#not even used in hair-just she just dumped it either down the sink or in the trash

[delightfullygiddy]

really have some "family" problems going on right now. A full grown adult acting like petulant child situations, messing up things because they arent getting their way.

[mercurycft]

𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐊𝐄𝐒 — 𝐋𝐁

## lucy bronze x reader!

Hello everyone! I’ve been working on this idea for a little while.. its definitely not my best work but i really liked writing this! Enjoy! Love always- RG! x

part 1 of 2! read part two here 2,603 words - this part is mostly build-up!

MATURE CONTENT & LANGUAGE WARNING 18+

The final stretch of the last training session before a break was always the worst, ending with all the girls heaving and sweaty as they piled back into the team changing room. It was Friday, and plans for the evening were already being finalised by the time you entered the room and made your way to your usual spot. Tucked away into the corner, happy to sit down and take off your boots before you heard your name hollered from within the fuss of conversation.

"Oi! Y/L/N, drinks at 8. You get no input or choice..." The voice belonged to Mary and was followed by a hound of laughs from around the room. Drinks were never your go-to, much preferring a takeaway and crap tv in the comfort of your own home. The girls knew this, so instead of asking - they would tell. You knew better than to fight it, laughing with them and nodding before throwing the group a sarcastic double thumbs-up as you placed your boots into your kit bag.

"I'll be there, Pre-drinks at Tooney's I'm guessing?" That was always the plan, meet at Ella's and either walk or get an Uber to wherever the group had decided to spend the remainder of the night. Your question was met with a couple 'obviously's and 'you know it's from the girls, who had now dispersed around the room and started packing their belongings away. You were packed up first, as per usual, and were sat chatting as everyone finished changing. Once everyone had grabbed what they needed and conversations were stalling to a halt, everyone made their collective way through the hall and out towards the front of the building. You, Ella and Alessia led the way, arms linked and phones in hand, already discussing the 'dress code' for the evening.

By the time you had finally made it home, battling through the usual city traffic it was nearing 4pm and all plans for an unrushed evening of preparing were out the window - so after dumping your bag in the kitchen you headed straight for the shower.

_________

The next two hours were spent rushing around your bedroom and flat, drying and styling your hair before applying your usual 'going out' makeup. Next came the clothes and after 6 failed attempts at outfits you had created in your head and two stressed glasses of whatever wine you had in the fridge, you settled on wide-leg jeans and a strapless bodysuit paired with a pair of comfy heels which gave you an extra couple of inches. After packing the essentials into the ridiculously small-seeming bag you had chosen and grabbing a jacket, you were finally ready to head out the door.

The journey to Ella's house wasn't long, 10 minutes at most, and the weather was in your favour - the sun starting to set and a gentle chill creeping through your clothes just as you had arrived at her front door. Holding a bottle of cheap wine close to your side, you rang the bell and waited, soon to be greeted by Alessia and ushered inside - music was already blaring from the kitchen where a few of the girls loitered. Ella grabbed the bottle from your grasp, pouring you a generous glass and placing the remainder into her fridge. "You look fit, mate!" She exclaimed as she turned back to you and passed your drink.

"Oh stop it, look at you Tooney." You said, holding your hand out towards her and feigning a dramatic gasp, you both fell into a burst of soft laughter and moved to join the rest of the group. You said your hello's, exchanging genuine compliments and stationed yourself by the sink, bringing the glass to your lips as the doorbell chimed through the house.

"Fucking hell, Luce! Didn't want to leave the rest of us a chance to pull then?" Ella squealed exasperatedly, throwing her hands up in fake annoyance and stomping back into the kitchen. You straightened up at the mention of the older right-back, taking another sip of your drink as she emerged into the room and said her hello's.

By the time she made it to you, you were sure you could draw her from memory. Watching her closely as she worked her way across the room - you noticed how the white shirt she wore was clinging to her arms and chest in all the right places, tucked neatly into a pair of slack-like trousers which sat loosely around her ankles to reveal a pair of crisp airforce. Before you could react she was in front of you, pulling you in with a gentle hand on the back and a warm smile, giving you a friendly cheek-to-cheek kiss and hug then pulling away and moving back into the centre of the room and retrieving her own drink.

She looked good and she was well aware, which made it so much harder to look away. Having to try your hardest to remind yourself of where you are and who she was. Her glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, with her hair pulled back into her usual bun. You had always found her attractive - how could you not? She looked as if she had been carved by the Gods themselves, with smooth olive skin and muscles that put everyone else to shame.

You had always gotten along well, laughing and joking across the pitch during training. Sometimes meeting her eyes for a moment too long during conversations or humouring the lingering touches when you brushed past each other in social settings. Though nothing had ever come of it, that didn't mean you didn't enjoy the warmth of her hands on the small of your back or the way you seemed to fall into her eyes and stumble on your words when she would catch you off guard and today was no exception. You couldn't help but watch her as she worked the room, engaging in conversations.

When the last of the girls had arrived, the house was buzzing with the type of giddy excitement only alcohol could provide - everyone was a few drinks down now and it wasn't long before you were sat in a taxi heading into town.

_________

10pm rolled around and the drinks were flowing, empty glasses scattered across the table which a few of the girls sat around. Some were stood at the bar, ordering the next round and a few more occupied a section of the dancefloor. You, however, found yourself perched on a bar stool with a drink in hand, ear forward as Lucy told you a story about one of her former teammates. Trying your hardest to pay attention, but too focused on how close together you were.

You could feel her breath on your ear as she tried to speak over the music that rattled through the room. Her hand was placed just above your knee for leverage as she leaned over you and it was all you could think about. The smell of her perfume flooded your senses, disorientating the logical side of your brain which tried to scream through the cloud of subtle arousal that sat heavy behind your eyes. 'This is so unprofessional!' you were aware and you knew deep down this could ruin you - but the sweet smell of her skin was intoxicating.

Your train of thought was interrupted as your eyes refocused, grounding you back into the moment. Realising she now stood away from your ear, instead looking at you with raised eyebrows and a slight smirk across her lips. shit. caught red-handed. You stiffened when she leaned back towards your ear, "Am I boring you Y/L/N? Did you even hear what I said?" You hadn't. but she wasn't asking, she was taunting.

She watched you struggle for an answer, pure amusement plastered across her face. Putting you out of your misery she leant back in, this time pushing you further into your pit. Lips pressed cautiously against your lobe, "Strike one, darlin'." She muttered and you were sure you could feel her smirk against your ear before she departed entirely and you lost her in the crowd of bodies around you. strikes? what strikes? You wondered silently to yourself, bringing your drink to your lips as your eyes scanned the dark room but she was already gone.

_________

An hour later you found yourself on the dancefloor surrounded by your friends, who were all individually butchering an Amy Winehouse classic. As the song wrapped up to an end, you were pulled into a loose group hug - maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was just the love you felt in that moment, but you couldn't explain the warmth that coursed through your veins as you looked at your people.

Before long a new song began, a low beat bounced off the walls and wrapped around the bodies on the floor. You didn't know the song but remained with the girls, swaying to the beat and laughing at some of their horrific dance moves. As the song hit the chorus you and Mary gravitated towards each other, dancing and laughing as you stood in front of her and attempted an awful twerk and grind move to the beat with her hands placed firmly on your hips. Both of you played into your roles, spilling your drinks as you did so and adding to the already sticky floor.

It wasn't unusual for the team to dance like this and it was very rarely serious when one of you was pressed back up against another, but today it felt different. One specific set of deep eyes stayed locked on your movements as Lucy watched from the opposite side of the group, tongue rolling along the inside of her teeth when you finally made eye contact from your compromising position. Through the darkness you could see her lips moving; she was talking - or at least mouthing something towards you. You couldn't connect the dots until she lifted her hand in front of her, showing you two fingers. "Two strikes."

What would happen at three? And why were you excited to find out?

_________

It was nearing 11 now and you stood at the bar, almost too close to a woman you had just met - sipping the fruity drink she had ordered you. Normally you would think twice about talking to someone at a bar, but tonight’s circumstances made it a thrilling game and you couldn’t wait to play. You knew she was watching, feeling her eyes bore into the back of your head but paying little attention while you focused on the task at hand. Lucy was standing a few feet behind you, between Ella and Leah who were trying to talk over the music. Lucy wasn’t interested though, her attention fixed on you and your new friend. Gripping her drink so tight she was sure it might shatter as she watched you lift a sly hand up and rest it on the stranger's shoulder. Lucy couldn’t pinpoint the feeling, internally confused at the sudden jealousy that burned deep in the pits of her stomach. Just as you were starting to think she had lost interest, a body was pressed to the side of you, pushing a wedge between yourself and the woman whose name you couldn’t even remember.

The game was no longer fun when Lucy ushered you around the room to say your goodbyes, excusing you both from the function. A few of the girls started to protest but she was quick to respond with “Y/N’s not feeling 100%, said I’d make sure she got home okay.” And that was enough for them. She held you close as you walked out into the street, whispering a small but steady “Third and final.” as she pulled you into a waiting taxi.

_________

The pair of you didn't even make it through the front door before she pounced, your key still in the lock when she had you pinned between her frame and the door. Her hands sat heavy on your hips, eyes locked on yours. "God, you've been drivin' me mental all night.." she groaned, scanning your features.

"Do something about it then," You pushed. This was new but unbelievably exciting, you had never seen her like this. Before you could speak again her lips were on yours. Rough and urgent, like she was scared someone would rip you right out of her grip. "Inside," You managed to mumble against her lips, unlocking the door and pulling her inside - not wasting any more time to attach your lips together again.

This time was different, a rage of hunger alight in the depths of your stomach. Your hands sat on the nape of her neck, lacing through the small amount of hair that had fallen from her bun throughout the night. Her hands couldn't settle, exploring your figure and fisting at the fabric that separated skin from skin. Somehow during this you had travelled through the hall and were now fighting through your bedroom door, shoes and jackets kicked off and discarded around the flat - highlighting your erratic path.

Once inside the safety of your bedroom, things seemed to slow. The initial hunger and speed now dimmed into lust. Yearning. She pressed rough but calculated kisses down your jaw, lingering below your ear for a moment before moving across your collarbones. The feeling made you shudder, holding her head in your hands.

She had you stripped in minutes, now pulled tightly against her in your underwear. "Jesus Christ Y/L/N are you trying to kill me here?" She murmured, thumb caressing the lace across your chest, tracing the shapes for a second before her eyes met yours. A moment passed and you were growing impatient, inhaling deeply when the pad of her thumb found your nipple through the thin fabric and circled gently. You could tell she was enjoying this, watching you shift your weight from side to side as she slowly broke you down.

"On the bed." You were quick to obey, laying down in front of her - on display. She made her way towards you, situating herself above you and lifting your legs to bend and sit beside her hips. She kissed you deeply, hands latched onto your thighs. The world seemed to melt away around you and all you could think about was the throbbing between your legs.

"Need you," You managed to croak out, hands pulling at the fabric of her trousers - desperate for some form of friction. She let out a cocky scoff from above you.

"I'm not sure you deserve it, love. Haven't been behaving, have you?" She spoke rhetorically, tutting and raising her hand to toy with your bottom lip. "And only good girls get rewarded.." She added lowly as her hand travelled down from your face, tugging at your bra and moving to take your nipple into her mouth. You let out a small moan when you felt the warmth of her mouth on you, legs constricting around her and your back arching into her touch.

You writhed beneath her as she moved between left and right, her hand now finding its way to your underwear. She had two fingers pressed against your clit through the fabric, letting out a soft hum against you when she felt your arousal through the barrier. "Got you all wet for me, hm?"

"Please," You whimpered, lifting your hips up towards her hand. Desperate for some relief for the ache, eyes glassed over with desire.

"Begging for it already and I'm only just getting started. What a shame.."

[gh0stsp1d3r]

first askkkkk anyway SO HEAR ME OUT either a Tim Laflour x really Uber hyper female coquette reader… like Tim comes over, dumps all his hockey stuff on the floor, and hops in his gfs light pink canopy bed or something like that UBER FLUFFYYYY and she babies him and he just loves it (ik he does)

Omg I love thisss!!! he’s so silly

𝒪𝓅𝓅ℴ𝓈𝒾𝓉ℯ𝓈

Masterlist

No warnings rlly (: also I used to be a hockey player like most my life and I always had extra shit laying around, so this is from my experience 😭 like I would have the stuff I usually use and then stuff I never did, but that’s enough from me

You sat down in bed, watching the tv and eating a bowl of cereal. It was late at night, your boyfriend at hockey practice.

Once you finished, you got up, throwing the bowl in the sink.

You looked around in the living room, extra hockey gear and things like jackets and necklaces were sitting neatly on your couch that all pointed to your boyfriend. The dark clothes contrasted your pink ones.

And even if you both were total opposites, he didn’t mind. If anything, it made him love you more.

You loved to support him in whatever he did, whether that be his hockey team or anything else he randomly did. And he loved to support you with a giant smile and a thumbs up.

It was times like these when you missed him most.

You went back into the room, switching the channel after a while. You stopped on the hockey game. His favorite team was playing, and it made you smile as you thought of him.

It was interesting, you watched it until it finished, then looked to another one of his shirts, this time neatly on your bed, next to some stuffed animals.

You grabbed it, then the stuffed animal. You hugged the shirt to your chest along with the stuffed animal, your eyes slowly closing.

(I do that all the time, but maybe that’s just me)

The key on his piercing jingled as he shut the door softly. He looked around, the lights were off, and his stuff was neatly on the couch, his hockey stuff even against it. He kicked off his shoes, putting his other hockey gear next to the door. He turned on a light.

He made his way to the fridge, opening up a bottle of water. He looked around the place, it felt like home, almost. It was where he felt more comfortable, and he found himself coming here more and more.

He then looks into the room, the light still on. He leaned against the doorway for a moment, taking a picture in his mind. He watched your chest rise and fall, your pink stuffed animal and his shirt tucked against it.

Your pink shorts and his white t-shirt, the sight was perfect. He shrugged off his jacket, throwing it somewhere onto the floor and taking off his pants, leaving him in a shirt. He was tired, and did not feel like changing.

He practically jumped into bed with you, the bed bounced slightly, making him wince in fear of waking you up. Luckily you just stirred a bit. It wasn’t until he put an arm around you that you work up.

“Mmm… Tim?”

“Did I wake you up?”

“Yes.” You laughed sleepily, opening your eyes now and looking at him.

“The one thing I tried not to do. Sorry.”

“You’re fine. How was practice?”

“It was… alright.” He said hesitantly.

“You beat someone up again, didn’t you..?”

“Look, I just can’t stand this new guy-“ he started, making you laugh.

“How was your day, eh?” He asked you.

“It was okay. Your team won.”

“You watched it?” He said with a smile.

“Yeah. Just for you.” You kissed his cheek, making him smile even more. You reached a hand around, putting a hand on his hair now. He laid his head down in your chest, as you messed with his hair.

“I love you.” He mumbled.

“I love you, baby.” You mumbled back, giving him a kiss on his head.

[bearlytolerant]

Fandom: Dragon Age

Pairing: Solas x f!Lavellan

Rating: T

AO3

say that you will

It is a long way back to Skyhold and she knows she should give him space. But it’s so damn hard to convince herself this is the end. A day ago he was in her arms at dawn. A day ago he had held her hand and said I love you just before noon. A day ago and he had said she was a distraction at sunset.

Is that all it takes to return to strangers? A single day?

What changed?

She would’ve done a million things differently had she known. Traded in a meal just to stroke her knuckles against his jawline. Skipped that war meeting to lay in bed with him for that extra hour. Foregone a night of wicked grace to gaze at the stars, his whispered stories in her ear while he holds her tight.

And yet, maybe everything would’ve played out the same, exactly as it should have.

But what if it hadn’t?

Together they travel in silence, her arms wrapped around his waist upon her hart. Her fingers barely ghost the solid form of him, afraid to be too much when it’s not enough. But he holds her arm against his body tighter, reins in his hands and she knows he doesn’t want what he’s done either.

It’s raining. But the barrier he casts above their heads keeps her hair dry. And she knows if he were alone, he’d let the world dump on him, drenching him to the bone. He does this for her, even still.

The words unspoken form a wall between them but she can hear his heart beat as she rests her head on his back, staining his tunic with tears.

He had offered to walk back to Skyhold, knowing full well the hurt he caused would be unbearable, but she couldn’t bring herself to let that happen. It wasn’t his fault. All along he’d told her about his hesitancy in the relationship. Made his intentions quite clear.

He had said, “It could lead to trouble.”

She’d known this end was a possibility and the most likely outcome. She understood that time was the stipulation and she had agreed to the terms. If only it wasn’t so short-lived.

Stealing kisses and affection from him where she could was something she’d welcomed and treasured. Still, she just wished she’d had some warning so she could’ve stayed in his arms just a little longer. Tasted his lips just once more. Heard him call her Vhenan and mean it. After all, Corypheus wasn’t defeated. He didn't need to destroy what they had. Didn’t need to bury her in ruins.

Why did it have to be so sudden?

Maybe that’s the real reason she wanted him to ride with her. To hold him one last time. To say her silent and broken goodbyes. To memorize the curve of his body against her own and cement what they had as real. Her motivations for this situation were dubious at best but just because he could switch himself off with a sentence or two didn’t mean she was capable of the same.

He asks too much.

“We should stop and make camp,” he says. His formal tone with her jarring and foreign. But he sniffles, softly, almost inaudible.

“Oh, al-alright.” She sniffs too and wipes her face with the back of her hand.

She wonders if she should be angry. Any other sane person would be. But it’s hard to be angry at him when he rubs at his eyes, smearing his own tears with his thumb, trying to hide his own pain from her.

Solas doesn’t offer his hand to help her down like he used to. Doesn’t smile either. Or even spare a glance in her direction. Instead, he stiffly begins unstrapping their supplies from the hart and begins setting up a makeshift camp.

Sarya shuffles alongside him, doing her part to help and move the process along quickly. The sun sinks below the ombré blanketed horizon and the stars take its place as they pull down the blackened curtain. She piles the last of the kindling and lights a fire, then sits on the ground and stares into the flames.

Solas passes her some sandwiches left over from their romantic picnic and each bite she takes makes her nauseous. The bread tastes of despair and smells of heartache. She sets the half eaten sandwich aside, curling her arms around herself and watches the bats flit around in the trees above them. She studies them and wishes she could transform into a bat and fly away right about now. Oh to be a shapeshifter.

“You should eat,” Solas says.

Sarya slowly turns toward him and glares, unfurling herself. She snatches up the sandwich, stands, then winds up and hurls the sandwich as hard as she can into the darkness. Wiping the crumbs off on her leggings, she returns to her sitting position and continues to glare at him.

It earns her a sigh.

“No. You don’t get to do that,” she says.

“Do what exactly?”

“You don’t get to be exasperated with me.”

“You are angry.”

“I am—no.” She shakes her head, a few curls springing loose around her face. Hurt. Confused. Empty. “I have lost my appetite because I am in emotional pain. But not angry—maybe bitter. Spiteful even.”

“It is understandable for you to feel that way.”

“Solas, please. Don’t.” She yanks up a handful of grass and starts shredding it to pieces. “I can’t do this. Talking to you like this. Like what we were, never happened? Like you aren’t the source of all of—this.” She throws her hands up and then wraps her arms around her legs again.

Like he’s a friend who can offer advice and help her heal after hurt.

“This is not easy for me either.”

“Then why do it? Why not wait?”

“Would it make any difference?”

Sarya rubs at her forehead. She can feel the tears coming again but she swallows them back. “Well no. But,” she picks up a lonesome stick and begins to snap it, shredding it into saddened splinters, “can we just—can we just have this one last night?”

She can’t bear to look at him but she hears his sigh. It sounds so heavy and she doesn’t understand it because he won’t let her.

“Please,” she says again between the cricket chirps. “Let me in just one last time. Then we can move on. Promise.”

She sees his fingers tapping against his knee. Long fingers that spent countless nights intertwined with hers. Long, perfect fingers that danced in the air when he was passionate. That have comforted her during nightmares. Healed wounds and left no scars. Elicited pleasure she never experienced before. And now tap, tap, tap against a knee, never to grace her skin again.

“Sar–Inquisitor, it would be easier for the both of us if we refrained. I am sorry.”

No, she will have none of that Inquisitor shit.

She chucks the remainder of the stick behind her and is up on her feet. She marches over to him, fingers clutching his collar as she studies his stupidly sad face. He can’t even look her in the eye. But gods, if she doesn’t still love him. She bends down, fist in his collar and hand cupping his chin as she pulls him into a final, wild, and desperate kiss. He doesn’t move the rest of his body but his lips find their way to her easily enough. When she releases him, he reaches for her, hungrier than ever before.

“We shouldn’t,” he breathes.

“We aren’t,” she replies. And his hands are threaded through her hair and salt is on her lips.

Artwork here

[buckysgrace]

Twenty Nine

CW: homphobic slur

Billy

The next morning was just as rough getting out of bed, but Billy did it anyway. The coke withdrawals always hit him hard, made him feel worse and so terrible about himself. Sometimes it didn’t feel like the high was worth it.

He felt guilty with the way he’d treated Kim, how he’d mindlessly pushed her away. He didn’t mean to come off in that manner, he truly didn’t. His mind was just screaming at him, far louder than it had in a long time. It felt like everything was crashing down around him. 

“This girl invited me out this weekend,” Kim told him softly as she ate her cereal, “I think we’re friends? I don’t know her that well.” She shrugged her shoulders softly as she lost herself to her thoughts. Billy observed her features again, wondering if her friend was the reason she was continuing to use bright blue on her eyelids instead of pink. 

“That’s how you become friends,” Billy teased her gently, “Go see her for a bit. You deserve to have some fun.” He told her truthfully. He had an urge to meet with whom she’d been speaking about, but he also didn’t want to invade her space either. He’d wait for her to invite him, the same way he’d invited her. 

“I have fun with you.” She told him quickly, sounding like she’d rather stay with him anyways. He grinned as he walked towards her, watching the way she dumped the leftover milk down the sink then washed it out. 

“You see me every day,” He teased, quickly scooping her up in his arms as he noticed no one was around, “I can give you a parting gift.” He told her softly, leaning forward just enough to bite down on her bottom lip. She gasped, her heart beating the same rhythm as his as he pulled her closer.

“Promise?” She teased him softly, her cheeks flushed as she pressed up against him. Billy gently brushed his thumb against her cheek, brushing away a loose eyelash as she pressed his forehead up against hers. He slowly moved his hand back down to her waist.

“Mhm,” Billy grinned as he ran his hands up her slender curves, “Whatever you want.” He flicked his tongue across her opened mouth, giving her something to think about as he pulled away. He grinned at the state of her, noticing how flushed and taken aback she was suddenly. He took a sip of his coffee as he heard steps coming down the hallway. 

“Hey,” Russell said brightly as he approached Billy, “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” He said a little too eagerly, his smile growing from ear to ear. Billy shifted uncomfortably in his spot as he nodded his head, still unsure of how to handle the younger boy's attention. 

“Just had a bug.” Billy brushed it off, slightly surprised that so many people had cared. Even Max had gifted him with another hug yesterday. It made him feel odd. 

“Those suck,” Russell nodded his head along excitedly, “We noticed that you weren’t here. All of us. We missed you.” He said, emphasizing the we part. Billy slowly dragged his eyes towards Kim, watching the amused look that grew on her features. 

“He’s right,” Kim grinned, looking a little too joyful as she scooped Russell into a side hug and rested her cheek on top of his moppy hair, “We missed you so much.” She spoke sweetly as she rubbed her cheek back and forth on top of Russell’s head. He laughed, grinning widely as he held onto Kim. 

“Huh,” Billy replied dryly as he brought the coffee mug up to his lips, “Thank you.” He told him a second later, nodding his head in agreement. Russell smiled as he moved away, looking like he was extra excited as he grabbed an orange from the bowl. 

“Are we going?” Max grumbled from the hallway, “I just want to get this day over with.” She looked more irritated than usual, her features pulled tightly into a scowl. He observed her for a moment, wondering if school was going worse for her. 

“Yeah,” Billy said as he finished the rest of his drink, wincing at how hot it was, “Let’s go.” He said quickly as he went to rinse his mug out. He watched as the water slowly turned clear again. He dried his hands off quickly.

“Cool,” Russell said as he bounced over towards Max, “Do you have your science project today?” He asked as Max began to grumble out an answer. Billy watched as the two younger teens made their way towards the door, Russell carrying the conversation as they did so. 

“You’re funny,” Billy told her once Russell was out of earshot, “Real funny.” He told Kim seriously as he poked her soft sides. She giggled, wiggling away as she took her hands in his quickly. She shook her head, giving him a warning look as he pretended to reach for her sides again. 

“He’s so adorable,” Kim breathed out deeply as she squeezed his hands softly in hers, “He’s like a little puppy and he has all of your cute little features. I just wanna squish him.” She said as she pouted her lips out, reaching her hands out to squeeze at Billy’s cheekbones. He lightly gripped her hands, pausing as he kissed each of her fingertips. 

“You have issues.” He told her teasingly as his lips curled into a smile against her skin. He looked down at her nails, noticing the fresh paint of red on there. His eyes moved up the length of her arms, suddenly thinking about the lingerie he’d gifted her. He thought about her red nails, the black lace and the dark red she could paint her lips. He dropped her hand suddenly, knowing that if his thoughts continued neither of them would be leaving. She turned with a smile, clueless to his thoughts as she pulled the door open, “I know,” She admitted as she dragged her feet towards the car, “But you still love me.” She said pointedly as she glanced back towards him, flicking her thick eyelashes towards him. He bit his lip, letting his eyes linger at the way her hips moved. He watched the way the back of her skirt caught against her pale thighs and suddenly felt himself walking a little faster as he felt his cock stirring in his jeans. 

