#is a silly goose on the loose (I saw that on the back of someones car earlier)

[flashdoesahundredyarddash]

In response to my Booster Gold drawing I drew a bit back (last month or so)

[saijspellhart]

15 thiefshipping please.

15. A fierce kiss that ends with a bite on the lip, soothing it with a lick. (Thiefshipping)

"Well?" Bakura gave his roommate a pointed look.

Malik tried his hardest to suppress a grimace, but only managed to press his lips together and wrinkle his nose. "What's in these cookies?"

"Cookie stuff! Obviously. Ryou showed me the recipe yesterday. He said it was so easy even I could make it."

Malik tried not to gag when he swallowed, failed, and moved the rest of the cookie under his tongue. "What's the recipe?"

"Butter, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla," Bakura listed off, clearly getting impatient. "Normal cookie stuff. So how are they?"

"Are you sure you put sugar in them?" Malik shuddered again at the flavor still crawling over his tongue.

Bakura heaved a sigh and picked up a ceramic canister from the counter. "Sugar."

Malik squinted at the little faded label made out of masking tape. "It says salt."

The former Yami spun the container in his hand and glowered at the label, scrutinizing it like some secret coded message. "Fuck. So it does."

Malik took this opportunity to scrape his fingers over his tongue, and dig the rest of the cookie out of his mouth. "Why was I the first one to taste these anyway? Shouldn't it have been you?"

"I tasted them yesterday when Ryou made them. I thought they were good."

"Ryou didn't make them wrong!"

"So I suck at baking! Screw this!" He grabbed the plate and chucked the cookies into the garbage bin, plate included. "I try to do something nice..." the sentence trialed off in muttering that sounded more like swear words. Bakura folded his arms over his chest, practically throwing himself against the counter when he leant back against it.

Much to his distaste, Malik dug the plate out of the trash can. He gave his roommate a side-eye as he placed it into the sink.

"This is why I buy everything from the store," grumbled Bakura.

The soap suds squished between Malik's fingers as he washed his hands, watching the water splash around the clean and empty sink as he did so. It was only then that he took in the state of the kitchen... which to his surprise was oddly clean for a Bakura that just made a batch of salty cookies.

Come to think of it, there weren't even any dirty dishes in the sink from breakfast or lunch.

There was no way his lazy-ass roommate made cookies and washed all the dishes. Was there?

Suspiciously Malik's gaze darted over to Bakura himself. To his utter surprise Bakura was dusted in patches of flour. Bits on his shirt, on his arms, and even some on his face. There very well could have been flour in Bakura's hair too, but it blended in flawlessly with the natural white color caused by his albinism.

So, he really did bake cookies. He turned his attention back to the sink and the surrounding countertops. It wasn't perfect by any means, a little cluttery, and there were some crumbs under the toaster. But the sink was empty aside from the cookie plate, and the counters had been wiped down. He even cleaned the kitchen.

"Thank you," Malik said lowly as he finished rinsing off his hands.

"What?" Bakura spoke the word sharply with a little too much emphasis on the H.

"For cleaning the kitchen," Malik clarified, turning away from the sink and using the dish towel to dry off. "It was... thoughtful."

"Whatever," Bakura huffed and turned his face away.

Malik caught the tint of pink on his pale cheeks regardless. He strode across the kitchen and stopped in front of his roommate leaning in a bit as he grinned. "Teach me."

"Teach you what?" he snarled. "To make salty mistakes?"

"The cookies, Bakura, not your half-ass blowjobs. You said Ryou taught you the recipe, and I want to try them." Malik snagged an apron from a drawer nearby, and threw it over his head. It was a weird, white and pink, frilly thing that Bakura always sneered at but Malik liked it.

"Like hell I'm going through that again. I'll just fuck them up."

"Guess I'll have to make cookies by myself," Malik sniffed, wandering over to the cabinets to take out a mixing bowl. The first thing he grabbed was a pan for a bundt cake. After a blink he shrugged and set it on the counter, then he fished out a wire whisk. "I don't know any of the amounts."

When he collected eight eggs from the fridge, Bakura finally cringed. He heaved a long dramatic sigh before coming up behind Malik and tossing the bundt pan back into the cabinet. He tore down the mixing bowl he'd used earlier and placed it on the counter, then collected a rubber spatula from the utensil drawer.

"Was that so hard?" teased Malik.

"Yes." Bakura pulled out the large plastic container they kept flour in and began measuring it.

Malik watched him carefully, helpfully holding the glass mixing bowl in place while his roommate dumped the white powder in. "I honestly don't know how there is any flour left, you're wearing most of it."

The next cup of flour went right down the front of Malik's shirt.

"Son of a bitch, Bakura! What was that for?!"

The former Yami nonchalantly resumed the task at hand, smirking down at the mixing bowl. "I missed.”

Any attempt to brush the flour away only resulted in smearing more of the white powder over his brown skin, so Malik gave up. He watched Bakura put one more cup into the mixing bowl before asking, "is that the last one?"

"Yes. We need to mix the butter and sugar together in a separate-"

A sudden cascade of white plummeted down over Bakura's head before he could finish his sentence. It exploded into the air in thick clouds, dousing him in powder from hair to socked foot.

The Egyptian beside him stepped away clutching the now empty plastic flour container. A cheeky grin stretching from ear to ear.

For a long moment Bakura simply stood there, dusted like a pale ghost, chocolate brown eyes staring at the counter but focusing on nothing in particular. Malik's nasally chortling the only sound punctuating the moment.

Then the former Yami took a handful of the flour from the mixing bowl and hurled it into his roommate's stupidly laughing face.

Malik sputtered and coughed when a second handful came down on his head, Bakura smacking the flour into his hair.

"S-stop that!" he screeched, still trying to spit out mouthfuls of powder.

"Make me!"

Another fistful of flour almost made it into Malik's hair, but Bakura's socked foot slipped on the flour covered floor, and his flour-covered self ended up careening into Malik instead.

This sent the two men tumbling to the ground where they proceeded to roll around the floor, scooping up fistfuls of excess flour and trying to smear it onto the other. Hair, face, nose, eyes, down the shirts, and into the pants. Malik's foot kicked a cabinet, and Bakura's elbow smacked the linoleum, but neither of them let up.

That is until until Malik's hand came way to close to Bakura's mouth, and his teeth snapped down like a trap.

"You bit me!" Malik recoiled a white dusted arm, that now sported a neat wet teeth pattern amidst the powder on his palm.

Bakura bared his teeth and snapped them again, making a sharp clicking sound.

It was a challenge as much as it was a warning.

And Malik was just the sort of moron who would bait a shark and then go swimming with it. Or bite it back.

He pinned the white-haired male to the floor, difficult because Bakura fought him wildly, but not as difficult as it could be because Bakura was thinner, shorter, and lankier than him. And to anyone's surprise who saw Malik's body he was actually pretty toned. He definitely had more muscles than his roommate, and it came to his advantage in this moment.

He swooped in and clamped his own teeth on the flesh of Bakura's shoulder.

The man beneath him yelled—a strange yowling noise mixed with unintelligible protest—and flailed violently. The movement, coupled with the coating of flour, managed to dislodge Malik, but he swiftly dove in again and bit the next closest thing to his mouth.

That happened to be Bakura's cheek and jaw.

Bakura's socked feet kicked against the powdered linoleum, struggling to find purchase and leverage. He only managed to slip and rub awkwardly against the male above him. A strange noise choked out of Malik's throat that bordered on whimper, and his teeth slipped a bit. Bakura managed to get one hand loose, snagging a fist full of Malik's blonde hair, he ripped the other man off the side of his face. In the same motion he whipped his own head, and bit him in retaliation.

Right on Malik's upper lip.

Malik yelped. Bakura's teeth scraped. And their eyes connected briefly before they suddenly both jerked away.

"Y-you kissed me."

Bakura flinched like someone had taken a swing at him. "No I didn't."

Malik cocked his head and fixed him with a look of disbelief. "What would you call that then?"

"I bit you."

"On the lips!"

"On the mouth!" Bakura refuted.

If it were at all possible Malik's look became even more disbelieving. "It's the same thing." As if to prove his point, the man beneath him wasn't making eye contact.

"It's not."

"It is!"

Not one to back out of an argument, Malik dipped down to substantiate his claim. He pressed his lips flush against Bakura's, capturing the thief's startled mouth in a kiss.

He didn't react at first, unless Malik counted his whole body tensing up like a corpse in rigor mortis. The kiss wasn't long. His lips were soft against his, pliant and and tasting of raw flour. But this wasn't quite the point Malik was trying to prove. He nipped Bakura's bottom lip as he broke away, a lingering pinch of that soft flesh between teeth before he sat back and grinned in triumph.

Thirty seconds passed before the thief sucked in a ragged shuddering breath. "What the hell was that?"

Malik grinned, all white teeth and conceited superiority. "According to you it was a bite, you silly goose." He tapped the end of Bakura's sickly-pale nose with a powder-coated bronze finger.

Bakura's nose scrunched adorably. "Don't call me that."

"You s-ss—stupid bitch," Malik tried again.

Dark chocolate colored eyes narrowed under furrowed brows. He pointedly chose to ignore that and focus on something more important. "That was not a bite." Bakura broke from Malik's half-assed grip. "This is."

Before Malik could even open his mouth to protest, Bakura surged up, took two fistfuls of blonde hair and dragged the former tomb keeper into a fierce kiss that was just as painful as it was intense. They fell back into the pile of flour, a cloud of powder thrown into the air as lips and sharp canines smashed together, bruising and burning.

Nothing about the kiss was gentle or sweet, it was messy and vicious. Their teeth clacked, noses bumped, and Bakura seemed hell bent on shoving his tongue places that made static skitter down Malik's spine.

Despite it all, Malik kissed him back, matching the ferocity with just as much enthusiasm. He was still straddling the thief, bent forward with most of his weight settled on his elbows. Bakura's wild mane of white hair was spread out like a lion's mane around his head, and Malik couldn't resist curling his fingers in the unkempt tresses.

But all too soon the kiss ended, concluded when Bakura's teeth bit down on Malik's lip hard enough to draw blood. Malik hissed, and jerked away from the swipe of Bakura's tongue before it could draw over the wound.

"Shit, what was that for?!" He sat back, wiping a hand over his bloodied lip. He'd barely settled on Bakura's lap for a second when he yelped like a wounded dog and shot off of him and into the kitchen cabinets.

"That's how you bite someone," the thief sneered haughtily. He attempted to hop to his feet in a swift movement, but his socks slipped, and he went crashing down into the flour covered linoleum again, sending a cloud into the air around him.

Malik snorted, coughed, and would have laughed but his eyes were glued on the obvious tent in his roommate's pants.

His attempt at an exit failed, Bakura slapped a hand over his crotch and snarled, "Fuck you, don't look at me."

"I can't believe you kissed me," Malik said as he used the counter to pull himself up onto shaky legs. He cast another look at the flushed man on the floor then added, "and liked it."

"Don't flatter yourself," snapped Bakura. "It's not like it was pleasant. You tasted like salt!"

"Only because I ate your shitty cookie!"

"Because of you we can't make any cookies at all!" Bakura shot back just as defensively. He threw a handful of the ruined flour for emphasis.

"Why the hell were you making cookies to begin with!?" Malik refused to turn away from the counter and opting to yell over his shoulder.

The entire room fell silent.

What seemed like an uncomfortable eternity passed and he chanced looking back at the thief.

Bakura had his face turned away, cheeks scarlet despite the dusting of white, and jaw set like a vice.

"Bakura?"

The former Yami surged to his feet once more. This time succeeding. "I was making them for you," he growled so lowly before storming from the room.

~0000~

How was that, handsome? Hope ya like it. I used a quote from one of our conversations in here. ;3

Thanks for sending me the ask. You’re the best and I love you. 😘

[pessimisticlatte]

Glass Roses - Chapter 7

This chapter is almost exclusively Marichat with a dash of Nino x Alya/Carapace x Rena Rouge

~Reveal, not full but there’s a reveal~ Warning: angst, kissing, teens being awkward ~ In this story all the characters are at least 17 years of age! Age of consent in France is 15 but there isn’t anything overtly sexual! Enjoy! ~~~~~~~~~

“What’s wrong, Kitty?” Marinette’s question was muffled against Chat’s chest. 

“Can’t a guy give his best friend a hug?” Chat looked down at her with a playful smile that showed both his dimples and his slightly elongated canines. The way he said best friend sent a pang through her chest.

“Well, you can but it was just unexpected,” Chat Noir pulled back slightly and looked down at the dark haired girl with her arms currently squished against her sides. Her frame fit into his so perfectly, the top of her head tucked under his chin with no effort and her slight build clicked into his larger one like she had been made for him. Adrien didn’t want to release Marinette but he pulled away, drawing his arms away from her. With her own arms free, Mari leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck, to stop her from falling he wrapped his black clad arms around her waist. She pressed her cheek into his shoulder and inhaled against the high black collar at the neck of his suit, the feeling of her warm breath a hair's-breadth away from his skin sent a ripple of goose-flesh across his body. Lifting her off the ground, Adrien took a slightly shaking step and walked the two of them across to Mari’s daybed.

Twisting so Mari was on top of him as he crashed back onto the daybed. Marinette fell into a fit of adorable giggles as Chat let out a small ‘oof’ from impact. Putting her hands on either side of Chat’s head, Mari raised herself up and looked down at him. Her blue doe eyes shone with mirth and her perfectly shaped lips had formed a radiant smile around the hearty, sincere laugh leaving her body. Her long, thick lashes dusted the tops of her cheeks like soot as she blinked and tipped her head, the smile still on her bowed lips and aftershocks of her laugh still rocking her body.

“What’re you thinkin’ about, purr-incess?” Chat grinned up at her, the world faded away and the only thing that remained was the beautiful girl leaning over him. Her left leg was between his, both of her knees making gentle contact with the surface of the daybed. Her hips were settled over his abdomen with their stomachs pressed together, Adrien could feel the muscles in Marinette’s abdomen, a badge honouring the work she did as Ladybug even if she didn’t want it honoured herself. Her stomach was hard, though still softer than his, and her arms were lean, muscled, he could feel the concealed strength in her thighs too.

“You’re pretty,” Marinette blinked again and gave him a sweet smile. She could feel his heart thundering just like hers was thundering, praying to whatever was out there she hoped that he wouldn’t guess that she was incredibly nervous. This wasn’t what she’d planned to happen tonight but, to be honest, she hadn’t planned anything so hovering above Chat, looking at his beautiful masked faced and splayed golden hair seemed better than sitting in awkward silence. She’d never been in a position like this with a boy before, her cheeks started to heat as she remembered how inexperienced she was when it came to people in general. Her first kiss had been Adrien but she’d thought he was a wax statue and he’d turned her down shortly after so she didn’t really know if it counted.

“You’re pretty,” he breathed, cocking his head as his pupils blew incredibly wide. Balancing on one arm, Mari brushed a strand of his hair off his face, her fingertips lingering against the suntanned skin of his cheek. 

“Am I?” She twisted the lock of hair around one of her fingers, the stainy strands separating like fraying silk. 

“Very much so, princesa,” Chat braced his clawed hands on Marinette’s waist where the cotton singlet she was wearing rode up slightly. As if his suit knew what he was doing, the fabric covering his hands thinned until he could feel the gentle heat of her skin and the concealed strength finely corded beneath it. Looking up into her beautiful gaze, Adrien remembered the 14 year olds they’d been when they met and how much she’d changed in the past 3 years, at 17 she was more beautiful than the models he’d seen who had cultivated their beauty for longer than Adrien and Marinette had walked this earth.

“You’re very pretty too, Chaton,” Mari’s thumb brushed his ear as she lowered her hand back down beside his head. The glowing fairy lights of her balcony caught the glorious midnight strands of her hair as she tipped her head again, they cast shimmering haloes on the loosening hair held in pigtails by two red, cloth hair-ties.

“Why do you think I’m pretty?” He wanted to lean up toward her and press his lips to hers but he couldn’t take his eyes off her face, the proximity she had to him and the airbrushed perfection of her skin caused by the dim lighting around them. Marinette’s skin wasn’t the botoxed plastic or makeup caked skin he normally saw when he was this close to a girl, she was real and looked real. The freckles on her face were more abundant on her left cheek than her right, there was a small scar on the right side of her nose below her eye, she had a beauty mark high on her right cheek too, the fact that she was so imperfect was what made her perfect to him.

“Does the Chat need his ego stroked?” Mari stuck her tongue out at him and gave a cheeky chuckle. “I think you’re pretty because you’re kind,” She tangled her left hand into the long, silken strands of his hair. “Because you’re brave,” Her heart thundered harder. “You’re funny,” His heart synchronised with the rapid pace of Marinette’s. “You listen to me,” She lowered her head slightly, not really registering what she was doing. “You don’t think I’m clumsy, or silly, or annoying, and you make me feel indestructible.”

Without hesitation, Chat moved one of his hands to her hair and pulled the hair-ties out, sliding them onto his wrist one by one. Tangling his hand into her now loose hair, Adrien leaned up and kissed her.

Their lips didn’t move at first, only stayed pressed together but, in a matter of seconds, their eyes slid closed and they fell into an awkward rhythm. Neither Marinette nor Adrien had properly kissed anyone before so it took some time for them to find a steady, comfortable rhythm.

Marinette pulled away, her breathing hitched slightly and her cheeks glowing a stunning scarlet.

“Woah,” Adrien’s pupils had completely eclipsed the green of his iris.

“Woah indeed,” A shy smile crept across Mari’s face, so much more beautiful since he knew that he’d put it there. Adrien’s claw tipped hand was still twined into her hair, the thinness of his gloves allowing him indulge in the inky cascade that curtained them in a world of their own. “Have you done that before?”

“No, have you? You seem very good at it,” Marinette ducked her head slightly at the comment, causing the waterfall of hair to slide across his face and into his mouth. “Corazon, your hair is in my mouth.”

Mari pulled her head back up immediately and pulled her hair from Chat’s mouth. “I’m sorry,” 

She brushed her fingers against his chin. “I haven’t really kissed anyone before. I-I don’t know if my first kiss even counts as a kiss.”

Adrien suddenly felt a raging jealousy begin to form in his heart. Someone had given her such a bad first kiss that she didn’t even register it as one, he was jealous that someone else had taken it but angry that they hadn’t made it good for her.

“Who was your first kiss?” He fought to keep his voice level. She turned away from him slightly.

“Uh...his name is Adrien Agreste,” Chat’s heart froze in his chest. He’d been her first kiss. His mind sloppily sorted back through every moment he’d had with Mari right back to the day he’d met her. The filing cabinet of his mind an absolute mess. “I don’t know if it counts as a first kiss because...well...because I thought he was a wax statue.”

It clicked in Adrien’s head. “He sounds like an idiot,” Marinette gave him small smile as he disentangled his hand from her hair.

“He is a bit of an idiot but he might grow out of it,” Mari sat up, still sitting on Chat’s abdomen and stretched. His hands were braced on the dip of her waist again, his thumbs brushing the skin. “I don’t think you’ll grow out of being an idiot though, Chaton.”

“I don’t think you’ll ever grow out of being beautiful, Corazon,” Marinette stuck her tongue out at him and flicked his nose. A chilly wind blew between them, causing Mari to shiver and wrap her cardigan around herself, covering his hands. “Let’s adjourn to your bedroom?”

“Don’t get any ideas, Chaton, my parents are downstairs and I have school tomorrow,” Adrien lifted Mari off him slightly and sat up. He moved his hands to hold the undersides of her thighs and stood in one swift motion, holding her to him.

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Fermosa,” With Marinette’s legs wrapped around his waist, Adrien used one of his hands to pull one of the doors leading into her room open and slip into the warmth inside. Waltzing over to Mari’s messily made bed, Chat gently squeezed her thighs earning a flick to his nose from the dark haired girl in his arms. He put her down on the covers and sat down beside her. “We both know that I am completely at your mercy, your wish is my command.”

“I’ve got you wrapped around my little finger, haven’t I?” Marinette placed her warm hand, the sleeve of her cardigan pulled over it slightly, on Adrien’s bare cheek and rubbed the stubbled skin of his neck.

“Oh, completely, princess, completely,” He leaned into her hand and settled back into her soft mattress.

“This is not the night I had planned,” Mari tucked her legs up underneath herself and tipped her head, her hair falling over her shoulder like shimmering silk.

“You had a night planned for us?” Adrien’s ears pricked up, she’d planned something! She’d planned to do something with him and she hadn’t even known if he was going to show!

“Not exactly, silly cat,” Mari reached behind her and grabbed one of her pillows, tucking it in her lap. “But I didn’t see myself...you know...kissing you.”

Adrien raised his eyebrows and smirked at her. “You’re welcome to do that again, Princess,” Mari pursed her lips at him. “When you look at me like that, it’s hard not to do it for you.”

“I….,” Marinette chewed her lip uncomfortably. “I have feelings for you, Chat, and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea that I’m….”

“That you’re…?” Adrien heard his heartbeat in his ears as she admitted having feelings for him.

“That I just want to have sex or...use your fame for myself. I really like you, Chat, really really really like you...I-I think might love you, Chat Noir,” Marinette’s voice got ever quieter as she progressed through her admission. Adrien leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, cupping her face.

“I think I might love you too, Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Chat whispered against her mouth, resting his forehead against hers. “I think I have for a while.”

Mari covered his hand with her own and looked into his eyes with a sweet smile. “I think I started when you went cat-packing during the summer,”

“Cat-packing?” He understood the play on words but she’d thought this one though, he wanted to see her explain it so he could tell her how good it was.

“Like backpacking, but you’re a cat,” Marinette rubbed her nose against his.

“That’s a very clever pun, Miss Dupain-Cheng, I’m definitely going to have to use it some time,” He pressed his nose against hers slightly harder, the air between them combining.

“I would be honoured if you did,” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips.

“I’ll tell any who ask that my girlfriend thought of it for me,” Mari pulled away suddenly and looked at him with the biggest, bluest eyes he’d ever seen.

“Y-your girlfriend,” Adrien wasn’t sure if he’d fucked this up. Had he fucked up by calling her his girlfriend? She was wasn’t she? “I’m your girlfriend?”

“I mean, if you’d like to be,” Chat folded his hands in his lap and glanced at her, worried.

“Yes,”

“Yes?” Chat’s eyes met Mari’s, silver lined her eyes and threatened to burst down over her cheeks. 

“I want to be your girlfriend,” Dropping the pillow, Mari crawled forward and settled herself comfortably in Chat’s lap. “If you’ll have me.”

“I would be incredibly lucky to have you,” Chat’s arms circled Mari’s frame and held her against his swiftly beating heart. She was his, he was hers, he couldn’t be luckier. “I couldn’t imagine a more incredible girl to call my own.”

Mari placed a gentle hand on Adrien’s chest and felt the raging of his heart beneath her palm. “I want to know who you are, Chat,” the words echoed in his ears like a song he hadn’t heard for much too long. “But right now isn’t the time.”

“When you’re ready, Mari, I’ll show you everything,” Adrien pressed a kiss to her head and inhaled the sweet orange blossom scent of her hair. “Your happiness is my first priority.”

“Thank you, Chat,” Mari rested her head against his neck, and nuzzled up under his chin. Maybe she was more catlike than he was. “That means a lot to me.”

“I know, Mari, I know,” Adrien squeezed her against him. “You’d best get to bed now, princesa, or you won’t be able to focus at school tomorrow and I would absolutely hate to be the one who caused that.”

Adrien maneuvered Mari and rested her back against the pillows, pulling her sheets up over her. 

“This is the second time you’ve put me to bed, Kitty,” Marinette tucked her blankets underneath her arms.

“And it won’t be the last, Corazon,” Adrien pressed a kiss to Mari’s forehead. “Now sleep, you’ll see me soon.”

“H-how do I contact you, Chat? You can’t give me your civilian phone number until I’m ready to know you in person but I can’t not speak to you,” He pulled away and scanned the room, Adrien had two phones. Two phone numbers, one he used for his everyday life and the other was a back up. Seeing some paper and a few pens scattered on Marinette’s desk, Chat walked over and scribbled his back up number on a blank corner of her maths homework.

“I’m keeping this over here, princesa, and I’m going to hope that you wait until morning to contact me but I won’t be able to stop you if you don’t,” He added a small heart next to the neatly scribbled phone number and walked to the balcony doors. “Your lights are voice activated, right?”

“Yeah. Light, off,” The lights in Mari’s room flicked off, Chat opened the door and stepped outside. “Good night, Kitty.”

“Good night, mi corazon,” He blew her a kiss and closed the door behind him. His heart and head were so incredibly light that he felt as if he would blow away in the gentlest wind. Passing Alya and Nino sitting together on a rooftop, chatting and listening to music, Adrien decided to dally for a moment.

“How’d it go, man?” Nino asked when Adrien slid to sit beside him.

“I asked her out,” Alya’s head snapped to look at him immediately, her jaw hitting the floor. “She said yes.”

“Does that mean she knows who you are now?” Nino clapped Adrien on the back. “Congrats by the way.”

“Uh, no,” 

“Excuse me, what?” Alya’s low voice cut through the dark night with incredible precision. 

“She said that she’ll ask me to ‘unmask’ to her when she’d ready,” The murderous look on Alya’s face dissipated.

“Mari is a smart girl, I hope it doesn’t take long for her to ask,” Alya reached across Nino and gripped Adrien’s hand. “I’m happy for you, Adrien. I know that you’ll take good care of each other.”

