away from his phone. ''Hey, uh, have you spoken with, uh, Canada?'' He wasn't sure whether she wanted to talk about the NCT rapper or not. 

Ming shook her head. ''No, but it's fine,'' she sighed, ''I guess I should focus on myself now, you know? We're both very busy people, so it probably wouldn't have worked out anyway.'' She told him, her words comforting herself. 

The leader looked at her in pity, mentally hitting himself for bringing the topic up. ''He's not too busy to spy on your Insta, though.'' He mumbled. 

Ming hit his chest, making the both of them burst out laughing. ''He's never been very subtle, I guess.'' She had been preparing for the special live broadcast for Carats' birthday when she saw her and Minhyung's name trending on social media. It had given her an immediate heart attack, scared that pictures had gotten leaked, but she calmed down when she read the articles. Ming didn't know how to feel about the fact that Minhyung had been lurking on her page, it was a conflicting matter. 

Cheol's phone vibrated against her mattress, making him check the notification he had received. ''Hey, uh, I gotta go,'' he sat back up, ''if there's anything, just call me, okay?'' He ruffled her hair, swiftly getting out of her room. 

''Okay, bye bye!'' 

March 1, 2023

''Alright, we're gonna go out, because I can't watch you mope around in your bed all day any longer.'' Minghao pulled the covers from her body, making Ming quickly cover herself with her arms at the sudden cold. 

''No~'' she whined, ''let me rot away here in peace.'' Ming wasn't in the mood to leave her room, rather isolating herself from the world. 

Minghao sighed as he sat down next to her, caressing her cheek. ''Look, I get that you haven't been feeling your best, but all I'm asking is just one hour of your time.'' He simply wanted her to get out of the dorm and take in some fresh air. 

''Rehearsals are starting again soon, I'll go out then.'' Ming reasoned. 

The Chinese man shook his head. ''Come on, Yerimie! I'll buy you food!'' He tried to bribe her, knowing that promising her food would be his best chance at getting her up from her bed. 

He could see her contemplating his words, taking a few moments to think. ''Okay, but you have to give me anything I want.'' She slowly got out of her bed, wanting to change into something else than her pajamas. 

Minghao adamantly nodded his head, delighted he could convince her. ''Of course, let me know when you're ready.'' He exited her room, giving her some privacy while she got out of her clothes. 

It had been quite cold in Seoul from what she gathered, opting for baggy jeans, a gray sweater, a thick jacket and a white puffy hat to keep her head warm. Ming already felt her mood lift up a bit as she changed into her new clothing, maybe going out with Minghao wasn't such a bad idea. 

As soon as Ming stepped out of her room, the two made their way downstairs and into the night life of Seoul. They stopped at several street food trucks and seemed to be making their way towards the Han River, where they would calmly enjoy their food and the beautiful visuals. 

They had settled themselves against the railing, admiring the sight of the river and the bright stars that appeared in the sky. ''They have fried chicken in the little shop, you want me to get some?'' Minghao suggested, tilting his head towards the convenience store nearby. 

The question brought her back to her first date with Minhyung at Han River, where they leaned against the tree while drinking coke and eating their ramen, and fried chicken from that exact same store. ''Uh, I'm alright, thanks.'' 

''Well, I'm going to get some myself, I'll be right back.'' With that he left and walked to the small shop, not putting much pace behind his steps. 

Ming's attention fell back on the river in front of her, leaning her arms on the railing and watching the stars and Seoul lights reflect on the water. Her mind drifted to the events of the past weeks: going back home, supporting her members at Music Bank, celebrating Carats' birthday and her talk with Cheol. 

A weird feeling bubbled inside of her, she couldn't explain it and it scared her a little. Maybe it was a sense of realization of where the emptiness came from. Deep inside her heart and mind she knew what the missing puzzle piece was, but she wasn't ready to admit that to herself yet. She wanted to spare herself from the pain it would come with, avoiding her feelings and thoughts had always been her coping mechanism. 

During hard times, she wishes she could call up her mom and have her tell Ming what to do. There were many people she could call and who would be happy to give her useful advice, but the strengthening words of a mother could not be matched by anyone else. She would tell her daughter to take it slow, to take life as it is and to prioritize herself. 

Her mind returned back to the present as she could hear Minghao's footsteps approach, making her scratch her throat and fix her posture. 

''You called me Mark.'' 

Unlike she thought, it wasn't Minghao that had been creeping up on her. Ming quickly turned around, met with the young man she could recognize anywhere despite him being completely covered, so he was unrecognizable to everyone else. 

Her eyes widened, looking around in search of her member. ''What are you doing?'' 

''You've never called me that.'' Minhyung ignored her question. He took few steps forward, so he was standing right in front of her. 

Ming continued glancing around him, hoping no one was witnessing the moment. ''We're in public, are you fucking crazy?'' 

''I don't really care about that right now, Yer. I just- I want to say something to you, whether you want to listen to me or not, is your choice.'' She could see the cold breaths leave his mouth, smoking up in the cold air. 

Minhyung continued in her silence. ''First, I want to apologize for what happened at Music Bank. I shouldn't have approached you like that and especially not after what happened at the dorm,''

''I've been wanting to talk to you about what happened then, but I figured you just wanted me to leave you alone, which I understand. But that's not what I want to tell you right now,''

''When you came to our dorm, I had just gotten off a 13-hour flight and I was beyond tired, and fans were being invasive at the airport, and all I wanted was some sleep, and then you showed up and I- I don't know. You started saying all that stuff about Yeonjun and that you were in love with me, and all I could think about was the image of you two kissing,'' 

He took a deep breath, the words coming out too fast for him. ''When I woke up, I realized what I had actually asked of you and what that meant for us, and I fucked up. I don't want to not see you anymore, I don't want to pretend that I don't know you, I want- I want, ugh, fuck…'' 

''What do you want, Minhyung?'' Ming asked him, her eyes fully focused on him. 

His gaze fell upon her, the pair properly looking at each other for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. ''I want you. I want to kiss you. I want to go on walks with you. I want to be with you.'' He answered her question, almost out of breath. 

Ming's eyes welled up, the tone in which he spoke was something she hadn't heard from him before. ''You- you what?'' 

Minhyung's left hand cupped her cheek, his eyes not leaving hers. ''I'm in love with you, Yer,'' her tears must have had an effect on him as his voice came out hoarse and she could see tears forming, ''I don't think I am, I know I am.'' 

''If you want to, I would like for us to start again. We'll start again and we'll do it better, we'll do it differently this time.'' He added, his free hand grabbing her arm. 

Ming looked down at the floor, multiple tears falling down. ''Please tell me that you're serious, that this isn't some kind of cruel joke you're doing.'' She hated how desperate she sounded, but it couldn't be helped. 

''I mean it, I'm being serious.'' Minhyung couldn't fight the urge anymore and wrapped his arms around her, his hand resting on the back of her head. 

The two remained like that for a few minutes, reveling in the comfort each of them brought to one another. It was Ming who broke the silence first. ''How did you even know I was here?'' 

Minhyung chuckled at her question, wiping his hand over his dried tears. ''One of your members might have given me a scolding.'' 

She pulled away from him, her hands still holding onto him. ''What do you mean?'' Ming raised her eyebrow. 

''Don't worry about it now, I needed it.'' He brushed it off, pulling her back in. 

Ming was still overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events as she rested in Minhyung's arms, holding him close to her so he wouldn't magically disappear. The weird feeling had somehow found its way out of her body and she felt at peace. 

Her puzzle was complete. 

Taglist: @seolboba @cosmicwintr @mythicalamphitrite @billboard-singer @stopeatread @still-astray @sakuurra @multiplums @giverosespls @seongwhaffels @kimhyejin3108 @smoooore @smh-anon @cixrosie @allthings-fandoms @themalipirate

[oscarisaacss-wp]

12 DAYS OF GIFMAS… DAY 10, a gif set of your favorite couple: SAMANTHA CORZO and JAKE SERESIN in Moves, A Top Gun Fanfiction.

“I’m waiting for you. I’m waiting for the evening calm. I’m waiting for our time, the oblique light, the pause between day and night. Peace will come, surely. But I can imagine no other peace than that of our two bodies bound together, of our gaze given over to each other. I have no other homeland but you.

excerpt / anonymous

i. pinterest ii. wattpad iii. spotify

[argonmasters]

Am I writing something stupidly indulgent? Like the most ridiculous, Canon x OC bullshit?

Yeah. Guess I am. 41 years old and this is a first for me, I think.

[heydorothea009]

Bread on Toast - A Future Man Fanfiction

Josh Futturman and his fellow coworker and best friend, Liv Branson, get roped into saving the world as time traveling saviors with, what were thought to be, video game characters, Wolf and Tiger. Not only are Liv and Josh completely incompetent, but they are also emotionally inept- will this cause the destruction of mankind? Only time will tell.

Warnings: strong language, (this is probably the episode you all have been waiting for) Josh puts on lingerie (and looks hot while doing it), alludes to Kronish and Leslie having sex, hijinks are about to ensue

Chapter 8: Operation: Fatal Attraction

A/N: hey party people, just wanted to pop in and tell you this is my favorite chapter :p

Tiger threw Josh to the ground faster than he had time to react. All of the sudden his back hit the ground and it knocked the wind out of him.

“Tiger!” Liv cried, also shocked.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Tiger yelled, stepping on his chest. “This was not the plan. You’re fucking up the plan!”

“This day was the turning point in Kronish’s life!” Josh gasped. “He was going to give it all up and sail away with his one true love, Leslie! Instead he stayed with his wife and kept doing research. It’s his biggest regret-“

Tiger rolled her eyes at Josh’s blabbering. “Wolf! Help me stand on his chest!” She called to Wolf, who was still excitedly checking out the Corey Hart poster.

“Tiger! Off his chest!” Liv snapped her fingers as if Tiger were a dog. “Let him breathe!”

“I thought you weren’t happy with him.” Tiger said flatly to Liv. “Why don’t you help me stand on his chest.”

“Tiger, let him speak!” Liv marched up to Tiger, ready to push her off of Josh’s chest, but realized she might suffer the same fate if she did that. Josh tried to sit up but Tiger just pushed him right back down with her boot.

“Tiger,” Josh’s voice cracked. “You said that if there was a way to save the world without killing anyone you would do it. This is a way.”

Tiger pursed her lips as she considered this. “How do we get him on the boat?” Tiger shot Liv a glare as she inched a little too close. “He gets to get up if he can come up with an actual good plan.” She hissed to Liv, who shrunk away, giving Josh an apologetic look.

“We already know Kronish is having an affair with Leslie. So, we just need to expose that-“

“Difficult.” Tiger interrupted, placing her hands on her hips and shaking her head down at him.

“-which will blow up his marriage-“

“Speculative .”

“-which was bad anyways because Marigold was already cheating on him too-“

“Hearsay.”

“-which would give him the push he needs to leave. It’ll be a win-win for everybody!” Josh finished, sounding positive. “It’s gonna work. Trust me, alright? We’ll go back to 2017 to a world with no Kronish Labs…and if there is, well, there’s always a baby to kill in 1949.”

Wolf wandered back to the group holding two ice cream cones, offering Liv one. Tiger caught Josh’s attention again by slightly digging her heel into his ribs, making him wince.

“If you time trick us again, I'll burst your nut sack.” She stated, taking her foot off his chest.

Josh’s expression fell as he instinctively covered his crotch. “…okay…” he mumbled, sitting up. Liv held out a hand and helped him to his feet as she licked her ice cream. “Hey, Wolf,” he looked at Wolf, who was licking his ice cream as well. “We need some wheels.”

Wolf stopped licking the ice cream. “Oh, I’ll get you 100 fuckin’ wheels.” He said, growing excited.

“Oh, uh, no, we just need four. On a car.” Josh said, glancing at Liv again, who glanced at him too, trying to suppress a smile behind her ice cream, probably at how giddy Wolf seemed to be. Josh couldn’t help but grin too, her smile was contagious.

“On it.” Wolf nodded, diving back into the chocolate ice cream.

“Is that good, Wolf?” Liv giggled. Wolf was on cloud 9, he’d never had ice cream before.

“Fuckin’ delicious.” Wolf looked like he was making out with the ice cream. Liv snickered and scrunched her nose, going back to her own ice cream. Josh’s eyes were still stuck on Liv. He had no thoughts in his head, he’d even forgotten where they were for a second. He just watched Liv giggle at Wolf. He liked her laugh.

“What else?” Tiger’s harsh voice snapped him back to reality.

“We’ve, uh, we’ve got some shopping to do.” Josh said, looking back to Tiger, her eyes piercing into his.

“What.” She grumbled.

“I’ll explain when we get there.” Josh said.

“Are we going to get, like, era appropriate outfits, because we look stupid, Josh.” Liv said, referring to the janitor uniforms they both were wearing.

“Uh, if you want?” Josh shrugged. “You don’t look stupid though, Liv, I hope you know that.” Wolf hummed happily, licking some melting ice cream off of the cone. Tiger sharply exhaled through her nose and slapped the cone from Wolf’s hand. Wolf looked down at the ice cream, stunned. Tiger slapped Liv’s from her hands too and marched away. Liv frowned.

“Tiger,” Wolf growled. “I was licking that.”

“I don’t give a shit.” Tiger snapped as she stomped away.

“Jesus,” Liv muttered, trying to wipe chocolate ice cream off of her jumpsuit. “What’s her deal?”

Wolf sauntered after Tiger, and Josh and Liv fell slightly behind. “I thought I came up with a good plan, she stopped stepping on me.” Josh mumbled to Liv.

“Oh…she might still be moody from the police station.” Liv whispered.

“Maybe.” Josh whispered back. Tiger whipped her head around to glare at them.

“Could you walk any fucking slower? Come on! We don’t have all day!” She lashed. Liv and Josh both sped up. As they both walked closer to Tiger and Wolf, their hands brushed. Liv’s immediate response was to move her hand away, acting like she just needed to scratch her arm. Josh’s hand lingered for a moment as his brain buffered. He slowly copied Liv, moving his hand away and pretending he needed to rub his eye. Wolf stopped in his tracks and turned around.

“Okay Liv, you and me need to go find us a sweet ride.” He beamed.

“Actually!” Josh blurted out, louder than he’d meant to. “Wolf, you can do this on your own.”

“Are you sure?” Liv asked skeptically.

“Yeah!” Josh awkwardly folded his arms.

“I can go by myself?” Wolf asked, sounding stunned that Josh trusted him. Tiger pursed her lips and looked annoyed.

“Fine.” She gave an annoyed huff. “Wolf, get us a car.” She glanced at Josh and looked him up and down. She then glanced at Liv, then back to Josh, realizing she was about to be third wheeling. Wolf took off running.

“I won’t let you down!” He shouted as he ran off.

“Where are we going Josh?” Liv asked, combing her fingers through her hair. Josh stared at her for a moment. Liv gave him a weird look, making him blink and look at the ground. Tiger groaned. Yeah, she was third wheeling.

“Okay, so, we need to find a lingerie store.”

The moment they walked up to the adult shop, Liv started to separate from the group.

“Liv, where are you going?” Josh asked, sounding panicked. He didn’t want to be left alone with Tiger and surrounded by lingerie.

“We’re getting weird looks, I’m going to get an era appropriate outfit.” Liv said.

“Smart.” Tiger stated from behind Josh.

“Liv, can’t you wait?” Josh whined, he didn’t feel comfortable picking out lingerie for Tiger. He called his plan “Operation: Fatal Attraction”, like the movie, Fatal Attraction.

“Josh.” Liv sighed and pointed to the clothing store next door. “I’ll just be in there. You’re a big boy, go and pick out lingerie.” She poked him in the ribs. Josh’s stomach flip flopped and his cheeks flushed as she turned and walked into the neighboring store and stared longingly after her.

“…you’ve gotta be shitting me.” Tiger murmured as she marched into the adult novelties store. Josh snapped back to reality and followed her in.

“Wait- Tiger!”

“Do I seriously have to hang around…” she gestured to all of Josh. “…this right now?”

Josh frowned. “Ouch…”

“This pathetic, sad, little…puppy dog man?” She spat. People around them started looking.

“Tiger, that’s mean.” Josh mumbled.

“You’re a pathetic mess right now.” Tiger hissed through gritted teeth. Josh looked like a deer in headlights as she leaned down to his level. “Stay hard.”

“What?”

“Stay hard.” Tiger repeated. Josh blinked obliviously. “Stop staring at Liv.” She squinted her eyes at him. “You’re supposed to stay focused.” Josh went beet red and turned to a rack of bras and started looking through them without responding. Tiger let out a heavy sigh and put her hands on her hips. “…sorry.” She hesitated before saying it, she wasn’t usually one to apologize and she wasn’t sure why she felt the need to do so, but she did. She took another deep breath in and out. “Let’s just get this job done. Why are we here in this skimpy clothes store?”

“It’s like the movie Fatal Attraction, you’re playing a psycho mistress like the one played by Glenn Close, but you will be posing as Leslie. In the movie she has sex with Michael Douglas, who’s like Kronish. We’re going to go into Kronish’s house, take some sexy pictures of you on his bed, leave it there for his wife to find, affair exposed, marriage over, future saved.”

“Or,” Tiger said, picking up some red knee high nylon socks. “We put a gun to his head and make him get on the boat.”

“No Tiger, we can’t force him. It has to be on his own free will, okay?” Josh shook his head, picking up a corset as holding it up to Tiger’s body. She tensed up and pursed her lips. “That looks right, right?” Josh muttered.

“Don’t touch me.” Tiger slapped the corset away and rolled her eyes.

“What about this robe?” Josh studied a pink lace and silk robe.

“I literally don’t care.” Tiger huffed. “Just get something and let’s get this over with.”

Tiger was annoyed the rest of the time while Josh held up different bra options for her to wear asking questions like “what size are you?” (She didn’t know) “what color looks best on you?” (She didn’t care) “Would you be willing to wear assless chaps?” (She was 5 seconds away from strangling Josh with said assless chaps).

“Why can’t Liv do this?” Tiger finally complained, slapping a thong out of his hands.

“Because-“ Josh froze. The very thought of Liv in any of this was too much for his brain to handle. “Because, you’re doing it.” Josh choked out. Tiger groaned. “Tiger, just go with me here, okay?” Josh sighed, making his way over to the section with lipsticks on display.

They bought the items they’d picked out and met Liv outside of the shop, who was wearing baggy jean shorts and a yellow tank top. She fit right in and Josh thought she looked really pretty. In the most platonic way possible, of course. It’s not like he was falling for her every time he looked her in the eyes.

“So, what is this?” Liv asked, snatching the bag from Josh’s hands and rifling through it. “Josh, are you going to seduce Kronish?” Liv teased, giving him a smug look and pulling out a tube of lipstick.

“Ha. Ha.” Josh snatched the bag back. “No.” He grabbed the lipstick from her hand and stuck it back in the bag.

“I’m psycho mistress, Glenn Close.” Tiger said. “I have pleasure sex with Michael Douglas.” Liv gave her a weird look.

“Fatal Attraction.” Josh added.

“Yeah, I know that movie. What does this have to do with anything?” Liv asked.

“We’re going to take sexy pictures of Tiger on Kronish’s bed and leave them for Marigold to find.” Josh said.

Liv nodded. “Hot.” A red car came squealing to a halt on the street next to them and Wolf proudly got out.

“What the fuck is this?” Tiger grumbled.

“1985 Pontiac Fiero GT, 2.8 liter V6, 140 horsepower, and four fuckin’ wheels.” Wolf proudly folded his arms and leaned against the car.

Tiger looked unimpressed. “And two fucking seats.”

“Where do Liv and I sit?” Josh asked.

“Liv can squeeze next to Tiger.” Wolf said.

“No.” Liv and Tiger said at the exact same time. They already knew how Tiger didn’t like when Liv sat too close.

“Josh,” Wolf opened the hood of the car to reveal a small trunk that held a man who was bound and gagged.

“Jesus Christ!” Josh gasped.

“Wolf! Did you steal this man’s car?” Liv scolded.

Tiger stepped forward and slammed the hood. “This car is useless.”

Josh turned to Liv with panicked eyes. “Is that kidnapping?” He asked frantically. Liv shrugged and looked equally as panicked.

“We’d be more successful if we took electrodes, attached them to a sewer clown’s nuts and told him to run.” Tiger narrowed her eyes at Wolf.

“Oh what? You wanna sedan? Fuckin- a minivan? We’re gonna look lame!” Wolf argued.

“I’ll make you lame if you don’t return this car.” Tiger demanded. “That’s an order.”

Wolf looked at Liv, as if she would say something different. “Fine.” He seethed when Liv didn't say anything.

“And- and return the guy please.” Josh spoke up as Wolf angrily got in the driver’s seat. Wolf growled and slammed the door. He rolled down the windows and shot Tiger a nasty glare.

“Can a fucking sewer clown do this?” He growled as he loudly revved the engine. He sped away and the tires squealed. The three of them stared after the car for a moment, Tiger looking pissed, Josh looking stressed, and Liv looking scared.

“Okay. We’re walking.” Tiger turned on her heel and started walking down the sidewalk.

“Tiger,” Josh spoke up. “We have to go this way.” He pointed in the opposite direction. Tiger rolled her eyes and walked quickly past Liv and Josh.

“Does she know where she’s going?” Liv whispered to Josh as Tiger walked further and further ahead.

“I have no idea if we even know where we’re going.” Josh admitted quietly.

“He probably lived in the same house in ‘85…right?”

“I hope so.”

There was a few minutes of awkward silence between them, save for Liv and Josh calling up to Tiger when to make a turn. Tiger would throw dirty looks back at them, but would do as they would tell her. She clearly didn’t like being ordered around, even when it was simply just directions to Kronish’s house.

“Hey Liv?” Josh finally said, clutching the bag of lingerie in his arms. “Are you still mad at me?”

“What? Oh,” Liv folded her arms and looked at the ground. “Josh, I wasn’t mad at you, it’s just that I felt embarrassed.”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“Josh, I really don’t want to talk about it.” Liv sighed. “Please.”

“Liv, I just wanted to say I’m really sorry for bringing it up. I thought Jeri was lying and that it was crazy, I…I just don’t want you to be mad at me.” Josh apologized.

Liv’s body language shifted, uncrossing her arms and becoming less guarded. “I’m not mad at you, Josh,” Liv laughed lightly. “I promise. It’s just…wouldn’t you feel a little embarrassed if someone had told Jeri you’d liked her and she approached you about it?”

Josh nodded and shrugged. “Yeah, good point.”

“This doesn’t mean I don’t want to be friends, I hope you know. I promise I won’t act all weird now. I don’t ever want to lose you.” Liv said. Josh’s heart swelled as he slowed down and gave Liv a sentimental and sweet look.

“Yeah, same. You mean a lot to me.” Josh looked down at the ground and felt his cheeks get warmer.

Liv bumped shoulders with him as they walked. “I mean, you’re cool I guess. I tolerate you.” She teased. Josh looked back at her, a sappy grin spreading over his face.

“I see it.” Tiger stated loudly, turning right.

Josh and Liv both sped up. Sure enough, the name Kronish was scrawled in cursive along the side of their mailbox in front of their house.

“Rat pot.” Tiger muttered, ducking behind a car. Josh grabbed Liv’s arm and followed Tiger. Tiger went digging through her satchel and pulled out a pair of binoculars, handing them to Josh. “Find an entrance, we can’t just walk in through the front door.”

Josh peeked over the hood of the car with the binoculars. He looked around for a moment, when he saw a little white cat climb up and into an open window. “Bingo. I found our way in.”

Tiger popped up from behind the car, holding her hand up behind the sky and squinting. “Wolf was supposed to be here three fingers ago,” she said, measuring how far the sun had moved with her fingers. Liv and Josh’s eyes bugged out of their heads and they pulled Tiger back down. “He’s never late!”

“Get down, get down!” They both hissed.

“Maybe he got lost.” Josh said in a hushed voice, looking over at Liv, who was digging through the bag and pulling out lipsticks and examining them.

“Resistance soldiers don’t ever get lost, we’re born trackers. He could sniff out a sludge grub in a blood bog 20 kilometers away.” Tiger said. She looked up at the sky as she had a realization. “It’s gotta be the Biotics.”

“There’s Biotics here?” Liv asked.

“Yeah, after all our dicking around in history, they probably put deep cover guards on Kronish at every point in his life.” Tiger sank lower onto the ground. “Shit…he has the TTD. They’re gonna be tracking that.” She muttered. Josh looked over at Liv and they gave each other worried looks. Tiger looked at both of them. “I gotta go find Wolf.”

“B-but Tiger, this is our only shot.” Josh protested.

“You planned this op, you two are going to pull it off without me.” Tiger said.

“But-“ Josh started.

“You've got this. I trust you two, you’ve come a long way.” Tiger said, digging through the lingerie. “Now put on these assless chaps.” She threw some leather pants at Josh and stood up. “Saddle up.” Liv couldn’t help but snicker at Josh’s horrified face.

“Tiger! Tiger, wait!” Josh called after her as she began to walk away.

“And stay focused!” She turned around and pointed to Josh. “Liv! You’re the Josh babysitter now! Make sure you don’t, I dunno, distract him!”

Liv looked confused and blushed. Josh’s face grew more horrified and turned bright red. “I don’t need a babysitter!”

Tiger didn’t respond. Josh awkwardly turned to Liv. “I guess we-“

“Come on,” Liv snatched the pants from his hands and stuffed them back into the shopping bag. They both stealthily snuck across the yard and to the window.

“I’ll give you a boost.” Josh whispered, propping himself up on one knee. He boosted Liv up to the window and she pulled herself up. She awkwardly crawled through and fell right onto the ground in what she assumed was Kronish’s bedroom.

“Okay, Josh, hold on one sec, I- Josh!” Josh came through the window and fell right onto her. “Ow!” She groaned as Josh crashed into her, laying right on top of her.

He quickly scrambled off of her. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry!” His cheeks were burning a bright red. Liv’s whole face was hot and her body felt like it was on fire. “Did I hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” she said, scrambling to her feet. “I’ll-“ she tucked her hair behind her ear. “Um, I’ll go and make sure the coast is clear.” Liv dashed towards the door.

“Yeah, okay, I’ll um…yeah…” Josh started pulling everything out of the bag. Liv snuck out of the bedroom and into the hall. After a few seconds she tiptoed back in.

“House is empty.” She said in a low voice.

A nervous tingle flushed through Josh’s body as Liv walked up next to him and surveyed the lingerie options. He shifted his feet awkwardly. “Okay, so, uh…I guess without Tiger here we can just have you put some of this on and-“

“Woah there,” Liv stopped him, holding up a finger. “Tiger clearly picked you to replace her.” She said, a smug grin spreading across her face. “She threw those assless chaps at you.”

Josh’s face flushed even redder. “Liv-“

“We can make it look like you’re a woman.” Liv said confidently. “Remember? I’m a great photographer.” She walked over to a nightstand and grabbed a polaroid camera. “You’re gonna want a cameraman.”

Josh looked horrified. “No, Liv-“

“You don’t want to see me in any of this.” She laughed walking back over to Josh, camera in her hands. Josh paused for a moment. He glanced at the lingerie and back to Liv. Thinking of Liv in lingerie again made his heart stop and his head feel a little dizzy. “Come on.” Liv said, shoving his arm.

“Are you sure it would work?” Josh asked nervously.

“Put that lingerie on, Futturman. For the fate of the world.” Liv added, bumping his hip with hers.

Josh inhaled deeply and looked back at his many, many options. “Fate of the world.” He muttered. He looked at Liv and rolled his eyes (playfully). “Goddammit Liv.”

“Hey, Tiger’s the one who picked you.” Liv giggled, sitting on the bed.

“I am not wearing the assless chaps.” Josh said loudly.

“Good, I didn’t want you to.”

“You have to turn around, you can’t look.” Josh muttered as he started to sort through the lacy pieces of clothing.

Liv slapped his hand away. “Okay, I don’t trust you to pick out anything sexy here. You’re a boy. Let the touch of a woman help you out here.”

“You could have said man.” Josh pouted.

“Boy.” Liv repeated, picking up some fishnets. “Boy.” She picked up some leopard print panties and snickered evilly.

“At least pick something flattering.” Josh started unzipping his jumpsuit.

“Woah there, Mr. Eager!” Liv stopped him. “Clothes stay on for right now, no one wants to see that!” Josh thought about making a snarky remark about her liking him, but decided against it. He didn’t want to make her mad for real this time. Liv turned around with his first option, fish nets, a tiny little black corset, and the leopard print panties.

“This is the best photoshoot ever.” Liv said to him with a teasing smile. She was so looking forward to how stupid he would look. Josh huffed and took the lingerie from her hands.

“Turn around.”

“There’s a bathroom right there.”

Josh paused and looked into the bathroom. “Just…turn around…” he muttered again. Liv shrugged and turned to the wall.

“Okay, suit yourself.”

“What if I need help getting some of this on?” Josh finally admitted. Liv laughed.

“Then I will help you…depending on what you need help with.” When Josh was sure she couldn’t see, he quickly stripped everything off.

“This is crazy.” He muttered. “This is so, so, so, crazy.”

“Get dressed.” Liv snapped her fingers.

“How do girls wear stuff like this?” He complained, putting on the panties.

Liv leaned her forehead against the wall with her hands covering her eyes. “I dunno, I’ve never worn lingerie.”

Josh paused. “…really?”

“Putting on underwear,” Liv snapped her fingers again. “Feeling sexy and free.” She continued, loudly pep talking to him. Josh huffed and dropped the corset on the ground, picking up the stockings instead.

“How do I…?” He held up the fishnet stockings. “…Liv?”

“Oh God, don’t tell me you need help.”

“Help.” Nothing. “Please?”

Liv hesitated, but turned around and saw the sight in front of her. This was the absolute most she’d ever seen of Josh. She burst out laughing.

“Liv!” Josh whined and held up the fishnets.

“Oh so what? You don’t know how to put on tights?” Liv made her way over to him. Josh’s heart lurched and he got a tingly feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“There’s…a lot of holes…”

She pointed at the stockings. “Put them on like you would put on socks.” As Josh figured out how to put on the fishnets, Liv excitedly went through some of the other things on the bed. “Put these shoes on, your mom told me you could walk in heels.” Josh looked up from adjusting the stocking on his thighs to see Liv holding some chunky heels.

“My mom told you what?”

The heels made Josh about four inches taller than Liv (which was a first, they were the same height). She stood in front of him, putting a layered pearl choker around his neck. Josh’s heart was racing quicker than normal as he felt Liv’s fingers brushing against his neck.

“Looking gorgeous.” Liv teased, twisting the choker around so the clasp was in the back.

“Yeah,” Josh scoffed. “You’re probably loving this.” As soon as he said it he froze. Liv took a step away and gave him a stern look.

“What.”

Josh’s eyes widened. “I just meant- ‘cause- you know? I look like an idiot right now.” He said quickly.

Liv narrowed her eyes at him, studying him, but visibly relaxing. “You’re a very beautiful woman, Josh.” Josh let out a chuckle, feeling his shoulders relax. “This is the best you’ve ever looked.” She teased.

“Oh I bet.” Josh said, picking up the corset again.

“Actually wait,” Liv picked up a lacy little shawl. “Try this instead.” She helped Josh put it on and took a step back to admire her work (and admire her work). “Amazing!” She sang. She picked the camera off of the bed. “Now pose.”

“What do I do?” He asked as she held up the camera to her eye.

“Be sexy.” Liv said.

“Easier said than done,” he muttered.

