#honestly i need to churn out some updates so that i can try to squeeze something out of those ideas

[galvanizedfriend]

Okay okay hear me out what *if* you did some klefan and some carolijah in the same fic…but it’s also Klaroline making the other person jealous (because jealousy is a guilty pleasure of course)

lol ignore this I’m missing like carolijah angst (particularly just how it makes Klaus jealous) and thought it would be fun to through in some klefaroline/klefan in there too for fun. Also no pressure just needed a place to vent an idea and I’m not a writer so please enjoy 🥰

-Amanda

Amanda!!! The sheer chaos of this!! 🤌🤌🤌 I love it! I can see Klaus being so jealous he'd have a stroke at a situation like this 😂 And I'm just ultra sensitive for Klefan these days, ok 😌

You know, aside from those two Klefan/Kleferoline stories I mentioned the other day, I also started drafting this other human AU a while back that would involve an arranged/convenience marriage (or a betrothal, anyway) between Caroline and Klaus that would end with Elijah catching feelings for her and driving Klaus out of his freaking mind.😂 In this context, Bill would blackmail the Mikaelsons into arranging the betrothal but Caroline doesn't know about it, she thinks it's "a convenient betrothal, but a "real" one"real" (or as real as a modern day betrothal could be, just a high society type of thing, her father wanting to make it into the big boys' table and using his daughter for it, which she very much understand is the situation, but was kind of prepared for it her entire life, and she thinks it was Klaus who wanted to get to know her). She would move in with Klaus (and Elijah, because they're uber rich but have a living situation like in the show, where they both inhabit the family's mansion) and while Klaus would be extremely pouty at the beginning, and the two of them would be bickering like fucks to distract from the obvious mutual attraction they don't want to be the first to admit to, Elijah would be on the sidelines going... 👀 Oh. And then at some point he'd try to make a move on her, telling her that the whole thing is a scam, but by then Klaroline would be very much falling for each other and then DRAMA ENSUES.

Or at least that's what I remember, but it's been a minute since I looked at that one, I could be wrong about the details. 😂

Sideline Carolijah for jealousy purposes is my whole heart 🤌

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

HASO, “Traitor.”

Going to be working on this one for a while. Hope you guys enjoy the update :)

He did his best to stay calm even as he was led into another room and introduced to their drake boss. He tried to keep his expression somewhere between an easy smile and a thoughtful nod, let them think he was really considering their offer, really considering  their offer to go out and murder himself.

It was all just so unbelievable.

He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that the chairwoman would want  him killed. He thought the two of them were long time allies. He thought she had been the one, along with Admiral Kelly, to support his rise to the rank of captain when all of this began. What had happened between now and then to necessitate her desire to kill him.

He had to admit that he was both hurt and concerned for himself.

His brother Thomas was out there posing as him while the universe's most powerful politician plotted to end his life. She had the strength of the entire GA Armada behind her. He doubted all the ships would attack the omen if she asked, but at least some of them would, and without him there to maneuver the ship…. He worried that they wouldn’t last through a fight.

His stomach churned as the two pirate  women spoke among each other trying to make him believe a lie. His stomach tied itself into another knot. He was surrounded by an entire galaxy of people who wanted to kill him, and for what?

Because the human race was growing too powerful politically? And somehow he had something to do with it.

Despite suddenly being thrown into politics at a young age, he knew that he didn’t understand them. He was a pilot and a soldier first and foremost, and he found that being a politician required lying to people and in ways that he just wasn’t capable of. He knew he was in a vulnerable position.

The two women finished their little speeches, satisfied that they had followed him, and he nodded to them as he was led back out into the hall. Cannon walked behind him the entire time spear held at the ready, ready to cut down anyone who tried anything. He had no doubt that they would be able to handle Beatrice and Geea. The Drev was no great shakes as a warrior and Beatrice behaved more like a  crack addict with a knife than she did a fighter. Between him and Cannon they could take the two of them out.

In fact, Adam could probably take both of them at once if he had to, though he didn’t relish the idea.

He had a feeling that the two of them were being used just as anyone else might be. They weren’t working for themselves but being manipulated by a system that didn’t want to get in trouble itself.

The two of them were just patsies.

They led him out of the room and back into the main thoroughfare of the pirate waystation. Where once he had been excited to view all of the cool and illegal technology, he now felt sick to his stomach. Neon lights flashed above him under colorful ad campaigns for new jetpacks and all he could think of was the betrayal.

He needed to talk to someone. Immediately.

“I must return to my ship to make preparations.”

“We will come with you.”

He shook his head, “No, I need you to make sure that the rest of my men are getting along in the equipment they find. If they don’t get what we need then the mission is a bust, so you better make sure things go smoothly.

He didn’t wait for them to respond, but turned on his heel and made his way back towards the ship, his boots clattering on the metal flooring.

Beatrice said something rude behind him, but he ignored her for the most part.

He didn’t care about her at this point, she was simply a pawn in a larger game.

And while they were pawns….. Well that would have to make him a King, which honestly wasn’t much better than a pawn.

He was a target for an assassination, and the entire board felt like it was moving around them, and the opposing queen had him in her sights.

He was going to have to change that.

He stepped into the tube leading him into his “fake” pirate ship.

It had been a lot of fun pretending to be a pirate over the past few months or so, allowing words of his deeds to spread in just the right circles, and crafting elaborate stories of daring encounters with UNSC cargo ships who were willing to help him with his plan. For the most part it had all gone off without a hitch, and he had been able to live out every child’s fantasy of becoming a pirate.

But now, now the jig was up and the fun was over. He was going to have to figure out something in the next few hours.

He stepped onto the ship and headed towards his rooms, shutting the door behind himself before setting up a secure transmission to the Omen. The line that he sent the transmission out on was disguised as some sort of manifest request to an orbiting ship above. No one would find anything interesting about it, though the signal would be intercepted by the Omen and opened on another secure channel, which generally tended to be used to monitor cosmic feedback.

He waited there for a moment as the device rang a few times, and then the screen sputtered to life.

The picture wasn’t the greatest quality, but they had made sure to do that over the past few days to hide any of the small quirks about Thomas that would have made him easy to identify as an imposter.

“Cargo?”

The word was a pre made code word asking if it was safe to speak out of character.

Thomas would respond with either, “Goods, or weapons.” The first meaning go and the second meaning stop.

“Goods.”

The image before him cleared up, and his brother's face peered back at him from the camera. He had to admit, they had done a good job in making him look Like Adam. He had tousled blond hair and eyepatch and likely makeup to adjust the structure of his face. All in all, it was pretty impressive, but being Adam and Thomas being his brother he could definitely tell. Thomas was shorter and a bit thinner than he was, though he had filled out since joining the marines, and his hair was a shade or two off from Adam’s.

“You good?” Thomas asked, flipping up the eye patch to show his real eye.

Adam sighed, and rested his elbows on the table before him, “There has been a….. A massive compilation, and I’m not sure what to do.”

Lord Avex still sat on his shoulder, and had been surprisingly quiet since the revelation about the chairwoman. 

“Are Sunny Krill and the others there, I need to talk to them.”

Thomas nodded and shuffled on the other side of the camera for a minute before returning.

“How about physically. Haven't had the shit kicked out of you, have you?”

Adam shook his head, “No, no I’m alright, Just mentally reeling at this point.”

He rubbed his temples trying to stave off the headache he could feel coming on.

There was a soft thud and hiss, and the door behind Thomas opened.

Sunny stepped into the room and hurried over to the monitor resting her hand on the back of the chair Thomas sat in, “Adam, are you alright!” The worry in her voice was palpable. She had wanted to come along on the mission with him, but he had reasoned that she was  too recognizable. Even if they had changed her colors it would have been far too easy to  identify her. She hadn’t like that, but had still agreed to stay behind.

“I’m alright, physically anyway, and so are the others.”

“You’ve figured out who their leader is.”

Adam went quiet, and by the looks he was receiving, he knew that they could sense the tension in his face, “Wait till the others get here.”

Just when he said it, the door hissed open again and Simon, Dr. Katie and Krill walked into hte room.

Dr Krill inflated his helium sack and floated into the air, looking him over with a critical eye for a long moment, “You don’t seem injured, so that is a good sign.”

Adam sighed and shook his head, “I wish that were the case.” 

“I don’t understand.”

“I mean I would rather be beaten up than dealing with the real problem at this point.” He rested his head against his hands and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Look, this is going to sound absolutely insane, so I will just go ahead and send you the recording.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the recording device he had taken with him dropping it into the little well on the communications array. There was a soft whirr and it slowly levitated upward and began to spin. The video was played back for the others to see, and they watched in silence ad growing horror as the Chairwoman of the GA plotted his death.

When the recording cut off, the group of them stared at him with wide eyes.

Sunny shook her head, “This makes no sense.”

“Why would she…..”

Adam shook his head, “I don’t know…. I thought we were on good terms, but it seems as if that is no longer the case. THe GA is against us, or at least the head of the GA is. I don’t know who is loyal to us, and I certainly don’t know who to trust.”

It was then that lord Avex piped up hopping down from Adam’s shoulder, “The Celzex will always be on your side, Admiral. That is why I came on this mission, that is why your ship is the only one equipped with our weaponry.” he stamped one of his feet, “We will wipe her and her puny planet off the map.”

Adam raised a hand, “Woah…. woah , I don’t know about that. We have to do this carefully. I doubt she is acting with the entire interest of her species in mind, but more likely a small group of people. If we are going to deal with her we will want to confront her quietly where no one else is going to get hurt.

Lord Avex didn’t seem particularly pleased about that turn of events, but he kept quiet and allowed Adam to continue.

“We need to expose her publicly is what we need.”

Sunny shook her head, “And how do you plan to do that. There is already the problem of you having to assassinate yourself, which really isn’t going to do us well at this moment in time.”

He shook his head, “IT will be easy to take care of the pirates, they aren't all that smart and taking them out won’t be difficult. Just let them board the ship and then we can deal with them from there. After that is what I am worried about. We need her to show her hand, and we need to gather plenty of evidence. What I have right now is good, but if we can find something better, then that will ease my mind.”

He stood and paced back and forth slightly across the room, “We need…. We need to open me up to them. We need to make it look like I am vulnerable, we need to give them a chance to carry everything out, make it look like I am an easy target. Let thor guard down, and then when they come for me, we close around them like a bear trap and they will be none the weiser.” He tapped his fingers against the table, “You can’t help but leave some kind of digital trail in a time like this, it is completely impossible, if we have one end of her plot in a public setting, than we can unravel it right before her eyes and there will be nothing she can do about it.” 

Krill, who had been mostly quiet for this time shook his head, “It seems strange that she would involve herself so closely. Using a proxy to do all the work for her would at least give her plausible deniability, why would she do it herself ?”

It was Thomas’s turn to pipe in, “Seems easy enough. She’s the only one she can trust. If what you say is true than I doubt she is going along with the interests of her own people. If she involves someone else than it is going to get messy for her especially if she doesn’t know where their loyalties really lie. She would have to make the decision to deal with it herself and ricks being caught, or risk being outed by the people that she trusted, and seeing that most of the Rundi are politicians at heart, it wouldn’t surprise me that she wouldn’t trust anyone ther than herself.” he waved a hand in the air, “They are grabbing for power just like she is, and they might see this as an opportunity to undermine her and set themselves up to become the new chancellor.”

He nodded slowly, that did make some measure of sense.

But how to pull hair out of hiding.

One thing at a time he supposed.

Outside he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the hall, and he turned to look at them making a quick hand signal, and the feed was cut off. He leaned back in his chair just as there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!” He ordered, and the door opened up to reveal cannon trailed by Beatrice and Geea.

He growled internally

They continued to get in his way and were becoming  a real annoyance for his plan.

He was gong to have to deal with them soon.

“Ah, ladies, you’re back. Were we able to find all of our supplies.

Geea stepped forward, “I believe we have, now you better get to work quickly, my employer grows impatient with your stalling”

I bet she does, he thought standing and smiling to conceal the rage that was festering inside him. He walked over and patted the Drev on the arm, “Don’t worry, by this time tomorrow you will be all sorted out, and all of us can go happily on our merry way.”

He slipped past her and walked into the hall chin down eyes narrowed,  hands balled into fists slightly at his sides.

By this time tomorrow they could begin dealing with the traitors, whoever they may be.

[angstyaches]

Hey can you write a Sickfic where Rin is the sickie and Shayne is the care taker?

For non-Irish/non-Brits, or just whoever didn't know: tights = pantyhose. Londis = a small supermarket or convenience store type-place. Punts = money from before the Euro. Don't ask me "why all the cultural references?", because I don't know.

CW: emeto, food mention, food poisoning

_____

“You okay?”

"Mmhmm!"

“Really?”

Rin held back a groan and nodded, her forehead dragging on the car window it was currently pressed against. “Yep.”

“Okay, it’s just – this, this right here, Rin? Doesn’t look okay.”

She lifted her head, pushed her glasses up from where they’d slipped down her nose, and blinked rapidly. Shayne was a little blurry as she turned her head and looked at him. “I might be a bit nauseous.”

“No way,” he muttered.

“Damn it, I was fine ten minutes ago,” Rin whined, turning around to lean her back against the car door. She folded her arms tightly against her stomach and squeezed her eyes shut. “What the hell’s wrong with me, Shayne?”

“Fuck, I don’t know, do I?” Shayne glanced around like a kid looking for a grown-up to come and help. The tiny car park they’d pulled into was attached to a deserted forecourt and a Londis that probably still had old Irish punts in its cash registers.

Rin sucked in a deep breath and let it back out slowly. It had started off as a mild headache that she'd been sure would pass, but suddenly her stomach was cramping so badly that she'd had to get the car off the road.

“You know, I bet it’s just period stuff,” she sighed. “My cycle reacts really badly to stress, and this month’s been… Well, it’s been a lot.”

“Could definitely be related to stress,” Shayne said, awkwardly eyeing her up and down. “Can I get you anything from the shop? Do you need water, or – or anything else...?”

Rin almost laughed despite the fact that her insides felt like they were being pinched and twisted by a giant pair of pliers. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to make you buy private things.”

“Fuck off, I wouldn’t care.”

“Thank you. But I don’t need anything like that,” Rin sighed, working up the energy for a quick smile. “Some water would be good though. Make sure it’s from the fridge and not the shelf.”

“Yes, madame.”

“Merci beaucoup,” Rin half-sang, half-whimpered as Shayne turned to head towards the shop.

She turned around to press her head against the car window again, groaning as her stomach churned. She lifted a hand towards it, dying for some kind of relief from the unbearable pressure inside. She wished she could have ripped her clothes off; despite the fact that the name should have given it away, her tights felt tight under the waistband of her skirt, oppressively so.

Usually, she would have at least glanced around the car park to make sure she was alone, but Rin honestly wouldn’t care if there was. She undid the metal clasp on the side of her skirt, instantly feeling the material loosen and shift around her waist. A sigh escaped, bubbling right from her diaphragm. Rin slid her hand inside the band of her tights, cradling her bloated belly and protecting it from the pull of the elastic. Her skin was hot and her stomach gurgled under her palm.

This was bad, she was starting to realise. Cramps alone, she could forgive, she could rationalise. But the clamminess, the bloating, and this level of nausea were new. She thought back over the morning so far, trying to figure out what could have gone wrong. Charlie had cooked them eggs and bacon for breakfast before she and Shayne had left, but… That couldn’t be it, because if Shayne and his sensitive stomach were fine, then surely Rin would be –

“Oh, no,” Rin murmured to herself. Shayne hadn’t eaten the bacon and eggs. He’d only had toast. Which Rin and Charlie had originally thought was great, because it meant that there was more for the two of them.

As though summoned by its own memory, Rin burped and tasted her greasy, salty breakfast. Her belly rumbled, sending shivers of nausea in all directions and making her skin feel slick. She barely had a moment to let the thought flash through her mind before she needed to react;

It was coming up.

Rin stumbled towards the back of the car, gagging and holding her breath until she was facing the bushes. No way was she going to be hosing her own vomit off the tyres later that day. So instead, the barely-digested chunks of food decorated the waxy-looking leaves that lined the concrete. She heaved at least five more times before Shayne got back, and by then, she was in so much discomfort that she couldn’t help casting him a glare, resenting him for forgoing the food that was causing her so much misery.

“Hey,” he said stiffly, glancing at the bushes and then at Rin. He was holding a bottle of water in one hand, his phone in the other. “So, uh, Charlie called and he wanted to pass on a message."

“What?” Rin snapped, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth.

“He's puking, too. He thinks something was wrong with whatever you guys ate for breakfast –”

“Oh, you think?” Rin exclaimed. She waved a hand towards the sick that was dripping from the branches.

Looking at it again made Rin need to double over again, retching despite her stomach almost being empty by now. She shivered, grimacing as she felt Shayne place an awkward hand on her back.

"Sorry."

“Not your fault, babe.”

“Mmm.” Shayne twisted the cap off the water bottle before handing it over.

Rin held it delicately against her cheek for a moment, eyelids fluttering shut at the pleasant temperature, before she allowed herself to take a few sips. The liquid was, in the end, a little too cold for its purpose, and she felt her stomach knot as soon as it landed there. She frowned and rested a hand on her belly, and jumped when she realised her skirt was still undone. It still sat high enough on her hips, but it still felt indecent for a public place.

“Oh, god,” she groaned, fumbling with one hand to try to pull the fabric together and hook it closed. “Sorry, it’s just that it got really tight –”

“Rin, stop, don’t worry about that,” Shayne told her, reaching out to take the uncapped water bottle she was trying not to spill.

Rin let out a nervous laugh, zipping up the front of her hoodie to conceal the fact that her clasp was open. She folded her arms around her waist again, eyes lowering to the ground as every system in her body fought the urge to bring back the nausea.

Shayne scratched his head. “How are you feeling?”

“Honestly?” Rin gulped the bitter saliva that was gathering in her mouth. “Not good. Is Charlie okay?”

“He’ll be fine. I’m worried about you right now, I – fuck.” Shayne folded his arms, frowning with a muted sort of anger. “I’m so sorry I can’t be more helpful, Rin, I can’t – I can’t even offer to drive the rest of the way or anything.”

“Hey, that’s not your fault,” Rin assured him. She rested her shoulder against the back of the car. Vomiting seemed to have sapped her energy and left her feeling like a flimsy pile of spaghetti.

Shayne watched her, squeezing the bottle with one hand and pressing the other against his jaw like he was in mild pain. “I can – I can offer you a hug?”

She nodded miserably.

Rin raised her arms in a drained attempt to grab at the air like a baby until she was embraced. She almost cried at how gently he was able to put his arms around her, while also keeping her upright and taking most of her weight.

"Sorry you're so sick."

"Yeah," she sighed heavily, resigning herself to the pain that was well and truly established in her gut by now. She flinched as she felt Shayne's phone vibrate in his pocket. "You gonna get that?" she asked, thinking it was probably an update from Charlie.

"Mmhmm." Shayne didn't unwrap his arms from her. "In a minute."

[berjhawn]

Day & Night - Intro

Bruce Wayne / Batman X Reader (Lady Light) x DC 

Warnings: Pushy guys, attempted abduction, men not taking no for an answer, past trauma, lies, ETC

Summary: (name) or Lady Light as she used to be called ran away from her duties (amongst other things) and disappeared to Gotham where she unknowingly meets Batman’s normal counterpart Bruce Wayne. Things happen and Chaos ensues, when it comes down to it will Bruce be able to break down these walls (Name) has built for herself and will he be able to deal with the truth of things. 

(A/N) so this is a little Batman and reader i’ve been working on, it started out as one thing and ended up as something else. it’s already finished so when i’ll have a schedule for the updates. i really hope you guys like it. i’m trying some new things to try to get my mojo back. um... yeah bruce might be a little out of character but i wanted to try sonething out and well we’ll see how it goes. please do not hesitate to tell me what you think. for this story reader will have the ability to chage things about herself so there is no set hair color or eye color. Also yes Lady Light is my OC she is one of a kind so please don’t use her in any other stories. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why had this day turned into shit? I woke up this morning in a good mood. My hair and makeup looked amazing. I made it to work early. I had a decent night of tips. I even met a couple of hot guys who were not total douchebags. Overall, it had been a pretty good day. So why then, on my way home did I have to run into these assholes?

“Hey there baby, looking good.” I hear a male voice say from behind me and I roll my eyes.

Just ignore them.

“What’s the matter sweetheart, you think you’re too good for us?” Another male voice asks, and I clench my fist so tightly that my fingers were turning white.

Keep walking. Do not hurt them.

I keep my thoughts on repeat as I continue down the street until a man twice my size and built like a brick house steps into my path. His brown eyes looking me up and down hungrily. My stomach churned.

“Wanna join us for a little party?” He asks and I narrow my eyes at him.

“No.” I answer my words filled with finality.

“Come on, you don’t mean that.” He adds as he reaches out to touch me.

I instantly step back out of his reach causing his hand to miss my shoulder and fall to his side.

“I do mean it. Now, move while I’m still asking nicely.” I demand making him chuckle at me.

“Or what sweet cheeks? What are you going to do?” He questions moving towards me again and I suddenly realize the guys from before are still there as they stop me from moving back any further.

I feel a hand touch my waist and I instantly slap it away.

“Do not touch me.” I state anger filling my words.

“Come on, just play around with us. You’ll enjoy it.” The man from behind me says and I roll my eyes.

“I seriously doubt that.” I retort making his friends laugh at him.

“Let’s go baby,” The big man says reaching out and grabbing my arms holding it dangerously tight.

“You have three seconds to get your hand off of me.” I warn my jaw clenching.

“Or what? What are you gonna do?” He challenges as he jerks me into his chest.

Fuck this shit.

Using just a hint of my super strength I grab the wrist of the hand that was holding my arm and giving it a quick squeeze make him fall to his knees. A cry of pain leaves his lips making his friends come to his rescue. I feel them move behind me and I smirk as I twist just right to send the big dude flying into them. Wiping my hands against each other, I place them on my hips and cock an eyebrow at my attackers.

“I’m going to give you one more chance. Apologize, and then be on your way.”

“Why would I apologize to some freak?!” The big guy yells and I narrow my eyes.

“Cause if you don’t,” I walk closer to them my eyes slowly starting to glow as brightly as the sun. Fear fills their eyes and I do not even need to finish my sentence. My eyes speak for themselves.

“I’m sorry,” Big guy instantly yells out as he tries to scramble to his feet. His buddies following suit.

“I’m sorry, what?” I add folding my arms over my chest.

“I’m sorry, ma’am.” They all yell out and I smile.

“Good, now remember, treat ladies with the respect they deserve, or I’ll find you.” I warn and their faces pale. “Bye-bye.” With a quick wave of my hand, they jump to their feet and race away.

Taking a deep breath, I look to the sky and seeing the moon glowing brightly let out a heavy sigh. I knew Gotham was a dangerous city, but after everything that had happened in Metropolis, I had needed a break. A break from being a hero and fighting crime. Plus, a break from him. My heart winces at the memory and I shake my head.

