#mick x beth

[princecharmingwinks]

list 5 things that make you happy then put this in the ask box of the last few people to reblog something from you - get to know your mutuals/followers better :D

Oh this is fun! Thank you for this little mission. In no particular order...

Someone dancing to their headphones. - I'm the kind of person who is 100% playing air drums or bopping my head along to my music on a bus or waiting at traffic lights. When I see others do this too, I get the biggest smile.

Hugs around the waist from my partner. - In particular I love it when she pulls me in when someone is talking to us. A little silent hug that fills me up with butterflies.

Happing endings. - I am a total hopeless romantic. Give me all the soft and sweet moments. The declarations of love. Everything makes my heart melt. Particularly if it involves a certain werewolf and a certain human/spark (have you noticed the colours I have used so far hehe).

Wedding planning. - Ok, no, I'm not engaged (yet, hehe). But I have been involved in multiple wedding parties and I love helping out. Organisation and organising in general makes me super happy. So I've even helped with someone's wedding planning for a wedding I'm not invited too and I loved it. Weddings are great and hearing all the different ideas and visions people have? Sign me up!

My ships! - Of course I have to include my ships. And while I have many many many. To keep things tied in with the theme, here are 5 ships I will never get tired of: Sterek (no surprise there - still my otp), Berica (my definition of soulmates), Nick x Adalind (their storyline is so so good), Mick x Beth (the ones that got me into supernatural themed shows), and Klaroline (they are just so perfect for each other, and let me explore the slightly less light and fluffy side of fandoms).

Thank you for the ask! This was lots of fun.

[myreyisbae]

If I had a nickel for every time a TV show produced by Warner Bros. Television featuring an immortal/mortal couple ended with the two kissing and a door closing I'd have two nickels which isn't a lot but its weird that it happened twice

🧛 Moonlight (2007-2008)

😈 Lucifer (2016-2021)

[brinleyparke]

Beth: Mick, you’re offered 500,000 dollars, but if you accept it, the person you hate the most in the world gets 1,000,000 dollars. Would you take it?

Mick: Of course! I mean, why wouldn’t I want 1,500,000 dollars?

[justice-studies-major-2017]

First and last scene together

[cloveroctobers]

RIO/OC/MICK — spring prompts 🦋

A/N: okay so I’m piggybacking off another idea that I still have in my drafts that was meant for the season of Valentine’s Day but…I lost all motivation to write during that time so here we are! Except I’m moving things further along, slightly this time in this piece and giving Mick a bit of a background so this is more mick focused.

Using this prompt list + numbers 21.) weekend trips + 29.) starting to heal & more prompts from [user: @corvase] 1. “how’s life?” “shut up we talked yesterday.” + 2. “you’re still on that?” “still on that..??? STILL ON THAT?????? I CANT STAND YOU???!!!(!;!” 3. “let me know now if this isn’t something you want to work through.”

S|N: Also featuring other characters from a few other shows that make a cameo here or are mentioned such as: BMF, The Have & The Have Nots, + The Cleaning Lady. + some slander on Beth, sorry!

Synopsis: Rio takes a weekend trip to the rural side to revisit a old friend who moved out of the country to further pursue her dream. What happens when Rio brings along open doors for the past?

︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶

Rio’s never been on this side of the town before (or rather this county) this was her showing him something new. He wasn’t much of a rural kind of person and he knew she wasn’t either but he was already aware that moving out of the country half of the year, influenced this new residence.

It was evident that she had company, with Rio finding two other parked cars beside her’s on the lengthy driveway. He hummed to himself, not thinking much of this as he made his way back to the front of the house, leaving him to think that the Tudor styled home could be featured in a “home alone” film. The man stood with his hands clasped in front him, lightly whistling as he silently surveyed the area around him.

The grass was still covered in frost but it was clear that spring would be arriving shortly, as the leaves on the hydrangeas bush caught his eye. His dark eyes drifted back to the front door which creaked open, revealing a smaller guy with caramel skin, curly hair, a tattoo on the side of his neck, and a blank stare.

He was confused as he pushed the question through his lips, “Can I help you?”

His tone was strong for someone who appeared so young. Something Rio was used to hearing himself way back when.

Rio dipped his head, getting a brief view of the brown almost golden entry way, “yeah, I’m sure you can. I’m a friend of Siobhán’s…she invited me for the weekend.”

The younger man’s eyes went into slits then, not liking the looks of Rio or his purpose of being alone with the mentioned woman, it probably had to do with the own tattoo on his neck and relaxed but sneaky demeanor, which Rio easily guessed his judgments. He could tell this kid was with the shits if needed and Rio didn’t need to take it there.

“That little red corvette yours? Or are you more of a Bentley kinda dude?” Rio tilted his head a bit, towards the back of the house where the vehicles sat, attempting to keep the convo light-hearted.

That’s when the shorter man sized Rio up menacingly, “who’s asking?”

Rio kept his hands clasped and let out a laugh, “I’m Rio man. I told you, I’m a friend of Siobhán’s.”

His lips curled at that, “Whatchu from Brazil or something?”

A smile broke out onto Rio’s lips at that, “Nah, I’m from here, Detroit. Born and raised. It’s just a name.”

That had that in common.

“Meech! Your cuz hooked us up with the good shit, so we don’t got to make this long ass trip back for leftovers.” A male voiced called out as he came up behind Meech.

This one was taller than “Meech,” possibly younger, brown skinned, sported a high-top, rocked some chains, he had more facial hair that sat above his lip and on his chin, and he was lanky compared in weight as he held onto two plastic bags.

He lifted his chin towards Rio, “Who the hell are they?”

Meech sighed as he leaned against the front door, “this dude says he’s a friend of Siobhán’s and he goes by Rio but he’s not from there…and I don’t know who the strawberry shortcake chick is beside ‘em.”

The lanky one was immediately suspicious as he shifted on his two feet, probably thinking about reaching for something. All he needed was the signal.

“I’m Mayor Elizabeth Boland,” Beth cleared her throat, holding her hand out for the two men to shake, “but you can call me Beth.”

“Look…” Meech started as he ignored her hand, “From what I gather, a dude like you who brings a snow bunny to my cousin’s door step ain’t no good news. So either you’re lying about what you’re really here for or you’re plotting and trying to get her involved in some shit—which she don’t need. So here’s my advice: don’t bother her with your bullshit or you’re gonna have to see me.”

Beth was lost for words at how quickly Meech was able to put that together. He was a complete stranger to her but once Rio heard his name, he put it together that this was Siobhán’s little cousin.

“That’s interesting because last I heard, Siobhán only sees you at family functions lately, which is strange since y’all used to be so close growing up…but now that you found new ways to make money too, you’re here at her house when she’s reaching the top of the fashion industry. That’s convenient huh?” Rio gave his perspective just as Meech read him and that angered the youngin quite quickly.

He was quick to grab at his belt making Beth inhale a sharp breath, “Ni—you don’t know me—

“Hey! What’s going on y’all?” Another voice boomed, making the lanky one nudge Meech as he sucked his teeth.

Meech let out a low laugh as he pointed at Rio in understanding. Before he turned sideways to reveal a bulky lighter skinned man, with a thick beard, oval eyes; muscular along with his arm tossed over Siobhán’s shoulders.

“Nothing,” Meech sent a gleaming smile at the pair, “Cuzzo, you got something at the door for you. He calls himself Rio and he brought a tag along that I’m sure you ain’t invite.”

The other man who held onto Siobhán glanced down at her, muttering something to her as she kept her eyes on Rio and Beth. She let out a soft sigh as she walked the rest of the length of the entry way, silently commanding that everyone watch her walk.

“How’s life?” Rio started, while Siobhán approached him.

The cocoa skinned woman with wide doll-like eyes immediately rolled them, “shut up, we talked yesterday.”

Which was true. She reached out to him on a Thursday afternoon to touch basis on when she would be expecting him the next day and she last saw him about a week ago for the first time in six months.

“Hi, Are you going to invite us in? It’s actually chilly out here so…” Beth let out a awkward laugh as Siobhán flicked her eyes back and forth between the two.

Siobhán bit her tongue as she let out a light laugh, her eyes saying just enough while meeting Rio’s eyes. His shoulders lifted innocently and before he could say anything else, Beth continued on.

“I’m guessing Rio didn’t inform you of my arrival…I can just go back to the hotel and let you two enjoy your time together.” Beth shifted the bag on her shoulder, ready to step back.

Siobhán hummed, “you’re here now so you might as well stay. It wouldn’t be very hospitable for me to kick you out right? so come in.”

Some more teeth sucking sounded but came from the man on the right. He didn’t agree with Siobhán’s method but he also didn’t know Beth Boland.

“Everyone this is Rio, a friend of mine.” Siobhán introduced him first before saying, “and his friend Beth.”

“Mayor Beth Boland.” The strawberry blonde boasted with pride.

“Yeah, we heard you the first time, Pippy longstocking.”

“Bryan!” Siobhán hissed, while Meech chuckled to himself.

That was a good one.

The lighter man scanned the room as he stepped forward to hold his hand out to shake the two stranger’s, “I’m Benny, nice to meet ya’ll. How’d you meet Siobhán?”

“Damn Benny, you staying for dinner to hear all that? Because Meech and I are about to slide.” Bryan told the older man who was keen on knowing this information.

Rio smiled, “Siobhán and I met at the park when I first brought my newborn son out in the next two counties over. It was my first day alone caring for him, while his mother had a self-care day and he wouldn’t stop crying until I rolled him out to the park. That should have been my first clue that boy loves the outdoors…anyways Siobhán was out there watching after some bad ass cousins.”

All eyes went to Meech who scoffed, “I know you’re not talking about me. Must of been Terry’s stupid ass.”

“Nah, it was you.” Bryan laughed.

It was actually all three of them but Siobhán didn’t want to burst their bubble.

“Shut up, B-Mickie.”

Beth added, “and we met through Rio…at a much later date when Rio’s son was able to run all over the place with a soccer ball. Just not through his son, however. Through much trickier terms?”

Siobhán didn’t miss the look Rio sent Beth’s way and wondered if that was a jab or not. Trouble in paradise? Who knows.

The raised brows she sent Rio was enough for him to realize that she was going to pry him later on that, for now they just had to get over this whole questionnaire.

“Trickier terms huh?” Benny crossed his arms, making Rio hum.

“Yeah man,” Rio stated, “we’re in business together.”

“You’re working with some mayor?” Bryan asked in disbelief before turning his attention back to Beth, “and what did you do before that?”

“I actually want to know that too since you’re giving me mini van mom vibes right now.” Meech asked, digging into his pocket to pull out a joint.

Rio snickered at that, making Beth carry on with a tight smile.

She redirected the conversation, “Well…How do you guys know Siobhán?”

“We’re family,” Meech stated the obvious.

Bryan huffed, “Friend of the family for practically my entire life.”

“And you?” Rio pried Benny who was staring at Siobhán who seemed much lighter than when he last saw her, not counting the week he saw her last.

“We’re also friends.” Benny stated but the smirk on his lips made Rio believe otherwise.