“Just…pop your knee and put your hands on your hips like this.” Liv demonstrated for him. Josh awkwardly copied. “Okay,” Liv snapped a picture and waited for the picture to develop. Josh wandered over next to her and watched as the photo slowly developed.

“Is that a good one?” Josh asked as Liv took the picture and studied it.

“We’ll figure out once it develops!” She shooed him away. “Go back over there and pose again, I’ll get a couple angles.”

As Liv snapped more pictures, Josh became more comfortable and giddy. Liv made him put on a couple more outfits, including the silky pink robe from earlier with a boa around his neck, a little leopard print number with feather trim and a spiked choker, red fishnets and lacy red shorts, and several others. He’d even attempted a bit of liner on his eyes (which ended up a faded, smudged mess in three seconds anyways. Liv also reminded him his face wouldn’t be in the pictures after he’d decided to do that). He’d caught Liv staring and her eyes lingering on him several times, and every time a surge of tingly nerves shot through him. He was never nervous around Liv. He decided to chalk it all up to the fact he was so exposed and definitely not because he liked the feeling of her fingers lightly brushing his skin as she adjusted his jewelry and his corsets. That was for sure.

Liv was turned around with her face pressed into her hands as he changed again. It looked like a sexy, lingerie tornado had hit the room. The one problem Josh found with putting on the panties was the fact his dick was enormous now.

“Ow!” He yelped, trying to shove everything into place.

“You good?” Liv asked, starting to turn around.

“Don’t turn around!” Josh yelped.

“Okay, okay!” Liv turned back to the wall. Josh did a little hop as he adjusted the underwear. Putting on a blue robe with feathers on the trim, he did a little spin for himself in the mirror, humming to himself. “You can look now.”

Liv turned around and couldn’t suppress a smile as she watched him check himself out in the mirror (she shyly did too). She walked over to him, picking up different chokers from off the bed and holding them up to Josh’s neck, seeing which one she liked best. She was humming too.

“What song are you humming?” Josh asked.

“What song are you humming?” Liv asked as she picked the spiked choker.

“‘Love Shack’.” Josh said, then tensed up, wondering if that sounded weird.

“Ah, the whole shack shimmy.” Liv quoted the song as she clasped the choker and pushed it around. “I was humming ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’.” She said. “By Tiffany.” She added.

Josh gulped as Liv’s fingers brushed down his neck. “That- that is such a good song.” Josh said, red all the way up to the tips of his ears. He was going insane, if Liv adjusted anything on his body one more time, he thought he might explode. At the same time, he liked when she was this close to him.

Liv shoved everything off the bed while Josh figured out how to lace up a corset himself, they were almost done. The last batch of photos they were going to do were ones of Josh laying on Kronish’s bed. Josh sat on the edge of the bed.

“Wait, stay right there.” Liv crouched in front of him, snapping a picture. She stood up and waited for the picture to develop. “Okay, let’s do a couple more and then we can put leave the pictures for Marigold to find.”

Josh sorted through the pictures they already had. “Too much dick…” he tossed a picture behind him. “Oh God, are my legs really that hairy? Nope.” He tossed another one. “Wolf’s dick is ruining most of these pictures.” He muttered, looking up and seeing Liv pretending the bedding was far more interesting than what Josh was saying, cheeks rosy. Josh pried his eyes away from Liv’s blushing face and back to the pictures, blushing himself. “We can sort through these after, let’s take some more pictures.”

Liv stood on the bed with Josh laying in between her legs as the two of them giggled and took more raunchy pictures. “I’m trying to only get pictures without your face.” Liv giggled as Josh made a face at the camera.

“Oh what? Am I too beautiful for the pictures?” Josh asked teasingly.

“If that’s what helps you sleep at night.” Liv giggled. “Mkay, I think…these are good right?” Liv leaned down to show Josh, who was still laying on the bed, the pictures that were developed already. He sat up and looked through them.

“Yeah,” Josh muttered as he went through them. “Yeah!” He looked up at Liv, impressed with her work. “That’s a woman!” He joked.

“Here,” Liv clambered off the bed. “Start looking at the other ones and then put them in here.” She placed an envelope on the bed next to him. “I’ll clean this shit up.”

Josh scooted to the edge of the bed and sorted through the pictures, putting the best ones in there. “Oh Liv, we should seal this with a kiss for Marigold!” He said with a proud grin.

“Yeah, you should do that with the lipstick, put it to good use.” Liv laughed as she shoved the thick heels into the bag.

“Will you…help me put it on?” Josh asked sheepishly.

Liv playfully rolled her eyes and dropped the bag to the ground. “Oh so you can walk in heels but can’t put on lipstick?” She teased, digging out a tube of fire engine red lipstick. “You better hold still.” She knelt on this floor in front of him.

Josh didn’t know what to do with his mouth, Liv put a hand on his cheek to hold his face in place. Josh saw the look in Liv’s eyes as she realized how close their faces were, he probably had the same look in his eyes too.

“Open- open your mouth a little bit.” Liv stammered, blinking a few times. Josh did so and she started to run the lipstick over his lips.

“This good?” Josh asked, rubbing his lips together.

“Uh…” Liv didn’t move away after she finished applying the lipstick to Josh’s lips. Josh didn’t move away either. They both looked at each other, faces just inches apart.

Kiss her. KISS HER! His brain screamed. His eyes darted between her lips and her eyes. It felt like they sat there for eternity, when in reality it was more of an awkwardly silent three seconds. “Do I…do I have something on my face?” Josh asked awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Liv looked like she wanted to move away, but was entranced. Josh’s face was on fire all the way up to his ears. The sexual tension between them was so thick, Josh could slice it open with a knife.

“Sorry…I…” Liv trailed off. She didn’t know what to say. Josh could feel Liv’s shallow breaths against his face. As their noses brushed, Josh’s heart jumped into his throat. He’d never realized how much he wanted to kiss her until right in this moment. His heart was hammering in his chest. Oh God. He liked her. A lot.

Liv’s brain was glitching. “Josh?” She breathed out, still not moving away.

“Liv…I…” Josh whispered. He glanced into her eyes. He’d always thought Liv was beautiful, but right now in this moment, she was everything. She’d always meant so much to him and he’d always thought it was platonic…but the way he could feel her breath on his lips and the way her eyes looked longingly into his, he wanted to throw that all away. He wanted to kiss her so badly. His eyes dropped back down to her lips.

Liv wasn’t thinking about every reason she’d ever shoved down her feelings for Josh, she wasn’t thinking about what would happen after they kissed, if they did. She was thinking about Josh, sitting in front of her with lingerie on and smudged makeup and how she thought he was gorgeous. Her heart was palpitating.

“Liv, can I…kiss you?” Josh breathed out. He moved in, just centimeters closer, aching to close the gap between them. Liv gave a small nod and reciprocated. The tube of lipstick fell from her hand as they both slowly and nervously moved in. His hands gently set themselves on her waist. Their lips shyly brushed against each other.

“My husband is coming home in a few hours…so we don’t have much time…uh huh…” They heard from down the hall. Liv and Josh pulled away with wide, panicked eyes. Marigold had come home and neither of them had heard. “Yes, come over now!” They heard her say. Josh and Liv scrambled to their feet. Liv had a light smear of fire engine red across her lips. Josh sassily threw the feather boa he was wearing over his shoulder as he quickly tiptoed over to the door, quietly opening it just a sliver and peeking out.

“She is having an affair, she’s on the phone with someone.” He whispered loudly to Liv as she feverishly cleaned up the last of their mess and shoved it into the bag. “This is even better than my plan.”

“I’m going out to get some champagne and run some errands so just let yourself in. Wear something sexy.” Josh could hear the smile in Marigold’s voice. He watched Marigold excitedly prance over to the front door, and slipped out of the room.

“Josh!” He heard Liv hiss. He tiptoed down the hall to see if she’d left, when she appeared for a second, back turned to him, to grab something she almost forgot. Josh froze mid step, balancing on one leg as she almost turned around and saw him, but instead just walked out the door.

“Josh!” Liv hissed from behind him. “What are you doing?”

“Meddling.” He hissed back, trying to stealthily sneak into the kitchen, despite the loud clomping of his feathery kitten heels he was still wearing. Liv followed him into the kitchen. While Josh was clearly in meddling mode, she couldn’t get the fact that they had essentially kissed about 2 minutes ago out of her head.

“What’s your plan here?” Liv asked in a hushed voice. Josh picked up the phone that Marigold was talking on earlier.

“I’m calling Kronish’s job,” He said. “To see when he’s coming home.” He opened the phone book next to the phone and pointed to a number that was circled. “Bingo bango.” He muttered. Liv stood close behind him, her chest almost touching his back as she tried to see.

Josh looked over his shoulder at her and glanced down at her lips. “Oh…you’ve got…”

“Oh, your lipstick’s kinda…” Josh’s lipstick had gotten smudged and Liv was wearing a little of it.

Josh looked back at the phone, giddiness bubbling inside of him as he thought about what had almost happened a second earlier. “So…”

“Not the time Josh, dial the number.” Liv was trying to play it cool, but her heart was hammering out of her chest and she felt like she might explode with excitement. What would have happened had they not been interrupted? She was dying to know. Josh dialed the lab Kronish worked at.

“Hello, yes, hi,” Josh started. “I’m calling for Dr. Kronish, there’s something important he needs to come home for…oh he’s already on his way home? Oh, he’s sick.” Josh began pacing in front of the kitchen counter, shooting Liv a thumbs up. “That’s wonderful news, thank you.” He hung up the phone. He sassily leaned against the counter.

“Piece of cake. Ooh! Cake!” A cake (presumably a birthday cake for Kronish), sat in front of both of them on the counter. Josh swiped his finger across it, gathering some frosting with his finger, and sticking it in his mouth. “Mm, Liv, try this frosting.”

Liv was distracted, squinting out of the window at a man walking up to the house. “Is he coming here-? That’s him! That’s Marigold’s lover!” She excitedly hit Josh’s arm. Josh’s face broke into a mischievous grin.

“Oh shit, did you leave the bag in the room?” He asked.

“Fuck!” Liv cursed under her breath. Liv and Josh hurriedly dashed back down the hall and into Kronish’s bedroom, finding the bag had fallen off the bed and to the floor. Liv scooped up all the items that had fallen out and haphazardly shoved them back into the bag. Josh bumped into the table and almost knocked a heavy, Easter Island head off of it. They heard the man open and close the front door. They exchanged panicked looks. Josh frantically (but quietly) put the statue on the other side table as he grabbed Liv and pulled her into the closet with him, the man’s steps growing closer and closer to the bedroom door.

Just as Josh slid the closet door closed Liv came to the realization that this closet was tiny. Josh had his body pressed against hers, and Liv’s back was pressed against the wall. Her heart was pounding, both from the adrenaline and the closeness. The man’s shadow moved past the closet and Josh held his finger to his lips as he watched like a hawk. They heard the sound of him walking into the bathroom and undoing his belt. Josh poked his head out to see if the coast was clear. He looked at Liv and signaled for her to follow. The two of them tiptoed out the closet, to the door, and backed down the hall, making sure the man didn’t walk out and see them. Josh turned around just as the front door opened. Kronish. He almost made a noise, but quickly caught himself, grabbing Liv, who was still backing down the hall, by the shoulders and pushing her back into the bedroom.

“Under the bed, go under the bed.” He whispered frantically in her ear, praying the man wouldn’t see them. They snuck back into the room just as the man flushed the toilet, Liv immediately dropped and rolled under the bed and Josh followed her. Both of their eyes were wide as saucers as they tried to catch their breath quietly. They could see the man’s shoes as he walked out of the bathroom. Kronish entered. Josh grabbed Liv’s hand as she grabbed his shoulder excitedly. “It’s happening!” He mouthed to her. Kronish was about to face Marigold’s secret lover.

“Elias?” The man asked.

“…what are you doing here?” Kronish said in a low voice. Liv and Josh were shaking each other, the plan was working! There was a few brief moments where they didn’t hear anything as Kronish slowly approached the man. Liv stopped shaking Josh’s shoulder, they both looked confused. They heard kissing noises. Liv’s eyes went wider. Josh grabbed Liv’s shoulder and looked at her in shock. Clothes started falling to the floor in front of them. Liv slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping out loud.

“Leslie…” they both heard Kronish mumble. Their jaws hit the ground. Leslie. This was Leslie. “…Leslie I’ve missed you…” Kronish said breathlessly as the bed creaked under their weight as they got on. Liv and Josh looked at each other.

“This…this is complicated.” Josh whispered.

Kronish and Leslie went at it for 2 hours. 2 hours of Liv and Josh under the bed listening to their ruckus and the bed rocking above their heads. Liv had somehow dozed off with her head propped up with her hand next to him, the squeaking and loud moaning above them becoming white noise to her. Josh laid his chin on his arms, his eyes were also starting to grow heavy. The two of them hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep in days (or years, if you counted all the time traveling). Josh couldn’t stop thinking about how he’d kissed Liv. Quickly, but they’d kissed.

Her head slipped from her hand and gently onto his shoulder. Josh tensed at first, worried she would wake up and move away, but after a few seconds relaxed as he realized she was out. He slowly and gently laid his head on hers, taking in a deep breath and letting himself relax for the first time in a while. Despite the erotic scene above them, the two of them shared a wholesome moment. For a blissful moment, there were no Biotics, they weren’t in the 80s, and there weren’t two people having very loud and passionate sex above them. There was just Josh Futturman and Liv Branson. Josh reflected on their friendship.

He’d met Liv on his first day at Kronish Labs three years prior; she'd only been there a month longer than him. He remembered how they immediately hit it off, teasing each other and cracking jokes the whole day as she showed him around. That day he had gone home and excitedly told his parents about his new friend. He remembered his mom begging him to invite her to their big Futturman Super Bowl party and how nervous he’d been to ask her. The way her face lit up as he asked and the way she enthusiastically agreed to be there was something he had never forgotten. That was the first time Gabe and Diane had met Liv, and they instantly fell in love with her and she attended every party they had thrown after that. In the beginning, Diane was always asking Josh if he liked her. Josh remembered blushing and denying it, saying he liked Jeri. He had liked Jeri, but it was becoming more and more obvious that he also had liked Liv.

He remembered the time a scientist had hit on Liv and asked her on a date, and how he couldn’t go to sleep until Liv called him to tell him all about how it went. He remembered secretly hoping that the date would go badly so Liv didn’t go out with him again. The two of them had stayed up until early the next morning talking about it, laughing at how awkward it had been. He’d been jealous. His heart immediately sank for Liv, who for three years had to hear about his more obvious crush on Jeri. He felt so bad. Liv was always a constant for him while Jeri hadn’t shown any interest until he got wrapped up in the grand scheme of the Resistance. Liv had been his world for three years.

His eyes had fluttered shut as he pondered, not noticing that Liv had rested her hand on his elbow as she slept. The little white cat from earlier snuck under the bed, meowing. Josh’s eyes flew open. Liv inhaled deeply and lifted her head groggily. The cat eyed them curiously, meowing quietly. Liv seemed to slowly be processing where she was, looking confused at first and then remembering everything.

“Shh!” Josh quietly shushed the cat. “Go away!” He reached over Liv and gave the cat a little push. The bed started shaking harder, knocking a book off of the bedside table to their right. Josh gave the cat another small push. “Not right now, go away.” He whispered. The cat walked out from under the bed. Liv and Josh saw the Easter Island statue from earlier go crashing to the ground as the bed rocked violently. It fell onto the poor cat. Killing it.

Liv and Josh couldn’t hold back their gasps of horror, which were thankfully drowned out by the noise Kronish and Leslie were making. Liv scooted over, poking the cat.

“Is it okay?!” Josh whispered.

“Oh my God, the cat is dead.” Liv whispered, starting to well up with tears. Josh remembered another memory about Liv: the time Liv cried on their lunch break the first time she saw a bin of dead possums at work. She didn’t like when animals were in peril. She tearfully pulled the cat back under the bed. “Poor baby…” she whispered.

Josh pressed his ear to the cat, wanting to hear if he could make out a heartbeat. He couldn’t. “It’s dead…”

Kronish and Leslie moaned loudly, seeming to be wrapping things up. Josh’s ears perked up and he looked up hopefully. “Finally.” He breathed out. Liv wiped her tears.

“And now…your turn…” Kronish said to Leslie. The bed began to rock again.

“Are you kidding me?” Josh whispered through gritted teeth. Liv’s forehead hit the ground as she gave a heavy sigh.

30 more minutes of Josh and Liv under the bed listening to Kronish and Leslie have sex went by. Liv slowly stopped crying (Josh had put his arm around her and pulled her in close to him as she mourned the loss of the cat they’d just met). Finally, the bed stopped rocking and the moaning died down, dissolving into content laughter. Josh and Liv glanced up at the bed hopefully.

“Leslie, can I ask you a very serious question?” Kronish asked, his laughter dying down. “Were you…meowing?”

Leslie chuckled. “I thought that was you meowing!” Liv and Josh tensed up, both looking at the dead cat.

“Oh, must’ve been my neighbor's cat, always coming through that window.” Kronish laughed.

“Well, I can’t blame him, I can’t stay away from you either.” Leslie said flirtatiously.

“Well, good, I wouldn’t want you to.” Kronish responded smoothly. “…Ever since 8th grade, I knew who I really was. But…I was just too afraid to act on it. But then I met you.”

Josh looked at Liv with a small smile. They both looked up as if they were grinning at Kronish.

“And you know what? Holding each other?” Kronish continued. “That’s the best part.”

Josh still had his arm around Liv. He rubbed her arm, she looked at him with a small, sappy smile.

There were a few moments of silence above them. “So, how did Marigold take the news?” Leslie asked.

“Well…”

“You haven’t told her?”

Josh and Liv’s faces fell. Poor Kronish.

“…I-I’m going to, I’m packed and everything. This is the hardest part! I-I’m thinking about Dear John-ing it.” Kronish said defensively.

“No, no, no!” Leslie interrupted. Liv and Josh frantically shook their heads in disagreement with Kronish. “You have to tell it to her face! You owe her that much.” Josh and Liv nodded in agreement with Leslie.

“Elias? Are you home?” Marigold was finally back.

“Marigold!” Kronish hissed.

“Shit!” Leslie scrambled off the bed.

“Hey honey!” Kronish yelled for Marigold to hear. Liv and Josh perked up, getting ready to dart out from under the bed and make their escape as soon as Kronish and Leslie were gone.

“Are you having doubts?” Leslie asked. “Tell her.”

“I just came home early!” Kronish continued to call out to his wife, fixing the sheets.

“I wanna hear it.” Leslie kept going. “I’ll be here for moral support, I’ll hide underneath the bed!” Liv and Josh looked at each other, panicked. “I’ll even hide in the closet!”

“That’s ridiculous, go out the window.” Kronish begged.

“Then I’ll see you at the marina tonight?” Leslie bent over, picking up his pants and shirt. Liv scooted back out of fear he might see them. Josh stayed, wide eyed.

“Of course.” Kronish sighed. They heard Kronish open the door just as the rustling of the blinds signaled that Leslie had climbed out the window. Liv crawled out from under the bed, trying to keep the rustling of the lingerie bag quiet. Josh rolled out holding the cat, he carefully tucked it into the bag, Liv looking away so she didn’t get sad. They tiptoed down the hall, hearing Marigold talking to the Kronish.

“What are you doing home?” She asked suspiciously.

“The truth is Marigold, I…uh…” Josh stopped right where the hallway wall ended. Liv came up right behind Josh, listening intently. “I…decided to come home early and give myself a birthday treat…” Liv and Josh nodded along, hoping he would tell Marigold the truth. “…and curl up with that mystery novel I’ve been reading.” He lied. Josh shook his head and Liv deflated.

“Why are you so sweaty?” Marigold asked. Josh turned to Liv with a disappointed look.

“That’s just from my heart racing, I’ve been trying to figure out ‘who done it’.” Kronish lied again.

“Okay, well, I have a surprise for you.” Marigold said excitedly. Josh and Liv pressed themselves against the wall again, trying to listen. “You are going to get back there,” Liv and Josh shoved themselves off of the wall, realizing Kronish was about to make his way back to his room. “And you are going to run me the hottest, nicest bath you can think of, mkay?” Josh grabbed Liv and they sprinted back down the hall as quietly as they could back into Kronish’s room. They froze as they got to the doorway, Leslie was climbing back in. Liv grabbed Josh’s hand and pulled him into a closet at the end of the hall.

“…’cause my hip hurts, but Mama’s feeling fancy.” Marigold called to Kronish. “Mkay, baby?” Josh could make out Kronish’s figure making its way down the hall through the slots in the door, they could hear him sigh.

“Josh,” Liv whispered from behind Josh. “You're stepping on my foot.”

“Sorry, Liv!”

The doorbell rang. Josh looked back out of the slots and Liv peeked over his shoulder. Marigold excitedly went to answer the door.

“Oh, you’re here!” She said in a hushed tone. “I’m freaking out! My husband came home early.”

“Marigold’s lover…” Josh breathed out. Tiger walked through the door.

“What?!” They both gasped.

“I am Glenn Close.” She said in an uneven voice. She stumbled as she began to walk down the hall. Marigold grabbed her and directed her in a different direction.

“Is she drunk?!” Josh shook his head.

“Your husband is attracted to me. Fatally.” Tiger sure sounded drunk.

“Where the fuck did she go?!” Liv asked quietly. As soon as Marigold followed after Tiger, Josh threw open the closet door, looking both ways before bolting into the room to the right of the closet. Liv stood for a moment, unsure of what to do. She heard Kronish’s footsteps coming out of his room and she dove after Josh into the study. Kronish’s footsteps were headed towards the exact room they were in.

Josh looked at Liv and hurriedly beckoned for her to follow him into the walk in closet. Just as they were about duck behind a dresser, Liv’s foot got caught on the rug on the ground. She tripped, falling right into Josh, shoving his back into the wall, faces almost smashing together. He caught her and they looked at each other with wide eyes, realizing that sound was loud. Thankfully, Kronish was too busy shoving things around on the desk in the main room, rustling through the mess on the desk.

“Where did I put that passport?” He mumbled to himself over and over.

“Are you okay?” Josh mouthed to Liv. She nodded slowly, still scared that at any moment Kronish might come and investigate what he might have heard. Josh and Liv stood behind the tall dresser, pressed together with arms around each other, looking at each other with panicked eyes. They were not good at the whole sneaking around thing.

“…So you might have to roll it up and cram it in there.” The sound of Marigold opening the study door was heard. They heard Kronish make a sound and duck out of the room.

Some sweaters that Kronish must have frantically thrown in his panic to run out landed on Josh’s head. Liv helped Josh pull the sweater off, getting his lipstick all over one of them that was a salmon color. Liv poked her head out to make sure no one was there. She grabbed Josh by the corset and pulled him out from behind the dresser, the two of them making a mad dash for the door that led to the dining room.

“Tiger!” Josh yelled in a hushed voice.

“Tiger!” Liv copied. Josh backed straight into a sculpture, almost knocking it from its stand. He quickly caught it and tried to rebalance it.

“Tiger?” Josh called out quietly again. Josh and Liv rounded the corner, heads swiveling back and forth to make sure they didn’t get caught. The front door swung open, scaring both of them. A pretty woman confidently walked through the door, hips swinging as she walked in.

“A Biotic!” Liv yelled. Josh froze for a moment and panicked. The woman turned and looked at them, raising an eyebrow.

Josh frantically pulled his phone from inside his corset. “This is a detonator!” He threatened, holding it as if it were dangerous.

“Really?” The woman rolled her eyes. “That’s what we’re doing?”

“Uh uh! Don’t move!” Liv pointed to Josh’s phone, backing away slightly as she approached them.

“You take another step, I press this button, this whole house is wired, it blows up, we all die, and your mission’s a failure.” Josh threatened. The woman rolled her eyes again. “You wanna test me, you wanna fucking test me? We’ll all die right here, right now, I’m loco!” Josh said, eyes wide like a mad man. Liv nodded along, eyes never leaving the Biotic woman as she stepped closer.

“Okay, you’re in charge. I guess I’m your hostage now or whatever…wait, I didn’t hear anything about there being two of you?” She looked annoyed.

“Yeah? Well, there are two of us.” Liv said, trying to sound brave and menacing. “And you are our hostage…?”

“I suppose you wanna, tie me up or something?” The woman was distracted, looking around the house like she was bored.

Josh was still holding out his phone like a weapon. “Yeah, uh, that’s actually a good idea.” He looked over at Liv.

“Go, go over to the right, go.” Liv shooed her over to the study. She lazily walked over to the study, Josh and Liv following her, Josh still acting like his phone was a bomb.

“Don’t do anything stupid.” He said. They made her sit in a rolling chair in the study as she dropped her bag on the ground. Liv went through the bag and pulled out fluffy handcuffs, ones with red feathers and ones with pink.

“Oh,” the woman drawled. “Those’ll cost you. It’ll also cost you more because there are two of you.”

“You can drop the prostitute act okay? We know who you really are.” Liv threw Josh the red handcuffs.

“Don’t threaten us, okay? This isn’t our first time.” Josh cuffed her to the chair.

“Okay, yeah, I forgot, you’re in complete control.” The woman said condescendingly.

“You have to stay.” Liv pointed sternly at her.

“Okay. I can’t really go anywhere.” The woman looked Liv up and down judgmentally.

“Whatever, perf.” Liv shot back as her and Josh slipped out of the room and back into the dining room.

“Degrading is also ex-“ they shut the door on her.

“Tiger!” Josh hissed loudly. “There’s a Biotic here!”

“Where the fuck did she go?” Liv whispered. Unbeknownst to them, Tiger had left to go catch up with Wolf. Again.

“Tiger!” Josh kept whispering. “Tiger? We need you-“

“Leslie? Is that you?” Kronish whispered from down the hall. Josh and Liv froze. “I told you to go out the window!” Josh looked at Liv with wide eyes. She looked to the counter and tossed the bag over it, hoisting herself up and dropping down behind it. Josh quickly ran around the counter to find Liv shoving things that had fallen out back into the bag. The dead cat was sprawled out on the floor. He scooped up the cat and the two of them hurried into the kitchen. “Marigold is in the bath,” Kronish was getting closer. “You can come out!”

Josh looked for a spot to hide the cat, putting it in a pot that was set out on the stove and shutting the lid. He looked over his shoulder, Liv was gone. He saw her hand pop out from behind the counter, beckoning for him to come hide with her. Josh turned and was jumpscared by Elias Kronish rounding the corner. They both jumped back in shock.

“Oh, good Lord!” Kronish cried out in shock seeing Josh standing in the kitchen. Josh’s immediate reaction was to cover himself up, afterall, he was still in lingerie. Kronish’s eyes did a sweep of Josh in his fluffy black kitten heels, black fishnet stockings, leopard print panties, lacy black corset, feathery black boa and spiked choker, and messy eyeliner and lipstick. He looked concerned and frightened all at once.

“…Happy birthday…” Josh said in a small voice, hands over her crotch and chest as if he had anything to cover up. His mouth twitched as he tried to muster up a smile.

The look in Kronish’s eyes changed as he assessed the situation. “…Oh my God,” he whispered in a strangled voice. “You’re my birthday surprise?” Josh stared at him blankly, wondering if he should just go with it. “She knows…” Kronish whispered, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth.

“She- she knows?” Josh asked.

“You’re a gigolo aren’t you?” Kronish asked. Josh’s ears pricked up as he heard a light breathy laugh come from behind the counter. He looked down at himself. He really did look like a male prostitute.

“Yes…” Josh moved his hands to his hips and nodded.

“Marigold clearly doesn’t know what kind of men I find attractive.” Kronish looked Josh up and down again. Josh looked slightly offended. “But I can’t believe she was willing to hire a prostitute.” Kronish was shocked beyond belief.

At the same time it hit Josh and Liv that the “Biotic” was just a prostitute. “Oh…the Biotic’s a prostitute…” Josh whispered to himself. He heard the faint sound of Liv slapping her forehead and her head hitting the back of the counter. Josh covered it up by clearing his throat.

“If she’s willing to make this kind of accommodation…maybe this marriage will work after all.” Kronish said to himself.

“What? No! No, no! You have to leave her!” Josh said frantically.

“I don’t remember asking you.” Kronish cocked an eyebrow at Josh.

“Look, truth is I’ve been gigoloing- gigolo- gigoing- fucking dudes for money for a while now.” Josh said. “This is not the first time a wife has hired me to save her marriage, and trust me, it never works. Never.”

“Yeah? Well, maybe that’s on you.” Kronish looked Josh up and down again.

“Nuh uh,” Josh pointed down to his crotch. “You see this? I’m the fucking best, okay?”

Behind the counter, Liv was pulling at her face, trying to resist the urge to jump in. She couldn’t take it.

“Listen to me, you are in love with someone else.” Josh said gently. Kronish’s stance softened. “Someone who you have crazy, passionate, vibrant sex with for very long periods of time.” Kronish slowly nodded, looking at the ground. “But, most importantly, you found someone who you truly love to hold. Someone who sees you for who you really are…” Josh sent a quick glance over his shoulder to where Liv was hiding.

Behind the counter, Liv was listening intently, with her knees pulled in close to her chest, looking up as if she could see Josh. She could hear the tenderness in his voice. Her face broke into a sweet smile.

“This marriage that you’re in, it’s an anchor. It’s holding you down. You need to set sail.” Josh moved his hands in a wide motion, gesturing towards the horizon. Kronish looked confused about how Josh could possibly know that. “Metaphorically speaking.” He added at the end.

“Damn, you are one perceptive hooker.” Kronish said quietly.

“The best.” Josh reminded him.

“But you know what? You’re right.”

“I’m right?”

“Yes, I should set sail.”

“Absolutely!”

“I can do this!”

“You can!”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!”

“What do I owe you?” Kronish reached for his wallet.

“Uh, fifty bucks?” Josh shrugged.

“Take sixty.” Kronish gave him that signature warm smile as he handed Josh the money. “You earned it.” He kept his hand out for Josh to shake.

“Thank you very much!” Josh returned the smile.

“Set sail.” Kronish muttered as he walked away.

“Set sail!” Josh repeated enthusiastically.

Liv popped up from behind the counter with a proud smile on her face. “Good job gigolo!”

“Not funny, Liv. We have to let that prostitute go.” He said in a hushed voice. They heard a knock on the door and froze.

“Hurry, just get to the study.” Liv hissed. Liv and Josh tiptoed into the dining room again, looking around as they heard Kronish talking to whoever was at the door. They darted across the dining room and burst into the study.

“We have to get you out of here!” Josh said to the woman frantically.

The woman was watching something on TV and laughing. She stopped when she saw them. “Oh, you’re back. Are you the good guys now?”

“We’re trying to be.” Josh said as Liv fished the handcuff keys from her pocket. “If the wrong person sees you right now it’s gonna undo a whole lot of progress I just made.” The cuffs fell to the ground as they uncuffed her.

“Uh, ‘kay, so, I’m not going anywhere until I get paid.” She said snobbily.

“I got sixty bucks?” Josh held out the money Kronish had given him.

“Sixty bucks? This isn’t a rest stop glory hole. Sixty bucks doesn’t cover the roleplay, cuffing, degrading, and this weird ass threesome.” She rolled her eyes. Josh and Liv eyed each other. “I’m calling Big Lou.”

“No, no, no! Please don’t call Big Lou!” Liv shook her head.

“The last thing we need is to add more people to this right now!” Josh waved his hands. “We’ll get you more money!”

“I’ll take a TaB too.” She said as Josh and Liv went to the door.

“The fuck’s a TaB?” Josh whispered to Liv as he shut the door.

