#maybe I should run back and grab all my stuff then come trespass in this museum

[caterpillarinacave]

You gather your nerves a moment, which is fair, strange doors have not been so innocuous for you as of late, then creep up to the establishment and push open the door, it gives easily and quietly you slip in, behind the door is small hallway with thick curtains you brush aside, you're looking at a small illuminated room that you would guess is the entrance to the museum, but there's no one manning the front, you call out and knock on the desk yet no answer, you've already come this far so you go further in.

At first it's just pictures on the walls in moderately open spaced windowless rooms, the pictures themselves are interesting, supposed creatures sighted, this places versions of UFO's and Bigfoot's, but also nothing you haven't flipped past in the books you've been searching, the next room is the same and you're beginning to feel the weight of your trespassing misconduct the longer you linger, the museum seems to be set up in a circle so if you keep going forward you should end up back at the front so you move on, the next room has a large curtained off display that takes up most of the back wall, your curiosity piqued you move to pull aside the curtain, the fabric is soft and slides beneath your fingers, you raise it just enough to see a picture on the wall of a strange landscape, short blue and grey plants and a dusty pink sky, in the picture is a smiling man holding a book and looking passed the camera, on his jacket dangles a white key...

"May I ask for an explanation?! Our door is closed for the night hours."

You drop the curtain and turn to find an older gentleman looking at you from across the room, he seems irritated and mildly alarmed, you hurriedly apologize and explain the door was open and rush to ask about the display behind the curtain, he is not impressed with your questions and asks that you leave, realizing your unfortunate situation you acquiesce and ask for the hours you can visit instead, he gives you a time and pointedly tells you the cost of the entrance fee as well, you head back to your friends place, your heart in your throat, this is the closest you've been to figuring out what to do next in almost a week, the itchy paranoia of last worlds government catching you shadowing your every move.

You reach your friends place, they're still out probably picking up dinner, you are still caught off guard at times by how similar this place is to your world, sure their versions of things are a little odd, the tv is circular, doorframes rounded out, other little oddities, it's all so similar though you may as well just be in another country maybe, with a strange accent.

You decide to take this moment to add to your journal and look over your things, while you did a quick inventory check when you first got here you haven't checked the items themselves until now.

Your walkie crackles when you flip it on, same as ever.

Your phone remains serviceless but fills its charge when you turn it on and off. Interestingly you notice it trying to pick up a wifi signal and when you check there seem to be a couple networks nearby, locked though.

The funnel still amplifies the noises around you and you hear the neighbors discussing something on the tv next door as clearly as if they were speaking to you. When you look through the funnel you don't notice anything. You hold it back up to your ear listening to all the different things around you and pull out the spinning top, as soon as the top hits the table the noise disappears, confused you look at the funnel and then listen again, but no noise, the top falls over and the noise returns. Strange.

The berries taste fresh and make you feel better, but you are running low even though you resupplied a bit before leaving.

The dog tags seem unchanged and your key and whistle seem the same as ever.

When your friend gets back you ask about the wifi, they call it something else, but once you parse it out they help you set it up. Your phone can now access their version of the internet so your friend shows you a program to message them just in case. They also give you a device to keep in your pocket that connects you to the wifi wherever you go, so you can contact them while you're out and about. You tell them about the museum you saw earlier, how you think it may be a lead, and the old man running the place. They seem excited for you and make plans to join you tomorrow to go see it.

You go to bed that night thinking of your plans for the morning and turn over the strange dreams or images you remember from when you passed through the door. You slip off into an uneasy sleep, gold threads weave from dream to dream until you stand before an open doorway of light, something about this doorway is wrong though, you can feel it, you reach out to touch, the crackles of energy electrifying the air...someone reaches out and stops you, you can't see their face but you hear them as if through water. You can almost make out the words...you know they're speaking to you, you just can't hear it well enough.

You turn to them, but you still can't see anything but their lips, it looks like their telling you to stop...to go...you can't make it out.

"...op...ea...G...ome!"

With that last echoing and indecipherable shout you awaken to the dark room, the walkie crackling from where you left it.

"S....l....o...h..." You fumble with it a second but the sounds die out no longer sounding like anything but static again. You don't end up sleeping much after that.

The next day you both head out to go to the museum. You take a minor detour to check the Door, but when you get close you see the alley has been blocked off, you notice some people from the last dimension around, their odd features sticking out to you but hidden away to fit in with the locals.

You cross the street with your friend and try to stay inconspicuous. Probably best stay away from here going forward.

You guys make it to the museum and head inside where the old man from last night mans the desk, your friend pays for the tickets and he hands them to you along with a pamphlet.

You don't bother looking at all the things you saw last night, your friend follows though obviously intrigued by the pictures. You reach the curtained wall and pull back the fabric, but find there's nothing there, dusty spots frames may have hung and empty tables where things had obviously been displayed are all that's left.

In shock you stand confused, your friend catches up and looks behind the curtain curious, you explain it's all gone, they seem befuddled as well. Obviously the content behind the curtain has been moved but it can't be far right? Maybe it's just in the back. Either way, it feels like someone is hiding something from you. You notice a door leading to the back that's for employee's.

Do you go through the door?

yes

[ijustwant2write]

Runaway-Finn Shelby x Reader

(GIF credit to @dialnfornoir​)

Masterlist

Summary: On her brisk walk home, (Y/N) witnesses a brutal Peaky Blinder attack, attempting to run away when Finn Shelby comes after her, only to sweep her off her feet.

Characters: Finn Shelby x Reader

Meanings: (Y/N)=Your name 

(Y/L/N)=Your last name

Warnings: Violence, fighting, blood, fluff

                                      *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Come on (Y/N), not even one drink? We won't even make you stay, just the one!" my friend moaned as I denied their proposal of going to the Garrison.

"You said that last time, and I ended up staying until early hours." I laughed.

They all put their hands together as they started begging. I also laughed at this, embarrassed by the attention that was suddenly on us.

"No, seriously. I have to be good with money this month. Thanks to you lot, I'm having to be frugal for the rent."

They sighed."Fine, we won't make you come. But you will be missed. Just get home safe, OK?"

"I will. You too, please don't get too drunk and end up sleeping outside."

"That was one time!"

I shook my head as we giggled, waving goodbye when I turned to walk home. We had just finished work, so it was still relatively light out; I would say it was less dangerous to walk alone, but we did live in Small Heath. Yawning after the long, boring shift, I adjusted my coat around me, trying to keep warm. All I wanted was a good dinner, get cleaned up and snuggle into bed, maybe read a few chapters of the book I had if my eyelids could stay open. I was only in my early twenties and already feeling like an old woman.

Home wasn't far, a good twenty minute walk, which could be a bad thing if it was raining, a lovely stroll if not. I lived in the better part of Small Heath (if there even was one), walking home from work had never been an issue. Until I heard the unfamiliar sounds of desperate begging and crying, as well as thumps and slaps of skin of skin contact. My eyes widened, heart beat accelerating when I realised someone was begging for their life. There was no other way home for me, I had to take this route. What I should have done was turn around to join my friends for that drink, but the natural human tendency to be curious took over. As I cautiously continued my way home, I couldn't help but glance down the alleyway behind a row of houses, spotting four young boys surrounding an older man, who looked like he was being beaten to a pulp by one of them. I froze, having never seen a brawl like this up close. It was as if I were delayed, somehow taking ages to register that I had to leave before they spotted me.

Unfortunately one of their heads snapped up to look at me, tapping his friends on the shoulder, pointing at me as he shouted for them to stop. My legs still wouldn't move, staring at the man who's face was soaked red with his own blood. It wasn't until one of the young men started approaching me that I sprinted away, suddenly terrified about what could happen to me.

I cursed myself for being such a bad runner, as well as the shoes I was wearing. My lungs were working incredibly hard, my throat drying up whilst my mind panicked as it tried to remember which way was home. I let out a scream as the boy grabbed me, crying out in pain when they pushed me against the brick wall. Attempting to scramble out of their hold was useless, they were pushing their whole weight on me, I had no escape.

"(Y/N)?" he said my name.

My eyes widened, realising who had a hold of me. It was Finn Shelby.

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N)? We went to school together. You might not remember me, but we definitely did."

"Of course I remember you! You're Finn fucking Shelby.”

"Oh right."

"Please don't hurt me."

He looked confused."Hurt you? Why would I do that?"

"Well, you're currently pinning me against a wall, and I'm finding it a bit hard to breathe if I'm honest."

He glanced down, quickly pushing himself away from me. I tried to hide getting my breath back, letting out a quick cough. It seemed he wasn't going to hurt me, and he wasn't being sadistic about that phrase either.

"I'm sorry. You alright?"

I slowly nodded, still wanting to be on the safe side.

"I remember you from school. Obviously changed a lot, though I have seen you from time to time."

"Right."

"Look, uh, what you saw back there, I need you to forget it."

"Finn," I was scared to say his name but I did anyway,"you almost killed him."

"You know I'm a Peaky Blinder, right?"

"How could I not? And are you trying to justify what you did?"

"(Y/N), he ran a brothel using children."

"Oh."

"I mean, you couldn't have known that, so I can see how that looks from a different perspective."

"Well, I totally agree with your actions then."

"I still need you to keep quiet about the whole thing."

"Um, of course."

"Where were you headed?"

This was the longest conversation I had ever had with Finn, with a Peaky Blinder. I briefly remember him as a child, you never do have specific memories at such a young age, though I probably played with him during break time.

"Home."

"Let me walk you."

"No, honestly it's fine, it's not far."

"I insist. Part of my apology for scaring you earlier."

"Part of your apology?"

"Yeah, I'm taking you out for drinks tomorrow."

I started thinking I might have been in a dream."Sorry?"

"Do you always act this surprised at what people say? A catch up drink."

"That's alright, really, if you're trying to make it up to me-"

"Come on, just one?"

It was like deja vu.

"If you're busy tomorrow, we can always go tonight. Yeah, you know what? Let's do that instead!"

"No, Finn, really I'm fine."

"I won't take no. Please, it'll be nice, I promise all I'm asking for is a drink."

I felt obligated to go, still in a bit of shock from what happened. But my friends were at the Garrison, if they saw me with Finn they would think I was ditching them, and what would it look like for me to be walking in with a Shelby?! However, I felt bad when I saw how happy Finn was; and even if he tried anything later I would undoubtedly slap him, I wasn't afraid of that (I tried to convince myself). When I agreed, his smile grew even bigger, instantly heading towards the pub.

I was trying to focus on what he was babbling on about, only my mind was preoccupied with the dreaded stares of my friends. That was one fo the worst things you could do as a girl, ditch your friends for a boy. Then there would be questions about how I met him, why didn't I tell them, why didn't I bring him along to drinks etc. I'd look like any other desperate girl that tried to cling onto the arm of any Shelby, desperate for a taste of the dangerous, gangsta life, even if it was just for one night.

As we walked in, I felt sick, immediately spotting my friends on their usual table they always tried to grab. They hadn't seen me yet, so I attempted to hide behind Finn, keeping my head down as we stood at the bar.

Finn was served first before anyone else."Whiskey Harry, and you?"

"Um, wine please."

"Just put them through the window, yeah?"

I was confused when we walked to the private room, it felt like I was trespassing. Though this gave me a good hiding place from my friends, chancing to glance back at them before disappearing. They still hadn't seen me.

Finn casually sat down, looking relaxed. I stood, not sure whether to join him, which was a stupid thing to think when he had invited me.

"Are you going to stand there the whole time?" he chuckled.

I said nothing as I sat down opposite him, not wanting to become trapped in the booth with him. I still wasn't sure what to say once seated, hating that this could become awkward at any second.

"Are you OK? You seem a bit shaken up still." he asked.

"I'm fine." I squeaked out, knowing he could see right through me.

"You're all nervous, what's wrong?" he smirked.

I sighed."My friends are out there."

"Oh, well go tell them to join us."

"No!" I snapped too quickly."Look, I said no to drinks earlier, hence why I was on my way home, and I was scared what they would think or feel if they saw me waltz in with you."

"Don't want to be seen with a Blinder?"

"No, just didn't want them to think I chose a boy over my friends."

He gave me a pointed look.

"And I guess it would seem strange if I suddenly walked back in with a Blinder."

"Why did you say no in the first place?"

"Because money is tight. That was another reason I was hesitant to come, honest."

"You're not paying (Y/N)."

"Oh, Finn-"

"No, because I literally get this stuff for free." the small window into the room opened."Speaking of."

He reached over and grabbed our drinks, handing mine to me before clinking the glasses together. Unlike Finn, who threw the whole drink back, I sipped on my wine, and god was it good. He slammed the glass back down onto the table, letting out a satisfied breath.

"So what have you been up to since school?"

"Well, I've got a job at this clothes shop, you might have passed it but we only deal with women’s clothing, so I doubt you’ve been in. Uh, I actually started there as a shop assistant after I left school, you know, running errands and doing the little things no one else wanted to do. Then they started giving me proper jobs, I’m also a book keeper now and-” I glanced at Finn, realising that I was rambling,“-sorry, I’m talking too much.”

“No, no you’re not.” he chuckled, waving a hand in the air.

“Long story short, I work in a clothes shop. What about you?”

I closed my eyes as soon as I finished my sentence, wincing at my stupidity.

“I didn’t mean, I wasn’t trying to be smart or pry, obviously I know...no I don’t know...”

“You’re cute when you stumble over your words.”

I wasn’t expecting that.“E-excuse me?”

Before things could get any more awkward, the door opened, making us both jump. I felt my heart drop down into the pit of my stomach when I saw who it was, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me; his brothers were here.

“What the fuck are you doing in here Finn boy?”Arthur asked (if you didn’t know all their names, you had to be incredibly simple).

“Failing to get another bird in your bed?” John smirked.

“Shut up John.” Finn spat.“This is (Y/N), she’s an old friend from school.”

They filtered in. John scoffed.“Surprised you remember anything about school. Have you asked him what five pus five is?”

John and Arthur laughed as they sat down opposite us, Thomas standing besides the window for the drinks. I clasped my hands together as they started to shake out of nerves. I was in a room with the Shelby brothers, the men who ran one of the most feared gangs in England, and I had no clue what to do with myself. 

“Um, I think I should go.” I pathetically mumbled out.

“Don’t be rude Finn,” Thomas said,“show the lovely, young lady out.”

Finn was glaring at his brothers as we stood. I slowed down my steps so I didn’t appear to be running away from them. Finn opened the door for me, and I felt weightless as soon as I stepped out of that room. He followed me out, running a hand down his face.

“I’m sorry about them. They’re just being their usual stupid selves.” he apologised.

“It’s alright, really. Don’t tell them they bothered me or anything because they really didn’t.”

“You don’t have to worry. They won’t do anything to you because we had a drink together.”

“Sorry, just not used to...”

“Meeting a gangster?”

I hummed in agreement.“Yeah.”

“Look, I definitely need to go back in there. But I liked this. Apart from how we bumped into each other.”

“Yes, that could have been different.”

“I would like to do this again though.”

“You would?”

“There you go again, acting all surprised. How about this weekend?”

“I-I’m free this weekend.”

“Great. I’ll pick you up at six on Saturday.” he smiled at me, turning to go back into the private room before calling the bartender.“Oh, Harry, another wine for my friend.”

He winked at me, then disappeared into the room. I heard heckling and teasing from his brothers. I could feel that my cheeks were heating up from blushing, though I also couldn’t help but smile. Thanking the bartender for the wine, I quickly took it, freezing when I saw my friends staring at me. Sighing, I took a big gulp of the drink before making my way towards them. This was going to be a longer night than I thought.

[youryanderedaddy]

Hello, dear 💛 firstly, I am congratulating you for your blog, you’re doing an amazing stuff and I’d very delighted to support ya’ 💕 so here’s mine; what about a hitman/assassin yandere who is very infamous in underworld for his reputation finally finding his darling, what would be his first encounter and the after? A little bit smutty maybe? It’s up to you, 🌹

Aww, thank you so much for the support and for the idea. I hope that you will like how it turned out. It isn’t as filthy as I wish it was, but oh well, there is always a next time lol

 Title: Stone cold 

 Tw: female reader, obssessive behavior, non-con, dub-con, veery slight knife play, slight dirty talk 

   You should have known that something was up the very moment someone knocked on your door on a Friday night – it was unusual. Especially when you take into an account the weird accidents that had been happening the last three months. People in the neighborhood went missing one by one, some of your personal items like clothes, lipsticks and even toothbrushes were stolen and you always felt a pair of eyes burning a hole through your back. But still, you didn’t want to freak yourself out and tried to stay positive, reasonable. If someone wanted to take you out, they would have already done it, right?

 While mentally encouraging yourself, you slowly got closer to the black door. By now the knocking had stopped, but you could hear the soft breathing of your visitor outside of the apartment. In a way you really wanted to stop for a second and rationalize why this unknown person was breathing so damn loud, but decided against it – what good would it do anyways? With that in mind you finally reached out to unlock the door and slowly opened it to reveal a man, covered from head to toes in black. The darkness of the corridor had swallowed  all of his recognizable features and you could only make out his eyes, while his mouth and nose were hidden away by a ski mask. And if this wasn’t alarming enough, the bulge in his right pocket looked suspiciously close to the shape of a gun.

“Caught you.” The intruder hummed, looking more than pleased with himself, and his eyes sparkled with a wild emotion you didn’t know the name of. Your body was paralyzed at the sight of the weapon and you were starting to regret moving into such a dangerous area where no trace of a police involvement could be found. Not that you would have the time to call them anyways since the next moment the man had managed to push you  to the floor with a loud „boom”, pinning your body down with his own. You finally gained the courage to scream your heart out, but your terrified cries were quickly muffled by the gloved hand, covering your mouth.

 “You scream one more time and I will drill a fucking hole into your pretty little head.” The man whispered into your ear in a dark, eerie voice. “Right here.” He gently touched your forehead in a clear warning. You broke out into a cold sweat, but remained motionless, immobile. “Do you understand me?” The hitman asked huskily and pressed his elbow into your shrinking stomach. You nodded quickly, your heart now racing so fact you could almost feel the abrupt beats against your skin. You had made a grave mistake opening the door, but it was too late now.

 “Good.” The stranger smirked like a wolf, ready to tear apart the innocent lifeless lamb in front of him. He finally raised his hand away from your mouth. As if to prove your darkest fears and theories, the man suddenly took a sharp shiny knife out of his left pocket and slowly ran it trough your exposed collarbone. He only let the very end touch your skin but its coldness, combined with the adrenaline rushing into your veins, were enough to send you over the edge with fear. “Don’t panic. I have already decided to keep you for myself, so as long as you behave, I have no reason to hurt you. ” The man finally uttered after watching you squirm helplessly for a while, the stupid teasing smile never leaving his lips. He took off his mask and dropped the knife on the ground, just a few inches away from your carotid artery, and fiddled with the first button of your thin shirt. This mere action of his made shivers run down your spine and you couldn’t help, but shut your eyes tight, just for a moment, just to put yourself together.

 “Why are you doing this?” You whimpered, cringing at the way your voice broke into a sob right at the end. You never thought that you would be violated on the cold, hard floor by an unhinged psychopath, but fate always finds a way to screw with us, they say.

 “Do you know who I am, princess?” The man asked with a smug, arrogant expression on his face. You shook your head in response. In an alternative universe you might have thought that the intruder was quite handsome – broad shoulders, dark green eyes, a well defined jaw line and a strong muscular body. But in the current situation the only word you could use to describe the dangerous fellow was insane. He had shamelessly attacked you in your own home, your supposed safe heaven, and showed no remorse whatsoever. “You might not know me, but I know you.” The man continued. “I used to work with your father. ” His gaze was now fixed on you. “I doubt that daddy dearest has ever shared with you what he does for a living, but tell you, it isn’t pretty.” The trespasser lowered his head to bite at the soft skin of your neck, making the hairs on your neck bristle due to the unexpected contact with his teeth and because of that you couldn’t even register the hurtful words he was spitting about your father. You didn’t want to believe him anyways. “But he made a mistake.” The man added, still licking your sensitive skin. “The bastard messed with the wrong people. Stole money from my boss too. Lots and lots of it.”

 “T-that can’t be true.” You moaned in discomfort against your better judgment and tried to kick at his joints out of impulse. But of course, he quickly grabbed your leg before any damage was done and pinned it back to the floor.

 “Oh, but it is, princess. And that’s where I come into the picture.” The man purred contentedly, his attention on you once again. “I am quite infamous in the underworld, ya see. ” He stopped to make air quotes with his fingers. “ My name is Edgar, I am an assassin. I would kill anyone and everyone for the right price. ” For a second the murderer stared at intensely. You could swear that his eyes turned red in a spar of moments and in them you saw a mixture of bloodlust and a desire for flesh. “So when  they asked me to hunt you down in order to mess with your dad, I obviously agreed. It started off as a way to make an easy buck, but the more I followed you around and collected private information, the more I postponed killing you.” The man sighed, seemingly frustrated with himself. “At first I thought that I wanted to plan out your disposal well ahead of time and that’s why I was wasting so much time, but soon enough I realized I was interested in you.” He smiled softly this time as if he was recalling a pleasant memory, involving you. “You were so sweet, so… normal. I wanted you.”  The assassin admitted at last and took a deep breath. His little confession had made you vivid, frantic with worry, and suddenly you were a living, breathing creature again. You scratched at the back of his neck and summoned all of your strength left to get your hand out of his grasp. You tried to punch him right in the face, but your attempts were fruitless as he easily overpowered you. Before you could strike again the ruthless killer picked up his knife from next to you and put the blade under your chin. His eyes sparkled with childlike excitement.

 “There is no point in fighting me. Everyone already thinks you’re dead, I made sure of it.” The man moved the edge down, stopping at your cleavage. He licked his lips suggestively and the alarms in your mind went crazy all over again. “Your life belongs to me – your body and your heart too. I will take you right here and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” Edgar laughed cruelly as he cut the fabric of your blouse, revealing your chest, hidden by your plain bra. With one swift move the string holding it together was ripped apart and your upper body was fully exposed to the hungry eyes of the stranger. He cupped your breasts with his palms and massaged them gently, twisting your erect nipples lightly with his fingers. You wanted to numb the unfortunately pleasurable feeling but it wasn’t going away as the intruder kept on teasing the swollen tips.

 “S-stop!” You protested, shaking your shoulders violently. Everything was starting to feel too real and you couldn’t let the savage man take away from you something so intimate and personal. In the end he paid no mind to your continuous struggles and selfishly did as he wished.  Soon enough his hand traveled down your thighs, to your crotch. Edgar slid his wrist beside the elastic waistband of your panties and wasted no time, starting to rub the sweet spot between your legs. You held back a moan, as the embarrassment washed over you.

 “Don’t hold your voice back, princess.” The assassin growled in your ear, pressing harder on your sensitive bud. You couldn’t help, but cry out due to the intense pleasure you were receiving. “Yeah, just like that, let me hear you.” The man kept fingering you, while you arched your back, and eventually you felt yourself getting damp down there. The killer chuckled, satisfied with your cute reaction and the way you were squirming around his forefinger.

 “You act like you hate all of this, but your pussy is so wet, baby.” He suddenly drew his fingers in and out of your entrance, making a lewd pop of splashing juices just to get his point across. “You might turn out to be a little slut after all, huh.” Edgar whispered in your ear and licked the trace of salty tears down your scarlet cheeks. Your face felt red and hot, your eyes were still shut tight. The way his touch made you feel was so invasive, yet ecstatic none the less

 After the man had stretched you properly, he was ready to claim his prize. The assassin had spent so much time stalking you, following you, desiring you and now he finally had you in his arms, exposed and split open for him alone. Moving down to leave wet kisses and love bites along your shoulders and collarbone, the intruder lowered himself onto your tight, sloppy hole and you felt his hard erect member rubbing onto your tight entrance. A new powerful wave of hot, choking tears fell down your cheeks as you shook your head violently.

 “Please, I am begging you, don’t do it!” You whimpered, defeated and light-headed from the fear, arousal and adrenaline, pumping in your veins. Edgar ignored your pathetic pleas and instead decided to shut you up by gently pressing his lips against yours, moaning into his little seal of love. He pushed his big throbbing cock into your heat ruthlessly, unable to wait any longer, simply using your wetness as a lube. The murderer started thrusting into you in a steady, harsh rhythm, without giving you the time to adjust to his inhuman length. In just a few minutes your mind had stopped worked and you were reduced to a mumbling mess of tiny moans and mewls.

