#im fully on fit's side with the distance he puts between himself and others

[d1scwars]

im not even a dedicated Fitmc watcher but so so genuinely, ANYTHING could happen on this godforsaken island, the ONLY thing i need to happen is for Fit and Ramon to make it out of the island together.

[criminalamnesia]

HIIII!!! I just wanted to say that i really love ur writing! I've read ur traitor series and I can't wait for part 4! I'm a new author, and english isn't my first language, so it's sometimes very hard for me to write bcs i'm stil not that good, but ur fics have helped me improve<3💗!

thank you so much!🫶 im glad you’ve enjoyed the series! and speaking of part four, here it is :)

ALL PARTS CAN BE FOUND HERE

simon didn’t turn to watch you leave the gym.

he stood there, eyes forward, mask clenched in one fist. he could feel the blood drying on his skin. he made no move to wipe it away.

he didn’t blame you for your anger— he couldn’t. he understood the rage. had felt it himself a time or two.

but he couldn’t take everything lying down.

did he deserve your wrath, your fury? yes— and he knew that. there was no making up for what he did; he realized that, but why couldn’t you understand?

he’d never fully taken his walls down around you, and that was no fault of your own. he was a guarded man, and his past gave him every right to be.

he had been burned and broken too many times. he’d seen the people he loved murdered because of him.

he swore he would never let that happen again. he put those walls up, and you knocked some of them down.

but there were some you’d never gotten through, at least, simon told himself you hadn’t. there was always something he was holding back, a piece of himself he wouldn’t give freely. he told himself it was because he couldn’t stand to love you so deeply and then watch you leave.

but really, it was because he needed an out. he needed a way to justify his leaving if something ever happened— and that’s what got him here.

simon trusted the 141 with his life. he trusted his captain with his life. price had never led him astray; john knew his face well before any of the others. well before you.

and when someone you trust so deeply, someone you’ve followed for years, tells you that the person you love has betrayed your team?

you can’t help but believe them. and that’s what simon did.

the evidence was coincidental at first. wrong place, wrong time. but then, everything started to seem like more than a coincidence. pieces of a complicated puzzle were fitting together. things only you and the rest of the 141 would know were leaked.

and all the signs pointed to you.

and although he didn’t want to, simon couldn’t help it. the second price had confided in him that you may be the rat, simon began to distance himself. you had been confused, but he had offered no explanation.

price was the one to question you first. it was a heated conversation in his office, consisting of him showing you the evidence and you becoming furious at the accusations.

johnny came to you next, buttering you up with his flirtatious and unarming words before asking if you’d leaked information.

then there was kyle, who pleaded for the truth. he told you that a case was being built against you, and that if you came clean now, things wouldn’t be so bad.

simon never tried to talk to you about it. the other men would tell him what you’d said, but he had never gone to talk to you himself.

maybe it was pride. simon wasn’t trusting, not after his past. he had let the 141 in, had let you in. and now you were a suspected traitor, and he was angry at himself. angry he hadn’t seen it sooner; angry he’d let you in at all.

but maybe it was hurt. hurt that you’d done this to him, to the team, after knowing everything they’d been through. after stitching up wounds on the battlefield and taking bullets for one another. after sharing simon’s bed and whispering you loved him.

all he knew was that he trusted price. and as evidence built, so did the distance between the two of you, until you were tied to that chair.

and simon had taken his hurt, his anger, out on you. he wasn’t proud of it, and he knew now that he was wrong. but he was still a little angry. angry because you couldn’t see his side of things— not like he could see yours.

so, he was an ass. he didn’t apologize. he snuck flowers to your bedside but kept his distance. he told you to watch your tone because you were still part of the team, and speaking to price like that was only something an outsider would do.

and he told you that he’d spared your life because he had. anger had consumed him, and truthfully, you were lucky he hadn’t done worse.

even if he’d smothered his feelings for you with rage, he still harbored love for you, and that’s why some part of him held back.

he knew you would probably never forgive him. he had made his peace with that.

but he couldn’t stand the fact that you couldn’t understand why he’d done what he did.

the creak of the gym door opening broke simon from his thoughts. he pulled his mask back on before turning around and making his way to the door.

it took one firm knock on the door for price to answer.

the door clicked open, and price sighed when he saw simon, scrubbing a hand over his unruly beard before letting the taller man in. price turned, walking back to his desk chair, while simon closed the door behind him and locked it.

“this is a bloody mess,” the captain said, falling heavily into the chair. it squeaked at the sudden weight, old leather crinkling and crackling.

“doc came and saw me earlier, ‘fore she left for the night. told me about some new injuries, and yelled at me for letting that happen.”

simon didn’t speak. price’s eyes met his, and he sighed again.

“fuckin’ hell, simon. what the fuck did you say? doc said she had to stitch up both their hands.”

“doesn’t matter what I say,” simon spoke, eyes still on the captain “they won’t fuckin’ listen.”

price shook his head. “that’s not true, ‘nd we both know it,” he sounded tired as he spoke, dark bags under his eyes. he paused for a moment, then spoke again.

“spoke to laswell after you left earlier. she said she’ll try to speed up the transfer process. tryin’ to avoid more fuss, and im not fightin’ it any longer.”

“they’re part of our team,” simon spoke, tone rough.

price shook his head. “they are, but I can’t keep doin’ this. can’t keep pushin’ off transferin’ because of you lot. it may be better for us, but not for them.”

the room fell quiet. simon inhaled, exhaled. his fists clenched at his sides before quickly unfurling once more.

he didn’t have a right to be mad at you for leaving, but he was.

“laswell say anythin’ else about tha’ transfer?” simon asked.

price leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. “not much. no word on where or with who, but even if she knew, doubt she’d tell us. for their sake.”

simon gave a small nod and made to turn, but froze as price spoke again.

“she did say she didn’t know if it would go through. they’d have to pass another eval.”

they both knew what that meant. if laswell said that, then she didn’t believe the transfer would happen. kate wouldn’t outwardly say it, but price had known what she’d meant.

pushing the transfer through wouldn’t matter if you couldn’t pass a physical and psychological evaluation— and laswell didn’t think you could.

although he wouldn’t admit it, price was unsure, too. torture was something that took an incredibly devastating toll on the mind and body.

but torture at the hands of your team? there was no telling the damage that that would do to someone. to you.

an honorable discharge was more likely. and, if that was the case, then your rage would likely grow tenfold.

you career, your livelihood, taken from you by the hands of the men you trusted the most. your family, cutting you up and pushing you out.

damned by your team and your country, regardless of everything you’d done for both of them during your service.

you were just another cog in the machine, one that had been damaged and discarded, and a discharge couldn’t make that any clearer.

he thought back to what you had said in the gym earlier, before you’d left.

‘you should have killed me.’

maybe he should have.

thanks to everyone for your patience! also just incase you didn’t see my post about it—

im no longer doing a taglist! my side blog @troiastitans will reblog my works from now on, so if you want to know when I post, follow that account and allow notifications!

as always, thank you for the love! (also I hope you all enjoyed a little peek into simon’s head!)

[avacadokin]

prev anon hello "later, when they're officially together, pac uses his extensive knowledge to wreck fit effortlessly" would you care to elaborate

ok you know the drill, cut time! this one definitely needs it, this isnt done but im posting it now anyway cuz ao3 [was] down

he built the thing of course he knows where the most sensitive spots are, exactly how to please and how to torture

pac made sure to put the etching of pac man, his permanent claim on fit, on a piece incredibly sensitive to touch, so he could indulge his possessive side by running his tongue over it while racking fit's body with wave after wave of pleasure

pac has given himself the option to either have a robo-cock (fully integrated with his nerves) or a pussy (biological). when he equips his cock he's created a mode where their dicks' sensations are synced

it originally only works when they're extremely close together (like frotting close), but with help from mike (who's partially doing this help his soulmate and friend, partially doing it to see if it can be done and the extents of wireless redstone, and partially doing it because he thinks it'd be a bit funny to see them tease/torture each other) they eventually get the range to be almost anywhere on the island

when that happens shit gets a little crazy, fit's mining and taking to the huevitos when suddenly he's doubled over in pleasure. his instincts from 2b2t won't let him stay out here vulnerable like this, where any stranger wondering the wasteland could find and take advantage of him ((well maybe he wouldn't mind if that stranger was pac)) so with shaky hands he pulls out his warpstone and teleports to Ilha Chume Labs

the walk from the waystone to pac's bedroom is agonizing, the hot wet pressure between his legs makes every step increasingly difficult, but the images filling his mind of what pac must be doing to cause this pleasure propel fit forward as fast as his unsteady legs can take him

none of the images could even come close to the beautiful scene laid out before fit when he opens pac's door

pac's prosthetic leg is carefully set up to charge next to his bed stand where his clothes are neatly folded. on the other side of the bed sits pac's scythe next to the flowers fit last gave him and a bottle of lube. in the middle, a perfect centerpiece for this picture, is pac, lying on his bed, head thrown back in ecstasy as he moves something between his spread legs

before he can investigate what's between pac's legs, fit's attention is drawn to pac's blissed out face when he cries out his name as he notices fit's presence in the room. their eyes meet and for a moment fit is overwhelmed with the love he feels for this man, but the moment is quickly cut off when pac moves the hand between his legs and fit feels another sharp pulse of pleasure in his dick

fit closes the distance between them, shucking his shirt and hoodie in one hasty movement, eyes fixated on pac's hand as he slowly figures out what is going on

pac is fucking his newly wireless dick into his own sopping wet cunt

fit's heart almost definitely skips a beat as he connects the dots, realizing the amazing wet heat around his cock has been pac's pussy the whole time

as fit gets closer pac slows down his ministrations, moving his hand to the side to allow fit better access, using what little leverage he has left to maintain a steady rhythm of pleasure pulsing through their dicks

fit leans down, running his hands along pac's legs and spreading them even further. tracing over surprisingly powerful muscles as his hands inch down steadily

fit ghosts his hands over pac's cunt, reveling in the stutter he causes in pac's rhythm and the quiet "fit" that escapes his mouth (god how he loves when pac says his name with a "tch") he soon returns his hands back to pac's legs, softly gripping onto the comfortable fat that covers beautifully twitching muscles.

pac's cunt isn't left unattended though, once his hands have found their place fit bends in and laps reverently at the connection between pac's dick and pussy.

pac impossibly becomes even wetter, or maybe that's just fit's saliva mixing with his juices, it doesn't matter, he's in heaven

fit however, wants more. pac's arousal is all he can smell, his slick is dripping down his face, his cunt soft and delicious on his tongue, his dick is enveloped completely by pac's warm tight walls

yet he needs more

he looks at the wires attached to pac's clit and is struck with an idea how he can get the more he so desires. it needs to be discussed with pac first though

it takes herculean effort to pull himself away from pac's cunt, but fit manages to, only for the hand pac is not currently using to fuck himself to wrap around the back of his bald head and drag him in for a passionate kiss

it's sloppy and wet and pac must be able to taste himself in fit's mouth, but fit wouldn't have it any other way

when they're finally forced to stop for breath, fit palms pac's dick and pants out "how far away can this thing go?"

"as far as yours i think"

oh the Ideas that gave fit, of taking it with him and fucking himself on it later, of stealing it and pranking him with pleasure or pain at the most inconvenient times, but none of that mattered right now, he had a mission

first he has to draw back from pac, getting up to undo his belt and discard his pants and boxers as quickly as possible (it's not nearly fast enough, fit wishes quesadilla island's anti-cheat wasn't so strong so he could use his abilities to speed it up, just so he wouldn't be away from pac for these unbearable seconds)

his dick finally being free shakes fit back to attention, his eyes refocusing on pac's delicious cunt

fit grabs his dick, giving extra attention to the pac man etched into it (attention pac greatly appreciates judging from the way his hips buck up at the sensation) before crawling up the bed to close the far too large space between them and bringing his hands to rest against pac's hole and hand

once fit has settled into his proper place between pac's legs, he covers the hand pac is using to fuck himself with his own hand, grabbing pac's dick through it. pac's movements stop as he lets fit drag his dick completely free from his pussy, the wet pop it makes echoing throughout the room

[jinx-on-mars-19xx]

Feast Fit for a King

⚔️ All Previous Parts Here ⚔️

Dom x Colson (Yungblud x Machine Gun Kelly)

Warnings: future ABO, slick, lots of slick, viking Col, fae Dom, mentioned violence, mentioned sex, mentioned masterbation, cursing, drinking, slow burn, needy boys, teasing sexism, innuendos ☠️ Rating: mature

Ideas helped by @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker 🖤

Damhnaic was trembling, he'd never been so surrounded by others. Even at his home before he ran the other selkies gave each other so much space and his kind weren't as plentiful as they once were- which was why he was raised to be a god's gift- so he wasn't used to being crowded. What was worse was that they were all. So. Human. There was sweat soaking him everywhere, the tunic wet with it, but at least he wasn't leaking as badly as he had been between his thighs. He tried to stay close to Inga while his master was being greeted by person after person but his stomach ached from the distance. The chieftain was beautiful to watch, even with the obvious mask he put on for most of them. Dom could tell the men his love was most comfortable around by the way the mask dropped a little, and he could also tell who he hated the most. Fucking Bjørn.

The feast was in full swing and Kol wanted to be glad for it. It was a welcome home of sorts, they'd gotten back from a trip just days before and Inga always liked holding a feast in his honor. He wasn't in love with the idea because he was forced to be on for days on end, every celebration lasted at least three. He would normally get shitfaced and party, eating his fill and enjoying his time with his brothers in arms but gods- he couldn't be intoxicated when other men were around his thrall. He knew the other bedroom girls were trying to sway his attention but he could feel exactly where Dom was, as if there was a tether between them and he knew others were looking.

Dom was the new star of the night, fresh meat to some but Kol'son couldn't help growling when someone looked too long or mentioned him in passing. If he heard how amazing the new thrall's ass was one more time he'd have to get his sword. "Brother!" He finally heard a comforting voice and his whole body relaxed, his shoulders dropping as his best friend came up to greet him at his throne. "Nice new toy, break it in yet?" Kol's hand was already up to greet the man so it was easy to change course and smack the side of his head.

"Fuck you Pete." He huffed as the bastard started giggling. Of course he still hugged him but it turned into a bit of a wrestling match. It always did between them.

Damhnaic didn't mean to move but he strayed a few steps closer to his friend when he saw another man curl around Kol. His dark lips pulled back over his fangs and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He was getting closer, his feet moving under him as if he had no control but suddenly there was a hand on his chest. "Worry not little one. Petter is no threat to you. They're like brothers."

"Petter? He don't look like the overs. I mean fuck, I could take 'im in a fight." The selkie was surprised at himself, he didn't normally threaten anyone but when the gangly one fell into his leader's lap he choked on a growl. He'd been paying close attention and no one had lowered Kol'son's walls more than him. He seemed almost more himself with this Petter than he was with him. Gods he knew it might take longer than a night to get the human to fully open up to him but he fucking hated it. He wanted to be all that mattered, it burned in his belly and tightened his core. "'Ave they… ya know?" He asked the girl, finally turning to look at her. He thought he had seen her around on the farm but they hadn't spoken yet. She definitely wasn't a bed thrall but she was pretty enough to be one. Long curly brown hair, almond shaped dark eyes. She was lovely but there was an air around her that promised a bite if anyone pushed.

"Aud. You're Dom, yes? Worry not, no matter if Petter has hoped, our leader has never had eyes for a man. Well…" She smiled slowly, her brown eyes twinkling. "Before you."

Dom couldn't help but grin back as butterflies swirled in his belly. Did everyone know their business? Was he that obvious? Perhaps it was the chieftain that was obvious. "I suppose he's allowed to do wha' he wants. Like them girls." He huffed softly and took a step back, aligning himself with the sweet girl as they watched a group of bed thralls surround the two men.

"Oh don't worry about them. Our fearless leader tired quickly of each and they're just desperate to be kept. I'm sure his bed is far warmer and comfortable than his uncle's though. Bastard reminds me of my troll of an ex." She hummed, her voice almost musical in its lilt. They both shuddered at the thought as they glanced at the brute in question, already drunk and pawing at the women. Their eyes met and they both cringed over dramatically and they laughed. Something in Dom's chest loosened when her soft hand laid against his arm, he felt welcome by her the same he was with Inga. He knew he needed a few friends, especially if their leader went through bed partners quickly. Could he really make him want to keep him forever? Should he even want to?

"Boy!" Kol'son's voice boomed over everyone else's and the fae couldn't help rolling his eyes but his heart beat faster. He was wanted. Aud giggled at him but pat his shoulder to send him off and he pushed through the other humans to reach the one that mattered. Petter was still close, he'd taken a seat next to Kol but that was fine. He could get closer.

Kol was surprised when Dom appeared and took a seat directly on his lap. His eyes went wide and his hands found their way to the boy's child bearing hips as if pulled by magic and his gaze tracked the edge of the tunic as it fell to reveal the mark he'd left on the kid's pale shoulder earlier that day. Gods his cock filled fast with the newcomer so close. He could taste him, his scent was so strong. "Yes daidí?" He didn't know the word Dom called him but he saw the shock that came over him. The way his jade eyes went wide and he swallowed hard. Damhnaic had been so careful not to speak anything but Kol's tongue and he truly liked the way it sounded.

"Um… what?"

"Nuffin." He called the man father? He didn't mean it in a parental way, he genuinely didn't know what that connection felt like but it slipped out unbidden. As the man's sweat slick hands started massaging his hips to soothe him he wiggled back on his lap and whined when the human's hard length pressed against him. Well he'd kept the cloth between his thighs mostly dry all night, he supposed they'd find out how well it worked. "You wanted me?" He purred, leaning back until he could rest against his love and he pressed his nose against his jaw, breathing him deep.

Kol fought not to shiver and tried to ignore the look his best friend gave him. Perhaps Dom was acting familiar with him but he was allowed. Pete could fuck off. When soft lips brushed his skin a shiver went down his spine and his dick twitched. Couldn't they sneak away for a little while? He didn't like other people around his boy. He didn't like anyone staring. Part of him wanted to scream 'mine' and mount Dom in front of them all, but one- he didn't want anyone seeing him, and two- he wasn't supposed to fuck the kid. His vow was getting harder every moment that passed.

He needed to steal a few minutes away for himself, perhaps if he pleasured himself again he could handle it. He already had three times throughout the day. First when he woke, Dom's foot had been resting against his dick and he'd never woken up so hard in his life. Again in the bath, and once more before he got to the great hall. Four orgasms, counting the one that spilled on his thrall's ass, in one day seemed excessive but not with such a nymph around. He just felt bad he hadn't yet returned the favor. He shouldn't though, it was one thing being a toy for Dom's pleasure but to help him reach that peak himself? No. That was different. He realized he was supposed to answer and he'd waited so long, he couldn't help basking in his presence though. The boy was perfect.

"Missed you." He sighed a little too truthfully, his grip tightening on the kid's hips and if he helped him roll a little that was his business.

Damhnaic's stomach flipped, his heart beating faster. The pad of cloth between his legs put just the right kind of pressure there but it was the hot strong thigh under it that made him tremble. "Fuck. Missed you. 'Ere now daidí." It rolled off his tongue again in a whimper, he didn't have to tell his man what it meant in Kol's tongue, he could call him that and it would be a special secret. He felt safer with him than he ever had his own kin anyway.

"Pleasure to meet you boy, I'm Pete, your master's better half." The stranger explained and Dom's brows furrowed. He could feel Petter's eyes on him, it felt too heavy and slightly lascivious and he didn't like it. The guy wasn't a threat he didn't think, Pete didn't seem like he would do anything that might upset his king, but he seemed almost… jealous.

"Dom. You can call me Dom. If Kols agrees at least. He don't like 'master' and sorry you only 'alf a man. Must be rough." He huffed back. He knew he should bite back his insults but Kol had already let him stake his claim among the girls so he hoped that were true here as well.

Kol'son choked on a laugh but gave the boy a gentle nip on his shoulder. It wasn't hard enough to hurt but at least it would appear as if he were chiding the thrall for his sharp tongue and wit. "Oh man, I like this one. You'll keep him for more than a night right?" Pete teased back but his hackles rose at that. He didn't want anyone picking on his boy.

"At least I offered him a place, he didn't fucking stow away on my ship. I chose to keep him and he's staying for good. Aren't you Dom?" He purred, burying his nose in that wild dark hair. Shit he wanted to eat the boy he smelled so good. He wanted to shove his face against the kid's dripping cunt and feast on him the way he should be the dinner in front of them.

The selkie's belly ached when heat rushed through him at his leader's words. He knew he shouldn't agree but he couldn't stop himself from nodding. He was sure he was leaking through the cloth and his tunic but he just wouldn't move. He'd stay right where he was forever if Kol'son let him. "Touch me?" He whined before he could stop himself, it was barely above a whisper and he cleared his throat to try and cover it. He didn't know what came over him. "Tha' explains it. You look a bit like a rat." He joked back, he could tell that was how he would deal with the man. He needed a thick skin with Kol's boys and he had one, he just wasn't allowed to wear it around humans.

Kol was still blinking, his brain trying to figure out if he'd heard what he thought he had but Dom went on as if he didn't whine the sexiest thing the chieftain had ever heard. He tried to focus as his friend and his thrall teased each other but all his blood was in his throbbing cock and his mind was lost to images of the nymph wet and naked. Gods he'd have to make it five times if he wished to make it through the night without taking Dom. Especially if he kept slowly shifting his hips like he was. "Are you quite satisfied boy?" He groaned against his pointed ear.

Damhnaic shuddered, drool pooling on his tongue at just how deep his leader's voice had gone. "No. Would you like to 'elp?" He knew they had days ahead of this feast, they'd have to be present for most of it but when he turned to meet Kol's eyes he didn't care. "Dance wiv me?"

Whatever Kol thought he was going to ask for it wasn't that and his breath caught in his chest at the idea. Could he really stand being pressed chest to chest with the boy? Could he really hold him close and not kiss him? When the smile on those dark lips turned to a pout he knew he'd have to try. He couldn't stand making his thrall sad. He'd do anything for his happiness. Anything.

Author's Note/Tags: @manicpixiedreamb0y @hollywoodxwhore @jaxbreaker @cole-way-iero28 @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker 🖤

If this was a little short I apologize, I wanted to get something out but I had my first PT appointment yesterday and if destroyed me. Literally I can barely type. I hope it was still good, there's a few more people to introduce but there's a lot of feast left. This slow burn is getting difficult when all they want is to fall in bed together 😅☠️🖤

[remsmoonlight]

— title : glitter in the sky

— word count : 2.3 k words

— pairing : loki x reader

— summary : before putting into place his plan for thor’s coronation, he seeks you out one more time for comfort only you can provide

— warnings : maybe a teeeeeny bit of thor bashing but incredibly minor .. love ‘im fr , bit of sadness

         ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 　requested ? nope　/   requests are open  *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

an: i got this idea, first from watching the first thor movie because aw, and then moving onto silent hill and that field scene is a whole vibe..... who doesn’t wanna just chill randomly in a field with the sun on your skin with no responsibilities? hell yeah .. anyways this just got away from me in a way ha

Trailing your gaze up to the sky, your eyes marvel at the merging colours as you study them intently, witnessing the blend of hues and tones from a bright blue to a mixture of warm pinks and burnt oranges light up the surrounding area before you knew they would fade into nothing more than a dark blanket who’s only source of light would be the moonlight and the stars that would litter it.

Your shoes crunching the dry grass and the sounds of chirping from the various wildlife encompasses you, it takes all of your strength to not allow a large grin to brighten your features.

Despite being so late in the afternoon, time walking on a fine line towards the early evening, the heat from the sun is still so strong, comfortably toasting your skin as a heavy blanket on a cold winter’s night would.

In the distance you’re able to spot the intimidating stature of the aged tree, though it’s intimidating in name only  ⎯  for now it holds only those memories that lay locked deep within your heart. Your situation is a rather unusual one. Many summer afternoons had been spent shielded from the harsh rays of sunlight that shone over everything it could touch, though they hadn’t been spent alone. Rather, they’d been spent with an exceedingly phenomenal man. Can he even be called that? You wonder to yourself, Loki was far from human. Far, far from it.

“ to think I had been of the belief you would not be appearing. “

The suddenness of the voice slicing through the noises of the concealed fields would have shocked you more had it not been so honeyed. Holding the recognisable smoothness that you only associated with Loki.

“ this is the first time I’ve ever been late, thank you very much. “ you answer with an unwavering nerve as you stare at him while amusement floods your expression.

“ and the last, I’m sure? “ an eyebrow raises as he questions you, a warmth brightening his aura against the coolness he exudes normally.

Believing he’s not of Earth had been hard for you to grip, to believe fully, no matter how many tricks he could conjure before your very eyes. Though disappearing right before you, then feeling the whisper of his breath dance on the back of your neck so gracefully had been the confirmation you required. From there on a friendship blossomed into something more, you both becoming more and more involved with the other. Holding such unbelievable secrets were not a common place for you, to have this continues to make you feel like such a special soul.

“ oh, shut up! “

You stroll towards him, closing the distance with an enthusiastic energy that not even the longest of days could wear you down. Nothing in the world makes you feel so secure and guarded than when you finally feel the weight of his arms snake around you to bring you forward into his embrace. For Loki, you are a home away from home. Never do you gaze upon him with untrustful eyes, nor do you view him as beneath you, many negative connotations are attached to his name and you? You simply see him for who he wishes he could be, only ever in your presence does he try not to disappoint you. Back on Asgard that’s all anyone ever expects, so why not play into their prejudices? It has protected him so far, though the thought that perhaps even that has done more harm than good tresspasses into his mind on a rare occasion.

It’s not something he wishes to think about there though. He wants to dedicate his short visit to you entirely. Pushing away the increasingly regular thought it’s just a heartbeat, he is not one to be naive to pretend. Illusions are second nature to him, to forge them as easily to breathe, but to experience them are something that is in his power to prevent. He could allow this one instance to be selfish.

“ might I inquire of your wellbeing since we parted last? “ he requests as fingers entwine with yours to guide you to the slight hollow space within the tree. You drop yourself without any elegance to the ground, he settles behind you with his legs on either side of yours.

You can’t help but marvel at the differences between the two of you, like night and day. However, your differences fit like a puzzle with no inconvenience.

“ life keeps trying to test my patience, same as ever but ⎯ “ you pause, your eyes shining with remembrance of the gift you had brought, of course you knew it’s nothing more than a silly little trinket but you couldn’t help but fall in love with it. “ here, my friend’s been making these pieces for their business and I couldn’t help but think of you. “

Adoration is the only thing that overwhelms him in this moment, it’s a feeling he wants to lock away to relive over and over, for the only time he has never been treated as an afterthought is by his mother. Now? It’s a feeling that hasn’t been forged by a bond born of blood, but one that has arisen naturally. The item in your hand is a small metal band, with designs etched onto its body.