“How do we get her more money?” Liv whispered.

Josh thought for a moment. “Find Marigold’s wallet.”

“Josh!”

“She’s a bitch! I don’t mind stealing from her!”

“…fine.” Liv pursed her lips. They tiptoed back into the dining room, hearing Kronish laugh awkwardly at someone in the living room.

“That’s great, well, if you’ll excuse me, I need to talk to my wife.” Kronish said.

“Alright, but you’ll call me, right Elias?” The visitor asked.

“Yes, I’ll have Marigold call you, alright, bye bye now.”

Josh and Liv heard the front door close. Liv turned to Josh and nodded, ready to sneak into the living room to go snoop through Marigold’s purse. The door opened and closed again, and they heard someone muttering to themself. Josh and Liv stayed still, eyes wide, as a burly, scary looking man came walking past them, back turned to them.

“Fuck! Big Lou!” Josh crouched behind a stool as Liv stayed behind the wall. He went searching in the study. Liv and Josh bolted into the living room and found Marigold’s purse sitting on the coffee table. Liv picked it up and rifled through it.

“Got it!” She pulled out the wallet. A loud commotion came from the kitchen. Liv dropped the purse and they went running into the kitchen to see Big Lou had shoved Leslie to the ground, smashing into the sculpture Josh had almost broken earlier. The pieces of the sculpture lay scattered around him.

“Big Lou! Big Lou!” Josh called out. “It’s okay! We have your money.” He held out Marigold’s wallet.

“Hey! That’s my money!” The prostitute peered around Big Lou.

“What the fuck is going on here?!” Marigold came storming into the dining room in a robe, clearly fresh out of the bath. Kronish rushed in after her.

“This asshole sucker punched me!” Big Lou pointed to Leslie.

“This filthy pimp abuses this woman!” Leslie pointed at Big Lou and then to the prostitute.

“He’s not my pimp?” The prostitute looked at Leslie as if he were stupid.

“I’m a history teacher!” “Big Lou” looked offended. He looked over at her. “You’re a prostitute?”

“No! He’s the prostitute!” Kronish pointed to Josh.

“Neither one is the prostitute!” Marigold shook her head.

“Well, I’m a prostitute.” The prostitute said.

“And you’re so much more than that!” Leslie said to her.

“Shut the fuck up, priest.” She rolled her eyes at Leslie.

“You’re a priest?” Liv gasped.

“Reverend.” Leslie looked confused down at Liv and Josh, who’s jaws were on the ground.

“I don’t care who any of you freaks are, I just want Bunny back!” “Big Lou” wailed, leaving to scour the house.

“Hold on just a second!” Marigold pointed to Josh and looked at Kronish. “You thought he was the prostitute?”

Kronish paused. “…yes…”

“I mean, look at him.” Liv chimed in. Josh shot her a dirty look.

“And who the fuck are you?!” Kronish asked.

Liv opened her mouth to answer, but closed it, not knowing what to say. Josh looked at her with wide eyes. “I…” she looked between everyone, all eyes were on her. “I photograph him…” she pointed to Josh. “I photograph him…gigoloing.” She choked out.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Josh hissed through his teeth.

“You make gay porn?” Leslie looked disgusted at her. Liv shot him a judgemental look. Who was he to judge her?

“…yeah?” Leslie gave her a worried look.

“No, no!” Marigold turned the conversation back to Josh. “Why would I get you a male prostitute?” Kronish glanced at Josh and went back to Marigold.

“Yes Elias,” Leslie crossed his arms. “Why would she get you a male prostitute?” Everyone stared at Kronish expectantly.

“Uh, I thought…you wanted me to watch you have sex with him,” he gestured towards Josh. Josh let go of the bated breath he’d been holding. Leslie looked crushed. Liv took in a sharp breath and slowly shook her head. Marigold gave the three of them weird looks. She looked back at Kronish like he was insane. “I’ve shared with you my cuckolding fantasy haven’t I?” Kronish added.

“No.” Marigold said sharply. She scoffed. “Hm, I thought you were trying to tell me you were gay.”

Kronish let out an abnormally loud, forced laugh. “Oh, no, no. Just your old run-of-the-mill…” he trailed off seeing Leslie’s hurt look. “Cuck…”

Leslie nodded solemnly. “Obviously you two have a lot to talk about. I gotta go.” His eyes bore into Kronish. “My boat still leaves at midnight.” He saw himself out of the house.

“What boat?” Marigold asked rudely.

“I have no idea.” Kronish sighed.

“No! Don’t let him leave!” Josh interrupted. Kronish looked at Josh. “Come on! Be true to yourself!” He looked at Kronish, then Marigold, then to Liv. Liv furrowed her eyebrows. “He’s in love with someone else.” He blurted out.

“Seriously, who are these people?” Marigold shot Liv and Josh dirty looks.

“I have no idea. I have never met them before in my life.” Kronish clenched his jaw uncomfortably. Josh got a look on his face that Liv knew all too well. He was meddling again.

“Oh. Don’t you act like you don’t know exactly who I am, Elias.” Josh said, feigning dramatic heartbreak. He inched closer to Kronish, who backed away uncomfortably. “I will not let you treat me like some slut you can just bang a couple times and then throw in the garbage.”

“I don’t know what this man is talking about!” Kronish cried.

Josh looked back at Liv. She nodded for him to keep going. The prostitute stood slightly behind them, eating all of this drama up. “You thought that you could just come into my life and turn everything upside down and only think about yourself?” He was in Kronish’s face by this point. “You think that we can spend an entire weekend making love,” he looked back at Marigold when he said this, making sure she heard him correctly. She was shocked and horrified. Liv stood next to her, grinning from ear to ear with two thumbs up. “And then you think you can just ignore me?!” He turned back to Kronish. “You’ve got another thing coming, ‘cause you know what?” He turned to Liv, holding out his hand for the bag. Liv handed him the bag and he rummaged through it, pulling out the envelope with the pictures Liv took. He grabbed them and fanned them out so everyone could see. “I will not be ignored, Elias! Proof!” He showed the group. “Look what he made her take pictures of!” He gestured to Liv. “He roped her into this too!”

“What the fuck are these supposed to prove?” Marigold shouted.

“I’m calling the police!” Kronish threatened.

“Give me a 90 second head start?” The prostitute piped up. Josh turned to Liv with panicked eyes.

“Oh no, Bunny!” Someone cried. “Lord, no!” Everyone hurried to the kitchen, where the cat was found in the pot. “Big Lou” had been Kronish’s neighbor. “My Bunny’s dead!” He cried.

“The cat’s name is Bunny?” Liv asked.

Josh gave a small laugh. “If I’d have known that I would have hid it someplace else.” He elbowed Liv lightly, trying to crack a joke. Liv slapped Josh’s chest with the back of her hand as Kronish’s neighbor angrily turned to them. All eyes were on Josh and Liv. “Um…” he grabbed Liv’s hand. “We’ll…we’ll see ourselves out…” they turned and ran for the front door. Kronish followed them to the door.

“And you better stay away!” He screamed after them as they dashed down the driveway.

“Fuck free will! We should have done the gun thing!” Josh cried out as they ran down the street together.

Tiger had finally pinpointed where Wolf was. She’d tracked him all day, through the beach and park where she met an oracle on a bench who told her to let him be free from his ownership chain, and to Kronish’s house where a cunning wife oracle told her to tighten the ownership chain. Tiger knew exactly where Wolf would have ended up. Corey Hart’s concert. She approached the large crowd in front of the venue.

“Well,” she said as she spotted him right at the ticket booth. “If it isn’t the king of the public beach?”

“What took you so long?” Wolf asked, side-eyeing her. “Your tracking skills are slipping.”

“I consulted two oracles today.” Tiger said. “One said give you your freedom and you’ll come back to me. He was dumb and ate his own dog. The other said to rein you in with the illusion of freedom. She was impressive…but crazy.” Wolf looked at her, unphased. “And then I realized, your freedom isn’t mine to give or take. Neither one of us is gonna be free until we finish what we started.”

“You’re wrong.” Wolf said in a low, tired voice. “I’m free now.” Tiger furrowed her brows. Wolf looked her dead on. “Because I quit.”

[self-conscious-author]

Coup de Foudre - Chapter One - Running With The Wolves

Beacon Hills Animal Hospital

It’s on a quiet Saturday afternoon that the McCall pack finds themselves in the back of the clinic. The weather is pleasantly warm, and the day seems to be going peacefully so far. But that can change very quickly in Beacon Hills.

They wait patiently as Deaton finishes with his last patient, a sweet old yorkie belonging to an equally sweet old lady.

”Alright,” Deaton says after locking the door behind them. “Now that we’re all here, I have something very important to tell you.”

That sentence alone has all of their attention. Is there already a new threat to handle? They’re already dealing with the after effects of the Nemeton, which, if the new girl Kira is right, ends with death. Not exactly a happy thought.

Deaton notices them all tense and smiles reassuringly. “It’s nothing bad, I promise. A friend of mine should be arriving in town tonight and I thought, given her background, you should all be introduced.”

“Background?” Scott crosses his arms. “Is she a werewolf?” 

“No-“

“Is she evil?”

Allison rolls her eyes with a grin. “She wouldn’t be his friend if she was evil, Stiles.”

“Well, maybe she’s really good at hiding it, we can’t forget Miss Darach lady. She had everybody fooled. Especially him.” Derek levels him with an unamused glare when he lifts his arm out towards him.

Deaton raises an eyebrow before continuing while walking towards his bookshelf. “I’ve known her all her life, trust me she’s one of the good ones.”

“Well, what is she?”

He places a large, old book down on the table facing them. The dark brown leather is well-worn, showing the extent of its use. “She’s-“

“Hang on-“ Stiles interrupts, staring hard at the book now in front of him with squinted eyes. “You have a bestiary?”

“Of course, I have a bestiary.”

“So, we could’ve just-“

They all think back to when they were trying to sneak Gerard’s away from him, and sigh in defeat, with Stiles dragging his hand down his face.

Deaton huffs out a laugh before turning to a specific page and continuing. “She’s a Witcher.”

“A what?”

“Most Witchers hunt other supernatural creatures-“

Everyone tenses again while Derek crosses his arms. “How is that good?”

“Most Witchers.” He emphasizes with a look. “She, and her parents, on the other hand, protects them. Your mothers were actually close friends, Derek. The three of us discussed different matters on several occasions, and they only ever disagreed one time.” He points at the picture depicting a white haired man and woman with what looks to be glowing tattoos. The man holds a large sword in his grasp. “Here.”

“Woah.” Stiles whispers, leaning closer. “Witchers can quickly learn any known language upon first hearing it. They have superhuman agility, accelerated healing, enhanced supernatural strength, speed, hearing, and smell.. All to better catch their prey.” He clears his throat uncomfortably and shares a look with Scott. “Woah.”

“So, they’re kind of like a werewolf, you know, besides default google translate.” Isaac furrows his brows.

Deaton nods. “In Medieval times, a Witcher would travel around the world being paid to kill, hence the languages.”

Lydia makes a noise, motioning back to the book with her finger. “Wait, what’s with the glowing tattoos?”

“The ways to spot a Witcher are their silvery white hair and their glowing markings. Besides that they look completely normal, just like a werewolf,” He nods to Scott, Isaac, and Derek, and then Lydia. “or a banshee. A new mark appears on their skin every time they kill, or in Eira’s case, every time she saves someone, bringing them into her pack.”

”A Witcher’s markings glow on command or when in the presence of their mate.” Stiles reads, absorbed in the book in front of him. A Witcher’s eyes and markings can appear different colors depending on the situation the Witcher is in. When angry or asserting their dominance, much like an Alpha werewolf, the glow is red. When in pain or afraid, it is yellow.

“Like a werewolf mate?” Derek questions, receiving a nod in return.

“It’s similar,” Deaton says. “but a Witcher’s mate gains abilities similar to their own. They can also locate each other once bonded, even if they’re on opposite sides of the world.”

Witchers are unaffected by kanima venom and most poisons and diseases, as well as the bite of a werewolf. They are believed to have been created by witches, made to eradicate the more foul of supernatural beings which they themselves were not equipped to deal with.

While those who know of their existence may have need of them, many fear them due to the sheer magnitude of their power.

“Why doesn’t she hunt us like she’s supposed to?”

“That’s for her to tell you, Scott. Not me.”

He nods in understanding, quietly thinking for a moment. She definitely seems like someone they’d want on their side. And if Deaton trusts her, and Derek’s mother was friends with her mother- “Is it just her?”

“She has a pack, of how many I’m not sure. Last time I saw her there were six, including herself, but she could have saved more since then.”

“Well, I want to meet her.” Stiles looks up, and shrugs when he notices all eyes are on him. “What? It’s cool!”

Scott shakes his head with a smile. “Alright. We’ll all come back later tonight. Deaton, will you take us to her?”

〰️

Once the sun sets, the previously empty parking lot of the clinic fills with three cars, before emptying once more as they drive towards the preserve. Because apparently it isn’t only Derek that likes hiding in there, as Stiles points out, earning him another unamused stare from the sourwolf himself. Only Scott hears his grumbled, “I have an apartment now.”

They finally arrive at what appears to be a large log cabin and clamber out of their vehicles. “Okay, how have we never stumbled upon this?” Stiles swings his arms out towards the building.

Scott shrugs his shoulders with a shake of his head, having absolutely no idea, before following behind Derek and Deaton.

“I called ahead so she knows we’re coming, but I should still do the talking. They’re all very protective of each other.” They all nod in understanding, they’re protective as well, especially after what just happened to Erica and Boyd.

“This place is really nice.” Lydia whispers to Allison as they walk through the front door, with her nodding in agreement. It’s not massive, but it’s big enough to show there are clearly many people who live here. It’s neat, but not spotless. Already it feels lived in and warm. There are a few toys in the large open living room, telling them there is at least one child among them.

As they get closer to the back door they begin to hear the beat of a drum, as well as singing. But Deaton doesn’t seem surprised as he opens the door, revealing a fire with eleven people surrounding it.

What appears to be a married couple are dancing next to a grill with their daughter clapping to the beat from her place on the grass, a young boy sits next to her clapping and smiling as well. Sitting on the far side of the fire next to them, a red headed boy around their age appears to be trying to make a stern looking woman laugh; if one looked close enough they could see the corner of her lip tilting up slightly.

A large tattooed man with blond hair sits by the fire nearest them playing a set of four drums with his hands, with a curly blond haired boy no older than two standing in front of him, completely enthralled.

Sitting across from him is a boy and girl that look to be their age as well, watching a beautiful woman with silvery white hair sing, joining in occasionally themselves.

They’re all surprised to find the mysterious Witcher looks to be only a year or two older than themselves.

The short woman is sitting beside the man at the drums, singing in Icelandic, as Deaton quietly tells them, and smiling when the young blond boy gazes up at her.

She has a braid on either side of her head holding her hair out of her face, and is wearing an orange-ish brown dress that ends just above her knees, showing them that her arms and what they can see of her back are indeed covered in tattoos.

“She’s gorgeous.” Stiles’ awe filled whisper draws the attention of his best friend, only for a shock to run through him at the sight of his eyes glowing a bright white.

“Whoa, Stiles, what’s going on with your eyes?” 

They all whip around to stare at him, completely forgetting about where they’re standing and who could possibly hear them.

“Wha-what are you talking about?”

“They’re glowing.” Isaac whisper yells.

“What!?” He frantically rubs his eyes then looks back at his best friend hopefully.

“Nope, definitely still glowing!” 

“What the fu-“

“Could it just be something from the Nemeton?” Lydia asks, only for Allison to shake her head.

“I don’t remember my eyes glowing white recently.”

“No, you just hallucinated.”

Due to their attention being on the phenomenon of Stiles and his glowing eyes, none but Deaton notice that while the drums and masculine singing is still going, its feminine counterpart has stopped.

That is, until they hear a warm accented voice greet Deaton. “Velkominn vinur (welcome friend), it’s been too long.” 

“It’s good to see you, Eira.” The doctor and Witcher hug tightly for a moment before separating. “These are the people I told you about. Scott McCall, Lydia Martin, Allison Argent, Isaac Lahey, Stiles Stilinski, and Derek Hale. Everyone, this is Eira Einarsdóttir.”

They all wave while Stiles gazes wide eyed until Lydia bumps him. His eyes finally stopped glowing once the Viking woman approached.

Now that she’s closer they can see she’s barefoot and has several silver piercings on each ear, and her eyes are a striking crystalline blue color. And when she smiles in greeting she reveals a set of sharp canines.

“Hale?” Derek nods. “I heard what happened, with the fire. My mother often spoke very highly of yours when I was a child. You have my sympathies, and hers.”

“Thank you.” It’s safe to say the teenagers are a little surprised, having never heard Derek thank anyone, ever.

“You came at the perfect time, my friend. Let me introduce you to everyone.” She smiles again, and if you asked Stiles he would swear his heart stopped beating, before turning so she’s facing more towards her pack. “This is Amy and Seán.” The teens, having heard their alpha, turn and wave at the newcomers.

Well, Seán waves, his dark eyes zeroing in on Lydia, Amy shyly lifts her fingers which causes Allison and Scott to smile.

Eira then points to the stern noirette and cheerful ginger. “Heather and Anthony,” The family of three and the young boy. “Laureli, Arthur and their daughter Clove, and Amy’s brother Oliver. My brother Bjørn on the drums.” The little blond comes running into her legs causing her to laugh before she picks him up and holds him close, brushing a stray curl out of his eyes. “And this is Ragnar, my son.”

That throws the pack for a loop.

Ragnar gazes wide-eyed at them all with the same piercing blue orbs as his mother. “Can you say hello, litli úlfur?” (little wolf) He doesn’t speak, but waves his little hand happily, causing the girls to quietly ‘aww’.

His mother places a tender kiss on his forehead before leading them all closer to the fire and her family. Now that Bjørn is standing, they can see he’s Derek’s size. “Deaton, it’s good to see you again.” And wow is his voice deep.

The two grasp arms. “How are you, Bjørn?” Deaton introduces everyone again and the large man responds with nods and handshakes.

Stiles finds himself standing next to Eira, somehow simultaneously jittery due to being so close to her while also feeling a warm sense of calm. It’s then that the small werewolf in her arms suddenly reaches for him, causing his eyes to go wide. “Oh- wow okay, hi.”

Eira gently deposits her son into Stiles’ arms, smiling as she watches Ragnar show him his little silver wolf medallion, causing him to quietly mumble something to him.

She directs her inviting smile to everyone once more. “Please, sit. Join us. I believe Arthur is finished with the food.”

Everyone from both packs proceeds to place themselves on the benches around the fire, after Eira introduces them, again. Heather gives everyone a hard stare, which they don’t take to heart, understanding the woman’s caution. Anthony waves at them all with a mouthful of his burger as he sits back down next to his stern counterpart, resuming his attempts to pull a laugh from her.

Clove hands Allison and Lydia each a daisy, before promptly running behind her mother’s legs, while Oliver simply waves at everyone from the ground. Laureli’s soft motherly voice guides them all towards her husband, where he ensures they all take something to eat.

Seán guides a very shy Amy over to talk to the girls, with the three of them perching on their bench, while he and the boys discuss lacrosse.

With everyone sitting down to eat, no one notices Stiles only just now placing little Ragnar at his feet for him to wander over to Clove and Oliver. Where he proceeds to plop down on the ground to eat hotdogs Laureli places in front of them.

“I can only smell a few werewolves.” Scott finally points out with Seán nodding in response.

“Me, Heather, Anthony and Ragnar.”

Eira, having heard her son’s name, ruffles his curls before sitting next to Stiles. “Bjørn is a werebear, so he’ll smell a little different.”

Sounds terrifying.

“Amy and Oliver are naiads, water spirits, while Laureli and Clove are dryads, forest spirits.”

The whole McCall pack listens closely, these being new creatures they haven’t heard of yet. “Arthur is actually a human from a family of hunters.”

Allison smiles at the mention of another hunter family protecting instead of hurting. It’s reassuring to know not everyone is like her grandfather, or her aunt.

“So, you saved all of them?” Derek chimes in from the other side of Bjørn.

“Most, not all.” She pauses to watch her family. “Bjørn was the first, he didn’t need saving,” They both quietly chuckle. “he never has. He actually found me.” Her eyes seem to dull and sadden, as if remembering something painful before brightening when her brother places his hand on her back. “Then we found Seán,”

“Oh boy, here we go.” He mumbles.

“He was playing the piano in a pub in Galway trying to impress a lovely young lady. It was absolutely beautiful- what was it again?”

“Uh.. it was Liszt.”

“Will you play some later?” He nods, making her smile before going back to the introductions. “After him we found Arthur, Clove and Laureli. They didn’t need saving either, but when I offered them a place among us they accepted.”

She smiles over at the happy little family. “Then it was Heather,” She doesn’t go into detail, knowing the she-wolf would rather her story be kept secret from strangers. “-then Heather actually found Anthony.”

They look over to see the redhead smiling proudly, having finally gotten Heather to smile. “She brought to our attention a young boy being abused by his human stepfather because he thought he was a monster.. Looking at him now, you would never guess the horrors he’s been through.” Derek grins softly across the space at Isaac.

“And Amy and Oliver..” She receives a nod from Amy and finishes. “were hiding in a crawlspace in their home from hunters, with their parents slaughtered in the next room.”

Her marks and eyes take on a faint red glow, remembering how she buried Amy’s face in her neck while Arthur enveloped little Ollie into his chest so neither had to see the carnage.

No one notices Stiles’ eyes also gaining a red hue. Until Amy smiles softly at her savior, bringing her back to the present and removing the glow from them both.

Now that he’s closer to her, Stiles trails his eyes along the side of her face, taking in every detail. He can’t help but feel like he’s seen her before.. In a dream maybe..

〰️

Everyone is relaxing and trading stories after finishing eating, with Bjørn mindlessly tapping his drums in front of him until it becomes steadier as Ragnar settles into his mother’s lap.

Eira begins to softly sing to her son as her body sways to the music. She leans her head against his own, watching him turn his medallion over in his hands.

Go run and hold to safer grounds

But don't you know we're stronger now

My heart still beats and my skin still feels

My lungs still breathe and my mind still fears

She smooths her hand along his curls before pulling him closer to her, settling his head against her chest.

But we're running out of time

All the echoes in my mind cry

There's blood on your lies

And the sky's open wide

There is nowhere for you to hide

The hunter's moon is shining

Stiles watches as she gently bounces her son on her lap, pulling a little smile from him, and silently decides her voice is his new favorite sound. He leans forward, placing his chin in his hand as his foot begins to tap along with the music.

I'm running with the wolves tonight

I'm running with the wolves

I'm running with the wolves tonight

I'm running with the wolves

I'm running with the

Stiles watches in fascination as the marks on her body begin to glow a soft pink color, beginning at her wrist where Ragnar traces his little fingers along a swirl, flowing up her arms and disappearing behind her back.

Before Stiles knows it the song is over, and his eyes are fading back to their rich brown.

〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️ 〰️

So, I’m finally rewriting this and thought I’d post it here as well as on Quotev and Ao3, incase there’s anyone on here who wants to read it 🤷🏻‍♀️

-No part of this story may be copied or reposted to any site for any reason without my consent-

[woso-dreamzzz]

Award II

Alexia Putellas x Hardersson!Reader

Aitana Bonmatí x Hardersson!Reader

Natalia Guijarro (OC) x Hardersson!Reader

Part of The Big Adventures Universe

Summary: You are finally rewarded for being the best

You don't play football for the fame.

You've never played football for fame or money or awards.

You play football because you love it.

It's been apart of your life for as long as you can remember. Your parents still have your first Wolfsburg kit, back when you were a baby and couldn't do anything but cry.

The fame, the money, the trophies all just came along with the sport you love.

The responsibility of carrying your country and your club doesn't weigh on you much, not when you have such passion for the game and your teams.

The first time you felt such responsibility was on your youth team, captaining them to a successful Under-17 Euros. Then, the responsibility was back at Barcelona. You were made the third captain after half a season back from your loan to Lyon.

When you left, the responsibility stayed, being made the sole captain for your country. You've spent a year at Wolfsburg now, the club of your childhood, and the band for your club wraps around your arm in preparation for next season.

Denmark Youth Captain.

Barcelona Third Captain.

Sweden Senior Captain.

Wolfsburg First Captain.

You didn't play football to become a leader but somehow you've become one, moving from yelling orders from your defence to yelling orders at the whole team.

You are an expert keeper. You always have been.

People around you say you've made your mark on the game and you haven't even retired yet. People look at you for what a keeper should be, for how a leader should act.

(People whisper that all keepers coming up the ranks now try to mimic your style, your natural instinct and abilities).

It's only inevitable that you have the trophy cabinet to back up your skill.

Two World Cups sit in your cabinet. Two Golden Gloves as well.

Multiple Keeper of the Year trophies.

An Olympic medal.

A Euros medal.

And then awards for at club level too.

Liga F, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa sit in the apartment you used to share with Natalia with a Première Ligue and Coupe de France medal too.

Your Champion's League medals sit with Natalia's on the wall.

Everything you won at Linköping and Arsenal are at home in Sweden whilst your most recent Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal medals are at your apartment in Germany.

You are the greatest goalkeeper playing in the women's leagues at the moment and, while you cannot see it, everyone else knows it.

You've come to the ceremony to eat some of the bar food and maybe see some of your old Lyon teammates.

Talia has come to the ceremony to see you make history.

Alexia and Aitana are the ones presenting the award and just from the way they're smiling, Talia knows the result.

You've been ranked highly ever since your first nomination. That time, you'd ranked eleventh. Every time after that, you've finished in the top ten.

Your name is called and the world stops.

You suck in a breath, frozen in your seat like you're in the Champion's League final with only a one goal lead and the other team advancing on your goal with lethal efficiency.

You don't know what to do. You don't know what to say.

Your wife allows your tuck your head into her neck, not flinching as your tears drip down onto her suit blazer.

"It's okay, baby," Talia says to you," You deserve this so much."

She helps you to your feet, hiding your face as you wipe your tears where cameras can't see.

You force yourself to walk up the stairs to the stage without stumbling. You suck in a breath.

There it is.

The most prestigious award in football.

It was a few years ago now that Talia won hers. She'd had a standout season during her first as Barcelona's captain. She was lethal on goal for club and country.

There was never any doubt it would be here.

That's the way it always is.

Everyone always expects a striker or a midfielder. Sometimes, it's a defender. It's never been a keeper though, at least for the women's.

Second goalkeeper in history.

First female goalkeeper in history.

Aitana is the one nearest to you.

You're taller than her by a lot, towering over her but she still hugs you like you were little, like you were still the little girl she met when hunting down Pernille's shirt.

One of her hands comes up to cup your cheek.

"You've grown up," She says and you force yourself not to cry," You're so big now."

Alexia is next. You last saw her a few weeks ago when you came back to Spain for the weekend and attended one of Talia's games. Alexia made you come down from the stands and asked about Wolfsburg and how your season was going.

She was all business then and you'd been as vague as possible, in case she remembered something that could be used against you during the next rounds of the Champion's League.

But now, there's no hint of professionalism in her eyes as she pulls you into a hug.

"I told you," She whispers," I told you that you'd get this one day. Remember this feeling, okay? There's nothing better in the world. There's no one better in the world."

She pulls away and hands you the award.

You turn to the cameras, to the audience all on their feet clapping you.

You lift up your Ballon D'or for all to see.

[enha-roza]

HEESEUNG AND ROZA MOMENTS

Heeseung x 8thmember!oc

synopsis : Heeseung being whipped and in love with Roza.

wc : 1k

WEVERSE LIVE

Heeseung sat on live talking to engenes when he noticed Roza leaving comments.

"why are you doing a live without me :(" "im hungry..." "I feel like going out to eat??"

"what are you doing here?" Heeseung laughs as Roza continues to comment along with engenes. "Roza join the live!" he says as he continues to reply to comments.

*Roza joins the live*

"omggg, hey yall" Heeseung eyes light up as Roza appears on screen. "i missed you engenes, i haven't been live in forever" Roza says as fans comment in reply. Heeseung just stared at the screen with a smile on his face.

˖ ✧ ⸻

EN-O'CLOCK

During an the Pokémon En-o'clock where the members were vs each other trying to see who the better gamer was. Heeseung being the gamer he is, was expected to do very well. Roza being the opposite of Heeseung only playing games like the Sims and Minecraft, had no hopes in doing well.

So when battling Sooyoung and Roza found herself doing well and even winning against Sooyoung. She couldn't help but have the biggest grin on her face.

Heeseung who sat behind her watching with a smile. He knew she wasn't hopeful in winning but seeing her have a smile on her face put a smile on his face.

˖ ✧ ⸻

EN-LOG

During an En-log when Jake was doing a tour of their dorm, he was showing Roza and Sooyoung's room when there was a quick shot of Heeseung and Roza snuggled under the blankets.

"And this is Roza and Sooyoung's room" Jake said walking in and panning the camera to show everything before realizing Heeseung and Roza were in the room. "oh whoops-" He said as he quickly walked out of the room and giggled. "lets go look at my room!"

*a week later*

Heeseung was on live for his birthday when many fans brought up him and Roza caught sleeping together. "ahh, you wanna know about me and Roza sharing a bed" he giggled thinking back. "well, i don't know... we do that when we sleep. its nice, you know..." and he just laughed at the awkward tension as many fans lost their minds. "okay moving on... "

˖ ✧ ⸻

BEHIND THE SCENE PRACTICE

While practicing for 'Bite Me' the members were paired up for the partner dancing. Roza was partnered up with Heeseung and Sooyoung was partnered up with Jungwon during the first chorus and Jake the second. Female dancers partnered with the remaining members.

As they got ready to try the chorus fully for the first time, Heeseung felt his heart racing as he held Roza by her waist as she fit her hand around his neck as he dipped her. As they continued to dance, Roza placed her hand under his chin slowly lifting it as they finished performing the chorus.

The music soon stopped and Heeseung could be seen fanning his face as he feels heat rising to his face. The camera then closed up on him as he quickly took a sip of water trying to cool down.

He looked over at Roza as she was talking with some of the female dancers before Jay came up to noticing something was up. "what's wrong?" "what... nothing- nothing" "are you sure?? you're acting weird" "no im fine, i swear" Jay sensing his unwillingness to share left him alone.

The camera then focused on Roza as she had moved to talking with Sunghoon and they started talking about the choreography, then deciding to show the choreo together. Heeseung could be seen watching them dance, as Sunghoon placed his hands around Roza as they danced and Roza placed her hand delicately under Sunghoon's chin.

As Roza and Sunghoon talk to the camera in excitement after they finish dancing, Heeseung finds himself walking towards Roza and Sunghoon without realizing he had grabbed her hand. "Roza is my partner!" He says as pulls her back to the other side of the practice room.

The camera follows them before panning back to Sunghoon as he just laughs noticing Heeseung's jealous antics. "he's jealous" Roza being clueless to Heeseung's wave of jealousy just went along with him. After a couple more minutes they went back to practicing. Heeseung was happy that Roza was paired up with him.

˖ ✧ ⸻

BIRTHDAY POST

˖ ✧ ⸻

I-LAND

As part 2 of I-Land started, Heeseung and Roza got closer and closer. So close, Heeseung decided to ask Roza a question. "Wanna sleep in my bed?" Heeseung shyly asks as Roza eats in front of him. "Sure! why not". A little surprised she said yes so quickly Heeseung choked on his own food. "yeah, cool..."

