#his 100th had already long passed

[dusty-pistol]

IT'S CALLUM'S 101ST TODAY!!!

That man on the dollar looks awfully familiar, doesn't he...?

[beginningofwonderland]

Stay Focused - San

Pairing: university student y/n x office worker San

Genre: smut with plot (MINORS DNI!)

Word Count: 12.5k (I don't know what happened)

Summary: Your mother insists on getting you a tutor for your studies. You want to resist until you meet Choi San, your tutor. His sweet talk and good looks make you focus on anything but your studies and you do everything to finally catch his attention in the same way.

Warnings: San is a few years older (5 to be exact), some nipple play, fingering, some orgasm denial, lots of dirty talk, blowjob (face-fucking leaning), protected sex, mirror sex

The reader in this is so horny omg. Just straight up trash for San (relatable). Also very long build-up.

"Good is not enough in this family," your mother repeats to you for what feels like the 100th time. „Your grades have to be exceptional if you want to work in my business."

Your eyes roll to the back of your head as you change your phone to the other hand to stir your pasta around. You just told her about your recent test results which of course are not satisfactory to her.

The problem is that you are actually doing pretty good. You never missed or failed a class, you passed all your courses with at least a good score and you had even fulfilled additional classes to broaden the spectrum of your studies. But just like she said: Good is not enough for her. She won't shut up about your grades until you reach 100% in all of your classes - which is basically impossible, especially in your field of study.

"Do you even still want to work in the family business?" your mother asks you provokingly. And the problem is, you do. You really do. Your mother is the CEO of a big pharmacy company and ever since you were a kid you followed her interest in chemistry. You even chose your pharmacy major without her influence. But now that you are taking the same path as her, she is all in your business about being the perfect little mini-her.

"I do, mom. I'm working hard on it, I promise. The next exam is in four weeks and I already started studying."

She makes a huffing sound before answering you: "You said that the last three times as well and still didn't get a full score. You should really get a tutor."

"Mom! I'm the best in my class. Why should I get a tutor? I'm doing great!" You are glad you're only talking to her on the phone so that she doesn't see the way your hands clasps over your face. She can't be serious with you. Getting a tutor with your grades is just embarrassing.

"But not great enough. You know what? The son of a close business partner recently started working at the company. He graduated a few years ago with an honour's degree and seems to be a very promising young man. I'll ask him to tutor you."

Your cheeks start to heat up just at the thought of how embarrassing the whole thing will be for you. Getting a tutor that worked for your mother is literally the worst case scenario. You feel like a high school student that doesn't pay attention in school and now gets scolded for it.

"I do not need a tutor, mom." You state once again but her mind is already made up.

"I'll give him your number and he will contact you. And don't you dare be rude to him, his father is very important for our business!"

You can't believe her words. Since when have you ever been rude to anyone she introduced you to? Your mother ends the call before you can protest any more.

Angrily, you fish a single spaghetti out of your pot to taste it. It's perfectly cooked when you munch on it in annoyance.

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

This is Choi San.

Your mother told me you needed tutoring on your pharmacy classes and gave me your schedule.

I can teach you Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 6PM. Would that work for you?

You fall back onto bed with a frustrated groan as you read the messages. She really asked him. Now you have no choice but agree to him tutoring you because your mother would kill you otherwise.

Typing a reply you take a deep breath. This will be such a waste of time for the both of you.

Hello! Tuesdays and Thursdays are good. Thank you so much.

You hate how pathetic you sound. What are you even thanking him for? You don't want him to tutor you and he was definitely forced by your mother so why even play pretend?

No problem. We can use meeting room 117 at the company since I reserved it for us. I'll see you on Tuesday.

You dread Tuesday every single day from now on. When it finally arrives you feel ridiculous as you enter the large building of your mother's company. You have been here countless times but you never thought you would get tutor lessons here.

Even worse is that your mother made you go greet her beforehand. She specifically texted you to visit her office before the appointment with Mr. Choi. You walk past her assistant with a polite greeting and finally enter her office.

The luxurious room sat at the top floor of the building with a nice view over the city. Sometimes you forget how successful her company actually is. It can be quiet intimidating.

"There you are," she greets you with a mere look up from a bunch of files on her desk. "I hope you prepared well for your tutoring session. Please don't embarrass yourself in front of Mr. Choi. His father is an important business partner of mine and he himself seems to be a very promising employee. I don't want my own daughter to make him think worse of the company."

Of course she only worries about the company. The idea that this is incredibly humiliating for her own daughter does not even cross her mind.

"Hello, mom. Of course I prepared well, I always do. I won't disappoint you."

She nods at you, satisfied with your answer before looking at her watch. "Then you should head to the meeting room. He is always ridiculously early for meetings so he's probably waiting for you already."

Great, you think to yourself. You hoped you would be able to grab a coffee beforehand.

"I'll go right away. Bye, mom."

You walk to the elevator with heavy steps and check your own watch. It's still fifteen minutes until 6PM so there's plenty of time to grab a coffee before, no matter what your mother might say.

Entering the elevator you select the floor of the meeting room with the plan to walk to the coffee pantry first. Half-way down, the elevator stops on a different floor. When the doors open you almost choke on your polite "Hello" as your eyes take in the person in front of you.

Walking into the elevator is easily the most attractive man you have ever seen in your life. Dressed in a tight pair of dark pants and a perfectly fitted dress-shirt the handsome stranger repeats your greeting with a small bow and a mind-numbingly attractive smile. His eyes carry a little glimmer even behind the round pair of glasses he wears and as he pushes back his black hair you feel like swooning.

You have to keep yourself from staring when he takes his place in the elevator and both of you wait for it to move. Just now you realize he hasn't pushed a button, which means he is heading to the same floor as you. Out of the corner of your eyes you can't help but watch him.

He is a few inches taller than you but appears even bigger due to his broad frame. You wonder where that man even finds clothes that fit his stature with his broad shoulders and tiny waist. He checks his most definitely expensive wrist watch before looking at the display counting down the floors.

When the elevator doors open with a ding, you almost jolt. You were so caught up in thinking about how good he looks that you didn't even notice arriving on your floor. The handsome man gestures for you to step out first with another deadly smile in your direction.

"Thank you," you barely breath out as you step out of the elevator in front of him. It feels like the air outside is ten degrees colder. Without looking back you head to the pantry of the floor. You need a coffee even more than before now that you can only think of that guy from the elevator. There is no way you can concentrate on tutoring now without some caffeine.

The benefit of being the CEO's daughter is having a card with unlimited access to the coffee machines so you happily press the button for a black coffee. At the familiar buzzing sound you can finally relax and take a deep breath. No man has ever made you so flustered before just by existing. Maybe you should visit the office more often if that was the kind of employees your mother hired.

Taking your coffee into one hand and your study bag into the other you turn around to head to the meeting room. Caught up deeply in your thoughts you almost run head first into the person behind you.

"Woah, careful there. You don't want to spill that coffee do you?" his voice is smooth like honey, with a joking tone to it. You blink up at him a few times before you find your words.

"I'm sorry. I was distracted."

The man from the elevator smiles at you and you feel your body warming up from the inside out.

"Don't worry, nothing happened." He looks you up and down quickly before holding eye contact once again.

"Excuse the question, but do you happen to be director Kim's daughter?"

You stare at him in confusion. "Yes. Yes, I am. How did you know?"

He moves past you, grabbing a cup from the pantry himself and turning on the coffee machine before he answers:

"You share her eyes. But more importantly, your bag has a pin of the pharmacy faculty of the university and because I'm supposed to meet her daughter for tutoring on this floor in - " he checks his watch again: "exactly 12 minutes, I figured it might be you."

You are impressed. His looks are already enough to have your eyes turn into hearts but there is probably nothing that makes a man more attractive to you than his wit. But what hits you even more than that is the fact that THIS was your tutor.

I take everything back mom, I love tutoring. Sign me up for another year.

"Well, you figured correctly," you reply weakly, at a loss for words. "Nice to meet you Mr. Choi."

You put your cup on the pantry table to reach your hand out to him. He takes it with a smile.

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Kim. I was going to get the two of us some coffee but as I can see you already helped yourself."

Oh, so he's a gentleman as well.

"Next time you should let me take care of that," you said showing him your free access card. "I happen to own the key to infinite coffee."

"Does the caffeine addiction come for free with that as well?" You chuckle at his joke.

"I think it's the requirement to get it in the first place."

"Well then I will happily let you get us coffee next time."

Next time, you think. The reality that you will be seeing this man on a regular basis hits you.

For a second the two of you just smile at each other. Then Mr. Choi notices that his coffee is done and he grabs the cup.

"Let's head to the meeting room then. I wouldn't want to waste your time."

You sir, can waste my time any day of the week, you think to yourself but obviously keep silent as you follow him to the room.

He holds the door open for you and you settle down onto one of the meeting chairs. You always hated these things. They are designed to make you sit upright and therefore terribly uncomfortable. You desperately want to fold one of your legs under yourself like you always do at home but you have a good image to keep. After taking a seat across from you he puts his bag onto the table and looks at you expectantly.

"So what topics exactly are you struggling with? It's been a while for me but I'm sure I can help."

"To be honest with you, I don't really need help on anything."

San raises his eyebrows behind the round glasses on his nose. "What do you mean?"

You sigh, not knowing how to explain this dilemma best. "My mother made me get a tutor because she believes I need better grades. In fact I'm the best of my year with perfect attendance and an average of 95%. She says that everything under 100% is not enough which is why she must have thought of you as a tutor."

San just stares at you with a peculiar look on his face. He looks almost impressed from your words.

"I knew director Kim could be quite strict but I had never imagined that extent. I'm sorry she made you do this, a 95% average is very impressive in the pharmacy field."

"Says someone with a perfect 100% graduation," you snap back, a little more spiteful than you want to. But San doesn't seem to take it the wrong way. Instead he chuckles in response. The sound sends shivers down your spine, his voice dipping way lower than you had expected it could.

"Trust me, that wasn't all brains. I only know my way around people." You don't doubt that last statement for even a second.

"Maybe instead of teaching I can give you some tips around the university. That would probably help you more."

Now you are interested.

"What kind of tips for example?" You lean forward resting an elbow on the table as you pick your cup of coffee up for a sip. It's still burning hot but you pretend you didn't just burn your tongue as you set it back down.

"Does Mr. Han still do the medicine lectures? He's been using the same exam template for years. Pharmacy students are just to selfish to share the results with the younger students. I'll look for my old exams later to give them to you."

Your mouth opens in awe. Everyone from the year above had told you Mr Han's exams were the hardest and it turns out they were just lying to intimidate you. The competition was real.

"These fuckers," you mumble beneath your breath but judging by his chuckle, San heard you just fine.

"Sorry," you excuse your language immediately with a small nod. He is still an employee under your mother and she told you explicitly to act well around him. Hiding your uneasiness you go for another scolding sip of coffee.

"Don't worry, darling. I won't go complaining to your mother about your language. You don't need to be her perfect little girl for me."

You almost choke on your coffee and have to force the liquid down your throat with an effort. You really wish they didn't but his words made your insides squirm. The amount of money you'd pay him to call you 'darling' again is surely an embarrassing amount. But good little girl also didn't sound too bad from his mouth.

"Thanks," you mumble, not knowing what else to say and stare onto the table to hide your flushing face. If you look at him with those slutty, round glasses right now, you're sure you'll combust.

You don't notice, but Mr. Choi eyes you up and down carefully before he resumes speaking. He smiles at your flustered state that obviously doesn't escape his sharp senses. Seeing your pretty face flush from only these few words, satisfies him deeply.

"Then how about that toxicology class? If Mr. Lim still teaches it, I know a few ways to get on his good side. He always picks favourites and it shows in the grades."

Mr. Choi continues listing off ways to better your grades around your professors. You can't help but be impressed. Not only is he obviously very intelligent but also great with people. Maybe what kept you from exceeding in your studies was your rather reserved nature in class.

"How about this," Mr. Choi finally proposes after teaching you some of his ways. "I'll get you my old notes and exams and with that you will surely ace all your tests. Then we can meet up for these tutoring sessions and while you study in peace I can get some work done. This way your mother is happy and we both profit from the situation."

You nod without hesitation. "That sounds like a great idea. Thank you so much, Mr. Choi."

He groans at your words, a sound that makes you react in a way you don't even want to put into words.

"Please don't call me Mr. Choi when we're alone that makes me feel terribly old. My name is San."

"Aren't you older than me though?" you ask back carefully. It doesn't feel right to call him by his first name.

"If 5 years are old to you?" he inquires with a slight teasing edge to his voice. You don't know if he's flirting with you or if you are just becoming a witness to this man's effortless social skills.

Truthfully, you are 22 and 5 years more don't seem that much to you. Still his way with words and the confident aura around him make him seem more mature.

"I didn't say old. Just older."

He rolls his eyes at your stubbornness, leisurely resting one of his elbows on the backrest behind him. "Just call me San, darling."

There it is again. That word single-handedly turns you into a blushing mess within seconds and you find yourself agreeing without another thought.

"Okay, San."

A satisfied smile spreads on his face and you marvel at the dimples that form on his cheeks. "Much better. Than how about you do some studying and I'll get some work done now?"

"Sounds good," you reply and start taking out your classwork. He could've told you to start stripping right now and you would've agreed without question. Damn you are down bad for him already...

It is a weird situation at first. You are used to studying around strangers in the library, but sitting alone in a room with San makes it hard to focus on your upcoming test. His eyes keep flicking from his work laptop across to you and you don't know if he's interest in the topic you're studying or you.

You yourself on the other hand are surely interested in him and you can't help but steal a few glances at him working diligently at his laptop every now and then. Even typing on his keyboard looks ridiculously hot on him with the way his slender fingers run over the keys.

After about two hours of you trying to keep your eyes on your notes San finally closes his laptop and stares at you until you reciprocate his look.

"I guess two hours is enough to make your mother think you studied, right?" he asks with one corner of his mouth slightly lifted.

"Sure," you respond weakly.

"I'll look for my old tests and will bring them on Thursday," he goes on as he stands up to pack up his laptop and bag. You also start gathering your study books.

"Thank you again," you answer lamely. But the promise of already seeing him again on Thursday excites you.

When you proceed to grab your now empty coffee cup his hands react quickly as he snatches it from you.

"Don't worry about that, I'll put those away," he's leaning over the table now, smiling at you through slightly closed eyes and you can't help but be entranced by his looks. "You should make sure to get home before it's dark outside. Want you to get home safely."

"Don't worry about me, I'll manage."

"Oh but I won't if something happens to you and your mother finds out you were last seen with me," he replies cockily as you two finally go to the door.

You have to chuckle at his remark. "Good to know I'm not the only one terrified of her."

"Everyone is terrified of her," he mumbles under his breath but you are already reaching the coffee pantry - aka your cue to go home.

"Can we use the same room on Thursday?" you ask as you stop in front of him. You make sure to brush your hair behind your ear in a nonchalant manner, knowing it shows your good angles.

"Yeah, I already booked it," San replies easily, eyes fixing yours from above. "But let's meet at the coffee machine here. I want to at least take advantage of that free coffee if I give you all my study secrets."

He winks at you at the last part of the sentence and it makes your insides twirl like on a rollercoaster. You give him a small smile through fluttering lashes. "So that's what you meant with a win-win situation: Endless coffee. Well it looks like I don't have a choice but to be your personal coffee machine."

You want to punch yourself right after that sentence leaves your mouth. How much more stupid could you possibly sound? Personal coffee machine. Saying you wanted to be his personal slut would have been less embarrassing.

But San doesn't seem to mind your awkward response. "Sounds good to me," he replies smoothly. "Then have a good ride home and I'll see you on Thursday."

"Until Thursday," you reply before you can say something stupid again and stroll off to the elevator with a small wave.

As soon as the doors close behind you, your head thumps against the steel wall. There is no way you will get any studying done with that man in the same room as you.

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

Your next few meetings with San go on smoothly. You are always on time but he is still earlier than you, waiting for you at the coffee machine. You get both of you a coffee - sometimes two if you feel like it - and you two get to work in a comfortable silence sitting opposite to each other in the meeting room.

After San brought you his old exams you can now prepare exactly what you need to know for your next tests. But no matter how hard you try to focus on your studies, your eyes keep wandering from your books up to the handsome man working on his laptop.

You soon notice his seemingly endless closet full of tailored dressing shirts and perfectly matching pants. He always looks immaculate, not a single wrinkle on his shirt and his hair always neatly combed back. Even his skin is flawless to the point that you start questioning if Choi San might be a figment of your imagination.

Just like his outer appearance, his manners are immaculate. Like you already noticed on your first meeting, he is a sweet talker. Always knowing the right thing to say and never letting your conversation end in awkwardness.

Whenever he feels like taking a break you notice him starting to talk to you. At first he asks how your studies are going. Then he wanders off to the professors you two shared and how he managed to ace all his classes.

Your whole attention is glued to his lips. For one thing because the information he can provide you with is crucial to your academic development but much more importantly because his lips are the prettiest thing you have ever seen. They look so plump and smooth while he's talking that your mind can't help but wander to the other things he might be able to do with them besides talking.

If at your first meeting you were down bad for Choi San, one month later you felt like you were drowning and he was the last bit of oxygen left on earth. You wanted him with a passion that you didn't even know you were capable of.

But you couldn't have him. There was too much at stake. He still worked for your mother and if you made a move on him that he wouldn't reciprocate you would risk the eternal hate of the only woman that still held control over your life. And so far San hadn't shown any sign of feeling the same way about you that you did for him.

„You're stuck on that?" San suddenly asks you over the page of biochemistry that you've been staring at for a solid five minutes. You haven't spared a single thought on the topic in front of you. Your mind is only occupied by the thought of San leaning over you on the meeting chair, your chin in between his slender fingers as he smirks down at you. You hate him for having this effect on you when you so desperately need to focus on your studies.

You really need to get your thoughts together.

„Oh no I was just getting carried away," you answer, looking at him pointedly with a sly smile.

You tried little attacks like this on him before. A casual pull down of your shirt, stretching your arms to make it ride up over your stomach or even looking directly at his lips as he spoke. But no matter how daring you get you can never catch San slipping.

His eyes stay on yours only whenever he looks at you, his tone is always polite and never goes farther than a casual joke. You simply can't draw a single reaction from him and it drives you insane.

„Do you need a small break? We could get another coffee," he offers helpfully.

I don't want a damn coffee I want you to fuck me on this meeting table.

"I'd love to, but I'm already way too warm today. I fear the AC can't fight against the heat anymore."

It has gotten exponentially hotter over the past days and you can feel it even inside the modern building.

"You're right, it's quite hot in here," San says with a disappointed face. "What a shame we don't have iced coffee. We should get some on Tuesday!"

His eyes light up in excitement and this little sliver of pure happiness doesn't escape you. It's surprising how cute he can be with that shamelessly hot body of his.

"Do you know a place near?" You ask to drag on the conversation. You yourself know at least 3 cafés in the area that sell iced coffee but you want San to tell you a place. Maybe his favourite. So that you can go and think of him.

"Yes, I can show you!" he answers proudly.

"I'd love to." You send him a gentle smile with long eye contact before both of you look back at your work.

But your concentration withers away like the dying plant in the corner of the room when Choi San begins undoing the buttons of his shirt sleeves.

You know you shouldn't but your eyes immediately watch as his slender fingers start neatly folding up his sleeves. The muscles in his underarms dance beneath his skin as inch after inch of skin gets revealed.

You feel like a medieval man salivating over exposed ankles as you stare at San's arms. The veins are protruding in the heat and his honey skin is glistening under the bland neon lights.

Your heartbeat quickens and it's mostly because it feels like you finally found San slipping. Him rolling up his sleeves is like a crack in his perfect mask and you are certain that he wouldn't do it anywhere else in the company. He only does this because he is with you.

"Shoot," he suddenly exclaims and draws your attention up to his face. You catch the small pout that appears on his lips before he looks back at you.

"What is it?" you ask him.

"I forgot to book the meeting room for Tuesday and now everything is blocked. There is a work event next week. I should've booked it earlier."

"Oh," you simply reply. This is even more confusing. You don't believe that San would ever forget such an important event. Is he trying to get rid of you?

"Don't worry about it, darling." His smirk and the nickname has you fighting for air. "I'll find us something else."

You can only nod at him with a smile. Maybe he isn't trying to get rid of you.

The rest of your study/work time flies by as your mind thinks of all the possible meeting places you and San could have for Tuesday. You feel like a highschool girl dreaming about dates with your crush but you don't care. The man that is supposed to be tutoring you just makes your heart speed up in a way that you haven't experienced ever before.

When your meeting time comes to an end and San starts packing up his stuff he simply says: "How about we meet at my place next time? I don't like working in cafés it's always so crowded and noisy. And I have coffee too."

You snap up at him in surprise at the proposal. "Sure," you reply as nonchalantly as you can at the prospect of going to Choi San's apartment. Alone. With him.

"I can pick you up here with my car after work. So you don't have any extra way."

"That sounds good," you reply with a small smile, trying not to sound too excited.

"Then until next week," he says with one of his handsome smiles and you say your goodbyes before you can turn even redder in his presence.

When you walk onto the elevator this time and the door closes behind you, your heart is pounding into your throat. As the realization sets in that you will be alone with Choi San in his apartment a satisfied smile set over your face. Oh you will use that chance for sure.

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

You spend the entire day preparing for your tutor appointment with San. Something deep inside you tells you that this behaviour is ridiculous but you push this inner voice back down as you play your favourite music and get ready.

You wear your hair in light waves and put on makeup to bring out your eyes but not look overly done up. Your outfit was a tricky matter but you settled on a classic pleated skirt and a tight long-sleeve. Everything about your appearance today lands on the thin line between innocent and suggestive and you are satisfied when you twirl around in front of the mirror.

All you want is one small reaction out of the man that you have thirsted for over the past weeks. If Choi San even so much as lets his eyes scan you up and down, your mission would be successful. Lost in your task of getting ready you almost forget to actually pack your study books before heading to your mothers company.

You two agreed on San picking you up at the company's garage. So you are taking down the elevator to the parking floor and checking yourself one last time in your phone camera before stepping into the parking lot.

Having no idea how his car looks like you pull up your chat with San, wanting to ask him where to go. But before you can type your message a calm voice calls you over from across the parking lot.

"Y/n!"

You turn around to a sight that makes your heart flutter. San is leaning onto his car, a chic black Mercedes. His white dress shirt has one button unbuttoned and his sleeves are rolled up again. His feet are crossed over each other leisurely as he waits for you to come over.

Walking up to him you have to try real hard to look casual and not like your nerves are taking over you with the impending situation of being in the same car as San for an undefined amount of time. Your heart is beating already and he hasn't even called you any nicknames yet.

"Hello, San. You're not wearing glasses today?" you notice in surprise and hope it doesn't come off as too attentive.

"Sometimes I wear contacts," he replies smoothly. "It's a styling decision."

While you love the glasses on San seeing him without has a different charm to it. Almost like he is showing you a different side of him.

"Ready to go?" you ask him to keep the conversation going and you're almost proud of your nonchalant tone.

"Ready when you are," he replies with a light smile and walks around the car to open the door for you.

Of course he opens the door for me.

Before you can get in he also takes your bag from you to store it in the back. You want to refuse but one of his smiles finally makes you give in and you hand him the bag. Finally, you thank him and sit down in the passenger seat. The car looks even nicer on the inside: leather seats and perfectly clean. Something inside you starts questioning where this man hides his flaws since noone can possibly be this perfect at all times.

"It's only a 20 minute drive," San explains as he gets into the driver's seat and turns on the engine. You can't help but watch his hands as he manages the gearshift. But as he turns around to look for obstacles his eyes get stuck on you. For a second you think you got him. That his eyes linger on you for a little too long because you finally pulled a reaction out of him.

"You haven't even put your seatbelt on, darling."

And with that your mind is blank. Simple emptiness.

Before you can react, his hand reaches past you, grabbing the seatbelt and plugging it in. His hand doesn't so much as grace your shoulder for a millisecond but you feel like your lungs are constricting.

"Thanks," you breath out before he finally pulls out of the parking spot. He does that wildly attractive thing where he put his hand on the back of the passenger's seat while driving backwards and you feel like losing it already. How will you survive being in the same apartment with this man. San however seems his usual chatty self.

"I'm sorry again for not booking the meeting room in time. I already reserved it for the weeks to come," he starts talking to you.

"Don't worry. I totally don't mind," you answer and regret it immediately. Did that sound too eager? Something about Sam's presence makes you overthink every single word you say.

"I have a fancy coffee machine at home so I can at least return the favour of you getting me coffee all the time."

You smile at that. It feels like this little inside thing between you two how you always use your company privileges to pay for both of your coffee. San thanks you every single time, bringing up how much you save his day.

"I never thought you were that much of a coffee guy at home too," you say trying to get him to tell you more about himself.

"You're acting like I didn't go through pharmacy as well!" He replies with a slightly sulky tone. "No way to survive that major without getting addicted to coffee."

You chuckle at his response. "That's true unfortunately. So you just carried the addiction into your job?"

"You could state it like that but by buying a fancy machine you can just say that coffee is your hobby instead."

Whenever you two talk about mundane topics like this you can't help but be glued to his lips. To get a glimpse of the Choi San that isn't working over-hours all the time and kept up his perfect image at all costs. You want to find out the details about him. Like how he enjoys his coffee or what colour he might like best.

You continue the drive in casual chatter like this before finally reaching your destination. As San pulls into an underground parking lot of an apartment building your heart rate quickens again. Something about seeing his apartment makes you incredibly nervous.

He tells you to wait inside the car after he lets the motor die down so that he can open the door for you again. Even this small gesture has you wrapped around his finger and you smile as you try to step out of the car as gracefully as you can.

San leads you into an elevator and as soon as the doors close you feel reminded of your first meeting. Of how he took your breath away just by standing next to you in such a small space. And now there isn't much difference. He still makes you just as nervous. But at least you can talk to him now.