“Thanks, Alya,” Nino placed his hand on top of Alya’s. “I’d best get home, I’m probably not going to be able to sleep tonight because of how excited I am from her saying yes.”

“By all means, man, go home,” Nino gently nudged Adrien with his shoulder. The blonde haired boy stood up and sketched a bow to his friends before bidding them goodbye and disappearing off into the night.

~~~~~~~

On opposite sides of Paris, a golden haired boy and a dark haired girl dreamt of each other. She didn’t understand why his mask kept slipping and showing a different golden haired boy who also held her affections. He dreamed of kissing her on a rooftop without their masks, with no walls between them and no more secrets to be kept.

~~~~~~TAGLINE~~~~~~ @lady-charinette @katieykat513 @mochegato @nifflerstorm @maniic-pixie-dream-girl

DM to be tagged!

[jovialyouthmusic]

Special Delivery

Recently @sirbeepsalot asked the question - what would you do if you straight up met your crush IRL. I asked for a scenario and she said ‘Pizza delivery’ 

So ‘Fabio Zuno’ delivers pizza to my door 😬

I opened the door for the Pizza delivery guy – and almost fell on the floor.

I say almost because if I hadn’t hung onto the door frame I would have sunk to the floor, my knees giving way.

The pizza delivery guy looked EXACTLY like my Instagram heartthrob Fabio Zuno, and he took my breath away.

‘That is ten pounds.’ he said, his tone bored, but his accent -

DEAR GOD his accent was Spanish – and that smile… I stood mesmerised for a moment and he raised his eyebrows, waiting for a response.

‘Uh hold on, I’ll get my purse.’ He sighed heavily and I ran back in, my legs wobbly, my heart racing. What were the chances? I was alone, I’d had a hankering for pizza and now – dear god all my fantasies were coming true.

Though to be honest, a pizza delivery guy wasn’t really on my list. Until now. I went back out, my hands trembling.

‘I’m sorry, I only have a twenty.’ He looked a little unhappy at this and shook his head.

‘Is no good. You have change?’

‘Oh heck – well keep it’ his eyebrows rose again.

‘I can’t do that.’ he said.

‘No really – you – uh you look like someone…’ I thought his eyebrows were going to meet with his hairline. His hair - it was JUST like Fabio’s, dark and luxurious, long on top and swept up and back with a lock flopping across his forehead. I tried to change the subject as I fished about in my purse looking for loose change to see if I could come up with the right money ‘It’s late, you can’t have long to go on your shift, surely?’

‘My last call.’ he said, shifting his motorbike helmet under his arm ‘Long shift - home next.’ I looked at him. It was crazy but I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t ask…

‘Are you hungry? Because there’s a lot here and there’s only m.e’ he looked dubious, and I backtracked. ‘I’m sorry, you must get girls ask you that all the time. I promise I won’t bite – well obviously I’ll be biting the pizza – but otherwise…’ He smiled and his face lit up as I tried to stop babbling.

‘What sort?’ he asked, peering in as I opened the box. ‘Oh – I like pepperoni and mushroom.’ He lingered a little ‘I’m not supposed to…’

‘I won’t tell.’ I smiled ‘Come on in.’ He smiled gratefully and I held the door open for him. The space was close and he brushed against me.

‘Oh – so sorry.’ he breathed. I smiled, my stomach doing little flips

‘It’s fine. the bathroom is straight ahead if you want to wash your hands. Lounge is just on the left there – do you want a plate - cutlery?’

‘Nooo’ he said ‘Pizza is street food, you eat with your fingers’

‘I know!’ I said ‘I never order it in a restaurant, I always feel silly cutting it up with a knife and fork – they never cut it for you and the knives aren’t sharp enough.’ He grinned went to the bathroom before returning to take his bulky jacket off and sit on the couch.

‘We think the same.’ he said, winking. My heart did another little flip. I sat on the easy chair at right angles to him and the low coffee table, putting the box down and opening it.

‘Hold on.’ I said, and got up to run to the kitchen to get paper napkins. Our fingers touched briefly as I handed him one, sending a little shock up my arm, and I all but fell into my chair, trying desperately not to blush. He took a slice and bit into it.

‘Mmm, good’ he said, mouth half full ‘Mario make the best pizza in town.’ I laughed.

‘Have you tested them all?’ He nodded.

‘Yes I have!’ he said animatedly ‘I need a job, I have a driving license, I did my research.’ I took a bite and started to chew.

‘Sorry if I’m being rude, but I suppose you’re not from round here.’ He shook his head.

‘No, Argentina.’ My stomach did another little flip.

‘Oh, that can’t be easy when it comes to job interviews – because of the Falklands conflict.’ His face clouded over and I tackled my first slice.

‘Las Malvinas, yes.’ he said. I frowned.

‘It was a terrible business, it should never have happened. I was so angry with our Prime Minister.’ He shrugged.

‘It’s over now, all done. No-one say anything. ’

‘Well that’s okay then.’ I took a second slice. ‘How did you end up here?’

‘I love to travel. I ran out of money I just stop for the winter, get more money.’

‘Then you really should keep that change.’ I said. He smiled.

‘Thankyou, I will.’

‘So, did you deliver pizza in Argentina?’

‘No, I was a model.’ I felt myself flush.

‘Oh, that’s so strange. Can I ask your name?’ He looked at me with his grey eyes, measuring whether he could tell me.

‘Fabio’ he replied, and I inhaled the piece of pizza I had just bitten off. He came to my side and slapped me on the back as I choked.

‘F – Fabio?’ Really? Not - Fabio Zuno?’ I spluttered as I got my breath back. He nodded.

‘Yes – you hear about me?’ I was feeling seriously dizzy, so I concentrated on breathing before I spoke again.

‘Yes – dear god yes’ I said ‘I can’t believe it. Surely you made lots of money, you shouldn’t be delivering pizza.’ He rummaged around in the bag he had with him and handed me a soda, opening it for me. I drank to sooth my throat and settle the food that had gone the wrong way.

‘Yes, but money, it doesn’t last forever. I gave some to mi madre, bought her a house.’ I felt myself tear up at his generosity. He sighed. ‘My last job, they don’t pay me. I wait so I can buy my ticket home.’

‘You’re not working now? Surely you’re still…’ I paused, embarrassed ‘You’ve still got your good looks.’ he shrugged again.

‘I will find more work soon, but for now I delvier pizza.’

‘But you went to all sorts of places, I saw…’ I paused, flushing again ‘On Instagram.’

‘Oh, you saw my pictures?’ he said, excited ‘Yes I went to many  beautiful places.’

‘I ummm – like my posts. But then you like everyones’ posts.’ He raised his eyebrows as he sat and ate more pizza.

‘Oh okay - what do you say?’

‘I – errm well it’s usually just a set of emoticons. I expect you just went down the list of comments clicking ‘like’’ I blushed.

‘Show me’ he said, and my heart fluttered yet again. With shaking hand I got out my phone and showed him – raised eyebrows, heart, flame. He laughed.

‘You think that photo was hot?’ he looked at me, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his smile. I wished the floor would swallow me up. He patted my arm ‘I’m sorry, I embarrass you. It’s okay, I’m used to it, it’s how I made money. I am fortunate – I have good looks, people pay me to look good’ I could sit and listen to his voice all night with its sing song rhythm, I thought to myself. He leaned forward ‘You should see me in the morning – I’m a mess.’ he said, mussing up his hair and flashing his white teeth. I gulped at the thought of seeing him first thing in the morning, his head on the pillow next to me, the warmth of his body – I snapped myself out of it before I went any further.

‘And now you’re paid to deliver pizza.’ He made a deprecating gesture.

‘All those clothes – you know I don’t get to keep very many.’ he said ‘And the things they do to make them look good – they pin them at the back, find exactly the right angle to shoot from.’ He waved his piece of pizza ‘I lay down in cold water with – how you say – gooses pimples – while they take the shot.’ In my mind I remembered the semi nude photo shoot at the beach and made a super human effort to concentrate.

‘Goose pimples.’ I smiled ‘that must have been difficult.’

‘Oh it can be so tiring – getting up early, sitting in make up for hours, having my hair styled, waiting around for people, for the right light, finding the right angle, the photographer shouts at you if you get it wrong. Is hard.’

‘Sounds like it.’ I took another slice and we sat quietly for a while – strangely it wasn’t awkward. He made me feel at ease. ‘You chose a strange corner of the world to stop.’ I said. ‘There are some beautiful places not far away in the Lake District – probably not as spectacular as some of the places you’ve been, but they have their own charm.’ He raised his eyebrows.

‘Si, I like to see.’ he said ‘I don’t work all week, I get time off but it’s difficult to get out. The bike belong to Mario and he need it for deliveries.’ I felt myself getting excited as an idea formed in my mind.

‘I could show you... I have a car, I could drive you…’ He looked at me, surprised.

‘Oh’ he said ‘I don’t know…’ I blushed furiously.

‘I’m sorry, it was just a thought.’ I mumbled, looking down at my feet, heart sinking. I’d blown it – we’d been getting on so well.

‘What’s your name?’ he asked. ‘I only get the surname and address. You know mine.’ I looked up at him. His expression was kind, his eyes soft.

‘Oh – umm, I’m Lisa.’ I replied. He held his hand out with a big smile

‘I like it. I’d like to see the Lakes with you, it’s very kind of you, Lisa.’ I took his hand and he gripped it in a firm handshake.

‘Really?’ I asked. ‘you don’t have to say yes because you feel sorry for me.’

‘No, for real. It would be nice – an adventure. I take your number, and I call you.’ he said. He took out his mobile phone and tapped away. In a daze I told him the number – he tapped away again and my phone rang for a couple of seconds. ‘There’ he said ‘Just add my name so you know who it is – I call tomorrow. I should go home now, thanks Lisa.’ He rose, shrugging on his jacket and picking up his helmet. I got up shakily as he turned to go, and saw him to the door. He turned back to me and put his hand on my shoulder.

‘In Argentina, we say goodbye like this.’ he said, and leaned in to kiss me on the cheek. I put my hand on the wall as my knees buckled again. His aftershave was crisp and woodsy, and I waved as he walked down the path to his bike, putting his helmet on. He waved back as he set off, and I stood in the doorway for – I don’t know how long. I was just stunned. What the hell just happened? I pinched myself – ouch, I wasn’t dreaming – well not at that moment. I looked at my phone. There was his number – I had managed to mark it ‘Fab Zun’ with shaking fingers only a few moments ago. I went back in a dream to look at the half eaten pizza and the can of soda on my coffee table. I had to keep my phone charged.

Tomorrow, Fabio Zuno, my heartthrob and the subject of many a fevered fantasy would call me.

[borathae]

↳ Index [#07 Baby It’s Cold Outside ]

Pairing: Yoongi x f.Reader, Hoseok x f.Reader

Genre: Smut (my yoonseok obsessed ass is quaking)

Warnings: switch!Reader, switch!Yoongi, dom!Hoseok, hot tub sex, fingering, mention of hand fetish, oral (f. recieving), dirty talk, masturbation, rough sex, use of nicknames, cum eating, snowballing, slight mxm, multiple orgasms, orgasm denial, marking, slight overstimulation?, praising 

Wordcount: 5.8k 

The fireplace had managed to warm the mansion and the floor heating had also added to the overall comfy atmosphere. You sigh once you enter the warmth of your home, shedding yourself of your thick coat and slipping into fuzzy slippers to warm your aching feet.

“If you would excuse me, my body screams for a warm shower”, Namjoon says throwing his hat onto the drawer in the hallway before storming off into his room. 

“Don’t use up all of the warm water!” Taehyung calls after him, helping Seokjin get out of his coat. He hangs it up for the older man, hanging his own coat right next to his before ridding himself of his scarf and hat.

“Jimin are you in the mood for a hot bath?” Jungkook ask, pointing at his’ and Jimins bedroom door. The older one nods, before following him with a big smirk on his features.

“If we all go our different ways now, I’ll be in my room too. I need to warm my feet, they hurt so much”, you tell the remaining guys before turning around and walking to your room as well.

You decide to go for a hot shower, so your limbs would defrost again. You rid yourself of your clothes, eyeing your red hands and feet. They looked as painful as they felt. You should have put on your fuzzy socks for today. You muster yourself in the mirror for a few seconds, something you always do when you are naked. It was a weird habit you had gotten a few years back. At first it had come hand in hand with hating your body, but ever since you had met your boyfriends the hatred had stopped. They showed you how beautiful you were, no matter what the scale tells you. You smile, you really did owe them a lot. A cold breeze brings you back to reality, you shiver, goose bumps appearing all over your body. “Ah shit it’s cold”, you whine wrapping your own arms around your chest so you would feel warmer. Are the others also feeling cold still? Maybe you could go and ask them if someone wanted to join you in the shower. You really craved some human touch all of a sudden. It can’t hurt to at least ask them, you think to yourself already wrapping your bathrobe around your body.

You shuffle to the railing to look down at the living room. Seokjin was lying on the fur rug, with his feet stretched into the direction of the fire and a Nintendo Switch in his hands. The soft music of Mario Kart was echoing through the otherwise silent room. You walk down, now curious if he was winning or not before sitting down next to him.

“I hope you are winning Jinnie”, you say startling him. His body jerks up, a startled sound leaving his lips. He presses the pause button in reflex before averting his big eyes to you.

“You startled me”, he gasps, leaning onto his elbows, “But yes I am in fact winning”, he says smiling proudly, “Wait why are you only wearing a bathrobe”, he asks one he notices your current state.

“Uhm, I wanted to ask you something, but now that I see that you are busy it seems rather silly”, you tell him, feeling shy all of a sudden. You get up from your sitting position, Seokjin following after you.

“No Y/N tell me, what’s so important”, he urges you on, gently cupping your face in his hand.

“I just wanted to ask if someone wants to join me in the shower”, you confess, feeling yourself grow hot as soon as the words had left your lips. Seokjins lips twitch up into a smirk, his eyes turning dark.

“As tempting as you offer sounds, I really need to finish this round. I can unlock the rainbow track if I win this round and I really want to have the rainbow track”, he tells you, looking guilty. You sigh, shrugging your shoulders.

“Yeah it’s okay it was a stupid idea”, you say, turning around to walk to your room again.

“But Yoongi and Hoseok are currently in the hot tub outside. I don’t think they would mind some company”, he tells you making you stop in your tracks. You turn around smirking. “Have fun I guess”, he chuckles once he gets a look at your hungry eyes. He falls down onto the rug once again and soon you are able to hear the music of Mario Kart again.

“I will”, you say, more to yourself than to Seokjin, before slipping out of the back door.

It is cold outside, the bare parts of your body protesting against being exposed to the freezing air. You shiver, breathing out loudly, looking at the white cloud leaving your lips. The faint light of the hot tub, which was located a few steps down the balcony kept you motivated to keep going. You walk slowly, trying not to slip at the newly fallen snow with your arms wrapped around your torso. Soon you can hear the low voice of Yoongi talking, you can’t quite make it out what he is saying but it makes Hoseok chuckle.

“-no listen don’t laugh, I actually mean it, I really do believe that- oh, hey Y/N”, he says, stopping in his words once he sees your figure hovering over the two of them.

“Hi guys uhm”, you start, your eyes instantly wandering over their undressed bodies. The water does little to hide the fact that both of them were naked and you have to swallow. The scene of this morning suddenly comes into your mind again, making you feel hot. “Do you mind if I join you?” you ask them, already taking the belt of your bathrobe between your hands. They look at each other for a moment, obviously surprised because of your proposal before finally nodding.

“Sure jump right in”, Hoseok encourages you. At his consent you let your robe fall to the snowy ground. It is cold, but their big eyes and open mouths are worth all the trouble.

“Wow”, leaves both of their lips. They are stunned, it must have been nearly two months since the both of them last saw you naked and seeing you stand in front of them like Mother Nature had created you nearly made them loose their minds. You smirk, basking in their hungry stares before the cold finally gets too much to bear. You rush into the hot tub, sighing once the hot water hits your frozen body.

“Jesus Christ I regret my little act, I nearly froze to death”, you complain making both of them laugh.

“I quite enjoyed it”, Hoseok says looking at your still exposed collarbones. You smile, suddenly feeling shy. “Don’t be shy kitten you are beautiful”, he tells you, making a blush appear on your face.

“Thank you Hobi”, you smile, stroking a strand of hair which had fallen into your face behind your ear. “I really liked today by the way. It was so much fun”, you say, ignoring the way the both seemed closer to you than the first had been.

“I liked it too, especially the wine”, Yoongi answers you trying his hardest to look into your eyes instead of your naked chest.

“Yeah the wine was nice”, you say, swallowing down the nervousness which had started to build in your chest. You knew they are just waiting for you to mess up and show your true intention. They were watching you like two predators watching their prey. Despite the dim light you are able to make out the dark looks on both of their faces and if it hadn’t been for the hot water you are sure you would be shivering. “Uhm, so have I ever told you the story about when I nearly broke my nose whilst going ice skating with Hayley?” you ask. You had panicked, trying to drag out the inevitable as long as possible. You wanted them, judging by the way you are rubbing your thighs together, but still teasing them seemed like fun to you.

They look confused for a second, looking at each other with big eyes. Hoseok shrugs his shoulder, signaling Yoongi that he knows just as little as him about what your plan is right now.

“No you didn’t go on and tell us”, Hoseok urges you on, scooting closer to you. He is only a mere arms length away from being able to touch you.

“So it all began when I wore ice skates that were far too small for my feet. Because of it my feet hurt like a lot”, you begin. They are so close now it nearly drives you crazy. “and because of it I suddenly lost my balan-“, you choke on the last word, once you feel Yoongis fingers touch your thigh. It is gentle and you are sure you would believe that you are imagining it if it weren’t for the smirk on Yoongis face.

“Go on kitten continue your story, we want to know what happens next”, Hoseok urges you on, before his fingers finally touch you. He is rougher than Yoongi, massaging the flesh of your thigh between his fingers making you open your legs in reflex. He chuckles watching every of your reaction before averting his eyes to Yoongi. “Can you see how eager she already is”, he chuckles, moving his hand closer to where you wanted him the most.

“Go on babygirl keep talking and maybe you get what you want most”, Yoongi tells you tracing his fingers up and down your inner thigh. You try your best to keep your eyes opened before taking a deep breath.

“I-I lost my balance and then I-I fell and I- oh, fuck Hoseok”, you stutter out, choking on the last word, once the tips of his fingers touch your aching core. It really has been ages, you think to yourself feeling slightly embarrassed about how wet you already are from their mere gentle touches. “I fell and then I-“, you try again, but to no use, your mind is too clouded to think straight. He is touching you, rubbing your clit with the pad of his thumb. “Hoseok”, you whimper, before finally giving in to their touches. You close your eyes, letting your head fall to your side to rest on Hoseoks shoulder.

Yoongi seizes the opportunity to latch his lips onto your neck, kissing every inch of your sensitive skin. They are cold at first, making goose bumps appear on your skin, but soon his hot breath warms the both of you.

“You taste so sweet babygirl”, he growls, biting down on your skin making you gasp. “I bet your pussy tastes even sweeter”, he adds, stroking his fingers through your folds. Your breath hitches in your throat and you open your legs even further, urging him on to finally dig into you. The touch of Hoseoks fingers becomes rougher making you moan. But still you wanted more, you wanted to feel both of their fingers, wanted to feel full.

“Please Yoongi fuck me with your fingers”, you manage to get out before your breath catches in your throat again. Yoongi had sucked the skin right underneath your ear, chuckling loudly once he hears your pleading words. He gives into your begs, pushing his middle finger into you at an agonizing pace.

“Fuck she’s already so wet for us”, he growls, curling his finger making you gasp. “And so tight”, he adds before finally starting to fuck you. He is fast, soon adding another finger stretching you out painfully good.

“You like that babygirl?” he says, curling his fingers nearly making you choke. He knows where to touch you to make you lose your mind, grazing the tips of his fingers over your deepest spots with every snap of his wrist.

“I do”, you manage to say, clawing at their thighs for support. You are sure that it will leave marks on their perfect skin, but you couldn’t care less. You needed to hold on or else you would have gone spiraling into oblivion.

“She close Hoseok”, Yoongi tells the other man, before latching onto your neck once again.

“Go on kitten, cum on our fingers”, Hoseoks whispers adding pressure to his touch. You can already feel the beginning of your high, you just needed one last straw “You are such a little slut for our fingers aren’t you”, he growls, pressing down right when Yoongi curls his fingers inside you. You are going to break. “I know they are your favorites”, he chuckles, finishing you off. Sparks of pleasure start shooting through every vein of your body, making you shake. You want to scream, but as much as you try you just can’t. They have rendered you speechless. They never stop moving guiding you through your high.

“Don’t get to comfortable kitten, we are not finished with you”, Hoseok says, still rubbing your clit despite your whining. You are sensitive from the first orgasm and it hurts and still you don’t want him to end. You grab his arm even tighter, spreading your legs in an attempt to urge him on. “Cute. Look at her wanting more”, he chuckles pressing down once more before definitely removing them from your core. You whine, you wanted to be touched again. “Go on sit on my cock like the good little slut you are”, he orders you pointing at his solid hard dick. You are already on your way to get comfortable on his lap, before a big hand tightly grabs your wrist and pulls you back onto the stone seat.

“I think it’s my turn now”, Yoongi growls pulling you closer to his body, so his chest was rubbing at the side of your arm.

“What makes you think that mhm?” Hoseok growls with knitted eyebrows. He wanted you now and waiting seemed like a mighty stupid thing to do.

“Do I have to remind you of this morning mhm Hoseokie? When you walked in on me and her without the smallest sign of regret on your face”, Yoongi spits tightening his grip around your wrist. You swallow, he looks dangerous with his black bangs hanging into his dark eyes and you are sure that if he had fangs he would snarl them.

Hoseok stays strong in spite of the angry stare of the older man. You look at him, he looked just as dangerous as Yoongi does, except that you can already see his mask fall from his face.

“Fine, you win. Make her cum good hyung”, he sighs before leaning back into his seat. Yoongi lets out a hum of approval before grabbing your chin between his fingers making you look at him.

“Eyes on me babygirl, I’m the boss now”, he says making you nod in obedience. He smirks, happy about your submissiveness. “Now be a good girl and get on my cock”, he orders you.

You follow crawling onto his lap and resting your legs on each side of his thighs. His eyes are starring between your bodies, watching you take every inch of his thick cock. You whimper, the stretch burns at first, but once you have taken everything of him you feel yourself slowly grow accustomed to it. Suddenly Yoongi grabs your hips, pressing down hard and you are sure that it is going to leave bruises. He has lost his patience fucking into you with such a relentless pace that you fall forwards at first clutching onto his shoulders in an attempt to find balance again.

“That’s it hyung make her scream”, Hoseok pants wrapping his big hand around his hard cock. He watches the both of you; the way Yoongis dick disappears inside of you and makes you moan out every time he hits the deepest spots inside of you. He starts jerking himself off, struggling to keep his eyes open from the pleasure he is inflicting on himself.

“You like my cock babygirl?” Yoongi grunts angling your hips, so he knows that he would hit your g-spot with every thrust. New pleasure explodes through your body like electricity and you moan out nodding violently against his shoulder. “Look at me when I’m talking with you”, Yoongi warns stilting his movements for a moment. Your head shoots up in an instance. You look at him with big pleading eyes, silently begging him to keep moving again. He bites his lips smirking, before beginning to move at an awful slow pace. It’s torture for you, he grazes your deepest spot with every thrust of his hips but it’s far too gentle for you to actually feel something.

“Yoongi please go faster again”, you whine, clenching your core as an attempt to urge him on. His composure falls for a split second, letting you see the real reason why he was moving so slow all of a sudden. He is far more into it than you had imagined him to be. Despite wanting to reach your own high, your mind suddenly gets clouded with one though only. Make Yoongi loose his all so precious composure. You clench once again and Yoongi opens and closes his mouth, wanting to warn you but fighting with the urge to moan. His fingers on your hips loosen and you seize the opportunity to slam down on his cock as fast as possible.

“Fuck”, Yoongi chokes out and his mask has truly and utterly disappeared. You smirk, grabbing his shoulder tightly before moving your hips up so only his tips was still buried inside of you. He looks at you with a warning stare, a last attempt to keep his composure and then you slam yourself down again. He has lost, hot pleasure shoots right through his body and all he can do right now is close his eyes and throw his head back.

The image of your boyfriend so freely enjoying the movements of your hips, only urges you on. You dig your nails into his shoulder earning a groan from him. Your thighs are burning from all of the movement, but you couldn’t care less. He looks far too good right now for you to stop; with his pink lips between his teeth to stop the moans threatening to escape and his eyes closed shut.

“Show me how much you like it Yoongi”, you pant, feeling confident all of a sudden. He peels his eyelids open, his eyes clouded over by lust. “You are so good to me”, he moans, bringing his right hand to his head to clutch at his hair. He is going to cum any second now. You feel too good, he just can’t take it for much longer.  An especially hard movement of your hips makes him slide down the slippery stone seat. Sudden hot pleasure shoots through your body surprising you. The new angel of his body, has lead to his pubic bone rubbing against your swollen clit with every movement of your hips. You fall forwards, too stunned by the sudden pleasure to keep moving. Your head falls right onto Yoongis shoulder a quiet whimper leaving your lips. It makes Yoongis mind clear and the next time he opens his eyes, they are dark once again. He grabs at your hips, using your new position to press you closer to his body before slamming his cock up into you.

