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i-will-physically-fight-you · 5 years ago

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Travelers in the Dark Chapter 4

Chapter Title: Bunker Underneath the Surface

Summary: If Virgil was told a month ago that events that transpired and led him into meeting Logan and the others, he’d laugh at the absurdity of it. Now it scared how quickly he’d grown to care for these humans. Still he has some fears over staying with them, fears that swirl in his mind when Logan asks for a quick chat between the two.

Pairings: platonic lamp

Chapter Word-Count: 3.4k

Warnings: Vampires, Fear, Panic, Implied Non-Graphic Violence, Blood Mention, Fantasy Racial Discrimination

Previous Chapter | Present | Next Chapter AO3 LINK

*dusts off this fic* It’s been a while, huh? Massive thanks to @theeternalspace for beta’ing this chapter as always!

I don’t think I mentioned this besides the ao3 tags, but the original plan behind this fic was to include villain!Janus later down the road. It won’t happen until the second half of this fic, and honestly, I’m still deciding if I’m still including that or going a different route, I just wanted to mention that it may be occurring.

If you don’t want to read content featuring him depicted that way, I understand. With the way the first half of this fic is designed, you can easily read the fic up to the point before villain!Janus might make an appearance and still enjoy it, as there’s basically two different story arcs that occur in this fic :)

Over the course of the next week, Virgil’s resolve to leave dissipated. It chipped away with Patton’s humming as he mixed together ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies. It splintered as Roman sauntered into the kitchen and swept Patton into an impromptu waltz. It fell apart as Logan tried to maintain a steady gaze on his physics book but the curve of his lips told Virgil he was amused by the others’ antics.

He’d never experienced such a warm, loving environment. He didn’t know they existed outside of fiction. If Virgil was told a month ago of the events that would transpire, he’d laugh at the absurdity of it all. Now it scared how quickly he’d grown to care for these humans.

In the stormy bleak world he’d grown up and lived in, it was every person for themselves. His foster parents took care of him simply for the money involved. His teachers could care less if he, a vampire, passed or failed. The one person he’d considered a friend only used him for their own gain in the end.

It’d been better to cease social interactions altogether. What was the point of subjecting himself to it when it always resulted in a negative outcome? After all, the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Virgil was many things, but he wasn’t stupid. Or at least, he was smart enough to recognize it wasn’t worth it. Any other person might’ve gone the other extreme. They might’ve done whatever they pleased, regardless of what everyone else thought. They might’ve become what others expected them to be, because there was no other designated role in society for them.

Virgil refused. The last thing he wanted was to prove that the prejudices against vampires were valid. But again, he wasn’t stupid. He was just one person fighting an ocean of bigotry. Everyone knows you can’t fight the ocean because it does whatever its damn well pleases.

That was why he ran away from his foster family, from everything. He disappeared into the park, taking refuge in the trees. It had been safer to just give up than to play society’s game. He didn’t even finish high school. Every day became about finding his next meal, his next shelter, his next—well he didn’t need water to survive. One of the perks of being a practically immortal vampire.

When he reached eighteen, he stopped aging. Physically. Which sounded just as fun as it felt; being trapped in a perpetual state of puberty for potentially a hundred years or so. It varied from vampire to vampire, when they’d start showing signs again of physically aging. He was twenty-eight now, and still practically an adolescent by vampiric standards.

In fact, vampires at his age required more frequent feedings to put up with their young body’s fast metabolism. It meant that Virgil was hungry all day every day. It had been hard at the beginning. He’d never had to worry about meals while under the care of the state.

Quickly he understood how hard it was to resist the urges wired into his being. Once, he’d gone three weeks without a meal. Hunting down animals hadn’t been as easy as he’d thought. Even when he managed to capture the odd bird or two—it was enough for him to starve off the urges. But never enough to truly satisfy it.

Virgil blacked out at the end of those three weeks. When he regained consciousness, he stood in an unfamiliar alley over an unfamiliar body. Fresh blood dripped from his lips as he recoiled in terror—did he do this? Did he really kill someone? But then---then! The body’s chest rose, and he knew for certain the person was still alive.

Virgil should’ve called an ambulance, he should’ve turned himself in. He should’ve done something. But he didn’t.

He ran—his mind clouded with panic. He ran and ran until he reached the secluded security of the parks’ groves. There he collapsed, his body wracked with sobs.

The kids at his school had been right; they’ve been right all along, and Virgil had refused to see it. He was a monster. Maybe they were also right that he deserved to die. But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Virgil secluded himself further in the park—being more mindful than ever to stay away from human contact. It was safer this way. Both for him and for everyone else. He couldn’t trust himself not to act on his impulses again. He became better at hunting wildlife animals. Too good, in fact.

There had started to be a suspicious shortage of squirrels in the park.

For years, his only focus in life had been on survival. He’d forgotten almost anything that wasn’t vital to that goal. The days all blurred into each other, a continuous cycle of monotony. He’d liked it—routines were comforting. They were predictable, they were safe.

Despite this, even vampires needed social interaction. There was a reason why vampires preferred to live in covens rather than in isolation. He lived ignorant of that need throughout his time in the park. He didn’t realize it existed until this week spent in the apartment with Logan, Patton and Roman.

There had been a void in his heart and those three humans managed to fill it. For the first time in a long, long while Virgil felt…happy. The sensation was alarming and terrifying but also good.

Did that make him selfish if he didn’t want to give that up?

He tried his best to fight against the growing desire to stay. The last thing he wanted was to endanger the only humans who have shown him kindness. The idea of one day waking up standing over their unmoving bodies tormented him. He grew used to constant hunger, yes, but it was different in the woods. At least there he wasn’t constantly around three viable food sources. Not that he wanted to ever think of the humans in that way. They were so much more than a source of food. Vampiric urges be damned.

Several days after the garlic bread debacle with Roman, Logan sat him down.

“I have a few questions to ask you. But before I ask them, I want to let you know that you are not obligated in any way to answer them. Nor does this inquiry have anything to do with my scientific pursuits or anything of that sort.”

If he was a human, his pulse would’ve quickened from the anxiety swelling up inside of him. His thoughts pinballed into a million different directions as he tried to figure out what could possibly be on Logan’s mind. Externally he leaned back on the couch, arms crossed in a casual manner.

“Shoot.”

“Shoot? Why would I shoot—”

“It’s slang. It means ‘ask away.’” Virgil clarified.

It became apparent quickly that Logan was not adept at slang. It was a sore spot for the veterinarian—he took pride in being right. He told Virgil that he only spoke if he was certain of what he was saying was correct. Still, he found discovering new knowledge invigorating. Rather than denounce slang, he tried his best to understand it. He kept a pack of flashcards with him to help remember the correct usage of them.

“Ah! I’ll have to remember to add that later,” He murmured before clearing his throat, “moving on. My first question would be, how often do you actually need to feed?”

Virgil froze, meeting the knowing gaze of the human. He’d been careful to take the bare minimum blood from both Logan and Roman. He hadn’t fed from Patton, and frankly he was trying to avoid that. The bond between a vampire and a donor was a complex, tricky thing.

The more blood he took, the more he risked strengthening such a connection. But both Logan and Roman were stubborn humans that refused to see their vampire guest starve. He’d managed to convince Logan he survived off less than what he actually needed. It was the truth—as long he conserved his energy and slept for longer periods. But it appeared Logan became suspicious—or maybe, had always been suspicious from the start.

“Did Roman put you up to this?” Virgil demanded, his nails digging into the flesh of his arms.

“While he did mention what happened with the garlic, he did not set me up to this. I’m asking out of my own vocation and…concerns,” Logan frowned, adjusting his glasses, “I’ve refrained from asking you questions about vampires’ physiology because the last thing I want to do is make you feel uncomfortable but…I just want to make sure you are getting proper nutrition. Your health is just as important to me as the others.”

Virgil sighed. What did he have to lose? Perhaps upon learning the truth, Logan would realize Virgil wasn’t worth their time and energy. As much as that thought hurt, it was for the best.

“I don’t really know,” Virgil confessed, “I’m always hungry. Squirrels and birds are enough to get by, but they’re…not enough. Maybe once, per day?”

Virgil closed his eyes, unable to force himself to see Logan’s reaction. There a was a few beats of silences before Logan inhaled deeply and said,

“I see. How many liters do you think that is?”

“Liters?” Virgil knitted his eyebrows together as he tried to recall how measurements worked, “I…have no idea.”

“As you know, I do not know much about vampire physiology, but do you think it’s similar to vampire bats?” At Virgil’s vacant stare, he elaborated, “vampire bats consume half their body weight per feeding.”

“No, it’s not like that,” Virgil shook his head, “It’s less, I think? But it depends on the source.”

“What do you mean?” Logan asked, leaning forward in interest.

“Look I don’t know how all the scientific shit works. But like, for some reason human blood is more nutritious? We can sustain on animal blood, but it’s not the same it’s like—it’s like—”

“Eating junk food compared to healthier alternatives?” Logan suggested.

“Yeah, I guess,” Virgil shrugged, slinking further into the couch, “We don’t have to drink as much human blood as we do with animal blood.”

“Fascinating,” Logan muttered, his hands twitching as if he wanted to scribble down these findings in a journal. He instead cusped his face with a hand, frowning. Virgil shifted nervously, waiting to hear the rest of Logan’s thoughts.

“I’m not sure though…if I and the others would be able to donate blood on a daily basis without severe risk to our health.”

“Wh—what?” Virgil said, his eyes widening in surprise. Logan actually sounded regretful of this fact. Whatever Virgil expected to come out of his lips, it wasn’t that.

Logan, however, seemed to take his reaction for something else entirely.

“You see, when humans donate blood for medical purposes, we are only allowed to donate every eight weeks or so to allow time for our red blood cells to replenish. Having a low red blood cell count is dangerous for humans…I am truly sorry about that, Virgil.”

“Wh—you have nothing to apologize for—I mean I wasn’t expecting you guys—” Virgil’s voice cracked, causing him to glance away in embarrassment, “you don’t have to do anything, really.”

“Virgil,” Logan said softly, “do you remember what I said when we began this discussion?”

Virgil’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Do you mean what you said about how you cared for…my health?” He asked hesitantly.

“Precisely,” Logan said, “I was stating the truth when I meant your health is important to me. After all, you are a friend.”

“You’re serious?”

“Of course,” Logan nodded, “only serious people wear neckties.”

He gestured to his necktie, and Virgil let out a chuckle.

“Y’know, you and the others are really making it hard for me to leave.” He murmured, “but I can’t stay. I—I just can’t. I can’t stay and possibly become a danger to you.”

“Virgil, you will not be a burden to us. It might be difficult, but I know the others and I would be willing to help figure out a solution for your dietary needs. Let me repay you—”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“Then at least let me do this for you as a friend.”

There was again, the f word. It was really devilish of Logan to use it against Virgil. Especially since all he had ever wanted in life was to be loved and accepted by others. It was oh so tempting to just stay and live in the solace of the apartment. Until the day he outlived the others, by his hands or by natural causes. He didn’t know which one was worse.

Virgil swallowed, throat tightening, “Are you sure of this? Are you sure you want me around? I mean, you barely know me.”

“As certain as I am of the sun rise, yes.”

“Well there is one solution.” Virgil said with a slight groan. He couldn’t believe he was doing this.

Logan perked up, looking at Virgil with childish excitement. “What is it?”

“I’ve never done this and I don’t know like the exact scientific crap behind it. But if a vampire feeds from a, uh, human consistently, um, it’s like we inject something that keeps humans’ blood healthy. So like, I guess it helps reproduce red blood cells faster.”

“Incredible,” Logan murmurs, “I can’t believe—well, unfortunately I can understand why this isn’t common knowledge. But something like this proves vampires and humans as a whole could one day live harmoniously.”

“I mean, I doubt that,” Virgil laughed bitterly, “There is some…side effects. You might become, uh, enthralled for a brief period after a feeding. Like, very agreeable to whatever I suggest. So I get it if that makes any of you uncomfortable.”

He flitted his gaze towards his ratty shoes. A hand rested on his shoulder, soft and tentative. As if fully prepared to draw back if Virgil brushed it off. He looked up at Logan. The human looked back, a determined glint in his eyes.

“Virgil, I trust you. I can’t speak for the others but I’d like to test this arrangement between you and I. If for whatever reason, it does not work—either for you or for myself, then we can always find a different solution. Alright?”

“Okay.” Virgil choked, forcing his vision to remain clear and not blurry with tears.

So, he stayed. Patton’s eyes lit up like a kid receiving a puppy for Christmas. He immediately bombarded Virgil with one of his signature hugs. Roman laughed triumphantly as he clasped Virgil’s shoulder and promised him that he wouldn’t regret this. Logan hung back, but his soft smile told Virgil all he needed to know.

Staying meant that he had to find a job. Virgil had never held a job in his entire life, never mind the fact he didn’t have a high school diploma. Yet Virgil couldn’t live in good conscious as a freeloader in the apartment. He wanted to contribute to the apartment rent. In order to do that, he needed money. He was certain that the two quarters and the one nickel he had floating in his jeans pocket wouldn’t be enough.

He searched for businesses that would hire someone like him. Not only was he dealing with a rather sparse resume, but there was of course prejudice against vampires. The humans flaunted around words like “peace among species” and “equal rights for all” but that rarely was the case. Even with the Helsing Laws in effect. He’d like to say that their prejudice was entirely unwarranted but well…

Most vampires kept to themselves. They either believed staying quiet would bring about peace or they just stewed about it away from human ears. Then there were some vampires that believed they were the superior beings and not the humans. So they really didn’t have qualms about hurting humans to bring about their agenda. Something Virgil knew about too well.

Of course, the businesses couldn’t openly discriminate. The Helsing Laws prevented that. But the laws did nothing to stop the prejudices that still clung heavily to the air. It took just one smile—one laugh for them to see a flash of pearly white fangs and freeze up. They wouldn’t say it in words. But he could tell by their tone of voice and not so subtle wording that they were afraid.

They were afraid he’d snap and become an endangerment by attacking and drinking the blood of the first human he came into contact with. Honestly, humans were perfectly capable of eating their own kind’s flesh, yet you don’t see them worrying about that possibility.

It made it all the more hard to decipher then, who would hire him and who would cuss out his existence.

“So what makes you interested in working at our establishment?” The lady conducting his seventh interview asked. It was at a local, quirky coffeeshop—the kind that regulars claimed was way better than Starbucks.

Um because I want money? Virgil thought. He didn’t say it out loud, learning from his first interview that was apparently not what they wanted to hear. After that mishap, the others helped coached him through the right things to say. It still didn’t keep his intestines from knotting up out of nervousness.

“It seems like a chill, clean environment.” He shrugged.

“Well, thank you, we like keeping it that way for our customers,” She laughed, “but we do still expect our employees to work hard and not slack off. We can get busy especially in the weekday mornings and all day on the weekends. Do you think you can handle that?”

No.

“Yes,” Virgil said, lying through his teeth, “I’m pretty good at handling stressful situations.”

“Is there a specific example you can think of?”

Virgil twisted in his seat, doing his best not to fiddle with his fingers.

Here goes.

“Well, as a—a vampire, I’ve had to deal with people who don’t…like that much. So I’m good at making sure I keep my composure. Like if there is an upset customer, I—I think I could be good at staying calm and making sure they walk away happy.”

She pressed her lips together, “I see.” And then, “What would you say are some weaknesses of yours?”

The rest of the interview continued on. She didn’t make any sort of comment about Virgil being a vampire. He didn’t know what to make of that.

“I’ll call you soon on what my decision is.” She told him, although he learned by his second interview not to trust those words.

“How was it?!” Patton asked upon his return back to the apartment. He and Roman were sitting on the couch watching TV. Logan was gone from the apartment, too early for him to be home from work. Virgil said nothing. He took a few steps before crashing into Roman’s side.

“That bad, huh?” Roman chuckled, already drawing his arms around Virgil.

“Tired,” Virgil closed his eyes, “job interviews are fricking exhausting.”

He heard Roman’s voice say something as his senses turned all muddy and muted. Someone laughed. Patton? If he wanted to, he could’ve forced his eyes open to see. He was content, however, to just lie there and steal Roman’s body heat.

It was stupid how easily Virgil taken to be at ease with these humans. Then again, it was also stupid how easily they accepted him. If either party had malicious intent, it would be almost effortless for them. Like taking candy from a baby.

