#do kids wear watches? i was thinking compass cause he's in the woods and it seems strange to me for a little boy to wear a watch every day

[parme-san]

is the little tiny thing around kamp koral spongebob's wrist a watch or a compass

[slashingdisneypasta]

Human!Freddy Krueger x Fem!Reader || Oneshot

Title: What The Fuck Now, Freddy!?

Notes:

This is not inherently romantic, at all. Or sexual. Just... Freddy being a bastard, and you are caught in the crosshairs- and are forever linked with him because of it.

I've been listening to Lizzie, a lot lately- and this is inspired by 'What The Fuck Now, Lizzie!?'

Also- I'm thinking this will have a part 2. Due to the ending not being quite enough. Maybe a part for the court proceedings!

Plot: Many will know the story of that terrible day Krueger essentially snapped- killing his wife, Loretta Krueger. She saw the basement, they say, and he didn't like that. Their daughter saw the whole thing and suffered a traumatic response to seeing the sight of her mother, strangled to death, by her father- and forgot the whole thing.

But if she were to remember something, one day.

She may remember something no one knows about that day, aside from Freddy himself.

She may remember, that someone else was there.

She may remember you.

//

Alternatively- you're being blackmailed by Freddy who found out you, another supposedly Plain Jane in Loretta's 'mothers club', is cheating on your husband and calls you up to help deal with the mess he made. Because who else did he have?

Warnings: Okay lemme see, its basically a potluck of triggers. Hm. Murder, swearing, cheating (You, on your husband. Not with Freddy), getting rid of a body, a child gets traumatised (Obviously, Kathy/Maggie), Freddy himself, mention of the basement and all that entails, reader with a very questionable moral compass. Look, I think if you can watch Freddy's Dead, you're good here.

I'm just heading out the door, to go grocery shopping - or, at least, that's the story I tell my husband. When really I don't do the grocery shop until the day after tomorrow. He never notices... - when the phone rings. By very nearly tripping over my feet in my endeavour to catch it before the ringing stops, I manage pick up the phone with very little injury besides an achy, slightly twisted ankle. "Hi! Hi, sorry, I'm here. Hello?"

Pouting, I sit down at the kitchen table; Rubbing my poor ankle to sooth the pain, which would soon diminish anyway. Still- I'm sorry, ankle. I'll try to chill.

When the voice on the other end reveals who it is who's called the house, I lose all need to be pleasant. Damn. I really need to memorise this goddamn number... so I can not answer it. "Whatcha wearin'?"

"Thank god Harrison didn't answer this, you fuck." I deeply roll my eyes. Thank god Har's out. No, this is not my mister, not the man I was going to meet just now- but its bad, enough. In an entirely different way. Its stupid, blackmailing, son of a... hundred maniacs. "What do you want?"

"What a way to answer the phone, Y/N. Gee, seems like every time I we talk, I'm learning how you really aren't in the right place, are you? Cheating on your poor husband, swearing... These aren't really signs of the perfect suburban house wife, is it?" Gritting my teeth, I keep from lashing out. I've learned, if you stay real quiet, Freddy wont have anything to pull from and will get bored quick. "Why so silent, hm?"

"... " Oh, fuck me. I cant help it. "Wondering where you get off judging me on being 'suburban', actually."

"Anywhere I like, thanks."

Oh... oh. Gross?

He doesn't see the disgust tearing my face into two perfect halves right now, but my silence must be enough as he laughs. The sound is directly into the phone, and harsh on my poor eardrums. Ugh... "Oh for gods sake... What are we? Fourteen years old?? Come on- why'd you call?"

"Uhhhh... " Quickly, midway through that drawn out 'um' sound, Freddy's voice transitions, and gets a whole lot darker. Something deep in his chest dislodging, to make it so. Perhaps, his heart. "Well... you might wanna come and see for yourself."

"Uh, I don't think so. I have somewhere to be right now- "

"Oh well you don't, anymore." And its clear what he isn't saying- or else I'll tell Harrison about Carter and set your life on fire. "Tell your boy toy you're takin' a reign check for the day. I think you'll last. In fact... after you come over here, you might be out of the game for a couple a hours at least- maybe days."

Hold on, hold on Freddy what the fuck- "What!?"

"... Believe it or not, I didn't actually mean for that one."

Moron.

~

Nevertheless, no matter how just... off setting, Freddy is, I had to when he asked. I had to jump when he said so.

Because if not, then he would tear my life apart.

So here I am, about to knock on that big red door he lives behind, wondering what I'm walking into. Where's Loretta? Where's Kathy? How long will the visit be? I told Carter I'd be an hour or two late- any longer and I wont see him at all today. Which would absolutely suck.

Just after my knuckles come down on the wood the first time, a hand comes down on my shoulder and I immediately jump out of my skin... then slowly look around.

There's Freddy, a cheeky grin on his face. It does nothing to set my nerves at ease. "Ugh... Why are you out here?"

"We're going to the backyard. Lets go." Taking me by the shoulders, he marches me around the side of the house, instead of through it for some reason, and into the familiar backyard. I've been here numerous times, as Loretta likes to hold our club meetings here - Barbecue's, tea's... that sort of thing. Just to let the kids play together and so the adults can enjoy some adult conversation. Its a nice yard... but depending on what her horrid husband is about to show me, it may not be considered as such anymore... - , but I'm now starting to develop a sick feeling in my stomach.

Honestly- I don't know much about Freddy at all. Yes, I went to school with him, but that doesn't mean much when he was a freaky loner kid the whole time. I remember he killed the class hamster once- that's about the only splash he ever made in the news pool; But it definitely stuck.

Yes, Loretta cleaned up his image a fair bit since getting married, but now he's blackmailing me, and as far as I know I'm now alone with him.

Suspicious of him suddenly, I slip out of his grip with a dirty look flashed his way. Don't touch me.

He just rolls his eyes, leading me around some hedges.

And then everything stops.

Him, me, the air; The air around me, the breeze, the breath in my throat.

There lays Loretta, on the ground. If I was really really naïve, I could imagine she were sleeping... or passed out, at least, due to the way she's sprawled out. No one would lay down like that willingly.

But... her eyes are open.

For a moment I'm tempted to kneel down; Take a closer look. Find out how, myself. Is she bleeding anywhere that I cant see now? Are her lips turning blue? If I moved some short red hair out of the way- would their be marks on her neck yet?

But then I come to my senses...

And freak. The fuck. O u t.

"What, the fuck, did you do!?" I whip around, looking at Freddy now which entirely new eyes. I mean, before I sure wasn't fond- but now I'm filled with something new, looking at him. Something a lot worse, something that makes me want to run. Run, and hide, and stay there.

And all these, even though he hasn't really changed. He still wears a mischievous smirk, stony blue eyes eating up my reactions... like always. But this time its just so so much worse. "Made some dead weight- now you're gonna help me get rid of it. So!" Finally, though its been only a matter of seconds, he turns his gaze off of me and I'm glad. That gaze is far too heavy. "Ideas?"

Only for a moment am I lost for words, struggling to push anything out. "I... I'm sorry??"

His gaze returns to mine, but this time my eyes are hard as his are dark. "Help. Me. Get rid of her. Fucking. Body. Or do you want your dirty laundry aired for the whole community to hear?"

Before I can help myself, I let out a sharp laugh, only succeeding in making Freddy's scowl deeper. "Freddy- this secret's a lot bigger, then mine. Sure, I might get divorced- but you're going to prison!" Does he get that? He's g o i n g to j a i l. Crossing my arms, I try to avoid looking at my ex-friend's body. I cant. "I'm sure as hell not gonna be in there with you, for being an accomplice."

I really cant look at her... I can only focus on Freddy. And that takes a lot of energy- its taking everything in me, in fact. Everything I have. But I have to. If its him or her, there's no choice.

But... then a creepy smile spreads across his face- a vast polarity to the frustrated glower of before. It makes my blood run cold.

"Ohhhh..." He looks almost ferocious, even in his composed state. Like a monster. Like any moment a fanged, inhuman creature is going to burst out of him and I'm going to wake up, and this will have been a nightmare. A horrible nightmare. The kind where that creature haunts me for a long time, after its over. After this over.

He's going to haunt me.

"You must think this is my first time... " My heart turns to ice, mouth hanging a little open... what the fuck have I found myself a part of!? Suddenly all the children's disappearances on the news lately come to the forefront of my brain... "Sweetheart, give a man his dues. I'm a hard working kinda guy... " I watch his gaze flicker to a door - the back door? No... The basement door, - and when a filthy smirk pulls at his mouth, my heart flies up into my throat. God, it makes me feel sick. I want to be violently ill. "My first was my adoptive Dad... pretty sick, huh?"

The fact that he didn't say anything about the basement, makes my imagination go wild. I swallow it down, though.

I just need to get out of here, and never think about this again.

And to do that I need to help Freddy get rid of this goddamn body- and... probably... testify at court... As the panic starts to finally rise up in my, right up to fill my throat, I immediately take in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Okay... " No time to freak out. Now's the time for action.

Gaze flickering to Loretta again, I try to acclimatise to the sight. I think its a lost cause, though. "How did you get rid of him? Your Dad?"

"No, that's not gonna work. He was a drunk dead beat, and I just had to tell the police some guy's he owed money to came over to the house." Freddy grins happily at the memory, but then just as quickly, scowls at his poor deceased wife's body- that certainly cant fight back. I just tack this onto the long list of reasons I hate him. "Lore's such a goddamn goody goody- we cant do the same thing. You don't think I woulda thought of that??"

"Hey." I snap, hands braced on my hips as I flash a glare his way. "This is not the time to get defensive!"

"Whatever... "

Then- suddenly, something occurs to me. Confused, I look around; A deeply horrified feeling disturbing my stomach. "Hold on... Where's your daughter?" Seeing no sign of her anywhere, I definitely start to panic again- especially when I look to Freddy and just see a pert look in his eyes as he looks back at me, a smile that strikes something horrid inside me. My eyes narrow. "You sick fuck- where the fuck is she!??"

"Under the bed."

"What the fuck does that mean!?" I exclaim, frustrated and freaking out. He did not- he did not! Killing your spouse is one thing, but the kid?? Your own kid??

I don't wait around for him to be cryptic some more, and rush right into the house to look for her. Under the bed, under the bed, under the fucking bed...? Which fucking bed!? Forcing ferocity out of my voice, I carefully call out to Kathy. Hoping to god she answers. I try to sound normal. Maybe a little bit cheerful; Excited.

But my voice wobbles.

"Kathy?? Sweetheart, its Y/N! Are you hiding? I have something for you... " ?? You have something for her, Y/N?? God... now you have to figure out some kind of treat.

You know what? Whatever. We'll figure that out later.

Lets just hope we aren't searching for a corpse. I'd definitely be sick, seeing a child... the way Loretta is...

Shaking my head and clenching my fists, I try to focus on Kathy.

I check under the bed in the guest room because it comes into view first and she isn't there, then her bedroom and she isn't there either... and get a sick feeling as soon as I enter the last bedroom. Freddy's and Loretta's.

God, I've never been in here before but its like a museum peace now. A horrible one. Like if you would walk into the Titanic... or the Borden house.

"Kathy? You in here?" Flicking on the light I kneel down on the ground, and check under the bed.

And something immediately crashes over me, as the sight of her covering her eyes down there. It isn't exactly relief, because this whole situation is still phenomenally fucked up for her, but I am selfishly glad to not have to see her body... crumpled, just like her mother.

"Hey sweetheart," My voice quivers slightly now, but I quickly swallow. No. No. Now, you must be strong Y/N. "Its just me. Your Daddy was looking for you, and couldn't find you! It got him worried!"

"I... I don't wanna see Daddy. He hurt Mommy." Kathy doesn't remove her hands from her face, and stays firmly by the wall- too far away for anyone to grab. My heart sinks.

Slowly straightening up again, I try to take that piece of information in. Turning to the doorway, I see Freddy there. he must have followed me. I didn't even notice. Slowly, and quietly ferociously, I say; "She saw?!"

He has the good sense to look embarrassed, even if it is just to make fun of me. "It was spur of the moment... " He shrugs. "I didn't have time to get a babysitter!"

What a fucking excuse. For gods sake.

I'm definitely dealing with a psycho- if that was even a question before now.

Swiftly, I look down under the bed again, because I'm afraid that if I continue to engage with him- I'll scream, and I'll lose my breath, and I'll scare Kathy even more. She's at the forefront of my mind; That's all I can think about.

But what to do with her after I get her out from under this bed, I don't know. I cant give her back to her father... but I cant hand her over to the police either because that would involve telling them about Loretta, and... Freddy will definitely kill me, for that.

This is a nightmare of a situation.

I'm just opening my mouth to say something - what, I don't know yet, - when she speaks, instead. "Is he there?"

"... Yes." I wont lie to her; That would be treating her with not nearly as much respect as she deserves.

When she takes a deep breath and rubs her eyes, as if just trying to keep herself together, my heart clenches. God... and to think I might not have picks up Freddy's call today. I would have been leaving her with this. For the first time today, I'm morbidly glad I came.

She speaks in that loud, hissy way that kids think is a whisper. "Can he... can you please make him go away?"

Immediately I straighten back up and look to Freddy again, my eyebrows raised halfway up my forehead. Like well? "Get out."

"I don't think you're in a position to make demands here, bi- "

"Do you want Kathy to live down there now!??" I snap, trying not to be scared. Not really feeling scared, actually. Just happy to have a reason to tell him to get the hell away from me.

A deep frown creases his mouth, deeply unhappy about the situation, but steps back. I only hear him step out of the way of the door, but its good enough. Quickly, I get up and close the door - fighting with myself not to slam it, - and lock it.

Then I return to the floor, and see this time Kathy has uncovered her eyes. She looks so small, smaller then she actually is, and she looks like she's shaking. Little red bows and piggy tails in her hair are messy from crawling under the bed. "He's gone, sweetheart. And I locked the door."

She just nods, so I take the silence as a chance to offer my hand to her. "Take my hand, sweetie? Come on out from under the bed. Its cold down there, and no one wants you getting sick." I need to upkeep the family friend bit, I need to sound caring and collected. I need her to trust me.

Her big eyes, not Loretta's colour or Freddy's, look nervous as hell. And she shakes her head.

Taking a deep breath, and I conjure all the sincerity as I can. And mean it. My eyes soften and I try really hard, to resent myself as someone trustworthy- which is hard, seeing as I've never really been that. I mean, I'm cheating on my husband. I told Carter today the same lie I told Harrison when i knew I was going to be late. The only person I think who knows the truth behind all my lies is Freddy. That says something about a person, that the only person who knows them is a psychopath.

But I want to, I need to, be good for this little girl. And there's no time for me turn my life around so it has to start with this. How fucked is that?

"... I promise, I'll take care of you. He wont hurt you."

After a few whole minutes, in which I stay silent because yes she's a child, but she's still thinking, she crawls over and takes my hand, letting me lead her out. Crawling into my lap as I cross my legs under her, she buries her face in my shirt- hiding. "You promise?"

Taking a deep breath, because I've really done it now, I offer my pinky for her to see if she turned her head. I know Freddy's listening to all of this through the wall, but I try not to freak out. "Pinky swear?"

"Pinky swear." She peaks out from my shirt, and curls her little finger around mine. Okay... "Y/N... I'm scared."

"Yeah... Me too, sweetie."

What am I going to do?

[aangs-surrounding-love]

My take on Aang’s trauma:

Alrighty everyone this is going to be a long one. I’ll do my best to only include the more important parts of Aang’s actions that I think reflect his trauma. Also, moments that I think reflect his trauma. Actually, I don’t really know if I can directly categorize this post but let’s just say this is very Aang-centric and somewhat of Aang-defense. Aang-protection? Feh-I’ll start.

In season 1 episode 1: The Boy In The Iceberg we see that Aang is briefly told that no one has seen an airbender in 100 years. We can see a tiny bit of shock but what happens next is that the topic is dissed and they move on. Aang doesn’t yet know what happened. But that small little face of shock and confusion always gets me.

Season 1 Episode 2: When Aang finds out he was stuck for 100 years, a war broke out, and his people were very likely killed, he looks on the bright side and looks to Katara saying, “I did get to meet you.”

When they find out he’s the avatar everyone is like, no wayyyy. He still offers himself up to protect the tribe.

Why didn’t he tell them? “Because I never wanted to be” is 100% a valid answer. He was scared. He thought that they’d push him away as his friends did at the temple. Or maybe send him away like the leaders wanted to do to him. (Although Sokka did banish Aang, it wasn’t because of his title and because he put the tribe at risk so it doesn’t exactly count)

Season 1 episode 3: The Southern Airtemple. “We’re home, buddy. We’re home.” Aang says to Appa. Something about this seems like a nostalgic moment. He left on bad terms and now he’s back seeing it 100 years later, hopeful.

He looks for all the old things that made him happy. Air ball, Gyatso’s statue, searching for people. (The little fruit pie flash-back)

He goes to the statue room and looks for answers. He meets Momo. However, when Aang and Sokka start chasing Momo I see Aang tearing up when he’s jumping down the cliffside. My take on this isn’t because he’s falling down at such a velocity that he starts crying, my take is that it’s because it’s his first chance to reveal that there’s hope that some of the Air Nation survived and that Aang isn’t alone.

Aang discovers Gyatso’s skeleton and goes into the Avatar State. His major hopes have been diminished.

He says to Momo, “You, me, and Appa, we’re that’s left of this place now. We have to stick together.” It’s so sad. They’re the only parts of the Air Nation that are alive. They don’t have anything left of the air nation and that’s why they need each other; they need to stay together.

At the closing of the episode, we see Aang and Momo flying away from the temple on Appa. Aang's face is so somber like he’s watching his happy memories diminish. Like the nostalgia being wiped away directly in front of him.

Season 1 Episode 5: The King of Omashu. This one is more of fine detail, but to me, it’s still very important and needs to be mentioned more. At the end of the episode, when Aang figures out it was Bumi, his old friend, you can see little tears welling in his eyelids. My understanding makes me think that Aang was tearing up because he sees someone who isn’t dead. The tears are of relief because to Aang, maybe not everyone is gone. His childhood isn’t over, Aang can still be a kid. Because the reason Gyatso was protecting Aang was that he wanted Aang to have a childhood. Although it was stripped away, this gave Aang another chance to have fun intentionally. Another sign that his childhood isn’t completely over.

Season 1 episodes 7-8: Winter Solstice Part 1: The Spirit World and Winter Solstice Part 2: Avatar Roku. In the first part, we meet a village. Aang tries to help them by saying, “I have to try” my legendary overthinking and analysis makes me believe that Aang truly wants to help these people already, but also that as the Avatar he wants to make up for the lost time he was stuck. He feels the burden he afflicted on the world.

His ability to relate to Hei Bai. Aang felt terrible about the woods and trees that were burnt down. It’s the empathy the made Hei Bai Aang’s friend. The compassion that Aang brings is truly amazing.

Part 2: Avatar Roku. Okay, so he wants to go alone because he doesn’t want Katara or Sokka to get hurt. My take on this is not only are they friends, but he also doesn’t want another one of his actions affecting the casualties of the war.

Season 1 Episode 12: The Storm. This episode is great. We get his backstory. We see why he ran away. We see what causes him to get stuck. And we get to see him upset. We see his guilt. “My people needed me, and I wasn’t there to help.” Followed by, “the WORLD needed me, and I wasn’t there to help.”

“How could they do that to me? They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I’ve ever loved!” This quote digs deep. Not only is Aang angry, but this takes a play on how he reacts to people and how he responds to people. He wanted to be a normal kid. (I’ll bring this back later)

Earlier in this episode, there’s this fisherman who was blaming him, so I’m in the cave Aang says, “the fisherman was right. I DID turn my back on the world.” He knows what he did was wrong and he saw the consequences. He ran away, and now that he faced the consequences, he actively wants to change and become better. He’s learning from his actions.

Season 1 episode 13: The Blue Spirt. Admiral Zhao says to Aang, “tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left? Do you miss your people?” Not only is this said in such a vile, evil way, we see Aang’s face which changes from being angry and upset with Adm. Zhao, we see that it changes to ashamed and guilt ridden. Actually, it kinda looks like Aang wanted to talk back to him, but he needed a moment. He needed that moment to take in what Zhao said.

Aang finds out that the Blue Spirit (the person wearing the mask) is Zuko. Aang was going to leave him there, to get caught by Admiral Zhao, but Aang instead takes him to safety. And may I mention that Aang made him a little leaf bed? Anyway, he stays with Zuko until he wakes up. Aang was talking about they could be friends and that one of his best friends was from the Fire Nation. I think not leaving Zuko behind shows both how Aang does his best to no longer leave people behind and to try to bring the best out of Zuko.

Season 1 episode 15: Bato of the Water Tribe. Aang takes the map to guide them to Hakoda for himself out of fear that Sokka and Katara would leave him. Though it was a bad decision, the thing is he didn’t think he could handle being alone. He was alone enough as it is. His people were gone and his friends (excluding Bumi) were gone or dead as well. So having to trek to the NWT alone would be a continuous reflection of his actions and would likely send him down on a more hateful path.

Season 1 Episode 16: The Deserter. Aang wants to learn the elements as fast as possible, even if it means doing it irregularly. He also is unsure whether he’ll ever get the chance to learn firebending again after he learns the other elements. So he starts to learn firebending from Jeong Jeong. He wants to make up for lost time which is another reason for this decision.

He hurts Katara and becomes afraid of handling fire and vows to be more careful with it in the future. (I will bring this up again later)

Season 1 Episode 17: The Northern Air temple. Aang sees that the northern Air temple became inhabited by people and they built pipes and other things that ruined the temple. They destroyed the temple and there wasn’t anything left that remained the same. When he saw the wrecking ball machine, he rightfully knocked it away for “destroying something sacred”. It was the last place that remained unaffected by modernization and industrialization then it was knocked over, right in front of him. So my take on this is a question within itself: if you loved something that was deeply close to you like a relic, something important, something that’s the only thing left of your family, got destroyed right in front of you, how would you feel? The answer would probably be pretty freaking upset.

Season 1 episode 19: The Siege of the North: part 1. Starting with part 1, the fire nation comes to the northern water tribe and the fight begins. Before the fight begins, Aang says, “I wasn’t there when the Fire Nation attacked my people. I’m going to make a difference this time.” He wants what’s best for the world, he’s going to stay. He isn’t going to run this time, he’s going to fight of the sake for the world, for the sake of the future. Still, the look on his face when he says that, it’s guilt plastered all over. The guilt is also shown with a determination to make his difference.

