#felt shit enough without adding a potential reaction to the mix but what the fuck would I know about my family history hah hah

[midnightwind]

I have had 4 gushing nose bleeds and my period over the past 3 days, about to go gnaw on raw meat for a hit of iron I swear to god-

[connorspiracy]

Seance In The Library || Connor & Leah

TIMING: Current LOCATION: The Public Library PARTIES: @connorspiracy & @phoenixleah  SUMMARY: With the time for the second exorcism of Nadia/Cordelia looming closer, Connor goes looking for knowledge. Leah is happy to assist. 

Blanche had been fucking stabbed and Cordelia was still out there, and that knowledge filled Connor with even more extreme sense of urgency. Nadia had been practicing her possessions, so it was almost time to put things into practice. He knew he’d have another exorcist for help, but he still wanted to do his research. There had been so much going on recently; Bloody Mary, Adam’s full moon mania, Jasmine’s Larry Bob problem, that it was tough to keep up. It was his fault for not getting it right the first time. Blanche could have died, all because he’d messed up. Nadia was still floating around in ghost form somewhere, and that spiteful little poltergeist was taunting them on Nadia’s social media. They’d dug through every fucking book in Rio’s library and he still hadn’t found anything that would help with Cordelia. It was time to branch out. That was what brought Connor to the definitely-regular library, wandering around the occult section, probably looking like a right weirdo. It had probably been a good few minutes before he caught the eye of someone who looked like an employee. “Oh, hey,” he said, putting on his best charming smile, doing everything he could not to look like an out-of-place dodgy creep. “‘Scuse me, love,” he said, not to be demeaning, but just because it was how posh London boys spoke. “Do you have anything on exorcisms, or possession and stuff?” 

More often than not, when someone was wandering around the so-called ‘fiction’ occult section in White Crest Library, Leah found that they were looking for help with real, and often very urgent problems.  It was easy to tell apart those who had an obsession with all things weird and were looking for a good read,  and those who actually needed information, whether it was by body language, facial expression, or even something more subtle that she couldn’t put her finger on.  She was glad the library was there to help.  The problem was, it was usually hard for the average person to decipher between what was actually fiction in that section, and what was written by real, legitimate authors that could offer invaluable information.  It was for this reason that she usually hung just beyond the section whenever someone made their way there, ready and willing to offer help if ever the situation arose.  She smiled at the patron politely, a bit taken aback but intrigued by his accent.  

She licked her lips at his question, looking at the shelves they were both standing in front of.  “Oh, we have a ton on all of that”, she said, raising her eyebrows.  More than the average library, certainly.  “Some would say we have too much on that subject”, she teased, pulling out one of the books in front of them, scoffing at the pictures on the cover.  “These here are all pretty poorly written”, she commented, handing him the book in question.  “But if any of that stuff were real, and well, of course it’s not… But if it were, you’d probably find the more legitimate works over this way”, she said, leading him toward the shelves a bit to their right.  “Are you planning on possessing someone?  Or just getting into the nitty-gritty of our weird town and looking to read about the occult?”

Connor had a pretty good instinct for people, and he could tell upon meeting the young woman (Leah, according to her name tag) that she was keen to help. There was a certain brightness about her, a glimmer in her eye that spoke of curiosity and kindness. He felt himself smiling almost without meaning to. "A ton?" he repeated, chuckling. "Well, a ton is what I'm looking for." He couldn't help but smirk a little at her real-but-not-real description of this particular section, following her to what she called the more legitimate section. "Oh, it's definitely real. You know exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you." There was really no use in holding up pretenses when he was all over the internet. 

"Me? No, no, I'm not the possessor. I'm an exorcist. I'm looking for something a bit different, you see. Something that's probably a bit... weirder? It's less taking the wrong soul out of the body and more putting the right one back in. Does that make sense?" He realised how that sounded, holding up his hands and shaking his head. "Um, not necromancy. Shit. Jesus. No, there are no dead bodies involved, fortunately. Definitely possession. But more... if the exorcism yeeted the wrong person, and you have to put it back." 

This man definitely knew about the realities of White Crest, based on his reaction, but Leah wasn’t one to reveal her knowledge of them as well, especially not to a patron and a stranger.  He didn’t have to play along with her game of ignorance, but Leah fully intended on upholding it as long as realistically possible.  For now, she brushed off his words about her protest of reality.  Her eyes widened, not used to someone being so open about necromancy, of all things.  She was about to ask if he was trying to reanimate a corpse, when his elaboration made it clear that wasn’t exactly what he was talking about.  She laughed, surprised that he seemed to know exactly what she was thinking.“Okay, not so simple, then”, she said, letting out a breath and trying to think.  “Is there a wrong soul inhabiting the body right now, though?  Because I think, if this were real, you’d still need a way to get that one out, no?” She worked while she talked, pulling books out of the shelves here and there as she got more ideas of what might help.  “What if you found a way to help the right soul back into their body by… teaching them how to possess?  If they were possessed in the first place, why not do to the wrong soul what was done to them?”

It struck Connor that perhaps he shouldn't have been so honest about Nadia's predicament, but how else was he going to get the help he needed? It wasn't like he was naming names. He made it a habit to almost never be dishonest about the supernatural, whether people wanted to know or not. "Not simple, no." He perused the shelves, flicking through the first book, page by page. "Wrong soul out, wrong one in. I was supposed to expel the other. I'm not sure what happened." The corners of his lips curved into a grin when she mentioned teaching Nadia how to possess. "You're not the first person that's had that thought. We're working on it. Just thought our lost soul could use all the help they can get." 

