#if I'd gone into the tag before watching I'd be way more disappointed

[lady-in-the-lair]

The key to enjoying movies is to go into them with extremely low expectations

[mochasenby]

𝚂𝚒𝚗 𝙽𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚃𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚂𝚘 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚍

_________________

Valeria Garza x F!Reader Y/n was assigned to watch over the war criminal and drug trafficker, Valeria Garza. While keeping watch, Y/n notices that Valeria seems to be interested in her. A little too much. She refuses to give in to Valeria's tempting words. It looks like Valeria will have to use some force. Tags: Knifeplay, Pet Names, Cunnilingus, Edging

Find more on Ao3!

"Where's the other missile?" Ghost snapped as Valeria didn't respond, a smug smirk on her lips. 

"She's not going to say shit," Alejandro hissed, throwing his hands up in frustration. Valeria watched as the men barked and snapped at one another like pathetic dogs.

She leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs to get comfortable-- When the door swung open. And entered the most ethereal woman Valeria had ever seen. 

Valeria's eyes stared intensely at the woman as she made her way through the room, just stopping beside Alejandro.

"That's enough. It's been hours since this interrogation started. Take a break," She spoke, her voice soft yet authoritative. The men looked at one another, scowls on their faces.

"Watch her, Y/n. And don't let her try and smooth talk you; she's a witch," Alejandro hissed, squeezing Y/n's shoulder firmly. To others, it would've looked like a warning gesture. But not to Valeria. 

Valeria's gaze locked with Y/n's. Y/n felt a slight shudder run down her spine from the intensity of Valeria's look. The room cleared out one by one until only the two women remained. Y/n adjusted her weapon, sliding it over her shoulder before leaning against the wall.

"I don't think we've met," Valeria spoke suddenly, her eyes slowly taking in Y/n's figure.

"I don't typically meet with the cartel. Gives a bad reputation," Y/n replied before wincing at her words. They were the truth, but she didn't mean for them to come out that harsh.

Valeria's lips twitch upwards.

"I have my reasons," Valeria uttered, her gaze darkening. Another shudder ran down Y/n's spine. The look in Valeria's eyes was hungry. 

It was a look that Y/n often got when she jogged around the base in her sports attire. But for some reason, Valeria's gaze wasn't unwelcomed. 

Y/n couldn't help but stare as well. Valeria is gorgeous. Yet what drew her in the most was her eyes. Despite all the years of training, Y/n felt like she was about to melt. 

"Why'd they assign you to watch over me, cariño?" Valeria asked, her head tilting to the side with a smirk.

"Did they think I'd spill everything to you?" She laughed as Y/n shrugged, crossing her arms.

"Possibly. Perhaps they thought placing a woman with you would make you feel more comfortable speaking to me," Y/n said as Valeria leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Perhaps they're right," Valeria uttered, her gaze dropping to Y/n's figure. "Dime algo. How long have you and Alejandro been close?" She spoke, her voice just above a whisper.

 "What?" The question took Y/n off guard. "No seas tímida, cariño," Valeria mocked, a smirk moving to her face again. 

"I saw that look he gave you before he left. He used to be such a wild man, I guess he hadn't changed," Valeria spoke, her eyes drinking in Y/n's reaction.

Y/n's face seemed to lose its composure. Her body language changed from collected and calm to embarrassed.

"Alejandro and I have nothing going on between us," Y/n defended as Valeria crossed her arms, clicking her tongue with fake disappointment.

"Mentirosa." She uttered as Y/n looked away. "My relationship with him is professional. And it's none of your concern."

"It is when I noticed that shudder of disgust you did when he touched you," Valeria mocked as Y/n's eyes widened. 

"How did you--?" 

"I notice lots of things, cariño. Rage, deception, disgust... And desire." Valeria uttered.

"You poor thing, how long have you gone unsatisfied?" She fake pouted, cocking her head to the side. Y/n was caught even more off guard. "I don't-- Why are--- What--?" Y/n uttered, trying to comprehend what was happening.

"I am satisfied with my love life."

"Are you?" Valiera challenged. "Eyes don't lie, cariño. And neither does the face. Right now, I can hear all those thoughts in your pretty head," She cooed as Y/n looked away. 

Valeria was right. No matter how often she tried to force herself to fall for Alejandro's charm, she couldn't. No one had ever made her feel so giddy or anxious. 

Except for the woman in front of her.

Y/n quickly cleared her throat. "This is inappropriate," She declared.

"¿Lo es? Creo que estás mintiendo, preciosa," Valeria cooed once more, making Y/n's face heat up. "Please stop--"

"Or what? What's wrong with just a little flirting?" Valeria interrupted as Y/n looked away. She couldn't look at Valeria anymore. She feared if she did, she fall for the charm that Alejadnro had warned her about.

"I don't think you should look away from your captive. It's a way you get eaten."

Valeria moved silently, swiftly pinning her in place. Y/n's eyes widened in shock. 

"Get off of me," Y/n whispered, quickly writhing in her grasp before freezing as Valeria held a knife to her throat. The rough tip lightly dragged across her skin, just barely nipping.

Valeria tsked in disapproval, scolding Y/n as if she was a child. "I admire your bravery. Pero estás jugando con fuego, mi amor." Her voice dripped with a mix of danger and desire, her accent adding an enticing edge to her words.

Her fingers danced along the knife handle, a silent promise of the pain she could inflict.

"Tell me," she whispered, her voice low and husky, "Do you enjoy being pushed to your limits? Do you crave the thrill of surrendering control to someone who knows exactly what you need?" Her tone held a hint of challenge.

"I don't need it," Y/n uttered. "I'm loyal to the task force," She whispered, eyes darting across Valeria's face.

"Well, we all have our loyalties, don't we?" Valeria cooed, her fingers tracing a slow path along the curve of Y/n's jaw.

"But tell me, my little rebel," Valeria continued, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper, "What if I were to show you a different kind of loyalty? A loyalty that fulfills your deepest desires that pleases you beyond anything you've ever known?"

She pulled her hand back, the knife glinting in the dim light. With a swift motion, she pressed the cool metal against Y/n's cheek, the sharp edge just barely grazing her sensitive skin.

"Would you surrender to me, let me unleash the desires that burn within you?" she asked, her voice a dangerous melody.

"Or would you continue to resist, clinging to your precious task, denying yourself the pleasure within your reach?" 

An ache began to form between Y/n's legs, one that started burning the second Valeria's eyes locked onto her body. "So?" Valeria uttered, stopping her blade just a few centimeters away from Y/n's face.

Y/n stared at Valeria in shock, weighing her options. The task force had always treated her kindly. Yet she was unhappy. The communication was excellent, yet she was constantly overshadowed. She wasn't as unique as the other women they partnered with. She wasn't extraordinary, yet the way Valeria looked at her like she was the last meal on earth made her squirm.

Valeria could see the conflict in Y/n's eyes, the war between the desire to flee and the intrigue that held her captive. She knew she had awakened something within her, a curiosity and longing that couldn't be easily ignored. 

"Is it so wrong to want, preciosa?" She uttered as Y/n met her gaze.

"Fuck it," She whispered as Valeria's lips smirked.

"Good girl." Y/n's breath hitched, feeling the blade trace down her chest, stopping over her military vest. "You don't need it. Take it off." Valeria commanded darkly. 

Y/n's hands twitched, slowly reaching beneath her vest. "The cameras, they'll see--"

"As if I'd let them," Valeria uttered before clicking her tongue, making a clock-like sound. "Go on," She commanded, bringing the knife closer.

Valeria watched with hooded eyes as the vest dropped to the floor. Her eyes drank at the sight of the exposed skin, how Y/n's muscles flexed with each movement.

"Good girl," she purred, her voice a mix of satisfaction and approval. She leaned in closer, the cold blade of the knife still pressed against her throat.

She moved the blade slowly and deliberately, tracing it along the contours of Y/n's chest, feeling the rise and fall of her breath beneath her touch. The cold metal sent shivers down Y/n's spine, a mix of fear and excitement coursing through her veins.

Leaning close, Valeria's voice dropped to a low, husky whisper.

"Do you feel that, mi amor?" she murmured. "The thrill of the blade, the anticipation of what it can do. How it can bring both pleasure and pain."

The blade continued its slow descent, inching lower and lower, tracing a tantalizing path along Y/n's body. She could feel the tension building in the air, the anticipation thickening with each passing moment.

The knife reached the waistband of Y/n's pants, hovering there momentarily, teasingly close to her most intimate areas. Valeria's eyes locked onto hers, her gaze filled with dominance and desire.

With a swift motion, she slid the blade under the waistband, cutting away the fabric and exposing the most vulnerable and sensitive parts to her hungry gaze. Y/n gasped as her pants fell to the floor with a soft rustle.

The cool air caressed her skin as Valeria's warm palms dragged across her thighs. Valeria's eyes roamed hungrily over Y/n's exposed form, taking in the sight of her in nothing but her panties. The curve of her hips and the tantalizing hint of what lay beneath sent a surge of desire coursing through Valeria's veins.

She stepped closer, her hand gently tracing along the waistband of your panties, teasingly tugging at it. "These are in the way."

With a slow, deliberate motion, Valeria hooked her fingers into the sides of Y/n's panties and pulled them down, allowing them to pool at her feet. Valeria's eyes feasted upon Y/n's exposed sex, glistening with arousal.

She slowly ran a finger along the delicate folds, relishing how Y/n's body trembled beneath her touch. Her touch was firm yet gentle, exploring the contours of Y/n's sex with a possessive intent.

"You're so wet, mi amor," Valeria whispered, her voice filled with satisfaction and desire. "Your body craves my touch. It yearns for the pleasure that only I can give." She whispered, bringing her lips to Y/n's neck. 

She nipped at the skin before slowly sliding her long fingers into Y/n's folds. Y/n's hips bucked as soft moans left her lips. Valeria maintained her steady rhythm, her fingers expertly exploring and caressing.

Her smirk deepened as she watched Coli's hips grind against her fingers, the desire and need evident in her actions. Valeria reveled in the power she held over her, relishing in the control she exerted.

"You're so needy for me, cariño," Valeria whispered in a husky voice, her eyes burning with desire.

Valeria's fingers delved deeper, parting the folds and finding Y/n's swollen clit. She circled the sensitive bud with deliberate and skilled movements, applying the right amount of pressure to send waves of pleasure through Y/n's body. Y/n's head fell back, her eyes squeezed shut. 

"Fuck--" Y/n cried, broken moans and gasps leaving her lips. Her legs began to shake, her folds tightening around Valeria's fingers. She was so close.

But Valeria was not one to grant release so quickly. She wanted to push Y/n to the edge, to make her beg and plead for that sweet release that lingered just out of reach. Her fingers continued their relentless assault on Y/n's sensitive clit, alternating between gentle strokes and firm pressure.

"Not yet, mi amor," she whispered, her voice filled with satisfaction and dominance.

"Tell me how badly you want to come," she commanded, her voice dripping with authority. "Beg for it, preciosa. Tell me how much you need my touch."

"Please--" Y/n wailed, her body shuddering as her eyes filled with tears. "Please-- Valeria-- I'll do anything. I'll join the cartel or fuck ever just please---" Y/n pleaded as Valeria's lips twitched upwards. Y/n groaned as Valeria withdrew her fingers from within her. 

Valeria slowly moved onto her knees, looking up at Y/n with a sly smirk. Y/n's eyes went wide as Valeria's knife dragged across her thigh.

"I want you to spread your legs wider," Valeria commanded, her voice firm and authoritative. "I want you to show me just how much you crave my touch, how far you're willing to go for that release."

Valeria pressed the blade against Y/n's inner thigh, a gentle pressure sending a jolt of fear and desire coursing through her body. 

"Keep your eyes on me," Valeria whispered, her voice a seductive purr. "And show me just how obedient you can be, how well you can follow my commands."

Y/n swallowed thickly and spread her legs wider. Valeria's eyes drank in the sight, her hunger growing with each moment.

"Now, touch yourself," she commanded, her voice filled with dominance and desire. "Show me how badly you want that release."

Y/n obeyed, fingers trembling as they made contact with her sensitive clit, her touch light and teasing. She circled her fingers in slow, deliberate motions, her breath hitching with each stroke. The pleasure coursing through her veins was undeniable, but the presence of Valeria, watching her with lustful eyes, heightened the moment's intensity.

With a clang, the knife fell to the floor. Valeria's hands reached up, hooking on both Y/n's thighs to keep them apart. Valeria leaned forward and pressed the flat of her tongue onto Y/n's clit. Y/n's hips instantly bucked at the sensation, her fingers stopping momentarily. 

"Fuck--" She let out a shaky moan as Valeria tsked.

"Did I say stop?" She uttered darkly as Y/n shook her head, slowly moving her fingers again. 

Valeria smirked, bringing her tongue back to Y/n's folds. Y/n wailed in pleasure as Valeria's skilled tongue lapped at her core, teasing and tasting her with deliberate intent. Valeria's smirk grew more expansive, relishing in how Y/n's body responded to her touch and how her moans filled the air.

Valeria's tongue danced across Y/n's sensitive flesh, exploring every crevice and curve, leaving no inch untouched. She reveled in how Y/n's body writhed beneath her, and her hips arched for more pleasure.

Her tongue flicked against Y/n's clit, applying just the right amount of pressure to send sparks of pleasure shooting through her body. 

Y/n's legs trembled, tears of pleasure streaming down her face as babbles left her lips. Valeria delved deeper, her tongue flicking and swirling against Y/n's clit relentlessly. She could feel the tension building in Y/n's body, the waves of pleasure crashing over her like a tidal wave.

Y/n's cries of ecstasy filled the room as her orgasm washed over her, her body convulsing with each wave of pleasure. Valeria continued to lap at her folds, prolonging her pleasure until she was wholly spent. Y/n shrieked, her hands attempting to pull Valeria away, but a warning glare made her stop.

Y/n could only shake and sob as Valeria patted her tongue over her clit. The pleasure burned as her wails increased. 

As the aftershocks of pleasure subsided, Valeria slowly pulled away, a satisfied smile on her lips. 

But their session was far from over. With a glint of mischief in her eyes, Valeria whispered, "That was just the beginning, mi amor. There's so much more pleasure in store for you."

[raz-writes-the-thing]

Who's In Danger Now? (Bad Samaritan One-Shot)

Cale Erendreich x GN!Reader

Fic summary: Cale forgot about your birthday and now he's the one in danger

Fic type: crack treated seriously

EVERYTHING: @winchxters

Bad Samaritan: @stevekempscocktails @go-bonkers-go-foolish @peytonpenguin37 @madspads @merrilark @jaziona92 @iguirisu @pansexual-imp @bunnypill (send an ask to be added to a tag list!)

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

You're going to take him apart the next time you see him, you just know it. It's your birthday, and he's forgotten- it's not like there's one a month or anything. Just the one day once a year and he forgot. You're not sure if you should be surprised, in all honesty.

He's always got his head shoved up his computer hard drive's ass, after all.

Anyway, more on to the point- when you woke up to find Cale already gone, you weren't overly surprised. Disappointed, sure, but not surprised. But as time went on through the day you became less and less sure that he'd done something nice for your day. You weren't needing anything elaborate or expensive or anything- you'd have been elated with just a message, to be quite frank.

But no. No muffin on the counter for breakfast, no card on the bedside table, no flowers delivered to work, no dinner for you when you got home.

To be honest, the dark and cold of the house once you stepped back inside after your very long day felt very off-putting. More so than usual.

And where was Cale? Of course, huddled in his office in the dark. The bastard didn't even leave a light on for you to traverse the stairs.

"Good evening, Cale," you said as you passed the door slightly ajar. It was deliberately worded that way, cold and distant. Petty, sure, but he deserved it. Sort of. You disregarded his half-hearted reply and made straight for the shared bedroom, shucking your jacket and plonking down on the stool at the foot of the bed to undo your shoelaces.

