#extra large blue rugs

[modernkaribou]

San Francisco Teen Large transitional girl medium tone wood floor kids' room photo with beige walls

[hometoursandotherstuff]

At first I was confused. I'd posted this NYC condo over a year ago and it hasn't sold. But, then I realized what the realtor did- this is a photoshopped version of what it COULD look like. The 5bd, 5ba, 4,076 sq ft apt. is priced at $8.75m, but this is not what it really looks like.

This is what the new owner would be buying. As far as I'm concerned it's cool, but I guess this is why it hasn't sold. So, let's go on and compare the real thing to the realtor's desperate vision, hoping to sell it.

The large living room looking all white and gray.

And, the large living room as it is. But, the carpet- it's like art. I bet it was expensive. And, I love the interesting light fixture.

In the realtor's vision, a built-in bookshelf appears in the corner and there are draperies. The carpet is gone, in favor of a new wood floor and area rugs.

No curtains, the carpet pattern changes, which is cool. I would probably repaint a brighter color, the walls need a refresh.

This is how the dining room could look. I'm surprised that they kept the built-in corner table. Another built-in shelf, too.

The carpet continues around to the dining room. The place does need painting, the walls look worn.

The kitchen would look like this with a total gut.

Because this is the current kitchen. Check out the floor. Love the Playboy bunny stool. And, look at the cool lights going around the ceiling, that the realtor removed.

The new primary bedroom. It's a nice big room, isn't it?

This is the bedroom now. It's looking a little tired and needs refreshing.

The realtor didn't change the delightful child's room. Look at the colorful little loft above the bed.

This bath, however, is a different story. This is how it could look.

And, this is how it looks now. Lots of mosaics.

They didn't alter this bath. (There are 5). The little pink sink is cute and the blue tile isn't too bad to leave alone.

This is considered an amazing view in Manhattan.

I think I can see NJ.

So, the new owner will have what they call a million dollar view.

It's a huge apt. , which is why it's so expensive. But, a buyer would have to consider the extra cost of remodeling it.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/188-E-76th-St-FLOOR-29-New-York-NY-10021/440605442_zpid/

[axelsagewrites]

Robb Stark and Jon Snow*Wait

Pairing: f!reader x jon x robb

Summary: Robb and Jon decide to share the girl theyve both been sleeping with (part three to share and competition but can be read alone)

Word count: 3198

warnings: hard dom robb, soft dom jon, threesome, finger f!recieving, oral f!recieving, nipple play, p in v sex, anal sex with lube, praise, multiple orgasms, mouth covering (not choking), biting (only a litte) smut 18+

Masterlist Here

You never expecting that being fostered by the starks would be so interesting, but you certainly were not complaining. Jon and Robb had always been good at sharing growing up but neither boy expected to share a woman when they grew up. After their first night joining you in your chambers, they realised sharing you was better than getting none of you at all. However, it was only that first night they had shared you at one time so far.

Nearly every other night you slinked off into the corridors to find one of their chambers. Robbs were large and covered in thick grey furs and dusty blue fabrics. The fireplace never went out in his chambers. The warmth made it so much more enticing when Robb would take you as soon as you walked in the chambers, you both ending up laying on a thick fur rug in front of the fire’s hearth.

Jons chambers were plainer than Robbs, something he tried to apologise for, but it did not matter. After all, Jons had the advantage of being so far from the nobles that no one questioned the headboard banging or moans. While it was colder than Robbs chamber you used this as an excuse to slip beneath Jons furs, pressing your naked body against his for warmth and feeling his touch.

Occasionally they would visit your chambers however while they had learned how to share neither wanted to walk in on something you did not want them to see. But ever since that night they took you by either end it was all you wanted them to do without ever realising they both wanted to do it again.

Robb wasn’t sure why the idea of another mans cock being shoved down your throat turned him on especially considering how possessive he could get. All it took was for a man’s eyes to linger on you for a moment too long and Robb was grabbing your arm to escort you away.

While Robb was jealous Jon was a people pleaser to his core. Whether that be picking a flower for you on a walk and placing it in your hair, sneaking you a cake from the kitchen, or staying between your legs for so long that you forgot your own name. Jon couldn’t get the image out his mind of the mess you became from his and Robbs first night with you.

The pair had been skirting around the topic for weeks. They couldn’t help but rile each other up as they debated which one was the better match for you. This turned into casual comments about how good you looked to eventually sharing tips. All it took was one too many cups of wine after dinner for Robb to finally bring up the idea to Jon as they hid out in the stables with an extra bottle of wine. You had made fun of the pair’s hangover in the morning at breakfast not knowing what they had in store for you later that night.

The knock on your chamber door that night was surprising but not an unwelcomed one by any means. You had all developed a secret chap for these specific purposes so as you quickly climbed out of bed you wondered which northerner had trailed across the castle in the dead of night. As you unlatched the door you titled your head in confusion when you saw the pair standing at your door.

Robb didn’t wait for approval before sauntering into the room, “evening love,” he said as he sauntered over to drop into the armchair in your chambers.

Jon quickly shut the door behind him, stepping into the room before gently kissing your forehead, “i hope we didn’t disturb you,” he said before moving to stand next to where Robb sat.

“no, its fine,” you said, your eyes wearily scanning the pair who were currently exchange a look. You crossed your arms as if that gave any modesty to the thin night dress you wore, “has something happened?”

“not yet,” Robb said but before you could speak, he lent forward, elbows resting on his knees as his eyes flickered over your body for a moment, “we have a proposition love,” he said as his eyes finally met yours and you could see a hunger in them.

Your thighs pressed together, a heat already growing in your body that you tried to keep at bay. You nodded at them, waiting as the silence hung like smoke, “and what’s that?” You asked, your eyes flickering to Jon.

“you told us we need to learn how to share you love,” Jon said, glancing at the stark for reassurance, “but we’ve not been sharing you properly have we?”

“now i don’t think so,” Robb said standing from his chair, “we wanna make you feel good sweetheart, the both of us. Like we did that first night,” he said as he crossed the room to where you stood, “would you like that? Both of us fucking you,” he finally said.

You looked down for a moment, biting your lip in the way you knew drove Robb crazy before finally looking up and nodding, “yes. I’d like that,” you said, your hands moving to hold Robbs arms and stepping in closer.

Robb held your jaw, his thumb rubbing softly over your bottom lip, “are you sure about this love?” He asked as his eyes bore into yours, searching for any doubts.

“i’m sure,” you said, already breathless, “i want this. I want you,” you glanced over your shoulder to Jon, “both of you,”

A low growl came from Robbs throat as he pulled your face to his, his lips crashing onto yours with hungry desperation. His free hand moved to squeeze your breast, while the other kept your head tilted up to close the gap. Your hands held onto his arms, trying to steady yourself in the kiss.

Your breath caught for a moment when you felt Jons soft touch, his fingers grazing up your thighs. His hands moved up your night shift, his breath fanning over your neck as his hands reached your bare hips. Jon squeezed gently, enjoying the feel for a moment before his hands slipped out from under the fabric and you felt his fingers graze your back. You shivered when you felt his hands untie the strap of your nightdress.

Robb broke the kiss, stepping back to let the fabric fall to the floor. Your chamber had grown cold in the night and the cold air make your body tingle and nipples harden at the breeze. Robb cupped your breast again, flicking his thumb over the perked bud. “just look at her,” he mumbled, his eyes devouring your body.

“so pretty,” Jon said softly, his hands moving to rest on your hips again. He pressed his chest into your bare back, moving his face to press his cheek against yours. You gasped lightly when Robb squeezed your nipples gently and moaned when he began rolling them in between his fingers. “you like that?” You could feel Jon’s chuckle move up his chest as he watched how you reacted.

You nodded quickly, eyes closing for a moment, before Robb pinched down more harshly, “he asked a question love,” Robb said.

“y-yes,” you stuttered out, eyes opening to be met with Robbs.

“good girl,” Robb said, kissing your forehead as you felt Jons hands slip forward from your hips to the tops of your thighs, “don’t you wanna be good for us?” Robb asked as Jon ran his fingers teasingly close to where you needed them.

“i-i do yes,” you said but it was more of a whine that made both boy’s chuckle.

Your breathing faltered when Jons finger ran up your slit, “already so wet for us,” Jon said, kissing the crook of your neck, “such a pretty sight,” Jon mumbled against your skin as his fingers toyed with you, edging closer to your bundle of nerves.

Jon ignored the pleases falling out under your breath as he continued to toy with you for a few moments longer before you finally felt his fingers teasing your hole. While Jon tortured you Robb moved to leave soft kisses along your collarbones, moving slowly down. It was as if both of them wanted you to work for this.

You moaned lightly when you felt Jon slowly push in two fingers. He kissed your shoulder as he began to curl them gently inside you, fucking you slowly with his digits, “that’s my girl,” you felt his lips mumble against your skin.

Your hands moved to Robbs hair, using his curls for grips as you leant against Jons body. Your grip tightened when Robb suddenly took one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking on it gently at first before he began to graze it with his teeth. Both northerners worked in sync causing a knot to bubble in your stomach but before it could burst Robb suddenly dropped your sensitive buds making you whine loudly, not caring how desperate you seemed.

Robb ignored your pleas, looking to Jon before nodding. You looked at Robb confused as he dropped to his knees in front of you, his hands moving to rest on your hips. When Jons fingers slowed, slipping out of you, you whined once more, desperate for their touch. “shh,” Jon whispered in your ear, “good things come to those who wait,”

Before you could protest or whine again you gasped when Robb suddenly licked a stripe up your wet cunt. Your hand shot out to hold his hair, but Robb looked up with a final smirk before diving back in as if he was a man starved.

You could already feel your legs going weak as you felt your body ready itself again. Jon was the only reason you had not fallen to the floor but when his hands moved to cup your breasts you gasped as he began to squeeze your sensitive buds. Your grip tightened in Robbs hair as his tongue dove in and out of you with a wolfish hunger. His hands tightened on your hips, his fingertips digging into your skin unlike Jons usual soft touches. It did not take long before you felt your body tightening, your orgasm ripping through your body.

Jons hands moved to turn your head to the side, capturing your lips in a messy kiss to try silence the moans. Robb however did not stop his movements till you rode out every last second of pleasure he could give you. “you’re doing so good,” Jon whispered in your ear before kissing bellow it while his arms wrapped around you.

Robb placed a soft kiss to your inner thigh before standing up, his hand caressing your face, “such a good girl for us,” he murmured before kissing your lips softly but only for a moment, “why don’t you go kneel on the bed sweetheart,” Robb said it like a question, but you knew there was only one answer.

You quickly moved, no longer worried about either man seeing you naked, to kneel on the soft sheets, hands in your lap as you watched them whisper to each other. They kept glancing over you as you spoke, and you could feel the excitement bubbling inside you. All the things they could do, positions to try, your mind rushed and was only drawn back when you looked up to see Robb stripping off his shirt.

“aww look how excited she looks,” Robb cooed, almost mocking as Jon rolled his eyes and began to pull his own clothes off. Between their bare chests and Robbs words you could feel yourself flush, “she’s so pretty when she’s embarrassed,” he said which only made your cheeks heat more.

“she’s always pretty,” Jon said as he pushed past the starkling, who had moved on to undo his trousers, and headed towards the bed. Taking your face gently in his hand, Jon gazed down at you, leaning in for a soft and slow kiss. Your hands moved up his chest, enjoying his skin under your touch before tangling your hands in his long soft hair, tugging on it gently.

When Jon pulled back your head was in a daze that was only snapped back when Jon stepped back, and Robb stepped up to the bed. Your eyes scanned his bare frame, appreciating how each muscle and bone looked on his body, especially the one you had been craving since he walked in. Robb let you have your stares for a moment before lifting your chin with his finger, “you ready for us pet?” He asked, softness in his eyes.

“yes,” you managed to say as Jon walked back over who had also discarded his trousers and a small bottle in his hand that he passed to Robb without letting you see. As he did this you took a moment to compare the men. Neither one was lacking with Robbs being on the thinner side but long and Jons length being fairly average but with a good girth to his member. Besides both of them knew how to use it.

Neither man was bothered by your stares, even letting themselves chuckle at your awe-struck eyes. They nodded at each other before taking their positions, Robb kneeling behind you and Jon in front. You couldn’t help giving Jon a questioning look, this was different than last time, but Jon just kissed you softly to reassure you.

As your lips tangled with his you could feel Robb squeezing your ass softly, running his hand over the skin before pulling away. Only a moment later though you gasped when you felt his cold finger running over your asshole. “relax love,” Robb said, kissing the back of your neck. “just like before yeah?” He said as his finger slowly ran over your hole, spreading a cold liquid over it.

It wasn’t the first time you and Robb had experimented with anal btu you couldn’t help but blush with Jon watching you. “its okay love you don’t have to,” the snow reassured you, his hand stroking your cheek.

“i want to,” you said, knowing the embarrassment would fade as soon as you had a cock in you.

You felt Robb move away for a second before you felt the tip of his cock running over your ass, moving down to your hole. “deep breaths love,” Robb said, kissing your neck again as his tip lined up with your hole, pushing in slowly to test the waters, his spare hand holding your hip.

“that’s it loves,” Robb grunted as he pushed his cock in deeper, stretching you perfectly. Your head fell into the crook of Jons neck, your hands holding his shoulders to keep steady as you felt Robb easing in.  “fuck you take me so well,” Robb groaned when he finally sunk all the way in.

Jon pulled your head off his shoulder, turning you to kiss him slowly as you adjusted to Robbs size. Slowly Robb began to move, pumping into you slowly at first as you adjusted to the fullness. But you wanted more, you needed Jon. “need you,” you mumbled against his lips, reaching down to hold Jons cock in your hand, pumping it slowly.

“fuck,” Jon groaned, letting himself enjoy the feeling for a moment before pulling your hand off. Despite feeling so full of Robb you knew you wanted more. Jon shuffled closer slightly, holding his cock and running his tip up and down your folds, making you whine when he rubbed against your clit.

Jon glanced at Robb for a moment before finally looking back at you as Robb paused his moves. Jon lined up with your entrancing, pushing in almost painfully slow. Your head fell back to rest on Robbs shoulder, whining as Jon finally sunk all the way into you. You couldn’t stop your hips from bucking, feeling fuller than ever before. “eager i see,” Robb chuckled.

“let’s give her what she wants then,” Jon said, his hand grabbing the back of your neck to pull you back to him. Before you could speak Robb grabbed your hips, his thrusts starting again but this time faster and joined by Jons own thrusts. You couldn’t help the moans and whimpers as they fucked you in both holes, their thrusting almost perfectly synced.

Your head fell on Jons shoulder, biting down onto it to try muffle the sounds but to little avail. Jons hand wrapped into your hair, pulling you back up to kiss you. The kiss was messy and hungry and despite Jons trying did little to stop the noises you were making.

You heard Robb growl before you felt yourself being ripped from Jons kiss and pulled back to rest on Robbs chest, his hand moving to cover your mouth. You heard Jon cursing under his breath, this new angle letting him see more of your frame as he tried too not cum right there. His hand slipped between your bodies and your body felt on fire when he began to rub sloppy circles onto your bundle of nerves.

You felt your whole body tighten, threatening to break from the fullness and pleasure. The orgasm hit you like a brick and your teeth sunk into Robbs hand, trying to stop the whiny moans as you crashed. While neither man stopped Jon was struggling not to cum as your cunt began to squeeze around his cock. When you finally opened your eyes, you looked at Jon who looked close to blowing. With your mouth still covered by Robbs hand all you could do was nod at Jon.

Jons pace quickened, his thrusts messy and desperate before you finally saw his eyes clamp shut and felt his seed spilling into you. Jon cursed as he rode out his own orgasm before pulling out. “move snow,” Robb grunted through gritted teeth.

He did as he was told, quickly moving to sit on the other side of the bed to catch his breath. Before you could question Robb, his hand moved from your mouth to your shoulder before pushing you down. You barely had time to catch yourself, now on your knees with you ass in the air and being fucked by Robb stark. It only took Robb a few more moments before he also couldn’t contain himself, spilling into your ass as he grabbed your hips for dear life. “oh gods-fuck,” the stark man almost yelled as he finally got his release.

Robb wrapped an arm under your hips to keep you up as he pulled out of you before gently laying you down, “sorry if i got out of control love,” Robb said, a nervous tinge in his voice as he laid down next to you.

You rolled over and curled into his side after noticing Jon had moved from the bed to grabbed something from your vanity, “don’t apologise,” you mumbled into his chest. You looked up as Jon returned with a rag and water jug to help clean you up and try rehydrating after all of that. As you looked between the men you knew this night would defiantly not be a one off.

Taglist: @clairacassidy @nyotamalfoy @valeskafics @echos-muses

[lupinsweater]

What about the reader volunteering in James’s class during story time or something! And James is just so flustered having her there and he’s supposed to be getting his own work done while she reads but he can’t stop watching her?

thank you for the request!! 🤎 i realized after i wrote this part that i unintentionally made reader kinda obsessed with Peanuts and her son is named Charlie 💀 but i think it’s kinda cute!!

part one part two part three

thanks again to @amiableness and @moonpascal for your help with this one!! love you both!🫶🏽

Teacher!James Potter x Single Mom!Reader 💌 1.4k words

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

A few weeks had passed since you’d run into James at the diner. You’d exchanged a few words occasionally on days when you’d picked Charlie up from school, but work had kept both of you plenty busy. You had run into Lily at the nearby coffee shop a few times, though, and the two of you had really hit it off. You were pleased to have made a friend, even if she was connected to James, too.

Charlie had come home one afternoon with a parent volunteer request from James. He was looking for someone to do afternoon story time while he got some lesson prep done (“I try my best to stay on top of things, but sometimes your cute kiddos eat up all of my free time!” he’d joked on the letter), and there were a few times available in the following weeks. You were pleased to see that one slot fell on an afternoon you had off, and you had signed the form and sent it back with Charlie the next day, much to his delight. That same morning, James had sent you an email thanking you profusely for signing up and expressing his excitement to be able to see you for longer than a few minutes. The sentiment plagued your thoughts for days.

On the day you had signed up to volunteer, you rushed home from work, shaking your hair out of its ponytail in a way that you hoped looked effortless and changing into your favorite worn-in Snoopy tee. You arrived a few minutes earlier than you needed to, stopping in the front office to sign in and making your way to James’ classroom while the students were at recess.

When you entered the classroom, James was moving some desks back into the corner of the room and out of the way. He’d rolled out a large blue rug bordered with alphabet letters out by the window- a kindergarten staple, you thought with a smile- and there was a pile of pillows stacked in the corner. You could hear the kids outside laughing through the open window. You knocked lightly on the open door frame, and James looked up at the sound, flashing you his familiar, easy grin.

“Perfect timing,” he said as he pushed a desk into the corner with an effortless shove. “I was just thinking I could use an extra set of hands.”

You smiled, walking further into the classroom and taking in the cheerful decor. It had been decorated in colorful posters and twinkling fairy lights, and James had hung some suncatchers in front of the windows so small, twinkling rainbows reflected throughout the room. As James approached you, you shifted your focus back to him, and he gestured towards the cozy reading corner with a nod.

“What’s on the agenda today?” You asked, following him over to the rug and taking a pillow from his hands, setting it down to form a small semicircle around a surprisingly comfortable looking armchair that was placed against the wall. “Clifford? Curious George?”

James gave you another pillow with a mischievous smile. “I actually just ordered a few new books for the classroom that I thought you’d enjoy,” he said. “Here, come take over and I’ll grab them for you.”

You walked over to the corner of pillows, eyeing James curiously as you arranged them on the floor carefully. He rummaged through a drawer in his desk before procuring a small stack of books with a proud smile. You were placing the last pillow when he approached you, handing you the stack of books with a proud smile.

The first book you saw made you do a double take- a smile spread across your face as you looked up at James, your heart fluttering.