“You made me loose my composure for a second babygirl”, he pants, digging his nails into your skin. It hurts, but you knew it was punishment for your disobedience, “but I found it again”, he growls slamming you down on his dick whilst thrusting up into you at the same time making you scream out. “Now I’m going to show you how to make someone cum”, he finishes, bathing in the way his name falls from your lips with every thrust of his hips. You are so close; you can already feel yourself start shaking.

“Yoo-Yoongi”, you stutter, wrapping your arms around his neck. You needed to hold him, everything was getting too much for you to handle. His dick is thrusting into you with such an intensity it makes your head spin. Soon you can feel your abdominal muscles tighten.

“I love seeing you lose yourself on hyungs cock like this kitten”, Hoseok says. He sounds breathless, his voice clouded with lust. “Come on show me how beautiful you look when you cum”, he adds and with one last thrust of Yoongis hips, the hot pleasure shoots straight through you.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck”, you scream clawing at Yoongis shoulders because of the intensity of your orgasm. Your endless screams and pulsating walls bring Yoongi over the edge as well. He throws his head back, closing his eyes before finally letting go.

You are panting, still holding onto Yoongis neck with your eyes closed tightly. He kisses your cheek, rubbing the tip of his nose against your soft skin.

“You did amazing babygirl”, he praises, drawing circles all over your back. You hum, giggling tiredly. The warmth of your body soon becomes less making you painfully realise that your upper body was exposed to the cold winter air. You shiver, wanting to climb down from Yoongis lap, but your legs felt like jelly. He notices the way your body shakes, soon helping you down back into the warm water.

You sigh, it feels hot on your frozen skin, just how you needed it right now. You can feel Hoseoks hand come to rest on your thigh making you look at him. He looks hungry, starring at you with lustful eyes.

“It’s my turn now kitten”, he tells you, making you shake your head. He looks at you confused. “Are you okay? Did I do something?” he asks, suddenly concerned.

“No I’m okay, I just don’t want to sit outside again. It was so cold”, you whine, still shivering slightly.

“Oh I understand. It’s okay kitten, if you want we could go into the sauna. We have actually already turned it on for later”, he suggests, nodding into the direction of the small wooden hut. The lights were on, giving it a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

“I would love that”, you tell him, making him smile. He doesn’t let time get to waste, hooking his arms underneath your legs before standing up and hoisting you up. You squeal, you are completely exposed to cold right now.

“Just hold on angel, we are nearly there”, he assures you, walking the few steps to the sauna before slipping through the door, which Yoongi is holding open for you.

It is warm inside, making you forget about the cold to which you had been exposed to just mere seconds ago. He lays you down gently, holding your head with hands, so you wouldn’t hurt yourself on the hard wood. He watches you, hovering over you with a lustful gaze and soon you feel yourself grow shy.

“Move babygirl", you can hear Yoongis voice from behind you and you crane your neck trying to get a glimpse of his face. He is sitting next to you, smirking down at you and you feel yourself lift your head in reflex. He scoots closer, helping you lie down your head comfortably on his thigh, combing his fingers through your wet locks. “So beautiful”, he whispers, making you blush.

Suddenly you feel fingers trace over the inside of your thighs, making your eyes snap down your body. Hoseok is kneeling between your legs, smirking up at you. He licks his lips, scooting closer to your core. You watch him, holding your breath in anticipation. He doesn't move at first, instead he just watches you with dark eyes. His fingers are the only touch of his. “I’ve been imagining this so many times I stopped counting", he says starring straight at your core. You can feel Yoongis cum slowly starting to drip out of you, making you clench your thighs together in an attempt to stop it. Strong hands stop you, ripping your legs open once again. “Don’t you fucking dare hide that cum filled pussy from me", Hoseok warns latching his lips onto your thigh before sucking hard. It stings, making you gasp. He flicks his tongue at the burning spot, soothing it with a gentle kiss before moving closer to your core. He is gentle, teasing even, his tongue leaving wet trails all over your left thigh before he moves on to your right thigh. He is so close, his breath tickling your already aching core. He looks at you again, smirking against your skin at the way you are withering underneath him.

“Hoseok please stop teasing", you whine, raking your fingers through his orange locks before pulling at them. He winces, his eyes falling close for a split second before they snap open again. He bites the side of your skin, making you groan in pain, your fingers instantly falling from his locks.

“Try and pull my hair again and see what will happen, kitten", he warns making you swallow.

“I'm sorry“, you apologize, not wanting to risk him stopping his touches all together.

“Good girl“, he smirks kissing your left thigh. His fingers are so close to your core all of a sudden. You can feel them, sense them coming closer with every suck of Hoseoks lips. Suddenly they touch you, making you throw your head back onto Yoongis thighs. They are gentle at first, stroking through your folds, collecting your juices. You want more and soon you start rocking your hips against his touch. He lets you, moving closer to your core with his mouth.

And then you can finally feel him. He kisses your clit at first, the tip of his tongue flicking over it for a split second. You gasp, craning your neck to look down at him again. He is still watching you, taking in every change of your facial expression with hungry eyes. He wants to see you lose yourself under his touch, wants to taste you like it was his last meal in his life. He sucks harder now, flicking his tongue over the bundle of nerves. “Oh my god Hoseok", you moan, forcing your eyes to stay open with all your might. He moves further down, spreading your lips with his fingers. He stops, removing his head making you whine. He looks at you, admiring the mess Yoongi had created, swallowing hard at thought of being able to eat it all up. Right when you wanted to beg him to keep going, he latches onto you. His thumb presses onto your clit, rubbing circles and his mouth latches onto your pussy. He can taste you, sweet and addicting and he can taste Yoongi, salty and euphoriant. He wants it, wants everything. He moans, the vibrations only adding to the pleasure you are feeling. 

“Fuck I can taste everything", he grunts, coming up for air. You are completely lost already, only registering half of his words. You nod nonetheless, a reflex whenever Hoseok was talking with you during sex. He latches onto you once again, sucking harder before fucking you with his tongue as fast as possible. Your mind starts spinning, it gets all too much. His thumb works restlessly on your clit, stopping every time he feels you tighten around his tongue before starting all over again once you had relaxed again. You feel yourself grow hot, beads of sweat rolling down your chest.

“You are clenching so hard kitten, you want to cum?“ Hoseok growls, watching your face contort in pleasure. You nod, biting your lip to stop the needy whine from escaping your mouth. “Show me how much you want it“, he says adding pressure to the touch of his thumb. A new wave of pleasure shoots through your body. You arch your back grabbing onto Yoongi wrist, which he had rested next to your face.

“I want it so much Hoseok“, you stutter, looking at him with pleading eyes. His eyes grow dark, a smirk appearing in his lips. “Ple-ease make me-e cum“, you sob blinking away the tears which are threatening to spill. His smirk grows wider, the touch of his thumb getting rougher. You can feel it. The hot pleasure is building up in your stomach, you are clenching, already closing your eyes to ready yourself for the breach. You are getting hotter, Hoseok touch becomes unbearable. “That’s it ye-„, you start, choking on your words as soon as his touch disappears. You rip your eyes open, starring at him in utter shock. “No, no, no please Hoseok please don't do this to me", you sob, feeling your high fading with every ragged breath you take.

He licks his finger clean, chuckling deeply. He leans over your body, resting his hands on each side of your head. He kisses you, instantly sucking on your lower lip. He tastes like you and Yoongi making you moan. He seizes the opportunity to stick his tongue inside your mouth. You let him, not even trying to fight for dominance. You need him to kiss you, to sooth you from your stolen high. You are hungry, resting your hand on the back of his neck to pull him closer even further onto your mouth. You bite down on his lower lip making him groan and pull back. His pupils are dilated, making his eyes appear as if they were pitch black.

“My kittens hungry", he growls, stroking your cheek with the back of his hand. You lean into his touch, closing your eyes, seeking comfort.

“I want to cum", whine not caring about how pathetic your voice sounds. He chuckles, cupping your cheek and you open your eyes. Despite the lust in his eyes there is love too, making you feel safe. “Please Hoseok fuck me", you beg biting your lips to add emphasize to your words.

“You are such a good little girl, I love hearing you beg", Hoseok says, moving his hand down between your bodies to grab his angry cock. He graces over his slit a few times, wincing at how sensitive he already feels before lining himself up with your entrance. He teases you, rubbing the head of his dick through your wet folds. Soon you are whining again, bucking your hips up in hope to be able to urge him inside of you. He stops you, grabbing your hip with a painful grip of his left hand.

“Stop moving kitten or I’ll fuck Yoongis tight little ass instead of your wet pussy“, he warns, making Yoongi moan behind you. Hoseoks eyes snap into his direction, watching Yoongis breath quicken, “I get a feeling that he would actually prefer that", he adds, pressing his cock against your entrance right at this moment making you gasp. He doesn’t move after that, the tip of his cock resting right inside of you driving you crazy. “Would you also prefer that Y/N?“ he asks, leaning down to whisper it into your ear.

“No“, you say, fighting the urge to snap your hips up and finally bury him deep inside of you.

“Tell me what you want kitten", Hoseok whispers biting down on the most sensitive area of your neck.

“You! I need you! Please fuck me already!“ you scream, finally having lost your patience. Hoseok chuckles, kissing the now aching spot on your neck.

“That’s what I like to hear", he growls and finally he grabs your hips. He slams into you, leaving you no time to adjust to his size. Your mouth falls open, high-pitches moans leaving your throat every time his dick slams into you. “You are so tight", he groans adding speed to his thrusts. You are reminded once again that he is a dancer; his hips have a rhythm of their own. Moving with so much force and preciseness it already makes you see starts behind your closed eyelids. You wrap your legs around his middle, pulling him even further into you, making him moan loudly for the first time this evening.

“You are making me go crazy“, he moans, closing his eyes to enjoy the feeling of your pussy clenching around his cock. The new angel allows him to go deeper and soon you scream out once he has finally found your g-spot.

“That's it Hoseok, fuck please don't stop", you cry out, moving your finger down to your neglected clit. He watches you pleasure yourself, loudly moaning your name. It drives him crazy, seeing you so desperate for relief.

“Go on kitten, I can feel you clench around, cum for me kitten. Let go I'm here to catch you", he urges you on. His words are all that you needed to hear, soon falling over the edge with a loud scream of his name. It is intense, so intense you find yourself wondering if it is ever going to stop. Wave after wave of hot pleasure shoots through your body, reducing you to nothing more than a shaking mess.

Hoseok follows soon after, burying his face in your neck and cumming with a choked moan. He spills inside of you, moaning your name over and over again like a mantra he needed to recite. Your forehead feels hot all of a sudden; something warm is threatening to spill into your eyes. You reckon it to be sweat, until Yoongis voice rings in your ears.

“Shit, I'm sorry babygirl I was aiming for my stomach. I didn't mean to hit your face“, he says, reaching out to wipe his cum off your face. Hoseok stops him grabbing his wrist and pushing him away. He puts his own finger onto your face, coating his digits in Yoongis cum. Once he is satisfied with the result, he presses them against your closed lips urging you to open up. You follow, sucking on his finger, savoring the taste of Yoongi until everything is clean again. He pulls them out of your mouth with a loud pop.

“Such a good girl", he praises, pressing a chaste kiss to your lips before looking up again. “Now to the rest of your cum", he says talking to Yoongi now. He licks over the spots which were still covered in cum, surprising you. You hadn’t expected him to act so submissive all of a sudden, but you can’t say that you aren’t enjoying it. He reaches over your face, hooking his finger behind Yoongis neck before pulling him close. He kisses him, making him swallow his own cum. Yoongi groans, pulling Hoseoks hair, begging for more. You watch them kiss right above you, feeling yourself grow hot once again.

Soon the kiss ends leaving both of them panting. They look at each other for a moment and you are sure that you see more in their eyes than just desire. You reach out, touching both of their faces making them look down at you. They looked as happy as you felt right now, smiling brightly at you with love in their eyes.

“I really love you guys", you whisper, suddenly overwhelmed with emotions.

“I love you too princess“, Yoongi says combing his fingers through your locks.

“I love you too my angel", Hoseok adds, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

[danddymaro]

|Nightly encounter| Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary; Being one of earth mightiest doesn't excuse someone from nightmares. The reader is struggling to find ease after a night terror. In her search for answers, she comes across someone else, who knows just how it feels. It's a pretty dry little story, nothing too exciting, but just alil romantic. Usually, people just go to the story, I do so myself, so I'll say now ;

Italics are a person's thoughts. example; 'sample.' (f/n) , (l/n) = Reader's First Name, Last Name. (e/c) = eye color (h/c) = hair color Timeskips and/ or changes in scenery are both identified by the little periods I put to separate them. While I do love filling space with a description about just every little thing, it can get tedious, forgive me. I, of course, own nothing but the story itself. The characters mentioned and used are not property of me of course. Ok, here we go.

       She sat restlessly in the middle of the now uncomfortable bed with a rapidly pounding heartbeat. With a small hand tightly pressed on top of the accelerated muscle, she began to try and find a steady rhythm for her breath to take.

But it was a fruitless task…

The Darkness that surrounded the (h/c) haired young woman made her growing illusive mind play tricks on her, and soon enough her eyes dashed left and right in complete paranoia. Every inch of the room seemed to be infested by evil demons, all of which begged to dig their sharp, monstrous teeth into fresh human flesh. From across the room, she could almost swear upon everything holy in this land that evil eyes stared dead at her...eagerly waiting for her to near it and fall into a trap. “For god sakes, I'm an avenger damn it !” she said through gritted teeth, but as her eyes stared at the furthest corner, even more evil shapes began to swirl, manifesting into lanky creatures.

‘Nope, nope, nope’ she chanted in her head, trying to keep those maddening thoughts from overcoming her.

     With haste she jumped from her bed, and quickly made a path outside of the room, deciding to not let her eyes fall anywhere but that path to freedom and in a few long strides she reached the outside of the room.

Standing motionlessly, she craned her neck back to glare at the closed door that lead to her room, and with that final glance back at the cursed room, she grimaced, not feeling too keen on returning so soon. She felt a chill run up her spine at the thought of returning and going back. Rigidly she turned back towards the direction of the kitchen, walking briskly.

Not too slow, but not too suspiciously quick...

‘ Maybe a bit of honey and milk will ease me, or some tea perhaps?’ she pondered rubbing her warm hands over her goose-bump riddled arms. ‘Or fuck it a drink? Can't really stay awake when you're completely sauced, can you?’ She contemplated, trying to smile, though it was pretty much another failed attempt at comforting herself.

‘A drink… yeah,’ she decided. Anything to keep her at ease at this point. At her age, it felt ridiculous to have these nightmares. And at her status? it was just foolish.

“Earth’s mightiest," she grumbled, dejectedly.

“I'm still the same wuss, ”

…..................................................................................................

  There was not a soul in sight, which in a way didn't help the dark feeling of loneliness to fade. However, it was slightly to her taste, a way better deal. The last thing she needed was someone asking too many questions. She’d spill the beans and then the whole team would make her a laughing stock. She could already imagine all the jabs they’d take at her.

Though she had good relationships with the rest of the team, she knew it was something they wouldn't let drop so easily, and to think, all because She was having stupid little nightmares…

Like some silly little 6 year old...

“There's no reason to be scared (f/n),” she said chuckling to herself, once again hoping to sedate the alarm she felt.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

   Finally reaching the kitchen the (h/c) haired woman stopped dead in her track, her hand coming up to her face, slapping over her quivering lips to stifle A would-be scream.

A lone figure sat at the bar, slouched and almost unmoving. Long hair seemed to hide The person's face, along with the dimmed lighting and at first, her mind played back to the shadows in her room, making panic rise in her gut.

But there was no way…

‘No freaking way.’ She thought.

       Within a few moments of wide-eyed staring,  her eyes began to adjust to the new lighting that was in contrast to the darkness she had weaved through to get there. It had taken her a while, but soon the dreaded figure took a more humane form and a small, barely audible sigh let her. By process of elimination, it could only be one person.

Long, dark hair, big,  strong body? Yeah...

That was Bucky...

Bucky Barnes, A.K.A The Winter soldier, as so many knew him by previously.

‘Sweet, innocent, harmless, human, won't-turn-into-the-devil Bucky,’  She thought with a shaky smile.

      The anxiety caused by fear and untimely doom died away, being replaced with a lesser, more innocent concern. A soft color bloomed onto her face, and she formed a subtle, sweet smile. The tremors in her body caused by terror now became shivers of excitement caused by invisible butterflies fluttering in the pit of her stomach. Hesitantly, she stepped towards him, awkwardly rubbing her left arm with her hand as an act of tremulousness.

Before she could come in close proximity to him, she found his gaze already set on her. His gunmetal blue eyes had connected with her, asking her questions, more along the lines of  “why are you here?" and better yet, "What do you want?” Truth be told, he didn’t seem too welcoming.

“Hi,” she said softly, forcing a smile onto her previously trembling lips, giving a small wave as well, trying to show hospitality and openness, hoping he’d take it well.

    Without a word, he looked back to where he had faced, taking in a view of the outside world and the dark sky instead of her, like she had just vanished to thin air and gone away. The hand that had been raised slowly died back down to her side and she bit her inner cheek with annoyance and grimace. ‘I wish you'd just speak to me,' she thought with a sigh. ‘I wish you'd say something to me, just once and not glare.’  

Not knowing whether or not to turn away or stay in hopes of a delayed and decent hello, she stood awkwardly, looking every bit of uncomfortable that she felt.

‘I'd rather take my chances and be eaten,’ she thought shrinking down and swallowing hard she turned back to leave him be, but was halted by the sound of his voice.

“Can't sleep?” he asked, tilting his head down to his drink and taking a swing.

     For a moment she had stayed quiet, being unsure if he had actually said a word to her, seeing as he was such a somber man, never once opening his mouth to anyone but his longtime friend. “So what is it?” he asked, this time a little louder, assuming she had missed his previous question. He still had no intentions of looking her way, but at the very least he acknowledged her, making her smile subtly. Abiet still a dry interaction, but she could note the effort in his part. Now that she was certain he was making conversation with her, the discomfort gnawing at her mellowed down and instead happiness burst through her chest as she saw his efforts. “No,” she answered breathlessly, realizing his voice was actually lovely, something she wouldn't get tired of hearing.

     He gave a dry chuckle, introducing her to a new sound. “What's keeping you up?” He asked genuinely curious, seeing as he has stayed up late before, a lot more than he cared to elaborate on and it was the first time ever seeing her out that late.

So What kept such a person awake at night? Someone who seemed to have never committed a crime, much more an atrocity as he had in his past? What could she possibly harbor dark in her heart to make her meet him at this time?

     He heard her shift in her spot before she spoke, shakily voicing her distress. “I - I had a nightmare, “ she confessed, not thrilled enough to admit it and with obvious embarrassment.

Through the dark strands shielding his face from her’s he gave her a side glance, observing the way she bowed her head down and stared at her bare feet in shame.

‘Is she embarrassed about it?’ he wondered seeing the clear signs of unease at the confession.

She came clean to him on her distress, and so he decided to comfort her in knowing she wasn't alone.

And he too wasn't proud of it either...

"Same here." he murmured, still eyeing her, finding it hard to tear his gaze from her. His eyes were glued to her, watching every move she made because she had something different that made his eyes draw to her, even if at the moment she looked rather dull.

     The large shirt she wore draped over her body was a wrinkled mess, probably from tossing and turning so much. It barely reached passed her mid-thigh, making it seem more like a dress than an actual shirt and she seemed to look somewhat tinier in the old, worn garb.

Her hair was loose, falling in messy waves and her bangs lay sticking to her forehead with a light sheen of sweat.

The more his eyes traveled over her body, the odder the sensation rising at the pit of his stomach felt, and he just couldn't place why.

“ can I sit with you?” She asked, the undertone of her words practically begging him for companionship. Her voice had cut through his thinking, and he was relieved about it, not knowing where else his mind would wonder about her.

   He gave her a brief nod, with a single word accepting the request. “Sure,” he said, and at his consent, she seated herself next to him, placing both her hands onto her knees, all while nervously glancing down at the empty counter spot before her, not knowing what to say.

She heard him shift in position, as well as the sound of a falling river of liquid. Not soon after there was another sound, something scraping over the counter and going towards her.

He had slid a cup of half-filled glass in front of her, making the instant smell of liquor hit her nose like a harsh awakening. Scrunching up her nose she made a small displeased noise.

“ Ugh.” She couldn't help it escape her.

“ Not a drinker?” He questioned her with amusement, watching her face scrunch up.

“Never been one,” She confessed, glaring down at the bronze colored liquid, contemplating on what to do with it.

“ Hand it here then,” He said, opening his hand up for the drink to go back to.

“ No… No, I actually came to have a drink…” she confessed, sounding unsure about the decision.

He gave her a questioning look at her response and shook his head. “ You just said you don't like to drink,” He said flatly, pointing out an obvious fact.

She brought her index up to nibble on its nail, knowing full well how contradictory she seemed, saying one thing and going on about another a second later… She felt silly.

“Yeah, but I just thought that...Well...” She started, unsure of how to explain her prior thinking well.

Catching on to what she had been trying to explain, he shook his head, “It doesn't really help.” He said simply. “It doesn't?” she asked forming a crease between her brows as they tilted down into a frown. “ At least that's how it is for me. I end up staying awake all night. For the most part, it just gives me something to do,” he said plainly. “ A pastime I guess, having a drink, ” he added.

“I'm sorry to hear,” she said, deciding to take the glass within her hands. After all, at least it gave her a reason to stay. “It's alright. It's not your fault, “ he said giving her a strained smile.

     She noticed the way his body had started shifting towards hers, facing her now, and keeping his attention focused on her. He hadn't realized he did it until he got trapped in a close, deep connection with her eyes. Blue-grey color stared deeply into (e/c) colored eyes, each of the two people taking on every detail of their companion.

The room became eerily silent, with only the sound of balanced breathing being heard. For her it felt like being on a roller coaster, just barely reaching the peak of the highest point, feeling a serious rush push forth inside her. As for him, it was unclear, it all was. He could only describe it as a feeling unknown to him.

If there had ever been a feeling to come close to what he felt now in his past, it was far gone and nowhere in comparison.  “This is the most we've spoken,” She said suddenly, batting her eyes, blinking way the focus she had on him. Her gaze then reluctantly dropped down to her drink as she brought it up for a first taste. “Yeah,” He said agreeing, holding his drink in his hand, also taking a sip, but focused more on the expression she had swallowing up the bitter drink. It was obvious she didn't enjoy it, but none the less drowned it down in three separate attempts.

“I…I feel that's a little sad.” she admitted, “ I’d like to ... to speak to you more. Talk more.” She admitted with struggle. He stared at her dumbfounded then snickered at her. “ Really?” He asked, entertained by her hesitance, and even more about the idea that she wanted to get to know him more.

    Nodding furiously she extended her arm out with the glass in hand. Refilling the cup he offered her a smile, his best attempt at one at least. It had been an almost instantaneous reaction, but her face lifted and beamed, giving him a greater one in return and it was hard for him to look away from her now.  His mind blanked at her sweet expression and he felt a wall go down, slowly unwinding a burden in his heart.

“I haven't slept all week,” he confessed. “ It's like every time I blink, I see things I don't want to… I can only imagine what closing them longer would do…” He murmured, biting his tongue afterward for confessing that bit about himself. ‘ She didn't need to know that.'  He thought gnawing at the pink muscle, cursing at himself for being so uncharacteristically chummy. She had both her hands on her small glass, but upon hearing him say that, took one off and instead placed it over his own. The action had taken him back and had his eyes snap down to the connection between the two. Her smaller hand covered his for a few short seconds, and he could feel the slight cooling wetness from her own glass’s condensation, but that small detail didn't matter to him.

     He found that the hand that touched him felt in a short description; right. It felt just right and not much more. His shoulders melted down, and he took yet another sip of his drink when she released him.

She didn't offer any opinion of her own afterward, and waited for him to say more instead, and that he did. An hour went by as he spoke, somehow switching from his dark thoughts and sleepless nights to the good memories he could recall, many of which were silly stories about his childhood. He stumbled with certain details, but she listened with attentiveness, never once ceasing the smile that had formed on her face. However, there came a point to where she found herself drifting, swaying slightly, and to not fall forward she put a hand under her chin and propped her elbow on the table to support it.

     At the sound of his deep, murmuring voice, she found that with every blink she gave, her eyelids became heavier. His voice was soothing, and comforting, making the world brighter for her to let her guard down. She hadn't even thought about the nightmares that awoken her in the time she was with him. With a subtle side glance, he looked towards the now sleeping woman, giving her a halfhearted glare.

“Some talk,” He mused, not particularly bothered she had fallen asleep on him. He was already finding himself opening up too much anyways, more than he cared to do and he was sure she could write at least two chapters on the history books about him.

    He hadn't planned on that, never even occurred to let so much slip out, but she was making him unwind in a single night as if he were some open book out on display. He was partially hoping she didn't remember a wink of the night, forgetting he had let go of so many intimate thoughts, so many hidden ideas he had just found on his own as he opened up to her.

      He could see from the window the way the full moon shined with excited-ness and taking the last sip of harsh liquor, he stood up. ‘Guess I should turn over too...’ he thought, with the intentions of sleep in mind, but with the full knowledge that he'd only stay awake another night. With heavy steps, he walked towards the doorway but stopped abruptly.

