#okay i go sleep now maybe ill fix this tomorrow

[leaflessfae]

Minors please do not fucking interact I will hunt your dreams and sacrifice your firstborn (please tho fr, stay away.)

I'm in a bit of a hard and soft mood so here's some Whitney brainrot.

Because he fucks you senseless in front of everyone to see until you can't form coherent words, cock-drunk and babbling nonsense while your eyes roll back. Digs his hand into your hair and pulls your head back so everyone can drool at the sight of your fucked out expression as he pounds into you, ruining your pretty little hole. Letting it form a puddle on the ground because you're just so messy and your pussy is such a slut; it can't help but weep and gush for him.

"Let them see," he had leaned down to rumble into your ear when you once mewled about everyone watching and how embarrassing it is. "Let them watch. They should know how much of a slut you are f'me. How good I fuck you stupid."

Makes effort to pry your hair out of your face just so your fat tears are on full display as he wrenches another orgasm out of you. "Fuckin' hell." He laughs, then abuses your cunt some more with harsh thrusts until it's all creamed and full of his cum. Full of him him him.

He only pulls out once he's sure he had emptied his balls into you, then fucking chuckles as he spreads your folds for the audience, his cum flowing out of your swollen cunt in thick globs.

But then, when you're in his bed, splayed out for none other but his eyes, he's almost gentle. Cooing at you with a pout to his lips as he sinks into you. "I know, I know.." even his voice is tender, his arms engulfing your middle and pulling you closer to him. "It's big, I know, sweet slut. You can take it. You're a good, filthy slut; you can take it."

And you take it. Let him coax you into stretching you out and conquering every spot in your walls until he's hammering into you, pretty tip kissing your cervix with every thrust.

"Atta girl– fuck me, atta fucking girl! You dirty fucking slut!" He groans and rasps. And he can barely hold himself back from filling you up on the spot; your lovely little cunt clenching around him so deliciously, begging to be painted with his seed. "You gonna be a good slut f'me and make me cum? Yeah? Yeah– yeah, you do. C'mon, say it with me: Good...fucking...slut."

Your face burns from repeating his words and burns brighter when he makes you do it again when it's not clear enough. It's not your fault; he's hitting all the right places, dragging his cock against your scorching hot walls just the right way. You can't help but mess up and cry out in jumbled mumbles. And when you finally succeed, he leans down to kiss you, messy and filthy, doesn't care that you're drooling on his sheets.

He chuckles against your lips. "Yeah. That's what you are." Sings out in a sultry voice, giving you one last peck before sending ropes of his cum into your cunt. "A good fucking slut."

A/N: no grammar no nothin 🗣🗣🗣🗣 only horny thoughts leave me be aaaa

[oscarspubliclibrary]

🛌 💤💤

zzzz🥱😴

[lilacgaby]

day six

~2k

chapter select!

[a/n: i was a bit sad that this ends next chapter soo i uploaded the start of my other bkg series early... serenity out noww :>]

she woke up to that familiar smell of caramel.

she looked, and there he was, katsuki bakugo in all his sleeping glory, with his arms wrapped around her.

she took the chance to take a quick picture of him, her phone thankfully not too far away, laying on the desk next to some manga that she was planning on taking to her room.

she snickered a bit to herself, before unwrapping his arms from around her, and effectively escaping his room.

he'd be pissed if he woke her up so early, so she quietly grabbed the nana issue she fell asleep reading, and snuck out his room.

the sun wasn't out yet, so it had to be extremely early morning.

she saw that the coast was clear as she slowly crept through the hallways back to her room. all she needed was to get to the elevator--

"name?"

damn it.

she turned to see todoroki, who seemed to just have returned after a mission. he was still dressed in his hero outfit, eyeing her suspiciously.

"what are you doing here?"

"i slept in bakugo's room last night, i was trying to get back to my dorm secretly."

she slapped her forehead as she let it slip.

"okay, listen, i was hit by a truth quirk and today is my last full day. don't bring this up and ill give you some cold soba or something."

"i wouldn't have said anything anyways, but thanks for the soba." he shrugged, walking on to his room.

"yeah, bye todoroki."

she called the elevator, put in her floor, and waited silently for the door to open.

as soon as it did, she crept right to her room, and crashed right back into bed.

today was the last full day with the quirk, and it'd be fully gone by noon tomorrow.

she sighed in relief and threw herself under the covers once more. she winced as she accident laid on the side of her wound, she'd still need to go find recovery girl today and ask for a kiss.

she eyed the stupid chalkboard that was still in her room, the operation only standing to remind her of her accidental confession. but as she laid, pondering over her interactions with bakugo over the the past week, she thought that maybe her feelings weren't as unrequited as she once thought.

she stared up at the roof of her bedroom, the slightly faded neon green glow-in-the-dark stars staring back at her.

the sun started to peak out through her balcony window, the tiny bit of energy it provided to her helping calm the storm of thoughts she was facing in her mind.

she decided to start her day early, hoping preoccupying herself would make her feel better.

after fully getting ready for the day: showering, cleaning her room, brushing her teeth, and doing her routine, the clock read at eight o'clock.

recovery girl should be in her office by now.

she walked out the dorms, her purse the only belonging she brought, as she traveled to the main building.

after a short walk, she reached the medical wing of U-A.

recovery girl questioned her harshly about the injury, badgering her to stay more safe in battle, and to not be so reckless.

"these types of injuries can leave you disabled or seriously hurt! be more careful young lady!"

"yes ma'am."

and with a small kiss on the head from the small, yet fierce recovery girl, she was back on her way.

as she strolled through the halls of U-A, she thought idly about what she wanted to do for the day.

she really didn't have anything planned for the day, so she decided just to relax in her dorm for the day, since she couldn't remember the last time she did so.

she took the time to actually thoroughly clean her room this time, hoping it'd fix her mental state like it always seemed to do.

her arm already felt good as new, but she was still careful for it, because of the nurse's words that had actually scared her.

the wound would heal, but it'd still leave the scar, the remnant of that battle.

but no matter what she'd try to distract herself with, even the nature of her scar wasn't enough to keep her thoughts from always coming back to him.

katsuki.

she now knew that her feelings were somewhat mutual, but she still couldn't help but feel worried about how things would turn out. they'd held hands, they'd slept together, and they'd went through a somewhat scary situation together.

what more did a good couple need?

after she fixed up her room, she surprisingly did feel better, but not by much.

she called mina into her room and ranted about what had happened to her over the past week, while mina relayed some stuff that had gone public.

apparently a news channel had reported on the fight between her and those villains, and had caught the end, where she won, on camera.

it had also caught the moments between her and bakugo on camera, which is why majority of the things she wanted to let mina know was already out in the open.

[name] still ranted on about what had transpired on the train ride, in the hospital, and in his dorm.

it felt good just to tell someone, to speak the truth without being forced to.

but after she grew bored of her rant, she sent mina off with the inconvenient ass chalkboard.

since it was saturday, everyone else also had the idea to just relax from their missions from the past few days. [name] finished up the volume of nana, and decided to go get some more from katsuki's dorm.

she walked in.. he was still sleeping? it was like two in the afternoon at this point.

still, she didn't want to deal with being the one to wake him up, so she grabbed another issue of nana and walked right out.

not before looking back and noticing his suddenly off posture.

she shrugged and headed back to her room.

the day passed on boringly,

her days since today were all so action packed or at least had something going on, so sitting around and doing nothing felt so foreign. so,

boring.

she sat in the common rooms, playing some weird racing game with denki and kirishima.

she lost, making them comfort her jokingly.

"it's okay [name], you're not good at everything and that's fine!"

"shut up!"

"yeah, you may have lost this but you're gonna win in life tomo--." denki joked, before sero flung a piece of tape on his mouth.

"dude shut up!"

[name] stared at them, so confused they could've swore a question mark popped up beside her head.

"what do you mean ' win in life'?"

"it's nothing, he's just being stupid again. must've overused his quirk or something." kirishima said, trying to save the secret.

"...but he didn't even use his quirk?"

"he meant that uh.. you win in life all the time because your so strong?" sero tried to reason.

"but why would that just be for tomorrow--"

"hey let's just play again okay? winner gets four-hundred yen."

she got the sense that they really wanted her to drop it. must be some weird guy stuff, she reasoned.

"you guys are being weird as hell and i know something is up.

....

but, okay. i want a head start since you're being so secretive though."

the guys all let out sighs of relief. "you got it!"

as she won because of her unfair advantage, over and over again, she wondered if tomorrow had something to do with bakugo.

oh well. that's tomorrows problem.

*＊✿❀𓂋❀✿＊*

bakugo had been out since noon, he woke up at eleven, and left pillows shaped as his body in his wake because he knew [name] would go back in his room.

he was storming through the mall, looking for the perfect gifts for [name].

he was the best, destined to top in every single category.

and that included in confessing.

he had already stopped by a corner shop and picked out small things she'd enjoy, snacks, candy, and a small beaded bracelet with a yellow flower on it.

mina had texted him some new specific snacks that she liked, so he had to admit being in that dumb operation group chat actually helped.

just a bit though.

but it still just wasn't enough in his head.

he needed something so beautiful, so that [name] would feel as though she'd never get such a great gift ever again.

as he walked through the shops, glaring at the windows as he tried to spot something fit for her, he thought back to what he thought would look nice on her.

he decided to get her some jewelry, fancy shit too, so it wouldn't get damaged or turn green.

he walked into a shop, gorgeous jewels shining brightly as he walked in.

as he walked in, he noticed that the sparkly weird guy was there.

"ah, bakugo! what are you doing here today?" the guy said, sending sparkles in bakugo's direction.

bakugo shook it off him as he answered.

"i'm looking for a nice necklace."

"for you? wow! i'm you'll look gorgeous with this twinkle--"

"no dumbass, i meant for [name]."

"oh, for [name]! well this will surely leave her a star!"

"okay."

aoyama ducked off and ran behind, searching through the shelves as he suddenly pulled out a cute, dainty necklace with a detailed tulip on it.

"what do you think? twinkles right?"

"yeah, it does." bakugo scoffed, it was actually a good choice.

"how much?"

aoyama dramatically took on a thinking pose, pointing his finger directly as bakugo, as more of that sparkley stuff flew around him.

"this is twenty-one thousand yen! but with my friends discount...

it'll be seven-thousand! what do you say bakugo?" aoyama decreed, while pointing his fist towards bakugo, acting as a mic.

"i'll take it."

aoyama smiled brightly, and handed him a velvet covered box with the necklace inside.

bakugo nodded and walked out, now satisfied with his gifts.

now he just had to think about the perfect spot.

‎°��⋆ .ೃ࿔*:･ 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

[name] had gotten bored of winning a while ago, and she had forgotten get enough time in the sun to fully eat so now she was upset, frustrated, and hungry.

her only possible salvation was drinking plant growth tea, which tasted gross but was the only thing she could eat to get full temporarily, besides the sun of course.

as she sucked it up and chugged the drink down in one go, she eyed bakugo who walked in with a huge bag of stuff.

hey, i never saw him leave, weirdd. [name] thought.

after resisting the urge to gag at the taste in her mouth, the hunger disapates and leaves her satisfied.

she lurked around, noting that everyone had gone to bed early except for tokoymai. she got bored and went back to her dorm,

the quirk would finally dissipate and all would be good in the world again.

she jumped onto her bed, ignoring the loud creaking sound that she heard from the force she exterted onto it.

she slumped over and even though she didn't want to...

doom scrolled through her socials.

mina wasn't lying, the news had covered both her and bakugo's victory the other day.

she felt herself flush at the sight of bakugo gently picking her up and walking her to the medics.

people in the comments were commenting on how cute the two rookie heroes looked together, and how they had never seen dynamite with a face like that.

they complimented her drive, and the fact that the two were so strong yet both still in school.

she promptly turned her phone off and held it to her chest..

tomorrow she'd talk it out with him.

or at least she'd try.

prev | next!

taglist (comment to be added!): @cc1306 @reads-stuff-quietly @dazqa @teenagetrash00 @jennapancake @sakurarr1122

[tnnagegrrl]

Tuesday 15th October

Old diary entry - TW lots of talk of ed+sh

Hello. I failed. I ate lots today (wieiad 14). I want to cry maybe. I feel like shit. I don't even have the energy to cvt myself anymore. I'll spend some time at lunch tomorrow trying to fix myself. I won't talk much and I won't eat until I have to. No tea either. Just water. Until I deserve something better.

"Never reward yourself with food, you're not a dog," I'm not a dog.

My friends. I will get them help. They need to be better. Not me. I don't deserve better. I'll be okay for now. If I go to the hospital it would probably be my mum who stays with me. I'd ki|| myself. I'll ki|| myself.

I'm tainted. I'm dirtied. I'm overwhelmed by the gross weight of the fat on my bones, hanging over them, sullying my frame. I need to see bone, whether by b|ade or by ⭐ving. Preferably both.

I should draw better. Or write better. Then I can thoroughly express my thoughts and actions.

If I get admitted, for anything, I won't talk. I know I won't. A vow of silence. I'll write or I'll sign or I'll type. Or I'll sit, and stare. I can't be admitted until I'm real. Until I'm not pretending. Until I can't switch it off.

She says our friend isn't ana because she can stop anytime she wants to, switch it off, ask for help. So by that same logic, I can't and don't have ana either. She's so adamant that I do when by her own rules, I don't. I've tried saying this, telling the truth. "I can stop whenever I want to. I have everything under control," but nobody ever believes me.

Why won't anyone believe me.

I need to slit my thighs open. Right now. As soon as I can. I'm itching for the blade, the grooves, the bumps, the blood.

I can't do this. It's in my spine. And my shoulder. My collarbone.

My ribs are closing in on me. Condensing.

I love the feeling of bones against the cold of my fingers. It's reassuring, proof that whatever I'm doing is working. I can feel the curve of my skin over my ribs. It tucks around them, makes a groove, a valley. I can count each individual one.

My hip bones stick out enough that I can sit my cold hands on them, over them. I can touch my pinky and my thumb around half of my arm. Not as much as I'd like. The fat still flaps around most of it. Obstructs my bones.

"If you can pinch it, you can lose it," I suppose.

Why do I do this? I don't know when or whu anymore. All I remember is that I have to. It's been too long to turn back now. I don't remember the first time I counted cals, or the first time I cvt myself. All I remember is that I did, and now I have to. I have to. Otherwise I don't have anything. If I lose my illness I lose myself, you have to understand.

I miss my mum a lot. Not her, but the idea of her. I mostly just get angry now, not upset like I used to. I don't know why I hate her, or why she hates me in return. It's pointless trying to remember. She seems nicer these days. For some reason. She shouts less. Maybe it was my fault all along. Maybe she shouted because I made her. I'm just that terrible of a child. It makes sense. God, I seem horrid. How does anyone still put up with me?

Goodnight.

(I wrote this sleep deprived and bleeding out at 1am so this probably doesn't make any sense at all lmaoo.)

[mrsaguapapi]

Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4

Chapter 5

Royal Introductions

Exhausted, I lay there, eyes closed, not wanting to move. I'm this close to dozing off before Marc leans in and kisses my neck, "You should use the bathroom before you fall asleep."

"No"

"You could get a UTI."

"Nothing magic can't fix" Without opening my eyes I wave my hand around like a wand, "Goodbye, UTI "

He quietly chuckles, "You're a comedian you know that?" He scoops me up and takes me to the bathroom, "Don't expect me to wipe for you" He drops me down and closes the door behind me.

Once I was done, I wash my hands and look in the mirror. My makeup is a hot ass mess; too embarrassed, I decided to take a shower to wash away my mess. I hear a small knock on the door.

"Come in" I reply

"Hey love, mind if we join?" by the happy tone of his voice it was Steven.

"Yes on one condition. Can you wash my hair" I ask

"I've literally always wanted to do this" He laughs. Steven sneaks in behind me and begins to shampoo my hair. He thoroughly massaged my scalp and ran soap from my roots to the end of my hair.

This is so comforting.

I don't allow many people to touch my hair. Honestly, Aunt May and Bucky were the only ones to wash my hair before this. May's gone and Bucky checked out.

Ughhh I don't want to see him tomorrow

Refocusing on my anxious thoughts, I realize Steven is unusually quiet, "What's on your mind hun"

Steven hesitates

I turn around and rest my arms around his neck and look him in the eyes, "You can tell me" I smile.

"I used to wash Layla's hair like this." he sadly responds, "I'm sorry, probably don't want to hear about our ex right after sex" he nervously laughs.

Leaning my head on his chest I sigh, "I'm hung up on my ex too; no need to protect my feelings hun, we all went into this agreement with no intentions of a relationship. Just a couple of broken people with needs" I joke. "But seriously you can talk about anything with me. When was the last time you spoke with her?"

"A few months. The last time we spoke, we fought. She said she hated us and left."

"I seriously doubt she means that. She was very upset and probably felt outnumbered by you 3. Want my advice?"

"Always"

"Reach out and ask to talk. Listen to her, don't interrupt, just let her get it out. Remember, Listen to understand not Respond. Marc and Jake, I'm talking to you."

"They say they resent that" he laughs. "Thank you, Millie"

"Of course"

We eventually get out, dry off, and head to bed. They fall asleep first and I lay there in their arms lost in thought.

I really do hope they fix it with Layla. I would be lying if I said I don't feel anything for them; It would be nice to end up with them but it could never work; they age, and I don't. How am I to have a normal life when I can't even grow old with someone? I refuse to let myself love someone ill have to eventually bury. I did try with Bucky though, I even looked into giving up my immortality for him.

Wasn't enough I guess

I push those thoughts out of my head for now and allow myself to sleep.

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

The boys gift me a t-shirt and a pair of their favorite sweats as a replacement for the dress Jake ripped.

"Don't be a stranger, and reach out to Layla. Sooner rather than later okay?" with that, I give them a parting hug and kiss before I portal home.

Finally home I let out a long sigh and do a full-body stretch.

"Hey, you're home!" Peter yells before he runs to hug me, he looks down at my clothes and gives me a puzzled look, "what happened to your dress?

"Don't ask questions you don't really want the answer to."

He deadpans and walks backward, "You need church, a baptism, shit maybe an exorcism too"

I laugh, "What I need is a shower" The boys and I had an early morning; we fucked twice, 3 times if you count them eating me out before we got interrupted by their landlord.

I go take a quick shower and wash off last night/this morning's sex-scapades. Once again I do my makeup; nothing extravagant just something natural to highlight my features. After my face is done I check my hair and fix my edges.

I finally dress in my formal battle attire; a black leather high low tunic dress with gold accents as well as a white and gold shoulder cape I break out for special occasions like this. It's giving 'Game of Thrones meets Castlevania'. All jokes aside my uniform is interesting.

I found it tucked away in the Kamar Taj one day and when I touched it I felt strange. There was an old ancient energy about it so I decided to leave it there. But for a week straight I found it in places that it shouldn't be. One day I even buried it, and then the next day I woke up with it at the foot of my bed, dirt and all. I finally took it to Wong and he informed me that it was a magical relic and essentially chose me as its owner.

Reference:

Artwork by Me (Super rough drawing that I finished at 2am; just trying to give you a general idea) 

'The Regalia of Rowena'; the original owner was Rowena Hemlocke an infamous witch who tried to harness the sun's power. Legend says it almost worked, but she couldn't handle the heat and disintegrated in a matter of seconds; all that remained was her clothes. Some would say that's a red flag but my toxic trait is that it picked me, so obviously it's true love.

Hehe

Finally, all done, I look over myself and I honestly feel beautiful. Not sexy or hot, but beautiful; It feels really good. I grab my suitcase and meet peter in the living room. Peter is dressed in a simple black suit, his Spidey suit isn't necessarily formal.

"You have everything you need? All the essentials? All your chargers? Your suit just in case?"

"Yes, yes, yes & Yes. You look intense; like I am kind of intimidated by both your beauty and power. Is this a slay?"

"Yes, Peter this is a slay" I laugh hysterically "Come on let's go, can't leave a Queen waiting" I open a portal.

The Vibe: 

Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness

We step through and find ourselves outside of the Royal Palace. Immediately the royal staff took our bags to our rooms.

"This place is remarkable," Peter says in awe. "Just insane"

"I know right? You are gonna love Shuri's lab."

"Oh, I bet. I'm gonna walk around okay?"

"Okay, don't go far doors open any minute" Peter nods and walks away; I take a look around and see who else is here. No one I know, just a bunch of Wakandan leaders and noblemen. I think we are the only outsiders invited.

Spoke to Soon

James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes. I almost forgot he was coming. He's wearing black slacks and a dark blue sweater with a black coat over it. Doesn't sound like much, but Bucky is a simple man, I'm honestly surprised he's not in his signature leather jacket.

He cut his hair, It looks good

Staring and lost in thought I didn't notice him staring back. He sheepishly smiles at me, I quickly look away too embarrassed and sad. All the old unresolved emotions hit me like a car crash, I start to get anxious and nauseous. Around me, the air started to cool and the wind picked up rapidly;. the clouds begin to darken. The people around mutter in confusion; I can't breathe, I can't move, I can't speak.

Suddenly a comforting hand touches my shoulder. Shaking and on the verge of tears, I look and see who it was, Namor.

"Walker of Clouds indeed, I see you truly are a descendent of Ororo." He calmly speaks "Breathe." he pauses "It'll pass"

I close my eyes and focus on my breathing, after a few seconds everything around me slowly calms. It passed, I put my hand on my heart and breath for a few more beats, before I open my eyes. "Thank you" I softly say

So maybe I can control the weather...

He nods, "Are you okay Ki'ichpan (beautiful girl)?"

"I'm getting there." I chuckle. Namor was wearing his normal royal jewelry in addition to golden shoulder plates, kind of like armor; attached were red and white robes that flowed nicely in the wind. "I didn't think you would come. Also, we gotta talk about this 'Ki'ichpan' business. Can't keep casually calling me beautiful in all of our conversations"

"I almost didn't. My people advised against me being here but if we are to work with the Wakandans, it must be done. If anything happens my people are near." he leans into my ear, "I will call you beautiful because you are." The hand he has on my shoulder sneaks down to my lower back. "This is a lovely dress you're wearing. You look very," he pauses, "commanding"

Nervously I laugh, "You are one hell of a sweet talker," I look him dead in the eye, "Flattery will get you nowhere."

He deviously smiles.

I think he took that as a challenge.

Before he responds Peter returns, "uhhh" Peter looks at Namor's hand placement "Everything good here?"

"Yes, Peter everything is fine, just talking to a friend."

Without even acknowledging Peter, he looks at me, "Is this your Twin Flame Ki'ichpan?" he asks with a hint of frustration.

Is he angry?

"Ew" Peter and I say in tandem.

"This is my brother, Peter. Peter this King Namor ruler of..." I look at Namor for Help

Namor hesitates to respond, "Peter can keep a secret as easily as breathing air. You can trust him. All of us here are allies, you have my word" I assure

"Talokan. Ruler of Talokan" Namor Responds

"Well, it's great to meet you Namo- Mr. Namor sir. I mean King" Peter fumbles

"Namor is fine" he smiles

Before we could continue with introductions the doors to the palace open and we all file in, one by one. As we walk through, the announcers introduce us one by one. He gets to Namor,

"Introducing for the first time ever, King Namor ruler of Underwater Kingdom Talokan" Namor Bows and Walks away.

"UNDERWATER?" Peter whispered and yelled.

"So amazing," I say in awe

It was our turn to be announced, "Welcome Millaenyia Parker, primordial earth witch, master of the elements, And her brother Peter Parker, Spiderman, protector of New York " he pauses "One of the many heroes of the Batlle of Earth"

Peter and I bow and continue forward.

"They remember me?" Peter whispers

"Unfortunately no, but did you think I'd let them announce you as just a plus one" I reply

"Thank you" he smiles

"Of course" I respond

"Alrighty let's get through the night without embarrassing ourselves," Peter says

"No Promises" I nervously smile

Let the show begin 

[tripthelightfandomtastic]

here’s my sammy idea; its about edging so if that’s not your thing, keep scrolling!

ok so, i want to edge sam. i feel like the idea it would come up from some argument he was having with boys when having drinks at jakes house, a stupid discussion about who could go the most without an orgasm, and sam gloated about how he is not a desperate teenager.

the little comment takes root in your brain, and on your way back home you raise the idea to him.

