#i did plan on drawing them tomorrow if not today but i needed the boost today

[moeblob]

I missed these boys too much..... I spent four hours doing this for my beloved two sons and also Felix. (the foremost is genderbent versions I'm sorry, let me know if I need to tag it)

[hong-kong-art-man]

After The Great Responses To Tuesdays with Morrie (By Dominic Cheung (張可堅), Alex Fong (方力申) And Me) In Hong Kong: The 7 Alert Points As My Experience Summary

Actor Paul Engle said, “We cannot move mountains. Let us make light.”

I did it! I produced a play called Tuesdays with Morrie with director Dominic Cheung and actor Alex Fong! Yesterday’s successful 12 shows are my today’s memory. Good comments reverberated in Hong Kong. Today is tomorrow’s dream. I am still recuperating and dreaming…

To create a successful play, it is more than a good story. We must think about the performance—about what will be holistically happening on stage with sets, sounds, lighting, costumes and importantly, actors. Apart from the above, a play has its meaning within a larger context—the satisfaction among the audience, the value of the work and ideally, the approval by art critics.

Some things must be learnt by experience, and the experience of misjudgment is however costly. A failure is not always a mistake. It can be the best that one can accomplish under the bad circumstances. So, it is important, after a project, to review what might be the bad circumstances. Avoid them in future.

I would like to highlight my observations about handling this theatrical project to a few points and wish they could be of use to friends who might benefit from these guiding words.

(1) Clear Customer Segmentation

The market is too big. Marketing expenses are too huge. You must bravely identify the ‘target customers’ of a drama project and classify them according to demographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics. Pick the right sector and use the correct ways to reach them. It is a challenge on your wisdom. For Tuesdays with Morrie, we initially targeted at young cultural people. The strategy did not work well. It ended up that the most supportive audience were those who were interested in the spiritual and educational meaning of our play: the exploration into life and death. But, as things including the poster were fixed, it was too late to change the marketing plan. We could have done better.

(2) A ‘70% Audience’ Break-even Budget

I never intend to make money in a drama project. My focus is the struggle on not losing money. After my experience of 3 stage projects, it is essential to aim prudently at that a project can break even if 70% of the audience seats can be filled up. Economy is right now bad and leaving for a weekend getaway in the neighbouring Greater Bay Area cities is a popular trend. These all affect adversely the box office of a local play. A cautious income and expenditure account is very needed when you want to keep some money for your next project.

Never leave your budget too marginal as deductions exceeding income earned can be a dangerous thing in a drama project.

(3) Get A Well-known Film Or TV Actor To Play A Part, If Possible & Appropriate

Stars are the widely recognized persons in a society. They attract audience. This is why stars matter. For those well-known actors who agree to play a part in a play, they usually realize that the fee will be modest and the participation is out of passion or interest. They will bring free publicity for your play and boost the event virally on Facebook, Instagram and WeChat.

Do not look down upon working with film or TV actors as unprofessional or downgrading, because some of them can be equally brilliant on stage.

(4) KOL And Subway Marketing

Most people in Hong Kong travel by subway (i.e. MTR). Even a small poster there will draw favorable attention to your target audience. MTR marketing is high-priced but it is worth the money. My personal experience is that it will increase ticket sales by 3 to 4 times.

Do not be afraid of its high cost. The rule is simple: you pay peanuts, you get monkeys.

For KOLs (i.e. social influencers), they normally command a group of followers on social media. When they praise your play, it will be a very effective way to create trust and credibility on what you are doing. Their words are regarded as being honest and reliable by the followers.

We wince with pain at that newspapers and magazines are in a declining state. People want real-time information on their mobile phones and computers; or paradoxically, from friends. Your money on print advertising should be reduced to a minimum.

(5) Smaller Theatre Over A Longer Period Of Time & Sell Tickets By Phases

Audience are critical and smart these days. Not being ‘early birds’ anymore, they will not buy tickets until the last minute when they can find out from the social media whether your play is good or not. The ‘Judgement Day’ is the first day of your show, after people watch your work and quickly comment on the internet. Any performing artist nowadays cannot turn a deaf ear to public opinion. Bad performances, after being bad-mouthed, can die in the blink of an eye. In contrast, great feedbacks from audience can rescue a play and make it a surprise box-office hit after the initial few days. It may therefore not be a sensible strategy to book a big theatre and finish the play within 2 to 3 days. It is wiser to book a smaller place and put up the show for a longer period of time, say 7 days or more. The advantage will be that when positive comments are received on the work, you will be able to catch a large number of ‘late birds’ who will buy tickets to support the rest of the shows. This strategy works very well for our play Tuesdays with Morrie!

(6) Know A ‘Mr Right’ In The Trade

There is a famous book called The Tipping Point! It is about how little things can make a big difference. In the drama world, the tipping point is to get to know the ‘Mr Right’. I am a bad ‘Mr Salesman’ (the term used in the book). My actor partner Alex Fong (方力申) is good. He is friendly and sincere to his fans and so many people gave him very warm support. We have also got a ‘Mr Connector and Maven’ (again, the term used in the book) who is our actor and director Dominic Cheung (張可堅). He is accountable for building huge momentum in terms of gathering the able teammates to our project. Dominic has been in the field for more than 40 years. He knows almost everyone, and naturally connects talented people across different roles.

I am an amateur producer but I am clever enough to get hold of Dominic, and then the whole project starts to catch fire!

Remember: while you do not know a trade too well, you have to make sure you surround yourself with the right people: competent professionals who can helpfully take you as their teammate and assist you to accomplish the goals.

(7) Accept Dissatisfaction And Learn To Compromise

It takes 2 flints to make a fire. The business magnate Henry Ford once said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” In the art circle, everyone is likely to be individualistic and subjective. You have to respect them and learn to be tolerant. However, it is important to let them know the overall team’s goals. Lack of clear goal is the most common cause of conflict among team members. I always insisted, “While you can use your own good ways to work on individual goals, do not forget our overall goal: a tasteful, meaningful and popular show within the balanced budget!” I tried to praise teammates by ‘Wow’ and instead of ‘Bow Wow’!

The best play comes from men and women who are willing to contribute their great work independently toward one common goal of success in unison. The value of achievement of our Tuesdays with Morrielies not in its box-office success but in its showcase of a group of wholehearted drama professionals in making such a thought-provoking drama about the true meaning of living and dying: a wonderful professor who lived fully and so was prepared to die at any time.

May Professor Morrie rest in peace…

Maurice Lee

Chinese Version: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zhang-ke-jian-li-94238254?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_fan&utm_content=join_link

Tuesdays with Morrie Interview  https://youtu.be/owoaMpgmU3U?si=ZfG07RBjWq4xU2Hm  Acknowledgement – TVB

Tuesdays with Morrie Press Conference  https://youtu.be/Y7Aobpd8Ii8?si=2GHLeMclmDFI7Dtg  Acknowledgement - IPS

Tuesdays with Morrie Interview  https://youtu.be/PvIIJjmKrjQ?si=gzBZvdfxTGczObp8  Acknowledgement – 娛壹

[debbiechanclub]

Best Two Out of Three, Part 26

This is it: the last chapter of BTOOT 😭 

I wrote a long, sappy post about what this means to me *months* ago when I thought we would finish much sooner than we did (whoops), so I won’t get into all that again. However, I will say that this is a huge accomplishment for me because I have never finished a multi-part fic until now. But I didn’t do it on my own. I absolutely could not have completed this in the time that I did without @hotyeehawman, and BTOOT absolutely would not be the fic that it is without her. So thank you so much, Lauren. We wrote a whole ass 123,419-word, 228-page mf’in fanfiction novel in less than a year 😳

And, at the risk of sounding cheesy AF, we couldn’t have done it without you all, either. The response to this little wrasslin’ fic consistently blows us away. SO THANK YOU. It means more than words can say. So once you finish reading this last chapter, please come scream at me in your tags, in the comments, in my asks, in my DMs. Because I cannot wait to hear your thoughts.

Alright, enough of that 🤧 I’ll let you get to reading 😉

Best Two Out of Three

Part: 26/26

Pairing: Kenny Omega x OFC, Matt Jackson x OFC x Cash Wheeler, Adam Page x himself

Word count: 7.8k

Warnings: Language; MAJOR angst

Catch up on previous parts here.

Tag squad: @freshlysqueezedmox @comeasyoudar @heelchampbucks @bec0m @betsy-bradock @linziland13 @gabbynorth98 @exe-darbyallin-exe @librathepheonix13 @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @kingswitchblade

Callie pulled her phone out of her purse to check the time again. 8:57 a.m. She put it back and glanced anxiously around the hotel lobby. She and Cash had agreed to meet there at nine to head to Orlando, and with each passing minute she worried that it would be Matt who stepped out of the elevator instead.

Their conversation had played on a nonstop loop in her head all night. This all happened way too fast. Yeah, I guess it did. Over and over again. Except, in her head, it didn’t end the way it had last night. Instead of Matt walking off she called out to him to wait. She told him that the reason she’d been avoiding him was because she felt guilty about how much she enjoyed being with him. Her brain told her it was wrong, but her heart told her otherwise, and because she didn’t know how to reconcile the two it was easier to just avoid the issue all together.

And that’s exactly what she was doing now: avoiding the issue by going to Orlando with Cash. And she wasn’t just going for the day—she was staying the night at his place.

It had been Cash’s suggestion that she spend the night. It’ll save me a round trip, he’d said via text. It made sense; they both had to be back in Jacksonville for Dynamite tomorrow, so there was no point in making Cash drive four extra hours tonight. So, Callie had agreed.

But, deep down, she knew she’d mostly agreed because it helped her avoid Matt that much more.

She pulled out her phone again, but rather than check the time she opened the camera and flipped it to face toward her. Her double black eyes had worsened from last night, turning an ugly bluish color, but thankfully some full-coverage concealer had made them barely noticeable. Even so, she pushed her oversized sunglasses onto her face. The last thing she needed was people thinking she was a battered woman.

The elevator dinged, and Callie’s chest constricted as the doors slid open. Mercifully, it was Cash.

“You ready?” he asked as he moved toward her. “Sorry I’m a little late.”

She nodded and jumped up from her seat. “Mhm,” she said as she grabbed her suitcase. She couldn’t leave the hotel fast enough.

* * * * * * * * * *

The drive to Orlando was mostly quiet. Cash had asked her if there was anything in particular she wanted to do or see, but she’d just told him she was up for whatever. She knew absolutely nothing about Orlando outside of the fact that Disney World and Universal Studios were there and the little bit she’d seen when she’d stayed with Britt. But Cash didn’t seem bothered by her apparent lack of enthusiasm; he’d just grinned and said, “I got you.” It made Callie’s stomach flutter.

They dropped off their bags at his place and she met his English bulldog, Pawla, before they set off for their first stop of the day. Cash seemed excited as he steered his truck into a parking lot in front of a large complex. Callie, however, was more than just a little confused when she saw what it was.

“Go-karts?”

She hadn’t meant to sound so disappointed, but Cash just let out a laugh. “What? You don’t like go-karts?”

She didn’t answer, looking skeptically out the window at the building. For whatever reason, it made her think of Alex. Go-karts seemed more her speed. She frowned. I wonder if he took her here, too.

“Come on, it’ll be fun,” Cash said. “I think you could use the adrenaline boost.”

“I can think of better ways to get an adrenaline boost.”

As soon as she said it, Callie wished she could take it back. It had just slipped out, implication and all. She looked hesitantly at Cash. He was smirking.

“I’m sure you can,” he returned. Callie felt her cheeks burn hot behind her sunglasses.

“Come on,” he repeated as he unbuckled his seat belt. “I’ll let you pick where we go to lunch afterward.”

He got out of the truck, and Callie drew in a deep, calming breath through her nose as she did the same.

Maybe avoiding Matt wasn’t the only reason she’d decided to stay overnight in Orlando.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex still hadn’t gotten over what had happened at the Labor Day party. In a word, she felt awful. She wanted to text Callie and apologize again, but between nearly breaking her nose and all but telling her to stay away from Matt, she doubted she wanted to hear from her. So, in hopes of boosting her mood, she’d decided to sit out by Kenny’s pool and soak up the last vestiges of summer while she still could.

But, so far, it hadn’t worked.

Her phone chirped next to her on the lounger, and she picked it up and unlocked the screen. She had a text from Trent.

Hey loser. You have plans today?

She rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips as she typed back. Not really. Why?

She hit “send,” but instead of setting the phone back down she opened up Instagram. She clicked on Jay White’s story and let it autoplay through a couple more people before it unexpectedly came to Cash’s story. It was a Boomerang video of an indoor go-kart track. Alex recognized it; he’d taken her there one of the first weekends she’d stayed with him in Orlando.

A banner appeared at the top of her screen with Trent’s reply. Because Sam is in town if you want to come hang out.

That caught her off-guard. Sam, the boys’ friend who she’d first met five years ago. Alex had had no idea she was going to be in Jacksonville. Had one of them told her and it’d slipped her mind? But she didn’t think too much of it as she opened the text and sent her response.

Idk. After yesterday I kind of just feel like being a hermit today.

She went back to Instagram and refreshed the page—and her eyes widened at the first picture that popped up.

Callie, a bright smile on her face as she posed in a helmet at the very same indoor go-kart track from Cash’s story.

“Are you shitting me?”

“There you are.”

Alex nearly dropped her phone on her face at the sound of Kenny’s voice. He gave her an amused look. “You alright?”

“Yeah…” she started. But she thought better of it and huffed, “No.”

Kenny cocked his head in concern as he sat down on the edge of the lounger next to her. “What’s wrong?”

Alex let out a sound that was half sigh, half groan. The last thing she wanted to do was to complain to Kenny about Callie and Cash, of all people. But if she couldn’t talk to him about it, who could she? “I’m just frustrated with the whole Callie situation,” she breathed.

She glanced at him from underneath the bill of her baseball cap. He frowned sympathetically at her. “I know, baby. But you didn’t hit her on purpose. If she doesn’t believe that it’s her problem.”

“It’s not just that,” she interjected. “According to Instagram she’s in Orlando with Cash right now.”

His brow furrowed in confusion when she said that. Alex knew exactly what he was thinking. “I don’t give two shits about Cash,” she assured him. “He can do whatever and whoever he wants. Honestly, I expect bullshit like this from him. But I don’t get where Callie’s head is at. Where the hell does she get off blaming me for ruining her relationship with Adam while she’s off driving fucking go-karts with the guy who stabbed him in the back? It hasn’t even been two weeks since she left him!”

“Because it’s what Callie does,” Kenny blithely returned. “She thinks she’s blameless in everything and doesn’t take accountability for anything. This isn’t the first time she’s shown you that’s exactly the kind of person she is.”

“But we were friends, Kenny! Somehow, we got over all the bullshit and became friends, and then fucking Adam…”

She trailed off, her voice growing thick with emotion, and looked to the ceiling. She didn’t want to get upset. But it was hard not to. She felt betrayed. That was the only word for it.

“Hey.” Kenny put a hand on her bare leg, drawing her eyes back to his. “Do you want my honest advice?”

She nodded.

“Stop wasting your energy on Callie and Adam. They’re not worth it, Alex. You’ve given them so much of your time and effort and what have you gotten in return?”

A tear rolled out of the corner of her eye and she quickly wiped it away. She didn’t need to answer him. They both knew the answer. “I know,” she softly agreed. “You’re probably right.”

A corner of his mouth quirked up. “Of course I am.” He leaned over and kissed the side of her head. “I was thinking about ordering sushi for dinner tonight. That always makes you feel better.”

She perked up a bit at that. “Can we get sake, too?”

He nodded. “Yes, I’ll get you sake, too.”

She smiled. “Okay.”

He gave her leg an affectionate squeeze and stood. “Well, I’m gonna go get a workout in. Wanna join me?”

Alex couldn’t help herself. “Is that a euphemism?”

He grinned. “No, despite how much I want to take that bikini off you right now.”

She just playfully rolled her eyes in response.

“Come on,” he said, holding out his hand. “Endorphins will make you feel better, too.”

Alex emitted a dramatic groan as she put her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. “Not if you try to kill me like you did last time,” she argued.

“But I always take good care of you afterward,” he said. “That was a euphemism, by the way.”

She returned his smirk. “Yeah, I got it.”

* * * * * * * * * * 

To Cash’s credit, the go-karts had been fun—but Callie was more than happy to take the lead on the rest of the day. She’d picked out a restaurant on International Drive for lunch (Cash had groaned and said that was where all the tourists went, to which she’d cheekily replied that she was a tourist), and afterward he’d convinced her to ride the Ferris wheel at ICON Park, where he’d pointed out some of the different areas of the city to her (Callie, who was afraid of heights, had kept a death grip on his arm the entire time). Then, at Callie’s request, they’d driven around some of the neighborhoods so that she could get a better feel for them (“Obviously, I recommend my neighborhood,” Cash had said). Overall, it had turned out to be a good day after all, and Orlando was looking more and more like the place Callie wanted to move.

But, the more time she spent with him, the more she started to wonder how much of that feeling was due to Cash.

“What’re you craving?” he asked as they sat on the couch in his living room.

“You pick,” she returned. Pawla lounged between them, and she reached down to scratch her behind the ears. “I’m honestly still stuffed from lunch.”

“Chinese it is,” he decided, and he pulled out his phone to order. Callie did the same, but to open up Instagram—and she found that Alex was the first person in her stories queue. She stared at the little circle of her profile picture, hesitant. But she was too nosy not to look, so she angled her phone screen away from Cash and clicked.

There were only two pictures in her story. The first showed her in sweat-drenched workout gear lying face-down on a gym room floor with the caption, “@/kennyomegamanx tried to kill me again.” The second was of her smiling in satisfaction in front of a takeout container of sushi. “He made up for it,” the caption read.

“I guess Alex and Kenny aren’t hiding their relationship anymore.”

She froze and glanced at Cash out of the corner of her eye. That was the second time that day she’s put her foot in her mouth. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “They’re probably the last two people you want to hear about.”

But Cash shook his head. “I don’t care. They can have each other.”

Callie frowned. She wasn’t sure how to respond to that, but he spoke up again before she could.

“Do you prefer beef and broccoli or chicken?”

She thought for a second. “Beef.”

A few more clicks and he finished putting in the order. “It says it’ll be here in thirty-five minutes,” he said as he stood from the couch. “You want a drink? I have a bottle of The Rock’s tequila, it’s really good.”

Callie’s nose scrunched up. “Do you have vodka?”

“Yeah. You want it on the rocks or mixed?”

“Mixed please.”

He nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. Callie occupied herself with petting Pawla until he returned with their drinks a few minutes later. “Here you go; vanilla vodka and Coke Zero.”

“Oo, that sounds good,” she said as he handed her the cocktail. She took a sip. He’d made it just right, not too much vodka, not too little.

“So, what’d you think of Orlando?” he asked as he sat back down. “Did I convince you to become my neighbor?”

His choice of words made her stomach flutter again. “I think so. There’s more to do here than in Jacksonville, and a two-hour drive to work is a lot better than a cross-country flight.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I like it. Dax is planning on moving back to Asheville, but I think I’m gonna stay here. It’s grown on me. Plus, I like Disney and Universal Studios too much.”

“Yeah, I definitely want to check those out,” she returned.

“We should plan a weekend,” he smirked. Callie took a sip of her drink to hide her blush.

They fell into silence, and they both turned their attention to the random show Cash had put on the television. But there was something hanging in the air; Callie could feel it. She was about to speak up when Cash beat her to it.

“So, we’ve avoided the topic all day, but I kind of feel like I have to ask now.”

There was no need for him to clarify what he meant. “Matt?” she guessed.

He nodded. She shifted in her seat. “What about him?”

“Well… are you two not together?”

He sounded almost hopeful. She hesitated to respond.

“That was the rumor backstage,” he added.

She rolled her eyes. “Of course it was. But I guess, yeah, at one point it was moving in that direction. But… I actually told him last night that I think we rushed into things.”

“Oh,” Cash said. It was obvious that he expected her to continue, but her confusion over Matt was the last thing Callie wanted to get into right now. So, she deflected.

“There’s something I need to ask you, too.”

Cash arched his eyebrows as he raised his glass to his lips. “That doesn’t sound good,” he joked.

But Callie wasn’t joking. “Why’d you do what you did to Adam?”

He paused to cock his head at her. “What do you mean?”

She shot him a flat look as he took a sip of his drink. “I mean when you stabbed him in the back, Cash.”

Cash made a noise as he swallowed down the tequila. “Damn, not pulling any punches, huh?”

“You didn’t with Adam.”

He looked back at her in surprise. She didn’t waiver. He breathed out again.

“Alright, look,” he started. “I don’t have anything against Adam. I’ve known him a long time. But he and Kenny had what we wanted, and we did what we had to do to get it.”

She rolled her eyes again. That was such a canned response.

“What?”

“You did not have to do what you did,” she returned. “You didn’t have to manipulate him the way you did.”

His eyebrows arched. “Manipulate him? Callie, all we did was point out that Kenny and the Bucks don’t give two shits about him. He did the rest himself.”

“What?”

“I swear.”

“So you didn’t tell him to sabotage Matt and Nick in the gauntlet match?”

“No! He did that because he was upset about you and Matt!”

Callie’s brow puckered in confusion. “What?”

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “He told us at the hotel bar that night that he found out right before the gauntlet match that you were staying with Matt in California, so he retaliated by sabotaging their title shot. Dax and I didn’t have anything to do with that, I promise you.”

The room grew silent as his words sunk in, stunning her. That was exactly what Alex had surmised when Matt had confronted her immediately after the gauntlet match. But Callie hadn’t wanted to believe it, and after FTR had turned on Adam she’d assumed that they’d been the ones to put the idea in his head.

But if Cash was telling her that they hadn’t, then it meant she really was to blame.

“Hey,” Cash softly beckoned. She looked back up at him. His eyes were earnest. “It’s not your fault. I didn’t mean to make it sound like it was. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Callie stared down into her drink, tapping her fingernails on the glass. She appreciated the sentiment, but she didn’t agree. Not really. “Well, technically I walked out him, so…”

She trailed off and took a long drink. She felt like such a bitch. I shouldn’t be here.

“And?” Cash returned, drawing her out of her thoughts. “I’m sure you had good reason to.”

Callie didn’t answer right away, nearly draining her drink. Once she’d had enough, she looked down at Pawla and scratched her head again. “Let’s not talk about it anymore,” she said.

“Done,” he said, and she sent him a tight, grateful smile. “So what do you wanna do? Watch a movie?”

She nodded. “Yeah, that sounds good. I just have one request.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Anything but Mean Girls.”

* * * * * * * * * *

When Matt arrived at Daily’s Place on Wednesday, he had half a mind to go to Tony and tell him to cancel the mixed tag match. He had no desire to wrestle a match with Callie anymore. To be frank, he didn’t want much of anything to do with her at the moment.

He knew she’d been in Orlando with Cash yesterday. He’d seen her Instagram photo at the go-kart track and hadn’t thought much of it. But not long after, Kenny had texted him.

Hey, did you know Callie is in Orlando with Cash right now?

It had caught him completely off-guard. No? he’d responded. Who told you that?  

He’d been more on-edge than he cared to admit while he’d awaited Kenny’s reply. Alex. I guess they posted photos from the same place on Instagram or something.

A quick search for Cash’s Instagram profile—Matt didn’t follow that asshole—had confirmed the claim to be true. It wasn’t a photo, but a Boomerang video on his story that gave it away. It was unmistakably the same indoor go-kart track from Callie’s picture.

I just thought you should know, Kenny had followed up. Matt hadn’t responded. He’d tried to put it out of his mind ever since, but he couldn’t. He kept going back to what Callie had said to him the last time he’d seen her.

This all happened way too fast.

He didn’t disagree; they had moved fast. But what confused him was that Callie had been the one to set the pace, not him. He’d thought she’d wanted everything that had happened between them.

But the way she was acting now made him feel like nothing more than a regret.

“Matt.”

“Hm.” He looked up from his phone at Brandon. He, Nick, and Kenny all stared expectantly at him from across the EVP room.

“Do you want me to film the mixed tag match for BTE?” Brandon asked. His tone that conveyed he was repeating himself. Matt obviously hadn’t heard him the first time.

“Oh, no. Sorry,” he replied, and he looked back down at his phone. He saw the three of them exchange a wary glance out of his peripheral vision. Thankfully, they just left it alone.

“Alright, I’m starving,” Nick announced as he stood from his seat. “You guys coming?”

“Yeah,” Brandon agreed.

“No,” Kenny wearily returned. “I got that interview with JR.”

There was a pause. And then, “Matt?”

He looked up again, this time at his brother. He shook his head. “No. I’m not hungry.”

Nick let out a breath. “Alright,” he said, and he and Brandon went out the door, leaving Matt and Kenny alone. The silence in the room was deafening. But it didn’t last long.

“Have you talked to Callie at all?” Kenny asked. “About the match,” he quickly clarified.

Matt shook his head again. “No. I haven’t talked to her period. Not since Monday.”

There was another beat of uncomfortable silence. Again, Kenny was the one to break it. “Look, about yesterday. I wasn’t trying to—”

“Don’t,” Matt abruptly cut him off. He knew exactly what he was going to say, and he didn’t want to hear it. “I’m glad you told me. Let’s just leave it at that.”

He raised his palms in surrender. “Fine,” he said, and Matt hoped that really was the end of it.

But then Kenny added, “But I think you owe Alex an apology.”

“What?” Matt cut his eyes at him in disbelief. “For what?”

“Oh, come on, you know exactly for what. For the whole reason the mixed tag match is happening in the first place.”

That confused him even more. “The mixed tag match is happening because Trent can’t mind his fucking business.”

Kenny rolled his eyes. “Oh, okay,” he sarcastically returned.

“What?”

“You called Alex a slut, Matt!” Kenny burst. “That’s what led to the mixed tag match! You accused her of putting Hangman up to sabotaging your title shot and you called her a slut for being involved with both me and Cash. But where was Callie yesterday? In Orlando with Cash, even though she’s apparently with you. So yeah, I think you owe Alex an apology.”

Matt sat back, physically stung by Kenny’s words. They hurt because there was more than just a grain of truth in them. But, at the moment, he was too stubborn to hear it. “Oh, so Callie’s the slut now? Is that what you’re saying?”

Kenny expelled an exasperated breath. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.”

“It sure fucking sounds like it is.”

“I’m saying she’s making you look like a fucking idiot.”

They were thrown into silence again, their arguing replaced with quiet, palpable hostility as they sat opposed on either end of the room. Matt’s eyes turned dark. He didn’t need this. Not now. Not from his best friend.