“ it’s only a little thing I know ⎯ “ you begin to babble, the words tumbling before you could even stop them. Your mind losing all control over your language before Loki put a stop to it.

“ I’ll have you know it’s not the physical item itself, but the sentiment behind it I hold dear. “

You want to respond with equally sweet words, but the heavy tone doesn’t go undiscovered by your ears.

“ Loki, what’s wrong? “

“ nothing, why do you ask? “ the God denies, switching the questioning to you.

Turning to face him, your eyes scout all over his features to spot anything that would give you cause to continue on with your concern. It’s light, the ghost of sorrow concealed behind a curtain of confidence and ego, even the most professional of liars can’t hide the truth of that. The hurt cuts too deep for a flimsy pretense of everything being perfect for it to bury those feelings.

“ you’re an amazing liar, but I’m beginning to get the hang of you. Besides, sadness is something difficult to completely hide. “

A heavy breath is released, your fingers from their position on his shoulders feel as if there’s an invisible weight that has almost decreased. You wonder how long he has carried this with him.

“ tell me. “

Every fibre of Loki’s being is fighting to keep his feelings kept away out of sight, to imagine they never manifested themselves into reality, but locked into place by the profound compassion swirling in your eyes he wants to finally divulge everything in his mind that has been plaguing him. Who knew a mortal could have such an enchanting effect he thought humourfully to himself.

“ the deadline for a successor to my father’s throne is approaching. “

“ and you’re worried? “ your brows lower, confusion marking your features as you struggle to understand why that could be so bad?

“ I've veiled many things from you, a fault of mine I understand completely. “ he admits, a sorrowful smile gracing his lips.

“ it’s never too late to share them. It might help you feel better? “

Loki wonders just what it is he has done in his history to be blessed with such an understanding and caring soul as yours, nothing could ease the lasting effects of each and every of his transgressions over his many years of living. How exactly could such radiance and light find the dark Prince of Asgard so easily? Many who lived in his realm would argue that he’s not deserving, instead countering that his brother should be in such a position of happiness.

He simply gazes upon you before speaking, a slender finger raising to tuck a few stray hairs behind your ear.

“ the successor has already been chosen, they always have been. This is a mere formality. “ switching his sight from you to the environment around you both, turning to look upon the steadily darkening sky.

“ so why do it then? “

“ to ensure that the process is seen as fair, despite the favour repeatedly falling to my brother. “

Nodding in understanding, you finally realise why there is a darkness that swirls over his head now he speaks of the topic. Living in the shadow of the golden child is not easy, your heart hurts as you realise that there must be many people who do not see the same man who you see. They see audacity instead of a daringness, to mistake him for an egotistical know it all instead of someone who has a thirst for knowledge and tricks.

“ never did they wish to stop viewing me as a troublesome child, I suppose I never aided in changing that. “

Nothing falls from your lips, knowing no words could do justice for what you need him to know, to feel. Twisting yourself onto your knees, you lean forward and allow your arms to provide him comfort as they surround his neck. One hand raises to rest in the dense raven locks of hair you constantly marvel over, moving ever so softly to trace patterns.

“ I’m sorry. “ you mumble softly, wanting to say more, but you can’t help but resign yourself to being unable to say anything meaningful. Instead, figuring it would be better, first, for him to speak his emotions without looking for any advice.

“ you’ve nothing to apologise for. The pieces will fall as they should. “ he comforts, whining to himself over the absence of your warmth as you withdraw the embrace.

“ Loki, what do you mean by that? “

“ nothing for you to worry yourself over, my dove. “ he shakes his head, as a chuckle that is short accompanies it, contains little genuine amusement to settle you.

“ I’m being serious, what are you talking about? “ your demand is light in touch, though your gaze holds an unrelenting strength as he looks towards you once more.

“ again, nothing that requires your concern. Midgardians, you worry too much. “

“ over things that can get the people we love into trouble, of course. “

His heart pauses in beating as the words seep into his mind, realising exactly what you spoke. Briefly, does he wonder if he misheard you, thought deep down he knows what you spoke.

“ did you ⎯ ? “ an unrecognisable vulnerability crosses his expression as he begins to ask what you had said, to hear it again as if for the first time.

A reddening of you cheeks can be seen, you look down with a sheepish grin. This had not been the way you had imagined using the love word. Of course, over the years of your life many things had not gone to plan, so this was just another instance in a long, long line of events that just got away from you. While you know there is something mutual, you can’t bring yourself to look upon him just yet.

“ you heard me correctly. “

Elation swells within him, even the thought of perhaps you would prefer Thor had you met him first could not creep more than a few feet before being banished from sight and mind, it’s not something he wants to entertain. Especially for what he has in mind to plan for the future. Instead, he allows himself to be engulfed in your love, to experience the last piece of goodness that has been reserved for him, knowing it won’t last.

All you feel from your dropped gaze is your nose being nudged by his, then the weight of his lips on your own. Moving together as if they are fighting to mould into one, fitting together so well. Both of you are left breathless, momentarily caught in the feeling of the other that oxygen is the last thing on your mind.

“ do not trouble yourself over events that have not come to pass yet. Especially on an evening as fine as this. “

The corner of your lips tilt higher as your turn away from him to peer over the surroundings you had briefly forgotten. The burnt colours had long since faded into darkness, the stars being the only light as they can only be likened to being glitter in the night’s sky. A true beauty.

“ I love nights like these, where you can see all of the stars. “

“ you’d be besotted with Asgard’s constellations. “

You’d settled back into the position you were in previously, with arms encompassing you protectively with your back secured firmly to his chest. Loki explains the beauty of Asgard, and how even in the day the stars can still be seen against the shining vividness of the colours of their sky. Quarrelling against the gold hues from both the sun and the palace he knows only as his home.

“ that sounds wonderful. “ you whisper, feeling fatigue sneaking its way to the forefront of your mind.

“ it truly is a beauty to see. “ agreeing with you, resting his head upon yours. Wishing nothing more than to be able to stay there in that moment forever.

“ I wish I could see it. I’m very jealous right now. “

He can feel you becoming increasingly drowsy, flattered that you would even let your guard enough to even allow sleep to touch you. Having you on Asgard would certainly make him a happier person, to have someone who isn’t his mother understand him would be freeing. Though his father would die before he allowed that to happen, a mortal on Asgard.

“ Perhaps one day. “

Loki can’t be sure if you even heard that, but it’s something he wants to entertain. Besides, what is the use of being a master of mischief and tricks if he couldn’t make such a desire come true?

[motherjoel]

Leading Lady (Spencer Reid x Reader)

chapter six- whispers of are you sure

wc: 2.1k

summary: you and spencie get closer owo

a/n: im sorry i haven’t posted a chapter in awhile :/

chapter index: chap 1, chap 2, chap 3, chap 4, chap 5

-

You started to stir from your nap when you heard hushed voices a few desks down. Remaining quiet, you kept your head down to listen in on the conversation.

“Listen man, it sounds like you’re crushin hard on this girl,” you recognized Morgan's voice. Reid spoke next in hushed tones.

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about her, it's just unprofessional. And besides, she would probably go for a guy like you anyway,” said Spencer.

You could feel your heart break. It didn’t take a genius to know that they were talking about you, but it saddened you to hear about Spencer’s lack of confidence. In your eyes, he was the ideal man. You wanted to show that to him one day. 

“Now you listen to me. You gotta stop getting in the way of your own happiness. Any girl would be lucky to have you, you just have to see it for yourself,” Morgan told him, warming your heart. This team was like a family, and you had to admit, you were a little jealous about their love for each other, but it was good to know that Spencer had such a great support system. You felt kind of weird listening in, however, so you decided to “wake up.” Slowly lifting your head, you yawned and stretched before looking over at the two men with a sleepy smile, pretending to just realize that they were there.

“Hey sleepy head,” said Morgan before getting up and turning to Spencer. “I gotta help Hotch with something,” he told him, leaning in to say the next part more quietly. “Remember what I told you,” he said before clapping Spencer on his shoulder and ruffling your hair when he walked past you. You smiled at the exchange and turned back to see Spencer nervously picking at his fingernails. 

“So, what'd I miss? You catch the guy yet?” you asked in an attempt to lighten the mood. Spencer just chuckled nervously and shook his head.

“No, not yet,” he paused, thinking of what to say next. “I’m glad you got some sleep in. Studies show that most healthy adults need to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to function at their best,” he told you, continuing to nervously ramble, citing multiple facts about sleep. You just smiled at him, not fully processing his words. You were just mesmerized by his intelligence and passion for mundane facts. He noticed you staring. “What?” he asked nervously.

“Oh I'm sorry,” you said, flustered. “It's just… you're cute when you ramble,” you blushed and looked down. Spencer had the same reaction.

“Oh. Most people think it's annoying, the team normally cuts me off,” he said, avoiding eye contact. You could almost see the gears turning in his head, almost as if he regretted saying that for fear of judgement. 

“If anything, it's... endearing,” you said, lifting your head back up to meet his gaze. He looked surprised that someone enjoyed his quirks. To you, this is what made him genuine and irresistible, irreplaceable. The two of you stared intensely for a moment before you started to speak at the same time.

“I thin-” you started.

“Do you-” he began.

You both laughed in response to this, the silence continuing for a moment longer.

“Y/N,” he started, with a shakiness in his voice, “I know we’ve only known each other for a few days, but I really care about you. Every time I have a breakthrough on this case, the first person I think of is you,” he started. You got up from your desk to walk closer to him as he went on. “And I don’t know what to call that, but you’re just really pretty and you’re so nice to me and you always are interested in what I have to say and you smell really goo-” you cut him off by softly grabbing the sides of his face. 

“I have never met anyone like you before,” you told him in awe, stars in your eyes. He mimicked your expression, his surprise melting into adoration. Your eyes flicker down to his lips and he wordlessly nods, accepting what you had so badly wanted to do from the minute you met him. Slowly, you leaned in until you were an inch away from his face.

“Are you sure?” you whispered, wanting to confirm your mutual feelings. You weren't imagining this, right? Spencer didn't wait a second to wordlessly accept. With a small but nervous laugh, he closed the distance between his chapped lips and yours, resting his hands on your waist and pulling you closer. It was as if you were in a movie, the magical spark between you two. Your kisses with Logan hadn’t been like this- they didn’t hold this emotion, this longing. Logan's kisses were chores, not luxuries. A few seconds, what could have been hours, had passed before you pulled away and rested your forehead on his, eyes still closed. You wanted to savor this moment of peace, this calm before the inevitable storm. You both jump to the sound of an attention grabbing cough. Turning around you see a sly Prentiss, feigning gravitas.

“Uh, Hotch wants to see you. We’re going over possible unsubs and he thinks it would be good for you guys to be there. But, by all means, finish what you were doing first,” she said with a wink before speed walking into the conference room where the rest of the team was.

“So…” you trailed off.

“Yeah, so…” he replied looking at you with his blush still lingering.

“We should probably go see what's up,” you told him, although you didn’t want your time with him to end.

“Good idea,” he replied, and the two of you began your walk into the conference room, his hand resting on the small of your back as he led you. Once you got inside and settled in a seat next to JJ and Spence, you looked around to see the entire room staring at you with odd smiles. Rossi even shoots you a wink. Huh, word really does get around fast. You didn’t mind them knowing, however- you knew you had their support if Spence was happy. And that's all you could ask for.

“So about those unsubs!” Spencer starts, trying to diffuse the childish energy in the room. 

“Right,” Hotch begins, trying to hide his own sly smirk. “We found out that the time of death of the latest suspect was at around 5:30, just like you thought,” said Hotch in a more serious tone.

“That would give Nichols the perfect amount of time to make the kill and then show up late to rehearsal,” replied Rossi. You were shocked.

“Wait, Nichols? As in Matt Nichols, my Matt Nichols?” you asked, frantically. Reid flinched at your intensity and the use of “my” when referring to Matt, but you didn’t care. Matt might get on your nerves sometimes but you wouldn’t let him take the fall for something like this. You couldn’t have one of your leads getting arrested the week before the show, either. “A guy shows up late to one rehearsal and you assume he's a serial killer? Man, he can’t catch a break,” you huffed with a mirthless smile. 

“Y/N, you have to admit, he fits the profile perfectly,” offered JJ, you just shook your head.

“I see the way he looks at you,” said Spencer, softly. As he continues he attempts to speak with more conviction but to you it sounded like he was trying to prove some far fetched conspiracy. “And that guy is possessive. When we kissed at your rehearsal the guy looked like he wanted to kill me!’ he said, trying to convince you. The mention of the kiss earned a whistle from Garcia on her screen. 

“Not the time, Garcia,” Spencer snapped. You were in shock. The nerve he possessed to be giving an attitude right now surprised you. You could tell he was just on edge because he cared about you, but you didn’t want him snapping on his teammates because of you. 

“I’m sorry you guys, but just because Matt and I used to have a ‘thing,’ doesn’t mean he wants me dead,” you said, standing up and walking out of the room. Your head was spinning and you needed some fresh air. 

You grabbed Spencer’s sweater from where you left it on the chair and tugged it on before making your way outside. Once you were finally in the cold air you felt like you could breathe. How could this happen? Only a few short days ago you were at the top of your game, starring in your dream role and working towards a promotion at work, granted, the amount of times you had to call out for FBI business might affect that. The BAU threw a wrench in your whole life, but for some reason, you couldn’t be mad at them for it. JJ was like the sister you never had- the two of you were immediately connected and you didn’t want to lose her. Garcia was the hilarious and beautiful best friend you had always needed in your life, always ready to lighten the mood. Hotch, stern as he could be, was a compassionate leader and you were so glad the team had him. Morgan was protective and so sweet- even just knowing you for a short period of time, he had nothing to offer but kindness. Prentiss was smart as a whip and loved to tease you and Spence, but you wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Through your savored but limited interactions with Rossi, you could tell he was a father figure for the team. This was a bit of a sore spot with you, but you hoped you could get closer with him over time. And Spencer. He was so frustratingly great. Great at his job, great at making you feel safe, great at… well… everything. You felt so lucky to know all these people and bond with them, you almost forgot your frustrations with them. But, after all, they were the professionals. If it came down to it, you would try to vouch for Matt but if they suspected him, you would trust their instincts.

You removed yourself from your thoughts and were about to make your way back inside when you heard quick footsteps from behind you and a sharp pain on the back of your skull before it all went black.

-

Inside the station, the team continued their conversation about the case. Spencer, however, was pacing around the conference room worried that he just screwed up what you two had going. Rossi excused himself from the team and walked over to Spence to put a calming hand on his shoulder.

“Go. Make sure she’s okay, we can handle this,” he told him, and that’s all it took for Spencer to bolt out of the room and out of the station. Looking around, his heart dropped when he didn’t see you. He tried calling your name a few times but he was received without a response. That's when the panic began to set in. He sprinted back inside the station and ran to the team, face red and panting.

“She’s gone.”

-

You woke up in an empty room, seated in a chair with your arms strapped behind you while your legs were tied together. Looking up you could see a tripod with a camera, filming your every move. Things began to make sense- the unsub had finally tracked your whereabouts and had taken you hostage. You couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh at the circumstances. You had thrown away your life just because you were upset about an assumption a trained team of professionals made. You had thrown away the life that you had worked so hard to want. Your father's passing had left you in a terrible place where your mind wandered to the unthinkable. These thoughts were something you had struggled with your whole life. You never planned on actually taking your life, but some mornings you were disappointed to wake up. It wasn’t until recently that you regained the will to take advantage of what life had to offer. Your passion for theatre was reignited and you met an amazing group of people- a group that you weren’t ready to say goodbye to yet. You were shaken from your thoughts when you noticed a shadowy figure enter the room from the door opposite of you- this figure was familiar, one you recognized. 

“Matt?”

-

taglist: @mcntsee, @diesinspanishbcimhispanic, @chickens-are-life, @rexorangecouny, @ceeellewrites, @aerialdinosaur, @just-damn-bored

[sleepypeaky]

now i’ve found you

finn shelby x male reader

request: male!reader, who is Tommy's assistant, is pretty sure he's straight. but he ends up falling for one of the shelby brothers (your choice!). insert gay crisis, and potentially tommy/aunt polly/ada being supportive?

w/c: 1,363

a/n: i love this headcannon so much thank you. i know i do finn for everything but i thought this would work the best and also i love him so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ note that john is alive because im in deep denial. i know i went for a heavier take on this than i could have, but i think it works. also yes i ripped that scene right out of the DA movie. i hope i did the mlm a good. #wlwmlmsolidarity

this is 1928 ish so finn is 20 and so is the reader

this is very obviously way more fully formed than any of my other fics but its tuesday and i have nothing to do so 

Ada Thorne had always looked out for you. So when she managed to get you a job working for her brother, you knew you would be safe. Now you hurried up the steps and knocked on a large heavy wooden door, which opened presently to a sitting room where you awaited your new boss.

Ada held the phone to her ear.

“Listen,” she said. “I have a lad who needs a safe place to work. He’s smart and capable and before you say anything, no, he’s not a spy.”

Tommy silently acknowledged the last part with approval. “Ok, but protection from what?”

Ada looked over her shoulder, making sure none of the others in the house were about. She sighed, “I know this means little to you, but he -lets put it this way- doesn’t fancy the ladies. And life is hard enough for people like him without having to worry about being kicked out of work for something that’s no one’s goddamn business.”

“As you said, this lad’s private life is moot to me, but if you can vouch for his work ethic and loyalty, i’ll give him a try.”

“You must be (y/f/n), nice to meet you.” Tommy shook your hand and led you into his office.

“My sister talks very highly of you, and she is quite possibly the only honest person i know.” He offered you a chair and lit himself a cigarette.

“So, the job is simple enough. I need an assistant, the most recent of which, is my wife, who can’t very well be working for me anymore.”

You smiled and nodded. 

“Well I have two years of university to my name so I hope I can be useful.”

Tommy chuckled, “Well you are more qualified than any other man here lad, and it’s probably smart to get some new young blood on the company.”

You smiled, “Thank you sir.”

He motioned you to follow him out of the room and into a smaller one just off it.

“This is your office, across the hall-” He motioned behind him through the door, where directly adjacent was another room, “-Is my cousin Michael’s office, he is the account handler so to speak.”

“Now,” He turned back to you, “There is the matter of this.”

He placed a pistol and a handful of ammunition onto the desk between you.

“You know how to shoot son?’

You looked concernedly at the weapon casually lying on the table,

“No sir.”

“Well, hopefully you wont ever need to use this but it seems to be company policy, never can be too careful. I’ll have someone teach you.” 

You thanked him and placed the items in a desk drawer.

“If you’ll follow me, i’ll give you the rundown of the company,” he said. “I’ve got some time and I need to wrangle up some people.”

You followed him out the door and through a series of buildings where different operations took place. At one point, you walked into a sort of yard-warehouse area.

Beginning from a distance and gradually growing louder,  you could hear ‘duck!’ ‘hit!’ ‘shift!’ etc.. 

All was explained when you and Tommy turned the corner.

In a roped off section of the cement yard were two very handsome young men. Both boxing and both, seemingly to vex you on your first day, shirtless.

“That’s Bonnie and Finn, don’t mind them.” Tommy commented off-hand. 

He turned left and walked into another building, leaving you just enough time to glance back at the two shirtless men, before ducking in after him.

After Tommy had introduced you the Charlie and Curly, he led you back to the office and then said he had to run, and you could start filing the stack of papers on his desk. 

You went right to work, and before long, had forgotten the time completely.

~~~~

You were in a filing induced trance when a noise took you out of it.

The noise turned out to be the door opening.

“Oh hi.. i didn’t know anyone was in here..” The boy stammered.

You looked up to see on of the boys from the boxing ring, taken slightly by surprise, you fumbled out from behind the desk to introduce yourself.

“Sorry to surprise you, hi i’m (y/n), Mr. Shelby’s new assistant.” You held out your hand and he shook it.

“I’m Finn,” he stumbled “Tommy’s brother.” he released your hand.

“Can I help you with anything?” You asked, tilting your head.

“Well I thought I’d find my brother here but i guess i’ll see him later.”

In a hasty fashion he held up a hand as a brief farewell, and scurried out of the room.

You sighed and cursed silently to yourself.

Out of all the people he could have been, why my boss’s brother.

~~~~

Like no time at all, the weeks and months seemingly flew past. You had become acquainted with everyone and felt like you had finally found your place. There were, of course, still some aspects with which you couldn’t fit in just the same as any other.

“Oi, you’re a good looking lad! Why don’t you come along with us tonight. Get some drink and find a girl, Birmingham’s best!” Arthur wheezed.

“That’s not saying much, but do come along mate!” John followed up. Giving you a friendly slap on the back.

You smiled,

“Thanks,” You gave john a man-pat on the shoulder, “But i got some work to finish here.”

“Suit yerself.” And they were gone.

You sighed with relief. You knew you’d have to go someday, but right now you couldn’t handle the idea of,,,that.

A few minutes later ,you heard a knock on the door and Finn entered, holding two crystal glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

“i heard you skipped goin’ to the Garrison with the others so i thought i’d bring some to you.”

He placed the things down on your desk and sat on the chair opposite you.

“You’re a life-saver! thank you.” you exclaimed.

Finn chuckled, pouring you a glass and handing it over, 

“Yeah, it’s not really my scene either.”

You hummed, taking a sip and savoring it quickly in your mouth. You wondered, a stupid thing to do, if it wasn’t his scene for the same reasons as you. Though the more you got to know him. You suspected.

Suspicions are a dangerous thing. Especially ones that are led by the heart, and are ever so biased on your own happiness. Nevertheless, a week or so later from that night, you popped in to tell Finn, with perhaps too much certainty,

“You know, I think I know a place you might enjoy.”

~~~~

London always induced a joyous feeling inside you. Not that you had only fond memories from living there -far from it- but there was something about a city where the air wasn’t 80% coal soot.

You and Finn got off the train and made your way to Ada’s house. It was always a delight to be in her presence. Especially because you owed her so much, in fact, probably you owed her your life in so may ways.

After tea, and insisting that you had to make your way to a surprise spot, you and Finn made your way into the night.

Through a maze of mews and side-streets, down alleys and cracks you led him.

“I know i grew up in small heath,” He said at one point, when you were in a particularly funky alley. “but where the hell are you taking me?”

“Trust me.”  you assured him.

You both came out of an alley and into a small courtyard-like space. You brushed off your clothes a little and knocked on a door in the dark brick wall.

A little notch opened up and you whispered the password. the door swung open.

“Hello Love!” The doorman said, “ ‘aven’t seen you ‘round here for a long time!” 

You greeted the man back and made apologies. Presently, you went inside, leading Finn behind you.

Inside was an immaculate ballroom filled with people. Jazz music was pouring from the stage at the far end of the room. But as Finn looked around more, he started thinking that something was off. 

When he realized he froze.

All the people dancing, all the paired up couples, were men. Some dressed lavishly and others in plain working clothes. some with curled mustaches and some with cheeks of rouge and powdered skin.

Finn couldn’t believe his eyes.

He saw for the first time, a pair of men dancing hand in hand with wild smiles on their faces. Laughing, singing along.

Finn couldn’t move, nor could he take his eyes off the sights around him.

He felt your presence next to him, 

“Was i right to bring you here?” You asked.

He turned his head to face you, he was quivering. He looked you in the eyes, eyes that were lined with tears. 

“I had no idea,” He whispered,

“I had no idea there were others.”

Your heart ached for him in a way that only those like them know. You knew what he felt, the wonder, the pain, the confused elation.

You took his hand,

“There are.”

You slowly pulled him to the dance floor.

The music had gotten slower, and the dancing changed to a sort of swaying four-step. 

You took his other hand first, letting him go at his own pace, but soon you were as close as the others on the floor. both of you had a hand on the others waist.

Finn looked around again, at all the other people, eyes all closed and heads close. He turned back to you and moved even closer. He brought his lips up to your ear, 

“Thank you.” He whispered. He kept his cheek at yours, you felt his hands on your back.

He moved his head slowly so he could look at you again, it was such that your foreheads touched. Your heart beat slow, but hard. You whispered

“Can i kiss you?”

His eyes flicked up to yours before looking down again and moving his lips to yours.

It was ever so soft, barely even there. But it was there, and that was beyond anything Finn had ever felt or imagined before. He closed his eyes and kissed harder this time, and from beneath his eyelids came small lines of tears. The release of an unseen, unknown burden that he had carried for so long.

All you felt was warmth. And the ballroom surrounding you disappeared. You were on a different plane of being, the jazz music still crooned, muffled. 

All there was was him, and for him all there was was you.

~~~~

Epilogue

Finn stood outside the opaque glass of the door. And in the irony of psychology, he had never felt more confident about what he was going to do.

He opened the door to Tommy’s office. 

“Hello Finn.” He said from behind the desk, cigarette smoking from his lip.

Finn went right up and took a seat across from his brother. 

“I’m a homosexual.” He declared, his gaze unwavering despite the magnanimity of his previous statement. 

Tommy took the cigarette from between his lips and put it out.

“Well then.” He reached over and grabbed a bottle of whiskey, pouring two glasses and sliding one over to Finn. He took a sip.

“Why are you telling me now?”

“Because I’m in love with (y/n).” He replied casually, taking himself a swig.

Tommy raised his brow, but made no other physical impression of surprise.

“Well then.” He said again.

Finn sat there in the silence of Tommy’s company. Surprised, and at the same time not, at his reaction. 

Tommy got up from his seat and made his was around the desk. Finn stayed where he was. In an act so small, and yet untellingly powerful, tommy placed a hand of finns shoulder, and kept it there.

“How will the others find out?”

They found out at a family meeting a month later, when, a new agenda item was introduced.

For a while after, there was silence. 

John, being john, broke it with,

“Falling for a secretary huh?” he chuckled, “that seems more like something i’d do.”

That lightened the tension. Amid the other items on the list, Finn leaned over to Ada, who sat on his right.

“Tell me,” He asked quietly to her, “did you know?”

She breathed a moment, finding the words to use.

“I knew you had more on your mind than we could ever know.”