“do you actually think you can do it?” you say casually while driving “do what?” “go a few days without cumming” his eyes go a little wide at the question “well… yeah, i think i can do better than those 3, at least, why?” you casually stop at a red light, so you look at him “would you be down to try?” he is quiet for seconds that feel too long “…try it how, exactly?” “well,” you raise an amused eyebrow at sam’s sudden shyness “we do our usual thing, but you make me cum, and you suck it up” you joke hoping to put him at ease, making him chuckle before he quiets down again “so… edging? is it?” “yup” you nod “we can build up to it honey, im not gonna slap a cock ring on you and keep it there for half a month” the mention of the ring already makes sam feel hot under his collar, you continue “we can start with four, maybe five days if that sounds ok- if you are okay with the whole thing, that is” sam nods, its not like you aren’t in control of all his orgasms already, he loves to be putty in your hands “okay, yeah, lets do it” he runs his clammy palms up and down his legs, already feeling a bit jittery “are we… are we starting now?” you giggle at him sweetly “no honey, right now im gonna be sweet to you and make you cum in any way your little heart desires” you park in front of your home and cup his jaw and peck his lips “we can start tomorrow” making him gulp nervously.

you settled on four for being the first time, but god it was the four longest days of sam’s life. from making him eat you out 3 times while praising him, to jerking him off hard and fast, in a way that made him squirm desperately and gasp for air as if he was constantly coming out of the water. you never pushed him too close to the edge, maybe once or twice before letting him catch his breath and take a cold shower.

on the fourth day, sam woke up to an empty bed. he got up and walked to the kitchen, and bent over to hide his face in your neck and mutter a shy good morning. you were sitting on the table with a mug of coffee and a left-over croissant from yesterday. “good morning, pretty. how did you sleep?” it was hell to fall asleep, honestly. you palmed him through his underwear and kissed his neck while praising him for what what felt like hours, so he had to fall asleep with a hard on and wake up to a slight case of morning wood. “Fine” he bit his lip, looking around in the kitchen, catching your eyes every now and then. “im not gonna make you cum yet, sam” you chuckled at his whining “you’ve been waiting for days, you can wait a few more minutes.” you placed your mug and plate on the sink, feeling him follow you like little puppy. “first, breakfast, you are gonna need your energy, baby” he sighed and fixed himself a mug with a bowl of cereal on the side, and ate with a pout “oh, dont be dramatic, sammy”

30 minutes later, you feel him creep behind you while you do the dishes, hands on your rib cage trailing down to your hips “please? now?” he asks quietly and you sigh with a smile “ok sammy, go wait in the room” you kiss his shocked face on the cheek “go, ill be right there” he nearly trips on his way out.

if you could take a picture, you would, because you dont think there’s anything prettier than sam with his hair in a bun, hands tied up above his head, cheeks and chest flushed, squirming from your hand pumping him slowly but steady, and your lips fluttering around the base of his cock. “please, please…” he whines sweetly “sammy, you really arent helping yourself with all your begging and whining” you say, with a seductive smile “can i try something?” “yes, please, just-“ a choked moan and the clench of his legs interrupt him “anything, i need it” “aw, he needs it” you coo mockingly “ok baby, im gonna give it to you, yeah?” he nods shakily with closed eyes, taking this as a chance to take the little bullet vibrator from the nightstand to your left.

with your right hand holding his red, weeping cock up from the base. “just let go when you are ready, ok?” you dropped a kiss to his hip as he nodded, his breath still labored but not as frantic. you wrap you lips around his tip, babying it with your tongue, circling around it gently. his noises almost sound like complains, his hips already starting to shift. when you feel like he got back into it, you turn on the bullet vibrator at high power, holding it to where his shaft connects to his balls, making him almost scream in surprise, and it takes little to no time to get him there. “oh god- oh, please! can i-?” he sobs out, you let go of his tip with a pop “yes, yes baby, come for me, let go-“ sam’s scream interrupts you as his orgasm splatters against his chest. his body tenses erratically, his mouth open with now gasps coming out of him as his orgasm hits him like a train. you pull the vibrator off of him while still pumping steadily to work him through it gently. when there’s only a few tears coming from his cock you pull away from him, immediately standing up to release his hands, the only sound in the room being his panting. “sammy? did i break you baby?” you touch his face delicately, he nods with a wet face, nuzzling it into your hand “let me know when i can clean you up, bub. take your time” while playing with the stray hairs from his bun to pull him back to reality gently

(i know the spacing looks weird as hell but this is tumblr being HELL to write in im sorry)

Oh... now that is delicious.

[deliciousartfox]

Octonauts: Demon slayer au

Story I posted on Wattpad but wanted to share on here as well so here's the story and I hope you like it :)

𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚢 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕?

"Orson," a lady called out to her son. The boy, Orson, was preparing to head down the mountain to sell coal to the village.

"Your face is all black. Come over here. Because it's risky when it snows, it's alright if you don't go," the lady said while wiping her son's face. It was near New Year, and Orson wanted to sell some coal so they could have a feast

"I'll only go sell a little bit,"

"... Thank you," The door opened from the inside, and a girl, similar to the boy in both age and appearance, spoke up.

"Brother! Are you going to the village today? Let me come too!" Before she could step out, her mother(the lady) scolded her.

" No. You are ill and are in no condition to go out with your brother."

"But I feel better now, I can -" Before she could finish, her mother cut her off.

"No, Ursa, you were vomiting 2 days ago, and just yesterday you were coughing and sneezing left and right. You are staying home with me and your siblings."

"I'll buy you candy while I'm out Ursa, so just stay home and rest okay," Orson said while trying to convince his twin sister to stay home. After some bargaining, he left saying goodbye to his sister and mother.

Life wasn't easy, but it was a blessing. But, concerning life, it is like looking at the sky. It changes and moves because there aren't times when it stays clear for a long time. There also aren't times when it snows for a long time. Thus times when happiness is broken, there is always the scent of blood.

" Well, if it isn't Orson," a woman commented. Orson was prominent in his town, along with his family. They were known for helping people, and for working hard, there is not one person who hasn't at least heard of them.

"You came down from the mountain on a day like this, good work, but you'll catch a cold like this."

"I want to buy some charcoal!"

"Thank you for fixing up my door for me!"

"I also want to buy some charcoal!"

"AHHHHHHH ORSON I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE. CAN YOU TELL WHO BROKE THESE DISHES? PLEASE SMELL THESE!" Being a hard worker isn't the only thing Orson is known for. Orson is also known for having a strong, sensitive nose; They say he can smell anything from 20 miles away, maybe more if he pushes. Orson leans forward and takes a sniff of the broken plate.

"It smells like a cat,"

"Eh, a cat?"

"SEE I TOLD YOU IT WASN'T ME!!!!!!!!!!!"

The sun was setting, and the vibrant hues of red, orange, pink, and purple were a stage that Orson would never forget. It was getting late, and Orson needed to get home before the sun was fully set.

"HEY ORSON, ARE YOU RETURNING TO THE MOUNTAIN?" A voice shouted out

"You can't continue. It's too dangerous!"

"O-oh, it's ok, My nose can smell anything. I'll be fine -"

"I'll let you stay the night, just come,"

"But..."

"ENOUGH! The demons will appear..." And with that, Orson went inside.

"Since long ago, human-eating demons come out to hunt at night, and because of that, it's a problem to walk around at night. You'll get eaten, it's beat if you sleep here, wake up early tomorrow and return home," Orson was tucked in his futon while listening to the old man. If you were to ask Orson if he believed in demons, he would say no. Orson has ventured out during the dark and it safe to say, he has never seen a demon."

"Can the demons not enter houses?" he asked

"No, they can enter..." Orson wanted to scoff. He would have been home at this point. What difference did it make if the demon could just barge in the house?

"In that case... everyone.... would be eaten by demons..." the white-haired boy yawned before closing his eyes.

"...The Demons hunters kill the demons for us.... since long ago..."

He must be lonely, living alone since his family died. Next time, I'll invite my mother and sister along. Even though it's scary, it's okay since demons don't exist. Even though I'm certain that such man-eating monsters don't exist, our grandmother said the same thing before she passed.

The morning arrived, and Orson had just left the old man's house. The morning air was cold, but he would make sure to arrive home on time.

T̶i̶m̶e̶s̶ w̶h̶e̶n̶ h̶a̶p̶p̶i̶n̶e̶s̶s̶ i̶s̶ b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶, t̶h̶e̶ s̶c̶e̶n̶t̶ o̶f̶ b̶l̶o̶o̶d̶ i̶s̶ a̶l̶w̶a̶y̶s̶ t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶.

Orson knew what to expect when he arrived home. He would see his mother awake, fixing up Breakfast, and his sister would most likely either be asleep or doing some other chores. His other siblings would also be helping around the house (except for the youngest, he could sleep all day if they let him). But what he didn't expect was for his mother and sister to be covered in blood just outside the door. His dear sister inside the arms of their mother, an image forever engraved in his head.

"WHAT THE- WHAT- HOW DID THIS HAPPEN-WHAT HAPPENED!" The scene inside was more gruesome, his 2 younger brothers, one cut in half and the other-he couldn't even recognize him; if only by his clothes, for his face was nothing but a mess of flesh and blood. Orson went and knelt in front of his mother, his shaking hands moving his mother's hair away from her face. That was until he felt something, -warmth-, not from his mother but from his twin sister. His sister was still alive, and with that, he picked her up on his back and ran back down the mountain.

Only Ursa had warmth in her body. If she sees a doctor, they might be able to save her. How did such a thing happen? A bear? Did a bear that wasn't hibernating appear? It was painful to breathe... the frozen air burned his lungs... but he knew he had to move forward... he had to move his legs faster.

They were still far from the village, he needed to go faster. He wouldn't let her die, he was going to save her no matter what.

"Your big brother will save you..." He felt Ursa shift behind him; her movement becoming more agitated before griping her brother's shoulder violently and growling loudly.

"GAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" The sudden movement caused Orson to slip off the cliff.

' SHIT ' Orson closed his eyes preparing for the worse, but the soft snow softened his fall. He lays there for a while before opening his eyes.

" ...I'm saved...the snow, I slipped and fell on snow- URSAA!" Ursa was standing there swaying side to side in her bloodied clothes.

"Ursa! Are you OK, you don't have to walk. Let me carry you down the mountain! Ursa!!!" It was Ursa, but she didn't look like her. It was her eyes, they no longer held compassion, they looked angry.

They looked hungry

She was fast. She jumped on her twin with murderous intent, the only thing stopping her from biting her brother was the axe he had on him.

"A demon!" The old man's words came to his mind at that moment. Ursa, a demon? No, that's not right, Ursa has been a human ever since she was born. But her scent was different. Orson knew, though, that Ursa didn't do anything as she had no scent of their brother's blood and was being protected by their mother.

"Oof!" Her body was getting bigger, and her strength was increasing.

"While I was sleeping comfortably, you were all suffering. You were all hurting. I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you."

"URSA! Try your best, Ursa! Try your best to hold it off! Somehow, you turned into a demon, Pull yourself together! I believe in you, Ursa!" A drop fell on the little polar bear boy. Ursa was now crying, muffled by the axe in her mouth. Too distracted by the situation at hand, neither of the two felt the presence of the intruder.

The two of them move out of the way just in time to avoid the sword. A man in a light blue lapis haori and black uniform attacked them with a sword. He had snow-white hair and blue eyes.

"Who was that...is that a Katana? "

"... Why did you protect them?" Orson snapped out of his trance and responded in a panic.

"YOUNGER, SHE'S MY YOUNGER SISTER!" She continued to growl, arms reaching toward the armed man.

".... I'm afraid she's no longer your sister..." He raced towards them. Abnormally quickly. Orson ducked his head trying to protect his sister, but he quickly realized that she was no longer in his arms.

"GYAAAHHHHHHH!!!" His sister was held with her arms behind her by the man in blue.

"URSA!" he yelled standing up abruptly.

"Don't worry, My job is to protect you against demons. I apologize... but I will have to decapitate your sister,"

"PLEASE WAIT, URSA HASN'T KILLED ANYONE! At the location of our home, there was another scent that I never smelled before! Whatever killed everyone was probably that! Ursa is different, I don't know why she's behaving like that but-"

"It's quite simple, If an open wound is exposed to demon blood, then you become a demon. This is how man-eating people multiply"

"URSA HASN'T EATEN ANYONE!" The swordsman was shocked by how persistent the boy was. He believed him when he said that she has yet to eat anyone, but he says it like it's always going to be that way.

"She was just about to eat you,"

"THAT WRONG! YOU CAN'T KNOW FOR SURE IN MY CASE! I WON'T LET HER HURT ANYONE! I'LL TURN URSA BACK INTO HUMAN, I'LL FIND A CURE!"

"I'm sorry, but there is no cure, there is no way to turn a demon back into a human."

"THEN I'LL FIND A WAY, I'LL FIND A WAY TO CURE HER SO PLEASE DON'T KILL HER! I'LL FIND THE ONES WHO KILLED MY FAMILY, I'LL TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING SO PLEASE.... PLEASE" His begging was useless. The man raised his sword toward Ursa's neck, ready to cut her head off. Everything else was taken from him, so in a last attempt, he went on his knees and truly begged.

"Please stop......whatever you do, please don't kill my sister...I beg of you..." He couldn't hold his tears anymore.

"I beg of you...."The man snapped, finally losing his patience.

"YOU CAN'T GRASP AUTHORITY OVER SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE AND DEATH." Orson raised his head abruptly with a shocked look, still covered in tears.

"DON'T GROVEL LIKE THAT AND GIVE YOUR ENEMIES A CHANCE TO KILL YOU. TAKEN AWAY? IN THAT TIME THEY WERE TAKEN AWAY, WHERE WERE YOU? CURE YOUR SISTER? TAKE REVENGE? IT'S HIGHLY RIDICULOUS! FOR THE WEAK THERE IS NO RIGHT OR OTHER CHOICES."

"ENTIRELY WITH FORCE, THE STRONG CAN MAKE OTHERS SURENDER, MAYBE THE DEMON KNOWS HOW TO CURE YOUR SISTER, BUT I DOUBT THE DEMON WILL HAVE ANY RESPECT FOR YOU. WHY DIDN'T YOU SWING YOUR AXE? WHY DID YOU SHOW ME YOUR BACK? IS IT OKAY IF I BEHEAD YOUR SISTER IN FRONT OF YOU?"

'Don't cry. Don't despair. Don't do these things now. I know that you were knocked down. Your only family left became a demon. It's painful, isn't it? You want to shout, don't you? I understand.'

'Half a day. If I had arrived half a day earlier, your family wouldn't be dead. However, time can not be reversed. Be angry. Say that it's unforgivable. A strong, pure anger. Let it become an unshakable driving force such that your limbs can't be moved.'

'Frail resolution will not save and cure your sister, it will not kill your family's enemy.'

"STOP!" It was too late. The swordsman stabbed his sister in the shoulder, earning him a painful screech from the demon girl.

"STOP!" Orson picked up a rock and flung it toward the Swordsman. Not like it would do much, as the man easily blocked the little pebble. Orson ran behind a tree, picking up another rock and throwing it at the man as he once again dodged it.

"YAAAAAAAHHH!!!" He ran up to the man with the blue haori. An attack based on emotions. But the boy can't win against an experienced swordsman. As he used the handle of the sword to knock the boy out, he fell on the snow before being fully unconscious.

"........ Where is the a-" Out of nowhere the axe came flying toward the man's face just bearly missing. Just before he hid behind the tree he threw the stone, then he threw the axe up. He hid the fact that he was unarmed with his charging posture because he knew he couldn't defeat him. He tried to bring him down after he got knocked out.

"GAAAAAHHHHH" Ursa kicked the man out of the way, making her way toward her now unconscious brother.

'Crap! He'll get eaten!' Ursa got to Orson.

'Ursa is different!'

'She doesn't eat people!' Ursa got in front of Orson in a protective stance growling at him

'A long time ago... There was a guy who said the same thing and was eaten. Demon in a "starving condition" would eat their parents or siblings. Fixing that wound would consume a lot of energy. Also, because turning into a demon requires a lot of stamina, without a doubt right now she is very hungry. She's going to want to eat anytime now but those defensive movements, it's as if she's warning me...' She lunged at him, ready to attack.

"Maybe something is different about these two"

And with just a single hit to the neck, Ursa passed out.

A mother and two brothers surrounded Orson in a pitch-black void, looking at him with sorrow.

"I'm sorry for leaving you, Orson. Take care of Ursa for us" Orson woke up gripping some cloth. The cloth ended up being Ursa's haori. She was sleeping with a bamboo muzzle in her mouth.

"Are you awake?" Orson tugged Ursa close to him in panic

" ... Go visit a man named Natquick Belov, who lives at the foot of the misty mountain. Tell him that Barnacles Belov sent you. Because it's cloudy it should be OK. Make sure the sunlight never touches your sister... And I'm sorry for my outburst, I wish you luck." He vanished too quickly for the eye to see as if he wasn't there in the first place. Leaving Orson and Ursa there all alone.

Orson went back to the house to bury his family. Orson prayed while Ursa stared off into the distance.

"Let's go" Orson grabbed his sister's hand and with one final look, they took off.

𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚐𝚘 𝚠𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚙𝚙𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚑 𝚋𝚘𝚢 𝚛𝚞𝚗𝚜

[rianafying]

i’m having a really bad day emotionally. idk if it’s my period hormones or bpd but i’m just in a really sucky mood today. yesterday i recovered from one illness that i had since late jan. i’ve been desperately waiting to feel better and this morning i woke up with another kind of illness. and i’m doing my best to recover from this as well. and something triggered my abandonment response and im just having a really really hard time right now. and i can’t even freely talk about it to anyone or even write about it in my journal. i’m just. so sad right now. i’m not abandoned but i feel that way. i have been feeling abandoned for a while now and a small thing that happened last night really amped it up. then this morning i woke up with a crazy amount of physical pain and fever from said illness and im also severely dehydrated because i have been too upset to drink water so i’ve been forcing myself to drink lots of water all day. and had to take painkillers and sleep the fever off. all by myself. i hate being by myself. but it was worse when i was living with family back in bangladesh. somehow i felt even lonelier and more horrible there. lately i’ve had very little hope about myself and my future. i’m just going through a rough time mentally. so are my loved ones. i’m sobbing as i’m writing about this. this isn’t even bad. like it’s just my mental illness over reacting and my hormones possibly amplifying the negative emotions. but nothing terrible has actually happened it’s just that i wanted something and i can’t have it and even in my dreams, my desires plague me. it all sounds vague but that’s on purpose because i can’t openly talk about it. even when faced with much greater difficulty, i have handled things better but right now even though it’s not actually that bad, i feel exceptionally sad. i did my groceries. made the right decisions. i literally did my very fucking best today. and yet i feel nothing but awful awful awful. even some self hatred and self pity. i’m having a hard time trying to logic myself out of this one. maybe it just needs some time. the problem is that i don’t have all that much time to give. i have a class early tomorrow and it’s one of those classes that i really have to participate in and even though i normally look forward to this class, im dreading it right now. i dont have the energy to learn a whole bunch of things right now. and my friends invited me for drinks after classes, which is great but sucks because i literally have 5$ in my bank account to last me the whole week, and today was just monday. idk how this happened. actually i know exactly how this happened, i paid of my medical bills when i got paid this weekend. that’s why i have nothing left. but it’s a big relief. that i have paid off all my hospital debt. it’s a huge deal. and it’s done. now temporarily i’ll struggle a little but it’ll be okay soon. also it was just 11:11pm and i made a good wish. i’m going to try my best to bring it to fruition. rn im still a bit sick, and im not gonna beat myself up for having a bad couple of days. i know im doing my best. my best is not as good as other people’s but it’s mine. and i am choosing to go easy on myself. i’m feeling a fever coming back. the plan for the rest of the night is to maybe rest till my fever goes away. then watch the movies i downloaded w the library wifi, because guess what, i didn’t have money to get wifi this month. so i barely use my data and i try to download as much as i can at uni and at the library. it has been kind of good for me. to be off the internet mostly. this reminds me i should deactivate my instagram soon. idc if i loose my work flow. or maybe try to find balance between life offline and online. after i’m done resting and my fever subsides, ill boil some eggs and what not. i deserve to eat well. nvm im back to crying in my fetal position. oh god i feel so bad. i feel so bad right now. i can’t do anything about this. and the things that i can fix, i don’t. this is literally my life. crying about things i can’t control and ignoring the things i can control

this is the worst i have felt in 2024 so far. i’m so sad that it’s giving me a headache. i’m so disoriented and confused and tired and sad i don’t wanna do anything. i’m depressed as fuck. why does this happen to me. oh god i let a couple of hours pass, and i’m doing a little bit better. this is so stupid.

[oliverreedmasterass]

Words: 27k (yes, you read that right)

Synopsis: Jake physically can’t stop singing and dancing and it seems that there must be some dark magic involved. Will the guys be able to get Jake back to normal before their show? Or are they going to have to perform with a guitarist who does kick ball changes? (originally posted on AO3)

Warnings: language, drinking, mention of being physically ill, brief allusion to unaliving

_________________________________________________

Josh heard the door to his hotel room open and slam shut followed by hurried footsteps to the side of his bed, where he was laying, trying to get his beauty sleep. 

“Something’s wrong,” Jake whispered in a panic. 

“Mrmph?” Josh grunted, flipping up his sleep mask to glare at Jake. His scowl unfurled into a look of worry when he saw how pale Jake’s face was in the dark room. “What?” 

“I - I don’t know how to explain it,” Jake continued to whisper in a tremble. “I was just down in the lobby getting a drink and then I called out to the bartender to pay for my tab and my voice did this really weird thing and Josh I’m so confused, I’m freaking out.” 

Josh sat upright and flicked on his bedside lamp to get a better look at his brother. 

“What do you mean your voice was doing something weird?” 

“My throat felt fine, and then I felt like someone had bashed me over the side of the head with a frying pan or something, I don’t know, and then when I tried to talk, it - it, ugh, how do I put this, I can’t control it, it’s like, all I can do is sing.” 

“You’re not singing right now,” Josh deadpanned back. Jake pinched at the bridge of his nose in frustration. 

“I know that. It’s because I’m whispering right now, Josh.” 

“I think you need to get some sleep.” 

“No, trust me, this is a problem we need to fix now.” 

“I don’t see a problem.” 

“HOW IS THIS FOR A PROBLEM?” Jake suddenly broke out into a falsetto wail that flattened Josh against his mattress. “I’m not controlling this,” Jake continued to sing like a member of the Bee Gees. If Josh wasn’t so surprised, he would have been laughing his ass off. 

“Turn it down,” he complained. His head was starting to hurt. 

“I was just trying to prove a point,” Jake returned back to a whisper. 

“Point proven. You sure you’re not just drunk?” 

“Positive. I hardly finished my beer.”

“I think you should try to get some rest and we can figure this out tomorrow.” 

Jake didn’t seem happy about this but he slumped his shoulders in defeat and trudged

towards the door.  

“I doubt it will be better tomorrow,” he sang to Josh before slamming the door shut.

Josh was optimistic when he woke up the next morning that Jake’s “problem” would be a thing of the past. He was hardly awake during their interaction the night prior so it took him a while to realize that it wasn’t a dream. Still, as he got dressed and made his way to his brother’s adjacent hotel room, he was confident that Jake would open his door with a wide smile and greet him good morning in his normal talking voice. 

This, unfortunately, was not what happened. 

“HELLO BROTHER,” Jake belted out like he was in a production of Phantom of the Opera. Josh cringed and hopped back from his brother in surprise which he could immediately tell pissed Jake off. “IT’S NOT BETTER,” Jake continued. “I SLEPT AND EVERYTHING.” 

“Just, be quiet for a second, okay?” Josh asked as he stepped into Jake’s room and shut the door before they got cited for a noise violation. Jake led Josh back to his bed and they both sat on it with a bounce. “You had mentioned last night that it felt like someone hit you over the head with a bat?” Josh tried to remember. 

“A frying pan,” Jake sang with an impressive vibrato. 

“Right,” Josh nodded, like that detail mattered. “Maybe someone did clock you over the head and it screwed up your brain cells or something?” 

“My head would hurt if that was the case,” Jake continued to sing. 

“I don’t know what to tell you, Jake. This is really weird. Like, I don’t want to upset you or anything but I really think this might just be in your head.”

Josh noted that Jake was shooting him a pretty hard glare, but he continued on. 

“Can you try talking normally?” 

“WHAT DO YOU THINK I’VE BEEN TRYING TO DO THIS ENTIRE TIME?” Jake bellowed out in a metal scream. Josh noted that was a bit closer to talking normally. As he was about to encourage Jake to try rapping something, they heard Sam’s voice outside the door. 

“What the hell are you two doing in there? It’s 7am, can’t you wait to start screaming at a normal time?” 

“The queen is here,” Josh rolled his eyes at Jake. Even though Jake still looked fed up, he managed a small laugh. Josh grinned at that and got up to open the door to his younger brother. Sam was standing in the hotel hallway in an especially soft looking bathrobe, his hair tied up into a loose bun on top of his head and a frown etched into his forehead. 

“When’s a normal time to scream?” Josh greeted his brother. 

“What’s going on?” Sam cut straight to the chase with his hands on his hips. 

“Come in,” Josh motioned to Sam. “It’s a lot easier to show you than explain it.” 

“Oh, great, what’s wrong with Jake this time?” Sam sounded exasperated. 

“He claims that he can only -”

“SING!” Jake cut Josh off, standing from the bed and opening his arms up to the room so he could let out a high E that lasted at least 10 measures. Sam and Josh winced at each other. 

“He’s drunk, isn’t he?” Sam turned to Josh. 

“I wish it was that simple,” Josh grumbled. Sam raised an eyebrow. “He came into my room last night and was doing this. He said that he felt like someone clocked him over the head with something and so now, whenever he tries to talk, all he can do is this.” 

Josh and Sam both looked back at Jake who was watching between them. 

“I WOULD STOP THIS IF I COULD,” Jake sang to them in a voice eerily similar to Josh’s. Then, with a frustrated grunt, Jake hurled himself back onto his bed face first and laid still. Josh and Sam both shared an extended glance at their brother and then Sam leaned into Josh’s side. 

“Maybe the stress is catching up to him.” 

“That’s what I was thinking, but it pissed him off that I would even consider that.” 

“I just don’t know what else his problem could be. I mean, people don’t just start singing out of nowhere for no reason. It’s not like we’re living in some kind of musical or something.” 

“Should we try to find a shrink?” 

“It might not be a bad idea. I could use a talk with them too. Being on the road with all of you is driving me up the wall.” 

“Oh come on, I mean I understand Jake and I, but you enjoy being around Danny.” 

“He’s the only one keeping me sane.” Sam stopped for a second to think. “I wanna get Danny to show him this. Maybe he could talk to Jake, they’ve been acting pretty close recently.” 

“Good call, Danny’s got a way of working his charm on Jake.” 

“I’ll go and grab him,” Sam excused himself. “Be right back.” 

As soon as Josh heard the door shut, he returned back to Jake’s bed where he was still laying still as a plank of wood and settled on the corner of the mattress.

“Please answer in a whisper,” Josh started, reaching over to pat the back of Jake’s leg. “We’ve been on the road for a few months, are you feeling overwhelmed with everything?” 

Jake wiggled away from Josh’s touch and then flipped around so he was looking at him. 

“I’m not stressed, I was having a great time until this happened,” he whispered harshly. 

“It’s okay, you can tell me if you are,” Josh tried to coax him along. 

“Something is seriously wrong with me, and you think it’s because I’m stressed.”

“It’s just a suggestion. I can’t think of any other explanation.” 

“You can try to think harder.” 

“That’s not nice.” 

Jake stuck his tongue out at Josh and then rolled back around so his face was shoved into the bedsheets once more. Josh let out an aggravated sigh and stood from the bed so he could pace around the room. His twin was driving him up the wall. Why was Jake so dramatic about every little thing that happened to him? And why did it have to be Josh’s problem too? He just wanted to go back to his room and meditate for a while to try and get his ears to stop ringing from Jake’s loud singing. Was Jake trying to make him feel karma for his own singing? That seemed a step out of bounds, even for Jake. 