Aang flies out on Appa to try to prevent further damage by taking out a few ships. He returns around sunset, exhausted and somewhat defeated. He says, “I’m just one kid” then buries his face in between his legs. He’s right, he is one kid. The avatar, yes, a kid, yes. I have a feeling he’d be thinking about how massively overwhelmed his people were when the Fire Nation attacked. With the power of 500 suns, it would be disastrous. And with this, there are hundreds of ships in that fleet with hundreds more men, ready to fight.

Season 1 episode 20: The Siege of the North: Part 2. Aang returns to the spirit oasis and enters the avatar state saying, “No... It’s not over” he won’t give up on the tribe. He won’t let the Fire Nation win. Still, he isn’t running away, he chose to return to the Spirit Oasis to try to save the spirits.

Season 2 episode 1: The Avatar State. Aang’s told by General Fung that he could defeat the Fire Nation using the Avatar State. Gen. Fung manipulates Aang using Aang’s own guilt and faults to get him to try to train to turn the Avatar State on. Gen. Fung shows Aang the wounded to get him to join.

Initially, Aang doesn’t join. But he changes his mind upon further debate. During the training (well after a day of training) Katara and Aang have a long conversation about it. First, Katara tries to convince him to stop training to turn the Avatar State on but Aang refuses. Katara says, “I don’t understand.” Aang replied, “No, you don’t. Every day, more and more people die. I’m already 100 years late.” Aang’s own guilt is driving him to pursue helping everyone. Even though it wasn’t the right decision, he realizes that he needs to try everything he can to save the world.

Season 2 Episode 3: Return to Omashu. I already did my take away on Aang’s trauma for “The King of Omashu” but this will make my point stronger. Anyway, to the point. Aang goes to Bumi to learn earthbending. His old friend, the mad genius. When he arrives at Omashu, Katara, Sokka, and Aang see that Omashu was conquered by the Fire Nation. Despite Sokka trying to convince Aang to turn around, saying that there are other teachers, Aang shuts both of them down. He wants to rescue Bumi. Not only because he’s his best friend, but I think it’s the added reasons of impending guilt that he receives from leaving the Air Nation to fight on their own, and always wanting to protect his friends.

Season 2 episode 10: The Library. By goodness. Beginning of the episode. Aang is “making an orchestra”. My little headcanon is that all airbenders play an instrument and Aang chose the flute. Anyway, in this headcanon, the air nomads had a band that Aang loved to participate in. Just a little reminder he can’t be in a band surrounded by his people and wanted to make an orchestra on his own to feel happy like he would if he was around the Air Nomads.

Professor Zei calling Aang a relic. Just... terrible. That’s what he, his people, his culture surmounted to. Only a relic. An episode in time.

“We had no choice. Please. We’re desperate to protect the people we love.” This is what Aang says to Wan Shi Tong after the spirit’s anger about using the library to win a war. Aang is trying to protect the world and whoever he has left in the world. His people died. His friends before the war excluding Bumi are dead. Now all he has are his current friends, Appa, and Momo. That’s all he has left and he’s going to do anything to protect them.

Appa gets taken away. That’s it. They exit the sinking library. “Where’s Appa?” Aang asks Toph in confusion. As Toph shakes her head, humming, “mmm-mmm” Aang’s face looks so scared, so hurt. This is his best friend, his life partner to the death. His closest friend, even before the war. They have an inseparable bond and then Appa’s taken away from Aang. Aang doesn’t know if he’s alright, one of the three surviving members of the Air Nomads.

Season 2 Episode 11: The Desert. Aang is so hurt that he lashes out at Toph. His best friend and life partner were stripped from him. I could feel the pain and anger in his voice.

“I’m going to find Appa.” Aang flies away to search on his glider. Again, one of the last surviving members of the Air Nomads is gone. I will elaborate in others.

“APPA!” He calls out. He begins to tear up but sucks it down. “No... No!!!” He creates the gush of air at the ground, making the sand rise up. The complete anger is apparent.

“I’m sorry, OK? it’s a desert cloud. I did all I could.” Aang is left angry and lashes out at everyone. Aang blames Toph at first but it goes deeper than that. If Aang hadn’t gone inside, Appa could’ve been with him. Everyone could’ve gotten out of the desert.

Momo gets carried by a Buzzard-wasp. “I’m not losing anyone else out here.” If Momo was taken away that makes Aang the only one left. He’d be completely alone. And he would only have himself to blame. If he hadn’t run away... if he hadn’t gone inside the library... if he hadn’t chased and knocked the buzzard wasp down. But luckily, Aang gets Momo back.

Aang finds out that the sand benders he encountered were the ones who stole Appa. He acts appropriately and questions them. He wrecks a sand sailer. He wants his bison back. He needs Appa back.

“You muzzled Appa?!” He enters the avatar state in rage. Appa was much more than a pet. Appa is Aang’s best friend. His life partner. His link to his people. Hearing that Appa was treated like an uncontrollable, rabid animal isn’t alright with him. His people were already killed. So hearing that Appa could be in the same situation or worse hurts.

“I traded him with some merchants.” Trading him. Like property. Appa is living, breathing, he isn’t property. Then Appa was set to be sold. Sold.

Season 2, Episode 12: The Serpents Pass. Aang is trying to remain emotionless after Appa was taken away. He doesn’t want to grieve. He doesn’t want to feel. He wants the war to end and be done. He wants Appa back of course, but I think Aang feels that his emotions are going to prevent progress. So when Suki mentions how Appa wasn’t there, Aang was the first to look away. It hurts him immensely.

“Are you doing okay?” Suki asks Aang. At first, Aang looks to Suki and then to Katara, Sokka, and Toph. The view switches back to Aang where he says harshly, “I’m doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me?” Aang doesn’t want to be reminded further that -in his mind- that he failed.

“And now it’s like you don’t care about him at all,” Katara states. Katara continues about how worried she is for Aang and offers him a hug. He steadily rejects, “thanks for your concern, Katara.” He walks away. He is so hurt that he doesn’t want to feel. He doesn’t want to be human.

“But you’ve made me feel hopeful again.” It doesn’t mean he’ll stop himself from blaming himself, but it means Aang will return to being hopeful and optimistic.

Season 2 episode 13: The Drill. It’s towards the end where Aang gives the final blow, it’s not really about the moment but the music. Aang is determined to save the world. Even though he’s going through in an incredibly tough time, he’s not going to give up and he’s going to save Ba Sing Se. The music displays this perfectly also while the French Horns add Aang’s musical theme in the background.

Season two, episode 15. The tales of Ba Sing Se. Aang creates a Zoo after seeing all the caged up animals. I think that Aang did this because it reminded Aang what predicament Appa could be in. All chained up. Of course, above anything else, Aang goes to the Zoo in the first place to look for Appa. But I think Aang wanted to release the animals into a better space because Aang wanted to help them, knowing at least Appa would want a sense of freedom. Also because Aang could see that the animals were unhappy.

Season 2 episode 16: Appa’s Lost Days. Sorry but Aang sleeps with the bison whistle right next to him. Meaning, the first thing he wakes up to is the whistle. So right away, Aang is reminded that he needs to get Appa back no matter what.

Season 2 Episode 17: Lake Logoai. Weakly, Jet says, “I’m sorry, Aang.” Aang replies, “Don’t be.” Aang is already worried. But after it's inferred that Aang was going to die by Toph’s, “He’s lying,” is another reminder to Aang that having relations to other people puts them in danger. And that Aang might think that he is another cause for Jet’s death. It’s a big rolel, accounting for every death and injury at Aang’s stake.

Reuniting was Appa, finally. The tears, the relief. Appa will forever be his best friend. To death. A weight was definitely released from his chest.

Season 2 episode 18: The Earth King. Aang wants to tell the Earth King the truth. With Appa back, it’s hoped that things could turn out well for Aang. And a chance the war could end sooner. For the fatalities to stop.

Season 2 episode 19: The guru. “What do you blame yourself for?” Aang responds, “I ran away. I hurt all those people.” He holds himself accountable that he wasn’t there. That he was the cause of injury. Even though he forgave himself doesn’t mean he thinks about it. That’s the thing about guilt. It reoccurs no matter if you try to bury it. Or even forgive yourself, it still shows up.

“Lay all your grief out in front of you.” Aang pictures the whole Air Nation with Gyatso in the front. He’s trying to save the word to not leave their names, their culture in vain. He lost everyone.

Season 2 episode 20: the Crossroads of Destiny. He had to let her go. There were too many people against him. He had no other choice than to let go and enter the avatar state. He had to give up another part of himself to be what the world needed. He needed to save Katara, not letting any others fall to his fault.

Season 3 Episode 1: The Awakening. “Everyone thinks you’re dead. Isn’t that great?!” To Aang, it isn’t. In fact, that’s probably the worst thing Sokka could’ve said. To Aang, the world thinks he failed... again. At first, he vanished for 100 years, thought dead. Then he returned to become dead again. Now, the Fire Nation has practically won because he wasn’t able to keep Ba Sing Se afloat.

Aang wants to intervene even though he’s barely able to walk. He wants to handle it himself. He’s holding himself accountable. Maybe even thinking, it’s the least I can do if I’ve already failed to the world twice. He keeps trying to help, having Sokka hold him back.

“I don’t want you or anyone else risking your lives for my mistakes.” This means Aang really blames himself for everyone. Holding everything on his shoulders. Thinking, “it’s all my fault.”

Aang does the thing he knows how to, he flies away on his glider. Hurt and bombarded with a storm. When he’s found by his friends, he finds his glider which we knew was very important to him. Air Nomads weren’t very material, but to a person with a smidge of their culture left, it would’ve meant much more. So, seeing it in shambles and them actively choosing to burn it is heartbreaking.

Season 3 episode 2: The Headband. The fact that the children of the Fire Nation and everyone who was taught after the war started thought the Air Nomads had a military, forcing the Fire Nation to attack them. It’s screwy. It was wrong, but knowing that his culture was thought of as evil and bloodthirsty had to have been off-putting. I mean, the Air Nomads were pacifist!

Aang was stripped of his childhood, so going to a school gave him a new chance without the burden of being the avatar. For example, earlier I mentioned Aang was excluded from playing with the air-scooter, but in the Fire Nation school, Aang as Kuzon was invited to play Hide and Explode. A chance to have fun without his responsibility to defeat the Fire Lord. A chance to be a normal kid.

“You taught them to be free” Aang did his best to help the kids. It wasn’t defeating the Fire Lord but it gave them control. A mind. They were brainwashed by the school and their country! So achieving a sense of freedom by self expression is something more than I can display in words.

Season 3 Episode 9: Nightmares and Daydreams. Although it’s a fun episode, Aang is in his last moments to train before the invasion. He has to be ready. He’s afraid that he’ll let the world down a third time. So, he creates false scenarios and plays them out to prepare. In this process, he gets really sleep deprived because of his stress. He’s rightfully worried. The state of the world continues to burden him.

Season 3 episode 10: The Day Of Black Sun, Part 1: The Invasion. Aang comes to Sokka’s side when Sokka begins to worry about his moment of truth. Aang says, “I already failed to world once at Ba Sing Se. I won’t let myself fail again.” Again, it’s all up to him. He needs to save the world, he needs to redeem himself.

Season 3 episode 11: The Day Of Black Sun, Part 2: The Eclipse. Aang finds that it was all a trap. He failed again. On Appa as the youngest of the group loads on Appa, Aang is crying. He told himself that he wouldn’t fail. That he needed to win. He needed this victory to find out that his plan was ruined.

Season 3 Episode 12: The Western Air Temple. Aang accepts Zuko into the group. He does this not only because he needs a teacher but realizes that in his past attempt to learn Firebending, he hurt Katara. And that Jeong Jeong wasn’t the right master, but knowing that Zuko changed made Aang accept Zuko into the group and teach him.

Season 3 Episode 13: The Firebending Masters. Earlier, I mentioned that Aang vowed to be more careful with Fire after burning Katara. Showing why his flame was timid and weak. He was afraid for it to become out of control and hurt someone.

Season 3, episode 16: The Southern Raiders. “You’re feeling unbelievable pain and rage.” He’s empathizing with Katara. We can’t forget that Aang is a survivor of genocide. He’s been through so much and wants to help Katara make the right decision. Not making it for her, but guiding her through the decision that would make her satisfied with herself and Yon Rha’s outcome. One she could live with. He’s using his own experience to help her.

Season 3, Episode 18, Sozin’s Comet, Part 1: The Phoenix King. Aang wants to find an alternate solution rather than kill Firelord Ozai. He wants to stick to his principles. The ones that have been with him since forever. It’s not an easy decision. Maybe not only because of honoring the monks and their teaching but because the war had already created enough bloodshed.

Everyone is quick to assume Aang ran away. Although Aang is called to the Lion Turtles back. I think it was mostly unknowingly because he was like half asleep.

Season 3, Episode 19, Sozin’s Comet, Part 2: Old Masters. Aang looks to the past Avatars for their guidance. They’re the ones who might give him an alternate solution. In my opinion, they were all like, make whatever choice is right for you and the world. Don’t forget the world. Ultimately, to Aang, there were no other options, leaving him with the only option but to take Ozai’s life.

He meets the great look turtle. Aang respectfully asks him for an answer or an option. Once again, Aang was given the knowledge that he could take away whatever he received from the wisdom.

Season 3, Episode 20: Sozin’s Comet: Part 3: Into The Inferno. Ozai degrades Aang. Says, “you’re weak. Just like the rest of your people. They did not deserve to exist in this world, in my world! Prepare to join them.” So Aang has been told he’s weak and he is in no way weak. I will elaborate later.

Season 3, Episode 21: Sozin’s Comet, Part 4: Avatar Aang. Aang unblocks the avatar state and pins Ozai down. Just as Aang was going to kill him, he stops. He stops himself from going against his principles. Ozai continues to degrade him. “You are still weak.” Aang directs Ozai’s fire blast away using the Lion Turtle’s wisdom, Aang pins Ozai down and energy bends. With this, Aang discovers this non-fatal solution by giving Ozai justice and taking his bending away. Ozai can no longer intimidate and oppress anyone anymore.

“Please the real hero is the avatar.” That’s it. Aang is the hero. Of course, he had his friends to help him, but every single one of Aang’s mistakes and choices led to this. Led to the world being saved. So, for the first time in a while, Aang can come out of hiding, proud to be in this Air Nomad robes without concealing his identity.

I think I’m exaggerating about the tiniest details, but then again, I’m putting myself in Aang’s shoes, and that’s how I’d feel and how I interpret Aang’s actions/reactions. Also, I know I missed a few points, but I tried.

Big takeaways:

When Aang is told his people have been wiped out AND that he’s been gone for 100 years, for him, it has only been a few days for him. He left and a day later he wakes up and it’s been 100 years. That’s incredibly off-putting and scary. One day and his whole world shifted.

Aang was given very VERY little time to grieve as he had to save the world and learn the elements right away. When we do see it, his grief, he tries to let it all out at once rather than have it seep out little by little.

Aang is 12! He is a child and he saved the world. He has real emotions and was confused from time to time. He was a little immature at first but developed immensely.

Aang makes mistakes. But most importantly is that he learns from them and uses them to decide what's best for him and how to help others.

He looked for the light in dark situations.

Aang is the beacon of hope but even he was unhopeful and detached. He went to nightmares and back despite the worst.

Despite Ozai’s bashing and false claims, Aang is not weak and never has been. Aang went through the worst. He lost his family, his friends, and at one point, his best friend. He died. He was given an almost impossible task. Yet, he completed this task. He saved the world. Yes, he made mistakes but those mistakes shaped Aang into who he became. And how he was able to save the world. And Ozai was incredibly wrong. Aang defeated him and found his alternative. It wasn’t weak. It was strength. As Katara said in The Southern Raiders, “I don’t know if I was too weak to do it or if it’s because I’m strong enough not to.” In Aang’s case, he found his alternative that honored his teachings, his principles, his beliefs all while doing what was best for the world. That isn’t weak. It’s strong. Adding on, to come back from death isn’t weak. To return to action after running away isn’t weak. To face danger? To help others? To fight on the losing side for what is right? No, it’s not weak at all.

The music is fantastic and I think it reflects Aang amazingly. This doesn’t really fit into what I was talking about but the music fits the show.

Aang deserves so much love. I'll say it again, he's been through so much. Much more than what I could handle or almost anyone else. He is a traumatized child but even through the rough patches became an inspiration. To me, I think he’s sometimes overlooked and pushed aside so this is just some of my headcanons and takeaways.

Another thing, I’m not blaming Aang for anything. When I mention “it was his fault” I mean by he was blaming himself. The Air Nation’s genocide is not his fault. I mean that he blames himself for not helping or staying, for running away. 

Lastly, I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of their characters. They belong to their rightful creators and writers. Also, this is my analysis and a few of my takes on Aang’s trauma. I'm not trying to project my feelings on anyone. I'm just saying what I think.

If you made it this far thanks for reading my post!

[jlalafics]

Could you please reblog your lesbian!Peeta story for me

Sure! I hope this is the one you’re thinking of!

_______

“You can shut off the lights now.”

Delly Cartwright, Peeta’s friend and business manager, looked to her and gave a sympathetic smile.

“You did well for a new business owner, Peeta,” she continued. Gathering some of the go-backs, Delly started to head over to the racks. “You opened a record shop. It wasn’t exactly going to be busy every day, but from a business standpoint, you did well for your first week.”

Peeta gathered her golden locks into a ponytail and took the broom next to her to sweep up.

“I guess you’re right,” Peeta replied.

She had fair sales for her opening week; it had always been her dream to open a shop of her own and her love for vinyl clinched her decision to open a record store. There was hope of expanding to a used bookstore, but it seemed that it would be awhile before that would happen.

“Don’t you have a husband to get home to?” Peeta asked her friend. “Thom must be annoyed that you’re spending all your time with me.”

“Thom wouldn’t have a full-service coffee bar if it weren’t for his wife’s business savvy,” Delly retorted. She pushed herself onto the wood counter. “He can sacrifice time so I can help out one of my best friends.”

“Really though.” Returning the broom to its place, Peeta met her friend’s light eyes. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Suddenly, Delly’s mouth formed into a smirk. “I mean it wouldn’t hurt if you had a partner to support and help you out. I met this great girl at Thom’s bar—”

“You know what—” Peeta lifted her petite friend off the counter easily, placing her by the front door. “—I think you should go home. You’re obviously exhausted.”

“You win this round, Mellark,” Delly declared with a chuckle. “We’ll see you for Sunday brunch at our place.”

Stepping out, Peeta watched her friend get into her car and drive off before walking back into the store.

Sighing, she let herself admit that she was lonely.

It had been two years since her last relationship and about six months since her last date. Her brothers were both in long-term relationships; Dean, her eldest brother, married to Olivia, his college girlfriend, with two kids and one on the way while Rye, the middle child, engaged to Johanna, one of Peeta’s closest friends and her former roommate.

While she, the youngest and only girl, was still single.

Peeta wasn’t looking for just anyone.

Whoever she was had to be more.

So, for the time being, she would just have to focus on getting the store up and running.

++++++

Locking up the store, Peeta buttoned her rust peacoat and headed towards her bus stop. Her place was fifteen minutes away—just a few blocks—but the fall season had caused the city to go dark once it hit six in the evening.

“Hey girl!”

The group of guys from the bar across the street called out. There were a few catcalls and she ignored it, speeding up her pace towards the bus stop at the end of the block. Her heart stuttered in nervousness as she heard the footfalls heading towards her.

Suddenly, one of the guys was standing in front of her. “Where you heading, sweetheart?”

Peeta didn’t reply, only taking in a description of the guy…mid-twenties, dark beard, medium height, sharp dark eyes wearing a grey hoodie, black tank, and dark jeans.

So, basically any random guy.

Dean was a cop and he had always taught her what to do if she was in a situation like this. However, it didn’t seem to be helping as she found herself surrounded by the rest of the group.

So, Peeta went for Rye’s method and fully rushed at the guy in front of her, trying to knee him in the groin.

He pushed her and Peeta was knocked down, the back of her head hitting the concrete.

There was the pain of impact…and then darkness.

++++++

“Miss Mellark…can you open your eyes?” Peeta blinked, her vision blurred and the white light causing her eyes to close again. “Take your time.”

She followed the kind voice, allowing herself to adjust before opening her eyes once more.

“There you go,” the voice said gently. “You gave us a scare when you came in.”

Her vision cleared and the warmest set of eyes greeted her. Almond-shaped and dove grey, the eyes were set in a heart-shaped face along with a pert nose and rose lips, her skin was a soft olive and her raven hair was tied back in a neat braid.

“Where am I?” she asked as the bed was slowly elevated.

“You are in the hospital,” the woman in the blue scrubs informed her. “My name is Katniss and I’m your nurse. You were mugged; the perp got your credit cards but left the rest of your wallet since there wasn’t any money. Can you tell me your name?”

“Peeta. Peeta Mellark.”

Katniss looked at her in confusion. “Your ID says Pieta Mellark.”

“When I was born, my parents tried to teach my brother Rye how to say me name properly, Pee-et-ta, but he couldn’t get it and kept pronouncing my name as Pee-ta. So, it kind of stuck.”

The nurse chuckled. “I like both your names.” Katniss looked over her chart and then to her. “We’re just making sure that you’re CT scan comes out clean and then we can release you. Do you have anyone that we can call? Your family?”

“I don’t want to worry my parents and they’re an hour away, and my brothers have families,” she explained. “Once I’m released, I’ll just head on home.”

“Your name fits you,” Katniss remarked. “Pieta means compassion. A lot of people would milk themselves getting injured, but not you. You’re more concerned about everyone else around you.”

“Give me a day or two and I’ll be at home, feeling sorry for myself,” Peeta replied. “Your name is a plant.”

The nurse grinned. “How did you know?”

“When we were all kids, my parents took us camping,” she explained. “And my Dad told me that if for some reason, I got lost in the woods then I just needed to find you to survive.”

Katniss blushed, her cheeks flooding with color, and Peeta found herself breathless in the prettiness of it all.

“I suppose that could also apply to non-camping situations,” Katniss responded. “Get some rest, Peeta, and I’ll check up on your results.”

++++++

“I’m really alright, Haymitch,” Peeta assured her business partner on the phone. “They kept me overnight for observation, but they didn’t see anything in the CT scan.”

