#just leaning on the color pallete alone to do the heavy lifting

[xdemonicheartx]

Me bitching about weak character design GO:

I am devastated to learn that Alistor from Hazbin is supposed to be creole and its literally only to get away with the nod to voodoo on his list of capabilities and hes just some WHITE BOY??????

Hes also supposed to be deer themed???????

What fuckass character design is this????? Hes just RED??

[teaplease1717]

Story: Ashes of Love and War

Chapter: 14 / ?

Couple: Todoroki Shouto / Yaoyorozu Momo (TodoMomo)

Rating: M (for language and violence)

Betas: @flourchildwrites​ (Link)  & C’s Melody (Link)

Ao3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21638800/chapters/73273167Shouto laid the unconscious pirate face-down on the makeshift cot.

Thank you everyone who follows and supports!

XXXXXX

The flames burning in the bronze tripods flickered, casting long shadows across the man’s pale, sticky skin. Shouto sat back on his heels and tilted the man’s head to the side to make sure the pirate didn’t choke if he got sick.

The man stirred as Shouto adjusted him. His eyes fluttered open, and he moaned as he stared unseeing at Shouto for a moment before his eyelids closed again — hopefully not for the last time — and he shivered.

Shouto leaned down to the edge of the cot to grab the blanket but paused, hesitating. He stared down at the pirate, studying the gashes running across his back.

The skin had been shredded by the stympahlian’s talons. The veins streaking out from around the wounds had turned green and purple from poison. And on the man’s arm was a nasty cut from one of the stymphalian’s feathers. It had sliced along his forearm, exposing bone.

The man shivered again, and Shouto wavered on whether he should cover him.

He decided not to. It wouldn’t be safe to have anything touching either wound until they had been properly cleaned. The pirate would be lucky enough if he didn’t lose his arm; he didn’t need an infection on top of that.

Shouto folded the blanket back up and stood. The rest of the room was filled with the other gravely wounded. Pallets were stacked almost on top of each other in what had once been the dining room. Yet, the space wasn’t big enough; only a third of those who were injured fit. The tents the pirates had brought with them were tattered. Men without life-threatening injuries were set up on cots in the courtyard or crowded in the hallway.

It was uncomfortable. Despair and pain hung over the house, sliding down Shouto’s back like cold claws as it dredged up memories of the war. Of his comrades writhing in agony from incurable wounds, begging the gods for mercy — which they would never grant. And the civilians of Troy, the soldiers and innocents he’d killed, their screams and pleas as he tore Endeavor through them.

Shouto’s fingers twitched, and he turned and walked outside.

The warm night air met him. During the dark, a heavy fog had crept out over the mountain, covering everything in a thick veil. It was denser than normal mist and most likely influenced by the dark magic lingering in the air.

Shouto walked until he got to the edge of the cliffs. The scent of burning stymphalian corpses from the courtyard stung his nose.

He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the smell. There was a hollow sensation in his chest as he thought back on the attack. The timing. The coordination. Was it the patron’s doing?

It had to be.

Shouto flexed his fingers and brought his hand to rest on Endeavor’s hilt. The uptick in stymphalian activity had started a month ago, right around the time his brother had attacked their ship. Were the incidents related?

It was hard to say with the evidence they had. Dabi was certainly sadistic enough and petty enough that Shouto wouldn’t put it past him to use monsters to accomplish his goals. But, Dabi hadn’t known he was going to lose when they had fought. And even if he had, Shouto found it hard to believe his brother would have been smart enough to plan something like this himself.

Besides, Aizawa said it was a bird with purple and green plumage that had come to the island…

That didn’t sound like Dabi. His brother’s colors were purple and blue.

So who was the patron?

Shouto’s lips thinned, and he tapped his finger against Endeavor’s hilt. The only god he knew with purple and green as their banner colors was Overhaul — or Phobetor as mortals knew him — the god of nightmares. He had heard rumors that the god had some sort of relations with Dabi, but from what Shouto knew, the god hated monsters and considered them filthy beasts. So, there was no apparent reason he’d be involved with the stymphalian.

A headache was building in the back of his skull. There were too many questions without any answers. Shouto sighed and opened his eyes to stare up at the silvery moon waning in the brightening sky.

At the end of the day, it didn’t matter who the stymphalian’s benefactor was. Shouto would just have to do what he always did. He’d fight, and he’d win because he was–

His throat closed abruptly, and he gripped Endeavor tighter as his hands began to tremble. Heat burned across Shouto’s chest.

Strong.

Was he really strong? After everything that had happened, did he really get to call himself that?

Yaoyorozu had been injured because he hadn’t been able to protect her. And Haimawari and Rin had been kidnapped due to his negligence.

How many countless others had been hurt because of him? Sero. The sailors tasked with bringing them back to Sparta. A flurry of other nameless faces flashed through Shouto’s mind — all the men injured because of his mistakes.

Shouto reached up, and his fingers traced the marred skin around his left eye.

It was the way of life: the strong lived, and the weak died. He had accepted that. It was the motto of Greece. And Shouto had always been strong, or at least he thought he had. But, ever since the injury....or even before….

He dropped his hand and drew in a sharp breath through his teeth.

He had become careless. He had let these fake emotions for Yaoyorozu cloud his mind. And after last night, when he had cracked the stymphalian’s neck with his bare hands to save her, it became abundantly clear the curse wasn’t going away.

The thought made anger bubble in his chest, and Shouto forced his mind away from that line of thinking. It wouldn’t do any good. He didn’t know how to break it.

A voice in the back of his mind wondered if he should finally tell Yaoyorozu.

Shouto gritted his teeth.

The right thing — the honorable thing — would be to tell Yaoyorozu about a curse that was tied to her. Especially on the eve of the operation, it was even more important for any loose strings that could affect or influence the mission be addressed. He didn’t want any more innocent people to be hurt because of the spell.

So why was he hesitating?

His fingers twitched. This wasn't like him at all. Shouto wasn't known for overthinking or being indecisive. If anything, he had been accused of being too rash. But anytime he thought about admitting his failure to Yaoyorozu, somehow, he couldn't get the words to form.

What was wrong with him?

At first, he had thought it was his ego and the notion of telling civilians from a former enemy nation about his weakness, but now he didn’t know. Yaoyorozu was smart and could help him deal with the side effects. It was almost like he didn't want to...like he was nervous.

Could it be...was he afraid of Yaoyorozu’s reaction?

Shouto felt something in his heart twist, and he sighed deeply and tried to focus on something else to calm his temper. It felt like all the thoughts he had been pushing down for the last month had exploded within his chest like magic.

That’s right.

Shouto lifted his left hand and stared down at his palm. His fingers were shaking, but Shouto ignored the tremors as he focused on the slight pulse under his skin.

His magic had come back. Not fully, but he could feel it shifting in his veins again. Dormant but there. Like a dam with cracks beginning to form. He just needed to find a way to unleash.

And by tomorrow.

Before they went on the offensive against the stymphalian.

A noise behind him caught his attention. Shouto dropped his hand and looked up as Fukukado approached. She slid up next to him and stared out over the mountain. The long shadows of the night had grown shorter, and he could see the captain’s face clearly in the morning glow. She looked tired, but some of the distress and unease from earlier was gone.

After a moment, Fukukado asked. “How are you and the girl—Yaoyorozu, was it?” Shouto stilled at her name, his stomach knotting as Fukukado continued. “How are you two fairing?”

To the south, the pirate ship’s sails were barely visible through the fog.

Shouto forced himself to shrug faintly as she turned to look at him. “Fine. I wasn’t hurt. Yaoyorozu sprained her shoulder, but after some rest, she should be okay.”

Fukukado mouthed quirked faintly. “I didn’t mean like that.” Some of her color returned. And, for a moment, she looked like how she had yesterday when he had first met her. Then her playful expression fell. “We haven’t been here for long, but I’ve noticed that you keep to yourself. You’re always alone.”

Shouto shifted, and he brought his hand up to rest upon Endeavor. “Sometimes it's better that way,” he said stiffly.

Fukukado shook her head. “Sometimes. But not like you.” She stared at him pensively for a moment before saying, “As a captain, I have to pay attention to my men. See who they work well with and who I need them to avoid. I need to know how to read people to stay alive. And I’ve been watching you. You don’t socialize with anyone. You purposefully stand apart from others, like you don’t trust anyone. You seem partial to Yaoyorozu, but even with her, you seem hesitant. It’s like you’re a house, and you don’t want to let anyone in.”

Shouto’s grip on Endeavor tightened. He didn’t want to have this conversation right now.

Fukukado seemed to read something in his expression because she continued quickly. “The reason I’m bringing this up now is because tomorrow will be difficult, especially if a god is involved. We are going to need to put our best effort into defeating the stymphalian, and the best way to win any fight is by having something to fight for.”

Fukukado’s expression tightened, and she looked away. “It took ten years to defeat the Trojans not because they were wonderful fighters or because they had an impenetrable city, but because they had things they were fighting for.”

Shouto didn’t say anything.

She sighed. “We aren’t meant to be alone, Todoroki.” Her voice was soft. “Humans, I mean. Whether that's a lover or children or friends. We all need someone. I have my men. They’ll get me through this, but who do you have? Yaoyorozu?”

Shouto’s hand tightened on Endeavor. His throat felt tight. “Yaoyorozu doesn’t want anything to do with me. I’m respecting her wishes,” he said stiffly.

Fukukado was quiet for a moment.

“I think she relies on you more than you think.”

Shouto tried to ignore the way his heart rose at the comment.

“I’ll do what I need to. Is that all?” he finally asked.

Fukukado sighed. “Yes, that’s all I wanted to say. Anyways, enough lecturing. I guess I’m more tired than I thought.” She stretched. “Get some sleep too, Aizawa told me you’ve been up for the last two days.”

She returned inside, leaving Shouto to stare at the rising sun.

Did he really need someone?

Shouto turned and headed back into the house.

He had people back in Sparta, thousands of miles away—Sero, Bakugo, and Midoriya. He liked to think of them as friends (or had thought of them as his friends), but he had frozen Sero. Bakugo had sent him away and everything that had happened with Midoriya before he left…did he really have anyone anymore?

His heart pounded in his chest.

He blinked and realized belatedly that he was in front of the kitchen. Yaoyorozu was inside, busily cutting bandages out of extra sheets.

Shouto paused in the doorway. He had been so lost in thought he hadn’t even been paying attention as he walked, and his feet had brought him back to her.

No.

It was the curse, he reminded himself.

Shouto scowled. Everything stemmed from Kaminari’s arrow. He curled his hand into a fist at his side and was about to walk away when Yaoyorozu looked up.

“Todoroki?”

His feet paused, and he felt the curse pull at him. Shouto sighed. It wasn’t like he was tired anyway. “I can help you, if you need it.”

Yaoyorozu wiped at her forehead with the back of her forearm. She nodded, and Shouto moved closer, ignoring the way his heartbeat stuttered.

“Thank you.” She gave him a thin smile as she handed him a pair of scissors and one of the blankets. “If you can just cut these into long, thin sheets. I’m making them into bandages. Try to make them even, if you can.”

Shouto hummed as he took the scissors from her. From up-close, underneath the exhaustion and despair that they all wore, he could see that Yaoyorozu’s eyes were red-tinged and the thin skin under them slightly puffy.

Realization dawned on him like a kick in the gut.

“You've been crying.”

“Oh,” she twisted away. Reaching up, she self-consciously wiped at her face. “It's nothing.”

A lump formed in his throat. “Are you okay?”

She sighed but didn’t meet his eyes. “Is anyone okay right now?” she asked softly.

“But I mean-”

“It's fine,” she cut him off sternly. Her expression flickered, and she swallowed, dropping her head to stare at the table. “We can’t be infighting right now.”

The anger in Shouto’s chest stirred, but he pushed it down and forced himself to get to work. The logical side of him understood.

He couldn’t make Yaoyorozu talk. Forcing her when she wasn’t ready to speak would only upset her further. And besides, he’d promised only yesterday that he’d be better and more considerate of her feelings. He couldn’t fail, not even a full day after he had made that vow, just because of a stupid curse making him impatient. Shouto gripped the scissors tighter as he sheared them along the sheet.

She’d tell him when she was ready.

But he couldn’t help to wonder what had happened.

Shouto knew she had been angry with Aizawa’s decision. However, when he had left the kitchen, she hadn’t looked so upset that she’d cry over it.

There had been an angry resignation in her expression, but not sadness. But now, she looked sad. And lonely. It felt like something had occurred after the meeting, something more painful.

‘We can’t be infighting right now.’

Shouto’s lips thinned. What did she mean by that?

“Todoroki.”

Yaoyorozu’s voice snapped Shouto out of his thoughts. He jerked his head up to find Yaoyorozu staring pointedly at his hands.

“You’re cutting the sheet too small.”

Shouto followed her gaze down to the table. The makeshift bandages he was cutting were frayed at the edges and definitely not meeting Yaoyorozu’s request for evenly cut strips. He looked back up at her and felt his ears turn red. “Sorry.”

Yaoyorozu shook her head faintly, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “You’ve never used scissors before, have you?”

Shouto shifted, and he looked away. "No."

In fact, Bakugo had explicitly barred Shouto from ever helping with what he called “household chores.” According to the prince, any time Shouto was around, work only seemed to double. Shouto thought the judgment was unfair, but looking at his poorly cut bandages, maybe Bakugo wasn’t wrong.

Yaoyorozu made a noise in the back of her throat that sounded like suppressed laughter as if she could read Shouto’s thoughts. "Here. I'll show you a trick to cutting straight."

She moved closer. Shouto tensed as the heat of her body leaned into his, and she took his bedsheet, her fingers skimming against his.

"First, take your fabric, and hang some off the table.”

Warmth curled in Shouto’s chest as he watched Yaoyorozu work. She seemed calmer now. Her shoulders were not as tense, and there was a faint smile on her lips.

'I think she relies on you more than you think.'

Shouto inhaled slowly through his nose. Fukukado couldn’t be right. There was no way that Yaoyorozu would rely on him, especially if she ever learned about the curse. She'd never trust him.

“Then cut along the edge of the table to get an even strip," Yaoyorozu continued demonstrating, unaware of Shouto’s thoughts. She sliced an even line along the bedsheet, and then looked back up at him. Her smile dropped slightly as she blinked, scanning his face. "Todoroki? What is it?"

Shouto shook his head and then stared down at the perfectly even fabric she had cut. “Nothing.” He exhaled slowly. Then wavered for a moment before adding, “I’m just glad you don’t seem as sad anymore.”

Yaoyorozu opened her mouth and then closed it. Her shoulders dropped. “Is that so,” she said slowly. Her eyes grew glassy. She pressed her lips into a thin line and ducked her head.

Shouto froze.

Fuck.

Did he mess up?

His heart rate quickened. He didn’t understand what he did wrong, but when Shouto opened his mouth to apologize, Yaoyorozu looked up at him from below her long dark eyelashes. Her eyes were still red but a small genuine smile pulled at the corner of her mouth. “Thank you,” she whispered.

It felt like all the air in the room had suddenly vanished. His heart rose in his chest.

Shouto swallowed thickly. Unconsciously, his fingers moved towards her hand when footsteps against the flooring drew Shouto’s attention. He looked up as Tokoyami stepped into the doorway and hesitated.

“Yaoyorozu, I wanted to talk…” The bird half-monster trailed off as he froze and looked between them. His expression hardened. “Todoroki.”

Yaoyrozu stepped back. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said quickly. She dropped her head, her long hair hiding her face as she turned away. “I have to go tend to the wounded,” she said, picking up the makeshift bandages and hurrying quickly towards the door.

Tokoyami visibly wavered as she drew closer. “Yaoyorozu, may I have a word in private?”

Yaoyorozu paused. Her back was to Shouto, so he couldn’t see her face, but when she spoke, there was a faint tremble in her voice. “After. I have to go finish up first.” She straightened and walked out the door leaving Shouto and Tokoyami alone.

Shouto looked back at Tokoyami. The half-monster shifted. His hands curled into fists at his side.

Then it hit Shouto; the reason Yaoyorozu was upset was because of Tokoyami. He had done something to hurt her.

Fury welled up in Shouto's chest, and he pressed his lips into a thin, hard line. His fingers twitched.

