#oh my god i was NOT prepared i literally got lightheaded everyone give me a moment in this trying time

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

AYO HUH SURPRISE HALLOWEEN WEBSITE UPDATE??????

[waitineedaname]

It was Tommy Coolatta’s birthday, and Gordon Freeman was shaking in a Chuck E. Cheese bathroom.

He hadn’t planned to end up there. He hadn’t planned to be in many of the places he’d been in the past… god. Week? Weeks? Month? The realization that he couldn’t remember how long he’d spent trying to escape Black Mesa made him grip the cheap tile of the bathroom countertops and shake even harder.

He’d tried to make it through the party as long as he could, he really had. He’d danced with Bubby and Coomer and tried his hand at the arcade machines and eaten what pizza he could stomach. But it was just… so much. He wasn’t sure how the others could party like that after everything they’d gone through. Everyone coped differently, he supposed.

He should probably go back out there soon, for Tommy’s sake. It was his birthday, after all, and after everything Tommy had done for him, he owed it to him to at least celebrate with him. He just… needed a minute. Maybe none of them had even realized he’d left yet.

“Mr. Freeman?”

Damn.

“Hey, Tommy.” Gordon offered Tommy a weak smile, though he could see in the mirror that it was more of a grimace. “Sorry, man, I’ll be back out there in a second. It was just… a lot.”

Tommy nodded, a sympathetic look on his face. “Do… Is it okay if I join you?”

“What? You don’t have to keep me company dude, it’s your birthday. Don’t stop having fun on my account.” Gordon tried to wave him towards the door, but Tommy was shaking his head before he’d even finished his sentence.

“No, I… It’s a lot for me too. The-” Tommy gestured vaguely as if searching for a word and failing to find it, “All of it.”

“Oh.” Gordon blinked. “Then, yeah, pull up a chair, I guess.”

Tommy gave him a small smile and shut the bathroom door behind him. He leaned his back against it and let out a sigh that Gordon echoed.

They stood there in silence for a while, Gordon doing his best to get his shaking under control. With anyone else, he might have felt awkward, but this was Tommy. Tommy had been the one to practically carry him through countless tunnels and vats of questionable liquid when he was delirious from blood loss. If there was anyone he trusted to not judge him for having a breakdown in the bathroom, it was Tommy.

The metal of the HEV suit clinked against the linoleum of the sink, and suddenly it struck him how much he wanted this thing off.

“Hey, uh,” Gordon spoke up, clearing his throat. Tommy hummed in acknowledgement, “You’ve read a bunch of manuals, right? Did you read the HEV suit manual?”

“Uh, yeah!”

“Think you could get this thing off me?”

Tommy’s eyes widened like he’d only just realized how long Gordon had been wearing the suit. “Oh! Yeah, I can- I think I can do that.”

Tommy approached him slowly, as if approaching a skittish cat, then became more confident in his movements when Gordon gave no sign of flinching away. He began working on the back of Gordon’s chestplate first, slender fingers working deftly on the bolts and buckles that held it together. It was slow work, but with each piece Tommy lifted off him, Gordon felt he could breathe easier. A literal weight was lifted off him, and it only made him more aware of the ache deep in his bones. Every few minutes, there would be a loud noise from the main entertainment area of the Chuck E. Cheese; Gordon would flinch away from the sound, and Tommy would freeze in his movements, but then they would hear Coomer’s loud laughter or a snide, muffled comment from Bubby, and they would relax and resume their work.

After what felt like eons, Tommy finished unclasping the last buckle on Gordon’s boots, stepping back to let him toe them off himself. The HEV suit was a pile of orange rubble surrounding them, and Gordon suddenly felt exposed in nothing but his socks and the dark jumpsuit he’d been wearing under the suit. He felt like he could stand up straight without straining for the first time in weeks, and the feeling of the overpowered Chuck E. Cheese air conditioning seeping through the sleeves of his jumpsuit left him feeling flayed raw. 

Tommy was staring at him with an unreadable look on his face, hands flexing and unflexing in a nervous stim. He reached out a hand, hesitated, then laid it on Gordon’s left forearm. Gordon’s skin burned under his touch. When was the last time he’d felt someone else’s body heat?

“Can…” Tommy’s voice was quiet and sounded as fragile as Gordon felt, “Can I hug you?”

Gordon didn’t trust himself to speak around the lump the size of a tennis ball in his throat, so he just nodded. Tommy outstretched long arms, and the two of them fell into each other. 

Gordon’s whole body felt like it was buzzing right down to his core. He was lightheaded as everything hit him in that moment. All he had gone through. All he had survived. The fact that he was out, and he was alive. The fact that this was the first time he’d touched someone and felt it on his skin since he’d dropped Joshua off at his mom’s the week of the test. And it was Tommy who got to hold the title of the first person to hug him in far too long. Tommy who had been kind to him even when stress was making them all snappish, and who had made jokes with him when things felt grim. Tommy who had been the only one he trusted when everyone else left him for dead, Tommy who fought by his side so loyally and who removed that horrible suit with such impossible tenderness. 

Gordon pressed his face into the shoulder of Tommy’s filthy polo shirt that smelled like sweat and blood but was warm and had probably been soft at some point, and he let out the loudest sob in his life. His voice shattered on the noise, and then he suddenly couldn’t hold it back anymore, sob after sob wrenching its way out of his throat. 

He wasn’t sure he’d ever cried like this. Not when he was in labor with Joshua, not at any point during the Resonance Cascade, not even when his arm was being cut off. Nothing compared to these deep sobs that seemed to claw their way out of somewhere deep in his soul to burst out of his chest as everything crashed into him all at once.

He could feel Tommy’s fist balled in the back of his jumpsuit, and he could feel and hear Tommy weeping quietly into where he’d pressed his face into Gordon’s hair, and the raw sensations of it all only made him sob harder.

They stood there, clinging to each other until Gordon’s knees couldn’t hold him up any longer, and then they both sank to the ground, still holding onto each other like they were each other’s life lines. Maybe they were.

Eventually, Gordon simply couldn’t cry anymore, his tear ducts emptied, leaving him with a dehydration headache and a sore throat. He didn’t extricate himself from Tommy’s hold, though, and Tommy didn’t seem like he was going to let go any time soon either. He’d cried himself empty sooner than Gordon had, and now he was just stroking his fingers through Gordon’s knotted curls. Gordon didn’t want to think about how nasty his hair must be right now, caked in blood and sweat and god knows what else, but Tommy’s hand in his hair felt more soothing than aloe on a sunburn. 

He snorted quietly when the simile occurred to him. He’d maybe been spending too much time with Tommy. He then immediately shoved that thought away and squeezed Tommy tighter. No, he had not spent nearly enough time with Tommy. Now that they were out, he could let himself think about spending time with Tommy when they weren’t in mortal danger. He couldn’t wait to watch Tommy’s favorite shows and listen to him infodump about them, or walk Sunkist in the sunshine, or take Tommy to his favorite restaurants, or introduce him to Joshua-

Fuck. God, he really liked this guy, huh.

Tommy pulled back ever so slightly, though he didn’t go far. Just enough to be able to look down at Gordon with those kind, intelligent eyes, and Gordon thought he might pass out. He moved his hand from Gordon’s messy ponytail to cup his cheek, and Gordon was certain he was going to pass out.

“Are you okay?” Tommy asked. Gordon laughed despite himself.

“No,” Gordon said, tilting his head to better fit against Tommy’s hand and giving Tommy the tiniest smile, “I don’t think I am.”

Tommy gave him his own sad smile. “That’s okay. I… I don’t think any of us are.”

Gordon snorted. “That’s for damn sure.” 

Tommy was still staring down at him with more tenderness than Gordon was prepared to deal with, “Do…” He paused, licking his lips. Gordon wasn’t embarrassed to say he stared at the motion, “I think I’m done with the party. Do you want to go home?”

“Yeah,” Gordon sighed with more exhaustion than a man his age should feel, “I would love that, bud.”

It took some maneuvering to get them both off the floor without tripping over the chunks of HEV suit on the floor, but neither of them seemed willing to let go of each other more than necessary. Eventually, they made it out of the bathroom, Tommy’s hand warm and solid in Gordon’s own. Dr. Coomer looked up from where he’d been punching apart an arcade machine when they entered the room.