“Fuck you, Kenny,” he spat. He stood and stalked toward the door, and as he gripped the handle he turned back, a cutting remark on the tip of his tongue. But in a moment of clarity, he decided it was better left unsaid. The shoe was on the other foot now. So he just went out the door, suddenly glad that he did have a match. He needed to hit something.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Are you guys going out for Jim’s match?”

Alex glanced across the locker room at Trent, looking for him to answer Chuck’s question. He met her gaze before responding.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “We’ll probably stay back here and focus on our match.”

Chuck nodded. “Yeah. I wish it wasn’t mixed tag rules. I’d like to see Alex hand Matt his ass.”

“Oh, she doesn’t even need to touch him to do that,” Trent returned. “Didn’t he train Callie?”

Alex knew he was asking her, but she didn’t look up as she rummaged through her suitcase. “I think so.”

Trent smirked. “So then kicking Callie’s ass will be kicking Matt’s by proxy,” he said. Chuck blinked at him.

“Wow, you actually used that correctly.”

He sucked his teeth. “Fuck off. I know big words.”

“‘Proxy’ is a five-letter word.”

“You know what I meant.”

“Spell it.”

“Are you serious?”

Alex smirked to herself and let them continue to argue while she grabbed the top to her gear and a pair of joggers and went into the bathroom to change. Truth be told, she didn’t want to talk or even think about the match against Callie and Matt. It was a complete one-eighty from a week ago—she’d been aching to kick Matt’s ass then. But now, she just wished the entire situation would go away.

She finished changing and returned to the main area of the locker room. Chuck was still challenging Trent to spell different words. “I’m going to hair and makeup,” she announced over them.

“What gear are you wearing?” Trent asked.

She turned to face him as she pulled on her zip-up hoodie. Her top was a sparkly dark silver-purple with black trim. “This gear. Why?”

“Because we should try to match. I knew I should have brought the gear from Fyter Fest…” he trailed off as he dug through his things and pulled out his dark gray tights with the blue and pink designs. “Do these work?”

Alex gave him a soft smile. “Yeah, those work. I’ll ask Stella to do a blue and pink eye look,” she said, and she went out the door.

Unfortunately, she didn’t get ten steps before she ran into Adam.

He slowed to a stop when he saw her. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she returned, and her brow puckered with concern as she looked him over. He had his ubiquitous glass of whiskey in hand, but he at least looked better than he had when she’d seen him at the hotel on Sunday. “Going somewhere?”

He looked confused at that. “No… why?”

She awkwardly fidgeted with the sleeve of her hoodie. “Well, you just look dressed for TV and I didn’t see you on the card tonight. I wasn’t even sure you were here.”

Adam hadn’t said a single word to her since she’d texted him to ask if he was going to the Labor Day party. But she hadn’t said a single word to him since then, either. Because the more she’d thought about it, the more she’d realized how right Kenny was. It was exhausting putting so much effort into a friendship where she wasn’t getting the same effort in return.

“Oh,” Adam regretfully said as he looked down at his pale blue button-up. “Yeah, I just had an interview with Schiavone.”

“Oh,” Alex repeated. “About—”

“Where I go from here,” he interjected. “I said I was still open to tagging with Kenny if he was.”

He laughed wryly to himself and took a sip of his drink. Alex frowned and looked away. Kenny was not open to tagging with him again; she knew that for a fact. But judging by the look on Adam’s face, deep down he knew that, too.

“Where are you headed?”

She looked back up at him. “Oh, hair and makeup. For the match tonight.”

Realization dawned in his eyes. And then, sadness and hurt. “Oh, right. You have the mixed tag against Matt and Callie.”

“Yeah.” Alex fidgeted and glanced away again. She couldn’t bear the look on his face. But then she wondered: did he know that Callie had been in Orlando with Cash yesterday? Should she tell him?

No, she quickly decided. It’s not your place or responsibility.

“Well, I should get over there,” she said, gesturing in the direction of hair and makeup.

“Oh, yeah,” he nodded as she started walking. “Good luck tonight.”

“Thanks,” she said, and she turned and hurried off as quickly as she could.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the years since she’d started wrestling, Callie had never felt as much of an outcast as she did now. As soon as she’d arrived at the arena with Cash, she’d realized she had nowhere to go. The EVP room was out of the question, and she didn’t want to go back to sharing a dressing room with Britt—she was the one who’d blabbed her business all over Daily’s Place to begin with. Cash had offered for her to share with him and Dax, but she’d turned him down; she could only imagine the rumors that would start if people noticed her sharing a locker room with FTR. No, she needed to keep a low-profile, and so she’d found an empty room away from everyone else. Now, she sat in one of the lounges watching the show as she awaited her match, alone.

Orange Cassidy had just beaten Angelico with the Orange Punch. Callie had expected Best Friends and Alex to be at ringside for the match, but they weren’t. She looked away from the TV and down at her phone as Bryce Remsburg raised Orange’s arm in victory, but a commotion a moment later redrew her attention. Santana and Ortiz had attacked Orange from behind. The assault didn’t last long, however, as Chuck and Trent ran out and chased them off like a pair of guard dogs. Callie couldn’t help but roll her eyes as Trent angrily paced the ring, shirtless in his skinny jeans. She sincerely hoped Matt would get a quick pin on him in their match.

Chuck grabbed a mike to speak, but Callie’s phone buzzed in her hands and she looked down at the screen. It was a text from Cash.

Are you free? I need a favor.

Her pulse picked up a bit as she unlocked her phone to respond. Yeah… what’s up? she typed back and hit “send.” She watched as the typing bubble appeared and, soon after, his answer.

Don’t laugh. I can’t decide on a shirt.

Despite his request, Callie couldn’t help but let out a little laugh. But she couldn’t blame him too much; FTR was having an in-ring celebration in honor of their championship victory at All Out that night. He probably wanted to look his best.

Usual room? she asked as she stood to leave.

Usual room, he replied, and she headed off in the direction of FTR’s dressing room.

The door was slightly open when she arrived, and she knocked to announce herself before she let herself in. Cash stood alone in the middle of the room in a pair of dark navy slacks and socks, shirtless. Callie’s mouth went suddenly dry as he looked over at her.

“Okay, I can’t decide between these two.” He motioned to a pair of dress shirts hung up in the cubby behind him—one white with tiny blue dots, the other with a subtle blue and white checkered pattern. She walked over and pulled them both out of the cubby so that she could hold them up next to him. He smirked at her as she studied them. She did her best to ignore it.

“This one,” she decided, handing him the checkered shirt. But she frowned as she returned the white shirt to its place. “Are those the only dress shoes you have?” she asked, nodding at the pair of black square-toed loafers on the floor.

“Yeah…” Cash slowly returned. “Why? Is something wrong with them?”

It took every fiber of Callie’s being not to blurt out with, “Yes, they’re hideous.” Instead, she said, “Just brown would look better with navy, is all.”    

“Oh,” he realized. “I guess I should have asked your advice before we left this morning.”

She smirked. “Is that all you needed?”

“Yeah, thanks,” he answered as he pulled on the shirt. Callie watched as he fastened the buttons, and she realized she was staring. She fidgeted and looked awkwardly away, but Cash didn’t seem to notice. “Are you ready for your match?”

She drew in a deep breath. “Physically, yes. Mentally… not at all.”

He snorted. “Make Matt do all the work. He’s the one who dragged you into this.”

Callie anxiously bit her lip. He wasn’t wrong; of the four of them in the mixed tag, she was the only one who hadn’t been present when the match was made. But even so, she couldn’t do that to Matt. “No, I don’t want to do that. And besides, Matt didn’t ask for the match, either—Trent did. All because he didn’t like Matt mouthing off about Alex.”

Cash rolled his eyes as he tucked his shirt into his pants. “That doesn’t surprise me. I think he has a thing for her.”

She scoffed. “You think he does? Please, it’s obvious he does,” she said. And then she muttered, “It seems like everyone has a thing for her.”

“Not me,” Cash abruptly announced. “I’ve moved on.”

Callie looked up at him, but he turned away to grab his suit jacket. She wondered if he had more to say—it felt like he had more to say—but before she could ask the door to the locker room opened and Dax walked in. He halted when he saw her.

“Oh, hey, Callie. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

He glanced between her and Cash. They both quickly shook their heads. “No, I just asked her to come help me pick out a shirt,” Cash said.

“Ah,” Dax nodded. Callie didn’t miss the little smirk on his face. It was her cue to go.

“Well, I’ll go so you can get dressed,” she said to Dax as she started to leave.

“Good luck if I don’t see you before your match,” Cash returned, and she gave him a tight smile and went out the door.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex’s hands were clammy as she stood at Gorilla with Trent. The mixed tag match was next. Unfortunately, it was right after FTR’s joke of a tag team championship celebration. She did her best to tune out Dax’s egotistical blathering as she rolled her neck and loosened up. She needed to focus. A match was a match, and even though she wasn’t looking forward to this one, she still wanted to do her best.

“You ready for this?” Trent asked.

She looked up at him and nodded. “Yeah. Are you?” she meaningfully returned. She still couldn’t believe that he and Chuck had challenged Santana and Ortiz to a parking lot brawl next week. On top of worrying that they’d murder each other, she was concerned that Trent’s focus was no longer on their match.

“Yes,” he assured her. “Don’t worry about me.”

Alex smirked. “Man, have I got bad news for you next week.”

He gave her a crooked smile; but then his eye was drawn to a spot just past her shoulder. She turned to look. Matt and Callie had arrived.

Trent scoffed. “They don’t match at all. Losers.”

Normally, Alex would have laughed. But it was obvious even in the dim lighting of Gorilla that Matt and Callie’s gear wasn’t the only thing off about them. Callie in particular seemed unsure of herself. Her eyes met Alex’s. She turned away without a second glance.

Back in the ring, the “celebration” came to a screeching halt when Jurassic Express dumped a cooler full of beer cans over Cash, Dax, and Tully’s heads. Thankfully, they returned backstage a different way than through the entrance tunnels.

Alex drew in a breath and shook out her arms and legs as the show went to commercial. But it seemed like no time had passed at all when she heard the distinctive beat of the Best Friends theme song sound throughout the arena.

“Let’s do this,” Trent said as he held out his fist to her. She bumped it confidently with her own, and they walked into the tunnel together.

* * * * * * * * * *

A boulder settled in the pit of Callie’s stomach as she watched Alex and Trent disappear down the entrance tunnel. She didn’t know why she’d expected Alex to be just as nervous as her. On the contrary, she’d looked laser-focused; her and Trent both had. It was glaringly obvious that they were ten times more prepared for this match than she and Matt were. The two of them hadn’t even walked to Gorilla together—they’d just happened to get there at the same time.

“I’ll start the match,” Matt said. “I’ll try to keep your ring time to a minimum.”

Callie looked at him in hurt and confusion. “Why would you say that?”

“Because it’s obvious you don’t want to do this,” he breathed. “So I’ll just make quick work of Trent and get it over with, alright?”

“SUPERKICK PARTAYYYYYY!”

The opening of the Young Bucks theme interrupted before Callie could say anything. Matt didn’t so much as glance at her before he walked into the tunnel, and she had no choice but to follow him out.

The crowd offered a mixture of boos and cheers as they walked out onto the stage, but Callie couldn’t hear them over the music. She stood awkwardly next to Matt and waited for him to do his signature pose, but he never did. He just glared into the ring at Trent, who glared right back.

BOOM!

The cannons on the side of the stage shot fake $100 bills high into the air, making Callie flinch. She looked back into the ring as the paper money floated down around them. Alex rolled her eyes in annoyance and turned to say something to Trent.  

She stood stiffly at the top of the stage until Matt moved, and they made their way down the entrance ramp. Trent started jaw-jacking, but Callie tuned him out as she took her place on the ring apron. Matt, however, took the bait; Aubrey had to push him back as they yelled at each other. Eventually, Trent scoffed and turned back to Alex.

“You wanna start?” Callie heard him ask.  

But Alex didn’t even get the chance to open her mouth before Matt yelled, “No, we’re starting the match!”

Alex and Trent exchanged a look, but she stepped through the ropes and out onto the apron next to the turnbuckle. Matt removed his leather jacket and tossed it to the floor. Aubrey called for the bell, and the match started.

* * * * * * * * * *

Alex didn’t know if Matt was ignoring Callie, if Trent just wanted to beat the shit out of Matt, or if it was some combination of both. But whatever the case, the match had been going on for nearly ten minutes now, and neither of them had even tried to tag in her or Callie. It was aggravating, but at least it worked in her team’s favor. The match had effectively become a singles contest, and Trent had far more experience wrestling on his own than Matt did. That, and his cardio was better. If it continued like this, it would only be a matter of time before they won.

Matt tried to whip Trent toward the ropes, but he reversed it and pulled him into a side headlock. He pivoted toward a corner and charged, running up the turnbuckle to hit a float-over DDT. He went for the pin—but Matt kicked out at two. Afterward, both men remained still on the mat, taking what chance they could to catch their breath. Alex eagerly stepped up onto the bottom rope and banged on the turnbuckle. She wanted in.

“Trent! Tag me in!”

She leaned into the ring, reaching as far as she could, and he looked over at her. But just as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, Matt hit him with a clubbing blow to the back. He grabbed him by the hair and jerked him into a chinlock. It wasn’t a move that Matt typically did. Alex knew it meant he was getting tired.

The crowd started clapping in rhythm for Trent, and Alex stomped her boot on the ring apron in time. Trent wrenched at Matt’s fingers, prying them away from his face. In response, Matt pulled him to his feet and swiftly maneuvered to hit a float-over DDT of his own. Alex bit down on her jaw as she watched him hook his leg. Trent got his shoulder up at two.

Alex stepped back up onto the ropes. She was tired of this. “Why don’t you tag in your partner, huh, Matt?” she taunted. “Worried she can’t beat me?”

Matt glared daggers at her as he climbed to his feet. “I don’t want to subject everyone to having to watch you wrestle,” he spat.

But Alex’s wit was just as quick. “Oh really? You look awfully lost without your little brother out here doing all the work.”

That needled him. She knew it would. But what she didn’t expect was his response.

“Please, you wouldn’t even have a contract if you weren’t on your knees for Kenny every night.”

For a second, Alex was stunned into silence. But then a white-hot rage bubbled up inside her. She ducked through the ropes and charged toward him.

“What’d you say to me?”

“You heard me.”

“Why don’t you say it again.”

“Get out of the ring, Alex!” Aubrey ordered.

“Matt!”

At Callie’s warning cry, Matt instinctively whirled around and dodged—and what happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion.

Trent flew toward Alex like a bullet. He crashed into her and knocked the wind from her lungs, sending her violently back into the turnbuckle. She felt a pop in her right shoulder, and then nothing but searing hot pain.

* * * * * * * * * *

When Trent realized what he’d done, he felt sick.

He hadn’t known Alex was in the ring. That DDT had left him dazed, and he’d been oblivious to his surroundings until he’d spotted Matt with his back turned to him. So he went for a spear. But Matt dodged at the last second. Trent had absolutely no chance to stop himself or correct course, and he rammed full speed into Alex.

He watched in stunned horror as she writhed against the turnbuckle. She clenched her right arm, her face screwed up in pain. She was hurt. He’d hurt her.

“Alex—”

Smack!

He was abruptly cut off by a superkick to the jaw. He crumpled to the mat. Matt dragged him by the ankle further into the ring and pinned him. The count sounded distant and faint.

One.

Two.

Three.

The bell rung. Trent felt Matt throw down his leg as the music started, ringing in his ears. He stared up into the lights, unblinking, while Matt’s arm was raised in victory. He’d hurt her. He’d hurt her and then lost the match.

“Alex,” he said again as he rolled over onto his hands and knees. She was still huddled against the turnbuckle, clutching her arm as Aubrey checked on her. He felt sick all over again.

“Alex.” He crawled over to her and put a hand on her knee. She looked up at him. Unshed tears shined in her eyes. It broke him. “I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “It was an accident—”

“Alex!”

Suddenly, Kenny was in the ring. He practically pushed Trent out of the way as he knelt in front of Alex. “What’s wrong?” he asked her.

“I think it’s dislocated,” she winced.

Trent looked at her right shoulder. It hung visibly lower than her left. His heart dropped into his stomach.

“Let’s get you to Doc,” he said as he tried to move toward her again.

But Kenny blocked him. “I got it,” he bit. Trent didn’t have it in him to argue.  

He watched as Kenny helped her to her feet and ushered her to the ropes; he held them open for her so she could gingerly duck through. As she stepped to the other side, Alex looked back. For a brief second their eyes met. But then Kenny put his arm around her, and she turned away and disappeared into the back.

* * * * * * * * * *

Callie couldn’t stay out there a second longer. She was horrified by what she’d witnessed. The way Matt had taken advantage of Trent’s awful mistake, how he hadn’t hesitated to kick him in the jaw—there’d been a viciousness in his eyes that she’d never seen before. And she didn’t want any part of it.

She stormed off before Aubrey could even raise his arm in victory, marching quickly up the ramp. Kenny nearly bowled her over on his way down to the ring, and she turned to watch as he ran to Alex’s aid. But then she saw Matt coming after her, and she turned back around and hurried through the entrance tunnel.

“Callie!”

She didn’t stop or even glance his way. She just kept walking.

“Callie! What the fuck?”

That got her stop and face him. “Me what the fuck? You what the fuck, Matt? What the fuck was that out there?”

If looks could kill, she was certain she would have been dead on the spot. “Are you serious?” he spat. “I won the match and you just ran off!”

Her eyes darkened. “Well, I didn’t want to be a part of it anyway, right?”

Matt bit down on his jaw. There was nothing he could say to that. She gave him one last glare and turned her back on him again, praying that was the end of it. She just wanted to leave. Alone.

“I want your shit out of my house by the weekend.”

Callie halted. His words were like a knife in the back. They hurt. And suddenly, she wanted him to hurt, too.

She turned around again, her head held high. “That’s fine, because I don’t want to move back to California anymore.”

She held his gaze in defiance. But Matt just laughed, cruel and low. “Let me guess, Orlando with Cash?”

She faltered. He knew about yesterday. But she steeled herself again. “No. I want to move to Orlando for me.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Okay.”

“That’s the truth!”

“Was all this just a rebound to you?”

If his previous words had been a knife to the back, those were a blow to the gut. Tears sprung to the back of Callie’s eyes. Her voice came out strained. Apologetic. “No. I care about you, Matt. So much that it scares me.”

He laughed again and looked away. “Coulda fooled me.”

She took a step toward him. “Matt—”

“Have fun in Orlando,” he cut her off, and that time it was him who stormed off and left her behind. Alone.

[queenofspades20]

Goddesses and their Gods (2/3)

Here is chapter two of my submission for @bonkywobble’s Halfway to 1K challenge.

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x Reader; Hephaestus!Bucky x Aphrodite!Reader

Synopsis: Now that Brock is out of the way, it’s time for Y/n to convince Tony to let her marry Bucky.

Word Count: about 2.9k

Warnings: maybe language, fluff, slight angst

CHAPTER 2 – the deal

The day after Natasha and Loki locked Brock up in Tartarus, Y/n made the decision to visit Tony and make her case about marrying who she chose. Y/n felt bringing a gift basket filled with Tony’s favorite things would be a good way to soften him up. Even though he loved his wife, he still saw marriages more as business transactions and should be done for advantages.

Y/n decided to visit Bucky before going to Olympus.

“Bucky?” she called out. She saw his figure near one of the forges he liked to use.

“Over here,” Bucky grunted back. His voice almost drowned out by the roar of the fire he was working with. Y/n made her way over to him and waited for him to be done. She had learned early on in their relationship to not get too close while he was working with fire. Thankfully, gods didn’t scar easily.

After a minute, Bucky set the project he was working on down and turned to Y/n. “Hi, Darling. What brings you down here? I thought you were going to try and talk to Tony today.”

Y/n moved forward into Bucky’s arms. She sighed happily and nuzzled his neck. “Is it too much to want a Bucky fix?”

Bucky wrapped his arms around her and kissed the crown of her head. “No. I’m always happy to see you, you know that. I was just wondering why you’re here instead of Olympus like you had planned.”

“You make me feel more confident. Needed a boost before seeing Tony,” Y/n admitted shyly. She didn’t want Bucky to think her weak, but she didn’t want to lie to him. Y/n kept her face down.

Bucky felt his heart burst. He smiled softly and lifted Y/n’s face to look at him. “I don’t know why you would feel more confident around me, but if it helps, I’m always here for you.”

“You don’t think I’m weak? I know being the Goddess of Love means I’m not exactly a beacon of strength. And I’ve been told before that I’m mostly just good for being seen and not much else.”

“Of course you’re not weak! You are worth so much more than whatever asshole has ever put you down. Love is what makes you strong. The world wouldn’t be worth much if love didn’t exist. You definitely made my life so much better since we started being together.” Bucky looked at Y/n like she hung the moon and stars.

Y/n’s eyes teared up and she gave him a watery smile. “Thank you. See? You are very good for my confidence.”

Bucky chuckled as he leaned in. He brushed his lips against hers. “I love you. And I know, if anyone can convinced Tony to let us marry, it will be you.”

 After spending a good while with Bucky, Y/n grabbed the gift basket she made for Tony and made her way to Olympus. As she walked to Tony and Pepper’s residence, she heard whispers from other gods, discussing how Brock hadn’t been seen for a few days. Y/n knew she had to hurry before rumors got back to Tony.

As she walked up to the house, she saw Pepper standing in the front garden, speaking with Thor.

“Thor, I think having Wanda come by to tend to the garden is a lovely idea. Do you think she would do it? I feel hopeless with these flowers and she’s amazing.”

“Of course she would. I would come by more often, but my double duty is taking up more of my time than expected.”

“Oh, Thor. I don’t blame you for not having the time. I’m just happy there’s someone who can help. I love sitting out here in the mornings and enjoying the flowers. I can’t do that if they’re all dead,” Pepper said with a laugh. She was a great many things, but gardener was not one of them.

“Well, Wanda is the Goddess of Spring. She can definitely help. What I did today will take care of the flowers for a few days, so expect Wanda maybe tomorrow or the day after.”

“Perfect. Thank you!”

Thor smiled at the Queen of the Gods. “Always happy to help when I can.” He turned to leave and saw Y/n standing at the front entrance. “Ah, Y/n! Always lovely to see you. I’d love to stay and chat, but there’s an issue in Norway I must tend to. I think someone stole Mjolnir again.”

Y/n smiled. “Lovely to see you, as well, Thor. And no worries. We can catch up later.”

Thor took off in a flash of rainbow light. There was a mark on the street where the bridge had opened up to carry Thor off to Norway.

Y/n made her way through the gate and towards Pepper. “Hi, Pepper. How are you today?”

“Y/n! Always a pleasure. I’m good. My flowers were having a horrible time. I’ll admit I’m not the best gardener, so Thor was kind enough to give me some help.”

“He is wonderful for that. Occasionally I can get him to refresh some bouquets I’ve received if I really want them around longer. I’m hopeless at gardening myself,” Y/n said with a small chuckle.

Pepper saw the basket in Y/n’s hands. “I take it you’re looking for my husband?”

Y/n smiled sheepishly. “Is the basket too much?”

“Not at all. You know he loves gifts. Are you finally going to try and get your relationship with Bucky out in the open?”

“I want to marry him. It started off as just something physical, but it grew to something so much more so quickly. He makes me feel more loved than I ever thought I could be and I’m the Goddess of Love! He’s kind and smart and, when I’m in his arms, I know I’m home.”

Y/n had a dreamy look on her face. Pepper knew that anyone who put that look on Y/n’s face was the one for her. “Tony should be here for lunch in about an hour. You’re welcome to wait and we can start planning the wedding.”

“Pepper, Tony hasn’t said yes yet. Isn’t that jinxing it?”

Pepper waived her hand in dismissal. “Not at all. Between the two of us, we’ll get him to say yes. You deserve to be with the one you love. I know Tony likes to say marriage is about what you can get out of it, but we all know he’s a big softie as well. Besides, as the Goddess of Marriage, I have final say and he wouldn’t dare go against me. It’s all a formality with him.” The two headed into the house to get comfortable in the living room.

“If you’re sure.”

“Of course I am. Now, I’m thinking a summer wedding for you two. Maybe use jewel-toned colors?”

“I do love gemstones, especially the ones I find in Bucky’s mountain,” Y/n said thoughtfully.

Pepper smiled. “I figured. You always have loved shiny things.”

Y/n laughed. “Well, they are pretty.”

The two goddesses were so engrossed in their conversation, they didn’t hear Tony walking up to the house. He heard their talk about the wedding. I wonder if she’s going to come clean about her relationship. It's sad that they think they can trick me, but I do enjoy their games.

He waited a few moments and then opened the doors dramatically. “Hello, lovelies!”

Y/n and Pepper jumped from the unexpected appearance. “Tony, I thought you wouldn’t be here for another hour,” Pepper said, as she rose from her seat. “What brings you early?”

“Just wanted to see my wonderful wife. And I get the surprise of Y/n. What brings you here?”

Y/n jumped up and handed Tony the basket. “I wanted to bring this by and to talk to you about your proclamation.”

“Which proclamation is that?” Tony asked, trying to fluster Y/n.

“You declared that I have to get married.”

“Oh, right. We can’t have the Goddess of Love single any longer. Brock has declared his intentions towards you, you know.” Tony felt a little bad when he saw the panic on Y/n’s face, but knew it wouldn’t last for long. While he was amendable to hers and Bucky’s relationship, he wanted Bucky to start building things for the gods again. He missed using lightning bolts.

“I heard. And I think, he’s just not the right god for me.” Y/n squared her shoulders. Pepper moved to next to Tony.

“And who do you think is the right god?” Tony asked. “Who will be the most advantageous?”

“I think Bucky.” Y/n didn’t see the point of drawing things out. She was serious about Bucky and she knew if she beat around the bush, Tony would be harder to convince.

“He was cast out of Olympus. He’s a fallen god. Why would I welcome him back, let alone let him marry my daughter? Why not a god like Clint, Pietro, or Sam?”

“Because he can be useful to the gods. He is very smart and has created many items that the gods use, including the chains Loki uses to keep prisoners in check in Tartarus,” Y/n reasoned. “I’m sure he can even start creating your thunderbolts again. I know Thor has been lending you some of his power from his Norse side, but that can’t be very fulfilling. And as for the other three, I love them, but more as brothers. Clint loves to try and teach me archery, Pietro has too much energy, and Sam has his sun duties. And I want someone who builds things. I think his powers complement mine.”

“And what makes you think Bucky would be amendable to you volunteering him to work for the gods again?”

Pepper decided to step in. “I think maybe the three of us should visit Bucky and ask him. I’m sure this would make everything quicker.” She had a hunch that her husband knew of Y/n and Bucky’s relationship, but she was maybe 12% sure he knew. She didn’t want to risk their relationship for her hunch.

