#ignore that I missed the ‘the’ from ‘the scrapyard’

[cosmically-kissed]

I was not going to draw something for every game’s soundtrack he remixed, so just did the one I have played💔

(Writing with a pixel brush is so fucking hard)

[terresdebrume]

for the prompts - "i'm not worth saving. please." and/or "a few more steps. we're nearly there. i've got you" for a ship/ships of your choice?

Hey friend! Thanks for the prompt :D Sorry it took a bit, you know how it is with work^^" Still, I hope this AU without a cause will satisfy! Prompt list here, if anyone wants to send me another one!

Edwin huffs as he leans backwards, suspending his entire weight at the end of Charles' arm and still not managing to move him more than a couple of inches. He pauses, heaving for breath, and watches as Charles heaves himself up the last few steps with a painful-sounding mechanical whir.

"Come now Charles," he pants, forbidding himself from sitting down. "We only have a few steps left."

"I can't," Charles says.

His words comes out flat, mechanical. His voice modulator must have given up somewhere between the bottom of the stairs and now. His chest is rising and falling too fast, cooling circuits working overtime, but the audible sound his systems make tells Edwin it isn't quite working. Charles must be approaching overheating, and there is nothing Edwin can do about it here, in the hallway to the agency.

"Charles, please," Edwin begs, but Charles shakes his head.

"I can't," he repeats. "My left knee's piston is malfunctioning."

Edwin inhales, sharp and loud, and ignores the beeping in his systems that say his shell is too warm. They found spare parts for his cooling system last month: he can handle a little heat, but Charles--

"Charles, you must keep going, you can't--we have to plug you in!"

It took a lot of time, and even more money--although they are lucky Crystal never asked them what it was for--but they finally got their systems up to a point where they can handle one of them, at least for a time. Charles' software isn't as solid as Edwin's, but ROWLAND persocons had a reputation of hardiness for a reason. They have the memory banks required, and more than enough compatibility coding between the two of them to keep Charles safe until they can find him a new chassis, but none of that will matter if they can't get him connected before he shuts down.

"You should leave me here," he says, Edwin gasps.

"Do not say that," he warns.

"You should," Charles insists, eyes closing. "I'm not worth saving."

"Do not say that!" Edwin all but shouts, not caring about the time, or the human neighbors whose suspicions they've been trying not to arouse. "I forbid it, Charles!"

"Look at me!" Charles exclaims.

Edwin, electrical core on overdrive, looks down at Charles. Some of the hair is missing from his skull, burned away in the accident that nearly tore Edwin's head off a few years back. There is a long streak under his eyes where the synthetic skin peeled away, revealing the gray of his chassis, and the open jacket he wears fails to conceal the three large dents in his chassis, left there by the older ROWLAND model he used to live with. He looks resigned and, impossible as it should be, exhausted.

Even so, even pulling up the necessary softwares to run a simulation of existence without Charles prompts half a dozen alerts in Edwin's system, and he shudders. Crouching down, he puts a hand to the side of Charles' face.

"I am looking at you," he says, voice modulator struggling to keep his tone even through the shiver of his cooling system going overdrive.

"I'm old," Charles says, bitter. "I can't even move. Even if we do preserve me: I won't even have a body. I'm an industrial unit--what good am I if I can't even move around?"

"Charles," Edwin says, surprised to get an alert from the hardware around his throat, "please stop. You haven't been a dockhand in decades--"

"But I am!" Charles cries, or must try to. "That's why I'm the brawn, isn't it? Stronger chassis, longer batteries, building routines--that's what I'm for! What am I if I can't do what I'm for?"

"You're my friend!" Edwin says, fiercely, bringing his face closer to Charles. "You're the man who got me out of the scrapyard I'd been stuck in for seventy years! You're the one who made me look human enough to go out again!"

"Yeah, and now I'm the one who looks like a rogue!" Charles retorts, closing his eyes in distress. "If anyone from Endless Co. sees me, they'll do more than scrape us--"

"That will not happen--no!" Edwin insists, louder, when Charles looks like he is about to protest again, "That will not happen! I will never let it happen. You are my friend! You are my confident, and my companion, and you must stop talking about yourself like you are a glorified forklift!"

"That's what I was programmed for!"

"And I was supposed to be a sex unit!" Edwin breathes harshly in the stunned silence, gathering himself closer to Charles, until he can curl up around him and touch their forehead together. "I don't care chat they made you for," he whispers. "You're the one who decided to download all those fighting programs. You're the one who saved me. You're the one who came up with the name of the Agency. I don't care that they think we're not alive, Charles, I know they're wrong. You and I, we're alive in all the ways that matter, and I--"

Edwin stops talking. His voice modulator refuses to add even one word, some previously unnoticed subroutine cutting off his access to his dictionary. Fantom code, perhaps: a glitch. Or maybe the people who programmed his model line back at Payne Industries wanted to make sure they couldn't evoke certain feelings. Either way, Edwin's voice absolutely refuses to shape the words he is thinking, and so he does the only thing he can possibly do in this situation: he leans forward and presses his lips to Charles'.

Charles twitches under him, unnatural and poorly coordinated, but when Edwin pulls away to look at him, he is met with eyes filled with wonder, and joy, and that same word Edwin's core software won't let him say.

"Oh," Charles says, and brings a hand up to touch Edwin's cheek.

"Yes," Edwin replies, arch and haughty, "oh. Now, if you would please help me. It's only a few more steps."

[hazel-of-sodor]

Something Holy This Way Comes

Ch.17 Sarah

Other Stories

Other Chapters

That night a small form shot into the sheds with a cry of “Miss Screech!”, the Eldritch Titan catching the child effortlessly and setting her on her running board.

“Driver has told you about running in the sheds.” Screech rumbled admonishingly.

Sarah grinned unrepentantly and wrapped her arms around Screech’s nose, muffling Screech’s mock sigh.

“...it is good to see you again, little one.”

“Freda told her all the engines were done for the night and she was off before I could catch her..” Miss Lewis strode in, now wearing the Uman and Din drivers uniform, Freda, Gywn, and Miss Morgan following her.  

“You know better than to run in the engine sheds.” She said to her daughter.

Sarah ignored the reprimand, “I told you we would find her.”

Her mother shook her head fondly, “yes, yes you did.”

‘I sense this one is to be protected the same as Mali?’ the whisper asked lazily.

‘correct.’ Screech thought.

Mali poked her head out from where she was checking Avon’s lubricators, “what about me?”

‘she can hear me?’

Mali looked around in confusion.

“Apparently.” Screech said.

 “Mali can hear Screech’s whisper.” Cassandra explained to the confused engines and humans.

Mali wiped her hands on a rag as she came to the front of the shed, her tendrils floating around her head like she was underwater.

“You look like Screech!” Sarah exclaimed excitedly.

Mali smoothed down her tendrils self-consciously, “yeah, Screech made me like her to save me a few days ago…I’m still getting used to it.”

“It's been less than a week,” Abbey reassured her, “and you have as much time as you need.”

“Can you make me like you?” Sarah asked excitedly.

“No.” Screech said firmly. “It was only done to Mali out of desperation, and without Cassandra it would not have worked.”

Cassandra nodded, “Mali was already attuned to Screech beforehand, and had spent several hours being shielded by my light, and we still almost lost her.”

“We still don't know exactly how what happened will change me,” Mali said seriously, rubbing her arms as if to ward off the cold. Cassandra flicked her lamp on, warming her. Mali gave her a small smile of thanks before continuing, “all we know for certain is I'm not human anymore. Not entirely.” Her tendrils waved anxiously in a non-existent wind.

 Miss Lewis looked concerned, “what side effects have happened so far?”

“Besides the obvious?” Mali asked dryly as her eyes glew emerald, “I’m cold all the time, I don't weigh what I'm supposed to, I’m stronger than I was…Soot also wouldn't come near me for a bit.”

‘mrmmpt?’ said cat lifted her head up from where she was laid on Avon’s runningboard when she heard her name.

“What do you mean you don't weigh what you're supposed to?” Blaidd asked curiously.

Mali stepped out into the snow, but failed to sink into it, instead standing atop the snow.

“You're not entirely in this world.” Cassandra explained. “So not all of you is there to press down.”

“Well that’s comforting.” Meeka’s sighed.

Cassandra gave the engine equivalent of a shrug, “it happens with me whenever I use the Lady’s light. When I faced down the beast that wanted to hunt Stephen, it was able to knock me off the rails because of that. Luckily Gordon had heard my whistles and arrived just after.”

“You handled the creature in the scrapyard just fine.” Freda said curiously.

“Creature?” Miss Lewis asked.

Greda quickly explained about the fight with the remnant in the old scrapyard.

“You were all shielded,” Cassandra explained once she had finished. “Everyone there had spent enough time around Screech and myself to be more resistant to the effects of the Lady’s light, which allowed her to shield you from the fight.”

“The dome of light wasn't you. Not alone at least,” Gywn surmised.

Caomhnóir shook her head, “the Lady held it in place so I could focus on the fight without worrying about hurting you with her light. Driver’s clothes were burnt as is.”

Robert snorted, “Alice was not pleased to see them.”

Cassandra winced, “Sorry, I’ll…”

Robert cut her off with a snort, “she was upset with me, not you. Said I knew better than to hang about in such a fight.” He turned to Miss Morgan, “Speaking of, any luck getting permission to burn the yard?”

She nodded. “Everyone in Lloergan felt the remnant’s presence, they’re as eager to see the yard gone as we are. Saturday we’ll make sure nothing of value is left then, weather permitting, burn the rest where it stands.”

[msmerrysunshine13]

so the quarry FINALLY came out on gamepass and i just finished my first play through so i thought id show you guys how i did

THE QUARRY SPOILERS AHEAD

i somehow missed a path, but i think it's cause i chose to cut dylan's hand off

Total Playtime: 11hrs 26min 30s

​Emma

​Died (im slow and missed the quick time)

​Kaitlyn

​Died (i forgot about the rabbit)

Jacob

​Died (i couldn't figure out the cage thing )

Dylan

​Died (kaitlyn's a bitch)

Ryan

​Alive

Laura

Alive

Max

​Alive

Nick

​Alive

Abi

​Alive

Kaylee

​Died (duh..)

Caleb

​Alive

Travis

Alive

Constance

Died (she was ugly)

Jedediah

Died (i hate old men)

Bobby

Died (i stabbed him :])

Chris

Died (i had to make sure ryan survived)

Silas

Died (fuck that bitch)

​

Evidence

7/10

Freakshow Fire

7/9

Hackett History

13/19

Camp History

7/12

Tarot

14/22

Paths

-Laura and Max

•Laura tried to help Max after he was attacked in the storm shelter.

•Max was concerned about Laura's well-being in the prison.

•Laura was sympathetic to Max over his rejection letter.

•Laura was supportive of Max during their imprisonment.

-Above the Law

□Laura lied to the cop about the accident on the road.

□Laura tried to make a grab for Travis' gun when they were talking in the cell.

□Laura used the syringe on Travis during her and Max's escape.

□Laura shot Constance in the head.

□In a fit of rage, Laura killed Jedediah.

□Travis decided to work with Laura to find Silas.

- A Fool's Errand

▪︎Jacob uncoupled the fuel line when sabotaging the minivan.

▪︎Jacob's tampering cause the minivan to catch alight.

▪︎Due to Jacob's actions, the minivan can't be repaired.

-Down the Rabbit Hole

¤Abi chose to help Emma break into the cabin.

¤Abi was able to explore inside the cabin

¤Abi put the forgotten toy in her bag.

¤Abi left her backpack in the lodge kitchen.

¤Kaitlyn, Abi, and Nick were able to hide in the cabin without alerting the creature.

¤Dylan was bitten by the creature when trying to hook up the feedback loop.

¤With nothing to use as a distraction, Kaitlyn hid in the freezer and froze to death.

-Playing with Fire

◇Emma chose not to take the fireworks with her.

◇Emma fired the shotgun into the air when rejoining the others.

-Watch Your Step

☆Dylan opened the trapdoor in Chris' office.

☆Dylan loosened a rung on the ladder.

☆The ladder rung broke when Abi climbed up.

-Pieces of Silver

~Abi came to Nick's aid when he was attacked in the woods.

~Abi shot Nick in the poolhouse, and he fled out the window.

~Abi offered Laura her bracelet to fashion into a silver bullet.

-Finders Keepers

♤Ryan struggled to navigate through the woods.

♤Ryan heard a rustling in the bushes but didn't shoot. Nick came stumbling out.

-Distraction

♡Jacob threw dirt at the hunter to distract him.

♡Jacob escaped the hunter.

♡Ryan heard a rustling in the bushes but didn't shoot.

♡Jacob was captured by the hunters.

-Helping Hand

♧Ryan decided to sever Dylan's hand.

♧Ryan used a chainsaw to sever Dylan's hand.

♧Dylan's infection stopped spreading.

-The White Whale

○Laura did not shoot Travis when escaping her cell.

○Ryan shot Chris Hackett with silver, curing his line of infection.

○Ryan survived the ordeal at the Hackett House.

○Laura, Travis, and Ryan decided to work together to find Silas.

○Laura, Travis, and Ryan run Silas down after he attacked the car.

○Laura killed Silas, ending his line of infection and curing every living person who was bitten at Hackett's Quarry.

-Teambuilding

●Dylan and Kaitlyn went to the scrapyard to find a working vehicle.

●Dylan and Kaitlyn worked together to escape the scrapyard.

●Abigail found a silver shell in the stormshelter.

●Kaitlyn has Dylan's company in the lodge.

●Kaitlyn ignored the office door and ran to the kitchen.

●Kaitlyn abandoned Dylan to Caleb.

-Love's Labours Lost

■Ryan decided to free Jacob from the basement.

■Ryan could not figure out the cage doors.

■Laura and Ryan heard more of Travis and Constance's conversation.

■Jacob remained in the basement.

■All the cage doors opened when Laura broke the fusebox.

■The werewolf killed Jacob in the basement.

-A Pound of Flesh

°Ryan chose not to remove the knife from his stab wound.

°Ryan had to be careful not to exacerbate his injury as he fled from Bobby.

°Ryan removed the knife from his wound and stabbed Bobby.

°Ryan chose to accept Laura's offer to bite him.

°Bobby was weakened and unable to defend himself against Chris.

°Ryan was saved from blood loss.

Achievements

22/40

[a-bio-hero-writer]

Right so apparently I’ve been working on some the fics for too long and tumblr decided to start deleting some of the asks. Sorry for the inconvenience of me putting screenshots of them… and for the horrible gifs, will work on them at one point. Have a nice read though :))

“On my way to the rendez vous point” The quite literally golden hero informed the other call participant, who was stuck in the factory with him.

He had received a heads-up through an encrypted call from them. Apparently as they were heading to the departures. It turned out that their equipment had been misplaced, causing them to take too long to prepare which then led to them missing the take-off. Well, looking back it wasn’t such a bad thing, he now has someone he can count on in this mess.

“Negative, stay where you are, he knows about the location. Take the direct route to Makuro’s office. He expects you to arrive at the meeting point, I might be able to buy you some time.” He would be lying if he were to say that he didn’t expect some complications. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to follow the instructions as something felt off. In the end, he decided to ignore his worries and comply. “Roger that. Do your thing, I trust you with this, stay safe. Rocka out.”

Rocka could’ve sworn he felt relief wash over him the instant he saw the rest of the Alpha 1 team. Except there was one issue. “Hey uh, have you guys seen by any chance another hero around?” The team just looked confusedly at him. He started to grow worried. “I thought it was just you, was there somebody else?”

He was about to explain everything but then Evo finally unlocked the doors. Whatever happened out there to his ally, he hoped they would manage to hold on just a little longer without his help. He rushed inside to finish the fight, for good this time.

“Hey.”

The medbay entrance. That’s where they met after the whole ordeal. He wasn’t exactly pleased to say the least.

“I’m angry.”

“Believe me, I can tell that from the stance. I’m sorry.”

Hadn’t it been for Breez and Nex, they would probably be long gone.

Phantom must’ve had found them while they were trying to override the download of the Hero Factory plans, judging by the broken data-pad that lied next to them. That didn’t however explain why they were in such proximity to the villain’s position.

“Still angry. Explain yourself.”

“Sir, you would do the exact same thing if the roles were reversed. My duty is to ensure that the mission is carried out properly.“

Ah yes, they wanted to distract him, pull the attention towards themselves. The sacrifice approach. He felt his core heat up to the point of burning.

“Yes, but how do you plan on keeping unity with your team if you land on a scrapyard?”

“I admit, it was reckless on my part, but I don’t regret a thing. It was my decision to make, not anyone else’s. It’s a shame though that the leak happened either way.”

He was still frowning. Of course he understands their perspective. Of course they are right that he would do the same, but he was still left feeling somewhat betrayed. Rocka sighed and pulled the other into an embrace.

“Just promise me you will be more careful, you’re a fun person to be around with, wouldn’t want to lose your company just yet.”

They soon reciprocated the gesture and hugged back, following a soft chuckle.

“You’re such a panda.”

“Please, do not refer to me as a villain.”

[ser-rctslcyer]

Late Morning Laughter || Cassian/Bix

Pairing: Cassian Andor/Bix Caleen 

Word Count: 1.7k

Synopsis: She had decided this was the morning she was going to ask– and she would bring breakfast to help soften the blow. 

Warnings: Pre-Canon, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Established Relationship, Food as a Metaphor for Love

A/N: Because I was thinking about them a lot, and decided fuck it why not; they are precious!

She had been tossing and turning most of the night; her gut tightened as her whole body trembled.  