Turning his attention towards (f/n) yet again he noticed the way that the hand holding the side of her head slowly began to slide upwards as her head made its way down to an upcoming crash. He sighed and quickly ran over to her side, placing his flesh hand above the surface just as her head slipped from her hand.

“That would have woken her up for sure,” He said to himself, looking down at the peaceful look on her face. She coddled her cheek to his warm hand, making him stiffen, and glare down at her, taken back by the mindless little action.

He had let her touch him one time too many already... ‘Stop doing that’ he thought, feeling a bothersome churn in response to her affection, but not voicing his commands at her, or daring to give her a rude awakening. He wasn't inconsiderate...

   Making a final decision, he slowly lifted her head up and pushed her back onto his other waiting arm. Once she was inclined back onto his arm, he gingerly placed his fleshed arm beneath her knees while the metal one supported her upper body, pressed her to himself as he began to carry her. And while he found the closeness almost queasy, she was more than welcome to the contact. Once again, she coddled towards him, this time hiding close to his chest. ‘You really shouldn't do that.’ he thought, once again keeping his opinions to himself, not finding it right to bother her, or wake her. At Least one of them should enjoy some sleep.

Making a final decision, he decided to take her back to her room, then crawl back into his to lay awake again yet another night.

..................................................................................................

Tinie Winnie time skip to the reader’s room.

(still the same p.o.v.)

    He laid her down and brought the covers up to her neck, watching her curl up within seconds. “I wish I could fall asleep so easily,” he mused. Gently, his fingers ran through her (h/c) colored hair, finding it soft, despite the few knots he found himself coming in contact with.

Something about the way her face was set looked so peaceful and innocent bringing him a gentle comfort. While his fingers weaved through her hair, it felt almost soothing, like a destresser. The moment lasted a minute before her eyes fluttered open, showing him hazy and glossy (e/c) colored eyes. He froze, caught in such an embarrassing and compelling action and immediately his arm snapped to his side as, and he readied himself for an excuse, that or for her questioning.

   However, she didn't allow time for that, because as she opened her eyes and saw him, she smiled. She barely addressed him, just hardly whispering his name in a sweet tone, and with the same soft smile,  she closed her eyes again, turning over in the opposite direction.  She left him with the sight of the back of her head, immediately falling back into her deep sleep and leaving him stunned.

“What the hell am I doing,” he grumbled taking the same hand that had been touching her and instead running it through his own head of hair. His head leaned back as he stared up at the ceiling.

“Just what is going on?” He said quietly, whispering to himself in a complete loss. ‘I need to get out of here,’ He thought clenching his fists, realizing the sweet, warm scent that had covered every inch of the room and herself had become intoxicating. While it surrounded him, he felt even stranger than before, something he wasn’t minding, which was the alarming part. It made him feel dizzy with lingering thoughts rising in his head, dangerously intimate ones. As he moved to leave, he found himself staring back, glued to the spot just inches from the door.

     She seemed motionless, aside from the breathing, making the little lump on the bed rise and fall. What if she had another one of her nightmares? 'What then?' He had asked himself what would happen in such a case and took a risky decision. Looking to the opposite side of her bed, adjacent to it was a small sofa pushed against the wall.

“ Really, what am I thinking…” He said softly, going towards the double seater.

‘ She’ll think I’m some creep.’ He thought while sitting on one of the ends of the sofa, letting his arm rest on the surface of its side. From his seat, he kept his eyes on her, watching the way she curled and turned every once in a while, making sure there wasn't distress. After a short while, he rubbed his eyes, feeling them grow heavier as he stared at her.

He's never taken the time to stare at someone sleep, and he supposed that had its effects on him, and quicker than he had assumed, he fell into the sweet embrace of slumber.

...................................................................................................

   Her eyes opened up to see nothing but her cushiony pillows in her face, as well as being surrounded by nothing but warmth and comfort. She was about to question it all, speaking aloud to herself, “ But I thought-” she started, but cut herself off, quieting down as she noticed Bucky sitting down on the sofa facing her. His lovely eyes were now hidden beneath his eyelids, and his chest rose and fell ever so softly. His head was inclined to the side as he sat sitting up with his arms crossed over his chest. If she didn't know any better, she would have assumed that he had mindlessly fallen to sleep, and that was just the case...

‘He slept here… ?’ She thought, unable to hold down the smile pulling at her face.

‘He brought me here too…’ She concluded.

It could only have been him to do such a sweet thing, and yet still look so impassive about it, even while in his sleep. 'He probably planned to leave afterward but stayed,' She gripped her sheets tightly, contemplating on her next move. ‘Should I wake him up?’ She thought uncertain. ‘No, that'd be wrong.’ She argued, remembering that he too had stayed awake half the night, unable to sleep, and had a much harder week. She couldn't just kick him out like that.

‘He must be freezing though…’ She thought gazing at him sympathetically. The room was cold, and he seemed lonely and probably freezing over there without protection from the cool air.

    As quietly as she could she stepped off of her bed, cringing at the squeak of the mattress. Making sure her feet touched the ground as silently as possible, she moved one foot then the other in slow, careful motions. Having found herself now standing she took a quick glance back at him. making sure he didn't stir and smiled triumphantly. He stayed unmoving, save for the rhythmic breathing, much to her delight. Bundling up the fluffy comforter in her arms, she walked over to him, spreading it over his body, not letting an inch of him (except his head) be uncovered. It was the least she could do after going through the trouble of bringing her there and even staying a bit longer afterward. After she covered him up, she took a second to truly admire him, the stubley mess that he had as facial hair, the long locks threatening to fall forward onto his sleeping face, even the pretty dark lashes fanned over his cheeks.

He was really handsome, that much was true and now she could add sweet to that growing lists of traits she had discovered and had liked. Swallowing hard she felt her heart race as her eyes dropped to his lips, biting her own. They were very inviting, causing her own to feel lonesome for a touch at them.

‘ God, I need to sleep.’ she thought grazing her fingers over her own lips, shaking her head and scolding herself. With the same careful silence, she moved back to her mattress, climbing onto it and hiding beneath the rest of the sheets on her bed. She faced him with a smile, finding the image of him being the last thing before she sleeps to be comforting, as equal in warmth to a lit fireplace on a winter night. She didn't know it was something she needed until then. Easily lulled by the sight of him there, she once again fell into slumber within seconds. After that, she doesn't remember what she dreamed about, or what had lied beyond the world she slipped into after hours, but all she knew we that he played a role. He was there talking to her like he had that night, and he made her feel safer.

...................................................................................................

      When he woke up, he found himself covered by her comforter, the one he had put her to sleep in the night before. Her smiling face was facing him as she slept, looking completely at bliss. Without a word, he walked out, but not before folding the cover neatly. When he finished he left it in the place where he had been sleeping. He wouldn't say anything to her as he walked away, and silently thanked her instead, finding that to be one of the only things he could do. He felt more recharged, filled with new energy. With a mellowed excitement, he thought about what he would do after such a night of sleep. For one he’d have to take up Sam and Steve’s offer on that run now. It seemed like a good option... Once he stood outside her door he pulled up a gentle smile and he hoped it wasn't the last time they'd have a nightly encounter. He could only anticipate spending another night beside her, with just her and him alone.

[salaciouscrumpet]

Whumptober Day 2

Whumptober Day 2: Alternative Prompt #16 “Bound”

I just could not get the “explosion” prompt to work for me, so I’m using one of the alternate prompts instead because as soon as I saw it I had an idea. Again, this features characters from my original WIP and hasn’t really been edited.

Content Warning: graphic injury, blood, a whole lot of swearing

Characters: Kate, Luke

Consciousness came like a flash of lightning from a clear sky, only the lightning was white-hot pain and the sky was her body. Kate woke suddenly, a switch being flipped from off to on, and managed to bite back a cry of pain only through sheer force of will. She’d had a lot of rude awakenings in her life, but each one sucked in its own uniquely delightful way. 

She was bound, wrists manacled together over her head and – another muffled groan as she tilted her head back far enough to look up – chained to the cinder-block wall above her. Under normal circumstances the manacles wouldn’t be an issue, even sturdy-built ones like these: she was probably strong enough to rip them loose even if she couldn’t break the bands themselves, and failing that she could shift into something smaller that could just slip free. 

No, the chains didn’t really give her pause. The six-inch-long metal railroad spikes driven through her shoulders, however – yeah, those brought her up short. 

The metal looked to be silver-coated, which … did her captors think she was a fucking werewolf? At least, she was pretty sure they were just silver-coated and not actually made of silver, because silver was actually fairly soft and … okay, this maybe wasn’t the time for her to succumb to one of Syd’s science rants. In any event, there were actual bits of metal stuck through her shoulders, and sure, she could theoretically shift her way free of those, too – if she didn’t mind the metal dragging its way through muscle, bone and skin as she changed into something smaller. That was a sure-fire way to guarantee permanent damage, and frankly, Kate kind of liked having both arms. 

The spikes were only through her shoulders – and that was a sentence she never thought she’d feel relief about – and not through her hands or legs and feet. Her feet were bare and resting on what felt like cold, packed dirt; between her feet on the ground and her hands bound to the wall, her weight was not being supported by the metal spikes, and that was another positive thing in what was otherwise turning out to be a shit-sandwich kind of day. 

Because curiosity had always outweighed self-preservation in Kate’s mind, she gave her bindings a careful tug, testing their strength to see if there was any give. She could feel something grinding in her left shoulder, a sensation that made her stomach give a queasy flip, and suspected the spike was pushing against bone. Otherwise, nothing about her current predicament suggested that there would be an easy way out about this. Shoulders were – despite Hollywood’s tendency to imply otherwise – hardly a safe place for injury; there were a lot of complicated parts and a lot could go wrong with an impalement there. Her captors had clearly missed any of the arteries there, or she would already have bled to death by now, but there were nerves and muscles in there that were pretty obviously damaged, and if she shifted there was no way to be sure she wouldn’t tear the spikes through something vital. It wasn’t the silver that kept her pinned like one of Roxanne’s mounted butterflies, it was the placement of the spikes and the knowledge that she could permanently fuck herself up if she did the wrong thing. 

Of course, if it came between permanent injury and a far worse fate, well, Kate knew what her choice would be. 

Bizarrely, her first real thought was that someone needed to tell Ardyn and the rest of the Alliance that the hunters she and Luke had been sent out to locate were in fact Hunters. Not dumbass city boys hoping to bag themselves a deer, but (probably actually still dumbass) men and women who knew about the existence of monsters and were out in the woods to bring them down. As her current predicament demonstrated, Hunters didn’t actually need to be well-educated or right to occasionally be effective. 

Thinking about the reason she and Luke had been out in the woods in the first place made her think about Luke, and for one frantic moment Kate was terrified that he was staked to the wall with her, or worse, that the Hunters had already killed him and dumped his body somewhere. Before she could get too carried away with those fears, however, she managed to get her head turned enough to see off into the shadows to her right – turning her head hurt, both in the way it pulled at the muscles in her neck and back, and in the way the back of her skull brushed against the cinderblock wall, putting pressure on what was sure to be one hell of a goose-egg – where, to her immense relief, her boyfriend was lying in the corner. Unlike her, Luke wasn’t bound and staked to the wall; instead, he was curled up on the ground, his wrists and ankles securely bound with thick rope. 

On the one hand, Kate was glad that Luke was spared the distinctly unpleasant sensation of metal stabbing through his shoulders. On the other hand, what the actual fuck? Chain up the itty-bitty woman, but let’s just use some rope on the guy built like a brick shithouse? She didn’t know whether to be flattered or offended that their captors saw her as the real threat. 

Silly Hunters. They were both the real threat. 

Of course, Luke presently appeared to be unconscious, which was … rather less threatening than usual. She’d like to think that was why she got the vampire/werewolf double-bill treatment and he got to sleep it off in the dirt, but she’d been out cold, too, up until just a few minutes ago. No, for whatever reason their captors knew that Kate was more than just a tiny, apple-cheeked redhead, but they hadn’t figured out that the giant strongman was – actually, scratch that, their captors were clearly idiots if it hadn’t occurred to them that, supernaturally-enhanced or not, the 6’4” muscle-bound biker-looking dude was probably some kind of dangerous. 

That was okay. Kate could work with idiots. 

Across the room – which looked like a set piece from The Blair Witch Project – Luke groaned and then immediately went still as he became aware of his surroundings. Kate cleared her throat, hoping to get his attention before he realized he was bound and started freaking out. 

“Hey, baby,” she said, pitching her voice low in the hopes that only he would hear her. She’d yet to see any sign of their captors, but it was too much to wish that they were nowhere nearby. 

Luke lifted his head and – oh, that was a lot of blood. The entire right side of his face was painted red, and Kate tried not to panic because, let’s face it, Luke’s head bleeds a lot. Yeah, head injuries in general tended to be pretty messy, but it was Kate’s honest opinion that of all the times she’d witnessed them, for whatever reason Luke was the one whose head seemed to bleed the most. Of course, Luke and Charlie were pretty much the only people she gave a shit about and Charlie was smart enough to stay out of the field for the most part, but still. It was like Luke’s skull was a papier-mâché decoration filled with blood. 

“Hey, love,” she said again, watching him squint as he tried to focus on her. “Don’t freak out, okay? I’m –” 

She wasn’t sure what, exactly, she was going to say – some variation of “I’m fine, don’t worry about it,” probably – but that was when Luke realized that he was tied up – and that she was stuck to the wall like a really morbid art installation. One or the other he could have handled fine, but both combined, plus what was no doubt a vicious headache, made him immediately start hyperventilating. 

Luke did not do well with confinement. Granted, most people weren’t exactly cool with it, but Luke really wasn’t cool. 

Telling a panicking person to calm down was probably the least effective way of getting them to calm down, but under the circumstances Kate’s options were somewhat limited, and she didn’t want Luke to hurt himself. She called to him from across the room, trying to get him to breathe normally, to focus on breaking free of the ropes, but Luke’s panic made him flail ineffectually and whatever their captors had done to knock him out had left him uncoordinated and confused. When he finally stopped – lungs heaving with the effort to drag oxygen into his body – he flopped weakly on the ground, face pressed into the dirt. 

Normally Kate was willing to accept the Alliance’s general prohibition on murder. The usual protocol when dealing with newfound Hunters was to try to recruit them, because the Alliance had a sort of “the more, the merrier” outlook when it came to membership (which explained Kate’s presence, frankly). These Hunters, though? Kate was going to rip them limb from limb for putting Luke through this. There wasn’t going to be a heart left beating.

[thealphabetmurders]

Soon To Be

(Previous) (Next)

Chapter 4: The Kids Aren’t Alright

Pairings: Analogical and Royality

Word Count: 1951 (chapter), 9295 (full)

Summary: Everyone had their vices nowadays. Information and ideas are conveyed too fast and quickly for anyone to stay sane without a little outside help. There are healthier coping mechanisms than others, some more effective than not, and Virgil has tried pretty much them all, and he has more shit to deal with than most. So whilst many found solace in sex, Smirnoff, and santa marta, Virgil was still smoking in 2019.

Triggers: Talk of self doubt, smoking, crying

Authors Note: I am suffering right now so I am going to make my characters suffer as well.

(Read on AO3)

“When you sat down on your lunch break with me, you ate a quarter of your sandwich and then put it back down because you ‘were not hungry’, despite not eating all day. According to Healthline, smoking can suppress your appetite can be suppressed while smoking by decreasing your sense of taste which can make eating less enjoyable. Once you stop smoking, you are more likely to be able to taste food fully again.

(soon to be) Dr. Logan Arias, Addiction Psychologist”

*****

“I want you to live a long healthy life Virgil, however smoking exponentially increases your chance of lung cancer, according to the CDC, the Mayo Clinic, and every other health source in the world. Nevertheless, second hand smoke can be just as dangerous for others around you whether that be a roommate, or friend, or…. partner (?), and I am sure you would not want to hurt them.

(soon to be) Dr. Logan Arias, Addiction Psychologist”

*****

“You came into work today even though you looked as if you had the Black Plague. Thankfully I came in just to see you (and Roman, I suppose), and did not order any food. This can be helped by quitting smoking, because your immune system lowers your ability to fight off infections because of smoking; these illnesses mainly consist of represtory tracts, though they are often times more susceptible to the common cold as well. I hate to see you unwell, I hope you are feeling better when I see you tomorrow.

(soon to be) Dr. Logan Arias, Addiction Psychologist”

Virgil was having a weird day. He was only a couple hours into his shift and he already wanted to throw himself out of a window.

Firstly, his interaction with Patton as he was leaving was… Odd, to say the least. Normally his older roommate would love nothing more than to get him to stay and talk about anything and everything he wanted, almost causing Virgil to be late on some days.

However today, it seemed like he could not get him out the door fast enough.

“No, yea, I made you an egg and cheese sandwich for you to eat on your walk to work, I even added mustard, ‘cause I know you like it,” Patton hastily talked to Virgil as he was throwing said man’s lunch into a bag, very haphazardly.

“Can’t I just eat it here…?” Virgil asked at Patton laughed in a way that made Virgil cringe.

“No way, silly goose! If you do that you could be late again, what would you do without a job?” Patton beamed and Virgil half-chuckled weakly.

“Are you okay, Pat? You seem a bit… Off?”

Patton sighed and for a split second it looked as though he was going to say something, but changed his mind by shaking his head and smiling, “Nothing is wrong, just in a good mood today,”

Virgil frowned, but dropped the subject, “Okay… Oh, can I borrow your phone charger today, mine broke,” Patton nodded, shifting a bit where he stood, “Oh great, I will go grab it-”

“NO!” Patton yelled, making Virgil jump. “I mean, uh,” Patton cleared his throat, “No, I will go get it, my room is a mess,”

The shorter man practically threw the charger at Virgil and pushed him out the door. It was only halfway down the stairs that he realised he had forgotten his sandwich.

Virgil decided to forgo breakfast today.

Next, Roman had called in sick, which was odd seeing as he had just gotten sick not 3 weeks ago and rarely ever called into work. Virgil had to deal with his dramatics on the phone, something about “there is no cure” and “this may be the last you ever hear from me”, with the phone call inevitably ending with a short “see you tomorrow, V”.

Now, Virgil was walking on eggshells because he had to work with the owner of the company, Nelly. Nelly is a very rich manipulative boss who is very good at customer service but is terrifying. She also owns 5 different businesses, not including Marx, so she is rarely ever there, making the situation all the more anxiety inducing.

She also chain smokes like no other, so Virgil had been waiting almost 5 hours before being able to go outside to break, so he was a bit testy at this point.

He began thinking about Patton and how weird he was today, like he was hiding something from Virgil. He took any other drag of his cigarette and reasoned that his birthday was coming up relatively soon, so maybe he was planning something. Then again, his anxiety is telling him Patton is finally sick of his bullshit and just wants him away. But Patton loves everyone? What could be going on him? Why-

“Why are we always meeting like this?”

The cool as ice tone brought Virgil out of his daydream as the patio door opened and the imposing figure from his dreams walked through the door. Logan has since then forwent the bandage and just let the wound on his face air, but has clearly not learned his lesson on carrying four too many objects under one arm. Logan set down his stuff and Virgil blew the smoke quickly out of his mouth.

“We have met like 5 times, Logan,”

He quirked up an eyebrow, “And you are always smoking. Does that not constitute always if it is only a few?” Virgil shrugged as Logan opened a patio umbrella on the gorgeous April day, “A synonym for always is consistently, y’know,” Virgil chose not to respond again as he took another draw of his mostly lit cigarette. Normally he would want to engage in conversation, but his temper and plight towards his working situation today was nothing that nicotine or attractive men could sedate.

Logan pulled out his papers and laptop, turning it up to full brightness, and began writing notes  from a box of text Virgil couldn’t make out.

“I thought you were only here at night,” Virgil asked, seemingly uninterested.

The med student merely shrugged, never turning to face Virgil (whose was facing his back), “I was incentivized to come here today, for some reason,”

Virgil huffed, “Does it have anything to do with the little notes you have been leaving me?”

Virgil could only see the back of Logan’s head at this point, but he could tell he was grinning; his posture got a tad more loosened, his back muscles relaxed, he stopped typing, most likely to laugh in spite of himself. He move his right arm to his face, and the legs of his black frames adjusted more onto his ears.

“I was wondering if you had gotten those,” Logan took a deep breath of air in through his nose and tsked multiple times before returning to typing, “And it is evident you have not compartmentalized my fact yet,”

Virgil was tempted to throw his quartet lit cigarette at the back of Logan’s black locks, but opted for furiously crushing it under his foot instead, “Don’t give me that crap, Doctor Arias-”

“Soon-to-be, Doctor Ari-,” Logan corrected.

“Whatever,” Virgil threw his hands in the air frustrated and put them in his hoodie pockets, “You saw me smoking when you came out here, you didn’t not smell it in the air,” Virgil scoffed and put one foot against the wall, “The only thing I smell out here is your bullshit,”

Logan stopped typing and sighed, turning around to face Virgil for the first time in their conversation, “I apologise. From our previous interactions, your vernacular was quite sardonic and witty, so I thought you would appreciate a friendly repartee while also learning about the dangers of smoking. I was only trying to help.”

Virgil twisted his shoe that was suffocating the cigarette making the tobacco and paper spill all over the patio and under his shoe. He pulled on the loose threads of his jacket, setting his jaw and not wanting to look at Logan,the med student had barely talked to him today but was currently tap dancing on everyone single one of his nerves.

“Thanks for trying to help, but no thanks, Logan,” Virgil hissed at Logan, still not meeting his gaze, “I am not a fucking charity case, okay? I don’t need help from you or from any of your preppy doctor friends,”

“Soon-to-be doctor,” Logan muttered, and Virgil glared at him. Logan was looking down at his shoes.

“There are 35 million other Americans who smoke that are not me, so find someone else to be your little charity case or pet project-”

“Wait no. Virgil, please, you’re not just-” Logan started, but Virgil steamrolled over him.

“Okay? Because I don’t need anyone to fucking save me. I have been smoking for twice as long as you have been in your doctor program,” Virgil pulled his hand out of his pocket and held up a two in Logan’s direction, “I think I know a little more than you. I am not an experiment or an autopsy you can just pick the brain of. I don’t want your help,”

And with that, Virgil swung open the patio door, and closed it with enough force to shatter the glass it was made out of.

--

Virgil was still angry. He was angry with customers for being physically incapable of reading, angry with Nelly for scolding him about turn times during a rush when for half of that she was in the back on her phone, angry with Roman for calling in sick and forcing him to work with one of the teenagers for the last 3 hours of his shift, angry with Logan for trying to get him to quite smoking and being so damn nice and good and attractive, and angry with himself for being just an unfiltered moron. Virgil has never been good at controlling his temper.

Virgil was wiping down tables and just had a few odd jobs to do before he could go home and finally get started on his project. Virgil loved graphic design, he really did, and muses for his final come in odd places.

He saw that he just needed to take all the garbage cans out and then he could go home. Virgil went around to the three big cans in the store and only one was over halfway full. He changed that then went to change the smaller cans (near the creamer cart and outside). The creamer cart can was good and so was the outside trash can, he could tell that without even having to go outside.

However, Virgil looked down and saw the remnants of his fit of anger. The tobacco looked like sawdust spreading out over the patio like a graveyard of broken hearts. He groaned, knowing a metaphor like that means he has to go clean it up a bit.

Grabbing the broom and dustpan, Virgil opened the doors and took in the still April air; the weather is always the best right at sundown. The thought reminded him of the time he spent with Logan just at sunset a few nights ago. The coffee on his breath, the soft look of his lips…

Virgil shook those thoughts out of his head and swept the patio; it was quite nice to be away from the hustle and bustle of customers before he leaves. Just as he swept up the last scrap of paper, he sees something that looks oh too familiar to Virgil.

He creeps over to the table, an animal stalking his prey, and stares at the napkin on the table with a pen on top of it. Virgil looks around him quickly, well aware no one is watching, then snatches up the napkin (a bit too eager, he may add).

“Virgil, you are not experiment to me. I try to help because I care. I apologise for overstepping, though. If you do wish to communicate further, hand my pen back to me when I visit next. If not, just keep it (or throw it away). I do enjoy your company. You have become incredibly important to me in the short time we have known one another.

You did seem quite upset today, though. Research into smoking and stress has shown that instead of helping people to relax, smoking actually increases anxiety and tension. Nicotine creates an immediate sense of relaxation so people smoke in the belief that it reduces stress and anxiety. This feeling of relaxation is temporary and soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms and increased cravings. Smoking reduces nicotine withdrawal symptoms, which are similar to the symptoms of anxiety, but it does not reduce anxiety or deal with the underlying causes. Let me know if I can help you in any way. I care a lot about you, V.

(soon to be) Dr. Logan Arias, Addiction Psychologist

Virgil reads the notes 5 times. Then once more for good measure. He pockets the note with the others in his wallet. He cannot stop blushing if he tried.

*****

“You’re good to go Virgil- Oi, why is your face so red? You gettin’ sick too?”

Virgil tripped out the door, holding his wallet in his hand, “Uh probably! Bye Nelly! See ya later!”

[thehobbitse]

Fanfic: Obsessions (Jake Peralta X OFC)

Author’s note: Hi, this is like my first fic EVER, plus english is not my natural language, so if you see any misspellings please warn me (and be kind lol).

This story happens in the last episode of the season 2, here Amy never dumped Teddy and the ofc goes on the case in her place. Also Holt doesn’t leave the precinct.