Beth perked up at that, figuring that tone also meant something as well, “oh, how lovely. For how long?”

“Damn she nosy,” Bryan coughed as he gave the signal to Meech, “let’s go.”

Meech removed the joint from his mouth to place behind his ear, “uh yeah not that this conversation is dry but it’s dry. Cuz, you seem comfortable with Rico suave and Mayor Beth so we’re gonna hit the road, we got some business to tend to.”

“Oh, okay. Let me walk you out.” Siobhán carefully spun in the entry way, leading the two boys away, she embraced them each at the door, lightly warning them to, “be good and to say hello to everybody else except cousin Charles.”

Meech snorted as he pulled away from embracing the girl, “you’re a trip, you know that?”

“I mean that.”

“I know you do.” Meech had his eyes burning on the back of Rio’s frame as he kept up the conversation with Beth and Benny, “if things get out of hand—

“They won’t.”

“You sure? I don’t know what they’re into but you don’t need to get wrapped up in their white collar shit. They’re gonna ruin your life when you’re already at the top and you don’t need nobody fucking with that.” Meech kept his voice low, however he wasn’t scared if anybody did hear this.

He already said his peace at the front door.

Siobhán smiled, “I appreciate you but there’s nothing to worry about. All I care about is mostly wedding attire…not the activities y’all like to get involved in.”

“So he is on that illegal shit too?” Bryan whispered-yelled at he got back in the conversation, “like what?”

“Dont worry about it,” Siobhán was firm, “I said I wanted you two to stay out of trouble.”

“Trouble can also lead to success tho, big cuz.” Meech winked while she scoffed, “let your friends know we may or may not be in touch soon.”

Siobhán gripped the twenty year old’s shoulders steering him away, “Bye Meech.”

“So you’re gonna kick your family out but not Bethany? I see how it is.” Meech joked before calling out, “Catch you later, Benny!”

Siobhán turned just in time to be engulfed by Benny himself, “I’m actually going to head out too unfortunately. I have a early morning at the shop tomorrow but I’ll be checking on you.”

“I know you will,” Siobhán gripped his forearms as he placed a kiss on her cheek before exiting.

She carefully watched as the men crossed the lawn towards the back/side of the house, climbing into their cars with a beep and wave as they pulled out of the driveway. Siobhán let out a soft sigh with a shut of the door before turning to the two guests awaiting her. Rio had a smirk on his lips that she ignored while she moved towards them.

“You two must be hungry, there’s plenty of food set up in the dining room.”

“You have a gorgeous house,” Beth trailed off as she followed after the host through a peach-painted sitting room, which contained some furniture, a piano and a huge sketch pad on a easel, “is this the room where you create your ideas?”

“Mainly yes. It’s one of the rooms that has the best lighting.” Siobhán informed as she took a seat at the table, followed by the two others.

Beth nodded, “I sense that. Do you mind giving us a tour later?”

“Theres not much to see, the house is dated and I plan on renovating it.”

“That’s a lot of work for one person.”

“I like keeping busy, I’m sure you know how that is.” Siobhán picks up a biscuit, drizzling honey onto it before taking a bite out of it with a mocking smile.

Rio cleared his throat, “regardless, I’m proud of you.”

“And I’m happy for you.” Beth told Siobhán as she reached for the tea pot.

Siobhán and Elizabeth weren’t the best of friends, in fact they didn’t have much of a relationship—which was fine by her. So Siobhán didn’t feel that statement was necessarily genuine. Mainly they were acquaintances that crossed paths because Beth, her sister, and their friend owed one of her best friends money and couldn’t cut ties with him. Elizabeth got a thrill out of this lifestyle and to learn that she was a mayor in the next two counties over was another power trip the housewife did not need.

Yet Rio still wanted her around.

Even when she put a bullet in him and she got one in return by someone Siobhán shared a personal relationship with.

However she knew when things needed to be let go of but she couldn’t say the same for her dear friend, Rio.

The doorbell chimed through the house making the thirty-two year old get to her feet. She figured it must have been one of the boys who forgot something. Which she kicked herself for as she yanked open the door to see Mick and a long haired Annie standing at her front door.

Together.

Again.

What the hell is going on?

“Hey,” Mick rasped, “…I take it you weren’t aware we were coming.”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous! I’m sure Beth let Siobhán know. You know my sister, always planning.” Annie said as she quickly held out a bottle, “We brought Prosecco. Mick said it was one of your favorites.”

Siobhán took a large inhale and exhaled as a small smile appeared on her lips. She held out her hand for the bottle, “thank you. Why don’t you guys come in? we’re having a bite to eat in the dinning room through the left there, next to the staircase.”

Annie stepped in first as she spun around looking at the interior, “sick house! It’s almost like the inside of the titanic with the grand staircase! Perks of being a well-known fashion designer, am I right?” She clicked her tongue, sending finger guns Siobhán’s way before carrying on into the easier way to get to the dining room, loudly greeting the other two in there.

Shutting the door behind them, Siobhán paused at the door, realizing that Mick lingered back, not analyzing the inside of the house much.

“I wanted to talk more at the reunion but there was a lot going on that night. I didn’t want to press you.” His hands were in his pockets but his eyes stayed trained on the woman in front of him.

Siobhán remembered all the emotions she was feeling when she saw Mick enter the hall with Annie on his arm. It wasn’t her place to question what was going on there or when Annie got out of jail but it did send her mind wondering! There was plenty of time for Siobhán and Mick to hash out their old business…once she found out that Mick’s been working for Rio for quite some time, she just didn’t fight to make it a priority.

She needed to create distance and the least Mick could do was give her that. He picked up on that and gave her what she wanted, keeping his focus on what he was being paid to do.

“And now you’re here…at my house…uninvited.” The sarcasm did not go unnoticed.

Mick shrugged his shoulders, “you’ll have to take that up with Beth.”

“I think I will but first…is she gonna pull a gun out on you if you go in there?”

Mick thought about it, “she might. I hear she keeps one in her purse now. It’s not like I’m scared though.”

“Never that…” Siobhán slowly made her way towards the stocky man, “just don’t want to deal with the cleanup.”

Mick blinked, “The place can use some updating anyways.”

Was this the way it would be between the two now? Walking on eggshells since they were unsure where the other stood? There was so much history there. It was sixteen years maybe? since they last saw each other back in 2005 when Mick decided to up and join the marines a month after they received devastating news…

“Jackass.” Siobhán scoffed, walking by him to enter the dining room where eyes set on the pair.

Siobhán set the bottle on the table before plopping down, eyes locked on Beth who gave a sheepish smile.

“Don’t blame Rio for this, it was all my idea. I wasn’t totally sure Mick would be here.” Beth placed her hand on her chest in sincerity.

“I wasn’t sure if I would be here either since there’s this thing called range on this ankle monitor but Mick found a way around that so… shout out to you, mick!” Annie beamed as she popped grapes into her mouth.

Rio had his mouth pressed in his hand, not entirely agreeing with whatever Beth’s approach was.

Siobhán laughed, “you have a lot of nerve showing up here when I didn’t personally invite you and you also felt like involving two other people. Will Ruby be showing up too?”

“She’s in Nevada, so no.” Annie chatted.

Beth sat up straight, “yet she knows everything and will always know what’s going on.”

“So tell us Beth, what is going on?” Mick asked.

Beth glanced at Rio, which annoyed Siobhán.

“Well as the new mayor…I have a proposal for you. I’ll need some new attire for press conferences and events I’ll have to attend; also for my daughter and Annie too.”

Annie raised her brows at this.

“Mick has some business with a french man that you’re friendly with that can help with the shipping process.” Beth continued.

Siobhán folded her arms as she listened to Beth poke around the point of this conversation, “not only are you imposing but you’re also asking me to make clothes for you and your family but want me to get involved with some French man? Why?”

“You spent half of the year in France so it only makes sense that we expand the business.” Beth got excited as she talked.

“Business that you have with Rio?” Siobhán confirmed, “so what does a mayor really want from the French man and my designs?”

Beth rambled, “We need more funding of course. I have to be a successful mayor so that I can continue running and making this the best damn town ever.”

Siobhán failed to cover her laugh, letting out a cackle at the pure audacity of Beth that Rio and Mick thought she snapped. Once she got herself together, she wiped at the tears at the corners of her eyes.

“So let me get this straight, Beth. You ran this idea by one of my friends…which I’m sure he told you that you needed to find someone else to do it. Then you reached out to someone who used to be his right hand man, which so happens to be Mick and also has deep history with me to what? Persuade me? Because we know the same French man who also does illegal shit? Because I’ll be weak in the knees and take Rio and Mick’s word over yours? I’ll trust them? And then to have your baby sister back in your bullshit when she’s fresh on house arrest?! Whew!! you are a whole new level of a selfish cocky bitch.” Siobhán declared all of this to the older woman with a wicked smile.

She reached for the bottle, getting to work on the top as she awaited for someone to say anything else to her.

Beth swallowed as she looked at all the faces in the room, Annie shook her head at her sibling, not knowing this was her intentions on being here.

“Go on, tell us more on how you plan to fuck up my life since yours continues to spiral and you don’t even see it.” Siobhán encouraged as she poured the Prosecco into a teacup.

Beth pulled the sleeves down to her blazer, “I…believe with your sketches sent over to the French man, he’ll send the product back to us, we’ll wear the final product, make profit with a resell and do the whole money-switch-a-roo and give the French man his percentage back.”

“And when he comes after us, that’s when Rio and I come in.” Mick summarized what Beth didn’t say.

“Yes. We send him a little money to make the product, Give it some exposure, resell it, pocket the money for ourselves and the fake money goes to whatever I need to purchase to keep Detroit functioning. Everybody wins.” Beth explained in a chipper tone.

Annie let out a low-whistle, “that’s risky.”

“Oh and there’s also one more thing.” Beth kept on going, “Dawn Roslyn Parker wants in on it. We ran into each other at a conference yesterday and she says she actually loves your designs.”

“Huh? You didn’t say a thing about her.” Rio quizzed, knowing the heated stares from Mick and Siobhán were fair.

Rio was also in attendance as Siobhán’s plus one for her high school reunion last week, so he saw Dawn just for who she is with what she pulled. It was clear she was going overboard on poking the bear and hornets nest.

Beth rushed out , “she only wants a small cut. I’ve got it handled.”

“No, the problem is you think you do.” Mick shook his head, now taking a seat beside Siobhán.

“What do I look like working with the woman who used Mick and I’s dead daughter and her dead sister, who was my friend that she murdered out of jealousy! at the reunion for a slideshow presentation as a way to credit her revamped ways? And Why would I ever work with you? The woman who wants to take advantage of anyone to get ahead? Y’all are not my type of people.”

“Well that’s funny…” Beth almost puffed up her shoulders, “you don’t seem to mind Rio or Mick or even your family members…Meech and Bryan or B-Mickie was it? I’m still trying to figure out what Benny is into, besides you.”

Her eyes flicked to Mick’s then, almost seeking a reaction.

He simply didn’t give her the satisfaction.