Finn looked back ahead, letting her words sink into his mind. Her hand rested on his knee with quiet warmth and reassurance.

~~~~ You waited outside the meeting room until the rest of them filed out. Finn was the last, and when he appeared you gave him a quick peck on the lips, and held his hand, walking together out of the building.

[mysaldate]

(UM seduction methods anon here) Im in awe over how much you write for so many character, every day! Do you have any hc on how they live? (where they live? living conditions?) BUT please dont push yourself or anything either!

Thank you so much for worrying about me! I’m simply trying to do my very best for all of you! And thank you also for such wonderful and original requests!

The living conditions of the Upper Moons headcanons

Daki&Gyuutaro

This one will be short since we know quite a lot about them. They’ve lived in the red lights district for their whole lives. In the streets and usually with little more than just their clothes on but they had each other.

They stayed in even after they became a demons. No surprise, there’s plenty of food and nobody will really care if a couple girls disappears.

They don’t have separate rooms of course. These two are literally inseparable so of course they wouldn’t bother with something like that. There’s nobody to tease them about it either since people are not aware of there even being two of them and as for their fellow demons, those just don’t care. Except maybe for Douma but he wouldn’t tease them about it.

We got to see their room so there’s not much to be said about the decorations either. Daki is a stylish girl and she likes to show it off even in the way she sets up their room – even if nobody much gets to see it.

Kaigaku

He never really had much of a home per say. He became an orphan at a young age (if he wasn’t abandoned as a baby already) and then was chased out of Gyomei’s temple as well. Jigoro took him in but unfortunately enough, that relationship didn’t really work out either. Strangely enough, he felt most at home when he was outside, travelling from one mission to another.

After he became a demon, he stayed with Kokushibou for a short period of time but that was just before Muzan approved of his existence. After that, he had to find his own territory – which wasn’t really too hard anyway. He picked a run-down old house as his shelter from the sun for the day but he didn’t really care much how it looked, at least not at first.

It’s not that he wouldn’t like company but there’s not really anyone to share his place with. Humans wouldn’t hang out with him, other demons literally can’t. Other Upper Moons won’t.

He first didn’t care at all how the place looked but after some time, he decided that since he didn’t have anything to do during the day anyway, he could at least try to decorate the place a bit. So while the sun is up, he does little things inside, like sweeping the floors or painting the walls. He even learnt to sew to make curtains. And at night, when he’s not out hunting, he does other reparations. Even he is surprised by how much fun he can have, giving the place a personal touch.

Gyokko

Being an artist, it’s not unlikely that he lived in an open, arid room before he became a demon. Lots of sunlight too. And occassionally, a companion or two but those never really stuck around for long. His place was filled with various unfinished art pieces.

Now that he’s a demon, he can’t have the luxury of a sunny appartment. His pots, however, work as a little pocket dimension so that’s an upgrade? Of sorts? It doesn’t really have a set shape either, it’s a little bit like Nakime’s Infinity Fortress but shapeless, like the walls are made of water or another liquid and constantly change form.

He lives with plenty of goldfish. The entire place is nearly filled with aquariums of various shapes and forms. You know how people make mazes for hamsters, guinea pigs or even cats? Well, those are nothing when compared to the lengths Gyokko goes to for his fishies. It’s not just glass, coloured or plain, either. Sometimes he would use the nichirin blades or pretty hairpieces of his victims’ to decorate the elaborate fishtanks as well. If a human ever strays in, it’s the last thing they say.

Gyokko LOVES decoration. Aside from his fishtanks, he has numerous statues, paintings and just about everything else you can think of. Both handmade and stolen. For his handmade art, he usually uses bodies or bodyparts of his victims, possibly their blood too. It serves both as an artpiece and a food reserve just in case he ever gets to a position where he’s forced to starve. Surprisingly enough, his pots are great at preserving things. Oh, and let’s not forget about the amount of detail he puts to the exterior of his pots! 

Hantengu

Back when he was a human, he didn’t really have a home, naturally. He couldn’t afford it. And most people wouldn’t let him stay more than one night, chasing him out often with sticks and stones. He had to travel all the time and preferably somewhere far away where the rumors about him didn’t reach yet. Due to this, he becomes restless when he has to spend a long time in one place.

Now, as a demon, he also doesn’t stay in one place all the time. He usually sneaks in a house, kills the family and stays there for a few days before moving on to the next one. Some of his other personalities, namely Sekido and Karaku, find this a little useless and bothersome but they wouldn’t really fight him on it.

Speaking of whom, his other personalities split when they have time to be alone as well, taking care of him and the house. It’s a great way to keep him safe as well since at least one of them is always on guard for possible intruders. They get along... somewhat well. There are the usual conflicts between Sekido and the others. Karaku is careless about their cover, Yoroko likes to make pranks on them and Aizetsu tends to lock himself in his room for hours on end. Poor Sekido is left with the task of housework, making sure they don’t get discovered too soon, acting as the voice of reason... and he still has to go out hunting and stay on guard when it’s his turn.

Yoroko likes decorating stuff and Karaku loves to watch him but their taste is strange to everyone but them. Surprisingly enough, Hantengu as well as Aizetsu both can actually create rather beautiful tapestries and Zohakuten sometimes paints when Sekido is just too done with the three useless dorks.

Nakime

She used to be your typical hikikomori. Nakime spent all her time in her room, with nothing but a pile of books and her biwa. It wasn’t a big room either. While her room did have windows, she prefered them covered and read in the light of an oil lamp. As expected, it wasn’t too good for her eyes...

She lives in the Dimensional Infinity Fortress now. A place she can fully control and knows everything about, one that bends to her will and where she can transport anyone anywhere at any time, just as she wants. The only exception seems to be Muzan who comes and goes as he sees fit (at least until the current arc but y’all already know how I feel about that). It’s not that she minds it, she still knows where and when he enters and leaves and even if she didn’t, it’s not like he would ambush and kill her for no reason (right?).

Despite providing rooms specifically suited for the Upper Moons, she much enjoys her solitude. Even when they’re in and she has to keep an eye on them (I’m sorry, I’ll stop with the puns now), she keeps her distance. Try to annoy her, or even just seek her company, and you will mercilessly get thrown out. An exception, again, is Muzan. He doesn’t live there with  her though and only seeks her out when he has work for her to do.

Decoration of the rooms varies greatly, mostly based on what are they used for. Most of the Fortress is not decorated since Nakime sees no reason to waste time and effort on that. However, there are special parts that deserve special attention. Just as an example, there’s Muzan’s upside-down lab, Douma’s lotus pond, that traditional japanese area Kokushibou first appeared in... And of course, the execution platform that’s now decorated with the red of the Lower Moons’ blood.

Akaza

Again, we have a very good canon idea about his life as a human. First living with his father and then spending some time in the streets, he eventually ended up staying at Keizo’s house, taking care of Koyuki. He had his own room there too but it didn’t really matter because he spent most of his time by Koyuki’s side anyway. Rumor has it he dragged his futon to her once when she was having a nightmare and never moved out until she got all better.

He’s pretty much a street rat as of now, looking for challenges and new foes to fight for the most part. During the days, he usually stays still outside, in dense forests or deep caves. He’s not particularly picky. Sometimes he stays there during the night too, setting up a campfire and waiting for someone to wander close. For some reason, he doesn’t really like cities, especially during the festival season.

So yeah, he lives alone. At least usually he does. It’s not all that rare for Douma to find and bother visit him. He doesn’t want company. Getting attached would make him weak. The more people you care about, the easier it is to take advantage of you.

The only thing he cultivates in his surroundings is his own body. No, I’m not talking about the tattoos, though those certainly are a decoration as well. Rather, it’s his muscles and strength. However, he still prefers to have some manners over raw power, hence why he keeps refusing Douma’s more than generous offers to hunt down some girls together even if that could make him stronger.

Douma

Grew up in the temple in the forest. High up on a mountain overlooking a small town, it’s not a place with the most access to society. But cults are usually like that. When he was about three years old, his father planted two magnolia trees in the courtyard so that the place is a little more lively and the trees can grow tall to provide lots of shade in summer since the sun could be quite annoying. If only he knew...

Loyal as he is, Douma stays at the temple even now. He had it expanded a little and even had a lotus pond build right behind his room so he can calm his thoughts at least a bit after every session. He used to need it more than he does now, especially since he now also has the one made by Nakime that is way better and more spacious.

Canonically, there is at least one temple servant staying with Douma at the temple. But honestly, it wouldn’t be quite like him to satisfy himself with a single person. There’s probably a number of people taking care of the place, both temple servants and maidens. They also serve as a source of entertainment and possibly even as a last-resort snack just in case. There also used to be Kotoha and Inosuke for a short period of time but well...

While he is quite childish and it might sound just like him to go overboard with decorating stuff, that’s not entirely true. Really, the most he has is the skull closet with engraved golden door. That and the pot in which he planted Kotoha’s head but that one is a gift from Gyokko so it doesn’t really count.

Kokushibou

As with most of them, we were blessed with enough info on Kokushibou’s, or rather Michikatsu’s, homes. Growing up a samurai, he never had time to spare, little to no friends and a bride who was most likely found for him without him having any say in it, it’s really not that much of a surprise he would elect to leave it all behind and become a demon slayer since it gave him significantly more freedom.

Even as a demon, not much have changed. During the day, he stays at a mansion like the samurai lord he is, and at night, he goes out to hunt down the pests in the area, more often than not treating himself with a bountiful feast while he’s at it. He also has a room in the Infinity Fortress but like the majority of the Upper Moon demons (actually everyone but Douma), he enjoys his solitude way more.

He has a few servants at the mansion. Ones that get replaced every once in a while when they mysteriously disappear. But the salary is high enough to let any major rumors die out in a blink (I know, I promised, I’m sorry) so the most he has to deal with are whispers about him overworking his servants to the point where they rather abandon the money and run away under the cloak of the night.

You would probably find the house eerily plain but he’s used to it. The backyard is where he spends most of his time aside from his room and those two are the only actually decorated places in the house. And they’re still kept neat and practical for the most part. He rarely has anything that wouldn’t serve a purpose, both when it comes to items and people.

[jawnjendes]

bonus: why is their luck in a deeply sad moment? | shawn mendes

some type of au idk man, shawn x goth ex gf

WARNING: there is talk of death and suicide in this chapter. read at your own risk.

AN: i cant squeeze this into the next big fic nor can i fit it into shawn meets bc everyone hated it so its a bonus in the gg story lmao also im starying the Next Big Fic in a few days :)

masterlist | annalise’s playlist

2026.

"Sometimes I think about the what ifs,"  Ann said, “but I like where I am. I like what I’ve made for myself.”

Shawn had to invite her over to his house a second time, because the first time left him with many questions unanswered. He couldn’t be mad at what she said, though. He was in the same boat; he liked the life he made. You know, without the crushing loss and run in with the supernatural.

“Well, I’m happy for you,” he told her, and he really meant it. “I’m glad we were able to successfully do our own things straight after breaking up.”

“Nothing like filling the void in your heart with work!” Ann replied with a giggle. She moved a strand of hair behind her ear, and that’s when Shawn noticed something.

He took her hand and noticed a tattoo on the side of her middle finger: The Triforce.

“You got inked?” he asked, impressed.

“Oh, that’s nothing,” she replied, grabbing her sleeve to roll it up.

There was a sword on her inner arm. It was varying in shades of blue, and it also had the Triforce on it. Shawn recognized it as the Master Sword from the Legend of Zelda games.

“All this is is proof that I’m a nerd,” Ann said as she rolled her sleeve back down. “I notice you have some more ink also… and that you still wear shirts half buttoned.” She pointed to his chest.

Her finger poked the exposed skin. It shouldn’t have been as tingly as it was. Shawn smiled and placed his hand over his chest.

“More than just that,” he told her. “But I can’t show you all of them.”

Maybe it was a little risky to say that. Shawn would have taken it back if Ann’s cheeks hadn’t gone a shade of pink.

“I could say the same thing…”

Shawn quickly came to learn just how many tattoos Ann had gotten over the years. A snake and tombstones on her other arm. Feather on her collarbone, roses on her shoulder. A quote reading, “...but I’m not anymore” with stars around it on her ribcage. Something on her wrist that Shawn didn’t catch because he was busy pressing his lips to her hips and taking off her pants, where he found another tattoo. “Lucky you.” He certainly felt it.

Everything about their time together was so familiar, so easy and almost home-like. Ann’s skin touching his. Her lips perfectly molding over his. The quiet, needy gasps they both released into the bedroom. It was like going back in time, and they were in Shawn’s Toronto apartment instead of his multimillion dollar condo in LA. It was soft and slow, despite Shawn pinning Ann’s arms above her head. He didn’t outgrow that particular move, and she still seemed to like it.

Shawn had never been happier to have been on a break more than now. Most one night stands in the past began and ended very quickly, because he was on tour or in between interviews or on a break for one day. This was one person that he didn’t want to leave behind. They lied down, sweaty and dazed, facing each other. It was silent, but not awkward. Everything had a nice haze around it.

That was also when Shawn finally made out what the tattoo on Ann’s wrist was. He picked his head up in confusion.

“Is… are those torches?” he asked. “Upside down? Just like mine… and are those my initials?”

It was simple line art, less intricate than his own. Torches in an X, with “SM” right below them. Shawn has been floored many times, and this was no exception.

Ann picked her head up as well. “It’s not what it looks like.”

Shawn looked down at his chest, his torches were exactly the same, sans the initials. He wanted to give Ann the benefit of the doubt, that this wasn’t some creepy fangirl thing. Some of his one night stands ended up like that, and it wasn’t exactly easy to forget.

“It’s for a friend of mine,” Ann explained, sitting up and covering her front with the blanket. She took note of the look on Shawn’s face. “Keeping someone’s light on beyond death, remember? I assume yours is for someone too.”

They were both sitting up now, and Shawn relaxed. However, he only relaxed a little bit because now it was time to get deep.

“Mine’s for Brian. He died last year.”

Ann’s face fell. “No. Brian, your best friend? Brian, the one who constantly took the piss outta me?”

He nodded. “He was… there was an accident. Flight of stairs. Instantly killed.” It was all lies, but no human would understand.

A hand went over his, squeezing. “I’m so sorry. He just, he just fell down some stairs?”

“A lot of stairs. I don’t know I guess he was running or something. There was no way to save him. People in the house heard the crash, but by the time they found him - when I found him - it was too late.” He had told this version many times, enough times to where he could almost believe it himself.

“Fuck, man. That’s… that’s fucking terrible,” Ann said sympathetically. “But I seriously can’t believe you just told me that.”

“Why?”

“Because now I have to tell you that mine is for Stella. Those are her initials.”

Stella Martinez. Now Shawn felt a little stupid… but surprised, and he was met with a sinking feeling in his stomach. He couldn’t believe it for a second, but it fully processed in his head, and his heart began to break.

“Stella from college? Stella, who was your literal opposite and also your best friend?”

Ann solemnly nodded. Then she looked down. “She… she killed herself.”

Shawn was stunned into silence, the tightness in his chest only intensifying. The entire time he knew Stella, she was always so positive and bubbly. She was the opposite of suicidal. That’s why it was such a shock… and so sad. Oh god, who was going to tell Camila?

“When did Brian go to the other side?” Ann asked after a moment.

“A year ago last month,” Shawn replied. “And Stella?”

Ann raised an eyebrow. “Two years ago last month...”

It was a strange coincidence, but still upsetting. Both Shawn and Ann lost their best friends at the same time of the year. The urge to spill everything was thick in the air. Still, neither of them said anything for a while.

Instead, Ann reached down to the floor to pick up her clothes. Shawn’s eyes were stuck on her and that was when he spotted another word on her back. Nightmare. Small font, right shoulder blade, surrounded by a cluster of skulls. Then, he realized what she was doing.

“Are you leaving?”

She looked up, bra in hand. She was quiet as she put it back on.

“No. No, I’m not going anywhere.”

And she crawled back into bed. She made the point to keep a distance from Shawn, who was still naked. He was on his side, looking at the woman before him. Only Ann could have sex with him and bring up the subject of death. That brought a new point to mind.

“How do you enjoy death?” he asked. “I think I’ve asked you this before, but after losing someone and attending their funeral, I’m having a hard time understanding your perspective.”

Ann took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. “I don’t enjoy the act of dying. People die every day in horrible ways. People mourn and fall into depression because of death. That’s not something to enjoy.”

“So what’s your deal with it?”

“I’m just embracing the face that it’s inevitable. I do that for myself. I will die eventually, or tomorrow-”

Shawn made a face; he didn’t like that thought.

“It doesn’t make it any easier when someone I know goes,” Ann continued. “You’d think with all the research I’ve done it would be. The ones we love leave this mortal plane, and all they leave is their absence. And that alone is a lot to process.”

“What’s the hardest part?”

“The what if’s.”

Shawn asked because he really wanted to know more about what happened to Stella. He had to know the things that led up to the tragedy, mostly because he knew Camila would ask for details, even if they were hard to hear.

He figured he should spill his side first.

“The last thing I said to Brian was to get the hell out of my room,” he began. “We were fighting, fighting over something so fucking stupid, and I was so pissed at him. That was our last interaction. He fell down the stairs because he was trying to find me in this big huge mansion…”

Ann sat up a little bit, hand over her chest. “Here?”

“Oh no, not here. I was staying at a friend’s house in London for a work thing. Place was huge, easy to get lost in,” Shawn clarified. “Brian, Andrew, all of them were leaving back to Toronto and I didn’t want to go just yet. Part of it was because I was still pissed. Maybe if I had run into him first before he fell… If I hadn’t kicked him out of my room a few nights prior… If I was less of an asshole…”

“Maybe you would have slipped on the stairs,” Ann told him. “Maybe you guys would have had an even bigger argument later that would have ended your friendship. There’s no way to tell, and sometimes that’s what sucks the most.”

Huh. Most people tell him not to dwell on it. No wonder Ann was a shrink now.

“Losing someone is one of the hardest things we, as humans, have to face,” she said. “It’s not easy in the slightest. Besides, the grieving period takes about three to five years, so you - we - are still in the beginning stages of it. Thinking about the what ifs, what you want to change, what you wish you could say to Brian - all of that is normal.”

The two of them let those words settle for a moment. Shawn’s eyes were a little misty, and redirecting the topic was probably not going to help. But he laid his stuff out on the table.

“What about you?” he asked.

“Me?”

“Your what ifs?”

Ann paused, looking around the room. “What if I had put my Master’s to use and noticed the goddamn signs?”

Shawn watched her, hoping she would at least return the eye contact.

“I’m an expert in this shit,” she said. “I have the years of school, the degrees, and the licenses for detecting things like this. I only figured it out the moment her dad called me.”

“How do you detect when someone is suicidal?”

“In her case, she was elated. When someone makes that decision, they reach a state of euphoria because they know their pain is about to end.”

“But Stella was always-”

“Believe me, I know. I hadn’t talked to her since graduating in Toronto, so I thought she hadn’t changed at all. But I would see on her social media, she just moved back to her parents’ house in Florida, and she hinted that she wasn’t happy about it.”

As if Shawn couldn’t take another blow. Come to think of it, he never heard much about Stella’s home life. He didn’t even think that it could be a negative place for her.

“I was in Jacksonville for work,” Ann continued, “so I hit her up, and we met up for lunch. We talked for about an hour, and she said that I was always a good friend and college wife and that she’ll always love me. And my stone hearted ass just said ‘cool, you don’t suck’ and that was that. A month later, she’s as blue as the pills she took.”

“Ooo…” Shawn sighed, cringing at that mental image. Sweet, warm hearted Stella cold and lifeless. Call it morbid, awful thinking, but Shawn wished Brian looked like that in death instead of the bloody mess he turned out to be.

“Yeah. And her parents had her embalmed and put in an airtight casket, but that’s a whole other rant.” Ann waved it off and lied back down.

Shawn didn’t know what else to do except lie down as well. While sharing the stories of how their friends died, he couldn’t help but feel just a little bit closer to Ann. The first time they met, it took fighting tooth and nail to get her to open up. Now, Shawn felt okay silently reached for her hand, and tenderly holding it in his.

Both of them winded up at the same awards show. Both lost their best friends. Both got the same type of tattoo to honor them. Neither of them anticipated meeting again. This couldn’t be a coincidence.

_______

goth gf taglist: @normalcyisoverrated-beyou @ilsolee @mendesromano @kitykatnumber @strangerliaa @iloveshawnieboi @someoneunimportantxx @goldenmndes @calyumthomas @shawnsunflower @shawnvvmendes @parkeraul @havethetimeeofyourlifee @chillingbythesea @wronglanemendes @softmendesss @peruvian-bae @theprivatewritings

[hvlfwygod]

the ferryman | gabriele & abel & lucien (& chiron) (& etc)

summary: some spirits are moved more easily than others

Gabriele wasn't sure why he'd come anymore. His company was frustrating at best and— he didn't want to be uncharitable and finish the thought. He'd come not because he was doing anything particularly useful, but because he was worried. He thought Lucien had been perfectly secure in the hospital, but apparently the bed was needed. So, he was going to the Big House instead. Despite getting Jordan to seal all the windows and Chiron's repeated assurances, he could not shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong. His goddess was whispering something, but he couldn't quite catch it. Really, he just wanted to see Lucien get inside this room and the door get locked. And he wanted a friend by his side while he waited with Jordan for this transfer to occur. But Abel was sulking, honestly sulking, and Gabriele prayed to be out of the bad energy soon. "You didn't lose, Abel," he said, not for the first time.

Jordan said that he’d meet everyone there, trying to spend as little time as possible with every single component of this. He’d told them before he left that he’d done the research, and turns out, Hecate, though excellent with communicating with and guiding spirits, had no actual control over them. Turns out, there was no way that the spell was supposed to work with putting a second spirit in the body. Because Major came back, it complicated things. He was an anomaly, and there was... basically nothing Jordan could do about it, besides put a locking spell on his holding cell, apparently. He shivered under four layers, his body protesting the cold and yet refusing to warm up.

Abel was on the other side of Gabriele, just as quiet, though the gloom did seem to seep from their pores. As Gab spoke, they turned up their nose. “Ah, I didn’t say that I did.” This time. “You can stop speaking to me as though I am a petulant child.” They were almost grumbling instead of speaking. “Had I decided to go for lethal blows he would not be standing there anyway.”

Gabriele rubbed his hands together, unconsciously affected by Jordan's shivering. He sighed deeply. "I'm not speaking to—" He had half a mind to ask Jordan if he also thought that he was speaking to Abel like they were a petulant child, then he realized that doing that might vindicate them. "Alas, my attempts at encouragement fall on unwilling ears. I am sure you're correct, and let's be thankful that you went easy on the poor man." He sighed again. "I still think this is a bad idea. Jordan, the room will hold, yes?"

Abel only sighed more at Gabriele’s reply, feeling more patronized, and Jordan could feel the aura of death creeping in on him, though he didn’t know quite what it was. He hunched his shoulders up as if that might keep him warmer, and suddenly a cat appeared on his shoulders, wrapping around his neck like a scarf and blending into his hair. At the question, both man and cat tensed, and his eyes found another person as if for the first time. “I don’t fucking know,” he snapped. “I’m literally fucking here because I’m a failed magician. I think it’ll hold. I don’t know.”

Abel glared at Jordan over Gab. “Shut up. Stop sulking because you accidentally possessed a person. Poor you.”

Gabriele bristled slightly at Jordan’s reply and even more at Abel’s. Though he was inclined to agree with them: as much as he believed in second chances, and even pitied Jordan’s situation, he didn’t appreciate being snapped at. “Abel, shush. Jordan, you are not a failed magician. I would argue you’re actually quite competent, which for this instance is quite unfortunate. You’ll have to forgive my paranoia, as since you cannot do much else to assist us, we’ll have to wait until Abel is healed to help our friend.” He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The vibrations off these two were unbearable. “I do not like playing with fire by giving Lucien more time to scheme, but it cannot be helped. The least I can do is make sure he cannot run off.”

Jordan clenched his jaw and Crinitus growled at Abel, looking as though he might leap off Jordan’s neck before he got a pat from his owner. “It was a stupid question. I gave an equal response.” Fuck this year, thank god it’s almost over, Jordan thought to himself as he walked away from the other two, not giving them time to reply to him. He approached each of the windows, drawing sigils so they would stay locked tightly. Crinitus followed down Jordan’s arm, as if inspecting and reinforcing the windows.

“Don’t listen to him,” Abel muttered, as though they needed to be the one to reassure Gab. “It was a good question. He’s just upset.” They hung their head. “I wish I was well enough to extract more from him. I might be. I’ve been using shadow magic each night to heal myself and I think Ime might be messing with me to keep me on the crutches as a joke.”

Gabrielle watched Jordan walk away with a weary expression, then turned his attention to Abel. He tilted his head, studying them for a moment. “I would prefer you be safe, Abel. I would hate to see you hurt yourself more. I’m sure Major would, too.” He didn’t know this, but he wanted to reassure Abel. Gabriele rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment. “How bad was it when you took those smaller ghosts out?”

“It’s not hurting me. I’m perfectly able to do it,” Abel was muttering once more. “Not like I need my leg to extract a ghost.” They rubbed their eyes with two fingers and pinched the bridge of their nose at the question. “That’s the real reason I’m afraid to do more. He started bleeding internally, I think. Coughing up blood and the like. I’ve never taken a ghost out of someone before, but it seemed strenuous.”