I force the memory from my head and continue back on my way home. Maybe a tub of ice cream and some take-out would raise my spirits.

~~~

Bruce stood on the roof of a building catty-corner to the alley where the event had taken place. He had watched the altercation with curious eyes. He had met her earlier that day when a Dick had wanted to meet with him at a little restaurant nearby. At first Bruce had been surprised about the location of their meeting but seeing his oldest smile brightly at the beautiful waitress cleared up any questions he had previously had.

Flashback

Bruce walked through the restaurant door and gave the room a once over before his eyes landed on his oldest son’s figure. The boy was smiling brightly as he talked with a (H/C) waitress who had her back towards Bruce. Dick’s eyes glance past her and landing on Bruce give him a quick wave. Bruce unbuttons the buttons on his suit as he closes the distance between them. Reaching the seat, he swiftly slides into the booth seat across from Dick.

“Hey Bruce, glad you could make it.” Dick starts making Bruce nod. “Bruce, this is (Name).”

“Hello.” Bruce says his eyes glancing up to look at her politely but as they move back to look at Dick, he had to do a double take his eyes landing on the beautiful waitress in front of him.

“Hi.” (Name) replies softly a smile filling her lips.

Their eyes meet and Bruce swears that she was like the sun. Her bright smile and shining (E/C) eyes made his heart race in his chest.

“Nice to meet you.” Bruce adds a smirk on his lips.

“Nice to meet you too.” She replies shyly. “What can I get you to eat?”

“I’ll just take a coffee.” Bruce replies quickly and she nods.

“And you’ll have the deluxe?” She adds as she turns back to Dick.

“Yes ma’am.” He replies a smirk filling his lips as he tries to flirt with her.

“Coming right up. I’ll be right back.” She replies smiling at them both before she turns and walks away.

Bruce can’t help but stare after her as she walks away. His eyes unconsciously look her up and down examining every inch of her. From her hair down to her feet which were uncharacteristically in a pair of dark blue high heels. Normal waitresses would not be caught dead in high heels and he would know. He had dated enough of them. The sound of Dick clearing his throat brought Bruce back from his staring.

“I know she’s pretty Bruce, but we have to talk.” Dick jokes making Bruce glare at him.

“What did you need?” Bruce asks as he leans back in his seat.

“Nothing, just wanted to have lunch.” Dick replies making Bruce cock an eyebrow at him.

“Right.” Bruce says leaning forward to rest his arms on the table.

“And I might have wanted to talk to you about Damian.”

“What did he do this time?”

“Knocked over a meth lab over in Bludhaven. Almost got some innocent people killed.”

“I’ll talk with him.” Bruce concludes his eyes catching sight of (Name) as she makes her way back over with his coffee and Dick’s drink.

As she sets the mug of coffee down in front of him, she gives him a sweet smile. Bruce offers a polite smile in return as he reaches out to pull the coffee closer to him.

“Thank you (Name).” Bruce says and her smile brightens.

“You’re very welcome.” She replies a tinge of rouge filling her cheeks.

Bruce had to admit he was having some unsavory thoughts about her at this moment and it was driving him crazy. He usually didn’t feel this way about a woman this fast. He wanted to touch her, but he held back.

“(Name) how long have to you worked here?” Dick asks pulling her attention.

“Only a month or so. I just moved here from Metropolis.” She says and he looks through his eyelashes at her to see that she was surprised at what she had said.

“Metropolis, huh, why would you want to move here?” Dick asks and Bruce must fight the urge to kick his son under the table.

“Well,” She pauses for a moment her eyes turning sad and it made Bruce furious. “I wanted a fresh start, I figured why not Gotham.” She answers honestly making Dick and Bruce eye each other in surprise. People didn’t usually move to Gotham for a fresh start. In fact, they ran from Gotham. “Sorry, but I have to go, if you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask.” She says as she quickly moves away from the table.

“Isn’t she pretty?” Dick asks as they both stare off after her.

Pretty doesn’t cover it.

“I need to go.” Bruce says as he finishes his coffee off. “I’ll talk to Damien.”

“Thanks Bruce, tell Alfred I’ll be late tonight. I have a mission with Babs.” Dick adds and Bruce nods.

Standing up he makes his way toward the door when he almost runs into her. She hadn’t been paying attention to where she was walking and almost ran smack dab into him.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I should have been paying attention.” She says quickly as she chastises herself.

“It’s fine (name).” He says and she relaxes. “Thank you for the coffee.”

“You’re welcome.” She replies offering him a soft smile. She goes to walk past him when he stops her.

“This might seem forward of me, if it is, I apologize; but if you’d like I can show you around Gotham sometime.” Bruce hears himself ask and even he is surprised. Had he really asked her that?

“Um,” She starts her body radiating how uncomfortable she was.

“I’m sorry, forget I asked.” He quickly adds as he goes to walk past her.

“I’m sorry, wait.” She calls as she gently reaches out to grab his arm. “I’m a little uncomfortable, I won’t lie.” She pauses giving him a chance to turn back to face her. “But I didn’t say no.” She adds and he lets out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

“Oh?” He says and instantly wishes he could smack himself.

“Yeah, um, I’m off tomorrow if that works for you.”

Fuck, he had an important Justice League meeting tomorrow.

“Tomorrow works.” He answers making a mental note to push the meeting to later.

“Cool, um I’ll meet you in Robinson Park about noonish then?” She asks and he nods.

“Works for me.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then Bruce.” She says a bright smile on her lips.

God she was gorgeous.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He says flashing her a smile before she rushes off back to work.

End of Flashback

Bruce did not know what to think about what he had just witnessed. Who was she really? The fact that his interest in her wasn’t swayed by the sudden discovery surprised him. Against his better judgement he follows her and when it’s quiet enough he makes his presence known to her.

“Pretty interesting display, you showed back there.” He says making her stop in her footsteps. He watches as she turns towards him with a worried look on her face.

“Are you here to lecture me?” She asks worry turning into anger.

“No, I thought you standing up for yourself was admirable.” He answers honestly and she softens. “What are you doing here in Gotham?”

“Look Bats, I came here to get away from Metropolis, funny I know, considering its right across the bay, but this was the only place I could think of.”

“Who are you really? I’ve seen your eyes before.” Bruce says as he remembers the bright glow of them.

“Can we talk about this inside?” She asks pointing to her apartment building. “Rather not air my dirty laundry out here if you don’t mind. I won’t run, I have no reason too.”

Against Bruce’s better judgement he nods.

“Cool, I’ll open the window when I get there.” She replies as she turns from him and heads into her building.

Bruce moves to the roof as he waits patiently for her to open her window. His mind starts to run wild with thoughts about who she could be. She wasn’t a villain, that was certain. She just did not have that air about her. He had been wrong before though. A few of his exes could attest to that. The window opens and he stealthily makes his way into it.

Will Continue on the 22nd of January.

[waywardnerd67]

Truce

Title: Truce Summary: The Winchesters and The Campbells were always fighting each other, but what happens when a Winchester falls in love with a Campbell. Pairing: Dean Campbell x Reader!Winchester Rating: E - Everyone Warnings: Angst/Fluff Word Count: 1712 Squared Filled: Mafia AU Bingo Card: @spnaubingo​ A/N: None

Check Out: SPN AU Bingo Masterlist

Dean Campbell followed his mother and brother into their compound. Their mother was fuming as their rivals the Winchesters had once again outsmarted them on a case. His brother Adam, continued on to his room while Dean settled in at the large meeting table.

“How? How did John Winchester and his kids get to that Rugaru before we did?” Mary Campbell asked as she poured herself a drink.

Looking at her as she sat at the head of the table, “They’re eggheads mom. They probably bored the poor monster to death.”

She chuckled, “We need to get someone on the inside to see how they are getting to monsters before us.”

“I could probably find a way in there, if you want.” He suggested his heartbeat picking up slightly.

His mom took a drink before giving him a nod, “Report in to Bobby twice a week.”

He stood with a nod heading off towards his own room to pack up a few things. He pulled out a phone from the inside of his jacket and sent a text before grabbing his duffle leaving the compound. He cruised down the dark, empty highway out of Lawrence heading towards Lebanon.

Arriving at the small house a few miles from the Winchester’s not so secret bunker, Dean’s stomach fluttered with excitement. Grabbing his things, he rushed inside to find (Y/N) Winchester standing in front of the fireplace looking at pictures on the mantle.

“Hi sweetheart.”

She turned smiling widely before closing the distance between and kissing him, “Hello handsome.”

He scooped her up and headed off to the bedroom before she could say anything else. It had been months since they last saw one another. 

Over a year ago, while hunting a pack of werewolves, Dean and (Y/N) had run into one another. After a few choice words, insults and killing the pack they ended up sharing a bottle of whiskey and sleeping with each other. Agreeing to never speak of their night together or one another again it was a couple months later they found themselves face to face again. Unable to deny their attraction to one another after another night together it began a whirlwind, secret relationship.

As they laid together in bed, Dean had his eyes closed enjoying the feeling of (Y/N)’s fingers trailing across his chest, “What’s going on, Dean? It’s not like you to come here practically unannounced.”

“My mother wants me to spy on your family from the inside. The information I’ve been feeding you for hunts and you getting there before us has her frustrated. I’m wondering if it might be time to put our plan into action.”

She sat up, the thin sheet slipping away from her body distracting him for a moment, “We just told my father about us and he wasn’t thrilled nor was my brother. Do you really think now is the time for this?”

“I’m sorry, were you speaking? I’m distracted by your perfect and beautiful breasts in my face.” He chuckled as she slapped his chest, “Ow.”

“I’m serious, Dean. Do you honestly think this is the right time?”

He pushed himself up to rest against the headboard, pulling her into his side, “We don’t know until we try. If our parents are as smart as they think they are then they will see the benefits of our families joining together.”

(Y/N) pressed her lips against his chest, “If they don’t see the benefits?”

“Then we go to plan B. Just you and me.” A tense silence fell between as Dean kissed her head, “Set up a meeting with your dad and we’ll run our plan by him first.”

The next afternoon, Dean sat across from John Winchester along with his son, Sam, and his second in command, Ellen Harvelle. (Y/N) was sitting beside him as they finished telling them their plan to bring the families together. John sat there rubbing his hand over his stubbed chin silently.

“So, you want to initiate a truce between our families?”

Dean nodded, “Yes sir. Our families have had this rift between them for as long as any of us can remember. Combining your families’ brains and my families’ brawn will be the only way to get ahead of all the monsters.”

Sam turned to his father, “As much as I hate to admit this, but the hunter has a point.”

“He has a name, Sam.” (Y/N) snapped.

He rolled his eyes, “Dean has a point. We could direct the hunters to locations of monsters for them to kill.”

“Set up a meeting with Mary and when the time is right we will be there to back you up.” John stood up looking to the two of them, “Or you two could just make it legal binding our families together.”

(Y/N) squeezed his hand as John smirked walking away from the large map table, “Did he just suggest what I think he did?”

“Yeah sweetheart, I think he did.”

Three Weeks Later

Dean nervously paced in front of the fireplace as (Y/N) waited in the kitchen. His mother, Adam and Bobby were all on their way there. His stomach was churning as he went over his plan in his head repeatedly. Upon hearing a car driving up the gravel drive, he went to the door to meet his family.

“Thank you all for coming.”

They all walked inside in the living room, “Dean, why are we here?” Mary asked as she sat down.

“(Y/N),” Dean called towards the kitchen, “For the last year, I have been dating (Y/N) Winchester.”

“What?!” All three of them shouted.

(Y/N) came in standing by his side and lacing her fingers with his, “The feud between our families needs to end. Working against one another is pointless and just works in the favor of the monsters we all want dead.”

Adam stood up, “You’re going against the family for some pussy!”

“Watch what you say, bro. I will take you down before you even lay a finger on me.” He seethed as (Y/N) ran her hand down his back trying to keep him calm.

Mary stood as well, “Adam, walk away.”

Dean watched as his little brother huffed then stormed out the front door, “Mom!” he shouted.

Everyone came out to the front of the house to see the Winchesters standing there. Dean and (Y/N) quickly pushed past Mary and Bobby to get in between the families.

“Wait. Hear us out.” Dean pleaded with his mother whose eyes were focused on the people behind him.

“Talk fast.” Her eyes connected to his.

Dean took a deep breath, “(Y/N) and I didn’t mean to fall in love, but we did. Now, we have an opportunity to truly have an operation that could make a difference against the monsters. We know the Men of Letters view hunters as dumb Neanderthals and we think they’re eggheads.”

Sam and Adam both scoffed as Dean rolled his eyes continuing, “Their accurate and constant information will only aid hunters in their fight. Why would we not want the merging of these two families to happen?”

“John Winchester cannot be trusted, none of them can.” Mary looked behind him once more.

“Come off it Mary. That is ancient history and for god sakes I’m human. I made a mistake.” John walked up on the other side of Dean across from his mother.

Mary scoffed, “That mistake cost me the love of my life.”

“And if I remember a week later, my wife was killed by a demon that you had claimed to have killed. I was angry, you were angry. What good did it do for either of us?” John’s hand rested on Dean’s shoulder, “All it did was divide us further making it easier for the monsters to get to us.”

Dean let go of (Y/N)’s hand stepping in front of his mother, “Our families need to pull their heads from their asses and join together.”

For the first time in his life, he watched as his mother’s eyes softened, “You really are in love with this girl?”

He nodded, “I am.”

She sighed pulling Dean into her arms whispering in his ear, “I will not forget this.” She pulled away from him the hardness back in her eyes.

“John, I will reach out to you within the week about how this new truce shall work between our families.” She said, stepping in between Adam and Bobby once more.

He nodded silently stepping back between Sam and Ellen, “I look forward to our families getting to know one another.”

“Mom, wait.” Dean called out as his family had begun to walk to their car, “There’s one more thing that I need you here for.”

He turned to (Y/N), who was looking curiously at him. Pulling out a small box he had within his pocket, Dean lowered to one knee in front of her, open the box.

“(Y/N) Winchester, I love you and want to spend whatever number of days I have left by your side. Saving people and hunting things. Will you do me the honor by marrying me and truly making this a family business?”

Audible gasps from his family and (Y/N) before she answered, “Yes. Yes!”

He slipped the ring on her finger before scooping her up and kissing her. Slowly, John began to clap as the rest of the Winchesters joined him. Dean smiling widely looked over to his family and immediate dread filled his chest. They were watching silently and without any reactions before getting in the car, driving away from them. Sighing heavily, he turned back towards (Y/N) pushing his lips into a smile.

John squeezed his shoulder once more, “Welcome to the family, son. If you break her heart there will be nothing left of you to come back and haunt us.”

Dean chuckled, “Understood.” The Winchesters walked off back towards their Bunker.

(Y/N) wrapped her arms around his waist, “Are you okay?”

“Of course, hopefully one day my mother will come to her senses. Until then I will get to know my new family.” He kissed the top of her head as they walked inside their home.

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[scribomaniac]

Something Wicca This Way Comes Ch 10

After almost a year I am back and with a chapter update! It felt good to write again and I hope I can keep churning out chapters and finish this fic up in the next few months. 

Killian couldn’t believe it. The past few hours were a blur to him and as he sat in his living room, staring down at his clasped hands, he tried to process it all. Emma was the Firestarter. What did that even mean? It meant that she’d killed the judge, sure, but what else? Was she the one that tried to steal the Book of Shadows? Did she have anything to do with the break in? According to the Book, she could be either good or evil. Killian desperately wanted to know where she landed on that scale, but if he was being honest with himself, he was also terrified.

Liam obviously thought he knew the answer, since he was the one to trap her in the crystal cage after blasting her through glass windows. Killian had always trusted Liam in times like these. His instincts were always so spot on . . . except for that time with August. But maybe Emma had been behind that, too. If she was the Source’s bodyguard, if she had gotten close to him only to kill him and his brothers.

Clenching his jaw, Killian wasn’t sure what to think anymore.

“We have to question her,” Liam’s voice broke through Killian’s thoughts. His voice soft but firm.

Killian shook his head, “No. No, I can’t. It’s too soon.”

“It’s been an hour, Kil,” Will shrugged, “we can’t wait forever.”

“The longer we wait, the more vulnerable we are.” Liam sighed as he stood from his seat. “We need answers, and she can give them to us. Now you can stay here and try to . . . process all of this, or you can come upstairs with me and Will.”

After zapping her with the crystals, Will orbed Emma’s body up into the attic. The plan was to keep her in the crystal trap until they could think of what to do next. However, after an hour of sitting silently in their living room they didn’t have much to go on.

Liam wasn’t waiting any longer, though, and headed towards the stairs without waiting for an answer from Killian. “Come on, Will.”

Knuckles tightening, Killian’s nostrils flared as he stood up suddenly and passed his older brother, checking Liam’s shoulder with his own on the way up.

When they opened the door to the attic, everything looked exactly as they had left it, save for one small detail. Emma was now awake.

“Emma,” Killian breathed out. He stepped forward, then stopped, unsure of what to do. He looked her up and down, checking her for any wounds Tink might have missed earlier. “Are you—?”

Raising a delicate brow, Emma chuffed out a laugh, “What? Are you seriously going to ask me if I’m alright?” Looking around at the crystals, now dark and quiet, Emma snorted, “How chivalrous.”

“Who are you?” Liam asked, moving to stand in front of Killian.

Emma tilted her head, “You know my name.”

“Who are you really?” Liam squared his shoulders and raised his chin, looking like the strong Navy captain leading his crew into battle. “We know you’re the Firestarter. We know you’ve been trying to kill us—” At that Killian had to look away. Did they really know that? For certainty? “—so tell us, who are you?”

“I don’t know what to tell you,” Emma smirked, looking like she was enjoying this all immensely. “I never lied about my name.”

“Just about everything else,” Liam sneered.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Will said slowly, walking up to stand very close to the edge of the invisible boundary of Emma’s trap. “Emma,” he bent down to look her in the eye. Killian thought he looked like a teacher about to ask a very small child why they hit their classmate. “Are you a good Firestarter, or a bad one?”

Raising a brow, Emma asked, “Really?”

“Christ, Will, we know she’s evil. She was working with that Spirit for Christ’s sake.” Liam yanked his youngest sibling away from Emma by the back of his shirt.

“Well it never hurts to ask! Besides, she was possessed by the Spirit, so,” Will stood back up to his full height and shrugged his shirt back into place. “And your questions wasn’t any better. Who are you—really? That’s the one thing we do know!”

“God you’re so annoying,” Emma pushed her hair from her face and looked down the ground, as if trying to hide from the Charmed Ones and their bickering. “I should’ve let Zelena kill you.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Killian found himself asking. It had been bothering him for a while now. Why hadn’t she killed him when he was powerless in her apartment? Why not let Zelena kill them—possession or no? If destroying the Charmed Ones really was her goal, then she could have claimed that victory at least a dozen times by now.

Emma didn’t look up at him. In fact, she acted as if she hadn’t heard his question at all. She sat as still as a statue in her trap, her knees brought up to her chest and her hands covering her brow.

Nostrils flaring, Liam stomped forward and grabbed a crystal lying outside the trap’s ring. “I’ve had enough of this.” He placed the crystal on the trap’s border, activating the other stones and striking lightning straight into Emma’s chest. “Now talk!”

Emma’s body clenched with pain but she rode the wave of electricity out silently. “Liam—“ Will started, his face easily showing his confliction.

Liam didn’t listen though, slamming the crystal against the border again, asking, “Who sent you?”

This time Emma did cry out, doubling over onto her side. Her cries echoed in Killian’s ears, and his eyes squeezed shut. He couldn’t do this. Not this. It might have been a lie for her, a ruse to get close to the Charmed Ones, but it hadn’t been fake for Killian. He couldn’t just cut the place in his heart she’d wiggled into. Couldn’t ignore the sirens going off in his head saying that this was wrong and make it stop!

At his limit, Killian turned and ran out of the attic.

At the bottom of the stairs Killian leaned over to catch his breath. With his hands resting against his knees, he sucked in oxygen as if he’d just ran a marathon. He could only guess what his brothers were thinking of him. A coward, perhaps. More than likely they thought him a fool. Liam did, he knew. And his older brother was right. He’d been tricked by a pretty face and a shy smile.

“Killian? You okay?”

Looking up, Killian found Tink standing in the dining room, a crease between her brows.

“Aye, I’m—I’m fine, Tink.”

Eyes narrowing, Tink looked him up and down before jerking her head back towards the kitchen. “Come on,” she said, “sit down and have something to eat. You look like you’re about to keel over.”

Knowing better than to argue with his white-lighter when she gets that glint in her eyes, Killian followed Tink into the kitchen and took a seat at the counter. Before he knew it a cup of tea was placed before him and he could smell meat cooking on the stove.

Back turned to him, her attention seemingly on the food in front of her, Tink casually asked, “So how are you feeling?”

Huffing out a laugh, Killian cupped the mug in his hands and focused on how the heat seeped into his skin. “I don’t know,” he answered honestly. “It’s still sinking in.”

Tink hummed and the pan in front of her sizzled. “I am too. I only met Emma a handful of times but I never would have guessed—a Firestarter,” she shook her head, “that’s so rare.”

“I should have guessed,” Killian said darkly, thinking about every interaction he’d had with Emma these past few months.

“Oh, Killian,” Tink paused her cooking to turn around and look at him with her big, sad eyes, “How could you have possibly known?”

“Liam knew—I should have listened to him.”

“Liam,” Tink said slowly, carefully, as she turned the stove off and placed a plate of bacon in front of him, “is suspicious by nature. Oh, don’t give me that look! I love him, but he could’ve just as easily been wrong about her as he was right. He’s too protective of you and William by half.”

Keeping the look on his face—brows furrowed, lips pursed, jaw tight—Killian continued as if he didn’t hear her. “I’m such an idiot. She was there the night of the Guardian attack, the arraignment, she just happened to be driving by the day the house was burgled—I mean, I bet she was the reason why I kept getting all those strange premonitions!”

“What premonitions?” Tink asked as she not so subtly pushed the plate of food closer to him.

Raising a brow, Killian picked up a piece of bacon and shoved it in his mouth. Speaking around the food, he explained, “I had a few visions of the past. One about a little girl crying and the second about Mary Margaret’s baby.”

Standing up straighter, the white-lighter’s eyes glinted with a strange intensity that confused Killian. “A baby?” She asked, leaning across the kitchen island to look Killian straight in the eyes. “Mary Margaret’s? When?”

Swallowing, Killian answered, “One was after I first met Emma, the night Nolan was attacked, and the second was when Liam brought up the Firestarter. I was reading the page when I saw some female demon take Mary Margaret’s baby from the hospital.”

“And what did that demon look like?”

“Uh—” Killian tried to think back. “I don’t know. She had long hair, wore feathers and diamonds.” Biting on his lip, he added, “I think she said something about being fair, or this was fair? It was a while ago. Why? What’s the matter?”

“Nothing—nothing, I just. I need to go.”

Before Killian could get another word out, Tink orbed away.

“Oh, is that bacon?” Will’s voice called out from behind Killian, making the middle Jones brother blink. “I’m starving!”

“I’ll bet,” Killian muttered, glaring at the strips of meat still on the plate on front of him. Torturing sure could whip up an appetite. He should know after all, since Killian had tortured numerous demons over the past few years. Stomach curling at the sudden memories, he pushed the plate of bacon towards Will and said, “Have mine.”

Popping a strip into his mouth, Will mumbled a thanks. Killian waited to hear more footsteps approach, signifying Liam’s entrance, but he never came. Turning around to look down the hall towards the staircase, Killian asked, “Liam still up in the attic then?”

Liam grunted, “No, I convinced him to take a break.  He’s in his room with the Book of Shadows.” He took a moment to lick the grease off his fingers and then wipe them off on his jeans. “I think he’s looking for a truth potion recipe or something since Emma’s not talking.”

That hardly surprised Killian. He remembered what happened to the last demon they’d trapped—Glass was his name, or something like that. He’d tried to talk and had been turned into ash. Frowning, Killian realized that could have been Emma’s doing too. But then again, was she really so powerful that she could start fires that she couldn’t see? Inside of a crystal trap? If she could do that much damage when she wasn’t even the room, then surely the Charmed Ones would’ve been dead by now.

So that meant there was someone else who was that powerful. Killian’s mouth ran dry at the thought of it. Of Emma being there one minute, and the next swallowed up by Hell fire.

“I need to—” he stood up and shook his head. Unable to look his younger brother in the eye, Killian stormed from the kitchen. “I need to go upstairs.”

He took the stairs two at a time, bringing a light layer of perspiration to his skin. The door to the attic was still open, and from the top of the steps he could see Emma in the same spot he left her in. She looked tired—crystal lightning would do that to you—but otherwise fine.

Hearing his arrival, Emma turned her head to look at him. Their eyes locked, freezing Killian where he stood. Finally, after at least a minute of silence, Emma joked, “I’d invite you in, but the place is a mess.”

The joke fell flat, and the silence returned. Killian could hear his heart beating in his chest. He had so many things he wanted to say, so many questions he wanted to ask, but his tongue was a dead, leaden thing in his mouth, preventing him from so much as uttering the smallest of sounds.

His feet returned to him though, and one foot at time he crossed the threshold into the attic, then found himself toeing the line of the crystal trap.

To Killian’s surprise—or was it? Can he really be surprised anymore?—Emma stood up and looked him straight in the eye.

“Killian,” she whispered, her green eyes wide and bright and staring right into Killian’s soul.

Swallowing thickly, Killian heard himself ask, “Was any of it real?” The question was absurd, he realized. Of course it wasn’t real. How could it have been? Still, he found himself needing to hear it from her lips.

Emma’s brows furrowed and her lips locked together. She looked at war with herself, but that couldn’t be. Why would she be conflicted over such a simple question? Stepping back, the hairs on Killian’s neck rose as he considered that this might be an act; a way to regain his sympathy and trust. She’d played him for a fool once, but not again. Killian was stronger than that.

“Alright!” Liam’s booming voice broke the silence as he swiftly entered the attic, his hands full of the Book of Shadows. “Here were are—Killian?” The eldest Jones brother cut off upon noticing the younger. Narrowing his eyes, he looked back and forth between Killian and Emma, “Alright, mate?”

Killian tried—and most likely failed—to hide a grimace. Taking another step away from Emma, he nodded, “Aye. I’m—everything’s fine.”

“That’s good!” Will said as he trailed Liam in at a much slower pace. “Because Liam here thinks he’s found . . . something.”

“I have found something—look, close the door and come over here.” Will closed the door, then the three of them walked over to the corner of the room where they kept a chest full of scrying crystals, potions, and other witch-like items. “See this?” Liam pointed to the margins of a page about chakras and how to cleanse them. Right beside that though, underneath Liam’s finger, was a spell written in pencil.

“Who wrote that?” Killian asked, leaning in closer to get a better look. It must have been written ages ago as he could barely make out the words.

“Haven’t the foggiest, but it’s a truth spell. I can just about make it out, and once we have it we can use it on Emma and get out answers.”

Will hummed, pursing his lips in thought. “I don’t know Liam, that’s not very official, is it? It might not work.”

“But it’s worth a try.”

“We can barely read this,” Killian shook his head. “I don’t know. What if we mess it up and hurt—” Killian glanced over his shoulder. Emma was watching them, but without any signs of interest. As if she didn’t care a lick about what they were talking about. As if she didn’t care what they did to her. “Someone?” Killian finished lamely.

Liam gave him a dry look, opening his mouth to continue the argument when the attic door banged open. Before any of the Charmed Ones could so much spin around to greet their intruder, a very angry Mary Margaret roared, “Get away from my daughter!” And with the wave of her arm, she sent the Charmed Ones flying.

[angelofthequeers]

Will You Marigami Me: Marigami Week Day 3

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Day 3 of @marigami-week 2020!

Yes I know late update but this is what happens when you have like 3 or 4 WIPs and next to no ability to commit for longer than a day oops

Day 2 | Day 4 | AO3 link

3. School festival

“I can’t believe your mother let you come!” Marinette’s saying as she pulls Kagami along through the stadium, where the students of Françoise Dupont have set up their school festival fundraiser. As class president, having done most of the work organising the festival behind the scenes, Marinette’s been granted the day off to have fun and survey the fruits of her labour, along with the other class presidents such as Aurore Beauréal from Ms Mendeleiev’s class. Although Aurore’s hot-tempered and a little self-centred and a bit of an airhead – literally, what with her obsession with the weather – she’s very likeable and thrives as a natural leader, and she’s one of the few people who have earned a rare wide smile from Kagami.

“I may have led her to believe that my attendance was mandatory,” Kagami says. She’s also been given free reign due to her job as vice president and the work she and the other vices had put into helping their presidents, and although she’d never thought that she’d end up with this role over Marinette’s outgoing, outspoken other best friend, Alya had insisted that she had enough on her plate with the Bugablog and that Kagami should take the role. And, well, Kagami was never going to say no to spending more time with Marinette. Although judging by Alya’s sly grin when suggesting this, Kagami’s never been able to shake the suspicion that Alya had had an ulterior motive for turning down the position.

“Well, you weren’t lying! Your attendance is absolutely required to, you know, oversee everything and make sure that it runs smoothly.” Marinette nudges Kagami with a small grin and loops their arms together, causing warmth to crackle and spark across Kagami’s skin from where they’re in contact. A short distance away, Rose’s deafening squeals hit Kagami’s ears from the Glitterfication booth, and Kagami looks over her shoulder and spots Rose absolutely covered in glitter from the bombs that people throw at her, while she wields a trash can lid as a makeshift shield. She’s so obviously Princesse Tortue in this very moment, what with her skill with her shield. How can anyone else not see it?

“Oh my.” Kagami covers her mouth to stifle her laughter at the sheer size of the line at Adrien’s booth. “I can’t believe he went ahead with his kissing booth idea.”

Marinette snorts when she follows Kagami’s gaze. “Well, he did have a point when he mentioned that it gave him some control over how he’s touched. He gets to set the time limit for the kisses, and he can have them removed if they try to break his rules. But in the streets, you know…can’t say no because of his father.”