‘We can’t be infighting right now.'

Shouto exhaled slowly. That was Yaoyorozu's decision. He needed to respect her wishes. He swallowed the anger back as he waited for Tokoyami to leave.

Except he didn't. Tokoyami straightened and met Shouto's gaze. "What were you doing in here?" He asked finally.

Shouto inhaled deeply to try and pace his rage. He could feel the curse pulsating in his veins. “I was helping make bandages,” he said, holding up his pile of poorly cut sheets.

Tokoyami hesitated. It was hard to read his bird-like expression. After a moment, he inhaled deeply. “I thank you for saving her earlier," he said in a strained tone. His expression rippled. "But please…you should leave Yaoyorozu alone."

“Just like you’re leaving her?”

Shit. Shouto meant to keep his anger in check, but now that the words tumbled out, he could feel how angry he was for Yaoyorozu.

Tokoyami's eyes widened. "I’m not leaving her!" He shifted as he met Shouto’s gaze. “But she needs to stay behind; it is for the best. She’s human and our only healer outside of Aizawa.”

“You made her cry.”

Tokoyami’s yellow bird-like eyes flickered momentarily before they hardened in anger. “Yaoyorozu knows it’s the right thing to do. She’s a healer, not a fighter.”

“Then why did you teach her to fight?” Shouto growled.

Tokoyami clicked his tongue. “We were at war. Of course, she needed to know.”

“But you doubt her now?” Shouto asked, his voice low as he stepped around the table.

“It’s not about doubting or not. It’s about not having another healer and the fact that she is human. Her body won't last fighting the stymphalian or a god…not like ours.”

“She doesn’t need your protection. She’s strong.”

“I never said she wasn’t strong. But I’m not risking her. I don't know what you see her as, but she's like a sister to me,” Tokoyami said, eyes flashing in challenge. “I won't lose any more people I care about because of you.” His voice was hard and tight. “But she’s your slave. If you want her to fight, then order her.”

“I’m not going to order her,” Shouto hissed indignantly. "Never. If I made decisions for her, I'd be no better than you."

Unconsciously, his hand moved to Endeavor.

Tokoyami’s eyes flickered down for a moment, then back up to his face. His eyes grew hard. “You say that, but as soon as we leave this island, you’ll hurt her. If you really cared about her, you’d use your powers and end this, but you haven’t.”

The accusation hit him like an arrow in the gut, poisoning him with the truth of the situation.

If only he had access to his power...if only he wasn’t so weak...

Shouto’s tongue twisted with all the anger and frustration he had been feeling since arriving on the island. He wanted to pour out his rage on Tokoyami, but that wouldn’t do any good.

His fingers shook, and he curled them tighter around Endeavor’s hilt as he forced himself to swallow his fury. “I won’t hurt her. Ever. That’s a promise. We’re on the same side now. You're the only one hurting her.”

A shadow appeared in the doorway behind Tokoyami, but Shouto ignored them as he stepped closer.

Tokoyami’s yellow eyes flashed, a hint of regret flickered in their depths before hardening in defiance. “I only said what was necessary.”

“Enough,” Aizawa’s gravelly voice snapped.

Shouto rolled his jaw but didn’t look away as Aizawa approached and stepped in between them. The older man pushed Shouto away. Reluctantly, Shouto took a half a step back.

“That’s enough, both of you. I know everyone is tense, but we can’t be fighting before tomorrow’s operation.” Aizawa’s eyes flashed as he looked between them. His lips thinned, then he turned towards Tokoaymi. “You two can’t seem to comprehend the situation, so I’ll split you up. Tokoyami will take my place for the morning patrol. Everyone else will stay here and prepare.”

Tokoyami’s expression hardened. “No complaints,” he muttered darkly.

Notes: Deimos – is the god of terror and one of the banner men of Ares. In this story, Dabi is Deimos. Phobetor – is the god of nightmares. In dreams he takes the form of animals or monsters.

[writinginthedarkwood]

Koma Inu! Kirishima x Reader: The Other Half

The Lion Dog Guardian of the shrine is a cheerful and strong protector of the shrine, but what is he doing all alone out here? Are you what the shrine has been missing all this time?

A tribute to my dear friend @kiriwhores-sama-main who is seriously a JOY to talk too and a talented author. 

Full list of my other Yokai works included in my Master List. 

Has nsfw content. 

“Something isn’t right.” Your grandfather was a quiet man. He preferred to sit propped up near the window so he can watch the day go by. He hasn’t been able to walk for a few years now, but that never bothered you. It was never a chore to care for him, in fact, you love that you can repay him for raising you alone. “Did I not add enough to the soup?” You asked sweetly before gently blowing on the hot liquid. You held the spoon up to him, but he didn’t look away from the window. “Something’s very, very wrong.” He squinted looking past your garden and towards the rest of town. He leaned just a bit closer and wiped some of the condensation off of the glass before sitting back in his chair. “The birds have gone off. There’s something wicked in the air.”

“Don’t be silly, everything is fine.” 

He refused to eat his lunch, not the rice, vegetables or delicious soup. “Would you like to take a nap instead Grandfather?” He shook his head no and continued staring out the window. 

You couldn’t wait around all day, not with all of the chores that need done. You clean up after the mess of lunch and head outside. You smiled and carried an empty wooden bucket toward town to fetch water. Grandfather had thought about having someone dig a well on our property, but I told him I didn’t mind the walk. The pathway through the forest is an easy one to stroll through. 

Usually the sound of chirping song birds joined you, or the sound of crickets as they hopped along the mossy stones. 

It was silent.

“Maybe I should check back up on grandfather...” You looked over my shoulder to decide if you should turn back. “Well we do need water for dinner...” 

Before you could move, the ground shook. 

The rocks jumped towards the air and rolled with the tremor. You fell to your knees as the ground around you cracked open, moving like it was made of water and not solid Earth. The trees around you lost their branches, slamming into the brush below. 

A thicker tree cracked down the middle and fell towards you. You shut your eyes and covered your head. You know the impact or the tree will kill you, but the hit never comes.

The shaking stops and you look out from behind your hands.

He was beautiful, the afternoon sun shone behind him, glowing off of his skin. His hair was impossibly red, it stuck out of his head and them rand down is back like a shaggy lions mane. He smiled down at you and tossed the tree away from the two of you. “You- you caught the tree- you... saved me.” You tried to stand to your feet but you couldn’t. The man laughed and crouched down. “Can I help you up?” He asked sweetly. You nodded your head, trying not let your mouth hang open in shock. He wrapped his hands around your waist and lifted you to your feet with no effort. You were shaky, but stood on your own. “I don’t know how I can thank you enough.” He started to respond to you before the realization struck you. Is grandfather okay? 

You quickly turned and ran away, shouting over your shoulder that you were sorry to the man who rescued you. Your feet carried you over debris, jumping over fallen branches and holes in the pathway. 

Your garden was spared, a few plants uprooted, but no extreme damage. 

But your home, completely crumbled to the ground. The roof had fallen in, the stone walls held towards the bottom, giving some structure to the building, but it was all completely destroyed.

You screamed and tore at the stones, but with every rock you pulled free, the debris would shift and fall even farther in place.

You didn’t know, but your pain was felt by all the forest creatures for miles. They wept with you, the sweet daughter of the valley who had already suffered so many times.

You didn’t mourn alone.

A few months later.

“Good morning Y/N, off to the shrine?” You nodded with a half smile and carried your parcel of lillies. “Off to visit Grandfather.” 

The mothers of town have always been kind to you, but they’ve pulled just a bit away. You hear the whispers, especially from the older crowd and the little children.

“She must be bad luck...” “Everyone she loves dies...”                                                                                     “She can’t marry MY son, I don’t have a death wish!”

They smile and wave, but you can see the worry in their eyes.  They’d probably be happier if you left.

You continued walking anyway, smiling as you go and humming the same tunes your Grandfather would buzz to himself. 

You did this a lot, almost every day if you could help it. The other villagers have neglected the shrine over time, but you worked diligently to keep it clean.

The gate stood beautiful and red in the afternoon sunshine, it’s arches stretching far into the sky. You always found yourself politely nodding to the guardian of the shrine, a beautiful Lion Dog statue that is worn like it has seen better years. It roared to the sky with a gaping mouth. You stopped and gazed at him a little longer today. It hasn’t rained in a few days, the statue looks sort of dirty. You smiled to yourself and decided to clean him up a bit. “Stay right there friend, I’ll get you cleaned up.” 

You set the package of lillies propped up against the steps and grabbed the wooden bucket and cloth you had hiding just inside the entry way. You always wash the walls of the inner shrine, and sweep the pathways among the graveyard. 

You scrubbed away what looked like years of grime, the stone statue darkening in color from the water. Bird droppings fell away, and the stone underneath looked smooth and better than ever. 

It was strange that the Komainu was alone. Parallel to this one is an empty place holder, a shadow remaining where another statue must have sat. After finishing your work you stared at the empty place for a moment and suddenly felt sad, the shadow instilling some type of longing in you, like something really was missing. You pulled a flower from the lillies you brought and placed one on the spot before walking the rest of the way into the shrine. 

You swept the pathways and abandoned stone memorials. Your fingers cramped as you scrubbed away dust and dirt from the walls of the sancturary, where the other villagers have long stopped worshiping. Grandfather insisted on being buried here, he was the last of his generation, a pillar in the spiritual community. 

You tried not to think too long whenever the thought of him passing alone crept into your head.

You stopped washing the walls for a moment as the sadness crawled up your spine. 

The water dripped down the wall and pooled on the floor. 

You sang to yourself to bring the mood up, smiling while you sang about nature.

As you started to lose yourself in the music, really ringing out the beautiful notes you felt a tingle of the back of your neck. 

Someone was watching you.

You looked stopped singing suddenly and looked around, feeling silly. Why would anybody walk all the way out here other than you? Someone could have followed you from the village, but that’s unlikely, why follow bad luck?

You sighed and carried the bucket outside where you dumped the water and refilled it for next time. The sun is setting, washing the statue kept you out here much longer than you meant too. You rushed to try and hurry back before dark. 

You stopped one more time at the beautiful wall of names, seeing your grandfathers on the bottom of the list. You removed the old, starting to wilt flowers and left the new lillies lying there.

Something strange halted your light footsteps, leaving you without any breath in your lungs.

The freshly cleaned statue was gone. You rushed over to it, waving your hands in the air over the pedestal to see if it would collide with stone. 

Your hand felt nothing, the lion guardian was gone. 

Backing away from the oddity of all your back collided with the other empty pedestal. You jumped like someone touched you, feeling incredibly skittish. 

The lillie you left as a gift for the lion dog was different now, it was made out of solid gold. “How is this possible?” You whispered to yourself before reaching out a shaking hand. 

The moment you touched the golden flower, the world around you warped and changed. 

The tree’s surrounding the shrine grew taller, reaching impossibly tall heights. The sky was a beautiful pinkish hue, it was terribly bright compared to the pastel pallet of the sunset before. The shrine was even bigger, the paint no longer chipping. The stone was sturdy and smooth, practically glowing with cleanliness. Even the air felt different, the mugginess of the summer was gone. It felt crisp and sweet, like flowers were blooming nearby. 

“H-hello?” You stepped onto the stairs, they’re far grander now. You held onto the railing to sturdy yourself.

You thought you heard footsteps, but saw nobody around. You called out again, your voice echoing around you, making you feel even more alone. 

You heard a strange noise nearby, the sound of something heavy falling to the ground. The further you walked along, the more audible another sound became. Someone was... grunting? Even yelling a bit. You rounded a corner to a deeper part of the shrine yard.

“Ohhh I didn’t see you there!” A voice called before you barely came into view. 

You gasped, the man who saved you during the earth quake was throwing rocks around the yard. 

He stretched his arms over the back of his head, pulling his sweaty ab muscles in a lightly obvious attempt to impress you. “I was just, throwing in an extra work out before sundown!” He sat down on a mossy rock and threw a towel over his shoulders. “But uh! Welcome! I guess I should start by thanking you!” He smiled and motioned for you to walk closer. You took a few steps into the grass, the blades tickled your ankles. “I should be the one thanking you...” You smiled toward the ground. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”  

The terrible loss of your grandfather clouded that memory for so long. It almost felt like a dream, like that moment was so far away from now. 

“Hey that was nothing! That tree was like a paper weight to me. It really is YOU that deserves all the praise.” 

A light blush freckled your cheeks. “But I haven’t done anything...” 

He stood up quickly, his long red hair flowing behind him. He flashed a bright mouth of sharp teeth at you. “Haven’t done anything? Look at this place! It looks amazing because of you!” He threw his arms out and motioned to the beauty around you two. 

It really was gorgeous. Huge flowering plants lined the walkways between the graves. Memorials were shining and polished perfectly.

“A human hasn’t loved and cared for this place like this in, well. Centuries! Your warm heart has really made it a more fun place to live.” His energy was infectious. He reached a hand out for you to take with a sweet gaze. “Can I show you around?” 

You felt no fear in your heart, you reached out and touched his warm hand, feeling nothing but positive energy radiate from him.

The two of you strolled around the shrine, the memorials seeming to go on forever. Some were grand tall statues, others were long trailing walls with hundreds of names on them. He talked while the two of you strolled together, and you noticed that he almost seemed, nervous?

“And- uh- yeah! That was the graveyard, a little sad I guess but up here is the inner shrine where I-I live!” He chuckled a bit and touched his hair. “If you’d like to see... that?”  He kind of drew out his sentence, looking at you with a cute scrunched up face. 

Seeing the inner shrine? You beamed. It’s not often people are allowed to see the inner shrine where the most sacred items are stored. “Wow really? You would let me inside?” You asked with wide eyes. “Of course I would!” He looked at you with a face that said he couldn’t believe you would even ask. 

The closer you walked to the shrine, the more different it looked. It was huge, like a palace. “Wow!” Your chest filled with excitement, it was unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. “I can’t believe what I’m seeing...” You said under your breath. “I guess it is a little impressive now. It looked terrible not too long ago, but since you’ve come around the place has really cleaned up.” 

Your bare feet padded against the marble pathway, the stone felt smooth and a little warm. Your skirt brushed gently across the ground, you almost felt the need to pull it up, the dirty cloth feeling out of place in such a grand setting. 

“I really did all this?” You asked looking around at the blooming cherry trees. “You sure did!” He smiled and gave your hand a pat. “It’s been, well. Really nice with you being here so often.” He looked at you with a sweet, smaller smile. “Are you the Koma Inu of this shrine?” 

“Yup! You figured it out.” He stretched his free arm out and flexed. “Yeah I keep this place nice and safe on my own. Bragging wouldn’t be very manly of me, but I’ve been watching over this place for as long as I remember. Nobody can mess with the dead when I’m around!” 

“You’ve been here all alone?” You didn’t mean to pry, you thought your question was innocent enough. His face dropped, his smile fading for just a moment. You stopped walking, just outside a very large golden door. “I’m sorry did I say something to upset you?” 

His smile bounced back to his face. “No! No never, not at all Y/N.” He put a hand on your face for a just a second, cupping your cheek. “I can’t imagine you saying anything to hurt me.”

Your face blushed bright red as he stared deep into your eyes. 

He dropped his hand and snapped his fingers, the huge golden doors creaking open. When stepping into the great hall, lanterns lit on their own, A fountain with intricate lion carvings in white stone erupted with flowing water. “Not so bad right? What do you think?” 

You covered your mouth, feeling very small. Your eyes watered,  “I- I’m not worthy enough to be here..” You stammered out, your voice almost failing you.

He spun around quickly and gently took your shoulders in his hands. “Y/N don’t you ever say that!” He said in a gentle tone. He wiped a stray tear off of your cheek.

“I- I am the unlucky girl of the valley. I have no family, no place to live.” You didn’t often get to speak to other people anymore, especially about your emotions. “I’ll dirty this beautiful place.” Your lip quivered and the lion dog’s face was horrified. He scooped you into his arms, firmly holding you against his chest. “Hey now, you don’t have to worry about any of that anymore.” He whispered against the top of your head. “What do you mean?” You looked up at him, puzzled. 

“Are you hungry? He asked with a grin. 

You were almost always hungry, but you were used to skipping meals.