“Charlie Brown? Are these all…?” You flipped through the stack of books, and as you had predicted, he had purchased a selection of Peanuts books for you to read. You laughed in surprise.

“Do you buy every volunteer their favorite books?” You teased, meeting James’s gaze with a grin that you couldn’t hide.

“Just the pretty ones,” James replied with a grin just as wide. You laughed again- this was the first time he’d openly flirted with you, and you felt pleased. James walked back over towards his desk, and you followed, stopping at a distance that was a little too close to just be friendly.

“Careful, Mr. James,” you said, glancing him up and down. He stood a little taller as he watched your gaze, his eyes twinkling. “We’re in a classroom. Might want to save the charm for after school hours.”

He chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on yours. You could practically feel your heartbeat in your throat. “I didn’t realize my charm was working so well it had to be saved for after school. You’re kind of boosting my ego here,” he said. He looked smug, and you thought it was stupid that you found it so attractive.

“In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you came in here early just to see me,” he continued, resting his hands back against his desk as he leaned back, his height almost matching yours.

“I’m here for Charlie,” you shot back, but the playful smirk on your face betrayed you.

“Uh-huh,” James said, clearly not convinced. “If you say so. But just so you know, I’m flattered. Even if you’re pretending it’s about him.”

Before you could respond, the sound of children’s laughter and footsteps echoed down the hallway. James straightened up, though his eyes were on you in a way that made you feel suddenly shy. “Looks like the cavalry’s arrived. Saved by the bell?”

You laughed softly, shaking your head. “Lucky me.”

The students filled the classroom, and Charlie made a beeline for you, clinging to your leg excitedly as James called all of the students over to the reading corner the two of you had set up.

“Alright, everyone, gather around!” James said, clapping his hands to capture the childrens’ attention. “We’ve got a very special guest reading to us today!”

The kids quickly gathered around as you took a seat in the armchair, chattering excitedly as they plopped down on the pillows. Charlie chose the pillow right in front of you, beaming proudly as James introduced you.

“Settle down, settle down!” James chuckled, waving a hand to quiet his students. Once they were all seated, he looked over at you with a wink. “Alright, Charlie’s mum, take it away.”

You hesitated for a moment, suddenly aware of a dozen pairs of tiny eyes on you, but the encouraging smile on James’ face made it easy to relax. You picked up the first Charlie Brown book from the pile, flipping to the first page as the kids leaned in, their attention immediately captured.

As you started reading, you could feel James watching you. Not in the same way the kids were watching- there was something different in his gaze. Every so often, when you paused to show an illustration or ask a question, you’d catch him out of the corner of your eye, leaning back in his chair with his eyes focused on you, a soft smile playing on his lips.

You read until the bell rang for school to end. The kids leapt to their feet, laughing and running around the classroom as they gathered their things to go home. Charlie gave you a big hug as he got up, exclaiming loudly to the class that his mummy was the best storyteller in the world. James herded students out to the pickup area, where the aids were waiting with the kids for their parents.

You lingered by James’s desk as Charlie packed up his things, aware of him moving to stand next to you without needing to glance his way.

“You know, you have a very captivating reading voice. You should come read to the class more often,” James said, his voice low and teasing. You turned your head ever so slightly to look at him, raising an eyebrow as you smirked.

“Are you sure it’s my reading voice that caught your attention?” you teased.

James leaned in a little closer, his voice just above a whisper. “It might’ve been the reader, actually.”

[justpoliteconversations]

Apple Merchant [BOTW!Link x Isekai!Reader] (Part 3)

The house does not make a home, but a home can make a man.

The trash pile has grown again. It's spilling out of the bin.

Part 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Alternate Extras: Embrace

Masterlist

TW: Choosing not to display warnings. Read at your own discretion.

Disclaimer: Don't own The Legend of Zelda franchise.

---

The house is bigger than you remember it being from the game. For one, there's a sectioned off washroom hidden partially under the loft stairs and a full kitchen area in the left rear of the house. The ceiling is also ridiculously high for a one story (technically two) house, but you let that detail slide. It's to your- Link's, benefit, after all.

Another thing, upgrades are not offered automatically here. Though that should've been obvious in hindsight and you're a bit embarrassed to admit it'd slipped your mind. Most people would decorate and furnish their own homes with either their old furniture or newly bought.

That's what the many, many shops the game never had reason to show were for, after all.

Therein led to your current dilemma.

Practicality or comfort? The large thin rug with dark patterns, or a smaller plush one with elegant designs embroidered at the edges? Red covers? Blue, white, gray? All of them perhaps? Maybe just three?

Does Link prefer cast iron or the wok? Steel forks or maybe chop sticks? A full set of pots and pans, or just two or three good ones for repeated use? Which set of knives? The specialty set or a general use one?

Should the loft have a rug too? Should you get both? Should you get three? What about the washroom?

Towels? A vase...

Dumb idea. No vases.

Should there be two beds? When Link frees Zelda from the castle, surely the poor woman won't be made to live there in that festering monster's nest of a ruin. And having been trapped there for a century as the world outside moved forward (after having been royalty nonetheless), would she even know how to live on her own?

Would it be presumptuous of you to already set up for her arrival before Link even properly remembered who she was? You didn't want to make Link feel obligated to fufill your assumptions like that. He already had so much on his shoulders. He didn't need you to add more.

So, only one bed. Sheets?

"Jus' get them all, ya cluckin' mother cucco." Adino snapped waspishly, thin brows pulled down into a severe looking glare. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall closest to the 'Odds and Ends' shop's door, pointedly.

You barely spared him a glance, used to his attitude after having known him for nearly three years. And honestly, it was all for show anyway. Adino loved shopping with you, but the spiteful little shit would never admit it. Even under pain of death.

'Jus' making sure the walkin' rupee bag doesn't fall dead to an ill fated breeze.' He'd snark if ever questioned why he was following you around on his days off.

Lies, of course. The truth is he's lonely. So very lonely and too hurt yet to reach out to anyone else for companionship.

The man he'd called father for 14 years of his short life suddenly throws him out of the only home he'd known with barely the clothes on his back. All after finding out his recently departed wife had been having affairs. And the kicker, the bastard claims he supposedly doesn't even know if Adino's his or not (despite them having the exact same eyes and brows).

It'd been convenient though, you'd give him that. Just washed his hands of the situation entirely. Started fresh with a new wife and got rid of the unnaturally (Adino had parroted coldly, like a curse and a confession breathed in the same breath) effeminate son that may or may not be his.

No stings attached. Just living comfortably on his late wife's family property and shacking up with her younger sister.

And that abandoned son running, running, running across Hyrule. Until he dropped right outside of Hateno, quiet and hurting and nearly driven mad with hateful, writhing loathing.

You pull yourself from those thoughts. It's not your business. Adino may have shared that information with you during his mandatory background check, but that doesn't mean it's any of your business.

Even if the boy is living with you, and has been for the last three years.

(Even if you already ruined that man's fletching business. Even if you never told Adino why that man'd taken a very long walk off a very tall cliff.

Even if Adino knew and left flowers on your desk every year on that day ever since.)

"I'll take them all. As well as the rugs, towels and curtains, please. Oh. And that tapestry. Yes. The one with the apples."

Adino snorted, rolling his eyes, and you smiled. A merchant's got to advertise wherever possible, after all.

The older, greying woman behind the counter nodded, glancing over to two younger women (her granddaughters, twins and five years orphaned. turned 17 last Fall) waiting unobtrusively near the back of the shop. They didn't need any more instruction than that, swiftly gathering your choices and folding them into neatly wrapped bundles.

You swear this family had to have some sheikah blood in them somewhere. Even if they had pitch black hair and the darkest grey eyes you've ever seen. They were just too quiet and efficient to be normal Hyrulians. (And were little known for their discretion above all else.)

You tipped the women for thier help. They thanked you with a quiet tilt of their perfectly kept heads, before returning to their preferred corner in the far back.

You didn't bother to barter with this woman. You paid full price for everything, and then tipped her too.

Four gold rupees. And a note, which she took with a nod and a knowing glint in her eyes.

(Because they were known for their discretion, and you appreciated that more than anything.

You knew she understood the flowers you left on her desk every year on the same day.

And you knew she'd understand this too.)

You left, but not before catching one of the twins (the one with the blue head cloth and lip rouge) staring longingly after Adino's back as he marched from the store in a dramatic huff. Her sister hiding a probable grin behind her red painted hand.

'Interesting. But not my problem.'

---

Link looked up the curved path to Hateno's guarded gate as he sheathed his guardian sword, the black mist of two hopelessly mangled bodies blowing away in the strong mountainside winds. Further back still was the semi-conscious groan of a young woman surrounded by fallen mushrooms.

Link ignored her slowly rising form, having checked her vitals earlier before being ambushed by a pair of bokoblins. He knew she'd be fine, and honestly, if she was sneaking around monster infested forests for mushrooms (Link could still hear the snorting of the beasts further past the treeline) then she must be able to take a hit or two and come out okay.

She must have had the same thoughts because she merely dusted herself off, picked up her fallen produce and made for the trees once more. Barely sparing Link a backwards wave before disappearing into the thick underbrush.

Link blinked after her. And sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

So. That happened.

Link let it roll off his back easily enough. He had more important issues to deal with. Such as was it appropriate for him to just show up at your (and now his) doorstep fresh from the road and smelling every bit of it.

He discreetly sniffed under his arm and grimaced.

Surely you'd understand. You and him were connected after all, and you knew his name and knew he'd be coming to Hateno. A little roadside reek shouldn't be a big surprise.

Yet. He couldn't shake the self-consciousness. The irrational fear that you'd look at him and expect more than what you got.

Like that old man who was actually a dead person. Like that Impa woman, and everyone in that little village she lived in.

For how quickly he'd steamrolled through the untamed wilds of Hyrule just to meet you, he was oddly reluctant to continue now that he was at your metaphoric (and soon literal) doorstep.

He glanced down at himself, taking himself in with a critical eye.

The Sheikah armor he wore (it had been under 10,000 rupees, he checked) was covered in dust, grim and the unflattering stains of sweat, dried bloody drool (from that unfortunate incident with the bokoblin horse), grass and meat grease. His hair was so filthy it was nearly brown despite that equally unfortunate incident with the octorok having put him in the water several times (strong inconsistent winds make aiming bows hard, he'd discovered).

Hopefully you wouldn't be disgusted. He hoped you understood that he wasn't- well-

He wasn't who he used to be. Apparently.

"Link." A flat voice called out, and Link nearly jumped to attention at the unexpected interruption. He nearly reached for his sword too, before he stopped himself.

When Link looked up and met dark gray eyes, his heart started to tightened.

'Is that you, AM?' His eyes asked earnestly, wide and round with quiet searching. For recognition. For understanding. For anything at all.

Instead he got a slow, dispassionate blink and confusion as the woman spoke into the silence between them. "AM instructed me to lead you home, Master Link."

Link pointed to himself. "Master?" He rasped out quietly, voice rough and unpleasant even to his own ears. Nothing to say for the pain it caused at the base of his throat.

Without missing a beat the young woman nodded once, the blue bandana holding her dark hair back catching slightly in the wind. Blue painted lips barely moving as she said. "Yes. I will explain more once we arrive at your home."

Link nodded, still uncertain but trusting enough of this strange woman who knew the name (Alis? Nickname? Title, perhaps?) of his sheikah slate partner.

Tomorrow, he would be given a small journal detailing many of the dangers and wonders of this beautiful, wild world he now lived in. And he wouldn't be so trusting anymore.

And he'd have bananas, apparently. So many bananas.

But that's for tomorrow. Today?

Today was the first time he walked across the old, but sturdy footbridge. The first time he glanced over at the shrine glowing faintly to his left, peeking from behind a small cluster of buildings.

It was the first day he stood on the threshold of his (and your) new home. The first time since awakening he felt the beginning of heartbreak as he realized you were not there to greet him. That you would not be living with him. Ever.

('For now,' He thought in quiet defiance.)

And the first time since he opened his eyes in that dark, eerily glowing shrine he felt loved. When his eyes adjusted to the darker light of the house and found a home waiting for him.

Not just an empty building with four walls and a bed, but a rug with pretty dark patterns under a heavy wooden table. A bowl of apples at its center, with thick candles at either side. An intricately sewn tablecloth just slightly hanging over the sides in delicate little weaves.

He felt loved when he walked around the front room, boot-heavy steps thumping softly on polished hardwood floors, slowly taking in the space (the blue woman waiting patiently at the door). The small wooden sculptures upon carefully arranged tables, cute and quirky banners and tapestries brightening up the dimly lit room (one was slightly lower than the rest, another was slightly off-center, and Link felt warm at the imperfections). Sunflowers, a bird, a rock formation, an apple tree, a cat with a bell.

A sword and shield rack. Two armor stands. A few weapon's plaque hanging above them.

The food in the kitchen pantry. Completely unnecessary, but for the way it made Link feel. The way it made his throat tighten and itch. The thought that this was put here because it was meant to be his home.

And so much more. So many things he couldn't even remember the uses for. So many bits and pieces that slot together into the jumbled mess that is a home. It was more than he had the heart to acknowledge without weeping.

Noticing his brewing turmoil, the blue woman spoke. "Perhaps a bath and bed before we speak of business. AM said you may be tired when you arrived."

Link nodded, unwilling to speak and risk his voice breaking entirely. Instead he allowed himself to be led to the washroom, holding back tears when he found bottles of sweet smelling soaps and hair cleansers on a small table beside a stool above a drain. A tub beside it all, shaped like a bowl but with a drain at the bottom and a water spout at the rim.

He looked to the blue woman, overwhelmed and dazed by the strength of his emotions.

Something in her softened at his lost expression. "Let me bath you, Master Link." She said, keeping her voice even, though her dark eyes were gentle. "Just until you learn how to do it yourself."

Link nodded. Quiet and trusting in his vulnerability.

She helped him undress. She made him sit on the stool as she gathered what she needed.

Her hands were so, so gentle as they brought a warm, wet towel over his dirtied, battered skin.

He nearly fell into a doze twice as she washed his hair three times until the suds came off white. He was only minimally aware of the strong (deceptively strong) hands that helped him into the tub. He nearly slumped into the side of the bowl, body completely lax within the warm, welcoming water.

He opened his eyes from one blink to the next and blankets (thick and soft, smelling of fresh soaps and linen) were being drawn over his shoulders. The pillow beneath him gave under the weight of his head, as did the mattress he laid upon.

Every part of him felt warm and soft and safe. He smelt like flowers and sweet nuts, his skin felt clean and supple under the tender caress of his nightclothes. The further dimming lights eased him further down into slumber.

"Rest well, Master Link. I will guard you as you sleep."

Link couldn't even bring himself to respond, lost as he was to the call to nothingness.

He was lost not long after.

"One day." The blue woman said softly, sitting beside the unconscious man with an amused smile. "I will teach you to identify sleeping oils before they reach you. But not tonight. For tonight you sleep. Tomorrow, you will learn to be wary."

She wiped her delicate finger tips across his relaxed forehead, a slight sheen left in their wake.

"Sweet dreams, Courageous One."

---

Link,

I apologize that I could not be there to greet you properly. However, after careful consideration I decided it would be safest for our paths to remain separate at this time.

Herein this text, you will find all relevant information I've amassed over the years regarding our world and the dangers within it. Including, but not limited to, the continued threat of the Yiga clan.

May you never have to make use of the less savory of this knowledge.

Yours truly,

AM

---

To the shadows I return.

[l-egionaire]

You know what? I'm bored, and I've got some ideas, so here are my Ilvermony headcanons.

The separate houses are treated as little more than an aesthetic difference by the students. While there might be rivalries and prank wars between the houses, it never gets to the levels of near discrimination that it gets to at Hogwarts. The students all just consider themselves students of the same school and members of the houses intermingle and hang out with each other all the time. They're even allowed to be in each other's dorms for limited amounts of time each day. The teachers encourage it as they often say that each house represents a part of what every great wizard needs, and coming together helps bring them all together towards the ideal wizard.

It's not uncommon for there to be students from other countries who don't speak English perfectly. Thankfully, there are charms to help translate their speech for the teacher, and the only part of their work that needs to be spoken English are their incantations. Though some might still ask for help in getting the pronunciation correct.

The dining hall students eat in is vastly different from Hogwarts's Great Hall, being a large room with mahogany walls filled with multiple circular tables covered in red tablecloths with gold trim and set with silver untensils, fine blue China plates, and crystal glasses. In the center of the room is a vast roaring fireplace with a picture of the Sayre family overtop of it. During feasts, the Pukwudgies bring out platters and pitchers of food and drink that stay magically hot and cold until the students serve themselves from them. Students are allowed to sit at whatever table they please, and the staff eat at a massive table in the middle of all the others.

The dorms are just different buildings of the castle that have five floors of T-shaped hallways with long red and gold rugs bearing the houses symbol. Along the walls of each hallways are dorm rooms for each years students. Students are assigned two each to a dorm, with their roommates's names being included with the letters they receive at the start of each new year. Roommates can't be changed unless two students agree to trade with each other. The dorms all have two large half poster beds with red and gold sheets and blankets, the blankets also carrying their houses symbol and pillows with blue pillow cases. There's also two desks, half dressers, wardrobes, and a set of three shelves above the dressers on both sides (the rooms are enhanced with expansion charms to give them extra space). The halls for younger students all have a dorm manager in them, an older student who was chosen to sleep on their floor to act as a chaperone and disciplinary figure to the students.

The students get to the school by way of multiple magical single decker busses that all arrive at Rockfeller Center in New York. They drive for around an hour before making a stop at a magically hidden pit stop where the students can get snacks, drinks and use the bathroom before the rest of the journey.

Thanksgivings at Ilvermony are always huge. The decorations include fall leaves that flutter and blow themselves through the halls, realistic turkey figures that jump around and gobble, and in the center of each dining room table is a red and gold hat that plays music. Each table gets its own turkey to carve (any leftovers are served over the next few days as sandwiches) along with boats of gravy and cranberry sauce, bowls of corn, mashed potatoes and carrots. And for dessert, a veritable buffet of pies, including Ilvermony's famous cranberry pie, the recipe said to have been invented by Isolt Sayre herself.

Any students without a wand before coming to school is allowed to select one from the hall of wands just past the sorting room. The hall holds hundreds of wands stacked inside their case along the walls. The room holds both wands so new they were just ordered yesterday and so old they were created at the very start of the school. After each sorting ceremony, the head of the school helps each first year's find a wand that "chooses" them, a process that can take up to an hour at most. It's also heavily guarded at all times by both a pair of heavily armed, muscular Pukwudgies and a rotating member of the staff as it's a prime target for thievery either by students or dark wizards.

Ilvermorny boasts a massive roaster of international magical studies electives. In each one, students can study the government, magical creatures, and magical history of the country of their choosing. Some even go on summer trips to those countries to further their studies.

Rather than O.W.L.s, Ilvermorny students takes the W.I.T. or Wizarding Intuition Tests, something similar to an SAT tests. The tests are taken twice, once during sixth year and once during seventh year for each class the students take, and the combined scores of each year are added together, and that average becomes their score. The better the score in certain subjects, the more job opportunities the students have.

To receive mail, students go to the mail room in a tall tower at the southern side of the castle where every owl goes to bring packages and letters for their deliveriees to receive. The mail room is student run and students are selected at random to do the job.

[beyondthesefourwalls]

This Love Came Back to Me (10)

Summary: You and Bradley hadn’t ended on bad terms; really, you stopped before the two of you could even truly begin. Still, in the last seven months, you had never completely left his mind. So when you suddenly appeared in front of him at the bar, asking for a favor and pulling him into a kiss, he thought maybe it was the perfect opportunity to see if this time, things could be different. But what neither of you realized was that there’s more going on than just rekindling a lost romance, and it might not be as easy as simply just wanting it. 

Pairing: Bradley Bradshaw x Reader (no use of y/n)

Warnings: second chance romance, language, allusions of smut and potential full smut, stalking, breaking and entering, unhealthy obsessions, delusions of feelings, unwanted attention.