Leah let out a breath, watching the man carefully.  “I’m with you on that, the more preparedness you can get for a situation like this, the better.”  She placed the books she’d been piling on the table nearby with a thud, her face turning serious. “Are they a friend of yours, then?”  She’d read in the scribe journals about a similar situation many times- souls inhabiting bodies that weren’t their own, loved ones desperate to get the right soul back to where it belonged, but it wasn’t always easy- nor was it always successful.  “I’m sure you’re aware that what you’re trying to do is very dangerous”, she said, dropping the pretense she knew the man didn’t need for only a moment.  “I have some… loose information on the subject in the basement that might offer extra guidance, if you’re willing to wait for me to make some copies.” 

“The floating, bodiless spirit? I dunno if I’d call them a friend. Lots of people I know are friends with them though. I wanted to help.” He was probably sharing far too much information, but Connor rarely ever saw the need to lie. Either people accepted his words or didn’t, but he rarely sugar-coated them. “Dangerous, ha, yeah. You could say that.” The spirit trapped in Nadia’s body was a murderer. She was a poltergeist. Those factors alone were dangerous enough without adding exorcisms to the mix. “Oh, you have a basement?” Where they kept the good stuff, no doubt. He made a mental note of it. “That’d be sound. I can come and help, if you want?” 

“A friend of friends, then”, she said with a smile and a nod.  Leah could understand the sentiment of wanting to help someone, even if she hardly knew them.  She supposed that was why she enjoyed the job she had so much.  “Have you done this sort of double reverse exorcism before?”, she asked, curious.  The dude clearly knew what he was talking about, but something like this was almost unprecedented.  If something similar had happened in White Crest recently, she hadn’t heard about it.    Her expression turned serious when he asked about the basement, and she hoped he didn’t notice the way her body stiffened.  “A small, sparse basement, yes, to hold lose works that wouldn’t fit in any sections up here.  It’s off limits unless you’re a certified employee”, she explained shortly. “I’m sure you understand.  We all have protocols we need to follow.” 

"Yeah, friend of a friend." And those friends (especially that angry Kaden guy) would probably kick Connor’s ass if he didn't fix this. He tried to let his genuine interest in the conversation with the young woman overtake his fear of what would happen if this went wrong again. "I haven't. It's pretty exciting. If you ignore the potentially horrifying consequences of it going wrong," he said with a vague chuckle. "You don't seem to be acting like I'm fucking bonkers, by the way. I appreciate that. It's refreshing. White Crest Lifer?" Not that living here meant you had to believe in the truth about the town. He’d met far too many who would rather bury their head in the sand and not think about what they might get bitten by. Literally. 

Leah leaned against a wall as the man spoke, now fully fascinated at the prospect of what he was trying to do.  If it meant saving someone’s life and letting someone else’s soul pass on, she wanted to be as helpful as she could. “But you can’t not try”, she said, understanding.  “Not trying feels worse, somehow, than trying and failing.”  At his next words, she glanced around them, making sure to confirm that no one was in earshot of their conversation.  As a scribe, it felt like a betrayal to open up to a stranger about her awareness of the supernatural so willingly, but as a phoenix, it felt kind of invigorating. Her expression was soft as she answered.  “Sometimes it’s nice not to have to hold up appearances”, she said.  “I’ve lived here my whole life, and believe it or not, the library is where a lot of people turn to get help with this sort of thing.”  She looked at the book she’d laid out for him, knowing they wouldn’t be enough.  “How about I go get those copies for you, hmm?  I’d like to think they’ll be really useful.”  Without a second glance, she flashed him another smile.  As she quickened her pace toward the basement, she held the key in her hand firmly, ready for the familiar motion of unlocking the door that held so many of White Crests secrets underneath.

“Exactly,” Connor said, a little more serious than he’d been moments before. The happy-go-lucky casual conversation vibe could only stay at the forefront for so long. “I had to try the first time, even though it went wrong and my friend was upset with me for buggering it up. Now I feel even more motivated to make sure I get it right.” Connor returned Leah’s smile, grateful for her help. “I never keep up any appearances, ever,” he chuckled. “I literally have a whole YouTube channel talking about ghosts and exorcisms and stuff, so secrecy isn’t really my strength, but…” He looked at her with a small, sincere nod. “I really appreciate this, okay? I really think we’re gonna get it right this time.” He didn’t have a choice. Not succeeding was unthinkable. He wouldn’t fail Nadia again.

[msjr0119]

Cordonian Wags

Part 22

In a world full of Professional footballers and their demanding wives- can their football team nicknamed the ‘Cordonian Apples’ succeed? An American female physiotherapist joins the club. Will this cause issues with the footballers wives?

*This series is based on The Royal Romance characters who belong to Pixelberry - AU Plot switch*

Warnings: Swearing, heartache, illness.

Tags: @annekebbphotography @burnsoslow @ladyangel70 @kingliam2019 @bbrandy2002 @butindeed @bascmve01 @drakewalker04 @pedudley @captain-kingliamsqueen @duchessemersynwalker @insideamirage @of-course-i-went-to-hartfeld @kozabaji @texaskitten30 @ibldw-main @kimmiedoo5 @nikkis1983 @dangerouseggseagleartisan @gnatbrain @walker7519 @lodberg @cmestrella @hopefulmoonobject @addictedtodrakefanfic @angi15h @liamxs-world @rafasgirl23415 @notoriouscs @whenyourheartskipsabeat @jovialyouthmusic @nz1091 @yukinagato2012 @indiacater @seriouslybadchoices @rainbowsinthestorm @cordonianroyalty @desiree-0816

******

“Erm. About that future we planned. There’s something I need to tell you...” Drake looked at her concerned, wondering if she was having second thoughts about all that they had planned. Deep down he knew something was fishy regarding Xavier’s ‘death’. Regretting feeling sorry for himself- drinking himself into oblivion whilst the love of his life was being hurt yet again, he would hate himself for the rest of his life.