The two of you sat together by a lovely stone fire pit. He cooked a large piece of meat while you chopped a few large vegetables. He told you stories about his heroic feats, how demons have tried to slink their way into the shrine to disturb the people resting here and eat the gold. You watched him tell his stories with bright animation, completely entranced. He spoke a lot with his hands, reenacting some of his best fighting stances. 

The two of you ate together until you were tired, laughing so hard between bites you almost swallowed wrong. You couldn’t see, but outside the sun had long gone. The night sky blanketing the shrine in a cozy haze, the clouds laying low to the ground in a misty fog.

After hours of talking, you hadn’t noticed how close he was sitting to you. Before long, you had laid your head on his shoulder, the warmth of the fire much kinder to you than the wooden floor at the hospital you slept on. 

Kirishima caught your slipping head as your sleeping body fell towards his lap. He cradled you in his arms for a minute before picking you up.

Your eyes fluttered open to the soft pale light of morning hitting your face. You were lying on a soft bed of silk. A thick furry blanket covered your bare skin. 

You sat up suddenly and pinched your arms, gasping and gripping different parts of your body. “What?” You looked around, wondering how you could wake up inside another dream. 

“Eijiro?” You called out, your voice barely able to shout.

The room you’re in is beautiful and expensive looking, but cozy at the same time. The porcelain hand painted vase was filled with wildflowers. The window was large and open just a crack. 

Your heart beat quickly, waiting for something to happen.

The door slid open kind of harshly, followed by a booming greeting. “Good morning sunshine!” He had his arms on his hips, still no shirt in sight. 

You had the blanket covering your chest, you’re only wearing your slip, your normal clothes were tossed to the side across the room. He sat down across from you on the bed. “How did you sleep?” He asked with a stretch. He yawned a big, sleepy yawn.

“I haven’t slept that well in a long time.” You felt very well rested, the usual soreness of your body was gone. Instead of a terrible hunger pain, you felt warm, safe and a little bit thirsty.

“That’s great! I’m so happy you’re comfortable-” 

“However...” You continued. Kirishima shut his mouth quickly like he knew what you were going to say. “Did you take my clothes... off of me?” You asked feeling horribly embarrassed and exposed. 

He nervously laughed and scratched his head. “Your clothes were really dirty, I didn’t want to get the bed gross. You must have been exhausted, every time I tried to shake your skirt off you just cuddled closer!” 

Your entire body flushed and you hid your face behind the blanket. It’s not like you to trust men so easily, you left yourself in a vulnerable position.

Yet somehow you felt nothing but comfortable with him. 

“Did you sleep in here with me?” Before you could even complete your sentence the guardian swung and arm over you, knocking you onto your back and snuggling into your neck. “I like to sleep in short bursts, won’t you come back to sleep with me for a bit before breakfast?” 

“I- I can’t stay in bed I need to get to town.” His breath was warm on your neck. “What’s in town that you need? I’m sure I have everything for breakfast already.” His voice was tired, his arm pulled you closer to him. Just his presence was lulling, your eyes suddenly feeling heavy again. “But if I don’t sweep all of the patients rooms before noon I won’t be allowed to eat.” 

He stiffened a bit, his breath catching in his chest. He leaned up on his elbow and looked down at your worried face. He gently traced a finger down your cheek. “Forget the hospital. Forget the town.” He said softly. “You could stay here with me, never feeling hungry. Never having to sweep for spare rice.” 

You opened your mouth to speak. He closed the space between you, pressing his lips gently on yours. 

It felt like a piece of you was completed. Like everything that was wrong, was right again. 

A strong warmth covered your body, a light glowing around you. You sat up with a gulp of air. Your hair grew thicker and ran all the way down your back. Your thin, starved body was filled with strength, muscles toning and adding padding to you. You felt a surge of power, causing you to cry out for a moment, your voice was replaced with a loud roar.

Kirishima put a hand on your back, keeping you steady as the power flowed out of you, leaving you winded. “I knew it!” He pulled you into a hug, showering you with kisses. “What just happened?” 

“My love, my darling. My other half!” He cupped your face and kissed you again. “Kirishima!” You said with a bit of a giggle. 

“The two of us make each other whole. Two halves to the same cycle.” 

“Your other half?” You couldn’t help but look at him with awe. His loving, handsome face so hypnotising. “Your luck isn’t ‘bad’. You just don’t belong with the humans.” He looked as if he might cry, but no tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. “Death follows you like a shadow, which for a race of people with very short life spans is catastrophic. Yet it’s a necessary part of balance.” 

“Why does death follow me?” You thought about all of the pain you’ve felt for so long. All of the people you’ve lost. Was it really your fault? 

“Because you complete me, the two guardians. One of life and one of death.” He pulled you into his lap and kissed your jaw gently. “Together we’ll protect the people of the valley, so that their ancestors may rest peacefully and their most sacred treasures will be safe.” 

You couldn’t help but stare at him with awe. His face so loving and gentle. Noticing you looking at him so intently something in his eyes changed. His crimson eyes flashed a mischievous look and he dipped your chin so that your lips would meet his. He playfully parted your mouth with his tongue, circling around and widening the space. Inching his way further into your throat until your eyes rolled back into your head. He pressed your hips down onto the blankets, his fingers digging into your skin. His hips grinded against your, slowly moving your body so that your legs parted for him. You gasped when he disconnected your lips with a small trail of spit between you two. He grinned down at your flushed face. “E-eijiro...” You could barely sputter out his name. “Yes my love?” He said between trailing kisses on your neck. “What are you-” He bit down on your neck piercing your flesh. The wound was deep enough that under any circumstance before you would have screeched in pain. You simply moaned in pleasure, it feeling more tingly than painful. The bite mark started to heal almost instantly. 

Kirishima growled in your ear, vibrating your head. He pulled away at the small amount of fabric you had on. It tore away from your body with a satisfying rip. He slowly moved his hips, rubbing his length against you. “Do you want to stay by my side, forever?” He pulled down his pants, his member bouncing free and touching your exposed slit. You gasped and he moved the tip to hover over your entrance. “Yes I do...” You grabbed onto his shoulders and he slammed his mouth down onto yours, pressing himself inside of you at the same time. You mewled into his lips as your body adjusted to his size, he moved his hips just a bit to let your moisture slick around him. His hands roamed all around your body, tracing your curves with his fingertips and cupping your soft breasts. He pumped harder into you, feeling satisfied with the way you fit around him. He pulled his mouth off of yours and put his face next to yours, leaning on his elbow to give himself better leverage. He panted in your ear as he slammed into you, groaning soft words of comfort and praise. Your body responded to his harder movements, the perfect pressure spot being pounded into sending you pulses of pleasure. With every stroke it felt like shock waves through your entire body, the heat burning in your chest through your entire core. He dragged his tongue from your collar bone to your ear, looping your ear lobe in his mouth and nibbling on it. “I love you Y/N.” He whispered. You cried out that you loved him too, as your climax built. Your body shook and chills covered your spine in goose bumps. Your guardian gave you a few long strokes before shooting ropes of cum into your throbbing body. He grinned down at you with his sharp teeth, specks of your blood still staining them and his lips. He kissed you one more time before pulling out and flattening his chest against yours in a cozy snuggle. “Ready to go back to sleep now?” He teased. You tried to giggle but his full body weight was crushing you a bit. He laughed and rolled to the side, pulling you onto him. “We’ll be more responsible tomorrow, can we just have a lazy day today?” He yawned and stretched. You felt full of energy, ready to take on the world. “You want to sleep all day? How can I sleep now?” You wanted to get up and run, testing out your stronger body and what it can do. “Hey I take my job pretty seriously, but I just want to enjoy being reunited with you for awhile.”

You smiled, but then realized his wording was strange. “You mean reunited from that day in the woods?” You questioned. He stiffened a bit underneath of you and you leaned up on your arm to look at his face better. “Is everything alright?” 

He smiled at you, his eyes soft and beaming with affection. “Yes my light. Everything is perfect.” 

If you enjoy my works and would like to offer me support, please consider donating to my Ko-fi account, right here. It is a tremendous way to help me put out requests faster, as I’m a disabled student. 

[maedarakat]

Discarded

("A Gruff Separation"  AU - Hiccup adopts the Twins after they fail Agnut’s administration of the Induction Trials and get disowned by the Thorston clan.)

----

Green eyes surveyed the scene - which was pitiable by any comparison. Hiccup looked away from the slumped, exhausted forms of his younger friends and to Agnut, scowling.

“Okay that’s it, I’m calling it - the Trials are over for right now.”

“Well, yes, unfortunately,” Agnut nodded. “Because it’s clear they lack the stamina and strength to be Thorstons. With a heavy heart, I must declare -"

“A re-trial!” Hiccup said firmly. “It’s not fair to say they failed when you know their cousin ran them completely ragged with his lies!”

She sighed. “While that may be true, the High Council will only say that cleverness is also an important factor in becoming a Thorston. They were both fooled by their cousin, Gruffnut, and his forged scroll. That certainly does not work in their favor.”

He made a noise of frustration. “I can’t say Chief Stoick is going to agree to your assessment of failure -“

Agnut blinked and reached over to primly seal Hiccup’s lips shut between thumb and forefinger.

“Young man,” she drawled, “Pulling rank on me is not effective, nor appreciated.”

Her eyes softened at the sight of her younger cousins, both groaning and trying to help each other sit up. She pulled Hiccup a bit further away from the group by his arm.

“Especially ineffective,” Agnut whispered, “because it doesn’t matter what I report back to the Elders. The Thorstons have long doubted whether these two are a good fit for the family. It would honestly be far kinder to announce their failure and let them muddle along.”

Incensed, Hiccup folded his arms. “I have to say we’re in agreement on that one particular thing. The Twins certainly do not need a family that holds trials to accept their own flesh and blood!”

“It’s the way it has always been done with our clan, a tradition that has been stubbornly passed down through equally stubborn generations. Not even the Chief can interfere in private clan matters.”

Scowling, Hiccup didn’t answer. His arms were still crossed, signifying his refusal to budge.

His father might not be able to change the Thorstons but that wasn’t going to stop Stoick from raising absolute Niflheim on the Thorston Elders. The man had already done it more than once on the Twins’ behalf.

The most striking in Hiccup’s memory was the time Hardsell had forced Tuff to chop wood in a blizzard, barefoot and wearing only his underthings.

Stoick had come in like a lion the moment he discovered the cruelty - delivering a vicious uppercut to Hardsell’s jaw and laying him out cold. He had then carried Tuff, wrapped in a bear fur cloak, through the knee-high snow to his own warm hut, with Ruffnut in tow.

Just thirteen, Hiccup well remembered his father’s angry ranting to Gobber about the draconian punishment, while he sat next to the blond twin - pale and blue-lipped on a pallet by the Haddock’s hearth.  In comparison to his father, Hiccup hadn’t known what to do then, other than help Ruff rub warmth back into her brother’s thin, shivering body.

As Hiccup watched Agnut make ready to leave, he was disheartened to think there wasn’t much he could do this time either.

He walked back to the Twins, swallowing past a lump in his throat at their pained, tired expressions.

“So, I guess we failed after all,” Tuff muttered, leaning against the wall of the Clubhouse. His face was smeared with soot and covered in scratches, and he was holding what looked like a broken wrist close to his chest.

Ruffnut was now laying with her head in her brother’s lap, arms wrapped around her stomach. A surprise blow with the wild Nadder’s tail had sent her somersaulting backwards into a tree, with a force that had made Hiccup worry for her ribs.

He knelt next to them, gently running his fingers over Ruff’s side. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going to just stand aside and let your own family kick you guys out.” His gentle ministrations brought an uneven giggle from Ruffnut.

“You tryin’ to tickle me happy, Hiccup? Not that I mind at all, please do go on.” She cheekily lifted her tunic a bit higher. Hiccup sighed but continued to examine her ribs.

“I’m just checking for broken bones, Ruff. That dragon really got you.” There was bruising, but nothing felt out of place and she didn’t cry out when Hiccup added a bit of pressure. That was good at least.

Tuff wasn’t so lucky, he hissed in pain as Hiccup felt along his forearm. Something gave slightly, making him tense and yelp, snatching back his arm.

Toothless burbled his concern and loped over to the Twins, nuzzling Tuff’s cheek. The dragon sat closer, curling his tail and a wing around both of them.

“Thanks T, I’m good. Just a little fracture from that fall,” Tuff shrugged.

And burns from the brush fire they had to rescue an infuriated boar from, and cuts from the Nadder spines - all without mentioning Tuff’s heart-stopping fall down the cliffside as he ran along the edge, dodging flaming ballista spears. Thank the Gods their Zippleback had flown swiftly to save him, even if the interference had disqualified him from winning.

Hiccup now understood why early grays had crept into his father’s hair and beard, and he’d be surprised if they weren’t in his own hair by this time tomorrow. “You guys need some rest and recovery. I’ve half a mind to take you to see Mala’s healers tomorrow.”

“No offense, H, but we kind of just want to go to our huts, close all the windows and pretend we aren’t alive for a few days,” Tuff sighed. “Possibly even weeks.”

“That sounds like a terrible plan,” Hiccup said, unable to keep the worry from shaking his voice.

“Hiccup, I know you care. It’s sweet and it honestly makes me want to cry,” Ruffnut said, and her voice was warbling just a bit on that note. “But this has been the worst birthday we’ve ever had, and - and I - “

She hitched and buried her face against Tuff’s thigh. He leaned over her protectively, looking both ill and defiantly brave as he sheltered her from sight. “Could you help me carry her?” Tuff asked, sounding frail. “We need - we need to just be somewhere dark.”

“You guys want to sleep in my hut?” Hiccup offered, without hesitation. He paused, uncertain if that was too awkward. He needn’t have worried, Tuff actually brightened at that.

“We can sleep with you and Toothless? Word on the street is that he purrs.”

Toothless certainly didn’t seem bothered by the idea, trilling softly in response. He gently nosed Ruff and got his head beneath her arm, encouraging her to stand up. Between Tuff and Hiccup, they got her into the Night Fury’s saddle and walked together toward the hut.

Hiccup was additionally distressed to see Tuffnut moving with a limp, and a long gleaming gash showed through his ripped leggings. Wordlessly, Hiccup put Tuff’s good arm over his shoulders and steadied him with an arm around his waist.

The Twins had already been injured and exhausted after Gruff’s fake trials, which had led to their many missteps and injuries during Agnut’s trials. Had the twins not been in such bad shape, Hiccup had no doubt they could have passed with flying colors.

Tuff had dodged all the spears but he’d twisted his ankle in the Titan Zippleback cave which caused him to fall off the cliff before reaching the finish point. Both he and Ruff had already gotten burns from the explosion that rocked the cave earlier (the same one that had made Hiccup’s heart nearly stop with terror because he had no idea if they’d been killed by the blast.)

It had made trying to save the boar particularly hellish for them, and the boar had escaped their hold, rendering the second leg of the Trial a failure.

The last task - getting a spine from a sleeping Nadder - had also gone horribly wrong, all because they were too exhausted to sneak up as silently as they usually could have.

This was all Gruffnut’s fault. Hiccup swore if he ever saw that jerk again, he was going to punch the guy straight in his lying mouth. Part of him even considered writing to Dagur and Heather in the interest of tracking Gruff down for a friendly little ‘chat’. Dagur had a deep dislike for traitors, after all.

Hiccup’s thoughts were darkly protective as he helped Tuff up the stairs. Toothless had gone ahead of them with Ruff and waited patiently as she got out of the saddle, wiping her eyes. She stumbled towards Hiccup’s bed and fell down across it, burying her face in a pillow to muffle her crying.

“Sis,” Tuff croaked, and Hiccup noted with guilty surprise that there were tears streaking his friend’s face. He’d been so concerned about their physical injuries, he hadn’t even begun to worry for the emotional impact of this awful day. Hiccup helped Tuff lay down next to his sobbing twin, watching as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a close hug.

Toothless warbled sadly, looking every bit as helpless as Hiccup felt. He scratched his dragon’s head and walked over to sit beside them, pulling a warm fur up to their shoulders. “Can I get you guys anything to eat or drink?” Hiccup asked. Usually the Twins were delighted by free food.

“We’re not hungry,” came the unified answer. Ruff reached up to pull the hide further over both their heads.

