#damn it they lived like trash racoons

[melancholicstation]

Do wanna run marathons in Long Beach by the sea? — a john f. kennedy jr one-shot

taglist: @obsessedwithjohnjr @vanillqcoke @rocker-chick-7 @ultr4v1ol3nt @violetharmonsfavgf @strip-weather-forecast @darcyspirits @fortheloveofjos @h-l-v-kennedy-blog @h-l-vlovesvintage @bluelancergirl @snowsgames @salvatoresablondie @dulcegal @kennedyism @bloxholden35 @kimcrystal123 @astro-vibes-bro @absurdlyvintage @jackiesgirl

SUMMARY: After a round of bad luck after bad luck with guys, Bobby, who has come to be a father figure of yours concocts a plan to set you up with his Bachelor of a nephew: John F. Kennedy junior, only neither of you quite know it yet.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: in this au bobby is still alive and works at the innocence project post his presidency. for a while it truly stumped me on what a man like him would've done if he lasted through 2 terms of a presidency and had to get a new job 🫠 also what should we name this reader!?

warnings: nothing just cute flirting, mean-ish jfk jr, use of the word bitch, kissing, bon*r but nothing beyond that, face touching

words: 1,759

Upper East Side, NY. 1995

Your conscious mind is rudely pulled back into reality from it's own sleep-induced bliss-state as you hear sounds akin to that of a racoon rummaging inside an opened trash chute.

As your eyes adjust to the change you start to get a feel for your surroundings. Nothing similar to a trash can—no quite the opposite. Instead of a grimy green, slick covered dross habit you had found yourself in a place you'd come to know as familiar: miss bouvier's new york townhome, or as you'd come to call her: Jackie.

You recognise yourself to be in her living room fit with a vast bookshelf, a safe haven for her over the decades you'd presume. Shrouded and protected by the novels and their winding tales—as if the paper thin pages were her coat of arms.

After your eyes had adjusted to the light, your whole body slowly seems to return to itself as your sensory receptors pick up the velveteen settee: in a swirling pattern of pink against a midnight black background.

Behind you sat a bookshelf wall to wall with books, so packed in fact that a ladder sufficed to be put in to explore the contents sufficiently. Glancing up the first book you lay your eyes upon is Works of Aeschylus. Instantaneously you are transported to how you got here in the first place—

*flashback to three hours ago*

You're regretting about all the romantic decisions that led you up to this point: crying the lobby of a Manhattan high-rise, embarrassing the hell out of yourself. Even in front of all the guys who looked like they were playing parodies of themselves on SNL. Despite not being blood Bobby was always the one you'd call when the going gets tough.

So that's how you got here: clad in nothing but an old heather-grey knit romper that you'd "stolen" from your recreational sport team in college and a pair of joggers with embroidered golfing patches—you knew they were less than fashionably conscious but damn! were they fucking comfortable.

Unsurprisingly you see Bobby bounding out the elevator, just on time, making his way over to you, encasing you in a fatherly hug before you can even mutter out a conversationally polite greeting of "hello" or "hi".

He doesn't say much, he never really does when you get in this state over a boy. To be quite frank he's fed up—no not at you, never at you: but at those douchebag boys who could never to measure up in any measure of a man. He knew he, or his brother's for that matter, weren't exactly angels in the fidelity department but they'd never have had the gall to run games like these boys have played on you.

And to top it off he'd just got off from a phone call from John last night saying that he wouldn't come to thanksgiving—too worried that the family will tease him for not bringing a girl home 4 years in a row.

While you silently cry in the taxi on the way home—well not to your home or bobby's instead to Jackie's home in manhattan: according to Bobby he'd been cat-sitting for Jackie while she sailed through St-Tropez for the weekend so that's where you two would be headed.

In between your crying and unbeknownst to you, Bobby concocted a plan to kill two birds with one stone...

Mysteriously informing you he'd ride with you to the townhouse and ride all the way back to his office, apparently he'd forgotten to some important papers to leave at Jackie's in his office. Assuring you that he'd be back before you knew it.

*end of flashback*

Your disturbed once more by the sound you presumed had woken you up in the first place and are met with a disturbing sight John no less than 5 five metres away from your splayed out frame: crouching over a filing cabinet aptly disguised as a chest of drawers.

You'd never really got along with John, not with his smug nature and ability to deflect questions with ease that he didn't feel bothered to pay attention to. Truthfully it was like a dance of tango even trying to engage in a conversation with him: so you never really tried. Bobby had always tried to ingrain you into Kennedy family traditions: knowing your rocky relationship with your own family. So you would talk to John in passing but never for too long: though it was long enough for you two to start a Cold War of passive aggressive passes of mash potatoes every holiday season.

Now to any other women aged 25-40 in America this sight would be a dream come true what with John clad in a simple button down shirt, and loosely tied linen slacks: none drawing attention away from his sharp jaw and frustratingly kissable lips, resembling the shade of a rabbit's tongue.

"Oh so sleeping beauty does wake!" You startle at the arrogance simply seeping out of his vocal cords.

"Pretty sure sleeping and being comatose are two different things, Jackass." you curtly reply while moving up into the slightly less demeaning positioning of half-sitting half-laying: hoisted up by the refined floral patterned cushions splayed about the living room.

"You say such pretty things to me, Y/n!" John says, motioning his hands in a fake swooning gesturing his hand to his forehead faking feeling faint.

"What're you looking for any way? Snooping in one me sleeping. I didn't take you for a peeping tom, maybe I should have."

"Oh don't flatter yourself. Bobby called me."

My body quickly turned cold why would Bobby call him, at this hour of night? I knew them to be close but not—calling at all hours of the night for favours—close.

"Now why in the hell would he do that John-John?"

"Would you shut up with that? you know I hate that nickname. Bob called me cause he needed me to bring some of mom's papers to the office."

How peculiar, you thought. Didn't Bobby just say, mere hours ago, that he'd left papers for Mrs Kennedy in his office? Not finding it particularly relevant you decline to tell John this fact.

"Why would he call you? He'd have a better job getting Freckles to go find it first."

"Stop that will ya? To be honest I think he's just giving me something to do I guess he feels sorry for me. Y'know about the Claudia stuff."

A melancholic stupor falls over his face, and you start to feel like you're talking to a real human being: y'know with feelings and thoughts. Seemingly some of the hubris had fallen from his features at the mere mention of that girl. You'd heard that Jackie never liked her found her too eccentric for her likening.

Uncomfortable with the certain intimacy he'd uncharacteristically shared with you, you try to lighten the mood

"If you want some basic bitch, go to the Beverly Center and find her. I'm sure the girls down fifth avenue would simply fawn over just the sight of you."

"Don't act like you're any different. You fawn over as much as the rest of them, nothing better to do", he says with a performed confidence.

"For the record I did have things to do. I don't normally mop around like you tell Bobby I do all damn day"

"Oh yeah? What things do you have to do?"

"Not much at all but I strain to think of it as your business"

"Well you are my business!"

You scoff "Oh-oh I'm your business now? Is that it?"

"You've been my business since the minute a saw you sleeping on the couch with tear stains on the pillow"

Time slows for several moments, shit how long had he been here to see you crying?

As if he can read your mind he answers your question with his next breath

"Don't worry I didn't see anything. Just saw the remnants on your pillow but it was enough to make me want to knock the teeth out of whatever boy made you like this." John says while still desperately trying to find Bobby's magically disappearing and reappearing file to deal with his uncomfortableness at his own outburst of sincerity. A mode unfamiliar to him normally.

Betraying yourself you blush like a schoolgirl, tipping your chin to your neck, the acetate claw clip clipped into your hair dragging along the base of your neck.

Slowly John makes his move towards you: precise and monitored. As if you're a wounded dear he doesn't want to scare off. Brushing a hand across your check: making his way down to tug on your bottom lip.

As if operated by magnetic pull, you meet each other's lips. Surprisingly either of the two do not fight for dominance, instead you two fall into a routine not dissimilar to that of a dance in which you both inhabit spaces of dominance and submission. A true push and pull.

A large friend graces your acquaintance and attention: in the shape of a prominent mound in his trousers, which he laughs off clearly embarrassed from getting this worked up over a 5 minute make-out session.

In the throughs of passion the papers John had been sorting through crumple slightly. That sound is what precisely stops his movements: clearly coming back to his senses and remembering that he'd promise Bobby that he'd find the papers.

Conflicted on how to move forward. John takes a big swing

"Y'know is there any chance you'd wanna come and rive with me to Bob's office, there's this Italian place we could eat at if you're hungry? Don't get me wrong I'd love—" gesturing down to the mound in his slacks "—to continue this further but I just can't let him down."

"Nah I get it. And I guess I'm a little hungry" you try to perform nonchalance to your detriment.

Chuckling at your faux coolness, John rises to stand wringing his large veiny fingers

"I'll go head and ring Bobby so he knows we're coming up, and meet you downstairs, alright?"

"Okay" you reply still out of breath as you watch him leave the living room and grab his Nokia 1011. Mortified yet extremely pleased with yourself you grab one of Jackie's refined choice of couch furnishings and yell into its feather filled centre.

A yell filled with utter disbelief and a renewed hope for the future—or at least for the rest of your night.

[yes-i-write-fanfiction]

Humans seeing horror cryptic as racoons or random cat we found in the trash and shrugs off, but imagine it's something cute then it's a problem that humans horrified

Liked a cute looking cryptid looks harmless but it takes a veteran Space Marine or a dreadnought to kill it knowing well what it can do

"Ah frak me, someone summoned Bloody Mary again. Which one of ya fuckers was it? I know ya'll think it's funny but now I gotta call the damn space marines and ya know they give us the same lecture each and every time."

"Hi, it's me. Sigh, yeah, it's the chupacabra. Yes, I know it's the third time this month. Look, I don't know how it keeps getting into the men's bathroom but can you send someone to take care of it? People are having to piss in turns."

"How many times do I have to say it? I don't care that the goatman lives under the bridge you need to pass on your way to work, you are getting here on time or you're not getting here at all!"

"BY THE THRONE! WHAT IS THAT MONSTROSITY!?" "I think it's called a hamster, sir." "WHATEVER IT IS, KILL IT! EXTERMINATUS THE PLANET IF YOU HAVE TO, I JUST WANT IT DEAD!"

[southernbluebellereader]

Bc I live out in the country, I've opened the side door and just seen like 4 fuckin deer out behind the fence. Price would be like what the fuck, how is that normal?

Like sir you gotta slow down at night so you don't hit various deer at various places. It's just what happens. Like wym you're scared of the racoon??? He's just a fat baby! -🦇

LMAOO I live in the suburbs, but there's forest and trees EVERYWHERE and I can't tell you how many times a deer has tried to jump the fence of my parents' back yard to get to the garden and they just-

get stuck. like STUCK STUCK. Usually they somehow wiggle themselves out and run away. Price was damn near ready to shoot the deer from the door. Or like when you gotta pick up the neighborhood racoon from out your trash. It's once a week, this little raccoon is in your trash, Price is like "What in the hell is that?" Gun ready, going out to the garage. You just sigh, follow him, then go to the trashcan, and somehow pull out this fat ass raccoon and let him be on his way. Let's just say Price ain't messing with you.

no matter how many times you warn him, Price half swerves when he drives when he sees an animal on the road, especially deer. And then he'll get mad at you for living there.

ok but imagine if you was from Appalachia. Bestie, Price would be freaked the fuck out on the inside. He'd never leave your side at night. Military my ass, he's heard some things after not believing you, but he believes you now.

[victorie552onepiecespeedrun]

Reading One Piece pt 337: Brothers

Chapter 585

Thoughts:

- Volume 60! (And year 2010. Man, I feel old)

- huh, character page looks totally different. There’s no Shanks, for once, and it looks like the whole volume will be  a Flashback Fest.

At least we know where each of Straw Hats are. Look at that:

Neat (except that Zolo nonsense)

- aww, Magellan and Hannyabal on the cover. I hope Magellan is doing better now, he wasn’t well after that break-out

- wow, humble beginnings of a Gum-Gum Pistol

- lol

- but it’s so nice they train together :)

- children so strong :D

- Narration kicked in, they mention Trash Mountain

- “Another city lies even father north but a huge stone wall blocks the road” wall? *intense Trump flashbacks* put it back, I don’t want it

- “Look! The trash is here! Let’s go treasure hunting!” – Supernatural fandom

- so city is more miserable than a trash mountain?

- “Trash hunters patrol the street” I’m starting to think living in the jungle is a better deal here

- lol, our boys did the “three kids in a trenchcoat” trick :D

- “And in the middle of that, surrounded by a high stone wall, is the highland, where the royal family and the aristocrats live.” Wow. Now I’m thinking Attack of Titan

- “This is the Kingdom of Goa. Thought to be the most beautiful land of the East Blue, it is spotlessly clean. It is considered a successful example of a society where everything unnecessary is removed.” Lies, all of it, aristocrats are still here. Give it a century or two and they’ll have their Red October :(

- so Windmill Village is in the Goa Kingdom but is super isolated? Good for Luffy I think, he had few years of normal childhood

- our kids are wreaking havoc. I kinda wish they didn’t go to the city, especially as CD are supposed to be here too

- “Sabo? Sabo! Wait! You’re alive! Come back home!” “!!” …what?

- “Who is that guy?” “Must have mistook me for somebody else!” LIEEEES give me the drama

- back in the jungle. Now Sabo is facing an interrogation :D

- “You sure you want to have secrets between us? TALK” THE DRAMA

- ! :D

- “You’re the son of an aristocrat?” “I am.” “…so?” …children these days

- “Both my parents are still alive. I’m no orphan. I wasn’t even born on Trash Mountain. That guy back there was my father.” Then why… are you here, Sabo? I mean, how did it even happen?

- “Why would an aristocrat run off to live at Trash Mountain?” right?

- is that a flashback inside a flashback. Did I fall into Naruto Universe

- oh, parents with ambitions. Horrible

- A knife? Yikes

- “All they care about is wealth and status. Not me! If I can’t marry a girl from a royal family, I’m no better than trash. So they forced me to study and take lessons every single day. Then they’d fight if I couldn’t learn fast enough. I was just a nuisance in that house.” so he ran away. Children in One Piece are hardcore

- “I may not be an orphan but I’ve always been alone. The aristocrats look down on Trash Mountain but it’s still better than that suffocating highland, living a strict regimented life year after year.” A golden cage, you say. It’s great Oda put it here but it’s weird to hear all this from a 10 year old

- but it explains the top hat :D

- “I want to see the world and write a book about it! And navigation is the one thing I like to study! Let’s get strong and become pirates!” aww, little Nami protoplast :)

- “You don’t have to convince me! I’m gonna be a pirate and win, win, win! I’ll be famous all over the world! I’ll prove my life’s worth something! No matter how many people in the world don’t approve of me, no matter how many hate me, I’m gonna become a great pirate and show them all!” oh Ace            

- “I won’t run away from anyone! I won’t lose to anyone! I don’t care if they call me a villain! I’ll make the whole world know my name!” is that me or does it sound like Zoro. Luffy really knew who he wanted in his crew, huh?