"How is studying for your exams going so far?" He asks casually.

"It's okay," you reply lamely. "I'm trying my best."

"You know if you actually do need my help you can obviously ask me," he offers alluding to your deal of him basically just getting his own work done instead of tutoring you.

"You've already helped me so much. All I need to do now is actually study," you say turning down his argument.

You idiot, you think to yourself. You could've at least pretended to need his help.

You wait in silence as the remaining floors rush past you. You're surprised with every passing number, wondering what floor San might be living on. But the elevator doesn't stop until the highest floor.

San let's you exit first which makes no sense to you since you don't know where to go. So you wait for him to show you the way to his apartment.

As soon as he unlocks the door and leads you two inside you curiously scan his place. On a first glance it looks almost exactly like you expected: it's very clean and tidy, the furniture is modern and rather minimalistic and the whole place carries a simple colour theme of black and chrome with only hints of colour. The entrance leads straight into an open living room that connects to the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home at the dinner table," San offers while gesturing at the big, black table that looks like straight out of a design magazine.

You both place your shoes neatly at the entrance of his apartment before you take your bag to the table. As you choose a seat from which you can look outside the gigantic window front, San heads over to the kitchen, getting something from a cupboard.

"Can I get you a glass of water before I make some coffee?" He asks you with a kind smile.

"That would be nice," you answer even though water was not what you were craving right now.

He filled one for you and brought it over before returning to the kitchen. "You want your coffee hot or iced?"

"Iced? This is better service than at the company. You should forget to book the meeting room more often." It's a weak attempt at flirting with him but he laughs non the less.

"So iced it is?" He confirms with you again and turns on his electric coffee grinder after you nod approvingly.

It shouldn't captivate you that much, looking at him while he was performing such a basic task as making coffee. But you could watch him for hours, the way his broad back stretches out his dress shirt. The way he moves around so smoothly. The way the muscles in his arms flex as he handles his espresso machine.

You turn towards your study materials just in time before he faces you again, two iced coffees in his hands. He places one gently in front of you before he sits down opposite of you.

"Thank you," you smile at him extra sweetly.

"Anything you want, darling."

You swear to yourself that if he calls you darling one more time you will throw all rational thoughts out of the window and straddle him right here in his stupid designer living room chair. But for now you settle for a coy smile as you feel your cheeks heat up.

To add to your demise, as San drags his chair closer to the table both of your knees touch for a brief second before he casually changes his seating position. The table is narrower than the one in the meeting room and knowing that your legs are mere inches from another makes you even more delusional. What if he did that on purpose?

After that, all concentration for your studies is far gone. It doesn't help at all that the iced coffee he made you was the best you had in ages and with every sip you keep wondering what Choi San isn't good at.

I just know he fucks good there's no other way, you think to yourself but get interrupted in your thoughts.

"Are you stuck on something?" San asks you and you almost don't even dare to raise your eyes to look at him. A kind of shame overcomes you as you realize what you have been thinking about while he worries about your studies.

You sigh to buy yourself time to find an answer that doesn't include: Yes, I'm stuck because I can't think of anything but your body on top of mine.

"Yeah, I just can't seem to concentrate well lately. Maybe I'm stressed out because of my finals."

It isn't fully a lie. Your finals are approaching steadily and with you thirsting over your tutor instead of studying you are indeed starting to worry.

"I would love to tell you that grades don't matter too much but I know your mother won't agree and I will probably face her anger too if you fail," he laughs at the end of his sentence to lighten the mood but quickly notices he only stressed you more by saying that.

"I'm sorry," he quickly retracts. It feels like the first time you caught him messing up his smooth way of talking which in return makes you smile.

"No, you're right. I just never thought about the fact that she will hate both of us if I mess up. What a way to relax."

"I shouldn't have said that," San again apologizes. "I'm sure you will do amazing though. After all you studied so much."

He finishes his sentence with a wink and you must stare at him for a second like an idiot. Did you just imagine that? Or is he alluding to something? Does Choi San know that you thirsted for him this entire fucking time?

But his further actions don't allow you to think much more.

"You look quite tense actually," he continues. "You know it's not good for your back to sit stiff like this for a prolonged amount of time. Your neck must be hurting?"

You have no idea what he is talking about. And your confusion only grows as San gets up from his chair heading in your direction. Every step he comes closer to you has your heart pumping erratically. Even though you dreamed about him being closer to you and finally paying you more attention you are now paralysed at the situation unfolding. Simply being close to him renders your entire body useless.

San steps behind you and, to your absolute shock and amazement, his hands gently grasp your shoulders.

"To compensate the stress from university I took a physiology course that taught us how to massage tense muscles."

As if to proof his words his thumbs gently start rubbing circles into your neck. The warmth of his fingers seeps through your thin shirt and fills your entire body. It feels like he set you on fire with this simple touch.

All of this cannot be real. This must be a figment of your imagination or you actually fell asleep on your study notes while dreaming about San. But his voice sounds very much real when he resumes:

"You have to relax, otherwise I'll hurt you." His voice drops lower than usual and as he gently drapes your hair over one shoulder to get it out of his way you can feel his breath fanning over your neck. Goosebumps erupt all over your skin.

But amid the fire burning in your veins and your clouded mind you actually manage to ease into his fingers and allow him to loosen up your muscles.

"That's a good girl," he rasps behind you and you know you tipped over the edge now. There is no going back from this. You feel like a doll in his hands. His words are electrifying, leaving you unable to utter a single word, to make a single sound. Your mind is running on a state of emergency. Nothing seems to get to you but the fact that San is touching you.

And oh is he good at it. His hands are pressing into all the right places relieving all the pent up tension you built ever since getting ready for this meeting today. If his fingers are already this good at massaging out your stress you can't help but think about what else they can do.

"How do you feel?" He asks. His voice is still low and his tone taunting, as if he knows exactly what he's doing to you.

"Better," you answer. Your voice is merely a whisper. You sound weak, even in your own ears, and wonder if he even heard you.

"Yeah? Then how is this?" With his question his thumbs dip beneath the collar of your shirt and massage your upper back a little lower.

You can't help but close your eyes. The low tone of his voice, his fingers on your skin and the playfulness of his words. All of this is so overwhelming you can only lean back and revel in his touch.

"It feels so good," you manage to breath out when you realize he asked you a question.

He bends down a little, his mouth now right next to your ear. "Should I make you feel even better?"

He is quite literally the devil on your shoulder. Everything in your body screams for you to say yes immediately. The unspoken promise has your entire body on fire and you almost give in to your desire. But a tiny speck of reasonable thinking pulls you back into the dangerous territories you are moving in right now.

"What do you mean?" you ask carefully. You know that this is everything you wanted for the past few weeks but still you can't help being confused about his sudden change.

His left hand wanders from your back to your chin, tilting it to the side so you can look at him. The look in his eyes sends a shiver down your spine. His pupils are dilated and he is looking at you like he is preying on you. The intensity is something you have never seen in him before.

"You are far too smart to be asking that question, darling," he replies smugly.

"But you were never interested in me?" You ask back and want to hit yourself on the spot. Why are you even asking questions when the man you've desired for weeks finally seems to be making a move on you? But after all he is acting very out of character.

San chuckles, never taking his eyes off of you. "You're so cute. All these weeks that you've been wanting me and now you ask what I'm doing?"

Your mouth opens in shock. So he did in fact know all this time that you were interested in him.

"Don't act all surprised now, darling. You really thought I didn't see the way you looked at me ever since we first met? How your eyes keep focusing on my arms in my tight shirts. How you steal glances at me when you think I'm not looking? I wanted to see how long I could leave you thirsting like this before you would break."

His confession has you gasping as you realize you weren't even faintly as indiscreet as you thought you were. Instead San was playing with you the entire time. Watching your every move.

"Desperation looks so cute on you," he adds with another devilish smile. His fingers continue drawing circles into your back as his burning eyes keep you fixed in your spot. You feel bewitched by his entire presence, like he has cast a spell on you.

"I made all this effort to get you into my apartment so we both don't have to risk our lives by having me ruin you on the meeting table and still you didn't even have a clue. I'm almost disappointed if you weren't so cute when you are surprised like this." A satisfied grin plays around his plump lips, as if he revelling in the taste of this sweet opportunity in his hands. "Now be a good girl for me and finally do what you've been wanting to do for weeks. Tell me you want me."

You haven't taken a single breath since he started talking and as a result your head feels dizzy. It takes a short moment before you can finally form the words that your head is screaming at you.

"Please," you whisper pathetically.

"Please what, darling?" San revels in the way you can barely speak.

"Please ruin me."

You can basically see the fire behind his eyes ignite as you speak those three words. His hand wanders to your cheek, grabbing it firmly. He takes his sweet time to let his thumb run over your bottom lip, eyes trailing after his own movement.

"With pleasure."

Finally, his lips press onto yours in a desperate kiss. They feel just as soft as they always looked to you, but he kisses you with a roughness that is almost contradictory. The combination is intoxicating. As you reciprocate the kiss, heat runs through your limbs in shockwaves.

Suddenly impatient, San interrupts the kiss to pull you up and out of the chair by your arms. Grabbing your waist he manhandles you onto the dinner table instead, lifting you onto the ledge as if it was nothing.

Your hands bury in his hair as both your lips meet again in a rushed embrace. In return, San wedges one of his legs between yours and spreads your knees so he can stand between them. The way he handles you makes heat pool in your core. San has a determination to his every move that makes you want to do whatever he could want from you.

One of his hands still tightly grasping your waist, the other winds in your hair as he deepens the kiss. When his tongue enters your mouth you arch your back wanting to diminish every centimetre between you two. Your head is dizzy, completely overwhelmed by his every touch.

San's firm hands are restless on your heated body. His fingers quickly find a way to shift under your shirt and his thumb draws circles into the bare skin of your stomach. Choi San feels like a drug. His touch just as intoxicating as you always dreamed it to be.

He removes his mouth from your lips only to latch onto the fragile skin behind your ears, kissing his way around your neck. You let your head fall back to give him better access and when he starts sucking on your skin you relieve a small whimper.

You can feel San smirking into your skin as he sucks even more. It's like he has found your weakness and is now shamelessly using it to make you melt beneath his fingers. And it's working so well. Your hands lose grip on his hair as you lose your ability to focus on anything but San's lips on your neck.

"Don't tap out on me already, darling. I'm only getting started," he rasps into your ear in between kisses. You draw in a shaky breath at his words. Your legs feel like jelly even as your sitting down and you just know you won't be able to walk after San is finished with you.

He finally withdraws his lips and for a second just revels in your already dishevelled form: hair messy, red flush to your cheeks and lips glossy from kissing him.

"I'd love to have you on my dinner table but let's take this somewhere more comfortable for now," he says in a soft voice.

Hooking his hands under your thighs he picks you up from the table, carrying you towards his bedroom. Woken up from your trance by the change of motion you suddenly gain back some of your bite. While San is busied with carrying you, your fingers rush to the collar of his dress shirt. Oh how often you have dreamed of popping open those buttons one by one. And finally you have the pleasure to do so. A soft chuckle makes his chest move in front of you as San looks down on your actions.

"You couldn't wait, could you?"

"Why would I?" you reply cheekily as your hand smooths over his now exposed skin. He feels so soft and hot under your fingertips that you don't think you'll ever be able to detach.

San throws open his bedroom door with his shoulder and before you have a chance to take in the room you are thrown onto the plush bed. He follows behind immediately, hovering over you with both hands propped up next to your head. He lets his eyes run over your figure lazily, up and down.

"Don't even know where to start with you," he mumbles half to himself and half to you as he watches your chest rise and fall in heavy breaths. He decides to put on a show, sitting back on his heels and slowly continuing your work in unbuttoning his shirt.

Apart from his skin being exposed the simple act of opening some buttons shouldn't drive you as crazy as it does right now. It's simply the sexiest thing you have ever seen in your life. The way his hooded eyes stay on yours the entire time while one button after another falls open under his practiced movements.

You are moving on autopilot when you also sit up to take off your own shirt. You simply can't delay this any further. As your shirt lands somewhere beside the bed, San lets out a small groan, surprising you. He stopped in the middle of folding down his sleeves.

"How did you know that purple was my favourite colour?" He asks in a raspy voice. His eyes are raking over your deep purple bra with a desire in them that lets shivers run over your skin.

You can't imagine a better way to find out his favourite colour. You only chose it because it accentuates your skin tone but now it feels like fate to you. Finally, you are getting to the edges of Choi San. Getting to know him on a level that you were craving like the air you needed to breath.

"Good intuition," you reply. Your confidence surges under his heavy glances. Maybe a little too much. "Need help with that?" you ask him teasingly with a nod towards his shirt, which hangs open around his toned torso.

As soon as you speak those words you are getting pinned back to the bed, San's hand suddenly wrapped around your neck. He isn't putting any pressure on it yet but you can feel his strength pulsating around your neck. His broad shoulders are taking up most of your vision and with the way he glares at you you just know that you are soaked.

"Don't get too bold with me, darling," he says in a warning tone. "I'm the one in charge."

You look up at him through big, round eyes, lashes fluttering because you have a feeling that it will push just the right buttons in him.

"Go ahead then," you reply firmly. "Do whatever you want to me."

San sits up again and roughly tugs on his sleeves, finally discarding his shirt fully. Then his lips are on yours again in a heartbeat.

You greedily let your hands wander over his now fully exposed upper body. The muscles playing under his skin feel so good as he buries his hands in your hair. His biceps is so big that your fingers can barely wrap around it halfway. You can't get enough of touching his body which so far you only admired in fitted dressing shirts.

San kisses his way down from your lips again but this time he doesn't stop at your neck. Continuing down your chest he kisses the tender skin between your breasts. When he takes both hands to squish your breasts together, burying his face in between, you lose your last bit of composure.

"Please, San. Please just fuck me."

He lifts his head to smile at you devilishly. The fire behind his eyes seems so bright that you're scared it will never burn down again.

"Already begging for me? You're still half dressed and I'm only starting. Have a little patience."

As he finishes his words, his hand snakes behind your back to open your bra in a swift motion. He peels the straps off of you with a new found patience that makes you feel like you are suffocating.

When the piece of clothing lands on the floor, San's eyes are glued to your chest. Slowly, he lowers himself down again, gently taking on of your nipples into his mouth. As soon as his tongue starts lapping at you a string of moans escape you. He just feels so good.

Without ever losing focus on kissing and nipping on your chest, one of his hands wanders to your skirt. He finds the zipper so easily it feels like he has studied undressing you. He pushes it down your legs quickly, leaving you only in your underwear.

As his hand starts stroking your inner thighs, your eyes roll to the back of your head. He feels like a dream.

"Please San. Please touch me," the words leave your mouth in whispers. Silent pleas for him to finally give you what you want.

"Is my darling so stressed from studying that she needs her mind taken off of things?" His fingers trail over your clothed heat as he asks you in a sickly sweet voice. His eyes are focussed on your face, taking in how you crumble beneath his touch.

"Yes. Yes, please," you whimper desperately. Every touch feels like electricity on your skin.

"Want me to stuff you full so you can forget everything you've studied for for weeks?" He pushes your panties to the side, his fingers toying at your entrance.

"Please San..." you repeat yourself weakly. Finally he gives into your pleading and sinks two of his fingers into you. You are so wet that they glide in with ease. You suck in a harsh breath as he begins pumping them in and out of you.

"God you feel so good. Can't wait to fuck you, my darling. Bury my cock so deep into you you forget your own name."

His words make you shake beneath him. You had a lot of suspicions about San in the bedroom due to your extensive daydreaming about him. But never did you expect him to be so vocal and downright dirty with his words. It catches you off-guard and only heightens your pleasure.

San scoots up on the bed a little so his face is hovering over yours again, while he slips a third finger into your heat. "How do I feel?" he asks with a raspy tone to his voice.

"You feel so fucking good, San," you moan in answer. His fingers stretch you out so deliciously and he reaches this spot deep inside you that makes you arch your back with every thrust.

"Yeah, you wanna come on my fingers?" he rasps into your ear now, lips again attaching to your neck, sucking deep marks into your skin.

"Please, San." You feel like a broken record that's repeating the same thing over and over. You grow closer and closer to an orgasm with every motion of his fingers inside you. But San has other plans for you. And when he feels you desperately clenching around his fingers, he pulls them out of you.

"I'm sorry darling," he says immediately, even though his face doesn't display any regret. "But you look so pretty when you're desperate. And I want you to come on my cock when I make you fall apart for the first time."

You feel like crying. You want nothing more but to come and yet him taking it from you only makes you want him more. You would do anything for Choi San.

He stands up from the bed and opens his belt. But before he can take of his pants, he orders you over with a motion of his finger. You sit on your knees at the edge of the bed in seconds, looking up at him expectantly.

He doesn't say a word and only gestures for his painfully strained pants. You don't need any more hints to start opening his pants and pulling them down his legs desperately. You hook your fingers into his boxers too but look up at him once more before continuing. When he nods at you you finally pull them down as well.

You can't help but stare at San's length. He's big, just like you had always imagined and he was rock-hard. When San takes himself into his hand and gives himself a few strokes you open your mouth on your own, sticking out your tongue in anticipation of tasting him.

San starts gently. His other hand weaves into your hair and he pulls you onto his length slowly. You are able to take a good amount of him before his tip hits the back of your throat and you release a surprised moan. San closes his eyes momentarily as he relishes in the feeling of your hot mouth around him.

"Shit, you feel so good," he rasps out before he starts thrusting in and out of your mouth. Your hands seek hold on his muscular thighs and you look up at San through big and pleading eyes. Even though he isn't pleasuring you, this almost feels as good as having him bury his fingers inside you. All you ever dreamed about was him using you just like this and the feeling of it happening is so intoxicating you feel like you might pass out any second.

"Look at you enjoying my cock so damn much, that your eyes are losing focus," San chuckles. He looks down at you in disbelief as you mindlessly swirl your tongue around his cock. "You love being ruined by me, don't you?"

You can only manage a desperate nod and approving grunt as you continue sucking him of. No man has ever made you this desperate. As you look at him from beneath you feel like you have accomplished everything you ever wanted: his hair was dishevelled, his breaths uneven and a red tint painted his cheeks. All in all, Choi San lost his perfectly maintained appearance as you sucked on his cock and to you he looked 100 times prettier this way.

When his thrusts go sloppy, he pulls out of your mouth in a haste before he can come. "You're driving me crazy, darling," he grunts as he catches his breath for a second. In a more gentle tone he resumes: "Lay back on the bed for me, ok?"

You do as he says, laying down on your back in the middle of the bed, your body buzzing with the anticipation of what is to come. San goes to his dresser, opening a drawer to get a condom. 

When he climbs over you he looks at you intensely. But at the same time his eyes hold a softness that makes you feel secure.

"Are you sure about going on, y/n?" he asks warmly. No petnames this time. He wants a clear answer.

"Never been so sure in my life," you reply with a smile and his lips mirror yours as he beams down at you.

Quickly he sits up to open the condom and roll it onto his member. Opening your legs with his knee he situates himself between you and positions his cock at your entrance. One hand on your hip and the other holding his cock, he slowly sinks himself into you while carefully observing your face.

Your eyes flutter when he is fully inside of you and you moan at the feeling. San releases a grunt as well and waits a few seconds deep inside of you.

"Fuck, you're so tight for me, my darling. Don't worry I won't stop this time until you come." And with that he starts thrusting into you. He begins with slow and deep thrusts but as soon as you get used to his size he speeds up rapidly. 

His abs are flexing underneath is skin as he grabs onto your hip and pistons himself into you. With every thrust you can feel him hit this spongy part deep inside of you that makes heat build in your core with a throbbing intensity. Meanwhile you revel in the sight above you: San looks like a god. His muscular body moving above you is almost enough to push you over the edge but what's even more entrancing is his face. His expressions seem almost possessed. Like a demon took over him as soon as he started fucking you, he fixes his eyes onto yours.

"Am I fucking you good? Making you forget all your precious studies?" There they are again. His filthy words driving you down a one-way-road to insanity. "I hope you forget everything so you have to see me even more, darling. Then I can keep on fucking this tight little cunt over and over again."

"Fuck, San!" you moan out, being shocked by his words. His control over you is baffling and you can't help but grow closer and closer to your orgasm with every word.

"I know you like me like that, darling. Do me a favour and come on my cock so I can finally see you lose yourself will you?"

You can't form an answer. Endless moans tumble out of your mouth in increasing volume and San knows he has you exactly where he wants. 

"Come for me."

Your orgasm hits you with an explosive intensity. Faintly, you notice yourself moan at a concerning volume as your high washes over your body. But San doesn't seem to mind. Your legs are shaking and he helps you ride out the feeling with slower strokes. He waits for your breath to slow down again before he leans down to you and places a gentle kiss onto your lips.

"I want you on your knees in front of me," he says sweetly as soon as your lips separate and your head is spinning. Still you manage to get up with the help of his arm beneath your waist and you let yourself be positioned in front of San, your back to him.

Since you didn't have the opportunity to examine his bedroom earlier you only now notice the big mirror on his wardrobe next to his bed. Looking ahead, you can now see yourself on your knees, sitting in front of San.

You look even more dishevelled than you feel: Your hair is all over the place and some of your eyeliner smudged and a handful of dark purple marks littering your neck. Also, a red tint covers your skin, making you look flushed. San behind you smirks as you examine your own figure.

"You look so pretty all messed up like this for me, don't you think?"

His arm wraps around your waist as he leans your body back onto his broad chest. You look tiny in front of his build.

"I'll make you look even prettier," he promises as he sinks himself back into you.

He picks up his intense pace from before and you already feel dizzy again. With his arm holding you tight he is basically lifting you up and down his cock. At this angle he is hitting you deeper than before and you are sure you won't last very long until your next high.

But nothing could've prepared you for the feeling of San winding his other arm around you too, his fingers gently starting to stroke your clit. Your head falls back onto San's shoulder as you give in to the mind-numbing pleasure that starts buzzing through your body.

"Keep your eyes on me, darling. I want to watch you fall apart."

His voice sounds sulky, almost cute. It doesn't match his relentless thrusts and his fingers pleasuring you. It takes all your strength to lift your head again and look at San through the mirror. His eyes are hooded now, a shin layer of sweat making his flawless skin shine in the evening light.

"You make me feel so good," you manage to say as San keeps on pounding into you. You want him to know how he makes you feel. How good he is being to you.

"Am I?" He smiles in satisfaction as he watches your brows draw together with a particularly deep thrust. "You too, darling. You feel so good around me I don't think I can last much longer. But you'll come one more time for me, right?"

His voice sounds so deep and sultry in your ears. "Of course, Sannie," you mumble absent-mindedly. You don't even notice the nickname until he chuckles behind you.

"How can you be so cute and so sexy at the same time? You'll be the death of me, my good little girl."

He places a kiss onto your cheek and that is what finally drives you over the edge.

"Fuck, San. I'm coming," you moan out before your high crashes over you. If he wasn't holding you, you would fall to the ground. You try to hold eye contact with San through the reflection but your eyes keep on shutting as waves of pleasure roll over you. You have never felt such an intensity before.

But San's thrust don't slow down this time. He keeps on rutting into you relentlessly, driving you to insanity. You feel like you're swimming in a pool of pleasure.

"I'm close, darling. Just a little longer," San's voice is pitched higher than before, sounding just as desperate as you feel. You want nothing more but for him to come.

"Please, Sannie. I want you to come so bad."

Your desperate pleas are San's final straw. Clutching your body tight to his own, he finishes with his cock buried deep inside you. You can feel him pulsating in your heat and your moans mix into his grunts as you milk him for every last drop of his cum.

As you both slowly recover San pulls out of you and gently lays you back onto the bed. You can't do anything but catch your breath while he gets up to rid himself of the condom and return to you with a glass of water.

"Drink something," he urges you on and you take the glass from him. He watches you with a tinge of worry in his eyes. After taking a few sips you offer the glass back to him.

"You should drink some too, I'm sure you worked your body more than I did."

He smiles at your words and takes some water too before returning the glass to his bedside table. When he looks back at you there is a heaviness to his gaze that worries you.

"What is it?" you ask.

San takes a deep breath before answering you. "No matter what I said to you before, I actually didn't expect us to tumble into this as quickly as we did right now. And I want you to know that I didn't do this to use you or take any advantage of you."

His hand nervously grabs for the back of his neck. "Actually, I've been interested in you ever since we first met but I fear the tension between us was quicker than both of us."

You try to process his words even in your hazy state of mind. A spark of excitement surges through your body as you realize what he is saying.

"I feel the same, San," you reply truthfully. "I like you. And not just because you're insanely handsome."

You are glad when he laughs shyly at your words.

"So maybe I can take you out on a date that doesn't involve work or pharmacy studies sometime?"

"I hope sometime means this week, because I waited long enough for you already."

After everything that happened this evening, this moment when he smiles at you might be what makes your heart beat the fastest. You can't believe your luck as you look Choi San into the eyes and he leans in for a kiss.

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

"This was a stupid idea," you say to San but maybe more to yourself. "I should tell her alone."

"How will she ever respect me again if I let you do this alone?" San replies worriedly. "She told me to tutor you and now here we are. I will look terrible either way."

You have never seen him this nervous. But after all, your mother has the ability to make everybody scared for their life. You two pass her assistant's desk with a polite greeting as you head straight for your mother's office. She knows you are coming but she doesn't know you're bringing company.

You knock carefully on the door until her voice calls you in. Your mother stays seated as you two enter the room. She doesn't look surprised or confused about San's appearance but rather intrigued.

"Why are you visiting me today, y/n?" she asks simply.

Your heart is beating out of your chest as you prepare for answering.

"I have something to announce to you," you start off as confident as you can. 

Your mother's eyes flick between you and San. "Go on."

"San- ... Mr. Choi and I, we are..." your voice is shaking. Why is this so hard for you?

But San grabs for your hand, linking his fingers with yours as he confidently finishes your sentence: "We are in a relationship, director Kim."