“Splendid. Let’s go right now.”

“Now?” Y/n panicked. She wasn’t sure if Bucky was ready to see Tony.

“Now.” Tony grabbed Pepper and Y/n’s hands and flashed them to Bucky’s home.

“Bucky?” Y/n called out. “Are you here?”

There was a moment of silence before Bucky popped his head from around a corner. “Um, hi,” he said hesitantly when he saw the trio standing there. Y/n and Pepper looked nervous. Tony had his usual cocky smirk on his face.

“Well, well, well, Hephaestus. You look a little nervous to see us.” Tony strode forward.

“What brings you here, Zeus?” Bucky kept his eyes on Tony, not wanting to give anything away.

“You seem a bit nervous.”

“Well, last time I saw you, you tried to ripped off my arm and threw me from Olympus. Can you blame me?”

Tony waived his hand in dismissal. “Ancient news. I got over you being involved in my mother’s death.”

“Yet, I still was cast out from Olympus.”

Y/n and Pepper watched the two men. Pepper rolled her eyes and decided to put an end to whatever game Tony decided to play.

“Tony, stop.” She looked to Bucky. “Hephaestus, we came here because Y/n has suggested you as a potential husband and Tony here wants to hash out a deal, if one can be made.”

“You can call me Bucky. And what sort of deal?”

Tony looked happy to make some demands. “I want you back to building for the gods, specifically my thunderbolts. You do this and I agree to the marriage.”

“That’s all you want?” Bucky was suspicious. Tony was rarely so generous.

“I need my thunderbolts. I’ve tried but can’t get mine to work like yours. I’ve been using some of Thor’s, but it’s not the same.”

Y/n moved forward. “And if he agrees, we can get married and Bucky is no longer banned from Olympus?” She wanted to be able to show him off on Olympus. While she enjoyed spending time with him in his workshop, she wanted to be able to have free reign to go wherever they wanted.

Tony looked over at Y/n. “Well, that is presumed when you get married.”

“Not necessarily,” Pepper chimed in. “You do like to make things more difficult sometimes.”

Bucky looked over at Y/n. “I’ll build things, but within reason. I’m not going to lose all my time to build. I do want to spend time with Y/n.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Fine. As long as I’m stocked with thunderbolts, I don’t care what your hours are.”

Bucky reached forward with his left hand. “Deal.”

Tony glanced at the metal appendage, gleaming in black and gold. He reached out with his own hand. “Deal. Bygones be bygones and all that. Once married, you’re no longer cast out of Olympus and our deal is in place.”

“Swear it on the Styx.” Bucky wanted to make sure Tony wasn’t going to go back on the deal.

“I swear this deal on the Styx. You and Y/n get married. You come back to Olympus.”

The two gods shook their hands and the deal was done. Y/n moved cautiously towards Bucky. She glanced at Tony, who had an amused look on his face.

“You two can stop pretending you’re not madly in love. Did you really think I didn’t know about you two?” Tony smirked.

Y/n looked shocked. “You knew!?”

“Of course.”

“Then why did you put us through all this?”

“Wanted Bucky to make me thunderbolts again. Figured I could get something out of this. And it was amusing to see the lengths you went to to hide everything.”

Bucky started laughing. He pulled Y/n close to him and hugged her tight. “Of course you knew.”

Pepper moved close to her husband. “You couldn’t let me in on your knowledge?”

Tony looked at Pepper. “Don’t act like you didn’t know either. I know you’ve been helping them.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Well, since everything is out in the open, I say we get out of here and let the newly engaged couple start planning their wedding.”

“Works for me. But, before we go, there is one thing I don’t know. What happened to Brock? He’s been missing for a few days and something tells me you all know something about it.”

Y/n and Bucky looked a little guilty. Y/n spoke up. “Well, when he declared his intentions, we wanted him out of the way so I could convince you to let me marry Bucky instead.”

“So, where is he?”

“Um, Tartarus? Loki is holding him.”

Tony looked thoughtful. “He can’t stay there, but I don’t really want him back. Think I’ll turn him mortal, teach him some humility. I’ll send a message to Loki to talk it out with him.”

Pepper just looked at him. “We’ll sort it out. Let’s go.”

After they left, Bucky and Y/n looked at each.

“I can’t believe we’re engaged!” Y/n exclaimed. She threw her arms around Bucky’s neck and held him close.

“I can’t believe Tony knew. Natasha, Goddess of Strategy, was helping us hide.”

“Well, he is the king of the gods. We probably should have known he’d know,” Y/n said with a shrug. “Either way, who cares? We’re engaged and you are welcome at Olympus. I can’t wait to walk around with you in the open.”

Bucky smiled down at Y/n. “Now we just need to plan our wedding.”

Y/n looked even more excited. “I have so many ideas. We’ll have to plan it quickly. I don’t want to wait.”

“Neither do I, Love. I’d be happy if we eloped.”

“Well, we can’t do that. I know there will be a lot of people who want to be there. Specifically our friends who helped us. It doesn’t have to be big. As much fun as a wedding is, I just want to be married to you.”

Bucky looked at her with wonder. “What did I do to deserve you?”

Y/n smiled up at him. “I think I’m the lucky one. So, now to plan our wedding.”

[shinebrite97]

Part 7

read part 6 here

       Yuri placed her pencil down when the first note landed on her desk, folded into a firm triangle, she carefully unfolded it, untucking corners to see Mammon's sharp handwriting.         What did Lord Diavolo want from u yesterday? Did ya get in trouble???        Yuri scoffed, quickly writing back and following his folds to return it to the original shape. Flicking it off her desk and letting it slide across the space between then until it skittered to a stop at his shoe.        He picked it up, and she stared ahead, paying half of her attention to the lecture and the other half to the discreet sound of paper unfolding.        Wouldn't you like to know, money boy?         She even went as far as to draw a winking smile. Mammon growled, baring one canine as he did so. She smiled, turning her attention back to her summoning notes.        This ain't over, human. The voice was in her head now. One of the perks of a pact, she'd found, being able to communicate telepathically.          It was great, at least, until they caught on.

         She wondered how long she'd be able to keep this secret. Did Diavolo even want it a secret? 

          There would have to be some level of PDA, she accepted that. The small amount so far had been reasonable. 

          But what about when things progress?  

          Would there be an official announcement to the house of Lamentation, would Lucifer catch them hugging at the door? Would they need to stage a kiss for someone to catch them in the act? Would it become a scandal? The demon prince dating the human exchange student a couple thousand years his junior?

          She remembered the things Diavolo said the day she agreed. He'd already had Barbatos lay the groundwork for rumors, so it wouldn't be long before some inquiries would be made and they'd be interviewed.

          "Hey, Yuri!" She perked up, suddenly snapped from her thoughts to see Beelzebub standing at her desk.

         "We're presenting." He said. She nodded, standing up and walking with him to where Mammon stood, tapping his toes and checking an imaginary watch.

         "You doin' okay, space cadet?" He asked.

          "Yeah." She replied.

          "You first, Yuri."' Beelzebub whispered.

          "Right!"

          By the end of class, Yuri exhaled a sigh of relief as she gathered her notebook and pen, starting when a gentle finger tapped her shoulder. 

          "Beel?" She asked, turning around.

          "Let's eat outside today," he said. 

          "Okay!" 

          They weren't long in the cafeteria, at least it wasn't long for Yuri to pick up a tray with boarback, rice, and soup and she waited only a few extra minutes for Beelzebub to perfect his grasp on four lunch trays each piled high with a bit of every offering.

          He walked closely behind her, guiding her out the doors and to a grassy patch in the courtyard where Diavolo's favorite mirage flower blooms caught the light of the moon in the sky. Beel didn't say a word until two of the trays were empty and pushed to the side. By the third he managed to slow down enough to start up a conversation.

          "So Yuri," he said, leaning back and crunching on a blackened apple. "Where were you last night?" 

          "I was with Lord Diavolo." She replied. 

          "Why?" 

          "He's...tutoring me." She cringed at the rise of the end of her sentence, sounding more like a question than a statement. Shaking her head, she quickly stabbed a piece of her boarback and chewed silently.

          "Okay…" he replied wearily. 

          "It's Thursday, right?" She asked after a moment. Beel nodded into a bowl of noodles now, lips curled to slurp them up.

           "I'm on dinner duty tonight," She said. "Any ideas on what I should make?"

           "So you're actually going to be home tonight?" Beel sassed back. "No tutoring tonight?"

          "Leave me be!" She squeaked. Beelzebub smiled, poking her side. 

          "How about we go shopping after class," he said. "I'll even help you in the kitchen tonight." 

          Ending the day with Devildom History, knowing she was going shopping with Beelzebub afterwards, was a new kind of hell for Yuri and her lack of attention span. 

          But as she opened her notebook to a clean page, she noticed the last page of writing from the night before. Filled from top to bottom with her handwriting, small print to fit more information per line, names of the last ten generations of Lord Diavolo's family tree. His handwriting mixed with hers, adding tidbits or spellings when she'd messed up, and helpful pronunciations for when she met these relatives. 

          It put a new sense of purpose in her concentration. Even this boring history class could boost her royalty training.

         She opened to a clean page, taking out a few pens in case one ran out midway through, and wrote down every word she could process.

Devildom politics, origins of street names, the original bartering system, myths about the previous crowned kings. 

           She'd take it all to Diavolo the next time she saw him, hoping to get more explanations over dinner or tea. 

When do I see him again, anyway?

            Yuri shook herself out of thoughts, continuing to write until her fingers cramped, shaking them out just enough to loosen it.

           The lecture had given way to discussion, as it normally did toward the end of the lesson, and some of the older demons tossed out reminiscence about Devildom in its heyday.

"Have you heard the rumors surrounding his Majesty?" Someone asked.

            "He's going to be crowned soon!" Another voice piped up. Yuri looked back, recognizing the horns on one dark eyed demon. Satan's friend, though he wouldn't admit it. Mephistopheles. A bit of a class clown, but has information on the comings and goings of everyone in the devildom. 

          "You hear that he's got a piece of ass on the side?" Someone else asked.

          "Lucky them!" 

          "Probably some succubus who's only with him for his money." 

          Or a friend who wants to see him succeed…

           She bit her tongue behind her closed lips, trying to maintain her poker face as her classmates unknowingly called her a floozie. 

            "Now now, that's enough." The instructor said. "We have more to cover…"

          That class couldn't have ended any sooner. Yuri sighed as she packed up her books, shoulder the black messenger bag Satan had bought her back when she returned, she looked up when Beelzebub entered her line of vision.

          "C'mon, before Mammon spots us." He winked, extending an arm for her to hold onto, leading her out the door and down the hall to the main entry.

          They snacked on crepes while they shopped, Beelzebub dropped things into the basket, taking it from Yuri when it became too heavy for her to hold, and took her hand once he'd finished his snack.

          "Beel!" She squeaked. "Why are you tapping my palm? It tickles!" She squirmed to break free of his hold, but he tapped her once more and then lifted her up by the waist, carrying her like a sack of flour and listened to that bright giggle as he swung her around. 

          "Okay, put me down!" She huffed. "I know your strong." 

          "You're cute Yuri," he smiled. "Like a stuffed animal."

          "A stuffed animal with bones that are digging into my skin!" 

          Beel laughed as he entered the checkout line, easing her onto her feet.

         On solid ground, Yuri took a moment to check her DDD, seeing some new devilgram posts, a part time job application for Hell's Kitchen, and a new text.

          "It's...Lord Diavolo," she said.

          "Missing a tutoring session?" Beel asked. 

          "We didn't have anything planned today." She mumbled.

          Please come to the student council office first thing tomorrow morning. 

          Yuri's heart sank. His words felt so formal and distant, worlds different from the Diavolo the night before. 

          Yes sir.

          She clicked the device off and stood silently beside Beelzebub who moved up as the line shortened, taking a moment to glance down at her.

          "Hey," he said softly. "What's going on?"

          "I don't know." He replied. "He just said to go to the student council office tomorrow morning."

          "Do you want one of us to go with you?" He asked.

          "I should be fine," she said. "It might be about tutoring."

          "Sure." 

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

          There wasn't much else said as they returned to the House of Lamentation, and Yuri knew it was mainly because he was more focused on getting dinner prepared and eating again instead of how awkward things became in line when she clammed up talking about Diavolo.

          They worked side by side, her holding up spoonfuls of simmering sauce or chopsticks with dark venison to give Beel a taste and letting him add seasonings as he liked. 

          What followed was a typically rowdy meal where everyone noticed how quiet she was, and as the meal wound down, and Leviathan took to the kitchen for cleanup, Yuri noticed that Lucifer stayed behind. Nursing a cup of black coffee and reading a ledger. 

          "Yuri," he said. "I wanted to ask you about your day." 

          "It was fine," she said. "How about yours?" 

          "Busy," he replied. "But I couldn't help but notice that you've barely said a word since you've returned. Not even Mammon and his obnoxious behavior got a reaction from you. So what's wrong?"

          "I don't know…" 

          "I am assuming this has to do with Lord Diavolo," he said. "I'm a smart being, Yuri, you have plenty of tells when something is bothering you, and the other night was out of character for both of you."

           "With all due respect, Lucifer. I'm not really sure how much I'm allowed to say right now."

          "And that response only worries me more."

          "I know you are only trying to keep me alive," she said. "So I can tell you this much. I'm fine. I'm safe. Lord Diavolo wouldn't hurt me, and that's not what's happening."

          "I don't like being left out of things," he said. "Especially when it comes to Lord Diavolo or a member of my household. And as you fall into one of those categories, this is very disconcerting."

          "I'm sorry, Lucifer," She said. "I will explain everything once I have permission to."

          "Humans are so strange." He mused. "Such a code of honor to them, and a will that is unbelievably fragile. I wonder if I could use my power on you faster than you could use yours on me." 

          "Or you could just trust me." 

          One thin black brow rose over those ruby eyes, ND after a moment the mood shifted, the tension dissolved, and Yuri smiled. His face softened and the corner of his lip lifted into a smirk.

          Their dynamic had become way more of a power balance since she returned. She chose to believe it was his love language. 

          "Well, I see you are not the lost little lamb you once were," He said. "You never fail to amuse me, Yuri. But I suppose I can grant you this. You have the rest of this week to settle things and then I expect an answer for this strange behavior." 

          "Thanks, Lucifer."

          Diavolo stood facing the open window in his bedroom in his robe, gazing more at his DDD than the glistening moon outside. 

          Yes sir. 

          The text seemed so cold. So unlike Yuri. No emojis or cute stickers. 

          And since when does she call me sir? 

          He wanted to see her again, but didn't want to seem overbearing. He'd gotten a call that day about an interview for his upcoming celebrations, and to introduce this special someone who'd stolen his heart. 

          It was the first of many interviews, steps to take in order to advance seamlessly.

          This was where their acting mattered. The make or break for this plan. 

          But now it seemed she was angry. What had happened during the day to garner such a response?

[xenteaart]

Diplomacy Failure

Summary: The Master and you have an established friendship, a bromance - you’re basically partners in crime. One day the Master comes up with this grand robbery scheme but it takes him months to plan the whole thing out properly, and by the end of it - he’s getting way too impatient and reckless. That’s where you step in.

Warnings: none, pure fluff again

Pairing: Dhawan!Master x Reader

Note: This was supposed to be a short thing so I decided not to create a whole ass backstory around it. The main reason why I wanted to write this was because I usually see MC being mostly submissive in fics (not that there’s anything wrong with it whatsoever) and I craved some diversity so here it goesss. 

Huge thanks and lots of love to my incredible beta @wonders-of-the-multiverse​ i love you to bits <3

The last few months have been hard to say the least. After years of knowing the Master you’d grown accustomed to his severe mood swings, but this was something else. 

Most of the time you never really bothered to get to know all the details of his typically complex and intricate schemes. You simply trusted him with those and did what he asked you to do, not taking any liberty to make your own decisions because he did know better. He was the one spending restless days and nights planning everything out after all, so you never really questioned anything. Until today. 

He was getting impatient and it wasn’t a good thing at all. 

The Master had an impressive set of skills, the ability to wait and execute slow-burn plans exceptionally well being one of them. However this time, he got way too invested in what he was doing, his near obsession leading you to believe it had something to do with the Doctor in the long run.

As for now, he needed to get his hands on something “very valuable and very important” and he was planning to steal it, of course. It was no common robbery though, the ship you were now finding yourselves on was huge. No, massive, so simply threatening a few creatures with his TCE and acquiring the object wasn’t a viable option. The ship’s obscenely advanced security systems were not working in your favor either.

The two of you were pretending to be a regular married couple, mere visitors to the event and so painfully ordinary in your nature as to not draw any attention. Keeping a low profile was essential.

The Master called from somewhere below the console where corridors led to the wardrobe room, and since you weren’t occupied with anything even remotely important you joined him right away. You were happy to merely see him and talk to him considering he now preferred the company of a thousand papers with all sorts of layouts, schemes, his own scribbles and something else in Gallifreyan that you had no way of understanding. 

“What’s that?” you asked, a little taken aback by his excessively fancy suit. 

“Your dress is right there, try it on and see if it fits,” he said casually as he looked in the mirror, ignoring your question and waving his hand at the sophisticated purple dress that was laid out on a nearby sofa. 

Ah. Matching outfits. He could never resist the drama of it.

You looked at the dress, the decoration on it exquisite and lavish. A quiet sigh escaped your lips as you tried not to laugh too loudly.

“If that’s for tomorrow, we’re not wearing that.” you uttered, not even trying to hide your amused grin at this point.

“What? Why?”

“Because we need to be wearing this,” you pointed at a horrendous blue suit and a dress of the matching color, the shade and design of both so ugly and simplistic that the clothing wouldn’t look good on either of you. 

A displeased frown flitted across the Master’s features.

“Come on, we need to look pitiful. Men of wealth love playing charity and chatting with lower class people, helping them out with whatever. It makes them feel better about themselves, boosts their ego.” you elaborated, your words heavily accompanied by expressive hand waving and vocal shifts.

He blinked a couple of times and looked at himself in the mirror again, trying to make peace with the idea of this fashion crime you were both about to commit.

The first step of his plan was relatively easy - he was doing the networking and you were doing the smiling as the two of you were slowly getting closer and closer to higher rank guests that were usually a little too drunk and clueless to not accidentally give away the information you needed most, that being - where the security control room was located. Getting a sample of some rich and wasted guest’s DNA was also part of the job since they all had unlimited access to all parts of this ship. As of now, you were getting a feeling you were never even going to make it to that point. 

The Master wasn’t very good at tolerating stupidity, especially when nobody knew and feared who he was. To all of these arrogant and self-absorbed upper class assholes, he was literally a peasant. Little did they know. 

You could see his hand playing with the TCE in his pocket as he was seriously considering whether to take it out and end this shitshow here and now. That would probably feel really good for a couple of minutes but then both of you would be captured and very likely executed on the spot because no matter how intimidating and dangerous the Master was - the quantity of creatures on the ship would be an undeniable advantage on their side. Plus, he’d spent so much time on plan A, there wasn’t any room for plan B, you figured.

Granted, dying wasn’t something the Master was ever afraid of. But you were human with no spare lives, so his impatience would mean very bad news for you.

“Don’t you want to take a break from this?” you asked timidly, standing in the doorway and not daring to let yourself into the Master’s working space just yet since knocking on the door did nothing to catch his attention. 

He was rapidly glancing all over the papers, his mind being evidently busy with something of more significance than your presence. 

“I can get you some coffee if you like? Or... anything at all, really,” you made another attempt at starting a conversation but it was met with silence once again, except this time you noticed hints of irritation in the way he was making notes and moving things around his table, mercilessly digging his pen into his notebook and purposely making a lot more noise while searching for something buried under these piles of paper.

“Yeah, no worries then.” you sighed as you saw yourself out of the room. 

You were getting fed up with this.

As you were standing next to him and contemplating your options, you felt the air around you change a little. It was an insignificant shift but you were particularly sensitive to emotional fields people and other creatures tended to create, and right now the atmosphere did not feel friendly.

You looked at the Master and then back at the greenish humanoid looking creature he was talking to. The conflict was clearly starting to develop, filling the space around you with tension and unease. 

You were so close to the control room, you couldn’t let that happen. There were only a few more floors you had to pass in order to get to the royalty hall where your main mission would be taking place. 

“For Christ’s sake.” you thought to yourself, recognizing the familiar burning anger in the Master’s eyes as he was slowly losing his already weak grasp on his temper and reaching for his pocket, his actions now fuelled with proper intention of making the man pay for his disrespect and bad manners.

The problem with the Master was - no matter how brilliant and clever his ideas were, his emotions and temper would always get in the way. You had to learn it the hard way by nearly getting killed a couple of times because of it in the past. But pissing off a few soldiers and running away was one thing, and acting hostile on a space station sized ship with no quick way out was a completely different story. 

“I am so sorry, sir, my husband suffers from this terrible condition,” you spoke as you looked at the Master intensely, doing your best to wordlessly communicate with him and beg him to stay silent, “where he gets unreasonably aggressive when he’s upset.”

The man’s expression was now plagued with confusion but it was a good sign, you thought. He was paying attention.

“He’s just frustrated we can’t yet afford to lead a life like yours, sir. Isn’t that right, darling?” you patted the Master on the back, your voice now so sugary sweet it made you want to vomit, but you were committed to your little act and nothing could stop you.

“Please forgive our jealousy, we simply wish to be more like you but it pains us to realize we’re a long way away from that,” saying this made your skin itch, and you were pretty sure the Master’s eye was twitching a little. You looked at him briefly and noted he was indeed… puzzled. 

Your flattery seemed to work wonders on the man’s self esteem, though, his facial expression momentarily switching to pity and its default arrogance mixed with pride. 

You tried not to make eye contact with the Master as you were escorting him away, your hand wrapped around his elbow. Your heart was beating a little too fast for your liking, and your main concern for now was peacefully leaving the floor and avoiding any more fuss on the way because, honestly, you were getting angry yourself.

---

“What the hell was that?” was the first thing he asked you as soon as you both entered the TARDIS safely, the two of you still slightly out of breath from your usual cardio on your way back; the desired object sitting securely in the Master’s pocket.

“I was actually going to ask you this exact same question, how convenient.” you snapped, kicking off your heels and making your way to the console barefoot, the cold metal floor having a soothing effect on your aching feet.

The Master gave you a grim look as he took off his ridiculous and evidently uncomfortable jacket, and swiftly marched towards you. His intimidating aura rarely had any impact on you and you didn’t even flinch at his intrusion of your personal space. You knew all too well he would never hurt you deliberately. 

“I did not allow you to intervene.” 

“You should have seen your face, darling,” you said mockingly, maintaining intense eye contact as if it was a competition on who looks away first. 

“You should have heard your voice, such sweetness and flattery I was worried you were gonna kiss his ring at the end of your speech or something,” he spat out his words with grimaced disgust. 

The two of you stared at each other in complete silence for about half a minute, and your facade dropped first. You burst into laughter, giggling obnoxiously at the memory of the Master’s pure and sincere confusion. You’d never seen him so baffled and mad, the funniest thing of it all being the fact that he had to comply and play along. It made you a little proud of yourself.

The corner of the Master’s lips twitched, his stubbornness and denial still fighting his urge to crack up, but a couple of moments later he finally joined you. Any trace of annoyance was long gone, and a wide smile took over his person as he laughed out loud with you. 

“Idiot.” he commented, still chuckling and grinning while also unbuttoning his lousy shirt. You both wanted to get out of those trashy clothes as soon as possible. 

You suddenly went quiet. With no further talking you simply stepped forwards and hugged the Master tightly, burying your nose in the crook of his neck.

“I’ve missed you.”

He hugged you back, resting one of his hands on your head and ruffling your hair, so very aware of how much you hated it. 

“Missed you too, fool.”

[godzillasrighttoe]

Anguirus's surprise birthday party

Damn that title is kinda bland ngl

(Since Anguirus's birthday is today, I decided that I would make this without planning how I'm gonna write it just before it's irrelevant. Also, all the kaiju in here are supposed to be the kaiju from Final Wars, not their other appearances in the Showa era. Also, since I ship Orga and Megaguirus I decided that this year they're gonna be having a baby lol. And this also takes place in the gijinka universe)

Final Wars Goji:Ok guys, so here's the plan. I will pick up Anguirus from his home so that we can hang out for the day and while we're doing so and so you guys break into my house and start decorating. I'll leave the key under the door for you guys to unlock it.

Orga:bruh we don't even got decorations yet

Final Wars Goji:𝙩 𝙝 𝙚 𝙣 𝙗 𝙪 𝙮 𝙩 𝙝 𝙚 𝙢 𝙨 𝙝 𝙞 𝙩 𝙨

Orga:Are we even gonna have time to buy them?

Final Wars Goji:

Final Wars Goji:𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗱

Millennium Goji:I feel like we shouldn't be insulting each other and we should actually be planning this out. How about we assign who's gonna do what for the party?Such as decorating, baking the cake, shit like that.

Kumonga:Ooh!I can shoot webs as decoration!

Final Wars Goji:𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗻 𝗼 𝗯 𝗼 𝗱 𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲

Millennium Goji:Yeah, this isn't a Halloween party, dude.

Gigan:Ay, Final Wars, how would you feel if I shot lasers into your walls and wrote "Happy Birthday" out of it as decoration?

Final Wars Goji:

Monster X:Oh!And then I can add "Anguirus" to it!

Final Wars Goji:𝙒𝙃𝙔 𝘿𝙊 𝙔'𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙒𝘼𝙉𝙉𝘼 𝘿𝙊 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙏𝙊 𝙈𝙔 𝙃𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙀-

Monster X:𝘄𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘄𝗮𝘆

Kiryu:How about when Anguirus walks in we say happy birthday and then start playing a bass boosted version of The Anguirus Song?

Orga:That's a good idea, but how about not bass boosted?Matter of fact, why did you even say that?

Kiryu:I don't know, I thought it would be funny. In my head.

Orga:𝗱𝗮𝘄𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻

King Caesar:𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙎𝙀𝙉𝙎𝙀 𝙊𝙁 𝙃𝙐𝙈𝙊𝙍 𝙄𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙉 𝙐 𝙏 𝙎 𝙃 𝙄 𝙏

Kiryu:𝗕𝗜-

Millennium Goji:Alright, that's ENOUGH!How about we just buy stuff we need and come back in the morning?

Mothra Imago:I'll get cake ingredients!

Orga:𝗳𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘀

Mothra Imago:

Kiryu:Tbh, you shouldn't be talking because first off, Mothra isn't even fat and second, 𝗻𝗴𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝘁😳

Orga:

Kiryu:

Everyone else in the room:

Orga:𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗱

Kiryu:I mean, not gonna cap, she's been eating just a bit too much for a pregnant woman. Fuck cravings and shit, that's not normal. Sometimes I think that she's trying to kill the baby.