“Ah, hello, Gordon!” He said cheerfully. “You appear to have been peeled!”

“Uh, yeah, Dr. Coomer.” Gordon huffed out a laugh, relieved that that was what Dr. Coomer was pointing out opposed to the fact that his face was definitely puffy and tearstained. “Tommy helped me get the suit off.”

“You look very sporting in your jumpsuit, Gordon!” Dr. Coomer said, returning to his destruction of Chuck E. Cheese property. Tommy smiled down at Gordon, and he was suddenly struck by the realization that the HEV suit had given him a couple inches of height because wow, Tommy was tall. Tommy squeezed his hand and looked up to flag down Gman.

“Hello, son. Dr… Freeman.” Gman greeted them both. Gordon nodded at him. The dude still gave him the creeps, but he could appreciate the parental fondness he’d seen him demonstrate for Tommy over the course of the afternoon.

“Hey, dad.” Tommy gave him a slight wave with his free hand, the other still holding Gordon’s. “I- um, this was a really nice party!”

“I’m… glad to, hear it. I, pulled out all the stops.” 

“I can- I can see that! But, uh. I’m pretty tired. I-... Can you open a portal to Mr. Freeman’s apartment?”

If Gman thought there was anything strange about Tommy asking to go to Gordon’s home and not his own, he didn’t say anything of it. “Of… course. I, will begin to… wrap things up here before, our, friends can cause too much… property damage.”

He gestured to the nearest wall with very little flourish to show them the glowing green portal that hadn’t been there a minute earlier. Tommy gently tugged Gordon in its direction. Behind them, he heard Coomer call out “goodbye, Gordon!” and then in a flash, they were standing in his living room. 

Were this any other situation, Gordon would’ve been embarrassed to show someone the messy state of his apartment without tidying beforehand, but he simply didn’t have it in him to care when his bed was within reach for the first time in weeks. It was his turn to tug Tommy up the narrow stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. They both collapsed on his bed, neither bothering to change out of their bloodstained clothes, which Gordon was sure they’d regret in the morning, but considering he could barely summon the energy to pull the sheets over their shoulders, he decided that was a problem for future Gordon. 

Tommy pulled him into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world, like this wasn’t the first time he’d ever been in Gordon’s apartment, like they hadn’t met less than an hour before the worst disaster of their lives. Gordon felt the soft flannel of his sheets brush against his skin, and he felt the softness of his pillow under his head, and he felt Tommy’s warm body all around him, and he fell asleep solidly for the first time in weeks.

[retro-rezz-the-est]

The Right Alpha (Drew/Reader/Roman A/B/O smut)

Summary: Just some lovely threesome action with our favorite Samoan and our thicc Scottish bastard (so just pretend that Ro is still on RAW lmao).

Word Count: 6,464 ^^;

Warnings: mentions of a dickbag ex-boyfriend in the beginning, semi-public sex, Drew being a tad bit of a little shit (bc that’s a warning on its own lol), possessiveness, biting/marking, anal and I think that’s it??? Correct me if i’m wrong lmao. Also, this is my first time writing anything AU themed, so feedback is appreciated! :)

(A/N: Here it is, y’all! I’m so sorry this took so long to get out. My brain was just in 1000 different places at once lol. Thank you all so so so so much for 400+ followers, and I can’t tell you all how much I love and appreciate every single last one of you <3. Here’s to 500 and more threesome fic action!)

(Y/n): your name

“Oh, come on!”

“We said no, (Y/n), and that’s final,” Ember chastised you from her seat nearby, her golden irises seeming to flare when the Scot’s name came out of your mouth.

Your eyes went to slits as you turned your head to face her, pulling your leg out from underneath you to let Roman lace up your ring boots. “Well, why don’t you guys like him? He hasn’t done anything to me.”

“Exactly, small fry. He hasn’t,” the Samoan said. “Yet.”

Groaning, you hopped off of the supply crate you sat on and leaned up against the back wall. They never did seem to like seeing anyone get close to you, especially after the whole situation with your asshole of an ex-boyfriend.

You could still hear all of the names he called you, how he kept you away from Ember and Ro for long periods of time, and how he tried to make you wear that fucking collar that read “Omega Bitch” on it…

After that whole fiasco (and after you had to physically pull Ember off of him for cheating on you with some unmated girl he picked up from a bar), they were there to keep you stable and well.

And away from any and all potential partners.

“But, Drew’s different, I think. He seems like a sweet guy.”

The fiery haired woman scoffed, replying, “Yeah, a ‘sweet guy’ who has a record of bagging and shagging Omegas for a quick fuck and then leaving them the very next night for a new score.”

“She’s got a point, (Y/n). Literally everyone on the damn roster knows about his record,” Ro added, coming up to your side and wrapping his arm around your waist. “We just want to protect you after what happened last time.”

“Oh, really? Is that why you always step up to him whenever he gets 10 feet away from me?

Pulling you closer, he rested his chin on top of your head and chuckled, feeling you try to shove him away.

“You know, just because you two are Alphas-”

“And your best friends…”

“-doesn’t mean that you have to shield me from virtually everyone who comes in my path,” you continued, rolling your eyes at her intrusion. “Besides, my true mate is out there somewhere. Are you guys just gonna shield me from them too?”

You felt Roman move away from you just as you saw Ember rise from her own seat.

“Of course not, girl,” she answered, bumping her forehead against yours. “But, it’s just not gonna be him. Believe me, I know these things.”

The three of you shared a laugh and you could feel their unique scents wrap around you. As comforting as it was, you could still feel Roman’s eyes lock onto the back of your head with a strange firmness, almost as if he didn’t want to look away…

“Anyway, you still have to get dressed and prepped for our tag match tonight, Moon, so I suggest you go do that.”

Placing your hands on her shoulders, you turned her around and lightly pushed her in the direction of the women’s locker room, gaining another soft chuckle from her.

“I suppose I have to. Don’t wanna go out to the ring in my sweats,” she commented, letting out a dramatic sigh and walking away.

Placing his forehead to yours, you felt him give you another quick squeeze before letting go. “Kick some Riott Squad ass out there, ya heard?”

“Aye, captain.”

You gave him a mock salute and waved as he too walked off, leaving you alone in the large hallway as echoes of the ongoing Universe bounced off the concrete walls. Pivoting on your heel, you grabbed your leather jacket from the crate behind you and sauntered off, unaware of the large Scotsman’s presence nearby.

A few minutes had passed of you walking over to the stage area to mentally prepare yourself for your match until a whiff of strong whiskey, leather and amber swept itself under your nose.

Oh, fuck me…

“Well, hello there, leannan.” (sweetheart)

You felt the hairs on your arm rise as you slowly turned around to face the large Scot, his feet falling heavily on the ground as he stalked towards you.

“H-Hey there, Drew,” you stammered, feeling your cheeks heat up. “W-What are you d-doing here?”

“I couldn’t help but overhear ya talkin’ ‘bout me with your two… friends… a little while ago and I saw ya gettin’ a little bit flustered,” he said as he continued to walk towards you with a smirk on your face, your feet propelling your body to move backwards.

This dance continued for a quick moment of silence before your back hit a nearby wall and he placed his hands on said wall to keep you there, trapped and in place for him.

Alone.

“You can feel it too, right, lass? Tell me ya can.”

Oh crap, crap, fuck, you thought as you felt his scent cover you like a warm duvet. You could feel yourself getting lightheaded and you mewled, lolling your head to the side.

A deep rumble shook his chest as he took in the sight of the unbitten nape of your neck. “Ah, so you’re unclaimed as well? I can change that one for ya, gaol.” (love)

His body pressed against yours next to the stage area, taking one hand to hold your head and the other to grip your waist. Leaning down, he rested his head in the crook of your neck and took in heavy whiffs of your own lavender, honey and cherry scent.

Should I tell him? Oh god, if I do then Roman will actually kill him. Especially Ember, your mind ran at a million miles an hour when he brushed his nose against the sensitive spot underneath your chin and you sighed contently.

Drew’s hand on your waist began to drift skyward and held you tighter, as if you were going to drift away if he let go. He chuckled and you felt it even through the layers of your ring gear, and you could slowly feel yourself drifting further and further into his touch…

“McIntyre! You get your grimy paws off her right the fuck now!”

