#gotta work for that thunder foot

[redflagshipwriter]

Check Yes ch 8

masterpost Danny did his best not to float through the building. His chest buzzed pleasantly with cheerful nerves. Jason had let him into his haunt and let him meet a family member: it was only fair to reciprocate with a little vulnerability. He was more than a little nervous that his interests weren’t cool enough. But Jason was actually listening to him, not rolling his eyes or hiding boredom at how many details Danny rattled off. It was really nice. It made him want to find out what Jason was passionate about, too. It made him want to curl under Jason’s arm. Like, lift it up and insert himself in the warm space between Jason’s body and arm. He could just sneak on in there-

Hmm. Wait. Danny blinked as he tracked his train of thought back. PDA? He stole a glance. Probably not a good idea so early into hanging out. It would come off clingy. Since Danny was legitimately a clingy motherfucker, he had to play it cool for a while to trick Jason into a false sense of security. He was trying to be on his best behavior still. 

“Oh hell yeah, we’re going to the Ring Nebula.” Jason was reading the signage, bright eyes tracking everyone moving around them and steering them effortlessly. Danny noted the multitasking with a sort of puzzled admiration. He could walk in a crowd or he could read, just one of the two. “What’s a nebula?” An incredibly subtle aura washed out from him with his self assurance and confidence. Jason just felt so in control. It was incredibly reassuring to be around. Crowds parted for him and all Danny had to do was keep pace. 

“It’s the remains of a star.  That’s a Messier object, actually. There’s a white dot at the center which is a white dwarf and then around it there’s helium, hydrogen, oxygen-” Danny cut himself off, embarrassed. He was so messy, oozing excitement all over the place. He reeled himself in and cleared his throat. “You can read about it when we get there.”

Jason frowned very slightly.

Danny felt his stomach twist. 

“What’s a Messier object?”

Oh. Danny relaxed. He talked with his hands as he explained the French astronomer, barely noticing the crowd swell that nearly bumped into him. Jason put an arm over his shoulder and steered him away. Danny absently recognized the assist but didn’t have any processing power to think about it right now. 

Jason let him go on for most of the date, which Danny would probably be embarrassed by later. In the moment, he basked in the attention. It was just nice, okay?

“I should head back.” Jason said with regret. His arm clenched just a little harder on Danny’s shoulder. His hand was warm where it hung down Danny’s chest. “Gotta get Duke his bribe and then get ready for work.” 

Danny waited for a moment. He didn’t want to step away. But maybe Jason didn’t either, because he didn’t take his arm off.

‘One of us has to move first.’

“Yeah, of course.” Danny regretfully disentangled himself, ducking out of the hold. He was a grownup or whatever. “Better get a move on. What are we getting for Duke?” They’d only snacked on ice cream while they were in the planetarium. 

Jason checked the time on his phone and let out a huffing sigh. “I don’t have time for my original plan.”

‘Because he humored me here for two hours…’

“Gimme a sec, I’ll call him and ask what he wants me to pick up.” Danny nodded in response and started jogging down the stairs out of the building, trying not to look like he was listening in. He didn’t want to listen in, he just had really good ears.

Ring once, ring twice. Then Duke picked up the call.

“Hey,” Jason said. “I-”

“Hey yourself,” said an unfamiliar voice that definitely was not Duke. It was sweet with malice.

‘Did Jason’s little brother get kidnapped while we were out?’ Danny wondered, struck still with horror. He stopped with one foot hovering over the next stair and wheeled around to look at his date.

Jason looked thunderous, brow pulled low and teeth showing. “Fuc- why do you have his phone?” Jason’s tone went high and aggrieved.

Danny prepared himself to beat the shit out of a living human. It wouldn’t be hard. 

“Because I am his favorite older brother. Obviously.”

Oh. The fight left Danny’s body in a rush.

“I am pressing X,” Jason snarked. He squeezed Danny’s shoulder and guided him into movement again. “Give it back to him and get out of my house.”

“Tu casa es mi casa,” said the man who had to be the infamous Dick, balcony infestation. “Why do you care?” His tone was so innocent that Danny sort of wanted to turn on his heel to escape whatever older shithead sibling fuckery this was. “Aren’t you busy making kissy faces at the summoning guy?”

Danny bounced off of Jason’s chest when he stopped walking midstep.

‘How does he know that? Jason didn’t say anything, right?’

“And, follow up question for Jay, does this make you a monsterfucker?” Duke howled with laughter in the background. Danny noted the betrayal. 

Dick sounded gleeful as he pushed on the topic. “He’s dead, right? What supernatural romance genre are you in? Is he going to take you to his creepy castle and keep you there? Does he have an ancient enemy who might kidnap you? Do you think he could carry you away when he rescues you? Are you looking forward to that?”

Danny huffed and yanked Jason’s hand down to bring the phone closer. He hit the speaker. “Of course I could carry him. But I would not keep him in my creepy castle against his will, you jerk,” he fumed. “And I don’t have any ancient enemies! At last, no one that I haven’t already beat up. It’s fine. Shut up and go away.” He crossed his arms.

Jason was bright red. Dick started laughing hysterically on the other side of the phone. “This is- hi, Danny!” he cackled. “You have a creepy castle, though? For the record?”

Oh no. He felt a rock form in his stomach.

‘I probably should have kept my mouth shut.’

He looked at Jason’s feet guiltily. Belatedly, he let go of his grip on Jason’s wrist.

“You sound great, wanna meet up? I need to hear about how you’re so sure you could carry my little brother away from danger. It sounds romantic.” Dick cooed. Ew. Danny bristled. This was bringing up all sorts of Jazz related trauma.

“He will not be meeting you.” Jason took the phone back. “Ever.”

“Ever?” Dick scoffed. “I really doubt that. I don’t think you could keep him away from me for one day.”

“Oh yeah?” Jason somehow puffed up his chest. “Then come find me, jackass.”

“See if I don’t.” 

Danny scoffed. “As if I need his help to dodge some nosy dweeb,” he sniffed. “Bring it, balcony creep.” He hit the end button before thinking about it.

The staircase suddenly seemed very quiet. 

Jason and Danny looked at the phone for a moment. Then Danny frowned as he realized what he’d done. “I was going to like, go back home,” he pointed out uneasily. “But that doesn’t seem in the spirit of this shitty brother challenge. And, uh.” He cleared his throat. “You had evening plans, right….”

Jason groaned and paced a few steps. He ran a hand through his hair. Danny idly watched it and wished it was his hand there. “Uh… Sorry. I can tell him to fuck off, that you’ve got better things to do.”

“...I don’t have better things to do,” Danny admitted. “I kinda want to see if he can hunt us. He’s just some guy, right?”

Jason made a face.

“Just a human guy?” Danny repeated slowly, because the hesitation there was uh, really interesting. 

“You remember how we met, right?” Jason sort of shuffled in place for a moment before he herded Danny down the sidewalk in the direction they had originally come from. “I wouldn’t say he’s a normal guy.”

…Oh, right, he’s a vigilante. Danny snorted. “That’s cute,” he said, not even trying to avoid cockiness. “I’m not worried.” He cracked his knuckles and didn’t pay attention to how bloodthirsty his grin was. “I am going to destroy your brother in a game of hide and seek so brutally that you won’t be able to look up to him afterwards.”

Jason opened his mouth. He closed it, with a considering expression. “That’s hot. Yeah, show me what you have. I can skip patrol for the night.” He gave Danny a roguish grin. “Where to, first? We have an hour before he’s out on the streets. We can get dinner, strategize?”

Danny closed his mouth on the boast that he didn’t need to strategize. This was a perfect opportunity to spend an hour batting his eyes at Jason from across a candlelit table. “Somewhere nice,” he said innocently. “He won’t immediately look for us at a date spot, will he?”

[mizusnose]

An Orange for My Love

mizu x reader June heat

hello again. been a while, huh? life’s been busy and moving fast. here’s a little something to make up for it. more writing in the future i hope. send in some requests :)

———

The heat of June makes you sweat around the edges of your hairline. You can feel the dry heat stick to your skin and cover you like a thin sheen of fabric. It’s suffocating and the AC unit has broken down, and now the windows are thrown open despite Mizu’s assurance that she felt fine. You knew she didn’t.

Somehow, the work you’d both been doing had sludged fo a stop, fragmented bits of your productivity melting off with each minute of the summer heat.

You glance Mizu’s way, a tired lazy grin on your face. She’s wearing huge basketball shorts that go past her knees when she stands up fully. The ones you bought her from the thrift store in town. Her wrists and arms and shoulders are out. Covered only by the chunky tank top that dips low and shows off her collarbones, freckled and red from the heat. Your thirst only grows as she smiles lazily back at you.

“Floor time?” You ask, unsurprised by Mizu’s eye roll.

“Fifteen minutes tops. Gotta get some stuff in.”

“Lame.”

“That’s adulthood” Mizu shrugs, slipping down past the coffee table and scooting off your thrifted carpet.

“Adulthood sucks” You sigh, meeting Mizu’s gaze once you’re both on the floor. You stretch your arm out and tip your fingers towards Mizu. There’s a patch of sun making its way towards you both, but not quite there yet. It creates a halo glow around Mizu’s body. Her hair staticky and frizzed from the humidity.

Time passes like this: you both drifting in and out of bird song and breezes that shift the tree leaves. Eventually, Mizu stands and groggily makes her way to the kitchen.

“what’re ya doin’” you mumble, too heat-soaked to properly pronounce.

Silence. Only the sound of a drawer opening and closing, the clatter of plates, and Mizu sniffling.

You don’t bother following. Content to stay put and not do anything until nightfall when the cicadas become silent and the air thins out to see the stars overhead.

Mizu’s foot pokes you in the side and you’re met with her long limbs and longer hair that she’s adjusted into a bun.

“Up. Eat.”

You listen only because Mizu sits next to you and helps you up. Her touch burns hot and you blame the weather, the season. Anything but the thunder in your chest, a quiet frenzy in your bones.

“Oranges.” You declare. Like a little kid learning colors and shapes. Mizu nods proudly regardless of the childlike wonder.

The thick orange slices are washed and cleaned, their skin ripped to reveal the glisten of the fruit. Color like sunset and lava, you take a bite and hum appreciatively.

Mizu sets the plate between you. This way, its thigh, plate, thigh. The glass the only thing separating you both.

“Good?”

You nod, swallowing quickly to answer: “Farmers market?”

Mizu nods, taking one for herself.

The sun spot that had started at the edge of the wall is now sitting cozily on Mizu’s hip. It splashes up her ribs and dips to her bellybutton. It’s undoubtedly hot, yet Mizu says nothing. Instead, she rips the skin of the orange slice off decisively, suddenly licking into the fruit.

It’s no use. She’d pulled too hard and the juice runs down her arm and collects at her elbow, into the crease of it. It catches the light and you start to stare as it drips onto Mizu’s basketball shorts.

“Shit—let me..”

And her lips are back to the fruit, a sharp suck sounds and mizu hums as she rips the skin away and eats the entirety of the orange slice. The juice only multiplies and is now creating a small puddle on the fabric of her shorts. It stays for a second before soaking into the cloth.

“Sorry. Messy.” Mizu jokes, lifting her arm and licking the juice off, starting from the elbow to her fingers. She sucks the rest of the juice from her fingers and wide palms. The sound makes you shiver despite the bead of sweat making its way down the center of your back.

“All good. Oranges are a mess—uh, messy. They’re messy. Not your fault at all!”

You fear Mizu will finally find out about your feelings for her because of an orange of all things. Yet, when you meet her eyes, they’re closed. Crinkled in a bright smile.

“I’m glad you liked it.”

The summer heat doesn’t die down for a while after that. But even when the night arrives, your cheeks still burn and your blood runs hot.

[axelsagewrites]

kindly no pressure asking if locker room roy kent x reader will have a second part where jamie and roy finally talk/confront/fight? 🫣

Roy Kent*Apologise

Pairing: roy kent x f!reader

Word count: 1422

Warnings: swearings, mentions of semi public smut and getting caught, mentions of masturbating, a lot of swearing  

Part one here

Masterlist here

The night Roy met you was the best day of his life but the day you sucked him off in front of Jamie’s locker. And the thing that somehow made it better? Jamie saw it. Roy had the next two days off from Richmond so best believe those two days were spent in bed with you, only leaving for food and water.

Roy was smiling as he walked into Richmond. A sight that truly unsettled all the staff and his teammates. “Alright Isaac? Nice weather the day innit,” he grinned at the boy as they walked to the locker room.

“Uh yeah captain. It’s nice,”

“Gotta love when the suns out. birds chirping. A breeze in the air,”

“Yeah, yeah,” Isaac muttered, looking over at Colin who looked terrified of Roy’s happiness.

As Roy walked into the locker room Colin paused to whisper to Isaac, “Wasn’t it raining?”

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Isaac said, eyes never leaving Roy, “but it cannot be good,”

As the rest of the team began to filter in Roy continued to make happy small talk, even asking Sam how his weekend had been. It was freaking everyone out. the other odd thing however just walked through the door.

“Alright Tartt?” Roy called over, wide grin on his face, “Hairs looking good,”

Jamie just nodded, muttering a quiet thanks as he began to get changed with a grimace on his face when he got to his locker. “What the fuck is going on?” Colin whispered to Isaac who was seriously considering taking up religion in this moment.

Jamie had never been so quiet during a practise. He did every drill without complaint, scored every kick, and even passed the ball. “I’m worried about him,” Ted sighed as he watched him play, “He just doesn’t seem himself,”

“His playing’s excellent though,” Nate said, before trying to joke, “Maybe this is the start of a mature Jamie Tartt,”

Beard crossed his arms as he stared out onto the pitch, “There’s a disturbance in the force. Besides. Roy’s creepy when he’s happy,”

-

“Great work Colin, nice foot work,” Roy praised, patting the boy on the shoulder before running to get the ball.

Just as everyone was about to call for a priest you walked out of the tunnel. Usually, your presence was first notice by Jamie who would give a loud wolf whistle but instead you were able to walk up to Ted without drawing much attention. “And what do we owe this pleasure?” Ted asked, a smile on his face.