Orga:𝗯𝗿𝗼-

Millennium Goji:ANYWAY, all of you can now LEAVE now and go get stuff for the party tomorrow. Especially you, Kiryu. You're a dumbass. I hate to defend Orga in this situation, but it's true.

Kiryu:

Kiryu:Ok...

(Next day lol)

Millennium Goji:Ok guys, what do you all have to offer so that we can start decorating-

Orga:You always talkin' bout we. 🄸 🄰🄸🄽'🅃 🄽🄴🅅🄴🅁 🄵🅄🄲🄺 🅆🄸🅃 🄽🄸🄽🅃🄴🄽🄳🄾.

Millennium Goji:

Millennium Goji:And when did I ask?𝗠 𝗮 𝗻 𝗹 𝗮 𝗶 𝗱 𝗼 𝘂 𝘁 𝗮 𝘄 𝗵 𝗼 𝗹 𝗲 𝗽 𝗮 𝗿 𝗮 𝗴 𝗿 𝗮 𝗽 𝗵

Orga:that was like 2 sentences tf-

Rodan:Ay, you wanted me to show what I bought, right?

Millennium Goji:

Millennium Goji:Yeah?

Rodan:I bought wrapping paper so that we can wrap the presents we all bought Anguirus!

Millennium Goji:That's all?

Gigan:Bold of you to assume we bought him anything.

Orga:Why is everybody talking about we?!?Once again, 🄸 🄰🄸🄽'🅃 🄽🄴🅅🄴🅁 🄵🅄🄲🄺 🅆🄸🅃-

Gigan:𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀, 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮. 𝗦𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗕 𝗨 𝗟 𝗟 𝗦 𝗛 𝗜 𝗧 𝘂𝗽, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳.

Orga:

Orga:ok

Millennium Goji:Gigan, did you buy anything?

Gigan:no I'm broke

Gigan:jk I didn't wanna buy anything lol

Millennium Goji:𝗕 𝗶 𝘁 𝗰 𝗵 .

Kiryu:I bought the happy birthday decoration.

Millennium:Oh, ok. So did I though...

Kiryu:

Millennium Goji:

Kiryu:So what we bout to do?

Orga:STOP TALKING ABOUT WE!!!🇮  🇦  🇮  🇳  ' 🇹 🇳  🇪  🇻  🇪  🇷  🇫  🇺  🇨  🇰  🇼  🇮  🇹  🇳  🇮  🇳  🇹  🇪  🇳  🇩  🇴 

Everyone else in the room:SHUT UP!!!

(Meanwhile with Final Wars Goji)

*Final Wars Goji knocks on Anguirus's door*

*No answer*

Final Wars Goji:Anwser that door, man!Come on!

*Anguirus opens the door*

Anguirus:Godzilla!

Final Wars Goji:Anguirus!

*They hug*

Final Wars Goji:Happy Birthday, man!

Anguirus:Awww, thanks!I actually can't believe that I'm 25 now!

Final Wars Goji:I know, right?You're so old now!

Anguirus:Not really though. Because aren't you like 30?

Final Wars Goji:27.

Anguirus:Old enough. Hahaha!

Final Wars Goji:hahaha 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗻𝘆 hahaha

Anguirus:Huh?

Anguirus:

Final Wars Goji:

Anguirus:Dude, you LITERALLY old shamed me so when I do it back you say it's not funny.

Final Wars Goji:Anguirus, this is weird. Here's your birthday card.

Anguirus:Oh, thanks!Wanna hang out now?

Final Wars Goji:Sure!Heh...

(Back to the party setup)

Millennium Goji:Ok guys!What all have you gotten set up?

Rodan:I've hung up some decorations!

Baragon:I've wrapped some of his presents!

Kamacuras:I'm making beans!

Millennium Goji:The fuck?Why?

Kamacuras:Anguirus likes them.

Ebirah:𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗕𝗘𝗘𝗘𝗘𝗘𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝘄𝘁𝗳

Millennium Goji:Has anybody else done anything?

Mothra Imago:Me and the boys are about to bake the cake!

Gigan:Don't ever sat that shit again.

Mothra Imago:I- I'm not even trying to be funny.... it's literally me and the boys...

Gigan:I don't care, shut up.

Mothra Imago:Rude!

Gigan:How?𝗴𝗼𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻 𝘀𝗡𝗼𝗪𝗳𝗟𝗮𝗞𝗲

Kiryu:imagine if we sliced up gigan's dick and put it on the cake as a decoration for being volatile

Gigan:

Mothra Imago:

Orga:

Millennium Goji:

Kiryu:What?

Millennium Goji:*sighs* Ghost Goji is taking over again, huh?

Kiryu:*sighs*Yeah... when I said that it felt like 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗛 𝗗𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡~

Kiryu and Gigan:𝙇𝙀𝙁𝙏 𝙈𝙔 𝙎𝙊𝙐𝙇 𝙄𝙉 𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙑𝙄𝙎𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙇𝙀𝙏'𝙎 𝙂𝙊 𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝙄𝙏 𝘼𝙃 𝘼𝙃 𝙇𝙀𝙏'𝙎 𝙂𝙊 𝙂𝙀𝙏 𝙄𝙏 𝘼𝙃 𝘼𝙃

Orga:𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻𝗻𝗻𝗻𝗻 𝘆'𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘆𝘆𝘆𝘆𝘆

Mothra Imago:And is there anything wrong with that?!?Like-

Orga:𝗳𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹

Mothra Imago:HEY!!!Why is everyone so mean to me today?!?

Kiryu:I'm not!I'd never be mean to you!

Orga:simp

Gigan:Who the fuck still says "simp" anymore?The word is kinda dead...

Kiryu:Hey, I have a joke relating to the word "simp".

Gigan:Hm?

Kiryu:Take the "s" and "m" out of it and add it to Orga's name.

Gigan:Huh?O-

Orga:I don't understand- bruh.

*Millennium Goji laughs*

Mothra Imago:What's the joke?

Kiryu:Orgasm.

Mothra Imago:Inappropiate!

Millennium Goji:Then don't listen. It's that easy. Plus we're all adults.

Kiryu:Well, I'm 17. I'll be 18 next month.

Mothra Imago:Then why are you making these jokes?!?

Kiryu:Because I'm almost an adult?

Gigan:bruh are we gonna start baking orrr

Orga:Yep!

*Orga dumps all of the ingredients onto the baking table*

Gigan:ORGA!!!WHAT THE HELL!!!

Orga:?

Kiryu:𝙒𝙃𝘼𝙏 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙁𝙐𝘾𝙆, 𝙍𝙄𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝘿?

Orga:Why is are you two against me all of a sudden?

Gigan:THE EGGS WERE IN THERE!!!YOU DUMBASS!!!

Orga:ohhhhh

Orga:𝗜 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻.

Millennium Goji:No!!!We can't make it VEGAN!!!Anguirus HATES vegans and their food!!!

Orga:The fuck?Why?

Millennium Goji:It has something to do with his mother who isn't approving of his sexuality, apparently.

Orga:bruh we got like 2 hours left before Final Wars comes back the cake is gonna be vegan

Millennium Goji:2 HOURS?!?HOW?!?

Gigan:And you're acting like it's the end of the world.

Kiryu:bruh we don't even know if the eggs are broken or not

Gigan:They are!All of them!Don't you see it dripping out of the bag?

*Kiryu looks at the bag*

Kiryu:oh shit lol

Gigan:Now what?!?

Orga:WE MAKE THE VEGAN CAKE!!!

Gigan:NO!!!

(Meanwhile with Final Wars Goji and Anguirus)

Anguirus:I can't believe you would spend your whole day with me on my birthday!

Final Wars Goji:Yeah... mainly because I wanna spend more time with you anyway.

Anguirus:Oh, really?

Final Wars Goji:Yeah... for the rest of my life.

Anguirus:Oh, I'd be looking forward to doing that also... heh...

*Silence*

Final Wars Goji in his mind:𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗮𝘆...

Final Wars Goji:Is this coming off in a cheesy way?

Anguirus:

Anguirus:I love everything you do. When you call me fuckin' dumb for the stupid shit I do. Wanna ride my bike with you. Fully undressed, no trainin' wheels left for youuuuuuuu!~ I'll pull them off for youuuuuuuu!Hey, I love that song!

Final Wars Goji:Oh, you do?

Anguirus:Yeah!

Final Wars Goji:Oh, so do I. Imagine if that was our theme song if we were in love.

Anguirus:I mean... it could be...

*More silence*

Anguirus:What, are you trying to say something?

Final Wars Goji:Uh-*blushes*

*Final Wars Goji remembers about the party*

Final Wars Goji:Hey, there's something I wanna show you. At my house. It's another gift.

Anguirus:Ooh!I can't wait!Take me to your house!

Final Wars Goji:Ok, by the way you get distracted SOOOOO easily.

Anguirus:Oh, so there's no gift?

Final Wars Goji:There is, I wouldn't just give you a birthday card. I was just pointing that out. We can go to my house now.

Anguirus:Ok!

(Back at Final Wars Goji's house)

*Mothra Imago, Gigan, Kiryu, and Orga are playing Uno while everyone else is making sure everything looks right*

*Orga puts down his second to last card*

Orga:Hah!Uno!

Kiryu:DAMNIT!

*Kiryu bangs the table*

Orga:Hoes mad.

Kiryu:I'M NOT A HOE!Does anybody have a card to make him draw???

Gigan, who's before Orga, and has a +4 in his deck:*laughs to himself*HAHAHAHAHAHA 𝗻𝗼.

Mothra Imago:*sighs*Oh well... I guess you win Orga.

Orga:Hahaha!

*Mothra puts down a card*

*Kiryu puts down a card in disappointment*

Orga:Gigan, are you gonna put a card down?

*Gigan laughs*

Orga:Why are you laughing?Wait...

Gigan:HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Orga:GIGAN PLEASE!!!HAVE MERCY!!!

Gigan:𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀 𝙄𝙎 𝙉𝙊 𝙈𝙀𝙍𝘾𝙔

*Gigan puts down his +4*

Orga:*high pitch screaming*

*Millennium Goji comes rushing over*

Millennium Goji:GUYS!!!Final Wars is on his way back!!!He's almost here!!!

Gigan:But our Uno game!-

Millennium Goji:𝙄 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙂𝙄𝙑𝙀 𝘼 𝙁𝙐𝘾𝙆. Start tidying up before it's lights out!!!Is the cake ready?

Mothra Imago:Yep!Already decorated, too.

Orga:𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘃 𝗲 𝗴 𝗮 𝗻 𝘀 𝗵 𝗶 𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆

Kiryu:Well, it's not vegan. Remember how we still used the crushed up eggs and took out all of the egg shells but when we did Gigan picked some of it up and dumped it all on my head for no reason so I said "More daddy!~" so that he would stop?

Orga:oh yeah lol

Millennium Goji:𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 𝗢 𝗨 𝗧

*Millennium Goji turns off the lights*

*Kiryu screams*

*Millennium Goji turns the lights back on*

Millennium Goji:Kiryu, are you ok?

Kiryu:What are you talking about?That was Gigan.

Gigan:𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁?

Kiryu:Don't even play, Gigan.

Gigan:Ok...

Millennium Goji:Um...anyway.

*Millennium Goji turns the lights off again*

*Gigan moans*

*Millennium Goji turns the lights back on*

Millennium Goji:DUDE-

Gigan:THAT WAS KIRYU!!!

Millennium Goji:NO IT WASN'T!!!If another one of you makes another sound when I turn the lights 𝗜'𝗺 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗪𝗪𝗜𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁.

*Millennium Goji turns off the lights again*

Gigan:*impersonates Doja Cat*ᗪᗩᗰᑎ ᑭᗩᑭᗩ YOᑌ ᗩ ᖇᗩᖇᗴ ᗷᖇᗴᗴᗪ-

*Millennium Goji turns the lights on again*

Millennium Goji:THAT'S IT-

*Millennium Goji kicks Gigan

Gigan:OW!!!

Kiryu:ᵈᴀᵐɴ ᵖᴀᵖᴀ ʸᴏᵘ ᴀ ˢᴄᵃʀʸ-

(Meanwhile outside)

*Final Wars Goji is covering Anguirus's eyes with his hands*

Anguirus:Lmao why do my eyes have to be covered if we're going in your house?Is it something that I can see through the window?

Final Wars Goji:It's special.

Anguirus:Ok, whatever you say...

*They reach his house and Final Wars Goji unlocks the door*

Final Wars Goji:Open your eyes!

*Anguirus opens them*

*Millennium Goji turns on the lights*

Everyone except for Gigan:SURPRISE!!!

Gigan:*blows a party horn*

Anguirus:WOW!I was not expecting this!!!Thank you so much guys!

Final Wars Goji:And it was all planned by me!

Anguirus:Awww, thanks Final!Can I get to my cake now?

Millennium Goji:Sure!Do you wanna cut it first-

Anguirus:There is no future. There is no past. Do you see?Time is simultaneous, an intricately structured jewel that humans insist on viewing one edge at a time when the whole design is visible in every facet.

Everyone else in the room:

Millennium Goji:All I asked was if you wanted to cut your birthday cake first.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth

Warnings: noncon sex (oral, m&f, intercourse)

This is dark!Steve and explicit. 18+ only.

Summary: The reader is a fic writer and her number one fan can’t get enough.

Note: This is probably the most meta shit I’ve written but for all the fic writers out there, this one if for you. Hope y’all get the good d you deserve but until then, here’s this!

Please let me know what you think in a reblog/reply! <3 please and thank you.

You let out a sigh of relief and hit ‘post’. It was almost pathetic but it was the best part of your day, or most days. Having something to share with others was nice. The fact that they enjoyed your work and your boredom-induced work made it worth the frustration. 

It wasn’t real writing. You knew that. Fanfiction was a genre to be laughed at. You didn’t admit it to anyone but there was a sense of pride to go along with the shame. 

That part of you was kept online. The darker parts; the lust, the angst, the fear. It all went hand in hand and no one would guess that the bookshop assistant was stevies-doll. It felt almost scandalous to have a virtual alter ego.

You closed your laptop and checked the time. More than enough to get ready for work. Plain blouse, grey pants, mary jane flats. You were the typical bookish girl with dreams that would never come true. 

The bus was late. Oh well. You’d still be there in time you’d just have to forego your usual espresso. Afternoons were draining and you often needed the boost to keep from nodding off in the last hour. You really weren’t sure why the shop stayed open so late; not many came out after five for books but traffic was relatively steady in the hipster village.

Nina met you with a frown. She preferred you at least ten minutes earlier. Tardiness had seen several other clerks fired and you had been the only to make it more than a year in the shop. Three in fact. This place was like a second home. A garden of ideas to plant the seeds of your mind.

When Nina left, you rearranged the desk. You moved aside her ledger and replaced it with your notebook, two pens to the right of it. In between the chime of the door and the rare customer queries you did most of your writing. When you reached a block you’d read, but today you felt particularly inspired.

The world was saved again. The news reports had shown footage of the daring rescue. As grim as the situation was, you couldn’t help but fantasize. The first avenger with his golden hair and sharp jawline was every woman’s Adonis. At least, you thought he was the very picture of perfection.

It wasn’t obsession. That was your mantra. You often argued with yourself. As much as you thought of the great Steve Rogers, it was only admiration. It wasn’t the possessive infatuation often found on social media. It was a hobby. An escape from the world. 

You bent over the notebook. The shop was empty. The dulcet tones of indie folk floated along the shelves. You set pen to paper and waited for the ring to draw you away from the world behind your eyes. 

You leaned on the counter and scribbled the first line in ink. That was always the hardest part. Then again, the beginning was always more exciting than the end.

‘The day the earth went dark, there was but one beacon left to shine…’

-

It was amusing at first. The thought of another person spending so much time writing about him. That someone would fabricate an entire universe in which he was entirely different. Somewhere out there was a woman who wore the pseudonym ‘stevies-doll’.

Steve knew he should have been perturbed by the fact. The idea of another so consumed by him that they would post almost every other day about him. He couldn’t remember how he stumbled on the small blog. A decent following but nothing close to viral. 

The first story he read was cute. It even made him feel warm. The second was very much the same. He clicked through to another, this one more serious. Grey and daunting. A few more and he stumbled upon one he found most interesting, the letters NSFW emblazoned across the top. He googled the acronym and clicked back to the tab. Excited almost.

When he finished, he was warm in another way. Hot, almost. The things he read, the idea of him doing them, was almost arousing. Of course, he had never done any of it. Had never been more than the perfect gentlemen. Sweet and doting. That was how love should be. But that wasn’t love, no, that story was sex. Pure, unadulterated fucking.

He forced himself away from the computer after that. He needed to sleep. He had intended to browse his email quickly but he often found himself in the oddest rabbit-holes. That was definitely the deepest. He shook his head and chuckled. It was funny.

The next morning he awoke and went about his usual routine. He was out the door by seven. Off to save the world. Or wait around for it to need saving. At Stark Tower, he listened to Tony with his eyes on his phone. It wasn’t anything important. Some recounting about how he had scared Pepper with a nano-spider. 

Steve gave a half-hearted chuckle and Tony went back to his screen. “Tough audience,” He muttered to Bruce who merely shook his head.

Steve leaned against a stool and squinted at his phone. He stared at the google search. Why had he typed it in? Somewhere in the tedium of Tony’s chatter, he had keyed in the name. He hit the first link and his phone loaded slowly. 

His own face stared back at him. The banner was a press photo he had taken over a year ago. His bright eyes were staunch beneath the mask as he stared off into the distance. She had posted again. His thumb hovered over ‘read more’. Did he dare? 

He looked up to make sure he was not being observed. The two scientists were too distracted to care about his online activity. He stood straight and cleared his throat. “I’m gonna hit the gym,” He lied. A grumble from both scientists as they squinted at the floating screens. “Right, have fun.” Steve said dryly as he left them to their work.

He stepped out in the hall and pressed his thumb to the screen. He bent his head over the phone as he walked blindly down the halls. Neither Tony or Bruce noticed through the window that he had gone entirely the wrong way. Steve didn’t either as his eyes flitted over the screen.

‘The day the earth went dark, there was but one beacon left to shine…’

-

You couldn’t believe how much your blog had grown in the last few months. You didn’t know if it betrayed your unexciting life or your one-track mind. Both, maybe. But it made your everyday responsibilities a little less tedious.

And the messages were even better than the hit count. Several had messaged to say they loved your work and went so far as to call you an inspiration. It was flattering but it was easy to remember who you were. No Stephen King or JK Rowling. You wrote silly one shots with limited development. 

Today your inbox had been steady. Every time you found yourself bored at work, you opened the app and you had another message. Most of them short or even just emojis but nice nonetheless. And there was one you were waiting to answer

So long and in depth you had to give it more than just a thanks. You opened it several times and reread it.

‘Your story is really interesting. I think the way your portray Steve is believable. In this type of writing you rarely find anything realistic but your writing feels genuine if not entirely accurate. I would say you capture the essence of Steve perfectly and his actions at least make sense.

I always enjoy your updates and even look forward to them...especially the NSFW ones. ;)’

It was one of the few users who didn't use the anonymous feature and also left a complete comment. It was refreshing and you had come to look forward to their commentary. They went by CapUSA. Another Steve fangirl who was surprisingly inactive outside your blog. Her page was almost a clone of your own. They liked every post, reblogged, and commented. What more could a writer ask for?

Original characters maybe and not just fantasies of someone who’d never know of her existence. You closed your laptop and sighed. It felt like time. You could feel the block at the back of your head. The little thrill you got was wearing off and it felt like a phase better left to fade with your emo days in high school and that month in university when you dyed your hair purple.

You readied for work. Back on days that week. Opening was always easier. It didn’t feel so drawn out. Nina would be in at one and you’d keep her company until four. It meant little time for writing. Maybe that was for the better. You needed to start planning. For the future. For something truly your own. A fantasy so detached from reality that it would make market and maybe even a dime.

That was your dream. You didn’t want to be the listless fangirl forever. Ugh, how you hated to even call yourself a fangirl. No post today, you resigned. Maybe none tomorrow. You’d have to work up the courage to announce your hiatus. Life was calling and for once a sliver of genuine inspiration. 

And the bookstore. It was Shakespeare’s birthday, which conveniently was also his death day. This meant two for one on all of his works. Nina also  hired actors to stand outside the shop and re-enact famous scene from the playwright’s repertoire. They wouldn’t arrive till noon but you had a lot of set-up to do. Enough to keep you from thinking of the disappointed messages that would fill your inbox.

-

Steve scrolled through the pale pink blog for the dozenth time that morning. It had been two weeks since stevies-doll posted. The longest two weeks of his life. He wasn’t sure when it had become a staple in his life. A ritual almost. He’d read her latest fic as he laid down and try to clear his head of blood and grime. Lose himself in the person she dreamed he was. The man he had come to envy. Fictional but all too real in his head.

But there was nothing. At first he re-read and read again. But that grew old. He knew almost every story by heart at this point. He could recite the intro line to most and he fell asleep as his imagination reconstructed the things he had never done. 

Her banner flashed across his sight when he woke, the image of his blue eyes staring beyond him. He’d come to think of her Steve as an altar ego. The beast buried deep inside of him. He was tired of being the nation’s golden child. Their unwavering moral beacon. He wanted to be him and she had helped him figure out who he truly was.

But she was gone. No green dot above her name in the chat window, her last post dated fourteen days ago, her blog like a time capsule. The ice that had preserved him for seventy years. Where was she?

Then a thought struck him. A devious one. He had been on enough missions to know his way around a computer. He considered himself quite savvy after living nearly a decade ahead of his time. It was simple enough. He tracked down many a drug pin this way and they were often concealed behind walls of encryption. He doubted she had more than a store-bought antivirus, if that.

He climbed out of bed and booted his computer. His leg shook impatiently and he tossed his phone just beneath the corner of the monitor. He rubbed his palms together as the home screen loaded and he clicked on the browser.

Her IP was simple enough to find. Right-click, inspect. When he found it, he felt his heart jump. This was a line. A very clear one. If he did this, there was no going back. He let go of the mouse and leaned his chin in his hands. He stared at her page, split by the window of code, and his jaw ticked.

He hit back and went to the messenger. He clicked on her name and his fingertips ran over the space bar. He didn’t know what to say. He’d send her little asks about her fics but he never messaged her directly. Would she respond?

‘Hey,’ He typed slowly, his fingers sped up with each key, ‘I’m a fan of your work. I think it’s excellent. I just wanted to check in and see if you were still writing for this blog.’

He hit enter and waited. He focused on the grey dot beside her name. If she saw this, it likely wouldn’t be until morning. He checked the time and sighed. It was late. He had an early briefing with Tony and he should try to sleep. 

He hovered the cursor over the x but the dot turned green and he paused. The little ‘...’ blipped in the bottom of the chat box and the ding of her reply was music to his ears.

‘Hey, sorry. I know I’ve been quiet lately. I’ve just been so busy with work. I’m a bit behind at the moment. Thank you though for following me. I always enjoy your comments :)’ He read it several times before he could reply. Before he could even think of the words to.

‘It’s okay. We all have responsibilities. Take your time.’ He wanted to tell her to hurry up but who knew? She might be someone important, like a lawyer or teacher. He could wait. As long as there was hope. 

‘Thanks. I appreciate that. Really.’ That response was quicker. Curt, almost.

‘I don’t want to overstep but are you okay?’ His cheeks were hot.

‘Ah, you know, life.’

He scratched his chin as he leaned back in his chair. Slowly he sat forward and typed. It took him three tries to get it right. Concerned but not pushy. ‘Anything you wanna talk about?’ He waited. The three dots appeared then faded. Several times before her answer blipped up.

‘I don’t wanna trouble you but I appreciate you asking. Nothing I won’t get over.’

‘Ok, no problem. Just know that if you need it, I could listen. It’s could to talk about stress.’ He laughed at himself. He should take his own advice. He had a horrible habit of letting things pile up until he burst at the seams.

‘Thanks again. I’ll ttyl. I gotta get some sleep. Have a good one.’

‘You, too,’ He replied a bit too quickly. ‘Talk to you then.’

-

You were ready to post again. It had been almost a month since your last fic and you had been reluctant to return. You couldn’t help checking in daily to see your notifications and scroll mindlessly through your own content. And your offline writing had come to a halt. You were stuck and you didn’t know how else to cope but fall back on what you knew.

Your new friend had helped too. CapUSA had quickly become a stalwart of your blog. She, or he, you still weren’t sure, spoke to you almost everyday. They encouraged you to try one more fic as you mulled over a certain prompt. Why not? It would be like a writing exercise. Maybe it would help you with your original writing. Take some of the pressure off.

And you didn’t just talk about writing. You talked about the bookstore and Nina’s incessant complaints. You talked about the stresses of your lives. Friends, or lack thereof. Cap seemed a popular person and recounted stories of the latest drama. A close knit group of friends who acted more like adversaries. It was amusing and made your forget that your life was rather empty.

You hit post and smiled. That familiar rush rolled over you and you snapped closed your laptop. You were already dressed and ready for work. You crammed in the quick editing session before the bus was due and now you’d have to run for it.

Back on afternoons. It was rainy and you were soaked by the time you got to the shop. The weather always helped traffic and you ducked behind the counter where Nina was tending to the line with Cara, a new addition. The curly-haired blonde reminded you of old Hollywood. Her high cheekbones and rose lips rivaled Monroe’s.

“Do you want me to start early?” You asked as you tucked your bag under the counter between them.

“You better. I’m gone in ten and Cara’s only on til three.” Nina muttered. “We got a new shipment. Boxes are at the end of the aisles. We’ve not had a chance to touch ‘em.”

“Okay, I’ll get right on it,” You pin your name tag on and stepped back around the counter. She was in one of her moods and all the better that you avoid her until she left. You went to the end of the history aisle and opened the box against the wall.

‘You working?’ The vibration drew your attention from re-arranging the non-fiction section. The message floated in a bubble on your lock screen. You smiled. This faceless stranger felt like more. Of course, virtual friendships were often fleeting.

You glanced down the aisle, both Nina and Cara were squinting at the computer as a customer waited patiently for them to figure out their conundrum. You swiped away the lock and typed swiftly with your phone hidden behind your leg. 

‘Closing. Here all night.’

‘Oh :( you got company at least?’

‘For a couple more hours. But no shortage of work. :/’

‘Damn. Should I leave you alone?’

‘Up to you. My responses might be sporadic. Boss isn’t very pleasant today.’

‘Cool. I just read your new fic.’ 

‘Yeah? Sorry I haven’t checked my notifications just yet.’

