#i am Once again looking for refs and getting distracted and i Love it

[vonlipvig]

infinitely delighted by this still. look at them.

gay judging. muppet old men swag.

[lesboriptide]

Need that angst/comfort drabble of rhea realizing how little tjd actually care for her and then Becky comes in and bam, rhea isn’t alone anymore(I am delusional about them)

Isn’t That Worth Holding On?

Eeeeowch! This took on a bit of a life of its own, haha. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed writing this! Thank you, and keep em coming!

For clarification, this takes place in kayfabe and is before these two officially get together. And yes, I am keeping up with naming these after Mitski lyrics.

TWs: implied manipulation/gaslighting, abusive platonic relationship

She lost.

She fucking lost, and Nia Jax was the new Women’s World Champion. Rhea could barely comprehend the moments leading up to it. All that rang through her head were the deafening boos of the crowd and Nia’s laugh. As far as anything else was concerned, none of it was real. Rhea had lost in her home country, with the Irresistible Force defying the odds and crushing her dreams. Crushing her like she was little more than a tree branch.

And once again, they weren’t there for her. Judgment Day were nowhere to be seen. She understood that it would be tasteless for them to attack or hit Nia, but they couldn’t even escort her out of the ring. They could have distracted the ref, distracted Nia…shit, that big-headed freak could’ve launched himself out of a cannon, for all Rhea could’ve cared. At least it would be something, anything to allow her to regain the upper hand.

But they didn’t, because why wouldn’t they? They were barely there for her during the build-up to the Fatal Five Way. They were nowhere to be seen when she battled Zoey Stark and Ivy Nile. They deemed R-Truth and The Miz as higher priorities than her getting beaten down by Nia every single fucking week leading up to Elimination Chamber. Dominik was still devoted to her, but his attention span swayed rapidly between her and the sausage party currently known as Judgment Day.

As she took a seat on a backstage equipment case, Rhea finally broke. She curled into herself and sobbed, hating herself for being so naive. She truly thought that that bastard Edge was right, that Judgment Day would be her true family and calling, that nobody would understand her like them. But of course, Rhea could see that was all a sick and demented lie. Edge never wanted to see her succeed — he wanted someone to control, someone to mold in his image before he eventually jumped off the burning WWE ship. Judgment Day ruined her friendships, her perception of family and love…it ruined her life, and now her Women’s World Championship reign has been ruined because of them.

Suddenly, she felt a light but distinct weight on her knee. Rhea looked up and saw that the weight was a hand, one that belonged to Becky Lynch. Because of course she had to see her like this, sobbing and broken after seeing her dreams of a match together fall apart. Having won the Women’s Chamber match earlier, she was now slated to fight Nia at Wrestlemania. Fucking terrific.

From the look on Becky’s face, she wasn’t thrilled either. But she seemingly knew better than to crowd up on Rhea, especially when she’s as emotional as she is right now. When the two met eye contact, Becky circled her thumb ever so slightly on her knee, her frown now turning into an anxious lip bite.

“It’ll be alright, Rhea,” the older woman said. “Don’t wanna overwhelm you, lass. If you need me, you have my number.”

And with that, she left as soon as she appeared. But with Rhea’s back now straight and her tears now drying on her face, the younger woman felt oddly at peace. She was still upset, but maybe, just maybe…she could find people to be happy with again.

[endlessgoldensky]

writing prompt thingyy... any ship or none whichever u feel like :) Like ponyboy at track and the gang or curly or who ever u decide is watching from afar because none of them really knew how good he was. Johnny/Curly or none think hes super cute out thereeee also living for the christmas look on your blog

Darry and Soda had seen him compete before mainly when their parents were still here. This was the first race they had seen in a while and both were excited. They knew how fast he could be and were sure that he’d win most if not all of his meets. The rest of the gang were not so sure. Two-Bit had seen him at practice a few times but he couldn’t remember if he had seen him win or even run. 

The whole gang was was seated in the top left corner of the bleachers, spilt between two benches. 

“Does the kid even know were here?” asked Dally leaning back back on his elbows. 

Darry shook his head, “It would throw him off if he did.”

The announcer came on a few seconds after and took about 20 minutes to get to through his speech. Finally, he announced the starting runners and directed them to get ready. The refs watched as the boys got into place.

One ref stuck am airhorn into the air and spoke loudly, “On your mark. Get set.”

He blew the air horn in place of yelling GO. 

The boys shot off leaving puffs of dirt behind them. 

The crowd whistled and cheered as they watched them run around and around. Lap after lap. 

A kid from a rival school came in first place and the only kid from the home turf came in second. 

Ponyboy’s first event was the fourth one overall and the whole gang was itching to see him run. He stood off to the side of the track stretching as he watched the rest of the athletes in the third event. 

“You know,” Two-Bit took a sip from the beer can he had smuggled in. “I coulda been an athlete myself.” He puffed out his chest and smiled, making the rest of them laugh.

Just then Pony’s event was announced. 

He took a deep breath and got into his position. Even though he had done this a hundred times before he could still feel some excitement flood through his body as he stared down the track. As soon as the air horn filled his ears he was off. 

He started off strong in second place but quickly made his way into first. He kept his head up and focused on the coming bend. He had learned to drown out the crowd after his first couple meets. The noise was too much distraction and once he had he kept coming in first and second place, making anything lower than that a rarity. Something his coach loved. 

“He sure is speedy.” Johnny remarked. 

“Like a horse.” 

Johnny looked up and saw Curly smirking down at him. 

“Care if I join ya?” He asked as he set his sunglasses atop his head. 

Johnny moved over to give Curly more than enough room. Curly sat down and rested his elbows on his knees. 

The crowd cheered louder than they were before as they all watched Pony finish in first place. Curly stood up and whistled, smirking again when he realized he caught Pony’s attention. Pony rolled his eyes and went off to the side again to wait for his next event.

“How come little Curtis doesn’t haven’t a chick, don’t they know how talented he is? Not to mention his looks” Curly looked at Johnny and cocked an eyebrow. 

Johnny shrugged

“Eh, they don’t what their missing.” 

Pony finished first in the rest of his events. 

As he walked off the filled with his track friends, the gang and Curly came bounding down to the fence. 

“Aye little Curtis! You looked great out there and those shorts compliment you well.” Curly winked as he rested his arms on the fence. 

“Oh piss off Shepard,” Pony replied as he shoved open the gate to let him and everyone else out. 

Curly threw up his hands in defense and laughed. 

Darry made his way over and put his arm Pony’s shoulders, “You did great out there kid.’ He gave him a squeeze as he finished speaking. 

“Uh, thanks Darry.” Pony replied awkwardly.

“Now if only you could run like that all the time.” Soda chimed as he put his arm around Pony from the other side just as the two began to walk, the others following behind. 

[smolwritingchick]

Forced To Believe 67- Going Our Separate Ways

Summary: Morgan goes on her own. Jon takes care of Melanie's ex once and for all.

Words: 8,000+

Author's Note: This got more of her toxic ex with some mentions of abuse so just wanted to warn y'all! Last time he will be in the story.

-------

The main event with The Shield, Morgan, and Cena up against The Wyatts and Rosa started off as a back and forth match up until The Wyatts started to dominate Cena and Dean. Things start to pick up when Bray slams Cena down and goes for a running senton. Cena manages to roll out the way.

"And John Cena creates a little bit of space, can he capitalize?" Cole wondered.

The crowd gets hyped once Roman gets tagged in. He slams Luke down with a clothesline and hits Erick off the apron. Erick gets back in the ring and tries to clothesline him, but Roman swiftly evades it, so Dean can jump on top of him. While Ambrose starts unloading on Erick, Rosa gets in the ring. While the ref and Roman are distracted, she goes down on her knees to try to low blow him but Roman catches her forearm in time.

"Uh oh!" Cole exclaimed as she tried to yank her arm back.

Roman makes Rosa stand up as she starts begging for mercy. He picks her up over his shoulders and slams her down with a Samoan drop. Morgan connects with a moonsault and Rosa rolls out the ring. Roman bumps fists with the Philly Diva and slides out of the ring to hit Luke and Erick with a dropkick outside the ring. Dean clotheslines Erick out of the ring but gets bounced off the apron by him. Morgan gets back on the apron while Luke gets planted by Reigns with a slam.

"Cover him." King urged but the pin got broken up by Erick.

He starts pummeling Roman down until Cena connects with a crossbody to take him out. He tries to go for the AA but Erick manages to evade it and Bray takes the opportunity to hit Cena with the Sister Abigail. But as soon as Bray turns around he gets dropped by a Superman punch. Meanwhile, Morgan and Dean get back in the ring and dive on top of Erick and Rosa outside the ring.

"Man!" JBL shouted when Luke dropped Roman down with a big boot.

"Reigns may be out," Cole said as Luke went for the pin.

Luckily Roman kicks out. Luke starts looking around the arena, acting weird and Roman manages to spear him when he turns around.

"Spear!" Cole shouted.

"1!"

"2!"

"3!"

"Reigns, Ambrose, Lopez and Cena win!"

Cena, Morgan, and Dean get back in the ring to celebrate. Roman and Dean hug before they get their hands raised by the ref, along with Morgan and Cena.

"Thank you." Morgan smiled at Cena while Cena gave The Shield members a nod in approval.

"Triple H and Seth Rollins can not be pleased," Cole said as the camera showed them in Triple H's office, looking on. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Cena raises The Shield's arms in victory.

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

Next week on Raw, Paige was taking on Cameron while Naomi was at ringside. All of a sudden, Rosa runs out and attacks Paige, making it a disqualification.

"Why is Rosa out here?" Cole exclaimed as she threw Paige out of the ring, while Cameron slid out the ring.

Rosa grabs the Diva's Championship and slides back into the ring.

"What is going on?" King asked as Rosa was in her street clothes, while she grabbed a mic.

"I got something to say." she spoke as the crowd gave her no love. "Don't make me tell you to shut up! I have something to say so shut up! All of you! You are looking at the next—AHEM!"

"This is so disrespectful. Let her talk." JBL said as the crowd continued to boo her.

"You are looking at the next Diva's Champion. I am so tired of watching all these vulgar divas get title shot after title shot, when you got a veteran like me, who has been working hard and improved, not getting a shot—SHUT UP!" She shouted again. "But instead of complaining about it, I decided to take action. I don't care who I have to beat, but the next diva in line for this title is me! Not Naomi. Not Cameron. And certainly not some Philly cheese steak eating, Harley Quinn wannabe, bitch!"

"Whoa, was that necessary?" King asked.

Suddenly, Morgan walks out in her trademark tank top, jeans, and hoodie.

"Oh here comes the Philadelphian, now! She just finished eating her Philly cheese steak! I bet she ate a lot of TastyKakes in the back, too!" Rosa mocked, making Morgan crack an amused smile as she got in the ring and took off her hoodie. "Looks like she ate some bagels with that Philadelphia cream cheese too. You look like you gained a couple of pounds, you pig! Haha—AH!" She shrieked as she got speared.

"Uh oh! Here we go!" Cole shouted.

Morgan continues pummeling Rosa with punches before throwing her across the ring. She knocks her down with a couple of clotheslines before dropping her back down with a roundhouse kick. She grabs her and hits her with the backfire, in the middle of the ring, as the crowd cheers for her. She stands tall and looks down at Rosa's motionless body, shrugging. Her theme comes on while she picks up the Diva's championship to louder cheers. She looks at it and sees Paige getting back in the ring. They face off as she raises Paige's championship in front of her with a smirk.

"Looks like Cameron and Rosa aren't the only ones that Paige needs to watch out for." King grinned.  

"I see the tension. These two do not like each other, do they?" JBL said as Paige snatched the title from her and got in her face.

Morgan looks nonchalant at how Paige snatched the title from her as the ref separates them.

"Morgan surprisingly the woman with a few words, tonight. I don't think this is going to be the last of these two." Cole predicted.

"I agree! I hope they go at it soon." King cheered.

"Hey, Morgan. Morgan." Triple H was shown on the titantron again as the crowd boos while she narrowed her eyes. "Congratulations, you are on your own again, just like when you debuted. No brothers. No boyfriend, you are all alone. Seem like you didn't get the memo when Rosa said she will be next in line for a title shot. And it seems that you think you deserve a title shot more than Rosa does. Well how about you prove that to me? Later on tonight, you will go one on one with the Diva's Champion, Paige, in a nontitle match,"

The crowd cheers loudly at the idea, while Morgan gives Paige a smirk while Paige nods a couple of times. The crowd starts chanting 'This Is Awesome'.

"And Morgan...don't disappoint me. I hope you prove to The Authority and the whole world that you don't need your little boys to hold your hand, in this company. Prove to everyone that you don't need anyone to help you out. That you don't need a team for success." He continued.

"Paige and Morgan going at it, later on, tonight!? I can't wait!" King said with excitement.

"This is going to be physical," JBL guaranteed.

-----------

'WWE Exclusive Video'

"Please welcome my guest at this time, the WWE Diva's Champion, Paige," Tom announced.

"Tom." Paige greeted.

"Paige. I wanna get your take on what just transpired in the ring between Morgan, Naomi, Cameron, and Rosa Mendes. Is there anyone on the diva's division that you think will be a threat to you?"

"I am very excited for the competition. There's a bunch of talent. You got Naomi, who is really, really athletic. You got Natalya, who is actually a big idol of mine, and then you got Morgan. A diva who wrestles guys, she's charismatic and plucky, and her passion for wrestling is great. I'm really looking forward to facing her in a match, tonight."

"We saw a little bit of mind games portrayed by her, earlier when she raised the title in your face. How do you feel about that?"

"I don't like it when the divas touch something that's mine. Especially when it's the diva's championship­"

Morgan walks up to her and gives her a smile. "Sorry to interrupt."

"No, no, you're fine," Paige replied, eyeing her cautiously.

"I don't think you're a rookie. You belong here. I admire you. Admire your wrestling. Your passion. You busted your ass and you deserve that title."

"Thank you. I admire you, too. I've seen all that you've done. It takes a lot of guts to step in the ring with WWE Superstars."

"I came here because I just wanted to thank you, for thinking I'm a threat. But I'm not after your title...yet. I got some unfinished business to take care of. I was just making a statement. For you, and all the other divas to stay the hell out of my way." The Outspoken Diva said in a forceful tone as she narrowed her eyes.

Paige steps up to her as they face off. Dryly chuckling and nodding she said, "I think you should be the one to stay the hell out of my way. I'm looking forward to taking you on. Just think again if you think you'll win against me,"

"Hm. Likewise...you and I are gonna have a lot of fun in the future."

"Yes...we are. I'm nothing you've ever faced before. You honestly think you can win against me?"

"I don't think. I know. And tonight I'm going to prove that."

"Is that right?"

The tension was starting to build up as Tom started to get uncomfortable, with the situation.

"L—­ladies let's not get physical. Your match will be coming up soon," he reminded nervously.

"Watch your back." The Outspoken diva said in a threatening tone and walked away.

"Yep...We're going to be the best of friends." Paige smiled at Tom.

----------

"This is a diva's bout set for one fall! Introducing first, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, The Outspoken Diva, Morgan Lopez!" Justin announced.

The crowd gives her a big pop as she twirls around and does her taunt.

"Triple H ordered this match. Morgan going up against Paige to see if she can handle her own alone, without Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins." Cole informed.

"Speaking of Dean Ambrose, are they still together?" King eagerly asked.

"King you'll never have a chance with Morgan. Cut it out!" JBL shouted while Morgan slid into the ring and taunted the crowd on the turnbuckle.

"I was just asking. Jeez. It was a curious question." King grumbled.

"Morgan takes on the Diva's Champion, Paige, next," Cole announced before they went to a commercial break.

As soon as they came back to the USA Network, Paige was already in the ring while the ref calls for the bell.

"And here we go. Two dominant divas going at it. This is going to be great!" King grinned while Paige and Morgan shook hands before circling around each other.

They lock up and Paige takes her down with a headlock. Paige's neck gets caught in between Morgan's legs as she breaks the hold. Paige quickly escapes it as they both stand up. The champion hits her with a couple of clotheslines before smashing her head down on the mat.

"I like the physicality by Paige." JBL complimented as she got a two count.

"Come on Total Diva." Paige made her stand up and started headbutting her, before throwing her across the ring.

"Paige is already taking it to Morgan." Cole observed.

"Just wait. She's gonna get mad really soon." JBL guaranteed.

"These two divas have a reputation for getting very angry in matches," King informed.

Morgan is sitting on the bottom turnbuckle as Paige starts screaming. Paige begins stomping on her and taunts the crowd while turning around.

"I told you!" JBL shouted as Morgan speared her and started pummeling her with punches.

Morgan lets out a scream of her own and tries to go for the breakdown submission. Paige manages to evade it and rolls out the ring to get herself together. The Philly Diva decides to get on the apron and hit her with a diving clothesline, making the crowd cheer.

"And Morgan connects with the clothesline!" Cole looked on.

The ref begins to count while Morgan tries to throw Paige into the barricade. Paige counters it and throws her into it instead, making the crowd 'oh'. Paige throws her back in the ring, while she gets in between the ropes.

"She loves to scream a lot, huh?" King asked as Paige hit Morgan with a couple of knee strikes while screaming.

Morgan kneels down on the apron and holds her chest, feeling sore from the knee shots. As soon as she stands up, Paige whacks her face with an elbow, making her fall off the apron.

"Good grief! That elbow connected right to the mouth!" JBL shouted as Morgan held her mouth and cringed in pain.

"Come on Morgan." Paige taunted as she waited for her to crawl back in the ring, at the count of 6.

The Outspoken diva begins fighting back with clotheslines and stuns her with a kick to the stomach. Morgan takes advantage by jumping on the middle rope and hitting her with a calf kick to the back of the head.

"What a kick!" JBL exclaimed.

"And Paige kicks out at two! I thought that was it right there." Cole observed.

Paige gets up and tries to go for a clothesline but Morgan ducks it and lays her out with a bicycle kick.

"That should be it ­and Paige kicks out again!" Cole added.

"She hit her right in the jaw,"

Morgan throws Paige into the corner and tries to go for a handspring back elbow smash but she moves out of the way. She rolls Morgan up and gets a two count.

"I thought Paige had her­—oh!" Cole shouted once she hit the Paige Turner out of no where.

She goes for the pin but Morgan manages to kick out at two.

"No!" Paige put her hands over her head and looked at the ref in shock.

"That was two!" The ref put up two fingers.

"How did Morgan kick out of that?" King asked as the ref continued to explain to Paige, that the count was two.

Morgan manages to stand up and gets on the top rope.

"Watch your back, Paige!" King warned but Morgan connected with a crossbody.

She quickly makes her stand up and connects with the backfire. She pins her, but Paige kicks out a two.

"That was three!" Morgan exclaimed but the ref put up two fingers, explaining that it was two.

A tired Outspoken Diva decides to place Paige on the top turnbuckle and goes for a suplex.

"Is that enough to put the Diva's champion away?" Cole asked as she slowly crawled over to Paige and put an arm on top of her.

"1!"

"2!"

"Oh!" The crowd exclaimed as Paige kicked out again.

The crowd starts chanting 'This Is Awesome' while Morgan and Paige lay down on the mat, exhausted.

"These two are giving each other their best shots. What will it take to win?" King wondered.

The crowd begins to chant 'Let's Go, Morgan! Let's Go, Paige!' as the two women get back on their feet at the count of 7 and start hitting each other with back and forth punches to the face. Paige kicks her in the stomach and picks her up to connect with a cradle DDT. She goes for the pin but Morgan kicks out at two.

"That's it!" Paige screamed and roughly turned her around, grabbing her legs. "You're going to tap! This is my house!"

"Paige is getting frustrated," JBL looked on.

"Uh oh, is Paige about to go for the PTO?" Cole asked as she managed to grab one of Morgan's arms.

Morgan manages to make Paige release her with her free arm and quickly counters her submission by sitting on her back. She quickly puts her legs under her arms and stands up while giving her a camel clutch as she bends her body back.

"Tap!" Morgan screamed while Paige desperately tried to escape the hold as the crowd got hyped.

"Will Paige tap!?" Cole shouted but she managed to escape it and roll out of the ring. "I thought she had her there."

Morgan goes for a suicide dive but lands on her face as soon as Paige evades it. The crowd 'ohs' at the impact while Morgan holds her face in pain.

"Good grief! Is she okay!?" King shouted.

"She landed on her face!" JBL looked on as the ref checked on her and signaled that she was okay.

The ref gets back in the ring and begins to count again as the crowd starts chanting 'This Is Awesome' again. Morgan's face ached badly from hitting the floor and her head on the barricade. But she still powered through.

"The ref is up to six," King said while Morgan staggered up to her feet.

She makes it back in the ring, at the count of nine, as the crowd gives her a big pop. Paige waits until she gets up and tries to go for another Paige Turner, but Morgan swiftly moves out of the way and connects with the Morganizer.

"Morganizer! Is that it!?" Cole shouted as Morgan went for the pin.

"1!"

"2!"

"3!"

"And that's all she wrote!" King cheered as Justin announced her as the winner.

Morgan rolls over and continues holding her face. She was definitely going to need an ice pack to ease the pain.

"Awesome match!" King praised as Morgan got her hand raised by the ref and taunted the crowd.

Paige gets up and faces off with her again, before shaking hands. She gets out of the ring, while Morgan continues to celebrate.

"Looks like Morgan can hold her own with or without Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. I see the championship around her waist already." JBL said, impressed.

"But she still has some unfinished business with Rollins and Mendes," Cole reminded as Triple H was shown on the titantron, again.

"Well looks like you really can hold your own after all." Triple H chuckled and clapped for her, sarcastically. "Good for you Morgan. I'm proud of ya."

She grabbed a mic and chuckled before getting serious. "Shut up! Don't get your panties in a bunch. I've been holding my own since day one when I stepped foot into this company and I'm gonna continue holding my own. And there's not a damn thing you can do about it. You can do what you want. I'm alone. No brothers, no boyfriend, I can handle it."

"She can't talk to him like that!" JBL shouted while Triple H looked amused.

"She just did." King laughed.

She began to speak again. "Do yourself a favor and stop wearing your wife's panties since she clearly wears the pants in the relationship. And since you and her still got this grudge against me after what I've done to you two, what ever you put in my path, I'll cut right through."

She drops the mic and does her cocky curtsy as her theme comes back on.

"What a statement!" Cole exclaimed.

"A very disrespectful statement!" JBL complained.

"I liked it! Go, Morgan!" King cheered.

Morgan tweets 'Sorry I don't hold my tongue and I don't back down to anyone. Save the sarcasm for someone else TripleH.'

Paige tweets 'I got a little taste of what I'm going up against when WWEMorgan101 and I take on each other for the title. We cool?'

Morgan replies 'RealPaigeWWE yes, we're cool. Like you said, we're gonna be the best of friends. Ain't that right buddy?'

----------

After she was done with her match, Melanie went to her hotel room to freshen up and put on some casual clothes. She couldn't keep her mind off of Jon and decided to occupy herself by working out. While she continuously worked out, she was unaware that Milena and Renee had walked in.

"Mel. Mel. Mel! MEL!" Milena shouted, making her stop. "You've been going at it so harshly. Relax,"

Melanie exhaled and readjusted herself. She was trying to occupy herself for weeks to get her mind off of Jon. Milena and Renee already made her feel guilty about being upset with him and didn't want to see him at all, right now. Luckily with the new storyline change, she wouldn't have to be around him often. At least for now because of what Creative plans on doing with her, Milena, Jon, and Colby in the future. Creative wanted to spice things up around Money in The Bank, and SummerSlam.

"Sorry...just lost in thought," Melanie admitted and downed a few gulps of water.

"I'll say. Have you talked to Jon, yet?" Renee crossed her arms.

"No..." The Philly Diva grumbled.

"You should. He's worried about you." Milena suggested.

"Very," Renee added. "We were just trying to help."

"I know...I know and I'm thankful for that." Melanie smiled.

"He's not mad at you for being angry. But he just wants you to understand why he did what he did."

"You're right. Look I'll be talking to him, soon."

"Promise?" Milena asked.

"Yes," Melanie nodded.

"Great. Just let me know if you two need this hotel room to catch up. Milena and I already made plans to sleep someplace else." Renee giggled, making Melanie crack an amused smile. "I'm heading to the store. You two want anything?"

"Grapes, please!" Melanie grinned.

"Only if you talk to Jon, like right now." Renee gave her a stern look.

"I will, I will."

"You better." She grabbed her bag and left.

"I'm taking a long bath." Milena headed to the bathroom.

"You need anything?" Melanie asked.

"Nah." She shut the door

"Okay, enjoy your bath."

"I shall!"

Melanie exhaled and checked her phone. 'I'll make a quick stop, then I'll talk to him.' She thought as she grabbed her handbag, and left the hotel room.

-----

At a local bar once again, Melanie found Greg sitting at an empty table, waiting for her. He looked her way and waved as she sat across from him.

"5 minutes," she announced.

"Come on, not this again. Can I have a normal hang out with you?"

"Nope."

He sighed. "Well, how were the grapes?"

"...Delicious."

"I'm glad." He eyed her up and down.

"Eyes up here, or I'll stab them."

"Feisty. I missed that. Then again, you were never that feisty back then," He chuckled. "I Wonder what happened."

"I grew up, instead of acting like a love sick little girl."

"I see. Well, you look beautiful, tonight."

"...Thanks..." She mumbled.

"And that green shirt really brings out your beautiful eyes. Gorgeous. And that skirt...wow. You've really gotten stronger over the years from wrestling,"

"Uh huh..." she responded bluntly.

"Melanie...look, I really want us again." He put a hand on top of hers. "I know what I've done was unforgivable, but I still love you. I never realized how much of a good woman you are until we broke up. But I promise, if we get back together, I will treat you like a queen,"

"That sounds really cliché..." She snorted and removed her hand.

"I know it does, but I really mean it. You're smart, sexy, independent, you got your head on straight. You're goal oriented. And I love that in a woman. I'll do anything for you to be in my arms again." He tried to sweet talk. "Just let me be the man for you. Let me be the man you marry and have kids with."

Suddenly, she noticed him trying to lean forward for a kiss and she immediately shoved him away with all her strength, taking him off guard.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed with annoyance in his voice.

She chuckled. "This is what I came here for. To let you know to stay away from me and that somebody already beat you to it. I'm with Jon,"

I'm with Jon...she said it proudly and she found herself truly missing him after all this time. She may have been upset with Jon these past weeks, but she was still in love with him, and that will never change.

Greg was taken aback. "The fuck? You're with Jon? Are you serious? Please tell me you're fucking with me,"

"Yeah. I am with him. So, cut the crap you've been doing. This little bullshit act. I can see right through you. I mean, did you honestly think I was gonna wait for you, all these years? That I still had feelings for you? I'm not smitten with you, anymore."

He clenched his fists and started to get angry, before showing off a smug look. "Ah...so that street dog got you smitten eh? He wanted you so badly that he decided to keep you away from me. He swept you off your feet, didn't he? Can't say I'm surprised...you are easy. And to think it took me a few months for you to be in my arms. I wasted my time..."

Melanie smirked. There was the Greg she knew. The arrogant bastard. He used to call her every name in the book when he didn't get his way.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I can't believe you downgraded. You're still as stupid as ever. I made you ya know."

"You didn't make shit, dickhead..." She fired back.

"Shut your fucking mouth, you little bitch." Greg slammed his fist into the table as she looked amused at him for getting upset since she was getting under his skin. "You've gotten hotter over the years. You could work a little bit on the chest but your ass is fine. Including those legs. I'm surprised you're with that piece of shit. Or are you with him because you pity him, and what he's been through? Is that it? Well, I've been through worse! Where the fuck were you all these years?"

"Oh, I don't know...making love to the man I love? Enjoying my wrestling career? Not thinking of you, that's for sure. You're the last thing on my mind."

"Why would you be so stupid and choose him over me? He's a bad influence on you."

"That's where you're wrong. He busted his ass to get where he is today. He's the coolest best guy friend I have ever had, and the best boyfriend ever. All the sacrifices he's made, and all that he went through to keep me away from you, makes me grateful that I have someone who just doesn't want me for my body. Someone who actually cares for me and doesn't call me every name in the book. And besides...he's more of a man than you'll ever be."

"You and that shitty attitude of yours. You're still that little girl, I dated years ago. But I can make a woman out of ya,"

"No, you can't, asshole,"

"Now listen here you little shit—­"

"No. You listen to me." She stood up. "And if you ever talk to me like that again, I'll kick your ass,"

"Empty threats...I own you, Melanie. You need me,"

"You are so full of shit." She punched him hard in the face as he held his jaw and stood up.

She suddenly kicked him in the groin, making him groan and drop down to his knees. She let out a breath. That felt great.

"Listen and listen well. I didn't come down here because I missed you. I came down here to look at how worthless you are. How does it feel that you're never going to experience this? A good woman? Doesn't feel good, does it?" she tilted her head, glaring at him.

Greg shot her a dirty look and managed to stand up. "You fucking c­—" He tried to strike her but his fist got caught by an enraged Jon.

Melanie was startled that Jon was there. Did he follow her? Did Milena and Renee find out she was gone for a long period of time?

Jon shoved Greg into a couple of empty tables. His face was filled with frustration and rage while he snarled. "Now you're about to get killed."

Melanie, still startled at the turn of events, turned her head to Jon, giving him an astonished look.

"B—Babe!" She exclaimed, after getting herself together.

She earned a growl from Jon in response as he started stalking over to Greg.

"That is the last time you're gonna touch her," Jon growled.

"It was self defense! She punched me!" Greg exclaimed. "And I don't appreciate you putting your fuckin' hands on me!"

"That doesn't mean dick to me!"

Greg stood up and tried to lunge at him, but got pushed back by Melanie, as she stood between them.

"No, no, no, stop it. Both of you! Do not do this petty crap in public!" She exclaimed.

There were already people looking at the trio. All she wanted to do was stand up to Greg and never see him again, but now things had just gotten worse. Great...from the stares and people filming she could already see the headlines now. Two WWE Superstars were involved in a disruption at a local bar after the show.

"Here comes Jonny boy. Melanie's Superman. Always stickin' his nose where it doesn't belong. Why don't you get outta here?" Greg tried to act tough but got his collar gripped up by him. "Get your fuckin' hands off of me, man!"

He shoved him back and they started to have a shoving match.

"Guys! Enough!" Melanie exclaimed as Milena and Renee rushed over to the trio to help break it up.

"All right, that's enough, for now," Renee spoke up.

"What kind of man are you, to try and put your hands on a woman?" Jon glared at him.

"He did what?" Milena looked at Jon and then Melanie.

"This son of a bitch almost hit her..."

"Are you serious?!"

"You know what? We're done, here. I'll be back for you, honey." Greg said to Melanie.

That hit a nerve.

"Don't ever call me honey. And if you ever call me honey again, I'll rip your tongue out, so you won't even taste the sweetness of honey anymore. You don't own me. And you don't tell me what to do, or call me names, dick." The Philly Diva threatened, earning a chuckle from him as he left.

She exhaled. That felt good. While giving herself a mental pat on the back, she witnessed Jon storming out of the bar.

"W­—whoa wait, where are you going?!" She started following him, along with Milena and Renee.

"To put his head on a STICK! I'm not done with that motherfucker!" He made a frustrated growl and continued pacing around, making Milena uncomfortable at the sight. "He makes me so mad! I swear to fuckin' God if I ever see him around you again...I am gonna hurt him...so...so bad!"

"C­—can you not talk in a Moxley promo?" Melanie tried to calm him down, but that only motivated him as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Babe, I'm gonna make him scream so loud, that he's gonna tell me, with the gurglin' sound that he makes...that he'll never...ever give you any thought, ever again. He's gonna get fuckin' dropped. I want his blood on my hands,"

"Jon, Un­-Mox yourself right now, would you please? Can you please just calm down?"

"Just don't kill him. Hurt him. Don't kill him." Renee reminded.

"Too late. And when I find him, his ass is done. That worthless sack of shit is gonna get everything handed to him." Jon released her and stormed off.

"Jon!" Melanie got grabbed back Renee and Milena.

"Greg deserves an ass kicking." Renee stated.

"He does but not in public! What are Paul and Stephanie gonna think if this gets out of control?"

"You know the Levesques and WWE higher ups have been preventing Greg from all WWE events? Paul and Stephanie have done everything they can to make sure Greg didn't try to do anything crazy during the events. But for him to go this far and to almost punch you in the face...why did you have to leave, like that? I wish you could have told one of us and we would have gone with you." Renee frowned.

Melanie sighed. The guilt was setting in. She didn't realize that even Paul and Stephanie were involved in this. It was time to own up and apologize for getting so defensive and worked up on the situation when they were all only trying to help.