Sleep was a strange thing for vampires. They needed rest, yes, but they never slept as deeply as humans could. Even in his soundest sleep, Virgil had a murky awareness of things. He could feel Roman mess with his hair, carefully untangling it with his fingers. He heard Patton’s and Roman’s heartbeats, steady and strong as ever. There was also a different sound. A buzzing, ringing sound.

“—gil! Hey Virgil! Wake up!”

Virgil jolted, alert and ready. His eyes scanned everywhere but found no threats. He looked at Roman and Patton in confusion, “Huh?”

Patton smiled, holding out his phone, “It’s for you.”

For him? But that could only mean one thing—someone actually called him back after a job interview. With a shaky hand, Virgil took the phone from Patton.

“Hello?”

“Hi Virgil, this is you, right?” The voice on the other line said. It did sound like the lady from the job interview.

“Yes.” Virgil answered, biting his lips and trying not to hiss from the pain that produced.

The voice said more words. Virgil managed to say words back. The conversation lasted scarcely a minute yet seemed like an eternity. He handed the phone back to Patton, eyes glazed over.

“Well?” Patton wiggled his eyebrows, bouncing in his seat like a rambunctious Labrador.

“Well,” Virgil began with a hesitant sliver of a smile, “I got the job.”

#thomas sanders #sanders sides #virgil sanders #logan sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #kat writes

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findingtheperfectcharacter · 5 years ago

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What you are part 1

Posting this one on Tumbles first for no real reason.

Summary: Remus wants to help the Light Sides come up with ideas for a new video. Things go very wrong

Warnings: Unsympathetic Patton, Sympathetic Remus, Sympathetic Deceit, Virgil goes through an arc in part 2 but is questionable here, there's a Daddy joke, dick mention, ass eating mention, but nothing actually sexual happens in the fic, mild gore mention, hanging mention, candy animal death, ask for more warnings, practice self care because this gets bad

Remus was, by his nature, loud. His clothes were loud, his hair was loud, fuck even his steps were loud. Which made trying to sneak past Deceit a futile effort.

Yet still Remus crept into the Darkside living room. Like all parts of Thomas's mind, it was set up like the main living room, but small changes made the differences between the rooms clear. The paint was peeled, each sliver curled inwards like claws. Instead of a painting with abstract circles, there was one with a series of eyes that seemed to follow you around the room. The stairs had caution tape and cones that discouraged entry, the room was bathed in a sinister green light.

And there on the couch sat Deceit, back straight, engrossed in a book about David Hume. All Remus had to do is get to his spot and sink-

"Evening Remus." The snake said without looking up.

"Fuck- I mean Hi Deeeeeee-lightful." The positive nickname made Deceit's nose crinkle slightly, which made Remus feel slightly less on edge.

"Where are you going?" His tone was smooth and casual, he even flipped to the next page of his book, trying to pretend that this was a normal event.

"STRAIGHT TO HELL!" Remus cackled, but it did little to lighten the tensity of the situation if anything the silence that followed made things feel worse. He gripped the edge of his shirt, "This is the exact silence that comes before someone makes just the LOUDEST fart, like the kind you'd want to light a fire under and watch the building burn with cause there's just so much gas-"

"You're going to see them, aren't you?" Deceit's voice held no emotion but Remus could feel it nonetheless. He knew this looked exactly like what happened when Virgil left. The one time he went over, followed by hours of talking about how nice it felt to Finally feel listened to even if they did hate him. He grew a fanbase, the others slowly seemed to get used to his prescence and valued his imput.

He was happy, and they were happy for him.

The last time they saw him was when he ducked out, Deceit had yelled at him about how much Thomas NEEDED him, how much danger he was putting their host in, and for what? To feel more appreciated by THEM?

Virgil had argued back, until Deceit realized he wasn't going to listen to him anymore and left him to get some non-anxiety -filled air and tea for the both of them. The door was gone when he came back.

If the same thing happened with Remus, the only person Deceit would have left was Rage and, while certainly useful and not the worst, they weren't nearly as close.

Remus moved closer to the couch just to drape over it and by proxy Deceit, "Awww, if I didn't know better I'd say you were worried about me Little Dee~ relax, I'm just going over to see if they need help with the next video."

Deceit scoffed, "I'd never miss you. You're an absolute nuscience to everyone." In the corner of his lips though there was a smile and of course Remus noticed and poked his cheek.

"You loooooooooove me~!"

"I have never loved anyone or anything in my life." He deadpanned. Remus howled with laughter at that one he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Ah, that's a good one. Don't worry too much D-cup," he said casually waving his hand, "I'll be back by dinner."

He moved to his spot prepared to sink out, when he heard Deceit say wity more sincerity he thought the side was capable of, "Be careful."

Remus gave a loud, "HA! I don't know the meaning of the word!" Deceit gave a long suffering sign and Remus couldn't help the devilish smile that came to his lips, but the genuine concern in Deceit's eye made his stomach churn with guilt so he added, "But I will." Before sinking out.

"WHADDUP SLUTS?!" He shouted one arm in the air and the other on his hips as he entered in Roman's typical spot. Patton and Virgil were the only ones here, which made sense. Logan doing research on the next video's topic and Roman brain storming and all. Virgil growled at him the minute he stepped in, but stopped when Patton put a hand on his shoulder.

"We promised we'd give him a chance Virge." He said softly.

Virgil shoved his hands in his pocket, "Whatever, if he's staying I'm going."

Remus waved his hand "Alright then, bye bitch."

Virgil blew a raspberry at him and sunk out.

Patton took a deep breath rubbing between his eyes, "Alright Pat Pat, be calm, you can do this." Then, he smiled at Remus as if nothing just happened, "Hi kiddo, it's nice to see you again!"

Remus snorted, "I thought you were against lying Morality," he made his voice high, "Because it's woooooong. "

Patgon cocked his head, "Whaddaya mean? It is nice to see you!"

Remus's smile widened, "Like it's nice to see... THIS," He waved his hand and Patton was greated with the image of a body hanging from the ceiling with their own intestine serving as the rope.

Patton cringed at the image and wrapped his arms against himself, "Do you HAVE to do that?"

Remus shrugged, "It's what I do daddy dearest, emphasis on the DADDY."

Patton groaned, "Dear God, please don't-" he breathed in through his nose, " Alright, it 's okay, you are allowed to be you. "

Remus put his chin in his hands, "Always great to have your permission to be here. "

Patton shook his head, "Let's start from the begining-"

Remus got prepared to restart his musical number when Patton cut him off, "NO!" Patton cleared his throat, "Ha no no no, the begining of this conversation. Did you come here for a reason kiddo?"

Remus blinked, did he? Oh, right! "I was wondering if I could help Roman and Logan with the next episode?" For a split second there was a flicker of pleading in Remus's eyes, he really wanted this, of course he did. He was a part of Creativity after all.

Patton nodded, "Of course! We'd love to have you involved."

Remus shook his head like a flabbergasted cartoon, "bbhihbjgbgjv Whaaaaa? "

Patton laughed, "Oh you~ Dark sides can be so silly! I said we'd love to have you involved as long as you have things that are worth acknowledging." He walked up to Remus , put his hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye, Rdmus stiffened, the eye contact putting him on edge. He looked away and Patton moved to cup Remus's face in his hand, "Look at me, hey, hey look at me."

He pushed Remus's face to look at him and stroked his head, "I know I messed up before," he sniffled, "I messed up real bad because I didn't understand you. Now, now I do and," he burried his head in Remus's shoulder who shuffled a big, feeling uncomfortable. "I promise I'll never make the same mistake. You were always one of us Remus, and I-I was wrong to think otherwise. "

Remus wished he'd get off of him, he hated how trapped he felt in Patton's arms. He hated how he felt guilty even though he knew it wasn't his fault Patton was crying. "Okay." He said simply. He hated that that was the only thing he could think to say. He was getting a chance to be with the Light sides, to have an open voice in Thomas's mind with seemingly no drawbacks and all he could think to say was, 'okay '?!

Patton wiped his eyes, "Alright, " loud sniff, "Let's go then!"

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The light side of the Imagination was just as bright and cheery as Remus remembered it from the split. The sky was a brilliant blue, the trees ranged from as tall as mountains to as small as a pinball. It was rare that you could find two that were exactly the same, some had this cotton candy leaves and candied apples hanging from them, while others seemed normal, until you noticed that they danced gently despite the lack of a breeze.

Remus took a hold of a licorace vine and watched it wiggle and twist into a hissing red snake in his hands. Patton gave a squeak of fear and backed up; Remus bit off its head, spreading cherry flavored blood and viscera around the area. He gave a small hum, "Not bad, he managed to keep the flavor and considering the grass isn't wilting and he doesn't know I'm here, he's gotten WAY more powerful."

He turned towards Patton, mouth covered with the jam, "Want some?"

Patton quickly shook his head, "No, no I don't. Hey, I have a fun game to play while we're here, it's called, 'don't touch and ruin Roman's beautiful perfect creations!'"

"But I'm not!" He whinned.

Patton pet the top of his head, "I know you're not doing it on purpose sweetie, it's just who you are." He pat his knees, "Just keep your hands right here until we meet up with Roman okay?"

Remus didn't know why this got to him so much, after all he wasn't being silenced, just told not to touch things for now. His hands twitched the entire walk towards Roman, the inability to touch anything around him made the short walk feel like it took ages, but nonetheless they sucessfully made it to Roman's castle. It reminded him of the castle at Disneyland, a tall, bright white beast of a thing made of several towers with red tips.

Remus couldn't help his small smie when he looked slightly to the left over a nearbye hill and saw the castle of The Dragon Witch still standing. She'd been one of his favorites when they were younger, coming up with her schemes and Roman foiling them. His heart ached slightly with nostalgia, unti he felt Patton tug on his arm gently.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Patton said with a cock of his head.

"I missed this place." Remus's voice was quiet as he soaked in the details of the area.

Patton put his arm around Remus's shoulder and squeezes it hard enough to make Remus flinch, "Oh you softie!" He chuckles, "Come on, let's go inside." As soon as they reached the archway two half-wolf creature guards stopped them in their tracks, pointig their spears at the pair. Patton showed his crest and they nodded.

"Sir Patton, we of course recognize you, but we cannot allow that," the sword was placed under Remus's chin, "FIEND to enter and hurt our Prince."

Remus pouted, "Awww, is the widdle pwince too scared to fight me head on?"

Patton ignored him, "Good knights we swear we will not attempt to harm the

More loudly he said, "Stop pretending you're not listening through your proxies and FIGHT ME you COWARD!" There was a twinkle of mirth in his eyes as the doors to the castle swung open, a shadowy figure stood in the doorway dramatic fog behind him, "You dare call me a coward?" The voice of the shadow was Roman, clear as day. He stepped into the sunlight, sword in hand, "Those are fighting wor -"

Before he could finish, he was tackle hugged by Patton. "Roman!" The Prince in question laughed, "Patton! This sure is a surprise. What are you doing here?"

Patton gave his prettiest smile, "Well, Remus wanted to help you brainstorm a bit for the next video. "

"And you're okay with that?"

"Absolutely! As long as I'm allowed to watch and make sure nothing bad happens this should all go fine. "

Roman looked at Patton for a few moments, mulling it over before nodding and motioning the guards away from Remus. Remus strut to his side, "Well it's about time Prince Boring."

Roman hit him on the head with the blunt side of his blade, making Remus crumple to the ground surprised at the motion, "That was for when you snuck up behind me on camera. "He leaned down and flicked his nose, "And that was for calling me a coward."

Remus rubbed his nose, a slightly dazed look on his face, "Ah Rominiature you haven't changed a bit!"

Roman sighs, "It's a HALF INCH."

Remus bleps, "Still taaaaaaller~!"

Roman rolls his eyes, and starts walking inside, Patton follows behind leaving Remus outside for a while until he finally feels okay enough to join them inside.

"So what kind of dicks do your dog creatures have?" Remus asked as soon as he returned to the pair's side. Patton made a choking noise but Roman didn't respond for a while.

"I actually haven't thought about what their species is like in... That way." Roman mused, "It might help my worldbuilding in a round about way." A small red poof of a cloud appeared with thr words, 'How would gender roles work in a society where the amount of children born is at least 3?"

Remus shrugged, "I was thinking porn but hey. there are millions of ways to take my suggestions! Ohhh, do you think they do bloodsports to stop overpopulation? "A small green cloud apeared too, but was Patton clapped his hands and it vanished.

"Sorry! I just don't think that's the kind of story we want to write! I mean that's a super dark thing to have in a world with human-dog hybrids and cotton candy trees!" Patton's voice was simple, his reasoning made sense.

"Oh." Remus said quietly, his stomach churned he knew Patton wasn't wrong, of course he wasn't, but everything felt so dizzyingly familiar.

Roman pat him on the back twice and gave the kind of smile that could light up the world, the kind that reminded Remus why Roman kept the role of Prince, "Don't get too mopy about that bother-oh-mine. We were supposed to be brainstorming about the video remember?"

Remus gave a small smile and nodded, "Of course. Yeah." And so it began , and Remus watched as one by one his concepts were clapped out of existance by Patton.

'What if Thomas had to deal with not knowing whether he's ready to go to bone town with a partner?' Clapped out because they don't need to talk about 'that kind of thing' when kids could be watching! 'What about an episode where Thomas has to deal with the loss of a loved one, maybe even one he has mixed feelings towards!' Clapped for being too depressing, it'd get everyone down! 'One where Thomas has to debate his own safety after a robbery nearby?' Clapped because it could lead to talking about violence or worse, guns, and Patton doesn't think they should get into that. 'What about-' CLAP 'one where Thomas' CLAP 'Has to' CLAP CLAP CLAP.

The sound of Patton's claps rang in his ears everything was dimmed and loud at once and felt so bright, with one more clap he couldn't take it anymore and shouted, 'WHAT ABOUT AN EPISODE WHERE THOMAS EATS MY ENTIRE ASS? It'd start with Morality sucking my cock, then Logic would behead him out of jealously and finally Thomas would reveal that the only thing he eved wanted was to eat my ass. OM NOM NOM!"

There was silence.

His eyes watered with unshed tears, why was everything he did wrong?

Patton smiled, "Well that sure was a creative idea Remus, but I don't think we can accept it. Sorry. Hey Roman?" Roman stopped saying his own ideas for a second and glanced at the pair, "Remus seems pretty upset, I think we're going to head out."

Roman looked confused for a second then looks at Remus proper, his eyes widened, "How did I not, I was so lost in thought. Oh dear, Remus... I'll join you."

Patton shook his head, "Oh no, I can handle him fine. You just keep creating you handsome lovely prince you!"

Roman glances at his brother one last time, "Is that what you want Remus? "

Remus couldn't hear him over the incessant pounding of his head. He just clung to the closestthing nearby, which in this case was Patton. Roman took that as a yes and sunk them both out into the commons.

Remus burst into tears, he felt fragile, a single word could break him. Patton hummed softly rocking him back and fourth, in another time or place Remus would have bitten his fingers as they ran through his hair. "Shhh, it's okay." Patton whispered, "It'll be okay."

Remus managed to get his voice to work and croaked, "Why can't I," his breath hitched, "Why can't I create good things? I want, I want to help-"

Patton hushed him gently once more, "I know kiddo, I know. But sometimes you can't, because you're just not good enough. I know it hurts, but you can't change what you are and you're the bad part of creativity."

Remus felt strange, every word that Patton said was laced with honey, created to soothe, but nothing he said felt soothing. It made his throat close up and more tears force their way out. Patton kissed the top of his head, "But that's okay, because I love you, even though you are bad. I want you to stay with us, I even have a room prepared when you're ready. "

Remus wished he could argue that Patton didn't love him. A few days ago that would have been easy, but now here he was, offering him a place on the light side, heck maybe he'd even have a voice if he worked harder to cool down his temper and keep his ideas in check, he'd even apologized for how he treated him in the past. "Okay." He said simply. Patton hugged him tightly and led him to his room.

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

Deceit sat at the dinner table with a plate of steak and salad for himself, a similar p!ate, but with a well done stake to his left (Virgil would always get panicked if his wasn't well done.) And a plate of fried worms to his right (Remus loved the crunch.) It was 7 o clock.

"Are we going to wait for them until midnight or can I eat?" Rage snapped.