‘No problem. I left a comment is all.’

‘What are you up to?’

‘Taking a break from driving. I should actually get back to it. It’s a long trip.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘To see a friend.’

‘Ah, ok. Well, drive safe.’

‘I will ;) See ya later.’

‘ttyl :)’

-

‘Nina’s Nook’. Steve read the crooked moniker several times over. He couldn’t believe he was actually there. That she was inside. He made good time on the road. An eight hour trip in six. Of course, he hadn’t exactly abided the speed limit. His impatience had turned to recklessness. So unlike him.

The sky was dim. The summer nights came later and later. She’d be done in an hour. The streets were dying down and the door hadn’t chimed in almost as long. He felt nervous all of a sudden. He tried to shrug of his anxiety and took a breath. 

She wouldn’t know it was him. Well, she might recognize him but she wouldn’t know he was CapUSA. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction. Steve Rogers in her bookshop. In this town. It would be a story she would recount for the rest of her life. An encounter she would never forget. 

Oh, he’d make sure she remembered it.

He crossed the street. A single car passed as he stepped up on the curb. It was much quieter than New York. No honking, no shouts, no hissing sewers. He liked it. It was quaint. He stood before the door and peeked through the glass. There was no one behind the desk. But the sign read open and the lights shone in welcome.

He pushed down the handle and slowly opened the door. The bell announced his entrance and a small voice called from the corner of the shop. “One moment, please.” He heard the shuffle of books and light footsteps. She emerged from the far shelves and his lips parted at the sight of her.

He had seen her before. Her few photos on Facebook and Instagram. He had found those shortly after he ferreted out her IP. He couldn’t see much but her privacy settings allowed him a glimpse into her real life. Her smile was nicer than in her pictures. 

“Sorry, I was--” She stopped short as she saw him. She blinked. He closed his mouth as hers fell open. Her voice was higher when she spoke next. “I was just sorting some stuff out. I--How can I help you?”

“Um, a friend recommended a book to me and I was passing by, I thought maybe by chance… you might have it.” He kept his voice even. The same one he used for his press conferences.

“Do you have a title?” She asked. He could see her fingers tremble. The guilt as her eyes rounded. She was thinking of all the things she had wrote about him. He was thinking of those too.

“Jeez, you know, I’ve totally forgotten but the author was, uh…” He pretended to think and his eyes drifted down her body. Her flowered blouse was boxy but her pants hugged the curves of her hips and legs. She clasped her hands together and the gesture pushed her chest together between her arms. “Margaret Archer--er, Atwood.”

“Hmm, she’s done a lot. Do you know what it’s about?” She pulled her hands apart and wiped her palms on her dark pants. His eyes followed the movement. He wanted his hands there. Wanted to feel her thighs against him.

“Something about an apocalypse...um, a character named...Snow--Snow something.” He acted like he coudn’t remember. Couldn’t recall that it was stevies-doll who had recommended the very book. 

“Oh, Oryx and Crake, I think it is. It’s an interesting one.” She smiled, proud to have figured out the riddle. “If you will, it should be with our most popular books.”

She hesitated as she passed him. He followed her as she went to the shelf just beside the counter. She hovered her finger before the titles as she read them. She bent as she got lower. He admired her ass as she did. He tucked his hands in his pocket before he could reach out.

“Yeah, I think it’s in sci-fi.” She stood and peeked over her shoulder. “It’s just over here.” She led him down the narrow aisle to the end. “Starts just here so Atwood…” She scanned the shelf, “Here.” She pulled out the book and held it out to him. “We have it in hardcover too.”

He took it and felt the raised letters on the cover. “Thanks.” He didn’t even acknowledge the book in his hand. The aisle was so tight she was trapped between him and the wall. She gave a sheepish smile and he turned to press his back to the shelf. “Sorry. Go ahead.”

She nodded and squeezed past him. Her chest brushed against his torso and she pretended not to notice. Once past him, she cleared her throat. “If you need any help, I’ll be up front.” She turned before he could respond and her watched her go. He never would’ve guessed the mousy shop assistant would have such a lurid imagination.

-

You were in disbelief. It couldn’t be. Steve Rogers in your book shop? No, you were dreaming. Or was it a nightmare? Oh god, why had you written all that stuff? You needed to delete. Now. You could hear him. The floor creaked as he moved slowly down the aisle. You hoped he would’ve taken the book and gone. The longer he stayed, the worse you felt. Your cheeks were on fire.

Your phone vibrated. You swiped the screen and found a new message from CapUSA. You sighed and rubbed your eyes. You should just pretend you didn’t see it. You unlocked the phone and read the message.

‘Hey, how’s work?’

‘It’s fine.’ You answered. What could you say? Who would believe that Steve Rogers had walked in your door?

‘I just was thinking about your last fic.’

‘Oh yeah?’ You peeked over at the far aisle. The floor no longer whined with his weight.

‘Yeah, I’d love to re-enact the last scene.’

‘Sorry?’ You sent the message and it went unanswered. ‘I don’t get it. What do you mean?’

‘The one with the girl on her knees. Begging to be fucked.’

‘Okay? I still don’t understand.’ Your heart jumped. This was really weird.

‘Or maybe and I could fuck you on that counter you’re standing behind.’

You hit close and locked the phone. You dropped it and looked around the shop. You rushed out from behind the counter and glanced out the window. You turned the latch and the floorboards groaned. You turned and pressed yourself to the door. You forgot he was there. 

How could you forget something like that?

“Sorry, uh, we’re closing up,” You felt around for the lock, “I was just--”

“That’s okay. I think I’m just about done.” He slapped the book against his palm and placed it on the corner of the counter. He set his phone on top of it with a flourish. “Why don’t you flip the sign and we can get started.”

“What are you--”

“Do you prefer I call you by your real name or stevies-doll?” He leaned against the counter and smirked. “Or I can just call you doll. I know you like that.”

“No,” You exhaled shakily, “Y-you can’t be…”

“You’re not happy to see me?” He asked. He didn’t sound like the hero you saw on the news. Barely looked like him now. His pupils dilated to darken his blue eyes and the shadows of the shop cast his face in sinister tones. “You can call me Stevie if you like.”

“I...What I wrote, it was just...” You spluttered. “I’m s-sorry.”

“You don’t have to be.” He pushed himself away from the counter. “I’m not mad. Intrigued really.”

He stepped closer and your ears pounded as the adrenaline coursed through your veins. You turned and fumbled with the lock. The door opened an inch before his hand slammed it shut again. He easily flipped the lock back into place and spun the sign with a flick of his thumb. 

“You can close early and we can have some fun...maybe inspire a new fic.” His arm was around your waist and you grabbed onto his thick wrist.

“They’re just stories.” You kicked as he pulled you away from the door. He tugged the blind down over the window. “Stupid fantasies.”

“Well, consider this a dream come true, doll,” He spun and let you go. You collided with the desk and gasped as the air was knocked from your lungs. “I think you remember this scene.”

“What do you want?” You clung to the desk as you turned to him. 

“You know, I’m everything people think I am. Straight-laced, valiant, boring.” He planted his feet and stared you down. “Or was...until I found your blog.” His tongue ran across his bottom lip. “It gets lonely on the road. At first, your blog was like a secret companion. It gave me something to look forward to but then it made me think. So many things I never even knew I was missing out on.”

“Please, I don’t know what you want from me,” Your voice cracked. Your fear surged and left you shaking against the counter.

“I want…” He tilted his head and his eyes flashed, “You.” He paused and pushed his shoulders back. “On your knees.” Your eyes rounded, “Oh yes,” He raised a finger, “Naked.”

You stared at him. You were frozen in place. The counter your only support from melting into a puddle. His nostrils flared as he exhaled; long and drawn out. 

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” He snarled and his hand balled into a fist.

You gulped and held yourself with one hand against the counter as you bent to unlace your oxfords. You kicked them off with your socks and mustered your strength. You stood on your own and unbuttoned your shirt. You kept your eyes on the aged carpet stretched across the hardwood.

You dropped the blouse onto your shoes and unzipped your fly. The wool trousers slid halfway down without help and you untangled your legs from them. You added them to the heap and stood straight.

“Look at me,” Steve ordered. Your eyes snapped over to him. “Good.” You reached back and he raised a hand. “Stop...I wanna do it.”

He waved you forward and slowly you stepped away from the counter. He bared his palm in a gesture for you to halt and you hung your head. “Eyes up.” He corrected as he came closer. He walked around you and stopped just behind you.

His thick fingers touched the band of your bra and ran along it until they met at the hooks. He carefully unclasped it and the cups fell loose. He tickled your arms as he pushed the straps down them. He took it and flung it away from him. His hands came up to cup your tits and he pushed himself flush to your back.

“You always wrote so vividly of me but...I never knew how beautiful you truly were...how good you feel.” He squeezed and slowly lowered his hands. He dragged them to the side of your panties and slipped his fingers beneath the elastic. He bent as he guided the panties down your legs. “God, that ass.”

You shivered and his hands cradled your ass. He ran his rough palms along your cheeks and up your back. They settled on your shoulders and he pushed down firmly. “On your knees.”

He stepped back and you unsteadily got to your knees. He walked another circle around you. You could hear his dusky breaths. Glimpsed how his hand ran over the front of his jeans. 

“Now ask, like a good girl,” He stopped before you and stared down with a smirk. “Go on, doll, I know you want it.”

You closed your eyes and swallowed. You grit your teeth and gather what was left of your wits. A story. That’s all this was. The letters could be backspaced and no one would know better of it. 

“Please,” You recalled the last scene you had posted. The tingle which had flowed through you as you hit the button. What had she said? You opened your eyes. “Please, I want to...I want to make you happy.” You shuddered as the words whisked from you. “Can I?”

“Can you...what?” He taunted.

“Can I suck your dick?” It was barely a whisper. 

“Oh, well, since you asked so nicely,” His hands were on his belt as he spoke. “But I have a different scene in mind for tonight. A new one.” He unbuckled his belt and cracked his neck. “I want you on the counter. On your back.”

You made to stand and his hand went to your head. He held you down. 

“Crawl.”

You weakly dropped forward and turned. You crawled on hands and knees as he followed, stopping just in front of the desk as you followed his pointed finger to the other side. You stood and lifted yourself onto the counter and laid on your back. He guided your head over the side as he pulled you close and his hands found your tits again. He tweaked your hard nipples and you bit your lip.

He rescinded his hands and finished unzipping his pants. You tried not to watch as he pushed his pants down, his briefs too. The blur focused and you gaped at the size of him. He gripped himself and you snapped your mouth shut. He grabbed your chin and squeezed.

“Now, now, don’t act like this isn’t what you wanted,” He pressed his cock to your mouth and you were forced to open as his fingers threatened to crush your jaw.

He slid inside and your gasp was stifled as he met the back of your throat. He forced himself further and you threw your arms out. A clatter of books and papers as you swept them off the counter. He lingered at his limit and wiggled his hips. You arched your back as you choked and he grabbed your tit, kneading it as he slowly pulled out.

He pushed back in just as you gulped down air and you writhed atop the desk. He thrust in and out of your mouth. You gagged and groaned. The noises only fueled his fervour and he sunk in over and over until your head pulsed. The spit smeared around your lips and his balls.

He pulled back and slammed back in suddenly. His motion slowed as he came. He grunted, his breaths stuttered by the staggered rock of his pelvis. You clawed at the counter top and kicked until you could breathe again.

He slipped his cock from between your lips and his cum leaked from your mouth. You sat up and coughed. His hands were on your shoulders again. His fingers danced along your throat as if to ease your struggles.

“Come on, that’s just the first act,” He drew away and you glanced over your shoulder. “Turn around.” 

You turned on the desk and he pulled your legs over the edge. He pushed your knees apart and stepped back to admire the view. You dug your nails into the lip of the counter to keep yourself from closing your legs.

“I know you’ve been dying to see this,” He grinned and pulled his shirt over his head. 

His cock hung out of his pants. It twitched as he tossed his shirt at you. You caught it. It smelled like him. He shoved his pants down without pause and he hardened again. You dropped his shirt and looked away guiltily. 

Had you not written this scene a dozen times over?

He was completely naked when you looked again. He came close, his hands on your knees as he knelt before you. You tried to pull your legs together but he held them apart. He shook his head and tutted. 

“Just sit back and enjoy,” He licked his lips. “Trust me, it’s better than you could ever imagine.”

Your shock took over completely. You watched as he bowed his head and you felt his hot breath on your thighs. When his tongue met your pussy you gasped. He delved between your folds and swirled around your clit. Your nails went deeper into the wood and your thighs shook. It felt good. It shouldn’t, though.

He buried his face deeper and you watched his golden locks from above. He reached over blindly, his large hand found yours, and he guided it to the back of his head. He held it there a moment before letting go. You clung to him as he hands glided up your thighs and he framed your vee with thumb and index.

You arched your back and moaned. It was your declaration of surrender. You couldn’t resist it any longer. The heat stirred inside of you, the flames licking at your thighs and back. You urged Steve closer though he couldn’t possibly go any deeper. 

His hands slipped down to the outside of your thighs. Your legs closed around his head and held him there. He tipped you slightly and you curled around him as he continued to lap. Your breaths mixed with throaty hums and you fell back. 

You had one hand still on his head and the other in your hair as you cried out in a mighty climax. He didn’t stop until you were shaking across the counter. When at last his mouth left you, you shivered. A sudden coolness washed over your body. He stood and you looked at him through the haze.

He grabbed your waist and pulled you to your feet. You wavered and he spun you quickly. You caught yourself on the desk and he slapped your ass. “That’s it,” He purred. “You’re getting it now.”

He nudged your shoulder until you were bent entirely over the counter, your toes barely met the floor. He rubbed your ass and pulled your cheeks apart. His cock poked you as his hand slipped lower and he tickled just below your ass. You squirmed and he chuckled.

He felt around and his cock slipped lower as he bent his knees. He dragged his tip along your folds before prodding at your entrance. He shoved his hand between your legs and forced them apart. 

He pushed inside and slowly stretched you around him. Your head shot up at the strain. A mix of pain and pleasure as he got deeper and deeper.

You whined as he bottomed out and his hips bucked almost instinctively. He hit your cervix and you cried out. He eased out and pushed back in. He repeated this again and again, his motion careful. Deliberate. He brought his pelvis flush to your ass and groaned.

“Fuck,” He slapped your ass again. 

He drew back and slammed into you all at once. All restraint was lost and he thrust mercilessly. His pace was wild. You reached out to grab at the edge of the counter, your hips hitting the other painfully. The spark had caught and you felt the flame about to burst. 

Your orgasm was surprising. More agony than pleasure. You whimpered and pushed your head into the counter as you heaved. You could barely breath as Steve never wavered. He fucked until you until your walls ached. Until they turned numb and you were nothing but a mewling fool before him.

He bent over your, his muscled torso against your sweaty back. He rutted atop you frantically. His hips jerked as his grunts deepened. His breath caught and he swore. He lifted himself off you and you felt the warmth spill down your ass and thigh. 

You laid breathless as he panted behind you. He rubbed his cum into your skin with two fingers and you shook. You tried to push yourself up from the desk. He caught your hip and shoved you back down.

“Oh, we’re not even close to the finale,” He pinched your ass and you squeaked. “Not to mention the epilogue.”

-

tags to be added in reblog

[paradise-creator]

Hellooo!! I love love LOVE the diamond box matchup you did!! You're amazing!! Your blog is incredible!! Now I'm here for a romantic haven box Haikyuu matchup pls🥺

Appearance: My name is Kay! She/her, black, straight, 5'1, I have a slightly athletic & curvy-ish figure (lol idk), short-ish hair(like mid-neck), dark brown eyes, shoe size 9, I like to dress comfy so I'm always in oversized hoodies, sweatpants, sneakers, sweatshirts and shorts. I like colorful clothes too, high waisted jeans and shorts and boots. I'm not very fashionable but I try lol.

Personality:

Basics: infp-t, Hufflepuff, Taurus sun, scorpio moon, sanguine, chaotic good, ambivert.

Some positive traits: I'm optimistic, friendly, energetic, organized, enthusiastic, observant, happy, open-minded, loving, encouraging and inquisitive!!

Some negative traits: I'm annoying, perfectionist, insecure, forgetful, easily distracted, kinda lazy, argumentative, too nice at times and clingy.

I love learning new things!! Currently I'm learning Korean, how to draw, how to paint and songs on the saxophone.

When I'm up for it, I love fun physical activity!! Going for a hike, going to the gym, bungee jumping, mountain climbing, going camping and etc :D

Although I love going out, nothing beats lazy days at home. I can spend hours by myself and still be happy. When alone I usually sleep or watch a movie/anime or practice my drawing or saxophone or try and learn something new!

I have a horrible memory and can never remember important dates 😭 I've forgotten my own birthday a few times (rip) so people can get mad at me for missing appointments, forgetting birthdays and other important days. I try my best to organize everything necessary on my phone calendar so I can be reminded.

I love seeing people happy! Nothing can fulfill my day more than knowing I put a smile on someone's face! I usually try my best to help out anyone who needs it and to the best of my ability! This has led to me getting taken advantage of in the past but I can't help but try and make others happy. I've developed a thicker skin and some trust issues as I've grown up because of it.

I love hyping my friends/family up!! Do you need a boost in confidence? Here I am, ready to help you remember the absolute king/queen/royalty that you are!! I'm usually very energetic and enthusiastic about many things and I love spreading positivity around!!

My love language is physical touch! So touch is very important to me in my relationships. Though I am insecure so I tend to think that I smother the people I care about with too much affection idk lol. I live for hugs and cuddles and hand holding 👉🏿👈🏿 but because of that I feel like I'm very clingy and annoying skskfksjd

I'm introverted in nature so although I mean usually full of energy and love making new friends, I can't do it for too long lol. My social battery runs out really fast and I have to hide away and recharge before I can be fully social again, otherwise I won't be my best self. I treasure personal time and understand when people need time for themselves too.

I love spontaneity!! I love living in the moment and doing stuff just for the hell of it!! Wanna go on a road trip? Dance in the rain? Build houses for charity? Go to McDonald's at 2am? Go on a long walk? SIGN ME UP!!

I can also be lazy and unmotivated to do stuff. If something doesn't interest me, I'd find myself incapable of doing it or I'd do it with great difficulty. I'm one of those 'do something when inspiration/motivation hits you otherwise it'll be absolute shit' types.

But when I do have motivation/inspiration that's when my perfectionism comes in and I have to do it in the best possible way and anything less is an insult to me, my family, my ancestors and descendants lmaoo. Unfortunately I subconsciously set a very high bar for myself which can be overwhelming and stressful but when I manage to produce work of that quality, it's very satisfying and rewarding jshkshdhsj

I have more to add but I feel like this is getting way too long 💀 lemme just move to the next section heheheh

Hobbies: I LOVE listening to music, learning new things, watching movies/anime, sleeping, reading, writing, playing saxophone (I'm still learning tho lol), swimming, drawing, journaling, making friends, and cooking!

My music taste: any type of rock (punk rock, grunge, j-rock, metal), pop, KPOP, RnB, jazz, dubstep, lofi hip hop, rap, trap, krnb, anime OP's and bangers from: Elvis, the beach boys, Queen, Khalid, Ateez, Harry styles, Kendrick Lamar, p!atd, mcr, fallout boy, Nirvana, BTS, mxmtoon, Marianas trench, twenty one pilots, stray kids, Jay Park, crush, Dreamcatcher, Skrillex, MJ, troye sivan etc

Fun facts:

I'm more of a cat person but I live dogs and think they're adorable!!

I have four piercings and I plan on getting more soon!!

I'm a night owl, and get super grumpy in the mornings especially when woken up unexpectedly >:/

Although I love making friends, I only have like 1/2 super close friends and like 20+ acquaintances lol

I want to get a tattoo soon but idk what to get :(

I'm super addicted to coffee (rip) and if I don't take some for some time (like a week) I'll get the worst migraines and I won't feel better until I drink some coffee 😭

That's it!! I hope i wrote enough stuff!! Did I leave anything out? If you need more pls tell me and I'll send another ask :D Take your time!! I'm in no rush. I'll patiently wait even though you get writers block or have a large amount of asks 😌 pls stay safe and healthy!! Drink lots of water, sleep well and have an amazing day/night!! 💙✨

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Hello and Welcome my Starlight!

The Haven box includes:

- Match up

- Sun drop

- Journal of Feelings

- 3 am shenanigans

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

I'd match you up with

Sugawara Koushi, Vice-captain of Karasuno

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Sun drops

- OKAY so like, as I read your description I thought of Akaashi or Yaku or Sugawara

- Me being the indecisive author I am had trouble picking

- But then I remembered that you loved to do spontaneous things.

- And that's when I realized that Sugawara is THE ONE

- You two would be deemed the "3 am couple"

- Or in the team it would be "Epitome of Chaos"

- He takes care of you

- He will alway remind you that you don't need to be perfect

- Insecurities? BE GONE

- Nagativity? BE GONE

- That's basically his motto

- He is both your mom and partner in Crime

- did I mention he will take care of you?

- CUDDLES AND KISSES FOR DAYS

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Journal of feelings

- Once this man realizes that you LOVE physical affection. He will give it to you. EVERYTIME HE SEES YOU

Kay entered the gym to watch her boyfriend play. She tried sneaking in and so far it has been great. She thought she was off the hook but then felt a familiar arms wrapped around her waist. "I found you~" Sugawara said with a smile.

- You both would often plan pranks and majority of the times, it would succeed

"Okay okay, so what are we doing today?" Kay asked the silver haired male. "Oh~ maybe we can scare Asahi or anyone for that matter with a beetle?" Sugawara suggested. "That's--no," Kay responded.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

3 am shenanigans

It’s 3 am in the morning. Almost everyone is fast asleep or in their homes, well almost. The night sky is littered with diamond in the sky. The streets were silent but it was comforting. A few people walked here and there. And a few cars passes by there and here. “What are we doing up so late?” A silver haired man said as he yawned. “We’ll be going to Mc Donald’s! What else?” The female responded as she smiled at him. “Is it even open at this time?” He asked. “Koushi, darling, it is open,” Kay, the lover of our beloved silvered male man said as she smiled. Sugawara chuckled and held her hand, the smile on his face was evident. “You know, we should be sleeping by now right?” He said as he pulled her closer. “And so what? I wasn’t planning on sleeping early! I slept the whole day yesterday and missed the chance to hang out with you,” The girl responded.

A small blush appeared on the male’s face and he giggled. “That’s very sweet bu-“ He was about to say but was silenced by the girl. “That was very sweet but we could’ve done this later on or tomorrow. Well, sorry to break it to you, Love. But, we are here,” She said as she pulled the male inside the fast food chain. And soon enough, the two got their orders and enjoyed their meal. “I don’t know why but this hits different,” Kay said as she eat a French fry. “It really does. Especially since you are here,” Sugawara stated as he patted her head. Now, she was the one blushing. As the two chatted, the other customers and staff glanced at them every now and then. None of them were annoyed at their interactions. On the contrary, they enjoyed watching them,

Some felt envious of their relationship. Some dreamt to have something like that. And others remembered the times of old. The two were so sweet, it’s almost too much. Laughter and chattering echoed through the building from both the couple and the people around them. Then they were dub the “3 am couple” as the two would often venture in that restaurant at 3 am in the morning.

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰*.:｡✧*.｡:｡*.｡✱ ───

Author's note

I'm so so sorry for the long wait! This week has been hectic. Anywho, I hope you enjoy this matchup~ and thanks for requesting!

[tessadoesstuff]

Run It With Love - Chapter 1

For the KOTOBER event from Tumblr!

For Day 1 - Beast

Next Chapter!

A non-linear story of Bly, Aayla, and Quinlan in the time of the Knights of the Old Republic games (about 3,800 years before the prequels) designed to be read without any knowledge of that game or time.

This story will eventually use all of the prompts from KOTOBER, although for the sake of my sanity I will be posting around 3 prompts a week rather than one a day :D

Thank you to LadyVadar and GoBayern for betaing this fic for me!

Aayla fiddles with the gloves she is wearing, even as she sends a cocky grin over to the crowded sidelines of the racing track. She scans the mass of sentients gathered at the dusty, questionably legal, sandy swoop-racing track until her eyes find where Quinlan has chosen his space. Aayla’s master is about 100 yards past the starting line, leaning over the edge of the track to wave at her. Mission has perched on his shoulders, cackling at something Quinlan must have said. The 14-year-old twi’lek is gripping Quinlan’s shoulders with her legs, her hands in the air, waving at Aayla. Admittedly, that was a very good way to get her attention and make sure she spotted them. Mission’s bright blue skin stood out from the dusty shades of green and brown worn by most of those local to Tatooine.

The organizer of the day’s races, Motta the Hutt, begins speaking over the intercom. He announces that the race would begin soon, which draws Aayla’s attention back to the track ahead of her. She tunes out the fake voice that one of the announcers is putting on – if she had to guess she would put her credits on the twi’lek girl trying to play up the stereotype of the weak, pretty female twi’lek. Whoever the announcer is, they’re repeating the fake backstory Aayla produced when she found herself in this time, declaring her the rookie racer this swoop-racing season.

A second, male announcer takes over as the start light ahead of Aayla starts to power on. She listens a little closer when the announcer mentions the time to beat. 23 seconds doesn’t seem too bad – she had watched racers on Taris do much better when she had watched the season opener. Although to be fair, that had been an entirely different track on a different planet.

Aayla flips the lever on the side of her speeder – no, they’re called swoop bikes at this point in time – to turn on the bike’s custom accelerator on and feels it hum to life beneath her, the extra power surging through the bike. As the lights begin to count down to the start of the race, Aayla wraps her hands around the throttle and brake controls attached to the handles of the speeder. As the go light turns green, Aayla slams the throttle trigger to the handlebar, squeezing it tight, and the bike leaps into motion.

Immediately she shifts to avoid the huge pile of debris in front of her, dodging left towards one of the ten acceleration pads placed along the track to give a boost of speed to a racer. As she passes over the pad, she slams her left handlebar forwards, releasing the speed that her accelerator has been building up. Combined, the two speed boosts send her shooting ahead. Through the air, she can feel the vibrations that mean the male announcer is commenting on something, but only barely.

Her lekku stream out behind her as she hits another speed panel and dodges between two more piles of the Hutt’s junk out on the field, the wind rushing around them as she gains speed until the only vibrations she can hear are the ringing songs of the air. She speeds over two more speed panels placed back to back, releasing her speed from the accelerator again as she hits the second pad, and its ever-so-slight slope is enough that she gets a fair amount of air as she does, and she sails over the ridge of sand left in the track by a previous racer. If her count is right, she’s ten seconds in, and almost halfway there. Her count has never been wrong in any of her practice runs.