There was an almost imperceptible creak as the door opened back up again where you'd pushed it almost closed. You looked up, rubbing at your sore feet. Cale stood in the doorway, hallway light casting the front of him in shadows. He was menacing, leaning in the doorway shrouded in the dark like that.

"The fuck's your problem?" He asked with a sniff. He appeared uncaring, but the way his eyes shone with calculation told you otherwise. He was trying to figure you out. Was it him who had done something now, or someone else from work?

"Nothing," you replied, tone clipped. Cale rolled his eyes- something you did not miss despite the shadows playing across his face.

"Okay- don't fuckin' lie to me. You know how I feel about the lying."

You sighed and stood to face him, crossing your arms defensively.

"I have to wonder if you might have forgotten something important today, Cale," you said, giving him what he wanted. The truth. "Something that only comes around once a year?"

"It's not our anniversary," Cale answered with a sneer. "I'd fuckin' remember." Plus he had an alert, but he wasn't about to tell you that. "What else could it b-oh."

Your brow arched solemnly.

"Yeah. 'Oh' is correct," you frowned irritably. "Now, I know you're very scary and all but I need you to move out of my way so I can go downstairs and make myself some dinner because you didn't leave me any. Scoot, go on. Fuck off."

Cale hesitated for only a moment, gaze tightening before he sighed in resignation.

"Alright, don't get your fucking panties in a twist. Here, lay down. I'll make you some dinner and we can watch a movie, okay?"

He didn't seem that keen on the idea, but you knew by tomorrow or the day after that he'd be doing his best to get into your good books again.

"Okay," you relented, slumping a fraction. "But I'm choosing the movie."

You could hear Cale's grumbling all the way down the stairs.

[misshoneyimhome]

Cause I'm not ready | Auston Matthews 

Tags: jealous!auston; Austonxreader;

A/n: I don’t know why, but I feel like Auston would be the kind of guy that isn’t good at showing his emotions and admit his feelings to himself 😉

*

Cause I'm not ready; To find out you know how to forget me I'd rather hear how much you regret me And pray to God that you never met me Than forget me

”Forget me” - Lewis Capaldi

*

Dating Auston Matthews was no walk in the park; however, it had been the best three months of your life. It was just after New Year's, when Auston had made his move. You were a friend of a friend of a… you weren’t even sure how you became part of the group hanging out with the hockey players of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nonetheless, you and Auston had grown close and formed a relationship, the more time you had spent together as a group.

So, one cold January evening, Auston had decided that he'd want to spend some alone time with you and get to know you better. And oh, so did you. It had been a classic: starting out with a coffee chat, then dog walks with Felix while talking, then evenings at his place simply watching your favourite shows. After a few weeks, it turned into make-out sessions on the sofa, and not long after, heated sessions in the bedroom followed.

It had been truly amazing. Not to mention the sex; oh boy, did that boy know his way around a female body. He had made you feel incredible. The first times had been slow and soft; he took his time to make you feel good, to please you - he'd always make sure you had at least one orgasm before continuing to make himself feel good inside you. Then it got a bit more heated; to which you couldn't complain. Auston had a bit of a rough side to him - nothing BDSM kinky or alike, but he simply liked to dominate in the bedroom - and the kitchen, and the living room, and the bathroom… okay, his entire condo and maybe even yours. But again you didn't complain. He was amazing. Full stop.

But then the playoffs came closer, and Auston had to prioritise his time and energy on hockey. It hadn't been a bad breakup - if you can even call it that. He had been honest with you, which is more than you can say most other guys had ever been, and a part of you had sort of seen it coming. You had been spending quite a lot of time with the hockey players and their significant others, so you knew how much time and effort the players had to put into training and the games. So when Auston said he couldn't find the time to see you, you were okay. A little disappointed, but okay.

Honestly, you probably hadn't even expected it to become anything more serious. Auston wasn't exactly known to be the marrying kind of guy who'd want to settle down ASAP and have a family. He might want to someday, but for now, he enjoyed his youth. And with his charming personality, flirty smiles, and devilish demeanour, he could probably have anyone he'd like. Auston enjoyed the freedom of being a young bachelor, but there had been something about you that had made him enjoy the closeness of someone. Something had triggered within him to reconsider the whole idea of a relationship. But for the time being, he'd want to focus on hockey.

So now that the new season was about to begin, and everyone was slowly coming back to Toronto, you knew you were eventually going to see him again. And you didn't mind at all. You had had a great time over the summer; you'd visited your family, gone on a few trips with the girls, caught up on sleep and your favourite TV shows… it had been a great summer - and oh yes, you'd also started seeing someone.

Dean was sweet; a couple of years older than you, worked in banking, and was an overall good guy. And he adored you. He'd do anything for you - even come along to the first home game of the hockey season, even though he knew nothing about the sport.

Auston had expected to see you during the friendly games, but when you weren't there, he'd felt a small tinge of disappointment. During the off-season, he'd missed you, but he didn't want to reach out, seeing on your Instagram how much fun you were having. And he also knew that he was the one who broke it off. But nonetheless, he missed you.

So when he saw you for the first time in months, after the winning home game, where he had played amazingly by the way, he was thrilled. Well, at first. Until he saw the guy standing next to you, with an arm around you. Auston never thought of himself as the jealous type - but that was until the moment he saw you smile and laugh when engaging in a conversation with the other friends and families. A laughter that was music to his ears and a smile that lit up his entire world, even on a grey rainy day. A smile that usually he'd be the one to put on your beautiful face and a laughter that was usually caused by one of his idiotic jokes.

You seemed happy.

"Hey Aus," you smiled. "What a great game!"

Auston simply smiled back at you.

"Thanks," was all he managed to reply.

You were even being nice and friendly towards him. You greeted him as the friend he was to you, and congratulated him on the win as well as praising his wonderful play. Couldn't you just at least be mad at him? Or something? It just seemed like you'd forgotten all about what had happened between the two of you. Like it was nothing. But it was not nothing. Not to Auston at least. Only he'd just realised that now.

"Dean, this is my friend Auston - Auston, this is Dean," you introduced the two lads. You figured, why not - Auston had broken up with you, and you'd decided to stay friends, so why couldn't you introduce your new flirt?

"It's nice to meet you, I've heard so much about you," Dean said, offering Auston a friendly smile.

"Can't say the same about you - I mean, that I've heard about you… but great to meet you too," Auston blurted out.

There was a slight awkward feeling among the three of you, but you handled the situation nonchalantly, and you all went back to chatting with the group.

**

Between that game and the following home game, you and Auston had barely talked. Not that you'd talked much during the off-season - it had mostly just been occasional snaps of whatever you were doing, wherever you were, and liking each other's Instagram stories and posts.

But these days had been killing Auston. Knowing that you were in the same city as him, talking to the same people, and going to places where he'd be, was killing him. He'd want to reach out to you. To spend time with you. To make you laugh and talk to you like you used to. But you were with Dean.

And honestly, you didn't even think of Auston. You were happy with Dean. And just overall happy to be back in your everyday life routines. Nothing could get you off course.

So you thought.

After the home game, yet another win for the Leafs, Auston quickly noticed you standing with the group of significant others, chatting. But this time you weren't wearing his jersey, like you used to. And Dean was there as well.

As Auston came out of the locker room, he moved towards you to greet you. You were smiling as your eyes locked and took a little step forward to meet him. And that's when Auston couldn't stop himself - he wrapped an arm around you and pulled you in for a kiss. It wasn't an intense kiss nor just a peck on the cheek - it was a soft and gentle kiss on the lips.

Without saying a word, Auston pulled away and walked back to the other players. You were baffled. Stunned by his actions. Yet a certain, familiar sensation of pleasure filled your body.

"Wow… somebody wants people to know that you're not available…" Dean nervously chuckled.

"Oh no… that's just Auston being…" you trailed off, unable to fully articulate what had just happened.

"I think I get the message," Dean softly said, offering a friendly smile. "He likes you."

You were unable to reply. So you just simply nodded.

"…and you like him," Dean added.

Again, all you could do was nod.

**

After Auston had finished up in the locker room, he walked out and immediately saw you standing alone.

"Where's your date?" He asked, coming over to you. You couldn't help but smile a little.

"He left," you said with a calm and soft voice.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why…" you gave him a slight puzzled expression. "Because of you."

Of course, Auston knew that. He just wanted for you to say it. And he simply let out a sigh.

"I don't get you, Aus…" you tried your best to remain calm. "You broke it off with me… but then you go and do something like this?" You spoke with a soft voice.

"I'm sorry… I don't know what to say, y/n," Auston simply replied.

"Just tell me what you want?"

Auston was unable to formulate a proper sentence. Something that was unusual for him. When he didn't say anything, you let out a sigh and slowly began to walk away.

"Well, let me know when you've figured it out…"

You were almost by the exit, when a hand grabbed yours and pulled you into a large body. Auston had run after you, and still unable to articulate his feelings, he pulled you in for a deep kiss.

The kiss was good - wonderful even - and only when needing to breathe for air, you both pulled away.

"You," Auston softly spoke. "I want you."

[countrymusiclover]

7 - Smells like Fire

Part 8

The Lion Knight and Dragon Princess

Tags- just send an ask to be added @cdragons @kmc1989 @starkleila @noirrose21-blog @lover-of-books-and-tea

Days later things had seemed to get better between Sansa and I but she didn't know the truth. I knew she had enough on her plate rather than deal with my current situation. Entering Tyrion’s chamber I shut the door behind me hearing it click and lock behind me. Looking around I found him and a swordsman named Bromm standing at his table near the window. 'Why don’t you just use that on them instead of fighting the lot on the battlefield?’

“Because I'm not certain it will work. And if it does we can only use it once to be a surprise attack.” Tyrion responded leaning his palms on the table.

I finally made my presence in the room known to the pair. “What’s the one time attack?”

“Vaella! Um, it's nothing you should worry about. You'll be in the crypts with Sansa.” Tyrion spun around trying to hide the map with his body.

“Tyrion, what is it?”

He avoided my question with a compliment. “Doesn't she look nice, Bronn. I think she does.”

“Tyrion!’

He watched my movements and held his arms out blocking me. I ran forward and he threw some punches at me holding me back for a second till I twisted his wrist and threw the lord down onto his back. “Vaella - agh!”

“Woah, I'd never think a princess would land you flat on your back.” Bronn mocked with a proud smirk.

Tyrion groaned, pushing his body up from the stone tile. “How did you manage that, princess?”

“Jaime briefly taught me defense in secret.”

Bronn's smirk grew bigger on his face. “I’m beginning to like this girl more than I like you.”

Pushing over my hair out of my face I huffed going to the map seeing a bright green jar beside it. Slowly picking up the jar in my hands concerned if it broke onto the floor. “You’re going to use Wildfire on them. That’s why you didn’t want me to see this.” Glancing over my shoulder I felt tears welling in my eyes thinking back on the many times I’d seen it used.

“I wasn’t sure how you would react if I told you what the battle strategy was. Your - your father was obsessed with it. I - I - I’m sorry for not telling you in the first place.” Tyrion nervously responded standing behind me next to Bronn.

Sitting the jar down on the table I eyed the map behind me recalling the section of tunnels I would use to sneak out for Jaime and I to spend time alone without my father or other guards realizing we had gone. “It’s okay, Tyrion. I shall wish you luck that your plan works. Wildfire is unpredictable, just like me.” Walking around him my dress swaying with my hips and I closed the door behind me.

“What do you think she meant by that?” Bronn asked, rather confused.

The youngest Lannister eyed the door where she had left, he hoped that one day he would get to know more of the Targaryen princess. “I don’t know but hopefully I can find out.”

Amber had fitted me into a black tunic shirt, red trousers and black riding boots figuring that a dress of any sort wouldn’t be suitable for sword training. Tying my hair up into a ponytail Jaime and I snuck our way through the secret tunnels. “So what does your lady in waiting think of you doing this?” Jaime asked, laying his sword on the ground and drawing out another blade for me from his belt.

“She thinks that I’ll beat you.” I teased with a smirk in his direction.

Jaime smirked a cocky look my way, handing me the handle blade. “Oh, she does. Well I’m sorry to disappoint her and say that a beginning like you can’t.”

Closing my fingers around the blade handle I sucked in a breath raising the sword beside my head before we started charging at the other beginning to fight one another. “Don’t be so cocky, Lannister.”

"Relax your dominant arm, Vae." Jaime instructs as I swing with my right arm out more even though I'm holding the sword in both hands. "If you use the same move all the time your opponent can learn which arm is the weakest."

Our swords smack against each other before gently shoves me backwards in the training yard that overlooks the water outside of the Red Keep. "Jaime?" I grunt, taking another swing at him.

He swung back circling me to make our sword press against one another for a moment. "Yes, my princess." He steps back a little sword still raised as I get back in a fighting stance.

I raise my sword trying to strike him but he lightly elbows me in my side to strike me from below. I switch my sword to my left hand for a moment to knock him away. "Your form is better than the last time."

He complimented my reply. "Thanks -uh!" I grunted out, pressing my sword against his. He pressed his sword against mine, never losing gaze with mine.

"Jaime, I-uh..." He started to loosen his hold on his sword when we pushed the other back but suddenly he knocked my sword from my left hand, knowing we both are dominant in our right hands. I dodge his next attack to reveal a dagger from inside my boot and block his sword coming down on me.

"Impressive, princess." He parts his lips when I push his sword down getting up from being on my knees.

"Thank you. But don’t call me that.” I aimed the dagger up, tapping the tip against his chin.

Jaime placed his sword into his holder, closing the distance between the two of us. “You know you love it.” He smirked, connecting our lips together. He was secretly right about, yet I wouldn’t ever tell him that was the case.

I had told Sansa that I wouldn’t be joining her and the other ladies in the bottom of the castle. I needed to see Tyrion’s plan go through otherwise the entire city would be taken down. Tugging a black cloak over my head I peaked my head around the corner seeing nobody was there. Running through the streets I climbed up one of the nearest ladders of a building top that allows me to see the ship ports.

Looking over the shortest column I saw hundreds or maybe thousands of ships coming towards the land. An arrow on fire flew over my head landing onto a ship that had Wildfire liquid pouring out of it and circling the ships so that when the arrow hit the water green flames grew so quickly there was no way of stopping it.

The familiar haunting fire spread before my eyes with multiple explosions shaking the ground that was near the area of water. I gasped feeling a tightness inside my chest seeing bright green before my eyes after all these years. “Burn them all - Burn them all!” Those three horrible words through my ears where I covered them, stumbling down the ladder and running wherever I could trying to escape the loud sound of men screaming and flames filling the sky above my head.

Cutting through the empty hallway I came out into another area filled with the king guards fighting Stannis’s where I had to duck underneath some of the attackers, rolling onto the ground. “Vaella! What are you doing out here?” Whipping my head around I saw Tyrion coming towards me in battle armor.

“I saw your attack.” My gaze shifted quickly seeing a Stannis soldier running straight up to us carrying a knife in his hand attempting to stab me until Tyrion stepped in the way getting cut across the face and collapsed to the dirt. “Tyrion!”

Dropping to my knees I touched his chest seeing fresh blood coming from the cut not sure what to do for him. “Get - out of - here.” He coughed before I felt someone grab my shoulder causing me to draw the blade I had hidden inside my boot. I stabbed the soldier in the chest that had cut him and drew the knife quickly frantically looking back at the lion on the ground carrying the blade in hand.

It took me an hour to get back to the castle and up to my chamber room. Slamming the chamber door behind me and pressing my body against it I sighed sliding down onto the floor trying to catch my breath until I heard footsteps come around the corner. “Clarisse, are you alright?”