"I'm sorry, guys. I should have listened to you. Maybe it was for the best that I didn't know...I just wanted to handle this shit myself and move forward,"

"Mel, we love you." Renee gave her a hug. "And we just want you to be safe. I think it was best that you did know, because of how you stood up to him,"

"Yeah, that was funny. I'm glad you did." Milena smiled and gave her a long, warm embrace. "Let's head back to the hotel room."

"What about Jon?" Melanie asked.

"It's best to give him some space and let him take care of Greg with the guys," Renee replied. "Everything is under control."

"I hope so..." she mumbled as they headed back to their hotel room door and they saw Danielle and Nikki standing there.

"Melanie! I heard what happened, are you okay?" Danielle embraced her.

"Two guys fighting over you...must be hot. I wish..." Nikki chuckled.

"Nicole." Milena frowned.

"Sorry, bad timing." Nikki put her hands up in defense. "How are you feeling, Mel?"

"I just want to know where Jon is." She replied as they all walked into the room.

"I saw him, Colby, Joe, Stu, and Randy leave the hotel. They seemed pretty pissed." Danielle informed.

"I don't blame them." Milena crossed her arms.

"Is there anything we can do, to make you a little happier? Boost up your mood?" Nikki suggested.

"Nah. But thanks. I'll be in the bedroom." Melanie replied.

"Okay, we'll be in the living room," Renee replied as the girls said their goodnights to Melanie.

Melanie headed into the bedroom and got on her bed. The former Shield's girl stretched her legs, while under the covers, enjoying the warmth after getting some goosebumps from the air vent. She exhaled and started to think about Jon, again. The feeling of being alone without him, tonight, was starting to become unbearable.

----------

Jon was in his hotel room, pacing around. His fists were bruised up and bloody from punching Greg into next week. He felt himself getting more worked up as he thought of more ways he should have hurt him. But he knew that he wouldn't be messing with Melanie anymore, after what he and the boys did to him.

"Where is he?" Colby asked as he walked with Joe, Randy, and Stu.

Jon was way in front of them, stalking around.

"He better be praying that we'll show him mercy after I'm done with him." Stu pounded his fists.

Being a bare knuckle brawler was a huge advantage to make sure Greg got a beating he deserved.

"How's Mel?" Randy asked.

"She's doing all right. She's back in her room with the girls." Colby informed. All of sudden they see Jon dashing across the streets. "I think he found him!" He shouted as they quickly followed him.

Meanwhile, with Jon, he began chasing Greg all over the streets.

"Get away from me, man!" Greg shouted in a hurried voice.

Jon lunged at him and tackled him down, in an alleyway, as he let out a pained grunt.

"L—look man, I'll stay away from her. Just let me go, man. Let me go. I'm sorry man—"

"Oh, now you're sorry? Now you're fuckin' sorry!?" Jon shouted and roughly lifted him up and threw him into a wall, before punching him hard in the face, repeatedly, while the guys caught up.

Jon smirked at the memory, but it wasn't enough. He should have done more but the guys pulled him off of him and got a couple of hits in, too. He should have broken something. He should have broken his nose, or jaw. But a bloody and bruised face might have been enough.

Jon let out a frustrated growl and punched the front door.

"Dammit!" He shouted as he continued to pace around.

He wished that he could go back in time and redo the beating he had given Greg. Maybe adding more force into the punch to break a bone. Worn out from physical activities, he decided to take a shower, to try to calm himself down.

-------

Melanie tossed and turned in bed, trying to get some sleep but couldn't because Jon was still on her mind. She thought about visiting him but maybe he was still mad. Maybe she should wait until he calmed down.

"That's it." She got up.

No more procrastinating. Time to talk to Jon and clear things up. She put on a pair of gray sweatpants while still wearing her white tank top, and put on a pair of black & white Chuck Taylors.

"I'm gonna visit Jon." She informed the girls while grabbing her phone.

"Finally!" Renee grinned. "Please be careful."

"I will, don't worry." She smiled and left the room.

After a few minutes, she arrived at his hotel room door and let out a sigh as she looked at the door with nervousness. She took a step back and turned around to walk away but turned back around to face the door, reluctantly looking at it.

"Don't be a coward..." She mumbled to herself and timidly knocked on the door.

The door was quickly swung open to reveal Joe who smiled brightly.

"Hey, grapes. It's great to see that you're OK," he let her in.

"Hey, thank you. Is Jonny here?"

"Just got done taking a shower. He was trying to cool himself down and wash the blood off." The Samoan informed.

Melanie was taken aback by his sudden explanation and widened her eyes.

"B—blood!? You guys didn't kill him, did you? Is Jon okay?! Are you okay!? Are the guys okay?"

Joe laughed at The Outspoken Diva's rambling, which calmed her down. "Nah. We didn't kill him. Even though Jon really wanted to. But Greg got an ass whooping of a lifetime. He won't be bothering you, anymore. He's actually afraid of your boy, now. I think it's hilarious. We're fine, Mel. But enough about the guys, what about you? Are YOU okay, baby girl? Tell me the truth,"

She ran a hand through her wavy hair and nodded twice. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm glad you're okay. Jon was really worried about you. We all were. Just don't scare us like that. Especially Milena. She started freaking out like crazy,"

"I can only imagine..."

"I'm heading out to see Colby and Randy. I'll let you and your boy talk it out." He pulled her in for a friendly hug and kissed her forehead.

He exited the room while having his phone in his hands. Melanie relaxed on the couch and waited for Jon to get done in the bathroom. She spent some time watching the local news for weather updates, and checking her Twitter, to favorite and retweet her fans tweets. After ten minutes, she heard the door open to reveal Jon in his dark blue pajama pants, with no shirt. He was drying his face with a small white towel but stopped, once he saw his girlfriend, giving him an apologetic smile.

Surprised she came to visit, he continued to remain silent, while he put the towel down, and gazed at her. He truly missed her and was happy she was here.

"...Hey." She greeted, in a tight voice.

She could still see the anger in his body language. The shower did not calm him down at all. Jon's body, and messy hair was still damp from the shower, as he made his way to his suitcase.

"We...need to talk." She stood up from the couch.

He unzipped his suitcase and turned his attention to her. "Oh, now you wanna talk..." He gruffed and started pacing around the hotel room, again.

"C—­can you stop pacing and just sit down­—"

"No. I've been trying to talk to you for weeks! I've been worried sick about you!" He stopped pacing around.

Melanie's annoyance started to get the better of her. "Well I'm fine, thank you, very much,"

"Yeah, thanks Captain Obvious. I see that, thanks to me. Now what would have happened if Milena & Renee hadn't told me you were gone, and Greg punched you? Then what?"

"I was prepared for it. I would have stopped it."

"And what if you couldn't?"

She sighed loudly. "Stop with the what ifs, okay? Don't make me feel any guiltier than I already am,"

"Guilty, huh?" He sat on the edge of the bed. "So, now you wanna go back to him? Make him boss you around again? Treating you like a­—"

She crossed her arms. "No one makes me do what I don't want to do. He can't control me, anymore. I'm never going down that road, again."

After a moment of silence, she decided to speak up again as she approached him. "...Thank you. For earlier. You saved me. Even years ago when you told me to get out of the relationship. If it wasn't for you, I would still be in that toxic relationship. I still would have been trapped. These past few weeks have been crazy but it got me thinking about me, you, our relationship, and the future,"

Jon's expression changed into anxiousness. "...y­—you...wanna break up with me?"

"Oh my gosh..." She chuckled and hit him on the head, feeling his damp, messy hair, brush against her fingertips.

"Ouch. What was that for?" He rubbed his head.

"You're ridiculous. No, I don't want to break up with you. I never do." She explained, making him feel relieved.

"Then what have you been thinking about?" He calmed down, giving her his full attention, and not thinking about graphic scenarios about Greg dying.

"I realized...I just want my life to be with you..." She said in a soft voice.

Jon started to show a soft expression, replaying the sentence his girlfriend just said. She wants her life to be with him. And only him. The way she said it with seriousness and with love, made him crack a small smile. He wasn't a professional at romantic things, but over the years he's become a softie whenever they were alone together, despite his laid back attitude.

"No matter how much I want to stay mad at you...I can't. And I'm sorry for lashing out at you and that I didn't listen to you," she continued. "I guess I just never realized how much you care. How everyone cares. For you to go through all that. Night and day. Just to make sure I was safe and that he didn't come after me. And a while ago you kicked his ass. I'm glad you did. What am I gonna do with you?"

"Keep me," He stood up and wrapped a muscled arm around her waist, making her top a little damp.

"Hm...I dunno...I could..." She ran a hand down his cool chest.

"You should." He smirked and wrapped his other arm around her waist, to embrace her as he caught a whiff of her perfume.

She knew how territorial he was with her, and was grateful for the trouble he and everyone else went through to keep her safe. She felt safe in his arms. She knew that everything was going to be all right.

"I'm gonna go. I'll let you have your space, and continue to cool down. I'll see you tomorrow." She pulled away, turned around, and headed for the door but he stopped her with a gentle, but firm hand. "What's wrong?"

He got behind her and pushed her hair behind one of her ears, to reveal the other side of her neck, completely bare.

"What are we waiting for?" He rasped out.

"Waiting for what?" She shivered as he lightly caressed her arms before sliding his hands down her waist and resting on her hips, admiring her curves.

He grabbed her hips and pulled her back, closer to them, making sure there was no space between them. He had been fighting his arousal for her ever since he saw her on the couch, but couldn't take it anymore. He missed her. He missed holding her, and he missed loving her, physically.

"Lanie..." He whispered in her ear, in a husky voice before lightly kissing her neck. "It's been weeks. Do you know how badly I want you, right now?"

"I­—I have no idea. How about you show me."

"You sure? Last chance to reconsider. If you stay, we're not going to be sleeping anytime soon. We have a lot of catching up to do."

She turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Stop talking."

She pulled him in for a passionate kiss. He smiled into the kiss and placed his hands on her ass to lift her up, making her wrap her legs around his waist.

"You're frisky tonight. I thought you were angry." she teased.

"Oh, I still am," He threw her on the bed and crawled on top of her, giving her a mischievous look. "And I'm gonna take all my anger and frustrations out on you,"

In the morning, the couple slept in bed, in a spooning position. Melanie felt Jon's muscular arms around her waist, again, making her feel warm and safe. He gave her a soft, kiss on the cheek, making her smile.

"You okay?" He asked, in a gentle tone.

"Yeah. I'm glad I stayed."

"Me too."

"Another thing, remind me to never let you wait so long, ever again. I don't know what it is about your animalistic behavior at times but it's a big turn on,"

"I think it's because you drive me nuts. In a good way." He said as she turned to face him, pulling him in for another smooch.

---------

At the hotel pool, Melanie was lounging in a chair with Milena, Renee, and Nikki.

"Hey, Mel you didn't come back last night. Something happen?" Milena asked.

"She got laid." Nikki declared.

"Nicole!" Melanie exclaimed.

"What? You did, right? That had to be the reason you stayed the night. It was about time. You two just needed to release all that frustration,"

"I do feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders," she admitted.

"See? I'm right. If Jon gets a tour bus, make sure the bed has a mirror on the ceiling. You can watch yourself, while you're doing it. It is so hot,"

"Okay! Okay! On to a more appropriate topic." Renee spoke up and chuckled.

"Can I have some fruit salad?" Melanie asked, looking at Renee's bowl of fruit salad, next to her.

"No way!"

"What? Why not? It has grapes!"

"Because you only eat the grapes in a fruit salad, and leave the other fruit untouched," Renee pointed out.

The Philly Diva hesitated. "I...I manage..."

Milena giggled. "Sure. We need to take you to Grape Rehab for your grape addiction,"

"Dude, I am not addicted to grapes." Melanie guaranteed.

"I would love to know how you don't get tired of eating the same fruit almost every day." Nikki pointed out.

"I also get a kick out at how catering made Melanie her own grape bowl, so everyone else can have the other bowl." Renee smiled at the memory.

"Oh yeah! I also remember her trying to take a few grapes from everyone's bowl. It was hilarious!" Milena laughed.

"But it's so good. And juicy. And sour. And sweet." Melanie daydreamed about her grapes.

"Catch." Renee tossed a grape at her, and she caught it in her mouth with ease.

"Another!" Melanie took off her sunglasses.

"Let me take a video." Nikki took out her phone to go on the camera app. "Okay, go!"

Renee started tossing grapes at Melanie, as she swiftly caught each one in her mouth.

"Go Melly!" Milena clapped.

Renee laughed. "You're a trip."

"Thank you, thank you very much," Melanie said in her Elvis voice while putting a thumbs up to Nikki's camera.

"Got it. Now that's a keeper." Nikki posted the video on all her social media profiles.

Melanie stood up and stretched. She adjusted her rainbow colored two piece before sitting around the pool side, putting her legs on the water. Unknown to her, Colby started sneaking up behind her, while Nikki caught him on camera.

"Smack cam!" Colby smacked her with his bare hand and tried to dash away.

"Hey! Get back here!" She managed to grab the back of his jeans, pulling him down on the ground as she started beating him up.

"Damn! She got him, quick!" Jon Uso shouted with his brother, while the divas laughed.

"Ah! Mel! All right, you win!" Colby managed to escape and laughed with her.

[sniperdoesntforgiveyou]

Hai!! Just a small intro to learn about SDFY!! This is a project by me and my friend Pyro with a ass lore were (Mostly I'm) trying to fix.

~ Mods - ☕/💀 - Me, 🔥/🖤 - Pyro (we are both guys)

Mod Intros!!

Name: Coffee ! ☕/💀

Socials - smg34andengispyfan2445 (YT), coffee_for_brekkie (Discord), _POMNI_ (Scratch), LordMcFace (Deviantart)!! (No X account cuz fuck X!) (I will make a blusky acc tho!!)

Age: 17 (I'm mature enough!!) I am a transmasc guy (he/him/his)

I have lvl 2 autism and anxiety, I'm a asshole, a dumbass and a bit weird sometimes!!

I get distracted easily, but that's ok!! I accept everyone!

I'm the creator of SDFY! I'm a dum dum X3

Pyros intro!! 🔥/🖤

Here's this YouTube playlist to learn more about the Creepypasta!

↓

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJNDWgBisQxE7JdS7XL1D51kZyTbF6qjY&si=scN3krwe6WYoUJTJ

Story - (Remade for Reasons)

Basically this kid (named Jeremy) played TF2 when he was around 17-18, and playing it again as a adult. He watches a small video about the first episode of the TF2 series as a bit of inspiration. He follows on the story, the Red Team wins, Sniper gets jealous because all he wanted was a tie for once. One week later, he kills his team in gruesome ways, (Ie, putting together Solider and Medic, exploding Heavys body, freezing Demoman out in the cold) and is now currently hunting down Spy for his necklace. Engineer has wielded a gun using his father's tactics. They get a good or bad ending, depending if Jeremy kills Sniper (playing as Engineer or Spy) or not.

The good ending is that they kill Sniper, and Sniper turns back to normal.

The bad ending... Is more gruesome. Sniper actually kills Spy and Engineer gruesomely with Engineer's gun, and he jumpscares Jeremy, killing him too, and the TF2 losing screen can be seen.

Here is the people you can ask, and the reference sheet for them! (Also, you can't talk to the dead people cuz they're dead, Scout's Mom cause she is in a mental hospital, and Blu Sniper because he got killed in the van by Sniper.)

Sniper - A deranged killer assassin who is now hunting down Spy and Engineer for Spy's necklace (which is rumoured to be powerful.) He is teasing, manipulative, sadistic and only wants Spy for himself.

Engineer - A pessimistic, kind and generous guy from Texas who has a transmasc male wife named Spy. He has PTSD and mental problems (that make him snap.) He speaks with a Texan accent. He also has two kids (Scout and Muffin, who was adopted) Full name - Dell James Cohanger

Scout - Full Name - Jeremy Tyrone Cohanger (Was taken with Spy when he broke up with Scout's Mom). He is a very nice and sometimes short tempered and stubborn guy with a heart and brain of a actual person. His mental issues had been fixed and is now happy. He has a adopted little sister named Muffin and likes to tease her. His dad Spy is autistic like him, and so does Muffin.

Muffin - No ref sheet yet. But she is a ray of sunshine who is very special and good. She loves Friday Night Funkin and other stuff, including cutecore. She is 11 yrs old, chubby and cute. (She looks like Velma and Princess Peach btw)

Spy - Full Name - Tiffany Rosette Cohanger. Timid, shy and introverted, tends to be a good parent most of the time. Has trauma from Sniper tracking him down. Has a husband and two kids, and he is sensitive and a bit childish. He has autism, like his kids, anxiety, takes anxiety pills every day to calm himself down. The main protagonist of the creepypasta, as he is scared of Sniper. Personality like Kinger (TADC) a lot. He is transmasc and disabled.

Miss Pauling - Spy's disability support worker, and employee of Mann Co, she is sweet and undenying. She is one of the survivors from Sniper, and hired BLU Sniper to take his van to a safe place. She luckily survived from her death, and called on the cops to arrest Sniper. She is also kind to Spy and his small family. She has saved Spy and Scout from Scout's Mom (she was a crazy abusive maniac at that time and Miss Pauling had to restrain her from hurting Spy)

Hope you enjoy this silly Creepypasta!! Also please ASK THEM QUESTIONS!! THEY NEED THEM!! 😭

[parkers-gal]

Hi. I was wondering if u could do a Tom x reader story where y/n will randomly show up on set of avengers with a bouquet of flowers and give them to Tom and the rest of the crew members are going on about how cute that is. I don’t know if u are still taking requests but if u are I would love to see this. Or where the reader will just randomly show up with cute little gifts for Tom and everyone thinks it’s super cute ?

hiii hope u like this :):

wc: 1.4k <3

something sweet

—

The fresh scent of flowers wafts through your nose and brings a soft smile to your face. You’re outside the building that houses Tom, a small card and a bouquet of flowers in your hands. You’re merely dropping off a small message to Tom whilst he’s on set, just to let him know that you’re thinking of him.

You’ve been going out for about a month and a half, nothing exclusive and nothing labeled, but he’s the only person you’re going on dates with, and you’re the only person he’s going on dates with. It’s pretty exclusive, to be real.

And, it’s the second time this week you’re dropping a gift off at set for him. On Monday it was his favorite chocolate bar and a cute Spider-man pen, and today it’s a card and flowers. You’ve been dropping things off for about three weeks now. Even the security guards recognize you now.

Strolling up to the entrance of the building labeled “SET THREE,” you smile at the security man you’re approaching.

“Hi, Oliver.”

“Hey, Y/N. Here to see Tom?”

“Yep,” you smile and rock back and forth on your toes.

Oliver nods, says something into his walkie-talkie, and hands you a temporary pass to grant you clearance. “Tell the folks I said ‘hello.’”

You smile at the discreet mention of Tom and nod shyly. The electronic lock lights up green and the door unlocks. You swing it open, dress flowing while you walk through the familiar corridors. You pass Rachel on your way, and you give her a quick hug before continuing your journey.

By some chance of luck, you happen to reach set just as the director calls for a five minute break. Tom is pleasantly surprised to find you by his personal table set up in a corner of the room.

“Y/N?”

“Oh, hi,” you smile.

“Hey, darling. What’re you doing?” his hand goes to the small of your back, and he finally gets a glance at what you’re setting up on the table. A smile creeps up onto his face as he sees the fresh flowers resting on the table, and your handmade card standing upright. “Awh,” he looks at you with doe eyes. “Another gift?”

You shrug bashfully, and Tom pulls you closer so he can kiss your temple.

“You’re so sweet.”

You scrunch your nose up. “Maybe.” He giggles and you do too. “Just wanted to say hello before my lunch break ends.” Tom nods.

“‘M glad I got to see you.”

You mirror his smile. Unbeknownst to both of you, the lighting crew is discussing how cute the two of you are, and how ridiculously sweet you are. They’ve kept mental records of the gifts you’ve given Tom. Even if it’s just his favorite tea order and some banana bread, they all find it romantic. Even the directors find it adorable. It seems as if the entire crew thinks your relationship with Tom is the epitome of romance.

“Okay, well I should be heading out.”

“Okay,” Tom smiles. “Drive safe, okay?”

You hum and nod, and Tom gives your temple one last kiss before he’s waving you out.

And then, you repeat the same thing two days later, on Friday. You’d gotten off work early, thanks to your boss, so you decide to be extra special today and pick up a fresh batch of cookies from your favorite bakery downtown, perhaps maybe the entire crew could use a little snack. You manage to get Tom a coffee order and a small fidgeting toy to distract himself.

You find Oliver outside the entrance as always, and he’s delighted to see you again.

“Back again, Y/N?”

“You know it,” you smile before your eyes light up. “Oh! Can I offer you a cookie?” You open the package and hold out the assortment. Oliver’s face lights up and, with a grateful smile, he takes one and a napkin.

“Thanks, Y/N,” he smiles as if you’ve been longtime friends, and the feeling makes you warm in happiness. “Here’s your pass. Tell the crew I’ve said ‘hello.’’ You nod again and you walk through the door that Oliver has so nicely opened for you. Strolling through those same corridors, you don’t pass many people, which is only peculiar on the days that aren’t busy. So, as you reach the end of the hallway where the set door is, you find the red light above the door blinking rapidly, telling you that they’re in the middle of an important scene. You wait only over a minute before the light dies out and you open the door.

Rachel is the first person you see, and she smiles at you tiredly. You’re guessing it’s been a long, slow day. Arriving at the food table, you notice how bare it is, also assuming that the snacks have run low as the day had gone on.

You smile when you see a new vase set up as if someone was expecting new flowers to come in. You pluck one from a vase on the far end of the table, place it in the vase, and set up the freshly baked cookies. You lay out the napkins with a smile, and Rachel comes over to you just as you’re finishing up.

“Hey, Y/N. Tom’s been pretty busy today.”

“Oh! That’s okay,” you grin. “These are for everyone.”

“Aw,” she glances down at the delicious-looking desserts. “Then count me in. May I?”

You step aside so you’re not blocking the platter. “Be my guest.”

As you step aside, your foot hits a chug of unopened lemonade, and you find the dispenser empty. Connecting the dots, you reach for the lemonade, and with minimal assistance from Rachel, you refill the lemonade dispenser.

You’ve been onset for about ten minutes now, and over fifteen people have already plucked their cookies. Still, no sign of Tom.

“No work today?”

“Got off early,” you tell her. She nods.

“How jealous I am.”

You chuckle and rub your arms. “Seems pretty harsh down here.”

“Eh,” she shrugs. “Just slow.”

Just then, the scene ends and Tom is striding towards the food table.

“Thank god the lemonade is ref- Y/N!” He practically runs over. “What’re you doing here?” Both of his hands grab yours.

It’s occurred to you that you’re standing in front of the platter of cookies, so you once again move to the side so Tom can see them. “Just dropping something off.”

“You’re so sweet,” he pouts. “You didn’t have to get that for everyone.”

“Eh,” you laugh, “looks like you all could use something sweet.”

“I can’t tell if you’re talking about the cookies or yourself,” he nuzzles your nose.

“Yo, are those cookies?” Matthew from soundcheck interrupts.

“Yup,” Tom smiles proudly. “Y/N brought them in.”

“That’s dope. Can I have one?” He looks at you, and you nod with a laugh.

“Of course.”

“That’s so nice,” he waves at the two of you. “Off to work again.”

“Have I mentioned how much I love having you on set?” Tom grips your hands a little tighter. You smile at the boy.

“No, you have not.”

“Well, I think everyone agrees with me when I say you’re a great person to have around.”

“Is that so, Holland?” You tease. He rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. Just sayin’ thank you.”

“I know,” you pull him in so you can hug him.

“Thank you,” he says softly.

“Maybe this means you can finally ask her to be your girlfriend,” Rachel cuts in.

Tom’s mouth drops open in unamusement and you laugh at him. Rachel shrugs sheepishly, knowing she isn’t wrong.

“Now, now,” you usher her, “He’s still flowering. Let him go on his own pace.”

The two of you burst out into laughter and Tom scoffs at the fact that you’re ganging up on him.

“Whatever,” he says, pulling you in so he can kiss your forehead. “I’ll see you tonight, girlfriend?”

Your grin widens. “Okay… boyfriend.”

[myhockeyworld87]

Frisky for a Fight - Jamie Benn

Word Count: 3,250

POV: Reader

Warnings: NSFW, Language, Smut

Notes: So watching Jamie Benn fight the other night was just a turn on for me and I ended up writing a little something for it. I decided to use the reader from Ruined, hope you guys don’t care. As always I love to hear your feedback. Happy Reading!!!

(Also not my pic)

You didn’t see the exchange between Zadorov and Dellandrea, only the commentary from the announcers that the young pup had made a hit on the Blackhawk, and then words were exchanged. The television was always on in the training room for you to watch the game if, you weren't on the ramp. You’d been marking down a few things in your charts after taking care of a couple of the guys during intermission, which is why you missed Jamie drop the gloves when play resumed. As soon as you heard them say that, you picked your head up to see the exchange.

You had a love-hate relationship with Jamie fighting, always had. On the one hand, you hated it, because there was always this risk of him getting hurt. While on the other, you found it incredibly sexy. There was just something about seeing him all angry and fired up, that just did things to you, and this fight was definitely doing it to you now. Which was wrong, so wrong. Your panties she should not be getting wet at this moment, but the minute he threw that left uppercut right into Zadorv’s face, you felt your pussy clench.

The fight only last seconds, as the refs came in and broke it up rather quickly after that. You watched Jamie, skate over to the penalty box taking off his helmet, pushing his hair back once he got in, giving you a chance to see what the damage was to his face. Thankfully, there didn’t seem to be any, but you wouldn’t be able to tell until the second intermission which was a while away. There was no point in making yourself suffer, so you headed up towards the bench to see if you could get a closer look without seeming to be hovering over him.

You stood there on the runway, leaning against the wall arms folded as you waited. Jamie saw you staring, could tell by your stance you weren’t pleased that he’d got into another fight, though it was the first of the shortened season. He knew he’d be in for an earful the second the period ended. You kept staring at him over there in that box, all the while Jamie was fretting. Not about dealing with Bones, he knew his coach wouldn’t give him too much hell, but you; you were a different story and the last person he wanted to displease.

When they finally released him and he skated over to the bench to the sound of sticks taping once again cheering him on, you were able to assess the damage. He looked good, nothing seemed to be bruising or swelling, though he should probably get some ice on those knuckles; just for preventative measures. Jamie's eyes darted around to all his teammates before they laid square on you. His signature puppy dog's eyes coming out to tell you he was sorry. You simply shook your head and made your way back to the training room.

Bones talked to guys briefly after the second period before you went in. “So how bad are you?” you asked, grabbing his hands to see the damage. There were a few scraps but nothing that was bleeding or needing attention.

“I’m fine.” He snipped back, earning a disapproving glare from you. He could fight all he wanted with them, but he would not be picking one with you.

“I can see that,” you retorted. “Put some ice on those before they swell.” The guys went about their usual intermission break, making changes here and there with plays, and pointing out weaknesses they could try and capitalize on. All while guzzling Gatorade and something to give them a bit more energy in the third. Everyone started to filter back to the bench as the reprieve was over while Jamie lingered behind.

“Sorry I was snippy before. I just thought you were going to yell at me for fighting.”

“As long as you’re not hurt. I have no need to yell.” You shrugged off the matter, not wanting to get into how the whole thing actually made you dripping wet. He turned to head back down the ramp and out to the bench, a sulking look on his face as if he didn't believe that you were mad at him. "Jame," you yelled out, making sure there weren't too many prying eyes around before you grabbed him and kissed him hard on the mouth. "I'm not encouraging you to fight again, but I was very turned on by that punch to Zadorov's face." You couldn't let him go back out on the ice in a brooding mood, or he'd definitely be dropping the gloves in the third.

"Really?" His eyes perked up, and there was a distinct sparkle to them. One that you'd seen many times as before right before he ripped your clothes off, though that wouldn't be happening here.

"Yes, but if you do it again; you won’t be finding out exactly how wet I am,” you whispered, before swatting at his padded ass. “Now get back out there, captain.” The smile on his face told you, that you didn’t need to worry about him fighting the rest of the game, as he made his way back onto the ice; a little more pep in his step than before.

For the rest of the game, Jamie seemed to behave himself. There might have been an unnecessary check here and quite possibly a shove that wasn’t needed there, but at least his fists weren’t flying into anyone’s face. The game didn’t end how they hoped, as the Stars fell to Chicago. After a few words from coach, some of the guys, including Jamie, headed over to do media. You saw him roll his eyes at having to sit through what he considered the worst form of torture. It was even more so that, now that he knew how turned on you were after his fight. He was definitely distracted as the reporters fired off a few questions, little did they know where his mind actually was.

You finished cleaning up the training room, letting the athletic trainers go early as you waited for Jamie to finish up. He was just finishing buttoning up his shirt when you walked into the locker room. He spied you and his hands immediately stopped, leaving a good four buttons hanging undone. “So you found that little fight sexy, eh?”

There was no one else in the locker room as everyone else had left. So, you were free to saunter up to him and slide your hands up his torso until you could feel his exposed chest. “I’ll admit it was kind of hot.”

“Just kind of?” He grabbed your waist, pressing your body intimately to his where you could feel his erection.

“Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out.” His eyebrows lifted at your suggestion, while his hands roamed down the cheeks of your ass, gathering the fabric of your skirt as he went. It was nothing new for the two of you to get a little frisky when no one else was around. Jamie admitting once that he always wanted to have sex on his locker stall, was all it took to make that fantasy a reality, and while it didn’t happen often, it had happened a couple of times.

His hands worked the globes of your ass, the cool air hitting them as he hiked your skirt up to your waist. Fingers shifting, you felt him move to your core, where you knew he’d find your panties moist. “Fuck baby, have you been this wet since the second?”

“Uh huh,” you moaned before kissing him hard. To your surprise, Jamie moved his hand away and started shimming your skirt back down your lips. “Aren't we…” He didn’t let you finish, just grabbed your hand and headed out of the locker room. You knew you weren’t headed to the car, as he left his jacket hanging. “Where are we going?”

“I’m feeling frisky tonight.”

“I gathered that when you dropped the gloves.” He rolled his eyes as he looked back at you.

When he headed up the ramp that led to the bench, you pulled back on his hand. “Everyone’s gone.” He told you, and while you knew that all of the players and coaches weren’t there, there were still people that worked in the arena milling about. “Come on babe, trust me. Unless you just want to wait until we’re home?” His free hand, snuck between your thighs, letting his fingers dance along your folds.

You moaned in frustration. There wasn’t really a choice here. “No, I don’t.” The minutes the words were out of your mouth, he had your feet moving again. The arena was dark, except for the emergency lighting that dimly lit up the place. Shockingly, he opened the door to the ice though and stepped out onto it.

He picked you up and carried you across to the penalty box before you could even ask where you were going. “I couldn’t stop thinking about taking you here all third period. I’d like to say overtime too, but I was trying to concentrate on the game then.” You laughed, the sound echoing through the building, which made you immediately quiet again. “Thought we could actually do some sinning in this bin.”

He set you down inside the box first before coming behind you and closing the door. The wicked gleam in his eye matched the smirk on your face and the next thing you knew he was shoving you up against the glass, his mouth hot and heavy on yours. Your hands scrambled to undo his shirttails, while he shoved your jacket off your shoulders. His mouth was everywhere, on your lips and on your neck as they made their way down to your breasts. Jamie sucked on a perk nipple through the fabric of your blouse; your back arching into him.

You were so lost in the sensation of his lips that you didn’t realize the loud moan that escaped you.  “Shh,” Jamie hushed before capturing your lips with his. Regaining some of your senses, you quickly undid his belt buckle, before sliding the zipper of his pants down. If you were going to do this you might as well, live out a little fantasy of your own. You pushed back on Jamie’s chest, causing him to pull back in question.

“Since we’re sinning. There’s a little something I’ve always wanted to do to you here.” Pushing both his pants and boxers down to his knees, you backed him up to the bench, where he sat only hours ago for fighting. As you stared over at him earlier your mind had wanted to do one thing and now you had the opportunity. He sat down hard with just a simple push of your hand. His legs spreading immediately, as you sunk down to your knees. You wasted no time, letting your hand drift up his thighs, before guiding his cock into your mouth.

Jamie hissed out his pleasure. His hand threading through your hair as you sunk down on him. “Fuck baby, that feels so good.” You heard his head hit the back of the glass, as he hit the back of your throat. You worked the length of him in and out of your mouth. Part of you wished that the camera that was there was on, recording this. You wanted to see Jamie caught up in ecstasy as you worked your magic on him, but that would have to be for another time. He gathered your locks into a loose ponytail so he could watch you bob up and down on his cock. “Jesus, you look so beautiful.” They were whispered words of praise that went straight to your core.