“I have a few choice words about Mr Agreste,” Kagami mutters. “You know, if you had run a kissing booth, I’m willing to bet that your line would rival that of Adrien’s.”

Marinette’s cheeks turn as pink as her overalls. “No way!” she says. “He’s Adrien Agreste! Everyone in Paris who swings that way wants to smooch him.”

“And everyone in our class who swings that way has had a crush on you at some point,” Kagami says. But this is the wrong thing to say entirely; Marinette gives a high-pitched giggle and looks at Kagami out of the corner of her eyes.

“Are you, um – you know, are you including yourself in that group?” she stammers out. Kagami’s stomach turns over in her abdomen. It’s no secret that she’s an ace lesbian but…well, her ridiculously large crush on Marinette is a secret. And if she reveals this secret now, will it disgust Marinette? Will she lose one of her best friends?

Never hesitate, says a voice that sounds suspiciously like her mother’s. Hesitation costs you the win.

“What would your response be if I said yes?” Kagami says slowly. Marinette’s face turns as crimson as Scarmony’s suit, although this does nothing to alleviate the churning in Kagami’s gut, because is that a good crimson or a bad crimson? Marinette mumbles out a response that’s unintelligible to Kagami, even with her sharpened hearing after months of wielding Plagg’s Miraculous. “Pardon?”

“I would, um…I’d uh…” Marinette looks down, her hair falling into her eyes. “I’d…be very happy?”

Kagami’s never understood when people say that their heart skips a beat. But Marinette’s response makes her breath catch in her lungs and her heart falter in its steady rhythm, and she forces herself to stop walking and turn to Marinette. Their arms unlock from each other, but she’s quick to take Marinette’s hands to compensate.

“May I kiss you, Marinette?”

Finally, Marinette looks up and meets Kagami’s steady gaze, even though her eyes flicker away periodically. She takes a deep breath…and nods, and Kagami lets out a breathy laugh and ducks her head. Then she raises it and leans in, closing her eyes, and the velvety warmth of Marinette’s lips when they meet hers in a chaste, awkward kiss far outstrips any piece of luxury furniture that Kagami has ever owned. Who needs her massive bed with its superb-quality bedding when she’s got soft skin and silky hair and permission to touch?

“Wow,” Marinette breathes when they finally separate but keep their foreheads together, unwilling to pull away any further than necessary to draw in oxygen. “Are you sure that was your first kiss? Because that was…wow.”

Kagami actually giggles. She never giggles. But then again, Marinette’s an exception for a lot of things that she never does. “My first kiss was stolen out of necessity.” To break Dark Cupid’s spell, but Marinette can’t know that. “But I can honestly say that I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone else. You’ve been my target ever since I walked into your classroom.” She squeezes Marinette’s hands and adds, “And it seems that I’ve finally hit my bullseye.”

[lucacangettathisass]

how the light gets in (ch. 10)

SUMMARY: After your home is ransacked by a group of strange men, you and your cousin are taken in by a group of outlaws. And that’s when the trouble really starts.

PAIRINGS: John Marston x Fem!Reader, Arthur Morgan x Fem!Reader

check the fic tag for previous chapters!

TAGGING: @mountainhymn @kindred-hopes @sean--macguire if you would like to be added to the tag list lmk!

NOTES: hey everyone! long time no see huh? so, obviously, it's been a while since i updated, not since jan, and honestly i expected the next chapter to be out in feb, but i ended up picking up some extra shifts at work so then i was like "ok march it is!" and now it's april lmao. like many of u i've been stuck inside because of the backstreet boys reunion tour, my entire country is on lockdown because of it, so i've been able to use the time to write! and here we are! hopefully i'll be able to get the chapters out more regularly but who knows? anyway hope you all have been well! stay safe, and stay indoors if you can! love u all!

-

As you all slowly descended from the Grizzlies, you watched as the white snow slowly gave way to lush green, a sight that you hadn’t seen for months now, and you eagerly drank it up like someone being given fresh cold water after being in the desert for too long. You let out a sigh when you saw a patch of flowers, feeling like a weight has been lifted from you.

“Been a while since you’ve seen nature?” Miss Jones asked.

You nodded. “Yeah. It-it feels nice.” You smiled and watched a small bird flit from one tree to another, before flying into the horizon. “The warmth makes a nice change too.”

The other women all laughed, even Sadie cracked a smile. “Can’t argue with that one.” Miss Jackson agreed.

You looked forward, trying to see past Miss Grimshaw and the horses, but your view was greatly obstructed. You leaned over the wagon a little, keeping your hands on the sides to stay steady.

“Easy there chiquita.”

You jumped a little and looked behind you to see Mr Escuella riding leisurely beside the wagon, a smile on his lips. “Don’t want you falling overboard.”

A flush crept onto your cheeks and you timidly pulled away. “R-Right. Of course. Sorry.”

“No need to apologise.” Mr Escuella assured you, urging his horse forward so that he was beside you. “Must feel good, seeing all this after being stuck on that mountain.”

“I have missed seeing the colour green.” You admitted.

To your surprise, Mr Escuella laughed. “I can only imagine.”

Making Mr Escuella laugh made you smile, and you sat up a little straighter. “So, who’s your friend?” You reached out and gently patted the neck of Mr Escuella’s horse. The horse whinnied in an appreciative manner, encouraging you to stroke it.

“His name’s Boaz.” Mr Escuella said. “He’s a good boy.”

“A very handsome one too.” You cooed, hand going up to scratch behind one of Boaz’s ears. You furrowed your brow at the lack of reaction before you laughed lightly. “I’ve been around cats for too long.” You said softly.

“What makes you say that?” Mr Escuella sounded intrigued, and you blushed when you realized that he had heard you.

“Oh, n-nothing. It’s just...I’ve grown to expect animals to purr whenever I pet them.” You lowered your gaze, face heating up even more. “I-It’s stupid I know.”

Mr Escuella laughed again, but it didn’t sound malicious. It sounded friendly, almost fond, like he hadn’t found your admission stupid at all. “We all get used to things.” He said with a warm smile. “So, you grew up with cats?”

You nodded. “Mrs Zamolodchikova loved cats, including stray ones. There were always cats around the house so I got used to having some around. There was even a special nursery for expectant mothers and their litters.” You sighed wistfully, thinking back to the times when you would play with the cats or lounge around doing nothing at all with them in between complicated and arduous lessons. You wished you could go back to those times.

“So you’re a cat person?”

“I suppose.” You shrugged. “But only by default. I do like dogs, I just have more experience with cats. And horses of course.”

“Speaking of, your horse doesn’t seem to be too fond of Arthur.” Mr Escuella raised a brow. “I think this is the first time I’ve met a horse that Arthur couldn’t charm.”

“Oh God.” You said with a frown. “Has something happened? Did Mr Morgan say something?”

“No nothing like that.” Mr Esceulla assured you. “It’s just funny. She’s a feisty one.”

“She’s certainly spirited.” You agreed, relieved that nothing bad had happened. “It can take her a while to warm up to strangers, but once she gets used to you all I’m sure she’ll be better behaved.”

“You think you guys will be staying around that long?”

You paused, looking over at Sadie. As expected, she had been watching the interaction between you and Mr Escuella like a hawk, and she didn’t seem to be at all pleased. “We’ll see.” She said tersely.

“I’m sure Dutch won’t mind.” Mr Escuella said. “He isn’t the type to kick out two helpless women.”

“We ain’t helpless.” Sadie snarled, almost visibly bristling.

“That’s very kind of him.” You said quickly. You gently put a hand on Sadie’s knee and squeezed. “We’re immensely grateful.”

Sadie huffed.

Mr Escuella chuckled. “I’m sure.” He said teasingly, winking discreetly when Sadie looked away.

A giggle slipped past your lips and you smiled widely. “Have you been around here before Mr Escuella?”

“Can’t say I have, you?”

You shook your head. “No. It feels a little exciting, being so far east.”

Mr Escuella raised a brow. “This is your idea of excitement?” He chuckled. “Can’t wait to see how you react to everything else.”

Almost immediately you felt yourself deflate, wanting to shrink inside yourself for saying something so stupid. ‘Idiot. They all must already think you’re a child. Now look at what you’ve done.’ You looked down, wanting to avoid Mr Escuella’s gaze as your face burned with embarrassment.

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that chiquita.”

You looked back up shyly and saw Mr Escuella looking contrite, and you immediately felt bad. “No no, it’s alright.” You said gently. “I-I know you weren’t trying to be cruel Mr Escuella.” You could tell Sadie was bristling like mad now, but you hoped that this would be enough to placate her. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, what does chiquita mean?”

Surprisingly, Mr Escuella seemed to be relieved that you were no longer upset. “It’s Spanish, for little girl or little lady.” He looked you up and down. “In your case I would say little lady is more appropriate.”

That made your face flush even more. No one had ever called you a lady before. In fact, ‘little girl’ had often been the descriptor of choice for most.

“I’m surprised you can’t speak Spanish.” Mr Escuella said, apparently oblivious to your embarrassment.

“Y-Yes, well, I’m afraid that part of my education had been left the wayside.” You said sheepishly.

“So what languages can you speak?”

“Russian, German, French, and Italian.” You replied.

Mr Escuella let out a low whistle. “Impressive.” He said with a raised brow. “Why no Spanish?”

You opened your mouth to reply, but then suddenly realized that you didn’t really have an answer. “I...I really have no idea.” You admitted. “I never really gave it much thought, but thinking about it now, it certainly would be useful.”

“Well, you’re clearly good at picking languages up, so if you’re ever in the mood for learning Spanish, you can just ask me.” Mr Escuella smiled warmly.

It had taken you a moment to process what Mr Escuella had said, but once you did you couldn’t help but grin widely. “R-Really?” You sat up on your knees, one hand still on Boaz’s neck. The offer had taken you by surprise, but you still felt elated. “Y-You mean it?”

“Course I do.”

A rush of excitement ran through you, and you couldn’t hold back a grin. “I-Thank you Mr Escuella. You’ve been so kind, I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“You ain’t gotta repay me chiquita.” He said fondly. He seemed to be on the verge of saying something else, but stopped, looking you over. “Actually, there is one thing.”

“What is it?” You asked, curious and eager.

Mr Escuella smiled wider and leaned down so that he was at perfect eye level with you. “Just keep smiling. Do you think you can do that for me chiquita?”

It was certainly an odd request, but more than manageable. You had learned long ago how to smile when it was the last thing in the world you wanted to do. “I believe I can Mr Escuella.”

He chuckled, and sat back up. “Good.”

“Looks like we’re almost at that spot Hosea was talking about.”

You looked up at the back of Miss Grimshaw, and saw that you were all coming up to what appeared to be a well-trodden path, leading into a small patch of trees. It felt strange to see so many different types in one place, but in a welcoming and uplifting way. You smiled and sat up straighter, hoping to see more. “Thank Goodness.” You said.

“Hmm, I can’t see Arthur, Hosea and Charles.” Mr Escuella noted, looking over his shoulder. “I’m gonna hang back and wait for them, make sure they get back OK.” He looked back down at you. “Don’t forget what I said chiquita.” He grinned, and clicked his tongue, urging Boaz to turn around and go back down the path.

You couldn’t help but smile. ‘He’s so considerate and kind.’

Some giggles broke out behind you, and you turned around curiously. “What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing.” Miss Jones said breezily, with a twinkle in her eye that indicated very much the opposite.

(You felt your stomach churn.) 

“There’s a town not too far away right?” Miss Jones asked no one in particular

“Valentine I think Hosea said it was called.” Miss Jackson answered. “Real small cattle town.”

“I’ll take a small cattle town over those mountains any day.” Miss Gaskill said, and you couldn’t agree more.

Further ahead was a clearing atop a cliff, and it appeared to be just big enough for all of you. Miss Grimshaw pulled up at a far end of the clearing, and you watched as Mr Williamson and Mr Van Der Linde, who had both been steering wagons of their own, parked in different spots.

“Alright girls, let’s get to work.”

You and the other women all piled out of the wagon, and you noted Miss Jones groaning and Miss Jackson rolling her eyes as you did so.

“We need to start pitching tents.” Miss Grimshaw looked over at you and Sadie. “Do you two know how to do that?”

Sadie nodded. “I do, my daddy taught me.”

That seemed to please the older woman. “What about you [Name]?”

You immediately felt your cheeks flush hot. “I..I never...learned how to do that…” You looked down, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.

“Then what can you do?”

“J-Just about anything else to help!” You said quickly, looking up again, desperate to appear helpful and eager and, above all, of use. “You know how I said my momma was a maid? I would help her sometimes. I-I got good at it.”

“She’s very good.” Sadie said, coming to your aid. “She has a steady hand when sewing, knows how to treat all sorts of stains, and she can cook very well.”

You smiled at Sadie, grateful for the help.

Miss Grimshaw looked you over with an uncomfortably enigmatic gaze. “Show her how to pitch a tent.” She said finally. “The sooner she learns that the better.”

“Yes Miss Grimshaw.”

You let out a deep breath. “Y-Yes Miss Grimshaw!” You quickly followed Sadie to the wagon where the other women had already gathered, getting out what you assumed to be materials to pitch up tents.

“Did that old Russian widow teach you magic or something?” Miss Jones asked with a twinkle in her eye, much like the one from earlier, and a smirk on her lips. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Javier warm up to someone that quick.”

The other women giggled, and you flushed. “N-Not at all.” You said. “I-I’m sure that he just wants me to feel welcome.”

“Oh I bet he does.” Miss Jackson waggled her brows. “Or at least, welcome around him.” She burst into giggles, along with Miss Jones and Miss Gaskill.

“Alright girls that’s enough.” Miss Roberts interjected. “Don’t want to give Grimshaw an excuse to yell at us already.” She looked over at you and smiled kindly. “Don’t listen to them, they get bored easy and just wanna have something to entertain themselves with.”

You failed to see what could be so entertaining about this, but you appreciated Miss Roberts’s words nonetheless. “It’s alright.” You saw Sadie grabbing a bundle of materials and immediately went to her side to help. “So, what do we do?”

“Gotta find some good flat ground first.” Sadie inspected the surrounding area, before finding a patch that satisfied her. “Now we gotta make sure the frame is steady.”

She walked you through the steps slowly, adding clarification when you needed it. Knowing each other as long as you both had, she knew how to explain and teach things to you in a way that would make sense to you, so you were able to follow along and got the hang of it rather quickly.

“I don’t want you talkin’ to Escuella.”

You paused, turning away from the canvas to look at Sadie in surprise. “Why not? He’s very nice.”

“He’s an outlaw.” Sadie’s words were dripping with disdain and venom. “A thief and a killer.”

“And he’s been nothing but nice.” You pointed out. “He offered to teach me Spanish, that could be an invaluable skill Sadie.”

“Don’t matter, I don’t want you talking to him and that’s final.” She knotted the rope in her hands around a stake, with a bit more force than necessary in your opinion.

You sighed, kneeling beside Sadie. “That isn’t realistic and you know it.” You said in a low voice. “Besides, we need to be pragmatic about this.” You glanced around. “We’re outsiders Sadie. Everyone else knows each other, and there are already dynamics and relationships in place, so we need to form our own. The sooner we can endear ourselves to everyone here, the better.”

Sadie gritted her teeth. “These people aren’t like the rich, upper class types you’re used to.” She said pointedly. “They don’t play the same games or go by the same set of rules.”

“But they are human, and humans are social creatures.” You gently put a hand on Sadie’s arm. “If we can befriend a few of them, it’ll make life easier for us. I know you’re an expert on nature survival Sadie, but this is about social survival, and that’s entirely different.”

A silence hung between the two of you, and you let it, allowing Sadie time to think about what you had said. “Why do you always gotta be right.” She sighed heavily. “Alright. Fine. Be friendly. But not too friendly with the men. I don’t want none of them getting too close to you or being alone with you.”

“Deal.” You smiled and hugged Sadie. Truthfully, you never understood why she was so hesitant to allow men near you. After all, no man had ever expressed interest in you before, and why should they? There were always far better, more appealing options available.

“Not bad.” Miss Grimshaw appeared to be pleased and even a little impressed, especially since this was the first time you had ever put up a tent. She looked up at Sadie. “You can help Mary Beth and Tilly with setting up Arthur’s tent.” She then turned her attention to you. “And you can help Herr Strauss with his wagon. He seems to have taken a liking to you, so I doubt he’ll mind.”

“Yes Miss Grimshaw.” Despite yourself, you could feel your cheeks going a little pink at the revelation that Herr Strauss liked you. You felt relieved and happy to know that you had already formed at least one bond, and hopefully alliance, within the gang.

You and Sadie exchanged glances before going to your seperate jobs. Herr Strauss had just finished setting up a table when you approached, and he seemed to be looking for something in his wagon.

“Herr Strauss?” You said gently, not wanting to startle him too much.

Despite your precautions, Herr Strauss jumped a little, staring at you in surprise. “Mein Gott.” He said, a hand over his heart. “You’re certainly quiet aren’t you fräulein?”

You flushed a deep red. “S-Sorry.” You said bashfully.

“Oh it’s alright.” Herr Strauss smiled kindly at you, adjusting his glasses. “Did you need anything?”

“Actually, Miss Grimshaw told me that I should help you.” You looked at his wagon. “Is there anything you need me to do?”

This seemed to surprise him, but Herr Strauss smiled. “Yes actually. I need some help taking inventory of our medicines.” He carefully pushed aside some of the crates, revealing a slightly worn leather satchel, which he reached into and pulled what appeared to be a notebook out of it. “Just go through the crates one by one and tell me what you find and I’ll make a record.”

“Of course.”

You did as you were instructed, reading out each label clearly, and waiting for Herr Strauss to finish writing before moving on. You had also decided to group all of the tonics together in groups, one for the horses, and one for humans, before further dividing them by what it was they helped with-health, stamina, or concentration-and then their effectiveness; all of which you had gleaned from reading the labels, committing it all to memory.

“You’ve already started sorting them?”

“Oh, um, yes.” You looked down, fidgeting under Herr Strauss’s curious gaze. “I-I thought it would make things easier. I can rearrange them if there’s a particular way you want them sorted.”

“Oh no no! This is perfectly fine fräulein.” Herr Strauss said approvingly, his smile and gaze warm. He went back over his notes as he inspected the bottles, double checking to make sure everything had been properly accounted for. “You’ve done a very good job, and there aren’t any discrepancies, so all in all-”

“No! Mister! Wait!”

The sudden shouts made you jump, and you looked up, heart pounding, to see Mr Duffy being dragged to a tree not too far from where you were by Mr Williamson. “Wh-what’s Mr Williamson doing?” You asked shakily.

“Looks like he’s going to tie him to that tree.” Herr Strauss replied, shaking his head. “Poor boy. Can’t imagine he’ll last long without food and drink.”

“W-Wait.” You looked back at the older Austrian, wide eyed. “You’re not-I mean, we’re not-Mr Van Der Linde wouldn’t-”

“He would, and it appears that he has.” He assured you. “I understand that this is rather shocking, but it’s how things are done here. If Dutch says he ain’t eating or drinking, then that’s that.”

“I...I see…” You looked over at Mr Duffy, feeling immense pity. “How...how long will he be...tied up?”

“For as long as Dutch says.” Herr Strauss replied. He seemed to have caught the horrified look on your face, making him sigh. He gently put a hand on your shoulder and turned you away from Mr Duffy. “Fräulein, I know that this sort of thing is particularly...unpleasant for you, being as good and kind as you are. But I’m afraid you’ll have to get used to it. Hopefully the boy will tell Dutch what he wants to hear sooner rather than later. Until then, we must follow Dutch’s orders. No food or water for the O’Driscoll.”

“Yes Herr Strauss.” You said quietly, trying very hard not to look back at Mr Duffy.

-

You helped Herr Strauss set up his own tent space and to arrange his things, and by the time you were both finished, the rest of the camp had been set up, and Mr Morgan, Mr Smith, and Mr Matthews had joined you all, and Mr Escuella with them. You couldn’t help but watch Mr Morgan as Miss Grimshaw escorted him to his tent. He moved with such easy confidence and self assuredness, that you couldn’t help but feel envious.You had no idea what it was like to feel like that, to move through the world without a single worry or care. All you ever did was worry and care.

You were quickly pulled from your thoughts when you heard Mr Van Der Linde speak. Everyone stopped what they were doing and formed a small crowd around him, listening intently, and you joined them. He was trying to raise morale, praising everyone for sticking by him, before urging everyone to pull their weight and help out. 

(You fidgeted a little at that, worried if you would be able to do that.)

Mr Pearson, now wearing a top hat, emphasized the need for food, asking for everyone to contribute something. You looked over at Sadie, who was standing with Miss Gaskill and Miss Jackson, and wondered if she would be allowed to hunt. You couldn’t see why not.

“And don’t forget, whatever you get, the camp gets a slice.” My Van Der Linde pulled out a shiny red box and placed it on top of a barrel outside his large tent.

You furrowed your brow and looked over at Herr Strauss. “What did he mean by that?”

“If you make any money then you need to put some into that box there.” He explained. “To help the camp pay for supplies and the like.”

“Oh. Like taxes?”

Herr Strauss chuckled. “Yes, I suppose so.”

Once Mr Van Der Linde was done, everyone dispersed and you rejoined the other women. “So, how long do you all usually stay in one place?”

“Depends.” Miss Jackson said. “If it’s a good spot and we lay low, then usually a good few months.”

“Let’s hope that’s the case here.” Miss Gaskill sighed. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve had enough of moving around.”

You couldn’t agree more, and you were about to say as much when something blue appeared in the corner of your eye. You turned to look and saw Mr Morgan, still wearing his big heavy coat, talking with Mr Van Der Linde and Mr Matthews. For whatever reason, your full attention was on the three men, but Mr Morgan in particular. You took in his profile, his strong jaw, the broadness of his shoulders, the firm set of his mouth. Did he ever smile? You hoped you would be able to see it.

“Stay away from him.”

You jumped, turning to see Sadie suddenly at your side, glaring at something. “W-What?”

“I said stay away from him.” It came out as an angry hiss, and when you followed her gaze you saw that it was focussed on Mr Morgan.

“But Sadie, he helped us-”

“I talked with Tilly and Mary Beth.” Sadie gave no indication that she had heard you, although you were certain that she did. “And they told me what kind of person Morgan is.”

You didn’t like the sound of that. “What...what kind of person is he?”

“Exactly the kind I expected.” She finally tore her gaze away from Mr Morgan and onto you. “He uses force and kills even when not necessary. He’s a mean and sour bastard and I don’t want you around him. I know you feel like you owe him because of what he did, but you don’t. He didn’t do it out of the goodness of his own heart. If Dutch hadn’t been there he probably would’ve put a bullet in our heads.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t have Sadie.” But even as you protested, you felt a chill go down your spine. “What would he have gained from it?”

“Men like him don’t need a reason to kill.” Her tone left no room for argument, so you decided not to. Instead you let her put her arm around you and lead you away to the area where the two of you, along with Miss Jones, Miss Jackson, and Miss Gaskill would sleep.

But you were able to sneak one last look back at Mr Morgan, watching as he smoked his cigarette, haloed in the light of the setting sun.

[kaylathekittykat225]

Replacement // Roy Harper X Reader

Warning/s: none, I think?

Word Count: 3,247

Another Saturday, another update. This time, another one from my archives, Roy Harper! I don’t know what I will do when I run out of things I can easily post. But that is a problem for later me that I can deal with. Am still in a fluffy mood, because I am currently sick, and I when I am sick, I get clingy and want someone to hug and to hug me and yeah. All I got right now is my blanket, so we will just have to deal.

Here’s my Masterlist.

Enjoy.

—–

"How am I supposed to face him? I've been living his life for eight years now. What if he tries to kill me?" Roy let his mouth run, asking rhetorical question after question while you drove him to the hospital.

"What if Ollie wants him back? What if he wants to go back to Ollie? What if Ollie makes me-"

"Roy," you gently laid your hand on his leg, capturing his attention and his focus went to you. "Why are you so nervous about this? You've spent the last five years trying to find him and now you sound like you're about to meet the president." Your eyes flickered over to him, making sure to pay most of your attention to the road ahead of you.

He sighed and slouched down into his seat, "I just don't know what he'll think of me." His words lost in the wind blowing through the rolled down window, the hospital coming into view.

"If he's even half the Roy he was, in sure he'll get over it." You smiled over at him as you pulled into a parking space, hoping to yourself that this will all work out fine.

The two of you walked into the entrance of the hospital and saw an anxious and pacing Ollie waiting for the two of you. He spotted you two as you entered and briskly made his way over to you. "Roy, Y/N, thank goodness you're here."

"Hey dad." You smiled up at him, pulling him into what felt like a much-needed hug. "It's good to see you."

"I am too, Y/N I just wish it was under different circumstances. Mom says hi." You sighed, happy to smell his cologne again, not having seen him since New Year's.

"Tell her I say hi back." You pulled away from the hug, your dad turning to say hello to Roy. "Is he awake?" You pursed your lips, watching both your father and Roy shuffle from side to side.

"Yeah, he's this way." You two followed your dad down the corridor, Roy's hands were tightly holding onto one another before you slipped your hand between them, taking his clammy hand into yours.

"It's gonna be fine, babe," you whispered quietly before entering the room you assumed to be Roy Harper's...the other one.

Ollie opened the door for the two of you and you all walked into the room. The view out the window gave a perfect overlook of Star City, a view you've seen your entire life, from looking out your bedroom window to running across the roof tops of the City's skyscrapers. 

In the middle of the white hospital room, pulled against one of the stable walls was a bed and the millions of cords leading to a heart monitor, IV lines and a lot more, hooking up to a lot of beeping.

And laying on that bed was none other than an exact copy of the nervous man beside you.

Only he was younger.

And his arm was also missing.

"I told you I'm-Ollie?" His blue eyes widened to the size of saucers, but they weren't the eyes you knew.

They were different than what they use to look like. Colder, more shut off, scared.

"Hey Roy, how are you feeling?" Your father asked as he took one of the seats near the bed.

"I wish everyone would stop asking me that," he grumbled to himself, his thumb twiddling with the air, possibly dancing with an imaginary partner, his eyes darted around the room and never looking directly at his former mentor.

You swallowed the heavy feeling in your throats and turned to look at Roy, your Roy, the one you'd fallen in love with when he tripped over a statue of your grandmother when he tried to ask you out in a date. His eyes were alive and warm, and staring directly at the icy blue ones of the original Roy.

Oi all these Roys are giving you a headache.

Squeezing his hand gently, his attention was drawn to you, returning the pressure into your hand. "Now or never," he mouthed to you before he stepped out from behind your father, just enough to keep you hidden still behind his built figure.

"Oh, you're...you're the one who got me back didn't you?" He avoided the word rescue, still the same Roy you knew, never wanting to admit needing help, his eyes also avoiding his doppelgänger standing in front of him. "Th-thanks I guess."

You sighed from behind your dad's back, much louder than you intended, bringing Roy's eyes to look in your direction, "What, is there another one of me to show me?" Oliver's body shifted in front of you so he can look down at you, looking for an answer from you. 

You nodded your head and stepped out from behind his back, keeping Roy's hand in your own, you sucked your lip in between your teeth as you slowly looked up to see the other Roy staring at you in shock. "Y-Y/N?"

"Hey, Roy." You smiled sadly at him. His eyes absorbed as much of you as he can, running them up and down your body, stopping when he saw you and his clone were clasping hands. He scoffs and turns away, trying to cross his arms for only to be reminded that it was gone. 

"Great, so while I was on ice, you found another Roy Harper, the sidekicks formed their own team, aliens invaded the earth, and Ollie grew that dopey goatee?" You bit back a giggle, instead coming out as a snigger when you looked over to see your father's reaction. 

But hearing the word sidekick plucked an old string for both you and Roy, your Roy. "We try not to call ourselves sidekicks." You shifted your weight around, feeling out of place while your father argued for the dignity of his goatee. 

Grabbing for a familiar looking folder, you pulled up the medical charts to see what the doctors thought of the returned super. You flipped through the pages, easily able to understand everything from your years of practice of being on the medical team in Mount Justice and understood that he really was on ice. He hadn't aged a day since you last saw him, but he legally should be twenty-three by now, everything about him was the same as Roy, how could they be different, they were exact clones. 

"And what happened to my arm?! And now my clone goes and steals Y/N?!" Your breath got caught in your throat, honestly you felt so guilty about this whole situation. Setting the folder back on the table, you turned back to three men, all three were on you, almost expecting you to take over the situation. 

"Roy..." You took a seat in the very uncomfortable chair next to your used to be best friend, his eyes staring into your own, waiting for an answer. "I guess it's time," You wrung your hands together, your breath shaking as you thought how to best explain to him what happened.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

The two of you puzzle pieced everything together, you told him what he missed while he filed in what he last remembered. It broke your heart to see him look so heartbroken to hear eight years had passed since he went missing. 

He listened as everyone told their part of the story, your dad explaining how hard he worked, Roy telling him how he was grown and had no clue that he was a clone, while you watched him intently, being the brunt of the bad news. 

"So, you're saying...that you took my place, you've been living my life for eight years." Roy stared bitterly at the other one, who sheepishly looked down at his shoes. 

"Hey," You weaved your fingers between his, the contact sending a shiver down his spine as he looked between your face and his hand. "Roy worked tirelessly to find you, for the past five years he has been looking for you nonstop. To the point it almost drove him crazy." You muttered, looking at him briefly before looking back at the younger Roy. 

"Huh," Little Roy nodded and turned to look at your dad. "but not you, you gave up on me." 

"Roy," You hissed at him, tightening your grip on his hand, except the wrong Roy went to answer. 

Your Roy stepped forward, placing his hand on my shoulder, looking down at his clone. "Look, I don't want to be the cause of anymore arguments, I understand if neither of you really want to lay eyes on me again." 

You were about to turn back around when the little Roy beat you to the chase, "I don't know, but from what I see, the clone didn't do anything wrong. He didn't ask to be created, plus, he found me, so I can't blame him." Thinking the four of you had finally come to a happy understanding, you loosened your grip on his hand from death grip to comforting presence. 

"But I can blame you!" 

"Roy!" You pulled him back from attacking your dad even if he couldn't do much to him. "Dad, Roy, leave!"

"Y/N, if that really-" 

You stared back a the two of them with a glare that bested Batman's, "Out." The two grown men left, their heads low as they were kicked out by a twenty-two-year old girl. Groaning, you let your body fall onto the chair behind you, your weight pushing the piece of crappy furniture backwards some inches. "They can be so infuriating."

Looking back up at Little Roy, his new and unsaid nickname sticking with him now, you had hoped he would just talk to you, after all, you two were childhood friends. "Why are you here?" His voice was hushed, and his body shrunk as his mind churned and thought of the information he was just presented. 