Part Ten Word Count: 3.9K

Part Nine :: Series Masterlist

---

-----

Bradley told you to pack enough for the week. After dropping off all the appropriate forms at the courthouse on Monday morning, the two of you headed off. The further you got from San Diego, the more relaxed you seemed to become. He had managed to find a cabin a few hours away up in San Bernardino. It was secluded, tucked away in the mountains and amongst the trees, but it’s picturesque, quiet, something he knew you would love. He paid more than a little extra to have it ready at such short notice, but it was worth it ten times over to see the smile on your face when you climbed out of the Bronco and breathed in the crisp and invigorating mountain area. He couldn’t help but just to watch you for a minute, your head tilted back and your eyes closed. 

There was still a heaviness around you that he knew wouldn’t go right away. But for the first time in days, you looked something close to at peace. 

The inside of the cabin was just as impressive as the outside. It had a large open concept space that contained the living room and the kitchen, and it was all wood tones and dark, oversized furniture. Faux fur rugs decorated the hardwood floors, and the windows were tall and wide, letting in whatever natural light peaked in through the trees facing that side of the house. You spun in a slow circle, looking up at the high tilted ceilings with the exposed beams. 

“Wow,” you breathed. It was all you needed to say for Bradley to know he had made the right call in bringing you here. 

You left him to take your bags to the bedroom as he put away the groceries you had stopped for on the way. You hadn’t come back by the time he was done so he set off to find you, going down the short hallway to the only other room in the cabin. He couldn’t help but whistle in appreciation as he looked around the space. The king size bed that looked like the most comfortable thing he had ever seen sat in the middle of the room. There was a rocking chair tucked into the corner, and the dresser looked like it was made of the same type of sturdy wood as the bedframe. There was an en suite bathroom that he was sure was just as beautiful, but the real draw of this room, perhaps this place in general, was the view he was currently looking at. 

He hadn’t spent too much time looking at the pictures on the rental website, but he suddenly understood the price tag on it. 

There was a large deck off of the bedroom, and through the open french doors, he could see nothing but the mountain landscape. Rugged peaks and luscious trees of greens and browns and oranges; nature in its purest form. It was only early afternoon and the open blue sky was breathtaking; he couldn’t imagine what it would look like at sunset. More than that though, was the view he had brought with him. You were leaning against the railing, taking in the stunning panorama that the deck overlooked. He joined you outside, careful to make his presence known so that when he wrapped his arms around you from behind, you didn’t jump. 

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” 

You spoke quietly as you leant back against him, almost like you were afraid to disrupt the calmness surrounding you from all sides. 

“It is,” he agreed. And he was looking at the view, yes, but he was mostly looking at you. 

You turned to face him, winding your arms around his neck. “Thank you,” you said, “for bringing me here. I think-I think I-” you closed your eyes and shook your head, and the deep breath you took came out a little shaky. Bradley waited for you as you collected your thoughts, his thumbs rubbing circles into the small of your back. “I think I needed this,” you finally settled on. He knew there was so much more behind your words. 

Bradley considered his response carefully. He knew what he wanted to say. But he knew it wasn’t the time yet. 

“I’d do anything for you,” he said instead. He pulled you a little bit closer. He didn’t want you to thank him for bringing you here, because taking care of you wasn’t something he ever wanted to be thanked for like it was a chore. Your eyes brightened just a bit at his words and you raised on your toes to kiss him. 

You passed the next few hours doing not much of anything, and Bradley thought it was exactly what the both of you needed. He could tell that you were still exhausted after the weekend, and if he was being honest, he was too. It was nearing 5pm and he was about to ask you what you wanted to make for dinner when your phone rang. You looked up from the book you were reading to where your phone was sitting on the coffee table. Seeing the hesitation in your eyes, Bradley cleared his throat of his own anxiety and leant forward to pick it up. When he saw that the suggested name for the number was the San Diego Courthouse, he handed it to you with what he hoped was an encouraging smile. 

“It’ll be okay,” he whispered, squeezing your ankle from where your feet were resting in his lap. You nodded and answered the phone with a deep breath. 

“Hello?” 

Bradley kept his eyes trained on you and it wasn’t long into the call that your eyes squeezed shut and you bit down on your lip so hard he worried about drawing blood. That same defeated look that had been on your face the last few days reappeared. 

He knew, without you even needing to say anything, that you hadn’t been granted the emergency temporary restraining order. 

His heart fell and he reached out and grasped your free hand in his. He could feel the bandages still covering your palm against his skin and your nails dug into his hand as you squeezed. A tear slid down your cheek and he brought your hand up to press a kiss onto your fingers. He scooted closer on the couch, drawing you into his chest. You tucked your face into his neck and he listened as you asked about a court date and thanked them for calling before letting the phone fall to the couch. Immediately, both of your arms were wrapped around his neck, and he was pulling you fully into his lap. 

“What did they say?” he asked gently into your hair. He felt you take a shuddering breath. 

“Not enough concrete evidence as of right now,” you told him. “I’ll get a phone call about a court date. God, this is such bullshit.” 

Bradley let out a long sigh, pressing a kiss to your head as he held you close. He couldn’t say part of him didn’t see this coming after the conversation he’d had with Sadie, even if he had hoped with everything in him it would go the other way. 

He pulled back, cupping your face in his hands and making you look at him. He wiped away the wetness on your cheek with his thumb. “We can call Sadie later. Figure something out. Okay?” 

You nodded, but he could tell you were beating yourself up, and that all the worst scenarios were running through your head again. “What can I do?” he asked, feeling somewhat desperate. He’d do anything for you, just like he said. 

It took you a moment to respond, playing with a button on his open flannel shirt. “I think I just want you to hold me right now,” you answered back quietly. 

He wondered if you had any idea he’d do that forever if you let him, no matter the circumstances. 

——

When Bradley blinked awake the next morning, you weren’t beside him. He felt a flare of panic for a brief moment at the cold sheets, his sleep-fogged brain having a hard time coming out of the nightmares he had had, but then he heard the soft hum of music and movement coming from the main area of the cabin. He let his face fall back into the pillow and took a deep breath as his heart rate slowed. 

He laid there for a moment just listening before dragging himself out of bed, popping into the bathroom quickly before heading out of the bedroom. 

He found you quickly enough, his suspicions confirmed that you were in the kitchen. A smile tugged at his lips as he watched you pop back and forth between the stove and the fridge, wearing his shirt from the day before and a pair of fuzzy socks on your feet. A smudge of what looked like pancake batter was on your cheek, and there were specks of flour in the messy bun on top of your head. You smiled brightly when you caught sight of him standing there. 

“Morning, sleepyhead.” 

He couldn’t help but feel a bit of surprise at your tone. You sounded at ease and energetic, which was the complete opposite of how you had fallen asleep last night. He responded back with his own greeting as he walked over to you. You were manning pancakes, just like he had thought, and bacon sizzled on the other burner. He wrapped his arms around you from behind, pressing his lips to your cheek. He could taste a hint of vanilla from the batter he kissed off. 

“How long have you been awake?” he wondered, voice still thick and rough with sleep. You leaned back into his chest as you flipped a pancake. He noted that it was a little after 9:00 from the clock on the microwave, and was surprised he himself had slept so long. 

“A few hours,” you shrugged, and you turned the temperature down on the bacon before turning in his arms to kiss him properly. 

He raised an eyebrow in question when you pulled away. “A few hours?” 

“Yeah,” you told him, and you took a deep breath before offering him another, softer smile. “I emailed my resume to that contact that Anna gave me, about a potential job. And then I put in a few more applications. And then I emailed Sadie all that she had asked about, and my landlord about not renewing my lease. And then I realized the time, so I thought I’d make us breakfast.” 

“Wow,” he murmured, “productive morning, huh?” 

You shrugged, glancing down almost shyly before meeting his eyes again. “You went through a lot of trouble getting us this place for the week. And you…you’ve gone through a lot of trouble for me.” 

“Bug, I-” 

“No, let me finish,” you told him, putting your finger against his lips to stop him from speaking. “I really appreciate it, Bradley. I appreciate you. And I want to be here, be present with you. Everything else can wait until we get back to San Diego. It’s certainly not going away anytime soon. But for this week…I want to just be. Here. With you. Happy. Because that’s what you make me. And I think we both deserve the time away, no matter what got us here. Right?”  

His heart beat a little faster in his chest as you spoke, and he felt something that he thought was pride bubble up in him. You said the words almost reverently, like you craved nothing more. Bradley could see it in your eyes how desperately you meant it.

“Okay,” he murmured, nodding his agreement. He pressed a kiss to your nose, delighting in the way you giggled in response. “So, what are we doing first?”

“Breakfast,” you told him with a grin, “And then we can figure it out from there.” 

He squeezed your hips with a nod. “That sounds perfect.” 

After an unhurried breakfast, you ended up spending the day hiking on some of the trails down the mountainside. He knew how much you loved being outside and that the last few months, between how busy you were and how uneasy you felt, you hadn’t really had the opportunity. So he didn’t hesitate to indulge you as you kept a leisurely pace, simply enjoying being outdoors and taking in all of the scenery that Mother Nature offered you. You packed a small lunch of sandwiches and fruit that you took with you, eating together amongst the grass and rocks.

The sun was setting by the time you got back to the cabin, sweaty with sore muscles but both of you smiling. You were still giggling at the story he was telling you about a prank Payback had played on Nat last week - and the payback she had gotten in return - when you walked through the door and toed your shoes off. 

Bradley pulled you to him with a gentle hand on your hip, leaning down to place a kiss on your lips as your laughter died down. 

“Why don’t you go shower, and I can start on dinner?” he suggested. 

“I can cook tonight,” you insisted, but he shook his head. 

“I got it.”

“B…”

He silenced your protest with another soft kiss, squeezing your hip over your spandex leggings. “Shower,” he whispered against your lips. He pressed his own to your nose and forehead before winking and stepping back. He watched you walk back to the bedroom, pausing when you got to the doorway. You looked back at him over your shoulder, your bottom lip drawn between your teeth. You looked like you were contemplating something, and Bradley clocked the flash of heat that pops up in your eyes. His heart beat a little faster in his chest. You looked like you were contemplating saying something, but after a moment, you gave him a quick smile before disappearing into the room. 

He let out a long huff of air and ran a hand through his hair. 

He hadn’t even thought about touching you since Saturday morning before you had left for brunch. It was only Tuesday night now, but it felt like so much time had passed since he took you in the bed of that goddamn house of yours. You had both been upset the last few days, and he’d never dream of using those emotions to his advantage. He knew today had been better, but you hadn’t invited him in the shower with you - he’d wait until you told him you were ready. 

But damn if the happiness you were exuding today and the look you just gave him didn’t make resisting difficult.

He kept things simple, and an easy meal was done by the time you were finished. Your hair was piled in a wet knot on top of your head and you wore one of his oversized sweatshirts that was so long on you, he could barely see the hem of the athletic shorts you had on, too. Still, when you walked back into the main area of the cabin, his breath caught. He stared at you for a moment, and when you furrowed an eyebrow, softly asking him what was wrong, he cleared his throat and shook his head. 

“Nothing,” he said, and then held out one of the bowls of pasta in his hand. The two of you sat at the small kitchen table as you ate your dinner. He was happy to see that your appetite seemed to have come back after not eating much of anything the last three days. You did the dishes together when you were done, your side flush with his as he washed and you dried. He excused himself after that to go take his own shower, and he didn’t miss the way you bit your lip again as the same look crossed your eyes. But you gave him another one of those gentle smiles when he caught your eye, turning away before he could say anything. 

He made it a quick one, in and out in enough time to scrub off and run some of your shampoo and conditioner through his hair. He was worried spending anymore time in there with his thoughts would be cause for something significantly colder in temperature. 

A buzzing drew his attention as he was toweling off. His brows furrowed together and he was quick to slip his black briefs on and step back into the bedroom. Your phone was on top of the dresser, vibrating against the wood. It stopped before he could reach it, only to start again in short, quick bursts that indicated you were getting multiple texts in a row.

He picked it up with the intention of taking it to you, but then he caught a look at the screen. His blood ran cold in his veins and his muscles locked up. 

Underneath the notifications of the missed calls, you had a slew of messages, all from an unsaved number.  

Unknown: You haven’t been at work in two days. Are you okay?

Unknown: I miss seeing you 

Unknown: Why won’t you answer the phone? 

Unknown: I still have your necklace. Don’t you want it back? 

Unknown: I can’t see where you are anymore. Why did you do that? I need to check on you. 

They continued to come in, each one more concerning and unhinged than the one before. 

He could feel the corners of your phone case pressing into his palms from how hard he was gripping the device, as well as the heat that crept up his neck in anger. It was obvious who was sending these messages. Paul must have gone out of his way to get another phone number, and Bradley's not sure why he was surprised by this. He was foolish to not have thought of it before. 

You may have blocked his number, but that doesn’t mean your number was blocked from his. 

God damnit. 

The phone rang again, the same unknown number flashing on the screen. Every single fiber of Bradley’s being wanted to answer it and demand that he leave you the fuck alone and get everything that he had kept in off of his chest. His finger hovered over the answer button as he intended to do just that. 

But the cops you had spoken with as well as Sadie had said that neither of you should engage with him, and that it would turn in his favor if you did. He knew that it would only make things worse for you. So he fought himself and let it ring. He was nearly trembling by the time it stopped, and he watched as more texts came through. Red tinted his vision at the last one. 

Unknown: He took you from me. You should have told him that you were already mine.  

Bradley nearly broke the screen with how hard he pressed on it as he went in and blocked the number. He was set on deleting everything, but paused before he did. He glanced up at the open bedroom door. He could hear the TV playing softly, some sitcom you liked to rewatch over and over again. You had made the conscious decision this morning that you weren’t going to worry or think about Paul this week. You had laughed and smiled and seemed truly relaxed and happy all day.  He didn’t want to ruin that. 

But he wondered if this could help you in the long run, and be some sort of evidence of just how unhinged this guy was when it came to you.

Making a split second decision, he took screenshots of all your missed calls and texts and sent them to himself before deleting them from your phone and turning it off.

You didn’t need to know right now. He could shoulder this for you until it was necessary.  

He sunk down onto the edge of the bed, putting his face in his hands and trying to take deep breaths. He knew he needed to calm down before he went back out to you. He was so angry his hands were shaking, but after a few minutes, that rage transformed into something sadder. 

He couldn’t understand why this was happening to you. You, who was inherently good. You worked so hard and were kind to everyone you met, even when they didn’t deserve it. And this asshole had taken advantage of and construed that kindness into something that it wasn’t and tried to manipulate you into thinking you were at fault. 

That last text played in his mind again, and for the first time, he wondered if his presence in your life was what made all of this what it was. Paul had been following you for months, yes. But as far as you both knew, he hadn’t escalated to what he had until that night in the bar when Bradley had announced himself as your boyfriend. 

It left a terrible feeling in his stomach and a bad taste in his mouth. 

He took one more deep breath and stood from the bed, slipping on a pair of sweatpants and a tshirt. You were curled up on the couch under a thick maroon afghan that had been draped over the back and you smiled at him when he came into view, sipping on a mug of what he assumed was tea based on the string hanging out of it. 

“Hi there,” you murmured. 

He leaned over the couch to press a kiss to your waiting lips. “Hey.” 

“How was your shower?” you asked. 

“Good. I don’t smell like dirt and sweat anymore,” he joked, and he felt himself calm down further when you laughed, just like he had hoped you would. A playful look came over your face and you set your drink down, crooking a finger for him to come closer. You kissed him again when he did. 

“I’ll be the judge of that. Come sit with me. We can watch a movie.” 

You shifted so he could settle onto the couch behind you, your back against his chest as you laid between his legs. He wrapped his arms around you and you pulled the blanket over the two of you as you grabbed the remote again to flip to a different streaming service on the tv above the fireplace. You scrolled through the extensive movie collection, and Bradley thought about what things would look like if he had declined your request for help that night and didn’t kiss you, if you never would have reconnected. Would they have gone so far? Or would things be the same, only you would be dealing with them on your own? 

But he was selfish enough where he couldn’t handle the thought of losing you again, either. He had to believe you were safer with him there, because he could protect you. He wasn’t going anywhere - he couldn’t. 

He loved you way too much to let you go.  At this point, you controlled and owned nearly every part of him, and he didn’t think you even knew it. He wanted to tell you.

“What do you want to watch?” you asked. 

Bradley cleared his throat that was suddenly thick with emotion. He pressed a kiss to the side of your head, nuzzling his face into your neck and breathing in the sweet smell of your hair. 

“Whatever you want,” he rasped out, tightening his grip on you. You hummed in pleasure as you snuggled back into him. “You’re in control here, Bug.” 

-------

Part Eleven :: Series Masterlist :: Main Masterlist

Notes: Tell her, B! Likes/comments/reblogs are the best encouragement for posting more🖤

Thank you to Mak and Em for all of your help making this story come to life. And thanks to Mak for the AMAZING banner!

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[my-writings-and-musings]

I return with some short/sweet Earthspark Starscream x Reader content to try and ease me back into writing! Hope you all enjoy!

The first slivers of morning light to reach your eyes were met with a grunt of displeasure and an instinctive roll to the side, the comfort of your extra toasty nest pulling you back into one of the better rests you'd ever had and pushing away wakefulness at any cost. A slight hum from below soothed all the tension from your body, bringing a smile back to your face as you snuggled deeper into the blankets. The outside world had nothing this cozy to offer you. 

Catching the familiar sound of a bot taking in a vent just below, you cracked open an eye to find the Seeker beneath your nest in the middle of a yawn, his lean frame flexing as he stretched his arms over his helm. Every movement was careful not to disturb the thin mattress and blanket tangle atop his chest acting as your bed, but you knew Starscream would want you up sooner rather than later. Closing both eyes and remaining limp, you tried to pretend to be in deep sleep, hoping his spark might be softened by the sight of his favorite human sleeping peacefully. 

A digit stroked along your cheek to dash your hopes, but you did your very best to stay still, even when he chuckled beneath you and the bounce carried through the mattress.

"Wakey wakey." he purred with another teasing brush of his thumb. It took all of your acting skills to stay still, your desire for sleep matched only by how much you enjoyed spending time with your beloved bot. He chuckled again and playfully brushed your hair aside, making it clear you were had with a boop of your nose. "I know you're faking, Y/N. You can't fool me so easily."

"Nooooo..." was all you could say, despite now being thoroughly awake. There was just something about snuggling next to a spark that was more comfortable than you could possibly put into words.

"Come now; I didn't visit so you could use me as a glorified bed frame. Up." he said, still playful but slightly more firm as he tugged on your blankets. Relenting with a yawn, you rubbed your eyes and accepted his help climbing to the floor, bare feet meeting the large carpeted rug that the Seeker usually slept on. Blinking the sleep from your eyes, you walked over to the heavily upgraded barn's makeshift kitchenette and flicked on the lights. Starscream removed your nest from his chassis and stretched out his lean frame with further teasing. "Besides, it's rude for the host to rise after guests."

"Mhmm..." you replied as your stomach gave its first growl. Not willing to put much effort into feeding yourself, you opened a cupboard for your favorite cereal and set about pouring it in a bowl. Bright blue optics turning to the sound compelled you to speak as you added the milk before returning it to the tiny fridge. "It's rude for hosts to eat without serving guests too, but if you want breakfast, we'll have to swing by the Maltos. I don't exactly have energon on tap."

Starscream averted his gaze, expression briefly looking more conflicted than distraught at the idea before he recovered, mock disgust shielding his ego as usual.

"As much as I enjoy those visits..." he sighed and rested his arms behind his helm, as if the very idea was wearing him out. "It's far too early for that much affection. I can wait."