When you hollowed out your cheeks, his head fell back once again against the plexiglass. It was then that you picked up speed and added a little hum. The vibrations sending Jamie almost spiraling to the point of no return, but he held it together even though his hips lifted off the bench. He was close. You could feel it in the way that his balls tightened under your touch and the way he seemed to almost let go completely. He held on by a small single thread and you knew it was because he didn’t want to spend in your mouth. He wanted to be buried deep inside your pussy when he finally came.

There was both disappointment and relief in his eyes as you released him with a pop; saliva and precum dripping from your mouth. He lifted you off the ground, then brought your mouth to his in a soul-searing kiss. “Fuck baby, you’re so good to me.” His hands worked the fabric of your skirt again, the cold of the ice making you shiver. Jamie hooked his fingers in the strings of your panties and ripped them off your body. You wanted to chide him for being so careless with the lace garment but that sheer animal magnetism of the action drew you to him even more.

You straddled him. Legs on both sides of his hips, as you slowly guided his member to your pussy. The feel of him deep inside you was like no other. It was like coming home and yet something new every single time. You’d been wanting this for the last couple of hours and now here you both were, though you hadn’t imagined it quite like this. Slowly, you swiveled your hips, making both you and Jamie hiss out in pleasure. You began to ride building up a rhythm that you both loved.

Jamie took hold of your hips, helping to steady you as you moved. Vaguely, you realized you pressed a hand to the glass behind Jamie and wondered if the imprint would still be there the next game. Would anyone realized that it wasn’t just someone trying to bang on the glass, but instead it was you being carried away in pure bliss as you rode their captain. Jamie brought you back to reality as he slid the v-neck blouse you wore off one shoulder so he could play with your breast. “I just want to rip this off you.”

“Do it,” you hissed out, knowing that he’d buy you dozens more to replace it. It was harder to tear than the panties but then Jamie was a man on a mission, just like he was earlier. His hands tore at the fabric the same ones that had punched Zadorov only hours ago. Now they were gentler, as they cupped your breast, tweaking and playing with the nipple. You threw your head back, only to have his mouth replace his fingers. He sucked on the turret peak then gently bit down. Your hips shot up, as a rush of wetness flooded Jamie’s cock buried inside you.

Suddenly, Jamie’s hands were on your ass and in one fluid motion he lifted you both up. Instinctively, you wrapped your legs around his waist as your back was pressed against the plexiglass; your heels digging into his ass but he enjoyed the bite. You clung to Jamie as he began to pound his cock into you. Foreheads pressed together, all that could be heard in the arena was the two of you panting as you sought that high you both craved. “Come on baby…” Jamie breathed out. “Cum for me.”

He was holding out, waiting for you and with a shift of his hips, he hit that sweet spot and sent you over the plateau. A silent scream was all that you let out as pleasure coursed through your veins. Jamie tucked his head into your neck, as he thrust a few more times before finding his own release. He held you up against the glass for a minute as your breathing calmed. “Can you stand?”

“I think so.” You’d forgotten about your heels until he set you down on them, but Jamie’s hands lingered on your hips to steady you. Once you regained your balance, you shimmied your skirt back down, while Jamie righted himself as well. “Where are my panties?” you whispered, only the receive a smirk from Jamie. The dim lighting wasn’t really conducive to finding your clothing, which even if it was ripped you still wanted.

Jamie lightly chuckled before he said, “We could always leave them for someone to find.”

“Jamie!” It was a little louder than you intended but you’d be totally mortified if someone on the team found them laying there.

“Is someone out there?” a voice called out shocking you.

“It’s just me Bill,” Jamie yelled to one of the custodians. “I was looking for my mouthguard.” You looked at Jamie questioningly and he just shrugged, as if it was the best he could think of on short notice. When you looked down embarrassed that you’d been caught, you finally saw your torn panties under Jamie’s foot. You shot down and snatched the garment up and shoved it in Jamie’s pocket. “Found it,” he yelled out to Bill. “I’ll be out of here shortly.”

“No problem Cap.” You heard Bill start to leave only to stop short and turn back around. “Hell of fight tonight, Cap. Hope we get to see some more like that this season. It seems to gets everyone riled up.”

“It sure does,” Jamie yelled back at Bill while grabbing your ass at the same time. “It sure does,” he repeated only this time quieter so only you would hear.

“Don’t even think that this is going to be a little habit, Benn.”

“Aww, come on baby. You have to admit it was fun. I don’t think I’ll ever sit in this box again without having a little smile on my face.”

“Well don’t think that this is some kind of reward for fighting because let me tell you; the first time I’m stitching you up because someone planted a facer on you, I already have your punishment in mind and it won't be anything like this.” You opened the door to the penalty box and waited for Jamie to step out and carry you since you had heels on. Which he did of course.

“What kind of punishment.” He queried as you made your way across the ice.

"That’s for me to know and for you to hopefully not find out.”

“This isn’t going to be like when you tried to get me to stop chewing snuff is it?”

“It worked, didn’t it. You don’t chew that shit anymore.”

“No, because if I did you wouldn’t let me near you.” It was true, every time Jamie chewed snuff you made it a point that sex, including kissing and whatnot was off the table, at least until he brushed, flossed, and rinsed with mouthwash. You weren’t sure what Jamie’s punishment was going to be for fighting yet but it would definitely run along those lines. “What happens if they all end up like this?”

Hmm, well that might be an entirely different story, as you were still ready to continue what you started in the sin bin. “Hmmm, I guess we will have to see if it’s still a turn on when it happens again.”

Jamie came up and grabbed your waist hauling you against him. “I’m more interested if you’re still turned on now.”

“Take me home and let’s find out.”  

[wolfcha1k]

Decided I wanted a cover for my Guy x Eep one shot collection "A Tomorrow of Our Own", as of now its part 4 of "The Sun Was A Wayfarer" series. I'll post the first chapter of "A Tomorrow of Our Own" down below ~ Used refs from the movie itself for this picture ~

- <3 -

Summary - "I was thinking about Tomorrow… OUR Tomorrow."

"I think I love you So what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm not sure of A love there is no cure for I think I love you Isn't that what life is made of? Though it worries me to say I've never felt this way"

What is life like after Tomorrow? Guy and Eep are settling down into their new married life together at the Betterman Farm. There's been some obstacles along the way but its nothing they can't handle.

[Read the next two chapters of this story here on Ao3 OR FF.net, note, its a one shot collection: A Tomorrow of Our Own  /// A Tomorrow of Our Own ]

The Sun Was a Wayfarer - Series

Previous All I Can Think About next n/a

He wasn't wrong about the flowers, butterflies and babbling brook that would be in their very own home. This privacy thing wasn't so bad either once she got over the initial newness of it too. There was also the benefit of being able to shamelessly share a space with him that wasn't occupied by seven other large masses getting in the way. Okay, so maybe the sleep pile did have its drawbacks now that she thought about it. It reeked of love though, despite what Guy might have said against it.

Guy's arm was slung loosely over her waist as she curled up into his side. He was warm, combating the morning chill that turned her skin to goose flesh. Eep burrowed her nose into his neck, breathing deeply. She could feel his pulse under her lips. The strange scent of vanilla was finally fading away to something that was just Guy again. She had woken up with the sunrise and was unable to fall back to sleep. So she watched the early light of dawn warm his features, turning his caramel skin a rich bronze color.

She admired him with a soft smile, reaching out fondly to brush her fingers against his cheek. To think she'd nearly lost him, the thought still made her stomach clench. Ee[ ran her hand over his chest to lay her palm flat against his heart. Guy stirred with a soft groan, eyelids quivering though he didn't open them. Instead, a lazy smile crossed his face.

"Mhm… isn't it a little early for that?" He murmured though he hardly sounded like he was complaining over the attention.

She fought a grin off, instead brushing her fingers against his skin. "Hey," she greeted.

His voice was still thick with sleep, giving it a raspy timbre sound. "Hey what?"

"Hey you, good morning," Eep merrily said, reaching up to fondly poke his nose.

He huffed, at last looking at her bleary eyed. Guy lifted his free hand to touch her nose, watching her go cross eyed as she tried following it. "Morning boop."

"Is that what we're calling it?" She let out a giggle.

"I'm not awake enough to think of something better," he said, beginning to stretch. "Have you been up long?" He reclined his head to try getting a proper look out the window, everything was covered in pre dawn light.

"A bit," she hummed, leaning towards him to press a featherlight kiss to his lips. He chased after her when she pulled back, cupping her cheek. She felt his sleepy smile. "I thought it was too early," Eep teased, practically purring.

"I can make exceptions," he protested, wrapping his arms around her to pull her flush against him.

She snorted more so than laughed, trying to muffle it against his neck. Eep took the opportunity to playfully nip at his pulse point, feeling his hands clutch her waist. She grinned, dragging her teeth along the spot a moment before she sighed. Nestling closer, there were no complaints on Guy's part as she practically draped herself over his chest.

"Still doesn't feel real," she couldn't help but muse.

"Hmm?" He encouraged her with a hum, stroking her back with his calloused palms. He traced a large scar that dipped down the lower part of her spine.

"You know… this, us, here together," Eep said in a wistful sort of way. She lifted her head up to look at him, finding his dark eyes were glinting with emotion.

"Well, I'm glad it's real." He pressed a chaste kiss to her nose before pulling her back close. He rolled onto his side with her in his arms. "I was stupid."

"And I was unfair," she added, knowing the blame wasn't solely his. Eep could have handled that argument better, communicated what she was feeling so she hadn't blown up at him like a fire spewing volcano. The ash that had rained down was worse than the lava, really. "I didn't think about how you were feeling."

He gave her a smile, tender as he looked at her. "I'm just as guilty of that, Eep."

"Yeah but you weren't the one storming up a tree throwing a fit," she huffed, her thoughts drifting back to her mother Ugga. She'd practically flattened that small clearing into nothing with how many trees she destroyed in her anger. The heartbreak lingered at its strings when she let her mind dwell on the moment.

"I can't believe he would choose... a tree over me."

"I don't think it's that simple. Guy knew the Bettermans when he was little, they're the closest thing he has to a family."

"We could keep this blame game up for forever," he said with a sigh, instead tangling his long fingers into her hair. "Words are weapons we really need to remember to be more careful with."

"I'm sorry I called you stupid," she said, feeling him huff into her neck.

"When did you call me stupid?"

"After our break up… I was venting to Dawn and I told her boys are stupid." Eep felt him laugh more so than heard it, Guy muffling his face into her collarbone. "What?"

"I called you complicated, we're even now." He drew away to poke her nose, earning himself a pout as Eep returned the gesture. It was their little game, one Eep was glad to finally get back to. "I don't think the punch monkeys agreed with me though."

"Complicated?" She arched a brow, amusement in her voice. If she knew where this was going, it would be a pretty easy guess. Eep leaned away to sit up a little, making space between them. "What girls besides Dawn do you know?"

"You," he teased.

"I don't count," she quipped, poking him on the chest.

"Well… what boys do you know then?" His tone was mirthful, leaning up on his elbow as he looked at her.

She opened her mouth to retort.

"Your dad, Thunk and Mr. Betterman don't count."

She hinged her jaw back closed with a pout. "Fineee," Eep said, dragging out the word before flopping back down against him. Her weight sent him down on his back again before she rolled off him. They were still pressed close together.

"Okay so we might not be the best frames of reference." Guy leaned his head against hers as they laid side by side.

"Oh definitely," Eep agreed, grinning.

"Also… I'm sorry I told you to take a shower." Eep turned to brush her nose against his cheek, making Guy turn to grin sheepishly at her.

"When was the last time you took a shower?" She couldn't really pick up the scent of soft rain and cool mountain streams on his skin anymore, it was faint even with her very sensitive nose.

Guy looked confused by the question before reclining back to get more comfortable. "A few days?" Eep gazed at him with confused eyes, Guy picked up the social cue. "I thought I kinda deserved it, like penance?"

"Guy, you can shower, for The End's sake." She shook her head.

He gave a helpless sort of shrug, making Eep nudge him with her shoulder. "Maybe tomorrow."

"It's always Tomorrow with you, isn't it, babe?" Eep sighed fondly.

He seemed to realize what he'd said and grinned, toothy and wide as he laced their fingers together. They were pressed palm to palm, it brought a wave of nostalgia over Eep when she remembered back to the first time in that maze of a gully filled with crystals. Come with me, the memory echoed before his voice broke through with a tender reverence. "I have my Tomorrow figured out now. Don't you worry, Eep."

"Like I ever was worried," she said, feeling uncharacteristically flustered. She knew it was silly to be, considering that now they were more than just boyfriend and girlfriend.

He was her husband and she was his wife, yet the butterflies still flocked a storm in her belly. They shared more than just body together but heart and mind too. They were life mates and yet things didn't really feel any different, she'd lived with him long enough. The change in their routine in the few short moons since the situation with the spineback gorilla was hardly a shift that needed adapting to.

His face looked sad for a moment, brows furrowed as he nuzzled his nose into her chin. He peppered her jaw with kisses, trying to reassure her without words. She lifted her neck with a shiver, giving him better access. Nothing was said for a long moment as they traded lazy kiss after lazy kiss, the morning was still young and they had all the time in the world to enjoy each other. After pressing his lips to her jaw a few more times he drew back with a loving grin, one she returned before nuzzling her nose against his.

His breath tickled her lips, their foreheads pressed against one another. This was what she always wanted, just him right here, together forever in their Tomorrow. There was no Tomorrow without him.

"Hey," she said in a low voice.

"Hey what?"

"I love you." Eep beamed at him.

"You're pretty awesome too, I hope you know that," he told her as they leaned against each other.

She practically purred with delight, Eep brushing his cheek with her own. "You could stand to tell me that every so often, actually."

Something about the words seemed to make his eyes flash and he perked up considerably.

"Oh yeah," he exclaimed, nudging her to sit up on the bed. Eep leaned back on her heels and watched Guy get up. He went to dig through their things, they still needed to finish unpacking but the excitement of new marital bliss was distracting. It was a wonder they got anything done when they were so wrapped up in eachother every day. "There's something I wanted to do if you were okay with it."

She scooted off the pallet, alit with curiosity as she coyly arched a brow. "Oh? Like what?"

He seemed to catch her hint and huffed, amused. "You wish, I mean something else."

She pretended to be disappointed, resting her chin on her fist as she sat back down. "You're no fun."

"You didn't say that last night," he teased before continuing his rummaging. Hesitation flashed across Guy's face, soon replaced with a resolve strong as steel. He turned to face her with a jar in his hand. "I made extra Henna," Guy explained, gesturing to himself. The newly painted stripes had long since dried, Eep had missed them.

"For?"

"Well… you," he replied, shuffling his weight before approaching her again. "Since we're married and all now, I thought… maybe you'd…?"

"Are you sure this isn't an excuse to get handsy, Guy?" She nudged his knee with her foot, rousing a laugh out of him.

"And your dad said I was the bad influence," he said. Guy's smile turned wistful suddenly, dark eyes gazing at the jar. "I remember my mom and dad having matching paint."

Eep smiled at him, sympathy on her face. She hopped onto her feet, reaching out to trace her hand down a stripe on his slender shoulder. "Was it all your family?"

"Yeah, our tribe used them to make sure people knew we were all together, that we were one people." He rested his large palm over hers, stopping her. Guy slowly led her hand down his arm, Eep touching the two stripes around his bicep before finally he tangled their fingers together. "You're my family now," he said fondly, soft. "So, that makes you my tribe too."

"You think I've earned my stripes?"

"There was never anything to test you for," Guy replied with a shake of his head, lifting their joint hands so he could kiss her knuckles. "Nothing at all to prove." Eep reached out to trace his cheek with her fingers before laying her palm flat against it. He leaned into her touch, arching his brows with a small grin. "So… is it a yes?"

Eep nodded her head. "I always look pretty good in stripes anyways."

"You always look good."

"Flattering me will get you nowhere," she said in jest, though she glowed with how pleased she was by the compliment.

"It's gotten me this far," Guy replied, leaning forward to kiss her.

Eep met him half way, pulling his palm closer to hers as she wrapped her free arm around his waist. Guy cursed the jar of paint in his other hand, groaning against her mouth. Eep was flush against his torso and chest, always the daring one and already she took control of the kiss. He was always happy to follow her lead though.

She gave his lip a feisty nip, Guy juggled for his paint when he mentally stumbled and slackened his grip. It cooled some of the heat in his belly, simmering into embers. Finally, he mustered enough willpower to pull away from her when he felt the soft flicker of her tongue. He'd never get the tattoos on her before the first chickenseal crow at this rate.

Eep let go of his hand and pulled away from him, seeing he needed the breathing room. She just grinned broadly at his flushed cheeks and flustered expression. He cleared his throat, adjusting his cargo. "Um… anyway, guess just sit on the stool there."

She took a seat with surprising daintiness as she did so. Guy crouched in front of her, gesturing with his head for her to give him her arm. Eep extended her forearm, watching Guy dip his hand into the red paste. He began to trace a stripe along her bicep gently, feeling the firm muscle under his palm and fingers.

"It might itch for a few hours at first," he told her, trying to distract himself from the nervous pounding in between his ears.

Eep noticed the first stripe he painted wasn't rounded like his, but kind of lopsided in places and jagged in shape. She looked from her stripe to Guy's, curious if he'd slipped up. He only grinned. "Let's just say Gran inspired me, Fire Heart."

It suddenly made sense, her eyes quickly glancing back at the lightning bolt shaped stripe curved around her bicep. "But its not -"

"New tribe names, remember?" Guy leaned back on his heels a moment to give her a proper look. "We can change things, make new traditions. It still means the same thing, Eep. It just has a personal touch now."

"We never got to give you a name, you know."

"Well… you could now I guess."

"I'm not as good as Gran is at the Thunder Sister naming thing," Eep mused, watching Guy dunk his fingers in more of the Henna to paint another stripe.

Guy chuckled, "Can't be any worse than Bog Water."

"Hey you, Mrs. Betterman is proud to be Bog Water." She reached her free hand to reach into the Henna, dipping her fingers in it before playfully tracing a shape against his eyebrow. Guy started, nearly messing up his own paint job as he looked at Eep. "Hold still, I'm christening you."

Guy tried looking at what she was doing but it was pretty much impossible so he just waited patiently for Eep to finish. It was two tusk-like shapes she'd painted under both eyes, starting at his eyebrows and stopping at the slope of his nose. Eep cleared her throat dramatically. "From now on," Eep began with as noble a voice she could muster. "You will be Bright Smile."

When he grinned at her, Eep knew it was the perfect name, even if it didn't sound the most intimidating. It certainly was no Blood Horn or Fire Heart. "Bright Smile?"

She thought back to the night she'd met him, drawn out of her cave by the light of his fire. When she thought he was a warthog beast ready to kill her, Eep hadn't hesitated to grab for a rock to dash his brains in. However, there were hands that reached out to placate her and ever so slowly the boar head had come off. In its place was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen and he was smiling at her.

At least, until she was startled so badly she dropped said rock upon his foot but that was a different story entirely and one she still thought back on with embarrassment. "If the shoe fits, you make extra pairs," Eep chirped proudly, feeling giddy with a secretive smile.

"I like it," he told her, idly touching the edge of the paint with his finger. "Wish I could see what you painted though."

"It's nothing phallic if that's what you're thinking, Guy."

"I wasn't going to say that," he replied.

"You were thinking it," Eep tsked with a pout.

Guy chuckled, shaking his head before going back to his work. He painted another stripe, the placement similar to his own. He went into the farthest depth of his memory to try recalling just how the stripes looked between married pairs. Eep rolled up her night shirt up to her chest, letting Guy draw stripes similar to the ones he had. Hers were on her belly though, and when he circled her ribs, Eep fought off a giggle at just how tickling she was.

He couldn't resist digging his fingers into her side, rousing a shriek of laughter. "Stop! You'll ruin your paint job!" Eep exclaimed.

"I can just redo it," he quipped, grinning though he lightened his touch to avoid another giggle fit when he began the next stripe that went closer to her hip bone.

She reached over his head, ignoring his gentle scolding that she was fidgeting too much to grab the mirror on the nightstand. "What happened to just redoing it, Guy?" Eep teased.

Gripping it in her hands, Eep pushed her finger against his forehead to make him lean back. She presented him with his reflection in the glass, grinning as she peeked over for his reaction.

He paused with a contemplated expression on his face and tipped his head to the side, causing some of his hair to fall away like a curtain. Guy seemed to connect the dots in what his face paint meant, recognition alit in those dark eyes of his. After several heartbeats, Guy glanced up at her. "You still think about it?"

Eep knew what he meant and nodded. "Of course, it was only one of the most important nights of my life." He smiled at her and Eep fought off a blissful sigh. "Now you're just being deliberate."

"How so?" Eep traced his lips with her index finger, outlining his smile and she bopped him one right on the nose right after. He looked like a confused puppy for a moment before he chuckled. "Hey, it worked. You didn't break my head with a rock. My foot though…"

She huffed, pressing her full palm into his face in embarrassment. "Ssshh, you snuck up on me. You deserved that." The words were muffled against her hand but she got the gist of it. "No, you could have just said something."

Guy reached over to grab her wrist, pulling her hand away. "Air," he gasped out first before speaking more. "I'm glad you broke into my camp and tried stealing my fire anyway. It worked out."

"That sounds even worse out loud," Eep bemoaned, pulling a clump of her wild red mane of hair over her face.

"And then there was the log ride…"

"Guy!"

"I say this with love, Eep."

She only huffed at him and put the mirror back where it came from. "Don't you have some stripes to finish painting?"

"I will if a certain someone, who will remain nameless, would let me," he said with mirth, pointing from the bowl of Henna to her.

"You're starting to sound a lot like my dad, Mr. Crood." Eep held still at last, letting Guy finally finish the stripe on her hip.

"Mr. Crood? Mr. Crood is my father-in-law, Eep." The comment earned him a gentle tap on the head, gentle for Eep at least. He blinked as his vision blurred for a second. He reached over and hoisted her leg up onto his shoulder. Her weight was heavy and solid but he'd grown used to it in the recent moons.

"Guy!" She nearly sounded scandalized, much to his amusement.

"I have to paint your thigh!"

She sheepishly looked away from him and Guy began painting the final stripes. He was quick about it, since she seemed to fidget awkwardly at their position. It was silly to be embarrassed when all things were considered, Eep took a moment to glance at the rock Guy had given her that rested next to the bed. Finally, he drew back and lowered her leg back onto the ground, relinquishing it.

"That should do it," he said, sounding proud. Guy stood up, grunting as he popped his back at the stiff muscles that had coiled during his seated position. "You're right, you do look good in stripes."

Eep got up from the stool with an eager little hop, extending her arm out to give it a good once over. She reached out to touch the edge of one stripe, careful to not mess up the paint. It would take a few hours to properly dry. It was a deep red but she knew with time they would soon be the same shade of brown as her husband's. She looked at Guy who was waiting for her opinion, he tried hard to not look as excited as he felt but like always he was an open book.

"I love them, Guy." She reached out to hug him, weary of pressing her torso too close to his. Guy patted her back gently. He wanted to tug her close but he'd spent too much effort on the Henna to mess it up. "Thank you."

"I'm glad you like them," he said, beaming. "Thank you, love."

She flushed at the term of endearment even though she heard it plenty of times prior. Eep looked back down at her stripes, admiring wondered what Guy's family would have thought of her. Would they approve of her being part of them, even if it was only in spirit now?

"Something on your mind?" His voice coaxed her from her thoughts, drawing her back to the present.

"Nothing," she began before furrowed her brows. "Well… maybe not nothing. I was thinking what your parents might have thought of me." Eep knew the Bettermans hadn't approved of her at first but that was different now, they were quickly becoming like family.

The Bettermans had been part of Guy's old tribe, though they no longer wore their stripes. Guy looked thoughtful but he didn't hesitate. "Mom and dad would have adored you. I know it."

"Why is that?"

"They told me to find Tomorrow and I found you. It was always you, that's why." He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Eep smiled back at him, she couldn't help but feel relieved. There was the familiar sound of a chickenseal cawing that roused them, breaking the moment. Guy looked at the window, surprised that so much time had passed. The sky was now a light blue color.

"And there's our cue to get ready for the day," he sighed, turning away to put the paint away and wash his hands in a nearby basin.

"Yeah, we gotta go meet up with Dawn for the morning chores." Eep removed her night shirt to go grab her fur pelt dress that was draped over a nearby pole. She grabbed Guy's pants and boots along the way, tossing both in his direction.

He was quick to get dressed, tugging the garments on. "Careful with the paint," he cautioned once Eep pulled her dress over her head.

"This one hangs looser than my other one," Eep reassured him.

He nodded his head and gave the room a look. "We really need to think about organizing this place," he said, eying their unpacked bags and disarray belongings.

Eep began making her way for the door after pecking his cheek. "There's always Tomorrow," she chirped and she heard him laugh.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

[ddaenggtan]

black irises in the sunshine | kth

anger is everything. other gods tease you for the short fuse, but it comes with the territory. people have called you stupid, have called you dumb, oafish, useless, incompetent, insolent, rude, arrogant. all of it. insults and mockery flung at you, but even your skin isn’t thick enough to deal with constant abuse. it’s the exact reason you keep going to the underground, knuckles bloody and bruised, fighting anyone that dared enter the cage. it’s the reason you go to the clubs, surround yourself with mortals and their writhing bodies. it’s there that you see him the first time, voice husky as it rolls through the room. it’s there you find someone who treats you differently than the rest. you just never expected him to be one of the muses. | monsters and gods pt 3 (masterlist)

pairing | taehyung x reader

genre/warnings | greek god au, calliope!taehyung, ares!reader, theres a lot of violence and it does get descriptive so be aware of that, none of the main characters other than ares get hurt and its not uncalled for or anything in a narrative sense, so just be aware of that; there are mentions of other idols, but if you can guess them you get a cookie because they are Vague; suuuuper bisexual Ares, Ares Can Step On Me, like I am SO gay for her it isn’t funny; explicit smut ft: cunnilingus, taeHUNG bc hes got MASSIVE SCHLONG,  some body worship kind of and then just....regular worship? like? idk how to explain that? lots of praise and lots or orgasms

word count | 14k | cross posted to ao3

a/n | HOOOOOOO this has been sitting in my google docs for literal months waiting for an ending and i decided to try to get it out for tae's birthday bUT that didn't work because i have a Job and shit so YEET I GUESS HAPPY FUCKIN NEW YEAR??? LIKE??? YEEEEEEEEEEEEE this fic is very near to me because Ares is my sweet sad angry babie and i love her, and i love tae and i love suho and i love the muses and i just........lOVE this fic like i think this is currently my favorite of the mag series so!! i hope yall also enjoy it!!!! yall are welcome to send me messages about this even tho I'm terrible at replying to them in a timely manner!! thanks to everyone who helped me with this, and everyone who has expressed interest in it, and everyone who has ever read anything of mine, because you're genuinely the best people ever, and this is literally a gift to y'all because you deserve it. 

Fuck, that was too hard .

The guy across from you goes flying, hitting the chain link wall of the cage harder than you intended. Every nerve ending in your body is on fire, and even holding back, you've got a better buzz than even the best nectar can give. Your blood sings as the guy gets back up, and you almost wish you could remember his name, because he's put up a hell of a fight. For a mortal, anyway. 

He charges at you again, and time slows as your vision tunnels. You can see the feint as he decides on it, how he hesitates in bringing his left up. You wait, watching him get closer and closer. You start to dart to your left, letting him think he's got you, before you side-step and dart to your right instead. His punch goes wide as you steady your balance and move. The top of your foot connects with his ribcage and the resulting crack of bone is lost amid the cheers and yells of the audience. 

Your opponent steps back and you're proud of the way he doesn't show the pain. He doesn't wince, doesn't move to touch the spot you hit, just tightens his stance and clenches his jaw. It's only you that notices the hitch in his breath, the way he flinches with every inhale. Your eyes narrow at that, zeroing in on the rib. You'd meant to just crack it, had been holding back most of your strength to keep from hurting him too seriously, but as he steps forward, you can see the way he grits his teeth against the pain. 

The fight leaves you immediately, like a bucket of cold water straight to the chest, and you drop your hands. 

"Yield." He just stares at you, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Yield to me, and then go to the doctor."

"I'm not gonna yield," He says. He spits a mouthful of blood out onto the floor. "I'm not weak."

"Seriously, dude," You insist. "You're not gonna win this, and I don't want to hurt you more." 

His scoff has you seeing red. "As if a princess like you could hurt me."

Your fist connects with his face before either of you registers that you've moved. There's a voice in the back of your head reminding you that he's just mortal, he can't take the same kind of beating you can, but it's lost in the haze of fury. The next thing you know, the ref is dragging you away and slamming you into the cage wall. Your opponent is being dragged out - you still don't know his name - and he looks beaten senseless. Victory rolls through you accompanied by a sick satisfaction at the way his blood looks decorating the canvas beneath your feet. 

It lasts for less than an hour. It's always like this; the thrill of the fight, the burn of success, it's gone faster than you can blink. It's what drives you to keep fighting, to keep going to match after match, just to seek out the under-the-table stuff afterwards. It's never enough, not anymore. Back in the old days, they'd let you fight anything. Bears, bulls, lions, giants, anything they could get a noose around long enough to point it at a colosseum. That was a long time ago, though, before all the rights movements happened. You won't lie: you miss fighting beasts like that. The sheer power and strength they have, the survival instinct that makes them such fierce competitors, it's so much better than the rules and regulations of the mortal world now. Fights have gotten dull, rehearsed, more like a performance or a show than an actual fight. People make more money losing than they do winning and it's made the world boring. 

You flex your hand as you open the door to your favorite bar. Something caught it at some point in the last fight, a cheekbone or a tooth, and it stings a little. Doesn't hurt, not exactly, not for a goddess, but it did enough that you feel it at all, which means it couldn't have been anything but torture for the guy on the other end. The bartender waves at you and gets your usual ready as you sit, and you idly wonder if Busted Rib Guy will be okay. It looked painful, for a human, and you'd tried to hold back, but…

Well, you weren't really responsible for what happened to condescending little fucks, were you?

You sip the bourbon, enjoying the burn as it goes down. The lights are dim, tonight. You're glad. You don't want to deal with people looking at you, men coming over to talk to you, trying to advise you on how to properly bandage your knuckles or how to avoid the bruise on your cheek next time. If you had wanted to avoid it, you would have. You'd intended it to hurt worse, honestly, but that first guy'd had a weaker right hook than you expected. 

You look around, wondering if anyone here would provide a decent distraction for the night. There's a pretty brunette in the corner with carefully crafted braids, and as your eyes travel, you imagine what's hiding beneath the silk and leather. You're pulled from the thought by the sound of music, and you curse under your breath. You forgot that it's an open mic night and you'd meant to go to the bar across town instead. Irritation colors your vision; every open mic night is awful, full of lofty poets talking about their trauma and wannabe Taylor Swifts thinking they're on the same level as Sappho. Ah, now that was a girl with a set of pipes. You miss her, wonder what she would say to the butchering of whatever song you're about to hear.

The voice that comes isn't what you expect. It's smooth and deep. The world turns to velvet around you as the voice wanders from one speaker to another, creating a mesmerizing multi-dimensional effect despite the way the singer doesn't ever leave the stage. You turn, knuckles white around your bourbon glass; he's utterly magnetic, every eye in the room trained on him as he purrs into the vintage mic. Long fingers are wrapped around the scuffed metal, decorated with jewels that glitter in the dim light of the bar. You can smell the lingering cigarette smoke from the guy beside you and the Jäger from the girl two stools down and for once, you don't even care. He's captivating, voice travelling between speakers in the bar and coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. 

Your eyes don't leave him, and you wonder if you can memorize the way the blond waves fall against his forehead if you stare long enough. 

The red seeps away from you, slinking back into the corners of your mind, settling once more into a low thrum under your skin. It fades into the background of this man's voice, the charisma that rolls off him in waves as he pulls the mic in close just to push it to the side with a teasing smirk. It settles something in your chest that hasn't been calm since the fight in Athens so long ago. 

The music fades out sooner than you'd like, and he gives a slight bow before wandering into the crowd. You do your best to follow him, but the gold of his hair disappears almost immediately, lost in the throng of people around the stage waiting to speak to him. You turn back around, downing the next bit of bourbon that Suho pours you. 

"I know," He says with a grin. You cock a brow at him, not having said anything he could agree with. "He's good. That's what you were thinking, right? He's why we're so packed on open mics. Got the audio and lighting guy whipped, so he's got all these special effects, too. Drives people crazy.”