Deceit waved his hand in a sign that he could eat and the Orange side did, with a ravenous appetite, but Deceit didn't loose hope that either of them would appear in the night, laughing about how late they are. So he waited.

and waited

and waited.

#R #Sanders Sides #Deceit Sandees #Remus Sanders #Patton Sanders #Roman Sanders #Virgil sandees #Sympathetic Remus #Sympathetic Deceit #Unsympathetic Patton #Fanficion #tss fanfiction

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charmed-asylum · 5 years ago

Text

The Partners

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 6

Summary: Finn Cox had everything boy would ever dream of a hot cheerleader girlfriend, loved by everyone, and caption of his hockey team. So why is since Camille Dawson step into his life he starts to have second thoughts about everything

FYI: I can not believe we are finally hitting the climax of this love story. Finally coming back up to present where we left our lovesick Finn. Things are gonna go good to great HOLY SHIT back to dang it. WARNING: it's OVER 5K

✨ The Partners: 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5 ✨ // Master List

tagged: @weapinggwillowss @nottherightseason @strangerfictions @thewolfswriting @ hauntors

Finn waited outside The Mouse for her. His hands in his pocket old brown leather jacket zip up. The breeze sways his thick chestnut brown hair around with the smell of pine trees. He checks with Will she had nothing. So no excuses. With the past few days she was less like herself when they were together she didn’t speak much. Then there were the long moments in the bathroom. Silent moments.

She walked out around 2:50. Fifty minutes past her schedule. She didn’t realize he was there at first. Her hair was loose in front of her eye like the way it uses to be. Holding her brown apron with The Mouse logo, a little mouse and squirrel, wearing dark denim jeans and a vintage tour t-shirt. “ This is a plot twist" Camille said walking up to him. Finn smiled at her whit. “ Come on. Today I’m the driver. I check you are clear. Will out on business. My dad at work fine” Finn said taking her things. She rolls her eyes and taps him on the shoulder. “ I’m sure you are not gonna tell me what this is about for real or where we going” Camille says walking next to him to his car. She stops by the passenger door for a second. The breeze play with her hair. Finn got in and pop the door for her. “ I won’t bite come in” Finn said. Camille shocks her head and got in.

The music was playing loud booming “ Remember our third work meeting. We were still getting to know each other. I had practice and you came by. I couldn’t stop working so you got out on the ice" Finn started to say. “ For the first time” Camille added. “ Yes. On the ice with your two left feet. You kept falling but kept getting up again and again” Finn said looking at her. She turns towards him and smiles. He loved how determined she always is. “ Finn Cox you better not bring me with the Ice Box” Camille said seriously. He stops the car got out and open the door for her. A big sign that looks like it came out from disco 70s. He stood behind her and look off blindfolded. “ You said one day I’m gonna get you back. Now we gonna see. Each Friday they have good music skates and a lot of glow sticks” Finn said with a bright smile. One way into her heart was always glowing sticks. One of the many weird facts he learns during their time together. As they walk inside kids everywhere parents following them with pop in one hand and shoes in another. Camille's eyes were bright but her body was still she just look around. Dazed.

“ My parents when they were alive they brought me here. a few times. I completely forgot about this place” Camille said looking at a pinball machine. Eyes glitter with silver. Her phone started to ring. She glanced at it,” Take it 12 hours I don’t want it. I’m all yours". Finn looks at it and turns it off. “ My mom used to take me here too. Hey, you think we might have been game buddies. I know all the cheats to all the games" Finn ask handing her rollerblades. “Probably" she said with a grin. They paint each other face with glow in the dark face paint and went out to the rink. She was right she was good. She glides and spins like a leaf flying gracefully in the air on a fall afternoon. Finn followed her around in around. Holding onto her hand he stops her. “ So gonna tell me what wrong” Finn asked. She turns to him and continues to skate. “ No. I’m fine. So story behind your mom bringing you here” she said still skating backward. Fin let go of her hand and went to hold onto the side for a break. Camille stops and skates back towards him. “ My parents had me late in life I was the oops baby. She would bring me here and we skate around play as long as I wanted. Me and her time. Then at the end of each time while we sip cherry temple in crazy straws she would ask me to talk and I would and go on and on and she listens. Kinda like what you do” Finn said. Camille hops on the side and rubs his bicep gently. “ Can you get me two cherry temples demand the crazy straws and kept the change for the games? “ Camille asked a passing a kid hand over a 50. “ We got the drinks we got the glow sticks. Now tell me how your day” Camille said, Finn. He hated how good she was this it was her day and still she was made it all about him. She waited with a smile. Till he was ready.

They continue laughing as they toss the balls up. Camille laughs and holds her hand to her face. “ No no, I can top that. So in college freshman year. When people found out I was from Alaska which as you know I move here. So I am from somewhere else they always ask stupid questions. One was who are you? What are you? I would go what do you mean what am I.. I’m a girl. They are like no. What are you” she stops and got another 100 points this time not even looking. “What would you say” Finn ask into the story. Holding the ball in her hand she looks at him and said,” I say I am not what you think what your mind simply places me. I am more than meets the eye. More than face value. My father was part of the Alaskan Athabaskan till he ran away looking for better and in time he meets my mom. Gorgeous Puerto Rican. They always then ask did you live in an igloo” Camille said in a wonderful fake British accent. Finn drops the ball on the ground and look at her then started to laugh harder. “ We gotta go. We got somewhere we gotta be let’s go“ Finn said grabbing her hand. She stops and frowns. “ But I’m winning” she said. “ Come on you like it” he said pulling her away giving all their tickets to a little kid with pink tails.

They pulled up to airplane runway far back by the woods. Finn hops out with his hands in his pocket waiting for Camille. She looked around and then at him. Taking her he holds her tight. “ I got something but you gotta trust me” Finn said with his head on top of hers. She looked up to him and tickle him off. “ I think I’m balls deep my friend.I’m at the no turning back so what the hell blinds me again” Camille asks. She trusts him with no-fault headfirst he was the same way she could ask anything and he will do it with at a thought.

Finn had a hookup thanks to a parent. They fly high in the sky, dark glitter sparkle night the same as in her eyes or her smile. Camille smile and look out the window by Finn's side. “ When I was done you gave me a spot. Worst place in my life. You were there. I just wanted to show you a place we both can go to” Finn said looking out. Camille looked back at him then out at the stars. “ Where we going” Camille asked. His eyes glisten against the stars his heartbeat to the sounds of nature around him. “ You see somewhere magical" Finn said hold Camille's hand.

She waited by the wooden lodge as Finn finished up with the pilot. The breeze hit her face softly with the wind blowing against her hair. “ All my time I never did this. Come on we got a few hours" Finn said running inside with the bags. Camille casually walks in behind him. “ You going to tell me how you got this. I wanna pitch in” Camille said going through her wallet. He stops by the front desk and took her wallet from her wiggling it in his hand before pocketing it. She sighed and continued to walk beside him. “ Will pay for it alright" Finn said ringing the bell. Camille sat against the wooden desk and face the lobby. Finn rang it once more. No one. She pulled at her sweater and walk around by the fireplace.

He wanted it to perfect but he didn’t account the fact it wasn’t gonna be clear. She tried to make him laugh to feel better. There he was supposed to be and again it was her at the end trying to make him feel better. She talked him into checking out the game room down in the basement as an adventure. They spent hours talking, Finn talking more Camille of course listening. Watching TV even getting a glimpse of the light show that dances across the sky. He wasn’t the boy he was before and she wasn’t the girl, they were more. Still, they didn’t know yet but they were different.

After some sweet talking Camille was able to sweet-talk her way back for her phone. He wanted to tell her that night he wanted to kiss her delicious sweet angelic lips as they watch the sky. Holding her small waist sweet smell of heaven and ice cream swinging her back and forth as the old music from the record player play. He wanted all of that but there was one thing she wasn’t his.

Finn knew he had to deal with it. That feeling he had probably always had. He had her every day of every week for at least two months. The time he enjoyed every bit of it.

Camille song of the day was a one-hit-wonder from the 80s. She even got him into it this time. Singing off-key with her. “ I can’t believe it. After all these years you talk me into coming with you here” Camille said pulling into the parking lot. Finn was thrilled now finally first time in ever he had complete control in something he knew hockey. Picking up his backpack and bag of supplies he walks beside her into the rink goofing around.

“ The kids gonna flip. They think we are dating. You know. Our little new boy talks you up. Rest well went off with their little brains" Finn said taking out the equipment. She sat on the wall and watch him. “Don’t we all when we so young. So what on the plan today coach" Camille said kicking her feet as she watched. He stops and looks back giving her a huge smile. “ No I’m gonna have a bit of fun. Come on help before they show up” Finn said tossing a rag at her.

They came running like they were all going through a sugar rush. Finn was the big prize they all wanted to win. Camille giggles at this till the kids realize she was there and attack her on the ice. He laughed so hard that a bit came out. “ So Miss. Dawson gonna help us out a bit today. And maybe if you good enough and ask a whole bunch of times she come back” Finn announced in front of the kids. Each of them cheers and pulled at her shirt. I’m gonna get you back so hard Camille mouth to him as she smiles at the kids.

It was nothing but an unusual game of hockey boys with Camille and girls with Finn. Shockingly Camille and her team weren’t so bad. In the end, they all enjoyed themselves. Being silly with the kids. Bit eat my ice chips bickering from one another when the kids were not looking. A few slips and falls thanks to the one and only Camille.

Camille stops midway tickling Sarah when her phone started going off for the fifth time. She glanced at it and turn it off once more. “Everything okay. It might be Will or something" Finn said picking up Timmy into the air. Putting her phone back in her pocket she nods her head no.

Each kid begs Camille to come back when she quickly agreed. “ So I guess I got some competition now huh” Finn said cleaning up. Tossing some rags at him she puts up her hands like a boxer. “ I think I’m ready for you Finno. Those kids shall be mine haha” Camille says playfully. Finn puts his hands up too and pretends to be alone with her. “ No Cam cam they shall be mine. Forever moo haha” Finn said with an evil smile. She giggled and went into a player ready pose, hand out ready for combat.

“ I have to say, sir. Cox. I never thought I would see you be so good with kids. They love you” Camille said driving down the highway. “You didn’t know. I’m fooling them all with my charm for their money and youth” Finn said looking at her. “ Well I’m impressed dear Finno" Camille said. Her phone starts to ring again. “ You doing anything today. We can chill and watch some movies or something “ Finn asked. Camille just kept glancing at the phone not paying much attention. “Yeah why not “ Camille finally said. He clapped his hands with excitement.

________________________

He waited patiently for her arrival. A half-hour she said an hour ago. Everything was ready the movies, sparkling juice, music playing, and the blankets. “ What are you doing having it look like an old 90s boy band music video in here” Dad says as he reads the Sunday paper.

“ Nothing. Me and Cam we are huh chilling today. Movie night” Finn said walking into the kitchen. Dad picked up from his paper. “ Oh. Well, she might be a minute she was outside when I arrived. Upset” Dad said taking a sip of his coffee. Finn rushes past him to the window. Camille, of course, was sitting on the curve hunched over. “I wonder what happened" Finn said peaking out the window. Dad finished with his coffee and the newspaper look out over Finn's shoulder. “ Son if you are to be a gentleman then go out there if not best you stay away. She needs that now” Dad said then left for work. “ You say that like she is your daughter and I’m the random boy" Finn shout out to him. “ Sometimes I feel she is. Remember GENTLEMEN“ Dad said. Peaking back out he saw dad waving bye to Camille.

She sat there silently looking out. Stiff as aboard. No emotions just the dry tears and fluffy rosy cheeks. He never saw her like this. She was always alright no emotions people first. Now she is defenseless variable. Whoever did this Finn wanted to kick them a new one. She looks back at him then back at the ground.

“ I was-" Camille started to say. “ No look. I’m just gonna sit next to you. We don’t have to speak just know I’m what you need Cam” he said sitting beside her. She nodded a bit and look back down. He took her hands and mouth it be okay. Camille holds him tight around his arms and started to cry. Her cry sound like a sad melody playing on a beautiful string orchestra. It broke his heart to hear that. However, he knew he couldn’t he had to be strong be a gentleman. That right now was to simply sit on the curve in his sweats holding tight and never letting go.

She got up out of nowhere and walk in as if what occurred never happened. “You mind if I borrow a shirt or something I never made it home” Camille said putting the popcorn in a huge red and white ball. It was stunning. If a person never saw her minutes before you would never know. “ Yeah” Finn said leading against the countertops. She insisted they watch his favorites the ones she would usually say no to. They lay close to one another his left arm around the back of the couch, her position in her spot right on his chest with his other hand as a cover for all the scary parts. He kept looking down at her amazed and after a few hours, she fell asleep. He watches her wonder what she dreamed about. Was he anyway in it? Like in his dreams. Even after he got up he watches her peaceful with her phone in his hands.

The talk was not long. All he could remember was red. Only on the phone with him for five minutes and he already hated him. His I’m from New England or some better than you shit. Prick even had a girl there when he called. A few words till everything went blank and see you there dick. “Such a freakin dick shit” Finn said.

“ You can say that again” Camille said standing behind him. She stood there with sleepy eyes and an old quilt over her shoulders. “ I thought you were sleeping. Just how much you heard ” Finn said worriedly. She smiled and gradually sat down against the wall. “ I woke up. And you were gone. Not much the ending” Camille said looking up to him with her innocent Bambi eyes. Finn was stunned by how she ended up with an 80s cliche dick head. So many questions and statements rush his brain. “ Two questions and a statement “ Camille stated nonchalantly. Shaking his head no,” No ten” . “Five questions and a statement” Camille said pulling at the blanket.

He sat down across from her legs spread out. “ Was he a dick? Why you start to date him? Is he always a dick? Why did you think you deserve that him? Such a fucking dick! Did he make you upset?" Finn blurted out.

“ James wasn’t that bad. Just. He not much an ass as he is just entitled. When we first met he thought I was fish bait till I had a gathering at Will Manhattan penthouse. Then he kept and kept asking till I said yes. I was different from him. It was for 2 years. Years invested. I was everything Finn perfect girlfriend friend perfect everything. His family loves me more than him. So did his friends. You know. I always went to anything and did everything. Just one thing I just wanted one thing. All I wanted was for him to visit. Always with the excuses. Just come see meet Will Eddie you. 2 years I invested into him and only him. I got sick of it so I called it off. He begged and begged. Probably because of Will and Tina never end connections to all things money. That was the reason he kept asking. Like today still, I asked and he gave me no answer. I couldn’t do it anymore. Love should not ever be that hard” Camille said softly. Finn sigh. He kept popping up ways to beat the shit out of this dick.

Finn sat still waiting for Camille to change. “ You mind if tonight we... If I just lay beside you. Hold you a bit. I don’t want to be alone right now” Camille asked hastily. He nods surprise but this request. They lay beside each other with Camille arm wrap around him. He was in heaven when she was at her lowest. All he wanted to do was suck up all the pain anger sadness from her. Kiss her thin lips that she always nibble on and tell her it to be okay. For now, he held her tight and not let go. Shield her from everything.

Dad woke him up eyes wide open mouth to the floor. “ Don’t worry. We did nothing “ he whispered to him. She was fast asleep. He turned to her watch as she sleeps like a baby angel. Moving her hair out her face. His hand rested against his head other holding hers. Without hesitation he reaches in he did it he kissed her gently on edges of her lips.

Slowly opened her eyes she smiled and said,” Good morning". He reached in and kiss her again this time holding her closer. She holds him tight and kisses back. Taste of sweet honey bit of spice and intoxicating. They lay there holding onto each other their mouths moving with one another. His hands split between giving all his attention to her plum ass and cover beast. Her smooth small hands claw onto his back to bring him in deeper. After what felt like hours Camille finally pulled out smiling and giggling like a schoolgirl. “Has anyone ever tell you you are an excellent kisser? “ Finn said holding her hand. She glances his big hands wrap in her petite ones. "Yes" Camille says with confidence. She played with his hair a bit and nibble down on her lip. While he just stares into her eyes in full bliss.

She turned him over and sat up in bed. Rubbing her back he started kissing her again. “ Can't we stay in bed. Keep each other warm” Finn asked. Getting up she kisses his hand softly“ Why can't we just sit. Chill. We don’t know what this is. Or isn’t.” Camille said looking over her shoulder to him. He said nothing. She was right. Even if he didn’t want to hear it she was right.