“We should install cameras in the front,” the man insisted. “You could’ve been killed or assaulted!”

“Well, they checked if there was any trauma down there and everything seemed right as rain,” she assured him. “My vagina is perfectly intact.”

There was a cough and she turned to see Katniss standing before, a black bomber jacket over her scrubs and her hair down in long waves.

“I really didn’t need to hear that,” the man muttered. “Just call me when you get home, okay? Also, get an Uber and put it on our business credit card.”

“Ah…you should probably call about that,” Peeta replied. “Some of my credit cards are missing.”

“I’m right on it,” Haymitch responded. “Go home and get some rest. I’ll open the store tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” Hanging up, Peeta stuffed her phone into her jean pocket before turning to the woman. “Getting off?”

Katniss looked to her in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Work. You off from your shift?”

The blush invaded her lovely face and she nodded quickly. “Oh yeah! Just heading out. How about you?”

“Yeah, just needed to check in with Haymitch, my partner,” Peeta explained.

“Oh.” Katniss’ expression dropped. “Why wouldn’t your boyfriend pick you up?”

Peeta snorted at the idea.

“Haymitch is my business partner.” She looked to the woman beside her. “You heading home to your boyfriend?”

The woman shook her head. “I’ve got some leftover pasta and A Walk to Remember on Netflix, but that’s about it.”

“Would you want to join me for a cup of coffee?” Peeta found herself asking. “Thom, my best friend’s husband owns a coffee shop a few blocks down. It will be on me—or on Delly, my best friend—your coffee, I mean…”

Shit, Peeta was going about this all wrong. She didn’t even know if Katniss was into girls.

“Sure.”

Her head snapped up at Katniss’ response and Peeta smiled. “Okay.”

They headed onto the sidewalk in front of the hospital. It was a beautiful morning, chilled but brimming with potential to be a gorgeous day of clear skies and temperate weather.

“How long have you been a nurse?” Peeta asked as they headed down towards Thom’s coffee bar.

“About three years,” Katniss said. “Got this job right out of school. My mom was head nurse at the hospital before retiring a few years ago and I guess nepotism worked in my favor. I might actually be a really crappy nurse.”

“No, you definitely aren’t,” Peeta argued. “You have a natural empathy.”

“How so?”

“When I woke up, I was scared as hell,” she told the woman next to her. They stopped at the crosswalk and Peeta met Katniss’ gaze. “But, when I heard your voice, I knew that I would be okay. You made me feel safe.”

“That’s a lot to put on a girl,” Katniss said quietly. “But I’m glad that I could help.”

Their eyes met and it was like a magnetic force that Peeta found her hand tucking back a tendril of Katniss’ hair behind her ear. Her fingers lingered, feeling the softness of her dark waves and Katniss’ breath caught at the gesture.

Her hand covered Peeta’s and the sensation drew a sharp gasp from Peeta’s mouth.

It had been a long time since she had felt like this.

Stepping towards Katniss, she waited to see if the woman would retreat.

However, Katniss remained still, her mouth parted and her eyelids going half-lidded as Peeta close the space between.

The kiss was careful, her mouth slanting over Katniss’ gently. The feeling of her soft lips caused a groan to draw up from the pit of Peeta’s stomach and escape between their mouths.

It was scary but exhilarating all at once and Peeta never wanted to let her go.

However, Katniss hummed against her lips and reluctantly she pulled away.

“I probably wasn’t supposed to do that,” Peeta told her.

Katniss looked disappointed. “Oh, okay.”

“I mean not without taking you out on a date first.”

Katniss let out a relieved laugh. “Well, we just cut out the needless tension of the first kiss, didn’t we?”

“I guess so,” Peeta replied, taking her hand. “So…”

‘…would like to stay indefinitely?’

“Would you like to have coffee first and then dinner later?”

“And, between then?” Katniss asked, her thumb caressing the top of Peeta’s hand.

“Whatever we want, I have all day.”

I have forever for you.

“Okay.” Katniss beamed. “Let’s start with the coffee.”

[the-daily-multi-fandom-post]

Hi! Can you please write Daryl x Reader, where they were together since high school and when the apocalypse happens Daryl, Merle and Y/n join the camp at the quarry. After Merle was cuffed to the roof, Y/n finds out she's pregnant, she gives birth to Daryl's baby, then they find the prison and when Merle joins them, he meets his brother's kid and is so happy. Please make it fluffy 🥺❤️ thank you!

Oh my gosh, yes this is so cute!! Hope you like this!!

⚠️⚠️Request still open!! ❤️🖤❤️🖤

“I love ya, I’ll always love ya.” Daryl declares his love as they were trying to get to sleep.

Merle was on watch as they tried to get some sleep In the tent. She smiled as she leaned forwards connecting their lips together. The kiss was soft and passionate, but it slowly got faster as it became rough. Then they heard footsteps outside the tent. Knowing it was probably Merle coming to check on them they pulled away.

“You okay in there little brother?” Merles rough voice called as he stood outside of the tent.

“Yeah, fine. We’re fine.” Daryl called out to his brother as he held his wife in his arms.

“Alright then, night.”

“Night.”

- A few weeks later -

Y/n had her back pack on her back full of supplies. Like ammunition for her gun. Extra clothes, the tent and two sleeping bags. A big first-aid kit, matches, lighters and a compass and map.

Y/n had her gun on one side of her and her hunting knife in the other side. Daryl walked beside her with his crossbow across his bag with extra bolts. Merle walked on the other side of her with his rifle carrying it in a trail carry and his knife in his side.

They were walking through the woods when they heard laughing. They weren’t sure if they heard it or if they imagined it. But they continued walking towards it.

“Hands up!” A man shouted as he pointed a glock at them.

“Who the hell are y’all?” The man looked at the three of them. Y/n and Daryl held their hands up whole Merle looked at the man not pleased.

“I’m Merle Dixon and you best be puttin that Gun outta my face before I kill yo ass.” Merle threaten the man wearing a cap that said police.

“Merle!” Y/n hissed through gritted teeth.

“He didn’t mean that. We’ve been walking for a while and he’s probably just dehydrated.” Y/n tried to make up an excuse to the tall dark haired man.

“Is it just y’all?” The man asked Y/n since neither one of the men were answering her. She nodded as she made eye contact with the man. Hoping that would make him believe she wasn’t lying.

“Y’all can stay with our group. Y’all have a tent?” Merle chucked as he looked at the man.

“If we didn’t have a tent would ya provide one for us?” He asked the younger man.

The man nodded as a voice came shouting for him.

“Come on and I’ll show y’all where you can put your stuff.

“Thank you.” Y/n said respectfully as Daryl took her hand in his. Silently showing Shane she was off limits.

“Y’all left my brother-in-law hand cuff to the fucking roof?!” Y/n yelled as she looked at the group who had just gotten back to the city.

“He was fighting T-dog. He was causing too much trouble then what was needed. It was all we could do at that moment.” Glenn explained, trying to get the girl to understand.

“So you thought because he was fighting it was a good idea to feed him to those monsters?!”

Y/n was beyond angry. She was pissed she was seeing red. She hadn’t even got to tell Daryl. But as soon as he knew they we’re gonna have to fight the both of them.

“Y/n, what’s going on? Where’s merle?” He asked as he put three or four squirrels on the table to be fixed for supper.

“Ask the asshole who left him in the city for dead!” Y/n exclaimed as she stared daggers at the group in front of her.

“You left your brother in the city? Handcuff to the roof while them things were coming for him?!” Daryl screamed as he looked at the group who just came back from Atlanta.

“I’m gonna stump your ass!” Daryl went for Rick, but Y/n held him back.

“Come on, we’ll go get ‘em tomorrow. I know, we both want him back tonight, but it’s getting dark. If we go there at night time we’ll never get back.” Y/n whispered softly. Looking into the love of her life’s blue eyes.

“Come on.” Y/n said as she pulled him away from the group. Looking at both Carl and Sophia feeling bad because they look scared.

“I’m sorry, we scared you.” Y/n said as she walked towards the two kids.

“Daryl why don’t you go cool down. There’s some cold water in the tent. I’ll meet you over there in a little bit.” She softly spoke as she looked at her husband. He nodded as he gave her a soft kiss. Making the two kids say “eww” as loud as they could with smiles on their face.

Daryl laughed as he walked away. His mood was a little bit better.

“Why were you and Dayl upset?” Carl asked as you started braiding Sophias soft curly blond hair.

“Well, Merle was left in the city and they forgot about him. So me and Daryl are worried about him. But don’t you two everything Me, Daryl or Merle would ever lay a hand on you. We’lol protect y’all no matter what. I promise.” Y/n said as she looked at the two with a serious look.

“Group hug?” Y/n asked looking at the two with a smile.

The two smile and hugged her tightly before running off giggling. She stood up from her spot on the log when Rick walked up to her.

“I’m sorry we left Merle on the building. He was causing so much trouble and was gonna get us all killed if we didn’t.” Rick tried to get her to understand. Y/n nodded once he finished.

“I understand, but the thing is. That man, Merle. He is my family. He and Daryl are my only family. I take care of my own. The only others I’ll do anything for are those two kids. I won’t let anything happen to them. So like I said, I understand what you did was what you thought was right, but you should’ve though twice when y’all left him on the roof alone.” With that Y/n gave him a curt nod and walked away. Going towards her and Dayrls tent away from the others.

She got into the tent. Seeing Daryl lying in his back. His shirt was off and he had the blankets thrown off him. He had them laid out on the floor to make it softer for him to lay on.

“I seen you wit them kids.” He mumbled as she laid beside him. He wrapped her into his arms and held her head against his chest.

“You would be such a good mama.” He mumbled softly. As if he wasn’t even trying to get her to hear it.

“What?” She asked looking up at him flabbergasted.

“You heard me. I think one day, you’ll be a great mom. You’d take care of our kids. You’d carry ‘me around for nine months and then when you’d have ‘em you’ll probably want to Kill me. But one day, you’ll be a great mom.” He softly rambled as he pulled on top of him to lie down.

She smirked as she felt something against her inner thigh.

“Well, why don’t we practice.”

Days before that Y/n had felt a little off. She had thought it was just a little bug or something, but she wasn’t sure. She then realized she hadn’t started her period and she seemed to have gained a little bit of weight.

She seemed to start have over thinking everything. Maybe she was just stressed. Maybe her hormones were messed up and that was causing her periods to stop.

“Hey, you okay?” Carol asked as she sat beside Y/n.

Y/n was washing her, Daryl and merles clothes. She must’ve been in her thinking in her own world. She didn’t see it hear carol come down beside her until she spoke.

“How did you find out you were pregnant with Sophia? Did you just know or what?” Y/n asked randomly.

“Your pregnant?” Carol asked with a smile.

“I think so, but I’m not 100% sure.” Y/n whispered as if everyone was surrounding them.

“Well, I just knew. I had gotten morning sickness a little earlier then you normal would as a pregnant woman. Then I seen I had gained weight, plus I was an emotion wreck. More than ever.” Carol explained giving Y/n a soft smile.

“But if you are. There isn’t nothing to worry about. You have a man who loves you very much and I’m pretty sure everyone in this group will take care of you and help you and the baby.” Y/n nodded as she walked ringed out Dayrls tank top.

A few days later y/n asked Glenn while he and the group were going out on the run to Atlanta if he could get a test. And the prenatal pills if he could get them. She asked not to risk anything to get them. She asked him only to get it if he was already in the store.

He came back that evening with the test and medicine. She thanked him promising him, she owe him one.

She did the test and waited. The two minutes felt like an eternity as she waited for the test to come back. She looked down at her watch seeing it had been two minutes.

Looking down at the test she seen pregnant!

She couldn’t believe it. She had tears in her y/e/c eyes as she smiled down at the test. She and the love of her life were going to have a family.

She knew she had to tell Dayrl as soon as possible, but he was out in a hunt. So she figured she would make him a gift to give him for when she told him.

She decided she would make him a handful of bolts for his crossbow. Since he could never have too many of them.

After she made about 10 of them it was later on in the afternoon. She had put the bolts in a bag and put the positive test in it on the top.

Leaving the bag in the tent with the test in top she left the tent. Stretching she went out and went over to talk to the group.

An hour or so later she seen Dayrl coming back with the test in his hand. He looked at little nervous, but she could tell he was happy.

“Your pregnant?” He asked with a hopeful smile in his face.

She nodded as she looked into his ocean blue eyes.

“Yeah, were gonna have a baby!” She smiled brightly.

“That’s why you’ve been sick.” He said as if a hundred year curse had just been solved.

“And that explains why you look like your glowing.” He said with a smile. He pulled her into a soft, yet tight hug so happy they were going to have a family together.

-Nine months later-

“You were right, I wanna kill you!” Y/n exclaimed as her contractions were closer and closer. They were in the farm as went into labor. She was about to have the baby. She wasn’t sure whether or not it was a girl or a boy. But both her and Dayrl were okay with either.

“You got this is see the head.” Herschel said as he saw the baby crowning.

“Maggie hand me the clean towel.”

“Alright, one more big push!” Herschel said.

Y/n groaned and cried as he pushed. Holding and squeezing both Dayrl and Ricks hands.

“Oh, my god I’m gonna fucking kill you Dayrl fucking Dixon.” Dayrl chuckled softly as he rubbed the hair out of her sweaty face.

“It’s okay sweetheart, you got this keep going.” He said encouraging her as he pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

A few minutes late a little baby could be heard squalling.

“It’s a boy!” Dayrl said looking over at the baby Hershel was cleaning off with a towel and warm rags.

“Do you want to cut the umbilical cord?” Herschel asked as he held the baby up some.

Dayrl nodded as he walked over to cut them. He cut them umbilical cord and let Maggie, and Herschel take care of the baby. A few minutes later the after birth came.

Y/n was lying in the bed. She was so tired and her body was hurting. She watched as Dayrl watched them clean the baby and then asked Dayrl if he wanted to hold the baby.

“Let her hold him first. She was the one doing the hard work.”

Beth nodded as she laid the baby on Y/ns chest. Everyone left the room giving Y/n and Dayrl privacy with their newborn.

“Welcome to the world little Dixon.” She softly whispered as tears went down her face.

She looked at Dayrl and smiled.

“We have a family.” She smiled his reflecting hers.

“I love you so much. I love both of you so much.” She softly whispered as the baby slept.

They named the baby Mason Dixon. Mason looked just like Dayrl. He had Y/ns nose and hair, but the rest was Dayrl.

Mason was about Four or five months by time they found the prison. Luckily she was able to breast feed the baby, but they always made sure to find formula, just in case they would need it.

When they found Merle they were shocked. Y/n was damn near crying when she hugged her brother-in-law. She thought he had died. He was so shocked to see Y/n holding a baby.

“This little guy y’all’s?” Merle asked as he saw the sleeping baby in y/ns arms. Y/n nodded as she kept her arms wrapped around Mason.

“Yep, this is mason. Out baby boy.” Y/n explained as the baby wiggles to get comfortable.

“I’m glad to see y’all carrying one the Dixon Name. I’m a little upset you didn’t name him after me, but you can always have more.”’he teased the two with a playful smirk. “Yeah, we can always have more.” Dayrl said looking at Y/n with a smirk that looked just like Merles.

“Maybe in the future.”

(7-07-20)

[oftenderweapons]

hi anna dear, i'd like to place an order for a white wine + charcuterie board + french onion soup + monte cristo? thank you <3

Pairing: Seokjin x reader

Wordcount: 1.4K

Genre: Fluff, Romance, strangers to lovers

Rating: GP (general public)

This is for my sweet Beezy, and Beezy only. I’m sorry this came super late but I’ve been keeping it in my drafts for a while, I was so unsure about it!

Happy very late birthday!!! May you be safe and happy and loved 🥰💜✨You’re the most special aunt I could ever wish for. This world would be a better place if all kids on the Internet could have an aunt half as special and magical as you.

(before I leave you to your gift let me thank @hobiandsprite and @joheunsaram for their moral support and helpful advice, as always. I love you.)

Enjoy 💜✨

>This drabble was a request for Bangtan Bistro. Requests for this drabble game are now closed<

TRIGGER WARNINGS: mention of stress due to work; briefest mention of family loss (grandparent).

————— The Order —————

White Wine: Kim Seokjin

Charcuterie Board: Romance

French Onion Soup: “After getting caught in the rain you decide to spend some time inside a rather empty café, making good conversation with the attractive owner.”

Monte Cristo: cafe owner

————————————————

The late October day looked perfect for a walk along the beach, collecting seashells and watching seagulls soar the sky in the distance. Solitary boats broke the horizon, far far away, the lighthouse culminating the long walk and protecting the bay a few kilometres ahead of you. The sun was coming through the clouds here and there, creating amusing patterns on the sand just barely slightly moved by the wind. A man was playing fetch with a golden retriever and along the seashore you could see more people making good use of one of the last good days before autumn finally started giving way to winter.

The scenery was relaxing, liberating your mind from all the stress your job continuously put you through. Some days you even dared ask yourself if the slightly fatter paycheck was really worth your mental health.

Spending your health on earning money sounded stupid most of the days. Nevertheless, you somehow managed to keep loving your job, even when the cons heavily outweigh the pros.

A chill song was playing through your earbuds, and with a cloud momentarily hiding the sun, the lightest raindrops began to fall. You didn’t let the thin drizzle scare you and decided to keep walking, the lighthouse too tempting in its romantic solitude.

Stubborn and maybe ignorant, you persevered, though most people had already run to the middle of the bay, where most people had parked their cars or had found refuge in one of the local pubs and cafés. Only a couple people walked ahead of you, going all the way to the end of the walk, where the pier led to your destination.

You followed it like a compass, like the North Star, even when the drizzle turned in rain, even when you had to hold your coat over your head for the last two hundred metres, running desperately once the rain turned in an autumn shower.

You thanked all the gods once you reached the small awning protecting the entrance to the lighthouse, a lovely bell announcing the opening of the door.

“Hold on, wait there!” A man called from the counter. “Lemme grab something for you!” he mumbled, disappearing behind the dark wood countertop and reemerging with a plaid blanket. “Wait there,” he said, walking towards you quickly and taking your raincoat with a kind smile, hanging it out of harm’s way, where it could drip on the floor without causing anyone to slip and fall.

“Welcome to The Bow, you brave traveller!” the barman greeted you, immediately warming up your soul before offering you the blanket and letting you warm your body. “Please, sit where you prefer, I’ll let you take a look at the menu and then I’ll come collect your order.”

He bowed his head slightly, your eyes suddenly focusing on how low the wooden ceiling was, and how lean his physique was, heavily contrasted by his large shoulders, emphasised by the white and blue stripes of his sweater.

You walked to a table beside the counter, near the window that ran all around the circular room. The sky was clear in the distance, the boats still navigating peacefully while the coast had become hostage to the sudden storm, which had crept in slowly and then swiftly attacked.

You stared in the distance for a while longer, the man at the counter waiting patiently and cheerfully for you to get comfortable, leaf through the menu and close it before turning to him with a kind smile — which you eventually did, causing an unexpected effect, an entire flock of butterflies taking flight in his stomach.

He was drawn to you immediately.

“So what can I bring you?” he asked with the most courteous of smiles.

You giggled. The man was very handsome, but something in the air that surrounded him made him even warmer and more fascinating, as if compelling you to be kind and keep your eyes on him. “First, let me thank you for the blanket,” you said, holding it tighter around you.

“Oh, it’s okay. We keep those for old couples who come here for fall and winter walks. They tend to get cold on their legs. And some ladies want to wear pretty clothes on dates but then get cold once the sun goes down. Don’t worry, I wash them after use!” he clarified before you could get uncomfortable.

“That’s so considerate!” you exclaimed, honestly touched at such a kind thought.

“What can I say, I care about customer care,” he chuckled embarrassed, his laugh so unique and funny that you couldn’t help but join.

“I’m ____, by the way.”

“I’m Seokjin,” he introduced himself politely.

“Happy to meet you,” you replied with an interested smile. “May I order an Orange Spiced Hot Chocolate?”

“Yes, sure. Would you like some cinnamon on it?” he asked, twice as interested in pleasing his special customer.

“Uhm… No, just a plain one, thanks,” you confirmed, watching him leave with a quick step.

“Do you have many people coming all the way here?” you asked, your table close enough to the counter that you could chat with the man without having to disturb the other customers.

“Normally we do. There’s always a big rush in summer. Some people go to the beach and come all the way here to have lunch or grab a cold drink before going back. It’s mostly couples, or families with kids. On a summer day you’d have to wait for a table and book one for lunch or dinner. When it gets colder, some people still come here, but it’s slower. I prefer it. Winter weekends are the ideal match of calm and good money.”

You nodded. “I think it’s my first time here. I visited the town four or five years ago but I don’t remember this place.”

Seokjin nodded, the cocoa maker making a bit of a ruckus as it warmed up the milk. It lasted around two or three minutes before the café went quiet again “Yes, that’s because I opened the café two years ago, almost three.”

“This is your place?” You asked, quite amused.

“Indeed. My grandpa loved it here. He always came here with my grandma for walks. He didn’t have the money to buy the place but he wanted to open a restaurant here. My grandmother loved cooking.” Seokjin gave a gentle but sad smile. “When she left us, he gave up. He always says it was their dreams, together, and he would never do it by himself. So I made it my dream.”

The blue vibe faded and a radiant expression sparked up his features. “I must say that for now it’s been going pretty well.”

He walked to your table, your drink, sugar and a couple smaller bottles all balanced on a tray on his hand.

As he stood beside you, his head slightly lowered to avoid the lamp above, he placed down a cup coaster with a vintage lifebuoy ring drawn on it, protecting the beautiful wooden table below.

On the small placemat running across the table, he placed three tiny bottles. “Sugar, cinnamon and cocoa. To your liking.” He offered you a soft grin.

Hesitantly, you looked around again. He had only four or five people around and your table was close to the counter.

You licked your lips as you gathered all your courage and spoke. “Would you like to sit down and chat? I’d like to get to know you, you seem a very interesting person.” You felt heat radiate from your cheeks in stark contrast with the cold crawling through your bones.

Seokjin’s reaction was lovely.

His mouth curled up in a lovely pout, a small surprised ‘o’. His eyes went impossibly wide and so, so round and adorable before his suddenly pale face exploded in a technicoloured blush that expanded all the way to his ears.

And then he smiled the tiniest, most innocent smile. He didn’t show his teeth, just his rosy, plush lips curving up in an expression that was half hamster, half alpaca.