The following pad is on the far side of the wide track, and at her high speed she only manages to clip the corner of it, but that sets her up for the next one. She squeezes between a rock arch and an artificial obstacle for a straight drive at the oncoming pad.

She takes a deep breath, and just as she reaches it, she slams both her handlebars forward to activate all of her accelerator’s speed, and then adds just a touch of brakes and twists the handlebars the way Anakin would twist the steering wheel when he pod-raced in the lower levels of Coruscant with her, and the bike shoots into the air, clearing two obstacles and sailing for a good hundred yards, despite the fact that the swoop bikes were clearly designed to hover at less than knee height above the ground.

In the air, Aayla sails over another speed pad without activating it, but the next two are in a straight shot to the finish line. On the ground, Aayla would have to dodge several obstacles to get to them, but airborne, she is able to sail right to them, landing on the tail end of the first and shooting straight at the second and final speed pad, releasing her accelerator’s speed for the last time as she shoots across the finish line.

In the end zone, Aayla lets go of the throttle, which she had been squeezing at max since the start of the race, and eases into the brace as she loops around the circular end zone. When the swoop bike finally comes to a rest, she hops off the bike and looks over to the entrance to the end zone. The gate slams open, and three figures come bounding through into the end zone.

“Bly!” She cries out, throwing her arms around her boyfriend, who gives a chuckle and hugs her back. “How did I do?” She asks. She had been moving too fast to hear when they announced her time. Bly gives a dopey grin back at her.

“22 and a half seconds. You did it! That gives you the top time today unless there are any late challengers.” Aayla grins, still full of the adrenaline from moving that fast. She can see less than half the track from where she’s standing. She leans forward and kisses Bly on each cheek, right on top of his golden tattoos.

“With a race like that? There won’t be any late challengers.” Sam comments from where they’re leaning against their swoop-bike, the Jedi checking the ignition and the accelerator on their swoop bike.

“I know! You were incredible!” Juhani adds. The cathar has one of the biggest grins Aayla has ever seen on her face, and the ponytail that is perched on the back of her head sways back and forth a little as the Jedi padawan bounces up and down a little.

“Oh please, my bike was incredible. You were okay.” Sam comments as they bang their lightsaber against the brakes. Aayla giggles, even as Juhani and Bly make twin noises of protest. “We should start heading back – we agreed to meet Master Vos and Mission outside the swoop offices,” Sam adds, and Aayla waves over one of Motta the Hutt’s employees to take Sam’s bike back to the swoop offices on one of their trailers, now that Sam has given it their thumbs up.

Once the bike was all loaded up, Aayla loops her arm through Bly’s and ducks out of the gate onto the path through the sandy Tatooine wastelands. Sam and Juhani follow one step behind them, the sand crunching under their feet as they begin their trek. The sun is beginning to set, so it is only horribly hot out, as opposed to the nearly deadly heat it had been when the races had started.

“When did you and Juhani get here, Sam? I thought the whole point of me riding this race was that you were going to be busy with our side project.” That gets a sigh out of Juhani.

“We hit a dead-end for today. Mission’s brother definitely came here with his girlfriend after he ditched Mission on Taris.” The cather offers, but that was hardly new news. They had heard as much from said ex-girlfriend when Mission had run into her on Dantooine.

“And Lena’s theory was definitely right – after she dumped Griff, he was employed by Czerka Corp for a while. Unfortunately, he’s missing right now, and the Czerka representative is being dodgy about answering any questions about him.” Sam adds on.

“The more I hear about Mission’s brother, the less I think he’s half the man she thinks he is,” Bly adds. “I mean, he was already on thin ice for abandoning his 12-year-old sister on a planet where the system is designed to oppress and marginalize non-humans like her. But every time I learn something new about him, he still manages to surprise me.” Bly grinds out. Aayla can feel his indignation strong in the force. Bly takes being a good older brother very seriously.

“And, the Czerka representative expressed that while they are too busy to look into it now, if someone were to, say, deal with their Sand People problem on the West Dune Sea, they would be more than happy to help. Not that they would be able to pay the said person.” Sam adds.

“You got to love casual, openly corrupt businesses, don’t you?” Aayla chimes in, and gets snorts of laughter from the others, so she considers it a success.

“It’s horrible. I can’t believe the things Czerka gets away with.” Juhani responds, her disapproval filling the force.

“So, what’s the plan? Do you need us to distract Mission again while you guys keep hunting down this lead?” Aayla chimes back in.

“If that’s possible? That would be ideal.” Sam responded, and Juhani nodded.

“Of course, it is. There’s another race tomorrow.” Aayla smirks.

“Maybe Mission will manage to drag Zaalbar to the race with her this time.” Bly offered, a fond smile on his face.

“I doubt it. I bet sand is a pain to get out of Wookie fur.” Sam chimes back in.

[brightsun-and-darkmidnight]

Just Plus

TITLE: Just Plus

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 1. Just Angst.

AUTHOR: brightsun-and-darkmidnight

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine being a plus-size virgin, and Loki is your first (and only) BF. After five years of dating, both of you are ready to take things further. You’re scared to give yourself to him but really want to. You worry he will be disgusted by your rolls and stretch marks. As time goes on, he notices you wearing modest clothing and fending off his touches, like you are hiding something. One day, Loki sees you looking at yourself in the mirror. He can almost see the wheels turning and disdain in the look you give yourself. He realizes that you don’t like your body. Later, Loki all but corners you to talk about it. After a time, you vent, explaining everything. A few nights later, kisses turn to something more. Loki spends the entire night showing you just how beautiful you are.

RATING:  Explicit for sexual content.

Summary: Ever since the talk of sex you start to compair yourself to other body types and questioning why Loki wants you. Loki finds out and immediately plans to make you feel better. 

NOTES/WARNINGS: Doubts in self beauty. This is angsty in the way the plus size reader/character starts to feel about herself. 

My Ao3: brightsun_and_darkmidnight

*FINALLY..Read the warnings. Once you agree you can handle it...

 ~ ~ ENJOY  ~ ~

Ever since you agreed to take things further, Loki has been more… touchy. The mere thought of having more of yourself exposed to him both excited and terrified you. Yes, he always laid his head on your "very nice, big, soft thighs" but as he laid there now he was drawing things into your side. His other hand held literature that his voice flowed with ease over every word and read paragraphs like it was his own thoughts. You played with his hair but the touches on your side made you uncomfortable.

The crop top you adored showed skin you were comfortable with sharing. You might be on the plus side of things but you loved your body. Your body was the only one you were ever going to get and it was something to treasure and flaunt. Loki bought you clothes and that might have been embarrassing in its own way, just knowing he knew your size. Loki could literally fit your clothes but you couldn't fit his… Weren't girls supposed to wear their boyfriend's clothes? 

You stared off into the distance of the park feeling self conscious. Other people's looks never bothered you but now life seemed different since the discussions of sex. You wondered, what do they think looking at you being so big compared to the well toned god using you as a pillow. 

A group of thin girls sent a look at you then laughed among themselves… Your anxiety getting the best of you.

"Loki can we go home?"

The words ceased from the calm, soothing voice as the book was closed.

Loki looked up to you and smiled. An exciting gleam in his eyes that made your stomach turn at the thoughts swimming in his eyes. 

The squeeze on your side made you glance at the girls who probably can't hold more than fingertips of fat. The girls with short skirts with smooth legs with no cellulite. Everyone who was eating whatever the hell they wanted, no care in the world.

Loki was up and holding his hand to you.

You hesitated before letting him help you up, your high number of weight seeming to ring in your ear. He looked as if there was no effort into helping you up to your feet. He smiled once you were sturdy and placed a kiss on your cheek. 

"Are you ready then my love?"

You nodded with a smile, blushing from his affectionate attention.

"Well." Loki bent down to get the book he was reading and tucked it under his arm. "Lets go. I am starved. I actually want that meal you like. Do you think you could make that tonight for dinner?"

You glanced at him as he took your hand. "Yeah I can do that."

Loki's arm went around you and his fingers were firm on your bare skin. You did your best to not react. 

Loki gave a squeeze on your side where you knew there was a start of a fat roll. "You are beautiful." Loki pulled you closer and kissed your cheek.

You blushed again as he held your hand to place a kiss to your knuckles. Lacing his fingers with yours he started gently swing your joined hands as you walked with him. The walk home Loki talked with purs of compliments as more seemingly affectionate touches that were able to make you blush.

Loki took your jacket to hang and you went to the kitchen to prepare your favorite meal. Loki had pushed you to the counter to trap you for a series of kisses. His hands were not secretive with the usual feather light caresses but instead firmly placed hands all over your body. He left you breathless and a coil seemed to tighten slightly in your stomach.

It felt like a warning sign but oddly pleasurable at the same time. Writing it off as nerves getting the best of you, food was the last thing on your mind. Once dinner was done you ate much less than you would have normally. Loki tried to question if you felt okay, you claimed you did but you were tired.

When getting ready for bed your reflection caught your eye.

You saw the body you were happy with but with a further look you wondered if Loki actually liked your body. All of the compliments he showered you with today meant nothing to the dark thoughts of yourself.

You decided to wear more modest clothes as the days went on. Loki tried to initiate more than kisses but the more he touched you the more that coil tightened in your stomach. That coil scared you. You never felt anything like it before the talks of sex.

-:-

Loki watched as you went to the bedroom with your shoulders seeming to be heavier than normal. He noticed something off when you claimed you were okay but with the claim of needing rest he dismissed it. Cleaning up the leftovers, he also decided to do the dishes and straighten up a little. He didn't want you to worry about those things if you weren't feeling well. Days went by and you were acting strange.

When Loki went to the bedroom he noticed you were not in bed yet, but in the joined bathroom. He paused for a second to see you just staring at yourself. Then you pinched your belly with a sigh. You tried to hold in your stomach and smooth other parts.

Loki has never seen you do any of that before. You always seemed proud of your body and he did not mind buying you clothes to boost your confidence. However he noticed a change in your clothing choices as of recently. He loved your body. You didn't feel like a fragile thing in his arms. You had a wonderfully voluptuous body that Loki could hardly wait to have bare and shaking in pleasure. Your thighs were soft, wonderful pillows and he looked forward to being between them.

His thoughts ended as you opened the door, forcing him to act like he did not see you thinking less about your body. Tomorrow he would question you about it.

-:-

You looked at your clothes and wondered what you should wear today. Hands were on your shoulders and a voice purred in your ear.

"The weather is beautiful today and I would love to see you in that crop top today."

Your eyes instantly went to the one you knew he liked but it just didn't feel right anymore.

"Is something wrong?"

You answered a curt "no."

"(Y/n)."

You sighed heavily, knowing you were caught in a lie.

Loki turned you to face him and the fingers under your chin made you look at him in the eyes.

"What is wrong (y/n)?"

"I just… I don't like… I am worried you won't like.." with a deep inhale you just stated. "I am nervous."

He placed a kiss to your forehead and then looked into your eyes. "You are having concerns about being more intimate with me."

You nodded as tears pricked your eyes. 

Loki took your hands in his, placed a kiss on both and finally held them to his chest. "My heart beats wildly for you. I love you. Every. Single. Part. Of. You. No matter what -you are the one I have chosen to be with these past five years. You are the one I want to spend my life with. If you do not wish for me to touch you then I will honor your request."

You had no other choice than to look in his eyes or at your hands pressed against his chest. His heart was indeed racing and so was yours.

"I do want to… be with you. But I never did that with anyone…"

Loki cupped your cheek and wiped his thumb under your eye. "You do not need to worry about a thing. So long as you want to, we can and will. I will be there to worship your body."

You nodded but the coil tightened again with the thought of Loki doing things to you. You sighed frustrated… Loki gave your hand a squeeze and gently called your name.

"Every time I think of sex it is like this..alarm goes off in my body. Like something tightening in my stomach and it makes me nervous. It has never happened before we talked about that."

You looked at Loki's face and he seemed amused.

He kissed your forehead and stated, "that is to be expected. This is all new to you." 

Loki hugged you and you held him back. You whispered into his shoulder,

"Can we just go to sleep?"

Loki smiled at you and took you to the bed. He held you all night.

-:-

Loki did not hold you all night.

As soon as you were in a deep sleep he crept to the computer. As you always did, you left your torrid account logged in. He noticed several things in the cart so he started there. You had several lingerie options picked out and naturally Loki felt a pull to the ones with his colors… Despite being biased, he ordered all of the ones you had in your cart. He might have ordered a few other items he liked as well.

-:-

Two days passed and it felt odd to be near Loki. He wasn't overly touchy like he had been, he still talked as he always did but there was no purr in his voice.

Loki was away at work and you were watching a favorite movie to trying to settle the nagging sadness.

There was noise coming from the front door and then the door bell rang. Once you opened the door, no one was there. However, packages were there. You did not order anything and wondered what Loki had. Seeing the address of Torrid you really wanted to know what he ordered.

"Oh no… did he see!"

You quickly opened the packaging and sure enough… there were many lingerie options. He apparently did some shopping of his own because there were more clothes he ordered. Holding up a dress that was sure to compliment your figure made a smile form on your lips. 

Your phone buzzed from a text.

Loki had sent a text. "I hope you got the package. Choose what you want to wear, something fun to do and a place to eat for dinner. Tonight is about you."

[patricia-von-arundel]

A Small Indulgence

I said I’d eventually get around to writing something with a little more substance, and finally found the time today to sit down and finish this thing. I’m still kind of having the voices of these characters come and go in my head - think of radio reception, fading in and out - so hopefully they were being as cooperative here as it felt like they were being. Writing Byleth is fucking hard. 

Also on AO3

Rating: T (violence)

Summary: It's not doubts about the coming battle that plague Edelgard after truths are revealed and promises made - it's her doubts about Byleth... and about her own feelings.

They camped the night before close enough to see the silhouette of the monastery, a dark, looming mass against the gathering dusk. The tension, palpable as the chill in the air, was perhaps inevitable - but Edelgard knew there was also nothing to be done about it. 

Still, it was distracting - and she had too many things threatening to distract her at the best of times. Which tonight most certainly was not. Nor, if she was honest with herself...

Nor was tension the right word for what she felt. 

Fear.

What she felt was fear. 

Not only about the battle to come, but also about whatever might come after it. Selfishly, as well, fear of what it might mean for herself. There was control in helping shape the future, but none at all in what ultimately occurred. 

The day melted away in what seemed no time at all. There were inspections, instructions, final discussions, directions, commands, and only when Edelgard ordered that both meat and dessert be served with the evening meal - it would boost morale, and soon the problem of sufficient rations would solve itself - did she realize she had not eaten nor sat down since breakfast. She added dinner to her mental list, knowing both Hubert and Dorothea would invariably notice and chide her. 

What was it like, to be one of those soldiers? She watched them for a time - most were talking and laughing, though she saw some somber, pensive faces, meals only picked at. Some of them would never eat again. They would put on armor, ready their weapons... and die in mud and filth and their own blood. 

Of course, the same was true for her. But this she had chosen. How many of those before her had truly chosen to be here? They were following orders, as they had sworn to do. Her orders. 

Perhaps sometimes it was for the best, being so alone now. Leaving no one behind to mourn or grieve or cry at her loss. So many of these men had families. Parents, children, brothers and sisters. 

"Your Majesty?" The voice of an earnest-looking young soldier, turning a sheaf of papers over and over in his hands. "The final weapons inventory is complete."

"Back to work, then..."

The soldier looked a bit startled. "Hm?"

"Nothing. Thank you."

For the best, but very lonely. 

As the young soldier walked away, one of the tables shouted for him. "How do you always draw the worst duties? Catch!" He deftly caught the cake they tossed him, and left laughing and shaking his head. 

So very, very lonely. 

She left them to their meal, and their enjoyment. 

Work continued as the sun sank below the horizon. Candlelight flickering on the map before her, on her glove as she traced one finger along battle lines she had long since memorized. She still wasn't happy with the plans for the western approach - it felt as if it had a weak spot, a potential hole, but where that might be was elusive. 

She considered calling Petra - the master of spotting such things, with her hunters' eyes - but Edelgard hated to disturb what little sleep anyone might be able to get on a night like this one. Hubert would be close, of course, but he, too, should be asleep, and she wasn't going to encourage his behavior (as if it would not continue regardless). 

And there was the one she wanted to see...

I will protect Edelgard. 

But it wasn't like that. She couldn't fall victim to what might prove dangerous assumption. Especially not now. 

She rolled the map again with a sigh, finally giving in to the dull ache that had begun to thump behind her eyes. She needed to at least attempt sleep herself. Blow out the candle, and sleep. And tomorrow - 

Tomorrow, take back the world. 

"With you by my side," she murmured - if only to herself. 

Protect Edelgard. 

The memory was there, echoing as she prepared for bed, as she combed her hair, coiled it up so it would not tangle in the night, changed her clothes. Beneath blankets, eyes resolutely shut, she reminded herself several times - to stop being utterly ridiculous. She attempted to review the map again, mentally. She told herself to sleep. 

Eventually, she did. 

 -

The battle raged with the fierce, bloody violence that she had feared. Endless, the other side, and in helmets and armor, as if soulless as well. Edelgard could feel the harshness of her own breath, the growing heat in the muscles of her arms, as she cut through them. Sprays of blood - those, too, were hot, but quickly cooled and grew sticky against her skin. 

Tattoos of death. Senseless, meaningless death. Death by her blade. Death by her hand. But still, she swung her axe, and still, she killed them. 

"Edelgard!" Byleth. She darted through as if their enemies were motionless. "An opening - into the monastery. This way." And cat-like, she was gone again, leaving Edelgard to try to chase after her. 

I would follow you anywhere. 

The inside of the monastery was shockingly quiet, after the chaos of battle outside its walls. No students, no staff - even the cats seemed to have vanished. It was almost unnatural - eerie. 

But Byleth seemed sure of herself. "Leave your weapons here."

"My... weapons?"

A curt nod. "I have another idea. They'll just weigh us down. Let's get to the cathedral."

Edelgard did as told. She had given Byleth lead, after all, for a reason. Even when that lead was disquieting. 

Protect Edelgard. 

My teacher...

Past the greenhouse, the dining hall. The dormitory - all her things would still be there. Books and ribbons and letters from her father. Uniforms she would likely never wear again. 

And the cathedral itself, looming over all like the monstrosities that dwelt within it. Edelgard felt her heartbeat quicken. She glanced at Byleth - expressionless. Sure of whatever it was that she had planned. 

No chorus rang out inside the cathedral. There were no prayers. Just the lone figure waiting at the end of the nave. The one they had come here to seek. 

Rhea. 

She smiled at them. That serene smile that was more of a mask than any Edelgard had worn. "I've been waiting."

Byleth nodded. Still expressionless. "Where?"

"Just in here. Come."

Edelgard's heart felt like a trapped bird, flapping desperately within her chest. 

I will protect Edelgard. 

When Byleth followed Rhea, she went with them. She felt small, suddenly. Defenseless. Something was wrong. Something... 

Her breath caught at the turn. A place she knew, but not here. A place windowless, dark, cold. Stone walls, stone floors. And...

Chains. 

"No." She took a step back, shaking her head, panic already clutching her. "No, please-!"

Byleth grabbed her arms. Her grip was like steel. 

Edelgard fought her. Bucked and struggled and tried to kick. But she was a child again, and Byleth lifted her effortlessly. Rhea watched, wordless - but still, that serene smile, as Edelgard felt the desperate, terrified tears began to fall, and the painful cold of the manacles Byleth closed around her wrists. She began to tremble - the cold, and the fear. 

Byleth stepped back, standing with Rhea, her face still expressionless as Edelgard cowered against the wall, legs quivering, finally giving out. She sank, pulling her knees to her chest, shaking and small and helpless. 

But she forced her eyes up, meeting Byleth's. "My... my teacher?"

I will protect Edelgard. 

Cold, hard eyes. "You are not the only one with betrayal within them, Edelgard."

"My teacher - please! Please! Don't-!"

But they left her. The door closing, the thud of the lock, and then silent darkness, broken only by her harsh, desperate sobs for breath. 

Her sobs, and the skittering of the rats in the walls. 

 -

She woke with a choked gasp, pulling her arms tight against her chest. In the moonlight, she could see the walls of her tent. No stone. 

Still, she squeezed her eyes shut - as if that could hide the memory already seared across her mind. Told herself none of it was real, as if that did anything either. Deep breaths. Turning on her side, pulling the blankets up with her shaking hands. 

The leader of an empire, trembling in her bed like a frightened child. 

But that was why. Why they had to do it. She knew she couldn't prevent every nightmare for ever child in the world, but she could see to it that some nightmares, at least, could never happen again. That the children of Fódlan could sleep safely in beds, and not in chains. 

Perhaps then her own nightmares would finally cease. 

With her breath and heart finally mostly calmed, she sighed, pushing the blankets away and sitting up. No use in trying to sleep now - she knew well how this mental ritual was performed. And the night air, cool and crisp as it was, might help clear her mind. She left her gloves and jacket - it was well past evening curfew, and she knew where the sentries  were stationed. No one would see. 

Outside was dark and quiet, no noise but gentle wind through the trees. Candles still burned in a few tents - Hubert's among them, she noted with a touch of amusement and complete lack of surprise - but it was the light from the monastery, far above them, that caught her eye. 

They knew she was coming. Of course they knew. 

Rhea knew. 

"I shall never wear chains again." Spoken softly - but the truth rang through her like the bells in the cathedral. 

"Edelgard?"

She jumped - startled not only by the sound, but also by the owner of the voice. She brought her arms up, crossing them tightly against her chest, as if Byleth might otherwise be able to see the heart once more beating madly beneath. 

"Couldn't sleep?" Byleth was still dressed, and Edelgard realized she wasn't even sure where Byleth had been all day. 

Meeting with Rhea?

Edelgard wanted to think it was ridiculous to even consider, but her own actions of late spoke otherwise. She wanted to dismiss the very idea, nonetheless. Byleth would never betray her. 

Would she?

The expressionless face. Rhea's serene, sweet smile. 

I will protect Edelgard. 

She was shaking again. She tightened her arms against her chest, hoping to hide it, and suddenly very aware once more of the scars criss-crossing her bare skin. If Byleth noticed either, though, she said nothing. 

Edelgard took a deep breath. "Just... just another nightmare."

Please don't leave me. Please, please don't ever leave me. Don't leave me to those chains. The loneliness...

Words she knew she could never say. Or so she had to force herself to believe. Especially now. 

"I'm sorry."

Edelgard looked away. She didn't know quite what to say. She wanted to ask - about Rhea. About where Byleth had been. About her decision to stay. More words she could not say. 

"Edelgard?"

Either of them could die tomorrow, just as easily as any of those soldiers laughing over a meal. Either of them, or both of them, and Edelgard had long since ceased to believe in the promise of an afterlife. 

All the words she might never have the chance to say. 

"My teacher..."

Byleth watching her, waiting patiently. But not expressionless - not truly. That tight smile. Those eyes, bright even in the dim light. 

Another deep breath. "Might I ask... a small indulgence?"

She didn't wait for an answer. She let herself fall against Byleth, her hands fisted between their chests, eyes closed and her breath short, harsh. There was no hesitation in Byleth's response - arms wrapped around her, pulled her closer, though they were stiff, as if not accustomed to holding someone. 

Well, that made two of them. 

But she was warm, and she was there. And slowly, Edelgard felt the trembling ease. 

"I know our path is the right one," she said then, softly. "But still, I feel doubts and fears. So much I cannot control." She laughed, though there was no humor in it. "Even my own dreams."

She pulled away. Only a small indulgence, she had asked for, and already, it felt a much larger one. "I should let you get to sleep."

"You should try, too."

Edelgard nodded. "Yes, my teacher."

"I like your hair like that." Byleth reached out, brushing her fingers against one of the coils. "Goodnight, Edelgard."

And she turned and walked away, leaving Edelgard to reach up, and rest her own fingers where Byleth's had been - wondering. 

-

The next day, so many words still unspoken, Byleth was gone. 

[davisondg-blog]

Maybe that part is already starting

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[numba99]

The Arrangement Part 6

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Summary:  You’re an aspiring model in NYC who is offered an opportunity of a lifetime - an arranged relationship with a famous Ranger. Things start out rough and are further complicated by the fact you’re already in a relationship. Will you be able to figure things out or will it all end in disaster? Word Count:2,655

Warnings: None! sorry this took so long lol

The next morning you woke up the couch. In your emotional stupor, you somehow managed to pull yourself up to sit, despite the protest of your achy muscles. You blinked hard, trying - and failing - to get the sleep out of your eyes.

You couldn’t believe what happened last night. You had a feeling that this whole thing would blow up with Eric eventually. but you never thought it would happen like that. Everything happened to fast it felt like a blur. The one thing that did stand out was Mika’s words. It felt like a knife to the chest all over again thinking of him saying he never wanted to see you again.

You partly felt like you deserved it. What you said to him was awful. You don’t even know why you said it. Everything has been so crazy you went into self-defense autopilot and ended up fucking up something you really wanted.

All you wanted to do was mope all day, but apparently Alice had other plans. Your stomach lurched when her number flashed across your phone. She told you you needed to get down to the agency immediately. She wouldn’t say why, but she did not sound happy.

Your heart was thudding as you got ready. You looked in the mirror before leaving,red puffy eyes staring back at you. You weren’t at all happy with how you looked, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care.

You walked briskly through the city, wanting to get whatever Alice was going to talk to you about over with. With each block closer you got, your nerves grew. Your mind wandered to worst case scenarios, wondering if you could be fired. Standing outside Alice’s office, you took one last deep breath before opening the door.

Three head’s whipped around: Alice’s, Mika’s, and an unfamiliar man in a suit. You stood there awkwardly for a second, half considering turning around and sprinting away, before taking the open seat next to Mika. Alice and the suited man stood behind her desk, making you feel like a kid getting in trouble with the principle.

“Y/n this is Steve, he works for Mika’s team’s legal team,” Alice explained. Your heart stopped. If the legal team was here, you must be in some deep shit. “We called both of you in today because someone by the name of Eric Holmes came in and told us some pretty troubling things.” You stole look at Mika, to see his reaction, but he was only staring blankly ahead.

“Ms. Y/L/N, Eric said he was your boyfriend and he told us that you told him your relationship with Mika was a publicity stunt. You’re aware that is in direct violation of the contract you signed, yes?” Steve questioned you. You stared wide-eyed, feeling like a deer in headlights. Eric was an asshole, but you couldn’t believe he was actually trying to destroy everything you worked for. You opened your mouth to respond, but your words got caught in your throat.

“It was me,” Mika answered for you. All eyes fell on him, yours being the most surprised. “I was helping y/n with her bags and Eric ambushed us at her apartment. If I hadn’t said anything, he would have gone nuts.”