“ Cam. I’m so happy. Don’t you and I deserve that? Be happy for once Figure it out later” Finn said still rubbing her back. She holds his hand a bit tight. Soft-touch that made him more smitten by her.

“ We do deserve that” she said playing with his fingers. Finn lay on her thighs and play with her fingers till they intertwined. “ Yes. We both do” Finn finally said. He kissed her hand gently and look at her. Taste of cherry blossom jasmine from her body lotion. Her eyes finally meet his. Soulful eyes. The sparkle shimmer. He was forever lost in her eyes her smile. Part of him wonders if it was something or simply reflect. " This summer has been everything I ever wanted. I mean my kids' thing is doing well. I'm gonna be done with my classes soon then I will be able to be back on track. Away from this small town. Before I got hurt. When life was perfect" he says staring at her. Still. She was frozen still. Then slowly she looks at their hands locked together. "Your welcome I guess. I didn’t do much. Finn. Small town....before like what before" she said still looking down at their hands.

He looks at her. Confused. " Don't look at me like that. This town a bloodsucker. Before I got hurt I was on track. Before I was hurt. My life was perfect" he says. She looks at him then back away.

Plopping side her watch her soulful eyes racing back and forth. Her mouth was a little open. Getting closer he takes his free hand and touches her checks. Then he slowly goes to kiss her. All of a sudden she lets go and starts to get up. Looking back at the now lonely hand she peaks at him then back down. " Don't you feel. Things happen for a reason, Finn. You getting hurt. Being here" she says still looking at his hand.

Grinning at her he slowly continues her shoulders rubbing them. " Don’t know. Cam Why do you care. We can finally be together. Don't you" he starts to say. She gradually grabs his hand off her. Soft. Turn fully towards him. " You don't mean that. You and your dad are better. You can finally think about what you want. If you never got hurt. We would have never got to see each other. You would of live your life without me" she says breathlessly. Her face was priceless. Shock. Stun. Confused.

Looking at her, " We would still see each other. You would have said sorry about my mom and I would forgive you. Or I- ". She pushes away from him and gets up. " Thought you change but I was stupid. Stupid and foolish. I should have never done this. Never help your dad. Gave air to you. Your the same. How would we ever see each other? Finn. We went years without talking. I have to go before I say something. I won’t be able to take back” she says grabbing her things and throws her shoes on. Was she leaving? Getting up he grabs her by the arm. Looking at her. She looks away and starts to go.

“Truth is you never ask. Just did. Finn, you were able to go back to life or at less fake it. Me it took five years to fake that night the kiss that year never change me as much as you. You will never understand what you took from me. What you did. Shut I even left and tried everything to fill it. THAT VOILD Date a guy that thinking about it now kinda looks just like you. Always stay in touch with your family. Being here isn’t the mistake of your perfect life. NO! it’s you. Act as nothing happens. God, I wish it was that easy and you almost had me believe it. That it can be. Your five years and a kiss late to tell me. You miss me” she continued to her car. She stops look back at him tears starting to come down her cheeks “I wish it was easy to hate you but I know that deep down I couldn't ever love someone as I did with you like I still do. And it's unfair not only to us but to everyone else. I can't ever move on because you ruin it for them too” She said grabbing her keys out her purse leaving her wallet on the ground. He starts to run down the road after her but stops three blocks down. SHIT

Walking back to the house he stops and picks up her wallet. Mad at her being foolish stupid and selfish. He grabs the first bottle of alcohol from the kitchen. Slam the door to his room he starts drinking and playing loud music. Kicking and screaming her names as loud as he can. He threw the bottle against the wall. As he picks up the broken pieces he grabs her wallet from the ground. Slouch over with her wallet in his hands. He opens it. Debit card, some black credit cards, a few business cards, school id, driver license, and whop money. Stopping mid count. He saw the picture that was taken their last day in the photo booth. It was worn out. He was as numb as a rock. Looking down at this simple happy time. Knowing what happens after that last frame. But even worse the next day. Grabbing out his old leather wallet behind the money, phone numbers and condoms was the same photo. Numb. Of emotions.

I was wrong. I was wrong and now I think I might mess up for the last time. I thought my life end when I got hurt. But it has been all along. The day I left her behind. Pussy out of everything. Sitting there realizing what I did. What I had to do.

I look back out at the house. My heartbeat goes faster and faster with each minute. I should have told her been truthful with her. Fix it before it’s too late. Breathe.

The run to Camille's front door felt like walking in quicksand. I bagged on the door as hard as I could, calling for her. Nothing. So I walked over to where her room use to be. Trying to look in. Nothing. I called and called for her. It can’t end like this.

“ You need to stop” Will said standing behind me.

“ I need her. Come on Will get her for me please” I begged him. He was upset which means Camille probably said a little bit and ran to her room.

I ran over to the back hopping over the fence to see if she was by the treehouse. NOPE. I knock and knock hoping she answers before Will catch up.

“ Just stop. Don’t you even understand what all this been like for her? What mess you left behind. Finn, I love you like a son I am never going to have just don’t come back” Will said holding his cellphone.

I didn’t want to stop. I wanted to stay until she forgives me. But the words he said left behind. It stuck to me. Echo in my head though my blood. I didn’t realize that. Till now.

“ Just huh tell her. I love her. Tell her I need her. Please “ I beg to him. He looked at me and I knew. He wasn’t gonna tell her. I couldn’t be mad because if my daughter was in there cry and some jackass said what I said I probably do the same and kick his ass for thinking so. “ Just go. Finn. Maybe. Just go” Will said then walk back inside. I watch as he walks back inside. I swear from the corner of my eye I saw her peaking from her window.

Each day for the rest of the summer I sat in my car waiting for her. Waiting. Hoping she would see me. Instead, she simply left. My dad finally after hours of begging told me she spent the rest of her summer with her aunt. How can I mess with her so much that she goes with her aunt? The one that handed Will full custody of her when they got divorce with no fight. Camille never came back to Alaska. The house she lived in was sold and given to another family. Will would visit but he wouldn't say a single word to me. I couldn't get mad at him, how can I. He spoke to my dad. But never to me.

She didn't put much on her social media page, probably because she knew I will be looking. I even though I have not seen her I pray for her each night to this day. I think of her when I'm brushing my teeth when I'm with my dad the kids. At first, I wonder if she thought the same.

Probably not. Still, I do. No matter what. Memorize her Punishing myself with our picture I keep on myself all the time.

#ya fiction #fiction #love #love story #romance #short story #the partners #finn #camille #teenage angst #angst #fluff #fic #jock #outsider #writeblr #life #sadness #hurt

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moonstruckbucky · 6 years ago

Text

Caught in a Wave (1/5)

Chapter Summary: Your boss makes an announcement.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader

Warnings: None

The office is teeming with activity when you walk in, murmurs rising from above cubicles, bodies bouncing from one end of the office to the other like pinballs. Glancing around, you spot Wanda grinning broadly at another coworker, Aggie, until her eyes find you. She waves you over excitedly, and you can’t help but smile, her excitement infectious.

“Hey Wan, what’s going on?”

“Rumor has it the boss has a big announcement for us all!” she chirps. She’s bouncing on her toes.

“Really? What do you think it could be? Raises for everyone?” you reply, only half-joking. Wanda snorts.

“Hopefully. My rent just went up. I could use the extra money.”

You giggle, and before you can say anything else, your boss, Maria Hill, steps into the office. She’s clad in a custom-tailored pantsuit, head held high like the regal businesswoman she is. Conversation screeches to a halt as she surveys the office, the corner of her red-painted lips curling upwards just a tick.

“I suppose you’ve all heard some kind of rumor through the grapevine,” she begins. “I’ve heard some outrageous ones myself. You’re all getting raises, half of you are being promoted, and my personal favorite, we’re getting an office dog. Those rumors are, regrettably, untrue.”

There’s a small lull of disappointment that makes her smirk widen.

“However, I do have some news and I’m sure all of you will forget all about the office dog. Our biggest client, Stark Industries, is so grateful for all of our work over the past two years that they’ve offered us an office-wide vacation at no expense to us.”

She’s drowned out by the cheers of her employees, but a hand in the air brings the silence back.

“We’ll be heading to Oahu, Hawaii in about three weeks for a one-week stay at Tony Stark’s hotel. I expect all of you to be on your best behavior while we’re there, of course, but I want all of you to have fun, relax. You all deserve it. I’ll be sending over all of your flight and hotel details by next week. Congratulations, everyone.”

She smiles to a cacophony of cheers, high fives, and whoops. You happily join in the celebration with the rest. You haven’t had a vacation in years, and never did you think you’d go to Hawaii. You’re elated, laughing loudly when Wanda grabs your hands and dances in a circle with you.

The following week, you receive Maria’s email with all the details of your trip, and Wanda drags you out shopping the week before you’re set to leave for some new summer wear. You buy a new pair of sandals, two swimsuits, a coverup, and a pair of cutoff shorts with a pretty top. For good measure, Wanda shoves a pair of aviator sunglasses into your hands as well.

You spend the rest of the week finding a sitter for your cat, overpacking then unpacking and then repacking your bags, and getting next to no sleep the day before your flight. You’re exhausted when Wanda rings your doorbell at 5 AM that morning, but it does nothing to quell the excitement buzzing inside you.

She hands you a cup of steaming coffee and helps you brings your bags down to the waiting taxi. Despite the early hour, she’s just as excited as you are and can’t stop talking the entire ride to the airport.

The rest of your coworkers are gathered at the doorway, dressed in their vacation-wear, as is, to your surprise, Maria. You’re not used to seeing her in anything less than professional, but right now she’s donning a pair of boyfriend jeans, a striped top, and wedge sandals looking every bit ready for a vacation.

She greets the two of you when you walk up, further surprising you by leaning over for a quick hug.

“You both have your tickets right?” she questions. Wanda and you nod with excited smiles, waving your tickets as proof. “Great! Okay, we’re waiting on two more I think, and then we’re good!”

Once you’re on the flight, your nerves set in. You’ve never been a fan of flying, but you busy yourself with a watered-down Jack and Coke and get pulled into a discussion of scuba diving with the two people sitting in front of you. Wanda reads beside you, pausing only when the nose of the plane tips upward in take off, and then she’s sucked back in.

You decide to doze off for a bit when the conversation comes to a lull, and before you know it Wanda’s jostling you awake. It’s a slow process, getting off the plane, but the view that greets you is so worth it. Crystal blue waters, pale sandy beaches, and Stark’s hotel rising above the palm trees in the distance.

“Wow,” you breathe, eyes wide as you take it all in. Beside you, Wanda is grinning and she squeaks a little, no doubt ready to start exploring.

This vacation is going to be exactly what you need.

to be continued...

#bucky x reader #bucky x you #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x you #surfing #marvel #bucky barnes

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bellatlas · 5 years ago

Text

Iron Dad Bingo: Car Crash

He reached up to pull the mask on and winced, trying his best to do it one-handed. Using his left arm was not happening. He only got the mask halfway down his face before Karen beeped to life. Good enough.

"Good evening, Peter."

"Even'n," he mumbled.

"You appear to have several lacerations and trauma to the neck, as well as fractures and sprains along the left side. Shall I contact Mr. Stark for you?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'm sorry, Peter, but it's protocol to contact Mr. Stark whenever an injury has been detected."

"Karen, noooooooo," he whined softly, but it was too late, and he already heard the dial tone in his ears. Ugh. Why'd she even ask? He dragged his good hand across his face and briefly considered ripping the mask off and throwing it to the ditch below, groundbreaking technology be damned.

But, the line only rang twice before Tony's face filled the screen in front of his eyes.

"Kid? I thought I told you. Drive straight here. No crime-fighting detours. What part of that was confusing?"

Peter groaned. "The drive straight part, evidently"

"What?"

"Nothing. It's nothing, Mr. Stark. I'll… I'll just be a bit late. That's all I was calling to tell you."

He squinted at him with that telltale 'bullshit' twist to his mouth that Peter hadn't seen since the ferry incident. Oh, God, the ferry incident. He shook the ferry incident out of his head and groaned when the motion made his head pound. When had he hit his head?

"You didn't call. How late are we talking?"

"Um." He tried doing the math in his head. He couldn't swing. He couldn't walk. This wasn't going to happen, was it?

He rested his head back on the edge of the curb, relishing in the coolness. He wasn't getting out of this without telling anyone. This sucked. This really, really sucked.

"Peter?"

"Uh… depends. How long would you say it would take to swing one handed to the compound? Or hop on one foot? Or clear a wreck?"

"You- What-?"

"There was a deer." Peter said plainly.

"And you hit it?"

"It and… a lot of other things."

Full text and all chapters HERE because I love the platform on ff. net, or read below.

Peter's nerves felt like a live wire. Crazy and buzzing with energy, dangerously active, even as it felt like his heart was in his stomach and both flopping around haphazardly.

"You sure you've got everything?"

Peter looked around. Phone in the center console. He pat the many pockets of his cargo shorts until he could feel the lump that was his wallet. "Yeah. Yeah, I've got everything.

May gave him a knowing smile as she leaned through the passenger window to give his shoulder a squeeze. "Okay, but can I offer you a tip?"

Peter smirked at her. His sweet, beautiful, amazing aunt who worried way too much. She was going to go gray before Peter so much as got his diploma. "I've got this. I promise."

"I know you do, but just hear me out. If the car starts giving you trouble-"

"Call you. I know."

"No. I was going to say that when the car gives you trouble with turning on, you might want to try using these?" She reached into her purse and pulls out Peter's keychain, car key reflecting the evening sunlight into his eyes, mocking him.

Peter flushed down to his neck as he reached his hand out to take the keys from her. "O-oh yeah. Remembering these uh… might be kinda useful, huh?"

May just laughed. "Alright, my little genius. Have fun and be safe. Call me as soon as you get to the compound."

"I know, May. I will."

"I'm serious! Don't forget, or I'll call Tony and give him an earful."

Peter shuddered. He might actually die of embarrassment from that. "I know you will."

May heaved a sigh and pulled her body out of the passenger side window, clasping her hands in front of her until the knuckles turned white.

"May, are you crying?"

"No!" she yells, but she choked on her words and sniffed, and Peter doesn't need enhanced sight to see the telltale sheen of tears in her eyes. "It's just… the allergies are kind of bad, and-"

"May!"

"-And my baby is growing up!"

"May, it- it's okay. I'm not going that far, I'm just… I don't have to go."

"No, no. Happy tears. All happy tears. I'm proud of you. It's just going by so fast." She brushed the tears away quickly before they could fall and ruin her makeup, and waved him off. "You need to get going. You're going to be late."

"Right. Right." Peter turned the key and the car, well… it didn't roar to life. It more so wheezed and sputtered to life, begrudgingly accepting that it was going to go on yet another journey. It was an old car by then. Really old. Older than Peter, actually, if he had to guess. New cars were expensive. And besides, he didn't think May would give the car up even if she did have the money for a new auto loan. This had been Ben's car, and she was sentimental to a fault. He rolled the window up, thankful that it at least wasn't so old that he had to crank it back up, and there was a rather awkward minute where May was still on the sidewalk next to their apartment building, waving, never stopping, still waving, oh my God, while Peter made the car buck forward and backward again and again in a sad attempt to shimmy out of the parallel spot that May had somehow managed to squeeze into when she'd pulled the car around (seriously, how did she even get into the spot to begin with?) until finally breaking free into traffic. He glanced up into the rearview mirror as he drove away, May shrinking into just a dot behind him whenever her form wasn't blocked by other cars. She hadn't moved from her spot on the sidewalk, and though Peter couldn't tell from the angle he was at, he was sure she was still waving slightly. He'd put money on it.

He shook his head and focused on the road in front of him. All honking horns and red lights and stop, then go, no stop! Until he finally broke through the boundaries of the city and all the skyscrapers and tall buildings faded into the background, replaced by suburbia and trees and greenery. It would be a long drive to the compound. A business party. A superhero only business party.

His nerves jumped again and he looked over to gush to May, only, oh yeah, she was still back in Queens. It was just Peter this time, and the thought felt weird. There was no safety net without her. No 'Peter it's not a four-way stop!' and slamming on the breaks a moment before darting out into traffic.

He rolled the window down and leaned his arm out, feeling the wind wrap around his fingers and tug at them like a kite. Like it did when he would careen between buildings back in Queens. It's freeing, the whole 'driving all on his own thing," though he's not quite sure why. He'd undoubtedly been a lot freer than most other teens his age, what with Happy picking him up at every other location, the stellar- well, maybe not stellar- but extensive New York subway system letting him go pretty much wherever he so pleased… and the whole soaring between buildings thing.