And the apples of his cheeks became impossibly round and squishable.

You felt your heart shot across your chest like a crazy bouncy ball, playing pinball inside your rib cage.

Joy filled your every blood vessel.

“Sure, I’d love to sit down and chat for a bit.”

[sporadicerratic]

Another Sunrise

Hokay. This is me being brave and doing the thing. Please enjoy this short fic about Sans & Papyrus. Guess this is turning into my fanfic account, lol.

Papyrus stood on the small porch outside of his bedroom, a hot cup of tea warming his phalanges and sending a clouds of steam wafting into the brisk morning air. There had been so many sunrises since the monsters had left the underground, but he never tired of watching the first bright blush creep over the edge of the horizon; signaling the arrival of the brightest star he had ever had the pleasure to behold. As the warmth of the sunlight spread across his face, he noticed a second cloud of steam in his peripheral vision, and looked down in surprise to see that Sans had silently joined him. His brother randomly appearing nearby without a sound was nothing new, but Sans was rarely awake when the sun first made an appearance, and Papyrus was thrilled for the company.

“SANS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING AWAKE AT THIS HOUR?” Concern furrowed his brow as a thought occurred to him, and he reached out to put a gloved hand on his brother’s back. “IT WASN’T A NIGHTMARE, WAS IT?”

Sans turned to Papyrus with a grin, but it wasn’t the mask that he had worn for all of those years in the Underground. Sans had been letting that fall away more and more as of late, and even if his smile wasn’t quite as wide, Papyrus relaxed slightly when he saw that it was genuine.

“nah, bro. i know you’re out here every morning. figured i’d come spend some time with my favorite brother.”

“SANS. I AM YOUR ONLY BROTHER.”

“doesn’t make you any less my favorite.”

Papyrus smiled a bit wider himself at that, and then wrapped his arm around Sans’ shoulder. Taking a deep breath that, as a skeleton, he didn’t really need, he let his sockets slide shut and listened to the birds in the surrounding trees calling to one other.

Sans reciprocated Papyrus’ gesture, but, due to his height, the best he could do was to place a hand on his brother’s spine.

“ya know,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper, “it was about this time of day when I first found ya.”

Papyrus’ sockets snapped open, and he turned his head slowly to look down at Sans, who was very pointedly staring directly at the rising sun.

“EXCUSE ME, BROTHER. DID YOU JUST SAY…THAT YOU...FOUND...ME?”            

Several soulbeats passed before Sans inhaled sharply and turned to meet Papyrus’ shocked gaze. “yep. heard you crying. for a babybones, you sure had a set ‘a pipes. I was surprised some other monster hadn’t found you first, with the way you were carryin on. some things about you have always been great, bro.”

Papyrus stood silently for a few moments, processing this information. Sans had never been very forthcoming about why he had had to raise Papyrus on his own, and after a certain age, it had ceased to be a priority for Papyrus. When Sans didn’t want to share information, he didn’t share information, and there was nothing Papyrus could do about it.

“…..Where?” Papyrus’ voice came out uncharacteristically soft.

Sans’s eyelights winked out, and he anxiously shifted his weight from one foot to the other before answering.

“pretty close to the barrier. the fighting…” Sans choked on the words a bit, and Papyrus couldn’t help himself.

“THE FIGHTING?!! SANS!!! YOU…YOU WERE ON THE SURFACE? DURING THE WAR WITH THE HUMANS?!! SANS!! JUST HOW OLD ARE YOU?!!” The words tumbled out as Papyrus’ world tilted hard enough that he put a hand on the railing to steady himself.

Sans stared hard at some speck in the wood grain in front of him for a moment, then leaned his head back and turned to face Papyrus again. Despite his shock, Papyrus noticed that the circles under Sans’ eyes seemed a bit darker than usual. Had he been worried enough about sharing this information that he had been losing sleep? He felt a pang of regret at his outburst.

“i was a kid when i found you, pap. we’ve always only been a few years apart, yeah? you just don’t remember that you were on the surface before. how could you? you were just a babybones when the war ended.”

Papyrus slowly dragged a gloved hand across his features; the sweet cacophony of morning birdsong forgotten as Sans’ words buzzed about his skull.

It was not often that the boisterous skeleton found himself at a loss for words, but then again, it was pretty much never that his soft-spoken brother let one of his closely guarded secrets slip. The morning had suddenly become fragile, somehow. After blurting out his first thoughts, Papyrus was afraid the wrong words just might cause something between himself and Sans to shatter; something that was far more precious to Papyrus than having his most burning questions answered.

The seconds dragged past and neither monster spoke, but their eyes met. They held each others’ gaze and a plethora of emotions played across their features. Shock; sadness; confusion; compassion; they silently searched each other for something; perhaps permission? When Sans saw the fear in his sibling’s eyes, he steeled himself and quietly took the initiative once again.

Papyrus had to strain to hear him. “the fighting…the fighting was everywhere. when we got the news that we were all gonna be sealed underground, well…it was…we didn’t have a lot of time. those of us who were left just kinda, heh, we just kinda had to make a mad dash for it.”

Papyrus could see Sans’ eyelights flickering in and out, as if he were somehow looking at something far away.

“but you were right up close to the barrier, pap. someone did their damndest to get you all the way there, but…they didn’t…quite…make it.”

Papyrus’ gloved hands flew to his mouth as Sans fumbled with his jacket for a moment before pulling a small, blue bone-patterned blanket out from some inner pocket.

“it was,” he paused for a moment, running his hand over what was little more than a worn rag and almost choking on the next word, “dusty. they almost got you through, pap. i just. i made sure you made it the rest of the way. and they’ve always been with you, right? they dusted on the most precious thing in the world.”

He turned to meet his brother’s gaze and what Papyrus saw there this time pierced his soul; any other questions he might have had were banished from his skull by the ferocity of the love, sympathy and sadness that shone forth from Sans’ sockets. Sans gently reached out and offered the little piece of cloth to Papyrus, who took reverently. He spent several minutes turning it over and over in his hands; holding it up to see how truly small it was; and looking at it very, very closely, before very carefully folding it and slipping it inside his battle body.

 It was a beautiful morning. Birds were singing. Flowers were blooming. And finally, Papyrus spoke.

 “Why Did You Hide This From Me All This Time, Sans?”

Sans didn’t turn his head at all this time, focusing once again on the rising sun, which had nearly cleared tops of the distant hills and set the sky awash with several brilliant shades of orange. He trembled slightly, despite the fact that neither skeleton felt the cold.

“because, Pap. i never wanted you to doubt for a second that I’m your brother. from the moment i picked you up, i knew that i was gonna love you forever, and i never wanted to let anything hurt you, the way the war had hurt me. i didn’t wanna give you a single reason to think that we weren’t family. since coming to the surface, well. heheheh. you know how it is. no more resets. moving forward. coming clean. and that means, the truth. about everything. i figure, you got a right to know. e-even if it means….you don’t think of me as your brother anymore…”

Papyrus watched as a bright blue tear slipped from the edge of Sans’ socket. His grip on the railing had become vice-like, and he was shaking like a leaf. Papyrus made a soft noise, closing the distance between them in a single stride and sweeping his older brother up into a bone-crunching hug; literally. There were several audible pops from Sans’ spine as Papyrus squeezed him as tightly as he could.

“OH SANS. THERE IS NOTHING ABOVE OR BELOW GROUND THAT COULD CHANGE THE FACT THAT WE ARE BROTHERS. IN FACT, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS MAKES OUR BOND EVEN MORE POWERFUL, BECAUSE YOU CHOSE ME, SANS. YOU CHOSE TO PICK ME UP, AND RAISE ME, AND PROTECT ME, EVEN WHEN YOU HAD NOTHING. THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME, SANS. WITH THE GIFT OF THIS NEW INFORMATION, I CAN ALSO SAY, WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MY DEAREST BROTHER. WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT! NYEH HEH HEH!”

Sans sniffled into Papyrus’ shoulder for a moment before vigorously wiping a gloved hand across his sockets and leaning back.

“augh…heheh…take it easy, pap. i only got the one spine.”

Papyrus had never seen Sans grin so widely; even when he managed to zing him with the worst of puns. His struggling in Papyrus’ arms was half-hearted at best.

“pap. i’m your only brother.”

Papyrus happily took the bait. “THAT DOESN’T MAKE YOU ANY LESS MY DEAREST BROTHER! THOUGH, I AM STILL THE COOLEST. GEH. WHAT *ARE* YOU WEARING, SANS? IT LOOKS LIKE YOU FOUND IT AROUND THE SAME TIME YOU FOUND ME.”

“hey, this is a classic.”

“MORE LIKE BASIC!”

“…ya know what? you tried. i’m so proud.”

“EXCUSE YOU, THE GREAT PAPYRUS DOESN’T NEED YOUR PITY! MY JOKES ARE BONELY THE BEST!”

“oh my god Pap, you’re gonna make me cry again.”

“NYEH HEH!”

The two skeletons exchanged lighthearted jabs at one another as the last vestiges of orange in the sky gave way to a brilliant blue; Sans sitting comfortably in his brother’s embrace as he had done so many times before, and Papyrus making no move whatsoever to set him down. If they were gripping one another a bit more tightly than normal, neither said a word about it.

[lloydsluck]

Crow’s Feet

Prelude

Ever looked at something that’s so fundamentally flawed, so bad in design, form and function, it’s actually intriguing. Like a botched piece of taxidermy or a first attempt at a short novel. A piece of work that was probably not half-assed but whole-heartedly assed with good intention and it would be insulting to the creator to jokingly ask did you write this story as if you’re the old piece of gum stuck underneath a Grade 8 English Lit student desk?  With no light, sense of tense, or spellcheker? The stereotypes and bad similes cause eye rolls so

 far back into one’s head it’s like… well it’s hard to think of a comparison here, so count yourself lucky. Not to mention the ADHD diversions, talking about mounting dead animals in one sentence quickly sidestepping to self-awareness of this piece of literature. I digress. When last did you see a questionable piece of art that you found beautiful? So bad, it’s great. So useless and time-wasting, it’s what you’ll think about ironically one day on your deathbed. Because heck… made you look. 

The Incision 

1

Mondays. The start of a new week. New opportunities for a new you. A fresh squeeze of hope that things will get better served with a side of “I can change” attitude. And no matter how many Mondays we have, (4 187 to be precise, if you, like the average human being will live to 79), you will wake up to the same old boring Monday, every week, the same way. 

Each one with a long dreary stretch and sigh, heavy eyes, telling yourself that you will make the most out of this week. But you won’t. Because laziness is time consuming and you don’t actually have anything else to do, really. 

However, on this particular Monday, which was Fick McOwen’s 2226’s Monday, things were different. 

Fick woke up with the dreadful sensation of drowning. Sinking deep in a casket of darkness. As he gulped in a breath of thick air, it tasted of rotten cabbage coating the back of his throat. Blind and bewildered, sharp metal sounds scratched close above his head. The sound stung his eardrums and made him cock up his forehead banging it hard against a flat surface.

‘Jeeezus fuck’, he hissed. 

With no sense of time and space, his ears were ringing overcharged electric chimes in his head which felt cracked and ready to explode like a reactor in Chernobyl. He took a few minutes to try and calm himself. No good ever came from a panic attack in closed confines with a possible concussion. He finally raised his hands to his chest and did what most drunks do the minute they wake up, pat themselves down and check their underwear.

*

One week earlier.

2

If she was just a bit nicer, Jeffrey thought, she may have already had a proper and dignified burial for her husband. Stomping up and down a room that looked like it was decorated for a five-star hotel in Vienna, the newly-widow’s bony figure moved fast from left to right like a rabid old fox prowling a fence. For Jeffrey, her unwanted but needed bodyguard/help/punching bag, she was Hitler’s sphincter. She sparked fear in him and tightened his nerves with her demanding presence. Like a screwdriver twisting and turning into soft wood. A reaction he despised about himself. It ruined many good days. Sunny days and days like today. 

Watching her from the corner of the large room, she attempted phone call after phone call, shouting at poor bastards who made the simple mistake of answering their phones that day. 

Wanting to disappear he closed his eyes and listened to every passive-aggressive step she took in the room. He liked to tell when she walked on the tiles or the bear rug; it was a fast tac tac tac womp womp womp womp tac tac womp womp…then nothing. He opened his eyes and with a fright found her standing right in front of him, steaming red with anger.

Her greying blonde hair was fastened in a tight pincushion on top of her head. This pulled back her frail white skin that held everything in place. Face to face, he couldn’t help but stare at the permanent makeup she had done on the lower lids of her eyes and on top of her brows. It was starting to fade and as a result, it looked like she put eyeliner on days ago and never washed it off. 

Her stare was cold and deadly like an overworked mortician’s. It complemented her daily outfits of thin grey pencil skirts and matching suit jackets. She had her name embroidered on the inside of the neckline since all of her clothing was specially washed and pressed at a local laundromat. One that she owned of course. 

Margaret. 

That’s what her husband used to call her. Or Margarine, Margie, or Macaroon. She would always remind whoever was listening that she was actually named after Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowden. If you had to look her up, you would see the uncanny similarities between the two women. So much so, that Jeffrey often wondered if they weren’t related. Considering how much of a royal bitch she was.

Nevertheless, he had to call her Mrs. Ergo. And he preferred the kind request from John Ergo, her late husband, since he didn’t think she would have liked the names he had listed for her in his head anyway. 

She snapped back up and walked across the room towards the large oak desk that faced the gigantic windows that looked out onto their garden. Their Ergo-Eden. With a deep sigh, he sat up straight and smoothed back his black hair that was styled according to an old Italian mobster he saw in a film when he was 15. 

“It’s all in the confidence of smoothing the wax over your hands first and then through your hair.” That’s what the old man said to his fellow pasta slurping, red-wine drinking, two hits a week gang that sat around a checkered table talking about the importance of looking respectable, no matter what the job. And this was what he told himself in the bathroom mirror every morning, (impersonating a very bad Italian accent of course) while he prepared for his day. 

Apart from the respectable hairdo, Jeffrey was built like a small bull with a refined jawline. At first glance one would imagine he spends his days lumberjacking in the forest; but instead of plaid shirts, he was forced to wear black on black as per ‘management’s’ request. 

He refocused his attention on her and as foul as she was acting that day, somewhere deep inside him, he felt sorry for her and her loss. His face twitched as he clenched his jaw trying to shape compassion on his face, but feared he looked more like a constipated clown trying to keep his cool. He was given cards once with all the different faces and expressions on it. Ironically, the illustrations looked like they were drawn by an autistic robot with no emotion nor artistic talent (it was), but it helped him deal with different people. Lines that came down the forehead with no teeth, meant anger or disappointment. Teeth showing meant they were happy – or about to bite you. 

Margaret often made faces Jeffrey couldn’t place on his cards and her teeth always had some lipstick stains on it, which quite frankly, just distracted him altogether. 

He watched her go down a list of names and numbers, furiously scratching them out when the call didn’t go as planned. Eyeing the last name and number on the list, she picked up the phone and started dialing. 

3

Fick carefully pulled the skin up the neck and then over the top of the head, trying his very best to keep his hand steady. He wore magnifying goggles that pushed his choppy brown hair up toward the ceiling and enlarged his olive-grey eyes. It looked like the head of a praying mantis was stuck on a lanky man's body who dressed as if he found a discarded box of 80s band shirts and never bothered to wear anything else again. 

'There.' He said as he lifted his hands and inspected the bird-like shape that was coming together in front of him. 

In the back of the garage-turned-workshop, a small radio was trying to hold itself together while Henry Rollins tore away at its speakers. The music filled the room and gave Fick the ability to concentrate. Nothing else was audible. Not a phone or a thought could break his focus. 

And it paid off; the crow started to take a lively shape, fast. All it needed were the eyes and some beak touch-ups and this bad boy was ready for some teenager's window sill.

Fick lived in Long Fountain, a small town where the kids were either into wrestling, the backyard kind, or satanism – also the backyard kind. This meant there were a lot of goth-like metalheads who gave themselves names like Agares and Forneus and hung outside the grocery store to smoke cheap cigarettes they bummed off the shop clerk. They would wear black makeup and dangle fake blood vial necklaces around their necks. Some would even proudly claim that they spray-painted hale satin on the backside of the church announcement board. To top off their rebel-without-a-cause-and-lack-of-basic-grammar-look, these kids would own a taxidermied crow on their windowsills, just for that extra edge. 

“It’s a phase” most parents would say, but Fick couldn’t care less. He got fifty bucks out of it, liked the work, and asked no questions. 

As a self-employed middle-aged Taxidermist, he could work from home and at his own pace. Something he considered to be more valuable than a performance bonus cheque at the end of a year after slaving away in a badly lit office desk from nine to five, five to seven days a week.

He didn’t necessarily consider himself a hermit, but he did prefer his own company with the exception of a few selected people – very selected and very few. This was a choice he made unapologetically clear to others who wanted to befriend him for no real reason. When presented with this frankness, they would awkwardly laugh it off and insist he’s just a fun and sarcastic guy. He despised those people the most. 

Furthermore, Long Fountain was a small enough town for the nosy types to know everyone and their business, while still quiet and sparse enough for others to embrace the privacy of the town’s border. If you had to take a drone shot from high above, the edge of the town looked like it disappeared into the desert like an ocean of drought that spilled into a suburb. Fick could never figure out why they called it Long Fountain though, as there wasn’t even a lake or river anywhere near them. But he liked it there and he appreciated the colourful desert sunsets that could be found if you were at the right place at the right time.

The only other peculiar thing about the town was that there was an abnormally large crow population, which he didn’t mind because it meant more product for him. That, and an abnormal amount of  old age homes. 

He gripped the tweezer handle between his teeth while he carefully glued the last soft tiny black feathers to the rim of the beak; he tended to hold his breath during these final touches. While the song came to a screeching halt, the ringing of his cell phone surfaced through all the noise and concentration. 

‘Fuck!’ He spat out the metal twangs, pulled off the goggles and flipped his phone over to reveal four missed calls from an unknown number in town. He was about to throw the phone over his shoulder onto a once purple–now grey–couch, when the screen lit up again with the same number flashing. 

‘Hello’ he answered casually trying to simmer down. 

‘Hello, is this Fick McOwen?’ A sweet lady’s voice kindly asked on the other side. 

‘Yes, how can I help?’

‘I’m looking for someone who can help me with a,’ she paused for a second,  ‘stuffing job?’ 

‘Well ma’am, I do all kinds of taxidermy. We don’t call it stuffing though, rather mounting,’ he smirked. ‘Anything from crows, bucks, ducks, even your pet poodle.’ He stared at the one-eyed crow that was perched up in front of him. 

‘What is your rate?’ She calmly inquired. 

‘It depends on the job. Small birds and animals start at thirty bucks, and then it can go up to a couple of thousand for a full deer, buck or elk.’ 

She went quiet on the line. He could tell she was busy writing something down, possibly a calculation. He hated long silences, it gave him indigestion.   

‘What would you like to have mounted?’ He nudged, just to check that she was still there. She remained quiet. 

‘Hellooo?’

‘Ten thousand.’

‘Excuse me?’ He quickly asked to confirm that he probably misheard.  

‘Ten. Thousand.’ She repeated sternly. 

‘Ma’am. What do you want to have done?’ His stomach started to tie knots of doubt, anticipating a job he may not be able to do. 

‘I prefer a private meeting to discuss this further.’ Her tone suddenly changed from a sweet old lady to an office crank complaining it’s cold. He hesitated for a second. Feeling his gut whisper all tales of caution to avoid this type of interaction. “If it’s too good to be true…” he would always remind himself. 

But…then again...

The ten thousand dollars started to swim through his mind like a beautiful woman in a red bikini, blowing kisses from a crystal blue pool. Caught in the moment, he impulsively replied, ‘Okay.’ She quickly confirmed that her people will be in contact with his people and disconnected before he could even take a breath to say he doesn’t have “people”. 

Confused about the call and left with nothing to follow up with, he decided to write it off as another crazy old lady from one of the care homes who got hold of the nurse’s office phone. Eyeing the cotton-eye-crow, he proceeded to hit play on his stereo, threw his mobile on the couch and stuck the tweezers back in his mouth to finish the job.

NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON

[kindredspiritsarentsorare]

A lavender place between wake and sleep

*A one shot of Anne and Gilbert meeting at dawn before their wedding. *

The air was cool and the sky still dark when Anne slipped out of the back door of Green Gables and headed toward the woods. The stars were beginning to fade from the sky and the sky was beginning to lighten as she made her way along the grassy path she knew so well.

A slight breeze blew her hair gently and caused her night gown to float behind her. Anne reveled in the feeling of grass between her toes and smiled up into the lightning sky.

“Oh what a glorious day to be married,” she whispered as her eyes lit onto a grove filled with wildflowers. She glanced at the sky again and then sat down amongst the flowers. She plucked the prettiest from their stems and quickly wove them into a flower crown that she placed upon her head.

The sky was turning from light grey to pink and red when she rose and stretched. She was so overjoyed at the day ahead of her that she couldn’t help but twirl around the flowers, dancing like she used to as a child. She was so enchanted with her own thoughts and the beauty of the morning that she didn’t notice anyone approaching until he was right upon her in the grove.

“How did I know you would be here?” Gilbert asked with a laugh. Anne turned to him with a grin, grabbing his hand as she turned back to stare at the sunrise.

“Perhaps it’s because I’ve always told you I want to be married at dawn.” Anne said without looking at him.

“I was actually going to say the enchantment if your very existence draws me to wherever you are, for that is where my heart resides.” Gilbert murmured, leaning in to place a kiss on Anne’s cheek.

Anne looked at him then, eyes wide, a smile playing on her lips, she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest, looking toward the eastern horizon.

“What a glorious dawn, a dawn of a new life, our life together.” She whispered, “it’s like the universe knows how special this day will be, dont you think, Gil?”

“Every day with you is a special day to me, Anne-girl,” Gilbert murmered into her hair, “but this day is indeed glorious. I have waited for this day my whole life.”

Anne turned her face up to Gilbert’s. She noted he had already shaved and was dressed for the day... well for a regular day. He hadn’t donned his suit yet, simply wearing his trousers, white shirt, and suspenders. He looked so handsome, gazing into the dawn, jaw set, a faint smile on his lips, the wind playing with the curls atop his head.

“I only wish I could give you the wedding you have dreamed of,” Gilbert said quietly, not looking at Anne.

“What are you talking about, Gil?” Anne whispered, “today will be lovely.”