Liam and Leo woke up surrounded by a sticky residue- scotch that had leaked from the bottle. Neither of them could remember the night before apart from Drake discussing how he was going to propose to Riley- then him crying. Liam heard his phone ringing, the noise now adding to his migraine he had occurred due to his hangover.

“Liv... where are you?”

“How drunk did you get? Did you not read my thousand text messages? I knew I shouldn’t have left you. I’m in New York!”

Thinking back he vaguely remembered her mention it. “Riley’s hurt. She’s in hospital. I’m with her, Lindsey is cleaning up my mess. Get your hungover arses to New York ASAP, bring Walker!” Shooting up, the room was spinning but hearing that Riley was hurt broke his heart.

“What do you mean she’s hurt? Lindsey is cleaning up your mess? What the fuck has happened?”

“Xavier didn’t die in that car chase, he was in New York. He hurt her. I killed him. She was bleeding. Just hurry!” Hanging up the phone, he hit Leo across leg- before pouring the remainder scotch over him.

“What the fuck Li?”

“Get up! Riley needs us! We need to get Drake. Is he still here?”

“What’s happened?” Liam explained the brief explanation that Olivia had said on the phone. “Shit!” Storming through the door of the spare room, they were relieved that Drake had stayed the night.

“Walker get up! We have a flight to catch!”

“What?”

“Liv killed Xavier! He’s hurt Riley. He was in New York as you suspected.” Drake felt as if he couldn’t breathe- he allowed her to become hurt and he wasn’t there to protect her.

“What is it?” Riley looked into his eyes, they provided hope. She couldn’t tell him the truth not yet.

“Erm, the nurse has just advised me to not have sex for a few weeks. That’s all.”

“Ri, I don’t care about sex. Just having you in my life, when we are ninety with a football team of grandkids that is all I want.” Ninety. Grandkids. Shit. I’m going to break his heart.

“Me too, I’m a bit tired. Why don’t you go and see the others?”

“Okay. I’ll grab a coffee, then I’m not leaving your side.” Kissing her on the forehead, the nurse walked back in as he stood up to leave. Making sure none of her friends were close by, she knew the staff had an inkling regarding the tests they did upon her arrival, and was eager for answers.

“So? Can you explain what we spoke about last night?”

“Miss Brooks, after the examination it does look as if the results will show positive......”

“Am I going to die?”

“It happens less often than it used to, but yes, it’s possible to die from cervical cancer- I’m not going to lie Miss Brooks. Generally speaking, the earlier cancer is diagnosed, the better the outcome. Cervical cancer tends to grow slowly. We are hoping to have caught it early, if you didn’t go through the trauma you’ve been through we may not have known for a while.”

“I had one chance at being a mother, I had that taken away from me. I’m never going to be able to be a mom am I?” Drake, I need to let him go. He doesn’t want to be my carer. Watch me die. He deserves someone who could provide him with the family he wants. The nurse opened her mouth to respond with negative news regarding fertility- until the door swung open muting their conversation immediately.

“Hey what are you doing here?” Shit I’ve been crying he’s going to worry.

“I forgot my wallet. Are you okay? Why are you crying? Do you want me to stay with you?”

“The nurse just explained that I was probably bleeding due to coming on to my period due to the stress. That’s all. No need to worry. I’m just crying because I’m on my period- women problems.” Lying she faked a laugh, knowing she needed to tell him the truth at some point.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes Drake. I love you, I always will do- please don’t ever forget how much I love you.”

“I love you too. You have made my life complete- I’m so happy fate brought us together. We’ve gone through enough drama in the past, but we have each other. Our future is looking bright. I’ve got so many plans for the two of us.” Attempting to hold the tears in, she pulled him towards her- wrapping her arms tightly around him.

*****

A few days later, everyone landed back in Cordonia- Drake took Riley to his cabin, Lindsey had offered to collect her belongings from her apartment and bring them over. Watching Riley on the flight, Drake noticed her body tremble whilst she slept. Feeling useless, he held her tight to him- hoping at some point in the future he could cure her from all the pain. Walking through the cabin, Riley always believed it had that homey atmosphere.

“I’ll run you a bath baby. Then I’ll cook us something - okay?”

“That sounds amazing Drake. Thank you so much.”

“No need to thank me Ri. I’ll do anything to make you happy. Bastien and Lindsey are due any time though.”

“Good job we can’t have sex for a few weeks then- I wouldn’t like to see their reactions if they walked in on us.” Trying to make a joke, deep down she was hurting still.

