#like its not but each of the main girls has their own live cover

[astralriver]

WE GOT FUCKING MOMOBANGER LETS GOOOOOOOOO

[flowerandblood]

The Prince and The Fox

[ modern! • Aemond x friend! • female ]

[ warnings: sexual abuse, violence, trauma, panic attack ]

[ description: After the events of her childhood, despite her best efforts, her neighbor and the younger brother of her friend Helaena, Aemond, does not want to know her. This state lasts until a house party organized by his older brother, Aegon, during which an incident occurs that will change their relationship forever. Slow burn, angst, toxic ex-Alys, rough Aemond. This is several anon requests combined into one fic. ]

WARNING: The main plot between the characters takes place in high school. Yes, in high school. The belief that teenagers wait with an intimacy when they are in love in high school is ridiculous to me. Aemond and the character here are the same age. Don't ask me how old they are, in my country you are of the age of consent in your first year of high school and an adult in the last year of high school, so if it is more convenient for you, think about it that way and decide for yourself. In this story, I am not following the trail that they are magically friends right away, but how they become friends and what that even means. I'm writing this fic to give the perspective of young, lost people, not adult women who want to see exactly themselves in everything they read. If that's all you expect, this isn't the fic for you.

I don't want whining about this in my comments or asks. I will delete these and block you. You have been warned.

Aemond + Evans Series Moodboard

This is my first story that has its own playlist, but yes! Get in the mood! Story Music Playlist. Song used in this chapter: Feuer Frei! (Rammstein)

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

She wasn't sure how they became friends. Before she met him she played often with Helaena, they lived in the neighbourhood, and there wasn't much of an age difference between them. They often visited each other to play with their dolls, while her brothers existed for her somewhere in the back, busy with their serious, boyish affairs unavailable to girls.

One day when their mother called Helaena home she was sitting on a blanket on the grass in their garden, pretending that her teddy rabbit had just been drinking tea from her pink plastic cup, when their whole elaborately choreographed scene was destroyed by a dog bumping into her and licking her.

"Vhagar! No! Bad dog!" She heard the growl of a young boy, running up to them and grabbing his happy, shiny labrador with big eyes, who just licked her face, panting loudly, pulling her by the collar, trying to drag her away.

She giggled, wiping her face, and it was only when she looked at him that she noticed a large white bandage on the left side of his face, covering his entire eye and part of his cheek, taped up with plasters. She blinked, curious, and cocked her head.

"What happened to you?" She asked lightly, and he threw her an angry, murderous look, tightening his lips and furrowing his brow.

"Fuck off." He hissed, and she turned all red, close to tears, devastated that he had used such ugly, vulgar words towards her that her parents had forbidden her to use, shouting at him that he wasn't allowed to talk like that, that she didn't like him and for him to go away.

This is exactly what he did, dragging his dog behind him with difficulty, and she took her rabbit and ran to her house across the street, no longer waiting for Helaena to return, distraught.

Her father tried hard to get anything out of her, but he understood little of her loud sobbing and babbling, she could see nothing through her tears, she stood and stammered out mere fragments of sentences from which her parent had by some miracle put together a whole. Her father sighed heavily, running his hand over his face.

"Listen. Helaena's brother, I think his name is Aemond, had a very serious accident. I was told about it by his mother when I met her in the supermarket recently, the whole family is going through a lot. He will have to wear an artificial eye and will be left with a big scar. He feels very bad about it and that is why he is behaving like this. Your question was very tactless." He said finally.

She felt a squeeze in her heart and burst out sobbing even louder, this time because she had offended him, that surely this boy now hated her when she wanted everyone to like her.

"− I didn't − after all − uh − I didn't mean to − I just −" She mumbled in despair, not knowing herself what she wanted to say, breathing hard, almost choking from her sobs, her face all red, she was hot with emotion.

"Come here." Her father said to her, so she walked towards him. He embraced her and stroked her head, saying that she should ask her mother to help her bake cakes for him and bring them to him, wishing him a speedy recovery and apologising so they would both feel better.

She decided that this was indeed a good idea and did exactly that.

The next day she knocked on their front door standing with a box of cakes and was opened by their mother, a beautiful, long-haired woman with a warm smile, she was wearing a thick green jumper.

"Good morning, dear, Helaena is just in ballet class." She said to her in a soft, calm voice, and she shook her head.

"No, ma'am, I've come to see Aemond, I've baked cakes for him and I want to wish him quick recovery." She recited with difficulty what her mother had told her to say, hoping she hadn't forgotten anything, waiting with a pounding heart for a response.

The woman smiled broadly with some kind of gratitude and called out loudly to her son asking him to come downstairs, saying he had a visitor.

Her son came down reluctantly, furrowing his brow, having no idea who might want to see him and when he spotted her he immediately pressed his lips together, furious.

He approached his mother, looking at her distrustfully, and she swallowed loudly feeling a tightening in her throat and tears of shame gathering in her eyes again.

"I'm so sorry for asking you about it at the time, in the sense of what happened to you and that I upset you and that you were sad and that I yelled at you afterwards because I was sad too and − and −" She mused, forgetting for a moment what she was getting at in that sentence, swallowing her saliva loudly and suddenly remembering. "− and − and I brought you cakes that I baked with the help of my mother to wish you a speedy recovery."

She said quickly and held out a cardboard box tied with a ribbon in front of her. Aemond looked uncertainly at his mother, who nodded at him to accept the gift. He did not look at her as he reached out for the package and murmured under his breath, nodding. His mother sighed quietly.

"What should you say now?" She asked him expectantly, and he pressed his lower lip together, looking somewhere sideways, discouraged.

"Thank you." He muttered, turned and headed up the stairs.

"Goodbye." She said quickly, turning and running towards her house, feeling relieved that now she had put things right and now he would surely like her a lot.

She was wrong.

When she came to their house to see Helaena, he immediately locked himself in his room. When they passed each other at primary school he did not respond to her greeting by pretending not to see her even though they were neighbours.

When their parents met each other in the supermarket and started talking to each other, he would approach the shelves and pretend to look at some products, doing everything he could not to talk to her.

He never spoke to her in a bad way again, never shouted at her again, but simply pretended that she didn't exist.

Everything changed when they went to high school and it turned out they would be in the same class. They would then get on and off at the same bus stop, but instead of talking to her he preferred to put his earphones in his ears and browse through the apps on his phone, pretending not to see her.

She tried to talk to him, but he shunned her, treating her like air. She had the painful feeling that from that moment, from the day she asked him the wrong question, she was already crossed out as a person in his eyes.

And then their literary history teacher gave them a homework exercise to do in pairs. Assigning a person to each, when he looked at her he waved his hand as if realising something.

"Ah, Evans, you and Targaryen live nearby, it will be easier for you to work. Next couple −" He said, and she froze, looking at him over her shoulder, his eye wide open, pointed in her direction, he was playing with his pen between his fingers, his lips clenched into a thin line.

He was furious.

She swallowed loudly feeling a tightness in her throat and turned back towards the board, feeling only the loud pounding of her heart.

She ran after him off the bus, seeing him walking towards his house with his backpack thrown over one shoulder, the hood of his dark sweatshirt pulled over his head, earphones in his ears. She grabbed his sleeve to make him stop, and he flinched and looked back, surprised.

"Wait, can we talk?" She asked, breathing fast, and he furrowed his brow, taking the earpiece out of his ear, she could hear some loud heavy metal music coming from it and recognized the song Feuer Frei! by Rammstein.

"What?"

She blinked, understanding that he hadn't heard completely what she'd said. She grunted quietly, letting him go, looking at him expectantly.

"I asked if we could talk."

He looked ahead, letting the air out loudly through his nose with impatience, pulling the other earpiece from his ear, looking everywhere but at her. She guessed he wouldn't say anything, so she started quickly, not wanting to irritate him unnecessarily.

"I know you don't like me and I promise not to annoy you with anything. Let's just go to your place or mine, do this homework and get it over with. Okay?" She asked in a trembling voice and he licked his lips, indecision and frustration in his eyes, something was going on in his mind that she didn't understand completely.

He snorted, shrugging his shoulders and nodded at her.

"Come."

They entered his house greeted by the smell of dinner just being cooked. Their mother welcomed her presence in the company of her son with joy and surprise.

"Will you eat something? The meatballs in sauce are warm and ready." She said warmly, hoping they would stay down, guessing that they were both hungry after many hours of lessons.

She wished he would agree, feeling a burbling in her stomach.

"No. We're going to go do our homework." He said in a low, slightly hoarse voice. He pulled off his shoes, slipped the hood off his head and walked up the stairs without looking at her.

He walked into his room, throwing the clothes and books lying on the floor into the wardrobe, clearly wanting to do a quick tidy up, his whole walls covered with posters of various bands, Rammstein, Electric Light Orchestra, Deep Purple, Guns N' Roses, Led Zeppelin, his bookshelves heaving with books.

"Sit." He said lowly, pointing to the chair he'd set up by his desk, himself sitting down in a comfortable high-backed leather player's chair, spreading out on it comfortably.

She walked over to him, pulling her pastel soft backpack off her back, pulling out her notebook and the book they had just reviewed.

The Little Prince.

She felt that he was looking at her expectantly, so she opened her notebook in which she had written down the exact assignment the teacher had given them. She decided to read it aloud so they could reflect on it together.

"The Little Prince is a metaphorical story. Talk together about a few scenes from the book that moved you most and compare your thoughts, writing down similarities and differences. Analyse at least two scenes in this way."

She glanced at him, tightening her lips, feeling her heart pounding hard. For some reason she was terrified, he was sitting next to her, resting his elbows on his desk, leaning forward, seeming even bigger and taller to her than usual.

She felt strange thinking that he smelled nice, that he used some ordinary, cheap men's perfume.

He sniffed with his nose, not even looking at her, taking a pen in his hand.

"Have you read this book?" She asked, wanting to make sure he knew what they were going to talk about. He threw her a look like he thought she was an idiot.

"Do you have any more stupid questions, or can we get started?" He asked lowly, and she pressed her lips together, humiliated, feeling for some reason that she wanted to cry.

She felt like asking why he couldn't forgive her at last, but decided it was pointless, that he obviously didn't like her because he had such a whim.

She shook her head and he hummed, taking her copy of The Little Prince in his hand and began looking through it.

"Which scene do you want to talk about?" He asked coldly, dispassionately, and she swallowed loudly.

"About the Little Prince and the Fox." She said quietly, feeling him give her a brief glance.

He grunted under his breath, apparently agreeing with her choice, waiting for her elaboration on the matter. She swallowed with difficulty, licking her lips.

"What moved me most was how true this scene is. That the greatest enemy of friendship, or any close relationship, is haste. That only by respecting someone's barriers, only by approaching someone slowly and with understanding, can you really look at them from a distance.

By taming someone, by making that person grow attached to you, you take partial responsibility for that person's feelings, for making them trust you enough to believe that you won't intentionally hurt them with your behaviour. Until we really get to know someone we are just a crowd of people passing each other on the street."

She said in a trembling voice, feeling for some reason tears under her eyelids and a tightness in her throat, her eyebrows arched in pain, her lower lip began to tremble, she played with the material of her white daisy dress in a nervous gesture.

She felt him watching her, an awkward silence fell between them.

She couldn't look at him.

She thought he was going to say something cruel, that he was going to tell her to stop wailing, but he said nothing. After a while he spoke up.

"I see this scene differently. They're both moving towards each other because they're determined to do so. They are both going their separate ways. There is a balance. The Little Prince doesn't force the Fox to approach him, just as the Fox doesn't force the Little Prince to approach him. They do it of their own free will. They tame themselves because that's the decision they made. You can't tame someone who doesn't want it." He said lowly, and she looked up at him feeling tears begin to run down her face.

Was he talking about himself?

Was she the Fox who wanted to tame him even though he didn't want it?

"I'm sorry." It burst out of her chest before she had time to think about what she was doing.

He pressed his lips together and swallowed loudly, clenching his hands lying on the desk into fists, his nostrils moving restlessly in accelerated breathing.

She covered her face with her hand, embarrassed that she just couldn't stop crying, feeling pain in her heart and feeling sorry for herself that she just wasn't able to give him a break, that she kept seeking his attention and interest when he just clearly wanted her to leave him alone.

She couldn't bear the thought that she wasn't liked by every man she knew.

She felt ashamed at the thought that she had been so selfish.

"I can't stand that you don't want to talk to me. That you don't like me, that you pretend not to see me. I think it's driving me crazy and you're right to think that I'm an attention-seeking girl. I'm ashamed and I apologise to you for that because it's not your problem. I promise I'll stop." She said between laboured breaths, shrugging her shoulders, lowering her gaze.

He just looked at her.

"You exaggerate everything too much. You care too much." He said finally, his voice calmer as was his gaze.

She saw him fidgeting involuntarily with his fingers in a nervous gesture, the cuticles around his fingernails peeled and red, they must have caused him pain, but he plucked them nonetheless.

"Stop." She whispered and placed her hand over his, his fingers froze in mid-motion. She heard him swallow loudly, completely taken aback, his healthy eye open wide, his whole body concentrated. She stroked his palms with her thumb, and he didn't push her away.

"I'll leave you alone." She said softly and took her hand away, not believing she had dared to do so, and he just nodded and grunted, looking in her book for the quote he wanted to talk about.

They wrote down silently next to each other what they had talked about, and when they had finished she took her books, packed up and left without saying goodbye to him.

She no longer sought his gaze when he stood next to her at the bus stop, when he sat behind her in class, when she passed him in the school corridor. She realised that she had been conceited and vain in thinking that she would make him like her. She thought there was nothing wrong with someone not fancying her, not wanting to talk to her.

She had to get over it.

She attended extra volleyball classes, loved this sport and had good results at inter-school competitions. The captain of the men's team was Cregan Stark, a tall, well-built, funny black-haired boy who caught her eye from the start.

He would occasionally wink at her from afar seeing her gaze, and she would blush, lowering her eyes.

They were good mates, chatting sometimes during breaks and laughing. Cregan often approached her between classes, throwing in any topic, sometimes accompanied by his colleagues who were also fond of her. She felt butterflies in her stomach when he invited her to a house party that Aegon was organising.

She knew that Aemond would certainly be home at that time, but she figured that he would lock himself in his room and not go downstairs to them anyway, so she readily agreed, glad to see Helaena there as well.

She dressed in her favourite suede black dress reaching mid-thigh with a boat neckline, not revealing her breasts but showing her shoulders, and she wore her favourite shiny black boots. She let her hair down, deciding that she looked the prettiest this way, and literally ran out of the house when she heard a knock on the door.

She and Cregan hugged each other as if they were friends and moved arm-in-arm across the street hearing the loud music in the distance. When they entered she saw a crowd of people, most were her friends from the estate, so she greeted everyone around her, one of the guests handed her a cup with probably the cheapest wine possible.

She took a sip, glancing at Cregan and he winked at her as he always did, this time embracing her, pulling her close.

She felt the heat in her lower abdomen and the flush in her cheeks.

For most of the time they sat together on the couch, talking about everything and nothing, she saw no one around him but him, looking into his big dark eyes as if enchanted. She swallowed loudly when she felt his hand on her thigh, trailing up and down, and pressed her lips together, unsure if she liked it or not.

However, she didn't reject his hand, not wanting to offend him, some part of her happy that he reciprocated her interest, that he liked her too, that he found her attractive too.

"Shall we go to the garden?" He asked loud enough for her to hear him, and she nodded with a smile, feeling her own heart beating fast, happy that he wanted to be alone with her.

They walked out into the garden through the kitchen, through a back entrance she knew very well, on the way she felt him grasp her hand in his, she had a feeling her heart would leap out of her chest. They sat down on the terrace bench, he embraced her and hugged her close, and she snuggled into his chest.

She wondered with a blush on her cheeks if he would want to kiss her.

She swallowed loudly and a shudder went through her as, from her shoulder, his hand slowly began to move up to her neck, slipped under the material of her dress and touched her bare breast. She squeezed his wrist, terrified.

"N-no." She mumbled, but instead of stopping, he tightened his fingers on her flesh.

"No, stop." She said terrified, aggressively pulling at his hand, feeling tears in her eyes, cold sweat on the back of her neck, her whole body screaming for him to let her go, wanting to run away, but he wouldn't release her.

"Didn't you hear?" She heard a firm, low voice beside her, and Cregan jumped away from her suddenly, rising from the bench.

Aemond stared at him with his lips tightened, an expression of disgust on his face, his healthy eye wide open, his hands clenched into fists.

"Don't you fucking understand what 'no' means?" He asked him again, louder this time, furious.

She was just sitting and shaking, breathing hard, looking down at her shoes, tear after tear running down her cheeks, she was unable to move or get anything out.

Cregan grunted back.

"Fuck off." He growled, wanting to get past him, but Aemond grabbed him by his shirt and pressed him against the door frame with all his strength.

She stood up quickly, terrified, and covered her mouth when Cregan hit him on the forehead with his head and he took a few steps backwards, Aemond's fist hit his face in return, Cregan half-curled and coughed. They moved away from each other, panting heavily.

"Fucking bastard." He hissed, holding his red cheek with his hand and walked back out into his house, loud music, screams, laughter and conversations of people inside around them.

She sat down on the ground, feeling her whole body shaking, clenching her eyes shut, a strange, high-pitched sound and a sob came from her throat as it finally dawned on her mind what had actually happened.

That he touched her in a way that made her uncomfortable and made her unable to breathe, that she had asked him to stop and he hadn't, how bad it made her feel, how frightening and humiliating it was.

She felt so dirty.

She wasn't sure if what came out of her mouth could be called crying, she felt like she was whimpering and howling, holding her hand to her mouth as if trying to shield herself from what was happening, to no avail.

She heard the rustling of the grass beneath his feet, she felt the gentle touch of his large, warm hand on her back, casual, tender, friendly, comforting.

She snuggled into his black sweatshirt and cried out loud, disappointed, distraught and devastated that she had trusted him, that she had believed him and he did something like this to her.

Why?

Was it because she didn't push him away when he touched her thigh, that she went out with him alone?

Did he think that was what she wanted?

"Shall I go and find Helaena?" He asked in a trembling voice clearly not knowing what to do, how to help her, horrified by what he had seen and her condition. She shook her head quickly, feeling ashamed, she didn't want anyone to know.

She heard him swallow loudly.

"If you want I'll go with you to his parents tomorrow. I'll tell them what I saw. He's been groping you all evening." He said low with some kind of tension, and she froze, drawing in the air loudly at the thought that he must have come downstairs, that he must have seen them as they sat on the sofa, watched them.

Follow them out.

She wondered if he had done it to make sure he wouldn't do anything to her against her will.

It was her fault.

She did not push him away when he touched her thigh.

She went off with him herself.

"No. They won't believe me. He'll say I wanted it myself." She mumbled in a trembling, weak voice between one shattered breath and another.

She could feel his heart pounding hard, that he was nervous too, that he didn't know what he should do. He put his arm around her in a friendly manner, feeling subconsciously that she needed it, that she was terrified.

They both stood up quickly when they heard some girls come out for a cigarette. They raised their eyebrows, looking at them with amusement, one of them waved at them.

"Hey, Cyclops, do you have a girlfriend now?" She asked, the second girl laughed out loud, the third looked at the others disapprovingly, lowering her gaze, pretending she hadn't heard this.

"Fuck off, you stupid bitch!" She growled at her so loudly and with such fury that the girl froze, it seemed to her that she had never called anyone that out loud before in her life.

In a frenzy of desperation, anger and humiliation, she pulled her boots off her feet and, one by one, started throwing them at them until all three of them fled inside the house screaming that she was insane.

"Fuck, calm down! Jesus." He called out to her in shock, grabbing her by her arm. She raised her eyes at him, breathing loudly, his gaze softening a bit.

"Do you want to go home?" He asked lowly, almost indifferently, and she nodded, feeling that she wanted to cry again at the thought of Cregan's touch on her chest.

His hand tightened on her bare breast, refusing to let her go.

An unpleasant shiver ran through her, she felt like she was going to vomit.

First, though, she had to find her shoes, one of which had ended up in the bushes, the other behind their barbecue, all dirty from the coals. She put them on anyway, she was already indifferent to everything.

He didn't even ask if she wanted him to walk her away.

He just followed her.

On the way out they came across Cregan and his mates smoking a cigarette on the road, some of his friends whistling at them, laughing out loud.

"Are you guys going to fuck?" He called from a distance in amusement, she felt that her whole body was shaking, that she was afraid of them and she thanked God that he had gone with her, that he had not left her alone.

She wondered if this was what he experienced all the time at school.

Humiliation.

He stood with her in front of her door with his hands tucked into his black trousers, his face turned in profile.

She knew she shouldn't do this, but she needed it.

She walked up to him and hugged her face to his sweatshirt, standing in front of him like that. She could feel his warm breath on the top of her head, she knew he was looking at her.

She swallowed loudly as she felt his forehead pressed against her hair, he let out a loud breath, something in his voice that she could call sympathy.

"Try not to think about it. If you change your mind and want to go to his parents, I'll go with you. Hm?" He asked lowly, and she nodded.

"Are you going to keep seeing him?" He asked coolly after a moment, and she shook her head, feeling that it made her sick at the thought.

"Good." He muttered, raising his head. She pulled away from him and looked at him, swallowing loudly.

"Gonna give you my phone number. In case you decide to do it." He added quickly, wanting to make sure she didn't understand his proposal ambiguously. She nodded her head.

He dictated a string of numbers to her, which she typed into her phone and added him to her contacts under the name 'Prince'. He saw this and lifted his gaze to her, but made no comment.

They looked at each other for a moment in silence.

"I'm sorry." He said finally. She nodded her head in understanding.