“Are you sure about that? Because he told us specifically that it was y/n and that she told him the two of you slept together, which is a violation of both of your contracts,” Steve pressed on.

“Of course he would say that, he’s an asshole just trying to get his ex in trouble. The dude swung at me and pushed her, clearly he’s not trustworthy,” Mika replied.

“Then why are there pictures of you and y/n kissing?” Alice jumped in.

Mika shrugged casually. “I’ve kissed people during publicity relationships before. I thought I was supposed to. I misunderstood.” The two of them eyed him skeptically, then turned their attention to you.

“Is this true?” Steve asked. You looked at Mika, who nodded, telling you it was okay to go along with it.

“He’s right,” you agreed, “Eric’s crazy, he was probably just trying to hurt me.”

“You’re going to need to cut contact with him,” Steve instructed.

“That will not be a problem,” you replied, more than happy to never see him again.

“And the two of you are going to have to be more careful when you’re out on the last couple dates. No more kissing,” Steve continued.

“That definitely won’t be a problem,” Mika muttered. You kept a poker face as best as you could, trying to ignore how that stung. After a few more reminders of how we were supposed to behave, we were set free. Mika left without a word, but you caught up with him in the lobby.

“Mika wait,” you called after him, wanting a chance to explain yourself.

He sighed, reluctantly turning around. “What?”

You froze, suddenly feeling nervous in front of him. “I- uh I just wanted to thank you for- for saving my ass in there,” you stumbled.

“You’ve got a lot more to lose than I do,” Mika shrugged.

“Right, well I really appreciate that,” you replied awkwardly. He could have easily thrown you under the bus, but he didn’t.

“Sure,” Mika replied halfheartedly.

“About everything that happened yesterday, I’m so sorry, I didn’t-” Mika put his hand up, cutting you off.

“I’ve been thinking and you’re right y/n,” He began, “We’ve caused problems in each other’s lives. I was never the type to cheat, yet I knowingly slept with someone who had a boyfriend. I don’t want to be that person. Let’s just get through these last couple dates and then we can move on with our lives.”

His words weren’t necessarily mean, but they felt so harsh. So final. “Okay,” was all you could bring yourself to say. With that, Mika left and you were alone again. You sulked back to your apartment, ready to return to your moping.

As much as you wanted to do nothing, you decided you had to check your email, something you hadn’t done in a few days. Just because you personal life was going to shit didn’t mean your professional life had to. You scrolled through a bunch of spam when suddenly your heart stopped. You had an email from Gucci.

You clicked it immediately, finding an invitation to a casting call for their New York Fashion week show. You wanted to jump up and scream with joy. You’ve wanted to do something like that since you started modeling and you couldn’t believe you may actually have a chance.

For a second you wondered if you should even take it. Was it right to take an opportunity from Mika after everything that happened? Part of you felt bad, but you reasoned that you should get something good out of this mess. If you landed this, it could change your world. You weren’t about to let a stupid mistake get in the way.

A few days later you were walking towards the building where the Gucci casting call was taking place. You tried to calm your nerves with slow breaths, knowing Gucci wouldn’t be looking for someone who wasn’t confident. You walked into the waiting, surrounded by other beautiful girls. You sat in one of the only empty seats, getting yourself in the zone.

When your name was called, you took a final deep breath and got into your work mode. The creative director of the fashion show flipped through the photos you bought and complimented much of your work, boosting your confidence.

Now it was time for your walk. This was the scariest part. You were pretty confident in your runway walk abilities, but all it could take was a bump in the floor to throw you off. Nevertheless, you killed the walk and you felt like she was impressed.

The woman told you that in about a week or so she would be making calls about who was walking for the show. Although you wouldn’t know for sure, you felt like you left a really good impression and had a decent chance of getting a spot in the show. As you walked out of the building, you felt the best you did in a couple days. However, there was a cloud hanging over your joy. All you wanted to do was call Mika and tell him how well it went, but you couldn’t.

Whatever, you thought, you’re going to try the best to enjoy this little high you were on. You treated yourself to your favorite coffee drink, then picked up some cookie mix. By the time you got back to your apartment, you couldn’t wait to start baking and draw up a bath to relax in. However, Alice had other plans.

When you saw her name on your phone you considered ignoring it and pretending like you didn’t see it. However, after the shit that happened the other day, you weren’t trying to get yourself in more trouble.

Alice told you that tonight you had to go out to a fancy restaurant tonight. The exact opposite of what you wanted to do. Not that it mattered to her.

“Maybe tomorrow,” you said to the cookies, as you reluctantly put them away. You retreated to your room, now needing to get ready to spend a night with someone who barely wanted to look at you. Fun.

The only dress you felt was nice enough for the occasion was a silky black one you bought awhile back. It was one of those slinky dresses that seemed to just fall on your body and hit you in all the right places. Ironically, you purchased it with the intention of wearing it on an anniversary date with Eric, but that definitely wasn’t going to be happening. Nevertheless, it was a a sexy dress and shouldn’t to waste. If you didn’t feel good, you wanted to at least look good.

Fred’s ‘here’ text came way too soon. You braced yourself for an awkward car ride, but when you opened the door, Mika was not there.

“He wanted to go separately,” Fred explained noticing your confused expression.

“Oh,” was all you could manage, slumping down into your seat.

“I may be out of place for asking, but is everything alright with you and Mika? You seemed so happy the other day,” he questioned.

You sighed. “I messed up. I said something stupid and hurt him and now I’ve ruined everything.”

“Do you like him, y/n? I mean like do you really, really like him?” Fred asked.

“Yes,” you answered without having to think about it, “I do. But I don’t know if that matters now. After what I said I doubt he feels the same anymore.”

“Y/n, I’ve seen the way that boy looks at you. He’s head over heals crazy for you. The feelings behind that kind of look doesn’t go away over one stupid fight. If you like him like you say you do, you need to let him know. Love’s not easy, but it’s the most amazing thing when you get it right. And I think you and Mika could have something beautiful if you’re willing to fight for it,” Fred stated.

“Thank you Fred,” you replied, biting back tears, “I really needed to hear that.”

“Of course,” Fred replied, “I’ve driven a lot people around over the years. A lot of people who’ve said they’re in love, but don’t have anything between them. You and Mika have something special and I would hate to see that end.”

“I swear you’re more like a therapist than a driver,” you laughed, grateful you had someone to talk to.

“Just doing my job,” Fred smiled as he pulled up to the restaurant. “Now go in here and get your man.”

You flung your arms around Fred from the backseat, hugging him the best you could. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” you gushed, before hopping out of the car. You felt a million times more confident than you did before.

However, that didn’t last too terribly long. Seeing Mika, especially dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, took a bit over your nerve away. Nothing like an insanely attractive man to mess up for confidence.

“Hey,” you said quietly, taking a seat across from him.

“Hey,” Mika replied with no enthusiasm. You fell into an awkward silence. You tried to think in your head how you wanted to say this. Or if he would even let you say it. He cut you off when you tried to apologize the other day. Maybe he didn’t care and wouldn’t want to listen.

The waiter came and filled the silence. You and Mika both absentmindedly ordered something, clearly not very interested in food at the moment. And then the silence returned. It was crushing. You couldn’t stand it any longer so you decided it was now or never.

“Mika, I need to talk to you and I- I need you to just listen, okay?” you tried sounding confident, but you weren’t sure it was convincing.

“Okay,” Mika replied with a sigh. Here goes nothing.

“What happened with Eric,” you began trying to find the words, “What I said, it couldn’t be further from the truth. I was scared and upset and I let my stupid emotions speak for me. You haven’t made my life worse, you’ve made it so much better. I’ve only known you for a few weeks, but they’ve been some of the happiest I’ve had and I don’t want to lose that. I don’t want to lose you. If you really want nothing to do with me, then fine. I’ll go on the last date and never bother you again. But if you feel anything for me, let me show you I mean what I’m saying. Tell me there is something left fighting for, and I swear I will fight for you with everything I have in me.”

You were slightly breathless from all the words that just fell out of your mouth. You were proud of yourself for making it through he whole thing without crying, though. Mika looked at you with a face that was hard to read, and you wondered if you made a fool of yourself.

Suddenly, Mika’s hand slipped over yours. A small graced his face. “Of course there is something to fight for. There always will be with you.”

“Seriously? You meant it?” You couldn’t believe your ears.

“Absolutely,” He confirmed, “You’ve been under a crazy amount of stress, especially after Eric pushed you like that. I shouldn’t have let my anger get the best of me the way I did. I’m sorry I said those things and made you feel like I didn’t care about you.”

“Don’t apologize,” you shook your head, “I deserved that.”

“But you didn’t,” Mika replied, “I should have been more understanding to what you were going through. You had it a lot worse than me.”

“It’s okay, Mika. I just want to out that behind us,” you told him.

“I would be more than happy to leave that behind,” Mika agreed. “I just want to focus on a future with you.”

“Are they going to let us be together?” you asked nervously. As much as you and Mika wanted to be together, the contracts would always put that in jeopardy.

“Nothing they do is going to stop me from being with you,” Mika stated with certainty.

“What do you think they’ll do to us?” you asked, scared of what could happen. Would they really take everything from you? The lawyer Steve seemed pretty damn serious.

“Don’t worry about that now, love. We have each other right now and that’s what matters,” Mika assured you. He brought your hand to his lips, kissing it softly. You smiled knowing he was right. Everything else didn’t matter in that moment because for now, you were safe with him.

[nicolewrites]

heartstrings - iii

i did estimate for today! it’s late and i need sleep, so this might need editing later, but it’s done! probably just one more part after this!

part i | part ii

Rating: T Genre: Romance Characters: [Vax’ildan and Keyleth] [Percival de Rolo and Vex’ahlia] Words: 7080

Kiki @keylethashari has tagged you in a tweet: New Q&A up and we’re talking music! creds to @vexmachina @vaxmachina @burtreynoldsesq @thelumineers and others!! // CR1 Vaxleth+Perc’ahlia YouTuber/Musician/Celebrity AU

AO3

The next morning, Vax was already in the kitchen working on emptying out their liquor cupboard when Vex walked in. She zeroed in on the bottle of tequila he was pouring down the drain and frowned heavily.

“I know for a fact that that one belonged to you. You don’t have to drain your money too, you know,” she said. She slid onto one of the barstools and kept a critical eye on him.

Vax shook the last few drops of alcohol out of the bottle and left it sitting with the others by the sink. He looked at Vex sternly. “We’re going to take this seriously and if that means that I’m not drinking either while at home, I’m fine with that. Besides,” he added, letting his tone lighten, “it’s not like we’re a couple of broke street kids anymore.”

Vex cracked a small smile. “Have you started the coffee? I could really use a cup today.”

Vax tipped his head to the already brewing pot. “Way ahead of you, Stubby.”

She smiled. “Thank god.”

An almost awkward silence settled over the kitchen as Vax moved around, finishing the last of his purge while also getting the coffee pot set. Vex leaned forward on the counter and studied him intensely.

He raised an eyebrow at her stern stare. “What?”

“I saw the video on Twitter this morning,” Vex replied nonchalantly. “How long have you been planning to do that video with Keyleth?”

Vax shrugged. “She asked me to a couple of weeks ago. You’re not mad I did it without you, are you?” She shook her head. “Then what is it?” he asked.

Vex smirked and leaned her chin on her palm. “Keyleth’s pretty, that’s all.”

Vax rolled his eyes. “So is Percy. What are you getting at?”

“You seem awfully invested in this vlogger who you didn’t even know existed until several months ago.”

“And you’re the one who’s been seeing a movie star, so you don’t have much room to talk.”

Vex laughed. “Touché, brother. But really, what’s going on between you and Keyleth?”

“We’re friends Vex, god. Sometimes that happens with me, you know? I can have friends besides you,” he replied.

“Oh come on, Vax, I’m always the one with gossip, you have to give me something here,” she said, using her most winning smile.

Vax opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs. He walked to the stove and pulled out a frying pan. With his back turned to her, he felt safe enough to reply. “You said it yourself, she’s pretty, but we’re just friends, really.”

“Fry me one too,” she requested when she saw the eggs. He cracked two into the pan. “You like her though,” she continued.

Vax shrugged. “We’re friends, it’s fun, and I don’t plan on messing with that.”

Vex sighed. “That’s the same reason you and Shaun never gave it a real shot. You can’t back out of all your opportunities for relationships just because you’re afraid, Vax.”

He focused on the steaming eggs in front of him. “Yeah, well, I don’t think Shaun and I would have lasted. We’re better off as friends. We both know that he was always more serious about me, than I was about him.”

The coffee machine clicked off to his left, and Vex slid into the kitchen to pour two generous cups of it. Vax flipped the eggs, careful not to break the yolks, and waited for Vex’s reply.

“Listen, brother, I don’t have the best track record with relationships, but I really feel like you ought to test the waters with Keyleth. Maybe she’s just as interested as you are. Although, if it means you make more videos with her than you do with me, we’re going to have a little problem.”

Vax gave her a skeptical look. “We’re twins, Vex, you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

She sighed dramatically. “And here I had hoped.”

-

“A meet and greet?” Vex asked skeptically. Vax looked between his sister and Zahra.

“Sure, it would be a great way to connect with the fans you have in the area and really give yourselves a bump on social media,” Zahra encouraged.

Vax shifted. “That’s more Vex’s strength than mine.”

Zahra turned her gaze to him. “And yet you’re the one who went and collaborated with one of the biggest creators on the platform. The video you did with Keyleth and all the interactions you two have on Twitter have really boosted you beyond where you think, Vax.”

He sighed. “Yeah, well that’s easy. Keyleth is my friend so it’s easy to treat her as one.”

“Even though the whole world could be watching?”

Vex touched his hand reassuringly. “I think, as my darling brother is trying to say, it’s easy to pretend no one’s watching us because we’re so used to being nobodies that actually being someone is a little disconcerting.”

Vax studied her for a long moment. Her hair was neatly pulled into a stylish braid and she looked brighter and lighter than she had in weeks. Getting rid of the alcohol at home had been the easy part and he had seen how she would almost flinch when she ordered water at a restaurant. Still, she looked healthier and her light-heartedness was coming back, which Vax was infinitely grateful for.

“If you think it would really help, then I guess I can agree to that,” he said, directing the statement at Zahra.

Vex sighed. “I suppose it could be kind of fun, couldn’t it?”

Zahra smiled broadly. “Excellent! I’ll start drawing up some ideas and you two can let me know your schedules so I don’t have to double-book you or anything. Is there anything else we need to talk about in the near future?” Zahra’s gaze drifted between the twins, heavy with implications.

Vex laughed shortly. “If that’s your way of inquiring about our relationship statuses, I think it’s pretty obvious in certain cases. Vax has obviously friend-zoned himself with Keyleth.”

He elbowed her. “We are friends, that’s it. Besides, what’s up with you and Percy then? If you’re so keen to throw me under the bus, that is.”

Vex smirked and pulled out her phone. She tapped out something before dropping it back into her purse, raising a challenging eyebrow.

Vax and Zahra’s phones chimed with Twitter notifications and Vax rolled his eyes. He unlocked his phone and did a quick search to find Vex’s profile.

Vex @vexmachina • Just Now

Darling, I think I left my coat at your place the other night @percivalderolo

The tweet was short, sweet, and spoke volumes all on its own. By the way that likes and replies were pouring in, it had been unexpected, but that was just the way Vex liked to live. She was still smirking at him when he looked back up and he rolled his eyes at her antics.

Just then, her phone rang abruptly. She furrowed her brow and pulled it out. Vax caught a glimpse of the screen and saw that it was, funnily enough, the very person that she had just tweeted about. Vex answered the call and brought her phone up to her ear.

“Hello Darling, what can I do for you?”

Vax didn’t hear the replied, but Vex smiled and gave a light chuckle.

“No, Percy, I didn’t actually leave my coat at your apartment, it’s fine.” She paused as he replied again. “Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow and no you should definitely not reply to my tweet. You’ll take all the fun out of it.”

Vex hung up the phone and looked between Vax and Zahra. “Does that answer your question? And yes, I will do the meet-and-greet.”

-

Vax was lying sprawled on Keyleth’s couch as he explained to her the story behind Vex’s tweet. Keyleth laughed and Vax lolled his head to the side so he could make eye contact with her where she sat on her living room floor, fiddling with several dozen plastic flowers, trying to weave them into a semi-sturdy crown.

“And Percy didn’t care?”

“I mean, didn’t care is a bit strong. I didn’t really get to hear his reaction, but he didn’t seem torn up about it.”

Keyleth giggled and smiled. “That’s good. You know, Percy and I have actually been friends for years, but it took him ages to open up to me so I’m glad he’s doing better with that for Vex. They sound sweet together.”

Vax paused and blinked. “You and Percy are friends?”

Keyleth nodded. “I met him shortly after he moved to L.A. with Cassandra. I was new to the city and we actually ran into one another close to Whitestone’s main headquarters. We got along well-enough and,” she smiled shyly, “fame between a movie star and a YouTuber is getting harder to distinguish. I think he might be the most anti-paparazzi person I’ve ever met.”

Vax nodded and stretched his arms up. “I’ve heard as much from Vex.” He glanced at her again. “There’s actually something I wanted to ask you.”

She jerked her head up, their eyes locking. She blinked and Vax momentarily forgot how to speak as sunlight drifted across her face, illuminating her freckles and making her hair shine like copper. “To ask me?” she parroted.

Vax sat up quickly. Keyleth shifted and cocked her head curiously. “Vex and my birthday is actually coming up. We were going to put something small together with us and a few of our friends outside the business, but I know she was planning to invite Percy, so I wanted to know if you would like to come?”

Keyleth beamed. “It would be an absolute honour.” She paused, getting a gleam in her eyes. “But, you know what would be even better than a small get-together? A Scanlan Shorthalt Birthday Extravaganza!”

Vax laughed and shook his head. “Come on, we’re friendly with Scanlan and such, but we would rather keep this tame.”

Keyleth leaned across the coffee table and touched her hand to his knee. “Vax, trust me. Scanlan is, surprisingly, capable of tame. It’ll be you, Vex, Percy, your other friends, me and Scanlan at one of the best mansions in L.A.” She smiled. “Oh, and probably Grog and Pike, because the three of them are kind of a packaged deal.”

Vax sighed. Keyleth smiled at him and he was torn. He wanted to keep it small so that he could keep the alcohol away easily, but Keyleth’s offer did sound tempting. It also sounded like something Vex would enjoy since she wouldn’t have to snap at him for babysitting her when she didn’t need supervision at all times.

“I’ll ask Vex,” he consented after a long moment.

Keyleth’s hand squeezed his knee and she smiled brilliantly at him.

-

To his genuine surprise, the party was practically perfect. Scanlan had been excited to throw it and at first, Vax had worried, but Pike had promised not to let him get out of hand, on the condition that she and Grog were also invited. It was an easy sell and already made all parties involved more comfortable.

They had laughed, told stories, and sang stupid karaoke songs for hours. It was close to 1 in the morning and the group had splintered into smaller factions. Kima had been basically adopted by Grog, Pike, and Scanlan as they took over Scanlan’s overly large TV to play video games. Grog seemed to be especially enjoying Kima’s company as he’d actually voluntarily chosen to be on her team over Pike’s, leaving Pike and Scanlan to team up. Ironically, this proved his downfall as the Pike-Scanlan team was sweeping the floor with Kima and Grog, but the four of them were laughing and having a great time.

Gilmore, Allura, Percy, and Vex were in the kitchen having a civilized discussion and telling stories about how they all met. A lot of it was very embarrassing for both of the twins, but Vex took it all in stride, her arm looped through Percy’s and a stupid fake birthday tiara perched on her hair.

Vax had been talking with them, but when he realized that Keyleth was missing, he excused himself to the back of the house to look for her. He managed to guess her location on the first try because she was seated in one of many cushioned pool chairs close to the edge of the property, her eyes trained on the sky wistfully.

Vax approached silently and slipped into the chair next to her. He studied her briefly: her red hair was tucked into a loose ponytail with Pike’s spare hair elastic and she was wearing a light green blouse with ripped jeans. It was casual and yet she made it look elegant all the same. She didn’t seem to notice his arrival so he cleared his throat gently.

“What are you looking at, Kiki?”

She jumped and almost fell off of her chair, clutching a hand over her heart in fright. “Geez Vax I didn’t even hear you approach. Are you secretly a ninja or something?”

He gave her a small smile. “Maybe in another life.”

She returned the smile. “And, well, I’m looking at the stars. Or, I’m trying to.”

Vax squinted up at the sky. There wasn’t a lot to see between the lights of the city and a few scattered clouds. “Anything interesting up there?”

She laughed lightly. “I don’t know, honestly, the light pollution makes it hard to see most of the time.”

He studied her face again. She looked content, but also a touch sad. “Was it better at home?”

Her smile spread and she got a faraway look in her eyes. “Miles.” She looked over at him and he saw excitement glimmer in her eyes. “Zephrah is high up and far enough from any big cities that we have the most beautiful nights. Imagine huge clear skies and more stars than you can count.”

“If just thinking about it makes you look like that, I can’t wait to see it,” he said. He almost didn’t realize what he said until the words were out. He clamped his jaw shut and waited to see her reaction.

Keyleth smiled faintly, her timidness creeping in as she looked out over the edge of the deck towards the glittering city of Los Angeles. “I don’t regret leaving though. Being here has been important for me: I’ve grown into my own person and there’s so much I learned here I never could have learned if I’d never left.” She looked back at him. “And of course, I met all of you. So I really don’t regret it.”

Vax looked up at the sky. “Coming here was probably the best thing that Vex and I could have done. We’d worn out our stay in London; it just wasn’t our home anymore.”

Keyleth looked at him curiously. For all he’d shared with her, this felt more raw and sensitive than anything else he’d given her as insight into their past. Vax felt the corners of his mouth lift half-heartedly.

“Our mother died,” he said suddenly. “Stabbed by some mugger in an alley. It threw everything in our lives out of loop and just opened a lot of doors we didn’t need opening. We finally made the choice to move on and come here and it changed everything. We didn’t have degrees or higher education, but we found a stupid hole-in-the-wall apartment. We met Gilmore and Allura and Kima and it was good. Then Gilmore finally made us start the channel and since then,” he paused, his fists clenching and unclenching, “it’s felt like everything has spiralled so out of control.”

“Do you regret it?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Never.” He looked up and locked their eyes. “You said it best, right? If we hadn’t done that we never would have met any of you.” He looked back at the house where he could hear the laughter of his friends and he smiled faintly. “It’s nice to be wanted.”

Keyleth reached over and took his hand in hers. Her fingers were long and slender and they fit between his almost perfectly. She had a freckle on the back of her hand that Vax locked his eyes onto, almost afraid to look up at her.

Vex was right. He cared so deeply for her, but he wouldn’t dare push her. He valued her as a friend more than anything else and the last thing he wanted was to lose her and the semblance of love he’d found in his life. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, and adore her, but he was afraid. He looked up and saw she was just watching him shyly.

Her eyes were beautiful and they glimmered with more emotions than the easily readable happiness and kindness. There was doubt and fear in them too, but they were so unapologetically human. Keyleth wasn’t perfect and he was so thankful for that. It made her even more beautiful.

“Cannonball!”

Grog’s voice cut into the atmosphere abruptly. It was all the warning they got before there was a loud bang and a huge spray from the pool as he leapt in. The resulting splash nearly drenched Vax and Keyleth, but Vax was quick on his feet and he managed to stand and pull Keyleth with him just out of the splash radius.

Kima cheered as she sprinted outside and leapt in after Grog. More laughter followed and Vax watched as Pike and Scanlan dashed out of the house and jumped in as well, their hands tightly linked. Keyleth laughed loudly and Vax realized that he was holding both of her hands. He dropped one quickly and tugged her towards the house.

“I’m not really feeling like getting soaked, are you?”

She giggled. “No, you’re definitely right. Let’s go.”

Using their still linked hands, she pulled him into the living room of the house, just as Vex and the others were trickling outside to watch the spectacle taking place in the pool. Gilmore, Allura, and Percy all didn’t appear to even notice Vax and Keyleth, but Vex cast them a meaningful look as she walked past. Vax gave her a stern look in reply and she just winked before he was left alone with Keyleth.

Keyleth was still giggling. “Wow, that was an adrenaline rush I didn’t know I needed.”

Vax chuckled. “Near-death experiences will do that to a person.”

“I don’t know if I’d call that near death,” she said, nudging his arm.

He shrugged. “Grog and Kima together? That sounds frightening.”

Keyleth smiled and the conversation died. Vax became painfully aware of their proximity and privacy. His own heart was racing and there was something about the way that Keyleth was looking at him that made him throw caution to the wind.

“You know I’m in love with you,” he murmured lowly.

His free hand cupped her face and he kissed her. Her lips were soft and warm and for a second, she was completely frozen against him. Vax nearly panicked until there was a tentative, gentle response. It lasted only for a moment before Keyleth pulled away, eyes wide and cheeks flaming red.

Vax dropped his hand from her face and tried to catalogue the emotions he saw flickering across Keyleth’s face. He saw awe, and shock, and a hint of admiration, but it was all quickly buried by fear. Keyleth gently stepped away, stepping out of his space, and shook her head. Her fingers brushed against her lips and her shoulders crumpled a little again.

“Vax, I,” she mumbled tensely, “I can’t.”

She stepped back again, and again before finally, she turned and basically ran out of the room towards the front door. Vax was left standing alone in Scanlan’s living room. Shame flooded him hotly followed closely by the sharp pain of rejection. As much as he wanted to think he knew how to read Keyleth, her running away was about the last thing he had expected. He stared at the place she disappeared and felt an unfriendly coldness grip his chest.

He had ruined it.

-

“She ran away from you?” Vex exclaimed in surprise.

Vax groaned and dropped an arm over his eyes. He was lying on the couch in their living room the day after the birthday party where Keyleth had fled after he kissed her. “No need to rub it in, Stubby.”

There was a rustling noise before a pillow thudded against his stomach and he groaned. Vex had clearly chucked one of the pillows from the armchair she was occupying at him. “She ran away from you, and you didn’t go after her?”

He lifted his arm and levelled a glare at his sister. “What was I supposed to do? She said she couldn’t and I didn’t want to push her, that would have been even worse especially since I dropped that on her so suddenly.”

Vex pursed her lips. “I still can’t believe you’re in love with her.”

“Just days ago you were encouraging me to be, so why is it hard to believe?”

“Because, brother dear, even though you are free with your affection, it’s been a long time since I’d actually seen you look at anyone like that. I’m happy for you, I promise.”

He sighed and picked up the pillow she had thrown at him. He traced his finger along the outer seam. “I messed this up,” he said bitterly. “I shouldn’t have done anything.”