It had begun during dinner, to which she had decided she would ask him first thing tomorrow morning. In hindsight, she should’ve withdrawn her decision as it had taken her even longer to finish the rest of her meal but she pushed past it. It wasn’t until she was under the covers, her thoughts began to run wild. All possible responses rang through her head, and like the headstrong mechanic she was, her brain was adamant about having a rebuttal for him. She had already told herself a million times that it was okay if he rejected her offer, but her head still spiraled at the thought. She wasn’t sure her heart could handle him brushing this off. The blank ceiling soon became too unease and she rolled over, tossing the pillow over her head. Her body was exhausted and she hoped to get in a little sleep before the anvil rang, and what felt like seconds had been a few hours, as she rolled herself out of bed. 

She tipped-toe over the cool floors, throwing on a pair of umber pants and a matching tank top. Her kitchen was even chillier than her room, as she looked over the ingredients in her kitchen. She settled on some soup and a muffin, as it would likely be the only warm food he’d have all week. Once everything was finished, she started on the caf before returning to her room. She slipped into her work boots, a beige sweater, and a yellow hoodie, two sizes too big for her. She packed both their coffees into their respective thermoses and soup and muffins into their own container before walking out the door. 

Ferrix wasn’t fully awake as the crowds in the streets were barely there. She kept an even pace, as she had a long walk to the edge of town, and the last thing she wanted was to miss him. She smiled at passersby, trying to ignore how on fire her nerves felt. All it was was a simple question, but why did it feel like her heart was going to shoot out her chest? She couldn’t shake that question as she walked through the scrapyard, pausing as soon as she saw the half-broken ship. 

“Cass?” she called gently, hoping to alert her companion so he wouldn’t be startled if his focus was elsewhere. There was no response, not even a little noise of acknowledgment. With a deep breath, she approached, stepping warily inside the broken cockpit. 

She sighed in relief seeing Cassian lying flat on his back, sleeping soundly. A smile crept to her lips unknowingly as she found a spot to set down the food before turning back to him. His eyes were still closed, an unusual slight because even the lightest noise tended to pull him from his sleep. She knelt down, admiring his soft sleeping face; she had always found comfort in how relaxed he looked. Gently, she stroked over his bearded cheek, fingers trailing into his dark brown curls. She threaded her fingers through his hair, gently combing the strands behind his ear. She always loved touching his hair, almost as much as he loved doing it to her; to which she would always joke it was better when he was asleep or had his mouth full so he couldn’t pester her. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and she retracted her hand, trying to find the words to say. 

“I’m surprised to see you still sleeping in, rough night?” she asked sarcastically, wincing because perhaps it wasn’t the best ‘good morning’ most partners would want to hear. She watched the smallest smile stretch across his lips as he stared back at her with half-hooded eyes.

“Shh, I can still go back to sleep,” he whined. He closed his eyes again as he rolled away from her, and tugged his brown blanket around him, and she chuckled at his antics. 

“Well, then your breakfast can go to waste,” she hummed, watching for her words to register, and like clockwork they did. He rolled back around before sitting up straight, yawning as he stretched. She stepped back as he kicked his legs off his makeshift bed and rubbed his eyes. He looked up at her with his usual taunting gaze, the one she enjoyed so much. 

“You could lead with that, you know.”

“And you could say thank you,” she crossed her arms, letting out a tiny gasp as Cassian tugged her between his legs. Her hands automatically rested on his head, as he hugged her for a moment. She was about to tell him something, but the thought died as soon as he pressed his lips to her jaw. He left a series of sweet kisses and nuzzled his head against her once he was finished.  

“Thank you, Bix .”

“You’re welcome,” she whispered, fidgeting with some of his hair as she tried to regain her senses, “now let’s eat before it gets cold.” It took all her strength for her to pull herself away from him and bring her food over to him. She placed it between them both, handing him his mug and food, before setting to open hers. He had taken a sip of his caf before starting on his soup, a pleased noise leaving him after the first bite. 

“Good as always.”

“If you weren’t so erratic, you could have a lot more cooked meals,” she chided, pointing her spoon at him. 

“You act like I don’t cook for myself,” he pouted, tapping the spoon against his lips. 

“I know you do, but only when your ass is already so hungry, you might wither away.”

“Maybe I just prefer your cooking,” he suggested, his words happily hitting her in the gut. She couldn’t hide her smile, as she tried to eat her muffin but she felt his gaze on her. Thankfully, it did not last long and they both went back to eating together in silence much to her disliking. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she couldn’t find the space to ask her question. 

“So, why did you bring me breakfast?” she paused as Cassian took a bite of his muffin, staring at her curiously. She glanced between him and her bowel a few times, before setting it down in her lap. A lie grew itself at the tip of her tongue but she swallowed it down and looked him in the eyes. 

“Why don’t you come stay with me?” she uttered all too fast; the dread she feared setting in as his eyes widened. It was painfully silent as neither of them dared to take another bite, but instead gawk at each other, abashed. 

“D-do you really want me to?” Cassian questioned, voice wavering in doubt. 

“Of course I do Cass , I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t,” she advocated sincerely. 

“Sorry, I just–”

“Just are extremely self-independent and stubborn, I know. Which to preface, none of this is out of pity or anything, it’s just,” she caught herself, unprepared to say her next confession out loud. She bit the inside of her cheek, willing herself to keep her eyes on him as she spoke, “ I just want you closer. ” Seconds passed and she was on the cusp of dropping the conversation entirely when Cassian set aside his bowel and partially-eaten muffin. 

“You can be extremely stubborn too, you know?” he taunted; mentally ‘tsking’ herself as he had already begun to brush off her question. 

“Yet I would go stay with Brasso if he asked,” she rolled her eyes, trying to play off her worry; hoping to get him back on track. 

“Well, if it’s so easy then–”

“You know what I mean, Cassian!” she glared, trying to resist the giddy smile he had on his face. 

“I know, I’m just teasing,” he chuckled, swiftly turning into full-blown laughter. She tried to resist it, wanting to genuinely discuss this with him but hearing him enjoy himself so freely was infectious. Her chuckles were much quieter than his and stopped quicker before she too pushed away her bowel from her lap. He scooted closer to her, leaning into her space until they were only breaths apart. 

“So you want me closer, yeah?” his nose briefly brushed against hers, sending shivers down her spine.

“Yes, it would bring me some peace of mind.” She admitted, closing her eyes, inhaling the faint scent of coffee from him. “You’d have a place to come back to, and you would get yelled at as much,” she added, hoping to earn another laugh but there wasn’t, and he pulled away. 

“Okay, I can do that. ”

“Really?”

“Well, I wouldn’t be agreeing if I didn’t want to live with you,” he mocked and this time her eye roll was sincere. 

“Maker, you are unbelievable,” she groaned, playfully shoving his face away.

“Only for you,” he grabbed her hand, pressing kisses to her open palm.

“Nu-uh, your charm is not saving you this time.”

“I think it can.”

“Nope. Cassian, I swear–” she’s interrupted by Cassian pressing the quickest kiss to her lips; his thumb gently holding up her chin as the rest of his hand was wrapped around the back of her neck. 

“This is what you want to wake up to every morning, right?” he inquired, fingers gently threading through her hair, pulling the softest moan from her. 

“Yes.”

“Because you like it?” he bumped his nose against hers, staring fondly into her eyes,

“I don’t like it,” she spoke carefully, pressing her forehead against his, “ I love it,” pressing a sweet and earnest kiss to his lips. She tugged on the front of his already open shirt, hoping to get her silent proclamation across as she lapped at the inside of his mouth causing him to groan. She followed it up by nipping at his lips and kissing the corner of his mouth when they broke away because their lungs were aching; revering in the soft chuckle that left him as he pressed his forehead back to hers. 

“I love you, too ,” he confesses quietly, his head dropping shyly as he smiled. 

A renewed sense of devotion bloomed through her heart, as she picked up his head and kissed him silly. 

[scribbuluswrites]

The Break

It’s Wednesday, and I’m already exhausted with this week. Can’t the weekend come any sooner??

As always, thank you for coming along far from canon and into the wonderland. All of your comments and interactions are so appreciated and loved. These things keep your writers writing. :)

A few days later, Katarina was waiting for Coco at the scrapyard. Her head snapped up as she heard a group of bikes approaching. She’d been trying to get a little more work done on her afternoon off, but she quickly organised the papers, shoving them into her backpack. She hadn’t seen Coco in a couple of weeks, and she wanted to be sure he had her full attention.

Bishop rode in first, closely followed by a few other members. She stood up and shielded her eyes from the sun, watching as Coco parked his bike. He nodded at something Bish said, hanging his helmet on the handlebars of his motorcycle. 

Kat’s focus was briefly diverted as another bike rode in, separate from the group, parking outside of EZ’s trailer at the back of the scrapyard. She recognized Happy’s Harley, making certain she didn’t stare for too long. They hadn’t spoken again since he stopped by, and she wasn’t sure how to act around him. 

A low whistle brought her eyes back to the person she was truly happy to see. “Damn, querida, did you get even hotter?” he asked, grinning as he walked up to her. “You miss me?” The look on his face showed it wasn’t really a question, his swagger giving it away. Katarina was sure she was staring at him in a way that told him exactly what he wanted to know, and Coco’s body language reflected that back.

“A little too much,” she admitted, smiling brightly at him. Kat tossed her arms around his neck, feeling Coco’s slide around her waist under her leather jacket. He pulled her flush against him, kissing her in a way that made her ears go red. 

“Think you got time for me to come over tonight?” he asked, still dotting kisses against her lips as he spoke. Katarina grinned, threading her hands through his hair as Coco’s hands slid down and into her back pockets. 

“As soon as you’re done here, I’m all yours, cocopuff.” Kat kissed him again, her tongue moving against his. Coco’s hands grabbed her ass, pressing her hips tightly against his. They were doing a good job of ignoring the wolf whistles until Angel walked past. 

“Coco, templo in ten minutes. Don’t show up with a fuckin’ hard on,” Angel snapped, shaking his head in disapproval. 

Coco leaned his forehead against Kat’s, groaning. He was frustrated that things hadn’t gotten any easier with Angel despite his relationship clearly getting stronger. 

“You guys still on the outs?” she asked, stepping back enough to look at him. He tilted his head, shrugging. 

“Somethin’s still up his ass, but I got no idea what it’s about.” Coco caught sight of Happy walking out of EZ’s trailer, closely followed by the prospect. “Y’know why he’s here?” Katarina struggled to keep her expression neutral. 

“No?” she replied, shaking her head. There was no reason for Coco to assume she would know anything. Something was definitely on his mind. “Is there something I should know about?” she questioned, watching the way his eyes hardened as he looked at Happy.

Coco lit a cigarette, the corners of his mouth tipped down. “I got questions later, but they gotta wait,” he explained, nodding toward the clubhouse. “You sticking around or should I just come by later?”

Kat nodded, feeling entirely uneasy. “I’ll stay. You guys don’t usually meet for too long after a long run,” she replied, feeling calmer when Coco pressed a quick kiss to her cheek before heading into Templo.

Less than ten minutes later, the Mayans came pouring out of the clubhouse. Happy and EZ approached the group, sensing something was wrong. Bishop stared at Katarina, giving her the definite impression of not being welcome. 

She took the hint, squeezing Coco’s hand as she walked past him, making her exit. He’d let her know what was going on when he could, for now, she knew leaving was the smartest option. 

As she reached her coupe, she realised Happy’s bike was blocking her car, his way of manufacturing a moment with her. Katarina leaned against the side, knowing better than to walk back to the group to see who the motorcycle belonged to.

Just a few minutes later, the Mayans jogged to their bikes, and Katarina caught sight of Happy heading her way. Coco noticed his path, but he didn’t come over or scowl at them. Whatever was going on right now was clearly important, requiring his full focus.

“They’ve got serious trouble,” Happy muttered, walking up to his bike. 

Kat made sure to keep her face neutral, knowing she wasn’t supposed to react. She slid into the driver’s seat, watching the guys rush to their motorcycles in her rearview. 

“Sorry for blocking you,” Happy said loudly, waiting until Kat had leaned out of her seat to look back at him. This part was designed to get her attention, so she looked around. Happy held out a hand, pretending to point at her bumper. She heaved a sigh, wondering what he was up to. 

Katarina walked to the back of the car, squatting down next to him. The first few bikes started up, giving them a little sound cover. 

“Whatever this is, it’s gonna get messy,” he said quietly, his gaze focused on the imaginary spot on her car. Kat sucked in a breath, knowing it must be more than just serious for Happy to admit that. 

No one was looking at them, and Happy dared to reach over, squeezing Katarina’s hand. He kept his eyes focused on her car, risking a quick glance before looking back at the bumper. “I love you, don’t ever forget that.” 

Kat’s heart seized as Happy stood up, brushing off the knees of his pants. He didn’t look back at her, tossing a leg over his bike and firing it up. Coco rode up beside him finally, glancing between Happy and Katarina. 

“Come back in one piece,” she said, raising her voice to be heard over the bikes. She blew a kiss at Coco, terrified that he’d see through her smile. He gave her a low wave before following the rest of the bikes out, Happy just behind him. 

The drive home was miserable. Each mile just gave Kat more time to think about everything going on in her life. She had been certain about her choice before Happy opened his damn mouth. 

Kat knew she had to remember that he’d never been willing to talk before. Happy had always been closed off tight, and Coco, warm, welcoming Coco, was more than pleased to incorporate her into his life. He trusted her, and he wanted her to stand beside him, not in the shadows. 

Once the sun had long been set, Kat’s phone finally vibrated. She grabbed for it, relieved to see it was a text from Coco. They had been gone nearly eight hours, and her nerves were frayed. 

*Get to the clubhouse. Lockdown* 

“Shit,” she muttered, shoving her phone into her pocket and grabbing her duffle. Even after years of being away from that life, she still had a packed bag ready in her closet. It was one of those old habits she’d never broken. 

Kat jogged down the stairs, not stopping to talk to her neighbor as they passed going the other direction. A lockdown was serious, and she didn’t want to waste time on small talk with a near-stranger. Plus, she didn’t want to give Coco any reason to worry about her.

As she pulled into the lot, Kat could see Coco sitting outside the clubhouse on a large picnic table. He stubbed out his cigarette as she walked over. There was blood on his sleeve and dirt smears on his face and neck. It was clear there had been a struggle of some sort.

“Sit down,” he said, gesturing to the spot on the table next to him. His tone was serious, and Kat didn’t hesitate. “I didn’t wanna do this shit here, but…” he paused, taking a deep breath and looking away from her. “But, it’s gonna be a minute before we can go home.” 

Kat tried to reach for his hand, but Coco resisted, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. He was agitated in a way she hadn’t really experienced before, and she figured it was best to give him a little space.

“Every fuckin’ thing went wrong,” he started, his fingers twitching as he talked. “Padrino’s busted up real bad. Nestor took a bullet in the arm. One of Galindo’s other guys took two shots in the vest.” Coco paused, letting his chin dip. There was more to the story, but he didn’t want to keep going. 

Kat lowered her head, catching his eye. She wasn’t sure what was wrong, but she wanted to try to encourage him. She rested her hand on his knee, not saying anything. 

His eyes moved to her hand on his leg, but he didn’t pull away again. Coco took a long drag, his next words slower, like he didn’t want to say them. 

“Happy ain’t come back with us.” It was a simple statement, but Katarina felt like the bottom had fallen out of her world.

“Fuck,” Kat breathed, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. She hadn’t wanted Coco to see her emotions, but she was too caught off guard to shove them down. “It’s just a surprise,” she commented. 

“I didn’t want you to hear it in there,” he continued, tilting his head towards the clubhouse. “You ok?” Kat blinked a few times, nodding at him. 

“Yeah, of course. It’s old shit,” she lied, shaking her head. Coco slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him. 

“No, it ain’t,” he murmured. “Chucky saw his bike at your apartment. Said he stayed the night.” 

“Nothing-” 

Coco pressed his lips to hers softly, stopping her. “Later,” he urged, putting out his cigarette. “We should head inside.” 

Katarina nodded, but she didn’t stand up yet. “Coco, did you send Chucky to check up on me?” she asked. He didn’t answer, but she saw it on his face. “Trust, huh?” 

“I just wanted to have someone look in, make sure you were safe,” he explained, feeling caught as Kat’s expression didn’t really change. 

“Sure.” 

He could tell that Kat was upset. He wanted to convince himself it had been about safety, but he knew that was a lie just as much as Katarina did. 

“Won’t happen again,” he muttered, pushing up from the table. 

“It wasn’t in the past,” she admitted, returning his truth with her own. “I know you said later, but…” Kat paused, taking a deep breath. “I don’t want more ghosts in my apartment. Can you understand that?” 

Coco nodded, “More than you realise.” He stepped closer, resting his hands on her knees as he looked at her. “I don’t have to know everything, but… what happened with Angel?” Coco finally asked. He knew it had something to do with the Son, but he hadn’t asked before because he was worried about her response. He didn’t want her to lie or hold secrets for someone else. 

Katarina bit the inside of her cheek. “Most of that is Angel’s story to tell,” she explained, not wanting to get in the middle of someone’s personal business again. “I had this feeling that something was wrong, so I went to check on Happy. There were intruders in his house, and I stabbed one of them. Turns out they weren’t just any intruders.”

Coco looked stunned. Kat was afraid that his surprise might turn into anger, but his expression melted into a disbelieving smile.

“Damn. You stabbed Angel? Little you stabbed much bigger him,” he said, almost looking proud of her. 

“Technically, I threw the knife,” she explained. 

“That’s my girl,” Coco grinned, pulling her up from the table. “Thank you for telling me,” he added, tucking her under his arm. Kat nodded, but she didn’t look at him. Any memories of Happy didn’t feel good right now. 

Coco noticed her expression, squeezing her tighter for a moment. “We’ll figure it out, alright? This, the club business, the cartel bullshit.”

“I would really like that,” she nodded, giving in to him. She did want things to work out with Coco, and now felt like a good time to make some changes in her life. 

Tags: @gemini0410 @scuzmunkie @woahitslucyylu @chibsytelford @withmyteeth

(my taglist is so far out of date. If you’d like to be added or dropped, please let me know!)