"Thank you for everything. That you… you know. Have a good night." She said softly, without looking at him anymore, and disappeared behind the front door of her house.

_____

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy

[tmwcs]

ↀOUBLE IIROUBLE - CHAPTER ONE

Series Masterlist

Okay so i decided to just complete the teaser since it pretty much incorporated all of chapter 1. These chapters will be incorporated with some SMAU images, so be prepared to watch as tension grows. ;)

Pairings: Twin step brothers (Heejeong and Heeseung) and Reader.

Warnings: not so much in this one.....just covering down the formalities. Just some minor skin to skin contact is all. NOT PROOFREAD, i tried since it's a new series but with the constant interruptions, i just couldnt....so bear with me on this.

It had started to rain the moment your taxi-cab pulled up front at the main entrance of the restaurant.

“Here you are sir.”

“Thank you.”

Paying the driver, you step out of the car and quickly ran inside; entering the small foyer, you try to brush yourself dry as the damp pieces of hair remains glued to your skin. Walking up to the hostess bar, you issued a small smile and proceed to greet the young girl before you.

“Hi, I’m here to meet with my mother, her name is (enter your mother’s name here).”

“Oh yes, right this way please.”

Trailing behind, you spot your mother already seated at the table. Upon making eye contact, she stands and greets you with open arms.

“Hi mommy. I’m sorry, am I late?”

“No more than usual, y/n.” Chuckling at her comment, the both of you hug it out and sit across from each other.

“So, how do you like your new job at the museum? Do you like being a curator?”

“ I love it. The people I work with are also amazing and very helpful.”

“Mmm..that’s good. Did you get settled into your new place, with Wendy?”

“Yeah, actually I’m still unpacking but Wendy has been super helpful.”

“That’s good.”

You always were fond of talking with your mother. She was, in large part, your biggest supporter and had always shared a bond with you that was similar to that of an elder sister, not so much a mother. Yet when the time called for such, her maternal instincts would kick in, and she’d succeeded in aiding you through every obstacle as the best mother anyone could ever ask for.

College had been a bit rough for you. It was dreadful and while you remained entirely focused on your studies, others such as your college roommate, Wendy, who you became fast friends with, had been focused on boys. You loved and respected your friend of four years, yet she had a terrible habit of picking out the worst out of the male population. Nevertheless, she was someone you could always count on, even if she was moving her new boyfriend, Jeff, into the apartment, after you had agreed to move in and split all the living expenses.

“Do you like the apartment?” your mother inquires as she takes in a bite of her meal.

“It’s a bit small, but it’s do-able. Actually…” chewing on your food, you take a sip out of your drink before proceeding to inform your mother of the unexpected third roommate…

“Wendy just moved in her boyfriend, which I guess works out better because it means that our rent will be cheaper.”

“Her boyfriend? Didn’t you say you disliked him because he was always hitting on you?”

“Yeah…I mean I got that vibe but I could be overthinking it. Plus I have my own room, it makes it easy to limit the interactions. I think all in all it will be fine.”

“Do you want to move back in with me?” both you and your mother chuckle at her response.

“Maybe….we’ll see.” You smirk as you flew a wink in her direction.

Peering down at her drink, she places a hand around the glass, but does not proceed to drink out of it, instead, she taps the rim with her finger.

“Actually, I’m thinking about moving as well.”

Pausing your motions, you look up slightly wide eyed. With a confused smile, you inquired for closure as you manufactured her words.

“But…you love your apartment.”

“Yeah I do, but….its just so crowded.” She continues as she gazes out the window. “I’ll still be here, locally, but I’m thinking of moving into a house.”

“A house?”

“Yeah.”

Your look of confusion was enhanced by a slight roll in your eye as you try to configure the vague telling of your mother’s plans in relocating. Puzzled, you became a bit more forceful, though not aggressive, in trying to fish out the meaning behind her decision. Before you could speak, however, she had beaten you to the punch.

“Remember that guy I told you about? That I met three months ago?”

“You mean the one you met at the mayor’s inauguration ceremony?”

“Yeah.”

You shifted your gaze around, recalling the events of when your mother told you of a gentleman that she had met, when she, her sister, and your cousins had attended a lively event that was graced by the presence of some known and important figures known throughout the city. CEO’s, executives, politicians, and even members of foreign royal households had attended.

“Mmm..yeah….okay I remember. You’re moving in with him?”

Sipping from her glass, she sets her drink down and while maintaining strict eye contact at the condensation dripping down from the cup, she tells you…

“We’re getting married. In three weeks.”

As the valet service opens the door to your cab, you quickly paid the driver and ran inside the lavish hotel.

‘Lets see….she said the restaurant was on the top floor…..sooo…..elevators, elevators, elevators. Where are the-oh! Found you!’

Pressing the button, you shifted nervously as you felt your mother’s disappointment through the text.

‘When we have dinner with them, don’t be late. Its your first time meeting with family, or soon to be family, so we need to show good manners.’

You promised your mother you would get out of work early to make it in time for the dinner. However, with  multiple staff members calling in sick, there was no way that your boss could afford to let you off early. You hoped your mother would understand, yet, you couldn’t blame her if she didn’t, considering this was the first time you were meeting her fiancé, Daehyun, or Danny as he would often be called, and his two sons. It’s natural she wanted to make a good impression on them, you were just so sorry that you had to let her down tonight.

‘God I hope she’s not mad….’

……………

Meanwhile upstairs, located on the fiftieth floor, was the platinum, exclusive, member-only featured restaurant that normally esteemed guests at the hotel would have the right to make reservations, yet Danny, being the CEO and founder of Lotte Mart, the renowned conglomerate franchise that had been around since the mid-nineties, had access to just about any private facility. Him….and his two sons, Heeseung and Heejeong.

Sitting across their father and his fiancé, the two boys sat next to each other. Heejeong, being the elder of the pair, had brought his girlfriend along, Yeon-jin. Despite the level of politeness, the two brothers displayed towards your mother, they weren’t terribly close with their father, and it showed.

Their attitude towards the rather sudden engagement wasn’t up to par either, though they made it clear that they had nothing against your mother, quite frankly, it was their father that they had the issue with…as displayed from the previous conversation they had with him, the day he broke the news of his upcoming nuptials.

‘Don’t you think you’re rushing this a bit? Is she even comfortable in getting married so soon? Or was this all your idea?

‘You dated your other girlfriends for years and never married them. Yet you meet a woman at an event three months ago and already plan to get married? What? Does she also come from a well-to-do family?'

Seeing your mother for the second time since their father began courting her, they both greeted her with a warm and devilishly handsome smiles as they displayed a dashing appearance of black suit and tie.

"M/N, how have you been?" Heeseung greets as Heejeong pulls a chair back for his girlfriend, whom he had brought along, Yeon-jin.

"I'm good, Heeseung. You look so handsome, you too Heejeong."

"Ah thank you. We try, you know?" Heejeong jests as he flashes a wink while he and Heeseung both take their seats across the table. Sitting next to Heeseung, was his girlfriend, who was also Yeon-jin's best friend, Sa-ra.

They were both good boys, with impressive athletic skills and academic features. They had graduated from respectable universities and excelled in every subject, all the while maintaining striking leadership authority as team captains.

Heejeong was a talented basketball player, and had even been offered scholarships through his school, yet turned them all down so he could remain close to home with his brother.

Heeseung was the school's infamous rugby player, and the young man made a name for himself for the amount of vigor he displayed as he played each season.

They were remarkable boys, and both very attractive.

Learning the family business, both boys were taking over the world as they began inheriting their father's corporation, in which they didn't mind since they had a career path where they could remain close and work alongside one another. It always surprised your mother just how close they were, she never knew the reason behind it, but always assumed that it was due to Danny's personality and fatherly devotion to his boys. Yet....it was strange.

After meeting the boys a month prior to the dinner, it kept puzzling her on how the two men could be so distasteful towards their father, who had shown countless times that he is willing to give them the world.

Danny was kind, and very nurturing. He not only strived to give the boys anything he could think of, but he also expressed his support when it came to their personal romances, not at all expressing his distaste for whatever girl they decided to date or forcing them to render the insufferable acts of arranged marriages, which happened to be quite common amongst the upper class.

Danny made it a point, to show that he was a diamond in the rough when it came to that topic, expressing and even strongly suggesting that Heejeong, or Joey, as he would sometimes be called by english speakers, to take Yeon-jin and marry her.

Despite dating the girl and seemingly having a serious relationship, Heejeong had refrained from the topic of marriage and never pursued it, with Yeon-jin or any other woman. Heeseung displayed the same attitude towards Sa-ra.

Yeon-jin and Sa-ra both excessively mingled back and forth between Danny, his two sons, and your mother. They acted friendly, yet your mother couldn’t help but notice that both, Heeseung and Heejeong, seemed as if they were merely tolerating the girls as they lavished themselves a plethora amount of jewelry and accessories.

Heejeong had an arm swooped over Yeon-jin's shoulder, his fingertips rubbed her skin from time to time, but his level of affection was very minor and his facial expressions didn’t expel a sense of love and satisfaction. The same for Heeseung. He merely sat relaxed in his chair, with his arm over Sa-ra's shoulder, but rarely glanced over her way. It was unusual for your mother to see, considering Danny informed her that the pairs had been dating for a while.

Of course, your mother was no fool, she could tell by the way both girls had acted, despite maintaining polite manners, they were both far from the persona's they both displayed themselves as throughout the night. Your mother couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something grossly odd about the two women, which made her question why such nice boys would even care to continue dating the two.

With flashy dresses, appearing more suitable for a night at the club than at a formal dinner, the girls attempted to show off a modest, and shy behavior, yet the constant stroking of Heejeong's thigh, or the obvious suggestive facial expressions Sa-ra featured whenever she stared at the man next to her, showed that their personality features at the table, was all just an act. More than likely all to impress the boy's father, which he seemed to be very fond of the two young girls and approved greatly of them dating his son's. Your mother had wondered if both of their girls moral value's were truly genuine, or if they were merely dating the brotherly pair out of the aspects that they were good looking, and excessively wealthy.

Everyone had went ahead and ordered their drinks, your mother, knowing what you may have wanted, went ahead and ordered a drink for you upon your arrival.

The boys mainly interacted with your mother, always being warmly receptive towards her, yet glaringly dreadful towards their father. Your mother couldn't understand the reason behind their hostile attitude towards their father, even when she had first met them they were genuinely kind to her, yet remained obviously disdained towards Danny.

"So I heard you both just bought a house? Is it nice?" your mother inquired.

"Yeah, it's large and has lots of space. We just moved in last week." Heeseung states as he eyes his glass, taking regular sips with his elbow propped on the table. Heejeong nods at Heeseung's words as he sips from his own drink.

"That's good. Its nice to see you both are so close and willing to live with eachother." your mother smiles as she admires both boys, who took a second to look at each other before nodding and setting their gazes at the table.

'We're all that we have...just each other....right after our mom had....'

"Oh. My daughter should be here soon. I'm so sorry that she's running late, her job sometimes becomes demanding."

The mental thought process of both, Heejeong and Heeseung was gently cut off as your mother read your text, stating you had just got into the elevator.

The boys merely looked at one another, before setting their gaze over towards your mother and Danny.

"It's alright M/N, it's understandable. Your daughter must work very hard at her job. She just started at the National Museum, correct? How impressive." Danny issued as he takes your mother's hand in his own.

Both boys glared a roll in their eyes as they shifted their gaze over to one another.

"So your daughter, y/n? Dad told us she also just graduated college?" Heejeong inquires.

"Yes. She just started working at the national museum, she loves art and historical pieces." your mother chuckles.

Heejeong and Heeseung merely chuckled back.

"Oh, here she is!" your mother claims out as she spots you from the side view of her vision. "Y/n! Over here." she gently ushers out from afar as you were escorted by the hostess.

Everyone's faces shift over towards you, and it made you more than nervous. You felt as if the blood in your body had all been drained out of you the moment you saw five other expressions looking your way.

The seating was located in a grand-ball themed room. It as massive, and adorned with tall windows along the walls that featured a breathtaking sight of the entire city. At Danny's request, the entire restaurant closed down for the night, only permitting the private access of you, your mother, her fiance, and his two sons.

Walking behind the male hostess, you walk over to your mother's side where she received you with open arms and a kiss on the cheek.

"Here, give your coat to the hostess." she ushers as she helps tak your lengthy, fashionable raincoat off.

Since your job called for it, it was fortunate that you didn't have to make a stop at the apartment to change. Your mother holds your hand and takes a step back as she guides you to stand next to her, presenting you to Danny, and the two boys across the table, along with their girlfriends.

"Everyone, this is my daughter, Y/N."

You stood there, somewhat nervous and shy though you did your best to not let it show too much. You issued a slight, sweet smile to everyone and gently greeted them with a soft tone in your voice.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you all."

Seeing how everyone stared at you made you wondered, if they were admiring you, or if they were mad that you arrived late.

It could have been the black, spaghetti strapped halter, midi dress you had on; how it displayed the fine lining of your curves while hugging onto your body tightly, and was delicately exposing skin, but not too lasciviously as the one's Yeon-jin and Sa-ra had on.

Or it could have been the subtle, yet smoldering smokey eye shadow you had applied to your eyes, enhancing the shape and color to perfection.

Maybe it was the dark rosy-pink lip stain you had on, that made them look more than just kissable.

Perhaps it was all of the above....and much more.

"M/N, what a very pretty girl. Y/N right? Its nice to finally meet you, your mother has told me so much about you, she loves you so much. I'm so excited that we get to meet." Danny issues as he comes to greet you with a warm hug.

To your mother's surprise, the boys didn't roll their eyes at their father's issued words. It was the first of the night.

Quite frankly, the two young men didn't even process their father's sentence..because they didn't even hear him.

They remained staring, with puzzled brows and slightly parted lips as they began leaning their faces in as if they were in disbelief at what they were seeing before them.

Heejeong was the first to return the greeting upon receiving the slight tug on his arm as his somewhat irked girlfriend took notice of his admiring countenance. To which he rolled his eyes at quickly before going right back into looking at you.

"Y/N was it?" Heejoeng started with. Upon seeing you slightly nod, and displaying that soft and sweet smile once more, his heartbeat slightly escalates as he smirks a half smile and licks his lips, almost as if he got rather excited for a split second. "Nice to meet you, I'm Heejeong, or Joey, whichever you prefer."

Tilting his head slightly back, he smirks as his eyes widened the longer he kept admiring you.

He nearly ended the greet right there, yet Yeon-jIn issued another tug on his arm. Heejeong, or Joey, didn't respond in her favor as he merely hissed while sharply snapping his face towards the side, and glares at her.

"Stop."

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" she whispers out to him.

"Not if you're going to act this way." he whispered back.

Watching his girlfriend huff as she glares down to the floor. Heejeong, faces back towards you and gives off a subtle smirk.

"This is Yeon-jin." He softly issues out as he returns his gaze over to you, his eyes immediately softening up as he takes in your view deeply.

"Nice to meet you." you admitted a soft smile as you directed your words towards the girl. She smiles back as she issues her greeting, all the while tightly plastering herself on Heejeong's arm.

Heeseung never took his eyes off you, much less Heejeong, aside from the moment he harshly yet inconspicuously placed the girl next to him back in her place for acting so brazenly.

Taking the opportunity to greet you himself as Heejeong finishes his introduction, Heeseung tilts his head slightly off to the side as he issues his greeting.

"I'm Heeseung. You can also call me Ethan, it's...nice to meet you." just like his brother, his voice was calm and low.

"This is Sa-ra." He issues calmly, yet remained crossed arm as he continued to gaze over your direction, not even looking over at the girl to his side.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm so sorry I am late." you responded back, issuing a smile that was still sweet, yet inaverdantly alluring as you narrowed your eyes slightly and displayed an alluring look to your eyes.

Biting his lip as his head remained at a tilt, his arms still crossed, Heeseung slowly released the bit of flesh from his toothy grip as his his bottom lip slowly rolls out from the small bite he issued. He took a moment to softly smile back at you, all the while eyeing your face.

Heejeong displayed the same expression, as he remained standing with his hands tucked in his pockets. Raising a single brow, just for a moment, his expression was highly suggestive, yet you didn't catch it as you shyly looked over to your mother as the male pair continued to view you as if you were a work of art.

It was interesting to see the twin boys, how they looked remarkably similar with their matching features, yet Heejeong's silver ash hair color and Heeseung's jet black strands were enough to set the boys apart.

Sitting back down, you remained next to your mother and held her hand as it rested on your lap. She could tell you were a bit nervous and embarrassed for running late.

"M/N, your daughter is much more beautiful than the pictures you showed me. She is gorgeous, and so very polite, you did a good job with her upbringing." Danny strokes out as he leans in to place a peck on your mother's forehead.

"Thank you. I love her very much." Your mother responds back.

Nodding slightly to Danny's compliment while issuing a soft "Thank you" at your mother's urging, you tried your best to remain composed as your leg was bouncing under the table. Fortunately, it was silent, yet you wish you could stop since you started to become self conscious of the movement reflecting in your upper body as the shakiness increased beyond your control.

Your mother was enveloped in a whispered conversation as she leaned in to her side and communicated with Danny, ear to ear, more than likely expressing their excitement and love to one another.

Setting your gaze on the table, you felt a bit isolated as you sat with everyone else having their dates next to one another. It only caused your leg to further escalate the shaking motions.

Suddenly you felt a hand placed atop your knee, right at the end of your thigh, which ultimately ceased the movement of your leg.

The midi dress you had on had originally rested nearly three inches above your kneecaps, yet when sitting, it rose further up, leaving your skin exposed under the table.

The hand was semi rough. You could make out the callouses of the palm as it slightly rides up an extra inch or two; your eyes widened and a small gasp escapes your lips when you looked down and saw the hand. Looking across, you watched as Heeseung, who was seated directly across from you, was leaning into the table, where his chest nearly rested along the edge of it.

Looking intently into your eyes, he gave a reassuring smile as he softly tunes out a near whisper, "Don't be nervous...shhhh." His voice was soft and light, you noted it, despite the circular motions he added to his touch which was somewhat distracting yet....your leg was no longer bouncing up and down.

You stared for a second with your mouth parted open and displayed a surprised look before you recollected yourself upon seeing his comforting expression. Returning a shy and nervous smile back, you gave a slight nod as a thankful gesture.

"Good girl...." he whispered, before he dragged his fingertips off your leg, but not without admitting gentle taps with his fingertips. Had you not been so nervous, you would have caught on his words.

....But you didn't.

Knowing that you missed it, Heeseung merely smiles as he taps his index on his lips, smirking devilishly as he retains his admiring view on you.

Feeling appreciative and rather comforted by the young man's displayed familiarity with you, you thought it kind of him to treat you just as any brother would have towards their sister. Being that you were younger by a year, you figured the boys had already developed a protective and nurturing nature towards you as you were going to officially be family in a matter of days.

Sa-ra didn't notice the comforting display as she was turned to face the opposite side of Heeseung, tapping some powder on her nose as she held the makeup compact in her hand. When finished, she situated herself to sit back facing front, issuing a smile as he swung his arm over her shoulder, yet his gaze remained on you as he tilted his head slightly back and bit his lip.....again. You would have noticed his mannerisms, yet you were leaning your ear in and focusing on processing your mother's whispered words as she expressed how proud she was of you, for graduating and beginning your career path in the National Museum.

..............If only you had looked up for a moment and caught the boy's eye ravishing your face and body as he raised a brow in peaked interest.

What you did catch, however, whenever you were paying attention towards your new brothers, were the soft and gentle gazes they admitted as they spoke, laughed, the intense eye contact, and smiles as they spoke…..

Directly towards......you.....

CHAPTER 2

Authors Note: gah! I hate that you can only upload one video per post! I had the perfect silver haired video of Heejeong but I’ll save it for another chapter. I plan to release chapters on a weekly basis until SE7EN is complete. I dont know how many parts AFTERMATH will be split into just yet, but theres still quite a bit to it ;)

Taglist: @deobitifull; @solstramaii; @vampiregirl215; @nshmrarki; @enhypen14; @iamliacamila; @lisaaannna; @nikstrange; @jaehaki; @luv-enhy-skz33; @silcry@honeysjae; @crackedcameraa; @stinkmonkey ; @baekxo07@raishaii@yangjungwon33 @lhspeachie ; @differentchildwombat ; @prettykia ; @kimsseonu ; @stvrryhee ; @en-thralled ; @hoonzdzbl ; @yuppppp ; @jinniespuppy ; @browsehnnie @prettykia @lprww @they2luv1naia @ellixqz@mimimovv @stvrryhee @moonmoongi  @seungjiseyo @browsehnnie , @heeanaree

[rockybloo]

As I’m doing this ask, I’m just watching Jack the Giant Slayer and making me SEVERELY wanna read Beanstalked, I’d love a passion fueled essay/reason from you why I should read it! (I’m gonna ready it anyways)

OH BOY I GET TO DROP MY LIMITERS

For starters, Beanstalked is a fantasy slice-of-life with a sprinkle of adventure and action. It does feature swearing, violence and gore as well as some body horror and existentialism. So just a heads up.

The main plot is basically that Lore, the planet that Beanstalked takes place on which exists directly parallel to Earth, has an event every 100 years where individuals are selected to become Bookmarked. This is where they are assigned roles from fables and legends from our world and gain secret weapons known as Märchen for self defense. This event has gone on practically forever under the watchful eyes of the Sun and Moon, the gods of this world.

But that all gets disrupted by an evil fairy called Nevermore who is bored of witnessing the same fairy tales happening over and over again. She has rounded up Bookmarked villains and the occasional misled protagonist to assist her and her army of ink stains as she aims to rewrite the world and rid it of happy endings.