"He's alright," You mutter. You toss a few bills down on the bartop and step back. Suho gives you a courteous nod as you leave. The bouncer gives you a dirty look when he spots the lit cigarette between your lips, but he knows better than to try to tell you otherwise. You've taught him better. 

You lean back against the brick wall of the alley and take a drag. The warm smoke fills your lungs and you close your eyes. It's a different kind of burn than you're used to, a distraction from the crawling sensation that drives you to fight. It's calmer, more controlled. Feels like the smoke from Hestia's fires. Feels like home. 

"Never expected to see you here," A voice calls out. It's deep and startling in the darkness, but you don't jump. You just open your eyes, exhale, and look to where it came from. 

The singer stands before you in the same undone white button up and black tee he performed in. He doesn't have a cig, doesn't seem to have much of any reason to be outside. He moves almost lazily, as if he doesn't even need to, just wants to, and when his gaze flicks up to meet yours, your vision fills just for a breath with every opponent you've ever faced lying at your feet. 

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" The words slip from your tongue before you can stop them. It's not his fault, the voice in your head says, he didn't mean it that way, but still, your blood is thrumming now that he's here and you want to know what he's talking about. Want to know why he thinks you wouldn't be here when there's attractive people and good bourbon and you've never seen this man before in your life. Want to know why he already seems to think you aren't civilized enough to be at a bar, why he spoke but all you heard was Zeus' voice in your memories.

"Exactly what I said. Should I be clearer?"

"Yeah, probably," you spit. Yet another person that assumes you're stupid, that you don't understand basic languages, as if you haven't been speaking them since the ancient times. As if you couldn't speak circles around him if you wanted. "Unless you want your teeth on the fucking ground."

"Good to know the stories are true." He tsks and you're filled with a strange sense of disappointment and fury, both at him and yourself. Your vision turns red at the edges and the cigarette between your fingers is crushed in your grip. He pays no mind to it, just saunters past with a lazy, swaying gait that draws your eyes to his hips and then down the long leather-clad legs. "See you around, Ares."

"That's not my fucking name," You yell after him. He doesn't respond when you shout your actual name, the one you chose, on your own, as a middle finger to the Olympians. "Get it right next time, dickwad."

He turns the corner of the alley and the streetlight catches his face just enough for you to see the smirk he wears. For once in your life, you're torn; you want to smash his face in, yes, because how dare this random guy speak to you like that when you could kill him with one finger to the right pressure point. You also find your skin's hotter than usual, stretched too thin over your bones, and you want him to run his hands over you until it feels right again.

Until it feels like it did when he was singing. 

How did he know my title?

The thought comes unbidden, days later, with the desperate hit of a palm against your shoulder. You've got the woman in a headlock, patiently waiting for her to pass out completely so the fight can be called, and your mind is wandering. 

How did the singer know who you are? You hadn't thought anything of it at the time, distracted by fury and frustration, but with time comes a special kind of clarity. You've never seen him before, not that you know anyway, yet he didn't hesitate to call you Ares. The only ones who know of your kind are your kind, but you haven't seen any of your siblings among mortals in a long time. You thought you knew the other gods and goddesses, but maybe not. It has been a while since you stepped foot in the golden city.

The woman in your grip goes slack and you release her. You're still lost in thought as the ref calls the match and leads you out of the makeshift ring. The cheers of the audience are background noise at this point, akin to static or the buzz of electricity, and you pay them no mind as you head to collect your winnings. You didn't even get any kind of buzz from success this time, too immersed in the way the singer walked and talked and looked. The image of his smirk is burned into your retinas. 

"Yeah, you didn't hear? He just got out of the hospital. They had to keep him overnight because they thought he might puncture a lung. I heard that if it had been a little worse, they would've had to wire his jaw shut." You stop, fingers brushing over the stack of bills you don't even remember being handed. You look up, making eye contact with the guy whispering nearby. Your suspicions are confirmed when his friend smacks his arm and juts his chin in your direction before they both disappear into the crowd. 

You shove your way outside, frustration creeping through you and coloring your vision. You manage to keep it contained long enough for you to make it to the alley behind the warehouse, but it explodes from you in a rush of thrown dumpsters and sheet metal. 

Fuck , you never meant to hurt him like that. You told him, you fucking told him to yield, it isn't your fault he didn't listen. It's not your fault that he went and insulted you, acted like he was better than you just by virtue of being a dude, as if you weren't worshipped in the old days for the power you had and the blessings you could give. You'd held back, through all of it, you'd told him to yield, and he insulted you. It wasn't your fault. 

You slide to the ground, running a shaking hand through your hair. It isn't your fault , you repeat. You close your eyes and take deep breaths, the way Hestia taught you, willing the fury to dissipate. It's like a fire in your veins, burning and bubbling your skin until you can't resist anymore. You take another breath. It isn't your fault. You tried. You offered an out. It isn't your fault. Fuck, what was his name? 

With a growl that quickly morphs into a scream, you kick the dumpster once more before stalking off into the darkness. You need a fucking drink and you're gonna find a distraction in someone else if it's the last thing you do. 

The club is packed when you get there; you're not usually a fan of clubs like this, too full of people who are too friendly, but they're perfect for nights like tonight. You don't even need to wait in line, just slip the bouncer a 50 as you pass, and the bartenders are quick to spot you. You're pretty notorious in the city for over-paying, which means you're knocking back bourbon before you have a chance to ask for it. There are people everywhere, pressed up against both sides of you while the bass thrums in your throat, and it takes you longer than you're proud of to realize why. 

There's a band playing, apparently. They're not bad; the vocalist isn't anything like the singer from Suho's, but it doesn't make you want to tear your ears off, so you consider it a success. 

You're dancing before you remember deciding to. Everything's a blur when you get the itch in your bones, the need to make someone bleed. To feel something that isn't rage or condescension. People are even closer here on the dance floor, suffocating in their proximity, but there's a woman grinding her ass into you, and it sparks the dying fire in your gut. The beat of the music drowns your own heart, and it's all flashing lights and heat and a body pressed against yours that is all too willing.

She follows when you go back to the bar for another drink, and giggles when you lick salt from her wrist before downing tequila. Her hands are wrapped in the leather of your jacket as she kisses you, your own resting lightly on her hips. She laughs against your lips and says something you don't hear before ordering another drink. Something makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

You take the brief reprieve to look around the club, searching for whatever it is that has you on alert. You find him on the upper level of the club, leaned over the balcony with a drink in hand. You can't make out his expression, exactly; it's too far away and too guarded. But you'd know him anywhere now. The singer knocks back whatever's in his glass, eyes never leaving yours. You don't know why he's here, if he comes here often or if the Fates are having a laugh at your expense, but you do know you want to make the most of it.

The girl is back, pressing a heated kiss to your lips and drawing your attention from him. You return it, nipping at her lips and getting a small gasp in return. You smirk and bite your way down her neck. She's breathy in your ear, hitched moans lost in the beat of the music, but you barely hear her as you suck bruises into the skin of her neck. He's still watching you. His drink is gone and he's gripping the bannister of the balcony, rings glinting in the light. You wonder if the cool metal could soothe the burn in your bones. You want to know if he can bring that calmness from before back, if he can soothe the frenzy in your mind with his hands the way he can with his voice. Just imagining it has you soaking through to your jeans.

The girl makes a particularly loud noise in your ear and you're brought out of your thoughts. As if he can sense it, the singer straightens. He gives you one last look before disappearing back into the crowd, and you wonder if you're imagining the disdain in it. You draw back from the girl's neck, about to tell her to find her friends when she slides her hands in your hair and tugs.

The burn in your blood is back, now, and you hope this girl is prepared for what awaits her.

"You're here early," Suho says when he spots you in the nearly empty bar the next night. He's not wrong, either; you skipped the fights tonight completely. There was no buzz last time, no relief, and you have no reason to believe there would be tonight. Not with the way the singer captivates your thoughts. 

Besides, you have enough money leftover from the previous few to last a couple days.

"What, did you decide not to kick someone's ass before getting wasted?" Suho doesn't wither at the look you give him, just pours you a couple fingers of bourbon and slides the glass over. "Or did they just stop letting you in completely?"

"I might change my mind if you don't shut up," You tell him. There's no real heat behind it. You've known Suho for years now, been coming to his bar for so long it almost feels like home. You're almost friends at this point. 

It helps that he knows when to bite his tongue so he doesn't get his teeth knocked out.

"Seriously though, I don't think I've ever seen you here this early. Especially not on mic nights." You're very careful in your lack of a reaction to his words. You'd seen the workers setting up for it when you came in, and even if you hadn't, you know when mic night is. You've spent enough time avoiding it.

"Does he sing every time?" You ask in lieu of an explanation. You don't look away from the amber liquid in your glass, letting the silence hang as the bartender does his best to follow your thought process. 

"Taehyung? Most weeks, yeah. It's been a nice change from the usual drunken karaoke. He goes around to some of the other places in town, too. Apparently he just likes to sing." 

"Taehyung," You repeat. The name rolls from your tongue a bit awkwardly. It's more than you expected, somehow, but you can't place exactly how . Just...more. "Is he always that good?"

"Oh, yeah. We have regulars now for mic night because of him. He's got a whole fan club and everything."

"Hm." You drain the rest of your bourbon and Suho refills it. He leaves you in peace then, serving some others that appear at the bar. 

The place fills faster than you can blink. That's what it feels like, anyway. It's like one moment there's you and a handful of other people scattered around, and now you're being jostled between some dude a million feet tall that definitely doesn't look old enough to be here and a girl with her tits up to her throat and surrounded by a cloud of perfume so thick that it starts a migraine behind your eyes almost instantly. She flirts with Suho a little, likely trying to score free drinks, and you roll your eyes. She pouts at him when he gives her the total, batting eyelashes that go on for miles, and for once, you wish Suho would just give in and comp the drinks. 

"I'll pay for them," You say. She was definitely saying something, maybe you should have been paying attention to it, but fuck , this migraine is only getting worse the longer she stands there. "I'll pay for your drinks."

"Oh, thanks," She says. Her smile is hesitant, and quickly turns apologetic as she takes in the boots and the ripped jeans and the leather jacket. "Um, I'm not...I don't, uh…"

"Do I look like I want to fuck you, sweetie?" She looks a little affronted and a laugh escapes you. You lean closer, letting your breath ghost over her cheek as you speak in her ear to be heard better. "If I wanted to fuck you senseless, you'd know it. And I can guarantee you it would be a hell of a lot better than the watered down rat piss this guy's giving you." 

When you lean back, her face is flushed and she's stammering. You smirk and hand her the drinks she'd ordered. 

"Too bad you’re not, you don’t, huh?" You tell her. The patronizing tone isn't lost on her, nor is your mockery of her earlier words, and she shuts her mouth with an audible click before strutting off. Suho glares at you as he pours more bourbon.

"Can you please try not to run off my patrons?" He mutters. "Some of us actually need money to live."

"Some of us would like decently timed refills and to not choke on perfume," You quip. "And better bourbon, for that matter." He hisses something about what he's giving you being top quality but you tune him out, throwing one leg over the stool Perfume Girl vacated. You'd like to keep just a little bit of personal space. 

Across the bar, you catch a brief glimpse of the girl from the night before and you wince. Her neck is thoroughly bruised, and you catch a peek of bruises and scratches on her back as she shrugs her jacket on. You didn’t mean to be so rough with her, even if she had been into it; you’re usually pretty good about remembering that the mortals are just that - mortal - and as such have to be handled delicately. They’re so fragile, it feels like they could break with a strong wind. Guilt settles in your gut and turns the bourbon in your glass to cough syrup. You’ve half a mind to just leave before she sees you, are about to turn and do exactly that, but the speakers screech to life and the deafening feedback from the mic keeps you glued to your seat. 

The crowd quiets even as the excitement ramps up, all talk silencing but for the occasional hushed whispers here and there. The first few notes of the song echo through the speakers, and a spotlight appears on him. 

He looks different this time, his hair dyed a vibrant blue that matches the glinting jewels in his ears and on his hands. He's an absolute vision and you wonder how Aphrodite has allowed him to live so long when he's so beautiful. His voice hangs in the air and calms you, the same settling in your chest as last time, the same freedom from the burn in your veins. It's addictive. 

The song doesn't last nearly as long as you want it to but the stillness inside you lingers long after he's done caressing the microphone. You place a few bills down for Suho and light up a cigarette as you head outside, ignoring the dirty looks from other patrons as you do. You're on a mission, the thrum of bloodlust returning with every second that passes, and you can't even be sure if he's still around or if he's wandered off already. 

You stand in the alley for what feels like hours, turning at every sound and smoking cig after cig just so you have something to do. You've almost decided to say fuck it when footsteps sound from the back of the bar, coming closer to you. 

His blue hair is visible even from the other end of the small alley, a giveaway similar to the light at the end of your cigarette and the smoke you blow into the air. There's no way he hasn't seen you, you think, you're making no effort to hide or be sneaky, and yet he's continuing forward as if he doesn't see you at all, eyes focused on a phone in his hand. You wait until he's just a few steps away before speaking.

"How do you know my title?" You ask him. He stops as if he'd always meant to and doesn't even bother to glance up at you or respond. The edges of your vision turn scarlet at the blatant disregard and you're speaking before you can even process the words. "I asked you a fucking question, pretty boy, you're gonna answer me. Unless you want that precious mouth bloodied up."

"And you wonder how I know who you are," He drawls, still not bothering to spare a glance at you. A scowl grows over your face at his sarcastic tone. "If you're going to hit me just get it over with. Otherwise, I have places to be."

He stands, waiting and expectant, but you don't move. He's humming, quiet and to himself like he doesn't even realize he's doing it, and the red seeps away from your mind until you're left clear-headed once more. You sigh, long and heavy, and crush your cigarette into your denim-covered thigh to put it out. It tickles. 

"I'm not going to hit you," You tell him eventually. "I just wanna know how you know me. And how you do it."

He cocks a brow at that, finally looking up from the phone in his hand to level dark eyes on yours. "Do what? Sing?"

"No." You swallow around the sudden lump in your throat. The words are harder to find than you thought they'd be, lost in the depths of his gaze, in the clarity you're so unaccustomed to, in the way you feel like you can breathe for the first time in days. "I don't care how you sing, that's not important, it's the...fuck, you know what, never mind, it doesn't fucking matter." You push off the wall and step past him to head towards where the streetlight gleams off the bar windows. 

"Tell me." The command has you stopping in your tracks, and you're again flooded with just wanting to know how. How he clears the haze, how he stops you, how he makes you feel real. You turn, hands stuffed into the back pockets of your jeans. "How I do what?"

It takes you several long breaths before you can answer, and you aren't even sure he can hear you over the sounds of people leaving the bar, and you find yourself disappearing into the crowd without waiting for a response. Your own words are reverberating in your skull, getting louder with each step you take, and you wish you could just turn it off . 

"How you make me feel like a person again."

You avoid the bar for a few weeks, going hours away from your usual area to an unfamiliar hole in the wall just to make sure you don’t see him. You’re more deadly than usual in your fights, victories coming quicker, injuries piling up along with the guilt, but you can’t bring yourself to return. It’s unnerving, the way everything goes quiet around him, the way you can think, but the worst is the way you can feel. Everything’s calm and steady and blue, and it only makes it easier for the regret and the guilt and the anxiety to curl around your throat and squeeze until you can’t breathe, to clog in your throat while the laughter of your siblings echoes in your ears, and you...can’t. You can’t do that, you can’t let it win, you can’t let them win, they can’t know that you’re everything they think you are and worse. 

You can’t let yourself drown in that, and yet you find yourself back at Suho’s, lost among the crowd while Taehyung’s voice surrounds you. The ache in your bones fades away, chased by the thrum of the fight that still lingers despite the hours that have passed since you felt your opponent’s femur break under your palm and their screams echoed in your ears. Everything is calm again, and the guilt nearly drowns you.

He hasn’t even finished singing before you’re outside, chest heaving as you gasp against the weight on your chest. You broke someone’s femur , and did you even really need to? The fight itself is a blur even now, snapshots playing through your mind like a montage. The way they’d darted at you first, how their foot felt connecting with the backs of your knees, the determination in their eyes when you went down, the jolt of shock as your hands wrapped around their leg, the dull throb of a barrage of hits against your waist as you pulled them down as well and bloodied their face, the blood-curdling scream as you snapped the bone like a pretzel stick.

Your breath comes faster in your lungs, forced out by the growing guilt that lodges there in its place. Images swirl in your mind, chased by a never-ending stream of thought and regret that you should be used to by now. Fuck, you didn’t need to, and you still did it; you lost control, you fucking hurt them, and for what? A couple hundred? Was it even worth it? Who knew when they’d be back into shape to fight, what if they needed the money? They weren’t even half-bad. They got you down, at least, shouldn’t you have gone easy on them? You don’t even remember their face, can’t remember what the announcer said their name was, words drowned out by the buzz under your skin.

Metal crumples under your grip and you spare a half-second to mourn Suho’s dumpster before you slam your knuckles against it. It tingles, not even real pain, and you don’t hesitate to repeat it. By the time the metal is disfigured completely, a distorted mess of paint and steel and garbage, you still aren’t in pain, but there’s a sheen of gold across your knuckles and you feel less like you’re drowning and more like you’re suffocating. The usual. You can handle that. You think. 

You don’t even realize that you’ve slid down to the ground beside the dumpster until the back door of the bar opens and footsteps echo through the alley. You wish you knew how long you’ve been here, how long you’ve sat among empty bottles and stale beer and broken glass, but you can’t be sure. The brief reprieve brought by Taehyung’s voice is long gone, chased away by the guilt and rage that still sits heavy in your chest. You hope you’re not noticeable here, that whoever’s left will just pass by and leave you to piece yourself back together on your own. 

Voices tell you that it isn’t likely, the deep baritone of one too familiar to ignore. The other is new, but you’re familiar with the tone, the inflection, the intent behind it. You've heard it before, in crowded clubs as a guy pushes too close to some girl who can barely stand, in a coffeeshop when a random customer can't take a fucking hint, at the local campus when some professor insists that there could be maybe one thing her student could do to pass. It makes everything in you curdle, the bourbon from earlier threatening to work its way back up; it screams predator , and you absolutely refuse to let anyone fucking talk to someone like that, like they have some right to whatever it is they want. 

You refuse to let someone talk to him that way. 

"Seriously, Kratos, didn't I tell you to leave me alone? Did Aphrodite not teach you your lesson last time you harassed someone?" Taehyung's voice brings a calm that's an unsettling match to the anger washing over you. You're used to the red at the corners of your vision, the tint to everything you see, but you aren ' t used to the way it all turns purple and focused and clear . 

There's no haze this time, there's no abrupt shift of you moving before you know you've done it. You can feel the glass crunching under your boots with every step you take, can feel the way the air has a chill that creeps down into your lungs with every breath, can almost taste the apprehension that's rolling off of Taehyung despite his relaxed stance. The only thing that gives him away is the tense set of his jaw and the mix of relief and fear when his eyes land on you. 

"I'm pretty sure he said no, Kratos." The god turns at your voice and you watch the realization wash over him as he realizes what - who - you are. 

"Been a while since anyone's seen you, Ares." He scoffs a little, not moving from where he has Taehyung caged against the wall of the bar, one hand pressed firmly into the brick. He's entirely too close, and you have no doubt that the stench of him permeates the very oxygen around them. 

"Been busy. Doesn't change the fact that the man said no. Take the loss, walk away." Kratos' eyes narrow at your words and he steps away, but only to move closer to you. 

"Why do you care so much? You've never been one to care about any of us before." Kratos inches closer and the hyper-focus that Taehyung's voice causes starts to melt away with every twitch of your fingers. You've never liked Kratos, all brute strength with no respect for the challenge, no appreciation of the fight, too focused on sheer power and exhilaration. He is the worst of the worst of the worst of your kind, of all the war-focused gods. Every bit of yourself you hate is every piece that Kratos loves about himself. 

"I care that you don't seem to be able to understand when someone doesn't want to be around you, you absolute piece of filth. Taehyung had a point though, I really thought the whole thing with Aphrodite would've taught you how to back off. Or should I pull the video out, I think I still have it saved for when I need a good laugh." Malice and fury twitch across the other god's face and you absolute revel in it. You can feel his anger prickling across you, like needles in your very pores, and you ache for it. It's been so long since you last had a good fight, a real challenge where you didn't need to hold back at all. 

Too long since you fought a god like yourself.

"You're testing my patience, cousin," Kratos spits. It's a little generous to call the two of you cousins - you're several times removed, at best, and potentially closer than that with your family's warped history - but you let him have it. It might make him feel better. "I'm having a conversation, that's all. And if said conversation means that we end up back at my place, then, well, can anyone really blame me for what might happen to this pretty little m-"

Your fist connects with his jaw immediately and the red floods you for the few seconds it takes to register Taehyung calling your name. The calm struggles for a second, warring with the rage, but it wins out eventually. The singer's talking, but you can't make out any actual words. You're too focused on Kratos, the way he's righting and readying himself for a brawl. There's a fire in his eyes that matches the one in yours and everything in you feels alive for the first time in too long. 

This fight is different than your usual ones. There's no blur, no warped sense of time that usually comes with the adrenaline. You're focused and controlled in a way you haven't had to be for centuries, careful and precise and deliberate with every swing and every kick. The red seeps back in slowly and every time you think you're about to lose it, you hear Taehyung, still pressed against the wall of the bar. 

Kratos lunges at you for what has to be the tenth time, clearly trying his best to knock you to the ground - he succeeded, once; you let yourself get distracted, too caught up in thoughts, but it didn't last long - and you sidestep him just in time for him to ram into the ruined dumpster instead. He looks pissed when he turns back around and something in you sings at the sight. He makes for you again and you dodge again, only to be dragged back towards him by the grip he has on your jacket. Fuck, should've taken that off , whatever, he's too close.

Pain explodes in your side and you're fairly sure he's busted part of your rib, but you just slide your arms out of the sleeves and twist to plant your knee straight into his gut and then slam your heel down onto his much-less-safe toes, and then back up to knee him in the groin. It's nowhere near enough to take him out, but his nose is oozing golden ichor and he groans with every shift of his weight, and you've got him pinned against the wall with your forearm pressing hard into his windpipe. 

"Now, you're gonna listen to me you steaming pile of dog shit," You hiss. "When someone tells you no, it's not a fucking negotiation. It means you fucking leave and find someone with loose enough morals or enough internalized self-hatred that they're willing to subject themselves to your absolutely pitiful fucking excuse of an existence for the thirty-two seconds it'll take for you to get off." 

Kratos doesn't respond, just sneers and spits blood at you. It's a miracle you don't actually try to rip his head from his body, because the thought crosses your mind for a second too long. Instead, you just press harder against his windpipe and enjoy the choked gasp that it draws. 

"You don't stalk people either, the way you did with 'Dite. Don't you know it's better to let them come to you sometimes?" You tsk, ignoring the way he claws uselessly at your arm. Gods may not need to breathe, that's a fact, but they feel pain, and there is no way this isn't absolutely excruciating for him when even you can feel the small bones in his neck cracking and breaking. "And if I hear even a whisper of you pulling shit like this again, then I'm gonna find you, you pigshit. And when I do, I won't hold back even the slightest, and do you know what comes after that?" 

His eyes are full of fear now, and only grow wide with terror as you lean in close enough that he can feel your lips against his ear as you whisper. 

"You are going to wish that you could die." 

When you do release him, he disappears instantly, with a cloud of acrid grey-green smoke curling around your ichor-spattered boots. He's only been gone a second when you slump, the adrenaline fading as quick as Kratos had left. Your side is throbbing now, your knuckles are bruised and broken and gold, there's a pain in your leg that you aren't sure what's causing, your head is screaming even through the high of the fight, your face stings in the crisp-cool air. Every breath makes the pain worse so you stop breathing. The brick wall of the bar is rough against your palms, but it's the only thing around that can keep you upright, so you'll take it. 

"Well," a voice drawls from your left. You'd jump if you had anything left in you, but every ounce of energy is gone, spent teaching Kratos what Aretha Franklin meant when she sang about respect - and really, there was another fantastic singer, you really should visit her sometime soon - so instead your head lolls to the side. You aren't sure what it is that jolts through you when your eyes land on Taehyung, fingers curled carefully around the collar of-

Your jacket. That's your leather jacket. You barely remembers shrugging out of it, but you're glad it's not on the ground, trampled and covered in the gold spatters that decorate the rest of your body. 

"Well?" You echo, wincing at the pain it causes. You've definitely got a busted lip, that's for sure from the way it feels different and swollen, and you're pretty sure there's a head wound, too, because you don't remember there being a golden halo around Taehyung before the fight. 

"Well," He repeats, slinging the jacket - your jacket - over a shoulder. "You should get that looked at." He starts walking, making his way to the entrance of the alleyway. He gets halfway there before he stops and turns and cocks a brow. "Are you coming, or do I get to keep this?" Your jacket waves a little, as if he's wiggling it, and it makes you feel like a stray dog being lured off with treats. 

You're never going to tell anyone that it works.

Taehyung's place is as nondescript as the car he parks outside. It's a plain apartment building on the outside - looks like maybe it was a hotel back in the 1930s, based on the outdated carpeting in the lobby and the grate on the elevator he steps into. Even the hallway is plain and unassuming as he leads you to the end and uses an old, tarnished brass key on an older, more tarnished brass knob. You aren't sure what you expected, you can't even begin to guess what Taehyung is like outside of the dirty alley or the stage where he sings, can't fathom what kind of decor he could possibly have. 

What you step into isn't anything you could have guessed. It looks like he has the entire rest of the floor to himself based on what you can see, but there's also a spiral staircase tucked into a corner, bookshelves built in under each step that are filled to the brim, and a fireman's pole in another corner, so there's at least one more level above this, but something tells you both the staircase and the pole continue past that. There's artwork everywhere, pieces you recognize and pieces you don't, several van Goghs and a couple from Matisse and you think in the corner you spot an actual fucking da Vinci sketch that's supposed to be somewhere in Europe. There's a gramophone beside a top-of-the-line sound system, an entire wall that's just a record collection, books upon books, framed bits of poetry - including an actual hand-written rupi kaur, a signed Maya Angelou print, and a signed cover of ain't i a woman by bell hooks that you would die to know how Taehyung got his hands on. It's a museum's wet dream and yet it retains a lived in atmosphere. There are mugs left on tables, blankets strewn about as if someone just got up from a nap, an easel propped up by a far window with what looks like an impressionist painting of the cityscape, books tossed down half-read with receipts and coupons and candy wrappers and everything but a bookmark tucked between the pages. 

It feels like a home and it makes your heart flutter in your chest at the same time that something in your stomach shrivels up into itself. 

Taehyung walks like he’s meant to be followed, so follow you do. You spy another man - older, you think, but it’s hard to tell, really - sprawled across a couch, blanket splayed across his lap as he watches some kind of dance show on a flatscreen hung above a warm and roaring fireplace, a couple of girls in what looks to be the kitchen, one sitting on the counter while the other stands between her legs and pretends not to notice the former stealing strawberries from her bowl as she taps at her tablet, and there are footsteps creaking above you, hidden behind walls even as Taehyung leads you up the staircase. They all look up when you pass, but only the man gives you a second glance; his eyes are a weight on your back that doesn’t leave until you’re upstairs and following Taehyung into a large, rather nice bathroom. 

It’s vintage as well, but it’s spacious and well-kept, like the rest of the place. Taehyung pats the marble counter by the sink and you bite your tongue against the urge to tell him you aren’t a dog. You don’t move though, instead watching him as he lays your jacket across a brass bar on the wall and then digs around in a cabinet for a minute or two. When he straightens up, he’s got a somewhat dusty off-white box in his hands, and he frowns. 

“Up,” He says. “I need to look at your ankle.” 

You don’t move, but you can tell he doesn’t miss the twitch of your nose at the thought of being commanded like an animal. Like someone who can’t understand. Like-

He sighs. 

“Please, will you sit on the counter, so I can look at your ankle?” You huff, but you do as he says. 

He doesn’t speak as he works, completely silent except for the odd command - “Roll it for me...alright, now flex that...deep breath...stop fidgeting or I’ll only make it worse…” - and the occasional hum under his breath. It seems to be second nature, like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, and it endears you more than you’d like. His touch is gentle but firm as he lightly squeezes your ankle and wraps it, lifts your pant leg to rub some kind of cream into a somewhat worrisome golden bruise forming on your calf, darts under your shirt to quickly and painlessly set your ribs before wrapping those as well. He doesn’t say anything at all until he’s almost finished with the cuts on your hands, golden ichor long gone and wounds already on their way to healing thanks to some sort of mist he spritzes on them. 

It only stings once, as he’s spraying something over some kind of cut on your thigh where Kratos ripped through the denim there without you noticing. You can’t stop the hiss as the pain hits, though you regret it when he glances up at you. 

“Sorry,” He mumbles under his breath as he dabs lightly at it with his long fingers. 

“It’s fine,” You tell him. “I’m used to it.” Your voice is rough, always, but softer than usual. You don’t know why. You can’t decide if you like it.

The entire time he works, you wait. For him to tell you it wasn’t necessary, that he can fight his own battles, that he’s not surprised a brute like yourself got into a fight, that you’re no more than what the rumours say you are. You’ve got a million different curses and insults ready to spit back at him when he finally speaks.

“Thank you,” is what comes. It shocks the words out of your mouth, and you actually look up from where you’ve been watching him methodically wipe gold away from a scrape on your forearm. His gaze is concentrated on the injury and his lips are pursed and you wish you could figure him out. 

He must take your silence for the confusion it is, because he continues. 

“I mean it,” He says. “I’m usually not someone that lets other people fight for me, but we both know that I couldn’t have taken Kratos. He’s too strong, and he was counting on that. Until you showed up.” You don’t respond. “Is there a reason you left before my set was done? Or why you were sitting in an alley beside what is possibly the most gnarled dumpster I’ve ever seen?”

You don’t answer him, instead focusing on the way his hands feel as they tilt your chin so he can look at the cuts and bruises and scrapes that decorate your face. You focus your gaze just past his shoulder, content to memorize the pattern of his gaudy vintage bathroom wallpaper, and he doesn't press for more. The distracted humming picks up again every time he stops talking, and eases the storm of guilt shame rage pain hurt grief loneliness in your chest. 

"I fight," you eventually say. Your voice is too loud in the quiet of the bathroom, shatters the silence like a sledgehammer, and you hate the way it trembles. Still, Taehyung doesn't look away from where he's carefully wiping gold from your skin, just cocks a brow, and it's as if a dam breaks in your throat. "Like, real fights. Actual competition, with rules and shit, and...sometimes the bad ones, because they tend to fight differently, it's a different kind of fight, y'know, and it's never really fair, because I'm...I'm me, but I hold back, just for fun, y'know, and it's, uh. It's alright usually, I go in, do my thing, I win, I go drink, and it all gets, I dunno, easier, maybe, for a while, like I can think right, but, um.”

You hesitate for a split second and force yourself to focus on the way the alcohol-soaked cotton tickles the cut on your head. 

“Sometimes it's not...sometimes I can't control it as well, the anger, and I kind of just lose it on people, and a while ago this guy, he almost needed his jaw wired shut, but he was kind of a prick anyway, I guess, so whatever, but, uh, today, I...there was this girl and she was doing really well, actually, y'know, managed to get me down to the mat, which is rare and pretty impressive, and I'm pretty proud of her for it now, but then, I just. I just kinda lost it, like, I just kept swinging, I couldn't stop, and then I just...I broke her leg, for no real reason, just because I wanted her to hurt, and I don't...I'm not sure why I even did it, because I'd already won, right, like what was the point of doing any more, it wasn't even helping at that point, y'know, it's not like the buzz kept up any longer because I broke this kid's leg, and I love the fights, they help clear my head for a second, but I never wanted to actually-"

You words stop short, like there are too many of them to say in too short a time, and it's then you realize Taehyung's hands are in his lap and he's looking at you fully. His expression isn't neutral anymore, it's not the carefully crafted mask of a performer, it's real and open and genuine and all you see there is pain . For you. Pain and understanding and compassion you never expected to find anywhere but the deepest corners of your soul. Looking at him looking at you like that makes you feel like you can breathe again.

"You never wanted to hurt anyone." His voice is rough, like maybe there's emotion clogging his throat as well, and you aren't sure what that does to you, but something in you jumps at the thought.

Tears mar your vision as you nod and you curse under your breath before wiping them away. He catches your quivering hand in his and just holds it for a second. His eyes don't leave yours and there are a thousand things you expect him to say but what he says is: 

"I believe you."