“Beth Boland,” Siobhán leaned forward at the table, “I’m going to tell you this only one time since you seem to misunderstand me. I will never stoop to your conniving level of mixed up version of success that you’re looking for. You’ll never be happy that way. I am in my healing era and I’m not going to allow you to disrupt that so…You’re gonna take your things and exit the premises with your bullshit, before I have to get out of character and put a split right in between those pretty eyes.”

Annie gasped, appearing shook at Siobhán’s unexpected words.

Beth held Siobhán’s stare for awhile. It’s not like she didn’t think she was capable, despite the whole whimsical aura and poised persona she had going on. After all she was connected to Rio and Mick so that had to mean something right?

“Okay,” Beth was bubbly as she pushed back from the table, “Time is ticking and the offer expires by Sunday so if you change your mind, I’m sure you know where to find me. Come on, Annie.”

Annie sighed, “I didn’t get to enjoy this meal, Beth.”

“I’ve had better.”

“Not with your weekly unseasoned prep meals. Be forreal, girl.” Siobhán fanned her hand at Beth who just rolled her eyes with a snicker.

“Annie!” Beth called over her shoulder again, not wanting to do the walk of shame solo.

Annie grumbled to herself, scrapping the chair back as she met Siobhán’s stare, “sorry about Beth she’s—Beth. Do you mind if I take something to go?”

Rio rubbed at his face in aggravation, “just go tinker bell.”

Annie shoved some items into her coat sleeve and into her jean pockets muttering to herself, “tinker bell is a new one, is it because I decided to grow my hair out? Don’t know if i like that one, Ree-Oh!”

Once the front door slammed shut, the three sat in the warm dining room in deafening silence.

“You knew she was gonna bring that shit here when Siobhán has a lot to lose. What sense did that make?” Mick started the conversation, which surprised Siobhán—she couldn’t lie, since Mick was usually the sit back and watch type before or if he said anything.

“I think Elizabeth is at a level that can bring in better business for me. Us. If I would have known that you knew this Frenchman too, Mick, I wouldn’t have went along with this.” Rio admitted.

Siobhán snorted, “so you didn’t turn down this stupid idea for the sake of your so called best friend? Yikes, Rio.”

“I had your interest at heart too. Success looks different for everybody and when we all pulled it off, you’d be better than you are now.” Rio gave his perspective.

Siobhán rubbed at the tension in between her brows, “By having a target on my back? Something about her doesn’t have you thinking straight. The Rio I know wouldn’t want my hard work to be jeopardized…unless you’re desperate because if that’s it, you would have talked to me first, privately or you’re really being controlled by Beth.”

“I don’t get controlled by anything. I run this. I’m watching her do her thing from the side lines. She came up with the idea, I just wanted to see how well she executed it.”

“With no regard for my well-being?”

“Of course. I wanted to see how far you’re willing to go to keep things clean too.” He pressed his hands together.

Siobhán fired back, “is everything a test to you? Is it all tactical for you?”

“Nah, that’s just life. Look ma, I don’t mean to disrespect you—

“Too late for that,” Mick commented, resting his elbows on the table as he stared at Rio.

Who sent him a mean side-eye.

“You just have to be ready for these situations. Like how you met with…what was her name, you know her since you met up with her first husband right mick?” Rio tried to rope Mick in who puffed out a laugh in irritation.

What was he talking about?

Mick rubbed at his thick beard and sighed as he glanced at Siobhán who was frowning, “I met with Arman Morales who was with or still currently with—I don’t know their situation— a client that you worked with. Nadia. Nadia Morales. You created a piece for her and in return she gave you a significant sum of money and some jewelry right?”

“Where do you think that dirty money and emerald came from? She runs a casino doesn’t she?” Rio quizzed, “you may run a clean business but not a lot of people do. She’s one of us.”

Siobhán shouldn’t ask how they knew this because of course they had ways. Rio was supposed to be her friend and Mick was her past yet they were keeping tabs on her every move. Some might find themselves secure with that but Siobhan’s always been her own woman.

“So you can snoop around in my business but you couldn’t speak to me six months ago?” She grilled the man to the left her, first.

Mick licked his bottom lip, “you’re still on that?” He replied.

Wrong choice of words.

“Still on that?” She repeated louder this time with a scrape back of the chair as she placed the bottle she was cradling back on the table, “Still on that?! I can’t stand you!”

And walked off from the dining room.

“See what you started? You and Beth just dump everything on everybody else and expect people to go along with it when you know that’s not Siobhán.”

“Careful, now. You’re starting to sound like Nick.” Rio taunted as he nudged his chin outwards, “Siobhán’s a grown woman, she can handle her shit. Now ya’ll need to go get closure so we can collectively decide what happens next.”

Mick exhaled ignoring the insult the man threw his way, “You don’t get to decide that.”

“You’re right I don’t but the both of you will feel better once you do. And believe it or not Mick, I care. Even about you too.” Rio pulled out his phone, but held Mick’s stare who scoffed, pushing back from the table in search of the long haired woman.

He didn’t have to look far as he went to the right from the dining room, into the kitchen. Mick peered around the corner seeing her at the kitchen sink, scrubbing away at a pan that sat inside of it. Stress cleaning must still be her thing and he found himself taking a inhale as he went back to the glass door to the dining room and gently pulled it closed.

Silently he moved into the kitchen, actually taking the time to look around it. There was a small hallway from which he came, the first door was also left open revealing the path back to the entryway of the home, the door to the right held a tan almost orange small room with a flatscreen, a sofa, decent lighting, and some plastic containers shoved against the wall underneath the window. It was a spacious home but still felt empty to Mick, which made Mick question how happy was she? Yes Siobhán purchased this home a couple of months before she decided to come back to the states, however it didn’t feel homey just yet.

Maybe it was Mick’s ego but he felt like he had a part to play in that.

He decided to take a seat at the corner island that was built into the wall of the kitchen. He wasn’t sure if he really liked this set up but it wasn’t his place to comment on what he liked or disliked about this home. The dragging of the chair, caused her to stop scrubbing away at the pan in the sink, glancing over her shoulder with the loose strands of hair that framed her face floated with her movements.

“What did you come here for?”

Mick folded his hands against the counter, briefly thinking about how he should answer this. He knew she wouldn’t appreciate any coyness from him.

“You say you’re ready to talk but it ain’t feel that way back then. I gave you the space you wanted.”

She let the pan slip back into the deep sink and whipped around, her hands gripping the sink behind her as she laughed, “what I wanted? I didn’t think you care what I wanted. You didn’t back when I was seventeen, you eighteen and running off to be a marine. I had to hear that shit from your mother and sister instead of you. You didn’t even bother to leave a note or write a letter or pick up the phone and just try to talk to me. You up and decided what you wanted, leaving me alone to bury our daughter.”

Mick molded his lips into his mouth, carefully listening. This wasn’t news to him, he’s known what he’s done. He’s lived with it and he also knew how to numb it down. It was the best thing for him to do before he ended up doing something really stupid. He wished eighteen year old him knew how to communicate better but all he was surrounded with growing up was screaming matches and that’s not what he wanted to do with Siobhán…ever again.

“You weren’t ever alone, you had my mother and my sister. You had your dad and your cousin-aunt Lucille to rally around you—

“I didn’t want them I wanted you! Don’t you get that?! I wanted the guy I created life with to just hold me down like I would have done him. I know losing our girl was fucking painful and it’ll always be…but I never thought you would have hit me with nothing but white noise. Our relationship was never like that.” She sniffed.

Seventeen year old Siobhán and eighteen year old Mick happened to be very vocal towards one or another. They shared a class with each other, goofing off and everyone knew they liked each other but they always had to one up the other. Mick was the first to ask her out but she declined all because she wanted to be the one to ask him first.

“I hear you,” Mick said, “I’m sorry I put you through that, truly.”

“Then why did it take sixteen years?” She was accusatory, “did you know Rio and I were friends before you decided to work with him?”

Mick felt his eye twitch at that. He understood where Siobhán was coming from but his actions had nothing to do with her.

“…let me know now if this isn’t something you want to work through.”

“What, Michael?” She used his government and that was something she rarely did.

Mick toyed with his beard as he spoke what he was feeling, “I can’t ever make up for that time…especially if you’re always going to feel a way about it. I was acting off hurt emotions and I know you’re still hurt too but I can’t be face to face with you if it’s going to be the same story on loop. I want better for us.”

“I can’t keep up with you anymore,” Siobhán placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart thud rapidly against its cage, “one minute you’re telling me you’re trying to give me what you think I want, then you’re telling me you’re sorry, and now you’re telling me that you’re assuming that I’ll be unable to forgive you, just like that.”

“It’s okay if you don’t, I can learn to respect that but what I won’t do, is take you blaming me for our daughter’s death. I won’t be that punching bag, I gotta heal too.”

Siobhán felt her lips tremble, “I-I don’t blame you. Did you overthink that while you were away from me?”

“…it’s crossed my mind.”

“Well you’re a dumbass!”

Mick chewed on his lips, a bit vulnerable now.

“This is why I wished you just talked to me even if you couldn’t face me. A phone call, a letter. I would have told you that I never blamed you for what happened to her.” Siobhán expressed.

Mick rubbed at his face, feeling the weight of it all circling back around when he’s shoved it away for so long. “Kadene Solina Peraza…she would be fifteen this year. That’s crazy.”

“It is isn’t it?”

“I talk about her often with my therapist,” Mick pinched at the bridge of his nose to get his emotions together, “what she would be into, who she would look more like as she aged, since we all know she looked exactly like her fine daddy.”

Siobhán rolled her eyes, “you know what that means right? You’re the person that got on my nerves the most during the pregnancy.”

“Nah don’t try to downplay my genes.”

“Don’t want to hear anything else surrounding that,” Siobhán rolled her fingers around in Mick’s direction, making him snort out a laugh.

A actual comfortable silence filled the white once stuffy kitchen.

“You should come to one of my sessions with me…to fully close this chapter with some guidance…if that’s what you want?” Mick suggested.

Kadene wasn’t the only one he talked about and he was sure his therapist wouldn’t oppose to this as she already knew the tale of Mick and Bhán.

Siobhán scooped her strands of hair behind her ears as she exhaled, “I’d like that. Just let me know when.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah.”

“So…can we hug it out or is that pushing it?”

Siobhán let a small smile crack onto her lips as she held out her hands, taking steps to meet Mick at the bar stool he sat on. He got to his feet, arms reaching up to lock around her shoulders as her hands crept to latch onto his back. Being in his arms again felt like how it always did, safe and warm.

And if he held on any longer she might have cried.

“I’ve missed you for a long time, Bhán.” He whispered as the side of his head rested against hers.

She did too, Mick meant a lot to her. He’s been in her life since she was fourteen and him fifteen back when he had wavy thick hair, one chest tattoo, and loved listening to big pun, Jay-Z and had the biggest crush on Ashanti…you just don’t get over someone like him.

Siobhán thought about mentioning Annie, not to stir things up but to get that curiosity to shut up. Yet she just wanted to enjoy this moment for what it was, before she had to get in Rio’s ass about this plan to cater to the new mayor.