His boldness strikes you as admiring. Maybe he was right about accompanying you.

A silence that draws out unbearably long fills the room. You feel like your lungs are being compressed with every passing second.

Then your mother smiles. It's not exactly a smile of happiness. It speaks more of victory.

"Finally," she announced. "It took you two longer than I expected."

Now it's your turn to be silent. Both you and San are stunned in your places.

Finally you find your voice to ask: "What do you mean, mom?"

She smiles at you in satisfaction.

"You see: Mr. Choi is a good man. He's a gentleman, treats his colleagues with the utmost respect, excels at his job and is handsome too. How could I find a better match for my beloved daughter? But I know you wouldn't be interested if I were to formerly introduce you two so I thought I'd help you in a different way."

Your mouth falls open in shock. Out of all things, your mother purposefully setting you up with San has never even crossed your mind. Your boyfriend seems even more shocked at the revelation than you, his face reddened and a stunned expression on his face.

"So you set us two up?" You finally ask your mother.

"Of course I did! And it worked out brilliantly, don't you think? I'm glad you both came to tell me. Mr. Choi?"

San perks up at her words. "Yes?"

"I assume you will take good care of my daughter?"

"Of course I will," he replies sternly, voice full of sincerity. "I will do everything care for y/n." His words make you feel warm and fuzzy.

Your mother nods approvingly. "Then you two may leave. I still have work to do."

You both nod hastily and thank your mother before turning back for the door.

"Oh, before I forget. Y/n?" your mother asks one last time.

"Yes?"

"I received your test results that you sent me. They look very promising."

I hope you enjoyed <3 Pls reblog and leave feedback if you can :)

Tags: @voicesinmyhead-rc

[therealslimshakespeare]

|| Sanchez ||

Requested? ☑️

Circa: October 1943

Summary: Upon being shot down on his last mission, Major Gale Cleven finds himself in the company of a female officer -and not one from the 100th. While already inclined to show solidarity, the increasing threat towards his fellow officer forces him to act. The jeopardy such action puts him in is more than he could have ever estimated, as is the fallout upon finding women he knows in the stalag

Cast: Cleven, Sanchez, Demarco, Brady, Egan, Kendeigh, Lu Smith, Ida Brady

Author’s note: the first portion of this segment is in the immediate time frame of Gale being downed. The second portion follows the events of What Took Him So Long? the mirroring of both these segments will hopefully prove enjoyable but I worry perhaps confusing

Content Warning: due to the disturbing content listed below the cut, I understand some may choose not to read this segment. If you’d like an abridged summary of the events herein to keep up with the series, I’d be happy to supply that 💋🌹

Warnings: usual universe warnings apply 18+ additionally for this chapter there are warnings for depiction of rape. This entire arc was produced on popular request, i have tried to portray the brutal events found herein in the most elevated and respectful terms I found effective. I would not call it graphic, however, it’s not vague either. And it’s rape. Male and female. Depiction of rape and discussion of past rape. Violence as well, obviously, fucking Nazis, ptsd from said assaults, choking, hints of childhood trauma, mentions of medical experiments. General cloud of dread. With light at the end of the tunnel.

Note: my blog and writings are strictly 18+, this means that we are all adults here enjoying free connection and art. The themes of this particular story are mature, at times harrowing and for some, potentially intolerable. No worries if the latter is your case, feel free to move on or block tags. On the other hand, please take responsibility for your reading, I provide warnings as a courtesy but I cannot cover them all and if something doesn’t sit right, please exercise adult autonomy and make your way to the nearest exit. Xo

When Gale extended his hand to aid the next prisoner up into the truck, he hadn't anticipated one so small or so brown. Busted knuckles that had rivulets of crimson pouring over copper flesh; he was mildly fascinated by it. His concussed mind flashed to ‘Lu Smith and her shaded face, before belatedly realizing it was indeed a woman’s lighter frame he was hauling in beside him to the shrill insistence of German threats.

The woman who flopped on the bench opposite him, legs spread wide and boots braced with a brow like a thundercloud, was not Smith. And for that Cleven was relieved.

Last he had seen of Ida and Graham’s fort, they’d been carrying on over Breman, and while he had every reason to think few had made it back, who’s to say they weren’t lucky? And Ida could fly a tin can on the fumes of an alcoholic's breath. Smith wasn’t here, Ida either, and he tried to arrange his mind to that, to not even let the doubt creep in, and instead took to studying the newcomer in between the passing of more downed airmen filling the benches.

The incessant barking of their dogs must have been half strategy, the throbbing in his back working its way into his head as the minutes went by. It had taken too long for them to be brought to Luftwaffe jurisdiction, he knew that much, even with giving them the benefit of the doubt for wartime communication failures and muddy roads. He’d been well read and prepared and braced for the outcome of being downed since before they left the states, grilled his men on procedure, on their rights, their privileges as prisoners of war, also on their duties to silence. The fact he’d never truly thought it would happen to him didn’t mean he wasn’t perfectly knowledgeable about the requirements.

So far Cleven had managed not to say a single word to anyone, the farmer with the pitchfork probably didn’t speak English and a wheezy “please don’t kill me” seemed like a flaccid bunch of last words that Gale refused to let off his tongue.

Instead he let them haul him to the nearest company of Wehrmacht soldiers and had been marched for ages by them, had seen and given Benny a nod when his column of prodded, sheepskin wearing sad bastards merged with Buck’s column of the same. Kendeigh hadn’t been there; crew get themselves killed in a hard landing as often as an exploded plane.

Cleven thought about breaking the silence now to ask the woman opposite where the hell she came from, her patches not what he was used to. But no, bad precedent, he stayed quiet and watchful as the Krauts pushed the last of the men into the overcrowded truck and snapped the tailgate shut. Someone could easily make a run for it by jumping out, but the jeep following behind at a steady few yards with a bristling assortment of machine guns suggested against it.

Once the truck began to move, Benny leaned forward beside him on their jostling journey and motioned in an ingratiating arc at the woman’s patches. “I don’t know those.” he said what Gale had been thinking, half yelling over the clamor of voices and the roar of the truck engine, “Looks half like varsity shit.”

Gale wasn’t sure his kindhearted co-Pilot meant those sorts of digs out of innocence or as a tactic to get reticent folks to defend themselves with the very information they might has previously withheld. As said, Gale didn’t know, but he knew it never failed. The woman went from scowling at Cleven -a pastime she had set herself to with such diligence that every time he tried to make discreet observance of her she already had her eyes on him- and turned to Benny.

“201st, fighters.” well that explained nothing and everything. “Sanchez.” she offered Benny after a beat, maybe knowing her name was hardly damning considering her looks.

Kinda like how Benny looked and sounded likely to have a name that started with “De-“ and a dog named meatball. “Eagle Wings, huh?” Benny nodded at the patch. “And a uh, uh triangle.” he couldn’t make it out all the way from his seat, but Buck could -the patch read ‘Mexico’ above a magnificent spread of Eagle Wings with a green triangle as the body.

They were all a long way from home.

“Aztec,” Sanchez tweaked it, “Aztec Eagles.”

“Mexican?” Benny asked, the accent wasn’t one he commonly heard in Philly but even crappy shows and movies got some things right, and Benny had seen his fair share of westerns.

“Sanchez.” she repeated instead and was back to scowling at Buck.

They seemed to drive for all day, until the light began to dim and what was a pleasant day turned into a misty chill as evening grew near.

The truck came to a halt at last, barbed wire and mud about them and the painted checkpoint arm whirled by as they drove into the dulag and came to a final stop. In the quiet that followed the cut of the engines, the rain was suddenly audible, pattering on the canvas above them. At the resumption of barked order and harsh commands the prisoners stood up, gingerly hopping out of the truck with just enough quickness not to be hit and just enough slowness not to be shot. Didn't help much anyway, muzzles were pointed quite liberally around here and you just had to hope the trigger fingers weren’t so generous.

The dulag guards turned away a good seven of those remaining after the packed truck had dispensed its human cargo. They didn't have enough room.

Go up further, to the next one, go to Frankfurt -those seemed to be the directions.

Directions their drivers and guards took poorly; it was late, it was drizzling and Buck could guess how little they enjoyed the on-edge detail of ferrying outnumbering prisoners around the countryside. They cut down on the number of guards, five to go with: a driver, two in the jeep, one more in the cab and another supposed to be with them in the truck back.

After a bit more haggling, the Dulag accepted three more prisoners. Cleven made sure to stay put, he didn’t know the foreign arguments well enough to decipher all but half the protesting seemed to be over who got Sanchez. And he sure as hell wasn’t leaving her here without a superior officer as defense. A dulag guard had hopped up into the truck and shined his flashlight at Buck’s markings, that’s when he mentioned something about Frankfurt.

Benny didn’t move without Cleven and so, when the truck took off again into the evening gloom, it was Buck and Benny and Sanchez and another hapless kid who looked all of fifteen and was, according to his over liberal offer of conversation, a scared shitless waist gunner.

“They’re arguing over you.” Cleven finally chose to speak up. It could get rough, the guards’ distinction of her. He felt it with a premonitory dread that came from too many right predictions as a child. He hated this feeling, he hated how right it usually was, he hated how it was usually met with folks telling him he worried too much. He’d taken to not saying much the older he grew, watching things play out, grieving over foreseen misfortunes all on his own. Until he met Bucky. But right now he had to speak up, this time he had to.

Yet Sanchez remained scowling, “They argued over you.” she retorted.

Gale gave her a tight smile, “I’m a major.”

“I’m a lieutenant.”

“I can see that.” he proceeded cautiously, “But they just took in a baker's dozen of lieutenants. No problem. But they didn’t take you.”

“Didn’t take him either.” she nodded to Benny.

“His captain’s ass never left the seat.” Cleven said, “You were on the ground, ready, they put you back. I’m tellin’ you, if they can’t decide who you are, where you go, I’m gonna need your assurance you’ll fight like hell with me. For recognition of it.”

-Just don’t say I worry too much, Gale thought desperately, he could almost feel Bucky’s gentle squeeze of his shoulder, like shaking out the tension in a cat as he said the same; his back was so stiff he thought it might snap if Bucky did it now but -but John wasn’t here. Thank Almighty God.

“You know you look more German than most of our guards.” Sanchez replied and Benny suddenly snapped to attention beside him at that. “I’m not assuring you of shit.”

“He’s not a damn spy!” Benny insisted, more loudly and vehemently than was maybe best with guards all around.

“You know this how?” she asked, unmoved.

“He’s my goddamn co-Pilot.”

“Pilot?”

“Ya think he just ripped his own cheek open for a part?”

Sanchez swayed with the jerk of a pothole and shook her head, “Maybe you both are.”

Smart, and a worse worrier than himself. Cleven liked her immensely and stared out the flap of the tarp, watching the rain pour down, dusk fully settling over everything outside and the trailing jeep’s headlights poured into their little haven, whiting-out his vision of the road.

“I’m not leavin’ this seat ‘till a Dulag takes you.” he told her, it was all he had to give. For her part she seemed determined to wait and see before expending any thanks. He didn’t expect it.

They weren’t in any city when the truck brakes checked them in a squeaking lurch, followed by the sound of tires turning off gravel and into squelching mud and then the echoing silence of the engine being cut once more. This wasn’t Frankfurt, and this was no engine failure. From the headlights of the following jeep, all Gale could make out was trees. So many damn trees. It had stopped raining.

“This isn’t Frankfurt.” He remarked to the guard sitting with them, the sullen fellow had not said a word for five hours and he didn’t start spilling now.

The others made an appearance when they joined them in the truck, hopping up with muddy jackboots and the clatter of what seemed to be a portable camp stove, along with rucksacks, utensils and the like. They unwound rope from the cloth neck of one sack and poured out oats, and another seemed to have been wrapping some preserved sort of meat. Gale eyed the discarded rope where it lay on the floor with the lust of a man used to working with what he was given, while Benny stared with barely concealed longing at the now simmering concoction on the tin stove.

These guards made conversation, or at least they tried. But not even the scared little gunner was in the mood to reply, and so it remained one sided. His boys hadn’t eaten since chow this morning at the crack of dawn, and Cleven didn’t blame them for their hunger but his own stomach was in loathsome, uneasy knots, and by observance of Sanchez’s wary sullenness, he figured he wasn’t alone in that. A dinner break for the Germans was one thing, he guessed, but the solitude was oppressive along with the forced proximity of all these grinning enemies stirring and chopping their porridge bits and laughing amongst themselves on the benches and floor next to them.

When they offered Demarco a hunk of whatever they had prepared, to his credit, Benny didn’t even acknowledge them. Their offer had been mocking enough, even without understanding the language.

“You must be hungry, ja?” The one with sergeant stripes cajoled, greasy teeth flashing, the muggy smells of rain and sweat and steaming food were all so noxiously trapped under the tarp, Gale had to bite his cheek to keep down the salient precursors of vomit.

The sergeant tried it on Sanchez next, insistently holding out a hunk of the meat impaled on the knife tip. She wouldn’t even look at him and that was an admirable thing until it served to anger him, and the man reached out, hand snagging in her waistband and hauling her smaller body beside him on the bench with ease. Benny was almost to his feet when Cleven fetched him back with a grip of his own, sitting him down firmly.

He managed to keep his voice perfectly neutral when interrupting the man’s flashlight lit perusal of Sanchez’s frozen features, “Hey, she doesn’t mean any harm, you let her go now.”

The sergeant looked up, less surprised to have gained a reaction from Gale but maybe at hearing his voice at last. “Only trying to be good hosts, ja? She von’t eat. Neither you?”

“Just not hungry.” Gale countered mildly.

“But ve must thank you,” the Sergeant laughed, and Sanchez stayed stiff as board in his grip, shying away from the still offered meat as much as the touch “so many parcels of gifts you drop.”

“Let her go.” Gale insisted, gently.

“She not drop zeez parcels?” The sergeant asked.

“She’s not a bomber.” Gale grit his teeth, “I do the dropping.”

The sergeant pulled her jacket apart in curiosity, thumbing at the patches, “Not’z a bomber?” Cleven felt his tongue go numb as the man tugged at her clothes, it was a curious inspection so far and yet- “Then it’s you should be given meat, ja?” The man left off his tugging and rose from his squat on the floor to approach Gale, the man was huge upon closer acquaintance, “For Hamburg,” he insisted through gritted teeth, his anger more palpable up close, and he pressed the meat to Gale’s tightly shut mouth, “and for ze little ones you turned to ash with your parcels.”

Gale kept his jaw locked and his mouth shut, eyes meeting the sergeants’, unblinking and unsorry.

“Open!”

Gale didn’t obey. The man sighed as if he were actually a host turned down. Gale could feel Benny’s eyes on him, wary, careful, his whole posture shockingly good at blending in, a damn good man to have next to you in a place like this.

“We have no beer,” the man confessed, knife and meat still pressing insistently, “or else we would offer it for such heroes. But not to fret, you have provided refreshment, ja? Full belly and beer iz ze best, full belly and a voman iz better.”

Carefully Gale turned his head away from the offered chunk, “That's a prisoner of war, not a woman.” He saw how little effect that had and added for benefit, “And your superiors are waiting for her.”

The man scoffed loudly and turned towards his men who were, Gale could now perceive past his bulk, scraping the last of their tin plates without so much as looking at the bowls -they were eying her. With intent. The kind of intent Gale wished he didn’t recognize but he did, carnival dins and race tracks after dark being hardly the best places to grow up unless you wanted to learn how often folks really would act on their worst impulses.

Not tonight, not if he could fucking help it. By Benny’s taut posture beside him, he knew he had an ally in the assumption that this would end in a fight. He eyed the rope lying on the floor.

“Eat with us.” The sergeant insisted, “She von’t be alive to tell on you, prisoners make a run for it all ze time. Must be shot. Ve’ll let you fuck her too.”

Oh Jesus- “Your superiors know-“ Cleven reminded, voice starting to shake in rage from the keyed up adrenaline he was barely keeping a lid on.

“-zey know emergencies happen.” The man snapped, almost annoyed at Gale’s persistence, as if he expected less protest from an airman at the prospect of one of his own being abused. “Zey would send more guards if zey cared as much as you ‘sink.”

The men had finished their bowls, they set them aside on the bench, pushing the stove away as well. Clearing the floor.

“Or fuck, oh fuck.” the gunner kid, who Gale had almost forgotten about on his end of the bench, began to panic, sounding like he was retching his prayers.

Gale met Benny’s eyes, then down to the rope on the floor, then back up. It was good to have a man who got it. Always got it, his Benny.

“Can I go first.” Gale asked, and held his breath.

“Vat?” The sergeant lowered the knife in surprise, the meat chunk slid and fell to the floor but neither cared.

Gale let his lips twitch, his eyes conspired, “I don’t wanna catch whatever shit you fuckers got.”

He could hear more than see Sanchez begin the thrash on her bench but she made no progress, maybe already being held. “And you von’t tell?” the sergeant asked.

Gale gave him a look that could be universally interpreted as ‘whadda ya think?’ and bent to retrieve the meat nugget from the muddy floor, right by the sergeant’s boot, the rope was just out of reach. When he straightened his back he popped the soiled peace offering in his mouth, he chewed it loudly, the rush of an imminent attempt thrumming so strongly in his body it replaced the queasiness for a moment. The sergeant clapped his hands together, once, in appreciation for the despicable deal.

Gale knew they wanted nothing more than sport of him, it was no comradely favor to allow him to go first, it was blackmail and it was likely something worse once he got his pants down. But they could all play along, he just needed to get close to her. They had her jacket off already, her boots, too.

This didn’t really have a chance in hell but if she was like Ida, or Smith or anyone else, she’d rather be shot barefoot than have this happen to her. Gale supposed dying with German ham stuck in his teeth was about a draw with being killed via pitchfork prongs through the belly.

He didn’t process much when he stood up: not beyond the two paces it took to get to her, the men holding her on the bench seat and wrestling at her clothes, the way Benny didn’t say a word. He really was thinking of Benny in those paces, hoping his co-pilot was ready -it didn’t occur to him even once that Demarco might be as fooled as these sick fucks around them, letting go of her all too quickly at the prospect of a degrading show.

Cleven had his hand around her necktie, pulling her off the bench before he’d even really registered being close enough, he’d forgotten how to hold his face for this act but maybe the mad determination passed for lust, he didn’t think of anything but yanking her up when he felt a sudden, stinging slice against his right cheek. She’d been waiting for this moment, smart thing had a penknife hidden somewhere, it was something one of the Banshees would have pulled, and the mirroring slice was disorienting enough that he wasted a good two seconds in smarting surprise as warm blood trickled down his chin and the guards began to shout.

Someone else wrested the knife from her grip, someone else held onto her wrist now, his moment of shocked pain wasted his fucking plan.

Still, he tried.

Cleven yanked her further toward the middle of the space, spun her around despite her incessant clawing -and maybe the actions seemed to the guards in accordance with his plan, plus some anger from the wound. He didn’t know what they thought, he only knew that no one halted him, they just gathered closer to see, never expecting it, just as he didn’t expect to manage it when he got her turned to the open flap of the tarp and bodily hurled her out its back, into the night.

Benny must’ve tripped the first one, a clunky helmet clattering as the guy fell flat at Cleven’s feet, right as he turned around to help. It wasn’t ever gonna be a nice fight, or a likely chance for her to have even a ten second start but it was something besides sitting on a bench and watching them violate a fellow officer. He’d have done the same for Benny. Just as Benny now looked pretty resigned to dying in this fight, getting in a couple of excellent, unapologetic punches with the next guard who manned up and realized what was what. -It’s gotta be a let down to be keyed up for a nice orgy in the woods only to end up having to play guard again. Gale wanted to manage to kill one before he got shot, that’s all he really wanted anymore.

And for the girl to get out, for all the girls to get out wherever they were.

He was grappling with the closest one, the guy nearest the flap who almost managed to give chase to her right away, when he felt something that gave him a chill of horror he never expected. Rope; he registered it slipping down his chin, making him let go of his opponent to try to slip his fingers between the twine and his collared throat -too late. He felt himself bodily yanked back, a burn in his throat all consuming and the sudden deprivation of air turning him into a desperate mess, nothing useful about his scuffing feet and clawing hands.

They were giving orders to go after her, and two men were scrambling out the back as Gale began to sag. From his new position gasping on the floor, Gale could see that they had a gun to Benny’s gut, while the gunner kid hadn’t needed such firmness, he was braced at the back of the truck in absolute terror.

Well this was over faster than desired but -to be expected. Fuck.

“Halt.” Cleven felt the sergeant’s boot kick at the side of his head, emphasizing his order to cease his struggles.

World grew fuzzy then, not at all like drowsy sleepiness in a hammock but instead like being caught in the river current when you thought you’d managed to strike the ford just right. Gale’s pulse thudded between his temples like the blows of a sledgehammer on his skull, his lungs burned, the cuts on his cheeks blared their pain like screaming infants demanding to be heard above the rest of the pain and terror and fury. He could taste the blood gushing out of them from the pressure, the cuts spurted and dribbled down into his already choking mouth.

What a way to go.

He felt cold air, he felt himself drug and a painful drop to what was likely muddy ground, felt himself dragged some more and his own finger -wedged between the rope and his throat- hurt him worst of all, that knuckle digging into his windpipe.

When some slack finally came, it was minimal, only enough for his body to heave and gag and try to force air into collapsed pipes, enough for sounds of cries and shots and clanking metal to flood into his consciousness. He was either at heaven’s gate or on the cold hard ground at eye level with the beaming jeep headlights -that would explain the blinding glow in his vision.

Or else, heaven wasn’t half what it was cracked up to be.

Someone or a few someone’s, were standing over him and he could see then that he was tied by the makeshift noose to the trailer hitch of the truck, tarp flaps widened far above him like stage drapes. Was Benny still alive in there?

“Maybe you defend her because you too are female?” One guard suggested while prodding at his crotch with a boot, and that made Gale’s frozen, sluggish, oxygen deprived blood begin to pound. “Hübsch.” they complimented him repeatedly -pretty, so very pretty. Too pretty for a man. “We should check, ja?”

He spared one single hope, that Benny wasn’t watching. He didn’t hope they wouldn’t act on their threats, and he hadn’t any hope left that he could actually save Sanchez from what they were even now wrestling her to the ground for. But it felt worsened somehow at the idea of his co-pilot seeing him this way, he yanked his head against the noose and regretted it after. The constriction made his eyes burn, and all his efforts were once again concentrated on grappling with his breathing as they tugged at his clothes and made sport of discovering he was not, in fact, lying about being male.

They laughed, they touched, they said he was some mistake. A face like that had no business owning a cock. He wished he knew less German, in fact he knew little but there are kindnesses and there are cruelties that need no articulation to be understood.

The earth beside him, the mud beneath Sanchez’s hands, was tilled up from her nails, like furrows for planting and her face was so near his when they threw her down, he could make out the spit and blood on her lips.

“Should I?” One was saying and they had their knife out, Gale’s panicked mind had a generous moment of hope that they would cut the rope, that he would soon be able to breathe again. Or else his throat, and he’d not breathe anymore. Both sounded perfect.

They cut open his flight suit instead, a hand heavy on the back of his head, turning him fully over, and then there was the feeling of a warm and sweaty body beginning to roll on top of him.

The mud was cold beneath his cheek, smooth on the forest floor, none of the rough gravel of that endless road, only mud and pine needles sticking to his face now, their knobby little ends roughing up the older wound on his cheek. Every time the guard pushed closer, it scraped him -that blade to his other cheek. The metal tip glittered in the periphery of his one good eye, shining from the headlights.

Sanchez had begun to scream.

Hoarse, wounded, fox like.

It felt very much like a demented dream, even down to the hunter’s attitude above him, the grunts, the prey-like waiting for the lethal blow. He wasn’t sure how long he had floated with only her wounded cries as a grounding agent when he felt a splatter against his lower back and consciousness came back with a heave of his chest and a revolt so strong he fought again against the noose. Predictably, it only tightened. There was cold on his skin then, when the man drew away, fresh night breezes mocking the mess he’d made of Gale, kerosene and exhaust fumes ruining the smell of soil beneath him. Then the heat was back, someone else draped over him, and Gale dug his fingers into the earth too, readying for what the other had spared him. It didn’t matter, if they tired themselves out with him, that was one less -now two less- to use her instead. There had been only five.

This one flipped him over, Gale went easily, both hands occupied straining to get even a finger between the asphyxiating pressure of the rope and his throat.

“He is easier now.” he heard the man laughing, foggy, hazy, unfairly. “The bitch has gone quiet, maybe he will make music, huh?”

Gale frantically turned his head to seek her out, desperate to find her alive -she couldn’t be dead. Not just from this, surely not, what could they do to kill her?-but his own vision was spotting and his throat spasmed in protest. They surely could kill them this way, they could do anything they wanted because they could kill them. And no one would ever hold them to account.

His poor girls. What were they doing to his poor girls?

It burned enough to jolt him awake again, both the forceful entry and the smack to his cut cheek. They wanted him awake, aware, he refused to look at them. This was reminiscent, bright lights and unwanted hands and all but the carnival music missing. He kept staring to the side at her, and at her face, at the way the headlights lit them both up like a carnival spectacle and cast the shadows of their tormentors in looming, grotesque proportions against the treeline. She had her eyes closed, face almost suffocated in the soil, balled fist growing lax beside his own, just out of reach. She didn’t even react when the next replaced the other. There were only five, Gale repeated to himself, there were only five.

No, no, no.

“Smith,” he begged her, “Smith don’t fuckin’ give up on me now.”

His poor girls.

Gale’s own voice made him cringe, how hoarse it was, how young, what a beg it sounded like, how punctuated each word was with the winding pain of a fresh thrust. But her eyes flew open at his call.

Sanchez, her name was Sanchez, he reminded himself. And Smith was with Ida, probably throwing the ball at the flack house after making it back from Breman. She had to be. He didn’t want to live in a world where Lu felt what he felt now as the man shuddered inside him, used him like a skein, a shell, a vessel, hot breath stinging at his cuts.