 “S-shit, you feel so good, princess. So fucking tight.” The man exclaimed, breathing heavily and quickly moving his hips back and forth along the way. One particular move of his send you very close to the edge and your walls clenched down on his dick, which didn’t go unnoticed. “Did I hit your sweet spot?” The man smirked, running a hand trough his sweaty dark hair. The other one went straight to your nipples, twisting and rolling them once again. You couldn’t stop yourself from crying out in unwanted, but intense pleasure. “Wanna cum, baby?” Edgar teased, as he touched every part of you  – your breasts, your belly and your soft thighs. “Wanna squirt all over my cock?” The criminal kept taunting you, driving you crazy little by little. “Do it. Cum for me, princess.” Soon enough your sensitive, over stimulated body convulsed as the powerful hot orgasm washed over you. You felt dizzy, tired and lost. Unfortunately, the crazed man wasn’t finished yet – he kept thrusting and thrusting, until he finally released into your very core.

 Once his breathing calmed down, the intruder pecked your cheek tenderly, pulling you in his lap. It went better than he had imagined it would.

 “You did so well, princess. So good for me.” Edgar stroked your hair lightly, whispering sweet nothings into your ear. But you couldn’t make half of his words as exhaustion and shame overtook your tired mind, the voice in your head screaming louder than the man’s love affirmations. But maybe it was better that way – anything else would be too painful after everything that had happened. “You are mine now.” The killer spoke after a while, before hugging you even tighter. Soon enough you would realize there wasn’t an easy way out of his warm, deathly embrace.

[ecto-american]

Stuck (Stubbornly)

Phic Phight Oneshot for @deuynndoodles​ : Jack and Maddie are stuck in the Ghost Zone. Fortunately for them, Phantom's around and willing to help out. However, they'll rather be arrested by a ghost warden and put in ghost jail before they'd allow some teenage menace to help them. Oh wait...

Read on AO3 or FFN

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"Should we call Jazz or Danny?" Jack suggested.

Maddie stared out into the unending void of the Ghost Zone. It hurt to think that their voyage, a trip that they had been planning out for months, would end so soon already, but they had barely made any progress when they realized just how much fuel the Specter Speeder was guzzling. Something was wrong.

"...Not yet," she determined. "We should have emergency fuel. We should be able to get back without any problems. Can you refill?"

"You got it," Jack replied, and he got out of the co-pilot seat. She could hear him go to the back, and shuffling around. He didn't say anything for a while, and that immediately began to unnerve her, but she kept her attention on the dashboard, trying to think of what went wrong when building. Was their fuel lines loose? Was there gas leaking everywhere? "Uh, Mads? I'm not seeing it?"

Her blood froze, but no need to panic. Maybe he just didn't see…

Maddie walked to the back and checked. And checked. Moved some stuff around, checked some more.

They had no emergency fuel.

"Why don't we go outside and check the engine?" Jack suggested. "Maybe we can figure something out." With a dry mouth, she nodded, and they hesitantly went outside to check.

There were no ghosts around, thankfully, just an endless green void. They knew that they would be safe breathing in the GZ air, thanks to their prior tests and experiments. They hooked themselves to a rope using a carabiner clip, the other end tied tightly to the speeder. Floating unnerved her, and she kept a hand on the speeder as they went to the front of the speeder. Jack popped the hood, and smoke floated out, making Maddie's heart sink. This was definitely not a good sign at all, or something that could be a simple fix.

"Need some help?"

Maddie looked over her shoulder to see…

"Absolutely not," she scowled. Phantom was floating nearby.

"Are you sure?" he asked. He floated up a bit higher to glance at their vehicle. "Looks like you got. Well, uh, basically car trouble."

"Leave. Now."

Phantom opened his mouth to say more, but Maddie pulled her ecto-gun out.

"We don't want help from some lowlife ghost!" she hissed. Phantom put his hands up in surrender and flew away.

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

An hour passed, and they decided to take a break working on the engine. Every possible problem that she could think of had been exhausted, and she had to take a break to both cool down and think. She sat on the steps leading into the speeder, with Jack deciding to lay on the floor of the inside.

"Fuel line wasn't broken, none of the lines were cut or had knicks. There's no reason it should be draining so much gas," Jack thunk aloud. "There shouldn't be anything besides the engine that the gas is going to, and there's no weird random connections to anywhere else. The battery's still good."

"And we forgot the emergency fuel," Maddie slumped over. Jack sighed.

"It's my own fault," he replied. "I should have checked to make sure Jazz and Danny had properly put all the supplies in. A proper exploration team always triple checks before a voyage."

Maddie could only give a low hum of agreement as she stared out into the zone. She felt somebody pat the side of the speeder, and she scowled as she saw Phantom grinning at her, giving a half way.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"I brought help this time," Phantom told her, and he jerked a thumb behind him. It was finally then that she noticed the Red Huntress. Maddie raised an eyebrow.

"How in the world…" she murmured, only to trail off as she stared at the two of them. Jack sat up, and he poked his head out of the speeder.

"Oh dope! It's my favorite huntress!" Jack boomed. Red seemed bashful at the comment, shifting her weight onto her other foot and rubbing her upper arm.

"I mean, if you don't trust me or want my help, I figured you'd be willing to let a human help," Phantom explained, motioning towards Red.

"So, do you need help?" Red finally spoke up. She reached down to pat her left calf. "I have some tools with me, but I can always go and fetch more."

Something in Maddie's gut told her that this was very, very odd. Humans and ghosts working together so...willingly like this. She had taken note that Phantom and Red hadn't hunted each other down or fought like they used to, but she just assumed that they didn't quite run into each other that much anymore. Both were unpredictable with odd schedules and routines.

She glanced at Jack, who despite his initial enthusiasm, seemed to share her feelings, and she shook her head no.

"We'll be fine," she insisted. "You two should leave."

Red stared at Phantom, who shrugged his shoulders.

"So, wanna just go get some boba tea?" Phantom asked.

"And just leave them here?" Red scowled, motioning to the Fentons.

"They don't want our help," he replied. Red glanced from Phantom and the Fentons, who studied the two of them. She finally shrugged as well.

The two began to idly chat as they flew off, their conversation becoming more and more distant.

"That was weird," Maddie mused.

"Yeah, I thought she and Phantom were rivals," Jack mused. Maddie shrugged. Right now she wasn't too invested in the mystery. She'd worry about that later when they got home.

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

Judging by their phones (which they had worriedly learned that they oh-so-helpfully had no reception in the land of the undead), another hour passed since Phantom and Red had left. Jack was deep into the engine, fiddling with a possible solution to the problem as Maddie stood nearby. She continued to think as she looked around. She was surprised that they hadn't been bothered by now.

"Trespassing in an unauthorized vehicle that is also a real world item," a deep southern voice boomed. Well, she absolutely spoke too soon.

They whipped their heads to see a huge, hulking figure, an all white man with a black hat, black gloves and wearing a suit of white.

"Ghost!" Jack squawked. He scrambled to grab his gun, Maddie already having hers drawn. The ghost frowned deeply. Maddie was finally very aware of just how many ghosts were surrounding them. Too many to count, but they all looked exactly like the ghosts that terrorized Amity Park years before, all identical and matching in uniform that resembled a SWAT team. There was also vehicles resembling police cars and police vans.

"Resisting arrest. That's against the rules," he continued. He opened a large green and white book in his hands, flipping to another page. "Assault and battery with a deadly weapon." He glanced up at them with an angry glare. "Y'all are going away for a long, long time."

"We're not going anywhere," Jack frowned. He charged up his weapon.

Maddie looked around, and she shivered anxiously. There was no way they could take on all these ghosts. She nudged Jack, and he side-eyed her curiously. She lowered her weapon, and she used her head to motion around them. Jack blinked as he looked himself, and all of his confidence left him. He also lowered his weapon.

"We'll go," Maddie finally spoke. The ghost smirked, and he knocked on the side of a police van. The back opened up.

"Surrender your weapons," he ordered.

One of the SWAT ghosts came forward with his arms outstretched. Reluctantly, the adults handed their weapons over, detaching themselves from the speeder and getting into the van.

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

Their cell was a lot like a normal cell, and it was just them. Iron bars, no windows, single toilet, and four bunk beds. Jack was laying on one of the beds, facing the fall, as Maddie laid on the one across from him, staring up at the bunk bed above her.

Of course. Of course they ended up in ghost jail. It was just their luck. Though a scientist part of her was giddy at knowing that ghosts had some kind of legal system! Who would have known!

As she tried to start figuring out what on earth to do, she heard something banging against the jail bars.

She immediately sat up, staring to see Phantom making the noise by banging something in his hand on the bars. He was staring at them with a bright smile, and it only made her mood drop even more.

"Phantom!" Maddie hissed, standing fully and going up to the bars. "How did you find us?"

"We came back to check on you guys and see if you changed your minds," Phantom explained. Jack got up from his own bed to come over, looking surprised to see the infamous ghost teen. "Technus and Skulker were looting your speeder, and they said Walker arrested you. So we came by as quickly as we could."

The Fenton adults could see Red nearby, glancing around the corner. She was keeping watch.

"We're not going with you," Jack replied. Phantom rolled his eyes.

"Okay, and what? Stay here forever? Never see your kids again?" he asked. Their faces instantly dropped. "So do you wanna go home or not?"

Maddie narrowed her eyes at him before noticing that he was holding a metallic-looking cup of boba tea and raising an eyebrow.

"You brought a snack with you," she said. Phantom shrugged, offering it to her.

"Want a sip?"

"No! Just!" Maddie glanced at Jack worriedly, and he mirrored her expression. They, unfortunately, knew that they really...didn't have a choice. "Get us out of here!"

"Danny, you may wanna hurry it up," Red's voice called out softly to them. Maddie did a double take. Oh yeah. Danny Phantom. Huh, she kinda forgot about that.

Phantom nodded, and he dropped the boba tea, letting it float in the air as he phased them out of the jail cell. Maddie stared at him.

"Wait, you can just phase through?" she asked. Phantom shrugged.

"Uh, sorta yes, sorta no," he replied, grabbing his tea.

"Danny!" Red's voice hissed. Phantom glanced to her.

"Okay, so super quick rundown of Ghost Zone rules. In the Ghost Zone, you guys are the ghosts, so you basically can fly and phase through objects, so Red can phase through objects and you guys too, but this is also a human cell that only I can get you out, and speaking out getting out, we need to leave. Now," Phantom quickly explained. As soon as he finished, he motioned for them to follow him.

He began to fly towards Red, and they jogged after him. Phantom peered around the corner before pulling back. Red did too.

"How's our escape route looking?" Phantom asked. He took a sip of his drink as Red pulled up a map on her suit. She studied it for a bit.

"Hmm. We may run into some trouble," Red mused. "Best bet is for me to take Mr. and Mrs. Fenton and phase with them out of here, and…" She gave a weird pause. "We'll uh. Wait for you to escape on your own." Phantom sucked on his drink, and the sound of air coming through as he ran out of boba tea grinded Maddie's nerves.

"Oh would you just!" Maddie scowled, and she slapped the cup out of Phantom's hands.

"Hey! I paid for that!" Phantom cried out. He scrambled to pick it up. "They were having an unlimited refills special if you got that cup!" Red snorted in amusement.

"Danny, they kicked you out for getting too many refills anyway," she reminded him. Phantom made a face.

"Well maybe they shouldn't advertise it as unlimited refills then," he retorted.

"Most people don't drink twelve cups of boba tea," she replied.

"Maybe I should be rewarded for being able to drink that much then."

"Hm, we'll debate it later," Red replied. "Look, I'll get them out and meet you on the other side. Got it?"

"Got it," Phantom replied. To Maddie's horror and shock, Red lifted her visor up, but not all the way. Just enough to expose her lips, and she leaned into Phantom to give him a light peck on the lips.

"Be careful," she told him. Phantom nodded.

"I will," he promised. "If I'm not with you in five minutes. Just." He paused. "Leave without me, get the Fentons home, and then come back for me." Red nodded as her visor went all the way down.

"Grab my hands," Red instructed the Fentons. Maddie blinked, reluctantly taking one of her hands. Jack took the other. Red summoned her board, jumping in the air and allowing it to manifest beneath her. She held onto them tightly and flew through the walls.

Instinctively, Maddie closed her eyes as she flew through. Only to feel no impact. A blur of walls impaired her vision with constant flashes of the darkness of being in a thick jail wall and the light of the prison rooms and hallways. She blinked as the neutral green skies of the Ghost Zone finally greeted her, and Red continued flying until they were a decent distance from the prison. And now that she had a moment to think…

"What the hell are you thinking?" she exclaimed to Red. The huntress snapped her attention to her in confusion.

"What? You would have died if we let you stay in there!" she scowled.

"No, not that!" Maddie clarified. "I mean, thank you so much for helping us, but you? And Phantom?"

"Exactly!" Jack agreed. "He's an absolute menace! He's a danger! Don't you guys fight? What happened to all of that?"

She could see a glimpse of Red's face under her heavily tinted visor, and Maddie was sure that the girl looked embarrassed and was likely turning as red as her suit.

"Oh man, it's a looong story," Red sighed heavily. "Uh, best and easiest and quickest way I can explain it is; a lot of the things that made me angry with him was a misunderstanding, and I found out that he's...actually a really sweet guy. I know it's weird to say, but, um. Well, I've never met a guy who was so kind, thoughtful and romantic. My life's kinda hectic, and he just...he really goes out of his way to make it easier on me."

"How so?" Jack wondered.

"Well, like. He does a lot of my household chores and stuff like laundry, bringing me lunch when I have long shifts at work, listening to me when I have a bad day," she explained. "He makes life a lot easier and better."

How cute. If it wasn't between a dead teenage menace and this poor, obviously manipulated girl. It honestly reminded Maddie a lot of her own Danny and his little girlfriend, Valerie. Valerie told her a few times about Danny doing some of her chores at home since Valerie was so busy working and doing school. It kinda pissed Maddie off, since Danny never seemed to remember his own chores at home, but she never felt like bringing it up to him because, well, at least he was really good to her. She'd be ashamed of him if he was any lesser.

"Hey!" Phantom called out as he zoomed towards them. "Let's go! Quick!"

Red nodded. She passed Jack off to Phantom, and the two teenagers flew the Fentons home.

[sebstanseabass]

Afterglow (A Bucky Barnes AU fan fiction) - Chapter 1

Afterglow chapters

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Story Description:

❝It's like an afterglow.❞

❝Yes, like an afterglow. If seeing something so beautiful makes you feel good then the after of it all must be... more pleasurable.❞

❝A lot of people tend to miss that detail after sunset. But not you. You're a photographer, y/n. The details in nature, in people, are some things you can never miss.❞

But there's one little detail you had missed, that you both missed: that you've already met years earlier.

You're a 25-year old photographer and part-time bartender, and has heard countless stories about the adventures of your roommate's stepbrother, Bucky Barnes -- a clumsy, party-driven 38-year old businessman. One day, you stumble upon Bucky inside your apartment on a Saturday night that would change both of your lives forever as you both take pleasure in the afterglow.

A/N: I already have this on Wattpad but with a female OC. This is my first ever Bucky Barnes fan fic and I hope you guys like it :)

CHAPTER ONE

"Hey, y/n. I think Nick wants to ask you out on a date." Peter Parker, your roommate, brought his beer bottle towards his mouth. His eyes were fixated somewhere while you were wiping droplets of beer on the countertop. You looked at his face features illuminated by the light from his laptop. "You should really put coasters here, y'know." he added.

"Shut it, Parker," You rolled your eyes at him, "or no more free drinks for you."

"He's into you." He sang and averted his eyes somewhere. You followed his gaze which was on Nick Miller who was talking to some loud blondes on the booth, taking their orders.

"I'm not talking to you anymore." You put your hand up, blocking Peter's face and walked away. You greeted some customers approaching the bar counter. "Good evening, gentlemen, what would you like to drink?"

"Shots of tequila," one replied, "and keep 'em coming, doll!" The other three cheered which you knew annoyed Peter.

The bar was packed tonight. Saturdays were the only days New Yorkers were almost free for a chill drink hangout. College boys hang by the billiards table on the corner, office girls sip their margaritas on one of the booths, thirty-year old women shoot darts on the dartboard as if the board were their husbands, thirty-year old dads with their caps on drinking hard beer on one of the tables, kids who just turned twenty-one ordering their first drink legally, lonely people by the jukebox or on the bar counter telling their sad tales to the bartender and Peter Parker casually drinking beer with a laptop in front of him.

"You really should stop doing your work here on the bar." You approached Peter once more. "You're bumming people out."

Peter raised an eyebrow, his eyes glued on the laptop. "You're bumming me out."

"Seriously, do your business work elsewhere. Go to a coffee place or something. Starbucks isn't that far."

"You know I work better with beer"

"How can I forget?"

You and Peter go way back. You two had met in business school and had been roommates ever since. While you would pull an all-nighter in your shared apartment, Peter would struggle to open the front door, dance around in the living room like he had left feet and threw his final papers on the floor. He'd end up waking up your other roommates, Mickey and Pablo (who would usually join him by the way), leaving poor you cleaning up their mess the next morning. You'd put Peter to bed, seeing as the other morons were incapable of doing so. The next day, Peter's bed would reek of the pungent smell of beer and cigarettes. Though he didn't smoke ("and I never will!"), cigarette smoke disgustingly clung to his clothes and skin, which you found rather unpleasant. Even with all the alcohol in his system, Peter managed to pass all his exams and graduate with flying colors. You hated that.

"I don't get why you drink so much during exam week." You sighed, handing Peter a glass of water. He wasn't an alcoholic but he did turn into one right before midterms and finals start. It was somehow seasonal. According to Peter, it helped him focus. "You're not supposed to drink before a big exam, y'know."

"Hemingway drinks. He writes better when he drinks."

"You're a business major. Not a writer. You don't even read literature."

"Look at you now cleaning other people's messes." Peter chuckled, closing his laptop. You sighed and wiped the counter with much vigor. The four gentlemen from earlier left a pretty big mess toasting shots before they went towards the billiards table.

"Please, this is not the kind of bar you used to go to." You responded, making a gin and tonic. "This is a smoke-free, grope-free, friendly bar. No dancing, no loud stereo music -- just your regular bar where you can relax with your friends after a long day at work."

Peter turned around and tilted his head towards the jukebox. "There's someone dancing right now beside the jukebox."

"Not that kind of dancing." A 20-something year old man was breakdancing to some old beat you've never even heard of.

"Y'know it's really ironic you're working at a bar now. Oh, how you used to hate them."

"It's the only job I can do." You shrugged. "Besides photography, of course. And again, this is not that kind of bar. Think of it like a MacLaren's Pub from that tv show. Kind of funny how it's also just below our apartment building. If only we lived in this building in college, I would've enjoyed bars more."

You once went to one party at a crowded bar where Peter had surprisingly invited you. Writhing bodies pressed up against each other. Body shots from strangers. Toilets that reeked of beer vomit and pee. An "accidental" kiss between you and Peter in the bar that lead into a steamy makeout session as soon as you got in the apartment you both shared. Up to this day, neither of you spoke of that night and perhaps that day wouldn't come -- You really hoped it didn't. Wouldn't want to open a can of worms from the past.

"You're a boring old hag." Peter snorted.

"Hmm, I'd like to disagree. I can make drinks and you can't."

"Oh, you know who can make drinks, though? My stepbrother!"

Ah, yes. His stepbrother. The infamous Bucky Barnes. Born in the upper east side of New York and sadly, out of wedlock. Orphaned at a young age and adopted by a man named Tony Stark who then married Peter's mother. A successful hotel business owner (but not really famous), and the star of Peter's countless stories. Been arrested once for streaking. Got Peter out of detention in high school. Trespassed school premises. TP'd a house during Valentine's Day. Caught naked by a newly-wed in a hotel room. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

"I know. He makes the best bloody drinks of all time." You mimicked Peter the way he would -- insulting and proud -- which he didn't like as he shot dagger-like eyes at you. His expressions changed in a snap.

"Oh, that reminds me. He's in town!"

"I thought he was in Monaco?"

"Yeah, no. He travels a lot."

"Does that mean I now get to meet this famous stepbrother of yours?" You smirked, pulling out shot glasses from one of the cabinets.

"I'm not sure he would want to meet you. You're not exactly in his league."

"You mean snobby and rich?" You laughed while fixing the shot glasses on the counter. "I'm aware."

"I mean classy." He adjusted his tie.

You snickered. "Yeah, all those stories were real classy, Parker. Top-notch."

"You know what I mean, y/n - suits, money, stuff like that. Bucky's changed." One big sip of beer. "I think."

"Ya think?" You scoffed.

"Maybe, I don't know. Haven't spoken to him in a while. He's always traveling and stuff. Hard to keep track of him."

"Sounds to me like he's on a run from the bad guys." You joked which Peter didn't find funny.

"What do you mean?"

Peter idolized Bucky. He was the sole reason why he got into business in the first place -- no, they didn't spend late nights talking in their backyard basketball court about how fulfilling business is and all that crap like brothers would do. Peter just wanted to be like Bucky. To be in the world of money, booze, and then more money. That kind of crap. "It was a joke, Parker. This Bucky sounds like he may have done some stupid stuff but I doubt he's into something illegal or what."

"Yeah, he's a good guy." But even Peter didn't sound convinced of himself. He took a big gulp of his beer.

Nick approached the counter, avoiding your eyes but a smile landed on his lips as soon as he neared you. You could hear Peter chuckling. "Hey, Nick."

Nick acknowledged him by saying a small hello and started preparing a bunch of Bloody Marys for the blonde girls by the booth. Peter watched him, finishing his beer. You gave him a look before walking away to serve some drinks -- which he just mocked in return. With a tray of beer in your right hand, you approached the four gentlemen from before at the billiards table and gave them their drinks. Seeing a couple of girls slide out of one of the booths, you grabbed a washcloth and a bottle spray on the cleaning station and headed to clean the girls' mess. The table reeked of Gin and tonic, Margaritas, Grasshopper, a couple of beers and Long Island Iced Tea. Well, that's a weirdly wild group of friends.

While cleaning up the booth, you glanced up at the printed photographs on the walls which were yours. Black and white portraits of strangers. Flashes of red and blue lights on the streets. Giant buildings. Random people on Central Park and New York streets. Peter drinking beer at the booth with his co-workers. And the owner of the bar who was always cooped up inside his small office. Photos that didn't sell in your exhibit always went to the bar, in hopes that someone might find them somewhat good -- good enough to take home. But that wasn't the case. To them, the photos were just mere decorations at the bar; they just wanted to have a good time and couldn't be bothered to even take one shy glance at the bartender's photos. You wanted to think they just had zero taste when it comes to photography to make yourself feel better but you were wrong. It just made you feel worse.

Just when you were about to turn around, Peter slid into the booth. You almost dropped the things you were holding. "Jesus, Parker."

He looked up at the photos. "Told ya your photos won't sell here."

"That's not what I was thinking." Lie. You walked towards the bar counter with Peter on your tail. He sat once more on the high stool and immensely watched as you placed some glasses on the counter.

"Come work for our company. We could really use your skills for our products." He leaned in, trying to get your attention. It wasn't the first time he tried to convince you to go work for his company.

"For the nth time, I'm no corporate slave."

"You're working at a bar. You make drinks and serve people. Some of these fuckers have corporate jobs as well - like me! If you think about it," he crossed his arms, placing them on top of the counter, "it's kind of like serving these corporations you hate."

With a frown, you asked, "What kind of logic is that?"

"A businessman's logic."

"If that's the case, the corporate world is dead." You smirked, washing the glasses. Peter was no businessman. He was just a part of a sales team, making marketing pitch presentations every week or so. Honestly, you couldn't keep up with his presentations. "I'd be happy to join then."

"Come on, Aria. You can't be juggling two jobs for the rest of your life. You can get one big job at our company and you'll get paid big time. Plus," he leaned in further, almost getting up from the stool, "we'll be working together. Wouldn't that be fun?"

"I'm honestly getting tired of you." You chuckled, sprinkling some water on Peter's face. "And my answer is still no. I don't want to work for your company. I like freelancing and bartending." That wasn't a lie. Despite graduating from business school, you decided to pursue your passion in photography even if the pay couldn't cover your half of the rent. So, you decided to take a waitressing job at the bar just below your apartment, and then started bartending. Out of all the establishments you could've gone to, you chose this very bar because it was the most convenient option of all -- it was just below the apartment. Being a photographer and a part-time bartender weren't exactly the dream you had for yourself but you liked them; nothing gave you more pleasure than taking product photos for small businesses and making drinks for strangers who happen to stumble upon one of the best bars in the Upper West Side.

Peter sighed. "I'm never giving up on you. I'm not a quitter."

"Whatever you say, big guy." Peter had been at it for a few years.

"I hate you." Peter groaned.

"Aren't you the sweetest?"

Peter rolled his eyes and caught a quick glance at the wall clock. "Hey, your shift's almost over. Better hurry up."

"Right. Thanks, Parker." You began placing back the shot glasses on one of the cabinets then hurriedly walked into a small door on the back. You greeted your boss who was just doing some paperworks.

"Hey, Steve. I'm heading out."

"Right, right." Steve looked up from his laptop and removed his specs, placing them on the table.

You gave him a smile and turned to leave but before you could even close the door, Steve called you.