“What a cute Kodak moment, so everything good in here?” Rio’s smooth voice interrupted, causing Siobhán to pull away and look over at the thin but tall man who leaned in the doorway.

Mick didn’t rush to let go of Siobhán, which Rio noticed as his eyes flicked to the position of Mick’s hands resting on the small of her back.

“It will be.” Was Mick’s response.

Rio pushed off the doorway, “Good, good. Love to see it. Shall we discuss business back in the dining room? Food’s getting cold and I’m getting kinda lonely back there.”

Siobhán sent a look to Mick and moved from his grasp as she roughly patted Rio on his chest, “you’ll survive. You always do. Also just to let you know, I’m starting to regret inviting your ass here.”

“I bet but let’s talk about it,” Rio was all high cheek bones and smiles as Siobhán walked by him, followed by Mick who shook his head at him, “I’m told putting your feelings all out on the table is a healthy approach.”

And so the three sat down at the dining table, facing each other, ready to say what must be said.

︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶︶ׂׂૢ ︶︶

Continue along with my spring anthology prompts here.

[misshazelevers20]

She already gained back his trust and was on his payroll, there was no need for her to push her boobs like that....unless she wanted to 😉

[gold-onthe-inside]

little snippet from suspect behaviour, 'smother' (1x9)

[hibiscuswrites]

can u do a headcanon for rio x doctor!reader? like maybe they meet bc Beth knows her and she calls her in when rio drops off that injured guy in her daughter's bed (season 1)? and then rio being rio is like oooo she might make a good mob doctor

He just watches you work at first

He's mainly keeping an eye on you to make sure you don't do anything stupid or run off

Beth had called you in a panic saying that she needed your help and you had came

But that didn't mean he could trust you

At least not yet

But once he sees that you're not going to make a run for it or try to call the cops

That you're actually focused on making sure that you can help

He's simply admiring after that

Watching how steady your hands are

How particular and precise your movements can be

How you take care to not hurt the guy more than needed

Checking in on him periodically

You're chill and only focused on helping

Waving Beth off when she keeps hovering over you and trying to wedge herself between you and Rio's prying eyes

Not in a jealous way, but more protective

Not wanting him to drag you into his life like she was

And Rio only smirks because he knows he's going to recruit you anyway

And recruit he does once you've finished up

"OK, keep those bandages on and change them daily and as needed. No soaking in water and try not to drink. Eat a lot of protein to help with the healing process."

The man nods and hobbles off with Mick's help and Beth is quick to motion for Rio to leave

"OK. We did what you asked. You can go now."

It only makes Rio chuckle and he answers her back without even taking his eyes off of you as you stand there with your bag of supplies

"Actually, she looks a little tired. So am I. Why don't you make us a cup of coffee real quick Elizabeth."

She sputters, not wanting to leave you alone, but you throw a soft smile at her and nod

"That'd be good."

She leaves begrudgingly, now only you and Rio in the bedroom and you follow her out, speaking carefully to Rio

"Why don't we sit out here."

He obliges you and follows you out to the living room, sitting down beside you with a smile

"That's some good work you did in there, Doc."

You smile tightly with a nod, eyes on him

"Thank you. Glad I could help."

You don't offer anymore, so Rio keeps going

"It'd be good to have someone like you around, you know? Someone smart and helpful. Someone whose only focus is helping and healing. It'd be very useful."

And you only nod, Rio's pearly whites on display as he leans forward towards you

Not menacingly, but with genuine interest

"Could you maybe be that person, beautiful?"

General taglist

 @titty-teetee   @vibranium-soul @ateliefloresdaprimavera @glimmerglittergirl @hatterripper31 @lilac-tea-time @krysiewithak

Rio taglist

@belle82devart @thickemadame @aria725 @glimmerglittergirl @tashawar @myaloveee @feelingsandemotionsnotexplored @smoooore @woahitslucyylu @browngirldominion @hopefuloperaangelnerd @lillict @namjoonwatcheshentai @sesamepancakes @thelimited-unlimited @myeverythingisyourstruly @pinky-kitty @nintendhoe8 @laylasbunbunny@lovesanimals0000 

[xstrawmari]

New Writing Challenge; Write the first and last line of the five most recent WIP’s that you’ve worked on. Not opened, but actually worked on.

Thanks for the tag @michelleelizabethtanner & @faceless-inthecrowd 🩷

High-school AU l Beth x Rio

First - Beth tore her eyes from the field to look at the game clock.

Last - It was that time again – fundraising season.

Ranch AU l Roman x Gerri

First - Gerri tapped her foot impatiently, hoping that would somehow bring the elevator faster.

Last - Nobody wanted to deal with Logan Roy.

Circus AU l Beth x Rio

First - Her love of the biz started early, somewhere around five years old.

Last - “Think that's the last of them” Mick said, stuffing a costume bag into the RV.

Imposters AU l Beth x Rio

First - “Can you state your name for the record?”

Last - Beth emptied the safe's contents into a duffle bag at her feet; cash and jewelry, leaving nothing behind.

Ride-Along AU l Ruby x Stan

First - Stan was quickly learning that being the new guy on the force had more downsides than perks, but the worst, by far, had to be the ride-alongs.

Last - He understood there were rules, but what was he to do? The call was only a block away.

tagging: been off here for a min so I'm not sure who's been tagged, so if you see this TAG!!!! @unicornscully

[myreyisbae]

For Valentine’s Day here’s a list of ships (in no particular order) that I have liked over the years (the oldest ones here are HSM and Twilight 😅)

Mick st. John x Beth Turner (Moonlight 2007)

Scott summers x Jean Grey (X-Men franchise)

Sam Winchester x Eileen Leahy (Supernatural 2005-2020

Edward Cullen x Bella Swan (Twilight saga)

Troy Bolton x Gabriella Montez (High School musical)

[brinleyparke]

Same about the whole Mick calling himself a monster thing. He does it in eps 1 and 3, too.

I love Mick 70s-80s style, too. I like his how he dressed in present-day (present at the time it was filmed), too:

I also wish we had more Bobby scenes.

I had the same thought about the 25 year old bottle.

I never noticed the lemons and apples, or at least I never acknowledged them. But he does have a coffee maker and coffee because he makes some for Beth and Josh. I also assumed it was for clients.

Lee Jay is the worst.

I love Josef's casual style, too. It's not a far cry from Mick's casual style. (See gifs above).

Now that I think about it, it is pretty funny that Beth barely knows Mick but trusts him anyway and is willing to risk everything for him.

I also assumed he robbed a blood bank. Or he maybe he had emergency packs in his car or something.

I have a headcanon that he called Josef after Beth presumably runs off after finding out he's a vampire.

Mick in that final scene made my heart physically hurt. The way he is hunched over himself and staggering out of the elevator shows the agony that he must be in. The scene made me hurt not just because of his obvious physical pain but also because of the shame in his body language and his voice when Beth came into the room. Alex's acting here is 💯 Oscar worthy.

I love Josef's protectiveness and tough love in this episode.

There is a goof in the scene where Lee Jay shoots Mick. We see Mick get shot in the front of one shoulder, but when he turns and falls onto his front, the holes are on the opposite shoulder.

Moonlight rewatch for millionth time

Episode 2 random thoughts and feelings I had while rewatching again: cause I’m bored and have nothing else to do or watch. And I love this show

Mick: monsters don’t get happy ever after. Me: Stop saying you’re a monster! Stop it now

I like Mick’s early 80’s look, it had a 1970ish vibe to it

I know Mick probably panicked but he should have just snapped Lee Jays neck before running off

I like how Beth’s like talk about my feelings? No I’d rather get to work bye lol same girl

I think I’ve said it before but I think Beth purposely picked out a 25 year old single malt to maybe catch Mick in a lie or maybe get some sort of reaction from him

I wish we got more Bobby scenes

My head canon is that Logan and Mick met over World or Warcraft and Mick beat Logan who then threatened Mick (think end game with Thor) and Mick was like oh okay I’m so scared then Logan hacked him and went to his place and was like oh shit my bad uh friends? When he realized Mick was also a vampire

I love him but Mick really needs to think things through before he acts

Ilene deserved better I’m glad she gets justice in the end

Lee Jay in fact did not understand

Mick says vampires don’t have a club house that they hang out at and yet we have this episode where we have vampires at a club that has freshies then several episodes later another club where they all play pool. So what’s the difference?

I never noticed this before but Mick had random lemons in his fridge

There’s like four or five of them in there. It’s most likely for clients that come over but he also has green apples in there too.

Lee Jay is the worst

I like Josef’s casual style in the way that something about it still feels very expensive and true to Josef’s personality

I like how Beth is a ride or die when it comes to Mick. She’s only known him a week but she’s already willing to break the law and go against her boyfriend and friend to help prove his innocence

I wonder what happened to Julia after this episode, I’m sure she went to therapy for everything that happened but it’s just strange we never see her again especially when Josh died

Is it bad that when Mick is running and jumping on the rooftop that StarWars bad lip reading of Yoda singing “now run jump” etc etc was playing in my head? Lol

Where did Mick get that blood packet from and why didn’t he get help for the silver buckshots in his body? Did he just rob a blood bank ? Because I highly doubt Guillermo would let his friend go off on his own in such a vulnerable situation

I like how they didn’t drag out the vampire secret for very long. Sometimes I feel like when writers and directors drag things out like that for too long it becomes a bit stale once things are actually revealed

[brinleyparke]

Mick: We should get you to a doctor for a check-up immediately. What if it happens again, and there isn’t anyone around to help you? What if it’s congenital? Oh my God! Was it me? Did I hurt you?

Beth: …You realize any other person that made their partner pass out in bed would simply feel really proud of themselves, right?

[bourbon-ontherocks]

Pls snippet/tell me abt European butter, awkward roommates, beth x phoebe & champagne room 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️🙇🏼‍♀️

@majoris @sdktrs12 @asteraceae-blue @riosnecktattoo

Oh gosh, this is going to be such a long post 🤣 (but thanks to y'all I got to re-read very confused bullet points lists and half-written paragraphs, it was extremely amusing)

European butter

This one was supposed to come after Tacos & Tequila in the now-defunct food series. Basically Beth and Rio start fucking again post S4, along with a vague money-laundering partnership. One night Beth asks Rio mid-fucking if he'd like to go get dinner sometimes (because she's a freak) and he agrees.

They go on a dinner date, and Rio picks that pretentious restaurant Fitz took Beth to once, hence the title. Obviously, the date is a complete disaster of awkwardness, they're distraught in the end because they were both secretly hoping to start an actual relationship, they make out angstily in the street as a result, and the ending is sweet and full of hope although things are left a bit unresolved.

It's a pity I'll probably never finish it because I have more than a thousand words written already... have this snippet that made me snort because I'd completely forgotten about writing that:

She clears her throat, tries to dissipate the awkwardness. "Do you have, like, a hobby?" she asks, on the verge of losing her mind at getting to such trivialities. Does she know anything about this man? "What do you do to relax when you're at home?" "Mölkki." "Bless you," she responds to the enigmatic eructation. "Nah, it's the name of a game, mama," he says next, pompous almost. He then delves into rules and specifics so odd Beth is half convinced Rio just made up this entire Scandinavian game backstory to avoid revealing any actual information on his likings. God. As if things could get any worse already.