[enamoured-x]

Sweet Release | Part 2

Angel Reyes x Reader

Summary: Things don’t go as planned when you attend Ez’s party. 

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Angst

Word count: 4.8k

Excerpt: “Your salvation and your destruction kneeled before you, ready to prove to you how deadly the mix of the two was. Your angel on his knees ready to sin.”

*gif is mine!

a/n: thank you for all the love on this mini series! With that being said there will be a part 3 and it will be the final part! Enjoy! (part 1 can be found here)

Part 2

One long fucking month. Since the day you left Angel at the clubhouse with his come leaking out of you, you had been a wreck. Honestly, you were proud of yourself for holding it together so well when you broke the news to him. Maybe because you knew eventually you’d break. You were a mess. Hating Angel for what he put you through, hating that he led you to walk out on him in the first place. He tried calling every day for the first two weeks and then it simmered down to a call every few days. None of which you answered. For some reason you couldn’t bring yourself to block his number just yet. You still cared for him, still wanted to be able for him to reach out if something was wrong as long as it didn’t pertain to your failed relationship. You didn’t want to talk about how stupid that logic was because you knew keeping his number was because a part of you still wanted it to work. 

You played with the idea of maybe. But you couldn’t tell him that because you weren’t sure. You put yourself through all of his shit already and if he was going to do it all over again if you gave him a second chance you’d kill him. It would kill you. With that being said, you were going to let this play out. You knew you were supposed to get over him, knew you made a choice that day to end it with him. But a girl could dream that he’d make some grand gesture to win you back like in the movies, but this wasn’t a movie and Angel definitely wasn’t the romantic male protagonist. 

“Angel’s a mess.” You glared at Ez for bringing him up. You ignored his comment and sipped your coffee. You and Ez still kept in close contact over the month, sharing funny videos and checking in, just the usual stuff. Today he invited you to hang out and catch up since you hadn’t seen him since that day and you had agreed, happy to go somewhere that wasn’t work or your home. Happy to see your friend again.

“How’s pops?” You asked, trying to get the topic off Angel. You weren’t here to talk about Angel, he made his bed and now he could lay in it. If you were open to the idea of giving him a second chance, and that was a big if, he would need to do a lot more than having Ez tell you how miserable he’s been. You had been a wreck long before you broke up with him, he deserved to know what it felt like. 

Ez sighed and didn’t bring up Angel again, “he’s fine, he sends his best.” You nodded, making it a point to stop by soon and say hi, just because you and Angel broke up didn’t mean you couldn’t be friendly with his family still. They were practically your family. 

Ez twiddled with his coffee cup and you sighed. 

“Go ahead.” You told him, crossing your arms and leaning back in your chair. The outside seating offered you a breath of fresh air you desperately needed when talking about the one and only Angel Reyes. 

He stopped his movements and looked up at you, “what?”

“You obviously either have an opinion on the breakup or you told Angel you were meeting me and he asked you to tell me something for him. Hell, maybe you only asked to hangout with me to deliver a message. Whatever it is, spill it, Reyes.” You knew Ez enough to know when something was on his mind or when he was holding back. This was one of those times. You weren’t exactly mad at him for it but after your grief died out, you were just confused about Angel. You knew you made the right choice at the time but it didn’t mean you still didn’t miss him. It didn’t mean you were over him. 

Ez held his hands up, “I swear I just wanted to see you. No secret motive. If Angel wants to work things out with you, he can do it himself, I'm not his messenger.” You sighed. You knew he was telling the truth. 

“There’s something you’re not telling me.” He was still holding back. He may not be there for some ulterior motive but there was something. 

“You know I’m getting patched in…” He trailed off and you nodded your head. You were excited for him when he told you the news a few weeks ago. Ez had put all his time and effort in the club and he was finally going to become an official member. He deserved it. 

“The club is throwing me a party.” He stated and you shook your head. 

“No.” He scoffed at your answer and sat up. 

“Come on, you have to come. You don’t have to talk to Angel, just stay with me the whole time.” He begged. You groaned at the idea. 

“Ez, I don’t know. I don’t think it’s the best idea.” Showing up to the clubhouse just a month after you broke up with Angel and fucked him in the middle of it was probably not the greatest idea. 

“Please. You’re my only friend outside of the club, I want you there.” Ez’s brown eyes pleaded with you. You were his only friend and as that friend you owed it to him to show your support, even if it meant having to see your ex again. 

You bit your lip and Ez smiled, knowing he had you. 

“Fine, but I’ll be glued to your side the whole time you’ll regret asking me to come.” You pointed at him and he laughed. 

“This should be fun.”

You should’ve taken that as a warning. 

You hated the fact that you were putting effort into what you were wearing to the party. Trying on basically all the clothes in your closet. You figured if you were going to see Angel you had better make it good. Eventually you settled on a simple red summer dress, flowy enough to be innocent but short enough to showcase your legs. You opted for some white sneakers with it, deciding that you were definitely not going to dress up to this thing, Angel or no Angel. Either way, this night wasn’t about him or you, it was Ez’s night and you were going to be there to support him. 

Your nerves got the best of you when you pulled into the packed scrapyard, Chucky directed you where to park and you took a deep breath before stepping out. The party was already in full swing, people scattered outside and around the fire, already drinking and having a good time. 

“Hey, you made it.” Ez said as he walked up to you as you made your way toward the clubhouse. You had yet to spot Angel and you were thankful for it. 

“I told you I would come.” You pulled him into a hug and he wrapped his arm around your shoulder and then led you inside. 

“Thought you might back out last minute.” He shrugged. You were about to say something when you saw him. The man who had taken up space in your mind this past month. The man you left after reaching one last high with him. He was laughing at something Coco said, his smile not reaching his eyes. You could tell that what Ez told you had been true, that he was miserable. He looked good, just not all there. Both men were standing against the wall, what stirred jealousy in you was one of the club hang arounds to his left touching his arm. You swallowed hard, you forgot that before you and Angel got together, he was a hot commodity amongst Vicky’s girls. Now that he was off the market, you were sure the women were jumping at the chance to share his bed, they probably already had. Lead filled your stomach once again. 

You were about to turn to Ez to take the beer bottle from him when Angel finally looked over and stopped in his tracks. Gone was the smile and in its place was shock. You stared back at him, into those dark brown eyes you loved so much. Seeing him stung more than you cared to admit but you held strong. 

“You good?” Ez’s words snapped you out of your trance and you turned to him, finally taking the bottle from his hands. 

“You didn’t tell him I was coming?” You asked him as he led you over to take a seat at the bar. He looked guilty. 

“If I had he probably would’ve been by the gates waiting for you. Figured this was better.” You couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Hermosa, haven’t seen you in a while.” You turned around to face Bishop. A genuine smile lit up your face and you got up to hug him. He graciously accepted, giving you a tight squeeze before letting you go. Bishop was always so kind to you, always so supportive of yours and Angel’s relationship. 

“Hey, Bish. How are you?” 

“I’m doing good. How are you? Which Reyes brother are you really here for?” He teased you and Ez chuckled. Obviously the club knew about yours and Angel’s split but he still welcomed you with open arms despite it. You were thankful for it. 

“Very funny, but I’m here for Ez.” He laughed and placed a kiss on your temple before excusing himself. 

“Is he still looking over here?” You asked Ez, bringing the bottle up to your lips and taking a sip of the cold liquid. You welcomed the alcohol as it sat in your stomach. 

“Yup and Vicky’s girl does not seem too happy about that.” You felt a sliver of satisfaction run through you. But Angel wasn’t yours, you made that clear. So you had absolutely no right to be jealous, you had no claim over him anymore. At least not in that way but with the way you felt his eyes on your body, you knew you still had some sort of pull over him. He had that same pull over you but tonight was not the night for that. 

“Let’s get you drunk, Eziekiel. You deserve it.” You changed the subject. You weren’t going to sit here and talk about Angel who was a few feet from you during Ez’s party. No, you were going to celebrate the man of the hour. Your friend, arguably your best friend. Also arguably your only friend. 

“Sounds good to me.”

Ez was a bit tipsy but not nowhere near drunk after many rounds of beers and a few shots. You on the other hand kept it to three beers and then opted for some water, not really one to drink all that much. That didn’t mean that you weren’t having fun though. Coco had eventually came over to talk to you during the night and you were glad none of the men held any animosity towards you. It felt nice to see them again and you could honestly say you were glad you came. 

“Six o’clock, mamas.” Coco said and nodded behind you, you were turning around completely ready to see Angel. You were surprised he hadn’t tried to get your attention sooner seeing as how he still tried to contact you weekly. But it wasn’t Angel. The man who now stood in front of you was a stranger, albeit a very handsome stranger who was part of another charter by the patch on his vest. He was tall enough to tower over you, his dark eyes pulling you in. He ran his hand through his raven black hair and smiled at you, even with his facial hair you could still see prominent dimples. 

“Hello, sweetheart. I’m Jay. And you are?” He stuck his tattooed hand out for you to take and you took it into your own. Jay was a tall glass of water, honestly a wet dream. Just not yours. But he could be. At least for tonight. A rebound wasn’t a terrible idea but you guessed there had to have been some rule about finding a rebound at the party of your ex boyfriend's brother’s party while he stood just a few feet away. You still introduced yourself nonetheless. You were a bit too distracted to notice Coco and Ez had left you to your own devices. 

“So, what brings you to this party?”

“I’m a friend of Ez’s.” You told him. You swore you could still feel Angel’s eyes burning through you, you had felt it since you locked eyes with him. Whether he was giving you your space or he really didn’t want anything to do with you tonight, you didn’t know. But judging by the same girl who was still trying to get his attention, you figured he wanted nothing to do with you tonight if it meant him getting laid. 

“Hmm,” he looked you up and down and you shifted under his gaze. You were kidding yourself if you actually thought you’d go through with a rebound. Especially with a Mayan. And you were kidding yourself if you thought a rebound was going to help. As if it was going to magically make your feelings for Angel disappear. As if sleeping with a stranger was going to give you that release you needed again, no, only Angel could do that. You hated it. 

“So, this party is dying down, I was thinking maybe you wanna get out of here?” That was extremely forward, all he knew about you was your name. But who were you kidding, guys like him didn’t care, hell, you’d be lucky if he even remembered your name. You were just about to turn him down when he trailed his hand up your thigh skimming just under your dress. Your eyes widened at the gesture and you shoved him off you and backed up.

“Woah, what the fuck.” You hissed quietly, not wanting to make a scene. He laughed.

“Oh, come on. You're not here for Ez, you’re here to get laid.” What the fuck. You were about to tell him off before a hand wrapped around your waist and a warm body pulled you into his side. You didn’t even have to look to know who it was but you looked up anyways. Angel. Your damn angel.

“You touching my girl, homie?” He asked him, ice in his tone. You were surprised the guy wasn’t on the floor already, Angel’s girlfriend or not, he didn’t like people touching you if you weren’t willing. Maybe he knew punching a guys lights out right now was no way to win you back and it was definitely not needed at Ez’s patched-in party. 

“Nah, man. Sorry, I didn’t know she was yours.” You scoffed.

“I’m not anyones.” You weren’t going to cause a scene but you hated men like this, men who thought women were just objects. You felt bad for the girl he would somehow convince to go home with him. 

“Get fucking lost or we’re gonna have a problem.” Angel told him, fingers tightening on your waist. Your skin ignited at his touch, at him being so close, at his cologne infiltrating your senses once again. It all felt like home. You hated it. The guy held his hands up as he walked away mumbling curses under his breath. Before you could say anything to Angel, he was whispering in your ear. 

“We need to talk. Now.” He didn’t give you room to argue as he led you down the hall and into his dorm room, closing the door. You didn’t like this. You didn’t trust yourself to be alone in a room with Angel right now. Give it another month or two then maybe, but right now? When your breakup was still a month fresh? No. It was dangerous. Angel turned to face you and you crossed your arms looking anywhere but at him, not wanting to look into his eyes. Not wanting to lose yourself in him. 

“What do you want to talk about?” He laughed bitterly, shaking his head. 

“Us. You coming here dressed like that.” He motioned to your dress.

“There’s nothing to talk about, Angel. What’s done is done.” You explained, biting your lip. Seeing him one foot away, eyes locked on you, it was a bit too much. One month was not nearly long enough to get over Angel Reyes. Hell, you didn’t think any amount of time would be sufficient. He was a damn drug, one you couldn’t stay off of.

“So you came here to torture me? Rub it in my face? I fucking miss you and you come to my clubhouse and act like everything’s cool? Act like I didn’t mean shit to you?” He was angry, that was easy to see. But you could tell his tone carried a deep hurt, one he was desperately trying to contain. Your heart ached. You wanted him to hurt, at first. But now seeing him, seeing the desperation and anguish in his eyes? This wasn’t what you wanted. You didn’t like hurting the people you loved, even if they hurt you. 

“Angel, that wasn’t my intention. Ez asked me to come and I wanted to support him. I’m not trying to hurt you.” You explained, stepping closer to him. That was also dangerous, you should be on the other side of the room, not a few inches away from him. 

“Too fucking late.” He ran his ring cladded fingers through his hair. 

“What do you want me to say, Angel? You hurt me, you didn’t make time for me. Our relationship was over long before that day.” It was the truth. You subconsciously knew your relationship was over with Angel before you had officially broken it off. You were just too scared to admit it to yourself, too desperate to hang onto the hope that he’d actually show up for you. But he never did and you knew it was time. 

“I know, I fucked up. I know that. But what you did that day… that was cold.” You chewed on your bottom lip. Part of you did feel bad for giving him a false sense of hope that day, using him for your release and then dropping him. But you needed to end the relationship on a high note, end it with a sweet goodbye and not a bitter storm of curses, in the end it was all just bittersweet. 

“I just… I needed you, Angel. I had missed you so much and I needed something…” You couldn’t find your words but you knew he knew what you meant, even if that day hurt like a bitch for him. He stepped forward, making a move to grab your arm but you backed up and shook your head. 

“Mami, please…” He begged, this time you went still as he grabbed your arm with one hand and cupped your cheek with the other. Your body buzzed to life at his touch, like Angel flipped a switch and you were back on again, like you were just being dragged through life this past month on auto pilot, like he had finally given you the reins back to your body. 

“Angel…” You were weak, your wavering voice gave you away. He leaned forward, his lips grazing yours slightly, his warm breath mingling with your own. You felt giddy as he surrounded you, as he invaded everything you were once again. And when he pressed his lips to yours, you melted into it. He licked along your lips and you opened your mouth, tongues sliding against each other. You moaned into it and grabbed onto his vest, trying to steady yourself at this heady feeling he gave you every time his lips were on any part of you. His hand slid to your waist and you had half a mind to snap out of your daze. You pulled away and he craned his neck, trying to chase your lips. You pushed on his chest lightly, wanting him to stop. 

“No, Angel, we can’t…” You couldn’t get hurt again. You couldn’t just fall back into him just for him to keep you at home waiting up for him and waiting on his call, and when neither came you’d be right back where you started. 

“Querida, I love you… I need you.” He whispered against your cheek. Hearing him say those words only made your heart ache worse and only made you want him more. It was damn confusing. You wanted him but you couldn’t put yourself through that shit again. 

You knew what he meant. I need you. He didn’t just need a release, he needed you. Just like that day you broke up with him, you needed him to give you that high but you quite plainly just needed him. 

“Fine. Let’s fuck and then go our separate ways.” You said, pulling him in for another kiss, needing the distraction. Not wanting to think about how fucking stupid that offer was, how fucking stupid you were. Sex wasn’t going to do anything but fill your base desire, it wasn’t going to give you back that piece of your heart that was ripped away from you when you left. He didn’t let the kiss go on more than a few seconds, pulling away, confusion and despair written all over his face. 

“What?”

“Fuck me, Angel. We need it.” You stated plainly. He shook his head and backed up from you. 

“No. I need you.” His words pricked another pain in your heart. 

“Then take me.” You offered. You were sure you had lost your damn mind. But you wanted Angel, maybe it wasn’t exactly the way you wanted him but you’d take it. 

“Fuck no. That’s not what I want.” You sighed, he wasn’t making this easy. Because it wasn’t what you wanted either. Yeah, you were desperate to feel him inside you again but it’s not truly what you wanted. 

“That’s all I can offer.” Your words came out softer than you planned, sadder. He scoffed, running his hand down his face. 

“You want a release, mami? I’ll give you one, but you’re not getting my dick. I can’t… I can’t be inside you without wanting to stay there. Can’t give you that if I know you’re just going to leave again.” You weren’t sure what he was offering. But it didn’t matter because he was more upset than he had been just a few moments ago. 

“Angel…” You shook your head not knowing what to say. Fuck, if he fucked you right now you wouldn’t want him to go anywhere either. But that wasn’t your reality. The reality was that he fucked up and sex didn’t fix it the first time and it certainly wasn’t going to fix it this time. 

“I’ll make you come on my tongue, and then you can walk out that door but you’ll walk out knowing only I can take you to heaven.” You swallowed hard at his words as he crowded your space again. Your breath hitched as he pulled you into his chest, making you look into his eyes. 

“I’m not going to stop. Not gonna stop calling, texting, not gonna stop until you give me another chance to prove to you how much I fucking love you. But right now, I’ll give you what you want. Even if it kills me.” And with that he slid to his knees. Your whole world stopped at the confession, at him kneeling before you, ready to worship you in a way only he could. The sight of him on his knees, the rush you felt as he trailed his hands up your bare thighs, it was like no other high you had ever felt. Your salvation and your destruction kneeled before you, ready to prove to you how deadly the mix of the two was. Your angel on his knees ready to sin. 

His lips trailed up your thighs and you threw your head back, steadying yourself by placing your hands on his shoulders. His warm breath getting closer to the place you needed him most had your core clenching around nothing, had you squirming, waiting for him. 