“Hey coach. Roy forgot his phone, so I came to drop it off,”

As if on queue Roy jogged over to the group, ignoring everyone but you who he gave an unabashed public kiss too despite usually hating PDA. “What would I do without you?” he joked as you both walked to the side so he could put it in his hoodie.

“You’re in a good mood. Jamie’s still alive though?” you joked.

A wider smile cracked his face, “He’s growing on me. What can I say?” he said but you paused, crossing your arms to scan his face, “What?”

You glanced to the field only to notice Jamie instantly look away when it dawned on you, “You told him!” you whisper yelled, smacking at his chest.

“I did not,” Roy protested, trying to look serious when a smile cracked back on his face, “He saw us,”

All of Roy’s happiness flooded away when a look of pure thunder crossed your face and your hands went to your hips, “And you didn’t think to tell me? Have you been torturing that poor boy?”

“No but- “

“Don’t ‘no but’ me. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why are you defending him- “

“Does my face look like it cares?” you asked, dropping your hands from your hips only to cross your arms again, “Whatever you’ve been saying to him you better stop,”

“I didn’t say anything! I swear,” Roy said as he realised how much he’d fucked it, “I didn’t mean to upset you,”

“You don’t need to say anything to say something,” you said, rolling your eyes at the confused look on his face, “You better apologise,” you said making Roy scoff, but you were prepared to call his bluff, “No apology, no sex. Sorry I don’t make the rules,”

“That is so not fair,” Roy scoffed, “You can’t do that,”

“Try me,” you smiled as sweetly as possible before turning around to leave, swaying your hips a bit extra than usual to drive the point home. “Bye boys!” you called to the team, glancing back at Roy to send a quick wink before you left.

-

The force was slowly being restored since Roy was now back to miserable and angry but unfortunately Jamie’s mood hadn’t changed yet. Ted had tried pulling Jamie aside but he just shrugged it off. The team was back in the locker room, getting ready to leave.

As Jamie turned to leave though Roy sighed, “Tartt,” he called through gritted teeth, “I need to talk to you,”

“Maybe I don’t wanna talk to you,” Jamie said and the tension in the room could be cut by a knife.

Isaac went to whisper something to colin but before he could even start Roy’s head whipped around to glare at them, “Everyone out,” he barked and instantly the boys sprang to leave, “Everyone but Tartt,”

“Hey I think it might be best if I stayed-“ Ted tried to say but the low growl from Roy and glare from Jamie had him exiting just as swiftly.

“What?” Jamie asked, huffing as he crossed his arms.

“I’m,” Roy started to say but the words tasted like sick as he tried to force it out, “Sorry,” he eventually managed.

“What for?” Jamie asked, cocking his head to the side.

“You know what for,” Roy huffed, “Not stop taking the piss and take the apology,”

“That’s not how apologies work ya know?” Jamie said, dropping his arms, “Ya big creepy weirdo you,”

“Hey, you’re the one that was watching!”

“Was not!”

“So, what were you doing in your car then?”

“None your damn business!”

“Uhuh sure,” Roy said, drawing out the words as he chuckled, “See if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were the pervert. Watching me and my girlfriend- “

“Fucking in my fucking locker? Like a pair of fucking fuckity weirdos fucking- “

Roy couldn’t help but laugh a little, “You’re starting to sound like me,” he said making Jamie huff like a child. Roy sighed as a horrible feeling set in; maybe he had been wrong, “I’m sorry. I crossed a line. Won’t happen again,” he said, actually sincerely for once.

Jamie eyed him up and down before finally nodding, “Okay but just you know. Don’t tell anyone about well…”

“I wish I didn’t even know,” Roy joked making Jamie roll his eyes. The pair were silent for a moment, “We good then? You gonna start being a prick again?”

“You’re terrible at apologies,” Jamie rolled his eyes as he grabbed his bag, “but yeah, we’re good. don’t know how she puts up with you though,” he said as the pair headed out the locker room to finally go home.

Roy couldn’t help himself, “Not just her who goes down- “

“We are not that close,” Jamie cut him off, holding his hand up to Roy’s face and making him cackle laughing.

The pair actually walked out of Richmond joking and laughing together. A sight you saw while you waited to pick Roy up. “See you tomorrow?” Roy said, sending you a quick wave as he walked to the car.

“Yeah mate. Hey you never know,” Jamie said, tapping Roy’s shoulder making him pause, “Maybe next time it’ll be me and Keeley in your spot,“ he tried to joke but Roy’s smile dropped into a harsh glare, “On second thoughts I think I’m late to something bye!” he half yelled as he jogged to his car, never turning his back on Roy.

As Jamie sped out the parking lot Roy finally climbed in the car, “What did you do?” you asked, squinting at him.

“I apologised! Honest,” Roy said, holding his hands up in mock defence, “You can ask him yourself tomorrow,”

“I will text him,” you warned as you started the car up.

Realization dawned over Roy, “How’d you have the pricks number?”

“He gave it to me ages ago,” you shrugged, “Encase I ever needed it,”

“That little fucker,”

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[mollywog]

Laurel

Prologue | In Trouble | A Proposition

But he doesn’t forget.

She wakes late the next day to find a slip of paper jammed under the front door; The stilted scrawl summons her to meet after sunset. She knew Haymitch was a miserable drunk, but never suspected he’d stoop to blackmail.

Fueled by her rage she storms off to Victor’s Village, pounding on the old mentor’s door until it finally swings open. Bleary eyed and disheveled, he doesn't seem surprised to see her despite her disregard of his note. He grunts and bids her wait by the gate, before disappearing back into his house.

She turns to obey when motion catches her eye; the curtains at the house across the street flutter closed and she scurries down towards the entrance, tucking herself out of sight.

Staring off towards the mountains, she considers a life on the run with her mother and sister, but it’s never made sense before, even less so with an infant to think of.

She’s so lost in her thoughts that she doesn’t notice Haymitch’s approach until his bark snaps her from her daze. Even more startling is the realization that he isn’t alone, trailing behind him is Peeta Mellark; the only other inhabitant of Victor’s Village.

Visions of burned bread and bruises taunt her, but worse still, the heavy weight of an unpaid debt. She has the urge to flee on the spot, but her desperation and curiosity drive her forward. They walk in silence, her eyes darting to him often, catching his gaze fixed on hers before quickly flitting away. Haymitch slows to a halt when they're out of sight of the Village, turning to look at them, his eyes sharper than she’s ever seen them.

“Her sister’s in trouble,” he says without preamble, looking at Peeta while tilting his head towards Katniss.

Katniss takes a step back, Peeta’s eyes flit to her once again, full of concern.

“The way I see it, the two of you can help each other out,” Haymitch continues. “Everdeen. Your mom’s the healer, right? She can declare a quarantine order for your sister; shouldn’t be a problem for her. Keep her hidden away so no one knows her condition, while the two of you head down to the Justice building, get married; a patch up, so when the baby comes, we can pass it off as yours.”

Her mind is racing; the idea had never occurred to her. It’s risky, but it could work and it wouldn’t have to be Peeta… she could find someone else if he objected, and she probably should; She already owes him too much without adding this to it. She’d just need to find someone she can trust; Someone who would choose to tether himself to her and another man’s child, never breathing a word of their deal... The despair creeps back in; no one comes to mind and she’s running out of time. She’d have to claim the baby as her own without a husband. No, that wouldn’t work either, at least not in 12.

“A wife and a child would go a long way to securing the President’s trust,” Haymitch adds.

She furrows her brow, but Peeta must understand the connection. “I told you, I’m not going to play that game,” his voice is firm. “You said we’d find another way.”

“This is the other way. And what about her sister? You’d be protecting more than just yourself here.”

Peeta exhales, running his hands down his face.

Her head is thundering from last night's liquor and the pair's cryptic words are doing nothing to help. The president, game, protection; She doesn’t understand their significance or connection, but it sounds like Peeta’s in trouble too. If marrying her could keep him safe it would be like a trade, rather than a debt…

“You’d be going into this on equal footing. An alliance,” Haymitch says as if anticipating her concern. “Mutual protection. Doesn’t gotta be anything more.”

“Katniss?” Peeta’s voice has softened and when she turns to look at him, after years of stolen glances, his eyes hold her stare.

It’s all too much.

“I need to talk to Prim,” she says before dashing away as fast as she can.

Question

[perotovar]

into the beat of the night (interlude) "shake"

pairing: frankie morales/oc!river price (they/them) rating: E (18+) chapter warnings: swearing, this is honestly just pwp, fingering, squirting, multiple orgasms (referenced), overstimulation, frankie being a god damn menace, sub!river this time, takes place sometime after ch6 but could realistically be read as standalone as long as you know they're together. if i missed anything else lmk! word count: 1.3k dividers by @saradika-graphics beta: @scenaaario

for notifications, follow @oakslibrary and turn on alerts ♥

series summary: frankie thought he had himself figured out by now. he liked both men and women, had dated both in the past. but when someone that challenges what he thinks that means comes into his life, in an unlikely place, he truly learns who he is, and more importantly, who he loves.

series masterlist

Frankie’s often thought about how lucky he is: his honorable discharge, whatever got him out of Colombia mostly intact, and Marisol’s presence when he wasn’t sure he had anything to keep going for.

But he thinks walking into that goth club might be slowly making its way up the list for him.

“F-Frankie,” River panted, looking pleadingly up at him with big, wet eyes. “Please,” they whined. They dug their blunt nails into his shoulder with one hand, and gripped around his wrist with the other. “I’m–”

“Shh…” Frankie smirks, speeding up the pace of his fingers. “I’ve only got a few more minutes before I gotta leave for work, okay? We still need at least two more.”

River groaned, swollen lips parted as they watched those thick fingers of his appearing and disappearing inside of them. They had been at it since Frankie’s alarm clock went off early that morning. He woke up in a determined mood, and River lost count of how many orgasms Frankie had given them. Their head lolled back against Frankie’s arm, long hair draped over the only thing keeping them upright. River’s legs trembled, one foot dangling off the dining room table, and the other planted against the surface of the table. 

Frankie watched their eyes glaze over and the blush on their cheeks deepen in color. They were close, he could tell. “You gonna be good and give me another one?” He grinned, removing the two fingers inside them, a satisfying squelch hitting his ears. River moaned weakly at the emptiness, their chest heaving before they gulped and nodded as they looked up at his face. He pressed the pads of those two fingers against their clit and rubbed in tight little circles. “C’mon, baby,” he grumbled against their neck before sucking lightly at the tattooed flesh.

River whined pathetically, their thighs shaking even harder around his arm. The hand that was around his wrist moved to brace themselves on the table. Their fingernails dug into the table as they scratched against the wood. “F-fuck,” they moaned, biting their lip. Blood thundered in their ears in time with their rapid heartbeat. “I-inside, please.”

“Only because you asked so nicely,” Frankie smirked, his bear paw of a hand covering them entirely as he swirled around their clit a few more times. His middle finger teasingly moved from their clit down to their opening at an agonizingly slow pace, making River groan in frustration. He chuckled darkly, slipping the tip of his finger inside them until it was as deep as it could go. River’s whole body went taut briefly before relaxing, their hips meeting the rhythm his hand was making in a gentle wave. “Mmm, very good,” he hummed, kissing up their neck until his lips latched onto their earlobe to nibble lovingly.

The surface of the table between River’s legs was soaked. They’d built up a little puddle as Frankie pulled orgasm after orgasm out of them, and it was about to get even worse. Their eyes shot open as the feeling low in their tummy felt… different. “Frankie,” they whimpered, looking at him with those big eyes again. “I’m– It’s not–”

Frankie looked at their face with mock worry, slipping his ring finger in alongside the middle one. “What is it, sweet thing?” He grinned, picking up the pace of his fingers again. Their pussy was loud, wet squelching sounds filling the air around them. He pressed the pad of his thumb against their clit and rubbed hard. River’s eyes rolled back and they moaned out into the apartment, unable to speak.

“Can’t even say anything, can you?” He pouted, his tone saccharine. The arm holding them up moved slightly so he could tangle his fingers into their long hair, the tips running over the back of their neck teasingly. He gripped onto their sweaty hair and forced them to look him in the eye. “You gonna come? Look at me when you do.”

River’s entire body shuddered as they nodded obediently, biting their lip.

“Good,” Frankie grumbled lowly, watching their face closely. It didn’t take much longer after that for their face to twist in pleasure and for their hips to halt all movement as they came hard. River’s body shook like a leaf as wetness covered Frankie’s entire hand. “Mmm, that’s it,” he hummed comfortingly, the hand on the back of their head cradling their neck. River’s hips rolled with the waves of their orgasm, making them whine pathetically. “Shh…” Frankie kissed their forehead, keeping his curved nose buried in their hair. They wrapped their shaking arms around Frankie’s torso as the last few aftershocks wracked through their body.

“C-can’t go again,” they panted, face buried in the fabric of his t-shirt. 

“‘S okay, baby, I know,” he smiled, kissing the top of their head. He slid his fingers out of them, one final gush of slick landing in the little puddle on the table. Frankie’s hand gripped River’s hip and pulled their body towards his own so he could hold them for a few moments. They stayed wrapped in each other’s arms for a little while until River came down and could breathe evenly again. “Was a big one, huh?” 

River hummed in satisfaction and nodded against his chest. Their hair was messy and sticking to every part of their sweaty body. 

“You want some water?” 

River squeezed their arms around Frankie’s soft middle before saying, “Yes, please,” in a quiet voice.

“You’re gonna have to let go of me for that, Río,” Frankie grinned.

River pouted before reluctantly detaching from him. He looked over their flushed face and relaxed body, smiling to himself. He leaned over and pressed his lips to theirs in a gentle kiss, but it slowly built to something deeper. River hummed into his mouth and cupped his cheeks with their hands. Frankie parted and pressed his forehead to theirs. “Be right back,” he whispered, eyes never leaving their face until he stepped into the kitchen next to them. 

“Wait, don’t you have work?” River asked from the table, pointedly sitting next to the little puddle they created. “And could you grab some paper towels?” They added quietly, a blush creeping up their neck.

“I can be a few minutes late,” Frankie said as he came into the dining room, a glass of water in one hand and a roll of paper towels in the other. He handed them the glass first and set the paper towels next to them on the table. He made a little growly sound deep in his chest at the sight, but forced himself not to act on it. He couldn’t be that late. 