Oh shit.

The two of you quickly departed when Ember roared. Her hair began to glow as brightly as her eyes did in that moment, and you swore you could see her teeth get sharp and her nails grow.

“I am so dead,” you murmured to yourself as she booked it over to the two of you at full speed, nearly colliding with the Scottish man when she stopped.

Going toe-to-toe with him, she growled, “If you ever, ever, ever, put your filthy hands on my friend again, I swear on everything that I’ll rip your balls off.”

She scoffed, stepping back to eye him up and down. “And trying to claim her when she’s clearly not your mate? Now that’s just pathetic, even for you, Drew.”

That’s because he is! you mentally screamed at her as she shoved her hand between the two of you and shoved, pulling you away from the wall.

She tugged you towards the stage area and you willingly went with her, despite all of your nerves and inner thoughts telling you otherwise. “Come on, (Y/n). Our match is just about to go on.”

Glancing back at Drew, you frowned a little, seeing his slightly hurt expression and how Ember’s nails left a slight mark on his chest. You sighed, placing a smile on your face anyways and letting Ember lead you two out as her theme began to play overhead.

Getting the win felt good, but pinning Ruby felt even better.

The adrenaline had your blood pumping and had you energized for exactly the length of time it took for you and Ember to get from the ring and back to backstage before everything just left you feeling almost jet lagged.

Walking back into the large hallway, you locked eyes with a solemn McIntyre standing nearby and apparently, the woman next to you had clearly noticed. She bared her teeth and gnashed them at him, making you flinch and grab her wrist to hold her back.

You sped off, towing the female Alpha behind you and occasionally looked back to catch his eyes but just missing him as his own theme started to play. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, walked through the curtain and oh shit he forgot about him.

Staring daggers at him from inside the ring was a very determined looking Roman Reigns, shoulders squared and all. Drew walked down to the ring eyeing him right back, shucking off his jacket and tossing it into the timekeeper’s area.

He stepped over the ropes and made his slightly shaking hands into fists, feeling his heart race and hearing the bell go off to signal the start of the match. The two of them rushed at each other and grappled for a second, Roman managing to get his head in the crook of his arm.

The match seemed to speed up as Drew was able to corner him against one of the turnbuckles. An odd look that appeared on his face was soon replaced with one of sheer anger when Roman smelled the air around him. Even with the Scot’s hand pressing his face into the ringpost, he still managed to catch a whiff of something familiar…

His Alpha instincts screamed confusion and upset and protect as he felt his eyes dilate. Throwing his elbow into the other man’s chest, he was able to shove him back far enough so he could grip his chin.

“Why do you smell like her, huh?!” he yelled, teeth beginning to extend. “What the hell did you do to her?!”

Confused, Drew thought, Wait, he picked up her scent as well? I thought only true mates cou-

His train of thought was interrupted with an abrupt shove and a rapid clothesline by Roman, making him fall to the ring mat. Standing on shaky legs, he didn’t even see his opponent hit him with his iconic Spear and go for the pin. The match was then over before he could even blink.

The ref raised Roman’s arm in victory before he tore it away in favor of kneeling down to face the fallen Scot. Moving to his ear, he whispered, “Don’t you even think about touching her again, McIntyre. I’m warning you now.”

He got up just as quickly and rolled out of the ring, stalking straight up the ramp and backstage without any hesitation. Roaming the hallways, he finally found his destination and banged on the door.

“(Y/n), open up! We need to talk now!”

“Gimme a second, Ro! I’m almost done packing my stuff!” you threw back, zipping up your duffel bag and hoisting the strap onto your shoulder.

Sitting on a nearby bench, Sasha lifted her head and raised her eyebrows at the Alpha’s insistent door knocking.

“What’s his deal, sis?”

A nervous chuckle suddenly leapt from you as you rubbed the back of your neck. “Well, actually…”

Another loud bang came from the door, startling the hell out of you both. Letting out a breath that you didn’t know you’d been holding in, you shakily made your way to the door and opened it, seeing an angry Roman fresh out of his match.

Sasha slipped in behind you and looked up, seeing how straight-faced he was before letting out an “I’ll see you later, (Y/n)” and leaving the locker room. As the violet haired woman’s figure turned the corner, he gripped your forearm and shoved you back through the door.

Quickly locking it behind him, he turned back to you rather slowly, giving you time to access him. His hands were clenched into fists, a vein was faintly popping out of his neck and his breathing was very rugged.

“Why did Drew smell like you tonight?”

A pin could drop and you would hear it from how quiet the space had gotten, a light hum from the lights above and his own breathing being the only noises heard. “Is there something you want to tell me, (Y/n)?”

You placed your duffel back onto the bench behind you and looked down, folding your hands together. “Well… he may have kinda… cornered me… in the hall before my match?”

“He what?!” Roman roared, making you take a few steps back.

“But, Ember was there to get him away from me and set him in his place… but not before he scented me.”

That seemed to hit him harder than anything as the two of you went quiet again for a heartbeat more. It was enough for his eyes to dilate a lot more and for him to steadily make his way to you.

Just like with Drew, you soon found yourself chest to chest with a hulking Alpha against the wall nearest to you, panting slightly with anticipation as your own eyes grew wide and the Omega in you screamed for him.

Wait, what? you asked your brain, confused as to why he had the same effect on you as Drew did. This has never happened before.

Well, he’s never been this protective over you. Not since…

Your mind shot a blank when you felt his wet hair brush against your skin, igniting metaphorical sparks as he moved his head. He held your biceps in his large hands and just like Drew, he placed his head in the crook of your neck and sighed.

Deciding to savor this moment of privacy yourself, you rested your head on his, feeling him run his jaw up and down your exposed neck. Instantly, you were hit with a wave of him; a feeling of calm and familiar rolled over your body and you smiled.

But this was different. This was something… more…

As the Alpha’s usual coconut, sandalwood and ocean breeze scent filled your lungs, your mind drifted to images and dreams of you two lounging on a beach somewhere in each other’s arms, laughing at nothing while you sip a strawberry daiquiri as the sun set on a clear sky…

No… it couldn’t be… you couldn’t have…

Could you?

Was this even possible?

You let out a squeak as he got even closer, the hardness of his vest pressing you harder against the wall. Hands already placed on his shoulders, you felt his chest rumble with a faint delight when you responded to his touches.

As quickly as the image popped into your head, it seemed to fade just as fast when he let you go and made you exhale from the long contact. He gently took your chin in his hand and raised your head to look at him, staring you square in the eye.

“I don’t want you smelling like him anymore, (Y/n),” he uttered, his eyes dilating back to normal and going soft. “If he tries that shit again, you come to me, ok?”

Without waiting for your response, he strode over to the door, unlocked it and made his exit, leaving you stunned and your body wanting all at the same time.

What the hell am I gonna do?

For the next week, Roman wouldn’t leave your side, not even for a second. Even Ember started to notice the near possessiveness the hulking Alpha was demonstrating and quite frankly, it freaked the hell out of her.

Hell, he even had the nerve to walk you down the ramp and accompany you to your rematch against Ruby dressed like a damn bouncer that following Monday, despite you continuously telling him not to. As the bell rang and the two of you went after each other, you could still feel his piercing gaze watch every move you made.

Everything was going well for you so far. You had managed to get Ruby’s shoulder’s down for the pin, and the ref’s hand was slamming down on the mat.

1!

2!

You waited for the three-count, but it never came because of the sound of blaring bagpipes that was Drew’s theme. Glancing towards the ring gave you the vision of a very pissed off Scottish Alpha who was currently focused on one Roman Reigns.

What the hell is he doing here? you mused, hefting yourself off of the Riott Squad member. Moving your gaze to them, you saw that they were engaged in a heated argument, standing face to face with fingers being pointed. One thing led to another and soon enough, both men were throwing fists in each other’s faces.

“What the hell are you two doing?! Stop!” you screamed at them, hoping that they’d hear you.

But they didn’t.

You didn’t see Ruby get off her back, and you certainly didn’t see the incoming kick she landed on the back of your neck. With you dazed, she quickly hit you with a roll-up and caught the three-count.