"Yeah?"

"Nick's not gonna be here tomorrow afternoon and I'm gonna be in Long Island for some family reunion. Would you mind checking all the deliveries for tomorrow?"

"Well, what about the others?"

"Ah, they're no good." Steve sighed. "I only trust you and Nick."

You raised an eyebrow. "Nick? Really?" You wouldn't trust Nick with anything -- not even with some dumb, silly secret.

Steve shrugged. "He's a good kid. He and I get along. So, do I get a yes?"

"Yeah, sure. I got nothing going on tomorrow."

"No photography thingy?"

You pursed your lips. "Not unless you want me to take photos for your family reunion."

"No way in hell am I gonna let you meet my family."

"Aw, you said you trust me."

He chuckled and leaned back on his office chair. "Go home, y/n."

You sent him a smile before heading back to the counter to meet Peter who was mindlessly scrolling on his phone. "Let's go, Parker."

You two walked up the steps towards your apartment building, shoulders bumping from time to time. You and Peter lived on the fifth floor. You would've gotten your own place but your parents cut you off since you refused to work for the family supermarket your family owned in Hoboken, New Jersey. The last time you spoke to your parents was almost three years ago, when you threw a huge tantrum like a damn baby at your graduation party. "There's nothing for me here in New Jersey! It's as boring as these two old couples next door. (No offense). I hated business school. I want to pursue photography whether you like it or not. I'm not staying in this hellhole forever."

"You walk out that door, you're out of here forever."

And out you went with only a couple of clothes and some leftover college money. The only sliver of hope you had was Peter.

"Hey, y/n?" Peter asked as soon as you got inside the elevator. "Hypothetically, if Nick asked you out on a date, would you say yes?"

You gave him a weird look after the elevator doors closed before you. "I don't know, man. Never dip the pen in company ink, right?" You fished for your apartment key on your purse. "How are you so sure he's gonna ask me out?"

"He flat out told me that's how." He replied. "Yesterday night. So, if he does ask you..."

"Why are you so invested in my dating life?"

"You have no dating life." He retorted.

Peter was one to talk. He also didn't have one.

"You know what I mean, idiot."

He shrugged. "Just curious."

The elevator doors opened and you both headed towards your apartment unit, with Peter still yapping about Nick this and Nick that. You groaned, getting ultimately tired of hearing Nick's name and the possibility of you and him dating. "Maybe you should date him, Parker."

"You date him."

You gave him a confused look. "Shut up, Parker."

"Wait, you know what? Don't date him. I don't like him for you. He's weird and -- "

"No, I mean it. Shut. Up." You hissed, stopping on your tracks and grabbing Peter by his arm. You were right outside your apartment unit. There was a small gap between the door and the door frame. It seemed like someone broke in..

"What do we do? What do we do?" Peter half-yelled, half-whispered.

"Have the cops on speed dial. If it really is a robbery, call them. Got it?"

"What if they have guns?"

"I'll tell them to shoot you first."

"Gee, thanks for looking after me. Appreciate it."

You smirked, your hands already on the door. Slowly, you pushed it away from your body, failing to make it as quiet as possible as the door creaked against the floorboards. You gently looked around the dark living room, seeing no sign of someone inside -- until your eyes caught something moving on the couch. Your eyes went wide. You went back in the hallway where Peter was standing with his phone in his hand, ready to press the call button.

"Well?" He was waiting for an answer.

"I think someone's crashing on our couch?" Even you looked confused.

"What? Are you sure?"

"Either that or a large animal just broke into our apartment. Come on, let's go see." You whispered, trying not to wake up the uninvited guest.

"I'm not going in there!"

"Fine, I'll wake the bastard up." You groaned. "Pussy."

"Dick." He snickered but zipped his mouth shut as soon as you sent him a glare.

Without a noise, you managed to get closer, using the light from your phone as a guide. On the couch was a huge blanket sprawled across and under that was the rhythmic sound of someone breathing. Your hand lightly trembled, reaching for the blanket to unveil whoever was under it; but before you could even touch a single thread, the person jumped out of the couch, and so did your heart. You let out a scream, falling backwards and hitting your head on one of the small tables beside the couch. The unknown person stood on the couch, and awfully joined your screams. The lights suddenly turned on, with Peter standing by the door.

"Oh my god!" You yelped as soon as you realized the man in front of you was naked. No clothes, no nothing, just bare skin against the cold breeze. Your hands immediately flew to your eyes. "Who the hell are you?" Your screamed at him.

He urged you to remove your hand from your eyes, telling you he was wrapping the blanket around his waist. Thankfully, he wasn't lying.

"Bucky?" Peter breathed, approaching the scene.

"This is Bucky?" You asked in disbelief.

Bucky smiled and jumped off the couch, offering his hand. "Hi, I'm Bucky."

[harveybwabbit92]

Invader Zim: Elite Guardians AU Pt. 2

The following is a non-profit fan-based story, Invader ZiM  is owned by Jhonen Vasquez and Nickelodeon please support the official release, I gain no profit nor do I own anything other than OCs and whatever spouts from my imagination!

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

A another month passed Zim started looking less like wrinkled worm and more like an Irken, Red and Purple were running low on money, Repairing the cruiser was getting more difficult, whenever they fixed something, another thing would break or scavengers would sneak in and take whatever wasn't bolted down, that's when the Elites came to the conclusion that maybe they should look for work. So they started bounty hunting for the local constabulary.

What choice did they have? if they were ever gonna get off this rock and find Cradle 2-117. Bounty hunting was the way to go, The Cruiser was a lost beyond repair, but there were a lot of ships for sale in Meeko; the problem was finding who was willing to sell a ship to them, The citizens were still cold towards them, Again. Neither Red and Purple could understand why? They soon got answer in the most unconventional way, they'd come back from a job, Some nut job thought it was good splice a giant spider with a squid and than super sizing it!

Red was shooting the thing with his Plasma gun while Purple striking it with his photon axe, meanwhile Zim was happily skipping around the battlefield, narrowly missing being crushed or shot at, Red noticed the smeet hopping around. "Zim! get out of the way!" Red dodges a tentacle swinging for him. "You're gonna get hurt!" He barked the smeet just stared at him blankly before smiling "Rwed!" he cheered waving at him, Red facepalmed. "Hi!" he waved back before going back to fighting, Zim went back to his little skipping game dodging death at every corner, only stopping when he saw a large beetle crawling around on the sand, the smeet crouched down just as Purple was thrown off the Squider and sent crashing into the wall behind Zim.

The purple eyed elite sat up with a groan; rubbing his head looked at Zim and did a double take when he saw the smeet eating a beetle, Purple jumped to his feet rushed over to the smeet trying to pry his mouth open. "Naw, no, no. Spit it out, spit out! c'mon!" he lightly slapped Zim's back and the smeet spat up bug guts Purple grimaced. "Disgusting!" he huffed giving the smeet some ration wafers and went back to helping Red fight, Zim calmly sat out of the way to eat and watch his 'Brothers' fight the monster, by the end of the battle Red and Purple were covered in ink and teal colored guts, and their wallets were a good chunk heavier, when they woke up this morning...

Later when they got back to the cruiser both Red felt something was off, there was scent in the air he didn't recognize at first he thought it was the Squider guts, but as they got closer to their wreck... it became more apparent that someone or something was in there, Purple noticed it too he and Red exchanged a look; the red clad elite set Zim down and shush him, the smeet copied him and nodded, Purple dispatched his PAK legs and went in from above while Red followed and hid in the doorway of the engine room, his first thought was it was just another scavenger looking for scrap, but by now everyone nearby knew this ship was occupied and stayed clear of it, Red peeked into the engine room and saw a hooded figure fidgeting around with the power core. 

Red's eyes narrowed as he tried to get a better look and saw this person reading off what looked like an engineering manual, he saw Purple getting into position, they could hear this person mumbling to themselves. "Okay... now shut down switch Y and detach port Q?...wait no, um..." the guards looked at each other and nodded, Purple jumped from the ceiling; landing in front of the intruder catching them completely off guard. "What the fu-" they saw the purple eyed Irken reach for a his stunned baton and panicked. "Shite!" they yelped and went to run only to get pistol whipped from behind by Red knocking them out. 

Red and Purple were perplexed when they tied them up removed the intruders hood and made sure they didn't have weapons, they've never seen an alien like them before...  they had this weird long stringy stuff on their head that was soft to the touch, but stood out out most of all was how tall they were... Both Irkens just barely came up to the intruder's chin. "Whoa! They're almost the same height as Tallest Miyuki!" Purple said stunned while Red shook his head. "No... Miyuki is definitely taller..." he insisted but then again they haven't seen Tallest Miyuki in months! So they couldn't exactly make a comparison.

While the two were prattled about Miyuki and the intruder's heights, neither noticed Zim wander in the smeet looked between the bickering Elites before noticing the stranger sitting against the wall. His pink eyes lit up as he curiously approached the unconscious alien, He saw the long fuzzy stuff on their head and immediately grabbed it and started tugging which roused the trespasser awake.

Red and Purple tenses at the unknown voice cut into their conversation they looked and saw Zim swinging off the alien's... mane? "Ow..ow! quit it! They try to jerked their head away from Zim's grasp. "Oww, Seriously kid stop it!" They growled Red snapped out of his stupor and quickly picked up Zim. "Don't talk to him like that!" He spat glaring at the intruder, who glared back their e/c eyes looked odd too, but Red was more focused on whether or not they were a threat or not.

"Who are you? What are you?" he huffed along with Purple butting in. "And why do you want our power core?" the alien winced a the purple one's shrill voice. " if I tell you will you untie me?" they asked hopeful, the Irkens were silent, and the intruder took their silence as a hard "maybe."

"My name is Y/n, I’m a human female, My ship crashed few clicks north from here, the power core was always little spotty, and it finally gave up the ghost. So I went out looking for a replacement, looked around Meeko and other crash sites, before finding a power signal that lead me to... I thought it was it was a derelict ship!"

"Does this ship derelict look to you?!"

"Well... yeah? I mean look around, your ship is in pieces! it'll obviously never fly again, I'm surprised your core was even intact!"

"How did you even get in? we have security measures!"

Y/n looked bemused before something clicked in her head, she cocked her head towards the front of the ship. "Oh! the giant hole in your hull, with the lasers and forcefield? yeah, I think your motion sensors and hard light generator is offline, I walked right through it" Purple looked like he was going to cry seeing as he was the one who rigged that forcefield up. " that and your front door was wi... was.." Your voice suddenly trailed off, Red and Purple watched your demeanor change as something caught your eye, it took a moment for Red to notice you were staring at the Irken symbol on their armor.

"Shite... You slaver scum!" both Irkens jumped back startled by your sudden outburst. "What are you planning to do with that kid?! huh? did you kidnap him too?" You growled Red and Purple looked at each other stunned. "What are you talking about?" Red asked you just glared him in disgust. "Don't play fucking coy with me! I’ve seen your damn ship going around ransacking outposts around the system and kidnapping people!" Red and Purple were at loss here, 2-117 was overtaken by Slavers? well, at least now they knew why almost everyone on Greedo was so hostile towards them!

There was a tense stare down between the trio, You watched as the two "slavers" got into a huddle, you heard the numbers "2-117..." being mumbled then Red one was saying something the Purple one disagreed with. "No, oh no no no! We're not taking in another stray!" the purple hissed vehemently. "She's the our ticket off this rock, we're doing it!" They turned to look at you.

"What?" you hissed as the Red clad alien silently handed the kid over to his Purple counterpart who glared at him, you tensed up as he walked up to you. "Calm down and just listen alright?" Red guy explained they’re not slavers, but Elite guards from Irk sent to investigate and retrieve a missing Nursery ship called Cradle 2-117 that had been skyjacked a few months ago, the only lead they have is Zim, who Red found malnourished and wandering around in a trash dump.... Now you.

You of course were bit skeptical about this whole situation, what with being tied up and all! but, then Purple told you to take a good look at Zim, the kid was same species as them: Irken. "How many other Irkens have you seen wandering the Tarn system?" You realized never, you have never seen an Irken in Tarn before, so maybe they were telling the truth? then Purple got you attention again "Where was the last place you saw that ship?" You paused thing back to were you saw the Irken ship, it wasn’t hard to forget considering how unique it looked. 

"I think it was headed to Planet Nyree? that’s a two week journey from here." Both Irken elites looked each other hopeful, finally a real lead! "However I'd suggest getting a new ship, I don’t think this one will taking off anytime soon." They hear the ship groan as a panel falls out of the ceiling, landing a little too close to you then you'd like, Red looks at Purple whose shoulders slumped, knowing what was coming, You were confused as Red reach around behind you and untied you. "Okay! New plan, we need a ship and you need a power core, let’s make a deal..." and that's how you gained three new crew members aboard the Cardinal.

[bethchapelsbonnet]

I Dont remember if it Was on you're Ways to Tell ILY Prompt list but might I suggest a "I Choose you" Hournite One shot?

I didn't see you interact with the original submission I answered, so I included it here

I Choose You

All of the fuss that Beth went through to try to compile each and every piece of evidence that someone may need in order to get Rick the heck out of that place was simply... Well - it was actually exhausting, but she never realized until she was at the end of her days.

The database was always excellent and as the official Dr. Mid-Nite, she had access to even more information.

Not what she truly needed - to be able to actually speak to Rick. To assess how he was doing. To at least hold his hand, which.. she was conflicted about that one in particular. She didn't understand why that idea kept coming to her when she and Rick never actually really touched each other that way.

Casually - pats on the back or holding each other back in a fight, but nothing so intimate as hand holding. Maybe it was her renewed self confidence. She had chosen herself. And now, she was choosing Rick. 

They didn't allow any of them to see him. He was currently being held at a juvenile center, assigned a caseworker and a child advocate attorney, with an ongoing investigation about his uncle and his home life. But, Beth found out the names of everyone involved in his case and she was sending them documents, school reports, and everything that she could scrape up to prove that Rick was in a dangerous household and had been abused and mistreated. 

It was her hope that they would all see it was self defense and go easy on him. Courtney and Pat had tried to explain to her that Eclipso was controlling him. It wasn't self defense. It was just a terrible mind game.

Not too long ago, they were pressing her to accept murdering a bad guy… but suddenly, when it's THIS bad guy… who didn't even DIE, they were willing to accept Rick turning himself in and being put away? "It's what Rick wanted, to be held accountable.."

"He didn't DO it! It was Eclipso!" Beth had snapped at Courtney. Courtney's eyes went wide and she got quiet. Of course she knew that and she didn't deserve Beth being rude with her, either, but Beth was too frustrated to tell herself that at the moment and Rick wasn't around…

She called him anyway, as she stormed out. 

"Rick!" She took a deep breath, "You don't deserve to be held responsible for something that you didn't do wrong!" She noticed Courtney in the corner of her eye and whispered, "There's nothing you need to be held accountable for and I'm working on helping you get out. Just… I hope you aren't too hard on yourself." She hung up and looked at Courtney.

"I watched him run around, hallucinating, breaking down as he was attacked by something that we couldn't see… it was like with Yolanda, only someone did get hurt. I didn't want to have to see that again and it wasn't easy to let Rick confess, but what else could we do? What would you have done differently?"

Beth wanted to say that she wouldn't have let him out of her sight, that she would have talked to him until he was back down to Earth..  but as a firm believer in herself, some part of her knew that Courtney didn't have that type of power. Beth was the one who could stop Rick in his tracks and make him think for a moment. 

"What about when you see a dead 10 year old girl? Would you have been able to use your head in that moment and stop him from reacting?"

Beth sniffled and wiped her face, "If I was here, I know that I could have fixed this. I know that I could have talked him down. He listens to me. It's different with us. And with Eclipso… it's personal now."

.

Rick heard about an "adorable but incredibly annoying" girl who spoonfed a lot of information to his case worker and his advocate. They didn't have to describe her. He did initially automatically think Courtney, since that was who saw him last on the outside and that's who annoyed him more than any girl he knew…

But when they spoke about legal documents, school incidents and cases and studies of similar cases..  He knew that they meant Beth. A lot of her findings needed to be double checked by the proper authorities and his advocate would need to speak with a judge, but it was looking like Rick may be entitled to psychological treatment from years of abuse that resulted in him finally lashing back.

He wanted to argue with that, but in a way.. that felt like some type of hope and he couldn't say there wasn't truth in it. Whatever Beth had done, he finally felt some peace of mind, since coming here…

.

The court order to grant him a placement took shorter than he thought, even though it still felt super long. The Chapels weren't foster parents, but thanks to some… creative documentation on Beth's part, they were able to be listed as family friends to whom custody could be signed over.

He would be trying for emancipation, but in the meantime, he had a place to sleep and eat and stuff… and Beth was there.

"How did you manage to pull this off?" Rick wondered, more confused than grateful, but she didn't take it to heart. She smiled and tapped her goggles. "Of course…" he stared at his bags on the floor. "Did you get the full story?"

"I got Courtney and Pat's side of it. You don't have to tell me, but in your own time, if you want to, you can." She handed him some mail, "I filled out your paperwork and sent it in. You've gotten at least one response."

"My paperwork?"

She winced, "I totally trespassed into your car and home, scanning everything and looking for something to help me. I traced punched in walls, I took an inventory of the alcohol in there, you name it. I also found the forms that you had for college and financial aid. I took them with me, but also wondered what they were doing there. So I checked on cell phone records and saw that Miss Woods-" she rolled her eyes when she said her name. (She wasn't fond of how cruelly that woman had treated Rick, and she didn't mind saying so), "Had been there. I figured she was the one who gave those to you, went to pay her a visit and questioned her until she told me about what happened earlier. She had seen your uncle and he was belligerent and drinking. I told her that I would speak to your advocate in order to see if that was usable information. It was. She made for a very dependable character reference."

Rick looked stunned. He didn't know what to say, but eventually landed on, "Why am I at your house and not at Pat's? I don't even know your parents and they probably aren't pleased about what happened." 

"Well, I believe that I've managed to do quite the PR campaign for you when I was making my rounds to see if anybody had recollection of witnessing your uncle be unkind to you. A lot of people have been quiet about things that they should have spoken up about… myself included.." she lowered her head, "I noticed bruises on you sometimes at lunch when we weren't friends and I guessed that they weren't from some school fight, otherwise, the school would know." She looked up at him and her eyes were brimming with tears, "All of us made choices to mind our business and just leave you to fend for yourself. Everybody's been feeling pretty guilty that it came to… that.."

She cleared her throat, "There's enough going on at Courtney's house, and Yolanda's isn't an option. I couldn't let you wind up at the group home. Artemis is there. The last time you two saw each other, you almost killed one another. I thought my home was the best choice. It's safe, there's just me here. My parents believed me when I vouched for you, so they would be acting like wardens or anything, and I just… I feel better knowing that if something happens, I'll be there."

He sat down on the guest bed and twiddled his thumbs, "That's just it. If something happens, I… I no longer have the hourglass. I won't be able to protect you fully."

"I can protect myself," she said, sitting next to him. "Just wait until you hear my Eclipso story."

"Your what?"

"He attacked me the same time that he attacked you…" Rick looked terrified as he checked her over for damages. "It's a long story, but I'm fine. It went very differently for me than it did for you." She looked sad for a moment. I think he must've known."

He was confused. Beth looked him in the eyes through her goggles, "That we protect each other. That you fight for me and I fight for you. I felt so victorious when I was able to take my goggles back from me and solidify my place on the team… the. I found out he had gotten to my Rick…" 

His heart jumped in his chest and he stared at her. He reached for her goggles but she shook her head and he withdrew his hands. "It wasn't anything to do with you."

"No, but had I been there…"

"Then you could have gotten hurt or had to see me become the very kind of monster that I hate!" 

She furrowed her eyebrows and she grabbed his hand, harder than she meant to, but that demanded his attention and he stared at her face, "If I had been there, you would've had the extra strength you needed to see through him. I wouldn't have let you fight. Please believe me when I say that I'm sure I could have talked some sense into you. I could have saved you from thinking that you're a monster. Because you aren't a monster, Rick. You're a kid who was in a situation that most of us can't fathom, and when you needed me, I wasn't there." He started crying and shook his head. "I'll understand if you want to stay with Mr. Dugan instead…"

"No. No.."He had told Grundy that day that he just needed someone to care about him, to be kind to him, and he could be alright. Rick was so caught up in the stress of his uncle, he hadn't thought about how he did have someone like that. He had his friends, the Dugans, and he had Beth. She had done all of this, because she felt like she'd failed him. Like she was supposed to protect him. She wasn't obligated to do that, but the fact that she wanted to, that she tried to. 

Hell, she was even correct about being able to talk him down. He didn't know if she could have that night, but as much as she meant to him… he couldn't rule out that what if. He collected her hand to his heart and said extremely softly, "I choose you." 

@futurewriterwannebe

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

❛ F*CKING HIGH ❜

with Neron ‘Creeper’ Vargas.

Request: Hey! Maybe prompt 52. When Creeper get shot and Mayans don't know reader but when hé was high on medication he call her at Vicky's House ? 🙈Something really Fluff ? Thanks!! I love ur writings 😊😊

BY ANON

Warnings: none.

Word count: 1.6k

Aurora says: this writing hasn't been edited, you may find some grammar mistakes, I'm sorry about that!

Gif credits: to the author, I found it on Google.

Masterlist.

The books over the table with a lot of notes scattered around them are starting to give you a horrible headache. You don't know how many hours you have been studying, but you're sure that it was daytime. When you focus your gaze on the horizon, through the window, you're aware of the streetlights turned on outside and the dark sky above Santo Padre. It's your final week to complete the MIR and you have left just one exam. The last one. So, when Creeper told you he was going to travel to Las Vegas for a couple days, you have to recognize that you felt a little alleviated. You want to spend the maximum time possible with him, but you also have to study, but both things aren't compatible. Even so, he should be at home already.

Checking the time on the clock in your wrist, you snort getting up from your chair to pick up the books and your pens. It's enough study for today and you're really hungry. After cleaning the table, you fall down on the sofa turning on the TV and looking in your phone for something to take away. Cooking it's not an option today. Choosing the local pizzeria for excellence, you're about to make the order when an incoming call interrupts your plans. Reading his name on the screen, you answer quickly.

“Babe!”

“Maaaaamaaaa”. He sings, making you frown somewhat confused sitting on the sofa. “Heeeeey, maaaamaaaa”.

“Are you… high, Neron?”

“Yeah… Fuckin' high… for you, my loooove”.

“What the hell? Where the fuck are you?”

“Mama, I want you here. I need you here, maaaama!”

“Ner—”.

“I am… close”.

“Close from what?”

“Border, mama. Close to the border. Come with meeee. I need my nurse, mama, pleaaase”.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Your heart is racing, jumping off from the sofa, running to your shared room.

“A guy shot me, mama. But don' worre', I'm okaaaay”.

“Neron, send me your location right now!”

“Mama, mama, mama, are you comen'?”

“FUCK, NERON, OF COURSE I'M COMING. SEND ME THE FUCKING LOCATION”.

“Don'... Don' shout at me, mama”.

From nowhere, you can hear him crying like a child. Even if he's high, that shit breaks your heart into pieces. Stopping next to your bed rubbing your forehead, barely gulping, you try to calm yourself.

“Are you alone?”

“N—No…”

“The bul—”.

“It's out, mama… I wan—want you here with me. I'm okay, mama, I'm okay… Come with me. Don'... leave me, don' break with me, mama, please”.

“Send me your location, okay? Could you do that for me?”

“Yeah, mama… Are you comen'?”

“Sí, Neron, I'm gonna get dressed, okay?”

“Okay, mama… I love you. I love you, mama. I truly love you, I swear”.

“I know, mi flaquito”.

Hanging up the call, you take some second to breathe calmly before looking for some clothes to put on and grabbing the medical kit when you're ready. They better have something to eat, or there will be more than one man shot. Leaving your house, your phone rings with a notification. The address of Vicki's house. You have heard about it, and you're not surprised at all. According to your boyfriend, this is the favorite place of Mayans. You don't know them, not yet, but you can imagine why they like it this much. Keeping the kit on the back seat, you step in your car turning the engine to follow the instructions recited by the gps.

When it says that you have reached your destiny, you focus through the Camaro's front window to find the house, looking exactly as he described you one day. Going out of the pilot seat and carrying the medical stuff in your right hand, you go upstairs practically jumping them to hit the door with your palm. A girl with brown hair, big eyes and almost naked welcomes you, pushing her by a side before she can talk.

“Hey, hey! Wait! You ca—”.

Coming into the living room, you finally meet his other family. They were drinking and laughing until you appeared, now staring at you confused. The one who you recognize as El Presidente gets up from his chair, the other two are pointing at you with their guns, warned by the bitch behind you.

“I'm from Tijuana, you can't scare me con una pistolita”. (With a gun). You spit with a strong mexican accent, containing a sarcastic laugh.

“Who are y—”.