Night creeped closer as they finished up practicing for the upcoming mission. "Unnie, I'm gonna shower, wanna come?" Jihyun another I-Lander asked as the girls made there way to to bathrooms. "oh wait, yes. i kinda stink not gonna lie...". "you still smell better than half of the trainees here!" Jay shouts at Roza as she laughs. "I'll meet you after Heeseung!". "sounds good!" feeling more nervous now as he goes to sit in his bed which will soon will be joined by Roza.

"She actually said yes?". "Yes and now im lowkey freaking out-" Heeseung whispers to Sunoo. "i thought she was gonna say no!". "im sorry but that's your fault for asking" Sunoo laughs as Roza soon appears in the doorway with damp hair and a fresh face.

"what's so funny?". "nothing... Heeseung's just being weird again" Sunoo giggles as Heeseung's face glows a light pink. "I'm so tried I think im gonna fall asleep straight away" Roza says, slipping into Heeseung's bed next to him. Finally lying down properly, Heeseung feels a little more confidant to wrap his arms around Roza.

After lying in silence Roza's quiet breathing makes his heart beat more than normal. Heeseung stiffens as Roza's sleeping figure snuggles into him, her head fitting in his neck. He couldn't help but lay his head down as he placed a kiss on the top of her head. Heeseung wouldn't mind getting used to this.

[jerzwriter]

Hey guys! It's been busy, and I have not been feeling good about writing much lately, but I have a few Smuttember requests I wanted to get done. This is the first one, based on this ask, jealousy for Ethan x Kaycee. Thanks for the ask, Nonny. I hope you enjoy it.

Book: Open Heart (Book 2 Timeline) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x Kaycee MacClennan (F!MC), Tobias Carrick, Clarissa Stanton (F!OC) Rating: Mature Words: 2,500 ish Summary: Everyone is crazy about the new addition to the team. Dr. Clarissa Stanton is a rising star in the medical community, and Edenbrook is lucky to have her. She seems to warm up to everyone, well... almost everyone... and there is someone she's warming up to a little too much, and it's not sitting well with Kaycee. See how it all works out.

A/N: Participating in @choicesprompts Smuttember. #27 Jealousy, but also #17, Reclaiming, too. I didn't have much time to edit - so forgive errors. :)

“Dr. Stanton, please report to the Diagnostic Team office. Dr. Stanton, Diagnostic Team office.”

It was innocent enough. Just one of the dozens of announcements heard over the PA system at Edenbrook Hospital on any given day. It shouldn’t have caused any alarm, but these days, just the mention of Dr. Stanton’s name made Kaycee’s blood turn cold. She clenched the pencil in her hand so tightly that it snapped in half, taking her and a nurse standing nearby by surprise.

“Dr. MacClennan,” the nurse smiled. “What did that pencil ever do to you?”

Kaycee replied with a pleasant smile, attributing the pencil assault to a lack of sleep and voluminous quantities of caffeine, but she knew that wasn't the truth. The innocent pencil was collateral damage in the cold war taking place between her and Dr. Clarissa Stanton, a war Kaycee was growing tired of.  

Clarissa was a new fellow at Edenbrook. She had come to them from “the most distinguished residency program in the U.S.,” as Ethan reminded everyone. Daily. “It was quite the coup for us to land her,” he had told the diagnostic team triumphantly as Tobias made an off-color comment about 'landing.' Kaycee had heard of her; of course, her research had been the talk of the medical community for the past couple of years, and she was excited to have the opportunity to work together. Still, Tobias’s comment piqued her interest, so she quickly Googled her name.

Kaycee raised a brow when she saw the image load on her phone. Clarissa was striking – a face that looked like the girl next door if the girl next door had been a teenage model. Long, light brown hair and big, brown eyes that managed to be innocent and sultry at the same time. Her LinkedIn photo showed her propped up on a desk, her legs crossed and wholly swallowed up by her lab coat. There wasn’t a skirt in sight.

She would definitely have to warn her new colleague about Tobias, but none of this mattered. What mattered was Dr. Stanton’s research on off-label use of psychotropic medications, which had led to breakthroughs in more conditions than Kaycee could recall. What mattered was the impassioned testimony she had made before Congress recently, which landed her in the news cycle for weeks on end. She was a rising star... a once-in-a-generation talent. And because God clearly played favorites, of course, she was beautiful too.

Later that day, Kaycee had lunch with Tobias, and she warned her friend to keep things professional and don’t dare scare her away. Little did Kaycee know that the beautiful newcomer was one of the few women on the planet who were immune to the charms of one Dr. Carrick. No, Clarissa had made it clear from day one that she had her sights set on someone else.

She had a friendly, approachable demeanor, bordering on flirtatious, and she assimilated into both the team and the hospital with ease. Her well-earned air of confidence sometimes bordered on arrogance, but she was charming enough that no one seemed to care. Clarissa was impressive, and everyone was smitten. She seemed happy to be a friend to all, with one exception. Kaycee.

It wasn’t for Kaycee’s lack of trying. In fact, she had to stop herself from fangirling when the new doctor first arrived. But while Clarissa ate up attention from others, when it came to Kaycee, she seemed annoyed and did her best to distance herself.

When Kaycee pointed this out, even to her best friends, they insisted Kaycee was imagining things as they, too, were taken in. She resigned herself to being the sole outsider in the Dr. Stanton fan society, but she could still learn from her, and they could still work together. There was no way Kaycee wouldn’t be supportive of another up-and-coming woman in the medical field; they faced enough and needed to stick together. But there was one thing Kaycee couldn’t continue to ignore.

“There she is!” The normally curmudgeonly Dr. Ramsey beamed when Clarissa appeared for the team’s morning meeting. “And what brilliant theories are you going to grace us with today, Dr. Stanton?”

Kaycee snapped another pencil in half under the desk. Tobias, the only one who noticed, raised a brow. Leaning in close, he whispered, “Pencils are no longer safe in your presence, MacClennan. What gives?”

She ignored him, but she couldn’t ignore the way Clarissa hovered close to Ethan throughout their rounds- again - today. Or the way she asked questions and made comments that felt just a little too… familiar. She watched as Clarissa’s hand lingered on Ethan’s shoulder just a little longer than it should and bit her lip when she erupted in laughter every time Ethan cracked a joke... bad jokes.

Still, Kaycee kept it together. She was a professional, after all, and she had nothing to worry about. Her relationship with Ethan was solid, even if their relationship was a secret to ninety percent of the planet. Her residency was ending in just months, he reminded her constantly, and they’d be Instagram official very soon. But right now, a few months felt like decades away.

That day turned out to be particularly grueling. Kaycee had been assigned to work in oncology with a miserable attending who did everything they could to undermine her at every step of the way. If that weren't enough, she learned the case she had been working on for the past week, the one she knew she was close to breaking, was miraculously solved by none other than Ethan and Clarissa by way of two doctors discussing it in the third-floor lounge where she had gone for a moment of refuge.

“You should have seen them working together,” one doctor said. “It was seamless – like they could read each other’s minds.”

The second doctor concurred. “They have the makings of a medical power couple for sure. Edenbrook is already on the map, but they could make it the favored destination.”

Kaycee swallowed hard. That stung... a lot.

She decided to check in on one more patient before she left for the day. Mrs. Withers was just the ray of sunshine Kaycee needed right now, always bright and cheerful no matter what was taking place. Kaycee needed some of that magic to lift her spirits, and it worked... temporarily. She was about to step out of Mrs. Wither’s room when she heard their voices in the hall.

“I still can’t believe we solved the Dorrant case,” Ethan all but sang. “I was beginning to think that would be one of our rare dead ends.”

No matter that I told him I was close to solving it last night, Kaycee thought as her jaw tightened.

“There are no dead ends, Ethan,” Clarissa ensured. “Only angles that haven’t been examined. We're clever enough to find those angles; don't ever doubt it!"

“I’ve got to admit, I love your attitude.”

Kaycee shuddered; she could hear the smile in his voice, and she was about to break that case!

“Hey, we’re both leaving work,” Clarissa started. “What do you say we go grab a drink to discuss... future opportunities.”

Ethan didn't so much as hesitate before accepting the offer, and when Kaycee stepped out of the patient’s room she watched them step into the elevator together. It felt like a punch in the gut. She didn’t like when that little green monster clawed at her, but right he was drawing blood. She felt invisible, she felt lost, and the one person who could make her feel better was part of the reason why, and now, he was out with Clarissa.

Kaycee didn't go home. Instead, she took advantage of having the key to Ethan's penthouse, and that's where she waited. When Ethan returned to his apartment later that night, Kaycee was there – wearing a hole in his carpet as she paced back and forth. He walked in and glanced at the clock, then Kaycee. He knew something was amiss.

“Kaycee,” he droned, dropping his keys onto the marble counter with a clang. “I didn’t expect you to be here tonight.”

“Oh, I’m sure you didn’t,”  she spat, her firey eyes laced with a touch of pain. “I saw you leave the hospital with Clarissa. You two looked really... close.”

Ethan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Kaycee, you know it isn't like that. We were just sharing a drink to discuss work. That’s all.”

But his answer did not suffice. She crossed her arms defensively before her chest, and her brows knitted together as she stood before him in the kitchen.

“Do you not see the way she looks at you? Or how she hangs on your every word? And she’s not like that with anyone else, Ethan, only with you!”

Ethan took a step closer. “Kaycee, Clarissa is a colleague. You have nothing to be worried about.”

“Don’t I?” she asked, disappointed with the level of desperation in her voice. “I was just a colleague once. Harper was once your colleague... don’t tell me she’s just your colleague and expect it to provide any comfort!”  Her anxiety was palpable as her eyes welled up with tears. “Ethan, I know it takes more than a pretty face to turn your head. But Clarissa isn’t just beautiful; she’s brilliant. She’s a rising star! Just the thing to make a sapiosexual like you take note!”

“Sapiosexual?” he chuckled.

“Don’t act like you’re unfamiliar with the term! You don’t get it, Ethan! She’s out there being all flirtatious with you, and I’m forced to keep our relationship hidden in the shadows like it's a dirty secret! Every time I see you two together, it feels like I’m the one who’s invisible. Like I'm the one who can be replaced!"

His eyes softened when he saw the extent of Kaycee’s pain, and he cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “No one will ever replace you, Kaycee. No one. You’re it for me.” His voice was low, commanding, and sent shivers down her spine.

She bit her lip, too proud to allow the tears pooling in her eyes to fall. She took a cleansing breath and summoned her courage. “Then why do I feel like I’m fighting for you?”

His hand encircled her wrist, gripping it just tight enough to keep her from pulling away. “You feel that way because you’ve been bottling this up inside instead of coming to me. You haven’t given me a chance to remind you of what we are.” He leaned down, his lips brushing hers. “Let me remind you, Kaycee,” he whispered. “Let me remind you of who we are.”

Kaycee’s breath hitched; resistance was futile as he brought his lips back to hers, kissing her slowly, deliberately, as if she were the only other person alive. All the jealousy, frustration, and angst that had been consuming her melted away with that kiss, the heat between them igniting more with every passing second. He touched her with a wanton hunger that made her knees buckle. She leaned back against the kitchen counter so she wouldn’t fall.

This pleased Ethan, who was taking her in with a devilish grin; his hands began to roam over her body. Gripping her hips and pulling her against him, he lifted her onto the counter as she moaned softly, the frustration of the day unraveling as his hands claimed her and his lips traced down her neck to the sensitive skin of her chest. He unbuttoned her blouse.

“You think I want anyone else?” Ethan growled, his breath hot against her. “I’m yours, Kaycee. Every inch of me.”

Her hands fisted in his shirt, and she pulled him close, her body arching into his as she kissed him, biting his lip, relishing the control he offered her. He let out a low, primal groan as she worked her magic, taking back what was rightfully hers.

She hopped off the counter and led him to the living room, pushing him back on the couch. He didn’t fight her; this was just what he wanted. She shoved him into the cushions, straddling him in one swift movement, her blonde locks falling all around them. The air between them sizzled with a raw, palpable heat, and his heart nearly stopped when she lowered her hand and slipped her panties to the side. His hands gripped her thighs, grounding himself in the reality, the intensity of being inside the woman he loved. He swore all the air had escaped him. He was home.

“Do you think Clarissa could ever do this to you?” Kaycee whispered breathlessly in his ear, her hips grinding into him in a way that made him forget his own name.

“Not a fucking chance,” he rasped, pulling her closer, his lips devouring hers in a breathless kiss.

She kissed back harder, pouring proudly taking back all that belonged to her. She pressed her body against his as if to remind him she was the only one who could have him like this. His hands roamed up her back, their delicate touch sending chills down her spine. He pulled her closer to him as his hips lurched up to meet her. He needed her in every possible way; she was the only one who could set him on fire like this.

“Say it,” she demanded, her breath ragged, her lips swollen from his kisses. “Say it!”

“You’re mine, Kaycee,” he growled, his voice rough and heavy with desire. “You’re mine, and I’m yours... no one else matters.”

A satisfied smile spread on her lips, and his hands cupped her breasts as she threw her head back triumphantly. Heart, mind, and soul satiated; her body quivered around him, and sounds of pleasure filled the air as she found her release. Ethan’s movements became more erratic as he moved inside her; his eyes screwed closed to shut out the world, focusing solely on how they were joined, how he loved her, needed her, and wanted her more than anything he had ever known. He let out a cry as he reached his peak – his mind going blank as he emptied deep inside her. They collapsed together, silent, gasping softly as they tried to catch their breath, lost in the rapture they found themselves in.

There was no longer any doubt between them. He reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, his finger slowly caressing the curve of Kaycee’s precious face.

“Feeling any better,” he smiled.

“Much,” she grinned, nuzzling under his arm. “I love you, Ethan.”

“I love you, too.”