- well, what are your convictions, Luffy?

- “I want to be…” yes?

- …

- they didn’t tell us. That’s super rude

- but apparently it was funny

- whoops, they all want to be captains :D

- “We’ll decide our future in the future” famous last words, Ace

- excuse me, is that alcohol

- yep, it is

- “If you exchange cups, it makes you brothers.” !

- “When we become pirates, we may not be on the same ship together but the three of us will always be brothers!” this is great

- “No matter where we are or what we do, this bond will never be broken! Starting today… we’re brothers!”

- and so they were brothers

- beautiful montage of their lives together

- honestly, it looks like a good life

- wait, what is it

- Give Sabo back! Bluejam!” “Give him back? What nonsense is this? Sabo is my son!” …what

- HOW IS THAT… NO I DON’T CARE JUST LEAVE SABO ALONE YOU TRASH PARENT

- “I left of my own free will!” “You be quiet!” Where’s Robin when you need her to snap someone’s neck

- now you want to hurt my boys!?

- “Please, don’t hurt them! They’re my precious brothers!” “Sabo!”

From 0 to 100, as always.

rOP 336  rOP 338

[alittlemoth]

A very self-indulgent licorice cookie x reader.

They are human in this but still use cookie terms because they were baked they just have human anatomy it's a whole au I made up don't worry about it or ask me about it I would really like to tell people about it moving on!

You did it. You finally managed to buy a little cabin in the woods away from the city and all the chaos of your world being linked up to another world, Earthbread. Something about a person getting stuck there via mystical magical bullshit and falling in love ehhhh not your problem you got a house damn it! A run down house, a house in shambles, but it has internet running water you just need to fix it up a bit!

You moved in everything that could fit in the little cabin, it has three bedrooms two bathrooms with a large bath each, a little kitchen and a small greenhouse attached to the house. Okay maybe it's not so little but the two extra rooms are in the basement and so is one of the bathrooms! And it was such a steal, it needs some renovations definitely but it's livable and it's mostly stuff you can do it by yourself!

As the weeks went by the cookies became more normal and so did fucking magic. Like magic is actually real, but again it's not your business not your problem you just want to be a little cabin goblin live your life tending to your plants and running your YouTube channel. Everything is going great the windows are insulated, so are the doors and walls, the heater is working in time for winter everything is going great for you.

That's when you met licorice cookie, digging through the trash like a raccoon.

"...What the fuck" you quietly said the stranger froze he had been digging through the trash.

He quickly pops up out of the garbage trying to explain himself you aren't paying attention cuz you recognize those robes that scythe and the skull necklace. "... Holy crap your licorice cookie"

He freezes again even more concerned even though he left the cookies of darkness most people aren't too fond of him

"o-okay I know how this looks!" His voice got an octave higher as he was clearly panicking trying not to get the police called on him "I'm just really hungry and very far from any town that wouldn't kick me out immediately, and I thought hey if it's in the trash it probably wouldn't be miss-"

You were just staring and then quietly asked if you wanted to come inside he accepted you fed him and now you apparently have a roommate cuz he hasn't left. You are fine with this but he didn't even say he was saying and you haven't asked him to leave so you just now have a roommate.

You two settled into a routine quickly. He helped with the housework and started to join you on videos. It got to the point where the chat would yell "string bean" every time he showed up in the background.

About two months ago you realized you caught feelings for the racoon as you called him.

You proceeded to do the most logical thing.

.

.

.

No I'm not joking you started flirting. For example-

Licorice was trying to perfect a spell to create more housework oriented minions, but to his dismay it requires materials from his home dimension. Where the one that got to listen to him troubleshoot.

"seriously you do not have anything like that in this dimension?" He practically begged, hoping that that would magically make you pull something similar out of thin air.

"unfortunately no we do not have plants that can grow eyes."

He then gave you one of the greatest opportunities in exasperation he mumbled "well fuck me then"

You grinned and got close putting a hand on his arm "are you offering?"

His eyes widened as he sputtered out a response."i- well- uh-" his face turning a deep purple "that's- that's not what I meant and you know it!"

You laughed and stated that yes you knew that, and that you loved how he looked when blushing. Which naturally made his blush worsen.

.

.

.

The flirting continues for about a month before he tells you to stop joking about liking him... Of course you react accordingly...

"you dense mother fucker" you whisper yelled as you throw both hands down like and put them together in with a deep inhale "I am not joking I actually like you"

One beat then another one more....

"...oh" he's standing there stunned as you say that almost like he doesn't believe it and whispers "I like you too".

You grin putting your hands on his face and whisper "may I?" He nods.

And then you share your first kiss together it's sweet soft, clumsy, but soft and when you both pull away you're both grinning.

And that's my first proper fanfiction hope you all enjoy!

[scp-10000]

Massive Au

This is me talking about my massive Hermitcract, Empires, Truly Bedrock, Evo, 3rd/Last Life, Afterlife au that formed after I watched Gem’s Afterlife Sereis.  Basically everyone has 1 life and 1 origin.  I have not gotten around to giving everyone an origin, but I would like to share what I got.

-You know what’s better than 1 dramatic undead?  2 dramatic undead.  Scott is an evil vampire, and Zloy is an evil zombie.  Half of the time they can’t really do any evil cause they’re too busy competing to see who’s cooler.  Like no joke, Scott built an evil gothic castle on a seaside cliff, so Zloy had to show him up by building an evil gothic castle on a seaside cliff decorated with skulls with blood pouring out of the eye sockets.  

-There is another vampire on the server, but not a lot of people know about him.  You see Mumbo is the other vampire, but Scott declared him a threat, so he trapped him in a mazelike dungeon under his evil gothic castle on a seaside cliff.  He drops Mumbo livestock everyone once in a while, but he fears the day Mumbo breaks out.

-Meahwhile Cleo is a zombie, and she’s teaching her new little zombie buddy Gem how to zombie.  When they’re not annoying Zloy, the red haired zombie duo is wandering around the woods at night.  If you meet them on their wander, you might either die of adorableness or flat out murder.

-Grian and Zed are the sons of a mighty cosmic dragon who are stuck in a humanoid form to learn how to interact with humans.  They also change breath weapons every day.

Don’t go thinking they’re regal and noble dragons.  Those two are chaotic idots who will toy with people and mess with Scott for a variaty of reasons including stealing their stuff, draining their favorite butcher villager, almost draining Scar of blood, he looked at them wrong in a meeting, it rained and they thought he caused it, Scott was about to yeet Cub and Scar into Mumbo’s dungeon to try and keep him from escaping, he stole Grian’s favorite rock and hid it amongst Zed’s rocks, and the day ended with the letter “y”.  They also love mac and cheese, but since it’s not meat, it just cleans out their intestines without providing nutrients.  Zed’s at least trying to see how much meat he can sneak in before his guts accept it, but Grian eats entire pots consequences be damned.

-Cub and Scar are little vex that are only like 2 and a half feet tall.  When they aren’t fluttering around causing mischife, they’re haning out with the dragon gods for safety.

-Lizzie and Etho are both racoons.  Sneaky little creatures both like doing stuff like climbing up tall mountain ledges, breaking into houses, stealing trash, and messing with everyone.  Problem is they both also believe they are the true rules of the trash pandas and fight over this a lot.

-Tizztom is a sneaky little fox, and he also loves nothing more than chaos.  Not only will he escalate the undead feud, he’ll also give the trash pandas more reason to fight each other just so he can steal all the trash while they’re busy fighting.

-Lyarrah and Skizz are ravagers.  The thing I’m gonna add to ravagers is they can both break and eat logs.  Logs count as plant, and I headcanon ravagers as herbiores, so trapping them in an area with logs is about the same as the Hansle and Grettle witch trapping the kids in a cage made of candy.  Scott would have loved to have known that BEFORE trapping them in the log sided pit, but hey, it’s a learning experience.

-Pix is the copper golem living in a copper cave under Zloy’s basement who spams smaller copper golems and is followed by a small flock of them wherever he goes.  Somedays he’s really helpful, like when Scott invaded and Pix had his little golems distract Scott while Pix and a few golems went to go get Zloy.  Some days he and his golems litterally push Zloy’s buttons at inoppertune times.

-And last but not least is Martyn, who if we’re going off Origin mod rules is one without an origin.  He’s just a normal guy who got isekaied into this who has to deal with all the above nonsense and more.  He met a sweet bush baby lady named Netty, and after years of dealing with *gestures vaguely at what sounds like a long running anime*, the two got married.

Yeah, this au may be a bit massive.

[thatonesongyouretryingtoremember]

Incorrect quotes with the boys (p11/?)

Micheal : So are you gonna explain how the hell you crashed my car?

Will: Well we were driving and there was a deer in the road, so I said "Mikhail , deer!"

Micheal : ...And what did Mikhail do?

Will: ...They said "Yes, Honey?"

8/10 they would

------

Mikhail : Can we talk about that mass email you sent?

Micheal : Why? It was important.

Mikhail : All it says is, "I'm back on my shit".

Will, shrugging: The people need to know.

5/10 the possessed shit or the gay shit?

------

Micheal : I know you love them.

Will: I am not in love with Mikhail !

Micheal , staring at Will: I never said who...

Will: *realizes*

Will: Shit. Well, anyways-

7/10 if these two were in love with different people, this is exactly how they would act.

------

Will: You are irrationally angry 365 days a year.

Mikhail : Well, that’s just your personal opinion, I don’t have anger issues. Do you guys think I have anger issues?

Micheal : Well, I wouldn’t really call it an issue. An issue is something you can fix.

4/10 hosting from the sun in all this shade

------

Micheal : Due to personal reasons, I will be fucking sinking to the bottom of the ocean in a large metal box.

Mikhail : Did Will say 'I love you' and you said 'Thanks'?

Micheal : THE REASONS ARE PERSONAL–

7/10 clone hive mind

------

Will: So, Micheal is no longer allowed to take the trash out at night.

Mikhail : Why?

Will: Because I've caught them trying to train raccoons to fight five times in a row.

Micheal , arms crossed and pouting: You'll be thanking me when the third raccoon battalion saves your ass.

10/10 racoons>demogorgons

------

Mikhail : Welcome to Fucking Applebees, do you want apples or bees?

Will: Bees?

Mikhail : THEY HAVE SELECTED THE BEES!

Will: Wait-

*Micheal approaches, shaking a jar of bees menacingly*

6/10 wut

------

Micheal : Why would you give a knife to Mikhail ?!

Will, shrugging: Mikhail felt unsafe.

Micheal : Now I feel unsafe!

Will: I’m sorry…

Will: Would you like a knife?

8/10 never gets old

------

Will: Hey, Joe said he's coming over this afternoon.

Micheal : Cool.

Will: Do you know who Joe is?

Micheal : JOE MAMA!

Mikhail , not even looking up from their phone: Damn, that backfired.

10/10 *tries to imagine the word backfired in a Russian accent*

------

Will: *yawns*

Mikhail : Yeah, being that pretty must be tiring.

Will: Then you must be exhuasted.

Micheal : Will you two shut up? Some of us are lonely.

10/10 pushing my "they all live in Micheal's basement" agenda

------

Mikhail : Would you slap Micheal -

Will: Yes.

Mikhail : I didn't even finish!

Will: Sorry, continue.

Mikhail : Would you slap Micheal for 10 dollars?

Will: I would do it for free.

Micheal : Rude...

8/10 Will deserves to commit whatever violence he sees fit

------

Mikhail : The results are in, I’m afraid you have updog…

Will: What’s updog?

Mikhail : Micheal ! Get in here, I told you I could do it!

10/10 (Micheal hands him a $50)

------

Micheal : So… I’ve seen you’ve been spending a lot of time with Mikhail recently.

Will: No, Micheal , it's not what it looks like, I swear.

Micheal : Oh really? So no reason for me to be jealous?

Will: No! You’re the only one for me.

Micheal : Is that so?

Will: I promise! Mikhail and I are just dating, okay? They’re my partner.

Micheal : So there are no best-friends-feelings involved?

Will: You are still my one and only best friend! They’re just the love of my life, nothing more!

Micheal : But I’m still the platonic love of your life, right?

Will: Of course bro!

Micheal : Bro...

Mikhail : What the-

10/10

------

Will, knocking on the door: Micheal , open up!

Micheal : It all started when I was a kid.

Will: That’s not what I-

Mikhail : Let them finish!

10/10 *starts recording*

------

Mikhail : When you work at lush and a customer comes in and bites the soap because they think it’s cheese... this happens way more frequently than you think.

Micheal : If you stopped literally presenting soap as deli food this wouldn't happen.

Mikhail : Who goes into a bath store and thinks something covered in glitter is cheese?

Will: Who goes to the store and just takes a bite from the cheese?

8/10 I didn't even think of that💀

Peace, fuckers! ✌️

[vegalocity]

Spicynoodleshipping for 11. Neighbor AU and 80. Green Eyed Realization?

So I’m going with civillian AU here because it’s just easier.

So obviously this is a kinda shitty but overall okay apartment complex, yeah? MK’s got a rent controlled space he can afford with his job, which is... a lifesaver, and he thanks every god he knows that his landlord owed his Foster Dad a favor. 

The space isn’t great, but he’s got one of those cool beds that folds into the wall and the place has wifi, and a surprisingly nice view of the nearby park from the window, so he can’t complain. 

But the guy in the apartment next to his is... well... he’s certainly something.

 Point one he’s easily the hottest guy MK has EVER seen.

point two he keeps catching him when MK is at his absolute Trash Racoon-iest so he can’t even learn the guy’s NAME because he’s so damn embarrassed to be caught by his hot neighbor cuz he’s got like... Noodle Broth down his entire front, or enormous bags of popcorn in hand while he’s openly talking to a different neighbor about eating the entire thing that night, or covered in motor oil because his damn car engine gave out and not in the sexy ‘oohhh I should just take off my shirt’ kinda way but in the ‘lost a fight with a leaky robot’ way.