“MAAAMI, MAAAAMIIIIIIII”.

Hearing your boyfriend calling you, you don't give them a single chance to let you introduce yourself, running upstairs following the laments of Creeper between moans and pleased begs. Disgusting. Opening the last green red door, you finally reach him. The medical kit falls from your hand shocked. Taking a step, you tour his silhouette lying on the mattress. Being shirtless you can see the bandage covering the bullet hole, with some blood trespassing the cotton, and the sling holding the other. His face isn't much better, with some scratches on his left cheek and his temple. The most disturbing is watching him crying like a scared child, trembling and trying to sit up on the bed.

Before the other mexicans can reach you, you're already kneeling on the bed not knowing where you're allowed to touch him and where not.

“Mami, I missed you”.

“You're an idiot, you know it, rai'?” You ask him with your eyes filled with tears, gently caressing the other cheek, while he nods.

Leaning forward you kiss his shaky lips once and again, before feeling his right arm surrounding your waist.

“Let me see the shot, okay?” Whispering, you get up from the bed to take the medical kit, under the look of the men waiting on the door.

“The doctor put it out, disinfected the wound and stitched it up”. El Presidente says, making you frown your eyebrows.

“The doctor, or the vet?”

“Wha—”.

“Answer before I fucking punch you”.

“The vet”.

Of course, it's not the same. Even the medicines that give you in the MIR are stronger than the ones for a veterinarian. Opening the kit over the bed and wearing a pair of blue gloves, you lean on Creeper to take off the bandage and the gauze, narrowing your eyes to see every stitch on it. It's… acceptable, but you could have done it better. Wetting some cotton with iodine, you clean the blood around the suture with soft moves to not hurt him more. Your boyfriend is assorted on how concentrate you look taking care of him.

“Do you know what you are doing, niña?” The oldest one rests his body against the frame.

“'Amma real doctor, not a veterinarian”. You respond without turning at him, but at your kit to find clean gauzes and an adhesive bandage to cover the sewn hole again. “What happened with the other, Neron?”

“Dislocated”. He just says gulping with parted lips.

“What did they gave you for the pain?”

“Just some pills, mami…”

“How many hours ago?”

“Almost ten”. El Presidente replies in his place, making you twist towards him.

“Okay, Creep', I'm going to prick you some morphine”. He just nods.

Grabbing a needle wrapped on a security plastic, you open it to fill it up with the transparent liquid from a small glass bottle. Hitting it softly with two fingers and letting some of the medicine spill on air, you lead the needle to his bare skin over the wound. Nailing it slowly until the metallic part has disappeared inside it. Then, you push the plastic container until empty. Taking off the needle and keeping it again inside its paper, to throw it later, you close the medical kit.

“You need to rest, okay?”

“Mami, stay with me, please… Don' go”. He begs you crying low and holding your hand as strong as he can.

“You need to rest”. You repeat raising both eyebrows and nodding with your chin one time, caressing his grip with your fingers. “I will talk with your friends for a moment. Ain't going anywhere, mi flaquito. Not without you”.

“I love you, mama. I really do”.

“I love you too, Creep'”. Smirking at your boyfriend, you kiss him again having a little more of caring to not hurt him. “Sleep, flaquito”.

Placing the medical kit over a desk, you leave him closing the door, killing with your eyes the men in front of you.

“I'm hungry, so you better find me some dinner”.

“First, tell us who you are, because he's high enough to confuse himself and believe that he's the fucking Messiah”.

“I'm his girlfriend, pendejo. And you're gonna be a dead man if you don't bring me my fucking dinner”.

El Presidente chuckles rubbing his chin, before nodding, seeing you disappear through the opened door again. Coming back to the bed, you can notice that your boyfriend isn't crying anymore, smiling like an idiot. Sighing you lie down by his side, wrapping his body with both arms, letting him find a comfortable posture under them. You can feel his lips kissing your right forearm somewhat sleepy, purring like a cat. Definitely, he's too high.

“Mami, I love you…” He whispers when you begin to caress his neck with your fingertips. “You are the love of my life…”

“Yeah, you already said it… like a lot of times”. You laugh softly, turning towards you with a soft grimace of pain on his face.

“Love you it's my favorite thing”. He mumbles stunned because of the smile on your lips.

“Mine too, babe. I love you more than anything”.

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[xxxrubytuesdayxxx]

If you sneak into Jeongguk’s room later...

Word Count: 4,834

Disclaimer: This is part (56) of a Choose Your Own Ending!

Check at the end for glossary of Korean terms*

Start here:

“Excuse me, Jimin-ssi. How dare you imply I will be anything but incredibly professional about this?” you ask him in as dignified a tone as you can muster.

“Well the fact that he keeps trying to kiss you for a start,” he provokes you airily, gesturing at Jeongguk who, despite the fact that he is indeed angling for a kiss, looks highly affronted at being called out on it.

“Ma!” he reprimands Jimin indignantly. 

“Oh mianhamnida Jeong-ssi,” Jimin addresses him with elaborate politeness. “Please do tell us what you were doing then.” Jeongguk opens his mouth to answer, then closes it immediately, reverting to the spaced-out look you’re all familiar with when he wishes to remove himself mentally from a situation, but is unable to leave physically. Even Tae can’t resist joining in at this point.

“I see Kookie.exe has stopped working…” he mutters to Jimin with an involuntary snort of laughter. You shake your head at them both, rolling your eyes.

“Come on, JK. Let’s get you to bed before Namjoon sees what state you’re in and I get the blame for letting you go out on a ‘school’ night,” you tell him. You let him throw his arm around your neck for balance but just as you’ve got him sorted, his phone starts ringing. He pouts at you expectantly, so you sigh, fish it out of his pocket, glance at the screen, then hit answer.

“Yes Bambam?” you speak into the phone more tersely than you had intended. You can hear Yugyeom singing loudly and obnoxiously in the background. Bambam’s voice is heavily slurred. They’re quite clearly as drunk as Jeongguk.

“D'you get home...wait no...you’re not JK…” he realizes belatedly. “JayKayyy!” squeals an excitable Yugyeom in the background. You refrain from rolling your eyes again, not wanting the wind to change if you have to deal with any more of this.

“He’s fine, boys. Safely back at the dorm and on his way to bed. Thanks for checking on him,” you report, softening at the obvious care they all take of each other.

“Noona?” Bambam checks. Cue Yugyeom’s squealing echo.

“Yeah it’s me. Get some sleep, guys.” you tell them amused.

“Kay,” Bambam replies cutely, before hanging up. Of course Jeongguk has used your lack of attentiveness to drape his other arm around your neck as well so that he is effectively hanging off you. And he’s a lot heavier than you’re prepared for: a fact of which your knees soon make you aware.

“Jeongguk-ah…” you try, struggling to support him. “Can we maybe…” You give him a firm shove, but he just whines and sinks back down to the floor dragging you with him. Jimin giggles and Tae allows himself another derisive snort of laughter.

“Uri gatchi tteok-eul chyo-do dwae?” Jeongguk begs before pulling you over on top of him and kissing you with all the messy passion he can muster. Too startled to stop him, you kiss him back automatically, closing your eyes and opening your mouth to let him in.

“Okay that is definitely not allowed!” objects Tae vehemently. “Did you hear what he just said?” he demands of a still-chuckling Park Jimin, who has now pulled out his phone and is busy filming the chaos.

“I mean I don’t care,” Jimin points out. “I’m just here for the epic amount of blackmail material I’m collecting for next time I want to get out of chores. 

“Uh-uh-uh,” you reprimand him belatedly. “You know the rules Park Jimin,” you add, disentangling yourself from Jeongguk’s charms and holding out your hand for the offending device. Jimin hisses in dissatisfaction but displays his phone for you to watch him delete the video he’s just taken.

“And the recycle bin,” you insist.

“But noonaaa,” Jimin sulks.

“You know it’s too risky Jimin,” you sigh.”What if you get phone checks again next week? You know Jeongguk’s already had management on his back of late, cos of that call from Dispatch.”

“Ugh fine!” he pouts, reluctantly doing as he’s asked.

“You’ll thank me when you’re on the other end of it,” you point out, returning your attention to an equally-pouty Jeongguk, who gives you a predatory look and runs his tongue suggestively over his teeth. You try not to respond to the provocation.

“Let’s get you to bed then,” you suggest, trying to coax him up. Instead, he gives you another wolfish smile then starts to crawl towards his room, looking back at you repeatedly to make sure you’re following on foot. You make it as far as the corridor in front of his room before he deliberately rolls onto his back and lies there refusing to budge. You try reasoning with him for a couple of minutes and then resolve to grab him by the ankles, drag him across the polished wooden floor and pull him, squealing in fake-protest, into his bedroom. It’s testament to how drunk he is that this strategy works at all, and you’re pretty sure you only manage to get him inside because he wants to make sure you end up in his room.

Once you’re both safely in his room, you drop his legs slightly less gently than you otherwise might have done, blow your loose hair out of your face and spread your arms in a “well, there you go” gesture. He gives you a cute smirk and tilts his head to one side as he props himself up on his elbows.

“I assume you can get yourself up that ladder?” you sigh, nodding pointedly at his loft bed. He glances over, looks back at you and deliberately shakes his head.

“What do you mean ‘no’?” you ask him, warily. He smiles angelically.

“I’ll go to bed if you come up with me,” he bargains. You close your eyes and let your breath out slowly. You know him too well to hope he’ll back down once he’s opened negotiations: all those missions the staff give them have made him a ruthless negotiator, when he wants something. And he quite obviously wants you pretty badly.

“Fine,” you sigh. “Up you go then. I don’t have any strength left in my arms.”

“Ani. You first,” he inclines his head towards his bed in an imperious manner. 

“Orin wangja,” you mutter, under your breath. But you do as he asks, unable to keep a smile from sneaking across your lips once your back is turned to him. You lie back on his pillows and wait for him to join you. You can hear him scuffling around, getting his slippers off and testing the ladder playfully, before you see his adorable, dark eyes appear above the crumpled duvet. He blinks at you curiously, making you smile, despite your resolution not to give in to him that easily again.

“Did you call me a little prince?” he asks, lifting himself further to rest his chin on the guardrail. 

“Ne,” you tell him defiantly. “Wae? Were you not acting like one?” He considers this thoughtfully, before pulling himself up onto the bed properly and flopping down beside you with a soft exhalation. He turns his face to yours on the pillows. He looks beautiful and delicate in the half-light, but he still smells overpoweringly of soju and cologne, reminding you uncomfortably of how you should be handling all this.

“Because I’m being quirky and romantic?” he theorises, of your comparison.

“No. Because you’re being imperious, but not mature enough to be a king,” you tease him in a hissing whisper. He looks at you indignantly, but his fingers stroke your hair behind your ear in a prelude to a kiss and he lifts his chin with a haughty jut.

“Is this more kingly?” he quips.

“Maybe,” you allow, totally intoxicated with him against your better judgement.

“Gurigo, wangeun kiseureul badaja?” he breathes, closing his eyes as he brings his lips close. You make a tiny noise of submission and then surrender your lips to his. You can feel him smile as he tangles his hands in your hair and his tongue with yours. Shifting himself slightly, he throws one leg over you, so that he’s straddling you, then continues to deepen your kiss, his hands gliding up your sides to caress your chest with an urgency you can’t ignore. Your fingers search blindly for his belt buckle as you feel his trespass under your top and over the lace of your bra. You flick his belt undone and run your fingers over his erection, on top of his jeans, making him moan loudly. 

His hands are inside your bra now and he plucks your nipples between his fingers, teasing them until they stand to attention for him. You can feel your panties getting damp, so you unzip his jeans and pull the cotton of his boxer-briefs eagerly away from his hard, quivering cock. He releases his breath in a hiss as the night air hits his erection.

“Oh God, you’re so hard,” you gasp as you start to pump his member, remembering to keep the pressure just as he likes it, and surprised that all that soju hasn’t dampened his performance prospects.

“You’re making me hard,” he groans, teeth clenched tightly as he works to stave off his growing arousal.

“Unf...geugoseul nae an-e neoheo!” you beg him, lifting your hips off the bed in agony and peeling your knickers out of his way. He bites your neck fiercely, before dropping one hand to guide his cock to rest against the wet folds between your legs, ready to thrust into you. “Jebal, jagi! Na nomu jojosso!” you moan.

“Wow...and you told me I knew dirty stuff in English!” he giggles, his breath still coming warm and fast against the skin of your neck.

“Well I have lived here for a while now. I was obviously going to pick some dirty stuff up with the way you and Jimin joke around,” you provoke him.

“So do you like it when I talk dirty and make innuendos, then?” he murmurs, pushing his cock forward, past your entrance and eliciting a slick, wet noise from your body and a whimper of submission from your lips.

“I love it,” you breathe, throwing your head back as you feel his girth stretching you out. “But I was obviously gonna keep that to myself, until recently, wasn’t I? Didn’t want you to get any…” you gasp at a particularly rough thrust from him, making you scream the last word, “...IDEAS!”

“Hey hush!” he teases you, with a wicked glint in his eye. “Jimin-hyung and Tae-hyung might think we’re [thrusting his hips for emphasis] fucking in here or something.”

He’s quiet after that, though after thrusting into you for a while, you notice he’s looking exhausted but still hasn’t managed to reach the finish line. His mouth puckers into a pretty pout and he pulls out before collapsing next to you with a frustrated groan, his arm flung across his face. He’s still painfully hard so you wonder idly if he’s finally succumbed to the after-effects of the ‘demon liquor’. His chest rises and falls as his breathing slows and, sure enough, he eventually mutters something so quietly you almost don’t hear him.

“I can’t finish.” His teeth are clenched again, but this time you suspect it’s to stave off his tears of frustration. You cuddle up to him and stroke his nearer arm soothingly.

“It’s okay babe. It’s just the alcohol. Get some sleep, yeah? Only way to get rid of that glitch,” you coo, careful to keep your tone casual. You see his lips curve into that adorable smile you love, before he hesitantly moves his far arm from off his face, turns his face toward you and squeezes you tight with his closer arm.

You wake up before he does and curl your body into his, dropping your hand between his legs to test whether he’s still suffering from last night’s everlasting (but useless for him) erection. Seems that way. Although, you speculate that it could just be a hangover erection. One way to find out. Actually probably a few ways, but you decide to go with the fun one. Wriggling your fingers inside his sweatpants, you start to jack him off, enjoying the feel of his soft skin sliding over his pulsing muscle. You kiss his neck softly, nuzzling his flesh until you sense him come awake and groan softly. To your surprise, he grabs your wrist and squeezes, obviously wanting you to stop.

“Mori-ga apa jugkesso!” he moans plaintively. You withdraw your hand immediately, brush his hair tenderly off his face and kiss him lightly on the forehead.

“I’ll get you some water, cheonsa. You just lay there and relax,” you soothe him.

“But the schedule,” he whimpers.

“Hush. Let me take care of you first and then we’ll see how you’re feeling,” you reassure him. He smiles weakly and mouths ‘okay,’ eyes still firmly shut. You climb down from his bed and head for the kitchen, keeping an eye out for Namjoon. Fortunately for you, he’s sat on the couch, eating cereal and watching anime as he checks his English notes for the upcoming broadcast. You pour Jeongguk a large tumbler full of filtered water and head over to Bangtan’s leader, who grunts in acknowledgment of your presence.

“Sorry to interrupt Joon-ssi,” you greet him, waiting for him to look up. “But Kookie’s sick. Is there any way we can sort of...hold off on the first activity? I mean…” you rush on hurriedly, as Namjoon looks deeply skeptical, “...it’s not live is it? It’s the Korean slot in the afternoon that’s the face-to-face interview right?”

“What do you mean ‘sick’?” he asks, looking grim.

“He has a bad headache,” you elaborate. Namjoon sighs.

“Why did you let him go out after the schedule finished last night? You know those boys have been going too hard lately, and he just has to keep up, even though his schedule is at least twice as insane,” he reprimands you.

“I’m sorry, Joon-ie. It won’t happen again. And I’ll try and freshen him up now, okay?” you tell him, displaying the glass of water meekly. Namjoon sighs again and pinches the bridge of his nose with his forefingers.

“Fine. I’ll try and rearrange the schedule slightly. But we will still need to start by 11,” he points out. “And that will mean we finish later than planned.” You nod in understanding. Namjoon removes his glasses and rubs his eyes tiredly.

“I think I'm going to get a headache soon,” he adds. “Look, could you maybe…?” he pauses and you nod encouragingly, hoping to somehow make his job slightly less taxing. “Could you somehow manage to resist his undeniable charms for the rest of the week?” he begs. “We don’t need sasaeng fans or Dispatch on our asses right now any more than I need questions from management about rescheduling commitments.” You smile at his overly-concerned-guardian expression.

“Of course, Namjoon-ah,” you reassure him, giving his shoulder a brief squeeze, before heading back into Kookie’s room to give him the water and update him.

************************************************************************

Later that month, after a series of slight mishaps and minor injuries, management decides that it might not be such a bad idea to give the boys an entire month off. When you and Namjoon break the news, the other members aren’t sure whether to believe either of you and then, once they do they begin to veer between excitement, confusion and concern.

“You’re sure?” Yoongi clarifies, still sceptical as you hand out the return schedules. You nod with a bright smile.

“So we can go home and visit?” Jimin checks. Another nod. “Or on a holiday to Japan or something?”

“Yep. As long as you clear all your requests with security and management, anything is fine. No cameras. Outside friends. Hobbies. Trips. All good. Separately, in groups or all together,” you elaborate. The members look stunned, but slowly begin to check their phones for ideas and prices as the concept sinks in properly.

Despite your still-ongoing but rare illicit meetups and your more frequent kisses on the sly, you’re still not expecting a nervous and very pretty Jeongguk to turn up at your bedroom door shortly after you’ve retired for the night.

“Can I come in, noona?” he murmurs when you slide the door across. You nod, wordlessly and stand aside to let him in. He’s clutching a company notepad with some notes scribbled across it in hangul. 

“What’s up JK?” you ask him, gently. “I can’t approve your plans without putting them by management you know,” you remind him, glancing involuntarily at his notes.

“I know,” he says quickly. “I just...I mean I wanted to ask...I wanted to invite you...if you wanted to come camping with me for a few days? Glamping!” he corrects himself, barely after the words have fallen from his lips. “I found this website,” he explains, displaying his handiwork to you and nodding at your still-open computer. Smiling at him, a little bewildered but very flattered by his request, you type the address he’s noted into the search engine and click through the photos that pop up.

“Wow,” you say, appreciatively. “This looks amazing. I’d love to go with you!” You turn to face him, taking his hands in yours so that he looks you in the eye. “If you’re 100% sure you want to risk it, that is,” you stress. “And you will need to be completely honest when you put in the request. You know the risks,” you tell him, trying to impress on him the gravity of what he’s asking for. “Extra security, extra privacy. Even with all that…” you trail off. He is already nodding vigorously.

“I know, noona. But I still want to ask them.” You smile at him warmly.

“Okay, jagi,” you agree, leaning up to kiss him softly on the lips.

************************************************************************

Totally unexpectedly, management approves Jeongguk’s request, and you find yourself admiring the view of a beautiful Korean landscape through the full-length glass along one side of the luxury cabin you’ll be spending the next few nights in. There’s a raft of security personnel, of course, who have their work cut out losing sasaeng cars, as you venture out into the Korean countryside in a generic hire car with heavily-tinted windows. But somehow you’ve managed to book them into the few surrounding cabins, so that you and Jeongguk still have a degree of privacy, with no real risk of random forest-explorers stumbling upon your little hideaway.

You sigh contentedly and go to turn away from the view to search out some liquid refreshment now that you’ve unpacked properly, but you feel arms wrap around you from behind and Jeongguk’s chin lands on your shoulder.

“Mmm…” he breathes, closing his eyes blissfully. “Do you think I should dye my hair again baby?” he asks you dreamily. 

“I mean only if you want to,” you tell him.

“Well...It might get me another headline in the tabloids. And the girls seem to love it when I do anything new with my hair. Besides, Tae’s getting too much attention lately. Might need to do something extreme this time.” He grins at you wickedly and raises a single eyebrow. 

“Ugh you’re a menace!” you object, breaking eye contact with him and shoving him playfully.

“I’m a cute menace though, right?” he provokes you, teasingly.

“Oh honestly!” you tut, but you let him kiss you lingeringly on the lips. You’re only still for a moment though, before he breaks your embrace abruptly.

“Okay let’s explore!” he yells, clapping his hands excitedly. Shaking your head in bemusement, you follow his hyperactive ass around your luxury accommodation, oohing and ahhing appreciatively as he shows you all the features. You end, appropriately, and you suspect not-accidentally, in the bathroom, complete with a two-person spa set on a dais. The view here is even more spectacular than the one in the living room and the polished wood and tiles gleam gently in the natural light. 

Jeongguk fills the two flute glasses with bubbling champagne from the bottle set out on the vanity and hands one to you. You sip yours thoughtfully, varying your gaze between the amazing view and the beautiful man in front of you. He downs his quickly, grimacing slightly at the taste and then immediately kisses you again, his free hand caressing your cheek to draw you further into the kiss. Your hands go straight for his waist, lifting the edge of his t-shirt to graze his abdomen with your fingers.

“You’re dying to undress me, aren’t you?” he purrs.

“Projecting much?” you tease, gliding your hands up to play with his nipples under his t-shirt. He groans softly, throwing his head back and breathing in sharply as you give one of them a gentle but firm pinch.

“Aren’t you worried someone will see us?” he asks, his hands coming up to untie the laces of your top with feverish abandon.

“No. Why? Are you?” you ask, curious. He extends his tongue and flicks yours with it before ripping your top completely open, making you cover yourself reflexively.

“Not at all,” he answers your question. “Honestly looks like you’re more worried than me,” he observes smugly, glancing at your crossed arms.

“Oh yeah?” you challenge him, pulling his t-shirt up over his head then undoing his cargo pants whilst he’s still tangled in freeing himself from his top. You coax his cock out of his Calvin Kleins and then yank his cargo pants down to his ankles, but to your surprise he just shrugs, bites his lip and then guides your wrist to rub him faster, before moving your other hand aside to expose your breasts. He smirks and lowers his head to capture one of your nipples between his perfect lips.

“Wow!” you yelp, trying to cover for your pounding heartbeat and rushing blood. “Hobi was right - you’re completely shameless these days!” The words spill from your lips before you can stop them, making him giggle. He removes the vestiges of his clothing, and steps across to turn on the spa, his body language screaming confidence. You just watch him wordlessly, drinking in his beautiful figure: tiny waist, snake hips, washboard abs, sexy chest with alluringly dark nipples accentuating his pectoral muscles, broad shoulders and toned thighs. The lines of his iliac crescent and his clavicle catch the sunlight as he stretches lazily, and you try not to let your eye be drawn by the thin trail of dark hair leading down from his bellybutton to the nest of hair surrounding his erection, which has now receded slightly to stand straight out from his body at half-attention.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” you sigh, which makes him smile and look at the floor, suddenly shy. He gestures to you to come to him, which you do. You go to remove the rest of your clothes first, but he shakes his head, so you guess that he wants to do it. He kisses you longingly, then slowly undresses you the rest of the way, following his deft fingers with trails of fluttering kisses until you’re naked in front of him.

“Noneun moggi-e chungbunhi joha boyo,” he growls, biting your bottom lip impatiently. You take his hands in yours and pull him towards the now-bubbling spa, but he stops you gently. You look at him questioningly but he puts a finger to his lips. Stooping to scoop you in his arms, he walks unsteadily across the dais and down the steps, letting the water submerge you both until he’s half-soaked and you’re in danger of ending up underwater. You squeal and splash as your face gets close to going under and he laughs and lets you go, allowing you to thrash about and right yourself. By the time you’re sorted, he’s seated on the submerged bench, leaning back, with his legs in a figure 4 so that you can see everything through the bubbles.

Blushing, you move to seat yourself opposite him, but he grabs you and pulls you into a heated kiss, drawing you to sit on his lap, facing him, as he moves his legs to a more comfortably-sprawled position. 

“Do you think we’re giving them a good show?’ he pants, as you kiss his neck, settling yourself on one of his naked thighs. ”Let’s hope they don’t have telephoto lenses,” he muses, flinching when you smack his chest.

“Babo,” you snort, unable to resist a smile slipping across your lips. “Why can’t we just enjoy the view without you making it all weird?” you needle him. 

“Well you don’t know they’re not spying on us,” he points out, stretching his neck to see around you. You look at him uncertainly. “Relax,” he laughs gently. “I don’t think they’re watching. It’s just how I cope with having cameras on me all the time. I’ve had to train myself to not have inhibitions just in case they get me on film doing something...weird. So sometimes I just ‘leave’ while I’m still on camera, just to get some time to myself. As everyone seems to have fucking noticed,” he snickers. 

You sigh, but allow that he’s right.