“I do,” He agreed with a smile, “My little oddball.” He teased lightly, trying to get his mind off of anything but her skin. He rubbed the back of his neck before he popped a cigarette between his lips, feeling like this would be a long day without her. 

////////////////

“You’re still here?” Billy questioned as he walked inside, looking at how Sam was finishing a cup of coffee. Usually by the time Billy got everyone dropped off, Sam was long gone with whatever odd hours he worked. 

“Had a late day,” Sam said with a nod as he held his coffee cup, “Good morning to you.” He said with a smile. Billy shrugged his shoulders in return, feeling like there wasn’t anything special about this morning. He did feel a dire need to do something, rather than just lounge around the house. Rosemary kept it too clean for him to do anything else but succumb to his boredom. 

“Can you drop me off at the bakery?” He asked a second later, unsure of why he couldn't drive himself. He paused, trying to convince himself that it was better to hitch a ride than waste the gas money. 

“Sure,” Sam said quickly as he rinsed the rest of his coffee down the sink drain, “Let’s roll.” He said with a goofy smile. Billy exhaled deeply, wondering if this was a good idea at all. 

He strolled out to the car, enjoying the warm breeze that drifted against his shoulders. He felt slightly optimistic, like today would be a better day. He hoped so. He still felt like he owed Kim something, like he ought to give her something sweet. 

He slid his way into the car, pausing before he buckled himself up. Sam moved around the car a second later, his eyes looking a bit tired as he made his way inside the car. Billy glanced out the window, ready for the awkward silence to talk over. 

“I didn’t know you liked this music.” Billy observed as he peered at the familiar station that was dancing across Sam’s screen. Sam paused as he reached between his legs to scoot the chair far back, letting his long legs stretch out. 

“The beat is interesting,” Sam said quickly as he adjusted his mirrors too. He paused before he buckled up, then began to drive, “It takes a lot of talent to do that.” He told Billy as a look of interest crossed his features. Billy found himself shaking his head before he could stop himself .

“Oh,” Billy said, then snorted to himself, “Of course you’d spin it like that.” He laughed to himself as he rubbed his thumb across his nose. It was slightly raw, a little redder than usual. He figured he’d give it a while to heal before he did anything too drastic. He didn’t want to fuck his nose up. 

“What?” Sam laughed, “There’s a lot you can learn through music. Especially the way music has changed over time. How is that not cool?” Sam asked seriously at the end of his ramble, looking like he wanted an answer to his question. Billy paused, unsure of how to handle the attention on him. 

“It’s very nerdy.” Billy said as he shook his head. He nearly laughed again, wondering if Sam would get as offended as he did with Tommy. Billy was sure that he had never seen Sam so angry before. He thought it was quite hilarious as he thought of himself as being worse than Tommy. 

“Yeah, well,” Sam shrugged his shoulders, “I like learning things.” Sam said with a quiet laugh as he pulled onto the busy roads. Billy glanced around, enjoying the way the clouds seemed to be dancing through the bright blue sky. 

“So does Kim.” Billy said a second later, sure that she read her textbooks for fun. He hated comparing Kim and Sam together, but he supposed there was no getting around it. Although she looked like Susan, she acted just like Sam. He wondered if Susan had ever gotten frustrated with Kim for that reason. 

“Susan used to get irritated,” Sam said softly as he glanced towards Billy, confirming his thoughts, “Kim used to grade over Susan’s homework papers when she was little. It drove Susan mad, but Kim would just say she was grading,” Sam chuckled as he temporarily lost himself in the memory, “She was the cutest little kid.”

“Is that when you lived with Susan’s mom?” Billy asked cautiously, feeling a need to know a little bit more about Kim’s childhood. He wondered how lonely it must’ve been for her. He supposed it was good that she got Max a few years later. 

“Debra,” Sam corrected him gently, “And she was a - well, she was a cunt. There’s no way around it.” He said, glancing over both of his shoulders before he turned the car to the left. Billy thought about it for a moment, a little surprised that Sam would say such a thing. He figured that it really did mean that Debra was awful. 

“Is it just because she hated you?” He felt his eyebrows knitting together as he asked the question, thinking that Debra probably had a reason to not like him. He wondered if Susan had started hating Sam first, or if that had been part of Debra’s influence. 

“Her and Susan had problems before,” Sam said briefly, “She never let me ask too much. Debra thought I needed a better job, that we weren’t ready for a kid. All sorts of things.” He rambled on for a minute, moving one of his hands off of the wheel to gesture as he spoke. Billy pondered on the thought for a moment. 

“Teachers do have shitty salaries.” Billy said in agreement, thinking of how Neil had criticized any males that had teaching degrees. Neil had always thought that it was a woman’s job, unless it involved college level thinking. 

“Teaching was just the first step in my career, or it was supposed to be,” Sam said, “I wanted to be a geologist.” He told Billy honestly, surprising him a little bit. Kim had talked so intensely about how Sam had loved teaching. Billy couldn’t imagine enjoying teaching just because he didn’t finish school. 

“Why didn’t you?” Billy questioned, although he didn’t know why he was asking. He really didn’t care about what Sam did, but he figured it was better than sitting in an awkward silence. Billy fumbled for a moment before he pulled out his box of cigarettes. 

“I graduated with my teaching degree the spring before Kim was born,” Sam explained slowly, nodding his head as Billy offered him a stick, “Susan said it was only fair that she went to school next. She was right, she deserved that chance. I just never got a chance to go back.” He mumbled as he held the cigarette between his lips. Billy leaned forward to give him a light. 

“She said you ruined her nursing career.” He told Sam honestly as he lit his own cigarette. He breathed in the sweet nicotine, enjoying how it seemed to soothe his nerves and joints. Sam laughed, nodding his head in agreement. Billy wasn’t sure how he was able to act so carefree while admitting to his wrongs. 

“At the hospital,” Sam said, “I worked as a janitor after I lost my teaching job. I lost the janitor job because one of the other nurses sold me some pills and yeah. That all came crashing down.” He said as he blew out a deep cloud of smoke. Billy raised his eyebrow, a little surprised by that answer. 

“Shit,” Billy said as he took another drag from his cigarette, “I didn’t know you did other stuff.” He admitted softly, trying to keep his features as stoic as possible. He didn’t need Sam suspecting anything, nor did he want Sam to be on the watch for Billy’s behaviors. 

“Alcohol opens the door for a lot of things.” Sam replied quietly as he looked forward at the road, his eyes looking slightly sorrowful again. Billy wondered what all he’d done, what he hadn’t been caught doing. 

“What you said about your stepdad before,” Billy drew out softly, “Did Kim meet him?” He asked curiously, thinking of an instance where Kim spoke of any of her grandparents. He couldn't remember much, other than her telling him that she’d lived with her grandma. 

“No,” Sam quickly, “Well, not that she’d remember. Just once when she was little. She was two I think?” He thought to himself for a moment, like he was unsure of just how old she had been. Billy waited curiously until he seeked the answers out on his own again. 

“What happened?” He asked, almost afraid to ask as he inhaled the smoke deep inside of his lungs. He enjoyed the way it slightly burned, how he swore he could feel it swimming inside of his organs. He exhaled a second later, almost fearing that Sam would say that his parents had been mean to her. 

“Nothing really,” Sam replied a second later, “I mean it was just weird. You know Kim has always had a sweet tooth. We couldn’t always afford it but, anyways, my stepdad was just odd. He kept holding these candies out for her to grab, but once she got close enough, he put them in his pockets.” He rambled on for a moment, looking troubled as he thought back to the situation on his own. 

“He wanted her to cry?” Billy asked in confusion, not really understanding why it would make Sam so uneasy. It made his stepdad sound like a dick, but it wasn’t necessarily cruel. Not like any of the things Neil had mentioned about his dad. Or how Sam had said his stepfather had tried to drown him. 

“No,” Sam said, “He tried to make her reach into his pockets to grab them. I left with her after that; I didn't come back until I moved out. So, he didn’t really do anything, but - I don’t know. It just didn’t feel right.” He looked a little revolted as he spoke, like he thought the worst could happen. Billy blanched for a moment, his mind not even considering that. 

“Yeah,” Billy breathed out softly as a shiver raced down his back, “That is odd.” He mumbled in agreement as he rubbed his thumb across his bottom lip. He thought that it was good that Kim had never asked about him. 

“Has she ever mentioned meeting them?” Sam looked at him curiously, almost like he was worried about what was happening. Billy shook his head softly, not recalling that Max had ever mentioned them either. 

“No,” Billy responded truthfully, “She’s said that you don’t talk about your past a lot, but that’s it.” He mentioned slowly. He wondered if it would make Sam more honest to Kim, to open up a little more. He thought that Kim would like that. 

“She doesn’t need to know everything, as much as that may bother her,” Sam said quickly with a light chuckle, “Have a good day, alright?” Billy paused as he held onto the doorknob but was unable to push the door open. He figured he was keeping Sam late, but he suddenly had a dire need to know why.

“Why did you leave them?” He asked him seriously, feeling like he was missing a big chunk of the piece. He knew it was none of his business, that Sam had every right to not share that information. Still, he felt like he needed to know. He wanted to see if there was any reassurance he could give Kim, or if he truly was as awful as Billy had previously thought. 

“I wasn’t a good dad,” Sam said softly, “Susan wanted a divorce and obviously would’ve gotten custody and everything else. She wanted me gone and at that point, I thought it was best.” Sam spoke quietly, like it was still a sore subject. Billy stared at him for a moment, still not understanding why it would make Sam leave. 

“So you just left.” Billy stated with a nod of his head. Sam paused as he leaned back in his seat. He reached down to his hand, beginning to twist the gold band that rested across his finger. 

“It wasn’t an overnight thing,” Sam told him gently, “I did what I thought was best for my girls and for Susan.” His tone was raw, full of regret suddenly. Sam’s demeanor changed, his shoulders sagging as he suddenly appeared smaller.

“It wasn’t the best.” Billy told him honestly, knowing how Kim felt about the subject. He knew she would’ve rather their family been messy, than for Sam to be away from them. Billy suddenly wondered what would’ve happened, if he would’ve ever met her if their families were still separated. He thought that they would’ve. Somehow. 

“I know.” Sam nodded his head in agreement, his eyes staring forward suddenly. Billy sighed as he gripped the handle and popped the door open. He paused as he stepped out, quietly shutting the door behind him. 

“Thanks,” Billy mumbled softly as he took a step back from the car, “See you later.” He responded awkwardly as he walked across the street. He jogged towards the backdoor, figuring it was better to go in through this way than the busy front door. 

“Hey,” Rosemary stopped in shock, nearly tripping over the tiled floors, “You’re here?” She looked at him stunned, like she hadn’t expected to see him. Which, she probably hadn’t. This was the first time he’d been to the bakery without the others. 

“I didn’t have anything else to do.” He admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. He figured it was best to stay busy than to do anything else. He wasn’t sure if he trusted where his mind would wander on its own. 

“No, no that’s perfect,” She said as she carried a large chocolate cake to one of the tables, “Can you take over the dishes? Dottie is on them now but I could use her help.” She said quickly, looking a little flustered as fanned her reddened cheeks for a second.

“Sure,” He shrugged his shoulders as he walked over, “I guess I’m taking over.” He told Dottie softly, feeling like he’d rather sit out over her anyways. At least it would give him time to think on his own. 

“Oh, okay,” Dottie smiled widely, “It’s good to see you again. Your mom has been so happy.” She said dramatically as she dried her hands off. She rubbed at her back for a second before she moved out of her way. 

“That’s great,” Billy responded dryly, “Thanks.” He nodded his head as he took her spot, not really wanting to hear about how badly Rosemary missed him. It was too raw for him to handle right now. 

He washed and scrubbed at the dishes, his hands and mind staying busy as he worked. He felt better than he had in a long time. His muscles and hands ached from the movements, reminding him that he needed to get a workout routine down again. He didn’t want to lose the muscles that he’d gained. 

“What are you doing after?” Rosemary asked as she walked up to him. She looked less flushed, a little more relaxed. He paused as he let go of the soapy plate, watching as it sank back to the bottom of the sink. 

“Not a lot,” Billy admitted, “I have an interview at a grocery store I used to work at.” He said as he raised his forearm up to wipe the sweat away from his forehead. The back of the kitchen remained hot from the way the stoves were constantly on. He glanced at the clock, noticing there was less than an hour left.

“Oh!” Rosemary’s face brightened, “I need a few things, I could take you.” She said a little too excitedly. Billy paused for a minute, not thinking that he needed his mommy to take him to a possible job interview. 

“You really don’t have to.” He tried to brush her off as he used the hose to rinse the soap off from the dish. He pushed it into the sanitizer, brushing past her softly to do so. She paused as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. 

“Please,” She said softly, “I won’t interrogate you I promise.” She said sweetly, looking a little desperate as she peered up towards him. Billy sighed roughly as he debated with himself for a moment. He shrugged his shoulders at last.

“Sure,” He replied, “If you really want to.” He said as he looked away from her again. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be around her for that long, but also didn’t have it in himself to brush her off. He was sure that there was something wrong with himself. 

“I do,” Rosemary said quickly, “I’ll be fun. Thank you.” She said quickly as she squeezed his arm softly. Billy stared at where her hand was resting over his bicep and nodded, still not used to the feeling of her touching him. 

“Alright,” He said briefly as he nodded his head, “That works then.” He mumbled as he began to scoop the pots and pans onto the drying rack. He watched as the water ran down the surface then dipped back into the sink. He breathed in deeply, wondering how he’d get through this afternoon on his own. 

/////////////////////

“Hey,” Billy said as he walked up towards the front, “I had an interview with Derek.” He said, glancing around at the familiar building. It was slightly busier from what he remembered. He thought that the walls were painted a different color too. 

“Oh right,” A girl around his age smiled, walking around the corner of the desk. Billy glanced back, looking at where Rosemary waved him on as she grabbed a hold of her cart, “He said that you worked here before?” She questioned him, her dark eyes intrigued as she watched him.

“Yeah, when I was a kid,” Billy explained briefly as he followed her into the offices, “Thanks.” He mumbled as she shot him a wave. He peered around again, thinking about the first time he’d been in this room. He’d had to sit at the very edge of the seat to touch his sneakers to the floor. 

“Hi,” Derek greeted with a grin, looking similar to the way Billy remembered him, “You’ve grown since I’ve last seen you. Good to see you again.” He said politely as he shook Billy’s hand. Billy returned the movements with a soft smile. 

“Yeah,” Billy nodded his head in agreement, “Just moved back actually.” He said as he rubbed the hand that he’d used to touch Derek’s across his jeans. He wasn’t sure what to say. He really didn’t have much of a resume. He wasn’t sure how far lifeguarding and being a high school graduate would get him. 

“Awesome,” Derek smiled kindly, “Do you want your old position? Just bagging and pushing carts around. Maybe after a while you could go to stocking.” He looked at him curiously as he flipped through some of the papers on his desk. Billy twisted his ring across his finger, not figuring that it would be that easy. 

“Works with me,” Billy said casually, “What would be the hours?” He asked as he tilted his head, waiting for what Derek would tell him. 

“Do you prefer mornings or nights?” Derek asked him curiously as he leaned forward to rest his elbows against the table. Billy began to bounce his foot against the floor. 

“Mornings if I can,” Billy told him quickly, thinking about how he needed the evenings to be with Kim, “It just works easier right now.” He shrugged his shoulders softly. He could honestly work any hours, but he wanted time to be with Kim. 

“Sure,” Derek smiled kindly, “Do you want to stop by tomorrow and get adjusted?” He asked as he pushed a paper forward. Billy looked down at the schedule, feeling like this wouldn’t be too bad at all. He could still drop Kim and the other two off, then pick them up by the time he was done with his shift. 

“Sounds great,” Billy nodded his head, “Thanks man.” He smiled towards him, feeling a little better knowing that he wasn’t just lounging around anymore. He thought he’d feel better having something to do, something to keep his mind busy.

“So?” Rosemary asked eagerly, still standing in the same spot by the time he’d returned. He watched as she placed back a coupon book, like she’d been trying to distract herself for the past few minutes. Something about the situation made him feel odd, made him feel like he was a little kid again. 

“I got it.” He mumbled softly as he approached her, trying to shake off the jittery feeling that was lingering inside of his chest. He still couldn’t tell how he felt to have her back. As a child he’d dreamt about it for so long, but now he was too grown to confide in those silly fantasies. 

“Oh good!” She said excitedly, “I knew that you would.” She said reassuringly as she began to push the cart forward. He followed her a little surprised, not actually expecting her to need things. 

“I worked here before,” Billy shrugged his shoulders, “I’m sure that’s why.” He told her truthfully. He was sure that was the only reason that Derek had hired him so easily. Rosemary glanced back at him before she leaned over the cart to put a few boxes of cereal inside. 

“I’ll miss having you at the bakery,” Rosemary admitted, “But if you like it here that’s good.” She told him quickly, like she didn’t want to dismiss what he wanted to do. He shrugged his shoulders, feeling like a job was just a job. 

“It was nice.” He said briefly as he glanced around the aisles again. He honestly couldn’t remember much of it, other than getting some sort of break from Neil. He felt guilty for that suddenly, like he shouldn’t think that way. 

“Is there anything you need for groceries?” She asked as she pulled out a piece of paper. He watched as she began to mark a few items off before she turned down the next row. Despite her shorter legs, she walked fast.

“Uh,” Billy paused as he followed her through the aisles, “Salads are good. I like protein.” He shrugged his shoulders, not really caring what he got. He was just thankful they hadn’t kicked him out to the street yet. 

“Nothing specific then?” She looked at him curiously as she stopped in the middle of the aisle. He shook his head. 

“I'll eat anything.” He told her truthfully, not really caring what it was. Neil never really gave him many options. He didn’t have the choice of just skipping out on meals and making something else later. 

“I know,” She said as she pursed her lips into a smile, “You were such a good eater as a baby. You used to get so cranky if I didn’t put it out fast enough. Except for eggs. You never quite liked eggs.” She spoke with an amused tone as she thought to herself. Billy felt his own memory tugging on his heartstrings, thinking about how she used to pull up a chair for him in the kitchen so he could help her cook. 

“They’re pretty disgusting,” He said in agreement, “I guess I never outgrew that.” He replied more to himself. At one time he was fairly certain it had been because Neil would make them so often. He’d always said it was hard to mess up on eggs, but he certainly knew how to make them taste rubbery and rotten every single time. 

“That’s alright,” Rosemary said as she scanned the refrigerated produce, “I’m determined to get Kim to not be so picky.” She mumbled underneath her breath as she pulled the door open. He felt his eyebrow raising on his forehead as he watched her struggle with a large turkey, then a ham. 

“You’re getting a turkey and a ham?” Billy asked, “Isn’t that a lot for us?” He questioned her, unsure of how all of that would get eaten. Kim certainly didn’t have a big appetite and was picky, he didn’t really think that Max or Russell at that much either. 

“Well,” Rosemary paused, “I haven’t told the girls yet but I have plans on inviting Susan. Sam said she’ll be out of jail then.” She said with a kind smile. Billy raised both of his eyebrows this time, feeling like that wasn’t a very good idea at all. He had a feeling that this whole situation would make Susan very angry and bitter. 

“What if she just runs off with Max and Kim?” He asked her seriously, tilting his head to examine her features as she thought over his words. He honestly didn’t think that Kim would go back with Susan after everything that happened, but he was unsure about Max. She’d left a bunch behind.

“I think they can decide where they want to live,” Rosemary said softly, “Max said that Susan has a boyfriend. I figured they could all come.” She smiled at Billy, looking like she was excited over all of it. 

“I doubt they can afford it,” Billy mumbled underneath his breath as he thought about Susan and Wayne, “Sounds like a full house.” He said louder, uncertain on how he felt about being crammed in the house with all of them. He was sure that if Wayne was coming, then Eddie would be coming too. 

“I hope so,” Rosemary replied gleefully, “Kim can bring her boyfriend too. I think it’ll be enjoyable.” She was bouncing as she walked, like the whole idea of it was too much for her to contain in her body. Billy inhaled deeply under his breath, glad that she couldn’t see him as he simmered about her referring to Tommy as Kim’s boyfriend. He knew it wasn’t anyone’s fault, but the whole situation left him irritated. He wondered if Rosemary disliked him as much as Sam did. 

“Or a mess,” Billy told her truthfully, “Don’t these things always end in a mess?” He asked, thinking back to the horror stories that he’d heard people tell when their families were over. He felt like things were too tense on both sides of their families already. 

“Families are messy,” She dismissed him, “It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.” She told him with a smile, like she was trying to look on the better side of things. Billy paused, wondering how she’d handle Susan’s critiques of Sam. 

“I don’t think Susan likes Sam very well,” Billy drew out softly, “At all.” He clarified after a second as he remembered the way Susan’s eyebrows would knit together in anger as she would grumble under her breath about Sam. Susan hated him. He was almost sure that she hated Sam more than she hated Neil. 

“I’ve heard,” Rosemary sighed underneath her breath, “But I’m sure Kim and Max would like for their parents to be together again.” She nodded her head as she continued to grab things and put them into the cart until it was nearly overflowing. 

“Maybe.” Billy said softly as he rubbed the back of his neck. He had a feeling that Max wouldn’t care about seeing Susan gain, as she hadn’t even gone to say bye to her. He could see Kim being excited, but then again, he didn’t know how she’d react if her parents began to fight again. 

“Do you want to get ice cream after?” She asked hesitantly, the question surprising Billy, “Before we have to pick everyone up?” She spoke slowly, like she was preparing herself for the rejection. Billy looked into her eyes, noticing the amount of hope that was lingering within. He paused for a long time, suddenly feeling like he couldn’t say no. He deserved to make things right, even if he wasn’t quite ready to meet all the way yet. 

“Sure,” Billy said as he shrugged his shoulders, “I guess that would be alright.” He began to twist at his rings a bit, having a sudden craving for a cigarette as Rosemary’s features lit up in glee.

Rosemary made little conversations the rest of the day, telling him various things that Billy held onto tightly. He hated how easily he was allowing her to slide back in, how forgiving he was suddenly being suddenly. 

“Hey,” The older man paused as he smiled, “Rosemary, is this your oldest? Damn. It’s been a while, son.” Billy paused, unsure of how to respond. He didn’t want to be rude, but he had no idea who he was speaking to.

“Uh, yeah.” He said softly as he glanced towards Rosemary. She was biting back a smile, looking excited again as she looked towards Billy. He gulped hard, cautious as to why she was looking at him with pride in her eyes.

“Richard,” Rosemary laughed softly, “But yes this is Billy. I’ve missed him so much.” She said quietly, almost remorsefully. Billy watched her, wondering if her words were really true.

“Oh I know,” Richard laughed with a roll of his eyes, “She talks about you all the time.” He rolled his dramatically, playfully. Billy’s mouth suddenly felt dry.

“Yeah?” Billy couldn’t help himself as he glanced towards Rosemary, “That’s good.” He admitted a second later as he felt a warmth spreading through him. She looked a little embarrassed as she nodded her head in agreement.

“You can get whatever you want,” She told him quickly, “A chocolate cone for me.” She glanced towards the worker as she began to fumble for the cash from her purse.

“I’ll have the same,” Billy said a second later, “Do you come here a lot?” He asked her once they both had their ice cream cones and were seated by a booth near the window.

“Not as much as we used to,” Rosemary told him, “I took you a lot, then Russell when he was younger. Sam used to take the girls here too. It’s kind of funny how things work out like that.” She said wistfully. 

“Yeah,” Billy nodded his head in agreement, “It really is.” He said as he thought about Kim.

////////////////////

He pulled Kim into the backyard, grinning at their secrecy as he pulled her far away from the windows. He needed to feel her, to know that she was still real. 

“Missed you,” He mumbled as he traced his hands up her arms softly. He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her deeply as he backed her against the house. She molded her lips against his, melting against him as she placed her palms against his chest, “Mhm.” His words were lost as her lips moved against his harder, savoring the taste on her tongue. 

“You taste sweet,” Kim mumbled against his lips as she slowly flicked her tongue inside of his mouth, “Really sweet.” She sighed against his mouth as she licked at the roof of his mouth again.

“Ice cream,” He grinned as he flicked his tongue against hers, “Do you like it?” He asked teasingly as he kept a steady grip on her hips. 

“Uh huh,” She mumbled as she gripped his collar and pulled him closer. She wrapped her lips around his tongue, beginning to suck softly as he flicked his tongue inside of her mouth, “I like it.” She giggled softly; her cheeks flushed as he brought his hands up towards her chest. He gripped her tits in his hands, grinning at the way she moaned against his touch.

“Don’t be naughty,” He mocked her quietly, “You don’t want your daddy to hear, do you?” He groaned softly as he continued to feel her up. Her eyes widened at his words.

“Billy,” She blushed hard as she pressed her fingertips into his skin, “You’re the worst.” She giggled softly, her hazel eyes filling with amusement as she observed him. 

“I’ll show you how bad later,” He whispered huskily as he pressed his lips against hers one last time, “I’m going to finish your car today.” He told her softly as he slowly pulled his hands away. 

“You are?” She grinned as she adjusted the straps on her dress, “Thank you. I still can’t believe I did that.” She mumbled as she tucked her hair behind her ears, looking like she was embarrassed all over again. 

“Don’t give yourself a hard time,” He told her as he opened the door for her, doing his best to sneak them back in causally, “I’m sure a lot of people have had that happen.” He reassured her again. Rosemary popped around the corner, beaming from ear to ear.

“So,” Rosemary paused as she bounced up and down on her feet, “Russell would really like to help you with the car.” Kim pursed her lips together; smiling deeply as she sent him a coy wave. He glanced away from her quickly, fearing that Rosemary would notice where his eyes lingered.