Awkward roomates

I have a detailed outline on this one but not a single sentence written haha, so there are even fewer chances I ever get back to it...

This would have been a post-canon fic where Beth and Rio have parted ways, except that one night he and Mick stumble upon a traumatized Beth while casually disposing of a body in the woods (as bros do). She's barely able to walk or speak so Rio grumpily brings her back to his place so she can rest. In the morning she's slightly better and explains that she's been abducted (there's a whole backstory that I won't detail here), she clearly has PTSD so Rio allows her to stay at his place for the day while he goes on his own business errands and evening plans.

Except that Beth's still there when he comes home at night, because she's panicking and developing some sort of agoraphobia due to her trauma, leaving her unable to leave Rio's apartment. At this point they fuck, which I guess gives Beth a free pass to stay longer, lol.

Awkward domesticity ensues. Rio's still grumpy but secretly enjoying it. One day he comes home and she's gone, having finally recovered enough, and he realizes he misses her.

I found this line in my doc:

Things get weird. He's aware that from an outsider's perspective she looks like the perfect stay-at-home wifey, while he's precisely the only person with whom she ain't... that.

Beth x Phoebe

I *think* it was supposed to be an S4 canon-divergence where Beth sleeps with Phoebe during one of their little hotel room drinking dates? I honestly don't recall much of how it was supposed to end, or start, or what was happening beyond that, except that it was a Phoebe POV.

I shared a fair bit of it here already so here's another line:

She texted Dave 'I have company 🍆 '. He answered with 💦💪 which she isn't sure was meant for her or him given that he's spending the evening at the gym as a result.

Champagne room

Ah. The infamous fuck-or-die fic... This one got reaaaally close to getting posted, my draft has more than 3k written words of it... maybe one day... the main concept was that, through extremely convoluted circumstances, mid S3 - early S4 (aka sworn enemies) Beth and Rio end up in a situation where they have to fuck in front of an audience at the strip club not to blow up a cover (that would get both of them in real danger).

Obviously dark-grey dubcon ensues here, they're both extremely reluctant but also extremely into it because they're freaks. Power plays also ensue. There's some grumpy but soft aftercare in the end. The people around are extremely gross. Also there's a dude named Gene who's way too much into Beth and Rio's sex life.

There's already a chunky snippet here, but have another one:

They've been ten minutes or so in this mockshow of foreplays — and by then Elizabeth's breathing has quickened, her cheeks reddened, and his body fucking responded cause there's only so many times she can smash her tits at his face and expect him to remain impassible — when Gene decides to be a cunt again, probably to impress Mr. Bad Guy or some shit. The way Gene's got the mentality of a fucking puppy is genuinely baffling. "Hey, man, are you going to fuck her or what?" he asks, his own hands roaming all around the dark-haired girl Rio's pretty sure goes under the stage name of Gloria who's kneeling in front of him, decidedly undoing his pants. Elizabeth straightens a bit at this to look towards Gene with a disgusted expression, mimics a retch before she brings her lips close to Rio's ear. "Ew. Who even are those guys?" Right? At least someone else gets it.

Kun Pao Chicken

I'm doing this one as well since I didn't want to start splitting comments in half.

This one would have been the third installment of the food series (after European butter, unless it's the other way around, I don't remember) and would have focused on Mick and Annie's relationship. Initially it was supposed to be a judgmental Brio witness to snacking buddies to friends to lovers kind of sitch, alas season 4 ending made things quite harder in this regard.

The title was supposed to reference the fact that Mick and Annie would order Chinese food to share during stakeouts. Basically, it would have been both their POVs roasting Beth and Rio and slowly falling in love with each other.

I have nothing really written besides these two lines of dialogue right before their first kiss:

"You know, your sister ain't the most interesting girl in the room." "She's not?" Annie's voice breaks a little in her throat. "Well, your boss isn't the most interesting boy in the room either."

Phewww, that was a ride 😅

WIP asks

[mercedesvince]

Hello I’m Vince!!

I am a writer who is open to writing requests for x reader

Just a heads up that English is not my first language so apologies for any grammar or wrong use of words :(

RULES

This is meant to be a blog for x male or non-binary x readers

I will not write for female readers as of now (but might change in future)

I will only write for series listed below

no smut (I am not comfortable with that)

There are characters listed below underage, all characters will at least be aged up to teenagers, but even so I will only go as far as kissing

I will not write any sort of NSFW for any character under 18 (what i mean when i say NSFW I mean in a sexual way, things like cussing or slight violence I can do)

I can write angst, fluff or both

If you see a mistake in my writing please inform me on it so I can improve in future :)

If i missed a TW or you notice something i should let the readers know before reading PLEASE let me know, i’d hate for someone to be negatively affected by my writing

Please be nice and respect everybody and there wishes!!

SERIES & CHARACTER I WILL WRITE FOR

(If there is a character I have missed that is not on the list for a specific series and you would like a x reader for please ask and I will let you know whether or not I can write for them :))

South Park

Stan Marsh

Kyle Broflovski

Kenny McCornmick

Eric Cartman

Butters

Tolkien Black

Wendy Testaburger

Bebe Stevens

Heidi Turner

Criminal Minds

Spencer Reid

Aaron Hotchner

Derek Morgan

Emily Prentis

Jason Gideon

Jennifer Jareau

Penelope Garcia

David Rossi

Elle Greenaway

Matthew Simmons

Like Alvez

Kate Callahan

Tara Lewis

Sam Cooper

Gina LaSalle

Beth Griffin

Jonathan Simms

Mick Rawson

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Scott Pilgrim

Ramona Flowers

Envy Adams

Knives Chau

Kim Pine

Julie Powers

Wallace Wells

Lucas lee

Gideon Graves

Matthew Patel

Todd Ingram

Young Neil

Roxy Ritcher

Stacy Pilgrim

Stephen Stills

My Hero Academia

Disclaimer I have not watched the series recently, so I do not have everything up to date and can only write up to season 4 :(

Anyone from Class 1A

Anyone from Class 1B

Any Pro Hereos

Any Villians

Mirio Togata

Nejire Hado

Tamaki Amajiki

Saiki K.

Kusuo Saiki

Shun Kaido

Aren Kuboyasu

Aiura Mikoto

Kokomo Teruhashi

Reita Tortisuka

Riki Nendo

Kineshi Hairo

Chiyo Yumehara

Metori Saiko

Chisato Mera

Hunter X Hunter

Disclaimer I am only caught up on the series not the manga

Gon Freecss

Killua Zoldyck

Kurapika

Leorio Paradinight

Hisoka Morrow

Chrollo Lucifer

Any Phantom Troupe Memebers

Ging Freecss

Any Zodiac members

Kite

ROTTMNT

Leonardo

Raphael

Michelangelo

Donatello

April O’neil

Stranger Things

Eleven

Mike Wheeler

Will Byers

Dustin Henderson

Lucas Sinclair

Max mayfield

Steve Harrington

Eddie Munson

Nancy Wheeler

Robin Buckley

Jonathan Byers

IT

Disclaimer I have been trying my best to see the second movie but I have only managed to watch the first so I can only write for things relevant in the first movie :(

Stanley Uris

Ben Hanscom

Beverly Marsh

Bill Denbrough

Richie Tozier

Eddie Kaspbrak

SPIDERVERSE

Miles Morales (earth 1610 & earth 42)

Gwen Stacy

Peter B. Parker

Jessica Drew

Miguel O’hara

Hobie Brown

Pavitr Prabhakar

Spider Noir

Penny Parker

MASTERLIST LINK

This Masterlist includes all works i’ve written on this blog so far!

That is all for now! Thank you so much for reading and feel free to request, I am new to tumblr so please feel free to let me know if I need to add or be more specific on something :))

[they-call-me-arte]

If anyone writes Mick x Beth fanfiction, please let me know ☎️

[fairytales-and-folklore]

Dreading Bells

Moonlight » Mick x Josef

Title: Dreading Bells

Author: fairytalesandfolklore

Fandom: Moonlight (Masterlist)

Relationship: Mick St. John x Josef Kostan

AO3 Rating: Mature (a complete collection of author's notes, inspiration credits, content warnings and tags can be found on AO3)

Summary: Mick St. John is getting married, but his heart belongs to someone else.

It would always be like this. This confusion, this tension, consuming them both, digging at their hearts, testing their restraint. Mick would swallow his unexplored feelings along with his pride, stubbornly loyal to the woman who held only half of his heart, and Josef would leave for Los Angeles the next morning, taking the other half with him, masking his feelings with sarcasm and cynicism. Over the years, over the centuries, encompassing their entire existence as immortal beings, no matter what distance came between them, their feelings would always remain, connecting them by an impenetrable heartstring.

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Twelve rows of silk-swathed church pews ranged like crooked teeth in the cathedral's extravagant wedding hall, velvet carpet rolling out over the polished, cherry oak floor like a massive red tongue. 

Swarms of snapdragons, larkspur, and lilacs in valentine hues hung like floral daggers from the vaulted ceiling. Queen Anne's lace and baby's breath wove in and out of long, glossy tendrils of hair that had been twisted, curled, flattened, and tousled to perfection. 

Five bridesmaids traipsed carelessly throughout the aisles, giggling and shrieking with delight as their ruby stilettos clicked along the hardwood floor, glasses of champagne held high in their manicured hands. Their gowns were the color of sangria; simple yet elegant in their design, cascading to their feet like scarlet waterfalls. 

The entire room, with its guests filing in from their respective bedrooms, fidgeting in their seats, filling the silence with distasteful babble, and occasionally glaring daggers at Mick, was waiting to swallow him whole. 

He was sweating. There was no chance in hell that the setting sun could reach him from where he stood at the altar, because Beth had, of course, ensured that little detail, and yet, Mick St. John was sweating. 

Nerves. Of course I'm nervous, he thought bitterly, biting back a memory of what his first wedding had been like, trying to reassure himself that tonight couldn't possibly be any worse than his wedding night with his ex-wife Coraline had been.

Beth was different. For one thing, she wasn't a fucking vampire. 

Well…not yet, anyway. Their agreement, after many long, agonizing discussions, was that Mick was supposed to turn her. Tonight. 

It seemed oddly familiar, and horribly ironic that his second wedding night would so painfully parallel his first, only this time he'd be the sire. But at least Beth would know what was coming. She actually wanted it, and Mick was growing tired of denying her. 

He thought that it would get easier, as time went on. Thought that if he just gave in and agreed to give her what she so desperately wanted, he would eventually learn to be okay with it. Thought he'd given himself plenty of time to get used to the idea of damning the woman he loved to the same fate that had been forced upon him. Thought he would be ready, even willing, when the date finally arrived. 

But the moment he'd woken up this morning, he'd been a war of head versus heart, and as the seconds ticked down to the moment that would forever seal his fate, he'd been plagued by all manner of unwelcome thoughts more fiercely than ever before. 

