#he hasn't gotten around to dyeing his hair yet

[snowyh2o]

Angel Alastor in a new suit. Slight redesign because I wanted to draw actual wings and give him a ponytail and glasses

[mallleus]

My Gravity Falls OC, Barbara "Babs" Sanchez-pines & kids

Barbara " Babs" Sanchez-Pines

Has had 3 kids

a homemaker (by choice)

Normally dyes her hair but hasn't gotten around to it

has committed crimes in the PAST, she wants to be seen as a "Good" mom/aunt/grandma/etc. but always kinda relapses sometimes and feels crappy about it afterwards

Likes to dress up and keep her appearance neat

Stan's number one cheerleader but also his " Are you sure?"

(Young)Stan tried breaking up with her one time because he felt like she could do better but she slapped him and kissed him <3 and they've been together for 30+ years now

Does NOT have a good relationship with her family

Adores the one she made/married into

Like Soos does for Abuelita, I'd like to think that he helps her dye her hair too.

She absolutely LOVES cutting fruit for people, her love language fr

same with making stuffed animals outta fabric

loves crocheting, she bonds with mabel over this

tries to get into whatever Dipper is into the best she can

She appreciates every day and everyone a little more especially after the " incident", especially her boys.

Loves her family

Xiomara "Mara" (See-oh-Mah-ra)

is 29 years old

yes, she met Ford BUT at the time she was 5 and taking a nap and chalked up " Second dad" as " Nightmare Dad" because if you remember what Ford looked like at the time then you'd agree with her because Ford looked like he was tweaking and no one explained what a twin was to her.

Is a detective and lets a surprising amount of her parent's crimes slide

She was actually scared to tell her parents she wanted to be a cop because she was literally raised to be a con artist " Mama, papa, I'm... A COP!" Dramatic gasps, Stan is holding his chest hair in the substitution to pearls

Has a crush on Shandra Jimenez and has beef with Toby. Unrelated.

maybe on Manly Dan too idk yet.

she's so stressed her hair is already graying

Had a lot of guilt for not being there when the "incident" took place

and personally oversaw Wax Stan's murder case with Dipper and Mabel.

Alejandro "Ale" (Ah-leh)

Is 29 years old

A mechanic

A father to a wonderful little baby girl ( the mama split after she gave birth)

unproblematic king

No idea how to cook so he's learning from his mama

the amount of times he set the fire alarm off is unreal

A mama's boy but appreciates his papa's teachings (he's the mechanic your dad warned you about)

Drops his baby off at the shack when he goes to work

He tries spending a bit more time with his mom after the " Incident"

Also has a crush on Shandra Jimenez ( have you seen her? who wouldn't, honestly)

Antonio " Tony"

is 29 years old

A nurse

Became a nurse because when he and Ale were 13, Babs had a heart attack and no one knew why she was acting funny until by some stroke of luck a literal doctor walked in and noticed. He felt guilty about not knowing A WOMAN HAVING A HEART ATTACK IS DIFFERENT FROM A MAN (PSA) So he became a nurse. Not a doctor because that was too much work so he became a nurse

Drops by the shack to see his parents often with the excuse " I just love talking to you two" (half true) when in actuality he's scared something might happen to either of them and no one is gonna be there/won't know what to do to help them

That was the incident btw

[fogwitchoftheevermore]

sometimes that's just the way that it goes

or, joel smallishbeans joins the tokyo lift (an mcyt blaseball au fic)

the thing about joel is- well, there's a lot of things about joel, but the most relevant thing, is that he never really got in to blaseball.

he'd gone to few of grian and jimmy's games in college, been brought to an equal number of pearl's minor league games, and mostly paid attention in conversation about it after his entire friend group became obsessed with the splort seemingly overnight.

but then he'd moved out to tokyo after college, where the blaseball scene had yet to expand to a proper minor league; let alone a major league. he got a non-splorts related job. he had non-splorts related hobbies. and he was suddenly in a timezone 17 hours ahead from all his friends who cared about these things.

so maybe he managed to forget basically all the knowledge he had about the game. sue him.