“He has no idea what he’s doing.” He did his best not to grumble but found himself growing irritated anyways. He didn’t know why Russell was so determined to work with him in the first place.

“You could teach him,” She said hopefully, “Only if you want to do it.” She added a second later, but still held a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He wondered if she would’ve made him work with Russell had things been different. Billy recognized the familiarity suddenly between him and her, and Sam and Kim. Sam didn’t want to upset Kim, the same way Rosemary didn’t want to upset Billy. He had a feeling he could get away with a lot if he let himself.

“Alright,” Billy sighed deeply, “Just tell him to meet me out there.” He sighed as he scratched his fingers against his elbow. Her face brightened like the sun.

“Oh thank you,” She said excitedly, “He’s going to be so happy.” She grinned as she walked down the hallway. Billy allowed himself to drop his face into his hands and grumble loudly before he left towards the garage.

He gathered what he needed, which wasn’t a lot. He was in the last steps of finishing her car, well, he hoped he was. He really wouldn’t know what the damage was until he started it again with fresh oil.

“Hey,” Russell grinned as he approached Billy, “What are we doing?” He asked, sounding a little too excited. Billy chewed on his bottom lip, pausing as he counted to ten in his head. He reminded himself that Russell was no different than the kids he’d teach at the pool. He was just slightly older. 

“Tightening this up,” Billy mumbled once he looked back towards Russell, “It shouldn’t take long, then her car should hopefully be fixed.” He said a second later, hoping that this wouldn’t mean that Russell would talk his ear off. 

“How do you know?” Russell said curiously as he slowly leaned forward to watch him. Billy chewed on his bottom lip, trying to figure out the easiest way to explain it to him. 

“We’ll flush it and then fill it up with gas and see if it runs.” He said briefly as he straightened out again, glancing towards the engine once last time. He craned his neck a little bit, suddenly feeling like his shoulders were stiff. 

“Oh,” Russell nodded his head like he understood, “Cool.” He said softly as he held his arms together. He looked a little distant, like he wasn’t sure how to approach Billy. Billy felt a little bad, irritated at himself for being so off-standish. 

“Can you hand me the torque wrench?” Billy asked as he leaned further into the engine. He waited for a second before he turned to watch Russell scrambling inside of the toolbox, “Not that one. No, no. That one.” He said, trying his best not to grow frustrated. Russell grinned sheepishly as he finally handed him the correct one. 

“Do you have a girlfriend?” Russell questioned a few minutes later as he observed the way Billy worked on reconnecting some of the tubes and wires. Billy could feel a bead of sweat beginning to drip down his back as the sun warmed his skin. 

“Mhm.” Billy mumbled in response, knowing he couldn’t go into too many details. He didn’t want to accidentally expose him and Kim, knowing that it might get messy. He wasn’t sure that Rosemary would be very happy with their situation. 

“That’s cool,” Russell nodded his head, “I hope when I’m older, I have a partner that’s as nice as Kim.” He said almost dreamily. The comparison to Kim took Billy by surprise as he quickly turned, jerking his head forward and smacking it against the top of the hood. 

“Fuck!” Billy cursed as he rubbed the top of his head, groaning deeply as the pain shot down his neck and spine. He paced back and forth, breathing roughly as he tried to numb the pain down to a gentle throb. Russell was staring at him with wide blue eyes, his lips parted like he was unsure of what to say. 

“Are you okay?” Russell asked a second later, looking worried as he stepped forward towards Billy. Billy held his hand out, determined to keep a distance between them as he finally dropped his hand from his wounded head.

“What did you say?” He knitted his eyebrows in confusion as he looked towards Russell, sure that he had heard him wrong. Russell paused for a moment, still holding some of the wrenches in his hands. 

“What?” He knitted his eyebrows in the same manner, looking just as confused as Billy as he questioned him. Billy sighed deeply. 

“Do you have a crush on Kim?” He asked him quickly, unsure of why he was making such a big deal about it. He couldn’t imagine having Russell trying to stick his nose in their business all the time. 

“No,” Russell protested quickly as his face began to burn a dark red, “I just meant that she’s nice.” He defended himself quickly. Something about his humiliated demeanor left Billy thinking otherwise. 

“She’s your stepsister, you shouldn’t think that.” Billy was partially teasing him this time, knowing that he was being a hypocrite this time around. He just didn’t like the idea of sharing Kim with anyone. 

“I don’t,” Russell said again, sounding more defiant, “All I said was that she was nice. You’re the one who spun it a different way.” He said loudly, protesting as his face continued to burn brightly. Billy felt a sense of amusement rising within his chest. 

“No,” Billy told him quickly, “You said you want your girlfriend to be nice like Kim.” He chuckled softly as he adjusted the hood of the car again. He mumbled underneath his breath, irritated at how he’d smacked his head into it. 

“Partner.” Russell mumbled underneath his breath as he joined Billy again. Billy glanced towards him.

“What?”

“I said partner.” Russell shrugged his shoulders as he clarified the word again. Billy looked at him curiously, unsure of what the big difference in the words were. Girlfriend and partner were just a synonym for each other for as far as he was concerned. He shook his head, figuring that Russell was just being difficult. 

“What difference does that make?” Billy snorted as he looked back down at the lines he’d been working on in Kim’s engine. He glanced towards Russell as he remained quiet, “What? Are you some sort of faggot?” He meant it in a teasing manner, the same way guys would call each other in the locker rooms. It didn’t come out that way. 

The harsh tone and cruel word slipped off of his tongue before he could stop himself. He immediately recognized the dejected look that spread across Russell’s features and how his blue eyes grew wide with hurt. 

“Hey,” Billy straightened up instantly, nearly hitting his head against the hood of Kim’s car again, “I didn’t mean-,” He began to explain himself, but Russell took off in a flurry of tears. Guilt settled deep inside of Billy’s gut as he cursed to himself, unsure of why he’d even said it in the first place. All he could think of was Neil suddenly, how he really was just like his dad.

He paused for a second as he dropped the wrenches into the toolbox, cursing to himself as he managed to make everything go so south. He crossed the pavement before he stepped into the garage, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts before he reached for the door. 

“Hey,” Sam stopped Billy at the door, his usually calm features pulled together tightly in anger, “I know people use that word a lot but that’s not allowed in this household.” He said sternly, like he had some authority over Billy. He was taken aback for a moment, surprised that Russell would snitch on him so quickly. 

“It was a joke,” Billy said with a laugh as he tried to defend himself, “I know he’s not one. It was teasing him.” He did his best to brush the situation off, but he still felt the guilt growing deeper and deeper inside of his bones. He’d clearly struck a nerve. 

“What’s funny about it?” Sam looked at him seriously, “Maybe you can explain it to me because I don’t get it.” He crossed his arms as he waited, looking grim about getting a straight answer. Billy paused and opened his mouth, then shut it again. His thoughts raced as he tried to think of a defense, but he knew in Sam’s mind there wouldn’t be one. 

“It’s just a dumb word.” He said again as he shrugged his shoulders. He calculated Sam, waiting for him to reach forward and smack the side of his face. Sam was clearly upset, but apparently not upset enough to hit Billy. He still felt the side of his face tingle with anticipation. 

“Hurtful,” Sam corrected, “So please, don’t use it in this house or direct it at anyone else living underneath this roof.” He said a second later as he exhaled deeply. The garage was filled with a solemn silence as Billy tried to make sense of the situation. 

“Is it true?” Billy tilted his head, “Is he-?” He cut off his own question, unsure if it was the right time to ask that or not. Billy couldn’t think of another reason as to why Russell would be so upset. He was sure it had to be true. 

“Does it matter?” Sam asked seriously as he pushed his glasses up over the bridge of his nose, “I’d appreciate it if you apologized to him.” The stern chip in his tone was gone, replaced by the same softness that Billy was used to. He was surprised at his demeanor, but perhaps it was different because it was him. He was sure he hadn’t seen Sam approach the other three in this way. 

“Okay,” Billy replied as he nodded his head in agreement, “I’ll talk to him.” He promised, although he already had plans to do so. He watched as Sam nodded his head in return before turning back towards the door. 

Sam walked away, heading back inside as he left Billy to his own thoughts. Billy paused for a minute, almost feeling like he didn’t deserve to go back inside. He shuffled around in the garage for a moment before he finally gained the courage to walk inside.

Sam was nowhere to be seen in the living room as Billy walked inside, glancing at where the new pictures were hanging up high on the walls. Billy chewed on his bottom lip, following the trail of music into the kitchen. 

“What are you doing?” Billy asked, looking at Rosemary curiously as the loud sound of the blender carried over into the living room. 

“Oh,” Rosemary paused as she halted the blender, “Well, Kim doesn’t seem to like vegetables so I’m going to see if she notices if it’s all mixed together.” She whispered softly, glancing around as if Kim may be lingering about. 

“Smart idea,” Billy snorted to himself as he watched her. He sighed deeply as he tapped his fingers against the table. He started with three beats, then did two. Then went back to three, “How do I make your son feel better?”

“He likes to swim,” Rosemary sighed as she inhaled deeply to turn to look at him, “He’s wanted to learn how to surf but never learned. I think he was hoping his big brother would teach him.” She bit her lip softly, looking a little hopeful about the subject. He watched her closely, wondering if Russell had come crying to her too. 

“Oh.” Billy breathed out, unsure of how to handle that revelation. He wasn’t sure how to feel, what the best way to respond would be. He had been so sure that Rosemary had never spoken or thought of him, and now that questioned his ideas. 

“He really wants you to like him,” Rosemary said softly, “I know things are difficult between us, but Russell had nothing to do with that. I didn’t pick him over you, I swear. You don’t have to blame him for anything.” Billy felt his eyebrows knitting together as he felt the defense forming on his tongue again. 

“I’m not.” He told her quickly. He couldn’t help that Russell had a different personality than him. He was bubblier and more talkative. It was a lot to adjust to. 

“I think if you just talked to him, he’d really like that,” She paused as she mixed the green mixture into the red sauce, “I bet he’d really love it if you took him for a ride in your car. Maybe get a soda?” She suggested with a shrug of her shoulders. Billy paused, figuring it was good that it wasn’t anything too expensive. 

“Alright,” Billy said softly, “I’ll work it out.” He promised as he walked away from her. He breathed out deeply, still feeling the heavy weight of guilt resting tightly on top of his chest. He passed by Kim’s room quietly, not wanting to disturb her and drag her into this situation either. 

He walked down the hallway, pausing in front of the door that held a poster of the Transformers on his door. Billy closed his eyes before he pushed it open, his eyes greeted with the image of Russell hiding underneath his green blankets. Billy closed the door behind him as he stepped forward. 

“Hey,” Billy nudged his leg softly but was greeted with silence. He did it again, but Russell only wiggled away this time, “Hey. Shitbird. I’m talking to you.” He told him seriously as he tried to tug the blankets off of him.  

“Go away.” Russell grumbled into his pillow dramatically. Billy sighed as he held his fingers together. Usually when Max was upset he just let her ride out the storm, but Russell seemed more sensitive. He had a feeling this wouldn’t just pass on its own. 

“I was just teasing you,” He told him, trying to lower the irritation that was growing in his voice, “I didn’t really mean that you’re a-,” He inhaled deeply, “It doesn’t matter anyways. Let’s go get a drink.” He suggested softly as he poked Russell’s sides softly. Russell whined as he hid himself away again. 

“I don’t want to go anywhere with you.” Russell pouted as Billy gently pulled the cover back from his face. He observed the way Russell hid himself deeper into the pillow, like he could eventually disappear entirely. 

“I’ll take you anywhere you want,” Billy reassured as he sat at the edge of the bed, making the mattress slightly dip from his weight, “Come on. I’m sorry.” He told him seriously, really feeling bad for what he did. He felt like a total dick. 

“Why would you say that?” Russell asked as he faced Billy, his eyebrows knitting tightly together as he searched for answers. Billy felt bad again, not having any true answers for him either. He didn’t know why he did the things that he did. 

“I don’t know,” Billy told him truthfully, “I shouldn’t have. It was wrong for me to say.” He admitted, hoping that Russell would take him seriously. Russell sat up a little bit and rested his chin on his hands as he thought it over. 

“We can go anywhere?” He questioned slowly as he brought his eyes back to face Billy again. Billy chewed on his bottom lip, wondering if he’d pick somewhere dorky. 

“Yeah,” Billy replied lightly as guilt continued to swirl inside of his stomach, “Just say wherever.” He told him softly as Russell sat up in the bed. He leaned a little closer, sitting near Billy like he didn’t believe him. 

“There’s this place that makes really good ice cream floats,” Russell suggested slowly, “Can we go there?” He asked as excitement filled his blue eyes. Billy pursed his lips, almost unsure if he could handle an outing with just Russell. He knew he at least owed him that. 

“Sure,” Billy breathed in, “Come on.” He told him as he stood up. Russell stood just as fast, following Billy along so close that it felt like Billy had grown an extra body. Rosemary gave them both a big thumbs up as they walked by the living room, looking just as excited as what Russell did. 

The drive wasn’t very far, but the car ride was awkward. Russell was quieter than usual, which worried Billy. He feared that he really had messed things up. Billy felt a tingling sensation growing inside of his fingertips and he wondered if his cigarettes would be enough to stall it. 

“This it?” Billy asked him curiously as he parked the car. The shop was fairly small, but looked busy by the amount of cars that lingered outside of the building. He hoped that it would be worth it, that Russell would enjoy himself. 

“Yeah,” Russell glanced towards him, “Dad takes me here sometimes.” Billy paused as he followed Russell inside the store, feeling a few things weigh on his mind. He couldn’t ever remember Neil mentioning having another son, which was odd to him. Billy wondered if Neil had been right about Rosemary cheating. 

“How long have you been calling him dad?” Billy asked curiously, wondering if Sam had left to be with Russell and Rosemary instead. He supposed the timelines could fit together in a messy manner. He hoped that wasn’t the case. 

“He’s the only dad I’ve ever known,” Russell shrugged his shoulders, “Does that bother you?” He asked a second later, looking curious as he peered up towards Billy. Billy paused as he thought that question over. 

“No,” Billy frowned as he shook his head, “Just curious.” He told him a second later as they approached the booth. Russell tapped his fingertips against the counter as they waited, his lips moving silently to the sound of the radio playing overhead. 

“Can I get a root beer float?” Russell asked, almost hesitant as he glanced between the worker and Billy. Billy shrugged his shoulders, not really caring what he got.

“I’ll take a beer,” Billy said as he glanced towards the menu, “Is there a problem?” He asked a second later as the worker continued to stare at him. 

“Do you have an ID?” The worker asked, knitting his eyebrows together tightly. Billy was slightly taken aback at the question, feeling like he hadn’t been asked that in some time. 

“Yeah,” Billy paused as he reached into his wallet. He stumbled for a moment before he pushed the fake one towards him, “One beer.” He repeated again.

“Alright,” The worker mumbled under his breath after examining it for a minute, “There you go.” He brushed them off as he passed the two drinks over. Russell reached for his drink in excitement, his blue eyes shining bright again.

“Thank you,” Billy said politely as he turned away, “Do you want to sit outside?” He asked as he examined the packed booths and tables on the inside. 

“I guess,” Russell paused a second later, “Have you seen it snow before?” He asked curiously as he made his way outside. Billy breathed in the sight of the sun for a moment, hoping that Russell didn’t think he was allowing them to bring these into his car. He couldn’t imagine how long it would take to clean the ice cream out if it fell. 

“Yeah,” Billy licked his bottom lip as he joined Russell on the bench, “It got really cold in Indiana. The roads were all covered in ice and shit.” He explained as he thought back to the memory. He wouldn’t miss driving on those roads, that was for sure. 

“Sounds gross,” Russell grinned, “I think I’d like to make a snowman.” He said softly as he began to drink through his straw. Billy thought about it for a moment, unsure if he ever cared to make a snowman again. It was too cold, too bitter. 

“Not any different than making one out of sand,” Billy paused for a second, “Do you want to learn how to surf?” He asked him softly, distracting himself by drinking from his beer. He held it against his lips, enjoying the taste that lingered in his mouth. The lack of alcohol within the house was beginning to drive him crazy. 

“Yeah,” Russell looked up in excitement, “Can you teach me?” He questioned Bily quickly as a hopeful look spread across his features. Billy observed him for the longest time, knowing that he couldn’t deny Russell his request. 

“Sure,” Billy nodded his head softly, “I need to teach Max how to swim. I can teach you how to surf.” He thought about it as he bounced the ideas back and forth in his mind. He supposed it wouldn’t be that bad. It would keep him busy, keep his mind off of everything else that was bothering him. 

“Bitchin’.” Russell grinned as he licked the ice cream from the corner of his lips. Billy felt his own smile tugging onto his lips as he quickly brought his drink back to his lips. Russell watched him with a curious eye. 

“Do you want to try it?” He asked as he held the beer towards Russell. He wrinkled his nose as he shook his head. He looked a little disgusted, like it was something gross. Billy was sure everyone thought that with their first drink.

“Nope.” Russell shook his head as he took another large gulp from his cup. He darted his eyes back towards Billy’s cup curiously, taking a second glance at the beer that was within it. 

“Are you sure?” Billy asked as he raised his eyebrows. He swirled the liquid around dramatically, watching as Russell slightly narrowed his eyes at it. He leaned forward suddenly. 

“Well,” Russell paused as he took it in his hand, “You won’t tell mom or dad?” He asked cautiously, looking like Billy was setting him up for a test. Billy grinned as he nodded his head. 

“My lips are sealed.” He promised him, watching as Russell stared down at the cup again. He looked like he was debating it as he glanced towards Billy. He looked like he was panicking for a moment, as if he was worried about what Billy was thinking about him. 

“Okay,” Russell said with uncertainty as he pulled the cup up towards his lips. He took an experimental sip before he leaned over, pushing the can back into Billy’s hands as he spit the beer all into the dirt, “Gross!” He dramatically wiped his hand against his tongue, looking like he was seconds away from gagging. 

“It’s not that bad,” Billy shrugged him off as he took another gulp, “You get used to it.” He grinned to himself, enjoying the horrified look that Russell sent him. Perhaps Russell wouldn’t follow down Billy’s same path. Then again, Billy didn’t enjoy the taste of beer the first time he had tasted it either. 

“No thanks,” Russell mumbled, “We’re not supposed to be drinking anyways.” He said a second later, looking panicked like he was regretting his decision. Billy cocked an eyebrow as he took another drink. 

“In the house,” Billy corrected him, “This is outside the house.” He told him softly, trying to reassure him. Russell paused for a moment as he took another large sip from his drink. He nodded his head a second later, looking more relaxed. 

“I guess you’re right,” Russell shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t like it though. Mom wouldn’t let me see dad when he was drinking.” He admitted softly, surprising Billy for a moment. He was sure that Sam wouldn’t have allowed Rosemary or Russell to see him in that state. 

“What was he like?” Billy asked curiously, wondering how bad Sam could get. From the way Kim talked, it sounded like he was rarely there at all. 

“Different,” Russell said at last, “Not mean but just not there. Does that make sense?” He questioned Billy a second later. He crossed his legs on the bench, looking to be deep in thought for a second. 

“Yeah,” Billy said as he took another swig of his beer, “Makes perfect sense.” He said a second later as he fell into his own thoughts for a moment. They settled into a comfortable silence as Billy found himself wondering about their conversation earlier and back to the hurtful word he’d thrown at him. 

“Is there someone you like?” Billy asked softly, remembering the way Russell had questioned him about having a girlfriend. He tapped his fingertip against the rim of his cup before he was brave enough to glance at Russell again. 

“Not really,” Russell shrugged his shoulders, “Not right now I guess.” He said a second later as he glanced away from Billy. He used his straw to pick up the ice cream that had begun to melt at the bottom of the cup. 

“How do you know then?” Billy lowered his voice as he asked the question, unsure if he really wanted to know the answer. He felt like this situation brought up too many memories for him. He wondered if Russell was just confused, the same way he was sure he’d been. 

“I don’t know,” He said quietly as his cheeks began to pinken, “I just know I guess.” He pushed his hair out of his face, looking like he was a little uncomfortable with the subject. Billy chewed on his bottom lip., deciding to keep from pressing the issue any further. He didn’t want to upset Russell again. 

“Mom and Sam know?” Billy asked his final question, but he was fairly certain that he already knew the answer to that. Sam certainly knew and he was sure that such a secret couldn’t go past Rosemary’s knowledge. 

“I guess,” He mumbled as he dragged his sneaker across the dirt, “It’s not like they openly say it.” He told him quickly as he looked over towards Billy again. Billy sighed deeply, wishing there was a way to reassure him.

“I really didn’t mean to call you that,” Billy told him truthfully, “I don’t know why I said it, I shouldn’t have. But I didn’t mean it.” He apologized to him, hoping that Russell could fully forgive him. Russell began to tap his fingertips against the table, like he had to keep his fingers busy at all times. 

“It’s okay,” Russell said as he nodded his head with a smile. Billy watched, catching a gleam of chocolate in each corner of his lips, “I know you didn’t.” Billy sent him a smile back, suddenly thinking that it was good that Neil never got to know Russell. 

Billy found that Russell liked the same music that he did and that when he really got onto a subject that he liked, he talked twice as fast and moved his hands at the speed of lightning. Billy was almost beginning to regret giving him sugar in the first place. He felt slightly better though, feeling that things were now fine between the two of them. 

“Good, just in time for dinner,” Rosemary said as she kissed both sides of Russell’s cheeks, “Oh, boy. You made a mess.” She mumbled as she began to scrub the corners of his lips.

“Mom!” Russell protested in embarrassment as he glanced back towards Billy, “It’s fine.” He moaned in humiliation as he quickly pulled away from her. Billy shrugged his shoulders softly. 

“Oh, I used to do the same thing to Billy,” She shrugged Russell off as she pointed towards the table. She smiled brightly as she looked towards Billy hopefully, “How’d it go?” She looked at him curiously as she tilted her head. Billy sighed softly. 

“S’alright,” Billy said softly, “Everything is fine.” He told her truthfully, feeling like he had a better understanding of Russell now. He was sure that he’d still get irritated by the younger boy, but hopefully he could control that anger from now on. 

“Good,” She smiled as she squeezed his arm, “That’s so good to hear.” She said quickly as she rubbed her fingertips across his skin. Billy watched her for a moment, suddenly feeling like he was overwhelmed. 

“I’m starving,” He said as an excuse to get her hand off of his skin, “It smells good.” He told her truthfully as he walked towards the table. Kim looked up towards him, a dreamy look held in her eyes as she followed his movements. 

“It looks amazing,” Max observed as she leaned over the table, “Do you think mom could learn from these recipes?” Billy fought everything in himself to keep from snorting, but apparently Sam wasn’t strong enough. He coughed, his cheeks reddening as he tried to cover the sound up. 

“Allergies.” He said simply as he raised his glass of water to his lips. Billy did his best to keep from laughing, knowing that he was lying. He wondered suddenly if Sam had ever tried to cook. 

“I’m sure with practice,” Kim said reassuringly, being as kind as usual, “It does look nice.” She said as she leaned forward to cut a serving off for herself. 

“Kim, hold on just a second,” Rosemary paused as she leaned over the table to cut a certain piece out, “This is your lasagna. No vegetables.” She reassured her quickly.

“Oh, thanks,” Kim smiled brightly as she nodded her head and took a small bite, “It’s good.” She told Rosemary honestly as she picked off another piece. Billy glanced down towards the table, biting back a grin as Rosemary sent him a wink.

Dinner was almost normal in a way that he wasn’t used to. Dinners with Neil were always quiet, tense as Billy constantly wondered if he’d chew or breathe too loud. Neil usually tried to pray at least before dinner and was big on table manners. It was odd for him to watch Sam keep his elbows on the table and Russell sit in odd positions as he freely reached for seconds. Not to mention that the food was still edible. He was waiting for Rosemary to cook something bad, but it had yet to come. 

He waited in his bed far after, until he was sure that everyone else was sleeping. He crept down the hallway, feeling a dire need to see Kim. He hadn’t seen her much at all today and felt that so many things had happened. He felt the need to share with her, to question if things really were turning out okay. 

“Hi,” He mumbled as he dropped his chin onto the crook of Kim’s shoulder, “Can’t sleep?” He asked her softly as he began to draw circles onto her stomach. He moved his hands down to her nightgown, slowly tugging it up so he could press his skin against her own. 

“My mind is wandering,” She said at last as he continued to draw shapes against her flesh, “I just can’t stop thinking.” She replied as she knitted her eyebrows tightly together. He moved forward to kiss in between her eyes. 

“What about?” He asked her gently as he pulled away. He began to twist her hair around his fingertips, admiring how soft it felt in his free hand. She tilted her head against the pillow as she glanced up towards him. 

“I tried to call my mom earlier,” She admitted slowly, “They said she was busy. I assume that means she doesn’t want to speak?” Her tone was broken up, her eyes averting away from him quickly. He frowned deeply, hoping he could lessen the blow. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Billy said as he gently tucked her hair behind her ear, “Maybe she really is just busy.” He told her hopefully, but was unsure of his own words. He wasn’t sure why Susan would be ignoring Kim, but figured that there had to be some type of reason. 

“Maybe,” Kim said wistfully as she inhaled deeply, “I miss her.” She admitted sorrowfully. He looked down at her softly, feeling guilty that she was going through such a thing. He still felt like the majority of the reason Susan got so bad had to do with him anyways. 

“I know,” He admitted as he kissed the tip of her nose, “Let me get your mind off of it.” He teased her gently as he knocked her onto her back. She giggled, looking up at him amused as he slowly pressed her legs apart. He rubbed his fingertips across her knees, slowly dragging his fingers down her milky thighs.