This is wrong. She doesn't deserve to become a monster. You're taking her life, stealing her humanity, subjecting her to a fate worse than death in the worst way imaginable, the logical side of his brain that argued morals and scruples would scold. 

But then the other side, the slightly selfish, emotionally overworked, detail dissecting side of his brain would chime in; Mick, you're being stupid. This is your wedding day, stop sulking. If you truly love her, why wouldn't you want to spend the rest of forever with her? Isn't that what you promised her when you asked her to marry you? Or what, were you just going to marry Beth and then let her wither away, while you perpetually remain thirty? 

He wasn't entirely sure which side served as the angel and which served as the devil, but he was fairly certain that he hated both of them, and had the overwhelming desire to chuck the nonexistent bastards off of his shoulders and into the nearest bin. 

If he was being honest, it had been like this for months, just quietly stewing in the back of his mind on a low simmer, but of course it came full fledged on the day he was finally meant to do it. He wanted to cry out in frustration, to bang his head against the old stone wall repeatedly until the torturous and confusing conversations in his mind ceased to exist. 

He almost wished that he had met someone else, someone who was already a vampire, just so he wouldn't have to deal with the trauma of having to inflict that kind of agony and inevitable regret onto an untainted, innocent life. 

The transformation itself was bad enough, never mind the hiding, the scrounging, the bloodlust, losing everything and everyone you ever held dear. Mick remembered it well, and the thought of having to subject someone else to that was absolutely killing him. 

But Beth had reassured him countless times now that this is what she wanted, and decent vamps worth the trouble of romantic entanglement were few and far between, anyway. 

They were either exceptionally arrogant, backstabbing monsters who betrayed their own kind and killed them for profit, like Lola, or complete lunatics who turned people without their consent and kidnapped children in the dead of night, like Coraline. 

In fact, there was only one vampire that Mick could tolerate on a daily basis, and that vampire had survived over four hundred years of this damnable existence without letting it go to his head. 

Well, mostly. 

Speaking of whom… 

Mick began searching the crowd for the one person who always knew how to calm him down. He'd be easy enough to spot; just look for the most attractive of Beth's cousins, and you'll find Josef, turning on the charm.

But everywhere his eyes roamed, even after he'd given up on being discreet about it, Mick just couldn't seem to find him. Even more disconcerting was the fact that Josef wasn't up front, standing next to Mick at the altar, giving him advice and cracking sarcastic jokes to quell his nerves, like he was supposed to be. What was the point of having a best man if he was nowhere to be found an hour before the wedding? 

Sunlight poured through the massive stained glass window over the mouth of the aisle like a ripened blood orange, bathing the wedding hall in hues of crimson and gold, and making the cramped, raucous room uncomfortably warm. 

After ten minutes of intense internal debate, Mick decided that what he truly needed was to get the fuck out of there, at least for a little while. He needed to clear his head, and he couldn't manage the task with all of Beth's relatives constantly staring him down. 

Not to mention, he still had a killer hangover from his bachelor party the night before. Vodka fucking sucks, Mick thought bitterly as he made his way down the aisle and out into the reception hall. He breathed a sigh of relief as the cool air cascaded over his face, and the cacophony of conversations was drowned out by the rattling air conditioner above his head. 

It is possible for vampires to get drunk, just not very common. Given the choice, most vampires would prefer blood to a Bloody Mary. Vampires have a much higher tolerance for alcohol than humans do, which is why Mick had had to down about twenty shots of Smirnoff before he'd even felt buzzed. 

He hadn't even wanted to go out in the first place, but Josef had managed to coax him into accompanying him to an obscure little strip club in downtown London. The Modern Rouge, an obvious rip-off of the Parisian original, was a smoky little place with a small stage where vivacious young women dressed like harlots and harlequins coiled themselves around poles, shoving their breasts in the faces of lonely alcoholics and acne-ridden adolescents who had managed to slip past security with poorly-crafted fake IDs. 

By the time Mick was about forty shots in, and the bartender was eyeing him up with equal parts admiration and concern for his health and sanity, Josef had another nightmarish surprise for him. Snapping his fingers like an impatient director, he called over one of the women they'd seen dancing on the stage earlier in the night. 

A coquettish smile curled across her scarlet painted lips as she caught sight of her favorite client. Slowly, in what she probably imagined was a seductive sort of way that Mick simply couldn't appreciate, she strolled toward their table, swathed in the tightest blood red corset that Mick had ever seen, black fishnet tights spider-webbing up her long, tanned legs. 

Up close, she had the complexion of an orange that had sat out in the sun for far longer than was necessary, her strawberry blonde hair done up in infantile pigtails that spilled across the curves of her collarbones. 

"Treat him well, Rosaline," Josef teased as he slipped her a hundred pound note and gestured in the general direction of Mick's lap. 

"Oh no, really, that's okay," Mick said hastily, pouring every ounce of his concentration into collecting the salt that licked the edge of Josef's margarita glass on the tips of his tequila-moistened fingers. 

The small, chipped wooden table between them was scattered with empty margarita and martini glasses, decorated shot glasses, and drained mugs of Sex On The Beach. He was definitely starting to feel it: the dizziness, the swaying, the stupidity. He was even starting to forget what Beth looked like. This had to stop. 

"Mick, come on. It's your last night as a free vamp— I mean, a free man. Are you really going to deny this lovely woman the pleasure of your last night as a bachelor?" Josef asked around a melodramatic pout as he pretended to look offended. 

"Josef, no. That's enough," Mick said firmly, slurring the last few words as his vision swerved. Josef rolled his eyes and then shot Rosaline an apologetic smile. 

"Sorry, love. I guess matrimonial commitment can make a man lose his sanity. Promise you'll save me some for later?" he teased, squeezing her waist before he let her go, which made her giggle uncontrollably. 

As she slipped around the corner and out of earshot, Josef turned to face Mick, a suggestive smirk poised on his lips. 

"Need a drink?" Josef asked, his eyebrows arched. Mick nodded vigorously, understanding that Josef was referring to a very different, and infinitely lovelier type of drink than the ones they had been consuming all night. One that was definitely not served at any of the local bars. At least, not legally. 

Shaking off blurred memories of the night before, Mick stared around the vast reception hall, trying to decide which corridor he wanted to take. During his stay at the cathedral, he had explored as much of the inside of it as he possibly could, fascinated by its age, by all of the history it must hold. 

After all, he couldn't exactly go outside. The sun was shining brighter than usual today, reflecting off the freshly fallen December snow, hammering in through the stained glass windows of the corridors, glaring at Mick as he tried to dodge it behind corners and down dark passageways like a twisted game of hide and seek. 

Still, despite his pounding headache and miserable disposition, he couldn't help but notice just how beautiful it was on the inside. It was built differently than other European cathedrals, and perhaps that was why Mick appreciated it. 

Unique in its features, this particular cathedral was comprised of a multitude of magnificent ceremonial halls, as well as three additional floors acting as an old monastery, all in one colossal cathedral. No longer in use for religious purposes, it had essentially become a tourist attraction, its ceremonial halls playing host to all manner of celebrations, its old bedchambers serving as luxurious hotel rooms. And Josef had reserved not just the wedding hall, but the entire cathedral, as a special treat for everyone involved in the wedding party. 

It was easy enough for him, as were most of his monetary conquests, given that he was one of the most powerful men in Los Angeles, and wealthy beyond belief. It was sentimental to Josef; his parents had been married in this church, back when it was first built in the 1600's. He had even attended masses here. 

That was, of course, before he became a vampire, back when he was a good little boy living in England with his mummy and daddy. It was no surprise that he wanted his best friend to get married in a place that held so much meaning to him, considering that it was very unlikely that the perpetually single, shamelessly promiscuous Josef Kostan would be getting down on one knee any time soon. 

Mick wandered the darkened hallways, dimly lit by flickering candles, through ancient mahogany doors with huge, rusting metal knockers in the shape of lion's heads that lead into lavish bedchambers, having once belonged to the sisters of the convent, but that now housed several of his wedding guests. 

He became lost in corridors and up winding stairways that felt like they were stolen from a castle in a fairytale. That's kind of what Beth and I are, he mused. A strange, warped fairytale, where she's the princess and I'm the monster. 

His hands began to shake again, and though he tried to shrug off the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach at the thought of what he'd promised to do tonight, he just couldn't. He tried to steady his mind, to think of anything else other than the thought of turning Beth. Oddly enough, it worked, though not exactly in the way he'd expected. 

A cascade of memories flashed across his mind: the first time they'd ever met, the first time they shared drinks and stories of their lives before they'd been turned, the first time they got so drunk they'd ended up on Mick's rooftop back in Los Angeles, spilling every secret they'd ever kept locked away from the rest of the world, the first time they both realized that they could trust one another completely. All of his fears, his worries, his issues with trust dissipating at the realization that, after all this time, he'd finally found the one person on whom he could thoroughly rely. 

And after tonight, after Beth quit Buzzwire and Mick retired from his life as a private investigator, and they moved to the quiet, modest cottage that Beth had selected for them in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Mick would scarcely be able to see him. He hated how much it tore him apart. 

At first, it didn't really register in his mind where his wandering had led him, whose bedroom he now stood mere meters from. As though he had sensed that Mick was out here, lurking in the candlelit corridor, thoughts of the pair of them burning in his mind like a wildfire, there he was, rounding the corner and whistling a cheerful theme to a show that he probably imagined he was the star of. 

"Mick," he gasped, coming to a halt, his eyes wide with surprise. 

"Josef, I…I was just taking a walk to—" 

"Clear your head. Yeah, I figured." 

Of course he knew. Josef always knew. 

"Actually, I was sort of looking for you. I was downstairs, and you were—" 

"Up here. Just casually prowling the corridors like a lion on the hunt," Josef joked with a half-hearted attempt at a smirk. 

"I was starting to get worried you weren't—" 

"Coming? Come on, Mick, give me a little credit," he scoffed, mock offended. "You think I'm the flight risk? You're the one getting married in under an hour, yet you're nowhere near the ceremonial hall." 

He sneered the word married like it was a death sentence. Mick merely stared at him, his lips pressed into a hard, thin line. Josef sighed, smirk fading to something more solemn as he took in the sight of Mick's anguished expression. 

"Need to talk?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow. 

Mick nodded resolutely, looking for all the world like a lost puppydog. Josef heaved another great sigh, before slinging an arm around Mick's shoulders and leading him through the massive oak door at the end of the hallway. 

Josef's bedroom suited him well. Lit up by a string of bright red paper lanterns dangling from the ceiling, the only source of light aside from the ever-growing shadow of the setting sun in the stained glass window above his gigantic four-poster bed. 

The bed itself sat untouched, perfectly pristine beside its rival, a stainless steel industrial freezer, laid open, swirls of icy current circling above it like smoke. Josef strolled across the hardwood floor and promptly shut the lid of his bed, cursing lightly as he did so. 

Mick couldn't help but smile as he took in the sight of it all. Being in Josef's room again felt just as comfortable and inviting as it had the night before. 