Josh could feel his temper rising when Sam and Danny fortunately knocked on the door, breaking him out of his head. Josh hurried to let them in and gave a quick chuckle at Danny, who was wearing a silk set of pajamas adorned in polka dots. 

“Hey, this is comfortable and it was on sale,” Danny defended himself quickly. 

“No, they look nice,” Josh chirped. 

“Drop the pajamas,” Sam huffed. “Danny, Jake is over there; would you mind figuring out what the hell is wrong with him?” 

“I can hear you,” Jake’s voice came out muffled from the mattress, but still in the form of a song. Danny gave Jake a long stare. 

“He doesn’t look good,” he observed. Sam motioned for Danny to go to Jake, so he gingerly made his way to the side of the bed and hovered over Jake. “What’s up, buddy?” Danny tried in his sweetest voice. Jake responded with a long groan. Danny turned back to Sam and Josh with a shrug. Sam silently motioned for him to try again. “Do you want to tell me why you’re face planted into your bed right now?” Danny asked in a tone similar to one you would use to address a toddler. Jake shuffled around and freed his right arm from underneath his body so he could shoot the middle finger at all of his bandmates. 

Danny turned back to face Josh and Sam and nodded towards the door. 

“Would you mind stepping out? I want to talk to Jake alone.” 

Josh and Sam couldn’t argue with that because any time Danny took charge, they knew better than to question him. Sam motioned for Josh to lead the way and they quickly slipped out into the hallway to head downstairs for the continental breakfast. It wasn’t that they were particularly hungry, Sam mostly just wanted an excuse to fix himself a tall cup of coffee. 

Once Danny was sure they were long gone, he dragged a chair up next to Jake’s bed and settled in it, shifting around a bit before he finally felt comfortable. 

“Sam kind of told me what’s going on,” Danny started. Jake kept his face firmly pressed into the mattress. “I’m not sure I fully understand, but I can assure you I don’t think it’s in your head.” 

This got Jake to peek up at Danny. With a new breath of confidence, Danny continued on. 

“I want to help. I’m sure that this is scary for you, I definitely wouldn’t know what to do with myself if I could only communicate by singing. Do you have any theories?” 

“I do,” Jake whispered. 

“Good, because I do too,” Danny said as he shifted around in his chair so he was sitting with his legs crossed. “Spill.” 

Apparently this was the exact kind of encouragement that Jake desperately needed because, with a heave, he flipped himself into a sitting position and squeezed a decorative pillow up to his chest. 

“I think,” Jake whispered slowly, “someone might have cursed me.” 

He peered at Danny to gauge his reaction and smiled with relief when he saw that Danny had his finger pressed against the tip of his nose. 

“Bingo,” Danny replied. “I was thinking a hex.” 

“But why?” Jake asked. 

“Why not?” Danny shrugged. “You’re famous, isn’t that enough of a reason? Could be spite, could be jealousy, could be a lot of things if you think about it.” 

Jake pondered this and then found himself nodding. 

“Yeah, I guess that does make sense.” 

“The good news is I think we can get rid of this hex, the problem is figuring out how.” 

“It can’t be that hard, can it?” 

“We just need to find the right person to help us.” 

When Josh and Sam reluctantly returned back to Jake’s room and knocked on the door, they were surprised to see Jake in the doorway, fully dressed and in a significantly better mood. 

“We brought you an apology bagel?” Josh tried, cautiously holding out a toasted bagel that was slathered in cream cheese. Jake plucked it out of Josh’s hand and took a large bite as he turned back to head deeper into his room with Josh and Sam trailing behind. Jake returned to Danny’s side and nodded at him, encouraging him to talk. Danny eyed Jake’s bagel with hunger but then looked back to Josh and Sam. 

“We’re heading out.” 

“Where are you going?” Josh asked. 

“Let him finish,” Jake sang with his mouth full. Josh huffed and looked back at Danny. 

“We’re gonna find some help for Jake.” 

“Oh good,” Sam looked relieved. “Want me to help you guys find a shrink?” 

“Not a shrink,” Danny corrected Sam. 

“Huh?” Sam asked. 

“A WITCH,” Jake sang like Louis Armstrong. Josh couldn’t help but snort at that. 

“A WITCH?” Sam whirled around to look at Josh to confirm that this wasn’t the solution they were hoping for. Josh suddenly stopped his laughter and frowned. 

“Why a witch?” 

“I WAS CURSED,” Jake crooned. 

“Danny?” Sam turned to his friend for help. 

“I agree with Jake,” Danny said with a stubbornness Sam had never heard before. “He needs help and we’re gonna make sure he gets it, no matter what it takes.” 

“But where are you gonna find a witch in Ohio?” Josh seemed hung up on the idea. 

“We’ll find one,” Danny assured Josh before Jake could respond in song. “Trust me, Ohio isn’t the worst place to go around looking for a witch.” 

“I’m just not sure I fully understand your gameplan here,” Sam butted in. “I mean, what are you gonna do, stand on a street corner and ask each passerby if they’re a witch?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Jake whispered to Danny, who brushed him off.

“I think asking a few locals should be more than enough,” Danny retorted. “Now, if you’re done interrogating us, we’ll be heading out so we can get this worked out before our concert tonight. That is, unless you want Jake to take over singing.” 

“No,” Josh and Sam both said. Sam shook his head and continued on. 

“I mean, no, don’t leave without me. I just need to get dressed.”

“WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO WASTE,” Jake sang out with such ferocity that he keeled over once he was done. Sam seemed to have a thousand thoughts cross his mind but finally he let out a sigh. 

“Fine, if he keeps singing like that, I won’t look like the biggest idiot walking around in a bathrobe.” 

So, with Sam leading the way, they made their way through the hotel and out to the quiet Columbus streets to find the help that Jake so-desperately needed.

*** 

It was Jake’s (very loud) suggestion that they loiter by a crystal shop until they found someone promising. Danny had wanted to ask the hotel receptionist for advice but Josh fervently opposed that since he felt it would make them look sketchy and potentially reach the news. Sam retorted that they weren’t important enough for the news to really care if they were on the hunt for a witch, but Josh wasn’t willing to agree. 

So, after 15 minutes of garnering strange looks from fellow pedestrians eyeing Sam’s bathrobe, they found themselves outside of Happy Hippy Healing Stones. Jake studied the shop sign and grinned with content. 

“This should do,” he sang in an upbeat tune. 

“So now we wait?” Sam asked, his arms folded across his chest. He snapped his head down as two younger women passed by and smirked at his clothes. 

“It shouldn’t take too long,” Josh tried to comfort his younger brother. 

“We should ask him,” Jake sang in a faster tempo, pointing across the parking lot to a middle aged man who was wearing a Fleetwood Mac shirt. “If he listens to Stevie Nicks, he must be a witch.” 

Danny squinted at who Jake was pointing at and let out a sigh. The guy was walking out of a gas station carrying a six pack and family-sized bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. Fleetwood Mac shirt or not, Danny was near-certain this guy would be no help to them at all. Before he could voice this to Jake, he was already nearly to the guy, waving at him with a wide grin stretched across his face. The guy looked like he was ready to run. 

“HELLOOOOOO!” Jake belted out like he was singing to a packed stadium without a microphone. The guy fumbled his beer and chips and stared at Jake like a deer in headlights. “ARE YOU A WITCH?” Jake continued to sing. The guy pointed at himself and quickly shook his head. “ARE YOU SURE?” 

“Y-yes,” the guy squeaked. Before Jake could sing at him any more, he unlocked his car, jumped inside, and sped off. Jake stood with his mouth agape, watching the man go. Danny hustled up to Jake’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. 

“We’ll find the right one, don’t worry.”

“How was that guy not a witch?” Jake whispered. 

“I love how open-minded you are but he was definitely just an ordinary guy who might file a restraining order against you.” 

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing to happen to me today,” Jake grumbled. 

“Hey!” Sam called out to Danny and Jake from the sidewalk. They both whirled around to face him. “I think we found someone who can help.” 

That seemed to significantly boost Jake’s mood since he patted Danny on the back and then sprinted as fast as he could back to Sam and Josh, who were standing with an older looking woman. In her arms she carried a plethora of various crystals and bundles of sage that she grasped onto as she tried to listen to Sam and Josh. 

“My brother, you see, he can’t talk properly,” Josh was quickly explaining. 

“And he sings really loud all the time but he can’t talk like a normal person,” Sam added. 

“But he can whisper,” Josh continued. 

“And we’re not sure how to get him back to normal,” Sam said. 

“Because it’s getting really old really fast,” Josh nodded. 

“My head has been pounding nonstop,” Sam shared. 

The lady whipped her head between Sam and Josh with a frown on her face. Jake finally

made his way to her side and caused her to hop nearly a foot in the air when he sang out, 

“CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME?” 

“Oh my,” the lady breathed out as she tried to collect herself and steady her recent purchases in her hands. “Oh my, oh my.” 

“We’re sorry to startle you,” Danny said, serving as the voice of reason in the group. “We're just a bit turned around right now and worried about our friend.” 

“I can understand why,” the woman replied to Danny, seemingly a bit more composed. 

“I CAN’T STOP SINGING,” Jake sang out the obvious. 

“I’ve gathered that, yes,” the lady said with a frown. 

“We think he’s been hexed,” Josh butted in. “Does that seem possible?” 

“I guess,” the woman said after giving it some thought. 

“Would you be willing to talk with us?” Danny asked, trying to turn the charm up to 11 to win her over. “We can treat you to coffee or breakfast if you’d like.” 

“Well,” the woman started, looking uneasy, “I guess I can’t say no to a free meal.” 

“HALLELUJAH!” Jake sang, making everyone jump. “Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Halleluuuuuuujahhhhh!” 

“On one term,” the lady quickly added and then pointed at Jake. “He has to keep his trap shut or I’m walking.” 

“Sorry,” Jake whispered. “I’ll keep quiet.” 

“Thank you,” the lady lightened up. “Let’s go to Peet’s, I like their mocha.” 

Josh, Danny, and Sam all trailed behind the lady as she moved away from the crystal store but Josh stopped in his tracks when he realized that Jake remained planted firmly on the sidewalk behind them with a grimace on his face. 

“What’s up?” Josh asked as he rejoined his side. 

“You’re not gonna take this well,” Jake whispered. 

“Try me.” 

“I don’t think I can walk normally anymore.” 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” 

“I felt the frying pan feeling again. And look at this,” Jake said. He lifted one foot up and, as he was about to take a step, he jolted and instead moved into a tight and impressive pirouette. Josh watched him with his mouth wide open. 

“For the love of god,” he said after Jake finished his spin. 

“What’s going on back there?” Danny called to them. 

“Jake’s even more fucked up now!” Josh yelled back. 

“Oh come on,” Sam groaned. 

“Can you control what kind of dance you do?” Josh turned back to Jake. Jake’s face was red with embarrassment and he slowly shook his head. “That’s peachy,” Josh decided. “I guess we’ll have an interesting walk to the cafe then.”

“Please make sure I don’t go spinning out into oncoming traffic,” Jake begged Josh. 

“Do you want me to keep you on a leash or something?” 

Jake furrowed his brows at Josh’s joke and pushed past him so he could do kick ball changes towards Danny, who was obviously more supportive. 

“Let’s split,” he sang to his bandmates and the lady as he danced past them. They watched him make his way down the sidewalk, spinning and leaping and taking pauses to do the hand jive. 

“It’s like he’s devolving into a musical theater performer,” Sam realized. 

“What do you mean, ‘devolving’?” Josh crossed his arms. 

“What the hell kind of curse would that be though?” Danny asked. “I mean, I understand the ones where it’s like your hair falls out or you have bad luck but this just seems weird.” 

“Whoever hexed that poor young man has a sick, twisted mind,” the lady agreed. A block ahead, Jake was doing the cupid shuffle with frustrated tears streaming down his face. 

“I can’t control this,” he sang to the people around him. “I’m getting a cramp in my side, fuck.” 

The group caught up to Jake outside the Peet’s where he was leaning against the front of the building with his hands clutching his side, heaving out deep breaths. Silently Sam handed Jake a hairband from around his wrist so he could move the sweaty clumps of hair off from his forehead. Jake grabbed the band from Sam with an appreciative smile and sloppily pulled his locks back into a low bun. 

“I could use water,” he finally whispered out with a cough. “That was exhausting.” 

“I haven’t seen you move around that much since we were in gymnastics,” Josh mused. “Do you think you can still do a layout?” 

“God no,” Jake grunted. “That would actually kill me.” 

“Your form doing the Charleston a block back was really impressive,” Danny added. 

“That’s good to hear, I guess,” Jake shrugged. 

“Let’s grab a table inside,” Sam interrupted the conversation. “We need to figure this out before Jake starts reciting Shakespeare or something.” 

“I actually wouldn’t be opposed to that,” Jake sang softly. “That would be kinda cool. I’ve always wanted to speak Elizabethan English.” 

“If you start singing in iambic pentameter, I will quit the band,” Sam countered. 

“Your loss,” Jake stared back. 

“Okay, how about that table?” Danny nervously cut in between the two brothers. “Remember what we’re here for, right? We found this nice lady to help us.” 

“What’s your name, by the way?” Josh turned to the lady. “I’m sorry, that was awfully rude of us not to ask earlier.” 

“It’s alright,” the lady sounded unhurt. “You can call me Ellie.” 

“Well then, Ellie,” Josh said as he linked arms with her, “let’s grab you that mocha and figure out how to cure my brother.” 

 The five crowded around a small metal table out in front of the shop, Ellie cradling a tall cup of coffee while Jake sucked on ice cubes from the water he had finished in 0.05 seconds. 

“Did we have to sit outside?” Sam complained, breaking the silence. 

“They wouldn’t let you sit inside,” Josh whispered to him. 

“There’s a dress code to dine inside Peets??” Sam sounded incredulous. 

“It’s nice outside, enjoy the fresh air,” Josh hissed back. Once he felt he had gotten Sam to be quiet, he turned to Ellie. “So, any solutions you can think of off the top of your head?” 

“Well,” Ellie started slowly as she toyed with her coffee cup, “it would help if we could find the source of this hex. That would easily be the fastest and most successful way to cure your friend. Otherwise there are some remedies you could try to pull together to at least insure that the symptoms don’t get worse.” 

“How would we find where the hex is coming from?” Danny asked. “Is there really any way to actually do that?” 

Ellie squinted her eyes, as if trying to recollect something. 

“You could try a magic 8 ball,” she responded. 

“For the love of god,” Sam murmured. Jake raised his eyebrows at her. 

“Those things are a lot more accurate than you would think,” Ellie tried to defend herself. “You just have to ask questions based on your suspicions to help single in on a target.”

“I don’t know if that’s quite the answer we’re looking for,” Danny nervously laughed. 

“You could try a psychic too,” Ellie added. 

“Sounds fun,” Josh thought aloud. That earned him a slap on the arm from Jake. 

“This isn’t for your enjoyment, Josh,” he whispered through grit teeth. “Remember, I’m turning into some kind of Broadway clown against my will.” 

“And you’ve got talent I could only dream of having. What’s your point?” Josh whispered back. Jake wound up his foot and shot it into Josh’s shin underneath the table, causing Josh to call out in pain. Danny ignored them like usual and focused on Ellie. 

“For the remedy - what would we need to get?” 

“A lot of herbs and elements of the natural world,” Ellie responded. 

“That shouldn’t be too hard,” Danny looked around the table.

“There’s some complicated stuff,” Ellie cut in.

“Like what?” Danny wearily eyed her. 

“Some bones, dirt from the Arctic, a lizard eye…”

“Dirt from the Arctic?” Sam looked at Ellie like she had a horn growing out of her head. “Isn’t it mostly snow there?” 

“Not for much longer,” Jake sang in a melancholy tune. He suddenly pushed himself up from his chair and did a quick Irish jig before slamming himself back down into his seat. “I’ll be quiet, I think,” he whispered as his face returned back to a tomato shade. 

“I thought you only danced when you try to walk?” Josh eyed his brother. Jake silently threw his arms up in exasperation. 

“We can check in with Joe about getting that stuff,” Danny thought aloud. “He might actually do it. I mean, he was on the road with Ozzy in the 80s, I’m sure he’s been told to get stranger things.” 

Jake rapidly nodded his head. 

“It’s worth a try,” Sam agreed. “If Josh asks for it, he won’t think twice about it.” 

“What the hell does that mean?” Josh stared Sam down. 

“You seem like the kind of guy who would want Arctic dirt and bones and shit.” 

“I can write down the recipe for you,” Ellie offered. They watched as she fished around in her bag and pulled out a scroll and quill. Sam and Danny exchanged amused glances and Jake opened his mouth to make a snarky retort before shutting it again at the thought of what dance he would pull out of his back pocket next. Josh was the only one who seemed completely unbothered by Ellie’s arcane mode of documentation, which furthered Sam’s point that he would be the kind of guy who would want lizard eyes for his dressing room. 

“There you are,” Ellie said with a bright smile. She rolled the scroll across the table to Danny, who stopped it with his hand and struggled to open it. “Be careful,” Ellie warned him, “the paper is delicate. It’s from the 16th century.” 

“And you use it like a post-it note?” Sam squinted at her. 

“I inherited a lot of it from my family,” Ellie waved Sam off. Sam’s frown deepened. 

Danny finished scanning through Ellie’s writing and then stood from the table. 

“Thank you so much for your help, Ellie,” he gave her a warm smile. “We really appreciate you taking the time to help.” 

“It’s no problem,” Ellie smiled back. Danny carefully tucked the scroll into his back pocket and then motioned for the rest of the band to stand up. 

“We’ve got some stuff to work out.” 

“Absolutely,” Ellie agreed. 

Jake didn’t look eager to get out of his chair, which Danny noticed. 

“We’ll get a car back to the hotel,” he told him. Jake nodded his head enthusiastically at that idea. Danny turned to Sam. “Can you call a cab?” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Sam mumbled while reaching for his phone in his bathrobe pocket. Ellie gathered her coffee cup and bag and clumsily got to her feet. 

“Good luck to you all,” she told them and then, with a brief wave, she moved away and hurried back down the street back towards the crystal store. 

“She was nice,” Josh said as he watched her go. 

“We’re not taking her advice,” Danny said. Josh gave him a startled look and Danny quickly retrieved the scroll from his pocket. “There’s some bad stuff in here. Like the blood of a virgin? Come on, that’s ridiculous.” 

“We just prick Sam on the finger a little bit, it’s no big deal,” Josh shrugged. Sam had to be physically restrained by Jake so he didn’t go after Josh’s throat. 

“I don’t think we should trust someone who believes in magic 8 balls.” 

“So maybe she had some unusual ideas, we should keep our minds open in a time like this. We’ll only know it doesn’t work if we try.” 

“Then why don’t you go and find a magic 8 ball, Josh,” Danny said. From the sound of his tone it was evident that his patience was running thin. “I think we’re gonna need to tell our tour manager about this.” 

“He’s just gonna think Jake finally snapped.” 

“Like you thought earlier,” Jake murmured. 

“I’ll go to the library,” Sam cut in and then thought for a second. “Once I get some clothes on. I can look more into hexes and try to see if there’s any information about tracking down the source of a spell and how to make it stop.” 

“That sounds good,” Danny agreed. “I’ll stay with Jake at the hotel.” 

“I am going to find a magic 8 ball,” Josh countered. “My intuition is telling me that Ellie knows exactly what we need to do and we should listen to her.” 

Danny silently handed Josh the scroll. 

“Good luck finding all of those. Please don’t kill any virgins.” 

“I would never,” Josh brushed the idea off. “Don’t worry Jake, I’ll figure this out.” 

Jake rolled his eyes. 

And so the four split up: Jake and Danny to the hotel, Sam to the library, and Josh to god-knows-where. Although none of them said it aloud, it seemed that there was a mutual understanding that Jake’s fate was looking grim, alongside the chances that they would be able to perform that night. They only had a handful of hours left before they were expected to be at the stadium for soundcheck, which was hardly any time to completely cure Jake of his wicked spell. But none of them were willing to admit defeat: they each had to remain positive and hope that Jake would be freed of his burden. Either that or else they were going to need to embark on a drastic rebranding where Jake took center stage with a choreographed dance number for each performance. That was something none of them were eager to do. 

While Danny and Jake took an Uber back to the hotel, Sam insisted that he wanted to walk so he could have some time to himself to think. Everything that had happened over the past few hours seemed like something straight out of a fever dream. Sam was a rational thinker and deeply believed in the sciences over any kind of magic or otherworldly influence but what Jake was going through seemed to exceed any plausible explanation. More than anything, it was making Sam’s head hurt. 

As he powered down the crowded street, now used to the looks people shot his way, he dwelled on the immense look of discomfort that was stretched across Jake’s face the entire morning. Sam felt awful for his brother; while he had never been through anything like that before, he did know what it was like to have his body act out against his will, putting him through hell for what felt like no logical reason. Although it came in waves, Sam’s experience with anxiety was enough for him to feel empathetic, but also optimistic that at the very least they could find a way to tame Jake’s flare ups. 

He made his way through the front lobby of the hotel, keeping his head down so no one would stop him for a photo, and hustled to an open elevator car. Once the doors closed behind him, finally in solitude, he sighed a breath of relief. On the twenty-third floor, Sam made his way to his room and slowed down for a brief second to hear Jake singing from his room. Sam listened a bit closer and could make out Danny calling to Jake that he would be there in a second with a drink. It sounded like Danny was on the same page that, if they couldn’t find a permanent solution to Jake’s problem, at the very least they could try to find ways to make him comfortable. Using alcohol was a pretty good start. 

Jake’s singing became broken up by sobs which was  hard for Sam to hear, and motivated him to hurry through getting changed a lot faster than he had planned. Within five minutes he was back out on the Columbus street in a t-shirt and pair of shorts, on his way to the library. 

It had been a while since Sam had done any form of extensive research since his days of schooling were long in the past, but he was relieved to find that it didn’t take too much time to dust off the cobwebs and get back into the mindset. With a little help from the kind, older man who was behind the front desk, Sam made his way into the back section where the religious and spiritual texts were. It was just his luck that he was there alone so he didn’t have to worry about raising any concern when he grabbed a stackful of books focused on the occult and witchcraft. It felt strange to hold in his hands since on any other given day he would call it all a load of crap, but it was the closest thing they had to a lead. If Sam had ever heard about a medical condition that forced people to sing and dance out of their own control, he would be looking in the science section of the library instead. 

He dropped the heavy books down onto the aged table with a thud and plopped back into one of the rickety chairs. He had a lot to read through, and he was going to have to read through it fast. Screw Josh for being adamant that he follow Ellie’s advice; he could have really used his help sorting through the books. 

*** 

Josh watched Sam power away from the Peets down the sidewalk, his bathrobe flapping in the wind behind him, and turned to wave goodbye to Jake and Danny as they ducked into their Uber. Once alone, Josh unfolded the aged paper in his hands and stared down at it. 

7 sunflower seeds 

Bone from a rabbit 

A cup of Arctic dirt

Virgin blood 

A lizard eye 

Sage 

Josh was optimistic that he could get two of the six listed items at a local grocery store, but the rest he was at a bit of a loss. He hated how bullheaded he could be sometimes, but he did accept that that came with being a taurus. As soon as he had put his argument forth that they should listen to Ellie, Josh knew he was in the wrong. There had been something off about that lady and they all knew it. But he had too much pride to take back on what he said. He had to put all of his faith into this random parking lot witch lady and give it a shot. Based on her advice, Josh at least had a sense of what he needed to do first. 

About fifteen minutes later, Josh strolled out of a toy store, tearing apart the plastic packaging around a magic 8 ball. 

“C’mon, baby,” Josh whispered down to it, rubbing it between his hands for good luck. “Will Ellie’s advice help Jake?” 

Concentrate and ask again. 

Josh frowned down at the toy. 

“Will Ellie’s advice help Jake?” 

This time he shook the magic 8 ball harder. 

Most likely. 

“Well,” Josh blankly stared down at the response. “I guess that’s better than no.” 

With a shrug he pocketed the magic 8 ball and wandered down the street in search of a grocery store to get his sunflower seeds and sage. 

***

Danny was relieved that Jake did well in the Uber. They luckily had a short drive to the hotel, but Jake was so pale that Danny wasn’t sure what to expect. While Danny hopped out of the car with ease out in front of their hotel, Jake quivered as he slowly scooted across the seat and then braced himself on the frame of the door to hoist himself to his feet. Danny hustled back to his side and lightly grabbed his arm to guide him away from the car and to the sidewalk. When he turned back to close the door, he was greeted by the driver, who was looking up at him with concern. 

“Hey, is your buddy doing okay?” 

“He’s fine,” Danny lied. “Just a stomach bug.” 

“Glad he didn’t spew in here.” 

And with that, the driver tore off. Danny watched him go for a second with a furrowed brow but then remembered that Jake was teetering behind him and rushed back to hold him upright. 

“All we have to do is get through the lobby, in the elevator, and down the hall to your room, okay?” Danny said under his breath to Jake. “It should be a piece of cake.” 

“Whatever you say, boss,” Jake whispered out in a choke. 

Danny studied him closer and noted that he was starting to look more green than pale. Danny had  no clue what Jake was going through, but he was certain of one thing: Jake needed to get into bed immediately. 

“Climb on my back,” Danny brought back his authoritative voice, crouching down in front of Jake. Jake looked like he wanted to turn Danny’s offer down but eventually let out a huff and dropped down onto Danny’s open back, draping his arms around Danny’s neck. Because Jake was a pretty small guy, Danny had no trouble getting up to his feet and fully lifting Jake off the ground. “Are you cool with me moving fast?” Danny checked. The last thing he wanted was barf down the front of his new jean jacket.

“Sure,” Jake whispered. 

With that, Danny set off at an Olympic fast-walker’s pace through the front doors, into the lobby, and directly to the elevator. A couple was waiting by the doors but the second they saw Jake, they stepped to the side and pointed towards an elevator that was just reaching the lobby. 

“Please, it’s all yours,” the lady said to Danny. 

“Thanks,” Danny nodded at her, and stepped into the elevator. 

“You’re strong,” Jake whispered into Danny’s ear while they moved up to the twenty-third floor. 

“It’s adrenaline,” Danny found himself whispering back, even though he didn’t necessarily have to. 