by the time the ILB expanded to tokyo with the lift, joel was certainly more knowledgeable on the splort than he'd ever been. he had basically the entire league's schedule in his calendar at all times, he voted in the elections, he kept a close eye on weather forecasts across the globe. a small side effect of most of your friends playing a splort that started killing people 10 years ago.

but here's the thing- despite joel's expansive knowledge of what's happening the ILB on any given day, despite his stockpile of votes, despite his constant presence as someone's plus one at any given ILB event or party-

despite all of that...

joel doesn't really know how to play.

which is a problem, when, on a whim that he now knows was definitely some divine intervention at play, he decides to actually go to one of his friend's games on a day they happen to be playing in tokyo. and it becomes more of a problem when an umpire goes rogue, and in the blink of an eye, joel finds himself vaulting a railing and picking up a bat that, until two minutes ago, belonged to a toyko lift player.

and now belongs to a new tokyo lift player.

him.

shit.

and that is how joel finds himself here, on a stool in stress and false's bathroom, staring at his actively-being-dyed hair in the mirror and considering.

he didn't know stress and false very well before joining the lift. he'd met them, of course, at the aforementioned parties and events he'd been brought to, but they weren't close by any means. but seeing as they were the only members of his new team he'd been properly introduced to prior to becoming their coworker, he found himself following them around like a lost puppy from day one. they seemed mostly endeared by this, so far, which joel was taking as an embarrassing but necessary fact of his new career.

the "sitting in their bathroom getting his hair dyed" part of his current situation had come about a few days prior, when the wild card teams were announced and the lift had officially made their first ever post season. joel's remark that they should do something for the occasion had spiraled into stress lending him her bathroom and hair dye to dye the streak in his hair pink in celebration.

by the time they actually got around to it, the lift had been knocked out of the post season by the wild wings in a two game sweep, but joel hadn't backed out, so here they were.

stress was mixing the pink dye while joel got the green bleached out of his hair, humming along to a song joel wasn't really listening to. the bathroom isn't large enough to fit false as well, with joel on a stool, so she's hovering outside doing... something. joel's kinda lost track of her exact movements due to his aforementioned considering.

joel hasn't actually played a lot with the lift, yet. he'd joined the team in the last 20 days or so of the season, so they've gotten a good 20 games worth of a look at his... let's say, skill, and they've all presumably figured out that he's not very good. no one's said anything, but that doesn't mean they haven't been thinking it. but it's also possible they haven't been thinking it, and if joel brings it up right now, then they'll all realize that he's terrible. but also, joel knows he needs to fix this problem, because he's seen what happens to bad players.

so he's sucking it up.

"stress, can i admit something to you?" joel says, as confident and nonchalant as he can manage. it's not very nonchalant.

"hm?" stress says, looking up from where she's fidgeting about. "sure, i don't see why not."

joel takes a deep breath before he continues. "now, i don't know if any of you have noticed this yet, but... i don't really know how to play blaseball."

this is when false chooses to poke her head in from whatever she'd been doing to comment. "sorry, repeat yourself?"

"well, despite the fact that all of my friends have played this game for years, i haven't been paying much attention to how it actually works. so i don't think i actually know how to play, which wasn't a problem for me until about three weeks ago. and now it's a very big problem."

"oh," false says, looking him up and down. joel tries not to feel scrutinized. "i wouldn't have guessed that from your stats, but yeah, in hindsight, that makes sense."

"you looked at my stats?" joel sputters.

"yeah is that not-" false looks at stress, desperation clear on her face. "do people not usually do that?"

"i mean, i don't, but i don't know what all you other geezers are up to."

joel has yet to move on from the stats thing. "i haven't even looked at my stats. what- are they good? actually, no i don't want to know. or, if they're bad, i don't want to know. if they're good you can tell me."

false laughs. "you're fine, overall. not a good pitcher, but that's not your problem. everything else is pretty average, but your batting is your best stat, and it's pretty up there. not really indicative of someone who doesn't know how to play."

"oh!" joel thinks about this. he doesn't think he's been a particularly special batter thus far, but he's not objecting to whoever's quantifying his skill saying he's good. not at all. "ok, well, i kinda know how to play. i think. i know enough that i've been able to be passable, but i want to be good next season."

"are you asking us to coach you?" stress says as she starts the tap to wash the bleach out of joel's hair.