Her theme stated to play as she rolled out of the ring and rushed up the ramp, not wanting to see the outcome of your situation. As it stopped, you were left kneeling in the ring, shocked and tugging at the ends of your hair.

Small tears welled up in the corner of your eyes as you eyed the two men at ringside. Your wolf screamed anger and hurt, and you just wanted to get away from those two bastards. You got yourself up and stepped out of the ring ropes just in time to shove past both of them to walk backstage.

What was all that about? Do they know about… that already? Am I completely and utterly screwed. Do they know that I have to choose?

Every step towards the women’s locker room felt like a solid punch to your heart as thoughts kept raging in your mind, keeping you on your toes when you turned a corner.

“(Y/n)!”

Shit.

You stopped dead in your tracks in the middle of the hallway, silently cursing that there was no one around who could help you. The sound of heavy footsteps echoed on the walls and headed in your direction, but you couldn’t move yourself to look at them.

“Shit, small fry, we didn’t mean to-”

“‘M sorry this màthair (motherfucker) wasn’t-”

Their barrage of word vomit made you pivot on your heel, and you could feel your eyes begin to glow brighter and dilate more.

“Will the both of you please shut the fuck up?!”

And that line did it for them.

Sighing, you dropped your head into the palm of your hand and took a deep breath. No need to lose your shit over this, (Y/n). Just calm down.

“Ro,” you resumed, “i know you care about me and I know you want to protect me, but you don’t have to hover around my shoulder 24/7! I need space to breathe, you know.”

Turning to the Scot, you pointed a finger at him and said, “And you, Drew, you don’t have to step up to my friends just because they want what’s best for me. You have to see that. Now, can you both please tell me what’s wrong without killing each other in the process?”

Both men’s heads spun to the side to face the other, teeth bared and hands at the ready.

“I don’t want him fucking touching my mate!” they both roared at the same time.

Boom.

…

…

…

The lack of sound was deafening when you asked, “...your what? Roman, how long have you known?”

“Ever since you came to me with Ember after the situation with your ex,” the Samoan in front of you answered, shoving his hair back and glancing back at you. “That’s why I didn’t want you to get close with the Scot.”

“Oh, that’s bullshit and you know it, Reigns!”

“What did you say to me?” he demanded, pressing up against the other Alpha.

“I said it’s bullshit,” he smirked, looking down at him. “I’ve locked onto her scent for months now. I had a feelin’ about it, and I confirmed that last week.”

“So you cornered her to prove your damn point? Is that why I smelled her on you during our match last week?!”

They both turned to face you, making you shudder under their intense gazes. Drew gestured to you, saying, “Maybe we should let the lady decide for herself.”

What?

“So, lass, which one of us is tellin’ the truth?”

You wanted to shrink down into your skin in that moment. You had to tell them. It was the moment of truth.

But… would they accept it?

“Um… here’s the thing…” you started, gingerly holding the back of your neck. “I haven’t been the most… honest… person with you two either.”

Roman crossed his arms, confused. “What do you mean, (Y/n)?”

“Well, both of you seem to draw the same reaction out of me, since you both had scented me last week, so I think that you both are my mates.”

As you finished, you let out a soft nervous giggle, but the two Alphas in front of you weren’t laughing. The aura in the hall felt like all the air was sucked out of it in that one moment, the tension being so thick that you could cut it with a butter knife if you could.

After what seemed like hours of nothing being said, Roman piped up. “Why didn’t you say anything, small fry?”

“Are you kidding me?! You two try to murder each other on a weekly basis, so imagine what would’ve happened if I told you, or you for that matter,” you countered, looking back at Drew, “that your rival was also my mate.”

“She’s got a point there,” he pointed out.

“Shut up, asshole.”

You uttered, “This is exactly what I was talking about. We can’t even have a decent conversation without you two throwing jabs at each other.”

“How does this even work, (Y/n)?” Roman questioned, his eyes softening.

You shrugged as you placed your hands on your hips. “I don’t know the fucking biology of being an Omega. All I know is that you two are my mates and that I get super turned on when I’m around you.”

Oh fuck, I didn’t mean to say that, you thought, cursing the Omega in you wanting to jump their bones. You quickly slapped a hand over your mouth to keep more inner thoughts from coming out, but it was already too late.

Both men raised a brow at the comment, Drew chuckling at your newfound embarrassment.

“So what you’re sayin’ is…. is that you’re turned on right now?”

Don’t nod, don’t nod, don’t do fucking anything.

But, your brain and your nerves had other plans for the night as you nodded in agreement. He walked the short distance to you and cupped your jaw, drawing you to face his eyes. The Scot noticed how you weren’t fighting him off and he chuckled at your submission.

“That’s good, then.”

And with that, he drew you up to his waiting mouth and planted a hard kiss to your own, leaving you weak in the knees. His lips claimed yours in a heated dance that left you wanting - no, craving - more.

You couldn’t help but trail after his mouth when he slowly pulled away, leaving more than an ache between your thighs. Roman growled, stepping forward to handle him himself but you thrusted your arm out, holding him back.

“Leave him, Ro,” you told him, trying to keep your own body up on your shaky legs. “I’m fine.”

“You heard the caileag (girl), Reigns. She’s into it.” A lewd grin slid onto his face when you voiced your approval. His hands continued their path from his sides and onto your body, gripping your hips and moving you closer.

A minute passed before you asked, “So, what do we do now?”

“Well,” Drew spoke, his voice dripping faintly with lust, “I say we take our activities somewhere more… private.”

You shivered, seeing his teeth grow and feeling his scent start to seep into your skin. You were momentarily snapped out of your drifting by Roman, who cleared his throat.

“Is this ok with you, (Y/n)? I don’t want him trying to force you to do anything,” he said, maneuvering himself behind you and running his palms up and down your arms.

You mock him, “Is this ok with me? Have you ever seen the two of you? Of course I’m good with this.”

Drew roared with laughter, hoisting you up and wrapping your legs around his waist. “Where should we take this now, (Y/n)?”

“I feel like I’ll explode if I have to wait any longer and frankly, I don’t think you can wait either,” you chided as you ground down against both of their bulges, making them groan.

“Alright, then. So let’s just continue it here.”

Wait, what?

As soon as you opened your mouth, Drew slammed his lips back onto yours, claiming them as his once again. His tongue slipped in-between your lips to entangle itself with your own as Roman began to pepper kisses along the back and down your neck. The Samoan then bit down harshly, pulling a moan from you as he sucked a dark mark into the skin.

Surprisingly, through the feeling of getting drunk off of two Alphas trying to get in your pants, your logistical side kicked in.

Wrenching your lips from the man in front of you, you wondered, “Wait a minute, what if someone sees us?”

“They won’t. We’ll make sure of it.”

Roman’s voice piped up from behind you, his hands moving to your hips and switching their place with the Scot’s. He continued to place love bites on the column of your neck while Drew’s lips left your own and began to trail down your jaw.

Planting a final bite to your bottom lip, he moved down to the side of your neck that Roman hadn’t marked up yet and setting down his own claims on you. Your skin was ablaze with a burning need for something to happen, and you guys had just started.

You wanted them to bite you, mark you. Show the whole world that you had been blessed with two burly Alpha males.

Tilting your head back, you whined and pressed Drew’s head into your skin to voice what you couldn’t say. His chest rumbled with a caged laughter, slightly humbled by your enthusiasm.

“We’ll get to that soon, nighean bheag (baby girl). Just be patient.”

His mouth trailed from down your neck and hit the top of your chest, licking and biting at any patch of skin he could reach. He reached up to cup your breast, fondling it briefly before pulling down your ring top and eyeing your hardened nipple. He sucked it into his mouth and made you tug on his hair, holding his head still while Roman reached into your top to massage the other one.

The two men seemed to work together in a weird way you hadn’t seen before as when Drew finished working on one of your nipples, Roman would move on to pinch and tug at it when he moved to the other. It made your lower belly go warm and made you smile a little.

As he continued to make his way down, Ro made it his effort to keep you entertained up top with him whispering sweet nothings in your ear.

“You’re so beautiful like this, Omega,” he murmured before softly placing his lips on yours. “I can smell your needy pussy from up here. But, I’m gonna let him have a taste first.”