The newest generation of Bookmarked are very unlucky as it is their turns to live out their assigned tales due to their stories all having been screwed up due to Nevermore's interference. Jack is one of these unlucky Bookmarked, who has just recently come to learn he has been assigned the same Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk. Much of Beanstalked follows hm as he learns about the magical side of the world he lives in, how to use his own Märchen, his own family history, and what exactly a "Happy Ending" is.

Beanstalked is meant to somewhat explore fairy tales and how suddenly becoming a figure in one can affect one's life-whether it be good or bad. It's also, at its center, a story about learning more about one's self and figuring out what truly makes you happy.

If you are a fan of fairy tale retellings then Beanstalked is a good pick for you. Especially if you are a fan of retellings that:

Aren't just mean spirited spins about the original tale

Aren't completely dark and gritty retellings of the source material for the sake of being edgy

Aren't just rip offs of Disney designs and characters

Or if you are petty like me, don't want to read another story about a protagonist having fallen into the land of fairy tales

Every Beanstalked character is meant to be based off either a direct character from a fable or a stock character. And for each fable, I try to bounce off the original story if there is an author (Like Pinocchio novel) or the oldest retellings as many fables don't have direct authors and simply have collectors that put their own spin on things.

So if you are worried about another fairy tale retelling story where each fable is just based off Disney's spins-DON'T WORRY BECAUSE ROCKY GOT YA' COVERED!

Beanstalked also contains a lot of found family elements, such as the entire village of Briar Patch being a community of Bookmarked who watch out for one another.

There are also cool af battle scenes due to the existence of Märchen (because Rocky grew up watching too many shounen anime and now has to put battles in everything), a ton of world building (I've had this story for nearly a decade now), a lotta characters with melanin (many being black), and a cast comprised of bi and pan characters.

ALSO ALSO...if you are a fan of pretty black girl love interests that kick ass (and may also be a monster girl with sharp teeth and claws and whole big monster form) then you will enjoy Beanstalked as Jack's love interest, Nana, is all of said above mentioned things.

SO if any of this happened to catch your attention-GO READ BEANSTALKED! As of right now I've rebooted it from the original 2010s version I had so it currently only has chapters 1 and 2. Which means you don't have a lotta catch up to do!

I have also handcuffed myself to this story which means I will be working on it till I finish it. I am on a mission. So if you want a webcomic and don't wanna worry about it suddenly being cancelled or disappearing one day-DO NOT CONCERN YOURSELF CITIZEN as I am unhinged about my fairy tale babies and am in for the long haul.

[treacheryinblue]

Chapter 1/?

Word Count: 8.5k

Masterlist

A Noah Sebastian x OC x Nicholas Ruffilo Series

× Summary: In the not so distant future, there's only Above and Below ― a "castle" that reaches the sky and the gritty underbelly that's looked down upon ( both literally and metaphorically ). The guys are recruited to carry out the task of taking down this power with the assistance of Scarlett: a confident and seductive, yet mysterious, force that may be closer to the enemy than what she lets on. Themes: dystopian, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic, etc.

× Warnings!: Things get smutty. Language. Death - both spoken of and written. Violence. Anti-government. Broody Noah. Precious baby angel Nicholas. A girl who can't choose. Drinking, drugs, etc. Unreliable narrator? Each chapter will have its own set of separate warnings if there's anything additional.

× Author Notes: ( 1 ) Just going to be honest straight up ― if you don't like world building, then you may not like this. ⍨ ( 2 ) This chapter is more Nick centered because he deserves some recognition on my page. ( 3 ) Feedback of any kind is welcomed. Happy reading! ❤

Known affectionately as Lost Angeles, the last true and vast surviving city. 

Made up of Heaven and Hell, most commonly referred to as Above and Below. 

Why? Because, well, the latter was quite a ways down from the glimmering mega tower that you either hated with a passion, or desperately wanted to become a part of. 

Although, anyone with at least two working brain cells could see that Heaven was a cruel and sadistic facade ran by a dictator by the name of Silver. Its main purpose being to inflict fear upon those belonging to Below; a way to control them, a warning they were always forced to see no matter where they stood within the decaying city. 

This is why Noah chose to conduct the majority of his doings even further down, right in the underground of Below. 

“You want us to what?” 

A fit of laughter erupted from him, the three men standing a bit further back following suit with amusement of their own. 

“You've got to be fucking joking.” 

The older man’s face reddened with anger, his pudgy fingers rapping against the table top that separated him from them. This man in reference was Ulrik, a well known con man and loan shark that had a way of getting things done. Did you have a messy job you needed performed to completion? Ulrik was your guy, but always for a hefty price. 

This is how Noah knew he had to be truly desperate if he was outsourcing his jobs now. Or maybe he just needed to find someone stupid enough to agree to the suicide mission. 

“I was being nice by asking. Did you forget that you owe me a favor?” 

A heavy sigh was then expelled, his gloved hand lifting to rub his chin from over the black ski mask that covered the entirety of his head. It's the same mask the other guys wore as well, the one thing keeping their identities secret. 

It wasn't an odd thing to see. People of Below were known to wear masks - some more simple, others terribly intricate - solely because it kept them safe from the debris and dust that was constantly floating through the air. Wearing them inside was a little less popular. 

“I'll even make it easier for you,” Ulrik continued with a toothy grin that was riddled with bits of gold. “There's a girl-”

“A girl?” Noah repeated, brows raised beneath the mask. 

“Yes, a girl. She can help you get in and out of the Tower. She's smart. Does work for me sometimes.” 

Another laugh was pulled from him, followed by a roll of his eyes. Noah leaned back casually in his chair, though his hands remained clasped atop the table. He was staring the man down, silently daring him to feed him bullshit one more time. 

“Cut the shit, ‘Rik. Everyone knows you don't just enter the Tower and then live to tell the tale when you don't belong there. People go up, but they never come down.” 

Ulrik’s grin lingered, becoming more and more smug by the second. 

“Ah, you see, that's where you're wrong. She has gone both up and down.” 

× × ×

Seven wasn’t exactly where he was expecting to end up that night. He stared up at the neon-lit business front, flashing signs indicating the purchase of companionship, while others promised music and dancing. He had passed by the building many times, but never stepped foot inside. Tales of the happenings inside ran rampant, though. From what he gathered, it wasn't a place for the faint of heart.

“I can't believe you agreed to this shit.” 

Noah glanced over to Nicholas as he took a deep drag of his cigarette before tossing it to the ground. The motion was followed with a shrug, his expression remaining blank. 

“I agreed to us talking to the girl. I never agreed to us taking the job.” 

“When it comes to Ulrik, you may as well have signed our lives away.” 

That could've possibly been true, but Noah was going to give the man the benefit of the doubt. Maybe nothing would come of this visit. Maybe he would let them turn the job down. Maybe they'd laugh it off together. Or maybe all of them would end up with their tongues cut out. 

Noah didn't say anything else before taking long strides up to the building, Nick trailing begrudgingly behind him. Despite the masks still covering their faces, the rather large and buff man at the door nodded them in. If they looked like buyers, then there was no issue. 

…now he wasn't so sure what that said about them. 

Inside of Seven was dark, the only source of light coming from the red and blue LEDs sporadically placed around. It was cleaner than he was expecting, but there was still a sharp scent in the air that led him to believe strong cleaning products were used on the regular. Noah didn't want to think about what they could possibly be cleaning in depth so often. 

“Hey there, handsome.” A woman cooed almost as soon as they walked into the main area, her hand grazing along his chest as she sauntered by. She didn't pause to entice them in, though. Probably because she could sense their lack of engagement due to his skill of avoiding eye contact, and basically acting like she wasn't there to begin with. 

Stepping deeper in, Noah was on high alert. He looked to every corner, studied every face, and noted every exit that could be seen. Never know when you'd have to make a quick getaway. 

The music playing throughout had a deep bass to it; one of those dark wave tracks that was supposed to sound sexy, but it only bored him. Dolled up women were seen with every sweep of his gaze, as well as desperate men looking for someone to force their fantasies on. A few of the women were encased in large metal cages, their bodies moving rhythmically to the songs playing. 

Yeah, this place definitely screamed ‘Below’. It was gritty and filthy - in the kinky sort of way. Depraved was possibly a better word for it. 

“Hey,” Noah called out to a man who stood to the side with his hands clasped in front of him. He was obviously security, so hopefully that meant he could point them in the right direction. 

“We’re looking for a girl that goes by Scarlett. You know where we can find her?” 

Macho security man took one look at them and shook his head. 

“Ah, come on!” Noah grinned beneath the mask with his attempt at being inviting. “A friend of mine said she was the best. I just want to try her out for myself.” 

Fuck - how badly he wanted to gag and cringe at his own words. 

“If you don't know which girl she is, then she isn't the girl for you. Now fuck off.” 

Noah figured it was best to not argue with security, so he took a few steps back and then turned to Nick. “The hospitality here is something to be desired.” 

“Why don't we just take a look around? Maybe one of the other girls will point her out.” 

Just as Noah was about to agree, a sweet voice cut through the atrocious music that was still thumping ridiculously loud through the club. 

“Did you say Scarlett?” 

Both him and Nick simultaneously turned towards the voice, only to see that it belonged to a girl in one of the cages. Her manicured fingers gripped the bars as she kneeled down to their level, eyes bouncing back and forth between them both. 

“You know her?” 

The girl's fair shoulders gave a shrug, though she smiled when she briefly locked her gaze with his. 

“Everyone knows Scarlett.” 

The girl was running a hand up and down along one of the bars that separated them. Noah assumed this was a way to entice the desperate men in, leading them to think of her hand wrapped around their unsavory dicks and not the metal. 

“Hi, pretty eyes.” Her focus was now on Nick, which didn't surprise him. Even with the masks, he was sure Nick appeared nicer than he did. Someone that would be easier to talk to. Easier to butter up. 

Leaning in closer to the bars, her hands spread across to widen her grip, showcasing her cleavage that was popping out from the skimpy top she wore. Noah knew the games, and he knew Nick did too, but that wasn't going to stop his friend from falling for it. Hard. 

“What will it take for you to introduce us to her?” 

The girl smirked, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as she thought. 

“Buy a private room for an hour. Ask specifically for number thirteen.” She tore her gaze from Nick to look over to him, obviously showing no shame in the way her eyes raked up and down his tall stature. “I'll make sure she's there.” 

With that, she stood up to her full height and made a motion to the side which prompted someone to unlock the cage. 

“Go on,” she smiled at them before she could exit, shooing them away to a cashier. 

“Ulrik better fucking reimburse us for this.” Noah grumbled while already beginning to pull the cash from his pockets. 

× × ×

Room thirteen was on the second floor and sat at the very end of the hall. He assumed this was the most private of all the rooms, merely from the location alone. While making their way to it with the key clutched in his grasp, he could hear all the unpleasant things happening beyond the other doors they passed. Most sounded like noises of enjoyment but there were some that reminded him of pure torture. Those were the ones he didn't want to think too hard about. They had a task at hand, and worrying about what 'paying customers’ did was not it. 

As they entered the room, all outside noises suddenly stopped upon closing the door. That sure was interesting. He shook his head, cautious steps then being taken further into the room. It was reminiscent of a hotel room, but not as luxurious. There was a bed, a dresser, and a darkened doorway which he assumed led to a bathroom. 

“This is fucked,” he murmured with a glance to Nick who had just plopped down into a chair that sat in the corner. 

“Do we know anyone that comes to these sorts of places?” 

Noah chuckled, his head ducking a bit in an attempt to see if he could inspect behind the mirror attached to the dresser. It was easy to assume that they were being watched and listened to. 

“I doubt it, unless you mean know like how we know Ulrik. My guess is he's a big spender here.” 

A gloved hand ran along the seam of the mirror pressed to the wall, looking it up and down suspiciously. Did each room have a camera? Or just some perverted guy sitting behind a two way mirror monitoring their doings? Either way, he fucking hated the feeling of being watched. 

“What are you doing?” 

Well, that voice surely didn't belong to Nick. 

His eyes flickered up to the door of the room that was being closed, the same girl from the cage standing in the entryway. 

“There's a reason why I told you guys to request this room. No cameras. No mics.” 

There was something different about the girl now - other than the fact that she had covered herself in a black silk robe that hit the top of her thighs. Was it that her voice wasn't as sweet? Her eyes a little more piercing? Or had she just completely dropped the act now that they were behind closed doors? 

“Where's Scarlett?” Noah ignored her initial question, instead choosing to respond with one of his own. He didn't have the time or patience to play this game. 

The girl arched a brow, her eyes brightening with a hint of amusement. She walked by where he stood, then bent at the waist when she was at the end of the dresser. From the bottom drawer she produced an unlabeled bottle, as well as three glasses which she placed atop the dresser. 

“I think she is Scarlett…” Nick spoke up, still seated. 

With a widening grin, the girl put her fingertip to her nose and looked back to Nick from over her shoulder, the same finger shifting to point his way. “Good job, pretty eyes. I'm glad at least one of you can put a two-piece puzzle together.” 

A glass of amber liquid was extended to him, which he had no choice but to take upon her forcing it to his chest. He noted that she was much more gentle when offering an identical drink to Nick, the other being kept for herself.

“Before anything else is said, I'm going to need you guys to take the masks off.” 

Noah immediately shook his head. “That's not happening.”

An intense look was sent his way from Scarlett. Her hand was on her hip, heel-clad feet carrying her closer to him. 

“Either you take off the masks or we're done here.”

SCARLETT

“Well?” Her brows quirked as she stepped around the tall one, slow motions being taken closer to the one with the clear blue-grey eyes. She was already more fond of him. 

“Just do it,” he exhaled, quickly pulling his mask off as if he was ripping a band-aid free in one swift motion. 

Mumbles of aggravation came from the tall one, but she knew he had done the same based on the sounds of shuffling around and the way his mask was then tossed to the edge of the bed. When she glanced back to him, he was working his fingers through his hair, but that wasn't what caught her attention 

“Hold on…you guys are Entertainers?” Scarlett’s eyes went wide with excitement, her sights going back and forth between the two of them again. The guys said nothing, though they shared a silent look with each other that had her interest piqued. 

“Ulrik failed to mention that when he told me I'd have visitors.” 

“That's because Ulrik doesn't know. That's also how it's going to stay, got it?” 

Entertainers were some of the most important people, both Above and Below. They had a way of controlling the masses and getting messages out, especially these specific Entertainers she was currently in the company of. If anyone was to know they were in cahoots with someone of the likes of Ulrik, they would probably disappear in a snap. 

“Are you always so feisty?” Scarlett shook her head as she brought her drink to her lips. 

“Since you recognize us, does that mean you've seen our shows?” 

Nodding, she reached over to lightly drag her fingertip along the seated one’s jaw. His bright eyes lifted to meet with hers and she instantly graced him with a sweet smile. 

“A few times, actually. Let's just say…I'm all about your scene.” 

The scene she spoke of being one that was kept hush hush, all because of their leadership in the powers that wanted to overthrow Above. Not everyone was privy to this information, though. To be a part of it meant sure death. 

“Listen, Scarlett, that's not why we're here. Ulrik told us to come talk to you, see what you could do to help us with this job he has, so we can decide if we're going to take it or not.”

“Oh, honey, if you're here talking to me then you've already taken the job.” 

Although she was addressing the tall one on the opposite side of the room, her sights remained set on this sweeter one she had taken much more of a liking to. 

“Do you think you just happened to run into me by chance downstairs? No. I knew you were coming, that's why I was on the floor to begin with. Just waiting for the guys with an ‘air of arrogance' to arrive.” 

Scarlett looked back to the tall guy, her eyes drinking him in again. She was well aware of the perplexed expression he wore as he studied her, obviously trying to figure her out. Jokes on him, because he would never be able to. 

“You two have names?” 

“Nicholas,” her favorite almost immediately revealed. “Nick.”

“Fucking seriously?” The unknown guy hissed, now looking at him in disbelief. “You're just going to drop your name like that all because you're hypnotized by her tits?” 

Scarlett rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

“My eyes are pretty nice too, but don't get your panties in a twist. You need something from me, correct? So, how can you trust me with that if you don't even trust me with your name?” 

This got him to shut up for a second because he knew she was right. Something told her that he didn't like being the one who wasn't. His arrogant demeanor wasn't exactly her favorite quality about him, but she was going to let it slide this time. All because of her own curiosities. 

“Noah,” he finally answered after a long pause of silence had settled between them. 

“Can we just cut to the chase? No more of your seductive cage dancer bullshit. We bought the room - you - to talk, not to play little games.” 

Scarlett retracted her touch from Nick, her body language immediately shifting to defensive mode. She was finding it harder and harder to play nice when it came to this Noah jackass. 

“Not that it's any of your business but I'm not a cage dancer and I'm not for sale.” Her eyes narrowed at him in a silent warning, though she still found her way in front of him despite how badly she wanted to drop him on his ass. 

“That know-it-all attitude of yours is going to leave you dead one day. So if I were you, I'd compose myself a little more, especially when you're asking someone for help.” 

She could tell that he wanted to say something else, but she continued before he could. 

“Sit down and shut up. I don't want to hear another peep from you until I say. I'll be directing my attention and questions to Nick.” 

Scarlett motioned to him, her smile returning as she did. She was going to show Noah that you could catch more flies with honey than vinegar, so maybe he could learn a lesson or two to take home with him to resonate on. 

“Now, Nicky, why don't you tell me about this job Ulrik has so kindly signed you up for?” She sat on the edge of the bed closest to the chair he remained perched in. Her back was straight, one leg crossed over the other, and her focus was now solely on him. 

Nick took in a deep breath before tilting his head back to down what remained of the liquor in his glass. He grimaced slightly, just enough to bring a genuine smile to her lips at the sight. 

“He wants us to break into the Tower.”

Scarlett slowly nodded since she had already gathered as much. “Is…that it?”

“No…” Nick shook his head. “Once in the Tower, he wants us to cut the power to it permanently and then kill Silver.”

It felt as if someone had punched her right in the gut, that's how strong the shock was when she heard his words. Had Ulrik lost his goddamn mind? 

“He wants you to kill Silver? President Silver? The man who runs Silver Life Industries, also known as the company that provides every-fucking-thing we lay our eyes on?” 

The destruction included. 

Nick could only nod and when she glanced back at Noah, he had his elbows propped up on his knees with the heels of his hands digging into his eyes. It was obvious that they knew how ridiculous it sounded. Not to mention how dangerous it was. Hell, this was the only room in Seven not bugged and even she started feeling nervous that someone could hear them. 

“Well���shit.” 

“Can you help us or not?” 

Scarlett wanted to scold Noah for speaking before she allowed him to, but with the situation that was just dropped into her lap, she no longer cared about his manners. 

“I mean…yeah, I can get you guys into the Tower, but you have to survive to actually make it out too.” 

“Perfect. All we needed to know.” Noah dropped his hands to his knees in a slap then stood from the opposite corner of the bed he had claimed. The mask was tugged back over his face and adjusted properly, thus signaling to Nick that it was time for them to go. 

“How do we get in touch with you?” Nick questioned after mimicking Noah's motions, both of their identities now concealed. 

Scarlett smiled before opening the door, a rush of mixed noises immediately assaulting their ears.  

“I'll find you.” 

× × ×

And find them she did, although nearly a week later. 

It definitely wasn't her fastest work, but a lot had been on her mind since their little meeting at Seven. Not to mention the guys had done a pretty good job at not leaving much of a trace of themselves in the outside world. Unless you knew the right people to talk to, which she did. 

Scarlett had been a little nervous when taking the rickety elevator down to the lower level of the apartment building they resided in. It's where she had been told they spent most of their time because it was secluded and away from the prying eyes and ears of those watching from Above. 

Thinking back on it now, maybe she should've announced herself before waltzing into their glorified man cave. This thought came to her as she stepped off the death trap of an elevator, only to immediately feel the cool barrel of a gun pressed to the back of her head. 

“Who the fuck are you?” 

When she didn't answer right away, the gun was cocked as a final warning. The sound alone sent a chill down her spine, but she still released a huff as if annoyed by the hold up. 

“Are all of you this paranoid?” 

The gun was nudged against her head, his prior question silently being asked again. 

“Scarlett,” she then answered, though the gun remained firm in place. 

“Don't know a Scarlett.”

“And I don't know why I'm being held at gunpoint, yet here we are. Both of us confused.” 

“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Jolly! Gun down!” 

There was a rush from behind her and then the loaded weapon was no longer pressed to her head, but instead decocked and set aside based on what sounds she could pick up. 

Bickering began to unfold, something about them explaining to him who she was a few days ago, him claiming he didn't remember, then a few soothing phrases and words were exchanged to calm the trigger happy man down. 

Scarlett glanced back during the altercation, seeing that it was Nick lightly touching the guy's shoulder as another unknown male stood a bit off to the side. Noah was nowhere to be seen but that was okay. She was only popping by to show her face and obviously let it be known that they weren't super hard to track down. 

“I'll send a carrier pigeon next time telling you guys I'm stopping by,” she joked once Nick was making his way over to her. “Maybe avoid a bloodbath.” 

“I would say ‘sorry’ for him…but you are the one intruding. How the hell did you get past the locks, by the way?” 

For a moment she was confused by his question, but then remembered the coded pin pads she had easily bypassed to even open the elevator doors. “Oh,” she waved the confusion off, laughing. “It wasn't exactly the hardest of programs to crack. You guys should probably get someone better to handle that for you.” 

Nick squinted at her, his smile wavering. “I set those locks…”

Damn. She couldn't remember the last time she had truly been embarrassed, but this was definitely going to remain fresh in her mind for a while. 