“Besides,” he continues, readjusting himself, then bringing his hands up to fondle your breasts urgently, “I don’t care if they do see me fucking a babe. They’ll be too jealous to say anything about it, cos they’re stuck there babysitting me instead of out picking up babes themselves,” he taunts, changing tack to kiss you rather wildly. “Mmph, come on jagi,” he mutters against your lips, nipping your bottom one again. “Naega pokbalhagi jone nae ui-e anja!” 

You feel a rush of wetness and tingling between your legs that has nothing to do with the spa or its bubbles as you deepen the kiss, nipping him back. Under cover of the kiss, you reach down for his cock, which is now standing straight up against his stomach and give it a few experimental pumps. Apparently he wasn’t exaggerating: he’s as hard as a rock. He lets out a strangled noise and swears under his breath. “Unf, jebal!” he begs, raising his hips towards yours in desperation. You lift yourself up slightly, then lower yourself onto him, making him suck his breath in sharply through his teeth.

You bounce yourself up and down on him, making his hips buck like he’s riding a particularly untameable mustang pony. His eyes are at half-mast and his lips are parted in sensual abandon, arms flung out to the sides so that you can see the dark tattoos that now cover most of his right arm and hand. His hand twitches and he tosses his head to one side, tendrils of his dark, damp hair clinging to his neck, forehead and cheeks. You lean down to kiss him, unable to resist his charms, and he smiles against your lips and kisses you back, twisting his tongue with yours as you feel his hands come around to tangle in your hair.

You’re getting close to orgasm, and he seems to sense it as he suddenly grabs your waist, lifts you off him and then turns you around to pull you against him, your back to his chest. His heart is pounding and his breathing is shallow and punctuated by airy moans and aspirated sighs. Once he catches his breath, he presses you onto all fours, necessitating that you balance yourself on the other side of the bench encircling the bath. Then, moving one hand around to play with your breasts, he uses the other to penetrate you from behind. You gasp in surprise as you feel his erection enter you from the new angle and then whimper as he starts to thrust into you with increased urgency. You open your eyes momentarily and are startled to be confronted with your transparent images in the glass. You glance upwards and meet his eyes in the reflection and he smiles, obviously enjoying the slightly modified scenery.

This time, as your body starts to tremble, he speeds up, caressing your breasts and tilting himself up to exacerbate the ripples of pleasure that now begin their course through you. You’re still shaking when his hips give a few involuntary jerks and a long, low moan escapes his lips as an orgasm wracks his body. You feel him ejaculate, but the sensation is fizzy and tingling, mixed as it is with the spa water. He gasps and collapses back onto the bench seat, tattooed hand shielding his eyes.

After a moment though, he catches his breath and reaches for you, cuddling you against his side. He kisses you chastely on the forehead and laughs softly.

“Let’s just enjoy the view for a while before we go for round two,” he grins. Sighing contentedly, you throw your arm about his waist and curl your legs to the side, happy just to be sharing this alone time with him, away from the world.

THE END

Glossary: (feel free to submit corrections for these ^.^)

Ma! [마!] = “Hey!”

Uri gatchi tteok-eul chyo-do dwae? [우리 같이 떡을쳐도 돼?] = Basically Korean slang for “Can I pound you?”  (떡 을 치다 being a euphemism for ‘pound’ - literally ‘hit the rice cake’ - ‘Can we hit the rice cake together?’) 

Orin wangja [오린 왕자] = Little Prince (not the book haha)

Gurigo, wangeun kiseureul badaja? (구리고, 왕은 키스를 바다자?) = “And does the King get a kiss?”

Geugoseul nae an-e neoheo! (그고슬 내 안에 넣어) = “Put it in me!”

Jebal, Jagi! Na nomu jojosso! (제발, 자기! 나 너무 젖었어!) = “Please, baby! I’m so wet!”

Mori-ga apa jugkesseyo! (머리가 아파 죽겠어요!) = “My head is killing me!” (I have a terrible headache etc)

Noneun mog-gi-e chungbunhi joha boyo! (너는 먹기에 충분히 좋아 보여!) = “You look good enough to eat!”

Naega pokbalhagi jone nae ui-e anja (내가 폭발하기 전에 내 위에 앉아!) = “Sit on me, before I explode! (cute useless info, actually translates more accurately to “Before I explode, sit on me!” which I think is better haha)

[litwitlady]

Date Nights (5/5)

Read on Ao3.

Alex wakes up on Christmas morning at 4 am, unable to fall back asleep due to a mixture of nerves and excitement. Sliding out of bed slowly, he tucks the duvet around Michael and pulls on sweatpants as quietly as possible before heading into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee.

While the coffee maker works, he plugs in the Christmas tree and the garland over the mantle, admiring the twinkling lights and carefully chosen ornaments. For Christmas this year, they’d gathered with their friends and family early and exchanged ornaments. Liz’s gift had been a cowboy alien, glow in the dark and bearing no resemblance at all to Michael. Rosa’s had been a beautiful glass bulb she’d hand-painted with the cosmos. Kyle’s a simple wood-carved Merry Christmas. Rosa had gotten a hold of it and painted it with various iconography of the holidays - lights, Santa hats, and reindeer faces.

Max’s had been a collection of simple red Christmas bells, their jingle light and tinkling whenever either of them accidentally bumped into the tree. Isobel’s expensive and crystal - a star with swirls that reminded everyone of the console tech in Michael’s bunker. Maria had given them a giant, purple eggplant ornament as a joke, but they’d still hung it on the tree anyway. Smiling fondly every time their eyes landed on it. She’d followed the joke with a gorgeous, brightly-beaded patchwork that she said reminded her of how she felt when their love bled over into her sight - colorful, lacking definition, and like the calm that only comes after the storm.

Michael and Alex had chosen the rest themselves. A mixture of whimsy and classic Christmas. It was hodgepodge and lacked any real thematic structure, but it was also beautiful, filled with love, and theirs.

Back in the kitchen, Alex hops up on the corner of the counter and sips at his coffee. He had planned to let Michael sleep in for once, to cook him breakfast and spend the rest of the day either in bed or wrapped in a blanket on the couch. Keeping his gift for Michael a secret until sunset. But that’s not going to happen. He’s too keyed up. Too anxious to wait.

Pouring a second cup, he heads into the bedroom and sets the coffee on Michael’s nightstand. He finishes getting dressed so that it’s less likely Michael will be able to seduce him back into bed, and then gently shakes him awake. It’s not even 5 am yet so he’s not surprised when Michael mildly panics at being woken up while it’s still dark outside. ‘What’s wrong?’ He reaches out to palm at Alex, needing to make sure he’s okay.

‘Nothing’s wrong, but I need you to wake up.’

Michael’s eyes crack open and he blinks away the sleep before responding. ‘What? Why? We were going to sleep in.’ His voice is soft and groggy.

Alex grabs the coffee and hands it to him, hoping the warm drink will lure him into a sitting position. ‘I know, but I’m too excited to wait. I want to give you your Christmas present right now.’

It works. Michael sits up to sip his coffee and stare at Alex skeptically. ‘You’re making me nervous. You’ve got that look Isobel gets when she’s about to do something she loves but everyone else hates.’

‘Wow, Guerin. And to think I was going to scramble eggs while you showered.’

‘I’m much rather you join me. Eggs can wait.’ He slides his hand very suggestively up Alex’s thigh but gets his hand lightly slapped before he can do any real damage.

‘Nope. I’m not letting you get me naked. Not yet anyway. Now, go get ready.’

‘Okay. Now I’m definitely worried. When have you ever turned down sex? I can’t recall a single time.’ Alex swats his ass as he heads toward the bathroom.

A few minutes later, Michael pads into the kitchen where Alex hands him a bowl of scrambled eggs smothered with melted cheese and freshly chopped chives. ‘Eat fast.’ Alex’s own bowl is already half empty.

He only takes a couple of careful bites. Not because the eggs aren’t good - they’re great. It’s just that Alex is not the big gesture type, and Michael’s not great at receiving gifts of any kind, large or small.

‘Alex?’ He doesn’t know how to ask what he’s about to ask.

‘Hmm?’ He’s finished his breakfast. Sitting on the counter, phone in hand. Probably texting all their friends Merry Christmas.

Michael takes a steadying breath. ‘This isn’t...I mean, this gift isn’t...a proposal, right?’ The thing is he’s racked his brain two days trying to figure out what Alex has been so anxious about. Two days of his brain circling back to this conclusion every time. A proposal. Some giant gesture. Something so unlike Alex.

And to be honest, the idea of marrying Alex isn’t what makes him nervous. It’s the idea that Alex is only doing this because he thinks that’s what Michael wants him to do or needs him to do or some reason equally as unsatisfying. Because Alex’s meticulous, risk assessing brain cannot possibly think getting engaged so soon is a good idea.

The look on Alex’s face is hard to read. He’s tucked his phone back into his pocket and his lips have thinned like he’s trying to smile but forgot how. When he finally speaks his voice is low. Undeniably sad. ‘No, Michael. It’s not a proposal. Not really. But I guess you could say it’s not not a proposal.’

Alex slides gingerly off the counter, landing on his left foot and unable to meet Michael’s eye. That’s when he knows he’s messed up.

‘I didn’t mean anything by that. I just don’t want you to feel pressured to do something you aren’t ready for yet.’

‘You still doubt me. That’s fair.’ He rinses his bowl in the sink, keeping his back turned. ‘Well, it’s a good thing I hadn’t planned to propose then. Maybe we should just head to the Pony instead. Help Maria set up the charity lunch.’ There’s a tremble in his voice that Michael hates.

Alex starts to walk past him, but Michael grabs his elbow, spinning him back around. ‘Hey. Hey, hey, hey. I don’t doubt that you want this as much as I do. But I do think you’d ignore your own feelings to put mine first. I want us to be on the same page. That’s all.’

Tears burn at the corner of Alex’s eyes. Michael reaches his hand up to brush them away, but Alex takes several steps back, swiping at them with the back of his hands. ‘You’re right. I don’t make big gestures. They terrify me. This terrifies me - that I did this thing without your permission. So I’ve been a nervous wreck for weeks. Worried that you would say no or laugh or something else you would never do but that my brain wouldn’t shut up about. And now, I’m pretty sure I messed up. Let’s just forget about it and go help Maria.’

He leaves the kitchen, grabbing his coat off the dining room table. Michael doesn’t move until he hears the front door open and close. The door slams shut hard enough that the windows rattle over Alex’s keyboard, and Michael’s knuckles whiten as he grips the countertop.

This scene an all too familiar memory. Emotions high and Alex skittering away.

Taking a deep breath, he tells himself no. This is different. They are different.

Alex hasn’t run away. He’s just outside waiting, getting some fresh air and calming down. Clearing his head. Because that’s what they do now. They take breaks when needed, but there’s no running.

Michael stuffs his feet inside his boots and drops his hat on his head, coat in his hand. He finds Alex exactly where he expects to, huddled inside his Explorer and the engine already running. When he opens the passenger side door, Alex even manages a weak smile. ‘Sorry.’

‘No sorrys.’ He buckles his seatbelt and reaches across to squeeze Alex’s thigh. ‘We have plenty of time to help Maria. I want my gift.’

Alex nods but doesn’t move to leave. He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, biding his time. Michael settles back in his seat to wait.

‘Promise me something.’ His fingers stop their tapping.

‘Anything.’

He shifts toward Michael as best he can with his seatbelt fastened. ‘If you don’t like the gift for any reason whatsoever, you’ll tell me.’

There’s no running and there’s no lying. ‘I promise.’

The drive out to wherever they’re going is quiet. Christmas music plays faintly through the speakers, but neither of them says anything. Michael’s not a fan of the tension between them, but the lack of anger or sharp words proves -- at least to him -- that they’ve really accomplished something by working hard to get to this softer place.

He watches Alex out of the corner of his eye. Eyes fixed on the road ahead and mind whirling. Every so often he takes a measured breath, loudly exhaling. The most obvious sign that he’s been back in therapy for a couple of months now. Michael aches to climb into his lap and soothe away all his worries, all his fears. But until he knows what this gift is, he knows he can’t.

About half a mile from Foster’s Ranch, Alex pulls the car off the road, coming to a sudden stop at the chained gates of the old Ellison property. Michael watches him climb out of the car and walk a few feet onto the ranch, ignoring the half-dozen no trespassing signs.

Worried that he’s about to have a panic attack, Michael follows him. Placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and studying his face. Nothing seems wrong, his breathing even. ‘You alright?’

‘Yeah. What do you know about Ellison’s Ranch?’ His eyes dart back to the locked gate.

It’s a strange question, but maybe he needs a distraction. Michael’s happy to comply. ‘Uh, Old Man Ellison was a bigger dick than Foster. Died earlier this year. No family so the property was supposed to go for auction. About a hundred acres, give or take.’ He shrugs.

‘Hundred and one.’

‘What?’

Alex motions to the wide open expanse ahead of them. ‘One hundred and one acres exactly. Homestead property, used by the Ellison’s for horse breeding mostly.’

‘Okay.’ Michael’s not sure where he’s headed with any of this. ‘Ellison hated trespassers.’ He points back to the signs. ‘His ghost is likely to murder us if we stand here too long.’ He laughs at his own joke knowing how much Alex hates even the mention of ghosts.

But Alex just keeps staring straight into the distance. ‘We’re not trespassing.’

‘Signs beg to differ. We should just keep going, Alex. There’s nothing out here but dirt.’ He turns to head back to the Explorer, hoping Alex will do the same.

‘I bought this place at auction last month. Signed the final papers Wednesday morning. We’re not trespassing. It’s ours. Merry Christmas, Guerin.’

Michael stops dead in his tracks, spins slowly around. Alex’s hands are now in his pockets, shoulders tense. ‘What?’ He rejoins him, wrapping his fingers around Alex’s bicep. ‘You had this kind of money?’

‘No.’ He risks a quick glance at Michael and then back out toward the mountains. ‘It’s the money from my dad’s estate.’

‘Your dad left you his estate?’ That’s the wildest thing he’s said all morning.

Alex snorts. ‘Fuck, no. He didn’t leave me anything. Left almost everything to Clay, a bit to Greg. His weapons collection to Flint. Nothing to me.’

That checks out. Entirely expected. But rage boils just beneath the surface of Michael’s skin anyway. Alex is and always has been the best of them. And even if he is biased, that’s still the truth. ‘Then how?’

‘The auction notice was in the paper one morning when I was having breakfast with Greg. We talked about it. I mentioned how perfect the acreage was -- meant more for residential living than farming or ranching. Mentioned wanting something like this for me and you.’ He smiles, a real one this time. Full-bodied and bright. ‘A week later they wired me the money. Greg wanted nothing to do with dad’s legacy, and Clay wanted nothing to do with any of us, really.’

Michael gawks at him. Mouth agape and eyes wide. ‘It was enough?’

Alex nods. ‘For the property, yeah. Razing that old farmhouse and building a home of our own? That’s going to be up to us.’

‘A home of our own?’ He knows he sounds like an idiot. Repeating Alex’s simple words back at him. But that’s the best he’s got at the moment.

‘I thought maybe we could design a space that works for both of us. A space adaptable to my mobility needs, roomy enough to have friends stay whenever they want. A home meant for a family with a couple of kids.’ He pauses, lets that sink in. ‘A dog or two. Maybe some chickens and goats out back. Horses, even. Since there are already stables.’

Michael steps behind him, pressing his chest into Alex’s back and wrapping his arms firmly around his waist. ‘Keep going.’

‘A workshop for you. One that’s not buried in the ground. Where the sun shines on your face and the stars guide you at night. A soundproof studio for me so I don’t bother anyone trying to sleep. And anything else, Michael. Anything else you want.’ His voice falters the tiniest bit, low and strained with emotion. Another measured breath. ‘It’s too much. Right?’

Yes.

But the thing is, Michael can see everything Alex described. The house, the workshop, the studio. Even the goddamn horses. And all of that is nice. Perfect. The best dream imaginable. But what sells him is the mention of kids. Their kids. Their kids growing up here. Safe and loved. Chasing after chickens and crying over skint knees. Michael holding his little girl’s hand as she wobbles down the steps desperate to run after the dog while Alex follows with their son in his arms.

Suddenly, his mother’s words come to him, unbidden from where he’d locked them away. The words he’d kept for himself. Don’t be afraid to fight for your own happiness, my love. How easily she’d seen through him and known exactly what he needed to hear.

So, he fights.

‘Yes.’ He whispers the words directly into Alex’s ear. ‘But we’ve always been too much. Me and you. Why stop now?’

Michael kisses down Alex’s neck and holds him tighter while the sun climbs higher overhead, illuminating the desert morning stretching out around them. Cars pass behind them on the highway and somewhere in the distance, a rooster crows. He replays the scene in his head again -- their little girl tumbling down the stairs, Alex snuggling their son into giggles.

Alex has made him this promise, and now it’s his turn.

‘Hey, Alex.’

‘Hmm?’ Michael knows he’s lost in his own daydream. Perhaps the exact same one.

‘Marry me.’

[babybuckleys]

In Jail & Needing Bail.

Drew & Rudy x Reader. (just friends but a bit flirtier with Drew.)

Summary: Hanging out with the outer banks cast was always eventful but you didn't expect to be in a jail cell with two of your closest friends.

Word Count: 2.1k

Warnings: trespassing, smoking, a few bad words.

A/N: this is my first fic with no relationship and the most warnings so bare with me. But the boys look so hot in handcuffs. Also I do not know anything about prison. This is my first fic on here, hope you like it. (I guess this means im open to requests.)

Nothing was supposed to happen, you guys were just supposed to be having a good time . Now you were sitting in a jail cell with Drew and Rudy. Now if we back up a few hours to where it all started this would all make sense.

You were all sitting in Chase’s apartment and were starting to get bored. Earlier in the day everyone had come over and you guys had a movie marathon day. But now as it was starting to reach around 10pm and people were starting to get antsy. LA usually was very awake at 10pm, people at restaurants and just walking around the city. So when Madison suggested that you guys go explore the city everyone agreed. Anything to get out of the stuffy apartment.

As you headed into town someone through the bunch of your friends suggested first you should grab a bite to eat. Food was important if you wanted to last the night so a bunch of murmurs were heard throughout the crowd. After finishing up, you guys headed on a walk to wherever your feet would take you. 

LA had many different sides to it. There was the jam packed side overflowing with people and places. Then there was the sketichier side of LA. The side where it was darker and there were less open shops and buildings. As you and your friends headed to the darker side of LA you huddled closer together. Still laughing and having a good time together. As you headed forward, your group of friends came to a halt. You lost your balance a little since you were towards the back and it was an unexpected stop. Everyone looked forward to see what was up. 

“Shit look guys.” Chase said. Everyone followed his gaze to an abandoned house in the middle of the street.

“How about we sneak in, we got nothing to lose.” Austin spoke out.

“I don't think that a good idea, it's kind of scary.” Madelyn said.

“Yeah I agree” Madison and you said.

“Come on, let's live a little.” Drew said as he bumped your shoulder with you. Drew was your best friend, also as was Rudy. So usually when you guys told each other stuff to do, you guys did it no matter the circumstance.

“Sure, why not.” you told him, what you did for and with your best friends you thought as you shook your head. 

The boys headed in first and you girls stuck behind. What a great way to be spending a night in LA with your friends. In an abandoned house at midnight. You weren't one to break the rules so when you didn't see any sign about no trespassing you though it was ok. At first it was kind of scary but after the eerie feeling went away you decided to walk around and explore. Some of your friends even thought it was a perfect time to record it for their Instagram stories. You headed one way by yourself as your friends all headed separate ways. You turned on the flashlight on your phone and tried not to be too scared. As you were walking more you heard creaking but thought that maybe they were just your steps. 

“Boo.” Drew grabbed your shoulders and whispered in your ear. You screamed and dropped your phone. You heard the scatter of your friends footsteps as they ran to the source of the screaming.

“You're an ass for doing that, you know that.” you told Drew as you shoved him. 

“But you love me.” he said as he wrapped your arms around you.

“Y/N, you ok?” asked Madison, searching for your voice in the pitch black building. Out of the two girls you were always closer to her, and talked to her when you couldn't talk to the two boys.  Soon they all reached you and Drew. 

“Yeah I am, someone just decided to be childish and scare me.” you told her. Soon you all explored together. For the next thirty minutes you walked around. It started to get around 1:30am and Jonathan started to yawn. You knew that it was about time to head out since it was getting late and you guys were getting tired.

As the rest of your friends headed out, you stayed behind to tie your shoe. Rudy stayed behind so you wouldn't be alone. As you got up from tying your shoe, you felt around your pockets for your phone. 

“My phone, shit where's my  phone.” you said as you frantically searched your clothing pockets. 

“How about we retrace your steps, when was the last time you had it?”

“Uhm I think it was when Drew scared me.” you thought as you remembered that when you guys were upstairs you must have dropped it. As you guys were headed upstairs Drew headed in to see what was taking so long.

“Hey guys y'all aren't doing any funny business.” Drew said as he walked in with his hands over his hands. 

“Shut up Starkey, we aren't even dating.” you said as you looked at him. You were best friends with both boys but always tended to be a bit more flirty with Drew, but of course would never date any of them, because you liked how your friendship worked.

“Ok then what's taking so long.” he said in an exasperated tone.

“I lost my phone and don't know where it is. Can you help us find it?” 

“But we gotta hurry up cause this place is giving me the creeps.” Drew said hugging his hands to himself. 

You guys laughed as all three of you headed up stairs to the last spot you were at. While you were looking, your other friends were outside. 

Currently waiting for the rest of you to come out. “What's taking them so long, it's getting cold.” Madelyn said.

“Maybe someone should go check on them.” suggested Madison. As your friends played rock,paper, scissors to decide who would go in; they saw police lights in the distance. 

“Shit are they coming this way?” Chase asked.

“Nah I don't think so, maybe it's a coincidence.” said Austin. As your friends continued on waiting for you they heard the speaker of the police car. 

“Hands up where I can see them.” said the police officer through the megaphone. 

“Shit , shit, run.” said Jonathon. 

“Shouldn't we wait for them or at least warn them.” Madison said worried about the rest of her friends.

“I don't think that's a good idea, our best bet right now is to run or else we’re going to get arrested,” Chase said. Your friends ran as fast as they could as you guys inside headed back downstairs. 

You headed outside and the first thing you heard was “hands on your head and step out carefully.” You couldn't believe you were about to get arrested and where were your other friends? Nowhere to be seen. 

“No fucking way.” Rudy said.

As you stepped down towards the cops they handcuffed you all a bit too roughly. “Anything you say will be held against you.” he said as he put all of you in the back of the cop car. As you started to drive off Drew spoke up. 

“I guess it's time to take a ride downtown.” You just shook your head as you buried your head into your hands. Rudy put a hand on your leg to ease the tension. You could not believe you had just gotten arrested for trespassing with your two best friends. 

As you were put into a cell all you could think about was how this was crazy. Drew and Rudy were handcuffed together in one corner and you were in the other. You werent gonna lie, your two best friends were attractive but something about them handcuffed together just sparked something in you.

“I don't understand why we have to be handcuffed, it's not like we are going to fight each other.”

“Well I got to say it's pretty hot that you too are handcuffed.” you didn't know where you got this new source of confidence and you were kind of shocked.

“Damn Y/N, jail is turning you wild.” Drew said. You looked down blushing and ignored his comment. Rudy was becoming stressed, you could tell because first he was shaking his  leg up and down. Next he did something that he only did when he was stressed, he pulled out a cigarette. 

He started smoking it and offered Drew one too.  “You want one Y/N?” he asked.

“No thanks Pankow, two people smoking in here is enough.” You weren't a fan of smoking but again something about your friends in handcuffs and smoking was so hot. You sat in a corner and hoped that you could get out of this soon. Because you didn't think that you could last much longer in here with your friends looking that hot, barely doing anything and you not doing anything stupid. The officer came in a bit later and said that you guys can call someone.

“You guys get one call, make it worth it,” he said in a grumpy voice.

“What the hell, why do we only get one call if there are three of us.” Drew questioned.

“Watch you tone.” the officer said. You grabbed his arm and looked at him in reassurance to not say anything else. “Hey it's ok, they'll answer.” You really hoped your friends answered. You weren't sure what time it was but you decided that your best bet was calling Madison, she had always been there for you so you hoped this was the case. 

You punched in her number and after three rings there was static on the other end.

“Hello, Madi, Are you there? Please tell me you're there.” you said trying not to break down in front of your friends.

“Y/N oh my god, are you guys ok, I'm sorry we couldn't stay back.” she said. You knew that they couldn't stay back because instead of three being arrested it would be eight. 

“Oh god Madi, I don't know how long I could be in here with them.” you told her suggesting the fact about how they were looking so hot. 

“Why? Are they being gross? Have they posted bail for you guys.” you knew you couldn't tell her with the boys around so you suggested to them that they go ask the officer how much your guys bail was set at. When Drew stayed behind you spoke up.