“Fuck…” You breathed out as he lifted your dress to get his mouth right on the skin above your panties. You bit down hard on your bottom lip as you felt yourself getting wetter at his teasing. His lips skimmed your stomach before he forcefully yanked your panties down, a contrast to his gentle and slow movements. You gasped at the action but before you could react further, he buried his face in your pussy, throwing one of your legs over his shoulder in the process. You yelped at the sudden intensity, at his wet tongue sliding through your folds and flicking against your clit. 

“Oh god.” You cried, grabbing onto his hair and grinding yourself into his face. He let you, following your movements, never relenting, never taking his mouth off you. Heaven. He wasn’t wrong, only your angel could take you there. 

“Missed your taste. Missed you.” He mumbled against your slick. He said the last part so quietly you almost didn’t hear him, but you did. You heard him and it stung but the pleasure he was also giving you was overpowering your thoughts on his confession. 

“Feels so good, Angel.” Your words spurred him on as he trailed his tongue to your hole, fucking you. You whined at the intrusion and rolled your hips and pulled his head in deeper. You were drowning again, or flying, or possibly dying. It felt too good, felt too sweet to be anything but something so fucking dangerous yet so damn exhilarating. 

You were so lost in your pleasure you almost didn’t notice the door open, Angel obviously didn’t, head still buried in your pussy. The head that peeked around the door was the same woman who had been trying to fuck Angel all night. Her eyes widened at the sight and you should’ve felt embarrassed, but all you felt was that satisfaction again. Angel was here with you, on his goddamn knees for you. Pleasuring you and wanting nothing in return. At your mercy. Your head clouded with need at the thought, not because he was here with you and not some other woman but because he’d only ever do this for you. 

You moaned a little louder and the girl snapped out of her shock and displeasure as she awkwardly closed the door. 

Now that she was gone, you were once again focused on your man. Not your man. Angel said this would kill him, he didn’t know it was going to kill you too even if you got your release. 

“Gonna come…” You cried as he flicked your clit with his tongue. You were yanking at his hair, which only made him moan and made for a sweet vibration on that bundle of nerves. You rolled your hips against his face faster, nearing the edge. The sounds his tongue and your slick were making were enough to put a porno to shame and it only brought you closer. 

“Come, let me take you there.” Heaven. You could see it behind your eyelids, could fucking feel it as your orgasm finally shot through the surface, taking you sky high. You let out a litany of curses mixed with his name, eyes watering at the intensity of your high. Earlier you didn’t know if you were flying or drowning, what you realized now was that you were flying and drowning. A mix of gasping for air while simultaneously flying right through it. 

Finally you caught a breath as your climax started to fade, Angel still licking his way through it with gentle strokes. You whined as you finally came down, finally came back to this world. He lapped you up slowly and then placed a small kiss to your clit before pulling away and looking up at you. Your breath shook as you looked into his eyes, as he kept your gaze and laced his fingers through yours. You let him. Not having the energy to fight him. He knew what this was, he said it himself before he dropped to his knees. It made you feel slightly less guilty about only taking and not giving. 

He finally got to his feet. You saw the tent in his pants but he adjusted himself and cursed under his breath. He didn’t seem to care about that though as he looked at you. You didn’t like the look. A look that held a lot of promise. His beard was slightly damp from your come and your core throbbed at the sight. He licked his lips as if he knew what you were thinking about and took your face in his hands. 

“Forgive me.” He whispered, desperate again. You knew what it was. He said he’d get you off, nothing to it, but of course there was a small part of him that thought you’d change your mind after another orgasm. 

“No.” Your words stung him, you could tell. But his face hardened and you thought he’d pull away. But instead, he stroked your bottom lip with his thumb.

“You will.” And with that promise he was walking out the door, leaving you more confused than ever. 

Taglist: @starrynite7114​ @xladymacbethx @fear-less-write-more @bigcreatorwombatdreamer @glimmerglittergirl @vicmackeybullshxt @miss-nori85 @blessedboo @kalimont83 @ctrlbitch​ @angelreyesgirl​ @langiinspirations​ @lilac-tea-time​ @melancholymelanin​ @-im-fantastic-​ @withmyteeth @isisafrofairy​ @elektriknachosss​ @krysiewithak​ @thegirlwhoisalwayswriting @mental-bycatch​ @smurfflynn​ @blackmissfrizzle​ @arination99​ @bucky-iss-bae​ (if you want to be removed from the taglist for this fic pls let me know!)

[nooneelsecomesclose17]

Last Christmas

Day 2

What if the reunion never happened and Robert did go home with Mike? What would next Christmas look like?

(AO3 link)

*****

That’s why I need to do this, step aside, let you go

“Aaron! There you are, I’ve been looking everywhere.” Vic comes bouncing up to him, nearly making him drop his pint.

“Where?”

“Home, the scrapyard.” She waved a hand at his rolling eyes. “Anyway, me and Adam, we’re having a party on Christmas Eve and you’re invited. With a plus one obviously.”

“Like that’s going to happen the way my life’s going.” He looked at her. “Is Robert going to be there?”

“I think so. It depends if…well if Mike’s working or not. But say you’ll come, please! Adam will be so disappointed if you don’t.”

“Maybe.” He can already see the pout starting. “I said maybe Vic.”

“You know you broke up with him, you went to the hospital last year and told him you couldn’t be with him. He moved on Aaron, so maybe you should too.” With that she’s gone and when he turns back to his drink he sees his Mum looking at him. “What?”

“Nothing. She is right though, there’s no point wondering about what might have been. He’s happy, maybe you need to try and find that too. I thought that Alex…”

“No.”

“Aaron, you didn’t give him a chance.”

“Because it was never anything more than a couple of dates. You and Liv kept pushing so I just put up with it but I was bored Mum.”

“Well someone else then. Just because he wasn’t right doesn’t mean someone else won’t be. Oh don’t give me that look.”

“They won’t. You don’t get it. I had perfect, I had the right one and I let him go.”

“He broke your heart.”

“I broke his too, more than once. You never got it, me and him. All you saw was the bad stuff. I saw that too but I also saw the real Robert.”

“I am not going to apologise for disliking the man who hurt you Aaron.” She sighed, reaching for his hand. “If you really feel that way, why don’t you try. Maybe he feels the same as you.”

“He doesn’t. You’ve seen him with Mike, they’re good together and now he sees Seb every other weekend. I’m not wading in and ruining that.” He downed the rest of his pint, needing space. “I’m going home.”

“Aaron no…stay, we’ll talk.”

“There’s nothing else to say is there. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

_____

What kind of friend would you be to me Aaron?

He hasn’t see Victoria since she invited him and he’s risking breakfast in the cafe, hoping she won’t ambush him again. He’s very tempted by the party but he knows it’ll be awkward.

He’s met Mike more than once since the night outside the club, and he’s nice, he’s funny and he’s probably perfect for Robert, but they’ve been fleeting occurrences, in the pub or at village events because every time he sees them he remembers what he’s lost. He doesn’t know how he’ll feel about attending a Christmas party with them together.

“Tea please Brenda, and not that weak stuff you normally make, a proper cuppa.”

“Manners cost nothing you know.”

“Making friends again I see.” Robert’s voice comes from behind him and he swivels round. He looks amazing. Now he’s got past everything with the Whites and his stupid revenge he looks so much happier, more relaxed. The little boy he’s holding onto has helped with that he knows. “Hi.”

“Hi. Hey Seb, you keeping Daddy company today?” He tickles the little boys foot, making him giggle and squirm in Robert’s arms.

“Yeah, we’re going to buy a Christmas tree, aren’t we, eh? Cos Mummy is feeling extra generous and letting you spend Christmas with me.”

“Really?” He knew that Rebecca could still be difficult when it came to access although Robert is grateful for any given what had happened. “That’s great Rob, really.”

He steps back, can feel himself acting like they’re still together, the soft voice he uses, everything that he shouldn’t be doing unless they’re together.

“Brenda, make it to go will ya?” He yells into the back, ignoring that Robert looks disappointed. “Early pick up.”

“Yeah course. Um…Vic mentioned she’d invited you to the party.”

“Thinking of giving it a miss.”

“Oh. Well I was going to say, if it’s because of me, me and Mike, we just won’t go.”

“What? No. Don’t be daft. Vic’s your sister. Not really my thing to be honest.”

“Since when?” He shrugs not looking at him, grateful that Brenda hands him his tea and he can leave.

“I’ve got to go. See you around. Bye mate.” He tickles Seb once more and he’s gone.

As he’s driving out to Hotten he thinks back to the year before, having to take Rebecca to hospital, feeling completely out of place and then Robert was there and they couldn’t stop staring at each other. He’d thought he’d hate the little boy, thought he could never look at him and not see Rebecca, remember what happened. In reality it’s nothing like that, he’s just a little boy, cute as hell and looking exactly like Robert. He's even watched him a few times when Robert or Vic have been in a fix. He can’t help thinking that if he’d felt that way the year before that none of it would’ve happened, he would never have broken it off and he wouldn’t be alone now, watching Robert move on.

_____

I care about you more than I care about myself which is a lot

The day of the party dawns and he’s still adamant he’s not going. His Mum and Vic have been on at him all week but he keeps telling them he’s decided. He hasn’t seen Robert since the day in the cafe, keeping out of the way, staying at home once he’d closed up the yard. He’s decorated and everything, mostly for Liv, but she’s off in Ireland now so he’s alone. He’s supposed to be going up to the farm for Jessie and Marlon’s wedding the next day but he can’t be bothered, will probably spend the day playing video games or binging more Top Gear. He has no desire to be jolly and happy at a wedding when his life is such a mess.

A part of him keeps thinking about the party and whether he should go. Adam’s been on at him all week in that puppy dog way of his and he doesn’t want to let him down. It’s been a tough year for him and finally he’s starting to come out the other side so he should support him. He also think it looks like he’s avoiding Robert and even though he is, he doesn’t want everyone else to know.

He’s still undecided by the time the party is meant to start and he argues with himself a bit longer before making a decision. He can’t avoid every party or place Robert goes to forever, not unless he wants to become a hermit. Decision made he runs upstairs, putting on his best jeans and shirt, tells himself he’s not making himself look good for anyone, but he’s not convincing.

His confidence falters the nearer he gets to the house but he makes himself carry on and then he’s being grabbed by Adam.

"Get off! Shouldn’t you be in the house?”

“Beer run. Decided to come then.”

“Couldn’t leave you pining for me now could I?”

“Robert’s here.”

“And?”

“Just sayin’. You’re looking smart. Not dressing up for anyone are you?”

“You of course. I can’t keep it in any longer. I’ve tried mate, but I just can’t get over you.” He teases him, ducking away from his as he goes to shove him, laughing for the first time in days.

Vic’s house is small enough that you can’t avoid people, even at a party when it’s full, and he spots Robert straight away. He’s wearing his favourite shirt, the dark blue one with the white specks like the night sky. He loves that shirt. He swallows and looks away as he smiles at Mike, turning to grab a can from the side. He should’ve stayed at home, everyone’s in a couple except him it looks like.

“Aaron! You made it.” Vic shouts from across the room, making Robert look over, smiling at him, him nodding back. Would it ever not hurt, would he ever stop blaming himself.

“Couldn’t have you saying I never make an effort could I?”

“You know he misses you.”

“Vic, don’t.”

“I’m just saying, he might be with Mike and they might be happy but he misses you.”

“Like you said he’s happy, and that’s good so…let’s just leave it yeah?” She nods reluctantly and he can’t help hugging her. She’s his oldest friend and he hates that disappointed look she gets. “Now, are you going to put some decent music on?”

_____

I’ll be the best friend you’ve ever had

He’s coming out of the bathroom when he bumps into him. He’d managed to avoid an actual conversation all night but now there’s no avoiding it.

“Alright?”

“Are you avoiding me?” Typical Robert, never one to bother with small talk.

“What? No. Why would I?”

“That’s what I wondered. Did I do something? Was it the other day with Seb?”

“Course not. Anyway where is he tonight? Thought you’d be doing the whole milk for Santa thing.”

“Diane’s got him, pretty much snatched him from me on the doorstep. He’s too young for that anyway. Still didn’t answer my question, because you are avoiding me.” He’s had enough now, he’s the one all over his boyfriend and he’s asking Aaron what the matter is. He has no right to be annoyed but he is and he can’t just switch it off.

“You’re imagining it.”

“I’m not. You were the one who said we could be mates and just lately you’re like a cat on a hot tin roof every time I’m around. Have you got a problem with me and Mike? Or is it that he’s a guy? Not what you expected. Thought I’d ‘go back to women’ or whatever it is you’ve concocted in your head.” He flushes at that, knew he’d never been the most understanding or considerate when it came to Robert’s sexuality, his own insecurities getting in the way of supporting him, but he can’t listen to it, he’s getting too close to the truth. He couldn’t care less who he’s with or what gender they are, it’s the fact he’s with anyone at all that’s bothering him.

“Get lost Robert.” He pushes past him and runs down the stairs and out the door, ignoring his shout, no idea where he’s going.

He doesn’t stop until he’s at the bridge. Their bridge. He laughs to himself, they didn’t have anything any more.

“Thank God you’ve stopped running, I’m out of shape.” Came the breathless voice behind him.

“Go back to the party Robert.”

“No.”

“You’re annoying you know that?”

“It’s been said. Come on, talk to me. We always used to be able to talk. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Just leave it.”

“I’m not stupid. I know what this is all about. What I don’t get is why. I thought it was because I was with Mike but we’ve been going out since February and you and I were fine ’til just recently.”

“You don’t know anything.”

“I know that you’re wishing we were still together, that you hadn’t told me you couldn’t be with me last Christmas, that I hadn’t told Alex I was letting you go.” He looks up at him. “Do you think I don’t think the same thing?”

“You…you do?”

“Yeah. For a minute back then I thought you were going to say you’d dumped him and wanted me back but then your face changed and I knew, so I said what I did. It was for the best.”

“Was it?” He didn’t see how, he’d been miserable for most of the year, just getting by.

“Yeah, because you and me, like I told him, it was intense, but…”

“But…I don’t understand why you told him you were letting me go. Just the night before you made this scene in the pub, all it’s you and me Aaron, it always was and it always will be or whatever and then you just act like it’s nothing.”

“It was never nothing Aaron. It hurt more than anything saying what I did.”

“So why do it then?” He shouts into the night.

“Because I had to, because of the things I saw.”

“What?”

“When I was unconscious I kept dreaming, the same thing over and over, but not."

“I don’t understand. You dumped me because of a dream?”

“I didn’t dump you, we weren’t together.”

“Ok Mr pernickety. What did you dream about that you didn’t dump me over.”

"I don't want to talk about it."

“You brought it up.” Robert moves as if to leave. “Oi, you followed me out here to try and drag some kind of confession out of me and now you’re going to leave when I try and do the same?”

"I..." He blows on his hands, stalling for time. "It was like a nightmare, the same thing over and over. You know like Groundhog Day?” They’ve never spoken about this before but Aaron can still remember getting the call from Alex telling him Robert was hurt, that it was bad. He’d never been so scared.

“Eh?" He rolls his eyes.

"The film…with Bill Murray?" Aaron shakes his head. "Right, my new years resolution is introducing you to nineties movies."

"Alright Grandad."

"I'm serious!"

"Yeah, yeah...so what it was just the same dream?"

"Yeah. But each time it was a bit different…Lawrence, Rebecca, Lachlan all stopping me from getting to you. Then it changed...it was Christmas and then it wasn't. Everyone was in black and I didn't know why.” Suddenly he grabbed Aaron's hand. "It was your funeral and Val was there saying all this stuff like I was bad for you, that if I didn't let you go then it'd all be true."

"It was just a dream Robert...that's all. A weird one. but just a dream."

"But what if she’d been right? What if in the end I’d push you so far that…you’d already hurt yourself because of what I did.”

“Not just because of that, and I make my own choices Robert. Do you honestly think my life until then would’ve been better without you?”

"You obviously did, you said we couldn’t be together. What was I supposed to do, get down on my knees and beg you to take me back? Lose what tiny shred of dignity I had left. You made that decision Aaron, you were very clear about that.”

“When I came to the hospital I was so sick of everyone telling me what to do. I had Mum and Paddy all day going on about you nearly dying, almost like they were disappointed, and then Vic started lecturing me on how I should be sure and how I should be lucky I had someone at Christmas. Then I come to see you and before I can say anything you’re telling me you’d told Alex you were letting me go.”

“But…”

“I was just so angry Robert, and scared. I’d nearly lost you and it just felt like you didn’t want me, so I took the easy way out, didn’t want to fight, didn’t want to deal with all the stuff going on. So I stayed with Alex, thought it was for the best…and it was. Look at you Robert, you’ve got your life back on track. You’ve stopped that stupid revenge thing you had going on and sorted proper access to your son with Rebecca, you’re with Mike and he seems great.”

“He’s not you.”

“Maybe that’s the point.”

“It’s not. Are you happy? Honestly?” He opens his mouth, all ready to tell him the truth but he can’t, the words won’t come.

“Happy’s overrated. Maybe I don’t know what that is.”

“You did, with me, didn’t you?”

“But it ended.”

“Because of me.”

“Because of both of us. We both made mistakes. I took drugs, I pushed you away. It’s not all on you and I should never have said it was. Maybe it doesn’t matter, maybe it would always have ended. Maybe we were always meant to be just a short lived thing.”

“I don’t believe that.” He moves closer, crowding him against the bridge rail.

“So why are you with him? Why didn’t you fight for me? Tell me I was wrong.”

“Because sometimes you get tired of fighting.” He moves away then and Aaron feels cold. “It wasn’t easy being with you. I mean it was, when it was just us, but it never was. There was always something. Your Mum, Paddy, they hate me and maybe they’re right, but to have that constantly thrown at you is exhausting. Then there’s Liv. I love her Aaron you know I do but I always felt like I had to prove I liked her, that I had to fight for your attention. Maybe that’s why I did what I did, I don’t know. All I know is that some days it felt like I was so low on your list of priorities it wasn’t worth it any more.”

“I’m sorry.” He swipes away the tears that have started falling. “You never said anything.”