“I’ll take care of it,” River smiled shyly, taking a big gulp of water. 

“You better,” Frankie smirked, hands laying on their thighs as he stepped between their legs again. “Want you to take a shower while I’m gone, okay? And do one of those weird face masks you like so much. Since I can’t be here to take care of you properly,” he frowned, kissing their cheek. 

“Yes, sir,” River rolled their eyes and pinched his hip. They took another drink of their water and set the empty glass behind them on the table. “You better go.”

Frankie sighed and nodded, giving them one final, proper kiss before he stepped back. He reached the door and grabbed his keys from the little dish on the table. When he looked back, River was leaning on their elbows on the table, one leg gracefully draped over the other. Their tattooed skin was shiny with sweat still and they were perfectly content with staying naked right on his dining room table. A shiver traveled down Frankie’s spine at the sight of them.

River waved their hand at him and giggled mischievously. “Go!”

Frankie shut the door behind him with a smile on his face, and a tightness in his jeans he hoped would be gone by the time he got to work.

[zerophantomphan]

Phantom Sight chapter 1

The clacking of tools and occasional grunts were the only sounds in the lab. Scrunched faces in concentration as wired were hooked up and bolts tightened. The final checks on a years long project.

Danny laid the wrench down.

"What next, dad?"

Jack looked up dirt smudges on his face from wiping away sweat with greasy hands.

"We gotta turn it on."

Danny nodded. It was hard to see his dad in this state. It had been years since her passing, but he was obsessed with the notion that he could bring her back.

The portal wasn't something Danny really believed in. At fourteen, he was watching his father fall apart, and he had found a way to keep his fathers mind busy.

The portal stood as an empty shell. Danny felt nervous. He knew it would never work, and he was scared to know what his fathers reaction would be.

Jazz had already emancipated herself. She couldn't take it, watching her father be like this. She was studying to become a psychiatrist, and she said Danny was enabling Jack. It frustrated him.

Danny knew she hadn't meant it to sound like he wasn't doing this right, but dammit! He shouldn't have to!

"Turn it on now?" He asked.

Jack picked up the cords, "I'm getting her  back," he muttered.

Danny watched as he shoved the cords together and saw a flash of hope cross Jacks face.

1,2,3,4,5...10 seconds passed. Then, ten more in heavy silence.

"It didn't work," Jack said roughly, his voice grated and hoarse.

Danny reached a hand out to his dad, "dad, I'm...I'm sorry it didn't work."

Jack put his hands on his face, "I need to go -"

"Fudge."

Jack turned, "What?"

"I made you some fudge. It's in the fridge upstairs."

"Thank you."

Jack picked the wrench from off the floor and put it on one of the work-benches before turning to go up the stairs to the kitchen.

"You're welcome," Danny whispered.

He turned to look at the portal. Something caught his eye. A lit up button.

Danny grabbed a spare suit and climbed in to get a closer look. A panel that was bent up at the corner caught the soles of the suit.

Danny tripped, slamming against the side of the portal in his fall. A loud whirring sound followed, and the portal lit up in a flash of green. Danny couldn't see anything, and then there was a flashing white pain striking his nerves, awakening his cells.

It felt like he was made of dry ice. Danny screamed, his larynx sputtering out, muting his scream.

Then it stopped. Dannys body felt numb as he crawled out of the portal.

Thundering footsteps down the lab stairs and then a shout, "DANNY!!"

Jack cradled his son in his arms, "I'm so sorry, Danny. Thank you. I'm sorry. Sorry."

Jack carried his son outside right as the paramedics got there. They badgered him for moving Danny, but he just kept repeating sorry.

Danny looked at his arm braces that he used to help him walk.

It had been a wheelchair at first, then the braces. This was as far as his treatment could go. Like his body had hit a block.

He was stuck with those braces.

Then there were the other problems. It started the night after he was discharged  from the hospital.

There were flashes of green and white. Someone was screaming, but the scene was hazy. Then he saw his fathers face.

Dannys eyes snapped open. He was sweating and... cold? Dannys hands searched for his blanket to pull onto himself. No blanket, no pillow, no... mattress.

Danny bolted upright, looking around his dimly lit room widly. His head hit the ceiling with a thunk.

"Ow, what the fuck?" He shispered looking up to see what he hit. The realization hit in, and he looked down. His bed was more than a foot away from him.

Danny almost yelled out. The shock made him lose control, and he fell from his levitating state. His bed made a cracking sound and shifted, half of it falling to the floor.

"Great broke the bed, now what?" Danny muttered. He rubbed his head on the spot that was still sore from hitting the ceiling. A faint green glow caught his eye.

Twenty minutes later, Danny was still staring at his reflection. His hair was white, his eyes were glowing and green, and he was wearing that baggy suit from the lab, the one he had to keep in place with a belt and chunky black boots.

"Am I dead?"

Danny slapped himself, that was stupid. But still, he couldn't let his dad see him like this.

"Urgh... Danny?" Jack groaned from the hallway, "you in there?"

Dannys chest starting humming, "shit, shit, shit." Danny squeezed his eyes shut and breathed.

"Calm down," he told himself. Deep, weighted breaths. Danny opened his eyes, the glow was gone.

All the air came out to once as he said, "Oh thank all that is surgery cereal".

Danny opened the door, "all yours dad."

Jack shuffled into the bathroom without a word and Danny went back to his room.

He grabbed an unused notebook and starting jotting down what he knew.

"My "transformation" must've been set on from the accident with my dad's ghost portal - THE PORTAL!!"

He jumped up, falling immediately. How did he forget he needed braces? Tossing the notebook aside, he swung his braces and slid down the banaster on the stairs. He came to the basement lab door, and he stopped. His body was shaking. Was he scared?

Danny opened the door and walked down carefully. A familiar green glow omitted what he suspected. The portal worked. It stared at him like a green lake, giant and somehow more scary than it would've been as a failure.

Danny reached out and gently, with the tips of his fingers, he touched the portal. It didn't have a negative effect on him. He expected a burn or a tingly feeling, but it felt like thick air. A denser version of his normal atmosphere.

After that, Danny started experimenting with the portal, putting cameras in it, which always broke for some reason. His research came to a halt when creatures started showing up.

He fought these monsters, and after stealing some new inventions of his fathers, he advanced. He figured out how to switch between geek and freak when he needed to.

Danny waited for his father to be done with the lab for the day before beginning his own research. This was his day, everyday.

[loveinhawkins]

connected to this

Sometime during the bat-proofing of his Upside Down trailer, Eddie’s hit with a wave of vertigo so bad his ears ring.

He has to stop in his tracks, clinging onto the chain-link fence with one hand. He lets his head hang low until the dizziness passes. Breathes slowly.

At first he thinks the faint thudding noise is just an after-effect, but then he glances up to see Dustin scrambling onto the trailer roof.

“What’re you doing?” Eddie asks blankly. “We’re not going up there until—”

He breaks off at the look Dustin gives him over his shoulder—eyes bright with a frenzied determination.

“We’ve gotta block the vents,” Dustin says.

There’s something… off with his voice, Eddie thinks. He can’t put his finger on it.

“Okay,” he says hesitantly. “Good thinking, man.”

He joins Dustin on the roof, just watches him for a couple seconds, perplexed: he’s working so fast.

Too fast.

Eddie’s heart jumps into his throat when Dustin loses his footing; he yanks him back from the edge in a flash, forces out a chuckle, “Woah, hey, take it easy. We’ve got plenty of time.”

Dustin doesn’t look at him, doesn’t even acknowledge that he’s heard.

But he’s holding onto Eddie’s wrist so tightly Eddie swears his bones creak.

The ‘concert’ goes fine—Dustin delivers his countdown with precision, but his eyes always slide to a point that’s just slightly to the left of where Eddie actually is.

What the hell did I do? Eddie thinks.

He can’t come up with an answer.

“One!” Dustin bellows, and they’re off; Eddie makes sure Dustin’s always in front of him, feels like their feet barely touch the ground…

And then they’re inside.

We’ve made it.

Eddie sinks against a wall, breathless. “H-holy shit—”

“Shh!”

Dustin’s standing, one hand up. Listening intently.

The sheer noise of the bats on the roof is awful—scratching, clawing, chattering. Like mice in the walls, but a million times worse.

Eddie suffers through thirty seconds of not talking before it bursts out of him, and maybe it’s tempting fate, but he can’t help it, the panicked urge to voice it is too great, “I think—think everything’s holding. They’re…” He swallows. “They’re not gonna get in.”

Dustin nods faintly.

But there’s a rigidness to him that sets the hairs on the back of Eddie’s neck on end. He looks like a hound on the scent. Ready to bolt.

“Hey, um…” Eddie stands and nods up to the Gate meaningfully. “Think we’ve done all we can, Henderson. We were good decoys, and… uh, no deviations, remember?”

Dustin laughs. It’s a terrible noise; Eddie’s never heard him sound bitter before.

“Oh, now you want to go,” he says with uncharacteristic venom—but Eddie knows all too well how that can mask a deep, unimaginable terror.

Eddie opens his mouth—intending to reassure, to say something, anything—before he realises that above them, it’s all gone quiet.

Dustin comes to the same discovery a millisecond after he does. “What’s…” He trails off and finally looks Eddie right in the eyes.

He sprints to the front door, pulls it open.

Eddie curses. “Are you insane? Get back, shut the—”

But the only thing that comes through the doorway is the chill of The Upside Down.

A rumble of thunder. The bats screech, but it sounds like…

“They’re leaving,” Dustin says numbly. “Why are they leaving?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Eddie says, even though he feels sick to his stomach. “That’s not for us to—hey! Dustin, don’t!”

He lunges forward, but he’s not quick enough; Dustin slips right through his fingers, and Eddie watches in horror as he tears across the trailer park, and Eddie follows, of course he does, but he’s always a step behind, always too late to help—

The bats grow louder and louder. Lightning illuminates them, a monstrous cloud in the sky: they’re circling up ahead, and it makes Eddie think of vultures and carrion.

And he sees…

Dustin lets out this wail, a painful keen; Eddie feels it reverberate inside his chest, almost as if it comes from him too.

He catches up (too late, too late), and suddenly he is Wayne, pulling a child into his arms, urging brokenly, “Don’t look, don’t look,” even though when told that any kid’s first instinct is to—

“Let me go!” The scream sounds like it’s tearing Dustin’s throat, splitting him in two. A grief too much to hold. “Let me go, you asshole—Steve! Steve, please.”

“D-Dustin. You can’t help, he’s—” Eddie’s eyes burn. “He’s beyond…”

One solitary chime.

Eddie shudders, almost laughs—because if there was to be a vision designed to torment him, surely it would be this one; God, he’ll take it, he’ll take anything so long as it meant—

But Dustin freezes in his arms, and Eddie knows that he can see the clock, too.

With a gut-wrenching cry, Dustin fights to break away again.

“Don’t,” Eddie repeats, but it’s no use; Dustin hits him right in the jaw.

He falls to the ground, but the pain is nothing to the tug he suddenly feels in the back of his mind; he thinks of when Steve whispered, “He's here. Henderson. That little shit, he's here. He's like… He's in the walls or something. Just listen,” and Eddie could only stare in bewilderment, because some things are just impossible, aren’t they?

Aren’t they?

Eddie pushes himself up with his hands.

Dustin’s not running towards Steve.

He’s running towards the clock.

Until… he isn’t. He just stops, halfway to it. He looks over his shoulder, looks back at Eddie with heartbreaking uncertainty.

“I can—I can do it, right?”

It shouldn’t make sense—it doesn’t make sense, but Eddie inexplicably finds his mouth opening.

As if from somewhere deep within, he says, “Sure you can.” He doesn’t understand where the words are coming from, is just abruptly certain that he believes them with all his heart. “I know you can.”

Dustin takes a deep breath. He nods.

Runs.

Eddie watches him go—he doesn’t look away, not until the world is lit up, a burning white, and he simply can’t do it anymore.

[galway-girlatwork]

Fandom: Triple Frontier-This is completely AU.

Rating: Mature-There is angst and fluff. Maybe some smut but ya gotta squint

Central Characters: Reader/Frankie “Catfish” Morales

Central Relationship: Frankie/Reader

Word Count: 2,525

AO3

Please do not copy my work. Please re-blog if you liked it and tag me.

Music inspiration: The Fiery Cross By Bear McCreary

Thank you to @almostfoxglove for the beautiful mood board and letting me know that I can go anywhere

"Not all who wander are lost."

SUMMARY:

Fairy rings do not exist. Fairy rings do not exist. Fairy rings do not exist.

Witches are not real. Witches are not real. Witches are not real.

How many times can he repeat this in his head for it to take hold? A thousand? A million?

What happens when a man transcends time and space and falls in love with a witch?

It’s just a bunch of hocus pocus, right?

Beyond Time's Edge

Frankie Morales had always been one for adventure. A New Yorker with a penchant for thrill-seeking, he'd traveled far and wide, but nothing could have prepared him for what was to come. A solo vacation to England had seemed like the perfect way to unwind. The rolling hills, quaint villages, and the ancient folklore had drawn him in like a moth to a flame. Little did he know, his adventure was about to take a turn beyond his wildest imagination.

On the third day of his trip, while exploring the serene countryside of Sussex, Frankie stumbled upon a peculiar sight. A ring of mushrooms, perfectly circular, nestled in the midst of a lush, green clearing. A fairy ring? He’d heard the stories—stepping into one could bring bad luck or, worse, take you somewhere else entirely. He chuckled at the thought, stepping inside with the nonchalance of a man who didn’t believe in such things.

As soon as his foot touched the ground within the ring, the world around him shifted. The air grew thicker, the sky dimmed, and a strange, tingling sensation crawled up his spine. The sounds of distant birds and rustling leaves faded, replaced by a deafening silence. Then, just as suddenly, the world reappeared—but it wasn’t the world he knew.