“Stay with me Sanchez.” he muttered, wondering if he had it in him to do the same. He didn’t have the luxury of ignoring his tormenter any longer, he felt his face gripped and turned, cuts smarting beneath calloused fingertips, cheeks being squished like Bucky used to do in play. The yeasty splatter spit landing on his own tongue was somehow more revolting than all the rest. He gagged, he struggled, his body was on fire.

Smith was screaming again.

There were only five.

He refused to remember more until there was a sudden absence of the heat and the breath and the tearing pain, and if he wasn’t so drugged on misery he might have thought everyone seemed a little rushed at the end. Not how he expected them to be with all the time in the world to wipe their pricks, close their pants, pull out a pistol and deliver a headshot. One apiece here in the mud. See ya there, Benny, he thought dismally, not bothering to open his eyes.

But then there were sounds of squealing tires and the roar of engines and the white bright glow behind his eyelids grew in intensity until he realized -in a fumbled state of what felt like being redressed- that someone else had pulled up to this horror show. There’d only been five and now- now, oh fuck, he didn’t think he could, no, no, no, he yanked at his noose, half hoping to strangle himself or at least be caught fighting this.

If he didn’t know much German when lucid and keen, he certainly wasn’t adept at deciphering the angry babble above him when half dead, half uncaring about listening for an order to flip him over for the next or to blow his brains out. No, no he was far away in the Silver Wings and Maureen’s boot was dug into his shoulder as she turned himself and Egan into scaffolding, all to smoke the club’s ceiling with testament of their survival for their 20th. No big bash like for 25 but it had been a milestone, as terrifyingly hopeful as it had been all too fortunate. He’d seen her cry for the first time that night, hands shaking, admitting she felt in her bones they’d not be lucky, that she’d never really thought about this part, not when she joined up, about getting so close and now she wanted to see it through she was sick to death of the idea of seeing it though being a fiery death. Well, Gale knew now she’d managed to jump, she’d not known fire.

But what else, oh what else?

Next time Cleven woke he was face down on the same old bench seat from hours before, burning ribs nothing compared to the lapping flames below his waist. The truck beneath him was moving and his cut face was only partially gentled by the feel of someone’s meaty thigh beneath him. Horrified, he startled up, hating the idea of being someone’s pet after-

-but it was Benny, looking busted as hell but alive and holding onto him lest he jolt off the bench with the next pothole. As far as he could feel, Gale had his clothes on, muddy and cold and it was daylight and they were moving. A guard he didn’t recognize was on the opposite bench near the flaps, watching them curiously with a rifle slung easily over his lap. He had wings on his lapel.

Sanchez was sat as far from him as possible near the front of the truck, alive and looking for all the world like she might kill the sniffling and unharmed gunner on the floor.

“Luftwaffe.” Benny informed him and Gale winced at their good fortune before giving his friend a pat and letting the sludge of insensibility take over again.

————————————————

“What was done to you: I am horrified.” Lt. Hausmann’s eyes were warm but his smile was cold, as cold as the holding cells, an odd dichotomy, opposite to most but not foreign to Gale. “I have heard they had intentions to hang you, yes? You, a prisoner of war. An officer. Horrifying, base, cowardly, I can only apologize for my countrymen’s attitude, they will be held to account. Was there anything else? I shall make a note. Are you well? Was there anything else?”

“There was a fighter pilot with me.” Cleven did not miss the eagerness in the man’s body language when he let loose his voice at last, hoarse from the rope and suppression of his cries. He’d been sat at this frigid desk with its proffered whiskey and smokes for half an hour already. “She was brutally raped, Lieutenant. And it is my understanding she is under Luftwaffe command now. Held here. I’d like you to make note of both, treat her accordingly.”

“Appalling.” Haussmann insisted, pen scritching away at his pad, “Noted, I-i will see that they are brought to account. Appalling. And you, Major, were you treated well? Besides your throat, I mean. Satisfactory? Honorably? I will make a note.”

The gnawed and broken thumbnail he’d bitten off hours ago slipped from between Gale’s molars. His teeth grated against each other for a split second. It was the only sound that filled the room. There’d been only five.

He passed Benny in the hall when they drug him back to his cell. But he never saw Sanchez again.

———————————————-

He didn’t see Sanchez again, not until a month later when she came with Smith. And all the others. Not until after a month of a John Brady biting through his lips with well placed anxiety over the absence of their female fellows. A month of Gale acting like he actually thought they were alright. As far as he knew, the boy’s sister was fine. Until she came through that gate, head shorn, cheek disfigured, half her buttons missing and a look in her eye that was half fury, half woe.

He was angry for Ida, but she didn’t belong trapped in a dog run with all these men. So Gale protested.

“If it can happen to you-“ John Brady had the gall to suggest at the gate, to suggest something Cleven had never confirmed. But Brady was like that, and Cleven had stopped his fight against the girls' inclusion all the same. Perhaps his fight had been less about the rules being broken, and more at the idea of having to see any more of their mistreatment, being witness to it, his rank proving useless once more. Never again. Not if he had to barter the golden gates for their safety.

———————————————--

“You ok?” Cleven asked Brady on the second day after their arrival as he counted out the syringes on the rough hewn table, one by one. He didn’t doubt the kid’s promise to get the supplies but instead the stalag doctor’s elusive provisions and willingness to comply. But sure enough, there was one for each of the girls, and a spare.

Brady gave him a tight lipped nod before expounding, “Sunnuvbitch wouldn’t dish on the iodine, I could see the damn relief package right there behind him but -no swabs. Dry stab. I guess.”

“It’s ok.” Cleven insisted, eyeing him still; he had his coat bundled about him even indoors but the buttons of his shirt beneath were redone, Gale knew that because they skipped one and started again wonky, wrong buttonhole, twice over. Like they’d been redone in haste. It hadn’t been that way when he left. “These are what we need.” he glanced up from his task at Hambone who was animatedly informing Benny of his visit.

Cleven had tried at subtlety, listening in with discretion but he couldn’t help it anymore, too curious himself. “You went with him, yeah?”

“Yes sir.” Hambone gestured to his newly smoothe cheek, stitches gone.

“So, what’s he like? The doc?”

Hamilton gave a signature sneer, “Weird as fuck and a little weirder than that. Wouldn’t fuckin’ shut up.”

“Yeah? What about?”

“Yeah!” Hamilton insisted, pissed off by it apparently, “On and on about psy- psycho -sam-“

“psychosomatic.” Brady rescued him boredly.

“-reflexes and shit. On and on. Just want the stitches out, ya know?”

“Yeah.” Cleven agreed. Waiting for the shoe to drop. He stared at the extra shot, his stomach curdling. “Just want some shots.” he added, eyes drifting up to land on Brady and his sightless stare at the opposite wall that bunked his motionless sister.

“Yeah, that was a whole other debacle.”

“Oh?” Cleven prodded, the picture of nonchalance as he started to divide the shots into groupings. He was seeing things, he was projecting, he was doing what Egan told him not to ever do -assume what has been is now what is. What he’s experienced is what everyone else has. He knew that deep down, but there was a brittle bravery to Jack Brady these days that reminded Gale too much of his own fraudulent brand of survival.

“Hammy it’s- how about you leave off.” Brady muttured. “Don’t bother the major with it.”

“Weird as fuck.” Hambone confirmed stubbornly.

“I’m the one who asked you if you thought he was weird.” Brady corrected, irritated enough by impression to continue.

“And it was! I said he was.”

“I’ve been telling you guys.” When Brady said it, it was without heat. “Him and his stupid little hammers.”

“Yeah what was all the hammering for?”

“Reflexes, Hammy. Psychosomatic.”

“Weird as fuck.”

Gale bit his tongue so hard he hoped it cleared his head before daring, “He make you take your shirt off for it?”

There was a pause in the slapping sounds of the card game ongoing behind him, Kendeigh and Demarco and Crank all freezing at the question.

“He keeps checking the shoulder.” Brady finally said, it was admittance enough.

“And the fuckin’ knee.” Hambone chipped in.

He shrugged, meeting Cleven’s eyes stubbornly, “He’s obsessed with reflexes.”

“You hurt your knee landing?”

Brady’s flat line of a mouth tugged up wryly, his eyes flitted over to his sister's motionless form. “A tad. Uh, the shots sir, he said they go in the hip. Didn't have the pamphlets, no instructions.

“I remember.” Gale had some knowledge of it, they’d all gotten a few vaccines in training, and he knew enough to ask for them in the first place, to help with whatever the poor girls might have contracted. His own eyes skittered to Kendeigh who sat at the table, making a poor show of holding her deck of cards. “Well, you first?” he pleaded.

She looked a little cross but she didn’t fight him, she rose from the table with stern imprecations on anyone skipping over her turn and cast about for a place. Gale put his hand on her shoulder and gently guided her to a corner by the bunks, it was really all the privacy he had to give.

“You’ll have to undo my belt, Ida had to do it up-“ she flashed her swollen hands again, “-my hands.”

“I got you.” he whispered, gently reaching around and loosening the belt so that her borrowed trousers sagged enough for him to get at the meat of her hip.

Johnny was rolling Ida over in their bunk beside him, and Gale wasn’t sure who should give Ida her shot but he supposed her brother was the best candidate. Much as he hated the boy having to. But, perhaps, it wasn’t the worst thing he had to do tonight, and that made Gale’s stomach sour. He willed his hands to steadiness and undid the cap off the needle.

“Jesus Christ.” Johnny was suddenly exclaiming, hoarse and infuriated, Gale glanced aside and saw the boy had uncovered a hip alright, with his usual meticulous precision, and still, there wasn’t a spot of skin on Ida not green or else blue or else near to black. Gale stared back at Maureen and the jagged little scratches on her hip, crescent moon ditches, the blooming bruise here and there and swore not to count his blessings.

What did he know? Nothing, he knew nothing about any of them really. Except he knew such injuries didn’t have to show to hurt like hell. He drove the shot home with merciful force, squeezed in the stinging contents and retracted it, smooth and fast as anything.

“Hell, fuck, damn! Son of a carpet wearing Methodist-“ Maureen hopped around on her one good leg in barely contained frenzy at the sting.

Gale tried not to smile, “Bad huh?”

She scowled back at him in between pained giggles, “If I could give yours just for pay back, I would. Damn!” she held her hands up up once more and Cleven kept his eyes above, “But I can’t, sorry, can’t help with the other girls either, fucking useless.”

Johnny was standing, straightened up again, syringe empty, sister still just lying there. Bucky Egan out cold beside her. Gale couldn’t even allow himself to question if those two would be alright. They had to be, he didn’t think he could make it without them, make everyone else make it along with him. “She didn’t even budge.” Jack muttered.

What was there to say to that?

“She didn’t make it all the way here just to fuckin’ die.” Kendeigh assured him while straddling her chair again, voicing her peculiar brand of kindness and her true opinion on Ida Brady, “She’d never be so wet. They had a whole day to kill her on that train and they didn’t manage to.”

A day? A train? Gale didn’t know what to make of it; he was just glad that Bucky was dead to the world for now and not getting riled again by every new tidbit so that Gale would have to talk him down and also administer shots to a bunch of traumatized women.

“We’ll help sir.” Crank offered to him as he stood over the divided piles of syringes again.

“Alright,” Gale agreed, “but some may wanna give it to each other instead, you let them. Give ‘em space. I don’t think they’ll fight it, they know they need ‘em.”

Benny sauntered up beside him, flicking at the supplies, “This one yours, Buck?” he asked casually, fiddling with the spare.

Gale glanced at Brady and found him looking back at him. “Yeah.” He told Benny. “For the cuts.”

“Here, let me-“ Benny was already at it. Gale tugged his waistband down to assist, just enough to expose a sliver of pale hip and leaned a little over the table, there were bruises on his hipbones, he knew, but they could be from anything.

It did sting like hell.

“Alright you take those, and that’s enough for, yeah-“ Gale divided the supplies to each man, lingered just a moment as they went into the hall to brush by Brady, and murmured to him him lowly, “That was real thoughtful, thanks. You need one?”

To the credit of his poker face, the boy didn’t startle a bit, except for an infinitesimal flutter of an eyelid. “No sir?” he asked as if that were an idiotic question.

It was the only way Gale knew to ask him: to ask about something more. -Tell me son, just tell me you need a shot and I’ll know I’m not imagining shit. That I’ve not become paranoid and irritable and callous, too.

But then, “No sir?” and that incredulous face that left even the strongest man feeling like a dunce.

Well, that was it.

“I’ll help you tell them.” Maureen was by his side suddenly and Gale appreciated that, Smith was the only other female Lieutenant and he could use Kendeigh’s unapologetic pragmatism. “Ida told them she’d ask for remedies. Think she meant for pregnancies but, this is a start.”

There really wasn’t much of an announcement to be made; who didn’t understand what penicillin was needed for? It was needed for the dreaded thing that was hung over every bathroom stall door at canteens and on the underground in London, warning of having too good of a time and catching something. No one needed explanations, even though Gale watched their faces as Kendeigh announced and helped distribute the shots one room after another, he was trying to detect if any were hesitant or unconvinced. He found none.

He did find Sanchez, across one identical wooden room and still in her jacket with the eagle patch. She must have washed her face with the others, the mud was gone. When they locked eyes he saw a hard and warning look harden her eyes further; it made his cheek throb. Stonefaced, she broke the stare after a moment and advanced to grab her allotment, even as her fingers dragged along his palm, even when she passed him, Gale could not get her to resume it.

In one of the last rooms he went in alone -Maureen was delayed with one of the girls doing poorly, one who was not well enough to rise from her bunk. “They about drowned her” Maureen told him casually, and that was something else he dreaded learning about.

“Drowned?” he’d repeated a bit dumbly, and he deserved her

annoyed face.

“To get info from us.”

“Us?” he repeated again, low and slow, “You too?”

She gave him another of those looks before nodding at the last parcel in his hand, “Go take care of Smith’s girls before Johnny gets to them first and helps them with all the tenderness of a mortician.”

When Gale had stepped back into the hallway, Johnny’s voice could be heard still two doors down with Benny, fighting a fine line between helping and making themselves scarce. Personally, Gale felt Johnny was a gentle fucker when he needed to be. This wasn’t one of those cases, none of the girls wanted pity from them. Or acknowledgement even, judging by Sanchez’s cautioning venom.

In the last room, Smith and Tong had the girls sorted efficiently, and it was a little thing to ask the ever obliging Graham and the other men to step out briefly. Same old script here as before, Gale felt in a numb sort of loathing for his lack of originality -he distributed a shot a piece and apologized for the lack of iodine to sterilize the injection site and they all assured him it was fine, and everyone knew he was apologizing for far more than the lack of iodine and they knew that they’re assurances were more than about it either. Gale liked these girls for how well they knuckled under, it had made them pretty great in the crews after a shaky mission. They shoved a bad thing down as well as the next man, and if they punched their bed frames at night or cried in the showers, just like how it was for his men, that wasn’t Gale’s concern.

Only Lu Smith’s face went off script when he pressed the needle and its cartridge in her hand, something besides tight lipped thanks or a nod of efficient understanding. There were questions in her eyes, dancing slow and swirly and blatant as sorghum specks in molasses. A rich dark pool of uncertainty. Some girls were already discreetly headed for corners of the room to make the stab or else rolling up a shirt sleeve and insisting to the giver that they wanted it given there. Lu glanced away from him only to watch these proceedings with something like fear and then she was looking back at him, a hesitant plea written on her face. He didn’t know she was scared of needles.

“Major, is Ida awake?” his lieutenant asked, voice scratchy and a little closed, like how it got when she tried her hand at professionality or had to present a solution in front of a crowd. “I need to ask her something.”

That was a remarkably vague sentence, not at all professional. “No, she’s not.” He told her, watching as the fear grew more pronounced around her mouth and chin, “You ask me, Lieutenant.”

“May I?”

“Course,” Gale nodded his head toward the door, “step out here.”

He strode down to the very end of the combine, by the locked double doors, just far enough away from the windows not to invite a guard to come in and give them shit about it. The bright orange lights of the camp came in from the general darkness outside, glowing through the always dusty glass and making Smith’s skin shine a pretty bronze, even with the dark spots on her chin. Those made his blood thud quicker. It was quiet down here, as private as he could get.

“What’s up Smith?” he urged.

“I’m sorry sir I-I’ve got a few questions.”

“Told you to ask, Lieutenant.” Gale reminded, “So ask.”

“Yes sir.” She’d developed a tick since he’d last seen her, an odd sort of hugging of herself, arm crossing her chest and hand gripping her opposite clavicle, fingertips curling just over her own shoulder. “It’s about the shots. Ida’s been teaching me but she never mentioned about those.”

Gale took a deep breath, only the faintest bit of mirth left at the reminder of the ‘condom balloon’ incident. Ida had needed a stiff drink after taking her engineer aside and informing ‘Little Lu’ those were rubber socks men put on their members, and not in fact balloons. And yes, Benny had lied out of niceness, and yes men’s bodies sprayed things like cattle’s did when they got excited, and yes it’s for the purpose of making babies. Gale had heard all this from Ida after three stiff shots she’d downed like medicine, she’d relayed it in a perfect montone and Gale had not asked but she told him all the same, then said she needed to hit the sack and Ida Brady was gone while Gale remained at the bar with his cider and shaking shoulders. The memory had been amusing only weeks ago, when Douglass came to loot Benny’s footlocker for more rubbers and they’d all made a joke about Smith having beat him to them -for balloons.

“Everyone else seems to know and want them and I’m the slow one again.” Smith was muttering, a petulant look of annoyance crossing her young face, angry at herself.

“It’s about the guards.” Gale murmured.

Smith looked so hurt by that he wasn’t sure where he’d misstepped, but then, “Is it for what they did? Or is it such a sure they’re gonna keep hurting us and these- how do these help, sir?”

Gale startled and laid a heavy hand on her shoulder out of pure, gut instinct to impress on her his next words, “Not a single thing is goin’ to happen to you again, not like that, you hear me, Lu?” he shook her a little and it dislodged her own hand from her chest.

“Yes sir.”

“These are for anything you might’ve caught.” he tried to explain, coming up short and he knew it. If Bucky were here he’d use all manner of crass slang and common vernacular phrases to jog the poor girl’s memory about magazine advertisements, the sorts that warned of ‘diseases’, the underground posters and the bathroom stall flyers urging chastity or safety. Gale could not manage it back then and he couldn’t now. “Diseases Lu.” he tried again, “Men who aren’t- careful, or- disciplined, they, they spread diseases to the girl they’re with. Uh, with- intimately. If they’ve been with other girls before.”

He hoped to God that Ida had used the word ‘intimate’ when educating Smith on these finer yet so utterly crude aspects of human interaction. ‘Intimate’ seemed like a word Ida Brady would use, he thought he recalled her accusing him of being intimate with Kendeigh. Maybe the accusation had been ‘fraternizing’. Or ‘getting familiar’. Gale wasn’t sure, he only recalled that it had not been complementary and he had blushed into the floor under her stare but her accusation had been vague. He knew Ida had been vague.

Was she equally vague with Smith? Did that mean Smith was as uneducated as she’d been before Ida gave her an ineffectually Catholic lesson?

“They can spread it with-“ Smith paused only a minute before deciding to trust him, “-with their bodies? Like a wound?”

Gale gave her nod, trying to stay teacherly, “With their bodies. Yeah. They don’t need wounds it comes from- well, other places. Intimate places they- look, Smith if you weren’t hurt that way, you don’t need the shots.”

Grueling as this conversation was, nerve wracking as her dense innocence could be, it fed that traitorous bit of hope he’d been harboring since he lost all hope for himself that she might’ve been alright. It wasn’t fair to Kendiegh or Ida or Sanchez or any of the others to hope for that, but none of this was fair anyway. Maybe her lack of comprehension was a kindness.

Smith’s eyes were latching onto one surrounding thing and then another, a good long beat between each new object, not darting but roving, now latched on the doorframe and now on Gale’s coat buttons and then on to the glass window panes beside them as if she could see through the bubbled glass out into the dark yard. He could tell by her change in breathing more than the light when she began to cry.

“I didn’t want the girls to think I’m stupid.” She admitted, and she was definitely crying, “I’m their officer, I should know these things.” she explained, lips going into a full tremble, all the harmless jokes of before suddenly not a bit funny, “But I don’t know at all, I didn’t know they’d-“ Gale kept his hand on her now jolting shoulder, spending a little too much time thinking how to mould his own face to some correct expression for this as she began to crumble, it was better than watching too closely as she broke apart, “When they beat us and put the bags over our faces I- I expected it. It wasn’t right, we weren’t treated like prisoners but, I expected it. Ida had told us. Then they started saying things to her, the ones that could speak English and I-i really didn’t know what they meant, not at first until they started- oh Major, they, they started touching her, like lovers in a movie.”

Lu had her eyes squeezed shut like that would get the image out somehow, one brief flash and Gale could remember everything about laying there and seeing Sanchez’s face -and he knew nothing wiped the image out. “They had her chained to a bar and they kept doing that,” she went on, “It was over her head, the bar was over her head and I could tell how much she hated it, and she couldn’t do anything and they weren’t hurting her anymore, they were- they were touching her. They stopped beating her and started touching her, sir and I- that’s when I realized that, there could be something worse. They wanted us to start giving up ranks, and they kept doing that until we did and I wanted to give up then more than any time else. Just to make them stop doing that to her.”

Gale squeezed her shoulder and she jerked under it but cried afresh, she stayed still next to him and just kept crying. “Smith, right here and now I need to know if you’re alright.” he steered her away from memories back to now, as gently as he could, “Ida is gonna be alright, and she’s proud of you, and she expects you to take care of her girls, you hear me? And I need you well for that, Lu. I need to know if you’ve been hurt.”

Smith pulled herself back into a shaky composure, her neck still trembling so badly her head made tiny little jerks from time to time. “They did hurt me.” she agreed.

“Hurt you where you need these shots?” he gently clarified, hoping she was catching on, dreading the confirmation all the same.

“They put -they kept putting themselves inside me.” she got it out, her face dazed like she still didn’t understand it even as her voice cracked from a soul deep knowledge of the wrong done, “I didn’t know they could- they could use their bodies like that. I didn’t know. They kept doing it.”

-There had been only five.- Gale felt his belly lurch, some bowel deep memory of the same torture taking over him, like a haunting he couldn’t prevent. He’d thought he had it locked far down enough, hardly thought on it these days, but maybe he’d shoved it down to where it hurt in the first place, with his belly in knots all again and Sanchez’s cold face sneering and Benny’s worried eyes making his stomach shake and salt flood his mouth. He wanted to vomit.

“Oh Lu.” he muttered ineffectually, “C’mere.” and he had her hugged and cradled to his ratty jacket before his ingrained and temperate habits could interfere. He had her turned to the doors, her sobbing eyes pressed into his sweaty layers and it was better that way. With his lips pressed to the crown of her head he watched the rest of the hallway go on without them, men going back into the rooms once the shots had been administered, Benny darting into one with a bucket in hand. Gale saw Brady as Brady saw him, only making a small pause in his stride as he watched Gale hold Smith before he turned away, face still a blank slate, the boy went back to his sister.

Maybe if Gale had been closer or the hallway brighter he might’ve seen the same hurt and tears there as he and Smith were sharing, but Brady wasn’t close and he wouldn’t say and maybe Gale was a fool to think his own experience wasn’t a fluke. But Brady just went back to Ida, and Gale still felt the damning weight of the shot in his palm even as he hugged Smith’s narrow shoulders.

His own hip still smarted from the injection, -the shot for his cuts. Just his cuts.

“I’m sorry sir.” Smith was trying to say in between sobs, no doubt finding her emotions galling in the face of her prized professionalism.

“Don’t be.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll be fine-“

“I know.”

“I’ll be fine i just, I didn’t know-“

“I know, Lu.”

“It hurt so much.”

“I know.”

She pulled her face away, he was glad to see that while it was puffy and reddened, she looked far calmer. The suddenness of her recovery should have warned him. “Do you sir?” she whispered, pained.

“What?”

“Do you know, sir?” she asked again, harmless yet intent, “Did they hurt you that way too?”

Gale felt a rush of heat, heat and numbness where his hands fell from their grip on her and shook by his sides instead, and he hated his limbs for that betrayal. Heat, like she could see it so clearly on his face, like the harmless cuts on his face really spelled it out. Everyone’s suspicion of them put him on edge, wondering what was wrong with his bearing, his walk, the way he took a seat, that somehow exposed him. With her dark, pitying, horrified little face staring up at him, he felt like he was back on the bench with Benny holding him there, knowing most likely why he had to lay on his belly and not his back.

“Smith you can’t-“ Gale sounded young again and he hated it, when he was ready he began again, and this time he sounded like Major Cleven, “-don’t ever say shit like that again, alright? You can’t say shit like that. Not about- men. Not about me.”

She looked affronted and close to tears again, but his tone couldn’t be helped, last thing this stalag needed was news their Major had been so easily overcome. “I was just asking sir-“

“Not something you ask a man.” he informed her. “Like ya said, there’s lot of things you don’t know, it’s alright. But you don’t ask that, Smith.”

Harsh but necessary, he told himself again. Except she looked less hurt now and closer to something like anger, if her kind self could be angry. He’d seen her get angry when someone kicked a dog once. He’d seen her angry after a shit mission. She looked close to it now, like some grave injustice was firing her up. “But it can happen to men.” she was suddenly wise and he picked a cuticle bloody in trance-like distress, his face was motionless, “I know because they- they can put themselves both places.”

Fury took the place of numbness in his being and he grabbed her again, pulling her close and tucking her under his chin, she made a wounded noise when their chests collided despite the layers, but she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed back. “They’re never gonna do that again, Lu, never again. I’m gonna make sure of it. Bucky’ll make sure of it.” he swore, his voice gone so low it shook. “They hurt you other places?”

Smith shook her head against his chest, “I’ll take the shot, sir.” she murmured meekly. “Would you give it? I don’t want the others to-“

“Sure, Lu.”