Gabriele decided he wasn't going to argue with Abel about why they should wait for a stab wound to heal before doing anything strenuous like exorcise a ghost. Something told him that it would only end in further frustration. Instead he focused on their answer to his question. "I see," he said with a frown. He took a few steps away from Abel, hoping the bit of space might help to clear his head. "I think I can—" Gabriele paused when he saw a car approaching. His eyes flickered over to Jordan, then Abel, then he walked over to the passenger door as Chiron unfolded himself from it. "How is he?"

"Difficult to move," Chiron said. He, too, seemed incredibly annoyed. At least they all had each other for company.

Gabriele moved to peek into the car. Lucien was handcuffed in the backseat and trying very hard to not be. Gabriele was given a hard, hateful stare, and an unkind comment that he only heard partly, muffled as the man was by the closed window. He rolled his eyes and walked back over to Abel. "I was saying, I can try to ease that burden.

Jordan felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as Crinitus, true to his name, floofed out as he pressed closer to his owner. He had no desire to see Lucien ever again, and he walked back to Gabriele and Chiron. “Done. I’m leaving.” Despite his words, he didn’t disappear right away, awaiting any sort of further instruction.

Abel did seem like they were starting to disappear. At the sight of the car, Abel’s form began to fade from vision, as though hiding themself from Lucien.

Lucien knew it was probably a hopeless endeavor, but he tried to break out of Chiron's hold anyway. As he was hauled out of the car, he tried to push his way to freedom. Of course, it was to no avail, but it didn't stop him from kicking and thrashing. He couldn't believe there was an audience for this, and he was newly enraged when he saw that Jordan was among it. For a single moment, he thought the man was here to help him, but then it became clear and Lucien bared his teeth. "You fucking traitor," he sneered.

Was Abel even listening to him? Gabriele looked up to the sky. "That would be nice, Gabriele," he mumbled under his breath, so quiet he doubted anyone heard him with Lucien throwing such a fit. "Thank you."

With no further instructions and even less of a desire to stay now that Lucien was directly speaking to him, Jordan ignored the hissing cat on his shoulder and disappeared with a small pop.

Abel glanced over at Gabriele when he spoke once more. “Hm?” The shadows under their eyes were more pronounced, though it could be to do with their near transparency. “Ah, ya, thank you. Sorry, I just don’t know if a peaceful passing is an option at this point.”

Gabriele just watched as Chiron hauled Lucien inside. Normally he would offer to help with a task that looked as difficult as this, but Gabriele had no interest in getting kicked in the face over someone else's bad idea. Besides, Chiron was strong, and for Lucien's struggles he was inside the house in a matter of seconds. Gabriele followed after from a safe distance. "I agree. It's doubtful, with that one," he said. "But I want to try something, okay? Come with me."

Abel resisted the urge to groan loudly in displeasure, instead they just kept a small frown below their face mask. When asked them to come, they followed after Gabriele.

Gabriele managed a smile, then sped up his walk. "Chiron?" he called out as he walked into the Big House.

The centaur looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" His arm was fully wrapped around Major's body, and Lucien seemed to be exhausting himself; his struggles were getting more vague and had longer pauses in between. Now it looked to be nothing to just hold the man relatively still.

Gabriele cleared his throat and pointed to Lucien. "May I quickly speak to—”

"I'm not talking to you," Lucien snarled.

Gabriele smiled. "You don't have to say anything, actually."

Chiron sighed. "Quickly." He tightened his grip and turned so that Lucien, glaring at anything other than him, was facing Gabriele.

Wasting no time, Gabriele moved a little closer and stared at Lucien. Eye contact would be easier, but since it was so... busy in this body, he could manage. "Hello?" he asked gently. Was he imagining things, or did Major's body slump somewhat? Regardless, he felt that he had someone's attention. "How are you feeling?"

Abel ran their tongue over their teeth as they watched Gabriele and whoever it was inside of Major’s body he was speaking to. They noted the change in posture and pitch of the ringing in their ears as they shifted their weight from their heel rather than their toes.

No answer came out loud, but Gabriele felt it: restless, uncertain, grasping at empty air. "Forgive me for disturbing you," he said; it was only because it was definitely not Lucien that he was being so polite. "What are you doing in there?" Another quiet moment, but this time Major's hands twitched slightly. Gabriele took it gently and felt the ghost become more grounded in Major's body. Or rather... many, cobbled together. There was halfway a conscious person here. Gabriele swallowed his disgust and pressed on. It felt as though a thousand pairs of eyes were on his back, so he knew he had many spirits listening in, not just the ones who responded to his greeting. "I am not here to hurt you. I simply think you are lost. This is not where you belong, and if you feel stuck, I am able to guide you out. You need only follow my voice." Immediately, he felt something brush against his hand. Just a few ghosts, but it was better than nothing.

Abel had never seen Gabriele work before, and they went from quietly sulking to entirely rapt. They could understand now why a goddess would have chosen Gab for his job. How comforting would it be to have a soothing voice to follow at a time of such confusion and stress. His voice was hope. It was a vocal guiding hand, and they suddenly forgot that they were upset and sulking.

Gabriele allowed another moment to pass to see if anyone else would join his small group, but all the rest of the ghosts seemed unwilling or too uncertain. He didn't push it for now, and let go of Major's hand. "Sono venuto per avvolgerti e proteggerti da tutte le cose malvagie," he mumbled. "I'll take you soon, stay with me."

Lucien was already starting to stir, so Gabriele stepped back, his new spiritual posse moving with him like little orbiting moons. "I will come back and talk to more. I shouldn't try to guide too many at once."

"Ugh," Lucien moaned before Chiron could get a word in. He lifted his head groggily, like he'd just woken from a long sleep, and spat at Gabriele's feet. "Fuck you." Gabriele ignored this.

Chiron did, too. "That... Well, let me know when you plan to visit, so we can have him ready."

"Fuck you."

Gabriele smiled again. "Of course." He turned to Abel. "If I can help enough of these spirits, it should hopefully make your job less... painful, no?"

Abel didn't quite know how to express how much they needed Gabriele to help them at their job. After seeing him in action, the wanted to let him know that they thought his technique was both brilliant and moving, but they weren't sure if it was quite time for such sentiments, especially in front of Lucien. They nodded once, eyes bright and focused on Gab. "I... yes, I think that it would."

He noticed that Abel was no longer pouting. It was like the whole room got a little brighter, and Gabriele's smile grew. "Good. I am glad."

Once the demonstration seemed to end, Chiron lifted Lucien off the floor completely and walked him further into the house. He kicked his legs in protest, but there wasn't much he could do.

Gabriele watched Chiron disappear into the house as he headed for the door himself. "I am going to go somewhere more secluded to finish this," he said to Abel, gesturing the ghosts surrounding him. "But I will speak to you later, si?"

Abel almost smiled back at Gab, and then remembered that the slightest uptick of their lips would be imperceptible to their friend anyway. “Ya,” they agreed with a nod, starting out of the room after Gabriele. “If you can still find pleasure in my company after today.”

[yrpspiritsintheshadows]

The Way Home

The Way Home

“So, since we weren’t on the boat, I gotta ask… How did you dispatch the adults?” Lucian asked the scientist as he followed him. 

“Hm? Thought it’d be obvious. Euthanasia, than cryogenics to preserve the coprses.” The scientist smiled. “It was honestly rather easy once we had them under wraps. They’ll do anything for their young. Quite different from normal sharks.”

“Is that so? Did they… say anything? I just find it frustrating that you didn’t try to talk to them first, to study their intelligence.”

“That’s what the juvenile is for. The adults were already past their prime anyways.”

Just keep talking. The court is gonna eat this up. You all are going to jail for murder.

“Honestly, isn’t it exciting? We’re introducing a new species to the world!”

The scientist opened up the door to the supply room, sliding a rather hefty cart with a collapsible sling on it.

“Oof, here!”

“Thanks… Mind if I ask you one more thing?” 

“Hm?”

Lucian rushed him, slamming the man into the wall, grabbing him by his neck.

“How much does this hurt?”

“AUGH!”

These sickos… They were a couple. They were in love. They were trying to raise a family.

“I’m going to ruin your life.” He whispered before hitting a pressure point as the man slid to the floor unconscious. Lucian looked through the man’s pockets, finding an ID, a keycard… and the man’s wallet.  

“.... This’ll do.” He took out the cash in the wallet, pocketing it. “Consider it your payment for me NOT killing you.” 

He grabbed a few other supplies before hurrying off with the cart, locking the supply room behind him, leaving the man where he was. No one would be going there, at least, not right now. He knew Eiji wanted in and out as fast as he could.

Soon as he was in the room with the tank, he composed himself, waving his “colleagues” over.

“Got ‘im. Our guide had to… go away.” He smiled thinly, a cold look in his eyes.

No one wanted to know what he meant by that.

“What do you got for us?” Eiji asked.

He held up the key card, a wicked grin coming across his face.

“...Oh, you absolute genius.”  Eiji rubbed his hands together. “Let’s roll.”

“Right, just follow me. I saw an elevator in the hall.”

“Perfect.” 

They hurried off, heading right on to the next level of the building.

Now, they were on the level that lead to the tops of the different tanks. Most were empty, nothing but concrete awaiting below.

“Just act normal. Perfectly normal.”

“We’re alone.” Lucian looked up and down the hall, scoffing a bit. “Besides, I wanna have a few words with the rest of ‘em.”

“Lucian, we can’t go to jail for killing murderers. I’m already pulling in enough favors so we don’t get slapped with vigilante justice.” Skyler hissed, smacking his shoulder.

“I know, I know.”

Chase looked around, noting the cameras in the area were on the ground. He occasionally got a glimpse of a shadow along the wall.

“I think we’re getting a warm welcome.”

“Good.”

Before long, they were at the old Great White enclosure. The filters caused the water to ripple and shift on the surface.

EIji turned to his team, giving them a serious look, taking off his glasses.

“You guys ready?”

“Ready. Hikaru’s not gonna come to the surface willingly. He knows their tricks.”  Skyler frowned, looking down into the depths. “One of us is gonna have to go in… Unless…”

“He’s also still a shark.” Eiji knelt in front of the water, rolling up his sleeve, reaching his hand in, splashing at the surface of the water, creating ripples that disrupted the filter, creating a sound. 

They didn’t have all day to wait for him. If he didn’t come up on his own after this, Eiji would go in himself… but he wanted to give the kid a chance to make his own decision.

“Come on Hikaru…” He whispered.

Chase kept his BB gun aimed at the hallway, not taking his eyes off of it.

Skyler pulled out her bat, stirring the water with it, causing more ripples.

These movements should at least make him curious. It should be close enough to the “yummy hum” regular sharks fall for.

There was movement below, coming right up at them.

“Do you hear that?” Lucian whispered.

“Their stupid hum trick? Or the footsteps?”

“The footsteps.”

They narrowed their eyes, getting into position.

“Lucian, you keep by EIji, Hikaru might be hurt.” Skyler pulled her bat out of the water. “Eiji?”

“Skyler… Go sma-ACK!” 

A sandpapery hand gripped his as tight as they could, clawed fingers digging into his skin. Eiji bit his lip, bracing himself as Hikaru pulled hard, nearly sending him into the water.

“Whoa! Hikaru! Easy! Easy! I’m not gonna hurt you!”

The boy’s head surfaced for a moment, his eyes full of anger as he pulled harder.

“Liar…” He hissed. “Liar…”

“Easy… Easy…” He pulled out his pendent, showing it to him. “I’m like you!” 

Hikaru froze up, hesitating, swimming closer, curiosity coming to his eyes.

“You’re not with them?” He murmured.

Eiji shook his head, giving him a gentle look.

“I promise, I’m not with them. You can trust me.”

Hikaru growled, moving back. 

Eiji frowned, reaching into his bag, turning the ghost box up to full volume.

“Hikaru.” The box blared out, in its monotone voice. “Hikaru, we are here.”

That, made the boy pause.

“... You can see them?”

“No… but my son can. And they lead me to Hideki. My name is Eiji. I’m from the Memoria coven.”

Hikaru sunk deeper, eyes growing wider.

Eiji held his free hand out to him.

“C’mon. Your mom and dad helped us every step of the way. We can send these people to jail.” 

“I… I can see Hideki?” Hikaru’s eyes were dark, keeping his distance… still keeping a grip on Eiji, in case he had to pull him into the water with him. He was faster. He reasoned he could outswim a human running for their life.

He wanted to trust him so badly… but he was still scared. The outside world seemed like a far away dream, compared to the way he was living now.

A test subject, ran day in and day out. Fed stuff that’s not even fit for cats. Poked and prodded. Mocked….

His eyes stung, reaching for Eiji’s hand.

“You can see Hideki. We’re going home right now. Okay?” Eiji grasped his hand, pulling the boy up, partially lifting him out of the water. 

“P-Promise?” His tail swished, unsure… something felt wrong.

“I promise.”

An alarm blared overhead, causing them to jump.

“Sorry to interrupt such a sweet theft-ACK!”

“LIKE HECK YOUR INTERRUPTING THEM!”

Eiji looked over just as Skyler swung her bat at a guard’s head, knocking him unconscious.

Chase was using the end of his BB gun to hold another back.

“You guys better get your butts moving! Time is not on our side anymore!”

Hikaru huddled against Eiji, shaking like a leaf.

“It’s okay. You're okay.” He looked at the guard with disgust. “What do you wanna do to him?”

Hikaru looked between the adults before a dark look crossed his eyes.

“Into the water….”

“You heard the boy! Eiji, go!” Lucian slid the keycard into his front pocket. “Swipe this on any doors you see and make a break for it.”

“Right.”

“You thought it’d be that easy?” Hikaru asked, as Eiji bolted off with him.

“Let’s just say I was hoping faking being a horrible person would work.” 

It wasn’t long before the team rushed to catch up to them, Chase’s BB gun missing.

“Took all my effort to not go over the side too.” He panted as they entered the elevator.

“Basement level.” Hikaru whispered to Eiji. “They brought me in through there. It’ll go outside. We are going outside… right?”

“All the way out.” Eiji held him close, cradling him in his arms.

While Hikaru was trying to keep quiet to keep minimum exposure away from them, he knew it was just a matter of time.

“One small problem…” Hikaru reached behind him, brushing a piece of plastic.

“... Frick.”  Eiji knelt down, turning him around seeing a tag protruding from the boy’s dorsal fin. “Be honest, does that hurt?”

“It did when they put it in. I know how to pull it out though. They can’t track me without it. This is tag number three.” Hikaru fumbled for it behind him. It was harder to grab it, dripping water like crazy. “If I change back it’ll be stuck in me still.”

“We’re almost to the basement.”

Skyler checked her phone, noting a message.

“One of my friends from the force just messaged me. They’re already storming the building from the front.”

“So we go out the back!” Eiji helped Hikaru reach the tag, making sure it didn’t shift, until the boy could unclip it.

It took a few minutes, the boy sighing in relief as the tag fell free from his fin. The next time he transformed into this form, the hole would be fully healed.

“How long does it take to change back?” Eiji asked. 

Hikaru sighed shakily, looking at his form. He was so tired. It normally was easy to force a shift back to human, but right now… He wasn’t sure.

“I… I don’t think I can… Not right now. You guys have no idea how hard they ran me until you guys showed up.” Hikaru looked up at the team, a frown on his face. “... Did you mean it? About… them going to jail?”

“Every word.” Eiji offered his arms to him, the boy wrapping his own around his neck. He stood, lifting him up. 

“Thank you.”

The basement floor opened up to them, rushing out.

“Left!” Hikaru cried out as Eiji veered that way. “The door’s this way!”

“Right!” 

He fumbled for the keycard, sliding it into the door as it was pushed open into the light of day as the sun shone down on them.

There was chaos outside, police were swarming the building. 

“Skyler? Be honest, are we gonna be screwed if we leave now?” Chase asked, crossing his arms. “I mean, we did our damage.”

“I’ll handle this…. Buuut.” She grabbed Lucian by the arm. “I’ll need Lucy.”

“HEY! What did I say about LUCY!?”

“Chase, go with them. I got this.” 

Chase nodded, hurrying off to handle damage control. Eiji slowed his jog to a walk, knees becoming shaky as he reached his van.

“We’re almost home free, kiddo.”

“Deki…?”

“Deki’s gonna spoil you like crazy.” Eiji unlocked the car, setting Hikaru along the back seat. 

The boy’s eyes were drooping, threatening to close at any time. He didn’t want to sleep yet. He wanted to know exactly what was happening.

Eiji squeezed his hand, giving him a gentle smile.

“You’re a tough one. I can appreciate that. I’m a twin too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yup. Older than my sister by ten minutes. How about you?”

“Five minutes older… Deki’s technically my “little” brother.”

“You’re a good big brother then for hanging in there so long.”

Hikaru shrugged, curling up on himself. He was quiet, his body shaking still. 

Eiji frowned, hesitating before looking through the van, finding a blanket Carmen had stashed in there. Mainly for the times where Ken had dozed off. 

“Is this okay?”

Hikaru looked at him, nodding a little.

“Yeah… Thanks.”

“Welcome.” Eiji wrapped him up. 

Hikaru curled up more… sniffling, as he tried to hide it. 

Eiji frowned, sitting beside him, stroking his back.

“I’m so sorry, Hikaru.”

“Why…? Why us?” He whispered, a small sob escaping him. “What’d I do bad? What’d Okaa-san and Otou-san do bad?”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. I promise that.” Eiji kept stroking his back, frowning. “You didn’t deserve anything that happened… and I can’t promise everything’s gonna be perfect.”

“Nope… Hello foster family… New town…” 

Eiji shook his head, confusing him.

“When I said we’re going home… Hikaru, you boys are NOT going to be alone in this. I won’t allow that.”

Hikaru sat up, rubbing at his eyes. 

“Why?” He sniffled. “Why do you wanna help two freak kids and risk getting killed like that?”

Eiji gave him a gentle look.

“Because, I’m a dad too. If someone murdered me I’d want someone to watch out for my son. And…” He sighed shakily, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ho boy, I wanted to tell you when we got you back to your brother, but you two really are similar, y’know that?”

Hikaru tilted his head.

Eiji smiled a little.

“My friend, Skyler, she’s a social worker. She’s helping my wife and I.” He offered an arm to him. “Hikaru… we want to adopt you and Hideki.”

… What?

The boy gave him a bewildered look, tilting his head. 

“Why?”

“Like I said, we want to give you a chance. I can’t turn back time… but we can make sure you guys have a chance to just be kids.” Eiji gave him a warm look. “To go on dates, to go after your dreams, get into mischief and feel weird, in the way every normal teen does.”

“That… That sounds amazing…” Hikaru sniffled, looking down. “I… I’m sorry. I just don’t…”

“Don’t know how to process all this right now?”

He nodded, wiping at his eyes again. 

“But I do want that… I wanna… I wanna be normal. I wanna tinker with my stuff again, I wanna eat normal food and rough house with my brother and… and…”

Hikaru lunged forward, tackling Eiji a bit, hugging him tightly. Eiji brought his arms around him, stroking his back.

“I wanna go home…” He sobbed a little. “Please… just take me home.”

Eiji hummed softly, rocking back and forth a little.

“We’re gonna take you home, kiddo. To Hideki. You can meet my wife… and our youngest son. You okay with having a really young little brother?”

“How little?”

“He’s just six.”

Hikaru chuckled a little.

“Just a lil shark pup…” He relaxed a bit, curling up to Eiji… his dark brown eyes sliding closed. A small glow overtook his form, as a long tail became lanky legs. Rough, shark skin adorned with tiger stripes faded to pale skin, the fins on his head, fading away into messy black hair.

He was dressed in a purple t-shirt and khaki shorts, but he was there.

Eiji held him close, stroking his hair, taking in the boy before him.

Safe and sound. 

Right where you belong.

ooooo

“Hikaru.” 

He winced, rolling away from whoever was speaking. He was just so comfy. He didn’t want to move. It was warm… So warm…

Where am I though?

“Hikaru, wake up buddy.” 

He opened his eyes slowly, looking around blearily. He was still wrapped up in the blanket, strapped into the car. He was still leaning on Eiji at that.

“Hey there.” Eiji smiled. “Sleep well?”

“Y-Yeah…” He paused, yawning into his hand. He buried his face into Eiji’s jacket, not quite ready to move just yet. He stopped, looking at his hands, opening and closing them slowly.

Not having to stay in his predator born form to keep alive in the water… He was actually himself again. He grinned, tears of joy stinging his eyes.

“I’m…” He laughed a little. “I’m really okay.”

“That’s right, kiddo.” He ruffled his hair, grinning. “You changed back after you fell asleep.”

“Good…” He yawned again, shaking his head. “Alright, I’m up.” Hikaru, looked up at Eiji, giving him a grin. “I’m ready.”

“Come on then.” 

He helped him out of the car towards the house. Unlike Hideki, Hikaru didn’t even blink at the large house. He took note of it, more so wondering where his brother was in this large house.

Eiji didn’t even get to open the door before it was thrown open.

“HIKARU!!!!” 

The boy cried out as Hideki tackle hugged him right to the floor. His eyes went wide, looking up at his twin.

“You’re okay… You’re okay…” Hideki laughed, hugging him tightly. 

Hikaru returned the embrace, burying his face in his shoulder.

“Yeah… M’right here. Nii-san’s here.”

“Karu-Nii…” Hideki nuzzled him, a churr escaping. His grip tightened a little, keeping his sibling close to him. “Sorry, I-”

“Missed you too.” Hikaru finished, tears of joy running down his face. “I’m home… I’m really home.”

“We’re home.” 

The twins looked up at the towering house, the last of the daylight bouncing off the windows.

It wasn’t the house they grew up in… It would take time to adjust.

Hikaru ruffled his hair, helping Hideki to his feet.

“So, where’s this room I was told about?”

Hideki chuckled, pulling him inside. 

“First, come meet the rest.”

Carmen and Eiji were just inside, sharing an embrace. They had been watching, keeping their distance to let the boys have their moment. Ken was hiding behind his mother, a timid look on the child’s face.

“Hikaru, this is Carmen and Ken. They’re part of the family too.”

Hikaru bowed a little.

“Thank you for… for taking us in and…. and for everything.”

Carmen smiled gently.

“You’re family now. We’ll always have our family’s back.”

“Even weird shark kids?”

“Oh, especially.”

Ken hurried up to him, tilting his head.

“Uh… Hi?”

“Are you a new big brother too?”

Hikaru knelt down to his level, ruffling his hair up, eliciting a giggle.

“Sure am. Anytime you need me, I got your back.”

“Yay!” 

Hikaru yelped as Ken tackle hugged him, but didn’t fall over this time. Instead, he just lifted him into his arms, leaning on his twin a little.

“So, what do you think, Bro?” Hideki asked, smiling. 

“I think… I think this is what our parents would’ve wanted.” Hikaru replied, looking up to Eiji and Carmen. 

“Alright you three, c’mere!” Carmen brought all three boys into a bear hug, eliciting laughter from them.

Eiji chuckled, bringing out his phone for a quick picture.

“Welcome to the family boys. Welcome home.”

[silverliningslurk]

Looking Up

A pinch hit I wrote for @harutobirbi for the HQSSII! I really hope you like it, and I’m very sorry it’s late. It ended up longer and more troublesome than expected. 

Pairing: Tsukishima Kei/Kageyama Tobio Word count: 6k Rating: Teen for swearing Potential Trigger Warnings: None.  Summary: There’s a mistake with the futons during a camp, and via a ridiculous series of stupid events, Kei is left sharing with Kageyama. This can only go badly. Right? 

You can read it on AO3 here!  There’s an extra tidbit I wrote that didn’t quite fit on AO3 too, tumblr formatting doesn’t really work for that...

Kei feels a sense of impending doom as soon as they are led into a room full of futons, and one of the faculty gives them an apologetic look as she turns to face them. He feels it, completely, in every one of his bones, when she opens her mouth. He doesn't know why. Maybe it's just having seen those looks before, usually off his mother when she announces they're spending New Year at his aunt's place. Never fun. 

"So, I do apologise, but, you see, we made a slight miscalculation on the number of futons we would need, another member of staff saw the name 'Miya' twice and assumed it was a typographical error, and so, you see..." She mumbles, fumbling around with her hands like there is an easy solution to be found there, her red face indicating that perhaps she was indeed that staff member. Kei raises an eyebrow, as do most of the room. They're all tired, and they just want to go to sleep. "Is there a possibility, at all, that perhaps, two of you could maybe share? Only for one night, and we shall do our very best to rectify this situation tomorrow, I understand this is difficult, but I don't believe there are any extras within reasonable distance, you see..." 

They all stare at her, puzzled. It's not exactly the first thing they expected her to say; the sense of imminent disaster builds, although Kei will be the very last person to volunteer to share. 

Getting even more flustered, she flaps her hands in embarrassment, her face a stunningly bright shade of red. "I'll confer with the rest of the staff and see if there's any other options! Please decide amongst yourselves in case there aren't, though." She nigh on runs out the room, pausing barely long enough to bow deeply, and Kei is certain she started running before she'd fully finished. Not particularly interested in mentally debating whether it counts as a respectful bow if you start running in the middle, he just glances around at the others.

"Before any o'y'all say 'nythin', I ain't sharing wi' 'Tsumu." Miya Osamu drawls, shoving his hands in his pockets. Atsumu sneers at him.

"I ain't sharin' with 'im either! He farts!"

Osamu makes an impressive kind of 'psssssh' sound. "Not as much as you." "How would’ya even know, asshole?! You're asleep!" "So are you!"

"All votes in favour of having them on opposite sides of the room?" Kei suggests, crossing his arms. Most of the others raise their arms, which – thankfully – ends the argument between the twins. Mostly. They keep grousing at each other quietly, while Kei glances around the room again.

Sakusa looks visibly ill at the very notion of sharing with anyone. Kei is with him on that one, certainly. Hoshiumi looks like an ice demon who would warm his feet on your legs, and also seems like the kind of person to jump out of bed at 5am just to announce they were awake. Chigaya looks as though he’s trying to meld into the corner of the room, playing on his phone to avoid the whole situation. Kei guesses if he had to choose someone to share with, it’d probably be him, mostly for the reason that he looks like he’d sleep right on the edge just so he wasn’t touching anyone.

Motoya looks mostly disgruntled by it, like he doesn’t really care either way and just wants it sorted. Again, Kei can relate to that. He kind of wants to pick a futon, but then again, that might volunteer him for it.

He glances at Kageyama, frowning deeply at the Miya twins. Kei genuinely can’t tell if he even understands what’s been asked of him – knowing Kageyama, he’s been in a volleyball world ever since arriving and hasn’t left yet, certainly not to contemplate sleeping arrangements. He probably just assumes someone else will do it, unable to think of group dynamics off a line-marked court. Good for him, Kei thinks a little bitterly. He should probably be one of them having to share, because it seems like it would be funny to see how Kageyama, single child of the century, would react to that. He smirks to himself as he imagines the kind of outrage that would happen, but then gets to thinking who would make the funniest reaction.

Sakusa, certainly, but Kei doesn’t think he could be paid any amount of money to get in the same bed as someone else. He seems like the kind of guy who brought his own sheets because of his distaste of sleeping on someone else’s. Kei is quietly surprised, now he thinks about it, that he didn’t bring his own futon.

The rest of them he doesn’t think would have any particularly interesting reactions. Maybe Hoshiumi, but then those two are so obsessed and single-minded, they’d probably end up not sleeping and practicing instead. That would result in an incredibly ratty Kageyama, and a sleep-deprived Kageyama means everyone gets yelled at way more. Maybe less so here, but it will happen, and if it does, Tsukishima will get most of it, since he’s the one Kageyama is most comfortable with.