Okay, well that was definitely worrying. Hiccup bit his lip. “I’m going to go talk to Gobber before Agnut leaves. I-I’ll give you some time to be alone.”

And maybe he’d bring some food anyway. Yak chops and figs, if he remembered their favorites correctly.

“You’ll come back soon, right?” Tuff’s voice asked plaintively.

“I won’t be long at all. Just a few minutes and I’ll be right back,” he assured them, getting up. “Until then, Toothless will stay with you.”

They didn’t answer, but Ruff sighed shakily and reached a hand from under the fur to pat Toothless’ head. The Night Fury nuzzled her palm then laid his top half over them, beginning to purr as loudly as he could manage.

Hiccup took that as his cue to sneak out. He had to ask Gobber some questions, and he had a feeling he wasn’t going to like any of the answers.

----

“Of course I’ll be letting the Chief know everything,” Gobber had assured him, his tone somber. The blacksmith’s eyes had tracked the Twins’ departure to Hiccup’s hut with concern. He had seen all of them grow up, and Hiccup knew he cared for Berk’s own pair of rascals just as much as Stoick did.

It was just as Hiccup feared; having failed the Trials, the Twins were truly alone. They would have to give back everything the family had ever given them, possibly even their clothing, and they could no longer visit their own home. It was coldly and brutally unfair.

“Aside from that, should the Thorston family Elders should happen to need anything from my forge, I’ll be sure to inform them the waiting list is at least a few months out.”

Hiccup smiled faintly. Of course Gobber would.

He could also have said he’d do their jobs and repairwork shoddily, but both of them knew Gobber would never lessen the quality of his work for any reason. No, he would just make them wait an absurdly long time for it - which was just as disruptive a punishment.

“In the meantime, you take care of those two. Let your father hammer some sense into those stubborn Elders, and I’ll keep you updated.” He climbed onto Grump, and gave Agnut a hand up. She nodded to Hiccup as she seated herself behind Gobber.

“Haddock,” she said, before they took off. “I want you to tell them that I’m sorry. Please let them know I still consider myself their cousin.”

“Really? So if they need anything, you can lend them food or money or a place to stay?” Hiccup asked flatly.

“Heavens no! The family strictly punishes anyone who takes in a disowned ex-Thorston. I’d be disowned myself, along with my little ones. I don’t like it either, but that’s the way it is. I truly wish they had passed the Trials.”

“I’m sure you do,” Hiccup sighed, knowing it was pointless to lash out at Agnut. She was part of the problem, but not the root of it.

He waited for her and Gobber tp leave before walking to the Clubhouse kitchen to round up some food. Fishlegs had beaten him to the task, unsurprisingly.

“Here,” he said, holding up a big basket. “Heather told me her yak chop recipe a while ago and Snotlout still had some extra figs from the last time he went to the Northern Markets. I wrote to Heather and Dagur already and told them everything.”

He looked worried, but Hiccup smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Hey, well that’s good. It saves me from writing a very incoherently angry letter.”

Fishlegs huffed. “Oh, trust me, my letter was pretty blistering. I can’t believe that Gruffnut! And seriously - the Thorstons are really disowning their kids just because of some stupid Trials?! If you have a baby, then that baby is yours no matter what! My mom would never make me prove I was an Ingerman.”

Hiccup sighed. “I know, Fishlegs. Hopefully my Dad can make them see that. But like Agnut said, he can’t force them to change their traditions. We all just have to be there for the Twins right now. Make sure they eat, heal, and rest. Maybe even distract them a bit.”

The larger boy nodded, looking thoughtful. “You’re right, Hiccup. I’ll go see if I can work on some salves for their bruises and cuts.” He hurried off and Hiccup watched him, turning to go back to his hut.

He drew water from the well, determined to make them at least drink before going to sleep, and carried both bucket and basket through the door. Abruptly he stopped in his tracks when he saw the gold hair laying in a pile on his main floor. What on earth? Hiccup went up the stairs, setting his burdens down as he saw the Twins sitting upright.

Ruff had unbraided her hair, and it was still long, though not as long as it had been. She’d cut it to the middle of her back, and its natural curl was starting to return prettily. She was sitting behind Tuff now removing the beads and unbraiding what she could.

“Guys?” Hiccup asked, moving toward them.

“Hey,” Tuff responded morosely. “She’s helping me because . . .” He held up his injured wrist, grinning lamely.

“Why are you - you know you can wear your hair however you want to, right?”

“We actually can’t wear anything that ties us to the family - hairstyles included. Tomorrow we have to go to the Northern Markets and do a complete wardrobe change. Trade in our old stuff, you know. It won’t be so bad, there’s some new things I’ve had my eye on. I always wanted to try out that black leather vest with suede fringes.”

“You’d look awful in suede,” Ruff sighed. “You just like saying that word.”

“True. It is one of my favorites,” Tuff agreed. “Right up there with ‘fringes’.”

Hiccup shrugged, not quite sure how to take their change in mood. He picked up the basket. “I know you guys said you weren’t hungry, but -”

Tuff’s grey eyes widened and he lifted his head, sniffing. “Do I smell . . .?”

“Figs?!” Ruff dove over his shoulder for the basket, snatching it and nearly toppling her brother onto the floor. Tuff recovered and whirled around, and both of them descended upon the food.

“Ahh, not in the bed, come on - use the table,” Hiccup scolded. He sighed as they completely ignored him, but relented with a shrug. It didn’t look like there’d be any crumbs, and he was right; soon enough the basket had been emptied and Ruff was rapturously licking sticky fig seeds off her fingers while Tuff gnawed ferociously on a yak bone, stripping off the cartilage with his teeth.

Hiccup sat down next to them, and was surprised when they cleared the bed without needing asked - putting down the basket and flicking off stray blond hairs from Ruff’s impromptu haircut.

He was quite suddenly made part of a sandwich, Ruff on his left and Tuff nestled on his right, resting his swollen forearm over Hiccup’s stomach.

“Ahh,” Hiccup murmured in sympathy, reaching down to gently examine his younger friend’s wrist. “Definitely broken.”

His fingers lingered uncertainly, unsure if he should warn him first or just do it. Tuff sighed, and hid his face in Hiccup’s shoulder. “Go ahead,” he muttered. “Just be quick please.”

Hiccup did his best and with a sharp crack, set Tuff’s wrist. A pained yelp was quickly followed by a low sob. Tuff slid down to hide his face against Hiccup’s ribs, clinging tightly to him like some lanky frightened octopus. He remained so for a few moments, even as Hiccup rubbed his back and murmured reassurances. Tuff relented finally and let Hiccup get up to retrieve some pieces of kindling and linen to make him a splint

Toothless crooned a soft good night, hopping up on his own bed to make his usual circle of fire. After he finished wrapping Tuff’s wrist, Hiccup laid back down between them to make himself comfortable, oddly well used to sleeping with people in his bed. This was hardly the first time the Twins had crashed with him, but it was the first time they’d been invited to.

He watched Ruff fall asleep first, then Tuff, before finally succumbing to his own exhaustion.

It had been a long, hard day and they all needed some sleep.

-----

Unsurprisingly, Hiccup woke just before dawn to sobbing.

He’d blinked awake muzzily to realize his arms were empty and that it somehow wasn’t correct for them to be. Sitting up, he saw that it was Tuff’s turn to break down. Ruff was leaning against him with an arm around his shoulders and murmuring as soothingly as she could. Hiccup was at their side before he was fully articulate.

“Tuff? What - what’s up?”

“I thought he’d changed, I really thought this time he’d - I thought he cared for us! But he just  -” the boy managed in between hitching breaths.

Oh. Okay, well, there was reason number four-hundred and eighty-three to punch Gruff in the face the next time Hiccup saw him.

“Don’t worry about Gruffnut. He’s a scam-artist and a jerk. Didn’t he also fail the Trials?”

Wait, that didn’t come out right.

Tuff started wailing even harder and Hiccup groaned an apology, sitting up to rub his back.

“No, no, it’s not what you said - I just never realized how alone he must have felt all those years. I mean, no wonder he was a drifter . He - He didn’t even have a home to come back to -”

Ruff groaned and slapped her forehead. “Tuff, for crying out loud! The guy completely screwed us over, you can stop worrying about him. He’s fine! And we will be too. If he can do it, so can we, right? Remember saying all that, about the hut with a divider?”

“Yeah, I was just saying all that because I didn’t want Gruffnut to see us freak out! N-Not that I don’t have a few ideas for what we can do - I mean, I’m good at reading runes, finding clams and diving for abalone and oysters. And you can weave baskets out of anything and read palms and tell fortunes! W-We can make a living off that at the Northern Markets, right? Selling our wares and various talents?”

Hiccup wrapped his arms around the Twins. “Don’t worry about that, guys. Absolutely no-one is going to make you leave Berk.”

“But we can’t live in our house,” Ruff said. “And since our parents were only staying together for us, I bet they’ll finally going to -“

Tuff gave a questioning whimper, looking at her in horrified suspense.

“. . . Buy that new baby yak calf they were talking about last winter,” she covered, grinning weakly. “Can’t have too many yaks, right?”

Tuffnut sighed, sounding relieved, and missed Ruff shaking her head at Hiccup over his shoulder as she gave a thumbs down on the chances of their parents marriage lasting out the month.

“Oh Thor,” Hiccup muttered, rubbing his temples. “What I’m trying to say is you guys won’t be alone through this.”

“We know Hiccup, and thank you,” Tuff said. “It’s nice to know we’ll always have friends in these trying times. Whether it’s a couch to crash on, a basement to hang in, even a designated window to peer in sadly while you enjoy Snoggletog dinner with your family.”

“What . . . of all the ridiculous - you are my family!” Hiccup nearly shouted, with a ferocity that startled even himself.

The Twins stared at him, too stunned to make any sort of comment, and Toothless raised his head to chirp in surprise.

Hiccup stammered, face reddening. “I - I mean, you’re all more than just my friends - and that includes both of you. You guys are like the annoying little brother and sister I never had, and I’m not letting you go cold or hungry, or homeless. We’ll figure this whole thing out in the morning, but until we do, you will always have a home with me and Toothless.”

Neither Twin spoke a word, but they did tackle him into a warm hug, nearly sending all three sprawling off the bed.

———

“You can’t be serious,” Astrid said, eyes wide.

“Oh, I am.” Hiccup barely looked up from the grinding wheel, honing the edge of his sword. Astrid avoided the sparks but came around to stand in front of him.

“I know you want to help, but this is a huge decision. You’re likely going to be Chief someday!”

“That’s not decided yet,” Hiccup shrugged. “What’s decided is that the Twins are not going to be living on the street.”

“Of course not, but it doesn’t have to be you! I’m sure plenty of other Berkians will agree to house them until they find their own way,” she argued.

“Really? Name a couple.”

Astrid crossed her arms, fuming for a moment, then sighed. “Okay, you’re right. No-one else is coming to mind. Mostly because the Twins only seem to listen to you, even if barely.”

“They listen to you too,” Hiccup said, though he was smirking faintly. “When you aren’t being a - how did Ruff put it? A major buzzkill.”

She huffed, but couldn’t keep back a smile. “A buzzkill, huh? And what does Tuffnut say about me?”

“That you need to take a very long nap. Possibly smoke some dragon nip.”

Astrid huffed. “Fine. Just so you know, if either of them ever call me ‘Momstrid’, I’m going to punch them in the ear.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised by that in the least. Feel free to practice on Gruffnut or any other member of the Thorston family.”

She paused, folding her arms. “You’re really upset by this. I mean, it is upsetting, and I’m worried for them too, but . . . . this feels personal.”

Hiccup stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. “Astrid, I love my dad, okay? And everything that happened between us is in the past and we have a good relationship now. But I will never - ever - forget what it felt like when he said I was no longer his son.”

Wincing, Astrid moved toward him, gently touching his arm. She said nothing, letting him continue.

“The Twins just lost their entire family. They may joke and act like it doesn’t bother them, but I know better. It’ll be hard and insane and I’ll probably tear all my hair out by the end of the week, and yes, I’m aware I probably should have talked this through with you first, but -”

A kiss to his cheek quieted him. “Hiccup, you’re always going to do what’s right before you consider whether other people will be happy with it. That’s one of the things I like about you. What can I do to help you guys?”

Hiccup smiled gratefully, relieved she understood now.

***

The Twins’ family was like a pack of vultures. There was no kinder word for it.

Hiccup should have known something was up when Tuff and Ruff started taking things from their hut and hiding it in various corners of his room.

That morning he’d come upstairs to find Tuff nailing a floorboard back down. He’d grinned sheepishly, but finally confessed what was going on.

“Upon disownment, the entire family gets to go through the belongings of the failures,” he explained. “So in a few days, this island is going to be swarming with Thorstons fighting over all our stuff. We’re just hiding things that you guys gifted us with, and also stuff we can’t bear to part with, like Fluffers and my new favorite axe. Also, would you please claim Chicken and her little babies are yours? So nobody tries to eat them?” He clasped his hands together pleadingly, though he hardly needed to.

“Tuff, none of that’s going to happen. They are not coming to this island. I’ll write to the Chief and-”

“Way too late for that, H. Look out the window.”

Hiccup did and scowled as he saw a flock of dragons heading for the Edge, with all sorts of riders - most of them tall with similar hairstyles to the Twins.

“Okay, scratch that. They’re not landing on this island.” Hiccup walked out of the hut and whistled sharply. A few moments later Tuffnut curiously followed him outside.

A white shape flew over to Hiccup, who gave Smidvarg non verbal instructions with his hand, pointing at the approaching Thorstons.

Smidvarg gave a screech and flew off to gather his flock.

“What did you tell him to do?” Tuff asked, having missed most of the signals Hiccup relayed.

He had his answer as mere minutes later, a flock of Night Terrors began to relentlessly divebomb the approaching dragons and their riders.

There was a great deal of shouting and Ruff ran up to them, also watching wide-eyed as the beleaguered Thorstons tried to bat away their attackers and keep a hold on their dragons. Their progress on the island was halted; none of the Night Terrors would let them get a single wingbeat closer.

Finally, the flock turned back, heading South to Berk. The Night Terrors followed for a bit and then returned. Smidvarg landed on Hiccup’s arm, crowing proudly. He churred contentedly as he received a fond scratch on the crown of his head.

“Wow. You really mean business. Nobody’s ever done that before.” Ruff asked Hiccup, quietly.

“Yeah. I mean, I thought the offer was a nice, well-meaning but empty gesture we were supposed to politely turn down,” Tuff chimed in, “But now  . . . you really want us to live with you?”

Hiccup gave them both a smile. “I want you to join my family. It’s not quite adopting you - I mean, that would be awkward.”

“Indeed it would. What would we call you then? Dadcup? Daddock?”

“Ha, ha, please never call me that. I wouldn’t hear the end of it from Snotlout. But from now on, you guys can both call me brother.”

The Twins exchanged glances, and looked back at him, both looking nearly overwhelmed.

“Your Dad won’t - “

“He will let you move in. Just let me handle it. All you two need to worry about now is taking care of yourselves and your dragon. You still need to heal and rest. If you’re up for it, we’ll head for Mala’s island tomorrow morning.”

Again, Ruff and Tuff exchanged glances. “Well, I don’t see the harm in it. I’m simply dying for another coconut.”

“And we can see if Mala’s killed Dagur for real yet,” Ruff grinned. Tuff elbowed her, scowling. It resulted in the usual scuffle, which Hiccup knew better than to intervene in.

-----

Mala and her healers did what they could, applying a pain-relieving salve from dandelion heads and arnica flowers for both Twins, making sure fractures were properly set and gashes stitched. They’d had to give Tuff a few bites of sage fruit so he could remain calm, as he absolutely hated needles.

He wound up needing to eat the whole thing just to remain still, and as a result was more than a bit dazed when he and Ruff got let out.

Ruff smirked at her grinning brother, smoothing her tunic over bandaged ribs. “How you feeling there, bro?”

“This planet is so beautiful. I’m so glad we’re on it.”

“Ooookay, Boynut, yeah. We’re on a pretty great planet.” Dagur commented, largely amused. He whispered behind his hand to Hiccup. “What’s a planet, little brother?”

“Hey, wait a second! If Hiccup’s our brother and your his big brother, does that make you our big brother too?” Ruff interjected.