He waited until she pulled away, her eyes downcast but the look on her face broke no argument that she wasn’t in a humor to be less than her rank. Gale shifted the shot in his palm and bit his lip, willing away any sentiment about it.

“Goes in the hip. Mark my words, those bicep shots that Tong went for- gonna hurt for ages, you don’t need that. Lemme put it in your hip.”

Smith nodded and cast a furtive glance behind her at the empty hall, only looking down again to undo her belt when Gale moved his body to block any hapless onlooker.

There were bruises when he gently aided her in tugging the drab olive aside, some nearly as dark as the ones on Ida and welts from what looked like a belt strap, even on the high swell of her hip. Gale knew the smarting bite of a belting.

“Did you wash these?” he whispered to her, crouching to better see his work as he made a harbor of unmarried muscle between his thumb and index finger, bunching up the meat of her leg and holding it for her to relax into his touch before he jammed the shot home.

“When we showered.” Lu wasn’t crying anymore but her voice matched his in its softness, tense anticipation for the jab mellowing the longer he kept her staid under his hold.

“Good.” he commended her, voice muffled by the needles’ cap between his lips.

She only stiffened when he drove it in, pressed down on the plunger with his thumb, kept his hand gripping her hip, shaking the muscle just so, “Loosen up.” he ordered, it would hurt less that way. Cleven heard her take a breath and try.

When he stood straight again he took the cap from his mouth and clicked it back on the needle, acting like it took great concentration and focus to do so, all while she pulled her trousers back up and refastened them discreetly. Her cheeks were wet once more, either from before or she’d begun crying again.

“You ok?” he asked.

She gave him a long series of nods as she got on top of the embarrassed anger. “Yes, thanks Buck.”

“I’m right down there.” he reminded, thumbing at his own quarters. “You feel the least bit sickly or- or anything, you come get me. Same for your girls.”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright, well get in there Lu,” he patted her toward her room, “one thing the krauts are picky about here is bedtime.”

Smith sucked in a breath between her teeth, a shuddering thing, “Alright, I’ll remember. Bedtime.”

“So you’re gonna remember bedtime and what else?” Gale catchized her.

“Bedtime and that…you’re -right down there.”

“Very good, Smith.”

“Night, Buck.”

“Night, Lu.”

💋 Hope you enjoyed! Feedback is a writer’s lifeblood, please feel free to scream in comments or the inbox, I love it and wanna hear it all. Trust me, nothing is “too dumb”. Your thoughts mean the world to me.

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[brooooswriting]

Do you think you could do a part two to the tutors to lovers leighton fic absolutely loved it 😍 no pressure though xx

Tutors to lovers 2

“Y/n y/m/n y/l/n” your mothers voice suddenly rang.

Gosh you were fucked.

You and Leighton quickly pulled away, trying to fix whatever you could before turning to your mom. “Mom, what are you already doing here?” You asked hectically, your voice wavering.

“I should be asking you that. What are you doing here making out with that blondie? This is the reason you’re failing y/n” she said, her voice harsh as she took a step towards you. You were used to them being disappointed in you but it wasn’t often that they said it out loud like that. Leightons phone rang again and you gave her a nod to signal that it was okay if she left. She was reluctant but still did as it was her father calling.

“Mom please, she’s to only re-“

“No! This is not ok y/n and we are going to talk about it once your father is here. I am very disappointed in you” you sighed and gave her a nod. By now you were happy that Leighton left, unknown to you she could still hear every word your mother said. Luckily other students and their parents filled the room before your dad came. “We are going to sit down. Your father will join soon” your mother said making you nod and walk up to your place.

Not long after the blonde came into the room followed by her parents. You could feel your mom’s eyes on her, an annoyed look on her face when she realized that the blonde would sit next to you. Her parents gave you a warm smile and greeted you with a hello which you quickly returned. Leighton send you a comforting smile, shifting so her thigh was touching yours to give you some comfort. A couple of minutes later your father joined, followed by some whispering between your parents and then a disappointed look from your dad. It was obvious that she told him what she walked into making this weekend an even bigger hell. Throughout the whole lecture your parents nagged you. ‘Why didn’t you know what?’ ‘Why didn’t you say that?’ ‘This was literally so easy’ ‘Didn’t you learn anything?’ And even if you said something they played it down, ‘your sister was able to do that in 9th grade’

Leighton in contrast was extremely proud of you, it may have taken a while but you finally understood the topic. “You did great” she whispered into your ear, her hand finding yours for a moment. This interaction alone gave you new energy to deal with your parents and their disgusting behavior. Once the lesson ended it was time for lunch in the cafeteria, another nightmare of yours.

“So, do you have any friends?” Your dad asked, even though it was more rhetorical you decided to answer.

“Yes dad, I do. I’m not some weirdo” you walked in front of them, leading them towards the cafeteria. As soon as all three of you had food, you walked to your usual table. On the way there you stopped at Lila’s, caneens, Willows, Jenna’s and some others just to show your parents that you had a lot of friends. You couldn’t help the smile that came onto your face when you saw your usual table, Whitney, Bela, Kimberly and obviously Leighton, sitting there with an annoyed look on their face. Each of them trying to tune out their parents.

“Those are your friends?” Your mother’s voice was clearly portraying her emotions which made you sigh again. Probably the 100th time today. You gave them a nod and settled next to Whitney, opposite from Leighton.

“Oh, you sat next to Leighton in math just now right?” Henry asked once he looked at you, a friendly smile on his face. You smiled back and nodded at him.

“Yeah, I’m y/n. She’s actually the only reason I’m passing that class, she’s so smart” you send both of them a smile before pushing your food around. Normally you were more than happy with cafeteria food when it was build your own pasta bowl day, but your mother had made a comment about your weight just before lunch.

Leighton send you a quick text asking if you were alright as you didn’t eat, her face full of concern as she looked up at you. You only gave her a nod with the best smile you could muster.

“You shouldn’t wear this top, it looks terrible” your mother suddenly said making everybody at the table look at you. You only gave her a nod, to scared that you’d cry if you talked, before standing up and leaving the room. The blonde waited for a moment before excusing herself ‘to get another water’ but it was no use. She couldn’t find you anywhere and when she texted you, you told her that you’d be back shortly.

And you were. Fifteen minutes later you came back, dressed differently than before and new layer of makeup on your face. You sat back down giving everybody a small smile, trying to act as if nothing had happened. But all of them knew, they weren’t stupid and they wished that they could do something. “We should go. We have another event planned” your parents said and stood up, giving you an expecting look which made you stand up too.

“I’ll see you later” you told the rest turning back to your parents “I’ll just use the restrooms real quick” they nodded and told you that they would be waiting in the room of the event, not caring about walking with you. You sighed once you entered the bathroom, happy that it was empty as it gave you some space. You’d have never thought that your parents could make you feel even worse than they already did all those years, but here they were destroying everything new you had and humiliating you in front of your friends, and even worse Leighton. As you stared into the mirror new tears formed in your eyes. You hectically wiped them away when the door open just to reveal the blonde.

“Hey, I just wanted to see how you’re doing” she said as you turned towards her, your back against the sink with your hands resting on top of the cold surface.

“I’m good, thank you” it was a good lie, everybody would have believed it. With a family like that you had gotten good at faking and lying. But after spending hours on hours cramped up in a dorm or in the library there was no way that you could lie to Leighton, especially after you tried many times just to stop the tutoring. The problem was that, even though she could see past the lie, she didn’t know what to say. All those years she had complained about her family and sure sometimes they could be annoying and rude, especially her mother but they were nothing against yours. Plus, her mother showed that she could change, she was happy for Leighton when she came out and supported her when it came to the decision that she wasn’t joining kappa.

She looked at you for a moment before deciding that there was nothing she could say that would even out what your parents said. So she instead leaned in to kiss you, pulling you closer to give you comfort. It helped, a lot. The closeness to her gave you new energy, you just had to wait until your parents left again so you could be happy again. It was as easy as that. That’s atleast what you tried to tell yourself. She only pulled away when there were footsteps in front of the door. “My parents want to invite you and your family to have dinner with us tonight, we are going to the fanciest place in town. So I’ll come over and help you choose an outfit when our parents go back to the hotel ok?”

You didn’t have it in you to have a discussion, so you only nodded. “I should go now before they kill me” you pressed a kiss to her cheek and went to the building next door, trying to find your parents in the sea of people. Sadly, you found them rather quick and sat down.

“The Murray’s found us” your dad started the moment your ass touched the chair, “they invited us to dinner. Great. As if we haven’t already spend enough time with them.” You decided not to say anything, everything you said they’d use against you.

“We want you to break up with that blonde” your mother added moments later making you freeze.

“What? No way. Why would I?”

“Because she’s bad for you. You’re failing” you could only shake your head, it amazed you how they would never listen to you.

“She’s the reason I’m not failing, mother. She tutors me and now I’m got from an E to a C and the prof said that if I keep up the work I’ll easily get a B and he’d give me some extra work that will get me an A. Than I’d have a gpa from 3.8. What more do you want?” You argued. There was nothing else you could do to please them any more. You’d never be enough for their standards.

“Don’t talk to your mother that way” you couldn’t believe it. Of course that was the only thing he heard, not the fact that you had a great GPA or the fact that you found a smart, loving partner. No, only that you weren’t 100% nice to your mom.

4 hours later, you walked into the restaurant immediately seeing the table filled with your friends and their parents. You were clad in a suit like outfit that Leighton had chosen, the colors matching what she was wearing. “Hello everybody” you said and sat down between the blonde and Kimberly’s mother.

“Ah, great to see you y/n. Where are your parents? Still waiting for the valley?” Belas dad asked, receiving an elbow from her mother.

“Uhm, no. They said that they couldn’t make it, sorry” you mumbled, fumbling around with the sleeves of your top. It was embarrassing but you felt like you would disappoint the rest if you didn’t show up.

“Well, I for one am very happy that you’re here. You’re such a nice young lady” Kimberly’s mother said, her hand squeezing your shoulder in a comforting manner. The rest of the table nodded in agreement making you blush a bit.

“Thank you very much Mrs. Finkel, that means a lot to me” the woman talked with you for a bit before you guys decided to order. While you waited you talked to everybody at the table, it felt like a big family. Something you had always wished for. Just as Evette asked you something you saw your parents walk in. And sit at another table. You swallowed heavily before quickly focusing on Evette again, hoping that nobody else noticed them.

“So, y/n, any suitors?” She concluded before looking at you expectantly. You opened your mouth, unsure of what to say until you felt leightons had squeeze your thigh.

“Actually, I’m dating Leighton” you gave them a smile as you intertwined your hands together and placed them on your thigh. PDA wasn’t her strong suit and you were fine with that.

“Oh that’s so great. Whitney, why don’t you have somebody like her?” Her mom said causing everybody at the table to giggle. You collected all your courage and looked over at the Murray’s who gave you a warm smile, your shoulders immediately relaxing. You turned your head further to look at the blonde who was already looking at you. You only smiled at each other, forgetting everybody around you for a moment.

Once dinner was finished and paid, all of you walked out. Running into a, to you unknown, tradition. Family pictures. “Alright, Leigh, come on. Fix your hair quickly. We want to take the picture” Henry said, getting his phone out already.

“Oh, here. I can take the picture” you extended your hand, but never received the phone.

“No, you can’t. You’re on the picture. You’re family now” her mom took your extended hand and pulled you next to your girlfriend who smiled brightly. You positioned yourself slightly behind her with a hand on her lower back, while her mother stood next to you. All of you smiled brightly while Bela took the photo.

“Take another one just of them, they look so good tonight” her mother said as both her parents detached from you. A small laugh left you, before you scotched a bit closer to her and soon after you could hear the click of the camera.

“Wait, not that quick. I want one with a bit of action” Bela said, her brows raised which made you and her parents laugh while Leighton hid her face in your neck. If they were your parents you’d probably also be embarrassed but like this is it was quite funny.

“A bit of action” you mocked quietly, causing the blonde to laugh and leave your neck. Instead she turned towards you so she could look at you. Unsure of what to do you just looked at each other until you both smiled. You decided to just take the shot as now everybody was watching you, you quickly leaned in and kissed her softly until you heard the click again.

“So cute” Kimberly’s mom said, earning an agreeing hum from her daughter.

“Let me look” Leighton demanded, scrolling through the hundreds of pictures her roommate took. She stopped at a specific one, smiling slightly. It was the moment you just smiled at each other, you couldn’t lie it was a really sweet and amazing picture which you’d definitely set as your background.

“Alright ladies. The car is there” her father said, opening the door for his wife. They were really cute, you couldn’t deny that.

“Oh, I think I forgot my lipliner inside. I’ll be back in a second” you asked if you should go for her out with her but she denied, saying that you could already get in the car. You waited outside, you felt like it was impolite to already get in. When she came out a couple of minutes later, you opened the door for her and then scooted in after her.

“Thank you for the evening and the driving, that was really nice. And it was really great to meet both of you” you said as all of you got out of the car. They really took you in today.

“We can only say the same. We are sorry for how the rest of the day went, but we are happy that you ate with us” they both hugged their daughter before hugging you. “We are going to the hotel now, sleep well.” Both of them said their goodbyes before disappearing, leaving you and Leighton on the street in front of the college.

“Wanna sleep over tonight? My roommate is sleeping at the same hotel as their parents” you asked. You had wrapped your arm around her shoulder as you walked back. She immediately agreed, a quiet room with you sounded better than her loud dorm.

It didn’t take long for you two to settle on the couch after changing into some sweats and a hoodie. There was no way to fight of the smile that crept onto your face when you saw her wearing your clothes. Getting them back was out of question though. You were cuddling on the couch while watching some random movie when there was a knock on your door. Reluctantly you both pulled away so you could open the door. “Mom? Dad?” You asked confused to why they were here after leaving you the whole evening.

“Hello. We just wanted to say goodbye” your father said, not really looking into your eyes. He was more focused on watching something behind you.

“And we wanted to say sorry. We treated you poorly and shouldn’t have said the things we said” your mother added. They weren’t a hundred percent honest but it was more than you imagined.

“Well, thank you. Have a save ride home” you said unsure of how to react. You definitely weren’t going to say that it was okay cause it definitely wasn’t.

“Goodbye y/n, goodbye Leighton” that was what really shocked you. Them saying goodbye to her was a mystery, a couple of hours ago they wanted you to break up with her. Confused you settled back on your previous spot on the couch.

“What was that?” You asked, your brows furrowed.

“Well, who knows” you immediately recognized a weird pitch in her voice. You studied her face carefully before deciding that something was off.

“What did you do?” She grinned up at you guiltily.

“I may have had a talk with them at the restaurant. And before you get mad at me, I couldn’t let them treat you like this. You’re such a Valuable acquisition to all of our lives and they were making you feel bad about your whole life. It sucked and they shouldn’t be able to do it without consequences” she explained, sitting up so she could look at you. She could be overprotective of the people she loved and she was kinda scared that she’d scare you off with it, but she was utterly wrong. You couldn’t help but admire her.

“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you love” you pushed her chin up with two fingers before pressing multiple kisses to her lips. She really was the whole package and you wouldn’t change her for anything. “Nobody ever made me feel so good about myself” you added with a smile before standing up and extending your hand. “Come on, let’s go to bed” you smirked. She was up faster than you could realize, pulling you into your bedroom.

Gosh, you were so in love with her.

[alienoresimagines]

What if John was never shot down ? (John edition)

I've been thinking a lot lately about what would've happened if John hadn't been shot down over Münster so here are some HCs 😊 Warning : Lots of angst lol (Gale HCs here)

Let's imagine for a second that, after meeting with Bucky, clearly grieving, a bit drunk and all in all not fit for being on a mission, Harding decides not to have him on the Münster mission

Instead, he sends him to the flak house which was a decision he'd already thought about after Dye's party but Gale had convinced him to send John on a weekend pass instead

So Bucky is ordered to the flak house despite his best efforts to convince Chick he can be on the mission

He's so angry at everything and everyone : Buck for having left and being shot down, the 100th for acting as if Buck was dead (he's not, Bucky'd know), Chick for sending him to the flak house instead of giving him a chance to let him join Buck, either down below or even higher in the skies, the world for having taken his Gale from him

Most of all he's mad at himself because he left Buck, he wasn't there with him, instead he was spending the night with Paulina and while he was doing that Buck had already been shot down and he didn't know

He's in a strange place of grieving Buck but also convinced he's not dead because if he is, then there is nothing more for Bucky to do in this world

He lashes out at pretty much everyone but is somewhat grateful the doctor doesn't try to make him talk, and lets him be morose and quiet in his corner

He doesn't try to socialise with anyone and tries to drink as much as he can but there's only so much alcohol to be found in the flak house

He barely sleeps because all he can see when he closes his eyes are images of Gale bleeding, Gale unconscious as his plane goes down, Gale exploding with his plane, Gale pierced by flak, Gale terrified and alone

He'd be sitting somewhere and feel a ghost of warmth where Buck would usually be seated, close enough for Bucky to sling an arm around his shoulders except the space is empty

The Münster mission goes as it does in the show : only Rosie's crew make it back and that's the last straw for Bucky

Not only Buck's gone but now almost all the men he flew from the US with, Brady, Murph, Crank, his boys

Chick hasn't put a time limit to his stay at the flak house because even if he needs a Major now more than ever, he knows Bucky can't do that right now

Bucky can't bring himself to talk to Rosie's crew when they arrive at the flak house, too busy with his own grief and anger (a bit like he was at the Stalag except there's no Buck to check on him and pull him out of his own head)

He can't even look at them because why couldn't it be Buck who came back unscathed ? He immediately hates himself even more at the thought because it's unfair to Rosie and his men but also because Buck would never in a million years want that

He'd rather be the only one to go down if it means all his boys make it back rather than the other way around and Bucky knows that

More and more he can hear Buck's voice in his head, which isn't a good sign so he doesn't mention that to anyone, but he clings onto it like a lifeline. He refuses to forget what Buck's voice sounds like, not when he's already starting to forget the exact shade of blue of his eyes no matter how long and hard he stares at the picture he has of him and Buck from flight school or how long he stays awake at night picturing Buck's face not to forget it

Still Buck's features become blurry and John hates himself even more because can he even say he loves Gale if a few days were enough for him not to remember the exact shape of his jaw, the curve of his nose ?

Except that Buck's voice doesn't just sound like his voice, it says things like Buck would say

Encouraging Bucky to drink a bit less, to go to sleep even if he can only close his eyes without falling in Morpheus' arms, to eat more, not to give up on himself and not to give up on Buck

Voice!Buck encourages him to go talk to Rosie and his crew, not even to be Major Egan but just someone who knows what they've been through, someone they can talk to

And Bucky knows that's what Buck would want him to do. Knows that from wherever Buck is, he'd be worrying about his men and about Bucky

So he does the only thing that he can do for Buck at the moment and tries to pull himself in a semblance of a man

How ironic is it that even though he's not there, even though he's been shot down while Bucky was enjoying a woman's touch, Gale's still the one to save him ?

So Bucky starts to pull himself together and is eventually sent back to Thorpe Abbotts

He's not even 75% alright but he can do his job even though he still drinks more than what's healthy

Chick was never scared Bucky would pull a suicide mission because he knows that no matter how deep in gried, Bucky'd never endanger his men like that, but he feels a tad bit more serene when sending him on missions

Bucky is absolutely burning with his want for revenge and justice

In December, he learns that Gale's alive and that changes things

It's like a weight was lifted from his shoulders and he can finally look up from the ground to look at the stars and hope

Which is strange because he's always known Gale was alive, too stubborn to die, but now nobody looks at him with pity anymore

And the thought that Buck is down there in a POW camp makes him even more determined

He sends Buck's letters even though he has no idea if the Germans will let it get to him but he still does (girl worth writing too and all)

In the meantime he kicks up a friendship with Rosie

He flies his 25 missions but he re-enlists because there is no way in hell he'll be going home while Buck is still a POW

No, he'll drop bombs until Germany's unconditional surrender and the liberation of the POWs

He gets a letter back from Buck and he has to go hide himself in the cockpit of B-17 to read it because he knows he'll lose control of his emotions

He absolutely cries in relief and because of course Gale would ask him if he's alright and hope he's holding up okay

Not so gently threaten Buck into taking care of himself and not be the sacrificial idiot John knows him to be in his next letter, even though he has little hope Buck will do it

But if Voice!Buck was enough to pull him out of his hole, maybe knowing Bucky is waiting for him will be enough to give Buck something something to stay alive for

Bucky you idiot Buck was fighting and staying alive for you all along

As D-Day gets nearer he's more determined than ever to really deal a blow and bring Gale closer to home

He doesn't fly as many missions as Rosie but that's okay with him. Even if he'd rather be the one flying with his boys as many times as he can, he knows the work he does is helpful to the cause.

He still doesn't take his lucky deuce back from Buck's footlocker though. The bunk stays empty, no one daring to even sit on it. Bucky dusts Buck's stuff often, makes sure everything's in top condition for when Gale comes back

As the Russians grow nearer to the POW camp, Buck stops answering his letters and while Bucky tries to rationalize, he's still going mad with worry

Especially when he sees how's the winter is treating Germany

The nightmares, which haven't ever fully left, come back in full force as all the different scenarios for POWs haunt him

He absolutely refuses to imagine he could lose Buck so close to the end

And then April 1945 comes around

Bucky was on a mercy mission of his own when he comes back to be greeted with Blakely and Kidd, smiling wider than he's seen them do in years

Immediately, hope swells in his chest, echoes of POW camps being liberated in his ears

He welcomes back Gale like in the show, guiding him to land the plane with tears in his voice then immediately steals Jack's jeep to welcome him on the runway

Absolutely gives him the tightest, fiercest hug ever seen

He doesn't let Gale out of his sight for even one second, devastated to see the effects of being a POW for so long had on his Gale but so damn relieved to finally have him back

Is a bit embarrassed to show Gale how he's been taking care of his footlocker but tries to make light of it

"I knew you'd be back. Told any loony trying to take your bunk that you were just MIA."

And "I've been expecting you back for more than a year, what took you so long ?" though he's choking on his tears by the end of it and Gale's eyes glisten too

They hug for a long time after that

More in the reblogs because I've somehow hit the characters limit lol

[eomayas]

soft side • bbh [req]

req: okay so for baekhyun just like a cute husband!fluff, if you’re comfortable writing mafia au, you could make baekhyun like a mafia, but he gets super soft when he’s with oc

pairing: mafia!baekhyun x wife!reader

genre: fluff!

synopsis: baekhyun had a soft spot reserved for the reader.

warnings: sweet and soft baekhyun

you visit baekhyun a few times a week at his office. it’s never for anything special, but just because you want to see him. sometimes, you bring him food or a dessert you’ve made, but mostly you show up to see him.

today, you’re showing up to show him the nails he generously paid for, and to just check on him. he’s been stressed lately, coming home frustrated most days that when you hear the tires screech in the driveway you can already tell what mood he’s going to be in. you made him promise early in your relationship to leave his mob dealings where he found them, and to never bring them home to you. he’s kept his promise since then, dropping whatever frustrations he’s dealt with at work, at the door when he sees you perched on the couch waiting for him.

you hop out of your car and walk the short distance to the building he does his dealings in. from the outside, it looks like a plain office building, and on the ground floor there’s nothing eye catching except the door man, who isn’t really a doorman, and a simple end table by the elevators that has a new set of flowers on the table each week.

“hi, jongdae,” you say as you enter the building, pushing your sunglasses into your hair. he gives you a close lipped smile and tells you that you can find baekhyun in his office, where he is ninety percent of the time.

you press the elevator button and the doors slide open. stepping in, you press the ‘6’ button, the highest floor in the building and baekhyuns office.

you step out and hear him before you see him. “when i said everything goes through me, i meant everything!” it’s slightly muffled, but loud enough. it’s only you in the hallway, minus another man who appears to be watching the elevator, but really isn’t. “hi, minseok,” you say, giving him a small wave.

“hi, mrs. byun. he’s in there with somebody, if you want to wait,” he offers, but you never wait. you’re notorious for interrupting meetings, on purpose and accident.

you pass by minseok and make your way down the hall where baekhyuns voice gets louder and more audible. you frown at his words and tone, but push the door open anyway, his voice cutting out immediately. “hi, baby,” you say, not sparing a glance at the other guy. baekhyun visibly relaxes; his shoulders roll backwards and his chest goes flat, and his fists uncurl. the scowl on his face relaxes into a small smile, reserved for you and you only.

“you’re dismissed,” baekhyun barks, his eyes boring holes into the man across from him while his hands reach for you. the other guy quickly leaves, shutting the door behind him and letting you have baekhyun to yourself. “hi, pretty girl.” baekhyun says, pulling you into him and kissing you deeply.

you smile against him at the pet name and pull away, putting a hand on his cheek. “how are you?” you ask, and he pulls you down onto his lap, your legs dangling over the side.

baekhyun puts one arm around your waist while his other hand holds onto your exposed thighs. “i’m better now. let me see your nails,” he says, and you put a manicured hand in front of his face. he smiles and holds your hand, looking at every design on every nail. “they’re nice.” he compliments and you thank him.

“she did them a little too long, but i didn’t feel like arguing,” you say, admiring them for the 100th time since you got up from the chair. you look back down at baekhyun and find that he’s already looking at you, his eyes soft and his smile warm. “what?”

“i’m just… i just love you, that’s all,” he says, kissing underneath your jaw. you nuzzle closer to him and smile. nobody would ever believe baekhyun had a soft side like this, given his stern and hard exterior. he has walls built up that only you’ve managed to break down and expose the true him.

he has such a dangerous line of work, but he only has one weakness: you.

[hogans-heroes]

Just thinking about how Gale had to watch and wait as more boys from the 100th started showing up, and Bucky wasn't with them.

How the first question he probably asked, the only one that mattered to him, was where's Bucky? Then once it becomes clear Bucky went down, he adds on, did he make it? And no one can answer him. Some of the guys say they saw his fort go down but didn't see how many parachutes got out. Then Brady or someone who was with him shows up, and Gale asks his questions again. Brady says Bucky was the last one out, but Bucky still doesn't show up.