“Sansa - what are you doing in here?” Lifting my head up from my knees I saw the young girl a few steps away from me.

She lowered her intertwined hands in front of her gown. “I was worried about you.”

“You don’t have to worry. I can handle myself, my lady.”

Sansa eyed something laying at my feet. “Where did you get a dagger from?” The dagger she was talking about was at my feet covered in blood from when I had stabbed one of Stannis’s men and fled back here. I hoped that Tyrion would be alright.

“It doesn’t matter. You should head back to your chambers. It is getting late-“ I scrambled to my feet to the chamber pot feeling instantly sick to my stomach. Leaning over it I emptied my stomach raising my head back up I collapsed down beside the pot.

Sansa poured me some water and handed it to me. “Here, drink. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“That’s not really what you wanted to ask me is it? Why don’t you just ask me what you really want to know.” I slowly downed the drink.

She parted her lips, muttering. “Who are you really? Because you know this place far better than a lady in waiting would who just came here, you snuck out tonight to watch the battle and you look like someone I read about in one of the old books.”

“Seems to me that you already have an answer so just say it.” I trailed off seeing she was a lot smarter than I had first given her credit for.

Sansa shook her head no in defiance. “I’m not sure I should.”

“Then I will.” Raising myself to my feet I curtsy to her in my handmaiden gown, my gaze holding intensely with hers. “Vaella, daughter of Aerys II and Rhaella Targaryen. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Seven hells.” Sansa for the first time in her life uttered a curse word from her mouth.

[fuesch]

Agatha All Along 1x06

Oh, look who's confirmed to be Jewish. Now everybody who's been prematurely ranting can chill. Yay!

It's a magick mitzvah even. Is that an actual thing or are they witchy Jews.

A golden lion embroidered on that dark fabric - I'd love to be normal, but how can I when it reminds me of the silver tigers on the jacket we first saw Peter in?!

WTF, Billy's dad looks like a bearded version of Director Hayward to me. Those eyes are way too similar.

Billy's met Lilia before?! Okay, so he's not Billy M. yet and the way Lilia is talking makes it seem there'll be no merging of the Billys, the original B. Kaplan will actually die. How depressing.

I can't believe the sigil came from Lilia! And why?!

Whoa, the Hex exists already. The original Billy K. only just got that prediction from Lilia and has so little time left. There wasn't much "now" to enjoy anymore. D:

Whoa, Wanda had even broadcast on radio! AFAIR I never thought about that other people might pick up that signal! There must be some out there still watching with antenna or dish, who have actually seen Wanda's show.

Oh, his parents actually call him William. Well, that's a nice way to differentiate the characters without involving last names.

Alice!

If nothing is physically wrong with Billy, does that mean he has healing powers?

Poor freshly reincarnated Billy having a really bad and confusing time. And his new parents as well. :o(

Billy and Eddie making out - I'm slightly scared of going into that AAA tag now, there'll be so many disappointed Agatha/Rio shippers who thought it would be their ship doing the smooching.

"Nothing in my life has felt normal until I met you." Awwwww.

Woah, I'm starting to think there was actually something to those theories about ep 5 being Billy's trial. In his room are the Eastview pennant and the chain of tetraeder-covered lights we saw in the trial house.

A "trans lives matter" poster in Billy's room. Of course he's a good boy.

Ooh, Billy did some research. "Strange occurences persist to haunt Westview residents" Interesting, tell me more!

Avengers training exercise gone wrong. Uh huh.

I didn't watch the mid-season trailer, but saw a cap on Twitter. The quality wasn't great (which kept me from brightening it in Photoshop, as there was nothing more to see), but I did see some hair sticking out from under the hat. Hey, you know who has somewhat long hair? And that outfit is so unlike Peter, that it's gotta be his disguise. Today I saw a post on my Twitter timeline linking to an article about Mr. Bucket Hat's identity and couldn't resist. I held the mouse over the link to read the URL and had my confirmation. So I changed my plans and instead of doing preparations for stuff, I watched the episode.

Was super excited when I saw that the episode link on D+ is a cap of Billy & boyf in an underground garage. Which, you know, is the place where one would meet someone who's hiding their identity. And despite seeing this announced in that cap, I can't believe it's Billy meeting Peter. I mean, they're multiverse family, they've met before, yet neither knows this, ARGH!

What was Mr. Bucket Hat throwing and then putting in his pocket? My first thought is something with a sigil on it, but then he wouldn't remember Westview.

Bohnerrific69. Sorry, I LOLed way too loudly. But should you use that name when you're hiding from the authorities and maybe others?!

IS THAT WHAT THE BEARD WAS FOR?!?!

"Randall" isn't any better, Randy! Somebody give this man some help coming up with aliases!

"Bub"? Hmmmmm… boy, do I wonder where Horny Stiffy picked up that word. What a mystery, we shall never know.

OMFG, Peter, what did they do to you?! The Hex was such a bad time for him that he's still having a bad time 3 years later. My poor baby. I wonder if all the protection stuff he has all over actually does something. But if not, at least it should ease his mind somewhat.

I wonder if there's anything interesting on his shirt. Anyone know what it says?

Agatha stole your house? Baby, that belonged to WitSec. Maybe he really does have a sigil, but it only works on his actual identity, not the Hex one. I mean, it looks like he's been to a witch, so maybe while there he asked to forget who he is so he wouldn't miss his old life in his own universe. Does he even know he's run away from witness protection? If not, that would explain the unwise choice of screenname.

"I was a terrible influence on Wanda and Vision's kids." No, no, you were the best uncle! That's really not something to feel guilty about.

Agatha had Peter poison Sparky! FFS, Agatha! "Woof" - "Hey!" I second Peter's comment.

Hearing Peter say speedster gave me heart tickles.

He has a one-man show! So 1. He really seems to think the identity Monica uncovered is his real one, 2. He's not hiding, WTF?! No way WitSec didn't find him. Maybe they leave him alone because he's living under an alias and his show isn't popular enough to attract attention?

Poor Billy thinking Wanda and Vision are dead. But as long as he can't remember them, it shouldn't be that bad.

Oh, so Agatha caused disasters in the non-magical world too. And she's Jolene?!

"Fun facts: Murdered her entire coven." Fun indeed!

Billy really is on the Road for Tommy! Oh, right, as a survivor of the Witches' Road, Agatha would be very useful. I had forgotten about that.

Wait, has Agatha always been wearing that Bohner family reunion shirt ("pitch a tent" XD) when she was at home with Rio?! Dammit, I feel a mighty need for that shirt now. They better give us that merch. Never mind, thanks, @xmcu-fietro!

Okay, but that shirt means that the name wasn't a creation of the Hex, holy shit! Are you telling me WitSec seriously gave him that name? Peter must have managed to piss them off beforehand.

Joe Locke was so close to losing it in that "poking the bear" scene. But since he kept it together, they could use that take. Good for us, hee.

The actors seemed to have fun. I guess that excessive pen clicking was also improvised.

"I do not wanna go back in the closet." XD

So the sigil was still working when Billy suspected his real identity, as well as when he said it the first time to Agatha. So what would finally break it?

Agatha manages to free herself from the mud. And what about Lilia and Jen?

Billy with the hoodie of shame. He's really is so much like his mom.

"It's nice to see you again, Billy." The soft way she says it sounds like she means it. Did she always like the Minimoffs or did she just decide to adopt him because she had suspected him to be Nicky?

Huh, the sigil is broken, but I don't understand how. Sure, Billy just crushed it the thing it was on, but that won't have done it. Ugh, I have no patience, dig up Lilia and make her answer my question!

Just after the topic of body count, Agatha asks where Billy got his new body. Whoa, what if he thinks he killed William? I mean, maybe she does, but I hope he doesn't.

"all that power you can't control without throwing a temper tantrum." Your multiverse grandpa would be so proud!

"She chose a town full of strangers over her own flesh and wires." I mean, she kinda had to take down the Hex, there wasn't much choice, Agatha. Not to mention that witch that nagged her into it.

Tommy is out there, Billy can sense him! *mewl*

"Gosh, you really are a Maximoff. Otherwise none of this would be nearly as dramatic." XD But this is why we love them!

The pathetic way I was waiting for Evan Peters (huh, look at #6 being the Peter episode again) to show up in the credits in hopes of getting hints about the character from the background image. It's just the Westview map with the Hex.

[paintedscales]

FFXIV Write 2023 :: Day 30

Prompt :: Amity Characters :: Nomin tal Kheeriin, R'ayzel Mhazu (belongs to @blossomblade) Word Count :: 866

FFXIV Write 2023 Master List

"I'll be staying behind in Ishgard. My duty here is not yet done," had been Ralne's response to Nomin when contacted over the linkpearl. Since Ralne had recovered from her own wounds, she returned to Ishgard, where she had been entrusted by Aymeric with overseeing change within the Temple Knights. With her time among the Dutiful Sisters of the Edelweiss, Ralne had been skilled enough to do things Lucia had sometimes done at Aymeric’s side.

"I couldn't possibly, Nomin… Now that I've returned here to Sharlayan from the Rising Stones, I have so much that I must document for myself and future generations! We were a major part of history and the shape of it, Nomin! I couldn't possibly go with you -- even if I'd love to… Oh! But Raha might want to go! I'll just ask him for all of the details after!" And that had been the excitable, yet somewhat disappointing answer from Lorha when it concerned the map that Estinien had bought.

It was not as if Lorha had not brought up some good points -- she had ever been a scholar of Sharlayan, much like many of the other Scions. She always found love and passion when it came to learning about the histories of places, so hearing her turn down the idea of finding these ruins beneath the Bounty had been somewhat of a shock.

As for R’ayzel…

"No go on their ends, eh?" R'ayzel asked once they had been seated at a table in Mehryde's Meyhane. She looked at Nomin’s slumped form over the table, an amused smirk present on her lips. Out of everyone from Nomin’s beginnings of adventuring in Eorzea, only R’ayzel had answered the call -- which had been in person given that she had stayed in Thavnair in order to simply sample the local cuisine and sights after the Scions had disbanded. She had nothing better to do -- so she claimed. So here she sat, ready and raring to go.

“Didn’t sound like it…” Nomin replied in an almost defeated manner. Pushing herself back up with a small sigh, Nomin looked over at R'ayzel. "I guess I could actually go and ask G'raha or Y'shtola… I do have reason to return to Sharlayan, even if only for a small time. I can ask G’raha and Y’shtola if they would have interest in-person.”

“Want me to come with you?”

“Only if you want.”

“I can’t imagine you not wanting some friends tagging along,” R’ayzel grinned. “After the whole disbandment business, we all went separate ways for the most part, eh? I can’t say Estinien’s been the best company since I’ve lingered around Thavnair -- what with him helping Vrtra’s Radiant Host. Not that I much prefer going out of my way to meet with him. I’m surprised he even had time to roam the markets.”

A small smile crept onto Nomin’s face.

“I appreciate the company, certainly,” Nomin said. “I actually kind of hope more things like this come up in time. The company and camaraderie between everyone else…I think I would miss it if we were really to go our separate ways and not go out on excursions like the one ahead of us.”

“Quite the admission all things considered,” R’ayzel chuckled.

“Yea, yea…” Nomin rolled her eyes with an amused scoff. “But at least I’ve gone back to the Steppe and mended those bridges… I’m really glad I did, too. It…it was still so amazing to have seen so many from the Steppe band together and fight a common enemy like they did.”

R’ayzel’s expression softened at Nomin’s words. “It shall certainly be interesting to see if the amity between the Steppe tribes will last from what I’ve heard from you and seen for myself.”

Nomin’s brow rose momentarily as she chuckled lightly. "I'm hoping that it lasts…but culture and tradition might keep the drive for tribal conflict strong."

Mihleel had come by, fresh made raptor tandoori steaming on plates ready to eat in her possession. She greeted the two amicably before placing their orders down along with some naan. Both Nomin and R'ayzel watched after her before they started on their meals, still speaking on their thoughts and idle musings.

"Still, though…the adventure up to this point has been filled with so many unexpected turns," Nomin recollected. "I'm just…I'm glad things have mostly turned out for the best at the end of everything. It's hard to believe sometimes -- so much of it is surreal, even now."

"You're telling me!" R'ayzel chortled, taking a bite of her tandoori. "T' fink we'h all jus' been coastin' frew, pih'kin up allies an'--" she swallowed, "--and all kinds of different bits of trouble along the way."

"Pfft…" Nomin blew a small raspberry, taking a bite of her food. She chewed and swallowed, thinking how, even if they had all changed and grown throughout their journey, there were still some aspects there that remained with them. Like R'ayzel's poor table manners.

Honestly, Nomin found herself so grateful that she could sit there at the table with R’ayzel so at ease, excited for a new adventure. Just like she had when she had first met with Lorha in Gridania nearly six summers ago.

[museywrites]

Xiantober 2023 - Day 11: Courting!Xian

Word Count: 844  Pairing: Wangxian Tags: MMO, Give Wei Ying those romance scenes damn it, pickup lines

Wei Ying heaved a sigh as he meandered around the vast open-world of Avelian: World of Secrets, the newest MMO that had been occupying his life. While he loved the game, for all of its amazing qualities - character customization, hot mic, battle system, graphics, and story line, there was one major flaw. 

There were so few players that the world felt so empty!! He hadn't met anyone worthy of a friend request, and he certainly had found a guild to join either. 

So for the most part, he plowed through the story line until he found himself in one of the most beautiful areas of the game, Wisteria Falls. 

Wei Ying was absolutely floored by the gorgeous scenery in this area, he certainly wished they had a place like this IRL. But for now, he'd enjoy the view. He watched a few players flit about, but most of them were gone as quick as he saw them. That's fine, the NPCs here seemed interesting enough. 

He walked amongst the regal looking 'towns folk' until he came across the most striking avatar he had ever seen. He remembered somewhere back in the tutorial that it mentioned that almost all NPCs were marriageable with special scenes with a few select NPCs who were meant to be marriage candidates had extra romance scenes and after wedding scenes. 

This game really appealed to his every interest and he couldn't fathom how it wasn't more popular. 

Wei Ying sauntered up to the beautiful looking NPC who was sitting on a bench under a Wisteria tree reading a book. He had never seen this emote before, so there was no reason to believe that this gorgeous elf with the most stunning outfit,  was anything but an NPC.

Surely, with such beautiful looks this NPC was one of the fabled "true romance NPCs". They mentioned these guys had super advanced AI right? So maybe a little flirting would work? 

"I'd rather ride you than Yoshi any day~" 

No response. 

"Mm.. yeah, maybe that was too strong right out the gate." Wei Ying nodded solemnly. 

"I choose you! ...That line isn't gonna get me copyrighted, right?"  He thought over his plethora of nerdy pickup lines before deciding on his next. 

"You must know Tail Whip because your beauty leaves me defenseless.... no, too corny."

"It's dangerous to go alone. Take me!" He groaned. "He's an NPC, he isn't going anywhere...." He huffed, clearly disappointed in himself. 

He'd get a reaction out of this NPC and woo him if it was the last thing he did!

"I've only got one heart left, and it's beating for you."

"Will you be my final fantasy?"

"I would love to go phoenix down on you."

"Do you play World of Warcraft? Because you make me say WoW!"

"Is that a keyblade in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

"If I had more skill points, I'd put them on "pickpocket" so I'd be able to steal your heart." 

Finally, the NPC put away his book and looked at Wei Ying, causing the other to light up. "Ahha!! Finally, man, you're one tough NPC to romance. I used one of those on an NPC in the first city and couldn't get her to stop following me for days!" He laughed.

"...I'm sorry?" 

"Mmm okay, one more!" He cheered, finally relieved to have made some headway. "I need some experience points in love-making, will you help me?" 

"I believe you should treat me to dinner before offering such a thing." 