“Can you both go, I have to tell Madison something.” you looked at him pleadingly. He shook his head and jogged up to catch Rudy.

“Gosh Madison I don't know, it's just something about them in handcuffs and smoking that's so hot.” you exasperated to the brown haired girl.

“Damn seems like someone has a crush on two guys and has a kink, I thought you hated smoking” said Madison laughing of her best friend in a joking way.

“Don't say it so loud. They're attractive guys but just my best friends that's it. Now shh they're coming back. “ Y/N said as she turned around and saw both boys heading her way.

“He said the bail is set at $500.” Rudy said.

“Did you hear that Madison?” Y/N told her friend on the other line.

“Yeah I just told the others. Hang in there, We will try to get you guys out soon.” She said as there was shuffling on the other end then and the line ended.

“Ok they said that they'll try to get the money as soon as possible, I guess we just have to wait.” You sulked back to the jail cell sleepily. You closed your eyes and laid your head on Drew's shoulder. About what seemed like a few hours later the jiggling of keys startled you awake.

“Someone here to bail you out, come on get up.” the officer said. You and your friends headed out of the cell sleepily. As you headed out of the police station you noticed as the sun was rising. You saw your friends leaning against Chase’s car. You all pulled each other into a hug.

“What a night we had.” Austin said.

“You're not the one who got arrested” you said looking at him with a serious face.

“Yeah man it was your idea and you didn't even have to be in a cell for god knows how many hours.” Rudy said.

“Well it's now 7 in the morning so you guys were in there for about five hours, sorry it took us so long to get the money.” Madelyn said.

“It's all good, what matters now is that we are out and that we should get some food cause I am starving.” Drew sighed.

“I agree with that statement, let's go get some food.” you said. You had an eventful night that you never expected would happen but now you were glad it was winding down with your friends and food.

taglist: @heartbreak-hemmings (thank you for helping me with the title), @thelocalpogue, @outrbank, @jayjaymaebank, @beautyandthebleh, @ceruleanjj, @pogue-style, @shawnssongs, @flowersinvegas​, @baby-bearie, @myrandom-fandomlife, @calumbroutledge, @bellaguarneri.

[officialscaramouche]

Companions

pairing: Chongyun x Xingqiu

summary: After being transported to ten years in the future, Xingqiu finds the harbor in disarray. Desperate to find answers, he sought out his best friend, Chongyun, to no avail. Chongyun's home, too, is found falling apart and Xingqiu realizes that his friend is gone as well. He takes the opportunity to reminisce by going through Chongyun's room when a strange man wearing the exorcist clan's colors walks in.

warnings: none

word count: 4,522

also posted on ao3!

Ch. 2 of 5 < prev | next >

Xingqiu looks at the back of the stranger in front of him. They’re tall, about as tall as his older brother. His shoulders aren’t broad, but they’re wider than the average. The man wore a pristine, white Wudang robe with a strikingly familiar navy blue clan banner that hung beneath the shirt. He donned a hood that loosely hung from his head, blue and gold trim that lined the outfit. “Your wear…” Xingqiu hushed, stepping forward slightly and reaching out subconsciously. “These colors...the pattern...why do you wear them?”

The man turned to look over his shoulder slightly, his hood hiding all but his nose that peeked out from behind the fabric. “Because it is mine.” He says curtly, turning back to face the inside of the drawer.

“Are you a fanboy?” The stranger asked after a moment.

Xingqiu was taken off guard, pulling his hand back. “Of the Taoist exorcist clan? No—”

“No, of Xingqiu. The author of the Cursed Claymore series.” The man pulled out a box and placed it gently on the table. He tinkered with the locking mechanism for a moment before popping it open and pulling objects out.

“What? I am Xingqiu. Heir to Feiyun Commerce. Apprentice of the Guhua Martial Arts Clan.” The man stilled, his hands halting their search within the box. He turned, fully this time, facing Xingqiu. The boy couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Feiyun Commerce went under almost half a decade ago. And the Guhua Clan is extinct.”

Xingqiu placed a hand over his mouth, tears welling in his eyes as he was hit by a surge of turbulent emotions. “Y-You!”

“This is not funny, fanboy. I know Xingqiu personally. He would never trespass into my family’s home like this!”

Xingqiu sticks a thumb into his chest. “I am Xingqiu! Heir to Feiyun Commerce and apprentice to the G-Guhua...Believe me! I don’t know what’s going on! Chongyun, you have to help me get back home!”

The man takes a defensive stance, pointing harshly at the scholar. “How do you know my name?!”

“Because I am Xingqiu! Your best friend, Xingqiu!”

“Quit playing with me! What do you mean by ‘home?!’ Your home at the harbor is gone!”

“I mean that I was reading this book and then— and suddenly, I was here! Not home! Liyue Harbor was normal! I had just left home, I just spoke with my father! I was waiting for you, and then— please! I don’t know!”

The older, battle-worn Chongyun lowered his shoulders, his eyes sharp as he watched Xingqiu closely. “This book— let me see it.” Xingqiu meekly extends the book forward, Chongyun swiping it roughly from his hands. The exorcist begins flipping through it carefully, his eyes scanning the pages.

Fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, Xingqiu watched nervously. “I-I don’t know what it says. I can’t read it…”

“This is enochian,” Chongyun states as he continues to read the book.

“You can read it?”

“No. But I recognize it. Many evil spirits use enochian to communicate with the living, but it’s mostly used for demonic practices.” Xingqiu swallows, looking to his fingers as he toyed with them nervously. “Where did you get this?”

“Ah...Wanwen this morning.”

“The bookstore? Near the tea house?”

“Yeah, my favorite one.”

Chongyun eyed Xingqiu suspiciously before returning to the book. “I can see why you called this a diary.”

Xingqiu perked up, walking towards the exorcist, grabbing onto his arm to peer over onto the pages. “What can you read?”

Chongyun grimaces at the sudden intrusive touch, but points to the book. “It’s written from the author’s point of view. Here it’s talking about meeting with a medium. Something about someone dying. But it could be anybody. In my experience, this demon only seems to seek out exorcists and mediums.”

Xingqiu pouts, furrowing his brows. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Chongyun shoves Xingqiu off his arm and closes the book, pressing it into the scholar’s chest. “I don’t know, you tell me, fanboy.”

“I’m telling you! This is the custom-made outfit that I got measured for back when I learned I was to be the heir!”

Chongyun smirks and crosses his arms. “You know your stuff. I wonder where you read that.”

Xingqiu stomped his foot and shook his finger in Chongyun’s face. “I’m serious!!”

Chongyun rolled his eyes and turned back to look into the box he found. “Okay ‘Serious,’ help me look for something.”

Xingqiu sat back on the bed and crossed his legs, turning his nose upward. “No.”

Chongyun sighed and dropped his head. “Maybe you really are Xingqiu because nobody’s got an attitude like him.” Xingqiu smiled proudly to himself at the half-insult. “But fine. You’d only get in my way anyways.”

“No! I can help!”

“I don’t want your help.”

Xingqiu skipped over to the exorcist and peered into the box. “What are you looking for?”

“Some lecture notes. The last time I was here I had to quickly seal everything up.” The older man gives Xingqiu a knowing look. “But I figured that since it’s already broken I might as well look for what I need.”

“Lecture notes? Why?”

“Because this is no normal you hun ye gui. And...frankly I didn’t pay attention to my lectures. Ugh, it’s not here.” Chongyun slammed the box shut and moved over to his bookshelf, noting the adult novel laying on the floor. Chongyun gave Xingqiu a glare, but the scholar looked away and whistled, pretending to not notice.

Chongyun pulled out some textbooks and journals. He flipped through them hurriedly, throwing them to the side haphazardly when they proved of no import. “You should treat those texts a little better,” Xingqiu tutted, picking up the books and dusting them off, placing them gently on the drawer.

Chongyun rolled his eyes. “‘You should treat those books better,’” he mocked.

“When did you get so grumpy.”

“I’ve always been grumpy. I just never voiced it when I was a kid.”

Xingqiu crossed his arms. “No, you’re not grumpy. And you have a pretty fine time expressing your feelings to me.”

Chongyun stood, dropping the last notebook to the floor after learning nothing about what he needed. “You think you know it all, don’t you fanboy?” Chongyun pushed past the young scholar and stalked out of the room.

“Hey!” Xingqiu shouted out, running after the exorcist. “Where are you going?”

“To the study,” Chongyun replies, not looking back as he made his way down the stairs. Xingqiu follows behind him, quickly making his way down, watching Chongyun turn the corner at the bottom of the stairs.

Xingqiu was a little giddy. He’d never seen the clan’s study before but Chongyun always complained that it was ‘too big’ and had ‘too many books to read,’ so he imagined it was a second heaven for him right after Wanwen. Boy was he wrong.

It was better than he imagined. He watched as Chongyun pushed the heavy wooden door, the bottom scraping the planks of the floor. “Stupid door,” Chongyun hissed, kicking it. Xingqiu walked in with large glassy eyes, his mouth hanging open. “Close your mouth before you breathe in too much dust,” Chongyun said, wiping his nose with his shirt after sneezing.

“This collection is incredible!” Xingqiu looked the walls up and down. The walls were made of inset shelves. The only space not lined with books was where the two small circular windows sat. Even the floor was littered with books, as the shelves were all fully stacked with two or three rows of tomes laying on each shelf. “You read all of these?”

“Unfortunately,” Chongyun sneers, pulling up a wooden stool. “Can’t say I remember any of them that I don’t practice.”

Xingqiu climbed the nearby ladder and began to run his fingers down each spine. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would’ve come over more!”

“They’re boring. And these books are only used for studying exorcism. My dad wouldn’t have let you in anyways.” Chongyun slams a book onto the desk below him. “Ugh, not here either…”

“I would’ve paid him to let me— wait so you believe me now?”

“About what?”

“That I’m the real Xingqiu.”

Chongyun laughs. “Oh, no. But it’s nice to pretend.” Chongyun gets down from the stool and walks around, eyeing the titles of the books he walks past. “I haven’t spoken to Xingqiu in almost a year.”

Xingqiu looks back to Chongyun, a frown on his face. “Why not?”

“Hm. We’re both busy. We both have lives.”

“But I love spending time with you.”

Chongyun pulls out another book and flips it open. “You also have a career. Like I do.”

Xingqiu jumps down the ladder and meanders over to the exorcist. “Can you tell me about myself? Like what I’m doing now?”

Chongyun points to the ladder. “No. Help me look, please.”

Xingqiu stomps his foot. “Why! I just want to know!”

“Because you should know already, fanboy. I’m looking for anything on the topic of guidance talismans, unique talismans, stubborn demons, and demons that don’t kill. Well, don’t kill normally.”

Xingqiu huffs and rolls his eyes, walking to a random shelf to start looking for any book that hints at any of those topics. “You’re bossy.”

“And you’re annoying.”

Xingqiu stares blankly at the books in front of him. “Do you mean that?”

“Absolutely.” Chongyun turns from the shelf and walks to the desk, opening the drawers.

“Have you always thought of me like that?”

Chongyun stops, purses his lips and stares at the ceiling. “No, Xingqiu was never annoying to me. But you, you’re annoying.”

“I am Xingqiu!”

“Whatever.”

The two search for books in silence for a period before Chongyun breaks the silence. Xingqiu has a small stack of books that might have something important. “Aha!” Chongyun slaps a small scrap of paper onto the desk. “Fanboy, come see this.”

Xingqiu picks up his stack of books and trudges over to the desk. “What is it? Who drew that? It’s horrible.”

Chongyun flicks the scholar. “I did.” He flattens out the wrinkled paper. “It’s the talisman I’m looking for. It’s a guidance talisman. They’re very rare and very difficult to make. It takes a master exorcist to make one, and most masters can’t make one.”

“Are you a master exorcist?”

“No...my mom was, though. The strongest in my family...but not even she could make one.”

“What do you need it for?”

Chongyun grabs the book at the top of Xingqiu’s stack, pushing it to the side after reading the title. He picks up the next, and does the same thing. “Do you have Demons, Deities, and the Paranormal? By Po Lang.”

Xingqiu looks at the books quickly. “No, let me look.”

Chongyun grabs his wrist. “No, it’s okay. The you hun ye gui is a lost soul. They’re easy to quell when you know who the soul is and what keeps them here with the living. But this you hun ye gui has been lost for a long time. I doubt any of its relatives are alive or remember who it was. Without that person’s belongings or without knowing what it wants, I can’t send the soul on to the afterlife. I need a guidance talisman to guide it.”

Xingqiu looks at the books he has and opens the one he has on talismans. “Have you encountered this demon already?”

Chongyun crumples the paper in his fist and hangs his head. “Yes...for a very brief moment.”

Xingqiu looks at the exorcist with worry. “Is that when…”

“Yes. I was coming home from a job in Sumeru...I hadn’t seen my family in months. My mom wrote me a letter saying that she’d make my favorite food when I got home. I was looking forward to it.” Chongyun chews his lip, fighting back tears. Xingqiu stood in silence. “When I got here, my cousin Lam was the only one alive...it killed him as soon as I saw them. I chased after it, but it feared my yang energy and got away. I didn’t want to go too far, anyways. My family was scattered across the yard.”

Xingqiu looks out the window and eyes the freshly dug mounds. Chongyun must’ve buried them, he thinks. “I-I’m sorry, Chongyun…” Xingqiu wiped the tears that streamed down his cheeks.

“You just missed it. This was, what, not even a week ago?”

“And that’s why you’re looking for it, right?”

“Yes. I need to send that demon on. It already tormented the harbor. Everyone fled three years ago.”

“Ah...that’s why it’s empty.”

“And that’s why my family stayed here. This you hun ye gui is stuck in this area. It won’t go anywhere else. The harbor was always a lively area, there’s no way I’d be able to find the one thing it wants.”

“If there isn’t anything here, what can we do to stop the demon?”

Chongyun looks towards the windows in thought. “There’s a library Xingqiu told me about near Wangshu Inn. Very well-hidden. He said he found volumes of very specific, niche topics. Maybe we can find something there?”

Xingqiu nodded, pushing the rest of the books in his stack to Chongyun. “Here’s what I’ve found so far. Look at these, I’ll keep looking.”

Xingqiu climbed back up the ladder and began pulling books one by one, reading the title, checking for an index, and reading a little bit of each text. Chongyun watched the young scholar for a moment, chuckling, before inspecting the books in front of him.

Chongyun kicked the heavy door again as he walked in, throwing back the cup in his hand. “Here,” he says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and tapping Xingqiu’s shoulder with the other cup in his hand.

“Ah, thank you,” Xingqiu grins, dabbing his sleeve onto his forehead, gathering the sweat there.

“Really, you can stop now. I accepted a commission in that area, so we have to go anyway.” Chongyun leaned back on the desk and crossed his feet, taking another sip from his drink.

Xingqiu dropped the book in his lap dramatically and slouched forward, letting out a loud throaty groan. “I’m finally onto something, I swear!”

“Look at you!” Chongyun gestured vaguely to the mess that Xingqiu sat in: scrolls rolled out in every direction, open books stacked on other opened books, a stain in the wood where he spilled the ink pot, his shoes and socks off and discarded in different corners of the room. “Get up, we gotta go.”

Chongyun hooked his arms underneath Xingqiu’s pits and dragged him to the door. “No! I’ve a lead!”

“Ah!” Xingqiu tripped over himself for possibly the hundredth time this afternoon. Chongyun grabbed a firm hold on the young boy’s forearm before he fell and split his head open.

Pushing the scholar forward, Chongyun smacked the back of his head. “I told you to stop kicking rocks! Quit it, you’re like a child!”

“I am a child!” Xingqiu slaps the exorcist pathetically in the chest. He furrows his brow and looks Chongyun up and down, pulling his hand back hesitantly before gently pushing back again.

“What.” Chongyun growls, grabbing Xingqiu’s wrist.

“Hm. You’re...firm.” The boy turns on his heels and proudly stomps away.

Chongyun smiles, albeit confused, and checks the ad he picked up on a bulletin. Please! I need someone to free me from the terror! Six hilichurls have made camp along my route in the Guili Plains! Halfway to Wangshu Inn, near the ruins! Chongyun looked at his surroundings. “Hey--”

Xingqiu widely swung his arms as he walked. “Do you think I can grow muscle? How did you get your muscles?” Chongyun wrapped an arm around Xingqiu’s waist and half-threw the boy off the road. Xingqiu rolled in the loose dirt, hitting his head on the ground. “Hey!” He shouted, rubbing the back of his head. “Why’d you--” Above him, Chongyun held a wide stance, his back hunched as he held up his claymore.

Chongyun’s clan’s banner blew gently, the blue and gold contrast beaming off the sunlight. “Stay down! The commission--” A hilichurl leapt out from a nearby bush, holding it’s fists high above it’s head. Chongyun quickly held up the side of his blade, blocking the attack. “Eugh!”

Chongyun swings his blade to the side, shoving the hilichurl aside. Chongyun jumps, slamming down his blade onto the hilichurl. It dodges with a roll, and leaps once more toward Chongyun. It tackles him, encouraging the other hilichurls to jump from hiding. “Chongyun!” Xingqiu darts out and unsheathes his sword, striking one of the hilichurls on top and pinning it to the ground. It squirms beneath him as Xingqiu holds it down with a foot, pulling the blade out of the hilichurl’s chest, and piercing it’s skull. Behind him, Chongyun grunts, grabbing his attention.

Chongyun swings his claymore upwards, sending a gust of icy wind that sends the hilichurls’ bodies hurling. Of the four, three lay motionless on the ground. The remaining one weakly crawls away, grasping for grains of dirt for support. Chongyun lugs his claymore over his shoulder as he stalks over to the last hilichurl. He raises his claymore by the hilt with both hands, bracing himself with a wide foot stance. Xingqiu looks away when Chongyun plunges the blade downwards.

The hilichurls begin to dissipate one by one, turning into black and red dust. Xingqiu places both hands on the ground to support him as he stood up. Chongyun stepped up in front of the boy and extended a hand to help him to his feet. “Thanks for your help.”

Xingqiu sheaths his sword and dusts off his shorts. “You still use the same claymore.”

With a wave of his hand, Chongyun’s blade vanishes. “Are you still trying to convince me that you’re really Xingqiu?”

“No,” Xingqiu sorted his messy hair, slipping his long bangs out of his face. “I just thought you’d use the one your mom gave you.”

Chongyun lowers his gaze as he thinks of the birthday gift. His mother gave him her favorite sword when he finally donned the title of exorcist and was able to do jobs on his own. “It means too much to me,” he explains. “I ended up giving it to you to take care of.”

Xingqiu puts a finger to his chin. “Me?”

Chongyun smiled shyly, scratching his neck. “Ahem, Xingqiu I mean. He doesn’t go out much anymore.” The exorcist waved his hand forward. “Come on, let’s start looking for the library.”

Xingqiu beams, eyeing the exorcist knowingly. “Where did I say this library was?”

“Uh, near some ruins. It was hard to understand him because he was really excited.”

Xingqiu puts his fists on either hip. “I am so smart and I know everything!”

“Except how to shut up and be helpful!”

Xingqiu covered the sun from his eyes with a hand, peering into the distance. “Can I ask you a serious question?”

Chongyun opened his map and turned it every which way. “Sure. I’ll humor you this time.”

“Do I have a girlfriend?”

Chongyun turns and glares at the boy. “Really?” Xingqiu nodded expectantly. Sighing, Chongyun put a hand on his waist and looked to the sky in thought. “Not right now— he did before, though, when he first inherited the company.”

Xingqiu jumped up and grabbed Chongyun’s hand. “Was she pretty? What’s her name! Why did we break up?”

Chongyun pulled his hand back and laughed. “She was alright, but he thought she was pretty. That’s all that mattered.” Xingqiu waited expectantly for him to continue. “Uh...he was too busy to have a relationship. She wanted all of his time but he didn’t have any to give her. He hasn’t dated since. He says he’s just not interested.”

Xingqiu puffs his cheeks in a pout. “That’s lame! Are you sure he’s the real me?”

“Are you sure you’re the real Xingqiu? He’s more mature than he was before. Besides, he likes his solitude now.”

Xingqiu stomps his feet as he walked on, Chongyun closely behind. “I bet I wished you came over more.”

Chongyun rolled up his map and slapped the back of Xingqiu’s head. “He understands that I’m busy. Now enough, we have to find this library. Keep an eye out for a camp so I can collect this commission. It’s weird, though, that there were only five hilichurls. The ad said six.”

Xingqiu, walking a bit ahead, points to the distance. “What’s going on over there?”

“Huh?” Chongyun squints to see further.

“It looks like...a man? And—”

“And the you hun ye gui!!”

Chongyun breaks into a sprint, summoning his claymore once more into his right hand. “W-Wait!” Xingqiu scrambles as he chases after the exorcist.

The book didn’t describe the you hun ye gui— at least, what he could read. So he wasn’t sure what it would look like...but he was terrified. The demon was huge, standing three feet taller than the man there, and as wide as half a house. The demon was dark brown and black, with bright yellow eyes. Horns stuck out of its head, claws growing out of its fingers. He felt himself tremble as he got closer.

He watched as the demon swiped its right hand and knocked the man back, throwing him to the side. Chongyun let out a feral shout as he threw his claymore over his shoulder to swing it forward with a mighty force. “Ch-Chongyun! Be careful!”

The demon looks at Chongyun and roars, shaking the ground with its strength. But, after sensing the overwhelming amount of yang energy, the demon runs away instead of staying to fight the exorcist. “You bitch! Come here!” Chongyun stops abruptly before the man laying on the ground and watches the demon take off over the hills. “I’m gonna fucking kill you,” Chongyun bites to himself, kneeling down to check the man’s wounds. “Are you alright?”

Xingqiu stumbles up to the two, panting. “Chongyun…” he breathes. “Please be careful!”

“It ran away! Like a coward!”

“Still!”

The man on the ground coughs up blood, groaning in pain. Xingqiu pulls his hair behind his ears and kneels down. “We’re gonna help you, stay still—”

“No,” the man waves his hand frantically. “I’m not going to make it. Please—”

Chongyun cradles the man’s head as he lays him down. “Where are you hurt?”

“Really, I don’t want the help!”

“Who are you?” Xingqiu asks, pressing two fingers to the man’s wrist.

“My name is Zhang Wei, I’m a medium.”

Chongyun quirks an eyebrow and fishes into his pocket. Xingqiu smiles warmly. “It’s nice to meet you, Zhang Wei. I’m Xingqiu, heir to Feiyun--”

Chongyun hangs the ad in front of Zhang Wei’s face. “Zhang Wei, I completed your commission, I ask for pay.”

Zhang Wei laughs, raising his brows at the exorcist. “I have no money.” Chongyun scowls and stands, balling his fists at his side. “You’re an exorcist. You know why I have no money, boy. Look, you’re desperate for some too.”

Chongyun crumples up the ad and throws it at the medium. “Don’t hang ads if you can’t pay for the job.” The exorcist turns to walk away, stopping before taking the first step. He fists his pocket and takes out a small satchel. He throws it to the scholar. “Herbs. For the pain.”

Xingqiu looks at the little mesh satchel, tied with a blue silk ribbon. He finds it nostalgic despite never seeing it before. He unties the satchel, ushering for Zhang Wei to show him the wound. “It won't hurt for much longer,” he sings, rubbing the herbal paste on his wounds.

Xingqiu turns in circles, scanning the orange horizon for Chongyun. “Chongyun!” He calls out, cupping his hands around his mouth. “Chongyun!!” Xingqiu made his way to the top of a hill for a better vantage point; from there he spots Chongyun sitting around some rocks looking at the sunset. “There you are,” he sighs, skipping down the hill.

Chongyun stared at his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. He looked to the side when he heard Xingqiu’s delicate footsteps. Xingqiu takes a seat by his feet. “Are you deaf now, too?” He chides, elbowing his leg.

“Sorry,” Chongyun breathes, turning his head away.

“Oh, no I was just joking.”

“No, I’m sorry for leaving you behind. First when I saw the you hun ye gui, and again when Zhang Wei had no money for me.”

Xingqiu gently rubs Chongyun’s arm. He flinches a little, but lets him touch him. “Don’t worry about it! You chased after the you hun ye gui because you’re upset. I can tell that you’re a little more accepting of your emotions. It was hard to tell what you were feeling back when you and I were the same age.”

“No, it’s not that…” Chongyun trails off, taking in a deep breath. “I don’t know, maybe I shouldn’t tell you.”

“Why not?” Xingqiu presses. “I may not be the real Xingqiu anyways.”

Chongyun snorts, rolling his head to the side. “You’re a damn good fanboy, you know that?” Xingqiu grins, entertaining his older friend.

“Come on, tell me.”