And that...it's more than you can take, and you break, right there on his bathroom counter, sobbing into his chest while he just rubs your back and hums and you remember the face of every person you've ever hurt and the look in their eyes as you left some of them for dead. 

You wake up the next morning curled up on the most comfortable chaise lounge in human history, sitting up and shoving the blanket off of you in a rush before you remember where you are, why you're there. A glance around tells you that you aren't alone; there's two guys bent over a table that you think might also be a tablet, conversing quietly and pointing every so often at whatever they're looking at, a girl balanced along the edge of the staircase holding a lyre - which, wow, you haven't seen a lyre in that good condition in a while - and strumming lightly along it before she frowns and shakes her head and restarts whatever melody she's playing, and the same guy sprawled over the couch with a blanket strewn haphazardly over him while he watches a different dance video on the flatscreen. He's the closest and you don't really want to talk to any of these people but you think you might have to because you aren't really sure how Taehyung got you here last night but you know it was quite a drive. You'd just mist over to the bar if you really wanted to, but your ribs hurt like a bitch still thanks to that fucker Kratos. Anything as intense as misting is out of the question for the time being.

The man on the chaise spares you a glance that feels longer than it should, full of a judgement you have no doubt you deserve and yet somehow fires your anger anyway. 

He rolls his eyes before you even say anything and waves a hand towards the kitchen. You snap your mouth closed and shoot him an irritated look, but you storm in that direction anyway. Healing is exhausting, and you want nothing more than some meat to tear into and a cold beer. 

When you get into the kitchen, however, Taehyung is standing there already, as if he’s been expecting you any minute. There’s a plate in front of him, full of food you barely recognize, and he slides it towards you. 

“Eat,” He says. You grit your teeth, unmoving, and he sighs again. “Please sit, and eat. You need the strength to heal properly.” 

You resist for a split second, but there’s a softness to him now. Something you can’t exactly put your finger on, but that you know is different , somehow, and it changes things. It makes you want to listen, to do as he asks, because he is asking . He’s not telling, he’s treating you like an animal. 

It’s a request, not a demand, and that makes all the difference. 

Taehyung is quiet while you eat. He doesn’t look at you, doesn’t watch to make sure you’re doing it, but you have no doubt he’s keeping an eye on you. It’s quiet, but not unbearably so; the air is broken by the sounds of the lyre and the television, as well as the soft chattering of the men at the table. It makes it comfortable, makes it soft in a way you’re unaccustomed to being, like the way people talk about lazy Sunday mornings or that voice they get when they see a cute animal.

It feels like home should be, instead of what yours is. 

“So why’s Pretty Boy giving me the death glare?” You eventually ask past a mouthful of food. Taehyung barely looks up, just glancing past you to the guy laying on the couch. You can feel his eyes boring into your spine, but it’s nothing new. 

“Taemin’s just protective,” Taehyung says softly. “Especially considering the stories.”

“The ones about me, you mean.”

A myriad of emotions passes through his eyes when he nods, and you wish you could more easily decipher them. Maybe in time, you will. 

Maybe.

“Those, yes,” He says softly. “But he’ll learn.” He doesn’t say it, but nonetheless, you hear the words as clear as day. Just like I did.  

Someone hums behind you and you glance over to see a woman - the strawberry thief - making her way into the kitchen. She gives Taehyung a look you don’t care enough to figure out, and they have an entire conversation in the span of five minutes. Something about it irks you, and it only gets worse when they start moving around each other, Taehyung handing her things without her asking. 

It’s ridiculous, and you know it, but the air gets heavy in your lungs and your head starts to swim and suddenly you’re suffocating. It’s too much, there’s too much here, and you can’t take it anymore. 

The force with which you shove away the counter would have slammed it into the wall were it not already attached. There are slight cracks in the granite tops, though, and there’s just enough clarity as Taehyung calls your name for you to feel guilty about it. It’s not enough to stop you though; you have to get out, you need to get out, before you do something worse, and the cracks in the granite are proof of that. 

You’re out the door in an instant, your form coalescing painfully back into solid matter as you reach the hallway. Your ribs ache, screaming with the effort of trying to mist away from this place, this home , and you lean against the wall in the hope that it will help steady you. 

The door opens behind you, the creak of the old hinges deafening in the silence of the hall. There’s a commotion behind it, voices overlapping each other and reverberating in your skull until they’re a twisted mockery of your siblings. 

You stumble down the hall, one hand clutching your ribs to keep them as still as possible despite your movement. It’s not lost on you that there are footsteps following you, but you can’t focus on them now. You’re not moving fast, and you need to be, you should be running , but you can’t. Your vision is already clouding slightly at the edges, the sudden spike of adrenaline waning now that you’re out of the apartment. 

Someone says your name and you swing. 

It’s instinct, the way your fist flies through the air; you can’t control it, not this, not when the red is all you can see even as it seeps away and turns lilac. It doesn’t matter anyway. You don’t make contact with anything but the wall, plaster crumbling around your fist and onto the carpeted floor. 

“That was rude,” Taehyung says softly. He doesn’t sound mad, though he should, considering you almost decked him straight in the nose. “I’ll take you back.”

He drapes your jacket over your arm and walks away, toward emergency stairs tucked into the corner instead of the elevator, and you follow. He hums as he goes, and he lets you lead the way down the stairs, keeping pace with your quick steps until both of you step out a side door into an alleyway. 

Out of habit, more than anything, you light a cigarette and put it between your lips. You don’t miss the disgusted scrunch of Taehyung’s nose, but you do ignore it. The smoke is familiar in lungs, comforting, and he doesn’t understand it, won’t ever understand it, but he doesn’t have to. 

“Sorry, Tae,” You say after a few minutes of silence. Taehyung shrugs one shoulder and moves to lean beside you against the stone of the building. 

“Are you okay now?” You nod, taking a deep breath, remembering how Hestia had taught you, so long ago, how her hand felt against your chest, the warmth and love it held. “Then you’re forgiven. And you can call me Calliope, if you want.”

You’re both quiet after that. He doesn’t make fun of you, he doesn’t judge you, he just silently drives you back to Suho’s bar, which is when you remember that he doesn’t know where you live. You’re fine with it; you don’t want to see him in your run down hovel. It’s not much, especially compared to his own apartment, but that makes sense, too. 

What could ever live up to the home of a Muse? Not even a muse, really. The Muse. The Head of the Nine Muses, the one called on most often by those in need, the one that everyone knew, the one that Hephaestus just put statues of in the gardens of Olympus, according to the rumors that Apollo sent you. 

The calm that he brings lasts until you get back to your apartment, nearly ten full minutes after you disappear into the alley beside Suho’s bar. It’s the longest the calm has ever lasted, and the view of the city tinted lavender is one you think you love. 

If you can love. 

Things get clearer, somehow. The weight on your shoulders lessens, makes you feel less like Atlas and more like you, how you were all those years ago in the now-ancient days when things made sense. When people fought for honor and glory and justice more than they fought for oil and death and greed. 

It could be because open mic nights are frequent around the city, and you’re able to figure out his schedule pretty well. You don’t go every night that he sings, just when it gets to be too much, when the scarlet haze starts to bleed into your irises like a flag in front of a bull. It helps, for a while, lets you settle long enough to pull the pieces of you back into a shape that vaguely resembles yourself. 

It could be because the fights happen every night, and Taehyung is no stranger to where to look to find them. He watches every one that he can, when he isn’t singing, and his presence anchors you. Focuses you, so that you can pull your punches just enough, so that there’s less hurting and more fighting. It doesn’t work every time, you still lose yourself in the rage and do more damage than you ever mean to, but it helps enough. And when it doesn’t, he’s there, to slide a hand across your shoulders in that exact same way that Hestia used to, that Apollo might if you let him close enough to know you’re alive, that Artemis would , were she anywhere but where she is. 

It’s a strange feeling. You’re not used to companionship, you don’t know how to have friends. You still say the wrong things and do the wrong things and he still speaks to you like he expects to be listened to, but you both are learning. You apologize more often, and he corrects himself quicker. It’s a slow, fragile thing, this friendship, but it’s there. 

Until the night when it’s not. 

You aren’t sure how it happens. It’s been weeks since you last saw Taehyung; he mentioned some project he was working on, something or another that would have most of his attention along with that of several of the other Muses. You had brushed it off when he said it, some snide remark about how you don’t need him there to win. 

You would take it back if you could. 

Because you were right, of course, you don’t need him there to win; you can do that on your own. And your control has gotten better, stronger, over the last few months, but complacency is what always leads to disaster. 

The guy deserved it, is what you tell yourself as you’re pulled out of the ring. He was a piece of shit anyway, you remind yourself as you call Apollo with shaking hands. He didn’t deserve your mercy, you tell the golden gold after you’ve begged him to help save the man’s life. Artemis would have done the same, you insist to him, long after he’s hung up the phone and left to follow the ambulance to the hospital. 

You don’t go to Suho’s. You can’t bear it, not when he might be there, not when he would read it on your face in a heartbeat. You don’t want to watch the disappointment crumble into something more familiar, something worse, you can’t watch him look at you with the knowledge that your siblings are right, that they’ve always been right, that you’re nothing better than a crazed animal. 

The club is packed full when you get there. The bartender starts to pour you a drink and you just take the bottle, leaving a too-thick wad of bills in return. The bourbon tickles as it goes down but it warms your stomach and distracts you from the haze in your mind, the repetitive beat of they were right they were right they were right they were-

“Whoops, sorry,” someone says, a second before they knock into your shoulder. You’ve been around long enough to know a fake fall, and you scowl as you glance towards them. 

He’s cute. Taller than you, with skin that would hide the marks you so love to create, and hair that looks like it would be soft in your hands. His clothes fit well, and they look like they were chosen for comfort over style despite the way he walks like a model in them, which you always find attractive. 

The smile that slips onto your face is familiar, as is the way you bring your hand up to rest on his hip in an effort to steady him. 

“Don’t worry about it, sweetheart,” You tell him, not being subtle in the way you eye him. He looks soft; you love them soft. “You headed to get a drink?”

“I might be,” He says teasingly, a coy grin forming on his lips. 

“I’ve got something better, if you’re interested.”

His eyes roam along your body, his breath drawing somewhat quicker when he notices the scrapes on your knuckles. “I might be.”

It takes five minutes to get him to a corner quiet enough to talk. Less than three to get your lips on his. One and a half to start sucking a mark into his neck that makes him moan so pretty you can’t help but want to hear it again. 

One of your hands is up his shirt, playing with the pebbled buds and the metal pierced through them, while the other teasingly massages the skin of his hip when he’s torn away from you roughly. 

“What the fuck?” Your voice growls as you look up. The guy is standing there, looking for all the world like he’s ready to run, but he isn’t watching you. 

No, his eyes are on a familiar sight; Taehyung, his hair now a pretty lavender that makes you think of a home you don’t have, even as he doesn’t look at you. 

“Taken,” He growls, releasing the collar of the guy you had every intent to make cry with pleasure. The guy scurries off before you can stop him, though, and you don’t bother to hide your disdain. 

“What the fuck is your problem?” You demand, already lighting a cigarette as you head outside. Taehyung follows, pulling it from between your lips and crushing it in his hands before you have the chance to get your lighter out.

“Me? You looked like you were about to eat him .” He follows you all the way to the street outside and down the sidewalk, pulling each cigarette out of your hands before you can light it. He waits until you’re a decent distance from the crowd outside the club before he stops you, one hand lightly encircling your wrist. 

Your boots scuff against the ground as you stop, not turning to look at him. You’re too afraid to, too worried he’ll see it all on your face and just know that you’ve fucked up, maybe beyond repair. 

“Apollo called me,” is what he says instead. “Said I might want to find you tonight.”

You should’ve known. That little fuck, of course he would rat you out. 

“I didn’t-” 

The words choke in your throat. You want to say you don’t need him. You don’t need him to come running like you’re some scared little girl who can’t control her strength, you don’t need him to piece you back together because you aren’t broken, you don’t need him because you don’t need anyone, you never have. 

“I know you didn’t,” Taehyung says quietly. “I know he deserved it, I know what he did, and I know you didn’t mean to.”

Something inside of you breaks and you find yourself shaking. 

“He hurt her , Tae, I heard it, I heard her telling her friend about it on the phone, I saw her crying, I saw her clothes, okay, he-”

“I know,” Taehyung says, pulling you into a loose hug. “I know you did, it’s okay. He’s going to be okay. He’s not gonna escape his punishment from that, you didn’t send anyone to Hades today. It’s okay.”

The cloud struggles, for what feels like hours. Guilt settles like lead in your stomach, and you wish you weren’t so used to the feeling. The rage returns every time you remember what that girl looked like, what she sounded like on the phone, how you felt when you realized it was your competitor who had done that to her. 

There’s no honor in that. There’s no justice, no glory, in beating an opponent who was never aware they were in the ring, and it makes your blood boil all over again. Taehyung’s voice soothes you, slightly, makes the edges of your vision turn indigo, but it isn’t enough. 

It’s never enough. 

“I have to go,” You say, pulling yourself away from him. “I need- I have to find-”

“A distraction,” He finishes for you, too aware that you can’t find the words you need. “Some mortal that you can bruise and break and bang until you feel less like a monster?”

That’s exactly what you want to do, what you had been about to do with that guy at the club, and it’s only Taehyung’s voice calling your name in that soft, sweet way of his that makes you wonder if that’s not a good plan. 

“I’ll be a distraction, if you need one.” You whip your head around, staring at him, but he doesn’t flinch. “I’m sturdier than the mortals, I can take more. Let me be your distraction.”

“I…” You hesitate. You don’t know why. You shouldn’t even be entertaining this idea, it’s not a good one, but then...when have any of your ideas been good? “I can’t fuck in a house with eight other people.”

“You have an apartment,” He says easily. “Let’s go there.”

It’s a bad idea. You don’t do that, you don’t fuck people at your apartment, you don’t have people in your apartment, it’s your space. It’s a bad idea, it can only end in disaster. 

“Okay.”

Taehyung’s lips are soft against yours, yielding and pliant just the way you’re used to. His hands are big and warm against your ass, even through your jeans, and the feeling gives you the courage to slide your own under the ridiculously patterned button-down he’s wearing. 

He lets you lead the way through the door, kicking it closed behind you with slightly too much force. Your apartment is small, a studio with a bed tucked in the corner for the rare times that you need it. 

You push Taehyung onto it and slide yourself onto his lap, already grinding down onto the hard length you can feel there. He's not quite as enthusiastic, but his fingers are like steel against you, pulling you down with every rut of your hips. 

This, you can do. This, you're familiar with. 

You push on his shoulders, doing your best to get him on his back so you can have better access to the clasp of his jeans, but he resists. You try again, firmer, using a harsh suck against his skin as a distraction, but he still doesn't go. 

Frustrated, you pull back. 

"Not like this," He says. His voice clears some of the fog, and you frown. 

"Do you want to be on top, then? Because I don't mind, I just need it," You tell him. He sighs a little, but he flips the two of you over so he's kneeling between your open legs and your back is cushioned against the mattress. 

"How long has it been since you spent the night with someone who knows who you are?" He asks, pressing a kiss to your cheek as he sits back on his knees. 

You shift, uncomfortable. "A while. Why does that matter? Just fuck me."

"No," Taehyung says, voice gentle but firm. You cock a brow at him and move to get out from under him, but he stills you with a hand on your thigh. 

"You are a goddess," He tells you, trailing his hands down so he can undo the laces on your steel-toe boots and slide them off. "You have held Victory in your palms and set her free." 

His palms burn through the denim on your thighs, but you welcome it as he slides your jacket over your shoulders to the bed beneath. 

"You are the winner of wars. You are the one who grants battlefield wishes. You are the dead's escort to Hades." He leans down, pressing a soft kiss against your cheek and then down your throat. 

He pulls back as he gets to your collarbone, eyes blown wide with unfamiliar desire, and it makes your breath catch in your throat.

"You," Taehyung tells you, with desire in his eyes and belief in his voice, "Deserve to be treated like the goddess that you are, with the respect you have earned, and the care you deserve." 

As often as you fuck people, it's been a very long time since anyone wanted to fuck you for any reason beyond your appearance and the personality you show them. But this? This look in the muse's eyes as his hands settle on your knees as he waits? 

Taehyung wants to fuck you because you're you. Not despite it, not because he doesn't know . He has seen you at your worst and yet he keeps coming back, keeps showing up as you fall apart. Each time he stays, hands you a basket so you can pick the pieces of yourself up off the ground, holds the tape so you can mash it back together, and is ready to help steady you when you start to crumble again. 

He's here for you , to treat you in a way no one has ever treated you before. He's your friend.

He cares.

You nod, however tentatively, and his lips are on yours in an instant. They're firmer now, less pliable and more controlling, but you don't mind. Not this time. 

Not with Taehyung. 

His hands don't hesitate as he strips you both of your clothes, but you can feel it each time he checks to make sure you're okay. The way that he watches your expression, the tense of your muscles under him, the cadence of your gasps for air between kisses, he reads all of it as clear as if it's a book in front of him. He slows down before you can stop him, his lips drawing back from the kisses he draws across your thighs, and he speeds up as your thoughts start to drift, swiping his tongue and two fingers through your folds to tease and bring your attention back to him. 

His fingers bury themselves in your heat, crooking slightly to brush against that soft part of you that makes the world spin, and it's all too intense. His lips are hardly even touching your skin, just pressing gentle kisses against the skin of your thigh, a gentle complement to the way he glides his fingers in and out of you, slow and steady and delicious, but it's absolutely intoxicating. 

He's talkative, too; he gives you constant praise. He tells you how well you take his fingers, how good you look with his fingers inside you, how absolutely fantastic you taste on his tongue, how he'd live between your thighs if he could. 

It's too much, and you can't be sure why, not when your orgasm is approaching quicker than it ever has, not when your walls clench around him and you soak your sheets, not when he's cleaning your cum off his fingers with his tongue.

"Good," He purrs. "Now you're all warmed up." 

His mouth hits your heat without hesitation or warning, before the aftershocks are even finished, and your hips buck upwards. His arms slide underneath your thighs only to grip them and bring them back down. You can't move much in his grip except to grind your pussy against his mouth, which he seems to enjoy, if the muffled grunts that escape him are any indication.

He doesn't stop until his tongue is buried inside you with one finger drawing lazy circles on your clit and you're cumming again, hands gripping the soft strands of his hair so tight that you would be afraid of pulling it out if you could focus on anything besides the feel of him against you.

He lets you ride the aftershock, this time. Waits until your pants die down slightly, until you're back in your mind. 

"Good?" He asks you. His voice is deeper, rumbles instead of slides, but it breaks through the post-orgasm haze long enough for you to nod. “More?”

“More,” you agree, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders and pulling him into a heated kiss. You haven’t been this clear-headed in a while. Every sensation is clear and crisp, every sound heightened, everything is simultaneously more while also being exactly what it’s always supposed to have been. 

Taehyung’s cock is everything you could have expected from a muse; thick, long, beautiful, and it fills you in a way that’s indescribable as he slides inside. He groans at the feeling, deep and throaty and beautiful, and begins his thrusts nearly immediately. 

It’s as slow as he was with his fingers; steady and forceful, but unhurried. As if he wants to take his time. As if he wants to savor it. Savor you . 

“Do you have any idea how amazing you are?” He mutters, almost as an afterthought. “What you look like right now, what you look like when you’re fighting, when you’ve won and you’re triumphant? It’s fucking addictive, seeing that confidence in you.”

“Shit, Tae, don’t stop-”

“It’s so fucking intoxicating,” He groans, pace quickening. Your arms wrap around him more fully, nails like claws down his back as you arch your back to get him deeper. “You get this look in your eyes, like you can do anything you fucking want to, and it’s so fucking brilliant, because you can , you can do anything and everything you ever fucking want to do, and no one can stop you.”

A whine you’ll never admit to escapes your throat, and Taehyung drives his cock further into you. 

“Let go, my sweet,” Taehyung purrs in your ear. “Let yourself relax, just this once. For me.”

His hand touches your clit and it’s so much, too much , you’re feeling everything so intensely that it takes a solid minute to realize you’re coming down from an orgasm. Taehyung has stilled inside you, unmoving but groaning as you flutter around him, and you push weakly at his shoulder. 

He slides himself out of you, looking entirely too proud of wet spot underneath you and glistening against his lower stomach. You wobble your way up to rest your elbows underneath you, and it’s like he can sense your words before they come. 

“No,” He says simply. “I don’t you to get me off with your mouth.”

“A hand then? I don’t want you to leave unsatisfied.” 

A frown pulls at the corner of his mouth, and he leans down just enough that your lips are almost touching, a not-there kiss that you can only wish for. 

“In what world is fucking you to the point of Elysium unsatisfying?”

The crowd around you is deafening; some of them are cheering for you, but the majority are rooting for your downfall. Such is the life of a challenging the champion, you suppose. 

You don’t know how Taehyung found this place; maybe Artemis had heard rumors, or maybe he searched for it himself. You can’t bring yourself to care, not when you’ve got someone worth fighting on the other side of the arena. 

The sand crunches beneath your feet. It’s hot, hotter than it should be since you’re still wearing your signature jeans and boots - without the jacket this time. You learned from that mistake. 

Your vision tints pink as you size up your opponent; he’s massive, not one to be easily defeated, and you relish the challenge. It’s been so long since you’ve fought a giant. Excitement thrums under your veins as he turns to you. He scoffs. 

If you had a little less control, you might be flying across the arena already. He clearly has no idea who’s standing across from him. Probably thinks you’re some demigod, come to challenge him for the fleece he isn’t supposed to have. 

He’ll learn. 

Something moves in the distance. It should blend in, considering how dark it is, but instead it draws your eye, and you don’t even question why. You would recognize him anywhere, have recognized him everywhere, and his presence calms you. Makes you remember a few nights ago, falling into bed in a hotel in Rome because the burn was to much and you needed him to help you release it. 

“Try not to be too quick, princess,” The giant across from you huffs. You cock a brow and send a look to your muse, who just rolls his eyes, despite the smile playing across his face. 

Violet rings your vision as you ready your stance. The announcer yells something that’s lost over the noise of the crowd. Taehyung leans forward, elbows on his knees, excitement and pride in his eyes. 

The giant swings. 

[kaiwritess]

Hi! Can I request a scenario where Oikawa’s ex which he left for volleyball then became a volleyball prodigy (Top one of the aces of Japan for Women’s volleyball) also who which he still loves, came to Seijoh for a practice match against their girls volleyball team whose ace is Oikawa’s current “fling” and won. During the game, Toru didn’t realize that his attention wasn’t on his “fling” but it’s on his ex making his “fling” jealous. Sorry if its random and weird, I LOVE YOUR WRITING BTW!

hi nonnie!! this is an awesome request. hopefully you dont mind, but i changed it up a bit. like instead of it being a practice match, it’s the finals of the spring tournament. thought it would give some more tension, ykwim? also, let’s pretend that y/n is a member of fukurodani. also, i wrote this so that oikawa BELIEVED y/n was trying to make him jealous, but in reality, y/n was only doing it for herself and her teammates. Y/n moved on from oikawa, and she learned her worth. She became a QUEEN (not that she wasn’t before)

Your Loss || Oikawa Tooru x Reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Summary: You’re versing Aoba Johsai’s team for the finals. But. did you really get over your ex?

Warnings: none; just a sprinkle of angst in the end

“Volleyball is my priority. You’re not.”

That was the last thing Oikawa said to you months ago before he left. You remember those words as if it happened yesterday. In the beginning, you were obviously heartbroken. Was the time you spent with him only one-sided? Did he ever love me?

All of those questions used to cloud your mind. It had even distracted you from the sport you love. Fortunately, you had a strong support system. Your friends were there for you. They got you through a difficult time.

Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Who knew that the pent up anger and frustration led you to become the second-best ace in Japan? Not only that, but you were the team captain. Now here you are, standing on the volleyball court, waiting to verse your ex’s school. This was the first time since your breakup that you were going to compete against Aoba Johsai. 

“Hey, Y/N,” a familiar voice snapped you out of your train of thought.

You smile after seeing who the voice belonged to. “Oh hey, Akaashi. Glad you could cheer us on. We all really appreciate the school spirit,” you said, motioning to the crowded bleachers.

“It’s nothing, really. Bokuto is already riling up the crowd,” he chuckled. “You know how he can be.”

Laughing alongside him, you heard your coach yell for a team huddle.

“Guess I have to go now. Wish me luck.”

Before you could walk away, you felt Akaashi’s hand grab your arm. You turned to him with wide eyes. “Oh?”

Akaashi took a deep breath. “I feel like you should know this. You know #4 on the opposite team? I think she’s their ace and captain. Anyways, Oikawa’s having a fling with her, so I think he might be coming to cheer her on. Don’t let him and #4 get to you. Good luck, Y/N.”

You stood there frozen in shock. A wave of emotions came crashing down on you. Questions like How long have they been together? Does Oikawa really like her?, and What happened to volleyball being his priority? clouded your mine. Great. Now your nerves got ten times worse.

“Thanks for telling me, “ you almost sounded sarcastic. “I have to go now. Enjoy the game.” Akaashi watched you walk towards your team. He gulped. This was either the best or worst mistake he ever made.

You didn’t listen to what the coaches were saying in the team huddle. The only thing on your mind was your goal to defeat Aoba Johsai. Demolish them to the point where the audience pities them. The team noticed your odd silence but were too nervous to say anything about it. Usually, you were the one who got the team hyped. So when they saw how quiet their captain was, it made them concerned. Ignoring all the stares, you walked up to the referee, ready to see who serves first. Most importantly, you were ready to face #4.

A brunette was walking towards you with the jersey saying #4. 

“Let’s have a good game,” you heard the ref say.

You clenched your jaw as you shook her hand. #4 leaned closer to you, only to whisper, 

“Heard you were Oikawa’s ex. He’s up on the left side of the stands cheering for me. Sucks that you're missing out on all the cute cheers he made for Aoba Johsai.”

By now, veins were popping out of your neck. Your face was bright red and you shook her hand as tight as you could.

“Let’s have a good game,” you said, dropping her hand while smiling passive-aggressively.

---

Set 1: Aoba Johsai- 20, Fukurodani- 25.

Set 2: 25 || 23

Set 3: 27 || 25

Set 4: 17 || 25

Set 5: 23 || 24

--

It was the match point of the last set. Your coach had called a time out as a way to let the team regain some of their energy. Everyone reached their physical limits. Now, it was only a battle of mental strength. You looked back to your teammates and saw them panting and crouching down. Sweat dropped from your forehead and trickled down to your neck. Surprisingly, you didn’t hear or see Oikawa even once during the match. Though, you never got the chance to even look at the crowd. There were far too many people. Perhaps #4 was lying about him showing up? No, that couldn’t be. It was the finals. Oikawa would never miss this. Your eyes trailed up to the stands, scanning for a face that was remotely similar to his. 

“No, no, no, no.” you shook your head. “We are not doing this. Come on. We have a game to win,” you scolded yourself. With one last, desperate look at the crowd, your jaw dropped. 

There he was, talking to who it seems to be Iwaizumi. 

He was staring directly at you.

“Oh my gosh,” the whistle blew, signaling the end of time out. “Curiosity did kill the cat.”

It was your turn to serve. The ball was thrown towards you, and you almost let it slip out of your hands. Your palms felt more sweaty than usual.

“Nice serve!” a teammate called out.

Taking a deep breath, you began to do your pre-serving routine. Once the whistle blew again, you got ready to serve. Right when you were about to hit the ball, a voice was heard.

“LET’S GO Y/N!!”

It threw you off so much, to the point where the ball hit the net. You turned your head around, trying to find the source of the cheer.

It was him.

It was Oikawa Tooru.

Turning back, you looked to see who was serving next.

Oh boy. It was #4.

To be honest, you were quite impressed by her serves. Although they weren’t as exact and deadly as Oikawa’s, it was still very good. It was almost as if he taught her.

If it weren’t for your teammate calling #4’s serve out, you surely would have tried to receive it. Thank goodness you didn’t. The score was now 24 || 25. Fukurodani was at match point again. 

“Nice serve! Let’s make it count!!” you yelled back at the teammate who was serving.

The serve was so strong, that even though Seijou received it, it went over to Fukurodani’s side, making it a free ball. This was your chance.

“Chance ball!” the libero announced.

“GIVE IT TO ME!” you called out as loud as you could.

It was as if time began to slow down. The loud cheers were muted. The pass was perfect. The set was perfect. Everything was perfect.

The next few moments went by faster than the speed of sound. Was it because you were in the ‘zone’? The impact of the ball left a red mark on your hand. You found yourself being hugged and jumped on by your teammates.

We won.

--

After packing all your gear, you began to walk out of the gym. A gold medal hung proudly from your neck. But before you could walk out, you saw #4 and Oikawa arguing with each other. You couldn’t tell what the conversation was about, but it surely wasn’t good. #4 turned to you and made dead eye contact. She walked towards you, and Oikawa was still standing there with his arms crossed.

“Good game. I underestimated you,” she held her hand out for you to shake.

“I guess you learned a lesson to never underestimate your opponents,” you shook her hand.

“I will beat you next time,” a small grin could be seen on both of your faces. “Oh, and by the way, you see Oikawa over there? Trust me when I say this, but he is not over you.”

The grin disappeared from your face. #4 walked away, leaving him and you standing awkwardly close to each other. 

You were going to walk away from him, but before you could do so, he called out for you.

“Y/N,” he looked more nervous than usual.

“If I were you, I would be going back to #4.”

He sighed. “She and I are done.”

“Can’t say I’m surprised,” you raised an eyebrow.

Oikawa’s face turned red. “Look. I just wanted to tell you something.”

“I’m all ears.”

“You played great. You surely got my attention towards you,” he smirked.

“Excuse me?”

“You played this hard to get me jealous… right?”

“You’re joking,” you scoffed.

Realizing the mistake Oikawa made, he tried to recover.

“Anyways, that’s beside the point. The point is, I was wondering if you would want to go to the local cafe together? Maybe catch up on some stuff,”

You looked at him, appalled by the words he said.

“You’re joking, right?”

“...no?”

“You don’t know how much you hurt me, Oikawa. If you did, then you wouldn’t be approaching me like this. Maybe uh, I don’t know, give me an apology?”

“Y/N…”

“I’m sorry Oikawa. I really am. But volleyball is my priority. You’re not.”

After finishing your sentence, you pushed past him, walking towards the exit. You weren’t going to let someone who hurt you try to get with you again. You learned from your past mistakes.

Oikawa watched you walk away in shock.

You’re the one that got away.

Thanks for reading!

-Kai

[officialotakudome]

New Post has been published on Otaku Dome | The Latest News In Anime, Manga, Gaming, Tech, and Geek Culture

New Post has been published on https://otakudome.com/aew-rampage-was-a-rare-pro-wrestling-surprise/

AEW Rampage Was a Rare Pro Wrestling Surprise

AEW made it’s formal conception on January 1, 2019 and has since been making a number of accomplishments since. Including sold out shows, record merch sales, signing major stars, and  breaking one million viewers semi-regularly just to name a few. As we come to closing out the year AEW is looking to continue the highs they’ve been receiving in 2021 with the debut of their second televised program AEW Rampage. An hour series that will act as an equal to it’s sister program AEW Dynamite. And with the show they put on for night one that promise has so far already been kept.

AEW Rampage is a 2021 pro wrestling series produced by AEW & WarnerMedia. It currently airs Fridays at 9:00 AM Central on TNT. 

Editor’s Note: Spoilers for the debut episode of AEW Rampage and potential spoilers for the second episode may be present within this review.

AEW Rampage opened with an amazing match and a shock finish.

Kenny Omega (c) vs Christian Cage for the Impact World Championship:

In the opening (and first ever) contest of AEW Rampage, AEW featured a historic moment in which the Impact World Championship was defended for the very first time on another national wrestling promotion’s television program. AEW, Impact, and AAA World Champion Kenny Omega defended against challenger Christian Cage in a bit of a preview to their upcoming All Out main event match for the AEW World Championship. First just wanted to point out that the Pittsburg crowd was HOT for this show from start to finish. It really goes to show that if you give your audience a bit of respect they often respond in kind. Which is a polar opposite to a lot of WWE crowds who often attack the shows with obnoxious chants such as “What!?” & “CM PUNK!”. But WWE often shows little respect to their audience so it can be a bit forgiven.