Sleep came quickly after, as they were lost in a world of their own creation.

~~~~

The following morning, Tobias was in the Diagnostic Team office when Clarissa came barreling in, two steaming hot cups of coffee in her hands.

“For me,” he smiled playfully. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Good," she grinned. "Because I didn’t." She placed one cup in front of Ethan's seat.

"Just for him?" Tobias questioned.

Clarissa shrugged nonchalantly. "It's to celebrate our win yesterday."

“With Starbucks?” he chuckled, raising his own cup of coffee to his lips. “If you’re trying to impress Ethan, that ain’t gonna do it.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, just as Kaycee stepped into the room, beaming as she placed a cup from Derry Roasters right next to Clarissa's offering.

“Tobias is right,” Kaycee smiled. “You have much to learn.”

Ethan entered the office and took in the scene. “I’m glad to see you’re already pouring over the documents for our next case,” he said sarcastically. “The initiative is heartwarming."

His face softened a bit when he saw Kaycee, who offered a clandestine wink. “Sorry, boss,” she grinned. “We were just discussing something far more important,” she motioned to his place at the table. “Like, what’s your favorite coffee.”

Ethan looked at the two cups, trying to stay diplomatic. "Let's just say I prefer local goodness over corporate greed."

"Damn!" Clarissa mock frowned. "I guess I owe you a cup from Derry's."

"Another time," Ethan smiled, taking a long sip from the cup as Tobias slid the Starbucks his way.

"I'm not as particular," Tobias winked.

They reviewed today's cases, and with marching orders given, Ethan was the first on his feet. He walked with purposeful steps toward Kaycee, placing a kiss atop her head before she had a chance to stand. "Have a good day, sweetheart. I'll meet you for lunch."

Clarissa's eyes went wide, choking on her iced latte. Tobias wore a wicked grin. "I thought you two were under wraps until her residency was over," he smirked. "Jesus! You only have two-and-a-half months left!"

Ethan looked back over his shoulder, a smug smile on his lips. "As if we're not the worst kept secret in Edenbrook anyway." With a wink in Kaycee's direction, he was out the door. Kaycee sat back in her chair. The warmth inside her had nothing to do with her beverage of choice. The stupid grin on her face made that perfectly clear.

"You all right there, MacClennan?" Tobias asked.

"Yes," she replied. "I'm perfect." After all, today was going to be a much better day.

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[jazziejax]

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - Kelvin Harrison Jr. x Black!OC, Aaron Pierre x Black!OC

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 - In which the invisible string finally tightens, bringing some back together for reuniting and others close to form a bond that’ll last a life time.

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - cursing/swearing, mentions of a break up??, idk fr….

𝐉𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐞’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬 - This is actually the beginning of my ‘Cozy Nights and Soft Mornings’ universe. This and following chapters will be giving the backstory and other storylines to the couples. Yes, I made a lion OC so this all could make sense. Yes, I know yall are tried of seeing OC stories. And NO, you don’t have to use the pictures of the OC’s I picked, when it comes to description, I really only do skin color and outfit, I could care less about what they actually look like beyond that. I got bored and the Bad Boys AU so taking too long to get to the good stuff and I have an essay due at 11:59 that I haven’t started on. Sorry for any grammar issues and spelling errors!

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 - 3,163+

| 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚, 𝐆𝐞𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐚 | 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 |

“AHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Was the only sound that could be heard in the separate apartments of the two women. The lighter-skinned woman was jumping up and down in her bed, screaming into the phone in her hands. She could barely hear the other woman over the phone, who was excitedly stomping her feet as she sat on her couch, her laptop a few feet away from her.

“Oh my gosh, this is so insane!” She shouted as she plopped down in her bed, and she was shocked the old thing didn’t collapse under her weight. Her sudden fall caused her slightly loose bonnet to slide down her face, the girl pushing it up as she laid down on her bed out of breath. “I can’t believe this.” She sighed, her chest steadily rising and falling in her loose top. The sun was peaking through her bedroom window, the glass pulled up to let in the wind from the outside. She could feel the heat from the sun on her bare legs as she listened to the giddy girl on the other side of the phone.

“I can’t believe this either!” Nala cheered into her phone with a large smile on her face. “I don’t want to speak too soon but shits really starting to look up for us, Eve.” She said as she moved to angle herself back to her laptop, looking at the confirmation email the pair got. Evette sighed again, her gaze focused on the loud ceiling fan above her. Her mouth was open as she tried to find words to convey her whirlwind of thoughts, but it was like she was stuck in a daze as she realized what her life could become after this flashed before her eyes.

Nala cocked her head away from the phone, looking down at her screen to see the call was still connected. “Girl, hello? You there?” She asked, looking awkwardly around her own place due to the silence she was now enveloped in.

Her voice snapped Evette out of her thoughts. “Yeah. yeah, I hear you.” She said. “I’m just…shocked.” She began as she sat up from her bed again, scooting herself off the mattress to make her way out of her room. “I mean, we just booked a Disney Production.” She stated, her hand rubbing against her forehead after she opened her door, still taking in everything. “A fucking Live Action Disney movie! Together!” She shouted as the excitement all came back to her, now standing in the small division between her kitchen and her living room. “This is the second role we’ve gotten together!”

“It’s fate, Eve! I’m telling you!” Nala grinned her gaze back on her laptop, rereading through the emails of her new life. She heard Evette sigh through the speaker as she scrolled her screen. “I’m just…at a loss of words.” She sighed, her eyes skimming over the names within the casting email.

“You know, I’m proud of us,” Evette spoke up, moving over to her small living room and plopping herself down on her couch, lying her legs on the seat cushions as she relaxed into the arm of the couch. “We’ve come so far in only a couple of years. Hell, I remember when we used the share this place.” She said, letting out a small laugh as she gestured around to the small, one-bedroom Atlanta apartment, thinking of all the memories the girls shared in the space as they navigated their dreams together. “Do you think this is it? I mean, I know we haven’t necessarily made it, but…Do you think this is the start?”

“Uh, hell yeah!” Nala scoffed from the other end of the phone, momentarily taking her eyes away from the screen that was beginning to hurt her eyes from squinting at the tiny font. “I told you that things are only going up from here when I first met you on set as an extra when I needed a place to stay and you needed a roommate for rent.”

“That was, like, five years ago,” Evette mumbled, blinking at what her friend was trying to convey.

“And look at us now! I’m finally getting booked for roles and you’re busy!” She could practically hear Nala’s grin. She couldn’t help but smile again, a warm feeling spreading through her at her friend’s happiness. After so many years of hard work and grinding, Nala was finally achieving her dream, and she couldn’t be happier for the girl.

She was about to speak, acknowledging her gratitude and admiration for the major changes that her ‘industry baby’ companion was about to experience before she was cut off.

“And stop trying to get all deep and sentimental on me, you know I hate that shit,” Nala mumbled as she went back to reading the multiple emails she’d gotten. She furrowed her brows at one of the names on the list for the movie the pair would be in, while Evette continued over the phone.

“Damn, a girl can’t be proud? This is really big for you, ya know? You never forget your first real big acting gig. But no, I guess you can’t even be nice to bitches no more.” She said. She crossed her arms in her lying position, still holding the phone up to her ear.

When she received no response, she furrowed her brows, knowing that Nala would usually keep the argumentative banter going. “Hello?” She said, only to be met with silence. She pulled the phone from her ear, looking down to see the call was no longer connected and she’d just been talking to the air, her home screen pressed against her ear.

“This bitch.” She mumbled to herself, just when her front door burst open. She let out a small scream, quickly sitting up and looking back at her open apartment door to see said friend in her pajamas still, laptop in hand.

“What the hell?!” Evette screamed, her hand clenched around her phone in fear at the commotion Nala caused. The girl just continued to huff, coming into the apartment and closing the door behind her, as well as locking it. Evette stood up from the couch, her arms spread in confusion as she stared at the other woman in shock.

Nala waved the girl off, still trying to catch her breath from how she got here. “No girl, you’re gonna want to sit down for this.” She breathed out, stumbling her way over to the couch with her open laptop in her arms. Her words only caused Evette’s face to morph more into pure confusion, eyes squinted and brows drawn closer together as she looked at Nala.

“Nanali, what the hell are you talking about? What’s going on? Why are you barging into my house like the fucking feds?! How did you even get in here, and why are you out of breath?!” She yelled as she watched Nala come over to the couch and plop down, meshing her body into the dark green corduroy as finally shanked her breathing.

“I have a key.” She said, holding up the bundle of keys that dangled off of her middle finger and poked through one of the many rings, an assortment of charms and keys clinging together. She let her arm drop back down with a clink before adjusting herself in her seat, placing her back against the back pillows of the couch and her laptop on top of her legs. “And I barged in because it’s an emergency.”

“What could possibly be so bad that you couldn’t say over the—.”

“And I’m out of breath because I ran up here. The elevator was occupied.”

This caused Evette’s face to drop, quickly sitting on the available spot on the couch next to her. “You took the stairwell? Oh wow, it really is an emergency.” She said, her face contorting into a wince at the thought of the stairwell. That place was like ground zero for anything you could think of in an apartment complex like theirs. From persistent crackheads that tended to get violent sometimes to a spot often used by corner girls trying to make a quick buck. The drug swaps were occasional now since the place got busted a few months back.

It was especially with Nala staying on the second floor. The first two floors were considered off-limits for most of the people in the building if you didn’t indulge in anything that it offered.

Nanali nodded as she looked at her friend, pursing her lips.

“So, what is it?” Evette asked, looking at the girl. Nala nervously nipped at her bottom lip with her sharp canines as her eyes darted between the laptop screen and her waiting friend. When Evette quirked an eyebrow, Nala let out a small sigh. She scooted over, awkwardly placing her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “You know I love you right?” She said, squinting her eyes at her blonde friend next to her.

“What the hell is going on?” Evette snapped, scrunching her brows at her looked at Nanali.

“And you know that I care about you. And that we share a mutual feeling of…uncomfortability when it comes to delivering bad news.” She continued, ignoring the woman’s words as she tried to deliver the news. “So, just imagine how hard this is for me,” Nala said, a silent wince in her face. Evette groaned, bringing her hand up to rub harshly at her eyes.

“Just spit it out, Nanali, you’re giving me a damn headache.” She spat.

“Hey! I’m just trying to be considerate of feelings here because I know you feel your emotions very deeply. I don’t want you breaking my laptop or crying a damn river!” Nanali snapped back, finally breaking out of her odd therapist-esque approach that made the two of them uncomfortable.

“I’m gonna break the damn thing anyway if you don’t just spit it out!” Evette snapped back, her gaze hard as she looked at the woman next to her. The suspense of it all was killing, and not even in a metaphorical sense because her heart was still beating erratically and she’s been sitting down for almost five minutes now with no movement, plus she had a headache all of a sudden. Her mind was racing with the anticipation of whatever Nala held on that laptop and if she had some condition that’s finally peeked its way through symptom-wise due to her friends' insistent behavior.

Nanali paused, staring at her intensely as she analyzed her.

“Well, now I don’t feel comfortable giving you my laptop.”

“Give me this damn laptop!” Evette gritted through her teeth, reaching and snagging the device off of Nala’s lap before she could even think about holding it longer. Nala let out a small gasp as the laptop left her possession, watching Evette’s eyes flicker all around the screen.

“This is just the casting email. What am I supposed to be looking at?” She asked. Nanali pursed her lips as she scooted closer to her, looking at the laptop that sat on her lap. She moved her finger to the mousepad and scrolled down, before pointing at the names at the end of the email. Her eyes flicked between the one name she knew from word of mouth and the mouth she heard it from, watching her as she read the names.

Evette paused at the familiar name on the list. The name that flooded her mind with a plethora of memories, some good, some bad. A name that caused her heart to skip a beat and her breath to catch in her throat. A name that caused her stomach to flutter as she froze as if his very presence lingered in the room.

It was a name she spoke to Nanali about often, especially after having downed a few drinks and being all nostalgic. A name that sometimes made her want to tear up at the mere utterance, being flooded with all the times they had together and how much life and first-time experiences they truly got to live together. The name weighed heavy on her shoulders, forcing her to remember the very details of how they first met, and how it all ended.

It was the name of the man she didn’t like to think about, a man that she still left love for.

Aaron Pierre as ‘Mufasa’, Kelvin Harrison Jr. as ‘Taka’, Nanali Campbell as ‘Sarabi’, Evette Hampton as ‘Lela’, Blue Ivy Carter as ‘Kiara’, Beyoncé as ‘Nala’, Donald Glover as ‘Simba’.” The names carried on, listing more and more actors and the characters that they voiced. But that one name was the only one she could pay attention to. The only one that she gave a damn about, which was shocking to her because Beyoncé was on the list. She could only let out a small breath at the sight of it, blinking.

Nanali let out a sigh as well, looking solemnly at her friend. Not even thinking about it, she brought her arm around the girl's back, rubbing her hand against the arm it landed on. “Are you okay?” She asked softly, not taking her gaze off the side of Evette’s face.

The sound of her voice caused Evette to snap out of her trance, blooming away her daze but keeping her eyes on the screen. “Yeah.” She said, although her voice was low and full of uncertainty. “Yeah, I’m okay.” Nanali didn’t believe her one bit, among her head down to look into the girls' eyes. Evette still didn’t move her gaze from the laptop, her face subconsciously morphed into a slight frown. “I know this is a lot for you. Especially now.” She began. “And…I—I don’t even know where to begin to make this any better.” She mumbled near the end, more so taking to herself now. “But look on the bright side, it’s animated and nothing but voice acting. We’ll probably never even have to see them in person. Which sucks because Beyoncé’s in this movie.” She said with a small frown, beginning to ramble to herself with her arm still wrapped around the girl.

“Maybe we can see her at the premiere. Even just a glance is fine with me because I don’t know if I can handle speaking to Beyoncé.” She continued before a thought crossed her mind, causing her to let out a small gasp and cover her mouth. “But that would mean we’d also have to see the others at the premiere. And maybe even a press tour, because it is a Disney film after all, which means it might be a huge press tour. I mean, it’s The Lion King, that’s, like, the best Disney film of all time and the first one did super well.” As she continued to ramble about the movie and its preceding environment after it was all over, Evette’s head slowly turned her way, contempt written on her face as she watched Nala’s mind work over her features.

“You’re not helping.” She cut in, causing Nala to halt and look over at her.

“I mean, I did say I wasn’t going to be any help.” She shrugged, causing Evette to let out a small sigh, but couldn’t help the small grin that graced her lips. Nala cheesed, looking at her friend’s face. “Ahh! Look who’s smiling!” She said, flexing the arm she had around the woman to squeeze her. “I’m not smiling,” Evette said with a clear view of her grin. Nanali’s face dropped as she released her grip from around her but kept her arm in its place. “Don’t lie to my face, you know I’m gaslit easily.”

“No, you’re just very gullible,” Evette said as she let out a small chortle. Nala just squinted her eyes at the girl suspiciously. “And how do I know you’re not still gaslighting me, huh?” She joked, causing Evette to let out a small laugh. Nala smiled at the sight of her friend smiling. “And there’s a laugh. Could’ e been better, needs more heart, but it was aight.” She said, only getting another laugh from the blonde, who was in need of a root touch-up, as a response.

“You’re good at cheering people up,” Evette said as she sat up a little straighter and leaned into her friend’s embrace, placing her head on Nala’s shoulder. Nala placed her head on top of hers, bringing her closer with the arm she still had wrapped around her. “Nah, I’m just really good at deflecting from situations that require too much effort.” She said nonchalantly, causing Evette to chuckle. “But you know what I’m not going to deflect from?”

“What?” Evette questioned, still in the girl's embrace.

“How you called me a bitch earlier.” She said before smacking the girl upside her cover head. Evette flinched, bringing her hand up to rub at the spot. “You heard that?” She questioned, face contorted into one of confusion since she could’ve sworn the call had ended by the time she said that.

“Yeah, I did,” Nala stated sharply before taming her again. “I have the ears of a snow owl hunting for its prey in a blizzard.” She said dramatically. Evette paused, frowning although Nala couldn’t see it.

“You have to stop binge watching those animal planet.”Nala then hit her again, this time in the back, causing Evette to let out a small yell in pain. “Now what was that for?” She asked, moving to sit up but Nala tightened her girl around the girl, keeping her in palace against her shoulder. “That was for the ‘bitch’ you said in that little rant of yours about me not wanting to get sentimental. Now look at me, hugged up on your couch while you’re in a time of need. It doesn’t get more sentimental than that, boo.” She said.

“I am not in a time of need.” Evette was quick to add, trying to take her mind off of the new information she’s had to face at some point. Now Amit wasn’t the time.

Nala rolled her eyes at the girl. “Girl, please. Just appreciate this hug while you can. You’re not gonna get another until this movie comes out.” She said, her head still on atop of hers. “And speaking of the premiere, I know this is all months, hell maybe even years in advance in this fucked up economic and social climate, but I’m gonna need the hookup with your stylist. You know I don’t have one of those and I do not want to look like a bum on the red carpet. I’d never live it down and if I see one tweet about what I have on, someone will drop dead in the preceding three days. I know people.”

“Here you go with this voodoo shit. Whatever happened to the heifer I needed turned into a goat?”

“Well, which is it? A heifer or a goat? You were never clear.”

“You’re a year late to clear that up.”

[luvangelbreak]

Deprived | Twenty

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 matthew sturniolo x layla venita (female!oc) summary: everyone knows the story of the bad boy and the good girl but what happens when the school's most popular boy, Matthew Sturniolo, and the girl who notoriously is never there, Layla Venita, cross paths. warnings: swearing, smoking, suggestive? word count: 3.3k a/n: this series has been longer than I anticipated but I'm living for the slow burn so it's gonna be a while till we're done folks.

pov: layla

I spent the next week couped in my room, refusing to leave as I quickly smoked the bag of weed Wes had given me. Allie had messaged me in concern multiple times and I finally built up the courage to reply to her a day after her last message.

Allie <3 Monday hey girl are you okay? matt has been off all day 1:30pm Tuesday if u wanna talk im here <3 5:37pm Wednesday im getting concerned pls message me if u need anything 3:47pm

You sorry just havent been feeling good im okay just need time alone 10:21pm

Allie <3 im sorry :(10:23pm

You its okay i'll be at school tmrw 10:27pm

Allie <3 okay! see ya then <3 10:28pm

I locked my phone and threw it lazily on the bed beside me, rolling over to face the wall where my window was cracked open. I was glad my dad was out tonight, having to deal with him for over a week straight was draining and I felt like it didn't benefit my self-loathing in any way. I sighed as my mind always travelled back to the look on Matt's face, the pure hurt in his eyes that I knew I caused.

Part of me was glad he hadn't messaged or tried to talk to me. It meant that I could push him away if I wanted to. I did just that without even consciously meaning to. I got scared and made it his fault in my brain but as I continued rotting in my bed, I realised I hurt him more than I ever meant to. It wasn't his fault that I was afraid of someone being close, it wasn't his fault that I let something so small set me off. I needed to make him realise it wasn't his fault and I was just not used to the affection and accommodation he offered me daily.

I barely slept over the past week and this night was no different. My alarm went off in the early hours of the morning and I knew I had slept a total of 4 hours from the way my brain had constantly been reeling. I dragged myself out of bed and trudged into the bathroom. I took an extra long shower to attempt to rid the disgust I felt towards myself.

After scrubbing my entire body head to toe, I jumped out of the shower and walked to my room. My entire body felt heavy and I felt tears prick my eyes when I looked over to the pink sweater that was still laying over my bag. I picked it up, realising it was the only clean sweater I had since I hadn't been bothered with laundry. I quickly slid it over my head before sliding on my black sweatpants and combat boots. I slid my leather jacket over the top, not bothering with any makeup as I lazily tied my now damp hair into a low ponytail. I grabbed my bag, quickly sprayed on some perfume and grabbed my phone off of my bedside table.

I quickly exited my house without food or water in my stomach and as I began walking down the road, I decided to light one of the last few cigarettes I had pre-rolled. I grabbed my headphones from my bag, slid one into my ear and plugged them into my phone. I clicked shuffle on one of my playlists and I let my feet drag on the asphalt as I slowly made my way down the streets of Massachusetts.

After an hour, I finally arrived in the parking lot of the school and I scanned the cars, my eyes landing where I saw the familiar silver minivan. I paused, letting out a heavy breath as I collected myself and began walking to the group of people in front of the car.

Nate was the first to notice me and he just looked at me with no expression before he turned back to the group. As I got closer I noticed the fact that Mia was standing beside Matt with her head leaned on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her back lazily and I felt a pang of pure jealousy run through me. I tried to shake it off as I got closer, knowing I had no right to be mad about it right now since I was the one who caused the riff between the brown-haired boy and myself.

"Speak of the devil," I heard Nick say when his eyes caught mine and I was a few feet away, standing uncomfortably as I looked between all of them. All of their heads turned to look at me, Allie being the only one who didn't seem like they were looking right through me.

"Matt, can I talk to you?" I asked quietly as I didn't dare to meet his eyes yet and there was an uncomfortable silence that fell over us, "Please."

"About what?" he asked, his tone short and I looked up to see his face completely expressionless but his eyes held such hurt and aggravation that it felt like it cut right through me.

"Last week," I mumbled, ignoring the pain in my chest of seeing Mia looking at me with a slight smirk. I focused in on the boy I had hurt, his blue eyes piercing in the sunlight.

"Now?" he questioned, not taking his eyes off of me and I just looked at him, the judgement of his friends radiating off of them. He sighed heavily before swinging his arm out from around Mia and I felt a weight lifted off of my shoulders but there was still a pressure on my chest, "I'll be back."

I looked at the ground as he pushed away from the hood of the minivan and he walked past me. I followed behind him, not daring to look back at his friends as we walked to the back of the parking lot before he stopped to face me.

He didn't say anything for a moment as I looked up at him and he scanned me head to toe before murmuring, "That's my sweater."

"Yeah. I left it on my bag all week but I didn't have any clean hoodies for today," I explained and he hummed as I picked at the skin around my fingers, my nails too short to bite now that I had been picking at them all week. I nervously chewed on my lip before I said, "I'm sorry."

"It took you a week to say that?" he asked, his voice quiet but his words laced with pain.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I know I reacted to what you said horribly but I just-" I cut myself off as I took a breath and looked down at the gravel below us, "I haven't had anyone take care of me the way you do. It scares me. I'm sorry."

I squeezed my eyes closed, chewing on my bottom lip far more aggressively than I intended but my heart raced as I waited for his response. I felt his hand fall under my chin and he lifted my face to look up at him, noticing now that he was slightly closer to me. He used his thumb to gently pull my lip away from my teeth as I fidgeted with the hem of the pink sweater.

"Why didn't you just talk to me?" he asked, his tone softening as he looked down at me and I shrugged dumbly.

"I am bad at talking about that sorta stuff," I answered quietly, my throat closing from the sadness that invaded my body as I looked up at him. I had no right to be upset right now, I was the one who fucked up and made this so difficult, but I felt guilt invade my entire body when I realised I didn't want to push him away. It was habit and I was always bad at breaking them.

"Don't do that again," he demanded softly and I pursed my lips as I pushed my sadness down the best I could as tears sprung to my eyes, "Or I swear to god I won't talk to you again and I don't want to stop talking to you. Ever."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you away. I just don't know how to deal with everything I'm feeling and I know it's shitty but I promise I'm trying. I have no right to be sad right now because this is my fault but I feel so horrible for making you upset. You deserve so much more than that and if I can't give that to you I understand if you don't want me to be around anymore," I rambled out all of my feelings and conflicting voices in my head but I was cut off by his lips on mine.

I paused for a moment to register what was happening before my body melted into his, his arms wrapping around my lower back as I snaked my arms around his neck. I pulled him into me, missing the way his body felt against my own more than I anticipated. It felt like a breath of fresh air after being stuck in my room for the past week with smoke-filled lungs. He gripped my hips, pulling me impossibly closer to him as I tangled my hands in his hair before he pulled away to breathe for a moment.

"You're an idiot," he mumbled before he leaned back in to kiss me gently again.

"I know," I mumbled against his lips and he ran his tongue against my rough lips, the sting of his saliva hitting the open splits on my lips from chewing them. I hissed and pulled away as he looked down at me.

"You need to stop biting your lip," he muttered as his eyes travelled all around my face, "And stop picking your nails. You're not gonna have any left soon."

"I've been stressed the past week. I can't help it," I whispered as I looked up at him in awe. I had forgotten the pure oxytocin that ran through my system when I was with him and I refused to let it go again.

"Pretty girl," he gave me a sympathetic look and I shook my head as I pulled away from his face slightly, my arms still slung over his shoulders.

"Don't feel bad. This was my doing and I will make it up to you," I answered sternly and his face broke into a small smile. I sighed, the weight being lifted off of my chest now and my body tingled with joy.

"All I'm asking is that you talk to me next time," he whispered, leaning down to place a peck on my lips and I let it linger before I pulled back and nodded.

"I will try," I scratched the nape of his neck lightly and he bit his bottom lip as my face dropped, "Don't look at me like that before we have to go inside. I'll drive us back to your house right now."

"I don't see you for a week and you're ready to jump my bones already," he chuckled and I raised my eyebrows.

"How else can I make it up to you, ya know?" I joked as let my mouth form into a smirk and he shook his head as he pursed his lips, "Does this mean I can come to your game this week?"

"Of course baby," he smiled down at me and I felt the butterflies erupt in my stomach again, promising not only him but myself to never let myself ruin this again.

"By the way," I let my right hand trail from his neck to his chest, playing with the necklace that sat comfortably on his collarbones, "Allie's brother was just dropping me home. He tried to flirt with me but I shut it down. I wasn't lying about that."

"I know. I overreacted. I'm sorry about that," he said softly and I shook my head, twiddling the pendant between my fingers as I looked up at him.

"I know how it looked. I would've been just as upset. You don't need to apologise for it," I mumbled, trying hard to convey my feelings as best I could to which he didn't respond verbally. He instead placed another kiss against my lips and smiled against me as he squeezed my hips.

"Matt!" I heard Chris's voice call from only a few feet away and we both broke apart to look over at him, "You guys done? We gotta go to class."

"I forgot about that," I joked and Chris just gave me a deadpanned look as Matt chuckled.

"We'll be there in a sec," he called to his brother who just rolled his eyes and spun around to walk back to his friends, "They're more pissed at you than I was."

"I can tell," I mumbled as I watched their eyes pour directly into me, "Allie messaged me though."

"She was the only one defending you," he told me honestly and I hummed as I looked back up to him, "I'll talk to them."

"Don't sugarcoat it. You can tell them I'm a dumbass who doesn't know how to deal with her emotions," I stated and he shook his head with a smile, placing a kiss on the top of my head before swinging his arm over my shoulders.

"Come on," he said nodding towards the group and I hesitantly began walking with him by my side. Their eyes stayed glued to us as we approached and Mia gave me nothing but a scowl with her arms crossed, "Chill out. We talked about it."

"That didn't seem like talking," Mia spat and I remained silent, letting Matt handle the situation as I looked at Allie who gave me a sympathetic smile.

"Don't Mia," Matt deadpanned and she only scoffed with a roll of her eyes, "We talked about it and I don't wanna hear it."

"Only took you a week," Nate raised his eyebrows as he spoke and he looked at me. I pursed my lips while glancing between them.

"At least it happened," Matt retorted before the bell rang and he sighed, "We'll talk about it later. Let's go."

He began walking with his arm around my shoulder still and I followed suit, Chris moving to stand on the other side of Matt as everyone else followed behind. We made our way to our classes and once we sat down, a weight fell back on my chest.

Not only did I have to make it up to Matt, I had to win back his brothers and his friends.

+++

Pretty boy where did u go?? 12:23pm

You 🚬 be there in a minute 12:24pm

I locked my phone, sliding it into my pocket as I finished off my cigarette, throwing it onto the ground before I wedged it into the ground with my boot. I made my way back inside and straight to the cafeteria where I saw the group of friends sitting together.

"Hey," Allie beamed as she scooted closer to Mia to make space between her and Matt for me to sit. I smiled at her as I swung my legs over the bench and sat down. Matt placed his arm around my lower back as he continued his conversation with Nick.

"I don't want to wear a tie. That's why I got the red shirt," Matt groaned and Nick gave him a deadpanned look.

"It's prom. You're supposed to look fancy with a tie," Nick stated and Matt ran a hand across his face.

"We're all wearing a tie. Don't be a bitch," Nate pointed out and I tuned them out as Allie tapped my shoulder to gain my attention.

"You okay?" she asked quietly and I nodded with a hum.

"Yeah. Thank you for checking on me," I answered in a hushed tone and she shrugged with her sunshine smile that warmed my heart to know she wasn't annoyed with me.

"Of course. That's what friends are for," she said casually before she turned back to listen to the group conversation. I let her words hang over my head like a cloud.

That's what friends are for.

I don't remember the last time I had a genuine friend and her simple words struck me right in my heart. She had always been kind to me and from the moment we talked, she had been such a light in my life. I realised I not only wanted to share my emotions and feelings with Matt but also with Allie to show her that I appreciated her.

I wanted to be better for both of them.

"How long do we have to stay there?" Chris whined as he threw his head onto the table dramatically and Allie rolled her eyes.

"You're acting like you're being held hostage. If you don't wanna go it's fine," Allie responded, her tone quietening at the end and I could sense the slight sadness at Chris's distaste for prom.

"Al, I told you I'm going and I'll stick to that. I just don't wanna be there for five hours," he lifted his head up to look at her and she shrugged, eyes glancing at the table.

"We can leave early and go back to my house," she offered and Chris's mouth broke into a smile as he nodded.

"Works for me," he said triumphantly before sitting up again, resting his elbows on the table in front of him.

"How are we getting there?" Mia asked, looking around at the group and I just sat there in silence, deciding to go along with whatever plan I knew Allie had already set up.

"Meet up at my house at five thirty so we can take photos and make sure we have everything and then we will leave at like six-thirty to get to the hotel," Allie explained the plan and everyone seemed to hum along in agreement. I felt Matt's arm snake further around my back as he scooted closer to me.

"How are we getting there?" Nick asked and Allie smiled as she adjusted her ponytail.

"I got us a limo," she announced happily and Mia showed her first sign of happiness of the day as she squealed excitedly, "You guys won't drink right?"

Matt and his brothers shook their heads with a firm no and Allie turned to look at me and I shrugged, "Depends on what it is."

"Bottle of champagne in the limo?" Mia asked Allie and Allie nodded causing Mia's smile to widen.

"You're dad won't arrest us if we drink?" Nate asked, the half-hearted joke not landing well with Mia as she rolled her eyes.

"Not if he doesn't know," she pointed out with a slight smirk and Nate raised his eyebrows before nodding in agreement.

"Did you find a dress?" Nate asked, turning his attention to me as he attempted to make conversation. I assumed that in the time I'd been in my other classes and was outside Matt had talked to Nate, Chris and Nick since they weren't glaring at me anymore but they still felt slightly standoffish.

"No. I'm just gonna make my own," I explained and he nodded, his smile in a downturned smile.

"Mad impressive that you can do that," he complimented me and I gave him a half-hearted smile as Matt traced circles on my hip with his thumb.

"Thanks. I just hope I can finish it in time," I explained and I could sense Mia's disgust towards me radiating off of her but I was learning to tune her out like I had always done before Matt came into my life.

Suddenly the bell rang for our next classes and everyone began getting up. I stood up from the table before Matt spun me around and kissed my lips gently. I froze for a moment, shocked at the fact he did that in the middle of the cafeteria but I quickly reciprocated the action before he pulled away.

"See you after school pretty girl," he smirked at me before he walked away and I stood still for a moment as I watched him walk away with Nick, Chris, Nate and Mia.

"You guys are so fucking cute it makes me want to throw up," Allie rolled her eyes playfully beside me and I looked around to see people staring at me once again. I pursed my lips, my cheeks tinging red as I hid a smile and shook my head before I began walking out of the cafeteria.

tags:

@dsturniolo @chrisstankyleg @lov3bug @pinklittleflower @thatcrazybitch-69 @trinity2058 @alorsxsturn @chrizznmetswife @ilovechrissturniolo1 @leprechaunbirthdaygirl @sturnfix @lilsstvrn @sturniololol @sturniolowhore @jebbie-project-blog @jaxyy219

[oscarisaacss-wp]

DYNAMICS IN DRAFTS — Marin Madsen & Bradley Bradshaw in Last On The List.

“You are going to break your promise. I understand. And I hold my hands over the ears of my heart, so that I will not hate you.”

i. pinterest ii. spotify iii. wattpad (coming soon!)

[fandom-imperials]

Ego Iustus Volo Te (Part IV)

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V

Free from Macrinus's clutches Alexandra is reeling after his assault and only wants this seemingly endless nightmare to end. She returns to the emperors to seek their support. But as Geta attempts to comfort her, she only runs into a new chapter of this night of torture.

Pairing: Emperor Caracalla x OC x Emperor Geta

SPOILER ALERT

(Alternative ending after General Acacius's execution)

Content Warning: Toxic Relationship, Panic Attack, Mentions of Abuse, Possessive Behavior, Jealousy

(Please let me know if I missed anything)

WC: 4.5k

It was clear that they’d been informed of her encounter with Macrinus and were waiting for her return. She entered the room slowly noticing that the men inside fell silent. The emperors’ eyes were immediately drawn to her, their expressions ranging from concern to relief as they waited for her to speak.

Noticing her hesitation, Caracalla broke the silence, his voice tight with worry. “What happened? We heard there was trouble.”

Alexandra was still attempting to hold herself together. She didn’t feel like herself after her encounter with Macrinus and even though he was under the custody of the Praetorian guards she still couldn’t allow herself to relax. To attempt to distract herself from the ongoing riots outside and the anxious thoughts in her head, she grabbed a pitcher of wine and poured some into a goblet before taking a sip. “Macrinus sees you both as weak. He attempted to seduce me to his side,” she said quietly before taking another sip and looking seriously at the emperors. Her voice began to shake as she continued,”He intends to stage a coup and have me as his empress. I gave him trouble to allow you two enough time to talk. It ended with him holding a blade to my throat and claiming I was a weak minded woman who didn’t understand power and how to earn her rank. I kicked him away and summoned the guards who now have him in a secure, isolated part of the palace under my orders.” 