You felt your face grow warm and chose to focus your vision on the wall behind Drew, but they both weren’t having that tonight.

A sharp pinch on your thigh through your fishnets brought your attention back to the man who was currently on his knees in front of you. “Ya better not be spacing out on us, leannan. We need you t’ see how ready you are for us.”

His accent was muddy with lust as he gripped the sides of your ring shirts and pulled them down, you toeing them off when they reached your ankles. A ripping sound followed thereafter when he put a large hole in the crotch of your tights to expose the black cotton panties you wore.

“Mmm,” he moaned, pressing his nose in the apex of your thighs and inhaling deeply, “ya smell absolutely divine, lass. We’ve barely touched ya and you’re already drippin’ wet.”

Barely? Um, the various hickies on my neck beg to differ.

You held the catty remark back just as he ran his fingers up and down where your slit was, causing you to buck your hips in his face.

“Roman, if ya wouldn’t mind…?”

He smirked, moving his rough hands to your thighs. “Gladly.”

He held them tight and spread them, hoisting you up to keep them apart. He was strong enough to hold you there - and more than likely enough to do some other things to you - and that made a shiver run down your spine.

A breeze hit your bare lower lips when Drew dragged your panties to the side and stared at your juices shining in the low light.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about. You’re soaked, (Y/n). I wonder if I just…”

The sentence trailed off into nothing as he leaned forward to lick a stripe from the bottom of your lips to the top, spreading them to circle your clit with his thumbs. A loud moan almost left you, but you placed your hand over your mouth to muffle the noise.

Roman tutted at you, biting your earlobe and tugging on it. “Oh no you don’t, baby girl. You’re gonna let the entire arena know who’s making you feel this good. So, take that hand from your mouth now.”

Slowly drawing your hand away, you felt Drew blow on your clit and suck it into his mouth, suctioning his lips around the small but. This time, you didn’t try to hide the noise that you let out, your Omega side going crazy at the thought of being pleasured by your true mates.

He moved his fingertips down your labia and went straight for your hole, sliding a thick one in and groaning at your tightness. The vibrations ran from your core up and you tried to wrap your thighs around his head but Roman’s grip prevented you from doing so.

He peeked over your shoulder and groaned at the sight, rutting his hips into your ass. He saw the Scottish Alpha slide two more of his fingers into you and felt you squirm in his hold, the sight making him grow even harder. Shutting his eyes, he bent his head back and banged it against the wall behind him but not before he heard Drew call his name.

“Spread her ass, Roman. I have an idea.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis when you heard that. Even in your arousal fueled daze, you managed to choke out a moan and grind your hips down on the Scot’s fingers.

His brows furrowed, picking his head back up to face you. “This alright with you, (Y/n)?”

Oh Roman, always the protective one, you thought when you nodded, your nerves igniting at the thought.

That was all the approval Drew needed before the man behind you grasped your ass and spread your cheeks, exposing your back hole to his waiting eyes. Gliding his wet fingers from your core and to your ass made you shudder at the sudden emptiness but groan at the newfound wet feeling.

Looking up at you, a soft grin was in place of his usual cocky smirk as he kissed the exposed skin of your thighs and slid his index finger into you.

You were pretty sure that groans you two made that second were ricocheting off the walls at that point with your nails currently biting into the skin of Roman’s arms. One hand flew to the back of Drew’s head when he moved his tongue back to your clit, flicking it in time with the thrusts of his fingers.

The coil in your core grew tighter and tighter with each passing moment and with each finger Drew added to your ass. Three fingers later, you were trembling in Roman’s hold and willing yourself not to cum all over his face. Luckily, he withdrew his fingers just in time to sit back and watch your own slick drip down from your empty cunt and into your gaping ass.

The erotic sight made him squeeze his cock through his ring trunks, releasing a pent up moan from within him. As he rose, the sight of your wrecked form with marks covering your neck and shoulders seemed to have an effect on both men. A silent agreement between the two lead Roman to place you on the ground shakily as they removed their pants to expose their hard members to you.

Drawing your eyes from the floor, they stuck to their cocks, inches on inches of throbbing Alpha that made your legs even more shaky and your core throb with anticipation.

“So, who’s getting where, boys?” you asked, chuckling slightly with how drunk you were on both of them.

Side eyeing each other, they nodded and each grabbed one of your arms, spinning you around so that your front faced Roman and that your back hit Drew’s chest.

“I’m gonna need more of that tight ass of yours, love,” he responded, desire dripping from his tongue. He slapped your ass then, the sound bouncing off the walls and your ears. He snickered when you ground back against him as if to ask for more, but he just lifted you up and wrapped your legs around Roman instead.

“Hey there, small fry.”

The softness that had lingered in his eyes before was soon overtaken by dilated pupils when roman held onto your hips and Drew spread your cheeks to expose your hole. Both men angled themselves against you, causing your lower half to quiver, and they slowly slid into you.

You couldn’t form into words the feeling of being filled at both ends. When Drew popped into your ass, you shut your eyes and stars formed behind your lids. They both began their slow thrusting to get you warmed up, but your whimpers and whines almost made them lose their cool a few times.

“Harder, please, I need it.” Your needy Omega side was starting to come forth, and you bounced on both men as best you could to achieve that feeling.

“To hell with it,” Drew growled, slapping your ass once more before pistoning his hips into yours, beckoning Roman to do the same.

“Yes, yes!” you sobbed as they set a brutal pace, feeling their cocks rub against each other through your wall’s thin tissue. The sound of skin slapping on skin was deafening and you felt your eyes roll into the back of your head when Roman hit your spot dead-on.

Tilting your head back again, you rested it on Drew’s broad shoulder and rocked your hips forward when your Samoan started lapping at your breasts. Sweat began to drip down and off of all of you, none of you caring anymore whether someone heard you fucking or not. You felt their knots start to swell underneath you, causing you to push back harder against them. They both roared at this, each of them going back down to give your neck more hickies.

“We’re not gonna knot ya, (Y/n),” Drew panted, his voice hot and heavy in your ear. “We’ll save that for another time.”

“Yeah, a time when we’re actually in a bed,” Roman added, chuckling at your expression.

You clenched down on both of them and they groaned, holding back their own impending release for when you came. You actually weren’t that far off from them because the coil in your core seemed to snap when they looked at each other, eyes dark and teeth sharp. They looked down at your bite ridden neck and bit down harshly, piercing the skin and marking you.

That’s what did it for you.

When your slick gush onto Roman’s cock in fervish, he spilled his own load inside you as he gripped your already bruise covered hips. Drew was the last to fall over that edge, shooting his hot cum deep inside your ass and revelling in the feeling.

The three of you panted and slumped against each other in a mess of tangled limbs and sweaty bodies. The wall against Roman’s back would’ve been a blessing if he had his shirt off but for now, he’d just enjoy the moment for the time being.

A few seconds had passed of you all being connected when you said, “I don’t think I can walk for the rest of the night.”

Your cheeks were flushed to oblivion, and you felt like you were fucked six ways from Sunday. Still holding you, Roman suggested, “Maybe we should take a breather for a minute. Or five. Or fifty.”

“I like the sound of that,” the Scot agreed, nuzzling your hair and smiling. His accent was still thick but you still managed to hear everything he said.

You mind began to drift off as you felt them lap at the bonding marks they made on you. Even though your entire body ached and you were probably going to waste an entire bottle of concealer to cover up your various bruises, you couldn’t be more happy.

You continued to drink in the mixture of the warm and cool scents around you, letting it fill your lungs and enter your heart. It’s be like this every day with them, hopefully.

Your true mates.

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[eschapters]

Chapter 31: What An Ice Day To Slip!