"Because I wanted to make sure that you three didn't kill each other," You chuckled, hoping to grab some sort of reaction from him, nada. "I wanted to see you, Roy. Is that too hard to believe that someone cares about you?" For the first time since you arrived, a smile graced his lips, his eyes showed how grateful he was towards you. 

"You've changed," Roy couldn't help that his eyes took in your appearance, you were the same as he left years ago, but you looked older, your eyes looked like there was more wisdom behind them. But something caught his eye as you went to cross your arms.

"So, have you, Roy." You could feel his eyes just looking at you, all of you, and his eyes were curious, so many questions behind them. "Ask away my friend." You chuckled as he blushed at you finding him out.

"You can still read me like an open book I see." You nodded, waiting for him to go on. "How did you...what was it like with me gone?"

Biting your lip, you had to think before answering this one. "Honestly Roy, it was like you never left, yes you were missing, but Roy, the other Roy that is, was just like you. We never had a reason to suspect he wasn't you until we found the file on him being a project of Cadmus." 

The ginger nodded his head, he was expecting that answer, but it still hurt to hear it. "I see the ring. You don't have to hide it you know." Now it was your turn to blush, it was only a matter of time before he saw the gold band on your left ring finger. "I had been dreaming of doing that since the day I met you." 

You smiled at the memory, spinning the ring around as you leaned forward, twiddling with it while you thought back to the simpler times. "You mean when you insulted my mom or when I fell into my birthday cake." 

"How about when you gave me a bloody nose." The two of you were happily laughing about the time your parents thought it was a great idea to invite Roy to your birthday party, that day didn't end well, but it did lead to the two of you being fast friends. "It's still crooked from that, I don't think I could ever forgive you."

"Well obviously you did I mean you mar-" You cut yourself short, forgetting for that second that this wasn't your Roy you were talking to, but the other one. The one your Roy is based off. 

"I was going to ask you to go out with me as soon as I got back from that mission, that's why those goons got the jump on me, I was smiling like an idiot just at the thought of asking you and I was distracted. I had it all planned out, I was gonna swoop in and when you got home from school-"

"You were going to give me a teddy bear with a box of chocolates and be all romantic and ask me out." Finishing the story, you grinned at that memory as well. "He did that you know. At least, he tried. He ended up trip over my nana's bust, successfully breaking it." 

Looking up at Roy, he was staring down at the stump where his arm used to be, a frown on his face and his eyes sad and slowly getting glossy. "So, he really was me. An exact duplicate." 

You leaned forward and gently ran your fingers over his face, stroking his cheek with your thumb, "No, you two are very different people, he may have acted like you Roy, but no one can be you Roy Harper. You are the most talented, amazing kid I have ever know, pretty damn hot too." His face got warm under your touch, his eyes finally looking up to meet yours again, the glass getting thicker.

"So why did you marry him?" 

"Roy," you sighed and looked back at the door where you're sure your dad and other Roy were listening intently. "I can't ever say if it would have been you and I if this all never happened. That's in the what if universe, but I do know, that I love my Roy, he may have started out like you, but he is a different person. You will be nothing like him when you are twenty-three. You two may look the same, but I promise you, that there is only one of you, Roy." 

Roy slowly nodded his head, leaning into your touch while your hand still rested on his cheek, letting a few salty tears run down his face before he takes a deep breath and wipes his damp cheeks dry. "I think I better let you get some rest." You whispered quietly as you stood up to let him have his own time, knowing that was a big part of his processing things. 

"Wait," Roy grabbed hold of your hand, stopping you from getting to far. He noted the tips of his fingers were rubbing the smooth gold wedding band, but he ignored that, knowing this was stupid he asked anyway. "Before you go, Y/N, can I...can I...I wanted to..." He was at a loss for words. The woman he had always loved was married to another, to himself. 

"What is it Roy?" You sat back down, not letting go of his hand, letting him have your full attention. 

He gulped, finally having the courage. "Canikissyou?" His words came out a gargled mess, his mouth deciding to break, and his face went red hot, almost as red as his hair. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Working on calming him down, you ran your free hand through his hair, know at least your Roy became like a purring kitten when your fingers met his hair. 

Roy slowed down his breathing and tried one more time to ask, "Can I...kiss you?" He kept his eyes glued to his lap, examining the wrappings on his opposite arm, his fingers still interlaced with yours. 

There was an awkward silence in the air between the two of you, he waited for you to storm out and never look at him again, but he still felt your hand holding onto his. 

"Well how am I supposed to give you a kiss when you won't even look at me." His eyes slowly looked up to yours, a smile on your face as you moved to sit next to him on the bed. 

He leaned in a little closer to you and you leaned in towards him where the two of you met in the middle. You pressed a quick and chaste kiss to his lips, your experience in this field evident as he was totally shocked about what just happened. 

"That's right, I was your first kiss." You chuckled at his bright red cheeks, pressed another kiss to his cheek this time, chuckling at the young blushing fifteen-year-old. "If it makes you feel any better, you were mine too." You stood up as you gave his hand a final squeeze before letting it go, walking out the door.

Before you reached the door, you looked back at the ginger and smiled at him, and he smiled back. "If you need anything, I write my number down for you to use if you need to talk about anything thing. It's on your charts if you ever want it."

"Thank you, Y/N." He smiled at you again, his cheeks still dusted pink as you left the room. 

Outside you met your dad and your Roy waiting for you, "You guys should probably go easy on him if you want him to get accumulated to everything." Ollie nodded his head and turned back to a waiting doctor. 

Roy gently pulled you into a hug, resting his chin on top of your head and smothering you in his chest. "He asked me to kiss him." You whispered into his chest, your own actions shocking you as soon as you realized what you just did. Feeling his grip around you tighten, you knew he heard you. "And I did."

You could hear the deep sigh, the breath tickling the top of your head. "I'm not angry, but, why?"

"He's just like you when you came back." You looked up at your husband's face, studying it and seeing how much eight years has done to him, it was shocking to see especially with the younger him being on the other side of a wall. "Lost, confused. I just wanted to give him some comfort."

Roy hummed to you, pressing a kiss to your forehead before he slowly let you out of his bear hug. "Let's go home," he said as you linked pinkie fingers together, him gently pulling you down the hallway. 

"Home sounds good." You thought of Roy, both of them, they were the same person, but two completely different people. "Roy?" 

"Yeah?" He looked back at you, happily surprised when you met him with a small peck. "Hmm, nice little surprise."

"I love you, Roy Harper." You smiled up at him, something in you happily told you that this was him. 

Yes, that young fifteen-year-old pulled out of time was Roy Harper, there's no denying it.

But the man in front of you, your ginger, arrow shooting husband, he was just as much Roy Harper. But he was different. 

That's because he was your Roy Harper. 

[snarkwriteswrasslin]

what ifs; adam page [six]

Notes:

Okay, so the angst is not over but.. I bring you guys a small  break from it. And again, I swear. I fully intend to update this as soon as possible. I’m having too much fun writing this and I have way too many plans. [ part five ] if you missed it.

Summary:

Fluffy little moment in the kitchen here.. if you squint. But the angst is not over yet. Just giving you guys a small break. Adam and Ivy bake together and have a few laughs.. Maybe they can rebuild a friendship.

Pairings:

Adam Hangman Page x OFC, Ivy Barlow

Warnings:

alcohol tw, angst, slow burn, mentions of exotic dancing... did I mention angst? because yeah.

Images from google. Header made by me. If you didn’t make it, don’t take it.

“What’s this I hear about you running off to West Virginia permanently? Do you not know how to pick up a phone anymore, Ivy?” Irene paced her living room and waited on her daughter to give her some kind of reason for just uprooting herself and not even bothering to say anything about it.

They’d lost touch, yes, but Irene had always just assumed that Ivy was on her side of things. She hadn’t ever said anything contrary to that.

Ivy rolled her eyes and for a split second, she heavily considered hanging up the phone.Her mother hadn’t even bothered with the formality of a hello. She didn’t even bother to ask how her former husband was. Ivy grumbled because if it weren’t already painfully clear just how self - absorbed the woman was and how little she cared about anything beyond having total control over everything, this would really have driven that point home. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and as she parked the car outside the hospital, she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

It wasn’t even 11 am and she was already completely and totally done with today.

“You do realize that Hello is also a polite way to start a conversation, right? You could also try asking how everyone is… you know, make sure we’re all okay here?” Ivy’s tone was clipped and harsh and almost immediately after she realized it, she muttered a hasty apology. Sure her mom was selfish and controlling and had no sense of anything beyond how a situation affected her. But she is still my mother and I know better, Ivy reprimanded herself mentally, taking a few long and deep breaths to try and neutralize herself before things got out of hand.

“Don’t you take that tone with me. Your father will be fine.” Irene grumbled impatiently. When Ivy sighed and muttered something about their conversations being ‘business as usual’, Irene snorted and reminded her casually, “I’m not the one who stopped calling or coming by, Ivy Jane.”

“Maybe there’s a valid reason for that, Mom.” Ivy shut the door to her car with her hip and locked it, staring intently at the hospital as she thought to herself God I hope I get good news in here, at least. I don’t think I can handle any more bad news, and she took a few steps towards the double doors leading into the lobby. Her mother hadn’t said anything yet and Ivy was getting increasingly impatient. It was kind of obvious by now that she’d called just to pick a fight.

If that is the case, Ivy thought to herself, I really wish she’d just get it over with so I can hang up on her and get inside to Dad.

“ You haven’t answered my question.” Irene stated, waiting on her daughter to answer. She just didn’t understand why Ivy had to do this, why Ivy would even want to go back there. “What if I needed you, huh?”

She thought that might at least make Ivy feel a little guilty for her hasty decision, but to her shock, Ivy gave a snort of laughter and for a few seconds, the conversation got so quiet that Irene almost thought Ivy might have hung up on her again like the last time they’d talked.

Finally, Ivy answered.

“You’ll be fine, Mom. You don’t need me, you’ve never needed anyone. As far as why I left and if it’s true? I left because Ty is a selfish asshole who doesn’t understand my family comes first. And yeah, Mom.. I’m moving here permanently.” Ivy bit her lip and grimaced. It was better this way, best to just rip that bandage off all at once. And then totally cut contact. Because she’d already let her mom have entirely too much input in her life to begin with. This was the first time she’d actively stood up to her mother and damn, it felt good.

She pushed open the doors to the lobby and stepped inside the hospital while she waited on her mother to have some kind of reaction, to start her patent method of guilt tripping her. And true to form, that’s exactly what her mother did.

“First Constance and now you. I see how it is. I get it. You love your father more.” Irene bit her lip, sighing and shaking her head sadly. Neither one of the two of them were grateful at all that she took them out, that they got to see the world. That she worked her ass off to make sure they didn’t just fall into the whole small town trap like she nearly had. Not that Dalton was ever a bad man I just… needed more, wanted more… Wanted to see the world. I never would’ve stuck around or gotten married as young as I did if I hadn’t gotten pregnant with any of the three of them, the thought came and Irene frowned at it, shaking her head.

As a mother, it made her feel horrible every time that thought surfaced, but she couldn’t help it.. She’d had her entire life planned out and then along came a cowboy who fancied himself a rancher with his big brown bedroom eyes and his smooth talk and his truck and his simple ways… She’d thought she could be happy, that in time she’d learn to love it…She’d gotten trapped before she ever realized it and now.. Now… Everything ended with a fight where two of her girls were concerned. Her second oldest seemed to be the only one of her girls who was happy, who had a good relationship with her now. It hurt like hell. Irene didn’t know how to go about fixing it. Sometimes she wondered why she bothered trying because it seemed as if everything she said or did where Constance and Ivy were concerned was all wrong.

Why keep forcing herself on the two of them if they didn’t want her as part of their lives? Despite that, Irene kept trying.

Because they were her daughters and despite what they seemed to think, she did love them.

“No, I didn’t say that. I’ve never said that. You’re not going to make me feel guilty about this. If that’s all you called to do, I need to go. I’m meeting with Dad’s nurse.” Ivy caught herself tapping her foot, rolling her eyes at the phone and almost tempted to just go ahead and skip several minutes ahead in this whole thing they’d done lately, get to the part where she got fed up and rather than say something angry and hurtful, she just took the more passive route and hung up.

“I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, I’m just trying to understand, Ivy. I thought you loved Ty. I thought you were happy in Florida.”

“No, Mom. You’ve got it in your head that my life is all wrong unless I’m living it your way. I never wanted your way. I hated Florida.” Ivy wasn’t even sure what made her say it or why she was so irrationally angry at her mother’s calm tone, but she was and before she could stop herself, the words were out and she felt horrible for saying them. “I’m sorry, Mom, I just…I can’t do this with you right now, okay? There are way bigger things going on right now. I don’t have time to fight with you.”

Ivy hung up and settled into a chair in the waiting room, rubbing her forehead, shaking her head and taking a few deep breaths. She’d call back later and at least apologize. She honestly hadn’t ever intended to say it out loud.

Irene wiped at her eyes, taking a few deep breaths as she sat the phone down on the kitchen counter. “Well then. Guess I just got my answer. Tried to do something to make sure they didn’t end up like I almost did and now apparently, two of my three hate me for it.”

It hurt like hell, because all she wanted was to be part of all her daughters’ lives. All of them, not just one. She had two grandchildren she was  totally missing out on being a grandmother to. And Ivy, if Ivy ever settled down and had kids… Irene’s stomach churned and she poured herself a glass of tea, taking a long sip. All she wanted was everyone to be happy. And now she was discovering that apparently, she’d been all wrong to do the things she had back then.

For the first time in a long time, she found herself wondering if maybe she hadn’t been wrong to just uproot all three of them and make them feel like they didn’t have a choice. Even suspecting it might have been the wrong decision and that every one she’d made since then hadn’t really helped any didn’t sit well with her at all.

As soon as visiting hours began, Ivy stood and made her way to her father’s room, shutting the door lightly behind her and taking a seat next to his bed, laughing when she realized that apparently, teaching him how to work a laptop had been a good idea, because he was watching Netflix, some original series called The Ranch.

“Darlin.. Everything okay?” Dalton paused the show and pushed away the rolling table with her old laptop sitting on top and fixed his gaze on her intently.

“Yeah. Everything is fine.” Ivy leaned in to hug her father, squeezing just a little.

Dalton eyed his youngest daughter suspiciously and Ivy admitted, “Just arguin with Mama. Got reminded why I never bothered.” as she sighed and shook her head, quick to slap a smile on. “I heard you’re gettin out of here tomorrow.”

“Thank God. If I gotta eat one more salad, I think I’m gonna lose my damn mind.”

“I hate to tell you, daddy.. But seein as me and Connie and the kids want you around a real long time, old man, you’d better just learn to love vegetables and fruit.”

“A man is not made t’ eat that shit. We need meat.. Potatoes.” Dalton protested, grumbling when his daughter fluffed his hair and shook her head. “Christ. Startin to wish I would have just hid instead of gettin dragged here.”

“Daddy..”

“I’ve made it this damn long living life my way. No sense in changing now, darlin.” Dalton insisted.

Ivy bit her lip and laughed, shaking her head at him. “You’re going to have to at least try to make some of the changes they gave you… For us? Please?”

“Okay, alright, fine. Shit. How’s the farm? Page ain’t let that dumb fuck hand of his touch any of my tools, right?”

“No, thankfully, Adam’s been the one handling them the most.” Ivy bit her lip as she tried to will away all the images of Adam in varying states of undress making repairs out in the barn that she’d walked in on and had been burned into her brain.

“Oh? Page’s boy come home, huh? Did you hear he went off and got all famous on us? Still the same guy though. He was always one hell of a kid.”

“Yeah, he’s a good man.” Ivy didn’t bother hesitating as she said it.

“You two talk about anythin’?” Dalton made it a point to ask his daughter that question and when her jaw set and she shook her head, he reached out, fluffing her hair as he chuckled. “Ya get the stubborn side honest, darlin.”

“Hey! He does too!”  Ivy pointed it out with a soft laugh as she shook her head. After a few seconds, she shrugged. “It’s all water under the bridge now anyway. I’d settle for just being friends again.”

“And who says you can’t, huh?”

“I guess I could try?” Ivy bit her lip as she mulled it over. Her father nodded and pointed out, “Friends is better than nothing.”

“It is.”

XXX

The house was in a frenzy when Adam peeked in and he chuckled. Ivy was swearing, fanning at smoke and opening the windows and Constance was laughing about it. “I told you we could’ve just bought a cake. Nooooo… you just had to try to play Betty Crocker, today of all days.”

“I used to be better at baking. Anyway, speak for yourself Ms. I charbroiled the chicken.” Ivy poked out her tongue at her older sister as she wrinkled her nose and grabbed the cake plate, hurrying towards the trash with it.

Adam chuckled and cleared his throat as he stepped in, waving his hands, snickering harder when Constance hurried past with the burnt remnants of the chicken she’d been baking and stopped long enough to offer an apologetic smile.

“Ya’ll need any help in here, or?” Adam asked both women with Ivy blurting “Yes” and Connie insisting that they had it under control and he’d done enough. Adam eyed Ivy and he gave a teasing wink, opting to listen to her answer.

Connie looked from Adam to Ivy and muttered with a soft laugh, “I’m gonna just run into town.. Maybe buy some more chicken and some other stuff.”

“And a cake.” Ivy laughed out after her sister before turning her attention to Adam.

“You don’t have to stay…” Ivy shook her head, tensing a little as that tension between them came right back in, lingering heavily.

“It’s fine. Not like I had anywhere else to be.” Adam shrugged, taking the bowl with dry flour sitting out on the island and dumping the little bit of flour left in the bowl into the garbage. He turned around and found himself body to body with Ivy, who was apparently trying to put a bowl into the sink nearby.

Adam found himself staring down at her intently, maybe migrating a little closer. “ I really make you that nervous?” he questioned, swallowing hard when she shook her head and made no move to back away like he figured she would.

“No, you don’t.”

Adam bit his lip, clenching and unclenching his hand at his side, fighting the urge to rest it against her hip as he nodded to the destruction of the kitchen all around them. “What were ya’ll doing anyway?”

“Well, the hospital is lettin dad come home tomorrow. And the twins birthdays are coming up, so we were gonna celebrate earlier than usual, invite everybody over tomorrow but have it all ready to go.. Which, as you can see, went off the rails.”

“Not entirely.” Adam chuckled, rubbing his chin in thought.

“Have you looked around? There’s flour on the ceiling beam, Adam.”

Adam chuckled and reached out, before he could stop himself, rubbing his thumb over flour smeared across the bridge of her nose. “ I thought you used to love bakin.. You were always makin me things.”

“Guess I just haven’t done it in a while. And anyway, that was a new recipe I found!”

“Okay, look.. All the other stuff can wait ‘til tomorrow. But if you really wanna make this cake of yours.. I don’t mind helpin.” Adam’s body brushed against hers and Ivy’s breath caught in her throat. Before she could stop herself, she was nodding yes and gathering up everything they might need.

It was a good distraction. It got her moving, it kept her from doing what she longed to do most at that point in time, hugging herself against him, burying her face in his chest and just letting her earlier talk with her mother out because she’d always felt like she could tell him anything.

She just missed that so much. She missed him and yes, it was driving her crazy, the strain between them.

Adam pouted as she stepped away, busying herself with gathering up all her ingredients and starting to measure them out. Taking another one of his beer cans out of the fridge, he popped the top and took a long sip. “Why not just make that chocolate one you always used to make?”

Ivy stopped and dragged her fingers through wild waves, staring up at him and smiling as she gave a slow nod. “That’s actually not a bad idea.”

“I get half, right?” Adam teased, making her give a soft laugh and she shrugged. “I mean.. I could make you a smaller one. Can you even still eat things like chocolate cake?” Ivy teased gently, stopping in front of him again as she stared up, “Being on tv and all that jazz?”

“Do I look like I care one way or the other, darlin?” Adam’s voice came out huskier and he leaned down, fingertips just barely brushing against her side. He almost wanted to smirk a little when he felt her shiver ever so slightly.

Maybe there’s still somethin’ there after all. Adam thought to himself as he cleared his throat and clapped his hands together, mostly to distract himself.

“I believe we were about to try sharin a kitchen again.”

“I believe we were.” Ivy pouted, praying he didn’t notice it as she met his gaze and plastered on a little smile. “We should… probably get this started, hm?”

“Yeah.” Adam swallowed hard as her fingertips momentarily trailed over the front of his black tee shirt… When she wiped flour onto his nose, he grumbled and poked out his tongue. “Haha. Real funny, darlin.”

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist it.” Ivy giggled, trying to dart out of his reach as he tried to catch her…

[golbrocklovely]

only the lonely survive // colby brock - chapter ten: you suck so passionately

A/N: hey everyone. i’m slowly trying to churn these out since i’m only two or so chapters ahead. so, i might not update for another couple days. that being said, i will be posting the first chapter of ‘twisted’ soon, so get ready for that. i’m also gonna be posting a playlist of all the chapter titles from this story.  feel free to request anything in the meantime.  hope you enjoy! :)

description of the story

taglist:  @ajosieface , @localsleeper , @julyrubyrose

trigger warning: fluff, cursing

word count: 1758

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I could feel the bed shift around me. I still had my eyes closed, not wanting to get up yet. I peaked open one eye. I could see the silhouette of a man, pulling jeans on. His back was to me.

Colby...

He grabbed the shirt off the chair in the corner and threw it on. I stretched slowly, pulling the covers off me. Colby turned to me.

"Did I wake you up?" He quietly asked.

I shook my head. "Not really. What time is it?"

"It's a little after eleven." He replied, grabbing his phone.

"And you're awake? Congratulations." I mumbled, smirking.

He chuckled. "Funny."

I pulled myself out of my bed. "Are you leaving right now?"

"Yeah. My uber's gonna be here in a minute or so." He nodded, slowly walking out of my room. I followed behind him.

We walked into the living room. Brennen, lounged on the couch, looked up and saw us.

"Hey cutie." Brennen commented.

"Are you saying that to me or Colby?" I sassed, resting my hands on my hips.

"...Both." He replied.

I shook my head, rolling my eyes. I heard Colby's phone vibrate. He glanced down at it. "My ride's here."

"Okay. It was nice seeing you again." I mentioned, opening my arms and giving him a hug.

He squeezed me tight, swaying us. "I'll text you later." He whispered.

"Alright." I pulled away, smiling.

He waved at Brennen and opened the front door, leaving quickly.

"Is Casey here?" I asked, turning to Brennen.

He shook his head. "No, she left early this morning."

"She's probably at the gym. She likes to go super early if she has a lot on her mind." I stated, shrugging slightly.

"Can I be straight with you?" Brennen inquired.

"Sure?"

"Do you realize how much Colby likes you or are you playing hard to get?"

I cocked my head to the side. "What?"

"I'm serious." He deadpanned.

"Colby doesn't like me." I doubted, crossing my arms.

"Yeah, he does. I know him very well and even though he falls in love with every girl he meets, you seem a bit different." He pointed out, mimicking my stance.

"I highly doubt he likes me. We're just friends." I scoffed.

"For right now. Do you like him?" He teased, smirking.

I exhaled. "C'mon Brennen..."

"I just want to know. I won't tell him." He chuckled.

"I mean... I guess so." I answered.

Brennen queried. "Are you attracted to him?"

"Are you attracted to Casey?" I taunted.

His face twisted. "This isn't about me."

"Answer my question and I'll answer yours." I dared, uncrossing my arms.

After a moment, he responded. "Yes."

"Okay." I slowly started walking to the kitchen.

"Well is that an 'okay' to my answer or to my question?" He questioned, following me into the kitchen.

"Both?" I grinned.

I grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge as he entered.

"Do you know if she likes me?" He mumbled, looking down towards the floor.

"Casey? I mean... I know she finds you hot." I admitted.

He rolled his eyes. "Well, everyone does. But how do I get her to like me more?"

"First and foremost, maybe stop flirting with me." I explained, shrugging.

"But I find it so fun." He teased, sitting on the counter.

"She doesn't. And Colby probably doesn't either if he apparently likes me." I insisted, taking a sip from my bottle.

He nodded his head. "Valid point. But if all else fails, you're still my future baby mama."

"No, I'm not." I groaned.

He moved on. "Oh by the way, the Trap House is throwing a party tomorrow."

I scrunched up my face. "You guys literally went to a party last night."

"That is true, however, it did end with us almost fighting a clout chaser." He recalled.

"I guess so." I agreed.

"Plus, a lot of the parties we've been to recently have kinda sucked. But the Trap House... they know how to throw a party." He smiled brightly.

The front door busted open, banging against the wall. "Brennen I'm gonna fucking kill you!" Casey's voice yelled out. She came rushing into the kitchen.

"Woah, woah, woah! What did I do?!" He sputtered, jumping off the counter.

"You know exactly what you did! Delete the tweets right now!" She shoved her finger at him, getting in his face.

"What tweets?" I asked.

She grunted. "You haven't seen them, have you?"

"No? What's going on?" I puzzled.

"Last night at the party, Brennen asked for my number and in my slightly tipsy state, I mistakenly gave it to him. He also asked for our instagrams so I gave them to him. And since your and mine's ats are the same on insta and twitter, he followed us on both." She explained, glaring at Brennen.

"Okay? And what's the problem?" I replied.

Brennen sighed, and slowly pulled his phone out. "Well I might have tweeted about Travis and what he said to you..."

He slowly showed me his phone. It was on his twitter, showing three tweets in a row from him at around one AM last night.

BrennenTaylor: TRAVIS MARCUS IS A BITCH

BrennenTaylor: what fuckin loserr has to make fun of girls and film it to feel good about themselves??? @travismarcus

BrennenTaylor: @skyebennett is fucking GORGEOUS and @travismarcus is an asshole for calling her fat. what are u 12?

It took a moment for the words to click in my head. "Brennen..." I sighed, covering my eyes.

"Look I'm sorry! I was drunk and pissed off. I wrote them when I was in the uber on the way over here. I forgot I even wrote them to be honest." He apologized, pulling his phone away from me.

"What are people saying... about me?" I questioned.

"Everyone's being really nice honestly. But Brennen shouldn't of at-ed you in the first place." Casey sneered, slapping Brennen's arm lightly.

"Has Travis said anything?" I mumbled.

"No. But he did DM me asking me to take the tweets down 'cause he heard this is gonna go on Messy Monday soon." Brennen pointed out.

"That's gonna make the situation so much worse." I grumbled, resting my back against the counter.

"I know you probably don't want attention, but people need to know he's a dick." Brennen sighed again, continuing. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. I'll take them down if you want me to."

I shook my head. "No it's fine."

We all stood around awkwardly for a moment. I could tell Brennen was uncomfortable and Casey was still pretty pissed. "I'll be right back." I uttered, leaving the kitchen quickly.

I could hear Casey and Brennen bicker as I went to my room to get my phone. I hadn't even thought to look at it this morning. I grabbed it and turned it on. Multiple notifications popped up. I went to Youtube first.

I had gained about 500 new subscribers.

Oh... I guess that's nice.

I then went to Instagram. I had many request messages. And from scrolling through some, I could tell most people felt bad for me. Some, who were fans of Travis, were not so empathetic. Finally going to twitter, I saw extreme amounts of positive messages. There was a hashtag started - #travismarcusisoverparty. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

This doesn't even feel real at this point.

I scrolled through my dms to see I had a message from Travis himself.

Travis: please tell Brennen to take down the tweets. Things are getting out of hand. I apologize for what I said.

I rolled my eyes but replied to the message anyway.

Skye: I can't force him to take it down. That's up to him. Thank you for apologizing, but you shouldn't have said what you said in the first place. You're too old to be making fun of people like that.

"Hey Skye?" I heard Brennen voice call to me.

I looked up to see him standing in my doorway. "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna be heading out. I gotta go feed Kobe and go workout. Also if I don't leave soon, Casey's gonna murder me." He stated.

I chuckled. "Okay. Give me a hug goodbye."

He smiled sadly, walking over to me and embracing me. He pulled away, keeping me in his arms. "I'm really sorry I brought you into this dumb drama."

"It's okay. I don't mind what you said. And I mean besides, Travis was gonna get his comeuppance at some point. It just happened to deal with me too." I shrugged.

He cocked his head to the side, smirking. "Comeuppance?"

"What?" I asked.

"Do they use words like that in college? I wouldn't know obviously..." He trailed off, slowly backing away from me.

I groaned. "Oh my God, get out of my house."

"Alright, I'm going, I'm going." He mimicked back, waving. "I'll text you later!"

"See ya!" I yelled back, grabbing my phone.

Just as I heard the front door close, I felt my phone vibrate. I looked down, seeing a new message from Colby.

Colby: forgot to tell u but i'm throwing a party tomorrow. do u wanna come???

I smiled, opening the message and responding.

Skye: Brennen already told me about it. And yeah I'm down 😊

I walked over to my dresser and grabbed some clothes for the day. I heard my phone vibrate again.

Colby: i know this is sudden, but would u want to film a video w me?

Wait what?

Skye: uh yeah. what did you have in mind?

I sat on my bed, waiting for him to reply. I could see he was typing out his message.

Colby: i was thinking like a q&a with a fan or something else if u have a better idea

I couldn't believe this was happening. He actually wanted to film a video with me...

Maybe Brennen wasn't lying about him like me after all.

Skye: no I like that idea! when did you want to film it?

I started to get dress, needing to do something to pass the time in between Colby texting me.

*buzz buzz*

Colby: before the party tomorrow, if that's good for you.

I bit my lip staring down at my phone. I almost couldn't contain my excitement.

Skye: sounds great! lmk when you want me to come over tomorrow then

I placed my phone down, and then slowly laid down on my bed. I glanced up at the ceiling.

Why do I think this party tomorrow is gonna change my life?

<< CHAPTER 9 || CHAPTER 11 >>

[happy-meo]

Save Me. (Yoongi x Reader) PART 10 FINALE

“It swallowed me, this lunatic. Please save me tonight. Within this childish madness, you will save me tonight.” - [“Save Me” - BTS]