And Point three he could SWEAR he can hear some strange noises coming from his apartment at all hours and sometimes it makes it hard to sleep. But he doesn’t know what the guy does for a living so he just gets some earplugs. 

But one day he was caught surprisingly okay by his handsome neighbor, ironically it was a day Mei came over for Best Friend Schenanigans, and he wasn’t able to say more than a passing ‘hi’ before he was being dragged off to Adventure....and Mei memeing on him for lusting after his neighbor of whom he doesn’t even know the name of.

The next day his neighbor shows up at his door, a bit embarrassed, and says that he just realized he’d never dropped in to say hello despite the two of them being right next to eachother for like a month, and how rude it was of him that he hadn’t even warned him of his long hours of work. He introduces himself as Red Son and offers MK a plate of veggie buns as an apology.

[patrice-bergerons]

tagged by @bryndeavour - thank you so much friend i love being tagged in fic games the way a racoon loves trash and a cat torturing small animals!!! 💖

Rules: list the first lines of your last 20 stories. See if there are any patterns. Then tag your friends.

like christmas come early (Endeavour, Gen, 4,131 words) Christmas rolls around like it does every year, in a permanent cold that settles in the air and holiday cheer that sneaks its way into every corner like wisps of smoke.

in this dying light (Endeavour, T, 7,870 words) It all happens so quickly. 

what is one more stabbing? (The Magnus Archives (”TMA”), T, 2,819 words) “I think we should go to the hospital.”

here in my arms (football rpf [kunessi], T, 1,459 words) Sergio slips into a cathedral in Buenos Aires once to find a Latin choir practicing. 

no happy endings (football rpf [kunessi], T, 895 words) Manchester isn’t home.

a cat’s curse (football rpf [L.indelof/DDG], T, 5,295 words) The thing you need to understand is, David knows he is fucked long before this fateful Thursday night, when he collapses in Victor’s hallway naked as a newborn babe. 

just for one night (TMA, T, 6,442 words) As he takes in Jon’s living room, Martin reminds Jon of a shy cat appraising a new environment it suspects to be hostile.

of murder conspiracies and love (TMA, T, 6,827 words) They file into his office, one murderous archival assistant after another.

it goes like this (TMA, T, 1,615 words) It goes like this.

all the promises i can't keep (TMA, T, 6,613 words) On Monday, Martin studies his lesson plans. 

books for the damned (TMA, T, 2,822 words) There is a bookshop, which stands on a street like any other, nestled between residential buildings and jostled in commercial crowds. 

a ghost story (TMA, T, 1,367 words) Jon is upset and reasonably so, he thinks.

in the light (TMA, T, 1,792 words) Jon used to love the spring.

Not This Again (TMA, T, 2,240 words) In retrospect, all the warning signs are there. 

we will meet again (TMA, T, 1,432 words) Against his better judgement, Jon follows the sound of someone crying. 

it’s always been you (football rpf [carraville], Explicit, 4,144 words) By the time the awaited ring comes at the door, dread has long coalesced in the pit of Gary’s stomach and tied itself in a knot.

a golden sky (TMA, T, 800 words) Martin looks out the window and sure as day—there, on the purple sands, by the shoreline, is a silhouette, sitting with his arms pulled up to his chest. 

feel better soon (football rpf [carraville], T, 3,876 words) “Hi Phil! It’s me, your favourite brother. S’rry I’m a bit late for dinner.” 

in a different life (football rpf [carraville], Mature, 7,897 words) Someone rapped on his office door—because Jamie had an office these days, complete with a desk, two swanky computer monitors on it and a L.iverpool FC mug that held his pens. 

YNWA & Other Annoying Scouse Habits (football rpf [carraville], T, 9,653 words) There is a first time for everything, the old adage goes.

I DID realise a pattern which is that almost all of my fics start with short, punchy first sentence (usually its own para) followed by a long paragraph.  Huh.

tagging @philipp-lahm @witchmd13 @cjmasim @eyvenger @kevin-the-bruyne @xavimascheranos @capitanogiorgio -- if you guys want to play!

[beetlegoose01]

Frostbite Chapter 4- Broken Promises

AN: Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all enjoy Chapter 4. :D

Previous Chapter: https://pepperimps01.tumblr.com/post/646112113682710528/frostbite-recovery-chapter-3