He uses the word ‘comfortable’ incredibly loosely indeed.

Although, having him share with either of the Miya twins could be interesting. As soon as he thinks about it, though, it makes him frown for no reason he can really put his finger on. It’s like… Kageyama almost gets on with them, but equally, there’s a feeling Kei gets about Atsumu, and to a lesser extent Osamu, that he can’t really trust them. Atsumu’s interactions with Kageyama set him on edge, just a bit, and he generally chooses to ignore it, and certainly hasn’t examined it closely. It’s probably just a sense that they’re taking advantage of Kageyama, but why would Kei even care about that? He doesn’t care about Kageyama. He’ll admit his talent, and the fact that he’s better than he was, but even so.

He doesn’t care about Kageyama, and that’s final. He’s not even thinking about that simmering weirdness right now, or the fact that Kageyama’s been acting kinda weird for a few weeks even before this camp.

It’s probably just been the thought of the camp itself, but it’s never happened before, Kei doesn’t think. It didn’t happen in first year, so unless he’s had a run in with someone here, but then, the one who seems to be getting the brunt of the weirdness is actually himself.

But that’s a puzzle he’s left in Miyagi, or tried to, at least. It’s Kageyama’s problem, and Kei doesn’t care enough to try to work it out.

He does not care about Kageyama. He’s good at avoiding things, and that’s a thing he’ll ignore wholeheartedly. Kageyama is probably just jealous Kei got invited. Hinata was too, but he’s got the flu. Kei thought there was some saying about idiots, but maybe that’s just colds, rather than the flu. Kei heard his mother had to practically lock him in the bedroom to stop him dragging himself over here.

He probably just imagined that, in actuality, but it's an amusing image. He smirks to himself, then sobers up and mentally thanks Hinata's mother for being sensible and not getting him to spread it. Hinata can keep his damn viruses to himself.

"Psssh!"

With that noise from Osamu, he becomes aware of a growing argument in the room, and realises the Miya twins never quite stopped grousing at each other.

“- you’d probably want to sleep with someone, manwhore.” “Wha’s wrong wi’ that? Too innocent for that kinda shit, ‘Samu?” “Not in a room full of other people, ‘Tsumu. That’s just gross.” “Well, nobody said I couldn’t!” Atsumu remarks brightly, and turns, surveying the crowd. His eyes almost immediately latch onto Kageyama, and gain a gleam Kei would say that he hated the look of. If he had cared enough about the whole thing. Atsumu makes a lewd expression and saunters forward towards Kageyama. "Say, me an’ Goody-Two-Shoes here could always makes ourselves comfy... together... couldn’t we?"

And Kei would normally just let it go. Would have let it go the year before. Should have let it go. But from something about Kageyama's face that says he doesn't get it at all, to not trusting Atsumu as far as he could throw him off the court, to a hot ball of unpleasantness squirming in his guts, instinct takes over the few brain cells that don't think before they act. The remaining brain cells look on tiredly and do not stop him.

Just because he thinks Atsumu is probably joking doesn’t mean he trusts him to not be serious. Everything about it rubs him up the wrong way, and he may not care about Kageyama, but.

So he strides to stand in front of Kageyama and puts an arm in front of him, like that would really stop Atsumu. But it halts him temporarily, puzzled. He feels the rest of them staring at him, and kind of wishes he hadn’t done anything at all.

Why does he care? It's only Kageyama, but then, it's Kageyama. Kageyama who wouldn't know flirting if it kissed him square on the lips, Kageyama who's probably never had a stray thought since he found volleyball, Kageyama who is probably just about dumb enough to go along with anything if he thought it would make him better. The thought of Atsumu too close, unsupervised, to the dense-enough-to-be-a-black-hole Kageyama, makes Kei feel intensely uncomfortable. Makes him kind of want to lock Kageyama in a different room altogether.

The door opens. "I'm terribly sorry, there really aren't any other futons..." She trails off, seeing Kei where he is, and maybe she's just grasping at straws, maybe she thinks it actually looks like they're agreeing on something or whatever, an incredibly stupid chain of thoughts happens in her head and her face lights up in relief. "So you two have decided to share for the night? Thanks for volunteering, we do have a slightly bigger futon over here you can use, you know where the bathrooms are, let us know if you need anything!" She says, and dashes away, as if sensing the disagreement.

Funnily enough, the rest of them snort, then scuttle off to occupy their own beds and mark their territories, leaving Kei and Kageyama in the middle of the room, dead still. Atsumu shrugs, and winks at Kei as if he knows something, and Kei swears murder will happen before these three days are up.

Kei is just trying to process. He was looking forward to a good night’s sleep, he’d brought ear plugs in case anyone snored so he wouldn’t be too tempted to strangle them, and he’d been going to pick the very corner futon to be furthest away from everyone.

Now he’s going to be the one sharing?

He doesn’t know how much worse it could get. Now though, most of them are settling onto futons and are not going to give them up easily.

Atsumu, still looking at the two of them, laughs raucously. "If you don't wanna sleep with him, I could always swap wi' ya?" He drawls, and it seems likely to be engineered exactly to piss Kei off. Osamu snorts. "Bet you ten ramen pots they don't make the night." He pitches in, and it swiftly descends, with the others making various bets as to the transient of this arrangement. Kei hates it, but he's nothing if not stubborn and refused to let people win. Furious, he leans over to Kageyama, still in his daze.

"You'd best not piss me off." He hisses, and storms off to attempt to get to sleep as early as possible. He wanted to read. He wanted to listen to music. "Who said I was gonna piss you off! Maybe you shouldn't piss me off!" Kageyama snaps, his first words in some time. Probably in volleyball dreamland like always, his freakishly sharp mind providing video replays of all the plays he made and how he could tweak them to improve. Instead of focusing on real life. Instead of seeing the things in front of him. So much of his brain is trapped on a volleyball court, Kei swears that’s the reason he’s so utterly stupid off it. Most people would be at the same level of stupidity if only 1% of their brain travelled around with them.

"Maybe if you weren't so stupid and kept responding, it wouldn't be a problem." Kei returns acidly, and grabs his headphones.

"So you want me to ignore you, then." Kageyama spits, and for a second, Kei thinks about it. His heart kind of... droops, when he does, like that would be a bad thing. The very idea that he might care about Kageyama and the fact that he does talk to him pisses him off. His grip on his headphones tightens. "Too bad. You're in the team, so I have to get on with you! Besides I-" Kageyama halts himself dead in his tracks; Kei notices several of the others furtively - or not so furtively - watching, and turns on his heel. He doesn't want to examine Kageyama's weirdness now. He'd not found any solution before the camp, and he especially doesn't want to find one now, whatever he might find, before he has to spend 8 hours sharing a futon with him.

"Whatever. Let's just get this over with. I'm not interested in anyone making money on me." He says, casting acerbic stares at certain parties in the room. Much to his disgust, most of them don't react too much, and mostly with amusement and the occasional 'we'll see about that'. Kei decides to do what he does best and ignore it fully, lying down, tugging his headphones on and putting on his loudest music. Which isn't that loud, but it is at least continuous in its volume, leaving no chances for snippets of surrounding conversation. He hates having it too loud for fear of damaging his hearing – and knowledge of how irritating it is when everyone else can hear music from someone else's headphones – so he sets it at the exact volume required to cover up most things. If anyone shouts he'll hear it, but they don't.

It's only about half a song later when the futon shifts. Kei freezes on instinct, and glances across – it is indeed Kageyama, which just increases his discomfort. Their eyes meet, then skitter away, Kageyama gaining a constipated sort of look in the split second Kei keeps looking. He then resolutely closes his eyes, determined not to look, or make this weird, or think at all.

He has shared with his brother. It can't be any worse than that, surely. Kageyama isn’t as tall or gangly as his brother, and probably not as much into casual touches. Kei’s never seen Kageyama instigate any kind of friendly contact, at least, which is a godsend, but still. So he’s probably not going to find himself hugged to death, but equally, this whole thing is so awkward and irritating, he’s not convinced he won’t. But the thought of people handing over cash and ramen pots because he couldn’t keep his cool in such an annoying situation irritates him more. If he has to deal with their smug faces on top of a bad night’s sleep, he cannot be held responsible for whatever he does do.

It can’t be any worse than sharing with his brother.

But it is. His anxiety is such that every shift Kageyama makes is heightened, and Kei even feels his presence when he is still, an odd kind of emanating presence. The rest of them have started to settle down and someone's turned the lights off, so it just feels so close. He doesn’t want to sleep in his headphones, but the music is the only thing distracting him, so he clings to them for as long as possible.

But even in his edgy state, he’s still incredibly tired, so it doesn’t take too long for his eyes to start feel heavy, the ceiling only taking so much of him burning holes in it. Reluctantly, he pauses his music and delicately places his headphones on the rest of his stuff, then his glasses in their case, habitually softening the snap as it closes, and puts that too on top of his bag, nestled down a bit so neither of them roll off and get stepped on, hopefully. The world takes on an auditory clarity, and a visual blurriness, and Kei tries to relax.

There are blurry light patches where some of the guys are checking their phones, and some hissed whispers he doesn’t catch enough of to understand. There’s just enough light from the windows to make out some shapes. Simply the act of putting his headphones away – and having to look at his phone to pause it – has temporarily banished a modicum of his immediate sleepiness, and he once again becomes aware of his current predicament.

The futon, as the faculty member had stated, is a little bigger than the rest, but it is not big, by any means. Even as close as he can get to the edge without falling off it, their shoulders are touching. It’s a burning heat he can barely stand, mostly because it makes him think.

“Move over.” He grouches quietly, uncomfortably aware of his heartbeat. He’s not used to close proximity with people, least of all Kageyama. There’s a flick of movement, and a hmph sound.

“I’m not falling off for you.” Kageyama grouses back, and Kei recalls the bets, and bites back a returning taunt. Presumably Kageyama is as far away as he can get too, and there goes his thought that perhaps he might avoid that contact.

And he can’t help but think about it. Kageyama’s been acting weird for weeks now. Nobody else had really commented yet, but it was only a matter of time, and if Kei had noticed surely it was obvious enough. He doesn’t even watch Kageyama much, so surely someone like Hinata has picked up that Kageyama’s been acting weird.

Which is in itself weird. Kageyama is consistent to a degree that you could set your clocks to, Kei has always thought to himself. Emotionally, at least. He got the same level of irritated at the same things every time. He got the same type of ecstatic when they won, and the same type of begrudging defeat whenever they lost. He got the same type of glint in his eye when he respected a player, and the same type of anger when someone pissed him off or worse, didn’t try hard enough at volleyball.

Kageyama didn’t act different.

But now he was.

Kei hasn’t been able to put his finger on it. He just seemed quieter than usual, not really challenging Kei on the same things he always would, not rising up to the bait the same whenever Kei taunted him. There was a slight, but noticeable, lack of quality in the shots to Kei, in particular. Sometimes one of the others, but Kei hadn’t seen Kageyama fumble this much since difficult games in first year. Nowadays, settling into his skills and scouted for the National Team, he rarely fumbled like this, and his irritation with it seemed… wrong, somehow. It didn’t seem quite the same as it had – he didn’t promise to work harder, or blame some aspect of the spiker. No, he tended to glare at Kei as though his mere presence had the ability to mess things up, and turned away just as fast.

Kei’s been intrigued, to say the least.

It happened more in practice than in practice matches, although it did happen then too. Every time it happened in a match, the opposing team never really seemed to think much of it, but Kei couldn’t stop. His analytical mind had latched onto it like a difficult maths problem, and refused to let go, even as much as it irritated him. He had to work it out, partly because real matches were coming up soon and it better not affect this year’s chance at Nationals, but mostly because Kei just could not stop thinking about it, and Kageyama.

And the more he thought about Kageyama, and observed, and taunted and spoke to and worked with, the more he noticed. The way that Kageyama was actually always sending him glances. The way he was sitting closer than he ever had, but never really looking at Kei when he did so. The way that he’d shove his homework under Kei’s nose just as much as Yamaguchi’s, now. (Mostly because Yamaguchi was better at explaining maths to them, but Kei was better at English and Science. The rest, as far as Kei was concerned, wasn’t hard enough to help them with. Rote memory, Kageyama had already shown to be very proficient at, so Kei didn’t bother with those.)

So he’s found himself spending a bit more time before and after practices sitting with Kageyama going through homework concepts. Kageyama even seems to get some of them – for five minutes, anyway. Sometimes Hinata is there and other times he gets wrapped up texting Kenma and drifts off like he seems to more nowadays. It’s become a common enough occurrence, him and Kageyama in the library, watching Kageyama get more frustrated with something and him just smirking more and more because it’s funny and kind of- nice, in a weird way. The lights in the growing gloom set a halo in Kageyama’s hair, his brows furrowed and calloused hands twitching to spend fractions of a second sending a volleyball on abnormally accurate courses, rather than holding a pen.

Somehow, he never gets much work done at those sessions, even though he swears he’s working. He blames Kageyama entirely. Him and his unending stupidity.

Stupidity that’s led to this. If he’d responded normally to Miya’s taunts, Kei never would have had to step forward. If he’d even realised, none of this would have happened. Kei would be asleep in his own futon and never worrying about any of this.

“Just so you are crystal clear on this,” Kei murmurs as quietly as he can muster, turning his head to glare at Kageyama, “I’m blaming you for all this.”

He can’t really see properly, but Kageyama looks at him, and frowns. He does not, as Kei would have possibly expected, get angry. “Why.” Kageyama mutters. “I shouldn’t have to explain to you.” Kei returns, and Kageyama huffs. “Tell me.” “It was because you’re thick. You didn’t get it.” “Get what.”

Kei is kind of glad that it’s dark. He can’t believe he’s having to explain this to Kageyama. “What Miya was doing.” “Which one?” “Atsumu.” “What was he doing?”

“Flirting, you numbskull.” Kei only says it, and says it quietly, because he’s sure that the others are just far enough away to not overhear. A few of them have started snoring, anyway, and the phone lights have all gone off. “Oh.” Kageyama says, and pauses. “Oh…” He stops again. “Why is this my fault?” “Because you didn’t get it.” Kei reiterates, annoyed. “What, so you felt you had to protect me or something?”

Kei feels like his lungs stop working for a second. “No,” he wheezes, acutely aware of how unconvincing he sounds. “Of course not. Anyway, this is just ridiculous.” “Oh. Okay.” “I’m going to sleep.” Kei retorts, put off-centre. Protecting him? From what? He didn’t care if Atsumu had his wicked way with Kageyama – except he kind of did.

That is a whole ballgame he does avidly not want to think about right here, in this second, pressed up against Kageyama because there is nowhere else to go. Kageyama hums, and he sounds kind of pleased. Kei turns away, and thinks so hard about music and volleyball and dinosaurs and very literally anything other than Kageyama, it gives him a headache, then bores him to sleep eventually.

The faster he goes to sleep the faster this situation disappears.

Except of course, that it is a situation that reappears upon waking up. The first time he wakes up, it’s far too early, and he’s been awakened by motion. He barely remembers it until later, and then wishes he had properly woken up, because he could have saved himself a lot of problems. The next time he wakes up, it’s to a camera shutter sound, and he feels warm and snug. And safe.

And somewhat trapped.

Kei decides to evaluate his situation firstly, and open his eyes next.

He is laid on his back, nothing abnormal about that. His left side is warmer than it should be, and there is a pressure across his chest, and his legs, and his whole left side.

He can guess, he thinks, but he needs to know, needs to check visually.

So he opens his eyes, and looks across and finds exactly what he ought to have expected. Kageyama is, for lack of any better word, flopped on top of him, head nestled into Kei's shoulder. His face is- remarkably relaxed, for once, not grinding his teeth or scowling like normal, and Kei just.

He doesn't know what to think. He knows what he wants to do, which is to not rouse him, or pull him closer. He feels like smiling, like taking a picture, like staying there for a while, like he's maybe possibly a little bit fond.

Fondness equals alarm bells. His eyes dart upwards, and find several of the other guys looking down at him - them. A smudge that looks like it could be Motoya has got his phone out taking a photo, and Miya Atsumu is grinning like like Cheshire cat. Kei squashes his eyes shut again, to give himself space, to think about this.

There proceeds to be a suspiciously Miya Atsumu sounding murmur of 'hah, gaaaa-yyyyyy' shortly followed by a slapping sound. Kei decides Miya Osamu is probably alright, but still, he's not staying in this situation. He needs to extricate himself and get some quiet. There's a level of controlled panic in the way he shifts sideways, and hears Kageyama groan. Discontent? Kei doesn’t want to think about it. He has just enough forethought to grab his glasses in their case, and ignores some suggestive and smug sounding voices as he pushes through them, to hide out in the bathroom.

Once there, he sets the glasses case on the side, and splashes his face with cold water. It does nothing to soothe his racing heart; it does nothing at all except bring him further into wakefulness and the awful realisation he has arrived at.

He’s fond of Kageyama.

He thinks, for a moment, that his brain has just skipped the friends stage, but then, it hasn’t, really. What are study dates in the library if not between friends? What are the teasing conversations, no longer as barbed as they used to be? What is the glare he gets when he calls Kageyama king, half-hearted and softer than usual? What are the allowances he’s been giving Kageyama, the more time spent with him, the more time dedicated to matching up with him? They’ve been friends, but Kei never realised. Like he never realised how much he’s been watching Kageyama, been thinking about Kageyama, and indeed been avoiding thinking about why he’s been thinking so much about Kageyama.

Yet still, this fondness, a pooling dripping sentimentality he’s never quite fully erased from his heart. It’s similar to the way he can’t quite throw out his oldest childhood toy, a stegosaurus with some of it’s plates falling off and patched up a hundred times. He’s used to Kageyama now, and in some ways looks forward to seeing him, looks forward to his blunt stupidity, the banter they have between them. The way they’ve started syncing up on court, and working together.

Fuck, he thinks to himself, glaring at his reflection in the mirror, clear now he’s put his glasses back on. How could he have let this happen? He doesn’t know what to do with this, he’s never had this before. Maybe that’s why he never saw it coming, creeping up on his blindside and taking him unawares. How is he going to get out of this now?

The door swings open, and Kei prepares to defend himself – but it’s Kageyama, and now he doesn’t know how to react. Stunned by his newest revelation, he just kind of nods. Kageyama has gone red, and stops.

And there’s a thick silence. Kei doesn’t want to admit that he didn’t mind it, but doesn’t quite want to say that he hated it either. He needs time to work it through, get on top of his feelings.

Kei decides to leave. He grabs his glasses and makes for the door, even though Kageyama is between him and it. He expects Kageyama to move. He doesn’t.

“Are you disgusted?” Kageyama demands, looking anything but peaceful like he did in sleep.

Kei thinks about it. Yes, would be one answer. He’s disgusted with himself for not noticing, for letting it go on so long. But equally, feelings aren’t quite so easily hauled into line. He’s not disgusted with Kageyama, particularly. He doesn’t care if anyone is that way inclined, he just had never thought he was himself. With little to no precedent, how was he meant to know?

“No,” Kei murmurs, “Are you going to move?” “Are you running away from me?” Kageyama tries again, glaring defiantly up at Kei. Kei can’t quite meet his gaze. “No.” Kei says, more certain this time. He means yes, of course. He needs time to think on it, analyse the problem, and find a solution. Needs to weigh the evidence, pros and cons, and external opinions. If he can get them without alerting the parties to the fact that he’s collecting them. Can’t be seen to be too interested.

“You are.” Kageyama states, blunt as ever. Kei huffs an incredulous laugh, but Kageyama continues. “You’re not even looking at me.”

Characteristically blunt, as always. Kei glares at him. “Happy now?”

Kageyama looks surprised that he complied. Daunted, even. He swallows, a manoeuvre Kei cannot help but watch.

“Someone is going to come in, soon.” Kei mutters, eyes glued to Kageyama’s. Kageyama nods. “Are you going to move?”

Kageyama gets that face like he’s trying to solve a particularly difficult problem.

Then he reaches around the back of Kei’s head and pulls.

Caught in a moment of surprise, Kei doesn’t fight it; consequently, he smacks into Kageyama’s face with some force. There is an instant of nothing, then a flash of pain. He coils away, holding his lips and nose, trying to ascertain whether there’s bleeding or breakages.

“Holy shit, Kageyama!?” he screeches. “What was that? You trying to kill me?!” Kageyama, in the midst of howling quietly, chokes, and ends up in a coughing fit. Kei brings his fingers away from his nose, and finding no blood – and no signature trickle at the back of his throat or down his nose – whips his head around. He’ll check his teeth in a minute. “What the hell was that.” He demands, and then- observes. Kageyama is red as anything, and although he does look like he’s choking, he’s not been doing that long enough to cause that reaction. He’s got one hand over his mouth and his eyes are flitting around frenetically. His brain starts clicking over, the previous conversation and everything prior, and fits it imperfectly together into- “Was that supposed to be a sorry attempt at a kiss?”

“No!” Kageyama shouts, too fast, too high pitched. Kei narrows his eyes. “So it really was? Because that is not the way to do it.” Regardless of whether Kei actually knows the proper way to do it, he can be fairly certain that any way that involves possible permanent damage to his nasal cartilage is not it. “Like you know better!” Kageyama spits, sounding faintly panicked. “Clearly better than you, if that’s what you think is a good idea!” “Why don’t you try then!” Kageyama dares him, and Kei swears that proto-kiss knocked a few brain cells loose, because he actually considers it.

“No.” Kei remarks, and stands up, intending to check his teeth for blood, and also to hide his face from Kageyama. “Because I’m not into messing with people like that.” It’s ridiculous to get his hopes up. Kageyama has the social skills of a slug, and the finesse to match. People cling to things in their sleep, it’s a natural habit left over from being an infant, and a human need to be close to things. It’s for warmth, more importantly, and therefore likely means nothing. Kageyama probably has some weird idea in mind that for some reason involves Kei.

There’s no blood in his teeth, and none apparently forthcoming. That’s good. He’ll go and get changed and start his day and analyse this all later, or better, after the camp. He’ll package away the hurt and the confusion, and dwell on it later. He’ll only get annoyed if he does that now.

But before he can turn and leave, there are footsteps across the floor, and a hand on his arm. He barely gets a chance to raise an eyebrow and take a breath to speak when Kageyama steals it from him.

It’s much softer, thankfully, although his bruised lips still complain. It’s clear still that Kageyama doesn’t really know what he’s doing, screwing his eyes shut, but he makes a good approximation; he weaves his hand into the fine hairs at the nape of Kei’s neck and makes him shiver. Kei’s wide eyes stray to the mirrors, reflecting this scene, black and blond, fuzzy out the side of his glasses.

They’re so different. So very different. How can they be here? How can they occupy the same space, and not explode like antimatter meeting matter? Maybe that’s why they’ve always fought before, but then why is this good, and not bad? Why does it feel like a summation of their parts, rather than a negative and positive clashing and negating the other’s effect?

He could push Kageyama away, right now. He could push him and all this away, and run. It occurs to him in the same breath that he gives in, closes his eyes and puts his hand on Kageyama’s shoulder, pushes back into the kiss, because now he thinks about it, the thought that Kageyama was organised enough to mess with him seems wrong. Unlikely, somehow. Kageyama is not known for his grand schemes off the volleyball court, nor his ability to manipulate people.

And Kei can make the most of the opportunity in front of him. If this is the only time he gets to do this, he’s not going to pass it up too easily.

By the time they separate, they’re both breathing harder than usual, and Kageyama frowns at him. “I don’t mess with people.” “I’m getting that vibe, yes.” Kei murmurs. “Someone’s going to come in here soon.”

Kageyama nods, and steps back. He keeps his eyes on Kei, expectant. “But I want to do that again.” Kageyama says. “Of course, but not now.” Kei returns, thinking it’s been a surprising amount of time without interruption. It’s only when he notices Kageyama’s eyes widen that he realises. “I mean…” Ah, what the hell. “I need to think about this. Later. We have camp to survive, first.”

“Later.” Kageyama repeats, sounding pleased with himself. “Alright. I can wait.”

Kei grimaces as he hears loud footsteps and voices storming up to the door. “You were always going to have to.” He remarks, but, quietly, to himself, he can reflect that he’s kind of looking forward to it.

But he can enjoy teasing Kageyama by making him wait.

Where’s the fun in making it easy? Plus, he has no interest in giving any of the others any smug pleasure. In addition, he’s going to be a rich man if they all cough up their debts to him. He might even see to sharing a few ramen pots with Kageyama.

If he’s lucky. If he hasn’t actually knocked any teeth loose.

Well, there’s room for improvement, and time for it, too. Things are looking up.

[agentdagonet]

The Demon Lo

Tagging @elletromil and @insanereddragon 

Find it here on AO3

Am I really going to summon a fucking demon to get Harry back?

Yes I fucking am.

         Eggsy’d spaced out the purchases of supplies, as if things like planks of wood and paint and candles were somehow illicit. He looked down at the Book, the one reptilian eye gazing back from the cover, and then glanced around the room. The windows were fully covered, the wood barely visible in the candlelight; the carpet pulled up to reveal the wood beneath, upon which the Circle was painted- an inverted pentagram, surrounded by a snake eating its own tail, and outside of that six tall white candles placed equidistant from each other. There were other things drawn in the spaces between pentacle and snake, the small can of paint, and a paintbrush. The property damage would probably cost him his life’s savings and then some, but it would be worth it.

         Harry was worth everything.

         Eggsy sat himself in the middle of the Circle, and took a deep breath before opening the Book. Counting to himself, he glanced back and forth from the floor, making sure that each thing was perfect. He turned the page, and cursed to himself before scrambling up from the floor and dashing into the kitchen, knocking a candle over in his haste.

         Can’t summon a demon without blood, after all.

         Reseating himself, Eggsy stared blankly into the distance. Am I really going to summon a fucking demon to get Harry back? He looked longingly at the front door, imagining for a moment that Harry would simply stroll through as if he hadn’t been gone for nearly half a year. He couldn’t imagine continuing on as if he had never existed, since no one else seemed to think it was a big deal that he’d gone missing. Maybe he just got tired of you, Eggsy, it ain’t like you’re anythin’ special. Ryan had said, knocking one shoulder with his own and laughing. He and Jamal had tried a lot of shit to cheer him up, but Eggsy couldn’t forget him.