Wei Ying blinked, looking at him for a moment, taking in the way he was watching him. Advanced AI or not... this NPC was moving like a player... their body adjusting with the VR gear. 

Wei Ying's face slowly went a bright red. "Oh my god you're not a marriage NPC!!" 

"....you were courting an NPC?" 

Wei Ying whined. "I wanted the marriage scenes!!!" He shook his head. "Oh my god how long have you been there?? Were you just AFK?! I've never seen another player sit and read so I thought--" 

"It is a special emote for DEVs." 

"Oh my god you're a dev? Okay. You can delete my account now.. I'm gonna go die on my bed or something." 

The pretty elf raised an eyebrow. "All that flirting and no follow through?"

Wei Ying choked a little. "Y-you.... follow through?" 

"Mn."

"I-I mean... I... hnng... I guess I should introduce m-myself? I'm Wei Ying." 

"Mn. It is nice to meet you, Wei Ying. If you're interested in a virtual date, I'd love to hear more about this courting method of yours."

"Oh my God I'm going to unalive right here." He fully intended to pull up his lot out screen, but a pop up window with a friend request caused him to hesitate. 

Friend Request Received:  Player: Hanguang-Jun Level: 99 Message: "You must be wearing a ring of power, because I think you're precious."

Wei Ying squeaked, his face going red. 

Yeah... maybe buying this game was the best decision of his life. 

[grounded-gryphon]

I'd Die (Again) for Y'all (part 10)

(wc ~650)

Danny was dissociating again. He'd known this was coming. Or he would have known, if he'd let himself think about it.

Making the choice to stay, to fight the GIW (and the Justice League!), to throw himself right back into the nightmare he had just escaped… Yeah, time to shut out the world and count his blessings.

He had a lot of blessings. Even more now than … than last time. Red Hood was a hundred blessings all on his own. A new halfa, a new friend, an ally to fight beside. Red Robin. A stranger helping just because Danny needed help.

And both of them there because Batman had sent them. Because Batman knew Phantom wasn't a villian or a mindless 'ecto-entity'. He had been seen and recognized -- not by family or friends who /had/ to care, but a hero, a power.

Last night -- both the sharing of bodies and the later, far more intimate sharing of thoughts and feelings in the Ghosting hours of deep night.

And he had seen the stars again. Looking out through the window of the safehouse watching them slowly wink out of the sky as the sun rose, knowing he would see them again tonight…

So many blessings in a single day. A day that was itself a blessing because he hadn't expected to live to see it.

The Avenger was taking Danny where he needed to go. The Avenger would keep him safe. He wasn't a protector, but he would protect anyway. Because he cared. He didn't want to avenge, he wanted Danny to be safe.

Blessings.

Red Hood was passing him off to other people, people marked by Red Hood as under his protection. The Avenger was going and that started to shake Danny's calm. But he trusted the avenger, the avenger said he'd be back. So Danny followed the strange woman. The avenger had come to him on the Watchtower (The moment Red Hood had told Danny his name was another blessing. A moment he would cherish as long as he existed.) He wouldn't abandon Danny now.

The woman was talking to him. Telling him about the person he'd be staying with. Someone important to Red Hood.

That didn't matter. He was safe for now, and that was a blessing. Red Hood would come back, and that would be a blessing.

Maybe… maybe Hood would have a way he could contact his sisters? Another blessing he had not dared even imagine that might be within reach.

A bit over an hour later, he was being escorted up the front stairs of a rundown building. Something about it felt familiar, but he couldn't tell what. Damn bracelets. Danny really hoped this Jason would have the tools he needed to get them off. He was tired of feeling half blind.

Before he even had time to remind himself to be grateful for what he did have, the door opened to a familiar mouth and even familiar streak of white hair. "You must be Danny," civilian!Hood said, "I'm Jason, come on in."

Safe. The Avenger was here. He was /safe./

Dissociation snapped. Without a word, Danny flung himself into Jason's arms and broke down.

---

Red Robin had just hit 36 hours when he made it back to his safe hourse. So, up long enough to be feeling it, but not long enough to have real problems. Yet.

He was disappointed -- but not surprised -- to find Hood and Phantom gone. The phone and $20 on the counter was a surprise, though. The money confused him. The phone was familiar, a cheap throw away they all used as burner phones. When he opened it up, there was a single number programmed in.

Hood answered on the first ring. "Yeah?" In the background, he heard what sounded like someone crying.

"Hood, Red Robin. How is he?"

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

Hey folks, finally back with this! Sorry for the short post, I've been stuck on this scene for 6 months and am just... here, take what you get, I'm moving on.

I put together that Masterpost so this is the last time I'm tagging everyone.

Hope y'all had a good summer. I'll see ya soon!

(I think is the latest taglist, but it's been a while so I could be getting files mixed up. Sorry if I tagged anyone I shouldn't)

@8-29pm @admiralwidow @ailithnight @androcat191 @andsatisfactionbroughtmeback @annkan7 @apointlessbox @beacedocrime @beepboopimaproblemchild @blep-23 @breesperez139 @bun-fish @chaos-n-kindness @charcoalstainedbones @crystalqueertea @d4ydr34min9 @darkstarsapocalypse @drowningroane @enderglace @ever-changing-weirdo-3100 @everything163 @fenanoni @firegirl108 @fisticuffsatapplebees @gaelic-holiday @ghostpyre @gildedphoenix @girlnic @goldmusicn3rd @greenmuffinofdoom @help-i-need-a-cool-username @icedbluesoul @idkmrpianoman @idontgetpaidenoughforthisshit @igotafewbadideas @introvert-even-on-the-internet @istillhavenosociallife-blog @jaggedheart11 @jarlyd @kaitouhime @kaneking-ken @kjoboo91 @kyrianclawraith

[tleeaves]

It's been a long time since I've ever seen green in the sky. I don't think the sun sets the same here as where I used to live.

Anyway, thanks for the tag!

Favourite colour(s): green but think forest and moss and plant colours, orange like clay and flowers, all manner of red, and gold (that's in order).

The last song I listened to: House of the Rising Sun by The Animals apparently. It's on one of my character playlists.

The last film I watched: we're gonna take "film" as full length movie and one that I watched all the way to the end and the latest was Trap which I saw in cinemas (kinda disappointing for my first thriller, at some point I thought the trailers we saw for the horror movies might have been a more thrilling time. Also, there's a serial killer called The Butcher but I saw no butchering. What's up with that? Where is the gore?? Spoiler but no one died in that entire movie). Anyway, this is also how I learned something that should have been obvious the whole time, which is that the trailers before whatever movie you're watching in a cinema are all within the same or similar genre. I'd only ever really gone to see family and popular/mainstream entertainment movies my whole life up until now and I feel robbed of all the cool thriller and horror trailers that have been advertising a whole other genre of movies I somehow didn't clock properly existed until now. Like everyone's always talking about the new sequels or remakes of old horror classics but you mean to tell me there were new horror and thriller films yearly just like everything else this whole time that I've never had advertised to me??

Currently reading: either Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson or my civil procedure and corporate law textbooks. Pick one. I haven't even really touched Treasure Island in a week since I've been doing research reading across journal articles more than anything.

If you want, give this a go too: @manawari @quantummeep @voidlingduck

heyyy, @morocorra, thanks for the tag!

favorite color(s): i don't really have one? i like combinations of colors, or colors in context. if i had to pick, i'd say the shade of lime-mint green you get in the sky at dusk where the sunset is shading off into the blue of night.

last song i listened to: "atomic city" by u2

last film i watched: genuinely do not remember, it was months ago. i think it was twister? we're seeing the hunt for red october again this evening, my dad got the dvd out from the city library.

currently reading: an unkindness of magicians by kat howard. i'm rereading.

no-pressure tagging @edwinspaynes and @purplebass and @tleeaves mostly because i want you to see my sky description

[castielific]

Idiots in Love

Title: Idiots in Love (AO3)

Words: 6 625

Pairing: Dean/Cas

Rating: Explicit

Tags: Alternate Ending, Human!Cas, Dean has a sexuality crisis, canon,divergent post season 14.

Summary:

"So, no God, no wings, no imminent apocalypse, what are your plans now?" Dean tries to make the question sound casual by taking a gulp of his beer.

"I want to have sex with a man," Cas declares, nibbling at a red vine cherry twist. He barely reacts to Dean spitting his beer all over the table and choking on his sip. (...) Cas tilts his head and adds, "I may need your help with that."

You can read it under the cut or on AO3

********************************

"So, no God, no wings, no imminent apocalypse, what are your plans now?" Dean tries to make the question sound casual by taking a gulp of his beer. 

Truth is, Dean is getting worried about the ex-angel. Cas has taken a little too much of a liking to Dean's habits of spending his days in his pajamas. It was fun the first couple of days and Dean had a blast showing him all his favorite shows and lazing around with his best friend. Except now it's been nearly a month since Chuck has been gone and Cas became human, and Dean's pretty sure Cas hasn't changed out of those damn pajamas for the whole week. At least, that's what it's starting to smell like. Thank God Cas also loves showers or they would have to febreze the whole bunker at this point. He's just not caught up on the whole laundry thing yet. Or, you know, being a functional human being that does anything other than watching TV in his pajamas all day and gobbling candies. There's just...so much candy. It's a wonder Cas hasn't gotten sick already. 

"I want to have sex with a man," Cas declares, nibbling at a red vines cherry twist. He barely reacts to Dean spitting his beer all over the table and choking on his sip. Only raising an interrogative eyebrow as he watches the hunter cough and frantically hit his own chest with a fist. As soon as Dean finally manages to start breathing normally again, Cas tilts his head and adds, "I may need your help with that."

It's a good thing Dean hasn't taken another sip because even his own saliva seems hard to swallow right now. Good thing the choking already made his face bright red too. 

"You-what!?" he stops, trying to compose himself. His heart is beating so fast that for a second he thinks he's gonna throw up. 

Despite his apparent nonchalance, Dean catches Cas sending him a nervous glance. The damn red vine is still hanging from his friend's lips and Cas goes crossed eyes when he tries to avoid Dean's gaze by looking at the candy. 

"So what, you want me to drive you to a bar and be your wingman?" 

There's a flash of something that Dean doesn't have the time to identify on Cas' face, before his poker face is back on. "If that's how you think you can help me, yes. I'd appreciate it."

"Okay. We'll- We'll do that then," Dean declares, raising up. His stomach is in knots and his body is begging him to run away from this situation. He's not sure why, but he feels a disappointment that he wasn't expecting. "Tonight's good for you?"

"Yes, Dean. Thank you," Cas looks about as uncomfortable as Dean feels. 

Maybe he was expecting the hunter to react another way to Castiel basically coming out to him? 

Yeah, that's probably it. 

Dean should make an effort to appear extra supportive tonight; he doesn't want his best friend to think he's not accepting his sexuality. He nods to himself at the thought. 

He should probably say something more right now actually. They look at each other for a moment. Cas is scrutinizing his face in that intense way he has, like he's trying to read his mind. Dean is used to it, yet right now it's making his skin itch, so he just offers a last nod and walks away. 

************

Dean waits to have a beer and a shot, plus the whisky he downed before coming, to break the tension between them. Cas hasn't said a word on the drive here. Dean tried to joke about him making an effort, because Cas put on a nice white shirt and jeans, but the joke fell horribly flat, Cas sending a look at his clothes, and muttering about Dean telling him it was "appropriate dating attire" last time. It took a moment for Dean to remember the worst experience in babysitting ever. He was ready to joke about hoping things turn out better this time, but Cas was already walking to the garage and getting into Baby. 

He still hasn't said much. Dean hopes it's just because Cas is nervous, that it has nothing to do with anything Dean could have done (or not done). He still feels like he should say something though. 

"Cas, I know I probably didn't react the way you were hoping earlier," Dean starts, trying to pick his words carefully. 

"What do you mean?" Cas tilts his head, looking genuinely interested by the answer. Maybe a little too much. 

"I just want you to know that I'm one hundred percent okay with all this," Dean says with a vague gesture at their surroundings. 

Dean actually searched the internet to find a gay friendly bar in their area. He didn't want Cas to be confronted with any homophobic douchebags. It's clearly not the kind of bar Dean is used to, and it's making him even more uncomfortable. Every surface is shiny and modern and white, and there are lasers going around the room, along with some electronic music that might just make his ears bleed. 

Cas seems unfazed by it and it makes Dean wonder what kind of bar Cas would actually choose to go to if they gave him a choice from time to time. They always kinda make those decisions for him. Hell, before right this instant, Dean never actually thought about the fact that Cas' first choice might not be roadhouses, diners, or even classic rock (God forbid). Cas just never seemed that interested in all that, just going along with whatever Sam and Dean want to do (okay, mostly Dean). But he's human now, he deserves to explore what he likes or doesn't like, even if that ends up being different from what his friends favor. 

That's probably what they're doing right now, actually, Dean thinks when he sees Cas' eyes following a guy passing near their table. Dean wishes he was a better friend, that he could be more supportive, but he can't help but hate it. 

He doesn't want to be here trying to get Cas laid with another guy. He wanted them to stay at home and watch movies together. He's ready to let Cas explore his tastes in movies and food and even music, but this? Dean doesn't like this. It feels wrong and unsettling and he's not sure if that means that he's homophobic or a terrible friend or...whatever.

He hates this, but he'll do his best to play along. For Cas. Because he lo...likes Cas. Very much. As a brother. So if Cas can listen to the same music tape seven times in a row and not complain, Dean can very well sit his ass in this bar, listen to terrible music and act supportive for one night. 

Cas is still looking at him like he knows that Dean is lying and is not comfortable with this at all, so Dean feels the need to explain. 

"I was just surprised, that's all. I had no idea you were into dudes now."

"I've always been 'into dudes'." The air quotes he makes prove his exasperation. Cas only uses air quotes when he's frustrated. 

"Well, you've never said," Dean pouts, scratching at the label on his beer. He's trying not to get defensive because they don't need that right now, but Cas is obviously upset at him and he doesn't understand why. 

"You're right. I didn't." Cas takes a deep breath that ends in a sigh. "The first...attraction I ever felt was for a man," Cas confesses. "I was still an angel back then, I didn't really understand it. Then I became human and-," he stops for a second, biting his bottom lip like he's stopping the words he really wants to say, "I guess I thought it would be easier to fit in if I were to focus on girls," he admits, a little sheepish. "After all, It's not that I don't like girls. I'm not...I'm not really attracted to gender or physical attributes, it's more about…," his eyes travel over Dean's features as Cas searches for the right words. "It's more about who they are."

"Yeah," Dean breathes. "Yeah, I think I get that."

The corner of Cas' lips raises up in a smile, a little timid but relieved. 

"I'm not sure you're gonna learn much about who people are in a place like this, though." Dean sends a doubtful look toward the dance floor, where people in various states of undress are rubbing against each other. 

"I'm not looking for my soulmate tonight," Cas shrugs it off, "Just sex," Cas says, inclining his head as he watches a man langourously tonguing another guy's bellybutton. "I think you're right, though. This doesn't look like my scene," he admits with a grimace that looks half intrigued, half dubious about what he's seeing. 

Thank fucking God Dean can't help but think in relief. He was starting to worry about Cas starting to blast David Guetta in the Bunker and wearing net shirts. Although the net shirts might be...Nope, that would be weird. 

"Should I try Tinder then?" Cas' question is so unexpected that Dean chokes on his own saliva. Again.  

"How do you even know about Tinder?" he asks, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He may have spit a little over the table too, but Cas doesn't seem to notice, or care. 

"I'm a human living in the twenty-first century now, Dean. I know things." Dean raises a dubious eyebrow, and Cas shrugs. "The man from the store told me about it," he admits with an eye roll.

"What? What man? What store?" 

"He asked me if I was on Tinder, and seemed very disappointed when I said I wasn't. Although considering the things he propositioned we do, maybe that's not my scene either," Cas reflects out loud. 