Words: 3.466 more or less

Sinopse: A new detective arrived at the 99th precinct, Megan Moretti fought hard for this job. At first she doesn’t like Detective Peralta, so Holt puts her in a case with him to see if she get along.

Prologue

It's been two months since I became a detective of NYPD and transfered to the 99th precinct in Brooklyn. It wasn't my first option, but it turned out to be not that bad, I liked my coworkers and the cases were interesting. My boss Captain Raymond Holt was a really serious guy, but he always wanted our best and other detectives told me he really improved the work on the precinct. Gina Lanetti was Captain's Holt secretary, she usually did cruel coments about everyone and was really sarcastic, people's opinion about her would vary but everyone agreed that she was a inteligent, smart woman. Sargent Jeffords worked hard to garantee his baby girls a good life (and also because he is a good professional), he is really afectionate and helped me a lot when I first entered as a detective. My coleagues were kinda.... unic, Diaz is the tough girl, her friends know little about her personal life even though sometimes she ends up telling somethings, she is truly a great cop and you can count on her. Santiago is a perfectionist, sometimes is really hard to stand her method, but it benefits the precinct, also she always tries to support you. Boyle is a hard worker, his fondness can be taken as clumsyness sometimes, but he just likes people and can be astute when you're not expecting it. There is Hitchcock and Scully and.... I... I don't really know why do they still work there. Sargent Jeffords told me they are in the precinct since the 80's. And finally Jake Peralta, the childish, immature and annoying detective, Santiago told me he won a bet last year and got more arrests over the year than her, and she ended up in a date with him. I still don't know how she survived it and more: I don't know HOW he managed to arrest so many people. 

He was always joking and talking loud and.... well I couldn't understand why people, liked him. Boyle mentioned that he had a thing for Amy and I laughed my lungs out (which Boyle didn't like because he shipped it so hard). Amy was a smart, responsible woman who had a serious relationship with a cop from another precinct. And Jake was the guy who rarely talked serious (at least with me!) and eated gummies for lunch. 

Well let me tell you something, I entered the NYPD when I was still finishing college, I worked hard to be one of the most youngest detectives, I sacrificed friendships and dates for this. It was serious. So when I knew a 30something was playing around in his chair, throwing things on people and still got the most arrests in a year, it really got me annoyed. I worked hard to get here and Jake seemed to be blessed with some gift. I knew he was a good detective, it just seemed unfair. Anyway, I really liked my new job.

Chapter 1- How Long

 The day at the precinct started with Scully screaming because the vending machine needed to be replaced, it was funny to see that everyone was attached to it, I felt the urge to laugh, but as I was new and it seemed almost serious, so I thought better not to. That was until the the maintenance man droped the machine and it’s glass shattered. Obviously Jake had to scream “FREE CANDYYY” and everyone went for it. I decided to stay away and head to the meeting room. See, I don’t interact easily, it’s not that I don’t want to, I’ve never been good at it. When it all calmed down, they started to enter the room and sit and wait for Captain Holt, I watched as Peralta arrenged the presentation.

As soon as Holt has arrived, Jake introduced us to Michael Augustin, the ‘most prolific thief’, then he continued “My CI says tonight Augustine will hand off the laptop to a buyer from China, aka the "Land of Dragons” I rolled my eyes with the joke, Captain Raymond made sure he didn’t put that in his report and he replied with another joke “Okay, the country of dragons”. I was full of his childish manners in serious situations and said:

“Can we please go on with that?” I urged and sudenlly repented for doing so because the whole squad went quiet and looked at me. Gina said an almost inaudible ‘oooh’, Jake’s expression was like ‘wtf’. I tried my best to retrive it ”Uh... because I really need to...” it was when our Captain interrupted me.

“I want you and Moretti on his tail until he makes the drop and then arrest him and the buyer.” WHAT? I couldn’t believe he made me go on a ‘mission’ with Peralta... it seemed like he did it on purpose.

“Sounds good, although I could probaly just take Boyle, I know... Megan is busy and-“ I couldn’t contradict that (but I must admit it surprised me he didn’t want to go on this case with me) untill Captain Holt interrupted again:

“Peralta and Moretti will tail Augustin, Boyle and Diaz will join then in the surveillance van. Unless you have a problem with that.” And of course we didn’t have a problem with that. Nobody would dare to contradict the captain’s orders.

        Later in my desk, I was going through files to see if I could find anything that could help me in this case. I liked so much that my desk was right next to Rosa’s, no small talk, she is a great silent partner and I think she liked that too because I wouldn’t bother her. I was so accustomed to not having to talk and so into my work that I startled when Rosa addressed me:

“Hey. Are you okay with going after that guy tonight?” Well.. she was being nice. It was my first task this big since I arrived the precinct

“Oh yeah, I’m really excited, it will be nice to work with you and Boyle”

“Great.” And this was Rosa, straight to the point, but deep down she cared.

I was about to go back to my work when Gina called from her desk and told me captain Holt wanted to talk to me, I think she shouldn’t have done that because most people in the place gave me that look ‘girl, you’re screwed’. I took a deep breath and got up from my chair, with luck he would just want to know how I was doing with the work.

 Entering his office, I felt my anxiety rising and my palms sweating.

“It came to my knowledge that you do not get along with Detective Peralta, and for the best of the team I want you to work with him to settle this. That’s why I put you in this case with him” I wasn’t expecting for this, I knew Jake was like his prodigy or something like that, and it’s not that I hated him, it’s just that he annoys me with his stupid jokes.

“I didn’t know it was so apparent, sir. I’m sorry, I’ll try to see things from his side... it’s just that he is so childish and yet can be a great detective and I fought so much for this place..” as I explained mysef he raised his hand in a sign to let him talk.

“You know as a black man who is also gay, I fought a lot to be here” Ouch. Now thinking about what he’s been through my complainings seemed really little “When I first came in he did not want to wear ties, in the end he understood that it was na uniform. He grew a lot as a person and as a cop”.

“Yes, of course sir, I’m really embarrassed with this story. I’ll do my best.”

“You can go, and please tell Gina that I want to talk to her and Sargent Jeffords” It wasn’t that bad, if someone like Raymond Holt can like Jake perhaps I could like him too.

  At 6pm we were all in the car, around 6:20pm we stopped in front of a fancy restaurant, Augustin entered with his girlfriend. We saw him with the laptop and Jake suggested us to go inside undercover.

“Wait, we can’t go inside dressed like this” I said as I took of my jaquet and let my hair loose. I searched for a lip balm with a bit of color to apply, I stopped when I saw Rosa and Jake looking at me like I was weird “What? I always bring it so my lips won’t get dry”.

“Well me too, the Boyles have a condition that makes our lips go dry like the Sahara” said Charles while taking a lip moisturizer from his pocket.

 “UUGH” me, Rosa and Jake said in unison.

Thereafter, Jake put Scully’s blazer and it kinda looked cute, I mean funny.

As soon as we stteped into the restaurant, we saw Michael and his girlfriend, we asked for a table for two but the waitress said everything was booked out. It was when an Idea came to me. I said to mylself ‘Okay, we’re doing this’ and:

“Oh no, that’s horrible! Tonight is a really important night for us” Jake looked at me not knowing what to do, so I just grabed his arm and gave a squeeze and continued “Johnny and I just got engaged and this is where our first date was”. He appeared to understand and moved on.

“Yeah it would mean so much to Dora and me. I would have made a reservation but I didn’t know if she was gonna say yes” wow he was good!

“I Love how nervous you were you little goose” he was really good at it because it never crossed my mind that after that he would kiss my cheek.

I mean it was just a kiss in the cheek, but it’s been so long since I ever did something like that I felt goosebumps in my skin. It was silly and I was startlet. I really hoped that he didn’t notice my clumsiness. The woman in the balcony fell for it and said she would find us a table.

She told us to wait in a corner, Jake put his hand around my waist and I felt that my heart skipped a bit .While we waited, the atmosphere got heavyer, I tried to look to the other side to see if I could find Michael and his girl. Turned out we found them. Because our table was right next to their’s. I was praying to the gods that they would not pull conversation but it did not happen.

“You’re the couple that just got engaged!” Augustin’s girlfriend said cheerfully. They bought us champagne and kept asking us stuff like where did we met, what was the ring etc. We made it alive until Augustin said he wanted to say ‘hi’ to the chef. Jake thought he was going to make the drop but it turned out he just really wanted to say ‘’hi’. We had to think fast before Michael saw us there.

That’s when Jake holded my face and kissed me.

My head was like ‘BIIITCH WHAT THE FUUUCK???’ a rush of feelings passed throught my brain. Okay it was a simple Kiss. No tongue involved. And it worked because Augustin passed us by laughing.

 I separated quickly and said “Are you crazy?”

“Sorry, but it worked out fine” my face softened, ‘ok it was just work after all’.

“Right. Let’s get back to the case” I said and moved to the exit in a hurry.

In the car, Jake told Rosa and Charles what happened (except the Kiss part because Boyle would never let it go) and everything went silent until the car we were following stopped in an empty and poorly lit street. We saw Augustin get out of the car and drop the package.

“You and Rosa follow Augustine” said Jake to Charles “We’re gonna stay with the package”.

 And so they did, we kept waiting for the buyer’s arrival under a tree where it was dark so no one could see us.

“Why do you hate me?” asked Jake out of sudden. If I had something in my mouth I would have spilled it out. I hated this kind of situations because I suck at pulling feelings out.

 “I don’t hate you”

“Then why you don’t ever laugh at my jokes and always avoids me? You seemed very uncomfortable when Holt put you is this case” Okay, why did he cared about that?

 “Alright... at first I thought that you were really childish and annoying and I didn’t think it was fair for you to be such a great detective, but... you’re a good person. I’m sorry” I tried my best to explain myself. In fact when I said it out loud I realised that there was no reason for me to be so bothered with him. He always treated me nice and did his job.

“Ha, you said I’m a great detective” he uttered with a smile, I knew he wasn’t upset with me after that. In fact, when did his smile get so cute? “Hey, there is the buyer....he is looking at us”.

Again I remembered when Black Widow said that people feel uncomfortable with public displays of affection and kissed Jake. I must admit that I was starting to enjoy it. Shit, what was I thinking? It must have been the thrill of the entire context. Anyway, my move worked out because the guy grabbed the package and started to walk away. I saw that and soon reached for my gun and yelled “NYPD, FREEZE”

Jake completed me and said “You’re under arrest! This is a work event!”

 Shit. The reason why I disliked Peralta before may have been because I have a slight crush on him. I realised that as we got into the precinct and I watched his face as we arrested the buyer, I paid attention to his hands (I have a hand kink okay?) and his mouth and though about what they could do, I imagined what would he look like in the nude. Oh crap, I shouldn’t be thinking about this. I didn’t have this type of feelings in a long time because I choose to abandon social life to focus on my career. And  because my romantic relationships were all doomed to ruin. My subconscious probably opted for closing up, and it worked for a while.

Around 9:30pm I was at the living room when Jake showed up for me to sign the report. As I did he tried to break the ice with some awkward jokes.

“It’s okay, we’re professionals” I said to calm him down. I’m pretty sure he would have prefered to go on this case with Amy. Actually she entered the room in that moment and I swear I saw Jake’s eyes light up, his face softened and I knew he still liked her, I don’t know why I felt a bit of disappointment.

“Guys can you come here, I have something I need to tell everybody” she was super excited and I wondered what it was. We headed outside the living room, everyone was there except Rosa, I saw Charles in the other side of the room and I went to talk to him.

“Hey, where is Rosa?” I poked him in the arm.

“She is celebrating her bday with Marcus” he told me cheerfuly, I supposed Marcus was her boyfriend. I couldn’t ask because Amy went to talk.

“I have an annoucement to make... after dating for seven months, Teddy proposed” she made a pause even thought we all knew she said Yes, nobody would announce a broke up to everyone “I said Yes!”

The hole precinct celebrated, the good thing about being and introvert is that you can see things that other people don’t, while everyone was congratulating Amy, I saw Jake’s face from the other side of the circle of people around the bride. He certainly was caugh by surprise, he looked like he was still processing the information. I remember liking someone and not being corresponded (high school was hard). He noticed I was looking and I gave him a conforting smile, wich he replied.

Then I went to Amy to congrats her, Jake was the last one, but I shall say that he was a good liar, he smiled like he wasn’t hurt and even made jokes about it.

“We’ll go to the bar to celebrate, drinks on us” told Amy, everyone was so happy for them two.

  At the bar I felt bad. Bad because I usually didn’t go out, I didn’t drink and didn’t know how to Interact with sober people, but drunk people was a hole new level. I was sitting in some table away from the party, my glass half empty with the same drink from hours ago when Jake came to where I was. I made a nodd inviting him to sit and so he did. Really close to me.

“Why aren’t you there?” I could tell he was drunk. Really drunk, his voice was inebriated when he spoke

“I don’t know” I responded, he put his glass down onto the table and lowered himself towards it. I didn’t know what to do, so I just put my hand reluctantly on his back and we stayed like that for a moment.

“Everything is going to change now” He affirmed after an instant of silence. Poor man.

“C’mon, I’ll take you home, you let me drive your car?” I asked and he nodded, I had the feeling that in his state he would’ve said yes to anything I asked. I had a driver licence, but choose to use the bus or the subway instead of owning a car.

We made an excuse, although people started to leave anyway because it was late, I asked Boyle where Jake’s apartment was since it’s resident was too drunk and I didn’t want to take the risk. The ride was too quiet and I noticed Jake sleeping in the passanger’s seat. ‘Poor baby’ I though, after years of shutting down to crushes and dates I couldn’t deny it anymore, it hurt to want something I couldn’t have. But I was sure his situation was worst than mine.

I stopped in the parking lot of his building and pushed his arms to woke him up. Turned out he woke up kinda scared untill he realised where he was. I asked the number of his ap and escorted him there.

I was leaving when he called my name

“Megan, stay” I froze as he spoke this words and turned back to him. He looked me in the eyes and I didn’t know what to do. The last thing I knew it’s that he crushed his lips on mine, and this kiss wasn’t like the others, it was intense, it was needy, and it was good, his tongue played with mine. It was my first kiss in ages, I could taste the alcohol in his mouth and it was the only time I liked it. He turned me around so my back was against the door of his ap, his hands on my waist pushing me closer to his body. I felt my stomach twirl and my hole body heat.

We heard steps comming and we separeted our mouths, I instantly felt the loss of it, he searched for the keys in his pockets and opened the door, pulling me inside and then closing it quickly. I droped my bag on the floor. Soon his mouth was on mine again, my arms reached up, my left hand tugged on his hair, he started to trail kisses down to my neck stoping to suck on it, I moaned as the sensations long forgotten rushed through my body again.

His right hand pushed my hair, to give him better access to my collarbone as he made a trace of kisses across my sensitive skin. I could feel my center growing hot and wet, my hips rubbed against his and his now increasing erection. His other hand went down to clutch my butt.

I couldn’t believe what was happening, in fact I started to think about it. We were coworkers, he was drunk and in love with someone else. I didn't want to be just a body for him to outlet his frustration. Not that I needed his true love, but after several delusions, I preferred to avoid this situations. I shoved my hands against his chest

“Jake, stop” he looked deeply into my eyes and I saw his confusion in the street light coming in through the window “I...we can’t” I separeted our bodies, grabbed my bag and left his apartment as fast as I could.

 Author’s note: So I want to make a sequel, but it may depend on the feedback of this one shot. Thank you xx

[let-it-raines]

I have an idea for a CS doc that I'd love to see. Remember that box of memorabilia Emma kept from her life? Have Hope find a whole box of stuff from Emma's relationship with Hook/killian starting with the handkerchief from the beanstalk. Other items include the broken dart, the wine soaked napkin, both roses somehow kept in stasis, etc.

As Emma gets older, she appreciates different things in life.

She used to like to get dressed up, tight dresses with cleavage showing and heels that were definitely more for looks than for practicality, to go out for drinks and dancing and maybe a little something extra if she was feeling it that night. And it definitely wasn’t the same type of dancing she did on her wedding day or back in the Enchanted Forest when she and Killian went back in time and had to reunite her parents so, you know, she didn’t disappear from existence amongst other things. Now, though, she prefers to stay at home in her leggings and an oversized sweater or one of Killian’s shirts, her makeup wiped clean and her hair falling in loose, sometimes un-brushed waves as she dances with Killian in the kitchen when she swipes some of the blueberry muffin batter out of the bowl he was mixing it in and he grabs her by the waist in retaliation until they somehow start swaying to the music that’s often playing through Killian’s phone. He prefers slow, soft songs, and there’s usually something from the fifties playing whenever he’s in control of the music instead of Hope and her penchant for Disney music that she doesn’t fully realize is about the very real people in her life.

She hasn’t discovered Peter Pan yet, and Emma’s not sure if she or Killian are more thankful.

Alone time used to be a big thing for her, and while it still is, it’s in a different way. She’d been alone for the entirety of her life, and even when people were around her, maybe especially when people were around her, she felt alone. So it’s something that she got used to, and it wasn’t until Henry that she realized that being alone is okay when you need it, but there are people who are worth being around and spending time with on a regular basis. Now, though, while she thanks Killian for those times when he makes sure her parents stay away with Hope and he takes over the station so that she can take a nap, she also appreciates her parents coming over (when it’s planned) with her brother and her time with Killian and Hope. She really appreciates when Henry comes home and everyone’s together. She’d give up all of her alone time for the next year for that to happen more frequently. The girl who was always alone isn’t anymore, and while it doesn’t surprise her so much now, she’s no less thankful.

But she does still like that alone time.

For most of her life, she hated sharing a bed with someone. It was too intimate, and it was also too damn hot, the body heat of the man beside her too warm and too much like her time in foster homes. But now she’s clingy to Killian as he sleeps besides her, her arms wrapping around his waist and her hands feeling the hair on his chest under her fingertips, soft and warm in the same way that his calves are as they tangle with hers. If he works the night shift, it feels lonely in their bed, like something is missing. And it is. She never thought she’d be that girl, but she guesses that she just never had the right person for her to want to be that way.

There are other things like finding a good book to read as well finding the time to read it, going on dates with Killian, spending time at the playground with Hope, texting with Henry, hosting people at her house for meals and holidays. She guesses that she appreciates the normal things, the things that people who don’t wield magic and fight off evil get to do on a daily basis. She appreciates getting to be part of a normal family….well, normal in the way that families are normal in Storybrooke.

She always thought that she wasn’t sentimental, that she didn’t care about things or trinkets that held memories, but she’s learned that she was wrong to think that about herself.

Hell, she kept her baby blanket from the people who she thought had left her on the side of the road and didn’t care about her enough to even take her to the hospital. Of course, she also kept the keychain from Neal, and while things like that could be passed off as being sentimental, they weren’t. They were reminders not to trust because trusting means that your heart gets broken again and again and again even if the walls around your heart are built so high that you think they can never crack or never fall.

They can, and it’s not always in the good way.

But then Henry found her and allowed her to meet her parents and find love in places she never thought she could find it.

And then Killian came into the picture and helped her to fill in the gaps of her life by simply being him and believing in her even when she didn’t believe in herself. Maybe especially when she didn’t believe in herself.

So yeah, she’s kind of sentimental, and she finds herself growing that way more so now that she’s getting older but not too old thank you very much. She and Killian are trying for another baby, something they’d decided when Hope was four and both of them just had this want, a need really, and she may be a little emotional today because she knows that she’s pregnant again. So yeah, she’s totally sentimental because she has an entire basement full of all of her children’s things, and she’ll do the same with this one’s belongings.

And also a chest full of things from Killian which Hope found while exploring her closet and is now shifting through like the vibrant, curious five-year-old that she is, asking questions with every item she pulls out.  

“Why do you have a dirty towel in here, Mommy?”

She fingers the scarf Killian had wrapped her bloodied hand with at the top of the beanstalk. She didn’t realize she kept it until she found it in her room at her parents’ after Neverland, and her heart started pounding in her chest at the thought that subconsciously she was holding onto pieces of Killian in the way that she was consciously holding back from when she saw him in real life. She still remembers the sting of the rum on her cut hand and the way that Killian had tugged on the material with his teeth while staring up at her with those ocean blue eyes of his. Her heart had pounded out of her chest then too, her eyes unable to look away, and he took her breath from her lungs in a way that she simply wasn’t comfortable with. She’s comfortable with it now.

“It’s a scarf that daddy gave me when we first met.”

Hope studies it for a moment longer, looking between it and Emma, her face trying to connect the pieces of it as if it’s more than just a scarf. It is.

“It’s not as pretty as your other scarves.”

She chuckles because if you ever want the truth, you should simply ask a child. “No, it’s not. But it’s special to me.”

Hope doesn’t seem to pay any attention to that, moving on from the scarf only to pull out the wine-stained napkin from their first date. This one she didn’t keep herself. It was all Killian who swiped it from the restaurant, and she found it in his room at Granny’s one night when she was staying there and looking for protection so they didn’t create someone like Hope far before either of them were ready. She’d smiled to herself before quickly grabbing a condom and shutting the drawer as her heart fluttered in her chest over something other than the arousal she was feeling. She swiped it the next day, and it took Killian a total of three days before he finally asked if she had taken it, his voice frantic like he had lost something precious. She guesses to him, he had. And to her now, too.

“This is also a dirty scarf. Or a napkin which is gross. Did daddy give you this?”

“Daddy gave me everything in the box.”

“Why?”

“Because he loves me.”

Hope scrunches her nose up, making the face she always has when Killian tries to get her to eat fish. She despises fish, and Emma swears it may break Killian’s spirit a little more every time.

“Weird.”

Hope then pulls out the chain where Liam’s ring used to reside, the faded silver of it dimly sparkling in the light. When Hope was teething, she’d bite on the chain, yanking at Emma’s neck in the process, and one day Emma got so fed up with it that she simply slid the ring onto her thumb and kept it there until Killian came home with a different chain because he thought she’d lost the original one. She hadn’t, and while the ring mostly stays on her thumb, she’ll sometimes let it hang on it’s new, more delicate link along with a small diamond pendant Killian bought her for their first wedding anniversary.

“This necklace doesn’t have a jewel like your other ones.”

“Not all of them do, baby.”

Hope reaches for an ultrasound picture next, and the tears start to sting behind Emma’s eyes as she thinks of the child inside of her now as well as the two before it and how different each of them already are and how they’ve all come to be in different phases of her life.

“What’s this a picture of?”

“You.”

“This doesn’t look like me.”

“It’s from when you were in my belly.”

“Your belly is a blurry place.”

She reaches forward to tickle at Hope’s sides, causing her melodic giggles to waft through the room while Emma messes with her, curls falling from her ponytail the more she wiggles around. “Well, you still stayed in there for nine months, squirt, so you didn’t mind that too much.”

“You’re a silly goose, mommy.”

“She’s a silly swan, little love,” Killian chimes in from where he’s emerged from downstairs to stand in the doorway of their bedroom, a soft smile on his face that may bring out the tiredness in his eyes but makes him no less handsome.

“The saying goes silly goose,” Hope protests, and the girl is so headstrong they don’t know what they’re going to do with her when she gets older. They don’t even talk about how she’s going to be when her magic really comes into play. That’s just…terrifying. “Not silly swan. That’s what grandma says.”

“Ah, and grandma seems to always be right these days, doesn’t she?”

He moves to come and sit beside them on the bed, wrapping his arm around her waist and resting his hand against her stomach, the heat of his skin seeping through her shirt, like he already knows another child rests inside of her. Knowing him, he probably knew before she did.

“What are we looking at, my loves?”

“A box of weird stuff you’ve given mommy.”

“Oh, so are you in the box then too?”

Hope turns to look at Killian, and she gives him the meanest look she can muster, her brows furrowing together and her lips pursing while she puts her hands on her hips. Bless her little soul for trying to mean mug her dad, but he’s an impenetrable fortress when it comes to things like that. He basically invented that staring into your soul thing, so Hope is a bit out of luck here.

“You didn’t give me to mommy.”

“Technically, I did.”

Emma slaps his side and stifles her laugh. She hopes that Killian never stops with the innuendos. It’s never too early to scar their kid…kids for life. God knows Henry was probably relieved when he moved out, but they lay it on extra thick when he comes home.

“What else you got in there, bug?”

Hope rifles through the box again, pulling out a few darts that she and Killian have pilfered from Granny’s over the years, the one he was throwing when she asked him out on a date sticking out with its blunted in. There’s the seashell he’d used to communicate with her when they got separated and she’d stupidly thought the worst of him. That one brings back a mixture of memories that she’d care to forget about, and luckily Hope doesn’t linger on it too long, moving onto a stack of letters that Killian has written her over the years.

“Is this mail?”

She and Killian both laugh, and he presses a kiss to her temple before releasing her side so that he can grab onto the stack of letters, the both of them knowing that even with Hope’s advanced but limited reading skills, there are some things in there she doesn’t need to know about.

“Like mail,” Killian supplies, thumbing through the letters until he pulls one out, reading through the contents before smiling to himself. “These are letters I wrote to mummy.”

“Why?”

“Because I love her, and I want her to always know that.”

“Couldn’t you just tell her that? Like you already do.”

“I couldn’t always, so I wrote letters to give to her later. Like how you draw pictures at school and give them to us when you get home. These are like a book.”

“Like the storybook?”

“Aye.”

“Can you read it to me?”

“Aye.”