         His chestnut hair, the little wrinkles at the edges of his eyes and mouth, his penchant for soft-yet-ugly cardigans and bitter tea… his dark sense of humour, the earnest way he offered to run someone through for insulting him, the glint in his eye just before he did something he ought not to and managed to pass the blame on to some hapless passerby. Harry had been gone for just about as long as Eggsy had known him, and yet he couldn’t remember what his life was like before he stumbled into it.

         Yes I fucking am.

         He pushed the Book off to one side, revealing a painted eye, and took a sharp breath as he dragged the blade across his left palm. He compulsively closed his hand as the blood welled up, as if pressure alone could seal the wound, but didn’t move it from above the eye. This was important, so Eggsy lifted the book into one hand, leaving his blood dripping into the eye from the other, and began to chant.

‘Bin tu Skamp Li

Bin Ramé freey Li

Crem list skamp Li

Lo

Fige grest ramé tu

Fige whuhd solk

Bin Crame cramé ot

Lo

Bin Crame cramé ot

Lo

Bin Crame cramé ot

Lo!’

         He paused, looking about wide-eyed at the empty apartment, but nothing had changed. No one was there. Not like he knew what a demon would look like, anyway, but still. Eggsy put down the book, running one finger over the words written there. Had he pronounced them wrong? Maybe google wasn’t the best way to check pronunciation of words he did not know the language of, but it’s not as if he could walk into a bookshop and ask how to pronounce this demon summoning ritual because that’s something that would easily raise a few eyebrows, and likely get his head examined. He turned the page, wondering if there was more he had not  seen, and instead came across visual instructions.

         ‘Stab the bloody eye? Alrigh’ I guess.’ Grabbing the knife he had set aside earlier firmly in his uninjured hand, Eggsy stabbed it firmly into the floor. Of course it did not stick- for all the sharpness of the blade, the tip was dull. Kitchenware. But the candles went out in a gust of wind that simply was not possible from within his sealed apartment, and he knew he had accomplished something- whether it was the desired result remained to be seen.

         ‘The fuck’s my lighter?’ Eggsy patted down his pockets, eventually pulling free a small lighter and relit the candles. In the dim light, Eggsy was not  sure what was coming toward him- only that something was, close to the ground, accompanied by a sound not unlike a Jurassic Park raptor for whatever reason. It had slow, wet, footsteps, followed by something not  unlike dragging a bag across dead leaves. The closer it got the more distinct the dinosaur noises became.

         Moaning. Pained, inhuman, moaning getting nearer with every passing moment.

         The candles showed an increasingly disturbing image- the torso of a man, skin waxy and grey like a corpse, whose arms were covered in a stringy mould. Its bald head had no back, instead gaping open grotesquely, and when the creature finally looked up the eyes were sunken in and the lipless mouth idly dripped blood. It had no nose, and its skin reminded Eggsy of the infected people from Waters of Mars- and Eggsy would have chuckled if he had not  been desperately gasping for breath in a bid not to pass out from sheer panic.

         He had actually managed to summon a demon, and now he had to finish it- or die trying.

--

         It’s for Harry he repeated to himself like a mantra is it got closer at the end of all this you will have Harry back and you will live happily ever after. Realistically, Eggsy knew that that was unlikely- even his friendships had bad times- but he needed to see this through.

         The creature leaned forward, far too close for comfort, and laughed slowly. It reverberated as if in a cavern, tri-toned and ominous, as his rancid breath hit Eggsy’s face.

         ‘A-a-a-are you th-the demon Lo? You the demon Lo?’

         ‘I. Am. That.’ The voice was hoarse, rumbling, and his breath was no better than it was a second before.

         ‘You-you have. Great power?’

         ‘This. I. Know.’ He lifted one webbed hand for a moment, summoning for itself a small green creature, rat-like but not a rat, and slowly closed his fist. The rat-thing curled in on itself, squealing, before the skull popped with a wet noise. Lo opened his hand, blew across the palm, and his eyes seemed to light up for a moment. ‘This, I know.’ He laughed again, the vastness of the room slowly fading, and Eggsy felt lightheaded from trying not to gag.

         ‘Now clean the shit from your trousers and tell me what you want.’ Lo propped himself on his elbows, hands clasped together, and tilted his head to one side. Remarkably like a girl at a sleepover, or chatting on the phone, in a film.

         ‘A- a man.’

         ‘You summoned me for love ?’

         ‘Yes.’ As if there were anything else worth risking a soul for. Lo lifted himself onto his hands, leaning close to the Circle but not crossing it, and glared harshly at Eggsy.

         ‘You would utilise my great power over such… human trivialities?’

         ‘You- you have to do what I say. That’s what the Book said.’

         ‘Oh, look at you pretending to be brave. What’s your name?’

         ‘Eg-Gary. Gary.’ Names had power, in all the old faerie stories, and panic was no excuse to give a demon the name he felt was his own. He doubted it would mean much- he was protected, inside the Circle, after all- but still. It would help keep him focused on getting Harry back.

         ‘Well that’s an awful name, far too breakfast-y. Doesn't suit your inevitable future at all! Allow me to fit you in something more bespoke ... Dinner.’ Lo’s head tilted at an angle that made his gaping mouth almost seem to smirk, one hand gesturing in his general direction. Eggsy swallowed thickly.

         ‘It's Gary.’

         ‘Dinner, you have to let go of the past-’ Lo pointed with one thick finger, looking for all the world like one of those Uncle Sam posters he had seen on Tumblr.

         ‘I summoned you, yeah? You gotta do what I say- obey my charge or whatever the book said.’ Shoulders back, neck straight, meet their eyes- everything Harry had told him about talking with someone he was intimidated by. Someone he thought better than himself for whatever fucking reason- or, he guessed, someone he was absolutely scared shitless of.

         ‘While that may technically true, but that does not mean that I have to respect you- and if given the opportunity I would wholeheartedly make your new name a prophecy fulfilled.’

         ‘I-I am no’ afraid of you.’ Maybe it was a stupid idea to deny the obvious to a powerful demon, Eggsy thought to himself as Lo reared back. The room shook, and Eggsy had a split second thought to his neighbours banging on his door demanding an explanation for all the racket.

         ‘Yes. You are.’

         ‘Well it would be fucking stupid not to be, yeah? You’s a demon and I'm not even just a person but an estates kid without any connections or silver spoons to beg from. But I've got the Book, and I've got this Circle, and you just said you got to do what I say so stop goin’ on your fuckin’ power trip and listen to me.’ Eggsy took a deep breath, instantly regretting it when he could taste the demon rot in the air, and glared defiantly at Lo.

         Who summarily ignored his statements and was blandly looking about the room.

         ‘Where the fuck am I?’

         ‘My flat. The estates.’

         ‘Oooooooh, dramatic!’ Lo waved one hand about flamboyantly, looking back to Eggsy with the skin above one eye socket raised. A parody of a raised brow, mouth pulled up to one side, he tilted his head. ‘Mind if I make a few… changes?’ He did not give Eggsy a chance to respond before flicking his wrist and looking up to the ceiling, a pale blue spotlight landing on him with an angelic choir backing his dramatic turn back to Eggsy. ‘Where’d a kid like you get a book like that, exactly?’

         ‘I ain’t a kid- and… it ain’t mine.’

         ‘No, really? And here I had you pegged for a proper Warlock.’

         ‘It belonged to ‘im.’ Eggsy was back on task, and pulled a photo from the back cover of the Book. Harry, smiling widely and failing to hide that smile behind a coffee mug, taken their first morning together. The first time Eggsy’d realised there was a hole in his life that had just been filled.

         ‘I could say he was handsome, but I would be lying- it's not a very good picture, is it?’

         ‘Do you know ‘im?’ Ask questions plainly, demand plain answers in return. Harry’s words echoed in his mind. But Lo shook his head, looking off to one side and refusing to make eye contact.

         ‘No.’

         ‘You’re lying!’

         ‘I warn you, Dinner- trying to get a read on a demon is a thorny game; we don’t play by your human rules.’

         ‘You took him.’ Confidence is key; don’t flounder in the face of what you don’t understand.

         ‘I took him?’

         ‘Well, maybe not you specifically but you fucking demons did. Your People, or whatever the fuck you call yourselves.’

         ‘I knew you were racist-’

         ‘Look, Harry was taken by some… some thing and I’ve got the scars to prove it.’ Eggsy angrily pulled off his shirt, balling it in his fist. There were deep red scars across his torso, reminiscent of the tears through canvas in Beauty and the Beast. They’ve seemingly healed, but still had the angry tinge of infection- and the stiff way Eggsy was sitting is suddenly attributed to more than nerves.

         ‘You sure it wasn’t a wolf? A bear? Perhaps a particularly angry thorned bush?’

         ‘I’m not a fucking idiot- I may be a speck on this planet, a bit of dust you’re gonna outlive and watch decay, but I’m not dumb enough to summon a fucking demon if I weren’t sure that’s what took him. It took him, and I was dying, but I woke up and Harry was still gone.’

         ‘It took him, it took him, my Harry's gone,’ Lo mocked, voice high pitched and hand waving about aimlessly, ‘look, I’ll give you some free advice: page 303. Close this ridiculous venture before I get hungry. Give up, and move on.’

         Eggsy kept eye contact with the hideous creature, and instead of turning the pages as instructed he instead pulled the photo from the book and shut it. Eggsy tapped the cover with two fingers, almost glaring at Lo, and spoke softly, ‘I’m not leaving here without him.’

         It was an eternity later that Lo shook his head, breaking their eye contact and sighing sadly.

         ‘Look, Dinner, I’m only going to say this once more- if what you’re saying’s true, and I’m sure it is, then you’re fucked. Raw and hard. You don’t just get out of Hell.’

         ‘Then I want to see him, and we’ll figure out the rest together.’

         ‘Well it’s not as if I know the man-’

         ‘His name’s Harry, he’s-’

         ‘Yes, yes, I know- he’s the moon and stars in the sky, the wind beneath your wings, and the rain that brings the flowers. Look, I am positive that you two had a deep and pure emotional connection,’ Lo sneered, ‘but Hell isn’t a park or some small town isolated from the rest of creation. It’s a large place, with more within than you could count in your lifetime, that’s been around since the dawn of your pathetic species. And we don’t keep records.’

         ‘Then I’ll wait.’

         ‘What?’ Lo looked at him incredulously.

         ‘I’ll stay right here while you go and look for ‘im. He’s worth it, and he’d’ve done the same for me.’

         ‘For how long? Until your need to piss and shit drives you to close the circle because of your human sensibilities? Until your body gives out, and you faint from malnutrition and inevitably cross the paltry protection you’ve painted? And let us not forget my own schedule, it’s not as if demons sit idly.’ Lo turned his face away, and began making as if to leave.

         ‘I’m in charge here, ain’t I?’ Lo grunted, but continued to pull himself away from Eggsy. ‘Oi, I’m not talkin’ to the air here- I’m the master and you’ve got to do as I say!’

         ‘The thing you ask for is IMPOSSIBLE!’ Lo growled, glaring at Eggsy as he twisted impossibly backward to address him. He would have shuddered, if he hadn’t been so determined to not show weakness.

         ‘An’ yet I’m still askin’ for it. So you’ve got to at least try. ’ Lo froze, growled low in his throat and then roared at Eggsy. The circle only protected him from physical threats, and the smell of rancid meat washed over him like an unfortunate rainstorm. He closed his eyes, waited for the ringing in his ears to stop, and determinedly stared Lo down. ‘I’m waiting.’

         ‘Frightened children ought not play with pentagrams; weren’t you ever warned against Ouija boards?’

         ‘Mighta been, but once impossible shit started happening I threw those rules out the window.’

         ‘If you so much as scrape the edge of your circle with your toes I will swallow you whole and you will have the pleasure of enduring a 90 year digestion. The acids in my stomach are unforgiving, and an idiotic specimen like yourself will likely cause some indigestion, but I am willing to make that sacrifice.’ Lo rears back, snake-like, twisting his head from side to side as if deciding from which angle to strike. Eggsy lifted the picture once again, as if his first instructions to the demon were simply forgotten as opposed to rebelled against.

         Lo rolled himself partially onto his back and cursed at the ceiling before turning back to Eggsy. He smiled, or as close as he could get without lips or teeth. ‘Harry!’ There was obviously an exasperated air to the exclamation, but Eggsy couldn’t hope for better than that from this arsehole of a demon.

         ‘Harry. Hart.’

         ‘Like that thing that keeps your soul in you and outside of Hell?’

         ‘Like a deer, actually.’

         ‘Well that’s a stupid name for a human- why name someone after physical traits and animals?’ Lo muttered seemingly to himself, though it was just loud enough for Eggsy to hear. ‘Tell me about him.’ He propped his head on his hands, blinking innocently, and Eggsy was struck by the image of teens gossiping.

         ‘Just find him, what do you need me talkin’ about him for?’

         ‘I’m simply trying to fulfil your request, master. The better versed I am in your arthurian knight, the better equipped I’ll be in parsing out which he is amongst the trillions of bits of dark matter that float about in eternal torment.’

         ‘Oh.’ Eggsy didn’t want to think about what Harry must be enduring, what horrors he must have been facing since he’d been taken, but the reminder did nothing if not motivate him into sharing.

         ‘Precisely. Oh.’

         ‘What d’you need to know, then?’

         ‘Details. Emotional ones, a full dossier, as much as you can pull from your miniscule brain. I want to feel as you do; I need to feel the pain that’s driven you to me.’

         ‘Uh, well, he’s nearly 2 metres, mid fifties, light brown hair with silver at the edges-’

         ‘STOP.’ Eggsy’s mouth clicked shut, teeth grinding against one another as he did his best not to panic. ‘For fuck’s sake, Dinner, how dim can you get? I said emotional details. I want to know how you met, how you ate, how you fought and kissed, fucked and spoke and insulted and loved.’ Lo spat the last word like a curse. ‘I’m not casting a film, I don’t need his resume- what I need is everything.’

         ‘So… you want details .’ Eggsy stuttered, simultaneously disgusted by having to share his desires with a demon and relieved that what he asked for was so simple to share. It wasn’t like he was comfortable with it, but there were worse things than reminiscing about the man he loved with a Demon. He assumed.

         ‘Yes,’ Lo pointed at Eggsy, ‘thank you for joining the rest of the class.’

         ‘You want to know how we first met?’

         ‘By George, I think he’s got it!’

         ‘Don’t you quote My Fair Lady at me- anyway, I was on break at the Prince-’ There’s a great whooshing sound, and Lo’s attention is drawn to a spot behind Eggsy. Turning around, there’s a projection on the wall matching Eggsy’s memory. The dim lighting, the quiet bustle of the pub, and there- Eggsy, sat alone in a booth, staring out the window with a dish of chips on the table. Eggsy, sat in the circle, looked toward Lo in question, one brow raised.

         ‘It’s flashback time!’ Lo lifted one arm from the ground, giving some jazz hands in a manner Eggsy could only describe as sarcastic. ‘Ta-da!’

         ‘That’s me? But I haven’t told you anythin’ yet!’

         ‘No, that’s me and my phenomenal cosmic powers pulling the thoughts from your brain and projecting them onto that wall.’ Eggsy looked at Lo in horror- he could pull the thoughts from his mind? He could read his mind this whole time? ‘I know, right?’ Lo seemingly misinterpreted his silence for awe, pulling a bowl of popcorn from seemingly nowhere. ‘Now keep your mouth shut, and your eyes open- and let’s see what happens.’

--

         There was something inherently fascinating about seeing himself from the outside. Eggsy hadn’t realised how depressed he’d looked, staring idly out the window and running a finger along the rim of his pint, completely ignoring his chips. From the edge of the projection, Harry walked into view, stunning in his suit and carrying a briefcase the way one would carry an explosive- with great care.

         ‘Hello.’ Harry was staring intently at the chips on the table, but his eyes flickered toward Eggsy every few moments.

         ‘Uhm, hi?’ Eggsy looked briefly from the window, visibly doing a double take when he actually bothered to take in the man before him.

         ‘Are those any good, here?’

         ‘I guess?’ In truth Eggsy hadn’t even touched them, though he liked them plenty on the regular, and he wished he could remember what he’d been looking at before the man stood before him.

         ‘Would it be terribly impolite of me to try one?’ Eggsy could only stare dumbfounded at the man, whose suit easily displayed the differences in their lifestyles, ‘your silence says yes, sorry about that-

         ‘Wait!’ Eggsy blurted, mouth obviously ahead of his brain by the shock in his eyes, ‘You can try some, if you want.’

         ‘That sounds lovely.’ Harry tucked himself gracefully into the bench across from Eggsy, setting the brief beside him before reaching deftly toward the plate. The first chip seemed to bring Harry to life, as he closed his eyes and nearly moaned. ‘ Shit this is divine!’  Harry’s mouth was still full, but Eggsy couldn’t find it in himself to be disgusted. Harry reached again, this time taking several, and shoved them into his mouth like a toddler.

         ‘Would you like some fresh?’ There was something entrancing about seeing a man so wholly enjoy something so simple. Eggsy couldn’t look away, and even cracked a grin at the way the man’s head nodded enthusiastically. He called over to the bar, gesturing for another round, and turned back to watch Harry eat. The man was so focused on the flavours in his mouth, eyes closed, and Eggsy couldn’t help but drink him in.

         ‘I thought you was eating alone, Eggy?’ Rottie dropped the plate the last couple inches to the table, causing a couple chips to fall off.

         ‘I am- or, well, I was- that a problem?’ Rottie rolled his eyes, looked at Harry like he was a particularly fascinating bit of shit on the ground, and walked off. Eggsy looked back to Harry, eyes wide when he realised how much of the cold chips he’d devoured in the course of that small conversation. Harry noticed his look, and seemed to come back to himself.

         ‘Oh, shit, I do apologise. I didn’t mean to-’

         ‘Don’t sweat it, honest. I wasn’t all that hungry anyway. I did order some more, though, so feel free to stick around.’ Eggsy lightly pushed the warm dish in his direction.

         ‘I don’t remember to eat very often, much more important things to me done- though I’m trying to break that habit.’ Harry shovelled the last of the cold chips into his mouth, but not before looking toward the door.

         ‘Mate, are you avoiding summat?’

         ‘Well, I’m on the run, if that’s what you’re asking- but nothing to worry about.’ Eggsy gaped at the man, mouth open to offer a listening ear if nothing else, when the man began to chuckle. ‘No, dear boy, I’m not in any kind of trouble- I simply admired the way you were holding yourself. Stunning- though I will admit, I was spurred to action by the chips sitting ignored in front of you.’

         Eggsy laughed nervously, looked about the pub as if searching for some hidden camera, before asking, ‘well, how was I holding myself, then?’

         The man across from him was still for a moment, and then slouched slightly; he turned his head slightly toward the window, allowed his lips to turn slightly upward, and seemed to soften his eyes somehow. The light hit him at such an angle that the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were simultaneously highlighted and breathtaking, the shadow of his glasses somehow highlighting his cheekbones.

         Eggsy forgot to breathe.

         The man straightened himself back up, the world restarted, and Eggsy giggled.

         ‘You’re laughing at yourself?’

         ‘Well I doubt I looked half as elegant as you, but yeah. This whole moment’s a bit funny to me-’

         ‘How so?’

         ‘You’ve got to be at least twenty years older than me, never seen you ‘round here before so you’re new, you took notice of a pleb like me and just started talkin’, and then you act as if you’ve never has chips before-’

         ‘I haven’t, until today- I must say I enjoy them far better hot than cool.’ Harry looked so earnest, it was hard not to laugh- so he huffed a breath instead.

         ‘See, that! That right there is ridiculous how can anyone not’ve had chips before?’ Instead of seeming hurt, the man seemed pleased, and leant forward a fraction.

         ‘I had a rather… secluded upbringing. My family was very particular in what was what, and until this morning I had never thought to try the things they’d forbidden me. So this,’ Harry grabbed a chip, and smiled, ‘is my rebellion.’

         ‘You’re a bit old for rebellion- ain’t that a teenager thing?’

         ‘And yet you don’t strike me as very conforming yourself- and that’s… oddly wonderful.’

         ‘I can about guarantee there ain’t anythin’ wonderful about me- but I don’t like rules much.’ Eggsy smiled, ran one hand up the back of his head before suddenly remembering himself and offering his hand. ‘I’m Eggsy, by the way.’

         ‘Eggy?’

         ‘Nah, mate, with an s. Eggsy.’

         ‘Eggsy… Eggsy …’ Harry seemed to be rolling the name about his mouth like posh folk tasted wine- and he seemed poshh enough so maybe he was. ‘Peculiar. I like it.’

         ‘Thanks- and you are...?’

         ‘I am what?’ The man blinks, doe eyed, and Eggsy can’t help the laugh bubbling out of him again.

         ‘Your name, can’t keep calling you chips-man in my head.’ Eggsy joked, and Harry’s eyes widened for a moment before he began muttering to himself; though Eggsy of the present, sat in the circle, could hear him plain as day.

         ‘Eyesearsmouthnosehair- Harry.’ Only the last was said loud enough for Eggsy-at-the-table to hear, and they shook hands.

         ‘STOP!’ Lo roared, and the memory froze. Lo had one hand raised and was waving it about not unlike Hermione Granger. ‘Oh! Ohh pick me, pick me! Dinner, pick me, I have a question!’ Eggsy looked over to the demon, and raised an eyebrow. ‘Did your sugar daddy just make up his name?’

         Eggsy looked down, unable to really dispute Lo with the given facts, but remembered suddenly- demon. ‘He weren't no sugar daddy, and you’re trying to trick me. Get me to go along with whatever it is you think about him so I’ll just let you go!’ Lo scoffed.

         ‘Tricking you? If that were my intention it would be far plainer- for example,’ Lo flicked his wrist, and the figures from the memory began to move again. Harry leant over the table fully, grabbed at the front of Eggsy’s shirt and pulled him across the table and slammed their mouths together. Eggsy flailed for a moment before draping his arm over Harry’s shoulders and giving all his weight to the older man.

         ‘Stop. Just- stop.’

         ‘What? Things not going according to plan?’

         ‘Play the scene right, or don’t do it at all. I thought you needed to know him like I did?’

         ‘That’s your responsibility, not mine. And you need to be open to seeing things a bit… differently. Experiencing your life in the moment is far different from remembering it.’ Lo gestured toward the memory, reset to the two men shaking hands above the tabletop.

         ‘Great to meet you, Harry- I’m gonna go settle my tab and head out. Got to get back to work.’

         ‘Why? That sounds tedious.’ Harry cocked his head to one side, as if genuinely confused by the notion of working, and it set Eggsy snapped.

         ‘Not everyone gets shit on a silver platter, Harry. We have to fucking work for it, and keep going when it look like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel because people are bloody counting on us. If people in their ivory towers,’ Eggsy mocked, ‘knew even a fraction of what us regular people do to get by, if they really got it, this place,’ he swung his arm, gesturing aimlessly, ‘would be so much better.’

         ‘The protection of one’s own is, of course, invaluable- I apologise for causing offense.’ Harry pulled the briefcase closer to himself, scooting to the end of the table as if to leave, and Eggsy deflated.

         ‘No, no I’m sorry. I didn’ mean to go off on you like that. I forgot myself for a moment there;’ Eggsy hunched in on himself, both hands in pockets, ‘what’s in the case? Sorry, not my place-’

         ‘A collection of sheets with writing on them- terribly boring, I assure you.’

         ‘What, classified or somethin’?’

         ‘Or something.’ Harry smiled with closed lips, and something imperceptible changed. He could feel it. In the kitchen, a glass shattered, and Harry practically leapt to his feet. Eggsy flinched, took a step back, and Harry seemed to come to himself- though he still kept a tight grip on the briefcase. ‘I- I’m sorry…’ Harry fell back into the booth, head hung low, case tucked betwixt his legs, and sighed deeply. Eggsy looked torn, glancing between the door and the man he’d so strangely befriended several times before shaking his head, stepping forward.

         ‘You okay?’

--

         ‘Weird man.’ Lo spoke up from behind him, and Eggsy turned.

         ‘Well, yeah, he’s different- but tha’s part of why I fell arse over tit for him so quick. There ain’t nothing else like him.’

         ‘Fell? Humanity’s always so dramatic- you talk of love as if it’s a ten story drop. No wonder it always ends in tears- or,’ Lo paused, ‘in lost souls.’ He lifted a hand, and something in the air jerked Eggsy’s head to one side, which brought him face-to-cover with an old book. A familiar, old, book. The Tragic History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Being held up by two long, green, fingers.

         The book lowered, and Eggsy jumped back- only by chance does he not leave the circle- the green hands belong to a bald, scaled man, with horns like a dinosaur and a short beak, whose eyes seem to be backward. The bits that should hold them inside of his head were dangling down his face, scraping the edge of his jaw, and Eggsy can’t bring himself to breathe for fear or retching.

         ‘What’re you gasping about? Oh, the face; you humans are always so disgusted by shit you don’t understand. Have you ever actually read this book, lad?’ The demon (for what else could he be?) tapped the front cover with a clawed finger, ‘It’s actually a comedy, if you read it right.’ He extended the hand that had been on the book, stopping just before the circle. ‘Pleasure.’

         Eggsy glanced at the hand before forcing himself to make back-of-eye contact with the demon, and shook his head.

         ‘So there’s a brain hidden behind the stupid face, well done.’ The hand pulled back, and the demon reached for the strands of innards that hung from his face before tugging on them sharply. There was a pop and Eggsy gagged, somehow unable to look away from the horrifying image of eyeballs being swung back and forth with nary a care before being shoved back into the scaled man’s head. He paused, looked pointedly at Eggsy, and sighed. ‘I put all this effort into my face and you can’t even pay me a compliment? And I had such hopes for our grand reunion.’

         ‘You-’

         ‘Correct; I’m the one who came ‘round and scooped your man from your arms and dragged him all. The. Way. Down.’

         ‘You’re the one that tried to kill me!’ Eggsy lifted his shirt, once again revealing the angry red across his torso, and the new demon examined it like a fine painting.

         ‘It’s Merlin to you- and It’s a pity you survived; that’s good work put to waste.’ Merlin gestured at Eggsy vaguely, ‘Your blood was like a fine brandy- something I needed to savour. ’ He lifted a hand, scraping fingers across his lip as if remembering the feel of flesh upon flesh.

         ‘You took Harry.’

         ‘I don’t enjoy repeating myself, lad, but yes. I did. And I was rewarded for it… handsomely.’ Merlin tapped a spot on his chest, and Eggsy was surprised to find a military uniform- a decorated one, with a series of medals he couldn’t figure out the meanings of if he tried. A green hand fingered a medal fondly, pink and gold with a V in the centre, as if to show Eggsy that this one was what he was given for dragging Harry into Hell.

         ‘Bring him back!’

         ‘I don’t think I will.’

         ‘Please!’

         ‘Not the kind of begging I’m after. You summoned Lo, not I, and I’m not at all inclined to do as you ask.’

         ‘Then I’ll-’ Eggsy pulled the Book from behind him, ‘I’ll summon you!’

         ‘And it seems the brain has leaked from between your ears- you can’t summon more than one demon at once! It would be like trying to save two people with one parachute- messy, improbable, but impressive if successful.’

         ‘Well, the fuck’re you here then if I ain’t your master?’