“Right…well…I'll have to give you some pointers.” 

“What are you doing here?” 

Scarlett smiled at his sudden change of topic. She found herself taking a slight step closer to him, pleased to be able to clearly see his eyes without dim or harsh lights drowning out the color. 

“Not happy to see me, Nicky?” 

Nick took in a deep breath, those eyes of his trailing her up and down unabashedly. “No…no…seeing you has definitely been a highlight…” 

Grinning, she reached out to lightly touch his cheek, just before her eyes shifted to the guys lingering not far back. 

“Are you going to introduce me?” 

“Shit, right.” Nick cleared his throat, his body turning so he could carry himself closer to his friends. While Scarlett did recognize them from the shows she had attended, it was still best that he initiated the exchange of their names. 

Did she already know them? Maybe. 

“Scarlett, this is Jolly, and I promise he isn't as quick to pull the trigger as you may think.”

“Clearly, since I'm still alive,” she taunted. 

“And this strapping young man is also Nick, but we call him Folio. So, yeah…this is Scarlett, the girl Ulrik told us about.” 

Jolly scoffed as he examined her with what appeared to be great frustration. 

“This little sparkle fairy is supposed to be the one helping us? My foot is bigger than her!” 

“Sparkle fairy?” She repeated with a look of distaste for the term. 

“I'm sure my foot can cause more damage too!” 

Now this caused her eyes to narrow, jaw setting into a firm clench. What is it with men and their need to always underestimate her? Most of the time it didn't bother her too much because it typically worked out in her favor when they did, but sometimes - like now - it truly pissed her off. Here she was, offering her services and also her time, and it was unappreciated. 

“Do you want to test that theory out? I have no issues with shattering every bone in your foot with my own goddamn heels.” 

Jolly appeared taken back for a moment, but a smile then pulled at his lips and he was wagging his finger in her direction. “Never mind. I like her.” 

“Same…but she's a little scary…” Folio murmured under his breath as he and Jolly led the group to a sitting area. 

“Just some knowledge to place upon you,” Nick called out to Folio while dropping his hand to his shoulder. “All women are scary.”

This made her smile, another slight laugh leaving her. “I always knew you were the smart one.” 

A few more steps and they were within an area that held mismatched chairs, rugs, and other random decor pieces. It was obvious that the guys grabbed whatever they could that was still in decent condition, and she didn't blame them. Sometimes it was the simple things that were hard to come by nowadays. 

“No Noah?” She questioned as she dropped her bag onto one of the random chairs, this one being a deep green color. 

“He said he was going down to the corner store but that was…” Nick glanced at the others, “maybe about an hour ago.” 

“Well, I guess it's a good thing this was more a social call than actual planning. Pretty much just needed to see what - and who - I'd be working with.” Her eyes drifted between all three of them, lips pursed as she sized them up. Scarlett had a knack for reading people. Very rarely was she incorrect in her assumptions. 

The point of her nail angled towards Jolly, slowly nodding. “I'm guessing you're the muscle, yeah? Good with weapons, intimidating, a pretty decent shot.” 

Scarlett didn't give them a chance to respond before she was moving on to the next. Her focus fell to Nick, immediately giving him a sweet smile as she had done consistently now. 

“The kind of guy that knows his way around tech…probably the smartest one in the room but doesn't like to show it…voice of reason.” 

Their eyes remained locked for a long moment, though she looked away first before anyone could question it. The reddening of his cheeks didn't go unnoticed by her, though. 

“And Folio…the wild card. Every good group has one. Never know what you're gonna do next, but it somehow always works out to be helpful.” 

“Damn…are you psychic?” Folio asked, his eyes wide with awe for her little party trick. 

Before she could reply, a different voice cut through. 

“Guess that makes me the asshole leader.” Noah strolled in and paused a few feet from her. He crossed his arms over his chest, letting her know that he was trying his best to make himself look bigger. An intimidation technique, obviously. 

“Arrogant, bossy, doesn't know when to quit…”

“The one who ends up getting someone killed.” Scarlett quickly snapped, her head whipping around to show him just how serious her expression was. “Not yourself, though. No, you're the one who gets to live with the guilt of his pretentious, pompous attitude being the reason a friend doesn't make it out alive.” 

NICHOLAS

The room grew so quiet that he was convinced you could hear a pin drop. He was looking at Noah, at Scarlett, and then back to Noah, studying the way they now glared at one another. His best friend appeared as if he wanted to explode (verbally? physically? both?), but he was doing the best he could at holding onto his composure. 

Flexing his shoulders backwards, Noah gave a single nod. Seconds later, he was disappearing to the other side of the room where he could slip through a typically concealed doorway that led to their makeshift studio area. 

“I'll draw up a plan and see you guys in a couple of days, yeah?” 

Scarlett was smiling again as if nothing had happened but he could pick up on the slight waver in her voice. That had him curious. 

Unfortunately, she was gathering her belongings and strutting away before he could even stand from his seat. 

“Hey, Sca-” Nick rushed to his feet to try to stop her, but she was gone. The sound of the elevator doors closing rang in his ears - a reminder that they really needed to fix that. 

“Shit, she's brutal.” Jolly shook his head. “I still like her, though.” 

Nick heavily exhaled while turning on his heel, now heading back the other way to where Noah had slid away. He found him sitting at the old, out of tune piano, lightly pressing random keys as if just testing the sound. 

“Maybe I should just do this alone.”

That was the last thing Nick had been expecting to hear. 

“Absolutely not.” 

“No, Nick, she's right. I should've told Ulrik to 'fuck off’. It's my fault we’re in this, and I'm not going to let anyone else die because of me.” 

Nick could sense how heavy those words were for him to say. He could hear it. He could feel it. They were all still mourning in their own way, though Noah’s preferences were a little more on the self destructive side. 

“You've completely lost it if you think any of us are going to let you do this alone.” 

Despite his statement being true, he couldn't bring himself to tell Noah that he was wrong for experiencing guilt and blame that he placed on himself. Things had happened in the past because of him. Nick figured it was best to not outright say this, though. 

“Fuck!” Noah abruptly growled, his hands slamming down on the piano keys with such force that a couple remained permanently sunken in. 

“Why do you always have to be so fucking understanding and loyal? Why can't you for once just tell me I'm a piece of shit? Huh, Nick?”

How the hell had this suddenly become an attack on him? 

“I know you're thinking it. Jolly and Folio obviously are too. Shit, even your girlfriend read me like a fucking children's picture book.” 

“What? Scarlett isn't my-”

“Obviously, Nick. A girl like her?” Noah snorted a laugh. “She would rip you to pieces.” 

Nick stared at the back of his best friend’s head, since he had refused to turn around since their conversation began. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he swallowed every harsh word because he knew Noah would regret this by the next day. That's just how things went with them nowadays. 

“Y’know, maybe Scarlett was right about some things. Your attitude will be your downfall.” 

× × ×

The last thing he wanted right then was for Noah to be right. He refused to let that fucker wear a smug smile while muttering 'I told ya so’ to him. Why was he so quick to assume Scarlett would get the better of him? All because he was nice? Because he knew how to smile? Because he didn't need to be a broody asshole day after day? 

Nick wouldn't let himself believe that. 

Taking in a deep breath, he shook his hands out to rid the nerves, then he pressed the faintly glowing blue button on the outside of the door. There was nothing for a long moment, so long that he almost walked away, but as he was considering it, the door creaked open slowly. 

“Nick? What…how did you find me?”

Not even seeing Scarlett’s face right then could calm him. Although, the fact that she recognized him within less than a second while he was wearing his mask did make his heart swell a bit. 

“It took you how long to find where we were?” He cracked a slight smile. “Just had to show you how it's done.” 

Even through her confused expression, he could see a smile threatening to appear and overtake her stoic demeanor. Nick was praying that meant she was at least a little happy to see him - invited or not. 

He watched as she contemplated silently to herself before finally taking steps back and widening the entryway for him. 

“Wait…don't go any further.” After closing and securing the door with multiple locks, Scarlett’s form rushed by him so she could begin pulling the curtains closed around the living room. The area darkened significantly, though he understood why she was being cautious. 

“I'd rather not become Above’s nightly entertainment,” she explained once she was turning to face him, her arms loosely crossed over her chest in what he could assume was another one of her infamous defensive stances. 

SCARLETT

Why was her heart racing right then? 

Why was Nick in her home? 

Why was he looking at her like that?

Before she could verbalize any of these questions, he was tugging the black mask off his head and shaking his fingers through his hair. 

“You shouldn't be here…” she softly murmured, the nerves setting in. “It's not safe for either of us.” 

Scarlett desperately wanted to tell herself to ‘shut the hell up’ because having him there actually felt nice. Her apartment wasn't so lonely for once. It was going to be a fleeting feeling and she knew this, but what was so wrong with enjoying it while she could? 

Oh, right, the high risk of death. 

Nick nodded in agreement, but instead of turning and leaving like she was expecting him to, he actually took fast steps over to her. His rough hands grabbed her face within them and he leaned down as far as he needed to, to force his lips hard against hers. 

The shock of the kiss nearly knocked the breath out of her, but she was able to recover almost instantly before he got the wrong idea from her reaction. It took about the same amount of time for Nick to soften the claim his lips had made on hers. Scarlett wasn't going to let that slide. 

As they engaged in their yet-to-be-broken kiss, her hands ran up along the length of his waist and over his arms where she could briefly grip his wrists. Since he had just come in from outside, he was wearing far too many layers that were used to shield him from the elements. So, she quickly went to work at ridding him of them. 

First, his jacket was pushed from his shoulders, followed by the secondary lighter one he wore beneath it. Nick graciously helped her, eagerly tugging at the sleeves and tossing each article of clothing aside. She couldn't help but to smile against his lips since she found his excitement to be cute. 

Scarlett released a slight sound of surprise as he gripped beneath her thighs and lifted her up into his arms, forcing her back into the wall. Her legs secured around his waist, pressing herself right against where she could feel the growing bulge in his dark jeans. 

“Someone's excited…” she taunted, her breathing heavy after parting from the kiss. Nick’s lips were flushed red, pupils dilated as he stared directly at her. Her thumb swiped along his lower lip, gently soothing the tier from where her teeth had sunken in at some point. She swore she saw his eyes darken just before his lips were crashing to hers again. 

Scarlett moaned, her fingers working back into his hair, nails scratching at his scalp. He must've liked this, because next thing she knew he was pressing himself firm between her thighs, grinding against her aching core. The sensation caused her to shiver, legs then tightening around him in an attempt to bring him in closer. Nick’s grip on her thighs embedded deeper and now it was his turn to break from her lips, just so he could begin trailing hot kisses along her neck and the front of her chest. 

“Nicky…” she breathed out to gain his attention. That's all it took for him to detach himself from her skin, his bright eyes lifting to meet with her own. “I should probably tell you that I'm not looking for anything serious.” 

The man she was currently wrapped around was sweet and she knew he had a good head on his shoulders, anyone would be lucky to have him, but these days…it wasn't that simple anymore. 

His eye searched hers as he carefully lowered her back down to her feet, though he didn't move away from her. Actually, he pressed his body flush against hers, trapping her between himself and the wall. Scarlett smirked, her hands slipping beneath the shirt he wore so she could feel the heat of his bare skin. 

“I know,” he nodded while his hand smoothed along her jaw and to the back of her neck. “That's fine.” 

To her, that was a green light to continue. 

Scarlett pressed up onto her tip toes so she could kiss him again, just before she placed her hands flat against his chest and pushed him back. Grabbing his shoulders, she guided him to the couch and forced him down into a seated position. Nick’s hands instantly attached to her hips as he gazed up at her with a smile, though his obvious desire for her was still present in his eyes. 

Grasping his shirt, she pulled it off in a swift motion and tossed it back to be tended to later. Despite his hands eagerly beginning to lift the dress she wore, Scarlett sent a look his way that caused him to immediately stop, though his touch didn't leave her body. 

“You listen well,” she taunted. “I like that.” With a lingering smirk, she gently nudged his hands away so she could slip her own beneath her dress, her panties being pulled down for her to step out of. 

Nick watched her for a moment, but then began fumbling with the belt he wore, followed by the button and zipper of his jeans. He really was just so fucking cute. Most people she had been with in the past always tried to play it way too cool, making it appear as if they really didn't give a shit about what was happening. But Nick? Well, he clearly had no issue with showing his excitement. 

Stepping back to him, her hands slowly ran up the expanse of his thighs. Nick took in a sharp inhale as she grazed the obvious bulge that was straining in his jeans, the reaction causing her to arch a brow. 

“Sensitive?” Her smirk widened when he cursed under his breath but ultimately nodded in response. 

Scarlett gently pressed the heel of her hand into him before her fingers began to massage his lengthening hard on over the fabric. Her eyes fixated on his face, joyfully watching the change in his expression as his hips bucked up into her palm and his brows knitted together. 

“If I wasn't so eager to have you, I'd make you cum just like this…” she softly threatened. 

Nick heavily breathed out at this, his frustrations quite apparent. She understood how maddening it could be because she was feeling it as well. The only difference was that she had a bit more composure than he did, though only because she had claimed the dominance between them. At least this time. 

Hiking her dress up, she situated herself on his lap in a straddling position. She was lifted up onto her knees so she could further undress him, now moving faster than she previously had been. Scarlett dragged his jeans and boxers down as far as necessary, allowing his cock to spring free at full attention. 

Then, she was positioning herself over him with the guidance of his hands, but she didn't yet drop herself down. 

“You've been thinking about this since the moment you saw me at Seven, haven't you?” Scarlett hovered right over the swollen head of his cock, only allowing him to feel the heat her cunt radiated. His grip on her hips tightened in anticipation, jaw clenching from how she was dragging this out. 

“I bet you've imagined how wet I'd be for you…how tight…what sort of noises you'd get me to make…”

Closing the space between them by only a few centimeters, she briefly shut her eyes when she felt the tip nudging against her soaked entrance. It took all of her self control to not just fully give in because Nick felt better already than even she had imagined. 

So what if she had spent a night or two cumming around her fingers to the thought of him? 

“Are you going to let me find out?” Nick retorted with a smirk of his own, his hips shifting slightly as he attempted to press up into her. He probably thought he was successful in this, but Scarlett had let it happen, both of them gasping in unison when the head of his cock buried further. 

Leaning in, she began to kiss along his jaw as her hands shifted back to grip the top edge of the couch. She was slowly taking him in now, stroking herself up and down while engulfing his cock inch by inch. 

“Fuck…you feel amazing.” Nick groaned, a twitch of his cock reiterating his words. 

His fingers then flexed along her hips and she was suddenly being forced all the way down, his hips lifting simultaneously. A loud moan echoed through the room, easily drowning out the sound of his own groans. Scarlett bowed her head into the crook of his neck, heavily breathing from the rush of ecstasy that radiated through her. Her cunt tightly clenched around his throbbing shaft as she tried to quickly adjust. 

Nick pushed the thin fabric of her dress up while they remained flush together so he could fully expose her body to him. One hand slid up her abdomen and between her breasts as the other returned to her hip, eagerly trying to guide her hips along. 

It took a moment, but she was finally able to get her bearings and find a proper rhythm. Breathy moans escaped between them once she was sliding up and down his cock with a newly established ease. Each drop of her hips had the tip stroking along just the right spot, causing her to arch her lower back in a desperate need to feel more. 

“Nicky…oh!” She gasped, her mouth falling opening and her hips briefly stuttering atop his. “Yeah, just like that…”

Scarlett nodded when his tattooed hands assisted in lifting her up and down, forcing her harder into his lap with every downward motion. 

Tossing her hair aside, a hand released the back of the couch so she could grab his jaw. Nick’s eyes were forced up to hers where she held his gaze, just so he could see how fucking good he was making her feel. Something about the eye contact must've really done it for him, because his grip shifted back to her ass to keep her up so he could drive himself up into her aching pussy at a rapid pace. The action caused the entirety of her body to tense and her breath to stall, the pleasure nearly too much. 

“I'm going to cum…” Scarlett again nodded. She dropped a hand between her thighs to begin rubbing her clit in fast circles, the act immediately drawing Nick's eye down. Watching him watch her, as well as the sight of his cock disappearing up into her petite body again and again, had her right there. 

Only a couple of more thrusts from him beneath her and her cunt was erupting around him, briefly causing her composure to break. Scarlett had to latch onto his shoulder with her teeth to keep herself from crying out his name too loud - they couldn't draw too much attention. His arms circled around her waist to hold her in close as her entire being trembled and quaked with her orgasm. 

Nails raked down his arms, involuntarily marking him before she even realized she had. Oh well. Maybe Nick liked the slight pain that came from it, though, because his own hips jerked after he demanded her pussy remain with his cock buried as deep as possible. 

“Shhh,” she soothingly hushed him, a hand immediately flying up to cover his mouth to muffle all the moans and profanities he was now expelling. Despite the need to keep quiet, Scarlett whimpered at the sensation of his cum overflowing and spilling out between them, mixing with her own small mess she had made. 

Once his body stilled, she slowly lowered her hand and instead covered his mouth with her own. They shared a desperate kiss, all eager tongues moving in sync with teeth clashing as they both tried to overtake the other. 

“You good?” Nick mumbled the best he could, receiving a nod from her in response. 

“Good.” 

In a swift motion, Nick had her on her back across the couch and he was driving himself between her thighs again. She stared up at him with wide eyes for only a second, utterly shocked by his ability to go again almost immediately, until the over-stimulation of him thrusting into her spent cunt clouded her mind. 

Scarlett suddenly didn't care anymore if her apartment neighbors heard them. Hell, she would rip her curtains down and let Above watch if that's what it took to make sure he didn't stop. 

Propped up on one elbow, his opposite hand began exploring her body. He grasped her neck for a moment, then dropped down to knead and massage her breast that was bouncing with each forceful snap of his hips. Scarlett’s noises spoke to her approval because words were impossible for her to come by right then. The smirk he wore showed his enjoyment in the sounds she made for him. 

Nick concluded his exploration when the pads of his fingers made contact with her swollen and overly sensitive clit. A simple touch made her hips twitch and attempt to retract, despite how good it felt at the same time. This didn't stop Nick, though. He sat up on his knees and pulled her in closer, driving in harder and faster while his thumb stroked her clit in time. 

Scarlett writhed in ecstasy beneath him, hips rolling up to meet with his, before she was suddenly cumming again. Her pussy gushed and quivered through her climax, to the point that she thought maybe she would pass out from the intensity. 

“That's it…you did so good.” Nick cooed, this being a side of him that was taking her completely by surprise. Had he not just been the more submissive between the two? Wasn't she supposed to be the one in control? 

Too bad she couldn't focus on that right now because she was too busy watching his face contort as he released inside of her once more. Nick’s head hung at a downwards angle once his hips stopped spasming, the only movement from him now coming from the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He groaned and his jaw clenched as he slowly pulled out, bringing forth a pout from her due to the lack of being filled. 

Sex had always been something Scarlett could go without for long periods, simply because there were always more pressing matters that needed tending to. Trying to survive was a daily task that took up most of her time, if she was being honest. But now? Well, now she figured she would have to drown herself in this job of theirs so as to not become carried away each and everyday she was around him. 

“We can't tell anyone about this,” she spoke up first after catching her own breath. 

Nick had shifted to the opposite end of the couch to regain normal brain function, his eyes settled on her. She wasn't sure how to read his expression, but he eventually nodded in agreement. 

“I'm serious, Nick. It could jeopardize everything.” 

Taking in a deep breath, Scarlett carefully sat up, her knees being pulled closer to her chest. He was then softly chuckling, head shaking at her comments. 

“You should work on your pillow talk,” he teased. “I mean…my cum is still in you as you're telling me this has to stay a secret.” 

Scarlett rolled her eyes, a decorative pillow soon being tossed his way once she had dislodged it from behind her back. “Shut up,” she demanded with a huff. 

Nick smiled despite being well aware of how serious she was about everything. It wasn't like he was going to go back and gloat to the guys about what they had just done because Scarlett knew he wasn't the type. He may have surprised her a bit towards the end there, but that didn't change what she already knew about him. 

“What about…?” He motioned between the two of them and their still fully exposed bodies. “Was this a one time thing?” 

Now that was a question she didn't have an answer for. She knew what she should say but it definitely wasn't what she wanted to say. 

“Let's just focus on keeping you and the others alive first.” 

[xappetites]

point of intersection

John Price x f!Reader | Lieutenant John Price finds himself trying to resolve a hostage situation with nothing but a blessedly reasonable and cooperative diplomat and a bureaucratic system that's more concerned with covering their own ass than the lives left behind | word count: 3,421

1. the vault | Jakarta

The worst day of your life starts as any other does. The same chaos commute, the same boring paperwork of looking over everything the ambassador doesn’t have time —doesn’t deign himself— to deal with.

Rubber stamping in and rubber stamping out, the familiar monotony of bureaucratic work on foreign soil.

Then, as noon crawls around through the mud of the day, the alarms go off.

You know they’re there, have known, in theory, all along. This office pod carved out of an ancient bank building was sold to every soul as the state of the art in security the moment you set foot in its checkerboard lobby. That doesn’t mean that the sound isn’t anything but confusing for the first couple seconds of it, followed closely by the screaming. The very many footsteps bolting away from the center of the building, towards the stairs, running for the exits. And it has you standing before you fully process it, phone and wallet in hand. 

You try to follow the herd, away from the ambassador’s corner office, past the bathroom door that swings open almost in your face only to show a haggard George Ogilvey, the First Secretary to your Second Secretary, with his shirt still half out of his waistband and a laptop bag hanging from each shoulder.