Omega and Cage are both rather high level in-ring performers, especially the latter at age 47. AEW typically has their best matches open and close their shows and this philosophy continued on the debut of Rampage. Most of the offense surprisingly came from Christian who was really showing out against Omega who was mainly selling everything. At one point in the match Christian hit Omega with a Spear and had a cool near fall. Finish saw the Young Bucks coming out while Don distracted a ref and they handed Kenny a chair. As Omega was preparing for the One-Winged Angel, Christian turned the tides with a Killswitch on the very chair Omega had prepared for a three count. Omega sold the Killswitch like he was shot and Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus join Cage for the post-match celebration.

Winner AND NEW Impact World Champion Christian Cage: **** 1/2 stars

Beloved jobber Fuego del Sol gained a life changing victory in defeat.

Following the commercial break with get Mark Henry interviewing Cage with Jungle Boy & Luchasaurus having A Little Bit of the Bubbly. Cage said Kenny caused him to bring everything he had and felt he wasn’t going to win. He then states that if he gave him so much trouble for the Impact title it’ll be next to impossible for him to win the AEW title, but the victory has Cage in Omega’s head. Next match is God’s Favorite Champion Miro taking on everybody’s favorite jobber Fuego del Sol for the TNT Championship. If Sol wins he’ll be signed to an AEW contract.

Fuego del Sol vs Miro (c) for the TNT Championship:

If you’re even remotely apart of AEW’s social media circles you’ve probably heard of the rise of Fuego del Sol fka Kage. Sol began wrestling in a trampoline fed on Youtube prior to pursing his dreams on the independent circuit. Fuego; real life best friend of rising AEW star Sammy Guevara found his way to the promotion through recommendation working AEW Dark during their stay at Daily’s Place during the pandemic. Fuego also had a starring role in Guevara’s vlog entitled “Sammy’s Vlog” in which he films & documents his & his friends & co-workers’ real lives and careers as a professional wrestlers. Fuego became a fan-favorite due to his likable personality and optimism. AEW took notice of Fuego’s skyrocketing popularity and often had him featured on Dark and occasionally on flagship series Dynamite. The running gag of Sammy’s Vlog was Fuego’s real-life quest for a contract despite his losing streak and the fact that he also worked at Burger King to support his family while on PPA (pay per appearances) bookings with AEW.

Sammy stated many times that the goal of his vlog was to help his friends and guests to establish a gimmick, place to explore personality, and an opportunity to reach an audience basically to help wrestlers get over. And it’s kind of poetic that Fuego is one of the first to truly accomplish those goals. Fuego is now a hit on social media with many of his tweets gaining five digit numbers in likes something that’s rather unheard of from someone who’s had no real presence in the WWE. Now that we’ve gotten to the background of Fuego and the importance of this storyline (apologies for being so long winded about it) we can move on to the match itself. 

This was more or less a squash match, but the point was to get Fuego over in front of a big crowd. As the match began Fuego showed his bravery by hitting Miro with a variation of the Tornado DDT his finishing move of which he is the master. Fuego goes for a pin but only got a one count, he follows up with a second Tornado DDT as the crowd goes ballistic in cheers and Miro wisely rolls out of the ring. Commentary reminds people at home that if Fuego wins via count out he may not win the title but he will in fact still win the AEW contract. Miro unfortunately gets back into the ring at nine only to be hit with THIRD Tornado DDT at this stage the crowd is all over Fuego. He goes for a pin, but gets a very close near fall. As Miro recovers he nails Fuego with the Bulgarian Drop & Thrust Kick followed by the Game Over submission for the win.

Winner and still AEW TNT Champion Miro: *** stars

AEW Women’s World Champion returned to Brittsburg in the main event.

Miro celebrates and rips the contract as we head to commercial. Returning from the break Fuego recovers from his heartbreaking loss as the Pittsburg crowd gives him a standing ovation for his efforts. Commentary is selling the idea that this is Fuego’s final official appearance in AEW as they’re back on a touring schedule. Suddenly, Sammy Guevara’s music hits and he appears (briefly) with Tony Khan who hands him a mic and clipboard. Sammy tells Fuego that despite losing he may have still won. Reminding him of his disappointing win-loss record, he tells him it doesn’t matter as the fans and the wrestlers in the back all love him. Realizing what’s about to go down Fuego starts ugly crying as Sammy tells Fuego that Tony Khan wanted himself as his best friend to inform him that as of tonight he is officially All Elite and the crowd goes nuts. In an interview with Sports Illustrated Tony Khan stated that this was 100% shoot and that only Sammy knew Fuego was getting signed regardless of his loss. If you’ve followed Fuego’s journey from the beginning or middle where he made his AEW it really shows that anyone can get themselves over if they work hard enough and have the right platform. Contrastingly, in WWE if you get over without being their chosen guy or gal you’re punished for it being viewed as “having gone into business for yourself”. A testament to this is the infamous rise of Matt Cardona fka Zach Ryder who rose to fame with his “Z! True Long Island Story” Youtube series and had a fundamental role in teaching pro wrestlers to use the internet and social media to work for themselves to get over and would go on to inspire shows such as BTE (Being the Elite) & Sammy’s Vlog.

Cardona would regularly embarrassed and buried on WWE TV after a pity run with the WWE United States Championship rarely finding success beyond point for the remainder of his run in the promotion. Reports stated that morale among talent hit a record low, Cardona’s best friend Impact Wrestling star Brian Myers was also quoted as saying WWE “would hold “brass ring” pep talks every WrestleMania that suddenly stopped once Cardona got over”. So in short, unless you’re their flavor of the week/month/year WWE won’t take it kindly if you work hard and gain a following without their say. Whereas AEW (and virtually every other promotion ever) will do the compete opposite and show support, but enough of the rant it’s time for the main event.

Red Velvet vs Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D for the AEW Women’s World Championship:

Fuego wasn’t the only new signee of the night.

As the match starts Velvet is understandingly thrown off by the boos. More confusingly Velvet is working as a babyface for much of the match, rectifies this when she begins working Britt’s wrist. Obviously, Britt is the heel, but for the sake if the circumstances I’m glad Velvet played into being the baddie for the night. Also can I just say how crazy it’s been seeing Red Velvet grow as an in ring performer? I’ve seen her since her debut on Dark and basically followed through since her debut on Dynamite with Cody against Jade Cargill and Shaq. She’s still fairly fresh and young as a worker, but has really shown off her potential especially here. Lots of back and forth offense from Britt and Red. The finish saw Britt attempting the Lockjaw with the hurt wrist, but once Velvet escapes she brilliantly reverses it with her opposite arm for the submission. 

Winner and still AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker: **** stars

While Britt celebrates she beats down Velvet who comes back only to be beat down again by the returning Jamie Hayter with a new look. Hayter had a bit run on AEW Dark & NXT UK prior to her return as a full-time AEW talent. Britt had been hinting that she was opening up a bodyguard position and Hayter will fit that role moving forward. AEW Rampage’s debut was an extremely strong show with fantastic matches and excellent storytelling. This Friday is surprisingly going to be even more important, as unless you’ve been living under a rock “The First Dance” in the United Center will be the host of the long-awaited return of CM Punk to pro wrestling and not as an analyst as an in-ring talent. AEW and Punk himself are barely trying to throw fans off of what is undoubtedly going to be a legendary moment for them in their short time alive. 2021 has been very good to AEW and pro wrestling as a whole and it’s not slowing down anytime soon. AEW gives AEW Rampage’s debut episode an 80 out of 100.

[smolwritingchick]

Forced to Believe Chapter 3- Fighting Back

Chapter Summary: Morgan fights back against The Shield. Her rivalry with Alicia Fox escalates. The Shield continue to cause problems for Morgan. 

Words: 12,000+

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

'RAW'

Next week on Raw, Morgan was in the ring, ready to go up against Alicia Fox once again. Their rivalry was picking up and the crowd was enjoying their chemistry together in the ring.

"As you can see, we are getting ready for some diva action. Here we have the lovely Morgan Lopez set to go one on one with Alicia Fox, again." Cole said.

All of a sudden, while Morgan was warming up in the ring, she saw The Shield staring at her from afar in the crowd again which made her a little nervous.

"Oh no, it's The Shield." King exclaimed.

"What are they doing here, now?" Cole looked on.

Morgan turned her focus to the three men in the crowd. Ambrose had his arms wrapped around himself, staring at her, hard. Harder than he was last time and it seriously began to creep her out. The look just read bad news and she wanted nothing to do with him at all.

"Just look at that stare from the eccentric Dean Ambrose. Disturbing..." Cole pointed out

"I am not liking the look he has been giving Miss Lopez," King added

"I hope Morgan doesn't get distracted. She needs to have her head in the game. Alicia will take full advantage of that just like last time," JBL warned. "She knew the consequences after what she said. She needs to deal with it,"

During the match, Alicia takes control of Morgan, putting her in a headlock submission. Meanwhile, Dean was slowly walking down the steps to get a closer look at the match,

"Morgan better watch it. Ambrose is very unpredictable." Cole warned.

As the match went on, she fought back and gave Alicia a couple of clotheslines before jumping on the middle rope and attacking her with a crossbody. She waits for Alicia to get up so she can hit the backfire on her and pin her for the win. Morgan celebrates as the ref raises her hand. She gets on the top rope and does her taunt. But then she sees Ambrose jumping over the barricade. Not taking any chances on what he might do, she quickly slides out of the ring and cautiously walks backward, up to the stage.

Meanwhile, Ambrose watches her go as he stands at the end of the ramp. It was something about that look on his face that made her question how cautious she should be.

"What is going through the mind of Ambrose?" Cole asked

'Smackdown'

"We get to see some diva tag team action. Who do you think will win?" Cole asked as Aksana and Tamina were getting ready to face Morgan and Kaitlyn in the ring.

"I'm just curious to see if Morgan will break. Can she handle any more distractions?" JBL wondered.

"We'll have to find out,"

Later on in the match, Kaitlyn tries to make a tag to Morgan but then The Shield walks down to the barricade.

Distracted once again, she turned around to begin yelling at them, oblivious to the fact that Kaitlyn was dropped down with a Samoan drop by Tamina, "Oh my God! Go away! Just go away!" she exclaimed

Aksana runs into the ring and knocks Morgan off the apron as Kaitlyn gets pinned.

"1!" "2!" "3!"

"Here are your winners! The team of Aksana and Tamina!" Justin announced

The Shield looks on in delight as Morgan holds her neck and starts to look disappointed in herself. This had got to stop. This was becoming really bad for her and it's starting to affect Kaitlyn now.

"You're nothing, Morgan! Nothing!" Seth yelled at her.

"You need The Shield!" Ambrose yelled afterward

Running her hands through her brown hair, Morgan starts to break down, getting angry about the situation.

"Morgan was going to break sometime. She can't take the heat." JBL stated

'Backstage'

"Look, Kaitlyn, I'm sorry!" Morgan wiped the frustrated tears from her eyes, from earlier. "It's my fault."

"Look I know that The Shield has been causing you problems, but I don't want this to affect our matches. You need to get your act together. Don't make them control you like that. You need to fix this situation before it ends up ruining you." Kaitlyn stormed off, clearly still upset that they had lost the match.

Morgan let out a sigh and nodded. She had a point. A good point. Maybe TLC will be the time to change things.

'TLC'

"Kaitlyn," Morgan called out, meeting up with her, backstage in the diva's locker room

"Hey, Morgan." Kaitlyn smiled. It looked like her annoyance from Smackdown had gone away.

Morgan ran her right hand through her hair and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry about the tag match. I just, I've gone through a lot with The Shield and­-"

"Morgan, I forgive you. But you really need to fight back. You cannot let these men torment you like this, any longer. You need to do something. You need to do something, tonight. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month. You need to show people that you belong here and that you can take the heat. Okay?"

Abruptly, Alicia Fox walked up to them with a smirk. "It's funny. I guess I can agree with The Shield on why they keep messing with you. You don't belong here, that's why."

Morgan rolled her eyes at her bogus comment.

"Look just leave her alone, okay? She's dealing with enough." Kaitlyn defended her.

"Really? It seems that she wants to whine and complain about her matches and The Shield but she doesn't do anything. She's a little baby and a­-" Alicia ended up shrieking after getting struck with a stinging slap to the face by Morgan and then speared to the floor.

Morgan starts uploading on her with punches as Kaitlyn tries to pull her off, yelling her name to get her to stop.

"I'll show you that I can do something!" Morgan yelled, getting pulled away from her by refs, as the segment ended. The camera goes back to the commentators.

"Morgan has been out of it," JBL said in shock. "She just exploded out of nowhere!"

"I don't blame her. She's been frustrated with The Shield and now has to deal with Alicia." King replied, understanding her feelings.

"Yeah. And on Twitter, Morgan tweeted, 'The Shield has tormented me for too long. Now it's time for payback. #Revenge #MorganVsTheShield'. I wonder what that means." Cole pondered. "Well, let's get ready for the WWE diva battle royal for the pre-show."

Eve comes out with the Diva's championship and she does the princess wave and gets on commentary. The divas walk out in their Christmas attires. Morgan and Kaitlyn wear similar outfits as Morgan wears red pants and a black top but with no hat. She always enjoyed themed matches like this. Getting to dress up in cute outfits while wrestling was always enjoyable to her.

During the match, it was down to Tamina, Morgan, Kaitlyn, and Naomi. Dean decides to walk through the crowd and watch Morgan in her match. No matter what it seemed like he'd do everything he could to watch her up close and personal. Not even Rollins and Reigns were this frequent. And it was starting to spark speculation on his true intentions.

"Uh oh. Not Ambrose again." Cole looked on.

"What does this man want with Morgan? This is getting ridiculous. Rollins and Reigns aren't even out here," King exclaimed.

"You don't think Morgan caught his eye do you?"

"If she did he's being extremely creepy about it. I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that crazed man,"

"I think he just finds her an easy target to mess with. She falls for it every time," JBL added

Morgan turns her attention to the crowd and rolls her eyes. Ambrose...again. What were the odds?

"You really are starting to piss me off." she pointed him out, clearly distracted.

Tamina takes advantage and tosses her out of the ring as the crowd boos.

"Dean just cost Morgan the match!" King cried as she stormed backstage to follow where he went in the back.

The cameras managed to follow her as she had enough and wanted to confront the man.

"Where are you? Where the hell are you?" she exclaimed and ended up finding a dark area. She decided to walk near it and there he was. Ambrose, smirking at her while leaning on the wall

"Well...it's the rose with thorns. I know you're angry, but I wouldn't worry about that, now."

"Why not?" She demanded

"Look up." he beckoned as they looked up to see a mistletoe over them.

"You're not funny," she retorted and yanked the mistletoe down, tossing it on the ground. "And never in a million years. I'm getting so tired of your mind games. If you want mind games, I'll show you mind games."

"You're putty in my hands, Morgan. You're an easy target."

"Putty? I'll make sure that you and your boys are broken by my hands. Watch your back," she declared and walked away

"I love a woman that's feisty," he called out, watching her leave

Morgan tweets 'Shield...you're gonna get what's coming to you. #MorganVsTheShield'

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

'Catering'

Melanie was looking at her phone and then Jon sat down next to her after getting settled from their segment together

"What's up?" He greeted, having a bottle of water in his hands.

"Hm...thinking about your match. Just can't wait to get involved." Melanie looked up and smiled. "It's a big opportunity. I'm excited for it,"

Jon chuckled. "I'm sure. I know you can't wait to kick my ass."

"Of course. It's always fun. Hey, have you seen any grapes around here?"

"Aw man, we got the grape monster." Colby (Seth Rollins) said as he walked over to take a seat.

"Haha, Kaitlyn posted a photo of me on Twitter eating a lot of grapes and said Behold! hashtag Morgan The Grape Monster! It became a huge hit," Melanie said, sharing a laugh with the boys. "Now if you excuse me, I need to find some grapes."

"She's so goofy!" Colby exclaimed as they watched her leave

"Typical Melanie." Jon shrugged. "What are you gonna do?"

'Later'

During The Shield's match with Team Hell No and Ryback, Morgan walks out with a black tank top that says 'Nonbeliever' and blue skinny jeans with heels. She watches The Shield's first match with a frown on her face. She was infuriated and she was ready to get even. Let's see how they like it with the distractions.

"What is Morgan doing here?!" Cole exclaimed as the crowd cheered loudly for her once they noticed her.

"I got a good feeling about this! But The Shield seems to ignore her." King mentioned as The Shield turned their attention to her.

"Bad move. Morgan is very unpredictable in this position." JBL stated.

Morgan stands at the end of the ramp, watching the match as she sees Ryback on the Spanish Announce table while Dean and Seth are taking care of Daniel Bryan in the ring.

"As you can see, Roman Reigns is making sure the big men don't get in the ring. Good strategy." Cole pointed out

"The Shield is absolutely just manhandling Daniel Bryan." King exclaimed.

Morgan looks at Dean and Seth but then turns her attention to Roman. She starts walking towards him with the crowd getting behind her, watching in anticipation. She grabs Roman by the arm and turns him around. Before he had a chance to yell at her for interfering, she kicks him right in the nuts making him groan loudly in pain and fall to his knees

"Ah!" King yelled in a high-pitched voice.

"Ohhhh boy!" JBL exclaimed. "Here we go!"

"Oh, man, Roman. You don't look so good, dude. You all right? I'm sorry, did that hurt?" Morgan asked in a fake concerned tone and lifted up his chin. "I'm sorry, let me take you out of your misery, all righty? All righty."

She smiled and then proceeded to drop him down with a hard spinning kick to the face. Her heel definitely made the impact worse.

"This has to feel good for Morgan. She even said 'Win or Lose, I will get my revenge on The Shield tonight.'" Cole recapped as the crowd chanted her name. "The WWE Universe is enjoying this!"

"One down, two more to go." Morgan informed the crowd as the fans in front of her were saying 'Yeah! Morgan! Get em!'

She goes back to the ramp and sees that Kane recovered and jumps off the table that was on top of the turnbuckle, to hit Ambrose with a flying uppercut. Roman recovers and gets in the ring, only to be attacked by Kane but then Ambrose gets the upper hand on him.

"I really want to know who is next on Morgan's list. I can't even focus on the match without staring at her." King said, watching her as she put her hands on her hips, resembling Chyna.

"We're all curious and we'll get our answer soon," Cole says with anticipation.

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

The WWE fans on Twitter tweet:

'WWEMorgan101 really can fight with those heels. Never get on her bad side. #MorganVsTheShield.'

'This is even more fun to watch with Morgan on standby! Loving this potential rivalry with her and The Shield!'

'The Shield dun F'ed up, this time! Don't mess with Morgan!'

'Morgan is so dumb for doing this. Watch this backfire on her! Pun intended'

'Reigns looks so mad at Morgan. I know he wants to attack but gotta focus on the match and help his teammates lmfao'

'The hands on her hips. I see so much of Chyna right now. I love it,'

'I'm not quite convinced yet on Morgan being a threat to The Shield but giving it a chance to see what develops'

'What is Morgan going to do next?! I hope she goes after Rollins.'

'I love Morgan's shirt! I hope WWE Shop has it. #Nonbeliever'

'The Shield will totally get their revenge on Morgan!'

'I think Roman got a cut on his cheek! Was it from her heel??'

'Nah! Team Shield!! They need to take her down wtf! How dare she do that to Roman!?'

'Noooo can she join them instead? I want to see her and Dean together!'

'She kicked the hell out of Reigns! #BadAssMorgan'

'Morgan does not know who she is messing with. She better watch out!'

'I need my Ambrose and Morgan fix! I want them to fight!'

'I think Roman's cheek is bleeding. I think she cut his cheek with her heels.'

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

Ambrose is about to suplex Kane on a chair but Kane counters and grabs his neck, hitting him a chokeslam on the chair

"Chokeslam off the chair!" Cole exclaimed and watched as Morgan smiled at the sight. "Morgan is enjoying this."

"Yeah, that's gotta do it. Cover him Kane." King said. Kane covers him but Roman makes the save to break up the pin. "There are bodies screwed everywhere."

Meanwhile, Kane and Roman are fighting outside the ring and Seth goes after Kane's leg. Morgan looks on in shock as Roman manages to spear Kane through the barricade, taking him out as the crowd chanted 'Holy shit!'

As Daniel was locking Ambrose in with the No lock, Seth ran into the ring. He ends up getting put into the No lock instead but then The Shield attacks Daniel with a 3 on 1 assault.

"Typical..." Morgan grumbled with her arms crossed.

Later on, Ambrose's leg gets grabbed by Ryback when he goes to pin Daniel and Ryback starts manhandling The Shield.

"Forget injustice, Ryback has come for Justice." Cole chuckled.

Ryback spears Dean Ambrose and starts getting ready for the clothesline as the crowd chants 'Feed me more'. After he clotheslines him, Ryback yells "Finish it!" and hits Ambrose with the Shell Shocked. He goes to pin him but Rollins and Reigns break it up

"And The Shield stays alive! Absolutely incredible!" Cole looked on, impressed

Ryback tosses Rollins out of the ring and Morgan moves out of the way to ringside. Reigns falls out of the ring too and Ryback fights them both up the ramp. The crowd cheers once Morgan grabs a chair and gets in the ring to watch Ambrose slowly scramble to his knees. She stalks him and stands right in front of him.

"Oh no. Oh no, don't tell me!" Cole began.

"Don't tell me she's about to hit him with the chair," King exclaimed.

This was something she had wanted to do for a while now and now was finally the chance. She grips the chair steadily and raises it up in the air, aiming to hit him but the impact was stopped once Ambrose caught it before it struck him.

Morgan was stunned. She thought he was out of it. How could he still be standing after all of that? As if reading her mind, Ambrose smirked at her and stood up.

"Give­-me-the chair." She tries to pull the chair back but fails to overpower his strong grip on it. He pulls it out of her hands and throws it out of the ring.

"Morgan get out of there. Dean Ambrose is very dangerous in that ring!" Cole yelled while Dean slowly rolled his neck.

Morgan decides to try to strike him in the face but he effortlessly grabs her wrist and backs her up against a corner. She tries to struggle against him but he doesn't budge. Just great. Not what she wanted at all.

"Aw~ what's the matter? Your little plan backfired? Huh?" he teased with a wicked grin.

"Back off!" she screamed and ended up kneeing him in the stomach.

He groans and releases her, stumbling back. Taking advantage, she drops him down with a backfire.

"No way! This cannot be happening!" JBL exclaimed

"Aw~ what's the matter? Your little plan backfired, huh?" She mocked Ambrose, grabbing another chair as he got back on his knees.

She whacks him right in the face and begins relentlessly hitting him with the chair as the crowd counts the chair shots.

'6! 7! 8! 9! 10! 11! 12! 13! 14! 15!' The crowd cheered.

Morgan lets out a breath and sets the chair down, in front of Dean, as he's in pain, laid out.

"She hit him over 15 times with that chair! 15! Had she gone mad!? She's gone mad, Cole! She's lost her damn mind!" JBL yelled.

"She said she was gonna get revenge, tonight!" Cole exclaimed, while she got out of the ring and went through the crowd, while Roman went to help Ambrose. Seth begins climbing up the ladder and then Morgan decides to climb it on the other side.

"Now what is she doing?" JBL looked on.

"Get down!" Seth yelled at her, visibly vexed at her becoming a nuisance for his team tonight.

"Make me." she stood her ground while Ryback started to get off the table.

"Get your ass off the ladder!"

"I don't think so, pal." She responded while Ryback started climbing up the ladder on the side where Seth was.

With all the strength she could, she managed to shove Seth off the ladder, making him fall right onto the tables as everyone yelled 'Holy shit!' again.

"Oh my gosh!" King shouted.

Morgan stares at Seth's laid-out body in satisfaction and gets down from the ladder. Happy with getting some revenge on The Shield, she makes her way backstage, not caring if they won the match after all that happened.

Morgan tweets 'I'm not done yet. Got a few more tricks up my sleeve. #FeelingEvil #Payback #MorganVsTheShield'

'RAW'

The next day on Raw was the Slammy Awards in Philadelphia and on the stage, Ric Flair was at the podium, talking about Superstar of The Year.

"But, I cannot do this without a certain Philly girl. Ladies and gentlemen! Please welcome, my girl! Morgan!" Ric announced.

Morgan got a new theme called 'Taking you down by Egypt Central' as she walked out to it with a short blue dress and low blue heels with the Philly crowd giving her a loud warm welcome.

She grinned and waved at the crowd, walking up to the podium. She gave Ric a big hug before standing in front of the podium with a bright smile on her face.

"It's so good to be home!" She yelled, earning loud cheers. "I'm so happy to be here in my hometown. Well, let's get started shall we?"

"Yes ma'am." Ric nodded

"All righty, well, let's check out who is Superstar of the year."

"WOOOO!"

"WOOOO" The crowd responded

"All right. The winner who is the Superstar of the Year is..." Ric Flair opened the envelope.

"John Cena!" they both announced and Philly exploded.

Cena's theme blares out as he walks out. After giving hugs to Ric and Morgan, he says his acceptance speech but then decides to give the award to Flair and went backstage.

"Wow. Okay then." Morgan looked confused, still in shock.

But then CM Punk's theme comes on and he walks out with crutches and with Paul Heyman holding his WWE championship.

"Oh God...great...great..." Morgan said on the mic while Ric stood next to her, closest to Punk.

Punk takes the award and moves the mic towards him. "This is completely ridiculous on multiple, multiple levels! I mean, there are so many things going through my head right now. This doesn't belong to you. You haven't even been here and the fact that you people voted for John Cena is atrocious. This has been the worst year of John Cena's life! I beat him at Summerslam! He lost last night! He's the first superstar who cashed in his money in the bank and lose! He's a loser! He's a loser just like everybody here in Philadelphia!"

Morgan shot her head up and looked at Punk. "I'm sorry, what was that?" she retorted as her hand was held by Ric to calm her down.

"He's a loser like you two!" Punk yelled. "I remember Shawn Michaels talking about how he always wanted to be like Ric Flair. Look at me, Flair! I never wanted to be you! I wanted to be me! And I did. And last year, I won Superstar of the Year. And that means this year, I'm Superstar of the Year. I am the WWE champion and have been WWE champion for 393 days! 393 days! I'm the man! Not John Cena! And not you! I'm the man!"

"Did you want to know what time it is Morgan?" Ric asked.

"It's clobberin time, that's what time it is." Punk yelled in Morgan's face.

"It'll be Morgan time if you don't get the heck out my face." She snapped back as the crowd cheered.

"Nah, I think it's time for you to go, brother." Ric Flair said to Punk. "This is Philadelphia, we're gonna rock n roll tonight man. You can't even walk."

"With one leg I can still kick your ass." Punk declared. "Come on Ric, let's talk about baggage. I will beat you and I can beat anybody up in Philly."

"Wanna try that with me?" Morgan suggested.

"Hold on Morgan. I got this. Hey Philly! Should we settle this? How about you and me?" Ric requested Punk as he took off his jacket and threw it at Punk. "Let's go, Morgan, you're coming with me."

"Sure thing," she replied and walked with Ric Flair to the ring.

"What?" Cole asked in shock as Punk started to go towards the ring. "Are we able to have Punk and Flair?!"

Ric Flair started taunting and yelling 'WOOOO' to the crowd as Morgan looked amused while she stood on the apron.

Punk gets in the ring with Paul Heyman. He slams his crutch against Flair's stomach and he bends down. Punk hits his back, breaking the crutch. He starts hopping on one leg and starts taunting Flair's walk. Flair recovers and hits Punk with a thumb in the eye, making him fall down and hold his eye. Then suddenly, Flair grabs Heyman and hits the Figure Four on him as the crowd cheers and Morgan starts laughing. Flair then releases the hold as Heyman holds his leg while Morgan gets in the ring.

'Sierra' 'Hotel' 'India' 'Echo' 'Lima' 'Delta' 'Shield.'

The Shield walks slowly down the steps. "We all know The Shield has a lot of issues with Morgan. Last night, Morgan gave a low blow to Reigns, threw Rollins 15 feet onto a table and decimated Ambrose with 15 chair shots. 15. This woman is violent." Cole exclaimed.

The Shield stands on the apron as Morgan starts taking off her heels.

"Do something." Morgan provoked.

She'll go down trying. She wasn't going to back down. The Shield look at each other and then at Morgan. Then all of a sudden, Team Hell No attacks Seth and Roman as Ric takes on Dean. But then Dean punches Flair in the face and he drops down to the mat.

Morgan quickly checks on Ric as The Shield takes care of Team Hell No outside the ring. Seth ends up sliding back in the ring and grabs Morgan from behind.

"What the hell?! Get off of me!" She shouted, trying to escape his strong grip

"You think you're going to get away from what you did last night?!" Rollins shouted.

Roman goes to the commentary table and takes off the hood. Dean pushes Flair out of the ring and turns to Morgan.

"Once I'm done with him, I'm coming after you, sweetheart," Dean told her in a menacing voice.

"Oh bite me!" she retorted, getting worried for Flair.

'Feed. Me. More'

Ryback walks out while Morgan kicks Seth in the shin as he winces in pain. Ryback ends up attacking Ambrose and then Roman. Rollins rolls out the ring to try to aid his teammates but Team Hell No joins the fight and makes The Shield retreat.

'Backstage'

Morgan is walking with Team Hell No and Flair after they helped him from Punk and The Shield.

"Thanks, you guys," Flair said and he shook hands with Daniel.

"Yeah, we finally got to The Shield. Yes!" Kane yelled.

"No!" Daniel exclaimed.

"What?" Morgan looked confused.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"What?"

"Woooo!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"What?"

"Wooo!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"What?"

"WOOO! WOO! WOO!" Ric yelled but they all stopped once they saw Ron Simmons.

A dramatic pause occurs before Ron shouted "DAMN!" and walked away, making the crowd laugh

'SuperSmackdown'

The Shield were not happy tonight. It seemed like they were sending a message to Morgan after attacking Sin Cara. The vibe was different, it seemed like they were hell-bent on making sure they got to her this time. Morgan could feel it. She was going to get caught one of these days. But no matter what she was going to get back up.

Later on the night, Morgan wins her match against Aksana but then The Shield comes out and surrounds the ring as Kaitlyn is at the end of the ramp looking scared. The three men stand on the apron, anticipating to strike.

The Philly diva let out a sigh. She then decides to go straight to Ambrose, striking him with a slap in the face.

"Whoa!" Cole exclaimed

Dean's head was to the side and still stinging from her slap, and then he slowly turned his head back to her.

Morgan quickly runs out of the ring, grabbing Kaitlyn by the hand as they sprint backstage. Before Rollins and Reigns could run after them, Ambrose raised his hand up to signal them to stop going after her. Smirking, he rubs the side of his face

"I think he liked it!" JBL exclaimed.

"What the hell is going on in that sick twisted mind of his?" Cole cried.

"I don't know but Morgan is in big trouble now."

Looking at his teammates, Ambrose began nodding and then the three men proceeded to go backstage.

"Oh-oh my God. Don't tell me they are going after them!?" JBL yelled

'Backstage'

Kaitlyn and Morgan are running and then they split up. Running near the parking lot, Kaitlyn thought she was safe. But then she lets out a scream when she gets grabbed from behind by Rollins.

"No! Get off of me!"

"No! They got Kaitlyn!" Cole yelled as they took her into a dark area backstage.

"You're close to Morgan, right?" Ambrose asked, standing in front of her, while Rollins and Roman stood next to her, staring at her with intimating expressions.

Kaitlyn was too scared to respond, so she remained silent, fearing for her life.

"I asked you a question." Dean kicked a nearby chair, making her flinch. She quickly nodded to answer. "Where is she...?"

Kaitlyn swallowed hard as fear took over her again. "WHERE IS SHE!?" Roman bellowed in anger.

"I­-I don't know." Kaitlyn whimpered, with tears in her eyes.

"You don't know...well when you see her, tell her we will get our revenge. And tell her she will believe in The Shield." Ambrose growled and let her go, watching her run away in tears.

'WWE Main Event'

Backstage, Morgan is hugging Kaitlyn tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I put you in harm's way. I can't believe they did that. You have nothing to do with this. Nothing at all. You shouldn't be involved in my mess. I shouldn't have let you come out to ringside to watch my match," Morgan frowned, feeling guilty

This was not what she wanted at all. She didn't want any of her friends or loved ones getting in the middle of an issue that was only between her and The Shield. They went too far.

"It's okay. Just please watch your back, tonight." Kaitlyn advised her.

Later on, during Morgan's match against Eve, The Shield walks out as Eve quickly kicks her in the face and runs out of the ring.

It looked like tonight was the night. And there was no escape for Morgan as she was beaten down enough tonight by Eve. Once the three men get in the ring, they pick her up to prepare for the Triple Powerbomb

"No! They can't do this!" Cole exclaimed as they slam her down on the mat.

She holds her head in pain as they stand over her with their fists out while their theme comes on

"We told you we'd get you, Morgan. You will believe in The Shield." Dean yelled

"I think The Shield got the last laugh..." Cole looked on.