Frankie found himself standing in the middle of a forest, but it was different—wild, untamed. The trees were taller, thicker, and the air carried the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth. Before he could process what had happened, he felt the ground beneath him shaking, hearing thunderous sound of horses coming at him. He did the only thing that made sense to him, which was run. He’d barely made it into the thickness of the trees, Nike’s slipping on the steep incline, caused him to lose his balance, sending him ass over feet down the hill, the air being knocked from his lungs as he laid there, staring up through the thicket of branches overhead. That was when he felt the sharp pain, hand pressed against his side, feeling something warm, sticky and wet. Fuck, he thought, blood. Son of a bitch, he was going to die in the middle of a god damn forest. The branches above him blurred as he laid there, thinking he just needed a minute to rest, before he would get to his feet and find his way back to the village he’d been staying in.

Una had been gathering herbs deep in the forest when she sensed it—an unfamiliar energy, powerful and disruptive. Someone had either come or gone through the ring. She was always amazed when it happened, the power it took to travel through and not end up dead. She’d heard stories growing up, about how it felt as if your insides were coming through your skin and always took great pains to stay away from the fairy ring but something deep within was calling to her and she decided to needed to see which one it was. One hand grabbed the end of her dress, hiking the hem up, steps quick and determined, as she ran into the clearing, seeing a man, dressed rather odd, knowing he’d come through, seeing his blood, soaking the forest floor.

Without hesitation, she rushed to him, mind already working through healing incantations, as she kneeled next to him, lifting his shirt, a hole in his side, wondering what impaled him.

Frankie groaned as he tried to move, but pain shot through his body. His vision hazy, and his head throbbing. When he blinked, he saw a woman crouching beside him, fingers hovering just above his skin, chanting in a language he didn't recognize.

"Easy now," she murmured, her voice soothing as she carefully placed a hand on his forehead. Warmth spread through him, and the pain dulled. "You've had quite a journey. I am going to have to clean the wound, no stitches, or whatever is inside will fester if I do.”

Frankie blinked up at her, trying to make sense of the situation. "Where... where am I?" he asked weakly.

"You're safe," Una replied, her tone gentle but firm. "Ye crossed through the ring, and ye been injured in the process. My name is Una. I’ll take care of you."

He squinted, trying to sit up, but she pressed him back down with a surprisingly strong grip. "Don't move. Ye torn something inside. Just let me work."

Frankie wanted to protest, but something about her presence calmed him. She moved with the grace of someone who knew the forest like the back of her hand, reaching into the small pouch at her waist, pulling out various herbs and powders.

As she began mixing them with her fingers, chanting as she did, working some kind of spell. Holy fuck, was she a witch? Chuckling, he shook his head. Witches weren’t real. Just like fairy rings weren’t real. This had to be some kind of joke, one of the guys pulling off one hell of an elaborate joke.

"What are you... doing?" Frankie managed to ask.

She gave him a small smile. "I’m a healer. These herbs and spells will ease your pain and help you recover." Gently applying the mixture to his wounds, she could see the relief washing over his features. “We’ll need to wait a time, before ye can stand. Twill be easier for me to heal if ye are within the cottage. I’ve got food and water. Then I’ll help you get back.” Taking off her dress, leaving her in nothing but her shift, she rolled it up and lifted his head, putting it beneath him, gently laying him back. “Just rest for a few.”

As the hours passed, Una watched him sleep, looking over the clothes he was wearing. The fabric that encased his lower half, was a deep blue, rough to the touch. He wore a shirt with buttons she’d never seen before, the material thin and soft. His hair was a wild mess of brown curls, stubble graced chin and cheeks along with a moustache. She’d never seen a man with one before, fingers gently caressing his face, she found the hairs soft and prickly, a contradiction in her mind.

When he finally woke, dusk was settling over them. “We need to go before dark, do ye think ye can stand? My home isn’t far from here.” She knew there were all kinds of wee beasties in the dark and though she was a healer, the dark fae would still have a field day with them if they didn’t get back before then. It took some time, he was heavier than he looked but just as the tendrils of dusk let go of the sky, the cottage came into sight and she sighed with relief as she pushed open the door.

He marveled at the quaintness of the place, the air thick with the scent of dried herbs and candle wax. She laid him on a cot by the hearth, tending to him, hissing as wet cloth was pressed against the wound, the pain radiating up the entire left side of his body.

“I know it hurts but I have to clean the wound, apply a salve and then I will need to wrap it. Once that is done, ye can rest while I make a healing tea and get some broth in ye belly. Ye’ll need ye strength before the next full moon. I think that is when ye be able to go back. I’ll keep ye safe, swear it.”

Over the following days, Frankie slowly regained his strength under Una's care. He was a modern man, used to hospitals and doctors, but there was something about her magic that felt natural, even comforting. As they spent more time together, he found himself drawn to her. She was not only kind but strong, wise, with a quiet confidence that intrigued him. She moved with grace but determination which was evident when she’d left him one afternoon to go hunting, she said, offering to go for her. To which she laughed when she asked if he knew how to use a bow and arrow, his answer being a resounding no. She’d come back with quail, watching in awe as she cleaned them and set them to cook over the fire.

Una, found herself growing fond of Frankie. His stories of the future fascinated her, but what struck her most was his resilience. Despite being out of his element, he wanted to help her around the cottage once he was able to move again without being in too much pain. Full moon was coming soon and even though she knew he’d have to leave, she taught him as much as she could and he was eager to learn. How to gather herbs, brew the healing teas she’d made him drink every day, he learned quick, laughing often over his clumsy attempts but there was a building tension between them that was getting harder to deny.

One evening, as they sat by the fire, she looked at him, expression serious. "Ye can't stay here forever," she said softly. "Full moon is in five days�� time. Whatever happens, you’ll have a place here, with me”

He reached out, taking her hand in his. "Una... I don’t want to leave you."

"Ye have to go back, Frankie. Your place is in your time, just as mine is here. But that doesn’t mean we have to forget each other."

He stood, taking her by the hand, pulling her towards him, looking down into the greenest eyes he’d ever seen, fingers undoing the braid that held white blonde hair in place, before his hands cupped her cheeks, thumbs caressing her skin. Leaning down, he gently kissed her. Her hands found his hips, digging into the rough cotton of the pants she’d stolen for him. She was hesitant at first before she began kissing back, swearing he could feel her magic swirling around his mind. Picking her up, he moved towards her bed, gently laying her down before stripping off her gown, tossing it to the floor where his clothes ended up next. He watched as she came to her knees, hand cupping his cheek before she kissed him, pressing her self against the warmth of his skin.

She pulled him towards her, as she laid back on the bed, feeling his entire body against hers, his lips at the skin of her neck, teeth nipping at her earlobes, causing a small moan to escape her throat. He moved down to her breasts, suckling at erect nipples, back arching off the bed, feeling the hardness of him against her pelvic bone. He had to have known, some where in the deepest recesses of his mind that she was a virgin, never knowing the touch of another. His name was a hushed whisper as she clung to him.

Frankie didn't need any more encouragement as he positioned himself between her legs, his cock hard, throbbing with need. He entered her slowly, savoring the feeling of how tight she was, the head of him, hitting that barrier, looking down at her and before he could say anything, her hands, cupping his ass, pulled him towards her and before he could blink, he was buried inside of her.

The pain was brief, like a bolt of lightening striking the ground, but the after effects of it, radiated through her body. She could feel him, not only filling her body but her soul, magic flowing around them, making her swear she could see stars behind closed eyes. Wrapping long legs around his waist, nails dug into his shoulders, drawing blood from the small crescent shaped marks. There was a tightness, deep within her, coiling tighter and tighter, before exploding, feeling her self clench around his cock, as fingers twisted in the curls at the nape of his neck. Knowing this would be the only time she would have with him, she wanted to experience everything.

He didn’t know how much longer he could hold out. He knew when she came, her orgasm blindsiding both of them. It was like a white-hot heat that was scalding his blood as his lips found hers, kissing her, before laying his forehead against hers, letting out a loud moan as he came, filling her with his seed. They lay there for a moment, catching their breath, before he rolled off of her, not wanting to crush her with his weight, laying on his side, an arm around her waist, blazing a trail of kisses along her shoulder as she laced her fingers with his.

Five days passed in which they barely untangled themselves from her bed, before they found the fairy ring that would take him back to the 21st century. They stood together at the edge of the forest; the air thick, not only with magic but with the bittersweet goodbye.

"Take this," Una said, pressing a small charm into his hand. "It’s a charm, to protect you. Maybe, one day, it will help you find your way back to me."

Frankie leaned in, capturing her lips in a final, lingering kiss. "Do you really think I will find you again?" voice thick with emotion.

“I don’t know.” Walking him backwards, hand cupping his cheek, she kissed him one last time before she shoved him into the middle of the circle, feeling the air being sucked from her lungs, magic swirling around him, and in a flash, he was gone. She stood there, alone in the clearing, her heart heavy but filled with hope, just as she knew her belly was full with his child.

Some loves are meant to transcend time, and she knew that their story was far from over.

[420thewritersroom]

Bigger than you Thought

A little something I got the desire to write about. This is also a small gift to @helsensm for not only their art, but their lovely contribution to the MK fandom. Will always love your work (especially the Railoa, gotta keep me fed)

Characters: Raiden, Mentions of Fire God Liu Kang & Kung Lao

Word Count: 1,036

He needed to get away from the training, the classes, the people, everything. Raiden wasn't sure why his chest became uncomfortably tight, why his breathing was steadily increasing to the point of hyperventilating. He couldn't focus, his mind going this way and that as new worries arose from seemingly nowhere. The farm boy was fidgeting, rapidly bouncing on his right foot as growing anxiety finally took over him. He quickly asked Lord Liu Kang to excuse him, claiming he needed to relieve himself. And in a way, he wasn't lying. Getting some air, finding a quiet spot in the already still Wu Shi Academy, and having a moment to sort out his thoughts is a way to alleviate oneself.

Raiden finds a spot under a cherry blossom tree. There are other shady plants he could retreat to, but cherry blossoms always held a special place for the thunder wielder. A tree that symbolizes beauty and life, its soft pink & white hues, and the fact that it reminds him of home. Fengjian had a lone cherry blossom he and Kung Lao would hang under since the day they first met as children. It was their safe haven away from home, their play spot, their confessional booth.

Raiden stares at the pink flowers swaying in the wind, slowly picking themselves apart as their petals flutter to the ground and occasionally littering itself on Raiden. The thunder wielder practices his breathing exercises in an attempt to calm himself. Breathe in, count to 10, breathe out, and repeat. Raiden closes his eyes, honing his senses to the serene environment around him, and before he knew it, the weariness ebbs away. But the bones of the anxious beast were left behind.

Raiden opens his eyes and lets out a long exhale through his nose, looking out to the mountainous horizon before him.

He was appointed as Earthrealms champion a few days ago. Raiden thought he was anxious about this whole Mortal Kombat ordeal. Learning about the various realms, the essential players of said respected realms, and the shared history that strung these worlds together, Raiden remembers being overwhelmed by such knowledge. But those feelings before paled in comparison to the mighty responsibility that was now bestowed upon him. He's expected to represent Earthrealm and to fight for its protection. This isn't a situation like the friendly sparring moments he and Kung Lao shared in an attempt to impress their elderly teacher or to settle a childish conflict. Billions of lives were at stake should he fail. Billions who will never know the impact of his position but will suffer for it regardless if he were to lose this tournament.

And as much as Raiden tried to convince himself that possible war wasn't going to become an immediate instance, the fear still struck his heart. What will happen to Fengjian should it get invaded? What of his family? How would he protect them should Outworld choose to push further conflict with Earthrealm? Would Earthrealm even stand a chance against a nation that's grounded in mysticism and bizarre technology? Would such a war even last long enough for it to matter?

All of these variables that could happen, all because of a hypothetical scenario, should Raiden fail in his position. Not a day goes by where Raiden contemplates giving his title as the Champion of Earthrealm to someone else, someone who is worthier of the position than a simple farm boy. Doubts of his capabilities bubbled to the surface since he defeated the other Earthrealm candidates. Was he truly that skilled in his craft, or was it dumb luck that he was able to beat a Hollywood star, a yakuza, and his childhood best friend? Before that moment, he always, ALWAYS, fell short behind Kung Lao. He was stronger, faster; he was everything that inspired Raiden. Yet, in the moment where he should've lost, he won. Perhaps it was pure adrenaline that pushed him to reach higher than Kung Lao. Then again, this position was not something he was desiring after.

It was always the same thought, "I'll ask Lord Liu Kang to reconsider my position as Earthrealm's Champion. There must be someone better equipped for this." And every time Raiden thinks he's going to speak up, to express his concerns and desire to not have this weight on his shoulder, he can't help but sew his mouth shut.

As much as this responsibility scares him, it also strengthens him. Raiden knows the burden of duty, even if it isn't as dramatic as the situation he was placed in. His dedication to his village, his job, his family, all of this he carried on his shoulders with no complaint, and he was ready to become its protector and provider. Should Lord Liu Kang never approached him with the offer to become Earthrealms guardians, Raiden would've spent his entire life in Fengjian, content that he was making a difference there, even if he was small and "insignificant."

Becoming a Champion of Earthrealm was no different. There were moments when Raiden soothed himself by bringing his focus not on Earthrealm as a whole but on Fengjian. When he forced his mind to contemplate only on Fengjian, the people he knew there, the family that lived there, and the memories he made there, then his position was no longer about being a defender to untold billions. It was about helping his village thrive, keeping his family safe, and becoming the shining example of an Earthrealmer to those who would doubt the realm's capability to protect itself.

"Raiden! There you are!"

The thunder wielder jumps out of his skin as Kung Lao calls out to his friend, accompanied by Johnny and Kenshi.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I would ever see the day that YOU, of all people, would be attempting to skip on his lessons," Kung Lao cooingly jests as he places his hands on his hips, cocky smile plastered on his face. "What, Earthrealms Champion is now above sitting in Lord Liu Kangs lectures?"

Raiden didn't realize that he was outside for that long, a bashful shade of red creeping up on his face. "No, no, it's not what-I...I just needed some air."

[dystopiandramaqueen]

Midnight Whispers

Nick x June fanfic

Chapter 1:

June was bathing Holly when she got the call. Her cellphone buzzed against the tile floor of the bathroom. June's hands were covered in baby shampoo, her fingers lathering Holly's dark curls as she turned to look.

Her eyes widened when she saw Tuello's name on her lock-screen.