No, he wasn't freer, but there was just something about it. A certain quality he couldn't quite put his finger to. It was like having the training wheels taken off. As one hour, then two hours slipped by and he sped through winding roads, he felt older. More competent. More adult. More trusted. All the things he yearned for most. And, it was kind of crazy that an old beat up 2000 Honda Civic could make him feel like that, but hell. Why fight it? He'd soak in all the joy he could before Tony would inevitably come out complaining about the old car he'd been driving and insist on Happy picking him up next time. Which, wouldn't be happening.

The sun began setting, hanging low in the sky, a piercing orange over the treetops. Peter squinted through his sunglasses and flipped down the visor, but it wasn't enough. Even behind the sunglasses, the bright rays set off alarms in his head. It felt like his head was a pinball machine, pain ricocheting between his ears. He cursed under his breath. For all the good that his heightened senses did for him, they made up for it ten times over in days spent hunched over the bathroom toilet or in bed with the blankets pulled securely around his face because the sights and the smells and the sounds were all just too much.

He couldn't slink down into the seat and tuck his head between his knees then like he so desperately wanted to, though. He was driving. And so, he squinted into the sun, nuclear sirens in his head be damned, and kept driving. It wasn't ideal, though, and maybe that was why when goosebumps pricked up on the back of his arms and he knew something was wrong, he was a bit sluggish in pinpointing exactly what until, literally, it was glaring at him right in the face: a deer in the road.

It stood and stared at him, his headlights beaming back off of its eyes and turning them to a fluorescent blue. MOVE, Peter wanted to scream, but it just flapped her ears at him and continued chewing on a bit of leaf in its mouth.

Peter slammed on the brakes and was thrown against the seatbelt with such force that he worried that it might snap. Either the seatbelt was going to snap, or his collarbone. One of the two. Of that, he was sure.

The brakes locked up, ABS light on the dash be damned, and the car skid, regardless of how quickly Peter pumped the brakes and tried to channel the information from his days falling asleep in the back of the driver's ed classroom at school.

It was too little too late, though, and he quickly realized that there was no way he was going to stop in time to avoid the deer, and also no way he was going to allow that to happen.

He gripped the steering wheel and shoved, using perhaps a bit too much super strength than the job required. The car veered off into the oncoming lane with a thud, Oh God, that was probably the deer, and kept going.

Peter felt his heart leap into his throat because this could not be happening. He overcorrected and pulled the steering wheel in the opposite direction, but it was too big a force on too small a car, and it slid right off the edge of the road.

Peter saw it all happen in slow motion, realized with horror that it wasn't just flat ground on the other side of the road, but a ditch. A big ditch, with water coursing through it from the last rainfall that has to be at least four feet deep. The car rolled into it, and even for Peter's enhanced senses, he wasn't quite sure what was happening.

The sound was, well, deafening wouldn't do it justice. It sounded like his eardrums should have split open. Everything outside the window was a blur, rolling around in a mess of brown and green and black and crunching metal.

Shit, shit, shit, shit. This was going to hurt. Really, really bad. But, there was nothing Peter could do anymore. Nothing he could do to get himself out of the car, to correct its course, to do anything but squeeze the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white and the leather stitching on the wheel gave way from the force, close his eyes, brace himself, and wait.

But, oh boy, he didn't brace himself enough. He couldn't brace himself enough. His neck was thrown to the side and Something in his arm twisted. He heard a brief shattering noise and then the bite of hundreds of little glass shards around him, and was then met with a disgusting mouthful of water, all of it pouring into the car faster than he could manage to catch his breath. Then, oh God, oh God, oh God, the water became hot. Too hot. Way too hot.

The car was still on and running as the water in the ditch rushed from under the hood and burning engine, or maybe the heater core had burst, through the broken windshield, and onto Peter. It didn't matter how it happened. What mattered was that Peter was being burned alive and he couldn't stop a guttural yelp from bursting forward, the sound alien even to his own ears. He jumped, fumbling for the button to release his seatbelt through the almost boiling water, hands turning into claws as he fought to ignore every instinct telling him to get his hand out of the burning water that instant. Finally, he found it, and the seatbelt snapped away from him, Peter jumping out of the hot water and sticking to the top of the car, which was actually the right side of the car now, scanning the damage below him for the one thing he needed to take with him out of this accident: his suit. It was floating in the backseat, and as he reached out to grab it, his left shoulder screamed in pain. When did that happen? In the back of his mind, he remembered a snap and a crunch and please tell him that wasn't his shoulder. He had a sickening feeling that it was.

With the little strength he had left, he shoved his back against the passenger window, the same one May had leaned through to tell him to be careful, to tell him that she was proud of him, which was now the top of the car, shattered the glass, and crawled through, using just his right arm and right leg, because something had happened to his left leg, too, because that was just his luck, to crawl out of the ditch.

He cast a glance over his shoulder at the car. Totaled. It was completely and utterly totaled. How was he going to tell May? For a wild second, he tried to think of any way possible not to tell her. He could swing the rest of the way to the compound, get a new car, with all the same stains on the upholstery, somehow make the money appear out of nowhere.

He groaned, fumbling through his pocket for his phone, which, miraculously, had stayed put. This couldn't be happening. Unmiraculously, it didn't quite survive the water damage. He groaned again, louder this time, and splayed all of his limbs out on the side of the road truly and fully. Karen it was, then.

"Good evening, Peter."

"Even'n," he mumbles.

"You appear to have several lacerations and trauma to the neck, as well as fractures and sprains along the left side. Shall I contact Mr. Stark for you?"

"Absolutely not."

"I'm sorry, Peter, but it's protocol to contact Mr. Stark whenever an injury has been detected."

But, the line only rang twice before Tony's face filled the screen in front of his eyes.

"Kid? I thought I told you. Drive straight here. No crime-fighting detours. What part of that was confusing?"

Peter groaned. "The drive straight part, evidently"

"What?"

"Nothing. It's nothing, Mr. Stark. I'll… I'll just be a bit late. That's all I was calling to tell you."

"You didn't call. How late are we talking?"

"Um." He tried doing the math in his head. He couldn't swing. He couldn't walk. This wasn't going to happen, was it?

He rested his head back on the edge of the curb, relishing in the coolness. He wasn't getting out of this without telling anyone. This sucked. This really, really sucked.

"Peter?"

"Uh… depends. How long would you say it would take to swing one handed to the compound? Or hop on one foot? Or clear a wreck?"

"You- What-?"

"There was a deer." Peter said plainly.

"And you hit it?"

"It and… a lot of other things."

"Well-" Tony sputtered. "Are you okay? Actually, don't answer that. I'm looking at Karen's data now."

"No. No, I'm fine. Totally, 100% fine."

"Tell me, kid, if whiplash, a sprained ankle, first and second-degree burns, and a broken collarbone is fine, what does your not fine look like?"

"Uh-"

"Yeah. That's what I thought. "

As the adrenaline wore off, the pain, even more than before, set in. "Shit this hurts."

Tony frowned on screen. "What hurts, exactly?"

"Everything," Peter moaned.

"Alright. That's it. I don't care if Karen says there are no life-threatening injuries. We're calling you an ambulance."

"No no no! Karen is right. I'm fine. Just hurts is all. 'M just being dramatic." Even as he said that, a new wave of pain coursed through his left side and it's all Peter can do to swallow hard and not yelp.

Tony's eyes softened. "I know, kid. I know. Just make sure you're in a safe place and hang in there… you sure you're fine? Because if you're not and I didn't call an ambulance-"

"I'm fine, Mr. Stark. Really. I promise."

"So… if you're really okay, then that means I can make fun of you for it now, right?"

"No. No, it does not mean that." He squinted at Tony. "Karen, you're such a tattle-tale," he tacked on under his breath, fully not intending for it to reach Tony's ears, but of course it did anyway.

"Did you just say tattle-tale? Really? You know, Karen wouldn't have to tell on you if you, y' know, did the smart thing and told me you needed help on your own."

Peter squeezed his eyes shut. "Ugh. Can you please just quit with the smart remarks and come help me?"

The other end of the line went silent and Peter's heart dropped. Too much. He'd mouthed off too much, and opened his mouth to apologize, but Tony beeped back in before he could.

"I can do exactly one of those things."

'Mph," Peter huffed, and listened to the sound of the Iron Man suit firing up and roaring over the line, and Tony hitting him with a whole arsenal of one-liners the whole flight.

"Would you look at that? He takes down airplanes and cars! He's multitalented!"

"Don't worry, I'm sure you still look absolutely smashing."

"Hey, hey, hey, I heard you got an eight out of ten on your driving test. Guess the other two must have jumped out of the way."

Peter pulled the edge of the mask up - and ow, he forgot about his shoulder again- so that there was room to shove his middle finger into view of the camera.

Tony merely snorted and kept on. Peter closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the curb, the rest of his body on the narrow strip of grass between the road and the ditch. Man, he was tired. More tired than he'd been in a long time.

"Kid?"

Peter just let out a nonsensical "mph" in response, which evidently didn't make it to Tony's ears this time over the sound of the suit in flight.

"Kid!"

Peter cracked his eyes open to the panicked edge in Tony's voice.

"Oh thank God."

Peter arched an eyebrow up.

"Hey, I know Karen said that your injuries weren't on the life-threatening side of things, but what do you expect me to think after you've just been in a wreck, close your eyes, and stop answering?"

"Relax. 'M just tired."

Tony blinked. "No. No, you do not take a nap at the side of the road. Jesus. Do you need a lesson in common sense or something?"

"Probably."

Tony rolled his eyes. "But… you're definitely okay? I mean, I know you're not okay okay, but like- not dying or something."

Peter chuckled. "Yes, Mr. Stark. How many times do you want me to say it until you believe me?"

Until he could see him in person, probably. "Fine. You're right, you're right… More jokes then?"

"Oh, no, no, no, Mr. Stark. I didn't say that!"

He snickered to himself. "Well. Lucky for you, I'm almost there, so I'll spare the rest for the drive back. Happy is on his way."

"No, no, no, not Happy!" But Tony doesn't answer. If Peter had to spend the rest of the drive to the compound in the back of Happy's car, again, watching him shoot disapproving glares through the rear view window, he might actually just choose to jump out the window and hop the rest of the way.

He tilted his head back and saw the familiar form of Iron Man descending from the sky and land next to him with a powerful thud that made the earth- and his head and fractured bone- shake. Ow.

Tony took the helmet off and let out a low whistle. "You look like shit."

Peter stared up at him with half-lidded eyes. "Gee. Thanks."

His forehead creased with worry as he evaluated the scene. "No. I mean that this is worse than Karen made it sound. A lot worse."

"I told you. 'M perfectly fine." He barely got the words out before trying to sit up and pain tearing through the left side of his body with a guttural sort of yelp.

"Hey! Easy!" Tony planted a firm ironclad hand on his shoulder and helped him into a sitting position. "This is not fine. Christ, I almost feel bad for teasing you the whole way here."

"Don't worry. I forgive you."

"I said almost."

With a hand more gentle than Peter would have expected possible for Tony, he peeled back Peter's eyes and shone a light in them.

Peter closed his eyes tight and turned his head to the side. "What are you doing?"

"Your pupils are different sizes."

"That's not good."

Tony pinched his lips together. "No. It's not. Follow my finger with your eyes."

"Mr. Stark. I'm fine. Really."

"Please just do it."

"Okay, okay." Peter relented and followed Tony's pointer finger as he moved it slowly from side to side. What was this supposed to do, exactly?

"Cool. What about that light a second ago? How'd that make you feel? Was it too bright?"

"Uh…" Peter thought. "I guess?"

Tony frowned, the creases on forehead starting to look as though they'd be etched there permanently. "That's also not good."

"Is it not?"

"Nope. Photosensitivity is another concussion symptom."

"Oh. Pshhh." Peter waved him off. "I always think lights are too bright. Think that's why I hit the deer in the first place. Too much sun. To much super sight."

Tony paused to look at him for a moment at that. "We're going to need to do something about that, then."

"Yeah," he sighed. "I really thought I had it."

"You didn't."

"What insightful observation." He was starting to take on too much of Tony's sarcasm. It was starting to scare him, really.

Peter laid back down on the ground and covered his eyes with his hands. "I can't believe this is happening."

"Hey. Don't worry about the crash right now. Just take it easy. We'll get you patched up in a bit, and I'll call someone out here to get the car." He spared a look into the ditch. "Or, y' know. What's left of it."

Peter followed his gaze. "Is there any chance it can be fixed."

"Ha! Nope. This is a 'throw the whole car away' kind of deal.

Peter merely groaned.

"Hey." Tony patted him on the shoulder. "Seriously. Don't worry about the car. You're not the first teen to total the family car and you sure as hell won't be the last. As long as you're okay, the car can be replaced."

"No, it can't."

Tony looked back at the car again. Even being totaled aside, it wasn't a great looking car. Hadn't been for some time. He raised an eyebrow at Peter.

"It was Ben's car."

"Ben?"

"Ben. My uncle. May's husband."

The playful glint in Tony's eyes- the one that always tried to lighten up the situation with inappropriate and poorly timed jokes, was snuffed out in an instant.

"... Oh."

"Yeah."

"Ummm…" Tony and Peter looked over the scene once more. Maybe there was something they missed, some way to fix this. There had to be, right? But, there wasn't. The car was done. It had driven its last mile.

"She's going to be so mad." Peter covered his face with his hands.

"Yeah… yeah, she probably will be."

"Ugh."

Tony kneeled by him and pulled his hands from his face with a strangled "Sorry, oh my God, I'm so sorry!" at Peter's Yelp when the movement jostled his shoulder. "But, May wants you safe. The car is just a reminder of family. You're her actual family."

Peter sighed. "I guess."

"No. Not I guess. You're what matters. End of story."

Peter just let out a huff.

"Well one way or another, we need to get you back to the compound before your shoulder sets weird or something."

"They can set that fast?"

"They can if you're a mutant spider freak."

When Happy pulled up with the car, he was ready to lay into Peter in a far more serious fashion than Tony already had with his jeering on the way over. He could see it on his face.

But, Tony shot him a pointed look. Not the time, and the message sunk in pretty quickly. This wasn't a time for joking around. Tony probably shouldn't have even been joking around, really.

Thank you, Peter silently thought towards Tony, hoping that he'd be able to feel even an ounce of his appreciation. He liked Happy. He really did. And, he knew that Happy begrudgingly liked him back. But having Happy drive him again, and after only his first time out was… completely humiliating.

"Hand me the first aid kit?" Tony asked.

Happy nodded and dig through the glove box as Tony swung into the backseat with Peter.

"You can do x-rays and stuff with that?" Peter questioned.

"What?" Tony looked at him like he had two heads. "No. It's a first aid kit. It has band-aids and stuff."

Peter didn't think it was that far fetched. Tony had successfully made far crazier things before.

"Hold still for me." Tony pulled out a pair of tweezers, and more gently than Peter thought possible, tilted Peter's chin up. "There's some glass in this cut… this is going to hurt."

It did hurt, but not as much as Peter was expecting. Tony was uncharacteristically gentle, smoothing the skin on his forehead and carefully picking out the glass, even with his mechanical arm that he hadn't quite gotten the hang of yet, and with an intensely focused look plastered on his face that was usually reserved solely for late nights in the lab, and even then- only with his good eye - all wordlessly until they finally arrived back at the compound. "Well, that's all I can do. Gotta let the docs fix up the rest. Wait! Actually, that isn't all I can do. Here." Tony reached into the first aid kit and slapped a band-aid on Peter's forehead before grabbing him by his right arm and helping him out of the car.

Peter looked at his reflection in the tinted windows. "Are… are these Spiderman themed band-aids? You have Spiderman bandaids. Wh- what?"

"Limited edition. So don't go using the rest of them up." Tony flashed him a smile and swung Peter's good arm around his shoulders, pulling him close as he stumbled into the compound and up to the med bay.

Two hours, two x-rays, a sling, and an ice pack later, Peter hobbled out to the then dwindling party.

"There he is!" Tony again threw Peter's good arm over his shoulders and showed him off to everyone, but Peter just wanted to crawl into a hole and call it a night. This was not how he wanted to meet the other Avengers. Not by a long shot. After the initial introductions, though, Tony thankfully steered him towards the door outside.