“I didn’t think I should have to. Aaron when all this was happening you’d just been through the worst thing in the world. I had to…no I wanted to be there for you. I wasn’t about to burden you with my petty worries. Then there was Holly, and the accident and…then Bex arrived and I just focussed on the money like I always do.”

“For the right reasons though, for Andy, for me and Liv.”

“Didn’t work though. Then I lost you, and I know it was my fault, whatever you say, I broke us.” Robert stares down at the water. “Last Christmas, on that road, if I’d known that car was coming, I don’t know if I would’ve cared.”

“Don’t say that.” He grabs his arm, holding on for dear life. “Robert…”

“I had nothing Aaron. I’d lost you, I’d lost my home, my son. What was the point?”

“Me. You always had me even if we weren’t together.” Robert shook his head. “You did and I’m sorry if you didn’t realise that. I would never have let you deal with it all alone but you always seemed ok, like you were enjoying getting them back.”

“I was at first, wanted them to pay, but then Seb was born and it didn’t feel right after that but I’d gone so far I couldn’t undo it. Then they found out and I lost him. Maybe my Dad was right, maybe I just mess up everything.”

“No. He was wrong Robert. That man didn’t know the first thing about you. Look what you’ve done for me. You found Liv, you saved my life, more than once…”

“I only did what needed doing. I wanted to give you so much Aaron, everything you deserved.”

“I only ever needed you to love me Robert, and you did. You loved me like no one else ever has and I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you like you have been for me.”

“We can’t change it now can we?” He looks up at him, wanting to ask, to see if there’s the slightest chance. He’s even leaning in for a kiss before he can stop himself.

“Here you are.” He steps back as he hears Mike approaching.

“Sorry. Just wanted some air.” Robert sniffs, trying not to let his boyfriend se he’s been crying.

“My fault, kept him talking. He’s all yours.”

“Aaron wait…”

“It’s alright, think we said everything, don’t you? Merry Christmas Robert. Hope the two of you have a good one.”

_____

It’s you and me, it always has been, it always will be

He doesn’t go back to the party, goes home instead, opens another beer, laying down on the sofa wondering just how much of an idiot he must be to even imagine that Robert might want to give them another chance. He was happy, it was Aaron who was miserable, who couldn’t move on when he’d had the chance to the year before. It was all him. How he was going to face him now he didn’t know.

He doesn’t know when he fell asleep but he’s woken by a banging on the front door. He stumbles to his feet, scrubbing at his eyes as he pulls the door open ready to shout at whoever it is at this time on Christmas Eve, when he sees Robert.

“You just ran.”

“You had Mike.”

“Aaron…” He looks around. “Can I come in?”

“Why Robert? We’ve been through everything.”

“No we haven’t. You’ve had your say but I haven’t had mine.” He stands back lets him inside shivering against the cold. “This time last year I’d just been hit by a car and it gave me a wake up call, a wake up call that I desperately needed.”

“Rob, I don’t…”

“Shut up a minute, will you.” He shuts his mouth, sinking on to the arm of the chair. “You’re so infuriating some times, always think you know what I’m going to say.”

“Sorry.”

“Stop apologising. You didn’t do anything wrong! Anyone with an ounce of sense wouldn’t give me a second chance and I’m on about my fiftieth with you. You were going to kiss me weren’t you, back on the bridge.”

“It was just…”

“I wish you had.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“What about Mike? You’re happy.”

“Yeah, we are. But he’s not you and he never will be. That’s why I told him it was over.”

“What?”

“That’s nearly as bad as the apologising. He already knew it wasn’t going anywhere. He knew before I did. But…you and me, I don’t know.”

“So why the hell are you here?”

“Because I want there to be you idiot! But it’s not just me anymore and I don’t want to do this and make a mistake. I can’t lose you again Aaron, I won’t survive it.”

“So we talk. We never talked Robert not really and that’s on both of us.”

“And you can deal with Seb, with Rebecca because she’s around Aaron, she has to be.”

“I know. I’ll handle it. You know I love him Robert, it was never about him. I want to know your son, to be around him as he grows up. And Rebecca, it won’t be easy but I’ll deal with it. I told you, it wasn’t on her. We broke us.”

“Your Mum will hate it.”

“I don’t know, she might surprise you. Anyway I don’t care. I never have, have I? If I’d got rid every time she told me all your bad points we wouldn’t be here now would we.” He sighs, “What about you? I’ve not been the best boyfriend have I? Some of the stuff I said, about you, your sexuality.”

“It’s done Aaron. It hurt but…you get it now yeah?” He nods. “Then it’s fine. Like you said we need to talk. I never really told you how much it hurt when you said that stuff, because deep down I thought that I deserved it, like my Dad said.”

“No Robert…no. You’re amazing and he was wrong, so so wrong. So was I, and I’ll be better. I haven’t supported you the way I should, with my family, with Liv, with anything. But I will. You’ve always been there for me, now it’s time for me to be there for you. If…if that’s what you want.”

“I…can we really do this? Have a life together?”

“Yeah, I think we can. This time we know the mistakes we’ve made so we don’t make them again. All we can do is give it our best shot. Til we’re eighty, remember?” Robert laughs and he gets up, pulling him to his feet. “I love you, that never changed, never went away.”

“I love you too. Can’t believe this.”

“Promise, you’re not dreaming.” He kisses him, holding on tight as if he’ll disappear if he doesn’t. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas Aaron.”

[stingslikeabee]

❛ do i look like the kind of person who dies? ❜

medieval & fantasy sentence starters . accepting

There had been something off about Rufus for the entire evening and Melissa failed to determine just what was it. It was more like intuition than anything else – on the outside, the young president behaved as expected of him: his charm was always present, conversation flowed perfectly, his posture and gestures betrayed nothing. The madame’s impressions got stronger once they were in private, and it wasn’t until they were both in the fluffy (and white) robes provided by the hotel traditionally selected by Rufus that it all became clear.

He padded across the room to retrieve an envelope that had been left over a desk earlier, and then returned to her side to disclose the contents to Melissa. Eyes flickering towards her face, he started to explain what it all meant despite his voice remaining neutral, almost as if he was talking about any regular Shinra-related business and not murder.

“I’m afraid I have some bad news. I had the Turks look into some of these girls you reported to be missing from the inn… We found them. Their bodies were left in different Shinra scrapyards below the plate, at locations of no ease access. The methods used were… Peculiar.”

The pictures showed the heartbreaking fate of the former employees to Melissa – the woman did not contain a pained gasp, and immediately reached for the pictures that would have repulsed other people. Her gaze dropped over the photos, taking it all in: she had been used to violence and unspeakable things; their entire prior investigation together had been worse than any nightmare she used to wake up from as a child.

The least she owed to these girls was to acknowledge the pain they had suffered – there was no way this was not connected to the Honey Bee Inn, after all. An employee had suddenly disappeared during each of the past months – at first, Melissa had hoped they had just moved abroad or found a different job; but when calls went unreturned and no friends knew their whereabouts, the madame had assumed the worst.

And a mother’s instincts were hardly wrong – it was painful to look at the physical evidence of their cruel endings, but she couldn’t bring herself to ignore it either.

“They were poisoned, incinerated and asphyxiated, respectively,” Rufus said quietly, but the woman was listening intently, eyes stinging with tears when she raised her face to meet the president’s visage. It filled her with cold rage, but this – was this the reason Rufus was acting so strange? It felt like this was something below his station, the kind of conversation she could have held directly with Tseng.

“I am fairly sure these are messages to you, Melissa,” at her scoff and roll of eyes, however, Rufus reached out to place a hand on her arm, drawing her attention to him again, “There is a deeper meaning here – the way they were disposed of was not random. While we were trying to find some element of connection, we realized something – they were all killed by the three ways bees have been known to dispatch their enemies in the wild. Stinging, or poison, thermo-balling and asphyxiation.”

At that – Melissa paused, looking at the president as if he had suddenly started speaking in a different language. He gave her some time to look back to the pictures, then once more at his face – and there was a somber, dark shadow on Rufus’ face then. Suddenly, the inn proprietress knew – that was it; the reason she had thought the man to be acting a bit strangely despite the overall pleasing evening.

“Whoever targeted them, did so because of you. They are implying you, the queen bee, is responsible for their deaths. This is extremely personal – and something done in awareness you have a degree of backing and support by either the Turks or Shinra. These would not have been as easily located if you had hired anyone else; they were relying on the fact you would come to me on this, and that we would uncover the bodies. This has been carefully planned, Melissa – and this sophistication is way above Corneo.”

Rufus’ words had been the ones Melissa had been thinking about – there was no way her old nemesis would have the intelligence or the resources to plan something like this; Corneo was direct, crude and limited – his power did not extend further than Wall Market, and yet their bodies had been found very far away from Sector 6.

“It also suggests them to be aware of your link to Shinra – we have been unable to determine if this is being done in retribution for your role in our last shared endeavor, but we cannot discount the possibility. Furthermore – we do not believe they have reason to stop. We have to take some drastic measures to ensure this happens to no one else or, worse, reaches you.”

“And what do you suggest? To lock me away? To have me under surveillance on a daily basis?” her voice came out bitter, angry; the tears had begun to roll freely from her eyes, and she was visibly distressed by the news. Melissa had always known she was playing with fire when she took the inn away from Corneo, but she had never imagined it to turn into something so bloody and violent – but then again, the woman had never considered the idea she would one day be tangled in a web of lies linked to Winston Shinra, Neo-Midgar and a fanatic, crazed goal.

Her claims had not been meant maliciously or even as a throwback to what Rufus had endured under his father – but just like the president, Melissa knew a thing or two about cages; much of her younger years had been spent trapped under Corneo and his vicious lackeys, and the idea of losing what little freedom she had bought for herself and those working by her side seemed like a fate worse than death.

“Actually, no – I don’t think locking you anywhere helps eliminate the problem at all,” Rufus said, and then he inhaled sharply, a shadow of a smile appearing on his lips as he next spoke, “In fact, Melissa – I think you should die.”

There was a pause there – one that extended if only because the madame stared at Rufus with such disbelief in her eyes that words failed Melissa for a moment. But before she could say anything, Rufus did chuckle and reached out to her, gently grabbing her by the chin and making sure she had an unobstructed view of his own icy blue eyes – a way to show the woman he had nothing to hide.

“I am not taking about you, personally, Lilian,” and with that, her honey-colored eyes went wide and surprised, and she almost recoiled from Rufus’ touch – if only because it still felt so strange to hear name – her real one – in his voice, or even said aloud anywhere. It felt like a lifetime ago when she was regularly called that way, and perhaps she would never grow used to hearing it again. “I mean ‘Melissa’ – she was a persona you crafted, was she not? This individual is targeting the queen bee she represents, not you individually. If ‘Melissa’ dies, if her kingdom goes up in flames until we apprehend him – your girls should be safe. More importantly: you,” he paused, releasing her face then but without breaking eye contact, “Should be safe.”

And then it all fell into place – Rufus Shinra felt guilty, or at least accountable for something. Everything that was happening – it was claiming innocent lives, not unlike the stone they had destroyed before (albeit at a slower pace); but this time, it was bringing her and those she cared about to the center of the stage and the only reason for any attention to be given to Melissa and the Honey Bee Inn had been her link to the president, and possibly their previous enterprise. Before she embarked on that journey with him – she had just been a brothel madame with a contained cold war with Don Corneo.

But Rufus had brought her into the spotlight – with their open association and by giving her a position that far exceeded the one she had as a self-styled queen of the slums, so had the bounty of her head increased for anyone who did not share her ideas (or any love for Shinra). Melissa was no longer a neutral party – she had been linked with the one company controlling Midgar and now represented an unofficial branch where previously there was none.

Her personal connection to Rufus certainly did not help matters, either. From any angle one could observe it – Melissa had gone too deep to claim otherwise; she had been ensnared and captured by Shinra in more ways than one - there had been no real necessity for her to be sharing a bed with the president, and yet there she was.

Inhaling softly, the inn proprietress wiped the tears from her eyes away, willing her nerves to stay under control and seeking to bring her most rational, level-headed self into play instead of the emotional side that always tended to surface first. Looking at Rufus, she somehow managed a smile at him, a nod of her head following.

“Well – I suppose every sovereign eventually is succeeded by another. How should we do this?”

“We can discuss the details later with Tseng – you will need some help if this is to be done correctly,” he said, a hand going to her face and brushing some hair away, tucking it gently behind her ear. The president’s lips curved upwards then, an interested glint dancing in his cerulean eyes before he spoke up, “But am I correct in assuming you would not oppose to living in Costa del Sol?”

Rufus’ question caused an entirely unexpected bout of laughter from Melissa; despite the seriousness of it all, the horrible fate suffered by some of her own and even the evident life-threatening situation she was exposed herself – he made it sound as if they had been discussing something as trivial as a vacation, and the madame couldn’t hold back that genuine, amused response.

But it turned out that the president had not been joking – in order for his plan to work, Melissa needed to die, and of course Lilian had to be moved to another place where no one could link the two together and the ruse served its purpose. Over the next couple of weeks, they met frequently to align and decide on the tiniest details of their plan – it needed to be done in a way to cause the maximum destruction of the inn (and of course, its owner), but without claiming more lives.

Considering how the Honey Bee Inn never closed on a particular week day, a gas leak was used as the best excuse available, forcing administrative staff and honeygirls out alike. Melissa remained – she did live there, afterwards – and under the guise of hiring professionals to search the establishment for the leak. Meanwhile, she packed – only the most essential, prized possessions were taken; she would never be able to fit everything into a couple of suitcases, and frankly, there wasn’t a lot of attachment from her part for most of her dresses, jewelry or other material belongings.

With one last longing, sorrowful look at the building that had been her home for decades, the madame was taken out of the inn during the quiet hours of morning, the Turks hiding and transporting her to the private airport used by Shinra. She was already en route to Costa del Sol when the Honey Bee Inn went up in flames, a small explosion from the kitchen orchestrated in order to quickly consume the place, leaving no chance for a woman who would be sleeping at such hours.

Melissa was dead – the charred body uncovered from the debris later identified by her staff given the bracelets still attached to the lifeless form, and her passing made the news on local papers and TV alike. Many mourned her – Melissa had been, after all, a beloved figure during her years as queen of the Wall Market, known for helping the more vulnerable with a kind word and a soothing embrace. Love – in opposition to the terror inflicted by the Don.

And as the funeral for Melissa was held in the minds and hearts of the citizens of Midgar who had known her, Lilian began a new life across the ocean, under another new, false identity. It was still too risky to resort to anything truthful – so she became a Costan woman, Isabel Avelar, who had lived most of her time abroad but returned to her homeland after the passing of her parents. She had inherited their small business – a bakery and the apartment where they lived, and intended to carry on with their work.

Isabel adjusted surprisingly well to her new life – the Turks checked on her somewhat frequently, either in person or by other means of communication; in the meantime, she formed friendly connections at her new home, her experience from running a much bigger and complex business in Midgar coming in handy now – the shop was child’s play next to the place she managed previously, and she had always loved cooking and baking – it was hard work, but so very rewarding.

Despite the bleak origin of that plan and the pain that certainly had been caused for many who had once known her – Isabel was happy; she missed those in Midgar, but she knew it was a temporary solution. One day – she would be able to return, when it was safe for herself and those she still held close to her heart.

Or so she thought – nothing prepared the woman for Meteor.

The entire thing developed just after a few weeks when she got word that whoever had been after her had likely been caught; soon she would be able to return home – only Midgar was completely destroyed by Meteor a few days later, the images on the television being repeated over and over again.

It was impossible to precise how many had died – but Rufus Shinra had been among the ones who had assuredly perished in the last moments. His office had been hit, the part of the building where the president was at the time completely destroyed. There had been no body found, according to the press – but Isabel had seen the wreckage of the tower left behind, the way the town was covered in debris and burnt metal in a scale far worse than platefall.

Rufus couldn’t have survived that – he had been a Shinra, but he had been just human.

The next couple of years took a toll on Isabel – it had been much harder to keep going when there was a sense that returning home was no longer a possibility. Despite the press coverage on Edge and how the new town at the outskirts of Midgar had been born at an incredible pace if only to house those who had been so harshly displaced, it felt like another life – another country. She had only known Midgar (and mostly the slums); now, Costa del Sol was more of a sanctum than the new buildings of Edge could ever truly hope to be. Many of old acquaintances had probably perished, too – she had no way of knowing where they would be, or how to find them again.

On top of that – the Turks, Shinra; there was no more evidence that a trace of Shinra had really survived, and it had caused her much more pain than originally imagined. During her time as ‘Melissa’ – she had harbored deeply conflicting emotions about the company and what it meant, particularly when personified in the form of Rufus. She had once violently hated the man – then had come to hold impossible affection for the same individual in a matter of months.

How did one learn to leave with so much trapped inside her chest and with no way of either voicing these feelings again?

And yet, the gods had more in store for her – and the figure of Reno in her shop one day when she was returning with groceries felt almost like a dream. Isabel dropped everything to the ground, uncaring for the state of the food after the hit against the pavement – and she hugged Reno faster than he could have moved, and the tears that streamed along her face had surprised even the former madame. By Shiva – she had missed him.

She had sorely missed them all.

Within less than a day, she had been ready to depart – and crossing back the ocean had felt both nostalgic and almost anxiety-inducing. Reno looked like he had barely aged a day since they last met – and Isabel couldn’t really say the same. She felt older – much more than the time spent apart, if only due to the emotional toll – but looked rather different. Her skin had grown tanned from the constant exposure to the sun, her hair now cut short and kept straight close to her shoulders; and yet – her honey-colored eyes were the same, and the bee pendant around her neck one of the few things she kept from her previous life.

Up to the moment she was taken to the Healen Lodge, she had not been briefed in terms of what she should expect – Rude by the door had been another welcome sight that also earned him an affectionate hug, but the figure in the wheelchair inside stunned her. Isabel dropped her purse on the couch nearby, and took small, hesitant steps to the man sitting there. He was wearing white – all white, from whatever clothes were visible to the sheet that kept mostly of his form hidden from her sight.