Summary: It was an unprecedented love that bloomed within the halls of your high school, until secret words were overheard, and shattered the budding romance. It changed your life forever, leading you down a path you had never thought you would be on– training to become a secret agent. You chose it to escape Yoongi and the results of how things ended between you two, but as fate would have it, that very same choice ended up leading you right back to him. Will you be able to save your clients and solve mysteries together despite your history? Will you be able to save each other? Will you able to save yourself…from yourself?    

Yoongi x Reader (ft. Jin & all the other BTS members)

Secret Agent AU

Mystery, Action, Angst, & Fluff (contains some violence, mentions of murder, death, harassment, and bullying)

PARTS: Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 (Finale) | Bonus: The Letter

A/N: FINALLY THE FINALE! Wow, this has been one of my longest series...I honestly didn’t think it would grow to be this long, but thank you so much for giving my first mystery fic so much love <3 and for waiting so patiently for each update through tough work weeks and vacations that delayed them. I appreciate each and every one of you! I LOVE YOU! I hope you enjoy ~

           "Yoonji. Y/N's disappeared."

           Prez's call had turned Yoongi's entire being icy, despite being drenched in sweat from basketball practice. Without another word, he had rushed to the library where he currently had Prez's neck in a death grip, fuming despite his insides churning at the feeling of being so damn close, only to have you slip out of his fingertips once again.

           "Why is it that you're always around when these things happen?" he growled dangerously, ready to dig his fingers into the very pressure points that could immobilize the man in front of him.

           Surprisingly, Prez seemed unfazed by the current situation, as if he had assumed this was how his call would result.

           "Look. I was just going to visit her. The Librarian said she was here so I went to her usual spot, but I only found her empty backpack and blazer lying around." Prez explained.

           "I don't trust you." Yoongi flared. "Where are her things? She always has that damn book with her and her notebook. Her things should still be here. WHERE ARE HER THINGS?!"

           "I'm really not sure what you're talking about." Prez frowned. "I thought we could spend less time fighting, and you know, more time trying to find out where she went again."

           Yoongi shoved him forcefully to the side, and grabbed your, as Prez had stated, barren backpack. He rummaged through it. There was no way you wouldn't have protected your things, and to any random person, it would just be a book and a notebook of scribbles, nothing important.

           "If I find out you took her." Yoongi snarled as he puffed his chest out. Although he was smaller than Prez, he had a more fiery, intimidating aura once his anger was set ablaze. And it surely was at this point.

           "I promise you, Yoonji." Prez stared at him intently. "I didn't."

           Yoongi stomped out of the library with your things, his mind reeling and his heart thumping against his chest. They had been one step ahead of them again.

           Immediately, he was pulled into Jimin's office roughly as he passed by it. On the defensive, Yoongi pulled a knife out from his sleeve and placed it against the neck of whoever had dared to touch him.

           "It's me." Jimin whispered with his hands up innocently. "Please calm down, Yoongi. You're not supposed to suspect anything. You're unrelated to the disappearances, remember?"

           "How the fuck am I supposed to calm down? They got us again! They took her before she was debriefed on the plan! We don't even know where and who this person is. How are we supposed to find her?!"

           Suddenly, Jungkook emerged from the shadows and slammed his fist across Yoongi's face, surprising Jimin who only stared blankly at the sudden turn of events.

           "Y/N would tell you to shut up with your whining, hyung." Jungkook frowned.

           Yoongi breathed as he clutched his cheek, and looked up from the ground, where Jungkook's attack had sent him. Luckily, the abnormally strong bohemeth had held back or else he might've been a couple of offices down with concrete impaled in his ribs. But nonetheless, it was the blow he needed to bring himself back from his initial panic. He was a secret agent. Nothing ever went according to plan, but that didn't mean they had lost. This wasn't a new occurrence. Jungkook was right. He could see the faint image of your disapproval about his behavior.  

           "Thanks." he sighed as the two helped him back on his feet. "I just...we saw the end...and I felt like it was snatched from us. How are we going to draw out the culprits now?"

           Jimin bit his lip. "There's someone who can."

           Yoongi blinked, confused. "Who?"

           Jimin smiled nervously as he played with the hems of his sleeves. "Well...come with me then...."

           He pressed a button under his desk, and one of the tiles shifted downwards, revealing a staircase. Yoongi's eyes widened as he glanced at Jimin, stunned.

           "What the hell is this?"

           "Well, it was a secret base at first, but now it's a recovery unit." Jimin shrugged as he gestured for the two to follow him.

           "Recovery? For who?" Yoongi questioned as they began their descent.

           "He just woke up before we got news of Y/N being taken again." Jimin placed his hand on the keypad to allow them access.

           "WHO?!" Yoongi urged. "Park Jimin, stop stalling and--"

           He froze his steps as he spotted the body in the middle of the room, lying down uncomfortably on a slab of marble stone. If Jimin hadn't specified it was a recovery room, he would've thought he had walked into a sacrifice ritual or a burial mound.

           "Is...is that--?"

           Jimin smiled and nodded, as he moved towards the body that had too many wires attached to it.

           "Science Teacher?" Yoongi breathed as he closed the distance hesitantly. "H-how?"

           "When Y/N found him and asked the Librarian to take him to me, I immediately could tell his symptoms were due to slow enacting poison. It was my forte in university." Jimin grinned proudly as he injected a serum into the tubes. "So I took bloodwork and gave him an antidote accordingly, but I knew it wouldn't be enough to save him. We needed time to detoxify his body, but we didn't have the luxury when someone wanted to do him in. If the poison didn't act at the right time then they would've killed him another way. So I gave him another medication, which I told him to take whenever he felt he was in the most danger, and that it would temporarily cause his bodily functions to slow down to the point of being convincingly dead."

           "You had him fake his death...in order to keep him alive?" Yoongi clarified.

           "More or less, yes. I was the one who checked his pulse anyways. The others were in on the plan, but we needed you and Y/N to act convincingly, so we kept it under wraps. We didn't even know if the plan would actually work either. The killer could've gotten to him before he could drink the pill or could've gotten the body before it was found. So many things could've gone wrong, and we didn't want you and Y/N acting out of the ordinary."

           "But it worked..." Yoongi breathed as he watched the liquid disappear into the Science Teacher's veins. He flinched a little when the man's eyes fluttered open.

           "Yeah. He only has 25% of the poison left in his body now. The poison had consumed him at 85% when he began showing signs. It was seriously a close call." Jimin exhaled.

           "How would he help us find the culprit though?" Yoongi raised an eyebrow then glanced over at Jungkook who was shifting around Jimin's furniture, probably as some sort of workout.

           "Someone that he trusted gave him the sleeping pills, and those pills contained small traces of poison so..." Jimin started.

           "Whoever gave him the pills must be directly related to the killings." Yoongi breathed.

           "Exactly." Jimin grinned proudly.

           "Can he talk?"

           "Um well let's see." Jimin grabbed the Science Teacher's hand, causing him to turn his attention away from Yoonji to Jimin.

           "We want to stop these killings." Jimin squeezed reassuringly. "Can you tell us...if you remember...who had prescribed the sleeping pills to you?"

           Science Teacher weakly nodded and gestured to the oxygen mask over his mouth, most probably hindering him from being audible. Yoongi gulped in anticipation as Jimin pulled the mask off carefully.

           "The sleeping pills..." The Science Teacher's voice was hoarse, almost a whisper. "...they were given to me by... the Counselor."

           Jungkook dropped the table gently, but the sound still caused Jimin and Yoongi to flinch, startled. With large, worried eyes, they glanced at each other.

           The Counselor was involved this entire time.

           Yoongi pressed his earpiece a few seconds later, after his shock dissipated. "Get a tracer on the Counselor, stat. Someone monitor him at all times. He's one of the keys to finding Y/N."

           "Thank you." Jimin's lips curled up warmly as placed the oxygen mask back on the Science Teacher, and once again, sleep overcame the elder.

           When you came to this time, you weren't at all surprised that you were in a different location. You remembered vividly what you had discovered, and the unexpected events that occurred afterwards.

           "Ah... awake now?" A familiar voice drawled.

           You chuckled as you were once again bound by your hands and feet. "Why? Going to drug me again?"

           "Not surprised, hm?" Counselor stepped into the light. "Good thing I decided to act sooner than we had planned."

           You glared at him.

           "Come now, Y/N. Let's not make such an aggressive face among friends." Counselor waved his hand with a chuckle

           "I don't remember ever becoming friends with you." You spat.

           "Oh?" He feigned being hurt. "Maybe taking a look around my room will help you jog your memory."

           You furrowed your brow, but took the time to scan the room. Nothing seemed out of place. A typical comfortable lair... then your eyes fell on the wall of framed pictures. You gasped at the realization as you spotted his high school portrait atop the others.

           Counselor spun around with a smirk on his face, now donned with similar glasses he had worn in the past.

           "It's good to see you again...my dear dumpster lunch buddy." he disclosed.

           Your mouth dried up at the recollection, that he...that you two...you knew him. You had seen him countless of times, but hadn't truly seen him.

           At the peak of your bullying, he was there beside you.

           You hadn't been the lone target. Another boy from your class-- you couldn't remember his name at all, but maybe because you had never cared to find out what it was-- he was one of the quiet ones who used to hang out with the popular boys and he often ate behind the adjacent dumpster in hiding with you.

           You had glanced at each other, but had never spoken a word. Even though you both were on the same boat, he would leave you if you got caught first and in turn, you did the same to him. Every day had solely focused on survival, and your heart had hardened and turned cold through your experiences. You two, who had both been pressured to the lowest of low together, instead of sticking together for solace, had chosen to betray each other.

           And it all made sense.

           His purpose, the root of his crazed obsession with vengeance and justice...for how long had he lived with such a warped mentality?

           "Oh my god..." You whispered, flabbergasted.

           "It's okay, I didn't recognize you right away either. Not until I truly watched you get bullied. I had watched your helpless look too many times in high school to forget."

           You shivered.

           "Who would've thought...someone from high school would make an appearance?" Counselor chuckled as he knelt in front of you.

           Now you had a full view of his crazed look that had been masked by his usually calm, gentle demeanor. "You of all people should understand how it is for people who are the victims. So I left you alone. I thought you could be our mascot, our role model, our queen-- the epitome of grace as we burned those undeserving creatures to the ground to start anew. I even warned you several times not to stray, to stay how you are, who you are. But you didn't listen." He brandished a knife skillfully in front of you, and you instinctively gulped. You were weaponless this time. "Betraying us is a serious offense, Y/N."

           Despite being in imminent danger, you couldn't help wondering: would things have been different if you had reached out to him, instead of being selfish and self-absorbed in your own pitiful state? Would things have been different if you had become friends with him? Would you not have had to move? Would he have lived his life without such hatred and wickedness? Would all the victims... still be alive?

           Prez watched Yoonji emerge from Jimin's office curiously. The two glanced in his direction, and he immediately flattened himself against the wall.

           "Prez is watching you two." Jungkook revealed through their earpieces, back in his hiding place. "Should I get rid of him?"

           Yoongi shook his head. "Keep an eye on him too. I know he has something to do with this case. He can stare at my ass as much as he wants. If he comes one inch within my breathing space, I will end him."  

           "You always talk tough, Yoongi, but you never do it." Hoseok snorted into the earpiece.

           "Shut up." Yoongi rolled his eyes. "We need to regroup and think of a plan. We need to act the latest, tomorrow night."

           Hold on for that long, Y/N.

           Luckily for you, Counselor only meant to threaten you, but promised he wouldn't put you in harm's way. He said he had more plans for your future, and you didn't want to conceive what his outrageous mind was planning. But for the time being, his fondness over the symbolism he thought you could become bought you time. However, it didn't bring you a sense of security, so you kept your eyes peeled, monitoring the guards, assessing the layout of the room, thinking of various ways to make your escape.

           And then, as soon as the blanket of night fell, you were ready.

           Unbeknownst to those guarding you, you had continuously applied friction to the cloth that was binding you. Clearly, they were unprepared for the possibility of someone trying to escape, as the threads of the cloth thinned and scattered in no time, but you remained still with bated breath, praying none of them would notice.

           When the lights dimmed and the sunlight faded, you tugged, finally releasing the cloth where it was straining. Before they could turn on the lights, you undid your ankles, and disappeared from your spot. The guards were frazzled and flustered by your disappearance, unable to fathom your magic act. You took their confusion and gained the upper hand, disarming the closest guard to your location, and immediately shooting the others adjacent to him. Hurriedly, you kicked off the column you had been bound to as leverage and whipped your foot around right into another guard's face. You began skillful hand-to-hand combat, grabbing various weapons from their hold to enhance your non-existent ammunition.

           One guard tried to escape, probably to warn or call others, but you couldn't have that. You chucked a knife across the way, and it instantly settled itself into his side. Grinning, you felt the rush of battle once again. You had been sitting idly for far too long. Clicking off the safety, you held two guns, aiming at the last two unarmed guards with a satisfied smirk.

           "I think I'll have to gracefully say goodbye now."

           Before you could pull the trigger though, you heard a voice that sent shivers up your spine.

           "I don't think you want to finish what you're doing."

           It sounded like the Counselor, but the tone...it wasn't. You knew exactly who it was. You clutched the gun tighter in your hand as the Counselor's twin emerged from the shadow of the entrance.  

           "My dear, dear Y/N. I knew you would be trouble." he chuckled as he nonchalantly strolled into the room. "I told my brother to just kill you. You knew far too much, were sticking your nose too deeply into matters that didn't pertain to you."

           "We've talked before." You realized as you gritted your teeth. "The most recent time at your office."

           "Yes." he smiled. "I almost showed my frustrations back then."

           Your breathing began to get heavier. "Were you the shadow in the library?"

           He nodded, not at all surprised that you had put two and two together.

           "That's why it looked like no one had left the school grounds." You mumbled.

           "You also met my brother on his way to meet me in town. I was giving him the new supply of medication for the Science Teacher." He continued to lightly take a turn about the lair. "We were supposed to meet the Science Teacher before Mr. Park's welcome party, but we couldn't leave because you and Mr. Kim were running around town. We couldn't get discovered."

           "And you moved the bodies around while both of you had perfect alibis at being at a certain place." You exhaled. It was perfect.

           "Brilliant, isn't it?"

           "But weren't you mutilated in a bad gang fight?" You whispered.

           He cackled. "I was the one who found my own 'body', so I touched whatever film they had used to get fingerprints and switched it out with the one they actually took off the body. We messed up the body so bad that his face couldn't even be reconstructed. It was the perfect fake death. It earned us the loyalty of the said gang...killing off their boss."  

           The guards tried to step back, but you knocked them out with the handle of your weapon, then immediately focused the guns towards the Twin angrily.

           "You did all the killing." You realized.

           His lips curled up triumphantly. "I'm more of an action guy, while my brother was the brains."

           "You son of a --" Your hand was about to pull the trigger when he held up a button.

           "Like I said, I don't think you want to shoot." he grinned mischievously.

           "Why not?" You hissed.

           "This..." he glanced at the button in his hand. "...detonates bombs that were placed throughout the entire school."

           "Quit shitting me." You furrowed your brow.

           He walked to the monitor with ease, knowing confidently that you wouldn't shoot since there was a chance he was telling the truth; you wouldn't risk it. He pulled up several cameras placed around the school, and he narrowed them down to show off the various bombs that had truly, in fact, been kept hidden within the campus. Your grip faltered.

           "All we ask is that you sit and wait prettily until we do what we need to. If you continue to resist and try to interfere with our plan, then we will just blow up everybody."

           "E-everybody?" You stammered.

           He pulled up a specific screen, which caused you to gasp, recognizing it immediately as your dormitory hallway.

           "We planted a very special bomb here, just for you." he grinned. "I wonder when your precious roommate will come back home."

           Your hold loosened, and you dropped the gun, frustrated. They still had the advantage in this game.

           "Good girl." he cooed. "Guards, the chains."

           A whole new squadron of guards was at the door within seconds, holding thick chains in their arms. Your posture slumped, realizing they had expected your attempt at escaping all along.

           "Tie her back up."

           Hurriedly, you subtly pulled something out of your back pocket, and blew it towards the Twin while his head was turned. Then you exhaled and let the guards once again attach you to the column, praying that Yoongi and the others had a plan.

           A knock was heard on Yoongi's dorm door. Everyone slipped into the shadows as Yoongi threw on his wig to answer the door. Peeking out, he raised an eyebrow skeptically as he was met with Prez.

           "What do you want? I told you not to show your face near me."

           "Can I come in?"

           Yoongi glanced around before stepping back to let him enter anyway. He mentally cursed as he envisioned Hoseok snickering at him once again.

           "I want in." Prez dropped his backpack on the kitchen counter.

           "In what?"

           "I want in on this rescue mission." he stated firmly.

           Yoongi squinted his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

           Prez sighed, and rolled up his sleeves. "Scan me."

           "Excuse me?"

           "Scan me." he urged.

           "No thank you. Creep." Yoongi backed away.

           Prez sighed, but he straightened his posture and stated firmly, "Special Agent Park Bogum of Big Hit Agency, requesting for a temporary co-op with Special Agent Min Yoongi and his team to rescue Special Agent Y/N."

           Yoongi's mouth hung open. "Say what?"

           "Oh my gosh." Jimin stepped out of the shadows, gasping. "Sunbae-nim?"

           Prez smiled.

           "Wait, what is happening?" Yoongi shook his head. "How does he know me? How do you know him? Sunbae-nim?"

           Jimin hurriedly scanned Prez's wrist with his watch, and needless to say the insignia of Big Hit was present on his skin, which was a mark only visible and known to those who were part of the agency. It was a special code to weed out those posing to be agents from real ones, to recognize friend from foe.

           His stats and information appeared as a hologram emitting from Jimin's watch, and Yoongi moved closer to read.

           "You...you went to the same training sect as Y/N..." The realization dawned on Yoongi. "You knew her this whole time?"

           Prez shrugged. "She was quite famous even as a freshman. There wasn't a student at our uni who didn't know of the girl who achieved a perfect score on the entrance exam, and continued to be at the top of her class. I recognized her immediately and knew I could trust her. Of course, I didn't exactly know who her partner was and who was part of her team or not...so...it took me awhile to come here. And I had kept her things safe, just in case."

           He lay down her phone, the novel, and her notebook on the counter.

           "I knew you took it, you thief." Yoongi hissed, but averted his eyes, no real bite to his comment.  

           "But you're 2 years our sunbae...we've only heard of your name since you were the most recent one from our university to take 1 of the 2 Special Agent spots but... why're you here?" Tae also emerged, followed by the others.

           Prez exhaled. "I was sent here on a different mission prior to the killings. The court system requested our aid in finding incriminating evidence against guilty parties of the staff in this school. Some, as you've probably realized, ended up as victims, but our main target was the Principal. Needless to say though, the murders interfered with our investigation. So eventually we were ordered to switch objectives, and capturing the murderer became our priority..."

           "But...why are you here alone?" Tae blinked and glanced around, as if expecting someone new to pop out of the darkness. "Where's your partner?"

           Prez smiled sadly.

           Yoongi's eyes widened, the missing links clicking together. "Your partner was your VP, wasn't she?"

           Prez nodded.

           "But aren't you supposed to be relieved of your duties once you lose your partner? You're still allowed to do the mission?" Namjoon questioned.

           "My team complied with the rules, but I, on the other hand, went rogue, despite being called back to the agency. I just couldn't leave things unfinished and unsettled here. But I was stripped of my gadgets, my weapons, and my ability to get inside information, and that's why I had to rely on my own resources to piece things together. And thankfully, when I thought all hope was lost, Y/N appeared." Prez chuckled. "At first, I thought she was sent here to capture me and take me back, but when she didn't recognize me or anything, I realized she was on a different mission, and most probably the one my team had failed to succeed in at that."

           "It was such a quick turn of events...no wonder they were forced to call a rookie team into the front lines right away..." Namjoon hummed.

           "Why stay though after we arrived? For revenge?" Hoseok asked.

           "Partially, to be honest." Prez exhaled. "But I also wanted... no I felt obligated--- to protect the Librarian from harm."

           "Why?" Yoongi breathed. "Is she your--?"

           Prez shook his head knowingly, "Not mine. She was my partner's mother. VP was the child she gave up when she was younger."

           Jimin frowned and stammered, at a loss at the saddening connection. "So they never got to...the Librarian never knew...why..."

           Prez stared at his shoes, "I wish I knew why VP did what she did as well. I regret every day that I wasn't able to save her, and the fact that I didn't have an inkling that she was in trouble." Then he looked up at everyone, determinedly. "That's why I want to make absolutely sure that Y/N returns. I won't lose someone precious again."

           With that resolve, Yoongi instinctively pulled off his wig, and handed Prez his gun firmly.

           "Then welcome to the team Special Agent Park Bo Gum. Let's go kick some ass."

           Prez grinned and compliantly took the weapon from Yoongi's grasp, placing it into his own makeshift holster.

           "Before we head out, there's something Y/N found before she got taken. She left us a hint before she got taken in her book. And I later discovered something as I was perusing the school for hidden passageways." he began, opening his backpack.

           "Hidden passageways?" Jimin questioned.

           "I didn't find any...but I found something a lot more worrying." Prez frowned as he took out a large object from his backpack.

           Everyone backed away and gasped.

           "Oh man. Holy shit."  

           "Why won't you eat?" Counselor frowned as he tried to feed you bread, but you kept evading with your mouth shut tight.

           You looked down to avoid him stuffing your mouth while you were speaking. "What? So you could poison me?"

           He chuckled. "Why would I do that now? I could've killed you when we captured you both times. Why do you think I went through the trouble of bringing you over here alive, unlike the other victims?"

           You glared at him and he chucked the bread at your feet. "Well, your loss then. You'll get hungry eventually then you'll have to beg."

           "Brother, things are ready." Twin called, feigning obedience, but you knew better that he was the more manipulative of the two. "We'll be back, pet."

           You tugged at the chains tightly wrapped around your body in anger. "Don't call me that."

           "Or else what?" he cackled.

           "You shouldn't have tried to escape, Y/N." Counselor exhaled and shook his head. "I tried to keep you comfortable, but you did this to yourself."

           You rolled your eyes in response.

           And with one last pitiful glance in your direction, the two disappeared. You were left alone with the guards once again; however they were much more equipped this time around. Straining, you tried to position yourself inconspicuously in order to take something out of your back pocket. As you were doing so, you saw the familiar glint of the bracelet Yoongi had given you on your wrist.

           That was it.

           Fumbling, you tried reach for the bracelet despite the painful and odd posture.

           Yoongi gasped as his watch came to life, a small red dot displayed at the surface.

           "She figured it out." his lips curled up. "I have her location."

           "No time to be lovey dovey." Hoseok patted Yoongi's butt as they tried to crawl through the school's vents.

           "I can't believe we're trying to fit 7 grown ass men into vents." Yoongi rolled his eyes, but regardless of his non-chalant outward facade, he was relieved. You had turned on the signal, meaning you were still alive. And they were making their way to you quickly, thanks to the tracer that had been placed on the Counselor. So now, instead of tearing the entire place apart to search for you like he had planned, Yoongi would be able to sprint to you once they arrived at the destination.

           To see you. To hold you. To save you.

           He moved forward, more determined than before.

           "We're here." Tae whispered.

           "Why didn't anyone think to look in the creepy abandoned building of the campus?" Yoongi snorted.

           "It's underneath the surface." Tae stated, amused. "Even if they did, they wouldn't have found anything."

           "Okay so team." Namjoon called. "Remember the plan. We divide and conquer. Yoongi, Prez, Hoseok, you go rescue Y/N. We'll keep the guards and the two masterminds' attention diverted. If you engage, we need to get them to talk before we hurt or kill them. We need the evidence and the confession."

           Everyone hummed in understanding.

           "Keep your communication open at all times." Namjoon reminded. "Let's move."

           Taehyung and Jimin skillfully jumped out of the vents noiselessly, and sprinted into the darkness to find their targets. Namjoon and Jungkook diverted to another section of the vents to do the same. Prez, Hoseok, and Yoongi moved further forward, closer to where your location was, using the safety of the vents to their advantage as much as they could.

           Or so they thought.

           After a few minutes, a foul odor began following the three. At first it was subtle traces, Hoseok lightly questioning Yoongi if he had flatulated. But it soon began consuming and replacing the oxygen in the enclosed space.

           "It's poison gas. Go!" Prez yelled, and they pried the nearest exit apart, jumping out immediately.

           "Wow, so there were rats in our vents." the Twin smirked as he appeared just down the hallway of where they had landed. "Fancy seeing the pair of you, Prez, Yoongi."

           "How do you know me?" Yoongi hissed.

           "I don't. My brother does. Basketball star, Min Yoongi. Ex-boyfriend of Y/N, that is, until he stabbed her in the back, and turned the whole school against her." he cackled. "How cruel."

           "That wasn't what happened!" Yoongi yelled.

           Hoseok held a hand out to stop his best friend. "Don't let him get under your skin. He's stalling."

           "Where's your brother?" Prez stepped forward.

           "Ah Student Council President." Twin's lips curled. "How odd your fate is."

           Prez furrowed his brow as he positioned himself in a fighting stance. "Yoongi, go."

           "What?" Yoongi whispered, surprised.

           "You need to save Y/N. We can take him and his goons." Hoseok commented, understanding Prez's decision.

           Yoongi pursed his lips, hating to abandon the two, but he knew it wouldn't make sense losing precious time fighting here. Every minute that passed, was a minute where you could be on the verge of death. And that thought made his feet move as he sprinted down another hallway, keeping a close eye at the colored dot that was you. He heard shots firing towards him, but his feet continued to move, adrenaline rushing through his system.

           Stay alive, you two. His silent wish.

           "How foolish." the Twin laughed maniacally as the two were soon surrounded by his henchmen. "Do you think you two can handle gang members who swore their allegiance to us?"

           Prez smirked. "You have no idea what we're capable of."

           Immediately, he and Hoseok pulled out their guns and began shooting, clearing their way to take refuge in a nearby classroom to use the desks as shields. The Twin hissed, clearly not expecting them to be equipped with state of the art weapons.

           "You think you can handle the gang members?" Prez questioned.

           "Of course. I don't think many of them are too skilled, just strong." Hoseok nodded. "What're you going to do?"

           "I'm going to take out their leader." Prez grinned as he slid to the next table, and began to fire.

           Hoseok pulled his machine gun from his back, and began taking out the gang members who were gratefully lined up horizontally for him. In the midst of the barrage of bullets, the Prez rushed forward towards the Twin, who seemingly was looking elsewhere. But just when Prez thought the Twin was within reach, he was disarmed and thrown to the ground at a lightning speed. Prez winced and coughed at the impact.

           "You may be skilled, but let's not forget who murdered all those people in various ways." the Twin pulled out a long knife from his jacket with cynical grin. "Now, where shall I put the 'X' on you?"

           A gunshot was heard and the knife fell out of his grip. The Prez hurried to roll away, kicking the Twin in the gut, before the knife fell and dug into his trapped body.

           "Thanks." Prez smiled as Hoseok smirked proudly from afar before continuing his own battle.

           The Twin chuckled as he clutched his bleeding hand. "If your VP could see you now...putting yourself in harm's way after she died to protect you."

           Prez stilled as he gripped his gun. "What'd you say?"

           The Twin's grin widened, as malicious and chill-inducing as the Cheshire cat's. "Irene...your beautiful VP. I know she sacrificed herself to hide her secret, to hide that she was connected to you. Just like Y/N, we gave her an ultimatum - join us or die. Frankly, she made the wrong choice. But still, she was my favorite to kill. I loved the challenge."

           "You son of a bitch!" Prez yelled as he pulled the trigger, but the Twin was expecting his rage, thriving off of the crazed look in the Prez's eyes.

           "There it is!" he giggled gleefully. "The look of revenge! Of helplessness! Of loss! My favorite expression before carving into people's bodies."

           "I'm going to kill you." Prez bellowed furiously. "I'm going to make sure you never see the sunlight again!"

           "Let us see, Student Council President." The Twin's lips curled up at Prez's declaration, as he brandished his own hidden gun. "Which one of us will see the dawn."

           An explosion breezed through the hallway, coming from another wing of the building, but the emanating shock was enough to bring the old building crumbling down. Prez saw the worried expression of Hoseok from across the room, right before the rubble separated them.

           "Shit. Tae!" Jimin scolded. "We weren't supposed to use that yet!"