"Mr. Stark? Where are we going?"

"I have a present for you."

"A present?"

"Two- no. Three, actually."

"Mr. Stark, you really-"

"Nope. Shhh. No talking. Take these. Present number one." He reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a pair of… "Sunglasses?"

Peter put them on tentatively. "Whoa."

"Same tech that's in your suit goggles. Only, glasses. Because, well… I guess you can't go parading the Spiderman mask around all day anytime you need to dim things out and focus, can you? I… really should have thought about that before. I- yeah. Sorry."

"Wow. These… these are amazing. Thank you. So much."

"Save your thanks, kid." He pat Peter on the back and led him the rest of the way outside where-

"Mr. Stark. You didn't…"

"I did."

Peter looked on at the two new cars - cars! - with awe.

"Figured you and May needed separate cars, anyway. So. Y'know. Two birds, one stone. All that jazz."

Peter didn't recognize the make or model of either, nor did he recognize the gaping sound that somehow he managed to produce, but he was pretty sure that each one was worth more than his entire apartment building and everything in it. Shiny and low and lean, one a subdued dark red, and the other a jet black.

"Oh, that's not all. We uh… we couldn't save everything, or even most things, but we got as many things as we could out of your uncle's old car and installed them where they actually fit. Really just the steering wheel cover and a few decorations that looked like they might have gone on the dash. I know it's not the same, but… I figured it's something."

"I, I, I-" Peter was at a total loss for words. "How can I repay you? I don't even know what to say. What do you even say to something like this?"

"Thank you is a good starting point, usually."

"Yes. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Stark. So much. I- just- what? How did you even get these this fast?"

Tony laughed under his breath and pointed to himself. "Genius billionaire. Oh. One more thing. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, quickly searching something up. "You see this?" he asked, turning the screen towards Peter.

It's a picture of a deer crossing sign.

"I know what it means, Mr. Stark."

"Humor me."

Peter barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He couldn't though. Not after a gesture like this, oh my God. "Deer are in the area and you should slow down and look out for them," he mumbles.

"Congrats. You've passed my driving test." More seriously, he added, "You got lucky you're only this hurt. I don't want to get a call like that again, okay? You're going to make me go gray, and I have too many photo ops to be doing that yet. So just… please be careful. Always wear those glasses during the day. That's how you can repay me."

"I will, Mr. Stark. I promise."

"Good." His mouth twisted to the side. "And- it's Tony."

"Tony." Peter tested the name out. Weird. Wrong, even. Tony was still far too much his superior for him to refer to him by his first name. That was going to take some getting used to.

He looked out at the two new cars and tried to picture them in the parking deck back home surrounded by all the beat-up cars from the last century with different color paint on every part. Oh, they were so going to get robbed.

#tony stark #peter parker #irondad #spiderson #iron dad bingo

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camellianswer · 5 years ago

Text

Nanbaqua: Uno

Mermay in August because I’m lazy!

Mama always loved the sea.

She took me there with her when I was four years old. The sun was just beginning to rise, like a soft gemstone burning under the waves. The sky was a gentle purple, clear as glass, and a single star peeked through the twilight.

She squeezed my hand kindly, softly, golden cascades of hair dancing in the breeze, and said “Isn’t it nice? This is where I really belong. Don’t you feel it too? Like the air is full of music, calling you home…”

I watched the diamond sparkles dance on the crashing waves and I heard the music.

From that day on, I loved the sea.

I loved the sea because it was in her.

Mama’s gone now…

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

The first and only time she’d taken him swimming, Uno felt as if he was a part of the sea too. It drew him close in a warm caress, tumbling him deeper into the crystal depths as bubbles swirled around him. Down there, the music was even finer. The throbbing song of the ocean permeated him completely, welcomed him and smoothed all his aches away. He would have sat contentedly under the waves all day if she hadn’t called him back.

It wasn’t something he gave much thought to back then, but it was just as easy to breathe underwater as it was to breathe in the air.

That was because he loved the sea and the sea loved him back, his mother said.

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

At 7 years old, Uno’s arms and chest were mottled blue and purple with deep bruises, and he left without looking back.

Where, he wasn’t sure.

For nearly a whole day and a night the little boy was pushed back and forth through the bustling city like a bearing in a pinball machine. He walked without caring for direction, hands in his pockets and head down under an oversized blue cap, and churning crowds of preoccupied adults who should know better knocked him aside without heed.

His stomach was empty, but he felt no hunger.

The day was cool, but he felt no chill.

His little body was battered, but he felt no pain.

He was alone in a new place, but felt no fear.

All he knew was he wanted…he WANTED something desperately, NEEDED it, and the need formed a dull ache in his chest that was nothing like the bruises his father had left on him.

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

It was on that day that he found the sea bathed in twilight again, and it surrounded him in loving embrace and washed his pains away and he knew that this…

THIS…

…was his home.

-----------

Years passed in placid seamlessness. The waves knew no age, and Uno only became aware that he was growing up when he returned to land and walked among humans. Every time he did, his angle of vision shifted – ever so slightly, but not too slightly to escape his perception. As fun as the surface was, he never stayed long. After a brief visit in that world, he would always return to the world that she had loved best. A beautiful world, but a lonely one.

By now, however, he’d resigned himself to loneliness and given up on finding more of his own kind.

Immediately after his first time transforming on that day, he’d been so excited. He’d been certain that now he would find a whole colony of people just like him living happily in the ocean’s care, people who would welcome him, people who he truly could belong to.

But time passed, and he was nearing his thirteenth year, and never did he see a trace of another mer.

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

In a new place where the sea was clear and warm, Uno felt the familiar vibrations of human activity ripple through his ocean. Splashes and engines thrumming and music playing and another sense that he couldn’t describe – some change in the low, constant melody. Humans changed the song of the ocean simply by existing, and Uno had lived on his own for so long he could detect their presence from that alone.

With a flick of his long golden tail, he streaked up and broke the surface with barely any noise. He bobbed up and down in the gentle waves and pushed wet hair out of his eyes to take a good look around.

An expansive, white-sanded beach stretched out for miles, glittering like a strip of silver in the noonday sun. It was liberally dotted with colorful umbrellas and chairs and towels. The air hung thick with a delicious mixture of gulls calling, people laughing, and waves dancing, strong smells of sunscreen and snack foods.

Uno smiled and started heading closer. This looked like a nice place, and he’d been on the move for a while. He decided to make a stop here and see the sights. He cleaved the surface again, steering with pearly-pink webbed extensions on his forearms, and darted for a stand of trees where he could emerge without being seen.

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

Wearing clothes that had once belonged to a careless tourist, Uno set out on a busy pathway with the easy grace of a lifelong surface dweller.

If he had avoided attracting attention in marine form, his caution was thrown to the wind on land. Uno’s appearance turned heads, and that was the way he liked it. His hair had grown long, long down his back, almost brushing the ground when he walked even though he’d gotten much taller. It wasn’t a nuisance though, and he didn’t want to cut it. He liked the feeling of silky hair swishing around him as he swam, and left it long, braiding it up into a more manageable style when he surfaced. Though he was only 14, he was rather tall: 6-2 from tail up and 5-5 on legs; a very striking figure. He had a winning smile that made girls of all ages melt before his gorgeous blue-eyed gaze like ice cream in the sun.

Now he strode confidently, well aware of the effect he was having on the members of the fairer sex. When he brushed casually against a heavyset man distracted by his phone, nobody gave the action a second glance.

Uno tucked a small roll of newly-acquired bills into the sleeve of his jacket with practiced ease. He took a deep breath and looked up at the endless blue sky with satisfaction and anticipation with the air of an excited tourist planning his next destination.

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

The sea offered an escape and land offered adventure, and Uno partook of both. He quickly found a taste for gambling, betting on cards and rolls of dice with uncanny luck. It was exhilarating to tempt fate with ever larger amounts of money and watch the amazed faces of those around him as he raked in the fruits of his fortune.

Not everybody was amazed, however – many were the times that Uno was forced to flee with his stash, pursued by irate men who resented being beaten by a mere boy. Often a fight would break out and the police would be called, but Uno always slipped through their fingers like water through a sieve and got off scot-free.

That was a sort of gambling too, and he loved ending his nights with the thrill of flashing lights, blaring alarms and stupid, clumsy humans who followed his trail to the sea and stood there scratching their heads, wondering where he’d vanished to.

Um...that’s all so far! Did you like it? It’s my first time writing something like this, so be sure to leave feedback.

#nanbaka #nanbaqua #mermay #but in august #nanbaka uno #merman #mermaid #fantasy #fanfic #fanfiction

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zrtranscripts · 5 years ago

Text

Season 8, Mission 8: Seal My Fate

Deck Shoes

[rain pours, boat engine rumbles]

SAM YAO: [shivers] It's been a long time since it's been just me and you, hasn't it, Five? It's nice. Well, I mean, it's not nice. It's raining buckets. But now and then, I like having you to myself. [laughs] At least it's not another storm today.

So this is Shipwreck Cove. Pretty amazing, isn't it? The ships rusting away, half sticking out of the water. They must have been running aground on the rocks here for years. Look, look, there's one over there that looks like something out of Captain Hornblower. Or you know, Pugwash.

Tom was right. If we can make our way across them, we should be able to get to the small island unobserved. Although it doesn't look like it's going to be easy. But you'll give me a hand if I need it, won't you, Five? Yeah, of course you will. You haven't let me down yet.

Yeah, okay, we're getting a bit close to the shoals]. You'd better cut the engine. Tom reckons you can hitch a ride from the small island on the automated boat that takes supplies from there to the scientists on Dearg. He's getting to the rendezvous by scuba diving because... because that's the kind of thing he does. And I think he thought that the fewer people travel together, the better. But we need to keep that radio equipment you're carrying for me dry. And then hopefully you'll find something that will help Janine.

Did you see her this morning? [sighs] I mean, she's walking again, but you can see from the way she winces that every step hurts. Paula's analyzed her blood. She might have as little as two weeks left. But we're going to make her better, which means we need to catch that boat. Which means we need to jump over to that first hulk and run across it fast as we can. Come on Five, let's go!

[rain pours, waves splash, metal creaks]

SAM YAO: Bloody hell. This ship's more rust than metal. Oh, we'd better get across it quick as we can before it falls apart completely. What do you think it used to be? Fishing boat, I reckon. You can still smell that kind of salty, rotten whiff. There's so much stuff like this now, isn't there? So decayed, you can't even tell what it was meant to be for.

You know that building in [?]? The big red brick one that used to be a school? All these cheerful colored swings and this one wall where so many kids had chucked a ball against it, you could see the dent! Anyway, just before it all went pear-shaped with Sage, I sent Runner Fifteen on a mission down that way. And the school's just... crumbling away. There are trees growing up through the courtyard, and the wall with the dent's fallen down. In 10, 20 years, you won't know there used to be a building there at all.

I don't know. Stupid. With Janine so ill, and after... after Ellie, I keep thinking about it. What we leave behind when we're gone. I mean, there's Sara, and that's amazing. But I want to make a difference. Everything's decaying away, and then there's Abel. And I really feel like we're building something. Or maybe just laying the foundations for other people to build it.

Well, that's good, isn't it? Nothing lasts long without good foundations. But I don't think we'll be able to get any of it done without Janine. [laughs] She'd raise an eyebrow and look all schoolmarmish if she heard this. But I think she's the heart of us. So we have to save her. We just have to.

[metal creaks] Crap. I think I jinxed it with all that talk about decay. The hull's cracking, can you see? We need to get off here, make for the next ship along. Run!

[metal creaks, water splashes]

SAM YAO: Oh wow, look at that, Five! We only just made it across in time! I've never seen a ship just - just fall apart before! At least this one's less rusty. Huge, too. And it's the last one before we get to land. Yeah, I can see the shoreline up ahead. And – oh my God, are those seals? They are, look! Lots of lovely fluffy seals with big sad eyes! Well, not that we can see the eyes from this distance. We've still got quite a lot of deck to cross. I think this was a cruise ship. See? Over there, Five. What used to be the swimming pool. Full of algae and frogs now, but the deck chairs are only a little bit rotten. Can't have been wrecked that long ago.

What was a cruise ship with a swimming pool doing north of Scotland? Do you think it came here during the apocalypse? Trying to find somewhere safe from the zoms? [laughs] I remember there were all sorts of stories flying around then. How there were no zoms at all on Hawaii, or how if you played a zom a recording of its own voice, it would turn back into a person. We were desperate to believe what was happening wouldn't be forever.

Maybe that's the sort of thing that got stuck in Jones' head. He thinks that if he's the king of the rocks, then everyone will like him again and he can go back to being a happy kid. Do you think it was the Edda that did that to him? Like, he read it and something in it sent him over the edge? I mean... well, you'd have to be an expert in Old Norse to read the original. On the other hand, he is very single-minded.

Did you ever read it? It does break off at that very tantalizing place. [deepens voice] "When that the circles shall grow upon the bay of five arches - " [returns to usual voice pitch] They reckon that might be a reference to [?] Bay near Exmoor, actually. The Far Hebrideans were big traders and they might have seen it. Anyway, yeah. [deepens voice] "When that the circles shall grow upon the bay of five arches, then the day is come and the only road to stop its progress is to - !" [returns to usual voice pitch] and then it breaks off. Well, that's where someone nicked the pages from the only surviving version before anyone had thought to make a good copy of it. Cliffhanger, eh? Like Netflix for the post-apocalypse age. What do you reckon?

Oh crap. See up ahead, Five? A life boat's fallen down and blocked the deck. Uh, yeah, we'll have to try and find a way below. Um, how about this door that says crew entry only? [door creaks open] Oh wow. That's a lot of tartan. Almost enough to cover up the bloodstains. It's creepy, isn't it? Yeah, it's the places that are meant to be fun that are the worst. All the gold trim, and the pinball machines. And look, over there. A ball pit for the kids. And all totally empty.

[zombies growl] Can you tell where that growl came from, Five? Was it ahead or behind? How many zoms do you think are down here? No, doesn't matter. We have to keep moving forward. We have to get to that island before the boat leaves. Look, here's a schematic on the wall. If we go through those double doors, we'll reach the dining room – [door opens, zombies moan] Oh crap! Crap, crap! Someone must have got infected during dinner. I've never seen so many zoms in black tie! Look, there's a door on the far end that leads back out onto the deck. If we run really, really fast, we might make it before they catch us. Let's go.

[rain pours, zombies moan, water splashes]

SAM YAO: Well, I said dry land. More like razor-sharp seaweed-covered rocks. And uh, oh yeah. The zoms are still coming. The rocks are actually going through their feet. Oh, it seems to be giving them a better grip! You know, I was having a chat with Morag Brown, the baker, the other day. I think she's the sort of me for these islands. She knows everyone. Everyone knows her. She's always telling everyone's business. Not that I'd tell anyone's business.

Anyway, sorry. What I meant to say was Morag says Chief Macallan's been keeping a tally of zombie sightings. They're still going up even though Jones doesn't have any way to make new attractors. Maybe you and Tom missed a few components. Or he's worked out some other way to do it.

[sighs] You know, Five, I really do try to see the best in everyone, but it's hard with Jones. I mean like, either he started out killing the Laird's brother here, or he didn't. Morag reckons the brother might have just slipped and fallen, and Jones was so weird, everyone blamed it on him. But either way, he has kind of leaned into that murder persona.

I really thought we were going to be here for a few days, you know. Find Jones, cure Janine, get the Edda, eat some porridge, go home. And it's not like it's not pretty here. I'm starting to think we're going to be here for ages. But I miss my home. I don't think I've ever gone this long without seeing Maxie and Sara. It's lovely talking to them, but it's not the same.

And I didn't like what Maxie said in her last message. They think someone might have got infected by the red fungus on the beaches. Like, not from a zombie bite. Turned zom from touching the fungus with a cut on their hand. It is new and weird and I don't like it and I want to be with my family! Oh God, those zoms are fast. Still, we're nearly at the beach now. Just one more push. Come on!

[rain pours, zombies moan, seals honk]

SAM YAO: Oh, we made it! Actual proper dry land. Also, seals! [laughs] Um... have they always been this big? Oh yeah, of course. They're elephant seals. Zoe told me about them once. It's amazing how much one woman can talk about animals. She said they can grow up to 20 feet long and weigh 8000 pounds! The zoms are giving them a wide berth.