It was your turn for teasing. The Malto kids had a much more positive view of the Seeker after his dramatic and timely rescue, and as such, swarmed him like eager puppies whenever the two of you stopped by. You found it utterly adorable, especially when he tried his hardest to pretend such tender displays of affection weren't to his liking, or that Hashtag didn't have him at her beck and call for selfies, movie watching, or whatever else her spark desired. Finishing up another spoonful, you carried your bowl over and sat beside his helm, smiling as he cracked open an optic. "Awwww, not ready to be swarmed by your fan club?"

"Not at the moment... Their energy is boundless." he said dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose as if fighting a headache. You knew he was being silly even if he wasn't exaggerating too much. Any one of the Malto kids was a boundless ball of youthful exuberance, and by their powers combined they could wear out even the most energetic adults. Starscream always fell into deep, unshakeable recharge after those visits, and you were never far behind. The Seeker sighed as he leaned his helm against your side, resembling a twenty foot cat so closely you couldn't resist the urge to give his helm a loving stroke. A smug yet affectionate smile pulled on his lips as he savored the gentle touch. "I'd much prefer a quiet morning, free of obligations. I've more than earned it." 

"I can handle that. How about a movie?" you replied quickly, reaching for the remote that had been tucked in your blanket nest. Clicking on the wall mounted flatscreen that Starscream continuously claimed to have obtained legally before gifting to you, you scrolled through a dozen or so streaming apps. 

Holding forth his cupped palm, Starscream agreed with a predictable caveat. "So long as I get to pick. I am the guest, after all."

"You're the guest." you agreed with a smile, handing the remote over before finishing up your cereal and shoving the bowl aside. The Seeker skillfully managed the human sized buttons as you snuggled against his side, just able to hear the birdsong of a beautiful morning beginning outside. As far as you were concerned, the whole world could wait while the two of you enjoyed the simple delight of a lazy morning. Judging by how his arm not so subtly curled around you, he felt exactly the same.

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

As Long As You’re Mine - Mob!Steve Rogers x Reader

A/N: Inspired by As Long As You’re Mine from Wicked

Summary: Mob life can be full of outdated traditions so you try to cling on your freedoms for as long as possible

Word Count: 5.6k

Warnings: Mob Elements! Forced Arranged Marriage! Language! Mention of guns! Mention of Drugs! Language! Brief SMUT 18+ ONLY! Minors DNI!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics​

Masterlist

Sitting in the large sunroom you let out a long sigh staring out at the large garden sprawling out in front of you. This was the first time you felt peace in weeks. Ever since the sudden passing of your father, life had been turned upside down, your brother stepping into a role he’d not been expecting to take for decades.

“Your brother wants to talk to you” Romero stated behind you.

“Where?” You ask not looking away from the fountain outside.

“His office” Romero answers.

“You mean my father’s office” you mutter barely glancing over your shoulder.

“Yes miss,” Romero says.

“Fine” you sigh pushing yourself up from your chair.

Walking out of the sunroom you held your head up as you passed the various guards that now stood around the house. With your family and its business in a weakened state following the death of your father, the extra guards were needed, not only for protection but as a demonstration of strength.

“You requested my presence?” You state walking into the office not even bothering to knock.

Your brother looks up with an irritated look on his face. A man you didn’t recognise stood to the side, his brow arched as he studied you. Normally you completely ignored strangers, especially ones clearly involved in the family business. But this man had a gravitational pull that had you glancing over at him.

The first thing you noticed was his piercing blue eyes that despite the cool colour, hid some warmth. He had long rugged blonde hair and a beard to match, which did nothing to hide his pink plump lips.

“Sit down” your brother directed, pulling your attention away from the stranger, gesturing to the chair opposite the desk.

“What do you want Bryce, you know I don’t enjoy being in here” you state as you sit down, leaning back in your chair, one leg crossed over the other.

“This is Steve,” Bryce says waving over to the stranger “he’s your personal bodyguard, you’re not to leave his sight”

“What?” You snap sitting up “you can’t be serious I don’t need a babysitter”

“Are the guards outside not a reminder of our precarious situation right now?”  Bryce bites back “since I have no wife, and no desire for one either, you are who all our enemies are going to go after”

You scoff shaking your head “oh this is ridiculous!”

“It’s only temporary, I’m sure you’re new husband will have his own bodyguards to look after you” Bryce sighs waving his hand as he leaned back in his chair.

“What?” You choked out, you had no new husband, you had no one.

“It was father’s dying wish to have you married off well, merge our family with another strengthening us” Bryce explains.

“So I get no say in the matter?” You state in disbelief.

“Don’t worry I’ll pick someone mutually beneficial” Bryce mutter noncommittally.

You scoff “this is bullshit! I thought you’d be different to father” you spit at your brother.

As you stormed out of the office you heard heavy footsteps following after you. Whipping around you come face to face with Steve.

“Fuck off” you growl pointing up at him in warning.

A warning that fell on deaf ears as you heard Steve following behind you the entire way to your bedroom. As you stormed inside you went to slam the door in his face but he easily caught it with his large hand.

“Do I not get the privacy of my own room” you question your voice sharp.

“Yes, but I need to conduct a sweep, see what I’m working with entrance and exit wise” Steve reasons, his voice level, face expressionless “You’re most likely to be killed or taken in the safety of your room, that chance will be lowered if I know what I’m dealing with, I’ll be quick” he adds when you don’t budge.

You let out an annoyed huff but step aside letting him into your room. You stood to the side, arms crossed as you watched him walk around your bedroom. He poked his head into your closet and bathroom, looked behind your curtains and tapped against your windows.

“They’re bulletproof” you state “are you done now? I want to relax”

“Yes, but we should limit the amount of time you’re alone to the night” Steve states still looking around your room.

“Well I want a shower and I doubt my brother will take you loitering around very well” you warn, narrowing your eyes at him condescendingly.

“Fine but as soon as you’re decent we should go back downstairs” Steve states looking back over at you.

“Whatever just fuck off already” you scoff waving him off as your turned and walked into your bathroom.

You waited until you heard your bedroom door close before reaching in and turning on your shower. But you didn’t get in, instead, you left it running as you slipped back into your bedroom. You grabbed a book from your bookcase and settled down on your bed to relax for the next few hours until you wanted to leave.

“I want to go outside” you huff in frustration glaring up at Steve.

“And I told you there was a perimeter breach last night, you’re to stay inside until everything is secure” Steve states his distractingly large arms crossed over his chest.

“This is ridiculous! I can’t see my friends! I can’t have a minute of peace! I can’t even go into my own goddamn garden to enjoy the nice weather!” You exclaim gesturing wildly.

Steve lets out a long sigh “how about a compromise”

That caught your attention, your brow arching questionably “what kind of compromise”

“Give me half an hour to ensure the surrounding area is secure and you can relax in the sunroom, enjoy the sunshine in there” Steve offers, his tone much more gentle than before.

You mimic his stance, studying him for a moment “fine” you agree.

“Okay, wait here with Romero I’ll get you once it’s secured,” Steve says nodding over to Romero before turning and walking away.

You let out a long sigh as you sat down, setting the satchel you were carrying down. You rested your chin in your palm as you waited for Steve to return, staring up at the large portrait of your father above the mantlepiece.

“Prick” you muttered under your breath, glaring up at his portrait.

It was his wish that landed you in this situation. Growing up Bryce had been different, when your father died you hoped that you’d be free from an arranged marriage. Yet even in death, his stupid ideals were haunting you.

You hadn’t realised how long you’d be stewing until Steve walked back in “the sunroom is secure” he states gesturing towards the door.

You nodded in acknowledgement, grabbing your satchel and walking out towards the sunroom without a word. You settled down in the large wicker chair in the corner, leaning back and basking in the sunlight, your eyes closing.

The sound of shuffling behind you had you peeking your eye open, glancing over your shoulder to see Steve standing in the far corner. He was always standing, you weren’t sure if he’d ever sat down in your presence. He didn’t seem bothered by it but his feet must be sore.

“You can sit down you know?” You tell him closing your eyes again.

“I’m fine,” Steve says but you heard him shuffling again.

“I can hear you shifting your weight, I’m your boss and I'm telling you to sit down” you state shifting so you were more comfortable.

You heard a tiny huff of a laugh “your brother is my boss” he points out.

“Exactly you’re employed by my family and I’m telling you to sit,” you tell him.

For a minute you didn’t hear anything, but then you heard footsteps, the sound of a chair moving and a quiet sigh as Steve sat down.

You peeked open an eye, smirking to yourself when you saw his unguarded relaxed face “better?” You ask.

Steve just lets out a noncommittal him.

“So where are you from Steve?” You ask opening your eyes as you look over at him.

Steve arches a brow, a surprised look on his face “you’ve changed your tune”

You just shrug your shoulders “I can’t seem to get rid of you so may as well get to know you”

The corner of Steve’s mouth twitches upwards “Brooklyn” he says answering your previous question.

“Oh,” you hum in surprise “What’s the mob scene like there? Just as backwards and twisted as the Boston scene?”

Steve sighs leaning back in his seat “it’s different, the NYPD cracked down on mobs pretty hard so they have evolved” he says.

You tilt your head in confusion “evolved?” You question.

“They’re not families anymore, it's one big syndicate, all run by one guy but nobody knows who they are” Steve explains.

“So you never worked for him? Met him?” You ask, Steve just shook his head in answer.

“I’d love to live in New York” you sigh looking out of the window.

“Really?” Steve asked surprised “you don’t get views like this in New York,” he says nodding to the garden.

“No” you admit “but it's full of life, and bright colours, I visited a few years ago and I felt at home”

“It is a pretty amazing place” Steve hums.

“Do you miss it?” You ask looking over at him.

“Yeah” he nods with a small smile.

“Well, you’re more than welcome to leave the door’s over there,” you say pointing to the door behind you.

Steve lets out a warm laugh, one that made your heart skip a beat “you can’t get rid of me that easily” he smirks.

You let out a long and loud disappointed sigh that makes Steve chuckle gently. As silence falls in the room once more you sit forward, opening up your satchel to grab your sketch pad and pencil.

“You draw?” You heard Steve ask.

You hum nodding your head “it's one of the few skills my father made me learn that I actually enjoy” you explain as you sharpen your pencil.

“You don’t speak highly of him” Steve points out.

You let out a snort of laughter, as you begin to sketch “there isn’t much to speak of, at least not positive”

“What do you mean?” Steve asks.

You let out a long sigh “he was traditional in every sense of the word, but not in a good way” you explain keeping your eyes on the sketch of a flower you were drawing “my and my brother were to be seen and not heard, he paid us no attention at least not until Bryce was old enough to be groomed as a mob leader”

“What about your mother?” Steve asks brows furrowed slightly.

“He didn’t love her, it was an arranged married so he just saw her as someone to give him an heir” you sigh before shrugging your shoulders “she died when I was 12, she’d always try to give me the life she never got, give me some freedom but it was impossible, I knew I’d end up exactly like her, nothing more than a prized piece of meat for breeding,” you say spitting out the last part in disgust.

Steve remains silent to the point that you glance over at him, seeing a hint of concern and sympathy in his eyes.

“When my father died I thought I was free, Bryce always tried to fight for me growing up so I thought I’d be able to go live my life, find and choose who I wanted to spend my life with myself, but I guess I didn’t realise how much my father had poisoned Bryce” you continue shaking your head.

“I’m sorry,” Steve said quietly.

You let out a small huff “it’s alright, not like you can do anything about it”

Steve hums, neither of you saying anything for a moment “who’s your favourite artist?” Steve asks nodding to your sketch.

A smile tugs at your lips at the change of topic “I don’t know, Van Gogh maybe or Frida Kahlo?” You say shrugging your shoulders.

“I’ve always found Picasso interesting, even though his style is very different to mine” Steve admits.

“You paint?” You ask surprised.

Steve smiles gently nodding his head “I prefer sketching but yes”

Without a second thought you reach into your satchel and pull out another sketch pad and pencil “Sketch with me” you say holding out the supplies.

Steve’s eyes widen in surprise for a second before a smile tugs at his lips, reaching out to take the sketchbook from you. You smile back at him, pretending to return your attention back to your own sketch but you instead were watching how Steve reclined back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other to rest his sketchbook against his knee. The look of relaxed concentration on his face as he put the first couple of strokes against the paper.

For hours you and Steve sat in silence sketching, the only noise being the sound being pencils against the paper. You didn’t even stop for food, instead having dinner brought to you in the sunroom.

“What would you do? If you could do what you want? Would you leave mob life” Steve asks after hours of silence.

“No, I’d be wrong to say it doesn’t have its perks, and only people in this life would understand, I just would want more choice and freedom, find someone where I’m an equal not just a bride” you explain with a gentle smile.

There was a beat of silence before Steve closed his sketchbook, standing up from his chair “it's getting late, you should get some sleep” he says holding out the sketchbook for you to take back.

“Keep it,” you say standing up, and packing away your own sketchbook and pencils.

“I’ll bring my own next time,” Steve says reaching out to slide the sketchbook into your bag.

You bit back a smile as you nodded, turning to walk out towards your room. Steve followed a couple of paces behind as always.

“Goodnight Steve” you smile turning back to face him once you reached your room.

“Goodnight Y/N,” he says warmly, his head dipping slightly.

You give him one last smile before slipping inside your room. Walking over to your bed you put down your satchel and began to unpack it, putting your supplies away. When you pulled out the sketchbook you have given Steve, curiosity won out as you opened it up to see what he’d drawn. Your breath caught when you saw it was a portrait of you.

A couple of weeks later you were woken in the middle of the night by shouting and loud cracking noises. Sitting up you realised the sound was coming from outside. You had only just reached the window, poking your head through the curtains when your door swung open.

“Get away from the window!” Steve shouted, his chest heaving.

Your head snapped in his direction “what?” You ask in confusion.

Steve didn’t say anything he just ran over to you, wrapping his arms around you, one large hand placed securely on the back of your head. He then twists into a crouch, covering you with his body as you hard a loud crack against your window. You let out a screech at the sound, finally realising the cracking noises outside were gunfire.

“You okay?” Steve asks pulling back enough for his eyes to scan over your body.

You quickly nod, your eyes wide as you stared up at him in shock “wha-what’s happening?”

“The house is under attack, looks like Hansen, we need to get you out of here,” Steve says repositioning you so you were still covered but on your feet.

You just nod allowing him to guide you out of the room. He kept you both in a crouched position, his arm around you, hand on the back of your head. He leads you out of your room, down the corridor and into a safe room.

To anyone else, it just looked like a closet, but you knew of the reinforced locks. Bulletproof walls and door.

Steve led you over to a plush chair in the corner, carefully setting you down before returning his attention back to the locked door. His hand on his gun ready to fire at a moment's notice.

You curled up in the chair, your knees brought up to your chest. You were shivering, not only from the cold since you only wore silk shorts and a vest, but also as the adrenaline left your body.

Steve glanced over his shoulder at you when he heard you move, his brows furrowing for a second before he shrugged off his jacket.

“Here,” he says offering you his jacket.

When you don’t move he steps closer, carefully wrapping it around your shoulders. He then crouched down in front of you, gently tugging the jacket around you.

“You’re safe, it’s gonna be okay” he reassured you gently, his large hand brushing over your head soothingly.

“Thank you” you whispered.

“I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, it’s okay,” Steve says softly,  his hand slipping into yours, the reassuring squeeze he gave providing more warmth than his jacket.

You could only manage a small nod of your head, Steve gave you another smile as he stands back up. Putting himself back on guard duty.

What felt like hours passed until you heard a knocking on the door. Both you and Steve went on guard, Steve pulling out his gun as he stood with his back to the wall. He gestures for you to hide behind your chair with his free g huff hand, waiting until you were crouched behind your chair before unlocking the door. He opens it a crack, only enough to see out.

“Clear?” He asks.

“Clear” you hear Bryce confirm “is she safe?”

Steve puts his gun away as he opens the door enough for Bryce to step in “shaken but fine”

You stand up from your hiding space, your breath catching when you saw Bryce’s busted lip and black eye “Bryce” you gasped.

“It’s nothing you should see the other guy” Bryce waves off with a small smirk, crossing the room and sitting down with a heavy sigh.

“Did Hansen show?” Steve asks hands on his hips.

“No, just his goons but we’ve taken one for interrogation, find out exactly what his motives were” Bryce sighs cracking his knuckles.

“It was probably a test run to see how weak you are, so when they hit again they know where to strike” Steve answers

“Shit” Bryce mutters “I need to secure a deal soon,” he says glancing over at you.

“What if that’s what this is all about?” You argue, Steve glancing over at you with a brow arched “Hansen’s a hitman by trade, what if he’s been hired to spook you into closing a deal sooner, one that doesn’t actually benefit you”

Bryce scoffs and shakes his head at the idea but Steve speaks up “it's a possibility, one I wouldn’t rule out even if it is a slim chance”

“Whatever” Bryce mutters pushing himself up from his chair “Your room is compromised so until it's secure again you’ll be sleeping in mother’s old room”

Your heart was hammering in your chest. You hadn’t stepped foot in your mother’s room since the week of her death. The last time you’d completely broken down.

“Bryce no…” you start, your voice wobbling but he was already out the door.

You look over at Steve to see him already looking back at you with a concerned look in his eyes “I’ll make sure you’re room is secure as soon as possible”

You swallow the lump of emotion, wrapping your arms around yourself. You gave him a quick nod before quietly walking out the door towards your mother’s room.

Steve walked a few paces behind you as always but when you froze in front of the door, he stopped much closer than he’s ever done before.

“I’ll need to conduct a sweep,” Steve says quietly.

You nod but don’t move. Steve instead placed a hand on the small of your back, reaching around you to open the door. A blast of cold air hit you, but you weren’t sure if you just imagined it. Steve gently guided you inside, closing the door behind you.

As he stepped away to start his sweep a chill entered your body. You hugged yourself tighter as you began to shiver, stepping back until your back hit the wall behind you.

“All clear, get some rest it's been a long night,” Steve says turning back to you.

As he began walking towards the door it felt like you couldn’t breathe “wait” you managed to gasp.

Steve haltered looking over at you in concern “what’s wrong? He asks taking a step towards you.

“I-I can’t stay here I just can’t” you whisper tears spilling from your eyes.

Steve’s face falls as he walks over to you, putting his hands on your shoulders “I understand but it’s not safe anywhere else” he says gently.

“Please” you beg.

You see the conflicted look on his face “sweetheart” he whispered “it’s not safe, I have to keep you safe”

“I can’t Steve” you cry shaking your head “I can’t sleep in the same bed she died in”

Steve lets out a long sigh “okay how about a compromise?” He offers “stay here, but we’ll sleep on the floor”

“We?” You mutter in confusion.

“I can’t leave you like this,” Steve said gently, cupping your cheek and wiping away your tears “unless you want to be alone?”

“No, no,” you say quickly “Please don’t leave me”

“I won’t, now why don’t you go freshen up while I get everything sorted” Steve promised.

You nod sniffing back your tears, shooting Steve a grateful look as you step away towards the bathroom.

By the time you re-emerged, Steve had created a bed for you on the floor. Made up of pillows blankets and your duvet from your room.

“I sent Romero to get them, thought it would make you more comfortable,” Steve says answering your silent question.

“Thank you Steve, it means a lot” you smile gracefully.

You walk over and settle down in your makeshift bed. Of course, it wasn’t as comfortable as your actual bed, but it was familiar and if you closed your eyes you could pretend you were back in your room. As you lay down Steve walked away to go sit in a nearby chair.

“Aren’t you sleeping?” You ask him.

“No, just in case Hansen decides to strike twice in one night,” Steve says turning around to face you.

“Can you sit with me?” You ask looking up at him hopefully.

A small smile tugs at his lips and he walks back towards you. He sits down in beside you, back leaning against the wall.

“Get some rest” Steve orders gently.

You smile up at him, reaching out to take his hand “thank you Steve, for everything” you whisper before letting yourself fall asleep, still holding onto his hand.

When you woke the following morning you were somewhat surprised to find you’d moved in your sleep. You’d dropped Steve’s hand, but instead you now had your head in his lap. His hand was now also resting on your waist, thumb absentmindedly moving back and forth.