Tuello had gotten her safely to the west coast, proving he wasn't useless after all. June checked in once a month, begging him to call if he heard anything from Nick, anything at all. 

"Just a second, sweetie, Mommy's gotta take this." She whispered, rinsing her hands in the warm bath water and patting them dry on her jeans. 

June picked up on the third ring, her stomach knotted in a mix of anxiety and hope. She barely dared to breathe as she accepted the call, holding the phone to her ear. "Is he ok?"

Tuello laughed softly under his breath. "He is."

June held the phone with her left cheek while she lifted Holly out of the bath onto her hip, reaching for a towel to wrap around her. It was impossible to keep the impatience out of her voice. "Well, did he contact you, or..."

Tuello went into business mode, telling June everything he knew, which wasn't much. Nick had disappeared, off Gilead's radar. It was radio silence for weeks. Long enough for the man hunt to calm down. Tuello shared that Nick did reach out, earlier this week, from a new number. Nick didn't share any more than he had to. No location, no plans. He just asked Tuello to tell June he was safe. 

A wrinkle appeared between June's eyebrows. "That's it?"

Tuello nodded. "I'm sorry I don't have more to tell you. In cases like these, no news is often the best news." 

June nodded, shivering a little. You mean if he was on the wall, we'd know. Jesus Christ. 

She thanked him for the information and hung up. She swallowed the lump in her throat, returning her attention to Holly. "Daddy's ok."

Holly wasn't worried. She sucked her thumb, her cheek pressed to June's chest.

June had to struggle to keep her eyes focused. He's ok. Or at least...he was ok a few days ago. Fuck. 

June had compartmentalized her loneliness the past 6 months, locking it away in a tiny box and burying it deep. She lived and breathed for Holly. 

Tuello's refugee relocation program afforded her a small apartment and a stipend that was more than enough for groceries. June was used to living with nothing. All she needed was her daughter. 

But now, after Tuello's call, June couldn't put Nick out of her mind. Where was he? Was he ok? Had they found him? She shuddered to think what would they do to a Commander who went AWOL.

June got Holly into her flannel footed pajamas, brushed her two pearly teeth, but was unable to lay her down. Holly didn't mind. She snuggled closer, snoring happily on June's chest. 

June tried counting her breaths. She tried focusing on the tiny heartbeat next to her own. But none of the grounding techniques worked. 

All she could think of was him. 

-------------------------

Hours later, June sat up in a cold sweat. 

Holly stirred a little, popping her thumb into her mouth and sucking softly. 

June stroked the soft brown curls on her daughter's head, thankful that Holly was a deep sleeper. Kid could sleep through a hurricane. 

June stood up, gently transferring Holly to her toddler bed. 

Holly flipped onto her tummy, snoring contentedly as June adjusted her purple fleece blanket. June crept out of the room quietly, stooping to pick up a few loose toys on her way out. She pulled the bedroom door shut. 

Knock-Knock-Knock

June froze. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. 11:11 pm. 

Her eyebrows cinched together as she made her way to the kitchen, pulling a butcher's knife from the block. She approached the door, wishing she had a peep hole. Her heart was thundering in her chest. She listened for a long moment, until whoever-it-was knocked again, tentatively. 

Knock-Knock

It didn't sound like Police, or Eyes. It was too soft for that. Like if she didn't open, whoever it was would leave her in peace and never return. Something in her body screamed at her to open the door.

June reached for the door handle with her left hand, the knife gripped firmly in her right. 

What she saw through the opening took her breath away. She'd dreamed this moment so many times before, but she needed it to be real this time.

It was him, Nick Blaine, at her door. 

He was thinner than she remembered. Pale, with dark shadows under eyes heavy with exhaustion. But even worn as he was, his face softened the moment their eyes met. She read so much in his expression. He didn't know if it was ok that he was here. He hadn't wanted to risk her safety by calling. He hoped this was ok. He'd leave if it wasn't.

June's hands shook as she unlocked the security chain between them. She prayed silently in her head. Please be real. Please be real. 

As soon as she had the door open, Nick's eyes widened when he saw the knife in her hand. After a silent beat, they both smiled, letting the tension melt away. June was always a few seconds away from killing him. It felt totally in character, like when he showed up unannounced at the Globe. "Oh God. Sorry. Let me..."

June told him to come in, and returned the knife to the kitchen. Nick closed and locked the door behind him, standing awkwardly in the entryway. June rushed back, but slowed to a stop a few feet away, not wanting to overwhelm him. 

Nick fidgeted with his ring finger, which June noticed was conspicuously naked.

June searched for a new beginning. A place to start. She noticed the snow on his black jacket and held out her hands. "Let me hang this up for you."

Nick smirked, also not surprised that June was already trying to get him out of his clothes. He shrugged out of his coat, handing it over obediently, glad to be given some direction. 

June hung his coat up, still finding herself lost for words.  

Nick seemed to sense her distress, stepping closer and placing his hands gently on her arms. The fine hairs on June's skin stood at his touch, reaching for him like she wanted to. 

Nick's mouth fell open, but he closed it again. He was just as lost as she was. 

And then they realized, they weren't lost at all. 

They were home. 

Nick moved first, caressing June's cheek with the tips of his fingers. June's mouth fell open as the breath left her body. His touch felt good. So good. She'd forgotten the sparks in his fingertips. 

Nick cupped her cheeks with both hands, leaning in to kiss her softly. 

Hot tears burned June's eyelids as she melted into his kiss. Nick stood perfectly still, kissing June deeper with each touch of their lips. His hands tangled in her hair, and she felt it then. How hard he was holding himself back. 

A switch flipped. THE switch. The same one that drove her to his apartment that first night, and the one that drove her hand into his pants at the Globe. 

June stepped back, her dark, lidded eyes locking on Nick's. Taking in the beauty of his kiss-swollen lips.

She took Nick's hand, leading him to the bedroom. 

[whump-town]

Strip Him Down

Word Count: 1600

It feels like I haven't written anything in years. It's short and there's hardly anything but I guess I've gotta get back in the swing of things somehow.

-- Hotch + lake + poor Morgan doing all the work

Hotch falls to his knees, letting out wretched, deep gags as water from the frozen harbor exits his stomach. Dirty, icy water drips off of him – currents trailing from his hair down his neck and face, dripping off the tip of his nose. Wet clothing logged and heavy, pressing down on his back. Every inch of his body is cold, tingling with growing numbness. The cold mud and dead grass underneath the palms of Hotch’s hands spin and he watches it as if second-hand, removed from this situation with a flighty, floating detachment. Again his stomach curls and despite feeling it, Hotch can do nothing but remain as he is, on his hands and knees on a muddy embankment, with the water lapping over his legs. Audibly, Hotch gasps at a cut-off breath, making a wet, hurt sound as more water is purged from his body. 

His arms begin to burn, shaking underneath him, and his brain lagging behind the present moment, Hotch realizes, only as he falls, that he’s fallen over. The ground is cold and hard, the impact jarring but nothing more than a deep echo coursing through him, ebbing into the numbness overtaking him. Hotch lays in the mud, chest a tight pain and limbs frozen in vain, trying to scrunch up and preserve his heat by becoming smaller. He shivers and gasps for breaths, foggily watching the sky. The sun’s coming up, lighting the sky a pleasant soft blue. 

Hotch stops shivering and he lays with vacant, fluttering eyes watching the sun slowly crawl upward. 

Absently, floating further from himself, Hotch realizes time is slipping away. Warm, gooey time, like putty, the sun. “Got a ‘pointment,” Hotch whispers deliriously to himself, cracking a smile. He forces himself upright, guided aimlessly to move, and stumbles forward until he crashes into a tree he hadn’t seen, holding onto it with burning, hurting hands. Up his legs shoot daggers of pain and he stands for a moment, too disoriented to move. 

One foot-dragging in front of the next, Hotch walks hunched over, arms drawn up but hands uselessly hanging. “Milkshake…” he mumbles, stepping through the slush of wet snow. “Going to the…” he stops, trembling but no longer shivering, as he stands for a moment looking absently at a sudden sharp rise in the embarkment. 

Aimlessly, Hotch turns, mumbling intangibly, even to his own ears. His feet keep moving forward but stiffly, his gate stutters and Hotch trips over himself, falling back into the mud. His face smacks the ground and his vision fades in and out in pulses, webs of pain spreading out over his temple. On the other side of the water is a house, with warm lights on, and smoke bellowing out from the chimney. Blinking heavily, Hotch stretches his arm out, fingers dipping into the waves rocking gently to shore, towards the house. 

“Hotch!”

Morgan comes trampling through the trees, what little wildlife Hotch hadn’t scared away scatters quickly now from the thundering pound of his feet. The ground changes from the wet underbrush of snow-covered layered leaves in various states of melting and freezing to slick mud, leaving no traction beneath Morgan’s feet as he approaches the water and he slides to a stop, “Hotch!” His bellow echoes over the water, puffing with a plume in the frosty air. 

A faint, soft sound, hardly audible comes from his left, and although covered in mud, Morgan immediately sees him. “Hotch!” He slips and his arms spin, but Morgan doesn’t slow down in his approach. Icy ground biting into his knees, knees sinking into the mud, Morgan leans over and scoops up Hotch’s shoulders, careful with his head. “Aaron?” he gasps, pressing his hand to Hotch’s face and finding his skin pale, his lips blue. The sudden dry heat against his cheek causes Hotch to moan, turning his head away. But Morgan pats his face again, irritably, Hotch peels his eyes open. “You have to get up, the car is up there.” 

Things like this never happen with any sort of warning – then again, Hotch is the sort to jump at only the most sporadic opportunities to try and get himself killed. 

Just behind them, Morgan had watched as the Unsub ran to the dock, taking one glance over his shoulder and jumping head-first into the water. Hotch hadn’t bothered to look back, he’d followed immediately after. Out of the water, Morgan could only see both their floating heads. Immediately, Morgan had stripped out of his coat, tossing electronics onto the dock and waiting for any sign to follow after them.

One head disappears beneath the water– 

“Hotch!” 

The floating head turns and begins swimming quickly away. 

The frozen, murky water had stung Morgan’s eyes but he never stopped to think about it. With Hotch’s heavyweight in his arms, Morgan struggled to keep both their heads up above the water. Pulling Hotch by the straps of his vest the last few feet, he’s so exhausted he releases Hotch to the same hard ground that he falls onto. The slap to Hotch’s back, the wet but unforgiving ground knocks loose the pressure sitting tight and unmoving in Hotch’s lungs. Panting from the exertion, Morgan pushes himself back upright, stiff fingers missing and then grabbing (stinging) as he pulls Hotch’s vest, forcing Hotch upright more and he chokes and gags up a mouthful of water. “Stay here,” Morgan instructed, and he left Hotch right there on the bank. 

Stay is an easier instruction to follow than walk. Hotch’s legs tremble as they walk, his cold, heavy arm over Morgan’s shoulder sending a new current of murky water drooling off of Hotch and down Morgan’s back. “Just keep walking,” Morgan puffs. He’s shivering, physically shaking but Hotch isn’t. Each of his limbs seems to have taken on thirty additional pounds of weight, he steps as though moving large tree trunks. Hotch’s leg crisscross back and forth in front of each other, he wouldn’t move in the correct direction on his own. He moves forward because Morgan keeps a tight hold on him, correcting his crossing steps.

“I have to get you out of these clothes.”

Hotch groans and looks around them, “wh– wh’r ‘r we?” 

“Huh?” Morgan pays him only half a mind, not able to make out Hotch’s gibberish and more concerned with pressing matters. Hotch is in no shape to dish out orders and certainly not in a place right now to be making demands or being too stubborn to accept help. Not with the way Morgan has had to drag his big sorry ass out of a frozen lake and then also up a damn hill. But – Hotch is just looking at him. He’s sitting in the car, on the edge of the seat right where Morgan put him, waxing and waning out of needing to be held up by Morgan’s hand and over-tensing his abdomen to prop and sway himself semi-upright. 

Hotch is blankly staring at the interior of the car – getting blasted by dry, intense heat that feels like it’s slowly burning through him. The heat stings. Morgan’s stepped away, he hasn’t realized it, hasn’t thought about how or why he’s gotten here. The clattering sound of things being dropped doesn’t make him flinch, he hears it through the filter of white noise rattling around in his head. Then there's heat – intense heat on his neck, more sliding down his back, pulling and moving his arms. It all hurts. 

“Your clothes have to come off,” Morgan grumbles, “stop fighting me.” His voice is sharp and clear through the muddle in Hotch’s head. Hotch sags back against the seat and Morgan grunts out a thanks. Buttons fly as Morgan rips his dress shirt open but the wet shirt requires even more struggling. “Sorry,” Morgan says, bending Hotch’s arm awkwardly and getting a pained grunt in response. As Morgan moves to pull Hotch’s undershirt off, Hotch tries to sit up, his cold fingers collecting and fumbling in Morgan’s way at pulling at the hemm. 

“I ca–can do it-t.” 

Morgan lets him and silently, as the wet material sticks right to him like glue, he tugs the material away from Hotch’s face, and over his head when his arms start to shake. And Hotch’s numb fingers try and push his dress slacks open. 

“Can I do it?” Morgan asks impatiently and Hotch angrily grunts, throwing himself back and letting his arms slack to the side. He’s shaking again — shivering, teeth making a horrible chattering sound that Hotch doesn't realize is coming from him. Morgan pulls Hotch’s slacks from down under his hips and Hotch wants to fight but he can’t move his legs. Morgan moves Hotch’s stiff body around, and sighs, “ugh – small miracles, thank you black boxers.” Morgan wastes no time throwing the soaked pants to the ground and begins to pull at his own coat, working his arms out of it. Hotch groans as Morgan grabs his hand where it’s fallen to his lap, pulling it through the arm of Morgan’s coat but he doesn’t fit as the other arm is guided through. 

It’s a second thought, Morgan straightens and he’s going to shut the door, and he thinks twice. At first, Morgan wants to push on, forget Hotch’s seatbelt, and get them the hell out of here, but – No, no because reckless Hotch plus cars always mean an accident. As Morgan leans over Hotch they make eye contact and Morgan can see the depth, he can tell that even blearily, if only barely Hotch is back there. Behind twitching blue lips and red-rimmed eyes. 