Gale wonders what option he prefers: Bucky's out there on the run or he's on the way here. He won't consider the third option, won't even let anyone speak it into existence. But the days go on, and fewer and fewer boys from the 100th show up. Then none of them show up. Yet, Gale still waits at the fence, ready with his questions for any familiar face that walks in.

Until finally, Bucky walks in, looking like death but still alive, miraculously blessedly alive, and part of Buck feels alive again, the part that he hadn't dared acknowledge, that had died when he heard Bucky went down come back to life at the site.

What took you so long? Finally, Buck gets to change his question.

Everyone always talks about how Bucky comes back to life when he sees Buck again, how his first question was about Buck, but when I watch that scene, Buck also looks like he's seen a miracle in action.

Fam you drop this gorgeous, heartwrenching piece in my inbox and expect me to NOT be speechless?? Sorry it too me so long to reply.

The idea of Buck waiting patiently at the gate every day begging for any news of Bucky and struggling not to lose more hope with every passing day shatters me. I can see the other guys staying with him as much as they can, for support and comfort, trying to take care of him. No one knows if Bucky made it and no one wants to think about which option is worse for Gale, if they find out for sure Bucky is dead or if they never find out and Gale keeps going to gate, for how long? They’re already seeing him become a shell of himself.

He really does feel alive again Bucky walks through the gate. He can hardly believe it’s real and maybe it takes a few days and a few nights of holding Bucky close that he can believe it.

We have some good post-reunion fics but I’d love to see more, such a lot of potential right there. 🥺

[napkinscrawls]

CoD MW snippet is 100th post!🎉

Streamer!AU | Gaz x reader x Price | tortured chat™️ | reader is from Essex | gn!reader | fat!reader | privacy king Price | ft. Horny Mod!Soap & Lurking Mod!Ghost. 🎮

Sitting next to your boyfriend & co-streamer Gaz in front of the camera as the 2 of you bullshit your way through another "couch co-op" game. The gimick of your joint channel being that you are actually sat on a comfy sofa together in a room that is bathed in soft lighting. A juxtaposition to the chaotic bits you would 'yes and' eachother through. Your tablet as always is on the nearby sidetable as the Chat scrolls by. They're making more jokes about how Gaz sheould watch out for the ledge he already fell off.

He doesn't fall anymore than you in games, but the Chat has already decided it is a pattern. Custom emotes for it & everything.

Another thing the Chat enjoys is when "the Captain" is spotted in the edges of the webcam, an middle aged white man with muttonchops, a bulk of soft muscle, & a gruff voice that the Chat goes beserk for. The 2 of you are very firm about privacy & handle the balance of genuine banter without giving away any details. (With the help of some very active mods bleaching any semblance of overstepped boundaries.)

Gaz & you have always behaved as a couple publicly, but this 3rd in the house was too hot mysterious for the anonymous watchers to ignore. Especially when both of you fawn over him whenever he is brought up & that he is exclusively referred to as 'the Captain'. Chat was torn between wanting him carnally & wanting either of you or Gaz to be with him. Most of the comments were all in good fun but if taken too far the offending accounts were banned with no chance of appeal. The private mod chat was filled with jokes at how the Chat has somehow not considered Polyamory.

A hand slides into frame to replace your empty bottle & on cue the chat fills with a mix of 👀 & custom quokka emotes (the channel's mascot with no resemblance to the elusive Captain). You catch the movement, turning to smile up at the off-camera man.

"Thanks babes" A familiar petname, vague enough to passed off as platonic but those who know you know that's not how you use it.

Without missing a beat the Captain replies by ducking just into the top of frame & planting a kiss square on your lips. The kiss was firm, blistering but brief. Resetting your train of thought when all you had expected was the usual dismissive hair ruffling & to see John retreat with reddened ears. The Captain was not one for PDA on the internet, knew too well how long something can be preserved online. Instead you were now hiding your flushed face behind your fresh drink. You barely register the "no problem luv".

The mods do not stop the Chat's responses this time because they are right there in the flood of reactions. '3 o'clock, Gaz.' 'Where's my kiss?'

Gaz saw the last comment as he sipped his own drink, unphased by what just happened to his left. Clearing his throat before the Captain could get halfway out of the room, Gaz cranes his head round just as you lean towards your dropped controller.

"Always told me not to half-arse a job, Sir." His voice tainted with the smile plastered on his face.

A small hum of consideration can just about be picked up on the mic before the muffled footsteps bring the lower half of the Captain back into view. "Wouldn't dream of it." Is mumbled dryly but Gaz gets his matching kiss too. Gaz beams up at the man who claps him on the shoulder & ambles away once more, chuckling softly to himself. Cat's out of the bag.

You both share a silent look.

"Aite, you ready mate?" Your words snap Gaz out of his smugness, face immediately falling into a heartbroken wide-eyed stare at you.

You purse your lips to stifle your laughter & shrug your eyebrows at him, feigning ignorance.

"Don't call me that." His small voice is genuinely heartbreaking. "I worked too hard to be back at 'mate' again."

He really had. You'd started out as friends, it took him years to convince you to move north & into this house. Even then you did not believe this charming voice actor with a strangle hold on his social media wanted to be with you. Like you weren't a powerhouse yourself; a well-loved gaming streamer with a sharp wit & vicious sense of humour. (Sure you had faced the far too common fatphobia from using a webcam online, but it was balanced out with so many goodnatured glittery fancams that had done more to make you feel like part of gaming community than any award could.) John had moved in later but has known Gaz far longer. Initially John swore he was just a security worker, though eventually confided in you about his side job he had that insane microphone for pays far better.

You break out into a snort, taking a moment to compose yourself. Neither of you are paying attention to the riot happening in the Chat. Which now is lead your vocal mod 'BarkitBubbles' begging Gaz to give him a chance & that he has spare room(in his bed). The other mod '1134209' is silently allowing various comments out of the auto-filter that he deems funny (mainly jokes about BarkitBubbles). It's absolute bedlam.

You're too preoccupied with regaining the upper hand in this game of chicken. Gaz continues to weaponise his puppydog eyes. Fuck. Why was he born with such beautiful brown eyes. You're going to crumble. No, you can't lose to both John & Gaz today.

Managing to think of something, you rest your arm on the back of the sofa & tuck your legs under your plush thighs. "So you think you should outrank the Captain now?"

Gaz freezes for a second, his eyes flit between yours & the now closed door. Even without the Captain in the room he had to word this carefully. "...no... we're all equal in... this house..." He says tentatively, knowing he had a trap to dodge.

Your smile from earlier returns. "Good save, babes." Leaning in, you reward him with a soft kiss, & the 2 of you break into laughter. Gaz grabbing your face to pepper you with more kisses in return.

In the still speeding chat a 1st follower icon accompanies the comment "Court-martial avoided." by someone with the username 'Come_on_Down".

[1moreoffkeyanthem]

What was it like when OJV style first started dating? I’m rereading OJV for the 100th time and I live for early teen style fluff lmaoo them being dorks with each other makes me happy

Aaaaaaa my sweet awkward boys!!! Oh my goodness Stan just bumbling out a “dudeireallyloveyouandimgladyouredoingbetterholyshitdidijustsaythat” and Kyle laughing and saying he loves him too and then they’re texting all “wait does this mean we’re boyfriends now”. And when they tell their families everyone’s confused bc they thought they were already dating lmfao.

These poor babies had NO idea what to do at first, but it ended up being pretty similar to how they’d always acted, just with more hand holding and kissing (simps). OJV style was always pretty much attached at the hip, and that definitely doesn’t change when they start dating, it just results in more overthinking at first.

And ofc those codependent losers were always very give and take, Stan says those three little words first and Kyle considers it his responsibility to initiate the first kiss (day 4 of my Style Week fic those gay idiots kissin under the stars ugh I love them so bad) and they’re both trying SO hard. I will absolutely never apologize for Stan’s dorky ass deciding the best way to impress his boyfriend is to learn fucking ELVISH and what’s more it WORKS goddamn losers one of my favorite things in OJV canon tbh.

As for group dynamic when they get together, Cartman naturally says some shit like “whatever, as long as you too faglings don’t fuck up the broship” (yes Kyle punched him for that) like he’s not secretly over the moon bc Cartman is a shipper through and through. Kenny and Marj are super supportive to the point it’s embarrassing and Kenny ofc has to tease them relentlessly.

Now y’all know a very important thing to me about OrangeJuiceVerse style is the size difference, but they start dating freshman year and Stan is only like two inches taller than kyles 5’7 (little do they know Stanathan is gonna shoot up while Kyle’s done growing lmao angry short king) this makes kissing much easier since they’re on the same level, but come junior year when Stan hits that last growth spurt? Bro gets HUGE and Kyle is at first bothered (until he sees him sweaty and very Boy after practice hehe). Naturally this brings me to the Style Carry™️, which, in OJV canon, occurred for the first time ever in A Fall In The Springtime. And that was only because Kyle didn’t really have a choice and couldn’t say no to Stan’s knight in shining armor complex. Ngl I think that whole ordeal is what awakened Kyle’s pain kink bc being carried up the steps after being hurt in a basketball game was really sweet and Stan was just too doting and adorable. They’re both down horrendous.

Of course it’s crucial to me that they’re super best friends at the root of their romantic relationship. They still joke around, tease each other, act like typical teenage boys and get into shenanigans. They’ll hold each other’s hands after taking bets on who can build the tallest snowman though.

They grow up together, and thus do a lot of learning together. Stans only relationship experience is his childhood fling with Wendy, and Kyle’s relationships have never been more than a passing experiment. They figure it out together, with a lot of (often misguided) advice from the rest of the gang. Their parents probably aren’t any help, because the dads are pretty useless and their moms are overbearing to the point of frustration so they kind of wing it and do what feels natural. After all, super best boyfriends is really only a step up from super best friends, and no one will ever understand them the same

[aly-corner]

100th POST!!

Sick Fic

Chapter 1 : Malfunction

It was a beautiful saturday afternoon at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. Children were playing among themselves, adults were chatting, their drinks in hand. Our friends, the famous bear animatronic and his crew were preparing themselves for the birthday party of the day.

«Freddy, are you feeling alright ? » asked the chicken and head chef of the pizzeria.

«For the third time of the hour, yes Chica. I am alright. You should probably prepare yourself. It is almost showtime and the kids are already waiting for us all. » answered Freddy Fazbear while he was checking his mic. We woudn’t want any technical difficulties during the spectacle now, would we ?

«Freddy, i know damnn well you are lying. Everyone knows that you are …..» Chica cut herself, her friend wasn’t there anymore…..Oh…...it was on. If she catch this bear, she will give him a hearfull about self-care and taking some rest. She was annoyed but also very concerned for her leader. Freddy had been stressed and anxious these past weeks which is understandable. Little Charlotte Emily just turned 6 years old so everyone but mostly Freddy has helped to prepare the best birthday party ever, which had been a success. After that, there was numerous new rules given by Henry. It was also Spring break so there was a lot of costumers and children who wanted to meet the animatronics. Cherry on top, Golden Freddy had been restless these past days. His shenaningans were getting out of hands, even her patience is wearing thin. It is a miracle that Freddy hadn’t shut down from overheat or some other things.

«Chica, chica, lass ? Do you hear me ? Hello, Foxy to Chica ?!!! » screamed the pirate fox to the yellow chicken.

«Wha !!!!……..Foxy ? What are you doing here ? Shoudn’t you be in Pirate cove ? You know that a lot of kids are propably waiting for you ??? stuttered Chica.

« Yes, i know matey but i wanted to speak to you about the captain…...Did you notice that he seem- »

« OVERWORKED ??!! Stressed ??! Tired ?? or even sick ? Yes, yes i did ! But this stupid bear does not want to listen to me. I swear, sometimes he is worse than Goldie when it comes to listen to others or accepting help. » cut an angry Chica. Who didn’t noticed that her trusted compagnon, the pink cupcake was at her feet.

« First off, calm down. Two, take your creepy cupacake of the ground, i don’t want this thing to take my legs after my feet. And third, i was going to say that the captain seems off for some reason but what you said is also right. enduced Foxy. Did you also see the red marks on the captain’s body too or am i mistaken ? Anyways, look out for him on stage, he just saw him in the corridors leading to stage and he didn’t seem well, i don’t like this. I can’t go on stage and hadn’t saw Bonnie so i am trusting you. See you now, you should go before you become late » ushed the fox before running and dessapearing in the shadows. Most likely to Pirate cove to have a full view of the show.

With her friend’s words in her mind, the chicken promised herself to be careful and began her walk to the stage where her other two friends should be waiting for her.

- 10 minutes later -

Chica POV

I need to do something. Freddy is not good at all. I can see him sweat from my side of the stage. I can also see the marks that Foxy saw and by Pizza supreme, there were a lot of them. What hat Freddy been doing ? It looks like he has been trying to pull or scratch his fur off !! I need to do something, anything to make him quit the stage ! He is not going to hold for long, i am pretty sure he is going to pass out anytime from now on !

What can i do ? Foxy is in pirate cove, so he is to far away to help. I am sure he can’t even see properly the state that Freddy is in. Bonnie is not even looking at Freddy ! He is focusing on the kids which is probably for the best. The toys are out of the question, they are in another room. Maybe Mangle ? No. They are discomissioned, if they were to be found, they would be scrapped for parts by the humans. How i wished that Goldie would be active and not sleeping ! With his powers he could do something.

What can i do ??!!! What can i do ? Urgently thought Chica before stealing another glance to Freddy which she regrets. The bear is pale and on the verge of passing out or malfunctionning.

Malfunctionning…..it would be bad for the pizzeria, even more for Freddy. He woudn’t be scrapped but he would feel ashamed of himself. Wait ! This is it ! Malfunctionning, Malfunction !!! Better me than him, that for sure.

Foxy POV

The show had been going on for 10 minutes, 15 more to go. I can see the stage and the others but i can’t really see their expressions. Everything seems to be going well for the moment.

Nevermind, i talked to fast. What is Chica doing ? She seems to be looking everywhere for something ? Doesn’t she know that the kiddos love when we give them our attention ?? Why is she glancing so much at Freddy ? Is there a problem with him ? I hope n-

Before the Fox could finish his tought, a loud Thud was heard all across the room. 5 secondes ago, his three friends were singing together, the next one, chaos filled the party room. Kids were crying, their parents were rushing them ouut of the room. On stage, Bonnie was on his knees, on the other side of the stage, next to Chica, his guitar forgotten on the floor.

Chica was expanded on the floor, not moving, by the rabbit’s expression, she seems to be fine now. What Happened ? And where is Freddy ? Shoudn’t he be by their friends side ?

From the corner of his eyes, Foxy saw the brown bear pulling out the stage’s curtains, going backstage. Which was odd for Freddy who pride himself of caring for everyone in the pizzeria. With this in mind, the redhead ran towards backstage.

- Backstage -

« Captain ? Captain ??…...Godamit ! Freddy where are you !!! yelled Foxy while searching for his friend.

Before passing a corner, Foxy stumbled upon the one person he was searching for.

« Fox-y ? What are you do-ing he- nervously began to ask the animatronic leader before losing counsciousness and falling to the ground.

Here is the Sickfic, @project-isles and i have been working on. Hope you like it and stay tuned for chapter 2!

[eirual-32]

The Murmuring Sun (part I) - Legolas x Reader

Part I, Part II, Part III

A.N.: As of now, I am planning to make this a three parts series. Also, there might be some mistakes and I’m sorry for that but English isn’t my first language. Hope you enjoy!

Legolas x Elf Reader

Summary: A simple day on your own turns into one of pure bliss with your childhood friend as feelings are slowly uncovered. However, confusion also follows...

fluff, slight angst, childhood friends, hair braiding, uncovered feelings

In this story, hair braiding is associated with romantic love and courting for elves.

Warnings: none

Words: 1 850

The grass felt divine under your skin as your palms smoothly caressed your surroundings. You closed your eyes, savouring the quiet bliss of the moment. As you lay in the woods in a spot where no tree could hide the beaming sun, all that could be heard was the chirps of a distant bird and the wind quietly humming a lullaby through the leaves and branches. This melody seemed to transport you elsewhere, away from all that ever had you worried or frightened. Before you could notice, your already sealed eyelids became heavier, as did the rest of your body, and you slipped into a peaceful meditative state, one you hadn’t experienced in a while, as elves did not require much rest. 

A faint sound later brought you back to consciousness. While briefly lifting your neck off the ground, you peeked at the trees and flowery bushes a few feet away before weightlessly letting your head fall back where it had been resting and you slowly felt yourself drifting away once more.

Just as you were about to reach unconsciousness, you were brought back to reality when something nudged your right shoulder. You groaned faintly while stirring your arms at your side. A smile crept its way onto your lips as you breathed in the summer air blended with the scent of the humid forest encircling you. As you then released the sweet scent you had inhaled, you opened your eyes at last. Instantly, you beamed even wider than you had been a few seconds prior as your sight fixated itself on a familiar white haired ellon looking down at you, his feet just above your head. 

“Hi there.” Legolas slightly chuckled. “Today seems to be a very productive day on your part,” he said sarcastically, unable to suppress the grin now gracing his lips while his eyes traveled passed your feet. 

Raising yourself on your elbows, you followed his gaze to find the braided baskets you had brought with you to gather berries growing in the nearby bushes. However, they had been long forgotten when you noticed the bright sun gleaming through trees’ foliage and tenderly brushing your skin. Indeed, you had then decided to embrace the beauty of nature by lying down and absorbing the sunlight. 

You chuckled at the view of the empty baskets, realizing how carried away you had gotten. You swiftly stood up and faced your long-time friend. Your giggles ceased as you locked eyes with him. Immediately, a luminous smile, mirroring your own, illuminated his features. You lifted your right arm to grab his shoulder and he did the same to you. Happiness filled your being and you tried to ignore the way your heart fluttered at his touch as you knew this was solely a friendly way for him to greet you after having not seen each other in a small while. 

It was true that since his 100th birthday, when he reached adulthood 14 years ago, it had been difficult for you two to spend time together. Indeed, Thranduil, your king and his father, had since given him more responsibilities and kept him away to teach him the ways of ruling over Mirkwood. Witnessing the friend you held so close to your heart learn and grow before your eyes filled you with pride, but sadness as well. You could feel that the duties a young prince such as him possessed weighted on him and, consequently, the joyful innocence that had danced in his eyes since you both were children had diminished. However, it had never left him, you could still perceive that light radiating from him. 

His hand gave your shoulder a light squeeze before he finally released it and you let go as well. 

“Well, it is nice to see you as well Legolas,” you said teasingly. “How long has it been since we were last able to have a proper conversation?”

“Way too long.” He sighed while responding. 

Turning your back to him, you walked away to gather the scattered baskets as a way to hide your bubbling excitement from the very ellon who triggered it. You crouched down to pick them up and asked, “So, what has your father been occupying you with as of late?”

“The usual mainly, although father as grown agitated these past weeks. He senses a darkness growling far away. He worries this very forest will eventually fall into the shadow. It surely won’t happen for a few thousand years but still, he considers it is best we find ways to prevent it from growing any stronger than it already is. In all honesty, it is quite frightening seeing my father this concerned, he never is really.” 

At his words, you rotated your head to stare at his face you subtly inspected. His expression had a hint of sombreness, one that rarely inhabited his features. You briskly turned back and stood back up, baskets in hands. 

“Well, we better enjoy the quiet and delightful days like today is while peace still reigns over Middle-earth,” you said cheerfully, attempting to lighten the atmosphere that had abruptly became grave. You then started to walk away in the opposite direction from Legolas. “Are you coming?” you asked. 

You couldn’t conceal a smile as you faintly heard his light feet hurry to catch up to you. 

“I was about to pick some berries. Do you want to join me?”, you said turning sideways to hand him a basket, offering him a grin.

“Gladly,” he replied, smiling kindly at you. 

You took the lead walking a bit further until you noticed a few bushes full of blackberries that were glistening in the sun peeking from the tree leaves higher up. 

“Those should be enough to fill at least one of our baskets,” you stated. You then both made your way over to the bushes, sat down and got to work quietly. Not a word was uttered for a few minutes, merely revelling in the simplicity of the moment, until you broke the silence after having been briefly lost in your thoughts.

“I’m sorry for earlier.” Legolas looked at you curiously and, avoiding eye contact, you resumed, “For having ignored your concerns. If it seemed like I didn’t sympathize with you and what clearly weighs heavily on your mind, I want you to know that it truthfully is the complete opposite. It worries me to see you this troubled and I merely changed the subject swiftly to ease both of our minds.” You paused and completed, “I care for you deeply. You know that right?” From where you stood, sitting sideways to his left, you looked up to meet his eyes which had already been examining you. Under his gaze, a soft pink tinted your cheeks while awaiting his response. Relief flooded your body when a slight smile broke on his lips which made you beam as well.

“It’s alright Y/N. I do not wish to dwell on those thoughts either. I’d much rather spend the day with you, discussing lightly and enjoying each other’s company without a care in the world. Just like we always used to. Your mere company brings me peace and I am grateful to you for that.” He briefly paused and continued, “Still, thank you for clearing the air.”

You smiled at each other and resumed harvesting the blackberries in front of you. Legolas then proceeded to teasingly shove his shoulder against yours. It made you lift your eyes up to meet his face once more which was now bearing a smirk.

Looking straight into your eyes, he smoothly said, “And I do care about you too.”

At that moment, the butterflies came back to life in your stomach. You didn’t know how to react as your cheeks and ears were burning. In the end, you settled on gently pushing back his shoulder just like he had done to you a few seconds ago. He chuckled as you did so. 

Silence washed once more over the both of you and you carried on filling your baskets. It remained this way for a couple of minutes, simply appreciating the rare occurrence of being in each other’s company. You never had to say much. Being close to one another had always been sufficient to demonstrate your mutual appreciation for the other. 

Taking you by surprise, Legolas shoved a blackberry in your mouth and stood up, hands on his hips and said, “I don’t know about you, but I believe we have earned a break.”

A mischievous smile then lit up his features and he grabbed your wrists. Trying to lift you off the ground, he stated, “Come on.” 

As you pulled yourself back on the ground, you both started laughing aloud. His palms still encircling your wrists, you tried to free yourself without being able to stop your laughter and uttered, “Stop! I have promised my sister I would bring back home at least two full baskets. Not even one has been filled!”

“We will come back later and I assure you, we will collect way more than enough of those blackberries. Now come!” He chuckled as he tugged on your arms once again. You tried to resist by leaning back but he had grown way stronger than you with how much King Thranduil had him trained in the last few years. Consequently, he effortlessly was able to pull you to your feet.

You squealed as he now grabbed your right hand, dragging you behind him as you both still couldn’t stifle your chuckles. You initially stumbled but quickly were well able to keep up with his pace, always having been a fast runner. 

After a short sprint, Legolas slowed down in front of a pond, the one you and him used to go swim in together when you were but children. He released your hand, took off his boots and began stepping in the water.

“Are you not scared to wet your princely hair now Leg?” you shouted teasingly. He swiftly turned around, flashing you an annoyed smile.

From where you stood, you admired him for a few seconds, his back facing you again. You felt your chest tightened as you took in his beauty. In recent years, his facial features had sharpened while maintaining their innocence and natural attractiveness. Your eyes trailed over his perfect hair braided at the top that cascaded down his lean but strong form. The sun made it gleam, some strands appearing almost silver. 

Soon enough, guilt replaced the lightness in your heart. Indeed, it felt unfaithful to be admiring someone you were unsure saw you in the same light you viewed him in. What if the way he cared about you was merely in a friendly manner? 

Legolas then proceeded to take off a layer of clothing, throwing it a few meters next to you, which left him in his thin tunic as he immersed in the water until only his head and shoulders were poking out. This seemed to pull you out of your trans. You quickly proceeded to remove your laced sandals and followed him in the shallow pond.

A.N. : Part II coming soon :)

[freyanistics]

Fiery flames 🔥 (part 2)

Part one here

"Come not between the dragon, and his wrath."

- William Shakespeare, King Lear

That little mishap happened a week ago.

There were talks about a party at the studio to celebrate Welcome Home’s 100th episode. Everyone was excited, including yourself, as it’s been awhile since you’ve went out to a party. At the night of the party you braided your hair into four plaits then put on a neutral outfit, not too masculine but not too feminine either. After checking yourself in the mirror you head out to the studio.

As soon you came inside the building music and bright lights cause you to step back a bit. After you adjusted to the new environment you grin seeing everyone was there. Frank and Eddie were talking at the punch bowl holding hands, Julie was already dancing on the floor with Sally, and a few of the others were doing their own thing. You start mingling with everyone as you drank some of your punch. There wasn’t no alcohol at this party because the executives didn’t want things to get too wild but that didn’t stop you from slipping some vodka in your drink, you even shared some with Barnaby.

By ten pm everyone was having a good time. You was laughing with Poppy and Eddie when you suddenly felt like you was being watched. Your eyes start to scan the crowd until it lands on Wally, leaning against the wall from across the room, staring at you. His face was shrouded in the shadows illuminating his eyes as they bore into yours. When he noticed you had saw him he starts walking towards your group.

“Aw shit.” You muttered under your breath. You force a smile as he reaches you and the others, but his eyes were trained on you.

“Hello~ Enjoying the party?” He asks in a sultry voice. Everyone was saying something but you stared back at him with narrowed eyes. Something felt…off. You could feel tension in the air and felt uncomfortable with him so close proximities of you.

“Excuse me I think I’m going to get some more punch.” You said leaving to go to the punch bowl. You dip the large spoon into the pink liquid filling your cup. Your ears perk hearing footsteps behind you as the hairs on the back of your neck stood up.

“Are you alright?” Wally asks from behind.

“Yes Wally I’m fine.” You turn to face him seeing his lips curled up in a smirk. Pompous motherfucker, he reminded you of…

“You seem quite tense.” He says stepping closer. “How about we dance?”