What the Hell? Who's that guy 'propositioning' Cas? Dean really needs to know so he can 'proposition' his fist into that guy's face. 

"What store, Cas? When did that happen?" 

"Hello beautiful," a guy in black jeans and a tight tee-shirt salutes lasciviously as he appears next to the table, leaning his hips against it, back to Dean as he leers at Cas. 

"Go away, we're busy," Dean dismisses, pushing at the hips until the guy nearly tumbles. He sends Dean a glare before going away. Cas' mouth is open like he was actually considering answering. "What guy, Cas?" Dean insists. He's gonna find that asshole and tear him a new one. Who the hell goes around 'propositioning' angels anyway? A fucking pervert, that's who! 

Cas' mouth snap closes and he squints at Dean. "That was very rude, Dean," he reproaches, looking at where the guy from earlier has disappeared into the crowd. 

"Who, him? He was a jerk, Cas."

"You don't know that," Cas reproches. "He had a very nice smile."

"I have a nice smile, and I'm a jerk."

"But you obviously don't want to have sex with me, so," Cas mutters to himself. His eyes go comically wide when he realizes that he said it out loud. Probably as wide as Dean's. 

"WHAT."

Cas doesn't blush often, yet his cheeks are definitely redder right now. He doesn't let that bring him down though, sitting up straighter and raising his chin in that stubborn way he has. "Well, I'm not wrong, am I?" he taunts, eyes firmly set on Dean's and...shit. 

Shit shit shit. 

IS HE?

Dean opens and closes his mouth a few times. He feels like a bomb just exploded inside his brain. Where did that come from? Of course Cas is wrong. Dean doesn't want to sleep with him...does he?

Okay, he may have thought about it a few times. That wasn't voluntary though, like when you dream about your mom's nipples or something. Except the thought of having sex with Cas definitely didn't provoke the same ick factor that thinking about his mom's nipples just did. With Cas it's more like...curiosity? 

Even now, in the middle of the most uncomfortable conversation ever, Cas' chin remains jutted, his stare firm and Dean...Dean wonders what it would take to break that strong facade. To make him gasp for breath and beg for release. To make him lose control. 

The thought makes him gulp, eyes falling to Cas' lips and yeah, those have definitely starred in a few of his fantasies. Not, like, explicitly. Or with Cas' face attached to it. Just in a furtive thought as he was pleasuring himself 'eh I wonder what those lips would feel like wrapped around my cock'. Or Cas' hands. Maybe he looked at his ass once or twice, on the rare occasion that the damn trench coat wasn't hiding it. Damn that trenchcoat...he actually had a few fantasies about that trenchcoat too. 

Oh God. 

What?!

Dean's not sure what happens next. 

One moment he's having a panic attack in a gay bar outside of Kensington, and the next time he blinks he's in the bunker's garage having no idea how he drove back here or how long it's been. What he immediately realizes though, is that Castiel definitely wasn't along for the ride. 

Oh shit, did he just abandon Cas in the middle of a Gay bar? The word gay makes him flinch. 

He's not gay! Just because he may be attracted to a dude doesn't make him gay! There were tons of men in that bar and he wasn't attracted to anyone else other than...Cas. Can he be blamed when Cas undid one button too many on his white shirt again?

Shit shit shit. He needs a drink. 

The sound of the bunker door closing brings him out of his daze again, God knows how long later. He looks up from the map table littered with beer bottles, and is brutally reminded about the fact that he abandoned Cas when his eyes come across the glare the other man is currently sending him. 

Dean lowers his eyes in guilt, but immediately regrets it when they fall on the rest of Cas' body. 

Cas is drenched. His white shirt is so wet it's sticking to his body, showing the skin under it. Dean's eyes glide along the darker shade of a nipple that the see-through shirt can't hide anymore. Hell, it's so transparent that Dean can see Cas' belly button. He suddenly has a new look on what that guy was doing to that other guy on the dance floor. 

Does he want to lick Cas' belly button?

His staring is interrupted when the nice view is suddenly turning away and stomping out of the library. Dean's on his feet and following before he even realizes. Damn he has totally lost all control of his body tonight, hasn't he? And of his mind. And of his sexuality, apparently. 

Cas' door nearly hits him in the face when the other man slams it. Dean deflates. 

"Cas?" Dean says, knocking hesitantly. 

Cas is obviously pissed, rightly so, but he can't leave him go to bed hating Dean like this. He's not sure what he wants from Cas right now, but hate was never it. 

"Cas, come on, open up," he says, knocking again. Dean worries his lip as he waits for Cas to answer. "I'll stay here all night if I have to. You can't ignore me forever!"

All he hears in answer is the noise of a drawer being close too sharply. Okay, definitely pissed then. 

"I know that was a jerk move, okay? Please let me apologize at least!" He knocks again before leaning his head against the door, sighing. He really screwed up tonight, didn't he?

The door opens at once, making Dean stumble forward. He would have fallen on his face if it wasn't for Cas catching him. He blinks and there is suddenly a lot more skin showing than what he was expecting, the surprise making him jump away at once. Cas is wearing a dark blue bathrobe that Dean accidentally tugged at when he nearly fell. From what he's seen, Cas isn't wearing much else. 

Except maybe the scowl and the glare directed at Dean right now. 

Castiel doesn't bother rearranging his bathrobe as he crosses his arms and waits for Dean to say something. 

Anything. 

He should really say something. 

The thing is, Cas didn't rearrange his bathrobe and there is a whole lot of skin showing, the collar hanging so low that one of Cas' nipples is looking right at him. It's very distracting. Also: legs. Dean doesn't think he's ever seen Cas' bare legs before. Hell, he's never even imagined Cas' legs before. They're more tanned than they have any right to be. His thighs are paler though. And so damn meaty. Oh God, Cas' thighs are showing. Dean feels his ears burn. 

"You left me, Dean," Cas' hoarse voice accuses, making Dean look up at his face so fast that he nearly gets whiplash. The hurt on his friend's features is definitely sobering. 

Dean slowly takes a step forward, not sure he's welcomed. Cas stands his ground until Dean is standing right in front of him. 

"I'm sorry, Cas. I don't know what I was-," Dean pleads. 

"No," Cas interrupts. "Please, you at least owe me honesty," Cas says, taking a step closer. He's so close Dean can feel the hem of his bathrobe brush against his shins. Dean licks his lips and Cas' eyes drop, following the movement as he inclines his head. "Why did you run away, Dean?" He's searching Dean's gaze for the answer and Dean forces himself to hold his gaze, even though his legs and head are begging him to run away right now. 

"I- I'm sorry, Cas, I shouldn't have done that," he says, taking a step backward. Cas follows him, not letting him cop out as he continues to observe him like he's the most intriguing thing he's ever seen. 

"I asked you a question, Dean. This isn't an answer," he scolds in an authoritative tone that makes a shiver run through Dean, his toes curling in his boots. 

It brings a memory to the forefront of his mind: 'You should show me some respect'. His dick had twitched at that voice back then too. Damn, has he been that oblivious for the last eleven years? How many times did he ignore those feelings, this attraction to Cas? How long has he been lying to himself about this?

"I-" Dean starts, closing his mouth and gulping with difficulty before he starts again, "I think I do." 

"You know," Dean tries to dismiss. Cas continues to squint at him and oh God he's not gonna make him say it out loud, is he? "I think I do want…," he makes a vague gesture over Cas' body, "with you," he finishes lamely. Somehow the last word sounded like a question, and Dean bites his own lip, silently admonishing himself. That was the worst 'propositioning' he ever did. He probably gave the store creep a run for his money. 

Cas frowns in confusion. "You do what?"

Cas takes half a step closer, raising his chin. He's so close that their chests are brushing. "Say it."

 "Wh- Cas, I-," Dean stutters.

"Say it," Cas orders. 

A tiny whimper escapes Dean's lips at the tone of his voice. The hunter wipes his mouth with his hand, like there is any way he could take it back or that Cas didn't hear it. The other man is still staring straight at him, but there is something new in his gaze, a hardness that is definitely making something in Dean harden too. 

"I want to-" Dean closes his eyes. Why is it so hard to say? It's not like it's a secret anymore, it's obvious in the way Cas' pupils are swallowing the blue of his eyes that not only does he know exactly what Dean wants, but he wants it too. He wants him. "You. I want you, Cas," Dean finally croaks. 

It's like a light breeze of air passes over Cas' face and relaxes all his features at once. His eyes close, his brows smooth out and his mouth goes slack as he makes a tiny sound. He looks like he's just swallowed a bite of the best damn burger in the world. That's a nice preview of the kind of face Dean wants to see him make in the very near future. 

When Cas opens his eyes, the corner of his lips is slightly raised in a smirk. "Good," he simply says. He looks like he might devour Dean alive any second now, or maybe fall to his knees and thank God or something. 

Which is why Dean is so startled when Cas turns around and walks away. 

Dean blinks at him as the other man goes to his dresser where his wet shirt is rumpled and starts straightening it out like he's planning on doing laundry right now. 

"What? That's all?" Dean gapes. 

Cas stops moving for just a second, sending him a fast glance over his shoulder before he walks to the ensuite bathroom. 

"Cas!" Dean calls, following him and watching, bewildered, as Cas starts hanging his shirt and pants over the shower curtain bar.

When he turns, he looks like he hadn't even noticed Dean was there. Dean squints. He knows better. He knows Cas. There is a self-satisfied quirkiness to his lips, a cocky glint in his eyes as he raises an eyebrow at Dean. 

"Were you expecting anything else?"

In answer, Dean gives him his best 'don't bullshit a bullshiter look' and Cas shrugs. 

"Just because you want me doesn't mean I have to fall on my knees for you." An image of Cas on his knees distracts Dean for a second and he misses what Cas says next. "-for ten years now." 

"Huh?" Dean says, his eyes hypnotized by the way Cas' bathrobe sashays around his bare legs as he takes a few steps closer. 

Cas' groan of frustration is proof that he's realized Dean wasn't listening anymore. He throws his hands up, and pushes himself to pass next to Dean who's standing at the door. Their bodies press against one another for just a second, Dean's fingers involuntarily brushing against the fine hairs on one of Cas' thighs and making him gasp. 

Cas just pushes on until he's pacing in his bedroom. Shit, he's been talking again. 

"-dibly dense!" he finishes. "Dean!" he reproaches, his voice going higher in frustration when he notices Dean's hasn't been listening to his rant. 

"Sorry sorry, I-" Dean says, raising his hands in front of himself in defense. He groans in frustration, pulling on the short hair on the back of his head. "I just realized I'm in love with my best friend and my brain has a little difficulty catching up, okay?!" 

"You're what?" Cas says, eyes like saucer and mouth hanging open. 

It takes a second for Dean to catch up to what's going on. What? He said just a few minutes ago that he was in lust for him he doesn't see- 

Lust. Shit, wrong L word.

Wait.

Is it?

Dean lets himself fall on his ass on the bed, feeling like his legs just turned to jelly. 

IS IT???

When Cas sits next to him, the mattress dips and they both slide closer, until their thighs are touching.

"You're right. It is a lot for one night," Cas admits, looking as dazed as Dean feels. "I never thought you could want me, let alone…"

"Does that mean you don't feel the same?"

That seems to wake Cas back up. "Of course I do!" He looks scandalized that Dean would think, even for a second, that Castiel doesn't love him. 

"Well, you weren't exactly obvious," Dean argues. 

"Back at you. You were so oblivious I suspect that you didn't even know yourself until tonight."

"Point taken," Dean admits. "Jeez, we really are a couple of dumbasses, aren't we?" Dean chuckles. 

Cas laughing next to him is one of the most beautiful sounds he's ever heard. 

Jesus, he really is in love with Cas, isn't he? 

He sends him a look out of the corner of his eyes. Cas is still smiling as he fidgets with the cord of his bathrobe. Dean leans sideways until his shoulder bumps Cas' and they share the same stupidly fond smile for a moment. 

The silence gets denser though, and Dean nibbles at his lip as he thinks. "So, where does that leave us, huh?". 

"Here," Cas says, like it's the most obvious thing. "Together." He starts to literally point at them both, like Dean is an actual idiot. Dean rolls his eyes, grabbing Cas' hands to stop him. The move makes their shoulders bump again and this time they leave them there, their whole sides pressed against one another, hands linked on their laps. 

"I'm not supposed to like men, you know," Dean says, looking at the decidedly manly hand he's still holding in his, at the hairy thighs showing under that. 

"I'm not even supposed to be a man."  

It hits Dean suddenly, how much he actually does love this ridiculous man. Angel. Ex-angel. Whatever. Cas could have turned into a goddamn dog and Dean would still love him. 

Wait, no, that's weird, Dean thinks with a frown. 

A hand on his chin startles him, but he follows it as it guides his head to the left. When Cas' lips brush his, it feels like every nerve in his entire body short-circuits. It makes him surge forward a little too eagerly and Cas' yelp of surprise is muffled by Dean's mouth as they fall backwards. Their teeth clash when Cas' head impacts with the mattress. Dean doesn't care, enthusiastically sucking on Cas' bottom lip.  

This kiss is nothing like the other kisses he's known. Cas' lips are chapped, his scuff is scratching Dean's chin and there is no trace of roundness on the chest under Dean's. He cradles the side of Cas' face, passing a thumb against the grain of the stubble on his cheek, the sound and feel of it giving him goosebumps. He presses his thumb a little more firmly, making Cas open his mouth until Dean can slip his tongue between them. He gets a groan of approval in response, hands grabbing his arms as Dean slides as close as he can. He knows he's probably crushing Cas, but he doesn't care. Cas can take it. Cas can take him. 

Like he can hear that very thought, Cas bites Dean's top lip so hard that it makes the hunter's hips buck against Cas' thigh. They both grunt their approval at the move. 

It's like a switch is suddenly turned on, like they suddenly remember that they're not just two mouths, that they have bodies and skins to explore. Dean's hands slip under the collar of Cas' bathrobe to press against his chest at the same time as Cas grabs the edge of his shirt and starts to pull it up. Dean moves away just long enough to throw his shirt to the ground before he's delving back for Cas' mouth. 

His hand reflexibly tries to squeeze at breasts that aren't there, but it makes Cas moan anyway, so he does it again. It makes him wonder what else a man's body could be responsive to. He desperately wants to find out. Dean releases Cas' mouth to latch on one of his nipples instead. Cas' whole body surges up against him, grabbing his hair as Dean bites and licks and sucks at the little nub. 

Dean leans over Cas with one of his arms, while his other hand does what he's been dreaming about and undoes the knot securing that goddamn bathrobe. Dean pushes the pans of the robe to the side, sitting up to openly observe the view that has newly been revealed to him.

Okay, yes, that definitely does it for him. 

Cas' cock is hard, curled slightly to the left over his stomach and who knew Dean would ever find another man's cock this beautiful. He wants to fall to his knees and worship it. The thought is new and exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. 

Cas doesn't let him ponder it for long, grabbing his face and bringing him right back against his lips. Cas' mouth is brutal, feeling like it's trying to win a battle against Dean's until they're both breathless and left panting into one another's mouths. 

Dean is ready to go back to kissing when Cas slips further down until he's not under Dean anymore. Dean sits up, a flash of panic at having done wrong blurring his mind until he sees the bathrobe flying across the room. He blinks at the garment on the ground for a few seconds before his brain is able to get back with the program and realizes that this must mean...He looks up and Cas is lying naked in the middle of the bed. He looks like the best damn offering. 

"Take off your pants," Cas rasps. 

The order makes Dean twitch so bad inside the confinement of his pants that it makes him curl up a little. He's only too happy to obey, taking the rest of his clothes off as fast as he can. 