“Uh . . .” The Berserker suddenly looked hunted. Heather put a hand over her mouth to hide her grin.

“We’ve never had a big brother! Just a few older cousins.” Tuff walked toward him with open arms. Dagur stopped him with a hand on his face.

“Nope, no - you’re Hiccup’s little brother, but I’m not your big brother. And if you ever prank me - ever -  I’ll hang you from a coconut tree by your ankles.”

“Just what a big brother would say!” Tuff cried rapturously. He ducked under Dagur’s hand and hugged him tightly around the waist. The look on Dagur’s face made Hiccup, Heather, and Mala burst out laughing.

“What’s wrong, Dagur? Don’t like being called brother incessantly?” Hiccup teased, failing to keep a smirk off his face.

Dagur snorted, shook his head and relented. “Fine. Come here, Girlnut.” Ruff gleefully ran over and he picked both of them up, hugging them until their joints cracked.

“Berserker Spine-crusher Hug! I love it!” Tuff gritted out.

The others were still laughing as Dagur set the Twins down. The Berserker gave Heather a crafty look. “And you know this also means Heather’s your big sister.”

Heather stopped laughing and yelped as she was suddenly tackled in a hug between both twins, lifting her off her feet. It was Dagur’s turn to burst out laughing as she glared at him flatly, but she couldn’t keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. Heather wrestled her pinned arms free and hugged the twins around the shoulders as they set her down.

Mala beckoned to Hiccup, wishing to talk to him aside.

“Am I to understand the family of Tuffnut and Ruffnut no longer want to claim them?” she asked, looking puzzled. “How is this allowed on your island?”

“Well, it’s not normal. But from what I’ve seen, the Twins are better off without them. Doesn’t really stop the sting on their end, but . . . I think they’ll be okay. We have our own family, all of us riders.”

“I understand. Even here, not every family is happily in tune with each other. The families you find can often be formed with stronger ties than bonds of blood. I believe the Twins will be happy to live with you, though it may take some adjusting.”

Hiccup watched as the Twins ran past, Ruff triumphantly holding up Heather’s axe as she shouted indignantly and chased after them. Dagur was laughing too hard to help her much.

“Oh, I’m sure they’ll be plenty of adjusting. But we’re all going to be there for the Twins, and I know they’ll always be there for us. They’re the heart of the group. At the end of the day, no matter how rough it’s been, they’re always there to cheer us up. And they’re often brilliant - some people can’t see it. I can’t imagine what our group would be without them.”

“You care for them, but not just as a leader,” Mala smiled. “And what do you think your father, Chief Stoick, will think about these ravens of mischief moving into your home when you return to Berk?”

Hiccup laughed wryly. “Ohh, there’s going to have to be a few arguments here and there, I’m sure. But Dad would never turn them away either . . . especially not now, when they need us the most.”

He watched them fondly, glad the Twins were smiling again, despite everything. Hiccup couldn’t think of a single thing worth more than that.

End.

[equalstrashflavoredtrash]

My First Kiss at the Public Execution - 8

PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3 - PART 4 - PART 5 - PART 6 - PART 7  - PART 9 - PART 10 - PART 11

a/n: i had a lot of fun writing this so i hope everyone enjoys it!!

@beautifulramblingbrains @frecklefaceb @feminamortem @anditcametopass@dauntlessmetalmom @pathybo @mimigemrose @ag-delights @abfoster1s@sparklemichele @murmelinchen @jojuarez26 @purple-puddin @audreyfulquard [if you wanna be on the list hmu]

Warning: NSFW yo, theres sexy stuff and shit like that

Eric X OFC // Divergent Trilogy

word count: 5,510

if i had legs i'd get up and move if i had arms i'd put up a fight

Rachel's knuckles brushed against mine as she lifted a spoonful of macaroni with her other hand. I smiled at her as l ate my breakfast.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked, scooping up more food.

"Alright," I replied with a shrug as I pulled off a piece my bagel, "How was the fence?" I returned before tossing the bite-sized bit in my mouth. Due to the drastic differences in our sleep schedules, we had fallen into a pattern of spending our meals together. Breakfast and Dinner were the only times that we were both awake and free to spend time with each other.

"It was long," she shrugged, "Do you know when you're going to be back, working guard duty?" she asked. I could feel my expression fall at the mention, it was not the first time this conversation had come up. The other night I had been tired after a long day and complained about sitting around doing paperwork to Rachel as I ate my dinner. I was looking for a bit of sympathy but instead she insisted I talk to Eric, demanding that he reassign me to guard supervision on The Fence again.

"No I haven't," I mumbled, fidgeting with the food in my hand, "It's not really easy to approach Eric with requests, let alone demands," I mentioned before taking another bite.

"You need to stand up for yourself, stand up to him," she insisted, taking my hand, "He can't treat you like this."

I let out a heavy sigh while looking away to the clock on the wall, "I should get going soon."

"Hey, I'm sorry," Rachel said quickly, giving my hand a squeeze, "I wasn't trying to upset you. Listen, I have tomorrow night off and my friend is throwing a party. We should go and dance, we won't have to talk about anything," she gave me a sincere look which made me smile.

"Ok," I nodded, "That sounds fun."

I had the office to myself for the day. Eric was at Erudite for a meeting and had taken Alexander as his shadow for a change. It was peaceful being alone, listening to the light tapping of the rain against the glass panes of the window. Unburdened by Eric's constant supervision I found myself taking more frequent breaks, stopping to lean on the sill and watch the gray clouds that hid the tops of the half decayed buildings.

This was Layla's favorite kind of weather, despite the popular opinion in Amity. Most everyone in the faction loved to be out in the warm sun singing and working, but she prefered when it'd rain and everyone would hide inside by the warm fire. She said it felt like the world had resigned to rest, with all normal activities impeded by the weather.

"Everything is prettier," she insisted one day as we stood under the awning, watching our classmates hurrying through the downpour, jackets and umbrellas stretched out above their heads. The truck back to Amity was at the market, about three blocks away from the school building. Usually we'd all walk together as group but today everyone darted out one by one as they built up the nerve to brave the rain.

"Ready?" I asked, looking at Layla as I gave her hand a squeeze.

"I don't want to run," she said, "Let's go slow."

"But we'll get soaked," I pointed out as she kicked her sandals off, tying them to her backpack.

"So?" she challenged. I smiled, following her example before she led me away from the temporary shelter of the overhang. We were instantly drenched as we waked. I can remember the way her hair sagged with the weight of the water, loosing it's usual round shape as drips fell from her dark curls.

The overcast clouds seemed to make the already gray city even more dull. From the wet concrete to the few glass windows that reflected the dark sky above, everything was desaturated as if the rain had washed away all and any color. Everything that is, but Layla. She was a splash of warmth against the cold, industrial environment. Her orange dress hung limp around her, the wet linen clinging to her skin. Her palm felt snug against mine as we purposely strode through the puddles, laughing as we kicked up the water.

We were the last to round the corner. The driver gave us a disapproving look for being late as we hurried to the back of the truck. The others reached out, helping to pull us up on to the now empty flatbed. We sat on the pallets that had previously held the food delivery as the engine roared to life. One of the adults pulled out a fleece blanket from her satchel and offered it to Layla and me. Wrapping it around ourselves, we snuggled closer. I rested my head on her shoulder as we leaned back, settling in for the bumpy ride back to the farm.

I sighed at the memory before returning to my current task at hand.

That evening I sat at the island in Mae's kitchen, slumped forward with my cheek resting on my palm as she marinated some chicken. She stood still, having stopped mid-motion to look at me with surprise. I eyed her face as she processed what I had just told her.

"So you slept with two people," she began, I nodded watching her slowly realize what I'd done, "Two people who you're pretty sure don't even remotely like each other, and you did it within twelve hours of each other?" I pursed my mouth, pulling my lips tight as I nodded again, looking away.

"Well I'll tell you one thing," Mae said, almost laughing, "No one can say you're not Dauntless material anymore," she joked.

"Oh come on," I scoffed rolling my eyes at her.

"Do they know?" she asked, still smiling to herself as she returned to her prep.

"Rachel doesn't know, but I'm pretty sure Eric does. I think he figured it out," I shrugged as the front door to the apartment opened.

"I'm home," Jason's voice called from the other room as Mae quickly wiped her hands off on her apron. "Oh hey Mott," he greeted as he walked into the kitchen, nudging my shoulder with his elbow as he moved around me to give his wife a quick kiss.

"So what you two gossiping about?" he asked as he quickly dipped his finger in the marinade, tasting it as Mae lightly slapped his arm.

"Nothing really-," I started to say before Mae cut me off.

"Eric's being a jerk to Mott again," she explained as Jason gave a knowing nod.

"The guy's been the talk of the compound today," he mentioned as he climbed on to the stool next to me, "He got into some big fight in The Pit."

"What?" Mae and I asked together.

"With who? Are they ok?" she continued as Jason grabbed the loaf of bread from the center of the island, ripping off a piece.

"Some chick, it didn't got physical though. I was the one who noticed it on the cameras so I sent someone to intervene. Apparently she got one good slap before they broke it up," Jason elaborated with a shrug as he chewed on the bread.

"You think it was Rachel?" Mae turned, directing the question to me.

"I don't know," I groaned, holding my head with my hands while resting my elbows on the counter, "I really hope not, I can't imagine what they'd say to each other. I don't want to imagine."

The next morning I didn't see Rachel in the mess hall. I assumed she was using her time off to sleep in. I found my way to Eric's office where I was surprisingly, yet again designated to sorting the never ending pile of reports. I was left to my own functions for most of the day as Eric came and went. Thankfully I was on the downside of the sorting where I was returning the folders to their respective file cabinets and tossing the outdated reports.

I stood, humming to myself as I thumbed through the contents of the drawer. I pulled out the old folders, dropping their contents in the trashcan I had put next to be me before replacing each one. Eric had been in and out of the office all day but I paid him no mind. He had gone back to ignoring me as expected. We hadn't spoken out right since the train ride, though I'm not sure I had anything I wanted to say.

I was relieved when the clock finally struck five. I felt like I had been watching the minute hand all day, waiting for my chance to leave. I was quick to gather my things, throwing my pack over my shoulder as I turned towards the door. Before I could take a step I noticed the knob twisting, and without hesitation I knew who it was.

Eric eyed me as he stepped over the threshold into his office, "You going somewhere?" he asked as he stopped to stand in front of me.

"Yes," I replied, gesturing towards the clock, "My shift's over, and I'm going out tonight."

"Going out where?" he questioned as he slowly stepped closer.

I hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stood my ground, "I'm going to a party with Rachel," I declared, watching Eric's bemused smirk drop at my words. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go," I asserted as I pushed past him, pulling the door shut behind me before he could respond.

From the moment I arrived at her door, something seemed off about Rachel. She was quite as we climbed the stairwell to the party. I guessed she was tired and tried not to think about it, but once inside the crowded apartment her entire demeanor changed. Suddenly she was excitable and friendly, freely giving out hugs while greeting the people she knew as we made a bee-line for the drinks.

The kitchen table was littered with bottles of booze, varying in contents, type, and size. Rachel grabbed at the neck of a random bottle that was still mostly full, pouring a generous helping into two plastic cups, topping them off with a splash of mixer. She handed one cup to me before holding hers out.

"Cheers," she said, giving me an actual smile for the first time tonight.

"Cheers," I replied, smiling as I tapped the lip of my cup to hers. She linked her free arm with mine as I took a drink, leading me into the other room. Though the apartment was quite large, especially compared to the broom closet I lived in, the place was packed from wall to wall with revling soldiers letting loose. The crowd of bodies moved as one, jumping and swaying to the deafening music. Rachel turned to face me, stepping closer with a hand on my waist as she moved with the others.

"I love this song," she shouted in my ear before taking a big gulp. She pulled my hips closer to her, guiding me to move with her. I felt stiff and awkward, unsure of what to do. I copied her motions, trying not to overthink as I took another drink. Rachel spun around, pressing her butt into my hips as she guided my hand to rest on her stomach, holding her close to me. Her fingers skimmed over the skin on my arm as she trailed her hand upwards, her hips continuing to guide my movements. She brushed along my jaw bone prompting me to lean forward. She looked at me through her lashes as I let my lips just barely touch hers. I faltered unsure of what to do, still confused by her mood swings. Though our lips were tantalizing close, I still didn't know if she wanted me to kiss her.

Rachel closed the distance herself, capturing my mouth with hers. There was a hunger behind her kiss while she nipped my bottom lip. I slid my tongue past her teeth as my hand gripped her tighter. She ran her fingers through my hair, pulling my head forward as she tried to deepen the kiss, despite the awkward angle. She rolled her hips, grinding against me as she tugged on my hair. I groaned into her mouth at the sensation, focusing solely on her and the way she moved. I barely registered there was anyone else in the room with us as her soft lips moved against mine.

I was brought back to reality at a jarring rate when the song ended and she pulled away. I smiled at her, blinking a few times, watching as she took a drink.

"We should go see if anyone's playing some games," Rachel suggested as she took my hand. She crossed the crowded living room to a sliding glass door which lead to a balcony. There was a small group of people cheering on a dark haired guy as he chugged a beer, slamming the can on the table in front of him once he finished.

"Hey Rach!" someone called as I shivered in the cold air. I recognized the person speaking as Suz, the artist who did my tattoo. She sat at the small table encircled by people I didn't know. Suz scooted over, making room on the bench for us. "Perfect timing," she began as she gathered the cards on the table, "We're just about to start a new round."

"You know how to play?" Rachel asked, looking at me as Suz shuffled the playing cards and one of the guys put a new can of beer in the center of the table. I shook my head as I looked around at the others. "It's super easy," she started, "You know how to play Dauntless or Candor, right?" I nodded though it'd been years since I'd indulged in the playground game. "So if you draw black, you get Dauntless and have to do whatever the person holding the deck tells you. If you get red, you got to answer a question."

"That seems easy enough," I mumbled as I took a drink.

"At the end of your turn you put the card under the beer's tab. The person that cracks the beer has to down it. Then the game starts over," Suz added as she fanned out the cards in her hand, "Just watch and you'll get it soon enough," she held her arms across the table to a small girl in glasses, "Ok Pat, you first." The girl reached across the surface grabbing a random card without hesitation. She flipped it over in her hand to reveal the seven of hearts.

"Ooh, red!" Suz mused as she rubbed her chin, considering the options, "Ok I got one I always wanted to know," she began with a teasing smirk, "Is it true your full name is actually Patience?"

"Yeah it is," Pat replied with a sigh and roll of her eyes, "It's a stupid stiff name my parents chose. I couldn't wait to pick a new one when I transfered," she explained as she stuck the card under the beer tab. Suz handed over the deck, and Pat gave a quick shuffle before turning to the dark haired boy next to her, "Ok Josh, your turn."

"Ugh not again," Josh groaned as he revealed the ten of spades and Pat gave an evil laugh. It was easy to tell by her grin that she had a wicked idea in store as she leaned to the side looking over the metal railing.

"You see that apartment with the lights on?" She asked pointing to a balcony a storey below us. Being on the far side of the table, Rachel, Suz, and I, along with few others had to stand up to get a look at where she was pointing, "You have to climb down to that apartment and scare whoever is in there."

"That's a good one," another girl commented as we all waited for Josh.

"Easy," he dismissed as he pulled off his jacket, throwing it in Pat's face. He wrapped his hands around the railing and swung his feet over. He grabbed at the bars holding the rail up as we all leaned forward to watch. He easily swung from one bar to the next, before kicking his feet to propel himself the neighboring balcony.

"How's he going to get down?" I asked quietly, transfixed by his display of agility. Even for a Dauntless soldier it seemed reckless to free climb at this height.

"The idiot will probably just drop," Suz guessed before he did just that. Once he had positioned himself he let go of the bars in his grasp, letting himself drop about two yards before reaching out to grab the railing of his target apartment. We could hear him hiss at the pain at the sudden contact but he was quick to pull himself up and over the railing. He disappeared from view and it was silent on the balcony as we all held our breath in anticipation, leaning forward to try and see.

"You think he's-," someone began before being cut off by a scream and the sound of glass shattering. There was another moment of silence before Josh stuck his head out over the lower balcony railing.