In my nightmares I am dragged by my hair out of bed after refusing sexual intercourse with my ex husband. He’s angry again. Seeing me attempt to gain help by using my phone, he throws it just as I press send- grabbing the lamp, my head forms a huge lump immediately as he smashes it against it. Holding my arms tightly, he forces my body to move- I can’t fight- I feel useless. I’m trapped in the cellar. I can’t move my hands without feeling the restriction of the straps. My head is spinning, my vision is blurry. I lay against the cold damp wall with every ounce of strength- I still can’t budge. “Be the good wife that you always was.” Forcing my legs open, he pushes his penis inside me, I can’t prevent it. I am grateful that he has blindfolded me, as I could bare to look into his eyes or direction as he completed this despicable act. My back hurts right from the base of my spine to the tail bone. Saliva is pooling in the back of my mouth- mixed with his saliva. Once he finishes he places a gag in my mouth to shut me up, I gain a slight adrenaline rush- enabling my legs to kick him, attempt to push him away from me. One punch in the ribs. One forceful punch in the stomach. I am defenceless. I am now alone. My ears can only hear silence, mixed with my heavy breathing. Self infliction most people would say. My hearts pounding ready to explode. I hope to hear signs of someone coming to help. No one. I am still alone. I am back in hell. It’s like being back in Manchester all those years ago. My personal hell. No longer is the door open for me to escape, even if I could break free from the restraints keeping me trapped. Four concrete walls are surrounding me - I am left to potentially die. “Riley! Ri! Where are you?” It sounds like my sister, is it just an hallucination? I scream for help, hoping it would be loud enough with the gag in my mouth.

*****

Riley was still in the bath when Lindsey and Bastien arrived. Drake welcomed them in and offered them a drink.

“How is she?”

“She’s still quiet. It’s going to take time to heal. How are you Lindsey?”

“Well of course it will. I’m fine, I have Leo. I’m just glad I took Olivia with me. She had a plan, and Riley understood the hint of what she was about to do. I’m just grateful that the police believed her self defence story because he could have been dangerous to all of us. Riley thinks she’s clever and strong- no one could outwit a man like him unless you are called Olivia Nevrakis.”

“What did he do to her? I keep asking but I don’t want to force it. She remains silent or changes the subject. I should have been there to protect her.” Lindsey looked at bastien for reassurance, he nodded. He knew Drake felt guilty enough.

“If I tell you, don’t tell her that I told you. Let her open up to you.” Drake nodded, not really wanting to know but he needed to know to support her. “She told us that she wasted time in the bathroom waiting for me to arrive. He checked her phone and noticed she was checking the flights. He got in bed next to her, and tried to have sex- she refused. He pulled her hair, then dragged her out of bed. She managed to grab her phone and text our neighbour for help- before he hit her across the face with a lamp. Forcing her into the cellar- he tied her up, gagged her and put a blindfold on, before he ra- ra-raped her. She tried to put up a fight, but he punched her in the ribs and stomach. I’m assuming that is why she was bleeding. But neither she nor the staff confirmed this- they just said stress brought on her period early. I’m so sorry Drake, this was not your fault. Please don’t blame yourself. He was venom. A man like him could never change.”

“Drake, she’s stubborn- she believes she’s always right with the actions that she takes. She would never blame you for what happened. You went as soon as possible. She loves you, she knows you would never hurt her. Look after your girl, my niece. Have you still got your grandmothers ring?”

“Of course I have. Why?”

“When the times right, make sure you have it on you son.” Shaking his hand, Drake was happy with the support from Bastien and Lindsey- imagining Riley as his wife made his heart flutter. Riley Walker, has a nice ring to it he thought. Riley walked in to the lounge with a towel wrapped around her body.

“Hey.” Looking still fragile and exhausted- the three of them walked over to her. Drake held her waist and kissed her on the forehead, causing the visitors to smile softly at him.

“Hey sis. I’ve brought some stuff over- I wasn’t sure how long you’d be staying.”

“Erm.. well Drake did ask me to move in. I suppose I can collect the rest of my things another day. I’ll still keep my apartment.”

“Did he now?” Lindsey smirked at Drake, wondering when he was going to ask her another certain question.

“Yes I did. Why are you smirking?”

“Ohhh no reason.” Lindsey winked at him, now knowing that moving in together was the first step towards their future. “You look tired Ri. Are you okay? Do you need me or Bastien to get you anything?”

“I’m fine Linz. I’ve got marshmallow to look after me.” Looking up towards Drake, she smirked knowing he would potentially berate her for using her nickname. Instead he shook his head, and held her closer towards him. “But Bastien, I may need you to cover the next match for me.”

“Sure of course I will.”

“Does anyone know what happened with Constantine?”

“What do you mean?”

“He set up the whole faking Xavier’s death. He planned it all.” Bastiens eyes widened, he was now furious beyond words.

“Drake keep her safe. Lindsey I will drop you off at Liam’s immediately. I’m going to have words with him, I’ll meet you in the car Linz I need to make a phone call.” Before Riley could stop him, Bastien was dialling a number and headed out of the door. “He will be calm down, don’t worry. Enjoy your night together. I love you. Text me if you need anything.” Hugging the two of them, Lindsey smiled as she left the cabin.

*****

Riley and Drake had something to eat, his mind imagined Xavier hurting her, every thought broke him. Watching her try to get dressed independently, was frustratingly upsetting.

“Let me help you. Please. You’re struggling.”

“Drake, I need to try for myself. It’s just newly bruised ribs- but they do hurt. You’re not always going to be here, so I need to do it for myself.” Ignoring her, he assisted Riley getting her dressed. As he did, he kissed her ribs and stomach- the touch felt as if it had healed immediately, that was until his lips left the area. Laying next to her in bed, she snuggled into his embrace, locking his eyes onto hers as he held her lovingly.