“Swan, would you like to have dinner with me on Thursday? Possibly on the Jolly Roger this time? We could sail away, if not just a small ways away from the harbor so as not to be disturbed for the smallest amount of time. Perhaps we could dance again like we did during our adventure, our bodies swaying together as the depths of the ocean sway underneath us, rocking us together. I realize you’ve spent much time with me on my ship, but it’s never been while we were intimately acquainted. We were adversaries at best, reluctant allies, and now we are not that. We are friends, lovers, something more, and I know that may scare you, but I’d like you to see the place I called home for so long before I met you. Have a wonderful day, love. I’ll see you at lunch. Killian.”

There are a few things in the letter that she hopes pass right over Hope’s head, a few suggestive words and innuendos, but she’s sure there’s not a letter in there that doesn’t contain one of those. That’s who her husband is, and his way with words never fails to amaze her. She feels her heart pound in her chest over hearing those words again, the rhythm almost as erratic as when he’d left in on her desk at the station, somehow getting inside and past her security system of…okay, well, it was simply a lock at the time. Of course he could get in.

“That’s not a story,” Hope protests, and she and Killian both chuckle before Killian leans forward and kisses Hope’s forehead in the same way that he kissed hers earlier.

“It is to me, bug.”

Eventually Hope grows bored with Emma’s box of things, carefully putting everything back like the meticulous little thing that she is – she does take after Killian in a lot of ways after all – before going to her room and playing with her own things while Emma and Killian go through the things on their own, Killian looking back at her and sharing small smiles and pointed eyebrow raises with every little bit of their past.

Life can be made up of things, sure, but those things represent memories, little pieces of pasts that make up the present they live in. This box is full of her own personal treasures, but the real treasure lies within her husband and her children, the life that they’ve formed with her. It can’t be quantified within a treasure chest, but it can be in her very real chest, her heart beating right inside of her.

“So when are we going to get another one of these done?” Killian questions, fingering Hope’s ultrasound picture, and how does he always know? He always knows any change in her, even the smallest of ones. This really is the smallest of ones, for now.

“How did you know?”

Killian doesn’t answer with words, not yet. Instead he turns his head so that he can slant his lips over hers, their noses pressing into each other in spite of the box in between them until they pull back.

“Because I know you, and I found the pregnancy test in the kitchen bin. Not your best work, darling.”

She scrunches her nose up, internally chastising herself for not hiding it someone else, before shrugging her shoulders and kissing at the corners of his lips.

“In my defense, I didn’t think you’d go rummaging through the trash can when you got home from pulling an all-nighter at work.”

“I accidentally threw a fork away. I had to get it out.”

She bursts into laughter, her entire body moving with the force of it before she rests her forehead against his.

“Are you ready to do this again?”

“Aye. I’m ready for a new box of treasure.”

[luci-is-a-devil-]

Mermaid!Joshua

Notes: thanks for the request! I think I might do a part two, but this was all I could write without it resembling mingyu’s too much!

•for years you’d sworn that you could see magical beings •fairies, unicorns, mermaids and even more! •as a child everyone would laugh and listen to your tales •but as you grew, they would tell you to wake up and grow out of that phase •you had grown estranged from your own family before you were even twelve •the way that you had found that people would accept your stories of magic, was through books •so you began to write, hundreds of stories began to pile up •then you decided to put them on the internet, having seen stranger things living on the web •you expected cruel comments on your stories but instead you were told that your stories were people’s favorite •that they had begun to believe in magic once more from reading your stories •with each comment you began to get addicted to posting stories •years of being treated like a kid with a huge imagination, now you were a big part in the magical creature department • •by the time you were sixteen you had published a book that had become a best seller •you had moved out of your house, and into your aunts house who lived near an ocean •of course your parents didn’t want to you leave after you had sold that many copies of what they had sworn was a waste of time •but after many arguments and a threat of a lawsuit from your aunt, you were living in a much healthier place •you were no longer told that your stories were trash, you didn’t have to worry about the stories you wrote on paper being thrown out or ripped up •you could just focus on what was important, school and writing •sci-fi and romance was your favorite stories to create, stories where the main character didn’t feel like they fit in •maybe because they were half giant and they were freakishly tall according to humans •the best place to write was by the ocean, since it was winter there weren’t that many people •hearing the waves crash was background noise that sure beat yelling, it helped to imagine mermaids swimming in the ocean •of course the ocean would began to freeze, since it was winter •if you were dumb you’d walk on the ice, but you’d seen enough movies and games to see where that would head •(coughTWDGS2cough) •so you’d sit on a cliff that dangled over the water •it was quite sturdy, and made no crumbling sound when you’d sit •for hours you’d watch the waves and write whatever came to mind and when no words wanted to flow, you’d imagine life under the water •how would mermaids interact, would they be like normal humans with tails, what did they eat? •so many questions, not enough answers •you’d think you’d be more organized since you are a published author but nope •there’s loose paper in a notebook, being held together by absolutely nothing •it’ll be fine you thought, nothing will happen •and Woosh paper were everywhere, flying in the wind •In an instant you were on your feet trying to grab all of the papers that you could •papers on the floor was the first to grab, than ones that were impaled on a tree, next you tried your luck to getting the ones that were in the air •sadly quite a few papers flew off the cliff and landed in the water •yeah no way in hell you were getting those back now •so you stuffed your papers that you managed to capture into your bag and trudged back to your house •unbeknownst to you, a hand pulled the paper from the water and hung it up to dry • •after school the next day, you returned back to the cliff •sitting in the same large rock as always, you watched the waves crack against the bottom of the cliff •on your now secured notebook, you started a story about an elf going on a journey, only to find out that his parents sent him on a wild goose chase •it was more silly than you had planned but that was for the best since you had just finished a angsty story •as minutes passed the wind began to blow •holding tightly to the book so the papers would not fly away again •but instead of the papers flying away, you started to get pushed by the wind •holding tightly onto your book and a tree that had luckily been next to you •you closed your eyes and hoped that you would be alright when this was over with •what seemed like hours had passed, before you heard a loud snapping sound •the tree was starting to break, you were losing your grip •hearing one more crack, before you were airborne •it was like a roller coaster without the coaster •and the end of the coaster was inside of the water, and you were approaching the end quickly •taking a big gulp of air, you held your breath waiting to be dropped in the freezing water •but you weren’t drenched in water, a splash came in your clothes but you could still breathe •opening your eyes, you looked around to see what had happened •you were inside of someone’s arms??? •and your first thought was “oh my goodness, you shouldn’t be swimming in these conditions” •his laughter was a melody that you never wanted to pause, but why was he laughing? •but before you could question the boy with a sweet laugh and brown eyes, you remembered your notebook that held important parts to your stories •quickly looking to see if you still had it, you let out a sigh of relief when you found that you were tightly holding it in your hands •"did you lose any of those yesterday?“ •he asked motioning to the book with his head •you nodded and told him that a breeze had carried them into the water •he pointed to some sticks where paper was hanging, the ink had leaked making the writing illegible but it was very sweet •"you were here yesterday? How do you not have a cold?” •he blushed and shrugged, telling you that he had a strong immune system •he asked what the papers were for, and you said that you liked writing, how it gave you an outlet to be yourself yet someone else •he agreed and said that what he feels when he plays the guitar, to which you asked if he was any good •his cheeks grew to a pale pink and his eyes grew small as he said that he likes to think so •"can you play for me one day?“ •he agreed, but said that you should get out of the water before you get sick •which you nodded and asked him to put you in the water, briefly forgetting about your notebook •"what about your book? You looked quite happy when you saw it was dry.” •he reminded you, with amusement sparkling in his dark brown eyes •"oh! But I need to go to the shore, so I guess it has to get wet.“ •you stated sadly, feeling your eyes began to tear up at the thought of it getting wet •"nonsense! I’ll bring you there.” •and he started swimming. Very quickly. Like Michael phelps quick. •leaving you to look at the sparkling water, even in winter it was beautiful •soon enough you were close to where there was grass so you could stand •once he placed you down on the grass, you turned around to thank him only to see that he was far away that you could only see his head and shoulders •"thank you!“ •you called, waving your hands so he would see you •"bye y/n” •and with that you started walking, but came to a stop quite abruptly •turning around once more, you want to go ask him how he knew your name •only to see a lavender tail, like the ones you’ve written about so many times before •and it was gone in a second •who exactly was the boy that caught you?

[iluvu3k]

Morning Cuddles

This can also be found on my AO3 account!

Your education as something you had always prided yourself on. You were valedictorian in high school, hate some of the highest marks in your graduating class in college, and you landed yourself a pretty great job as an accountant for a large YouTube company. So, you were a pretty educated woman.

So why you thought it would be a smart idea to sleep with one of your clients was a mystery to you. Of course around the seventh or eight time you stopped wondering.

Right as the sun peeked through Dan’s grey curtains you began gathering your clothes, pushing away piles of his ripped jeans and band shirts to get to your crumpled up piece of fabric. You silently cursed yourself for wearing an excessive amount of clothes last night. You didn’t need two undershirts AND a sweater.

You smiled remembering Dan saying the same thing last night while trying to get you naked, his stubble scraping against your skin, his lips trailing down your neck, his hands caressing your hips…

You blinked a few times trying to refocus. You careful sat at the end of the bed slipping on your shoes before checking yourself in his closet mirror and slipping out of his room.

You shut his door as quietly as possible listening for Barry, another one of your clients. Dan told you about looking at places of his own but until then he lived with Barry which made sneaking out more complicated. It was crucial that no one saw you. You really didn’t need word getting out that you were sleeping with a client, it could ruin your career.

As you found your way to your car you worked on untangling your sex hair, hating yourself for not leaving earlier. You had to be at the Grump Space in less than an hour to meet with Arin and you really didn’t have time to go home and shower. The long walk to your car didn’t make the situation any better. You insisted that you parked a couple blocks away to no one recognized your car, Dan found that silly but enjoyed walking with you.

He was too nice of a one night stand, well, multiple night stand.

Arin never enjoyed going over long complicated numbers and graphs with you, he found you much more interesting when he convinced you to play a round of Mario Kart, which turned into a few rounds of Mario Kart and a match on Overwatch. Which summed up your sex life with his best friend pretty well.

“Well, now that I have completely obliterated you, I should probably get going.” You smiled, putting the controller down. You took a long stretch as you stood up, first upward and then bending downward, really trying to unstiffen your back. You had no idea how the boys did this all day.

“Now that’s a sight I never get tired of seeing.” Dan laughed, entering the room. You quickly straighted up, your face getting hot. “Arin losing, it’s my favorite.” He winked at you as Arin walked over to shut the TV down. You glared back.

You both had talked about keeping it one hundred percent professional everywhere outside of the bedroom. That meant no jokes, but Dan didn’t like to follow that rule. He constantly snuck in tiny innuendos anywhere he could just to get under your skin.

“Well, as much as I would love to keep kicking my client’s ass, I really must get going. “ You slipped passed him, his shit eating grin following you.

“I’ll walk you out.” He held the door open for you.

“It’s fine. I’m a big girl.”

“I insist.”

It was a quiet walk to the elevator, he grabbed your bag for you on the way out of the office while you said goodbye to everyone and you clutched a couple folders to your chest. It wasn’t until the elevators door closed on the two of you that you decided to speak up.

“Why do you always have to do that, Dan? You’re going to get me-“ He gently pushed you against the elevator wall, his hips pinning you. His hand ran behind your neck pulling you into his lips, his tongue slipping into your mouth, slowly at first but growing hungrier with every floor you descended. You let your folders fall to the floor as your fingers laced through his hair, pulling it gently, just the way you knew he liked it. You loved the way he moaned softly against your lips, only loud enough for you to hear.

*Ding*

You both pulled apart quickly, wiping your mouths and slowing your heavy breaths before the doors opened. You bent down, pulling papers together, shoving them in folders quickly. Dan joined you as a few people you recognized from other floors piled in. You both slipped out right as the door was closing, muttering small apologize.

“God dammit, Daniel.” You huffed, leaving the building.

“I’m sorry.” He laughed, following closely behind you. “I just can’t help myself around you.”

“You’re going to get me in trouble.” You unlocked your car, throwing the files in your backseat and snatching your back away from the tall, giggling man.

“My place again tonight?” He rested against your car door casually while you started your engine. You looked up at him unamused by his question.

“Your place is too dangerous for me to be going there every night. One of these nights Barry is going to want to meet the mysterious girl you keep bringing home.” Your place wasn’t an option because both your roommates were Game Grumps fans and could not keep their mouths shut for the life of them.

“Just one more night, please?” He looked at you with his big puppy dog eyes and curled his lip. You roomed your eyes and grabbed for your door, pulling it closed.

“Fine. Just this last night.” You called through your open window while rolling away.

It took Barry about half a decade to finally go to sleep but Dan snuck you in around midnight, giving you that high school feeling again, afraid to get caught by Mom and Dad. You hushed his giggles the whole way into his room before you could really quiet them with shoving your lips against his.

It was always passionate. You’d tear at each other’s clothes, leave little marks all over their body, and whisper the dirtiest things you could think of into each other’s ears. It just came natural with Dan. It was just two over worked adults having way too much fun. It was what you both needed.

You just wished you hadn’t worked for him or maybe this could turn into something more. Of course you had never brought it up and you were pretty sure Dan had no intention of being in a relationship right now. Which was fine, you weren’t sure you were ready for one either. This was perfect just the way it was.

The night ended with you passing out quickly after he jumped in the shower to wash himself off from another night of sweat inducing sex. This quickly became a tradition since you usually woke up at dawn and could no longer function after Danny actually rocked your world, usually more than once.

What was not tradition was you waking up with Dan’s arm draped over you and his hot, lean body pressed up against you. You were never one for sleeping in someone’s arms, you found in cliché and unappealing. Of course waking up in someone’s arms turned out not to be half bad. The problem now was getting out without waking Dan.

You moved slowly and carefully, trying not to lose too much time so you could get out before the world woke up. He snored quietly, his face more peaceful than you had ever seen it. It was cute, maybe not the worst thing to wake up next to everyday.

But that wasn’t going to happen.

You gathered up your clothes like usual, knocking his clothes out of the way, again. Slipping on your jeans and your tank top, tying your sex hair up, it was all becoming so routine. Of course this time you couldn’t find your shoes. Damn you both being in such a hurry to fuck.

You groaned, tumbling around his room in the dark, the sun rising quickly outside of his window.

“I hid them.” He mumbled from the bed, his face still half in his pillow. You stood up, your hands on your hips and furrowed your brows.

“Excuse me?” You asked, watching him roll over, his sheet covering him waist down. He propped himself up on his elbows and watched you, smiling.

“Why don’t you ever stay and cuddle? That’s what most women do, you know.” There was that shit eating grin again, god did you hate him when he wasn’t pleasing you.

“I’m not most women, I suppose. Where are my shoes, Daniel?” You crossed your arms now, glancing at his alarm clock next to him, it was almost seven, and people would see you leave if you didn’t leave soon.

“I like how I know when I’m annoying you, you call me Daniel. It’s one of your little quirks that make me smile.” He hummed lazily.

“I have to go. Please tell me where my shoes are.” There was a hit of begging in your voice, but you didn’t care anymore. You just wanted to leave.

“Fine, they’re under the bed on my side.” He sighed and watched you as you found your shoes right where he said they’d be.

“Thank you.” You smiled, dropping them on the floor so you could slip your feet into them. But as soon as you let your guard down next to him, he pulled you back into the bed, right on top of him. You let out a small scream, quickly stopping yourself, trying not to wake his sleeping roommate. He wrapped you in his arms again, this time chest to chest. His head resting on top of yours as you tried to wiggle loose but this string bean was stronger than he looked.

“See, this is nice.” He laughed. You gave up on your struggling and expected your fate. You could heart his heart beat this close, it was comforting along with how warm he was. It was almost as nice as he was trying to make it out to be. “You know if you stick around long enough, I’ve been told I make a mean omelet.”

“Told by who? The other girls you bring home and then cuddle against their will?” You ran your finger down his bare side, feeling little goose bumps pop up on his soft skin.

“Uh, no, Barry, mostly. And I haven’t brought another girl home since we started whatever this is, thank you very much.” You smiled into his chest and rolled your eyes.

“Boyfriend of the year award.” You joked.

“Oh? Boyfriend? You should have told me sooner, I could have gotten you a gift for Valentine’s Day.” You could hear the enjoyment Dan was getting out of your little comment in his voice.

“It was a joke.” You muttered.

“No, no. I think (Y/N) has a crush on me. What will I tell all the other women I force into cuddling? They’ll be heart broken.” He looked down at you, laughing.

“Oh no.” You mocked using a silly voice. You both just stared at each other for a while. Maybe you were both unsure of what to say after that. Was the other person joking or were they serious? You found it hard to tell with Dan.

“Well,” You sighed, breaking the moment. “I really should be-“ He kissed you, but this time it was different. It was slower, deeper, more behind it than ever before. This time it wasn’t just to get your pants off or tease you in an elevator. This time it was real.

“Really, you should have told me sooner, I’ve wanted to be your boyfriend for a really long time.” You both smiled against each other’s lips, occasionally sprinkling small kisses in between laughs.

“Hey, Dan-“ Barry opened the door, causing you to throw the blanket over your head in attempt to hid yourself even though it was too late. “Oh, sorry. Hi, (Y/N).”

You groaned a ‘Hi’ back, watching your career slip away right before your very eyes.

“Yes, Barry, you needed something?” Dan asked, a healthy dose of annoyance and kindness in his voice.

“Oh, yeah, Arin called, said he was trying to get a hold of you, something about Kevin and footage, he just needs you to call him ASAP. And we all knew about, uh, that, whatever is going on. We’re not going to tell anyone. So you can stop hiding.” Barry smiled at you as you sat up next to Dan sheepishly. “See you at the Grump Space.”

[bloojayoolie]

Being Alone, Andrew Bogut, and Apparently: BellaDoll Iymy family Perfect proven family pet. Adored her parents, a small dog and a CAT! Super sweet, friendly, active, playful, cuddly, and affectionate w/all! ld 20331. 2 Yrs.. 60 Lbs Dreaming of a New Family, Manhattan Acc TO BE KILLED – 2/14/2018 <3 PERFECT PROVEN FAMILY PET WANTS YOU TO BE HER VALENTINE! BELLA DOLL adored her parents, the small dog who was her friend, and the family cat. She never thought her perfect life would end. But when her parent got too sick to care for her, she lost everything! Her warm insular world – the routine of her days, the friends she loved and played with. She has almost lost her smile, her eyes are anxious and confused. But still her sweetness remains. Initially when meeting her she may bark, and then it is all about the love and playing. She’s such a silly goose. She loves to play and will initiate it with just about anyone, big or small, 4 legged or 2 legged. As a staff member writes: “You know the phrase “First impressions are important”? Well, when visiting Bella Doll in her kennel, I did my best to keep this in mind. Sure enough, she’s the perfect example of not to judge someone by their first impression or looks. Beneath all that barking, I saw the silly and serene girl she really is. As soon as I sit on the bench, she hops up right behind me, planting her hips right next to mine. She sits so proper and also plants her cheeks next to mine as if she scheduled this cuddle session into her calendar or planner as a Valentine’s date or something. With those soft doe-eyes looking up at me eagerly, she can pencil me in anytime she wants! She’s just so hard to resist leaning into… Come by Manhattan ACC to schedule your cuddle session with Bella Doll today. Or better yet, make this love-bug your forever Valentine!” Read Bella’s glowing owner surrender notes and then rush to foster or adopt her. Because of her initial shyness, she is perfect for an adult only home (kids over 13 ok). PRIVATE MESSAGE OUR PAGE or email us at MustLoveDogsNYC@gmail.com if you can give this beautiful sweet DOLL a soft place to land. Bella loves to cuddle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1BQ2wVdk88 BELLA DOLL, ID 20331, 2 Yrs. Old, 60 lbs. Manhattan acc, Large Mixed Breed, Tan, Spayed Female Owner Surrender Reason: Owner’s health Shelter Assessment Rating: Adult Only Home (no children under 13) Behavior Condition: 2. Blue OWNER SURRENDER NOTES - Basic Information: Bella is about two years old. Owner has had her since she was four months old. Bella is a spayed large mixed breed female dog. She previously lived with 2 adults, 1 dog and a cat. Bella’s first instincts are always to engage in play. She will growl at strangers. Owner noted that this doesn’t happen with some strangers and believes Bella feeds off of whether she or her daughter are nervous around the stranger. If they are nervous, Bella reacts with barking or growling. If they are not nervous, Bella is more likely to behave calmly. If Bella is allowed to play with strangers, she plays a little roughly. Owner noted that she is not mean, but is still known to growl or bark first, then go right back into play initiation. Bella is more friendly around children than adults. She again immediately wants to engage in play. She has been around children aged 1-8 years old. Bella has not been allowed to play with children. Bella initially wants to play with other dogs. She sometimes growls or barks, but always goes back to wanting to initiate play. Bella has been brought to a dog park, but when she was unleashed in the run, she jumped the fence out of the enclosed area, so they did not bring her back. Bella tends to play quite roughly when she is able to engage in play. Bella lives with another dog, small mixed breed neutered male named Buddy, and she seems to know that Buddy is family and treats him very kindly. They act independently of each other, but are definitely friends. Bella lives with one cat whom she chases around the apartment and tries to engage in play. When the cat wants to play, they will play nicely. Bella adapts to the cat and plays more gently even if the cat swats at her and plays more roughly than Bella. Bella also will lick and clean the cat when the cat allows it. Bella has not shown signs of resource guarding lately. The owner noted that this is something that has improved over time. Bella is more reactive when a toy or treat is taken away. Owner said that she believes Bella sees that as play, so her mind goes to play initiation, which leads to barking, growling, and trying to rough house. Again, owner noted that she never snaps or tries to bite, just tries to play. Bella has no bite history. She will mouth people she is playing with, but she does not use her teeth. Owner’s daughter said it’s more of a “gotcha!” moment and that Bella never does it in a mean way. Just a tap and release. Bella is not fully house trained. She will both urinate and defecate inside. She will urinate and defecate outside, but she does not do this quickly. Bella barks when someone knocks at the door or comes up the stairs. She will bark during storms or fireworks. She will also bark if she hears dogs outside. She is very energetic, owner said “hyperactive.” Bella’s overall instincts tend to be: bark, growl, and play. They note that though she is strong and pulls on the lead and engages in behavior that would otherwise be categorized as “bad,” she never seems to do any of it with malice. She seems protective over her family, but not to the extent that she will hurt others. She just seems to act defensive of them until she gets to know the strangers better. Bella did have a medical issue; the owner said Bella either had a skin allergy or a food allergy that manifested itself with flaky skin. She changed foods and that helped. For a New Family to Know: Bella is described as friendly, affection, playful, and excitable. She is generally not as trusting of strangers as she is of her family. She thinks most things that people do mean it’s time to play. Bella’s favorite thing to do is play. She enjoys balls and toys that squeak, though she has a tendency to chew up or destroy those toys. She likes to play fetch and chase. Bella is kept primarily inside. Bella has chewed up dog beds in the past, but lately she has slept on her owner’s bed. Bella’s favorite treat is pig ears. Bella is only partially house trained. When left with a pee pee pad, she will not use it. She will use the bathroom outside, but it typically takes her a while to get to her business. When left alone, Bella barks and whines, is anxious, and has destroyed household items before. In particular, she has destroyed shoes and a dining room table legs. She has improved on that behavior in the year and a half that the owners had her, but she does sometimes have setbacks and destroy items, just not as frequently as she once did. Bella is not crate trained, and when she was placed in a crate once, she broke out and destroyed the crate. Bella has never been left alone in a yard. Bella understands the command “sit.” Bella is used to slow walks on the leash. She has a tendency to pull very hard and be very reactive upon seeing other dogs. Bella has never been walked without being attached to a leash. SHELTER ASSESSMENT - Date of assessment: 2/12/2018 Look:: 2. Dog’s eyes are averted, body posture is stiff and fearful, tail is low and not moving. Dog allows head to be held loosely in Assessor’s cupped hands. Sensitivity:: 2. Dog stands still and accepts the touch, eyes are averted, tail is between legs, body stiff, mouth closed, lip long, ears likely back, may lip lick. Tag:: 3. Dog repeatedly turns quickly away when touched, or repeatedly spins toward the touch, and repeatedly tries to exit. Dog may be crouching, tail is tucked, mouth closed, body stiff. Paw squeeze 1:: 1. Dog gently pulls back his/her paw. Paw squeeze 2:: 1. Dog gently pulls back his/her paw. Flank squeeze 1:: Item not conducted Flank squeeze 2:: Item not conducted Toy:: 1. Minimal interest in toy, dog may smell or lick, then turns away. Summary:: Bella Doll initially approached the assessor cautiously. When the assessor moved, she backed away, barking, but then reproached. She had a tense, trembling body during the assessment but allowed all handling. PLAYGROUP NOTES - Summary:: The previous owner of Bella reports that Bella got along with the dog she formerly lived with. She was reported to initially bark and growl at other dogs, while becoming playful with select dogs. In the care center, Bella has displayed a high level of stress. She has displayed a high amount of discomfort when introduced to helper dogs in our care. It is unknown how this behavior will translate into a home environment. The behavior department recommends allowing Bella a period of decompression before following up on behavior around unfamiliar dogs. Future follow up should be conducted at a slow pace, to dogs who are respectful, calm, and well socialized. Bella Doll should never be forced to interact with other dogs should she appear uncomfortable. Summary (1):: 2/11: When introduced off leash to the male greeter dog, Bella Doll is fearful, however allows calm approach. When solicited with play, Bella Doll offers correction and retreats. Summary (2):: 2/12: Bella is tense and uncomfortable with approach. She lip curls when lingering sniff is offered. ENERGY LEVEL:: Bella Doll’s previous owner described her as energetic. We recommend long-lasting chews, food puzzles, and hide-and-seek games, in additional to physical exercise, to positively direct her energy and enthusiasm. IN SHELTER OBSERVATIONS:: Bella has been observed to jump on a novel person’s lap with soft attention seeking body language, retreat away and bark with a low tail wag, and when coaxed with a soft voice and given time to acclimate, she approached again with a low tail wag and tucked body. When given time to warm up, she has sought attention and given affection to select handlers. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: ADULT ONLY HOME Behavior Asilomar: TM – Treatable-Manageable Recommendations: No children (under 13) RecommendationS comments:: No children: Due to Bella Doll’s history of barking and growling at strangers in the home, as well as how fearful she currently is at the care center, we recommend an adult only home. Potential challenges: : House soiling,Resource guarding,Fearful/potential for defensive aggression Potential challenges comments:: House soiling: Bella Doll is noted to have accidents in the house, and will likely need guidance with house training. We recommend positive reinforcement, reward-based training only. Resource guarding: Bella Doll is reported to bark and growl when her treats or toys are taken. For this reason, we advise against ever removing items from Bella Doll’s possession without safely trading for an item or greater or equal value. Fearful/potential for defensive aggression: Bella Doll was reported to initially bark and growl at new people in her previous home. At the care center, she has displayed similar behavior, moving away and barking at people. If prevented from moving away there is a potential to escalate to higher-level warning behaviors and possible fear-based aggression. It is important to move slowly with Bella Doll, to build positive associations (treats/toys/praise), and to allow Bella Doll to initiate interactions with new people. She should never be forced to greet or to interact if she is not comfortable and soliciting attention. MEDICAL NOTES: Weight: 60 lbs Vet Notes 10/02/2018 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: adult, ~ 2 yrs Microchip noted on Intake? scan positive 985112009426267 History: owner surrender, can’t care for Subjective: QARH Observed Behavior – quiet, tense, muzzled for PE; reportedly doesn’t like other dogs Evidence of Cruelty seen – no Evidence of Trauma seen – no Objective – panting, HR/RR wnl – BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: not performed/muzzled PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: tense but non-painful, no masses palpated U/G: scar below umbilicus, green abd. tattoo; spayed MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate – no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: externally normal Assessment: apparently healthy Prognosis: good Plan: none at this time SURGERY: spayed 13/02/2018 S/O -BAR, appears friendly and energetic while being walked -persistent coughing and soft sneezing, moderate serous nasal discharge -OU: moderate episcleral injection -eupnic A 1. Coughing/sneezing-suspect CIRDC 2. Episcleral injection-r/o excitement vs pulling on leash vs allergic conjunctivitis P -move to isolation -doxycycline 300 mg PO SID x 14 days -cerenia 60 mg PO SID x 4 days *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** If you would like to adopt a dog on our “To Be Killed” list, and you CAN get to the shelter in person to complete the adoption process **within 48 hours of reserve**, you can reserve the dog online until noon on the day they are scheduled to die. We have provided the Brooklyn, Staten Island and Manhattan information below. Adoption hours at these facilities is Noon – 8:00 p.m. (6:30 on weekends) HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! **PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! *** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: https://newhope.shelterbuddy.com/Animal/List Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs. It should read, "reserve in progress". That is YOUR reserve. Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction Animal Care Centers of NYC (ACC) nycacc.org HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU **CANNOT** GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PRIVATE MESSAGE our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications. Shelter contact information Phone number (212) 788-4000 Email adoption@nycacc.org Shelter Addresses: Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard Brooklyn, NY 11208 Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St. New York, NY 10029 Staten Island Shelter: 3139 Veterans Road West Staten Island, NY 10309