"Huh?! Does Fabian know about that?!" Etalt looked at both sides of the room, "Can't really say so," she shrugged, "He DID kidnap Fabian, too; but just remember that Dunn wore a mask." "I kind of get a sense as to why Fabian is scared of him, though," Alair plopped himself down onto the same seat. "Well before I came around, Dunn would treat him as his slave or something," distraught slightly filled her face, "But then Fabian ran away to Gustswept Town himself. That fog barrier was put up just to keep out intruders - namely Dunn and those researchers." Alair slouched in his seat, trying to get more comfortable, "And what is his relation with the other Bounded Viabilities?" "You already saw him with Holly. They're fine with each other... But as for Raika... That's a different story that you'll be finding out sometime soon." The answer wasn't enough to faze Alair. He was used to not being told the answers right away at this point, "Hm? Oh, well... I guess that's fine," he stood up, lifting the chair to the side of the room, "You know, you should probably get some rest. It's not really healthy for someone like you to be staying up this la..." Alair's eyes rolled over to Etalt's forehead. It was no longer bleeding, nor severely damaged. There was only a small but barely visible mark. "What are you looking at?" Alair looked down at her neck. The gash on it was now almost gone, "Hey, what happened to the cuts you got? Are you feeling better already?" "They're going away already," Etalt had carefully placed herself down on her back, "Just... Leave the lights open, okay? The damage I took really doesn't have to be discussed about." "If you say so." Alair walked out the door, not noticing that his hands were now in his pockets, "'Night, salt!" "Go to sleep, liar!" Alair chuckled slightly, "You're not really the brightest around here, are you?" Etalt paused, then scoffed. She placed her hand on her mouth before speaking, "Well, I guess you can say that I'm not too deLIGHTED, even with all these lights." Alair sneered, seeing this as an opportunity to finally actually joke around without being ridiculed, "I hope you don't feel too LIGHTheaded, tomorrow." "I won't, but do you know watt we're doing?" "Yep, and this adventure is gonna light up m life!" Etalt placed her hand back to her side before pulling the blanket over herself, "Okay, seriously... Go." "Okay, fine," Alair stepped out and closed the door behind himself and heading back to the mansion. The whole way home, he laughed upon remembering the puns. He even tried to think of more for the adventure they were going to have tomorrow. However, the thoughts had left his mind as soon as he had stepped into the mansion. Right when Alair had entered, he had been greeted by the peppy neat blonde. "Alair! You're back!" Alis had giggled before tackling him into a hug, "I missed you!" "Woah, hey! Missed you, too!" Alair hugged her back, "Were you worried?" "Of course I was!" Alis had exclaimed, "I thought you were gonna die!" "I probably would've, if Eucharis didn't come along," Alair's gaze circled around the room. There was only furniture in sight, "Where's everyone?" "They're sleeping! You came back really late!" "Really? What time is it?" "1:32 AM." "O-Oh..." Miraculously, under the gaze of Alis, Alair had managed to remember the reason for his long absence, "My bad." Alis spoke, seeming to disregard Alair's words, "Come on! Tell me what happened!" She pulled Alair over to a couch before sitting down with him. "Where do I begin with this? It was kind of a life or death situation... If I actually had any experience with fighting, then I'd be able to defeat him!" Alair's posture was unusually straight as he spoke. He paused every now and then to process his words, "There was a lot of fire... rocks... probably an earthquake, too... He kept throwing me off, and I was really lucky that I didn't get any bones broken." Alis' blue eyes stared right into his, sparkling with captivity and interest, "And then...?" "It was awfully... horrid. I tried to climb up this rock parkour, and... Well, all I remember was that Dunn was a horribly huge reptile." "Oh... It must've been scary," Alis had sighed before pulling him into a hug, "I'm glad you made it back." "So am I," Alair smiled. The two hugged, not caring whether there was someone watching or not. In the distance, two pairs of glowing yellow eyes had stalked the two from an oasis. It grunted, sinking deep within the water with no trace. The sun had peaked through the windows as Alair had opened his eyes. He felt a small weight on himself. Looking down, he saw the blonde haired beauty asleep right next to him. The sight would've been peaceful, had it not been for the racket going on in the back. "What do you expect me to do about the snow storm?!" "You're hot-headed, and quite literally, too! Use that to your advantage!" Alair slowly moved himself away, placing Alis' head down on the couch with a lot of care. He got up, walking over to the hall but stopped when a small figure had caught his eye. He glanced back at the couch to see the nonchalant white haired girl. "Etalt?!" Alair exclaimed under his breath. Alair looked at her from head to toe, seeing no signs of the fight she had with Dunn, "What are you doing here?!" "What?" Etalt spoke normally, as if she couldn't give her regards to the sleeping beauty, "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's up with the face?" "Hey, keep your voice quiet. Alis is sleeping." "So, what?" "Shh... Just... It's only been two days," Alair now seemed more puzzled than surprised, "Are you... Seriously fine now?" Etalt raised an eyebrow at him, "Do you see any cuts or bruises?" "...No... But that's..." Alair looked at her carefully again, "No, but I'm just..." "Wondering how I recovered so quickly?" Etalt decided to finish his sentence, "A magician never reveals their secret." "O...kay...?" Alair tucked his hands into his pockets, "Because you're here now, I'm assuming that you're good enough to go with us." "Mhm. All good." "Great. As soon as the others are done preparing, then we'll go," Alair smiled, "Glad to have you back." Etalt spoke, seemingly unsure about her words, "Eh, same... Maybe?" As soon as everyone was done, they all had set out on the road to Glister Bay. The force field of Sequia Village had crumbled into nothing, and their path was no longer blocked. It took a while, as the group had been faced with sandstorms due to the desert. The path that they were taking was different from the one that Alair, Etalt, Holly, Venere, Fabian, Logan, and Amaryllis had taken. Holly, Eucharis, Fabian, and Amaryllis had stayed on Venere. The rest were now suffering the road that wasn't supposed to be bumpy, but was due to Dunn's speed. The ones who stayed with Dunn had experienced pure discomfort along the whole way. During the nights,Alair and Etalt would talk. It would last until Alis called for Alair's attention, at which Etalt would scoff at before to sit somewhere else and write in her book. When Alair's attention was finally diverted from Alis, he would try to peek at Etalt's book, only for Etalt to pull grab his phone from his pocket and shine the flashlight into a mirror. The light would hit Alair right in his eyes and cause him to look away. On certain nights, Logan would approach Etalt and talk to her as she wrote in her book. Holly, Fabian, and Venere would play with each other as Amaryllis watched. Dunn and Eucharis would look at each other with sideway glances and mutter a few words at each other before looking at something else. They all had even came across somehow rainy desert. "Don't get wet, children," Eucharis said as she slipped on her hood. Venere and Etalt seemed to enjoy the walk across this zone in particular. Holly had used a large leaf that she picked up as an umbrella. Fabian and Amaryllis were being covered by Venere's tail, miraculously. Dunn, as a human, stayed in the rain since the rain would automatically be evaporated with every drop that hit. Logan, on the other hand, had converted his tool into an umbrella. He walked on, having to put on earphones just to block out the noise that came from the outsiders. Alair and Alis walked under the umbrella, laughing and chattering. Etalt was the only one who stayed in the rain, the drops drenching her sheet white hair and clothes. "So, what did the bulb say to the socket?" Alair asked. Alis blinked her sparkling blue eyes, "I don't know." "I'm deLIGHTED to be with you!" Alis giggled, covering her mouth, "That's a good one! Where'd you learn that?" "Oh, it just came to me." Alis pushed herself Alair, laughing a little more, "You've been telling me jokes for the past hour! How are you not running out of jokes?" Alair shrugged, "It's natural. It just comes to me." The two came to a stop when Alis had stumbled slightly. Alair had put his arm around her, "Hey, careful. You might fall into a ditch before you know it." "I'm more careful than that! You should know that!" Alis had leaned herself against him, "I can take care of myself. Don't worry." The two laughed, as Etalt watched them. Eucharis' chiding came through one ear and out the other. "Now, young lady... Since you've been walking out in this weather for only god knows how long, that's a sign that you will not heed any of my words," Eucharis said, her amber eyes locked on Etalt, "Now be a good girl and..." Eucharis stopped once she had noticed Etalt's eyes and unusual posture. Etalt walked, a bit more sulky than usual. She