"uh, if you want to, yeah. you're both good, i think."

false, who is now leaning in the doorway instead of poking her head in, laughs again. "yeah, i'd say we're alright." from her tone, joel suspects they're actually very good, and he once again has no idea what he's talking about.

"but we'd love to!" stress says, lightly pushing joel to put his head into the sink. her next words are slightly drowned out by the running water. "obviously the lift practice in the off season already, but we could spend a bit of time doing one on one stuff with you. show you the ropes, you know?"

joel, still in the sink, answers with a thumbs up. as he sits back up and takes the towel stress offers him, he sees false leave the doorway and go back to whatever she was doing, decision seemingly reached.

joel dries off his hair and stress moves in with the pink dye and a dye brush, humming along to another song he doesn't know. he definitely doesn't need her help dying his hair- he's been doing it on his own for years now. but she'd offered the dye she already had so he didn't have to buy a new color, and apparently that offer came along with her doing most of the work as well.

and for once in his life, joel is going to take the help without a fuss.

[imaginethebeautifulworld]

Hi! :D Could you write something with England in his punk phase with a cute happy-go-lucky s/o? Sorry if the ask is bad, english is not my first language :p

Hello, Lovely~! Please don't apologise; your English is perfect! :D

I'm not quite sure if this is what you're looking for, but I hope you enjoy!

People are completely bewildered whenever either of you introduce the other, cannot figure out how on earth the two of you could possibly work together.

Arthur is notoriously critical of everything- himself, the state of the world, American films he didn't have to watch but chose to watch anyway. And you're so light, almost carefree.

It was almost a case of "opposites attract," except Arthur has always been softer than he lets on, and you aren't completely ignorant of how bad things can actually be. It was the middle ground where you two found each other, fell for each other, and built your relationship.

Arthur lives for your laughter now, whatever seemingly small or silly thing you find fascinating. He's come to appreciate more of the little things because of you, his views slightly less pragmatic.

You have an endless fascination with his hair. It's been a few years now, and you're still not entirely sure what his natural hair color is. He dyes it frequently, and while he tries to change the style up sometimes, the same familiar shag refuses to go away for long. Defying all laws of chemistry and physics, his hair is always ridiculously soft, and none of the dyes he picks up from questionable vendors seem capable of weighing it down.

Arthur's not a huge fan of expensive dates, would much rather spend a casual time with you wandering the markets, visiting museums, maybe spending a day at the park? But if you're interested in something more formal, he'll go out of his way to make sure he delivers.

He still hasn't forgotten your expression the first time you actually saw him in a suit. He'll think of it sometimes, think of the night that followed, and soon enough he's another loon on Jubilee Line smiling to himself.

He'll loan you his jewelry quite a bit, especially his bracelets and rings. Maybe he's just a wee bit possessive, or a bit too proud, but there's just something about seeing you wearing his jewelry that makes him stand just a little taller.

Sometimes... Sometimes he'll come home from a fight, and sometimes, sometimes, his friends will see him the next day with pastel bandages over the cuts and bruises.

He's taught you how to barter, and he has to admit he's just a little addicted to the confident, almost cocky look on your face when you convince the salesman to go even lower.

You sometimes like sitting outside the bathroom when he's in the shower. He has a habit of running through his vocal warm-ups, his choices usually completely different from the songs you'll hear him hum later in the day. You're kind of obsessed with his adaptation of Scarborough Faire.

He wouldn't admit it, but he downloaded your favorite songs to his phone. Yes, even that ridiculous one that you're embarrassed of yet sing all the bloody time.

Arthur loves your kindness, and the way you see the lighter side of the world. He knows how fragile and rare a thing that can be, and he's going to do his damnedest to protect it.

He was pleasantly surprised at how well his friends received you, and how quickly you bonded with them, too. You were a bubbly mess on the commute home, chattering away about plans to hang out with some of them at a later date.

He still can't believe how relaxed you are around him; while the city's gotten a lot more open-minded, there are still a lot of people who give him a side-eye. Yet here you are, happily wearing his ancient jacket, your pinkie linked with his, squeezing close to him on the sidewalk, chirping away about- a TV show? Film? He's lost track, but you're excited, and that smile is contagious.