Summary: Casey and Donnie struggle with their feelings. Leo reunites with the new mutant, and finds more info about them.

~~~

Casey grunted and grumbled as he wandered downstairs, still in his pajamas. Predictably dad wasn't in the kitchen, so he fixed himself and Riley a bowl of cornflakes. Dad was rarely ever at home, usually cruising through different bars to stay occupied, so Casey had to step up.  He wasn't really a cook, not that he would have time to make a meal.

"Riley, breakfast!" He hollered, running his hand through his messy curls.

The chipper girl skipped down the steps two at a time. She plopped down, inhaling her cornflakes like she hadn't eaten in days. She was already dressed in a blouse and skirt, the uniform required at her middle school.

Casey joined her, eating his cereal a bit slower as he fixed his hair. Not that he cared too much about his appearance.

"You know a comb would be more effective." Riley teased, mouthful of milk and cereal. "Something really weird happened last night. I almost thought it was a dream but it couldn't be."

Casey raised an eyebrow.

"I ordered food from Murakami's. I was so hungry, you know."  She continued. "And I walked home with my noodles and these assholes started attacking me."

Casey dropped his spoon so loudly it made a clanging noise. "What? Did they hurt you?"

She scoffed. "No, that's the best part. Sure, I was holding my own, but this guy with his sick karate moves saved me! And Sparky too! My pet racoon."

He wanted to tell her that a raccoon didn't qualify as a pet, and heck, he didn't even see the little rodent, but he was too concerned about his sister's wellbeing. "You're lying. You just did your homework last night."

"Except you know I never do my homework." Riley said snarkily. "No...he was really nice. Actually he was a bit strange. Donatello was his name." She perked up. "You wouldn't believe what he-"

"Shut up Ri, stop talking nonsense." Casey rolled his eyes. "Get ready for school. April's walkin' with us today."

"But he-"

"Riley!"

Riley frowned, slumping over, but complying as she grabbed her backpack moodily.

He chewed at his lip. He knew he was being a total jerk, but he also wanted his sister to just be lying. She was known to tell tales but he hated being so dismissive. He'd have to ask later.

After getting dressed and actually combing through his hair, he heard a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Riley shouted, clumsily leaping over a bookbag, nearly crashing into the wall as she ran towards the front door. "Hi April!"

"Hiya Riley," The redhead said. "You guys ready to go?"

"I am. Yo Casey, are you?"

"Yep." He grabbed his bag.

"Let's go then."

The trio headed out the door, Riley chattering mindlessly about something.

"I'm gonna stay late today." She said. "Baseball practice."

"Baseball?" April looked at her quizzically. "I thought you played hockey."

"I play both. Duh." Riley rolled her eyes, avoiding a crack in the sidewalk. "I'm the best player on the team, even though I'm the only girl. Hockey..." She cringed. "I prefer to watch, I think." She stopped, crouching down to watch a raccoon scurry through some trash.

"Come on Riley, we're gonna be late." Casey said.

"But he's so cute." Riley cooed. "I missed you Sparky!"

"How do you even know that's the same possum?"

"Racoon. And I just know." She scratched his furry head. The creature's big black eyes widened, accepting the pets happily.

"Ugh, no, he could have diseases or rabies or something-" Casey grabbed her by the backpack straps and pulled her away. Ignoring his sister's struggles, he looked at April: "Did you do Ms. Thompson's homework?"

"Yes, last night." She hummed, glancing back at him. "No, you can't copy it."

"Damn. Can you help me with it?"

April chuckled. "Sure thing."

"You're the best, Red."

She smiled, taking his hand in hers. "I've missed you, Casey."

"I've missed you too."

"Guys!" Riley interrupted. "Stop ogling and take me to school already!"

They blushed, April easily slipping her hand back in her pocket as if nothing had happened between them.

Thankfully, her school was just around the corner, giving him and April plenty of time to talk on their way to the high school.

"So...Red," Casey said, fixing his hair self consciously. "There's a new Beetlewoman movie comin' out on Friday."

April nodded. "There is."

"I heard it's even better than the last one."

She hummed. "I heard that too."

"Do you wanna go with me?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" She asked bluntly.

"That depends, are you gonna say yes?"

April stared at him for a moment, contemplating her answer carefully.

"It's a no, isn't it?" He sighed, defeated. "I could have sworn this would be the day."

"Jones," She said firmly. "Casey, you know I like you a lot."

"I have an annoying feeling that there's gonna be a 'but' somewhere..."

"But, I need to focus on myself right now. Dating is just another thing to worry about. My life is crazy enough." She laughed weakly. "You do know I like you and Donnie, right?"

Casey made a face. "What does this have to do with Donnie?"

"Everything." She looked away wistfully. "You'll figure it out eventually."

"Whatever you say, Red. Come on, the bell's about to ring."

~•~

Peace and quiet was all Donatello craved. The brief moments of silence he received when working on a project were always savored. Even as a curious little tot, he loved blissful quiet. Which was difficult when living in the same sewers as three other rambunctious turtles- but he made do.

Hunched over his desk, he carefully followed the instructions written down. Deja vu was a common occurrence now, and it certainly didn't help with the gelatinous blob form of Timothy watching him work.

"Don't worry Tim," He said through a yawn. "I won't rest until you're cured, buddy."

The floating eyeballs blinked back at him. Looking at him too long was sure to make anyone squeamish, but Donnie could only feel guilt and pity.

"Nothing will stop me from-"

"Yo D!"

Donnie massaged his temples, recognizing the voice immediately. For once, he wished it was Mikey who had interrupted his work.

"Don't you have school?"

"What are you, my mom?" Casey scoffed. "Nah, school's out." He flopped onto the lab table, sitting directly on Donnie's notes.

"What do you want now, Jones?"  He still couldn't forget his brother's teasing, and he wasn't looking forward to dealing with his own feelings. If they caught him talking with Jones, there was no doubt they would make fun of him.

"Oh, nothing." Casey took a seat on the table. "Check it." He slid a disc towards Donnie, who examined it. He couldn't believe what he was looking at- and that it was real.

"No. Way." He breathed. "The Electric Skullz's Dynamite album?"  He had to bite his tongue in order to prevent himself from squealing.

Casey grinned. "You know it." He placed his hands in his lap, thinking. "I figured we could...listen to it sometime. Together! Since we both like it." He paused, scrunching his face. "Stupid idea, probably."

Donnie's features softened. This kid...he did something nice for him. He didn't have to, but he did. And Donnie was touched. But also midly infuriated. How dare Jones make it so difficult to hate him?

"It's not stupid.. That's what friends do, don't they? Listen to music together?"

Friends...it sounded weird out loud. Not that either teen disliked it.

Casey raised an eyebrow. "Wait...we're friends?"

Donnie shrugged. "I don't know. But arguing is exhausting. And you had a point. We both love this band, so why not?"

"Sounds good to me."

Donnie eagerly popped the disc into his homemade music player, turning the volume up. Timothy pitifully stared through the glass container, as if he wanted to jam too.

"Listen Don, I meant to, well," He rubbed the back of his neck. "Talk to you as well."

Donnie stopped the music abruptly. He glanced at Casey, who looked uncomfortable. "Yeah?"

"Oh- er- uh." This was proving to be more difficult as he stared at the tall turtle's mahogany brown eyes. "I don't hate you."

"Thank...you?"

"No, wait. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot. Ever since we've met. But I don't want to fight anymore. I like talking to you about music. You're kinda cool."

Donnie didn't say anything.

"Red doesn't want us to fight. And if you do care about her like I know you do, then you'd respect what she wants. Right?"

"Yes, I agree. The trouble is..." Donnie looked down guiltily. "I don't know what I feel. About us." He gestured at himself, then at Casey.

"You don't have any answers?"

"No. For once, I don't."

Casey exhaled. "I don't either."

Donnie hummed, waiting for anything to ease the awkwardness. Before he had a chance to return to his work, Casey spoke up again. 

"My sister said something weird." He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

"Oh?"

"She said some guy named Donatello saved her from some creeps. Is that true? Or was she just makin' stuff up?"

Donnie paused, a small smile revealing. He looked as if he was debating if he should tell Casey or not. "She wasn't. I did, though I didn't know she was your sister at the time." Donnie replied honestly. "Riley, right?"

"She didn't mention you were a turtle though." He joked.

"She didn't seem to mind."

"Guess those things don't really matter, huh? It's all about...what's in there." He patted Donnie's scratched up plasteron. Brown eyes met darker brown, and he backed up slowly, unsure if he should move closer. "Sorry. But thanks for helping her. She means everything to me. I'm sure you know how that feels."

Donnie's breath was caught in his throat. He gulped.  "I...of course."

"Oh shoot." Casey checked his phone as if nothing had happened. "Sorry dude, I promised Raph I'd ride bikes with him. Catch ya later?"

"Yeah!" His voice cracked. "I'd love that."

As Casey left with a cheeky grin and wave, Donnie felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He glanced at the jar of guts that once resembled another teenaged boy. "Tim, I think I'm in trouble."

~•~

That sinking feeling in his stomach didn't leave even hours later. Donnie had tried to push it off, move forward and continue like normal. It wasn't even a big deal. He saved Casey's sister, and that was that. He would have saved any other human just the same. Then why did he feel so weird? He wouldn't lie, he wondered how Casey would react if he knew. Would he be proud of him? Maybe their friendship could expand and their infamous rivalry could finally end.

They had more in common than either boy had realized. They enjoyed the same music and food at least, and according to 'bro code' that's all one needed in a friendship. They did have fun bonding over the Electric Skullz...

But then there was April. She clearly didn't seem enthusiastic in dating either of them. Donnie's pursuit of the beautiful redhead seemed to lose interest as time went on. Each look she gave him was not one of admiration, but of pity. He still liked her a lot though.

'I don't have a chance with her.'

Did Casey? Casey had the added benefit of being human. But he was also charming, handsome, had curious chocolate brown eyes and...and...

A really cute smile with little dimples on each cheek. And confidence to boot, something Donnie had always secretly admired.

Donnie rolled over in back, staring at the wall. What was he even saying? Casey wasn't...he didn't.

'Don't think that. You're not gay. You like April. You like April. You like April.'

He heard Raphael's voice in his mind. 'Who are you even trying to convince? Me, or yourself?'

Who was he trying to convince?

He slid out of bed as quietly as possible. He wasn't going to get any sleep at this rate.  Might as well work on the retromutagen and get his mind off Casey for once.  And it would be less of a time waster than staring at the ceiling and tossing and turning.

'Casey's still human, you know.' The little voice reminded him as he stepped out of his room, blinking blearily. 'You've got the same chance of impressing him as you do April.'

"I know." He muttered under his breath, this time aloud. "I don't like him like that. He's just a friend. I think?"

If he was human, he wouldn't have this problem. Maybe he could have dated them both. Though even for humans that was considered taboo.

He shook his head, glancing at the lab clock. 3:32am. No point in going back to sleep. His laptop had been left open too from a few hours ago. He sighed, typing into his old friend Google what exactly his feelings were.

Article after article, the only sound being the ticking clock, he found his answer. But not in the way he expected.

What is...bisexuality?

Hamato Donatello knew a lot of things. But one thing he was always going to struggle with- was romance. The best course of action was to simply avoid these emotions and put them off until he couldn't take it anymore.. Little did he know, he wasn't the only turtle struggling. His hand stopped moving the mouse, hearing shuffling noises from outside. He came to recognize each individual footsteps his brothers and father made. Mikey usually had a bounce in his step, Raph dragged his feet or stomped about. Splinter's paws were very quiet and had his tail dragging behind him. But these steps were nearly silent, as if he was standing on his tip toes, eager to not wake the remaining members of his family.

"Leo?" He uttered, careful to keep his voice low. He didn't need to turn around, he knew exactly who it was.

But when he saw the distraught, bloodshot eyes of his oldest brother, he moved closer. Leo flinched.

"Leo?" He repeated. "Why are you awake?"

"I couldn't sleep." His voice sounded hoarse. "And you?"

"Same as you, I guess." Donnie quickly slammed his laptop shut. "You look exhausted."

"I can't stop thinking about her." Leo murmured, nearly inaudible.

"Her?" Donnie stared blankly, wondering if Leo was sleepwalking and somehow stumbled inside the lab. "Karai?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, I'm talking nonsense aren't I?"

"A little bit, yeah."

Leo chuckled softly, then turned somber. "I was thinking about the mutant. I'm worried. I mean, she could cause some serious destruction."

Donnie's eyes widened in realization. "You were going to try to find it...her, weren't you? That's why you're wandering around at 4am."

Leo didn't answer. He didn't have to. His eyes told Donnie everything.

"You're dead on your feet. You definitely shouldn't go searching for a deranged mutant when you can barely stand. And alone, of all the crazy things. Come on, Leo, let's go back to sleep."

Surprisingly, Leonardo agreed, as if Donnie was the older sibling and not the other way around. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. But you should sleep too."

Donnie relaxed, grateful that there wasn't an argument involved. "I think I will."

"I'll walk with you to your room."

"And you promise you'll go to bed?"

"I promise." Leo vowed, leading the way back to their individual rooms.

Donnie slipped inside his room, practically melting into his bed, exhausted. His eyes fluttered close.

"Oyasumi." His brother whispered.

"Hai, oyasumi." He mumbled under the blankets, instantly comforted.

"See you in the morning, brother." Leo tucked him in gently. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

And for the first time in his life, Leo had broken a promise to his brother.

~•~

The moonlight glowed over the cityscape. Leo tumbled to the ground of the rooftops, checking the area, knowingly being followed. He wasn't afraid, but he knew he had to keep alert. This enemy was unknown, and if he made one false error, he couldn't rely on his brothers for help. Each sense perked up anxiously, waiting for any sign of attack.

Another movement came from behind. He stopped abruptly, skidding to a halt.

"Show yourself." He commanded, one katana raised high, its brother still in its holder.

"Oh, but that would make things less fun..."

Leonardo turned around fiercely. "Every moment you hide in the shadows you only prove your cowardice."

"Cowardice? We'll see about that. You're the one who's afraid."

"I'm not afraid." He said defiantly.

"You soon will be..."

And then it crawled forward. Slowly, claws stepped towards him, revealing the hidden mutant reptile that resembled a crocodile. Her voice, though menacing, still had a feminine tone that made his heart race. Her body was a beautiful emerald green, with piercing gold eyes and cream undertones. She flicked her long, thick tail back, fangs curling into a sinister smirk. Though she was bigger than he was, he wasn't about to show any sign of fear. She then circled him like a predator with her prey. Though he had dealt with much deadlier villains, he still felt uneasy. 

"Miss me?" She snarled. "It's been a while."

Leo narrowed his eyes. He recognized her of course, though they had never spoken. Their last fight had ended less than pleasant. Both he and Mikey had to make a hasty retreat. Leo had regretted it ever since.

"I don't think I ever caught your name." He growled. "If you have one."

"I didn't throw it." She said, then relented. "Nova."

"What are you?"

She licked her lips. "The last thing you see before you die. The banter was cute, sugar, but I'm hungry. That's all I need."

Beyond her wild eyes was a look of fear, and true hunger. She wasn't lying, she looked as though she hadn't eaten in days.

"Nova please. I'm- I'm Leonardo."

She pounced forward, pinning the turtle to the ground. "So long, Leonardo."

"I don't want to hurt you." He wheezed.

"What a shame, because I so want to hurt you. Your pathetic attempt at kindness only shows how weak you truly are."

"Nova..."

With his free leg, Leo kicked his shin upwards to hit her underbelly. She yelped, falling backwards. Her malnourishment was proof she needed help. But clearly she didn't want any.

"So much for not hurting me." She spat, acid leaving her lips and barely avoiding Leo's toes as he lept away. When she moved closer towards him, he softened slightly. He avoided staring at her shark like teeth.

He held out a hand. "I meant what I said. I can help you. Food, shelter, a chance to be with other mutants. I don't want to fight you."

For a brief moment, she looked as if she was going to comply, even eagerly with his convincing tone. Her muzzle grazed his cheek, vulnerability clear in her gold eyes. Then she turned away viciously, reconsidering.

"I don't want anything to do with you, Leonardo. Any hope of happiness is finished., My humanity is gone. I'm a freak, like you." She spat. "I had everything. Fame, fortune, my beauty..." Her claws extended. "All of it is gone."

He shook his head. "No it isn't. There is still hope. I promise, I'll help you."

She rolled her eye slits. "How very noble of you." Her tongue slid out, resembling two separated spiky parts.

"It's not just about being noble. It's about doing what's right." Leo held out his hand once more, echoing the wisdom of Captain Ryan. "Are you willing, Nova?"

"I..."