           "But they were going to kill you." Tae frowned. "I panicked."

           Jimin exhaled, clutching his wounded arm. "What did I tell you about blowing up stuff when you panic?"

           Tae pouted. "Don't do it."

           Jimin smiled lopsidedly, "But I guess in this case, you saved me."

           Tae's face immediately brightened and he latched himself beside Jimin, ripping his already torn t-shirt to tie around Jimin's open flesh.

           "But we just attracted everyone in our direction." Jimin sighed. "We need to prepare for another fight, Tae."  

           Tae nodded meekly. "I'll protect you this time."

           "Tae." Jimin chuckled. "You're not the best at fighting."

           Tae huffed. "But I can too!"

           Jimin glanced around, amused. "We've also closed off the exit. We're at a dead end."

           "I have more bombs!" Tae beamed. "We can make a way out!"

           Jimin laughed. But the two flinched as they spotted a large boulder floating nearby.

           "Ghost!" Tae cried.

           "This is why we can't have you two as a pair." Namjoon chuckled as he stepped into the area while Jungkook easily chucked the boulder behind him. "Leave the fighting to us."

           Yoongi whipped his leg around onto an opponent's shoulders, and dragged them to the ground, suffocating them with his knees, squeezing against the windpipe. While in that position, he fired off shots as the guards closed in on him at either side. He was anxious. Time was ticking. He needed to get rid of these obstacles as fast as possible, but there were just too many of them. Once the man underneath him stopped moving, he scrambled to ransack his weapons, skillfully chucking knives straight into the hearts of those who dared to come too close. He hissed as a bullet grazed his cheek, but he returned the favor, not missing his mark. Was there no end to these people?

           "Yoongi!" a familiar voice called out.

           "Hoseok!" he breathed.

           "What the hell? You didn't even get far!" his best friend commented.

           "Shut up! They just keep coming like ants!" Yoongi groaned.

           "It's cause you're distracted, dude!" Hoseok yelled as he joined the fray. "I've seen you during exams take down more enemies than this at a faster time. Focus!"

           Yoongi inhaled. He knew Hoseok was right. He had memorized all the pressure points, had studied every artery, envisioning the human body as a lucid target, masked by flesh countless of times. His title of being Class 9's "Genius" stemmed from his eerily pinpoint accuracy and efficiency, as he calculated with ease the quickest route and the fastest way to end a fight. Closing his eyes, he listened to the footsteps coming towards him, drowning out all extraneous noise, until he honed in on their breathing, the air propelling the bullets, their quick-paced pulses. When he opened his eyes, he barreled through the incoming crowd, knocking them unconscious with the brute force of his fist against various pressure points. His senses were attuned to every movement and his body reacted instantly. He found himself at the end of the hallway with a trail of bodies behind him. Hoseok grinned as he finished off his last henchman as well, slinging the gun over his shoulder.

           "I'm winning in KOs in this battle." he stuck his tongue out.

           "Shut up." Yoongi chuckled.

           "Go." Hoseok gestured. "More of them are coming soon."

           Yoongi nodded and disappeared into the darkness, hurrying towards you.

           "Almost...there." You finally pulled a thin compact out of your back pocket. "Got it."

           You straightened back up when the guards came to check on you, giving them a glare.

           "What're you doing?" they growled.

           "I had an itch. Fuck off." You cursed.

           "Bitch." They criticized before disappearing to a corner of the room.

           You pursed your lips as you fiddled to open the compact which held a variety of Tae's smaller inventions. Your hand felt the items you had been searching for, and your lips curled up triumphantly.

           Long discarded were the guns, and now Prez and the Twin were fighting with blades clashing repeatedly, both injured and breathing heavily.

           "I can't wait to fucking kill you." the Twin heaved.

           "That's my line." Prez jabbed his blade forward while evading the Twin's sloppy slice.

           The pair of them was losing blood quickly. Prez had been shot in the shoulder, limiting his movement, and sustained various stab wounds while Hoseok had shot the Twin's hand early in the fight and Prez had gotten a hit into his thigh.

           The Twin managed to get out of the way hurriedly for someone with one injured leg, and dug his knife into Prez's leg in retaliation. Prez cried out at the horrendous sensation as the Twin twisted the sharp end evilly. His vision began blurring at the immense pain.

           But suddenly, the Twin's grip left the knife and he stumbled back a little.

           "Wh-what's happening?" the Twin fretted. "What's happening?!"

           Prez gritted his teeth and pulled the knife out of his leg. He watched in horror and in awe as the Twin's color changed to a light purple, his skin slowly sinking in around his face.

           "What did you do?!" he coughed out blood.

           Prez didn't hesitate to drive both blades right into the Twin's chest, taking advantage of his moment of weakness. The Twin's eyes rolled to the back of his head and his body slumped forward, falling deeper into the weapons.

           With his last breath, he whispered, "Justice..."

           Prez stepped back shakily, pulling the daggers out of the newly turned corpse as it fell to the ground. With bated breath, he watched as foam and blood emerged out of its mouth. Then it became still. His heart pounded, half terrified that Twin would get up and begin moving once again, but after a few minutes passed, he ventured closer to make sure.

           The Twin was dead.

           Ironically, his daggers had sliced a large "X" in the center of his chest, but what had happened to his body in the middle of the fight?

           "Prez!"

           He glanced around, hearing a voice, but not seeing anyone.

           "Jungkook, move these rocks!"

           "Stop being so impatient!" Jungkook commented, but soon enough, a path was cleared through the rubble within seconds.

           Prez blinked in astonishment as Jungkook, Tae, Jimin, and Namjoon came into view.

           "Sunbae-nim! You're alright!" Tae grinned as he hurried towards him then froze in his tracks as he realized the dead body on the ground.

           "You killed him!" Hoseok arrived with warm smile. "I knew you could."

           Prez smiled sheepishly. "I think luck was on my side though...something happened towards the end of the fight."

           Tae knelt down and tilted his head curiously.

           "Don't get too close! It might be infectious!" Jimin worried.

           "It's poison." Tae nudged the body with his foot, flipping it over.

           "Poison?" Everyone questioned.

           "It's one of my new inventions I had given Y/N." Tae pointed at the very small circle attached at the back of Twin's neck. "It latches on when it feels the human body temperature, and when a button is pressed to activate, it ingects poison into the bloodstream. It's made with a surplus of the very ingredients they had used to poison the Science Teacher."

           Tae smiled up at the Prez. "It wasn't luck on your side... It was Y/N."

           The corners of Prez's mouth lifted up with warmth and affection at the thought.

           "Y/N!"

           Your heart did a somersault at the familiar voice that echoed throughout the room. You stopped what you were doing to flicker your eyes towards the entrance, praying you weren't hearing things. Thankfully you weren't, because you saw Min Yoongi standing a few feet away from you, hair disheveled, panting heavily. Only a millisecond was granted between you two to acknowledge that the other was safe before the guards went into action.

           You hurried to re-activate the laser in your grasp once again; another trinket Tae had graced you with in your compact. This time you weren't being sly about your actions as everyone was far too distracted with Yoongi to notice the chains loosening.

           "Come on. Melt faster." You murmured anxiously, wanting to help Yoongi in the battle. Your gaze flitted over to him every so often to make sure he was still in one piece.

           Your worry seemed pointless though because he seemed to be at his tip-top shape. His movements were scarily accurate, as if he was able to predict the attacks a split second before they actually happened. You had to pry your glance away from admiring him in order to continue clawing your way to freedom.

           "I saw you checking me out."

           You blushed shyly as you looked up at Yoongi, all the guards scattered about unconsciously.

           "I was making sure you weren't getting your ass kicked." You jeered, collecting yourself.

           This time the two of you smiled at each other, obvious relief painted on both of your faces. You heard the click of the chains finally unclasping, and you pulled your arms free excitedly. Yoongi scurried towards you without hesitation, and your feet did the same.

           However, peripherally you spotted another shadow making a dash towards Yoongi as well from the side. Your heart dropped immediately at the glimpse of a shiny, sharp object in its grasp, and you willed your legs to speed up as your smile faded, drowned by dread of what might come to pass. Holding your breath, you lunged forward tackling Yoongi down with you, but simultaneously, you felt a deep, excruciating pain plunge into your side as you did so.

           Yoongi immediately reacted, raising his gun during the descent, and pressing the trigger an incessant amount of times towards the attacker, not caring where exactly he was aiming. The body danced around at the barrage of impacts until Yoongi's load finished. There was a ringing silence as the body slowly flopped to the ground, unmoving.

           It was the Counselor.

           But the thought of victory and triumph was far from Yoongi's mind as his heart raced. Gently, he turned you from where you lay on top of him, and cradled you in his arms. His hands were fumbling frantically, trying to press down at the spot where your blood was flowing, staining his clothes.

           "Y/N...Y/N." He cried out. His mind scrambled, not recalling the protocol. What should he do first? What was the procedure to stop this bleeding? How does he save you?! "Oh my god, Y/N. Please. Please."

           He shook you as your breathing became ragged. You coughed and groaned, wincing at the pain.

           "Don't you dare die on me." Yoongi begged, his voice faltering evidently. "W-we were supposed to be the best partners."

           When you didn't respond, his eyes watered, fearing that you were slipping away from him. "Hey." He whispered as he shut his eyes. "On a normal occasion I would never admit this...but I've always wanted to say it... but I was too chicken to..." He leaned his forehead on yours, his tears trickling down, landing on your face.

           "I love you, Y/N."

           "Y-yoongi...?" You breathed, your eyes willing themselves to open, because his words had numbed the pain you were feeling in exchange for your heart drumming erratically against your chest. Had you heard him right?

           He glanced down at you lovingly, "I always have. I still honestly don't think I deserve to love you. But don't you dare die on me until I can make a fool of myself and say this to you properly, big banner, flowers and all. And I won't even care-- you can laugh at me, reject me or whatever...just as long as you're alive, goddamit."

           Your hand flew up to his mouth to stop his babbling. "Yoongi... this wound won't kill me. Stop overreacting."

           He grabbed your hand from his mouth and grasped on tightly.

           "But..." You whispered. "Say it again..."

           "What?"

           "What you've always wanted to say to me..." You smiled, "...and what I've always wanted to hear from you..."

           Yoongi pressed his lips against your hand, his heart feeling so full that he thought he was going to combust. He leaned down, wiping your hair away from your face, to whisper. "I love you, Y/N. So much."

           "I love you too, you pain in my ass." You cupped his cheek lovingly as he closed the distance, and captured your lips with his. Grinning as your body was immediately elated with the fluttering of a thousand butterflies, you angled your head up, allowing him to deepen the kiss eagerly. But the throbbing pain on your side caused you to break the contact unwillingly.  

           "Ow okay, still bleeding profusely Yoongi, still bleeding." You groaned.

           "Oh sorry." he chuckled sheepishly. "Probably should get that checked out first. Hold on."

           You shook your head amused as he contacted the others to get to your location immediately with the medical team. "Seriously. First you act like I'm on my deathbed, and then you act like I'm not wounded."

           He snorted and scrunched his face at you in response.

           You laughed to yourself as you thought that you should've "almost died" sooner if you knew it would bring about this kind of result. Reaching for his hand, you gave it a light squeeze to get his attention. He glanced over at you curiously.

           "I'm tired. Don't freak out." You exhaled as you shut your eyes, exhaustion taking over now that the adrenaline was wearing off. "I haven't slept in days."

           "I'm not going anywhere." he smiled. "Rest in peace."

           You glared at him. "Are you trying to send me off?"

           He covered your face with his hand teasingly. "Don't get irritated, your blood pressure will increase and you'll lose more blood."

           "Is that even real?" You questioned.

           "Shhh...." he shushed you playfully, still covering your eyes, so you couldn't see the gentle way he was looking at you. "You're safe now. I found you."

           Your lips curled up as you felt his fingers fiddling with yours, lulling you into slumber.

           "That you did."

           You groaned as you shifted in your bed, only to be awakened by a throbbing pain in your side.

           "Shit."

           "Yeah, pretty much what I felt like saying when I first woke up with a bullet wound."

           Your eyes fluttered open at the familiar voice.

           "Whoa, there." Jin laid a gentle hand on your shoulder as you attempted to sit up out of excitement. "They stitched you up and I don't want to be the cause of them popping open."

           You chuckled and relaxed as you recognized the hospital room. "Hi."

           "Hi." Jin's eyes twinkled as he looked down at you.

           "Are you allowed to be out of your room?" You glanced at him curiously.

           "Yeah, I'm alright. They just kept me here for longer because it was apparently safe here." he shrugged. "And who was I to complain? I still get my paycheck."

           You shook your head, amused.

           "So Yoongi told me you got that wound when you saved him." Jin smiled.

           You snorted. "He can't do anything without me."

           Jin's eyes fell to your hand then back to your face. Gently, he slipped his warm hands into yours before smiling.

           "I always looked at you, but you were always looking at him, you know."

           You blinked. "What?"

           "I thought this time might be different...but it's still the same as high school." he sighed. "You exist in a different world than me."

           You laughed as you squeezed his hand, "Are you serious? Jin, you were the one that existed in a different world than me. But..."

           Jin glanced at you curiously.

           "I'm thankful you came into mine instead of trying to force me into yours." You grasped his hand with both of your own. "I didn't realize it until later, but I was so grateful you tried to understand me, and accepted me for who I was instead of making me into someone else. You encouraged me to be better, but let me stay in my bubble when I refused. You gave much more than I did in our friendship, and I was so ashamed that I let it go without understanding or realizing it."

           Jin brought your hands to his face and exhaled. "You changed me, Y/N. There are some things you can only see when you take a step back from where you were, and you showed me that. That I was only showing others a fraction of who I really was. You also showed me how much of a coward, and how shallow I was back then."

           You shook your head. "You weren't--"

           "I loved you." Jin confessed.

           Your eyes widened. "What?"

           "I loved you in high school." Jin smiled. "I stopped talking to you because I was hurt and angry that you didn't choose me. That's why I abandoned you. And I was so foolish because...that's not love at all. That's selfishness."

           "I don't blame you, Jin. I did the same. The Counselor used to be one of the victims that got bullied with me. When I realized that and looked at what he became, I wondered if things would be different if I had just reached out and put my selfishness aside for a few minutes." You rubbed his cheek gently. "We were young, powerless, naive."

           "That's why I've sworn to help the young, powerless, and naive." Jin grinned.

           Your lips curled up, "And I think you're fantastic at it, truly."

           "It was all for you, Y/N."

           You looked up at him, searching for answers in his expression, but you couldn't tell. He was always good at hiding his emotions, despite seeming like an open book and full of expression. The things that truly mattered, the negative thoughts, he had always locked those in. What did that mean? Did he still--?

           "Don't tell Yoongi." Jin whispered.

           "Tell him wh--"

           Your words got cut off by his lips gently pressing onto yours. You inhaled quickly. The kiss was light as a feather, but from the way his plush lips brushed against yours, you could feel the thousands of emotions and feelings he had never told you. Your eyes welled up at the heartache you felt from him.

           "Jin, I'm --" You started, but he leaned back down and kissed you deeper this time.

           "Son of a --"

           Jin grinned widely as he was pressed against the wall by a very furious Min Yoongi.

           "You saw me walk in you little shit. I was going to let the first one go 'cause you took a bullet for her but that second one was just unnecessary! You were just trying to piss me off." he hissed, clutching onto Jin's shirt intensely.

           "Well it worked." Jin smirked.

           "Want another bullet on your other side to make you symmetrical?" Yoongi snarled, having to stand on his tiptoes so he can threateningly look up into Jin's face.

           "Yoongi." You called. "It's fine."

           Yoongi glared at Jin one last time before walking to you. He leaned down and kissed you warmly, then went to place new flowers in the vase by your bedside. "I'll be right back to get the others now that you're awake. Here's a gun. You just shoot if he tries anything."

           You rolled your eyes. "Stop overreacting. But I know a better way to end this feud."

           They both looked at you curiously.

           You pointed to your lips and grinned, "Yoongi, you just kissed Jin by kissing me, and if Jin tries to kiss me again, he'll end up kissing you."

           Yoongi gagged. "Disgusting."

           Jin teased and stepped closer to you. "So if I don't mind that, I can kiss you again?"

           "Nevermind, I can't leave this room." Yoongi stated dryly. He pressed his earpiece. "We have a code red in Y/N's hospital room. There's a molester here. Must be shot immediately."

           "What?!" Tae yelled.

           You exhaled and pressed your own earpiece. "No, it's just Jin. Yoongi's being himself again."

           "Y/N!!!" Tae's voice was heard yelling down the hallway until your door flew open. "Y/N!"

           "Shush!" Yoongi scolded. "There are other people in this hospital."

           "She livesss!" Hoseok bellowed excitedly.

           "Y/N." Jimin skipped in, jumping onto Tae who was closest to your bed.

           Tae and Jimin looked at Yoongi in anticipation, pouting slightly.

           Yoongi exhaled, "Fine, but lightly. She's still wounded."

           The two brightened and collapsed on top of your body, snuggling into you. You giggled, patting their heads warmly.

           "I missed you guys too."

           "Jungkook, please." Yoongi called as he and Namjoon entered the room.

           Jungkook knowingly and easily pulled the two off of you.

           "How old is this kid anyway?" Jin questioned. "And does he talk?"

           "Of course I talk. I told you my name before. And I'm much younger than you." Jungkook shrugged nonchalantly while everyone snickered.

           "Welcome back, Y/N." Namjoon smiled.

           "Thanks." You beamed. "Can I know what happened now? How long was I out?"

           Namjoon chuckled. "Just 2 days. We're in the middle of finalizing the press release."

           "Press release?" You questioned. "You mean we're releasing the nature of the killings? Isn't that what they wanted though?"

           Namjoon shook his head. "The nature of the killings and the severity of the deaths will remain a secret, and so will your involvement of course. But the school cannot continue as it is. Just sweeping these issues under the rug will only result in a never-ending cycle. We must address them, instate a solution, and break what was known to be the norm. It's what the school should have done a long time ago."

           Jin nodded.

           "We've found incriminating evidence that the Principal was embezzling money from the school funds for his own personal use. This will be brought to light and he will be stepping down from his position. The Vice Principal was also found to have known about the transgression but kept quiet, becoming an accomplice. She will be demoted and return to the classroom. So we offered Jin the new position as Principal." Everyone glanced towards Jin, but he shook his head. "But he declined, preferring to teach rather than manage the school."

           You smiled at Jin reassuringly.

           "The Secretary declined and didn't want a job with that much pressure, and so did English Teacher." Jimin continued. "And then..."

           "And then?" You blinked, your interest piqued.

           "The Librarian accepted."

           Everyone turned their attention towards the door as a Prez hobbled into the room.

           "Prez!" You gasped as your eyes flitted to his bandaged thigh. "Wait-- did you fight too?! What happened?"

           "Prez helped locate bombs around the school, so that's why it took us awhile to rescue you. We figured that's why you weren't able to escape on your own." Tae explained.

           You smiled in relief.

           "Let's save all that for later." Your doctor knocked on the door. "I can't believe you kids always get yourself into such trouble." he pointed his pen towards Prez. "You - Special Agent Park Bo Gum- you shouldn't be walking around yet. I told you you're lucky that knife missed a vital vein, but you shouldn't push it."

           "Special Agent..." You mumbled. "As in..."

           "Alright. Out, out. How did I get suckered into being a doctor for reckless people?" he shooed everyone out of the room.

           "Wait? Sunbae?" You bellowed.

           Prez grinned and bowed, "At your service."

           "Out." The doctor pointed at the door, and everyone obediently filed out. "You too, little bro."

           Yoongi whined. "But she's my gir--"

           "I don't care what she is. She is MY patient right now. You should've called me first when she woke up. Tch."

           Yoongi pouted but waddled out of the room reluctantly.

           "Oh wait Y/N." Namjoon stepped back in. "I'll be taking care of some stuff with the rest of the team for the next few days. But...here."

           He handed you a letter. Curiously, you took it, your brows furrowed.

           "It was found on the Counselor's body, addressed to you." Namjoon smiled. "We scanned it already, it's safe. But I think you should read it."

           You nodded.

           "Rest well, and good job Special Agent." Namjoon patted your head warmly.

           "Couldn't have done it without my team." You grinned.

           "Alright, enough feel good scenes." Your doctor waved his hands and stepped between you two.

           Namjoon snorted, "Siblings indeed."

           And with that he left.

           "I thought you learned that hanging with my brother never ends well." Your doctor teased.

           "Yet here we both are." You grinned. "You, deciding to officially work for the Agency to keep an eye on him, and me, his partner."

           "He's just a lucky bastard, that's why." He chuckled as he took your vitals and checked your body. "Anything hurt?"

           "Mm," you hummed. "Possibly the place where the knife stabbed me."

           Yoongi's brother poked your forehead. "Smartass."

           "Will I live, doctor?" You jested.

           He chuckled, "Unfortunately."

           You smacked him lightly. He scribbled into his clipboard before clipping his pen back into his coat pocket.

           "Rest for the week, and I'll come back to take a look at your wound before giving you the okay to leave. You can walk around to get your body moving, but don't do anything strenuous. JUST walking. You hear that, Yoongi?"

           "I WASN'T PLANNING ON ANYTHING, YOU SICKO!" Yoongi yelled from behind the door.

           You giggled.

           "You look good otherwise, no other issues." he ruffled your hair. "Good seeing you kiddo."

           "You too."

           He nonchalantly opened the door, and gestured for his younger brother to enter. Then he walked away, not before smacking Yoongi's head with his clipboard though.

           Yoongi scowled as he entered, but his face softened as he realized you were watching him happily.

           You blushed, remembering what had occurred before you fell asleep for two days. Patting the small space beside you in the bed, you gestured for Yoongi to come closer, which he obliged without hesitation.

           "How are you feeling?" he asked.

           "Mmm, I've experienced worse." You grinned cheekily.

           He looked you up and down, "Yeah, true. You've looked worse."

           You pushed him and winced at the slight pain you felt at the rushed movement. Immediately, you were pulled into his body. Smiling, you rested your head into his shoulder, leaning into him.

           "You're stupid for getting stabbed instead of me." he mumbled.

           "You're welcome." You snorted.

           "I could've taken it." he sighed.

           "Well, I wouldn't have." You clutched his shirt. "Who knows where he was planning on stabbing you?"

           "What am I going to do with you?" Yoongi exhaled.

           "Well, I don't think you've ever had a problem figuring that out." You teased.

           He snorted and separated from you so you could talk face-to-face. His face turned serious and he grabbed your hands nervously, fiddling with them as he pondered on how to say what he wanted to.

           "Listen." he began. "I'm sorry."

           "For?"

           "Everything. For what I said about you that ended things in high school. For what I didn't do. For what I didn't realize was happening to you. For being so oblivious and stupid. For not even being worthy enough for the fight that you put up to be with me." he gripped your hands tightly.

           "Are you breaking up with me already?" You questioned.

           "No...I don't know. I just...what if I mess things up again?" he worried.

           "First, most of the time, bullying isn't as outlandish as they portray it in books and movies. It's underhanded, and inconspicuous. You shouldn't blame yourself for not noticing; the bullies didn't want you to. Don't let it haunt you." You cupped his cheek. "And second, relationships are a two way street. Even if you instigated the break up, I ended things. We both stopped trying because we were too proud."

           "I would break up with me too if I heard me saying what I did." he muttered.

           "But I should've known that sometimes your words hold deeper meanings behind them. You had a reason, didn't you?"

           Yoongi averted his gaze. "It wasn't worth losing you like that."

           The edge of your lips playfully lifted. "Well then, Min Yoongi. I will most probably often ignore you for books. I still don't really like meeting new people, but I think I have to slowly work on it. I have social anxiety and some sort of trauma from bullying. I used to have a weird obsession with becoming popular because I thought it would solve my issues and make my life ten times better. I also have a pretty bad temper. And I may break up with you too quickly out of anger if I hear you badmouth me again."

           Yoongi chuckled.

           "But..." you intertwined your fingers with his. "I still want to give us another chance, because I love you... faults and all."

           He studied the way your hands looked in his, and his heart somersaulted. Tightening his hold, he exhaled. "I'm not good at expressing myself at times, but I do get easily jealous and somewhat possessive. I'm still embarrassed saying cheesy, romantic things so you probably might get insults instead, even though I'm constantly trying to tell you I love you or that I think you're absolutely beautiful. But I want to try. I want to love you properly, how I should've from the beginning."

           "You think I'm beautiful?" You fluttered your eyes playfully.

           "Shut up." he rolled his eyes, turning slightly red from embarrassment.

           You laughed and kissed his cheek. "What happened to the 'big banner, flowers and all' you promised me?"

           "Well flowers are here." he pointed to the vase.

           "Those are 'get well' flowers, not 'I love you' flowers!" You chuckled. "Should I stab myself again?"

           "Well, when you get better I'll do it, okay?" he huffed, averting his eyes with a pout.

           "Forget all that and just get me a really good meal." You patted your stomach. "I'm starving."

           Yoongi laughed. "I'll go pick up some steaks then."

           "Make that two." You added.

           "For me?" Yoongi smiled.

           "No." You raised an eyebrow. "Both are for me. Come on, Yoongs."

           He shook his head, amused, then made his way to the door. "I'll take care of it. Just get some rest."

           You nodded. "Pay them extra if they can make them quick!"

           "Will do, boss." he saluted.

           You grinned.

           Once your door slid closed, your smile faded as you slipped the letter Namjoon had given to you, out from underneath your blankets.

           About a week later, you were finally cleared to leave the hospital and so, the entire team found themselves back at the school, standing in front of the entire student body.

           "Umm..." You spoke into a microphone awkwardly, making a pleading face towards Namjoon.

           "If we could just have everyone's attention, please." Namjoon called out in a commanding tone, causing the entire auditorium to become hushed in anticipation.

           You could feel the eyes on you, confused as to why you were standing up in regular clothes with the two "investigators" who helped take the bodies, the school nurse, and yours and Yoonji's "dates". You glanced around anxiously, wondering why Yoongi was taking so long.

           "So we've gathered you all here today to provide an explanation, because I think you all deserve one in light of everything you have been through this year." Namjoon continued. "First, yes, it is true. The culprits have been caught, and all students who had become accomplices were subjected to actual counseling and probation. All those that have victimized them are also under scrupilous investigation and monitoring for the next few months. If found irreparable, they too will be sent to counseling and rehabilitation. And yes, the Science Teacher is alive and making a full recovery. He will return to the school after taking a year off to recuperate and spend time with his wife.

           Next, I'm sure you're all wondering why I have gathered a lot of seemingly random people up here. As far as all of you know, Inspector V and I were directly involved in this investigation. But today, standing before you, is the rest of my team who were part of the undercover efforts."

           Everyone began murmuring, extremely surprised. Some were enthusiastic, others looked uncomfortable. You averted your eyes away from the crowd, awkwardly. The entire team knew you had to cover up the very nature of your positions, and so Namjoon settled on a realistic, and not-so-far-off story--being undercover private investigators. You were secret agents after all. An entire school couldn't know your true identities. You exhaled, always finding this part slightly awkward, but Namjoon was fantastic at making everything believable.

           Then, you grinned widely as you spotted someone walking on stage non-chalantly, soon taking his place beside you. By now, the entire auditorium was buzzing.

           "Took you long enough." You nudged Yoongi.

           "My brother took forever giving me my check up results." he rolled his eyes. "He was being an ass."

           "He loves you, is all." You chuckled.

           "I want to give special recognition to two undercover private investigators, who went above and beyond, and put themselves in imminent danger in order to save you all and stop these killings. You know them as your female classmates, Y/N and Yoonji, but..." Namjoon paused.

           "I'm an actual female." You interjected.

           "And I'm not." Yoongi snorted.

           "WHAT?" There was a collective uproar at the realization. Many of the male students who had vied for Yoonji's attention were staring blankly forward, while other males were still fairly enthusiastic. The females were all squealing excitedly at the reveal.

           "Thanks to these two, we were able to solve the mystery and apprehend the culprits. But what I really would like to stress today, is that these murders stemmed from vegeance and from an odd sense of heroic justice. As the future generation, I don't want you to remain ignorant about what really happened." Namjoon stood tall in the podium. "These killers felt justified killing students and teachers because they committed various crimes that went under the eye of the judicial system. They took it upon themselves to act as the hand of a higher power and bring judgment on these people, because they experienced the similar harsh treatment of bullying and harrassment, of isolation, of loneliness, and eventually, a slow descent into madness. We do not want that for your future. We do not want your school to not learn from these terrifying times, to just sweep these issues under the rug with money like you have all seen countless of times. As with history, we want you to take the mistakes and work to make them right. That was no act of justice. That was manslaughter. If you find something wrong with the judicial system, with the school system, you study hard, you work hard, and you make that difference yourself. Not just for the temporary present but for all of the incoming future."