“Let’s get the fuck out of here.” 

[tellmealovestory]

Kiss Me - Chapter 3

Summary: 4 times you and Eddie kissed and it meant nothing and the 1 time you kissed and it meant everything.

Warnings: More awkwardness between them, brief mention of drug use, light drug use, tiny bit of angst if you squint really hard - I think that's everything for this one.

Masterlist

Fat raindrops slap against the side and roof of Eddie’s trailer offering you a permanent soundtrack to your activities. The day was meant to be for studying, but after five minutes you both gave up on that plan claiming neither of you could concentrate and you could always do it tomorrow. 

Instead you both opt to work on your own things while still hanging out together. Eddie alternates between learning a new song on his guitar and working on a new Dungeons and Dragons campaign he swears will blow the Hellfire Club out of the water and you doodle in notebooks while silently trying to figure out how to ask for his help.

A crack of thunder interrupts the quiet and you flinch at the unexpected loudness. Despite the startle you’ve always loved storms from the way the air smells like rain before and after to the unpredictability of what could happen. Storms have always been your own little lullaby and this should be the perfect soundtrack to help calm and lull you into sleep, but not even this is working.

Time seems to flow differently when it’s spent at Eddie’s and before you know it he’s glancing at his clock and swearing beneath his breath as time inches closer to having to say goodbye for the night. 

“Guess I should get you home before your parents ban you from seeing me,” he says lightly, intending for it to be a joke, but you both know there’s a dark truth lurking underneath his words.

You don’t say anything for a few seconds and when you feel his eyes boring into your skull you offer a shrug of your shoulders and continue doodling in your notebook that’s meant for homework. 

“Wow,” Eddie starts slowly, dragging out the syllables until he sees the tiniest of smiles crack on your face. “You really are turning into a rebel from hanging out with me if you’re not worried about missing your curfew. Gotta say I’m impressed.” 

You stick your tongue out at him childishly before beginning to pack your stuff up. He hunts around the mess he calls a room for the keys to his van and while he busies himself with that task you swallow the growing lump in your throat and search for the courage to ask him for what you want. 

“Hey, Eddie?” He hums in response, an acknowledgement that he heard as he continues to rummage through his jeans pocket where he swore he stuffed those stupid keys. “Can I um ask you for a favor?” 

At the timidness in your voice and the way you’re shifting your weight from foot to foot and refusing to meet his eyes he knows it must be important. You’re not one to ask for things so he gives up on finding his keys and sits on the edge of his bed. “Go for it,” he says, offering you his full attention.

It’s difficult to look at him or even in his general direction so you look everywhere else. Out the window watching how lightning fills the sky and the few trees in the trailer park sway from the rain and heavy wind. Around his room, the messy piles of clothes perched on the end of his bed to his guitar leaning up against his nightstand delicately, the one thing he takes care of more than anything else in here.

Your eyes slide over to that infamous black lunch box containing various drugs. You’ve gotten high with him a few times, but it was never really your thing and you’ve never once asked him for anything else. Until now. 

“Um… do you think… well I…” 

“Spit it out, princess,” he says lightly. He leans his palms back on the bed, eyes darting to your face where he catches you staring at the lunch box. Recognition dawns and he gives a slow nod, but still, he waits for you to say what you need. 

“It’s just…” you start before breaking off and scrunching your eyebrows together. 

Huffing a sigh you hate that the thought of asking for help or hell even talking about your feelings is this difficult. Logically, you know it shouldn’t be. He’s your best friend and you should just be able to ask him for help and he should give an answer. Easy peasy. But for whatever reason it’s so much easier when you’re both exchanging witty banter and coming up with new inside jokes than to talk about anything deeper than surface level.

Licking your lips you glance up at the ceiling and let it all out in one quick gust of air that makes it hard for Eddie to hear or even understand what you’re asking for. “With finals coming up I can’t sleep and so um I was wondering if you have something to help me with that? Please?”

When he doesn’t say anything after a few seconds you blurt, “I have money to pay you.” You cringe, but it’s important he knows you’d never not pay him for this when you know he relies on it as income.

He stays silent for another beat and cocks his head to the side. The rain picks up, slapping against the trailer with more venom and you think about taking the words back, telling him it doesn’t matter, but at the same time you need this. Even if it only allows you to sleep for an hour it’s better than nothing. 

“Please?” You hate the way your voice cracks. “I never ask you for anything, Eddie.” You also hate how you’re guilting him into helping you when you don’t mean to. Rubbing your eyes you’re about to give up on this, but the bed creaks as he stands up and your heart pounds against your chest as you wait for his answer. 

“Yeah, yeah I think I might have something for you,” he murmurs softly, bobbing his head. “You uh wanna talk about what’s going on?” 

Scoffing, you scrunch your nose up and give a quick shake of your head no to that idea. You bite down on your tongue so you don’t get snarky and ask him why he thinks you’d want to talk about this now when you rarely talk about things you’re going through.

Staying silent you instead focus on how he said yes. Letting go of a breath you hadn’t known you’d been holding you release some of the tension in your shoulders before digging in your back pockets for the cash you brought. You hand him a wad of bills unsure how much he charges for something like this while thanking him again and again. 

He counts the money, handing you back a few bills which you slip back into your pocket.

“Wait here.” He takes a few steps toward his bedroom door, but before he can leave you’re stopping him with a soft wait. He pauses and turns back to face you. Another crack of thunder rattles the trailer, but this time you don’t jump, this time your attention is solely focused on him.

“Thank you.” 

“You keep thanking me and I’m gonna start charging you for that too,” he teases, earning a soft smile from you. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.” He rubs the back of his neck and cocks his head to the side when you continue to stare at him. 

You want to contradict him about this not meaning anything, but instead of starting an argument you’d only wind up losing you do something else. Walking towards him until your chests are nearly touching you cup his cheek and press your lips to his. The kiss is quick, bordering on chaste, but when you pull back and step away you notice how he’s staring at your mouth. 

The tension grows thick like humidity during summer before Eddie goes back to rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh, stay here. I’ll be back in a few seconds.”

You want to ask him where he thinks you’re going to disappear to, but you figure maybe just this once you should keep your sarcasm to yourself. 

Instead of heading towards his lunch box where you know he keeps most of his stash he heads into the small kitchen, opening and slamming drawers looking for what you need. He returns a few seconds later with a glass of water and a pill in his open palm. When he extends both to you you don’t hesitate, don’t ask what you’re taking either. Taking a sip of water you gingerly pick up the pill and toss it into your mouth before taking another sip to wash it down. 

Silence stretches on and you aren’t sure if you should thank him again or grab your stuff for him to take you home. Eddie glances around his room and clears his throat before saying hesitantly, “You uh can stay here if you want. Less you think your parents would kill me.” 

“They’re gone for the weekend.” You’re relieved that you don’t have to leave the comfort of his trailer and be alone while whatever you took works its way through your system. But the feeling of calm doesn’t last for long because you’re soon left wondering where you’re both supposed to sleep. 

There’s only one bed. 

Sure, there’s a couch in the living room, but you’ve spent enough time sitting on it while watching television to know it’s not comfortable for extended periods of time.

On the same wavelength as you he thinks similar thoughts as his gaze swings to his bed, to you, the floor and then out into the short hallway before looking back at you. Sweeping his hand out he gestures to the bed like the true gentleman he is, bows at the waist and says, “All yours, princess.”

Hesitantly you climb into his bed, laying on your back you scoot as close to the wall as you can get while noting that his sheets smell like him. Resting your head on his lumpy pillow your gaze swings back over to him, standing stiff in the middle of the floor watching you.

“Will you stay with me?” you ask softly, glancing up at him through your lashes. You hate asking him for another favor in the span of only a few minutes, especially one that makes you sound needy and vulnerable. 

He doesn’t see it that way because he toes his boots off, kicking them into a pile of what you can’t be sure are clean clothes before he stretches his arms above his head, his shirt rides up a little and you try not to stare at the sliver of exposed skin. 

“It’s my humble abode, where else would I stay?” he jokes, grinning at you until you giggle. 

“No, dork,” you start, yawning into your hand. “I meant here. With me. Like in the same bed.” You cringe again at how awkward you sound, but Eddie doesn’t comment on it and you appreciate that.

“You sure? You don’t snore or drool do you? Cause ya know I like this shirt and don’t want it to get gross.” Again, with that grin that sets your heart racing and your palms sweating.

You giggle and shake your head no and he takes it as confirmation that all of this is okay. He slides in next to you and the bed dips beneath his weight. His body mirrors yours, both of you on your backs, limbs stiff, staring up at the ceiling almost trying too hard to give one another enough space for fear that if you touch you’ll both combust into dust. The storm rages outside and you both breathe each other in.

“This as weird for you as it is for me?” Eddie teases, turning his head to the side to catch a glimpse of you. You smile and nod your head before murmuring a soft yeah. 

You don’t understand why it’s so weird. You’re both adults, both friends used to sharing small spaces together, but somehow being alone in his room, in his bed makes it all feel a little more intimate than either of you are used to.

Restless and not used to sleeping on your back you shift around, murmuring soft apologies anytime your fingers or legs brush up against his. Trying to make yourself as small as possible it’s not working and just as you’re about to suggest maybe he should take you home he speaks up. 

“You can uh come a little closer if you want. I don’t have cooties if that’s what you’re worried about. And I uh promise to keep my hands to myself. Less you still don’t want me to of course. I aim to please. Whatever the lady wants she gets.” 

Biting down on your lower lip to hold back your giggle you refuse to give him the satisfaction that his immature humor is actually kind of funny to you. You glance over at him and with the lights still on you can make out his features like the way his lips are curved into a playful smile, how his curls are spread out against his lumpy pillow and how his eyes bright and shining with humor and something more despite the late hour and the awkwardness that’s played out for the past few minutes.

Rolling onto your side you sigh, it feels better than laying on your back, but it’s still not right and you feel like Goldilocks, but refuse to ask for another favor. 

“Are you sure about the cooties? Because I’ve heard they’re highly contagious,” you tease with a wrinkle of your nose before hesitantly moving closer still.

The large gap of space is closing as your legs rest against his and it feels okay, neither of you have burst into dust yet so you grow a little more confident and curl yourself into his side, resting your head on his chest listening to the calming sounds of his heart beating a rhythm into your ear.

Subtly inhaling the smoky scent that has imbedded itself into his clothes you murmur a soft, “this okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Eddie mumbles, swallowing thickly before also growing into his confidence. He’s not used to sharing his bed, not used to having someone willingly want to get as close to him as possible. “It’s good. You’re good.” 

Hesitantly, he rests his arm over your shoulder, pulling you in closer as his calloused fingertips skim up and down your arm making your skin break out into goosebumps.

You sigh in content, snuggling even closer and unlike you did seconds ago he doesn’t have to ask if this is okay because he can already tell it is by the way your breathing has slowed and you let out soft little sighs and continue to snuggle impossibly closer to him. 

A soft smile appears on his face and the previous weirdness you both encountered earlier has all but evaporated as his fingers move from stroking your arm to rubbing gentle circles along your lower back. His lips press a soft kiss to your forehead.

The pill he gave you begins to kick in, you think. Your muscles begin to relax, the edges of your vision start to blur making everything a little unfocused, a little fuzzy, but also somehow nice and as your breathing starts to slow and sleep calls your name your last coherent thought is of how nice it feels to be wrapped in Eddie’s embrace.

Tags;

@gaysludge

@eddiesguitarskills

@michaelfuckinglangdon

[m-tribs]

@farina-bancroft

Oxford had lost track of the cannons and the fireworks. He had lost track of the faces in the sky and of the locations in the park. He had lost track of the last time he had eaten, of the last time he had water, and - most of all - the number of Tributes he had killed with the machete still clenched tight in his fist.

His leg was in rough shape. His foot had gone numb from the lack of shoes, or the snake's attack, or from something different altogether. He could feel the numbness working its way up his leg, but for now, it was still functional. And that was all he needed - to keep moving forward.

Sparks were flying through the air, briefly illuminating the otherwise dark night. Lamps flashed on and off, fires were building. And all Ox could do was move forward. A figure appeared ahead of him. He slowly raised his machete, but then he clocked who it was. "FARINA!" He roared, dropping the blade to his side and rushing forward.

"Farina, we have to move! The fire is -- the fire --" He indicated behind him, where hazards abounded. He pointed forward over her shoulder, where a roller coaster thundered along. "We gotta get to the queue!" An inclined ramp led up towards the coaster, where the flames wouldn't be able to reach them.

[insane4fandoms]

Well, the latest comic took quite a left turn (as did Jack’s cab, lol). Excellent work as always! I can already tell that the next snippet will take longer than the others. But don’t worry, I’ll try not to make you wait too long!

Also, just as a little teaser: I realize that Caliban may SEEM calm in a lot of my stories about him, but then, I guess I just haven’t really shown him in action aside from casual body-disposal stuff just yet. Trust me, he’s got plenty of unhinged energy; he just tends to hide it in certain scenarios. 

But now that I’m ready to write again? 

Ohohohohohoho, he’s gonna give Mad a run for his money… 😈

(Plus, Cal’s expression in the fourth panel is GOLD. Perfect mixture of disbelief and “Welp.” Bro just wasn’t ready to have his thunder stolen quite like that. 😂) 

Don’t worry, I got a hint that Caliban was very much as unhinged as Madpat, maybe even more 😭 bro would run after you on foot while you’re in your car terminator style 🏃🏽

I’m excited that every side plot will connect together, everyone will meet up with one another (Caliban of course will remain hidden)

Just to give a reminder: Jack legit has his shotgun in his cab he will pop a head off (as in character with Cory with his iconic “now I gotta pull up, everyone dyin’” line) not that it’ll need to be a head of course.

I can’t wait for your snippet, makes me day better :D (If Caliban slams Madpat’s face into the ground I’ll audibly cheer but you write whatever you wish to write lmao)

[illumisplumpcherry]

No Power

cont: yandere themes; stalking; mentions of violence; choking; pregnancy; polyamory; fwb; forced affection; drugging; blood; a sprinkle of nswf 18+ mdni!!