The elevator doors opened with a ding and Danny nearly ran the final stretch to Jake’s hotel door because he could feel his legs starting to struggle under Jake’s weight. While he had been doing a phenomenal job holding him up, Danny could only take so much. They made it to Jake’s door and Jake patted Danny on the head to signal to let him down. Danny couldn’t help but let out a gasp of relief when he leaned back and set Jake down on his feet. Jake started to do some kind of tap move as he attempted to pull his keycard out of his back pocket and he let out an exasperated groan. 

“We’re almost there,” Danny tried to assure his friend. Jake was moving with more vigor but, through all of his movement, he was able to finally get the key out and shove it into Danny’s hands. 

“Please hurry,” he lightly sang. Danny noted that he looked on the verge of tears. That was enough to get him to force the key into the door and send it flying open. 

“Get to your bed, I’ll make you a drink,” Danny promised Jake. He looked incredibly pained to do it, but Jake started to twirl and leap into the room, ending with an impressive flip to get into bed with a loud thunk. 

“I hate this,” Jake bellowed out. 

Danny struggled to find a glass at the mini bar as Jake continued to sing out everything that was bothering him, from his stiff joints to his sore throat to his bruised ego. Danny was desperate to get something to calm Jake down since he seemed on the verge of hysterics, so he ditched his plan to find a cup and instead opted to fill the ice bucket halfway up with a bottle of whiskey that had been given to the boys as a gift. 

“I’ve almost got it ready,” he called back to Jake. 

“I’m getting worse,” Jake sang over Danny. 

“Here you go,” Danny interrupted Jake, forcing the bucket into Jake’s hands. That seemed to do the trick since Jake immediately stopped singing and stared down at the bucket. 

“Is that the whiskey?” he murmured. “Why didn’t you just give me the bottle?” 

“I panicked, okay?” Danny’s patience was running thin again. 

Jake shrugged and proceeded to down half the bucket in one go. He let out a large belch and then rubbed at his mouth with the back of his sleeve. 

“That should do the trick,” he sang before setting the bucket on his bedside table and throwing his head back into the pillows. “I’ll be quiet for you, Danny.” 

“You just need to take care, okay?” Danny looked sadly down at Jake. “We’re gonna make sure you get better, trust me.” 

Danny waited for a response from Jake but realized that his eyes were closed and his breathing was getting lighter as he let sleep consume him. 

“That’s probably for the best,” Danny decided. It was nice to get a bit of peace. 

*** 

Sam was an hour and a half into sorting through the books when he realized that his plan was becoming more and more of a lost cause. For all of the promising books he had found, he couldn’t pinpoint a single piece of information that seemed relevant. On the plus side, he learned a lot about predicting the future based on the phases of the moon which was in no way helpful, but definitely interesting. He knew Josh would want to hear more about that. 

A clock nearby let out a few chimes to indicate that it was nearly noon and they were only a couple of hours away from their soundcheck. Sam tried to remain optimistic that missing their soundcheck wouldn’t necessarily be the worst thing in the world. At the very least he, Danny and Josh could show up briefly to make sure everything was under control and then return back to Jake. He stared back at the two remaining books in his pile and blew out a deep sigh. 

“Here goes nothing,” he grumbled, flipping open a thin, leather-bound book. 

He immediately noticed that there was something that set this book apart from the rest. For starters, the introduction was written entirely in Latin. Sam took that as a good sign. He passed through the weathered pages and his eyebrows shot up towards his forehead as he took in various diagrams and title headings that seemed a lot more in line with Jake’s problem. Finally, he landed on a page that delivered a surge of hope: 

The Art of Hexes 

“Yeah,” Sam mumbled as his eyes danced over the section, “that’ll do.” 

With that, he stood from his table with the book tucked under his arm and hustled to the front desk to check it out. Things were starting to look better. 

***

Josh couldn’t say the same. While his expectations were met that it would be easy to find sunflower seeds and sage, he immediately hit a brick wall when it came to the rest of the items. He was at an absolute loss with where he could possibly begin to look to find the orifices of a lizard or dirt from one of the farthest land masses from Ohio. 

Sitting on a park bench with his grocery bag tucked next to his hip, Josh gazed down at the magic 8 ball cradled in his hands. 

“Should I ask Joe to get the rest of the ingredients?” 

Don’t count on it. 

“But should I give it a try?” 

My sources say no. 

“Why?” Josh was growing frustrated. 

Ask again later.

Josh wound up the ball to chuck it across the park but quickly let in a deep inhale to try and recenter himself. The magic 8 ball was his closest shot to helping his brother, as wacky as it all was. Even if the ball had a bit of an attitude problem, Josh had to stick with it and take its advice. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the ball might be onto something. While Joe did have a history of working with some of the more outlandish musicians out there, he was on the older side and had become a lot  more bullheaded, so he usually demanded a justification if Josh or the guys came to him with a request. Josh could easily see Joe not only turning him down, but also calling him a string of names that would without a doubt put Josh in a sour mood for the rest of the day. 

So he was on his own. 

He stood from the park bench with a grunt and scanned around the park area. Since it was a weekday there weren’t too many people there, only a few scattered older people and one nanny with two small children about a football field away in the open grass. 

“I guess it’s time to find that rabbit bone and lizard eye,” Josh told himself. He looked back at the magic 8 ball that was still tightly clutched in his hand. “Is this a stupid idea?” 

As I see it, yes. 

“Is there anything better I could be doing right now?” 

My reply is no. 

“Well, I guess that settles that,” Josh mumbled. He took a look down at his clean, freshly pressed khaki pants that were bound to get destroyed as he dug through the fields and huffed.

Jake owed him big time. 

***

Danny looked up from his phone as Jake let out a deep snore from his bed and then looked back down to study his blank screen. He had hoped that he would get an update from Josh or Sam while they went off on their own adventures, but it was completely silent on their end. Danny opened back his text messages and went to his one-sided conversation with Sam that he had started an hour earlier when Jake first fell asleep. 

Jake must be exhausted, he’s passed out in bed. Find anything? 

He then navigated to his texts with Josh and blew out a frustrated sigh. Nothing from him either. He really hoped that they were both having some form of success instead of wasting their time. Danny knew better than to start an argument when the brothers wanted to go in different directions but he really did wish that they had thought to give him a hand with Jake. It was hard to see his friend in his condition first and foremost, but also Danny had no clue what to do if Jake’s safety really got into jeopardy. When he had sang out earlier that he could feel things getting worse, Danny felt his stomach drop. He couldn’t begin to picture how it could possibly be worse, and he was afraid he would find out sooner rather than later when Jake woke up. 

For the meantime though, he tried to get himself to enjoy the silence and think more on what could have possibly happened. Danny had been sincere when he agreed with Jake earlier that morning about a hex. Like Sam, he more often than not leaned towards rational explanations for phenomena that happened, but with Jake acting so out of character, Danny knew it had to be an external force. Danny just didn’t know who would be the mastermind behind something like that. As far as he was concerned, Greta Van Fleet didn’t have any real sworn enemies; they were relatively well-liked in the industry. Danny considered that Jake had been in the crossfires of something that involved him in no way, shape, or form, but it was a little too perfect that a musician would be cursed to spontaneously sing and dance. Danny was going with his gut that it was a rare spell that had been done on purpose. 

“Maybe someone from Marcus King’s band did this,” Danny thought aloud. It didn’t seem entirely realistic, but it also wasn’t entirely off the table that they would experiment with something like that as a prank. They were known to pull gags on Danny and his friends when they least expected it. Danny thought shaving a part of Sam’s eyebrow off during their camping trip the year prior had been a step out of line, so was it that far off that they would hex Jake? 

Danny was about to give Marcus a call when Jake snored again, this time louder, so he woke up. 

“Agh!” he yelled out, sitting up in bed. 

“What’s wrong?” Danny jumped to his feet. 

“Bad dream!” Jake sang at him. Jake stopped and furrowed his brow. “Not a dream,” he whispered. He scooted to the edge of the bed and gingerly got to his feet. Danny stared on in horror as Jake proceeded to take a step forward and then immediately threw himself into a complicated tap dance number that sent him spiraling around the hotel room in a blind rush. 

“Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today, I want to be a part of it, New York, New York,” Jake bellowed out while doing a two-step paired with flashy jazz hands. Danny gaped. As Jake started to enter into the second verse of the song, Danny fumbled to get his phone and speed-dialed Sam. 

Of course he didn’t pick up his damn phone. 

“Jake!” Danny tried to call to his friend, who was taking a break from his singing to do some leg kicks that would make the Radio City Rockettes jealous. 

“Ha! Yah!” Jake called out with each kick. Danny grimaced as Jaake sent his foot flying and slammed it directly into one of the hotel room lamps, sending it directly into the wall where it shattered to the ground. 

“Jake!” Danny tried again, this time louder. 

“My little town blues are melting away, I’ll make a brand new start of it in old New York!” Jake seemed entirely lost in his own world. 

Although Danny was scared to approach Jake while his legs were still flying around, he crept to his side and tried to put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention. It did make Jake stop singing for a second, but Danny was even more surprised when Jake turned to Danny and said in a stark American stage accent, 

“You know the fella puts his hands on a lady’s hips, don’t ya?” 

“Huh?” Danny didn’t know where to begin to process that. Jake grabbed Danny’s clammy hand and guided it down to his hip. 

“Like that,” Jake said with a nod. Then he started to waltz around the room with Danny in tow. “Dip me, ya hunk!” Jake called to Danny. 

“Uh,” Danny let out in a confused tremble. “No?” 

“Spoil sport,” Jake ticked at Danny before continuing with their waltz. “At the very least give me a little old spin.” 

Right as Danny lifted his arm up for Jake to pass under, Sam entered the room with a blank look on his face. Danny let go of Jake mid-turn which sent Jake stumbling off to the side and turned to face Sam. 

“Nice timing, Sam.” 

“What the hell is going on?” Sam asked over Danny, pointing a finger at Jake, who had returned back to his impressive kicks. 

“New York, New York, I wanna wake up in the city that doesn’t sleep, to find I’m king of the hill, head of the list, cream of the crop at the top of the heap,” Jake sang. “This is the grand finale, you better watch or you’re gonna miss the best part,” he added to Sam and Danny, still in the bizarre accent. 

“Jake said it was getting worse and I guess this is what he meant,” Danny told Sam. 

“Why does he sound like that?” Sam asked as he studied his older brother. 

“Please tell me you found something at the library.” 

Sam reached under his arm and pulled out a small book that looked like it was at least 200 years old. 

“It has a whole section on hexes that we might be able to work through.” 

“Thank god.” 

“My little town blues are melting away, I’ll make a brand new start of it in old New York, if I can make it there, I’d make it anywhere, come on, come through New York, New York!” Jake finished his performance with an extra added flare, arching his back and throwing his head back in a dramatic hair flip. Then, he bowed in front of Danny and Sam. 

“Thank you, thank you,” he beamed around the hotel room, waving gracefully as if he had just performed to a packed theater. “You’re all too kind.” 

“At least he’s not singing anymore?” Danny found himself muttering. 

“Hey, Jake,” Sam called out to his brother. 

“He won’t answer,” Danny told Sam. 

“What do you mean?” 

Danny returned back to Jake’s side with Sam in tow and put his hand back on his shoulder. Jake gave a small jump and then turned to Danny with a wide smile. 

“How can I help ya, pal?” 

“What’s going on?” Danny felt it made the most sense to ask. Sam nodded behind him.

“Well, I’m putting on a show, of course!” Jake let out a raspy chuckle. “It’s what I do!” 

“Why don’t you sit down and take a break, you’ve been working hard,” Danny tried. He was surprised that Jake actually listened and plopped on the sofa in the corner of the room. 

“Give me a towel and a glass of scotch,” he snapped in Sam’s direction. Sam looked like that was the last thing he wanted to do, but after Danny shot him a glare, he let out a small groan and stomped to the bar to fix Jake a drink. 

Danny felt like his head was screaming but he mustered up the courage to squat down in front of Jake so he could look deep into his eyes. Jake stared back at him cautiously. Danny couldn’t see any physical difference with Jake, it was just how he was acting. 

“If Jake’s in there, can you give me a sign?” Danny asked. 

“Sorry, darling, don’t know of any Jake,” Jake chirped. “What’s a gal gotta do to get a drink around here?” 

Sam came back on cue, cradling a hefty glass of scotch, and placed it into Jake’s hands. As Jake took a long sip, Sam pulled a towel out from his back pocket and carefully laid it behind Jake’s neck, pushing his hair out of the way. It was honestly pretty gross how sweaty Jake was. 

“Jake is a lot worse,” Danny told Sam under his breath. 

“No shit,” Sam agreed. “We’re in deep water now.” 

Danny got back up to his feet and motioned for Sam to join him in the bathroom. Once they were out of earshot of Jake, Danny started to panic. 

“What the fuck, Sam? What the actual fuck?” 

“I - I don’t know!” Sam seemed thrown off. “I didn’t expect we were gonna lose him? Ellie didn’t say anything about that, right?” 

“You’re listening to Ellie now?” 

“No, I mean, I was just trying to remember if she had even hinted at it being a possibility. This wasn’t on my radar, like, at all.” 

“Did you take a look through the book you grabbed? Maybe there’s some helpful information in there?” 

“I just brought it straight back here for us to look through,” Sam responded, sounding frustrated. “I don’t know if it will be enough though. We should get Josh back here.” 

“He hasn’t picked up his phone at all, I’ve tried texting and calling him.” 

“Shit.” 

“I think we need to tell someone else about this, Sam. Things are getting way too out of hand and we can’t hide this for that much longer.” 

“I know,” Sam let out a huff. “I’m just worried about what they’ll do to Jake.”

Danny opened his mouth to argue that Jake needed some serious help when he stopped and popped his head out of the bathroom to look back in the bedroom area. It had just occurred to him that Jake was being exceptionally quiet out there. He scanned around and then stepped back in front of Sam. 

“We’ve got something bigger to be worried about.” 

“What?” Sam put his hands on his hips.

“We lost Jake.” 

***

Josh didn’t know how things had worked so well in his favor but, aside from getting his favorite pants absolutely decimated by dirt and grass stains, he came out of the park carrying both a lizard eye and a rabbit bone. At least, he was pretty sure he had stumbled across the skeleton of a rabbit. It could have been a squirrel, but he figured they were probably within the same family so he could get away with it. 

“That just leaves the dirt and blood,” Josh said aloud with a small pep in his step. Sure, those were the two items on the list that seemed virtually impossible to find, but he also hadn’t been expecting to find the eye and bone that easily either. Maybe luck was on his side in good old Columbus, Ohio. 

Josh had given it a lot of thought while he was digging and decided that he would have the most luck looking in a lab somewhere for the dirt. Josh wasn’t quite sure how he would finesse his way into a space like that, but he figured he’d just have to fake his way in. So, after taking the bus across the city, Josh found himself on the campus of The Ohio State University. 

“Dear lord, let me walk out of here with some Arctic dirt,” Josh said up to the sky. Then, he made his way into the massive science building.

“Arctic dirt?” a guy a few years younger than Josh asked in the science building’s hallway. “Why does it have to be from the Arctic?” 

“It’s just something really complicated to explain, okay?” Josh was getting irked. “Do you know if there’s any place here where I could find it or not?” 

“Maybe the geology or plant sciences departments would have something, I don’t know?” the guy guessed, making a gesture down the hall. “There’s a map a little ways down, I would try talking to one of the professors in those areas. They might be able to help out.”

“Thanks,” Josh said, trying to regain his composure. The guy nodded at him and took off in the opposite direction, his lab coat swishing with his each step. Once the guy was far enough away that Josh was on his own again, he retrieved the dirtied magic 8 ball from his pocket and closed his eyes to recenter and become aligned with the power of the ball. 

“Will I find the right dirt in the geology department?” he asked. The ball had already directed him to go to The Ohio State University (at least he thought that was what it was suggesting) so he was really counting on the ball to continue pointing him in the right direction. 

Reply hazy, try again.

“Cheeky bastard,” Josh grumbled down at it. Then, he thought hard. “Will I leave this campus with Arctic dirt?” 

A group of students walked by Josh and each collectively gave him a judgemental look. 

You may rely on it. 

“Good,” Josh said as he slipped the ball back in his pocket. The students were hanging around, still watching him, and he gave them a short wave. “You wouldn’t believe how accurate those things are,” he tried to break the ice, letting out a nervous chuckle. “I thought my friend was full of shit when she first started talking about magic 8 balls but wow, let me tell you, it hasn’t been wrong yet and I feel great.” 

The students continued to silently stare and Josh gave them one final wave before heading towards the map the first student had referenced. He looked back over his shoulder and was relieved to find that the students had dispersed and were no longer standing in a clump like a bunch of possessed dummies. He had tried to hide it when he rambled to them, but they seriously gave him the creeps. At that moment, Josh was especially relieved that his time in college was short-lived. 

He found the map with ease and moved towards the plant sciences department since the magic 8 ball had heavily implied that the geology department wouldn’t be much help to him. He was glad to find a hallway with a number of office doors open, meaning there were plenty of professors around that he could rely on for help. Since Josh was technically in a rush, he popped his head into the first door to his right and gave his signature smile to a young woman who was typing away at something on her computer.

“Excuse me,” Josh cleared his throat, causing her to snap her head up. “Hi,” Josh said. 

“Are you here with a question about the lab report?” she asked. 

“Oh, no, actually I have a bit of a bizarre request,” Josh started. She finished typing something and then closed her laptop to show he had her full attention. “Um, do you know anywhere I could find dirt from the Arctic?” 

“Are you doing a study on it?” She sounded intrigued. 

“You could say that,” Josh replied. 

“Well, not being in the Arctic, it is a bit challenging to distinguish where all of our dirt samples come from,” she thought aloud. “Hold on,” she stopped. “Today’s your lucky day, buddy. Let me take you to meet Ben.” 

Ben, as it turns out, was an overly-enthusiastic dirt nerd who had dedicated the last five years of his life to studying the carbon stored in the permafrost of Arctic dirt. 

“What’s your area of focus with Arctic dirt?” Ben asked after blabbing for fifteen minutes straight about solifluction lobes. Josh was caught off guard by the question since he had been zoning out for the better half of Ben’s monologue but he snapped back to life and tried to match Ben’s energy, nodding his head in fake excitement. 

“Same as you, the carbon. Pretty neat stuff. Yeah.” 

“I’m glad to hear I’m not a loner in this field,” Ben grinned. 

“So do you have any of this Arctic dirt on you?” Josh hoped he didn’t sound too desperate. 

“Of course I do!” Ben let out a bellowing laugh. “I nearly got arrested going through customs but I was able to snag a good amount of it the last time I was in Canada. The dirt’s especially nice in that area. Squishy.” 

“Oh yeah, nothing better than squishy dirt,” Josh agreed, although he had no clue what he was talking about. “Would you be willing to spare any for me to observe? I’d like to make sure I have the chemical properties right for a report I’m trying to write.” Sam and Jake had always been the geekier brothers when it came to science stuff but Josh was proud to admit that he had also listened to all the science  programs his dad put on when they were younger. 

Ben seemed to be considering it and finally slowly nodded his head. 

“Yeah, I think I have enough.” 

“That’s great!” Josh had to refrain from letting out a whoop in glee. 

“I can’t give away too much though, I do need some for my own studies.” 

“How about a cup?” 

“Specific, but doable.” 

As Josh walked out of the science building with a mason jar of dirt tucked under his arm, he pulled back out the magic 8 ball and couldn’t stop himself from planting a fat kiss on it. 

“Everyone thought Ellie was crazy to suggest using you, but she knew her shit,” Josh whispered down to it. “You and I are going to get Jake back to normal. We’ll show them that we know what we’re doing.” 

Josh’s arms were getting tired from carrying everything so he decided to take a pit stop at the hotel and drop everything off. That, and he wanted to delay finding virgin blood for as long as he could. That was something that he was wary about even attempting. It really was a shame that Sammy wasn’t a virgin anymore, at least to the best of Josh’s knowledge. He could have given him a quick paper cut and it would be over with. 

Josh caught another bus and, as he walked the final block back after being dropped off, he slowed down when he passed a forming crowd. He couldn’t make out what they were drifting towards but he heard some loud singing and the sound of tap shoes. 

“I didn’t realize Ohio was so well-immersed in the arts,” Josh mused to himself as he continued moving towards the hotel. He had just entered the lobby when Danny and Sam came slamming into him, nearly sending him toppling over. 

“Hey!” Josh called out in shock. 

“We lost Jake,” Sam squeaked out as soon as he realized he had collided with Josh. Josh noted that Danny and Sam both looked beyond distraught. 

“He can’t be that far away,” Josh tried to be the voice of reason though he could feel his stomach churn with worry. “I mean, he might be spinning in circles in the ice room or something.” 

“Something’s seriously the matter with him now,” Danny tried to explain. 

“He’s talking now, but he sounds like an old time Broadway star,” Sam added. “And he isn’t responding to his name anymore. It’s like, I don’t know, he’s been possessed or something.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Josh gave a blank stare. 

“I don’t know, dude, Sam and I were talking in the bathroom and then we realized that he must have left while we weren’t keeping an eye on him,” Danny said. 

“Wait a second,” Josh’s eyes lit up. “I think I might know where he is.” 

He took off sprinting back out through the lobby doors and down the street where the crowd had been, with Sam and Danny following close behind. Josh skidded to a halt and groaned when he got to the spot. The crowd had almost entirely dispersed and Jake was nowhere in sight. 

“Was someone just singing and dancing here?” he asked a couple to their right. 

“There sure was,” an older man chirped. “I haven't seen dancing like that in a long time.” 

“Do you know where they went?” Sam asked. 

“I think down that way?” the man guessed, pointing in the opposite direction of the hotel. 

“Thanks,” all three boys said over their shoulders as they hustled away. 

They ran around what felt like the entirety of the city and couldn’t find Jake anywhere. As if their situation wasn’t bad enough already, Sam’s watch beeped which caused him to throw his head back and let out a low groan. 

“We’re supposed to be at sound check.” 

“Shit,” Danny muttered. 

“Hold on,” Josh said, remembering the magic 8 ball. Sam looked like he wanted to strangle Josh as he let a deep breath in and then whispered down to the ball, “Will we find Jake before soundcheck?” He gave the ball a hefty shake. 

Don’t count on it.

“Shit,” Josh frowned down at it. 

“What you shouldn’t count on is that children’s toy, Josh,” Sam sternly told his brother. “It’s a load of bullshit.” 

“It led me to a lizard’s eye, rabbit bone, and Arctic dirt,” Josh countered. “I’m listening to it whether you like it or not. You’re more than welcome to join me, or you can keep searching, but I’m gonna go to soundcheck to try and sort things out so our asses aren’t on the line.” 

Sam and Danny exchanged an uncertain glance and seemed to fall on the same decision. 

“We’ll keep looking for Jake,” Danny spoke for the two of them. “Give us a call if you find him, or if you need any backup at soundcheck.” 

“Right back at you,” Josh nodded. 

Just as quickly as ¾ of the band had been reunited, they split up once more. 

***

Josh stepped into the Nationwide Arena and was quickly greeted by their tour manager, Joe. 

“You’re late,” he said down to Josh. 

“Long story,” Josh widened his eyes. He wasn’t eager to share any more, so he started to walk through the concourse area, Joe hustling to catch up. “So how do we get to the stage?” 

“Oh, uh, this way,” Joe said, leading him through a set of doors that opened out into the arena. Josh released an impressed breath. The arena wasn’t the biggest they had ever played at, but it still stunned him how far they had made it. Sixteen-year-old him would be losing his mind. 

They moved across the floor and to the side of the stage where Josh could climb up using the rickety staircase. He made his way to center stage and scanned out across all the open seats. He really sincerely hoped that they wouldn’t have to cancel their show that night. Seeing all of the seats made Josh realize how many people they would be letting down. It seemed more crucial than ever that he finish Ellie's recipe and find Jake so he could force it down his stinking throat. 

“Where’s Jake, Sam, and Danny?” Joe asked from behind Josh, making him jump. As he was about to reply with some half-assed excuse to explain their absence, one of the light techs approached them both. 

“Jake’s backstage.” 

“What?” Josh couldn’t help but let his eyes bug out. 

“Yeah,” the light tech continued. “He seems kinda off.” 

“I’ll be right back,” Josh excused himself. Joe and light tech watched as he booked it to the back of the stage, skidding a bit to turn towards the wing of the stage and out towards the backstage area. 

“Have you seen Jake?” Josh asked the first person he came across. They looked thrown off guard but, after gaining their composure, pointed towards the locker rooms. 

“In hair and makeup.” 

Josh thanked them and then continued his mad dash in search of his brother. As he neared closer to the locker rooms, he overheard a few employees chatting. 

“They’re trying to fix his hair in there, he’s making a real fuss.” 

Josh knit his brows in concern and stepped past the employees to enter into the room. But, just as he was about to open the door, none other than Jake Thomas Kiszka himself threw the door open and sprinted at an Olympic athlete’s pace down the hall and out of sight. Josh, in the midst of his shock and confusion, squinted and noted that Jake’s hair did look different. 

“Are those pin curls?” he whispered to himself. He didn’t even want to begin making sense of the red glitter jumpsuit he was wearing. Josh would have to confront him later about stealing his brand. 

One of the heads of the makeup department stuck her head out of the room and groaned. Josh turned back around to face her. 

“Your brother is a nightmare,” she stated the obvious. “Who the hell is wearing pin curls in 2022?” 

“Beats me,” Josh shrugged. And with that, he took off after his brother. 

Jake had been the athlete of the family, but Josh was fit enough that he quickly caught up to his brother. It probably helped that, on top of the glitter jumpsuit, Jake was also sporting a pretty impressive pair of heels. 

“Jake!” Josh shouted after his twin, waving his arms around as if that would make Jake slow down. “Stop running!” 

Jake slowed for a second at the sound of Josh’s voice but then, in some miraculous feat, managed to speed up to an even more impressive pace, turning down a hallway that led out to the loading area. Josh opened his mouth to warn Jake to watch out, but it was too late as he watched Jake run directly into a large truck that had carried the bulk of their sound equipment over from their last show. Josh winced as Jake flew back on his ass, his legs sprawling everywhere, and laid down on the ground in a haze. 

“Jake!” Josh shouted again, finally making his way to his brother’s side. 