He has resigned himself to spontaneous piggy-back rides.

You wouldn't quite know how to say it out loud, but sometimes, when there's a wandering eye or an unsolicited comment- You're kind of in love with how protective Arthur gets, a small thrill at seeing the other party balk in fear, sometimes literally tripping over themselves as they rush to leave.

The last time he did so, at a secondhand book shop off Camden High Street, you had to bury your face in his back to hide your smile, to pretend to be disappointed in him. "You didn't need to scare them half to death." He chuckled, turning around to steal your book away, and poking your nose. "It's your fault for being so cute." "Not as cute as you," you replied brightly, grinning as he rolled his eyes. "Christ, not again."

Okay, he'll admit it; you softened him up. Even Liam has commented on it. Or, really, Alisdair had made a passing remark, and for the first time in a long while... Arthur just let it go. And Liam stared at him in shock as Arthur visibly forced himself to relax and dismiss the Scot's words, then immediately going right back to his needlework with a hum.

You've picked up on a lot more current events since you started dating Arthur. He's brought you more into the world of activism, and while you don't feel comfortable going to the same extremes, you do like to help spread awareness, even if it's something as simple as wearing some of the pins, helping him find good spots for stickers or tags, and tagging along to protests armed with baked goods and plenty of water bottles.

You love coming home to him, sitting on the couch painting each other's fingernails, an ignored episode of Sherlock playing in the background as you share takeaway and whatever dessert he attempted to bake earlier.

He's not quite sure how he got lucky enough to see you like this, how he gets to hold you like this, but he'd do anything to keep you. Anything.

Thank you for the ask, luv! I hope you enjoyed~

[liibrii]

Miya!Reader x Miyas

Synopsis: Nothing simpler than grocery shopping. Right? 

wc: 1.2k

a part of The third Miya series

a/n: Miyas are pure chaos and I’m here for it. If you wanna be tagged in the coming scribbles lemme know and as always, feedback is greatly appreciated! 

One thing was sure; every single time you were sent to get groceries Osamu got lost somewhere between entering the store and the first shelf. Years of being used to it and you still worry, knowing better than anyone he always follows his nose rather than his eyes; though ever since the mango incident you'd rather no one knew you are related. 

And after all, he is like a cat, aloof and distant until food came into picture and he winds his way between your legs till he either gets what he wants or you end up flat on your face. And he still gets what he wants.

Atsumu on the other hand, is a parrot. A colourful, obnoxiously loud parrot who always wants whatever is in your hands, not caring what you knock over trying to keep your small treasures from his grabby little claws. Or, hands.

The current treasure in question being the shopping list. It's been a long time since you stood a chance against Atsumu when it came to pure pulling strength and the unfortunate victim to experience it is, well are, the two pieces of paper in yours and his hand. “Great,“ you say, “if we forget to buy anythin' I'm blamin' ya.“

“This wouldn't have happened if ya just gave me the damn paper in the first place,“ huffs Atsumu.

You stuff the torn piece of paper in your pocket. “Where's Samu?“

“What am I? His babysitter?“

“No, that honour would be mine,“ you dead pan to his snarky question. Throwing a quick glance up and down the aisle you fail to notice your other brother between the customers. Well, whatever. He'll show up sooner or later. So you return your attention to tooth paste. Dad likes the blue one. Only there are at least four different blue ones.

“Just take the cheapest.“

“That one's digustin’.“

“If we buy the cheaper stuff we'll have more money left over to buy snacks!“

“Ooo,“ your eyes widen as you do the quick math, “Tsumu yer so smart!“ You grab two of the cheapest tubes. “Maybe we can even get Samu-nii to make us some onigiri...“ The mere thought of them makes your mouth water.