There had been just one person that had favored so much that color during her entire life – and as she approached the wheelchair, a hand moved to remove the fabric keeping his face covered, the face of the former president staring right back at her despite the weakness that had claimed him. He might have lacked his old strength, but the eyes remained as blue and piercing as they had ever been.

“Rufus,” she whispered, shock coloring her features and softening Isabel’s voice, “I thought you had died.”

“Do I look like the kind of person who dies?”

The fact that he could muster some humor right then had her scoffing, a chuckle following and hands covering the former inn proprietress’ mouth in a genuine gesture of surprise. Before Isabel could stop herself, she kneeled by his side, looking up at his face – she thought she would never see him again.

“Rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated then,” she finally found her voice, a kind smile blossoming on her lips, “The press wouldn’t talk about another thing for months, even in Costa.”

“You shouldn’t believe everything the press says,” his mouth twitched, amused, “After all, a part of Midgar mourned the loss of ‘Melissa’ for some time, I can only imagine how long your friends will miss ‘Isabel’ for,” he paused, voice still carrying over a degree of mirth as he next spoke, “One day I shall no longer be able to keep up with your names.”

“It was your idea to kill me, if I recall correctly,” she countered with an arched eyebrow and a gentle laugh, but it did not rob Rufus of his point – she was tired of running, of crafting personas, of having no place to call home. What even was home to her, anymore? The derelict house of the Sector 5 slums, the burnt down Honey Bee Inn, her bakery at Costa?

Was it even a place – or perhaps a person?

“I wouldn’t mind being just Lilian – I guess all ghosts of the past have gone away if Reno came to fetch me.”

“How curious of you to say that,” Rufus laughed softly, clearly in high spirits despite the geostigma signs that he exhibited over some patches of skin, as little and hidden as they were, “You are correct when you mean your own enemies – we had just arrested the last one when everything happened. Not even Corneo is a threat anymore – Reno can fill in you later,” he said, and Lilian (finally, at long last, reverting to her own name) had to wonder what that comment meant.

“But I believe we may soon need to content with another ghost – I have the Turks helping me with this puzzle, but our resources are… Minimal, and not a lot of goodwill remains where the name Shinra is concerned. I thought you might be interested to come back home and help on another… Inquisitive project of ours, if you’d be so inclined.”

And there was it – the reason she had been called back; Rufus was very obviously giving no orders – Shinra (the company) was no more; his reach was severely limited, both in terms of manpower and monetary funds, not to mention his obviously declining health. Unless Lilian was wrong – he was asking for help. Not even a partnership or collaboration or even leveraging with anything he had over her.

A simple request for assistance, if she felt she owed Shinra anything. And Lilian had no shortage of memories about the strife and injustice that the company had caused under his father’s rule, to herself and so many others under the plate.

But his son – Rufus – had saved her life, hadn’t he? On a personal level, she couldn’t ignore it. Not now – if she could make any difference and put any of her former talents to use, she was glad to do so. It felt good to be back home, after all.

Perhaps she would never truly belong to a place – only to certain people, or certain goals.

“Tell me everything I missed, then,” she ended up sitting on the floor by his side, crossing her legs and accommodating herself at Rufus’ side as if they had never separated for almost three years and they had just taken a trip up North, to sit before the fireplace of his lodge and talk about everything – or nothing, really. “Looks like I’ve finally made it back home.”

[nightingaelic]

Fallout new vegas companions taking the courier's place in lonesome road (+ cut companions if that's cool with u) (thanks!!)

The problem with trying to adapt Lonesome Road to another character's experience is that so much of its story hinges on the courier's missing past and the former Frumentarius' struggle to make them understand what happened, why it caused a shockwave across multiple lives, locations and generations, and whether to avenge or let go of the harm that was unknowingly done to the Divide. So if you bring the companions into the mix instead of Courier Six, you either have a long-running story of mistaken identity (a hilarious concept, Ulysses being absolutely positive that the companion is the one who wrecked his dream home while they have no idea who this angry, verbose man is), or a drastically different history for the companions themselves. I say let's give that second option a shot, it seems fun and headcanon-y.

Arcade Gannon: While I don't think Arcade would be directly responsible for the destruction of the Divide, I think he would pale at hearing Ulysses' message searching for Enclave agents and would set out to confront the angry courier on behalf of his hidden family. The Enclave remnants are already hunted by the NCR and the Brotherhood of Steel, and the last thing they need is to be chased out of yet another home over something they didn't personally do. He'd accept ED-E's help wholeheartedly and consider turning back every time he ran into marked men or tunnelers, but his own resolve to save his loved ones would urge him to persevere. I think his determination would intrigue Ulysses, enough to engage the young research scientist in conversation if he arrived at the end of the road in one piece, and the courier might even let go of his vendetta if Arcade revealed that he was doing this out of the goodness of his heart rather than a sense of duty. Arcade would cancel the nuke launch, but would seriously consider blowing up the Legion.

Craig Boone: We know the NCR and Legion were fighting over the Divide before the ICBMs leveled the area. But what if that was by design, rather than by accident? Maybe Boone has more skeletons in his closet than just Bitter Springs, and he was part of a strike team that used old Enclave technology to surprise the Legion forces and seal off an access route, a decision based on math and made by men who had never met the people of Hopeville and Ashton that they sentenced to death. It's yet another weight on the sniper's conscience, and yet another debt he feels obligated to pay, so when Ulysses' call goes out, he answers. The usual dangers of the Divide wouldn't slow him down, but the turbulent weather would irritate him to no end. Upon arrival at the temple, Boone wouldn't mince words because he already knows he's guilty of the charge and he knows Ulysses used to walk for the Legion. If he survived the encounter, Boone would take the opportunity to rain the same destruction down on Caesar's troops.

Lily Bowen: There are about 119 years of Lily's life as a super mutant that are unaccounted-for, and we know she suffers from schizophrenia like many other nightkin. Perhaps it was Lily who discovered the Enclave package and unwittingly left it in the home of America's missiles: Perhaps it was Leo. I'm inclined to think it was Leo, who was probably searching for a cache of Stealth Boys in the old military installations across the desert, and who simply didn't care when a new hole in the earth opened up behind him. Lily, on the other hand, cares deeply, and would set out after Ulysses in the interest of making amends where she could. More so than any other companion, I think Lily would be disturbed by the tunnelers and would go out of her way to crush them wherever they popped up. The marked men would earn her sympathy and she would do her best to knock them out without killing them. After doing the same to Ulysses, Lily would cancel the launch and weep over the subsequent loss of ED-E. She would likely bring the little eyebot back to the Mojave and search for a way to fix it.

Raul Alfonso Tejada: We already know that Raul goes to extreme lengths to avenge the people he cares about, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to mix his backstory into the story of the Divide. Following the murder of Claudia in Tucson/Two Sun, Raul chased Dirty Dave and his brothers across Arizona and into the town of Ashton before killing them. Unbeknownst to him, Dirty Dave had a package with him that could speak to the nuclear missile silos hidden in the Divide, and the earth crumbled behind the vaquero as he made his way back home. Though he'd heard of the devastation, Raul didn't put two and two together until Ulysses sent out his summons, and because he didn't have anything planned that week, the old mechanic decided to answer the call. He would put up with Ulysses' messages like a good sport until he encountered the man in the temple, where he would refuse to fight until the two talked things out like civil people. I think Ulysses would be surprised at the revelation that the ghoul he had cast as a villain was following his own quest for vengeance and unaware of the package, and would come away somewhat amused by the situation. They would most likely team up to fight off the marked men, and Raul would cancel the launch and take a wrench to the machines to prevent any more "misunderstandings."

Rose of Sharon Cassidy: Let's say one of Cass' caravans delivered a package back in the day. Let's say that package accidentally buried the caravan crew and an entire community along with it. Let's say Cass knows, and that's one of the reasons she drinks. While Courier Six walks the Divide out of curiosity about their missing past, I think Cass would do it as a form of penance in and of itself, with a little desire for self-destruction thrown into the mix. The journey would start out as a bender fueled by self-loathing and the fanciful notion of giving her missing caravan a proper funeral, and by the time Cass runs out of whiskey she's already halfway through the Cave of the Abaddon and punching holes through the tunnelers with her shotgun. She would largely ignore Ulysses' cryptic messages and holotapes, but she'd grow fond of the little eyebot that took a shine to her and would tear after it once the mysterious courier repossessed it. Following the final battle, Cass would cancel the launch, but only at the very last second, just to revel in the fleeting feeling of control.

Veronica Santangelo: I just can't see Veronica knowingly or unknowingly waking up a nuclear arsenal with a careless application of tech, but I can totally see her stumbling upon the aftermath of something her old mentor is responsible for. Father Elijah already has a tenuous grasp on the consequences of his own actions, and we know that the prototype tech that controls the Divide's weather is a Big MT project. Maybe Elijah paid Hopeville a visit to check it out and took his investigation a little too far when he discovered the nukes. This would explain Ulysses' directions to the old man to find the Sierra Madre, sealing his doom inside the casino. But where does that leave Ulysses? Along comes Veronica, following her mentor's trail of destruction, and the courier can't help but guide her along the path, show her the meaning of the wreckage and the danger of pre-war technology when left to the discretion of those with old-world values, like the Brotherhood. Along that line, I think Ulysses would try to test her like he does Courier Six, and would schedule a launch to see what she does. Veronica would cancel the launch and resolve to never tell her brothers and sisters in Steel about the secrets of the Divide. She might dump some water on the consoles for good measure. More importantly, I think she might finally realize that the unchanging family she clings to can only die out, or go down the same path that Elijah did.

ED-E: Given that ED-E is a robot, I think Ulysses would be hell-bent on finding whoever sent the little guy rather than consider that the eyebot saw a package with Enclave markings on it, picked it up of its own accord, and deposited it wherever it next encountered old American symbols. Through its communication with the other eyebots in the Divide, I think ED-E would get the picture about the courier's quest for the responsible party and play dumb for as long as possible. The other ED-E would help conceal the mistake to save its new friend, but Ulysses isn't stupid and would eventually figure it out. But how do you effectively punish a robot? Maybe he would set the nukes to target the Divide again, to send any remaining eyebots to the scrapyard for good, but it's a long shot. If he did, ED-E would cancel the launch, but would join its override system capabilities to its counterpart's and use the combined decryption power to ensure that both eyebots make it through the ordeal unharmed.

Rex: This good boy would never even consider entering the Divide. Seriously, what dog in their right mind would go in there? What cyberdog? No thank you. Still, the idea of a dog being responsible for the nukes and Ulysses continuing to hold a grudge is beyond funny. Maybe Rex was part of a mission for the Legion when he still belonged to Caesar, part of the group that leveled the Divide on behalf of the Bull. Maybe that's why Antony says he was "lost in battle," and maybe he's the only surviving member of that squad. I don't see why Ulysses would hang around the Divide waiting for the dog to look upon the hell he'd wrought, and he would more than likely seek the canine out himself as soon as he heard about the King's new pet. From there, the story turns into Courier Six investigating an assassination attempt on a goddamned dog, and the events of Lonesome Road play out pretty much the same way they were written - plus plenty of asides about how Ulysses is going to way too much effort over a creature that can't comprehend what nukes are.

Benny Gecko: Few people know that Yes Man was actually one of two securitrons that Benny managed to incapacitate and reprogram, and while the head of the Chairmen hid his favorite in the Tops for safekeeping, he sent the other out into the world for some recon and experimentation. Imagine his surprise when Yes Man was able to remotely hack into a nuclear missile silo and wipe out a budding trade community. And who would've thought that test run was going to come back to bite him in the ass, right after he was sprung from the Legion camp? I think Benny would do everything in his power to avoid entering the Divide, but I also think Ulysses would have little patience for him and would actively force the disgraced city boy into walking the Courier's Mile by blocking any other path out of the Mojave. Benny would form an attachment to ED-E, similar to Yes Man, but would complain the whole way and confront his tormenter with little remorse. He would also nuke both the NCR and the Legion if he came away alive, probably with some snarky one-liner about "letting the chips fall where they may."

Vulpes Inculta: Vulpes already has a few scorched-earth badges on his Pioneer Scouts belt (Nipton, Camp Searchlight, etc.), so eliminating the Divide is just another tactic in the grand strategy playing out between the Bull and the Bear. All he needed to do was leave a certain package in town, and the problem basically solved itself. Unfortunately, that deserter of his wasn't buried under the wreckage, and now Caesar has ordered him to assassinate the renegade. The fool keeps announcing his whereabouts every few hours or so, making tracking an easy task, but by the third time he feels eyes on the back of his neck and turns to find nothing there, Vulpes can't help but wonder whether the student has surpassed the teacher. The final showdown of Frumentarii would be something for the ages, a clash of philosophies and loyalties with plenty of verbal sparring between the bullets. If he survived the encounter with Ulysses, Vulpes would definitely nuke the NCR.

Ulysses: This cut companion can't very well face off against himself, can he? Unless... he was the courier who accidentally brought the Enclave detonator that sealed the Divide's doom. Given the weight of this grief, I think Ulysses would similarly force himself to walk the length of the Divide, take in the utter destruction that his own actions had wrought, and reflect on the meaning of one man changing the course of history. When it came down to the final room, the final decision, our disillusioned courier would activate the launch as a way of testing himself, testing his own resolve. Like Cass, he would stare at the machines shuddering to life around him until the very last moment, before shutting the system down for good, smiling under his breathing mask and walking away forever.

Victor: The robot cowboy doesn't really know what the angry man on the eyebot keeps talking about. He certainly doesn't remember delivering a package to a place called Hopeville or Ashton. Why would he? Mr. House is very good about covering his tracks, particularly when it comes to eliminating business rivals. Really, it could have been any old securitron. Nevertheless, Victor rolls merrily along in search of the courier who summoned his master, letting his own optics passively take in the devastated wasteland left behind by bombs that launched 200 years too late. Because of his robotic nature, I think it'd be a lot easier for Ulysses to get the drop on Victor and disable him at the temple, then wait until House sent another envoy or came himself. House would probably lose interest as soon as he got his data, which I don't think would stall Ulysses much: Once he figured out the Strip's owner isn't coming, he'd find some way to get inside the Lucky 38. If, however, Victor prevailed in the final struggle, he would nuke both the NCR and the Legion on behalf of Mr. House.

[theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction]

Permission To Go Out

Characters: Reader, Dean, Sam, Jack (all platonic)

Inspiration: Season 14, Episode 16 – Don’t Go Into The Woods

Warnings: Some language, slight injury.

Summary: While you and the brothers are out on a case, Jack graces your phone with a call to ask if he can hang out with the kids in town (like the sweet boy he is)

The Impala came to a stop and when you looked out the window, you saw several rows of cars before the motel rooms were visible.

“Okay, now you’re being petty.”

You had called him out for doing a crappy parking job when they were at the gas station and then again when they did a small pit stop for food. The second time was just to get under his skin and you got a few insults in that managed to get a chuckle from Sam.

As an act of revenge, Dean purposely parked the car in the spot furthest from their motel room so you’d have to walk.

“Sweetheart, I don’t do petty.” Dean said and got out of the drivers seat.

You followed his lead and stepped out of the car. You closed the backdoor with your hip and suddenly found a duffle bag being shoved into your arms - the weapons inside of it clanging against one another.

“And because of your antics on the road, you’re going to be the one doing the double trip to unload our stuff.” Dean told you with a smug grin. He walked off in the direction of their room while you made your way over to Sam who had just pulled his bag over his shoulder.

“What a baby, am I right?” You scoffed. 

Sam shifted the weight of his bag and chuckled. “Is the long walk and double trip not enough punishment for you?” He wondered. You smiled back and started to follow after the blonde with the tall hunter. 

“Okay but I wasn’t wrong when I said that Jack could have pulled up at the gas station better than him.”

“I think Dean would rather sell the car to a scrapyard before admitting that he did a poor job.”

You and Sam laughed at the hunters expense and caught up with him at the front door - a door that Dean was just staring at.

You cleared your throat loudly. “Hey, Einstein? You put the key in the hole and then you turn the handle.”

Dean rolled his eyes at the tune and ignored the sarcastic comment entirely, instead he turned to you and Sam with a smile.

“Get ready to feast your eyes on the very same room that Bon Jovi stayed in during his first ever American tour.”

You had a witty remark at the tip of your tongue but was forced to catch it when you felt your phone buzz in her pocket.

Dean opened up the room as you fished out the device, smiling at the caller ID. You stepped inside after Sam and pressed the phone to your ear.

“Hey.” You answered, casually tossing the duffle bag on the closest bed.

“Hello, (Y/n). I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” You replied and earned yourself a questioning look from Dean.

Jack, you mouthed back.

You grabbed the Impala keys from the table and shook them at the boys so they’d know that you were going to retrieve the rest of their things. Dean was staring at the picture frames on the wall with awe but Sam noticed your action and nodded.

Leaving them inside, you walked back the way you came.

“We’ve only been out for a couple of hours. Is everything okay?” You asked the young boy. You weren’t the biggest fan of leaving him in the bunker alone and, if this case hadn’t been so bizarre, you would have stayed with the nephilim.

The only thing that kept you from constant worry was that Jack had voluntarily agreed to keeping you in the loop – texting when he left the bunker and when he got to town - he even sent photos of flowers and the ice-cream selection at the parlour.

“I’m fine.” Jack answered, glancing over his shoulder at the distracted teenagers on their phones. “Actually, I met a group of kids and they invited me to hang out with them.”

You couldn’t help but frown a little. Jack was still at risk outside of the bunker.

“Do I know any of these kids?” You asked.

“I think so - they said that you, Dean and Sam saved them from the ghost of a clown a few weeks ago.”

Ah, so it was the teenaged trio who stole Dean’s car that Jack had bumped into.