“Together? No thanks I’ll pass.” You declined walking past him. His hand shoots out grabbing your wrist causing you to halt.

“Why are you playing so hard to get, Y/N?” His voice goes down to a husky tone as he eyes you.

“Let go, Wally. I’m not interested in you.” You grit out.

“Why not? Have I not been nice to you?” He tilts his head to the side, that smirk still evident on his face.

Maybe it was vodka you had slipped in your punch earlier because you suddenly wanted to give the arrogant bastard a piece of your mind. Did he really think you’d go out with him?

“Listen Wally and listen to me well.” You walk right up to him until you were barely chest to chest. “I don’t like you. I never did like you. You’re nothing but an arrogant little man with an inflated ego. You got everyone wrapped around your finger except me, because I know what you really are.” Your eyes narrow. “I rather drink cyanide than go out with you, so fuck off.” You rug your wrist free storming off with several people watching with their mouths agape. You didn’t notice the sinister look in Wally’s eyes.

“You forgot one thing, Y/N. I always get what I want.” He says softly

Around midnight the party had long ended with all the guests leaving the studio. You had hung back helping the cleaning crew with picking up the trash left behind. You was in one of the recording rooms picking up dirty plates and cups wearing AirPods listening to a few bops when the lights start to flicker. You look up as the lightbulb flickers before going out. “Shit.” You mutter pulling your phone on cutting on your phone’s flashlight. Stepping out of the room you noticed all the lights to the building have went off.

“Hello?” You called out but there was no answer. Odd, did the others finish before you? You knew the electric box was outside located in the back of the building so you headed out. The tension in the air was thick and you felt your senses heighten. Your eyes looked around as you reach the back door leading outside. Stepping out in the fresh air you scan your surroundings but found nothing out of the ordinary.

Maybe you’re just getting too paranoid. You shake your head walking to the electric box opening it. All the switches were flipped to off. How strange, it’s almost as if someone…

“You shouldn’t have said those nasty things about me, Y/N.” A voice comes from behind you causing you to jump spinning around to see it was Wally. He still wore his blue sweater and red ascot around his neck as he looked at you with a sly grin.

“What the hell are you doing out here? Did you do this?” You accused him.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” He says cockily.

You growl gritting your teeth together. “I don’t have times for games, Wally. What do you want from me?”

“I just wanted you to give me a chance. But you were awfully rude to me at the party, everyone heard you. I think you owe me an apology.” He takes a step towards you.

“An apology? I’m not apologizing for shit.” You scoff folding your arms. “Go cry to it to your mother.”

Wally looks at you for a good few minutes before chuckling.

“You know there’s a reason people are scared of me.” He starts but you interrupt with your laughter.

“Scared of you? I don’t see why not. You’re not scary, you’re anything but scary.” You wipe a tear from your eye. “The only thing going for you is your staring problem, but that’s not scary that’s creepy. You’re a creep, but not scary.” You continue to laugh. “Look fine, I’m sorry for hurting your big ego. There happy?” You turn back to the electric box rolling your eyes.

Then you cried out as you felt something pierce your skin. You look down at your arm seeing a bite mark with blood dripping from the wound. You twirl back to Wally who’s grinning from ear to ear as his pupils had widen to the point there were no whites.

“That wasn’t a proper apology. Y/N. Very un neighborly of you.” He says in a sickly sweet voice.

“You…you bite me.” You said breathing heavily.

“Did I?” He asks giggling. “I’m standing right here am I not?”

“Don’t.You.Dare.Bite.Me.” You hiss out feeling your eyes turn yellow.

You could feel it. Deep inside of you the beast you suppressed for so long was coming free. It was like the chains were being ripped free. You had to calm down. You have to calm down.

“And what are you going to do about it?” Wally says stalking towards you in a slow pace until he was chest to chest with you. His eyes bore into yours as he chuckles. “I don’t want to hurt you, believe it or not. But I must teach you some manners.” He says as he blinks. You felt another piercing pain on your shoulder causing you to cry out. This one felt deeper than the other time. You could see blood on Wally’s lips and teeth.

“I SAID DON’T FUCKING BITE ME!” You scream shoving him back on the ground. You snapped and your eyes roll in the back of your head as you heard your bones and limbs popping. Your back aches as wings sprout of it as you fall to floor trembling. Wally’s eyes were back to normal as he watch with surprise as you transformed before his eyes. You slam your large claws on the ground as rose to your full height staring down at Wally not as a human, but a large scaly dragon.

Your eyes bore into his as he scrambled to his feet backing up. Thunder roars above as a storm starts to form. You was pissed and now you was going to give this thing hell. Letting out a thunderous roar you charge towards Wally with your mouth wide open. He takes off into the woods with you right behind him shoving trees and anything in your pathway. Opening your mouth you blast an electric blast near his feet causing him to fall down scrambling back up.

“Now now y/n, let’s talk about this!” He calls out.

“No talk you’re dead.” You growl out as slam your fist into the ground causing it to shake.

“Y/N please! I apologize, let us not do something brash!” He says running down a slope.

Rain crash down on you as the ground starts to get wet and muddy. You didn’t care as you follow after the blue haired man with one thing on your mind; tearing him apart.

“I warned you!” You snarl as you throw a tree near him. It crashes onto the ground splitting in two. “I’m going to show you what scary really is!” You lunge grabbing him lifting Wally up until he was at your eye level. Your yellow eye glares into his as he bites his lip.

“Y/N, dear, let’s calm down. You don’t really want to eat me. I won’t taste well.” He counters.

“Let’s see if that’s true.” You laugh lifting him high in the air about to drop him in your gullet when you snarl in pain. It’s been so long since you’ve shift into your true form that you couldn’t handle it for too long. You let out an agitated roar as you felt yourself slipping back into your human form, dropping Wally and crashing down onto the ground. Your clothes were tattered and your breathing was heavy. Above you the storm disperse and the rain stops. You close your eyes trying to control your breathing.

“Y/N?” Wally calls out standing over you.

“Don’t…touch me.” You force out stumbling to your feet. You stare at him before shuffling away. Back to your apartment. You left him in those forests, too exhausted to care.

Wally watches you leave, deciding against chasing after you. He was stunned but slowly a smile appears on his face.

“You’re more special than I assumed.”

A/N: Part 2 as promised. Kinda wonky so I apologize. No proofreading as usual

[scourgiez]

more headcanons for Analelle and Lithuryn (my version of Astarion’s parents) and elf stuff. I see alot of different opinions about elf ages and elf culture so I thought I’d throw my headcanons on the pot because… well. I love elves and want to expand Analelle and Lithuryn’s characters.

I’m not a huge DND elf expert so if I get something wildly wrong or it contradicts with canon, let me know, but because I’m addicted to researching every little thing I come across i hope I’m good ahaha

Alight, I’ll start with ages because that’s a hot topic! in the fandom regarding Astarion. Very heated debate which I don’t understand because I think it just depends on personal opinion, but that’s for another day. In my opinion, no, age 100 is not the same as a human turning 18. Elves age the same way humans do until they are in their late 20's or so then start slowing down biologically. Their "age of maturity" being 100 is more about their wisdom and life experience finally being enough for another elf to consider them "mature".

Biologically, elves mature a Liiiiittle slower just due to them living so long, but it’s not drastic enough that they are considered a “child “ until they are 100 years old. For example, if a human is an adult around 18-20, an elf is an adult around 23-25. This goes for both elven and elf/human communities, unless the elf is raised by humans in which case they will be raised in human culture, but I’m assuming most human parents raising an elf child are going to be scouring the libraries anyway trying to find out why their adopted toddler doesn’t sleep. Half elves are different obviously but it would probably be the same as a human.

Within elven communities, age of consent is probably raised to 23 or 25. However, socially and culturally, age 100 is when normal elves tend to “settle down” so to speak, and is a coming of age celebration (even if they are already biologically adults, again this "maturity" is more about life experience). I assume even elven families living within human communities keep those cultural traditions of large, week long parties and celebrations when an elf turns 100. Older elves probably refer to elves under 100 as “kid” the same way people 60+ refer to people in their 20’s as “kid”.

By “settle down”, I mean beginning to get married and have children. Again, this all has to do with living for so long, and family/children being a huge part of elven culture, especially because elves (or at least high elves, wood elves i think have a higher fertility chance) have a difficult time getting pregnant and may only have one child. Elves tend to want to experience life and become more worldly before they have a child or get married, because afterwards family becomes more important than themselves. This isn’t exactly biologically hardwired (though high elves having a low fertility rate is) but there is probably a huge stigma around divorce or broken families in elven communities for this reason.

What does this mean for Astarion and his family? Astarion’s age is also a point of debate, but if we are going by him being in his mid 30’s when he died, he would probably the human equivalent of ...29? No real difference, he would be considered a young adult. However, because he is below 100, he hadn’t settled down and still had many different options on how to live his life if he didn’t enjoy the magistrate route (in my headcanon for his parents, I mention they landed him that job even though he was under qualified, so he would probably be sticking with it. Just sticking with one isn’t uncommon for elves either). I am sure there are certain cultural practices he missed out on for his 100th birthday such as the name change (old elven tradition I imagine some families have done away with) and maybe some family heirlooms getting passed down to him. This is why Astarion was never married or had kids, and possibly wasn’t even dating anyone seriously. Elves during this time would mainly just. well I can only describe it as an xp grind lmfao Before settling down and having a family (if they choose) and devoting your time to them.

However: an elf dying before the age of 100 is just extremely odd. One, I think murder is extremely uncommon in elf communities. These guys reincarnate and murder would just…. be pointless. Analelle and Lithuryn both grew up in the elven community of Evereska, and an elf dying under 100 because of murder was a concept completely impossible to them. like they straight up didn't think it could ever happen.

Last thing that doesn’t have anything to do with the Ancunin’s, and that’s the differences between high and wood elves, as well as things like sun and moon sub races. Basically, it’s that 90% of the time, if you take them from their home and dress them the in the same clothes, a non elf is not going to tell the difference between a high elf and a wood elf. Wood and high elves are culturally different from living in two different places, and as for physical characteristics wood elves have warm skin tones and high elves have cool skin tones. As for things like moon/star/sun elves, the differences are extremely specific and probably unnoticeable unless you are an elf expert or an elf yourself. (we know it as eye color and hair color differences and some personality differences but id like to think its wayyy more subtle than that). There are very slight differences that elves can tell like a 6th sense lol.

One last thing because this is already too long, and that's that there's not really accents when it comes to elvish. There are certain phrases that wood elves probably use that high elves don't know wtf they are talking about and maybe some cultural practices that are slightly different, but there is barely any accent difference between the two. Elvish is a mysterious and beautiful language that breaks some rules every now and then.

[luxnebula]

Lightmore just got its 100th episode! Time to recap what has happened since February, or episode 61.

Here's the first summary post, in case you want to check that one out first.

The capsule that Grayson's group found is still weighing on Grayson's mind. He suggest that because Yuuji is too busy to look into the capsule and its disappearance, Grayson and his group could do that. Wick, Uaid Finley don't seem interested because they don't get paid for it and because the capsule was likely E-Demons property. Nova seems to agree with Grayson, though. She wants Grayson to have a solid plan on how to look into the capsule, though. Grayson says he'll think about it.

The next morning, Mala performs the Glasgow Coma test on awake Jaimal and Jaimal passes with a full score. Jaimal is officially no longer comatose. Jaimal asks how long he was asleep, but Mala dodges the question.

Meanwhile at the Bafford Mansion, Michael has breakfast alone. Just as he's about to stand up and go wake up Joel, his son himself steps in to the dining hall on his own accord and on time. He says that he has reconsidered his priorities when Michael expresses his surprise.

Meanwhile, with the Badawis, as the family is planning what to do with the day. When everyone is caught up to speed and has a task, Beatrice gets a text from Valeria saying that she had fun last night. Beatrice tells her she had fun too and that they should go out again when Beatrice is less busy. Valeria enthusiastically agrees and asks Beatrice to contact her immediately when her chaos in Beatrice's life dies down. Valeria also asks if there's anything she can do to help with it. Qianfan, having seen Beatrice texting, asks if Valeria would happen to know anything about Lieselotte's alleged husband. Valeria says she might, but she needs to call some people first to make sure it's not a false lead.

Michael and Joel arrive to Michael's office at the Power Plant. Michael invites Kahale to his office. When Kahale arrives, Michael tells him that Joel should be easier to manage now. Kahale is confused and glances at Joel, who avoids his eyes. Michael then dismisses both Kahale and Joel, but Kahale questions if it really was that easy. Joel tells him that Michael gave him a lecture that "gave him a lot to think about" and made him "see things in a different light now". This does not help with Kahale's confusion, but he lets the issue drop. With that, Kahale and Joel leave the office. On their way to Kahale's office, they come across Tsubaki, who puts on a little flirt for Joel, who just dodges it. This confuses both Tsubaki and Kahale.

At Lieselotte's office, Lieselotte's assistant tells her that Prime is here to see her. Lieselotte seems very happy about it and the two hug and exchange cheek kisses. Prime tells Lieselotte that he found the man that Lieselotte asked him to find. He also tells her that he seems to spend quite a lot of time at the Red Lights District. Lieselotte isn't happy to hear this. She says that "he can't go down there and see whores while living with her". Prime asks what she plans to do about it and Lieselotte asks if Prime has the man's address. She needs to do some calls.

At the Suri-Gul family home, Aditi is cooking breakfast and humming cheerfully. Keelan steps into the kitchen and seems to be surprised to see Aditi so cheerful. Aditi tells him that Mala invited her for dinner.

Delano wakes up to a text message from a unknown number asking for a meeting. Delano assumes that it's a new client, Delano agrees to meet him in 20 minutes at the Red Lights District.

At Beatrice's apartment, Qianfan asks how they're going to find Lieselotte's ex-personal assistant. Beatrice is trying to find her LinkedIn and her contact information. Beatrice finds the ex-pa, Ivy, and it turns out that Qianfan already kind of knows her through an acquaintance. Beatrice asks him to call his acquaintance and ask to talk to Ivy. Qianfan agrees, even if he's not that close to the acquaintance, Nana. Nana gives Ivy Qianfan's number and she calls him. Ivy seems a little salty to be talking about Lieselotte, but eager to share what she knows. She invites Beatrice and Qianfan to her apartment because she shouldn't "spill this tea over the phone".

At the Red Lights District, Delano meets up with the man who texted him. Delano is invited into a beat-up van and the man drives off with him. Delano quickly finds that there is a second man in the van, to his confusion. The second man sneaks up on Delano and pins him on the backrest. He jams a needle into Delano's neck and drugs him. Delano passes out.

Angelo arrives at the LCPD and thanks Whisper and Yuuji for taking him along again. Yuuji formally introduces himself to Angelo and the two shake hands. Then the group is off to find out what Keith was doing before he arrived to the Badawi Family home. Yuuji has gotten the location data from Keith's phone and they're using that to retrace his steps. This brings the trio to a street in front of a shop. They look for any security cameras that might have caught a glimpse of him before he headed to the family home. They find one attached to a store front and approach the store's manager to ask if they can have a look at the camera's log. The manager seems a little suspicious, but agrees to let Yuuji's group to take a look. In the camera's logs, they see Keith talk to his phone, then get pulled into a van against his will. Whisper gets the van's license plate and writes it down.

Delano wakes up in a dark, empty room, tied to a chair. The two men from the van are standing in front of him. With an apology of "it's nothing personal" and start beating him with fists and kicks, until Delano passes out.

In the Power Plant's cafeteria, Joel is sitting along, still looking haunted. Tsubaki approaches him with a cheerful greet. The two sit in awkward silence as Tsubaki watches Joel expectantly. Just as Tsubaki is about to ask if Joel is alright, Joel abruptly leaves, leaving a baffled Tsubaki behind.

Beatrice and Qianfan arrive at Ivy's apartment. Ivy seems very eager to share all the "bullshit" that Lieselotte did when she was her pa. Beatrice reminds her that they're only interested in hearing Hellenic Pharma specifically. Ivy is excited to share her intel nevertheless. Ivy tells that Lieselotte has this girlboss girl power imago going on, but she tended to treat people below her like garbage. She usually treated Ivy like air, unless she was being overly familiar with her and pretending the two were sisters.

According to Ivy, Lieselotte was careless with her computer around Ivy (leaving it unlocked and open on classified information for Ivy to see) because she seemed to think that Ivy was a useless bimbo. Which Ivy implies to not be incorrect. Nana points out that Ivy is a lawyer.

Ivy continues with her story, saying that one day she came in when Lieselotte was on the phone and she heard everything Lieselotte was saying. According to Ivy, Lieselotte was berating someone for being irresponsible and unprofessional. Ivy later managed to see who Lieselotte was talking to, who was saved in Lieselotte's phone as "Helen". Ivy says that it wasn't Helen Wyatt (the police chief's wife), because she is saved as her full name in Lieselotte's phone. Ivy later looked the number up and found that it belonged to someone who worked at Hellenic at the time.

Beatrice asks if Ivy has any concrete proof of any of this, which Ivy doesn't. Ivy then asks Beatrice why they're looking into Hellenic. Beatrice tells her that they're looking for a link between Lieselotte and Hellenic. Ivy says that there definitely is one, but she doesn't have proof of it and apologises for not being more helpful.

Qianfan says that they have to talk to Lieselotte's husband, to which Ivy responds that he doesn't exist. When questioned, Ivy elaborates that Lieselotte says she has a husband, but he doesn't exist or doesn't lie with her. Lieselotte acts like they're in love and do lots of couple stuff together, but he's never seen out of her house. Ivy says she got the feeling that Lieselotte seems to think that the "husband" needs a little convincing to marry her and that the whole situation gave her stalkery vibes. Ivy also could give Beatrice and Qianfan the husband's first name: Delano.

Ivy also brings up that Lieselotte has been teasing her husband's social debut soon, whether he exists or not. She also alleges that Lieselotte is kind of unhinged behind closed doors. Qianfan thinks they should find this Delano guy just to warn him.

Beatrice brings the conversation back to Hellenic, and Ivy offers that she could try snooping around to find solid proof of Lieselotte's connection to Hellenic. With that, Beatrice and Qianfan leave and decide to go find Delano.

Meanwhile with Yuuji's group, they have found the owner of the van who abducted Keith, Ed Johnson. Yuuji wants to run a background check before going to talk, but Angelo offers to talk to him because he's not a cop and not known as a Badawi yet. He could get the man's guard down and get him to say something. Yuuji suggests doing this at a bar when Ed is a little drunk to lower his inhibitions.

Tsubaki is meeting Kahale in his office and ranting to him about how weird Joel is acting. Kahale doesn't seem interested because it's not his business. He points out that he's made it this far by staying in his lane and he suggests that Tsubaki does the same because it gets unsafe when one gets to a certain position. This makes Tsubaki hesitate. The conversation is interrupted when Joel steps in.

At Beatrice's apartment, Beatrice catches the rest of the family up with what they found. She namedrops Delano, which catches Orlando's attention. He wants to immediately go warn Delano. Beatrice notices she has a message from Valeria. She says that she's heard that someone got kidnapped. Beatrice asks her to look into it, if she can, to which Valeria agrees.

Orlando arrives at Lucky Jack's Casino and finds Daxton. He asks Daxton about Delano, and Daxton says that Delano isn't at work today, unusually not having texted that he's not coming to work. Orlando asks if Daxton knows where he lives, but Daxton wants to know why he wants to know. Orlando tells him that he believes that Delano might be in trouble, which catches Daxton's attention. Daxton offers to take Orlando to Delano's apartment himself. While the two are on the way, Daxton tries calling Delano, but Delano doesn't pick up. The two arrive at Delano's apartment and ring the doorbell. Daxton notices how silent it is, because Fang usually starts barking when the doorbell rings. The landlord comes by and tells the two that Delano moved out earlier the same day. A moving crew came in and took his things out. The landlord doesn't know where Delano moved.

Delano has a brief dream about his mother before waking up at a hospital. Lieselotte is sitting next to his bed and greets him.

Leaving Delano's apartment building, Daxton seems hurt that Delano didn't ask him to help move. Orlando points out that if Delano didn't ask for help, it might mean that he didn't move out of his free will. Orlando says that he might know where to start looking for Delano, so he and Daxton head out.

Twenty years ago, a younger Delano heads to Lieselotte's house, looking nervous and tired. Lieselotte invites him in and the two have dinner together. Not having eaten much that day, Delano digs into his meal hungrily. Delano thanks Lieselotte for the invitation and tells her why he had contacted her. Delano starts telling Lieselotte about the difficult situation that his family was in right now. Their mother died and that their father is not taking it well. Delano is now here to ask Lieselotte for some time off from work so his father can work things out. Lieselotte seems surprised that that was all that Delano wanted and easily agrees to it. Lieselotte muses that they'd need to find a replacement for the father, but Delano says he's looking for a job. Lieselotte promises to arrange it for Delano and suggests a toast. The wine bottle on the table depletes as the dinner goes on. Eventually the two end up on Lieselotte's sofa, where Lieselotte slides her hand across Delano's chest and kisses him.

In present moment, in the hospital room, Delano sits up so fast that it hurts his injuries, worrying Lieselotte. Delano settles back onto the bed, shifting as far away from Lieselotte as possible. He coldly asks why Lieselotte is here, which seems to insult Lieselotte. She did "save" him from the men beating him up, ater all. Delano continues to act cold towards her, which makes Lieselotte muse that she should get used to it because he's going live with her from now on. Delano stares at her in horror.

Tomo gets a call from Lieselotte's assistant (on Delano's phone), telling them that Delano is injured and can't work for a few days. The pa says that she's calling on the behalf of Delano's wife, which catches Tomo's attention. Tomo asks the pa to repeat the "wife's" name and writes it down on a sticky note. When the call ends, Tomo immediately lets Jaqueline know what has happened. Jaqueline seems very pleased about these news.

Orlando and Daxton arrive at the Red Lights District. Daxton seems confused about this because he's never heard Delano talk about women. Daxton gets a call from Tomo, telling him that Delano has been found. Orlando and Daxton head back to the casino.

At the E-Demons headquarters, the leaders of the gang, Luke and Lavern, hear about Lieselotte having gotten her hands on Delano. Lavern isn't happy about it, and Luke calls them selfish for it. Maurice, a gang member and Delano's boyfriend, hears this conversation and isn't happy. He starts making his leave, but the twins notice him. Luke warns him not to fuck with Lieselotte because she's a valuable sponsor for E-Demons. He also reminds Maurice that they have "the switch". Maurice says he knows and leaves.

The Badawis have gathered to Jaqueline's office, and Jaqueline informs them about an update to their assignment. She tells them that Lieselotte has something "of hers" and she wants them to go find proof of it and retrieve Delano. Beatrice informs her that they are just about to find a link between Lieselotte and Hellenic. Jaqueline says that they are free to continue with the line of investigation, but she'll give them what she knows about Zeus if they help Delano. Orlando offers to help Delano so Beatrice and continue looking into Hellenic.

Joel is sitting in an office at the Power Plant. Tsubaki approaches him again, asking how he's doing. Joel gives an exhausted answer. Tsubaki asks if he wants to talk about it, but Joel doesn't seem eager to talk. He just brushes it up all to having to work for once in his life and not being used to it. Joel gets a message from Michael, reminding him of Lieselotte's charity gala coming up. Joel invites Tsubaki to the gala with him. Tsubaki agrees.

Maurice is at the Red Lights District, following a map app. He arrives at the place where Delano met with the man with the van. He hacks into a security camera and finds Delano meeting with the man in the archives. He takes screenshots of the man and finds out who he is. Then Maurice heads to Jaqueline's office and tells her that he found the men who took Delano. Jaqueline asks what she would do with this information. Maurice gives some violent options, which Jaqueline turns down, saying that they could just ask the man if this whole deal was his idea or if he was paid to do it. Or more specifically, if Lieselotte paid him to do it.

Daxton escorts Maurice out of the casino, letting Maurice have a quick chat with him. Maurice says that Delano has mentioned Dax a few times, but Daxton notices that he hasn't heard of Maurice. Maurice suggests that the two should have dinner together to get to know each other, to which Daxton eagerly agrees. Before Maurice leaves, Daxton asks him to contact him if there's anything he can do. Maurice agrees.

Maurice finds the man who abducted Delano and breaks into his apartment. With a little violent persuasion, Maurice hears that a "fancy bitch" hired him to abduct Delano and "scare him a little". He agrees to give her number to Maurice if he gets out of the apartment. Maurice agrees. With the phone number, Maurice finds Lieselotte's pa and the texts she sent to the man. Hacking the pa's phone, Maurice sadly can't find any mention of Delano or hiring people in the texts between the pa and Lieselotte.

While they wait to hear from Ivy, Beatrice and Qianfan head back to Hellenic HQ to see if they can find a connection to Lieselotte in the archives. They don't find it, but they find reports about successfully inducing spontaneous mutations in mice. Qianfan asks if there's any mention about inducing it in people. Beatrice connects it to the bottle that Keith swallowed before mutating. Qianfan says that they should call the coroner and ask if they've finished the analysis on the bottle. As they leave the HQ, Beatrice calls the coroner, who tells them that the tests are still cooking, but whatever was in the vial was strong, but there isn't enough left to figure what the liquid would do.

Meanwhile, Valeria is walking at a brisk pace at the Red Lights District. Jessie and Penny see her and invite her for a chat. Valeria asks them if they've heard of anyone getting abducted recently. Jessie is immediately interested and offers to help Valeria look into this mystery. Valeria learns that the person who might have gotten abducted in a van was Delano and she pales. She's suddenly in a hurry to find the van, which Jessie notes. Valeria and Jessie start to move out, but Valeria notices that Penny is staying behind. Valeria asks if she's not coming, which Penny confirms. Penny tells her that they found her father dead, so she's collecting money for the funeral. Valeria hugs her and tells her she's sorry for her loss and offers to help with the funeral.