Snapping her jaws back, she raised a claw to swipe at him. He flinched, waiting for a swift but agonizing feeling. But nothing happened. She had moved away. He didn't even need to draw his swords.

"That's your answer. See you soon...sugar." She hissed, disappearing into the shadows once more.

"Wait!" He cried. But she was gone.

[anxiouslyfred]

Worst Type of Madness

For @dukexietyweek‘s prompt ‘High School’ I’m loving protective Remus atm and was out half the evening so that’s what I went for

Summary: Remus learnt to stand up to the bullies and is effectively his schools anti bullying policy. After their summer break he find out there’s been a new kid getting bullied and finally has the time to try and find where it’s happening and stop it.

Warnings: bullying, useless teachers, mentions of fighting, spider mentions

/\/\/\/\/\

Teachers don’t like it when Remus points out films and TV shows are wrong to suggest the bad boys are bullies. The outcasts were the ones to get bullied and bad boys always came that way from being bullied and learning how to stand up against them with violence when teachers ignored the problem.

Then again Remus have lived the process and knew how useless it was to make teachers hear anything they didn’t want to. He was loud in class so of course he had to have been the bully, not the kids attacking as a team, or showing up with things that had blatently been his the day before.

He had made sure that after the bullies decided he was too much trouble to keep going after he’d bring the trouble after them, protecting any kid he learnt was being bullied for whatever reason.

Some of those kids didn’t want to stick around him and that was fine. Remus didn’t really care beyond making sure they were safe and generally Roman would work on befriending them then. Others would follow him around occasionally, close enough to be called friends, but really just finding comfort in the maniacal safety he presented.

The point was that there hadn’t been any bullying he’d failed to stop before it escalated for half a school year, but with the return from the summer holidays there was talk of bullying problems again. All the friends in his protection had muttered something about making a new kid meet Remus but hadn’t managed it yet.

Remus wanted to meet whomever it was, but he’d made a deal with the art teacher that he’d take a role as a student assistant so he could have more time spent working on his own projects in the art classrooms. That had been taking up a lot of the time he’d usually fill with anything his mind came up with.

On Fridays he could still wander the school, searching out the messiest areas to “bask in the filthy gloriousness”, always leaving it tidier with hand dug flower beds by the time breaktime finished. Instead today he’d decided to seek out the beaten and the damned.

If the bullies weren’t already damned then he’d definitely be correcting that one at least.

The easiest way to find where anything could be happening was listening for a teachers yell to move along. The first time it was just for some kids messing about with the latest tradable toy to become a trend. Remus paused to increase his collections of the ones everyone hated for being too common.

Another yell had him wandering towards the vegetable garden, only to snicker at the sight of Janus trying once again to introduce native climbing vines to the trellis. They’d have a plant or two free for anybody who let them talk about the importance of native plants long enough but Remus had already been banned from bringing more plants home, no matter how well he looked about them.

With the third yell Remus found them, all cheery smiles and over friendly gestures as the group walked away from where a teacher was stood. Apparently the teacher couldn’t recognise the shaking, terrified boy in their midst.

“Oh, Troy, I keep being told I need to get introduced to the new kid, looks like you get the pleasure of introducing me.” Remus bounded over to them, going straight for the guy who had tried beating him up for the longest even after he first lost the fight.

“Remus. I’m fairly sure Virgil knows who his friends are, but sure, New kid, this is Remus the school pest.” Troy was frowning at him, clearly wanting to tell him to get out of there but held back by pretence with the teacher still nearby.

He hadn’t glanced back to look at Virgil as he made the introduction, although Remus was still watching him. Watching as one of the group muttered something with a snide grin, throwing an arm over Virgil’s shoulders, and as the boy hunched in, flinching away from the touch.

When faced with people that had failed to beat him up plenty of times Remus felt like he was parting the red sea as he moved forwards, closer to the new kid. “You know, if someone were to touch me in a way I didn’t like I’d hiss at them. Snakes, cats, racoons and badgers all agree if someone ignores a hiss the appropriate response is to bite.”

The immediate hiss directed at him just made him beam. “Pretty sure spiders suggest the same, although I’ve yet to find a version of Spiderman that hisses.” He added, recognising the character hidden under the boys hoodie now he was a bit closer.

“I’m not as fast talking though.” The first words he’d heaerd Virgil say yet were barely more than a mutter, punctuated with cautious glances around at the group near them.

“Bet you know some awesome songs though. You could quote them until you’re ready to fight back using your own words if you don’t just want to hiss all the time.” Remus suggested, finally glancing back at the sour expressions being thrown his way. “Kinda curious though. What was Troy’s little gang of popularity chasers asking you to do?”

“English homework. I get poetry according to the teach.” Virgil shrugged, clearly not believing the words.

Before Remus could respond at all a disgusted sigh interrupted them, “Guys lets just bounce. We’re not going to get anywhere now the trach has gotten involved.” Troy announced, turning to march away.

“Bet he’s left you in the trash more times than the reverse though.” Virgil snapped, pushing to be in front of Remus where they’d been standing, meeting the glare thrown back at him directly.

Remus just started snickering, “And here you seemed to be two steps from panicking when I came over. I thought I’d need breathing exercises when they left, not my camera for someone joining me in fighting back.”

“Panicking is part of fight or flight. It’s pretty easy for me to swap into fight when I can see the way out of an area. Are you the guy all those timid kids keep saying to find?” Virgil groused, rolling his eyes and hunching back down now it was just the pair of them chatting.

“That’s me, Remus. Was Troy telling the truth when he called you Virgil or am I changing your name in my head now?” He’d wanted to ask that from the start. There were a few other outcasts who the school knew by one name but as soon as Remus asked a second time said something completely different.

Virgil just shook his head. “Virgil or Virge if you like I guess. You able to teach me any self defence beyond the hissing and biting thing or should I just read up on spiders?”

“Oh I like you Virge. First time someone has actually asked to learn self defence rather than rely on my protection. So long as I don’t manage to creep you out by weeks end, this is the start of a messy complicated friendship!” Remus was cackling at the request, excited to have the chance to share his fighting skills.

Virgil narrowed his eyes, “Pretty sure you’re meant to say beautiful friendship though that would definitely be a lie.”

“And I leave lying to Janus when someone asks how a climbing plant started growing in their garden. Friendship is messy, complicated and the worst type of madness. Want to see if we make good friends?” Remus repeated the offer, fairly sure if he just insisted that was for Roman to claim not him he’d get a blank look.

Virgil snorted at the description at least. “I guess you can sign me up for the worst type of madness then.”

[al-pomegranate-seeds]

Warm food and warm hearts

“He wouldn’t say he was anxious. Or, yes, maybe he would say so, but it wasn’t...Bad. It was like when he was a child during Summer’s End, awaiting for father to finish preparing the bonfire so they could eat meat pies and drink hot chocolate with honey (it was one of the only days where he could drink honey besides right before his bedtime), and then mother would dance while holding him in her arms before putting a tiny drunk child to sleep.

Or: Logan's boyfriend invites him to stay the night in his apartment.“

Pairings:Logince, eventual DLAMP.

Urban fanatsy.

Tags: Fluff, First Kiss, a lil bit of angst, trans man!Roman, genderfluid!Logan

Warnings: A whole food discussion.

Characters: Logan Sanders, Roman Sanders, Remus Sanders, Dot(Cartoon Therapy)

Sequel to my fic “The hands they held”(https://al-pomegranate-seeds.tumblr.com/post/635778410466197504/the-hands-they-held-roman-looked-at-the-flower) and second installment in my “Unicia” series.

Archive of our own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27737170

I

Logan let out a sigh as he closed the glass doors of the shop. Today had been especially taxing, it seemed. More customers than normal had showed up, right on the day when he felt his social battery had started lower than normal, and Roman hadn’t been able to come visit, having three long appointments to start.

Logan could feel his cheeks heat up(and see his glittering reflection on the glass) as he thought about that last one. It felt a bit ridiculous that Roman’s mere one day abstention was a factor in his mental exhaustation, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel bad about it. Roman had truly been a blessing, appearing on the shop’s first day of existing in that specific location, initiating a conversation with Logan and quickly establishing something they had in common. And then the friendship, which was more than Logan ever expected, going on for a approximately seven months of them sharing their interests and listening to each other ramble about things they didn’t necessarily understand, all of this during work breaks and in their respective places of work.

And today, Roman had invited him to spend the night in his apartment.

Logan wasn’t foolish, he didn’t expect them to go very far. Hell, three weeks and a half of dating and they hadn’t even kissed yet! But it was a big step, to be allowed into one’s home. And besides, Remus wouldn’t be there, occupied with some sort of date (“it’s a booty call, nerdy Wolverine”), and they wouldn’t be exchanging soft compliments and hand kisses on neutral ground.

He wouldn’t say he was anxious. Or, yes, maybe he would say so, but it wasn’t...Bad. It was like when he was a child during Summer’s End, awaiting for father to finish preparing the bonfire so they could eat meat pies and drink hot chocolate with honey (it was one of the only days where he could drink honey besides right before his bedtime), and then mother would dance while holding him in her arms before putting a tiny drunk child to sleep. She hadn’t been able to hold him anymore after he hit puberty, but they still danced the night away, drunk on honey and alcohol and love.

So maybe a better word to describe how he was feeling would be that he was excited.

“Oh come on kid, leave the cleaning up to me.” Logan heard mother say behind him. He spinned quickly, and she was smiling at him like she knew something he didn’t. She probably did.

“Absolutely not, I cannot allow you to clean everything up alone – “

“Logan.” She said firmly, and Logan shut up. “You’ve been staring at that damn tattoo parlor for eight minutes. Go see your pretty boy, I’m not too old to clean a damn shop.”

Logan felt his face heating up again, the light of his freckles lighting up mother’s face.

“I – ok. I’ll go. But promise not overexert yourself.”

“Fine, fine, I promise, mother hen.” Logan rolled his eyes, before kissing mother on the cheek and grabbing his bag, going for the backdoor.

When he stepped inside the tattoo parlor, he could see that Roman and Remus were already turning off the lights, Roman’s curly, long, cardinal red hair pulled up in a bun, his tanned skin stained with ink, and Remus’ hair as unkept as always.

Logan wouldn’t ever admit it, but he would always melt when Roman smiled at seeing him.

“My love!” Roman exclaimed, running up to Logan and picking him up only to spin him in the air.

Logan would normally feel awfully embarassed at such a display of affection, but when there was only them and Remus, who might as well be his friend at this point? He couldn’t manage to make himself embarassed enough to reprimand his red haired love.

Love. By the stars, love. They were going awfully quick, weren’t they? He couldn’t bring himself to care.

Roman finally put him down, only to grab his face with both hands and start peppering kisses all over it. Logan was almost drunk enough on the kisses to not notice Roman was following his freckles with his lips.

“This is cute enough to make me want to take my eyes out with a spoon.” Logan heard Remus’ voice, and Roman groaned, dropping his face on Logan’s shoulder. Logan could see Remus was wearing ripped black skinny jeans over fishnets and a bright green crop top.

“Oh, fuck off, go rummage for trash you fucking racoon.”

“I have already rummaged, bitch brother of mine, tonight I get to eat the trash.”

“Oh for the love of the ghosts, I literally hate you so much – “

“Sure, sure, hey Logan, bye Logan, use protection!” Remus said as he walked out of the parlor’s doors, mounting his bike and finally going.

“Fucking trash eating little gremlin.” Roman murmured, before kissing Logan’s shoulder(well, his shirt, but it’s the thought that counts) and raising his head to look at Logan, big smile already back on his face. “So! Are you ready?”

Logan, still flustered by the kisses, simply nodded.

“Alright, my apartment is just up those stairs, you can go up and settle down while I finish closing the shop.” Roman said, before laying a final kiss on Logan’s cheek and walking towards the doors Remus had left unlocked. Logan went up the stairs, face still hot, and as he went to open the door that sat on top of them, he couldn’t help but feeling that awfully warm and fuzzy thing inside his chest when he touched the doorknob (thankfully made out of copper), as it finally hit him that yes, Roman was actually letting him inside his home without caring about what Logan could do while he was absent. If any fairy(specifically the fairies Logan grew up around) had done something like this, it would be seen as foolish, if not downright scandalous.

Logan shook his head before finally opening the door.

The apartment was...Not exactly what Logan was expecting(with the level of average drama between Remus and Roman combined, he almost expected for red theatre curtains, swords, thrones and life sized statues), but he couldn’t deny that it did fit both of the twins.

The first thing Logan noticed was that, while there weren’t any theatre curtains, there was a fair amount of red and green decoration, including but not limited to a golden and red peacock statue and a green hand showing the middle finger statue. The floorplan was open, with a living space decorated in whites and blacks right in front of a tiny kitchen decorated in the same color scheme. It probably wouldn’t fit the two brothers if there weren’t paint stains all over the furniture, along with various papers with drawings that Logan assumed were possible tattoo designs covering the walls and the fridge.

Overall it seemed like Roman and Remus had taken something that wasn’t theirs...And made it theirs.

Logan noticed there was a fireplace sitting adjacent to the couch, and there were small amounts of clutter there, like a bunch of unopened letter, a clear glass chocolate jar, silver and gold jewelry and two wands.

He set his overnight bag on the side of the couch and sit down, analyzing the drawings covering the walls while he waited for Roman.

Aproximately ten minutes later, he heard the door opening and Roman’s voice rambling.

“Well, that’s it, the shop is closed, the equipment is clean, the lights are turned off and – wow, is that a cutie sitting on my couch?”

Logan raised one eyebrow, but Roman kept looking at him expectantly. He simply sighed before saying with a smile “Yes, dear."

“I knew it, my suspicions are confirmed! The most gorgeous being is indeed inside my apartment!”

“Oh you – you are too kind.” Was the only thing Logan could say, still not used to having those exhuberant words directed at him, but not at all displeased by them.

“On the contrary, I am not kind enough!” Was the answer he received, as Roman jumped to sit on his side and grab his face with both hands. “For example, I have yet to tell you how stunning your freckles look today, they look like you were carved out of a giant diamond then strategically painted over with the finest pigments one could find – “

“Oh – Roman.“Was all Logan could say, as he felt his stomach fluttering like it was full of living snap-dragonflies, and Roman’s entire expression went too soft for him to handle. Luckily, Roman bent down to kiss his cheek before Logan had to decide what to do to hide his undoubtedly lovesick expression. The peck on his cheek went on for long enough that he could calm down. Roman looked at him before leaving a final quick kiss on the other cheek and retreating.

“I have vegetable and mushroom pie, butterscotch pie, linean bread, and cinnamon rolls in the shape of a bunny. Do you want to eat before watching the movie or after?”

“I’d like to eat before. It’s hard for me to concentrate on the movie if I am eating.” Logan responded, trying not to get distracted by Roman’s hand on his cheek.

“Ok.” Roman said, before letting go of him and getting up. “ You can go change while I set the table, if you want. The bathroom is that door on the left.”

Logan nodded and got up, going in the direction of the bathrooom as Roman went in the direction of the fridge.

The bathroom was a small, simple one, with slightly off white tiles on the walls and floor, a normal toilet, sink and shower. He set the bag down on the toilet to grab his pajamas, a knee length, dark blue pajamas skirt and a black baggy t-shirt. He put on simple black socks before closing his bag and getting out of the bathroom.

Roman had already set the table, it seemed, as he was getting out of what Logan assumed was his bedroom, finishing the process of putting on a red tank top over white sweatpants.

“Hey.” Roman said, grabbing Logan’s hand and leading him to the small square glass table on the space to the side of the living space, on which was laid out all of the food he had mentioned before. “What do you want?”

“I’ll have the vegetable pie, and I want to try the bread, I’ve never heard of it.”