“My, oh my,” Jake groaned out while rubbing his head. Josh cocked his head at the sound of Jake’s voice. Sam had mentioned that he was talking differently, but Josh hadn’t expected for him to sound like some kind of 40s Hollywood star or something.  

“Why were you running?” Josh asked. 

“That dunderhead back there was messing with my hair,” Jake complained. 

“That’s her job,” Josh stared back. “What’s a dunderhead?” 

“It took me far too long to get these curls up only for them to be taken out!” Jake continued to whine. “A woman of all people should understand that.” 

“What is with the hair? Wearing it down get too old for you?” 

“I’m a performer, darling. I would chop it short to keep it out of my face, but the curls are the second-best option. I wish I could get mine to look like yours.” 

Josh fluffed his hair a bit, basking in pride, before he stopped. Something seriously was up with Jake. Never in his life had Jake ever said something positive about Josh’s hair, especially that he wished his hair looked like his. No, that wasn’t Jake in front of him. 

It might have been extreme, but the next thing Josh knew, he was clutching onto the front of Jake’s sequined jumpsuit, shaking him back and forth. 

“What did you do to my brother?” he screamed. If Jake hadn’t gotten a concussion from ramming into the side of a truck, it was highly likely that he had one from all the whiplash he was receiving from Josh. 

“Whatd’ya mean?” Jake called back in gasps. 

“Jake!” Josh hollered. “Where! Is! Jake!” 

“How should I know?” Jake yelled back. 

“You’re Jake!” 

“No I’m not!” 

“Yes, you are!” 

“I’m Liza Minnelli!” 

That got Josh to stop shaking his brother. He released his grip on Jake’s front which sent him flying back against the concrete ground again and scratched his head. 

“You think you’re Liza Minnelli?” he asked down to Jake. 

“I am Liza Minnelli,” Jake corrected him while rubbing at his head with a wince. 

“Oh,” Josh mumbled. “That’s not good.” 

He positioned himself so he was sitting on Jake to keep him at bay and unlocked his phone to share the news with Sam and Danny. They were gonna have a cow. 

“How the fuck does that make any sense?” was the first thing Sam said after Josh shared his update. “Who in their right mind would make Jake think he was Liza Minnelli?” 

“Maybe he got possessed by the spirit of Liza Minnelli?” Danny guessed. 

“Liza Minnelli is still alive, dude,” Josh heard Sam quietly explain to Danny.

“Oh,” Danny said. 

“Maybe it’s just a side effect of the singing and dancing?” Sam tried to reason. 

“I’m stumped,” Danny admitted. 

“We’re on our way over now,” Sam cut in. “Don’t you dare let Jake out of your sight.” 

“Ay ay, Captain,” Josh sarcastically retorted. Sam hung up and Josh looked down at Jake, who was frowning up at him. 

“Care to get off of me?” 

“Not yet,” Josh flashed Jake a fake smile. “You gotta stay with me while we wait for Sammy and Danny.” 

“Great,” Jake huffed. 

“Ooh, hold on a second,” Josh thought aloud. Jake watched in interest as Josh fetched his trustworthy magic 8 ball and went through his breathing ritual. 

“Oh, how cute, a children’s toy,” Jake cooed. Josh stopped and glared down at him. 

“It’s not a children’s toy,” he snapped. “It’s gotten me closer to helping you than anything Sam or Danny have done all day.” 

Jake seemed tickled enough by Josh’s frustration that he kept his mouth shut. Josh returned back to his breathing and then whispered down to the ball,

“Will Jake be back to normal by our concert tonight?” 

“What does it say?” Jake asked with a twinkle in his eye after Josh gave the ball a shake. Josh studied the answer. 

Better not tell you now. 

“It did that thing where it gets stuck between two answers,” Josh lied. Before Jake could ask to look at the answer, Josh gave it another hard shake. 

Better not tell you now. 

“What?” Josh whimpered. “Why won’t you tell me now?” He shook his head and held the ball out in front of him again. “Will you not tell me now because I won’t like the answer?” 

Yes. 

“Shit,” Josh cursed. 

“Don’t cry over spilled milk, sport,” Jake cooed up to Josh. 

“Sport?” Josh had to hold back from laughing in Jake’s face. “What? Are you Jay Gatsby now?” That earned him a pretty good scowl from Jake that nearly had Josh convinced that Jake was back and well. 

“You’re really gonna sit on me all day long, aren’t you?” Jake asked after his scowl lessened to a smirk. Josh pondered his options and came to the conclusion that, as soon as he got off of Jake, he would be on the run again.

“As long as I have to,” he replied back. That seemed like a diplomatic enough answer. 

*** 

It took Danny and Sam about 20 minutes to get to the arena, which meant Jake was getting red in the face from Josh’s weight by the time they got there. Danny and Sam both looked especially shocked to see Jake in his new getup, and Josh was genuinely impressed that neither of them broke down into fits of laughter. Then again, after all they had been through, Josh was sure that Danny and Sam were feeling just about as defeated as he was. 

“This is new,” Danny finally commented. 

Josh looked up at the two of them and then back down to Jake, who was starting to make some squeaking noises. 

“I need to get off of him.” 

“Yes you do,” Jake gasped out. 

“Can you hold onto him once I get up? I have a feeling he’s gonna run.” 

“In those shoes?” Sam sounded incredulous. 

“You’d be surprised how fast he can move in those,” Josh replied. With a grunt he removed himself from Jake’s torso and, almost immediately, Sam and Danny swooped down to clutch onto both of Jake’s arms. 

“Rats,” Jake spat out, his face returning back to a normal color. “I was going to run.” 

“We need to get Jake back to the hotel,” Sam conspired amongst Danny and Josh. “I have the hex book back there. Maybe it will have some answers.” 

“I’m almost done with the potion,” Josh remembered. “I just need virgin blood.” 

“No,” Danny held a hand up to Josh. “Please don’t finish that recipe.” 

“Virginity is a social construct anyways,” Sam added. “It’s entirely subjective. I mean, the way people interpret virginity is completely heteronormative, there are so many other ways to have sex than through the traditional form of -” 

“Thank you, Professor Sam,” Danny cut him off. “I think what Sam is trying to say is that Ellie’s recipe is complete baloney, Josh.” 

Josh’s taurus instincts had to flare up again.

“I’m telling you,” Josh got up on his toes to look Danny directly in the face, “Jake is gonna drink this thing and he’ll immediately get back to normal.” 

“I’m pretty sure Ellie just said it wouldn’t make him get any worse,” Sam countered.

“How could he get any worse than this?” Danny jabbed a thumb in Jake’s direction. 

“I’m surrounded by a bunch of loonies,” Jake murmured to himself. 

“It’s worth a try anyways, right?” Josh was growing desperate to prove a point. 

“Not if it means you’re going to gank someone,” Danny’s voice raised. 

“It didn’t specify how much blood!” Josh’s voice met Danny’s. “It could just be a drop!” 

Josh fumbled around and pulled out the magic 8 ball, which was immediately met by loud groans from Danny and Sam. 

“Ah, the children’s toy is back,” Jake commented. Josh shot him a warning look and then turned back to his trusted partner. 

“Will I only need a drop of blood for the potion?” 

Reply hazy, try again. 

Josh didn’t dare look up at Danny and Sam who were, undoubtedly, shooting him dirty glares. Instead he shook the ball with more rigor and repeated his question. 

Concentrate and ask again. 

Josh huffed out and squeezed his eyes shut to regain focus. 

“Will I need more than a drop of blood for the potion?” 

My sources say no. 

“Ha!” Josh called out, causing Jake, Danny, and Sam to all jump. “See, look here, all I need is a drop of blood. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.” 

“Josh,” Sam’s voice was level. “We’re going to need your help getting Jake back to the hotel. What if he tries to run on us again?” 

“You’ll be thanking me once I’ve got this thing all worked out,” Josh talked over Sam. “I won’t be gone long, I promise.”

“Where are you going?” Danny sounded wary. He was already mentally preparing himself for the practically inevitable call he was going to get from Josh in jail, asking for bail. 

“A blood drive,” Josh said, as if this was something normal people did. 

Before Danny or Sam could cut in to tell him that he was an idiot, Josh turned on his heel and proceeded to sprint away from the arena, back towards the downtown area. Their concert was on the line and he knew deep in his soul that the book Sam had found wouldn’t be enough. He was going to save the day even if everyone thought he was wrong. 

“He’s a weird man,” Jake broke the silence as he, Danny, and Sam watched Josh disappear from sight. Danny heaved out a deep sigh and lightened his grip on Jake’s arm. 

“Why don’t we get you back to the hotel, okay?” 

“But I need to practice more for the big show!” Jake countered. 

“Honey, you don’t need practice with the amount of talent you have,” Sam fed lines to Jake that he knew he would want to hear. “What you need is some rest so you can put your entire heart and soul into your show tonight.”

“Well,” Jake thought, “I can’t argue with sound logic like that. I suppose I can afford to call practice early. My beauty sleep is crucial to a good performance.” 

“There we go,” Sam sounded relieved. “Now you’re making sense.” 

And so, with their hands still clenched around Jake’s arms, they headed back out to the main street in front of the arena where Sam could call them an Uber. 

“Where do you think Jake found the outfit?” Danny asked over Jake’s head to Sam as they waited for the car. Sam took a small step away from Jake so he could inspect his outfit closer and then scrunched his forehead, deep in thought. 

“Maybe he’s had that on the road with him the entire tour.” 

“C’mon, Sam, really,” Danny said. “I just want to make sure we don’t get in trouble because he stole something he wasn’t supposed to take.” 

“I wouldn’t sweat it,” Sam replied. “If anything, Jake was doing a favor to whoever he took this from. It’s absolutely atrocious.” 

“It’s meant to be attention grabbing,” Jake spoke up. Danny and Sam both snapped their heads down to look at him. “I can hear you, you know,” Jake added. 

“Sorry,” Danny was quick to apologize. 

“And please quit calling me Jake, I’m Liza Minnelli.” 

“Should we address you as Liza Minnelli or is just Liza okay?” Sam tried to clarify. 

“Liza Minnelli or nothing,” Jake said. “I worked hard for that name so you better address me by it or else you’ll be hearing from my manager.” 

“What’s your manager gonna do?” Sam egged Jake on. As much as he was disturbed by how his brother was acting, it was hard to hold back from pulling his leg. For what it was worth, he was talking a bunch of bullshit that Sam had to call out. He would be doing a disservice to Jake otherwise if he let comments like that fly. 

“Why, he’ll - he’ll,” Jake stammered, trying to think of a response. 

“Take your time,” Sam stirred the flame. 

“He’ll blacklist you!” Jake finally answered. Sam slapped a hand over his heart in feigned shock. 

“Oh, heavens, no, I couldn’t afford that,” he said, sarcasm rolling off the tongue. 

“Sam,” Danny leaned over to try and get him to stop. 

“You’ll never book another gig again,” Jake nodded his head, unaware of Sam’s ridicule. “Just like that, all of your dreams will be crushed.” 

“A horrid fate,” Sam tried to say without spitting out in laughter. “I would throw myself into the deepest trenches of the ocean if something as abysmal as that happened to me.” 

Danny shot Sam a glare that was intimidating enough to get Sam to shut up. It worked out well that, at that moment, their Uber pulled up to the curb. The driver rolled down the window and Sam, still toting Jake, dragged him up to the car. 

“Samuel?” the driver asked, looking at Sam first but then trailing his gaze to settle on Jake and his flamboyant getup. 

“Brian?” Sam asked back, positioning himself so Jake was blocked from his sight. 

“Uh, yeah, hop on in,” Brian said. 

They piled into the backseat, Jake taking the middle so they could continue to hold onto him, and sat in silence as Brian pulled away from the arena and made his way back towards the freeway. Sam looked down at his watch and sighed. They had four hours until they were supposed to be back at the arena to prepare for the show. That was nowhere close to enough time to get their shit together. Sam knew that he was asking for a miracle, but he closed his eyes and wished to whatever higher powers were above that something would go right for them. 

Literally anything. 

***

Someone or something must have heard Sam’s prayer because their journey from the back of Brian’s car back up to Jake’s hotel room went surprisingly well. Jake had seemed to fully accept that he needed to get his “beauty sleep” before their big performance that night, so he retreated to his bed without putting up a fight. The only challenge Sam and Danny both faced was convincing Jake to get out of the sequin jumpsuit. Jake insisted that he would be fine sleeping in it but, in the end, they were able to compromise with a bathrobe, just like the one Sam had worn earlier that day. 

With Jake tucked under the covers, Sam and Danny grouped in the corner of the room so they could keep an eye on him while whispering to themselves. Sam handed the library book over to Danny, who in turn started to quickly flip through the pages, looking for anything helpful. He settled on the same page that had stopped Sam earlier and raised an eyebrow. 

“The Art of Hexes?” 

“Yup,” Sam nodded. “See anything good?” 

Danny squinted closer at the page and skimmed through the lines. 

“It’s a lot about channeling energy. It kinda sounds like manifesting.” 

“Anything about getting rid of a hex?” 

“I’m not sure,” Danny mumbled as he turned the page. Sam silently watched Danny search through the book and then perked up when Danny looked back at him. “Read this.” 

Sam took the book from him and looked at the section Danny’s finger had tapped. Within a matter of seconds, his heart went from pounding with excited anticipation to falling way down in his chest in disappointment. 

“The recipient of the curse is in charge of how powerful the curse is?” He read aloud.

Danny’s lips were pressed together tight and he gave a curt nod. “So,” Sam sounded out his words, “Jake is the only one who can fix this.” 

“I think so,” Danny agreed. “It sounds like Jake let the hex get to him and, by accepting it, he wound up turning himself into Liza Minnelli.”

“I don’t even want to begin to break that down,” Sam decided. 

“At least we’ve got something to work with,” Danny tried to sound optimistic. “See, here it says, ‘You have to change the course of the hex that someone sent by disregarding it in any way possible. If you see a curse as tangible, you will suffer. But if you believe a curse is not real, it may go away. It is a universal law that you control your reality. No one else does.” 

“But we’d have to get Jake back in order to get him out of the spell,” Sam said. 

“There’s another part in here about prayer,” Danny said down to the book. “Maybe we could try to pray the Liza away. You know, just send good vibes out into the universe for Jake, maybe an apology or something if he did anything to offend anyone who apparently knows a thing or two about revenge.” 

Sam would have been a bit more opposed to asking for help through prayer if he hadn’t just done it in their Uber. He figured that they really were in the midst of a dire situation, and that they were unfortunately at the point in the day where they had to look to a higher power to get Jake back. 

“Well then, buddy,” he said to Danny. “Let’s cleanse our souls and get to talking with God.” 

Sam was expecting a hearty laugh or grin from Danny but instead he looked across at his friend and saw that he already had his eyes tightly shut. 

“Oh shit,” Sam said, “I guess we’re starting.” As he was about to close his eyes to join in with Danny, he stopped himself. Even though Jake’s occasional snores were enough to signal that he was knocked out cold, Sam didn’t want to risk him running out on them again under their noses. While Danny could have the luxury of getting closer to the higher powers with his eyes shut, Sam was going to give it a try with his eyes wide open, staring straight at his older brother. 

Hey there god, it’s me, ya boi, Sam started, and then shook his head. He had to take this seriously, for Jake’s sake. 

Hey, uh, sorry about that. It’s been a while since I really seriously gave this a shot. Uh, you probably know that my brother’s kinda got something wrong with him. Do you think that you could forgive him for whatever sins he committed and give him a free pass? At least for tonight so we don’t have to cancel our show. Or, um, if that’s asking too much, could you maybe, like, point my friend, Daniel, and I in the right direction so we can help him? 

Sam had to stop himself. He was no better than Josh using his magic 8 ball. 

“You’re desperate,” Sam whispered to himself. “You have to do this.” 

Just checking in again, hopefully I’m not hogging up your line, but I gotta tell you, Jake is a good guy. What he’s going through right now, I don’t think it’s really all that fair. I mean, he can be a bit of a hothead sometimes but he’s got a good heart. We play music to bring people together and make them appreciate the Earth which, by the way, nice work, dude. Nothing better than nature. But really, he’s a good guy, I’m sure you can see all his faults and stuff but you have to admit that there are people out there who are infinitely worse than him. Could you give him a hand, maybe? 

Sam sighed and looked back at Danny, who seriously seemed to be in the zone. 

What the hell could he possibly be praying? Sam wondered. He was running out of things to send out into the universe and, really, he was starting to get paranoid that if he kept going, he was just going to piss off whoever was in charge. He knew it was foolish to even think about, but he had sincerely hoped that the second he finished his prayer, Jake would wake up back to normal and they would all have a joyous reunion. If only it could be that simple. Sam figured that maybe he had spent all of his prayers in the Uber. 

“One more try, I guess,” he mumbled. 

Please don’t smite me if I’m getting on your nerves. But yeah, I’ve got more to say about my brother, Jake Kiszka. He thinks he’s Liza Minnelli and I promise you, some sinister mastermind was behind all of this. He apparently is in control of the curse or whatever because he’s in charge of his reality, but it’s a bit hard for him to change his reality when he’s fully convinced that he’s Judy Garland’s daughter, in the flesh. Do you think you could send him some guidance or something, even just like a small voice in the back of his head to push him back on track? Just do that and then Daniel and I can take over. We got a deal? I’ll give you whatever you want. Seriously. Anything. 

Sam waited to hear a voice in his head bartering that he devote his life to God or the church or something in exchange for Jake’s sanity, but his head was empty. 

“Damn,” Sam said. 

This got Danny to open an eye. 

“Everything okay?” he whispered to Sam. 

“I’m not getting any results,” Sam said in a much whinier voice than he had intended. Danny gave him a sympathetic smile and patted his knee for support. 

“It takes time, you’re doing great,” he said. And then his eyes closed again. 

Since when was Danny so righteous? Oh, uh, not that that’s a bad thing, God. Man, do I wish I could be more virtuous. Maybe I will be if you help my brother. 

Sam couldn’t help but grimace at that. Maybe he had crossed a line. It was then that Sam decided he would be retiring from prayer until further notice. Danny could take that one over, he seemed to know what he was doing. 

So, while Danny continued on, Sam rested his head in his hands and stared at Jake, wishing that he would get better in time for their show. And more than that, that Josh wasn’t out hurting anyone in his quest to get Ellie’s potion ingredients. 

***

“What do you mean you’re not here to donate blood?” a guy around Josh’s age asked with a raised eyebrow. Josh immediately realized that his admittance put him in a very awkward position, so he struggled to dig himself out of his hole. 

“Oh, uh, I’m here with a friend. I can’t donate blood because I’m too, uh, short.” 

“I don’t think you are,” the guy countered. “And we usually base it off of your weight. You seem to be over 110 pounds.” 

“But I, uh, can’t do needles. They freak me out.” 

“Then why did you wait in line to donate blood?” 

That was a good question. Why did Josh do that? He knew that he really shouldn’t be donating blood only hours before their show. He had to put his whole jussy into his performance and he couldn’t do that while dealing with any form of iron deficiency. 

“I’ll just step out of line,” Josh gave an apologetic smile to the volunteer worker, whose expression had moved from confusion to frustration. 

“Sure,” he snapped, motioning for Josh to move away from the tents and trailers set around the high school blacktop. Josh made sure to walk away from the guy fast since he hated confrontation but, once he was out of his line of sight, he snuck behind one of the empty-looking trailers. 

“If I grab the first pouch of blood I see, will it be virgin’s blood?” Josh asked down to his trusted companion, the magic 8 ball. 

My reply is no. 

“Pretty definitive, huh?” Josh said. “I guess it can’t be that simple.” 

He gave the ball another hefty shake. 

“Will I find the virgin’s blood here?” 

Without a doubt. 

“Thank god for that. Should I just grab as many bags as I can?” 

My sources say no. 

“So I do have to be strategic about this.” 

Josh put the magic 8 ball away and peered in through the window of the trailer. There was no one inside, but his eyes lit up when he saw some volunteer t-shirts strewn about. 

“Bingo,” Josh whispered. 

Josh was glad that his khaki shorts and white tennis shoes went well with the bright red Red Cross shirt he stole from the trailer, even if he looked like a Target employee. He tried to tap into his acting background and put on a face as he approached the crowd around the tents with a wide smile. Right as he was about to grab a vial of blood that had just been drawn from a younger looking guy, another volunteer put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. 

“Hey, a kid threw up in the bathroom, would you mind cleaning that up?” 

Josh couldn’t help but frown at that. That was quite literally the last thing he wanted to do. Plus he was on a time crunch so he really couldn’t waste any more time than he already had while waiting in line. 

“You got it,” he lied to the volunteer’s face. Then he retreated away from the line and just as quickly returned back, tackling it in a different area with fresh faces. He looked through the crowd and spotted a guy with ill-fitting pants and a Pulp Fiction shirt on. Josh almost felt like he was looking in the mirror at his past self, back when he was knee deep in his film phase. 

“That’ll do,” he decided, semi-dejected. Just to double check, he asked the magic 8 ball. 

Outlook good. 

Josh was amazed to find that wearing a volunteer shirt was enough for him to be trusted to carry the sack of blood the guy donated without anyone asking any questions. It felt weird to carry with him, but Josh was beyond relieved that he didn’t have to resort to a more drastic solution to find blood for the potion. According to Ellie’s recipe and the magic 8 ball, he had done what he had set out to do. Really, in that moment, Josh felt like he was on top of the world. 

***

Sam was about ready to give praying another try since he was getting sick and tired of staring at his sleeping brother when Josh tore through the hotel room door. Sam jumped to his feet to greet Josh with a relieved smile. As much as Sam ethically disagreed with Josh’s approach to helping Jake, the praying thing wasn’t really working out. It seemed like Ellie’s potion really was their only chance to get Jake back. 

“I did it,” Josh beamed at Sam, holding up a plastic takeout bag. 

Sam inspected the Red Cross shirt Josh was wearing and let his eyes track down to the

bag, connecting the pieces.

“How do you know it’s virgin blood?” he finally asked. 

Danny had been in the middle of another long winded prayer, but he stopped and opened one eye to see what was going on. 

“I don’t,” Josh admitted, “but I have a good feeling about it. The magic 8 ball confirmed that it would be enough. I just need to grab the other ingredients and mix them all together. I’m not really sure how to give it to Jake though. I can’t imagine it’s going to taste very good.” 

“You could spike his drink with it?” Sam tried. Danny was now at their side, watching Josh with concern as he fished out the other items on Ellie’s ingredient list. 

“I could try that,” Josh said over his shoulder. He returned back to dumping the sunflower seeds, sage, dirt, bones, and eyeball from his bag onto the bar counter. Danny looked like he was on the verge of throwing up. “Do we have anything to crush the bones and seeds?” Josh asked. 

“Hell if I should know,” Sam replied. 

Josh was still feeling on top of the world, like nothing could stop him, so he was able to think quickly on his feet. Within seconds he was using the bottom of a glass to crush up the ingredients in a smelly, brown pile. 

“I don’t think Jake should take that,” Danny murmured. 

“It’s natural: no GMOs, no pesticides, it’s all safe,” Josh replied. “So what if he throws up a little bit? He’ll get over it. It’s not like I’m poisoning him.”

“Josh did trick Jake into eating worms when he was younger,” Sam explained. “I think he can stomach all of this crap just fine.” 

Danny seemed like he wasn’t fully ready to back down, but he let out a sigh and slouched his shoulders. It was evident that, as much as he didn’t like it, it was two against one and he had no way of winning the fight. 

Josh finished crushing the ingredients and slid them off the counter into a glass. 

“All we need is the blood,” Josh mumbled. 

“I think I’m gonna stand over near Jake away from this,” Danny decided. 

“Yeah, I don’t want to work around your barf if you can’t hold it down,” Josh agreed. Danny frowned at Josh’s insincerity and retreated to the farthest corner of the room where he proceeded to cross his arms and stare at the carpeted floor. In contrast, Sam watched with interest as Josh grabbed the sack of blood from his takeout bag and started to mess with the cap. 

“How do you open this stupid thing?” Josh grunted, pulling at the top with all of his might. Sam put a hand up to silently stop Josh in the midst of his struggles and popped off the cap effortlessly, handing the bag back to Josh. 

“I volunteered for the Red Cross in high school a few times,” Sam explained before Josh could ask any questions. “There’s also directions on the bag, but it’s not a big surprise that you missed them.” 

“Thanks,” Josh said shortly, grabbing the bag back from Sam. 

“How much blood are you going to use?” Sam asked. 

“Just a few drops, I figured,” Josh said. “That’s what the magic 8 ball told me earlier. If it doesn’t do anything, I can add some more.” 

And with that, Josh proceeded to carefully squeeze two drops of the blood into the cup. 

“I think it’s gonna turn into more of a paste than a liquid,” Sam realized. Josh confirmed his suspicion as he took a wooden coffee stirrer and quickly mixed everything together. 

“Ew,” both he and Sam muttered as they took in the brownish-red clump of goop. 

At the far end of the room, Danny moved away from his corner and grabbed Josh’s magic 8 ball that he had set down on the table next to the hotel room’s couch. 

“Will Ellie’s potion kill Jake?” Danny asked just loud enough for Sam and Josh to hear. They both snapped their heads up from the glass and watched as Danny squeezed his eyes shut and gave the ball a fast shake. 

“What does it say?” Sam asked. Danny stared down at it. 

As I see it, yes. 

“The magic 8 ball is just messing with you,” Josh countered with a bite in his tone. He stomped across the hotel room and grabbed the ball from Danny, repeating the same question. 

“See?” he said, showing the ball to everyone, although the text was too small for anyone but Josh to read. “My sources say no. It’s fine, Jake will be fine.” 

Once again, Danny looked like he wanted to step in Josh’s way but before he could take any action, Josh grabbed the potion glass and a cheese knife and spread the paste across the surface of a saltine cracker. 

“Here, Liza Minnelli,” he called over to Jake. Jake stirred and slowly opened his eyes, letting out a wide yawn. Josh took the opportunity to rush to Jake’s side and cram the cracker into Jake’s mouth and then shut it, holding it closed tightly. “Chew and swallow before I plug your nose,” Josh sternly told his twin brother. Danny let out a squeak in shock. 