“I know it will be lovely, but it is not the wedding you told me of when we were still kids,” Gilbert said, looking at Anne now.

“Oh, Gil my dawn wedding would never fly with Marilla and Diana. Trust me I tried.”

“But, Anne,” Gilbert said suddenly, “we are here, aren’t we? It’s the dawn of our wedding day.”

Anne’s breath was taken away at the realization.

“You’re right. It’s almost like fate. Here we are at dawn. We found each other by chance.”

“Marry me, Anne,” Gilbert said suddenly, “right now. We can have a ceremony of our own out here just like you dreamed. We can have our own little dawn wedding for the both of us right now and then have the official one this afternoon for everyone else.”

Anne laughed breathlessly at the wildly sincere look on Gilbert’s face as he stared into her eyes.

“Marry me, Anne. Please?” He whispered.

“Of course I will, darling Gil.” She whispered.

Gently, Anne placed her hand on Gilbert’s cheek and turned to face him. When he pressed his face into her hand and closed his eyes she placed her other hand on the other side of his face. Gently, she traced his lips with her thumb and ran her fingers through his hair. She brushed her fingers along his jaw and his brow. She ran her finger down his nose and Gilbert sighed.

“Mmm Anne, what are you doing?” Gilbert murmured, “Not that I don’t enjoy it because it is quite pleasant.”

“Stay still, Gil,” Anne whispered, “ive only just realized that this will be the last time I am to gaze upon you an unmarried woman. We shall never again be Gilbert and Anne, schoolmates and chums.”

“Darling we haven’t been just friends for quite some time,” Gilbert chuckled, opening his eyes a crack to watch Anne gaze at him intensely, but he didn’t move.

“Oh Gil, just let me gaze upon you while you still look like the boy I fell in love with all those years ago. The dawn light makes all our old selves feel alive again and I want to greet each one as a single woman one last time before we are married.”

Gilbert opened his eyes and gazed in wonder at his beautiful Anne with her extraordinary thoughts. He remained silent as she gazed upon him. Anne brought his face toward hers and Gilbert obliged, expecting a kiss and surprised when Anne placed a kiss on the side of his head.

“There’s the Gilbert that called me ‘carrots’ when i ignored him at school.”

She brought her lips to his cheek next.

“And the boy bearing more grief than anyone ever should.”

She placed a kiss on his forehead, right between his eyebrows.

“And the boy who went off to sea with the worries of the world on his shoulders.”

A kiss on his nose followed.

“Here’s the Gilbert that returned, ready to take on the world and pursue his dreams.”

Gently Anne kissed each of Gilbert’s eyelids.

“Now I see the Gilbert who saw the world for what it could be and decided to work to change it for the better.”

She kissed his chin.

“Here is the Gilbert who has told the truth even when it was hard.”

Anne took Gilbert’s hand in her own hands and placed a kiss in the center of his palm.

“This is Gilbert the man and good doctor who works restlessly until his patients are cured.”

Anne gently grasped Gilbert’s face and kissed his lips gently and lingeringly. It was a slow kiss, lingering, and sweet. She only pulled away when Gilbert sighed into her mouth.

“And here is my Gilliest of Gils. The man I fell in love with. The compassionate, romantic kindred spirit of mine. My future husband, my best friend, my partner and equal.”

“Oh, Anne.” Gilbert said, pulling her into his embrace.

He kissed her cheek.

“I see the girl I meet on the path to school when we were just children. The one I asked if she had any dragons for me to slay.”

He kissed her hands.

“Here’s the Anne with her fiery temper who broke her slate over my head. And the one who wrote me while I was at sea.”

He kissed her nose and her forehead and her chin.

“Here’s the Anne I came back to. Here’s Anne the writer, the caregiver, the friend, the comforter, the compassionate.”

He kissed her eyelids and her neck and finally her lips.

“And here is the Anne who gave me hope. The one who lifted my spirits and showed me how to love.”

Gilbert kissed Anne again then pulled away, running a hand through her loose hair.

“How could I be so lucky as to find you, my beautiful elven fairy girl? My Anne who comes to me at dawn in a gossamer gown and flower crown, natural and beautiful and perfectly Anne-ish.”

“It’s hardly gossamer but you’re the one who came to me, dearest.” Anne whispered.

“And I will continue to, for the rest of my life Anne. I have chased you my whole life and if you let me I will stand by your side and face life’s ups and downs with you until my dying breath.” Gilbert whispered passionately, taking Anne’s hand in his.

Anne felt her breath catch. She had written to him about her dream wedding nearly a year and a half ago right at the beginning of their engagement. She never thought he would remember the whole thing.

“Anne Shirley-Cuthbert,” Gilbert whispered, “I hereby swear that from this day forward I shall stand by your side as your equal and partner, your lover and comrade in all things. I shall never hinder your ambitions and dreams, but rather support you in all you choose to do from this day until the day I die. Will you take me as your lifemate, to have and to hold through thick and thin, whatever may come?”

Tears of joy sprang to her eyes and she held Gilbert’s hand firmly in her own and placed the other on his cheek.

“Oh Gil, i take your to have and to hold in sickness and health, in thick and thin, whatever storms may come, to be my life mates. I hereby vow to support you in all your endeavors and to stand by your side as we face the storms of life and the joys. I take you, my equal in intellect and compassion as my partner in all things from this day forth until I die. There is no one else I could have a love bond with. You are my true kindred spirit. It has always been you, for our souls dance together in such a way that it lights up the world around us and everything seems brighter.”

It was at this point Anne leapt into Gilbert’s arms and kissed him fiercely. He grabbed her by the waist and after kissing her quite passionately for a good moment he picked her up and spun her around. The two danced in the meadow as the dawn broke.

Anne tangled her hands in Gilbert’s hair and pushed him down into the grass so as to be able to kiss him more easily. She sat in his lap and kissed his lips and his cheeks and his neck until Gilbert thought he might forget his very name.

It was nearing 7 am when Anne finally snuck back into Green Gables. She found Marilla and Diana awaiting her. However, rather than questions they offered her smiles and hugs.

The official wedding was beautiful, and the first bride of Green Gables was happy as could be. Her husband couldn’t think of a joy better than the day as it unfolded. However, it was the private promises made that dawn that tang truest to them both and it was to those vows of equality, love, and support that they clung to in the years as they unfolded sweetly before themselves.

[pocket-luv101]

Strange Events || Chapter 5

Fandom: Servamp Ships: KuroMahi (main), LawLicht (side), Tetsono (side), Jekuni (side) Characters: Kuro, Mahiru, Hyde, Licht, Tetsu, Misono, Snow Lily, Mikuni, JeJe

Summary: When Mahiru’s friend goes missing, he searches through the woods for him. He comes across a boy with psychic abilities. He hoped Kuro would be able to help him find Misono. (Stranger Things AU) A/N: This was an AU that @viconekochan suggested.

Ch.1 || Ch.2 || Ch.3 || Ch.4 || (Ch.5) ||

A thump woke Mahiru and he opened his eyes with a groan. His mind was still hazy from sleep and he nestled against the warmth next to him. After a moment, he realized that he was sleeping with his head on Kuro’s chest. He felt flustered and he sat up quickly. While he had sleepovers with his friends before, he had never been so close to another person. He touched his burning cheeks and he tried to calm his racing heartbeat.

There was another sound above him and Mahiru wondered who it could be. He glanced at the time and it was a little past midnight. He thought that Licht was already asleep and his uncle would’ve called him if he was going to return home soon. Mahiru stiffened when he realized that it could be a home invader. Kuro told him that people were after him for his abilities.

Footsteps continued to echo around them and Mahiru thought over what they should do. He looked down at Kuro but he was uncertain if he should wake him. With his telekinetic powers, he was strong and he could easily fight the intruder. On the other hand, he had already been through a lot and Mahiru didn’t want to scare him. He felt protective of Kuro and he wanted to make him feel safe.

He pushed aside his fears and crawled out of the small fort. Mahiru draped a blanket over the entrance to hide Kuro before he left. He was careful not to make a sound as he crept up the stairs. He grabbed a broom so he would have a weapon to defend himself. The logical side of him knew that the broom wouldn’t be effective if the person had powers like Kuro.

He followed the sound of footsteps and eased the basement door open. Among the silence, the creak of the door sounded like thunder to him. Mahiru stepped into the dark hall and looked around. He walked to the front door and peered through the small window. He couldn’t see a car outside and the door was still locked. “I must be hearing things.”

He relaxed and reassured himself that the people after Kuro couldn’t possibly know that he was hiding in his house. They had been careful not to be seen and only his friends knew about him. He decided to return to the basement and go back to sleep. He had school tomorrow and they planned to search for Misono after that.

As he passed the kitchen, the door began to open. Mahiru started to scream but a hand covered his mouth and pulled him back. He looked up and found Kuro standing behind him. He lifted his other hand and slammed the door closed with his abilities. The door rattled and Mahiru pressed closer to Kuro. He felt his breath brush against his ear as he whispered. “Hide. If it’s the scientists, I’ll deal with them.”

“They’re after you so you should be the one to hide.” Mahiru turned in his arms and lightly placed his hands on his shoulders to push him towards the closet. “Maybe I can make them leave. Call the cops while you’re hiding in the closet.”

The rattle of the door was followed by a loud bang. Mahiru jumped slightly but he tried to hide how frightened he was. He was certain that Kuro would insist that he protect him if he knew he was scared. Then, he heard a familiar voice on the other side of the door. “What’s with this door? Mahiru, are you asleep? This door is jammed!”

“Licht?” Mahiru assumed his cousin was asleep upstairs so he was shocked to hear his voice. He silently nodded to Kuro and signalled for him to let him in. Slowly, Mahiru opened the door and he was relieved that it was only Licht. Other questions came to him though. “Did you just go outside, Licht? You’re wearing your sweater. I told you that you shouldn’t go out at night because it’s dangerous! I thought someone broke in and you almost gave me a heart attack.”

“I can’t believe I’m getting a lecture from you when I’m the older one.” Licht groaned. The only thing he wanted to do was to go to bed. He felt irritated and tired so he was in no mood to listen to his lecture. He wasn’t able to meet his friend like he planned and he had to bike back to the house in the dark. “Can we talk about this in the morning? I’m sleepy.”

“This is serious, Licht! I warned you that my friend went missing recently but you sneaked out anyways. The woods is dangerous and I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Mahiru argued. While Licht was older than him, he wanted to keep him safe. It was impossible to stress how serious the situation was without telling him everything. “At least tell me when you’re going out.”

“I thought I might interrupt your slumber party with your boyfriend.” Licht shrugged. His words caused Mahiru to blush but Kuro was oblivious to the reason. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your uncle or anyone else that your boyfriend stayed over.”

With those words, Licht walked up the stairs to his room. Mahiru couldn’t say anything else to him so he decided to go back to the basement with Kuro. He checked the locks on the doors and windows before he went downstairs. He crawled into the small fort and buried his face into the pillow. “That scared ten years off my life.”

“Mahiru?” Kuro whispered his name and lightly poked his shoulder. He rolled onto his side and made space for him to lay down as well. Mahiru stared up at the makeshift ceiling because he was too shy to face Kuro. “Mahiru, why didn’t you wake me up when you heard something. It was dangerous to go alone if it was someone from the lab.”

“I didn’t want to scare you. You might’ve been forced to use your powers too.” He answered. Mahiru took out a napkin and wiped the tiny sliver of blood from his nose. The smile he gave Kuro was full of compassion and trust. “If it was anything dangerous, I trusted that you would run up there to save me. Friends protect each other.”

“Boyfriends especially? That’s what Licht called us.” Kuro said and noticed how his face became flushed again. “Did I say something wrong? I didn’t think that word would be rude. Are we not friends and that’s why you got upset?”

“I’m not upset. We are friends but being called boyfriends is different.” Since he had to describe what a friend was to him, Mahiru doubted he knew what the word meant. He tried to think of the best way to explain it to him. “I understand if you think boyfriends are friends who are guys but it’s a little different. It’s when two people are in a romantic relationship. They kiss, hold hands and go on dates.”

“Like in the movie we watched?” He recalled the ending where the two characters kissed. Kuro blushed as well and he pulled the blanket over his face. He didn’t realize that Mahiru was laying on the blanket and the motion caused him to roll to the side. He accidentally pushed a pillow of place and the fort fell down around them. “Sorry.”

To Kuro’s surprise, Mahiru started to laugh. The tension around them disappeared. He pushed aside the blankets and pillows and laid next to Kuro again. “We’ll have to rebuild the fort in the morning but it’s time for bed now.”

“I can drive myself to school, Mikuni. You don’t need to drop me off me as if I’m five years old.” Hyde complained in the backseat of JeJe’s police truck. His brother insisted that they drive him after he learned that he had skipped school the previous day. He knew that Mikuni wanted to keep him out of trouble and he was worried after what happened to Misono. Yet, he groaned: “JeJe, tell my brother that he’s being overprotective.”

“I’m staying out of this.” He said as he parked the car in front of the school. While there were a lot of rumours around Hyde, JeJe knew that he was a good kid. He would act out at times but he never had to arrest him. “You’re still seventeen, Hyde. Your brother wants what’s best for you too. You won’t be able to graduate if you miss too many classes.”

“You said you’re going to stay out of our family drama but it looks like you took a side.” He rolled his eyes. Hyde stepped out of the car and lightly knocked on the window. After Mikuni rolled down the window, he said: “I’m going to develop my photos after school. It shouldn’t take too long. Can you pick me up at six instead of four?”

“Okay. Stay out of trouble.” Mikuni told him and ruffled his hair. They waved to each other before he walked into the school. He was glad that JeJe waited until Hyde entered the building before he drove away. While he didn’t say a word, he knew that JeJe understood why he was worried about his brother. They could easily picture Hyde running into trouble to find Misono.

JeJe arranged to speak with the scientists at the energy plant with the hopes that they saw Misono the night he disappeared. They didn’t have proof that he crawled through the tunnel and entered the facilities but it was the only lead they had. He was certain that Mikuni would chase every lead they had until they found his brother. For his sake, he prayed Misono was safe.

As the drove down the road, Mikuni turned off the radio and asked: “Do you think I’m being too strict on Hyde? Our old man was worse but…”

“You can hover a little less.” JeJe said and his answer made Mikuni pout. “I know you’re concerned that Hyde will run off and I understand why. We don’t know what happened to Misono. Maybe you can give Hyde some advice instead of chaperoning him everywhere. Tell him to hang out with his friends and go to parties like normal teenagers his age. That might get his mind off everything.”

“He doesn’t have many friends. Hyde had to grow up quicker than kids his age.” After their parents died, life had been difficult. Mikuni worked hard to provide for his family but Hyde got a job to help make ends meets. They both wanted Misono to have an easy life. Despite their best efforts, they couldn’t protect Misono the night he went missing.

“Hyde isn’t the easiest person to get along with. He’s haughty and stubborn.” His comment earned him a light punch from Mikuni. It didn’t hurt and JeJe chuckled instead. “Maybe he needs to find a reasonable and patient person like you have.”

“I’m neither stubborn nor haughty. I can’t describe you as patient either. From the time you picked us up to now, you’ve sighed and groaned at least five times. Didn’t your parents teach you that it’s rude to do that?” Mikuni retorted. “Hyde needs someone who can handle his antics and kick some sense into him.”

“I don’t know if he’ll find someone like that easily.”

They approached the power plant and he stopped next to a toll booth. JeJe lowered the window and showed his badge to the worker. “I am Sheriff Doubt. This morning, I spoke with Dr. Gear about a missing child who might have passed by. I want to check your cameras to see what direction he might’ve went. He should be expecting me.”

“Dr. Gear is waiting for you in the lobby.” He nodded and opened the steel doors for them. He drove through the gate and parked his car. Mikuni stepped out and stared at the laboratory. He never gave the building much thought even though it sat near his home. JeJe stood next to him and placed his hand on his back. With a gentle push, he led him forward to the entrance.

They entered the lobby and walked to the reception’s desk. A man wearing a suit was already speaking with the receptionist. He turned around when they stopped next to him. “Sheriff Doubt? I am Dr. Gear. You requested a tour of our facilities. I’ll be honest though, you’re wasting your time here. It’s nearly impossible for someone to sneak inside.”

“This is just to cover all of our bases, Sir.” JeJe said. He saw how Mikuni bit his tongue and he knew he wanted to snap back at the man. The dismissive tone he had angered him. He held himself back because they needed their cooperation. Mikuni hoped that their cameras would show them what happened to his brother. “I told you that we think he crawled through a tunnel.”

Gear nodded and led them outside to the drain pipe he described. Mikuni knelt next to the grate cover and examined its worn edges. The tunnel appeared large enough for Misono to crawl through. JeJe glanced around them and pointed to a camera nearby. “Do you have the footage from Thursday and Friday like we requested?”

“Yes. Please, follow me.” Gear instructed and walked back towards the building. Mikuni waited until the scientist turned around before he tucked something inside his pocket. As he followed him through the halls, he noticed a hallway blocked by restrictive tape. He couldn’t see much beyond the opaque curtain but he was able to make out people in bulky suits.

“Mikuni?” He turned back when JeJe said his name. He walked into the dark room where the video was already prepared. The date on the screen was the night Misono went missing and they sped through the video. People passed through the screen but not one of them was his brother. The recording stopped and Mikuni didn’t hide his disappointment.

“I’m sorry you didn’t find what you were looking for. There’s a thousand cameras around the building. No one can come in or leave without us knowing. If your brother was here, we would’ve sent him to the station.” Gear said. “Shall I show you two out?”

“We can find our way out.” JeJe said. For a moment, Mikuni didn’t respond and continued to stare at the screen. He only looked away when he felt his hand on his shoulder. Mikuni sighed but stood and walked out of the building. He opened the passenger side’s door for him. He didn’t immediately close the door after he sat down. “Are you okay, Mikuni?”

“I thought I would find something.” He took out a strip of fabric from his pocket. “I found this stuck to the pipe cover. There’s no way to tell that it’s Misono’s but… We didn’t see him on the camera though.”

“Do you remember the night Misono went missing and the search party the next night?” The way he suddenly changed the subject confused Mikuni but he nodded. JeJe leaned closer and whispered into his ear. There were cameras watching him and he worried that they might overhear him as well. “It rained those nights but it was a clear day in the video.”

“They tampered with the video?” He was focused on finding Misono that he hadn’t noticed the detail. Mikuni looked down at the cloth and he pictured his brother scared in the building. He recalled how he heard his brother in the cassette player the previous night. Maybe Misono was inside the lab and he found a way to contact him through a radio.

Mikuni tried to jump to his feet but JeJe stopped him. He placed his hands on his shoulders and eased him back into the car. “You can’t run in there without more evidence, Mikuni. They’re hiding something but we can’t know if it’s related to your brother or not. Once we have more evidence, we can push them for answers. Trust me, Mikuni.”

“Okay,” He relented with a small nod.

Kranz hadn’t returned any of Licht’s calls and he was starting to worry about his friend. The teenager at the party yesterday told him that Kranz returned home alone. Mahiru’s lectures about the dangers of going out alone echoed in his ears. A feeling in his stomach told him that something was wrong as well. He decided to take the bus and visit his friend.

He went to the bus station and bought a ticket. Licht checked the schedule and he was glad that it would arrive soon. He searched for a bench to wait for the bus. A groan escaped him when he saw a familiar demon waiting on the platform. Hyde was reading a book so he hadn’t noticed him yet. He muttered to himself, “Why do I run into him everywhere I go?”

Licht thought it was best to avoid him so he leaned against the wall and waited for the bus. Even though he intended to ignore him, he found himself staring at Hyde’s back. Was the reason he was at the station related to his missing brother? Before he could finish the thought, he noticed a group of teenagers approaching him. He recognized them from the party last night.

“Hey, Hyde, we heard you were creeping around the woods last night. Were you spying on my party?” The teenagers surrounding him but Hyde barely gave them a glance. “Are you skipping town because of what happened to your brother?”

“Why are you here? I was searching the forest for my brother. You don’t need to be scared that I have evidence of you and your friends drinking underage at that party. I don’t take pictures of clowns.” Hyde shot him a glare. He didn’t flinch when the boy grabbed his shirt and roughly pulled him to his feet. “Do you want to fight me? It’ll be bad if you get injured before your basketball game.”

“You act tough for someone who carries around a toy.” He grabbed the camera from around his neck. Hyde immediately jumped forward to take it back but his friends held his arms. He couldn’t afford to replace the camera if they broke it. Another boy took the photos he had stuffed in his book. “Look at all this creepy stuff.”

“Let him go and give back his camera.” The group was surprised by Licht’s voice. There were more of them than him yet his glare was unwavering. Hyde took the opportunity to wrench his arms free from their grip. He assumed Licht was friends with them when they first met but it was clear he was wrong.

“Weirdos stay together, I guess.” The boy scoffed and started to hand back the camera. Then, he tossed the fragile camera behind him and it shattered on the ground. Hyde’s anger flared but he quickly held it back. He couldn’t start a fight or else the authorities would take him in and Mikuni would question why he was at the bus station. He walked past them and picked up his broken camera.

The group walked away but Licht stayed. He knelt next to him and collected the photographs they threw on the ground. “Thanks, Angel Cakes, but you don’t need to worry about these pictures. I already looked through all of these and there’s nothing here that can help the investigation. We should get off the road before the bus comes.”

“Are you going to Oakwood to look for your brother?” Licht asked as they stood. He had a handful of photos in his hand and held them out to Hyde. He didn’t take them and shook his head so Licht placed them in his bag. From his expression, he could tell that the photos made him frustrated. He spent an entire night in the forest but he couldn’t find anything.

“Misono hasn’t stepped foot outside of this town but our mother lives in Oakwood now. Well, she’s my mother but not his. It’s complicated.” He said as they sat on a bench. Hyde stared down the road and wondered where his brother could be. “They haven’t had any luck finding him here. The only person he knows outside of here is her. It’s a long shot but I have to try.”

“Don’t you have a car?” Licht remembered how he saw him driving the previous night. “Wouldn’t it be faster to use your car instead of waiting for the bus?”

“My over protective brother took my keys so here I am. He must be worried that I would do something reckless like drive to the next town to look for Misono.” He joked sarcastically. “Why are you going to Oakwood?”

“My friend lives there. He hasn’t returned any of my calls and I think something happened to him. Maybe I’m just being paranoid.” Hyde understood his feelings and patted his shoulder lightly. He didn’t say anything but Licht understood that he was trying to comfort him. “I’ll find my friend and your brother will come back safe.”