I wrote this short story for a friend of mine who wanted some elements of horror. I was to also include a specific set of idols that she requested. She wanted a surprise reveal at the end.

groups: sf9 ▪︎ ateez ▪︎ x1

The slight drizzle of rain during the afternoon paved the way for a thunderous stormy night. The power had just gone off in Seungyoun’s apartment. Accustomed to this reoccurring inconvenience, he lights a couple of candles and grabs his fm radio. What better way to pass the time than browsing through a variety of radio stations? He was old-fashioned.

Part of him wanted to see if his neighbors upstairs were okay. One of them was his best friend; a pregnant woman nearing her third trimester. The other woman was his ex-girlfriend. Despite the end of their six month relationship, they still remained pretty close. It was as if nothing happened. At least that's how she seems to view it.

Seungyoun walks up to the sliding door that leads to his balcony. He abruptly opens it. The harsh raindrops hitting against the surface was calming to his hectic mind. He steps one foot out the door, debating on whether to surrender to the rain or remain dry and warm. The decision was hard for him. If he went out in the rain, that would remind him of the time he spent with his ex. She loved the rain. He loved her.

His phone vibrates repeatedly on the small coffee table that he just had his feet resting on. Not to his surprise, it's his ex.

"Is Arabella okay? Does she need anything?" he frantically inquires.

"She's fine. She enjoys thunderstorms, remember?" the woman reminded.

"But does the baby like it?"

She can't help but laugh at his adorable sense of humor. Most people often found it lame, but it brought her joy.

"The baby likes it for sure. Are you okay down there? Wanna come up for a while? We finally invested in one of those small generators....not completely sure if it's allowed in our building but oh well. It's keeping our heater on." She insisted.

He was more than ready to accept the offer but he felt that he wouldn't be great company. He wasn't in the best mental state recently. There were days that he couldn't even remember if he went to work or not. If he had eaten or taken his medication. Just strange gaps in his memory. And on the days he missed her, he'd have to avoid anything that reminded him of their relationship. Sure it was only six months. But that was the happiest he ever was. It's going to take him a long time to come to terms with not being viewed in a romantic light anymore.

"You know... I think I'm just going to stick it out down here..." he hesitates

"Oh come on. Don't isolate yourself."

"Don't worry I'll be fine. Just make sure to call me if you need anything. Okay?" He emphasized.

"Of course," she says in a disappointed tone.

"Sunhee."

"Yeah?"

"Don't let him in tonight..."

"I gotta go, Arabella needs me to massage her back. It's inflamed..."

As expected, the conversation ends awkwardly. Like always. Seungyoun gets the bright idea of distracting himself. He started toying with the dial on his radio. For a moment he listened to the news station talking about thunderstorms warnings. We know already. He hears faint jazz music but can't seem to locate the right frequency. His brief annoyance was cut off by remembering that Sunhee liked jazz. Onto the next station then.

Seungyoun felt like he was going crazy because he started to hear her voice on the radio. Before he decided to turn it off he heard a more clear expression.

"Why is he being like this?" Sunhee lamented.

Seungyoun's eyes widened in shock and slight excitement. He looks back on the conversation he and Arabella had the previous week about her ordering baby monitors for the nursery. They must've come. He smiled to himself.

"Girl. He's fine, he just needs a little time to get himself together" Arabella assured.

He undoubtedly thought they were conversing about him. Who else could they be talking about?

"Do you think he'll show up again tonight? I don't know if I'll be able to ignore him this time" Sunhee pressed.

He frowned at the thought of Sunhee worrying about another guy. Especially the guy he just told her not to let it. But Sunhee did promise that she would distance herself from him. So he trusted that she would keep her word no matter how much pity she felt towards him. Arabella was also there to keep her grounded. The frequency became distorted as the sky roared with thunder. That was his cue anyways. He was starting to feel a twinge of guilt from eavesdropping.

~

The man struggled to put his key in the apartment door. His hands were shaking uncontrollably. The jingle from his keys became more rapid. He didn't know the passcode to the keypad but thankfully he had another way of entry. Frantically looking over his shoulders, he forces the key in and pushes himself into the apartment. Water gushed from his boots as he took them off. He's soaked. He knew he would have to stand there until someone greeted him. He needed permission to actually walk through.

"Chani?" Bella gave him a perplexed look. It wasn't uncommon for him to just show up considering the fact that he has a key. But why was he out so late in the middle of the a storm."What are you doing here? What's going on? Is your power out too?"

"Umm yeah... Is it okay if I go to the bathroom?" He nervously asked.

Arabella looked him up and down. He was paler than normal. His normally bright eyes were red and puffy. The sparkle was gone. From the looks of it, he seemed frightened.

"Sure love, come on in." Sunhee monotoned as she walked around the corner.

"Thanks darling" he hurried down the hall.

"What is up with him? Did you invite him over? Like of course I don't mind. But he's kinda scaring me with those freaked out expressions on his face" Sunhee frets.

Before Arabella can respond, there's a light knock at the door. Since the power is out they can't use their outside camera to see who it is. And no peepholes exist in this apartment complex. They would've been extremely helpful though. Since the whole vibe shifted when Chani arrived, the women were quite nervous. Almost afraid.

"Uh...I'll get it," Sunhee hesitates.

"Nope. Ion trust it. Let's wait for Chani to come out" Bella cautioned.

"I'm here, what's wrong?" Chani asked, walking towards them. He's completely dry and changed into new clothes. That was fast. He sets the bag he brought with him near the door. Arabella noticed a small red stain on his previous shirt that's sticking out of the bag. It resembled blood. Why would Chani have blood on him? That doesn't even make sense. He jammed the shirt into the bag and zipped it tightly. The light knocking persists.

"WHO IS IT" he hollered, voice deeper than normal.

The girls jump at the sudden raise in his voice. He was definitely on edge.

"Dude, open up" said a familiar voice on the other side of the door.

He rolled his eyes and reluctantly unlocked the door. Two tall men invite themselves into the apartment.

"How's my beautiful baby mama doin?" Asked the first man walking in.

Arabella quickly pulled him into a hug. The excitement of seeing the father of her child never got old.

"Jaeyoon, what are you doing here? Y'all came out in the middle of a storm to visit us?" Bella asked, while laying her head on his chest.

"I was worried. So if it's okay with y'all, we'll be spending the night" he decided. It's was as simple as that. So let him say it, so let it be done.

He lovingly rubs Arabella's bump and plants a small kiss on her forehead. She wanted more but decided to wait until they got into her room. The other man that tagged along didn't seem to care enough to hide his desires.

He walked up to Sunhee and forcefully grabbed her waist, pulling her in for a deep kiss while placing his big hand on her bottom. He roughly smacked it, prompting her to open her mouth more. He wanted to be all up in.

"Hwiyoung don't eat her face off...my goodness" Chani groans.

He pulls away leaving her breathless. This man wasn't even her man for real. Yet. But he didn't care. He did what he wanted. When he wanted to. Nice guy though.

"I need a moment..." Sunhee whispers

He grabbed her arm before she walked away. He yanked her towards the couch. He sat down and patted the empty space next to him.

"Oh no you don't. You're not getting away from me that easily. Sit down. Let's spend time together." He grinned.

Sunhee complied and did as he said. He put his arm around her and leaned closer to her ear. He started whispering some unmentionable things to her. When she tried to pull away from embarrassment he just snatched her back. Hwiyoung wanted her to know what he had planned for her. Every. Single. Detail.

As Arabella watched with curiosity, Chani harshly pulled Jaeyoon into the kitchen. The warm and cheery expression plastered on Jaeyoon's face disappeared. Chani grabbed both of his shoulders. He was tense as well. Chani spotted droplets of blood near the back of Jaeyoon’s neck. Thankfully he hasn’t taken his jacket off yet. And thankfully Arabella was too short to see. Chani quietly dragged him to the bathroom. He peeked around the corner to see the girls chatting it up with Hwiyoung. He seemed completely unbothered by the events that took place just before they arrived. He was spotless too. Chani sighed. Why was Hwiyoung so calm? Once in the bathroom he aggressively snatched Jaeyoon’s jacket off.

“Dude I can do it myself…” he whispered 

“Jae, is he alright? He’s not dead right?!? I knew we should’ve just ignored him.” Chani stressed. 

“I don’t know honestly. But he got what he deserved. He threatened to come here again but said he would get in this time. Did you think I was just gonna let him off that easily? Let him walk away after he told us thay he would stop at nothing to get what he wanted? Hell no.” Jaeyoon snapped.

“I know but… there was so much blood!!” 

“I need you to calm down. We’re in this together. If he ends up dying I’ll figure it out. My family has connections for everything. Chani. We did this for them. He's been stalking Sunhee for months. Who knows what he would've done if we didn't step in? Once you realize that, you’ll stop worrying.” he says, wiping the blood off of his neck. 

There was more blood on his arms and his hands were slightly bruised. The bathroom was well lit enough for him to thoroughly clean up. Although the power was out, Sunhee and Arabella’s apartment was adorned with many scented candles and fairy lights that were battery powered. So overall most of the apartment was well lit. 

“Hand me my other shirt.” Jaeyoon said while taking off his blood stained one. Chani almost gagged. He was filled with so much anxiety that he was nauseous. He walked out of the bathroom to give Jaeyoon some privacy. He was also fearful of how nonchalant his friends were being. He was truly getting sick.

“Chani come play uno baby boy” Arabella called out as she saw him walking into the kitchen. “And where’s Jaeyoon? Is he pooping?” she giggled.

“Yeah something like that…” he laughed.

He sat on the floor next to Sunhee. I guess she couldn’t handle being that close to Hwiyoung. Chani wanted to flirt with her too, but he was mentally challenged at the moment. Bless him. Arabella sat on the couch next to Hwiyoung. She was turned at an angle so he wouldn’t see her cards. He got them wandering eyes. 

For the most part, Chani began to feel a little better. Being distracted by his friends helped. Laying on Sunhee’s shoulder and sniffing her relaxed him as well. He hears Jaeyoon’s words again. For her. I did this for her. 

He pulls her closer and glances at Hwiyoung to see his reaction. He was too busy messing with Arabella. Chani took this as an opportunity to plant a small kiss on her neck. She squealed, playfully pushing him away.

Jaeyoon finally appeared and sat on the other side of Bella. For someone who supposedly just pooped he smells wonderful. But she knew that wasn't the case just as much as she knew that they were all hiding something. 

Chani needed some attention from Bella and Sunhee to put his mind at ease. He knew what they did was worth it, but he desperately needed reassurance to stop himself from going crazy. 

“Hey, can you guys show me the nursery again?” Chani blurted out.

Hwiyoung and Jaeyoon immediately glare at him. Just what was he up to? It was obvious that he wanted to talk to them alone. They trusted him, so they granted him that privilege and decided to stay in the living room while they took him back there. 

“You guys have lights in every room, it’s so pretty” he smiled. “I assume you guys share a room now”

The girl’s apartment was on the smaller side. Despite Jaeyoon's constant attempts of having them move in with him, they wanted to stay here. They only had two bedrooms, but needed to give one up for the nursery. They didn’t mind though. They were used to sharing everything. Including their men. 

“Baby boy...why are we really back here?” Arabella smirked as she closed the door.

“I think I know why” Sunhee purred as she pushed him against the wall.

Arabella stands on the side of them, gently caressing his soft hair. This is what he wanted. But why was he so nervous? Was it the guilt? His worrisome thoughts perished when Bella pressed her lips against his. Sunhee lifted his shirt a bit and rubbed her hand up and down his toned abs. They were so cute to her. She started with small kisses on his neck which quickly turned into biting. A deep moan escaped his mouth as he pulled Sunhee closer. Just when Arabella’s wandering hand finally found its way to his zipper, he winced in pain. The girls immediately broke away.

“What’s wrong!?” panicked Arabella

“Uh nothing…” he lied holding his side.

Arabella frowned and lifted his shirt all the way up to find a large bruise on the left side of his abdomen and near his ribcage. Sunhee was a nurse, so she knew a few of his ribs were broken. Her blood was boiling.

“WHO DID IT!! WHY ARE YOU HURT” she screamed.

They guys heard her yelling and ran back there. She was shaking Chani to get an answer out of him. Tears began to fill his eyes. He so desperately wanted to tell her. Arabella walks back and forth to calm down. She was enraged at the thought of someone hurting her Chani. Jaeyoon snatched Sunhee away from him and pulled her into a hug.

“ I need you to relax, okay? I don’t want you and Bella getting too worked up. Especially Bella” he insisted. 

“Nah Jae, who did it?? Y’all been acting real sus since yall got here” Sunhee snapped.

~

Meanwhile, Seungyoun was listening in on all of this. He told himself he wouldn’t be nosy but he knew that was a lie. The sound of Sunhee and Arabella’s moans mixed with another guy made him sick. He suppressed the rage he felt and  listened carefully to what was being said.

“If you must know what happened, we were at a bar and some jerk started a fight with him. Chani won of course, but not without getting bopped a couple times.” Hwiyoung lied.

“Why didn’t you take him to the hospital??” Arabella yelled, pushing him.

“We didn’t know he was hurt this bad. We asked him multiple times if he was okay and he said yes.” Jaeyoon explained.

Seungyoun wasn’t even there and he could tell they were lying. All men do is lie. Seungwoo did text him about a fight breaking out at the bar though. But the guys involved took it outside. Maybe they were at the same bar and telling the truth. Something was still off though. Seungwoo hadn’t met Chani and his friends yet. Maybe he’s seen a picture or two but he doubts he would recognize them. 

Seungyoun reaches for his phone to call Sunhee to see if everything is okay but it dies right after the first ring. Of course he forgot to charge the power bank. When he got up from his bed and walked into the living room he realized he never closed the sliding door. The floor wasn’t as wet as he thought it would be but he still needed a towel. He went to grab one from the bathroom and when he came back the door was closed and all his candles were blown out. There was some light coming in because one of the street lights was still on. So Seungyoun was able to see the wet boot prints on his hardwood floors. A wide smile crept upon his face.

~

Arabella was against the wall with a large hand wrapped around her neck. Jaeyoon idly stood to the side and watched. Hwiyoung’s seductive gaze had her quivering. She had gotten smart with him and that was unacceptable. She swore he was a different guy past midnight.