“Oh, then you’re in for a treat, my love, it’s bread made in Linea, the elf nation I – that is, the elf nation my mother comes from. It’s made with ground lineo and mock-turtle milk, so the texture is different from wheat bread, and it’s savory.”

Logan simply nodded, grabbing butter and spreading it on one of the orange colored slices of bread that had already been cut, before cutting out a slice of the vegetable pie.

He went for the bread first, and it was...Delicious, certainly, but also not what he was accustomed to. The texture was less starchy and more smooth, more, well, damp, than wheat bread. It tasted like a mixture of ground beef, chicken, lentiles, and was almost spicy, the saltless butter balancing out the savory taste.

“This is delicious. I’ll have to introduce you to a dish to thank you for it.”

“Oh hell yeah, I can’t wait to find out what fairies eat.” Roman responded, grabbing a slice of the butterscotch pie and two cinnamon buns. Logan looked at him, amused, before saying:

“Oh, you’ll probably like it, there’s enough sugar in a single meal to rot your teeth. My favorite drink is hot chocolate with strawberry sugar and honey.”

Roman smiled like was planning something, before finally saying “Ah, explains how you’re so sweet then.”

“I – Roman.” Logan responded, slightly out of breath and only able to reach for the other’s hand so he could hold it while eating, just like the day Logan brought him to the shop’s kitchen and they – well, confessed wasn’t exactly the right word. Caught up to each other, that fit better.

“My father used to cook plenty of meat with honey for – well, it wasn’t dinner, exactly, we ate right before going to sleep, it was the only time I was allowed to ingest honey in any way, lest they had to deal with a drunk seven year old that wasn’t going to sleep soon.” Logan smiled softly while allowing his gaze to go unfocused with nostalgia for a few moments. “Now I cook too, and I couldn’t be more grateful for him.”

“Did you grow up around fairies?”

Logan’s smile widened a bit. “Yes. Mother, father and I grew up around my grandmothers, my father’s mothers. They were both fairies, and one of them was my stepgrandmother. We lived in quite a cold location, so the food was always very heavy and full of calories for our bodies to burn. By the moon, I...I miss them so much, I loved them so much.”He smiled softly at his hands, caressing Roman’s wrist, before looking back at him.” What about you, did you grow up around elves?”

Roman’s hand suddenly tightened around Logan’s own, and Logan saw an aprehensive look on his love’s face for about two seconds before he relaxed.

“I...No. Remus and I grew up with my father and stepmother. I don’t...Have the best memories about them, because well...”He trailed off, biting his lip while looking lost in thought.

“You don’t need to tell me, if you don’t want to.” Logan said, squeezing his love’s hand. Roman squeezed back, smiling at him with that besotted smile that still left Logan quite breathless.

“It’s not that, I do want to tell you. Um. Hey, love, did I ever tell you how my birth name isn’t Roman? It’s actually Valerie.”

Logan was startled enough to stop caressing Roman’s hand for about one second before he came back to himself and his task.

“I see. So I take it neither of us is cis?”

Roman let out a shaky breath, before smiling. “Yeah.”

Neither of them had felt like watching the movie, after that, and when Roman put on some romantic Disney songs, Logan couldn’t bring himself to resist the invitation to slow dance in their pajamas in the middle of the living room.

“So this is love, mmm, so this is love...” Roman sang into Logan’s neck, while the fairy traced the lines of a tattoo he had in between his shoulderblades, a red crest that depicted a castle standing before a sea and under a spiral sun. “So this is what makes life divine...”

“I cannot believe I’m the one saying this, but you, sir, are a giant nerd.” Logan said, his voice far too soft to be mocking. He then sighed “Love, huh? We are going awfully fast.”

Roman raised his head, his expression way too worried for the fairy’s taste.

“I don’t intend on stopping it. It’s...Scary, maybe, but I’m nothing but sure in what I feel for you.” Roman looked a little bit like someone had punched, before asking:

“May I kiss you?”

Logan felt like he had been punched, then, punched by how much he loved the man in front of him and wow, he was really head over heels huh.

“You most definitely may.”

The kiss wasn’t how it happened in movies. It wasn’t desperate and full of passion. It was calm and gentle and only warmed up slightly when Logan introduced tongue, and he was almost overwhelmed by how much love he could pouring from Roman and himself.

They kissed until they needed to breathe, and considering the both of them could hold their breath for longer than most species, it took a good two minutes before Logan had to break away with Roman chasing him, only to settle for kissing his neck.

Logan let out a shaky sigh as he felt Roman’s lips leave soft, gentle kisses on his skin, and he simply stood there until Roman was satisfied. When he was, he raised his head, looking at Logan with na aprehensive expression that didn’t fit the occasion.

“I...I hope the neck wasn’t too much. I could stop myself from kissing you as easily as I could stop the sea waves.”

“It was perfectly fine, dear.” Logan said, a little breathless. “But maybe we should go to sleep now. Tonight has been full of...Emotions.”

Roman smiled, before kissing Logan quickly on the lips and pulling him by the hand toward his room.

[artsninspo]

PULSE : PART III - WHO IS YOU?

PART I | PART II | PART III

PART III - WHO IS YOU?

Black had always been a pretty good judge of character, its how he’d survived on his own for so long. He did what he had to do to survive comfortably, nothing more nothing less. He didn’t make promises he couldn’t keep and he maintained relationships within their necessary boundaries - never blurring lines. Women had always been the easiest to keep in check. He had a reputation as a sure thing, rules too like no contact it it wasn’t about sex. No contact if she’s on her period. If he needed someone to talk to he’d see a shrink. If he needed love he’d get a pet or visit Lisa the woman that raised him.

His size and demeanour did what he needed it to do. Keep people away.

Elle Blake on paper and in person were two completely different people. She’d lived a privileged life but could navigate the neighbourhood without issue. She didn’t take his demeanour towards her personally and her mouth is fucking lethal.

Everyday, he’d see her walking home and everyday he drove past her, rain or shine. Since then Black had been getting presents in his washer and dryer. Boxers with days of the week printed on the ass, socks with toe slits in ridiculous colours with his name printed on the bottoms and other childish annoying shit. Today in the dryer were the lollies from down the street “suckers to stay sucker free”. He’d have checked anyone else for it but he knew she was doing it purposely to get under his skin and not to be disrespectful.

The rain is really coming down and Elle looks around but all the cabs are occupied. He contemplates making his car spray her with water but decides against it pulling over slowly and opening the door. She looks confused before walking and getting in.

“Thanks” she mutters getting on her seatbelt on and shivering from being drenched. He turns off the air conditioning to keep her from getting a cold. She’s pissed - not at him but he can feel the anger radiating from her. Her phone rings and she declines the call immediately taking a deep breath. Her phone rings again and she rolls down the window chucking it into a puddle. Black continues to drive when he hears her sniffle and she wipes the tears away smearing her make up. Its not an act, it’s not like the games women ploy to get attention. He says nothing enjoying the silence until his phone rings. He hits decline not wanting to talk business in the company of someone else.

Black parks looking over at Elle and reaching into his glove compartment taking out some wet-wipes.

“You’re not about to leave my car looking like that” he comments pointing at her racoon eyes from the tears and make up. She concedes taking the wet wipes pulling down the mirror and cleaning herself up . When she’s done she gets her things taking her trash and unlocking the door.

“I’m not trying to get in your business-“

“Then don’t” Elle snaps before sighing with tears in her eyes again. “Look, I appreciate the ride, thank you can we leave it at that?” She asks causing him to chew the inside of his lip.

“I hope no one in the neighbourhood has you soft like this” he comments casually looking away from her and at his mirror. He’d threatened her and she’d kept her cool - whatever this was it had to be big.

“Nothing to do with anything here” Elle sighs looking at Black honestly.

He nods unlocking the door, “Cool” he says but she’s already out the car heading inside. He stops in his tracks seeing Dia Evans the best lawyer in the city, maybe even state and her daughter at Elles door. Their eyes are kind and caring; everything Elle doesn’t want right now. She stops looking up at them and turning to head back towards the exit.

“Elle!” Dia calls before she can open the door.

“Kiz, Dia, I’m fine. I don’t want company or to talk about it I just want to be alone - respect that or leave” Elle says calmly with tears in her eyes again.

“Okay” Kizzy agrees but Dia doesn’t say anything. “Is this Mr. Asshole” Kizzy whispers looking at Black who’s witnessed everything.

“Black” Elle mutters in response heading up the flight of stairs to her door.

He didn’t know what to make of it. Especially when the yelling started and went on for hours. Especially when Kizzy knocked at his door looking worn out.

“Sorry to bother you, where can I find the super?” She asks.

“He don’t be here like that” Black comments looking down at her with his typical expression.

“Guess, I’ll just google his number” Kizzy breathes looking back in the direction of Elles door?

“Is the yelling over?” He asks offending Kizzy.

“Fuck you” she snarls flipping him off and storming down the stairs to the exit.

She’s the hot head.

Black notes giving her a pass, whatever it was they all were acting crazy. He shouldn’t have opened the door for her in the first place.

…

Black had noticed Elle on the screens when she first came in. He shook his head watching all the guys in the venue posture themselves to get at her. Business had to be completed but still his eyes searched the monitors every few minutes making a mental not of where Elle was next, all the while ignoring his associates periodically. In his mind she was too pretty to be here. Not that she was the most beautiful woman ever, it’s just every man likes new pussy and to be the first to tap into it. He’d watched her throw at least five shots back getting happier each time and bouncing around dancing with any and everyone. He checked the time only to see thirty minutes until closing - usually it would be more sparse than this.

“Get these nigga’s outta here” Reggie his security who does exactly that leaving Elle entertaining the bartender. He’d never seen Stevie look at a woman the way he was looking at Elle and he’s gay.

“I got this you close up” Black says stepping behind the bar as Elle hiccups looking up. It takes her nearly a minute to recognize him and when she does she groans.

“Fuck” she laughs putting her head down onto her crossed arms. “God, I don’t wanna dream about this guy” she says looking into the ceiling.

“You aren’t dreaming” he tells her and she pouts taking another shot.

“That’s enough or you’ll have your stomach pumped”

“Doesn’t matter, nothing matters” she sniffles looking around. “Why’d they stop the music?” She asks.

“It’s three in the morning”

“How much would it cost you to kill me?” Her words surprise Black.

“Dia Evans’ niece?” He asks and she shakes her head coherent enough to understand it’s not going to happen.

“Come on lets go” he says but she refuses.

“Turn the music back on, I’m not done yet” she smiles getting behind the empty booth and pressing buttons turning on music but only one subwoofer is connected making it much less obnoxious. Black pours himself a drink watching her jump around in performance to two songs before he gets up.

“You look like a terrible dancer”

“I am”

“Shame, if you’re bad at that you’re bad at other things” Elle winks twirling around him playfully. “Surprising because I know it isn’t your personality that keeps those girls coming back”

“So you’ve given it some thought?” Black asks making Elle giggle.

“I don’t care about that stuff” Elle laughs shrugging. “My life was perfect, I had so much fun everyday, I laughed so much”

“What changed?’ Black asks and she swallows.

“Everything” she mutters. Before fanning her eyes and refusing to cry. He changes his posture to be less intimidating as he sits on one of the speakers letting Elle do her thing. “It’d tell you but you probably already know super sleuth” Elle smiles but its just a brave face.

“My name is Trevante, Tre for short’

“You’re just telling me that because I’m drunk and won’t remember”

“Maybe, but I don’t know why you’ve been sulking everyday. Kinda disappointing” he comments making Elle laugh as he stands. “Clubs closing” He points to the door and she retrieves a fluffy fur coat from coat check making Tre laugh. Its June. She sits in the car needing his help to buckle herself in.

“Trevante!” She shouts out of nowhere startling him before bursting out in laughter. “God my feet hurt” she groans unbuckling her heel straps to take them off. “Ouuuuch” she hisses seeing part of her foot is bloody. “Im gonna have an ugly scar.” She groans.

“It’s a foot”

“I’m a woman feet matter” she says making Tre scoff.

“You were just in the club no one was looking at your feet”

“Thats a damn shame, look at them. They’re cute” she says putting them on the dashboard.

“Beautiful, now take them down before I make you walk”

“You didn’t even look” Elle pouts taking them down and wincing again.

“Is your cousin home, can I drop you there so you don’t die?” Tre asks starting the engine. “No”

Tre nods starting on the way to their apartment building. When they arrive she’s asleep but wakes up to the sound of the car shutting off. Elle looks around re-orienting herself and reaching for her shoes.

“Your’e going to put those things back on?”

“Or walk barefoot?” Elle says sleepily and Tre takes the shoes.

“Where are your keys?”

Elle shrugs. “For fuck sake” Tre snaps heading up the stairs only to find them in her door. He braces himself for anything heading and seeing its a place fit for a princess as he does his check. Before finding a pair of boot like house slippers and heading back to the car to hand them to Elle. He walked behind her up the stairs in case she decided to fall anytime soon. She barely made it to her couch before passing out and making him feel uneasy. He’d cleaned himself up many times before. The cut on her foot of more of a burn but he cleans it correctly bandaging it and holding an ice pack against it while he took mental notes of her apartment. He couldn’t imagine what put her in such a state.

His mother had been beautiful too, once upon a time. Before the drinking turned into smoking, then pills, the prostitution and other stuff.

He sighs taking a deep breath before leaving suddenly feeling overwhelmed himself.

__________

Tags: @bugngiz @lifelover4u @l-auteuse @notsomellowmushroom @princessasaani @heavensangelxo

[lady-charinette]

Bakugou the Bodyguard - Kacchako-ish Fic

Prompt: Bakugou knew the girls from his class were no pushovers, he could admit at least that much. So, when they suddenly came to him with a weird request, he decided to sit back and observe.

It was peaceful. Fucking finally after all the chaos the past week.

They had barely escaped with all their limbs intact, Recovery Girl had worked her aging ass off making sure none of them kicked the bucket before they hit the age of fifty. That, and a few days of time out of school, and the class of 1-A felt like they wouldn't collapse when they took more than a few steps outside.

It had been a tough battle, the stupid Nomus had been the worst though, even Bakugou had a tough time dealing with one, when a whole swarm came at them, he was glad the pro heros had gotten there just in the nick of time.

Bakugou rubbed at his forearm, now fully healed, but still feeling the phantom pain after one of the Nomu nearly dislocated it, the only thing preventing him from twisting the bone had been Aizawa kicking the monster away from him. Bakugou wasn't a wimp, but in that moment, with his arm hurting like hell and his body pushed to the brink of exhaustion, he felt a lot weaker than he was used to, like a small ant surrounded by large humans stomping around him.

It had ben fucking terrifying, he just hoped they've dealt with all those things. He hadn't heard anything from them since, so he assumed the pro heroes were either still investigating or just cleaning up the trash.

Bakugou stiffened, pencil falling onto his open homework when he heard a plethora of footsteps approaching the closed door of the living area.

There were muted whispers from multiple people and Bakugou arched a brow when he heard a squeak and the door flung open, revealing nearly all the girls in his class.

What the fuck?

He grimaced at their pitiful state, everyone sporting bandages or plasters of some kind. Recovery girl could only do so much, while her healing powers were great, some injuries needed time to heal, especially if she'd run out of energy after healing the hundredth patient that week.

It was round face that stepped forward, the girls gathered behind her in a circle, “Um, Bakugou, sorry for barging in here like that but, we…we wanted to ask you something.” She bit her lip, fingers nervously fiddling.

He could practically taste the discomfort in the air, something was giving him a bad feeling, “Yeah, what? Spit it out, round face.“

It was Yaoyozoru who stepped beside Uraraka and spoke up, decidedly more confident but still cautious, “We were wondering if you’d accompany us to the beach today.”

The room fell silent, Bakugou just staring at the girls of his class as if they’d all grown second heads or collectively lost their brains.

What?

“…Huh?” the blond stared, dumbstruck, bling rapidly before he shook his head, “And why would I do that?” he crossed his arms, glaring at the group suspiciously. Why would he go with them to the beach? They generally avoided his company, except for pink cheeks, racoon eyes and earjack.

Yaoyozoru bowed respectfully, “We…we’re still injured from battling the Nomus, Recovery Girl hadn’t been able to fully heal us…” her timid countenance grew more determined, “However! We don’t want to idly sit by and waste our time we have for training! The beach is always full of rival schools, especially boys, we’ve always managed by ourselves, but…I’m afraid we would be too injured if the beach is full of them today.” She swallowed and Bakugou sensed the discomfort in the room increase tenfold, judging by the looks of shame and guilt on the girl’s faces when they looked off to the side.