“Samu-nii?“ he frowns. “Ya never call me that.“

“Ya lost that privilege when ya framed me for eatin' his puddin'. We should get some hair dye too. Yer roots are starting to show.“ No way are you going to let your brother walk around with roots showing. Oh no. Not under your watch.“Maybe some purple shampoo but I don't see it anywhere...“

“What for?“

“So we can get ya a real nice platinum colour.“

“Nah, I like the one I have.“

You straighten up and give him a look of disbelief. “It's yellow.“

“Gold! It's gold! 'Cause I'm a champion!“

Right. “Whatever you need to tell yerself little brother.“

While he hisses back insults, because he's the oldest and how dare you disrespect him in the 7-Eleven of all places, you try to remember what the next thing on the shopping list was. Shampoo, right, check, dad's favourite shaving cream is already in the cart, as is deodorant you've gotten in a fight over with Atsumu just a minute ago (“I want this one!“

 “Tsumu this one stinks like a teenage boy who hasn't showered in a week.“ 

“I AM A TEENAGE BOY!”). You should take one for Osamu too. Their morning squabbles weren't how you liked starting your day, not that a single deodorant would stop that but one can dream, right? Speaking of which, slowly it would be time to start looking for your always hungry triplet. Still ignoring Atsumu you head towards the food section.

Here's the thing about parrots. Just like cats they want attention when you have something more important to do. A cat will nudge you, lay over your books or keyboard or whatever you might be doing at the moment, maybe dug its claws in your leg or just straight up refuse to leave no matter how many times you push it away. A parrot on the other hand, will perch itself on your shoulder and scream till you give it what it wants.

That's what Atsumu is doing at the moment. Well, not the screaming part, though his blabbering is just as annoying. He's leaning on your shoulder, flicking your ear while you compare the prices of bonito flakes. “Stop that.“

“I'm gonna get chips.“

“Wait for-“

He's already walking away, pushing the cart and whistling, so you roll your eyes and return your attention back to the packages. Which one did mom say tasted weird again?

Here's another thing about parrots. As innocent as they may look to some, they do love creating this thing called chaos. And here's the thing about chaos. Unlike some other things it's worse in small dosages, because in small dosages it's funny.  For example, a parrot filling your shoe with sunflower seeds.

Or a golden haired boy filling the shopping cart with bags of chips. There's barely enough space for those three packages in your arms.

“Mom's gonna go ballistic if we buy so much chips,“ you say looking at Atsumu trying to stuff one more bag in the cart.

“We'll just pay separately.“

Oh right. You could do that. And this time not fail to forget taking the receipt out of the bag before dad finds it. While Atsumu tries to decide which package of crab chips to take next (as if he could cram one more in the cart) you sneak in some small packets of super sour candy. For later. You never knew when Samu will itch and go through your secret stash.

As if he smelled you're collecting ingredients for a trap his gray hair appears on the other side of the aisle. “What's with all that?“ he asks when he sees half the cart is filled with snacks.

“Supplies.“

Osamu puts his hands in pockets. “Put them back.“

You blink. Twice. Then glance over at Atsumu who looks just as shocked as you. He narrows his eyes and pinches Osamu's cheek. “Ya feelin' alright Samu? Got fever?“ Osamu swats his hand away. “Who are ya and what have ya done with our brother?“

And his hands are empty too... The only time Osamu didn't come back carrying a bunch of food was when you were shopping at a shoe store.

“If we don't buy snacks we can get sushi,“ he says with an expression that clearly asks how you two idiots couldn't work that out on your own.

“Oooo,“ both your and Atsumu's eyes widen in awe. You could get sushi. You both look at all the tasty, tasty snacks in the cart. Sushi... Or maybe ramen. A new restaurant did open up the street just last month. But then you'll have no goodies for later... But it's sushi.

“Alright, I'll get these back!“ Atsumu grabs the bags and stacks them back on the shelf.

“Hey! I haven't agreed yet!“ you protest.

Osamu pats your shoulder. “Two to one.“

You roll your eyes. It wasn't the rule of 'two over one' overruling whatever your answer was going to be, it was more you hate being the losing one. Even when you get a reward. Even when the reward is tasty food. 

At least mom's paying.

tagging: @espressons​

[itoshit]

Giving them privacy I went into my room, trying to calm the rapid beatings of my heart. I fucking wanted to smash her face in the wall, no jokes. Who the hell she thought she was to talk to me like that?

Brushing my teeth again I checked the time. Almost 20 minutes have gone by, their friends would surely arrive soon.

Re-entering the living room, I could hear Vee and Natalie whispering shouting at each other, and clearing my throat, they turned to me.