“Mornin’” Steve murmured, “sleep well?”

You shift so you could look up at him. As you did so you felt your heart skip a beat when you saw him giving you a warm and lazy smile. The memories of last night flashed through your mind, not of the sound of bullets and your brother’s beaten face, but of how Steve looked after you, called you sweetheart. In that moment you couldn’t deny the blossoming feelings you’d been denying the past couple of months.

You sit up, turning to face him. Your eyes roam his face for a moment, while his remains on yours. Your steady hand reached up to cup his cheek, thumb brushing over his thick beard. Before you could convince yourself this was a bad idea, you leant in, your lips brushing against his.

“Sweetheart” Steve whispered his voice pained “last night was a lot, you can’t be thinking straight”

“I am, I promise” you mutter, forehead pressed against his “I’ve thought this since I met you” you admit.

Steve doesn’t say or do anything for a moment, long enough that you started to pull back. But then he gripped your lips pulling you to straddle his lap, his lips crashing against yours. You hum appreciatively against his lips, completely melting into his embrace.

“Bryce can’t know” you warn “it doesn’t matter you’re twice his size, he’ll kill you if he finds out”

“I can handle myself sweetheart” Steve promises, his fingers gently brushing some hair behind your ear.

“Steve,” you say pleadingly “I can talk him out of this marriage crap, find other ways to build alliances and then we can be free”

Steve nods cupping your cheek and bringing your lips back to his “I trust you doll” he murmured against your lips.

From that day onwards you and Steve were more inseparable than you were before. Every day he kept you company and kept you safe. Every night he loved you, held you close and made you feel safe in a completely different way.

Every day you also made time to talk to Bryce, trying to convince him that marriage was not the only way to build alliances. You suggested multiple different ways and it looked like he was beginning to cave and consider it.

That was until he called you into his office.

“I thought you’d want to hear this news alone,” Bryce said as you sat down putting you on guard immediately.

“What news?” You question.

“I’ve finally managed to secure you a match, you’ll be marrying Ransom Drysdale” Bryce states.

“You can’t be serious!” You exclaim.

“I’m perfectly serious, he’s the heir of the longest-standing mob families in Boston, you couldn’t find a better match,” Bryce says remaining completely calm.

“He’s an idiot! We could get a much better deal with Levinson or Barber without having to subject me to marriage!” You argue standing up from your chair.

“It was father’s wish” Bryce reminds you.

“To hell with him! He was a piece of shit and you know it” you shout pointing down at him.

“He gave us all of this!” Bryce finally snaps standing up and gesturing around.

“At what cost!” You screech in anger.

“This marriage is happening and you can’t change it! Backing out would only give Drysdale the ammunition to wipe us out! Do you want that? All of us dead because of your selfish actions” Bryce roared.

You flinched back, the memory of whenever your father yelled at you flashing in front of your eyes. You blink a couple of times as his words sink in. You had no choice, you had to go through with it. To protect everyone in this family, those who worked for you, for Steve.

“Okay,” you whisper.

Bryce breaths out a sigh of relief “good, I’m glad you’ve seen sense”

You just swallowed the lump in your throat nodding your head “I’m going to get an early night” you manage to croak out.

“Fine, I’ll see you later, I’m going out for the night,” Bryce says slipping on his jacket, opening one of the desk drawers and pulling out a small bag of white powder and slipping it into his pocket.

“Have a nice night, don’t do anything stupid” you tell him quietly.

“Now where’s the fun in that” Bryce smirks walking over to you “see you tomorrow” he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head before walking out of the office.

You breathe out a shaky breath, quickly wiping away a stray tear before walking out of the office. You head straight to your bedroom, walking as quickly as you could, feeling the wave of emotion threatening to crash down over you.

When you spot Steve standing outside your bedroom you broke down. A sob escaped your lips as your hand covered your mouth. Steve’s face fell as he rushed over, arm wrapped around your shoulders quickly guiding you into your room.

He gets you to sit on your bed, cupping your cheeks as he crouched down in front of you “sweetheart, what’s wrong? What happened?”

“I tried, I really tried but you couldn’t stop it but I can’t” you sobbed shaking your head.

Steve sighed knowingly exactly what you meant “we can work something out sweetheart” Steve reassures you.

“No-no we can’t, because he chose Drysdale and nothing can stop him when he sets his mind to something, and if I run or back out he’ll kill everyone here, he’ll kill you” you explain shaking your head, Steve opens his mouth to say something but you interrupt “and don’t say you can handle yourself because you can’t not against him” you sigh.

Steve just sighed leaning forward to press his forehead against yours “I’m sorry” he whispered.

“I’m just so pissed, I thought I’d gotten Bryce to change his mind, but he still went ahead and picked Drysdale, the worst option possible” you state shaking your head “I don’t care if he’s the heir of the longest standing mob family in Boston, he’s reckless one step away from getting caught by the FBI, or he’ll blow every dollar they’ve earnt! Barber or Levinson would have been better options! And I wouldn’t have had to marry either of them” you say breaking down again.

“I’m sorry sweetheart, I’m so sorry” Steve sighed cupping your cheeks and kissing your forehead.

“I don’t want to lose you” you whimper shaking your head.

“I know, I don’t want to lose you either” Steve whispers pressing kisses to your forehead.

“I just don’t know what to do” you mutter your eyes meeting his.

“What can I do?” Steve asks quietly.

“Just hold me, kiss me, just make this moment where you’re mine last forever” you plead.

Steve looked at you sadly but nodded. He kissed away your tears, before kissing you deeply. His hand rested on your hip guiding you back onto the bed and laying you down gently.

Your back arched when his lips travelled across your jawline and down your neck. His hand gripped your hip tightly, normally he was always so gentle but tonight you welcomed his rougher side. Because it reminded you that he was actually here, it gave you something to hold onto.

You held onto him tightly with every thrust home he made. You clung to every bruising kiss he gave you. You wished that every mark he made lasted a lifetime so you could remember this moment forever.

Once you both found your highs Steve held onto tightly. He kissed away the tears you hadn’t realised you’d shed. He muttered sweet nothings into your ears, reassuring you everything would be okay.

He swore that you’d be okay. You wanted to believe him, but you couldn’t because you knew it wasn’t true. You were about to be trapped into a loveless marriage, forced to produce an heir. All while knowing the man you truly loved was out there, out of your reach. A love that burnt bright, but far too short.

“I love you Steve” you whispered looking up at him, tears in your eyes.

“I love you too” Steve muttered, cupping your cheek and kissing you deeply.

That night after you’d fallen asleep Steve slipped out of the bed. He silently crept towards the bathroom, not bothering to turn on the light so he wouldn’t accidentally wake you.

Closing the door behind him, he walked to the far corner and pulled out his phone. Staring down at the screen he wondered whether he was brainless or wise for what he was considering.

Glancing back towards the door, where you lay only a few feet away, he knew what he had to do. He had to fix this problem and nothing was going to stop him.

He dialled the number he needed, the line connecting after only a couple of rings.

“What’s wrong?” Bucky questioned.

“There’s been a change of plans, forget the Langleys, we’re taking down Drysdale and the Thrombeys instead” Steve states keeping his voice low.

“What happened?” Bucky asks.

“I’ve just learnt that there’s bigger fish to fry, and maybe the Langleys would be a good ally” Steve shrugs.

Bucky chuckles down the line “you fell for the girl didn’t you?”

Steve lets out a long sigh, there was no lying to his childhood friend “yes, can I trust you to put the gears in motion? I’m gonna hang around a little longer before heading back to New York”

“Not a problem boss” Bucky confirms.

“Good, how’s the rest of the syndicate?” Steve questions.

“Blissfully unaware that the top boss isn’t even in the state” Bucky smirks.

“Just the way I like it, see you soon buck” Steve smiles.

“Later punk,” Bucky says before hanging up.

Walking back into the bedroom he paused by the bed, looking down and watching you sleep. He was going to set you free.

Steve had never met Drysdale, but the trust fund prick had just made a deadly enemy. Because nobody took what the leader of the New York syndicate wanted and lived to tell the tale.

Sharing is caring so please reblog if you enjoyed this and maybe even leave a comment to make my day!

Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist so follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to be kept up to date!

[arlechinav-blog]

Starting Materials for Mediterranean Trancework

If you are wondering what you will need to get started on this as a group, I have put together a list of materials. This is basically what I use when I am teaching others how to do this and when I host trance rituals.

I keep a fully stocked trance kit with extras of all the below items so that those who need them can have something to use until they can get their own. If you intend to lead your own group, be prepared to provide at least a few things for the effort.

Frame Drums: 14”-16” frame drums with synthetic heads are best for beginners. Recommending Remo’s Thinline, Renaissance, Fiberskyn, or Tar series’. Synthetic heads help students build up skills and needed hand calluses at the same time. Goat or fish skin drum heads will tear up your skin and go flat without proper care very easily. Each person involved should know how to play a drum and learn the beats your group uses. Avoid buffalo drums and bodhrans, they are too heavy for Mediterranean style drumming. 

Whiteboard and Easel: A wooden repurposed child’s art easel will work perfectly fine. Use it to balance a whiteboard where you can put up weekly notes. Large clips or magnets can be used to hold up a poster-board too, depending on what kind of easel you get. These are great for keeping up your trance chant lyric notes. Only use a whiteboard for notes that you will need once. 

Poster Boards: Record trance chants and rhythms that you use with your group onto large poster boards so that everyone can read them during practice sessions. Use a poster-board for notes that you will need multiple times to spare yourself from writing it again and again every time you need it. 

Trance Rhythms: I start folks out with 10 trance rhythms that can be used for pretty much everything. They work for just about any Mediterranean song you can find. I will have to film some samples for this so that you can hear them.

Trance Chants: To get through a basic trance ritual, you will need roughly 4-5 trance chants. Start your group with their first 5 and work on getting them down together. Some groups will prefer to work with songs in English, some will prefer songs in other languages, and some will prefer a mix of both. Feel out your group before you decide on your chants. 

Online Database of Communication: Start up a group where you can share resources, communicate about upcoming trance dates, and load up videos privately. Keep it secure. 

Incense: Incense is a trance trigger so pick one scent and stick to it every time you do practice or ritual. Keeping the same scent for all things trance will help participants go under. Use a soft floral scent like jasmine. Later, you can work in different scent triggers for different rituals. 

Rug: You can use rubber gym mats that link and/or an actual rug. Rugs will give rug burns so plan accordingly. Whatever you use has to be easily perceived by touch rather than sight--so tape on the floor will not work. This well defined border will be where the entranced are free to move. They will confine themselves to it so make sure it is the right size for the job you want it to do. 

White Flat Sheets: You will need at least 2 to start and +1 for each additional person who will trance. You can have your participants bring their own or you can pick some up from a second-hand store for fairly cheap. Everybody should have their own if possible.  

Colored Scarves: All things are color coded in trance for hypnotic suggestion and we use colored scarves to communicate with each other during trance rituals. People who wear a red scarf are monitors who look after trance dancers, people who wear white scarves are trance dancers who are there to trance, people who wear light blue scarves are musicians, and people who wear dark blue scarves are ready and capable of leading a trance session. You can have people bring their own or supply the group yourself. 

Your “Whites”: Each person will need an all white outfit to wear during trance rituals. For class, they can wear whatever they like. White is a spiritually neutral color used by all Mediterranean trance cults. Participants should supply their own trance clothes but you can keep a small supply of extra items to help supplement. 

Altar Kit: A trance altar needs to have a water jug and rinsing bowl with scented water for participants to wash their hands and face at (Cortas brand rose or orange blossom water are easy to find at Mediterranean groceries). It will need incense for participants to smudge themselves, their clothes, their hair and their instruments with. It will need a plate for monetary donations (it should never be empty). It is lucky to put an odd number on the altar ($1, $3, $5, $7 or $9). It will also need essential oils for use on skin that participants can rub on themselves (floral, fruit, or herbal scents preferred). Scent is very important to trance so the key is to be consistent and use it liberally so the scent can work as a non-visual trigger.

Wake-up Kit: A pitcher or fancy spritz bottle of cool water to spray or sprinkle on the arms and forehead of the entranced when they are done trancing. A blended oil of strong purgative scents that is dabbed on the fingers of the guide or monitor and wiped on the nose of the entranced when they are done trancing. I prefer a blend of rosemary, cedar and clove oil--that’ll wake you up! Make sure that no one in the space has an allergy to a product you use. 

Food: Always keep at least a loaf of fresh bread and some hummus for dipping on hand for post-trance snacks. Eating food helps those who have been trancing to come down and sober up. Water to drink is also helpful afterward. Be aware of dietary restrictions before you bring in foods that members of your group cannot eat.

Symbols: Think very carefully about the symbols you use and when you use them. Protect their meanings by bringing them out only when they are relevant. Continually reinforce their meanings in all that you do. This is a hypnotic suggestion and your symbols will become more and more important the more trancing you do. 

[theboywithburninghands]

Hello and Happy Pride! I have the penultimate chapter of the murder mystery au for you. It’s a doozy, there’s romance and conspiracy and root beer. Enjoy!

T/W: Murder, suicide, mild surgery, emotional abuse, fantasy racism

Animals Ch. 4: Dogs

You have to be trusted by the people that you lie to

So that when they turn their backs on you,

You'll get the chance to put the knife in…

—

Pomni was dimly aware of a deep ache in her side. This pain wrestled her from sleep, and she blinked awake. She looked up, but instead of her apartment’s cheap popcorn ceiling, she saw a ceiling with visible oak joists and beams. She looked down at herself, and saw a red and black checkered wool throw blanket wrapped around her rather than her quilt. She looked around and saw herself in a wood cabin, sparsely decorated. A sturdy wooden table and chairs in the middle of the main room, a braided, dull-colored wool rug laid across the floor to keep one’s feet warm, a brick fireplace with a shovelful of still warm ash in the hearth. Tilting her all the way up, she could see a small CRT television sat on an end table, in front of a cheap brown loveseat with red chenille cushions. It looked like someone had slept there last night, the pillows stacked at one end and a rumpled blue blanket on the couch.

She raised her arm to check her watch. It hurt a lot. She saw that her arm had been wrapped up in elastic gauze, but her watch was still on her wrist, although the screen had cracked. 7:21 AM. She moved the blanket aside with her left hand, her good hand, to look at herself. She was in a black t-shirt too large for her that appeared to be ruined by a bleach stain, and what appeared to be a pair of red long johns, also too big for her.

She heard the flush of a toilet and a door open at the far end of the room, but she couldn’t turn all the way to look without aggravating the pain in her stomach. A heavy pair of boots approached the bed, and she thought about throwing the blanket over her head like a child hiding from the monster in her closet.

“Hey. You’re up.”

A deep and growly voice greeted her. Above her stood a burly rabbit-wolf hybrid in a white collared shirt, black dress pants and a pair of black suspenders. He smiled sheepishly, trying not to show too much of his enormous teeth. She recognized him. He was the butcher shop owner.

His name was… Jax.

“Sorry, I just got back from feeding my livestock…Do you remember what happened last night?” the rabbit asked.

Pomni thought. She came home, and she couldn’t get in her apartment, and then…

“You got attacked by a Nightwalker,” the rabbit-wolf said. “I’m not sure what happened before then, but I found it biting into your side right outside your apartment. I know you probably feel horrible, and I don’t blame you, but you actually got sorta lucky. Nightwalkers like to travel in packs, so you probably ran into one that had wandered off from the group. A juvenile or runt or something.”

Pomni looked at him with big eyes. He cleared his throat.

“We should get you to the hospital as soon as we can. I patched you up as best I could, but I’m no doctor. You prolly need stitches.”

He looked at her again. Neither of them said anything for a moment. Jax’s ears pinned back, and he scratched behind one of them.

“…Uh. You were freezing too, so I had to warm you up by the fire and get you into dry clothes. Didn’t want you to get hypothermia…” His ears perked up. “A-Are you hungry? I can make you some food.”

Pomni opened her mouth to speak, but an eruption of coughing came out of her instead. She winced at the pain that flared in her abdomen when she did, clutching at her belly after her throat was sated.

Jax looked away with a grimace. “I know, I’m sorry… hang on, I might have something for the pain and cough. It’s not much, but…”

Jax looked inside the first aid kit he left sitting on the table. There was a small packet of extra strength aspirin inside that he gingerly opened with his large fingers. He went into his bathroom and found some acetaminophen in the medicine cabinet, filling a small glass cup with water from his kitchen tap. He carried the pills in one hand and the cup in the other.

“Can you sit up? I don’t want you to choke.” he asked.

Pomni attempted to scoot up in bed, but the nerves in her arm flashed with a pain that cut right to her ulna and she whimpered.

“Here, I’ll be quick,” Jax set the pills and water on the table and gently put his paws under her armpits, sliding her up against the headboard. She whined from the brief pain, but she remained sat up as Jax brought a chair over to the side of the bed and picked up the medicine and cup again.

“Open,” he requested. She opened her mouth and he put the pills on her tongue, bringing the brim of the glass to her lips. “Easy…”

She drained the entire thing, panting and then coughing again, her face crumpling in pain.

“That's all I got,” he growled meekly, putting a paw onto her left shoulder.

Pomni panted, sniffed twice through a clogged nose, swallowed, and managed to speak.

“Jax… weren’t you in jail? Did you… escape..?” Her voice was raspy.

Jax smiled a bit, still doing his best to hide his fangs. “Nah, I got bailed out. No idea who did it. My dad’s never seen that much scratch in his life.”

“Zooble wanted to bail you out yesterday but they didn’t have enough money…” Pomni mumbled.

“Sounds like them. Nah, I got no idea who did it. But I’m glad they did, cuz that way I was in time to get that Nightwalker off you. What were you doing outside?” Jax asked.

“I got locked out… Slipped and fell on the steps… I lost my keys at Kaufmo’s house…” Pomni rasped.

“Kaufmo’s house?”

“I went yesterday… I wanted to see if there was…” Pomni had to stop to swallow, smothering another cough. “If there was anything that might implicate someone else for his… you know… murder.”

Jax tilted his head, letting out a short, breathy laugh. “That’s… Uh, why? I mean, thank you, but-”

“Because you didn’t do it. I know you didn’t do it. Those detectives… I saw the way they looked at you. It wasn’t fair…”

Pomni bit down on her left hand’s fingernails. “But… if you got bailed out, then it was for nothing, wasn’t it..?”

“No,” Jax leaned forward a bit. “That’s… I don’t think any stranger’s ever stuck their neck out for me like that. Thank you.”

Jax smiled again. It was too wide to hide his large, frightening teeth, but Pomni’s pale face became dusted with pink anyway.

“We didn’t find anything anyway before the repo men got there. Just a bunch of pills and a scrap of burnt up paper someone flushed down the toilet…” she wheezed.

Pomni coughed again, groaning at the pain it caused her. Jax rubbed her shoulder.

“We should go to the hospital. I’m not all that hungry right now… But I don’t know if I can walk.” Pomni admitted. “Is it cold out?”

“Uh, I can turn the weather on.”

Jax got up from his chair and pressed the power button of his television with a hollow tink sound. The screen hissed to life, and the audio kicked in.

“-surprised everyone yesterday when he posted bail for Mr. Kingston.”

Jax’s eyes widened somewhat, and he sat down on the loveseat. The same news anchor that was interviewing Jax’s dad on Main Street yesterday now stood in front of the police station. The scene cut to Autumnvale’s mayor, a teeth-humanoid in an impeccably tailored red suit jacket and yellow scarf, standing at a podium in front of town hall.

“The people of Autumnvale have made their stance quite clear. The persecution of crossbreeds is already intolerable enough as it is, and the demonstration out here has shown that Autumnvale is just as tired of it as I am. Therefore, due to my dissatisfaction with the investigation and the evidence, I posted Jax Kingston’s bail yesterday evening.”