When he looks at me it is as if every ounce of breath is taken away from my lungs floating into the air effortlessly. Every time he kisses me it feels like the world has stopped, melted away- leaving just the two of us. Holding me for eternity in his arms I've grown so accustomed to. This is what falling in love was like, a story that I never want to end. For so long I had longed for it, to be loved and not used as a punch bag- now I couldn’t bare to lose it - lose this person that makes me feel so complete. Would I lose him if I told him the truth? I want to protect him from becoming hurt. It’s strange how you can go from someone being a complete stranger, a slight jerk to begin with - to then being completely infatuated by him and wondering how I was able to live without him. I need to be honest. The results could come back with positive news- positive news that it was mistake and not actually be cancer.

“Drake?”

“Yes?”

“Erm... I don’t know how to say this... or how you’ll react... but what if I can’t keep to our promise about our future?”

“What do you mean? I know you’re hurt Ri. But please don’t split up with me- we don’t have to rush into anything. I’m happy just having you in my arms every night.”

“What if it was for the best to split up?” She bit her lip as she averted her gaze not wanting to witness his expression.

“We take one step forward and two back. Riley please, I’m begging you. Just be honest with me. Have I done something wrong? I’ll fix it. I can’t lose you. You mean too much to me.”

“But you may lose me.” Riley felt the muscles of her chin tremble, the tears burst forth like water from the dam, spilling down her face.

“Why will I lose you?”

“The reasoning.... for why I was bleeding.... I wasn’t on my period....”

“Riley we can get through this. I will never hurt you like he did. He’s gone.” Assuming she was about to suggest the bleeding was due to Xavier raping her- his eyes pleaded with her to give them a chance and to not give up.

“It’s nothing to do with him Drake. The hospital was concerned with the bleeding. Olivia thought I was pregnant and miscarried. I honestly believed it was due to stress. They did, a smear test and a pelvic exam....” Pausing to take a deep breath, she closed her eyes as she spoke the next words.

“They think I may have cancer.... if I do... you may lose me...” Drake remained silent, feeling like a selfish jerk thinking about himself yet again. “If Xavier didn’t do what he did, I wouldn’t have known. That’s why I was crying when you walked back into my room. I’m so sorry for lying, I wanted to protect you. I don’t want to hold you back Drake, I know what we had planned but I now may not be able to give you that. I don’t want to prevent you from living your dreams Drake. I want you to be happy. I need you to be happy, if I’m not here anymore.”

Drake thought back, all the memories of how they had reached this point of their relationship.

“Nice to see you in the flesh Walker. I look forward to working with you all.”

“I was never a ‘wag’ Savannah. I hate them. I was the odd one out. Biggest mistake of my life has been marrying a footballer- no offence Drake.”

“Um.. none taken... you’re married to a footballer... you’re a physio.... anything else you need to confess?”

“Excuse me? Mr Rhys knows all about my background, my estranged husband. There’s nothing more to tell. It’s none of your business Walker. My business is to make sure that none of you dumbasses injure yourselves too much!”

“You’re going to be trouble, I can already tell! You are.. look no offence. But this place is vicious. Full of secrets. If I was you I’d get back on a plane to America pronto!”

***

Before Riley could escape, he grabbed her wrist pulling her closer to him. There was a tingling sensation spreading throughout his stomach. Standing frozen, she could hear his heartbeat rapidly increase, every second he held her. Slowly he lent down, before crashing his lips onto hers whilst inhaling her fruity fragrance. The short kiss- made him feel intoxicated, she was going to be his newest drug- one he couldn’t wait to taste again. Riley looked at him with sorrow in her eyes as she pushed him away with an almighty force. Immediately she ran away as fast as she could. Not looking back, she was hoping to just be able to sneak out of the party without anyone noticing her. She was uncontrollably shaking, regretting that she didn’t do anything to prevent the interaction that had just occurred.

***

I know you probably don’t want to hear from me- I just had to get your number from Bertrand. I can still smell you on me- I haven’t stopped thinking about that kiss. I haven’t stopped thinking about you, I’m sorry that it was impromptu- it felt right. I hope it doesn’t ruin our friendship. 😞

You need to stop thinking about it. Everyone was drunk. It was a drunk stupid moment. I shouldn’t have allowed it to happen. We will never have a friendship- for the next nine months all we have is a professional relationship. Goodnight!👋🏼

So it meant nothing to you then? Nothing at all?🤔

It meant nothing. Please don’t text me back. See you at training.⚽️

Lie to me. Lie to yourself. But there was a spark there. We need to talk about it. See you tomorrow 😘

***

“Just pretend and give me it back after training” he whispered.

“Won’t your significant other half need your credit card to go on a shopping spree?” She whispered back before using her usual tone of voice.

“Thank you. Whilst you’re here- fill this form out for me please.”

“You can’t avoid me. We need to talk.”

“As I said to you, there’s nothing to talk about. You need to go inside and get ready for training.” He removed his top, smirking at her as he discarded it on the floor.

“It’s a sunny day.. might as well get a head start before the lads arrive...” Riley couldn’t help but admire his muscled and ripped body before shaking her head and making her way towards the dressing room. He’s taken, I’m married- you are here to work Riley Brooks.

***

“Wow!”

“Shit!” Grabbing her robe, she attempted to cover her body up- assuming it was Maxwell, she didn’t really care about him seeing her dressed like this. “What do you want?”

“Ive been telling you since last night that I wanted to talk. About you know what.”

“And like I have been saying since last night- it was nothing.” Riley feeling frustrated really didn’t want to talk whilst she was still drunk. “Can I come in? If anyone wakes up and sees us?”