You had reached the car and opened the backseat door, leaning in and pulling out the second duffle. “And where will you be hanging out?”

Jack realised that if he told you about the exact location that you’d be worried so he took it on himself to alter the information.

“It’s not too far from Main Street.” He lied, feeling his stomach twist a little, and noticed that you went quiet over the phone as you thought about it.

“They’ve all asked their parents for permission.” He added quickly. “I figured that I’d ask mine.”

You locked the car up, leaning against the black paint as you considered the options.

If you agreed, then Jack would be able to interact with humans naturally but he’d risk his safety. If you kept him from going then Jack would be safe but it could easily spark a rebellious flame in him or have him believe that he was to be locked away in the bunker.

“And you didn’t call Dean or Sam about this because...?”

“Because I know that they would say no.” Jack told you instantly.

He wasn’t wrong. If he had called either one - or even Castiel - they would vote against him going out.

You sighed and started walking back to the motel. “Okay, you can go but-“

“Yes!”

“-you have to promise me that you’ll be back home by sundown.” You could just imagine the grin on the boys face.

“I will, I promise!” Jack told you. The joy in his voice was hard to hide. “Thank you, (Y/n).”

You smiled back, “You’re welcome. Now go have fun and be safe.”

You hung up the call just as you entered the motel again and found that your co-hunters had started to set themselves up. Dean polished the weapons on the bed with a few papers laid out in front of him and Sam had taken the entirety of the living room where lore books, police reports and his laptop were scattered.

“You’re back.” Sam noted as he looked up. “I could use your help on these.”

You dropped the duffle on the floor and rolled back your shoulder a few times to relieve the dull ache. Then you moved across the floor and joined Sam, catching Dean’s attention.

“What did the kid want?” He wondered.

“Oh, he was just asking if he could buy some extra boxes of Crunch Cookie Crunch.” You answered. 

Lying to the brothers made your stomach turn but, in an effort to protect Jack while giving him a normal life, it had to be done.

Masterlist here

[blackmissfrizzle]

The Barbershop (EZ Edition)

Angel’s Edition

Miguel’s Edition

Pairing: EZ Reyes x black!reader

Summary: The reader gets EZ ready for his patch party.

Warnings: Use of the n-word & smut

A/N: Thank you to @ly--canthrope​ for the EZ fluff prompts!  

A/N (2): I highly suggest listening to El Clavo while listening. Also, I think Nestor and Coco might be getting some attention from me, so be on the look out for that.

Prompts: 

“I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice” 

Person scrunching their nose & other kisses them

When you got your first pair of clippers in high school, EZ was your first customer and ever since you’ve been cutting his hair. Even when he went off to college, EZ came back to Santo Padre to get his hari cut by his best friend. The only time you didn’t cut his hair was when he was in prison for those 8 years, but since he’s been back, he hasn’t missed an appointment.

Now here he was at your house with his hair longer than usual because he was busy with club shit. Luckily, he came by with enough time for you to do his hair before his patch party. “Ezekiel, please come to me before your hair gets this long again.”

He pinched your side as you moved around him. “Hey, you do Angel’s hair all the time and his hair is a shit ton longer than mines.”

“I’m used to Angel’s long locks! You’re supposed to be the clean-cut brother.” You stopped cutting his hair and moved the clippers in front of his face. “Oh, and if you pinch me again while I’m doing your hair, I’ll purposefully fuck up your hairline. Let’s see how many of those hang arounds will want your dick then.”

He held up his hands in surrender and mumbled his apologies, but not really meaning it. As long as you’ve been his best friend his favorite pastime was to rile you up. He loved how flustered you got when you couldn’t come up with a clever comeback. He loved how your hand slapped him across his body even if it was a little painful. He loved how your eyes widened in shock and he couldn’t help but wonder if that’s how you’ll look when he finally gets the chance to slip inside you.

Everyone was aware of his crush on you, except you. The only reason EZ didn’t tell you was because with the pair of you, timing was awful. When he realized he was in love with you, you had a boyfriend and when you broke up with that boyfriend EZ was with Emily. Then, he went off to prison and when he came back, he didn’t want to involve you with his mess, so he kept his distance. But he couldn’t wait anymore, he had to let you know.

“Hey, Y/N/N,” he grabbed your attention by lightly grazing your hip. “Yes, Ezekiel?” He let out a soft groan. He loved when you used his full name. It didn’t matter if you were yelling it excitement, teasing him, or scolding him, he just loved to hear it.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t say anything else because your phone started to ring. It was your sorta boyfriend, Rick. EZ couldn’t stand him. He was a douchebag that gave you more headaches than anything. And it was obvious to EZ that you didn’t love him. It was evident in the way you talked about him like an annoying chore. For the life of him, EZ didn’t understand why you kept him around.

“Oh, so now you’re coming? Well, just meet me there because EZ’s riding with me.” EZ couldn’t help to smile a bit at you putting Rick in his place. He tried to listen to Rick’s response, but he could only make out his tone and from that he could tell he was pissed. “Why? Nigga, I don’t have to give you a reason why my best friend is riding in my car.” Even though you were busy with your little argument your hand never faltered, cutting hair was second nature to you. “Ugh, if you must know its his party and I’m planning to get him plastered, so he needs a DD. That’s good with you? Oh, wait I don’t care,” You hung up the phone soon after that.

“Rick coming?” EZ managed to keep the disdain for him out of his voice. “Who knows? Probably be better if he stays but forget about him.” You turned off the clippers and brushed his hair, then gave EZ the mirror to inspect himself. After he gave his haircut a serious inspection, he started biting his lip and doing his signature pretty boy poses.

“Okay, Lothario if you’re done making out with yourself in the mirror, imma go take a shower to start getting ready.” As you turned to walk away, EZ grabbed your wrist and pulled you to him. “Thank you, querida.” He kissed your wrist and gave you those adorable puppy dog eyes. “No problem, EZ,” you gave him a kiss on the cheek, then went to your bathroom to get ready and ignored your heart swelling up from EZ’s touch.

An hour later you were still getting ready and EZ was taking a shower. While you were applying on makeup, EZ walked into your room wet, fresh out the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. You knew EZ was ripped, but see it up close, my god there are no words.

EZ caught your staring in the mirror. “Like what you see?” He asked, flexing his pecs. “Ew, no!” You falsely claimed and scrunched up your nose in faux disgust.  EZ came up to you and kissed your nose before snatching your lotion off the dresser.  “You know what, you’re right. You love it.” EZ was so damn close to you that you could feel the heat of the shower radiating off of him.

“Yeah, I love it,” you deadpanned before pushing him away. “Now get ready. I don’t want you to be late to your own party.”

--

While EZ was having the time of his life, you were having the opposite. Rick ended up coming, but he was in a funky mood thus bringing your mood down. When his first words were something about how your dress wasn’t flattering, you made plans to break up with him. Using him as a distraction from EZ was draining your soul and you didn’t need that kind of energy in your life.

He made the breakup easier for you when you caught him in the restroom with one of Vicky’s girls with his dick in her mouth. You couldn’t even muster up any anger, instead you gave the girl and extra $100 for her troubles.

Although, getting cheated on sucked, what pissed you off the most was the girls all fawning over EZ. They were all over him like bitches in heat, rubbing on his chest, arms, and head, commenting on his haircut…your haircut. “Damn chica, just go claim your man.” Coco observed how you were sending death glares at the women.

“He’s not my man! He’s grown and can do whatever he wants.” You sputtered, surprised at being caught. “Exactly! If you weren’t too chicken, then he’d be your man.” Angel commented, taking a sip of his beer.

You ignored Coco’s and Angel’s somewhat encouraging words to look back at EZ. Your face instantly brightened when you saw how at ease he was. It wasn’t too often EZ could let go like this.

EZ felt a pair of eyes on him and when he found out it was you his eyes gleamed, he cracked that boyish smile and raised his beer to you. Excusing himself EZ made his way to you and gave you a hug. “Ezekiel, what’s with the hug?”

“I miss you.”

“You rode with me here, EZ.”

“Its Ezekiel and I barely talked to you since we’ve been here. Is it so bad that I want to party with my best friend?” You scrunched up your face. “I guess not.”

EZ hummed his appeasement and kissed your nose.  “Come dance with me.” He didn’t give you time to reject him. Tightly he tugged your hand and pulled you into the middle of the scrapyard.

Prince Royce and Maluma’s El Clavo began to play. EZ knew how much you loved this song, but since you didn’t know Spanish you didn’t understand the song. It was ironic to him that this song was playing tonight. Earlier, he saw how Angel escorted Rick out and the relief wash over you when you saw him leave. He knew Rick must’ve done something stupid. If it wasn’t for your need to avoid conflict, EZ would’ve beat his ass right then and there.

“What are you doing?” You questioned EZ as he placed his leg between yours and wrapped your arms around his neck. “Dancing obviously,” he chuckled near your ear sending vibrations throughout your body.

You decided not to fight him and followed his lead. There’s been plenty of times you’ve dance with EZ, but it was always playful and fun, but this…this was different, this was sensual. A passionate dance only meant to be shared between lovers.

“Eyes,” he ordered assertively. It was his command to you when he wanted you to feel what he was saying.

Si esta noche tu novio te bota (If tonight your boyfriend throws you out) Dile que tú no estás sola (Tell him that you are not alone) Que tú estás conmigo, que yo sí te cuido (That you are with me, that I do take care of you) No como ese idiota (no como ese idiota) (Not like that idiot (not like that idiot) Si esta noche tu novio te bota (If tonight your boyfriend throws you out) Dile que tú no andas sola (que no 'tás sola) (Tell him that you are not alone (that you are not alone) Que yo soy el clavo que saca ese clavo (That I am the nail that pulls that nail)

Y dile que se joda (And tell him to fuck) Maluma, baby

Your breath hitched as EZ began translating the lyrics to English. He had to be able to feel how fast your heart was beating. “There it is.” He pointed out. “There what is?”

“That look.” He tugged your bottom lip that you had tucked underneath your teeth. “What look?” Your breath brushed against his thumb and it took all his control not to pounce on you.

“Eyes blown out, chest heaving. See,” EZ gripped your chin to keep your eyes leveled with his. “I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice. It’s the same look I have when I look at you.”

“Stop playing with me, Ezekiel.” Your heart couldn’t take it if this was some sort of joke. “I’m not.” His voice did not waver.

“What about Emily? Or Gabby?”

“Distractions. Distractions that kept me from the real thing for too long.” You sucked your teeth in disbelief. EZ decided to translate the song for you some more. If you weren’t going to believe his words, then maybe you’ll believe another’s.

Yo llevo la cuenta, esta es la quinta vez  (I keep track, this is the fifth time) Pero yo no entiendo por qué no lo ves   (But I don't understand why you don't see him) Tú estás demasiado buena para estar con él (mamacita) (You're too hot to be with him (mamacita)) Tremenda mujer para estar con él  (Tremendous woman to be with him) Y si te busca a las 4:20 porque te llama borracho  (And if he looks for you at 4:20 because he calls you drunk) Ahora te quiere pero mañana vuelve a hacerte daño (Now he loves you but tomorrow he will hurt you again) Por ese bobo no llores  (For that fool, don’t cry) Deja que yo te enamore (deja que yo te enamore)  (Let me make you fall in love (let me make you fall in love)

Now that you knew EZ’s feelings, the lyrics became much more intense for you. Instinctively, you rested your forehead on his. His lips hovered over yours so much that you could taste the beer on his breath. Your acrylic nails caressed the back of his head caused him to stop his translation and purr against your neck. “You like that, Ezekiel?” You teased, giggling against his neck.

“I don’t know,” EZ pressed up against you tighter so you could feel his hardon. “You tell me if it feels like I like it.”

Now or never, you thought. You brought your lips closer to EZ’s. The both of you fighting for dominance, but ultimately EZ won, claiming you in front of the club. It wasn’t until you heard the cheers of his brothers that he’d stop kissing you.

Instantly, EZ started pulling you in the direction of your car, but you stopped him. “I can’t wait, Ezekiel. I need you now.” EZ’s normally bright eyes darkened and he led you towards the clubhouse. On your way to the dorm room, both you and EZ ignored Angel when he told you, “Don’t be surprised when EZ starts crying.”

As the pair of you made it through the hallway, each of your touches got heavier, more daring. So daring that when you finally got to his dorm your dress was halfway off. The rest of the clothes fly off like a whirlwind except EZ’s jeans. In his rush he tripped over his jeans. “Oh, that’s funny?” He asked when he caught you giggling.

“Just a little.” EZ rushed to you, tackled you to the bed and quickly turned your giggles into soft moans as he kissed you.

Despite your best efforts to keep him close, EZ pulled away. He leaned back on his haunches and admired your body. “I can’t believe I finally have you.” He lifted your leg threw it over his shoulder and started kissing you from your ankle up to your inner thighs. “You know one night when I slept over at your place. I caught you touching yourself. Your hands flew to your face to cover up the embarrassment. “Oh god,” you mumbled.

EZ’s deep chuckle made you peek through your hands. “What are you embarrassed for? For that little 10 seconds, it was the sexiest thing I’ve seen, but it was so damn torturous in the most beautiful way. Do you know how hard it is to have that vividly replaying in my head and not have you?”

The whole time EZ was talking he was getting closer to your core, but you were hyper focused on his words that his mouth on your clit took you by surprise. “Shit,” you squealed underneath his tongue. With your hand you covered your mouth to keep your screams down. EZ lifted his head at your muffled screams. “No, let me hear you. Let me know how good I make you feel.”

Following his instructions, you removed your hand and that earned you an approving smile from EZ. “Good girl.” Before he returned to his meal, EZ grabbed you by the back of your neck, forcing you to keep your eyes on him.

This time he added his fingers as he ate you out. The hold he had on you allowed no room for you to run, you had to stay there and take everything he was giving you. Add pussy eating to the long list of things that Ezekiel Reyes is great at.

Your hands shot out to EZ’s head. Scratching it was your best alternative since you had nothing to tug at. EZ raised his head, his mouth glistening from your cunt. “I bet you wish my hair was longer now.” He teased before diving right back in.

“EZ, I’m gonna cum.” You continued scratching the back of his head as he moved his tongue and fingers faster. “Cum all over my mouth, preciosa.” He murmured above your pussy.

An explosion. That was the only way you could describe your orgasm. It busted through your body, leaving you and EZ soaked. The evidence shone on his forearm, highlighting his veins, leaving you in a trance.

EZ noticed your staring at his arm. “Ride my forearm.” He demanded, excited that he’ll be able to get you off this way.

At first you were hesitant, but with EZ’s urging you hopped on it. You were experiencing immense pleasure and wanted EZ to experience the same. Tonight, was a celebration for him and this entire time his focus was on you. Completely selfless as usual. Reaching between your bodies, you began stroking him, smearing his precum all over his engorged head. “What are you doing?” He gasped, flexing his arm a bit more. “Tonight’s about you. I want to make you feel good.”

EZ nibbled at your chin. “I want you to cum all over my forearm, that’ll make me feel good.” You continued jerking him off while you rode him.

Who would’ve thought the rough ridges of his protruding veins and his constant flexing had you cumming a second time for the night? “Fuck we got to do that again!” You tried to nuzzle your face in EZ’s neck, but he wouldn’t let you because he was too busy kissing you all over your face. “EZ, I just came on your fucking arm.”

“Yeah and it was hot! I bet that douchebag couldn’t do that with his measly dick.” Slowly, he began to lay you down. “Now you’re about to cum all over my dick while screaming my name.”

Your now boyfriend made good on his promise. Opposed to Rick’s useless jackhammering, EZ made slow, powerful strokes, ensuring you were well taken care of.

He was tending to your body so well your eyes kept rolling to the back of your head. “Eyes!” He commanded harsher than ever before. When your eyes met his, you could see the struggle in his eyes. EZ wanted to be soft, gentle, and romantic, but deep down he wanted to fuck you hard, show you who you belong to.

“Make me yours, Ezekiel. Fuck me like you mean it.” It took him some time to process the words, but when he did his widened in realization that he got permission to let go. “Fuck, I love you.” He captured your lips in a searing kiss, hoping to communicate how much he loved you. “I love you too.” You told him as he had a bruising hold on your hips.

Gone was sweet soft Ezekiel. He was replaced by EZ, the harsh lover that’s gonna push you over the edge, then bring you back just to do it all over again.

Yours and EZ’s moans accompanied by the sound of bodies slapping together made a symphony that you would never get tired of. This was what you were missing for all those years apart.

“Make me proud. Cum all over this dick, querida.” EZ suckled your neck, branding you with his marks. “Ezekiel!” You cried out as your body combusted, almost feeling every molecule in your body. The newly patched Mayan silenced your cries with his mouth as he came soon after you.

EZ tried to lay in the bed with you but you refused. I t was his party and you were adamant that he enjoys it some more. You two can have your alone time later.

Just as you were sliding up your panties, EZ stuffed his fingers up your cum filled pussy. “Don’t want this leaking out.” He whispered, giving you a cheeky grin as you moaned at his ministrations.

“Okay, that’s enough you nasty ass kids. Playtime is over! Time to get fucked up, baby bro. I’m sure Y/N wants to forget the last 30 seconds.” Angel banged on the door.

“That was nice while it lasted.” You slipped your dress over your head and fixed your hair. EZ hummed his agreeance and led you out the door and ignored the childish jeering from his brothers. They could tease all they want, because as long as he has you, he doesn’t give a damn.

Taglist: @starrynite7114​ @sadeyesgf​ @ly--canthrope​ @woahitslucyylu​ @marvelmaree​ @angrythingstarlight​ @teakturn​ @thickemadame​ @ifoundmyhappythought​ @strawberrywritings​ @dearsamcrobae​ @chaneajoyyy​ @spookys-girl​ @bigsisbria​

[hazel-of-sodor]

What's Lost is Found

Ch.10 Broken

Other Chapters

Screech pulled up to the abandoned platform, her cylinder exhaust blowing up dust and debris 

Mali stepped down onto the platform, slowly taking in her former village.