The crowd erupted into equal parts cheers and shouts of protests. The picture cut back to the news anchor.

“Police informed ADC news this morning that Mr. Kingston was privately released at 6:15 last night to avoid a scene. The detectives who arrested Mr. Kingston, as well as Kingston himself, have yet to be reached for comment.”

Pomni couldn’t quite turn to look due to her injuries, but she heard Jax give a short, incredulous laugh.

“I’ll be goddamned… Mayor Mason actually did it.”

He gave another short laugh, switching channels on the television to the weather.

“Do you know him..? The mayor?” Pomni asked. She couldn't help but smile right along with the butcher.

“He saved me. He found me when I was a baby, after my fake parents abandoned me. He also helped these grow in.”

Jax showed off his entire maw of razor sharp teeth. Pomni couldn’t help but shiver, despite how kind he had been. When something had big teeth, it was scary, a primal feeling buried deep in her animal brain.

“Is that… a good thing?” Pomni asked.

“Suuure it is. I’m part wolf, meat’s part of my diet. Plus, if I didn’t have that passion, I never would have opened the best butcher shop in the country.”

Pomni smiled again. “Well, I’m happy for you. But we still don’t know who actually did it… Killed Kaufmo I mean.”

“That can wait. You need the hospital. The only issue is, it’s not getting above 23 degrees today, and your snow clothes got… really messed up.”

Jax picked up her puffer jacket with the massive hole ripped in the side from off the table, and in his other hand, showed her fleece and black long sleeved shirt, the blood had dried on both to the point that it would probably never come out in the wash, unless said wash contained antimatter.

“Ohhh… my mom bought those for me…” Pomni said weakly. “They were part of my going away present…”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to sew.” Jax replied. “Ragatha might, but I don’t even think she could fix a mess this bad… But the good news is, I’ve got spare winter stuff. I used to wear it as a teenager, but it’ll probably still be big on you…”

He went over to the wood trunk at the foot of the bed and opened it, the hinges squeaking. After a few moments of rustling, he got out an insulated brown leather jacket with cream fur trim, a gray trapper hat and baggy, dark green squall pants.

“It’s not Gucci, but it beats freezing.” Jax said.

“You know what? That’s fine with me-” Pomni had another coughing fit, clutching her midsection in pain.

“Fuck..!” she exclaimed.

Jax rose to his feet, putting the chair back under his table. “Yup, that’s my cue to get you to the hospital. You need help getting dressed?”

“Uh… no, I uh…” she stammered with a blush.

“Look, I already cleaned you up and got you changed into dry clothes last night, so it’s no big deal. I don’t want you torturing yourself over pride or anything.” Jax said, looking up at the ceiling.

“I mean… I can do it. Just… if I need help, I’ll… call you? I guess?”

“Sure. I can hang out in the bathroom. Just holler if you need anything, okay?” Jax said. He set the clothes down on his bed, tucked his hands into the pockets of his work pants and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

It took a good fifteen minutes and a great deal of whinging on her part, but Pomni got herself dressed. The only thing that hadn’t been swapped for something dry and warm was her underwear, which she silently appreciated quite a bit. She examined the bandages on her belly, which were reddish-brown with blood, but otherwise fairly clean. The wounds on her forehead and back had been washed and bandaged as well, although a few locks of her hair were quite sticky with dried blood. She needed a shower when it was safe to take one.

“Okay, I’m done.” Pomni called out, sitting on Jax’s bed.

Jax exited the bathroom and smirked upon seeing Pomni.

“I know, I know, I look like I’m wearing my dad’s clothes.” Pomni sighed.

“You look cute.” Jax replied.

Pomni felt her cheeks warm up. “Th-Thanks… so, are we just gonna call an ambulance? Since I don’t feel strong enough to walk…”

“Haven’t got a phone. I can walk you there.” Jax said. “What would be the most comfortable way for me to carry you?”

“You don’t have a car..? Or a horse?” Pomni asked.

“Nope. I get everywhere on my own two feet. When you’ve lived in this backwater as long as I have, you get good at moving around quickly and quietly.”

Pomni sighed. “Okay, fine. I guess we don’t have a choice, really.”

“What? Are you worried I’ll drop you? I carried you all the way here before, didn’t I? While running.”

Pomni sighed. “Okay. But before we go, can we get my keys? I know they’re still sitting there under his back window…”

“I’ll get ‘em after I drop you off. Hospital first. Come on, upsy.”

Jax scooped Pomni up carefully, placing his hands around the gash on her back. Pomni made a faint squeak in surprise, but luckily, he didn’t aggravate her wound. He must have gotten really good at picking up dead weight over the years.

“Shit, you’re tiny. Like lifting a bag of corncobs.” Jax grinned. Up close his teeth were even bigger than they looked, each one about the length of a toothpick.

“Yeah, well… you stink.” Pomni shot back. “You always use bacon grease as soap?”

Jax laughed. His chest bounced. “As if you can smell anything right now.”

“I can smell you. You ever thought about bathing once every few years?” Pomni covered her nose, but her smirk betrayed a playfulness to the gesture.

He opened the door to outside, shutting the door behind him and locking the door. Impressively, he balanced her on one palm and still managed to keep his hand off her back wound.

The morning air was freezing, as expected. Pomni felt a wave of shivers roll through her body upon feeling the bitter winter cold again. She felt her body gearing up for another coughing fit and clapped her hands over her mouth.

“Don’t worry, I gotcha…” Jax said.

She let out a painful, barking cough into her gloves. She winced from the pain, which was only mildly dulled from the pill Jax gave her. As it finally subsided, she turned her head to the side and spat a gob of phlegm into the snow.

“Nice shot,” Jax chuckled.

“Mmmrrrrgh…” was the only thing Pomni managed to say. She rested her cheek against his chest. The warmth felt good.

—

While Dr. Wren’s office was the town psychiatric clinic, Autumnvale Regional Medical Center was where citizens were treated for injuries or sickness. It was a small building not too far from town, only one floor with twenty beds, five nurses and three doctors.

The nurse at the reception desk did a double take from her pulpy romance novel when a six foot tall rabbit-wolf entered the lobby, carrying what looked at first like a bundle of clothes, but was actually an adult woman.

“She fell down some stairs and got attacked by a Nightwalker. I did my best to patch her up, but she needs real medicine and stitches. It hurts for her to walk, too.”

The nurse narrowed her eyes at Jax before looking at Pomni. “You… fell down some stairs..?”

Pomni caught on immediately and rolled her eyes. “Yes, I fell down some stairs. He didn’t do this to me. He saved my fucking life, actually.”

She let out another barrage of coughs and groaned in pain, Jax smiling gratefully at her,

The nurse soon had Pomni in a wheelchair, taking her to the emergency room. The surgeon, a Persian woman almost as short as Pomni with rectangular glasses and bright red lipstick, tended to her. She applied some local anesthesia to Pomni’s belly and removed the bandages, Pomni only feeling a faint rip as her skin had gone totally numb.

“You know, these are cleaned and dressed quite professionally,” the surgeon said as she removed the gauze from the bite mark with a pair of forceps. “Your friend out there did a fine job. So, tell me what happened?”

Pomni thought a moment. It was easier to focus now that the pain had finally been put on mute. “There was this… I don’t want to call it a dog, it had hooves and no hair…”

“Nightwalker,” the surgeon said, picking up her suturing needle and threading it with Kevlar. “Awful monsters, they are. They come in all different shapes and sizes. Some of them move on two legs, like people. Some of them have too many arms and legs.”

“Uh huh. Well it came over and bit me, hard. It must have seen I was already hurt. But Jax… he got it with a knife and carried me to his house. I would’ve bled out or froze without him…”

Pomni coughed, the nurse giving her a menthol drop to soothe her throat so she wouldn’t jostle the surgeon’s needlework.

“Well, we’re all glad you’re safe. Did you ever find your keys?” the surgeon asked with a slight smile.

“No, but I know where they are…” Pomni said, sucking on the menthol drop. It felt great on her throat but tasted like chemical honey. “Jax said he’d go get them.”

“Well, that’s good. I’m glad you have someone who can look after you here, even if you’re from out of town…” the surgeon said as she cut off the thread with a pair of scissors before moving to the next bite. “Your wounds aren’t infected, but we are going to give you a tetanus and rabies shot just in case. I’m also going to give you some painkillers, are you allergic to any medication?”

“I have a sulfa sensitivity,” Pomni said. “Oh, I am on antidepressants though… I have the pills in my apartment.”

“We can probably give you some if we have any in the hospital pharmacy. I’ll have to check if they haven’t expired. Have you had anything to eat?” the surgeon inquired.

“No. Since my stomach doesn’t hurt right now, I could go for something to eat. I also need to call my parents. Man, they’re gonna be pissed…”

“Don’t be silly, they’ll be worried and relieved. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times.” the surgeon replied as she started on the next wound.

Pomni sighed. She supposed the surgeon was right, but she really hoped that her parents didn’t panic and want to take her back home. She was four hours away from the big city anyway, it wasn’t like it was a short trip for them. She had work to do as well, not just for school.

—

Jax sifted through the snow under Kaufmo’s back window. The drift wasn’t as heavy due to a colossal pine tree that had probably been here since before the town was even founded, but it was enough to hide a small object like keys.

Eventually, he found a few bits and bobs that might be in a lady’s purse buried in an inconspicuous patch of snow: a half eaten roll of breath mints, a bobby pin, and a ring of keys. Jax held up the keys between his thumb and pointer finger. It was one of those flimsy 99 cent things you could buy at any gas station, with two keys and a little charm dangling off one side. The charm appeared to depict a little blue smiling face with black eyes and sharp teeth.

“Hm. Cute,” Jax said to himself as he tucked the keys into his pocket. He looked into the window . So she had really gone in there looking for clues, huh? Brave of her, if careless. Well, now that the government repossessed all of Kaufmo’s things (he probably didn’t have a will), whatever clues there may have been were long gone.

That is, unless the cleaners hadn’t come yet.

Jax shaded his eyes and looked into the window. Too dark to tell. He tried the window. It was locked. He tried again, a little harder. It didn’t move. He tried again with his full strength. There was a loud twuuuuuung accompanied by the sound of metal clinking across a wooden floor, and the window slid open. Jax double checked to see if anybody was around, then climbed inside.

There wasn’t any furniture at all in the condo, really. The refrigerator in the kitchen appeared to be the only thing left. The hardwood was covered in gritty bits of crud that must have been under rugs, dust bunnies and a couple bits of loose change and chewed pen caps that had lived under couches and chairs for who knows how long. It smelled dusty and lonely. Jax rubbed his nose.

He took a brief look inside the bathroom. It was still a bit grimy, but otherwise empty. He checked the mirror cabinet. Empty. He opened the toilet lid, then closed it. Yeah, he wasn’t about to go sticking a paw in there, sorry Pomni.

He checked the last room, the bedroom. It was the only room with carpeting, and thus Jax could see where everything used to be thanks to the impressions in the floor. A bed, a dresser, something like a bookshelf or wardrobe. That was it. There was another window to the outside, but it wasn’t like you could take those out of the house too. Nothing in the closet either.

He turned to leave out the window he came through when his boot kicked something tiny on the carpet, about the size of a pebble you’d put in an aquarium. It skittered across the carpet and tapped the wall, coming to rest after rolling a short distance. Jax picked it up and held it towards the light filtering through the window.

A capsule, half blue and half orange. The blue side marked with a string of letters, TEBA, the orange marked with numbers, 7199. He sniffed it. Smelled like… the floor. His sense of smell was good, but he couldn’t pinpoint what a pill was for just by sniffing it once. He put it in his back pocket for later, then stepped out of the window into the snow. Maybe Pomni knew what it was for, or one of the doctors at the hospital. He crunched up the sidewalk back towards the hospital. He was always thankful for his fur, it was like having a coat year-round.

“KINGSTON!”

Jax’s long ears sprung straight up upon hearing a voice call for him. He growled and turned, expecting to see Trevor or some other goon waiting to pick a fight for “getting off easy.”

Instead, it was two people on a striped horse. The person in the rear clambered off the back and ran forward, a chess piece shaped fellow in a red flannel jacket and bucket fishing hat.

“Jax..! Oh, my boy!” Kinger threw his hands around Jax’s burly torso and pressed an ear to his chest, squeezing him with all his might.

“Dad..! Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t…” Jax began. He could feel Kinger’s breath and shoulders hitching.

“We all thought they were gonna put you away forever, Jax…” Kinger whispered, tears running down his face.

“…I did too, dad.” Jax replied tenderly. He hugged the old man back as tight as he could without hurting him. His real dad.

“I’m so glad you’re here…” Kinger sobbed.

“Me too… I’m sorry I didn’t call, really. Something huge came up, I- OOF!”

Jax felt a fist box him in the side. He looked over to see Zooble, their fist raised and quaking.

“Something came up, huh? It better have been life or death, you stupid! Meathead! Asshole!” Zooble punctuated the last three words with three more sharp blows to the side. Jax’s arms were still around his adoptive father and thus too preoccupied for a counter hit.

“Zooble, cut it out already, that shit hurts! Sorry dad…”

The cowboy relented with a huff and hugged Jax as well. The butcher rolled his eyes, but smiled and put an arm around them too.

“So what was so important you couldn’t let your friends and family know you were outta jail?” Zooble demanded.

“That art student girl, Pomni, she- I was on my to vi- I was on my way home and I saw her getting attacked by a Nightwalker. She needed help.” Jax explained.

Zooble withdrew and tilted up their hat incredulously. “Wait, Pomni? Seriously?! I just saw her yesterday, we were casing Kaufmo’s place over there for any evidence that might get you off the hook? She got attacked! Shit, man, I hope it wasn’t ‘cause I left her behind…”

“Good job son! Killing a Nightwalker all on your own… your mother would have been proud!” Kinger said, at last releasing Jax and wiping his eyes.

“I know she would’ve, dad… But no, it wasn’t you, Zooble. She lost her keys.” Jax held up and jingled Pomni’s keychain. “She’s in the hospital now if you want to see her. I had to keep her from bleeding to death last night…”

“Ugh. What a fuckin’ mess… Sorry, Kinger. I’m glad she’s okay though.” Zooble said, putting their hand and hook on their hips.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Jax,” Kinger said. “And good for you for helping a stranger. I raised you right.”

“You know she’s got a crush on you, right?” Zooble added, a smile in their voice. Jax arched an eyebrow.

“What? Don’t be stupid. She’s just thankful someone was around to save her skinny little butt.”

“Ohhhh no no, we figured it out yesterday. She’s got a huuuge crush on you. I bet she thinks you’re her knight in shining armor now.” Zooble elbowed the butcher in the side.

Jax scoffed, but there was an unmistakable shy smile on his face for a moment before it turned into a smirk.

“A crush, huh? You mean like the kind you have on Gangle?”

Zooble rolled their eyes. “This again? Don’t try and change the subject, man.”

“I’m not. I’m very much still on the subject of crushes. In fact, I think I was just thinking about what those flowers left by Kaufmo’s house were originally for. There was a card left in the bouquet.”

Jax removed a small paper card with elegant lavender cursive written on it from his back pocket. Zooble somehow turned even more pink.

“Let’s see, ‘To Gangle, From Your Secret Admirer,’ with two little hearts after it! How cute! Now who do ya think coulda left that there, hm?”

Zooble flicked the card out of Jax’s paw and pulled the brim of their hat almost entirely over their face, climbing up onto ZigZag.

“We’ll meet you at the hospital, FangFace. I’m gonna go tell Ragatha about what happened and hope she doesn’t swoon.”

“You better tell Gangle too. Unless you’d rather send her a card, ‘Secret Admirer.’” Jax leered, feral teeth on full display.

He ducked an apple thrown at his head, waved goodbye to his dad, and watched the two of them ride off into the distance.

Jax put his hands in his pockets, smiling a little less wickedly to himself. So, she had a crush, huh? He couldn’t think of a time anyone had ever liked him like that. There had been a few disgusting remarks thrown his way by some of the lint-brained, redneck wife-beaters that hung around the bar and hardware store. It must have been some kind of weird sexual racism thing, where you hate someone for their race but at the same time think they’re hot. Gangle told him about it once. He didn’t much care why. The mouths that issued those taunts now had significantly less teeth or tongues in their heads anyway.

But… he was alright with this. He liked her too, and it felt good. For ages, he didn’t understand stories with romance in them. Putting your mouth on someone else’s mouth and calling them cute things always felt weird and sort of childish to him.

But… Now he got it. Maybe he could try doing those things with her, if she was okay with it. He’d have to watch his teeth though.

—

Pomni had been on the phone with her mother for almost 30 minutes. The nurse, a sheep woman, had sat her in a wheelchair and trundled her down to the white corded phone on the wall.

“Of course I understand, mom, but I’m not going home… Because I’m okay on my own… I’m 25, mom! If something happens with my stitches, I’ll just call an ambulance… Yes, they have ambulances here, mom, they’re not Amish… Mom, I have insurance, you helped me set it up! I’m not going to max out my copayments, I- look, can I talk to dad? Well, when’ll he be home..? Oh, okay. You didn’t tell him I was in critical condition or anything, right? Thank you.”

Ragatha sat nearby, reading the newspaper. She had, of course, dropped everything and closed the café when Zooble informed her about Pomni’s ordeal, rushing over to the hospital to check on her. Ragatha had tried to call Pomni twice the previous evening to let her know about Jax being bailed out, and was nervous the rest of the night upon not getting an answer back. Sitting here and keeping an eye on Pomni helped curb some of the guilt she felt, however irrational it was.

“Everyone locks their doors around 6:30 or 7:00 around here, and now I kinda understand why… I’m only joking, mom… Um, I don’t know about tonight, it’s a four hour drive. Okay. Okay, well, if you’re dead set on coming tonight, leave ASAP, and book the room now. Like, now now. I know you’re worried, mom, but I don’t want you or dad getting hurt… Uh… Shoot, I don’t know the name of the inn. Do you want to talk to Ragatha? She can help. I need something to drink, anyway, my throat hurts... It’s just a cold, mom. Okay, here she is. Love you too, talk in a sec.”

Ragatha was over by the phone in a heartbeat, Pomni handing it off to her and wheeling her way down the hall towards the drink machine.

“Hi, Ella! Holding up okay?” Ragatha said in her sweetest voice. “Oh, I understand, all of us are shaken up. But she’s a tough girl, she’s doing awesome. Okay, you got a pencil?”

Pomni reached the humming drink machine and took her pocketbook out of her purse. She shook out a few coins into her palm, sorted out three quarters and poured the rest back in. She reached up to the machine’s coin slot gingerly and dropped in two quarters. The surgeon told her to not bend too far up or down to keep from popping any stitches, so she had to awkwardly push the coins in with the very tip of fingers to avoid stretching her arm out. The last quarter slipped off her finger and chinged onto the floor, rolling a few feet away before laying tails-side up.

“Goddamn it…” Pomni rolled her eyes and reopened her pocketbook. She didn’t want to risk ripping her sutures.

“Here,” a deep voice said.

Pomni looked up to see Jax picking up the quarter and sliding it into the coin slot. From her sitting position, he looked even taller.

“What do you feel like?” he asked, hovering a finger over the selection buttons.

“Root beer, thanks,” Pomni said with a smile.

Jax pressed the appropriate button with his thumb, the machine whirring for a moment before a silver can of Barker’s Root Beer clunked noisily into the vending slot. Jax picked up the can and cracked the pop top. He sniffed it and recoiled.

“Smells like medicine,” he said as he handed it off to Pomni.

“I just took painkillers, a decongestant and my anti-depressants, I know what medicine tastes like.” Pomni smirked.

She took three long swallows of root beer, the manufactured hyper-sweet taste like ambrosia after the pills and bland hospital food, the cold and prickly bubbles easing the dryness of her throat. She belched, grimacing in disgust and putting a fist to her mouth.

“Euck- okay, that tasted like medicine…”

Jax laughed a bit, then reached into his pocket and offered Pomni her keys. “These are yours, right?”