She breathed out, her eyes gleaming as she looked down upon him. He grinned as he slowly traced his fingertips across her wet panties, enjoying the way a soft moan fell from her lips. He slowly pressed down on her clit, rubbing it in soft circles before she slowly joined him with the movements of her hips.

He grinned as he pressed his lips against her knee, enjoying how she was always so eager to feel more. He pressed down on her clit a little harder, enacting a louder sound from her lips. He glanced up at her again, teasingly using his free index finger to shush her. She slightly pouted her lips out as she knitted her eyebrows together, looking a little desperate as he moved his hands away to pull her panties down her long legs. 

“You’re so pretty,” He told her seriously as he held her legs far apart. She squirmed underneath him, looking like she wanted to shy away but he wouldn’t let her. He loved every dip and curve to her body, like she had been sculpted specifically for him, “Dirty whore.” He told her a second later, enjoying the way her eyes widened before he stuck his tongue out against her wet folds. 

He licked around her cunt slowly, savoring the taste of her on his tongue as he used languid movements. He moved the same way he’d kissed her earlier; sloppy and slow. He slowly moved his hands down to her thighs, giving them a slight squeeze before he pushed them up towards her chest so he could have easier access. 

“Oh God,” She mumbled, her voice slightly cut off from the pressure he was placing on top of her, “Don’t stop.” She whimpered out as one of her hands messily found the back of his head. He traced his tongue along her clit softly and slowly before he repeated the motions with more force. She squirmed underneath him, her pretty moans filling the bedroom as he continued to drag his tongue along her pretty pussy. 

He could feel his cock stirring in his briefs as he began to lightly press his own hips down into her mattress. He felt a groan rolling off of his tongue as he licked away her slick. He moved his tongue a little more desperately as he dipped it inside of her tight hole, enjoying the way her walls fluttered around him. 

He tightened his grip around her thighs, squeezing them as he languidly stroked her wet walls with his tongue. He inhaled deeply through his nostrils, feeling drunk on the taste of her. He felt special in knowing that he was the only one who had ever gotten this far with her, that he would be the only one to ever have her in this way.

He pulled away suddenly, the gears in his mind twisting as he let her legs drop onto the mattress and crawled over her. He pressed his wet lips against hers roughly, stroking his tongue against her own as he invited her in for a taste. He gripped the back of her neck, pulling her closer as he began to rock his hips up against her. 

She breathed out against his lips, her tongue briefly darting against his as she roughly began to tug his briefs down. She did so just enough to free his hard cock, her cool fingers quickly wrapping around his thick girth. He exhaled sharply, feeling a rise in his temperature as she began to drag her hand up and down his length. He moved his fingers back between her legs, ghosting them over her clit before he slowly slid them inside of her walls.

She gaped, her body jerking forward as he pumped two of them in and out of her. He moved them to the beat of her rhythm, following the same languid strokes that she pressed onto his cock. He slowly rolled his hips up, his cock aching to feel more of her grip around him.

“Mhm,” She squeaked out, her body jerking against his touch as he curled his fingers deep inside of her. Her head fell back against the pillows roughly, her grip around him stalling a bit before she picked it up again. She turned to face him, a moan forming on her tongue as she pumped him rougher in her hand, “Right there.” She pleaded with him desperately as she continued to roll her hips against the length of his fingers.

He moved his head down towards her, capturing her moans against his mouth as he kissed her again. He craved the feeling of her against him, of hearing her cry out for him. He slowly rocked forward against her hand, but focused more and more on how to make her feel good. He licked the inside of her mouth again, his mind spinning at the loud sound from her that vibrated across his lips.

“Billy,” She sighed in bliss, moving her head up towards him as her bottom lip dragged against his, “You make me feel so good.” She mumbled as she continued to grind her hips against his thick fingers. He looked down in interest as he watched his fingers dip in and out of her wet cunt. 

He rested his head against hers again, closing his eyes softly as she continued to stroke him roughly in her hand. He could feel the pleasure forming in the base of his stomach, swimming harshly as he tried to focus on how she felt around him. He could feel his high growing nearer and nearer as she pumped him a little rougher, squeezed him a little harder as he continued to pump his fingers inside of her cunt. 

He pressed inside of her deeper, determined to feel her fall apart first as he held his fingertips against her spongy walls. She squirmed, her legs kicking out as she pressed her hips up higher in the air. He kept the movements of his fingers the same as he kissed her once again, silencing her cries of pleasure as she came around his digits. 

He licked at her mouth once again, hoping he could taste her sounds as her walls clamped down around his fingers. He continued to pump them slowly, his own mind feeling fuzzy as he began to fuck himself against her hand. He pulled his fingers out at once, feeling a little more desperate as he wrapped his wet hand along her own and took control of her movements.

“Such a slutty sister,” He huffed against her swollen lips, enjoying the way the flush settled across her skin. He groaned as his cock throbbed in her hand, his own words rocking him to the edge as he roughly thrusted forward, “Fuck, fuck.” He spit out as quietly as he could manage, his breath stalling in his chest as he coated her abdomen with globs of his spunk.

His head fell against hers again, his heart racing to the same beat as hers as he tried to collect his breath with her. She inhaled deeply, pressing her chest up towards his as she stared up at him. He felt a grin forming on his lips as he leaned down to gently press a kiss against each corner of her lips.

He used the fingers that had been inside of her to scoop up his cum, dragging his motions out slowly to ensure that she was watching him. Her eyes stayed glued to him, widening as he brought them up to his lips. He teasingly tasted their mixture on his tongue before leaning over to press his lips against hers once again. He kissed her slow, dirty as they swapped the mixture of the two of them back and forth. 

She moaned against his lips, her fingers finding his sides as she deepened it. She tasted him like it was the last thing she’d ever taste. He sighed as she sucked on his tongue and began to slightly wonder if she thought he tasted better than all of those sweets that she was obsessed with.

“I love you.” She breathed out quickly a second later, her eyes still wide and full of lust. He felt a grin form on his own lips as he teasingly licked against her mouth again. She breathed in deeply as she held onto him.

“I love you too.” He reassured her as he tucked her hair behind her ears. She nodded her head, looking relieved as she pulled him closer. 

[mindsmade]

[SHIMMER] viNCE AND SO MI 😌✨️

meme

Of all places they could've wound up in, a small lake that isn't a toxic dump has to be the most pleasant. There's not a landfill, factory or other polluter in sight — they're well and truly alone with the water. In fact, as he takes his sights beyond the far edge, he can trace its origins up the slope of one of the mountains encasing them and the side of the road they'd parked on a way's back.

To think that just days ago, they'd set out from the miserable wasteland outside of NC, a ways south of where they are now. It's almost like he'd forgotten where those endless roads could actually take him.

Now, it can't take more than half an hour for the sun to sink behind the ragged shoulders of the mountains ahead ...

Tracing the reflection across the water surface back to where they stand, his gaze – as it so often does – effortlessly finds its way to So Mi; and just as their eyes lock on to each other, he smiles. She grins, and he somehow, against his expectations, knows what it means.

Or maybe he's projecting; making it mean what he wants it to mean.

Either way, he throws caution to the wind — his black shirt comes off, and just as he gets to kicking off his shoes, So Mi's jacket piles on top of it. A grin splits his features, teeth flashing in unadulterated excitement; amusement. He feels like a child again; like the eleven-year-old that would later get in trouble for diving into a river downstream from a power plant, or the thirteen-year-old that ended his day grounded for using the family's vehicles for an unfriendly race against the Wraiths.

But this is so much more innocent. It has to be in the face of this total lack of risk. The water looks crisp, clean, and all too inviting to be left unstirred by them!

No one here to tan their hide for disturbing the peace with their unbridled joy while it lasts, anyway.

V laughs and a small flock of birds thrusts up from one of the trees, and he's briefly left to wonder if this is all a dream. He wouldn't be surprised if it was — the setting's almost too idyllic to be real, and his company even more so.

Dream or not, he intends to make the most of it.

Once down to his shorts, he looks So Mi's way again, and the frantic chaos of his glee somehow subsides. It simmers down into something calmer; something centred on his appreciation of their surroundings, of them against this verdant, painting-like backdrop, in fact.

He stands still a moment longer, marvelling at the sight of her — not the amount of revealed skin, but most of all how her gold-streaked eyes catch the citrine light, and how it in turn casts an orange highlight across her purple hair. It could bring a tear to his eye if only he'd let it.

Instead he swallows and approaches, his expression bespeaking the tenderness of his feelings for her. His slow pace concludes about half a step away from her, placing him close enough to her to necessitate the angling of his chin to hold her gaze. His mind's set on keeping them moving, however, so he takes her by the hand ( skin against RealSkinn ), and nods towards the lake.

He saves his words, leading her to gently lapping water, pausing only to process the biting cold at his feet upon first touch. A breathy 'whoo!' escapes him as he stops momentarily. He looks over his shoulder again, finding her ... unflinching.

He doesn't speculate as to the reasoning behind it for too long ( maybe RealSkinn doesn't need to perceive it so accutely; maybe this isn't the first time she's taking a dive into a lake of glacial water ... ). Rather, he sucks in a breath and carry on, walking backwards just to continue facing her — farther, farther; deeper and deeper, until his toes are hardly touching the pebbles below his feet.

Laboured breathing for the first twenty seconds or so aside, he feels fine — alive and energized, in fact. So much so, his former smirk makes a return as he shifts his weight to float on his back, holding on to her hand still.

Coasting by in front of her, an airy chuckle leaves him as he looks skywards.

❛  You seen those videos of otters holdin' hands while they sleep in the water?  ❜

[jellyfishloveletterghosts]

I'd Sell My Soul To A Devil

warnings : Alcohol abuse, Grief, Depression

Part 1

I'd Sell My Soul To A Devil (TBWHWIY)

Part 2

Despite his promise after waking up with a massive headache thanks to Murray, Billy does not do much about trying to get Steve back. Instead he sinks into self-medication and wallowing. An angry ball who drinks and sleeps too much. Too depressed to even take care of himself, hair going greasy and starting to lose definition, not enough food in his belly to keep it, skin losing all of that hard earned tan.

 He is vaguely aware that Neil left. The man disappeared sometime during his possession. Billy is not sure if he had a hand in it, if his body ended up as part of the monster or if he just finally abandoned him like his mother. Billy does not think too hard on it, he does not want to know. He is just glad Neil is gone he is not sure he could take any more from him now. Susan is still there, Max too, dragging Billy along when they move to the trailer pack on the other side of town.

 The longer he spends living without Steve the deeper he sinks into the depression and the bottle. He is not the only one. Susan drinks just as much, maybe more to deal with Neil up and leaving without a word.

 Billy is lost, spends more time in bed staring up at the ceiling or in the junkyard breaking shit he has already broken a hundred times by now. He wakes up dreaming of lost moments with Steve, drowning in his misery as tears drip down his cheeks, burying his sobs in his pillowcase until he has the energy to reach for a drink to numb the pain.

 -

 Max puts up with it for months, tries to grin and bear it but when it is both Billy and her mom it is hard. She is angry at them for giving up. She is not ready to confront her mom, she does not know if she ever will be. But when she finds Billy passed out on the couch again, with yet another pile of mostly empty beer cans and a whole graveyard of cigarette butts she is ready to confront him.

 She did not know before Starcourt that they were anything but antagonistic. Steve and Billy did a good job pretending to be nothing more than enemies who avoided one another as much as possible in public. She had noticed Billy happier though, softened up. She chalked it up to the threat she made at the Byers house at the time but in hindsight that does not track for Billy. She can see it now though looking back, the stolen glances, the near missable brushing of hands, the words meant to sound dismissive that were really code for a secret meet ups.

 Before Steve Billy was simply mean and angry about being here away from the only place he knew as home. After losing Steve he is inconsolable, angry sure but mostly sad in a way that makes her chest hurt when she catches him at his worst moments. He was better with Steve, he needs him back and that is not going to happen when he is drinking himself into oblivion all of the time.

 She marches outside and grabs a bucket from the neighbor’s yard, ignoring a woman who shouts at her to put it back. She never actually ventures down the steps to her trailer, she is not going to come chasing Max down for a bucket. She fills it in the sink, Billy’s snores the only other sound. 

 It is a struggle getting the heavy bucket out of the small sink, some of the cold water sloshing over the side and getting both her and the floor under her feet wet. She frowns but otherwise ignores it. She gets her hands on either side of the bucket as she slowly walks it over to Billy. It takes a few moments of deliberation on the best way to dump the bucket for maximum effect. She does not want to miss her mark.

 She uses her foot to clear a spot on the coffee table. Billy sleeps through the rattling of cans as they jostle for space on the table and inevitably hit the ground. She puts the bucket down and changes her hold, one hand on the handle straining to raise it and get the other hand curled over the underside. She gives it a gentle swing forward to see approximately where the water will go, adjusts a little more to the left before swinging it forward for real.

 The water hits Billy in the face and chest with an audible splash. He does not move, does not twitch for a long moment, still snoring. Max stares, eyes scanning the room looking for help she will not find. She stands there awkwardly unsure of what to do now. 

 She jumps back, the back of her knee knocking the corner of the table as he sits up all of a sudden. He looks like a wild animal, confused and angry, landing on fight, as he whips his head around, wet hair slapping against his face and sticking. 

 His eyes go harder, angry, narrowing down close to slits when they land on her. Shoving the bucket behind her back is a useless unconscious move. “What the fuck Maxine!” He practically growls, voice rough from all the cigarettes he had the night before, she is pretty sure he bought the near empty carton just yesterday.

 She gives up on hiding the bucket, he already saw it, and drops it to the table, crossing her arms over her chest. “You're a mess, you need to sober up.” He is going to follow Steve right into an early grave if he keeps this up, the scabs on his knuckles revealing he has been fighting again in the last few days as he balls them into fists on his knees. 

 She is so sick of watching him do this to himself. Him and her mother. “I deserve better than this shit!” Things were not perfect before, far from it but at least they had been present, not just shells.

 “I don’t give a fuck about what you think you deserve.” Billy hisses angrily, shifting, feet hitting the ground with a wet slap where part of the water splashed.

 She knows he does not care about what she wants but she knows one person he would care about. Easy to snoop when he is to fucked up to notice most of the time, confirming what she saw that night at Starcourt mall as more than in the moment. “Steve fucking would and he deserves better too!” She kicks the half empty beer can Billy reaches for as she says it, the can hitting the wall and spraying Billy and the floor with stale beer mixing with the water.

 Billy stands suddenly, towering over her. She has a prickle of fear making her hairs at the back of her neck stand on end. There is a manic look in his eyes. She pushes that prickle of fear down and juts her chin out, standing to her full height. She is not about to back down from this, she cannot.

 There is a range of emotions making his eyes stormy before they well up with tears in the corners. “Fuck you!” Billy grits out pushing past her and stomping to his room.

 The tension bleeds out of her, leaving her shaking as she plops down onto a dry section of the couch. She has tears in her eyes as she listens to Billy openly sob and destroy what little is in there.

-

First part of this flopped so this might not get more here or maybe it will who knows.

[hazbin-college]

The V’s

“Vox! Val!” The shout rang down the hallway from the living room, tone scolding and aggravated “get your asses out here now!”

It didn’t take long for the two other residents to come out of their own respective rooms. Vox in his causal oversized clothes, curly hair a mess atop his head.

While Valentino was already dressed in pajamas, silky shorts that barely covered what they needed and a half hanging off similar materiel shirt. His longer pink hair tied back loosely with a scrunchy

“What?? I was studying” Vox scowled, his arms crossing while he looked down towards his much shorter roommate. Who was holding a pair of pants. Hey, that kind of looked like his pants-

He wasn’t able to finish that thought before the pants were chucked at his face, causing him to stumble back

“For god’s sake you own a laundry basket!” Velvette snapped, her nose scrunching “want to know where I found that? Not the laundry! Or even in your room! If you two can’t keep your fuckin pants on while you’re sucking face on the couch at least bring a fucking hamper out here! I don’t want your crusty over used, under washed, jizz covered pants on the fucking floor!” Her voice only rose in volume the longer she ranted, taking a much needed gulp of air after she stopped, but otherwise looking completely composed.

“Ooooh, you’re in trouble~” Val purred towards Vox, wiggling his fingers at him. But the vocalization merely got hazel eyes snapped towards him. And he immediately shut his mouth

“And. You.” Vel growled, pointing an accusatory finger at the much too tall man “just because you leave less piss stained clothes behind doesn’t mean you’re off the hook!” She narrowed her eyes. Before pointing towards the kitchen “you need to wash your fucking dishes! Just because I’m the only one who knows how to be reasonably clean in this house does not mean I’m your fucking housewife. Every time I see a fucking three day old plate in that sink you dumped in from your room, I will break one of your precious decorative weapons and put the broken fucking plastic in your lube” she sneered. A low satisfaction warming her chest at the way Val’s eyes widened. Her threats were never empty. She would do it.

“Now that we have that out of the way” she says, taking a calming breath “next time you both decided to have a bang sesh. Either do it when I’m out. Or do it quietly. I don’t need to hear Val moaning for his daddy at three AM when I’m studying for an exam. Next time I hear it, I’m recording and posting it” she gave a patronizing grin after she finished speaking, crossing her arms over her chest “any questions?”

“Uh, yeah. How come you get to make all the rules. You aren’t the landlord” Vox scoffed, waving Velvette off “I pay my portion of rent I should be able to leave my pants where I fucking want”

Velvette’s eye twitched. She could not stand living with these two idiots. She clasped her hands together in front of her “okay! Guess I’ll start rubbing my bare ass all over your bed and leaving my dirty fucking tampons on the floor. How does that sound smartass?”

“Gross! What the fuck Vel!” Valentino piped up this time, scrunching his nose

“Yeah, that’s not the same. Keep your gross girl shit to yourself” Vox huffed, rolling his eyes

“I swear to god I’m going to shit in your fucking coffee” Vel could feel her very limited patience growing thinner, her glare narrowing towards Vox “I’m going to say this in a very simple way” she started, folding her hands together and taking a step closer to Vox “next time I find any of your clothes out of your room. I’m burning them. And then bringing the ashes back here and rubbing it in your fuckin eyes” she took another breath, pinching the bridge if her nose “god why did I agree to room with two fucking dudes you both are so disgusting” she muttered to herself.

She spun around on her heel before either could say anything, throwing a hand up “I’m going out! Your boy toy Angel posted on his insta about a party tonight. I expect the place to be fucking clean when I’m back, later fuckers!” She threw up a middle finger for good measure, slamming the door closed behind her

The two boys were left standing in the living room, glancing at each other before towards whatever mess might be around the living space

“…. We should probably do what she says” Vox piped up

“Yeah I really don’t want my next hookup to be ruined by plastic in the lube” Val shivered at the idea, moving to start picking up the mess he had definitely left in the kitchen earlier that day.

[sajirah]

The Prison Chapter Six

Blood Sacrifice

-o0o-

One again, you can read this here or on AO3. Enjoy.

-o0o-

There was something wrong. 

He knew there something wrong. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch, lingering just out of reach. 

He was so tired though. The sun was still up. Surely it could wait until nightfall…

-o0o-

She heard him long before she saw him. 

It was hard not to what with him crashing through the underbrush for the last half hour. 

So Feyre sat huddled underneath the skeleton of her long dead monster companion, clutching her knife in a death grip and hoping against hope he wouldn’t notice her. 

This worked well right up until it didn’t. 

“I can see you in there.”

She tensed up immediately. 

“You might as well come out,” the man continued. “I promise not to hurt you.”

Shockingly, Feyre found that quite hard to believe all things considered. 

“I think not,” she replied cooly. “You’re more than welcome to be on your way. Otherwise I won’t hesitate to stab you.”

She glared fiercely as the man crouched down into view, just out of reach. He wasn’t really anything to write home about. Middle aged, with the kind of graying hair and nondescript features that probably led to him floating through life mostly unnoticed. He wore the same blue shirt and canvas trousers all the prisoners were given before being shipped off and dumped here, though his were clearly newer and in better shape than hers (how long had she been here now? A week? A month?). 

A new prisoner then. 

“I’m warning you-”

“I won’t come closer. See?” He held his hands up in a non-threatening manner, as if that truly meant anything to her in a place like this. Feyre wasn’t stupid. She was very likely the only woman on this island. She was both prize and prey to any man stupid and bold enough to venture this far inland. 

“I see you’re new here,” she said eyes flicking over his far less bedraggled uniform. “Word of advice. Don’t harass a lady when she tells you she’s not interested.”

“Now what makes you think I’m new here? Perhaps I’ve always been here and we never crossed paths?”

Feyre snorted. “You must think I’m very dumb.”

“Alright, so I’m new,” he agreed smoothly. “Even more reason for us to be friends.”

“I don’t want any friends.”

“Allies then.”

“I don’t want those either.”

“Surely you need some help, pretty thing like you,” the man argued, though Feyre had a hard time believing she looked particularly ‘pretty’ under the layers of grime she’d accumulated in her time here. If anything she likely looked more animal than human these days. “After all, I know you’re the only female prisoner to have been sent to this island for the last 30 years. And the last one was an old woman who I doubt is still alive by now.”

She startled. “…How would you know that?”

“The same way I know there’s something on this island I’d very much like to avoid.” The man smiled blandly. “Ah yes, I see you know what I’m talking about. Good. Then we can help each other.”

“What makes you think I want to help you?”

“Haven’t you ever wondered why we dump criminals on this island?” 

“No.” Yes. 

“You don’t think it’s strange to ship criminals off to a remote island and dump them there when we have a perfectly good prison system on the mainland?”

She had wondered that, but she also wasn’t about to let him know that so she just glared at the man and tightened the grip on her knife until her knuckles ached. 

“You see,” he began, groaning as he shuffled out of his crouch to sit properly on the ground. “Oh yes, that’s better. You see, this island always was strange. People always lived here but it was mostly used as a waypoint for ships crossing the ocean. A refueling station if you will.”

Feyre didn’t bother to point out that she knew all this already, just letting him run his mouth as she eyed the horizon line and the sun slowly sinking towards it. 

“But those port towns never lasted long. For a while everyone thought it was just the ravings of a bunch of superstitious locals. But then captains brought back stories of the strange behavior and disappearances of their crew who went ashore. Eventually it became such a hazard that ships stopped docking here, and with them went the local economy. The locals were forced to move inland and the few that stayed…well. No one is quite sure what happened to them. It was quite clear that there was something malicious on this island but no one was ever sure of what. Some locals claimed it was an angry ghost. Others were sure it was a monster prowling the woods…”

The man eyed Feyre’s skeleton home pointedly. 

“Whatever it was, the government was quite aware of it. And then, oh just over 100 years ago, a new idea was floated amongst the elite. Why let the island go to waste? There were so many terrible people they would rather be rid of you see. And if there really were something hungry there, why not throw it a bone every now and then? A blood sacrifice, if you will.”

She felt a chill roll down her spine. 

A blood sacrifice. 

That’s what they were to the government. Meat. Something to keep Rhys fed and occupied. 

“How do you even know all this?”

“Because I was one of the ones who put you people here.”

Feyre blanched. “What?! But then…why are you here?”

The man smiled self deprecatingly. 

“Isn’t it obvious? I pissed off the wrong people.”

A politician then. A politician who knew too much and who was now being fed into the very meat grinder he had helped perpetuate. Well, she thought wryly, say what you will about them. They clearly have a sense of humor. A sick sense of humor, but a sense of humor nonetheless. 

“Why are you telling me all this?”

“Simple. I want to know what you know. And I want to know how a sweet little thing like you has not only avoided capture but has seemingly survived out here alone. Unmolested by whatever keeps accepting our generous gifts.”

He didn’t know. 

For all his regaling of the history of this island and the funneling of criminals onto it to feed some terrifying monster…he didn’t know what the monster was. He didn’t know about Rhys. 

He didn’t know. 

Feyre glanced back over his shoulder at the darkening sky. 

And that was when he made his move. 

Before she had any idea what was happening, the man lunged forward, grabbed her wrist and twisting. She cried out but still held onto her knife like her life depended on it. 

Because it likely did. 

He wasn’t a large man by any stretch of the imagination. But he was bigger than her and that was really all that he would need to overpower her. She gritted her teeth and snarled like an animal as she desperately tried to push him off with one hand while attempting to twist the other free. 

“You know!” The man grunted. “You know something! Tell me!”

Feyre didn’t bother replying as she wriggled like an eel underneath him, trying to buck him off of her even though he had her hips pinned. 

As the two struggled for control of the knife, the last rays of sunlight sank beneath the horizon. 

And then everything went still. 

Feyre felt a familiar sense of calm wash over her. Over her, the man who had just been trying to kill her had suddenly frozen in place. He blinked at her. Once. Twice. She couldn’t say when it was she knew it wasn’t him behind those eyes anymore, but she knew nonetheless. 

Rhys grimaced at her with stolen lips. 

“Are you alright?” He said with the man’s voice, though didn’t bother to wait for her reply before rifling through her head like he belonged there. When he seemed satisfied with what he found, she felt herself regain power over her own body again. She gasped. Her limbs shook with unused adrenaline. Rhys looked concerned until he saw Feyre’s face. 

She was furious. 

“What the fuck!” She yelled, shoving him off of her. He went easily, rolling back and letting her scramble out of his grasp to glare at him properly. 

“That’s not a thank you.”

“I didn’t ask for your help!”

“Well you got it regardless. Do you truly think I would’ve let him attack you? Hurt you?” The man’s features twisted with rage as he gritted, “Rape you?”

Feyre paled. 

It was clear Rhys was not speaking in hypotheticals. He’d read this man’s mind after taking possession of his body. He’d seen exactly what he’d had planned for her. She’d known he likely planned to kill her when he’d gone for the knife, but for some reason rape hadn’t occurred to her. It should have. Lord knew every other man on this fucking island wanted a piece of her. But somehow he’d made her believe he was either too worried about saving his own skin or too distracted by his talk about blood sacrifices to have any interest in rape. 