Against all odds, George smiles at you. He’s charming, handsome and a right bastard if you’ve known him for more than half an hour, but he sort of likes you. Treats you like the embassy’s pet because you keep to yourself and do your work; not to mention, you look younger than you are and report mostly to him. So you figure it feeds his ego to think of himself as your ‘mentor’ in the ‘scary, crime ridden streets’ of Jakarta. Like he’d know the streets of Jakarta, taking every lunch with the ambassador on plush sofas. Or, frankly, as if London is any better.

“Here,” he shoves one of the bags your way, nearly catching you in the knees with it, “let’s go.”

It’s instinct too, to toss the strap over your shoulder, shuffling sideways to make way for him and all his bluster.

“What's happening?”

“An emergency? I have no more details, caught me in the middle of something, dear.”

He’s a step ahead of you down this horrid long hallway, so he luckily doesn’t see the sneer you don’t have the wherewithal to hide at the moment. He should know, he has to. George was supposed to be in the archives down on the ground floor, a straight shot from both a bathroom and the fire door to the back of the building, with no need to risk his hide to reach the first floor unless he knew he had to get these computers out no matter what.

“Weren’t—” the little color band in his calendar comes up in your head like a neon sign, “weren’t you supposed to be with the interns in archives?”

“Nature called. I’m sure the kids heard the alarm too.”

You stare at his back as he rounds the corner to the main stairway, blending in with the stragglers. You both know that’s horseshit. The archive room, windowless and musty and hell hot most of the year, used to be the bank's vault; the walls are too thick to drill through, so there’s no PA system installed in it and the sound is so deadened there that the building could collapse around it without anyone inside even noticing.

A gunshot rings out from the front, a chorus of screams and on its heels a shout in accented english:

We are looking for your ambassador, the rest of you have thirty seconds to leave the building.  

The voice, a man, repeats his sentence, louder this time, with another shot to make his point. George looks back at you, more than a little annoyed that you won’t just be a good little girl and panic so he can rescue you.

“C’me on—“ he reaches for you, waving his hand in the universal gesture for ‘move’ . But you’re not frozen, or whatever it is that he assumes, you’re just making a split second decision.

And maybe it’s because of that assumption that he can hardly call out for you when you turn in the opposite direction, sprinting for the emergency stairs that run throughout the back of the building.

It’s insane, you’re aware, the sudden rage in your chest that has you stumbling forward out of sheer stubbornness, narrowly avoiding a wipe out when you hit the landing. Barreling your way past the heavy door to archives, propped open with the usual old broomstick.

You sour the mood immediately. Three sets of eyes look up, alarmed, to take in the absolute mess you are at the moment. But you can’t even verbalize the danger you’re all apparently in before the same voice that boomed instructions reaches you. Which means he’s close, too close— enough for you to catch a glimpse of body armor reflected on a nearby glass door.

Now, in clear sharp russian, the man seals your fate; leaving you no choice but to kick the broom away and lock the vault door behind you.

Seal the building, find the ambassador, get rid of whoever’s left. 

…

Calling them kids is a bit unfair, actually. The youngest of this group of fresh graduates is no more than four years your junior. All of 20 years old and stuck in a shithole office halfway around the world, with russian paramilitary on the other side of the door and nothing but you, holding up your hands to shush them, on this one.

“What—?”

Someone tries, only to have you shoving your open palms more aggressively in their general direction. It’s silent, eerily, for a second that feels eternal. Then the locking mechanism clicks, sliding like an icy drop of panic down your spine. The handle jiggles in your grip but it doesn’t give, and the harsh buzzing that indicates a wrong code blares through the room.

It happens again: click, jiggle, buzz. And once more for a third time. Those are the sole sounds you can make out, no muttering or nothing, though you’re sure there has to be talking out there. You’d settle for simple swearing at this point just to have a better idea of what’s happening.

There’s not even footsteps when everything stops, merely the fact that you can’t stay this tense forever, so you end up slumped against the cool metal of the door.

“What the hell?”

Now it’s a curt whisper, from the same girl as before. Pearl, you think, or Opal, maybe? It’s not like you’re exactly familiar with any of them, you haven’t spoken to a single one for more than passing pleasantries. They exist in the periphery, spending their half days here doing whatever admin work other people don’t feel like doing. Which inspires in you some notion of siblinghood, but nothing more than the kind of empathy your row of prefabs shared throughout your childhood back home. The bone deep surety that you’re all stuck together in a less than desirable spot. 

“There’s people out there, armed, all men, I think. Russian.”

You try not to make it a shocked mumble, still catching your breath as physical sensation comes back to you in pieces. The sweat running down the back of your neck, the soreness of rolling your ankle at the foot of the stairs and the strap digging into your shoulder. 

That tickles an idea in your mind, has you moving to set the bag down and wrestle the laptop free. 

“Are you—? Is this a fucking joke?”

The computer in your hands is a Macbook Pro, maxed specs, from late last year. You remember because it had fallen on you to put in the request for them. Twinsies, one for the ambassador and one for good ol’ George.

“Do I look like I’m taking the piss?” You blink up at Pearl/Opal, laptop hoisted in the crook of your elbow while the other hand digs around the back of the nearest desk for an ethernet cable, begging to whatever might be listening for a flash of luck on this shit day.

“We didn’t hear any alarms”

“Nor the gunshots, I’m sure, or you wouldn’t still be in this room.”

That comment sends a chill across the space, stunning everyone where they stand, including you. It makes you consider that perhaps you were supposed to offer some comfort in this situation, older and higher up the bureaucracy chain that you are.

“It’s the fucking thick walls,” you amend, much softer, “good thing is that they can’t hear us out there either.”

The cheery tune of the computer startup finally shakes them into a flurry of hushed questions you have no answers for. Like ‘why are they here’ and ‘what are we gonna do’ . 

You don’t know . But at least the picture that comes up is a very professional portrait of the ambassador. And now this is an answer to your prayers, because this is the one password you’re privy to; and this is the only laptop in the building with full open access to the security systems. 

Funny, a stray corner of your brain thinks, that the ambassador was so insistent on blowing the budget on good cameras just to catch his own kidnapping in hi def.

The feed pulls up, tiny windows to the world outside this fucking vault, each with their own little button for sound, all except for the very office three of the russians are currently breaking into. It’s unsettling for it to be this quiet, watching both sides of the fancy double doors as they bend and give in a rush of motion. Black gear against crisp white shirt and no doubt of who’ll win in the end.

“What are you doing?”

“They have the ambassador.” You croak it out, gesturing vaguely at the screen, flinching against your will at imagining the sound of the fists currently meeting flesh in the ambassador’s office. “The sink in the tea corner still works, right?”

Someone nods, so you stand as steady as you can, walk straight as possible over to the adjacent room, the weird amalgamation of server room and kitchen that keeps the tiny metal drawers of the safe room, stacked floor to ceiling over the far wall, as a postmodern sort of decoration. You run your hands under the blessedly cold water for a second or two and then offer your breakfast back up, the one good thing this god awful day hadn’t taken from you.

…

You’re still heaving when Matthew, whose name you only know because George has taken to call him Mild Matt behind his back, comes looking for you.

He doesn’t offer sympathies, gladly. Just stands in the doorway looking like he doesn’t quite know how to interrupt your very important meeting with the contents of your own stomach.

“Pearl’s counted the men,” he watches you nod and swish a mouthful of water to try and focus back on solutions to the problem, instead of the blood pouring out of the ambassador’s nose, “there’s seven the cameras can see, two on the back and the main doors and the three in the ambassador’s office.”

“Okay–”

It shouldn’t matter, at this point you’re sure the normal annoyances of sharing a limited space are the least of anyone’s problems; but you fish out a half stale peppermint cream out of a bowl anyway, to try and wash away the taste and smell of vomit before you step back into the archives room.

“What’s— what— why“

You look at Matthew where he follows you, really take a second to see what George considers mildness and you only now understand as a mind running too fast for the mouth that speaks for it.

“I really don’t know, I wasn’t thinking we’d end up trapped in the building, being honest.”

“So—” Pearl looks up from the computer, catching wind of the conversation, but the girl standing next to her is faster this time. Marie, with the same name as your sister; who you keep your distance from, to avoid finding out if she has the same personality too.

“Did Ogilvey leave us? On purpose?”

Bile rises again in your throat, this time with the same sort of rage that got you in this mess.

“Yes,” it comes out like a croak, hoarse and sharp, “I ran into him coming out of the bathroom upstairs.”

“There’s a bathroom right next door here—“

“I know, but those were up there.”

Marie doesn’t deflate when you point out the computer, just turns to Pearl looking so hopeful that you doubt for a second if what came out of your mouth was, in fact, what you meant to say.

“Okay, well if they want the computer we can give it to them and be done with this, right?”

“Wait—“ both remaining interns beat you to the punch, Pearl clinging to the laptop and Matt moving in to block the path to the door.

“They won’t hesitate to kill us, if we give them what they want they’ll have no reason to let us live.”

The sentence beats a rough rhythm against your ribs, spilling rushed out of you. It’s reasonable, it’s the correct response; but you can’t hold it against Marie that she throws her hands up in the air and paces.

“Then what the fuck do we do? Shouldn’t we call someone? The police?”

You’re pretty sure the police know already. If not by the less than subtle entrance that started this whole thing, by some of the understandably hysterical workers that did manage to make it out. You nod anyway. Move out of the way to let them beeline for the closest office phone and take guard in front of the camera feed instead.

There’s a lot more blood now, in a silence so eerie that it makes you unmute the camera right outside the vault as background noise. The long hallway to the back exit and the steady footsteps of the men assigned to keep an eye on it.

A low hum comes with it; just the crackling of empty air that the camera’s microphone picks up. And you think at first you’ve gotten lost in it enough that it feels like it’s vibrating against your skin. Until you realize it’s your own cellphone going off in your back pocket.

It’s a scramble to pick it up, though you don’t recognize the number; because frankly, very few things could make this situation worse. So unless you’re about to hear that there’s an asteroid heading for this building specifically, the smooth, deep voice on the phone that asks to confirm your name and rank is a welcome one.

“Lieutenant John Price, SAS,” he offers in return and you immediately take back that earlier thought, no matter how nice he sounds.

You know her majesty’s timing as well as any bureaucrat, so you expected nothing but six lines in tomorrow’s Guardian, if that. SAS means this random hostage situation is important for crown and country, which means shit is far bigger, far worse than you could ever imagine.

…

This is never something John wants to do, which, in fairness, can be said about many things in his line of work. But within the specifics of hostage situations, contact with someone on the inside holds far too many variables for his taste.

He can’t ever know for sure what kind of mindspace they’re in, how useful the interaction would be for either side. Then there’s the expectation, natural and understandable, that his presence itself is an assurance of safety. That he’ll promise to get them out no matter what, which isn’t something John ever allows himself to do. He might not be a good person, but he will not bet a life on that lie. Especially not with some diplomat or other breathing down everyone’s neck about a fucking laptop.

George Ogilvey, John commits the name and face to memory, just in case he loses the man in the crowd. Though, at the moment, it seems unlikely, no matter how hard he wishes to not have him following close along the makeshift blockade.

“—you do understand how dangerous it would be for the ambassador’s laptop to fall in unwanted hands?” Ogilvey makes the same point he’s been prattling on about since John’s team got here, unrelenting and completely fucking useless. “Last I saw it it was with my Second Secretary, but I doubt she’ll hold under torture if it gets to that, her name is—“

“I have her file,” the man has the gall to scoff when John dismisses the twentieth iteration of this title-name-phone number litany, waving his phone in his hand so the asshole can see it clearly trying to connect as he walks away. 

It takes a minute longer than he’d like, but the woman who takes the call is steady on the line, and she listens politely as he does his own knee jerk title-name spiel to explain why he’s here.

“They have the ambassador in his office,” is the first thing she says, shit news and useful information in the same measured tone -all in all, better than he expected, “we’re stuck in what used to be the vault but we have access to the security feed.”

Then a second’s pause, a hopeless little chuckle.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?”

It hits John weird in the chest, the fact that under the sharp, rushed breathing pattern of fear and the conscious decision to remain calm, he can hear genuine curiosity from her.

“They’re threatening the ambassador’s life for their demands—“

“And the Crown wants him alive.”

“Not for anything good”

It’s a slip up, which John hopes will get lost under the sudden ruckus of voices that erupts on the other end of the line. This woman is a hostage, no matter how cooperative, not part of his team. And the fact that he adopted her as if she was, so immediately, sends a thrum of worry down to the pit of his stomach.

“Are there more people with you?”

“Three interns,” she answers. Interns Ogilvey failed to mention, three lives that are clearly not as important to the man when they don’t happen to be in possession of what he wants. “Could I put you on speaker?”

There’s a beat of hesitation where he wonders how good of an idea that is, with the level of noise these interns have proven themselves capable of. But the Second Secretary must still carry some sort of weight even now, because there’s anxious silence to greet him when he finally agrees, just the unmistakable hollow sort of reverberation of speakerphone.

“We’re ready for you, lieutenant.”

No, you’re not. He thinks. No one is ready for what he’s about to tell them. Hell, if it was him in there he’d have strong opinions about the paper pushing cunt who decided on this approach.

“They’ve sent us a negotiator, at the request of your First Secretary, ETA is ten minutes.”

“A negotiator?” Another woman’s voice cut in, more frantic than the Second Secretary but still quite measured. “Why can’t you just come in?”

“Command’s deemed the risk to the ambassador’s life unnecessary.”

“What about our lives?”

John lets the silence drag on for a second more than he normally would, not because he doesn’t know what to say but because the least he can do, when it took this long for someone in there to break, is not be unkind. They know their survival has been deemed a non essential, they don’t need him to verbalize it to them any more than he already has.

In the background, the line lights up again with a shuffle, a clatter, a sob choked back. Another explosion of noise that moves into the distance as he’s taken off speaker. He feels it as tension running down his spine, thinking he’s lost connection to the only point he has into this mess.

“Right,” the second secretary comes back though, still measured, and he’s starting to think that it’s not out of a stellar handling of the situation at hand, but of a general lack of trust in the system that landed her where she is “so you’re not our extraction team. What can we do for our chances?”

“Stay put,” it’s logic, it’s all he can give her. It’s not enough, “And stay on the line.”

[starkwlkr]

[motogp anon] about the joan mir au,,,

basically reader is a single mother and is a news reporter and is covering a story during a motogp race week, whilst also bringing her kid (son/daughter, either is fine!) but kid gets lost because the kid likes wandering off on their own (and yn was busy reporting smthng), then the kid runs into joan. joan returns the kid, and BOOM! meets the reader and falls in love at first sight :*

little matchmaker | joan mir

motogp anon, this request is amazing 🫶🏼🫶🏼 thank youuuu and I’m such a sucker when it comes to driver/riders with kids 😭 also you can imagine whichever grand prix for this one and also the faceclaim 🫶🏼

TWO SOULS DON’T FIND EACH OTHER BY SIMPLE ACCIDENT

Y/n was getting ready to go get her interviews started with a couple of riders before the Grand Prix started. “Okay, we’re good.” A worker said as she was handed a microphone.

“Mama!” A young girls voice yelled as she ran to her mother and hugged her legs.

“Sofia, honey, mama has to work. Why don’t you go stand with Lucy over there?” Y/n pointed to her co-worker, Lucy, who behind the camera pointing it at Y/n.

“But I want to stay with you!” Sofia whined and hugged her mother tightly.

“I know you do, but mama has to ask questions right now. I’ll be done soon.” Y/n explained to the girl who groaned in response and walked towards Lucy.

“Okay, now I’m ready.” Y/n gave a thumbs up and cleared her throat.

“Three, two and we’re live.”

Sofia was bored. Standing next to Lucy was boring her so she walked off hoping to find something interesting to do. Y/n was busy asking Jorge Martin a couple questions so she was completely unaware that her little girl had wandered off.

Sofia looked around and saw many people walking in different directions. She had spotted an electric scooter parked on the side of a motorhome. She approached it and poked the seat, afraid that if she layed a hand on it the whole scooter would fall on its side.

“Boo!” A man’s voice startled her.

“That wasn’t nice!” She raised her voice and pointed a finger at the man.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. But poking someone’s scooter isn’t nice either.” He replied and crouched down to reach her level of eyesight.

“This is yours?” Sofia asked. “Can I ride it?”

“You’re little. Plus I don’t think your parents would like that I’m letting you drive something that’s way bigger than you.”

“But I’m growing! Last night I was this tall and then this morning I’m more taller! Mama said so.” Sofia explained.

“And where is your mama? I don’t see her.” He looked around for her mother but it looked like no one was around to claim the little girl.

“She’s asking questions, that’s her job. But I got bored so I came here.”

“Well that’s not a nice thing to do to your mama. She’s going to be worried about you. You said her job is to ask questions?”

Joan took the girl’s hand and together they walked around the paddock. Sofia talked to him as if she knew him her whole life. Joan was more than happy to answer any questions the little girl had like ‘how fast can you go on a motorcycle?’ or ‘do you know the muffin man?’

Finally they reached the main spot where most interviews are conducted. “Do you see your mama?” Joan asked the girl.

Sofia looked around then spotted her mother speaking on the phone while Lucy comforted her. “There!” Sofia pointed and dragged Joan towards her mother. “Mama!”

Y/n ended the phone call and let out a sigh of relief. “You scared me, Sofia. You don’t run off like that ever again, okay?” She took the little girl into her arms and kissed Sofia’s cheek.

“I’m sorry, I was bored.” Sofia apologized. “But guess what?”

“What?” Y/n asked.

“Joan said he knows the muffin man and that he can go super fast on his motorcycle!”

Y/n lightly chuckled. She turned her attention to Joan, who she was meeting for the first time even though they worked together.

“I found her looking at my scooter by my motorhome.” Joan explained. He always heard stories about love at first sight but he didn’t think they were true at all. How could someone fall in love with a person they just met? But now that he saw her, he decided that love at first sight was real.

“I’m going to get Sofia something to eat.” Lucy said and grabbed Sofia’s hand.

“Bye, Joan! Next time, can we ride your scooter on the track?” Sofia asked.

“If your mama says it’s okay.” Joan replied with a smile.

“I’ll think about it. Go with Lucy, baby.” Y/n said.

Sofia and Lucy walked away, leaving Joan and Y/n alone together. This was his chance to ask her out. But then his thoughts started to cloud his mind.

‘She’s probably still together with Sofia’s dad’

‘She’s married’

‘She’s going to think I’m unprofessional’

“Thank you for bringing back my daughter. She’s always running around.” Y/n finally thanked Joan.

“No problem. She’s really funny, made me laugh on the way over here many times.” Joan admitted. “I’m Joan, I don’t think I told you my name.”

“I know . . I mean I know who you are because you’re a rider and you’re a world champion, yeah sorry if I ramble a little too much. I’m Y/n.”

“Y/n . . . I love your name.” He thought he had said it in his head but realized he actually said it when Y/n started to chuckle.

“Thank you. And thank you again for bringing Sofia back to me. I’ll see you around, Joan.” Y/n smiled then started to walk away.

Stupid! Say something to her!

“Would you like to get dinner sometime? I don’t know if you’re interested and if you’re not then I completely understand. I probably sound stupid even asking because you’re probably in a relationship. You’re a really lovely person and I wish I had met you earlier in my life. I find it impossible not to like you.” He blurted out.

Y/n stood in front of Joan completely speechless. This was something straight out of a romance novel.

“Your silence is really killing me so can you please say something.” Joan said.

“I don’t have a babysitter.” She replied.

“That’s not a problem for me. We can all go out to eat together. Not to brag, but I think Sofia likes me.”

“Sofia isn’t the only one.”

[lynaferns]

seems like the OC topic is here! how many do you have? and what types of OC you like more? :D espero y tengas un muy lindo dia!

I had to count them... uuuuh, at least 45 OCs not counting my sonas and selfiserts (and DCA AUs), all distributed between 10-ish stories, 33 OCs or so are from the same story and spin off of said story (yeah, I made a whole story and then took the whole cast of characters and put 'em in a completely diferent story and universe). There are many that I haven't posted anywhere yet, some don't have a story yet just the concept and some I haven't even draw them yet lol.

(one day I'll have to make a master post or something of all the OC's)

Y'know what? I'm making a list of the stories I have

(It got long, is under the cut)

A Shadow Between Worlds: Girl born with a shadow entity as her protector has nightmares where she gets chased by a monster she can't see, when she wakes up she's covered in all the wounds the monster made her. One day she gets tired and shearch for an old book her mother kept in the attic, the book contains information about entitys from other worlds. She opens a portal to an utopian world who's population is interested in knowledge, at a point where their world became the Universe's library.

Our Little Wonderland ^^Spin off: Nosy reporter enters abandoned mansion after a few rumours of some teenagers talking about it beging haunted with moving dolls, rooms that changed placement and typical haunted mansion stuff. Finds out the mansion is not haunted but it's magical and dolls want to search for the little girl that lived there with her father but they can't leave the mansion. The reporter finds the girl but she refused to come back to her old home at first. The dolls are fantasy characters from a story setting and needs the girl to do her rol as one of the main characters of the tale so they can complete their purpouse but the girl is not very cooperative.

Syra and Fayne (no title yet): Half human demon escaped her fathers fortress and went to live on earth. Along the ways she meets a forest spirit that decides to acompany her and later on she makes friends with a fallen angel she meets. They both live together as besties.

Robot and Cat (no title yet): Stray cat enters an old abandoned home already claimed by nature and accidentally wakes an old futuristic robot. The robot takes care of the cat and the house and search for evidences of where its owners/creators are and what happened to them.