"Gosh, I really hope Morgan is okay," King added with worry.

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

The fans tweet:

'Morgan finally gets what she deserves! #BelieveInTheShield'

'No way! They really just powerbombed her!'

'The Shield totally got the last laugh. #BelieveInTheShield'

'Morgan will get her revenge! She's unstoppable! #MorganVsTheShield'

'Stand up Morgan!! She'll get back up!'

'Is this the first time they Triple Powerbombed a woman!? That looked brutal af'

'Stupid Shield for triple powerbombing my favorite diva. #WEAK!'

'We all knew how this was going to go. She couldn't escape forever. Accept your fate Morgan!'

'Morgan will come back strong! #MorganVsTheShield'

'Next Week On RAW'

"On the WWE APP, we have Morgan, returning tonight who had a word with Renee Young. Let's have a look." Cole said as they show their interview on the titantron.

"Morgan, how do you feel after the Shield triple powerbombed you? Are you feeling alright?" Renee asked.

"Oh, I'm pissed. That really hurt. But tonight I feel great. You wanna know why? Because I'm still standing, I'm back and I get to kick some ass once again. The Shield cannot break me down with a powerbomb because I'm going to keep getting back up. And I'm not done with them yet,"

Morgan tweets 'Damn, it's good to be back. Shield, this isn't over. Just as my theme says. #I'mTakingYouDown! #MorganVSTheShield #PayBack"

'In the ring'

Layla's theme comes on and the divas go out in their Xmas attires. Morgan wears a red shirt that stops in the middle of her stomach and has a hoodie attached to it. She wears it with a red Christmas themed skirt with white boots with her hair out and curly at the end.

"This is a divas tag team match scheduled for one fall! Introducing first, the team of Layla, Morgan, Natalya and Kaitlyn!" Justin announced and then Eve's theme came on. "Introducing the challengers, Eve Torres, Alicia Fox, Aksana and Rosa Mendes."

Natalya and Aksana start the match and then Aksana tags in Alicia and they fight. Later on, the crowd cheers loudly when Layla tags in Morgan and she gets in the ring to dropkick Alicia 3 times. She goes to the turnbuckle and hits a crossbody on her to pin her but then Eve runs in and stomps on her to break the pin. Kaitlyn comes in and spears her.

Rosa enters the ring and slaps Kaitlyn in the face but then Morgan grabs her and throws her to the ropes to get double clotheslined by her and Kaitlyn as the crowd cheers. The Divas start fighting outside the ring leaving Morgan and Alicia.

In the final moments of the match, Morgan strikes Alicia with a shining wizard

"Beautiful move by Morgan," Cole praised as she pinned Alicia for the win

"Here are your winners! Layla, Morgan, Kaitlyn and Natalya!" Justin announced

"YEAH!" Morgan yelled as she had her right hand up but then she was jumped on by her team as they hugged her to celebrate

"Morgan is back and she's back strong!" King said happily.

'Next week, Raw'

Eve is with the Divas & Mae Young backstage as Eve starts to brag about how she's beaten every diva.

"Ahem!" Morgan cleared her throat behind her as the crowd cheered when they saw her on screen.

Turning around, Eve scowled. "What do you want?" She spat.

"Beat every diva? I don't think so. Since you got the guts to brag...How about you face me in the ring...right now."

"Fine," Eve smirked and walked away

Mae Young grabbed Morgan's hand and gave her a grin, "Give that girl a beating for me, will ya?"

"Anything for you Mae." Morgan smiled

Morgan tweets 'You're going down EveMarieTorres. Let's see if you really have the guts to face me since you LOVE to brag about how good you are. #BraggerMcbragbrag #Countouts #CheapShots #Lame'

'In the ring'

After a hard-fought match, Morgan wins by the backfire. She has her right hand up in the air and yells 'Yeah!' as the crowd gets hyped. But then The Shield are shown on the Titantron.

Morgan smirks at the screen and grabs a mic. She knew they wouldn't stay away forever.

"Morgan, it seems you've found yourself again after we did the damage," Seth said, looking impressed.

"You talk about revenge and you have more tricks up your sleeve as your New Year's resolution, well, we have some news for you," Dean added out.

"Our resolution is to make sure you believe in The Shield." Roman declared.

"So go ahead. Make your plans to take us down." Dean shrugged

"But we'll be ready for your next strike. We have made sacrifices to endure your pain. We'll be ready for your next move." Seth guaranteed.

"You know...I really hate you guys..." Morgan admitted as the crowd cheered at her response. "Do whatever you want but you won't make me believe."

"We'll see...believe in The Shield." Dean said and the screen went blank.

"Back to my celebration. Who is a nonbeliever!?" Morgan asked to loud cheers as her theme came on.

"Morgan, going strong at the end of the year. Wonder what will happen in 2013." Cole pondered.

"I don't know but I can't wait. 2013 is going to be an interesting year for Morgan. I just know it," JBL said.

On Twitter, Morgan tweets, '2013 will be a good year for me. #Morgan2013 #BadAssMorgan'

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

After the show, Celeste, Melanie and April go to the bar with the roster.

"What time is it?" April asked, anticipating New Years.

Melanie checked her phone. "11:57."

"Ugh, time needs to go faster!"

Melanie laughed "Let's take a photo." She took a picture with April and posted it on Twitter.

Celeste comes with the drinks. "All right girls!"

Nattie and Eve sit with them as well. "Ready for the countdown?" Nattie asked.

"I can't wait! I'm shaking in my seat!" April beamed

"Mel, I still can't get over your storyline with The Shield. It's really entertaining." Nattie brought up.

Melanie grinned. "Thanks. I just really want it to be worth watching."

"Oh trust me it is. More than half of the roster likes to watch it backstage." Celeste revealed.

"Wow. I feel honored." Melanie placed a hand on her heart.

"One minute!" Mike (Miz) yelled.

"Yes!" April shouted in excitement.

"30! 29! 28! 27! 26!" Everyone chanted.

"Woo hoo!" April cheered as she went to the crowd with Nattie and Eve following her.

"Getting a New Year's kiss?" Celeste asked.

"Haha, not this year. Come on." Melanie replied and they walk in the crowd, meeting up with April.

They start chanting with everyone. "15! 14! 13! 12! 11! 10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! Happy New Year!"

Everyone cheered and music started blasting.

"Woo hoo!" Melanie cheered and hugged the girls.

"Drinking contest!" Celeste yelled.

"I'm in!" Mike volunteered as they walked to the bar.

After dancing with friends and hanging out, Melanie bumped into Colby.

"Dude!" she greeted him with a hug as he laughed.

"Happy New Year, Grapes."

"Happy New Year to you too. Where your boys at?"

"Somewhere. Everyone is all over the place."

"Ha, can't argue with that there. I'll see you later!" she said her goodbyes to meet up with more friends to party with.

"Woo. What a night." Eve fanned herself as she sat down on a couch with Melanie after taking a break from dancing

"I know. And everyone is still dancing and it's 2:40AM." Melanie added

"Uh oh, Celeste is out of it." Eve pointed out as Melanie turned to see Celeste giggling and slipping out of her seat.

"Oh boy. I better go help her. Let's take a picture before I go?"

"Of course!" Eve said and they posed cutely

"Nice. I'll see you later. Happy New Year!"

"Happy New Year, girl. Be safe getting back to your hotel room!"

"You as well!"

Melanie walked over to Celeste and helped her up. "Okay, time to go."

"W-what you mean time to go? We just got here?" Celeste slurred.

Melanie laughed. "I knew this was going to happen."

"Need help?" Jon asked with a smile, finally finding Melanie after all this time

"Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you all night!" she exclaimed as she dropped Celeste to the floor, wrapping her arms around his neck. Celeste ended up groaning at the impact. "Oh-oh my gosh. I'm sorry!"

"Come on, let's take her to the car." Jon offered as he helped Celeste up with Melanie. The two walk Celeste outside and to the backseat of his rental car. "I'll drive you guys back."

"Really? I thought you were still gonna hang with the guys."

"Nah, no worries. I had enough party in me for one night."

"Wish I could say the same for this one, back here," Melanie murmured as she watched Celeste giggle like crazy. They arrive at the hotel and walk Celeste to the elevator. "So how was your night?"

"Colby threw a fit because he lost at beer pong." Jon laughed at the memory.

"Wow. Poor Colby." The Philly Diva giggled. The elevator opens and they walk Celeste to Melanie's room. Melanie opened the door and dragged her onto the bed safely and made sure a trash can was near just in case. Going back to the doorway, she looks up at Jon, "She's on the bed. She'll be throwing up a lot when she wakes up."

Jon chuckled. "Wouldn't want to be in your shoes."

"Hey! I hit you with 15 chair shots."

"Touché."

Melanie got a chill down her body and shivered. "Why is it so freaking cold in this hotel?!" She complained.

"Here, this will keep you warm," Jon handed her his hoodie

"Thanks for always looking out for me after all these years," Melanie smiled and put it on.

"Ahh, don't worry about it. You know I will always be there for you, Mel,"

She grinned and embraced him, feeling his arms wrap around her waist. "Always. Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year."

The two jump away from each other when they hear a thump and see Celeste at the door. "Why is the sky so blue?" Celeste slurred.

Melanie groaned. "I'm sorry, I gotta take care of this one."

Jon smiled with amusement and nodded. "Hope you survive."

"I hope so too!" she replied as she pushed Celeste inside

Melanie tweets 'WWERollins lost at beer pong. LMAO! #HappyNewYear'

Colby replies, 'WWEMorgan101 Who told you!?'

Melanie replies 'Lol, Jon. He couldn't resist. #YouLost!'

Colby replies back 'Shut up...I'll win next time. I'm gonna get my revenge on him.'

Melanie replies back 'Can't wait to see this revenge. I'm curious about who you lost to and how many times.'

Colby replies, '3...By KaitlynWWE, Jon and JohnCena...'

Melanie replies 'LMAO! I'll give you lessons and tricks on how to play beer pong. #MorganAtYourService'

Colby replies 'Lol, please do. I'll be waiting for my lessons.'

'Next morning'

Melanie is in the kitchen about to make breakfast sandwiches but hears someone knock on the door. She opens it to see Jon looking annoyed.

"Good morning. What's up?" she greeted, amused at his annoyed look.

"Morning...May I use your shower?"

"Um...why?"

"Colby took all the hot water..." he grumbled. The sour look on his face made her laugh. "It's not funny! He did this shit on purpose."

"Did you tease him about beer pong?"

"...Maybe..."

"Yep, that'll do it. Fine, go ahead."

"Thanks." Jon smiled and walked in with his bag of clothes and toiletries

Melanie walked back to the kitchen. "You want a quick breakfast? I'm making breakfast sandwiches. We got water, juice and coffee too,"

"Yeah. I'll take some. I'll take the coffee too,"

"And you like your coffee..." she started to go over how he liked it, wondering if he still liked it that way.

Jon nodded in approval, "Yep, you know me well,"

"I know. I still got it."

"You never lost it."

"Aw, you're so sweet," she grinned.

After cooking and setting up the meals, Melanie watched Jon walk out shirtless and with jeans, taking a towel off his head.

"Thanks for letting me use your shower."

"Yeah anytime. Oh wait, did you need your hoodie back?" Melanie asked since she was currently wearing it.

"You can keep that, I got plenty more."

"Awesome. I'm starting to like how cozy it is."

"It is a good hoodie. Thanks for this," he received his drink and plate of food, devouring it.

"Consider it a favor returned."

Celeste wakes up and walks to the kitchen. "Ow..my head...Whoa!" She exclaimed as she saw Jon shirtless and Melanie with him. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Nah, not really. We were just catching up," Melanie shrugged like it was the most obvious thing ever. But the way Celeste was staring at them made her realize what she thought was happening, "Oh. Oh...Celeste, it's not what it looks like. He needed to use the shower and-"

"Oh, I get it. I get it,"

Jon laughed and put on his shirt. "Let me get out of here. I'll see you later."

"Okay," Melanie replied, receiving a kiss on the cheek from him before he grabbed his belongings and left. Celeste cleared her throat. "What?"

Celeste studied Melanie's hoodie. "And who's hoodie is that?" she asked with a teasing smile.

"Jon's."

"What did you two do?"

"What? Nothing. He needed a favor."

"Oh my gosh, you two did it!?"

"No!"

Celeste laughed. "I'm just messing with ya."

"You're a piece of work, haha. You know Jon and I go way back,"

"We love strong bonds,"

"Yeah. Anyway, what had happened was Colby used all the hot water for revenge on Jon teasing him about how he lost at beer pong."

"Hahaha. I remember beating him and­-" Celeste all of a sudden started to feel sick and rushed to the bathroom.

"Oh no." Melanie groaned and ran after her to hold her hair as she threw up.

"Ugh. Thanks...no more drinking a lot on a wrestling night."

"Good thinking. As a matter of fact, great thinking."

'Next week on Raw'

Kaitlyn, who is the new divas champion, faces Alicia Fox in a match with Morgan standing at ringside to support her friend. Before the match could even begin, Alicia started to focus her issues on Morgan, expressing her dislike for the girl as she kept glaring at her.

And at one point, the Philly diva had enough and spoke up, "Eye problem?"

"Shut up!" Alicia yelled

"You're gonna hit me?" Morgan yelled back as Alicia got out of the ring to get in her face. "Do something!"

"Whoa, what's going on here?" Cole exclaimed as Alicia attacked her but Morgan started to take control of the fight and tossed her into the barricade. She then starts unloading on her on the floor. "And all hell has broken loose!"

The ref tries to pull Morgan off of Alicia. "Get off of me! I'm gonna end her!" Morgan yelled as a lot of refs ran to the ring to separate the two.

"Are we even going to have a match?" King asked.

"I don't know. These two hate each other." JBL added while Kaitlyn helped Morgan with Alicia.

Alicia starts to get taken up the ramp but then Morgan escapes the refs as the crowd cheers loudly and she runs toward Alicia to jump on her and the refs.

"Whoa!" King exclaimed.

"She just flew!" Cole shouted as the refs that held Morgan, run up the ramp to grab her and separate the two.

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

Fans tweet:

'Alicia and Morgan went at it! #DivasGoneWild'

'Morgan went cray cray! #MorganGoneWild'

'Even though there was no Diva match, that brawl was insane'

'Did you see Morgan throw her into the barricade? Violent! Morgan is awesome!'

'Alicia stood her ground. She'll get her revenge on Morgan. #AliciaRules'

'Alicia should have focused on her match. #AliciaGotFoxed'

'Finally, a diva segment worth watching. I thought the guys only had crazy brawls like this'

'Morgan just flew like superman!'

'Beat her up Alicia! #DivasGoneWild'

Morgan tweets 'AliciaFoxy got another thing coming. This isn't over. #IWillEndYou #IWillFoxYouToTheGround #You'reGoingDownVixen

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

'Smackdown'

"You know, I'm kind of worried," Cole said as Morgan was wrestling Tamina in the ring.

"Why?" JBL asked

"The Shield has been quiet around Morgan lately."

"Come to think of it you're right. But The Shield said they are waiting for Morgan to strike back. But Morgan has her hands full with Alicia Fox."

"Yeah. Especially that crazy brawl they had on Raw, this past Monday."

As the match progresses, Tamina hits Morgan with the Samoan drop and then goes on the turnbuckle. She attempts to go for the Superfly Splash but Morgan moves out of the way and they are both lying on the mat, hurt.

"Morgan is still hurt from that Samoan drop. I'm surprised she found the strength to move out the way." Cole said.

"It's all about showing what you can do." JBL said.

The ref starts counting for a double knockout and they get up on 7. Morgan starts to gain momentum with clotheslines and then she tosses Tamina in the ropes. Morgan kicks her in the face causing her to fall.

"In the beginning, Tamina dominated this match and now it seems Morgan is taking control."

Morgan was about to hit the backfire on Tamina but Tamina counters and clotheslines her hard into the mat.

"Oh! Did you hear that clothesline?" Cole asks. Tamina pins Morgan but she kicks out. "And Morgan stays alive in this match-up."

Later on in a back-and-forth match, Morgan finally hits the backfire to win the match.

"Morgan wins, but will that be enough for the Royal Rumble? She is up against Alicia Fox in a Lumberjill match this Sunday." JBL said.

'Royal Rumble'

Aksana, Rosa, Tamina, AJ, Layla, Kaitlyn, Natalya, Cameron, and Naomi were surrounding the ring while Alicia was already in the ring.

"Introducing the challenger, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Morgan Lopez!" Justin announced.

Morgan comes out in her attire but wears the Nonbeliever tank top. She grins and has her right hand up and tags some hands before going in the ring. Standing on the turnbuckle, she takes off her hood, taunting the crowd again while yelling "Yeah!"

'Ding Ding Ding'

During the match, Morgan dropkicks Alicia out the ring, as Kaitlyn, Cameron and Naomi throw her back inside. After some back and forth action, Morgan runs to the ropes and is about to jump on Alicia but Alicia counters with a powerbomb.

"She knocked the wind out of her!" King exclaimed

Alicia pins her, only to get a two count, to the shock of the crowd.

"There is no way she could have kicked out from that, no way." JBL said.

"Morgan is a fighter." Cole reminded.

Later on, the heel divas start to argue with the face divas and it becomes a brawl. With the ref distracted, Alicia takes out a small bottle of hair spray and sprays it on Morgan's face to hurt her. With her staggered, she connects with the scissors kick and pins her with her feet on the ropes to win the match.

"Here is your winner! Alicia Fox!" Justin announced. Alicia's theme comes on and she gets out the ring and taunts Morgan.

"All you do is cheat huh?" Morgan grumbled as Alicia was with the heel divas at the ramp, celebrating.

"Well, Alicia wins," King says.

"But she had her feet on the ropes!" Cole exclaimed. "And hit her with hair spray! That wasn't even legal!"

"So? She still won." JBL says.

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

'Next day, Raw'

Morgan was walking backstage but heard Paul Heyman talking to Brad Maddox. Curious, she leaned on the wall to listen to their conversation. Paul stated that he paid him to make sure Ryback didn't beat Punk for the title and the crowd was shocked.

Morgan puts her hand to her mouth as The Shield comes behind Brad.

"Paul, please." Brad pleaded.

"Please?" Paul repeats.

"I'll-­I'll leave, okay?"

"Oh stop, come on~"

"Paul, please. I'll leave."

"Shh...take this beating like a man. Come on, you wanted an experience."

"Just tell Punk, I'm sorry, and I'll go."

"Listen, I want this to be a learning experience."

"Paul please" Brad began but got attacked by The Shield. The sound of the punches and stomps made Morgan quickly leave the scene to tell a few people about what she just saw.

After the show, she tweets. 'Finally have a plan of what I want to do with The Shield. #ReadyToTakeAction #MorganVsTheShield'

'Next week on Raw'

Brad Maddox is in the ring cutting a promo on what had happened. "I am an innocent victim. I am innocent. I did the right then when I gave Vince the footage that proved that Paul Heyman was lying about me and lying about The Shield's involvement with CM Punk. So in a very,very real way...I am the hero, I am the hero of this story, it's going to be me and not John Cena! Who's gonna teach The Shield about justice. So...Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns...justice awaits you." he said

'Sierra' 'Hotel' 'India' 'Echo' 'Lima' 'Delta' 'Shield.'

The Shield walk through the crowd with microphones in their hands.

"Thanks for the invitation Brad, but we don't need one." Dean declared.

"I'm not the only one who took money from Paul Heyman!" Brad exclaimed.

"Don't even compare yourself to The Shield, nobody ever said justice was free."

"Maddox, you want to teach The Shield about justice? Do you even understand the concept of justice?" Seth asked

"Last time...it was all we're gonna take the time to enjoy this, little tiny man," Roman said with a grin as The Shield arrived at ringside.

"See we just get the feeling that maybe Brad Maddox doesn't believe in The Shield." Dean said as The Shield drop their mics and get on the apron.

"Well, this is not gonna be good for Brad Maddox." King mentioned.

"No, not at all." Cole agreed.

"He brought it on himself. I don't think he's anybody's hero."

Brad runs at Ambrose and starts hitting him but he gets jumped by The Shield.

"Brad Maddox went right after Ambrose and here we go. This is going to be a massacre."

"What was he thinking?"

"Drop him! Drop him!" Seth yelled. Roman clotheslines Brad. Then Seth and Dean pick Maddox up as Roman roars loudly. They drop him with the triple powerbomb, making a devastating impact. "Believe in The Shield!"

John Cena's theme comes on as the crowd cheers. But he comes out from the crowd as The Shield looks at the ramp. "Hey! Look! Cena!" Cole exclaimed. "Cena, entering the way The Shield does."

'Feed! Me! More!'

Ryback's theme comes on and he comes out of the crowd too. "Wait a minute!" King shouted.

"And he's got backup!" Cole yelled.

"Ryback storming through the people!"

'It's a shame that they lost their head.'

Sheamus's theme comes on and he comes out through the crowd as well. "Look at this!" King exclaimed. The Shield gets out the ring and starts going up to the ramp. "And The Shield going to retreat."

'I've had enough, I'm taking you down, I'm taking you down'

Morgan's theme fills the arena as the crowd cheers.

"Morgan said she was ready to take action!" Cole exclaims. The Shield have their guard up and watch Morgan walk down the ramp with a hand on her hip and an amused smile on her face. Randy and a few superstars follow her from behind. "It's Randy and company!"

The Shield gets back in the ring

"They got nowhere to run!" King pointed out as Sheamus, Cena and Ryback surround the ring.

Morgan comes and surrounds the ring too with her arms crossed. She was enjoying this to the max.

"The Shield have nowhere to go." Cole spoke as The Shield were back to back with each other. Cena, Sheamus and Ryback get in the ring to start fighting them. "Here we go!"

The Shield escapes and retreats into The crowd. Cena's theme comes on. Morgan grins and gets in the ring and high fives Sheamus, Cena and Ryback.

"Well make no mistake about it, The Shield got a taste of their own medicine."

Morgan tweets, 'Revenge tastes so sweet. How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine? #MorganVsTheShield #Payback'

'Next week, Raw'

The Shield is in the ring.

"You failed John. You failed last week...You fail every day when you get up and exist! This Sunday at Elimination Chamber will be no different. At the hands of The Shield, John Cena, you will fail again." Seth guaranteed.

"That's right. He will fail because John Cena is a failure. That's why we don't like you, John. You're not just a superstar, it's not what you've done, it's what you fail to do. You smile the day away in your little bubble. You see, in your world there are no consequences, you can do or say what ever you want. No consequences. That's not the real world, that's not the world we live in. That's what we call, The John Cena problem." Dean added.

"He's the problem. He and Morgan are the problem. John has been the problem for the last decade. We! The Shield! Are the solution." Roman yelled.

"You see John...you laid the ground John, for an entire generation to believe in the system. To believe in you John! And that's why Morgan got involved. We could have made her believe in The Shield quicker if you weren't such an influence on her!" Seth exclaimed.

"And now she's running around, doing whatever she can to stop us. Chair shots...tables...LOW BLOWS, KICKS IN THE FACE...that will not break The Shield!" Roman shouted, still bitter about what she did to him at TLC.

"I'm guessing low blows and kicks in the face are touchy subjects for Roman, huh?" King asked with amusement.

"And Morgan...we powerbombed you once, don't think we'll do it again. We will make you believe. And you will watch as your little team falls to pieces." Dean smirked while Seth and Roman nod.

"And this Sunday, we will rectify a decade of injustice in one fell swoop," Seth says.

"This Sunday, we walk in together, we walk out together, You three, might not walk out at all. I suggest you three bring as much fresh air as you can now cause on Sunday, The Shield is gonna drown you. Believe that!" Dean exclaims.

"Believe in The Shield!" Roman yells and drops his mic.

"Where you at? Huh?" Seth provokes as The Shield looks around the arena.

Morgan's theme comes on as the crowd cheers. She walks out with a mic in her hand.

"I'll admit, I suffered a lot of pain from you guys but I'll tell you this..." She gets in the ring. "I've had enough of you talking all this crap about injustice. Do you think I was just going to sit there and let you guys cost me my matches, not to mention a number one contenders match for the Diva's champion?" she asked. "Since you guys claim you are the solution to the 'Morgan Problem', I haven't seen any progress because I'm still here."

"She has a point." Cole pointed out.

"I'm still here and I will stay here. Now...enough talk, more action." She dropped her mic and slapped Ambrose across the face, before unloading on him with punches.

"Whoa! Whoa!" King exclaimed. Seth and Roman grab her off of Dean and they hold her down as Dean grabs his mic.

"You think you can put your hands on me and get away with it, sweetheart?" Dean shouted

Morgan smirked. "Yep!"

"Big mistake. You're going to come out here and disrespect us? This is the real world. Expect the consequences."

"Wait! Before you do anything. I would like to say something. Well, show you. But um...it's a surprise." she said and then the lights go out as the crowd cheers.

Cena, Ryback, and Sheamus appear in the ring once the lights come on and they attack The Shield while Morgan gets out of harm's way. Sheamus and Cena throw Seth and Roman out of the ring. And Ryback clotheslines Ambrose and The Shield retreat.

"Again The Shield retreating," Cole said

"You were saying?" Morgan asked, looking at The Shield as Ambrose glared at her.

"You alright?" Cena asked her, making sure she wasn't hurt and she nodded in response, getting a grin from him.

'Raw, after Elimination Chamber'

Alicia Fox is in the ring to share her displeasure for Morgan and express why she doesn't like her. She felt like she didn't deserve to be on the main roster and was trying her best to get her to leave. Alicia began to enjoy playing mind games with the girl. And tonight would be no different.

"Hello everyone. It's your favorite fox. Alicia. Now I have to get something off my chest. Morgan should not be here. She is only still here because she wants to try to be tough and fight The Shield. All she does is whine and complain. She can't even beat me. And I would like to show her again that she cannot beat me." Alicia stated and was interrupted when Morgan walked out to the ring, unamused.

"You seriously want to do this right now? You want to call me out? Fine." Morgan exclaimed and ran to spear her as they started to fight. A ref comes and breaks it up.

'Ding Ding Ding'

"Guess we have ourselves a divas match." Cole said.

Alicia starts to hide behind the ref as Morgan tries to get her. All of a sudden, she kicks Morgan in the face as a cheap shot to win the match and she leaves the ring.

"Here is your winner, Alicia Fox!" Justin announced.

"A cheap shot to the face." Cole looked on as Morgan held her head and looked at Alicia, shaking her head in disapproval.

Morgan tweets 'AliciaFoxy Real cute, winning by a #CheapShot This isn't over'

'Next Week, Raw'

Morgan is at the ramp as The Shield are in the ring. "No matter what you do, there will be no peace in the WWE until there is justice. And honor. Morgan, you can keep trying to take us out, assemble any super team you want, create an army, but you still won't be able to stop us from doing the job we came here to do." Dean said.

"Okay, well, it looks like I have to keep trying," Morgan nodded and then Sheamus came out.

"Alright lads, you wanna fight tonight? Why don't you come up here and fight me? What's the matter? You don't have the stones? I'm standing right here waiting for you fella. I ain't going nowhere. Come on!" Sheamus said as Dean and Roman started walking up the ramp.

"You want some huh?" Roman yelled.

All of a sudden, Randy Orton comes out of nowhere, preparing to strike as Seth is alone in the ring.

"Look it, look it, look it!" Cole shouted. Randy turns Seth around and he RKOs him. He quickly leaves the ring as Roman and Dean run back to help Seth. "Randy Orton with a hit and run!"

Morgan grinned as Dean and Roman started throwing a fit in the ring. She low-fives Sheamus and says to the two Shield members, "You were saying?"

"Orton, Morgan and Sheamus outsmarting The Shield tonight," Cole said.

'Smackdown'

Morgan is walking backstage but then Alicia runs and hits her from behind, making her fall.

"What the hell?" JBL yelled as she started beating down Morgan.

"You think you can beat me!? You think you're better than me!?" Alicia yelled as she picked her up and threw her against a table.

"Whoa whoa! What the hell Alicia!?" Kaitlyn exclaimed and ran with Layla to help Morgan.

"Get out of here!" Layla yelled as Alicia walked away. "Are you okay, Morgan?"

"You going to attack me from behind though? Where did she go?" Morgan asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

"We gotta take you to the trainers." A ref said as he came to assist her. But before he could, Morgan got up and ran off to find Alicia as the crowd cheered with anticipation.

"No! Morgan!" Kaitlyn exclaimed as more refs began to run after her.

There was no way Alicia was just going to beat her down from behind and walk away untouched. Forget that. Morgan wanted to find her and get her lick back.

"Ohhhh boy!" JBL said. "I like this side of Morgan. She always wants to get the last laugh and won't go down without a real one on one fight. Not getting beaten down from behind."

'To Morgan, backstage'

"You wanna attack me?" Morgan asked angrily as Alicia was sitting down in the makeup area.

"Yeah, yeah I do," Alicia replied. "And what are you going to do? Nothing,"

All of a sudden, Morgan grabbed her hair from behind, throwing her out of her seat, and started unloading on her.

"We knew this was gonna happen!" JBL shouted as they started to brawl with each other.

"Hey! Stop! Get off of her!" The refs yelled, trying their hardest to separate the two.

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

Fans tweet:

'Morgan just grabbed her off her chair. Go Morgan!'

'This is one of my favorite Diva rivalries now.'

'Things are getting so physical with the two! This is great!'

'Alicia kicked Morgan's ass! But then Morgan decided to attack Alicia from behind. #Weak!'

'Alicia got what was coming to her. Morgan showed her whose boss! #MorganTheBoss'

Morgan tweets 'AliciaFoxy #WatchYourBack #I'mComingForYou'

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

Next week, Raw'

As Morgan and Alicia's rivalry was starting to intensify, the two were in the ring once again for a match.

Alicia gets the upper hand and kicks Morgan to the turnbuckle. She starts kicking her and the ref tries to pull her off.

"Alicia! Get off her!" The ref yells as she keeps kicking Morgan in the turnbuckle.

"I think Alicia really wants to hurt Morgan. I don't think she even cares they are in a match," Cole said.

"She better stop or she'll get disqualified," JBL warned.

"Ring the bell!" Ref yelled, having enough of Alicia not listening to him.

'Ding Ding Ding'

"The winner of this match as a result of a disqualification, Morgan Lopez!" Justin announced.

But Alicia keeps hitting on her and then throws her out the ring. Viciously she continued the assault by tossing her into the steel steps as the crowd booed. Dragging Morgan back in the ring, Alicia got back in and struck her down with her finisher.

"Man, that arm of Morgan is not looking so good." JBL said as Alicia's theme came on and she left the ring, proud of what she had done.

"What will happen to these two next week?" Cole asked as a few refs rushed to the ring to help Morgan.

"I don't know but this rivalry has escalated a lot these past weeks," King recalled.

Morgan tweets 'AliciaFoxy, We need to settle this once and for all. #MorganVsTheFox'

Alicia replies, 'WWEMorgan101 awwww you want to get embarrassed again? By all means. You know where I'll be'

'Smackdown'

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome, Morgan Lopez!" Lilian announced as she walked out to the ring to a big pop from the crowd.

"What's up WWE Universe!?" She asked as the crowd cheered in response. "Well, I just have to get something off my chest. I mean, it's pretty obvious that Alicia doesn't want to fight me if she keeps getting DQs and winning by cheap shots since the stupid Shield, who are cowards~ want to interfere in my matches. So it's time to settle this. I want to settle this once and for all and to prove to you that I can beat you. That I belong here and that I'm here to stay. I...want a match against you at WrestleMania."

Alicia walked out to the stage, laughing. "You're challenging me? You're on. Prepare to be foxed."

"Alicia Fox and Morgan Lopez at WrestleMania! This will be interesting." Cole said.

Morgan tweets 'Talk all the trash you want about a pointless diva's match. I'll prove you all wrong. It won't be a bathroom break #It'sAMission'

'In The Ring'

After Sheamus and Randy's match with Damien and Cody, Morgan celebrated with them.

But then The Shield's theme comes on and Sheamus and Randy look around to see if they were around the arena. But then they see the three men on the titantron.

"Randy. Sheamus. Morgan. Relax, you don't have to be afraid." Dean said.

"Or maybe you do." Seth added

"Just not tonight." Roman said with a grin.

"Rollins."

"Reigns."

"Ambrose. And you should already know that that ring you're standing in is ours and if you still don't believe that, well then you can ask the Big Show. Because on Monday night, we dropped the Big Show and we served justice to the Big Show just like we served justice to every major force in this industry. Ryback, Sheamus, Orton, Cena, The Rock, check, check, check, check, check!"