stared straight at Alair and Alis. "Child, do not tell me that you-" "No, you old woman. I'm not in love. I'm disappointed," Etalt grunted, "For one thing, that moron is claiming my puns... But let's be real here. Something seems off about that chick he landed... and I'm not liking it one bit." Eucharis nodded, "Oh, very well... But please do show some respect." Etalt sighed, "Will do, maybe." The cycle went on and on for days, which had eventually turned into a week. Soon, they had found themselves within the peaks of a snowy mountain, which was encrusted with all the precious gems that one could ask for. "Venere! Viens ici, s'il te plaît!" The quadruple legged flytrap creature had scampered over to Holly, who had just launched a snow ball at it. Venere gaped it's mouth open before scooping her up and setting her on its back. Because Holly and Venere had decided to play together, Amaryllis and Fabian had been forced to walk. Had it not been for Dunn's constant temper, almost everyone would have been frozen to death by now. Fabian and Amaryllis were huddled around Dunn and Eucharis, with Dunn often shooting glares at Fabian and Eucharis chiding him for it. Logan shivered slightly from the cold, and Etalt was the only one who seemed relaxed. Alis was huddled up against Alair, who seemed to be completely fine with the position he was currently in. "So, how long is it until we get there?" Alair had asked, due to his face starting to become numb from the cold. Numerous times throughout the trip in the snow, Alair's face had started to feel as if it were stiffening. He moved his eyes, mouth and nose in attempts to get rid of it. He even went as far as to try to use his own hand to warm it up before going to ask Dunn to explode into a fire. Dunn wasn't too happy with his question, given that he had heated up and melted everything nearby. On the bright side for the people around Dunn, there was a somewhat of a nice source of heat. "We only have a lil' left," the answer had came from Dunn with a somewhat raspy voice, "Now... it's either y'all stay close to me when we enter, or y'all freeze to death. Little Miss Wanna Die likes to cause a storm whenever a little certain someone gets hurt." "And that's...?" "I'm pretty sure y'all should know by now. I'll be d-" Eucharis gave Dunn a small glare. "...Darned if ya don't know yet!" There was a small look of approval, but Eucharis still looked as if she wanted to strangle Dunn alive. "Who's this 'someone,' though?" Alair had asked. "Depends on who you best be talkin' 'bout. If ya still haven't gotten it yet, then I don't know. Don't ask." Alair tucked his hands iso ohis pocket, walking along before shrugging, "Well, aside from finding the final Bounded Viability... I wonder if there's anything else to be discovered o a i like this." "There's a legend," Holly giggled, "It's about a sea dragon!" "A... sea dragon...?" Alair had repeated, releasing Alis, "Holly, dragons aren't real." While their conversation had gone on, Alis had ran over to Amaryllis. Fabian spoke softly, "H-Have you... Forgotten where you are and who you're with?" Alair looked around, remembering the ones who had surrounded him, "Oh... Let's see... there's a nature's child, a dream reaper, a fire-breathing overgrown reptile man, a flytrap dog, a witch, a freakishly smart guy with technology from the future and a kid who doesn't take fall damage and knows how to handle a laser gun and possibly lots of other weapons," his thoughts spoke quietly within his head, "Perfect. Just perfect. And I'm out here in a gemstone snow forest. Nice." Because Fabian seemingly awaited Alair's answer, Alair sighed, "Well, I'm certainly with a unique group of people." Fabian's face had seemed slightly doubted, his golden eyes moving to the side, "I... Is that... a good or bad thing...?" "A good thing, of course!" Alair laughed, "Did you seriously think that this would've been a bad thing? It's pretty cool if I say so myself!" Fabian cracked a smile, but it was tense. It was then that Alair had came to a conclusion that Fabian was no longer holding the Empath Pearl. "Stay close behind! Keep the large amount of weight away from the icy paths!" Eucharis had called from the front, "Be sure to keep in mind that there are potholes along this path! Do watch your step, if you will!" Holly giggled again, as she and Venere had tumbled into a pile of snow. Heeding her word, Fabian had started to inch closer to Eucharis, "W-Well... to continue Holly's... thing... There's a rumor that there's a creature that..y. swims along the oceans of Glister Bay." Alair looked over at Fabian, the words catching his interest, "Hm? So from what Holly says, I'm gonna take a wild guess and assume that it's a dragon." "That's... not e...xactly what I-I was gonna say," Fabian had said. He looked down at Alair's hands before proceeding to put his own hands in his pockets himself, "I-It's kind of cold, isn't it? But... T-That's what they... describe the creature to look like. An Atlantis Glauk...?" "Atlantis Glauk?" Alair repeated, "Seems... Like a weird name." "They say it looks like an Glaucus Atlanticus," Behind them, Logan had walked right next to them, "It's a slug, from what I remember. This 'creature' that swims around Glister Bay or Glister City id rumored to eat people or show up at times of death." "Well, it's only a rumor!" Alair laughed a little, "Right?" Alair looked at the faces of the two, from left to right. Fabian seemed slightly concerned, while Logan seemed like he had seen the most uncultured person in the world. "Right...?" Logan shook his head, "There was a man who went out to the docks. He never returned and there was a bite mark bigger than the width size of two cars on the planks." Alair turned to Fabian. "Thhhere... was a girl who went to the... ocean a-and saw a 'dolphin' there... S-She tried to go to it... She was never seen again." Alair turned back to Logan as the fresh new adult spoke, "There was a guy who tried to be Dora the Explorer in a cave because he wanted to find a lot of gems. He was never seen again." "Wait, who the heck is 'Dora'?" Alair blurred out upon hearing the unfamiliar name. Fabian didn't seem to be interested in answering the question since he had gone on with the rumors, "There wasss... also a middle schooler who... thought that the water horse was real... So he went to find it... B-But then a boat came back a day later and... thhhere weeere bite marks!" "Water horse?? Like a sea horse??" "Let's not forget that one time where there were a couple who ate out at the ocean for lunch, but they were the ones being served on the menu instead!" Logan added. "Okay, okay! I get it!" Alair sighed, "There's a lot of events happening. Surely, they're coinci-" "I want you to take a good look around you," Logan knew what Alair was going to say, so he spoke right away. Alair looked around, once again realizing his surroundings, "But-" "No 'but's.'" Logan said. Alair chuckled slightly. Hearing his chuckles had caused Logan looked over at Alair before muttering, "Green-minded littl-" "Wait... Where's... Holly and V-Venere...?" Fabian looked back. This had caused the other two to look back. There was no colossal flytrap or little ray of sunshine nearby. There was only the cold touches of the winter air. "Uh..." Alair looked to the front. There was no Holly or Venere to be seen there either. "Guys... Where are Holly and Venere?" Everyone stopped before turning to face the three. They looked around. "...You bastard... Are you implying that you lost her?!" Dunn groaned, pulling his hands over his face. "If that's so, then the only thing that we can do is find her," Eucharis spoke before going back, "She can't possibly be too far." "R-Right..." Fabian murmured. The group had faced each other before proceeding to talk. "Heck, she might be!" Amaryllis said before running to the back. "Ryllis! Wait up!" Alair had sprinted right after Amaryllis. Etalt was trailing behind on the icy ground, catching up to them only now. As soon as Alair had stepped right on to the icy portion of the ground, the ground had given way right under him. Alair had been sent screeching as he landed with a thud. His eyes were tightly closed, having experienced what it felt like to almost have his bones broken. Alair groaned, rubbing his the back of his head slightly. He opened his eyes to see the sky from within the new hole that had been made. There was no one there, was there? He laid there, trying to take the moment to recover. "Huh. I'm surprised you survived." The white haired devil was standing nearby, looking up at the new opening above. "Seriously, didn't they warn you about stepping on the ice?" Etalt muttered, "It's been a few months already, and you haven't gotten any smarter." Alair groaned quietly, "Y-You're the one to talk..." "Help yourself up. We ain't gonna be able to get back up there," Etalt had started to walk away from him, "We're getting out the hard way." "Unghhh... W-Wait up!" Alair had carefully and slowly pushed himself off the ground. The pain was still pounding on his back, which had made him flinch. Alair had finally gotten up with a hand on his back before proceeding to follow Etalt. Etalt, despite his pain, only walked at the same speed. She didn't quite seem to care as to whether the poor guy could walk or not. "Waiiiit...!"'Alair would call out again. Etalt ignored him, only going along quietly. Pushing aside the feeling of the pain, Alair had quickened his steps to catch up to