So, that was it.

They were harassed by rival school guys lounging around on the beach.

He knew the girls from his class were no pushovers nor fragile in any way, fighting Uraraka at the Sports Festival and seeing them fight first-hand proved that. To come ask him for such a favour must have taken a lot out of them.

Still, he was curious, “Why ask me? I bet shitty Deku or Kirishima would help out.” It was odd, he hadn’t seen anyone of the guys today except grapeshit, maybe the others were out training?

Racoon eyes sighed behind Uraraka, “Don’t you know? The boys all either went home to visit or to camp for training and lessons.”

Ah, right, there had been something Kirishima had been telling him last night, but Bakugou had only half listened.

That explained why he was seemingly the only guy here.

Yaoyozoru looked uncomfortable as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “And uhm…we…we didn’t want to ask Mineta so…”

Bakugou snorted, he could imagine why, the little shit never missed an opportunity to be the first one to spy on the girls. He would have a field day at the beach with them.

Bakugou turned back to stare down at his homework, pencil scraping against the sheet, “Tch, I don’t have time for your shit today.”

Uraraka looked ready to argue but Yaoyozoru shook her head, leading the girls out of the room, Mina, Jirou and Uraraka sending disappointed looks towards Bakugou before they closed the door behind them.

Silence settled into the room again and suddenly, Bakugou felt his blood boil unnaturally.

He glanced at the clock.

It was nearing late afternoon, when the students would be finished with classes or extracurricular activities.

The beach should be crowded by now.

The pencil snapped in two, splintered pieces of wood scattering across his homework.

The girls cautiously moved towards their usual spot, already dreading their decision as the beach was even more crowded than usual, it didn’t go unnoticed how even the girls from other schools generally kept to the farther ends of the beach, away from the rowdy boys who were fighting nearer to their spot.

Uraraka noticed her classmates’ hesitance and steeled herself, moving to the front and cheering loudly, “Hey guys! This is our time to shine! We can finally get stronger and show everyone what we’re made of, I’m sure everything will be fine!” she pumped her fists in the air excitedly, seeing some of their faces brightening.

Mina grinned widely and fist bumped the air too, “Alright! Let’s get started girls!”

The group cheered in unison, catching the attention of several of the males.

The first few minutes had been fine, employing their quirks in small and weaker amounts as much as they were able in their still bruised states while trying to play volleyball at the same time. Uraraka tried using her gravity quirk to her advantage but found the nausea to be too strong, so she refrained from using it, even Yaoyozoru, Jirou and Mina didn’t use their quirks much.

And suddenly, a large shadow covered Uraraka.

The shorter girl turned around curiously, looking up to stare at at least eight towering guys smiling down at them, “Hey, mind if we join in, ladies?”

Uraraka felt her heart speed up in fear, Yaoyozoru beside her stiffening in apprehension, “Excuse me, but this is private practice for our classes.”

The guy that spoke looked at her, a leery grin on his face, “Oh, really? Maybe we can teach you girls a few things, huh? Whatcha say guys?” the other behind him hollered in agreement and suddenly, the group had gotten bigger, now more and more males joining in.

Mina tried to produce her acid slime, but it wasn’t anywhere near enough to scare all of them away. Jirou’s quirk was useless as she couldn’t channel the waves easily in the damp sand from yesterday’s rain.

Tsuyu tried moving slowly to the side, attempting to offer Uraraka leeway by assaulting the first guy, but another one showed up to intercept the frog girl, “And where do you think you’re going, little frog?”

“Ribbit?” Tsuyu frowned, moving back towards Hagakure, Mina and Jirou.

Uraraka swallowed, fingers sweating when the grins on the boys’ faces grew wider, “This isn’t good, none of us are in any condition to fight, especially not all of them! I can’t use my quirk without throwing up my lunch, Momo can’t create anything larger than a ball and the others are in even worse conditions.” Uraraka spread her feet, remembering Gunhead’s training, “I can’t take them all down, but maybe the few I will are enough so the others escape. Come on!”

Mentally giving herself strength, Uraraka shouted what sounded like a battle cry as she attempted to launch at the first guy in her way, however her own shout was vastly overpowered by the booming howl of a very familiar but unexpected voice beside her.

And suddenly, just like that, the group of boys before them blew apart in a earsplitting explosion, cries of pain and shock ringing out from the large amounts of smoke covering the beach.

Uraraka stood frozen, until she slowly turned her head to the side. She didn’t even have to look far because he was standing almost next to her.

It was Bakugou.

“B-Bakugou?” he was dressed in black swimming trunks with an explosive design, sunglasses nestled into his spiky hair, a beach towel wedged in his arm.

The blond looked at her, “Tch, what? Thought I would leave you bunch to get training done alone? Well, forget it pink cheeks.” Uraraka’s face flushed, watching his jaw work as he spotted another group warily watching them, “Oi! What are you looking at?! You want a piece of me, shitty extras?!” almost immediately, the boys turned around and dispersed.

Jirou smiled, “Thanks for the help, spiky!” she grinned in delight when Bakugou gave her a sharp glare before turning on his heel and scaring off a guy from his spot, setting up his own towel on the sand and settling under the parasol, arms crossed behind his head, sunglasses perched on his nose.

“Watcha staring at, huh?! This isn’t the zoo damn it!” Bakugou barked at them in annoyance, nose flaring when the girls started giggling.

Yaoyozoru placed a reassuring hand on Uraraka’s shoulder, “It seems like even someone like Bakugou values friendship more than he lets on, he did come after all.”

True, it even surprised Uraraka a bit. While she knew he respected her, she hadn’t been sure if he would agree to this, especially considering Bakugou wasn’t known to be very social.

Her heart flooded with warmth, hand clenching her chest as a smile played on her lips.

Bakugou glared and barked at anyone in a five mile radius, steam coming out from his palms in warning whenever there were a few dumb daredevils even trying to cross his newly established territory.

Bakugou almost exploded right off his seat when he saw a figure approach, but quickly settled when he realized it was Uraraka, “You’re blocking the sun, pink cheeks.” He was sitting in the shade to begin with, but it never hurt to re-establish his dominance.

Uraraka didn’t seem peeved at all by his comment, instead the smile she directed at him was even brighter than the damn sun itself, “I just wanted to thank you Bakugou, for being here and doing this for us.” She bowed, her cheeks a pink hue and smile as wide as her face, “You can come and train with us anytime, you know! I bet you’ll have a hard time beating us!” she beamed a full on sunshine smile at him, stronger than any of his explosions and jogged off to join the volleyball game.

Bakugou’s eyes scanned the area of the beach he now dubbed as “his”. There were no more vermin around it, everyone giving him a wide berth.

Uraraka had one teammate less on her side of the net.

He was a sporty guy.

He could use more quirk training to develop his skills.

Bakugou grit his teeth.

“Uraraka, on your right!” the gravity manipulator made a move to dive toward the far right, the distance far too great to reach the ball in time.

At this rate, they would lose a point!

If only she could-

A blond blur rushed past her in a rush of explosions, slamming the ball and making it hit the other team’s field without anyone parrying it.

Bakugou grinned at her, a competitive streak in his eyes and wild grin, “Quit it with the snail pace, angel face or we’ll fucking lose!” he used his quirk to cover greater distance, assisting Yaoyozoru with smashing the ball to the other side.

Uraraka smiled, rushing forward to help Bakugou launch the ball over the net.

Thanks for reading everyone! Hope it wasn’t too OOC.

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day One Hundred Seventy-Two: Jumped the Fence ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina, vulgarity ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life ] [ AO3 Link ]

“Go go go!”

Sneakers slap against the pavement, dogs barking in the wee hours of the morning. Flashlight beams cut through the darkness, voices shouting.

Ahead of the pair of cops, several teenage boys run like their lives depend on it. Which, given the punishments some of their parents might give them for being out this late past curfew, they might as well be.

“Scatter!” one then calls as they reach the mouth of an alley. They all part in different directions, forcing the two on their tails to hesitate before splitting up.

Doing his best to even out his breathing, Sasuke pumps arms and heads for a fenced yard. In a swift movement he vaults the tall boards, landing with a roll on the other side. Scuttling backward, he leans against it, covering his mouth in the crook of his sleeve to stifle the sounds of his breath.

Through a few knots in the wood, a flashlight beams streaks back and forth, dotting the house a few yards forward. Hardly daring to breathe, Sasuke waits until it vanishes alongside the fading sounds of footsteps to take a deep breath, sagging against the fence.

He is gonna kill Naruto for talking him into this…

Just a little jaunt through that demolished building! See if they could find anything cool left behind after it was condemned. Something to do on a Friday night, right? And then out came spray cans, rocks thrown to break any lingering glass. Of course someone was going to hear and call the cops! A whole pack of teenage idiots was going to attract attention at nearly two in the morning!

Now he’s going to have to find a way back home and hope none of the ruckus reaches his neighborhood and wakes his parents. It’s one thing to be caught out of bed this late...another to be out of the house...and another to have been hanging out with Naruto and his delinquent friends.

Sure, Sasuke tries to be wise for his age, but...sometimes you just need to do something stupid. Even if he wasn’t aware it was going to be that stupid. Wandering around an empty building seemed fine until everyone else started breaking things and tagging the walls…

Bracing his arms atop his bent knees, he takes a moment to catch his breath, waiting until the sounds of the chase end completely. Head bowed, it lifts only as he hears a sound.

A sliding door opens along the rear of the house, directly across the yard from him. And from it steps a girl about his age.

Abruptly, she comes to a halt, staring at him.

He stares back.

Thankfully she doesn’t scream - just...looks at him, wide-eyed.

“...uh…” Shit, he’s trespassing. “Hey, look - I, I was just -”

“Hinata, what’s all the ruckus?” a masculine voice calls from behind her.

Glancing over her shoulder, she hesitates. “...just the neighbor’s d-dogs, Dad. I’ll...go check the back gate.”

“All right. Go back to bed when you’re done.” There’s vague mutterings about, “Too old for this - work in the morning…” before Hinata closes the door.

She then looks to Sasuke again, expression suspicious.

By now, he’s staggered to his feet, hands held up in a gesture of peace. “I, uh…”

“Why are you in my yard…?”

“I…” He vaguely knows her - another one of the masses at his high school. “I was out past curfew, and uh...had to hide from some...cops.”

Well that sounds like shit.

“...cops?”

“I-it wasn’t me! Naruto and all his stupid friends -”

“Wait, Naruto?”

“...yeah?”

Something shifts in her expression. “Is he...a friend of yours?”

“Yeah…?” Or at least he was - he’s gonna have an earful for that blond idiot when they meet again.

“...oh…”

“...a-anyway, he dragged me out to that stupid shut down building on fourteenth. Said something about just...checking it out. Then he and Kiba started breaking shit and spraypainting. Someone called it in, and we had to run. I...hid here until they left. I swear, I wasn’t -”

Her head shakes. “I-it’s fine, I...know what you mean.”

“Oh…” Well...good?

“Naruto and I went to the same elementary school. He was, um...r-rowdy then,” Hinata affirms, giving a quick quirk of her lips.

“Yeah, well...rowdy doesn’t cover it now,” Sasuke mutters.

“Sorry he dragged you into that...um...are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Just hoping my ass isn’t in deep shit when I get home.”

A brow perks at his coarse language. “Do you...live very far from here?”

“A few blocks - it won’t take me long. Just hope none of those morons went that way and woke everyone up.” Sasuke sighs, rubbing at the rear of his neck. “M’gonna kill that idiot tomorrow…”

“I’m sure his godfather will already have words for him,” Hinata assures, giving a nervous smile.

“I’d hope so...but given his behavior, it doesn’t seem to be sinking in,” he scowls in reply. “You think he’d learn by now…” A pause, and then, “...but I guess I go along with it too. Think I need to adjust my priorities.”

An awkward silence then settles over them.

“...well, I...better go,” he then admits, glancing aside.

“Yeah...I think my dad went to bed, but he’d be pretty f-freaked out to see a boy in our backyard at this hour,” Hinata admits, giggling into a hand.

“Don’t worry, I’d tell him I wasn’t here to steal away his daughter,” Sasuke can’t help but sarcastically reply, earning another laugh.

“If anything, that would surprise him less,” she assures him.

“Oh really?”

“I’m not exactly, um...popular. This is a lot more likely than a boy sneaking in to see me.”

A brow perks. Seriously? She seems nice enough, and...he’ll admit, she’s sorta cute. Not that he’s really one to date, either. Mostly because he has the exact opposite problem, admittedly. “Hard as that is to believe...pretty sure he’d be pissed some random kid was in his yard at two on the morning, especially if he figures out I had cops on my ass. One of those ‘damn hooligans’, right?”

At his first words, Hinata goes a light shade of pink. “W-well...at least you’re not Naruto…?”

“Guilty by association, I’d bet.”

“M-maybe…”

Behind them, a light turns on in the second storey, and both turns look to it in surprise.

“Y-you better go!” Hinata insists, moving forward to shoo him toward a gate in the corner.

“All right, all right - maybe I’ll see y’around?”

“So long as it’s not this late,” she mutters in reply, earning a snort. “G-go!”

“I’m gone,” he assures her, giving a mock salute as she shuts it behind him.

“Hinata?” her father calls from the rear door.

“S-sorry! Uh...there was a racoon in the trash.”

“Don’t bother with that now, it’s late. Get inside and get to bed.”

“Coming!”

Listening as the door shuts behind her, Sasuke then looks up, watching until all the lights go off. Giving the street a glance, he finally finds it quiet. Well...time to head home and hope his dad isn’t gonna skin him alive. Naruto’s going to get his ass chewed out tomorrow...if he didn’t get caught, that is.

Sighing, he starts for home, sticking to the side roads to avoid being spotted. Well...at least he knows a good place to hide the next time Naruto gets him into trouble.

...maybe he wouldn’t mind it then.

                                                             .oOo.

     Well this is a lil rushed xD Busy day! But at least the prompt was actually pretty easy to come up with a story for. Poor Sasuke...always letting Naruto drag him into his shenanigans. But hey...at least he met a cute girl, right? ;3c      Anywhooo, I need sleep! Thanks for reading n_n

[anniejanuaryz]

For @lesbiansassemble femslash writing challenge!

Pairing: Valkyrie x Gamora

Warnings: swearing, violence

Word count: 3.861

Alone.

That’s all Valkyrie has ever been.

Sometimes, she has dreams. Dreams of other people, people loving and caring about her. But they are just that.

Dreams. Dumb, stupid, naïve dreams.

And yet – yet she never forgets them.

It’s like some cruel joke, like destiny is laughing at her.

Not that she believes in destiny. Destiny hurts innocent people – and well, if no one can protect them, then she will do it. Maybe a bit drunk and dazed, but hey – better than nothing.

Valkyrie knows that she’s not popular. Yes, she saves lives, but she is not particularly known for keeping the damage small. But hey, at least the people are still alive, right?

She’s on her usual stroll, going up and down the alcohol aisle at the supermarket, as if she would take something else than usual. The bell rings above the door; Valkyrie doesn’t even turn to look who it is. That is, until she hears the click of a gun.

“Really? It was supposed to be a chill night,” she mutters under her breath to herself before rounding the corner.

A badly disguised guy stands there, the gun held at the cashier.

“Hey dude, come on. That’s my favourite store.”

At her voice, the guy spins around. A second passes before he starts shooting at her.

She sighs, snipping one of the bullets aside and quickly stepping right in front of him. She yanks the gun out of his hands, grabs his collar and throws him into one of the shelves. Bottles fall to the floor around him, shards flying everywhere.

“Man, that was one of my favourite liquors,” Valkyrie says with a grimace, looking at the shards.

The guy looks at her with wide eyes, trying to get up, but slipping on the wet ground.

She gets closer to him and he visibly shakes, attempting to get away from her.

“Hey, come on, take my hand.”  

He keeps staring at her like a deer in the headlights, so she just pulls him up, brushing the shards of his coat.

“See? You’re alright.”

With one swift motion, she pulls the cap from his head and pushes him to the cashier. “He’s yours.”

She then takes the two bottles left on the shelf. “You’re welcome.”

Valkyrie has already one opened and at her lips while she leaves the store, leaving two very confused men behind.

At home, she lies in her bed, zapping through bad tv channels and sipping on the bottle. God, earth has shitty tv.

So she just accepts her fate and stares at the ceiling, closing her eyes.

Like so often, her mind begins to ponder her existence.

80 years. It’s been 80 years since she woke up in some hospital, not even able to remember her own name. However, everything hurt so much. Whenever she closes her eyes, she can still feel the pain, like someone cuts her from inside out.