Noticing her hand shaking as well she quickly set her wine down taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves as she subconsciously touched where the blade had been held against her neck as she meekly looked between the emperors.

They both listened intently, their voices growing more grim as she relayed the details of her encounter with Macrinus. Noticing her touch her neck, Caracalla glared, his expression dark and protective. “He tried to harm you,” he growled as his voice rose and he looked like a wild cat about to pounce. “He dared lay a blade to the Empress’s throat?”

Seeing his emotions quickly rising again sighed,”Yes, but we cannot act rashly.” She proceeded to walk past Caracalla to Geta unsure of what he had been through after his outburst towards his brother.

Caracalla gritted his teeth, attempting to resist the urge to gut Macrinus himself. Geta carefully watched Alexandra as she approached, his eyes full of concern. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice gentle.

She stopped looking out at the roaring flames outside. “I will be,” she sighed before returning Geta’s gaze. “What did Caracalla tell you?”

Geta watched his brother grimly before turning back to her. “He told me that Macrinus is more dangerous than we realized. That he’s been planning a coup for a while now and that he wants you by his side. And that he tried to…seduce you to his side and manipulate you.”

“Not simply that,” Alexandra scoffed. “He tried to seduce me in general claiming he could pleasure me in more ways than you or your brother could ever attempt.”

Geta’s expression darkened and his jaw clenched tightly. He shot a glare at Caracalla, clearly irritated by this new information. Across the room Caracalla bristled, his hands clenched into fists. “That damn bastard,” he snarled. “How dare he speak to you like that, let alone try to touch you!”

Attempting to reason with him as much as she could while ensuring they both knew the full story she looked at Caracalla sternly,”You must promise me that you won’t storm out of here with a blade if I continue.”

Caracalla’s head snapped back to her, his expression fierce. “I will not let Macrinus take you from me,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “I will destroy him if he even looks at you the wrong way!”

Alexandra sighed as she determined that she wasn’t comfortable risking an entire breakdown from Caracalla. She leaned close to Geta and whispered in his ear,”He didn’t just think about touching me.”

Geta’s expression darkened as he heard her whispered confession. His jaw clenched tightly and his eyes filled with anger and betrayal. “Bastard,” he snarled, voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll kill him myself if he laid one finger on you.”

“He laid more than one,” Alexandra quietly confessed before turning to both emperors. “But he has an army and supporters in the Senate. His death must not be in private.”

They both listened intently as their anger and disgust grew with each new revelation. Caracalla slammed his fist on the table, eyes blazing with rage. “Then we will take him down publicly, in front of all of Rome,” he roared. “We’ll expose him for the snake he is and destroy him for daring to touch you.”

Feeling her willpower start to drain, Alexandra collapsed on a couch sighing,”I’ll let you two arrange it.”

The emperors shared a look, their minds already racing with plans. Geta nodded and approached her, sitting down beside her on the couch. “You should rest,” he said gently. “It’s been a long day.”

Alexandra smiled softly at him, appreciating her husband’s softer side. “Only if you join me. I don’t want to be alone.”

Geta smiled back, his expression softening. “Of course I’ll stay with you.” He pulled her close and wrapped an arm around her protectively. She tiredly smiled at Caracalla attempting to ensure that he knew that he wasn’t forgotten as she leaned into Geta’s chest.

Caracalla watched the couple with a mix of jealousy and protectiveness. The idea of Geta being so close to Alexandre, the way he touched her, made his skin crawl. But he swallowed his jealousy and gave Geta a small nod, his expression reluctant but conceding. Noticing Caracalla’s typical jealous Alexandra softly declared,”I love you both and I hope you know that.”

Caracalla’s expression softened slightly by her words, his jealousy temporarily tempered by her reassurances. “I know,” he replied gruffly. “I just…I don��t like seeing you with him.”

“I know you don’t, but he is my husband and it was arranged years ago when your father was still emperor.”

Caracalla let out a frustrated grunt, clearly struggling with his internal battle. “I know my father arranged it,” he grumbled. “But I don’t have to like it. I don’t have to like seeing you with him, seeing him touch you and hold you like I want to.”

Alexandra sighed as she readjusted herself against Geta, still too exhausted to remove herself from him. “Then how can we help,” she muttered, her frustration beginning to grow.

Caracalla crossed his arms, his expression still brooding. “I don’t know,” he muttered back, clearly still struggling with his jealousy. “Part of me wants to pull you away from him and keep you all to myself. The other part of me knows that I mustn’t.”

No longer able to decide how to handle the jealous twin she looked up at Geta, her eyes questioning his thoughts on the situation. Geta appeared to be struggling with his own complex emotions. He looked down at Alexandra with a mixture of tenderness and guilt. “I don’t want to come between you two,” he said quietly. “I know your connection runs deeper than ours.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. My connection is equal to you both. The only difference is that I’ve given birth to your children, Geta.”

Geta’s expression softened at her words, his eyes meeting hers with a mixture of sadness and resignation. “I know,” he sighed. “And I’m grateful for that, I truly am. But sometimes…” He trailed off, his voice thick with emotion, unable to finish the sentence.

Alexandra straightened as she placed a hand on Geta’s thigh to support herself, her face concerned for her husband and his twin. She hated seeing them this way; she just wanted to be able to please them both, but she understood that they all had experienced a stressful few days and they were all tired.

Caracalla let out a low growl as he watched the interaction between them. His jealousy became more and more blunt as it rose to the surface, but he held his tongue attempting to keep it in check. Geta, on the other hand, gazed down at Alexandra, his expression conflicted. He reached out and gently took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers.

“I understand tensions are high. All I want is to be able to have you both at least be content.” She turned to Caracalla, still keeping her hand in Geta’s. “I need the support of my husband as well as ensuring that I’m not weakening your bond with him by doing so.”

Caracalla’s expression softened a little. “I know,” he muttered gruffly. “I just… I hate seeing you with him. Hate him touching you or holding you. It’s like a knife in my gut each time.”

Recognizing the repetitive nature of his illness she turned back to Geta whispering,”How can help him?” She laid her head on his shoulder waiting for his response.

Geta wrapped his arm around her again, holding her close as she rested her head on his shoulder. He gazed down at her for a moment before replying in a quiet voice. “I don’t know,” he signed. “His jealousy is intense and I don’t know how to soothe it. I’ve tried to be as respectful and distant as possible, but it only seems to make him more resentful.”

“I don’t want to send him away for fear of him doing something rash but it pains me to see him like this. I don’t want to torture him.”

Geta glanced over at Caracalla who was still staring at them with a mix of jealousy and frustration. He let out a weary sigh and nodded. “Neither do I. But I don’t know what else to do. His jealousy is strong and if we don’t find a way to soothe it I fear he might do something that would cause more harm than good.”

“If he simply watches us his jealousy will only grow stronger.”

Geta nodded in agreement, his expression growing firm. “You’re right. But what else can we do? If Caracalla is in the same room he will inevitably grow more jealous. He won’t be able to help himself.”

“But what will he do if we leave him alone?” Alexandra’s brow scrunched in concern.

Geta shrugged helplessly, struggling with the situation. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But he has a temper and is unpredictable when he's jealous. I worry about him doing something drastic to try and separate us."

“Perhaps we try moving to our chambers and if he follows we decide from there?”

Geta nodded slowly, clearly reluctant but seeing no other option. “Very well. We can try that. But I’ll keep a close eye on him to ensure he doesn’t try anything rash.”

“Thank you, I’m tired and want this situation to end.”

Geta nodded in understanding, squeezing her hand gently. “Of course,” he said reassuringly. “You’ve been through a lot today. Let’s get you to our chambers and see how Caracalla reacts.”

“Ok,” Alexandra simply nodded.

Geta rose from the couch still holding onto her hand. He shot a quick glance at Caracalla, who was still watching them intently, before turning back to Alexandra. “Are you ready?” he asked quietly.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she smiled nervously standing from the couch.

Geta nodded, his expression grim but resolute. He started to lead her out of the room, her hand in his own. As they passed Caracalla, whose gaze never left them, he spoke up. “Where are you going?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Alexandra abruptly stopped and looked between Geta and Caracalla, unsure if she could handle another emotional confrontation between them. Caracalla’s eyes locked on them both, his expression stormy. He stepped forward, blocking their path. “I asked you a question,” he growled, voice harsh. “Where are you going?”

Carefully Alexandra asked,”What do you want from us?”

Caracalla’s eyes flashed with jealousy as he stared at them both. “I want you to stay here,” he said fiercely. “With me. I don’t want you to go off to your chambers with him.”

Alexandra’s gaze jerked to Geta desperate for him to handle the situation after everything she had just gone through. Geta held her hand protectively, his expression firm. He looked at Caracalla with a mixture of pity and irritation. “Caracalla,” he started calmly. “We’re only going to our own chambers. She’s tired and needs rest.”

Alexandra cautiously looked back to Caracalla, afraid that he might snap. His expression darkened as he looked at Geta, his eyes filling with anger. He stepped closer to them, his face inches away from Geta’s. “She doesn’t need rest,” he growled. “She needs me.”

She quickly released Geta’s hand and backed away analyzing the situation so she could determine if she needed to step between the brothers. Geta glared at Caracalla, his jaw clenched with irritation and protectiveness. “Caracalla, you need to control your jealousy,” he said through gritted teeth. “She is my wife and we are going to our own chambers. You cannot try to keep us here just because you’re envious of my relationship with her.”

Alexandra cautiously looked at Caracalla. Caracalla’s eyes flashed with anger at Geta’s words, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I don’t care if she’s your wife, he snapped. “She should be with me, not you. I should be the one she’s going to bed with, not you!”

Finally reaching her breaking point, Alexandra gasped softly and turned to walk into the room where she had followed Caracalla earlier that evening. She felt her breath quickening and her chest tightened as she braced herself against the table. She closed her eyes and tried to control her panic but felt a wave of nausea and dizziness. Quickly she sat down leaning against one of the legs of the table and laid her head against it with her eyes shut, her legs tucked against her chest.

Geta watched her in concern as she walked away, his expression clearly distressed. He turned to Caracalla who was still seething with jealousy and anger. “Look what you’ve done,” he snaps. “She’s terrified now. Can’t you see how your jealousy is affecting her?”

Alexandra could hear their conversation but her head was too fuzzy to comprehend everything. It’s not just his jealousy. It’s everything, Alexandra thought exasperatedly.

Geta’s gaze flickered between Caracalla and Alexandra, torn between his loyalty to his wife and his concern for his brother. “Caracalla, you need to rein in your jealousy,” he said firmly. “You’re not only upsetting Alexandra but you’re also disturbing me. I don’t want to be pitted against you. We’re supposed to be united as brothers.”

Alexandra laid her cheek against the leg of the table groggily opening her eyes as she turned to observe the emperors. Caracalla glared at Geta, his eyes narrowed. “What do you expect me to do?” he retorted angrily. “You have everything that I want. You have her love, you have her attention, you have her in your bed. I can’t just forget my feelings because you say so.”

A single tear fell as a result of her stress, fatigue, and love for the two emperors. Why couldn't it have been acceptable to marry them both.

Geta caught sight of her tear and his heart twinged with guilt. He looked back at Caracalla, his expression of frustration and concern. “You’re not thinking rationally,” he told his brother. “I know you have feelings for her, but acting out like this is only going to cause more harm than good. You need to control yourself and learn to accept things as they are.”

She glanced towards Caracalla, hoping he would calm himself. Her main fear was that he would hurt someone whether it was Geta, a servant, or Macrinus in his state of rage. Caracalla’s expression darkened as Geta spoke, his jealousy still bubbling beneath the surface. He clenched his fists at his sides, struggling to control the emotions raging within him. “It’s easy for you to say that,” he said through clenched teeth, his eyes still fixed on Alexandra. “You have her. You have everything that I want. How am I supposed to accept that?”

Geta looked back at him, his expression somber and weary. “It’s not my fault that she chose me,” he said in a soft, patient voice. “I can’t help who she fell in love with and I can’t control how she feels about me any more than I can control how she feels about you. All I can do is love her and treat her with the respect and care that she deserves.”

Alexandra sighed, growing tired of it all. Her mother and Lucilla had arranged her marriage believing it would protect her more than potentially being bargained off to a patrician seeking to increase his status. She didn’t have much of a choice about which brother she would be betrothed to and it was simply decided between her guardians, Septimus Severus, and his wife Julia that she would marry the eldest of the twins. But that didn’t stop her from growing to love the future emperors equally. Geta glanced over at Alexandra, concerned for her state of mind. He turned back to Caracalla with a sigh, his expression now pleading. “Caracalla, loot at her. She’s exhausted and stressed out. Can’t you see how much you’re hurting her with this jealousy?”

Alexandra blinked, trying to quiet her mind and refocus on the brothers. Caracalla’s gaze followed Geta’s to her, his expression briefly softened at the sight of her exhausted and frazzled state. But then the jealousy flared up again and he scowled. “She’s only like that because you’re taking her away from me,” he retorted, his tone bitter. “If I had her all to myself, she’d be fine.”

She groaned, becoming increasingly frustrated by Caracalla’s stubbornness as she turned to face forward to stare at the wall across from her. Geta shook his head, his frustration evident. “You’re being ridiculous, Caracalla,” he snapped. “You can’t have her all to yourself. She’s my wife and she loves us both. You need to accept that and stop letting your jealousy get the best of you.

Thank the Gods for Geta’s rational state of mind.

Caracalla glared at Geta, his eyes blazing with anger. “How can you ask me to accept sharing her with you? You have everything I want. You have her love, her attention, her body. I can’t just ignore my feelings and accept that she belongs to you.”

Her patience boiling over and just wanting this night to be over, Alexandra exasperatedly yelled,”Then summon a concubine! You can’t stand to see us together and you can’t stand for us to leave yet you won’t tell us how to help you!”

Geta flinched at her outburst, taken aback by her sudden passion. Caracalla’s expression became even more venomous, the veins in his neck standing out as his anger spiked. “I don’t want a concubine,” he snapped. “I want you. And I can’t stand the thought of you two together knowing that you’re his and not mine.”

Alexandra smacked the ground with the palms of her hand getting up from the floor as she stormed back into the other room. “I didn’t just experience the hands and blade of Macrinus on my body while he insulted me and my family in the name of protecting you both just for you to act like an insolent child!”

Geta positioned himself closely behind Alexandra, his expression concerned and slightly frightened by her outburst, unsure of what she might do next. Caracalla, meanwhile, was left rooted to the spot, stunned by Alexandra’s words. His expression deepened as he processed what she said, his jealousy and anger warring with his guilty conscience.

Attempting to regain her composure, Alexandra sighed and declared,”It’s your move now Caracalla. Just tell me what you want from us and don’t say that you can’t stand the sight of me touching my own husband when I showed and did many things with you earlier because I’m quite frankly exhausted.”

Caracalla’s face twisted with jealousy and resentment, his gaze flickered between Alexandra and Geta. He clenched and unclenched his fists, struggling to find the words to express his desires. “I…I want you,” he muttered grudgingly. “I want to hold you, to feel your body against mine. I want to be the one you come to for comfort and pleasure, not Geta.”

Alexandra sighed,”You know I can’t entirely leave Geta for you. He needs my support just as much as you do, Caracalla.”

Caracalla’s expression darkened with irritation, his jealousy bubbling back up to the surface. “But why does he get to have your support and comfort and not me?” he snapped, his voice laced with bitterness. “Why does he get to have your love and attention while I’m left to watch from the sidelines, jealous and alone?”

“What was I doing before when I followed you and left Geta alone with Macrinus?!”

Caracalla faltered at her words, his jealousy momentarily subdued by the reminder of the night’s events. He looked away, struggling to find an argument to refute her point. “That’s…that’s different,” he muttered, his voice lacking conviction.

“Different? Different how?” Alexandra was growing exasperated as she briefly turned away from Caracalla rubbing her head in frustration.

Caracalla scowled, his jealousy continuing to war with his guilt. He turned away, unable to look Alexandra directly in the eye. “It’s different because…because…” he started, struggling to find his words. “Because I can’t stand the thought of you…with him. Of you…being intimate with him, giving him the love and attention that I crave.”

“Oh my Gods, I was intimate with you too. I could have simply left after letting you become vulnerable to me but I didn’t!”

Caracalla’s face flushed with a mix of shame and frustration at her words. He turned back to her, conflicted. “But it’s not enough,” he muttered, his voice tinged with desperation. “I want more than just a few minutes of your time. I want all of you, all the time. I want you to love me and desire me and only me.”

Alexandra fumbled over her thoughts before finally saying,”Geta doesn’t even have me all the time.” She briefly glanced over at her husband hoping that she didn’t hurt his feelings too and hoping that he might lend a hand.

Geta, who had been quietly observing the exchange, looked up at hearing Alexandra’s words. His expression betrayed a hint of guilt and embarrassment, as if he was partially to blame for the current situation. “She’s right,” he muttered, looking at Caracalla. “I don’t have her all the time. She’s shared between us with her time and affection.”

“Exactly. At parties I’m wedged between you. Even though I sit closer to and lean on Geta, that’s because he is my husband but he still allows you to touch me during them Caracalla.”

Caracalla’s expression faltered as she spoke, his feelings conflicted. He looked at her, his eyes reflecting that conflict. “But it’s not enough,” he repeats, his voice softening. “I want more than just a few touches at parties. I want all of your attention, all the time. I want to be the one you turn to for comfort and pleasure, not just at parties but always.”

Alexandra couldn’t help but put her face as she grew more frustrated and tired. Geta stepped forward, his expression concerned as he saw her exhaustion. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to offer support. “Caracalla,” he said firmly. “Can’t you see how exhausted and stressed she is? Can’t you see how your jealousy is tearing her apart?”

She tensed briefly at the new touch but relaxed as she realized it was Geta coming to her aid. She brought her hands up in front of her beginning to fidget with them as looked off in the distance avoiding both of the brothers’ eyes not wanting to escalate the severity of the already tense situation. Geta continued to comfort his wife, his hand rubbing soothing circles on her shoulder. He looked over at Caracalla beginning to plead. “Caracalla, you need to listen to her. You need to understand how your jealousy is affecting her. She’s tired and stressed, and all because you’re letting your jealousy and insecurities get the best of you.”

Alexandra took a deep breath waiting for Caracalla to hopefully see reason. Caracalla’s expression gradually softened as he watched Geta comforting Alexandra, his jealousy slowly giving way to guilt and remorse. He looked at the two of them, the love and care between them clear. “I…I know I’m being unreasonable,” he mutters, his voice low and shameful. “I just…I can’t help how I feel. It’s like a fire inside me, burning and burning and burning until-” He cut himself off, clenching his fists in frustration.

Alexandra reached out and took one of his fists in her hand glancing up softly at him. He looked down at her as she did so. His eyes flickered with a mixture of guilt, desire, and regret as he gazed at her. “I…I don’t know what to do,” he muttered, his voice growing heavy with emotion. “I can’t control how I feel, no matter how much I try. It’s like a never-ending battle inside me, and I don’t know how to make it stop.”

“We know,” she quietly responded.

Caracalla’s expression softened further, a hint of vulnerability entering his eyes. He looked at Alexandra, his expression torn between guilt and desperate need. “I..I just want you to love me,” his voice almost a whisper. “I want you to desire me and need me, just like you do for Geta.”

“What makes you think I don’t?”

His expression wavered, his jealousy and insecurity flaring up once again. “Because…because you always turn to him. You lean on him, you touch him, you love him. You never turn to me like that. It’s like I’m always the afterthought, the second choice.”

“Then let me lean on you now. Perhaps we could sleep together tonight?” Alexandra looked over at Geta trying to gauge his opinion on her proposal.

Geta looked at Alexandra thoughtfully as he considered. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, taking in her exhaustion and distress, before shifting to Caracalla. “That might not be a bad idea,” he said quietly, his voice laced with concern for her. “She needs rest, and perhaps some extra comfort would be good for her.”

Alexandra smiled at Geta before giving Caracalla a hopeful glance. Caracalla softened as he looked at both Geta and Alexandra, his emotions still lingering but partially quelled by their words. “Very well,” he muttered, his voice a mixture of reluctance and desire. “You can…you can sleep with me tonight.”

“Then please let’s go because I’m exhausted and just need comfort.” Alexandra paused before adding,” from both of you.”

Caracalla nodded silently, his expression a mixture of relief and guilt. Geta stepped forward, a small smile on his face, and took her hand leading the way towards their bedroom. She was grateful for Geta taking the lead. She released Caracalla so that he could move freely. He followed close behind them, his eyes following the sway of Alexandra’s hips as she moved in front of him. 

[heydorothea009]

Bread on Toast - A Future Man Fanfiction

Josh Futturman and his fellow coworker and best friend, Liv Branson, get roped into saving the world as time traveling saviors with, what were thought to be, video game characters, Wolf and Tiger. Not only are Liv and Josh completely incompetent, but they are also emotionally inept- will this cause the destruction of mankind? Only time will tell.

Warnings: strong language, SMUT (18+ MINORS DNI PLEASE AND THANK YOU), porn with plot ig, Wolf misses cocaine 😔

Chapter 10 (pt. 1): Prelude To An Apocalypse

“Any…any chance that’s good?” Josh asked, leaning back to look up at the tall tower. This was not the Kronish Labs that Liv and Josh knew.

“That’s the Kronitorium,” Tiger said, fear seeping into her voice. “That’s where the super cure was engineered, where the Biotics were born.” She looked frantically from the tower to Liv and Josh. “This building isn’t supposed to exist for another fifty years.”

“Fifty years?” Josh looked at Liv and then back at Tiger. “Well, Kronish should be long gone by then.”

“Kronish was only supposed to cure herpes. That research was the basis for the super cure, which didn’t happen for years after he died.” She was sounding more and more frantic, voice breaking. “So, whatever you said to him drove him to work on the super cure himself. What the FUCK did you say to Kronish?”

“Nothing! Nothing, we didn’t say anything!” Josh blurted out, backing into Liv, away from Tiger’s wrath. Liv looked at him with a guilty face. They did say something. “I mean, you know, we had to get him on the boat, so we told him to follow his heart and choose love,” Liv slowly shook her head at him. “And…maybe we may have peppered in, like, a little bit of detail about his future…”

Tiger took a menacing step at both of them, hands outstretched as if she might strangle them both. They both took a scared step back away from her, cowering. “What?” She lashed. “You never tell anyone about their future, that is time travel 101! I even know that and I didn’t go to your stupid made up time travel college!” She spat.

“Maybe there’s still time before the cure’s released.” Liv interjected. “Maybe we can go back in time and fix this!”

“Maybe there’s, like, a really cool solution that we don’t know about yet…in the future!” Josh added.

“No, no, no,” Tiger pointed an accusatory finger at both of them. “There is no ‘we’. Coming back for you and thinking you were our savior? That was the biggest mistake I’ve made in my life.” She said to Josh. “There’s only one way to fix this, and I’m doing it by myself.” She stormed away from them, clutching the TTD tightly.

“Tiger, wait!” Liv called after her.

“Tiger, where are you going?” Josh took a few steps after her.

“Far away from you, fuck nose!” She shot back at him.

“Don’t give up on me!” He gave a defeated groan as Tiger flipped him off and stormed away at an impressive pace. He turned back to Liv, who looked at him with a worried expression.

“Josh…” she whispered. It was the possum incinerator all over again.

“Come on, let’s see what we’re dealing with here.” He grumbled quietly, breezing past her as he made his way over to the Kronitorium. Liv rushed after him. As they entered, their eyes grew wider, not recognizing a single thing about the building. People were scanning their hands to enter into the main labs from the lobby.

“Okay…” Liv muttered, intertwining her hand in Josh’s, staying close to his side.

“Shit,” he muttered back, realizing they probably would not have clearance. “Should we…should we try?” He whispered.

“I mean, we technically worked here, I think…” She looked around the lobby again.

They nervously approached the scanners, gripping onto each other’s hands tightly, scared that if they let go they’d somehow lose the other.

“Excuse me, can I help you?” A voice said from behind them.

They turned their heads to look at the person. Carl the Biotic who Tiger and Wolf killed stood behind them. Josh and Liv jumped.

“Holy shit!” Josh blurted out. “Carl!”

“Do I know you?” Carl asked, towering over them, not in a threatening way, but in a protective security guard way.

“No,” Liv said. “I’m- I’m Liv Branson, this is Josh Futturman. We work here, we should be in the system.” She said, trying not to sound nervous.

“We just forgot our IDs.” Josh said, remembering how both of their IDs were left back in the 80s. Dammit.

Carl looked to another security guard who typed “Liv Branson” into the computer system. Immediately a picture of Liv and Josh (Josh in lingerie) appeared. Their faces fell. The computer blared an alarm. Carl and another security guard seized the two of them without another word, throwing them out of the building.

“Ow! Ow! Okay!” Carl shoved Josh away from the door. Liv was pushed out next to him.

“Come back and we’ll have you both arrested.” Carl said sternly.

“…okay…” They turned away from the building, confused. “How did they even have that picture?” Embarrassment was evident in Josh’s voice.

“Go away, go away!” Somebody from a bench behind them was whining. “No, no, no!” They looked over to see Stu Camillo trying to eat his lunch, shooing pigeons away from him. Josh broke away from Liv’s side to inch closer to him in shock.

“Stu!” He said. Stu’s head snapped up, his eyes wide like a deer in headlights.

“D-did I take your bench? I-I’m sorry!” He stammered, leaping to his feet.

“No, Stu, it’s me- it- what are you doing?” He asked as Stu hurried away, looking back at them repeatedly.

“That was weird…” Liv muttered, appearing right next to Josh’s side again. “Stu isn’t in charge here?”

“What the fuck is going on with this timeline?” Josh swore. He sighed and took Liv’s hand again. “Can we…can we go back to my house? I don’t know what to do right now.” He sounded defeated. “We don’t have a job, no one seems to know us here, I just want to see my parents.”

“I wanna see your parents too.” Liv said. The walk back to Josh’s house was tame thankfully, and as they approached Josh’s house they both felt relief settle over them. At least something was familiar. The familiarity was gone the second they entered the house. Josh slowed down as he took in the sight of his- no, someone else’s house, and Liv softly gasped behind him. The wallpaper, the decorations, nothing was the same.

“Is this even your house?” Liv asked quietly, beginning to panic.

“What the…” Josh exhaled, taking in the sight. It was so modern, with a touch of Asian cultural aesthetics. Whoever’s house this was, it was boujee as hell.

“Oh! Hey, JFUTZ!” A man’s voice excitedly greeted them, making Josh and Liv both jump out of their skin. Paul and Tracy from the video game store got off the couch to greet them. “You’re home earls bro!” Paul said cheerfully.

“How was Macau, you rock that shit?” Tracy excitedly walked up to them and saw Liv. “Oh! Paul, he brought home a girlfriend!”

“Ooh! JFUTZ! This your girl?”

“Wow! Trend alert! Say goodbye to leather and mesh, huh?”

“Hello retro!”

“How was the tourney? The crowd looked sick, like, bigger than BlizzCon. Like, sick, dude.”

Liv slowly turned to look at Josh’s overwhelmed face. “Um. Yeah, yeah it was bigger than BlizzCon for sure.” He tried saying as naturally as he could. Tracy and Paul looked at Liv, expecting her to introduce herself.

“I’m Liv.” She said.

“Nice to meet you Liv, Josh’s girl.” Tracy winked at her. Liv gave Josh a look, bumping his hip with hers. Josh’s brain finally caught up to what Paul and Tracy were saying about Liv and he looked at her with pink cheeks.

“Yeah, yeah…” his eyes were soft. “My girl.” Liv’s eyes practically had hearts in them.

Paul and Tracy melted with awwws. “You guys are, like, couple goals!” Paul said.

“The…um, thing was crazy,” Liv spoke up. “There were like, so many people.” She wasn’t sure what she was talking about, but she sure was acting like she did. Josh was still looking at her with love struck puppy dog eyes, processing the tingly feeling he got from calling Liv “his girl”. “We’re kinda jet lagged right now, so….”

“Jet lag? JFUTZ flies private, I thought they like, engineered out the jet leg or something.” Paul chuckled as he and Tracy walked into the kitchen. Josh and Liv followed close behind.

Josh snapped out of his trance. “Private?” Paul and Tracy both stopped what they were doing and gave him a confused look. “Oh, yeah. I think it’s a new- uh- new thing they’re figuring out-“ he cut himself off, realizing what was missing. “Hey, uh, where are my parents?”

“At the dope ass condo you put them in!” Tracy reminded him enthusiastically.

“World’s greatest son alert!” Paul pointed at him and raised the roof, imitating some kind of bird sound.

Josh looked at Liv with an even more confused look. He looked back to Tracy and Paul. “Would you excuse us for a moment?” He grabbed Liv’s hand and led her towards the stairs. Paul wolf whistled at them.

“Sure thing you two, don’t get too loud.” Tracy winked after them. Before Liv or Josh had time to process what she’d said, they were up the stairs and walking into the bathroom, and shutting the door behind them.

“Where the fuck are we?” Josh whispered, looking amazed. Liv looked around at the glass sinks, the bamboo wallpaper, and the impressively big shower.

“Woah…” she breathed out, pointing to a control panel on the wall. Josh walked over to observe it, still amazed at how high tech everything was. He fumbled with his phone as he got it out of his pocket and sat on the toilet. “What are you doing?” She asked, leaning over him and looking down at his phone, everything was upside down.

Josh looked up at her with a goofy grin as all of her hair dangled in his face. “Googling myself. Sorry, Bloogling myself…my name is Joosh here?”

“That name was stupid.” She giggled as he poked her side.

“Shut up Liv, you don’t have to call me that.” He chuckled as he kept scrolling through the articles about him. “I gave a TED Talk?” His smile grew bigger as he scrolled through pictures that came up. A few key words caught his eye. “…‘Fortune off AOL shares’? Is that-“ Josh flipped his phone around for Liv to see. “Is that Uncle Barry?”

“He took your advice!” Liv said excitedly as she looked at the picture of JFUTZ and Uncle Barry accepting an award. “‘Founder of the Robotics company ‘Future Man’!” She read. “Josh, this is amazing!”

Josh scrolled past pictures of him on magazines, videos of him promoting a sports drink called ‘JOOSH’, and the fact is net worth was 6 Million Euros. “I think that’s a lot of money!” Josh gasped, showing Liv. Liv knelt next to him, watching as he continued to deep dive.

“I’m in Ibiza!” He showed her paparazzi pictures of him. “…I have a Bentley.” He gasped excitedly, leaning back, head hitting the control panel.

“Engaging, rainforest mode.” A robotic voice said. Liv and Josh looked around as mist began to sprinkle down from the ceiling.

“Rainforest mode?” Josh raised his arms up, as if he were welcoming the mist. “My life rules!” He cried, ecstatically, wrapping his arms around Liv and pulling her in for a kiss. “My life fucking rules.” He grinned into the kiss. Liv let Josh pull her into his lap as she deepened the kiss.

They spent about 15 more minutes in the bathroom. Josh kissed down her neck, finally finding the spot that made her pant in his ear (and made his dick twitch). As Josh kissed along Liv’s collar bone, pulling her collar down to gain more access to her skin, the mist shut off, making them both pull away, faces flushed.

“Maybe we should…”

“Yeah,” Liv got off his lap and pulled Josh into one last kiss as they exited the bathroom. They walked down the stairs as nonchalantly as they could, clothes and hair both damp. Paul and Tracy were wiping down the shelves and dusting off picture frames in the living room.

“Oh, you guys don’t have to worry about that. I’ve got someone to do that for me, right?” Josh said.

“Oh yeah, yeah.” Paul dropped the rag.

“We alerted the crew as usual, but if you’re super jet lagged we can tell ‘em to fuck off.” Tracy said.

“The crew? No, don’t tell them that, I’d love to see the crew!” Josh said excitedly. He had more friends than just Liv in this universe?

“Oh! And your present is getting here from Japan today!” Paul said.

“No way! A present?” Josh looked excitedly at Liv.

“Just got an alert this morning that it will be delivered today.”

“That’s- that’s so exciting!” Liv said, not knowing what they meant by present.

JFUTZ’s friends showed up, and Liv and Josh knew none of them. As more and more people showed up and crowded the living room, Liv felt more and more uncomfortable. Josh was having a blast with his crew, while Liv sat next to him, her leg bouncing nervously. She always liked when it was just her and Josh, and she was finding that she wasn’t a fan of the crew.

“My prediction is, hear me out, Governor Amal Clooney.” Josh said to a group of people. The topic of conversation was which celebrities would go into politics in the future. “I give it until 2023. Mark my words.” Josh said as the people laughed and shook their heads. Liv slipped her hand into his. Josh’s head snapped over to look at her. “You okay?” He asked softly. She hadn’t said much since the house began to crowd.

“Mhm.” She lied.

“Liv.” He whispered.

“Yo Joosh! Want some JOOSH?” Tracy called, holding a bottle of the sports drink up.

“I’m okay, thanks though!” Josh called back, hand sliding over Liv’s thigh. “Liv,” his voice dropped back to a low octave. “Do you want to get away from the crowd?”

“…kinda, but- but if you’re having fun-“

“I’m not having fun anymore, you look overwhelmed.” Josh stood up, holding a hand out to help her up. “Let’s go check out my room, we haven’t seen that yet.” He suggested, giving her a warm smile. They walked upstairs, going unnoticed by the absolute ocean of people in his living room. Walking into Josh’s room, he gently hugged her. “I’m sorry, I thought the crew would be, like, a normal sized friend group.”

“It’s okay.” Liv gave him a small, grateful smile. Josh’s new room had his bed in the middle, right under a giant light up sign that said “SIN” that hung on a chevron print wall. “Oh! Sin!” She laughed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

“Oh, JFUTZ…” Josh laughed awkwardly, his cheeks heating up. Liv bumped her shoulder into Josh’s.

“You’re JFUTZ, dipshit.” She teased. “You hung that on your wall.” She poked his arm.

“Nuh uh,” Josh playfully rolled his eyes.

“Yuh huh,” Liv grabbed his face and peppered it with kisses. Josh’s eyes squeezed shut and a dorky grin spread over his lips. Her arms stung around his neck. “So, Joosh-“

“Don’t call me that.”

“How does it feel to have accomplished so much?” She asked in a teasing tone.

“Come on, Liv, that wasn’t really me, that was JFUTZ. I’m just Josh.” Josh blushed.

“A humble man, I like it.” She teased.

“You like it?” He was grinning from ear to ear.

“Hey now, don’t let your ego get too big.” She grinned that suggestive grin that she got whenever she made a dirty joke.

Josh chuckled. “Dirty jokes are banned.” He joked, rolling his eyes.

“The sign welcomes it.” She nodded to the “SIN” sign and pushed away from Josh, strolling away casually to examine the room.

Josh immediately missed her arms around him. He missed her body being so painfully close yet far away from his. Liv had been in his room plenty of times before, but this wasn’t his room. Seeing her sit on his- no- Joosh’s bed still somehow made his heart thud. It was technically his bed though, right? In some way?

Liv had said something to him, but he didn’t hear it, he was thinking about kissing her again, missing the feeling of her lips molding against his. He wanted to taste the flavor of that same tropical scented lip balm she'd used for three years, and wanted to feel her fingers in his hair. He wanted her. She was right there, and the little glances she kept shooting to him alluded to her wanting him too. He knew she did, he saw the way she looked at him in lingerie. Too bad they didn’t have that anymore.

“Josh,” Liv giggled, adjusting to sit cross legged on the bed. “I asked you a question.”

Josh sat on the edge of the bed. “What?”

“I said, would you decorate your room this weird if you could?”

Josh glanced around, shaking his head. “Absolutely not.” He glanced at the chevron patterned walls.

Liv motioned for him to sit closer to her. Josh sat on the bed, cross legged just like her. “Is your bed this comfy at home?” She asked.

Josh pressed his hands into the mattress. It was some kind of memory foam bed, and it was a thousand times nicer than his old one. “This was probably hella expensive, I wish.”

Liv laughed. ��It’s really nice.” She giggled as she grabbed his face and kissed him deeply, feeling Josh eagerly kiss her back, hands moving to her waist immediately. God, she loved that feeling. She uncrossed her legs, moving onto her knees, hovering over him. Josh’s lips never left hers, instead he craned his head upward as she moved up. She pulled away so she could look down at him. There was a glimmer in his eyes, she guessed it was one of arousal.