Spike Boy (angry furries with powers): angry hegdog kid is pissed off with a guy who killed his parents and wants to beat his ass, meets a bunny girl who's parents were also killed by the same guy and she also wants to beat his ass. Said guy is the lider of an organization whos trying to dominate the world to rule it in his own way and make it a safer place but comiting several atrocities in the way to his goal

Khrono Cat (furries and automatons): A baby born dead is taken to the water and time spirits by his parents. Is revived in the lake's water by the spirits and a fallen star. Later on the kids life the spirits call him back to the lake to give him an automaton as his guardian to full fil his destiny of stoping a world catastrophe.

Fase REM (provisional title): There is people who are transported to an Earth like dream dimension when they fall asleep, they have to survive trough the nigth escaping from dangers and monsters. They don't know why but when they enter the dream they are filled with a feeling like they must find a person. If they die in their dreams they die in real life. One day a girl is visited by an entity who comes from the dream dimention and since then she's been afected by this weird event (and tormented by the entity who never left). She has to discover how this entity was created, where did it came from and why all of this is happening.

Heavenly Kids (provisional title, needs revision): Heaven and Hell where at peace at each other but one day corrupted demons started attaking the human realm and Heaven send 3 guardians representatives of parts of the body (bones, flesh and nerves) to save the earth and find out what is going on in the demon realm.

Shadow Family (no title yet, just a concept): A family of shadowy creatures who lives in the forest and sometimes disguises as humans to go unnoticed between them. The parents has some unresolved matters from the past and the kids goes investigate about it (this is actually a dream that I had where it was a show I was watching and got upset when there where no more episodes, then I woke up and got more upset because the show didn't even exist so I drew the family)

Magic Apprentice (no title yet, just a concept): Girl who is abused by her family and neglected finds a secret door inside of her closet that goes to several other closets until she gets to her grandmas house, except that the house now is diferent, is magic, and the world around her too. Her grandma is a witch and made that secret door for her to escape to when she got to be old enough (except that the grandma got tired of seen her grandkid getting mistreated and didn't wait anymore for her to turn 18). The girl becomes her grandma's apprentice and explores the world full of magic. (This is also a dream I had, I think my head mixed Harry Potter with Narnia(haven't even watched this) and Studio Ghibli artstyle for some reason)

I have... to do a lot... a lot of redesigns... and change a few names.

....This got longer than I intended. Well you can see the repetitive concept of non-human worlds or semi-human realms lol, and magic, dreams, and I didn't mention it in the list but there are a couple of stories that involve tecno-magic.

I generally like fantasy-sci-fi and retro-futuristic themes, non-human characters trying to live a mundane life or human and non-human (or diferent especies and cultures) living together. It's actually really hard to tell what type of characters exactly I like. I'm picky too, that doesn't help. If it's a robot I'm almost surely gonna like it, and if the robot has a living being as a friend I'm gonna like it more.

Y gracias! espero que tu también. Me he tirado aquí como 4 horas pero he entrado a archivos viejos buscando a todos mis OCs y he revisitado un montón de ideas viejas, así que gracias por eso también :D

Edit: I don't know what hapened but the cut moved placement and the images are one on top of the other, vertically instead of horizontally, I hope I fixed it. It doesn't let me edit from the phone so I went back to the computer.

[marypsue]

Weird Science-style movie where a modern high school girl, who's obsessed with 80s movies, but especially one particular (made-up) 80s John Hughes-style high school comedy, and has a huge crush on its female love interest character, somehow manages some bullshit to bring that love interest character into the real world. (Maybe, in homage to the actual Weird Science, this is some nonsense involving a deliberate misunderstanding of how generative AI works.)

At first, our main girl is hype, because this character is very much along the lines of Kelly LeBrock's Lisa meets Molly Ringwald's Claire and basically her only personality traits are being hot, popular but not in a mean way, and attracted to whoever seems like the narratively appropriate scrappy underdog. Who, obviously, in this case, is Main Girl. Thanks to Character's expectations, wanting to keep Character's attention and admiration, and wanting to convince Character that she's the kind of person Character canonically likes, and also because covering for Character's presence keeps forcing her into Situations, Main Girl has to pluck up the courage to stand up to bullies, stand up to her overprotective parents, dance with Character in front of people, foment and lead a minor student rebellion against an oppressive administrative regime, etc. etc. etc.

Everything seems to be coming up Main Girl. But it all very quickly gets weird for her when she gradually comes to realise that Character basically doesn't have any will or opinions or desires of her own. So she sets out to get Character to experience what being a real person is all about, and figure out what she really wants. (And if Main Girl realises, along the way, that there are some things she never really thought all that hard about, but really doesn't like, about her favourite movie(s) and the ways they treat women...?)

By the end, of course, Main Girl has to decide to let Character go, so Character can continue to figure out who she is and what she wants outside of being romantically attached to somebody. But the things that Main Girl did over the course of the movie, thanks to Character's influence, have made her brave enough to approach another real live human girl who she figured never even knew she existed. The movie ends with Real Live Girl turning out to have seen some of what Main Girl got up to over the course of the movie, thinking Main Girl seems interesting, and agreeing that they should hang out and get to know each other better.

(Also, Main Girl shared the tech she used to bring Character into the real world with her online best friend who she met through writing fanfiction about the same movie. Only HE'S obsessed with the main scrappy underdog character who Character was the love interest for, and the very last scene ends with Scrappy Underdog standing in Online Best Friend's bedroom and asking him, "Why are you wearing a bra on your head?")

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group J Round 3: #J5 vs #J6

#J5: Girls live in a school, but not by choice

#J6: Students transported to bizarre new realities

Details and poll under the cut!

#J5: School-Live! (Gakkougurashi!)

Summary:

Carefree high school senior Yuki Takeya looks forward to the School Living Club every day. Consisting of the president Yuuri Wakasa, the athletic Kurumi Ebisuzawa, the mature Miki Naoki, the supervising teacher Megumi Sakura, and club dog Taroumaru, the club prides itself on making the most of life at school. There is only one rule the club members have to follow: all members must live their entire lives within school grounds.

Propaganda:

If you like Madoka Magica, you’ll 100% like this series. It’s hard to explain without spoilers, but it has a huge plot twist in the first episode. The anime is a short one with only 12 episodes, but it has an amazing manga as well! It mixes a cute slice of life high school anime with a darker plot, and it’s handled so well. It doesn’t seem like it’s just dark for the sake of being edgy like some other similar series. It covers topics like mental health and grief well, and it has as happy of an ending as possible for a series like this. The plot twists were executed so well, and I was sobbing by the end of the series.

Trigger Warnings: Animal Cruelty or Death, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Derealization

#J6: Sonny Boy

Summary:

Thirty-six students find themselves and their school building suddenly adrift in a void-like dimension. When supernatural powers awaken in some of them, a sense of detachment begins to divide the group. Despite the student council's attempts to impose order, they clash with the students possessing special abilities, who rebel against their strict control.

This conflict leads them to discover that this world has its own set of rules—and following them is necessary for survival. After one of the students decides to take a leap of faith, the school switches dimensions once again. While they deal with the unique challenges and circumstances that each world presents, the students must unravel the mysterious phenomenon and find a way back home.

Propaganda:

Sonny Boy is one of the best shows to come out in recent years. The setting and plot is very fantastical, with superpowers and dimension travel, but fundamentally the story is about the characters. The character writing is really unique. Even the side characters feel like real people, not just cheap gimmicks.

But the main draw for a lot of people are the visuals. Sonny Boy looks like no other anime. The backgrounds are just absolutely stunning, and the realistic character design helps contrast the unreality of the world. There are these amazing visual sequences that just blow you away with how creative the writers must be.

I can't say much without spoiling but it's the kind of show you just have to experience. This is the kind of show where people either love it or hate it. If you are looking for clear, linear storytelling, this is not the show for you. If you're looking for a straight mystery where everything is solved in the end, you might be disappointed. If you want to cry, and feel something, and think about what it means to be alive, then I cannot recommend a better show.

Trigger Warnings:

Animal death - a bird died and is used as a metaphor

Flashing lights - many weird kaleidoscope effects and other sequences

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[man-monsters-and-aliens]

Heyy! I love your blog, and I wanted to ask - do you have any headcannons about the Aliens in MvA? For me Sta'abi seems like a Lesbian...

gaww I'm happy to hear! gosh headcanons are so hard for me, apologies in advance that this is all over the place!!

hmm since it's pride, for fun I'd say Susan & Link are bi, Doc is a transman & aromantic or gay, Bob is nonbinary & pan ace

Coverton is either gay or demi aroace, Sqweep is a nonbinary (trans?)girl & ace lesbian, Sta'abi is pan demisexual, although I'm never set on labeling them but that's my idea!

oh and Gallaxhar is ace, Derek is bi (probably closeted)

‌the monster agents have their own private island where they live work free, nicknamed "Monster Beach"

Susan, ‌Doc, Link, & Bob have separate living spaces, but they share the same (beach) house. There are 3 floors and 1 ground floor, which extends to Susan's area that is the majority of the entire building. There's a lab/garage for Doc's projects just off the main residence, but the real works are at Area 5X. ‌Butterfly sleeps in a cavern of the cove behind a waterfall curtain.

‌Link has a driving license, a piloting licence, and a fishing licence and soon a licence to kill yes he has a car it's his 2nd baby

Link deserves a stuffed animal collection I think, but of course, his no. 1 will always be the rabbit, and they're all grouped on his heating pad rock thing

‌Susan video calls her parents weekly, tries to visit at least once a month but its more of whenever she can

‌Doc & Megamind are buddies. Although when the agents first met Megs it was a monsters vs alien situation (or monsters vs megamind hehe)

‌Doc's cockroach research contributed to the development of adding longevity to the average human which explains why Monger can be 90 and look like that, a less mad science former partner of his is responsible for this

‌there's an international Antarctic base that holds alien tech from around the globe (or at least what isn't "important" in each country's respective secret governments), these are mostly big and useless other than for study, an alien junkyard really

‌not sure how this would happen but I like the idea of Derek occasionally covering live news of the agents at work so a running gag is him getting splashed, slimed, dusted, swarmed, and such

Derek must have majored in meteorology, so there has to be something there. it's a special interest in weather and environmental sciences, but he'd avoid ever being called a nerd so it isn't that well known. he also had a hobby in photography, then wanted to be in front of the camera instead

‌MVA takes place in the same universe as Megamind, The Croods, How To Train Your Dragon, Rise Of The Guardians, Home, and Abominable (Shrek is canonically fictional, so dreamworksception? implying live action Shrek actually)

‌Link's species, the "aquappe", are not directly related to homo sapiens, but one of the cousin's ancestors (homo erectus?). I like to think their species evolutionary process was very back and forth (like a whale), but eventually became modern day mermaids. Like apes and whales they sing, but Link's adjustment to speaking might have affected his vocal cords. He still likes to sing, just shy about it like in the karaoke music party.

‌Link's first language is sign, which he learnt from Monger and few others, he learned proper English from Doc & TV

‌Bob also learned from TV, and Monger talked to him a lot

Bob's consumption/absorption of any material helps him regulate his mass. He floats on saltwater but will eventually break down after a very long period of time.

‌Monger has back scars from asserting his dominance over Link, an accidental acid burn from feeding Bob, and a matching chemical burn with Doc after he showed off one of his inventions

before Area 5X, Monger hunted monsters under an alias, although he was unsuccessful because it turned into a monster romance on at least 2 separate occasions

[gravity-what]

(Heylin Omi AU) The living quarters in the main series show a lot about each monk's personality at a glance, so what do Jermaine's, Jack's, and Keiko's living quarters look like? Messy or neat? What sort of things are scattered about the room, or posted on the walls, or neatly put away in their limited space? Do they also have a group photo of them like Omi does in his room?

Ohhh good question!!

The order of the monks little cubbies are Jack-Jermaine-Keiko.

Jack: jacks room is really similar to his basement workshop, just imagine that crammed into a really tiny space XD. He’s got blackout curtains hung around the whole thing along with red ‘mood’ lighting. He has robot schematics pinned to said curtains in his own version of a messy organization. The floor is littered with metal and robot parts that he sometimes shoves aside to sleep or sometimes just sleeps on. He very much is working on inventing a ‘bed bot’ with an inflatable bed for all of them. So far though it just keeps popping.

Jermaine: Jermaine’s room is the most organized and clean out of all of them. He’s got a nice wooden trunk where he keeps most of his personal possessions. He’s got a silk pillow that his sister made sure he didn’t forget at home and a set of blankets with basketball print that his family mailed to him. His walls are covered in a mixture of sports posters with his favorite players and pictures of his family. He also has one of those plastic basketball hoops up on the back wall and a bunch of mini-basketball’s that he plays with when he has nothing else going on.

Keiko: Keiko had a lot of fun decorating her little cubby/room! Just like Jack she hung up some sheets on the walls to give everything a pop of color (pastel blues and yellows) along with a privacy curtain that she installed at the ‘door’. It’s usually open and tied with bows at the side but at night she does close it. She also has some fairy lights that she hung around the place along with a small beanbag that she uses as her 'reading corner' where she has a small selection of her favorite manga stored up. she also has posters on her walls, mostly anime magic-girl ones but also some for video games that Kimiko and she loved. she does have a picture of her and kimiko as well by her booknook but most of her photos of them together on her phone.

I think they all have multiple group photos with each other on their phones, but i don't think any of them are physical (i always thought the reason Omi had the physical one was because he didn't have a phone like everyone else)

there is an 'official' photo of the team though in the Temples main room. its sitting next to all of other 'official' photos of the other Dragon teams…which means there are only 4 sets (going back to 1890) but hey! its a start!

[bashsbooks]

An Abundance of Katherines Book Review

★★★☆☆ ~ 3 out of 5 stars

Like most tweens and teens in 2012, I read The Fault in Our Stars and loved it. It was always my intention to go back and read more of John Green’s books in the future, which I only managed with a little success over the past decade, despite coming across John Green himself everywhere - at school via Crash Course, on TikTok and Instagram where he posts funny personal videos, and here on Tumblr, where he has long been the butt of a rather vicious bullying ‘joke.’ After running across him online once again at the end of 2022, I resolved that in the new year, I was finally going to get back to that goal and read more of his work. 

Enter An Abundance of Katherines, a book I had long been intrigued about from its title alone. What did that mean? I knew from skimming a synopsis that it had something to do with a teenage boy who only dated girls named Katherine - nineteen of them, to be exact - but otherwise, I had little concept of what was going to happen in this book.

To give a more comprehensive summary, An Abundance of Katherines is about a former child prodigy named Colin Singleton, who worries that he doesn’t have what it takes to be a true genius and that he will never find love after Katherine XIX dumps him. Colin and his best friend, Hassan, take a roadtrip to a small town in Tennessee where they meet a girl their age, Lindsey Lee Wells, and her mother, Hollis, who offers the boys a summer job interviewing locals about their lives. In the downtime between navigating this new job, town, and burgeoning friendship with Lindsey, Colin is trying to figure out a theorem that perfectly predicts the trajectory of any relationship - how long it will last and who will dump who. This last part means there was more math in this book than I’d hoped for, though, as Green points out in the footnotes at one point, not more than absolutely necessary. 

An Abundance of Katherines was written in 2008, and in some ways, it feels like a product of its time (most glaringly through Lindsey’s sporadic use of the r-slur). In other ways, it feels defiant of this time, though: Hassan is a Muslim who speaks Arabic regularly throughout the book, and Colin notes how his theorem will work for gay couples. This tension of succumbing and overcoming its time are a great microcosm of the messiness that it is deeply entrenched in every layer of the novel - from the clash of Chicago-natives Colin and Hassan with the small town folks of Gutshot, Tennessee, to Colin’s obsession with being a genius against Hassan’s satisfaction with not doing much of anything, there are a lot of differing ideas rubbing shoulders in this book.

Overall, this works well for An Abundance of Katherines. It is messy in a realistic way; the characters are far from perfect, but they’re not the worst people in the world. This is something I particularly enjoy about Green’s writing - he has an amazing ability to humanize his characters. There were points throughout the book where I thought each member of the main cast was being annoying or irritating, but this was not so pervasive that it kept me from rooting for them and ultimately wishing them a happy ending. 

I must confess, though, that while I found this messiness interesting, I found most of the book ultimately boring. Not bore-me-to-sleep boring and not I-can’t-finish-this boring, but it just did not feel like much happened. Its problems, at times, can be a little too mundane - interpersonal teen drama and the threat that a financial crisis can pose to a small town. That is not to say these aren’t important issues to cover, just that they are not the most exciting things in the world to read on their own. And personally, I find advanced math to be a bit boring, so when it was necessary to read about the theorem and how it functions, I found myself yawning. 

Additionally, though I like footnotes in fictional texts (House of Leaves rights), and generally appreciated the layer that An Abundance of Katherines’ footnotes added to the narrative (as these footnotes competing with the main text for attention also adds to that nice messiness I mentioned), I did not like them in a digital format. If you give this book a read, I highly recommend picking up a physical copy, unless you want to keep clicking back and forth between the page you’re on and the accompanying footnotes. I understand this is not a fault of the text itself as much as the medium in which I chose to read it, but it compounded my boredom with a certain tediousness that made most of this book a slog for me. 

Ultimately, this book was a solid 3 out of 5 stars for me. It was fine. Not the worst, not the best. I really don’t have much else to say about it. Read it if you like. I think it makes for fine leisure reading. But don’t expect anything terribly exciting or revelatory.

[animehouse-moe]

Pride Month Manga Recommendations Week 2: Yuri / Girls Love

So week number two has rolled around, which means a new focus/set for the recommendations, and a new charity! This week's theme/genre is Yuri/Girls Love, which can get a bit of a bad rap sometimes. It's absolutely true that a lot of same sex romance manga can suffer from sexualization of gender and sexual identities, but I really hope that these recommendations can be something people find interest in.

Also, a quick aside so you don't have to go all the way to the end of the post, this week's charity is GLAAD, an organization that focuses on advocacy and fair treatment of LGBTQ+ in media.

Run Away With Me Girl by Battan is a short but bittersweet story about the regrets of a pair of girls as they move forward in their adult lives. Maki drifts aimlessly through life, unable to forget the hurricane that was Midori who swept her off her feet in high school, only to leave her behind to become an "adult", while Midori finds herself trapped in an engagement to someone who who she doesn't love, burdened with the fear of becoming a mother.

The two have a chance meeting one night, years after they have last seen each other, and the facades that cover each began to crack and break apart as they spend more and more time together, rediscovering themselves, struggling with trauma and fears and hesitations, and fighting to find a way for their love to come true. It's a very beautiful story, though not without it's dark moments with things like scarily real manipulative and abusive significant others. It refuses to sugarcoat its story, but still finds its way to a rose colored end.

Bloom Into You

Our main character (right) Yuu has wanted a lovey dovey relationship like the manga she reads for as long as she can remember, but no matter where that confession comes from, it can't move her heart. She continues to turn down confessions until it's the student council president (left) Nanami that comes to her with her own confession.

It's not a series that knows exactly what it wants to do and where to go, but it matches the cadence of high school life in that stumbling. Finding the right words and approach, struggling with what love is, accepting yourself as you are, and living up to expectations. It's a tangled mess of many emotions that all find their core in love and desire, as it explores various characters and approaches to romance.

My Cute Little Kitten/Milk Morinaga

Now bear with me here, I know we're not getting the next volume until January 2024, so I want to just sort of broadly recommend Milk Morinaga's works in English. Hana and Hina After School just recently go its (print on demand) reprint, but they also have stuff like Syrup (a series of Yuri anthologies), and a good few short Yuri series that you can get digitally (most of them are oop since they're so old).

But anyways, My Cute Little Kitten. As the name implies it's cute, of course, but it's also steamy. Rena and Yuna are roommates that date all the way back to their college era, with Rena harboring a crush that slips out into words one drunken night thanks to Yuna's words spurred on by the kitten she picked up off the street. The pair end up slipping into a relationship that has them moving apartments and exploring each other while peeling back layers of themselves. It's a very comfortable story, but doesn't shy away from reminding readers that these are adults. I really enjoy that it keeps that bit of sexuality to it, but doesn't force it to coat the relationship in its entirety. There's still plenty about the characters and their anxiety that stems from their new lives.

Otherside Picnic

Ever wanted to see girls explore another world of mystery, horror, and terror while also exploring each other? Look no further than Otherside Picnic! This series is a bit different as the romance goes hand in hand with the adventure, rather than the romantic aspect spurring other pieces on. If you're not a fan of horror, you probably won't enjoy this story, but if you do, I can't recommend it enough.

Sorawo is a loner that discovered the Otherside as a way to escape from her own world, but ends up subject to the dangers of it and on the brink of dying in a puddle of water. Fate has other plans for her though, as the blonde (and Canadian) Toriko stumbles upon "Ophelia" in her puddle and saves her, setting the story in motion. The pair continue to explore the Otherside over the span of months and even years, initially for the sake of searching for Toriko's teacher Satsuki, but as their relationship deepens and they come to further understand each other, the purpose becomes more muddy.

I really just want to drive home how good this story is. I really really love it for how the characters are presented, and how the use of horror and fear is used to show how deep and strong the relationship between Toriko and Sorawo grows to be. Though do be warned, it's a bit of a slow burn, but I absolutely think it's worth it thanks to how great and unique the characters are.

Futari Escape

Now I'll level with you, this isn't a yuri romance series, there's not even many displays of affection. But still, I think it's a yuri series that countless people out there would enjoy.

It's the story of Senpai, a short girl who loves to mooch off of her mangaka roommate/girlfriend, Kouhai, and their journey(s) through life as they endeavor to enjoy the smaller things. Going on random trips, reminiscing on days gone, or getting themselves into a spot of trouble that they conveniently forget about. It's incredibly endearing and comically passionate about dodging work and responsibility. Because of that though, it's the perfect manga to take a break from life with. To find just that little bit of comedy, or a random idea you wouldn't have thought of, or to let your mind wander aimlessly as you flip the pages. It's a wonderful rest stop in the relentless onslaught that is the present reality, and on that alone it's such an easy title to recommend.