Well…she certainly wouldn’t be making that same mistake twice. 

“No, you won’t, because you will not leave my side again.” Rhys chimed in, answering the thoughts in her head in that irritating way of his. 

“What side?” She sniped. “You don’t have a side! I don’t know if you’ve noticed this but you’re fucking dead!”

“Oh, but I do.”

“What are you talking-” And then it hit her. “Oh…oh no.”

“Oh yes. We have all night for me to use this body. I might as well make good use of it.” He grabbed a hold of her arm and hauled her forward like she weighed as much as a loaf of bread. “Come along Feyre Darling.”

And then he hauled her in the direction of the shore. 

[yes-i-have-thoughts]

Blood and Roses (FAITH AU)

1

2

3

4

“Whatcha doin’, Mark?”

Sarah’s voice snapped her brother out of his thoughts. The ten-year-old stared at him, her eyes still full of wonder for her “cool older brother” even at the age where she should start detesting the adults around her.

“Nothing, Srook.” Mark flipped the booklet in front of him closed and ruffled his sister’s short blonde hair. “Just making note of something.”

Sarah batted her brother’s hands away from her hair and gave him a playful glare. He shook his head with a small smile.

“Sarah, stop bothering your brother and get ready for soccer.” The two’s mother flicked her spoon at them like she was wagging her finger. “Mark, finish your writing. And stop distracting your sister.”

“Wh–I’m just sitting here!”

“I don’t wanna go to soccer,” Sarah whined over her brother’s arguing.

“You are going to play soccer whether you like it or not, young lady.” Their mom stood up, dumped out her bowl of now flavoured milk and put it beside the sink. “I won’t have you being lazy all summer like your brother.”

“I’m going to look for a job!”

“Uh huh. Sarah, upstairs, now!”

Sarah whined again as she started up the stairs. Mark ran his fingers through his hair. “Look, mom, I am going to start looking.”

“It took you a year to get your driver’s licence. Who’s to say a job will be any easier for you?”

He bristled. “That’s not fair–”

“You’re a slow learner. I’ve heard it all before. Do you know what your problem really is?”

Mark rolled his eyes. Here we go. “I’m lazy.”

“Sloth is a sin, Mark Healthcliff.”

“Yes, I know.”

“And yet you laze about anyway.”

“I’m not–love of god.”

“Don’t use the lord’s name in vain.”

He was starting to lose his patience. “Mom, I promise, I’m not trying to be lazy. I’m doing my best with school and stuff, okay?”

“Don’t you take that tone of voice with me, young man!”

Mark winced and hunched his shoulders, mumbling an apology. His mom crossed her arms and pinned him with a glare before going to the stairwell. “Sarah, are you ready yet?!”

“I’m COMING!!”

“I gotta start getting that girl up early,” their mother whispered to Mark. Still bristling internally, Mark didn’t respond.

Sarah was bouncing down the stairs a few minutes later, dragging a large red bag behind her. “Mom, can Mark drive me to soccer practice today? Pretty please?”

“No, I’m taking you. He’s job hunting today.”

“What? But moooom!”

“She’s right, for once.” Mark leaned back in his chair, meeting his sister’s eyes. “I’m trying to get an interview somewhere.”

Sarah grumbled something under her breath, then smiled brightly at her mother when she gave her a suspicious look. She ditched her red bag to dart over and give her brother a quick hug before heading out the door. Their mother left some last-minute orders before she left: wash the dishes, do your laundry and clean your room if you’re not going to be on the phone all day.

Mark drummed his fingers on the table until they left, then grabbed the book he’d been writing in and headed to his room. The dishes and everything else could wait. Something more important was nagging at his mind.

He was up late last night, waiting for Cesar to return from whatever had scared him. He’d been incredibly vague about it, which wasn’t like him at all. He’d put the phone down somewhere, likely speaker-down; and then it’d been hung up without a word. Maybe he thought that since he had been away for so long that Mark hung up first? Should he have said something?

In any case, he should’ve called him back. Here’s hoping it’s not too late.

Calling the phone in Cesar’s room got him nothing, so he tried the house phone. His mother picked up almost instantly. “Hello?”

“Hi, Mrs. Torres, it’s Mark. Is Cesar around?”

Cesar’s mother hesitated for a moment. “No, I…Haven’t seen him since last night. He’s not at your house?”

“No, but he called me last night.”

“What did he say to you?”

Oh man. From the tone of her voice, either Cesar was in big trouble or he was about to be if Mark said too much. “Not a whole lot, just that he was going to check on something. He asked me not to hang up on him.”

Cesar’s mother’s voice broke when she spoke next. “Oh my god.”

“What’s going on?”

“Mark, he hasn’t been home since he came back from the graduation party. He was acting so odd, but he said it was because the others were smoking something…”

There was a long silence between them. There was a soft sniff from the other end before Cesar’s mom hung up the phone. Mark uneasily put his own down.

Cesar has either been kidnapped or ran away, and he was the last one to hear from him. But what he heard wasn’t going to be the slightest bit helpful.

What had happened to him? How was he supposed to help any investigation? If Cesar did take off, why call Mark and then never respond?

The phone ringing again startled him out of his thoughts and he picked it up, hoping against logical reason that Cesar was somehow on the other end. “Hello?”

“Greetings, Mark Heathcliff. I heard that you had been job hunting. Well, we have a job for you. Come to this address…”

–

"House cleaning pays well," Summer said. "I had that as a job last summer."

"I guess." Mark hunched his shoulders, feeling a little foolish about complaining now. "But I just…I don't know. I feel weird about this."

"So they knew your name and phone number! Big deal! God, you're so paranoid sometimes."

Ruby swatted the back of her older sister's head. "Lay off, Summer."

"What, Cesar's not here to defend him anymore so now you're doing it?"

"Shut up!"

Summer laughed and raised her hands to get away from the redhead's onslaught. "Alright, Jesus! I'll stop!"

"Where are they sending you, anyway?”  Ruby asked, turning to Mark.

He shrugged. “Some place on the edge of the county, I think. I’ve never heard the address before.”

“How much will you be making?”

“Ten bucks an hour.”

“Well over minimum wage, then!” Summer grinned. “Good for you! Hey, maybe I should track down this person myself and try to get the job.”

“Great idea! Then you can get lured out to the edge of town and get murdered too.”

Summer laughed. “That probably would happen, yeah. A pretty young thing like me?”

A well-loved red van pulled up to the sidewalk the three were standing at. Summer waved at the driver and turned to Mark. “Well, I’m off to check out the campus. Good luck with your job.”

“Tell your sister I said–HI!”

Ruby squeaked when her sister yanked on her arm, dragging her towards the back door of the van. The two had a small playfight before Summer ran around the back of the van to the passenger side door and jumped in when the van driver opened the door for her.

The van tore off in a cloud of gravel dirt. Mark shook his head before turning back towards home.

His mind kept turning, cycling through two different points. Cesar up and vanishing and his upcoming job at a very strange address. Were the two points connected, or was he overthinking it?

God, he wanted to figure it out with someone. But the person he usually calls about overthinking moments is gone.

[philomelia]

didnt have wifi for a few days wrote a snippet of the novel im writing for cassie. dumping it here unproofread. 

My mum was slicing open the apple. She had a wrathful way of working in the kitchen; knives were her forte. She cut the apple to its core, a jagged line that cause juice to spill across her fingers. A drop seemed to slide across her thumb and splatter on the ground, leaving a circle of residue. Nevertheless, the knife persisted-- another jagged line ripped apart the core, the gentle flesh marked with the edge of her fingernail. The kitchen was a cosy space, I suppose. It was no bigger than the average dining room table. All wood, with only one counter and four cupboards. The sink was smaller than my mother's waist. It could take about two plates, or a single cup,  but nothing more than that. There were a few dishclothes draped hapazardly over the counter. A microwave, a toaster, but no oven. Each slice of apple fell against the counter with a wet, meaty thud.

"Mum." I didn't think she had noticed me, but she didn't jump when I spoke. The knife continued meticulously.

"I've told you not to linger," my mum said. Her topknot had a few loose strands of hair that fell neatly into her face, a messiness that was entirely curated. When I was eight, my mum decided that she wanted to start fashioning my sisters' hair into something more manageable. There had been brushes and softening conditioners and combs and pretty clips purchased en-masse. It had been a week of howling and tears-- I had hid whenever a brush was forced upon Athena who cried something fierce whenever she was set upon. How did lions bathe their cubs, with all their teeth and claws, with more gentleness than my mother? She had moved onto her own hair shortly after. Less tears. "You're not a church mouse. Make yourself known."

"Sorry," I said. An instinct. My mum glanced over her shoulder, sharply.

"Don't apologise." I had never been to a church before. Mum wore a cross, though she had never been particularly religious. We prayed, certainly, but only to those that my mum thought held any worth; guardians, mostly. Protectors. Religion was treated like a buffet-- choice was privileged. I wonder if the cross had once been a comfort to mum's clients. A holy symbol, a promise that she wasn't some damned charlatan selling them lies. Oh, no, mum's readings had been as right as could be, with only little kernels of truth twisted to tell a prettier story. My mum could sniff out a fake with expert precision. It's in the hands, she had said. A real psychic keeps their hands neatly in front of them. A fake will wave them, attempting to distract whatever audience they had. Her hands held steady as she continued to slice into the apple. "What do you want?"

She wasn't using an apple slicer. There was one in the drawer, somewhere, unless it had been taken out and never found its way back. I fiddled open two drawers (the only two drawers) and found it sitting next to the scissors. The bottom drawer was always a nuisance to open. It slipped down from its hinge and sagged. I had to lift it upwards and slot it back, leaving the apple slicer on the counter. My mum didn't glance at it. I didn't comment on it, either. The silence around the slicer made me feel stupid, suddenly. Why had I gotten it out? She was doing just fine with the knife. She hadn't asked for it. She hadn't used it-- she hadn't even said anything about it. I picked it up and wrapped my hand lightly around the blade.

"I have a question." There was always a need to preface. To ramble. Athena said that I had a way of talking around words, as if I never really wanted to say anything. Funny, considering how much I enjoyed talking. There was so much to hate about silence-- people died in silence. Quietly, pathetically, alone. If I talked forever, maybe I'd never die. That could be the secret to eternal life. I twisted the slicer, feeling it brush against the underside of my palm. Mum set the apple down and began to soak the pieces in a bowl of vinegar. What should I do with the slicer? Putting it back into the drawer felt too clumsy. An admittance of defeat. I twisted it again.

"Well?" Mum sighed. She gathered up the skins and the core, throwing them in the small bin. It nearly overflowed from just that. I'd have to take it out later. Or now. It depended on how the conversation went. "Go on." It was almost late afternoon, though it was already growing dark outside. It looked like it would rain soon. We'd have to patch up the leaky hole in the tents. Maybe find a few more blankets. There was a strange, steaming fog on the windows that threatened to drip soon with rain. I shivered pre-emptively. "Cassie, you talk or you leave. You know this kitchen can't take the both of us for very long." Mum sighed then, glancing out of the window. "It's going to rain. Make sure that you keep your elbows warm and look both ways before crossing the road. Cars become violent in times like these." When she said something like that, it itched at my spine.

"I always look both ways."

Another sharp glance. "No," mum said, carefully. "No, you don't. Don't be a liar."

Everyone made mistakes, didn't they? Just because you didn't do something once or twice shouldn't mean you weren't allowed to claim an always. It was unfair, really, and rather prescriptive to say otherwise. I twisted the slicer. It brushed against my palm. Calla sometimes picked at the hem of her shirt, tugging on little strands of yarn that came loose. It was a terrible habit; I picked at the corners of my fingernails, which was far more elegant. "What's the scariest thing you've ever seen?"

Mum didn't talk much about the bad stuff. Even when drunk on Christmas wine, more affectionate and open than she'd ever been, mum lived in the good memories. Last Christmas, she had thrown an arm around my shoulders. Her arms were brittle and thin, belying the strength of them. Fingers had curled over my arm, plump with Christmas cheer. She had swooped down-- I had felt as if I was sharing in a secret. Against myself, I giggled, and she giggled in return, like she had stolen the noise from me. "Do you want to know about the Chardale Case?" she had asked. I knew that had been a bloody one, only half-solved, but I nodded regardless. Anything to keep my mother warm. Athena was nowhere to be seen. I knew, unholy and blackened, that if she had been, mum would have been telling this to her. I hoped she'd never appear again. But, in all fairness, I had drank my first cider; I would blame that for the blueing of my thoughts. "I was so young. Skinny," mum sighed. I told her she was still skinny, which she tutted at, but I knew warmed her. She recounted only the sweet parts of the story. The little girl with the red ribbons who had called my mother beautiful. Her first words since being rescued. The twin found in the snow, skin turning fairy-frost blue, saved at just the last minutes. A TV deal. I knew the gruesome details, but only because I had looked for them.

"We haven't even had lunch yet," mum sighed. She tilted her head upwards, watching as rain began to hammer against the window. "Look. I told you."

The sky had been grey all morning. "I'll take care of my elbows," I promised. My mum turned to look at me and there was a soft, fitful smile over her face. She wanted to be my mum again. There were always moments where she was just a mum, in the kitchen, trying to cobble together a dinner. There were mostly moments where she was someone else. I had no idea who that someone was-- she confused me, mostly. Her hands lifted to press against my cheeks, a hand smoothing down my messy hair. I should have brushed it before I came here.

"Why do you want to know something like that? It won't do you any good." She pinched my cheek. "You need to start using that cream I gave you. Your skin's too dry. Do you want it to get all chapped? You're not made for this weather."

"I just want to know. I'm... curious. You always said curiousity was a good thing."

Mum sighed her mum-like sigh. She pulled me closer into the semblence of a hug, all body parts and no warmth. The slicer slipped and ripped through my palm. It was a sudden, burning pain. I knew it would scab. Scar, most likely. Blood broke through the thin film of skin-- not much, but enough. It slid down my palm, splattering next to the mess of apple juice. Mum pulled back, confused at first, then noticing the stain of blood.

"Oh," I said. My voice felt distant. My mouth felt like it had been stuffed with cotton. "Oh, no." As if inspired by my words, the blood flowed faster, spilling over my shirt. Mum picked up a dish towel, inspected it for a moment, then picked up another. She pressed it tight enough against my hand that I hissed lowly. I still had the slicer in my other hand. I stared at it, noticing a little speck of my skin stuck between its teeth.

"What were you thinking? You shouldn't have been holding that." I shouldn't have been. Still, I resented that she was right. I tugged my hand a little bit from her grip, holding the towel there myself. I could feel my hand throbbing beneath the fabric, but I ignored it the best I could. I hadn't been hurt much growing up. Nothing past the usual maladies of scraped knees and a broken pinkie. There was nothing worse than that-- Athena had chipped a tooth once. She had wailed and wailed and wailed, despite the fact the dentist had assured us that the pain shouldn't have been that bad. I leaned against the fridge, which protested against my weight. It only came up to my hip. There was no freezer-- mum didn't believe in them. Unnatural. "Are you done bleeding?"

She asked like it was some inconvenience. I glanced at my hand, noting that the worst of it was over. Still, I wished I had bled for longer. Not an overly egregious amount, but enough to spread blood against the cupboards, to leave a little stain wherever I went. Mum cupped my palm for a moment; she fanned her fingers, cold and rough, across the back of my hand. There was a lightness to the touch-- she only held me for a second before she drew her hand away. "You're fine."

"I'm fine." My mum took the dishtowel from me and began to soak it in the water. I could see my blood spread out in a pool, little tendrils of it curling in the water. I took my gaze away from it. My mother began to tidy dishes away now that they had dried, throwing small looks at me until I began to help (my wound was now forgotten). "Mum," I probed. "Have you ever seen a demon?"

Here is the thing about demons: they don't exist. Except, you can't really say that about anything. Nothing really existed unless you could see it and only certain people could see it. The things that existed to me were different to the things that existed to Cleo. She saw futures that stretched beyond our lifetime, worlds that hadn't been created yet, if tomorrow's weather would be warm or cold. Her existance was one that ran deeper than mine; her life was buried below the ground, in the dank and empty spaces. In the dirt, in the fire, in the hot molten core of a beating heart. I saw the clouds and only believed them to be clouds; they did not tell me of any fortunes to come, though my mother would often ask my opinion of things. Clinically. I knew it was a test. I knew she wanted me to be something, to be stranger, to be like her. Everyone said we looked alike. The same hin lips, the same broken looking nose, the same curl to our shoulders. Sometimes, I shouted for Dad and he responded as if I was Mum.

But the similarities tripped to a stop eventually. I remembered what Nancy said: you two could pass for twins. I thought of the bags beneath my eyes, all smudged purple and too dark. I did not have wrinkles beside m eyes. Still, the way we echoed each other had been well documented (often by my mother's own hand, who had said in quite a few interviews that she knew I'd be just like her). Fuzzy old interviews with interviewers that wore pale beige suits, grinning into the camera with pink-salted lips. My mum always dazzled on those sort of things. She talked about dear Athena, who had already made such a name for herself. She talked about her little darling Cassie, who was far from who I was. If she hadn't said my name, I would assume there was a missing daughter. But the missing daughter did not exist; neither did demons. Unless you wanted them to, or unless you could see them. I shouldn't trouble myself with things that did not exist to me.

"You shouldn't trouble yourselves with those things," Mum said. She kept the corner of her eyes on me. I scratched around the cut on my palm, suddenly too itchy and warm all over. "Do you know what happens to young girls that turn over too many stones?"

"Yes, they-"

"They find nothing but ants and spiders." Mum shot her hand out, fingers waggling like an insect. I jerked back quickly, almost banging my head against the overhead light. Mum's cackle followed me. "Don't jerk away from me so quickly. I wouldn't hurt you." Despite the delight in her voice, I knew it would bubble into annoyance soon enough. I rocked back and forth on my feet-- I wanted to ask, again and again, until she caved. I had done the same when I was eight, begging for a puppy. Of course, there was no room for a puppy, no time to change one, no place for one in a home that constantly changed and shifted. But I had wanted one. I had convinced myself that a dog would change things. Mum would fall in love with it and Dad would spend more time with us-- and the puppy would be a chocolate sort of colour and we'd call him Button. Chocolate Button.

"Sorry," I said, pushed out between my teeth. It sounded like a cuss word.

"We don't have any oil," mum sighed. I knew the conversation had changed entirely from demons. I itched harder around my wound, watching the edges of it peel open. The oil was not an issue I could solve-- I drove, sure, but only when I was allowed to take the shitty van out. The nearest shop was just a five minute walk away, which I was thankful for (we'd been hours away from civilisation before, near a small cottage or farm that must be cleared out). I could walk to the shop. Buy the oil. I would, if she asked. But she wouldn't ask and Cassie wouldn't do it. "How are we going to cook the chicken?" A push. She wanted me to offer. I wondered if my mum had never seen a demon. Maybe that's why she didn't want to answer. Most of the places they visited were the usual haunts: ghosts, with a few poltergeists. Anything unusual could be seen as deadly, but that wasn't often true. Ghosts just wanted to be let go. Most of them didn't even want to be remembered anymore-- they were too old. They had been ehre too long. Freedom was the only thing they could imagine.

I scratched harder. There were demonologists that my mum respected, though they were few and far between. We might have owned books written by them once, but such trinkets were few and far between. We packed light and donated regularly. You could trace where we've been on the map through charity shops with weird items donated enmasse. I could do my own research into demons, but every person's encounter with the Other was unique. Whatever you saw was always the real thing. My mum had told me to believe blindly and wholeheartedly, because it is better to know too much than too little.

"What are we going to do?"

Behind us, I heard the door open. I kept my hand on my palm, pretending not to be interested. Maybe my sisters would comment on the wound-- I could use a plaster, really. Or just some attention for it. But the boots clambering through the tiny living room were too big to be any of my sisters. My father loomed in the doorway, ducking a little bit not to hit his head. He had salt and pepper hair growing through the sides, matting the black down. He had the face of an overly sad puppy, with wide eyes that were deep set and a smile that seemed to be too hesitant. He dressed in jumpers that my grandmother repaired, which meant that there were often holes still tugging open, a flimsy piece of yarn casting through it. Holding onto dear life. He carried a can of bug spray with him, but his hands looked limp around it. "Dear?" he said in his confused, distant sort of way. "Oh, hello, Cassie." My name always sounded careful in his mouth. I was always worried he'd call me by a different name.

[northsaskhunter]

Things my dumbass daughters have done in the one year I've had them (not in order) :

- ate my watch charger

- tried eating my bear hide

- ate the hair out of the shower drain

- broke into the shower while I was using it

- refuse to let me close the window despite it getting down to almost zero at night because father we will scream if we can't sniff the outside sniffs

- pee'd in the sink. Three times (I took them out to my parents. They don't like leaving the house)

- pee'd on my bed, while I slept in said bed. I woke up because my leg was warm and one of them was scratching at the spot (happened the first time I took them to my parents)

- tried killing each other more than once. (All because I took them either to the Vet or my parents)

- stood on the top of my flat screen tv when it was mounted, seven feet off the ground. (How the fuck she got up there, I don't know)

- ran up my bedroom door and sat on the top of that (again, how the fuck?)

- scratch the carpet when their scratching post is deadass, four feet away

- tried to walk on the stove top after I had just turned the burner off

- ate two chicken breasts in one sitting (I airfried three. Two for me and one for them. had to share the second one)

- would probably inhale a whole hotdog if I let them

- dump their water dish out if its anywhere other than in the sink

- tracked toilet water down the hallway becuase my sister didn't close the toilet lid

- got pee'd on by my brother because he didn't fully close the bathroom door

- ran under my feet when I was wearing boots and got stepped on. She didn't learn anything

- sit in the bay window and stare at people going by

- the younger of the two tried to kill the vet after they got fixed so I had to go back and get her into the carrier. She proceeded to try to kill her sister so I had to borrow another carrier from the vet to get both of them home. (I am pricing out getting two slightly smaller carriers for future vet trips than the big one I have)

- hated each other for a good week and a bit after being fixed

- almost took my arm off because my sisters brought the little dog over to let them sniff. The cats did NOT want to be sniffed. I can still hear the screech that cat let out.

- how dare I have anything on the table or the counters

- how DARE I only put dry kibble in the food bowl. That food bowl is for food, not toys.

- they see anything that rattles, crinkles or skitters as a toy. Dry kibble is a toy that can be eaten after being batted from the kitchen down the hallway into the bedroom

-may currently be on a partial hunger strike because the grocery store didnt have the wet food I had been giving them. (The exact same brand except the one they liked was in a plastic container)

- refuse to eat any other flavour of wet food aside from "seafood"

- refuse to eat any type of kibble aside from iams or kitten kibble

- only sleep either between my legs or in the doggy-bed I have on my own bed. (They get flung often because I constantly move in my sleep)

- I'm like 80% sure one of them ate the empty tube my testosterone came in. It was on the counter and then it wasn't. I have swept and also checked in the vent on the floor and I still don't know where it went.

- do something bad and scatter the moment I stand up.

- almost took down my bedroom door when I had to lock them in there when I had a zoom interview

- rattle the closet door for hours on end when I'm trying to sleep

-pooped in the kitchen sink because I was taking too long cleaning the litter bin (deadass just put the dirty litter into the garbage when the beotch shat in the sink)

- knocked my fan off the bedside table while I was asleep. Fan ended up broken.

- Stare and scream at me through the glass door every day when I go to work even though they know I'll be back in six hours.

- stare and scream at me through the glass door every day when I get BACK from work

- take man-shits on the daily and stink up the entire house despite the litter box being in the farthest room in the house

- knocked my lava lamp off the mantle piece (thank fuck that didnt break)

- often knock the vent covers off the fireplace

- ate the corner of my Fallout New Vegas "New California Republic" flag

- only get sick on the carpets. Winnie's first time being sick was caught and I held her above the sink. She stayed away from the sink for the next few days because that was obviously the thing that made her sick

- knocked over a half empty pop can and stained the carpet brown

My girls, Winnie and Mary. (Winnie has all the toes)

I want to get a third one, a blonde one though, and name her Sarah.

having a cat is great. there's a small little animal wandering around. effervescent

[ribcages-and-bookpages]

One Day At A Time; Planning (chap 5)

(Gore/Death warning this chapter!)

Year x438, July 22nd,

  It was two days later when Rowan and his little group arrived in Colkirk, where Rowan suggested they lay low until they had a plan; since most everyone avoids Colkirk like the plague. Serena was against the idea but eventually agreed with Rowa, but unfortunately for them, it was a day and a half trip to Colkirk and they had a small hiccup when someone tried to snatch Rowan's wallet and they turned him into the guards; even though Rowan disagreed with this. 

    As the group approached the town, a thick mixture of mist and smoke began to surround them and Serena whined softly, "We're gonna get killed, this is such a bad idea." She began to look around quickly though, she could have sworn she heard a footstep, "What was that!?" She stopped walking and put her hand on the hilt of her weapon. A heavy sigh left Rowan as he stopped and turned to Serena, 

    "Just trust me, once you get through the thickness of it, it gets better." He said as he waved his hand in dismissal. Ares now sighed at Rowan, as Serena looked at him,

    "That's not what I meant! Do you not know how dangerous this area is? There are reports constantly of people going missing around here and their bodies are always dumped a few miles away days later!" She huffed at his ignorance.  