“This is really nice.” He whispered, face flushing. “How long do we have in this room?” He asked breathlessly.

“What?”

“Back in the 80s you said only 15 minutes, and then you said 16, but how long do we have now?”

She smiled down at him and laughed, climbing into his lap. “17.”

“17 what?”

“Hopefully not seconds, I hope you last longer than that.” She grinned, the same glimmer in her own eyes. His eyes widened. Oh. Oh!

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Their lips crashed together. The kiss was electrifying this time, Liv couldn’t hold back an excited little groan.

Josh pulled away, pupils enormous. “You can’t do that to me, Liv.” He muttered, cheeks glowing redder and redder.

“I can and I will.” She wrapped her legs tightly around him and recaptured his lips. Liv swore Josh’s eyes rolled back.

Josh’s hands moved to the nape of her neck, tangling themselves in her hair. Liv let out a small groan, feeling him play with her hair.

“God. Do you know what you’re doing to me right now?” He mumbled, eyes fluttering open as she pulled away to catch her breath.

“I can feel it.” She muttered in his ear. Josh’s dick was pressing against her thigh, making her feel dizzy.

“Oh God… sorry…” Josh seemed embarrassed.

“You don’t have to be sorry,” Liv tilted her head down at him. “It’s the reaction I was hoping for.”

Josh’s hands traveled down her back and ran over her thighs. “Can I tell you something?”

“Oh, what? Are you a virgin?” She teased.

“What? No!” Josh’s face twisted with a mock offended look. “No, I’m not a virgin! I was going to tell you that I think your legs feel nice wrapped around me, but now I don’t want to.”

“Well, you just told me.” Liv teased, squeezing her legs. Josh couldn’t help but let out a little whimper.

“Shut up, Liv.” He managed to breath out, grabbing her hips. His whimper paired with his grabbing her hips only made her want to do it more. So she did, squeezing her thighs harder around him, feeling his erection dig into her thigh more. Josh muffled his whining against her mouth, addicted to her. He kissed so gently, his lips moving against hers felt so perfect. Liv had kissed other guys, admittedly not that many, but enough to know that this was the most intimate and dizzying kiss she’d ever received. Probably because she’d secretly been fantasizing about this moment every night before she fell asleep for years.

She unbuttoned a button on his shirt, feeling his hands shyly wandering her back, clearly wanting to go down and grab her ass, but seeming too shy to go through with the action.

“If you want me to take my shirt off, you could just ask.” Josh said, unbuttoning the rest of the buttons and pulling the ugly pink shirt off.

“Ugh, finally.” Liv teased, running her fingers over his collar bone. “You know you’re allowed to touch me anywhere, right?”

“I know.” He said shyly. He saw the way her eyes lit up when he shivered at her touch, the way her fingers dragged over his chest and collar bone. “You’ve seen me like this before.” He said, playfully rolling his eyes and grinning.

“I just think you’re really pretty.” Liv dragged her fingers up the side of his neck, making his eyelids flutter at the feeling.

“Liv…” Was all he could manage to say quietly. Liv seized the opportunity to pull her own tank top off, throwing it over to join Josh’s shirt on the floor next to the bed. Josh’s eyes were wide as his brain malfunctioned. His eyes flicked between her own and her nude colored bra. She laughed at his shock. He looked at her like he’d never seen a woman in just a bra.

“You sure you’re not a virgin? Or are you just really into boobs?” She teased. Josh looked up at her eyes sheepishly. It was definitely the latter option. “Josh Futturman, you’re a boob guy? I’m actually not surprised.”

“Hey, hey!” Josh shook his head. “They’re in my face right now, what am I supposed to do?”

Liv’s lips ghosted his as she whispered against them. “You could always touch them?” She suggested, reaching behind her to unclasp her bra.

Josh couldn’t believe what was happening, he felt as though time had stopped moving. Being here, this close, this intimate with Liv was the first time he felt happy in forever. As she threw her bra aside, Josh stared into her gorgeous brown eyes with his pleading hazel ones. She was completely topless in his lap and yet he couldn’t tear his eyes away from hers. He looked so pathetic and needy. And she liked that. A lot.

“You’re allowed to look at me.” She giggled softly.

Josh gave her a shy grin. “I know, I just think you’re just really pretty.” He used her own words. Liv covered her face with her hands, giggling shyly. She could feel Josh’s eyes drift down to her boobs. Josh looked back up at her hands covering her face. He pulled her hands down gently. Liv’s face was tomato red as she giggled. “I’m allowed to touch you, right?” Josh double checked.

“If you don’t I think I’ll scream.” She grinned.

“Well…” Josh grabbed Liv’s hips and rolled over on top of her, making her squeal. His mouth immediately attached to her right boob, hand skimming up her side and cupping her left boob. Liv gasped and let out a shaky moan. She felt Josh’s mouth vibrate as her moan caused him to moan too. Her head rolled back into the bed as he pressed kisses around her hard nipple, before taking it into his mouth and swirling his tongue around it.

“Oh God…” She panted and let out a heavy sigh, feeling Josh’s other hand wander down and caress her hip through her jean shorts. Josh had never enjoyed something so much in his whole life, sucking on Liv’s tits while listening to her whimper and pant was absolute heaven.

Josh looked up at her through his lashes, watching her jaw slack as she squirmed. He moved his mouth around, sucking and kissing anywhere he felt her breath hitch and her body twitch. Oh, she’d have hickeys for sure. As much as he wanted to stay at her boobs forever, he missed her face, so he kissed up the valley between her breasts, up her collar bone, and up her neck, cupping her breasts with his hands. He rubbed his thumbs over her breasts as he trailed kisses over her jawline and up to her lips. “Okay, maybe I am a boob guy.” He admitted, his hold on her slacking. Liv used the opportunity to roll him over so she was on top again, straddling his waist.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” She giggled. Josh eyed the hickeys forming across her boobs with a proud smile. “My eyes are up here.” She teased, lightly rocking her hips against his. Josh’s hands shot out and grabbed her hips as he let out a strangled moan.

“Holy fucking hell!” He felt Liv’s hands trail up and down his stomach as he closed his eyes, trying to keep from cumming right then and there. Her giggles taunted him. “You’re going to drive me insane.” He felt her fingers land on his belt.

“Yeah?” She taunted. Fuck. Her teasing tone made him melt under her. He opened his eyes as he felt her lift off of him, finding her shimmying down her shorts, stripping down to just her underwear. Josh took the opportunity to get up and take his own pants off, staring at each other as they realized they didn’t have many layers left separating them. “Damn.” Liv breathed out, staring at the absolute rocket in Josh’s boxers. “I’ve gotta admit, I’m a little intimidated.” She said shyly, laying down amongst the pillows on the bed.

“I think I might be too.” Josh had to steady himself as the lightheaded feeling from all the blood in his body rushing to his dick finally caught up to him. “Oh God, I’m-“ he let out an embarrassed chuckle.

“Oh! Josh, we can stop if you’re not feeling-“

Josh looked up at her with pleading eyes as he got back on the bed. “No! I want to, trust me, I want to so bad.” He practically whimpered. The sound of his whimper went straight to her pussy. Shit, was she into that? She held out her arms, wrapping Josh in them as he settled down on top of her. His lips immediately found her sensitive spot on her neck, making her whine in his ear. “I like that sound.” He whispered, a sneaky hand moved up to pinch her nipple. She moaned again, louder this time. He brought his face up to hers with a cunning grin. She glared at him playfully and rolled on top of him again, this time exploring his neck with her lips. “Oh Liv, I-“ he was interrupted by Liv finding the sensitive spot, immediately folding and moaning loudly.

Liv smirked against his neck and got to work, leaving hickeys down his neck, hickeys that would be covered by his shirt, but she would know they were there.

“Liv…” he moaned, as she kissed around his collar bone.

“Hm?” She looked up at him innocently, but her hands playing with the waistband of his boxers was anything but.

“Jesus, Liv, just take them off.” He begged, needing some sort of relief. Liv grinned as she shook her head. “Fuck you.” He mumbled.

“What?” She asked smugly. She got off of him and took her own panties off. Feeling Josh’s eyes all over her as his jaw going slack made her feel even more naked than she was.

“Hachi machi,” Josh breathed out. “You’re gorgeous.” Liv couldn’t hold back an amused look.

“I thought I told you to never say that again.” Liv laughed, sitting back on the bed.

“Liv, I’m serious.” Josh was suddenly nervous to touch her again. “I think you’re perfect.”

Liv looked at him, hearts in her eyes. “You think I’m perfect?” She cooed.

“Your smile, your- your eyes, your hair, your laugh…” Josh listed. “Your…your body, your moans.” He tacked on the end. “And your…everything.” His eyes raked over her, giddily. “God, you’re- you’re everything.”

“My moans?” She grinned.

“God,” Josh gathered her in his arms and pulled her back to him. “Your moans are music to my fucking ears.”

Liv straddled his lap again. “I like when you moan too.” She wrinkled her nose as she grinned at him. “You whimper. A lot.” Josh bit his lip as she traced her fingers along the band of his boxers.

“I won’t last any longer if you keep teasing me.” He said quietly.

“Lame.” She snapped the band against his stomach teasingly. He moved her hips off of him, pulling down his boxers. Liv’s jaw dropped. “Oh my fucking God!” She cried. Big was an understatement. A gross understatement. Even Josh was surprised.

“Holy fucking-“ he gasped, staring down at his own dick with wide eyes. “Surprise?” He looked back up her face, trying to read her reaction.

“How- what- will that even fit?!” She asked, her thighs squeezing together, Josh couldn’t tell if it was out of nervousness or excitement.

“Liv, we don’t have to…I don’t want to make you feel-“

“Oh God, Josh, I want to. Don’t worry, I want to. I wanna ride you.” An evil glint sparked in Liv’s eyes. Josh was floored and even more horny. It was definitely excitement.

“…what?”

“I said I wanna ride you.” Liv said again, leaning forward so that their faces were closer. “You know? Sir Mix-A-Lot?”

“Oh- oh, I know,” Josh stammered, heart thrashing against his rib cage, imagining all kinds of scenarios of Liv on top of him. “You wanna…come here?”

“You got a condom?” Liv asked, eyes dropping down to his dick again.

“Shit!” Josh cursed. Josh rolled off the bed and stood at the night stand to his right, rifling through it, praying he’d find one. “I got one!” He pulled out a condom labeled “JOOSH” with his face on it. “Oh. I sell condoms too.” Josh looked up at Liv, who sat patiently on the bed, looking at him in a way that made his heart hammer even harder, his face flush, and his dick throb. “You’re pretty.” He said as he tore open the package.

Liv got visibly flustered. “You’re…prettier.” She said back.

“I don’t think so,” Josh rolled the condom on.

“How long would you say that is?” Liv studied his penis. Cute moment over. “Like, what, 8 feet?” He got back on the bed.

“8 feet?! Neither of us are even that tall.” Josh laughed lightly, before looking at her seriously. “Liv, are you sure?”

“I’ve been sure for a while, Josh.” Liv said. “Joosh, if you will.”

“If you call me Joosh while you’re riding my dick, I think I might cry.” Josh laughed nervously as Liv got closer.

“You don’t want me calling you Joosh?” She teased, hovering over him.

“No. Josh is fine.” He looked nervous. “God, you’re making me anxious.”

Liv’s face fell, looking worried. “Why?”

“Because you’re hot.” Josh said dumbly as he blushed deeper red.

A wave of relief washed over Liv as Josh sat up on his elbows. “You might snap me in half.” She said quietly, referring to his massive fucking horse cock.

“Oh God, I hope I don’t.” Josh’s eyes widened with surprise as she pushed him back down onto his back, dangerously close to lowering herself onto him, but of course she wouldn’t, she was teasing him. Of course not only was she a fucking tease normally but also in bed too.

“You wanna find out?” She asked quietly, batting her eyelashes down at him innocently, but her tone was the exact opposite. Josh's eyes were full of lust and excitement as he looked up at her, nodding as he was unable to formulate words.

He sat back up and kissed her roughly as she sank down onto him as best as she could, lips unattaching as they both reacted. Liv let out a surprised sound as her brows pinched together and she gripped his shoulders for support. She slapped her hand over her mouth. Josh held eye contact with her as he gripped her waist and inhaled shakily, trying to keep it together. He wanted to make sure she was enjoying it first before he let himself do so.

“God…” she finally moaned. Josh let a breathy moan slip out too. They both were gripping each other, panting and trying not to get too loud, but failing miserably. She rolled her hips, making his eyes roll back, much to her delight. He panted, repeating her name along with a string of curse words over and over again. Liv’s nails were digging into his shoulders and she moved, fitting as much of his (Wolf’s) dick as she could inside of her. She chose not to think about the fact that she was technically riding Wolf’s cock.

“Liv- Liv…” Josh whimpered, clearly trying to last as long as he could. She could feel by the way he was trembling and pulsing inside her that he was right on the edge. He’d been that way from the moment he’d been inside her.

“Josh,” She moaned into his mouth as she messily pressed her lips to his. Josh’s eyes rolled back again as Liv threaded her fingers through his hair and her nails lightly scratched at the nape of his neck.

“I’m gonna cum.” He moaned against her lips.

She pulled away with a teasing grin. “Oh- oh yeah?” God, even while she was riding his dick she was teasing him. He couldn’t keep his eyes off her tits as she continued to move up and down, and up and down, and up and-

Josh whimpered and whined, hands finally getting brave and sliding to grab her ass. Oh yeah. She was definitely into that. “Li-“ Josh couldn’t even finish moaning her name as he whimpered and buried his face in her shoulder. “Liv, I’m so close.” He moaned.

Liv’s head rolled back as she panted, letting out a whimper herself as she rode him like her life depended on it. “I’m really close too.” She whined, hand snaking down to touch herself somewhere that needed attention. Josh took the hint and replaced her hand, rubbing circles on her clit. “I’m really, really close.” She gasped, kissing his lips again. She let her hips roll again, Josh’s eyes rolled back and shut as his free hand shot up to the small of her back, pulling her body flush against his as he tried his best to move with her hips, slumping against the headboard for support.

“You’re beautiful.” He whispered breathlessly, opening his eyes to look directly into hers. “You’re so fucking beautiful- Jesus!” His stomach flexed as he couldn’t hold it in any longer. That feeling drove Liv over the edge too, her body tensing around him. Josh kept his fingers rubbing circles on her clit, knowing he was doing something right by the way she was panting and cursing under her breath, her movements slowing down.

“Jesus, Liv…” Josh whined, watching her struggle to keep it together, and he loved it. That did it. She steadied herself by digging her nails into Josh’s shoulders as she came.

“Josh, oh God, oh fuck, oh Josh-“ Her repeating his name was like a choir of dirty angels singing to him. She collapsed against him, eyelids heavy from exhaustion, burying her face in the crook of his neck for a moment. She pulled her face away to look at him with her glossy eyes, cheeks glowing and flushed, and her eyelids still half lidded. “You’re- you’re okay?” She breathed out. Josh looked equally as flushed, his hair messy from Liv raking her fingers through it.

“I think I should be asking you that.” He chuckled wearily. Liv hadn’t moved off, twitching and heaving around his cock.

“I’m fine- I’m fine.” She panted. “You feel really good.”

“Jesus,” Josh gasped as she squeezed around him accidentally. “You feel like heaven.” He sharply inhaled. Liv kissed him gently on the lips, smiling. No one had ever told her that. She slowly lifted herself off of him, slumping down against him. Her lips grew more intense.

“I like this feeling.” She whispered as she pulled away. Josh’s fingers trailed around the small of her back and up her sides. She pushed herself up, sitting against his lower stomach as Josh’s fingers made their way around to her stomach and up to her tits.

“Remember what Kronish said about holding each other being the best part?” Josh whispered, motioning for her to lay down on him.

Liv gave a tired chuckle. “I do.” She laid on top of him, kissing him deeply. He rolled them both onto their sides as they kissed lazily, both giggling and pulling apart.

“It really is the best part.” Josh said as he pulled Liv into him and he buried his face in her neck.

Tiger helped Wolf sling his right arm over her shoulder as she helped him up the steps to Josh’s house. Tiger had ditched Liv and Josh and traveled to the 40s where she did NOT kill baby Kronish. Instead she became his nanny. For years.

Wolf had not in fact died like Tiger alluded to, instead he stayed up until the 90s, becoming a famous chef, feeding famous people from all over the world.

Tiger had come back to present day to find Wolf was dead, immediately finding his suicide note in the form of a recorded message left behind in their sewer lair. She traveled back to find Wolf right as he was about to end it in front of their good friend Skarsgaard, giving him another slice to the face to match his three scars on his right cheek.

Wolf was going through it, he couldn’t walk super well, he needed help standing up straight. Tiger, in full 40s attire with her gingham dress, kicked open her door to Josh’s house, only to be met with stares of random people.

“Um,” someone said, blinking at them. “Are you here for the party?” People were wearing headsets and pointing remotes at a huge TV, blending and drinking smoothies, and nowhere in this obnoxious and loud sea of people were the two little people they were looking for.

“Yes.” Tiger stated, adjusting her hold on Wolf.

“Where’s Liv?” Wolf asked, sounding pained. “And Josh too, I guess.” He grumbled at the end.

A sea of hands pointed towards the stairs towards Josh’s room.

“Thank you, strangers” Tiger nodded at them as she helped Wolf up the stairs.

“Liv has probably missed me so much, I never got to say goodbye.” Wolf said dramatically. An entire section of his suicide message was dedicated to her, saying how he loved her so much and wished she could have tried the food he made, thanking her for being the first to tell him how amazing the chocolate he made for the Kronish Ball was. It was sweet. Sickly sweet. It had made Tiger a little jealous even though the rest of it was dedicated to her.

“She’s fine.” Tiger sighed as they reached the top of the stairs. “They’re probably plotting how to get into the Kronitorium in Josh’s room.”

As they reached Josh’s room they paused. They could hear the strangled sounding moans coming from inside. Whimpers and moans.

“What’s going on?” Tiger pressed her ear to the door, assessing if there was a threat. “Wolf, do you hear that?” Wolf pressed his ear to the door too. “Are they being held host-“

“Fuck yeah, they’re fucking.” He nodded approvingly.

“They’re fucking what?” Then Tiger realized. She looked at Wolf with a horrified and disgusted look. “They’re having pleasure sex?!”

Their cuddling turned into a sloppy make out session, which turned back into touching each other and Liv back on top of Josh.

“You’re wet.” Josh muttered teasingly, tracing under her boobs.

“And you’re hard again, horn dog.” She retaliated, pressing her ass against his erection.

His muscles tensed. “Liv, you’re going to make me cum again.” He whimpered and looked at her with those puppy dog eyes.

“Maybe you should make me cum again too.” She grinned. Energy coursed through her body. Josh’s eyes lit up.

“How do you feel about being eaten out?”

“Josh Futturman!” She slapped his chest. “That’s inappropriate!” She teased, as if barely 40 minutes ago they weren’t moaning each other’s names inappropriately.

“Read the sign, Liv.” He pointed above him. She got all giggly as Josh turned the tables, flipping them over so she was underneath. “You didn’t answer my question by the way.” He began kissing her neck.

“I wouldn’t mind…” She gave a small squeal as she felt his tongue right under her jaw. She covered her face and giggled as he eagerly kissed down her boobs, down her stomach, all over her hip bones and thighs, and then finally to her pussy…

Josh actually loved eating her out, he could have spent forever with his head between her legs, enjoying the way her back arched off the bed as he spelled his name and her name in cursive over and over with his tongue over her swollen clit. He’d pulled her to the edge of the bed, slinging her legs over his shoulders as he knelt between her thighs on the floor. The way she kept moaning his name spurred him on, pressing kisses to the insides of her thighs to tease her every time her moans got loud and sounded like she was about to reach her climax, his revenge for the years of teasing he had to endure.

“You fucking suck, I hate you.” Liv whined as Josh evilly kissed the apex of her thigh.

Josh lifted his head, a giant grin on his face. “I fucking what?”

“I’m going to fucking kill you I swear to God.” Her hand moved down to do it herself, but Josh intertwined his fingers into hers to stop her.

“Is that a threat or a promise?” He asked. She was a mess, she could barely comprehend what he’d said.

“What? Shut up.” She huffed, squirming.

He chuckled, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “You’re so pretty.” He said sweetly as he smiled, climbing back up her body and getting on the bed.

“You’re lucky you are too.” Liv grabbed his head and pulled him down to her lips, tasting herself on his tongue. She was learning a lot about herself sexually today.

In the almost 2 hours they had been in his room, Liv had discovered that Josh was very, very sensitive. Everywhere. She discovered she particularly liked to run her fingers over the nape of his neck and feel him shiver, and every time she’d done it, without fail, he gave an involuntary whimper. She liked that.

Josh pulled away, narrowing his eyes at her. “What are you smiling for?”

Liv was grinning from ear to ear at the sound of his whimper. She really liked that. “Nothing.” She pushed herself up to her elbows. Josh sat next to her and pulled her into his lap again.

Of all the ways he held Liv, his favorite was to have her in his lap (he really just liked when she was on top of him, turns out). He lightly tickled her back as he looked deeply into her eyes. “You okay?” He asked softly.

“Yeah?”

“I mean,” he lightly chuckled at her adorable confused face as he drew his fingers up and down her shoulder blades. “I mean, like, after…everything.”

Oh yeah. They’d lost Wolf. She looked away. “Yeah. You helped take my mind off of it.” She gave him a small, sad smile.

“Yeah, you did too.” Liv rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes solemnly. She didn’t want to feel sad. She was in Josh’s naked lap for Christ’s sake, she didn’t want to be sad at all.

“How many more ‘JOOSH’ condoms do you have in there?” She nudged her head towards the bedside table. Josh flushed red, as if they hadn’t already done that.

“There’s a lot in there.” He murmured, fingers trailing around her stomach.

“Wanna use one more?”

Josh didn’t answer, instead he gently moved Liv off of him and reached over to open the drawer and grab another condom with his face on it. After rolling it on, Liv pushed him down, climbing back to straddle him. He wasn’t complaining, he rather liked the cowgirl position. They were laying on the bed sideways, Josh’s door in their peripheral. Liv steadied herself, placing her hands on his chest as she sank painfully slow down on his dick again. He let out a strangled moan, trying to keep his hips from bucking. She didn’t make a sound, just her mouth falling open and her eyes screwing shut as she took in as much as she could. He held her hips tightly, fingers digging into her.

“You’re perfect,” Josh groaned, looking up at her with those eyes again. Her eyelids fluttered open as her eyebrows pinched together, letting out a moan. Josh quivered and whimpered in response.

“Tiger, you can’t open the door.” Wolf huffed. “They’re charging in.”

“I know.” Tiger kept her ear pressed to the door. She could hear the way they were moaning and mumbling sweet nothings to each other. Gross.

“Charging in is actually a private thing.” Wolf said, steadying himself against the wall.

“You sound like Josh.” Tiger muttered. “God, if I hear him tell her she’s ‘perfect’ or ‘beautiful’ one more time, I’m going in there.”

Wolf’s eyes looked loving at the door, as if he could see inside. “I knew he thought that about her.” He said quietly.

Tiger finally huffed and yelled over the loud TV and loud people downstairs for Josh and Liv to hear. “Are you two done yet? You’re just whistlin’ dixie in there, we’ve got very important matters to discuss.” No response. Their moaning continued. The bed kept squeaking. Tiger looked annoyed.

“Tiger, don’t.” Wolf held a hand out to stop her, but it was too late. She threw the door open.

“Oh my God!” Liv and Josh both screamed, Josh quickly sitting up and pulling Liv against him to cover her somewhat.

“…Tiger?” Josh blinked in disbelief. Tiger looked between them, disgusted. When she threw open the door they had been kissing (rat hole to rat hole) with their tongues halfway down each other’s throat.

“WOLF?!” Liv cried, almost climbing off of Josh, who still was inside her. Wolf gave her a double thumbs up and a wink, but he looked like hell.

“Woah there, naked girl!” Josh held her tightly against him.

“You two are gross.” Tiger tried not to gag.

“I think this,” Wolf weakly pointed between Liv and Josh. “Is beautiful.” He leaned against the door frame for support.

“Can you, uh, maybe shut the door and let us get decent? We can celebrate and be reunited after we have clothes on.” Josh protectively covered Liv’s body by wrapping his arms around her.

“Just…get your dick out of her, Futturman,” Tiger mumbled, averting her eyes as she closed the door.

“My dick- Hi Liv!-“ Wolf was cut off by the door shutting. There was a moment of embarrassed silence between them.

“I have a feeling that will be the first of many.” Liv whispered, rocking her hips again.

“Liv!” Josh gasped.

“Just let me help you finish.” She whispered back, sliding herself up and down.

“Fuck…” Josh squeezed his eyes shut, face contorting with pleasure. Liv exhaled shakily against Josh’s shoulder as she moved. “You gonna cum too?” He whispered, stumbling over his words.

Liv panted in his ear. “Mhm-“ She felt Josh grip her hips. One of his hands moved up and reached her boob. “God…” she whispered, trying to keep quiet, knowing Tiger and Wolf were just outside the door. “You’re so pretty.” She complimented him, still panting in his ear.

“You’re prettier.” She could hear him trying not to moan loudly. Liv let herself sink deeper into Josh’s huge cock, starting to see stars.

“I think I can feel you fucking everywhere” She gasped.

Josh trembled as he spread her legs a tad wider. “Jesus fucking Christ…”

“We can still hear you.” Tiger’s voice was muffled from the other side of the door. Liv and Josh didn’t give a shit, they were so wrapped up in each other.

Liv knew her legs would ache later. “Fuck!” She whispered as her head rolled back. Josh took the opportunity to kiss her neck as her pussy spasmed around him, cumming all over him. As he tried to kiss down her throat, his lips fell to her shoulder as he came, hugging her close for support. They sat, panting and sweating, hearts pounding for a moment. The door creaked open again, this time Wolf peeking in. Josh protectively wrapped his arms around Liv again.

“Not to interrupt, but, um, do you have any coke?” He asked quietly. “Like...cocaine?”

“Wolf, I’m so happy to see you’re not dead, but I’m gonna have to ask you to wait a sec.” Liv panted.

“Right, sorry.” The door quietly closed.

Josh carefully lifted Liv off of him. “You’re messy.” He quietly teased, referring to the cum on his lap.

“Shut up.” Liv tiredly punched his arm. Grabbing a shirt, and some boxers, Josh hurriedly got dressed, promising Liv to go into the bathroom and get a washcloth to clean them both up. Trying to sneak out of his room, he was met with Tiger staring intensely at the door.

“Jesus!” He jumped back.

“Glad you got your dick wet.” She said dryly. “Now come on, we need to focus.”

“Good lord, can’t I go get a washcloth from the bathroom real quick?” Josh pushed past her and Wolf to the bathroom.

“Well, good day to you too, Future Man.”

“I saw you this morning and you were mean to me.” Josh called out over the commotion still happening downstairs. He emerged with a wet washcloth. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to provide Liv with aftercare and then I will let you guys in my room.”

Before he could hear their responses, he slid into his room and closed the door. Liv was still on his bed laying on her stomach flipping through a magazine with his- Joosh’s- face on it. “Hey stud,” she flipped the magazine around to show him pictures of him- Joosh- posing like a douche bag with the words “THE NEXT GENERATION” typed boldly over the top.

Josh grinned at her adoringly. “Shut up, Liv.” Seeing Liv laying naked in his room was giving him an adrenaline rush. “Let me clean you up.” He said as she sat up.

“Why thank you, Josh. Also, no offense, that sweater? Ugly as hell.” His sweater was eye offendingly bright with yellows, oranges, and a few splashes of other colors with random letters all over it, looking like they were smashed together and fighting to be at the front.

“What, you don’t like it?” Josh looked down at it.

“No.” Liv laughed, taking some of the sweater in her hands and trying to study it. “Is it supposed to say something? It has a lot of P's. Oh and there’s an S. And an A.”

Josh shrugged as he gently washed her thighs. “I don’t know, it was the first thing I grabbed.” He kissed her forehead.

After he was done, Josh grabbed Liv a less ugly sweater from his closet (she had a big opinion on every single one he pulled out except for a plain white one). She stole a pair of boxers with his face all over them, claiming, “They probably look cooler on me than they did on you.”

“JFUTZ.” He corrected as he watched her pull on her baggy shorts.

“Also, are we not going to talk about how JFUTZ has boxers with his face all over them?” She snickered and looked at him. “You’re technically him-“

“But I would never buy something like that.” He laughed. The door swung open.

“I’m really glad you’ve bonded. Really glad- it smells like an orgy in here.” Tiger rolled her eyes.

“The smell of love.” Wolf said in a low, slightly teasing voice as he strolled into the room. “So, you never told me, do you have coke in here?”

“No.” Josh looked annoyed. “How do you know what an orgy smells like?” Josh muttered, raising an eyebrow at Tiger.

“Wolf!” Liv flung herself at him. “Wolf, we thought you died!”

“Almost did,” Wolf held her tightly, looking so happy he might cry. “Almost did.” He looked up at Josh over Liv’s shoulder. “Hey Josh.”

“Hey Wolf, glad to see you’re not dead…where the hell were you guys by the way?” Josh eyed Tiger and Wolf’s clothes.

“The 40s.” Tiger said.

“The 90s.” Wolf groaned as Liv squeezed too tight. She let go, uttering apologies over and over to him. Wolf moved away, distracted, throwing the covers off of Josh’s bed.

“You’ve got to have coke in here somewhere.” He muttered, digging through the pillows. Liv watched, offended.

“The 90s? Wolf, you stayed in the 80s into the 90s?” Josh was shocked. “You’re telling me years of your lives have happened since this morning? Liv and I have been here for like…2 hours.”

“Time travel’s a real mindfuck.” Wolf said, grinning, but looking like he was in pain. “Is that different wallpaper?” He asked, finally noticing the room. “Are you sure you don’t have any coke?” He looked between Liv and Josh.

“Wolf, I already told you no.” Josh said.

“You think those space pirates downstairs have a hookup?” Wolf asked hopefully.

“First of all, those are my friends, not space pirates.” Josh said.

Liv made a face that showed her thoughts exactly, are you sure about that? She made the face behind Josh, but Wolf and Tiger caught it.

“Second of all, you need to clean up, Wolf.”

“Yeah, Wolf, you’re concerning me.” Liv said, folding her arms. “You don’t seem okay.”

“Okay, look,” Wolf put on his nicest smile. “I appreciate the concern, but I think if I just had a little cocaine I’d be able to think straight.” He was met with the unbelieving and concerned stares from Liv and Josh. “And then I’ll quit, I swear!”

“Wolf-“

“Crack is fine too, in a pinch!” He sounded desperate.

“God, Wolf. The 90s hit you hard.” Liv said sadly.

Tiger huffed. “Okay, enough of this jibber jabber, alright? We gotta skedaddle.” Liv gave her a weird look. She spoke in the most non-Tiger way she’d ever heard. “If the Kronitorium exists, then we don’t know how far along Kronish is with the cure. It might already be out there!”

“But we don’t even have a TTD, what are we gonna do?” Josh asked.

“We gotta find out what we’re up against in that building.” Tiger said.

“We can’t even go into the building, and I don’t think that you should either.” Liv said. “We tried to go in and they threw us out.”

“How about this,” Josh spoke up as Wolf groaned and crouched down in front of the closet, holding his knees to his chest. “Liv and I stay here and help Wolf get clean, and you can handle the recon, Tiger.”

Wolf barfed into the closet, making everyone groan and look away, having Kronish Ball flashbacks. “I puked in your Jordans” He groaned. Josh looked heartbroken, he didn’t know he owned Jordans until then.

“Well, it’s not gonna be pretty, this little angel has got the devil up in him.” Tiger walked over to Wolf, crouching down and rubbing his back comfortingly.

“Oh, we can handle Wolf.” Josh said. “And I know just where to send you.”

Josh sent Tiger to go track down Stu, the only employee he knew personally who still worked for Kronish as a scientist. He was hoping he might have some information on Kronish. Liv strapped Wolf down to Josh’s bed, repeating apologies over and over.

“Wolf, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but I have to do this-“

“You know, I opened a restaurant in the 80s.” Wolf said, sweating buckets. Together Josh, Liv, and Tiger had stripped Wolf to a white tank top and his boxers after he vomited all over himself.

“Really?” Liv was half listening as she put a strap around his right ankle.

“I named a dish after you, Liv. It was a dessert, a chocolate truffle. I missed you a lot.”

Liv looked at poor, poor Wolf. He looked awful. “I missed you too Wolf…in the few hours I didn’t see you.” She smiled softly.

“I did cocaine up my ass too.”

“Oh.” She made a face. “That’s…that’s really something, Wolfie.”

“I can’t believe you had sex with Josh in this very bed-”

“Hey Wolf, let’s talk about something else.” Liv interrupted him loudly..

Josh poked his head into the room. “Hey Liv, you wanna come downstairs soon?” He asked. She looked at the sweaty and vomit smelling mess that was Wolf.

Be with the random strangers that Josh thinks are his friends or risk being puked/shit on? She thought to herself. “I’m coming.” She sighed.

As they walked down the stairs Josh was beaming. “I’m a video game programmer here. I made the games they’re playing downstairs. In VR.”

“I thought JFUTZ made those games?” She smirked at him. He blushed as he realized what he’d said.

“Yeah, I meant JFUTZ.”

The VR video games that Joosh made were amazing. Liv didn’t know you could snowboard and shoot yetis at the same time, but she sure did after playing Snowboard Pro 3. The crowd had died down a bit, and Liv was actually able to catch a couple of the people’s names. In the kitchen, a guy named Xolo showed her how to make the “perfect” smoothie.

“Your boyfriend is, like, super into clean living.” He said, blending the apple cider vinegar, strawberries, spinach, and a bunch of protein powders together.

Liv didn’t think it looked appetizing at all, but she nodded along. “Cool!”

“I’ll make you one too.” Xolo grinned at her. “I can make you a pina colada one!”

“You better make one for Joosh too, he loves pina coladas!” She said with a big smile, high fiving Xolo over the counter.

Liv and Josh bounced from the kitchen to the living room, trying more of Xolo’s smoothie creations, which were actually quite delicious, and playing video games. Liv prefered sitting on the couch, watching Josh excitedly play the different video games Joosh had developed. As much as the energy was thriving in the room, she still wasn’t sure she liked “the crew”, except for Xolo, she was still on the fence about Paul and Tracy. She watched the TV as Josh crashed into a tree in the game, bringing him to a “GAME OVER” screen. She listened to Tracy and Paul snicker at his loss as Josh took off the headset and looked embarrassed.

“I died pretty fast.” He mumbled.

“Yeah, uh, that’s a tricky level.” Paul said, doubling over with laughter as he looked at Liv and Tracy. It definitely had been an easy level. Xolo brought Josh another smoothie.

“Hey, thanks man.” He said gratefully, taking a sip. “Ooh, Liv, this one’s peach.” He turned around, holding the cup out for her to try. A lull in the conversations around let Josh and Liv hear Wolf groaning and crying upstairs.

“Josh!” He was crying. Josh looked confused.

“I’m surprised he’s not crying for you.” He muttered to Liv.

“Who’s Josh?” Someone asked.

“I’m shitting your bed again.” Wolf cried. Josh inhaled deeply, trying to keep his cool.

“I think that’s why.” Liv whispered, looking apologetically at him.

“You’re coming with me.” Josh whispered.

Entering Josh’s room almost made both of them pass out. “Oh, God, Wolf!” Josh recoiled. It smelled like death and puke and shit.

“Come here Josh, please come here.” Wolf groaned.

“Please come here, come on, come on, buddy.” Josh inched closer, shooting Liv a fearful look. “I just need a bump and 20 bendy straws.” Wolf wept.

“Wolf. No, there’s no coke here. Turns out, JFUTZ’s body is a temple,” Josh said as Wolf thrashed against his restraints. “He’s really into clean living and I respect him. We got super fruits?” He offered.

“Yeah, Wolf, we’ve got a lot of things, but all healthy. No coke. Sorry.” Liv said, standing at the foot of the bed.

Wolf was throwing a fairly silent tantrum as he thrashed around.

“I mean, try some of this super smoothie,” Josh held out the smoothie cup for Wolf. “It’ll pick you right up.” Wolf head butted the cup out of Josh’s hands. It spilled all over his face. “Jesus!” Josh backed away.

“COKE!” Wolf cried out. Josh turned to Liv looking pissed off.

“Wolf, we’re only trying to-“

“COKE!!!!” Wolf screamed at Liv, shaking. Josh rolled his eyes and took Liv’s hand, leading her out of his room.

“Poor Wolf,” Liv said sadly as she followed Josh down the stairs.

“He’s an asshole.” Josh grumbled. Liv punched his arm. Hard. “Liv!”

“He’s an addict in recovery, you’re the asshole.” She said sternly.

The front door swung open in front of them. Tiger was back. “Hey.” She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw them. She was holding a plate full of food covered by Saran Wrap.

“What’s that?” Josh leaned forward curiously. Tiger covered the plate with her hand.

“It’s leftovers from the meal I made for Stu. I pulled a little 40s charm on him and he let me into his house to make him a home cooked meal. Got some information outta him too. Where’s Wolf?” She asked.

“Tied to Josh’s bed. He’s not doing too well.” Liv said, jabbing her thumb up in the direction of Josh’s room.

“He’s probably starving!” She scolded Liv and Josh. “A home cooked meal can solve anything.” She marched past them and up the stairs towards the room. Hearing Tiger say the most house wife things in her deadpan and stern voice was so strange.

Josh turned to Liv. “She wasn’t always like that, right? Or am I crazy?”

“We’re both seeing the same thing. The 40s really changed her.” Liv said.

“Wanna play Snowpocalypse?” Josh asked, completely changing the subject.

Liv paused. “Um,” she blinked. “You can. I’ll just, um, I’ll watch you again…or something.”

“You worried I’ll actually be better than you at this one?” He teased. Liv had been way better than him at every game they’d played so far.

Liv shrugged. “No, I’m kinda just sick of video games.” She said.

Josh deflated. “Oh…that- that’s okay, we’ve been playing for a while anyways.”