"Are you alright dear?" Gwyn asked in concern.

"I could tell you what every building here used to be," Mali said, "but at the same time...I don't recognize any of it."

Miss Morgan approached and laid her hand on Mali's shoulder, "Can you find where you need to go?"

The young girl slowly nodded, "our old house is down that line." She motioned towards a set of points past the station. "It runs along the street beside the narrow gauge line to the sheds. The Uman and Din used to bring a coal wagon with the morning train, and take the empty ones back."

Miss Morgan nodded, "Screech if you would take Mali, Gwyn, Freda, and Miss Davies to the houses. We'll clear the station as best we can and catch up with you. If you finish at the house before we catch up, head to the old narrow gauge yard."

"As you wish."

***

Screech rolled along, busted wagons and rusted car parts littered the sides of the abandoned street.

The street curved alongside the narrow gauge tracks, which were themselves by a small stream.

Mrs. Davies rode on one of the empty flatbeds behind Screech, the rest of the train having been left behind at the platform.

It had only been a few minutes when Screech spotted something large laying across the tracks. She slowed, preparing to use her tendrils to shove it out of the way, when she paused, looking more closely at the bent and twisted metal before her.

'Is that...' 

"It's a Mammoth Major!" Gwyn's crow of excitement interrupted the whisper.

He was scrambling down from the cab even before Screech had stopped moving.

The eight-wheeled lorry had been bent in two in the middle of the bed, and Screech had thought it long collected by the Lady till Gwyn wiped away the grime from its radiator, revealing the lorry's waking face.

The lorry blinked blearily before her eyes focused on Screech. Her eyes widened in surprise and fear for a second, before it was replaced by weariness and resignation.

"You're finally here to collect me then." She rasped.

While the humans were confused Screech understood.

"I am not Death little lorry. Merely one who escaped her grasp."

"Ah." If anything the lorry looked disappointed, "I thought I'd finally worn away enough..."

Gwyn was wiping more dirt away from the lorry's face, revealing worn blue paint. "You're hardly worn away." He said. "Some new paint and polish and you'd look brand new."

The Lorry snorted sadly, "Newly broken perhaps."

"How did you end up like this little lorry?"

"I was overloaded." She signed in relief as Freda joined Gwyn in scrubbing. "After the railway closed my first owner bought me to deliver the coal from the little railway to LLoergan, but eventually they sold me to another company so they could afford to move." 

She looked down at the street below her. "My new owners kept giving me heavier and heavier loads as they tried to stay afloat. When it was announced the line to Lloergan would be closed, they decided to make as much money as they could before then so they could restart elsewhere. A few days before the line closed...they put too much. I tried to tell them, but I was ignored."

"And you broke."

The lorry nodded, "they took the load on their other lorries and left. I never saw them again. Having me moved would cost more money than was left for them here."

As the lorry talked, Screech kept looking at her. The lorry reminded her of her youngest sibling, and she couldn't help but see Tyto in her place.

'This won't save your sister.' The whisper cautioned, if not unkindly.

Imagines of Tyto abandoned in a scrapyard flashed through Screech's mind. 'No, it won't.' Screech thought, her mental voice tight with grief. 'But it will save her.'

"Gwyn, Freda, if you could move so I could see something?"

The pair looked at her questioningly but moved out of the way.

"What are you looking..." The lorry was cut off.

"Look away."

The human's eyes widened before quickly turning as Screech began to unfurl.

Her tendrils shot forward to wrap around the lorry, causing her to squawk in surprise.

The metal groaned and creaked as Screech lifted it slowly off the ground, her tendrils pulling and twisting the frames back straight. She pulled the lorry back towards her, rehiding herself as she did. Gwyn, feeling her refurl, ran over and shouted guidance as she swung the lorry back over the empty flatbed behind her.

The reshaped metal groaned but held as Screech slowly lowered her into position.

She stared challenging at the humans.

"We are NOT leaving her here."

Freda, if anything, looked hurt. "Of course not!" She glanced back at the lorry, "I have no idea what she'll be used for, but the shops should be more than able to fix her."

"And if they can't?" The lorry asked, her voice still shaken from her impromptu move.

Gwyn patted her side, "Then we'll send you to someone who can. Now what are you called gorgeous?"

The lorry blinked, "I never had a name. I was just the lorry or the Mammoth."

"What would you like to be called?" Mali asked as she helped Gwyn secure her to the flatbed.

"...I...I would like to be Maxwell, after my original owners."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Maxwell," Gwyn said warmly. "Now let's find Mali's house so we can get you to the works.

[yoditorian]

lacuna- part 8

din/reader

SURPRISE DROP!!!!! there’s only one more part left after this can you bELIEVE???? i’ll leave the emotional spiel until then and for now i’ll just apologise for the pain you’re about to go through in such a short amount of time💛

series masterlist // main masterlist

word count: 2.3k

warnings: angst angst angst, some swears, no seriously this is just pain they don’t even bang, a confession

“Have you ever removed your helmet?”

“No.”

“Has it ever been removed by others?”

“Never.”

He’s lying.

Din has always been so careful with his words. Lying makes his voice tremble, it always has done. So he is careful, he never says more than he needs to, thinks on the phrasing of the promises he makes. He has only outright lied once in his adult life, to you. To protect you. Maybe that’s what keeps him steady now. Even with a blade at his throat and half the covert watching on. He does not falter.

You’d think they would make engine parts easier to clean. 

You’re perched on a crate in the hangar at your old work station, legs crossed beneath you, as you scrub away at the dull metal of the second-hand hyperdrive motivator that some vendor in a backwater scrapyard had, frankly, swindled you for. The stupid thing isn’t worth the credits you’d paid for it, but it’s still a hell of a lot more useful than the one that sits completely dead in the transport’s engine. But this was your decision, and you have to live with it.

What’s the alternative? Spend the rest of your life working your way around the galaxy, flying for whoever’s paying? Settling down in the little house on the edge of the Damerons’ farm? Going back to the New Republic? None of your options sound appealing enough to move on. You know this place, you know how it works. That’s enough.

“Wasn’t just me who stuck around either,” Ran’s voice pulls you from a particularly stubborn lump of grease, “You remember this one?”

Your heart leaps into your throat, when he’d told you he was expecting company you’d assumed it was another one of his contacts. A black market buyer or seller, they usually are. Not him. You were expecting anybody but Din.

His armour shines under the lights, sparks reflecting off the unpainted beskar. It’s beautiful. But your stomach lurches at how new it is, that his old armour had somehow gotten damaged enough that he needed an entirely new set. Except one of his thigh plates, dented to hell and back but still usable. There’s something of the man you know, the man you thought you knew, under all that.

The way Ran talks about you like you’re not even there is enough to calm you. He has no idea about your history with Din. Good, one less thing he can hold over your head. It’s far from the most dangerous situation you’ve ever been in, but you’re not about to let your guard down. Not with the team you know is heading out alongside him. Although nobody’s told you where they’re heading off to, which alone is enough to confirm that you wouldn’t approve of whatever it is. 

You’re grateful you’d tucked your old blanket into a drawer in your workstation, the hangar gets cold. Especially when the Crest returns and brings the chill of hyperspace with it. The knit of it loose with age now, but it’s the last of your life before. The last remnant of a time when you thought you knew who you were. 

You don’t expect Qin to be the prisoner they’d gone to break out. Although, now that you look back, who else could it have been? Who else did enough people on the station give enough of a shit about to warrant sending a team after? The old team, specifically.

Nobody follows him out. 

You’re moving towards the ship before you’re even really aware of yourself. Qin looks surprised to see you, but you bypass a greeting to glance into the Crest’s hull. Empty. Did no one make it out? Did Din-

He’s there, suddenly, walking down the ramp and catching the pouch of credits that Ran tosses him. You try to cover your sigh of relief with a cough, but you’re not sure how successful you are. 

“Something the droid said, about the hyperdrive. Could you come take a look?” Din turns to face you, and for a second it’s like neither of you left the station. You’re rocketed right back to before everything as you nod and pull the blanket tighter around your shoulders. You don’t quite catch what Qin says when you disappear into the hull and unlatch the access panel, you’re not sure you really want to know, but you don’t miss the hatch closing up behind you.

“Mando?”

If Din hears you, he ignores your question, and the rumble of the engines lifting off almost takes you off your feet. You hurry to latch the access panel back up and wait until the ship steadies to shoot up the ladder and confront him. 

Stars. Stars and three X-Wings dropping out of lightspeed right ahead of you.

Oh.

“Tracking beacon. They wouldn’t have let me leave alive.” So he did hear you. 

He’s saved you. He risked precious seconds, ones he didn’t really have, just to make sure he got you out before the fighters got there. Something twinges in your chest when you think about your A-Wing sitting in the corner of the hangar, abandoned without a second thought and now blown to pieces. Suddenly your blanket feels a lot heavier around your shoulders. 

You go to sink into a passenger seat, before you notice a pair of big brown eyes staring up at you. A child, not like any species you’ve seen before, but a child nonetheless.

“Who’s this?” You hate the way your voice comes out all squeaky, like you’re afraid of the answer. You are, there’s no doubt about that. But you don’t need either of them to know that.

“He’s a friend.” 

There’s more to it than that, obviously, but you’re satisfied. One of your best friends is a six year old after all. 

The child chirps as you take the other passenger seat, holding out a little metal ball in his three fingers. He waves it around, desperate to show it to you. It’s the knob from the landing gear shift. You’d know it anywhere, you were the one to screw it in the first time. Now that you glance out at the console, there’s not anything that’s changed about it at all. Even your A-Wing, in all it’s years of service, had had bits and pieces pulled out and replaced, and that had been brand new when you got it. So why hasn’t the Razor Crest?

“What were you doing back there?” He asks, and you’ve half a mind to tell him it’s none of his business. But you’re tired, and he’s using that soft tone that you only ever hear in the dark. You’re powerless against it.

“I went back after the war. It’s good money,” You frown, “It was, anyway.”

“You’ve been there since then?”

“Everybody belongs somewhere, Mando.” You don’t spit the nickname the way you might have wanted to in the past, but he recoils like you do.

But you don’t belong there, you never did. No, you belong in that little room at the inn in Mos Espa. You belong in the sky in a starfighter. You belong in some busy Yavin marketplace chatting with your friend, with the kid on your hip and Din by your side. You belong wherever you want to, he knows that’s not Ran’s station. And Din? He belongs with you. But it’s too late now.

He punches in the nav code for Yavin IV without even needing to ask where you want to go. It stabs the knife a little deeper, the way he knows you so well. The way he always has. 

The child scrambles off of his seat and toddles over to yours, determined to pull himself up onto your lap by your bootlaces. Din doesn’t tell you not to let him up, so you haul the little green thing up and settle him on your thighs.

“Hi.” You introduce yourself, although it feels a little silly. You’re not sure how much he understands but he chirps in place of a reply before he gets distracted by the blanket around your shoulders. His little claws disappear into the wool and he drops his ball, utterly fascinated. You catch the discarded ball with your foot before it can roll too far and snap it up with your free hand. Din’s relieved you’re preoccupied with the little one, at least you don’t notice him staring. 

“Is there a-?” The child snores softly in your lap, buried in the blanket he’d pulled off of you and wrapped himself in. You don’t mind. It should be used to comfort a kid again, the same way it’s provided for you all these years. Letting this baby borrow it is the least you can do for him. The kid has a history, if the way he twitches in his sleep is any indication, and you’re not about to deny him something he might never have had. 

“In the hull, I’ll take him. You take the wheel?” Din easily, naturally, takes the child from you as you slide into the pilot’s seat. You don’t expect the easy domesticity to hurt quite so much. It feels like the galaxy is taunting you, forcing you to live a moment of a life you always knew you’d never get to have. You let yourself heave a shaky sigh when you hear Din’s feet hit the floor of the hull. 

It’s been a long, long time since you sat in control of the Razor Crest, but it’s just as familiar as the day you told him to take it. You flick the autopilot switch off. Any idiot can fly in hyperspace, all you need to do is keep the ship straight, but you need to feel the controls under your hands. Anything to distract from the gaping hole in your chest.

Din doesn’t ask to swap back when he returns. He only settles in your abandoned seat, and you can feel his eyes heavy on your back. If he has anything to say, he keeps it to himself.

You hope he doesn’t notice how the house is exactly the same as when he was last here, when you were last here. There’s a fine layer of dust that’s settled over the furniture but two sets of footprints, one about your size and another smaller set, lead to the fridge. Several new drawings have been stuck up among the others. You might cry if you were in different company. 

“Will he be alright?” You ask. Din had elected to leave the baby sleeping on the ship, as you’d touched down in a disused field across the track. He nods, trailing a gloved finger through the dust on the table. 

“Will you?”

He’s not expecting that. But maybe he should have. You’ve never not been worried about him, not since the first time you let him touch you, but it takes him out at the knees every time. Even when he’s pushed you away, even when you’ve been suffering yourself, you have always opened your arms to him. He doesn’t deserve it. 

“You could,” The words almost get stuck in your throat, but you know you’ll regret it if he leaves before you ask, “Stay.”

Din reels back. He can’t. You know he can’t, but you asked anyway. It’s enough to make his blood boil. He’s not angry with you, he never is, it’s his fault he can’t say yes. That’s all he wants. To stay.

“There’s schools, and other kids. You’d both have protection here. You’d be safe.”

The sun starts to disappear behind Yavin, plunging the kitchen into a red glow the way it did last time, but there’s none of the peace it brought before. It glints off his armour as the hope in your eyes starts to die. 

“I love you.”

How can the words he’s always wanted to hear make him so angry?

“Please! Every time I think I’m over you, you come back and turn everything upside down again. Please just give me something.” You can’t hold back anymore. You can’t stand here and pour your heart and soul out to a man who says nothing.

“You already have far too much of me!” He’s never raised his voice at you before, that alone stuns you speechless. So you just stare, chest heaving, waiting for anything to break the tension. And Din does another thing he never has with you, he fills the silence. 

“You have my name. You have my creed. I have nothing left to give you.” 

He leaves without another word, for the last time, and you can’t help but heave a choking sob before he’s even shut the door. His absence is everywhere.

He hurts.

Hurts like nothing’s ever hurt before in his life. Walking away from you, disappearing out of the door and knowing it’s the last time. You won’t let him back in after this. 

He can’t get back to the Crest fast enough.

Din practically falls through the side entrance of the hull, ripping his armour off before the door’s even fully closed. His guts twist and his lungs burn and he wrenches his helmet off, sends it scattering into a corner. He’ll find it later. Right now he needs to find the hole he knows is burned into his flight suit. A blaster bolt, a stab wound- something. But he only finds old scars and skin where your touch still lingers. 

No smoking hole in his side. No blood or wound. Just the absence of something important in his chest. An unfilled space. A gap between his ribs, something missing. He knows what it is.

His veins are somehow filled with fire and empty at the same time, knowing that would be the last time. The last time he gets to see you. And even though the hatred was so clear on your face, even though you were merciless in the words you hurled at him, he still thought you were beautiful. He’ll always think you’re beautiful, no matter how angry you are. 

Because he loves you. And now it’s too fucking late.

-

TAGLIST (add yourself here):

@brothersdrxke @rebloogggs @keeper0fthestars @remmysbounty @sirianisrock @thevoiceinyourheadx @firstofficerwiggles @1800-fight-me @ew-erin @chatterbean​ 

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

❛ OLD KISSES ❜

with Che ‘Taza’ Romero.

Request: not sure it works as a request but i have an idea i def wanna shoot at you - reader pretending to be grumpy at something silly Taza did and him using it as an excuse to smother her in kisses in front of the club? i swear im weak for your writing and that man

BY ANON

Warnings: none.

Word count: about 400.

Aurora says: this writing hasn't been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I'm sorry about that!

Gif credits: to my wonderful @sonsofeorl ✨

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You are drinking a coffee reading the newspaper, sitting in front of EZ at the table. Waiting for Creeper in Vicki's house, the eldest are playing poker behind your back. You weren't listening, until Coco said something dirty about one of the girls there, and the others agreed about it. Turning at the men putting an arm above the backrest of your chair, you raise an eyebrow with an incredulous gesture on. Actually, your attention is mainly focused on the older one. The one with whom you have a secret relationship. Or something like it.

“Why 'you looking at me like that?” He uses a high-pitched tone trying to sound offended, and moving his hands to uphold his innocence.

Turning away again, you ignore his excuses under the incessant look of the other members, confused of why he is giving you so many explanations. You continue ignoring him, until the man tosses his cards on the table to get up and walk towards you. From behind, he gently grabs your throat and the back of your head to make you look up. But when you're about to utter a gripe, he gives you a short kiss. Frowning, you try to complain again, being silenced by his lips. Trying it another time, you get the same result.

The crew is staring at you in silence, seeing the Apache earn your forgiveness. But they are still confused about the fact that you are together. That you are in a relationship. He finally makes you giggle, smiling at that gesture with the same love he smiles at you when you wake up in his bed.

“Did we miss something, brother?” Bishop asks, palming Tranq's chest, sitting by his side.

“Nah. You already know she's a pendeja”. Taza replies, keeping his eyes fixed on yours.

“Tú eres el único pendejo”. (You are the idiot one).

“Yeah, you drive me crazy, chamaca”.

“That's not my fault, but senility”.

“Uh, cheap shot”. Tranq laughs loudly, infecting the others and the girls around, including Vicki.

“Hey, (Y/N)! Move that pretty ass over here!”

Creeper's voice pushes you out of Taza's enchanting, having a last sip of your coffee as the prospect gets up too.

“We will talk about my… dementia later”.

“For sure, Romero”.

Wearing the green shirt of the scrapyard, you turn at Bishop.

“Make sure he takes his pills”. You joke about him.

“This shit is weird, but I approve it”. El Presidente makes a toast with his mug, nodding with pursed lips.