         ‘As if I would relinquish the chance to meet a celebrity- you’re the mortal that tamed the beast!’

         ‘What’re you on about?’

         ‘Don’t deny the facts, boy, you know what I mean.’ Merlin knelt closer, one clawed hand scraping the floor just beside the circle, ‘you know.

         ‘I’ve passed by and through and touched more humans than you could imagine- I’ve even held emotions for them. Disgust, pity, maybe a healthy bit of hunger;’ Merlin turned away, seemingly speaking into the abyss, ‘but the one thing I’ve never come close to feeling for a human is love. Oh, there were certainly a handful of physically attractive ones but they never survived long enough to enjoy ;’ He spat the last word, pointing at Eggsy accusingly, ‘that’s why it’s so strange.’

         ‘What’s strange?’

         ‘That it fell in love with you. ’

         ‘It?’

         ‘The thing you call Harry.’

         ‘Harry ain’t an it!’

         ‘Don’t interject without the facts, lad, it makes you look dumber than you already do. Foolhardy and ignorant- childish.’ Merlin smirked, or as close to an approximation of a smirk that a partially-beaked green scaled demon could accomplish. ‘I’m going to tell you a story, and maybe by the end of it you’ll have some brains.

         ‘Once upon a time, long before you lot made the stunning discovery that the world wasn’t flat, there was a war. It wasn’t the kind of war you’d keep histories of, there were few if any survivors and it was before recording events even became commonplace, but it was brutal. It was beautiful, and a demon wandering the remains stumbled upon one survivor- and stuffed his heart into a rock.

         ‘Demons are born from hatred, from suffering, from a desire to see retribution; that lone human was angry enough to spit fire- so the rock did. The man died, buried in the rubble, and his rage lived on- Harry lived on.’ Merlin paused, and somehow Eggsy was grateful for that- everything he knew told him to ignore everything the demon said, and yet… he spoke with such authority. Maybe it was only half true- maybe the story was true, but he was trying to make Eggsy believe it was Harry to make him let Lo go.

         That had to be it.

         ‘What left the battlefield that day became the gold standard for demons- Harry rewrote the rule book and set every record. He was a legend, still is in some circles, known for having no mercy and the highest soul count. He was born from a dying soldier’s lust for revenge, and had no use for the rest of the organ he’d been born from.

         ‘Until you.’

         ‘If Harry had no heart, no love, no mercy, then the fuck was he doing wandering about with this Book in a suitcase?’ Eggsy lifted the Book in one hand and glared accusingly at Merlin, who rolled his eyes (would they pop back out?) and knelt back to the ground.

         ‘At some point or another, something changed. He started caring,’ Merlin spat, and Eggsy wiped at his face, ‘he started trying to curtail visits topside. Tried to use what weight his name carried to change things, things that didn’t need changing, and he grew frustrated when no one wanted to follow him.’ Merlin shrugged with one shoulder, and looked away. ‘So he left, grabbed the Book and the case and ran as quietly as he could.

         ‘Had he not been the best, we’d have caught him before he made it topside; but he made it out, and we were left scrambling after him.’

         ‘The fuck’d you care that he didn’t want to do that shit anymore? Ain’t that his business?’ Eggsy forwent arguing that the demon was trying to trick him, that was a demon’s prime directive. What purpose was there in arguing that?

         ‘He has a purpose, a job to do, and he’s necessary even if his... heart... isn’t in it anymore.’ Merlin looked at Eggsy from the corner of one eye, and winked.

         In a blink Merlin was gone and Lo in his place, his enthusiastic clapping coming back threefold from the abyss.

         ‘Oh, bravo, Merlin- encore! What a... lovely... story-’ Lo cut himself off with a laugh, deep and gravelly and inhuman.

         ‘Stop playing with me!’ Eggsy bit out, the hand that he’d drawn blood from earlier clutched to himself. It throbbed, reminding Eggsy that maybe there were better places to draw blood from than the palm of your hand because it was going to hurt for ages.

         ‘I don’t play with my food, Dinner.’

         ‘I ain’t listenin’ anymore- you’re trying to confuse me; trying to get me to give up and let you go and I’m not leaving without Harry.’

         ‘I bring you the demon who literally took your love from your arms, and you bring into question my motives?’ Lo lifted one hand to his chest, lidless eyes somehow sad, and for a fragment of a moment Eggsy considered apologising, but-

         ‘I thought you said you didn’t know him?’

         ‘Surprise! I lied; demon, remember?’

         ‘You disgust me. You’re fucking disgusting.’

         ‘I didn’t think you cared so little for Harry.’ Lo quipped, looking idly at his hand- Eggsy would say he was admiring his nail polish but the thick, pale, slimy appendages simply curved into an end. No nails in sight.

         ‘What?’

         ‘Well to call me disgusting is to call him disgusting- we do, after all, share a species. In case you missed it from that story, demons- all ,’ Lo paused, looking pointedly at Eggsy, ‘demons will torture, slaughter, and rape. It’s part and parcel to our existence.’

         Eggsy was confused, and angry, and more than a bit frightened- but who wouldn’t be in this kind of a situation? It wasn’t as if there were other people to ask about their experiences summoning demons or books he could check facts against. But he knew Harry. He loved Harry, and if there was one thing he knew, it was that he was worth it all.

         ‘I guess I’ll just reach into the arse of Hell and bring him to you, then.’ Lo laughed, and Eggsy was struck by how it reminded him of the old Mario game, when you fucked up and Bowser laughed at you. Deep and tri-toned and echoing.

         ‘If Harry’s everythin’ you’re saying he is, then where do I fit in?’ It’s quiet, something Eggsy is reluctant to say out loud and especially reluctant to say to a demon, but there weren’t many choices in circumstances like this.

         ‘You … What about you? It’s kind of funny, actually- that heart Harry was born from, it was fickle. Jumped from rage to lust to disappointment in a flash- and, I guess-’

         ‘He loved me.’

         ‘Perhaps- but that doesn’t change the nature of things. The facts are Harry gets restless, gets frustrated with the stagnation of everyone else, calls at all hours I don’t understand- why do I get like this when no one else does!’ Lo mimed holding a telephone, Harry’s voice fell from his lips, and Eggsy’s heart stuttered. ‘And what am I supposed to tell him- it’s not as if I’ve ever felt that way, and one moment he’s a killer- the best- and the next he’s a mess!’ Lo sounds like a frustrated spouse, Eggsy nearly chuckled at the absurdity of it all, and then the demon looked away in a huff, the candles highlighting the downward curve of his lipless mouth.

         ‘You were his friend.’ It’s a statement, not something he had to ask, because no one can talk that emotionally about another being and not be attached in some way, but the way Lo avoided eye contact after said more than words could.

         Lo roared, like rocks tumbling off a mountain.

         ‘No.’

         Eggsy was tired of talking in circles. He was the one in charge here, and maybe he just had to trick him into doing shit on his own. Like Aladdin with Genie.

         ‘You can’t even get him, can you?’ He goaded, leant back on his hands where he sat in the circle. ‘You ain’t strong enough to get the job done.’

         ‘I don’t have the strength?’ Lo glared, and raised himself on his arms until he somehow towered over him.

         ‘You can’t even walk, you fucking cripple-’ Eggsy gagged, his throat closed up with nothing but a twitch of Lo’s hand. Shit. He’d forgotten; demon magic wasn’t stopped by the circle, only their bodies. Only their ability to kill outright- the rest was fair game.

         He’d gone too far.

         ‘Can you feel that?’ It’s said nonchalantly, like asking about the weather, and Eggsy’s eyes bugged open, one hand scrabbling at his neck as if to dislodge his attacker. ‘The essence of my hand ripping through your barrier and crushing your larynx? Maybe I can’t kill you from here, but I can certainly make my displeasure in your living known.

         ‘The sooner I get your lover-demon, the sooner your stench will leave my mouth.’ Lo spat, and shoved himself away from Eggsy; and the moment the hand stopped metaphysically crushing his windpipe he gagged. He spluttered and choked and spat up a bit, wiped the back of a hand across his mouth, and looked up into emptiness.

         ‘Lo? Lo? Lo?! Fuck,’ Eggsy ran a hand through his hair, uncaring of the spittle, and looked about as if he could suddenly see through the pitch-darkness of the In-Between. ‘God damn it. Shit. Fuck. Fuck!’ He was delirious, cursing to himself and pulling at his own hair, on the verge of tears.

         Would this work? Would it be worth it? What kind of a question was that, for Harry it was worth everything, but would Harry think so? If he really was a demon, would that change anything for Eggsy? Could they make something new from the pieces left after all this? Would Harry still want him after he didn’t need to hide anymore?

         Fucking hell… Eggsy’s mouth hadn’t moved, but the words echoed about the space. Shit- who said that? Who is it? I just thought that. Eggsy’s eyes widened.

         It’s saying what I’m thinking- is it reading my mind? Is it in my mind? My thoughts are outside my head what the fuck is going on saysomethingoutloud-

         ‘Fuuuuuuu-’ The sound gave out, choking to a halt, and Eggsy began to panic. Did I just make sounds instead of talking? The fuck was that sound- say a sentence. Come on, Eggsy, say a fucking sentence. ‘ You can go fuck yourself.’ There, that’s a sentence.

         Shit, that’s still in my head.

         Fuck.

         Okay, let’s figure this out, yeah? Why am I hearing my voice outside of my head? Where is it coming from? Eggsy writhed in place, neck cramped, and pulled at his hair with both hands. Ow! Eggsy pulled his hand from his head, looked down, and gaped at the cut from earlier.

         Did that get bigger? The skin opened and closed in time with his thoughts, and Eggsy sucked in a breath through his teeth. His hand was talking to him- his hand was exposing his thoughts to the demons and whatever else was around- his hand was reading his mind and then saying it out loud. Ignore the hand, clear your mind. Like fucking Snape just clear your mind and stop bloody thinking!

…

         This is weird. No luck with ignoring it, so may as well just run with it. Don’t focus on the hand. Let’s figure this shit out.

         Harry’s a demon… he’s always been a demon. Does that mean he didn’t love me? Doesn’t love me? Did he- did he make me love him? Eggsy glared at his hand, pointing angrily with the other.

         ‘That’s fucking ridiculous- I know he loved me. He didn’ say it much but actions are louder than words, yeah? He fucking loved me. And I love him, even with him gone I love him.’

         And yet we’re here, in the middle of hell knows where, trying to strike a deal with a fucking demon after getting told bedtime stories of him killing people for shits and giggles. Innocent people, even.

         ‘That’s the point, tho- stories. They’re stories told by fucking demons to get me to give up. Like them warning stones in Labyrinth; Lo admitted he was lying!’

         And the Book?

         ‘Shit. That’s right. The Book.’

         A human wouldn’t have a book like that- and where’d it come from? Where could he have gotten it from- certainly not Waterstones.

         ‘Hell.’ Eggsy signed, resigned.

         Yeah, Hell. Harry’s from Hell. But does that really change anythin’? He’s obviously the same man, we just got to see his shit in a different light.

         ‘He loved me.’ Whispered, slightly doubtful, as Eggsy stared at one of the candles. Maybe if he just focused on something, anything, else it would stop.

         Did he? Could he? What if you were just the only one dumb enough not to ask questions. Who’d look for a man like that with a pleb like you? He was usin’ you just like Dean used to.

         ‘ That dick!’ It explodes from Eggsy’s lips, unbidden, and he looked around the vacuum his Circle was surrounded by, as if someone would pop out of the woodwork to correct him for being too loud.

         I KNOW!

         ‘ I- I’m talking to myself… through my-’

         ‘Did you miss me?’

         ‘Shut UP. Just- just shut up, brain!’

         ‘As amusing as watching you yell at yourself is, not quite.’ Lo was back, cigarette in hand, the smoke curling far past where his ceiling should be. More unpleasant reminders that Eggsy wasn’t really on Earth anymore.

         Eggsy heaved in a breath, and glanced back and forth from his hand- which had gone silent and the cut had shrunk back to regular size- to Lo.

         ‘Where’d you run off to, then?’

         ‘Needed to ease a little tension.’ Lo waved it about, and Eggsy’s eyes continued to trail the smoke.

         ‘Demons smoke?’

         ‘When will you get it through your thick skull that demons do whatever we damn well please? Besides,’ Lo took a drag, ‘it’s cool.’

         Eggsy was distracted, flexing his fingers and curling his fist as if to try and tease his hand back into talking to him. He couldn’t figure out why he was doing it, outside of an intense desire to not be looking at Lo. Not to be thinking about everything he’d been told.

         ‘The circle’s closing in on you- magic has to draw from somewhere and the longer you sit there the more your brain’s leaking out. Stay there long enough and there won’t be enough left of you to go back; but, as a faint silver lining, I got something for you.’

         ‘Harry?’ Eggsy perked up, his whole body leant forward, and Lo chuckled.

         ‘No. He’s in some high-security lockup and it’ll take more time- but I did bring you some souls to speak in his place!’ A pair of came up against the wall, and kept coming toward them- until they hit a barrier, filmy and red and Eggsy did not want to think about what it was made of. ‘I thought you’d want to know what Harry was going through- so you can help him later, of course.’ Screams echoed, like nails on a chalkboard, and Eggsy held himself as stiff as he could. Barely wanting to look at the humanoid points of darkness against the illuminated flesh- red of the barrier.

         Demons lie. No matter what they said it wasn’t necessarily true. Though, Eggsy knew, all the best lies were built around grains of truth. So what was the truth, here?

         But, as Eggsy listened to the litany of screams and begging, he grew more and more worried for Harry. Cheese graters? Drawn and quartered? Papercuts and lemon juice? Head, still alive, being thrown into a blender? Venom and sleep deprivation and waterboarding- some of these things sounded so mundane, so run-of-the-mill. Eggsy reasoned to himself that it was probably like Prometheus and the bird- beyond painful every time, and just familiar enough to keep you wondering how they’d make it worse this time. Repetitive and horrifying.

         ‘Why are you showing this to me?’ The shadows froze as he spoke, and red dripped where their supposed-bodies pressed against the barrier. As one they cocked their heads to one side, turning toward Lo as if they wondered much the same as he had.

         ‘You want me to find Harry? You want me to give you Harry? Well I want you to know what you’re getting into. What Harry is. He was the best there was- until you.’

         ‘Get rid of them. Send them back.’ It’s a feeble order, and Lo knew it.

         ‘Do it yourself, master.’ Eggsy turned to the shadows, who were pressed eagerly against the barrier as if through will alone they could escape their confines.

         ‘Go back to hell; leave me the fuck alone!’ Eggsy bit out, on the edge of breakdown but with a job left to do.

         ‘You know it’s funny- just think about every time you wished someone to go to hell, and here you are actively witnessing what you’ve wished upon them.’ Lo twirled the end of his cigarette, and the smoke became a set of claws before fading from view. ‘And then you just turned them away- they needed your help, Eggsy.’

         ‘Just shut it and get Harry already.’

         ‘I can’t. And not because I’m a cripple. You want to know why my legs drag behind me like a snake?’ Lo sounded like the Joker in those Dark Knight movies, pleasant and conversational but obviously intending to give a story whether you asked for it or not. ‘I assure you, there are legs back there- and this won’t be a long drawn out sob story like the one Merlin gave you.’

         ‘...I don’t care.’ Eggsy felt empty; at once terrified for Harry, scared of what Harry may well be, and a bone-deep tired he couldn’t quite push through.

         ‘Harry,’ Lo nodded once, looked Eggsy in the eyes, and looked away, ‘my legs were crushed when he was returned. Fitting retribution.’

         ‘...You helped him get out?’ What kind of a relationship did the two of them have, anyway? Calls in the night, an assist in escape, and yet Lo wouldn’t bring Harry to him now?

         ‘A demon, Eggsy, heart or heartless, shouldn’t entertain the idea that love will be the answer to any of its questions. Harry’s home now, where he belongs, but he’s no longer free. He’s trapped by guilt and the sharpest pains in the deepest of the pits- if you could call anyone trapped, it’s him.’ Lo took a breath and looked away. ‘Would you even want to see him again, with everything you’ve seen? Everything you’ve been told? Would you really want to bring him back with you, after all of this?’

         ‘I can’t tell the difference between trick or truth with you, bruv.’

         ‘You weren’t meant to. But the question remains- do you want to see Harry again? If so, all you have to do is… remember.’ Lo gestured back toward the wall, and a new memory began.

--

         It was Christmas, him and Harry sat on the floor like children, and Eggsy had his hands hidden behind his back. He presented the gift to Harry, who took it looking vaguely confused. Within was a small stack of tattered books, Cendrillon and Pygmalion and The Tragic History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus. Harry set the stack between them, hands in his lap as he looked earnestly at Eggsy.

         ‘They’re for you.’

         ‘Books?’

         ‘Have you read this one?’ Eggsy gestured to Faustus, a small smile on his face.

         ‘No.’

         ‘Well it’s good- I figured rare books would be up your alley, what with you keeping that one in your case, and all. They’re not really old, but they’re older than me and I figure that’s something.’

         ‘You thought I’d enjoy enjoy these, so you got them for me?’ Harry sounded as if it was an entirely foreign concept. He was so confused all the time, it was a wonder that he’d made it this far in life without Eggsy around.

         ‘Well, it’s Christmas- it’s what you do.’ Eggsy shrugged, hiding his anxiety in a gentle smile. ‘Do you like ‘em?’

         ‘I think I do- I’ve not read many books outside of my own before. Schooling aside, of course.’ Harry added quickly, eyes doe-like and blinking slowly, so Eggsy let it go. Harry would tell him when he was ready. ‘What’s it about?’ Relationships were all about compromise- his curiosity could wait.

         ‘Well this bloke sells his soul for knowledge and power-’ Harry snorted, interrupting him.

         ‘How foolish. There’s no knowledge worth that much pain at the end of the road.’

         ‘What, you been there or so-’

         ‘Never!’ Harry interrupted Eggsy, whose smile ran from his face. Harry was so sensitive to the strangest things. He added “joking about hell” to his ongoing list of Harry’s Touchy Subjects.

         ‘You’re the strangest thing that’s ever happened to me.’ Eggsy chuckled,smiling softly, and sat expectantly. ‘Well?’

         ‘Well… what?’

         ‘D’you have somethin’ for me?’ Eggsy didn’t much like being rude, or pushy, but he’d learned that beating around the bush didn’t work with Harry- it was speak plainly, or not at all. It was something that’d rubbed him the wrong way at first, but when Harry reminded him that he’d had a very secluded upbringing Eggsy would feel like a tit all over again. So being a little uncomfortable was worth it- one day at a time.

         ‘Oh,’ Harry’s eyes widened, and he smiled sheepishly. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know that was custom.’

         ‘That’s alright, Harry- I’m just happy to be spending the holiday with you.’ Eggsy was honest; sure he was a little disappointed, but there was never any accounting for what Harry did and did not know. It made Eggsy feel purposed when Harry asked him things, or tried something new just on his recommendation- this was just one of the downsides to being that person. Life’s tiny disappointments.

         ‘I’m so sorry, Eggsy… do you hate me?’ Insecurities be damned, Eggsy couldn’t help but giggle at the look on Harry’s face. The man had to be in his late forties but he looked like a child whose lolly had fallen into the dirt; someone who had had something wonderful and managed to tarnish it without meaning to.

         ‘Course not. Actually,’ Eggsy rubbed at the back of his head, ‘I think I might be- just a little- bit more in love with you than I was before. It’s weird, but you bein’ honest just…’ Eggsy shrugged.

         ‘I’ve told you, I’m a man out of time with strange hobbies,’ Harry gestured to the wall behind them, where a few shadow boxes of butterflies were hanging. ‘But I will never lie to you, if I can help it.’ They kissed, more of a press of lips than anything heated, when suddenly Harry sprung to his feet and dashed from the room, his words echoing back behind him. ‘I do have something for you!’ He was laughing- what a sudden change from the melancholy man who’d kissed him.

         ‘You can’t wrap somethin’ that’s mine, that’s not how it works!’ Eggsy called after him, allowing himself to fall back against the leg of the sofa.

         Harry returned with the briefcase tucked against his chest, the one from the day they’d met, which had been hidden in the back of a closet since he’d moved in. He unlocked it swiftly and pulled out the Book, the one reptilian eye gazing from the cover, looking at if briefly with a calculated gaze before handing it to Eggsy.

         ‘You’re giving me your “or something” book?’

         ‘It’s only fitting, after you’ve gifted me with books.’ Harry looked so at ease, and Eggsy couldn’t help but feel honoured. Harry trusted him with this, with what had to be his most treasured (if not only) possession.

         ‘Touche.’ Eggsy lifted the book, fingering the cover, before Harry’s hand covered his own. Harry used his other hand the lift Eggsy’s chin, and locked eyes with him.

         ‘You must not do that.’

         ‘Read it?’ What use was a book if you didn’t read it? The cover was creepy and definitely not something Eggsy wanted sitting on a shelf where anyone could see it.

         ‘Promise me. Eggsy, promise you will never read that book. Keep it safe, and one day when I’m not around you burn it.’ Harry’s hands framed Eggsy’s face, large and warm and safe. Eggsy gulped.

         ‘What is it?’ It’s asked softly, but Eggsy knew that Harry wouldn’t lie to him. He’d given his word.

         ‘My past- and don’t ever ask that of me again. Just. Please, for me, burn it. Don’t read it, let me be judged for who I am rather than who I have been.’ Harry’s eyes were earnest, and Eggsy couldn’t help but give in. As curious as he was, he loved the man that Harry was now . Yeah, it took a lot to get here, everyone’s made up of their past after all, but Harry would tell him when he was ready.

         What did he need a book for, anyway?

         ‘Promise.’

--

         ‘~Demon~’ Lo sang beneath his breath, head held up in the hand not holding a cigarette.

         Why wasn’t he honest with you? And now the hand was back. Great. He obviously didn’t trust you- not enough.

         ‘He was ashamed-’

         Or he had a plan, and knew what he buttons he had to push to see it through. He could convince you of anything.

         ‘No-’

         You know you couldn’t say no to him- should have been a willow for all you bent to his whims. You’ve been distant with everyone- would your friends even notice if something was wrong? Who would check on you? Harry was everything to you- and he knew it.

         ‘ No- we worked because we were different. We fit. Different puzzles made in the same shape.’

         Because he designed it that way. You were nothing but a disguise. A ruse.

         ‘Just STOP!’ Eggsy closed the sliced-open hand, dug his nails into the wound, and felt tears forming despite himself.

         ‘~The circle’s closing in on you~’ Lo mocked, humming under his breath when Eggsy shot him a glare.

         ‘I’ll manage on my own, thanks.’

         ‘If you had any idea of what your brain was actually doing up there- pah.’ Lo laughed, no less horrifying than before, and Eggsy stared as Lo swirled his finger around his temple in the universal sign for insanity. ‘Idiot.’

--

         A blink, and suddenly there was a man in front of him; older, balding, and laughing sinisterly, a small tray in his hands.

         ‘True on so many levels, Lo. We have, almost always, seen eye-to-eye on these matters.’ The man came to a stop in front of Eggsy, Lo nowhere to be found, with a crystal decanter filled with amber liquid and a glass.

         ‘I know you-’

         ‘I doubt that significantly. Would you like a drink?’ He held up the glass, gestured with the other hand to the decanter.

         ‘What? No.’ Who in their right fucking mind would drink something a demon handed them? Where’d it even come from, anyway?

         ‘Are you positive? I can assure you that this is the finest napoleonic brandy.’

         ‘I bet it is, mate, but I just want Harry. I’m not thirsty.’

         ‘It will be the best thing your uncultured mouth will have ever tasted.’

         ‘I just told you I don’t want a drink- I just want Harry, thanks.’

         ‘Well call it Harry, then,’ the man poured two fingers worth into the glass, ‘and enjoy.’

         ‘I just said I don’t want a fucking drink!’

         ‘It’s not poison.’ Lo reappeared, speaking from behind Eggsy, as the balding man used a crystal rod to push the filled glass across the circle. ‘It weakens the link between your body and soul- I can’t bring Harry to you, you see- you have to go to him.’ Lo’s head twists, snakelike, ‘it’s the only way.’

         ‘You want me to go into hell, outside of this circle, and find Harry on my own?’

         ‘Yes, I do! You’ll be relatively,’ Lo waved a hand in a so-so gesture, ‘unharmed by the fires and woes of Hell by consuming that drink. It’s the only way a living man can pass through, a closely guarded secret; so,’ Lo paused, head cocked to one side, ‘is your sugar daddy worth the risk?’

         Eggsy turned away from Lo, back to the glass, and took a deep breath. Was Harry worth the risk? ‘You think I’ve got anythin’ to lose?’ Eggsy muttered just loud enough for Lo to hear, unintentionally, before picking up the glass and swallowing it in one gulp.

         ‘Fucker lied, that tasted like shit.’ There was a great whooshing sound, and suddenly Lo began to cackle. Like the hyenas in Lion King, Lo rolled upon the floor, and laughter echoed from the rest of the room. The man who had poured the drink, Merlin, the shadows... ‘Why’re you all laughing.’

         ‘I lied. It was poison.’

         ‘I can’t believe you fell for the whole “drink this, and you can walk through hell” bit- thought you had a bit more brains than that.’ Merlin had his arms crossed, and his horned head shook disapprovingly, but his chest shook with laughter. The medals glistened in the candlelight.

         ‘Just. Bring Lo back.’

         ‘I’m not his keeper, I’m not his master.’ Merlin scoffed, but somehow looked disappointed.

         ‘Am I really dying, then?’

         ‘Oh, yes- but slowly. You have time to think, bargain, get desperate… we demons like to watch you twitch.’

         ‘Can I do anything about the dying thing?’ As if a demon would-

         ‘Break the circle. Leave. Get your arse to a hospital and get it pumped out before it’s been too long.’ Merlin implored, surprisingly earnest for a demon who had just earlier said he’d been disappointed that Eggsy had survived their last encounter.

         ‘I thought you heard me when I said I ain’t leaving without him. I don’ see any ears, but you answer everythin’ else just fine.’

         ‘Don’t be cheeky, and stop calling it “he” that’s a prison of human design- demons aren’t defined by something as paltry as what’s between our legs. If we have them.’ There was a pause, Merlin looked away briefly and then turned back to Eggsy. ‘This whole “love” thing,’ he made quotations with his fingers, ‘can you explain it to me?’

         ‘I’m not that great with words, I dunno what to tell you.’ Eggsy was resigned to his fate at this point, death was inevitable because he was an idiot who took what was offered- wasn’t that like rule one of magic? Or was that just faeries?

         But, maybe if he died in hell, he’d be reunited with Harry after all. Well worth all the pain at the end of the road.

         ‘I once tortured a man who said love was like something lodged in your throat you can’t swallow; another like continuously falling from a great height- both sounded unpleasant. Something to be avoided.’

         ‘Those are way too simple, mate,’ This is what’s left of my life now, explaining love to demons, ‘there’s no real way to define it. I mean, all the words in the world ain’t gonna help if you have nothing to base it on. Or something close to it, and you lot already told me that demons don’t love.’’

         ‘Demons can do whatever they want.’ It was defensive, and Eggsy had to breathe out a laugh.

         ‘Yeah, so you’ve said- but then none of you want to love, or you’d’ve figured it out already. You wouldn’t be asking me.’

         ‘Maybe we just want to give all our secrets away.’

         ‘Are you lot secretly five? That’s the logic my little sister uses to pretend she’s cleaned her mess when she’s just tucked it under the rug.’