[oxfordcombat]

The Titus Trepidation

Read this or I’ll paper your towels :-)

 Crunch. I had been walking peacefully, but fortunately for my chagrin levels, I wasn’t alone. I paused, the walking stopped.  Trick of the forest, a play on my already overactive imagination. Continuing on, my mood once again lightened. I was fine. Crunch. I am fine. Crunch. I am fine, everything is A-Okay. Crunch. Every other step was met with the crunch of some nearby leaves. A sound that wasn’t mine. A sound fast approaching.

“Haha, very funny peter, you got me. Let’s all prank the new guy,” I swallowed nervously, peter always owned up to his dumb jokes, he liked the satisfaction of a good prank. Why wasn’t he speaking. I kept walking. Wouldn’t he have come forward by now? The dead person in the forest was always found after turning around, right? That’s what the forest wanted. That’s what the it always wanted. “Rie? That you? I knew it was too good to be true, getting out of station clean up to do the evening patrol. Jokes up guys. I’m thoroughly scared.” The crunching was faster, approaching me, I couldn’t bear to not see whatever it was anymore. I whipped around.

           “Show yourself! This isn’t funny anymore, I’d rather you just get this over with.  I’d literally rather have a deer eat me! Wait—no I wouldn’t. On second thought, um, please, don’t do that,” my voice got smaller with every word I mushed out. I was dead, so dead. Why did I ever leave Arizona?

“Get the internship they said, it will look good on your transcripts they said. If you really want a gap year work somewhere that will get you into a good college, maybe even help your degree. Well look where that got me! This is dumb. I’ve had to be outside, in the forest, alone! And now I’m going to die, in the forest, alone!”

That was my voice, slightly raspy, but still my voice. As if this me hadn’t spoken in a while. Since its last meal probably. No, stop, I was only scaring myself. Those were my thoughts. But the problem was that wasn’t my voice. This was bad, so bad, so very, very bad. I furiously start back pedaling. I didn’t want to turn my back again, lest the thing be staring behind me. At least this way I could watch the long part of the trail. I was almost back. Hopefully whatever it was didn’t know how to open doors.

“Um please, don’t eat me. I really want to not be eaten, that’s actually on my, um, top three things to do,” I attempted a chuckle with my dumb joke. Hell, I was probably more likely to be eaten like this. Wait did it even eat, what if it just dragged my body off the trail never to be seen again? What if I was just held motionless in a cave in the forest, for my entire life? Jesus, I’d never even see my fish again. My radio crackled at my side. MY RADIO! I’d completely forgotten, I could get help, reinforcements, another human, anything.

“SCHSHCSCS base tower two to all rangers, base tower two to all rangers. Missing persons report north quadrant approximately, last seen wearing blue shorts and a navy blue jacket. Blonde hair, green glasses, report in when possible. Repeat all patrolling rangers be on lookout for small boy wearing blue shorts and jacket, responds to name Titus. Contact immediately if found SCHSHCSCS,” the radio crackles again, it’s Riley. She isn’t part of the prank, if this even was one. I try desperately to make the microphone come on, but the buttons wouldn’t respond.

“Please! Please! Someone, anyone help me! I’m in grave danger, something is out here with me. I need help!” Nothing, no light, no response. My radio bore no sign of picking anything up. I wasn’t getting help. I was going to die. Out here. Alone. In the stupid woods. All I wanted was a gap year. I should be getting my bachelors in botany, I should be studying evolutionary sub functionalization, but instead, I was here, alone, in the forest, about to die. I don’t like this. Crunch. I do not like this. Crunch. I want to die. Crunch. Crunch. No, I don’t I was kidding. Crunch. Maybe it could only read my thoughts that one time, and did not just hear my request of death.  The movement of leaves was all around me, impossibly close, impossibly fast. I couldn’t take this. Was the trail really this long before? I turned around.

I no longer saw the north-east tower. My refuge was no longer a few miles away. I had been corralled. Jesus, I was sheep, I was lamb to the slaughter. Oh god. This was the end; this was the end wasn’t it. Jesus Christ. I don’t know how long ago I had stepped off the path, I had no idea. Actually, it was after the voice. Right? I had literally broken the one rule my grandmother had given me. Respect the forest and its inhabitants, living or not, and don’t set foot off the path without the blessing of a forest elder. Okay two rules. I was still in a very not good place. But it was okay, I still had my compass, I still had my skills, the crunches had lessoned, and I would be okay.

“Ti-tus, Ti-tus, Titus. Hey that’s my name,” It spoke again this time not in my voice, but in the speech of a sleepy little boy. This was creepy, it couldn’t be part of my imagination now, this was too vivid. “Have you seen my boy, my poor boy all alone in the forest, my, my he’s simply too young. Please ma’am you must find him, he’s all I got in the world. Please,” It wasn’t a little boy any more, this time the thing drawled in a southern accent. I wasn’t sure what was worse hearing my voice, or hearing someone else’s; were they its last meals? Is that what it ate?

“Pl-ease come here, honey. Are-n’t you tired of running? Aren’t your widdle legs just begging for a little r and r? Come on down here darling, I promise you won’t regret it sugar,” the thing had lost its rasp by now, if I hadn’t heard it’s practice I might have even believed it had a rasp, a flaw. I mean it sounded just so nice; a cozy fire, probably set with accented cotton plants, nestled in a ranch. I could listen to this voice, let it carry me off to sleep. Let myself get comfortable. I wanted to sit down. I wanted to lay down. I was going to sleep now, while the nice feeling stayed. I hadn’t been this comfortable in years.

No-no, I was not going to fall for that. Not after I had come this far. Something was wrong with my compass. It sat lazily spinning, turning circles under its glass dome. I hadn’t been in the forest enough to know it by heart, but I wasn’t dying. I refused, my papa had taught me self-defense and no dumb old forest spirit would eat me without a fight.

I stopped. A torn navy jacket laid on the ground. I couldn’t believe this, the north quadrant was huge, what were the odds, the kid was here. If I made it out alive no one would have to know how scared I was, instead I would come back a hero. Peter would eat his shirt. I picked up the jacket, there were several rips on the back of the jacket.

I might be taking back a corpse.

“Mrs. Madeline, is that you? Are you painting again, dear? I told you to be careful out here, we are to be together throughout our expedition my dear. I wouldn’t want to lose you love. Madeline, Madeline? My dear? Where ever are you my love? Madeline?” I couldn’t believe this, how long had this beast been around. I’d only been here for a week and even I had heard of the Wreinrich Forrest legend. Hell, everyone at the base knew that story.

Madeline Haverick, the famous sculptor, had come for a visit with her husband to relieve her artistic burnout. She had gone missing less than two days into her trip, and her husband? Well he came in half lucid, no shoes, rambling of some, thing. He spoke of eyes, so, so many eyes. Of eyes watching, waiting for him in the dark, in the end, we couldn’t save him. The rangers on duty called the medics but he was pronounced dead when they got there. No one knew how, there was no cause. No evidence, nothing.

Only problem? That legend was over seventy-five years old. How would the thing have known? Was this the end of Madeline Haverick? Was this the end of me? The thing talked quietly. Not pronounced enough for me to hear. More voices, pitches, tones. Never the same speech twice. Was that how it got its victims? I mean I almost fell for the cozy of the voice, once. Could this be my end? Was Titus even out there? Or was he already bait for my sympathy. I gripped the jacket tighter, my lifeline in this godless forest.

That’s when I noticed what was happening, or more precisely, what wasn’t. The crunching I’d grown so accustomed to, the voices, the muttering. It was gone. Silent. I was alone. But I wasn’t. I was still being watched. I felt the eyes boring into the back of my neck. I would catch it this time, it couldn’t run without alerting me. I took a few steps, thinking about anything but my plan. Tomatoes, phytochromes, plant cells, cellular membrane, phototropism, internode, axillary bud. I spun around. There wasn’t a beast in site. Instead, there were stairs?

Stairs. How. Were. There. Stairs? I couldn’t believe this, I had just walked over that space, and now there were stairs. How? I didn’t even know what was happening. Was this a thing, a common occurrence?  I couldn’t help but step forward towards the stairs. They were just so enticing. I went to investigate.

“SCHSHCSCS Reports coming in from East Quadrant supposed sightings of Titus, as reported by local campers. Search and rescue now relocated, dogs positioned. Stay tuned, continue search as planned. SCHSHCSCS”

How? How could he be in another quadrant already? I’m deep in the North, how would his jacket be here? Or his glasses? What was happening? I hadn’t heard the voice, or voices in a while, was that good? Could that mean I was in the clear? Or did it mean that it was going for my colleagues next? I tried my radio buttons, still no response. This was bad, so very, very bad. I couldn’t tell what was worse: possibly being in the clear but my friends facing the consequences, or this being the calm before the storm for me. Was this how it did it? Was I finished, was I being lulled into a subtler calm. Oh god, was that what it wanted me to think, did it want me anxious? No, no I was going in circles again. I wouldn’t die this way. No, I wouldn’t die.

“SCHSHCSCS The dogs have found the boy’s scent; retrieval rangers are hot on the missing child’s trail. Will report back soon. SCHSHCSCS”

They had him? But how? There was no explanation for this. I wasn’t going to wait around, I was climbing the stairs. I was about ten feet away; it had been enticing before but in a train wreck sort of way. I couldn’t describe it, but while I couldn’t look away, I didn’t want to advance.

I was getting to the end of this day, stairs, voices, or not. Each step felt harder, my feet feeling as heavy as rocks every step I took. When I got almost within grasping distance I was no longer walking, I was trudging, not able to lift my feet. I needed answers and if the top of these stairs gave that to me I didn’t care how hard it was to get there. Static filled my ears. I couldn’t hear anything, but I could. All of my senses seemed to inhabit a queer limbo. My hearing and sight functioned perfectly yet not at all. I couldn’t explain it if I tried truthfully, and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to.

Hesitating my foot hovered above the first step. All of the turbulence, all of the interference bouncing around in my brain was gone. It was just me and the. If I could ever think that again. Something hovered near me, maybe the stairs themselves somehow. I couldn’t tell you. But I had come this far. I set my foot down on the first stair.

The forest was silent. Another step. There were six steps. Nothing big, not even a floor. I could see over the top the entire “journey.”  Step. I wasn’t sure I could do this. Step. No. Step. I could do this. I would do this. Step.

I had done it. I stood at the top.

I saw the forest, six steps taller. And it felt, wrong. I had just done something, something terrible, and I didn’t fully comprehend it yet. But I could tell, I would rue the day I set foot on these stairs. I crouched, picking up the glasses. They felt empty, there were scratches on the lenses. A drop of blood maybe. Perplexed, I tucked the arms behind the frame, there wasn’t any blood before. I could see them clearly and there weren’t any scratches or blood until I picked them up. What did this mean? I rubbed my hands together, suddenly cold. There was blood on my hands. I was getting back to base. This was insane. I needed to tell someone. Tell anyone. Talk to someone that wasn’t myself or a mysterious entity. I wanted to talk to a human being.

I wiped my hands on my pants. The blood didn’t disappear. I couldn’t handle this, I was going home. Back to Arizona. Back to no forests. I was done.  

“SCHSHCSCS we have lost scent of the boy. HQ does not understand what happened may be result of a 76-33, come in immediately, we don’t know what’s hunting this time. Boy is continued missing, presumed dead. Repeat, all rangers return to base. No one on grounds unless returning, issue total lockdown. Remember, do not trust your radio or senses. Repeat: all rangers return imminently. SCHSHCSCS”

I couldn’t believe this. Don’t trust your radio, what lousy advice to give by radio, I thought as I clipped it back into my belt. I was so done with today. I needed to get back to base, to both remain alive in this hellscape and submit my two weeks’ notice.  I didn’t care what was happening, I was going back to base. I hopped off the stairs, gingerly placing the bloody glasses in my pocket. I picked up my speed, you don’t run in horror movies, that’s just asking to trip and be caught, I was going to speed walk my way to safety. Crunch. O H       M Y     G O D. Crunch. This was not happening. This was NOT happening again.  Nothing could happen if I ignored it. Crunch. That one was right behind me. Nope. I kept walking. Nope, nope, nope. Breathing, hot on my neck. I said no, I’m opting out. Can’t eat me if I opt out mysterious forest entity.

Something drawled its finger, if I could call it that, down my spine. Nope, nope, I hate this. I detest this.  The static was building again. Something brushed my ankle. God forbid, I escape the god damn stairs free of harm. Shouldn’t that thing be full of Titus by now? You would think an entire little boy lunch would satiate it. Oh Jesus, I can’t believe I said that. I hope that kid is okay.

“SCHSHCSCS HQ to ranger caprice, head to west quadrant picnic pavilion. Urgent ranger Caprice please head west, there is something you need to see. SCHSHCSCS”

What could I even need to see there? And why me? They had just recalled everyone back, what would they need me for. I began to head left, shivering in the now cool air of the forest. I stopped.

The previous message said not to trust the radio. But how could I trust that one? What if I did have to go to the pavilion and the first message was simply another creature. Could they do that? Could they get on to a the base radio? No, I might as well return to base. It was closer and with the longer trek, the cold might kill me. I could only imagine, surviving that thing and those god damn stairs only to succumb to exposure. No, I’d continue heading north and at least there I could fight it off. I couldn’t trust any more communications, nothing that wasn’t face to face. I was turning my radio off, not like it had helped me at all anyway.

It wasn’t there. The radio was no longer clipped to my belt. Why was nothing going right today? Turning I searched frantically, for anything. How long had it been gone? I remembered holding it when it said to return to HQ, that would mean the second message was the trick. But that wasn’t my only problem.

The thing was still following me. How else could I have heard it so clearly? It was near. But I was close to base, so close it had gotten desperate. This was good, right? There must be safety at base, which was why it wanted me gone.  It also had left behind this previous tactic of trying to scare and had gone straight to trying to lead me away. Was it getting braver? I couldn’t tell, I needed to get back. I stopped looking. But as it turns out, I hadn’t needed to.

My radio lay to my right, about fifteen feet, in the middle of a fairy circle. The mushrooms were innocuous enough, but there was no way my radio had ended up there on its own. I was so done. I had fallen for the glasses, but not again, I was heading to base, and not stopping until I was inside.

The walk was uneventful. But I’m pretty sure that was worse than fighting the monster. I could see the base now, nothing stood in my way. I wanted to walk faster, but I couldn’t risk alerting the thing to my safety I guess. This thing had almost tricked me once, but it wasn’t getting me again. I was in the clearing now, no trees, I could see all around the main tower.

Bump bump. Bump bump. I could hear my heart beat with every step. This summer job was going to give me heart palpitations. Jesus.  I didn’t look back until stepping through the door. I noticed salt sprinkled behind me on the path, what that what they were resorting to, salt rings? They couldn’t be serious. I turned to shut the door behind me, watching as a tall black mass slinked farther back into the shadows.

I had beaten it, oh my god, I was safe, there were human people here. I turned my back to the door, making sure to lock it. Riley sat wrapped in a blanket on one of the rec couches, sipping her usual black coffee.

“I can’t believe we lost him, we had the scent and his clothes! How could we lose him Peter? Oh my god,  he was only a little boy, he couldn’t have gone far.” Riley was obviously distraught, Peter sitting at her side, hand around her shoulders.

“I’m telling you, this happens, sometimes there is nothing we can do, the odds are stacked against us anyway. You have to let these things go sometimes Rie, there was nothing you could do.” I could tell Peter was holding it together for Riley, he took these things hard, but she always took them worse.

“He isn’t a thing to let go Peter, he was a child! A child we were responsible for finding,” Riley spoke softly into her cup. “I was leading the pack, it was me that lead you in the wrong direction, say what you want, but I lost him,” Peter had nothing to say to that, there was nothing he could say. Instead he sat silently. I figured now was as good a time as any to enter the conversation.

When I entered the rec room, Riley didn’t look up, Peter glanced at me, looked down, then back up again, quickly.

“Janet! Thank god, you’re back, we were worried sick. It’s been more than an hour since we made the recall, we assumed you went to a different base.  Once we lost the scent of Titus like that, we immediately recalled everyone, couldn’t take the chance of it being a greeni-  a bear. We didn’t want another ranger lost to… a bear attack,” he glanced down again as he said those last words, and from the way he cut himself off and my experiences today, I knew it was no bear the other rangers were worried about.

“Whatever I saw wasn’t a bear, you two need to start talking, now.”

“Oh, uh no there’s nothing to be afraid of in the forest, nothing we can’t handle at least. Probably just some feral animal fed too much by hikers.”

“No, you aren’t avoiding this anymore, I want answers. Bears can’t mimic voices, bears don’t live for hundreds of years, and bears sure as hell can’t say my thoughts out loud as I think them. Explain,” I threw the glasses down on the coffee table in front of them as I spoke, my hands were no longer bloody, maybe they never were, but the glasses were no illusion. Once they registered what I had showed them, there were no words to describe their shock. Peter’s hands flew to his mouth, Riley dropped her mug, coffee seeped onto the floor.

“Where did you get those? Those are the same ones Titus was supposed to be wearing, how could you possibly have those?” After Peter, Riley quickly spoke.

“Weren’t you in the northern quadrant for nightly patrol? You couldn’t have been anywhere near us. Tell us exactly, where did you get those glasses?” Riley’s voice was urgent, and I answered straight away.

“I found them on the god damn staircases, and don’t tell me you haven’t heard of them because so help me god if I don’t get some answers, I will break that salt ring and you’ll see first-hand what I was talking about,” there was no way I’d actually do that, but they didn’t know that. Riley opened her mouth first.

“Please tell me you didn’t climb the stairs, were the glasses on the stairs? What prompted you to do it? Please tell me, this is important,” both of their faces were void of color, but I had come here for answers, and that was what I was getting.

“Yes, I climbed the stairs, that’s how I got the glasses, they sat on the top step. And I don’t know, I just needed to I guess.”

“What time did you climb those stairs exactly?” Truth be told I wasn’t sure, I had kind of forgotten about my watch at that point in my nightmare adventure.

“I don’t know, 5:30-ish, sometime before dusk I think? It was still light outside, why is that important?” If possible their faces paled more than before.

“That was when Peter and I lost the scent. We should have told you about this. Oh god, we should’ve talked to you about this, I’m so sorry, I just liked you. And Peter and I were excited to finally have a new ranger on our base, it gets so boring here, but we were worried you’d leave once you found out about the weird stuff, but oh god, we should have told you.”

“Please, tell us everything, everything that happened on your patrol.”

What was I supposed to do? I told him.

When I was finished we sat in silence for a bit, I wasn’t sure what to say, I didn’t want to mention that I heard something outside. I’m pretty sure the salt ring did its trick, as it stopped after a while.

Riley cleaned up her coffee, wiping it off the floor in quick, sure strokes. When she went to place the cup in the sink, Peter and I went with her to the kitchen. None of us wanted to be alone I guess. I dozed off around 8pm, fearing for my life had taken a lot out of me. All three of still sat together on the one ratty couch in the rec room. No one left, I think Peter fell asleep too. Riley stayed, but she didn’t sleep; I don’t know whether it was to keep watch or to calm her nerves, but I’m glad she did it. My sleep was dreamless, and for once, I was glad.

It was about midnight when I came to; when I did Don was sitting on the love seat near my right side, sipping coffee, black, like Riley. As soon as my eyes flicked open he lowered his drink, sitting his mug on the table. Clearing his throat, he spoke,

“I know you want answers, I understand that, It’s valid. But you have to understand the forest already does what it can; those things were here before us and will be here long after. They’re as natural as deer here at Wreinrich.” I opened my mouth to say something, to protest that that wasn’t natural but Don raised a hand to silence me. “We don’t exactly have names for them, and we don’t know much, but we’re learning every day, and that’s what matters. I take that back; we have a sort of nickname, they got it a few years back. Greenies, something about forests and green, I guess; after not having any name at all, greenies just stuck. The most important thing to remember, they aren’t evil, just dangerous. Greenies are about as evil as a hungry bear, only difference being they like smarter prey.” Don didn’t have any fear as he said this. He spoke as if this should have been common sense.

But when something gets inside your head. There isn’t common sense, none at all.

“Part of our mission at Wreinrich is to protect, we protect the forest from people, and the people from the forest, that means all of the forest. The creatures are just that, creatures; they don’t conspire they just live and breathe like the rest of us, plain and simple. The stairs on the other hand. Well we don’t know, even the greenies avoid those, like stepping in a fairy ring, that is. We don’t know how those work, we haven’t been able to study them like we have others, it’s too dangerous. Once they have you in their grasp, that’s usually it, the hold is too compelling. Bad things happen when you climb the stairs. We find dead rangers, there are broken in stations, sometimes we find half a ranger—wouldn’t be the first time—, when the stairs are climbed we lose scents. They don’t have rhyme, they don’t have reason, but when you see stairs, run. It’s the best course of action.”

This was insane, sentient stairs. But I was relieved. Both in that I wasn’t the only one in the dark, and that we had some information about them, these greenies.

“Now I understand if you want you leave now. We won’t hold any grudges; in fact, I’ll send you off with a letter of recommendation. This line of work isn’t for everyone and I acknowledge this. But just know we could use you on our team. Our bases are small, and it’s hard to find the right member to expand when you’re this close knit. But you fit, and we all like you. I think I speak for everyone when I say we’d love to have you on the team. ¨

I didn´t want to, but I knew my answer, and I think Don did too. I still wanted to stay. Before this afternoon I had never know any of this existed, and now there was more? The scientist in me almost couldn´t resist. Sure, I had been scared to death at least eight times, but I was alone then, now I would have a team. And as much as I claimed I didn´t, I still loved the forest. I wanted to learn all I could about these creatures, if I left now I might never know anything else. Hell, Arizona didn’t have anywhere to get this information. The curiosity bug had bitten me, and it wasn´t letting go anytime soon. I had made up my mind.

¨I´ll stay, on two conditions. I don´t want to be in the dark about anything else, you need to not withhold any other information, it´s too dangerous for that. And second, I want a partner. I love the forest and I´m excited to learn about the creatures in it, but I don´t want to be alone again. If you can do that, I´d love to stay. ¨ With that the older man smiled, the twinkle in his eyes slowly returning. Downing the last bit of coffee he clapped a hand on my shoulder.

¨Glad to here it Caprice! I think we can arrange those just fine. I´m glad to have you on the team. ¨

I was told that we would get everything situated the next morning, leaving the rest of this day to observe and recoup. This was insane, I couldn´t believe I had agreed to this. But at the same time? I couldn´t imagine doing anything else.