“No. And if anyone sees you, I’m sure you could come up with another lame excuse.” There is no us - attempting to shut the door she failed as he forced the door to stay open with his foot.

“What did you want me to say? ‘Hey Bertrand, can you give me Riley’s number because I’ve just had the most amazing kiss with her.’ “

“No, but maybe you should have just not asked for it in the first place! I’m not a home wrecker. I don’t want to be the reason for a relationship breakdown. You should have just left it be.”

“You would never be just the other woman or the reason for my relationship breakdown. I like you. And I can’t show it in front of everyone. You are beautiful and I can’t lie and say that kiss didn’t mean anything.”

Moving closer to her, she bit her bottom lip- he put his hands on around her waist keeping a slight distance. Both their heartbeats were racing ten to the dozen. She wanted to push him away- she knew it was wrong, but there was a magnet pulling them closer together. Knowing the minute he touched her again her resistance would crumble. He brushed her hair away from her shoulder, moving his head closer to hers - his body now leaned against hers. Feeling his warmth- he crashed his lips onto hers, not a soft kiss like the prior night. Instead it was passionate and demanding. Picking her up he carried her over towards the bed- hovering over her, he knew what he wanted. He wanted her. Removing her robe, he began to kiss her body.

“We are both consenting adults- I want you Riley. That kiss last night made me want you more.” His eyes full of desire, deep down she was attracted to him and wanted this too. But she didn’t want to be that woman.

“I feel guilty. I can’t help it. I promised myself to never get involved with a footballer again.”

“Don’t feel guilty. I’m not like most footballers.”

***

“I was five, I hate most people and most women. But I like you. Ri.... listen to me. This is hard for me to say, because I don’t express my feelings. Ever. But... will you go out on a date with me? I’ll spoil you like you deserve to be spoilt.”

***

“I asked you to open your eyes because I want to look in them...Every minute I spend with you. I’m falling in love with you. Riley... I need you in my life. I know you’re still married to him, but I want to take you on a second date and...”

“And what?”

“I’ll look after you. I’ll protect you. I’ll keep you safe. If you’ll have me, I’d like you to be officially my girl.”

“I think we better get some sleep and allow them to get some too... I’m falling in love with you too Drake. Can I cuddle my handsome boyfriend?”

“I’d love to cuddle my beautiful girlfriend. I’m never letting you go.”

I’m never letting her go. I made that promise.

“Ri, we will get through this. Whatever the outcome is. I want to be with you, please don’t push me away. You’re not going anywhere, you’ll most likely outlive us all. Come on let’s get some sleep. I’m always going to be here. You and me. Forever. I love you Riley Brooks.”

“I love you too Drake Walker.” Almost instantly, Riley fell asleep in Drakes arms. Kissing her on the forehead- his emotions were finally released. The tears that were held in, were now falling down his cheeks.

I can’t lose you. I hope you fight baby- we have only just found each other. I’m not ready to let go just yet. I love you.

*****

“We are here today to celebrate the life of Riley Brooks....” Drake kept his head down, remaining in silence- Liam held his friend tightly. Not knowing what to say to him without sounding patronising.

The sun shone brightly through the church windows- as if Riley was still lingering around, the ray of sunshine that she was. Everything should be as dark as the emotions surrounding the room. But the birds still sang a merry tune and the flowers she had chosen for this day still bloomed- the perfumed scent lingering around. As Drake took an unstable stroll near the front the long held back tears began to flow. He was not ashamed, he loved her dearly- regretting that he never got the chance to ask her to his wife. Now she wasnt there the light had been extinguished forever in his heart. Goodbye my darling. I will always love you. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he was knocked out of his trance.

“Drake? I know how much Riley meant to you. But I’m here still. I can heal you.”

“No! You are not Riley! Get out of my face Kiara!”

No. I love her. I’ve lost her.

Drake woke up in a sweat, his heart jumping out of his chest. Sitting up, he wiped the sweat off his brow. Turning his head, Riley was sleeping peacefully next to him. Realising it was just a dream- a nightmare, he was now dreading what would happen if it was to become reality. Laying back down, he pulled her close to him- never wanting to let go.

“Tomorrow, I’m going to ask you to become my wife. Spend every day as if it’s our last. I love you so much Riley. I will help you fight, I will pay for private treatment. I’ll do everything and anything for you.” He was forced out of his thoughts, as there was a notification on his phone.

Fuck!

Breaking News

Constantine Rhys the chairman of the Apples has been murdered in his own home. Reports initially suggested a knife had been involved in the attack. A neighbour said they had heard someone yell “I’m going to kill you” during an argument prior to the death of Mr Rhys. More news to follow.