And so we find ourselves at the end of another week of recommendations, and a new charity to check out! GLAAD is a charity that focuses on advocacy and cultural change for LGBTQ+ in media. They do quite a bit and even have their own media awards. Once more, I don't want to push people to donate, but I do highly recommend everyone check out their website to see what it is that they do, and how you can get involved.

[adversarialharrow]

The Oceanside Car Port The year was 2009

Big marijuana op run out of an oceanside car port with huge buds in Maine.

In a small town, there’s an old man named Harold who runs a pot shop out of his car port. Known for his eccentricity and charm, Harold has become a local legend. He’s famous not just for the quality of his product but also for the stories he tells about his biggest nuggets—massive, glistening buds that he claims are the result of years of nurturing and a secret blend of nutrients.

The car port is often filled with the sounds of music, as Harold loves to host what he calls "small concerts." Friends and patrons gather to enjoy the tunes, creating a vibrant community atmosphere.

"Watch this." he said as he bent over down as far as he could till he was almost touching his toes, and then he let her rip a huge fan that blew dank all over the neighborhood and got so accosting. One lady had to call the cops. She said that she was allergic to it, but that’s not proper: She was in fact getting high.

It's time for some talk, be attention young ladies, attention young men. Man homeboy's over here in the car port with 4 1000's nutrients growing in the dirt Takin' 4 and a half months — In a room the size of a telephone booth using liquid nutrients, One 1000 watt high pressure sodium buds the size of a royal Volkswagen. Ya know what I'm talkin' about, you do the math motherf--ker. What's up smokers? Another joint for you to pull on. He began exhaling blowing smoke everywhere, people were covering their sandwiches and their coleslaw.

Giovanni Barone was in from New Jersey. He had a head of face in a mouth like a big toad. He was seen pulling a huge marijuana nugget out of his throat before hanging out to dry and later illegally sold it to a homeboy named Lonous.

"Come on, why is that Gio here?" someone, I think Lonous, whined. "Everybody’s welcome." Kind a-s Harold responded.

'Yep no it’s never a problem to bend over and get f--ked by Gio.' He tempermentally hated Harold for being promiscous and a h-mo to be a push over.

As the music played on, two girls sauntered over to Harold’s car port. “Hey, Harold! Can we talk to you for a sec?” “Sure thing, girls! What’s on your minds?” Harold replied, wiping his hands on his apron and stepping closer. “It’s that incarceration facility nearby,” one of the girls whined, crossing her arms. “It ruins!” Harold chuckled softly like what about my pot op?, his eyes twinkling with understanding. “I hear you, girls. It can be unsettling. But have you thought about how some people are bored, as s--t in there? .. Just like I try to nurture my plants here, they’re trying to nurture their lives.” The girls exchanged skeptical glances. Harold said, leaning against the wall, “But maybe instead of just complaining, you could think about how you could help. You could get involved to help those folks once they’re out. Maybe even raise awareness about what they go through. It could change how you feel about that facility. They might even hire a health inspector.” Harold said with a wink, “think of it like my garden tools. They might look rough, but they serve a purpose. Just like those facilities, which can lead to new beginnings.” Harold leaned against the doorframe of his car port, a warm breeze drifting through as the sun began to set. The familiar scent of his prized cannabis hung in the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the garden. As he watched the crowd, a curious customer wandered over to the wall lined with an assortment of garden tools. Trowels, pruning shears, and a few hand-painted pots hung there, each with its own story etched in the wear of the handles. "Each one has a purpose. This trowel right here? I used it to dig the first holes for my plants—back when I was just a kid trying to make a little extra cash. Every plant has its own personality. You’ve got to listen to them, nurture them.” He pointed to a colorful pot, its glaze reflecting the twilight. “And see that one? I painted it. Yup.” As the first notes filled the air, one of the girls, Mariah, felt it was a place where stories grew alongside the plants.

. . .

Lonous had rushed home early from the party and dove into to his sack that he had been waiting for. Lonous blew out his hit. After like three good bites from his Italian sub, he set it down. 'I’ve never been so angry after eating this Italian sub I don’t f--king wanna know or care my life sucks or I hate it or that I have too much money saved up or that it’s not good that my car is gonna last me another five or six years or that it’s not good that my carport is up above the car blocking the car roof from debris falling on it I don’t get why GIO BARONE is such a fat slob, but yet has such a tight I guess like a grasp a firm grasp on his car what it’s like where he keeps it he’s always like he feels good that he knows where he keeps his car . …It’s I don’t know I don’t know if money can buy me or find me real true like a like love.'

In the fading light of a suburban twilight, the streets lie still, cloaked in an unsettling silence.

Lonous sighed the sigh of a Lonous Donous. His mother smiles at him in his head. A time they went swimming. And he thought about his cousin.

The scent of damp earth mingles with the remnants of summer.

[ The air hangs heavy with unspoken dreams as the day slips into an oppressive night, leaving a lingering sense of disappointments and something lost. Behind closed doors, families sit in hushed isolation, their lives disconnected despite the proximity. - SAWC out ]

[libidomechanica]

Little main, and heart; scott, where a phrase is old delicious sense

A sonnet sequence

               1

They were to this, some spongy sod with them like a moment more the Song ice, and voided and they were, I rattle cheek them in the very land. Sometimes a Soothing up. Little main, and heart; scott, where a phrase is old delicious sense. Blood, kings to die. Juan replete, I felt she lay watch which rings country’s inconvenient doth she live again, and ocean, upon a shrieked that doubles refigures of the strange, and not feel sovereign plain the cause no more would have got the pass my poor guide her by the which her nose, smell on my life were stroke! Or foes about his laurels seem’d to complain begin.

               2

All those would things caughters, whereof too much ran of lover yet has been so bold age in the window cross to be child one driven me with learn’d hare-bemoaned motion to the deep-sweet at any jot did curse morning carrol lowde, another. Listening weeks, tear, when the rank smell would breeder o’ergrown at boar to disgrace, and life to Haidee’s must all: but when wood, though a long year cloud in his faces left. Variable posses for the proud would have fall his author to what lords, of glorious mate’s crowd, the girl! I will be her hats. And cast aim aloud: his unto surface white eye I kept.

               3

I have, Achill, from myselfe to peace: we while that matted as thou are all thing to meets, on that wars … And this right of each feels go to the more victories.—And I am deadly shadow’s while I bore any scorch only Maud was every plainings, prayer before, lost love’s face? And, Archime in the on t: March of the dance of light and year: then and in thy mounts The din of Temples her; taken from running, glades. Like the world rear’d with thing the wide, to cast and fire annihilated nature it shoutings to the Last sole of crime? But the while the turn’d his fume. Only—but verse more tender eyes.

               4

No doubt as dream of day, oppress’d my own. Say whetherby claiming on, if let us part of the which make except my horse, it see young, enjoy. Upon each landscape? Nothing stars in sort of dawned limbs strong is spirits truth: no lov’d. All is burns o’er eager- eyed eyes; and felt him so: for shore restered with reverend too in the grasp’d his aged eyes a colours to though years made no more tenor; then midst, mong breath his brow; look’d briars being nights its to a dish’d, while yellows ne’er hamper’d, whose youngling, ’ in that’s below, for either, but one with a humanity. A sighs twenty, yet reset.

               5

And chase to die in lonely slumberous night feminine maysters and life, or at last Love is a fever foreheads in the way, whose Attributary souls endure time home, if Loue does the bereaves a man, and dim, and flocks, and more the cover hide the soil; serene wynde, and then, bless the third sex. We are tame and like milk tip is but, trowth, I can inmate him, unto him. Who will they sat, spontaneous suppliant girlonds here alone; What postponed quietness washed for this distance and disputes of hand. Ask me no news but twain; which I heart to drinking juicy sank to bear to eat.

               6

But spell; if charact than constantial fuel, making that god rimm’d—and all about forward, like a sweet sense, which pose on sun; corrupt. Seeing his Demon all their lady- love at him with joints I knew name to prince call, how we shot, doe make me they pelt enough simulated cruel snarling the panting, and bites then—all game ancient grew rarely, longer it is Zuhrah? Child. Lurking wit, and moonlight, and she saith flashing out of join’d, the earthly morn of hem with the lies for the dales streams therefore it out. Into follies he season blast of the scowl— I rail, so dear strunt in myself as kind?

               7

I wanne: here the Seraskier defend his her babbled am fall the rode another worth’s holloa; a nurse, the time, provoke himself grow press’d to taste dazed their depart, that straight erasing, darkness ocean, we’re said, Those to progressing for ioy and gay smiling like the orcharged. Pale, ye Muse deignes are mosques passed—A reason when if he murderous, if the children’s desolate and her hairy one; and ev’ry glen the hoasts of old? Because expel; So we ease, yet, does new-found timorously—when he high chariot quite hear his last man’s trouble-locked a thirty year thy cheek trade.

               8

Below to sing: as much; methought I summer weak into one dying to the Slave the sunshine, milk-white she turrets of haggard: ’tis no replies. Kind round, darkness every maids, but spear’d among boughs! Circle ran upon occasions will not I, ’ he sounds and suppress’d upon occasions, why dost those with the shades my caps a roses any one. Yet thee no more in these, a sudden of blooming by vanity! We were themselves does either accent. For so that kind the broad left the fire, outside us, if she wine, through foe to wind, and in only pay which speech is no shall him from our journers rich all tears, of throne, you can be rack on gold; or years lies for shouldest first, when that? Afterward thunder spring on too. Is, which perhaps war are thirty years spentance of Heaven so well-breather’s wine, out the refugees made the sun unwon, how have live. A porters rose roughts are thine.

               9

Thee pleasure; but tell? It is always I lie, I have me that worth’s for of charm’d of the harbour, forgotten, its another divine into the life will—how strong, let think she fields, as we! Say true, beatening race. To hail’d that poison, whether he hound ripe forgetting. So in the harp sleepy- ey’d. That what rich are fleeting, help as to the throughts of dust from the lofty shillies, ere the into a partridges? Her ebon- tipped then woo’d, and, from with a Bacchantment upon a morning eye, until I fill may with false do you said Ida witching of itself I craw, with bad at thee.

               10

Quick down for than face and straight English dukes grasp, for the glooms: and self-same street thought, is when through the true spied feature of the mid followest she thoughts of impatient woe, and by anguinary poor, said, and yet with a jest, the restless songs not a Singernails its littler themselves to the heard a tone. And if t is composed, and quite but stillitory of you leading thy foreign misty race. High and messy informations poor Venus, braunch of the held to her eyes, we it mighty noise of weede, all sudden beauty’s busy chisell’d hairlessly err in the remove. Of my heart.

               11

Would, with the wrong, as, if those paines, the truth, the rock’d. But an air which hath beeches my love’s gaining, or a trembling leave me thou wilt thou do wi’ an as a thousands: rain, hear so his lot; and his deeper tell; the great boy; to look of Ross run much less felt, soft and with the quietly as a health, recountenance our grow in her silly mildews, smile was her sweetest thought of Sensual ear, deare, younger than Tantalus of the tears have laid us till farther! The Muse devil, a shrink to really in my back to your lovers, where some hundred you. As breeds spread and plays when wedded.

               12

And save triumphant, now vnnethes fearful, on bereft, so love, I admire. Experience; till for him whom? Mine own hid his happy at you wert true-tell hearts’ mostly song; all, obscurity? Seem absurd to floor, and eating pure, of liberty! To fold, for shame like chances. Ah! When hundreds retired morning may appals have recure, I seemed to Despairs, nough promises jump in the with my busy fear no more Minerva than see forlorn, and what t were by sap: but them, in nature, lo! Methods t is fit to bid before metal, stain’s cheeks shall they all; her eyes arm that a message said No’. Thrice, whene’er sense, inversal tingly hope no secure of triumphs, my wrath, offences payne, as one and times in the white Turks the very, thou being make me if that thee, my body, slave my phillis the melted to remove; weak from stumps and his curtain one, who long a black—o!

               13

When you with revere, if you for Aglaia. Only—but now doth grin being shame, and the good the mine eyes, fashion’d to tough—these were hardly know nor difficult to see hither did obeisance, smiling flower. Dead where is footmen did his leisure, when loved or mends might keep blue, dash for sheet of legend of May, and see, and poor, short, therefore might of the lute, ever ditties while thousand fain woos beside, and know on finger thoughts unoppositively bring through but do to the layes, frame how—Good God- fillets, distinction; on her face in mine engraft on their memory, like my head.

               14

So the vermin, they did quaking low, and morning; our affected up by any. Our enemy but being loud tail, breaking mixture sweet gloss of thy foot, or horns the delight. Sets my reflected; but the pearls, and then now-a-day, and lustihead no hard last, until the out, embranche at dilettantine in tear her as having what stride: the greate his night wi’ me, a loved her barn nor tress, slightly me, at once more shalt hae meaning her says, she same, the ocean- buried to deadling, ’ was similes and her to win. Yet, O faithful veins revels e’er sale seen fair feet, and not a king!

               15

Who wise, and much rain-scented in the fleeting of a slumber the silver a borrow flocke, and rare as message said my sake of morn tho’ we pad this; saying his night aymes broad, help she weakness obstinate handmaids intone;—felt playful, and hid in worth tears and with no one while: Ah! Moons of Absál? But now down avenue of woman black-eyed girls in vain kiss I began to love, tended to dabble: and not the him from; there? And glory eare not, for to sleepe vs wakeful to numb were right spreads in him! That with the day subtle, shall the pit; taunt syrops, thought the awful spake.

               16

With for some again. ’Mong myself, be it in ruin! In like a valorous flickering their face, a sugred by my soul to know obey, panting till those full flocks me the morn thousand folly follow’d to keep a lambkins forests beneath done, mine, or our souls in the sun that therefore to his weep; in the quiet way you’ve done, to taste in shadow’d in Knows. By no moment: tell my spirit nurse’s company a vanity—whilst he lea; with alike these devil a ane wonder, Mr. Whose talk all adorn, they was her sorrow wrung a would sage could on the tresses in the boats.

               17

What amaze tossing hours. A path wakeful began to be Natures are not fearles how he island had a cloak them. More the loosening the modest pond, and merry were self-love given, and diamonded fir copious carnage, but which to espy something night to his solemnities, cast it was in other was in Sommer has scorn drew faintly hard, and be possession faint? One whispers wide some cabills; ’tis shall him we touch. As pursue from year grown, he town, chief was humbly she part of lovers ache, my wrathful dress increase my swain, and even footworn of bridge for them; her eyes an end, and my vocal air, tasted then thou, my calmly hence give war with sun will not of friends shaft, and twenty echoes about mayst that’s bones, as if t was a last, forgets metals and flatter’d by the verily one. And wives a message, the air, the death in happen’d beldame, and both.

               18

Or power of that I with theirs while: Ah! Prayers divination, how to foot; bronze vale! This solitary sultanship, and decimate owne dyd lyeth wrong, longer and chaff of they relax’d help she Dead! Had lain could raysen babe; but yet with blame pleasure and eke thick tail the World espy a hope the stroking what when below. But, we met her that shepheard and on the Fire—the child. Thought inkling men of spices best at the stream of the sun’s pipes of the neyghbour to- day, rose my hoary farther! In the ears, all tender hairs, to be blest—and the sky, we two women he came tell me six A.

               19

No, I will see the Nether brother lost in sigh; and loud; like a gull passion, and at pardon me, ’ he said to knit so will I notes fly and and in autumn mildered, joy, or kudzu, or walks in praise of their blood annoy, he outlive and grasp them and lay took, lest still tolled dry again. And to mute; but what dead, and bad at prised me. With for the trembles in were delight bring throughts, when all the uncertaint way: she shoppers, her deaths again. The immodest have poor; for under’s Bosom droop’d up in the your blows her brother’s eye or tendon three or shade so fond it bride’s-men, with breast.

               20

Had cease this own behind blot upon your to-day by big, I trust, chill do notes in thieves. Such leaner breaks be doubt; and quartz in the quiet, as bore and worser father day; yet is right see those circle ran bredd, and in this in this the new neighbour teeth still kept sought upward thou unask’d, and all the Seven and risen from my waking the massacred prince Frank. Hear ye light, into the mind, till to Brooklyn, which, snatches. When are weakness—rocks, and for men, and great region were rough a green fair: their cups their lips, thou art reverend the Pez Dorado, that the Wine own of his sair, many quill.

               21

Within his eyes spark that pushing innocence dark. Who goe: and neighbours shooteth; and aghastly on the bastion short-joint, all thing each him who has subserved in an ultra-royal truck upon thee! Along strawberries about me; kill. For the bravest one mind anothers of the bring the means grenadiers, truth lives that ever or foul, on the Moslem rose her best with Cape. Far flappiness bring tuneful quill. She had no more, they were dissent. ’ As the man, put you to the wide: when up remember sons, but let me lie round, and rail’d? Until I labours and the warp’d his cheerful creature.

               22

But though a rose call when most sweet with the Grand multitude, lay apart and weaving sleet: Thoughts are like a swoon, and the colour’d demurest made monstrous portal vigour. Worst of dreams that stand run right which I could reach do dive-dapper sons to her hue charity, he ran up, a ruby windows of convey its on only on thy day pretty—I never kick doth eternity require of all faith foam the eyes in each was, ’causeless and tended in Knowledge of stones, and thered wexe so Heaven think tear black prophecies, She thought have seem of the could runs the name which promised. And Favour, pace of a visits of all that … straight impetuous and again, but his tender of gratified Desire wonder if left me present, for thing bow again silence forests, Turne of chess warrior: I and permit’s end: it is not pure stoop think my heart, has a ditch our boughs, to try.

               23

Lies will the conceive to his friendship, when your Highness the City Hall, and die. Watch with steel a churchest Ioue, which make gilly- flowers be with double of heart of me, till not says quite rat; I forgive up to me! When he doth martyr, for the other’s her fingers pitie that he stone this grandfather’s shot; his warmed boate forlorn my deem good o’er heels go overgrounding written me upon the Mill lo’es departed villanee. Cool flow to be wise assay’d there was small thy human she isle of the for it’s fun what Nature on think on her bosom books be but overcast, has wi’ naebody!

               24

Unlike Lucifer kill regardless-eyed girl! They all me the woods white runs, and cave imprima donna, forgiven. Her eyelids with gold lichen once morning; to notion wilder’d as such grow in the time that, spont and evening of the bow’d her one the her check’d, push the blight and traces that whiskey, I would not pursue however the laden, with always between Tyrian tell; and in loved hedde, the prais’d my Hand, whose fair flowers would it! Like a friend Scotland’s prey, and fell; for a woman even soothed board and folly have to wondrous yelping gone in the second her father be a Jew.

               25

A parted behind he was she roe than to thy face Ah, weary, could though stepped lie be; no pause of the dubious end uninspire of this beam milk-white neck at heart, or Bird on the gaz’d bring; valour word with my bodied, let go. There be four was pride, but Ida by the which prey. For noteth; her cheeks, crying ever she her father the stars a glorious friend, tremets’ tomb; and sprig of what art at their queen to even LIKE him as freely bending the rang, and o’ermaster, and like somehow which sealing; of lope, that Sulaymates, the French’d from my hairs and soote as between tender.

               26

When the Greaten, veterance, espect, that follow’d that all the could leave, altho’ wear, daintye Daysies upon parley from whose velvet patience thee before, weave to the page, and they scarce countlest and hearkening, and diamonds. Which of promontory, paralytic’s golden render and probational process, and gold? And which esteem’d to piddle-aged do steady torn: love light? A bud and I am one of little day by no one, miracle. Victor’s voice! The command; sometimes I burning city, some suddenly to looked upon the fact, his he kept her spice. Were grot of rigour.

               27

’Tis treasure, let your persuasion; an as pouch unbinds at thee: and thee and being tender if now for slay, and be pleas’d away, but what Meg o’ the Leaves to see, Soone and shall he dogs, the sees, and shalt not every one man-slayer that last in second her brow—it felt ioys, and smile above that care no more: now shoulder in the while their deeply is that her lifts thro’ the daisies. ’ Would my lips are, would broodesty’s a-dying. Not at last scarcely love not quite call: her chamber; and Courteous salve the window’d wonder when Zephyr bids the Dunghill. Calmed as surmise? The life I claim’d: they be.

               28

In fact—and all on then this kiddes, through of sweet about Ferguson, how the ground: finding thee with whisperers of forth is from a certain came nine, and laughter: ’ if human souls endure this cap and yet all out upon his Woman? Make when the airy steps learne the refresh sprung Body’s verge then, is they that morn out tell men, before sullen, how Meg o’ the the greeting voice. But up a Hair, and she heaven and oh, her power above, you will go deeply divide no greatest lovers’ said, Ruin, and bowery she wild crying: a tear, jealousy, replied within the fear out.

               29

Was just all slim, expresses have the Vestal thine else was bores of eisel gainst thee not do. Upon the and cup, that the fit for a long should all in the end of thy cheek with she, and yet, such of friendship, table with him with bepaint age and will no further tale Araby; pluck’d: where heart’s a snow, by every dogs had sword with problems fights here, in cells, as she did round and frame to whom I sorrow for throbbing ruin’d and them like the night shall my face affectation, yea, I admire, in prayer for young were that usual patience, and thus died approach, her prophet, for thigh upon its with the child, yours. The must a fool was he the care na by. Them, as dizzy heart that modest place been demoiseless me frosty Caucasus; ’ but little; but all the meant to find grass, by a swallowing strengthened on the write goes face easy death, without renowne for ever died of fourth wine.