 FIN

?

[soobadnoonecanstopher]

Ooh!! For your drunk drabble..Member: D.O, Phrase: "I can't let you get off that easy"

Criminal

Pairing: Kyungsoo x you

BAD DRUNK DRABBLE REQUESTS

The weight of the heavy knit sweater you clutched between your thighs pulled against your knees, making your walking stiff and funny and you adjusted the long skirt you wore, pushing the garment back up in between your legs when it started to slip down. You had exactly two more aisles to go before you would be out of this store and you could meet up with your two idiot friends who had dared you to steal the stupid thing in the first place.

Why did you pick the heaviest, most useless item of clothing to steal from this store? Well it was on the clearance rack and didn’t have a security tag that would surely give you away when you walked in between those terrifying looking black detectors positioned just before the exit door and if you happened to get caught, which wasn’t likely in this deserted store. There was not a single employee to be seen near the exit and the last you saw of the young kids working here, they seemed to be preoccupied with watching some sort of vine video compilation behind the registers as they ignored the very idea that they had a job and responsibilities to uphold.

It was the perfect situation to get away with this and once you completed this dare you would finally win this stupid game that had been going on for months now.

You eyed your surroundings once more, your nerves suddenly flaring up hot in your belly as you felt a sudden warmth at your back. Something that hadn’t been there an aisle back that left you with rattled nerves and a sinking feeling that you could not ignore.

The feeling was nagging and intrusive and you tried to remain as casual as you could as you looked around the store once more.

Eyes.

A pair of dark eyes watched you from the other side of the store, in between aisles of men’s clothing, directly below a large sign that read Men’s Khakis on sale two for one and you quickly looked away from the eye contact that felt too knowing for your liking.

Had he seen you? Did he know what you were doing? Was he calling the police secretly in his pocket as he perused last season’s knacki pants in all shades of ugly?

You took another step, closing the gap of the final aisle before the exit of the store and the warmth at your back grew hotter with those eyes watching you.

You had nearly made it when your curiosity had piqued to unignorable levels and you risked a look.

The man was gone but the feeling remained…even intensified as your eyes searched the surrounding aisles of the store for where he could have possibly gone to.

The pounding in your chest felt too noisy to ignore and you took another clumsy step toward the door, quickly pushing the clunky knit up further between your legs before it could slip out at the last minute and give you away.

The man was gone, his dark, intimidating, knowing eyes nowhere to be found and the exit was in your sights. All you had to do was make it those few final steps through the security detectors and you would be free. You could slip around the corner down the hallway that lead to the family style bathrooms where crying toddlers who were frightened of the automatic flushing toilets made enough racket to cover whatever noisy pounding your heart wanted to make, or chattering shivering your teeth caused as your jaw clenched together again and again.

Why couldn’t you be the calm, cool, collected criminal that you always envisioned in your dreams? Why did your anxiety and moral compass have to make you into a trembling chihuahua every time you did anything even remotely risky?

Two more steps and you found yourself inside the entrance. Directly in between the sensors and your feet moved quickly into the open hallway that sat directly outside of this store as half of your mind waited for shouting, sirens, bells, whistles, anything that would tell you that you had been caught and you were on your way to the big house.

The silence that filled your ears might have actually been worse for your nerves because nothing happened. The sweater between your legs was a bit itchy as the cheap wool scratched against your two-days-ago shaved thighs, and a soft laughter from behind the registers where the two employees laughed at the videos they watched made you jump as if laughter itself was the sound of your impending doom.

You forced your legs to move and you had made it around that corner, into that long hallway when you spotted a vending machine promising ice cold refreshments with drawn on droplets of water along it’s cover. This would have to do.

And you had nearly made it behind it when you felt the solid warm grip of a hand on your forearm. The warm kind of grip of the strong arm of the law coming down hard, striking the judge’s gavel against the block, the kind of strong grip that held onto the handle of an axe that cut the rope, sending the weighted guillotine blade crushing down to chop off your head.

You inhaled a deep breath and closed your eyes. The breath somehow sent your legs into a wobble and the itchy knit sweater slipped with a soft fwump down to the red carpeted floor.

“Excuse me,” a low voice spoke up from behind you and you winced as you slowly turned yourself around to face your captor. Would it be mall security? Was he riding a Segway and carrying a flashlight? Did he have a mustache maybe? And a habit of popping his spearmint gum when he was bored?

When you turned you saw eyes. Familiar. Dark. Knowing.

Aside from his eyes, your own vision drifted to the rest of him. Plump lips, tanned skin, too handsome and too put together to be an employee of a discount mall store that only seemed to hire high school kids with short attention spans and a penchant for not giving a shit. In fact the longer you looked at him, the wider his eyes grew, the softer his expression became and you saw a nervous swallowing in his throat as he cleared it to speak again.

“I–I ummm..” he struggled and you closed your open mouth and pulled your shoulders back a touch. Inhaling a breath to provide your brain with a litttle more oxygen so that maybe, just maybe you could deal with this guy who very clearly wasnt an employee of the store, or even of the mall. “You what?”

“I saw you.” He said quietly and you crossed your arms over your chest as you lifted your chin.

“What did you see?” His eyes widened even further and he looked away from your focus suddenly, looking up at the ceiling, to the left and to the right.

He clearly hadn’t thought this through beyond this point and you figured the guy was probably an ex Boy Scout who had gone camping a few times in the woods, made a couple of fires and decided that he was an expert on a vast many of the laws of this country.

“I, uhh…saw you take the sweater. It was only $5, i mean if you wanted it that badly you should have just paid for it….stealing is…wrong” you narrowed your eyes and took a step forward, leaning into him now. Although he had those big intimidating eyes, the more you got to look at him the more you saw what he really was. Slight bones, thin frame, sure he had an impressive face, and a strength in his forearms that peaked below the rolled up sleeves of his plaid button up, but the man was wearing khakis and loafers and argyle socks. He’d even rolled the damn pants up about four times so everyone could definitely see the argyle.

“So what are you going to do about it?” You did your best impression of a badass and you saw the edges of his lips tremble and turn up a tiny bit. He closed his eyes and bit down on the inside of his lips, seeming to hide a smile from his face. Perhaps you weren’t really that much of a badass. He must have found your attempts funny.

“Are you going to report me?” You offered when he didn’t answer but just stood there suppressing his stupid grin and you could see the slump of his shoulders as he seemed to shift his posture and lean against the vending machine that now trapped you on one side.

“Can’t you just pretend like you didn’t see anything? You said so yourself it was only $5.” Something in his eyes made you want to change your approach. The man didn’t seem like the type to be bullied, despite his outward appearance and perhaps you could appeal to his softer nature and he would simply let this go. “I mean I’m not…I’m not a shoplifter or anything, this was a stupid dare. I never do this and I’m not going to do it again, I swear.”

The softness you had seen in his eyes changed with the smile that broke free for a few seconds on his lips. He was quiet and he watched your face for what felt like ages before he pulled his own arms up and crossed them over his chest. You could see the struggle in his face and your heart leapt up at the possibility that he might just let this all go.

“What’s your name?” You said suddenly. He was watching you too closely, probably memorizing your face for the police sketch later and you felt the need to keep him talking out loud instead of thinking whatever dangerous thoughts he had going on inside his head.

“Kyungsoo,” he said softly and he blinked too slowly for a tense criminal interrogation. “What’s yours?” His eyebrow ticked up once, a light bounce on his forehand that drew your attention and you sighed and considered an alias.

But he was too…tempting for that, and there was something soft and charming about those rolled up khaki pants that made you want to be honest. So you were. You gave him your real name and his lips pulled into a small smile as he repeated it once in that deep voice that did something strange at the back of your brain. He was cute. And he didnt seem to be in any great hurry to haul you off to prison so you reached down to pick up the stolen sweater without breaking the careful eye contact you kept with him. His eyes stayed on yours as you moved and you wondered what in the world he was still doing watching you with those eyes, making you feel stupid things inside the back of your brain about his deep voice.

“Well…Kyungsoo, if you aren't’ going to call the police on me…I guess I’ll be going–”

“Wait…I can’t let you get off that easy” he suddenly said the second you began to take a step around where he blocked your way to the exit.

You knew it. It must have been too good to be true. Maybe he was the police. An undercover cop staked out in the mall ready to catch drug dealers, petty criminals, shoplifters, and scam artists and lock them away forever.

Perhaps he was part of a ring of cops who would work out a deal with those they caught, you know…catch the bigger fish using the small fries?

That had to be it. The man was here to bargain.

“What’s it gonna take for you to let me go?” You sighed and gripped the sweater tighter, ready to just throw in the towel and bolt if you had to. Or throw in the sweater to be more exact. He was chewing on the inside of his lip again and his big eyes were looking over your face as he went silent for a moment and you got ready to throw the knit in his face and make a run for the doors. Your heels were dug in and everything and you were sure that your cell phone was secure inside your back pocket so it wouldnt be lost in the scuffle. You lifted the sweater, ready to make it fly.

“Your number?” He finally said with a slight wince on his face and you froze with the sweater in front of your chest held tightly in both hands, yet somehow not quite ready to throw it in his face because he just…

“My number?” He nodded and his cheeks looked somehow pinker than before. “That’s it?” It was too good to be true.

“And a date.” He said, his head still nodding lightly before he shrugged and stuffed his hands into his front pockets. “You’re pretty cute for a criminal.”

[blacklister214]

Second Son New Chapter: Drivel

“I can’t help you.” Jacob inhaled slowly through his nose, counting back from five in his mind. He would not let Carter rile him. It was what the tracker got off on, and Jacob would not give him the satisfaction of seeing him upset. A calm and measured tone, that’s what he needed. A calm and measured tone.

“Glen, I don’t have time to play games. You already kept me waiting for sixty-five minutes, even though I was first in line when you opened-” Carter interrupted him, raising his hand in the air as if to fend off Jacob’s accusation.

“My supervisor was on the prowl, and you alway make a big stink about discretion-” Jacob raised his own voice to speak over Glen’s rambling.

“And now you want to sit there and tell me you can’t help me? Seriously, man?” Carter’s hands dropped to his sides and his shoulders drooped. He looked smaller than usual, deflated even. The space inside the office, which usually crackled with the DMV employee’s maniac energy, felt dead.  

“Look, I’m sorry, but I’m just not going have the time for next few months. Maybe if you come back after the New Year’s I’ll be available.” Jacob said nothing, simply sat and let silence fill the air. He could do this, he could outlast Carter. The man mouth ran on a motor. If Jacob didn’t respond to his nonsense the contractor would crack, and they would be in business. Ten seconds passed. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. Glen shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Phelps, I got to back to work.”

When the man started typing on his computer, Jacob realised he was really and truly being dismissed. Oh no. Whatever was going on with Glen, there was no way Jacob was getting the brush-off. He felt his grip on his temper begin to slip.

“Sixty-five minutes, Glen. Over an hour! And let me tell me tell you something: I have stayed in prison cells that were more sanitary than that that waiting room! I probably picked up swine flu, because you didn’t have the courtesy to-” So much for maintaining his calm, professional demeanor. Jacob supposed he should have known better than to even make the attempt. Glen Carter was one of the only people on the planet who could rile Raymond Reddington, and Jacob didn’t have a tenth of his boss’ patience.

“You know what, you're not the only person in the world with troubles! My life hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses lately!” Despite himself Jacob paused at the tracker’s outburst. This was probably just another one of Glen’s yarns, but what if it wasn’t? Bad shit happened all the time and it was possible that something was genuinely bothering Carter.

“What’s wrong?” Glen’s expression twisted and he busied himself shuffling the papers around on his desk.

“Forget it.” Jacob momentarily closed his eyes and thought of Dembe. Serenity, wisdom, and compassion. He could do this.

“I apologize if I seemed abrupt. Please tell me what’s troubling you.” There that sounded like his brother, more or less. Jacob waited and after a few seconds Glen ceased his straightening and sunk back into his chair. A pained expression played across the tracker’s face.

“It’s my brother. He’s in court mandated rehab. Mom’s beside herself. She wants to transfer him to some private treatment center in Maryland. Tranquility woods. She keeps talking about taking out a second mortgage to pay for it, but I’m terrified she’ll lose her house.” Jacob tightened his hands around the arms of his chair so he wasn’t tempted to wrap them around Carter’s throat.

“Glen, you're an only child.” How Carter had survived this long was a mystery to Jacob. He couldn’t be the first person to interact with the pathological liar who had longed to put him out of their misery.

“No, I WAS an only child. Apparently Dad was watering quite a few of his neighbor's gardens back in the day, if you catch my drift, and Steve sprouted up. He found us a couple of months ago and Mom’s got such a big heart. She just welcomed him into our family. She says we’ve got to stand by him even after he stole her good jewelry to pay for his habit. She’s just a marshmallow, and it kills me to see her like this.

And on top of everything else, I can’t help thinking, ‘What if it’s me next. They say addiction runs in families. The next time you come to see me, I might have a crack pipe under my desk-”Jacob stood, unable to withstand one more minute of listening to the tracker’s drivel.

“Goodbye Glen.” He got exactly two steps toward the door before Carter called him back.

“Wait. I suppose since you're already here, and I need the money to pay the pawnbroker who my brother sold the-” Jacob slammed the file down on Carter’s desk so hard the man actually shut up. The man did have some sense of self-preservation after all. Who knew?

“I need everything and anything you can find on this man.” Jacob flipped open the folder and tapped the photograph Hartwell had provided. “He was last seen yesterday at 9:53 am breaking into 601 Edgewood Street NE, Apt. 2C. Call me when you have something.” He didn’t wait for a response before turning and heading out the door.

Jacob nearly plowed through a woman with walker and a beleaguered middle-aged dad in his haste to escape the DMV. A few mumbled apologies later he was standing on the sidewalk, breathing what passed as fresh air in the city. It was amazing how one five minute conversation with Glen Carter could feel like it lasted a year.

As Jacob pulled out his phone, he promised himself that this was absolute last time he would use Glen as a contractor. No matter how good the man was, the psychological toll just wasn’t worth it.  

Reddington picked up on the second ring. “Yes?”

“I spoke to Glen.” A bemused chuckled greeted Jacob’s ears, causing him to scowl. Easy for Raymond to laugh when he wasn’t the one who had to suffer through the experience.

“Was he as charming as ever?”

“Pretty much, but he’s on it.”

“Excellent. Hartwell’s security protocols seemed adequate?” Jacob carefully considered the question before answering. The operative’s cameras were still in place, and remained undiscovered even with the break-in. She’d provided detailed intelligence on what the man been up to. Jacob could objectively say he found no fault with the agent’s work.

“She’s knows what she’s doing. Scott’s as protected as she can be, under the circumstances.”

“Under what circumstances?” Jacob sighed softly. He shouldn’t have said anything. Reddington did not appreciate unsolicited armchair quarterbacking. He briefly considered trying to walk back the comment, but he knew Raymond well enough that he wouldn’t just let it go.

“You demanded that Hartwell maintain a careful distance from Scott and she has. The trouble is we both know it’s a hell of lot easier to protect someone if you're standing right next to them, rather watching them through a scope.” If someone for example attempted to abduct, or assassinate Scott in the middle of the night, there was no guarantee Hartwell would be able to reach her in time. Without Reddington’s restrictions in place, Hartwell could have positioned herself as Scott’s neighbor, or maybe even roommate. A close friend would have a hell of a lot better access to her and in the protection game, proximity mattered.      

“You’re suggesting I should have hired someone to infiltrate Elizabeth’s life on a more intimate level?” Jacob could hear the unmistakable disapproval in Raymond’s tone. The international criminal’s sense of honor showed up in the most unexpected and inconvenient places.

“I’m saying that she’d probably be physically safer if you had.” Jacob’s assessment was met with a silence, prompting him to end the non-debate with, “But she’s your friend’s kid, not mine. That’s your call to make.”

“How generous.” Clearly it was time to change the subject.

“Did your contact come through with the Good Samaritan file?” Jacob knew Reddington had an informant he’d tapped in order to investigate the possibility that this whole affair was connect to Scott’s work with FBI. It would make everyone’s life easier if it was. Serial killers may frighten the public at large, but they didn’t stand a chance against an operative like Hartwell or a career criminal like him. Unfortunately Jacob suspected the man they were after was something else entirely. It could be the paranoia that last couple of years had nurtured in him, but to him, this felt like the enemy they’d been unsuccessfully pursuing, the one Newton had dubbed “the Adversity’. Dear God, Jacob hoped he was wrong.    

“The agent left it for you in box 2142, Bradford Bank. I’ve already had the key messengered to your hotel.” Then that was Jacob’s next stop. It was probably a dead end, but Reddington hadn’t trained him to bank on his own assumptions. Besides it wasn’t like he had anything else to do while he was waiting for Glen to provide him with a lead.  

“What alias am I using to access the box?”

“Thomas Vincent Keen.” Jacob rolled his eyes. He hated that identity. The name sounded so forthright, so earnest. Not to mention the ridiculous glasses Reddington had chosen for him for the passport photo. They’d been perfect in that they made him look completely non-threatening, but whenever he wore them, he always had the lingering fear he’d be forced to fight in them. Being punched in the face while wearing glasses was not fun, nor was continuing the fight half blind. He knew from experience.

“Unless you have something else you need me to take care of, I think I’m going to stick with Hartwell. Two sets of eyes might be better than one.”

“I’m surprised to hear you volunteering to work with a partner. You generally insist on working alone.” Jacob heard the amusement behind the faux confusion in Reddington’s voice and smiled. Their moment of tension had passed.

“You paid top dollar to secure the Major’s best asset. I’d be an idiot not to...take advantage of that.” Reddington chuckled softly at Jacob’s implication.

“I trust I don’t need to remind you to remain focused on the task at hand?”

“No, you do not.” It went without saying that any woman, no matter how beautiful or talented in the bedroom would ever come before Jacob’s commitment to Reddington or his agenda.

“In that case, let me simply remind you that in nature the most stunning creatures are frequently the most lethal.” That was rich, Reddington of all people warning him off seductive and dangerous women.

“Sounds like someone recently had an unfortunately rendezvous with Dechambou...Or was it Pratt this time?” Jacob could not deny that the man had game, but he couldn’t help but notice that a sizable chunk of Raymond’s affairs seemed to end with his lovers attempting to kill him. The kind of thing had to wear on a guy after a while.

“I’ll expect an update the moment you have new intelligence.” The lack of response, and subsequent termination of the call strongly suggested Jacob had been right on the money. When this business with Elizabeth Scott was resolved, he’d push for more details. Until then he had an intruder to find, and a gorgeous blonde to both entertain and assist him. Things were definitely looking up.

[sapphicluxanna]

1-100 pls 🌹💕

BABE. oh my god. okay here we go, it’s gonna be long!!

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? more cereal than milk I think?

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? I love winter and everything about it, I’d rather be cold than hot 

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? post it notes, receipts, I’ve used flowers a few times, really anything that’s in reach

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? tea with a little bit of milk and honey, coffee depends on the day? typically with a lil bit of vanilla creamer. when I make my ‘fancy’ coffee at home with frothy milk on top I always top them off with a dusting of cinnamon 

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? always

6: do you keep plants? ye! I have a succulent/cacti terrarium, some sunflowers, jasmine, african violets, tomato plants, hanging planters, and a few more I forget the names of!

7: do you name your plants? not the ones I have currently

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? I love ink. I haven't been able to paint with ink in a while, but the movement of that and watercolor are just.. freeing? I dunno how to explain it.  that and drawing using ink, every mark you make is permanent and I just kinda zone out when doing it

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? aight listen. my future s/o is gonna have to deal with this a lot. shower? singing. car ride? singing. cooking? singing. y'all aint getting a break even if I sound like a dying cat

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? primarily side and stomach!

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? I cant think of many at the moment but uhhhh. hmm. a few guys and I play a game together and I run the group (in rdr2), and we don't let people join it if their horse’s tail isn't braided so we’ll hunt them down and kill them instead

12: what’s your favorite planet? neptune looks beautiful

13: what’s something that made you smile today? the fact that you wanted to know more about me

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? lots and lots of plants, kinda modern, a few fish tanks, smells like lavender and coffee

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! mars has the biggest known volcano!

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? stupidly basic, but chicken parmesan 

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? I’ve always wanted to impulsively dye it some shade of blue just for a few weeks

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. I got ridiculously drunk off tequila at a house party and was given my first mojito, thought he picked leaves off the tree out back and threw them in so I dug them out and threw them around the yard in disgust. I have a very vague memory of this but they always give me crap for it

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I have a couple! one is my bujo where I keep lists of things like self care ideas, favorite movies and books, quotes, friend stuff, etc. another I use to draw in and like to recreate van gogh sketches, others are private 

20: what’s your favorite eye color? y'all ever really see brown eyes? oof

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. I don't have this?

22: are you a morning person? I could be if I woke up next to the right person

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? netflix binging, reading, aquarium shopping, walks with my dog in the woods, making stupid pancakes, and league with a babe

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? it takes time for me to trust people, so probably all my life at some point with a girl. as for family? no

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? I’ve locked myself outta my place a few times and had to go through the window

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? several pairs of sandals and slides!

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? just regular mint?

28: sunrise or sunset? watching the sunset on a blanket in the grass with a girl I care about 

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? her voice gets a lil louder and she talks fast when she's excited about something and its flipping adorable

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? yes. 

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. I love fluffy socks and patterned socks and ones with dinosaurs and stuff and I love socks so much, don't sleep in them though

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. we played a drinking game based off how we did in a split screen game, one drink for every kill, got v drunk that night 

33: what’s your fave pastry? I love baclava but I’m horribly allergic to walnuts

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? I still have it! my dad went down to south carolina a lot and I was, and still am, very much in love with alligators. I think I was six or something but he came home with this giant garbage bag and was moving it like there was an animal inside and when I opened it, it was a giant stuffed alligator. he's currently sitting on my bed, but seems a lot smaller now

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? I really wanna get into using thicker paper for letters with pressed wax seals and pressed flowers 

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now? I don’t really focus on individual bands too much tbh, I bounce around a lot within genres. anything happy and country atm

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? I’m tryna keep it cleaner, better habit to make myself get into 

38: tell us about your pet peeves! people smoking around me (I don't care that you smoke whatever, I just ask you don't do it around me bc it makes me feel sick), a group of people that takes up the whole sidewalk going incredibly slow, people that cut me off in traffic without turn signals, people who f around in the tsa line and don't get ready then stand there for ten minutes taking everything off for the scanner and hold us up, “there” and “their” and “they’re” misuses, etc. jeez, didn't realize I had so many and that's not even all of them

39: what color do you wear the most? blue?