“Baby you can’t yell at daddy like that.”

“But Sunhee yelled at you too…” she breathed.

“Oh she did?” He turns around to find her standing behind Jaeyoon. She wrapped her arms around his waist. She had gotten a little nervous.

“I’ll deal with her later,” he smirked.

Hwiyoung let her go and motioned his head towards her room. She didn’t hesitate to start walking. Chani sneakily followed them and closed the door behind him. Sunhee pulled away from Jaeyoon and turned him around.

“You just gonna let them take your woman” she giggled

“She got smart with him, she’s gonna get what she deserved. You’re my woman too and I most definitely recall you going off on me as well my love” he cutely smiled. He was scary too. It be the nicest ones. He roughly grabbed her face.

“Chani will be okay, baby. Don’t question it anymore. He’s not that hurt considering the fact that he’s about to fuck Bella.” he said calmly, inching closer to her face.

Sunhee nodded as best as she could, his grip was so strong. Jaeyoon closed the door. They were still in the nursery but he didn’t seem to care. He bent her over one of the dressers. 

“It would make sense if we made another baby in here, right?” he said, grabbing a handful of her curls. He yanked her hair when she didn’t respond. Her moan was enough of a response. She liked being taken like this. It was her favorite position right now. She was on birth control, but the idea of being pregnant was appealing at the moment. Especially by him.

The two men in Seungyoun’s apartment sat in silence as they listened to everything happening to Sunhee through the monitor. They thoroughly enjoyed hearing her moans and whimpers right up until she said Jaeyoon’s name. One of the men threw the radio off of the balcony. That was the last straw. 

~ 

Sunhee laid next to Arabella, caressing her stomach. She cleaned her up after her more than passionate encounter with Hwiyoung and Chani. There was a permanent smile glued on her face. Even in her sleep. She was more than satisfied. They wore her out in the best way possible.

But sunhee could’t sleep. The storm only got worse. She too loved thunderstorms but this was getting scary. The men were in the living room sleeping on the couch and floor. She could hear Chani snoring from her room. She lets out a deep sigh as she tries to suppress her paranoia. It didn’t help when Chani suddenly stopped snoring. She shook her head and thought to herself that he’ll start snoring again shortly. It was something so simple but it worried her. Sunhee waited a couple minutes and finally decided to check on him. 

She slowly stepped out of the bedroom and was startled upon seeing that all of the lights and candles were out. Even in the bathroom and nursery. Why would they turn all the lights off? She looked back at Arabella sleeping peacefully in the bed and closed the door. At least the fairy lights in their room were still on. She walked into the living room to see the men knocked out. But something was unsettling about how still they were. She kneeled down next to Chani on the floor. Sunhee checked for a pulse on his neck. It was so like her to assume they were dead or something. She almost thought he was until she felt it. But it was slower than normal, even for someone that’s sleeping. She did the same to Jaeyoon and Hwiyoung and they too were like Chani. Sunhee concluded that they must’ve been drugged. It was a far fetched idea but that was the only reasonable explanation. It made even more sense when she noticed out of the corner of her eye that the front door was slightly opened. Her heart started racing. 

She frantically tried to shake them awake but to no avail. The thunder erupting made her scream. Sunhee saw a dark figure on her balcony. When lightning filled the sky she caught a glimpse of their face. She bolted towards her room and locked the door behind her. Her mouth was dry as she tried to swallow. She felt a lump in her throat as her breathing intensified. She searched for her phone in a panic and realized both her and Arabella’s phone was charging next to the generator in the living room that was bashed in. She quietly whines to herself. Arabella wakes up frantically to the sound of Sunhee crying.

“Honey? What’s wrong??” she whispered. Sunhee grabs both of her hands shakily. Arabella can feel her anxiety flaring up.

“He’s here...he got in somehow...and and and he drugged the guys. They’re alive but they won’t wake up. We need to get out of here” she sobbed.

“Our phones are in the living room though!! Look, I’m sure he won’t hurt us. He loves us” Arabella tries to convince herself.

“Dude, he’s changed though. I’ve been ignoring him for a while now, yet he shows up at least thrice a week banging on the door and sobbing, begging me to talk to him. The neighbors threaten him each time he does it too. Maybe he’s snapped”

“We can take him. I don’t want to hurt him but I will protect us” She says standing up.

“Bella, no sit down please..”

There’s a knock at the bedroom door and a familiar sob. The door knob turns back and forth as the man tries to get in.

“SUNHEE SUNHEE PLEASE LET ME IN. I LOVE YOU I MISS YOU LET ME IN” he cries. His voice is unsettling and distorted. She often hears those cries in her nightmares. He sobs as if he’s being tortured. It’s so disturbing. The banging on the door intensifies. Sunhee grabs Arabella and rushes to the closet. They keep a baseball bat there. The sky roared with persistent and immense thunder, making the entire apartment complex vibrate. The perfect weather to drown out any screams or pleas.

“Don’t let him in,” cried out another voice. The two women stare at each other in shock and slight relief. Seungyoun? He was there there to save them. To protect them from the deranged psychopath breaking down their door.

“Let him in. let him in. let us in! we love you both so much” Seungyoun laughs this time. A maniacal laugh. A cynical laugh. A terrifying laugh. “PLEASE SUNHEE I WON’T HURT YOU I WON’T HURT BELLA SHE’S MY BEST FRIEND I CAN RAISE OUR BABY” Seungyoun pleads, his voice starting to sound unnatural just like the other man.

“Why is Seungyoun with him!?!” Sunhee shuddered.

“I- i dont know! H-has he been taking his meds...?? maybe the voices are back. Maybe it’s not Seungyoun at all" cried Arabella. This was bad. He had promised both of them that he was trying to take better care of his mental health, but obviously it was too much for much for him and the break up didn't help either.

“Wait no! Don’t let him in Sunhee!!” he shrieked. They heard a tussle beyond the doors. Seungyoun was having an internal struggle, trying to keep that other side of him in. Teetering back and forth between trying to get into the room and trying to stop the other man he was with.

“OPEN THE DOOR SUNHEE OR I’LL KILL THESE THREE OUT HERE LIKE THEY ALMOST KILLED ME EARLIER!” the other man demanded finally speaking up again.

“Oh my goodness...they must’ve jumped him. Chani probably thought they killed him or something... it all makes sense. I-I shouldn’t have complained about him so much. He's insane. They shouldn't have messed with him.” Sunhee admitted.

The door the was finally kicked in. Sunhee pushed Arabella behind her and grabbed the bat. When the man opened the closet, Sunhee swung on him but he caught it before it hit him. He threw it across the room and yanked her out the closet. Seungyoun quickly closed the door and stood in front of it to entrap Arabella. 

The other man grabbed Sunhee’s neck and slammed her to the ground. As she gasped for air, he sloppily kissed her. She tried to kick him, but he wouldn’t budge. When he pulled away, he caressed her face with his bloody hand. The fine man was battered and bruised. There was dried blood all over his face from the gash in his forehead. Sunhee was starting to lose consciousness, while arabella screamed to the top of her lungs, trying to push the closet door open. He finally loosened his grip around her neck.

“Oh my queen, I hate to see you like this, but this is your fault, my love. For months I’ve tried to be patient with you. I tried to be with you, but you rejected me. Again and again and again. We were so good at being friends. I just knew we would be better as lovers. Yet, you never gave me a chance. And then you didn’t even let me see our baby... But despite all of the pain you caused me, I had forgiven you.”

“I-I I was never pregnant…” she barely gets out. He's making no sense, but what did she expect from her once dear friend who had now lost his mind.

“But tonight was the last straw when you sent your boyfriends to kill me. Do you see what they did to me??” He lifts up his shirt and there’s a large amount of gauze wrapped around his torso. There is a stain of blood seeping through. “They stabbed me,” he laughed. “BUT I'M LETTING THEM LIVE YOU KNOW WHY??? BECAUSE I KNOW YOUD BE SAD IF THEY DIED. CANT YOU SEE HOW CONSIDERATE IM BEING!!"

He let’s go of her neck and lifts off of her. She coughs uncontrollably, gasping desperately for any air to fill her lungs. She glares at Seungyoun, who's still keeping Arabella in the closet.

“How could you Seungyoun…why are you helping him” she cried out. She thought about all those times she complained to Seungyoun about this guy. Yet, he was here with him. The same man he so often told her to steer clear from. How?

“Whose Seungyoun?” He responds with a straight face.

“Oh darling. Seungyoun is gone. He was too weak and pathetic. He had you, but he let you slip away. So I had to help him bring the other guy out. The guy who loves you as much as I do. The guy who will stop at nothing to have you." The other man admitted. He had taken advantage of Seungyouns illness... bringing another person into his obsession with Sunhee.

“We’re gonna share you princess. You and Arabella. You’re going to live a nice life while we take care of you” Seungyoun cooed. Or did this new personality have a different name? Now wasn't the time for her to think about something so mundane in a situation like this. It was all happening at lightening speed.

Sunhee pleadingly looked at the two men that she used to trust with her life. Two men that she could always count on. The two men that truly cared about her. Her ex-boyfriendd, and her close friend turned stalker. She thought to herself that maybe if she gave in, they'd would somehow return to how they used to be. She was lying to herself, but it was worth a shot. If there was any chance of protecting the men in her living room, and most importantly, Arabella, she had to take that chance.

“Okay okay!! I messed up! I messed up. I’m so sorry to both of you. Please forgive me. I’m begging you. I love you two so much. Please don’t hurt Bella...she did nothing wrong” she confessed.

“I know, baby. We could never hurt Bella. She’s having our child. I know you put our child into her. Right?” the other man scolded. She nods her head at the most nonsensical speech he's ever spewed out

“Then I forgive you my queen. You’re so precious to me. I didn’t want to hurt you. I’m actually disgusted with myself. I’ll make it up to you though.” He says gently lifting her up. “Do you forgive me?”

“Yes, as long as you let them live,” she trembled

“Anything for you,” he smiled.

~

The next morning the power was back on. Sunhee jolted out of the bed. Her phone was sitting on her nightstand. She picked it up and saw that it was five after 12. She lets out a sigh of relief when she sees Arabella strolling in. Her smile fades when she sees the handsome man following close behind. He was all cleaned up. He had on a baseball cap to cover the bandage on his forehead. She thought it was a nightmare...

“Hi my love, we’re heading out to lunch soon. Time to get ready.” he cutely smiled. His boyish charm almost fooled her for a moment. "Bella let’s give her some privacy”

Arabella smiled as he softly grabbed her arm and led her out of the room. Arabella knew she had to play along. She blinked at Sunhee a couple times to let her know. Before the door closed, he turned around and smirked at Sunhee.

There was a beautiful sundress hanging on the door, along with a sheer, flowery scarf on her dresser. There was a note on top of it instructing her to put on the dress and to cover the "love marks" around her neck. The marks from her almost being choked to death. She did as the note said.

Sunhee promptly walked into the living room after getting dressed. The man took her hand and spinned her around to get a full view of the dress he had picked out.

“Stunning” he beamed. Sunhee plastered a fake smile on her face.

“Where’s... my friends?” she cautiously asked.

“Oh darling. Don't worry, they're fine," he lied. "Let's focus on us from now on. We're going to lunch with Melonie today. Doesn’t that sound nice?” he rubbed up and down her plush side, tightly wrapping his arm around her waist.

She winced from the sting of his nails digging into her flesh. The mention of Melonie, her older sister, made her nauseous. Was she also trapped in this twisted game too?

The front door opened, and her ex boyfriend entered, just as handsome as always. He walked up to her and softly pecked her lips. What should've been familiar to her felt foreign. She fought to hide her disgust.

“Alright let’s go!” he cheered. He placed a large hand on Arabella's pregnant tummy. He caressed it with pride, like that was his child she was carrying. She held hands with what used to be Seungyoun as they headed out first.

The man turned Sunhee around and warmly embraced her. He finally had what belonged to him.

“I love you Sunhee”

“I love you too Yunho…”

[dmwrites]

Building the Sanctuary PVP arena was a many-day project, but one that Sausage found quite enjoyable, as he’d enlisted Pearl to help him. He said she seemed like a good builder, although he already knew that, somehow. She agreed, and they set about building. They spent the days in easy company, joking and building the colorful building. Pearl was just so easy going, with a dry wit and a steady cleverness that Sausage found a good friend in. They worked together like they had before, and the deja-vu kept hitting him like roaring waves of water. If Pearl noticed anything odd in his behavior, she didn’t say anything. Probably used to it by now. Everyone looked at Pearl funny, it seemed. Like she was a ghost of trailing sunflowers.

“You won’t stand a chance, you know that, right?”

Sausage scoffed. “Girl, you’ve been what, building on that Hermitcraft world? Me, I’ve been fighting my demons since I got here. Im a muscle god, gotta keep up with my thunder daddy. I’m totally gonna slaughter you.” He giggled.

“Building? Somewhat, yeah.” Pearl replied. “But I also lead a revolution. Competed in tournaments. Battle follows me wherever I go, tough guy.” She mimed fighting off an invisible assailant with a stone brick, giggling too.

Sausage watched her, a brilliant pain in his heart at her words. “I had a friend like you once.”

“Ah, is this that deity of yours again?” Pearl asked kindly, probably too kindly considering how many times Sausage had brought her up. She glanced towards the church, then back at Sausage. “You know, by the way, I appreciate that you let me stay in your home while we do this work, but you don’t have to sleep in the church, you know.”

Sausage sighed. “Can’t sleep well anymore. Being in there helps a little.” Was it really that obvious that he had been sleeping in the church, curled up at the foot of the alter night after night? “She was very kind and loved by all, and loved to fight like you do. I know I’m not the only one that misses her. I keep finding evidence of her in other empires.”

“She must have been loved very much, to be immortalized like she has.” Pearl said kindly, reaching a hand out for another stone brick to put into place.

Sausage picked a stone up and placed it in her hand. The sun was starting to set on Sanctuary, but Sausage didn’t want to stop working. Because every time he closed his eyes, even to blink, he was afraid that Pearl would vanish. But he smiled despite it all, with joy and pain and guilt rushing through him until he could hardly stand it.

“Yeah. She is.”