He's ready to lie back over Cas when the other man stops him with a hand on his shoulder. "No. On your back," Cas says. It's not quite an order, but not a suggestion either, Cas' voice sounding confident in the fact that Dean won't question it, will obey him.

He's right and in an instant, Dean is lying beside him on the bed. The other man raises up on his knees, settling next to Dean's hips. Cas' gaze is burning a path against Dean's skin as it observes his naked body from his chin to his toes and back up. 

A curious finger brushes against his sternum, and Dean shudders. That seems to intrigue Cas, who presses his fingers a little more firmly, letting them travel on Dean's skin in intriguing patterns. It reminds Dean of Cas drawing sigils on the wall and makes him wonder what he could be writing on his skin. The fingers slide from Dean's collarbone, encircling his nipples, and drawing a line toward his bellybutton. They follow the ridge of his hips, before brushing so close to the head of Dean's dick that it twitches like it's trying to follow the fingers as they go away, up until they're tracing Dean's lips and making him squirm.

"Cas," Dean whines as the fingers pass over one of his nipples again. 

It makes Cas' hand stop just under the dip of Dean's collarbone as he looks back up at him. Two fingers grab Dean's chin as Cas leans forward, brushing his lips over his. It's nothing like their previous kisses, so much softer in comparison. It feels like a blessing and is gone in a second, Cas' lips deposing another kiss just under one of Dean's eyes instead, lips trailing over his cheekbones. 

Dean gasps, eyes closing as those lips kiss under his other eye, then the corner of his mouth. "Cas," he pleads again. He's not sure what he's asking for, throat suddenly so tight with emotion that he's afraid tears are going to leak out if he opens them again. 

No one has ever kissed him like that. Like he's precious, like he means the world to them. He wasn't expecting it, never thought he would be so lucky to have it, and now he's not quite sure how to handle it. 

Lips are suddenly closing around his cockhead and Dean shouts, surging up on the bed in surprise. Cas' hands are right there on his hips, pinning him to the bed, and there's a smirk on the very lips that just blessed him as they press against the head of his cock. 

"Fuck, I love you," Dean rasps when his eyes cross Cas' cocky gaze. Only that man could make him go from love and devotion to so much lust that he feels like his dick is gonna explode. 

Cas' tilts his head in a way that Dean knows very well, except it's never been coupled with him opening his mouth, dragging the head of Dean's hard cock into his mouth as his blue eyes stay right on Dean's green ones. The flat of Cas tongue is pressing just under the head, and Dean nearly screams again when Cas starts to suck around him, just a little, like he's tasting the flavor of a goddamn popsicle. Cas closes his eyes for a second, savoring it. Dean swallows a breath as Cas' tongue pokes out for another taste at the slit of his dick. He hums at the taste of Dean's precum, before twisting his tongue playfully around the head. 

He continues licking and sucking lightly for a while, but as the minutes pass, Cas starts to look pensive, lost in his own head as he absently mouths at Dean's dick.

Cas startles when Dean's hand lands on his shoulder. Dean's dick pops out of his mouth with a filthy noise.

"Cas," Dean groans in frustration, because what the hell, they were kind of in the middle of something? Cas blinks up at him, like he just remembered that Dean was here. Dean sighs and grabs his arm, resigned and worried. "Come here," he says, pulling him up. Cas sends a glance at Dean's dick, like he's regretting getting away from it, but follows Dean's directions and lays down next to him. "You okay?" Dean asks as he turns toward him. Cas still looks a little out of it, and it's making Dean's heart beat faster in panic. 

What if Cas doesn't want him after all?

"I'm sorry," Cas says. Dean thinks he might die, right now, if this night ends up with Cas rejecting him. Cas must see the flash of fear on Dean's face, because his thumb comes to brush reassuringly against his cheek. Cas slides closer, one of his legs slipping over Dean's until he's as close as he could possibly get. Dean's cock is nestled against the crease of Cas hips and legs. He doesn't pay it any mind though, searching for the reassurance he needs into the blue eyes right in front of him.

"What is it?" he whispers in the space between them. His hand is squeezing Cas' biceps a little too hard, but he can't quite let go. 

"I just-," Cas starts, licking his lips before he presses his forehead against Dean's. "I never thought I would get to have this," he confesses. 

"Fucking thank God!" Dean exclaims, so relieved he could cry. 

Cas startles away, frowning in confusion, and maybe a little vexation. 

"You had me crazy worried there, Cas! I thought you were having second thoughts!" Dean says, laughing to himself as his nerves settle down. 

"What? No!" Cas says. "Of course not! I could never regret being with you, Dean," Cas swears, so brusque in his honesty that it sobers Dean right up. 

He rolls his eyes instead and catches Cas' mouth with his. He bites Cas' bottom lip a little in retribution for the grief he's just caused, and Cas presses his hips closer. They both groan when their dicks brush against one another. 

"You good with the freak out now? Because we were kind of in the middle of something..." 

"You're one to talk about freaking out," Cas teases, with a sharp thrust of his hips that make them both moan. 

Dean rolls his eyes again, shutting Cas up with another kiss as he rolls over him. He whimpers at the way Cas' legs open up under him. It's giving him ideas that he doesn't have the patience to follow through tonight. He'll definitely be here to explore them very soon though. 

For now, Dean grabs one of Cas' knees, guiding it until it wraps around his own hips and he falls a little bit further down, right where he needs to be. His weight comes down on Cas' hips, and the other man gasps, breaking their kiss as he throws his head back. Dean nibbles at his jaw instead. 

With his free hand, he circles Cas' cock, stroking it a few times and enjoying the noise the other man makes. He observes the way his brows come a little down, the edge of his teeth appearing as Cas bites his bottom lip in pleasure. Dean delights at the way Cas' jaw clenches, muscles working under his cheeks when Dean squeezes just a little harder and twists his fist on the upward move. He feels like he could do this all night, just watch Cas react to his touch.

He's been hard for so long though that he feels he's gonna burst, so he shifts until his dick comes to nestle right against Cas', and closes his hands around the both of them. Dean moans at the feeling of Cas squeezed against him, of the warm slide of their cocks together in his hands. He tries to thrust into his fist, but as good as it is, it doesn't feel quite right. His other hand is busy holding him up above Cas, so he releases their members for a second and grabs one of Cas' hands, guiding it until their joined hands create a tunnel around the both of them. Dean thrusts a little and Cas makes a noise like he might die. That must mean it feels as good to him as it feels to Dean. Cas' eyes are glazed over and fixed on the ceiling, so Dean adjusts his position until he hovers right above him and can look him in the eyes. 

"Hey, stay with me, Cas," Dean says with a little nip to Cas' chin. 

Blue eyes are instantly on him, a coy smile pressing against Dean's mouth. "Always," Castiel whispers. 

"You're such a sap," Dean scoffs, blushing despite himself, not used to such affection. 

He waits for Cas' to open his mouth, right on the verge of a reprimand before he gives a sharp thrust forward. He buries his satisfied smile into Cas' neck when the other man arches his back with a yelp. Dean does it again, and again, and suddenly Cas is following along, raising his hips to meet his thrusts. 

It's sloppy and a little too dry, and they can't quite coordinate their moves. It's also all kind of perfect. The smooth skin of Cas' cock sliding against his is perfect. The way Cas' fingers are linked with his, pressing them closer is perfect. The noises Cas makes will haunt Dean's fantasies for the rest of his life. 

To think that they could have been doing this for the last ten years… Dean groans, thrusting a little harder. They're idiots. Both of them. Mostly him, he admits as Cas lets out a long moan and paints their hands with his release. It makes everything wetter and Dean squeezes their hands harder, hips thrusting erratically as he searches for his own pleasure. Cas grabs his hair, pulling just this side of too sharp and Dean comes with a cry that Cas swallows right away. 

"We're idiots," Dean mumbles a few seconds later, as he is panting into the side of Cas' neck. Cas doesn't answer, just pats his shoulder in a commiserate way. Dean knows he gets it. 

They're both so dense that they had to be made for each other. 

[asknarashikari]

I just finished the Senki Block which includes:

1)Saber Special Chapter:OT4 vibes this ep were great, quite large.

Then there's whatever the hell was happenning beteeen Touma and Zox.

My favorite bit:

"Have you gone insane?"

"Yes, we have"

Also Orihime!Touma x Hikoboshi!Kento.

2)Zenkaiger episode 20:the Shindais really mesh better with the Zenkaiger cast.

They work better as the Comically Serious rather than whatever the hell sorta roll they had in Saber since Ryoga's introduction.

Reika/Magine FTW.

3)SUPER HEROOOOOOOO SENNKIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!:It was a much better watch this time, because I downloaded it rather than watching on Kissasian, where it was uploaded with the audio of the aid for the blind version.

I did not enjoy that it ignored the Special Chapter and Zenkai Ep 20, acting like the Riders didn't meet Zox and the Shindais didn't meet the Zenkaigers.

Kento should have worked alongside Red Racer in the Final battle, to show he did interact with the Carrangers when he was sucked into their book.

Sayonara, Onodera Shotaro-Sensei.

May the Riders always look to you for Guidance.

It was good to see the Zenkaigers again.

I've missed them, so even if this was something from the past that I've already seen for them, it was nice.

I'll only see them next in DonBrothers VS Zenkaiger.

4)Kamen Rider Revice:The Movie(prologue):not a bad watch.

It helped me Believe that I would enjoy Revice once I'm done with Saber.

Now, Onward to the last 9 episodes of Saber!

1- Special Chapter was a hoot from start to finish. The shenanigans was sublime XD It was also some much needed comedy right before shit went down in the Saber main plot.

Also, Rintaro being Kento's inflatable cow...

KenTouma was probably the best part of the episode... or was it ShuichiRyo? Sometimes I can't tell anymore. One of them posted a video on Tiktok where they were in costume but not on set, and they were... uh, very affectionate.

There were also these videos on Toei's YT for the tie-in with Superhero Senki where the Saber cast were competing against each other in a laser tag-type game. Ryo Aoki captained one of the teams and when he named Shuichiro for his first pick, Shuichiro squealed and ran at him to glomp him. It was wonderfully gay of them.

2- Yeah, the Shindai sibs were definitely way better in the Zenkaiger crossover in their own show. Ken Shonozaki clearly had a lot fun playing off of the Zenkai cast's shenanigans, and Angela Mei's enthusiasm for Magine was self-evident.

3- Well, the Special Chapter and the Zenkaiger episode were always meant to be their own thing, not really tying into Senki. Most of the Spring crossover specials, back when they were a thing, were like that too- none of them really tied in to the Taisen films.

Yeah, it was a little disappointing that they didn't show what happened to Kento after he got sucked into the Carranger book... though that already had some other stories mixed in as well- Drive and Black, iirc. I'd like to think he was actually in that other world where he, Luna and Touma all grew up together, and where his dad was alive- which would explain his resistance to Touma returning things to the "normal" world. (Also, Ryo was so damned handsome in that sequence... I was simping the whole time)

Tbf, it also wasn't shown what happened to the other Zenkaigers aside from Kaito after they disappeared either. And Zox just shows up out of nowhere, lmao.

Honestly them including Ishinomori-senshu in this movie was kind of a brilliant move, and seeing his interactions with Touma and Hongou-san made me cry a little, ngl.

Also. Saber roll call scene. Fuck me, why don't they do this in Rider more often. It was amazing.

4- I didn't actually watch the Revice short movie, but from what I gathered it's not canon to the show because it and the first episode contradict each other in terms of how Ikki got his powers.

[lunarflux]

han jisung x reader / femme o/c

genre — fluff

cafe!au pt 2

suggested background music: x

9:59pm

Like clockwork, Jisung switched off the lights to The Rose Room. The quaint little cafe he owned with a friend seemed to have the most solemn atmosphere just before closing, and tonight was no exception. The red glow from the streetlights danced along the freshly polished floor like a night light. It was time to lock up and head home.

Jisung polished off the last of his coffee, forever regretting how much caffeine he continuously consumed just before he had to sleep. All the part-timers had gone home for the night, and the only company left in his coffee house was the sound of flickering lights and a symphony of car horns from down the road.

10:05pm

Jisung had his key in the door, but in his head, he was counting down.

Ten seconds.

With a deep breath, he heard the gears click together, and right on time, there she was.

Hyacinth & Holly - that was the name of the flower shop across the way. Jisung had his routine locked down that by the time the doors had shut, you were about to walk out.

Always carrying a fresh bouquet of blue hydrangeas, there you were. Locking up your own little kingdom of hues and aromas, you turned and gave him a small wave.

This was the routine that Jisung always looked forward to at the end of the day - seeing you even if for a moment. You both always walked in opposite directions, but that simple five seconds of eye contact were enough to make him forget his fatigue.

One day, he'll talk to you.

One day.

But this is not that day.

Jisung turned his heel, knowing you'd easily turn yours away from him. The walk back to his apartment was always quiet, but lately, it was even more solemn.

Hyunjin, your last-minute roommate had moved out last week to live with his girlfriend. It was just one less person he interacted with during the day, and it was only then that he realized, he didn't really talk to that many people.

In his head, he would imagine you walking through the doors of the Rose Room.

Strawberry latte? Iced rose tea? - He would guess your favorite drinks in the hopes that one day, you'd walk in, and he could surprise you.

Hyunjin used to tease him.

"Just go over there on your break. You're never gonna know her name unless you just talk to her."

Jisung scoffed at the thought of that conversation, remembering how it took over a month for Hyunjin to confess his own feelings. Then again, the flower shop opened up a few months ago, and still he hasn't spoken to you.

One day.

**

Jisung walked into the Rose Room at 2:00pm.

An unfamiliar vase with two massive sunflowers sat on the bar top.

"What's this?" He picked up one of the yellow stalks and prodded it with a small smile on his face.

Jeongin continued to work on his Americano. "The girl from the shop across the street dropped it off this morning. She said someone canceled their order, and she'd already clipped the stems so it'd be a waste not to put them out."

Jisung felt the lump in his throat expand. She had been in here.

"I was gonna bring her a drink to say thanks, but I didn't ask what she liked." Jeongin slipped off his apron. "I figured an Americano would be okay -"

"I'll do it." Jisung interrupted. "But give that to the next customer, I'll make something."

**

Carrying a small plastic lunch bag, Jisung steadied himself. The strawberries in the sandwich he made had to stay pristine. Paired with the rose tea, he made his way over to the storefront, ready to be either rejected or welcomed.

"Hello!" A part-timer greeted, the name 'Yeji' scribbled on her name tag. "Can I help you?"

"Um -" The familiar lump in his throat was back. "Th-The girl who brought the sunflowers. Is she here?"

Yeji tilted her head, looking over to the sunflowers behind Jisung, not realizing the amount had been altered. "That might have been my boss? But she isn't here."

"Oh." Jisung was almost relieved.

"Is that for her?" Yeji motioned towards the lunch bag.

"No - I mean, yes, but -"

"She'll be back later. She only came in to help prepare an order, but she closes usually." Yeji said with a smile. "Do you want me to leave that in the back -"

"No!" Jisung nearly screamed. "I mean, no, no, I'll come back. If... that's okay?"

The surprised girl nodded quietly.

**

9:48pm

The strawberries in the sandwich got soggy and the rose tea watered down. Jisung slumped his head over the counter, still cringing from today's interaction with the girl who very well knows his crush and could easily ruin his chances.

Why am I so awkward?

Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward, peering out into the street. He didn't know if you were there. He didn't even know if he could muster up the same courage to go back.

Jisung reached for the door, tempted to just run over if only to catch you before you closed up, but before he could, you emerged.

Holding his breath, he watched as you walked outside - but not alone.

You were with someone. A guy. He patted your head, and you smiled back.

Jisung's grip on the door handle pushed the blood from his knuckles. It was too good to be true. He waited too long.