         ‘Well, fine, maybe we can’t- but it’s a good thing. A blessing, if I can use the word. I mean, look at yourself,’ Merlin gestured vaguely at Eggsy, hunched over in the circle, ‘you’re dying, slowly, in a painted circle in the middle of your apartment- because you loved someone. You’re dying and still you sit here waiting to see him again instead of get yourself to a doctor. At least at the end of this I’m still around- why put yourself through that?’

         ‘Well that’s my secret, then. Takin’ it to my grave- close as it is.’

         ‘Why not just close the circle and be done with it? Get to a hospital, live your life?’

         ‘I’d rather be with Harry, thanks.’ Merlin scoffed, and walked back into the abyss, leaving Eggsy alone with his thoughts. Scattered, but his own.

         Eggsy took a moment to look down at the Book, ran one hand across the incredibly creepy cover, and smiled sadly. Sure, maybe he hadn’t been able to see Harry before he died- but he’d get to see him after. He’d come here with a mission, and he’d never been the type of person to leave a job undone- and what kind of life would be waiting for him without Harry, anyway? The months without him had been empty and faded- who could blame Eggsy for not wanting to go back to that?

         ‘I don’t want to die,’ Eggsy said to the emptiness, ‘but I don’t want to go back, neither. I don’t want to live without him.'

         You had to say it out loud. Eggsy refused to acknowledge the hand this time- if he were dying, he’d do it on his terms and not looking like a nutter yelling at his own hand. You know I can’t leave you alone.

         ‘And you’re exposing my thoughts to everyone!’

         Who? There’s no one here!

         ‘But there will be, you need to stop or- or I’ll- I’ll cut you off!’ Eggsy brandished the knife from the beginning, blood crusted along the edge, and placed it against his wrist. ‘So stop.’

         ‘Are you trying to die more quickly, or is this some pathetic attempt to rid yourself of the poison?’ Lo blinked innocently up at him from his place on the ground, and Eggsy dropped the knife- his hand wasn’t talking anymore.

         ‘You poisoned me.’

         ‘No, Chester did.’

         ‘The fuck’s it matter who poisoned me, the end is the same. Fucking demon poison- but I wanna know: why? Why’d Harry have your page marked? So many bloody demons to choose from, feels like, and you’re the one marked off- why?’ Eggsy would deny he’d begged until his last breath (and that was far too close to contemplate) but he had to know. He needed to know.

         ‘Maybe he found me attractive,’ Lo framed his face between his mottled hands, blinking as if to flutter nonexistent eyelashes, ‘or maybe he just threw a marker into the Book in a rush and it was a simple coincidence.’ He shrugged, shoulders shifting against the ground as he lay on his back, and Eggsy growled. Maybe the circle was getting to him, maybe it was the poison, but either way he was at the end of his fucking rope.

         ‘You’re never going to give me a straight answer, are you? I’m a fucking dying human, you already won, why are you so scared of me?’

         ‘Your false sense of security derived from a painted circle on the ground has given you quite the ego.’

         ‘I just don’ give a fuck anymore; I’m dying, why bother playin’ nice? Why’d you help him escape?

         ‘I don’t see how that’s any of your business-’

         ‘They crushed your body!’

         'With good reason! I deserved it, I paid my price, and even dead you have no business in demon affairs.’ Eggsy keeled over, clutched desperately to his stomach and groaned in pain. ‘You’re not built for Hell, Eggsy. Trust me.’

         ‘I’m dead chuffed that a demon would care so much for my well being-’

         ‘You can’t even do anything for Harry by staying here- he broke a sacred law, he’s a vile creature who will never again see the light of day!’

         ‘Well, maybe I don’ care about all that!

         ‘You should-’

         ‘I don’t give a fuck about should or shouldn’t. I love him, and the shit you’ve spewed at me is a different Harry. Who he was here,’ Eggsy threw his hands about the circle, careful even now not to cross the barrier despite his pain, ‘isn’t the man I know. Everyone changes over time- even demons!’

         ‘Oh, and you’re the authority on that subject now?’

         ‘On Harry, yes.’ Eggsy was determined, lips firm, eyes hard, and looked at Lo like he would a spot of dirt on a freshly-cleaned floor. He turned, and lifted a hand like Lo had earlier, focusing entirely on the memory of he and Harry’s last night together. The night that changed everything.

--

         They were asleep together, the too-large bed covered in pillows and blankets, when suddenly Harry shot straight up, screaming at a decibel Eggsy was only now able to fully comprehend. Eggsy rolled over, sat up, and threw an arm across Harry’s shoulders before pulling him back down. They stayed there, Harry curled surprisingly small upon Eggsy’s chest, until Harry stopped shaking.

         ‘You wanna talk about it?’ Eggsy whispered, lips barely brushing Harry’s temple.

         ‘It’s just a dream- everyone has them.’ Harry evaded the question, keeping his face turned from Eggsy’s. ‘Just a dream.’

         ‘Not like that they don’t. You’ve been talkin’ in your sleep, y’know- apologising-’

         ‘Shhh.’ Harry placed one finger on Eggsy’s lips, suddenly on alert; body shifted at an angle and ear turned toward the door. ‘Tell me you don’t smell anything.’

         ‘... Now that you’ve mentioned it, smells like sulfur. You leave somethin’ on?’

         ‘... Shit.’ A now familiar green, scaled, hand grasped Harry by the scalp and threw him bodily from the bed, and Eggsy could only watch in horror as the horned demon walked fully into the room. Merlin lifted a hand, freezing Eggsy’s bid to move toward him, and then shoved him backward with a flick of his wrist. Demon magic had worked in the real world, that night.

         Harry got back to his feet, eyes pale and face discoloured, and walked up to Merlin. He held himself like Wolverine, body tilted forward and hands extended at his sides as if ready to swipe and cut as opposed to punch.

         ‘Really, him?’ Merlin asked Harry, gesturing with his head to the unconscious Eggsy on the bed. ‘What makes him worth all this fuss?’

         ‘Merlin.’

         ‘Nice costume, sugar daddy.’

         ‘Go back.’

         ‘I plan to- but not without you.’

         ‘I’m stronger than you-’

         ‘But you’re long since out of practise.’ They fought, never touching but still managing to hurt one another, until Merlin managed to grab Harry by the throat. Literally. The sound of Harry choking managed to stir Eggsy, who sat up in bed and scrambled forward on the sheets. Merlin flicked his other wrist, and long, deep, gashes appeared on Eggsy’s chest. Harry heard Eggsy gasp in pain and fall back to the bed, and it rejuvenated him- he fought Merlin with renewed vigour to get to Eggsy’s side.

         ‘Eggsy!’ Harry breathed, but Eggsy couldn’t breathe. Harry was lying across his legs, torsos barely touching, trying to gauge the damage, and Eggsy couldn’t breathe. ‘He’s dying-’

         ‘I should hope so- I don’t scratch.’

         ‘Let me help him, and I’ll go with you. No more fighting, just… let me save him.’ Harry whispered, and Merlin simply gestured him forward with a wave of his hand. Harry crawled back upon the bed, carefully avoiding Eggsy’s mutilated chest, and kissed him softly. ‘I have to leave.’

         ‘H-H-Harry-’

         ‘Shhh,’ Harry lifted a hand, holding it over his torso with a look of pure determination, and a moment later Eggsy’s breathing evened out. ‘I’m sorry, Eggsy. I love you.’

         Together, Harry and Merlin walked from the room, briefcase in hand.

--

         ‘You came here for love- you know, you’re no better than Faust.’ Lo remarked after the scene faded, Eggsy’s heavy breathing still hovering throughout the room. Whether it was from now or then was impossible to tell.

         ‘Faust wanted power, and knowledge-’

         ‘Which is exactly what you want as well- you promised Harry that you would destroy that Book. If you’d truly loved him, you would have done as he’d asked. Only a mortal can harm that book- you betrayed your love just by coming here.’ Eggsy turned to Lo, far beyond done with this merry-go-round. ‘Do you think your Harry will forgive you?’

         ‘I’m only human, ain’t I?’ Eggsy said, determined to make Lo understand even if he died trying, ‘we’re allowed to make mistakes, we’re expected to make mistakes and maybe loving Harry means I couldn’t do what he made me promise but don’t,’ Eggsy gritted out, ‘accuse me of betraying him, when all I’ve wanted was for him to be back where he belonged. Back home. With me.’

         Lo laughed. ‘If you say so, kid.’ Eggsy saw red- this close to dying, why hold back?

         ‘Demon Lo I am you master, you disgusting thing, I summoned you and all your power. I say roll over- since you can’t jump and all- and you do it.’ Eggsy breathed sharply through his teeth, ‘You’ve been showing me all sorts of shit I don’ care about to get me to leave. I. WON’T.

         ‘I’m not leaving here without Harry, and I command you Demon Lo to get him and bring him right in front of me and then get the fuck out of my sight.’ Lo looked at Eggsy with wide eyes, but said nothing more before dragging himself away, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy. Eggsy couldn’t bring himself to be sorry for cutting off Lo’s fun, slow-acting or not he was dying and he only had one real chance at this now.

--

         It could have been a moment, it could have been a year (who knew how slow demon poisons were, anyway) but between one breath and the next Harry was there. Beautiful, perfect, Harry with his hair and suit pristine and his glasses clear, a small sad smile on his lips. He was propped on his elbows, eye level with the collapsed Eggsy, cheekbones highlighted in the candlelight. All that fuss, and Lo had managed it at last.

         ‘Hello, Eggsy.’ There was something sad in his voice, but Eggsy couldn’t bring himself to do more than shrug a shoulder.

         ‘Hello, Harry.’

         ‘Strange place for a date.’ Harry’s mouth quirked on one side, barely showing his teeth.

         ‘Yeah, but the only man worth datin’ was down here.’ A long silence stretched between them. Sad, broke only by laboured breathing, but not awkward.

         ‘... You kept the Book.’

‘I tried to burn it- I did- but I just- just,’ Eggsy sighed, pained, ‘I just couldn’t, and I dunno why. Swear down I tried-’

         ‘It’s okay.' Harry interrupted, a small glittering in his eyes. 'You know they weren’t happy when they found Faust in the case- thank you, it was a comedic moment in what was a very dark period. Your gift has been-’

         ‘I’m here to take you home, Harry.’ Eggsy couldn’t let him continue on, talking of his time in Hell like a poorly-envisioned vacation. They had somewhere to be; they had a home to get back to.

         ‘I know. I’m doing cartwheels, can’t you see them?’

         ‘Don’t you Parks and Rec me, Harry- I need you to tell me what page I need to read to get us both back home, Harry.’

         ‘You still want me- after everything you’ve heard? Hell’s gold standard reaper?’

         ‘But I know that’s not the Harry Hart I know-’

         ‘But it is.’ It’s stated simply, but it makes Eggsy’s head spin. But, he’d come this far, and he wasn’t leaving without him. They’d work through everything a bit at a time- every relationship had its problems.

         ‘Well, you swear you won’t eat me and I’ll marry you. You, me, my shitty flat and all the butterflies you can fit inside. May even let you get a dog like you always wanted.’

         ‘You love me?’ It was whispered to himself, as if Harry couldn’t believe what he was hearing, but he looked back at Eggsy with fire in his eyes. ‘Page 1108,’ Eggsy flipped through the pages as quickly as his debilitated body could manage. Eventually he found the page, but Eggsy couldn’t bring himself to do more than drink in the sight of Harry by candlelight

         ‘Tiana.’ Harry started, tongue caressing the words much the way he had Eggsy’s name that first day. He stared for a moment before realising that he was supposed to repeat what Harry said- why open the book at all, if Harry could just recite it all?

‘Tiana.’

‘Fate Simae.’

‘Fate Simae.’

‘Nevt Tiana Simae.’

‘Nevt Tiana Simae.’

‘Tan Corse Si.’

‘Tan Corse Si.’

         Harry reached across the circle like there was no barrier, as if there was nothing but open floor between them, and kissed Eggsy deeply. Softly. The opposite of their circumstances, what with being in hell and all. Eggsy felt like something was finally settling back into place, like the colour was bleeding back into the world; like he’d finally stopped being more spirit than self.

         Harry pulled back, and grasped the empty glass in one hand before spitting the poisoned brandy back inside.

         ‘I can’t go with you, Eggsy.’ It’s sad, but stated as fact, and Eggsy won’t stand for it.

         ‘The fuck do you mean you can’t- we’ll hide, change our names, they won’t find us-’

         ‘They will, Eggsy- and next time, I won’t be able to save you. I’m afraid I used that bargaining chip, already. They find us up there, let alone together, and we’re both finished.’

         ‘Then let me stay here with you- I can adapt I’ll figure it-’

         ‘No! No, no…’ Harry looked back into Eggsy’s eyes, frantic, ‘this is not where I will have you spend eternity. You get no say in this, you have so much left to experience Eggsy and I will not have you giving that up to be with me. Much as it hurts me to let you go, you belong up there- you’ll figure it out.’

         ‘What have I got to live for up there without you?’

         ‘I’m not a man, Eggsy,’ Harry’s voice reverberates around the room, haunting and clear, ‘I’m not even human.’

         ‘But you love me, yeah?’ The poison was gone, but his body was too weak to protest too harshly. Eggsy wished he could clear the guilt from Harry’s eyes.

         ‘Sometimes, Eggsy, love is not enough.’ Harry began to lean back out of the circle. ‘Please, burn the book- it’s not fair. To either of us.’ He paused and lifted a hand, and something in the air changed. ‘You’re going home, Eggsy. And I’m going to stay in this place to make sure of it.’ Harry turned away, and began to lean himself back into the abyss.

         ‘Harry-’ He turned back, heartbreak etched in every glorious crease, and Eggsy felt a traitorous tear slide down his face. He blinked, trying to clear his eyes, and froze.

Lo met Eggsy’s gaze, half covered in shadow. He looked away, breaking the fragile moment between them, and finished dragging himself away.

--

         Eggsy came to in his apartment, drooling on the floor and face planted on a small puddle of dried blood. Disgusting.

         He got up, slowly, and dusted himself off- surprised to find the cut still there, having thought it all a fantastical dream. But no, the Book was there, the blood was there, and his apartment was still boarded up to he- boarded up inside.

         He scraped off the paint as best he could, used some thinner, and then gave up and put the carpet back over it. Someone would make an unpleasant discovery someday, but that wasn’t a problem for today. He pulled down the boards from the windows, the light nearly blinding him, and started cleaning up.

         He used a hammer to break some of the wood down, gathered up some old newsprint, and shoved it all into a metal bin before he put out on the sil.

He put the Book atop the pile, and dropped a match.

[choisgirls]

rfa+ Saeran going to pride for the first time with with MC?

A/N: HAPPY PRIDE MONTH MY GUYS! THOUGH IT’S ALMOST OVER? (For where Ilive anyway, pride month is June! I heard some places celebrate in May??) I STILL WANTED TO TRY AND GET THIS OUTBEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH AAA ~Admin 404

*YOOSUNG: Male!MC

               -You didn’t even tell him whatthis parade was for

               -All you said was “Do youwant to go to a parade with me”

               -And he was THERE

               -Parade? FUCK YEAH! Loves himsome parades

               -Fried food, bright colours, funbooths, cute floats? Yes yes yes!

               -You decided to just wait untilyou brought him to tell him what the parade was actually for

               -Though when the two of you gotthere, and he noticed literally everything was rainbow, he kind of pieced twoand two together…

               -HE WAS BLUSHING LIKE CRAZY!

               -Was actually really honouredthat you wanted to go to something like this with him?? Like you’re loud andproud about your relationship and that makes him giggle

               -Seeing all of the insaneoutfits was definitely fun for him!

               -HE SAW SO MANY NAKED (OR ATLEAST ALMOST NAKED) PEOPLE AND HE FELT SO AWKWARD

               -“MC… we… we don’t haveto be naked or anything for this.. right?” No baby it’s okay

               -AS RED AS COULD FUCKING BE WHENPEOPLE HANDED HIM CONDOMS

               -I know I said as red as couldbe, but that’s because you didn’t think he could get any redder. But oh, wereyou mistaken

               -He turned almost glowing redwhen he watched you just shoving the condoms in your pockets

               -“I’m not gonna just wastethese, Yoosung, that’s rude” OH MYGOD MC DON’T TALK LIKE THAT OUT LOUD

               -Was disappointed that he didn’tget to dress up or anything like that so you found a group of nice people withsome body paint and asked if they could do something for him!

               -Cutie walked around with acompletely rainbow painted face (yours matching) and could not stop takingpictures

               -10/10 sent any and all photosto the group chat, always talking about how much he loved you and this parade!

*ZEN: Male!MC

               -“MC! It’s the prideparade!”

               -Oh no

               -You’d love to go with him, ofcourse!

               -Your relationship is…. wellit’s absolutely perfect to the two of you but there are still those whoquestion it

               -His fans are practically splitin half between completely idolizing your relationship, and the other half justwanted Zen for themselves

               -So you were pretty afraid toattend pride like that, so out in the open, so…exposed

               -But he was a-okay with it

               -He didn’t care what others haveto say about the two of you???

               -Once the two of you actuallygot there though, it was a m a z i n g

               -People would recognize Zen leftand right and they would be so excitedthat he even showed up!

               -But when they saw the two ofyou holding hands, they practically exploded (in a good way)

               -THEY WERE SO ECSTATIC!

               -Their favourite actor is partof the LBGT+ community and they are HYPED

               -People are coming up frequentlyto congratulate the two of you on your beautiful relationship

               -He even sang a few love songsup on a few stages, loving as the crowds went wild!

               -The one thing he couldn’t standthough, was all the hateful protesting

               -He tried to ignore it at firstbut as the day went on he couldn’t stop himself from walking over and yell backat them

               -To prove a point, he pulled youinto a deep kiss- eliciting hundreds if not thousands of whistles and cheersfrom the crowd at the parade

               -You had to physically hold himback from fighting one protester though

*JAEHEE: Female!MC

               -“Jaehee! The prideparade’s coming up! We should go!”

               -P A N I C

               -She loves you and mostdefinitely isn’t afraid to tell you that, but…

               -She is afraid of others hatingher for it? She really dislikes confrontation

               -But you assure her that it’s acompletely safe space! It’s full of allies and others celebrating same sexlove!

               -Agrees to go along, and evendresses up to match you

               -The two of you have adorableshirts with unicorns on it that says “Squad goals”!

               -Embarrassed because she doesn’tuse slang like that but the two of you just looked so cute!

               -And honestly? Seeing all of thehappy couples expressing their love, the loud and proud people just enjoyingtheir time, thousands of colours and confetti everywhere; she’s in love

               -Like?? It’s a place?? Inpublic??? Where she can kiss you all she wants??

               -She does every now and then butshe’s still embarrassed the poor bby

               -L o v e s the booths!

               -Thinks it’s important tosupport those in the LGBT+ community who create works of art!

               -Honestly bought like 20 poundsin books solely because they look amazing and are by up and coming LBGT+writers (not to mention they all promised part of the proceeds go tocharities!)

               -She’s part of the RFA she feelsit’s like an unspoken duty of hers to do anything related to charities

               -SHE LOVES THIS PLACE SO MUCH

               -Lowkey wants to set up a boothnext year for your coffee shop

               -“It’s a good businessinvestment, MC” “You just want to come to pride again next year, youdon’t have to lie” “A GOOD! BUSINESS! INVESTMENT!”

*JUMIN: Male!MC

               - ah yes

               - jumin han does gay

               - im soRRY I COULDNT RESIST

               -He was kind of against going tothis parade

               -Not because it was for pride oranything but because he was just iffy about all the people

               -Does he really want to go andbe surrounded by thousands of people, all of them bumping against him??

               -Well one look into your puppydog eyes and the answer was yes, yes he did

               -You had to convince him toleave (most) of the body guards at home

               -There were a few that followeda moderate amount of distance behind but you caught them lowkey fawning overthe two of you when he would give you a quick kiss on the nose or squeeze yourhand

               -Honestly a few other coupleswould stop the two of you and tell you how cute the two of you were??

               -It would get Jumin so flusteredand you were SO THANKFUL because wow look at my cutie he’s adorable

               -If any protesters even thoughtabout something rude to you the bodyguards were there in an instant

               -You dragged Jumin along withyou as you looked at each and every booth, placing the beaded necklaces theygave out around his neck

               -The funny part is, he just letyou?? Like okay MC

               -At one point the necklacesstacked so high that you couldn’t see anything lower than his eyes

               -He didn’t want to disappointyou by taking them off so he left them until you noticed and laughed your assoff

               -Definitely took pictures beforeyou distributed most of the necklaces among the two of you and the body guards

               -“MC, do you thinkElizabeth would enjoy this rainbow collar?” “Juju that’s not forcats” “….Would you enjoy this collar?” JUMIN NOT IN PUBLIC

               -He saw some… interestingoutfits, to say the least

               -“Commoners are very…odd, aren’t they?” that’s rude

               -Saw someone walking theirpartner on a leash

               -The moment you saw him side-eyeyou, you jabbed him in the ribs with your elbow, eliciting a slight grunt fromhim

               -“Don’t even think about itpretty boy”

               -To get back at him for even thinking about walking you on a leash,you poured a ton of glitter over his head while he was looking at somemerchandise

               -Actually chased you through thelarge crowd, picking you up and spinning you before kissing you gently once hecaught you

               -People cheered because wow looky'all are so cute together

*SAEYOUNG:Female!MC/Pansexual!Saeyoung (LISTEN I CANT HELP BUT HC SAEYOUNG AS PANSEXUAL AAA)

               -You wanted to go in support ofyour friends!

               -But more than anything, youwanted to go and support your boyfriend!

               -He was pretty against going atfirst, because he was afraid of what people would think about him

               -It’s not like he advertisesthat he’s pansexual, so what would his friends think? Would they change theiropinions of him?

               -“Saeyoung, you just lovewhoever you love, it’s not as if gender truly matters, right? So why would ourfriends be against who you are as a person?”

               -That’s what got him thinking-you completely support him… so why wouldn’t his friends be supportive?

               -After all, they are supportiveof all his gender-swapped costumes….

               -You reminded him that he didn’thave to come out if he didn’t want to. A lot of people who are simply justAllies attend as well, no one would know how he fit into the community unlesshe told them

               -He had seen pictures of a fewparades before, and he noticed all the insane costumes people wear

               -So of course?? He had to go allout?? If he had to go, he might as well, right?

               -Completely decked out inrainbow body glitter, boxers with hearts all over them, and you even helped himput temporary hair dye to make it rainbow!

               -Honestly he was in love themoment the two of you showed up??

               -So many people dressed upinsanely without a care in the world, bright colours flying everywhere, peoplebeing loud and proud

               -His jaw honestly dropped at thesight of it all

               - Every time he saw a dogwearing a rainbow bandana he’s smacking your arm- you have bruises by the endof the day

               -He’s yelling, singing,laughing, and you haven’t seen him have this much fun in a while and you wereabsolutely loving watching him enjoy himself

               -“MC! Look! Look at howproud everyone is to just be themselves, isn’t it amazing?” he held yourhands and looked down at them, “I wish I had the confidence to be likethem. I don’t even know where to start!”

               -“Just do whatever makesyou comfortable and go at your own pace! Hey, you’re in a parade full ofstrangers you probably won’t see again, why don’t you come out to someone? Noone here is going to judge you!’

               -So he did! Actually, he didquite a few times! And he felt a m a z i n g

               -So good in fact, that he toldyou he was ready to tell his friends!

               -He spent the rest of his day atpride asking people how about their experiences with coming out, getting tipsabout the best way to do it, and getting nonstop support from tons of people!He felt so at home, the next week or so he was clinging to you, never knowinghow to fully thank you

*V: Female!MC

               -THIS BOY LOVES LOVE

               -Any and all love is beautifulfor him

               -So he’s super duper excitedwhen you suggest going to pride!

               -SUPER ALLIES, MC AND JIHYUN!

               -Honestly, all of the happypeople, bright colours, glitter, and especially all of the couples obviously inlove make him S O E C S T A T I C

               -He brings a backpack full ofbrand new SD cards for his camera, and he 10/10 believes he’s gonna fill themall

               -He asks people in the mostoutgoing outfits if he can take their photo, and he giggles at all of the posesthey do

               -Up close and personal to all ofthe floats to get pictures of every single detail

               -When he sees couples gettingcozy, he asks to take photos to celebrate their love!

               - v that can get a lil creepy

               -Always offers to take a photoon their phone for them as well so he seems less crazy

               -He’s pretty sassy when he wantsto be, if you didn’t already know

               -So when he sees protesters withsuch hatefulsigns, he takes it upon himself to fight back

               -He finds someone with extrasigns and holds them up proudly!

               -When people shout out hatefulthings, he gently asks them why they think that

               -Always talking to them soft andgentle, which confuses the hell out of all of them because?? They’re trying tobe hateful?? But this soft giant is talking to them so nicely???

               -Which THROWS THEM OFF SO MUCHMORE WHEN HE GETS SASSY WITH HIS COMEBACKS

               -It’s such a large difference indemeanor and even you’re thrown off guard

*SAERAN: Female!MC

               -He’s actually the one who askedyou to go to pride with him??

               -In private, he told you that hemight… have wanted to attend… to show support for his brother?

               -He’s really bad at showing hecares but he’s trying to do it bits at a time

               -But when Saeyoung brings it uphe acts like he’s against it

               -"Why the fuck would I wantto go to that, there’s going to be so many people there, I don’t wantthat”

               - but goes anyway

               -He didn’t want to really wantto dress up, but you convinced him to at least let you paint a small rainbowflag on his cheek (though it did take several days to do the convincing)

               -He was really grumpy at first,being dragged to and fro either by you or his brother

               -Having to squeeze through halfnaked, loud, or already morning-drunk people

               -Started to really regretattending until he saw how much fun his brother was having?

               -He had never seen Saeyoung thisrelaxed in his life and he silently decided he could put up with all of it forhim, just this once

               -The two of you enjoyed visitingall of the booths though

               -At every booth, you get a  couple of bead necklaces

               -Saeran put them all on. All ofthem. All of his, all of yours, all of Saeyoungs.

               -Completely covered in beadnecklaces, and he l o v e s i t

               -If you ask for some to wear youjust get this look from him- not a glare, but a kind of look that screams“don’t even think about it”

               -He also demanded ice cream asmuch as possible

               -You tried so hard to cut himoff but he just didn’t. stop.

               -Saeran pls there are 47 icecream wrappers in my pocket p l e a s e

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