    Rowan simply stared at her for a moment before speaking,

    "My point still stands, trust me." He said with a shrug, as he turned to continue entering the mist before Serena grabbed his shoulder to pull him back,

    "Why should I trust you? It's not like you can magically protect us from every murderer!" She huffed at him once again. This caused Rowan to stop and look at Serena's hand for a long moment, 'I could bite her right now. I really could.' He sighed and shrugged her hand off his shoulder, 

    "Just trust me. I promise no one here will murder you." He started to walk again as the rest of his trio followed, "I kinda know them." He shrugged a bit as Serena tripped on a brick and nearly fell. She caught herself though and continued to walk,

    "Don't tell me you're one of them!" She gasped as Rowan rolled his eyes, 

    "You're being harsh. Most of these people do it in self-defense and are here because they have nowhere left in the world that will protect them, while others do it for the pure financial gain of robbing others and are here because it's an easy place for targets. Similar to the smallest group of 'them' except those guys are straight-up murderers. One is friendly, one can be bought, and another beaten into submission" He explained before giving Serena an irritated look, "Don't group them together. I lived here for two years once, it's obviously not great, but it can be pretty peaceful compared to the outside bullshit." He huffed softly. 

    Serena looked taken aback for a moment before nodding softly,

    "I'm sorry, I didn't realize." She spoke in a soft voice, clearly regretting her words, as Rowan shot her a small smile,

    "It's alright, most people don't know that either. Just..keep an open mind. It's a messy place." He said softly as they walked over a major wave of heat coming from a small crack in the earth that blew their hair back, and then the view was instantly better once they passed it. 

    As their vision cleared a bit, you could see an entire city covered in ash that felt almost too warm to be comfortable anymore while ash fell from the sky, and the whole thing looked abandoned based on the state of many of the buildings. There were sinkholes everywhere that led straight down to what looked to be a lava pit but was really an unstoppable pit of burning coal that had been alight for the last 500 years. Although some of the sinkholes had filled in by now because of other areas sinking, or because the whole area collapsed and filled in the hole, and very occasionally the kingdom would fill in the sinkholes with large amounts of soil; which was also an effort to try and stop the coal from burning, but it was never enough to stop it. There was no plant life either, everything was decayed and dry or all that was left was what once held it, and you couldn't see the sky anymore, it was entirely grey. Everything was grey, but many things had flashes of other colors where there were shoe and hand prints, or the occasional cartwheel imprints in the ground where the ash had been pushed away. There were abandoned ash-filled carts all over the place and even some construction equipment that had been long forgotten, as well as ash-covered building materials everywhere. Many buildings had collapsed or half-collapsed, although some of the seemingly newer ones were holding up much better, although many of them weren't finished. The whole place had a haunted feeling to it as the entire city seemed to be frozen in several different periods of time.

    Serena let out a small gasp as she looked around and held a hand to her mouth, although Rowan wasn't sure if it was shock or horror; perhaps both? Meanwhile, Ares looked around with wide eyes as he took in the details of the once-great city. As they took in the details, Rowan stopped beside them and looked around at the place he once called home, 'Looks almost exactly the same, I guess they haven't done any more work here.', a small sigh left him as the smell of the ash truly hit him and memories of his time once here flooded in,

     Rowan was much younger and had a smaller body frame while also having a rounder and softer face. He had an overall softer appearance and much longer hair that reached the middle of his back and had no color to it. There was a frown on his face as he jumped back and slid on the ash-covered ground before catching himself and standing up before materializing a metal bat; just a simple metal bat with a smaller handle grip. He panted heavily in a much higher-pitched voice as he stood up fully and readied himself for an attack. In front of him was a man easily twice his size smirking as he fixed his brass knuckles,

    "C'mon little girl, you can't win against me. Just give up and let me have some fun with you~" He hummed before laughing softly as he made his way over to Rowan. A small angry groan left Rowan as he ran at the man before hitting him in the gut with the bat and sending him sliding back a few feet, then leaped back several feet as he slid to a stop and readied his bat again. 

    A noise similar to a growl left the man as he fixed his posture and put a hand over his stomach where the bat had hit it, "Watch yourself or I might just kill you instead! Now get over here!" He shouted before running at Rowan, who leaped over him and stepped on his head before turning and hitting the man in the head with the bat; he could feel resistance but the bat kept going for a moment before stopping entirely as Rowan let go and jumped away. The larger man dropped to the ground like a bag of rocks as a sigh of relief left Rowan and he began to make his way over to collect his bat. But as he realized what the resistance was, his blood ran cold; the bat had gone into the man's head and he could see brain matter, as well as bits of skull and lots of blood. It churned his stomach and he put a hand to his mouth as tears began to slide down his cheeks while he had to resist the urge to vomit. He could feel the blood starting to slide down his face and looked down to see his hands covered in blood and brain matter-

    "Rowan?" Called Ares's voice from behind Rowan, snapping him out of his dissociative with a startle, causing Rowan to turn to him quickly as his eyes widened. Ares was looking at Rowan with concern as Serena seemed confused and worried about one of her new group members, as Ares stepped a bit closer,

    "You're alright." He said softly. A small hum left Rowan as his mind cleared and he began to calm down, turning back to look at the city for a moment before speaking,

        "You know, this place used to be the very first major city, and then kingdom in Oselia, before it caught on fire." He said quietly, causing Serena to look at him in surprise as Ares looked at him as well,

    "Is that why there's such a large empty spot on maps? Is it really that big?" She asked softly, seeming both surprised and horrified by this. Rowan gave a solemn nod and glanced back at her,

    "It was one of the biggest cities in Oselia, and is still one of the largest in history, But mostly forgotten about." He spoke in a soft and empty voice as he gazed at all of it. 

    That was cut short though as a couple people peeked out from various spots around them, although these people had horns, multiple eyes, or other unique features that made them stand out in this world, and therefore treated unfairly most of the time. Rowan gave a friendly smile and waved, "Hey, anyone here remember me? Little Row? I know I look different, but if you remember me, you know why." He called out in a friendly voice with a smile. A duo of small gasps left two girls to the right of them and Rowan quickly turned to look as he spotted two women whom he recognized instantly, 'Xillie and Fennala!' He thought as he smiled.

     Behind the wall of a half-collapsed building were two elf women, one with short, thick, and wavy blonde hair and blue eyes with a petite inverted triangle body shape, although she was half a foot taller than the woman beside her. The woman beside her had reddish tan skin with a beauty mark above the upper left side of her lip and chestnut brown eyes. She also had dark brown hair that was in six braids that reached just past her hips, which were wider than the girl beside her as she had an hourglass shape. Even though both women were elves, the only thing they had in common was their pointed ears and their matching ankle-length grey tunics with an under-bust corset on top of that, which were both black. 

    The two women scrambled to climb over the wall as they held up the bottoms of their tunics a bit so they wouldn't tear the fabric, then rushed over to Rowan, 

    "Is that really you? You're so different!" Said the girl with blonde hair, causing Rowan to smile,

    "Yeah, Xillie, it's me. I know I look different, but I've been on it for years now, plus other stuff." He laughed nervously as he rubbed his arm a bit. Before he could explain any more, both women hugged him tightly,

    "Oh, it's so good to see you again!" Said the blonde as she pulled back, although the brunette lingered,

    "It's been so long, Rowan." She said softly before letting go and stepping back as she shyly looked to the ground. 

    Serena stepped up beside Rowan to look at the women before glancing at Rowan as she crossed her arms; she didn't trust these women at all, 'There are so many undercover Wings members, what if one or both of them are one? They target places like this...but then again,' Serena turned her gaze to look at all the buildings, 'Almost no one comes here unless they have no other choice. I don't think even Lady Skel would risk her people with the rumors that are around here.' She thought to herself as she turned to look at the ash falling from the sky, although not directly up so none got in her eyes. 

    Meanwhile, Ares stepped up behind Rowan to peek over his shoulder to see the women's faces properly as he clasped his hands behind his back before looking away. Rowan simply smiled at the woman in front of him,

    "I know it's been a while, life has been kinda crazy. Kinda had to restart entirely, so..here I am." He says as his smile turns more nervous. The two women shared a look of worry before looking at Rowan, 

    "I'm sorry Rowan." Sighed the brunette as she dropped her gaze, while the blonde smiled softly,

    "We've got your back, most of the others are still around too, and they've got your back too. You've had all of ours." She said in a soft yet kind tone as her smile grew a bit, "Your friends are welcome too, any friend of yours, is a friend of ours." She hummed as the other woman nodded.

    Rowan smiled and gave a nod to the women before looking to Serena and Ares, then back to the women,

    "Meet Ares and Serena, Ares and Serena, meet Xillie and Fennala." He said with a hum as he introduced everyone to each other. Once the greetings settled, Xillie looked at Rowan and gave a small smile,

    "Come with us, We'll take you to some shelter. It's not fun standing in the open for more than a little bit, the ash will ruin most colors of clothing and make your hair disgusting. Plus, it's better where the air crystals are." She explained as she turned and began to walk. Fennala looked at Rowan for a moment before quickly following after Xillie, causing Rowan to tilt his head and watch her for a moment before following. 

    Serena and Ares followed Rowan instantly and moved to both walk by his side, while Serena turned to him,

    "Can we really trust them? Lady Skel has roots everywhere." She whispered to Rowan, who scoffed slightly, 

    "Yes, Serena. I saved their lives a few times, and they've helped save my ass a few times too. We used to be a trio around here. We're the three who originally brought in the air crystals to purify the air of enclosed spaces. It made a huge difference in people's health pretty quick." He explained with a small hum as he slipped his hands into his pants pockets, watching the two women in front of him lead them to shelter.

        Meanwhile, the city around them came to life as people began talking and moving from place to place, although it wasn't a lot of people, there was chattering and a buzz of energy in the center of the city. As the women lead them to a large, incomplete concrete building, Serena could feel her anxiety bubbling up, 'What if he's wrong? What if this is all a trap?' She thought as her body began to tense up a bit,

    "Calm down, Rena, they're just taking us home," Rowan spoke softly to her. This seemed to snap her out of her thoughts as she looked to Rowan and nodded softly then began to relax her muscles a bit, but she remained a bit tense as they approached. On the opposite side of Rowan was Ares, who was simply looking around at his surroundings as they walked, taking in every detail of every item in the area, which allowed him to make a mental map of the area. 

    As the group arrived at a large metal door with a spinning wheel as its handle, two men came out from both alleyways and held out knives, 

    "Hey girls~ We told you to be careful 'round here." Said one man with a scar across the center of his face dark hair and dark eyes. His scan was a light tan color and he was easily over six feet tall and built like an ox, while the man across from him was shorter, but much wider and had brown hair with blue eyes, along with a unibrow. His skin was a few shades paler than the other male's, but both held daggers that looked expensive and intricate, but the end of the blonde male was rusted. The blonde man grinned at the group,

    "Now you've brought unwanted guests into our territory. I guess we'll just have to teach you all a lesson." He threatened as his grin turned wicked and dark. Xillie huffed at the men,

    "C'mon Cody and Rory, we're just trying to go home. Our friends have had a long journey and don't want any trouble." She scooted closer to the door as she huffed once more and Fennala stepped behind her. The two men laughed though and stepped closer; as Rowan grabbed Ares's wrist to stop him from intervening, which stopped him instantly. Serena on the other hand looked ready to explode as her hand rested on the hilt of her rapier,

    "Oh, but we do." Growled the man with the dark hair as he lifted his hand with the blade. 

    A small hum left Rowan, which caused both men to look at him and frown, 

    "I wouldn't do that if I were you." He said with a small smile, "Me and my friends just want to go inside and get some fresh air, so why don't you let us through?" He hummed his question as he glanced from one man then to the other. He continued to smile as the blonde man laughed again from his left, 

    "You think you scare us, small fry? We'll just cut you down first. You don't even have a weapon!" He smirked as he took a step towards Rowan. Once again, Rowan's hand flew to Ares's wrist to stop him in his tracks, and just as before Ares stopped and glared at the men as he waited for Rowan's 'okay'. A small laugh left Rowan this time as he slipped his hands out of his pockets and hummed as he materialized his scythe and shifted it in his hands, 

    "Oh I don't think I'll scare you, I think I'll have you begging for your life." He said with a smile before dashing at the blonde and slicing three of his fingers off, causing his dagger to fall to the ground, then he was back to where he had been standing. The blood on his scythe became one big drip and dropped onto the ground as the blonde man screamed and held his hand,        

    "What'd you do to him you brat!? How'd you move so fast?" Shouted the dark-haired male as he rushed at Rowan, who shot Ares a look as he went to react. Rowan ran at the man before throwing his scythe in the air and jumping n the air and placing both feet on the center of the man's ribs before putting the full force of his kick and weight into it, sending the man flying back into the ally with a shout of pain. Rowan dropped down onto the ground and bent his knees down to help with the impact, then raised his hand and caught it with one hand while he turned towards the blonde man,

    "Ready to beg yet?" Hissed Rowan as he smiled a wicked smile at the man. The blonde cried out        

    "Rory, let's go! The little demon is back!" He shouted as he grabbed his dagger from the ground and took off down the alley, just as the other man, Rory, gathered himself up from the garbage cans he hit and stumbled into the darkness of the alleyways. 

    A small sigh left Rowan as he dematerialized his scythe flipped his hair slightly out of his face and began to walk back to his group,

    "Ready to go inside?" He asked with a smile as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Ares was simply staring at Rowan quietly with slightly wide eyes, as Serena looked a bit disturbed,

    "Was...all that necessary?" She asked slowly, as the other two women laughed nervously,

    "Classic Row." Hummed Xillie, as Fennala nodded softly. A nervous laugh left Rowan now though at Serena's question,

    "Well, no. Well- Actually-" He sighed and shifted a bit, "It's complicated. Normally, no. Here? They'll fight you to the death. They have little fear, but if you find it and bring it to the surface? They won't come near you ever again." He responded with a nervous smile as he glanced away while lowering his head a bit. There was a small pause before Serena spoke,

    "I understand. Although I must admit... I was surprised to see you like that. It...was pretty fear-inducing." She explained slowly before looking back to the building, "But enough of this, my lungs burn, may we go inside now?" She asked the women, who nodded in sync before heading to the door. 

    As Rowan walked over, he noticed Ares still watching him and walked up to him and waved a hand in front of his face,         

    "You okay Ares? You seem a little surprised." He asked with a soft, yet nervous smile as Ares snapped out of it. When he did, his cheeks became a bit pink and he turned his head away,         

    "Yes, I'm fine. Let's go inside." He responded in a softer tone than normal though, causing Rowan to tilt his head a bit, 

    "If you're sure..." He said doubtfully as he watched Ares for a moment. When Ares showed no signs of stopping him, he turned and followed over to the door, which was now open, 

    "Hurry now, the ash is getting in!" Xillie rushed them as she waved her hand towards the door, causing the group to scurry inside the building. 

    Once inside, the room was mostly dark with vague outlines but felt rather spacious, only to become pitch black as the door closed. Within moments, the room lit up with a yellow glow and everyone turned their attention to Fennala, who had a large yellow crystal hovering just above her palm. The crystal rotated slowly and caused the walls to have a sparkling effect; showing the concrete walls that lead down a hallway, which had layers of fabric hanging as a makeshift door near the end of the hall. The ceilings were low, causing Ares to have to duck his head slightly as he stood there, and the floors were also concrete but there were no windows; at least, none that any light came through. The windows seemed to be metal shutters that were closed, not that they opened anymore anyway.

    Serena was tense as the crystal began to glow and her head whipped over to the light Fennala held as she visibly began to relax. A small laugh left Rowan as he noticed Serena,    

    "You're fine, Rena. I wouldn't take us somewhere dangerous-, Okay, I would, but I would tell you first." He glanced to the side as Serena stared him down,

    "Yeah, that makes me feel better," Serena muttered as she raised a hand and rubbed her temples with two fingers,

    "Great! Then let's go. Before Ares gets a crick in his neck" A hum left Rowan as he looked to Xillie, who began to lead them down the hall. A sputtering response left Serena,        

    "I was being sarcastic don't take it seriously-," She started, only to realize the rest of the group was making their way down the hall and she was being left behind in the darkness, "Wait for me!" She called before quickly walking over to meet everyone. 

    The group of five stood in front of the makeshift fabric door for a moment before Xillie pushed the various fabrics to the side and began to go through them, 

    "Like this, and watch your feet!" She called out as she got to the other side of the cloth doors, leaving Fennala near the entrance as she held the light crystal in her hand,

    "Go ahead. I'll go last." She said softly as she stepped to the side a bit and raised her hand slightly to allow the crystal to light up the 'door' better. 

    Rowan gave a small grin to Fennala as she did this and he made his way to the fabric to pull some open for Serena to go through, 

    "Thanks, Nala. Now, Serena, you're going first. Xillie is waiting on the other side." He said as he pulled the fabric further back. Immediately after he said this, Serena tensed and looked at Rowan,

    "Do I have to? Can't Ares go first?" She seemed worried as she glanced at the cloth before looking back to Rowan, causing a heavy sigh to leave him,

    "Fine, Ares, you're first." He muttered with a shake of his head. With that, Ares made his way to the fabric and began to push various pieces out of his way, until he seemed to disappear into the wall of fabric.

    Rowan looked at Serena once more and she seemed to shrink back a bit before huffing, 

    "Fine, I'll go." She muttered angrily as she made her way over to the cloth and began to push her way through to the other side. Once she seemed to be through, Rowan turned to Fennala and gave a small smile,

    "Our turn." He said before moving partially into the hanging fabric, then held up some Fennala could get through as well, "I'll hold it open for you, I don't want you to drop the crystal." He said with a hum. Fennala paused and stared at him for a long moment before nodding softly and making her way over to stand beside him. Rowan dropped the fabric that he was holding and moved to hold some more up, then looked down to Fennala and gave her a small grin, "Keep moving, I can't wait to breathe some air that doesn't make my lungs want to evacuate my body." He joked. This earned a small giggle from Fennala, who was standing beside him and looked up at him with a smile for a moment before continuing further into the fabric. 

    Once the two finally made their way through the fabric, Rowan's face lit up at seeing the room they were now in; the room itself was still concrete, but the walls were painted with various designs and there was a yellow light crystal in the ceiling corners, as well as a big baby blue one that was about two feet tall and was held in a stand in the center of the room. There were several furniture items, including four couches, three padded chairs, and a large table with ten seats that were all mismatched. The ground was covered in rugs, layered one after another to the point no concrete from the floor was visible. There were several other objects around the room such as books, blankets, board games, and packs of playing cards; multiple of which were on the coffee table in the middle of the couches. There was a metal door on the left wall and a hallway to the right, which was dimly lit. 

    Rowan began to look around the room to take in every detail, while Xillie was with Serena by the couches as the two were in conversation, and Ares was still looking around while waiting next to the entrance to the room. Ares looked to Rowan and Fennala as they came out and he turned to them, while Rowan took a deep breath before smiling softly, "Fresh air, hell yeah." He muttered to himself before turning to Fennala with a small grin, "You guys sure have upgraded this place since last time, I like the rugs." He said with a hum as he shrugged off his backpack and set it by the entrance; beside Ares's and Serena's bags. Fennala quickly looked away from Rowan as a soft smile made its way to her face, 

    "We took your advice to make it more homey, and we've been adding on since then." She replied softly. Another small hum left Rowan as he nodded a bit,

    "Thanks for inviting us in, we kind of need a place to lay low for a few days." He laughed nervously and rubbed his arm a bit as Fennala paused to look at Rowan.

    Xillie made her way over with Serena to join the conversation, and she raised an eyebrow at Rowan as he said this,

    "What trouble did you get into?" She asked in a teasing tone, causing a small huff to leave Rowan,

    "It's a long story, but let's just say the three of us are wanted by some people who won't hesitate to kill us if they get the chance." He explained before glancing away. Xillie and Fennala both stared at Rowan for a long moment before sharing a look with each other, then Xillie turned back to Rowan,

    "Well, you three are welcome to stay here as long as you need. We've got the space here, and the air crystal is enough to sustain up to twelve people for an extended amount of time, so that's not a concern either." She hummed with a smile. A small nod came from Rowan as he looked to Ares and Serena, who both gave a nod in return to Rowan before he looked back to Xillie, 

    "Thanks, Xill. We'll take you up on that offer." He gave a small smile as Xillie nodded, 

    "No problem, Rowan. You all feel free to make yourselves at home." She hummed with a bright smile. Serena smiled softly in return to Xillie's smile, 

    "Thank you, Xillie and Fennala. I appreciate you allowing us to stay here." She spoke in a somewhat formal way, causing Xillie to laugh softly,

    "No worries, Serena. No need to be so tense, we're all friends here." She hummed before making her way over to the couches and sitting down, as Fennala followed after her. 

    Rowan followed after the two, causing Serena and Ares to follow after Rowan, who sat on one of the two-person couches, while Xillie and Fennala sat on a larger three-person couch. Ares made his way to sit on the same couch as Rowan, while Serena sat by Xillie and Fennala. Rowan turned his attention towards Xillie and Fennala before speaking, 

    "Any chance you two have a map we could borrow? We gotta make a plan, and a map would help." He questioned with a small smile, 'Although I'm not sure where to even start with a plan.' He thought as Xillie nodded with a hum,

    "Sure do, let me go get it." She replied before getting up off the couch. Xillie made her way to the metal door to the left of the room before opening it with a 'clunk', and then a quiet whine left the door as it opened enough for Xillie to go inside. 

    Serena watched Xillie for a moment before looking at Rowan and Ares, 

    "Either of you have any ideas for a plan?" She asked as she raised an eyebrow, causing the two males to share a look before both shook their heads, 

    "Honestly, I'm not good at that. Tell me what to do and I can do it though." Rowan gave a small grin to Serena, who sighed softly,

    "As expected." She muttered.

        As Xillie returned to the group, all eyes went to her as she pushed aside the items on the coffee table before laying out the map, then handed Rowan a charcoal pencil. A smile made its way to Rowan's face as he nodded at Xillie, 

    "Thanks, Xill." He said with a bit of a hum as he leaned forward and pulled the coffee table a bit closer. Both Ares and Serena sat forward a bit as well so they could view the map properly; which was a map of the Kingdom of Oburus. The major cities were labeled in larger letters while the smaller cities and towns had a smaller font, and in the lower left area of the map was Colkirk, although it was just a large grey area that took up 1/8 of the map, and it had no label. 

    The trio began to examine the map for a moment until Rowan looked to Xillie as she sat back on the couch, "Either of you know of any Wings bases around here?" He asked suddenly. Both women froze as Fennala looked as if she had seen a ghost, and Xillie shot up from her seat, 

    "You idiot! You're seriously going after Wings?! They'll kill you!" She shouted at him as she threw her hands up in frustration, "Do you have a death wish or something!?" She looked at Rowan and glared at him a bit. A small sigh left Rowan as he ran a hand through his hair, 'She's right, it's stupid to try. but...' he then looked to Xillie again, 

    "I know it's not smart, frankly, it's the worst idea I've ever had, but I'm not alone. Besides, they can't keep getting away with the things they've done and are continuing to do, and if I can fuck that up for them then I absolutely will." He replied in a matter-of-fact tone of voice as his gaze became firm and determined. Xillie paused as she stared at Rowan for a moment, completely taken back by his resolve to do such a thing, but her head whipped over to Fennala as she broke the silence,

    "...Just don't die, Row." She spoke in a soft, evidently sad voice as she looked to the floor. This caused a grin to spread across Rowan's face, 

    "I'll do my best. I don't think these two plan to let me die any time soon, not till we're done at least." He said in a lightheaded tone, that smile still on his face as both Ares and Serena nodded in confirmation. 

    It was quiet for a moment before Xillie's sigh broke the silence and she pointed to an area on the map, just outside of the gray area of Colkirk to the north, 

    "Here. It's a smaller base but heavily guarded. Anyone who gets close doesn't come back." She spoke softly as Rowan circled that area on the map. Xillie turned to him with a sad and worried expression, "Be careful for once, please." She spoke in a softer tone now. Rowan looked to Xillie and gave a small grin, 

    "I will. As much as I can, anyways." He hummed before looking back to the map as Serena pulled the table closer to herself. She began to examine the map before raising her gaze to Rowan, while Xillie sat back down on the couch, 

    "Where are we right now? Roughly anyways." She asked as she nodded her head at the map. With a hum Rowan grabbed his charcoal pencil again before making a small circle near the center and slightly to the left in the grey area; which was quite the distance between that and the other circle,

    "About here." He said as he glanced at Serena. 

    Serena leaned her hands on the table as she stared down at the map, then spoke after a moment of thinking, "Okay, tell me how you both feel about this plan; Tomorrow morning we make our way through Colkirk and make our way closer to the base, but we stay under the cover of the ash and smoke until the day we go to the base. When we get there, we need to find a way in without drawing too much attention to ourselves, after that, we can try to get information on Wings' next move so we can stop it. But the problem is, if no one comes back from this place, then it's likely to be heavily guarded, so we'll have to be extremely careful not to be captured or killed." She spoke confidently as she turned her gaze up to Rowan and Ares. After a moment of consideration, Rowan nodded softly,

    "That sounds like a good plan. Better than anything I've been able to come up with so far. But what if we do some recon before we go. Like, check out the size of the building and try and see how many guards go in and out." He scratched his head a bit before looking to Serena, while Ares nodded softly,

    "How would we do that without being caught?" Asked Ares in a quiet voice as he glanced between Serena and Rowan. Both of them paused before Rowan sighed and ran a hand through his hair,

    "I'll do it. I should be quick enough to be able to get out of there without getting caught." He seemed unsure about this as he spoke, glancing away as he thought about the endless possibilities of what could happen, 'What if I do get caught? They'd kill me on the spot I'd bet. I'm on their shit list, they won't hesitate.' He felt his thoughts overwhelming him. 