Liv pursed her lips. “Mhm.” She tried not to let her annoyance show. The entire time since they’d emerged from Josh’s room it was all they (mostly Josh) had done. Liv had talked to Josh’s “friends” more than he had. And she still didn’t really like them. “Go have fun playing…that snow game.”

“I thought you were gonna watch?”

“I will! I’m just gonna go make sure Wolf’s okay.”

Josh nodded understandingly. “Okay, okay, go make sure he’s not puking all over Tiger.” He joked, giving her a small smile.

When Liv approached Josh’s door she heard Wolf sobbing. Great. She thought. He was still bawling. She opened the door to find him crying, but smiling too. He had a mouth full of roast in his mouth. Tiger sat next to him, feeding him the food on the plate.

“Wolf?” Liv asked.

“I can taste it!” He sobbed happily. “I can taste it!”

Tiger was smiling down at him as she fed him. “He can taste it.” She repeated, shrugging. Liv liked this new maternal Tiger, she wasn’t as mean and snippy.

Together Tiger and Liv cleaned Wolf up, Tiger helped bathe him and Liv threw JFUTZ’s bed sheets in a garbage sack. Wolf looked a lot better as he sauntered back into the room in a fluffy white robe with a towel wrapped around his head.

“Hey, Wolf,” She said gently, holding her arms out for a hug. Wolf fell into them graciously.

“I’m so sorry I yelled at you.” He mumbled into her shoulder. “I was half hallucinating back there. Corey Hart sang to me.”

“Oh my God,” Liv pulled away, laughing. “I’m glad to see you’re doing better now.”

“So.” Wolf smirked down at her as he stood up straight. “Tell Wolf, what’s going on with you and Josh?”

Before Liv could answer, Tiger was in the doorway, back in her regular Tiger attire. “Go get Josh, we need to have a chat.” She said.

“O-okay.” Liv looked confused and slightly scared. She slowly walked down the stairs to see Josh with the headset back on, imitating the motion of skiing. There was a whole group of people behind him on the couch cheering him on.

“Oh my God! I’m flying through the sky!” He exclaimed. Liv marched up behind him and took the headset off of him. “Hey! I was just about to stick my landing in Snowpocalypse-“ he turned around to see it was Liv, folding her arms. “Oh, hey, it’s you!” He grinned at her. “You should try this one Liv, it’s really fun.”

“I’m good.” Liv muttered, dropping the headset on the ground. “Tiger wants us upstairs. Like now.”

Tiger had gotten some interesting information out of Stu Camillo. He’d invited her over to his house after she helped him clean up his spilled groceries in the parking lot of a gas station, to which she’d offered to make him a home cooked meal. Stu had told her Kronish was secretive, frighteningly so, and that he’d been hiding away for years working on his project. Stu had told her that no one in the lab knew what they were working on, but Tiger knew, the super cure. He told Tiger that in two days' time he would reveal what it was. That was a relief to her, they still had time.

JFUTZ had turned his parents' old room into some sort of meditation/dojo room, that’s where Tiger wanted them to meet. Tiger told them to change into something quote, “more moveable and less disgusting” (she said that last one straight to Josh). Josh changed into a still eye blisteringly neon green tank top and shorts, while Liv opted to change back into her yellow tank top.

“Alright, so,” Tiger clapped her hands loudly to get everyone’s attention. Wolf sat in the corner clutching a smoothie, still in his fluffy robe. “The information I got out of Stu is a little alarming. Kronish is two days away from releasing his research. We need to kill him AND destroy his research AND blow up the Kronitorium. This is our only chance.”

Josh stretched an arm across his chest. “Wow, so we’re going full on T2.” He said.

“Judgement Day.” Wolf said from his corner. “Arnold was a frequent customer at Wolfhart’s, and a good friend.” He sighed, reminiscing. “Oh man, we had some sexcapades.” He sipped his smoothie.

Josh looked at Liv with raised eyebrows. Tiger waved her hand, trying to get the attention back on her. “This mission calls for a much bigger kill team but…this is all we have…so…we’re gonna have to train you guys up.”

Liv and Josh nodded, knowing this was coming. “Okay, um, athletic stance and start sparring with one of you guys, or each other, or…” Josh asked.

Tiger and Wolf started chuckling, looking at each other and shaking their heads. Josh turned his head to Liv, worried he’d said the wrong thing.

“Spar, oh, no, I think we’ll, uh, I think we’ll have you start on someone around both of your skill levels.” Tiger stepped over to a crate, taking the top off. An uncanny valley life sized doll with enormous tits sat inside. Josh and Liv both recoiled in shock.

“What the hell is that?” Liv asked. “And why is it so creepy?”

“I do not know why you have this, but she was on your doorstep, and, um, she’ll do.” Tiger looked at her two new students. “So let’s begin.”

Pt. 2

[tams-writeblr]

Love in a hopeless Place 14

Synopsis: She was barely grown up, when she stepped into the bar that was the center of Zaun's resistance. The people she met there would forever change her life, and one of them especially. Silco x reader/OC; first-person POV; overall rating: E for Explicit; canon-compliant (though I might make a stretch on the timeline here and there to make things fit my symbolism); age gap! (younger female, older male); 9 chapters; 45k; cis female reader/POV; no beta-reader; completed Chapter ratings/warnings: G for General, no warnings, just mentions of death and violence? Wordcount: 1.1k Author's note: Okay, this chapter is insanely long, actually all the upcoming chapters are super long. I probably have a pacing problem, thank you very much. But now shit's about to do down for real, and we reach the first scene of the show. And it's only getting worse from there, we all know that, right? Btw, Powder is three and Vi is eight. I know, the might have been older in the series, but that's just my interpretation. Kid's brothers are eight, six, five and three. Comments would be appreciated!

Today's music recommendation: Welshly Arms - Legendary

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Act II

Chapter III

Part 1/9

The skirmishes around the bridge got worse and worse from this day on. Our streets were flooded with enforcers, and they showed little to no mercy. They knew who was behind the attack that had cost three officials their lives. The lanes were in massive uproar. Behind the backs of the enforcers, people were calling for revolution; some of them were even calling for war.

Silco had hid from the enforcers, so he never spent much time at the same place, let alone his apartment or the bar.

I sometimes sneaked him into my parents' house, much to my stepmother's dismay.

"Claus, this man is bringing danger to our house! Our family!"

"He is family," my father just retorted. "And he's in the right. This shit has to end. I want a better future for my children and grandchildren, too!"

Sad news brought us a momentary calm before the storm.

Janke had died. 

But as the news wandered the lanes and the enforcers heard that "the assassin from last month" had died, they didn't keep roaming our territory as throughout as before.

Silco still better kept a low profile for the upcoming time. Only that he didn't. After spending the first afternoon after four weeks at his place, he suddenly got up from the dining table (yes, we now had a dining table with three chairs and even a rug underneath it), grabbed the two black jackets by the door, and threw one over my shoulders. "Come on, we're going to "The Last Drop". Vander has called in a meeting."

I looked up from my notes and raised an eyebrow at him. "And you want me with you?"

"Get moving before I change my mind. But Claus will be there too!"

I instantly raised.

My father might sell weapons from his back room, but he had always been neutral and had kept a low profile. So the situation must have been desperate.

We hurried through the lanes, his hand holding mine firmly.

The streets were emptied, only strays and dirt crossed our way.

As we entered "The Last Drop", the bar was already bursting.

But this clearly wasn't a night for drinking and celebrations. People were in uproar. A picture of Janke was plastered on the wall over the jukebox that didn't boom tunes that night. The discussion was already going, as Silco told me to sit down in a booth.

Then he vanished in the crowd.

People were calling for revolution, for war, for justice, for a free Zaun.

I felt a little out of place, as I had never before attended such a meeting, but I soon grasped, that the people around me were planning a coup d'état.

I could hear Vander's mighty voice over the crowd calling them to the weapons. 

I even heard my father speak to the crowd as he spoke about the situation of the armory.

Silco's voice cut through the bar, and I felt my body start shaking violently. "For the longest time, those uppish bastards have kept us down here as their personal dump. It's time we take our destiny into our own hands. I say we take everything we can get and attack right away. We've got grenades and dynamite. And then we'll blow this damned bridge in the air. Once they're cut off from us, we'll show them that everything they can, we can do twice as well. Do you really think their enforcers can go after all of us? As long as we stick together, we can show them which wood we're made from. Piltover has their enforcers with combat experience. We've got every single soul in our city. Every Zaunite has seen more shit than all of them together. So who's in this with me?"

The crowd cheered and started chanting "Zaun, Zaun, Zaun".

"He really brought you," a familiar voice addressed me.

I flinched and looked at Felicia, who was standing beside my booth.

She had two girls at her hands, they were about the age of my youngest and my second brother, maybe younger. "Violet, Powder," she told them my name. "She's Silco's good friend. Say "hi" to her."

Powder, the younger one, waved at me shyly, but the older one just snorted. "Can't I come with you tomorrow, Mom? I'm also already a good fighter."

Felicia kneeled down to the pink-haired kid. "I don't doubt that, but it's still way too dangerous. Besides, someone has to look after your sister."

"I thought she's looking for her."

I was puzzled at the girl's statement.

Felicia noticed and gave me a quick smile. "Take Powder to your dad, Vi. I have to have a quick conversation here."

Vi snorted again. But then she took her sister's hand out of her mother's.

"Bye, pretty Lady," the smaller one chirped and followed her sister.

Felicia slid into the booth with me. She folded her hands on the table. "So Silco hasn't talked to you yet?"

I slowly shook my head. "He's been very quiet the past few days."

"Connol and I decided to join the riot. But of course we can't take the girls with us." She looked up and over the humming crowd. "A lot of us can't. We need people that take care of them. So we wanted to ask you - no." She looked me straight in the eye and reached for my hands. Hers were ice-cold. "Connol and I are begging you to watch after Violet and Powder while we're out there."

My first reaction was to pull my hands away from her and refuse, saying I would of course join the fight too. If everything was about to go down, I wanted to be at Silco's side. But feeling her shaking just as much as I did, seeing the desperation in her eyes, I just couldn't.

"Silco told us, you're good with children."

I looked at where our hands were intertwined. And I exhaled deeply. "Fine, of course. I'll watch them." I gave Felicia a crooked smile. "Just come back in one piece, will you?" I wasn't prepared for Felicia's reaction as she unpredictably hugged me.

"I'm so afraid," she confessed. Both our shaking bodies tried to keep each other still but failed miserably.

"Good, you two already found each other."

I looked up to Silco, who had placed a hand on Felicia's shoulder. "It's gonna be alright, sister. We've got it all planned out. Our victory will be great."

I found his eyes, and they were filled with determination. They didn't seem warm and green anymore, more of an icy turquoise. I shivered.

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

Chapter 8 - Blow the House Down

[Also Available on AO3]

Shadow Dance Masterlist

Summary: The remaining members of the 141 stage a prison break to free Soap, Ghost, and Los Vaqueros from being "detained" by Graves and Shadow Co.

Warnings/Tags: Minors DNI, swearing, character with trauma, established relationship, military inaccuracies, canon-typical violence, includes some in-game dialogue

Pairing: Captain John Price x Fem!OC - 3rd person POV (Rory Sinclair)

Word count: 4.1 K

A/N: the further continuation of Rory's story, this follows and expands upon the COD: MW2 reboot canon. Told from Rory's POV

November 3, 2022 04:57 - Las Almas, Mexico

The hazy gray of dawn slowly began to lighten the sky, yet the golden gleam of the sun remained absent. Cloud cover built overnight acting as the fuel to be burned away in the tinder box of morning radiance. 

From the depths of the receding darkness of the night, the purring engines of two white vans raced down a dirt road, flood lights shining a path towards the exfil point, scorching a hole through the bleak black around them. Skidding to a halt just outside the prison walls, the desert’s powdery sand scattered up behind them and drifted down past the headlights, caught in the rays of the high beams as they parked beside an abandoned vehicle. A chorus of gunfire in the distance greeted them as bullets sliced indiscriminately through the air. Thunder claps of ammunition exiting the chamber rolled over the vast landscape of rocks, cacti, and wild grass, echoing out and silencing the cries of coyotes and the calls of owls. 

Three figures in shadow exited the vehicles, heading towards the prison walls. Their heads on a swivel, eyes peeled for possible enemy activity as they scurried towards their point of access. It seemed as though Shadow Co. was being kept busy, and considering the other vehicle left to the side, someone else must have taken it upon themselves to stage a coup against Graves, an attempt at cutting the head off the snake, one that acted as the perfect distraction for the other members of the 141.

Price’s strides were long and purposeful as he led the way into danger, relaying the rules of engagement to the two soldiers in his wake before they started for the top of the wall. “Expect heavy enemy fire. Take only the shots you need,” he said with a quick glance over his shoulder at Rory, his eyes sharp. “We’re here to get our people out, not clear the zone – this is an extraction, not an offensive.” 

With ropes and ascenders in tow, they made their way up to the top of the wall of the fortress of a prison. Watchtowers stood guard to their left and right, overlooking the prison yard of weathered cement and weeds prying their way through the cracks, sprouting into overgrown shrubs. Below, the distant flashes of muzzle flares glimmered across the ground like fireflies dancing at dusk, burning motes of light traveling in the gloom of the coming morning. 

Bonfire Night had come early, and they had arrived just in time to enter the fray. 

Taking position behind the barrier of concrete, Rory lowered to a kneeling position, placing her rifle on the cover wall. Searching through her scope, she caught sight of the white bone of Ghost’s mask as he, Soap, and the members of Los Vaqueros fought their way through the Shadow Company resistance against them. “We’ve got friendlies coming from our one o’clock,” she called out.

“I see ‘em,” Gaz confirmed while scanning the battle zone below. “They’ve got company.”

Enemy combatants waited for them, scattered throughout the field that the escapees would be forced to cut through. Enough bodies to make it a problem.

Taking a steadying breath, Rory tapped her practiced finger against the trigger and the bullet collided with the back of a Shadow’s thigh while hiding behind cover. A pained groan carried across the expanse of open asphalt, his reaction leaving him open to another rear assault. Without wasting a moment as he dropped, unphased by the quiet tinkling of her bullet casing dancing across the ground, she lined up the angle and with a precision hit, cleared the x-ray from the route.

“Keep that up, Ror,” Price barked approvingly. “I want that route kept clear.”

With a nod, she returned to the comfort of her scope. But that old, reliable feeling of the weight of a weapon in her hands didn’t last long as the low hum of rotors coming to life alerted the group to the appearance of a helicopter heralded by their arrival. 

Soaring overhead – all black, predatory – hunting them down, it swooped in low. The searchlight washed them in bright, white light, stinging their eyes while hair and clothing whipped violently against them under the current blasted from rapidly spinning blades.  

“Focus on that field, Lieutenant,” Price commanded in a hoarse bark, raising his voice above the sound of the aircraft to be heard. The brim of his boonie hat fluttered and flapped as he readied his weapon, tucking it tight against him and taking aim. “Gaz and I’ve got the bird.”

There were times when she could tune out the whole world while staring down her rifle, a reprieve from the continuous noise of her head that she had learned to get along with. Finding the calming point of peace as everything else blurred into white noise. This, however, was not one of those times. The controlled chaos that ensued only increased their chances of success, Shadow Co. were caught with their pants down and they were all too happy to take advantage of that. 

Streaks of fire shot out towards the enemy helicopter from the field opposite them, burning comets in the sky of hot lead ricocheting off the fuselage, sparking against the metal and pinpointing the exact location of their allied forces. Joining forces with the concentrated bullet spray of Gaz and Price’s weapons – the combined weight of heavy fire still wasn’t enough to bring it down.

The loud pinging in Rory’s ears of bullets not quite making their mark caused her to squint, gritting her teeth while reacting to something akin to nails on a chalkboard. A high pitched screech that pinched at the very nerves in her gums, sending shivers to course up her spine and lock her ligaments. Clearing her head with a sharp intake of breath, her lungs holding just to the edge of aching, she once more fired out into the black abyss below and was met with another cry of agony.

“All stations, this is Bravo-6,” Price shouted his orders over the radio, his low growl carrying over the prison barracks walls. “Get down!”

A grenade lobbed into the hovering chopper and the resulting explosion finally caused it to lose control, the fire spreading through the cockpit and flooding the interior like a sinking ship. Crashing into a nearby wall, swallowed up in a giant cloud of smoke and flame, the stench of fuel rose up into the air along with the thick, black fumes that darkened the sky once more. 

“All Bravo and Vaqueros… Top o’ the wall. Get here and I’ll get you out. How copy?”

“Loud and clear, Price. Comin’ to ya…!” 

Ghost’s gravelly voice responding over the comms had her breathing a small sigh of relief. They weren’t anywhere near to being in the free and clear, but it was a small concession she would keep a tight grasp of.

The glint of a green flare sparking to life caught out of the corner of Rory’s eye as Price tossed it down to the ground below, grabbing the attention of their team. The caustic, potent stench of burnt rubber spewing forth as the gas burned off to light the way, mingling with that of the wreckage in the corner – the fiery mass of metal like a solar flare in her scope. 

“Be advised, ropes deployed. Find ‘em and climb.”

“Roger, that.”

The friction squeal of Soap and Ghost’s ascenders on the ropes grew louder as the braided nylon became taut, the two men rising to the top of the wall, vulnerable while Shadow continued firing off potshots towards them. 

Her rifle continued in a rapid succession of percussive bangs as bodies dropped like crumpling ragdolls around the field, sacks of meat and marrow made obsolete with a bullet. Lives taken all in service of keeping her team alive and well. It was a common thing for her not to feel much remorse while taking on the enemy, having learned to ignore that voice in her head repulsed by the thought of killing, teaching herself to see it as inconsequential. Calcification of her conscience. Her or them. But in this case, knowing these were traitors – even if simply following orders like she did – made it all the more simple to shred them with each perfectly positioned shot. As the enemy popped out of cover, it became a game of whack-a-mole, a carnival shooting gallery of targets. Easy picking. Her heart rate maintained at a steady beat as rescue efforts went on around her, letting it all fade into the background, a muted distraction. Take aim, take a deep breath, hold, and then fire. 

The first heavy tactical boot made contact with the edge of the wall with the rough scuff of sole on weathered cement, and the breeze ruffled through the dark fluff of Soap’s mohawk as he reached the heights at the peak of the wall, the rough leather of his gloved hand reaching out to meet Price’s as he was pulled up. Flood lamps above cut sharp streaks of fluorescent light over the sergeant’s face, showing off the weary lines etched around his eyes. His gear stained with blood, it was clear Shadow hadn’t made things easy. 

“Sergeant MacTavish,” John greeted, voice hoarse and rasping like steel wool. His hand rested on Soap’s shoulder, giving one of his trademark pats – ever the handler to his pack of unruly mutts. 

“Good to see you, Captain.”

Soap’s Scottish brogue was an oddly comforting sound after everything that had come to light with Shepherd and Graves, and hearing it, even over her shoulder as Rory continued to fire, made any worries about him and Ghost being in danger instantly fade, settling whatever nerves were hidden under the mask of calm control. 

She rose, rifle in hand, and rested her foot on the wall, the small chunks of chipped away cement crumbling under her foot. Glancing away from her scope for a moment, she tipped her head to the side and made visual contact with the big, blue puppy eyes of MacTavish. “Good to see you in one piece, sergeant.”

A wry grin curled the Scot’s lips, tipping his head eastward. “Ah, ‘the missus’. Thought y’ were supposed t’ be in North Africa, Lamb?”

She hummed, adjusting the rifle in her arms. “Heard your arse needed saving.” Returning to her duty, she changed the angle of her fire, focusing on shorter range, and picked off the Shadows who had closed in around the escaping soldiers. Her bullets buzzed past members of the Los Vaqueros, skillfully missing them, even in tight confines as they lined up to get to the ropes dangling over the edge of the prison wall. 

Shadow forces under fire retreated to the safety of walls, towers, and roofs – Cockroaches, she thought with a sneer, the lot of them. Men and women that were hand selected by Graves himself. Knowing the sort of man he was made her question just what these soldiers were willing to do, what lines they might straddle, others they might cross, and it all made something inside her tense. It took a certain type of person to become a PMC, to pull away from the rigidity of governed rules, the type of person who wanted to make their own. Breaking free of the structure, the form…

Given pause for a moment, her stomach clenched, that quiet voice in the back of her head a timid whisper about whether she was any different at all. She had gone in with good intentions, but that had paved the way to hell. All too aware of what she was capable of, handpicked by Price, willing to forgo the usual channels to complete a mission–

The brief moment of reflection under a starry sky and with bloodshed down below was quickly swallowed back down. Sometimes it was best not to think on those sorts of things.

The next boot met their position with a heavy thud, the weight of a walking fridge behind it, as a long leg swung over the barrier. Rifle hugged tight to his chest, the same way Rory held hers, Ghost scanned their surroundings from on high, dark eyes behind the mask penetrating the gloom below, quietly observing, meeting Gaz’s greeting with a curt nod.

“Garrick. Price.” Ghost’s attention lowered on Rory’s back as she maintained cover fire. “Nice shootin’, Sinclair.” 

“I do my best,” she muttered while taking out another Shadow with a clean shot to the chest. Soap looked between Price, Gaz, and Rory still laying down fire, a hint of confusion in the lines of his brow and around his eyes as he caught his breath. “How’d you know?” “Laswell,” Gaz replied. “Soon as Shepherd went dark, she called us.”

“Laswell, still solid as a rock,” Ghost said, the usual stoicism giving way to a hint of pride hidden behind the handsewn skeletal visage.

As the squad caught up, the Vaqueros began their ascension, beginning with – who Rory assumed was the leader – a grim looking man, his stubbly jaw clenched tight, eyes burning with fire. The sting of betrayal and the need for revenge after being imprisoned by a former ally cut into every sharp edge of his features. 

Soap, seemingly friendly with the man, gave the introductions. “Colonel Vargas, meet Captain Price, Lieutenant Sinclair, and Sergeant Garrick.”

“Thanks for the assist –” Vargas glanced over his shoulder at the sound of yet another shot going off and the cry of pain that followed it reaching his ears, studying Rory for a moment, brow cocking as he watched her catch stray Shadows and keep his men alive. “Suppose you’ve been the one keeping my men under cover fire, huh?”

She pulled back from her scope, releasing the extractor as another casing fell to the ground and chimed softly at her feet. “Suppose so.”

A half grin curled his lips, showing off sparkling teeth. “I’m impressed,” Vargas said, nodding his head. “You’re one hell of a marksman, Señora.”

“Guess that’s why the Captain keeps me around,” she said with a smirk, flipping the wave of hair that fell in front of her eyes back, and glancing past Alejandro’s shoulder at Price, holding his stare until he dragged his tempest gaze away from her, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it smirk curling the corner of his mouth.

“Well, perhaps I could assist,” Alejandro said, immediately getting into position beside her and helping to lay cover fire down for his men against Shadow Company. “Cheers,” she said with a grin that had yet to fade from her face. “Happy for it.”

There were still at least a dozen men below that needed to climb, moving targets for the Shadow forces to take aim at, while the others remained corralled together. Fish in a barrel. Her hand tightened its grip on her weapon, holding it steady against her as she observed the muzzle flares flashing like fireworks before the sound of the gunshots met them. No longer facing singular guards and scouts, there were now roving packs to contend with.  Armored vehicles. Snipers. 

“Gaz, Soap, Ghost – Overwatch – Now!” Price commanded.

A storm of lightning and thunder held contained within prison barracks rained down. Pot shots taken at the wall sent dust and debris falling like hail into the faces of the men trying to climb to safety. Chaos swirled and explosions rang out as soon as Soap got his hands on a grenade launcher, nearly vibrating with excitement over the newfound artillery power. 

The ground shook, rumbling up below their feet as the tectonics of the battlefield shifted, becoming aggravated, an open wound. For everything Shadow threw at them, they met it in kind, holding them off. 

“Got snipers on the roof.” Price growled. “Take ‘em out, Ror.”

“My pleasure.”

Her rifle swung to the left, taking into account the new wind speed and direction as it breezed over the peaks of her cheeks and tousled the loose waves of her hair. Lining up her shot, crosshairs set, eyes narrowed, seconds felt like hours as she listened to the steady rhythm of the beat of blood in her ears – like holding a shell and hearing the ocean. Her gloved finger whispered over the metal of the trigger, and with a sharp breath sucked between gritted teeth, the air was punched from the enemy sniper’s lungs, their life taken in the blink of an eye. 

The wall they had claimed steadily filled with escapees, and once the last man had reached the top, Price pulled back from his firing position. It was time to pull out. This wasn’t the war, it was just a staging area, one that let them see the enemy in action, spot their weaknesses and plan how to use it against them. 

Pointing out the ropes they had entered with, Price barked out his orders, “Down the wall. We are leaving!” 

Repelling down with ease, soldiers streamed over the wall to freedom on the other side. One after another, boots hit the sand, weapons kept at the ready. Until the prison was out of sight, they weren’t clear of danger. 

In the distance, the sky had become a deep indigo blue with the coming morning as a sliver of orange cut across the horizon line. Fire in the sky stretching out, slowly climbing above the mountain ridge. Each fine, tensile ray like the sharp edge of a blade slicing through the darkness that blanketed the land.

Soldiers lined up, waiting at the bottom of the wall for the Captain to arrive – always the first into a foxhole and the last to leave – it was just one of the many things that he did that commanded the respect of his team. The reminder that there were still those that held some sort of honor in a world full of liars, cheaters, and traitors. People desperate for strength, power… control. Things that seemed to seep from Price’s very pores, exuding from him – a born leader. They trusted him to have their backs, to not leave them behind and he had never failed in that duty.

Uncoupling himself from the rope upon making landfall, Price’s heavy brow furrowed as he looked out towards the horizon. With a command, the group split into two, retreating into the safe confines of the vehicles there to extract them with the same rush as a holiday crowd through an airport. 

Climbing into the passenger seat up front, Rory took her spot beside Gaz behind the wheel. The vehicle rumbled forward, his hands steady at ten and two, following Alejandro in the other van as they were led to safe harbor where they could amass for the next front. The mission had become more than just a search for missiles – another end of the western world threat – the lives of their own had been made into fodder so others didn’t have to face the consequences.

Glancing over at Garrick, the rising streak of sunbeam blazed like a molten core amongst umber as he watched the road ahead, the fierceness having grown behind his eyes since the first time she had met him. His stare was now as focused and piercing as the Captain’s. Coming into his own, it was a remarkable thing to witness. He was as much a soldier as the rest of them were, the war they were about to face just as personal to him. 

Tight jaws, scowls, and narrowed eyes abounded in the vehicle. The electric buzz of anger rolling like a charged current around them. Would have been easier if they just came clean to start with, if they hadn’t been sent on a wild goose chase, she thought, eyes fixed on the rear lights of the vehicle in front of them. Tidying messes was something she had gotten used to in her career – the dustpan and broom of colonial powers – but it was the sheer hubris behind Shepherd’s actions that annoyed her most. A man who had grown far too used to thinking himself above it all, the untouchable, as if the law and truth held no sway over him. That he was incapable of being punished for the things he felt he had a right to do because he was under some false impression he knew what was best. 

A reflexive twitch shot through her, fingers curling into a fist on the armrest of her seat. She had come face to face with men like that before, seen the monstrous things they were capable of. Men who deemed themselves worthy of the power they had amassed. Violent means were an easy tool for them to cling to, the lives of others meant little in the path of their own personal crusade. For greed, for dominance… for trying to do a little good in a world of bad. Her eyes lifted to the rear-view mirror and landed on the back of John’s head before meeting her own reflection glancing back at her. 

Fuck, need a cigarette. Anything to ignore the hypocrisy that swirled in her thoughts, jaws of razor sharp teeth that lay in wait, ones she still tried to pretend weren’t there despite claiming the opposite. 

“Shepherd burned us.” 

Ghost’s rasping voice filled the back of the van, contempt rife in every word, drawing her back into the here and now, tearing her from the inside of her head before she was dragged down into the bog of things she buried deep. 

“He sent Graves and his Shadows to kill us and round up Los Vaqueros.”

“We know why.”

“The missiles,” Rory started, filling in the void Price had left behind, looking back over her shoulder at the two hulking squad mates they had just saved. “The ones you found. They weren’t supposed to be out in the wild. It was a mistake. One Shepherd and Graves are both at fault for. You lads and Los Vaqueros just happened to be the unlucky recipients of their efforts at trying to bury it.”

“Bury it?” Soap snarled, dark brows knitting with the deep set furrow between them. 

She nodded, her eyes flitting to Price, noting the rigid lines of his shoulders. He was stewing in silent rage. She could only imagine the thoughts brewing behind the eyes that gave nothing away, a placid surface hiding jagged points of ice and cruel riptides. “And you weren’t the only ones,” she added, glancing over at Soap. “You were right about how I should still have been in Africa. The mission I’d been on, the one to collect Botha, ties right back into this. Hassan had come to him first to transport the missiles to America. Had information that could have saved us a lot of trouble.” Rory turned back to face the road they drove on, her voice a low murmur of regret, “He ended up dead because of it.”

“Steamin’ Jesus. What the hell is Shepherd doin’?”

“He’s like most at the top, Johnny.” Ghost sat stiff against his seat, his mass locked down and only his head on a swivel. “Ready to drop ya at a moment’s notice t’ keep ‘imself in power.”

If Shepherd thought this was the best course of action to clean up his mistake, he had been dead wrong. He’d only gone and made things impossible for himself, gaining the ire of a whole squad of soldiers who had done all manner of questionable things in their careers in order to meet the successful end of a mission. A foolish thing, indeed. It wasn’t like they hadn’t all come with their own reputations when he had backed the creation of the taskforce. A captain who had been sent into brutal conflicts all over the planet, making the tough decisions no one else wanted to, ruthless in his endeavors, a man only an absolute numpty would want to make an enemy of. Two lieutenants who had both been through their own versions of hell, facing torture and pain, who knew what was necessary to survive at all costs. And two sergeants, while young, full of piss and vinegar, and not yet quite as cynical as their veteran leaders, were treading the same path into the bowels of the dark parts of the world few others ever saw. 

Shepherd was in for one hell of a reckoning.

“That’s why we’re going to take him and Graves out of the picture,” Price husked, his head angling sharply to the side. “Get rid of a problem before it gets worse.” His glare darkened, the cold machine of a soldier ever present in those bottomless steely blue eyes. “Then we focus on Hassan.”

[lambsouvlaki]

For the Hell of It - Rescue

Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc

Rating and warnings: T, brief description of violence.

Word count: 990

Summary: Red Hood comes to her rescue.

Masterlist

She woke slowly, sedately, to the touch of Jason’s fingers trailing down her cheek. 

Eyes shut, she leaned into it. 

The hand cupped her jaw, tilting her face up. There was no light scrape of rock hard calluses against her chin. The skin was smooth.

Andy’s eyes snapped open.

Black Mask looked down at her.

She recoiled. Or tried to. Her body responded slowly, groggy and jerky, against hard metal restraints. She was bound to a chair. 

“Red Hood’s squeeze, hmm? Lucky find,” he said. He wasn’t talking to her. He tilted her chin back the other way to look her over. “I knew he was just a man under that helmet.” 

A large man covered in tattoos stood behind him to his right. He looked down at her in disdain. 

“Anything you want to tell me, Miss Wright?” Black Mask drawled. 

She kept her mouth shut. 

The second man hit her on the face. Her head rocked back. Her ears rang. 

“He asked you a question.” 

She bit her tongue to stop her pained whine. 

“He doesn’t know you’re missing,” Black Mask said. “And he won’t, not for days. No masked maniac coming to rescue you. Your chances of getting out of here start and end with not pissing me off.” 

She looked at the nasty grins on the face of the two hulking enforcers standing by the door. The uncaring menace in the man who hit her. The mocking glint in Black Mask’s eyes.

“You’re not letting me out alive anyway,” she said, with mounting terror. It churned in her gut. 

Black Mask barked a hoarse laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll wring every last secret out of you before I do you the favour of letting you die.” 

One of the enforcers turned his head, his brow furrowed. 

Something rattled onto the floor, then blinding white exploded everywhere. Her vision blanked out entirely, one final image burned into her eyes: Red Hood standing behind Black Mask, with his gun pointed at his head. 

She was thrown sideways in her chair and landed hard on the ground. Guns fired with deafening reports, too loud for her to tell where or from who. Blind and still reeling from the impact, she felt the tattooed man grab her hair. He was ripped violently off of her a second later, and she went skidding sideways across the ground. 

Everything got lost in the chaos and noise, before a blow to the head knocked her out.

-----

Andy woke to Jason’s hand in her hair. 

Her heartbeat picked up, foreign alarm she couldn’t name or understand in her throat, until she registered the familiar calluses against the small of her neck. Strong hands, scarred and rough, massaged her skin with all the gentleness in the world. She breathed out in relief, and her eyes fluttered open. 

Her head lay in Jason’s lap. He was reading a book, his wrist propped up against her shoulder. A gun sat on the bedside table. They were in a safehouse. She didn’t recognise it. 

She felt perfectly safe. It took her a moment to process why that mattered, and why her mind even presented it as meaningful.  

Her brows pinched and the side of her face stung at the movement. She brought up a hand, and felt butterfly strips across her brow. 

Patchy memory filtered in. 

Jason turned a page with his thumb, calm and measured. He radiated fury. It wasn’t at odds with the gentleness of his hold on her. His calm methodical rage was so dangerous it could burn Gotham to the ground if he loved it any less. 

“What happened?” she asked. Her voice was raspy and her throat sore. She had the vague idea she might have been screaming during the scuffle. 

“Black Mask’s second in command launched a coup and murdered his Boss,” Red Hood said, still looking at his book. “He’s trying to pin it on me to keep the support of Sionis’ loyalists. Nobody believes him.”

She remembered, sudden and clear as day, burned into her mind against the pure white of a flashbang grenade: Red Hood pointing a gun at Black Mask. A fan of blood and viscera, in a frozen still, exploding out behind the black skull.

She sat up. She stared at him. 

Jason hadn’t killed anyone in years. He wasn’t allowed to, or Batman would run him out of town.

The enforcers, any witnesses, they’d know what happened, they would have to be– he couldn’t have just walked out with her, she was dead weight, had he really–? Had he– For her?

A quiet, hard thought cut through her muddling. 

There had been a good reason Jason didn’t kill Black Mask during his initial rampage, and it wasn’t lack of opportunity. He had plans, counter plans, acceptable losses, and goals he wouldn’t bend on. Necessities balanced on delicate scales sometimes called justice but more accurately called reality. The power vacuum hadn’t been worth it.

And he’d done it anyway. He’d killed Black Mask, in the middle of Batman’s city, for her. 

He looked back at her, unflinching.

She lay back down, putting her head in his lap. 

He ran his hand over her again, carding it through her hair and burying it deep beneath her curls.

Those men, however many it was, died for her sake. 

Did their blood stain her too? Did it stream down from his hands onto her head, dripping through her hair to streak across her face? 

They would have tortured his secrets out of her, that hard voice said in the back of her mind. She was alive because Jason killed them first.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

I love you. I love you. I love you.

He curled over her and looked into her eyes. The hard fury cracked and she saw the desperate storm in his gaze. 

“You don’t have to thank me for that.” 

I love you.

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