And just like that, he felt his heart drop into his stomach. He didn't even know you, yet he already felt that familiar pang of sadness and disappointment. It wasn't as if he was craving a relationship, and perhaps, he had built you up too much in his head. He didn't know your name or your favorite color. He didn't know the music you liked to listen to on your way to work or the sound of your laugh. He really didn't know anything, and seeing this solidified that thought.

You were a stranger after all.

**

Hyunjin and his girlfriend, the day manager left together today, but not before trying to talk Jisung out of his mood.

"You know that might not be her boyfriend," she shook her head. "Don't jump to conclusions."

"What other guy would meet up with her that late at night?" Hyunjin rolled his eyes. "If you were the closing manager, you know I'd show up to walk you home."

Jisung cringed, seeing the couple exchange loving glances.

"We're just saying not to give up. You can't wait forever."

They weren't wrong. It seemed better to try now and get rejected than to wait and wonder.

**

9:59pm

It seemed automatic now. The counting. Only now, he didn't really know what he was counting down to.

Jisung heaved a heavy sigh as he inserted his key.

9

8

7

"Are you closed?"

5

Wait.

Jisung nearly stumbled down from the small ledge of the door.

There you were. Apron and purse in one hand a fresh bouquet of blue hydrangeas in the other.

"Yeah, we closed -" He cleared his throat. "We closed - I mean, we close at 9:30."

"Oh." You almost looked upset. "I'm sorry, I'm just so used to seeing you leave after ten, so I wasn't sure. I always wake up too late to come here before my shift, and you guys are always so busy.

Jisung put his key back in the lock without thinking. Opening the door, he held his breath.

"I can make you something."

**

You swung your legs under the seat. Jisung quietly steeped the same kind of rose tea he wanted to give to you before. Glancing over, he could see one of the last strawberry sandwiches of the day as if it had been waiting for him to reenter.

"Do you always work late?"

He heard your small voice over the counter. Walking up, you joined him so that the only thing between you was marble. Jisung nodded, setting the glass of tea and sandwich in front of you.

"Yeji told me you stopped by yesterday. I'm sorry, I missed you."

"It's fine." He could feel the cold sweat on the back of his neck. "I would have brought it later, but your boyfriend was there."

"Ex."

"Ex?"

"Ex." You smiled, quietly sipping your tea with a blissful sigh he'd never seen before. "Dropping off my spare work key. I'd forgotten it when I moved out last month."

Ex. Her ex boyfriend. Of course.

"Why did you break up?"

Picking at the edges of the sandwich, you shrugged. "You know how it is. Working adults not working the same schedule. I like working the night shifts. I like closing the store. And he hated how many hydrangeas I brought home. Said it made the apartment smell too much."

"I think they're pretty. The blue ones."

As if you'd forgotten the color already, you giggled. "They're my favorite."

"Mine, too." Jisung could feel the air lessen.

"I can bring you some tomorrow if you'd like."

"That'd be nice." He smiled, genuinely for the first time in what seemed like a long time. "If you want, I could -" He caught himself.

You nodded towards him, midway through your sandwich.

Punching his leg, Jisung quietly scolded himself. "If you want... I could walk you to work. I'd like to see you - the flowers, I mean, and everything tomorrow. Y'know. Before it gets dark."

"You'd wake up early for flowers?"

"W-Well, yes, and I need to wake up earlier anyway - I drink too much caffeine at work, and I need to stop sleeping so late, and -"

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"I'd like that," you beamed.

Jisung almost choked. "I'm sorry, it's just. Well. I don't even know your name."

"y/n." You poked his cheek. "All you had to do was ask."

[devinescribe]

Games

Chapter 7 to '100 Promises'

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Warnings: Swearing, violence, bullying, blood, I think that's it, but as always feel free to tell me if I missed any.

"I finally got contact lenses. I think they'll be better than my glasses. I mean, yeah, I'll probably still use them, but it's... nevermind, what do you think?" He rambled, a dorky smile on his face. "If it'll make you happy, then you look great," you said, smiling, honestly meaning your words. "I'm asking for your opinion woman, stop giving me the 'if it makes you happy' bullshit. Give me your opinion," he stated, shaking your shoulders."It looks good! I'm not used to seeing you without your glasses, but you look good!" You laughed, your words coming out in a vibrato of sorts from him shaking you. "I'm glad you think so."

"Dear gods my hair is getting long..." he muttered, running his hands through his hair, staring at himself in the bathroom mirror. "I think it looks good," you commented, passing by the bathroom with a laundry basket. "Really? I think I kind of like it too..."

"And how much does it hurt?" He questioned. "Not that much, or so I've heard. Plus, we're getting it at the same time, so... no backing out, or I'll cut your hair," you threatened, your hold on his hand tightening a bit. "No, don't you dare. And I won't back out," he said as you dragged him into the shop. (The fact I've been threatened with that-)

"I somehow can't believe we looked like that!" You laughed, pointing at the photo on your phone. It was from high school, and you were both laughing at how dorky you both looked. "Oh gods... actually, I was kind of hot," you said, giggling a bit. "Have we really changed that much?" Niragi questioned. "Well, let's see," you said, opening the camera and telling Niragi to get into frame. He did so, and you both stuck out your tongues, the matching piercings glinting in the light. You snapped the photo, and put it side by side the one from high school. "Wow... that's a big difference, holy shit," he laughed. You snickered, and posted side by side comparison of the the photos. "Yeah. Huge difference."

"Hatter would like to see you... Alone."

You looked back at Ann, and nodded, getting up. "If she's going, I'm going with," Niragi said, getting up himself. "He said he wants to speak to (Y/N) alone. Respect to rules for once please," Ann chided, as you walked to her side. Niragi laughed, finishing with a smirk, "And since when do I listen to the rules?"

You looked back at him with a proud, yet embarrassed face. Definitely not the same Niragi from back in the real world. He was more confident than you last remembered, that was for sure. "Dude, I'll be totally fine. The least they could do is kill me," you said, a bit to nonchalantly for his tastes. "That seems like a worse case scenario, but ok." he responded, "I'm still going with you." "No, you're not. Look, I'll be fine ok? Just wait outside the door," you suggested. He scoffed, but nodded nontheless. Ann stayed quiet, watching this exchange. 'So... is that all it takes to convince him? Really? All we needed was this girl?' Were her thoughts.

"Oh good, you're here!" Hatter exclaimed as soon as you walked in. Ann stayed outside, and shut the doors behind you. You nodded. Was he happy or just extremely charismatic? You didn't know, but whatever it was, it was nice. It made you feel like you were talking to someone you knew. Like the pleasant ladies from your apartment complex. "Well, what do you want to talk about?"

"Where are we?" You asked as you got off the train. "I don't know. Just took a random train. You said you wanted another adventure," he replied. You gasped. "Niragi Suguru, you did not," you said, grabbing onto his hand to make sure you didn't lose him in the large crowd. "I did. And what of it?" He asked, dragging you out. "Oh my gods... Excuse me, sorry to bother you, but which city are we in?" You asked one of the people who worked there. They smiled and answered with, "Shinjuku. Are you lost?"  You shook your head. "No, we'll be fine. Thank you very much!" You said. Niragi dragged you to the exit. "I don't look presentable to be in Shinjuku right now, Niragi," you said, hiding your face. "You always look nice though. And it's called opportunity. I took it, and now we're here. So, let's take advantage of this, yeah?"

Hatter sat you down. "From what Ann and Aguni reported back to me, you're a quick thinker. Great shot apparently. They were both very impressed," he started. You smiled. "I'm honored they felt that way," you said. Hatter chuckled. "Well, Ann said you'd do well in either position of a militant or an executive. And it's just your luck the precious person who held number 7 recently... died. The games, obviously. Before you came here, actually. Maybe it was a sign it was meant to be yours. And, since you've proven yourself useful, I think it's a good idea," Hatter said, rambling a bit. "That's a bit too high for me, isn't it?" You questioned. You had just gotten here, you couldn't possibly be up that high already. "Uh... no. It's not. So, as of today, you shall be a militant," he said dramatically. You laughed, thanking him as he gave you a wristband with the number seven written on the blue tag. You slipped it on your wrist. "Oh, and just so you know, Aguni will most likely take you under his wing. The militants are mostly guys, so be careful. And... uh... your friend can help you find everything. He'll also show you to your new room. That is all. Goodbye now," he said cheerfully. You smiled brightly, thanking him.

You opened the door to leave, seeing Niragi leaning on the wall across the door. You smiled, closing the door softly behind you. "I'm back," you said. He nodded, "I can see that." "Can you really? You have your contact lenses?" You asked, skeptical. He nodded his head. "Surprisingly," he added. "Hmm... and for how many more days do you have them?" You questioned as he led you through the hotel. "Well, I've been in the borderland about 2 and a half weeks-"

"Woah, hold up... you'd been gone for six months up in the real world-"

"Well, I'm starting to think time runs differently in both places. Because no way in hell have I been here 6 months."

"Ok... continue on."

You two talked about whatever came to mind just like you used to. It was like you never skipped a beat. He lead you down into where they kept the weapons. "Only milatants and Hatter are allowed down here. This is the basement, and also where we keep the weapons. So, take your pick," he said, a smirk on his face. "You're a bit to proud of this aren't you?" You asked, looking over the different weapons. "Maybe," he responded. You didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking, you could just hear it in his voice. You picked out a knife that had a strap around. You also picked up a riffle similar to Niragi's, and turned to face him. "Ok, I'm good," you said. "Tomorrow, the militants are heading out on a supply run. Which means you now too. You can wear actual clothes now, isn't that fun?" He joked. You rolled your eyes shoving him playfully. He ran his tongue over his teeth. "That's really how you want to play, huh (L/N)?" He asked. You could hear the tone behind his words. The tone that meant run or your fucked, because whatever game he's scheming will end with you caught. It was quite normal for you two. Playing games with each other was a hobby back in the real world. Didn't matter how childish or immature they were. "Ouch, my last name? That hurts... Suguru." (Is that his last name or his first name? I don't know, I've been treating it as his last name, but I'm probably wrong) You giggled, running off. There was probably tons of places to hide inside the basement, and probably even more places throughout the beach.

"How was last night? Did you have fun?" He teased as soon as you woke up. You rolled your eyes. "Don't even talk to me about last night. Another disappointment," you groaned, rubbing your eyes. "Damn. That bad, huh?" He said, handing you a mug with coffee in it. You took a sip, and smiled. Perfect... He always made really good coffee, and it impressed you. "Yeah... definitely that bad. I heard him leave this morning, let's hope he never comes back," you said. Niragi laughed, taking a sip of his own coffee. The sunlight came in through the sliding glass door of your apartment.  The sky was painted with pinks and purples. Gold dusted the clouds as the sun touched them. It was perfectly picturesque. "One day, we won't have to live in a sucky apartment building, you know? I promise you that one day we'll have... I don't know where do you want to live?" He asked you. You both walked over to the couch, sitting next to eachother. "I don't know... I'd go anywhere as long as I can still have my best friend with me.''

"Come on out, (Y/N). I'll find you sooner or later. We need sleep," he shouted. You stifled a laugh, and crouched down, sneaking around. You could see him looking around for you. You moved backwards, bumping into someone. You slowly turned around. It was the guys Niragi had introduced as 'Last Boss'.

Throughout the day, you had actually had the opportunity to talk to him a bit. More like you talked, while he observed you, occasionally making a sound of sorts to show you he was listening. He'd also answered your questions, so you thought he wouldnt be that bad. You made the quiet signal, putting a finger to your lips. He looked down quizzically. "Playing a game. Can't let him find me. Wanna join?" You whispered to the mysterious man. He nodded slightly, still a bit confused. "Ok, the objective is to not get caught by Niragi. He doesn't know you're playing yet, so I'll figure something out... oh, I got it! You go hide," you whisper shouted, shooing him off. He went to go hide, and you climbed to the top of one of the darker places. "A new player has joined in. One seeker, two hiders!" You shouted. You heard Niragi laugh. "Dumbass! You're letting me know where you are!"  You smirked. That's what you wanted him to think.

"Oh nice! You got his glasses that's 20 points!" The boys shouted. You struggled to get out of the ropes tied your hands together. You heard Niragi groan, and looked up, seeing him on the floor, blood dripping from his nose. "Niragi!" You shouted in worry. He looked over at you, before one of the guys kicked his face into the ground. You struggled against the ropes the boys had tied around your wrist. It dug into your skin, you could feel the skin being rubbed raw from how much you had struggled against them ."So useless without eachother, huh?" One of them taunted. "Stop hurting him!" You yelled, squirming. "Oh? Would you rather we harm you then? You were always such a pretty girl... to bad you decided to defend him," the leader of their little group said, kneeling in front of you. "I don't give a damn if you hurt me. Stop hurting him!' You shouted. "(Y-y/N), don't," Niragi said, before one of the bullies kicked him in the stomach. He winced in pain, screwing his eyes shut. "Stop it! He didn't do anything to you!" You screamed, struggling even more, the ropes creating rope burn on your skin. "It's not a vengeance thing. It's fun," the leader said, grabbing your chin, making you look up at him. You glared at him in disgust, wanting so badly to just hit him, or spit on him in the moment. But you didn't. You didn't because you knew if you did either you or Niragi would get hurt. More likely Niragi, since they knew he was your weakness. "Just like it's fun making girls like you submit," he added with a smirk. "Don't you dare hurt her! Hurt me all you want, but don't touch her!" Niragi yelled. There was confidence in his words, but you also knew how scared he was. You could see it on his face. "That sounds boring though. What if we just make both of you our little puppets for the night, have you both put on a show?'' One of the guys snickered. This was followed by a chorus of 'not a bad idea' and 'sounds interesting.' You looked at Niragi, fear written all over your face.

You ran quietly, and quickly, knowing he could catch up to you. You looked around the dimly lit basement, and saw the exist to go up. Your eyes caught a flash of movement, and someone grabbed you, putting a hand over your mouth. You were shocked at first, going to scream bloody murder, before seeing it was Last Boss. He let you go, and you took a breath. "Oh my gods... dude that was scary," you whispered. He shrugged. "I have a place we can hide. I don't think he's smart enough to find it," He suggested, nodding his head over to Niragi. You stifled a laugh, and nodded, letting him lead you.

"(Y/N)! (Y/N), are you alright?" He worriedly asked, checked on you. You hissed in pain when his hands went over the bruises. "I'm sorry. This is all my fault, if I hadn't-" he started, blaming himself. You grabbed shoulders, and shook your head. "It's not your fault... it's ok," you said, sitting up. The gravel under you poked at the skin exposed from your school skirt. "I-its not ok!" He shouted. "It's... it's not ok. You shouldn't have- I could've-" he started, pulling at his hair. "Niragi. It's not your fault. You didn't... you didn't hurt me," you said, your voice calming. You grabbed his hands, pulling them towards you. You were just kids. Fucking 16 years old(not exactly a kid, but whatever), you shouldn't have to go through this stuff. No kid should. "I should be comforting you, yet here you are, making me feel better. Stop it, you're the one who-"

"Niragi, it happened to both of us. Stop acting like you're ok too."

"But- I'm supposed to... I-"

"Shut up, and come here."

He sighed, sitting besides you. You pulled his head into your lap, and he sighed. "Stop taking care of me. Stop hanging out with me, because you're the one who ends up getting hurt because of me. Please," he pleaded as you ran your fingers through his hair. "No," you responded. "(Y/N), stop being so stubborn! Please, just... just listen to me!" He shouted. You flinched at the sudden loudness. "I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you," he apologized, noticing when you flinched. You sighed, leaning back on the concrete wall. You muttered back something along the lines of him not having to apologize. You heard thunder, and saw a flash of lightning. "It's going to rain, we should go home," Niragi said. "Don't wanna... let's stay here?" You muttered, watching the sun get covered by the clouds. You were under a bridge, so you at least had coverage. He looked up at you, and nodded. "Ok. We can," he whispered. The raindrops began to splatter on the ground outside the coverage of the bridge, and you sighed in happiness. Niragi sat up, bringing you close to him. The smell of rain filled your senses, and you couldn't help but enjoy the moment, even if you had been in emotional and physical pain before. Being there helped numb it for a while. Being with him helped numb the feeling.