[quadcorenewkids]

Touching the Void - Chapter 1

I’m posting this because, although I like a lot of parts about this, it feels too dragged out for a first chapter... too slow. Idk, I just have some mixed feelings, and since it’s the first chapter, I don’t mind posting it because... it’s not technically spoilers? 8D

Man, I hate how different things look from the word program to the actual post, no matter where it is. It never looks quite right :/

An evening in the McCormick household where one didn't need to fight to have dibs on the TV was a rare fucking evening indeed. In fact, Kenny's parents weren't even home... or so he assumed. If there wasn't yelling and bitching coming from somewhere within earshot, they must've been out and about. Didn't surprise him in the slightest. Kevin - pretty quiet as per usual - probably locked himself in his room so he could drink all night, and Karen - sweet, naive Karen - was already in bed at this hour, having had her dinner and going straight to bed. Hard to believe she was in Fourth Grade already. Felt like yesterday when he was back at the wonderful age of 10.             He remembered playing their games, the boys and him... being afraid of the Sixth Graders, and everything. Yet now they were he Sixth Graders... that still hadn't settled with him, even if it didn't really feel like they'd grown up at all. And having Middle School looming around the corner come next year? Yuck. He had a similar reaction when flipping the channel to the next fuzzy one. Fucking figures, the one night he didn't have to wrestle his drunk-ass brother or parents for the remote, and there was nothing good on. No sports aside from re-runs. Not even much late-night adult content to be found either. Just the fucking shopping channel - god, he hated that with an immense passion - and some boring documentaries and talk shows. He flipped over to one idly and stared blankly at the screen while the voice continued to narrate. The content on the screen wasn't memorable to him in the slightest.           "-and it begs to offer this yet unsolved question that we ask ourselves constantly: 'What were we put on this Earth to do? What is our purpose?' A-and there's just no rightful way of answering that, try as we may. It's a solution that we, as individuals must come to understand and learn for ourselves. All we can do to aid the process along, is by pushing ourselves in the general direction of self-discovery."             He had his finger on the button to switch the channel, before - at the last second - the guy on the TV added, "Which brings me to ask you... why do some people long to die?"             That caught Kenny's attention for an extra moment, "W-When you have the potential of a great, grand purpose in our lives as a result of what we were put on this Earth to do, why would you want to knowingly take your own life away? Why do most of us fear Death so greatly... but others don't? What in the world makes us so unique from one another in such a queer manner? What drives these people to do these things?"

The other man on the TV laughed at him, "Sounds more like we've got a 'Q&Q' show than a 'Q&A' now, Abe."

"These are trying topics. You try to come up with an answer. A real answer. It ain't so easy, is it?"             "Well, if you had to ask me, I'd say some people are obviously just more miserable than others. The quality of life and the gap and all that mumbo-jumbo. If you're down in the dumps long enough, it might seem like that's what you were put on the Earth to be - a metaphorical punching bag."             "Is that what you view yourself to be? You know, some experts say that our words and actions reflect how we feel about ourselves more than they affect others."             "Pfffff. You think I'm a punching bag? I'm living the dream, Abe. Or what feels like the dream... that's good enough for me."           The 'Abe' guy opened his mouth to talk again, but Kenny flipped the TV off before he could utter another word. God this night fucking sucked so far. He got up to get a drink - not a drink drink. Seeing what that shit does to other people sure has its way of souring you on even touching the stuff. Shoving the dozens of beer bottles and cans aside in the dirty old fridge, he pulled out a soda he'd stashed in the very back. It'd been opened before, so it was completely flat by now... but he honestly didn't give much of a shit. Flat or fizzy, it was still a nice treat to have, now and again.             While he sat and chugged back what was left of his week-old cola, his mind wandered back to that dumb-ass talk show again. 'What were we put on this Earth to do? What is our purpose?'

Did it really matter what the purpose was? You make something of yourself, or you don't. Either way, everyone has access to titties on the internet, and that was enough of a reason alone for some people to work and pay the bills. Can't even get a good magazine nowadays without having to pay like twenty dollars plus shipping... they don't even ship it in discreet packaging anymore! What a fucking time to be alive, when your neighbour can walk by and see the latest issue of Playboy sitting on your front step in broad daylight because some asshole couldn't be bothered to stuff it in the mailbox.

Not that he really cared... wasn't his name plastered all over it. He'd used his brother's name when ordering the subscriptions, and he didn't think anything of it when he'd answered the door the first time to pick them up. He'd probably just assumed his drunk-ass couldn't remember ordering it. He'd never complain about free titty magazines though, that would be fucking blasphemy. Kenny just had to make sure he got up early enough on mail days to be able to snag them first when he saw them... he wasn't the biggest fan of second-hand merchandise. Who could blame him?             He crunched the can up with one hand and tossed it in the general direction of the trash can. It hadn't been emptied in weeks, so it just kind of harmlessly bounced off the heaping pile of other cans and rolled on the floor. He'd have to do something about that at some point soon.