"Be there in a second, I'm gon take the stairs this time," he yelled as he gave us a thumbs up grinning and holding a tissue over what looked like a bloody nose.

The game continued on his return, with the next person drawing red. The deck was passed around the table as we drank and played, with everyone answering questions or following through with stupid tasks. With each draw the challenges get more risky and the queries more probing. Still no one held the deck up to me, so I sat quietly and watched.

The seal on the beer was about to crack as Rachel slid the eight of diamonds underneath the tab. She took the deck from a boy who'd asked her about her shoe size and fanned the remaining cards between her fingers while turning to face me.

"Ok, Mott, your turn!" she said with a smile. I reached out, hesitating as I let my hand hover over the cards before grabbing one to the left. I looked quickly before turning it around to show the others, I'd drawn the ace of hearts.

"Candor!" Suz shouted, "That's a question!"

I waited nervously as Rachel pondered. I felt anxious under the watch of everyone at the table as she thought. When she finally looked up at me the drunken, playful gleam in her eye was gone.

"Have you been with Eric?" she asked flatly, staring me in the eye.

"What?" I laughed as I looked around the table. Everyone else present had noticed the change in tone, "Of course, I mean I work for him, I'm with him all day."

"That's not what I meant," she returned, though I had understood her intention.

"I'm not talking about that right now," I replied quietly to her, more aware now of the other's scrutiny than before.

"You drew red, you have to answer," Rachel insisted. I took one last look around the table of her friends before I stood and left. I felt like there was a belt tightening around my chest as I shouldered my way through the crowd to the exit. Once in the hallway I leaned against the wall and let out a sob. I didn't understand why she would put me on the spot like that.

I heard the apartment door behind me open and close before she spoke, "I already know," her voice was cold and the last thing I wanted to hear, "Eric was eager to tell me all about it." She reached out to grab my arm but I jerked away.

"I know you didn't want me here," I spat at her, "I see that now, so I'm going to leave and you can go back to your friends to tell them how awful I am," I didn't wait for her response before I left.

I wiped at my eyes as I paused in the stairwell, standing at the door to the second level. It wasn't my floor but this was where my feet had lead me. I lived further up up but I found myself pausing, knowing Eric was just down the hall.

Sliding past the door I stepped as quietly as I could, realizing most of the apartments on this floor belonged to leaders and they were the last people I wanted to upset. Thought my vision was slightly blurred from the booze I'd had, I was able to focus on the silver '13' that designated Eric's apartment. I could tell he was awake by the light shining through the door jam. Holding my breath, I reached up and gently rapped my knuckles against the wood. Pulling my fist away I paused, unsure if I should knock again as I heard movement from the other side.

In a moment the door swung open to reveal a drowsy, shirtless Eric clad only in a pair of loose fitting sweat pants. I blushed, looking away, avoiding his scrutiny as he grinned to himself at the sight of me visibly upset and drunk on his doorstep in the middle of the night. He knew where I'd been and I'm sure he could guess by my tears why I was here.

"I thought you were going out tonight?" he asked in spite of the obviously evidence.

"Can I come in?" I requested, ignoring his antagonizing question as I stepped forward, closing the distance between us though he stayed still, blocking the entrance to his apartment.

"I thought you were out with Rachel?" he questioned as he looked down at me. I paused resting my hand on his chest as I looked away to my feet.

"We got in a fight," I replied in a mumble as I felt him laugh, the muscles of his abdomen shifting under my palm.

"A fight?" he teased in with a smug tone, "A fight about what?"

I turned my head up quickly locking eyes with him, "About you, ok?"

"And why were you fighting about me?" Eric asked as he leaned in, his face mere inches from mine. I shuddered under his attention, his words sparking a familiar buzz inside of me.

"I'm sure you can guess," I responded flatly, trying to hide the way he made me feel.

"Tell me," he insisted while keeping a tantalizingly close distances between our lips.

"Because," I choked out on impulse, "because I like you so much better when you're naked," I finally admitted, placing both my hands flat against his bare chest. We were so close I could barely see the self satisfied smirk Eric wore as he allowed me to push him into the room away from the entrance. I heard the door slam shut behind us as I captured his lips with mine, snaking my arms around his neck. I pulled at his bottom lip, humming at the sensation of his large hands wrapping around my hips. I felt everything, hyperaware of every inch of his skin that brushed against mine. I moaned into his kiss as our tongues wrestled and I pressed myself closer against him.

He pulled at my thighs, prompting me to wrap my legs around his waist as he began to cross the apartment to his bedroom. His fingers dug into the flesh of my bottom and I shivered at the feeling of his half formed erection as it teased against my center while he held my hips against him. I unconsciously shifted my body, clawing at his shoulders, eager just to feel more of him connecting with me before he let go, dropping me unceremoniously onto his mattress.

I felt a lurch inside me as I sat there watching Eric rub himself through his pants, eyeing me with a hungry stare. Just the thought of what he wanted to do sent a shiver up my spine. I shifted to kneel at the edge of the bed, tugging my shirt over my head as he stepped closer. With one hand he grabbed at the back of my neck, bending forward to pull me into a heated kiss. There was a quiver between my legs as he cupped my breast though the cotton of my bra, slowly massaging my flesh as our tongues wrestled.

My hands danced across his chest, frantic to touch every inch of his skin until eventually, my fingers found their way to his jaw. I pulled him close as I leaned back onto the mattress. Eric broke the kiss as he climbed on to the bed between my legs. His fingers felt cold against my skin, prompting goose bumps to form wherever he touched as he reached behind me to undo the bra clip. Leaving a train of wet kisses along my neck, he yanked off the undergarment without looking. Immediately, his lips encompassed the sensitive skin of my nipple. I arched into him at the sensation, moaning loudly as he teased me with his tongue.

Reaching down, I fumbled with the button to my pants, distracted by Eric's attention as he pinched my opposite nipple. I gasped at the slight shock of pain while he looked at me, grinning. Once he noticed my failing attempts he took over the duty of removing my pants. With a violent jerk the trousers were off my legs and onto the floor. Eric grabbed my wrists, pinning my hands above my head before returning to bite my neck, inciting me to unconsciously roll my hips against his.

"I like you like this," he whispered in a husky voice, his warm breath tickling my ear.

"Like what?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Eager," he replied before crushing his mouth against mine. With his words I felt another lurch deep inside me. I hummed as he pushed his torso along mine, excited by just the weight of him ontop of me. I bit at his lips as I raked my nails across his scalp, feeling the vibrations of his moans through his chest.

Eric shifted his leg, pushing my knees further apart so he could grind his hips against mine. I broke away from him with a gasp, feeling how wet my underwear had already gotten. I was anxious for his touch and linked my legs around him, keeping his hips tight against mine. No part of me faltered or hesitated for a single moment as I gave in, following instinct rather than logic.

Eric shifted, grabbing my ass as he rolled onto his back, and suddenly I found myself straddling his hips. I bit my lip as I studied how he looked underneath me, with his erection nudging my center. Sheepishly, I rolled against him as my fingertips floated along the skin just above his waistband.

Eric let out a sharp hiss as he pulled at my waist, guiding me to lift my hips. I balanced myself with my hands flat on his abdomen while he reached with one hand, revealing himself from from inside his flannel pants. With his other hand he pushed on my thigh, directing me to lean back until the head of his dick poked me through my damp panties. I gasped, biting my lip and curling my fingers as he reached around my leg, moving the crotch of my underwear to the side as he continued to tease me. He stilled once he had himself lined up before pushing against my thigh again. I gasped as I sat back, easing him inside of me. Slowly but surely I moved, taking my time to adjust to his size.

I whined, feeling stretched to a breaking point by the time his dick was completely buried within me. His hands felt electric as they slid across my skin before his thumb came to rest on my clit. A shock rocked through me at the contact and my eyes shot open, staring at his self satisfied grin.

"I want you to ride me," he ordered as he continued to brush his thumb over the bundle of nerves. I dug my nails into his abs as my body followed his guidance, my hips rocking back and forth against him. His fingers tugged at my bottom and I raised my hips up, groaning at the feeling of him scraping against my inner walls. I continued to lift and drop myself against him as his hands roamed my torso, paying special attention to my breast. He twisted and teased my nipples as I moved, rolling my hips between each thrust so my clit brushed against his pelvic bone. I could tell Eric enjoyed this by the way his hips began to buck, jerking up to meet mine while his hands drifted south to squeeze my hips as his head lulled back.

"Oh fuck," he growled, his fingers digging into my skin as I moved, "Fuck, Mott, just like that," I froze abruptly, surprised by his words.

"Why'd you stop?" Eric asked quickly, his head shooting to look at me. He sat up, balancing himself with one arm on the mattress behind him. My hands drifted up his chest to his shoulders as he move, while I gnawed on my lip trying to stifle my grin.

"You said my name," I explained with a cheeky smirk. Without warning Eric wrapped his arm around my waist and threw me onto my back, quickly beginning to thrust at an unyielding pace as he dug his teeth into the skin between my shoulder and neck. I could feel a familiar tension building under my belly as I clawed at his back and wrapped my legs around his hips, trying to keep up with his erratic movements.

"Eric, oh god-!" I shouted while I buried my face in his sounder, clinging to his form as I was hit by my orgasm. My toes curled and my insides tightened around him as he continued, unperturbed while I trembled underneath him. It wasn't long before I could feel the muscles of his bottom clenching under my calves and he went rigid. He twitched inside of me as he came, groaning into my skin. He slumped against me as his body relaxed and the spasms receded. I made no effort to move from under his weight as his deep breaths tickled the skin of my neck, still tender from his aggressive bites.

After a moment Eric began to move, propping himself on his elbows as he looked at me, splayed across his bedding underneath him. With a quick kiss he pulled away, removing himself from within me. I shuddered at the loss as I watched him climb under the bed sheets before he lifted the covers up further and motioned for me to join him. I groaned as I moved, slightly sore from his treatment as I shuffled, curling up next to him and falling asleep once my eyes closed.

I was awoken in the middle of the night by a light. I didn't know what time it was but I could tell it was early by the dark skies through the window. I rolled over to find Eric out of bed and pulling on a t-shirt.

"What's going on?" I asked, rubbing my eye.

He looked over his shoulder for a second, the piercings moving as he quirked his eyebrow at me before he sat on the edge of the bed to pull on his shoes. "Nothing, I'm going to work out," he replied.

"Oh," I mumbled as I laid my head back on the pillow, idly watching the way the muscles of his shoulders shifted under the tight fabric of his shirt. I wonder vaguely if he was going to kick me out and tell me to go back to my apartment.

"Do you care about me?" I questioned in a quiet voice as he tied his laces.

He looked at me again, twisting slightly in his seat as he paused to think, "I guess you could say that."

I'm not sure what I expected him to say, I didn't think he was going to confess his undying love for me, but I still felt warm at the thought that he didn't despise me.

"Would you have ever told me if I didn't ask?"

Eric exhaled as he stood up and turned towards the bed, "No, probably not. Now go back to sleep," he ordered as he clicked off the bedside light. I watch the shadow of him move through the dark room to the exit. The door opened and closed and I found myself alone in his bed. All I could think of as I drifted off was that he had let me stay.

PART 1 - PART 2 - PART 3 - PART 4 - PART 5 - PART 6 - PART 7 - PART 9  - PART 10 - PART 11

The lyrics are from the song On the Scared Side by Black Eyes

Thank you for all your feed back so far every bit of it makes me want to write more!

[lpdwillwrite4coffee]

CHILDREN OF LILITH CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Nikki stared out of the van window and adjusted the collar of her borrowed leather jacket for the fourth time just to have something to do. She’d thought the ride back from Amsterdam’s apartment had been uncomfortable- quiet and fraught with tension. That was leisurely compared to the atmosphere now. The silence was so jarring, every breath screamed in her ears.

Boz had climbed behind the wheel and shut off the radio before the first notes of any song could come through the speakers, and given Nikki’s brief glimpse at how he usually drove, it was uncharacteristic of him at best. He still drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, but he barely looked away from the road, and Nikki noticed the way his jaw clenched anytime Griffin shifted in his seat.

Which, granted, wasn’t often. The set of Griffin’s shoulders was reminiscent of carved marble, and while she couldn’t see his face, she could feel a scowl etching deeper into his expression. Once, she thought she’d caught him looking at her in the van’s side mirror, but as soon as the thought occurred to her, his gaze went elsewhere.

Lisa kept herself occupied by scrolling through social media on her phone, but every few moments she lifted her eyes, glancing between Boz and Griffin with concern.

Well, this is awkward, Nikki thought, tugging at the cuff of her jacket. Even more so than that time my parents walked in on me and Jimmy Cutler after junior prom…

Griffin straightened his posture, causing a domino effect of Boz gritting his teeth and Lisa staring at him expectantly for several beats. Nikki furrowed her brow at the back of his head but didn’t say anything. Doing a short check of herself, she noted she didn’t feel the strange grazing sensation across her scalp.

Good. He wasn’t reading her. Or trying to read her, as she wasn’t sure he’d ever fully attempted to before.

Part of her wanted him to, but the thought of being exposed and made vulnerable to him when he so clearly wasn’t comfortable in his own mind, made her go cold.

I can’t let him in yet, not like this.

Nikki frowned. Yet?

But she didn’t have a chance to over-think her word choice, as the van pulled into a deserted alley and Boz threw the gear into park.

“We’re here,” Lisa told her as she unbuckled her seatbelt. Looking to the guys, she asked, “You guys packing?”

“I’ve got my Beretta,” Boz said, turning in his seat. “But I couldn’t find my knives…”

“Boz,” Lisa groaned, popping open her door and climbing down.

“I know, I know.” He waved his hand and followed her lead, jumping down onto the pavement.

Nikki made quick work of her seatbelt and door latch, unwilling to stay in the van alone with Griffin for too much longer. He was taking his time, double checking his ammunition and the safety for both Glocks.

Slamming her door shut, Nikki strode towards Lisa and Boz, watching them adjust the weapons hidden in their club attire. Boz was disarmingly handsome in charcoal slacks and a burgundy button down. He’d forgone a tie, and left the top two buttons of his shirt undone, adding a nonchalant attitude to the mature outfit.

Lisa was a bombshell in black leather pants, red tank top, and brown leather jacket. Not to mention she was as stable in her red pumps as she was in her running shoes, a fact that made Nikki envious as she stared down at her own stilettos.

“Got everything?” Lisa asked her as she approached.

“I guess so. Unless you want me to tuck a switchblade into my underwear.”

Boz’s eyes bulged and he coughed, while Lisa chuckled.

“I’m sure I could find you something if you were desperate but trust me, the guys in here are packing more heat than a military base.”

Griffin shut the passenger door, coming around the side of the van, his black trench coat cloaking his huge frame in shadow. His gaze leveled at the building across the street as he strode past them.

“Let’s go.”

Annoyance tightened Boz’s features as he fell in line behind Griffin. Lisa took up the rear, keeping Nikki in the center of their group as they crossed the street. The line of people along the sidewalk was the first clue they were near a club. Then Nikki heard the usual bass heavy music, and noticed the purple flood lights highlighting the main entrance. There wasn’t a sign, and other than the black metal door, the entire building was solid brick. Two bouncers built like tree trunks stood watch, checking ID’s and passing metal detectors over everyone that entered. Nikki headed for the back of the line when Lisa tugged at her arm.

“This way,” she told her quietly, so they didn’t attract attention.

Griffin led them around the corner and down a narrow alleyway that was barely traversable for how many boxes and crates were scattered around. Stopping next to a wooden pallet propped up against the brick, he rapped his knuckles on a painted steel door and stepped back.

A strip of metal slid away, revealing a pair of stern grey eyes in the view slot.

Pushing up his sleeve, Griffin flashed his tattoo to the man on the other side, and Boz and Lisa did the same.

The man’s stare shifted to Nikki, and after a quick assessment asked, “Who’s the new girl?”

Griffin jerked his head towards her. “She’s with me.”

His word seemed to be enough for the doorman, as the window was shut and the sound of deadbolts turning echoed. Door swinging open, they all followed Griffin inside.

The bouncer- a hulking man with a shaved head and neck tattoos- closed the door behind them and locked it. “Most of your crew’s already inside,” he said, quickly stamping the backs of their hands with a purple outline of a woman’s smile with fangs jutting out over the bottom lip.