“You found them…”

As she took the keys , she turned over his large paw and placed a small kiss on his knuckle. Jax looked at the back of his hand like it had suddenly grown an extra finger.

“Sorry,” Pomni giggled, blushing. “Was that too much?”

“No, it… I just… I’ve only ever gotten those from my mother.” he replied distantly.

Pomni smiled. For all his razortooth smiles and talk of blood and butchery, there still existed something warm and fragile inside that bulky frame.

“I could give you one on the lips too, if you wanted.” Pomni said, keeping her gaze on the floor.

Jax’s moon yellow eyes widened somewhat. He scratched the back of his head and looked at the ceiling for a moment before looking back down with a short laugh.

“Why?” he asked.

“I want to,” Pomni answered without hesitating.

Jax opened his mouth to answer. He found he had no words. He gently gripped the armrests of Pomni’s wheelchair and lowered his upper body down to her eye level. Up close, he looked… fluffy. Downright huggable. His eyes, usually so laser-focused and piercing, darted about.

Pomni went for it. She leaned in carefully and laid a chaste kiss on the rabbit-wolf’s lips. Jax’s ears pinned back, but his eyes closed with hers for the moment it lasted.

The kiss broke, only lasting a moment or two, and the two of them stared at one another.

“My breath wasn’t bad, was it?” Jax asked with a sheepish, sharp-toothed smile.

“It can’t have been any worse than mine, I haven’t even brushed my teeth today.” Pomni replied.

The two of them laughed shyly, before Pomni touched her forehead with Jax’s and closed her eyes.

“Thank you for everything…” she whispered.

“Pomni, hun! Your dad is on the phone!” Ragatha called from around the corner.

“Coming!” she replied, her voice still slightly weak. She gave Jax one more grateful smile before turning her chair around and wheeling towards the corner.

“Oh! Pomni, wait! I found something at Kaufmo’s house.” Jax took hold of one of the push handles to keep Pomni from leaving, taking the capsule out of his back pocket. “Look. You said he dumped all his medicine, right?”

Pomni handed Jax her drink as she took the pill from his paw.

“Oh. Yeah, this is- this is like the kind I take! It’s Prozac. Or the generic version of it, at least. It-”

Pomni blinked, then held the pill closer to her eyes and squinted. She thought for a moment before she gasped and covered her mouth.

“What?” Jax asked urgently.

“I think I know what happened to Kaufmo.”

“What? Seriously? You’re not just-”

Pomni nodded feverishly. “I think I’m onto something. But there’s one thing I need you to do for me before we go pointing any fingers.”

Pomni handed Jax back the pill, whispered something to him, then wheeled forward, only for Jax to grab a push handle again.

“Wait, how am I supposed to convince them to do that?!” Jax demanded.

“Use their biggest weakness against them. Be scary.” Pomni said with a smile before wheeling around the corner.

“Ragatha! Do you have any idea how to get in contact with ADC?”

2 hours later…

The news anchor checked her makeup one last time before taking her mark, in front of the hospital by the double door entrance. The protestors from the previous day had gathered outside, some carrying signs congratulating Jax, others had signs asking for more justice to be served on the part of crossbreeds. The news anchor tapped her earpiece.

“We’re rolling? Okay- Thanks, Rob, many folks in Autumnvale, including myself, were floored to hear this afternoon’s story. 22-year-old Jax Kingston, proprietor of the town butcher shop, faced arrest on suspicion of murder only yesterday. However, Autumnvale’s Mayor Caine Mason posted Kingston’s half-a-million dollar bail out of his own pocket, citing ‘dissatisfaction with the evidence and investigation.’ And it would appear that Mr. Kingston did something truly heroic not fifteen minutes after he was released from the town jail.”

The footage cut to B-Roll of a young woman in a hospital bed talking to a nurse.

“25-year-old grad student Pomni Freeman found herself in a life or death situation at 6:30 last night, when she fell down the flight of stairs outside her apartment and encountered a juvenile Nightwalker waiting for her at the bottom.”

It cut to Pomni laying in her bed. She looked quite tired.

“It just walked up and bit me in the stomach. Like it was the most natural thing in the world…” she said.

“It must have been terrifying. Can you even describe how you felt?” the interviewer said from off camera.

“Like I was going to die. Alone, cold and screaming…” Pomni replied dourly.

The news anchor continued.

“But, in a miraculous stroke of luck, Kingston heard her screaming and rushed in.”

It cut to Jax being interviewed. He loomed over the entire news crew. The boom mic operator had to stand on a stepladder.

“I got the monster off of her, then I got her somewhere safe.” he grunted.

“How did you feel?” the interviewer asked.

“…Afraid.” he responded after a lengthy pause. “Afraid for her.”

It cut to B-Roll footage of the mayor, Caine Mason, at his desk, working on some important-looking paperwork.

“ADC was informed of these events via an anonymous tip just a few hours after the mayor announced that he bailed out Mr. Kingston, ”

It cut to Caine, at his desk, fingers knit together.

“Hopefully this will serve as an example of how crossbred people are just as deserving of our respect as anyone else. This is a landmark moment.” he said.

The camera cut back to the news anchor.

“But not everyone agrees, Rob. As you can see, some townsfolk have gathered outside Autumnvale Regional Medical Center behind me, some to celebrate Mr. Kingston’s achievement, others to-”

There was a commotion behind the anchor. The crowd appeared to be agitated by something occurring at the entrance.

A shape humanoid in a green and yellow poncho and cowboy hat had wrestled the megaphone out of Dr. Wren’s hand, shouting into it.

“EVERYONE LISTEN UP! Pomni Freeman has an important announcement regarding the…uh…”

They paused, looking at a nearby woman made of ribbons and a white mask for help. She whispered a few things to them, and they spoke up again.

“…regarding the encouraged suicide of Kaufmo.”

The news anchor waved at her cameraman, “Keep rolling, keep rolling!”

Pomni Freeman, still in her wheelchair but wearing a brown leather jacket and a gray trapper hat, both too large for her, and rolled over to take the bullhorn. Jax stood right beside her.

“Test, test… Okay. Uh. Hi, everyone. I can’t talk very loud, I have a cold. Uh, as you know, Jax Kingston has been the chief suspect in this case. But… I’ve uncovered some evidence that proves otherwise. I know I’m not a cop, and I’m willing to sacrifice my scholarship for the evidence I’ve obtained. The truth is… Kaufmo really did just kill himself.”

She held up a small blue and orange capsule.

“Uh, this is Fluoxetine Maleate, also called Prozac. It’s an SSRI that helps with anxiety and depression. Kaufmo took these just as I take them, every morning. The one I’ve got right here, it’s a fake. A placebo. I had Jax ask one of the doctors to check and make sure it was a real pill, pretending it was one of the ones I got from the pharmacy. I’m… sorry I lied to the hospital staff, but you wouldn’t have believed me if I had just asked you to analyze it. I have the proof right here…”

She held up some complicated looking paperwork.

“What tipped me off was the letters and numbers on the capsule. Anyone that takes generic Prozac will tell you the pattern on the capsules is always TEVA-7189. This one says TEBA-7188. It’s just a capsule of sugar.”

There was a murmur in the crowd.

“Kaufmo was on fake antidepressants. That’s why he killed himself. He was taking all different sorts of medication, but he wasn’t improving. So… he gave up. He decided to end it… Nothing was helping… But why? Why was it all phony?”

She turned slowly to glare at Dr. Wren.

“I know what you did, you twisted fuck.”

“What I- excuse me?” Dr. Wren replied.

“You call yourself a doctor? You gave Kaufmo placebos for who knows how long, so his depression got worse. Then, when the poor man offed himself, you dumped the fake pills, and replaced them with real ones in case someone ever tried testing them. I found all those pills you flushed down the toilet!

“But that wasn’t the only thing you flushed, was it? Nope. You burnt something and flushed it down the toilet too. Right? What was it? Something to push him over the edge even further. Hate mail? Some kind of threat? Something that would make him lose all hope. The final nail in the coffin for him to end it all.”

Dr. Wren had gone red in the face. “Young lady, these are completely baseless allegations! How can you say something so-”

“I’m not done! Then, when he hung himself from that pine tree, you slit his arms with one of Jax’s knives, hid the knife badly so the cops would find it and blame Jax, and then you waited for him to get arrested so you could send out a rallying cry to aaall these people who actually wanted to help, and you could look like a hero. Well, I hate to tell you, Dr. Wren. You’re not a hero. You’re a freak! All you did was bully a man that everyone loved into killing himself, then you made the guy who was already the town pariah into the main suspect because it looked good to defend him!”

“Stop this right now! You’re demeaning an entire movement with your lies! You don’t-” Dr. Wren let out an incredulous laugh. “You don’t have any proof that one word of your insane story is true!”

“You’re right… I don’t,” Pomni replied. “None of this has any hard evidence, there’s not even any proof that this pill came from Kaufmo’s house. Just my word. But guess what? You’re the only one that can prescribe anti-depressants around here, and I’ve got proof that these didn’t come from the hospital pharmacy and that they’re fake! I don’t care if you don’t get convicted! I don’t care if this all gets thrown out in court and you walk! You’re DONE. I know that you’re guilty! And now everyone else knows you’re guilty! Here in town and out in tv-land!”

Pomni pointed the bullhorn at the news crew, who were still rolling. She turned back towards Dr. Wren, whose face had bleached.

“Congratu-fuckin’-lations! You made a good movement look worse and you took a man’s life away! Was it worth it? Do you feel like a hero?!”

Pomni devolved into a coughing fit, dropping the bullhorn to the ground with a clatter. Jax held her handkerchief to her mouth, then wheeled her back towards the hospital entrance, the cowboy and ribbon woman following after them. A growing murmur began to rise in the crowd, Dr. Wren staring dead-eyed into space. The news anchor turned back to the camera and swept her hair out of her face, clearing her throat.

“Well. I guess that’s back to you, Rob.”

[areyoudreaminof]

Sleepover House Rules

I was chatting with some friends and were talking about Nesta as an awesome aunt, so I wrote something real quick, specifically for @velidewrites, @xtaketwox, @thesistersarcheron, @popjunkie42-blog, @itsthedoodle, @the-lonelybarricade, and @c-e-d-dreamer

Update: you can read this on AO3 now!

Nesta swept into the river house without knocking. She didn’t need to anyways, she knew where she needed to go. Waving absently to the twins, she hiked her skirt up as she went up the stairs, following the carpeted hall to the little room where her nephew was playing. Nyx had his back turned while he played. A large tower of blocks and connecting parts stood in front of him as his wings twitched and flapped absently. Cassian’s wings did the same thing when he was bored. Nesta was going to rectify that.

She softly tapped on the door before Nyx turned around. Bright recognition melted his surprise away as he flung himself into Nesta’s arms. His feet rose off the floor as he flew to her.

“Aunt Nessa!” he hollered as he latched onto her with his arms and legs. Nesta held him back just as tight, softly rocking him back and forth before planting a kiss on his cheek. She loved his small little lisp and the way he couldn't quite say her name right. She secretly hoped he’d always call her Nessa. “What are you doing inside on this nice day?” she asked, as she set him down. 

“I’m playing with my new building set. Aunt Elain and Uncle Lucien sent it to me from the Day Court.” he said as he held the small toy brick in front of her. “Mama is at class and Papa’s meeting with someone in his office, so I’m playing up here for a little bit. We went to the park this morning.” Nesta sat down on the rug to join him as he slowly scooted his tower forward. Nyx began to add more bricks and poles to the tower, so she began to latch the bricks on, taking great care not to tip anything over. 

“Well, Uncle Cass had to go to Illyria tonight, and Uncle Az is going to be off doing whatever it is he does. So, I thought we could have a sleepover at the House.” she said, knowing his answer already. Nyx gasped as he shot to his feet, his tower wobbling dangerously. 

“Yes! Can we go now?” Nyx’s blue eyes were lit from within, as he began to bounce on his toes. Nesta laughed as she rose to her feet, “If you pack we can go when you’re ready.” she said as she crossed to Nyx’s closet. 

Nesta and Nyx descended down the stairs hand in hand while she carried his small overnight bag. As they stepped down into the foyer, Feyre entered through the front door with a surprised look on her face. Nyx rushed over, hugging his mother around her waist, “Mama! I’m gonna have a sleepover with Aunt Nessa at the House, she said it was okay.” Nyx was breathless with excitement as Feyre threw her head back and laughed. “Well then, if Aunt Nesta said it was alright. Is it alright?” Feyre asked. Nesta nodded, “Cass is in Illyria, Azriel has to pick up some things in the city before he leaves, but he’ll fly us up. I thought we’d have a sleepover. You and Rhys could have some alone time.” 

Feyre nodded as she wrangled her excited boy, guiding him towards the living room. “Do you have everything you need Nyx?” The boy nodded firmly. “Yep. I got my pajamas, and an extra coat.” 

“What about your toothbrush?” 

“I got that too!” he protested, looking at Nesta for confirmation. “He has it. Even so, the House would give him an extra one if he forgot.” 

“Who’s got a toothbrush? Oh, hello Nesta. We weren’t expecting you.” Rhys said as he entered the living room, crossing to kiss Feyre. Nyx wiggled with impatience as he tolerated a hug from his father. “I’m taking Nyx for a sleepover tonight.” Nesta said. 

“Taking?” Rhys said, with a mischievous glint in his eye. 

“That’s what I said. I’m giving you two some alone time. Be grateful.” Nesta replied with a smirk. Rhys chuckled as he pointed to the door, where Azriel entered, “I take it you don’t need a flight up?” Nesta shook her head, as she watched Nyx pounce on Azriel. “We’ll be fine.” 

“Alright then, but please Nyx, don’t eat sugar all night and go to bed at a reasonable hour please,” Rhys said as Nyx rolled his eyes and grumbled, as if he was fourteen and not four. “We’ll have some cookies and cake before bed, and we’ll turn in at 10, I think.” Nesta exclaimed as she met Rhy’s eye. “We have different rules at the House.” Feyre doubled over laughing as Rhys threw his hands up in surrender. 

The flight up to the House was something of a success, as Nyx held tightly to Azriel’s arm as he practiced his flying. An entire flight up was too hard for him just yet, but with some supervision from his father and uncles, Nyx could practice at higher altitudes. The flight up stopped being an issue for Nesta years ago. After depositing their bags inside, they hugged and waved Azriel off, watching his form fly south out of the valley. Nesta spun, placing her hands on her hips in mock authority. “So, what is on the itinerary tonight?” Nyx scratched his head thoughtfully, as his wings absently flapped in thought behind him. 

“We’re gonna build a fort and sleep in it! Then we can go down to the library and see Gwyn and get a book to read. Then we can eat dinner and cake on the lawn for a picnic.” he said with finality. “Can we eat fried chicken and cheese noodles?” 

“We certainly can. What kind of book are you thinking of?” 

“A scary one! I want a scary one this time. I won’t have nightmares, I promise.” Nesta nodded as she asked the House to provide an age appropriate book. “Well then, Nyxie let’s get going. We’ve got a fort to build!” 

The room that the House provided was littered in pillows and blankets. Nesta layered the thickest and softest blankets and pillows down for their bed, while Nyx set the sheets and fleece blankets over the chairs that were strewn around them for coverage. The House added small little fae lights inside their cavern and had deep fried chicken shaped like bats and cheese noodles waiting for them on the lawn. Nesta and Nyx watched the late summer sun set behind the mountains, the sky melting pinks and purples across the city. “It looks like lightning bugs from up here.” Nyx said as he gobbled down his chicken bats that he slathered in a thick white dipping sauce. “They do, don’t they?” Nesta said as she pointed to the multicolored lights by the river, “Do you see that? I think that’s The Rainbow!” Nyx gasped with excitement as more lights began to flicker through the valley. He then showed Nesta all the constellations and planets he knew, explaining that it was summer and the most planets were out. The soft breeze dropped in temperature, making Nesta rise from her spot on the lawn, rubbing her sore bottom and stretching. “Why don’t we go down and see if Gwyn is working and say hi. Then we can grab a book.” Nyx shot up and ran inside. 

In the library, Nyx and Nesta greeted Clotho, who produced a small caramel candy in gold foil for Nyx. They found Gwyn a level down, Nyx slowly creeping behind her as he flapped his wings, mussing her hair and papers. “Boo!” 

“Ah! I thought you were a ghost!” Gwyn said as she gave Nyx a bear hug, “What are you doing here?” 

“Sleeping over at the House with Aunt Nessa. We’re getting a scary book to read in our fort! We built it, it’s really neat!” Nyx exclaimed. Gwyn giggled, “I’ll bet it is! You’re a master builder, Nyx.” 

 Nyx nodded with agreement before he turned to the shelves. “Is Em’rie here, too?” he asked. 

“No, she’s in Illyria with Uncle Cass.” Nesta said, “They’ll be back tomorrow.” As Nyx searched the shelves, Gwyn produced a small leatherbound book from her cart. “I take it this is what you’re looking for? It’s scary stories for children. Nothing too terrifying, just lots of ghosts” Nesta nodded as she flipped through the volume, assessing the strange illustrations that looked like water and smoke. “It’ll have to do. What time are you off? You should come up and join us.” Nesta said as she slipped the small book onto a nearby shelf within Nyx’s eyeline. 

“Thanks, but I’m working on a project for Az and I’ll be up too late.” Gwyn sighed as she motioned toward the cart piled high with papers and books. “Come up for breakfast then, if you’re up.” Nesta insisted as they watched Nyx snatch the carefully placed book from where Nesta had placed it. “Ooohhhh, I found a good one!” Nyx said triumphantly as he held the book up, “I want this one.” They said their goodbyes to Gwyn before they returned to the fort. Nestled into pajamas, Nesta read two ghost stories and one vampire story to Nyx, before she announced it was time for dessert. The stories weren't terribly scary, but the illustrations were a bit frightening. The House left two slices of chocolate cheesecake and milk on the small table in the fort room, and Nyx devoured his slice in what felt like a breath. The small clock in the hall chimed ten times, making Nesta realize how late it was. Crawling into their fort, Nyx insisted he wasn’t tired at all. But as Nesta rubbed his arms, the boy’s eyelids drooped. 

“Good night Nyx, I love you.” Nesta said, giving her nephew one last kiss. 

“Love you too, Aunt Nessa.” he slurred as sleep took him. With Nyx’s small hand in hers, Nesta drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face. 

Nyx and Nesta met the morning over the table, as Nyx devoured scrambled eggs and pancakes swimming in syrup. Nesta sipped her tea absently. The fort had felt comfortable when she fell asleep, but the crick in her lower back confirmed that maybe sleeping on the floor wasn’t her best idea. 

The dining room door swung open, as Cassian, wind chapped and smiling, bounded over to Nyx. “I didn’t know we had a guest!” he said as he kissed Nyx’s head and ruffled his hair. “Yep! Me and Aunt Nessa had a picnic and made a fort and read some scary stories. Sorry you missed it, Uncle Cass.” Nyx exclaimed as he turned back to his food. Nesta rose and greeted her mate, who smelled like morning fog and cedar. “You made a fort? Where?” Cassian asked with excitement. “Upstairs. It’s actually quite nice. Though I think next time we’ll drag a mattress in there.” Nesta said as she rubbed her lower back. Cassian turned to Nyx, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

“Hey Nyx, what do you say about spending the night again tonight?

[corporatefrog]

╭₊˚ ๑︰Playing Mario Kart with Team Stan [headcannon + oneshot]

✧.* tags: college au

✧.* Characters: stan marsh, kenny mccormick, kyle broflovski, butters scotch

a/n: i love mario kart so much. I'm kind of awesome at it not to brag or anything (literally no lmaoo) I usually play luigi with the sports bike but I'd probably play dry bones if he was taken

masterlist

Kenny plays Dry Bones or Shy Guy

Kyle plays Toad or Luigi

Stan plays Yoshi or like the male villager 

Butters plays Rosalina (ofc. She’s the best one fr) or fucking baby peach

“Butters why the fuck are you playing as baby peach. No one is playing peach. You can be regular peach.”