           You placed a gentle hand on Namjoon's shoulder, knowing he could go on and on about how deeply he felt for this topic. He smiled shyly and stepped back, letting you take the microphone.

           "Hi, everyone. I um...I know it's a lot to take in. But in short, he wants everyone to make a fresh start. He wants you all to come together and rebuild the school into something beautiful, something genuine, a safe haven, unlike it was before when we first transferred. And I know I can't prevent gossip or any of the sort." You frowned. "But I really want you to know that from first-hand experience, your words in a fleeting moment can be an everlasting scar for someone else, and a simple series of actions and happenings at this significant point in your lives can determine what kind of person you can or will become." You smiled sadly. "And staying silent makes you just as guilty. Seeking help doesn't mean you're being a coward; it doesn't make you weak. It's one of the bravest things you can do...standing up for yourself. And offering to help doesn't make you uncool...it makes you strong, standing up for others. Sometimes all someone needs is just one helping hand to pull them out of the darkness."

           Yoongi reached over and intertwined your fingers proudly. You glanced at him warmly then at the rest of your team. Tae and Jimin grinned at you in return.

           "And being popular or acting like someone else is never as satisfying as being yourself, being accepted and embraced for being exactly who you are."

           You blushed as you noticed that everyone began pointing at yours and Yoongi's joined hands. You had gotten slightly carried away. "So um...if anyone has questions...we'll take a few minutes to answer them."

           "There's a hand back there." Namjoon called out. "Yes, sir?"

           The person stood up and grinned. You blinked. It was Jin.

           "So I know it's been a few months, but like...what's up with dating Y/N? Are you serious about her?" he called out.

           You glanced at Yoongi, surprised and confused at Jin's straightforward question.

           But your boyfriend was simply smiling widely as well, mirroring Jin's expression.

           "Yo. So like ever since Y/N started dating Yoongi...haven't you noticed she was actually kind of hott?"

           Yoongi halted in front of the lockeroom as he overheard your name come up in conversation.

           "Like wow...Yoongi's never showed interest in a girl before, but Y/N got to him. What do you think happened?"

           "You know what they say about quiet ones, bro."

           "I'd like to try her on myself, if you know what I mean."

           There was collective laughter as Yoongi stood horrified at what he was hearing. His teammates, his supposed friends?

           "Yeah, I mean, how cool do you think I'd get if I slept with Min Yoongi's girlfriend? Wouldn't that mean I triumphed over him? Would that make me more popular and more handsome if I win over someone who won him over? Right?"

           "Is that how it works?"

           "But dude, I feel like she wouldn't even look at any of us though. She's always staring at a book or something."

           "Oh I'll make her see something she won't keep her eyes off of."

           "Oh please, like she can find that small dick of yours."

           Laughter roared once again. Yoongi gritted his teeth and rattled the doorknob, giving them time to get themselves together before he entered the room.

           "Hey yo! Yoongi, our captain! You lookin' good today! Must be because you got yourself a girlfriend to walk out of the school before practice." They jumped on him, and began ruffling his hair lovingly. As usual, he put on his best face and let them do what they wanted for the time being.

             He had later said those lies about you and your relationship, thinking it was the only way to protect you from his "friends" making a game out of you to one-up him. He didn't want you to go through that, didn't want to even think about what they were willing to do behind his back. If he portrayed you as clingy and needy, you wouldn't seem so much as a prize, but rather someone to pity. They would leave you alone.

           But never in a million years did he think you would overhear him, and he didn't think you would react the way you did. He was furious. You had believed his words so easily and dumped him right there and then, and he was apalled that your relationship had only meant that much to you, to be so easily broken by lies.

           He didn't want to come clean first. He wanted you to believe in him, because you, out of everyone, truly knew him. But it hurt when you didn't. When you didn't reach out, when you never realized. He wondered if that was how lowly you thought of him, that he was that kind of guy all this time. He had hoped that you would at least demand an explanation, which he was ready to give. But it never happened. And you drifted. Days became weeks, then months. He saw you less and less then suddenly, he never saw you at all.

           But this time, he knew that he wouldn't let you go for something menial, not without a fight. He squeezed your hand tightly, causing you to gaze at him questioningly.

           Jin's question was significant to the two of them. It was his redemption, and Jin's peace. So with a smile on his face, he replied wholeheartedly.

           "Abso-fuckin'-lutely serious."

           Jin beamed.

           You laughed as the student body chanted for you two to kiss, but Yoongi shook his head and flailed his arms, embarrassed. Instead, Tae, Jimin, and Hoseok captured him and playfully attempted to kiss his cheek while he thrashed around violently to prevent them.

           And it truly hit you in that moment that you were all finally going to go home.

           The mission was complete.

           But you still had one thing left to solve.

           You found yourself back, perusing the library until you found the book that matched with the rest of the numbers that the VP had left behind. Curiously, you pulled it out of the shelf and gasped as you found a button hidden on the other side. You reached out to press it, and flinched as a secret passageway opened up. You gasped, realizing it was how the culprits were able to get in and out the building so easily. And you recalled the way the unidentified figure - Twin- had disappeared without anyone leaving the library during the lock-in.

           You made a mental note to tell Namjoon, and you intently began examining the book you held in your hands. The Little Mermaid. There were two numbers left in the VP's hint so you flipped to that very page, to find an envelope taped to it. With shaky hands, you opened it, and as you read the contents, you couldn't help but sob.

           "Y/N?" Prez found you sitting in your usual place in the library with a sad smile on your face.

           "Hi." You gestured for him to sit in front of you.

           "Hi..." He obliged warily.

           "I found something that belongs to you." You handed him the letter. "But, can I ask you something first?"

           "Of course." he chuckled.

           "If you had the choice, would you still want to be a Special Agent?" You asked.

           He smiled fondly and nodded. "Yes. I really do. But I'm sure I'll find another career that will give me a similar sense of fulfillment. Everything happens for a reason after all."

           You nodded and stood up. "VP left that letter for you. I found the book matching the numbers of the hint she left you. She had attached it to a specific page."

           Prez's eyes widened in surprised, "She did?"

           Your lips curled up sadly, "Yes...sorry I read through it first. I wanted to just in case it was switched by the Counselor for a boobytrap or something...but anyways, thank you for everything, Prez."

           "Just call me Bogum." he insisted.

           You chuckled, "Thank you for everything... Bogum."

           "Thank you...for this...” he waved the letter. "And for making sure her efforts didn't go to waste."

           With another nod, you left him alone, knowing that he needed it.

           His heart raced and his hands trembled as he took out the letter from the envelope. His heart panged at the familiar neat handwriting that painted the paper as he began reading.

 "Dearest Bogum,

           If you're reading this...then I guess my plan didn't succeed to meet the culprits head on. But I hope that if you have the leisure of reading this, it means that the case has been solved, and that you are safe. If that's what happened, which I'm praying is the outcome, then you must have a lot of questions for me. Why did I do that? Why didn't I tell you? How could you have prevented it? Well, I can tell you for the latter, that nothing could have prevented the situation I'm in. You had always warned me to keep you and the team updated, but I always went off researching, searching on my own. You had always warned me to not go too deep on my own, and what you had forewarned came to pass.

           I accidentally caught sight of the Counselor and his twin using this secret passageway hidden in the library, to which this book is in front of. But alternatively, they caught me as well. They tried to recruit me, saying that I had not committed any sin to warrant death yet. They asked why I had been snooping, and who else I told my conjectures to. Obviously, I lied and said I was just looking for a book, and after buying myself enough time, I refused to join in their sick game. If I had stayed alive...if they knew how close we were, if they dug up my background, if somehow some way they found out about you and my mother, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. We would've all been in danger because of me.

           As for my mother... I wanted to thank her for giving birth to me in the end; that even though she attempted to kill me, she didn't. By giving me up, she gave me the best chance at staying alive; she gave me the opportunity to live wealthily and be raised by a family filled with love and devotion. Her choice led me to you, to the agency. I only wish that I could tell her myself to not let the guilt eat away at her. That she shouldn't freeze her life, because I have lived mine to the fullest unlike what she fears happened. But maybe the knowledge of my existence, and if you're reading this now, my eventually demise, would tear her up even more. So I'd like to remain a shadow in her past. So in my place, tell her to live and to love with all her heart as I've seen her do with us two and with the other students. She is a beautiful soul, and I'm so proud to have her blood running through my veins. The time I spent with her these few years...I have cherished them. I'm so glad the universe led me to her.

           I know they're going to try to kill me tonight, but I'm going to try my best to survive and end this mission, so we can go home and finally dance and sing to 'Bombastic' with the team in celebration. So, I hope you never have to read this letter.

           But if I failed and you are...know that I love you very much Bogum.

           Thank you for all the adventures. Thank you for giving me a place to belong, and someone I could call my own. Don't live with the weight of my death on your shoulders like my mother did. It was my choice alone. Just imagine instead that I'm beside you, protecting you, encouraging you, and wishing you all the happiness you have given me, because that's what partners do. Live vivaciously and passionately as you always have. Make people laugh as only you can. Make the world a better place with the genuine kindness only you possess.

Stay safe always.

 With love and until we meet again,

Irene"

             Prez wailed uncontrollably as he finished reading the last of her words.

           She had saved him.

           "Wow. It's good to be back in Headquarters." Jimin stretched.

           "I know. I can't wait to see how proud they are we completed the mission beyond what we were supposed to do." Tae spun around in the chair.

           You glanced over at Prez, who was sitting silently beside you, knowing it was almost time for his removal from the system.

           "So..." Namjoon came into the room.

           Anticipation filled the air as your entire team, Yoongi included, stared at him expectantly. The seven of you had stormed relentlessy into Headquarters the past few days to rally for the reinstatement of Bogum as a Special Agent. You all argued that without his help, you wouldn't have been able to complete the mission. Namjoon was later sent to the Director's office to discuss matters calmly while everyone waited in the conference room for the verdict, unbeknownst to Bogum of course.

           "The Director personally came down to see everyone." Namjoon scratched his head.

           Everyone scrambled up, shocked. The Director hardly ever came out of his office. Not many people have seen him or spoken to him in person, unless you were the Brain of your team. But even then, it seemed that he had other people liason for him and the Brains. He kept a very secretive, low-profile. So everyone stood up respectfully, and the room was filled with tension. Why had he decided to show himself to you? It was unheard of for a new SA team.

           Two figures walked into the room, which caused all your jaws to drop.

           "Mr. BANG???" You, Tae, and Jimin bellowed.

           You glanced at the person beside him. "Mine and Yoongi's Junior year homeroom teacher??!"

           "Wait -- who's Mr. Bang?" Yoongi blinked. "Isn't that the homeroom teacher's boyfriend? We've seen them together a few times."

           "He recruited us." You revealed.

           "She recruited me." Yoongi pointed at your old Junior year homeroom teacher. "And agreed to let Hoseok in too."

           She smiled fondly at you and Yoongi. "It's good to see you've found everything you were looking for, Yoongi. And I'm glad you've really become a beautiful, amazing woman, Y/N."

           You walked over and embraced her. She had been your savior in high school, so it was a breath of nostalgia and gratefulness being in her presence once again.

           "Come here too, Mr. Bang!" You widened your arms towards him, but Namjoon stepped forward, stopping you.

           "Um...Y/N..." he whispered. "He's the Director."

           "WHAT?!"

           "And she's his Secretary." Namjoon glanced at your old homeroom teacher.

           "Yes, yes. Please sit down." Mr. Bang chuckled nonchalantly. "I have to get back to my class in a bit."

           "So this is where you disappeared to all the time." Tae mumbled.

           "So first, I'd like to congratulate you on returning safely. Welcome home." Then his smile faded. "But I do have to say that all of you have broken many of the Agency rules by participating in a mission that was not assigned to you. Bogum, you were ordered to return, but you continued to remain undercover. Namjoon, your team, was only supposed to gather INTEL, not get involved and apprehend the culprits."

           Everyone awkwardly averted their eyes.

           "AND you all come in here with these transgressions and caused a ruckus about how it's unfair and how Bogum should still be a Special Agent, and whatnot."

           Bogum glanced at your team in surprise as everyone smiled sheepishly.

           "But..." Mr. Bang smiled. "It's that kind of cleverness, proactiveness, strength of will, justice, and camraderie that made me come here today."

           Everyone visibly relaxed.

           "I had to make a few decisions." he folded his hands. "Bogum, these seven kids fought hard and demanded you remain a Special Agent. Is that something you would like?"

           Bogum sat up confidently, and nodded. "More than anything."

           "I figured." Mr. Bang chuckled. "So this once, I'm going to make an exception. You will remain a lone Special Agent, and take unique cases from me directly. Someone with your skill set will be upsetting to lose this early."

           Bogum beamed and bowed deeply. "I won't let you down! Thank you!"

           "And one other person requires an exception..." Mr. Bang nodded to your Junior Year Homeroom Teacher, who opened the door of the conference room.

           "You can come in." she called.

           "Whoa...what is this place?" Jin waltzed in, wide-eyed and in awe. "Oh hi! You're all here too!"

           You blinked as he sat down next to Bogum. "What's going on?"

           "Mr. Kim Seokjin was directly involved in this mission and the nature of your identities has been revealed to him, so at first we were going to erase his memories."

           There was a collective gasp, the loudest coming from Jin, who was horrified.

           "That's actually a thing??" he bellowed.

           "Buuttt..." Mr. Bang continued. "...it seems that there's no need because he's been related to this Agency since the beginning."

           Everyone looked around confused, including Jin.

           "You don't know?" You questioned.

           Jin scoffed, "I think I'd know if I was involved in a Secret Agent Secret Agency."

           "Send him in." Mr. Bang gestured.

           A few seconds later, an older handsome man waltzed into the room. Jin immediately sprung up from his seat.

           "DAD??"

           His dad laughed heartily. "I didn't believe it when you told me, Bang, but my son really got suckered into this one, huh?"

           You giggled lightly. It was like listening to an older Jin making jokes.

           "What're you doing here?" Jin scolded.

           "Well son, the family 'business' that you didn't want anything to do with was partnering with this Agency." Jin's father grinned.

           "But I thought you were just buying and selling random metals and stuff!" Jin argued.

           "Well yes, to buy parts for weapons." Jin's dad shook his head.

           "Oh my gosh..." Jin exhaled and sat down.

           "So in lieu of his family being one of our long-time generous partners, we have given Jin special permission into the agency as well. We won't have to erase his memories." Mr. Bang concluded.

           "Oh thank goodness." Jin breathed. "Sounds good to me."

           You laughed. Jin always took things so passively, even when he was whisked away into a high-tech agency by random people, was told he might have to get his memories erased, and was told that his dad's company actually gives secret agents the parts to create unique weapons.

           "The offer's still open son." Jin's dad shrugged. "You're welcome to join in on the fun when you're done with being a teacher."

           Jin smiled, and glanced at you. "We'll see where the wind blows me."

           You grinned.

           "Anyway," Mr. Bang clapped. "I would like to say that I have some vacation time for you guys, but unfortunately, there's another urgent matter I need you all to attend to."

           Everyone groaned.

           "As long as I stay a male this time, I'm in." Yoongi drawled.

           Mr. Bang smirked and leaned forward against the table.

           "So team...are ready for your next mission?"

.

.

.

.

BONUS: THE LETTER 

[weeklyfangirl]

Frat Boy Pt. 10

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6,  part 7 (1), part 7 (2), part 8, part 9

Well well WELL look at me not taking six months to update ;) Left you on a bit of a cliffhanger there last time. After reading I have a question and I’d love to read your answers - what would you have done differently, or the same, if you were in this position? Enjoy the ride reading this! Everything is not quite as it seems is it, even with frat boys you thought you had all figured out... xx

His door was there. Just like any other door. But you paced around it a few times. He was probably sleeping. Should you just go to the downstairs? Just…I don’t know… grab a glass of water? Try putting on the tv? Like a normal person would? You raised your hand, but it fell just as fast. Gosh who were you?!

You couldn’t yell at Harry for being bipolar when you were basically the perfect spokesmodel. You knew why you were standing outside his door. You knew who’d make you feel secure. This was embarrassing.

But the door opened before you had to knock.

“You can come in,” he murmured.

“Oh,” you said, voice barely above a whisper. “Oh you don’t have to-”

But when he opened the door wider you didn’t waste a second in entering. 

---

“I’m sorry if I woke you,” I began, but my voice wavered at the end as I clung to myself in the center of his room. Uncertainty took the place of fear the second I was behind his door, just like I knew it would. But I didn’t expect the effect to be this instant. Even the smell of his room was comforting, the faintest hint of his cologne mingled with must, which if it had been anybody else’s but his would’ve been off-putting.

He was in only black boxer briefs and a dark t-shirt, and as his arm went up to ruffle his hair, I wasn’t blind to the way his arms seemed to make the material stretch.

“The walls aren’t as thick as you’d think.” There was a moment’s pause. “And I have really good ears. They’re a bit big.” His brows creased as soon as the words came out of his mouth.

Was he… rambling?

Rambling or not, my cheeks flushed. Had he heard me walk back and forth outside the door for fifty million years?? I didn’t think I’d been that loud...

He must’ve seen the look of guilt take over because he shook his head lightly. “I was already up.”

Although tonight he’d spoken the most out of the both of us, his words were still stated low. A little raspy at the hour, too. He ran his hands down his face when I didn’t offer any in return and he went past me, sitting down at the foot of the bed. It was a king, Lionel hadn’t lied about that. Yet somehow he didn’t manage to look small at the end of it. It was his and he owned it, in more ways than one. Artwork cluttered the space on the walls, but they were all dark pieces and it set a moody tone to the room.

“Is something wrong?”

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly, but I didn’t want to try to explain. To try and unlock the Pandora’s box of emotions I’d felt towards him. I could’ve gone easy, said a teasing “no, actually” and questioned him about what I’d seen in the closet, but my thoughts were on a lot.

No, discovering what I had wasn’t the only thing that made me run across the hall. A sorry was on the tip of my tongue, the nerves building up to push me to action because I knew that I needed to say it. But courage wasn’t with me.

Distracted by words I couldn’t say, it took me a while to see Harry studying my attire. His eyes scrolled down to the sweatpants a couple sizes off before lingering at the giant button-down swallowing all shape. I pulled the sleeves down out of habit, but they were already covering my hands. I was like a giant blanket burrito with a head poking out.

“Are you warm enough then?”

“What? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I’m fine.” I saw his lips move to the side in thought and I realized he was probably wondering what in the hell I was doing here. And desperate for an excuse my mouth moved faster than my brain when I said, “I saw some pills in the cabinet I didn’t know if you had a sleeping pill or anything. Could I like, take one? Just to help me.”

If I’d have been a step further I would’ve missed the way Harry’s eyes snapped into focus for a split second before reverting back to normal. But it happened so swiftly and in a room as dark as night that I was left wondering if it’d happened at all.

“No, hold on. I’ll get you something.” He disappeared into the attached bathroom, and I heard the cabinets close seconds before he walked out. He handed a tiny white pill to me and I looked at it for a second as he swallowed one himself.

“What is this?”

“You don’t trust me?” An eyebrow arched, but it dropped just as fast. “It won’t kill you. It’s melatonin.”

“Okay,” I mumbled.

“Actually,” he said, and he grabbed my wrist before I could push it past my lips. He cracked the pill in half, giving one bit to me and popping the other in his mouth.

“So… you couldn’t sleep either?” I asked, and my eyes followed him as he walked back and sat where he had before, leaning forward with both hands on his knees. His shadowed eyes were watching me and I quickly swallowed the pill which suddenly seemed a hundred times harder to do under his observation.

“No,” he admitted. He looked down briefly before squinting up to me, even though there was no harsh light in the room that’d make squinting necessary. There was the wall that faced the backyard which was actually just one big sliding glass door, and it let in some light. But not enough to squint...

I chewed my bottom lip when I realized why it’d been familiar. It was like the time he’d asked me to wear his jersey to the game. Before I’d thought it’d just been from the sun but perhaps not. Was it a nervous tick? My mind suddenly jumped to Vivienne who’d interrupted that conversation, and it took me down a black hole - to seeing her at the party, to chasing Harry up the stairs.

And I looked to my feet again when I remembered hearing Harry with someone. She’d been there that night. And she’d been here tonight.

I wondered if it was her.

“You have thigh tattoos,” I suddenly mumbled. He was leaning back, hands behind him, and they were on display perfectly. A big one on his left, and a smaller one on his right. But with the dark light I couldn’t quite make out what they were.  His eyes narrowed.  

“Yeah. You’d forgotten?”

A laugh seemed appropriate in this situation but it stayed lodged in my throat. Forgotten? ... Forgotten? It was such a silly question. Especially now, with him laid back in almost the exact same position, in the exact same attire, that he’d been in at the frat house. The time he’d asked me to undress him. The time, for a brief moment, I’d thought about how he could do to the exact same to me.  Could have, anyway, as it was the first time I’d been alone with him, with no walls, the first time I’d been in a situation that had felt so intimate. No matter how much I tried to forget about it, that memory was still there, burning in the back of my brain like constant embers, each tattoo marking his tan skin, the way it’d looked so smooth, the rise and fall of his chest. Even his freaking pectoral muscles had made me stay up late at night on more than one occasion just thinking about how they’d feel under my own hand.

But he didn’t know any of that.

Forgotten?

I swallowed, or tried to anyway, because the lump seemed to be stuck in my throat when I answered, “No. I didn’t.”

I felt odd, just standing there as he sat sprawled back watching me. It was like I could actually see my answer churning around in his mind. Almost like I was on trial, like he was debating what to do with me, like somebody was going to bust down the door and pop in with a camera screaming, “THE MOST BIZARRE MOMENTS CAUGHT ON CAMERA WITH YOUR HOST BILLY JOEL.” My feet carried me closer to his bedside, and I lingered for a moment next to him before sitting down beside him. There. That was… better. Though a good two or three bodies could’ve squeezed in between us. I wasn’t sure if this was considered taking it a step too far, if he’d thought I was about to walk out the door soon. He’d already given me my pills, I was warm, I had a bed…

But he’d opened the door without needing a reason and right now with the darkness of night the rules seemed to be blurred. He didn’t try to stop me from staying.

And we were both awake now anyhow. For some silly reason I felt like we were sharing that, like it bonded us no matter how small the reason.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I began by stating the obvious, the easiest course of action. I pulled my legs up and tucked my knees under my chin while he leant all the way back, propping an arm up as he turned to face me. As we moved the sound of the sheets seemed loud to me. This house was eerily quiet. It was still for a few moments more, when a distant crash sounded. It was familiar, just barely though, too muffled to place exactly.

“Are those the waves?”

“Yeah,” he said. “The moon’s full tonight so it makes them stronger.” His voice had a deep lull to it too, pulling and taking me in until my mind was pacified. But that was always when the big wave crashed wasn’t it. After I tip-toed closer thinking I was safe, thinking that perhaps this ocean wasn’t as terrifying as the world made it out to be, that’s when mother nature revealed her trick and threatened to take me away.

“That’s nice you can hear that at night,” I mumbled, thinking something over. “You know how we’re mostly made of water?”

“Yeahh,” Harry’s voice sounded suspicious but my eyes stayed locked to the window, where somewhere the black horizon harbored the Pacific.

“Well my aunt, she lived with us for a couple years when I was like six or seven, she used to tell me that full moons create a tide that works within us. That we’re-” I smiled- “that we’re a part of the cosmos pushing and pulling people into paths they’re supposed to be on.”

“And do you believe it?”

“I don’t know.” I sighed, my hands dropping to pull at the comforter again. “She also left her crystals out to harbor the moon’s power and tried to pass as a psychic.” I decided to leave out the part where her shop only lasted five months after she started suggesting “spirit-guided” investments to people who were naive enough to follow her instructions.

Another crash sounded and it made me feel the kind of cold that ran deeper than gooseflesh. I clung tighter to my body. “But then again I’m here aren’t I?” I peered over to him and I could’ve sworn his aura hummed satisfied.

“Then thank you moon,” he articulated each word but it was grumbled as he tilted his head back and stretched, closing his eyes, arms spread wide. I didn't need to ask him the same question to know he didn't believe in them, the tides within.

“Is Vivienne here too?”

His stretch stopped and I stilled, he wasn’t expecting that question and to be honest I hadn’t expected that question to fly from my lips either.

“No, why would she be?”

“I don’t know. You guys seem to be.. Close.” Close enough for her to know you were adopted.

“Yeah, guess she’d like to be,” he admitted, rubbing his hands over his eyes. I couldn’t tell if they’d been squinty.

“How long have you known her?”

“Dunno.” He sighed, and I half-expected him to say stop being so nosy, or why’re you so curious? But when I didn’t say anything else he continued quietly, “She’s just been a family friend since I was little.”

So you make out with family friends do you?

I plucked the comforter between my fingers as the bitter thought filled my mind, and once more I was grateful for the cover of darkness. I’d always been a shit liar, I always had it written all over my face. But perhaps with the darkness I could also have courage.

“Listen-”

“I have to say something.”

We spoke at the same time, and we shook our heads together.

“Go ahead.”

“After you.”

“Um,” I laughed, as loud as a laugh should be in the hushed hours of the night. Which is not very loud at all. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ve said to you recently.”

“Well we don’t speak all that much,” he interjected.

“Harry-”

“I’m just trying to recall what's been said,” he threw up his arms, an act of innocence, but his act of pretending as though he didn’t know what I was talking about when that was nearly impossible just made this even more embarrassing. He couldn’t save me from that, no matter how hard he was trying.

“Stop lying, please. You know what I’m talking about.”

“Alright well, the champagne is pretty strong at those things.” He paused. “Sorority dinners, I mean. You know, those sort of things.” And he looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, clearly opting for taking the piss out of me now that feigned ignorance was over.

“Harry,” I groaned, leaning my head against his bed pillar. I didn’t want to see his stupid almost-grin right now. I wouldn’t be able to see much of it anyways, but I basically had the image memorized and my mind conjured it up regardless. Annoying. My eyes narrowed. His ceiling didn’t have stars. It was just plain. 

Stop! distracting! yourself!!

“Look I’m sorry for what I said.” My eyes fell back to his and he was staring at me so seriously I felt all competence start to fade. He opened his mouth but I continued, “I shouldn’t have said those mean things to you.”

His brows stitched together. “Is it because of you coming here? You apologizing, I mean.”

He seemed cautious, focused, on the words that would come next. I wanted to say that yes, it was. I really REALLY wanted to - because that would be easy then wouldn’t it? And partly true. But that also seemed like a #1 bitchacho move. Why yes Harold, it’s because I realized during dinner that I wanted to poke my eyes out with a fork JUST to go to the ER instead of sitting between all of you and…..that…. UR FAM’S WEIRD haha :)

Yeah- no. I’d gone all cringy just thinking that. It was more like this house was a trigger to realizing just who I was interacting with, or rather how much I had yet to realize. I’d been so mean and uncouth towards him. And yeah, this “him” was Harry Styles, the most closed-off charmer known to man but he was still exactly that. A man. A human. With mistakes, with feelings. And here I was. In that human’s home.

In that human’s bed.

How many people could say the same?

“I’m not apologizing just because I’m here. I-” A puff of hot air left my lips. “I don’t know… you’re more real to me now? Does that make sense?

“I’m more real,” he exaggerated and I could tell he was enjoying this all a little bit too much. “And pressing your lips to me wasn’t enough to prove that?”

Whatever words I’d planned to say next stalled and heat rushed to my cheeks. His mind might have drifted there, but mine didn’t have to. Although he looked near perfect in this cool low lighting, it also meant that he looked more like a mirage than ever. Almost ghostly. My heart picked up its pace as I forced myself to focus.

“This is when you’re supposed to say I accept your apology, smartass.” I extended my foot along the bed until it barely reached him, kicking his shoulder lightly. He grabbed my ankle for a moment and held it there, and I was tempted to kick him even harder, but he let it go. I tried to ignore that I was a little disappointed.

“It’s fine, it’s not like I was gutted.” He shrugged his shoulders, “Didn’t mean anything.”

But I saw the way he looked down to the comforter with the smallest of smiles, heard the way his tone lightened just the slightest. He actually seemed relieved and I wondered if it was just another lie.