And her head, god. Whenever she wants to look back at her past, further than 80 years, it’s like she hits a brick wall. She can’t tear it down, she can’t go around it. Heaven knows she tried.

Sometimes, she asks herself if maybe it’s good. Maybe her old life sucked.

But then, she thinks of her dreams with the faceless people, showering her with love. What if her old life was good? What if she fucked it up?

So she closes her eyes and lets herself be.

* * * * *

Humans are stupid.

They are petty and care about dumb stuff.

Like, when Valkyrie throws a car at a bad guy. Yeah, maybe the car is damaged, but she stopped him from killing someone. That must count for something, right?

So, she is not surprised at the angry shouts of people when she stops a train, destroying its goods in the process, from driving over a car. A car that some idiot parked right on the tracks.

And then she spins around as she hears a pissed off female voice. But for a change, it is not angry at her.

"For god's sake, Peter! You told us that you're able to drive a terra car!"

Valkyrie lays her eyes on the most beautiful woman she's ever seen. With green skin, black hair dipped in purple and dressed in leather. Her heart stops for a second before speeding up. Holy hell.

As if the woman can sense her heartbeat, she turns around.

For a second, a weird expression flashes over her face; but maybe that's just an illusion from the alcohol Valkyrie has had.

"It's not my fault that this car sucks!" a guy protests.

Only now Valkyrie's eyes take in the male speaker, gathered behind him a walking tree and a racoon.

She raises her brows. It only surprises her slightly; she's seen a lot in space.

The other people don't seem to share that sentiment. They all stare at the group in disbelief.

The green woman avoids her gaze. "Peter, thank her."

"What? She destroyed my car!"

"Uh, I actually destroyed it to save you, you ungrateful asshole," Valkyrie says, arms crossed.

"I am Groot," the tree states, looking at the racoon. Latter starts laughing while Peter turns around. "Woah, careful, Groot! Thin ice!"

The green woman sighs and looks to Valkyrie. "Thank you."

Valkyrie raises her chin a bit. "You're welcome. I guess the tree and racoon too." Then she turns to Peter. "You, however, I'll let die next time."

A small smirk hushes over the woman's face.

Peter snorts. "Gamora, come on, we're leaving."

Gamora.

The name feels weird, it makes Valkyrie's brain itch. Gamora.

Before she can say something, however, the weird gang vanishes.

A few of the crowd shout for the police, others murmur about aliens.

Valkyrie just takes a run-up, jumps and flies away.

* * * * *

The next time they meet, it is in the middle of a fight.

A fight right next to her favourite liquor store. Fate be damned.

The racoon is trying to pluck a police man’s eyes out; the tree tries to pull him off but fails; Peter screams and tries to get out of the hold of two other policemen; and Gamora – well, she just ko’d her two policemen and now watches Valkyrie with an indecipherable mien.

“What the fuck is going on?” Valkyrie asks, crossing her arms.

“These – people – broke – the – law,” one police man says in between sharp breaths, trying to keep Peter down.

“What law?”

“Breaking into a high-security faculty –“

“Not so high-secured, then,” Valkyrie interrupts and goes to the racoon, grabbing his arms and pulling him away with a swift motion; he scrabbles in her hold, cursing with some words she has never heard before. The policeman has scratches all over his face and looks at her thankfully.

She throws the racoon into Groot’s arms and goes over to Peter and Gamora.

“Care to explain?”

“Not really,” Peter says, attempting and failing to punch one of the policemen into the face.

Valkyrie turns to Gamora; again, she has this weird itching feeling in her brain and her heart’s speeding up. Goddamn this gorgeous woman.

“How about you?”

“We did not break the law,” Gamora explains, frowning. “We just wanted to borrow something.”

“Ha! You definitely spend too much time with Quill!” the racoon screams, laughing wildly.

“Borrow something. What for?”

“None of your business!” Quill interrupts, glaring at her.

“It is my business if you do it right next to my favourite liquor store.” The policemen look at her with raised brows. “Oh, and of course if you attack officers.”

Gamora looks at her, calculating. "Do you know how to repair a spaceship?"

Peter gasps audibly. "Gamora!"

Valkyrie smiles, which pisses him off even more. "I do, actually."

"No! I won't let her touch -"

"You prefer being stuck on Terra?" Gamora interrupts him.

Peter makes a face, but says: "Yes, I do."

"Oh, suck it up Quill," the racoon says, jumping down from Groot's shoulder, "I like her."

"I am Groot," Groot adds, nodding.

"Even you, Groot? Really?" Peter says, sounding highly insulted.

Valkyrie steps closer, still a smirk plastered on her face. “What do I get in return?”

“You can kick Quill’s ass,” the racoon says, grinning.

“You cannot kick his ass. We need him, Rocket,” Gamora says, but Valkyrie can read slight amusement in her eyes. Then she sighs, looking at Valkyrie. “How about some space alcohol? We should still have some.”

“Hey! That’s mine!” Rocket protests.

“Space alcohol, hm? Haven’t been in space for ten years.”

“Okay, she’ll get some if she can fix the ship,” Rocket says.

“Oh, when I’ll fix the ship,” Valkyrie answers with a smug smile.

* * * * *

It is harder than she imagined. She has no idea how they did it, but they managed to damage nearly all of the motor. How could they even land with this? But hey, she’s had worse. She can fix this.

Besides, she can watch Gamora out of the corners of her eyes. There is something about her – something special, something making her feel different, something making her – whole.

“Hey, we don’t pay you for staring at Gamora!” Quill says, frowning.

Valkyrie can’t hide a short flinch as she spins around. “You don’t pay me at all, shithead.”

He snorts and goes away.

Now she focuses on the motor again, inspecting it and checking the different parts of it.

“I thought it was the catalysator at first, but that didn’t change nothing.”

Valkyrie glances at Rocket shortly before nodding. “I think it is something smaller. Your arrangement is a whole mess. Probably some cable broke internally.”

Rocket kneels down next to her, not really convinced. “These are from Xandar, lady. Some of the best cables out there.”

Xandar.

Like someone turned on a switch in her head, she sees people, walking over a busy market place. A fountain. Herself, walking to said fountain, searching for something – someone, a smile on her face. But then it all vanishes again.

She blinks. And blinks.

Before Rocket can say something, she turns to him. “Do you have pics from Xandar?”

“What? From the cables?”

Valkyrie shakes her head, licking her lips. “No. Just … Xandar.”

“It’s just Xandar. A trash planet, if you ask me. All a bunch of stuck-ups.” But he presses something on the watch on his arm and pictures come flashing.

And again, she remembers something. Her smile vanishing as she finds a man in the crowd. She doesn’t know who it is. But he holds a necklace in his hand – a necklace very familiar to her. And it makes her so angry she attacks him. A fight ensues, and he shoves her against the fountain wall. She falls. And then it’s dark.

She gulps, closing her eyes. Okay. Deep breaths.

Xandar. Fountain. Necklace.

What the hell does that all mean? Are her memories coming back?

She feels like she is stared at. As she turns around, Gamora just vanishes into the forest.

Valkyrie rubs her head and then says to Rocket: “Okay, let’s fix this ship.”

* * * * *

The others check up on them from time to time, watching them working until Rocket tells them politely to fuck off.

When it begins to get dark, they take a break. Someone made a fire and they all sit around it.

Nobody told Valkyrie to go. So she stays.

Her eyes wander from her oily finger tips to Gamora and back again, not listening to the conversation.

“Right?”

She looks up, seeing everyone staring at her. “What?”

“I said that you know what you’re doing,” Rocket repeats himself, taking a big gulp of a bottle.

Quill watches her with squinted eyes. “Where did you learn ship repairing?”

Valkyrie shrugs, leaning back. “I don’t know.”

“What? How can you not know?” Quill says, frowning.

“Well, I don’t remember is more fitting, I guess.”

Now they really all stare at her.

Valkyrie sighs, rolling her eyes. “I woke up 80 years ago on Sakaar with no memories but my own name.” She tries to say it non-chalantly, inspecting her nails, but even she can hear the slight hardness of her words.

“What the hell is Sakaar?”

Of course Quill would say something.

When she looks back up again, all are facing her – all but Gamora.

“It’s a dump planet. Many wormholes lead there.”

“Did something come back? When you saw pictures of Xandar?” Rocket asks.

Gamora seems to flinch slightly at the mention of Xandar.

Only now Valkyrie notices that Gamora is wearing a necklace; it’s mostly hidden underneath her shirt, but it’s there. A necklace …

She fixates on the other woman while saying “yes, I did”.

Maybe Gamora knows something. Maybe all the things Valkyrie thought she had imagined weren’t her imagination at all. Maybe Gamora is acting weird around her because she knows her.

Right as she wants to say something, Gamora abruptly stands up.

“I’m going to bed,” she says and promptly vanishes.

“Ha! She can’t stand you either!” Quill says, crossing his arms.

Valkyrie ignores him, getting up and following Gamora.

“I hope Gamora kills her.”

“I am Groot!”

“Shut up, Groot.”

Inside, the ship is bigger than she thought. She follows the sound of someone walking until she reaches a room.

Gamora stands in it, back to her. “What do you want?”

“You know me,” Valkyrie says, matter-of-factly.

“Why should I?”

“Because you’re still not looking me in the eyes and telling me the truth.”

Gamora turns around, eyebrows raised. “I don’t know you.”

“You’re lying.” Valkyrie steps closer. “And trust me, I have experience with lies.”

“Why should I lie?”

Valkyrie ignores her evasive question and points at the necklace. “Care to show me that?”

Gamora grabs for it. “Actually, yes.”

As Valkyrie reaches for the necklace, Gamora steps back and simultaneously grabs her sword, holding it under Valkyrie’s chin.

“Don’t you dare.”

Valkyrie only smirks. “I was never good at following orders.”

She ducks away under the sword, twisting Gamora’s arm so she must let go of it and reaching for the necklace.

What she didn’t think of was Gamora being equally fast.

Valkyrie gets a knee to her nose and stumbles back, blood dripping over her lips.

She huffs, wiping it away, her combativeness coming out.

It’s like Gamora can predict her every move; she blocks all of them with an easiness that pisses Valkyrie off.

She tries to throw Gamora over her shoulder, but instead they both fall hard on the ground, breathing quickly.

“You definitely know my fighting style,” Valkyrie says, rubbing her aching back.

Gamora smirks for a second before her expression gets serious again. “I should have known that this would happen.”

“What do you – hey! Where did you get that?”

During the fall, the necklace came out; it’s the same Valkyrie saw earlier in her own head in the hands of this man.

Gamora sighs and closes her eyes. “You gave it to me.”

“I – I’ve never met you before, that’s –“

“You did. You did, multiple times.” There’s a strain in Gamora’s voice that makes Valkyrie’s heart ache.

“I knew you. Before I lost my memories,” Valkyrie whispers, staring at the necklace.

“You didn’t just know me, Val.”

Val.

She closes her eyes as another wave of memories wash over her. Her and Gamora, fighting side by side against enemies. Her and Gamora, lying in a bed together, whispering careless things into each other’s ear and smiling. Her and Gamora, intertwining hands, kissing each other senseless. Her and Gamora.

Gamora.

When she opens them again, she can feel tears prick in her eyes. “We were together. I loved you. Right?”

“When you woke up at Sakaar, you didn’t remember me. You didn’t remember anything we had. So I thought it was for the best –“

“To leave me to rot? To leave me not knowing who I am, desperate and sad, all alone?”

“You don’t understand! They found us, again and again and again. I did it to protect you!”

“Who found us?” Valkyrie sits up, the memory of the man coming up in her head again.

“I –“

Gamora’s interrupted by a loud scream outside and then the firing of blasters. Her eyes grow wide in fear. “They found us again.”

Valkyrie jumps up, shaking her head. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

Gamora grabs her wrist before she can storm out. “Neither will I.”

They run outside to join the fight.

As soon as they fight side by side, it is as if they were never apart; their moves are swift, fast and precise, holding each other’s back free.

That is, until Valkyrie spots the man – the one who had Gamora’s necklace, who threw her against the fountain. She balls her hands into fists and leaps at him.

He pushes her back with easiness, an ugly smile plastered on his face.

It makes her insides burn with rage.

He will not take Gamora from her again. No one will.

“Val, no!”

She grabs the dagger out of her boot, throwing at him with a force that makes it nearly impossible to see it.

He catches it, a few inches away from his heart and snarls.

As she wants to leap at him again, he catches her mid-air around her neck; she gasps for air.

“Foolish of you to try this again,” he says.

Valkyrie tries to remove his hands from her neck, struggling to breathe.

“I thought that maybe you’d learnt.”

She smirks while watching Gamora approach from behind and says: “I’m not the type that learns.”

Gamora slides between his legs, striking his inner knee with a hard motion. He screams and stumbles a bit, giving Valkyrie the time to wrestle herself free of his grip.

She catches the sword from Gamora and rams it through his chest. “Foolish of you to try this again,” she says, digging it even deeper in until all she hears are his pained cries.

Valkyrie watches the life fade from his eyes, and only then pulls the sword out again. He falls to the ground, motionless. Dead.

She turns around to Gamora, relief on her face, a tired smile tucking at her lips.

“No, Val,” Gamora gasps.

Only now Valkyrie looks down; the man stabbed her in the stomach with her own dagger.

Her mouth forms an ‘o’ as her knees give in.

Gamora is on her side in a matter of seconds.

“This will heal. I had worse,” Valkyrie says, pulling it out with gritted teeth.

She can’t remember the last time something hurt her that much.

Gamora shakes her head, tears in her eyes. “It won’t heal like you’re used to.”

Valkyrie groans as the pain doesn’t fade and only becomes stronger. This can’t happen. Not just with a dagger, not with –

“The longer we spend time together, the less powerful we become. The more mortal we become,” Gamora says, her voice shaking a bit. She presses her hands down on the wound.

Valkyrie hisses through her teeth. “W-what?”

“We are made in pairs and when we find each other, we – Val, stay with me.”

Valkyrie forces her eyes to stay open, but it seems like they function on their own will.

“Val, please. Don’t do that to me. Not again. Not like this. You are my soulmate. Please. Val!”

She fights against it, fights against the darkness, fights against herself. She loses.

Everything goes dark.

* * * * *

Valkyrie wakes up to a steady beeping next to her.

Everything hurts.

She groans and opens her eyes; a white ceiling stares back at her.

She turns her head, looking around a room; a hospital …

With a confused mien she frisks her body until she finds it: a scar on her abdomen.

She touches it carefully; what the –

And then her memories come again; the fight, the dagger – Gamora.

Valkyrie sits up quickly – a bit too quickly, she realizes, as everything begins to spin shortly.

Is she alone? Again? Did Gamora leave with the others? Did she –

A soft knock on the door startles her out of her thoughts.

Gamora stands in the door, looking slightly awkward with a bouquet in her hands. “Hey.”

“You didn’t leave me,” Valkyrie says, confused.

“No. Never again. Promise.” She comes closer and helplessly holds out the flowers. “For you.”

Valkyrie huffs and takes them, shaking her head. “Where’d you get that idea from?”

“Quill said that’s custom on earth, I thought –“ She gets startled by Valkyrie’s laugh and stops talking.

“You’re taking dating advice from that idiot?”

A smile starts to creep on Gamora’s lips. “He can have good ideas, sometimes.”

Valkyrie stands up, putting the flowers on the bed; now they only stand inches apart from each other.

Valkyrie notices that Gamora is a bit taller; she also notices that there is a strand of hair right in her eye. Her hand itches to brush it away.

And then she remembers – she can do that. So she does.

Gamora’s smile softens, her head leaning against Valkyrie’s hand.

“Hey,” Valkyrie whispers, brushing with her thumb over Gamora’s skin.

“Hey.”

And then they kiss. It feels like they’ve always done this, their lips finding each other with ease, brushing, biting, moaning.

They pull apart and both start to laugh, breathless.

“I’ve missed this,” Gamora says, leaning her forehead against hers.

“You could have had it all the time,” Valkyrie teases, just grinning when Gamora rolls her eyes.

But then Gamora gets serious. “You know that this wasn’t the end, right? My father’s men will still hunt us.”

Valkyrie shrugs. “They can sure try.”

They sit down on the bed, holding hand, leaning against each other.

“You know, we can visit your friends.”

“I had friends?” Valkyrie asks in disbelief.

“Of course you had, Val. Thor and Loki.” She notices the look of confusion on Valkyrie’s face. “Remember? The muscly guy with the hammer and his annoying emo brother.”

Valkyrie can’t help but laugh. “These definitely sound like my kinda friends, huh?”

“The guardians will bring us there.”

“Guardians?”

“That’s what we call our group,” Gamora says, making a face. “We split the group for a mission; ours got stuck on Terra, as you know.”

“There is more of them?”

Gamora can’t hide her grin. “Yes; Drax, Mantis and my sister, Nebula. You might remember her? Blue, always pissed off?”

“She sounds nice,” Valkyrie says.

Gamora leans her head on her shoulder, taking Valkyrie’s hand and brushing her lips against the skin. “I like you a lot.”

“I know.” Valkyrie presses a kiss on Gamora’s forehead, closing her eyes. “I like you a lot too. But hey, from now on, we have all the time in the world, right?”

Gamora just rolls her eyes and shuts her up with a kiss.

Valkyrie closes her eyes and lets herself feel the moment; because this moment, this here, is all hers and hers alone.