Etalt. "Are you mad about something?" Big mistake. Etalt had immediately spun around and punched him in the stomach, knocking him right on his back. Alair breathed heavily, looking up at the glaring face of the pale girl. "It's one thing to claim other people's ideas as your own just to impress some random chick..." Etalt's fist had seemed to glow, "But it's another to assume my emotion!" Etalt's fist flew at Alair's face, but it had been stopped when he reached out his hands to stop it inches from it. Etalt glared, her fist still tense. Alair looked around, his eyebrow raising. "Wait... Is this... Deja vu?" Alair carmmlefully lowered her fist. Etalt's fist had became less tense, "Huh... Wait, this is like..." she quickly withdrew her fist into her pocket, "Oh... Right..." she reached her hand out to Alair. Alair stared at her hand, trying to process as to whether he should take it or not. He slowly reached for it before taking it and pulling himself up, with the help of Etalt. The pull was surprisingly weaker than Alair had expected. "Thanks..." Alair said said before looking down at the hand she had extended. He paused to think, then remembered that there was something missing from her hand, "Hey, what happened to that thing I put on your hand a few... months ago?" "Oh, that?" Etalt reached into her pocket before pulling out a familiar piece of cloth, "Right here. I got it washed when we reached Fond Town," the cloth had been placed into his hand, "Take it. Pretty sure you'll need it." Alair looked down at the cloth and examined it. He looked at it from corner to corner, making sure that there were no stains on it. The cloth was completely clean, being completely light blue in color. "Hey, thanks. You actually remembered." "It's nothing. Now, let's get across this place, shall we?" Etalt proceeded to walk ahead as Alair quickly paced behind. "Hey, wait!" "What? You're annoying me already." Alair tried to crack a smile slightly, "Well... since we're here, you've heard of that rumor about the so-called 'dragon,' right?" "Mhm. The one who eats people? Yeah," Etalt muttered, "Why?" "Knowing the kind of person you are, I wanna know if you've seen it yet." As the two walked along, they came to an intersection. "Left, right or forward?" Etalt had asked. A cheeky grin had came across Alair's face, "Back!" Alair could've been see things, but it seemed as if Etalt had smirked a little before punching his shoulder gently. "Moron! Just choose logically, will have uh you?" I'm gonna "Heh, fine," Alair snickered a little more, "We should go towards the left." "Lead the way, then." "Wait, don't you know this place? I mean... I heard you were from around here..." "Liar. It's a cave," Etalt's eyes had narrowed a little, "That's like asking Fabian to navigate that forest around Gustswept Town without having to call for help." Alair's mind had been diverted from the nearly completely ice-encrusted walls. He chuckled a bit, as usual, "Are you implying that he can't get around the world by himself?" "Probably. He's not in too much of a good state to do so." "And by 'good state,' you mean his emotional restrictions?" "Yes. He has no room for bravery... Quite literally, too." "Well, I guess all he needs is a little bit of encouragement and all," Alair sighed, "I mean... It wouldn't hurt to give him any." "Liar, are you blind? Or rather stupid?" Etalt muttered, "That's not how the Bounded Viabilities work." "Huh. That sounds familiar," Alair frowned, "Be nicer, okay? That's why people are scared of you." "The reason as to why they're scared is another story. But really, it doesn't work that way." Alair looked around, still seeing the icy walls that surrounded them, "Hey, speaking of stories... Care to tell me about Raika?" Etalt shrugged, "A bit, but only because we're probably gonna be stuck walking through this... But there's just something I'm deeply wondering..." "What is it?" "How did you end up with a chick like Alis?" Etalt asked, her eyes looking as if she were about to murder him again, "She's kind of a bi- I mean prick." "Don't say that if you haven't talked to her yet..." Alair sighed, "Why do you hate he-" "I asked you something first," Etalt's voice now had a cold and icy tone to it, "Answer it." "And you're bitter again," Alair's face filled slightly with dismay, "I'll tell you, anyway. She was my friend since I was fourteen or so. I mean... That's how I remember it, at least." Etalt's eyes looked off to the side, "Are you implying that you've probably forgotten some part of your past?" "Probably. I actually don't remember much when I was fourteen..." Alair reached his hand to the back of his head to scratch it, "They said I went missing for two months, but I don't really remember what happened during that time span... Or if that happened at all... But I'll tell you anyway," Alair stretched his arm slightly, "Well, Alis and I met about two years ago. We were both in the same class. She was quite popular, and I wasn't." Etalt seemed somewhat bored with the story already, "Really." "At least listen, will you? She just suddenly approached me out of nowhere and started talking to me. From that point on we were best friends, I guess," Alair withdrew his arm and placed it into a pocket, "But then, we had some kind of fight just not so long ago... Just a few days in our time, but months in yours." "Timezones suck. That's all I'll say," Etalt sighed, "So, you two just kinda stuck together until ya both suddenly got pissed at each other?" "Mhm." "Hits close to home." "What?" Alair eyed her slightly, "Why would it affect you internally?" "You know... Never mind. It's a thing a friend said." "O...kay?" Alair, knowing that it was best not to ask about it, left his response at that. The air was interrupted by nothing at that point. After a few minutes of silence, Etalt finally said something, "You know... I'll tell you at least some stuff about Raika if you're still interested." It wasn't every day that Etalt had voluntarily told him something without grimacing but when she did, Alair had gotten excited for some reason, "Let me hear it." "Right, right... Raika is... Well... Special, kinda," Etalt muttered, "I can't say much about her, but... Raika was once a completely normal kid, like you. Fourteen years of age. She had no problems with her life, until her sworn best friend had left." "Sworn... best... friend?" "Yes, I said it. Sworn best friend. Raika cried and cried out of grief and anguish once she had confirmed that her friend was never, ever coming back. Not only that, but Raika was actually also depressed beforehand," As she told the story, Etalt seemed to cringe, "Out of everyone I'd say that hers was the most pettiest reason for her to even become a Bounded Viability, but there's still a lot you don't know. I'd say that she's the most powerful Bounded Viability out there, but she's still..." Etalt seemed to stumble upon the last words. For the first time in this world, Alair saw that Etalt was struggling to speak, "...Vulnerable. There. That's the word." "How?" Alair had asked. "Her weakness is her stupid protective self that likes to sacrifice for others." Alair was watching her closely, but she wasn't looking at him. One wouldn't have noticed it just by glancing, but he had noticed that Etalt had jerked only a little bit as she said that. "In some cases, she nearly gets herself killed... Which is why I'm telling you..." Etalt's eyes finally looked at Alair, "If you ever let yourself get hurt just for someone else's sake, I will beat you up... And I'll laugh as you suffer in your wounds. I'll kill you if I have to." Alair gave out a nervous laugh as his body tensed up. He knew that disagreeing may get him at least one broken bone, "O-Okay! Calm down! I know! I know!" "Good. You better." Alair paced quickly ahead, "So... H-How much people have you killed?" Etalt only shrugged, "I have absolutely no idea if I actually did kill anyone. That's beyond my problem, though." "...You know... Now that I think about it..." Alair slowed down again so that he could be right next to Etalt again, "You've never told me anything about yourself." "Eh... Well..." Etalt slowed down on her last word, "Maybe if you survive Glister Bay, then I'll be glad to tell ya... sorta." "Okay, okay... Fine," Alair sighed. Within the corners of his sapphire eyes, something had flashed. He walked on a little bit before looking ahead, "I think I see the exit!" "Perfect. Great job," it seemed like a compliment that had finally came out of her, "Now lead us out." "Are you serious?" "No, I'm Etalt." For the first time in this adventure, the amount of salt that Alair was able to feel could be seen on the expression of his face, "Why?" "That's payback for making that one joke back then," with a flip of her pigtails, Etalt continued to trail behind Alair. Yes, the two had found the exit. However, everyone else was probably suffering on the ice skating rinks within the cave. Holly and Venere were sliding along a slippery and icy tunnel, with Holly cheering on for the slide to go faster. Eucharis and Dunn were nearly screaming their heads off just by trying to find her. Fabian had kept slipping on the ice whenever he thought something had came along. Logan, being there to watch it, had slammed his palm to his face. Amaryllis and Alis simply did not enjoy the place, as the two were not dressed appropriately for the cold. Everyone but Alair and Etalt were currently having the time of their lives, slipping around with no end.