“Thanks,” Griffin said with a nod.

“Take it easy,” the bouncer said, opening up a second door and ushering them through.

“Stay close,” Griffin muttered over his shoulder to Nikki. It was the first time he’d spoken to her in hours.

And she quickly understood why. The narrow hallway was painted metallic black, and purple neon lights in the ceiling blinked in a ripple down the corridor with dizzying effects. The floor beneath her vibrated from the club’s house music.

Without warning, the hallway split like water pipes. Multiple corridors dividing off from the main one and creating a maze Griffin obviously knew how to navigate. He took a sharp left down a shorter hallway, the lights undulating ahead of him a few paces. When they neared the end, blue flood lamps clicked on, showcasing the staircase that abruptly melted out of the floor.

“Watch your step,” Griffin said, but she could barely hear him over the music.

Following him down, Nikki paused on the first landing, her jaw falling open. She’d entered a Circque du Soleil, Tim Burton fantasy land mash up.

The spiral staircase she was only half paying attention to was made of wrought iron and mosaic glass. The expansive club floor was covered in black and white spirals creating an intense optical illusion. She had to blink several times just to be sure they weren’t moving. In the center was a twisting, amoeba shaped bar with high glass shelves stocked with colorful bottles and glasses. LED lights embedded in the glass bar top glowed and shifted into all the colors of the spectrum in a wave pattern around the bar.

All around the cavernous room were lifted stages, where performers juggled knives or swallowed them, contorted their bodies and balanced on their hands, elbows or necks, and spun flaming hula-hoops or batons around and around. Nikki looked up, right as several aerialists swung down with their legs wrapped in black fabric. Their mostly nude leotards had sequin flames curling up their arms and their stage make up mimicked the pattern with red painted-on masquerade masks.

It was a carnival burlesque show on a heavy dose of LSD.

Griffin moved through the throngs of people swiftly, and Nikki had to quicken her pace to keep up. As they passed under the spinning aerialists, the two women called out, “Hi, Boz,” in unison.

Boz twisted around and waved, grinning broadly. “Hey ladies,” he called. “You’re looking good up there. I like the new outfits. They’re very… very flattering.”

Lisa shoved at his shoulder. “Let’s go, Casanova.”

Pointing at the women, Boz shouted, “I’ll be back! Don’t go anywhere!”

Their melodic laughter cut through the dance music and he turned for one last appreciative glimpse.

Griffin led them to the opposite side of the club, towards an inlaid alcove cordoned off with red velvet curtains. Pushing the drapes aside, they stepped into the long oval area designed like a Gothic dining hall, with iron sconces and dark wood furnishings. The room was infinitely quieter than the rest of the club, and the lack of noise was jarring to Nikki. But what made her almost trip on her borrowed stilettos were the nearly two dozen Hunters who stood to greet them.

In a synchronized movement, everyone bowed their heads deeply, with their chins almost touching their chests, and waited in silence.

Griffin halted just inside the entry way, glancing around the room. Several chairs were empty at the head of the carved oak table and he led the others to their seats. Nikki watched as Griffin took off his coat and holster and hung them on the back of his elaborate chair.

His throne.

Boz and Lisa took the two seats nearest to them, leaving the chair next to Griffin free for her. She wasn’t sure why, but the action made her stomach clench. They were already deferring to her, and she wasn’t officially a Hunter yet.

Pushing the sleeves of his grey thermal tee up to his elbows, Griffin stared at the group around them. “Take a seat.” The edge in his voice cut through the room.

Everyone lifted their heads, but no one moved until Griffin was settled. Nikki removed her leather jacket, draping it over the wooden arm of her chair before sitting down. The silence didn’t break as everyone angled towards the head of the table.

“We’re still waiting for Tasha’s crew,” Griffin said, leaning back in his chair but looking just as uncomfortable. “So chat amongst yourselves. We’re not starting yet.”

At that, the room bubbled with voices as conversations they’d interrupted started back up again. Soon Nikki began to notice that, in turn, all of the conversations started to involve cautious glances and poorly hidden gestures in her direction, and she grew anxious.

“No need to be nervous.” A voice broke through the hum of noise.

Startled, she looked up, and saw a handsome black man leaning forward to catch her gaze. He was impeccably dressed in a grey Armani suit and white silk button down, with the collar left open at the top. Mid length dreadlocks were tied back at the nape of his neck, and a small diamond stud glittered in his right earlobe.

His smile was charming as he said, “They’re just curious about the new addition to our group. They won’t bite.”

Griffin gestured to the man. “Nikki, this is James. He’s the leader of the Bronx crew.”

James extended his hand and Nikki took it in a gentle handshake.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

“And you,” she replied.

Pointing to his left, he introduced the other members of his group. “This is my brother Joel, Grace, and her cousin Victor.”

Nikki looked to each of the others, studying their faces. Joel was dressed in a black tee shirt that did little to hide his muscular frame, or the Marine Corps tattoos on his forearms. His hair was trimmed close across his skull and he was clean shaven. The tight smile he gave her was less welcoming than James’ and it took Nikki a moment to realize that James and Joel were twins.

Grace was a petite fair haired woman with multiple rings in each ear and a gold stud in her left nostril. Her bright blue eyes were friendly as she waved a greeting. Victor was a lean man with similar coloring as his cousin but much less body jewelry and nodded as Nikki said hello.

The curtains parted and the waitress that walked in made Nikki do a double take. She was decked out in a black leather mini skirt and lime green halter top that was practically shrink-wrapped onto her torso. Her long legs sported bright blue tights and she towered over them in five-inch platform heels that lit up as she walked. Her mane of blonde hair was streaked with purple, and fell over her shoulders in waves.

She strode to their side of the table, balancing a drink tray on her left hand.

“Here you go, Griff,” she said, bending down to set a glass of scotch in front of him. Giving him an earnest look, she added with a whisper, “You looked tense, so I made it a double.”

“Thanks, Donna,” Griffin said, glancing up at her, completely unfazed by her outfit.

She smiled before moving over to deliver the other drinks- a cosmopolitan for Lisa and an old fashioned for Boz. When she finished, she came back to Nikki.

“Sorry, I’m not sure I’ve waited on you before,” she said quizzically.

Nikki shook her head. “I’m new.”

“Welcome,” she said, smiling. “What can I get you?”

“I’ll take a rum and coke,” she said. “And feel free to be stingy with the coke.”

“Sure thing.” Before leaving, she circled back to Griffin and picked up his now empty glass. “I’ll get you another,” she murmured, and disappeared through the curtains.

“Something wrong, O’Connor?” James asked, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.

“It’s been a long day,” Griffin answered, voice tight.

James sipped his gin and tonic slowly and paused, holding the glass at his lips. His gaze turned distant for a millisecond before he blinked and rolled his eyes. “Here we go,” he muttered, taking a long swig of his drink.

The curtains flew apart dramatically as another trio of people strode in, and the noise level in the room doubled.

“Otto, I swear to God,” Tasha yelled as she wrenched off her white pea coat and tossed it over the back of an empty chair.

Otto, a heavily muscled giant of a man, followed in behind her. “Hey, we would have been here on time if you hadn’t thrown a fit when I started driving.”

“You were going ninety! Excuse me if I didn’t want my bloody remains smeared all over the Brooklyn Bridge!” Tasha turned to glare up at him, planting a hand on her hip. Her voluptuous figure was accentuated by a snug black cocktail dress, and the red heels she wore put her eye level with Otto’s chest.

“Oh, don’t start with that,” Otto groaned, running his hand through his thick black hair. “Have I ever gotten into an accident? Have I?”

“You have three speeding tickets from this month alone,” Tasha retorted, gesturing emphatically. “What were you gonna do if you got pulled over? Give the cop a blow job so he wouldn’t arrest you?”

Otto shrugged. “Maybe, if he had a nice smile and called me pretty.”

The other man with them chuckled and slid into his chair quietly, still watching the duo argue. He was leaner than Otto but just as tall, and his hair, while longer and pulled back into a pony tail, was the same shade of glossy black.

“Besides,” Otto continued. “I’d just be taking a page outta your book,” he said. With a high falsetto voice, and his fingers twisting a lock of imaginary hair, he mocked, “Oh, I’m so sorry officer. I had no idea I was going that fast. Please don’t give me a ticket. I’ll do anything…”

Tasha gave him a withering glare. “Kiss my ass Otto,” she snapped, before going to her chair.

He grinned smugly. “Well bend over, baby.”

A sharp whistle cut off the noisy argument and everyone looked to the source of the sound.

“You guys mind sticking a pin in this one until we’re done?” James asked. “I’d rather not have to spend the entirety of my evening stuck in here.” He made a circle with his finger, motioning around the room.

Regaining her composure, Tasha smoothed the front of her dress and nodded. “Of course,” she said, glancing apologetically at Griffin.

The waitress returned with Nikki and Griffin’s drinks, and after a short exchange of thank you’s, she left the room just as quickly as she’d come.

Quiet spread throughout the room, expectant eyes finding their way to the head of the table.

Griffin didn’t move for a long moment. He kept his gaze on a spot on the table, and sipped his drink thoughtfully, before shifting forward in his chair.

“I call this gathering to order.” His deep voice reverberated in the small space. “And deem it worthy, as Seer and Hunter King of New York. Are there any objections to proceeding?”

The formality of Griffin’s words made Nikki sit straighter. Nuances of his regal title were finally sinking in, and she had to admit she respected the amount of responsibilities that came with being King. Nikki stared across the table at the other Hunters as the silence stayed unbroken.

After a moment, Griffin continued. “Then we are agreed. What is decided upon here, at this table, will be law and code for us all. Does this meet your approval?”

Simultaneously, everyone’s knuckles wrapped on the table once, to signal their agreement.

“Good.” Griffin nodded, lifting his drink to his lips. “Announce yourselves.”

Tasha leaned forward and glanced around the table. “Natasha Moretti, leader of the Brooklyn Hunters. I speak for my crew, Otto and Nikos, and am seen as worthy of such a right because I am Telepath.”

When she was finished, she shifted back as another person moved forward. A redhead with freckled cheeks leaned closer to the table, and glanced around with nervous eyes.

“My name is Emma Collins, member of the Queens Borough Hunters. Our leader, Holly Matthews, is Psychic and speaks for our crew on most matters. However, she’s out of town for her sister’s wedding, and has appointed me as speaker for our group until she returns.” Emma rolled her eyes upwards, as if trying to remember a part of a rehearsed speech. “This does not, under any circumstances, question her standing as our leader and we remain loyal to her. We swear by our blood.”

Everyone wrapped their knuckles once again in approval.

Relieved, Emma looked to her left at the three other women who were part of her group, and smiled.

A sandy blonde haired man leaned forward, and cleared his throat. “I’m Brian O’Neil, from Hoboken, New Jersey. The rest of my crew is across the river, but I was elected to speak for them. However, I am not a Blooded Hunter, and it’s this gathering’s choice whether or not to find me worthy of a seat at this table.”

“What say you?” Griffin asked the group at large.

The sound of hard knuckles on wood filled Nikki’s ears, and she looked over at Griffin.

“Welcome,” he said with a nod before taking another gulp from his drink.

Brian smiled and lifted his glass. “Cheers.”

The large Staten Island crew went next, with their leader Derek- a dark haired man with bright blue eyes- being a Medium. Then it was the Bronx group. James introduced himself formally as their leader and an Empath.

“My brother Joel has the same ability,” he said, giving his twin a sideways glance. “But he decided against dual leadership.”

“Hunting’s less messy than bureaucracy,” Joel said, smirking into his beer.

Nikki assumed the introductions were finished, but then Griffin angled himself forward, pressing his forearms into the edge of the table, and spoke.

“My name is Griffin O’Connor, Hunter King and leader of the Manhattan crew- Boz Cavaletti and Lisa Gutiérrez. I speak for them and…” He paused, looking to his right. “And for Nikki Anderson, who is under my protection.”

Nikki’s skin tingled like she was under a heat lamp. Everyone was staring, and this time they didn’t attempt to disguise their overwhelming curiosity.

“Everyone has been announced,” Griffin said. “Are there any objections to any person’s presence here at this table tonight?” He waited, giving ample time for someone to respond. When no one did, he nodded and said, “Good, ‘cause that would’ve been awkward.”

The atmosphere depressurized and everyone relaxed in their seats.

Griffin downed the rest of his scotch and clunked the glass on the table. “Alright, let’s get to it then.”

* * *

Michael wiggled his glass in his brother’s face, ice cubes clinking together enticingly. “You sure you don’t want one? It’s got cherries in it.”

“No thank you Michael, I’m fine,” Gabriel told him for the third time. He wasn’t sure why Michael even ordered the ridiculous concoction. It smelled like something a burnt out parent would sneak into a child’s birthday party in a plastic cup- cotton candy, peppermint, vodka, and a lot of regret.

Shrugging, Michael chugged the last of it and fished out the maraschino from the bottom. “Alright, so are we gonna talk game plan or should I order a fourth one of these like a desperate sorority girl on a really bad date?”

“I’ll remind you, that was your drink of choice. I had no say in the matter.”

Michael twirled the cherry stem in his mouth. “I couldn’t help it. It looked yummy.”

Gabriel sighed into his water glass. “Glutton.”

“Hey now, watch the language, bro.” Michael slid his empty glass across the bar and waved for another one. “So…” He stared at his brother, waiting.

“I’m not sure there’s much of a plan to discuss,” Gabriel admitted. “We did what we could, despite the possible repercussions. Now we can only-”

“Don’t say ‘wait’,” Michael interrupted. “Do not say it.” Gabriel glanced at him and he groaned. “Aw, c’mon!”

“Remember what I said about patience…?”

“Okay, ha ha, very funny, I get it. I’m the gung-ho solider chomping at the bit to get my fists bloody. But Gabe, this place is gonna turn into a zoo in an hour, and we’re just supposed to sip our cocktails and watch the madness unfold?”

“You’re assuming all that will happen if Mary doesn’t call,” Gabriel said. “But she should.” He thought for a moment before adding, “She will.”

“You mean you’re hoping she will,” Michael said. “Your last vision was nothing. A big blank spot of blinding white light and not even a snap shot from the b-roll to tell us what’s gonna happen. Which is exactly why we came here. To see what happens.” Waved a hand out emphasizing his point.

Gabriel lifted an eyebrow. “So are you opposed to watching or encouraging it?”

“I’m opposed to feeling useless,” Michael retorted, picking up his fresh drink and taking a long sip through the straw.

“You once told me battles are won with preparation,” Gabriel said, staring at him earnestly. “My vision, like you said, was blank. We have no way of preparing for this battle-”

“And neither do they,” Michael cut in, gesturing towards the red curtained entryway across the club. “We’re banking on a morally gray, fake witch to deliver the news those poor bastards are in desperate need of, instead of barging in there and telling them ourselves.” Narrowing his eyes on his brother, he said. “It feels wrong.”

“It always does,” Gabriel murmured. “Having so much information but not being allowed to do anything with it… It feels like a betrayal of trust.”

“But that’s why daddy dearest even sends you visions,” Michael said. “So you can do something.”

“Most of the time,” Gabriel agreed with a nod. “But sometimes, they’re simply messages foretelling events already set to happen.” Looking to Michael he continued. “Why do you think I’ve had such difficulty these past few days? It’s because I don’t know if our Father is telling me what is His will, or what could happen if I, as His Messenger, does not intervene in more meaningful ways. With every vision, paths are altered and fates change, and I do not know what my purpose is.” He dropped his gaze to the bar in front of him. “It’s exhausting.”

Silence between them lingered, and Gabriel sighed, closing his eyes and wishing for another vision- something to guide him in the right direction. Instead he got a whiff of candy and alcohol, and he blinked. Michael’s drink was under his nose.

“I think you could use this more than me,” Michael said with a knowing nod.

Gabriel opened his mouth to reject the drink for a fifth time, but instead exhaled and took the glass. “Thank you.”

“Atta boy.”

* * *

Griffin massaged above his left brow, trying to relieve the tension headache that had him in a vice grip. The argument that had boiled across the table was increasing in volume, and he glanced at the curtains, wondering when Donna would be back with his drink.

“I’m telling you, if we attack now, we’ll lose,” Tasha said, jabbing her finger into the table, punctuating her point.