“Hey, tone it down, Josh,” Sam tried to scold his brother. Jake’s face was twisted with confusion and disgust as he stared up at Josh, who was holding his mouth together so tightly, it was a miracle Jake’s jaw hadn’t popped out of  place. 

“I busted my ass to get all of this put together,” Josh explained, still staring down at his twin, waiting for him to chew. “He’s gonna eat this if it’s the last thing he does.” 

Jake continued to stare at Josh which led him to heave out a frustrated groan and pry one hand off his mouth to plug Jake’s nose. 

“Josh!” Sam and Danny both shouted. Jake tried to smack at Josh’s arms but Josh remained firm in place. After a bit more struggling, Jake finally accepted defeat and swallowed down the cracker. Josh released himself from Jake in satisfaction. 

“What the blazes did you force down my throat?” Jake shouted before taking a break to claw the taste away from his tongue. Danny hurried to the bar and fetched Jake a half-finished bottle of wine. Once it was in Jake’s hands, he chugged down the contents in under ten seconds. 

“You’ll be thanking me soon,” Josh sounded certain. 

“Do you know that it will start working soon?” Sam countered.

“It has to,” Josh suddenly frowned. 

“The nerve to wake me from my beauty sleep and make me eat that vile thing,” Jake continued to complain. “Why did it taste so bad? Please tell me what you gave me.” 

“Just a little something something,” Josh murmured when he realized that neither Sam nor Danny were going to go out of their way to explain things to Jake. Jake raised an eyebrow at Josh, cueing for him to keep talking. “It, uh, will make you perform better,” Josh decided. 

“A new performance enhancing drug, huh?” Jake asked. “You stinker. The paparazzi better not find out about this one. I can’t handle another scandal leaked to the press.” 

“Your secret is safe with us,” Sam tried to console Jake so he wouldn’t break into hysterics. As Liza Minnelli, Jake sure did complain a lot. Danny was still quiet and frankly looked like he was seconds away from calling poison control. He stared at Jake with a mixture of worry and morbid curiosity, waiting as if something drastic was going to happen at any second. 

“Why’s the hairy one staring at me?” Jake pointed in Danny’s direction. 

“Your beauty sleep must have really worked,” Sam replied. He was getting exceptionally good at feeding Liza Minnelli-Jake lines that he without a doubt wanted to hear. 

“Oh,” Jake chuckled while prepping his hair, “well, I’m flattered.” 

Josh couldn’t hold it in any longer. How long was the potion supposed to take to kick in? It was probably a combination of lack of sleep and scared frustration that his brother was acting like an entirely different person that caused Josh to lurch forward and give Jake a good shake once again. 

“Jake! Where are you? Can you hear me? Come back Jake!” 

This was the breaking point for Danny since he finally sprung to action and successfully pried Josh away from Jake, carrying him over his shoulder to the hotel room door so he could throw him out into the hallway. 

“Cool off and don’t come back in until you’re ready,” Danny snapped at Josh, slamming the door shut in his face. 

“Geez, Danny,” Sam stared at him wide-eyed. 

“He was gonna give Jake a concussion,” Danny huffed. 

“I’ve never seen you man handle Josh like that before,” Jake commented from the bed in awe. Sam was about to agree with his brother when he stopped in his tracks and whirled around to face his brother. 

“Jake?” he felt his voice choke in his throat. 

“Yeah, what?” Jake asked back, completely unfazed. 

“No way,” Danny sounded on the brink of crying. 

“What’s wrong with you both?” 

“The potion worked,” Sam and Danny both realized in unison. 

“Potion?” Jake asked. Then he stopped. “Wait,” a grin formed across his lips, “I’m not singing.” 

He stood from the bed and took a few cautious steps around and then happily plopped back onto the mattress. 

“I’m not dancing either!” 

“And you don’t think you’re Liza Minnelli anymore,” Sam added. 

“Thank god,” Danny agreed. 

“Wait,” Jake stopped. “What?” 

“We’ll explain later,” Sam waved him off. “But you feel okay?” 

“Yeah,” Jake slowly decided. “But I do have a quick question.” 

“Of course,” Sam encouraged him to keep talking. 

“What’s up with my hair?” 

***

“Get in the shower, dude,” Sam told Jake in the hopes that he would stop messing around with his pin curls. “It’ll go back to normal if you get it wet.” 

“Right,” Jake muttered though he looked like he wanted to continue rubbing his hands around his hair. He looked between Danny and Sam, shrugged, and then retreated back to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. 

“I can’t believe that worked,” Danny immediately turned to Sam once Jake was out of earshot. Sam could only nod his head in awe. It was unclear if Ellie’s potion had really turned Jake back or if their praying earlier had also played a part in it all, but whatever they did, Sam finally felt at ease. 

“I was fully prepared to cancel our show tonight,” Danny admitted. “I’m really glad we won’t have to do that. Could you imagine how many people we’d let down?” 

“I don’t even want to think about that,” Sam shook his head. 

Across the room, Josh slowly stuck his head in through the front door. 

“Is it safe to come back in?” he whispered, looking at Danny with an air of caution. Sam had never seen Josh so on edge around their drummer. Danny silently waved Josh inside and he carefully tiptoed to their side, as if any wrong move would get him physically thrown out of the room again. Once Josh successfully joined them and blew out a nervous laugh, Sam turned to him. 

“Jake is back to normal.” 

This news nearly made Josh topple over in shock. 

“You’re shitting me,” he said as he tried to remain balanced. “Where is he?” 

Sam and Danny both nodded towards the bathroom where the shower was now running. Josh looked between them and then booked it for the door. Before Sam or Danny could say anything to stop him, Josh threw the bathroom door open and hustled inside. 

“JAKEY!” Sam and Danny heard Josh scream through the door. Immediately Jake started screaming back at Josh to get out of the bathroom. Josh quickly exited out of the bathroom with a wide grin stretched across his face. Sam couldn’t help but shake his head at him. 

“I told you that Ellie’s potion-” Josh started, but Danny cut him off. 

“Please, Josh, I don’t want to hear it.” 

Josh, evidently still wary of Danny, forced his mouth shut. 

Jake was taking an awfully long shower, so they all retreated to different parts of the room, Josh by the bar messing around with leftover sunflower seeds, Sam on the bed resting his eyes, and Danny on the couch flipping through TV stations. The room was entirely silent with the exception of the running water, until Sam caught something else. 

“Do you hear that?” he asked around the room, sitting up from the bed. Danny muted the TV and looked around, trying to figure out what Sam was talking about. It started off soft and muffled through the walls but, within seconds, Jake was belting out Cabaret. 

“PUT DOWN THE KNITTING, THE BOOK, AND THE BROOM, IT’S TIME FOR A HOLIDAY! LIFE IS A CABARET, OLD CHUM, COME TO THE CABARET!” Jake hollered. 

“For the love of all things holy,” Danny grumbled. 

“Motherfucker,” Sam added. 

“He’s gone again, isn’t he?” Josh asked with a frown. 

“Unless he suddenly decided to start singing show tunes in the shower, yeah, I think whatever we did to get him back wore off,” Sam’s voice wavered in frustration. 

“I’ll make another round of the potion,” Josh decided. 

“I think we’re gonna have to call off the concert,” Danny said, pain rolling off his tongue. Sam looked like he wanted to argue against it, but Danny continued talking. “I just don’t see how Jake can be in good enough shape to go out in front of a large crowd. I mean, if we were playing in a bar like the old days we could probably get away with it because what did any of those guys care? But people, hell, fans, paid good money to see us put on an exceptional show and we can’t give that to them if Jake thinks he’s Liza fucking Minnelli.” 

“We can get him back again,” Sam got his word in.

“No,” Josh said from the bar as he aggressively bashed the remaining ingredients into a fine powder. “This seems like a temporary solution. Jake isn’t gonna be okay to play.” 

“But,” Sam tried. 

“I’ll call Joe,” Danny interrupted Sam. Sam watched with his mouth agape in disappointment as Danny speed dialed their tour manager. He put his empty hand on his hip while the phone rang and then let out a groan when it went to voicemail. “What could he possibly be doing right now?” 

“Covering our asses,” Josh suggested as he squirted a hearty amount of blood into a new glass. Danny watched him for a second and then scrunched his nose and turned away. 

“I’ll try to call again.” 

“He’s not gonna pick up,” Josh called out. “I can feel it in my gut. My intuition has been really accurate recently, I think it has to do with all the meditating I’ve been doing.” 

“Josh,” Danny said through grit teeth as he held the phone back up to his ear, “you’re really getting on my nerves right now.” 

“Right, right,” Josh turned away from Danny. “I’ll keep my yap shut.” 

Joe’s phone went to voicemail again and Danny attempted to maintain a calm voice as he said in a quivering tone, 

“Hey Joe, this is Danny, we’ve got a problem with Jake. Please call back as soon as you can. Please.” 

Danny hung up and chucked the phone onto Jake’s bed. 

“Why, you could cut the tension in this 4-star hotel room with a knife,” Jake exclaimed as he came out of the shower with his hair wrapped up in a towel and an additional towel tucked around his chest. Josh tried to lean over the ingredients he was mixing so Jake wouldn’t catch what he was doing, but luckily Jake was distracted by Danny. 

“You look like you could cry, dear boy,” Jake cooed as he approached Danny. Danny’s arms were wrapped under his armpits and, frankly, he did look on the verge of breaking down. 

“Nah ah,” he choked out. 

“You need a good massage,” Jake decided. “That always makes me feel better when I’m troubled. You know, my first Broadway show I nearly upchucked! Can you imagine? Without that back massage I would have been done for.” 

“I’m fine,” Danny tried to swat Jake’s hands away from him.

“I promise you, even just a small rub around the shoulders will soothe you.” 

“Jake, uh, Liza,” Josh said from the bar. Jake whirled around to face Josh. “Can you come over here? I have something for you.” 

Jake seemed skeptical of Josh but made his way to his side and raised an eyebrow. 

“I made you a sandwich,” Josh stated, holding out a plate to Jake. “As an apology for the cracker earlier. That was mean. Sorry.” 

Sam had to do a double take when he realized that, in the midst of panicking over Jake’s condition and canceling their concert, Josh had managed to make a BLT for Jake and slathered the potion somewhere in between the two slices of sourdough bread. Sam tried to scan around to figure out how the hell Josh had managed to cook bacon in their hotel room in that short span of time, but was quickly distracted by Jake taking a rather large but inquisitive bite out of it. 

“Hm,” he thought aloud as he chewed slowly, “what an interesting blend of flavors.” 

Josh looked beyond Jake to Sam and Danny and gave them a cheeky wink. Danny still seemed on the brink of losing it. 

“I don’t usually go for BLTs, I’m really more of a KFC gal,” Jake conversed as he continued working away at the sandwich, “but this has a little je ne sais pas about it. I might have to make BLTs my go-to meal from here on out. As long as they don’t ruin my figure, of course.” 

“Haha,” Josh very evidently faked a laugh, which Jake didn’t notice at all. He finished the rest of the sandwich in four more bites and then released a hearty belch. 

“A seal of approval,” Jake grinned at Josh. The frown lines on Josh’s face were running deep. “You’ll have to give me the recipe.” 

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” Josh waved Jake off. Then, in silence he started to stare daggers at Jake. He was oblivious to this as he made his way to the bar and fixed himself a drink before disappearing back into the bathroom to “finish getting prepped.” 

“He should be back any second now,” Josh finally spoke once Jake was gone. “How long did it take to kick in the last time around?” 

“About five minutes,” Danny replied. The three friends retreated back to their designated spots in the hotel room and all collectively stared at the digital clock on the nightstand. Once five minutes had passed, Sam stood to his feet. 

“I’ll go check on him,” Sam suggested. Danny and Josh both nodded, making it obvious they didn’t want to be the one to take the plunge to see if they were still screwed. Sam sucked in a deep breath and moved to the bathroom door to lightly rap on the wood with the back of his hand. Jake opened the door a crack, just enough for Sam to see that he was raising an eyebrow, prompting him to talk.

“Uh,” Sam struggled to find the right words, “how’s it going?” 

“I’ll be better once I find my powder,” Jake snapped. “For the life of me I can’t remember where I placed it. I can’t afford to go on stage looking like a greasy pig.” 

Sam immediately turned on his heel and rejoined Danny and Josh’s side. They both looked at him with hope but all Sam could do was study the carpet and shake his head slowly. 

“Shit,” Danny cursed under his breath. 

“What do we do?” Josh’s voice cracked. 

“Let me try to call Joe again,” Danny decided. He grabbed his phone from Jake’s bed and started to pace around the room while he waited for their tour manager to pick up. Sam and Josh could both hear the phone go to voicemail so it was no surprise when Danny winded up and chucked the phone back at the bed in frustration. 

“Why don’t we go back to the arena,” Sam tried to think on his feet. “He has to be there right now. We can take Jake with us and keep an eye on him to see if he gets better.” 

“I guess,” Danny and Josh both shrugged, sounding dejected as anything. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Josh added. 

***

They were able to coax Jake into an Uber after waiting a frankly ridiculous amount of time for him to get ready. Danny, Sam, and Josh were all relieved that Jake had traded the red glitter jumpsuit for a pair of sweats and a hoodie. He explained to them, though they weren’t really interested in listening, that being comfortable in the pre-show was the key to putting on a phenomenal performance. On the drive over, Jake continued to coach his friends about the do’s and don’ts of the “biz.” Sam felt that Jake must have assumed they were either his band or adoring fans, but it didn’t matter. What did matter was Jake was gone yet again and Josh’s second attempt at the potion didn’t seem to have the magic of the first time around. That absolutely stumped Sam. He couldn’t think of a single difference between the two doses of the potion, other than that the second one probably tasted significantly better to Jake. Maybe the shock of ingesting some dude’s blood was enough to bring Jake back to reality? Sam wasn’t sure. 

Danny, like Sam, was also in a bad mood, but he had the fortune of sitting in the front seat with the driver while the Kiszka brothers were piled in the backseat. This distance gave him the space to angrily glare out the window at the stores and industrial buildings lining the freeway as they made their way to the stadium. None of this was fair. And it was stupid. Danny was the one who had pulled the plug and made the executive decision that they go to Joe about it, but he had a bad feeling Joe wasn’t going to be understanding. Danny didn’t have a whole lot of energy left in the tank to convince him that they were being honest and no, they weren’t pulling a prank. He sincerely hoped that Sam and Josh would step in and back their brother up. The worst case scenario was Jake would be taken to see a specialist. At least Danny hoped that was the worst case scenario. 

Josh, who was squished in the middle seat, was flat out tired. He had run all around Columbus (something no one would ever willingly do) and felt like it was all for nothing. Even though he would never admit it aloud, Josh was a bit relieved that their concert most likely wasn’t going to happen. He almost felt like he had donated blood, just because of how wiped out he was. As they pulled into the back entrance of the stadium, all Josh could think was that he was an idiot for turning down a free chocolate chip cookie at the blood drive. 

“This is my favorite part,” Jake beamed at his brothers before unbuckling his seatbelt. “We’re in transition, moving from being a civilian to the star. Once we pass through those backdoors, we’ll be in the spotlight. This is our last moment to feel human before we become gods.” 

“Jesus, Jake,” Sam grumbled, throwing off his seatbelt and sliding out from the car. “You’re insufferable.” 

“Oh quit it, you’re just trying to be humble,” Jake called back to Sam. Without facing his brother, Sam lifted up his middle finger in Jake’s direction. 

“That’s awfully rude,” Jake spat. 

“Don’t encourage him,” Danny whispered to Sam as he also stepped out of the car. 

“He’s getting on my nerves,” Sam tried to explain himself. 

“Me too,” Danny said in a hush. “I wish he would shut up.” 

“I hope they remember to put extra towels in my room so I can finish exfoliating,” Jake said to no one in particular as he strutted towards the back entrance. 

“I hope they remember to put a gun in my room so I can off myself,” Sam grumbled. That earned him a hefty slap in the arm from Danny. 

“Quit moping, it’s not good for you and it’s not helping anyone else out. Let’s find Joe,” Danny turned back on his authoritative voice. Sam couldn’t help but nod at his plan. The two followed Jake through the hefty back door and were almost immediately greeted by one of the sound guys. 

“How’s it going?” the sound guy beamed at them. 

“Ugh,” Danny and Sam both responded. Josh hurried to catch up to them and gave the sound guy a quick wave. 

“Hey Al, how are those in-ears coming along?” 

“Should be ready by next week,” Al said with a wide smile. 

“That’s great, thanks man,” Josh gave him a pat on the back. 

“Where’s Jake?” Sam asked. It occurred to him that he was getting really sick and tired of asking that question. 

“What an exquisite costume!” they heard Jake’s voice ring out down the hallway. 

“The dressing room,” Danny read everyone’s minds. 

The three made their way down the long hallway and stuck their heads into the dressing room. Jake was holding up Josh’s golden jumpsuit with a look of adoration spread across his face. For an unexplainable reason, Josh didn’t like this version of Jake putting his grimy, “superstar” hands on his outfit. The real Jake understood the concept of boundaries. 

“Oh,” Jake exclaimed when he saw Sam, Danny, and Josh all standing in the doorway, “you must see this little number here. It’s splendid! The craftsmanship alone, it’s like it was sewn by an angel.” 

“Sara made it,” Josh corrected Jake. “Not an angel.” He paused and pondered what he had said for a second, then added, “Though she is an angel.”  

Jake’s mouth hung open, like his brain was struggling to formulate a response. Danny took the opportunity to steer the conversation in a different direction. 

“Why don’t we check out the stage?” 

“What are you doing?” Sam quickly whispered to Danny. 

“Joe’s bound to be out there,” Danny whispered back. 

“You guys go ahead, I’m gonna stay here a bit longer,” Josh waved them along. He was relieved when no one pressed him to figure out what he was doing. He didn’t want to admit aloud that he was going to take his jumpsuit down to the laundry room at basement level to get Jake’s fingerprints off of it. 

“C’mon,” Danny motioned for Jake to come along. He slowly placed Josh’s jumpsuit back on the rack and followed behind Danny and Sam as they hurried towards the stage. 

Danny couldn’t help but release a loud sigh of relief when he spotted Joe standing exactly where he thought he would be, at center stage, talking the ear off of a poor roadie. 

“The organ needs better storage in transit,” Joe was coaching the roadie. “I keep seeing scratches on it every time we move it to a new place. That’s gotta stop.” 

“I’ll say,”  Sam couldn’t help but cut in as they approached Joe. 

“Sam, focus,” Danny said behind him. 

“Oh, uh, sorry,” Sam quickly turned back to his friend. 

Danny moved so he was face to face with Joe and proceed to release everything that had been on his mind over the past day in one impressive breath: 

“Joe, I’m sorry to dump this on you now but something’s wrong with Jake, like really and seriously wrong to the point where we’ve done everything we can to try and help him but nothing’s working - like, I can’t begin to tell you how frustrated I am but anyways, Joe, listen to me, you need to understand that I am being 100% serious right now, okay, Jake thinks that he’s Liza Minnelli and it’s like he’s possessed or something except this witch that we met in a parking lot said it sounded like he was hexed or put under a spell or something but it must be one weird spell if he thinks he’s Liza Minnelli but yeah Josh ran around and got a bunch of stuff to make a potion that made Jake snap out of it but now he’s back to thinking that Liza and, I just, I don’t know how to break the news but I don’t think we’re in shape to play tonight as much as I hate to say it, like the last thing I want to do is cancel this show but I can’t see how Jake could possibly play tonight when all he’s been talking about is his performance of ‘Maybe This Time,’ like I doubt he could play a single note correctly on the guitar.” 

Joe stared at Danny and Sam with his mouth wide open while Danny keeled over, trying to catch his breath. Jake had gotten bored about halfway through Danny’s spiel and wandered off to the wing of the stage to mess with the curtain. 

“We tried to call you earlier but you weren’t picking up, so we figured it would be best just to tell you in person,” Sam tried to add to Danny’s explanation. 

“This is…troubling,” Joe decided. “You think he’s cursed?” 

“That’s the only explanation we could work out,” Danny replied. 

“Go talk to him, you’ll understand,” Sam pointed towards Jake. Joe looked like he didn’t want to be involved but ultimately decided to give Jake a visit to get down to the bottom of things. That was his job anyways, to clean up the boys’ messes and make sure things didn’t go to shit. 

“Hey man,” Joe tested the water as he approached Jake. His expression shifted to concern as he noticed that Jake was staring at something off stage with a blank look on his face. “Jake?” he tried, raising his voice a little. 

“What’s wrong with him this time?” Joe heard Sam grumble to Danny. 

“I don't want to know,” Danny huffed. 

“Jake?” Joe tried again, this time placing a firm hand on his shoulder. 

“That’s my guitar,” he heard Jake murmur. 

“What did he say?” Sam asked. 

“Something about his guitar?” Joe turned around. Sam was obviously at the end of his rope. 

“Speak up, brother,” he barked at Jake. “I can’t hear you.” 

“That’s my guitar,” Jake said a bit louder, flopping his hand towards his Gibson. 

“Okay, so he doesn’t think he’s Liza Minnelli anymore,” Danny said. “Of course that would happen the second we come to Joe.” 

Sam had to agree with Danny that, while he should have been happy and relieved that his brother was back again, he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that they would just lose Jake again. It wasn’t worth getting his hopes up again that everything would finally be okay. 

“I want to play it,” Jake pointed at his guitar. 

This gave Danny an idea. 

“Play it, Jake,” he said with a quick nod. 

The first time they had gotten him back, Jake quickly fell back into the headspace of Liza Minnelli because they hadn’t been by his side, encouraging him to be in control of his reality, like what they had read earlier in the book Sam found at the library. They had to equip Jake with the right tools to help him overcome whatever hex had been cast on him. The first step to making sure Jake was secure in his identity was getting him to play his guitar. That was the very essence of Jake. As long as he was playing something, he was bound to stay as Jake Kiszka. 

While Danny led Jake back to his guitar and started turning on the army of amps backstage, Joe shook his head at Sam. 

“I don’t know what the hell just happened, but it looks to me like Jake knows who he is, even if he is a bit off right now. I don’t see enough of a good reason to call tonight off.” 

Sam wanted to agree with Joe that the show could go on but he was still concerned that Jake would slip at any second.

“Joe, listen, I don’t think you understand what Jake’s been through today,” Sam started to protest. Jake cut him off with the opening riff to “Built By Nations”. Joe turned back to face Sam and shook his head. 

“He looks fine to me.” 

Joe gave Sam no more space to speak his mind since his head snapped back down to his phone and he hustled off stage, calling out to a stagehand to make sure the setlists were printed. Sam watched their tour manager go and then, with a deep frown, joined Danny’s side while he watched Jake shred away. 

“Joe got the final word in that we’re playing tonight,” Sam called over the music to Danny. “He said it doesn’t look like there’s anything wrong with Jake.”

“Hopefully there won’t be for the rest of the night,” Danny said. “I think I have a plan for how we can make sure he stays with us.” 

“I’m all ears,” Sam replied. 

It was agreed between the two of them that they would give Jake a quick lecture on the importance of owning his own reality in the hopes that something would click. While Jake started to mess around with new riffs, Sam ducked behind the amps and switched most of them off so it was easier to hear over the guitar noises. 

“Aw man,” Jake pouted. 

“We need to talk to you for just a few minutes,” Danny tried to console him. 

“Okay,” Jake nodded as he continued to strum away. 

“So, elephant in the room, you’re back again,” Danny felt it was important to acknowledge.

“Yup,” Jake nodded. “I feel kinda sore for some reason.” 

“It’s probably from all the high kicks you were doing earlier,” Sam said as he joined them to form a half-circle at center stage. 

“Listen, focus, okay, Jake, you need to make sure that you’re in charge,” Danny said. 

“Huh?” Jake asked. 

“We think the reason you keep slipping back into Liza Minnelli is because you’re letting the curse do that to you,” Sam explained. 

“It’s not like I’m inviting Liza Minnelli in with open arms,” Jake made a face. 

“No, we know that this is all tricky,” Danny tried to do some damage control, “but we read in a book on hexes that they manifest into reality when the victim believes in their power. So, like, if you think the hex is a load of baloney and go about with your normal life, not letting it control you, then you should be golden.” 

“I still don’t understand how I’m supposed to do that,” Jake stared between Danny and Sam. “You make it sound like it’s easy to do but you don’t understand, my body physically cannot avoid it.” 

“That’s because you’re feeding into the power of the hex,” Sam said. “You’re afraid of its power.” 

“Of course I am!” Jake restrained from raising his voice. “I just want to be normal again.”

“You’re normal now,” Danny tried to assure him. “We just need to make sure that you’re on top of this thing and you don’t let it get the better of you. You’re the boss, you’re in charge of what does and doesn’t happen with your body. You’ve got agency in this situation.” 

“I’ll try,” Jake sounded like he was on the verge of breaking down.

“We’ll be right there with you,” Danny said, putting a supportive hand on Jake’s back. “We won’t lose you again.” 

“I hope you’re right,” Jake nodded. 

“We’d better get back to the dressing room if this show is gonna happen,” Sam cut in. “Plus I’m sure Josh will be happy to see you again.” 

“Yeah, this time when I’m not in the shower,” Jake offered a small smile. 

Sam and Danny both made a concerted effort to address Jake by his name as much as possible and spent the entirety of their walk back to the dressing rooms sharing memories with him that he was bound to remember. They had unanimously agreed that it would be best to let Jake carry his Gibson around with him everywhere he went as well since that seemed to help him stay grounded. 

Josh and his golden jumpsuit were gone from the dressing room so, while they waited for him to return, Jake paced around the room, nervously strumming Cream songs on his guitar. 

“What will I do if I change again while I’m on stage?” he asked the room. 

“I’ll keep an eye on you,” Sam thought aloud as he tugged on his dress pants. “If I notice something’s off, Danny can go into a drum solo and I’ll pull you offstage. Worst case scenario we call the show and tell the fans you got food poisoning or something.” 

“God I hope that doesn’t happen,” Jake said. 

“Why do my drum solos always have to cover our asses?” Danny couldn’t help but ask. 

“Because you’re fucking good at them,” Sam said over his shoulder. “You deserve the spotlight every so often.” 

“Nice save,” Danny smirked at Sam. Sam gave him a sarcastic grin back. 

“Everything will be okay,” Sam turned back to Jake. “I promise.” 