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you? I love my claddagh ring, my mom and sister both have the same one and we all match. currently not wearing it bc it was like 100 degrees F then other day and it burned my finger?????

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? asoiaf!!!!

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! I like this lil coffee shop about half an hour away, every drink has an individual and funny name and the workers are nice 

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? I honestly can’t remember, but I could really go for this right now

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? uhhhh it’s been a bit? lotta stressors recently 

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? I try to, should've listened to them regarding some stuff and I didn’t 

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of. what do you call a blind dinosaur? a do-you-think-he-saurus.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? broccoli

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? santa and the dark, no on both accounts now 

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? no, I just use apple music 

50: what’s an odd thing you collect? I dunno about odd, but I keep seashells and shark teeth I find on beaches 

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? somebody to love

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? uhhhh I’m bad at keeping up with when these come out but probably the “wait was anyone going to tell me ___ or was I supposed to find out in this ___”

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? I haven't seen these sorry!

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? my dad

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? I honestly cannot think of this right now

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? when they get excited about something, when their eyes sparkle a bit in sunlight, when they’re touchy (only certain ones), compassion, weird hobbies and interests, etc

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? it’s an experience. listen with headphones on high or don't listen to it at all

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? I guess I’d be the wine mom bc I don't drink heavily too often with my friends cause I’m usually the dd, vodka aunt would go to my friend S cause hell she puts that shit away fast

59: what’s your favorite myth? I love greek mythology

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? sappho

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received? a lil cat bank that grabs a coin with its paw and drags it into the box and a potato, respectively 

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? not usually

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? I kept all of my books on a shelf before the move but idk what imma do with them now bc I have no room for a bookcase so they're kinda messy rn

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? pale blue and cloudy

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with? a friend who moved away a few years ago, I miss her 

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? oooooh. hmm. lots of blues and pinks and purples with lil twisty brown vines?

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? I love them, 10/10, perfect. 

68: what’s winter like where you live? we either get 3 feet of snow overnight or a dusting, there’s no in between

69: what are your favorite board games? I cant remember the last time I played a board game??? I liked the game of life and monopoly when I was a kid 

70: have you ever used a ouija board? nope

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea? whatever happens to be in the cabinet!

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? I have the memory of a goldfish

73: what are some of your worst habits? letting people get away with things they've done to me, being too lenient with people that make me uncomfortable, etc

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. they’re such a good friend and we have enough years built into our friendship that we can go a few weeks without talking and be right where we left off. they’re kind and caring and ready to help people when they need it 

75: tell us about your pets! my cat is an 8 year old lil grump, but he gets so freaking affectionate and lovey too. he knows when I’m anxious and will come up and sit on my chest and purr. my dog’s a ball of jumping energy, she's always excited and happy, she’s only 2 so hopefully she’ll mellow out. then my clownfish are flipping adorable even though they try to bite my fingers when I’m working on the aquarium 

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t? unpacking and socializing with family

77: pink or yellow lemonade? pink lemonade 

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? I don't care about them really, but the facebook minion memes passed around by moms gotta stop

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? one of my exes surprise got me flowers sometimes, while the relationship just didn't work that was a cute action 

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? they’re kinda beige-ish? I just moved here and I don’t wanna repaint them

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. hmm. one of my friends’ eyes are like the leaves on the forest floor, an assortment of greens and browns blended together with the occasional fleck of gold when light filters through the trees

82: are/were you good in school? I’m okay? In high school I was in honor classes and stuff and I've made the deans list a few times in college so far, but honestly I think I’m just average. I have a lot of issues with math and it’s why I couldn't go into one of the fields I was considering. I get overwhelmed quickly

83: what’s some of your favorite album art? tbh I don't look at this kinda stuff but I know kesha’s rainbow was good?

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? ye! I want a small humpback whale on my left inner wrist, they mean a lot to me and I finally got to see one in person just last year. then I have some scars on my thigh I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting a tattoo to cover up, but idk if I would or what I would get 

85: do you read comics? what are your faves? no sorry! I always wanted to when I was younger but I got psyched out by guys who would say they're not for girls who I never took advantage of the comic shop a family friend owns 

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? I dunno what this is and I’m too tired to google it but imma guess its about music? to which I say I’m v bad at keeping up with everyones stuff 

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? the princess bride, star wars, lord of the rings, the sound of music, indiana jones (NOT crystal skull, it sucked), jurassic park, and a lottttt more. 

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? impressionism, post impressionism, and expressionism 

89: are you close to your parents? ish. 

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. I absolutely loved st. malo in france. I need to go back. it’s a giant walled city on the water and it’s just beautiful. I sat and watched an artist on the street for a while and bought two of his paintings afterward, gotta figure out where to hang them in my new bedroom. the air smelled amazing, it rained a lot when I was there but I still loved it and I wish I’d had more time to really explore than I did

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? I wanted to go to sri lanka to see my family but I don’t think it’s gonna happen, but I’ve got my fingers crossed for pennsylvania cause reasons 

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? cheese is life

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most? I braid it overnight and wear it down during the day!

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? my dad a few days ago 

95: what are your plans for this weekend? I think I’ve got another family party to go to? feel kinda done with my fam rn though

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? I literally just installed 2 years worth of updates this morning, so yeah, I procrastinate updates quite a bit 

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? idk what the first thing is but the others are scorpio and slytherin!

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? oh wow I can’t remember, but imma say yes? I wanna hike with my dog at some point 

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. somebody to love, la mer, and some others

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? 5 years into the future. I hope that future me is happy and comfy with someone she loves surrounded by their plants, aquariums, pets, and love. 

[jlalafics]

Could you write some lesbian!Everlark please?🥺

Anon, I really enjoyed writing this. I hope you enjoy reading.

Summary: Peeta Mellark has an instant connection with a savior in scrubs. 

“You can shut off the lights now.”

Delly Cartwright, Peeta’s friend and business manager, looked to her and gave a sympathetic smile.

“You did well for a new business owner, Peeta,” she continued. Gathering some of the go-backs, Delly started to head over to the racks. “You opened a record shop. It wasn’t exactly going to be busy every day, but from a business standpoint, you did well for your first week.”

Peeta gathered her golden locks into a ponytail and took the broom next to her to sweep up.

“I guess you’re right,” Peeta replied.

She had fair sales for her opening week; it had always been her dream to open a shop of her own and her love for vinyls clinched her decision to open a record store. There was hope of expanding to a used bookstore, but it seemed that it would be awhile before that would happen.

“Don’t you have a husband to get home to?” Peeta asked her friend. “Thom must be annoyed that you’re spending all your time with me.”

“Thom wouldn’t have a full-service coffee bar if it weren’t for his wife’s business savvy,” Delly retorted. She pushed herself onto the wood counter. “He can sacrifice time so I can help out one of my best friends.”

“Really though.” Returning the broom to its place, Peeta met her friend’s light eyes. “Thanks.”

“Of course.” Suddenly, Delly’s mouth formed into a smirk. “I mean it wouldn’t hurt if you had a partner to support and help you out. I met this great girl at Thom’s bar—”

“You know what—” Peeta lifted her petite friend off the counter easily, placing her by the front door. “—I think you should go home. You’re obviously exhausted.”

“You win this round, Mellark,” Delly declared with a chuckle. “We’ll see you for Sunday brunch at our place.”

Stepping out, Peeta watched her friend get into her car and drive off before walking back into the store.

Sighing, she let herself admit that she was lonely.

It had been two years since her last relationship and about six months since her last date. Her brothers were both in long-term relationships; Dean, her eldest brother, married to Olivia, his college girlfriend, with two kids and one on the way while Rye, the middle child, engaged to Johanna, one of Peeta’s closest friends and her former roommate.

While she, the youngest and only girl, was still single.

Peeta wasn’t looking for just anyone.

Whoever she was had to be more.

So, for the time being, she would just have to focus on getting the store up and running.

++++++

Locking up the store, Peeta buttoned her rust peacoat and headed towards her bus stop. Her place was fifteen minutes away—just a few blocks—but the fall season had caused the city to go dark once it hit six in the evening.

“Hey girl!”

The group of guys from the bar across the street called out. There were a few catcalls and she ignored it, speeding up her pace towards the bus stop at the end of the block. Her heart stuttered in nervousness as she heard the footfalls heading towards her.

Suddenly, one of the guys was standing in front of her. “Where you heading, sweetheart?”

Peeta didn’t reply, only taking in a description of the guy…mid-twenties, dark beard, medium height, sharp dark eyes wearing a grey hoodie, black tank, and dark jeans.

So, basically any random guy.

Dean was a cop and he had always taught her what to do if she was in a situation like this. However, it didn’t seem to be helping as she found herself surrounded by the rest of the group.

So, Peeta went for Rye’s method and fully rushed at the guy in front of her, trying to knee him in the groin.

He pushed her and Peeta was knocked down, the back of her head hitting the concrete.

There was the pain of impact…and then darkness.

++++++

“Miss Mellark…can you open your eyes?” Peeta blinked, her vision blurred and the white light causing her eyes to close again. “Take your time.”

She followed the kind voice, allowing herself to adjust before opening her eyes once more.

“There you go,” the voice said gently. “You gave us a scare when you came in.”

Her vision cleared and the warmest set of eyes greeted her. Almond-shaped and dove grey, the eyes were set in a heart-shaped face along with a pert nose and rose lips, her skin was a soft olive and her raven hair was tied back in a neat braid.

“Where am I?” she asked as the bed was slowly elevated.

“You are in the hospital,” the woman in the blue scrubs informed her. “My name is Katniss and I’m your nurse. You were mugged; the perp got your credit cards but left the rest of your wallet since there wasn’t any money. Can you tell me your name?”

“Peeta. Peeta Mellark.”

Katniss looked at her in confusion. “Your ID says Pieta Mellark.”

“When I was born, my parents tried to teach my brother Rye how to say me name properly, Pee-et-ta, but he couldn’t get it and kept pronouncing my name as Pee-ta. So, it kind of stuck.”

The nurse chuckled. “I like both your names.” Katniss looked over her chart and then to her. “We’re just making sure that you’re CT scan comes out clean and then we can release you. Do you have anyone that we can call? Your family?”

“I don’t want to worry my parents and they’re an hour away, and my brothers have families,” she explained. “Once I’m released, I’ll just head on home.”

“Your name fits you,” Katniss remarked. “Pieta means compassion. A lot of people would milk themselves getting injured, but not you. You’re more concerned about everyone else around you.”

“Give me a day or two and I’ll be at home, feeling sorry for myself,” Peeta replied. “Your name is a plant.”

The nurse grinned. “How did you know?”

“When we were all kids, my parents took us camping,” she explained. “And my Dad told me that if for some reason, I got lost in the woods then I just needed to find you to survive.”

Katniss blushed, her cheeks flooding with color, and Peeta found herself breathless in the prettiness of it all.

“I suppose that could also apply to non-camping situations,” Katniss responded. “Get some rest, Peeta, and I’ll check up on your results.”

++++++

“I’m really alright, Haymitch,” Peeta assured her business partner on the phone. “They kept me overnight for observation, but they didn’t see anything in the CT scan.”

“We should install cameras in the front,” the man insisted. “You could’ve been killed or assaulted!”

“Well, they checked if there was any trauma down there and everything seemed right as rain,” she assured him. “My vagina is perfectly intact.”

There was a cough and she turned to see Katniss standing before, a black bomber jacket over her scrubs and her hair down in long waves.

“I really didn’t need to hear that,” the man muttered. “Just call me when you get home, okay? Also, get an Uber and put it on our business credit card.”

“Ah…you should probably call about that,” Peeta replied. “Some of my credit cards are missing.”

“I’m right on it,” Haymitch responded. “Go home and get some rest. I’ll open the store tomorrow.”

“Thanks.” Hanging up, Peeta stuffed her phone into her jean pocket before turning to the woman. “Getting off?”

Katniss looked to her in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“Work. You off from your shift?”

The blush invaded her lovely face and she nodded quickly. “Oh yeah! Just heading out. How about you?”

“Yeah, just needed to check in with Haymitch, my partner,” Peeta explained.

“Oh.” Katniss’ expression dropped. “Why wouldn’t your boyfriend pick you up?”

Peeta snorted at the idea. “Haymitch is my business partner.” She looked to the woman beside her. “You heading home to your boyfriend?”

The woman shook her head. “I’ve got some leftover pasta and A Walk to Remember on Netflix, but that’s about it.”

“Would you want to join me for a cup of coffee?” Peeta found herself asking. “Thom, my best friend’s husband owns a coffee shop a few blocks down. It will be on me—or on Delly, my best friend—your coffee, I mean…”

Shit, Peeta was going about this all wrong. She didn’t even know if Katniss was into girls.

“Sure.”

Her head snapped up at Katniss’ response and Peeta smiled. “Okay.”

They headed onto the sidewalk in front of the hospital. It was a beautiful morning, chilled but brimming with potential to be a gorgeous day of clear skies and temperate weather.

“How long have you been a nurse?” Peeta asked as they headed down towards Thom’s coffee bar.

“About three years,” Katniss said. “Got this job right out of school. My mom was head nurse at the hospital before retiring a few years ago and I guess nepotism worked in my favor. I might actually be a really crappy nurse.”

“No, you definitely aren’t,” Peeta argued. “You have a natural empathy.”

“How so?”

“When I woke up, I was scared as hell,” she told the woman next to her. They stopped at the crosswalk and Peeta met Katniss’ gaze. “But, when I heard your voice, I knew that I would be okay. You made me feel safe.”

“That’s a lot to put on a girl,” Katniss said quietly. “But I’m glad that I could help.”

Their eyes met and it was like a magnetic force that Peeta found her hand tucking back a tendril of Katniss’ hair behind her ear. Her fingers lingered, feeling the softness of her dark waves and Katniss’ breath caught at the gesture.

Her hand covered Peeta’s and the sensation drew a sharp gasp from Peeta’s mouth.

It had been a long time since she had felt like this.

Stepping towards Katniss, she waited to see if the woman would retreat.

However, Katniss remained still, her mouth parted and her eyelids going half-lidded as Peeta close the space between.

The kiss was careful, her mouth slanting over Katniss’ gently. The feeling of her soft lips caused a groan to draw up from the pit of Peeta’s stomach and escape between their mouths.

It was scary but exhilarating all at once and Peeta never wanted to let her go.

However, Katniss hummed against her lips and reluctantly she pulled away.

“I probably wasn’t supposed to do that,” Peeta told her.

Katniss looked disappointed. “Oh, okay.”

“I mean not without taking you out on a date first.”

Katniss let out a relieved laugh. “Well, we just cut out the needless tension of the first kiss, didn’t we?”

“I guess so,” Peeta replied, taking her hand. “So…”

‘…would like to stay indefinitely?’

“Would you like to have coffee first and then dinner later?”

“And, between then?” Katniss asked, her thumb caressing the top of Peeta’s hand.

“Whatever we want, I have all day.”

I have forever for you.

“Okay.” Katniss beamed. “Let’s start with the coffee.”

 *I have more, but I wanted to keep this short and sweet. Let me know if you’re interested in more.

Pieta or pietà means compassion or pity in Italian. The word is most known for the Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, mostly in sculpture.

Thanks for reading.

[lightening816]

So last night, I was chatting with Beckham, AKA @themarquisofdorks, and I came up with this ridiculous Modern AU where we worked as double agent criminals for The Red Hats’ Mafia in a more modern Cheesebridge, all from The Boxtrolls. 

Mr. Snatcher is the big bad crime boss, Mr. Gristle is his weapons technician, Mr. Trout is his brute muscle, Mr. Pickles is his right hand, and Beckham and myself are double agents for the Boxtrolls. He pretends to be Snatcher’s backup lackey, and I am Beckham’s platonic gun moll (in real life, we’re just good friends, but I pose as his moll so that I can stay around as Snatcher’s informant). 

My Boxtrolls OC, Pepper, is the victim of a rigged adoption after she accidentally witnessed the head bashing of local inventor, Herbert Trubshaw, who’s head injuries keep him from pointing out his perpetrator, much to the despair of his wife, Marjorie and their little son, Arthur. Snatcher forged a background check and illegally adopted her, right from under the nose of her manageress, Lady Portley-Rind. 

When Pepper comes in, asking for something from her brute of a father during on of his meetings, he’ll send me to go tend to her needs. Pepper loves his stooges, especially Uncle Becky and Auntie Lucy. 

...

  The third floor of the Snatcher and Son's factory in Cheesebridge, England was dimly lit as people of various ages sat across from a wide, smooth desk make of dark wood. A thin line of smoke made Lucy, a young woman wearing a long blue gown and a red headband in her hair, place a hand near her nose. Next to her was a young man with short blue hair and a handsome brown business suit, Beckham Marque. They stood across from three older men, a beanpole with a cone shaped head and worrying eyes named Mr. Pickles, a giant with bulky arms, thin legs, and a cauliflower ear named Mr. Trout, and an imp with black rimmed glasses and ice blue eyes named Mr. Gristle. The last of them held the handle of a club in one hand, patting the end of it onto the palm of his hand.

 His giggles made Lucy a little nervous, but she knew better than to complain. After all, it was The Boss's turn to speak."Have the preparations been met?" A thick, oily voice said from behind a huge red, leather chair. "Yes, sir," Lucy confirmed. "The Mayor will pass the Curfew Bill any day now." "Excellent," the voice replied. "Boss," Beckham had the nerve to interject with blushing cheeks from the nerves. "I want to be the one to go out ahead of time and scout for those Boxtrolls." Everyone looked at him as Lucy nibbled her bottom lip. 

  "J-Just to get a head start on those monsters, ya know?" He insisted. The voice from behind the leather chair chuckled, causing Beckham to tremble in stress as well as a little bit of excitement. "I admire your spirit, Mr. Marque...but Boxtrolls will never come out as long as the sun is up. We'll have to wait until sunset. Simple as that," the voice concluded. "But, if Lucy and I could-" "Mr. Daniels, I will not say it again." Lucy took his shoulder, causing the boy to sigh. "Very well..." "Good show," the leather chair swiveled around, showing its occupant as a tall man with thin limbs, and a enormous potbelly that shifted as he moved. His ovular face held the coldest gray eyes Lucy had ever seen. As if to say that he had probably seen plenty of grown up things she and Beckham could only dream of. Mr. Archibald P. Snatcher smirked a little at the disappointment on the boy's face. He loved implementing his authority at the best of times, especially as he put out his old cigar and lit up a new one.  He pushed back loose strands of thinning brown hair, tied back.

  "Mr. Gristle, how are you with weapons?" "GUNS!" The two kids flinched, before Mr. Gristle showed a arranging gun with a net attached. He placed it in Mr. Snatcher's hand surprisingly gently, so that the Boss could really examine it. "Hmm...nice projectile, firm elastics-" he shot at an empty corner on the wall, getting a stir out of all of them except Mr. Gristle. "And shoots at a reasonable distance, well done, man," the Boss concluded. "Now, Mr. Pickles, have you identified every sewer entrance in town?" "Yes, Boss," the beanpole replied, as he plucked out a map of the steep hill of Cheesebridge. 

   Mr. Snatcher grumbled at a couple of imperfections here and there, but accepted it all the same. "We will use this one until you can make up a new one," he replied plainly. "Oh! Yes, Boss," Mr. Pickles accepted, with a hint of disappointment. Mr. Snatcher nodded as he turned to the gentle looking giant. "Mr. Trout, has the agreement with ‘Loch, Stacchi, and Barrel’ gone through?" "Yes, Mr. Stacchi is willing to accept the discounted payment for gas, like you said." "Perfect! I knew he'd see things out way." He rose from his chair and strides towards his employees. "Lady and Gentlemen, we are coming upon a new era for our little 'family' as it were. With this new curfew in place, we'll surely be able to destroy every Boxtroll in this town. And I will take the place past Snatchers should have taken before me, a White Hat!" 

   "Ooh..." the rest of them replied. 

   A White Hat meant power, prestige, and position. Only a man of valor, chivalry, wealth, or fame could even dream of winning such a prize. It was sure to be Snatcher's soon. "My descendants shall always know the power of respect and brotherhood. Just think of it: Snatchers are, in my experience, a league all their own. A prime example of civilization and culture!"

   "Daddy?..."

   Everyone spun around and in the doorway stood the smallest 6 year old any of them had ever seen. Her long deep, red mop of hair fell gracefully down her shoulders and her brown eyes were wide and full of life, despite their innocence. Lucy looked on her with compassion, Beckham with fondness, and the stooges with humor and joy. Snatcher, on the other hand, grumbled.

   "I told you to stay in bed," he said with almost a threat in his voice. "I-I-I know but I can't sleep." Snatcher rolled his eyes and sighed. "Again? This is the third time this week!" He exclaimed, unamused. Pepper seemed nervous. 

  "Damn that little runt, never sitting still-Lucy!" "Yes, sir!" "You're a girl, go put Pepper to bed!" "Me? I don't know much about putting kids to bed." "I know you don't, but you'll do as you're told. Mr. Marque, you will supervise." "I-I will?" "Yes, I'm done with you two for now anyway. Off with you."

...

   Pepper enjoyed the company of her Daddy's stooges, especially Uncle Becky and Auntie Lucy. Every since Mr. Snatcher had caught them and brought them home like he had with her, she didn't feel as lonely. She also felt more tired. During their off time, they would watch the likes of Inertia Tumbles, Andrew Galaxy, and Pepper's favorite: My Small Horses: Love is Enchantment. 

   After Lucy got her ready for bed and Beckham cooked them something to eat in Mr. Snatcher's fancy, rustic loft, they watched a couple of episodes of Inertia Tumbles, only to have Beckham and Lucy tuck her in just after the second episode. "Am i going to bed?" "Yes, Miss," Beckham replied. "I don't want to go to bed." "Aww, why not?" He asked. "Because I want to watch Flyer-Meek in My Small Horses. She's my favorite." Lucy laughed. "Me too, tomorrow perhaps." 

   They sent her to sleep and left her there in her pitch black bedroom. Lucy sighed. "Saying 'goodbye' to her is going to be tough when they find out whose team we're really on," she explained, looking at a cardboard box on the counter. Beckham smirked. "Who says they have to find out?"