Vex threw another pillow at him. “Vax’ildan, you did not mess it up. You were honest and that’s good. You need to talk to her and figure out why she ran away.”

“I tried calling her this morning and she didn’t answer. Am I supposed to just blow up her voice mail?”

Vex crinkled her nose. “No, definitely not. You just need to do something that she can’t ignore or hide from.”

Vax rolled so he was on his side and made eye contact with Vex. “I’m not going to publicly show up at her apartment with flowers and loudly declare my love if that’s what you were envisioning.”

Vex laughed. “Not quite what I had in mind, though I do like the image. I have a better idea.” She slid her phone out and tapped a few things. Vax’s phone chimed on the coffee table and he reached for it.

[Vex] I Was Made For Loving You | open.spotify.com

He stared at his sister. “Tori Kelly?”

“Featuring Ed Sheeran,” she replied. “Everyone knows he’s the king of romantic love songs.”

“What am I supposed to do with this? Bring a boombox and go stand outside her apartment, blaring the song until I get her attention?”

Vex rolled her eyes. “No, dummy, you’re supposed to sing it. We do make videos for a living and if you want to get Keyleth’s attention you need to make it clear to her that you want it. It will be an obvious message to her while also not drawing in all the media attention that you literally yelling about how much you love her would.”

Vax glanced at the album cover on his phone screen and then back at his sister. “You want to do this song, right? It’s not just a ploy for this?”

“I do,” Vex promised. “Maybe I can’t say anything to Percy yet, but this should be a nudge in the right direction either way.”

Vax sighed. “If I go get my guitar, we’re doing this my way.”

Vex grinned. “Listen to the song. You’ll like the guitar parts anyways. Plus, it’s already a duet so there’s not much rearranging required.”

Vax nodded but didn’t move from the couch. “Okay, I’ll do it. But, tomorrow. I need a day to wallow.”

Vex snorted. “Well, that doesn’t sound pathetic in the slightest.”

He gave her a pointed look. “You’re the one who had a fit after the paparazzi caught you and Percy together. Let me have this.”

She sighed. “I’m picking the movie then and since you threw out all of our alcohol, it actually has to be a good one.”

-

In the end, it took them a week to get a sound and video combination that they liked enough for the cover. Vax edited the video, partially because he liked editing, but also partially because he was mildly afraid Vex might throw in something about Keyleth that he really didn’t want to be in it.

He started it with a shot of his hands as he played the guitar introduction before it panned to Vex as she sang the opening of the song. He played with the lighting and contrast in post a little and found a balance he liked that was still natural but had subtler ethereal vibes. Overall, it felt like one of their better videos and he did like how they ended up with their arrangement of the song as well.

The video got the approval from Cassandra, who apparently adored it, and so he queued it up to post at noon. Cassandra had been working with Zahra to plan a meet-and-greet/mini-concert for Vox Machina coming up and had insisted that they would play the song live. The idea made Vax’s stomach turn, but it was a good cover, and Vex seemed to want to, so he would do it anyway. Plus, with the event that coming weekend, at least they were prepared to perform it.

The video went live and his phone immediately chimed with a notification from Vex.

Vex @vexmachina • Just Now

New video’s up! See @vaxmachina and I take on @torikelly and Ed’s I Was Made for Loving You -> youtube.com/watch?v=klRueW

He retweeted Vex’s tweet and stared at the compose button for a long moment before selecting it.

Vax @vaxmachina • Just Now

It’s Tuesday and you know what that means #voxmachina | youtube.com/watch?v=klRueW

He placed his phone down and picked up his guitar. He strummed a few chords and hummed along, trying to perfect the melody he was working on. The lyrics had been developing at a rate that was just slow enough to be discouraging, so he was trying to work on different aspects of the song to reignite the inspiration.

He was playing a particularly tricky cadence when his phone chimed. Vax sighed, but place the guitar to the side. He glanced at his phone and furrowed his brows.

Kiki @keylethashari has retweeted your tweet: wooooooooow!! <3

Vax smiled faintly at the notification and placed his phone face down on the table again. He and Keyleth hadn’t spoken directly since the kiss occurred, but they had interacted on Twitter, retweeting and liking each other’s posts. He wanted to talk to her again and for them to regain what they had had before Vax had screwed the whole thing up.

He moved to grab his guitar again, but his phone vibrated. He paused and stared at it. It vibrated insistently again and again. It took entirely too long for him to realize that it wasn’t notifications: it was a phone call. He didn’t even think before he answered the call.

“Hello?”

“Vax?”

A faint smile tugged up his lips. “Hey Kiki,” he replied gently.

He heard her exhale deeply. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to pick up. If anyone had treated me like I did to you, I know I wouldn’t have.”

Vax paused, unsure how to reply. “I shocked you so your reaction was justified.”

“But cutting you out wasn’t. You’re one of my best friends, Vax, I should have never treated you like that.”

He breathed out slowly. “Keyleth, I get it, it’s okay.”

“I wasn’t fair to you and I haven’t really been fair to myself. I miss you.”

He smiled. “I miss you too.”

“Your event is this weekend, right?”

“Yeah, we’re meeting at the Emon Center for Performing Arts.”

“I’ll be there. If I could see you right now, I would, I promise, but I’m actually in Zephrah.”

Vax straightened in his seat. “You went home?”

Keyleth sighed. “I missed it more than I thought and I needed some perspective. My dad gives good advice. He’s the one who told me to phone you instead of just showing up on Saturday.”

Vax laughed. “Not that I wouldn’t have appreciated that as well, but I’m glad you called. I like hearing your voice.”

She let out a breathy giggle. “I’m glad I called too.”

-

The Friday night before the event, Vax was going over the preliminary questions that had been submitted on Twitter. He and Vex were sorting through which ones they wanted to answer and then they would send those over to Zahra for final approval before the official questions were selected. He was lounging on the couch in the living room, scrolling through the question results on his laptop while a new video was exporting in the background.

His peace and quiet were disturbed by the ringing of the apartment phone. Vax scrambled for it, pulling it to his ear.

“Hello?”

“Hi Vax! I’m outside, can you buzz me in?” Pike greeted cheerfully.

“Pike? What are you doing here?”

“Unimportant at the moment, but if you could let me up, that would be great.”

“Uh, alright I guess,” he paused to push the button which opened the auxiliary door. “But, really, why are you here?”

“Thanks, Vax!” she said brightly before disconnecting the call.

Vax stared at the phone in confusion. He hadn’t spoken to Pike since his birthday and he had no idea how she’d gotten their address or why she had shown up unannounced. He loitered around the door for a minute until there was a crisp knock on it, signalling her arrival. Vax opened the door quickly.

Pike was alone, her light hair twisted into a loose bun and she was wearing a purple concert tee that was probably Scanlan’s with a pair of black leggings. She smiled at Vax and stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her. Vax stepped away from the door as Pike slid her shoes off and dropped her purse on the ground next to them.

Then, she turned her blue eyes on him and fixed him with a firm stare. “What’s going on with you?”

Vax blinked, taken aback. “What?”

Pike tilted her head. “What’s going on, Vax?”

He stepped further away, feeling his defensive walls sliding up. “Pike, I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Her gaze softened. “Let’s sit,” she suggested, moving past him to the couch.

Vax sat beside her warily and fidgeted with his sleeve. “What’s going on?” he asked.

Pike studied him. “You’ve withdrawn. Something happened last week or the week before that caused you to withdraw completely. You blew off hanging out with everyone last night, which, according to Vex, is completely unlike you. Every time you look at a person, your eyes get this haunted, sorrowful look.”

Vax blinked. He hadn’t realized that his friends had actually noticed his behaviour. Since the disaster with Keyleth, Pike was right in her observation that he had withdrawn into himself, sheltering his emotions more tightly than normal. Between Vex’s issues, the mess with Keyleth, and the general pressures of mounting popularity he wasn’t particularly fond of, his mind had been a mess recently. Pike’s gaze on him was gentle and soft.

“Vax, are you okay?”

He let out a long sigh. “There’s a lot going on.”

She nodded. “Of course. Do you want to talk about it?”

Vax looked down, frowning. “I don’t want to stick you with all of my problems.”

Pike touched his hand gently. “Vax, I want us to be friends. Ask Scanlan or Grog, I’m really good at listening to my friends. At the very least, let me give you a hug?”

Vax looked at her. Pike’s blue eyes were gentle and earnest and her face was open. She seemed to be completely honest and like she was prepared to be patient with him for however long he needed to discuss everything that had been going on. Vax exhaled deeply and let his shoulders hunch and his guard drop.

“I told Keyleth I loved her and she ran away.”

Pike smiled sympathetically. “Oh Vax, is that why she disappeared to Zephrah for a while?” He nodded slowly. Pike squeezed his hand. “Vax, do you know what happened to her mother?”

Vax’s eyebrows shot up. In all the time he’d known Keyleth, she’d never spoken of her mother to him. “No, I don’t.”

Pike nodded. “Well, that’s her story to tell because I don’t even know all the details. But, I know it has made her wary of relationships. You need to talk to her about that because,” Pike paused, smiling, “because I see how you look at her and I know how she looks at you. It’s special, Vax, so hold onto it.”

He let out a breathy chuckle. “I hope so,” he mumbled.

“And Vax? If you need to talk about anything else, I’m available to listen. And if not me, then talk to Vex. You guys are partners after all.”

Vax pulled Pike into a hug quickly. After a brief pause, her arms wrapped around him in return. “Thanks, Pickle.”

She giggled. “No problem,” she paused, before continuing, “Stringbean.”

Vax pulled back and raised an eyebrow. “Stringbean?”

She crossed her arms and pouted. “Hey, Pickle is a common one so I was trying to find a vegetable and you’re all long and lanky so I thought it fit.”

He chuckled. “I love it.”

She beamed. “Good, now tell me everything.”

-

Over the course of the event, Vax posed for more photos than he ever had in his life. Most of them were also with Vex, but some fans wanted individual shots of the twins. The sheer number of people that had turned up to meet Vox Machina was startling, and Vax was even more grateful to Pike for listening to his fears and for giving him a pep talk the night before. It made everything manageable.

Several of their friends had shown up in support including Gilmore, Allura, Kima, Grog, Scanlan, and Pike. Percy was on set shooting a film and couldn’t come and Keyleth had messaged Vax saying that she had just landed at LAX and was on her way directly from the airport. Scanlan, Pike, and Grog had drawn some attention, but Pike had been quick to affirm that they were simply present to support their friends and that none of them would be taking photos, questions, or signing autographs.

They were at the point in the day where Zahra and Cassandra had managed to corral all of the guests into sitting in folding plastic chairs as Vex and Vax sat on stools at the front of the room, each of them with a microphone and Vax with his acoustic plugged into a sound system. With all the eyes in the room trained on them, a dark nervousness clenched in Vax’s stomach and he stared down at his hands where they rested on the word strings of his trusted guitar.

Vex touched his arm and nodded confidently. She was smiling and Vax took a deep breath. He started strumming firmly and launched into the song.

“Do you hear me? I’m talking to you,” he sang lightly.

The crowd started cheering almost as soon as he started singing and Vax instantly looked down at his guitar as he continued to sing. Vex jumped into the song, capturing the audience’s attention. Vax managed to get through the piece by barely glancing up, and judging by the cheers of the crowd around them, it didn’t seem to matter.

After the song, he placed his guitar onto its stand and Cassandra jumped up from her chair to stand in front of the crowd beaming. “Ladies and gentlemen, you have just heard one the first live performances by Vox Machina. We at Whitestone Records are so excited to announce our partnership officially and that we’re collaborating with these incredibly talented artists to bring you Vox Machina’s music by the album. We’re going to give these two a quick break, but then we’ll bring them back to answer some questions.”

The crowd cheered and Cassandra turned to the twins, beckoning for them to follow her. She led them into a side room which was obviously a meeting room with a conference table and a minibar. Vex immediately went for the mini-fridge and pulled out two bottles of water, tossing one to Vax. Ordinarily, he would have caught it without issue, but he was still distracted and fumbled it. Vex gave him an odd look, but she didn’t have time to push it as the door to the room swung open again.

Zahra led the way inside this time, leading Pike, Grog, Kima, Allura, Scanlan, Gilmore, and lastly, looking tentative and shy, Keyleth. Vax immediately placed the water bottle on the table and strode to her side. For a brief moment he was terrified for what she would think, but she just pulled him in and hugged him tightly. She smelled like flowers and Vax knew in the moment that the awkwardness between them was put on hold for the moment.

Scanlan and Pike immediately engaged Vex in a conversation while Gilmore and Allura got chatting with Zahra and Cassandra. Vax slid his hand down Keyleth’s arm to find her hand and he squeezed it tightly. She squeezed it back before tugging him closer to the door, more out of earshot of the others.

“I got here just in time to see you sing,” she said after a moment.

Vax stared at her. “Oh, I, uh, didn’t see you.”

Keyleth brought her free hand up to his face and touched his cheek lightly. “Are you okay?”

He exhaled shakily. “I don’t know. I’ve performed in front of people before, but today something just feels off. I can’t describe it.”

Keyleth tipped her head and smiled sympathetically. “Hey, Vax, it’s okay. I’m sure no one really noticed. I mean, I only saw because,” she cut off, pausing awkwardly.

Vax gave her a half-smile. “Because you know me,” he finished.

“Alright!” Cassandra said suddenly. Vax stepped back from Keyleth quickly and looked at the label owner. “Let’s get back out there for that Q&A.”

Vax made eye contact with Keyleth one more time and she gave him a reassuring smile. The cold sensation in his stomach lessened a bit and he followed Cassandra and Vex back out to see the two hundred or some odd people who had gathered to meet Vox Machina.

-

The Q&A was fairly painless. Thanks to the screening they had done of submitted questions, most of them were related to the actual music and not Vex and Vax’s personal lives. The unsettled nervousness was lessened after Keyleth’s arrival, but it never really fully went away. Thankfully, Keyleth and their other friends had found a spot to stand at the back of the crowd almost exactly in Vax’s direct line of sight so he could look to her for a reassuring smile whenever he needed it.

The event had wrapped up pretty quickly after that, though many people lingered to try to snag one-on-one conversations or take more photos. Vax found the majority of the people were very pleasant and nice and polite. It was mostly young 20-somethings and he got more than a few compliments on his guitar playing and arranging skills.

There was one particularly pompous guy who seemed absolutely sure that Vax was some kind of professional with multiple music degrees. Vex was only too happy to reply that neither of them had received university degrees and they were both completely self-taught. The prick had stormed off in a huff after several other people laughed along with the twins.

Only about fifteen people remained in the venue, including their friends, when Vax finally managed to look for Keyleth again. She seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion with a man in his early thirties and Vax frowned. He walked towards them and Keyleth scowled at the person she was talking to. He caught the tail end of one of her statements as he approached.

“Frankly that’s none of your business and I’m appalled you would try to ask me that,” she snapped. The man sneered, but didn’t reply as he noticed Vax approaching. Keyleth stepped around the man to stand at Vax’s side. “I’d appreciate it if you left now,” she added.

Vax folded his arms. The man didn’t move. Vax shifted his weight and levelled a heavy stare at the man. “Do I need to call security?”

“Only if you and that bitch sister of yours actually think you’re going to end up anywhere besides two twin holes in the ground,” the man snarled.

Vax and Keyleth both recoiled and only after a horrifying second of nothing, did Vax realize that the man was reaching for something on the inside of his coat. The stranger pulled his hand free and Vax lunged for him. His hands closed around the man’s wrist and over the barrel of what he discovered to be a small handgun.

Keyleth screamed behind him and he heard Vex cry out in shock from further away. Vax struggled with the man, attempting to aim the weapon upwards as the man tried to level it. For a brief moment, Vax was winning the strength contest, but then his hand slipped off the barrel and it slid downwards suddenly.

A piercing shot sounded and Vax stumbled back. The pain was sharp, unfamiliar and spreading a lot quicker than he was expecting.

Keyleth cried out and grabbed his arms, trying to keep him on his feet. There was a loud squeak of shoes as Grog full out launched into a tackle, smashing the shooter to the ground and knocking the gun free. Vax stumbled, his breaths coming faster than they should have.

“Vax!” Vex screamed. She was at his side in only a moment, but as his sister’s hands desperately clutched his left side, and Keyleth tried to hold up his right, Vax’s vision blurred.

His weight dragged them all down to the ground and the last thing he saw was the absolute terror in Vex’ahlia’s expression before his eyes slid shut and there was just silence.

[eldritchsurveys]

646.

How are you doing today? >> Could be better, could be worse. I’m still a bit depressed but I’m hoping it’ll even out. The Inworlders have been very helpful.

What was the best thing that happened to you today? >> Er... I mean, nothing. Nothing much has happened at all.

Which cell phone network are you on? >> Boost Mobile.

Do you like the smell of cinnamon? >> Sure.

What was the last book you've read? >> The last book I finished was a reread of PZB’s Lost Souls. I’m working on Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood right now.

Are you hungry right now? >> No.

What was the last thing you've had to drink? >> Water.

How often do you visit this website? >> This website? Daily. Bzoink? Whenever I need a new survey to take (not that I always find one, mind you. Bzoink is very hit or miss with a marked emphasis on “miss”.)

Do you like frogs? >> I mean... not particularly? They’re cool sometimes, I guess. Mostly they’re just... there.

Are you afraid of dying? >> Sometimes.

Do you like bananas? >> I hate bananas.

Name a movie that you hate. >> I didn’t like Meet the Spartans. That whole genre of movie should have stopped at Scary Movie.

Do you like the show American Dad? >> No. Maybe I just don’t get it.

What TV show do you miss the most that's no longer on TV? >> Galavant.

Are you currently fighting with someone right now? >> No.

Is your life full of drama? >> It really isn’t.

How long can you hold your breath underwater >> I don’t know.

Where's the last place you've been to out of state? >> Houston, Texas.

Have you ever been kissed in the rain? >> Probably.

What letter does your last name start with. >> D.

What are you listening to right now? >> Nothing.

Have you ever had a pet that died? >> Wasn’t my pet, per se. Vlad had a cat die whlie I was living there, and Sparrow’s cat died this past October.

Would you rather use a trackpad or a mouse? >> Depends on what I’m doing. For just using the internet or whatever my trackpad works fine, but when I’m gaming I obviously need a mouse.

Do you consider yourself politically intelligent? >> No.

Have you ever done any volunteer work? >> No.

Do you like the Beatles? >> No.

Is it night time where you're at right now? >> No, it’s early afternoon.

Do you like steak? >> No.

Do you eat healthy? >> I just eat, man. Whatever.

How often do you work out? >> I don’t.

What was the best gift you've ever received? >> *shrug*

Have you ever participated in a spelling bee? >> Yeah. When I was in fourth grade, I won the spelling bee in my school, so I was supposed to go on to regionals -- but apparently, fourth-graders were too young to go to regionals. I was the first fourth-grader to win in the school bee’s history so they’d never had to deal with that. My father raised a big stink about it because he said that if fourth-graders aren’t eligible for regionals, they shouldn’t have been allowed to participate in the school bee in the first place. Somehow this conflict was so interesting to people (or my father’s just such an adept big-stink-raiser, which is most likely) that it ended up in the newspaper and on the evening news. ...And no, I personally did not fucking care either way. This was just one more example of adults placing undue importance on something that did not matter to me and never would matter in the grand scheme of my life, and just shoving me into a spotlight regardless of my feelings. Also, fuck spelling bees as a concept anyway.

If you could have one wish right now, what would it be? >> ---

Do you owe anyone an apology right now? >> No.

Are you the jealous type of person? >> No.

Have you ever tried doing yoga? >> Yeah. It doesn’t quite agree with me, unless I’m just doing the wrong kind or something.

Do you like getting massages? >> Me? The person who hates being touched? Hmm...

Would you rather be too hot or too cold? >> I’d just rather not be in any kind of extreme weather condition, thanks.

Are you good at telling jokes? >> No.

When was the last time you've attended a sleepover? >> ---

Tell me one of your pet peeves. >> I’d rather not.

Do you wear glasses? >> No.

Do you like to keep your nails painted? >> No.

Have you ever had a pedicure? >> Probably, a long time ago.

What is your favorite smell? >> ---

Do you like the TV show Full House? >> Never watched it, not interested.

Would you rather listen to country music or rap music? >> I like both, so.

Are you a Duck Dynasty fan? >> No.

Have you graduated high school yet? >> Yeah.

What kind of person were you in middle school? >> I don’t know. Probably a socially maladjusted one doing its best.

Do you have any major regrets in your life? >> Meh.

Have you ever thought about running away? >> Yeah.

Do you like pixie sticks? >> Not so much anymore. But there’s still some kind of fun novelty about them, despite the fact that I don’t really want to pour pure sugar down my gullet.

Do you like French toast? >> I like it a certain way.

Are you a fast typer? >> Yes.

Are you good at doing math in your head? >> Some math.

Have you ever played with Silly Putty? >> Not to my recollection, but maybe.

Do you take in a lot of caffeine daily? >> No. Caffeine fucks with me too much.

Do you like watching Football? >> No.

What language do you wish you could speak? >> ---

Do you know a lot about history? >> Not a lot, no.

If we could travel back in time, where would you travel to? >> ---

Would you ever consider joining the military? >> I would literally rather die.

Do you think women should be allowed to have abortions? >> Yes.

Are you a cigarette smoker? >> Not usually.

Have you ever done something you didn't want to just to look cool? >> No.

Do you like zombie movies? >> Not usually. Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland were fun, though.

Have you seen The Hunger Games? >> No, but I’ve read them. I don’t like the casting choices in the movies so I don’t know if I’ll bother watching them.

Do you have a favorite piece of clothing? >> No.

Do you own any Uggs? >> No.

Are you wearing any rings on your fingers? >> Not right now.

Name a TV show that you absolutely can't stand. >> Meh.

Do you have any unusual talents? >> I don’t have any talents, usual or otherwise.

Do you look like your age? >> I don’t know what the fuck I look like age-wise and I don’t care.

Do you feel confident in a bathing suit? >> No, I don’t like bathing suits at all.

Do you do a lot of online shopping? >> Not a lot.

Do you like the Harry Potter films? >> Some of them.

Do you judge people based on their sexual orientation? >> No.

Have you ever been told you had an accent? >> I mean, probably.

Have you ever ridden an elephant? >> No.

Are you allergic to pollen? >> No.

Have you ever eaten sushi? If so, do you like it? >> Yes, and I like it fine.

Are you a fan of anime? >> Sure. Not every single one in existence, obviously, but there are plenty I enjoy.

Would you rather play Xbox or Playstation? >> PlayStation seems to have more games I like. But I actually prefer PC gaming.

Are you a big fan of seafood? >> Yes.

What kind of food are you craving right now? >> None, I’m not hungry.

Are you currently in a relationship? If not, are you happy being single? >> I am in relationships.

Do you depend on others for happiness? >> Obviously. People made the video games I play, after all. Just as an example. Also, since I’m not a complete hermit, obviously I keep company with other people for some reason...

Do you like to go fishing? >> Never been, probably wouldn’t care for it. Even video-game fishing is the worst.

Are you a fast runner? >> I don’t know.

Have you ever worked at a fast food place? >> No.

What's on your mind right now? >> The answers I’m giving to these questions.

Are you texting anyone as you're taking this survey? >> No.

Have you ever had a nasty rumor spread about you? >> Probably.

Have you ever sent someone sexual pictures of yourself? >> No.

Do you like who you are on the inside or the outside more? >> ...

Are you good at drawing? >> No.

Do you know how to dance? >> I don’t dance as a matter of skill, I dance as a matter of enjoyment.

What's your favorite reality TV show? >> ---

Do you think Kim Kardashian deserves to be famous? >> I literally do not care.

Are you excited for Christmas this year? >> It’s January, I’m not thinking about Christmas.

Do you celebrate Halloween? >> Not really. What would I even do? Most of the time we just help pass out candy at the Wayland house and that’s good enough for me tbh.

Have you ever had a concussion? >> No.

Do you pretend to be someone you're not? >> No.

Do you listen to heavy metal music? >> Yeah.

Were you sad when Michael Jackson died? >> No.

Do you have more upper or lower body strength? >> I don’t know.

Have you ever been in a tanning bed? >> No.

Do you like hot tubs? >> No. The only time I got into a hot tub I thought I was going to pass out and die. That is definitely not for me.

Do you know anyone who is battling cancer? >> No.

Have you ever donated money to a charity? >> No.

Do you get bored easily? >> Sometimes.

Have you ever peed your pants in public? >> Yeah.

Are you afraid of roller coasters? >> No.

Are you good at doing tongue twisters? >> I don’t know, moderately?

What was the last movie you've seen in theatres? >> Jojo Rabbit.

Have you ever been to a drive-in movie? >> No.

Are you good at doing fractions? >> Probably not. Luckily, I don’t usually have to do them.

What is your favorite holiday? >> Christmas.

Do you prefer Apple or Android? >> Android.

Would you rather have a tablet or a computer? >> A computer. I like having a full keyboard and more robust hardware.

Do you like things that are touch screen? >> Not really, but they can be convenient.

What age did you have your first kiss at? >> ---

Do you regret losing your virginity to whoever you lost it to? >> ---

Do you have a good relationship with your mother? >> I don’t have a relationship with my mother.

Do you like the color lime green? >> It’s okay. In moderation.

What are your plans for tomorrow? >> I have no plans for tomorrow aside from the weekly Cafe Boba thing.

Would you rather wear jeans or yoga pants? >> Sweatpants.

Do you like your clothes to be baggy and comfortable or tight and revealing >> A little baggy and comfortable. I definitely don’t want anything “revealed”.

Do you wish you could change something about your hair? >> No.

Have you ever gotten a makeover? >> Yeah, at a Lord and Taylor’s counter when I was seventeen, for prom. Ugh.

Do you get mad easily? >> Not unless I’m depressed.

Have you ever punched someone in the face? >> No.

Do you think the minions from Despicable Me are cute? >> I really don’t.

Did you have a Gameboy as a child? >> No.

Would you rather have chocolate or gummy worms? >> Gummy worms. Sour, please.

What are your favorite pizza toppings? >> Pepperoni and various vegetables.

Have you ever auditioned for a talent competition? >> No.

Do you make good sandwiches? >> They’re good enough for me.

Would you rather get high or get drunk? >> ---

Have you ever failed a drug test? >> No.

Do you like the Silent Hill movies? >> I liked the first one.

What movie scared you the most out of any other movies? >> ---

Tell me something you've been made fun of for in the past. >> Having big eyes.

What is one thing you need to work on to make yourself a better person? >> ---

Do you support war? >> No. It doesn’t need my support, though. It will always prevail.