[farafootbushcraft]

Thursday 4th May, evening.

Been a social day – talking to a lot of people about my expedition, letting information in by degrees. Sat outside the pub this evening in the sunshine, along with many more folk. A Glaswegian guy there came to talk to me. He noticed I mentioned bushcraft and said “we’ve all been down that route and left it behind -Its all fat blokes sitting round fires. Didn’t mention Farafoot, where there are women too and no fat blokes. Wonder where he did his bushcraft. He said he’d seen my bivi up at the end of the campsite and told me there are otters up there, on the estuary. He also asked me if I knew there was someone living there, just a few feet away from me. I didn’t. He is doing up his boat in the little bay behind me (I had noticed that!). Anyhow, he said he’d come to talk to me because “its nice to meet someone doing some shit”. I like that. He said he likes Rum and Skye, and comes over here a lot.

Behind my ‘Glitter Beach Bivi’.

More conversations at the pub, and I find myself being quite open since everyone else is. I have had 2 pints of ‘Remoteness’ Ale, the only food I could get (packet of chilli peanuts), and I’ve foraged greens on the mile-or-so walk back to my bivi. It seems the Forge pub restaurant is out of action due to bereavement in chef’s family.

I was talking to a couple doing some of the Cape Wrath trail. They said they were here 20 years ago (or maybe it was 10 years that they said) on New Year’s Eve. They came over on the ferry, were booked at the pub for food, but found pub not serving and ended up in the kitchen of a local being served venison stew. They are from the Brecons, and he is a fell/ultra distance runner. I got into an absorbing conversation with his partner about bunions and the agonies they inflict. Recommended my boots.

Minimal foot damage after 320 miles in my Hanweg bunion boot.

Met a climber/walker from Falkirk, there with a friend to do some routes. He turned out to be a fell runner too, his physio being the inspirational fell champion Angela Mudge. He and his friend and others have recently started the 45 degree mountaineering club.

WHAT AN INSPIRING BUNCH OF PEOPLE TO HAPPEN ACROSS.

Friday 5th May, am.

Went to the snack van this morning for breakfast. Had portobello mushroom and garlic halloumi in a large bap. Free tea refil. Wonderful. Rather more than your standard snack van. Was approached there by another couple who’d heard about my foraging. Also got back into conversation with the couple from Brecon. We got straight into bunion stories again! She’s been having treatment for years and years. She was persuaded against surgery because they were going to put plates in her toes that would prevent flexing. Instead she wears footbeds. I feel very relieved that the boots work for me. Had yet another foot conversation with a young Bavarian woman hiking here alone. She is having a day off because her rigid mountain boots aren’t suitable for the terrain and are wrecking her feet. I noticed she had rock climbing boots on to rest her feet – ouch! Not exactly slippers.

  Love being able to leave my things just lying around here. Feels completely safe in every way. Locals set the tone with use of honesty boxes.

Still hearing cuckoos all the time. Will forever after be nostalgic when I hear them, just as I am for the Pennines when I hear grouse.

Had a newborn baby kind of poo this morning – green, but thankfully not smelly! (Sorry – these kind of details take on some significance when I’m ‘out there’).

Friday 5th May, pm.

I’m sunbathing on the beach – on the west coast of Scotland, in early May! I am so well recovered that I feel like going for a run. I think that’s just my glee expressing itself. Lying here looking up at the hills they look comforting – soft, like antler velvet. This place feels like my Burgh Island of the North (notwithstanding their utter difference, both humane places of sanctuary).

  Friday 5th May, late.

Met another man (from Manchester) staying on the campsite who is doing the Corbetts (now he has done all the Munros). Told me he was at the Sourlies Bothy 10 years ago and there was a mouse who notoriously stole food. The mouse at Sourlies is, apparently, legendary (and its descendants too obviously). NOBODY sleeps in the bothy because of the noise – they all end up outside (except myself then and probably a few other folk who have their own reasons for staying under the roof).

Friendly couple I met in the tea room yesterday also arrived in the pub. She has a sun allergy so is finding the weather difficult!

Saturday 6th May, am.

Over the past few days have spent quite a bit on presents and a ‘Trophy’ pottery chalice for myself. Want to mark this occasion. Have also spent quite a bit on drink since ale is almost £5 per pint at the pub.

As I’m writing, lying in my bivi bag, there is a squeaking and the flattened grasses in front of me move in a ripple across my eyeline. The sun is just coming up behind me.

The Forge last night were miraculously serving food but were fully booked so the proprietor said. He is a very tall Belgian showing no hospitality. The band who were booked to play (and to eat I think) went outside when they got no food, nor audience. He complained about the way our group were occupying tables, although the pub was nearly empty, and removed my stick saying it was dangerous (I do see his point there since it kept falling over, still his manner didn’t help). Eventually he offered food to the man from Manchester who’d had the ambition to try and get fed there – soup and muscles since he obviously had some left over, but was annoyed when he at first couldn’t decide if he wanted both soup and muscles. (I’ve since discovered that soup and muscles are all anyone can ever get there, if they are lucky enough to get served anything at all!)

  Tea Room and Pottery

I took the Western Isles ferry at 10.45 am. Was ready to go hours early, thinking it would be hard to lug my pack the mile or so up the road, but when I lifted it it felt light, and I strong (with even a heavy croc bottle of gin now in there). Said my so-longs to the 45 degree mountaineering club and went and waited at the wonderful tea room/pottery (which I found didn’t open till 10.00 on Saturday). Was longing for a word from home but nothing, so disappointed. People kept turning up with bags and they were all fretting over whether they’d have time for breakfast before the ferry. I got influenced and started to worry too whether I might miss out on my cup of tea. Tried to stop myself being silly and thinking “I was here first!”. They annoyed me with talking about vacuum cleaners, but I didn’t want to shift and lose my place as first in the queue. I thought, had Andy been with me he would have let everyone in before – another good reason to do these things alone!!

Another couple came and sat opposite me. Assumed they’d annoy me too but liked them. We got talking. They asked me about my walk but didn’t say much about themselves. Learned they were from Perth, but only when he got talking with the couple from Brecon I learned that he is a very experienced climber/mountaineer.

There seems to be a type of Scots male climber – stout and hardy looking with an intensity about them that isn’t expressed verbally except when they look at a hill and start talking about it. They don’t have airs and affectations, just knowledge gained on the ground.

On the boat he and the Brecon climber/runner viewed and discussed the Cuillin (ridge on Skye) and gave me goose pimples saying the gabbro (type of rock) is good but you have to be really careful because of the sheer drops and the loose bits. It’s been a while since I’ve climbed with that level of exposure, but you don’t expect chossy Rock on Skye (that’s a feature more in the Alps). He said he had to concentrate really hard there. Such an easy-going and relaxed person who seemed to know the entire west coast area in great detail. I’ve been really impressed in Inverie with the dedication of the walkers and climbers to the region, but their quiet confidence rather than bravado. Bravado would go down very badly in Knoydart.

  I took a ridiculous number of pictures of the Isles: Rum and Eigg but mostly Skye. You could see the black and red Cuillin, but it’s hard to do them justice in a photo from a boat.

Sunday 7th April, am.

Arriving in Mallaig on the ferry yesterday I could feel myself getting emotional, turning my back to everyone incase I cried. Sister, Louise, and mum were at the ferry terminal, so by the time I’d found them it had worn off. IT WAS LOVELY TO SEE THEM and to see that they looked so chilled. Lou took the Morar coastal route out and we ogled the views. It was what mum called a “Brigadoon day” (from the film where a place appears only sporadically and so can’t be returned to at will), referring to the rarity of this kind of weather in the Highlands and Islands. Sunbathing and PADDLING/SWIMMING! going on in the gorgeous bays.

We made for Glenfinnan (very odd to arrive by car) to have a drink. Then Lou set-to taking pictures of me on her made-for-the-job iPhone 7 for the film credits! (She said you always need a good picture of the actual person for the film credits and we need to take it before the ‘look’ wears off!).

When I saw myself in the mirror – just my face – I was quite shocked and worried that perhaps I wasn’t as healthy as I thought. I even had an emotional moment thinking “sorry Andy, sorry Katy, I’ve gone too far”, anticipating their shock. Lou reassured me, though, that actually I look strong and healthy, and just like someone who’s done something monumental. She talked about her wild swim (when she went to Mexico) and how it was possibly the best experience of her life. I feel that way about this. LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS.

Lou took us to the Argyll Hotel in central Glasgow for Saturday night. It feels completely acceptable to come to the centre of a bustling city after the solitude – in a way that going to a duller, smaller town wouldn’t. In fact it’s a bit like going to Kathmandu after Everest – there’s the charm of the contrast (and the relief of safety). And even more similarly, all night I’ve had the window open (so nice to have a hotel window that can be properly opened) and the life on the street hasn’t stopped. The funny thing is that there are some characters who’ve stayed put and been talking to various others, who’ve come and then left, all night. They’ve been talking in such broad Glaswegian accents, though, that I haven’t known what it’s all about – it’s like listening to music (with high points in expletives and emotional renditions), or listening to birds. I loved it. I did sleep, but not very much. I don’t mind at all.

We went walking off last night to find somewhere to eat but everywhere local and suitable for us was fully booked. We ended up in Sauchihall street (infamous according to mum), in an Indian street food restaurant (called Tuk Tuk). Loved it. They didn’t serve alcohol but would just charge corkage for your own. I was happy to go without. Will have that kind of celebration (a toast) with Andy. Felt quite right to be having street food to celebrate completion, especially with the spiritual aspects so strong. I’ve borrowed some pantaloon style leggings from Lou, after being unimpressed with the bag put together for me (not sure whether by me or Andy – I forget). With my hazel pole and big boots I look like an Edwardian gentlewoman climber. All I need is a hemp rope over my shoulder.

Over the course of the day yesterday in catch-up discussions I learned that actually Katy had been in hospital in the later stages of my expedition because the penicillin for her urichal cyst hadn’t worked and she needed IV antibiotics. There had been a debate over whether I should be informed and brought home. Lou’s view was that, since Katy didn’t have a high or low temp there wasn’t a need, and that the consequences could be bad for all of us to let me know unnecessarily- guilt, regret, blame etc. Andy agreed but had the task of mediating everyone’s views. So glad they understood, and of course that Katy is so thoughtful and resiliant. (Andy since told me that I was out of range anyway by then so they couldn’t have let me know).

When I looked in the full size mirror in my room it shocked me to see my body, more that it had to see my face. I look starved. I’m not sure that I’ve ever been so thin (not even after Everest). It’s a bit scary. I even thought I need to put on some fat immediately.

I find, though, in this semi-starved state I feel quite attuned to things – I can feel my emotions and my thoughts acutely. Maybe there is a big difference between the anorexic starvation and the fasting ascetic – in the impacts and state of mind. I know that in an anorexic state (which I entered for a few years as an adolescent) I used to get euphoric (so maybe no difference), but it was driven by unhappiness and insecurity. This leanness has brute strength underpinning it, and a direction for the future. It is something to grow and learn from.

Relaxing in Glasgow

I’m sitting in my (noisy) hotel bedroom window writing and watching people. They all bounce. The morning runners bounce/prance delicately, and pedestrians take jaunty steps to wherever. Is this the effect of the sunshine? Do they grit their teeth, heads down and set against the elements, in the winter? Or is it the Glaswegian swagger? – habitual and maybe even obligatory. It’s Sunday morning and still no sleep goes on. Since dawn and before they’ve all been on the move. The road sweeper truck has just done a bit of a pavement clean-up (8am), making some sort of demarcation between last night and this morning.

Looks like another gorgeous day as we prepare to travel back home – weather which apparently we are taking back down to Shropshire with us after miserable conditions all week!

One week after returning home.

Travelling home was an exciting time to wonder over the distances between points in the walk. The occasional Irishly-inflected comment went through my head – so that phenomenon hasn’t worn off yet!

Then there was a gorgeous welcome from Andy and Katy, with a card and a cake from Katy. The alcoholic toast finally happened, and in style too! Half a case of champagne from Bob (Andy’s dad, but I prefer to say my father-in-law), and much congratulations. But I had nothing at all from my loving Labrador, Faffy. I mean NOTHING. Not even the kind of glance that she’d give an uninteresting stranger. She ducked under my hand when I tried to stroke her. I take it from this that she DID recognise me, but preferred not to acknowledge me. She only forgave me when I took her out for a run.

The run! It wasn’t one really. We are both at square one again. I have nothing in my legs for running, and she has too much round her belly. I suppose that my fitness now is very different: low intensity, endurance. We will get faster again together.

The fitness effort is continuing, and I’ve been intrigued to know what kind of physiological impacts there have been. My body fat mass is 7.9kg, which is quite low – not ideal for staying healthy. The weight loss is obvious (down by a stone), as well as the muscle definition, but I’m a bit horrified by the loss of over an inch (3cm) in height. I NEED TRACTION! It’s probably a mixture of dehydration and compression of the discs from the weight of the pack – hopefully impermanent

I’ve had an MRI scan of my spine since coming home that was booked before I left due to some sensation loss in my left leg (I have check-ups every two years to follow up from my broken back in 2003). It will be interesting to see if there is anything noteworthy happening.

Two weeks after returning home.

My habit of grinding my teeth when I’m asleep seems to have returned, after none during the expedition. I don’t like how my head feels after a night of muscle tension in my jaw, which encourages me to start planning the next expedition (extreme self-medication?!).

Notwithstanding the teeth grinding annoyance I’m still feeling the calming effects of the walk, even to the extent that I feel quite happy with our ramshackle little house and it’s outdated (and many broken) facilities. I’m reminded why we bought it – because it feels like our very own mountain hut: our Bothy.

Expedition from the Backdoor Diary 8: After the Walking Stopped. Inverie, Glasgow and Home. Thursday 4th May, evening. Been a social day - talking to a lot of people about my expedition, letting information in by degrees.

[eatghostjerky]

Litter

No sounds came from the house because all the puppys were dead. They were all laid in the living room with their heads facing the door, like sentinels guarding a treasure room. She liked the puppies to greet her when she came home from work so she laid them there like that all facing the same way at the door. She didn’t even smell them anymore now that all there guts had dried up and soaked into the plush carpet. there were black stains under the puppies that made them looked like trapped in tar pits. Like the dinosaur pits they have in California.

She walked in an said hello to all her puppies and took her shoes off so she could pet them with her feet. She liked the way their fur felt between her toes and she tickled each one on the chin before she went to make dinner for them. On her way home work she bought them a special treat tonight that was deli ham and spray cheese. The kind with the blue top, they didn’t like the red top one. She put the ham and sprayed cheese on it and then put it in a blender to make the dinner. You see, they only can eat if it is blended up the ham first. While the blender was whirring away in a symphony that reminded her of the way the puppies used to sing together when she first got them she went to the refrigerator and poured her self a glass of wine. Then she put the special dinner for the puppies in a bowl for each of them – there were 10 of them in all. She put the blender in the sink, put her hand in it and ran warm water in it to let it soak. As the water crept up her arm she remembered she forgot to pick up dinner for herself. She picked up the spray cheese and tilted her head back and filled her whole with spray cheese. She went to the mirror by the phone, smiled at herself with cheesy teeth and said, “Say cheeeeese!”

One by one, she brought the dinner bowls to the puppies and laid the bowls down by their faces. “Who’s hungry?” she said as she sat each bown on the floor of her living room. “Be a good boy and wait for your brothers and sisters.” Most of them were mostly tangles of bones with patches of fur still clinging here and there. They had mostly been eaten by insects, roaches, flies, and she thought she saw a opossum try to steal one of her puppies one time but she hit it with a broom and it ran away. That puppy had bite marks on the ribs where the possum had tried to steal it. “Never mind about that” she said upon seeing the bite marks, “scars build character. But lucky we got rid of that thing or we would have had to take you to the doctor and I can’t afford that right now.”

When the bowls were placed and all of the puppys were ready to eat. She sat on the ground in front of the first one and pulled a spoon out of her blouse. The sppoon was rusty and part of ��the handle had broken off years before. She had been feeding her puppies a long time and this was the only spoon they liked. They would eat every bite she gave them with this spoon. She slid the spoon into the first bowl and pulled up a spoonful of the blended ham and cheese. “Oh, Thomas, you’re such a good boy! Look how patient you are waiting for your dinner!” She tipped the spoon into the space between the puppy’s jawbones and the ham slid off the spoon and soaked into the carpet. “Somebody is extra hungry tonight. Slow down, you’ll get a tummy ache.” She giggled. She continued to feed her puppies one by one until she got to the last one, her favroite Jeffery.

Jeffery was a Alaskan Malamute puppy that was 8 weeks old. She hadn’t had Jeffery very long but he instantly became her favourite. He was still had the most fur on him and squished a little when she pet him because he was still so fresh. He didn’t lay down like the others. No, see, she had to make a special place for Jeffery on her favorite recliner because she loved him so much. When when she got done feeding all the other puppies she picked up their bowls and took them into the kitchen. “Oh, you are all SO GREAT at EATING your special dinner!” she exclaimed loudly. She tucked her spoon back into her blouse and went into her bedroom. She changed into her pajamas, the flannel ones that had puppies on them. She got into her pajamas and cuddled up with Jeffery in her recliner and turned on Wheel of Fortune. She put Jeffery in her lap and fed him his ham dinner, he loved it. Sometimes when she got excited because she knew the answer to the Wheel of Fortune puzzle, she would hold Jeffery tight to her chest and whisper the answer in his ear. Then when the person on the show would solve the puzzle she would get our of her chair and dance and spin around with Jeffery to celebrate. She even would give Jeffery some of her wine from time to time. He liked Pinot Grigio the best but all she had was Turning Leaf Chardonnay. “You don’t seem to mind, though, do you Jeffery? You’ll still love me, RIGHT? I’ll get you some more wine tomorrow.”

When Wheel of Fortune was over it was time for her to take the puppies on a walk. She couldn’t walk all of them, no, that was impossible. So she had a rotating schedule that she would walk a few puppies each night so they would all get some yard time. On the schedule tonight was Penelope, Clara, and Robert. She grabbed her leashes and attached them to the collars of Penelope, Clara, and Robert. She gave the leashed a tug, whistled through the gap in her teeth and said, “come on, come on. LET’S WALK YOU 3!” She snapped the leash and Clara’s tail bones shook loose from her hip bones. “Now Clara, you silly goose. Look what you did. Mommy will fix that later. Come on.” She turned toward the door and the puppies followed behind her leaving a trail of hair behind them. Their bones rattled down the concrete steps outside of her sliding glass door, playing a macabre tune that got stuck in her head. “Who knew you were all so talented and could play such fine music?” She pulled the dogs into the yard and sat in her sun chair. “Once you’re finished playing, use the potty and mommy wants to show you a special surprise, okay? Hurry up now!”

Penelope, Clara, and Robert played in the yard for about 30 minutes before she started getting restless. They didn’t do much but they looked as happy as possible, given the state of them all.  “Are you all finished? Good! Let’s go.” She walked them behind her shed, where she had prepared a hole for them behind the shed. The back of the shed was lined with stones painted in all different colors, each with a date written in sharpie on it. She dragged them each to the edge of the hole, pressed a kiss onto her fingertips and then pressed her fingertips on the side of each of their heads in turn. “I love you all, you know that, right? But you’re going to live here now. It’s better this way. I’ll come visit, I promise I will.” She placed Penelope, Clara, and Robert in the hole and scooped dirt into the hole with her foot. She realized just then that she still had hair stuck to her foot where she had pet them before. She frowned and put her hands on her hips. She twisted her toes into the dirt to get the hair off of her foot. When the hole was filled, she reached into her pocket and pulled from it a painted stone that was painted blue. From her another pocket she pulled out a sharpie and pulled the cap off with her teeth. She bit her lip and tasted blood on her tongue. She wrote today’s date on the stone and placed it on the freshly dug hole wher eshe just put her puppys. In a sudden burst of noise, she heard a clamor coming from inside the shed. She knocked on the side of the shed and said “Just be patient I’ll be right there.”

She placed the stone on the mound of fresh dirt, a labyrinth of emotions turning in her mind. She was lost in this place, somewhere between the shed and home and she didn’t know how she would ever find her way back to where she had been. It had been such an emotional turmoil, having to bury three of her beloved puppies but she knew it was the right thing to do. They could finally be happy. She fed them their special ham dinner and now they could rest in piece. Besides, there were always more puppies that needed a home, someone to care for them and play fetch with. She couldn’t turn other puppies away when there were so many that needed her love and care.

She stood up from the hole and wrapped her hand around the handle of a stained wooden club. She rounded the side of the shed and slowly pushed open the door, a small sliver of light illuminating the entrance. In the dark she could see the reflections of eyes staring back at her. Whimpers rose through the dark and pierced her ears. “It’s okay, I’m here now. No need to worry.” She reached up and pulled the chain that was attached to the light bulb. The space was instantly bright from the light and all of the puppies inside the shed started howling. “Which three of you are feeling lucky tonight?” she whispered.

-WDK

[readbookywooks]

Arya

The river was a blue-green ribbon shining in the morning sun. Reeds grew thick in the shallows along the banks, and Arya saw a water snake skimming across the surface, ripples spreading out behind it as it went. Overhead a hawk flew in lazy circles.

It seemed a peaceful place . . . until Koss spotted the dead man. "There, in the reeds." He pointed, and Arya saw it. The body of a soldier, shapeless and swollen. His sodden green cloak had hung up on a rotted log, and a school of tiny silver fishes were nibbling at his face. "I told you there was bodies," Lommy announced. "I could taste them in that water."