After Mick and Josef had left The Modern Rouge, they had waltzed their way through the heart of the bright and bustling city of London, homesick for Los Angeles. Josef had swiped a bottle of whiskey from the bar and was taking hearty gulps of it, swaying about as he danced clumsily in the streets, singing Fly Me To The Moon at the top of his lungs, and trying to convince Mick that he'd thought up the lyrics before Frank had. 

Mick merely chuckled and shook his head, wrapping his leather jacket tightly around his shoulders and frowning at the thought of never hearing Josef's atrocious singing voice ever again. At least, not nearly as much. 

They'd promised to visit each other as often as they could, of course, but Mick knew the chances of that were one in a million. He would be occupied with taming a very feral Beth through her first years as a newly turned vampire, and Josef was a busy man. 

Somehow, they had made it back to the cathedral and up three flights of stairs to Josef's bedroom. There, they split tall glasses of Scotch, followed by chasers of A and O positive from the large stock Josef had packed for the weekend. 

After that, the night became increasingly more difficult to remember. All Mick could recall with absolute certainty was laughing his ass off with Josef, arguing over the differences in blood type between blondes and redheads, and making fun of pop culture's ridiculous images of vampires over the decades. 

Dracula, they'd decided, was mind-numbingly dull (Josef could attest to that. He had actually met him, after all.) Spike and Angel were lovesick fools fighting over a hunter who wouldn't hesitate to do them in if they ever even thought of stepping out of line. And Twilight…well, they certainly had a hearty chuckle over those sparkly bastards. 

Together, they collapsed backward onto the soft silken comforter of Josef's king-sized bed, bursts of laughter punctuated with contented sighs, reminiscing over all of their misadventures over the past fifty years. 

At around 5AM, Josef had half-walked, half-carried Mick back to his bedroom on the second floor, propping him up against the door, and wishing him luck for the following evening. 

For a few moments, they had simply stared at one another, neither of them willing to depart company just yet, Josef still giggling, Mick half-asleep, slumping to his knees in the corridor. 

And then, without word or warning, Josef had wrapped his arms around Mick's shoulders and placed a gentle kiss to the top of his forehead, whispering please don't leave me, before retreating to his own chambers, watching over his shoulder as Mick clumsily grasped the door handle and shuffled his way into his bedroom to fall asleep next to his fiancée. 

But of course, this last little detail, Mick could not remember in the slightest. 

"Hung over?" Josef asked, smirking at Mick's frustrated expression. 

"Unless jackhammers have taken up permanent residence inside my head, then yes," he replied, rubbing his forehead gingerly. 

"Yeah, me too…whiskey?" Josef chuckled, already pouring himself a glass. 

For a moment, Mick looked as though he was about to argue, to scold Josef for being such a shameless lush…but then his features fell, and he gave a half-hearted shrug instead. 

"Eh, why not?" Mick sighed, accepting the snifter from Josef's outstretched hands. He sipped it lightly, distracted. Josef took his own glass, walked over to the bed and sat down along the edge, one arm outstretched, supporting his weight. He waved his glass in Mick's direction, motioning for him to speak. 

"I know you need to rant," he said. "So, whenever you're ready, I'll be over here, pretending to listen." 

Mick laughed, sighed heavily, and placed his glass of whiskey on the floor. He began pacing, the glow of the sunset following him, casting his shadow like a silent monster lurking behind him, and blurted out the thoughts that were gaining too much weight to fit into the cramped confines of his mind. 

"Josef, I'm such an idiot. How can I marry her? Our kinds don't mix. Look, I know. I know. You can have your little freshies every once in a while, and that's fine, but that's not me and…she wants me to turn her, Josef! Tonight. How can I even begin to…I have no idea how to…I'm not even sure if I want to. Not because I don't love her. I do. I mean…no, I do. I love her. And of course I want to spend the rest of my life with her. It's just…it totally fucking parallels my wedding night, you know? It's been bringing back all of these horrible memories for me ever since I first agreed to it. And I can't, Josef, I just can't…" 

Mick collapsed to the floor, scraping his shoulders along the jagged stone wall near the door of Josef's bedroom, tears trailing down his face. He hadn't even realized he'd started crying until he felt the moisture seep into the fabric of his black dress jacket. Hadn't even realized that Josef had moved before he was crouching down beside him, draping his arms around Mick's shoulders and holding him close. 

"Mick, you'll be fine. You'll get through this," Josef reassured him. 

Wrapped up in Josef's arms, Mick felt himself finally start to relax. He nodded slowly and made to get up from the hardwood floor, but the weight of Josef's embrace kept him grounded. He felt one of Josef's hands gently cradling the side of his cheek, tilting his chin up until they were face to face, eyes locked onto one another's. 

The sudden closeness made a strange spark of adrenaline jolt through his chest, but he didn't pull away. He just continued to stare into Josef's vibrant hazel eyes. 

He'd never truly noticed just how lovely they were. Like caramel swirled into coffee. Like finely-aged whiskey. Classic, charming, comforting. 

Hell, Josef even smelled comforting, and Mick felt an odd, overwhelming desire to pull Josef's face impossibly closer to his own and just drown in it. Mick tried not to linger on that thought, because truthfully, it didn't scare him as much as it probably should have. 

After a few moments, Mick shook his head, prying his eyes away from Josef's, though he remained right where he was, dipping his head into the palms of his hands, and scrubbing his fingers through his hair. Josef eased himself up off the floor, and began pacing the length of the room, just as Mick had done earlier. 

He knit his brows together, tapping a finger lightly on his chin. Suddenly, he turned back to face Mick, a smile twitching at the corners of his lips. 

"If it's the turning process you're worried about, that's easy. That is, if you actually want to succeed," Josef smirked. Mick shot him a warning glare, wiping the smile clean off of Josef's face. 

"Kidding. You know that. I'm just saying, man, all of eternity is an awfully long time to spend with just one person. Unless, of course, you spend it with the right person." 

He stopped pacing for a moment, fixing Mick with a pointed, expectant sort of look, seemingly waiting for Mick to arrive at some kind of grand epiphany, but Mick simply shook his head, a sorrowful expression on his face. 

The faster his thoughts swirled, the harder his head pounded. He sank into reverie, replaying past conversations, painful memories, and difficult decisions that, it seemed, held no right answer. 

It's time you stopped hating what you are, Josef's voice chimed in his head. It was ironic that the side of his brain that encouraged Mick to turn Beth sounded so very much like Josef, given that Josef was normally so against the idea of vampires and mortals falling in love. 

But maybe it was just because he was so used to Josef's playful jabs at his own stubbornness that spurred the voice's likeness to his best friend, or the fact that Josef was always the one picking him up every time he fell down a spiral of self-loathing, reminding him of all the beauty that still existed in this dark and twisted world. 

Josef typically held all the answers. He was rarely ever wrong when it came to dissecting the human psyche and getting to the heart of what Mick truly needed to hear. Not that Mick would ever openly admit that. No need to feed Josef's overgrown ego, after all. 

But maybe he was right. Maybe it was okay to go against everything you ever thought you knew if it meant getting to spend the rest of forever with the right person. 

And after all, it had been decades since he'd finally let Coraline go. Sure, she'd turned him on their wedding night without his knowledge or consent. And sure, she'd strung him along more times than he could count, only to cut him short and leave him high and dry to cope with the horrors and complexities of his unwanted immortality. Obviously, a traumatic experience like that was bound to leave it scars. 

But she was nothing like Beth. Sweet, beautiful, confident Beth, who loved him unconditionally, loved him in spite of the fact that he was a monster. 

And really, shouldn't that in itself be enough? There was no chance in hell he was ever going to find another person who loved him the way that Beth did, surely. What other reason could he possibly have for not wanting to spend the rest of his existence with her? 

Mick snapped his head in Josef's direction, his mind made up. 

"So, how exactly do you turn someone?" he asked. 

"What?" Josef spluttered, choking on the large sip of whiskey he'd just taken. 

"I need you to tell me how to turn Beth," he said slowly, measuring Josef's expression. 

He knew that this was a touchy subject for Josef, given that his first attempt had rendered his past love, Sarah Whitley, unconscious, but Mick had to try. After all, Josef's second attempt had worked perfectly. Mick was living…well, un-living proof of that. Josef blinked a few times before he regained his composure, swishing the remnants of his whiskey in his glass, before downing it completely. 

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Josef asked, placing the empty glass on a table in the far corner. Mick stared at him for a moment, his thoughts racing, making his head spin. After what seemed like ages, he nodded. He had made a promise to Beth, and he was determined to keep it, no matter how conflicted he might feel about it. 

"Look, Mick, it's not an exact science, okay? And I'm not the most experienced—" 

"Josef, you're the only one I know with experience in siring. I promised her I'd do this for her, tonight. I can't risk getting it wrong," Mick pleaded, his expression solemn. 

"Alright, alright, fine. If this is really what you want. But remember, after you turn her, you're stuck with her. Unless you've got a flamethrower," Josef chuckled. 

Mick rolled his eyes impatiently. 

"Oh, come on, Mick, grow a sense of humor. I get it. You're in love. People in love do stupid things, like get married," he scoffed. He eyed Mick up, smirking, and then added, "Weren't you the one who proposed, anyway? I haven't seen you this uptight since you dragged me along to pick out the ring." 

Mick closed his eyes, his expression pained. 

Josef's smile fell from his lips as he resumed his harried pacing. 

"Well, to turn someone who's actually willing is relatively simple. You find the place on their body that's most vulnerable. Typically that's the neck, along the side where that big artery we love so much is. You'll be able to tell. The smell will just…anyway, sorry. Vampire bloodlust, rah rah rah. Anyway, the first step is, obviously, to administer the bite. And then, very carefully, drain their body of at least half of their blood. It's important not to drain all of it, of course, but just enough so that they're near death. Then, make an incision in your skin, preferably your forearm so it's easy to access, and then feed them your blood. That way, you've got some of theirs, they've got some of yours. It's like you're mixing both of your essences together, creating an irrevocable bond between sire and newly-turned vampire that's unlike any other." 

He halted and turned to face Mick. In that moment, Josef's eyes bore into his with such an intensity that it made Mick smile. He remembered the process vaguely, having once asked Josef to re-turn him several years prior, when he had sacrificed his temporary mortal cure in order to save Beth's life. It was amusing to hear Josef describing anything, let alone the siring process, with so much passion and reverence. 

"Josef Kostan, you hopeless romantic," Mick teased, chuckling lightly. "You make it sound so intimate." 

"It is intimate, Mick," Josef protested, his voice dropping to a strangled whisper. 

After a moment, he cleared his throat, shook his head, and resumed his pacing, quicker and more frenzied this time. It made Mick a bit dizzy. This stop-and-go version of Josef was getting quite distracting. 

"So, yeah, that's how you turn someone," Josef finished, rather lamely. He had the strangest expression on his face, and Mick couldn't quite place what it was, but he didn't have time to decipher one of Josef's random mood swings. 

"Show me," Mick said, rising to his feet, draining his glass in one swallow and placing it on the table with a subtle clink next to Josef's. 