Bloody hell, the seals are actually heading towards the zoms. Do you think they want to make friends with them? [zombies splatter] Oh my God. They're - the seals are just tearing those zoms to shreds. That seal over there headbutted one and it burst like a ripe melon! Go seals! [laughs] I don't believe it. They've wiped out every single zom that came ashore! The beach is basically just zom sushi!

Those seals are amazing! They're so strong, they're – oh crap. They're all looking at us. Um, why didn't Zoe told me they could move that fast? Oh. We need to get away from them, Five. And from the zoms that are still on the rocks. Come on, run!

[rain pours, seals honk]

SAM YAO: We made it! I mean, we're still being chased by huge angry seals and slightly smaller hungry zoms, but they're all behind us. Although they don't seem to be slowing down much.

TOM DE LUCA: Over here! Lead them towards me!

SAM YAO: Oh, thank goodness! It's Tom on the rock up ahead. He'll know what to do. I don't know what you and Tom are going to find on Dearg Island. So far, most of the scientists we've met have been either power-mad or homicidal or whatever the hell Moonchild was. But they can't be as dangerous as Jones.

It's worrying how quiet he's been recently, right? He's plotting something, and we all know it's coming. And until we figure out what it is, there's nothing we can do to stop it. [sighs] I hate that feeling. [gunshots] Oh my God, Tom's shooting the seals. Tom! Stop shooting the cuddly animals!

TOM DE LUCA: Rubber bullets, Sam!

SAM YAO: Oh. Oh, oh, right, yeah. You've scared the seals off. Oh, and now they've turned back on the zoms. They're ripping into them with their - ! Ugh. Actually, I don't think I want to watch any longer.

TOM DE LUCA: You've arrived just in time. I can see the automated boat through my binoculars heading towards shore. Sam, if you set up shop there, you'll be close enough to remain in radio contact with us through the mission. Everything else is down to us. Are you ready to head off, Five? My sister's life could depend on the success of this mission!

#zombies run #zrs8 #s8m8 #seal my fate #zr transcript #zrs8 spoilers

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random-imagines-blog · 6 years ago

Text

Someone Dangerous: A Toni Topaz Story [Chapter Three]

Wordcount: 1913 Summary: Toni and Lyn become closer. Lyn’s time is divided. Other Chapters: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Four, Chapter Five, Final Chapter Lyn found it surprisingly easy to blend in with her classmates. The most interesting thing that she had done was turn down Reggie Mantle, which had blown over pretty quickly, especially now that Reggie claimed that he was just joking and the new girl wasn’t worth his time. A trivial thing like that was hardly something to get upset over in the grand scheme of things so Lyn let it slide and kept her head down, went to classes, and acted friendly but not overly so.

Toni was waiting for her in her final class, however. She was sitting in the seat next to where Lyn usually sat, with her books spread out in front of her, evidently making herself well at home at this different desk. The chair scraped when Lyn pulled it out and Toni looked up from her phone and at first noted the flash of red from the wristband which was once more hidden under a jacket. At a second’s notice, she quickly pressed the camera button on her phone and tried to catch a sneaky picture of it, wanting to know what it was. There was something weird about it that kept drawing her attention towards the new girl, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

“Do anything fun last night?” Toni asked casually. She liked the look of her, how she had a quiet confidence, and so far you seemed to keep out of trouble. It appealed to her - maybe she could have a friend outside of the Serpents - or one day convince her to join them. She had done well with recruiting Jughead, and with this new gang out there - they could use all the manpower that they could get.

“Started the outline of my essay, made a smoothie, nothing too fun.” Lyn said, bringing her books out of her bag and putting them onto the desk. She gave Toni a close-lipped smile. “What about you?”

“Nothing.” Toni said, slumping slightly, looking over at Jughead. “Pop’s has some great milkshakes, if you ever feel like one.”

“I’ve heard of it but never been. Thanks for the advice.” Lyn said, focusing her attention forward.

“Okay, Green, keep quiet.” Toni said, leaning back in her chair as the teacher came inside, and played with the hairs that were falling gracefully on either side of her face. “Maybe we’ll talk again -”

“Wait.” Lyn said, surprising herself. She had told herself that she wasn’t going to form any attachments at this school. She surely had not intended to but Toni was, to put it lightly, absolutely beautiful and she was really trying. She had to appreciate that. “Sorry, I’m just a little shy. I’m not good at talking to new people...” She bit on her lip and offered an apologetic smile.

“It’s fine. I don’t really like talking to Northsiders either,” Toni laughed, relaxing. “If you ever need anyone to sit with at lunch, there’s always a spot with us.” She winked, set the chair on four legs and went to her own desk before the teacher started the lesson.

Lyn took those words and you followed through - the next day when she walked into the cafeteria, she brought her bagged lunch and looked around for a certain table rather than just an empty chair to occupy for a couple of minutes and then disappear. Toni’s pink hair caught her attention immediately and more eagerly than she had anticipated, she walked over to the table and took the seat next to the beautiful girl.

“Seat still available?” She asked, though she was already sitting in it. Toni took a look at the table’s newcomer, licked her lips and nodded.

“Always.” She said. She introduced you to the rest of the Serpents, including Betty, which she never in a million years would have guessed. The Gang World wasn’t a place for the innocent, Lyn knew, so she suspected there was more to the blonde girl than what met the eye. But she wasn’t interested in that. Toni kept drawing her attention, bringing her into conversations, catching her up on some things that had been happening without getting into gang drama.

That became Lyn’s spot every lunch hour. Right there beside Toni, who always made room for her by her side. Little by little, she started to give in little details about herself that didn’t give away any of the secrets of the Devil’s Advocates. Things like how she enjoyed bowling, how she really liked the music of David Bowie, she went to the movies by herself quite a lot and how she was thinking of getting a goldfish because being in a new place without anyone to hang out with could be very lonely. Jughead, Toni and Betty were the ones who did most of the listening. The other Serpents were too caught up in their business to pay any attention to the new girl, which was perfect for Lyn. She had even surprised herself by opening as much as she had to these three but they were stubborn. She could play a role until she graduated, so she thought.

As she gave out information about herself, she got some information about Toni as well. Her family had been a part of the Serpents as far back as she could recall, she occasionally bartended at a place called The Whyte Wyrm, she has her bellybutton pierced, loves jewelry and she is a proud bisexual who doesn’t hide who she is. That was the main difference that Lyn detected - while she had to hide most things about herself in order to stay safe and run the controls, Toni let things into the open.

On top of sitting together at lunch, once in a while, Toni would invite her out to do things after school. There were only so many times that Lyn could decline because she really did need to appear to be a regular teenage girl in order to keep suspicion off of her. Toni had taken her to Pop’s, had given her a tour of the Whyte Wyrm and showed her how to move the Pinball machine just right to make the ball go into a perfect position for extra points. Lyn found herself actually having a good time and enjoying herself.

Today, they were at a park where Toni was taking photographs, trying out a new lens that she had bought online for her camera. “So what’s on that wristband?” She asked Lyn casually, lifting the camera and taking a snapshot of a squirrel in a tree. It was a practice shot, no doubt, but she could always use that practice.

Lyn flinched a little and then reluctantly raised her wrist to show what was around it. It looked like a wristband that one got at a festival, but instead of a name, place and date on it, there was just a little symbol. To Toni, it looked familiar, but at the same time, something she hadn’t seen before. She made it look like she wasn’t evaluating it too seriously.

“My sister made it for me. When she would go out to concerts with her friends, she made me these so that I would feel included. She’d doodle on them.” This was the first time that Lyn was mentioning her sister, but the tone in her voice definitely echoed the fact she didn’t want to get further into it.

But Toni just could not help herself.

“What happened to her?” She asked, the inner reporter in her decided to flower. She’d blame Jones for that. “You just seemed to mention her in past tense-”

“She died a couple of years ago. I don’t really like to talk about it though, if you don’t mind.” Lyn cut in, and then smiled uneasily. “Sorry, I just don’t really like to let people into that part of my life. It’s dark, you know? I acknowledge it’s there and it changed me but I’m looking towards the future, towards the light. Make something of myself for the both of us.”

Balancing her time between school, hanging out with Toni and Devil’s Advocates was extremely difficult. She often turned up to her own meetings late, or did her homework with Toni, or even had a piece of paper stashed in her notebook of ideas of what to do to the Ghoulies next. It seemed best to let things calm down and let them think that they were safe. But the Ghoulies weren’t entirely stupid and they would have to strike again soon before they were found out.

“You’re on thin ice kid,” Alec, one of the higher ranked members told Lyn when she had nearly fallen asleep at a meeting. “You’re cracking.”

“I’m fine, Alec. I just need to keep focusing on my cover.” Lyn said sleepily. Alec offered her a ride home and she had taken it, and curled up in the front seat of his car, avoiding looking towards the window in case anyone spotted her.

“Having milkshakes with that Serpent Girl isn’t part of your cover.” The pony-tailed man grunted.

“I know.” She sighed. “I’m dealing with it, okay? As your superior, trust me. We’ll be making our next move soon, be patient.”

“You better stay focused, it’s not just your cover on the line.”

The Ghoulies had been keeping an eye on the Serpents, but nothing bad seemed to happen to them. Malachai especially has been keeping his eye on Toni and Jughead. The teenagers looked to be the ones running things but the only thing out of the ordinary was this new girl that Toni’s been hanging out with. A quick check turned up nothing, and the worst that could happen was she became collateral damage. No pain to Malachai, anyone who had anything to do with the roadblocks deserved to receive pain, whether they just knew the person who did it or not.

Despite the grafitti, he was still sure that the Serpents had something to do with it, or were working with the Devil’s Advocates. Day after day passed and there was no hit.

Malachai had to get the ball rolling.

A little bit of grab and stab would be sure to get some answers, wouldn’t it?

Lyn turned up for school on Monday and was expecting to see Toni at her locker, but nobody was waiting for her. She hummed to herself, and didn’t think much of it. People skipped school all of the time - it wasn’t a big deal.

But when a member of the Serpents named Fang started to walk towards her, she started to feel that something was wrong. He hardly talked to her, even at lunch. It wasn’t an avoidance, the two just had nothing in common and left it at that.

“You hear of the Ghoulies?” He whispered to Lyn, eyes darting around at everyone that walked past them as if looking for suspects.

Just the hearing of the name caused Lyn’s blood to feel like ice. She nodded, saying nothing.

“Toni seemed to trust you so I’m telling you now, if you had anything to do with her kidnapping, the Serpents are going to find out.”

#Toni Topaz #Toni Topaz story #Someone Dangerous #Riverdale #Riverdale Stories #Stories #Toni Topaz x OC #tonit

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tinycartridge · 7 years ago

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Interview: Deciphering the whimsical Wattam with Keita Takahashi ⊟

“This is not a five-minute game,” Keita Takahashi tells me in the Annapurna Interactive booth at PAX South, as a line stretches out of said booth for demos of Wattam, the whimsical new game Katamari Damacy’s creator is making at Funomena. “You need enough time to understand.” And yet, the booth is full of delighted faces and giggles, even though he’s right that “everything is unclear,” at least at the outset.

It is, at first, unclear if there even is a goal, or if Wattam is more toy than game, with one or two players guiding cute rocks, trees, toilets, other inhabitable objects and the main “Mayor” character around a small meadow, holding hands with one another, saying “hi,” and eventually using the Mayor’s hat-obscured bombs to pinball the gathered group around the screen, trailing multicolored streamers and delighted laughter from both characters and players.

Gradually, more direct objectives make themselves clear, as new characters use simple speech bubbles to communicate their desires. Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting to blow up again -- the bomb is fun -- and sometimes it requires two players coordinating many characters, hopping from body to body to create a wobbly stack of cute creatures.

The lack of clarity, the confusing lack of purpose, are gone by the end of the demo, replaced by a sense of community between me, the other player seated next to me (on a custom-made plush toilet, as it happens; I am on a strawberry), and my fictional friends. At the end of my gameplay session, I still didn’t have a grasp of the full variety of gameplay, having only experienced a bit of the “Spring” world, with three other seasonal worlds in the real game, but I expect the sense of wonder and discovery to continue.

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“The fun came from when I was playing with my kids with wooden blocks,” Takahashi tells me, “just stack. Even when I stack very tall, even when I made a very strange shape of stack, the kids just, like, break everything.” He, like his children, enjoys the activity, but cannot identify the reason for the fun. “I can’t tell.” His two children have yet to play Wattam themselves, currently spending their game time with Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario Odyssey. “I haven't tried to let my kids play this game yet,” he says, “but I saw some kids playing at this PAX. They laughed a lot, which is good! They're very excited about poops and toilets.”

Fused with the inspiration of tumbling block structures is another element, just as chaotic, just as transformative. Language. Takahashi was inspired while living in Vancouver, Canada, and observing the diversity of its citizens, a change from the relative monoculture of his native Japan. “For you, it's very obvious,” he says. “But for me, it's very strange. ‘Oh, this is the Earth.’ They're different. They come from different countries. But they can work together, using the same language, English. That kind of impressed me.”

In the game, the use of a common language is abstracted. In fact, characters don’t actually speak the same language. The characters in different seasonal worlds speak different languages, and don’t say much verbally anyway other than greetings. “ They can't communicate by language, but by body language, by physical language.” Language doesn’t represent the cooperative aspect of language in Wattam.

In Wattam, bombs are language. “I mixed that idea -- making a stack and playing, and also diverse people working together using English, but I just swapped English for explosions,” Takahashi explains. In the beginning, the Mayor is lonely, unaware of the potential for fun, the bomb, lurking just under his hat. Each new friend that appears also lacks something.

“They also got bored, because they're lonely, and they find a new fun which is the bomb, explosion.” The bomb is always, always a delight, both to me and to the inhabitants of the game. Even -- especially -- if I set it off by accident while trying to do another complicated task. And the more characters are packed into the same space when it goes off, the more candy-colored contrails appear on the screen in their wake. It’s more fun.

Thinking about this theme, I was reminded of a break in our conversation, which led to a brief discussion of the difficulty of carrying on an impromptu interview as we were. Takahashi acknowledged a challenge on his side, of trying to explain himself in English. I joked that his English was better than my Japanese, and that’s the story of how I found myself conversing in the Japanese I’d learned in college, well over a decade ago, with the person whose game I obsessively replayed during that era. This may sound like boasting, but this was my own personal Social Anxiety Olympics, and I did not win any medals.

Those misunderstood, mispronounced, halting sentences got our conversation started again, and it continued long after we’d stopped talking about Wattam. We had used language not just to communicate ideas, but in an act of cooperation. Thankfully, what I said in Japanese didn’t matter, as the act of using language itself got us past the awkward pause and back into an enjoyable back-and-forth. I felt fortunate to have that bomb in my hat.

Still, it will be a relief to return to the nonverbal communication of Wattam when it comes out on PC and PlayStation 4. I’ll be playing it with my kids.

► THE NEW CLUB TINY IS HERE Support Tiny Cartridge!

#gaming #wattam #interview #original #pc #ps4 #keita takahashi #playstation 4 #jc

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monotonemanday · 7 years ago

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Star Crossed Entertainers - Part 9

People are skipping rehearsals, going on reckless drives. But that could turn into a cute date? Maybe some fluff? Maybe Sam will stop being such a downer? We’ll see! ;P Enjoy!!l

Kaeli’s arms were wrapped tight around Zen’s torso and her head was right next to his, peeking over his shoulder. They were zooming through back roads, twists and turns on an endless curvy path. Tree’s lined the streets and the sun was setting. Wearing her sundress her arms were getting cold. Each time a chill would run through her body she would tighten her hold on Zen even more.

His face was so hot he wondered if she could feel the warmth through both their helmets since their heads were so close together. Zen’s heart was pounding and he couldn’t let off the throttle of the bike. He was going too fast, but all he was thinking about was the tiny pixie like blonde that was pasted on his back. Every time her arms tightened around him his heart would beat even faster. He took a turn too sharp and thought he might lose control of the bike. He brought his mind back down to earth and refocused on his driving. There is no way he would be responsible for anything happening to Kaeli. Besides…Sam would KILL him.

She didn’t mind the speed or the sporadic driving. She barely noticed. Kaeli loved the rush. Samantha, Kang-Dae, every employee that worked for him. They were all treating her like she was fragile. A baby. Zen treated her the way that she wanted. She felt free and in control of her own life. She wanted to be with him and when she was, no one was telling her how to behave, how to act or telling her to be cautious.