“You better be right,” Jake murmured. He continued on with his pacing and started playing “Crossroads”. Sam pulled his black blazer on and was about to joke to Jake that he would pinky promise when his face fell. 

“Jake,” he called to his brother, “Jake, snap out of it!” 

Jake’s face was red as he did a two step in the corner of the dressing room while still playing his guitar. 

“I’m trying,” he stammered out. 

“What do we do?” Sam turned to Danny. 

“Jacob Thomas Kiszka, you stay with us, you hear me?” Danny shouted, making both Jake and Sam jump in surprise. 

“Jesus Danny,” Jake choked out as he continued to dance. “You nearly gave me a heart attack.” 

“I thought it might shock you enough that you would stop, you know, like with hiccups.” 

“It didn’t work,” Jake reported, still dancing. 

Josh chose the best time to return back to the dressing room with his freshly washed and dried jumpsuit. From the doorway, he saw Jake doing something that looked like an out of time line dance while Danny yelled at him and Sam looked like he wanted to slam his head into a wall. 

“Since when does Liza play guitar?” Josh tried to joke as he stepped into the room. 

“Josh, shut up and give Jake some more of that potion,” Danny turned to Josh. 

Josh didn’t like anyone raising his voice at him but he could feel the sense of urgency in Danny’s tone so he hustled to his backpack and pulled out the jar where he had stored the remainder of the potion from earlier. 

“Here,” he said, thrusting the jar into Danny’s hands. 

“Jake!” Danny continued to yell, “Come here!” 

Jake was equally terrified of people yelling at him so, while still dancing, he made his way to Danny’s side as fast as he could. Danny was scanning around the snack table and finally settled on a bag of Doritos that he knew Jake would usually pick through. Jake watched in disgust as Danny pried the top of the jar off and scooped a hearty amount of the brownish-red paste onto a chip. 

“Bottoms up!” Danny sounded forcefully upbeat as he handed the chip to Jake. Jake studied the chip and was about to give it a contemplative sniff when Danny let out a frustrated grunt. “Just, eat it, please.” 

“Why does it look like that?” Jake felt it was important to ask. 

“You don’t want to know, trust me,” Josh called across the room. 

“It’s going to help you,” Danny promised Jake. Jake knew for a fact that, out of all of his band members, Danny definitely had Jake’s best interests in mind, so he forced the chip into his mouth and quickly gulped it down, hardly giving himself time to chew. 

They all watched as Jake continued to move his body around.

“Remember, take control,” Sam tried to coach Jake. 

“Sammy,” Jake said through grit teeth, “please be quiet.” 

His body felt on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion, whatever that paste stuff was tasted absolutely rancid, and, as much as Jake tried, he couldn’t for the life of him work out what the hell he was supposed to do to “take control”. Jake considered himself to be a fairly intelligent individual, but he was frustrated by just how out of touch he appeared to be with his mind and body. He vowed that he would have to join Josh in his meditation sessions down the road to try and fix that. 

Right as Jake was about to yell out in frustration that he should just be knocked out to take him out of his misery, his dancing came to a sudden halt. 

“Huh,” Danny and Josh both observed. 

“Thank god,” Jake gasped for breath. 

Sam, obviously feeling bad about his last comment, joined Jake’s side with an apology glass of bourbon which he graciously accepted. That did the trick washing out the god-awful taste from his mouth. Outside the dressing room they could hear their opener warming up. 

“You’d better get dressed, bro,” Sam said softly. Jake knew he was right and set his glass down so he could get into his suit. 

On a normal night, Jake had a routine to help him get into the zone and ensure he gave 110% out on the stage. On this occasion, however, Jake’s old routine went straight out the window. While he was usually drinking with Danny, Sam, and Josh and singing along to their pre-show playlist at the top of his lungs, he instead stuck to the couch, staring down at his boots, trying to recite every detail of his life in his head. 

Your name is Jacob Thomas Kiszka. You are not Liza Minnelli. You are a 26 year old rockstar and you know nothing about Broadway. You play guitar and you do a damn good job. You, Jacob Thomas Kiszka, love playing the guitar. You do not love singing or dancing. Cabaret is a sub-par musical. Your music is better than Cabaret. 

Sam, Danny, and Josh were all visibly worried about Jake since he was obviously feeling deeply troubled, but they took a hint and gave him a decent amount of space, only occasionally asking him questions only Jake could answer. As it neared five minutes until they were supposed to go out, Sam started to feel especially anxious. Jake had been with them for a solid 3 hours at that point but he still had his doubts that the night would go smoothly. It almost felt inevitable that they would have to launch into their backup plan to get Jake off the stage. He wished that he could lose himself to the music while they were out in front of their fans, but he knew he had to keep an eye on Jake. The last thing he wanted was for them to embarrass themselves, or for Jake to do something outrageously stupid, like steal the mic from Josh and belt a show tune out to the packed arena. 

“Time to head out,” Joe stuck his head into the room. The members of Greta Van Fleet all looked around at each other with uncertainty. It had seemed near-impossible just hours earlier that they would be able to perform but now it was happening whether they liked it or not. It would be an understatement to say that all of them were terrified to go out on that stage. Well, except for Jake. 

“Let’s blow the roof off this place, gents!” he called out, jumping to his feet. “Give them a show they’ll never forget! By the end of the first act they’ll be on their feet, I can feel it.” 

“No,” Josh, Sam, and Danny’s faces fell. 

Before they could try to force-feed Jake some more potion, Joe steered Jake out of the room and down the dim hallway to the stage. Sam, Danny, and Josh glanced at each other in fear, speechless. Josh shook his head with worry and hurried out of the room to try and catch Joe. 

“Have a great show, boys!” Joe called to them as they made it to the staircase leading up to the stage. Jake’s guitar was forced into his hands by a roadie and he looked like he was about to hand it back when Joe pushed him up the stairs. Sam, Danny, and Josh trailed after him even though they all preferred to stand off to the side and avoid everything that was bound to go down. Sam grabbed his metallic glass that was heartily filled with some kind of hard liquor and gulped it down as he found his place on stage. The cheers beyond the curtain were deafening. 

Josh passed by Jake and exchanged some quick words that made him look entirely distressed when he made his way to his microphone stand. Danny scrambled to wrap a substantial amount of tape around his palms to save him from the blisters he was most definitely going to get when he had to play a drum solo to cover Jake’s ass. 

“Let’s get this nightmare over with, I guess,” Josh said just loud enough for his band members to hear him. 

“Why do I have a guitar?” Jake started to ask when the curtain fell. 

Sam, Danny, and Josh all winced as they were greeted by the sold out arena. The silence on stage was drowned out by the loud screams coming from their fans. It seemed that none of them wanted to be the first to start their opening song until they were all surprised by Jake snapping to life and breaking into the opening riff of “Built By Nations”. 

“Holy shit,” Josh accidentally said into his microphone. 

It seemed like Jake was back to normal, arching his back in his signature style and shredding the shit out of his guitar, not missing a single note. Sam couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh of relief. Maybe things would be okay. 

By the end of their first song, two things were clear to Sam, Danny, and Josh: while Jake was playing flawlessly, he was dancing around the stage a lot more than usual and, on top of that, singing Josh’s part at the top of his lungs. The audience of course was eating this up, but it still worried Sam, Danny, and Josh. It seemed like Jake was holding onto himself by a thread, like he could easily snap and be lost at any second. 

Sam wanted to check in with Josh and Danny to see what they could do about Jake’s dancing and singing, but Jake launched straight into “Black Smoke Rising” before Sam could even take a step in Josh’s direction. He furrowed his brow in frustration and stood back near his organ so he could watch Jake while he played his bass. The more he watched his brother, he realized Jake’s dancing seemed to come in spurts. During the verses he was moving about the same as he normally did but, by the chorus, he was like an entirely different person, dancing in a nearly choreographed number, harmonizing with Josh. 

“Get Jake a microphone!” someone from the crowd yelled. 

Sam started to notice a pattern with Jake and furrowed his brow. It was almost as if some external force was controlling him. How was that possible? For a split second Sam looked away from Jake to scan the packed stadium. His eyes quickly settled on a middle-aged man towards the front of the pit who was staring at Jake with a twinkle in his eye, seemingly whispering the same words over and over again. Once he stopped whispering, Sam saw that Jake’s dancing flared up again. And then it would return to normal and the guy would start whispering again. 

“Oh my god,” Sam couldn’t help but say aloud, though no one else heard him. 

It was just his luck that, after “Safari Song”, Danny had his pre-planned drum solo. 

“Take your time!” Sam yelled up to Danny as he hopped off the stage. Danny didn’t look happy, but Sam could tell that he was milking the beginning of his solo, stretching it out with additional drum fills and repetitive beats. 

“He’s out-singing me,” Josh greeted Sam. “I wish I could shove a sock in his mouth.”

“Josh, I think I figured out what’s wrong with Jake,” Sam couldn’t contain his excitement. “There’s a guy in the crowd who’s saying stuff that’s making Jake act like that. He’s the one behind all of this.” 

“No way,” Josh looked Sam down. 

“I swear,” Sam held his hands up in protest. 

“That crowd shocked me right back into my head,” Jake said as he approached Sam and Josh with a full bottle of wine clenched in his hand. “I can’t stop singing and dancing though, but the crowd seems to like it.” 

“We need security to grab that guy,” Sam ignored Jake to tell Josh. “I want to put an end to this for once and for all. I’m gonna convince him to stop.” 

“The good old heart to heart, I respect that,” Josh nodded. 

“Wait, what’s going on?” Jake asked. Sam hustled off to find a security guard and Josh was caught up motioning to Danny to keep going with his solo. Jake responded to the silence by taking a solid glug from his bottle. “Ignorance is bliss, I guess,” he said. 

Sam came back shortly with a security guard who was towing the middle-aged man behind him. 

“What’s going on here?” the guy asked in a pathetic attempt at a gruff voice. “I didn’t do anything wrong!” 

“Funny you would immediately hop to that conclusion,” Josh eyed the guy.

“We want to talk,” Sam cut in, staring the guy down. 

“Who the hell is this?” Jake asked, pointing at the guy. 

“The root of all your problems,” Sam replied. 

“Oh,” Jake replied. He turned to the guy and gave him his best glare. 

“I saw you out there whispering some kind of chant to yourself,” Sam said. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the guy shot back. 

“Cut the shit, I know what you’re doing,” Sam raised his voice. 

“Sam,” Josh snapped, “Remember, heart to heart? Don’t polarize the enemy.” 

“You hexed my brother,” Sam lowered his voice and hissed. 

At that, Jake let out a gasp as everything started to click in his head. 

“You bitch!” he yelled at the guy. “I’ve been singing and dancing all day because of you?” 

“I don’t know why the fuck you’ve been doing that,” the guy said back. “I didn’t hex you to sing or dance.” 

“But you did hex me?” Jake glowered. 

“So what if I did?” the guy asked. 

“I ought to snap your neck in half!” Jake couldn’t help but yell, chucking his wine bottle on the ground in rage. 

“Jake, breathe,” Josh told his brother. 

“How much longer?” they could all hear Danny shout from the drum stand. 

“Like two more minutes, I promise!” Sam yelled back. 

“Why are you doing this?” Jake asked the guy once he regained some composure. 

“To try and stop you from playing your shit wannabe rock music,” he spat. “I’ll never understand why anyone would pay to come and watch this crap.” 

“You bought a ticket to be here though,” Josh thought aloud. 

“You’re just a Led Zeppelin cover band.” 

Sam, Josh, and Jake all looked like they were on the verge of throwing hands at him for saying that, but he continued on, motioning towards Jake. 

“I recognized this hairball at the hotel bar last night and thought I might take it upon myself to cause a little crisis that would take you off your tour indefinitely.”

“You hexed me!” 

“Yeah, but I’m still confused about the singing and dancing thing. I put a curse on you to turn into your worst nightmare. I was picturing something more like a spider or a clown.” 

“Hold on,” Sam stopped the guy, turning to Jake. “Does that mean your worst nightmare is Liza Minnelli?” 

Jake silently studied the broken bottle by his feet with pursed lips, obviously trying to formulate a logical counter to Sam’s question. 

“You are,” Josh widened his eyes with realization. “Why the fuck?” 

“There was something about her delivery in The Muppets Take Manhattan, okay?” Jake protested. “It was really unsettling. I’ve always been scared that she’s just lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce or something.”

“You should talk to a therapist about that,” Sam told his brother. 

“Yeah,” the guy widened his eyes. 

“Guys!” Danny hollered. 

“One more minute!” Sam called back. 

“Look,” Josh turned to the guy, “you’re entitled to your own opinion, you can think we suck all you want, I don’t care. But we’re people too. Could you consider leaving my brother alone and quitting it with the witchcraft?”

“It’ll cost you,” the guy was fast to reply. 

“What do you want?” Josh asked. 

“Stop making music.” 

“You know we can’t do that, man,” Jake spoke up. “That’s ridiculous.” 

“Then get used to thinking you’re Liza Minnelli,” the guy shrugged. 

“You have to admit it’s a stupid curse,” Sam said. That seemed to slow the guy down. 

“It definitely wasn’t what I had in mind,” he agreed. 

“So we should call this a bust,” Sam continued. “None of us are really happy with this outcome. You wish my brother had turned into a spider, I wish he would stop singing songs from Cabaret. You see, it’s a lose-lose.” 

“I guess.”

“So, c’mon, grow a heart and call it off.” 

“You are a lot more down to earth than I would have guessed,” the guy said. “Maybe you don’t deserve to be hexed.” 

“Yeah, no shit,” Jake growled. 

“You know what, I’ll drop it,” the guy decided. “You guys brought me backstage which is something I’ve always wanted to experience. That was pretty cool of you.” 

“You’re not gonna get to stay here,” Sam deadpanned back. “I hope you do understand we’re gonna kick you out of the venue after this and file a restraining order.” 

“Oh yeah, no, I totally get that,” the guy nodded. “That’s fair enough, I do deserve that.” 

“So promise us, no more hexing Jake or anyone else for that matter,” Josh said. 

“I give you my word,” the guy held a hand up. 

“You better shake on it,” Jake said, holding his hand out. The guy cautiously shook it and then wiped his hands on his pants and turned back to the guard. 

“Ready to kick me out?” 

“That’s my job,” the guard nodded back. 

The Kiszka brothers watched the guard drag the man away and then studied each other. 

“Do you still feel the urge to sing and dance?” Josh asked Jake. 

“Nope,” Jake gave a wide smile. 

“You’re in a good mood,” Sam observed. 

“I spit in my hand before I made him shake it,” Jake beamed. 

“Good for you,” Josh patted him on the back. “I’m glad you’re feeling better.” 

“I’m impressed Sam spotted that guy out.” 

“I’m observant, what can I say?” Sam said. It was evident the three of them were feeling significantly lighter as the stress of the day had quickly been relieved. Sam was so caught up in the moment that it took him an especially long amount of time to realize that Danny was still out there, busting his balls with what was coming up on a 25-minute long drum solo. 

“Oh fuck,” Sam covered his mouth. 

“What?” Josh and Jake asked, both seemingly out of it.

“Danny,” Sam said. 

That was enough for them to all hustle back out onto the stage to relieve Danny. He looked on the verge of passing out but gave a weak, relieved grin when Sam approached his kit to let him know that they had fixed Jake for good. 

“You owe me big time,” was all he was able to call out to Sam as he massaged his hands after giving one final crash on the cymbals. 

Josh considered it a miracle that they got through the rest of the set without any further issues. By the time they gave their final bow and retreated backstage, it was evident that all of them had been to hell and back. As Josh studied his best mates, he noted how exhausted they all looked, but simultaneously content. Well, all of them except Danny. 

“Twenty-four minutes,” Danny said the second they closed themselves in their dressing rooms. “Twenty-four fucking minutes. I thought I was gonna have to play the rest of the show by myself out there.” 

“Now you know you could go solo,” Jake joked. 

“I mean, I’m glad you’re feeling better, don’t get me wrong,” Danny backtracked, “but c’mon, were you guys talking about the weather or something with that guy? Why did it take that long to convince him to fuck off?” 

“He had a thick skull,” Josh shrugged. “He seemed pretty hellbent on letting us know how much we suck.”

“People like him kill me,” Danny huffed. “Like, complaining in the YouTube comment section is one thing but straight up cursing Jake? What the fuck is that?” 

“We’re getting a restraining order,” Sam interjected. 

“We better fucking be,” Danny said. “I don’t want him to hex me too.” 

“I’m still hung up on the whole Liza Minnelli thing,” Josh said. 

“Please spare me and save it,” Jake begged. 

“Hey, Josh, potion master,” Danny said. “You and Ellie better whip up a potion for me to heal my hands. They look like I shoved them in a wood chipper.” 

“If you think I’m gonna stay in Ohio an extra day to go on another scavenger hunt for the most obscure ingredients known to mankind, you’re gravely mistaken,” Josh retorted. “Go to CVS and buy some cream or something, I don’t know.” 

“You guys are paying for it,” Danny crossed his arms.

“Fine,” Josh shrugged. 

“Josh is right,” Jake let out a loud yawn. “I don’t want to be in Ohio anymore. In fact, I want to get as far away from here as I physically can. What do you say we load up the bus and get the hell out of dodge?”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Sam said. 

“Agreed,” Josh and Danny added. 

They grabbed their things from their room and trailed out to the back door where their tour bus was already waiting. A few fans were stationed by the barricade and called out in glee when they came out and, as exhausted as they were, they took a brief pause to sign some things and take a couple of photos. Once their fans were happy, they made their way to the bus.

“Did you hear that?” Josh put a hand on Jake’s shoulder, making him jump.

“What?” Jake asked, looking around. Josh let out a dramatic gasp, making Jake jump higher. 

“I - I think I see,” Josh drew out his words to keep Jake on his toes. “I think I see Liza Minnelli in the shadows.” 

Jake’s face turned white as a sheet but, after scanning around, he gave Josh a hard shove. 

“You fucking asshole,” he snarled. “Not cool.” 

“What’s not cool is you being afraid of a 76-year old perfectly harmless woman.” 

“I’m never gonna live that down, am I?”

In silence, Josh retrieved his magic 8 and gave it a little shake. 

“Without a doubt.” 

“Fuck.”

[latibvles]

SAD, BEAUTIFUL, TRAGIC.

beautiful, tragic // what comes down.

sometimes when things are tied up — it isn't always with a pretty bow.

masterlist | gallery | taglist

TAGLIST: @liebgotts-lovergirl , @softguarnere , @brassknucklespeirs , @monalisastwin , @mads-weasley , @eugene-emt-roe

SUMMARY: The patrol goes as well as anyone could expect — and after a long time, things finally seem to fall into place.

WARNINGS: discussions of combat fatigue / ptsd, grief, and illness.

They lose one man in the night, Private Jackson, and capture two prisoners.

She only knows it when Ron walks into the back room. Lipton’s been in and out of it for most of the night, and right now he’s decidedly out. It’s that assurance that he’s sleeping that lets Daisy reach for Ron’s hand from her spot in a chair beside Lipton’s bed. His brows are knit together in that way they are when he’s upset but trying to otherwise maintain his composure.

Maybe it’s more of a risk to kiss his knuckles as she had earlier, but she does it anyway.

“Do you need to step outside?” Daisy asks, her voice little more than a soft whisper so as not to wake the sleeping man. He shakes his head.

“Lost one man on the patrol. Private Jackson,” He mutters, his voice gruff and his gaze fixed on the sleeping sergeant. Then, he shifts his eyes to her. “They’re gonna tell Captain Winters in the morning. With the report.” Daisy wants to say something. Maybe an ‘I’m sorry’ or provide some words of comfort. But she knows him well enough, and judging by the way his grip tightens a bit on her hand, he just wants to hold it. So she lets him do just that.

“He’s been quiet most of the night. Fever went down a little bit, I think.” It’s not much, but it's better news than what he brought in. “Sleeping a helluva lot too. Luz helped me give him a bath before he had to head down to the river for the patrol and I think the steam helped a lot.” His grip loosens for a moment as he nods along to her words.

“I can watch him. Let you get some sleep.” Ron offers.

“Do you plan on sleeping?” His lips press into a line, like she’s caught his ruse. He nods after a moment of silence, but only once.

“I’ll try.” She rises to her feet, content with the answer and releasing his hand to head towards the door.

“Let me… let me know when he’s up and I’ll have a look at him before I head to the hospital tomorrow, okay?” She asks, looking back for a moment. She catches the endpoint of Ron beginning to space out a bit, but he blinks for a moment, rubs his mouth, and nods at her.

Part of her wants to stay here, make him go to bed and sleep off the grief she can see settling in him. She didn’t know Jackson, not really, and she didn’t see him die — but she saw Ron’s look of visible agony in Noville, even if he snapped back into action milliseconds later. She didn’t ask him about it, about Joe. It felt too fast and too soon to bring it up. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still worry. And she knows she can’t force it, because if there’s one thing Ron is, it’s stubborn.

So instead, she bids him a soft goodnight as she leaves the room, slipping up towards the room she staked claim on that morning.

When she’s up the next day, it’s just past dawn, and it’s out of her own volition. She pokes her head in, finds Ron slumped in a chair and his arms crossed over his chest, both Captain and Sergeant snoring soundly in the quiet. With a sigh, she grabs the blanket from the cot Lipton was originally so adamant on sleeping on, and drapes it over Ron’s shoulders. He doesn’t stir and for that, she’s grateful. Peeking out the windows, the clouds are starting to break out and winter sun is trying desperately to warm the near-silent town. It’s certainly a welcomed sight, she hopes it might actually do something.

It’s a couple more hours before the rest of the line seems to stir into motion — she’s sat on the couch with a cup of coffee, watching it happen, waiting for the jeep mentioned yesterday like a kid getting picked up from a very somber slumber party. At some point, Ron walks into the main room and she uses her canteen to hide her smile at his grogginess, rubbing some of the sleep out of his eyes.

It’s a little past seven, the CP is in full motion, when a man she doesn’t recognize approaches her.

“Lieutenant Clarke?” he asks, to which she nods. “Private Turner. Captain Winters said you needed a ride to the hospital?” She shoots one last lingering look across the room to Ron, caught in conversation with Lieutenant Foley, but she doesn’t miss the way his eyes quickly flit to hers in acknowledgment. She bites her lip and nods again.

“Yeah, I take it you’re my ride then?”

“Yes ma’am. Right this way.” She follows him out and towards the jeep, getting into the passenger’s seat, undeniably uneasy. It really had nothing to do with the Private himself, who kept conversation minimal and eyes trained on the road, and moreso with the fact that she hadn’t been around a face she didn’t recognize since December. A chill curls up her spine at the thought, and she presses herself further into the seat to suppress the shiver.

They fashioned a hospital out of an old schoolhouse — apparently Perconte came back from here just the other day, but she didn’t have time to stop by and see it for herself. Tents line the courtyard, white crosses billowing in the brisk morning wind. Nurses in nightingale caps, white aprons, and perms much neater than her braid and dirty ODs mill about. Nostalgia pinches at her, for a moment, but she shakes it off as she slips out of the seat, looking back to the Private.

“I shouldn’t be too long. Just need to talk to the Chief Nurse about taking some supplies.” He nods and she sets off through the courtyard, weaving through women and cringing at the familiar sound of coughing and scent of antiseptic. Some things brought a nostalgic form of comfort — that smell certainly wasn’t one of them. She stops and asks a nurse for directions, and she happily gestures towards the schoolhouse itself — second floor, so Daisy continues on her way.

For a second, she doesn’t register the sound of feet pounding against dirt.

“Daisy?!” Just as Daisy’s turned around, she’s stumbling backwards, landing in the dirt with a heavy thud. The wind’s knocked out of her, a heavy weight resting on her chest, hands digging into her shoulders. She opens her eyes, and looks up.

Ginny’s staring at her, eyes glossed over with tears, trapping her on the ground with her long legs, lip wobbling. For a moment, all Daisy can do is stare and gape, a lump forming in her throat. She takes a shuddering breath which is considerably more difficult with all of her friend’s weight on her.

“Gin. My stomach.” It’s a half-wheeze and the blonde is scrambling to her feet, essentially yanking Daisy up as well. It’s then that the woman throws her arms around her and brings her in for the tightest embrace Daisy’s had in a while.

She’s all too eager to return it.

She feels Ginny trembling against her, the woman’s face buried in her hair, fingers digging into her back to the point where it hurts but she doesn’t even care to point it out. It takes a few moments to register that Ginny’s crying into her neck — stifled sobs and sniffles. It takes her another few seconds to recognize her own vision’s blurring with unshed tears, and she grips onto her friend a little tighter.

“We all thought… I thought you were— they opened up the route but you weren’t there and there were so many wounded and I—” Ginny chokes out, her voice trembling as she releases her from her hold just to cup Daisy’s face in her palms. Her nose is bright red, tears free-flowing and a wavering smile on her face. “I couldn’t write up the report. None of us could.” Daisy reaches up to wipe some of Ginny’s tears away.

“Roe took me on Christmas Eve,” she manages, through her own sniffly. “I thought I lost my whole squad. Did- Did Dick not reach you?” Ginny shakes her head, lips tugging into a frown.

“Phones were so goddamn fickle up at 107th, once they took that collecting point it was damn near impossible to get anything in or out. Couldn’t send out too many messages in case they got intercepted,” her thumbs wipe at some of Daisy’s own tears. “We got to Bastogne on the twenty-seventh. The ones you sent to 429th were able to come back too but… the ones left in Bastogne said they hadn’t seen you in three days. I couldn’t— I didn’t want to think you were…” Daisy smiles, reaching up to grab Ginny’s hands, take them from her face and squeeze them gently.

“Your gut’s never wrong, as usual,” she tries, earning a small laugh from the woman. “Where’s everybody else? So I don’t get tackled and crack a few more ribs.” Ginny sniffles, wiping her nose with her sleeve.

“Most of us are in mess right now for breakfast. They moved us here a couple weeks ago. Think we might be headed back to Mourmelon soon,” her smile falters for a moment, breaking eye contact for a moment.

“What is it?” Daisy raises a brow, and Ginny takes a measured breath, looking back up at her.