Valeria and Jessie head out and ask around about the van, but they don't find much. Jessie asks why Valeria is so stressed out about this, and Valeria tells her that Delano is her nephew.

Yuuji, Whisper and Angelo are in a bar, keeping an eye on Ed. Angelo confesses that he doesn't have a clear idea of bar etiquette because he has never drunk alcohol. Because of this, Whisper will be the one getting Ed to drink while chatting to him while Angelo keeps an eye on Whisper's back. Whisper managed to get the man talk about his job, especially some "unofficial commissions" that he sometimes takes from a "rich woman". Ed proceeds to tell them about taking Keith to a certain place. He only later learned that Keith mutated in the place and that he feels horrible about it. He also talks about abducting someone and beating him up. He asks if he's a bad person for doing those things, to which Whisper doesn't have a polite answer to. They do tell him that he should probably stop doing those shady commissions. With that, Whisper and Angelo return to Yuuji and tell him what they found out. Yuuji asks if they found out who this rich woman is, which they didn't. Because it's late, the group decides to go home. Angelo walks Whisper to their apartment because Whisper is a little drunk. Whisper stumbles, and Angelo puts their arm around them to keep them upright. When the two get to Whisper's apartment building, Whisper thanks Angelo for walking them home and calls him cute, which they immediately call a slip of a tongue.

Maurice gets a text from Jessie, asking him for a favor to hack into a security camera to find a van. Maurice asks if it's to do with Delano's kidnapping. Maurice tells Jessie that he's also working on the case and that he knows where Delano is. Valeria wants to know which hospital, which Maurice doesn't know yet, but he promises to let Jessie know when there's something she can do. Valeria doesn't understand this. Delano is in the hospital, the situation should be over now? Maurice just tells them that the situation is deeper than that. Valeria connects the dots and wonders if this is to do with the stalker that Delano has mentioned having. Valeria asks Jessie if Lillith would know about the stalker. Jessie texts Lillith and asks. Lillith does know that the stalker exists and that it's a woman and probably rich. Jessie tells Lillith that Delano has been abducted and Lillith is Not Happy to hear it. She asks Jessie and Valeria to wait for two hours before getting back to them with more info.

Valeria asks who Lillith is. Jessie tells her that Lilliith is the founder of the Sex Workers' Union, but not much else is known about her.

At Ivy's apartment, Ivy is sitting on the sofa with her hacker friend Irantu. She's on the phone with Lieselotte's pa and tells her that she's been contacted by Hellenic about wage theft that took place five years ago. However, her client is interested in not suing if Meyer Renovations can prove that there were wages going from MR to Hellenic. Lieselotte's pa sends Ivy the logs, neatly connecting Meyer Renovations to Hellenic at the time of the illegal chemical dump scandal.

Lillith gets back to Valeria and Jessie, telling them that she couldn't find much because Delano doesn't have much of a presence online, but she recommends them to go talk to one of the guards at the casino that he seems to be close to. Valeria jumps at the chance.

Aditi goes to Mala's house for the dinner. The two fondly talk to each other about the food Mala cooked, about Jaimal and about Aditi's mother. When Aditi pulls out the gulab jamun that she brought, Mala grows quiet. She tells Aditi that she trusts her, and because she trusts her, she's going to show Aditi something. Mala brings Aditi to her secret lab and asks her to put a hairnet, shoe covers and a labcoat on. Aditi is starting to get scared, but she follows Mala and her instructions. Before Mala opens the capsule where Jaimal is sleeping in, she asks Aditi to promise that she won't tell anyone about what she sees in the lab. Aditi promises, and Mala opens the capsule, revealing Jaimal inside. Aditi stares in disbelief and asks if she can touch him. Mala explains Aditi what happened after the car crash. Aditi is in awe that Mala did all of it alone and hugs her, saying that it must have been hard. Mala hugs her back and confirms that it was hard.

While Aditi and Mala hug, Jaimal wakes up. Aditi hurries to hug him and finally starts to cry on his shoulder. Aditi calls this a miracle and thanks Mala for doing this miracle.

Mala asks Jaimal what the last thing he remembers is. Jaimal is a little confused, but he says that he remembers just having moved into their new house. Mala notes that Jaimal has forgotten a few years before the accident. After some chatting, Jaimal falls back asleep, and Mala and Aditi return upstairs. Back in the kitchen, Mala reminds Aditi how important it is that she never tells anyone about the lab. Aditi says it's going to be hard, but she promises not to tell. Aditi asks why Mala doesn't want to come to public with what she has done. She could be rich and famous if people knew that she has saved someone from dying from mutations. Mala tells her that she has a reason to suspect that someone rammed into their car on purpose and that she's not sure if it's safe for Jaimal yet.

Aditi asks what Mala is going to do next. Mala says that she has to do some tests to figure out if Jaimal has brain damage and she has to wean him back to solid food and start his physical therapy. Aditi offers to help.

Mala tells Aditi that when she's sure that it's safe, they can start telling people about Jaimal being alive.

At the casino, Valeria and Jessie find Daxton and ask if he knows anything about his stalker. Daxton says that Delano has mentioned the stalker to him only a few times, but he's said that she sometimes sends him gifts and seems to think that she was his girlfriend. He then connects the dots and speculates that maybe Delano's sudden move from his apartment is connected to the stalker. He also tells Valeria that other people are looking into the case and taking care of it, to Valeria's relief. Daxton also offers to contact Valeria if there's something she can do.

At Beatrice's apartment, Beatrice and Angelo have just finished telling the rest of the family about the reports they found at Hellenic. After a shocked silence, Isabella asks if they've found a connection between Lieselotte and Hellenic yet, which they are still waiting for from Ivy. As if on cue, Ivy calls Beatrice and tells her that she's sent the evidence to her email. Beatrice asks what she can do for Ivy in return, but Ivy agrees to leave it as an IOU for now. She also wants to see Lieselotte "eat shit".

Aditi returns home, humming cheerfully. Keelan notices it and comments on it. Aditi serves some of Mala's leftovers for her family. Keelan is relieved to hear that Mala is starting to move on from Jaimal's death, but Makali seems to be a little suspicious. She shrugs it off, when Aditi asks her if it's really that hard to believe.

Back at the hospital, Delano wakes up to Lieselotte and a nurse coming to his room. The nurse gives Delano a check up before declaring him alright to go home. Lieselotte gives Delano some clothes, which he changes into before they're ready to leave. While The nurse escorts Lieselotte and Delano out of the hospital, Lieselotte chatters happily, suggesting that they should go clothes shopping, especially because Delano now needs a suit for the charity gala coming up. Delano is confused about the gala, but seems to just roll with the announcement that it's when he's going to do his "social debut" in.

Lieselotte brings Delano to her house in her car. At the house, Lieselotte says that there is someone who's eager to see you, which Delano thinks means Fang. But when they get in the house, Lieselotte instead calls for Adriano (Asahi). Delano immediately notices that Adriano's eyes are identical to Delano's. Lieselotte tells Delano that after the dinner they had together, Lieselotte found that she was pregnant. Adriano is Lieselotte and Delano's son.

[nkn0va]

200 post celebratory oneshot

So...this is gonna be my 200th post, so I decided to do a little something to commemorate since my 100th post was a meme. I haven't posted the last couple days because I was trying to fucking come up with something to do.

This time it's not a Six oneshot. This will be a hypothetical (non-canon like everyone else's, obviously) UNIST Arcade mode for my unib OC! Hope this new style of writing goes over as well as the last ones...

Please like and reblog this took fucking forever

The air was thick with a palpable, almost suffocating tension, a very familiar one. It was that time again already? I guess when you're as busy as I am the days sort of blended together. It had hardly felt like a week since the last Hollow Night. Was I perhaps wasting away my youth, too busy to enjoy the prime of one's life? Perhaps I was. If I let these thoughts out to Linne at least, she'd probably give me a very lengthy lecture.

It's not like I had much of a choice though. As a descendant of the Night Blade watching over the Night is a duty I was born into. Unfortunately that's come with some...unexpected duties. Such as watching over the newbie, Hyde.

He was...rough around the edges, but he definitely had potential, even ignoring the fact that he of all people ended up with the Insulator. Can't help but feel bad for him though, it's not like he asked to be given a legendary weapon and thrust into the world of the Hollow Night. That's a big reason why we've told him to hang back tonight. He was still inexperienced and he was being hunted by some dangerous people for the Insulator.

Paradox...

Ever since she appeared she's been nothing but problems for everyone involved, especially us. Amnesia's been getting too much power for their own good. Many of them have gone drunk with it now, Paradox herself even more so. As an In-Birth with Night Blade blood flowing through me, I have to be the one to disband them, by force.

If acting as an In-Birth as well as Linne and Waldstein's teachings have taught me anything, it's that you have to cut off the head of the proverbial snake if you even want to have a chance at throwing a group out of power. No one being able to do so in the case of the Night Blade is the only reason it's survived for so long. That leaves me with only one option.

It's time to put an end to this charade, I've waited long enough.

Placing my cloak over myself, I set out into the Night, passing through into the realm of EXS. Though silent, the air speaks volumes. Tonight's going to be one that no one will soon forget. For better or worse, that remains to be seen...

~~~

(Stage 3)

By now I've already dispatched a few In-Births. No one too powerful. A lot of rookies had started running around as of recently, though I suspect that luck's about to change. As a matter of fact, it likely changed a while ago. I stop in the middle of the street, raising my voice enough to be heard.

"You can come out now. You're not as slick as you think you are."

I hear footsteps behind me now, the stranger knew he was caught. A figure stepped out from behind a nearby tree in the park just on the other side of the road. As he came out of the shadows, I could see his face now. If the rumors were right I knew exactly who this was. I turn and narrow my eyes at him, though my cloak hides the expression I'm giving him.

"Bloody Chaos, the brains behind Amnesia."

My stalker only let out an exasperated sigh, adjusting the red-framed glasses on his face. "I use that codename one time on an operation years ago, and it's been spreading like a virus...just Chaos is fine, please."

"Alright, Chaos. Mind telling me why you've been following me as long as you have?" Despite meeting under the Hollow Night, and likely knowing how this altercation was going to end, Chaos could only chuckle. It was almost a bit unsettling despite his surprisingly affable demeanor. Not the attitude I'd personally choose to have, but sure.

"So you knew after all. I'd expect nothing less of the fabled Hydro of the Night Blade. Let's just say I know quite well why you're here already. That should be sufficient in answering your question."

Right, of course. Not like I was really expecting anything else. Though the choice of going for flattery was odd. Not like it was going to get him anywhere.

"I'd expect you to be a bit more on guard if you're here to try and stop me. If I were one of my colleagues you would've been cut down already."

"Oh, I'm quite aware of that, believe me. That's why I opted for stealth. Though that attempt clearly fell through quite embarrassingly."

"You must be quite confident, then. Clearly you're no fool, you have to be hiding something."

This only made Chaos laugh again. "You're not half bad yourself. Though if you'll allow me to be completely frank I'm a bit nervous. Direct combat's never been my forte, even if I give it my all I may not be able to defeat you."

"Then cut let's cut the talk, shall we? Let's see what Amnesia's fabled tactician can truly do."

"Now that's a sentiment I can get behind. I don't imagine I could convince you to give up your mission with words anyway." Chaos then brought opened up that odd book he was carrying about, which summoned a large beast. That...thing was easily three times the size of a large dog, and those claws and fangs could definitely mess me up if I wasn't careful. It's sheer strength along with it's master's quick wit and cunning would most assuredly make for my most difficult fight so far tonight.

I had no reason to hold back. Letting my EXS out in full force, orbs of water encased my hands before they took shape into twin wielding blades.

~~~

(Stage 6)

I was quickly closing in on my destination. The place where all In-births gathered, where my target lied. However I felt another presence, however faint it was. A strikingly familiar one at that.

In a flash I materialize a Hydroblade and strike, clashing with a curved dagger that was strikingly familiar. It easy to figure out who it was.

"Not bad, you almost got me that time. I'd expect nothing less of the Assassin."

Seth had struck from above, my deflection of his blade blowing him back through the air before he landed a fair distance away. "I suppose you've been getting better after all. However I'd suggest you don't let that get to your head. That could get you killed."

"That's supposed to be my line. I am technically your senior, as far as matters directly involved in the Hollow Night go. So I suggest you get out of my way, this is supposed to be my fight."

Seth could only close his eyes and scoff. Even under the high collar, it didn't take a genius to tell he wasn't in the mood. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. The sins of the Night Blade are mine to bear and mine alone. Even if an ally gets in the way, I won't hold back."

I can only let out a sigh. Despite his quiet, normally unassuming demeanor he was as stubborn as ever. "True that may be, it's still too much for you to bear. You've got some growing up to do. You and Hyde are more alike than you'd think."

"Me and Hyde? Alike? Don't make me laugh. I'm nothing like that inexperienced rookie. He's not ready for what the Hollow Night has in store for him. If he keeps going the way he's going, he'll only end up dead."

"You're not in much of a position to talk yourself, whether you realize it or not. Even if I'm not much older, I can still tell you have a lot to sort out. That doubt and grief you carry within you... you still have yet to cast it out for good. Only then can you call yourself a worthy successor of the Night Blade."

He stayed silent. It seemed as if my words had struck some kind of chord in him. One could only guess what he was reflecting on. Perhaps some point in his past that set him on the path he was on now?

"...Perhaps you have something of a point. That only makes my mission even more of a necessity. If I'm to truly overcome this strife, I must dispose of Paradox and free the princess from her curse myself."

"Well, then it seems we're at an impasse. We both know the rules, so let's cut the cheap talk short."

~~~

(Stage 9)

I've come across an increasingly dense amount of In-Births by this point the further down I'd gone into the Night. That could only mean I was getting close to the Abyss, if that along with the thickening EXS in the air was any indicator. Just a little more to go and-

Oh no...you gotta be kidding me...

"Hyde?"

Hyde froze at the sound of my voice. He knew he was busted. He slowly and nervously turned.

"Oh...hey...fancy seeing you here..."

"We've been over this. You were supposed to stay out of the Hollow Night. What do you think you're doing here? You don't seriously think of taking on Paradox."

Hyde, knowing he'd been caught, sighs in exasperation before recollecting himself. Surprisingly fast at that. "Yeah, I was heading to go do just that. I can't just sit by on the sidelines and let you, Linne, and the old man do everything for me. I gotta do something."

"I respect the sentiment, but have you forgotten what's at stake here? We can't risk her getting her hands on the Insulator. If she does everything we've worked for will be gone in an instant with nothing we can do about it."

"Yeah, I know that...but at the same time isn't it the best chance we have at defeating her? If we wanna take her down we have to go at her with everything we've got, Insulator included."

"Normally I'd be inclined to agree, but you're far from ready to take on the most powerful In-Birth on record. Charging at her as you are now is needlessly reckless, I can't in good faith let that risk be taken."

"If you're really gonna fight Paradox, why don't we just do it together? We'll be much safer than if we just did it alone. I might not be as experienced as Linne or as strong as the old geezer, but it'd better than no one, right?"

"I don't think you fully grasped it the first time we explained this to you, but let me say it again. Whether or not I win against her doesn't matter. If she beats me, nothing of value will be lost, but if she beats you and takes the Insulator, we lose everything."

Immediately this seems to set off Hyde, his voice raising. "Nothing of value lost? What the hell's wrong with you, man!? You are of value! To Linne, to Wald, to me! Think about what would happen if you died, how many people that would devastate!"

Even in the face of hostility from someone I call a friend, I have to remain calm. Getting angry won't solve anything. "In comparison to the greater cause of the Night Blade and fixing the mess we created, my life is a small price to pay. You might not understand, but that's fine. Maybe one day you will."

"No, and I don't want to! If you're really trying to face Paradox by yourself, then I'm gonna have to stop you."

"Funny, that was supposed to be my line. This night won't last forever, there's only one thing left to do."

~~~

(Stage 10)

I finally made it. So this is what the Abyss looked like all along. It's...surprisingly grand, almost like a huge altar, though that's probably rather fitting. On the far side of the room was another gigantic door, no doubt the door to the Abyss itself. I'd have been completely alone if it wasn't for someone else standing there at the center of it all.

"My, my, it's about time someone showed up. And it's none other than the Night Blade's beloved Hydro. I unfortunately don't have anything to offer you, but do make yourself at home here."

God, that smirk...something about it just pissed me off. I can't let her get to me. It'd only make the situation worse. Under my cloak I take a quiet, deep breath. I needed to keep my head clear and my body light, so I could fight with everything I have.

"You can skip the shit, Paradox. We both know why we've been brought together tonight."

This only made the crazy woman giggle smugly. "My, my, such forwardness of you, Hydro. I'm quite flattered. Is this a-"

"Don't even think about it." I quickly cut her off, knowing exactly what she was going to say. She was trying to act smart and fluster me, but it's clear she had a long way to go before she could do it well. "I'm here to stop you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh, but why would you ever think of doing that? We could be so much more together. With your skills and my soon to be power of the Re-Birth, we could be truly unstoppable. Aren't you tired of it all? Tired of bending to the will of the Night Blade, to that accursed princess? If you join my cause, you could finally be free, we can crush all our opposition. The Night Blade, the Licht Kreis, all of them. And in their place we can build a new Night in our own image. The way we see fit, and rule everything together. No one will be able to stand up to us. Doesn't that sound so exciting?"

She was talking to me like I'm another one of her idiot cronies that she can convince merely with the promise of supreme power. She's going to come to regret that.

"Cute attempt, but useless. I don't want power. Haven't you ever heard the saying? Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Your power even now has already driven you mad. You're not fit to run a children's science fair project, forget the entire world."

That seemed to understandably piss off Paradox. That's how you get in someone's head, if the soured expression on her face was any indication.

"Why you little... it seems you need to learn some manners. I suppose sometimes a child won't learn how to behave without a proper spanking."

The thick EXS in the air around the altar allows me to near instantly materialize a Hydroblade. This was it, it was going to be the toughest fight of my life. No backing down now.

"You're more than welcome to try. Now drown in the endless depths of eternity."

~~~

(Story END)

"Ugh...how...did you..."

Paradox was on the ground, having been blown back by my finishing blow, beaten and now soaking wet. I wasn't any better off though, her blades had proved quite the challenge. I was gonna need first aid as soon as possible after I got back home. At least all the cuts were covered by my cloak.

"Simple, really. You let the ego your power gave you go to your head. You didn't take me seriously, and that's going to be your final mistake."

Someone like Paradox didn't deserve any final words. With pinpoint precision I threw the Hydroblade in my hand straight through, instantly piercing her vessel.

"Sleep for eternity, Paradox. And may we never have to encounter the likes of you again."

~~~

(Play Good Mooning End for maximum vibe)

Finally. It was one long night, but it was finally over. The sun was beginning to rise on Kanzakai, the dawn of a new day, and new possibilities. No matter how many of them pass, each one is the opportunity for something new. I guess in a way such a universal constant was what kept Linne sane during her long years of cursed immortality.

Speak of the Devil, though...

"Hey, there you are, I was looking all over for you."

Now that the night was over, I could finally let down my hood. I take it off and let the first rays of sunlight hit my face, taking a deep exhale out. "Sorry about that. Wasn't too much trouble, was I?"

"Quite the opposite, actually." I could spot the tiny, yet sincere smile on her face. Not a common sight, indeed. "I sensed a pretty huge loss of power. I'm guessing that means you did it."

I nodded in confirmation. "It was a damn close fight, not being as experienced as you are, but I managed to pull through. Her vessel's been pierced, she won't be bothering us again anytime soon."

"You've done good, then. Glad all those hours teaching you hasn't gone to waste. You even managed to beat Paradox, and Hyde too by the looks of things."

I let out a sigh remembering my encounter with Hyde. "Stubborn as ever, he is. Thank God I caught him outside the Abyss when I did, or things could've went bad."

"You can say that again. Though he seemed to be in pretty sour mood when I found him. At least he's already gone home now, so he and the Insulator are safe."

"You do remember you still have to hold up your end of your bargain with him, right? He deserves answers after everything he's went through."

"Yeah, no need to remind me. When the time's right, the time's right. He'll know everything. One day."

Linne pauses for a moment, her face becoming one of thought. "I have to ask, though. Did you...actually kill Paradox?"

I open my mouth to respond and then stop myself. I didn't really stop to confirm she was dead or not. All I knew for sure was that I pierced her Vessel and cut off her EXS abilities. "I...don't know, to be honest. I know I pierced her Vessel, but that's it. Should I have killed her or...?"

"I won't tell you what to decide on that. Whether you chose to kill her or not was your choice to make. The important part is that her Vessel is pierced. If she survived, she won't be nearly as much of a threat. As a matter of fact, I doubt Amnesia will even accept her as a leader now without her powers."

"Yeah...I guess that's a good point."

Her face turned serious once more. "That doesn't mean we can afford to relax now, you know this. There's still a lot of unruly In-Births out there that are going mad with their power like Paradox all the time, and Licht Kreis showing up certainly doesn't make things easier."

I can't stop the sigh that escapes me at the thought of having even more work to do even after such a long, vicious night as the one I just had. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. You can be a real piece of work sometimes, you know that?"

Linne eased up, finding amusement in my exasperation as she giggled lightly. "Come on, 'Hydro', relax. You did plenty of good tonight, you've more than earned your rest for now. Speaking of which though, we should probably be getting home. It's already almost morning. Imagine the ruckus it'd cause if someone found Wald passed out on the road somewhere."

The image in my head of the old geezer faceplanting somewhere in the middle of town completely unconscious makes me let out a laugh of my own. "Yeah, no kidding. It'd be like seeing the Rake or something out in broad daylight."

The immortal princess' face turned to one of confusion. "The...the what now?"

Her confusion only gets another laugh from me. "Not important. Though maybe sometime I can teach you." With that I walk off back towards the city to head home. I could hear Linne sighing in exasperation behind me.

"I swear...you kids with your modern day gadgets and nonsensical stories..."

I can only laugh louder now as she jogs to catch up with me before slowing down to match my pace. It's only a matter of time before she's more gently laughing along with me.

It...was a nice moment. A rare moment of solace for the both of us, a kind of moment Linne had taught me well to cherish.

(Ending song: Heart Beat Breaker)

[archives-of-camelot]

Motivation

Characters: Eli, Evelin (@nimue-hidden-lake)

Series: Evelin Anniversary

It wasn't looking possible. He'd been there for hours at this point, staring at the same screen for what seemed like hundreds of times. It didn't help that he was getting annoyed with each passing minute. This was beyond tedious...

What's going on? A boss. A roadblock. An obstacle. Eli was stuck on a game.

"What's going on?" Evelin asked ,peering in from the door, hearing his exasperated moans and groans for the last while now.

"Nothing...just this this annoying thing..." he pointed to the screen, where text that read 'try again' was present, with some kind of large insect-like creature behind it.

"You're having trouble?" she asked.

"Yeah...I hate bosses like these. Not only does it summon help, but the help it gets splits into more of them!"

He sat back on the bed, looking as if he was ready to give up. Evelin looked at the screen, than back at Eli, and thought for a moment.

"I'll be right back" was all she said before briskly leaving.

Eli was too tired and annoyed to question her motives. Instead, he retried again, his team readying to face the boss for the 100th time. The music started, and the meter filled up.

Standing before his team was a giant blue beetle looking monster, before it split off into smaller beetles. The little ones were tanky and hurt enough on their own, nevermind the headache the big one was capable of.

However shortly after the battle begin, Eli's attention was brought to the door as Evelin returned...wearing a cheerleader costume, pom-poms and all.

"Since when did you have that?!" he asked, wide eyes of disbelief.

"Since I've been waiting for an excuse to use it"

"And that would be...?"

"Two years ago" she simply answered. "You don't like it?"

"I-I didn't say that..." he said, averting his eyes with a red tint appearing on his cheeks.

"Good. Now...go go!" she said, waving her arms in the air with her pom-poms and doing a small dance.

"W-What are you doing?" he looked confused.

"Motivating. Go go! Fight-o!" she continued to dance and cheer.

Eli already found her stoic charm to be powerful enough as is, but now...it was at it's strongest.

A smirk started to form on his face. Never did he ever expect to see this. But it was working. He felt his grip on the controller tighten and he turned back to the screen.

Both the music, and Evelin's cheers worked wonders, giving him newfound strength.

So he tried one last time. Each turn whittling down the insect's health little by little, while trying his best to ensure his team's survival.

But even with Evelin's cheering, his team slowly started failing.

One teammate down...the boss was only at 80% health...

He kept going...his tank and support were still in the fight. This was doable still. As long as he kept up the pressure, and hope RNG was on his side...

Two teammates...the boss was at 40%...

Only his tank and support were left...that was fine...everything was fine...

Three...20%...

His support was down...only his tank was left...he's been here before, countless times. He was so close, but so was his tank's HP. Evelin continued dancing and cheering.

"One, two! Go go! Fight-o fight-o!"

Eli was sweating now...20%...he could do this. All he had to do was not make any mistakes and- Eli's heart sank as he saw the boss charge it's heavy hitter sooner than expected and then...his tank went down...

Eli let out a heavy sigh, as Evelin stopped dancing for a moment before-

"I'm still needed..." was heard from the TV. His tank had activated his passive skill, letting him fight on despite being reduced to 0%.

"That's right...I never got this far last time...this is possible!" he said, taking the controller again.

"Fight-o! Fight-o!" Evelin continued to chant again.

And with one last turn...

Battle Finished!

The music faded out as the bug let out one large scream before disappearing. Eli had finally won.

"We did it!" he said relieved and excited it was finally over. Impulsively he hugged his girlfriend, despite her sweat. She hugged back, still wearing her pom-poms on her hands. "All thanks to you."

Evelin nodded, all too happy she could assist. Plus, it was a win-win. Eli finally got passed a difficult boss, and she finally got to use this costume for it's intended purpose.

"Hey, uh...you don't intend to wear that all the time do you...?" he asked after calming down.

"Maybe...whose to say?" she shrugged.

Full of surprises as always...

Masterlist