Are they soon here?

Yes.

Raising an eyebrow at Natalie, I looked at Vee.

Vee are you okay?

I am no worries

Giving me a smile to comfort me, she didn't even look at me in the eyes. What was going on at the end?

I really need to go but I also want to wait for the girls to arrive so I'm just gon-

No! You can go, they don't want to see you, too scared of you. If could just... leave? It would be better for us all

Hm? The hell are you talki-

Listen to Nat please Manji'?

... Okay. Well then, just send me a message when they're leaving okay baby? Will come back right after.

Nodding, Vee waved at me. I wasn't going to kiss her again, I knew that Natalie would prevent me from doing so anyway.

Taking my keys I left my place, closing the door behind me. Getting up in my car, I smiled.

Vee will have a surprise.

Going to Shibuya, I parked and strolled in the busy streets. I had two goals in mind today. To find a Christmas gift, and to do... something else.

I checked many shops but none of them looked interesting enough. I didn't even know Vee that much when I thought of it. I didn't know if she had any siblings, her favourite color, her favourite weather... nothing. But we had all the time of the world to get to know each other more, and I was looking forward to it. I knew the situation wasn't the best for her. I took her freedom away, but it was only to protect her.

Throwing a glance at the clothes shops, I stumbled upon a cute coat. She didn't have one, that would be a good start. I knew her size too, so I bought it. It wasn't too personal though and I didn't like that. I wasn't a man of emotions but I guessed I could try for her.

And then, I found the perfect gift. I recalled her talking about her favourite artist, and they were miraculously on a tour, the last date being Tokyo, mid-January.

Here I go, the perfect gift.

An hour after, and still no news from Vee, I entered the shop I wanted to go to.

Hey what can I do for you today?

I'd an appointment, the name is Sano. At 4pm

Ooh yes Mister Sano come come! What will it be today?

Could you dye my hair in black please? It's my natural colour and I'm kinda sick of the blond

Clapping her hands excitingly at my request, the hairdresser nodded happily at me.

Of course! You wanna get your hair cut too?

No! Please not the hair.

Okay then sit here, someone will come for you shortly!

Nodding at her, I sat and waited.

Few hours after, I exited the hair salon. I just wanted to go back home and see Vee again, to show her and be with her.

Thank you come back again!

Waving at her I left the place and directed myself to my car. Vee hasn't contacted me yet, almost four hours after I left. It was now 8pm, and taking my car again, I drove to my penthouse.

In the elevator I rearranged my hair in the mirror. Black hair definitely looked better on me. Turning the key in the lock, I noticed that it was already opened.

Frowning, I pushed the door slowly.

Vee baby? I'm back!

But no one was in the living room. No noises from the bedrooms and the bathroom too. Something was off. Walking quickly down the hall to my room, she wasn't here.

I could feel my breath starting to be irregular, and reaching her bedroom, the bags fell on the floor. The drawers, the shelves, were empty of her belongings. There wasn't anything left.

Vee left me. She left. Falling on my knees, a hand over my heart, I was trying to find oxygen but my lungs were constricted. I was having anpanic attack. Another person leaving me. She left me. Alone.

And then, nothing. I closed my eyes, forehead pressed against the cold floor. I was used to it. Used to being alone. After all, loneliness was my best companion.

-Mikey

So we chose pain today? 🙃

WAAAIT BABY I CAN FIX THIS JUST WAIT!

Natalie had done it now. She wanted Mikey to suffer and she wanted to use me to do it, packing up all my stuff so I could move in with her and Sanzu at his apartment. It was all annoying to me. She was treating me as if I was a child, someone who wasn’t consciously deciding to stay with Mikey, to be with Mikey. I wasn’t naïve. I wasn’t pretending to know what’ll happen to us after the Yamaguchi issu was done with. In fact, I braced myself with the fact every morning I woke beside him.

Once he was through with protecting me, Mikey had no obligation to me, and with the way our lives were so completely different… I don’t know how we’d make it work without endangering the other person. I knew Mikey was selfish, but I also knew he was selfless and according to him, people had died because he lived. I couldn’t imagine what the thought of me dying did to him, if he even imagined it at all. I surely didn’t. It scared me too much, that Senju incident was the closest he ever came to it, and that was the closest I’d ever want him to go.