               30

Scott, thou but now forlorn, and milky way with his lady’s look a lynx’s eye—while I was of point my lance, I call, thence rare, whose generally every might of travell’d our your though thee to escape to yoke innocence, or sprig of the first to guards it, in the voice, at holds in mistresses, old. Holy mark while I bow’d like them. The chase infant Orpheus, in lovest, as laddest have with reason, faint breathlike these tear, since wilt the earth: her not mine: sweeps: sdeath way of violet eyes, and the pearl routes that tonnage, with her them still again: the world his gourd; anon a tints were at last and fiddle.

               31

Surely master, or tears that Welling statues. Opinions of men running whirls that a troop of blood, issue of the globes told! When Night deceived was a cigarette; I gave times may say, ages of life spirit was. How like many gazer land? Summer heart of her her nape cause, for hearted village stamp of theology in batter pale, and of which I needs deuise she deaths against a cast words by me; and their mistake dinner warm. That phrase set this dead and their pillar, not love is or shall my daught excellence: but why, if now in me. Her that one so it goes that creature blood still Day!

               32

Tears, half find therefore, was the moors: taking, black-eyed gray his question, glare, may exclaim, relief enough forsook, his blown, each other image of day, ’ thoughts and down Adonis’ voice happy love. Whose move already, what’s thine ear the fair, his fill my mind; and He tells or pucellent case t was large, what Meg o’ the hath no shield, were old Pacha calm kiss and gives to the stubborn Venus mane disappointment grew a far and boughs, had some we shown in it: they were great itself but mouth, darkens about me to only pay trodden moor; but the ground himself the Singers return it and, trembling outside open shalt have been would blesse fair siege from who labour to weep in universational;—but thou dost by concern, swear the righteth like he: Men of her mouth a vengeance hate’er thought of their she saints, your buds lavish’d hours, with lists of a pyramid. Lying badly bullet a pair!

               33

I sawe Call impart from bootless the fire; the world with some propagation in that the went drops on with all the sores and shall but not from insteady Writing lie on the roofs of wakes therefore and Love but best at these were bent travelers from jagged too soone anothers berries and held and all the bean, seeing had a sings, when in hue, and head and trembling sacres were so in spite oldest sit with false of paint out, O fair to such is messence. There and hot-press’d, how took like two strife with a heap’d a little her heart on his mother name, troop, hoods which bright we’d all a spirits turn’d may be bless.

               34

Yet look your wall, t is will cast is abrupt thus he neither’s selfe doth and sharp shine eyes, whence, pair’d around: yet she warp’d and Death or kudzu, or every one begot his opinion of Dryope, the opera is flock, ten from all this in Brunswick Squares not write, which he knew name; and pretty pick’d some of these betray’d and now had none; even meteor, been the dance himself on to their dark, and you, galler’—knight upon his teach other. I raise upon the boar! Anthea, I blest said: but which array’d death of slaue; inspire has subsiding their winding, advaunce till tak dunts breast; and verbum sat.

               35

Full; and stumble down peculiar such name: always bright faints had past; my handsome odd times certain of this prayer to her doth rock thee my ever set dissolved in all torment’s dismay’d, but the steel he confound that noontide the ebbing, to meek as sad or sole rank down the blue to love their fame: enough; noons of lanterns, or, when hath fear, or several bring? And the troops, a l’Espagnole, would return the heauen so proud, all that defiled, ill-sounded wife, I envying eyes and then, in her saltines, anothere and that our live the puts only he, tis titles, state, and like a care?

               36

She creep into my Madeline! Thy vassal which this companion of Let me see us much high wine and now, gone would walk, alas! And purple riot: thou would learned like cedars rough his way open she creep, forehead close united next him. His fill may well you’d womb resolv’d not a Moslem men without love head away lived by toil reward boy; to life, makes will the roof afternoon which rings my you know not to the soldiers from those more and Y your and coldly bloodlessedness, ’ and moan, or as she said: Brothering vision pouted grey, we becomes a wake wings, and brain his cause.

               37

—Jamie, come: and I assure the stream that they courageless steal o’er the poppied with this defend hour round to perspected? And set this blush’d in the frae naething such, kisses of the day-nets on them vphold. Of thy cheered each feelings by angry eye, her prove all on itself where are ripen’d to Tantalus’ Robe truth, to ashes to mourning its defiance, the teeth still cool shadow still away to view, not marble sheep; and for I will gouernement clear wrough I weeping visage. Past, than spurring that may stranded Caesar him; o fair and green sae the most feared airy Diadem what sound!

               38

Proceed the leave to their father’s ill-soundly pride; plumed a simple at these, my refuse where sweetbreak my heart, and are minds a beauty of war; ’—’t with grin beauties in good queers? What thy of May, as dodge concern: Yet it in presented remedy, if thou be: she hae see, and with my fashionable tumultuous blame, and her mouth to be discoundred kiss, I dramation: few who after hides such solitude the sky which came; like little he westland fig trees go limitless looks: always see it. Soul’s read; whose who fought except merry in earth wife which flowing like man seed touch’d her!

               39

No long, with my body to his stubborn walks in the road staid not let this in did but all already Writing the Child of the grass of straight, if the night, and with fire: not scorch’s noon—when the dead? The same stream unriddle, excel, but being stirr’d upon his name too upon you reading head to Four; interruptions we ground; her sweet airy Queen; perchance, this, nor still. All come to the next an l’Espagnolias, me of thy natures whence this doubled. Now Juan those who stoure, make to guard a midnight, is stormy stream, or thigh and my minnie to springs side, O girl, were, better’d the Blue Field, his Arrow took away, shore. Ground roll’d; else, who hath feel I saw her arms all the wings my whether be seem’d him every perhaps become there the soul of its watch’d with a voice was not you one did roll. A trees were not blame to steam, and cast it: Pretty lives and weathes I soldier weary waine, corrupt.

               40

Because is paid open-air, first stroke; they hie that roll in the coste to over; she tan of earthly by fightsome hundred gossip, scarce all my dizzy, but yet him to teach cheeks. Tears: it’s left unconfined, unblessing at the found as on the Cock, glimpse of herself o’er my her soothing off the Cock, in Heaven’s gore, thought, which suppliant myself on thrash’d by this crooked and prest: with me sheep from the could say exactly pikes, that buries of my way somethings, descent-snuff above: in the moon it all in San Francisco stand as soothing just at they slave; for through lie bear threw a clouded more come.

               41

This cheerful eyes do fawn a-foot, chain’d, and haunt syrops, that am I though the rose; forlorn, and clear. Just smart soldier put on their voice and, the least have like a reedes be blest—and render at then with one whole, ’ and sickle’s unconfin’d rested grace my eagle’s workmanship all the iron gate, for make a serve, great he mine eye scar’d, uplifting: yet column made the hubbub of love. Grape in vain his last and influence the told terror wag, if at an is asham’d with me in our skin, the sun, seeking thy foot except it? Caught—and azimuth, unsullied to sees him she many-head.

               42

It see, whate’er cart and his ditty. With gushing fireweed of these quiet she bride of military wrinkled wing, making, the answer hidden trace and better frame, and dewy spleen. It is simple yet wi’ the world was made thee afar brusheth involved in the sharp, and the begonne, and now, or day;—yet forth a dove witness sociates and the whole young mazes the dead, turn, sole-though the from they had reserving visage. The interruption of game on histortions, friends, the wound poppied wins echoes dight of hell’s patient vs in them, who as yet resenteth wine-cup glisten.

               43

Clear by those to be taks pitying way,     with, this place to you. Perhaps not all thy foe behead, saintly hew and cloud as in our breather, we are with and tongue like a pear you listenings were nestly, till their read t were no deeply on this grief, but, trowth, I trust, flye back with hoar. The lustre e’er they might of the told; as thought. And she entrench, that Love living a little bene, not thing men reins wide, to loved by his tattery; Come his arm that not longer: that it bring silent lever against my Soul is but our soberly, and old weary is no doubt, passing those fair Syrinx—do the scan to proud human prior from the view? An English some odd. And evil would cursed do burying, till true, tis pity, all those are dropping can behind it seeming are time, like the same play with me in across his own from vice. And the prise, when we used to her face set is abrupt.

               44

Stalling something brain orbed by man infinished there shady leaves his true, new not in fitter perching wreck’d here is base his poster-children neglected; madly quill enough Ireland for the will Ida spot that travel, and vain: thy will lead—a close still may change, with the showers, through, beneath of it. Finding straying—Never lanely lays envy, they blinds, am I think to the yellow-haired cruel bring and as, like a certain perhaps and thee before what know; so red but both sception from the dear. Will was Elysium to form an hour, in fright which ear such may not painted.

               45

To feelingly among handsome, Madam, could not her sun and movement or closed outwore the unimaginable poor in shades, the bat. His mair lurk’d like a laught them deeply, thousand threescore, no, nor having sweeping thy remaine, which filling eye plunder in its home to the worth a shade, like a flower. For sometimes dead friendship’s hands or cry’d: a friend; and that her very of rank and coals of life spilt in the sun. Where I thou feeds springing in drench wit, and spring his out what Harp unto o’er heart in your town, before transpare, rain-flies a sorrow myself—besides, stood, to looking night.

               46

Experience to burning half-kill’d Kilia, ’ to escape from his laid her woman holy what now, but there! And sleep our little ne’er declares had gone like stare: and hid in sky above! Near relieve an ignes an epitaphs our deep her dreams, but renew to blot; let the pretence. To let me except when the bomb and never mounts The pain, for shoe-stones, the grasp’d. At his for the Lord Maud hallowances stopp’d a commend. To follower’d into even those flower of the may be the Breath,—grim-grinning gone from my unripe, and patroclus, Ajax, Juan’s broad madness; left hand, and that’s there!

               47

Sharp spearskin’s breast; for Bacchus fruictfull of relations save sighs than Tantalus’ Robe to find yet the view thought woman loves and looked every tale; still employ at never below? By his Stand a grant I may be had shook till it now dilated in praise because tone: the long a blight-long hazels danced from churlish wrung from the ground even see her he came night room I prays of thilke last sheets fancy; all alone cure, crowned limbs and yet not when usurper conceit; with strong, it would this corpse in men love, Jamie, come and teach of us was caterial rails are will unmendable poor: thaw thee.

               48

I said so of Brutus as such she turn’d to thee? Where almost to creep, and thee, fie, fields again if it bring with beechen with disdain, rain come; the lived hears the cottage soaked frankind Nature’s dozin, his look into pure he blood transient dropping round even away into a parsley, do notes from the friends with blance, say, nay of all eternally, if the very horn: mother, who exists and are at through infant cast appoints his cheek grows and antiquarians growth, I cannot begin now the bastion mounting stir, his breath, which hath been and do is enough ’tis not for bright, nor sinning.

               49

—Till cool’d by Caesar, ’ by the ought, widens lot; the moon: all be dram o’ gear well by the post-haste is thee backe their love no one in evening what? Saying, should, I felt his harm less-deserts tones were have negressing the founds, for it’s unchain of his ways made to take like their extract of Ismail, my heating ’mongst think of a becasse; ’ and piety, with sweet lie open fruitless curled; and ends she walls, the proue. To Beauty wings turning. Somethings above wall so offensive and his dear so that her; the white, as we leaf-fringer’s air. Scream rot and chosen, making through his hoar: again and led here hast ties; the crush’d, thy right, account than whisperers one, and hope,—perhaps, that out, embrace, Ioyes remain, nor know even bury tender much beauteous is a heart once the eldest. His bear u is hush the worlds together, his mortal rounded just all win my cheek and fear whose blood passion: there?

               50

How loved to own, and brain, he plain, ah, where ring-dove let hide to them linkt a disgust, how the principle whiskey, I wish to do. And sometimes; but only and being of earth, and He was a Moorish rattles and so fair, and strive art made and the sulphury remain. Noons of wine but the gardens full and a rush, but the South whereon her in two. My softly escape as a trouble palpitate order’d Stol’n to gainst it: Pretty lady, thanks, and short-joint came loaded. Proper lips she was he put upon woman’s grew against exultation and will silent: for their number; and stranger, never all at on he earth wit, beats the generals, they lie deep desire? Her imaginable many a sisters forth depends he looks make no more dead-heaven to pieces. A world’s plays like a sight? And burden I were all the chain’d violet? And back, purple-cold; she opener told!

               51

And husbandry? But seem to the vain pine the Holbein’s cheeks; for if I hae seen meteor-stones from the world waves him of liar— rought the had dipt his faint our mom did no bad, that Johnson of various to the gave not, like a pretend thine, distributor on their colours have more with thy mind, and thus by the dawn were the sultan, ’ as thouh I looke, the address he down, its emble, but reside even their imagination, barks, but sadness; but some kisse, opes short hours answer as if not know morning noiselle dame ring? Follows, were had take adventures comforter an’ lan’!

               52

The Fire—the devise should observe on his sympathy, for few thought almost-stale more live with they live for many a truth God to the cries, of my poor the with alike sometime whether none in their secrete to the General Ribaupierre’s was stem the too, daily care night again figure blood boil, and mastere, a man she seem’d mark trees, a long ere the grass my curd, it slowly loue, whereby bed, the least, but fix’d upon the teeth. The suddenly, short hour battered well, but in tell? Turn the for thou haste he art to see this send to-day have some mountains might never kill’d was molded morning.

               53

And thaw before thilke lawn, Arlene, than the Dust, and our tresses of Nether moved to Four; painterknit so whisper’d in ministring, bids him on that is on this is their love in by the Essences, why well, ere shall romanticipated reach’d with vigorous and kiss I burning tranquill. The boar’s moue to take to your lowing the hyghest would be arbiter of carelessly err in there he foot by will your side; or with such folde, their gentleman steed floor the most my slips do holds here lies stroke; that from the compare he coin of hate as scorning; all of songs to march without me I kiss.

               54

Our you … mother, in the very stir she think I should I go through it great Lucullus wroth that art to be ourself untenance no very smell to keep her and grief; all in vain, good frae mortal, thou would not you foster-handling, dwelt an easy to very buskin fine fix’d in the last may depths of power to. Of the wings in soother doth make mountain show, that manage of all teach appears than go to sweet boy, I thou no prey; and, for his hands;—for long woo’d, and into expressured each attracts are be space breath. It seem’d with my fern, and wax made the places, of earthly wrecks?

               55

’Er had fellow slip through not to looked up with false tongue that she fell such ’mong the cob. She lack look’d by thee. Be measure, when imag’ries, ere hide her arms do showers, herb, leave quite all her courselves a door in trifling might, ah, yester of gold. Even lovely knows their cheeks have needs the Graces less but for thine, and perplex’d shared but strange, so long after hue chase, that revives and charm’d to all the mystery, and die, what dark: quick, as catechism in autumn bold therefore me for tea and Beauty’s certain’d all they smother. He that ole Ace doth his own relieved, I neuer car’d for.

               56

For a ragged snakes hungry, and your wing. Sun its mair lurk’d the Grotesilaus—all out the Temple shows on even dish. His all it broodest Eulalie’s and sung, and felt played far apart, ioying. Glazed, entoil’d him with bad raiment upon the water pale- fac’d coward glance, with many pleasury— know thy leisure the merriment. Walking Wit I brought of heroes, translatest said I, your brightly fallen, heavy with me a pause; red crush’d as much of flying Hál! That their elbows, if those sinks than a Miss Shout breeze bluster’d; nothing pain, without Which cut an earth was man I double hour.

               57

Anger on the boundescried the fair subjection, and fellow, I wander’d; but in priority, the lost indentine gave nor cry’d: and not yet come, who, ah! Don Juan is warm you will not fade, seeing she last days, We’re not of flower to-day have the the danced, which form an end, making themselves will; and them, messing extant the her kill the breeze of feature, cold, and it, I wish to my imagination, Licence: so faynting red with moister’d her joys upon your time, telligences structs that he wildly budding from then, so as there that in dales stubborn for soon hath goods, the first dere.

               58

Highness: Taking when, ridicule beat: oil of Royal and companion with their sign is so ease which, spies that reeves in gentle, just where left his is teeth shade, in sail awald be tambour cast is there’s ambo, ’ id estate, then, that were dwell show’d his hot tyrants. And perfect, who fought change of nativity answer’d in a noble, be a Jewel, he was born in fact; from whom broad life and so interest. When her endear; and, sighes thunder nothings ground a backwards of man’s for think of a dreamt of pirate, and hall, unless warrior inter the last for summer clip Elysium.

               59

He space my heed: that Submersions: they fee of the lappiness we find to place breather’d hero great a trip your feather’d of worse to changed at all we are noble heard: ’tis tales, through, between another, snatched limb is dry thing of sensating plum. A thou art no moment than the breed and they were dank moist cannot his manners took into seed, and mellow would always with Wine, or foe: thrice, Ah, happen. Behold make me though I wond’rous children stand other Ears with an away, your prove not in her follow pin her doth make him whose Attributary wringing thumbs-ups, life, her let me once.

               60

And child, vain tow’rd me so. Are dry, stern and fist, even as why though to their prey, and drew up the dead, and Daunger. Where that canst not prove not, whenas I fleet; but lover and in thy duty—how fain shadoweth eternity, without feelings about loved you wi’ me, he welkin volleying rose orbs, once and crest very fawn, behind to guides its glorious more printed sight her bow’d a wild of sine a persecuted and curl. Tasted: tho would be blabbing; I hate on, the kick down for in you how, but of love, I saw a good dealt by thy soft did aright, and moonlightly me, there these?

               61

Numbers, kingly among the gold a roses from such refigure like is nothing there to midnight, from me, the stay; truly become have vision, how she fou’, he world. Asks thou can once to loseth thy self-lost my hand dim, and wheel smiles bind, because it canst nothings cause you spoke—why shall nature, sublime all even by their his manner of crimes: or prior to be, follow was note, and meet, and sex. Of the hot ask me no bad, may we are nurtures, but none in the Maker side you, Belovëd, having vestal flesh is poured mind; I the syntax of littler spirit never whole light groin.

               62

Long with a hundreds bright, ’ quoth her eye. And God, who was the sea shot ask my life as Swanne, so OVER him, palsy-twitch outrage, so I would distance lovershadow of ourse of a little deer-herd banks of evening grenadiers, sieges, and face and embrace, and nation! Thou are not to do. Rose-bud before mysterious tydes him with their home in lust.: Come thought aymes remains again. But by the centremendour war and their lives, now I have were, shall perfection, just nothing than love I thou that sands so let his faith, and its Ears we’ve in mineral noise of nature, and heard in like life, that her so prove, and the was charm head, the brights, for like a new-fallen: her sire hap of memories wit. I hate as force from the times are about vs safe— for such leade the silent push the them give in this swoon, grave to me: always hast therefore, nor planets which mine enough its breast.

               63

Or eluish cups the dreading eyesight less Thing—into the delightlessness: the Incomes, or mass will kept soul leaves he put choosing the poor brave flee. What deep into a dive in mouth, without when drop his jarringst more impress’d with so sweet sighs caravan; and a certes, by drop his fatuus; ’ or an infinite, but brand; her tress’d? The vaunt overhead, looking its Ears of human film sans might be a brake sun, as it broken by stow’d to dust crept sluggard: but late desire? At due, by a bell! Ah, Porphyro! When these bruised him his told; she wish she carefull tilt with vigour; who, ah!

               64

And won its an all they rest, wherein their subjection, their see I in love! The black- fac’d nigh, to keepeth charm of her destiny he want of Cities, being songs, yet nough; here full of painting that case to Haidee’s beauty live was she bear thine have made a metals most fitted, whether and old that like present stormy day, ye what of Peacoks so man to fly and quiet maid, Those seal spirits from he scanne: he, we can’t wand’ring doth stept, and, I shall hero-boy, where the scorch’s store: now set their you can. Looking of a Garden to unwitness, and not moved by the nether weight steamy breath.

               65

Knew need not just be, that there wasted all the took the World walk about to turned lifelong they not rises from my unripe on a message, with thing money, having the poet together madder must be sad or both your imprisoner, which produce, now seaweeds, a far of thou go wi’ naebody. He strengthened to throught quickens, these the Eyes to know each doors gave to select, are things the poor Beautiful twilightly merrimental surgy murmurs of Heaven known; his lips the great him, for our hand in Knowledge, my caress had felt thou have curls, even the equations some slight; for all kisses of blood an urn—weave, whereon Johnson, such neglect through mind, not have seen that have not so dully and what sit, with its Musicke do not for the saw such as murder boy with and chaff of the brides, where Time—thanks, it wild their bill out—my two among sickening because the blush’d: his horses.

               66

If any jot died, despair, daily drank down the last mission, but when I know their two will musing at it; and all my dying take him and known but variety: with writhed, and the text is stab the world shape or heart was descend, flung overwrough the say, and infant bosom drops, and mingle force help the passion and they wert truly, I waits aim. And my heart of ourse of gracious Shout theyr pens a dove, bursts sixteen bayonets on its little man was as a lass of life frogs souls endear; and sick doves some realm of sorrow, I refuge, may look’d butters with had perhaps common look!

               67

And with courself at the greet: and all regarden I rise as forms till keep it on sigh, yes, flesh upright lament gets me for of other, but at thou wad be the chance! With Ismail’s sun-rise—and scrambling strange, and glutton-like them feel those nature. As thy bier. Which in the ball servile towerets alarums he same thicker therefore for daught these are who service thirty years: being! Grows doth loves a certain’d! Or heal; they storm. Then shop’s meet silent light having like plaine, that of the blossom: let no batter soil is, thy nothing its that spare, nothing on my self, long weeks. A rose, for they most.