“Ah, fine.” Chongyun slides off the rock and sits beside Xingqiu on the grass, staring into the setting sun. “The advice Xingqiu gave me...when we were younger. You know, about my yang energy. Instead of trying to reduce my yang energy, I should find a demon that’s immune to it.” Xingqiu nods. “Well...I did. It had been years after I was already considered a full-fledged exorcist. We were both grown adults at this point. I...got too confident. And I got really hurt. It left me...unable to work. I had to stay home in bed and rest.” Xingqiu frowns as he watches Chongyun talk, observing his expressions and listening to the tone of his voice. “This time, you were too busy for me. I kept asking for you to come by but you were always doing something. I was just so bored by myself in the bed.” Chongyun stops to chuckle. “The one time you came by, it was for fleeting minutes. You simply said hello, apologized for not coming over more, and gave me medicine. The same medicine you gave to Zhang Wei…”

“Well, if you needed it, why didn’t you use it!” Xingqiu puffed out his cheeks. “I oughtta have a talk with me!”

Chongyun ruffled Xingqiu’s hair playfully. “It’s okay. I like seeing him busy. I like knowing that he’s happy and not bored. But still...I do miss him. And that’s why I kept it instead, because I don’t get to see him often.”

Xingqiu stood abruptly. “Let’s go see me.”

“Huh?” Chongyun looked up at Xingqiu with a surprised look.

Xingqiu bent down and picked up Chongyun’s hand. “Come on! Where do I live?”

Chongyun unwillingly got up, slouching meekly as Xingqiu dragged him forward. “But let’s look for the library first.”

Xingqiu pulled the exorcist’s arm. “We can ask me about it when we get there!”

[layce2015]

The Last of Us Part 2 (Joel x Reader)

Chapter 6: Seattle, Day 1

Chapter 5

"This hunter was on top of him...drowning him. And...Joel couldn't reach for his gun." Ellie said to Dina as we rode on our horses through the luscious forest. Her and Dina were riding Shimmer and I was riding my own horse, Dixie. "Jeez...were you scared?" Dina asked her. "Well, I didn't even think, I just...ran in there, grabbed his gun and...shot the guy in the face before (y/n) could do anything." Ellie said.

"How old were you?" Dina asked her, curiously. "Fourteen. How old were you when you first killed someone?" Ellie asked her. "We talking infected?" Dina asked. "No. Fully conscious non-fungal person." Ellie said. "Ten." Dina replied and I look at her in shock.

"Ten years old? What happened?" I asked her. "Guy was coming at my mom and I stabbed him." She replied. "Shit." Ellie mutters, shocked. "Damn." I said. "What about you, (y/n)?" Dina asked. "My first human kill?" I asked and she nods.

"It was a few months after the outbreak. Joel and I were out scavenging when a group of these assholes jumped us at this old store. Two of the men pinned Joel down while one of the men grabbed me and started dragging me towards this back room." I said and both girls give me scared look. "The man shut the door and...I was beyond terrified and I didn't know what to do. The next thing I knew, the guy was trying to get on top of me and tries to hold me down. I grabbed his knife and stabbed him, repeatedly. Eventually, Joel came in the room, along with Tommy who showed up and helped Joel out, and both of them saw what I did to the guy. Myself, the walls and the floor were covered in that man's blood."

"How old were you?" Ellie asked me. "I was twenty-four or twenty-five." I said and we continued trotting on through the forest. "So Dina still got us beat." I said, smirking, and Dina scoffs, playfully, at this. "Yeah, I'm a real badass." She said, sarcastically.

"What about those crazy cannibals you guys ran into? They came after you guys once, maybe the WLF are connected to them?" Dina suggested but Ellie shakes her head. "No. It didn't seem like the same group." She said.

"Maybe this is black market smugglers back in Boston?" Dina asked. "Something you should know about me and Joel, Dina, is that we crossed alot of people during the twenty years before we arrived in Jackson. It could just be about anybody, so we should stop guessing...until we get more information and get Joel out of there." I said and Dina nods.

"Guys, look! Cars!" Dina said, pointing at some abandoned cars. "Yeah, we're getting close." I said and a few moments later, we come up to this old highway. "This way." I said and we continue onwards. "Sure seems quiet." Dina points out. "Yeah. Think about how well we hide our lookouts." Ellie replied and I nod. "I know. That's what scares me." said Dina then we come up to a an old large quarantine zone gate.

"Whoa! Is that the QZ?" Dina asked. "Yup." Ellie and I replied. "Watch the high spots." I warned and we got close to the gate to see something spray painted on the door. "WLF. Trespassers killed on site." Dina reads. "That's friendly." She remarks, sarcastically.

"At least we know we're in the right place." I said as we dismount our horses. "Where is everyone?" Ellie asked. "They put up this sign...means there's gotta be a way in." I said and we started to look around. Then we climbed on top of an old trailer then over some holding calls.

"Are those cages?" Dina asked as we walked on top of them. "Holding cells. Soliders used them back in Boston as well." I replied. "Guys! Help me up here." Ellie said as she stands next to a broken ladder. Dina and I go over to her and help her up to the ladder. "Ellie, be careful." I said to her and she nods as she climbs up and Dina and I make our way back down to the front gate.

We get back on solid ground and I could see Ellie running across some old walkway then she jumps over to an old scaffolding. As she jumps towards it, she barely makes it as she grabs onto the side. "Ellie!" I called out, fearfully, as she climbs up on the platform. "I'm okay!" She calls out and I sigh with relief and she makes her way over the large gate.

After while, I heard the hum of a generator and the sound of a gate opening so I walk over to the little eye-level door and called out to Ellie. The little door opens and I could see her on the other side. "Everything okay?" I asked her. "Yeah, I got that gate opened." She said as she points off to the side. "Now I gotta figure out this one now." She said and I nod. "Okay." I said and she walks off and I step back then turn to Dina.

"C'mon, let's grab the horses." I said and we go over to Shimmer and Dixie and bring them closer to the gate, just as it starts to open. We walk through it as I see Ellie in one of the control panel trailers. "Well done!" I shouted when I heard something then a loud slam right behind us. I turn and see that the gate had slammed shut and the horses started to buck a bit.

"Come on. Let's get outta here." I said. "Yeah, that crash was pretty loud." Dina said and we mount our horses and make our way through. "Now what?" Dina asked. "I found a note back there...it had some codes on it. Says there's a WLF safe house in someplace called Serevena Base." Ellie replied. "So we find this place and hopefully find our first WLF, get them to talk and go from there." I said and they nod at me. "I also found a map to this place." She said. "Good. We can found our way around here." I said.

"Oh shit, look!" Dina said, after a few minutes of going through some parts of Seattle. I look over and see her pointing ahead of us, so I follow where she's pointing and see an old building with the sign Serevena Hotel. "That's got to be it." I said as we come up to another gate. We dismount our horses and Ellie goes up to the key code.

She goes to push some buttons but nothing happens and I turn around to see a generator. "Hey! Looks like it might need power." I said as I go over to the generator and pull the string, which turned some power on. "Still got some juice." I said, smiling, then Ellie punches in the code.

We make it back to the horses and go through the gate. "Well, no welcoming committee." Ellie said as she gets back in Shimmer. "Or they're just waiting for us." Dina said. "Possibly." I muttered and we make our way to the hotel.

"Look! Wolf! WLF, I get it now." Dina said as she points at this large banner on the side of the building. "Oh yeah." Ellie said, chuckling a bit, as we make it up to the fence up area of the hotel. Then we saw an infected get on top of a dumpster and hop the fence as we dismount the horses again. "Did you see that?" Dina asked and I nod and I wait for any gunshots but nothing.

"That's odd. Should've heard gunshots by now." I said, confused. "Well, at least we know how to get in." Ellie said and we get up and over the fence then, quietly, make our way towards the hotel. 

Inside were some infected, including at least two or three gathered around close together. The three of us make our way into the building and take out these infected.

"I think that's all of them." Ellie said once we took them out. Dina and I nod then I go over to see a fresh body of someone from the WLF. "This one's fresh." I pointed out and I stand up. "Here's another one. This one's been shot." Ellie said a few feet away and I go over to her. 

"Recognize any of them?" I asked her. "No." She replied and we start to make our way upstairs. We looked around the rooms for any supplies when I heard Dina exclaimed. "Oh shit!"

Ellie and I make our way over to her and enter thr room she opened. Inside was a dead man tied to chair and it seemed he didn't go out peaceful as he looked he got the shit beaten out of him and then killed. "The fuck happened here?" Dina asked, shocked, as I raise the man's head and examine his wounds.

Immediately, I knew what this was, I've seen this kind've stuff before.

"Tommy did this." I said. "This? No way." Dina said, disbelief, while Ellie looks at the man. "(Y/n), I recognize him! He was one of the ones who kidnapped Joel." Ellie said as I look over at her then I see there was another body tied to a chair, but he was knocked down on his side and a code was written on the floor with the man's blood.

"Yeah, Tommy definitely did this." I muttered then I turn to Ellie. "Was he one of them?" I asked her and she shakes her head.

"How do you know for certain Tommy did this?" Dina asked me. "Because he used them against each other. It's a form of interrogation Joel, Tommy and I used alot. See, you ask this guy a question...you don't make him say it, you make him write it down. Then you ask the other guy, and if the facts match, they're telling the truth." I explained and Dina gives me a horrified look. "If not..."

"You fuck 'em up." Dina finished for me and I nod. Ellie kneels down then pulls out the map and looks at what the man wrote on the floor. "East one...you think it's a code?" Dina asked us. "Looks like it." Ellie said and she gets up and puts the map away.

"This looks like it just happened. He can't be far off." Dina said and I nod again then the three of us make our way out of the hotel.

"Hey (y/n), I know you said that you, Joel and Tommy had a rough past but...fuck." Dina said, shocked and disbelief, and I frown at her once we make our way out of the hotel. "I know. You okay, though right?" I asked her and she sighs. "It wasn't pretty." She said. 

"I don't want you to think bad of us..." I started to explain but Dina talks over me. "(Y/n)...if I had my sister's killers tied to a chair...I'd do worse." She said and I give her a sympathetic look to her. "I hear you." I said and we get onto the horses and make our way to the East one gate.

"You girls, remember the code?" I asked them as I make my way to the generator. "You mean the one written in blood?" Dina asked and Ellie and I nod at her. I start up the generator and Dina puts in the code and the gate opens.

"Big question. Where does this take us?" Dina asked us as we get back on the horses. "Guess we'll find out." Ellie said and we galloped through the gate. "I say we find shelter, and we set up camp. Maybe somewhere high up so we can scope out the area." Dina said. "I like that idea." Ellie said and I nod in agreement as we continued on.

But, suddenly, as we jumped over this little barbed wire fence, it exploded and the three of us were launched off of our horses. I landed on my side as Ellie landed on her front and Dina fell on her back then rolled off somewhere. I groan in pain, my ears ringing, just as I hear muffled voices behind us. 

"Get the other! Don't lose her! Go!" A man's voice said then I see about two or three guys go after Dina. "Dina!" Ellie calls out just as we heard Shimmer and Dixie screech in pain. I try my best to get up just in time to see a guy come up and shoot the horses, point blank.

Ellie starts to crawl towards her gun as I start to sit up but then another man comes up towards me. I try to fight the man back but he takes the butt of his gun and hits me across the face.

I start to come to when I heard a sound of someone slapping someone. I open my eyes and look to my right to see Ellie was tied up and a guy, with a scar across his cheek, was sitting in a chair in front of her. I start to move but then I realized that my hands were tied up behind me. "Didn't think I'd ever see you again." He said and Ellie struggles against her restraints.

"Ellie..." I muttered as I jerk against my restraints again. Then the guy looks over at me then he comes over to me. "And who are you?" He asked me. "Someone you really shouldn't have pissed off." I spat at him. "Oh yeah? How's that?" He asked me. "You and your other asshole friends stole something from me." I said in a low voice and his eyes widen in realization. "And I would like to have him back." I said, threatening.

Scar boy then pulls out Ellie's switchblade and points it at my neck. "Get away from her!" Ellie yells while I stare at the man, definently. "You're that smuggler's wife." He said. I don't reply back to him, just continued to stare at him. "She's going to have a field day with this." The man said, smiling, before he moves the blade away from my neck then stands up to look at us.

"How many of you are there? Hmm? Just you three?" He asked as he looks between us. "You can't stop this." Ellie growls at him.

"Jordan!" A different male voice calls out and another man walks in. "You're supposed to be out looking for the other one. What the fuck is this?" The man asked Jordan, annoyed. "You know that smuggler we kidnapped from Jackson?" Jordan asked his friend. "Yeah." The man said and Jordan moves the blade from me then stabs it in the arm of the chair and turns to his friend.

"This girl was there." Jordan said as he points at Ellie then he turns to me. "And her....she's the smugglers's wife." He said and his friend looks at us in shock. "What?" He said. "They're coming to the rescue, that's why Nick was so fucked up back there. We got to get this girl to Isaac and this woman to Abby. And we gotta tell Isaac exactly what's going on." Jordan said.

"Yeah. Well, I just got off the radio with Isaac. And we got a new mandate." The second man said and he starts to pull out his gun. "Kill all trespassers." He said and he starts to aim his gun at Ellie but Jordan stops him. "Hold up, hold up, that doesn't make any sense." Jordan said. "It's a direct order, man--" the second guy said.

"No. Abby is wanting this woman and we can talk to this girl and figure out what she knows." Jordan said. "I don't give a fuck about what she knows. You saw what they did to the others!" The man argued. "We don't know how many people are our there, man. This could be an ambush, Mike--" Jordan argues back. 

I struggled against my restraints again as the two men argued when the second guy, Mike, moved Jordan out of the way and aimed his gun at Ellie. "No!" I exclaimed when there was a gunshot and glass breaking and Mike falls over dead. Jordan turned to the skylight to see someone walking on top of it and he raised his gun and fires at the glass.

The glass breaks and Dina falls through and lands on her back. "Dina!" Ellie and I shout and Jordan looks at his dead friend then goes after Dina. Ellie then reaches for a shard of glass with her foot then reached out for it and used it to free herself as Jordan and Dina start to fight.

Ellie gets free and she grabs her switchblade, runs at Jordan and stabs him in the neck. "Motherfucker!" She growls and let's him go as he falls forward and dies. Dina gets up, grabs a shard of glass and cuts my restraints off. "You okay?" I asked her. "Mostly." She said as Ellie starts to search Jordan's body.

Once I was free, I get up then go over and grab mine and Ellie's bag, which was on the side, while Ellie digs around Jordan's pocket. "Ellie, we've got to move. Someone would've heard the gunshots." Dina said, panicked while Ellie pulls out a letter and picture. "Look!" Ellie said and she holds up the picture. "She's one of them!" She said and I come up to her and see that it was a picture of a young woman with her shirt pulled up, revealing her boob.

"Guys, we've got to go!" Dina said. "Was there a TV station on that map?" Ellie asked as she reads the letter and I could hear voices. "Probably but we need to get moving Ellie." I said and we start to make our way out, shooting any WLF that gets in our way.

Eventually, we made our way out of that old school, which was where we were held up at, and made our way through the suburbs section of the town. Every now and then, we saw some trucks pass by along with some WLF but we were able to sneak by, unscathed.

We make our way to an old apartment building and enter a room with a balcony, where I walk over and look out into the empty streets. "Okay, coast looks clear." I said to the girls. "Yeah." Ellie mutters, nodding. "I think we're clear too." Dina said. "Alright. Ellie? That letter?" I asked her and she pulls it out of her pocket and hands it to me.

Dina walks up next to me as I flip the picture of the girl around and she whistles at this. "She's one of them." Ellie said to us. "Well, fuck her then." Dina said as I shake my head and set the photo down then I begin to read the letter.

"Jordan, Isaac's got us posted up on a two week at the TV station. Scars spotted in the area. Here's something to hold you over. Leah." I read and Ellie pulls out the map and lays it down then points at a spot on the map. "TV station." She said. "You think she's still there?" Dina asked her. "Well we gotta found out, right?" Ellie said as I go over to the map and look it over.

"So it's by all these tall buildings..." I said then I turn around and see the same exact buildings up ahead. "That way!" I said, pointing them out to the girls. "Okay. Let's go get Leah." Ellie said and I nod and the three of us make our way out of the building and head towards the TV station. Hang on, Joel. I'm coming, honey. I thought, desperately.

*3rd Person POV*

Meanwhile, off on the coastline and inside of an old abandoned aquarium, Joel was tied up to a chair in a large room that looked like an old office. He tries to struggle against the ropes but, of course, the restraints were too tight.

Joel growls under his breath and looks down, defeated, then his mind begins to wander. He has only been here for awhile, a week or two he wasn't for sure he lost count, and he still didn't know what these people wanted from him or (y/n). Or even what they done to deserve this.

Yes, him and (y/n) have done things in the past that might cause people to come after them but he'd figured they would just kill him. Why was it important to have both of them alive? Just so that they could kill them?

(y/n)... Joel thought then he starts to worry for his wife and his boys. "Shit." He growls as he struggles once more but fails. He really needed to get out of this and get to his family, he didn't know if Abby or her people were going back to Jackson to get them. And it was agitating him of even thinking about Abby and her people laying a hand on his wife and sons.

Then he remembered Tommy and Ellie were there before he was knocked out and taken away. In that moment, he hoped that they didn't come for him. He didn't know what Abby and her people were capable of. But he hoped that (y/n) didn't come out to save him, there was no sense in for Ethan and Aiden to lose both of their parents. They are way too young to deal with that.

Suddenly, the door opens and Owen walks in, carrying a plate of food. Joel glares at him as he comes over to him. "What the hell is going on? What do you want from me?" Joel asked him as Owen sets the plate down. Owen doesn't answer as he goes to un-tie a rope around Joel's bound up wrist so that he could use his hand but wasn't able to move enough to get out.

Joel glares at him and was about to go after Owen, but the younger man seemed to be a few steps ahead as he raises a gun and aims it at him. "Don't think about it." He growls at Joel. "Eat." Owen ordered him. Joel looks at him in defiance and doesn't move.

Owen scoffs then starts to leave the room. "You know, you're eventually gonna tell me what this is all about " Joel said and Owen stops in his tracks then turns to Joel. "You still don't get it? How about what happen four years ago? Does that ring a bell?!" Owen asked Joel, angrily. 

Joel furrows his brow at him but then realized what he was talking about. "You're a Firefly?" Joel asked, shocked. "Not anymore, thanks to you and your wife." Owen growls then he gets up and starts to leave.

"I'll be back to collect your plate." Owen said and he goes to the door and shuts it behind him, while Joel glares after him then looks out the window. Somehow, some way, he was gonna get out of here.

@fangirl-inthe-us

[ankewehner]

Livetweet of accidentally getting into fairyland...

Best twitter thread ever?

https://twitter.com/NeolithicSheep/status/1330548523721515013 Shepherd: Oh hey Ursula, do you have the number for those people who take out invasive plants still?

Ursula: Probably somewhere, yeah. They said they didn’t usually work on such small properties, though, and I don’t know if I’ve got an infestation worth their time.

Shepherd: Ok but what if I say "kudzu" to you, can we throw enough money at them to make it worth their time.

Ursula: If you say “kudzu” to me, I will panic, scream, and come running to Dogskull with a flamethrower.

Shepherd: Ok well I suggest driving but maybe pack up the flamethrower. Ursula: OH MY GOD YOU FOUND KUDZU OH GOD WHERE IS IT ARE YOU SURE IT ISN’T JUST WILD GRAPE

Shepherd: YES I KNOW WHAT WILD GRAPE LOOKS LIKE THANK YOU anyway I was walking Beamer this morning after the deer ate breakfast and the white deer was walking down toward the back of the property, you know that low tucked away part? And I thought, well, we'll just trail after her at a polite distance and if I'm lucky I'll find some of her fur caught on a bush! Wouldn't that be great! So we kept going past the big ass fucking oak trees that make, like, that weird arch? And there's kudzu.

Ursula: What big oak trees?! There’s no big oak trees back there! It’s all pine!

Shepherd: Yeah you know, the two really big motherfuckers that look like English oak. They're like, way the fuck back there.

Ursula: There are no English oak on Dogskull. Are you sure you weren’t trespassing on the Freemason’s property?

Shepherd: No they're closer to the front I think? Who's next door to them? Also I thought Dog Skull was 7 acres? Because I should be off it and hitting the road by now.

Ursula: Next door to them is the people with the trailer on its side. Do you see any trailers lying on their sides?

Shepherd: A lot of oak trees, a little bit of kudzu, zero trailers in any orientation. Some birds and squirrels. Oh hey Beamer found a nice pond.

Ursula: Okay, this is important. Do the oak trees still have leaves on them?

Shepherd: Yeah but so does the one up front. Oh wait. These are, uh, still green. Like summer green.

Ursula: Right. Okay. This could be a problem. Give me a couple minutes, we have to take trash to the dump and then I’ll look some stuff up. Meanwhile, DON’T EAT ANYTHING.

Shepherd: You mean in case it's poisonous, right? Like THEORETICALLY if I didn't see this tweet until just now and HYPOTHETICALLY I found an apple tree and ate an apple, that would be fine?

Ursula: ...that would not be fine.

Shepherd: Beamer didn't want any, which was weird I thought.

Ursula: INDUCE VOMITING! INDUCE VOMITING!

Shepherd: He didn't eat anything! I'm not going to gag my dog for not eating an apple!

Ursula: Not the dog! Induce vomiting in yourself! Every chunk of that apple needs to come out before you digest it!

Shepherd: FINE. I have puked it up. It was a really good apple, too.

Ursula: Oh thank god. Whew. Okay. The alternative was that you were gonna need a cold iron enema and I wasn’t sure how to do that on short notice.

Shepherd: Oh hey fun fact, "cold iron" is just, like, iron. It's not a special kind or anything!

Ursula: Do you have any on you right now? Beamer’s collar or tags or anything?

Shepherd: Collar hardware is all aluminum these days, otherwise it rusts. Let me pat down my pockets. Syringe of dewormer? Is that helpful?

Shepherd: Anyway I don't want to alarm you but uh. I can't find the trail I followed? So you and Kevin will need to go over tonight and give the boys [i.e. oxen] a hay bale and the goats and sheep two.

Ursula: No! I am scared of cows! We have to get you out of there! Look, I have a bunch of Llewelyn books from my teenage pagan days. I’m sure Scott Cunningham or Silver Ravenwolf covered this somewhere.

Shepherd: Scott Cunningham seems like a really drastic measure just because you're afraid of some cows. But sooner or later I'm going to run out of cigarettes so sure, why not. Oh!! The boys' bow pins are in my pocket, I was going to sand them today and oil them! They're very definitely iron!

Ursula: That’s good! That’s very good! If anyone tries to talk to you, keep hold of those! Now let’s see...do you consider yourself a “solitary practitioner?”

Shepherd: Ursula I'm an ornamental hermit, you don't get much more solitary. Also so far the only person who tried to talk to me was a frog.

Ursula: ...what did the frog say?

Shepherd: "SMOKING KILLS." I tossed it back in the pond.

Ursula: *rubs forehead*

Shepherd: Fucking frogs are all alike, I'm telling you.

Ursula: I really wish these authors had spent less time on “why Wicca isn’t Satanism” and more time on “what to do when you’ve strayed into the fae realms.” I mean, I understand it was the political climate of the time...

Shepherd: I feel like nobody really covers that last one anymore. You have 4 hours until the cows want dinner.

Ursula: Silver Ravenwolf suggests making your magical working space more inviting with stencils? These books spend a surprising amount of time on interior decorating as a vital part of ritual magick. I never noticed that when I was fifteen.

Shepherd: Yeah me neither honestly. It's remarkably unhelpful when you're stuck in faerie and your collie is getting bored. Shepherd: So you want me to... Build a magical working space and stencil it?

Ursula: I can’t actually see how that would help matters. Maybe I should check the Foxfire books instead.

Shepherd: I... Don't remember them having anything relevant, but I might be wrong?

Ursula: They have everything. Ooh, this one is about how to scald the bristles off a hog!

Shepherd: A) I already know how to do that and B) I do not have a hog, sufficient firewood, or a hog scrubbing brush here. FOCUS, URSULA. FOCUS.

Ursula: Sorry, the ADHD meds haven’t kicked in yet today...uh...let’s see...avoid whippoorwills, if you see any?

Shepherd: I do that already, otherwise they steal your toenails.

Ursula: If you harvest apples, leave one on the tree or it attracts the Devil.

Shepherd: You told me not to eat the apples! Am I allowed to eat the apples now??

Ursula: No! These are hypothetical apples! NO EATING! I tried to look up deer in the Foxfire books and there’s a story about somebody’s grandpa wrestling a buck in a mill dam and drowning it, but I don’t see the relevance here. I mean, Grandpa does sound like a badass, though.

Shepherd: I feel like I shouldn't wrestle deer here. What if I try telling Beamer to find his sheep? 

Ursula: Well, research has hit a small snag. I tried googling for the foxfire books and kudzu, in case there was something about fae kudzu portals, right? But it turns out your Twitter is the third hit. Shep, we may BE the experts.