"Alright... if I were (Y/N)... where would I go?" Niragi muttered to himself, walking around. It was too quiet. You weren't a quiet person unless need be, and if he remembers correctly, which he does, you had a losing streak in hide and seek since high school. You were too giggly to hide in silence, or maybe you got scared by being alone in the dark to long. Whatever it had been, you had a losing streak for almost 8 years. That was not about to change, not if he had a say in it. A part of him said he was not acting like himself, and that playing this with you was childish. Especially in the borderlands. He knew he would have to find you either way, so he stopped caring. He remembered what she had said. A new player has joined in. One seeker, two hiders! 'Ok, process of elimination....'

"So, given the fact Chishiya isn't allowed down here, I think I know who she's with, and where she is. Let's see if I'm right.''

This was more memories than actual current events... oh well- hope you enjoyed, have a wonderful day/night, baii!! Oh yeah, just because this is the only place people have a problem with me posting Niragi stuff, if you don't like it, the block button is right there, don't send me death threats or tell me to go kms. Thank you

[amethystpath-writes]

Revenge of The Two Weeks (3)- that's right. We named it, folks.

Continuation of this original story.

Continued directly from here!

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If anyone would lile to be added or removed from any tag lists, plz let me know! I don't mind either way!

Heed the tags.

******

The flaps of Hero's tent flapped in the wind, distracting him slightly from the task at hand. The commander was testing his strategy; he was testing all of the mens' strategy, trying to figure out who might gain his own title when he retired- if he ever retired.

Hero picked the tip of his finger up off of the map, replacing it with another finger on his other hand while he moved his first to the right side of the parchment. The commander was wanting to expand to the eastern part of the lands. Problem was the number of geological obstacles: craters, hills, ponds, and mushy swamp-like areas galore.

Sighing, Hero threw his head back. It seemed impossible. He eyed the blue flag closest to his right finger, picked it up, and threw it over the shoulder. There, he thought, Get rid of the bloody pond. If only it worked that way.

There were three blue flags, all within several hundred meters- realistically speaking- of one another. Very little room for our legions. Hero debated whether or not to fight on horseback. As great and obedient as the horses were, they were large and clumsy in close proximity. With little space, there was too much room for error. So no horses. That fixes that problem.

One yellow flag. The marshes. A big ole stretch of hard-to-walk-through mush, at least for a human. So yes to the horses. Or no? God, I don't know. The swampish lands would result in more army and artillery men's deaths than if a few horses fell into the ponds. Keep the horses. And that would allow for the use of their bows, which would presumably be an advantage.

The horses will require resting breaks. What would happen if they exhausted a bunch of them? Men would have to walk, which would exhaust them. That was better than all of the men exhausting themselves at least.

Hero bounced a fist off the table. This was so frustrating. He thought, now, maybe he wasn't cut out to serve under the commander's- and certainly not the king's- name. But he had to. Because fighting was all Hero could do. He wasn't good at anything else, but if he failed in this test of strategy, he was done for. He'd be demoted, become one of those scavengers of the army who were responsible for picking up dismembered body parts and burning them. How disgusting. How lowly. How vile.

"You kept the dagger."

Hero gritted his teeth together, jaw askew. He didn't need to turn to know who that was. "Yeah? It's my dagger. Just because you stole it from me then gave it back doesn't mean it hasn't always been mine. Of course I kept it."

The tent flaps were quiet, Hero realized. Villain must have been holding them still. It was with this information that he began reaching for his dagger, saying as a distraction of sorts, "Do you remember Grandad?"

Villain laughed. "Don't try to settle me with your old stories. I don't care about them anymore."

"You used to." Hero swallowed, adjusting the handle of his dagger until it felt just right.

Spiders crawled up his spine to the base of his skull. He spun, dagger held with the blade outward. This hadn't been his plan. First, Hero's plan had been to launch the dagger at the wooden tent post, just close enough to scare Villain. But now he was in front of him.

"Cute," his younger brother commented, and pushed Hero's wielding hand aside. "But I have my own." He hummed. "You give into me so easily. You ought not to, for your own sake. To me it's fascinating, but who knows when I might actually decide to slit your throat?" It was with this that Villain brought his own dagger to Hero's neck. "And what would you ever do to stop me? You already had the chance to both throw a blade at me and stab me with it. You've done neither."

Hero rolled his eyes. Villain was shorter than him which only aided in the harshness of the sharp dagger on his neck. His brother was pushing up at a cruel angel, one that Hero had to avoid swallowing against.

"What do you want me to tell you? You're right, okay? You're right. I have guilt and I hoped that I'd never see you again because of it. But you're alive." He took a breath. "It's up to you what you do with your life from here. You can chase me around crazily as you have been, thus driving me to continue ignoring you every chance I get. Or," Hero ventured, "we can work on reestablishing what lost relationship we had."

The knife cut in. Hero squeezed his eyes shut, let his nostrils flare. A warm trickle slid down his neck into his uniform. "You might not want to maim a trusted person of the Guard and Commander."

"Oh, I don't think that matters much." Villain cocked his head to the side, peering at the map left on the table behind Hero. "If anything, I'd replace you. The Commander likes tough boys, isn't that still right?" He sighed. "I know I overstayed my two weeks in the woods, but well..." Villain laughed. "After a wolf tore my friend and a six year old child apart before eating them, the woods actually welcomed me. I'd tell you where I stayed, but I promised the boys I wouldn't compromise them."

Hero's breath caught. "Some of them still live in the woods?" He tried to pull back, away from the blade, but Villain pushed it forward as Hero pulled back.

With a shrug, Hero's younger brother- who had been gone, presumably dead, for five years said, "Sure. Not all of them felt like returning to a place that couldn't accept them as they were. They found new families, ones that fought to keep them alive. They became brothers to one another."

"How poetic." Hero scoffed. "They should be brought back. They're not safe out in the woods."

The dagger slashed through the air, away from Hero's neck, but not straying at all from his shoulder. Hero hollered out, but Villain clamped a hand over his mouth before anyone else could hear. Not that it mattered. Like Villain said before, the worst that could happen was Hero lost his position, which Villain certainly didn't mind. Still, he wanted to torture his older brother this way for a little longer before he did anything too drastic.

"Funny," Villain spat, stance like a cobra ready to strike. "You didn't say that when you led us all to the woods before. Do you know how old the youngest was?" His voice was venom.

"Six."

"No, that's just the one who died. My friend who was also killed by the wolf was sixteen- just to give you a little perspective."

"Five, then."

"Three or four." Villain explained, "He didn't even know his own age." And then he turned to blame, "You left him in the woods. You took him away from his family, and you are the reason he's going to grow up always overexerting himself to please others, only to feel like he's never enough."

Villain bit his tongue to stop himself, but then said it anyways. "I'll be surprised if he doesn't kill himself in three or more years. He feels like a disappointment to himself, Hero, because a man he was supposed to look up to told him he wasn't enough and then sent him off into the woods- where he watched every horrific image you can think up happen."

"I don't know what you want from me!" Hero roared, and this time he finally did move to fully strike a blow on his brother. He shoved his shoulders hard enough that Villain nearly fell on his bottom.

Lucky for Villain, he was able to balance himself out before that could happen.

"I'm sorry, alright! I'm sorry that I failed the four or five of you-"

"Seven of us."

"-and that I was too cowardice to see for myself if you lived or died. I'm sorry. But I can't do anything to fix it except offer myself to you now. So that's what I'm doing, Villain. I'll be a better brother this time around. If you're looking for something, some sort of closure though...you're not going to find it another way. Because no matter how much you torture me, you'll never be satisfied knowing that I left you. That I created memory after memory with you just to leave you to packs of vicious wolves and hungry, lonesome bears.

"I fucked up, Villain, I know I did. But I can't fix it now. I was- and am still- just as scared as you were in those woods. Different scenario, but same, same hot-coaled fear. I'm sorry I wasn't as brave as I made myself sound. I wanted to be a role model to you, but I- I don't know, brother." Hero sat on a cot in the tent, put his head in his hands for a moment before looking up again.

"The Commander is a daunting man and I found myself cowering. You haven't seen him, Villain, haven't endured the training he puts us through, or the screaming he does- like we're prisoners of an enemy kingdom and not soldiers of his own. I'm not making excuses for myself; I know I was wrong. I know what I did is unforgivable, but I'm begging you, brother, please-" Hero kneeled, throwing his knees to the floor, tilted his head to the ground with eyes closed "-please try to understand."

A hand landed on Hero's soldier, but he kept his head down. He wished he would have opened them before, for a new pain bloomed in his shoulder. His mouth became gaped and he choked on the feeling, especially as it spread.

Villain twisted the dagger with a sick satisfaction. "I'll understand when you walk yourself into the woods for two weeks."

Twist. A sharp gasp. Ragged breathing.

"When you hear the deep growl of a wolf- deeper and more impactful than thunder."

Another twist. A pained holler and cry.

"When you watch the person who did everything they could to make you feel at home dies as he's immobilized by razor teeth in their leg. And when the teeth finally rip into the throat of a boy who doesn't want to die after minutes of fighting."

A plunge of the dagger. A wordless scream. A limp body- still breathing, but in so much pain that it can't even think of moving- against Villain's leg.

"When you wake up with your own bloodied fists and two piles of bones and drawn out, tattered rags beneath you- because you slept on a branch in a tree to avoid getting eaten yourself. When you spill every ounce of fluid in your body out into a creek because you're so traumatized. When you suffer the way I did...when you spend just the first week in the woods like I did, maybe then I'll try to understand."

As a finish, Villain yanked his dagger from his brother's shoulder and said, "You don't get to keep this one." He wiped the blood off on his pant-leg and walked out.

******

@badthingshappenbingo

Original Work

Knife to the Throat

[katedrakeohd]

A Very Merry Birthday? (4)

[MASTERLIST]

Author's note: This chapter took an unexpected turn, I blame it on the wine. 😏🍷

I haven't participated in Wacky Drabbles forever and missed playing along, so I cut this part short so I could squeeze in the prompt for week #77.

Rated PG: suggestive language, angst, little bit of fluff

Word count: a tiny 1,109

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12 days of fictmas Writer tags: @texaskitten30 @emichelle @leelee10898   @zaffrenotes @alj4890 @burnsoslow @kat-tia801 @darley1101 @msjr0119 @annekebbphotography @god-save-the-keen @plumeriavibes

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In the Edgar Restaurant at Ravenhurst Castle Hotel, Drake and Kate sit quietly while they wait for their bill. Drake kept looking toward the door, anxious to leave. He'd had about enough of being in public for one day, and after the events of the evening he felt like everyone was watching and waiting for the entertainment to continue. No doubt word had spread amongst the employees and guests, and any anonymity he had hoped to hide them behind was gone. It was almost like Coronation night all over again. Unfortunately they no longer had Preston to protect them either.

 He didn't know how Kate could look so calm and composed across the table from him, while he felt like bolting for the door. Show's over folks, now let us get outta here.

Kate can see the frown of impatience creasing his brow and the way he held his mouth in a grim line. His head was practically on a swivel the way he kept turning to look for Eric. Every now and then his line of sight would fall on her, as if he was making sure she was still there. She offered him a small smile as reassurance, but it didn't seem to be helping. If they were sitting closer she'd reach up and lay her hand on his cheek to distract him, and soften up his tense mouth with a kiss to calm him down. As he turned in his seat again to look back toward the bar, she knew that she had to intervene now before his anxiousness escalated to anger. Drake was many things, but a patient man was not one of them.

Reaching across the table she holds her hand out to him, speaking quietly and calmly so his hyperactive senses wouldn't be overwhelmed, "Drake, Honey?"

His head snaps around at the softness of her voice, and he's mesmerized by the gentleness of her expression, "Huh? yes, what is it?"

Kate beckons her fingers and he shifts over in his seat to fold his hand around them, he blinks and smiles as she smiles back and caresses his thumb with her's. "Despite the snow storm, and what happened with Preston, I did enjoy my birthday. Thank-you."

Leaning forward in his seat, Drake lifts their joined hands and gently kisses the top of her knuckles. He smiles, keeping his voice low, "You're welcome, but there's still plenty of birthday left for us both to enjoy."

Kate blushes and pulls her hand back as she sees Eric approaching to settle their bill. "Then it's a good thing we're about to leave."

..

Drake sighs as he puts his credit card back in his wallet then tucks it away. "For a dinner date, it sure cost a lot for what little we actually ate."

Kate quirks an eyebrow at him and then goes back to putting the contents of the Charcuterie board into a takeaway container. "Well you didn't have to buy the whole bottle of wine."

Drake shrugs then answers defensively, "Hey, I was going for romantic ambience. And I think it worked quite well."

Kate closes the container and then slides out of the booth, holding onto the seatback as she sways a little on her feet. "Well if you working toward getting me intoxicated, then Bravo sir."

Drake steps over to wrap his arm around Kate to steady her. "You know I wouldn't do that on purpose. I'm not that kind of guy. You could have ordered a more substantial appetizer, or drank less of the wine."

Kate turns toward him, smoothing her palms down the lapels of his jacket and tipping her head back to look up at him. "You know how unpredictable Drunk Kate can be. She tends to blurt out stuff she doesn't mean."

Drake grins down at her, reaching up to comb his fingers through her hair, dislodging a piece of cracker from their food fight. "That's okay, I like Drunk Kate, she's fun."

Kate slaps him playfully on the chest and laughs. "Oh my gosh, you liar. You were trying to get me drunk afterall. Some date you are, getting me drunk so I'd be more fun."

People exiting the restaurant turn their heads and look as they catch Kate's outburst. They whisper amongst themselves as they turn away to leave. 

Drake grabs the takeaway box and quickly escorts Kate back toward the bar, and the other exit. When he's sure they're alone he mutters at her angrily, "I think we've heard enough from Drunk Kate, now zip it."

Stepping away, folding her arms defiantly across her chest she counters back. "Excuse me? How dare you tell me to 'zip it' like I'm some disobedient child?"

Drake checks around them, hoping nobody is watching. His hushed tone of voice comes out more like a hiss, "Do you hear yourself?! You totally twisted my words and made me look like some asshole who was trying to take advantage of you."

A deep sense of shame and regret washes over Kate, but it's the disappointment on his face that brings tears to her eyes. "Oh shit, Drake, I'm sorry. You know I wasn't serious. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Yes, I know. But it's too late to tell that to everyone who overheard you. We had quite an audience during our date. And it's a pretty safe bet that we were recognized by somebody."

Kate wipes her eyes, the thought of being part of scandal gossip again sobering her up quickly. "Okay, now what?"

"I need to get us back to our room without being stopped or stared at. Preston would be handy right now for crowd control."

Kate thought about Preston, and how he had just pulled her onto his lap with such ease. His arm had felt so strong as it had wrapped around her. Sure Drake had done the same thing so many times, but it had been a long time since she'd been grabbed that way so forcefully by another man. It was all planned and fake, but it had felt real enough. She wondered what else he would have done if she hadn't cut him off with that slap…

Drake noticed Kate's far off look when he mentioned Preston, "Uh..earth to Kate? Where'd you just go?"

Kate blinks, "I was thinking about Preston."

Drake frowns, "Thinking about him how?"

"I know we've already put him out of commission.."

With a cough, Drake clears his throat, "We?"

"Ok, I did that. But you mentioned paying him extra for his trouble."

"Yeah, and?"

"How much extra are you willing to pay him?"

...