A simple explanation wasn't good enough for him. He was still afraid that he would mess it up, and he couldn't risk Beth's life like that, dangling her existence between the very fine line of eternity and death like Josef had accidentally done with Sarah. He needed to feel confident, absolutely certain of what he was doing, before he took such a risk. 

Josef had stopped mid-stride, looking thoroughly vexed. 

"I already told you how to—" 

"I know. And now I need you to show me. I'm terrified I'm gonna fuck this up, okay? I need your help," he pleaded. 

With a frustrated sigh, Josef walked over to where Mick stood in the center of the room. 

"Well, as I said, you grab hold of them, like this." 

Josef grasped at Mick's shoulders, a little more roughly than was entirely necessary, and pulled him into his chest. 

"And then you…well, you just find the vein I'm referring to." 

"Which is where?" Mick asked, growing impatient with Josef's odd reluctance. 

"For fuck's sake, Mick, do I have to show you everything?" Josef huffed, running a hand through his short, honey blond hair. He wrapped his arms around Mick's shoulders, leaning slowly into the curve of his neck, easily finding the place he'd described. 

Suddenly, all of Mick's memories of the time that Josef had turned him flooded his mind like a forgotten dream. Last time, there was such a suffocating sense of urgency, filled with tension and anxiety, as Beth's safety had hung in the balance, pivotal on getting it just right. This time, it was slower, more precise, just how Mick had promised himself he'd do it for Beth. But this…this felt different than anything he could have ever imagined. 

Josef's lips parted, his warm breath tickling the tiny hairs on the back of Mick's neck, making them stand on end. His body tensed slightly as Josef's mouth trailed along the side of his neck, fangs prodding into Mick's skin, but never piercing him. 

He found himself basking in Josef's comforting scent. It held all the usual notes; cinnamon and clove, cigar smoke and cognac, but there was something deeper to it, something more than just the familiar, inviting scent that always lingered on Mick's clothing after a night spent together in Josef's apartment. 

Josef's neck and his shoulders and his chest smelled just like his embrace felt: warm, comfortable, inviting, a dark sweetness that Mick had the extreme desire to melt into. With a startling jolt, Mick realized that Josef smelled like home. 

Without thinking, Mick placed his lips on Josef's neck in a mirror motion, needing to bring the warmth and comfort of his best friend closer. Josef sighed softly as Mick slid his lips to the peak of Josef's neck, breathing in the smell of his hair, shivering with longing at the taste of Josef's skin against his lips. He allowed his own fangs to slide down, nibbling softly along the canvas of Josef's neck. 

Josef's hands found their way into Mick's hair, fingers tangling into the disheveled, dark brown tendrils. His breathing quickened as he brushed his lips along the side of Mick's neck, teeth softly biting along his resilient skin. 

A shiver ran down Mick's spine at Josef's touch, like ice had been dragged along the length of his back. Mick felt a moan escape his lips, and suddenly he could no longer taste Josef's neck, but Josef's lips against his own, rough and demanding and pleading, and yet sweet and searching all at the same time. 

His thoughts pulled away from Beth entirely as he sank into the kiss, needing to deepen it, needing the warmth and the comfort he so desperately sought in the man he'd known for nearly fifty years. They poured everything, absolutely everything, every memory they'd ever shared, every night they'd ever spent in close companionship, every secret and regret, into that kiss. 

He didn't understand the strange jolt he'd felt the moment Josef had touched him, like fire had been injected into his veins. He was too far gone to think about what he was doing, or why he was doing it, anymore. 

All he knew was that Josef was the source of his comfort, the source of his bliss. In this moment, his heart beat for Josef, his breathing quickened at Josef's touch, his happiness tethered solely to the comforting embrace of Josef's company. 

He wanted to grab him by the front of his black jacket, rip off the blood red button up shirt that constricted his chest, and push him up against the wall, pressing his body against Josef's completely. He wanted to kiss him like he'd never kissed anyone before. 

And yet, all at the same time, he wanted to get the hell out of there. To hide from Josef and all of these strange, all-encompassing new feelings that were crashing down around him like ocean waves in the eye of a storm. Away from Beth and her dangerous desires. Away from this whole fucking nightmare of a wedding chapel. 

Overwhelmed, he pulled suddenly from Josef's embrace. He was shaking slightly, out of breath, his heart racing faster than his thoughts could comprehend whatever the fuck had just happened between them. 

He slowly lifted his head to meet Josef's eyes. They held more than their usual vibrant exuberance, but Mick couldn't quite place what exactly sparked in them. Sadness. Confusion. Desire. Lust. Love. Pain. Resentment. 

His head was spinning with questions, mostly rhetorical, and once again he felt the fleeting annoyance that, even in his own head, he didn't have the appropriate space and silence to think properly, without another war raging him into insanity. 

This is wrong. He's your best friend. How could you have let this happen? How could you have done this to Beth? Sweet, wonderful Beth. Ethereal angel, dressed in a wedding gown, waiting for you at the altar. You're a monster. A cheat. A scoundrel. A liar. A slew of well-deserved insults pounded through his mind. The self-inflicted verbal abuse felt like retribution. 

But then, another voice spoke up, and he could almost feel the heat of the little devil skulking on his shoulder. Figments of his imagination had never felt more real. It taunted him, sneered at him, its voice like venom in his ear. 

Your fault? Of course this isn't your fault. Josef made the first move, poisoned you with his charm and his insatiable lust. And Beth is entirely too demanding. She decided everything, mapped out your entire future without even bothering to ask if that's what you truly wanted. You know it makes you angry, but you never let it show. Mick St. John, the doormat, the carpet. Let them walk all over you… 

Mick ground his teeth and felt his fingers clench into fists. He allowed the anger to surge through him, fabricating all manner of sick, twisted lies and excuses. Anger at Beth for asking him to turn her when she knew how much that would hurt him, for making him move away from the place that had been his home for more than eighty years. 

Anger at Josef for forcing him to spend all of last night out on the town, resulting in a horrendous hangover. Anger at the lingering softness of Josef's lips forever etching their memory onto his own. Anger at his gentle hands, his stupid smirk, his gorgeous hazel eyes. 

He wanted to hate Josef for making him feel this way. For allowing him to fuck up so completely that he very nearly damaged their friendship, his last remaining source of comfort, not to mention his relationship with Beth. 

Mick stared at him, almost glaring, letting his undeserved anger and resentment consume him, blaming Josef for his inability to comprehend these foreign feelings racing through his heart and mind. Josef recoiled, his eyes wide and questioning, his mouth twitching into a frown. His sorrowful eyes never left Mick's cold glare. 

The sight of it tore Mick to pieces, and just like that, the spell was broken. His expression softened immediately. He felt all of the anger pour out of him, replaced with an extreme sense of guilt that made him want to run to Josef, to hold him and protect him and kiss every inch of his face until he was sure that Josef's pain had gone. 

But instead, Mick remained right where he was, frozen on the spot, and the two men simply stood there, staring at one another for what felt like ages. Neither one moving, nor blinking, as the sunset faded, sinking below the stained glass, leaving only the glow of the bright red paper lanterns suspended above them. 

"Mick," Josef whispered, breaking the silence between them. "Have you ever considered the idea that maybe Beth isn't the one you're supposed to be with?" 

Mick opened his mouth…once, twice, three times…but he simply couldn't bring himself to admit it. He shook his head as if to clear it, clawing his hands through his hair as he stared at Josef, completely dumbfounded. 

Josef closed the space between them, grasping at the lapels of Mick's jacket and pressing his body into Mick's, sliding smoothly against him, black pinstripe mating with white. Mick held his best man in his arms, burying his face deep into Josef's neck, consuming his scent, reveling in it for what may very well be the last time. 

Josef let out a sigh and nuzzled into Mick's shoulder. Mick gripped him impossibly tighter, afraid that if he let go, Josef would twist into smoke, leaving him with nothing but incoherent memories and painful longing. 

It should have been simple. It should have been easy. 

But nothing in this hellish afterlife ever is. 

Josef closed his eyes and let out a bittersweet chuckle, his lips forcing a smile that looked about as genuine as a grimace. Mick brushed the side of Josef's cheek with the back of his hand. For a moment, as if on instinct, Josef leaned into the caress, but then froze, heaving a sigh as he carefully removed Mick's hand from his cheek, and held it briefly in his own. 

"If that's a no, then I suppose…your fiancée is waiting for you," Josef whispered, his eyes still closed. 

Mick opened his mouth, willing the right words to come, though he knew, deep down, that there was nothing more to be said. Their choices, pre-set and promised, sealed their very separate futures from one another. 

Mick had obligations, like a living, breathing bride whom he had promised his heart to. And Josef…Josef was a complicated man, about as difficult to decipher as the scrolls of an old, dead language, and ever-changing as the currents. 

How could Mick ever truly be certain that Josef wouldn't eventually grow bored of him, tired of being tied down to just one person? The idea of abandoning everything he had built with Beth, of putting all of his trust into something so new and uncertain, something that could potentially tear the last remaining threads of their friendship to pieces if it didn't live up to both of their expectations, was positively terrifying. 

And yet, part of him yearned to take that leap, to throw caution to the wind and run away together, just the two of them, back home to the idyllic lights and buzz of Los Angeles, to live out the rest of their infinite days in their very own fairy tale happy ending, because if anyone was worth the risk, it was Josef, because hard as he tried to fight against it, he couldn't ignore the painful tugging in his chest, begging to pull him closer to— 

Josef. 

But real life wasn't anything like a fairy tale, and there was no telling how this one would end. Better to make a clean break now than set their friendship on fire and potentially watch it burn to the ground. 

…wasn't it? 

After several moments, Mick gave a curt nod, his smile mournful as he reached up to place a delicate kiss to the top of Josef's forehead. He ran his fingers along the edge of Josef's jacket, smoothing out imaginary ruffles and straightening his black silk tie with delicate care, grasping for a reason to stay close to him for just a little while longer. 

With a heavy sigh, Mick began making his way to the edge of the room, catching a glimpse of Josef before he turned the handle, his smile faltering, his eyes questioning. Josef looked up from where he stood in the center of the room, hands shoved ungracefully into his pockets, so that he looked like a misbehaved schoolboy. 

"You'll be fine," Josef reassured him, his lips pressed into a hard, thin line in a shoddy attempt at a smile. "I'll see you down there, Mick." 

Mick let out a small sigh, forced another stiff nod, and finally, after what felt like ages, tore his eyes away from his best friend. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. 

He reached the threshold, slowing his steps on the off chance that Josef would come running and beg him to stay. But Josef remained right where he was, ever the man of pride and principle, his back turned to Mick, another full glass of amber whiskey in his hands, staring out through the stained glass window where the sun had just set below the horizon. 

It would always be like this. This confusion, this tension, consuming them both, digging at their hearts, testing their restraint. 

Mick would swallow his unexplored feelings along with his pride, stubbornly loyal to the woman who held only half of his heart, and Josef would leave for Los Angeles the next morning, taking the other half with him, masking his feelings with sarcasm and cynicism. 

Over the years, over the centuries, encompassing their entire existence as immortal beings, no matter what distance came between them, their feelings would always remain, connecting them by an impenetrable heartstring.