When Yoren saw the corpse, he spat. "Dobber, see if he's got anything worth the taking. Mail, knife, a bit o' coin, what have you." He spurred his gelding and rode out into the river, but the horse struggled in the soft mud and beyond the reeds the water deepened. Yoren rode back angry, his horse covered in brown slime up to the knees. "We won't be crossing here. Koss, you'll come with me upriver, look for a ford. Woth, Gerren, you go downstream. The rest o' you wait here. Put a guard out."

Dobber found a leather purse in the dead man's belt. Inside were four coppers and a little hank of blond hair tied up with a red ribbon. Lommy and Tarber stripped naked and went wading, and Lommy scooped up handfuls of slimy mud and threw them at Hot Pie, shouting, "Mud Pie! Mud Pie!" In the back of their wagon, Rorge cursed and threatened and told them to unchain him while Yoren was gone, but no one paid him any mind. Kurz caught a fish with his bare hands. Arya saw how he did it, standing over a shallow pool, calm as still water, his hand darting out quick as a snake when the fish swam near. It didn't look as hard as catching cats. Fish didn't have claws.

It was midday when the others returned. Woth reported a wooden bridge half a mile downstream, but someone had burned it up. Yoren peeled a sourleaf off the bale. "Might be we could swim the horses over, maybe the donkeys, but there's no way we'll get those wagons across. And there's smoke to the north and west, more fires, could be this side o' the river's the place we want to be." He picked up a long stick and drew a circle in the mud, a line trailing down from it. "That's Gods Eye, with the river flowing south. We're here." He poked a hole beside the line of the river, under the circle. "We can't go round west of the lake, like I thought. East takes us back to the kingsroad." He moved the stick up to where the line and circle met. "Near as I recall, there's a town here. The holdfast's stone, and there's a lordling got his seat there too, just a towerhouse, but he'll have a guard, might be a knight or two. We follow the river north, should be there before dark. They'll have boats, so I mean to sell all we got and hire us one." He drew the stick up through the circle of the lake, from bottom to top. "Gods be good, we'll find a wind and sail across the Gods Eye to Harrentown." He thrust the point down at the top of the circle. "We can buy new mounts there, or else take shelter at Harrenhal. That's Lady Whent's seat, and she's always been a friend o' the Watch."

Hot Pie's eyes got wide. "There's ghosts in Harrenhal . . . "

Yoren spat. "There's for your ghosts." He tossed the stick down in the mud. "Mount up."

Arya was remembering the stories Old Nan used to tell of Harrenhal. Evil King Harren had walled himself up inside, so Aegon unleashed his dragons and turned the castle into a pyre. Nan said that fiery spirits still haunted the blackened towers. Sometimes men went to sleep safe in their beds and were found dead in the morning, all burnt up. Arya didn't really believe that, and anyhow it had all happened a long time ago. Hot Pie was being silly; it wouldn't be ghosts at Harrenhal, it would be knights. Arya could reveal herself to Lady Whent, and the knights would escort her home and keep her safe. That was what knights did; they kept you safe, especially women. Maybe Lady Whent would even help the crying girl.

The river track was no kingsroad, yet it was not half bad for what it was, and for once the wagons rolled along smartly. They saw the first house an hour shy of evenfall, a snug little thatch-roofed cottage surrounded by fields of wheat. Yoren rode out ahead, hallooing, but got no answer. "Dead, might be. Or hiding. Dobber, Rey, with me." The three men went into the cottage. "Pots is gone, no sign o' any coin laid by," Yoren muttered when they returned. "No animals. Run, most like. Might be we met ‘em on the kingsroad. " At least the house and field had not been burned, and there were no corpses about. Tarber found a garden out back, and they pulled some onions and radishes and filled a sack with cabbages before they went on their way.

A little farther up the road, they glimpsed a forester's cabin surrounded by old trees and neatly stacked logs ready for the splitting, and later a ramshackle stilt-house leaning over the river on poles ten feet tall, both deserted. They passed more fields, wheat and corn and barley ripening in the sun, but here there were no men sitting in trees, nor walking the rows with scythes. Finally the town came into view; a cluster of white houses spread out around the walls of the holdfast, a big sept with a shingled wooden roof, the lord's towerhouse sitting on a small rise to the west . . . and no sign of any people, anywhere.

Yoren sat on his horse, frowning through his tangle of beard. "Don't like it," he said, "but there it is. We'll go have us a look. A careful look. See maybe there's some folk hiding. Might be they left a boat behind, or some weapons we can use."

The black brother left ten to guard the wagons and the whimpery little girl, and split the rest of them into four groups of five to search the town. "Keep your eyes and ears open," he warned them, before he rode off to the towerhouse to see if there was any sign of the lordling or his guards.

Arya found herself with Gendry, Hot Pie, and Lommy. Squat, kettle-bellied Woth had pulled an oar on a galley once, which made him the next best thing they had to a sailor, so Yoren told him to take them down to the lakefront and see if they could find a boat. As they rode between the silent white houses, gooseprickles crawled up Arya's arms. This empty town frightened her almost as much as the burnt holdfast where they'd found the crying girl and the one-armed woman. Why would people run off and leave their homes and everything? What could scare them so much?

The sun was low to the west, and the houses cast long dark shadows. A sudden clap of sound made Arya reach for Needle, but it was only a shutter banging in the wind. After the open river shore, the closeness of the town unnerved her.

When she glimpsed the lake ahead between houses and trees, Arya put her knees into her horse, galloping past Woth and Gendry. She burst out onto the grassy sward beside the pebbled shore. The setting sun made the tranquil surface of the water shimmer like a sheet of beaten copper. It was the biggest lake she had ever seen, with no hint of a far shore. She saw a rambling inn to her left, built out over the water on heavy wooden pilings. To her right, a long pier jutted into the lake, and there were other docks farther east, wooden fingers reaching out from the town. But the only boat in view was an upside-down rowboat abandoned on the rocks beneath the inn, its bottom thoroughly rotted out. "They're gone," Arya said, dejected. What would they do now?

"There's an inn," Lommy said, when the others rode up. "Do you think they left any food? Or ale?"

"Let's go see," Hot Pie suggested.

"Never you mind about no inn," snapped Woth. "Yoren said we're to find a boat."

"They took the boats." Somehow Arya knew it was true; they could search the whole town, and they'd find no more than the upside-down rowboat. Despondent, she climbed off her horse and knelt by the lake. The water lapped softly around her legs. A few lantern bugs were coming out, their little lights blinking on and off. The green water was warm as tears, but there was no salt in it. It tasted of summer and mud and growing things. Arya plunged her face down into it to wash off the dust and dirt and sweat of the day. When she leaned back the trickles ran down the back of her neck and under her collar. They felt good. She wished she could take off her clothes and swim, gliding through the warm water like an skinny pink otter. Maybe she could swim all the way to Winterfell.

Woth was shouting at her to help search, so she did, peering into boathouses and sheds while her horse grazed along the shore. They found some sails, some nails, buckets of tar gone hard, and a mother cat with a litter of new-born kittens. But no boats.

The town was as dark as any forest when Yoren and the others reappeared. "Tower's empty," he said. "Lord's gone off to fight maybe, or to get his smallfolk to safety, no telling. Not a horse or pig left in town, but we'll eat. Saw a goose running loose, and some chickens, and there's good fish in the Gods Eye."

"The boats are gone," Arya reported.

"We could patch the bottom of that rowboat," said Koss.

"Might do for four o' us," Yoren said.

"There's nails," Lommy pointed out. "And there's trees all around. We could build us all boats."

Yoren spat. "You know anything 'bout boat-building, dyer's boy?" Lommy looked blank.

"A raft," suggested Gendry. "Anyone can build a raft, and long poles for pushing."

Yoren looked thoughtful. "Lake's too deep to pole across, but if we stayed to the shallows near shore . . . it'd mean leaving the wagons. Might be that's best. I'll sleep on it."

"Can we stay at the inn?" Lommy asked.

"We'll stay in the holdfast, with the gates barred," the old man said. "I like the feel o' stone walls about me when I sleep."

Arya could not keep quiet. "We shouldn't stay here," she blurted. "The people didn't. They all ran off, even their lord."

"Arry's scared," Lommy announced, braying laughter.

"I'm not," she snapped back, "but they were."

"Smart boy," said Yoren. "Thing is, the folks who lived here were at war, like it or no. We're not. Night's Watch takes no part, so no man's our enemy."

And no man's our friend, she thought, but this time she held her tongue. Lommy and the rest were looking at her, and she did not want to seem craven in front of them.

The holdfast gates were studded with iron nails. Within, they found a pair of iron bars the size of saplings, with post holes in the ground and metal brackets on the gate. When they slotted the bars through the brackets, they made a huge X brace. It was no Red Keep, Yoren announced when they'd explored the holdfast top to bottom, but it was better than most, and should do for a night well enough. The walls were rough unmortared stone ten feet high, with a wooden catwalk inside the battlements. There was a postern gate to the north, and Gerren discovered a trap under the straw in the old wooden barn, leading to a narrow, winding tunnel. He followed it a long way under the earth and came out by the lake. Yoren had them roll a wagon on top of the trap, to make certain no one came in that way. He divided them into three watches, and sent Tarber, Kurz, and Cutjack off to the abandoned towerhouse to keep an eye out from on high. Kurz had a hunting horn to sound if danger threatened.

They drove their wagons and animals inside and barred the gates behind them. The barn was a ramshackle thing, large enough to hold half the animals in the town. The haven, where the townfolk would shelter in times of trouble, was even larger, low and long and built of stone, with a thatched roof. Koss went out the postern gate and brought the goose back, and two chickens as well, and Yoren allowed a cookfire. There was a big kitchen inside the holdfast, though all the pots and kettles had been taken. Gendry, Dobber, and Arya drew cook duty. Dobber told Arya to pluck the fowl while Gendry split wood. "Why can't I split the wood?" she asked, but no one listened. Sullenly, she set to plucking a chicken while Yoren sat on the end of the bench sharpening the edge of his dirk with a whetstone.

When the food was ready, Arya ate a chicken leg and a bit of onion. No one talked much, not even Lommy. Gendry went off by himself afterward, polishing his helm with a look on his face like he wasn't even there. The crying girl whimpered and wept, but when Hot Pie offered her a bit of goose she gobbled it down and looked for more.

Arya drew second watch, so she found a straw pallet in the haven. Sleep did not come easy, so she borrowed Yoren's stone and set to honing Needle. Syrio Forel had said that a dull blade was like a lame horse. Hot Pie squatted on the pallet beside her, watching her work. "Where'd you get a good sword like that?" he asked. When he saw the look she gave him, he raised his hands defensively. "I never said you stole it, I just wanted to know where you got it, is all."

"My brother gave it to me," she muttered.

"I never knew you had no brother."

Arya paused to scratch under her shirt. There were fleas in the straw, though she couldn't see why a few more would bother her. "I have lots of brothers."

"You do? Are they bigger than you, or littler?"

I shouldn't be talking like this. Yoren said I should keep my mouth shut. "Bigger," she lied. "They have swords too, big longswords, and they showed me how to kill people who bother me."

"I was talking, not bothering." Hot Pie went off and let her alone and Arya curled up on her pallet. She could hear the crying girl from the far side of the haven. I wish she'd just be quiet. Why does she have to cry all the time?

She must have slept, though she never remembered closing her eyes. She dreamed a wolf was howling, and the sound was so terrible that it woke her at once. Arya sat up on her pallet with her heart thumping. "Hot Pie, wake up." She scrambled to her feet. "Woth, Gendry, didn't you hear?" She pulled on a boot.

All around her, men and boys stirred and crawled from their pallets. "What's wrong?" Hot Pie asked. "Hear what?" Gendry wanted to know. "Arry had a bad dream," someone else said.

"No, I heard it," she insisted. "A wolf."

"Arry has wolves in his head," sneered Lommy. "Let them howl," Gerren said, "they're out there, we're in here." Woth agreed. "Never saw no wolf could storm a holdfast." Hot Pie was saying, "I never heard nothing."

"It was a wolf," she shouted at them as she yanked on her second boot. "Something's wrong, someone's coming, get up!"

Before they could hoot her down again, the sound came shuddering through the night—only it was no wolf this time, it was Kurz blowing his hunting horn, sounding danger. In a heartbeat, all of them were pulling on clothes and snatching for whatever weapons they owned. Arya ran for the gate as the horn sounded again. As she dashed past the barn, Biter threw himself furiously against his chains, and Jaqen H'ghar called out from the back of their wagon. "Boy! Sweet boy! Is it war, red war? Boy, free us. A man can fight. Boy!" She ignored him and plunged on. By then she could hear horses and shouts beyond the wall.

She scrambled up onto the catwalk. The parapets were a bit too high and Arya a bit too short; she had to wedge her toes into the holes between the stones to see over. For a moment she thought the town was full of lantern bugs. Then she realized they were men with torches, galloping between the houses. She saw a roof go up, flames licking at the belly of the night with hot orange tongues as the thatch caught. Another followed, and then another, and soon there were fires blazing everywhere.

Gendry climbed up beside her, wearing his helm. "How many?"

Arya tried to count, but they were riding too fast, torches spinning through the air as they flung them. "A hundred," she said. "Two hundred, I don't know." Over the roar of the flames, she could hear shouts. "They'll come for us soon."

"There," Gendry said, pointing.

A column of riders moved between the burning buildings toward the holdfast. Firelight glittered off metal helms and spattered their mail and plate with orange and yellow highlights. One carried a banner on a tall lance. She thought it was red, but it was hard to tell in the night, with the fires roaring all around. Everything seemed red or black or orange.

The fire leapt from one house to another. Arya saw a tree consumed, the flames creeping across its branches until it stood against the night in robes of living orange. Everyone was awake now, manning the catwalks or struggling with the frightened animals below. She could hear Yoren shouting commands. Something bumped against her leg, and she glanced down to discover the crying girl clutching her. "Get away!" She wrenched her leg free. "What are you doing up here? Run and hide someplace, you stupid." She shoved the girl away.

The riders reined up before the gates. "You in the holdfast!" shouted a knight in a tall helm with a spiked crest. "Open, in the name of the king!"

"Aye, and which king is that?" old Reysen yelled back down, before Woth cuffed him into silence.

Yoren climbed the battlement beside the gate, his faded black cloak tied to a wooden staff. "You men hold down here!" he shouted. "The townfolk's gone."

"And who are you, old man? One of Lord Beric's cravens?" called the knight in the spiked helm. "If that fat fool Thoros is in there, ask him how he likes these fires."

"Got no such man here," Yoren shouted back. "Only some lads for the Watch. Got no part o' your war." He hoisted up the staff, so they could all see the color of his cloak. "Have a look. That's black, for the Night's Watch."

"Or black for House Dondarrion, " called the man who bore the enemy banner. Arya could see its colors more clearly now in the light of the burning town: a golden lion on red. "Lord Beric's sigil is a purple lightning bolt on a black field."

Suddenly Arya remembered the morning she had thrown the orange in Sansa's face and gotten juice all over her stupid ivory silk gown. There had been some southron lordling at the tourney, her sister's stupid friend Jeyne was in love with him. He had a lightning bolt on his shield and her father had sent him out to behead the Hound's brother. It seemed a thousand years ago now, something that had happened to a different person in a different life . . . to Arya Stark the Hand's daughter, not Arry the orphan boy. How would Arry know lords and such?

"Are you blind, man?" Yoren waved his staff back and forth, making the cloak ripple. "You see a bloody lightning bolt?"

"By night all banners look black," the knight in the spiked helm observed. "Open, or we'll know you for outlaws in league with the king's enemies."

Yoren spat. "Who's got your command?"

"I do." The reflections of burning houses glimmered dully on the armor of his warhorse as the others parted to let him pass. He was a stout man with a manticore on his shield, and ornate scrollwork crawling across his steel breastplate. Through the open visor of his helm, a face pale and piggy peered up. "Ser Amory Lorch, bannerman to Lord Tywin Lannister of Casterly Rock, the Hand of the King. The true king, Joffrey." He had a high, thin voice. "In his name, I command you to open these gates."

All around them, the town burned. The night air was full of smoke, and the drifting red embers outnumbered the stars. Yoren scowled. "Don't see the need. Do what you want to the town, it's naught to me, but leave us be. We're no foes to you."

Look with your eyes, Arya wanted to shout at the men below. "Can't they see we're no lords or knights?" she whispered.

"I don't think they care, Arry," Gendry whispered back.

And she looked at Ser Amory's face, the way Syrio had taught her to look, and she saw that he was right.

"If you are no traitors, open your gates," Ser Amory called. "We'll make certain you're telling it true and be on our way."

Yoren was chewing sourleaf. "Told you, no one here but us. You got my word on that."

The knight in the spiked helm laughed. "The crow gives us his word."

"You lost, old man?" mocked one of the spearmen. "The Wall's a long way north o' here."

"I command you once more, in King Joffrey's name, to prove the loyalty you profess and open these gates," said Ser Amory.

For a long moment Yoren considered, chewing. Then he spat. "Don't think I will."

"So be it. You defy the king's command, and so proclaim yourselves rebels, black cloaks or no."

"Got me young boys in here," Yoren shouted down.

"Young boys and old men die the same." Ser Amory raised a lanquid fist, and a spear came hurtling from the fire-bright shadows behind. Yoren must have been the target, but it was Woth beside him who was hit. The spearhead went in his throat and exploded out the back of his neck, dark and wet. Woth grabbed at the shaft, and fell boneless from the walk.

"Storm the walls and kill them all," Ser Amory said in a bored voice. More spears flew. Arya yanked down Hot Pie by the back of his tunic. From outside came the rattle of armor, the scrape of swords on scabbards, the banging of spears on shields, mingled with curses and the hoofbeats of racing horses. A torch sailed spinning above their heads, trailing fingers of fire as it thumped down in the dirt of the yard.

"Blades!" Yoren shouted. "Spread apart, defend the wall wherever they hit. Koss, Urreg, hold the postern. Lommy, pull that spear out of Woth and get up where he was."

Hot Pie dropped his shortsword when he tried to unsheath it. Arya shoved the blade back into his hand. "I don't know how to swordfight," he said, white-eyed.

"It's easy," Arya said, but the lie died in her throat as a hand grasped the top of the parapet. She saw it by the light of the burning town, so clear that it was as if time had stopped. The fingers were blunt, callused, wiry black hairs grew between the knuckles, there was dirt under the nail of the thumb. Fear cuts deeper than swords, she remembered as the top of a pothelm loomed up behind the hand.

She slashed down hard, and Needle's castle-forged steel bit into the grasping fingers between the knuckles. "Winterfell!" she screamed. Blood spurted, fingers flew, and the helmed face vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. "Behind!" Hot Pie yelled. Arya whirled. The second man was bearded and helmetless, his dirk between his teeth to leave both hands free for climbing. As he swung his leg over the parapet, she drove her point at his eyes. Needle never touched him; he reeled backward and fell. I hope he falls on his face and cuts off his tongue. "Watch them, not me!" she screamed at Hot Pie. The next time someone tried to climb their part of the wall, the boy hacked at his hands with his swordshort until the man dropped away.

Ser Amory had no ladders, but the holdfast walls were rough-cut and unmortared, easy to climb, and there seemed to be no end to the foes. For each one Arya cut or stabbed or shoved back, another was coming over the wall. The knight in the spiked helm reached the rampart, but Yoren tangled his black banner around his spike, and forced the point of his dirk through his armor while the man was fighting the cloth. Every time Arya looked up, more torches were flying, trailing long tongues of flame that lingered behind her eyes. She saw a gold lion on a red banner and thought of Joffrey, wishing he was here so she could drive Needle through his sneery face. When four men assaulted the gate with axes, Koss shot them down with arrows, one by one. Dobber wrestled a man off the walk, and Lommy smashed his head with a rock before he could rise, and hooted until he saw the knife in Dobber's belly and realized he wouldn't be getting up either. Arya jumped over a dead boy no older than Jon, lying with his arm cut off. She didn't think she'd done it, but she wasn't sure. She heard Qyle beg for mercy before a knight with a wasp on his shield smashed his face in with a spiked mace. Everything smelled of blood and smoke and iron and piss, but after a time it seemed like that was only one smell. She never saw how the skinny man got over the wall, but when he did she fell on him with Gendry and Hot Pie. Gendry's sword shattered on the man's helm, tearing it off his head. Underneath he was bald and scared-looking, with missing teeth and a speckly grey beard, but even as she was feeling sorry for him she was killing him, shouting, "Winterfell! Winterfell!" while Hot Pie screamed "Hot Pie!" beside her as he hacked at the man's scrawny neck.

When the skinny man was dead, Gendry stole his sword and leapt down into the yard to fight some more. Arya looked past him, and saw steel shadows running through the holdfast, firelight shining off mail and blades, and she knew that they'd gotten over the wall somewhere, or broken through at the postern. She jumped down beside Gendry, landing the way Syrio had taught her. The night rang to the clash of steel and the cries of the wounded and dying. For a moment Arya stood uncertain, not knowing which way to go. Death was all around her.

And then Yoren was there, shaking her, screaming in her face. "Boy!" he yelled, the way he always yelled it. "Get out, it's done, we've lost. Herd up all you can, you and him and the others, the boys, you get them out. Now!"

"How?" Arya said.

"That trap," he screamed. "Under the barn."

Quick as that he was gone, off to fight, sword in hand. Arya grabbed Gendry by the arm. "He said go," she shouted, "the barn, the way out." Through the slits of his helm, the Bull's eyes shone with reflected fire. He nodded. They called Hot Pie down from the wall and found Lommy Greenhands where he lay bleeding from a spear thrust through his calf. They found Gerren too, but he was hurt too bad to move. As they were running toward the barn, Arya spied the crying girl sitting in the middle of the chaos, surrounded by smoke and slaughter. She grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to her feet as the others raced ahead. The girl wouldn't walk, even when slapped. Arya dragged her with her right hand while she held Needle in the left. Ahead, the night was a sullen red. The barn's on fire, she thought. Flames were licking up its sides from where a torch had fallen on straw, and she could hear the screaming of the animals trapped within. Hot Pie stepped out of the barn. "Arry, come on! Lommy's gone, leave her if she won't come!"

Stubbornly, Arya dragged all the harder, pulling the crying girl along. Hot Pie scuttled back inside, abandoning them . . . but Gendry came back, the fire shining so bright on his polished helm that the horns seemed to glow orange. He ran to them, and hoisted the crying girl up over his shoulder. "Run!"

Rushing through the barn doors was like running into a furnace. The air was swirling with smoke, the back wall a sheet of fire ground to roof. Their horses and donkeys were kicking and rearing and screaming. The poor animals, Arya thought. Then she saw the wagon, and the three men manacled to its bed. Biter was flinging himself against the chains, blood running down his arms from where the irons clasped his wrists. Rorge screamed curses, kicking at the wood. "Boy!" called Jaqen H'ghar. "Sweet boy!"

The open trap was only a few feet ahead, but the fire was spreading fast, consuming the old wood and dry straw faster than she would have believed. Arya remembered the Hound's horrible burned face. "Tunnel's narrow," Gendry shouted. "How do we get her through?"

"Pull her," Arya said. "Push her."

"Good boys, kind boys," called Jaqen H'ghar, coughing.

"Get these fucking chains off!" Rorge screamed.

Gendry ignored them. "You go first, then her, then me. Hurry, it's a long way."

"When you split the firewood," Arya remembered, "where did you leave the axe?"

"Out by the haven." He spared a glance for the chained men. "I'd save the donkeys first. There's no time."

"You take her!" she yelled. "You get her out! You do it!" The fire beat at her back with hot red wings as she fled the burning barn. It felt blessedly cool outside, but men were dying all around her. She saw Koss throw down his blade to yield, and she saw them kill him where he stood. Smoke was everywhere. There was no sign of Yoren, but the axe was where Gendry had left it, by the woodpile outside the haven. As she wrenched it free, a mailed hand grabbed her arm. Spinning, Arya drove the head of the axe hard between his legs. She never saw his face, only the dark blood seeping between the links of his hauberk. Going back into that barn was the hardest thing she ever did. Smoke was pouring out the open door like a writhing black snake, and she could hear the screams of the poor animals inside, donkeys and horses and men. She chewed her lip, and darted through the doors, crouched low where the smoke wasn't quite so thick.

A donkey was caught in a ring of fire, shrieking in terror and pain. She could smell the stench of burning hair. The roof was gone up too, and things were falling down, pieces of flaming wood and bits of straw and hay. Arya put a hand over her mouth and nose. She couldn't see the wagon for the smoke, but she could still hear Biter screaming. She crawled toward the sound.

And then a wheel was looming over her. The wagon jumped and moved a half foot when Biter threw himself against his chains again. Jaqen saw her, but it was too hard to breathe, let alone talk. She threw the axe into the wagon. Rorge caught it and lifted it over his head, rivers of sooty sweat pouring down his noseless face. Arya was running, coughing. She heard the steel crash through the old wood, and again, again. An instant later came a crack as loud as thunder, and the bottom of the wagon came ripping loose in an explosion of splinters.

Arya rolled headfirst into the tunnel and dropped five feet. She got dirt in her mouth but she didn't care, the taste was fine, the taste was mud and water and worms and life. Under the earth the air was cool and dark. Above was nothing but blood and roaring red and choking smoke and the screams of dying horses. She moved her belt around so Needle would not be in her way, and began to crawl. A dozen feet down the tunnel she heard the sound, like the roar of some monstrous beast, and a cloud of hot smoke and black dust came billowing up behind her, smelling of hell. Arya held her breath and kissed the mud on the floor of the tunnel and cried. For whom, she could not say.