Derek shook his head vigorously. “Not if we hit them hard. We have the man power-”

“Man power?” Tasha interrupted. “Look around you Derek. Do you really think this is enough people to take on two Alphas and a city’s worth of Vampires?”

James leaned forward on his elbows. “Are we certain the Alphas for our other boroughs are missing?”

Griffin straightened his posture, trying not to look as tired as he felt. “One hundred percent?” He shook his head. “No. But we have strong evidence that says they are.”

“What kind of evidence?”

“Rex has been buying up property in every borough, even in Jersey. He’s obviously staking claim. There’s no way another Alpha would allow him to treat the city like his personal Monopoly board if they were still around.”

Emma lowered her martini glass and frowned. “But Alphas generally keep the peace. They don’t assassinate each other.”

“They haven’t until now,” Griffin said.

Otto smacked Nikos’s shoulder. “You heard ‘em,” he exclaimed, holding out his hand. “Alphas are dead. You owe me twenty bucks.”

Nikos cursed under his breath and reached for his wallet. “I’m never drunk betting with you again,” he muttered.

“Guys,” Tasha snapped with a chastising glare. Turning to Griffin, she said, “So this Alexander Rex guy and Nicholas Bradley are working together?”

Griffin nodded. “Yeah, and there seems to be some discrepancies amongst their aligned and Familiars.” His eyes cut to Nikki briefly before he continued. “We encountered a few that believed Rex was the one running the show, not Bradley.”

“See?” Derek interjected. “They already have a weak spot in their ranks. With everything going on, they’ll be disorganized, so now is the time-”

“I don’t know what hunt you were on,” Tasha cut him off. “But those Newborns weren’t disorganized or weak. What happened yesterday was a planned ambush.”

“It was probably to throw us off,” Emma added. “To keep us occupied.”

“Why would they need to keep us occupied?” James asked.

“I don’t know,” Emma said, shaking her head. “But Manhattan was hit hard, right?” She looked to Griffin for confirmation.

He nodded, leaning back in his seat. “I’ve definitely had easier days on the job.”

Brian, who had been quiet throughout the discussion, leaned forward and looked around before saying, “What if we could… ambush them back?”

“How?” James asked over his drink.

“I’m not sure, but there’s gotta be a way, right?” Brian shrugged. “They knew how to get to us. And if this hierarchy business is their weak spot, then there’s probably a way for us to use it to our advantage. Catch them off guard like we were.”

At that, Boz straightened in his seat like an iron rod had been shoved down the back of his shirt, and he gestured to get Griffin’s attention.

Griffin jerked his chin towards his friend. “Boz, you’ve got the floor,” he announced, and the room fell quiet at his words.

“Thanks.” Boz nodded. Clearing his throat, he said, “Earlier today the Queens and Bronx crew found tracking devices under all of their vehicles, and after a sweep of their home network, I found multiple Trojan horse viruses that were siphoning information off and sending it to a separate server.”

“Uh, how about saying that in English for us community college folks,” Otto said, arching his neck to see the other man.

“They were being monitored,” Boz said. “We all are.”

Worried voices rumbled throughout the room, and Griffin knocked on the table several times to get everyone back in order.

“You mean Rex and Bradley have someone tracking all of our movements?” Tasha asked, scowling.

“In and outside of the virtual world,” Boz said. “That’s how they were able to ambush all of us so effectively. They knew where we’d be, and that we’d be off guard.”

“Great, so we can’t hide,” James said, slumping back in his chair.

“Not really,” Boz said. “But the thing about the type of software they’re using is it leaves a path. I’ve been back-hacking, trying to follow the trail they’re leaving but I keep getting blocked.” He shot an apologetic glance at Griffin. “That’s why it’s been taking me so long. You know I’m usually faster than this.”

“I’ll bet,” Joel commented with a smirk.

Boz gave a patented ‘really dude?’ expression and rolled his eyes.

“So our hacker’s getting hacked?” Otto asked.

“Not hacked,” Boz corrected. “They’re just throwing up road blocks every time I get through a firewall. I’ve been using some passcodes I downloaded from the hard drive of one of Rex’s Familiars but he only had limited access to stuff.”

“Not to diss your mad computer skills, Boz,” Tasha started. “But what good does hacking their system do for us?”

“I’ve got a program… A virus,” he amended. “If I can get through their firewalls I can upload it. It turns every webcam, every security camera, finger print scanner, any kind of identification tool they use, into a window. I’d have unlimited viewpoints of the inside of the Bradley Corporation, not to mention access to all their blueprints and files, all their documents.” He grinned, mostly to himself. “I call it Fly on the Wall.”

Brian nodded at Boz, impressed by what he heard. “Now that’s how you ambush somebody.”

Tasha wasn’t as certain though. “You’re sure you can do it?”

“Absolutely,” Boz told her. “Whoever they’ve got blocking me isn’t nearly as good as I am.” He winked. “Give me a case of Red Bull and some Bassnectar on repeat and I’ll get through in no time.”

Joel smiled and finished his beer. “Sounds like tech boy’s got our back,” he said, holding Boz’s gaze. It was the closest thing to an olive branch as was possible with Joel.

“You bet I do,” he said, popping an ice cube in his mouth and grinning.

There was a rush of harsh whispers coming from the Queens side of the table and Emma made several ‘cut it out’ gestures, trying to quiet the other women.

Tory, a brunette with sharp eyes, shot forward abruptly. “I’m sorry, but why the hell are we even planning this?”

“Tory, not now,” Emma tried.

“No,” Tory waved her off. “I wanna know why we’re being asked to risk our lives on some kamikaze mission to take out these Alphas.” She glared across the table at Griffin. “This isn’t our problem, its Manhattan’s. It’s your territory, you deal with it.”

Emma gripped her arm. “Tory, enough,” she warned.

She twisted in her hold angrily. “They’re the ones who broke code,” she snapped. “The Vampires are retaliating because of his mistakes.” She pointed at Griffin.

“Weren’t you listening?” James shot a heated stare at her. “Rex doesn’t seem to care one way or the other about codes being broken, since he’s breaking them himself.”

“So what if he wants to try to take over the whole city?” Tory retorted. “Everyone knows there’s no fucking way he’d be able to control that many Vamps. He’s gonna crash and burn, and I say we let him.”

“We don’t know that,” Tasha said. “He’s had a lot of support so far, and he and Bradley both are set on sending us a message.”

“Yeah, a warning to play by their rules,” Tory said.

Anger flashed in Boz’s eyes as he turned in his seat. “Are you seriously saying we should just bend over and take it?”

“If it means survival?” Tory glared at him. “Maybe. We’re nothing but glorified pest control to them.”

Joel’s expression hardened and he pegged her with a cold stare. “If that’s how you view this job, then maybe you shouldn’t be in it.”

“That’s not how I meant it, and you know it,” she shot back. “You all know things have been getting worse. At least when the codes were being followed, we didn’t have to worry about getting ambushed in the middle of the day, in our territory.” She curled her lip as she spoke, aiming the insult back at Griffin.

He wanted to argue, to tell Tory to shove her attitude in a very uncomfortable place. But he couldn’t. She wasn’t alone in her reasoning- Lisa had made the same points just three nights before. And from what his gift was sniffing out, there were others who saw logic in what Tory said. Griffin had fucked up. He’d broken code, and whatever motives he’d had for starting didn’t matter to Tory. He’d put them all in a position of offense, when they were barely able to defend what they had.

As King, he’d lead them into a battle they weren’t prepared to fight.

Tory continued her onslaught of accusations by saying, “Not to mention, our shitty situation got that much worse, when she showed up.” She jabbed a finger at Nikki, punctuating her statement.

Now that got Griffin’s attention.

“You’re out of line,” he growled.

“Am I? Because I know none of this is a coincidence,” she said. “We don’t even know who she is, or why she’s here.”

“Because it’s none of your business.”

“You brought her to a gathering, and you’re telling us we don’t have a right to know why she’s here?” Tory sneered as she added, “Just because you’re King doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want. And that includes sending us on a suicide mission to take out two Alphas.”

Tory started to shout again, continuing to berate him for all his shortcomings when Nikki’s glass came down like a hammer and she shot out of her seat.

“Stop it!”

All the air was sucked out of the room in a millisecond. Griffin even felt his ears ache like they wanted to pop. No one blinked or moved, as they were all made statues by the force of her words.

“You think this is easy?” Nikki glared down the table at Tory. “That he likes this? He’s making these decisions because of me. Those two Alphas are coming after me. All because I’m a Luminari- a Blooded Hunter nobody has heard of, or seen, for probably hundreds of years, except for Rex and Bradley.” She ignored the questioning gazes as she spoke.

“They think I’m a threat, which is why they want me dead. To them I’m the ‘fire that overtakes’, but they won’t stop with me. They’ll kill me, and then they’ll come after all of you- powers or not. They’re trying to build an empire… Alexander Rex’s own twisted version of a Roman capitol. And he wants to use my corpse as a pillar.”

Nikki swallowed, holding back the rage she wanted to unleash on the offending woman only a few feet from her. “So fine, you don’t want to risk your life for the new girl. I get it. So don’t.” She glanced around the table at the other Hunters, all of whom were frozen in rapt attention. “Don’t do this for me, or even for Griffin. Do it for yourselves.” She inhaled a fortifying breath. “Rex and Bradley have proven they’re ruthless, and determined to get what they want. They don’t care about the codes- in fact I’m not sure they ever cared. All they want is power. And they think killing me, eliminating the threat, will give them just that.”

The heat in her stare was palpable as she looked at Tory and said, “You’re concerned about survival? If someone doesn’t stop them, none of you will survive. That’s what’s at stake. Now stop wasting your energy pointing fingers, and start helping your friends.”

After a moment Nikki lowered herself back into her chair with all the regality of a Queen. It made the space behind Griffin’s sternum ache and the dogs howled. His fingers itched to hold hers but he curled them into a fist instead.

Otto was the first to crack apart the heavy silence. “Sorry… What are you?”

“A Luminari,” Nikki replied. “At least, that’s what I’ve been called.”

“I’ve never heard of that before,” James commented.

“Not that many have,” she said. “But John Amsterdam said from what he’s been able to research, I’m… powerful.”

Tasha gasped quietly but tried to hide her reaction. She’d read either Nikki or Griffin, or maybe both. She knew.

“You’re…” She started, unsure of herself.

Griffin nodded. “Yeah, Tash.”

Otto furrowed his brow, glancing between the two. “What?”

“She’s Queen,” Tasha whispered.

For a very brief and satisfying moment, Tory looked absolutely mortified.

“Like I said, it’s why Rex and Bradley want me dead,” Nikki told them.

Brian gazed at her, astounded. “They’re afraid of you.” It was a statement, not a question.

“I guess so,” she said, shrugging. “I’m not even sure what I can do, or why they call me a ‘fire that overtakes’.”

“You were born with your gift though,” James said, leaning forward.

“Yes, but I didn’t know I was like this until only few days ago.”

Joel cut an anxious glance at his twin, and James gave a subtle nod barely noticeable to most.

It made Nikki frown. “What?”

James shook his head. “Nothing. We’ve just never encountered someone who hasn’t spent their whole life with their gift.”

“It’s kind of like meeting someone who wasn’t born with an arm, and then suddenly grew one in their twenties,” Joel said, eyeing her.

“Well, that’s pretty much how it feels,” Nikki said, a morose shadow lingering in her eyes.

“Alright, so…” Otto drawled. “We’ve got the new girl with the unidentified superpower, a couple of Alphas who’d like to see all of us six feet under, and a computer genius with three fourths of a plan.” He raised his dark brows in question. “Did I miss anything?”

Tasha whacked him in the chest with the back of her hand but Otto chuckled through the sting.

“This three fourths of a plan,” James started, glancing at Boz. “You think you’ll be able to make it into a full one?”

Boz nodded firmly. “Definitely. I’ve got this.”

“So when can we stick it to these fuckers?” Joel asked, looking to Griffin.

Amused, Otto cocked an eyebrow. “Itching for a fight, Marine?”

Joel smirked. “Every damn day.”

Griffin looked to his friend. “Boz?”

“Two days?” He offered. “I need enough time to compile the data and give us something to work with.”

“Does this meet your approval?” Griffin asked the other Hunters, the edge of formality returning to his voice. His stare lingered on Tory who flushed with embarrassment and anger, but she leaned away from the table, a sign of contrition.

At once, the leaders of each crew wrapped their knuckles on the table in agreement.

It was decided.

* * *

The moment Griffin declared the gathering had ended, everyone’s demeanor changed. No one was fully relaxed, but the tension eased, leaving them strangely giddy. Clusters formed as members from different crews mingled together. Nikki guessed they didn’t get to see each other socially very often given how readily they were willing to drop any lingering offenses and move on with their evening.

Tasha had gone to the other side of the room, chatting happily with Derek and Grace. Despite their heated argument, they still looked to be on good terms, with Tasha playfully digging her knuckle into Derek’s bicep, and he in turn swatting her away and wrinkling his nose at whatever she’d said. Otto stood nearby, admiring Joel’s new throwing knives and laughing with James. Nikki caught the suspicious glances Otto gave Derek as his hand skimmed down Tasha’s arm, but he kept whatever opinions he had to himself.

Bright laughter brought her head around to see Boz encircled by the group from Queens- all women, and all very interested in Boz. A blush crept up his cheeks as Emma and Ava smoothed the cuff and collar of his shirt approvingly.

“I think Boz has a few admirers,” Nikki said to Lisa, lowering her voice.

“You mean groupies?” Lisa replied, smirking. “Oh yeah. He’s their catnip.”

Nikki laughed, watching Boz pantomime his way through a lively story for his captive audience.

“Hey, Lisa,” a male voice cut through the hum and both Lisa and Nikki looked.

Nikos stood a couple paces away, gaze hooded and full of intention. A slow smile curved across his face and Lisa mirrored the expression.

“Hey, Nikos,” she murmured. “How’ve you been?”

“Good. Better now.” He tipped his head towards the curtains and said, “You thirsty?”

“Always.” Lisa moved to get up but turned to Nikki, remembering she was there. “Are you okay here? I can stay if…”

“No, no,” Nikki waved her hand. “I’m fine. Go, have fun.”

Thanking her, Lisa jumped up and took Nikos by the hand, leading him into the main club.

It was only then Nikki realized she’d been left relatively alone with Griffin. Squeezing her hands together in her lap, she braved glancing to her right. His jaw was firm as he stared at a spot on the table, hand still curved around his empty glass. It wasn’t a vacant expression- the opposite, actually- as if he were trapped in an ever-present loop in his mind and unable to break himself out. It was an expression Nikki had grown familiar with.

Swallowing, she clenched her hands together, firming her resolve. After a moment she turned his way, opening her mouth to speak.

“I’m gonna get another drink,” Griffin interrupted hastily. Shoving himself out of his chair, he averted his eyes as he said, “If anyone needs me, I’ll be at the bar.”

Nikki closed her mouth, nodding out of habit as he strode away. The soft place tucked beneath her ribs ached in a way she had almost been fortunate enough to forget.

Heartbreak.

Hot tears stung the corners of her eyes, and she blinked, glancing towards the curtain. She needed to leave, to duck into the ladies room before she embarrassed herself by crying in front of a room full of strangers.

A tan outstretched arm appeared in Nikki’s line of sight and she looked up.

“C’mon,” Tasha said, smiling down at her. “You need a stiff drink and an even stiffer man to serve it to you.”

“Oh, um, that’s alright, I’m-”

“Honey, do not let that jackass ruin your evening.”

Something hot flared in Nikki’s stomach at the insult. “He’s-”

“A jackass,” Tasha interrupted. “Or at least he’s being one right now. And while I love the man like a brother, I’m not going to pretend he’s not acting like a world class jerk at the moment. So c’mon, let’s get you something ridiculously strong to drink and we will vehemently ignore him while dancing our asses off. Besides, the bartenders here are man-candy perfection, trust me.”

Nikki considered her a moment, still feeling the burn of unshed tears. She wanted to hide, retreat into a bathroom stall and wait for the night to be over. Kaelin would say, yes, let’s go gawk at hot men and forget about the six foot four tall problem brooding over a glass of scotch.

She smiled. “Okay,” she said, and took Tasha’s hand.