He once caught Karen trying to clean up the disaster that was the kitchen. Poor girl almost cut herself on a bottle that'd been broken at some point. After that, Kenny told her that she shouldn't clean up broken bottles and cans - at the very least, not without using a towel or something to protect her hands with. He'd insisted that he'd try to tidy up a bit in her place... but he'd gotten lazy. It gets to a point where if you're the only one in the whole fuckin' house making an effort to clean up, you just don't feel like it's even worth trying. But he'd do it eventually. For Karen's sake, at the very least.             With a sigh, he sauntered over to his room and shut the door quietly behind him. He always made a note to try and do that. No reason to slam doors around and, on the off-chance, wake up his sister. His parents did that enough, that quiet days like this were just... unheard of. This whole evening had been a fucking weird one. He flopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment.           "Some people are obviously just more miserable than others. The quality of life and the gap and all that mumbo-jumbo. If you're down in the dumps long enough, it might seem like that's what you were put on the Earth to be - a metaphorical punching bag."             He snatched his pillow and buried his face into it, heaving another sigh. Maybe he shouldn't of even bothered trying to watch TV, if all he can think about is a stupid fucking talk show... but when he thought about it, Kenny kind of felt like a punching bag. Some days, more literally than others. No matter what people threw at him though, he would bounce back from anything. Always coming back, to no one ever remembering. No one remembers the punching bag. He rolled over and glared at the wall. It was going to be one of these nights again, huh? He hadn't gone on such a downward spiral since... since Fourth Grade. Everything had fuckin flown by the past couple years. The usual weird shit would happen every once in a while, but he felt like he was getting involved in it less and less. Stan, Kyle, and Cartman would go off and do shit on their own after school somedays, and it was like they never thought to ask him to join. On one hand, Kenny wasn't complaining – fuck no. That meant he'd been through less shit that could end up with him dead again.           On the other hand... he sort of missed it. He hadn't even worn the Mysterion outfit in what felt like fucking forever... when had he last gone out in it? He got up and went over to the dresser to take a look. It was exactly where he'd left it last time - placed in the bottom drawer. Forgotten. He picked it up and held it out to get a good look at it. It was so small, to him. Had it really been that long? He slowly took his parka off and put the cape on overtop of his shirt. It didn't drag on the floor like it used to, that was for sure. The first few times he'd worn it, he remembered being a dumbass and tripping over it on a few occasions. He'd twisted his ankle once or twice, and one instance actually involved him falling off a roof. That had been agony.             Yet he hadn't cut it any shorter or anything. He'd instead persevered and got used to knowing where it was and how to not trip on it. He casually grabbed an edge of the cape and brought it close to his face in what was meant to be a dramatic pose. At least it was long enough to do that, anyway. The hood was a bit small though... and he didn't even dare try on that light purple one-piece. He took a look in the drawer again to find the half-mask sitting at the bottom. He slipped it on over his head, but it was so tight on his eyes. With a scoff, he'd pulled the ensemble off and shoved it back in the drawer. Maybe there was a fucking reason he'd stopped wearing that thing. All it did now was bring back memories of that fucking cult.             But it had good memories associated with it too. He'd protected his little sister against bullies in Greely as Mysterion... he'd even become a 'Guardian Angel' to her. That, was what made it worth it. That was why he'd kept wearing it up until last year. He wanted to protect people that couldn't do it alone. He wanted to be this stupid little mountain town's 'guardian angel'... to keep it safe from fucking monsters. He scowled at the open drawer now, at the outfit thrown into a ball and wrinkled to hell. Cartman had been one of those monsters... he'd been fucking insane to drag an Elder God into his schemes. He certainly didn't miss hanging out with him. "Friend" or not.           Kenny didn't bother to close the drawer before stumbling back to his bed and throwing himself upon it again - this time sans parka. Maybe he'd bring back the persona... maybe he wouldn't. He honestly didn't want to think about it anymore... he just wanted the night to be over so he could just go back to school tomorrow - words he never thought would pass his mind. But all that kept coming back to mind was that... Fucking... Talk show.             "'What were we put on this Earth to do? What is our purpose?'... It's a solution that we, as individuals must come to understand and learn for ourselves. All we can do to aid the process along, is... push... ourselves in the general direction of self-discovery."           He'd tried that once. It didn't end up all that great.

People don't really realize when they drift off to sleep. It's just a quiet cloak of darkness that overtakes the mind... it's nigh undetectable.         He wasn't any different, at first. He didn't know he was dreaming. It felt... too real.             This place felt familiar... but for the life of him, he couldn't fucking remember where he was, exactly. It was like it kept changing... shifting... the lighting bounced around the ground like water at the bottom of a pool. The sand was red... no, not sand. Dirt. Or... stone? Kenny couldn't focus on it at all, like he'd pulled an all-nighter and hit the point where he just couldn't *mentally* stay awake anymore. The area around him was hazy, and alien. Strange plants - if you could even call them 'plants' - and formations were all around him... nothing familiar besides that feeling deep down that he'd been here once before.             The only thing that knocked him out of his stupor was a voice from behind him, but it sounded like he'd missed part of the conversation before it... "...maybe we should just find a place to hide and wait for help!"           That sounded like... someone he knew... Another voice reverberated, this time right next to him, "What help, dude? Nobody in the real world even knows we're here."           Kenny finally looked towards the source of the voices. They were like mirages... blurry... but he recognized them. He recognized the words. Clyde and Kyle. Mentioning the real world? But that meant... This was R'Lyeh. It came to him like a slap in the face, waking him from the hazy phase he'd just been in. The weird lighting, the even weirder tentacle plants and shit... the other boys in costumes... and then he saw himself walk from where he stood, like he'd waltzed right out of his own body, donned as Mysterion. He felt a distant pain in his gut, as he watched himself take charge and insist he'd find help. He knew what was coming all too well.             Quite frankly, he didn't want to fucking relive it a second time. He closed his eyes to block it out as he heard Clyde call his name. He'd forgotten to block the sound out... and it was a horrid sound. And the pain! The pain hit him like a fucking truck, like he'd actually gone and done it again! Seething agony for what felt like an eternity... and then darkness overcame him again.

He woke up in a cold sweat, grasping at his chest for the spikes he'd known were there when he'd purposefully plunged himself upon them. He laid there, catching his breath and trying to cement himself back in reality for a good long moment, before glancing over at the clock. Four in the morning. It didn't feel that long had passed, but who the fuck knew, when you were asleep, right? Time flew by like nobody's damn business... he'd wished for it earlier in the night. Now, he regretted it. That's not what he fucking meant by it at all.

He glanced at his hands, then passed them through his hair, cringing when he realized it had slicked back somewhat from the sweat on his brow.             Fuck this night sucked.