Morgan rolled her eyes and continued to listen as Seth began to speak, "You know that brings up an interesting point. We've taken John Cena and The Rock, the WWE Champion, multiple times and we've laid them out, flatten them in the center of the ring."

"Just like road kill," Roman said with a chuckle

"And yet those two criminals continue to take from us because they are the main event at WrestleMania and somehow, the most dominant force in this company, The Shield, doesn't even have a match at WrestleMania and that is the greatest injustice, I've ever heard of." Seth continued. "That's an injustice we're gonna serve ourselves. So no more games, here's what we're gonna do. You two men find a partner, any partner you want, but just make sure you pick the right partner."

Randy grabbed a mic and replied, "I'm in."

The crowd cheered as Morgan grinned in response.

Sheamus grabbed the mic. "I'll see you at WrestleMania!"

Taking the mic from him, Morgan spoke, "And I'll be at ringside. No more tricks. You three are going down this time."

The Shield smirks, satisfied with their answers. "The showcase of the immortals, now and forever becomes, The showcase of justice," Rollins said.

"At WrestleMania, you will believe in The Shield. Especially you Morgan. This time, no more running. It's time to settle this." Ambrose declared.

"Believe in The Shield." Roman signed off and The Shield's theme comes on as Randy and his crew look on.

"The Shield oozing with confidence. The question is, who is Sheamus and Randy Orton going to choose to join them on their side to go against The Shield at WrestleMania?" Cole asked.

Morgan tweets 'I'm tired of the games. Shield, you're going down. #MorganVsTheShield'

'Backstage'

Morgan was walking but Kaitlyn ran up to her. "Hey did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Morgan looked confused

"Randy and Sheamus just got attacked by The Shield!"

"What!?" Morgan yelled and quickly sprinted while the camera followed her. "Where the hell are they!? Where are The Shield!?"

"Morgan! Calm down." Booker said as he walked out of his office, hearing her yelling.

"Where are Randy and Sheamus?"

"They are with the doctors," he answered as Morgan's anger started to grow. "Hey! Listen to me! Do not lose your cool, alright? We got this handled."

"I'm afraid I can't obey that rule." She said and ran to find Randy and Sheamus.

Booker sighed. "I knew she was goin' say that..."

Morgan walked inside the trainer's room to see Randy holding his head. "Randy! Oh my gosh, are you okay?" She asked as she hugged him.

"I'm fine...Listen to me, I don't want you to get involved in this." he warned

"That's a promise I can't keep. I'm already involved. I'm stuck in the middle of this mess."

"Just stay out of trouble. I don't want anything to happen to you, kid."

"I'm sorry but I have to confront them. I can't let them get away with this," she replied with a frown. Kissing his cheek, she proceeded to leave the room.

"Morgan! Dammit...you never listen..."

"What is Morgan going to do?" Cole asked.

"We'll soon find out." JBL replied.

'Later'

When The Shield attacks Ryback, Morgan runs to the ring as the crowd cheers.

"Here's Morgan!" Cole exclaimed as she quickly got in the ring and jumped on Seth's back.

"What is wrong with her? No matter what she does, The Shield will stand tall." JBL exclaimed.

She starts to put Seth in a headlock as he tries to get her off of him. Dean grabbed her off of him and then she retaliated by slapping him. The ref holds her back as The Shield leaves the ring, holding Ambrose back.

"Damn it! You will believe in The Shield!" Dean yelled.

"No, I won't!" Morgan yelled back.

"You will!"

"I hate you!" She screamed. "Why can't you just leave them alone!? I'm the one you want right!?"

"I have never seen a diva and superstar hate each other this much like these two," Cole exclaimed.

"It has been a while since something like this has happened. I have never seen Morgan have an outburst like this," JBL added. "This woman is wild."

"What's going to happen next week?"

'Next week, Raw'

Morgan is backstage in the catering area, looking at the fruit. She is about to get an apple but Alicia slaps it out her hand.

"Seriously?" Morgan retorted. "That apple was green."

"I just didn't want you to spoil what I have for you." Alicia showed her a cake that said Good Luck. "It's a present from me. To show that you need some luck at WrestleMania. But I think it'll look better...on your face!" she yelled and threw it in Morgan's face abruptly.

"Oh!" King exclaimed

Morgan wiped the cake from her face as Alicia laughed.

"You stupid­-" She trailed off as she grabbed Alicia by her hair and threw her on the table, unloading on her with punches. It wasn't long before the refs quickly ran to separate them.

Morgan tweets 'Don't expect me to just sit there and let you throw cake at my face. Do another stunt like that again and I will #FudgeYouUp'

She also tweets 'And FYI, that chocolate cake was good! Why waste it? #NotCool #BuyingMyselfACakeTonight'

'Later'

"Ms. Lopez." Paul Heyman greeted as he walked up to her backstage

"Heyman? This is a surprise...what do you want?" She crossed her arms.

"I would like to speak with you privately, please. It's important."

Morgan narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"I just really need to speak with you about something. It's best not to talk about it here,"

Morgan had a feeling she shouldn't have trusted him. But part of her was curious as to why he'd even approach her and what he wanted to talk about.

"Is this about The Shield?"

Heyman sighed and nodded, "I've been having some trouble with them lately and think I can find a solution to help you and your team against them. It's the least I can do after what has happened between us,"

Morgan observed him. Something still felt off. She felt it in her gut but decided to ignore it this time. And as soon as he brought up having issues with The Shield and the possibility of assisting her she wanted to see what he meant.

"Fine. But no funny business."

"I don't like where this is going. Morgan even thinks something is going on." King said

Seth tweets 'Things are about to get a little interesting. #BeileveInTheShield'

"Okay, first, weird place, and second, what do you want to talk about?" Morgan asked as she stood with Heyman in a more secluded area.

"I see you have problems with The Shield," Heyman recalled.

"Yeah, and now you're saying you have problems with them? It's funny how things come full circle. You paid them to work for you. You were dumb enough to let them do Punk's dirty work instead of Punk handling things on his own. Best in the world my ass...And the fact that The Shield agreed to work for you is stupid. And now they turned on you and you want someone to assist? I mean, seriously! What a stupid move to work with them from the start..."

"Stupid? Would you care to repeat those words?"

"Yeah. What a stupid..." She trailed off as she saw The Shield walking up behind her.

"Oh no," Cole said.

"I'm sorry, stupid what?" Heyman asked with a smile as his plan was successful.

"You've got to be kidding, me..." She murmured, shooting Heyman a glare.

She should have trusted her gut. All of this to get her alone with the three men?

"Never trust Paul Heyman," King warned.

"What's the matter? Don't want to repeat what you said?" Heyman smiled sinisterly. He watched as she crossed her arms and turned her head to the side.

At this point, she was just mad at herself for even trusting the guy. She should have known better. And once again she puts herself into tight situations. Her mouth continued to get her into trouble but she couldn't help herself but speak her mind.

Heyman began to laugh as he watched her be silent and continued, "Oh? Is Morgan Lopez getting silent around The Shield when she's alone? Shocking. It surprises me because the way you talk and do action with the other superstars shows a lot of courage. But when you're all alone with no backup... you're scared. But don't worry. You don't have to be scared."

Heyman made the mistake of reaching out to touch her face and she instantly smacked it away.

"Do not! Touch me!" She grumbled in a harsh tone.

"Oh Morgan, you amuse us all so much."

"Oh go screw yourself you fat ugly walrus."

The crowd cheered while Heyman let out a chuckle. Fed up with his laughter, she slapped him.

Heyman's face fell into shock as he held his cheek. He cleared his throat and adjusted his tie, "She's all yours, boys," he took his leave.

An awkward silence occurred as she turned her head a little, feeling three sets of eyes staring at her. She tried to make a run for it but a gloved hand grabbed her back. She grunted and turned, seeing that the hand belonged to Rollins.

"Leaving so soon?" He asked with amusement in his voice.

"Did you actually think you were going to get away with this?" Roman growled

"Just let me go..." Morgan spoke as she struggled in Seth's strong grip.

"Let you go? I believe you have some much unfinished business with The Shield." Seth recalled. "Think of this as a lesson for you to learn before you go against The Shield. Ask yourself, should I mess with these men again?"

"And ask yourself, how many injustices will I do now," Roman added.

"But don't worry, we won't hurt you. We, The Shield want to discuss something with you." Rollins reassured as Ambrose walked in front of her.

"Morgan, Morgan, Morgan..." Ambrose murmured.

"Don't do this." She shook her head.

Ambrose glanced at the camera that was still filming them. "Cut the camera off." He ordered as the camera got disconnected.

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

Have a favorite hashtag?

#Countouts

#Cheapshots

#Lame

#ImTakingYouDown

#MorganVSTheShield

#Payback

#FeelingEvil

#Revenge

#BraggerMcbragbrag

#MorganTheGrapeMonster

#Morgan2013

#FudgeYouUp

#BelieveInTheShield

#NotCool

#BuyingMyselfACakeTonight

#ItsAMission

#MorganGoneWild

#DivasGoneWild

#IWillEndYou

#AliciaGotFoxed

#YouLost

#IWillFoxYouToTheGround

#YoureGoingDownVixen

#IMComingForYou

#MorganVSTheFox

#WatchYourBack

#MorganTheBoss

#ReadyToTakeAction

#MorganAtYourService

[mirclealignr]

I'm sorry your sad. Should I tell you about the time I got a substitute teacher fired? The 1st time he subbed was 1st period math. We were doing a chapter review, the teacher wasn't there and we know subs dont always know what they're doing, and let me tell you I live up to the gays cant do math stereotype despite this being an honors math class. Anywho. We're quietly working, and I find a problem that I just dont remember how to do. I lean over to my friend and ask. Sub gets up. "What's going on? Y u talking?" "I need help with this math problem sir" Sub gets this smug smile and nudges the boy, "u know how girls r, always talking. Guess this ones not smart"

Everybody's paying attention now, and I'm known for never talking back to teachers + constantly apologize. I just asked the boy again for help, and finished working in the problem.

Next time we see the dude is bio. One of my guy friends is Muslim. He hands out a packet and stops at my friend. I dont remember what he said, but it was racist. I can take it, but I never let anyone else go to their own defense if I can get there first. "This is an honors class. We are all in this class because we work hard and we're studious," I say, "ur here bc you weren't." Class is quiet, but I see a few friends look at me with shock and noones saying anything cause they're waiting for the sub to react. "So you've got attitude huh? U play sports?" "Basketball." "U ever foul out?" (I did once, but that was because the ref was 15 and the book keepers couldn't count, but sub doesn't know that) "yep"

Honors english. 2nd to last period of the day. Dude asks the new kid if he's illegal. Kid's face drops. "THATS QUITE THE BALD SPOT U GOT" I say real loud. I'm scared as shit too, cause I'm on honors list and teachers pet and really dont want to get in trouble. I go by unscathed though.

Next, and final time, is 9th period engineering, only offered to the highest of our class as an elective. This class was hard as shit and everyone who took it regretted it. As I'm walking to class room, I see the doors open but noones going in. They're all looking at me with this like, excited look in there eyes and I just know. It's the end of the day, and they know I do not take shit at the end of the day, and this class is one every single one of my damn nerves. Deep breath. Dude says my name in attendance when were all in the classroom and waits a full minute, staring at me after I say here. Anyway. Assignment is confusing as hell. Links and wrong websites and confusing directions. Finally, I get it. I find our work and what to write down. So people ask me and I go around the room and show each group. " what you hoping around like a little old lady for?" "I was helping" "with the work? And how'd you figure out what to do?" "Because I'm smart." Class erupts. We all get yelled at from three teachers classrooms over. I am The Talk for the next week of the entire school. Dude is fired,gone,erased, finito. My year at that school ended and I hopped on over a few districts and went down a legend.

I hope this distracted u a bit :) I dont know y ur sad, but it will pass, and you will be better.

please that is absolutle queen shit. As you fucking should. YES YES YES! they sounded like a piece of shite so i’m glad you got rid of them. tysm for the distraction, loved it!!

[comfeyworks]

Alastor writing/ Character ref sheet

NOTE: This is MY interpretation/ notes of my characterization of Alastor. Most is speculation and the other parts are just me having fun imagining what his character could be like. This is no way meant to be official or taken as cannon in any way.

A wonderful user by the name of dolly moon complied a lot of information from Viv’s streams. I’m referencing some of the information here so please check them out, they did a fantastic job making notes.

Warning: Contains talk about murder, cannibalism and other possible triggering subjects.

General

---NAME: Alastor--- Died: 1933 Age: 30′s Occupation: Former radio host and serial killer. Currently powerful overlord in hell

Main Personality/ notes

Always smiling (He sees people frowning as weak)

Sadistic

Charming and charismatic

Very proud( puffed out chest, arms behind back)

He's controlling/ does things his own way

Careful! He's not too braggy, or too forceful/ demanding. Ex: Viv stated in her qna that the pilot was originally going to have Alastor boast about himself and his backstory. Instead vaggie narrates his backstory. She changed this because Alastor wasn’t the type of person to flaunt his achievements. He knows that everyone knows how powerful he is, he’s not the type to rub it in. He's supposed to be charming, but still proud, juuuust in the right way

He knows what he wants, but doesn’t necessarily brute-forces his way to get it. Ex: "He-" "-llo!" He KNOWS he's getting in hotel regardless, but waits for Charlie to open up the door before invading the hallway.

Deceitful; When asked why he wants to help out at the hotel, he says: "Consider it an investment in ongoing entertainment for myself!" 'This is what you can think my reason is...' is essentially what he's saying. He answers Charlie’s question in a roundabout way that givers her what she wants to know while still keeping his true intentions secret. Time and time again, he lets his mask down slightly when Charlie isn’t looking. At 24:10 he narrows his eyes when she has her back turned to him At the beginning of his song he distracts her with magic so he can push Vaggie away. When he says “...And it’s just laughable-” during he reprise he turns away from Charlie to say this, he leans down to Vaggie.

He’s a hypocrite (hates being touched, invades other’s personal space)

Watches people do things the hard way and then reveal he can do it once it's done just to watch people fuck up

DELIGHTS in watching people failing/ struggling to do things. He likes observing people/ sinners as they are battling with their conflicted emotions.

He’s curious (He stopped by the ‘radio shack’ place to see what Charlie was talking about on the broadcast, and cocked his head when she started singing. To me that meant, “Oh? What’s this now? Something new?” he was intrigued and wanted to know more)

He analyzes people. He looks at the Magne family portrait when left alone. You can briefly hear him playing Charlie’s “Inside of every demon is a rainbow” song, and smiling.

He picks up on things quickly. Vaggie makes it clear she doesn’t like the idea of him being there, and he messes with her. He puts his elbow on her and pushes her away ( 20:44-20:48) He pulls her chin up and tells her to ‘smile’

He’s egotistical. No one is really ‘up to his level’

He gives verbal and physical affection constantly throughout the pilot, but it’s not genuine.

Likes being unpredictable

Primary drive:   Decisions are weighed in his own wants/ feelings. He wants to be amused, he chases exciting/ entertaining things. Think of him as like a cat chasing a mouse.

Fears: He doesn’t fear anyone. But is wary of powerful threats. He dislikes dogs Physical Expression: He’s VERY, VERY expressive through his body language and eyes. Large/ easy to read emotions can be perceived through his body language (Leaning towards someone, or leaning away). Smaller/ pinpoint emotions can be read through his eyes and type of smile (Wide eyes, squinted, closed vs open smile, etc.) He’s like a bird, fluffing out his feathers constantly. (He fixes his hair briefly at 24:41) He expresses himself proudly. ‘This is who I am, remember that!!’. Viv said the reason why almost all of characters have nicknames is that a soul’s real name is dangerous, its a way others can have power over you. Yet Alastor uses his first name, because he’s not scared and confident in who he is as a person. He doesn’t hide from any aspect of himself. I’ve stated he hates being touched by others. When he picks up Nifty in the pilot, she poofs out and spreads her limbs out. At 25:41, Alastor turns his head away from her briefly so she doesn’t touch him.

Flaws/ Weaknesses:

(Note: Basically anything already stated can be a problem depending on the situation, I’m just saying things about his character that he’d find weak or naturally cause problems)

His mother, he’d do anything for her.

He has a darker/ more powerful demon side to him where he runs purely on instinct/ primitive emotions.

He’s arrogant. This can cause problems!

---

Killer/ moral compass profile (Living)

Motivations:

Thrill Killer- Pleasure from pain

Slight power/control aspect involved as well.

‘Causes’

Childhood trauma (abusive father)

Environmental factors (mother died when he was 18-20)

Type of killer: *Note: I’m still not 100% satisfied with this part, I might make some changes later*

He won’t just kill anyone. They have to meet a certain list of requirements.

Viv compared him as someone similar to Dexter

He’s a very goal oriented killer. Whatever he did it was with reason and purpose, meticulously planned. Ex: Maybe one year he’d kill someone who was a real jerk, to see how the others around him flourished. Likewise he might kill someone who was important to the community just to see how the grief made everyone react.

He was a very careful killer, he ended up dying purely on accident, bad luck.

He killed for the fun of it, pure joy, excitement, curiosity. But he only killed people he thought deserved it.

He considers what he does to be ‘work’. He expresses in the pilot how after decades in hell it’s become ‘mundane’ and ‘aimless’.

The victims had to be overconfident to some degree.(This ties into the ‘he wouldn’t chase his victims.’ They had to be somewhat full of themselves or naive)

Some kills are personal (Someone wronging him, trying to hurt him, otherwise he just wouldn’t care if some guy is an asshole) but others are just because he feels like they’re bad/ they’ve have done something that they need to die for.

He used ‘personal’ ways of killing people. (Knife, his hands). I don’t think he would have used a gun of any kind because of the noise, but he could have once every blue moon.

Generally doesn’t draw things out for too long ”...If I wanted to hurt anyone here... I would have done so already.” (He defeats Sir Pentious in under a minute. But still takes the time to crush him and drag his body across the floor.)

He ate people, and knew how to make delicious meals out of them.

Buried his victim’s bodies/ remains on a hunting ground for deer.

Morals

No human is pure or kind just because. They’re selfish beings. Who take and act to help their own causes. Everyone is a monster on the inside. “...redemption, the nonexistent humanity!”

Everyone puts on a mask to hide who they truly are. Life is one big game to see who can survive. “...the world is a stage! And the stage, is a world of entertainment!”

People don’t change “...there is no undoing what is done.”

Puts himself first, and above everyone else. He also degrades others. “I don’t think there’s any hope left for such loathsome sinners...” ”Inside of every demon is a lost cause, but we’ll dress them up for now with just a smile!” “...and show these simpletons some proper class and style...” “...do I know you?” “You think I’m [husk] some kind of fuckin’ clown!?” “...maybe!”

People deserve the consequences they get for being themselves “...the chance given was the life they lived before, the punishment is this!”

He understands what society views as good and evil, but doesn’t really believe in those standards himself. What is considered evil he just views as a hobby or something fun to explore. Ex: Cannibalism is wrong by society’s standards, but to him he thinks the greater wrong is killing something and not making use of it.

He has some level of empathy. (Again, He’d never kill a child or those running away.)

People’s emotions are a fun little game to him. “...I want to watch the scum of the earth struggle to climb up the hill of betterment! Only to repeatedly trip, and tumble down into the firey pit of failure!”

Doesn’t see value in being nice or honest. (He does find it funny to watch)

Other notes/ hc

He’s knowledgeable. In more ways than one. He knows not to fuck with certain people if he doesn’t want to get hurt, he’s got knowledge on the workings/ operations of hell and deal-making.

Likes to cook

He likes bitter things (Bloody meat, alcohol, black coffee)

He’s got a party side to him.

He speaks french!

He plays musical instruments

He knows how to fight without his powers

He’s an only child

He’s part creole

He hates silence, he always surrounds himself with noise of some kind.

Husk and Alastor have a long, complicated relationship

He does things to make Nifty happy (Wearing sweaters)

He’d go out into a hurricane just to let it beat him down for fun (Why is this so funny to me)

Despite all he is, Alastor is capable of having friends and loving.

Has absolutely NO romantic experience.

He hates modern technology in general, but hates tik tok the most

The idea of Alastor cross-dressing to lure his victims in is absolutely hilarious to me, but I don’t think he’d ever do it.

[pucksnsticksnhockeyboys]

it’s what you deserve - pt. seven

summary: you finally have the chance to make things right, once and for all.

word count: 2.4k

link to the rest of the series

You had never seen Bee so happy as when you had told her that you ended things with Max. And it was odd, you had just broken up with your boyfriend, but you weren't sad. More, hopeful. When you had explained this to Bee, she just smiled widely at you and pulled you in for a bone crushing hug.

You watched the rest of the game with a little more enthusiasm, yelling at the refs for bad calls like you normally would. And instead of following Brett's figure on the ice as he skated around with guilt evident on your face, you looked determined. Determined to make things right, to do what would make you happy for the first time in months. Though, you still couldn't take your eyes off of him.

And so, you made a plan.

Work the next day had been absolute torture, the only respite you got was when you were able to check your phone every once in a while to see if Adam had texted you. He was vital to your plan, and once you had gotten the message that everything was all set on his end of things, you were able to breath a bit easier.

You wanted to text Brett and tell him that he had been right. That Max didn't deserve you and that you figured out how you should be treated. You thought that since he played a direct role in you ending things with your toxic ex, he had a right to know what happened.

But that was all too much to say over the phone. You wanted to be able to see his reaction and not just some typed out response. You wanted to be able to hold him tight as you told him you returned all the feelings he confessed to having just two days prior, and that just wasn't a possibility over a FaceTime call.

You raced back to the apartment after work and found Bee already ready to go, telling you she had picked out your outfit for the night. You simply rolled your eyes with a grin, brushing past her and into your room to find out that she had, in fact, laid out an outfit for you on your bed like she was your mother. The jeans and white sneakers she had picked out were fine, something you probably would have worn regardless, but the top she had was new—and definitely didn't come from your closet.

“Adam had that at his apartment and told me to get it for tonight, just don't ask me why he had it.” Bee explained with a chuckle as you picked up the Rangers jersey, the number twenty-one obvious and Howden scrawled across the back. Your heart raced at the idea of wearing his name, and a broad grin broke out across your face.

“Just remind me to thank him later.” You were grinning widely, shooing her out of the room so you could change. It felt right, wearing his name and number, and it gave you hope that this was going to work out.

It wasn't until you were walking into the Flyers arena did you begin to panic that maybe this was a bad idea. Would he want to see you after the way things had ended? Or would he be too upset that you had chosen Max over him, no matter how briefly, to give you a chance? Would he even want to be with you since you just got out of a relationship?

Your arm was linked through Bee's so you wouldn't lose each other in the crowd, so she felt you slow down the closer you got to the ice. You had already scanned your tickets in, having gotten the ones that Adam left at will call specifically for you and Bee—you really did have to remember to thank him. Between work and the travel time to get to Philly, by the time you arrived at the rink practice was over and you wouldn't actually get to talk to any of the boys until after the game.

“Get out of your head, okay? It'll be fine.” You tried to listen to Bee's words, you really did, but it was borderline impossible for you to not think about the multitude of ways this could blow up in your face.

When the players came onto the ice for puck drop you couldn't tear your gaze away from Brett—nothing new, honestly. You were a few rows off the ice, so you didn't blame him for not spotting you no matter how much you stared at him.

As the game progressed, you honestly couldn't be bothered to remember who scored what and how. Bee elbowed you every time someone scored, but your attention was fully on the brunette you held your heart. He hadn't smiled once the entire time he had been on the ice, and that was what cut you deep, thinking that it was your fault he wasn't having fun doing the one thing he loved the most. Guilt crept into your chest and gripped your being as the final seconds ran down on the clock.

The Rangers won, but just barely. Brett had taken a few necessary penalties, but you were glad he hadn't gotten hit like the night before. You weren't sure you could handle seeing that live. You hoped that what you were about to do would snap him out of his funk, and he could get back to playing as good as he had been the past few weeks.

Bee led you down to where Adam had told her to meet him, and you started shifting nervously on your feet. You chatted absentmindedly with Bee, knowing she was only telling you about what your old neighbor had said to her that morning to distract you. She peppered in a few comments to assure you that it would all be fine, and you were thankful for her, because before you even knew it players started filing out of the locker room.

“Please tell me you're here to make up with him.” You jumped in surprise at the deep voice belonging to Chris Kreider, somehow not noticing him approach. He was one of the teammates that had invited you out to dinner with Brett and the rest of the guys a few times, so you knew him decently well. You nodded at him, cheeks flushing at the fact that the older player probably knew what happened between you and Brett. Chris just grinned, pulling you into a one armed hug that caught you a bit off-guard. “The kid's head over heels for you.”

“I just hope he still feels the same, after everything, you know.” You mumbled, finally letting some of your concerns out in the air. Chris just laughed, teaming up against you with Bee who rolled her eyes at you. You were fighting a losing battle against the two of them.

“Trust me, he does.” Chris' words barely had time to register before Bee was leading him away, having spotted Adam walk out trailed by the boy you had been waiting for. They both muttered ‘good luck’ and 'see you later' before they left, but you hadn't really heard them. Your attention was focused solely on Brett, who hadn't seen you yet.

In the time it took him to realize you were there, you cataloged his features. He looked tired, deep bags under his eyes and a heavy slump to his shoulders that didn't come from the hard game. His was tie loose and hair a mess, he didn't even bother to style it after the post-game shower. Everything about the way he looked told you had been struggling with how things had ended the last time he was at your apartment, and that it effected him just as much as it did you. Still, he was just as devastatingly handsome as you remembered.

His head snapped up to look at Adam, who had elbowed him in the side to try and get him to notice you. There were only a few feet separating you from him, and he had yet to even see you. It was only when Ryan Lindgren called out something along the lines of ‘look in front of you, dumbass’ did he finally spot you.

He froze mid-step, not even acknowledging how his sudden stop made Buch bump into his shoulder as he swerved to avoid completely colliding with him. For a second, he just stared at you like he didn't quite believe that you were there, in Philly, wearing his jersey and waiting for him outside the locker room.

But then he snapped out of whatever daze he had been in, and he quickly closed the distance between you and him, pulling you into a hug before you could even blink. It felt so right being in his arms, that you sighed deeply, unsure how long you had been holding in your breath. You were certain you could have stayed right there forever, but the hoots and cheers from the boys around you had you pulling back.

Brett still didn't say anything, instead he threaded his fingers through yours and used your conjoined hands to tug you down a quieter hallway. Even when he stopped moving and decided you were far enough away from prying eyes, he didn't drop your hand—and you'd be fine if he never let go again.

“You're here.” He muttered, eyes roaming over you, as if he was searching for something wrong, waiting for you to come bash his hopes once more.

“I am.” You spoke just as quiet. “I broke up with Max.”

And at that, his smile was absolutely blinding. It was the biggest smile you'd ever seen on him, and you were certain his cheeks had to hurt. The type of smile that had you smiling too, though with Brett, every smile of his had you grinning right along with him.

“You know, I meant what I said about it not having to be me.” His smile faltered a bit, softening to one that held some sadness, despite the fact that he looked at least ten pounds lighter as a result of your confession. “I'm just glad you realized you deserve more than him.”

“Brett.” You took in a breath to steady yourself, wrapping your arms around his neck to stop him from rambling. It effectively shut him up, and his hands came to rest on your waist. You were smiling now, you couldn't help it. You were in the arms of someone who treated you right and wanted the best for you, even if it meant he couldn't have you. “What if I said I wanted it to be you?”

“Please,” he started, his right hand coming up to cup your chin as his face dropped closer to yours. “please tell me that it's me.” And with how close he was to you, you couldn't even begin to formulate a coherent sentence, so you simply nodded.

What happened next was long awaited, having been built up since probably the first moment you had laid eyes on him in that cafe. Brett finally closed the gap between the two of you, his lips pressed against yours with a sweetness and a desperation only matched by you. It was like you both were afraid of what would happen when you pulled away, so it was delayed as long as it could be.

Eventually, you did have to breathe though, and you disconnected your lips first. Brett didn't move back far, forehead resting on yours and nose pressing into your cheek. The scruff of his beard scratch your chin and drew a giggle out of you, one that Brett matched as he pulled you flush against his chest in a tight hug.

“Yeah, I definitely want it to be you.”

The next few weeks with Brett were infinitely better than the months spent with Max. Somehow, even though Brett had a busier schedule, he still found more time to see you than Max ever did and quickly you forgot completely about your ex. You had never smiled and laughed so much as you did when you spent time with Brett—you were certain he was your person and you were his.

“Can I take your order?” The waiter asked, and you shook your head politely. You didn't miss the quick glance he shot to the unoccupied chair across from you, and how he knew you'd been sitting by yourself for ten minutes.

“My boyfriend is on his way, I'll wait for him.” You explained, and the waiter gave you a tight-lipped smile before heading to check on another table. Almost as if on cue, your boyfriend entered the restaurant, looking at you with an apologetic smile as he approached.

“Sorry I'm late, I just got caught up in traffic and I left late because Adam made fun of my shirt and I had to change—” Brett started rambling out apologizes as soon as you were in earshot. He cut himself off as you chuckled, smile telling him that you weren't upset at him.

“Brett, you're five minutes late, and you texted saying you were running behind schedule.” You explained, standing to greet him with a hug and a kiss before you both took your seats again. Except, he stole two more quick kisses before you were able to sit back down.

“Yeah, but I know you usually get to restaurants early, so I try to get there early too.” He pouted, reaching across the table to grab your hand and press a kiss to your palm before threading your fingers together and resting them on the table. You just smiled at him, a look of pure adoration on your face that your boyfriend easily picked up on. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It's stupid.” You shook your head, ignoring his question and the blush that bloomed on your cheeks. Brett wasn't buying it, and instead raised a brow in silent question. “It's just, I've never had a guy care about me like you do, you know?” And for a moment, he didn't respond. Instead, he just smiled softly at you, looking at you the way you had been looking at him just moments before. And when he did speak, it was barely above a whisper.

“It's what you deserve.”

[cattstarr]

I've been on a Digimon kick lately, can't you tell? Cyber Sleuth broke me, lmao. Haven't played a good ol fashioned rpg in a long time. Not since Temtem. Which, is still my preferred battle monster game, but damn did Cyber Sleuth blow me away. Wasn't wild about some of the fetch quests, but hey, what rpg isn't complete without them?

So anyway, I'm going through the anime now.

I'm going through a rough time in my life and this is majorly distracting. But once Hacker's Memory is complete, I have to hope the PS4 version of World can hold my attention. Flickie made it look fun but then he got frustrated with it. Idk if he couldn't figure out how to raise his champions or if it's just balls hard to do but it was a bit off-putting. He said it was a lot like World 1.

So anyway, that's what's up with the influx of Digimon posts from yours truly. Just lil ol me trying to escape some God ol fashioned depression and anxiety. It's kinda working...

I just wish I could draw again. I have a gift art in the works for Flickie's birthday that could have totally been finished by now but I just didn't have the energy to finish it. I'll do it, hopefully in time, but who knows. Probably not. It looks like it could be a day or 2 late. Which isn't as bad as I've been some years... And it isn't even that stellar. I wanted to make something bigger, but I've just been in an artistic slump. I wanted to draw another piece of Maynard, I wanted to work on my graphic novel, I wanted to iron out some of my lesser OCs, make some ref sheets... And I'm just... Ugh. I even have my alt universe Catt who's a tentacle monster to play with. So idk what's wrong with me. I'm not bored with my content, I know that. And I know I don't need something new. In fact, I fear that would be a bad thing at present. Idk, maybe I'll just draw dorumon, lol. He's my favorite rookie I think. I mean, I ID with gatomon or black gatomon (thinking more black cuz long winded reasons), but if I were a Tamer and limited to 1, it'd be Dorumon. Plus he looks easy enough to draw. Something to get the ol motor running, I suppose.

Anyway, sorry for all the spamming, I'm high on caffeine and when I am I type. I have a lot of issues to work out and I just don't know how to deal with them.

When I'm home I'm depressed and when I'm at work I'm depressed and anxious. I can't win. And I got denied ssi again. So I started the process over. This time I have a lawyer. I need to call him though to make sure they got everything... I forgot to do that.

I feel like I'm drowning. And if I could kms, I probably would. But I'm scared. So I'm hanging onto life out of fear. My love for everyone and their love for me just doesn't feel like enough sometimes... I tried hospitalization, and it's not quite what I need. Plus, we can't afford for me to take the time off of work. All I can do is daydream about not being a pussy about suicide.

If you read all that, thanks. If you don't know how to respond, that's ok. It's a lot and it's a very big thing to take in. I know it's uncomfortable to hear about someone's personal life when it's this dark and intimate. I still appreciate the concern.