Shepherd: Uh oh. OK. In that case, you and Kevin go over to Dog Skull. Hitch up Cole and Cannon and take them back to the oak trees. Put a logging chain around one and yell real loud "LET SHEPHERD OUT OR WE START PULLING"

Ursula: Oh hell no! I read tree law Reddit! I know how this ends! Do you want us to get sued by Freemasons?! 

Shepherd: I DON'T THINK THE FREEMASONS ARE THE PROBLEM HERE, URSULA

Ursula: I DON’T TRUST THEM WITH THEIR LITTLE LEVELS AND SHEEPSKINS AND WEIRDLY OCULAR PYRAMIDS Also if you see a pyramid with an eye on it, don’t eat it’s either.

Ursula: Okay. Never mind the Freemasons. I wrote a book about this once, I think. White animals, scary fae, random magic deer. It was set in Finland, so you may need to fashion some umlauts, though.

Shepherd: I've got my chore knife, I can carve so many umlauts. Do I just put them in trees until I get back?

Ursula: First of all, are you wearing pants?

Shepherd: YES I'M WEARING PANTS YOU WEIRDO

Ursula: t’s a legitimate question! I mean, I’m not wearing pants.

Now Shep, this is very important. You have to take off your pants.

Also your shoes, your hoodie, and probably Beamer’s collar.

Shepherd: Ursula. Why are we getting naked.

Ursula: To break the misdirection spell! Put your clothes on backwards!

And possibly inside out? Shit, there’s a bunch of different sources. I don’t know if they have to be inside out, but definitely backwards.

Uh...let’s see...hmm, backwards definitely. Inside out might be for leshy. Leshies? Leshys? What’s the plural form, do you think?

If you happen to see any giggling green hairy dudes, ask them what the plural form of their name is. That’s gonna bug me.

Shepherd: Beamer's collar doesn't have a backwards! I'll turn it inside out. And my clothes backwards and inside out, got it. 

Shepherd: There's just, like, frogs. And squirrels. I can hear music though! There might be a dance party, I could go ask about green hairy dudes?

Ursula: STAY AWAY FROM THE MUSIC unless it’s the Freemasons I guess 

Shepherd: No it's more folk music. The Freemasons play, like, Michael Jackson. 

ANYWAY clothes are backwards and inside out. Beamer's collar is backwards and just to be thorough I tied the rope end of his leash to his collar instead of using the clip, so his leash is backwards too. He's pulling me away from the pond! 

Ursula: Tell him to go find his sheep! 

Shepherd: I have so instructed him! Hopefully there's not, like, the faerie equivalent of really good sheep here. Hey do you want me to grab you an apple 

Ursula: No, they don’t come true from seed, but if you can cut me a decent slightly whippy twig with a few leaves, I might be able to root that sucker. 

Shepherd: ...you want me to pause a collie on a mission while I test the whippiness of twigs?? 

I HEAR MOOING. I SEE PINE TREES. 

Ursula: GO TOWARD THE MOOING

Shepherd: THERE'S THE OLD RUSTED OUT METAL THING! I'm back! On uh the opposite side of the property from the one I left from.

Also there's a goddamned chorus frog calling. 

Ursula: Yeah, they do that.

Ursula: THANK GOD THE KUDZU IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PORTAL

...oh, and you’re back, that’s good too. Very pleased.

Shepherd: Anyway you don't have to feed the boys. Unless you want to?

Ursula: There is no situation where I will WANT to feed your giant-ass death bovines.

Also, what have we learned about following the white doe into the woods?

Shepherd: She knows where the really good apples are? 

Also my boys are tiny!!

Ursula: ...I’m gonna go take a nap.

[fairfaxleasee]

[Slow] dancing + Fenris/Cass? someone needs to take this boy out on the town!!

For @dadrunkwriting (Thanks to @xqueen0fhellx for letting me use her Damien Amell in this and my AU!)

CW: Anxiety, panic attacks, autism spectrum, Modern (University) AU

Cassia Hawke couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing in her hallway.  Not only did she have no idea how her cousin Damien had found her apartment (although her younger sister Bethany was at the top of the suspect list), but she had even less of an idea what he was doing with his arms full of stained papers and a single sneaker.

“Cousin Cass!  I did what you asked me!” Damien didn’t wait to be invited and strode into her apartment.

“Uhhhh... no you didn’t.”  Cass was positive she hadn’t told her cousin to do anything, let alone something that would involve him showing up at her apartment with... whatever it was he was holding.

“I did though!  Don’t you remember?  At the Dumar’s party last month you said we were going to spy on Danarius.”

“Uh, no, at the Dumar’s party I said I was going to look into Danarius’ business dealings.”

“Well... yeah, and while you did that, I did this!” he lifted his arms slightly to offer her whatever it was he was holding.

“Damien, I have no idea what that is.”

“I went through his trash!  And it was annoying because I had to climb over this really high fence to do it.”

Cass pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on her forehead.  “Okay, well we’re going to just pretend you didn’t confess to trespassing and theft...”

“See, these are a bunch of receipts for... well, I don’t know what they’re all for.  Oh, wait, and this looks like a coffee filter.  But I think the rest of these are receipts-”

“Damien...”

“I know he’s getting extra income from somewhere-”

“Damien!”

“So I brought them here because you’re good at all this thinking stuff!”

“DAMIEN!  When I said I was going to look into him I meant I was going to search through public records for his corporate filings and do a bit of catfishing.  The corporate stuff is public information and the catfishing is things he’s willingly telling me.  Or, well, willingly telling Cecelia.  But still.”

“Ohhh...” Damien sounded like he was finally listening to what Cass was actually telling him instead of the voice-over in his personal action movie.  “That sounds like a better plan now that you say it.”

“Yes.  And it’s also doesn’t involve trespassing or petty larceny.”

“Can I help with that?”

“No!”

“Do you need me to hack into anything?”

“NO!  That’s still illegal, Damien!  And I need whatever I’m going to use to be clean.”

“Well, what about catfishing?  Can I do that?”

Cass barely resisted the urge to throttle her overly-enthusiastic cousin, “I- yes, fine if that will get you out of here.  But no hacking!”

“So, what kind of profile do you think I should make up?  Can I see the one you’re using?  Can we hang out while I make it?”

“Damien, I am going to give you three seconds to get out the door before I push you out a window!  Fenris is coming over-”

“Can I meet him this time?”

“NO!” if Cass had her way about things Fenris would never be subjected to any of her relatives.  It was bad enough he’d already met Carver and Bethany (albeit briefly), Cass wasn’t about to impose another Amell on him.  She started shooing her cousin towards the door.

“Well, I guess I should leave to let you get ready.  You probably want to put something nice on.  Where are you going with him?  You should take him dancing!  Ooh!  Have you ever heard of the Hanged Man?  It’s this club-”

“Damien, just go back to your house and throw all that stuff out somewhere.  And don’t do anything else illegal!”

“Bye, Cousin Cass!  Let me know how your date goes!  I’ll call you when I have something-”

Cass gave her cousin one last shove and closed the door behind him.  She looked down at the clothes she was wearing and frowned.  They were clean, but that was all that could be said about them.  They were her usual combination of a tunic and leggings, and she liked them and was comfortable in them, they were far from nice.  Or pretty.  She’d never worn anything nice or pretty on any of their dates.

Although maybe it was unfair of her to consider what they did together ‘dating.’  He just came over to her apartment and they’d order carry out and watch movies.  She liked watching movies and eating carry out in her apartment, and she loved doing it with Fenris, but... She was probably boring him.  He’d been in a band; they’d met in the Hanged Man (even if Cass hadn’t wanted to go to the fucking club in the first place).

She bit her lower lip and tried to force herself not to cry.  She hadn’t managed to fuck anything up yet.  Maybe she had time.  She opened her phone and called Fenris.

“Cass?”

“Mm-hum.”  Great, of all the times for her throat to decide not to work.

“Cass, is everything alright?”

“Mm-hum.” She squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to force herself to talk.  “I... um... I’ve got to do this quick thing.  I... I should be done before you get here, but I’m going to leave the door unlocked just in case.  So you can come in.  And I’ll have Dante and Squall with me so you don’t need to worry about that.  But it’s fine, okay?  I- I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Cass...”

“I’ll see you in a bit.”

She was slightly afraid he would try to call her again once she hung up, but didn’t have time to be relived he hadn’t as she tore to her bedroom in search of something that wouldn’t make her look like, in the endearing words of her brother, a ‘crazy bag-lady.’

It took a while to find.  Most of her regular clothes were similar to what she was wearing already and she had a few suits for competitions that she wore.  She’d tried on one of the dresses her mother had bought for her to wear to the parties she was supposed to go to, but it made her skin burn and crawl so she’d yanked it off before she’d even zipped it up.  She eventually found a knee-length black skirt (she had a fleeting thought that it might have been from her high school uniform, but as long as it didn’t look like it was from a high school uniform she wasn’t going to be picky) and a scoop-neck split sleeve blouse.  She glanced at her phone and cursed that it had taken her all but five minutes of the time she’d had between her cousin running his mouth (he obviously hadn’t meant anything by it, and while she wasn’t mad at him for causing it she was still furious it had happened) and Fenris’ arrival.  She rushed to the bathroom in a desperate search for make up.  She owned some basic stuff for her competitions, but it was to make her look professional.  She flung open cabinets and drawers in search of something as she tried not to focus on the sting of shame at what was in her medicine cabinet.

She heard the door to her apartment open and shook her head as she tried to apply what she’d found in a way that wouldn’t end up with her looking like a toddler who’d gotten into its mother’s purse.  She couldn’t enjoy the fact that she’d managed it because when she looked at the reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t recognize the woman staring back at her.  Actually, that wasn’t true.  She knew exactly who was staring back at her.  ‘Cassia Amell Hawke’ was staring back at her.  The daughter her parents wanted was staring back at her.  Someone normal was staring back at her.  Someone Fenris deserved was staring back at her.  The woman she could never be was staring back at her.  She felt tears begin to prick the edges of her eyes before a voice from the living room distracted her.

“Cass?”

She wiped her eyes quickly as she answered, “Yes!  Sorry, Fenris, I’ll be right out!”  She grabbed the only pair of heels she owned as she tore from the bedroom.

“Cass!”  She watched Fenris’ expression change as he took in her appearance.  She bit her lip as she admonished herself silently for not being able to understand what any of it meant.  “Cass, why are you wearing that?”

“I... um... do you not like it?”  She hadn’t even considered Fenris may not like what she was wearing.

“I - no!  You look... stunning but, it’s not what you usually wear.”

“I... well... I thought... I thought maybe we could do something different tonight.”

“Like what, Cass?”

“I... like we could go... out to dinner?”

“Hmmm... we could do that.”  He was smiling.  She didn’t think anything was off about the smile so she smiled back.

“And then we could go somewhere nice after?  Like a club or a bar or something?”

Something was wrong with his smile as she finished.  “Are you sure, Cass?”

“Mm-hum.”  She nodded.  She was sure, she just couldn’t bring herself to actually claim she was sure.

“Let’s see how you feel after dinner.”

“I... okay.”  She hung her head as she tried to keep smiling.  She’d obviously done something wrong.  Maybe if she could figure out what it was she’d be able to fix it.

They had a fairly nice time at dinner.  Fenris mentioned he knew a Seheron restaurant he liked that didn’t do carry-out so they went there.  It was definitely noisier than Cass’ apartment, but it wasn’t overwhelming.  As they left, Fenris reached a hand around her waist to press her gently to him and whisper, “Should we head back, Cass?”

She turned to him, “I - No!  I said we could go dancing.  So let’s go to a club.”

“Cass...”

“Do you not want to?”

“Do you want to?”

“Mm-hum.”  She wanted to want to.  That was close enough.  He turned away.  She reached out and grabbed his collar as she felt her breathing get heavier.  She pulled him towards her as her eyes drifted away.

“Cass...” she felt him sigh above her.  “If you’re sure, Cass.”

She nodded and pulled him closer.

“Alright, I know a place that’s not far.”

Cass had no idea what club Fenris had taken her to, but she knew she hated it.  It was just as bad as the Hanged Man (although for all she knew, it was the Hanged Man again, she’d blocked most of the specifics of the place out): flashing lights, crowds of people, loud music, somehow louder voices, the stench of cigarettes, alcohol, and cologne.  It was as though the entire place were determined to make her as miserable as possible as quickly as possible.  She thought Fenris was trying to talk to her.  She couldn’t hear him.  She tried to focus on looking happy; pretending to belong.  Keeping up her desperate façade of normalcy for as long as possible as the fire the overstimulation set off in every nerve in her body overwhelmed and consumed her.

The next thing she was fully aware of she was outside with her head pressed against a concrete wall as she gulped lungfuls of cold night air.

“Feeling better, Cass?”

She turned her head slightly to look at Fenris.  His whole expression was funny - he wasn’t trying to smile, and he didn’t look angry, but she couldn’t for the life of her understand his slightly furrowed eyebrows.  She closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath.  She didn’t want to make him wait any longer so she bit her tongue to try to force it to start working.  “Yeah... um, just give me a second and we can go back in.”

“We’re not going back in, Cass.”

Her eyes flew open and she turned to Fenris in a panic, “I can do it better, Fenris!  Just tell me what I did wrong and I can make it right!”

“Cass, you were miserable in there.”

“I’m sorry!  I know I’m not supposed to be.  I can- I can get better at pretending it’s fun!”

“Cassia, listen to me,” he reached out and hovered a hand over her cheek.  She knew she shouldn’t - she didn’t deserve it - but she leaned into his touch.  He rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone.  “You don’t have to pretend with me.  I don’t want you to pretend with me.  I want to be with you, not anyone else.”

“I don’t understand, Fenris...”

“Do you believe me?”

“Yes.”  She reached up to grab his wrist.

“That’s enough, Cassia.”

“But...  but I want to do more, Fenris.  You deserve more.”

“Hmm...” he slid his hand off her cheek and around her back to press her to his chest.  “Is there anything you think we didn’t get to do tonight?”

“I... we didn’t get to dance.  That’s what people go to clubs for, right?”

“We don’t need a club to dance, Cass.  Here, give me your phone.”

She slid it out of her pocket, unlocked it, and handed it over.  She saw his eyes narrow at the screen.  “Fenris?”

“It’s nothing, Cass.  I’m just going to have to have a long talk with this Cousin Damien of yours at some point.”

“Fenris, nothing good ever comes from talking to my Cousin Damien at any length.”

“Well, I agree with that, but I don’t intend to let him off the hook.  But let’s leave that for now.”

Cass watched the light of the screen reflect on Fenris’ face for a few seconds before music began to play.  ‘I see trees of green; Red roses too.’  She leaned into him and wound her arms behind his head.  He reached down with the hand that wasn’t holding the phone to reach around her waist as they swayed to the music.  She wasn’t sure it counted as ‘dancing,’ but she was sure she wasn’t able to do anything more just then.  She leaned away from slightly so she could press her forehead to his, “I think this is the first time I’ve liked this song.”

She felt him laugh, “My thoughts exactly, Cassia.”

[hazbincalifornia]

Amount of writing I’m getting done for OT and my IZ fic: Some.

Amount of writing I’m getting done for self-indulgent bullshit: Somewhat more.

Anyway, wrote out Bella meeting Sir Pentious because I was bit by the muse bug. This is written for the four people who know who they both are, f.

Wordcount: 2075

The second she saw the airship soaring through the red-tinted sky, shooting anything that looked at it funny, Bella knew she had to get inside of it. Let Kit flirt with their host (or, if she was honest, fail to flirt with, man, she didn’t even like flirting and even she knew that he turned into a pile of goopy mush when he was around a guy he thought was cute) and let Vee attempt to kidnap yet another animal to try and smuggle home, she wanted to find out who the heck made a steam-powered airship in the twenty-first century.

Or maybe Hell was actually stuck in the year 1900, who knew? Time probably passed funny in the afterlife, but the fact that nobody had shot them out of the sky yet said that there was something else afoot- the pilot had to have some way of warding off attacks considering rivals probably had, like, grenade launchers, and she wanted to find out how. Style merged with substance, ruling the air with confidence- and she wanted in. 

“Hey! Hey you!” She flagged down somebody with four arms and purple fur who looked short enough to be less likely to punt her into orbit- Mom had warned that most people down here were mean as, well, Hell- and pointed up at the ship. “What’s the deal with those?”

“You a newly dead?” The demon raised one of their four eyes, and Bella nodded.

“Yeah, yeah, newly dead. Anyway. Story?”

“They’re made by Sir Pentious, one of the Overlords. He’s some kinda inventor, I’unno. Never blew up anything that mattered to me, so I never cared that much.”

“Sir Pentious…” She rolled the name around in her mouth, plucking the ‘T’ in the middle thoughtfully along with the rubber bands wrapped around her braces. “Got it. Thanks!”

“Er- you’re welcome.” They darted off, but that was fine. Now it was just a matter of actually getting onboard.

____________

She couldn’t find a rocket pack anywhere- lousy Hell lagging behind Earth technologically- but ended up stumbling across the next best thing in a warehouse that had an extra ship that had clearly been in some sort of accident. This one was only partially-reassembled, and there was a lot of burn damage sustained to the aluminum and copper outside, but that just meant that she could see the skeleton without having to slice through a lot of layers, so it was almost better- and a lot easier to crawl in one of the big holes in the front window via a pile of parts in front of it.

The interior was decorated like a mansion, with vivid yellows, reds, and blacks- she could respect the commitment to the aesthetic, especially with torn-open snakesheds and red eyeballs plastered everywhere. It looked like something out of Mom’s old comic book collection, toxic and yet intoxicating, every detail chosen for maximum dramatic potential. It must look even better with all the lights on and more than her phone’s flashlight illuminating bits at a time.

It was the best playground that she could imagine- nothing but her and a massive ship the size of an apartment building. Oddly enough, there wasn’t much dust- maybe it had crashed recently and was being held here for repairs? It was certainly of a similar design to the one that she’d seen from the ground, so she couldn’t imagine that it wasn’t just an iteration or two away.

Her fingers ran over the sleek machinery like it was sacred- some of it looked like it belonged in a museum, but the rest was cutting edge, and the seamless way they blended was like something out of a dream. A genius indeed- if she’d been born a hundred years ago and was suddenly thrust into the modern day, she could only hope that her tech would look this good. There was room for improvement of course, there always was, but it was loads better than most of what she saw digging through the junkyard, and a lot closer to the stuff she made with Grandpa Zim using his irken tech. Impressive for someone who’d clearly been dead for some time, considering he’d made enough of a name for himself that some rando off the street knew it.

“Genius inventor, huh…?” Bella pulled out her screwdriver, starting to work on freeing the control panel. It had a touchscreen and levers, what was that about? She had to know what it looked like underneath- did Hell even use cables and wires or was she going to need to drag Kit in to do his magic business here?

It took some doing- whatever had taken this particular ship down had welded the panel into place and it took a crowbar to pry off, ha, take that Venus for saying she ‘didn’t need to bring it’- but eventually she got into the guts of the thing. Sure enough, it was wiring, spiraled all into itself in a knot- it must have gotten all messed up at some point, maybe that was what caused the crash on top of whatever burnt the outside? 

She was about to start taking it apart when she heard a pitter-patter behind her.

“I’ve got a gun and I know how to use it, ya know,” she said, rummaging around in her pocket before pulling it out. “Mom insisted I bring the one that can vaporize people since apparently half of you can’t even die the normal way anyway? Bunch of freaks.” Her finger twitched towards the trigger as the pitter-patter became a shadow as the thing scrambled up towards the same hole she’d come in. “I’m warning you, I’m a great shot. Won’t take two to blow your brains out.”

“Whoever you are, bossman says you gotta go!” 

It was an egg. Not like some kind of insult, it was literally an egg, and probably a third of her size. It was also wearing a little hand-tailored suit and top hat. She stared down at it, and it stared up at her. 

“Who’s bossman?” Bella asked after a few very long seconds of silence.

“You know… bossman!” It blinked. “He doesn’t like people pokin’ around his cool, cool stuff and you tripped the motion sensor. Hey, is that a ray gun?”

Bella’s finger eased off the trigger. “Yeah, it is. It can probably scramble you.”

“Oooh! Fun! Not as good as boss’s, I’m sure, but-”

“Hey, what say you take me to this boss?” Bella crouched down, knowing this was incredibly stupid but also already entirely committed to it. “Then he can decide what to do with me in person.”

“Hmm… alright, but no funny business!” The egg looked her up and down before turning heel, starting to clamor down the pile of parts. She had to hold back a snort when she saw that it had ‘#69’ written on its back.

Some things never changed no matter where you went.

____________

The egg blabbered on all the way back to the ship, mostly about jazz music oddly enough, but soon enough they were nearing a different ship that had settled behind a building. It was either the one she’d seen before or a duplicate, and she felt a shiver run up her spine as she got close- it looked a lot cooler in one piece and lit up bright yellow. Her phone buzzed, and she discreetly pulled it out as the egg launched into a diatribe on the importance of the saxophone. It was a text from her sister. 

dolittle 🐭: bells where ARE you

dolittle 🐭: kits distracting clove so I could grab one of those bugdog things but moms gonna be asking how were doing soon, what should I say

Bella thought for a moment before sending back a reply. ‘im checking out that airship we saw earlier. have weapons. ill be fine. meet you back at the cafe later’

dolittle 🐭: be careful ok? know you can handle it but still

Bella smiled a little at that, sending a thumbs up before tucking her phone back into her pocket as they ascended the bridge.

“And then, then he saysss to me, he sayssss- Ah, there you are! Good, good.” She heard him before she saw him, voice booming as he welcomed his hench-egg back. “And what was poking around the warehouse?”

“This, boss!” The egg tugged at her jeans by the knee around the corner before pushing her forward with surprising force. “They said they wanted to see you!”

“Well well well!” 

Bella’s antennae twitched as her eyes widened. The man in front of her was a jet black snake, with fangs, a top hat, a bowtie, and eyes on his face as well as nestled on the open space on his chest and hood. Best she could pin from Venus’s nature lectures he was a cobra of some sort, and there was a smug fang-y grin on his face as he slithered up to her, taking advantage of the height that his tail gave him- he’d probably be seven feet easy to Bella’s mere five foot one. 

It took her only a moment to shake off her awe. “So you’re the famous Sir Pentious!”

His grin widened. “Ah! You’ve heard of me, little tresssspassser?” 

“Obviously, considering I knew your name, right?”

“Er- yes!” He faltered for just a moment, and she went in for the kill.

“Your work’s fantastic, but you really need a way to keep the gutty stuff in order in case of a hit- that’s probably part of why that other ship went down, y’know? But your sense of design and how you mold your century-old designs with the new stuff- it’s fantastic, I just want to cut it all open and see how it works.”

“What did you do?” His hood flared, and she twirled the gun in her hands.

“I only touched the control panel, and your little egg boy got at me before I messed with anything, but I’d give anything for a couple of days working on the interior of this place- I bet I could make it run faster and with less fuel.”

The eye on his hat rolled itself as he narrowed the eyes on his face. “Who are you to come in and think you know better than I about my own shipssss? I should end you right here for your insolence and your trespassing!”

Bella folded her arms, glancing around. “Hmm… far left column, the one with a yellow eye instead of a red one.”

“What about it?” He folded his arms as well, waggling his head. “Are you-”

“It’s welded weird. Something went wrong with the metal when it was being forged, so you put it in the back so you wouldn’t have to look at it. You didn’t want to waste a perfectly good column because somebody screwed up one little part. And that’s just what I see looking around in, like, five seconds- gah!” The end of his tail had wrapped around behind her while she’d been talking, and struck before she finished her sentence, lifting her up to his eye-level with her arms pinned to her sides.

“Little wrench! How dare you?” 

“I’m…” Her legs kicked a little, ribs feeling uncomfortably bendy at the moment as his scales pressed against her chest and back. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

His tongue darted out as he hissed, just barely brushing her nose before sliding back into his mouth.

“What do you really want, missy? I don’t like competition, you know.”

“You to let me breathe, for one,” she wheezed, fingers turning to try tickling what she could reach, and his cheek twitched funny before she dropped bodily to the floor, only managing to roll in time thanks to muscle memory from combat training. Thanks, Grandpas. “I really do just wanna see how all your stuff works. The ways I could improve my own inventions if I just could figure out how to blend different functionalities the way that you do...”

“I am quite impresssssive, aren’t I?” He puffed up his chest a bit. “And you have no intention to-”

Bella drew an X over her chest. “Cross my heart. You’re the bossman.”

He looked her up and down. “Hmm. Get back to me when you have a proper uniform and not those ragssss, and I suppose I could show you around a bit, if- if!- you show me something of yourssss.  ”

Bella’s grin slipped into a smirk as she gave a bow. “Bella Donna at your service, then, Sir Penny.”