    Ares's voice cut through Rowan's overwhelming thoughts and he was brought back to reality, 

    "I'll do it." He spoke in a firm voice as he looked to Rowan, then Serena before looking to the map, "...I have teleportation abilities. I..can only go places I've been before, but if things get bad I can get out of there rather quickly" He explained, although he seemed uncomfortable with all the eyes on him as he shifted in his seat. A smile began to spread across Rowan's face as he looked at Ares, 'He actually spoke up in a group, that's awesome. Wait, is that why he's so fast? He is teleporting? That explains a lot.' He was lost in thought until Serena spoke and brought him back to reality once more,

    "That would be very helpful, Ares. Thank you." She smiled at Ares, who kept his gaze on the map on the table. 

    Rowan gave a little grin as he looked to Serena, then Ares, 

    "I guess we know our plan now. Most of it anyways." He hummed as Ares nodded softly before Serena nodded as well,

    "Seems we do." She responded as she leaned back onto the couch and crossed her arms. Xillie spoke up after a moment,

    "So you guys are really trying to stop Wings? That.. sounds like a suicide mission." She spoke in a soft and fearful voice as she looked at Rowan. With a nervous laugh, Rowan nodded softly,

    "Yeah, it doesn't sound smart..but at this point, it's too late to turn back." He spoke softly as he felt a pang of pain in his heart, 'I can't let them get away with anything else. I can't let them take more people like Brooke, no one else needs to go through what I've gone through. No one else needs to die.' He found himself staring at the floor as he was lost in thought.

    He was pulled out of it though as Fennala spoke to him, 

    "Rowan? I know Xillie said it but... be careful." She was using a softer voice than normal and it was laced with worry and fear as she looked at him with a fearful look. Rowan looked at Fennala and smiled at her,

    "I will. Now, let's focus on something more positive; what should we do for lunch?" He grinned softly as Serena sighed at him and a small giggle left Fennala. Xillie shifted to sit up more and looked at Rowan,

    "Well, we have a stew going in the kitchen. We used one of our big pots for leftovers, but we'd be happy to share. It's been going since early this morning." She said with a smile, earning a nod from Rowan as he smiled in return,

    "Sounds good. What do you two think?" He asked as he looked between Ares and Serena. Ares gave a small nod of agreement while Serena nodded as well,

    "Sure, that would be wonderful." She spoke in a soft and friendly voice as she gave the two women on the couch with her a little smile. With a hum, Xillie stood and turned to the group,

    "I'll go get some bowls for everyone," She paused and looked to Fennala before continuing, "Can you help me Fennala?" She asked with a tilt of her head. Fennala gave a small nod before standing as well, and the two made their way down the hallway to the right of the room. It was quiet for a moment after their departure until there was the sound of a heavy metal door squeaking open, and then closing and making a 'clunk' noise as it latched. 

    Rowan turned his attention to the members of his group and gave a small smile,

    "So, how are you both feeling about being here? I know Colkirk isn't ideal, but it's likely they won't find us here. Not easily anyways." He said as he ran a hand through his hair. His gaze flickered between Serena and Ares, but Serena was the first to speak,

    "You're right that it's not ideal, especially because of the air quality, but I will say that this wasn't a terrible idea. Colkirk gives us a good base location to hide after doing dangerous things; like invading their bases." She responded as she shifted in her seat to cross her legs, "And your friends are quite kind, it's nice to see such kind women in such a harsh world." She smiled softly as she turned her gaze to the floor for a moment before looking back to Rowan as her expression turned serious, "We need to be careful coming around them too often, otherwise Wings might find them." She spoke in a firm voice.

        Rowan paused for a moment, 'She's right. if I'm not careful they'll get dragged into this too, and neither could survive against Wings. Fuck...' He pulled himself out of his thoughts and nodded at Serena, 

    "You're right about that. If we make Colkirk our base, we should keep our base in another location, somewhere away from the main part of the city. That's our best bet to keep everyone here safe. I'd say we'd want to go north." He sighed softly as he scratched his head a bit. After a moment Rowan looked to Ares and dropped his hand from his hair, "What do you think of that, Ares? How are you feeling about all this?" He asked with a small head tilt. 

    Ares stared at Rowan for a moment as he began to piece together his words and figure out what he wanted to say, but he could feel both Rowan's and Serena's eyes on him and it was making him nervous. He glanced away from Rowan and took a silent breath, but when he turned back to Rowan and Rowan was softly smiling at him he felt his heart jump into his throat, 'Don't look at me like that!' He thought as he turned his gaze to the floor. 

    "Ares?" Called Serena, since there was a bit of a pause between the question and his answer, but Rowan immediately lifted his hand and waved it in dismissal at her, 

    "Give him a minute, sometimes he has to think about it." He said with a shrug as he leaned back on the couch. Rowan put his arm over the back of the couch and leaned back into the corner of the couch a bit to look at Ares, patiently waiting for the answer he was sure would come. Finally, he did,

    "Well....I agree. Colkirk is a good place for a base, and keeping away from the general public would be wise as well...But, how do we do this? We'll have to spend a few days alone setting up the base to make it usable and breathable before we can even think about any missions." He spoke in his usual monotone voice as he raised his head and glanced between the two of them before focusing his gaze on the map in front of him. 

    A hum of agreement left Rowan as Serena nodded,

    "Yes, that is true. Rowan, you would be in charge of helping find materials for the base; after all, neither of us has been here until now. Neither of us know where to start. Along with that, the three of us will have to find a building that has easy access, looks inconspicuous, and has little to no outside ventilation." She sighed as she leaned her head back on the couch and rubbed the bridge of her nose with her thumb and finger, "And at the same time, it needs to stick out to us so we can always find it, and it has to be sturdy enough to survive against the more powerful and magic holding members of Wings if they find us." She spoke clearly yet quietly. Serena found herself already overwhelmed with all they had to do and at a loss of how to even start. 

     "I think I know a place," Rowan called out suddenly, causing both of the members of his party to turn to look at him at the same time as Serena raised her head off the couch,

    "You know a place?" Serena asked as she sat up more to give Rowan her full attention. As he nodded, both members stared at him before he gave a little grin,

    "Oh, I should tell you about it, huh?" He chuckled softly before sitting up from his position on the couch and grabbing the charcoal pencil. Their eyes followed his movements as he pulled the map closer before making a small circle near the outer west edge, "It's around here. It's one of the taller buildings that was made before this place went up. Unless it has changed, the west burns the coldest and has the least amount of damage to the ground and buildings. It's at a higher level than the city surrounding it, meaning it has great viewpoints; but the ash falls more heavily here since the ash is heavier in the north and the west. The building itself is a good size, not the biggest around but it has multiple floors, multiple doorways, and even a few places we could turn into easy entrances that only we would know about. If it's anything like last time, the remaining doors are rusted shut, but I'm sure Ares could deal with them if we really needed." He finished as he gave a little grin to Ares, who quickly sat up before looking away from Rowan and focusing on the map on the table again. 

    Serena raised an eyebrow at them but dismissed the odd behavior before focusing on everything Rowan said,

    "Alright, well, so long as it's as great as you say, it'll be perfect. Now, how are we going to get a large amount of supplies all the way to the other side of the city? It's not like we have anything to transport ourselves, let alone anything else." She sighed heavily as she covered her face with her hand, rubbing her forehead a bit, "Perhaps Xillie and Fennala know of a cart we could have? Or borrow at the least..but even then, that would be such a difficult journey." She sighed softly. 

    Meanwhile, Rowan turned his gaze to Ares and gave him a little grin, causing Ares to slowly turn to look at him as his expression slowly turned more confused and unsure of what Rowan was thinking,

    "I got an idea." Rowan finally spoke, causing both members of his group to look at him. He paused for a moment before looking to Ares again, "Well, you have a special skill that might work for that. Especially because...we could just fly to the base." He said softly, watching as Ares's body went stiff and he glanced at Serena. Quickly sitting up, Rowan placed a hand on Ares's shoulder, "Ares, hey, it's okay. You know we can trust her. She's gonna find out sooner or later anyways, better to tell her yourself, isn't it?" He spoke in a calm and quiet voice as he gently held his hand on Ares's shoulder, 'I hope he's not upset with me about this. It's time she knows, especially before we raid that base.' Rowan's thoughts wandered for a moment, but he pulled it back and focused on Ares.

    Ares had moved to clasp his hands tightly together as he stared at his shoes, his eyes darting around every now and again as various ideas, thoughts, and possibilities raced through his mind, and Serena just watched in confusion,

    "What's this special skill?" She asked as her brows knit together and her gaze focused on Ares. 

    It was quiet for a moment before Ares spoke, although he never raised his gaze from the floor, 

    "I'm...I'm a dragon shifter. What Rowan is getting at, is that I can fly." He explained slowly like he was choosing his words carefully. Serena stared at Ares in shock for a moment before nodding softly as her expression relaxed into one of warmth,

    "Thank you for telling me, Ares. Let's use that as our last resort, yeah?" She asked with a small smile. Ares slowly looked up from the ground to look at Serena for a moment before looking back to the ground and relaxing his clasped-together hands, 

    "...Yeah." He agreed quietly as he gave a small nod. After a pause, Rowan spoke up,    

    "Well, we can always see if anyone around here has a cart we could buy off them, so we can transport things easier." He recommended, causing both Serena and Ares to nod in agreement. 

    Suddenly the squeaking of a metal door could be heard, and the smell of stew began to waft into the room, causing Rowan's stomach to growl as he realized how hungry he was, 'Man, I didn't realize I needed to eat, I've been so focused on everything else I forgot to eat.' He thought with an internal sigh. But as the metal door shut and made another 'clunk' noise, he was brought back to reality and looked to the hallway as Xillie and Fennala entered the room. Xillie was holding a metal tray with three bowls on it, while Fennala held two bowls on a smaller metal tray. The two approached the group and Xillie smiled as she began to hand out the bowls of stew from her tray, 

    "There's more if anyone wants seconds after this." She said as she finished handing out the bowls, while a chorus of thanks left the trio. She set the tray down on the table as Fennala then placed her tray on top of that one, and handed Xillie a bowl of stew before taking her own bowl into her hands. 

    Rowan was the first to begin to eat, happily beginning to do so with a small hum, although the food was hot and he was burning his mouth a bit you wouldn't think so based on his facial expression, 'Man, I missed their cooking Fennala makes the best stews...' He thought to himself as he ate with a small smile. Ares followed Rowan's lead and began to eat, although he had no reaction to the temperature of the food either and simply enjoyed his bowl of stew with a neutral expression. 

    Meanwhile, the trio of women on the couch to the right of Ares and Rowan stared at the two in horror, "You guys...It's hot." Xillie said softly as she stared at them. Serena looked baffled as she looked at the two members of her team, 

    "I can feel the heat from the bowl...how are neither of you reacting at all?" She asked as she set her stew down on the coffee table, carefully avoiding the map. Ares was quiet for a moment before muttering, 

    "Immune to fire and heat." He immediately resumed eating, and all eyes were on Rowan; as they were satisfied with Ares's answer. Rowan swallowed a mouthful of stew and looked up at the women before giving a lopsided grin, 

    "I'm just stupid and don't care. It's not gonna kill me. And if it did, then so be it." He gave a small chuckle before returning to eating his stew. 

    A heavy sigh left Serena as she folded her arms and shook her head a bit, while Xillie shook her head beside her and shifted the bowl of stew to also rest on the table, beside Serena's. Fennala paused for a moment though as she watched Rowan with a small smile until Ares eyes darted up to meet hers and he stared at her quietly while eating. This caused her to quickly look away and set her bowl down on the table, near the corner as she looked to the floor, while Ares turned his gaze back to his food. 

    After a few minutes of quiet amongst everyone except Serena and Xillie, who were chatting about clothing choices here while Fennala listened, Rowan spoke up,

    "Can I have more please, Nala?" He asked with a little lopsided smile. Fennala smiled softly in return before nodding and walking over to him and gently taking the bowl from his hands as he offered it up to her, their hands touching in the process; which caused Fennala to jump back a bit and nearly drop the bowl. Rowan quickly caught the bowl before handing it to her with a small smile, "Still clumsy I see." He teased, causing Fennala to shyly look away and give a small, nervous smile in response. She took the bowl and headed to the kitchen, the metal door clunking closed behind her. 

    Rowan looked to the others around him and noticed Ares had a slightly irritated expression, while Serena and Xillie were eating their stew and talking to each other about Colkirk; although it was mostly Xillie telling her about it and Serena comparing it to other places she has been. After a pause, Rowan looked back to Ares and gave a small smile, "What's up Ares? You're glaring your stew." He joked lightly with a smile. Ares glanced at Rowan before forcing his expression neutral, then shook his head a bit,

    "It's nothing." He replied in his usual monotone voice, although it was quieter than usual. This caused Rowan to knit his brows together as he watched Ares quietly eat his remaining stew,

    "Are you sure?" He asked once more, his worried gaze focused on Ares. A small hum left Ares as he nodded, then finished his stew before setting the bowl in his lap.

        After a moment of watching him, Rowan nodded softly before looking up as he heard the loud clanking of the metal door opening and closing, then Fennala appeared in the hallway and made her way to Rowan; although she had two bowls in her hands. Once she got to Rowan, she handed him a bowl before offering one to Ares with a nervous smile, who stared at her quietly as he accepted the bowl. After a moment he gave a nod of thanks as Rowan quickly thanked Fennala before beginning to eat his stew again, while Fennala made her way back to the couch and began to eat her own stew; all while listening to the conversation between the other two women on the couch. 

Rowan began to eat his new serving of stew as Ares set his empty bowl on the table before beginning to eat his second bowl. It was peacefully quiet, minus the chatter between the two women on the couch and the noises of spoons clanking against metal bowls. Once Rowan had finished his meal he set his bowl on the table, stacking it with Ares's bowl before looking at Ares with a small smile,

    "You know, I'm proud of you for telling Serena about..y'know. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot though." He spoke softly and gave a nervous smile as he rubbed his arm a bit, "But, I know we can trust Serena. She wants to stop Wings just as much as I hate them, and she's a pretty accepting person so far." He said with a more relaxed and warm smile. 

    Ares had turned his gaze to Rowan as he spoke and felt a bit of heat rush to his cheeks at being praised, causing him to turn his head back to look at his stew as his hair fell into his face a bit from lowering his head a bit. It was quiet for a moment before Ares spoke softly,

    "You're right, I should trust her more. She's had our backs so far.. and you're right about that part too. She wants to stop Wings more than anything, so she has no reason to betray us." He replied in a soft tone as he stirred his stew with his spoon. Rowan couldn't help but grin a bit at Ares's words and hummed softly in response,

    "Right. I know trust isn't gained that easily, but try to trust her. Xill and Nala can be trusted too, but you just met them so I don't expect you to trust them much." He said with a lopsided smile. Ares glanced at Rowan before looking back to his stew, 'He keeps smiling at me. Why is it making my heart race every time? And..the way he's talking to me. He understands me. No one ever has except...mom.' He felt tugging at his heartstrings as his thoughts wandered, but he quickly brought them back before speaking, "...I'll do my best." A simple answer, but still an efficient one.  

Rowan smiled softly and nodded at Ares as he leaned back on the couch, 

    "That's all I ask of anyone." He hummed with a small grin. He leaned back into the corner of the arm and back of the couch and looked to Ares as he put his arm over the back of the couch and his other arm supporting him on the arm of the couch, "Are you finished with your stew?" He asked with a head tilt, noticing Ares just staring at it. Ares seemed to jump a bit as Rowan asked if he was done before giving a small nod and moving to set his bowl on the table next to the other bowls, as Xillie's bowl joined theirs on the table. Fennala's was next, followed by Serena's moments after, and Xillie spoke up,

    "I'm going to go wash these dishes. It's getting late though, would you all like some blankets and pillows to sleep for the night?" She asked as she stood up and straightened out her clothes before giving a smile. The trio all shared looks before Rowan nodded and gave a lopsided grin,

    "That'd be great, Xill. Thanks." He hummed as he sat up a bit, while Serena nodded,

    "Yes, thank you." She smiled warmly at Xillie. The smile was returned as Xillie then turned to Fennala,

    "You able to help me, Fennala?" She asked with a small head tilt, while the other woman nodded softly before the two began to gather the dishes from dinner. 

    The two women made their way to the kitchen, obvious by the clunking of the door as it closed, and Serena began to take her hair down from the bun she had. She was now left with a ponytail of one large braid that reached past her knees, which she then began to unbraid before letting her hair down entirely; her hair now wavy and free of constraints. She looked between Rowan and Ares for a moment before speaking,

    "You know, Rowan, this was actually an excellent idea. I'm sorry I doubted you at first. It's just..a bit much, coming here for the first time." She spoke softly with a sheepish smile. 

Rowan gave a wave of dismissal at Serena as he gave a small shake of his head and smiled softly, 

    "No big deal, Rena. Colkirk is a bit much for anyone to take in at first, especially if you've heard the rumors about this place." He chuckled softly. A small hum of agreement and a nod left Serena, 

    "Yeah, I suppose that's true. I'm just grateful we have somewhere safe to sleep for the night. That's been harder to come by lately with how much Wings is pursuing us." She sighed softly as she ran a hand through her hair. 

    Rowan gave a sigh as well as he nodded a bit, then got a lopsided smile,

    "Let's focus on how good today was. We found some allies, a possible home base location, our next mission, and we got a good ass stew to eat for dinner. I'd call today a win." He said as his smile turned into more of a grin. Serena nodded a bit before giving a soft smile in return,

    "Yes, let's do that." She agreed in a soft tone before looking back as she heard the metal door to the kitchen open loudly once more. Meanwhile, Rowan looked to Ares, who was watching him with a very light pink hue dusting his pale cheeks. As he noticed this, Rowan tilted his head a bit and gave a lopsided grin,

 "What's up, Ares?" He asked with a hum, while Ares seemed to nearly jump out of his seat before looking to the ground as he shifted in his seat, 'Damn it! I was staring again! What's wrong with me?' Ares scolded himself as he stared at the ground, his brows scrunching together slightly. Rowan tilted his head once more at Ares's behavior, but before he could ask about it further, Fennala approached with armfuls of blankets; which Serena rushed to stand up and help her with. 

    A small thanks left Fennala as she then handed Rowan two blankets and gave a small, shy smile,

    "I don't know if you still get cold at night, but I thought I'd give you two blankets just in case you still do." She spoke in a soft voice as she glanced away. With a smile, Rowan sat up and accepted the blankets from her,

    "Thanks, Nala. You're right, I'm surprised you remembered that though." He chuckled softly and set the folded blankets beside him on the arm of the couch. He was still sitting up and a bit close to Fennala, who seemed very aware of this while Rowan was not, and he gave her a lopsided grin, "Means a lot, so thanks." He hummed. 

    Fennala looked a bit red in the face as she stared down at Rowan from his sitting position on the couch before she quickly shook her head and gave a sheepish smile,

    "No problem, Row." She spoke softly, using his old nickname. She paused before stepping back and smiling softly, "Goodnight, Rowan." She said softly before she began to leave, pausing as Rowan spoke back,

    "Goodnight, Nala. Sleep well." He said before leaning back onto the back of the couch and yawning. Fennala made her way out and returned to the kitchen where Xillie was, judging by the familiar sound of the door opening and closing after she left. 

Rowan leaned back into the couch and sighed softly as he laid his head back on the couch, looking to the ceiling, 

    "It's nice seeing them again. Some of the only friends I've ever had." He mumbled, then gave a nervous chuckle as he sat up and looked at the wall, "That came out way more depressing than I meant it to be." He spoke in a lighthearted tone. Serena gave a small shake of her head and smiled softly as she began to unzip her boots before emptying a knife in a holster out of her pocket, along with a few stray Wygen coming out of her pocket as well, "It's alright Rowan, you're just a little depressing sometimes in general, but we love you for it anyways." She lightly joked back. 

    A small chuckle rumbled from Rowan's throat as his half-lidded eyes were now back on the ceiling. He had moved his head to lean back against the couch once more and seemed to be drifting asleep, "Hmm. Loved, huh? Sounds nice. Any kind of love is nice..knowing you're cared about.." He mumbled more and more until he eventually just fell asleep. 

    Serena and Ares stared at Rowan with different expressions of surprise at his words; although Ares had more on his mind than he was leading on, 'He needs to never laugh like that again. My heart tried to come out of my throat, what the fuck was that? And.. his muttering.. does that mean he hasn't really had that in the past..? Maybe..that's why we get along so well.' He was watching Rowan with a slightly wide-eyed expression with a very faint blush on his cheeks before he quickly shook his head and looked to the ground.

Meanwhile, Serena had an expression of surprise laced with sadness as her own thoughts ran rampant in her head, 'I didn't mean to say love, we barely know each other...But I think if anyone hurt him I'd have to hurt them back, and he'd absolutely do the same for me. He DID the same for me, he saw me in trouble the first time we met and jumped in to help me without questions. That's just the person he is. Maybe I don't love him..but I sure as hell care about that idiot. Ares too, although he doesn't speak much but his care of Rowan and protection of myself have shown that he's kind. Along with the fact that he avoids landing any blows and simply dodges until his opponent is tired? He's a pacifist. A dragon shifter pacifist; that's not what you're told to think, but you can't believe everything you hear.' Her gaze shifted to Ares, who was staring at the ground still, 'He may love him though. Or, each other, maybe? Something is going on there but I'm not sure either of them have even noticed yet.' She sighed. A small smile came to Serena's face as she tuned back into the world and looked at Ares with a warm smile,

    "Let's get to bed Ares, Rowan will scold us in the morning if we don't do so soon." She spoke softly in an attempt to not wake Rowan, although he was a heavy sleeper usually unless there was a sudden noise, they noticed; Talking never woke him, but coughing sure did. 

    Ares seemed to snap back to reality at Serena's voice before nodding softly, 

     "Yeah." That was all he said before he stood up, then paused and looked at Rowan. Serena found herself smiling softly, 'He wants to cover him up.' She thought with warmth in her chest as she gathered her own blankets for the night before moving the remaining blankets to the largest couch, where Ares would sleep. Meanwhile, Ares carefully stepped over to Rowan before gently grabbing the blankets off his lap, then began to unfold them and carefully laid them across Rowan's lap to ensure he stayed warm during the night; He also knew of Rowan being cold easily during the night. Rowan barely stirred while Ares did this caring motion towards him, simply humming softly and shifting before falling back to sleep again. Ares couldn't help but smile softly as he stared down at Rowan for a moment; His peaceful expression warming Ares once thought to be cold, and dead heart.

Ares shook his head a bit and stood up before making his way over to the largest couch with the blankets and took his boots off as he sat down on that couch. As his gaze raised to Rowan's sleeping form on the couch and noticed his head slip off the couch and he fixed it before falling asleep again. A small sigh left Ares as he stood up once more before heading over to Rowan and carefully began to take his boots off him. He glanced up occasionally to make sure he didn't wake Rowan, and once he completed this action he set them to the side with a sigh. He stood once more as he scooped Rowan's legs and shifted his upper body to quickly and carefully lay him on the couch, with the cushy armrest as his pillow. Rowan stirred a bit before muttering something unintelligible to Ares, then going to sleep once more, causing Ares to feel his heart stop in his chest.

    Ares watched Rowan for a long moment as the heat slowly filled his cheeks, 'Gods he's cute. Wait- Oh, that's not good.' He quickly stood up straight before heading over to his couch and sitting down. He leaned his elbows against his knees and put his head in his hands as he felt his cheeks burn and his heart pound, 'Damn it! I have a crush on him! That's what this is! Oh, God's help me. I wasn't sure at first but I guess I decided! He can't find out. Not when we have important work to do, I don't want anything to distract any of us from our mission. Our goal.' He sighed heavily before running his hands through his hair and pulling his hair tie out of his hair; the one that held the majority of the front of his hair back. 

    As he raised his gaze he noticed Serena watching him with a smile and an expression he couldn't explain or understand, then she leaned over a bit and spoke softly, 

    "So, you realized finally?'" She spoke in a teasing tone, causing Ares's face to begin to burn as he huffed softly at her, turning away a bit. A very soft laugh left Serena as she tried to hold back her laughter, not wanting to wake Rowan for a multitude of reasons, "He has no idea, you know. He's a bit of an idiot sometimes when it comes to people's emotions. Fennala likes him too. Did you notice?" She asked in a whisper as she leaned towards Ares. 

Ares paused before looking to Serena and nodding softly, his brows knitting together slightly as he muttered, 

    "Do...you think he likes her?" He barely spoke loud enough for her to hear, and she was sure that was the intention, Serena couldn't help but hold back a laugh before shaking her head,

    "Nah, I think he likes her like a sister maybe. He treats her differently than me, but not by much. But I think that's also to accommodate her shy personality. But, don't worry. I think he likes you too." She smiled at Ares as she explained all this. Ares turned his head away a bit and unknowingly let out a breath of relief at her final words, only to sigh and drop his head as he scratched his head a bit. Serena could see his hesitation, "You..you're not going to tell him, are you? I mean, I guess I get it-" She started before Ares interrupted her for the first time ever,

    "It's too dangerous." He said simply, sitting up slightly to clasp his hands together and stare down at them. A small sigh left Serena as she nodded, 

    "Fair enough. I won't stay anything. But if he asks?" She questioned as she looked back to him, causing Ares to pause before nodding softly,

    "You can tell him." He spoke softly, feeling as if he was trusting her with his life again as he had done during previous battles. Although, he didn't quite 'need' the protection offered to him by both Serena and Rowan; he was strong on his own. He never had relied on anyone, but he knew they relied on him, and he cared for both of them so he would do his best to ensure neither got hurt. 

    Ares raised his gaze to Serena's just as she met his and began to speak,

    "We have to make sure this doesn't get back to Lady Skel. She'll exploit it, and she already wants him dead." She spoke softly, yet firmly. But Ares simply nodded along before unclasping his hands and letting them hang as he sighed and looked to the floor,

    "Yeah." He agreed quietly. Serena watched him for a moment before sighing,

    "I don't think telling him would be such a bad idea, but I'll keep my promise. I won't say anything unless he asks." She offered Ares a small smile, who glanced in her direction and gave a small nod of acknowledgment towards her. 