“You know, you say that a lot.” I scrutinized him laying down, positioning his hands comfortably behind his head. But he quickly lifted it at the accusation.

“What?”

“It doesn’t mean anything.”

My words were weighted, and for the billionth time in my life I wished I were a better liar because even though he couldn’t see the details of my face, he must have heard the bitterness in my voice. The same bitterness he’d held in his when he spewed those words at me when I was in a drenched white top and mini skirt.

“You said them first. Reckon I forgot that too?”

I stilled. It was the truth. He wasn’t lying. I’d been mortified and confused, especially after Viv had popped up between his legs the next morning. What had he wanted me to think? What had he wanted me to say?

“I wanted to say them before you did,” I confessed.

“What?”

“The words. I know-” I bit my tongue. “I didn’t want to overthink anything. People kiss all the time, they do a lot more than that too. I wasn’t going to be the girl who makes the mistake of feeling there was anything more to it.” It was taking everything in me not to directly call out his reputation. Everything. In me. But he had a faraway look in his eye that suddenly dropped as I spoke and for some reason knowing he knew what I’d been hinting at left me hurting.

“I’m sorry for kissing you,” he said lowly.

My brows snapped together and I watched as he slowly collected himself to sit up again, thick abs effortlessly flexing. They would’ve been more distracting if his words weren’t even more so. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything Harry. That’s what I was trying to say, people kiss all the time.”

“But we don’t,” he said, “We don’t kiss all the time. You’re not ‘people.’”

My cheeks flushed. I didn’t know if Harry knew that he was admitting I was different in his mind, or if it was an accidental choice of words, but even then, I wasn’t ‘people.’

“You still don’t have to apologize.” I bit my cheek, knowing the next bit to be true but nevertheless embarrassing. “I was the one to kiss you remember?”

He shook his head. “You weren’t in the right mind, or the place.”

“It’s not like you took advantage of me.”

“Didn’t I though?” But it wasn’t a question.

“Harry-”

“You’re not going to change my mind.” He let out a breathy laugh, but it was sad, the kind of laugh people do when they’re in a situation that’s so awful it’s borderline ridiculous.

A slow smile spread on my face. “Are you sure I can’t… shift your tide?”

An expected laugh bubbled out of him, and it was so beautifully uncontrolled I felt my eyes widen a bit. “God, who are you?” He jammed his palms into his eyes and stifled another laugh.

“You’ll have to come to church with me for that question.”

“You’re so random,” he mumbled.

“I like the word ridiculous better. More fun to say.”

He sighed deeply, all potential disparity and laughter vanishing in a breath. I sighed, too. And just when I was about to bite the bullet and allow myself to leave he spoke. “But it’s not true is it. There’s a lot of bullshit in the world and I’m pretty good at finding it. But there isn’t any with you.”

He hummed as he looked to me, almost daring me to counter it.

“No one’s life is ridiculous-free.”

He smirked, looking up to the ceiling.

“Okay Y/N.”

“Some definitely have it worse though.”

“Sure,” he said, when he really meant “I know.”

As a wave crashed somewhere far away it reminded me of how far up I’d found myself, tucked away in the hills I’d only ever seen from below. Who’d known life actually existed up here? You can wonder all you want about the mysterious lives being lived somewhere else whether that’s your neighbor’s backyard or Budapest, but it’s another thing completely to suddenly be immersed in it, to be within the walls holding the luxury that’s somebody’s reality. It’s bizarre, actually. Whether a moment of weakness, tiredness, or the tiniest bit of want, I lay back down on the bed. He didn’t move away, I didn’t try to move closer. We laid there with our backs on the comforter, staring up to a plain ceiling.

After a moment he spoke. “Are you going to sleep?”

The rustle of the comforter told me he’d turned his head to face me, but I faltered, suddenly embarrassed. It wasn’t as though he was trying to kick me out, I realized, it was an invitation.

“Not yet,” I decided with. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” he grumbled and he slowly smacked his lips together as he rearranged himself higher on the bed. “There’s a pillow up here if you want. It’s more comfy.” He sighed and the tinsiest bit of a groan rumbled in his throat to the point where it almost sounded like a show to display how comfy the bed was. Whatever it was, it made me squeeze my thighs a bit.

Why’d he moved away? Of course it wasn’t as if he was trying to jump my bones after apologizing for simply kissing me but...

I mean I would’ve said no if he’d tried anyways but...

Now that his presence wasn’t directly beside me there was definitely a longing to be closer. That much I’d admit. A longing. And it electrified my skin as much as it terrified me. The moon lit my path as I turned around on my hands and knees and slowly made my way to the headboard, I hoped I knew what I was doing, I hoped I looked somewhat alluring doing this. If I did, I couldn’t tell, for his eyes were as unreadable as stone and they shut before I was next to him. My body felt heavy as I lay back again and looked to him, not even trying to hide my stare, my heart suddenly in my throat for an entirely different reason than before.

He was frustratingly perfect from the outside. Chiseled jaw, strong nose, puffy pout, hair disheveled and strewn about but not too long to make it look scraggly. He didn’t open his eyes to see me staring, he kept them shut. He seemed totally relaxed, so unaware and casual about it all, and here I was scrutinizing his beauty up-close and thinking that even if he drooled it would probably sparkle in the moonlight. And somehow in thinking this, I’d come closer to him. I boldly rested my head as close as I could without being on his pillow but it still didn’t leave much room.

“Harry,” I whispered. His lashes fluttered and he turned on his side. He hummed a little in response after I didn’t provide a follow-up question, and though his eyes were barely open from sleep, I still felt my stomach twist in anxious knots. He had to know what I wanted didn’t he? My eyes flitted down to his lips and though it was the slightest action, his eyes no longer had sleep in them. There were several drawn out moments, painful seconds, where I suddenly became aware of his breathing. It was harder, he was waiting, and I knew that he knew that was my cue to lean in, eyes closed.

But when I should’ve felt lips I felt a solid hand against my chest. Above my breasts.

“Don’t,” he said.

My lips parted, breath suspended. And I tried ever so hard to take back what I heard.

“I can’t Y/N,” he said softly, so soft it was almost apologetic, and he drew his hand away. An involuntary chill rippled through me and I turned on my back, looking to the ceiling. He didn’t offer any other words, no explanation. He lay there, in the same heavy uncomfortable silence as me. This didn’t just happen. This didn’t just happen. This didn’t just happen.

Was it because of Viv? Because he was sober? How was it that every time he was in a bed with me my sanity flew out the window and it was me trying to jump his bones. How was it that I always found myself in bed with him in the first place? I opened my mouth but embarrassment forbid me from saying anything. I could just lie in the darkness. Pretend I’m sinking into the bedsheets until there’s nothing left but an awful imprint of my butt to remember me by.

“I’m sorry you came here,” he whispered, and it was like a bullet to my chest, the freezing point to the rejection already rendering my muscles motionless. You’re a coward Harry, I thought bitterly. A coward who can charm a girl yet doesn’t take action.

He was scared, that had to be it, I just didn’t know what of. For my own pride I refused to let myself think he just didn’t want me. Because he had, once. Hadn’t he? I’d felt it in his kiss and he couldn’t take that back. So what had changed?

“Goodnight,” he said, but it was low and detached as he turned his back to me. He was probably anxious to get this embarrassment over for the both of us. My hands lay flat on the comforter and I wanted to run out the room, straight out of the house. But if I moved then it’d be breaking the weird mood that’d settled. That was something I would do, I would run, not the me that was here in the middle of the night who’d tried to sexily crawl up the bed. No - if I moved, it’d be admitting something, so teeth clenched and nails dug into palms instead.

I’d never been so plainly rejected. From anyone else I think I could handle it, but from him it felt different, final. It felt like it meant something. And the thought burned hot in my mind even when lingering goosebumps told of a different sensation.

He was still lying there, his chest rising and falling. I thought he was asleep, which was miraculous. The lucky bastard could fall asleep that quickly, that guilt-free. It was just easy. EVERYTHING WAS EASY FOR HIM. With him facing the other direction and given what’d just happened, I didn’t have anything more to risk. Even if he didn’t want to kiss me and knowing that made a self-pitiful ball of teenage angst and sadness settle in the pits of my stomach, I could still admire his body. His broad shoulders sloped down to a more narrow middle, but there was a slight rise in his hips that although not necessarily masculine, was still alluring. Because they were his. My eyes skipped past black boxers and dropped to his bare thighs that were...solid. I couldn’t think of another word for them. And in my mind I could see them flex to kick the ball, the skin still a little damp from sweat. The same thighs that had pushed him to be as fast and as powerful as our mascot’s panther outside of Keans, that’d propelled him to overpower the faceless men before one swing of his fist had plowed the man to the ground.

I hated how I found that attractive.

I didn’t think I’d ever wanted to sit on another man’s lap as badly as I did Harry’s.

Oh God.

I’d tried not to think about that night. But telling yourself not to think of something was about as useful as telling a sibling not to throw a pebble at you, hearing you say no just made them want to all the more.

I needed therapy.

I needed to leave.

But the alternative of sinking back to the room I’d ran from seemed impossible. I was a stranger in this home, and with him, somehow I was less so. Even when he’d rejected me in that way, I knew he wouldn’t reject just me, my presence. He hadn’t said get out of the room.

Though he had said he was sorry I came.

A heaviness was starting to settle in my bones and whether from rejection or a build-up of pity, I didn’t have the energy to move. Besides, my subconscious decided it’d like the torture of being so close to something I suddenly couldn’t have. I took a deep quiet breath, letting the potency of him fill my lungs like a guilty pleasure, and I realized it was even stronger now lying on his sheets than it had been when I’d first entered. I’d expected to just get used to it, but I was foolish to think any part about him could be placed in the “get used to” box.

I wasn’t sure how long I lay there, listening to his steady breathing, too lazy to even get underneath the covers. Perhaps that was how I snapped awake up - a chill rippled through me.

Had it been minutes? Hours?

No palm trees whacked against his sliding glass doors. But it was the same nagging thought that pricked at my brain, no matter how I tried to rationalize it.

“Why’s there a crib in the closet?”

But it was a hush spoken to the air, the rhythm of his breathing didn’t change.

He was already asleep.

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

There was no sunrise in the morning. It would’ve been funny if I was in a mood to laugh, but I wasn’t. So it just added another bitter notch on the door of last night, which had officially closed. I don’t know why I’d thought anything more would happen with him.

I tried cracking the sliding glass door open, but when the chilly misty air came rushing in, I closed it shut just as fast. The morning marine layer was gray and thick, completely washing over everything I saw, even the houses on Keeper’s Island that stretched all the way down the coast. I suppose I’d desperately wanted to see the sunrise, but I couldn’t argue that this weather fit my mood much better.

He was still asleep when I stopped wistfully looking out the window, and I honestly wished I could say I saw drool and pillow marks impressed against his skin. But there were none. He looked just about every bit as perfect as the night before, except his hair had somehow managed to become more fluffy and wavy with sleep. He looked like an angel.

But even the devil was the most handsome angel before he fell. How else would you be tempted?

In an alternate universe I imagined I’d walk over to him, kiss him on the forehead only for him to grumble at having woken him, but he’d do it with a smile so I’d know he didn’t mean it. He’d wrap his arms around me, insist on us not leaving the bedroom ‘til the marine layer lifted and the sun forced us to head to the beach. He’d kiss me.

And because I was a melodramatic arse, I took a last lingering look at the view and stopped at the edge of his bed.

“I wish you’ll regret that,” I mumbled.

I didn’t bother closing the door quietly when I left.

----

“Oh, you’re up! I didn’t know if we were going to catch you for breakfast.” Gemma started pulling out a chair, and who I thought was Charlie popping his head around the corner turned out to be a blonde-haired fair-skinned man in his mid-thirties.

“Should I put another toastie in?”

The dining table was empty, Lionel was gone, Mary too, but Gemma made it feel homier just by being there. “Sure, Sven.” Then, to me, “Come on and sit. I can’t take up this whole table up by myself. No seriously, I tried laying atop it once, don’t tell Mary or she’d probably have a heart attack.” She stilled suddenly, looking back quickly to where Sven had disappeared to.  

“Actually I have to get to an early morning class.” She grimaced in sympathy and I couldn’t help the little smile that broke through. “Yeah, I know. I’m not exactly sure how to get there though.”

“Charlie’s working on it now actually, in the front. He should still be working on it, I’m not sure if it’s finished though.” But before I could say thank you she continued, “Why doesn’t Harry take you?” And the hopeful glimmer in her eye made all the embarrassment from last night come rushing back like a flood.  

“Uh, I don’t think so, he’s still asleep.”

“Oh I can wake him-”

“No!” She stopped as she tried to pass me. “I mean, it’s fine. I think he only has afternoon classes today, I wouldn’t want him to lose sleep, or anything.”

She nodded slowly, each nod another gear turning in her mind, “Yeah, okay. That’s nice of you,” but there was a hesitance to her voice. “Let’s just see if Charlie’s done then.”

And as if knowing his toastie was about to become uneaten, Sven’s head popped around with a cinnamon pastry confection that made me seriously regret not taking one.

“Thank you Sven, you’re a doll.” It was plucked from his hands and Gemma passed it to you with only a wink as a your welcome.

----

The spluttering noise of Grandpa finally giving in to the electric boost made us all cheer.

“Charlie you’re a miracle worker! Seriously thank you, I might actually-” I looked to my watch again as if something had changed in the past 20 seconds- “Okay no, I’m still late but at least I’ll show up. Thank you, again,” I took the keys from him and he shook his head.

“It was an easy fix, really.”

I looked at the jumper cables attached to the Maserati and the car that was even older than me, and I wanted to snort. But I resisted, barely.

“Where’d you even find one, did you borrow it from a neighbor?”

A crease shadowed Charlie’s forehead and I faltered. “No,” he started slowly, “there was one in the garage. Lionel has a very well-stocked garage. These guys are pretty common.” He bent over and wiggled the cable as he unattached the nice sports car from your daily driver. I’d be headed back to work now, back to reality, my ties to the Styles officially severed. It was symbolic really.

But then his words hit me.

“Wait this was here?”

Charlie looked back to you as he walked back to the garage.

“What?”

“The jumper cables. They were here. Last night.”

Charlie gave you a weird look but nodded as he walked past you to the garage. The front door opened and Gemma jogged closer to my still frame.

They were here the entire time.

“Were they hard to find?!” I called out. I could at least give Harry that.

“Plain as day,” he shouted back.

“What’s hard to find?”

My mind raced to figure out conflicting facts and when it came up blank I realized I hadn’t responded to Gemma. “Eh, nothing. Just asking silly questions apparently.” I waved my hands before settling them on my hips. That tricky bastard. Just when I thought I’d had his emotions semi-figured out, he goes and does a 180 that would make me think he wanted me to stay here last night.

But I was not going to be imaginative, nor melodramatic any more today. So I would listen to logic.

Which meant Harry’s secret was having a serious visual impairment.

“Thanks again, for the pastry especially. Would’ve had to starve it out until 4pm.”

“Are you kidding? It’s us who should be thanking you.”

“For stealing some car battery charge?”

She almost smiled. “For coming last night. It’s good to have other people in the house. I think. I’m not really sure after last night, actually,” her voice faded at the end as she looked to Charlie now walking down.

“Well I am,” Charlie boomed, wiping any remaining car grease on his pants. “Didn’t hear a thing last night did we?” Whatever meaning that held went straight to Gemma, and he rose his eyebrows to make a point.

I froze, my mind immediately jumping to all the sexual conclusions. They didn’t think we were…a thing did they?

“True,” Gemma mumbled, lips pressing together as she continued to look at Charlie.

“We aren’t like, together. Harry and I,” I said, eyes darting from hers to Charlie’s. She tore her gaze and smiled something sad and knowing.

“It wasn’t about that. He…handled everything well yesterday,” was all she chose to say. “It’s kind of sudden for him, right now. Everything, I mean.” She continued looking at Charlie and he squinted from the overcast glare.

“Are you going to be in town for long?” It was a subject she wasn’t elaborating on and I wasn’t going to be the one to pry.

“Maybe. I don’t have my return ticket yet. Perhaps another week or two.”

“Okay, maybe I’ll see you both around then. On campus even,” I offered, because I knew I wasn’t coming back here ever again. Harry and his mom had made that pretty clear last night.

She nodded, pulling me in for a hug.

“It was lovely meeting you.”

And when she gave me a little squeeze I knew she meant it.

“Tell Harry not to screw up whatever this is next time you see him, okay?”

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but there was a painful stab in my stomach that reminded me we’d never gone far enough for there to be something to salvage. We were constantly walking a line, but never crossing it. I hadn’t realized I’d wanted it to be crossed both physically and emotionally until last night. I’d always liked puzzles, couldn’t put them down once I started them. And Harry’s was one where the jigsaw pieces kept changing as soon as you’d look away to find another piece. He was addicting as much as he was frustrating.

“Agreed,” Charlie nodded, pulling you in for a quick side-hug.

A memory snapped in place the same time my ribs connected with his and I blinked hard when I realized what it was.

He leaned back as he ruffled my hair.

“Charlie! Really she’s not twelve,” Gemma chided.

But I was still stunned a little. It was weird for that memory to pop into my head, and it hurt all the more because it was unexpected. I hadn’t thought of him in ages. And I couldn’t now, so back to the corner of my brain he went.

We waved goodbyes again and in my rearview mirror I looked back to the beautiful house that even now as I drove away from it, felt more and more like a nightmarish dream. I could’ve sworn I saw a shadow in the window, a sudden flicker that lingered the longer I looked, but with the glare I couldn’t be sure. It was probably just a bird.

-----

The rip of the gauze never left a good taste in my mouth and today was no exception. I’d been yelled at plenty by the substitute supervisor today for being late and it made me scowl as I wrapped the bandage around Matt’s thigh.

“Ay! Easy Y/N, still sore.”

“Oops, sorry.” I made sure my hands were lighter when I finished wrapping. Usually I didn’t mind the work in the training room, Miss Morrow was literally the easiest boss ever, but I guess her baby had finally came and in came Miss Bitchy Pants over here with a sour surprise. I couldn’t complain too much though. It was busy work, there were cute athletes, and I convinced myself it somehow tied into my biology major. I was somewhat helping heal people now, so… that’d look good for the resumes when hospitals read it, wouldn’t it?

There were also the perks that Renny was the most excited about it – athletes, shirtless, massaging out tight muscles (even if that meant their upper thighs), potential party invites…

But then there were days like today. When all it left me with was a sweat-stained shirt, more knots in my shoulders, and humid air to breathe that smelled like dirty socks.

“You smell different today.”

“What?”

“No, I mean, it’s not a bad thing.”

“Bite,” I demanded, and the end of a burrito was shoved in my mouth. I chewed methodically at his backhanded compliment and looked up to the blonde-haired masterpiece.

Even when he made the sneakiest comments, he’d have this wide blue-eyed innocence to him that reminded me he could do no wrong. Yesterday it would’ve been charming. Today, slightly annoying. He was going to Yale for his masters, would’ve gone for his undergraduate schooling too, but he rejected their acceptance to stay back to help his ailing father run the family business.

Like I said, a masterpiece.

Who basically said I smelled odd.

“Okay,” I laughed a bit as set his foot back down. He was weird, in a cute way. A harmless flirt. I’d met him when I was sixteen, and even when I didn’t see him for ages, the second I’d see him on campus he’d jog over to say hello, ask me how the family was.

He held up the burrito again and arched an eyebrow.

Or he’d bring me Chipotle after I’m forced to see him and his pulled hamstring for three weeks straight. A bite of massive burrito was shoved in my mouth and I almost choked on the rice that fell back.  

“You smell like boy.”

“Okay, what?” I grumbled over the food. My hands slapped down on my thighs as I stared him down. He started to laugh and it was probably because my chewing resembled a determined cow.

“I swear my dad wears the exact same cologne.”

“Okay, you’re done. Goodbye,” I joked, but only half. I had a very unhappy basketball player waiting and nursing a bleeding hand that was going to require more rags the more he waited.

“No, don’t be offended!” But I kept waving him off and he broke into an easy smile that somehow made me feel special. Just by being me. Matt was good, like the all-American good I thought only existed in novels. He’d find a keeper one day.

“Keep the ice on it!”

“See you next week!” he called. But when I turned to wipe down some of the ice water that’d melted in his place, I saw his own wrapped meal in the bag.

“Wait- your Chipotle!”

But he shook his head, “Keep it!”

“Seriously?!”

“I was never hungry!”

We were shushed by the supervisor who pointed to my other coworkers trying to give a relaxing massage and I gave a guilty look to Matt before giving him a thumbs up.

He jutted his head back at the action before shaking it a little. There was a smile when he did it though, like there always was when he laughed at something I did, and it was the same laugh that made me feel like I was beautifully different from the rest all over again. Maybe people didn’t really use thumbs up anymore.

----

A, C, C+, B

I scrawled the grades atop the page, and stopped when my hand started to cramp. A whole other box of exams was waiting for me once I finished these, and though I was the teacher’s aid, I still didn’t know if it was legal for Dr. Rhinecuff to be giving me all of this work. Especially because I might be taking his class next year. With the same exams.

But who was to tell Dr. Rhinecuff what to do? I’d take all the help I could get. And pay.

I raised my t-shirt to wipe my stuffy nose when I smelled it.

No.

I drew in a long sniff again.

Arms pushed the fabric up and over my head so fast, and flung the material to the corner of the room.

I still smelled like his bedsheets, like him.  

And as good as I’d been doing not thinking about him with Matt’s visit, the smell brought back all the same sentiments as before.

Where was he now?

There was an away game this weekend. I wasn’t sure where, but I’d heard Renny talk about already missing Niall more than once to know he’d definitely be gone. He’d be here for at least a couple more days though.

I stared at the corner of the room for what seemed like forever before something other than my head pushed me to move.

And when I finished the last paper, closing up the blinds, I hoped Renny wouldn’t judge me when she’d see my sleeping in the same blouse she’d dressed me in last.

part 11

[takemeawaytocamelot]

Red Jamie and the White Lady - Part 23

Thanks for sticking with this story even though I can’t update it every week now. I appreciate each and every one of you. This story wouldn’t be here without you guys. I’m honestly so excited to see where this story goes and to finally be able to share it with all of you. 

I couldn’t have made such a great story without my partners in crime @diversemediums and @outlandishchridhe. Ish is faithful with her peanut gallery comments and DM has truly made me a better writer. This story has evolved and developed because of these two.

Read Part 22 HERE and the ficlet about William Fraser HERE

Jamie stared down at the woman in his arms. She slept hard, curled around his arm. Their legs were tangled in the sheets and each other, but he was comfortable. A peace stole over him, suffusing every fiber of himself with her. Claire. His Sassenach. His Sorcha.

“Then let amorous kisses dwell,” he whispered, his breath stirring a few strands of hair. “On our lips, begin and tell.”

She began shifting in his arms, turning her face upward. Eyes still closed, her lips met his in a sweet kiss.

“A thousand and a hundred score,” she whispered back. “A hundred and a thousand more.”

Jamie exhaled slowly, feeling happier than he'd ever been.

“I love ye, Claire.”

Her eyes opened, bright in the early morning sun, and she smiled up at him.

“I love you too, Jamie.”

Lips meeting his again, she began pushing herself on top of him. He’d just taken a delightful hold of her arse when a sharp knock on the door interrupted them.

“Claire. Ye need to pack. We need to leave soon.”

Jamie’s heart ached, painfully reminding him that he’d have to survive another week without her. He wanted to be selfish and keep her there, with him, but she needed Raymond if she was to learn how to use her Gift to its fullest potential.

“I’m not ready to go yet,” Claire said quietly. “I feel like we didn’t get enough time.”

“Twenty-four hours isna much time, Sassenach.”

“I don’t want to go yet.”

Tucking a stray curl behind her ear, he smiled softly.

“Come back to me, Claire Fraser,” he whispered, fingers seeking the silver ring he'd placed on her hand.

That made her smile, despite the tears in her eyes.

“I will, James Fraser.”

“Good,” he said, kissing her tenderly. “Now, we should go and speak wi’ Murtagh or he’ll come bargin’ in here.”

***

They dressed quickly, heading out to find Murtagh. Fergus played with the wooden toy, his dark brows furrowed in concentration.

“Where are yer bags, lass?” Murtagh asked.

“Murtagh,” Claire began. “Do we have to go today?”

“Do ye want to master yer Gift?”

“Of course I do. But… Couldn’t we maybe leave tomorrow?”

Murtagh glared at the pair of them. Jamie looked down at her.

“Claire, ye ken I want ye to stay but I dinna think-”

“Milord and Milady need their time together,” Fergus announced, eyes focused on his game.

“And what the hell would ye ken about that?” Murtagh asked, eyebrows raised.

Fergus smiled.

“More than you. Just let them be. What could one more day hurt, non?”

“She has a lot to learn if she wants to keep the lad alive,” Murtagh said in a grumpy voice. “You, ye wee rascal, havena been around enough to ken what is yer askin’. It's no’ as though they havena had time to…”

Murtagh flushed suddenly. Fergus smirked and said something crude in French. Claire glanced at Jamie, saw his shameless grin, and elbowed him in the side before turning back to Murtagh.

“Please?” Claire asked gently. “We’ll leave first thing tomorrow. I’d really just like some time to talk with Jamie. You have to admit, it's been an unusual way to start a marriage.”

A few breathless moments passed by before Murtagh finally caved.

“Aye, fine. The lad and I will go find a way to discreetly inform Master Raymond that ye’ll be late. Dinna leave for God’s sake.”

“Thank you, Murtagh,” Jamie said, his hand resting on her hip. “I promise, tomorrow we wilna hinder the plan.”

Muttering unfamiliar Gaelic words, Murtagh steered Fergus out of the cottage. Claire absorbed the quiet that filled the house, leaning against Jamie.

“Shall we?” he asked in a wry tone, offering her his arm with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

Claire chuckled, accepting it, allowing Jamie to lead her back to their room. Once there, he turned to kiss her.

“You know,” she mumbled against his lips as he lay her on the bed again. “When I said I wanted to talk with you, I meant it.”

Jamie hummed in amusement and kissed her forehead.

“Aye, I ken. Asking me to keep my hands from ye, knowing you’ll be gone tomorrow, though…”

She laughed and nudged his side, making him settle down beside her.

“Alright,” he said, eyes settling into a natural deep blue. “Where shall we start?”

“Want to talk about the future?” Claire asked, face caught between a sheepish smile and a grimace.

“No,” Jamie replied dryly, tucking her into his side. “But I suppose we must. What is it that’s on yer mind, Sassenach?”

Claire took a deep breath, trying to find a place to start.

“I’m not asking you to Look or if you’ve Seen anything. I was just thinking… I’ve been gone from my job for a while now. I’m not sure… I may not have a job to go back to, once we return to Scotland. Even then… With how dangerous our lives are, I’m not sure I could keep such a steady job.”

Jamie nodded, frowning slightly as he twirled one of her curls around his finger.

“Aye. But a Healer is what you’re meant to be. We’ll find a way to get ye workin’.”

“Are you sure? Won’t it make things more dangerous for you?”

He shrugged a little, his brow creasing in thought.

“Maybe. I’ll get Murtagh thinkin’ about it though. He’s good at thinkin’ of things to solve impossible situations. And ye ken,” he said, a little shakily, “ye can always go back. If ye wish. Might be safer for ye, even.”

Claire froze, eyes meeting his. He meant it, but the tightness of his mouth and the way his hands held her tight gave away his true feelings on the matter. She reached up and stroked his cheek.

“No,” she said, softly but definitely. “I belong where you are.”

Jamie’s body relaxed, the agitated churning depths slowing as he looked at her.

“Thank God,” he said seriously. “And God help you,” he added, smiling when she laughed at him.

They lay for a bit, taking comfort in each other’s presence.

“Sassenach?”

“Mm?”

“Would it ease yer mind a bit to call your friend? Geillis?”

She nodded, sitting up.

“You wouldn’t mind?”

“No’ a bit. I’m going to Look for Dougal, now I have my wee charger back,” he said, patting her thigh.

Jamie laughed as he ducked her slap to the arm.

“Oaf,” she said with as much dignity as she could, while trying not to laugh herself.

After a little hunting, Claire found her phone and dialed Geillis’ number. It rang a few times before she answered.

“Hello?”

“Geillis? It’s Claire.”

“Christ Claire! I haven’t heard from you in ages!”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

Geillis huffed in irritation.

“I thought I was your friend. And you won’t tell me where you are or when you’re coming home. Where the hell have you been!?”

“I’m…” Claire looked over at Jamie who still had his eyes closed. “Out of town. I honestly don’t know when I’m coming back.”

The line went quiet for a long time and Claire thought Geillis might have ended the call.

“Claire, I’m honestly worried about you. This isn’t like you. First you break up with Frank and now you disappear?”

“You told me you were glad I broke up with him.”

“And I am, he wasn’t good for you. But… Disappearing like this?”

Claire took a breath, knowing if she didn’t give Geillis something, her best friend wouldn’t let it go.

“Look, I know it’s sudden. But I’ve met someone. I wanted to get away and clear my head after Frank and, well…”

“Ooohhh has this new man cleared your pipes as well?”

“Geillis!”

The other woman laughed.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” she said. “So where did you meet this guy? Is he just a good time or will you keep him for a while? You know what I would do.”

Claire looked down at the silver ring on her finger and smiled.

“I think it’s safe to say it’s serious.”

One bright blue eye snapped open and met her gaze.

“Will I get to meet this guy? Or are you going to keep him all to yourself?”

“Probably eventually. But for now, I’d rather him be a mystery.”

“Ugh,” Geillis complained. “Fine. I know you well enough to know not to argue once you’ve made up your mind. Just… Please be careful?”

Claire frowned at the last statement.

“Of course. Um… you be careful too?”

“I will. Call me when you think you’re heading home, okay? I’ll make sure no one snoops in your room.”

“Thanks.”

***

While Claire made her phone call, Jamie focused his energy on one name, one face.

Dougal paced in an unfamiliar room. He looked angry, his lips twitching and his face red. A small suitcase sat on the bed, still closed. The phone in Dougal’s hand lit up and buzzed.

“Did ye find anything?”

He waited for the reply.

“What the hell do I pay ye for?”

A second voice came from a corner of the room, making Dougal end his call.

“I have something, brother.”

Releasing his energy, Jamie did a few breathing exercises to relax and settle his mind. He lay back in the bed while Claire finished her conversation. She put her phone down on the bedside table and curled up next to him once more.

"Alright?" she asked, after a few moments.

He tried to look reassuring, despite his underlying concern that not all was right with that vision.

"He's no' close to us, at least. Frustrated and threatening someone over the phone. But he hasna found us yet, mo nighean donn."

His heart squeezed as she exhaled. Clearly, she was worried. If he was being honest, so was he. Something was coming.