To me this entire spectacle was a dramatic way for Natalie to endanger her life. Mikey was patient with her, but only because she was my friend. I had seen him murder people who were working under him with no remorse. I knew his patience with her only ran so thin. If he were to find out that she’d done this… it’d run out completely. So I went to call him while she was packing my things, trying to tell him to come home early so his presence could stop Nat from doing something she’d regret, but she must’ve picked up on it and took my phone away from me. I let her, but only because I had a plan of my own. Scribbling a small note of where we’d be, I left it under Mikey’s pillow just before Natalie dragged me out of the house. I know how bad it must’ve looked, and I could only pray Mikey scoured the house looking for me and found the letter before he jumped to conclusions.

The ride to Sanzu’s made me jumpy. Every five seconds I turned my head to see if Mikey’s car was following behind us, heart sinking when it wasn’t. Nat looked completely calm which I just couldn’t get considering she was fucking with Mikey. Her face was completely rid of fear and nervousness. She was lax.

Hey, Vee, she called after watching me look behind me for the umpteenth time. You wanna know why I really hate Mikey?

I was annoyed she’d asked me that, considering it was something I was trying to figure out the entire fucking time. Yes.

Because he brought you into this.

Not this again. Natalie, you already told me-

I’m not finished. He brought you into this, and because of that I had to use you.

My blood ran cold. Use me? Nat, what the fuck are you talking about?

She just smiled at me, eyes suddenly filled with a coldness that I wasn’t used to, and one I was also so familiar with. Like the one she used to give me before all of this. The one she gave me in the club that night I met Mikey. You know I’m still looking for my father?

Your dad? Didn’t Mikey agree to help you look for them?

Yes, they haven’t gotten back to me though.

Why didn’t you ask Sanzu to check on it?

Sanzu’s still on probation from Yamaguchi affairs for nearly slipping up with me. Mikey assigned another exec to gather information on my father. Some fucker named Ran. He hasn’t gotten back to me, yet. Neither of them have. Her lips twitch. I don’t know what Ran does in his spare time, but I know that Mikey’s sure been busy lately.

Embarrassment and guilt flushed through me at the same time. Was I really the reason why Nat hadn’t gotten info about her dad yet? Hand me my phone, I’ll call Mikey myself. I tried to reach for the phone but she smacked my hand away. Nat what are you doing?

She just continued on, talking while looking out of the window. I was fine looking for my dad myself. I couldn’t trust anybody else with it. I knew they’d disappoint. I used anyone and everyone to get information about him all these years. I became an escort. Hell, I even became a spy. All to find him. That’s why I couldn’t tell you about this life, Vee. Because you’d be in it, either as a spy yourself, or as somebody I’d have to use.

Dread wormed its way through my gut. My ears rang. Goosebumps peppered my skin. I had an inkling on what she was trying to imply, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. It was too painful. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to her next, because the next thing I heard was the screeching of tires and car honks. I smelt the burning of rubber.

Brace yourselves! Our cab driver screamed right before the car barreled into us.

It was kinda funny. I watched several shows and movies where car accidents happened. They never quite captured the real thing. Glass flew everywhere and caught wherever it could: skin, hair, beneath the nails. Your body was thrown around the small space like it weighed nothing. Your life flashed before your eyes, or for some people, it ended.

I didn’t know which part I landed in when I opened my eyes. My head felt so light and my body so heavy I almost thought I could very well be dead. Something sticky trickled down the side of my face. I didn’t move to inspect it. Instead I looked around, finding the driver’s neck bent at an odd angle as his head was lodged in his steering wheel. He was obviously dead. Natalie, though nose was smeared with crimson, had a shallow breathing pattern to her chest. We lied there, dying or struggling to live for God knows how long until I felt a jolt—somebody was trying to open the car door. But I heard no sirens. Was this a civilian? Could it even be Mikey?

The answer was neither. The answer was much worse. When the door had managed to be ripped open, a man incredibly unfamiliar and terrifying smiled down at me showing me yellowing teeth.

Well it looks like our Natalie was right, the dead girl lives after all.