“But she’s just a lil fella going through the world!” 

“SHE LEGALLY CANNOT DRIVE”

Yall make your own grand prix with electrodome, music park, maple treeway, and super bell subway (coconut mall if you’re playing the Wii version)

Loser of each grand prix switches out and you keep racking up points until the end of the night

LOTS of smack talk

Through the open window of the upstairs bedroom of the Marsh house on Tegridy Farms, a war brewed. The sounds flowing out the window stood in stark contrast to the peaceful night. A silent breeze rustled the budding cannabis plants, a soft movement that seemed to snap in the other direction as a wave of shouts pushed against the calm wind. 

“Good to know Stan’s still in last place where he belongs” 

“Well at least I’m not Kenny who needs an extra lightweight character to be farther than 6th”

Zooming into the room, a chaotic scene stood in stark contrast to the peaceful night. Various bags of chips scattered Cheeto and Dorito crumbs across the ground to be pulverized into the rug by sock covered feet. A hand pushed aside one of the bags, sending another wave of crumbs onto the ground as they reached for a can of soda. 

Kenny lifted the can to his lips. He drank with one hand angled to the side of his face to keep his eyes on the television screen. Finishing the drink with a loud sigh, he returned the drink to the ground to refocus his attention on the game. And on shit talking Stan. 

“Sorry I don’t listen to people who still drink Svedka.” He remarked, leaning his shoulder to the side as the cart with Dry Bones drifted around a corner. The trial of the cart sparked orange then purple as the speed boost charged. Dry Bones shot forward once the curve ended and pulled ahead of the NPC Bowser kart. 

“That’s rich coming from someone who chugged a week old borg with mountain dew and pinot.” Stan retorted. 

I gasped from my spot on the bed, attention breaking slightly to give Kenny a disgusted look, “Ew dude! Why the fuck did you do that?” I asked despite knowing the answer. There’s only one person who would make Kenny do something stupid like that. The one person who hasn’t been invited to the monthly Mario Kart tournaments in years because he’s a stupid idiot bozo.

“Cartman bet me $50 I couldn’t do it without puking-” Kenny’s response shifted tone as a red shell sent his cart flying off the end of the track “HEY WHAT THE FUCK KYLE! I WAS ALMOST WINNING!” He shouted as the perpetrator snickered on the floor. 

“Yeah, because 4th place is winning- god dammit!” Kyle cursed as his own cart slipped on a banana peel. My character threw a fist in the air to cheer the successful sabotage. 

“I really don’t know why you guys care so much about what place you get,” I mused as my kart pulled across the finish line, the large 1st Place symbol in the corner of my screen announcing the victory, “You’ll never be able to beat a god anyway.” A comical evil laugh boomed from my mouth, my arms raising to the sky as though calling upon the heavens to thank for my continuous win streak. 

Butters jumped up from the beanbag to add another 15 points to my total bringing it to a strong 45 after I’d won the two races prior. 

“I literally sent three blue shells at you. How the fuck did you still win?” Stan complained as he fell back against the bed, control dangling loosely from the wrist strap wrapped around his hand. 

Butters jumped in with a finger raised, “Oh well that’s because they look on the reddit forums during our philosophy class-” I leapt from my spot, rushing to reach Butters before he revealed my secret. My hand covered his mouth as I gave him a pointed ‘don’t you even think about it’ look. 

Turning back to the group with a shaky laugh, I waved off what Butters had almost said. “A Mario Kart god never reveals their secrets. Can’t have the mortals trying techniques they can’t master.” I gave Butters a pat on the shoulder, adding a warning squeeze before returning to my remote. Love the guy but he’s going to be the death of me one day, I swear. 

“Yeah, yeah” Kenny rolled his eyes, “I was just warming up anyway.” He stretched his arms above his head with an over exaggerated yawn. Grabbing his remote in one hand and a soda can in the other, he readied himself for the final race of the first round. 

“Okay? Then get better already? I’m hoping for a little bit of competition this time. Stan might even beat you if you keep racing like shit.” I snapped back at him with a wicked grin. A middle finger pointed my way came from Stan alongside some grumbled comebacks that weren’t loud enough to be heard. 

We all readed ourselves for the final tack, hearts racing in sync as the counter ticked down

3…

I hovered my finger over the accelerator. Not yet.

2…

Four fingers simultaneously pushed down on the controller as wheels spun in place on the screen.

1…

Butters gripped the whiteboard marker in his seat, falling victim to the infectious adrenaline of the room. 

GO!

And we were off.

[elypiphoros]

About Elysea

Basics

• Forest Name: Ljotte Paro (no longer uses)

• Gender: Female

• Nameday: 24th Sun, Sixth Umbral moon.

• Age: 60's

• Race: Veena viera

• Alignment: Neutral Good

• Marital Status: Single, previously engaged

• Server: Coeurl

Appearance and Features

• Hair: Silvery-blue, medium length with bangs. She often braids her hair, and attempts to take care of it as well as she can on her travels. Her roots seem to have more blue, with most of the silver highlighted throughout and near the ends.

• Eyes: Blue/gray, though they glow brightly blue when she augments her spells with her own aether.

• Height: 6’3”

• Complexion: Smooth blushed alabaster skin, with a beauty mark and light freckles on her face.

• Face: A youthful face, belied by one that seems to carry much wisdom and hardship from her past. Almond shaped eyes that can give one a piercing hunter's gaze when necessary, with heavy eyelids that make her eyes appear darker than they truly are. Her small vieran nose has a longer bridge than normal, though mostly unremarkable. Her lips are bow-shaped, which she makes sure to take care of with balm that she makes herself. Despite her travels, she often applies simple makeup and attempts to keep herself presentable, a sign of sophistication despite her free-spirited mannerisms.

• Physique: Lithe and lean; a silhouette of gentle curves, long powerful legs, and natural muscle tone. Delicate hands and fingers that have shown signs of hardship in the past, but recently have been better treated. Preferring to travel by foot, and using her downtime to practice her swordsmanship, she is in great shape, and an excellent runner.

• Identifying Marks: Her body is littered with scars, with most being on her back, side, and arms. She typically dresses conservatively to hide them, though the most noticeable one is on her right forearm that is sometimes noticeable past the cuff of her sleeve. She has a small straight vertical scar on her jaw to the right of her chin as well that is only visible in certain lighting, that she covers with makeup often while in cities. Her face was mostly spared by the hardships she endured. The most gruesome scars on her back frequently cause her discomfort, even to this day.

• Language and Voice: Soft and velvety, her normal speaking voice is barely above a whisper, but can sometimes carry a deep, commanding weight when the situation calls for it. She is fluent in vieran forest speak and Dalmascan, but is working on her Eorzean. She speaks with a thick vieran (Scandinavian) accent, with some inflections and mannerisms of upper-class Dalmascan.

• Personal effects: At her back, she carries her well-used travel pack, which shows the signs of a long history of rugged use and recent repair. Within it, she carries most of her life possessions, such as her herbalism tools, rations, extra clothing, and more. Curiously, sheathed upon a belt that seems slightly too large for her, she keeps one of her most prized possessions: a Dalmascan knight's sword. The sword is polished, sharpened, and maintained pristine, and it seems that she takes extra care of it above many of her other belongings. She can sometimes be found welding a staff as well, though she does not always bring it on her travels. The rings she wears upon her fingers belonged to her sister, who was a war dancer in the Dalmascan resistance.

Personal life

• Residence: She was born in an outskirts village of the Skatay Range, and fled 30 years ago. Now a Dalmascan refugee in Eorzea, she has no place to call her own yet, but she currently stays with a friend and benefactor in Gridania, who offered her space within her residence.

• Relationships and Children: If asked, Elysea would say that she is single and not particularly looking, and that she has no gender preference, or rather, is bisexual. While she attempts to put on a happy demeanor for those she meets, it becomes evident quite quickly that she is lonely, but refuses to admit such. Elysea fawns over children, and her guard drops immediately around them. She longs to have some of her own and settle down some day, but would say that she doubts she ever will, due to her life situation and personal quest to find herself again.

• Occupation: While not officially employed, she acts as a wandering freelance healer and protector, and sells the herbs and valuables she finds along the way. She also volunteers her services to refugee settlement initiatives, as she is fluent in vieran forest speak and Dalmascan, and seeks to help others that have experienced displacement from the Garlean invasions, as she had.

• Relatives:

Yvitte: She speaks fondly of her great-grandmother Yvitte, who was a wise-woman, spiritualist, and leader of her home city. She passed away from natural causes when Elysea was a child.

Yrgotte: When asked of her mother, Yrgotte Elysea shuts down, as if reverting to the state of an abused child. Her relationship with her mother is extremely strained, and she wishes not to speak of her any more than that. She cares not whether her mother is still alive in the Skatay Range, or if she has passed in the time since she left.

Father: She never knew her father. When asked if she ever wonders about him, she says that she does, though it's not something that deeply interests her at this stage in her life.

Oryne: If asked of her siblings, Elysea's face flashes a brief moment of sorrow. Oryne, her younger brother, was taken by the Wood Warders when he came of age, and Elysea has never heard from or seen him since. Not a whisper of a rumor. She would say that she wishes to know if he is still alive, and if he has left the Warders, to reconnect someday.

Grmyr: Elysea responds with a tinge of sadness in her voice, but at the same time, smile as she stares back at you. Her younger sister was her best friend, and she believed that she was still with her always, one with nature now, as she would have wanted.

Danian Fal’thahn: Elysea says that her late fiancé, a Dalmascan knight and minor lord, was a noble and honorable man. He inspires her to stay in the light, and to keep her head up, even when she is at her lowest. She also feels that he is always with her, one with nature, like her sister.

Personality

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

Close Minded / In Between / Open Minded

Calm / In Between / Anxious

Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

Cautious / In Between / Reckless

Patient / In Between /  Impatient

Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

Leader / In Between / Follower

Empathetic / In Between / Apathetic

Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

Traditional / In Between / Modern

Hardworking / In Between / Lazy

Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

Elysea is initially warm and kind to most people that she meets on her travels, and is always willing to help those in need. She upholds a certain code of honor, tends to be a little naive of those that wish to do her harm due to this, and often trusts people blindly. She enjoys meeting people, but often has trouble opening up to others herself. Many will find that they end up spilling their lives to her, but afterward, knowing very little about the mysterious viera that just dropped in and out of their lives.

Spending time with her, one will notice nuances. When amongst others, she puts on an air of sophistication that can sometimes seem forced, but as soon as they are away from the city and in the wilderness, she becomes more free-spirited and energetic. A strange dichotomy, she feels more at home in the wilds, but still appreciates the modern comforts afforded by society. Despite her attempts at high-class mannerisms, she cares little for material gain, and anything of worth that she carries has deep sentimental value to her.

Additional Info and Hooks

• She is a powerful conjurer and white magic user, though she does not like showmanship, and will usually only perform it publicly if extremely necessary. This power seems to come to her innately, while a blue flash of light from her eyes can be present when exerting herself. She seems to unnaturally draw much power from her own aether, which was rendered unstable by Garlean experiments. This means that she is capable of great feats of magic, but at the risk of seriously hurting or even killing herself if she is not careful.

• Quietly searching for any knowledge of white magic in Eorzea, with a keen interest in Amdapor. Any mention of white magic, Elementals, or Amdapor will spark her interest. She possesses an Amdaporian-era cultist tome, and seeks to have someone with knowledge of that culture translate it for her. She stole the tome from her mother before she fled her home, but how her family came into possession of such a tome to begin with is a mystery. Her mother used a partially translated fertility spell to have Elysea, and she believes that some meaning in her life could be found in solving the mystery of this ancient spell book.

• Spent time as a Garlean war prisoner and guinea pig for an enterprising Garlean scientist. Getting her to speak of this time is difficult, and it is an extremely touchy subject with her. Having been a member of the Dalmascan resistance, losing her sister and fiancé to the Garleans, and due to her mistreatment at the hands of her captors, she harbors a deep disdain for Garleans and Garlemald. Since the events of Endwalker, she may be more sympathetic to individual Garleans, but despises them as a whole.

• If ever put to the task of defending herself, she is very skilled with her sword, relying more so on speed and technique than strength, though she does not seem to lack in that attribute either. Her displays of dedicated tutoring from a skilled knightly swordsman is belied by blows that can come across as brutal and almost savage in nature, as if a rage fills her that is honed and harnessed by the training of an honor bound expert. She combines her talents of war dancing, to make a sword dance that is elegant and beautiful; a white swan gently taking off in flight. Her strikes are vicious and deadly; a tigress going in for the kill. When pushed to the limit, or wishing to avoid a fight altogether, she will use her white magic to blind or dazzle and opponent before fleeing.

• A hearty solo wanderer, but she will happily travel with company if the opportunity arises, often traveling with others in directions she had no intention to go, just to help. She takes nothing as a reward for any of the services she renders, often asking to stay anonymous, flabbergasting many recipients of her talents with her generosity.

• Though she has no permanent place to call home, she has space in a fellow refugee's house in Gridania. Who this friend is, she keeps as a secret.

• Is often accompanied by an owlet that she has named Amathus. The owlet seems to have taken to her, and will often perch on her shoulder, or on the trees or scenery around her. She met the owlet upon a recent outing in the Shroud, and now feeds and takes care of him when she can.

OOC

Omg hi you made it to the bottom! Thank you! ^^

My DMs are always open, if you'd like to chat here or on Discord, let me know! Currently, I am only participating in Discord RP due to IRL obligations, and cannot play as much as I'd like. I have a family, and work, and those two things always take priority!

Also, feel free to ask me things about her here on Tumblr. Writing prompts help me flesh out Elysea further!

Tags:

#oc: elysea aster - for all of my character's content

#Elypiphoros RP - for current or past RP related content

#Elypiphoros lore - for workshopping/prompts/character building content

[kazimakuwabara]

Final Date 4

Part Three can be read here.

Summary: If Kuwabara thought Yusuke and Kurama were acting strange, he's not sure what to think about Hiei. (700 words+ humor, friendship.

***

If Kuwabara thought Kurama and Yusuke were acting weird all week, which he did--and they were! ...Kuwabara had no idea of what to think of Hiei's sudden appearance on his apartment balcony on Friday evening.

"...Everything okay?" Kuwabara asks as he slides the glass door open, his eyes staring at a large burlap bag in Hiei's hands.

Hiei narrows his eyes at Kuwabara, and he points accusingly at him, "You make too many enemies, Kazuma Kuwabara."

Kuwabara blinks rapidly at the accusation. He's not sure he's ever heard Hiei say his first name before, and that rings as shocking as the accusation itself.

Kuwabara puts a hand to his chest, "I... I make too many enemies? Not Kurama? Not Yusuke? Not you? Are you being serious!?"

"Yes, you!" Hiei snaps, waving a frustrated hand, "How does a doctor make such enemies?!"

Kuwabara flaps his mouth, "If I make any enemies, it's because the anti-vaxxers don't like it when I chew them out for not vaxxing their kid, and refusing to see them until they get their kids up to date on their shots!"

This is a too human comment for Hiei, and he looks at Kuwabara puzzled. Kuwabara snorts, proud that he threw Hiei off. His friends have been so extra nagging over Kuwabara's health, that he's been confused all week! Someone, besides him, should also be confused!

Hiei's face slackens as he decides to disregard Kuwabara's words, and he roots around in the bag he brought.

Kuwabara groans as Hiei lifts out the head of a blue-faced demon by their hair, "I knew it. I knew it. How did I know you'd pull out body parts!"

"Do you recognize this face?" Hiei asks hotly.

Kuwabara peers at the disembodied head and shakes his head rapidly, "No."

"This is Bahn. You bested him in the tournament last year and were even gracious enough to treat his wounds. He took it as an utter insult and has been amassing a poison to use against you in the next Makai tournament to kill you before you two can even get a rematch," Hiei spits angrily.

"Oh," Kuwabara responds and shifts a shoulder up in a half shrug, "I mean... I wasn't planning to go to the next tournament anyway, so he would have failed."

Hiei glares at Kuwabara.

"...But thank you for killing him?" Kuwabara offers, hoping this is enough to mollify him.

Hiei drops the head on Kuwabara's balcony and he groans and gags as blood splatters on the floor of his balcony.

"Ah, Hiei! Demon blood is hard to get out!"

Hiei pulls out the head of another demon, this one with a very pretty face, "This is Dier. You recognize him?"

Kuwabara squints, "Ah... he does look familiar... wasn't he that guy messing with Botan on her lady's night with the girls on a demon bar crawl?"

Hiei nods, "You answered Botan's call, and beat him within an inch of his life when he wouldn't leave Botan and the others alone."

Kuwabara grins, "Ah, yeah I remember that. Like three weeks ago. The gross bastard."

"He's been stalking you with plans to have a rematch, or maybe just kill you as you slept!" Hiei hisses.

"Ah, so that was his weak aura I sensed around the place. It's fine, I have wards up that don't allow hostile demons into my territory-" Kuwabara tries to explain.

Hiei drops the head to the balcony and picks out the third and final head. The loud, wet splat of his hand, interrupts any words Kuwabara had left. The head belonged to a rugged-looking man, and Kuwabara winced as he recognized him.

"I'm sure you recognize Havier," Hiei hisses, "The stalker you've been dealing with every time you pay any of us a visit in the demon world."

Kuwabara shifts uncomfortably. He shrugs but only mutters, "Ah... I seem to recall his... obsessive romantic pursuits."

"He is barbaric. Was barbaric!" Hiei growls, "You should have told someone. Havier is not a demon who would take no for an answer. He would have abducted you and convinced you through any means to become his mate!"

Kuwabara winces guilty, "Ah well... I just thought if I kept telling him no, I could convince the guy to like... back off? He never tried to harm me..."

"Liar," Hiei spits. "Kara, the parasitic demon who works for Yomi, ratted you out. He laughingly was recounting the story of how Havier tried to abscond with you, but you had him on his ass. I do not think that is a small incident that should have been waved off."

Kuwabara clicks his tongue, "Ah, so someone saw that. Dammit... Do Kurama and Yusuke know?"

"They will by me, or by Kara's loose tongue," Hiei snapped, a brow raised at Kuwabara.

Kuwabara groaned, "I didn't want you guys to worry! I'm stronger than him! He's nothing."

"He was nothing," Hiei hissed and set the head aflame in his hand, "He was absolutely nothing, but you shouldn't have kept this to yourself! Do you not declare us your friends?"

"Of course, you're my friends!" Kuwabara gasps, hissing in a lower voice, "Put that flame out before someone calls the cops!"

"Then if you are in danger, rely on us. Even if it is something you can handle, we should still know. We have your back, do you understand?" Hiei growls, his fire intensifying and wiping out what had once been Havier's head. The flames go out, and Hiei's chin lifts as his nostrils flare with irritation, "Do you understand?"

Kuwabara sighs, "...Only if I can expect the same. You have to tell me when you're in trouble. As you say... You can handle it. But if we're friends, I have a right to know. I've got your back too."

Hiei makes an angry and irritated sound in the back of his throat, "Of course."

Kuwabara beams, "Fine. It's a deal. No more secrets. I promise I'll come to you guys if I'm in trouble. ...Please clean up the other two demon heads on my balcony."

Thankfully, Hiei does so... although it is with another burst of flame that does have the police knocking on Kuwabara's front door. Hiei leaves Kuwabara hanging with the explanation as to what was happening on his balcony in the middle of the night. He gets a fine for disturbing the peace, and Hiei is long gone before Kuwabara can yell at him about it.

[moroccanlooms]

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Strong and durable carpet thanks to incredible skills of the weaver.

The pile is varied in height.

It has survived for over 30 years and will stand for years and years to come.

A vintage treasure in great condition of incredible cultural value.

Size: ( 439cm x 216cm ) ( 172.8" x 85" inches ) ( 14.4ft x 7.08ft )