    There was a pause of silence between the two before Serena spoke, breaking it, "Let's get some sleep Ares, there's plenty to do tomorrow." She said softly before laying down on her couch and getting comfortable so she could sleep. Ares simply gave a grunt of response and lingered in his position on the side of the couch for a minute or so before moving onto the couch to lie down. 

    He covered himself with the blanket and covered himself up to his hips, with the end tucked under his feet, then turned to face the couch and settled into it before falling asleep. Serena's sleep followed behind him soon after, once he had settled into 'bed' for the night, she found herself able to relax and sleep as well. 

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    "Lady Skel, the men tracking your 'little problem', lost them outside Colkirk. They were hesitant to step inside without your orders." Came the monotone and deep voice of a young man. The man himself had hair that was slightly longer, shaggy, and straight, while his eyes were a piercing red; similar to scarlet. Little of his face could be seen due to his mask, and the rest of his body remained hidden in the shadows against the large concrete walls, the moonlight just casting enough light inside some of the base that the hallways could be seen; while others were lit with torches that held purple flames, which gave little light beside a dim glow. Some simply had candles on tables on either or both ends of the hallway, while these held regular colored flames compared to the purple flamed torches, and most hallways had heavy wood doors to them. 

    But this room? This one was different. This room had windows in the ceiling above that allowed the moonlight to pour in and highlight the concrete throne centered in the back of the room. The throne itself looked rather plain, except for a long plush black pillow that was glued onto the seat of the chair and went up the back a bit, undoubtedly making it more comfortable for the user. Inside the room were four men in hooded robes standing at posts; two on either side of the throne, and two on either side of the large wood doors used to enter the room. On the center of the floor was a large moon carved into the stone, with the moon divided into three sections, with ancient symbols carved in a circle around the moon; and the moonlight was shining on this as well. The room had sparse decorations, but statues of knights lined the entranceway of the room; although many of them had inhuman features among their armor, such as tails and horns. Besides this, little other decor was in the room except for a few banners on the walls. 

    Lady Skel herself, the woman in black, wore her usual black cloak over her head as her long black dress sleeves covered her hands; one of them anyway, and the other was holding a book while she paced the room. She ceased her pacing and looked to the man who had dared to speak her name, but she let out a sigh of frustration at his words,

    "No. Don't send anyone in." She said firmly as she loudly closed her book with one hand before setting it on the arm of her throne. She glided over to the throne as her black cloak slightly trailed on the ground behind her, then sat down on the edge. She rested both hands on either arm of the throne, looking at the male with a firm gaze,

    "I know it's not my place, Lady Skel.. but couldn't they have gone inside?" He asked softly, with a hint of uncertainty in his voice, earning a heavy sigh from the woman on the throne. She raised one of her hands to her face and rubbed the bridge of her nose,

    "No, Noir. With Rowan as their leader, they're likely to avoid such a place. Over the weeks we've been tracking him he's avoided it every time, why would he change that now? Besides, he's not an intelligent one. That's been proven over the series of attempts to eliminate him, but what he has is talent fighting." She sighed heavily in frustration and dropped her hand back onto the concrete her elbow rested against as she raised her gaze to the man. 

    He seemed undisturbed by her intense stare and harsh tone, and instead offered his thoughts,

    "Perhaps they've taken a turn to the east and gone to Willowdale? That is the closest city to that hell pit." He offered his ideas before silencing himself as he noticed Lady Skel turn her head from him and lean back a bit as her head tilted strangely, 

‘Colkrik is still burning? We lit that place up years ago! What's it been, nearly 1000 years now? Boy! There must be a lot of coal in that place. I wonder if anything still standing-' A deep dark voice echoed from within Lady Skel's head, but she cut it off before it could continue, 

    "Shut up!" She shouted, causing the man in the room to shift a bit as he seemed to jump a bit. He said nothing though and simply waited for her to sort things out within herself.

    Lady Skel pinched the bridge of her nose as she rested her elbow on the armrest of the throne before taking a slow, deep breath. She then muttered, "Not now Sarg, We have business to attend to.", although her words were heard by the man in the room he reacted little besides a small quirk of his left brow. The voice within Lady Skel hummed softly, 'You are right. But, we must discuss this further tonight. I can't believe it's still burning!' Laughed the dark voice as its voice became multiple during the laugh at the end; a sound that would send a chill down the spine of most people, a dark and menacing aura behind the cheerful glee in his tone. 

    A heavy sigh left Lady Skel as she crossed one leg over the other and she continued to pinch the bridge of her nose as her facial features scrunched slightly in anger and frustration, "Focus." She snapped in an angry whisper. A laugh echoed within her skull, one that gave her a headache sometimes, 'Yes, yes, we shall focus on this conversation about the thorn in our side.' It hummed in its deep tone. 

    She raised her brightly glowing purple eyes to look at the man in the shadows, her entire focus on him finally, "Nior, I agree with your plan of Willowdale. We'll send eight of our level fives. Perhaps numbers can overwhelm them? Meanwhile," She sat up properly and her gaze became more intense as it focused on Nior, who flinched none as she focused on him; he was used to her intense stares by this point. He tilted his head at her though, wondering what her 'meanwhile' could possibly mean, until she spoke it, "I want you to go to base C, the one outside Cokirk. If reports are true and they are out they are out that way, and that base is in danger of them finding it. Although it's unlikely they'll survive much further than the first hallway, I would feel much more...comfortable, if you personally kept an eye on the place. One week, that's all I ask of you now. Easy enough job, yes? You have to do little more than watch the camera's in the security room, and defend it with your life should they make it close." Her voice was light in feeling and intense in feeling at the same time.

        The importance of the job was clear to him, especially because she was bribing him in a way as well to convince him to agree; although truly, he wasn't sure he had a choice,

    "Yes, Lady Skel. I'll remain there as long as you need." He spoke in a monotone voice, but there was a hint of determination behind it. He wouldn't let her down, he hadn't yet. 

    "Good. Thank you, Noir. You may leave now. Go rest in one of the spare chambers, should you need to." She smiled, but it had a wickedness to it that made Noir feel a bit sick to his stomach for a moment. Of course, he didn't show it, he simply gave a nod,

    "Thank you, Lady Skel. But I would like the comfort of my own home and bed. I bid you farewell and goodnight." He nodded his head at her but lingered for a moment. Once Lady Skel turned her gaze away from him and sighed, he took that as his cue to leave and silently did so. 

    The room was almost silent for several minutes before Lady Skel let out a sigh once more, 

    "Alright, Sarg, what would you like to know?" Her voice rang out softly in the air as she leaned her back against the back of the throne, slumping slightly. 

PREV

[messylustt]

you deserve better ( all mine ) — ethan landry + reader ( scream ) : after ethan’s protective outburst you distract yourself with a date. ethan doesn’t seem too happy about hearing it and isn’t too scared to show exactly why.

contents : p in v. vague nipple play. kissing (duh). mention of a dead body + blood, dom ethan. possessive ethan. wc 2.3k.

pt one pt two

ethan dusted his hands off as if he had just been eating cookies, though instead of crumbs on his palms it was drying blood. his brushes did little to get rid of the red.

his closet carpet was ruined with an everlasting stain, that he hoped no one would see. he covered the floor with boxes of spare clothes and things no one ever used anymore.

it was reckless to chuck a dead body in his closet but he didn’t have time to move it anywhere else before you had barged in muttering about said specific dead body ghosting you. george, ethan thinks the kids name was. the whiny, frat boy who should really switch names with his roommate to become the well rounded dick he was always meant to be.

sadly george won’t be able to fulfil his full potential, being dead and all.

ethan had just dumped the dead boy in the shadowed channel, letting him drift away with the sewage.

god, what had you even seen in him. ethan had to hold back rolling his eyes as he began to make his way along the streets. you needed someone so much better than practically all the guys in new york city. him included. but he didn’t dwell on that too much.

you had left and he let you go that day. of course it would have been out of the blue for your good friend to kiss you. and that was probably a big mistake on your own, letting him. because now he most certainly couldn’t get you out of his head. and he had no intention of doing so.

ethan thought that some time alone to process would be beneficial for you. even if his version is only a day. it was night now, as he passed costumed people, his bloody hands not exactly out of place.

when he reached his dorm he was quick to wash away the dark red before chad got back. the blood disappeared down the sink as he became the not so well known ethan landry. the dorky, shy nerd with a slight habit of being out of the loop.

his phone began to buzz. he quickly withdrew it from his pocket and was overly eager to place it to his ear when he saw your name flash on his screen.

“ethan, hey, um, I’m sorry to ask this, but are you free to pick me up?” your voice was soft in his ear, and his face couldn’t pick whether to display happiness that you’d called him or concern that you sounded sad.

you were swaying on the spot, the chill night air brushing your hair occasionally. you had just walked out of a cheap pizzeria holding down the urge to throw your remaining slices at the dick inside. worst date you’ve ever been on, hands down.

ethan had always been one of the first people you called when you were either stuck somewhere or just wanted his opinion. but after yesterday you had decided to call your other friends first. sam picked up, but sadly had to apologise as she was busy. she had still offered to pick you up anyway but you refused. she had an interview and the last thing you wanted was to ruin that.

you weren’t sure where you and ethan stood, but the colder the night got and the creepier the street became you were quick to dial his number.

“yeah, of course. where are you?” ethan asked, rustling with something that sounded like his keys.

you gaze up at the bold name of the pizzeria and relayed it back to ethan.

“alright, i’m on my way. don’t go into an alleyway.”

you chuckle, not realising how dead serious ethan was on the other line.

“i won’t. thanks.”

“anytime.” and then he hung up and your stomach twisted. When he had kissed you he had said you didn’t need another guy, ethan would be there for you.

you knew he wasn’t lying because he’d shown it. always picking up your calls, always listening to your rants, always comforting you whenever the day had been shit.

but some part of you had been surprised by his forwardness. you’d never seen him so protective before.

you suddenly hear the turn of wheels as you gaze down the street, ethan’s car coming to a stop beside you. you quickly grabbed the handle, getting in.

“careful, i could have been some creep with the same car.” ethan says as you clip the seat buckle in.

you scoff, smiling a fraction. “your curls are pretty distinct-able — even through your car window.”

“you noticed my curls?” he teases, as he starts up the car, driving off. “i styled them just for you.”

you snort, sparing a glance out the window. “speaking of styled, why do you look so nice?” ethan asks, urging you to glance back at him.

you freeze, not having properly looked at him since you’d been so…close. you gulp, facing forward. “um, I was just grabbing dinner.”

ethan’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel. “alone?”

weirdly his simple, one worded question racked your body with nerves. you had just kissed, not proclaimed your underlying love for each other. it was fine that you went on a date.

you glance back at ethan, who catches your gaze with an expected raise to his brows.

“no.” you begin. “not alone. though, i wish i had been.” you mutter the last part, sparing a scoff at the man who had totally ruined your night…and your love for cucumbers. you grimace.

ethan’s eyes narrow. “a date?” he portrayed his voice to sound easy, light even. but, god, was he fuming on the inside.

was kissing you not enough to get you to only look at him? was giving you time to process the wrong decision?

“it was a shitty one.” you answered. ethan’s jaw clenched as he tried not to choke the steering wheel with his grip.

“in what way?”

“he was just way too…sexual. like he literally began talking about how a cucumber feels the best up a girl just as we had begun eating.” you fake throwing up at the memory, sparing a half hearted laugh after.

but ethan wasn’t laughing. way too sexual?

“did he touch you?”

you finally look back at ethan, his dark gaze staying on the road, while his knuckles contrasted in colour, the grip looking painful.

“only my leg, he was trying to be charming.” you say. “did not work.” you mutter out, running your hands down your dress.

“why’d you go out with him?” ethan asked.

“i…i actually don’t know.” yes, you did. you weren’t sure how you were feeling about ethan and if the kiss had ruined your friendship, since you hadn’t heard from him that day. you had needed a distraction.

“you don’t know?” ethan reiterates, a slight hint of annoyance in his voice.

“it was a dumb choice.”

“like always.”

you gulp, remembering his words, and how he had thought that all you could choose was shitty men. you hated the fact that he was kind of right.

“i’ll choose more carefully next time—” ethan cuts in.

“no, you won’t.” he chuckles, humour lost.

you eye him, as he suddenly turns a sharp left.

“you’ll find another douchebag at another party and go on another shitty date.” ethan’s driving was turning more aggressive as the night got quieter outside.

“ethan—”

“no, i’m tryna help you, y/n. from making another bad decision.” ethan cuts in. “from choosing another dick who shouldn’t be allowed to touch you.”

your grip has shifted to your dress, staring at ethan as you dart your gaze occasionally to the road.

“every guy-related decision you make sucks.”

“like kissing you back?” the words fell from your lips before you could stop yourself. ethan’s head whips to you, eyes narrowing.

he suddenly jerks the car right, and pushes his foot on the brake. the car hits a stop somewhere off the road. somewhere pretty damn dark. and then he’s reaching over to you, unbuckling your seatbelt in one swift movement and yanking you to him by your wrist.

you gasp as you land on his lap, knee dangerously close to his groin. his breath is right by your ear, warm and tantalising. “what did you say?”

you gulp, all your nerves re-arising. “i— the kiss.” you don’t know where your sentence was meaning to go, neither do you know where his dragging hand is leading to.

“i was talking about your stupid decisions.” ethan begins, his hand now circling around your thigh, as he pulls you down, so that your straddling him. your eyes are wide and your heart is hammering.

“kissing me was one the best decisions you could have made.” he hisses, each syllable hitting your face, his so close to yours.

“i’ve never seen you so cocky.” you breathe.

ethan slowly smiles. “oh, it’s not cockiness if i know exactly what you need.”

he then pulls you further into him, until you can feel everything. you gulp. he was hard. even you could tell how painful it felt.

he held down a groan at the feeling of you pressed fully against him. fuck.

“i thought i told you already, that you don’t need another guy.” ethan says, his hands winding around your hips. “i told you that no other guy needs to touch you.” ethan paused to run his fingers along your spine, reaching the zipper of your dress.

“to taste you…” he drifts off as he leans forward to lick right by your ear, making you jolt. your action shoots straight to ethan’s cock as he lets out a groan. he grabs your jaw. “or to kiss you.” he smashes his lips to yours, sucking your tongue and bottom lip as you gasp-moaned into him.

he was panting against you as he didn’t let your lips go, his hand at your back grabbing the zipper and yanking it down. the sound and feel catches your ear and sends a shiver down your spine, as you break away from ethan’s lips.

“i thought you didn’t want this.” you say, breathless as the dress loosens to where the top of your lacy bra is showing. he hadn’t texted you all day, which is something very unusual for ethan.

ethan’s brows furrow. “didn’t want this?” He’s in disbelief. “you really think I didn’t want you?”

you hadn’t known what to think. “i don’t know.”

ethan scoffs, as he pulls your dress further down so that your bra is now on full display. your nipples immediately harden at the cool air.

“don’t you ever fucking think that again.” ethan growls. “i meant what i said. no other guy can have you.” he then leans up to your lips, his hand raising to run a finger along the underneath of your covered breast. “your all for me.”

then he kisses you, wrapping one arm around your waist, while the other unclips your bra. “shit.” he says to your lips as he brushes his hand over your tit, now naked and exposed. his thumb rubs over your nipple making your breathing shudder.

“ethan…” you breathe out as he pinches your nipple.

“that’s it. moan my name like you should have even doing a long time ago.” he’s just as breathy, as his hand drops to your thigh, hiking your dress higher, before he’s reaching for your panties.

you jolt when he grazes over the wet patch. he grins at the feeling. “i hope your wet for me and not that guy earlier.”

you shake your head as he pushes past your panties and immediately sinks a finger into your weeping pussy. “huh?” ethan taunts.

“no. god, no, he was a tool.” you gasp out as he sinks his finger in and out.

“just like all guys. besides me, right?” ethan asks almost innocently. to which you moan in response as he adds a second finger.

your nearly riding his fingers as your hips grind. “right, y/n?”

“yes, yes, christ not you.”

he seems pleased with your response as he quickens his pace, but then he pulls away completely, allowing a closely pathetic whine to fall from your lips.

“i’m sure you’ve been fingered before, so I want to make a more lasting impression.” ethan says before his belt is gone and his cock is out.

your eyes widen slightly at the size. unexpected from ethan’s “shy” exterior.

he grabs your hips, aligning you briefly before he’s pulling you down and onto his cock. it was extremely fast as if he couldn’t help but be inside you right then.

but then he’s cursing. “fuck— a condom—” he harshly breathes at the feeling of you wrapped around him. in his haste to get inside you he had forgotten a condom, but your quick to push further down, swallowing him whole, as you go to grind.

“don’t worry. i’m on birth control.” you whisper before you kiss his neck.

he would breath out in relief if not for your continuous bouncing on his cock. “oh, fuck.” his head hits back against the car seat, as he helps you ride him, digging his fingertips into the skin of your waist.

you moan, your forehead getting sweaty. “better than i imagined.” ethan breathes.

“you’ve ‘imagined’ me?” you manage to get out as your rhythm becomes sloppier and quicker.

ethan groans. “oh, i’ve done more then ‘imagine’, you, y/n.” his mouth hangs open in pleasure. you expect him to say more but he instead whimpers and groans.

ethan wasn’t sure he should share what else he’s thought about regarding you, what he’d done for you. one a specific felony that would make you run. he didn’t want that. you were finally in his arms and he wasn’t about to ruin that by explaining why every guy had ghosted you.

blood was on his hands, embedded in the creases of his palms. you didn’t know how protective he could get, how protective he had gotten.

so instead of explaining his fucked up actions he pulls you closer and against your sweet tasting skin, whispers “all mine.”

© messylustt.tumblr please don’t steal, copy or translate my work onto other platforms.

[nerd-at-sea5]

robin gets beat up and cannot hide anything from nancy bc it's nancy so cute ronance ensues bc i love them

im using canon pronouns for everyone bc i’m still working out my gender hcs for them all :) (max is nb but idk pronouns yet)

cw-blood, fighting, slurs, homphobia, abuse

robin buckley didn’t dislike being slammed into walls.

ok scratch that, she liked it when it was nancy wheeler doing the slamming. because that normally came with a kiss.

when it’s some random dickheaded kid from school, she likes it less. a lot less.

“hey faggot.”

“hey jack-hole. you know, i’m really starting to think you’re why condoms we’re invented.”

sharp pain to the shoulder blades, “that sounds like it’ll bruise, buckley.”

she did her best to smirk through the grimace, “it’s fine, i’ll get your mom to patch it up next time i go to rail her. say hi to your little brother for me!”

the kid’s grip lessened, “what?” then his expression changed, and before robin could see his arm swinging, one, two, three-there was blood pouring from her nose, her right eye felt like it was swelling and she could feel a split lip with her tounge.

he and his posse stalked away as robin sank to the floor with a groan.

the best part is that the dude didn’t even know she was gay. no one did-outside of the party + adults involved with party.

he was just a run-of-the-mill bully who liked to call kids faggots. go figure.

either way, the brunette was a little proud of herself, normally in those situations she’d fight back, and 9/10 times she hurt the dude worse than he hurt her, it’s probably why she’s been suspended. twice.

but sarcasm is easier when it comes to robin’s academics. not so much her physical and mental health.

she groaned again, pressing her palms to her eyes in an attempt to push back the tears threatening to spill, it didn’t work so robin hauled herself up and punched the locker.

“OW FUCK ME.”

biking with one or no hands was easy and didn’t even faze robin much, so as she dumped her bike in the wheelers front yard, adding to the pile, she swung her short hair in front of her eyes as best she could, a futile attempt but still an attempt to hide the forming bruise.

the door swung open without anyone touching it, and robin took that as a sign to go in, flopping herself down next to nancy and steve on the couch while the boys argued over a movie, max and el sat in a chair together whispering.

“afternoon nerds.”

a smattering of “hey rob.” “hi.” “afternoon.” came out of the kids, steve reached over to lay his arm over her shoulders, the other around jonathan, both who had their eyes on the boys.

nancy on the other hand, raised her eyebrow and gently brought a hand up tp robin’s face, who tried to redirect it, “nance don’t-”

“oh my god, robin!” her yell alerted everyone else, and steve instantly swung around, “jesus christ, rob-what happened to you-”

“n-nothing!” robin sputtered out, holding her palms up as nancy rushed to the bathroom, steve on her heals before robin held up her hand.

“well come on then!”

her girlfriend pointed at the sink, “sit.”

“nancy, really i’m-”

“robin buckley so help me god do not lie to me right now. you are not fine, and if you say so much as it it will be a bigger lie than mike saying he’s not in love with will. now, for fucks sake. express your goddamn emotions and don’t fucking hide them from me.”

she finishes putting tape on robin’s face and steps between her legs, gently running a hand over the taller girl’s lip, “i love you to much to keep watching you get hurt.”

nancy’s voice was so soft it was nearly a whisper, and it almost broke robin’s heart.

she really did try, she tried to fly under the radar, not get called out by assholes, but people had been pegging her as the weirdest girl in hawkins for years now.

robin knew that every time she showed up somewhere with a new bruise-nancy knew exactly how she’d gotten it.

face=school, arms/legs=biking or other mooter accident, torso=well. torso meant parents.

“i love you too, nance.”

nancy’s lips twitched for a second, “then stop getting yourself all beat up.”

“oh i thought looked hot like this.” robin quips back, earning a light glare from nancy, who sighs.

robin’s stomach twists, and she gently hooks her feet around nancy’s back, pulling her closer to her chest, wrapping her arms around nancy’s back and burying her face in her shoulder/neck.

“i don’t want to lose you just when i’ve got you for the first time you know.”

robin smiles into her girlfriends neck, “your not losing me anytime soon baby.”

“baby?”

“oh please, i’ve heard steve call you way worse.”

“mhm...i like it better from you.”

robin smiles again, “baby it is then.”

nancy’s reply is replaced with a gasp as the taller girl presses her lips to the shorter’s neck, over and over again.

nancy’s back hits the door, and robin feels butterflies so intense in her stomach that she thinks she might explode.

she can’t fathom why someone would ever need drugs when kissing feels like this.

maybe it’s because robin’s kissing nancy fucking wheeler.

and because nancy fucking wheeler kissed her first, right outside her parents bedroom, where her dad was sleeping.

the same dad who would not be ok with it if he found out that not one, but both of his kids swing both ways.

robin’s parents won’t be that happy either, but joyce is.

robin’s practically living with the byers/hoppers at this point-she’s claimed the guest room and when people come over steve takes the floor and nancy curls up next to robin and they talk all night with jonathan.

“i’m ok nancy. really.”

when nancy’s looking up at her with those blue eyes and steady grin saying “you better be.” robin is convinced she’d take another hundred hits to the face for this girl.

“i love you robin, i really really do.”

yep. she really would.

[vilithshaven]

Himbo!God trying to teach Ei how to cook starting simply with boiling an egg. Ei ends up forgetting about the egg and comes running back when she finds Himbo!God turning off the stove to a very burnt boiled egg. Himbo!God try’s cheering her up saying it could still be edible on the inside and they touch it only for it to explode from the heat trapped inside LMAO😭😭😭

Himbo!God teaching Ei how to cook

Archons trying to cook is strangely hilarious. Do they even need food? It's been a long time this she has last cooked that's for sure.

Hope you enjoy~

-Vin

EI

Ei wasn't the biggest fan of cooking really, she much preferred baking a sweat treat instead of sweating over a stove cutting onions.

But she could not resist the beaming smile of her god begging her to cook with them. She had even informed them that she cannot cook that well and they insisted upon teaching her.

Truly...she was weak.

So here they both are in a big kitchen, aprons on and her hair tied back.

Ei was already starting to sweat and the stove wasn't even turned on.

"So! We're going to grab these chicken babies-"

"?!" Ei looked at them, startled by their weird wording.

"and we're going to drop them in the hot water-"

They took the filled pot and set the stove on high to boil the water.

"then afterwards, we enjoy!" They smiled

Ei sighed, it sounded simple enough that even a hillichurl could do it.

As the water boiled, Ei was calming herself down. She was an Archon, she could cook a simple egg, no problem!

Her god grabbed an egg and handed it to her, she gently cupped it in her hands and looked at them.

"You can do it!" They cheered for her.

Ei went up to the now boiling water and gently dropped the egg in, hot water splashed onto the surface making her back up.

"So..how long does this take to boil?" She asked

Her god seemed distracted as they looked out the window.

"Oh! Just a few minutes." They responded, their eyes never leaving whatever has caught their attention.

She walked over to them and saw crystalflies outside, their hypnotizing glow no doubt reeled her god in.

"If you send an electro spark to the crystalflies, do they go boom or do they go brrrz?"

Ei raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms trying to figure out what the difference was between the two sounds.

"I..don't think they sound like either one, your grace."

They pouted and went closer to the window.

"Well let's find out! Maybe they go bing instead!"

They tried climbing over and out the window causing Ei to panic. She quickly grabbed onto their hips and tried to drag them back in despite their protests.

"Your grace! I do not think you should go and touch a crystalfly!" Her voice held worry as she spoke.

Her god stuck their tongue out in response and got out of her arms much to her dismay.

Suddenly they both heard the sound of hot water splashing and the sizzling spilling all over the hot surface. They quickly rushed over and turned the stove off, dumping the water hot water into a nearby sink with the strainer catching the burnt egg.

Ei disappointingly sighed, clearly the egg was overdone and she had failed.

"We can still use it!" Her god spoke and grabbed the egg only for it to explode in their hands making the Archon gasp and grab their hands.

"Your grace!" She grabbed a towel and ran their hands under cold water, her god giggling at her actions.

Ei can't cook, she knows that. But she wouldn't mind doing this again sometime.