Zen pulled off onto a dirt road that went deep into the tree line. About 5 minutes of driving in and they reached a clearing. A beautiful clearing with lush green grass and wildflowers blooming everywhere. In the middle of the clearing was a breathtaking pond. The sun was just about set and you could tell that the moon and stars would be out in full glory.

Turning off the bike, he almost didn’t want to get off just due to the fact Kaeli would have to take her hands off of him. Stepping off the bike and removing his helmet he hung it on the handle. Kaeli undid the strap under her chin and pulled the helmet off, her blonde hair falling out gently and resting just below her shoulders. Just like when he dropped her off a few nights before Zen lifted the petite woman off of the bike and gently placed her feet on the ground but this time he didn’t let her go.

The two held a gentle gaze, staring directly into each others eyes. Kaeli could see her bright blue eyes reflected in Zen’s ruby red eyes, and Zen could see his ruby red eyes reflected in Kaeli’s bright blue eyes. In turn the two were seeing purple.

Kaeli broke the gaze to look out toward the gorgeous scene laid out before them. The pond had light ripples due to the gentle breeze and as the moon and the stars came out they were being softly reflected in the water.

“Zen this is beautiful. Is this a place you come to often?”

“Oh, I’ve been here a couple times. Just when I needed to clear my thoughts.”

He couldn’t stop staring at her.

His hands were still settled on her waist but she had lifted her grip on his forearms so she could rub her arms to keep warm.

“Oh Jagiya, here.” The white haired prince took his jacket off and laid it across her shoulders.

“Jagiya?” Kaeli tilted her head and gave him a puzzled look. Then she looked away from him and back out towards the view.

Oh no. Was that too formal? Zen’s cheeks were burning. He was about to apologize when Kaeli spoke up.

“…No one has ever called me that before. Well at least not anyone that mattered.” She looked back at the handsome musical actor. “I like it.”

A strong hand had gripped hers tight and long fingers intertwined with her own. Zen led her to the base of the pond and the two sat in the lush grass with their feet just at edge of the water.

They sat in silence for a good couple of minutes. Holding hands, their palms were almost sweating from the warmth. Zen broke the silence this time.

“So a lot has happened this past couple of days. I didn’t know you would be such a handful, Little Pixie.” Zen laughed and gave her his brightest smile.

Kaeli couldn’t match his energy. She knew there were things she had to tell him, and even if she did, there would still be a lot more that she wouldn’t be able to. She hated that she kept secrets and would have to continue keeping them. Well at least for another couple of days.

“Yes. I guess you learned a good bit about me. I’m sure you’re curious about some things.”

“I’m not going to push you into telling me anything you don’t want to, Jagiya. I understand the kind of life you live. Did you know I used to be in a gang?”

“Sammy did.”

“Well I get it. It’s dangerous and you can never be too careful about who you open up to. But I trust you, Kaeli. And I don’t care if right now you are keeping things from me. We have time to flush everything out. Right now, I just enjoy being in your company.”

Kaeli looked toward Zen and smiled. “I’ll tell you everything I can.”

Samantha was back on the freeway. Rushing past each car like she was gracefully completing an obstacle course on ice skates. She loved the speed and she loved the feeling of leaving all her worries behind her. She hopped off the freeway and drove into town. She new exactly where she was headed. Her sunglasses were resting on top of her head since the sun was setting. Approaching a stop light downtown she pulled up next to another sports car. Their top was down same as her. It was a single person. A man. An older man. The kind of older man she’s been dealing with her whole life it seemed like. The kind she despised. The man looked over at her and leaned back. Laid his wrist on the steering wheel, obviously making sure he flashed his Rolex. He winked at her, and began to rev his engine.

Alright. Kang wants me to act like royalty? He says I’m rebellious? If that’s how they all see me, I’ll make sure I live up to what they envisioned.

Sam rolled her eyes at the man and pulled her sunglasses down over her eyes. She raised an eyebrow and continuing to stare at him, revved her engine in response. She pressed the CD button on the stereo and hit track number 4. It was a cliché but it was her absolute favorite. Joan Jett - Bad Reputation. She cranked the volume and without waiting for the light to change, charged through the intersection leaving the old pervert far in the rearview mirror.

Sam pulled into the parking lot of a video arcade. She just wanted to blow off some steam. Some racing games, some shooters, maybe some pinball. However, she forgot that she was in a pencil skirt, a silk camisole, and a pair of stilettos. She had ditched the cardigan somewhere on the freeway. She wanted to feel the wind on her skin. Her hair was still curled but gained massive volume due to driving with the top down. She looked like a sexy librarian or a hot lawyer. Not making the connection to the way she looked and the fact that the place was going to be packed with a bunch of college boys, she carelessly sauntered in the front doors.

She found her way to an empty machine. A shoot out game. She grabbed the plastic gun and held it in both hands, being cautious of her injury, taking a very familiar stance. You could tell she knew how to handle a gun. First round, every target hit. Second round, every target hit. Sharp focus. She didn’t notice the college boys rubbernecking to catch a glance at her. Tenth round, still every target hit. She had already surpassed the high score.

A crowd had formed but still in her own head, Sam hadn’t noticed. They were chanting and cheering her on. Making rather icky comments about her. Now Twenty-two rounds in, a timid voice broke her out of her daze.

“Sam? Uhm, Samantha? Is that you?”

She stopped shooting and looked toward the small voice. She was met with blonde hair and big amethyst eyes. “Yoosung?”

“Yeah, It’s me! You remembered my name!”

“Of course I did, silly! Uhm what’s the deal with this sort of half circle deal going on behind me?”

“Oh well, uhm you kind of look like some sexy super spy. So you drew a bit of a crowd.”

Sam looked around at all the college kids gaping at her with their mouths open. Gross.

“Alright shows over, get out of here ya vultures.”

Yoosung was laughing at the woman who was towering over him. She was already inches taller than him, but in stilettos? She was practically over a foot taller than him. “Sam shouldn’t you take it easy with those sharp shooting skills since you technically are a trained assassin and stuff?”

“Whoa Yoosung. Let’s keep it down, yeah? I know you learned a lot about me the other night but we still have to keep it quiet.” Sam was feeling a little uneasy. It probably wasn’t the best idea to go to an arcade that wasn’t strictly for adults. “Hey Yoosung, you’re of drinking age right?”

“I am!! Why do you ask?” The energetic blonde seemed overly thrilled by her inquiry.

“Do you want to grab a drink with me? There’s a place I think you’d like.” That was a lie. She had no idea if Yoosung would like it or not. She didn’t really know much about him at all. Just that he was fun and he considered them to be friends. She liked that.

The two made there way out of the arcade and through the parking lot to Sam’s porshe.

“Whoa! Sam this is your car?!”

“Oh uhm, yes! It was a gift some time ago. Buckle up!”

Yoosung was thrilled. Sam was driving so fast but she maneuvered the car like a dream! He had his arms in the air and was letting out abrupt “WWOOOOOO!!!” ‘s and OH YEAAAAHHH!!” ‘s.

They pulled up to what seemed to be a normal downtown building. A little bit like an Italian restaurant.

Samantha opened the front door and Yoosung stuck his head inside. The only thing was a long stairway that went down.

“Don’t be shy Yoosung! Go ahead!”

Yoosung walked down the stairs and Sam followed right on his heels. He opened the door. It was a Speakeasy. An underground bar that was lively and filled with laughter. Heads turned immediately and Yoosungs heart dropped to his stomach. Oh no. Should he not be here? He began to turn around to make his escape but a hand had pushed him forward. He met the eyes of what seemed like 100 people staring at him. He gulped waiting for what would happen next.

“SAM!!!!” The whole place bellowed out the tall brass haired woman’s name.

“Hey everyone! This is my pal Yoosung! He’s an absolute sweetheart and I don’t want any of you messing with him, got it?” She smiled at Yoosung and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. He gave her a sheepish smile and she turned to the crowd.

“Now where’s my drink, ya filthy animals?!”

Zen had just listened to Kaeli spill her heart out and not once did he interject.

She had told him about how her and Sam had been best friends since they were 5 years old but they had lived together since senior year when her parents passed away in a plane crash. She explained that Samantha never had a family and was raised by Vanderwood. She explained that Samantha continuously saved her life.

When it came to Reagan she was vague. She didn’t tell Zen that Reagan had tried to rape her. Or that Samantha almost killed him that night. She told him he was an ex and that he was the one that attacked them and gathered them for Kang-Dae. Just from that fact alone she could tell that a war was being battled inside of Zen. That’s why she left out the other details. She told him that she had to learn the high society life and the ways of an upscale escort. She told him that even though Samantha never admitted it, Kaeli knew Samantha made some sort of deal that made it so Kaeli didn’t have to do a lot worse. Explaining that Sam was an escort and a hired gun. Her background with the agency. How also due to Samantha’s sneaky ways Kaeli got to stop going on high society dates altogether and just handled PR work.

“Kaeli, You have lived a life that I can’t exactly relate to 100%. But when I was living my old life, in and out of gangs, taking care of myself after I ran away from home. I learned a lot about Kang-Dae and all of those circles. You are unbelievably strong and brave. If I could, I would take you away from it all. I am so glad that you’ve had Sam around to protect you.” The white haired prince looked out across the pond. “This is going to sound a little ridiculous but…I’m a little jealous of Sam.”

“Jealous of Sam?”

“Well, yeah. She is the closest person to you. She’s always been there to protect you and…well, I want to be that person.”

Kaeli’s eyes went wide and then they felt hot. Tears were pooling on the bottom of her eyes, resting on her eyelashes.

“I understand you have a past, I have one too. But-”

“Zen?” She interrupted his sweet words and he looked over at her.

“Can I tell you about right now?”

“Sure, Jagiya.”

“Now I try my best to live a normal life. And I owe a lot of that to Sammy. I still work PR for The Spark Blood Syndicate but honestly, that’s something I won’t easily be able to get out of. I got back into theatre which I love so much. I was thrilled just to be back on stage but then I met you. I was astonished you even talked to me. When I flirted with you I thought I was making a complete ass of myself. But Zen, you treat me like a real person. You don’t baby me like Sam. You don’t act like the tiniest thing will break me. You make me smile, laugh, feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. My chest is warm whenever I’m with you and even when we’re apart I can’t get you out of my head. Riding with you on the back of your bike feels like the most natural thing in the world. I love the rush, the warmth of your back, and how I can feel my heart beat better when my chest is pressed against you. I am so glad you skipped rehearsal and brought me here. I can’t think of anywhere else I would rather be in this moment right now”

A pair of soft lips forcefully crashed against hers. The jacket slipped off of her shoulders but her body temperature didn’t change. There was a fire inside of her. She climbed onto the musical actors lap and returned his kiss. The tears that had pooled in her eyes had now overflowed and were streaming down her cheeks. They pulled away from their kiss and Zen held her face in his hands, wiping her tears with his thumbs from her cheeks.

“Jagiya, I want to be with you. From the day you showed up at the theatre I had never known someone who had flirted with me so genuinely. Who wanted to get to know me because they were interested in me as a person, not just because of my extremely good looks or my acting career. My head is filled with thoughts of you and my heart overflows with good feelings whenever we’re together. I want you to be able to have the life you want. The life you deserve. I promise I’ll do whatever I can in order for you to be happy. And if you want, I hope that you’ll be happy…with me.”

She kissed his lips softly and lingered as long as she could until gently breaking away. She settled into his lap and laid her head against his chest. He laid his jacket over her like a blanket and wrapped his arms around her. She dozed off shortly after. Exhausted from the tears and the overwhelming amount of happiness she felt. Zen had watched her rising and falling and listening to her soft breathing. He kissed her forehead and gently shook her awake.

“Come on, Little Pixie. I should get you home.”

“THANK YOU THANK YOU! MY NAME IS YOOSUNG AND I’LL BE HERE…SAM HOW LONG AM I GOING TO BE HERE?”

“UUUUUHHHHH at least another hour or two?”

“AND I’LL BE HERE FOR ANOTHER HOUR OR TWO! YOU HAVE BEEN A WONDERFUL AUDIENCE AND I DO TAKE REQUESTS!”

The highly intoxicated blonde staggered off the small stage dropping the microphone on the floor and making his way to the equally intoxicated friend at a corner booth.

“Yoosuuuuunnnggg. You have the voice of an ANGEL! You should cover for me at the club sometime.!”

The two were giggling like school girls but as the main room of the speakeasy started to get more and more empty they became very alert of what time it was.

Samantha could handle her liquor but it had been awhile since she had gotten this drunk. She didn’t get emotional, sick, or angry. She. Got. SLEEPY.

“Yoosung…we…should probably…call…”

“I’M ON IT!” Yoosung on the other hand wide awake, but also, extremely emotional.

“SAAAAAMMMMM SEVEN ISN’T ANSWERING T_T!!” The boy was whining and it was ear piercing.

“Just keep trying or try someone else. I‘ll make a call.” Sam took her phone out of her bra where she had stashed it and slowly dialed.

Ringing ringing ringing…”Are you kidding me?”

“Vaannnddyyyyyyyyyy, what’s shaken?”

“Samantha…are you shit faced?”

“whhaaaatttt? Naaahhh I’m just hanging out with Yoosung! We are putting on a concert. They offered us 10 MILLION. How could we refuse?! But uh…I don’t think I can drive us home. We rocked waaayy too hard.”

“Unbelievable. You’re at the speakeasy aren’t you? Keep your ass there. I’ll be there…whenever I get there.”

“Van Man wait!! I brought Lily with me.”

“Fine, I’ll take a cab there and drive Lily back. Idiot.”

Sam hung up the phone and sunk into the booth. In the background she heard Yoosung on the phone, yelling and sobbing at someone. Almost asleep she made out a few words of what he was saying.

“Juummmiiiinnnnn. No one will answer me. Jumin I don’t want to walk home it’s scary!! Samantha’s hurt, she can’t protect me!”

Sam looked at her bandaged hand, oh right. She slowly finished dozing off. “Jumin?” The name slipped from her lips and she was out cold.

30 minutes had passed. Yoosung was being walked out, still sobbing but he had exhausted himself to the point that he was barely awake. Drifting in and out of consciousness herself, Samantha felt her body being lifted into the air. Whoever lifted her did it effortlessly. An arm under her legs and one behind her back. A bridal carry. Vanderwood? No. he wouldn’t be that gentle. He would have thrown her over his shoulder, mumbling how much of a pain in the ass she was. Her eyes still closed she clutched onto the persons broad chest, tilting her face in towards their body, She inhaled softly. That scent. It was familiar and comforting. Enough to sober her up, if only for a second.

“Jumin?”

“You’d be correct.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What exactly for?”

“For…”

Well for making an ass out of herself of course but there was so much more. For getting him involved with her, for complicating their feelings and their emotions. For lying to him, for continuing to lie to him. For constantly acting on her feelings towards him and never following through. It was never clear to her before but it took her being drunk off her ass to realize that she wanted to be with him.

Lost in her thoughts she didn’t answer him. She drifted back to sleep.

The Raven haired Prince of Business watched Driver Kim buckle Yoosung into the back of Jumin’s town car. Vanderwood was in the driver’s seat of the lavender Porsha. He carefully lowered Samantha’s body into the passenger seat, making sure her legs were clear of the door. He looked at her feet. Those shoes could not be comfortable. Not sensible footwear at all. But he had to admit, they looked good. He slipped the stilettos off of her feet and laid them in her lap. Pulling the seatbelt across her body and clicking it firmly. Jumin ran his hand through her hair and caressed her cheek. Samantha opened her eyes and smiled softly, reaching out and touching Jumins cheek in the same manner he was touching hers.

Softly and barely above a whisper she looked at him in the eyes and muttered “Mistah…Trust Fund…Kid…” her hand fell and she was back to sleep.

Jumin Han kissed her forehead and ran his thumb across her bottom lip. He closed the passenger door and thanked Vanderwood for driving her home. He smiled as he watched the car make it’s way down the street. With his hands in his pockets he made his way to the backseat of the town car.

“Jumin *sob* I don’t know what I would do without you!!!”

“Yoosung,” He patted the young blonde on the shoulder. “Let’s get you home.”

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random-writes-blog · 4 years ago

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What you are chapter 1 part 2

tw: candy animal death, sexual comments (no sex just comments)