“We all thought you were dead and when we found out it… it hit Patty really hard,” There’s a heavy pause between them. Ginny presses her lips into a line. “Patty got sent home. Combat fatigue. After Normandy and Holland and then Belgium I just… her heart couldn’t take it anymore, I don’t think. She wouldn’t eat or sleep or do much of anything.” Daisy frowns, nodding as guilt begins to set root in her stomach. They thought she was dead, and Patty got sent home because of it. She falls silent, but Ginny wraps an arm around her, guiding her to the mess as Daisy does her best to catch her up on her end of the war.

Mess is yet another repurposed room in the schoolhouse — the gymnasium to be exact, with rickety wood tables moved in from various parts of the school, and when she walks in she’s bombarded with embraces that she’s almost certain are enough to crack her ribs.

There’re tears, from Rita, who’s cursing her out and welcoming her back all at the same time between hiccups. Daisy doesn’t let go, not until she does, and even then she’s sandwiched between Ginny and Rita as they sit her down at their table. Her chest aches with the familiarity of it all, allowing herself to unabashedly squeeze Rita’s hand in a death grip and rest her cheek on Ginny’s shoulder, neither of them too keen on letting her go.

“And you,” Daisy looks at Rita with a grin. “When were you planning on telling me Lieb calls you Dee now? Or that he was visiting you back in Holland?! I had to find out about that in a goddamn foxhole!” She watches as a flush creeps up Rita’s neck, and she coughs into her free hand, fiddling with her scarf and her brows knitting together.

“Madre de… fuckin’ blabbermouth,” she mutters to herself, but loud enough that Daisy and Ginny both begin to snicker. “Next time I see him I’m wringing his goddamn neck out for sure.”

“I could shorten that time, if you’re keen on it,” Rita raises an inquisitive brow. Daisy sighs, sitting up a little straighter. “I’ve gotta talk to your head nurse about getting penicillin for Lip. He’s got pneumonia. And just… general supply run. There’s room in the jeep and I know more than a few guys who could use the pick-me-up of getting yelled at by you.” It’s a half-jest, enough to make Rita snort. Still, they both look to Ginny, who hums in thought.

“I’ll talk to Nurse Morgan. She’s Head Nurse. I’m just in charge of mine but… I’m sure she wouldn’t mind a couple of us helping with a supply run.”

A smile creeps onto Daisy’s face at that — but it quickly dissipates once the door opens.

She’d recognize Jane Gray from a mile away. It seems that Jane also recognizes her. Daisy rises to her feet sloppily, knees knocking against the table. She furls and unfurls her fists before making her way over, but remains a fair distance away.

“Lieutenant Clarke…” Her voice is soft, her expression softer than anything Daisy’s ever seen.

“Lieutenant Gray.” She responds, heart hammering against her chest. Y’think Janey’s gonna be alright up there? She was okay, is okay — alive, at the very least. Her throat hurts again, the words stuck in her throat, several phrases wanting to bubble up to the surface. I’m sorry. I’m back. Are you okay? Do you know?

She doesn’t get the chance to ask it though, because Jane steps forward, wraps her arms around Daisy’s neck, and pulls her into a hug. Daisy’s stuck in her spot, rigid for a moment. She feels Jane’s breath against her neck, the delicate way her limbs drape over Daisy’s shoulders, like she’s a fragile thing. If she’s learned anything in the past several months, it’s quite the opposite.

“Laura, she… she didn’t make it out, I’m guessing? She isn’t… she wasn’t with you?” Jane’s voice trembles. Daisy wraps her arms around the girl, pulling her in for a tighter hug.

“I’m sorry, Jane.” Because there’s no romantic or heroic way of putting it, no amount of she died a hero or she died serving could fill that hole — not anymore than it did for the men watching their buddies get shot and blown up and all sorts of other things. Nurses weren’t supposed to die. Laura did. It’s a bitter pill to swallow all the same. Jane sniffles against her ear, and Daisy rubs circles into her back.

“S’not your fault, I just… I never got to thank her, I guess.”

Daisy doesn’t ask what for, doesn’t push more than Jane’s willing to give, and she’s certain that this is all she’s willing to give, because after a few more moments she’s releasing her and wiping her eyes quickly. She doesn’t smile, but her expression is still soft. She sniffles once, wiping her hands on her pants.

“Welcome back, Lieutenant.”

[storyycool]

Ok so uhh this gotta be one of the worst possible websites to vent on but if ur seeing this please just scroll ik it’s probably gonna be cringy but im NOT in a great mood rn

ok so I’m in hs now and I haven’t been able to sleep all night tonight for some reason and that really fucking sucks because I have 4 different 2 hour blocks where I have to do very complicated work for the entire 2 hours with no break and no support in the slightest. I’m supposed to be one of the “smart kids” but in reality I’m fucking retarded, everyone just overestimates me because I’m quiet and I was in the gifted program. I think a lot of times people in my school forget that I’m a real person, it also kinda just feels like no matter where I go everyone always sees me as something I’m not no matter what that might be. Today a kid complimented me and I was genuinely shocked and confused because why would someone ever want to be nice to me? Im never nice to anyone and I look fucking disgusting, I have no real personality, I’m extremely lazy like so fucking lazy I don’t even wanna get out of bed most days and I know I’m not depressed because if I were depressed than I would have been diagnosed with it already. The truth is there’s nothing mentally wrong with me. I’m just causing problems for myself over and over again and then crying when everyone hates me because I’m always causing problems. If I was really suffering, someone would have noticed by now and maybe asked me if I was okay. I go to school everyday and barely talk to anyone unless they talk to me first. I have no friends, I sit alone every day, and people avoid me like the plague. And I’m not even gonna act like it’s not my fault because it 100% is, I just don’t know what I need to do to fix myself. I’ve been trying but I haven’t tried hard enough, every time I think I’m doing better I end up doing worse, I’m a disappointment to everyone and serve no purpose in this world. I have no hopes, dreams, ambitions, life goals, or anything. I just wanna graduate get a decent paying job that I fucking hate and work that job until I can finally die and all of this will be over. I’m crying and I don’t even know why. Why the fuck would I be crying over problems I literally fucking caused? It actually makes me wanna throw up when I see my disgusting fatass barely even a human self crying in the mirror with my face all red so my acne shows up better. I’m so so so so fucking disgusting oh my god I don’t wanna live with myself knowing everything I’ve done that I can never undo. I’ve destroyed so many peoples lives and I can never forgive myself for that. Unfortunately, with my situation, I literally have to live because literally everything I’ve tried hasn’t been enough to kill me. There’s actually no way in hell I should be alive right now, I have de ere brain damage and I can physically feel my brain cells decreasing and turning into slime and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. It hurts so fucking bad. Every night when I go to bed I have a different dream where I die in it and each time my body just slowly turns into this weird disgusting slimy substance and I feel like it’s happening in real life too. Tonight I just wanted to get a few assignments done since I couldn’t sleep anyway but I just straight up started having a mental breakdown as soon as I clicked on an assignment. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through tomorrow and I don’t know how I’m gonna make it through the rest of my life completely alone. It doesn’t matter how many drugs I take, how much therapy I get, any of that stuff, because it’s never gonna change the way my brain works. I’m not gonna try to blame the things I’m doing on any sort of illness, I blame it all on myself. By the way, I’m a dramatic ass bitch so please don’t take any of this too seriously, honestly my life isn’t even that bad just sometimes it really fucking sucks. And also I swear to god if one single person says womp womp I’m ending it all and that isn’t a joke.

[the-duckless-pond]

maybe triggering? At the beginning

Well, I ordered first aid supplies. It’ll be here Monday. So I guess that settles that. I’m really doing this again. What a fucking mess.

But I can’t deny that it is seeming to help. I mean, it’s like my old therapist told me - you wouldn’t do it if it didn’t work. I guess I should probably feel bad about relapsing but I just… feel nothing about it. It feels unsurprising and unremarkable considering the summer I have had and what has happened. It feels like the natural conclusion of such events.

I guess on the bright side now I’ll have some inspiration for when I end up getting back to Happenstance. So at least some good will come out of this. Perhaps I wrote Shepard in the most recent chapter as being too willing to go deep, when I am now recalling that mostly you are just upset and afraid and searching for a solution. Not that I would classify anything I’ve done these past few days as being more than chicken scratches, but still the point stands and that is helpful to my process.

Anyway, here’s the rest of the update. My sweets arrived right on time and were very nice. I had the cannoli right away and really enjoyed it, and just now had the macaron to tide me over until dinner since I guess my mom for some reason wants to include me? No clue why. But so I needed a little something. I have other light snacks if I need something else. All that is left is the cheesecake now, and I kind of want to save that for tomorrow. I’m sure it will still be good tomorrow, right?

Also I guess I should probably be putting my self harm diary entries on my mental illness blog. I don’t care about naming it here. It’s @borderline-reorder and I post much the same diary bullshit.

I guess I’ll do that so I’m not triggering anyone here. I would feel awful if someone saw it and relapsed. It’s just that I don’t have anyone to talk to and I need somewhere to vent, you know?

I guess I’ll reblog this on my mental illness blog and start putting my more triggering stuff there.

I don’t want to see my mom tonight. I was waiting for a package delivery to the old place and I was just going to sneak in and out and grab things and no one would know I was there and I was going to be invisible so that I don’t have to listen to another rant about how much she hates everything but can’t (or won’t imo) do anything to change anything. It was going to be great.

But then she texted me saying that she wants to include me in dinner plans? And is being nice and saying that I don’t have to go with them, they’ll bring something back for me? I don’t get it. And then she kept going and said she could pick me up and we could get sodas and my packages all in one go and it would be great okay see you then. So I guess I was voluntold for this and now I don’t have a choice. Sigh. At least it’ll be fast. I hope it’s fast. I don’t have the energy to stand up to her today.

So yeah. I’m just kind of waiting for that to all happen to me. I did download some new games today that I’m hoping to play tonight. I’m in the living room now but last I was in the office maybe 10 min ago the first one had 20 min left. Crime scene cleaner! It looked funny and relaxing enough. I intend to play that one tonight.

I know I need to get serious about my sleep schedule otherwise I am fucked come my 9am class on Monday, but I am actually having a decent enough evening after hurting myself and thus fixing things this afternoon, and I kind of want to enjoy it. It’s Friday. I might as well. I say that now but I’ll be pissed in the morning when I inevitably sleep through the alarm I’ve been setting to try and get on track. I even looked today to see if any of the classes late in the day were open and none of them were. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll drop it and take it as a summer class. That way I have something to do in the summer to avoid being depressed, less school stress while I adjust to Boo’s health issues, and I can slowly fix my sleep schedule as an ongoing process. That’s probably the smartest way to go about it. Mom is helping with what my loans didn’t cover (about 1k, mostly from this class) so I’ll have to run it by her. I guess I’ll do that tonight and make a decision tonight. Drop or stay drop or stay. I want to drop.

Actually, fuck it. I’m just going to drop it. I can focus more on my major and minor classes that way, mom saves money, and my sleep (which is fucked ever since Boo was diagnosed) can slowly return to normal instead of rush and stress. I’ll take it as a summer class.

[antiwhores]

I really loved ur short story ‘Bakugou’s game’ I would love to see a part 2 of it. Maybe a few months later or something reader is trying to get over bakugou and is really cold to him when he tries to fix their relationship and he sees her at a party with a date and he gets super jealous and possessive after seeing them together. Which leads to make up sex and hopefully reader giving bakugou a chance to make it up to her. Or be totally angsty and make reader pull a uno reverse of him.

Bakugou’s Game: Part 2.

Requested by: @jasmixs @ooftrain-12 @tsukikoxo @coffeeginie

Part one: https://antiwhores.tumblr.com/post/693877274172440576/bakugous-game

Sorry this shit took so long frfr. Ive been SO busy lately to the point its actually insane. Havent had time to even write a sliver of this. Yall probably lost interest but ill post it anyone out of respect for the og request

Warnings: Jealousy, minor violence (reader slaps bakugou again LOL L bozo), rough sex, creampie, happy ending and shit, make up sex, NOT EDITED - BARE WITH ME HERE.

Bakugou was misreable without you, the break up eats him away until he forced himself to go out to speak to you.

Bakugou never understood the idea of someone being so sorrowful about a break up that they forget their pride and beg for the person back. That is, until now. He’s starting to understand why people take break ups so badly. Cause he’s taking it badly.

Everyday is a new thing to notice. Everyday is a new thing he didn’t even know he was used to after dating you so long gone.

When he came home to his apartment you weren’t there to welcome him. When he walked past the bathroom you wernt there to sing horrible on purpose in the shower to annoy him. When he ate at the table you wernt there to tell him about your day in an exaggerated tone. When he sat down on the bed without changing you wernt there to yell at him for his outside clothes touching the clean mattress. When he spiced his food to hot you wernt there to dramatically cough and pretend to fall over. When he woke up in the middle of the night you weren’t there to tell him to “close them damn eyes again”.

Everything was different. He hasn’t moved a single bit of his furniture yet the house changed drastically.

He started to lack on his chores, throwing himself into his hero work. He exhausted his body to the point of throwing up. That and the combination of the lack of sleep and the lack of rest.

He had nightmares of how he acted. It would usually play out with you doing what he did to you. It was insufferable. Every single thing in his dream was something that he’s done before.

He looked down at his phone with his newly founder insomniac eyes.

Doll, Im so sorry. It will NEVER happen again. Im a fucking idiot and I’d do anything to make it up to you. Please just respond back.

Read 34 days ago

Y/n, I see you reading my texts. Just please let me apologize.

Read 33 days ago

Do you still want that car? I know you told me to not buy it but I’ll order it without a second thought if you talk to me. Please.

Read 32 days ago

Okay, Im sorry about the car thing. That was weird. I don’t think you’re a prize to be won with money. I just want you back.

Seen 31 days ago

Stopping by your house today, I need to see you.

Seen 29 days ago

Im sorry. I can’t loose you y/n. I cant.

Seen 27 days ago

My mom is so mad at me. I dont blame her, loosing you is like loosing half of my heart.

Seen 25 days ago

Its been so long since I’ve lived without you I dont know how to do its

Seen 23 days ago

Please love me again.

Seen 22 days ago

I know you see these. Do you enjoy seeing me like this?

Seen 19 days ago

I love you.

Seen 16 days ago

No other person will ever count to me. That stupid bitch at the bar is nothing compared to you. None of them are.

Seen 15 days ago

I left a letter under your mattress. Please read it.

Seen 12 days ago

Coming to your house tomorrow, I really need to see you. I’ll do anything.

Seen 9 days ago

The notes still here, you really break my heart. You know that?

Seen 8 days ago.

I still love you.

Seen 5 days ago

Ill fucking never look at another girl again. Swear.

Seen 4 days ago

I love you even more today

Seen 2 days ago

Whenever you’re ready.

Sent just now.

It was true, you read every single text. You read them almost 10 times over. You weren’t ready to respond.

At first, Bakugou’s texts confused you. This was against his pride. He would never suck up to you like this. So you laid it down to drunk, sad, sleepy, and/or desperate texts. It wasn’t his character so naturally you went looking for answers.

The last month has been terrible for you too. You were staying at your bestfriends house, who was GLAD to have you.

You avoided everything that mentioned him. News, certain social media platforms, public areas, etc. if it wasnt for your friend, you wouldve never gone out.

After that last text he stopped reaching out for the coming months. Things were peaceful, you were okay.

You hadn’t gone back to any club/parties since the incident. But your friend, being a party person, forced you out to a nearby club. They also made you agree to going with this guy, whatever his name was, to have a little blind date. Your friend figured it’d been a couple months and you needed to touch some bitches. You were against it, still getting over Bakugou, but they used the favor you owed them to seal the deal.

So now you found yourself at the club, chatting with a guy at one of the booths. He was actually tolerable, not your type romantically, but someone you’d be friends with. You supposed that the first step to a relationship was being friends so you continued to persue.

He was rather handsome too, not godly handsome like your ex- you needed to stop doing that. Comparing everyone to Bakugou is whats gonna make you single for life. Bakugou was not an easy man to pass.

You laughed at his joke as he continued to tell it. “Yeah man, she was crazy! She ended up calling my mom and telling her that I had set the house on fire! My mom was worried to death! Then she hit me after she found out the house was okay like I told her!”

You shook your head, “Exes man, I swear!” He leaned down towards you, “You got any exes that make you want to start a war?” You immediately nodded, “My last ex was a handful.” “Did he tell your mom you set the house on fire too?” You laughed, “Nahh, thatd be so much easier to manage. My ex, well, he-“

Prying red eyes watched you from the corner of the room. Bakugou didn’t even wanna come to this club tonight. He was, like you, forced to come out of pity of his friends. To think he could’ve missed the chance to see you and this guy flirting and laughing together.

It could be a close friend, maybe a relative, he didnt know. He wasnt close enough to make oht a single word. There was some part of him that aas glad for that nad another part that was incredibly annoyed.

No matter who it was, Bakugou’s hands started to smoke up. His teeth gritted hard against eachother. While he was moaping and suffering you were over here on what looks like a date?

It took everything in him to not just stomp over there and drag you away from the piece of shit. He was glad he hadn’t enough alcohol in him to follow those urges… to a degree.

So he waited. He waited for an opportunity. And he sure as hell got one.

“Oh!” You gasp at the ringing of your phone. You tilt the screen towards you before looking back up at your date with apologetic eyes. “Sorry, I absolutely need to take this!” He laugh, “its okay!” His back cracks when he lifts his arms to stretch. “I needa go to the restroom anyway!”

You smiled that smile that he loved. The smile that should only be directed at him. Not at some random guy you just met.

He stalked carefully behind the guy until he was walking into the back hallway with him. The guy barely had a chance to comprehend a single thought before he was slammed up against the wall with his shirt fisted by the blonde.

The man looked startled and freightened. Who wouldnt be? Bakugou’s stare was one to rival Medusa’s. He felt frozen by the pure hatred glazed over.

“What the hell are you doing with y/n.” The sentence came out between his teeth. The man put his hands up defensively, “Aye man, we’re just on a blind date!”

Bakugou’s palms sparkled threateningly, “Im gonna give yoh one chance,” He leaned down to be exactly in the guys face, “Fuck. Off.”

That was all the guy needed before he was out of the door and on his way home. An immediate wave of relief washed over him at the thought of the date finally ending. The positive emotions quickly disappeared at the sound of a famiiar voice, his favorite voice. “Seriously?”

He snapped his head over to look at you. You were even more heavenly up close, just as he remmebered but better. Your arms were folded and you looked at him with such disapproval that he wanted to immediately crawl to his knees and apologize.

“We’re not even fucking dating anymore. You just chased off my date.” He winced, “Fuck.” You scoffed at his curse to whomever. “I should be saying that not you. Leave me alone, asshat.”

Before he could stop himself he had grabbed your arm and pulled you into the closest vacant guest room. He pinned you against the doorway. You were wide eyed and your mouth slightly open. It had happened in an instant, so fast your brain was still trying to comprehend him grabbing your wrist.

Bakugou bit his lip so hard you thought it would bleed. He didn’t know were to start. This day had been rehearsed in his mind over and over again. Yet the words, the speeches, and the numerous i love you’s were gone.

“Im sorry.” Was all he could get out. Your eyebrows furrowed when he mumbled the words. He snaked his hand around your waist as he whispered in your ear. “Im sorry. Im sorry, swear on it y/n. Talk to me again. I miss you. I’m sorry.”

His head dove into your neck, kissing and sucking on every sensitive spot he gained access too. You didnt even have time to gasp before his thigh pried both your legs open. He grinded the muscle against you.

It took everything in your being to not just give in and let him pleasure you. The resolve in your head, the one that told you that him acting like this is conmmunication is what ended the relationship in the first place, slapped the hell out of you though.

His face broke as you roughly pushed him away. He whimpered while trying to trail his hands on his belt to unbuckle it.

The skin of your palm met his face quickly. He completely stopped this time. The sound of the slap reverbing in his head along with the sting. Not just the sting of the slap, but the sting of knowing he fucked up again.

“Have you learnt anything?!” You yelled, tears brimming in your eyes. “This is the reason we broke up! You can’t resolve everything with sex!” You jammed your finger into his chest, “Start thinking with your head instead of your dick! After all this time, I thought you changed. Im so ignorant.”

You turned to leave out the door. Bakugou saw everything flash before his eyes. He saw the relationship you and him had before. He saw the relationship you could have now. And he saw the relationship that fucked up and now has fucked up his life.

“I dont know HOW!” He didn’t mean to yell, really. But something just snapped in him. You stopped to listen so he continued. “I’ve spent the last several weeks missing you. I never even realized how much I fucking… damn it!”

The knot in his throat was getting tighter. You hadn’t turned around yet. “But I just dont know how…” His voice broke halfway through the sentence. He wrapped his arms around you. You felt no lustful intent, only the desire to hold his #1. “I only know how to show my love through fucking. I can be more open! I just dont know how!”

He started to shake, squeezing you even tighter. After a long while, you finally spoke.

“Then I’ll teach you how.” He looks up in bewilderment, is this you forgiving him? In one swift movement you pushed yourself towards him. You grabbed his worried face, tilting him up to look you in the eyes. He was panicked, a panick you’ve only seen a few times since knowing him. “But for now, tell me how you feel in the ways you understand.”

He seemed confused when your hands encircled around his belt and snagged it off. “What? Wait-“ you cut him off with a hefty palm on his clothed cock. His breath caught into his throat. He barely chocked back the moan that you attempted to tear from him as you dove your hands under his pants. He was puzzled, yet his arousal and the feels of your hands encircle around his throbbing cock hypnotized him.

Instinctively, he reached between your legs to rub you in return. He whined when your hand gently pulled his away. “I’m okay, you just focus.”

Easy for you to say, he thought, or atleast tried to. It wasn’t easy to focus on the situation when you began to pull his cock out and rub it against your entrance. It felt too good. It had been too long. Too long having to rub himself out to a picture of you. The real deal felt euphoric.

His hips bucked into yours, starting at a brutal pace. He picked up your legs to give himself more range. The sounds of skin on skin were loud, not as loud as the combined sound of the moans and groans you both chocked out, but loud.

He tilted his head back, his whole chest was flushed a deep red. He cursed into your neck where he had begun to lick and suck. “Damn it, I-I missed you.” Your whole body tensed when he angled himself to hit that spot deep inside of you. It was your turn to curse.

“I just- these past couple of weeks- nghhh… ive been- I cant live without you alright!” His thrusts picked up, “I regret everything I have ever done to make you upset- hhhnnm…”

Tears well up in your eyes when you start to reach your orgasm. You weren’t gonna last long either. Like him, the sensation was a lot after being away from eachother so long. He had forgotten his strength as he thrusted into you so hard you wouldn’t doubt if angry bruises were already forming.

“Katsuki… I love you,” You whined desperately. He started to unwind, tensing and untenseing, when you came around his cock while moans spilled through your mouth. It almost hurt how stong the orgasm was. Almost.

He bite into his lips so hard it began to draw blood. “Fuck, I love you too y/n! So fucking much!” With that he exploded inside you. His hot seed painted your walls without missing a single spot.

He slowly lifts you down to your feet, only to stabalize you when your knees buckle. He wrapped his arms around you, “I fucking missed you.” You breathed in deeply when he kissed at your temple, “I missed you too Katsuki.”

[aminiatureworld]

Disappearance II

Character: Albedo, gn!reader

Word Count: 2,149

Warnings: None

Premise: In which there is an argument and the reader disappears.

Author’s Note: Idk why I’ve characterized Albedo as a slob twice now. I guess I just think he’s the kind of person to become so engrossed in his research he just, never takes care of himself or his surroundings.

Also this was supposed to be two people but I procrastinated terribly so… here we are haha. Part three tomorrow.

Albedo

It was the third time this week that you had managed to spill his lab notes all over the floor, and frankly Albedo wasn’t sure if he could deal with it any longer.

“You’ve got a lot of papers strewn around,” you said, tone light and joking as you crouched to gather all the papers up.

“You’re the one that keeps bumping into things,” Albedo mumbled, crouching next to you to make sure that you put things back in order.

Seeing that you were putting things together haphazardly he snatched up the papers, frowning slightly as he went through the papers. Honestly, how could you mess up his system so much? As much as Albedo appreciated your interest in his work you were a Knight of Favonius, not a scientist, and as such your visits seemed to cause havoc more than anything else.

“Do you want me to help you with that?” You asked, exasperation creeping into your tone.

“No.”

“Are you sure? You seem, stressed. If you want I could pick up the papers on the tables and organize.”

“Don’t!”

“Albedo?” You leaned back slightly, as if surprised. For some reason that only made the alchemist more irritated.

“If you do that, you’ll just be creating more work for me. I’m very busy right now, I don’t have time to go back and fix your mistakes.”

“Mistakes?”

“It’s already enough that you keep spilling things all over the ground.”

“It’s not my fault that you leave your papers everywhere without even trying to keep them organized.”

“They are organized!”

“Well they certainly don’t look organized to me.”

“You just don’t understand. Besides, I’ve managed not to knock everything over.”

“You know, you’re insufferable when you get like this.”

“I’m not any different than usual.”

“I hope you don’t really think that,” you replied, tone clipped.

Standing up you turned towards the door. Though Albedo made a half-hearted call of your name you didn’t react, simply walking out of the room and slamming the door as hard as possible behind you.

Albedo didn’t even think of you the rest of the afternoon. Anger iced over his slight worry, replacing it with a burning sense of resentment. Your sudden departure stung, and, though it was admittedly childish, Albedo found himself determined not to worry about you.

Besides, you were simply an obstacle to his research at this point. Maybe it was better if you went off to cool your head somewhere, then he could finish up his work. That was what usually happened with other people anyways. Apprentices, clients, the occasional wandering alchemist; they all fluttered around him until he couldn’t stand it and then when they inevitably got fed up he’d finish his work. His relationship with you was still new, and though he couldn’t say that you were the same as all those people in his eyes, he really had no reason to think you would react in a different way.

The sun had gone down long before Albedo finally locked up for the night. It had taken him a good forty minutes to reorganize everything that had fallen, though admittedly most of that time was spent in angry silence. Now as Albedo walked down the streets, still busy with night activity, he wondered what might happen when he got home. He certainly wasn’t ready to apologize, even if his tone was a bit curt his words weren’t wrong; but he couldn’t exactly see you apologizing either. It was bound to be a tense evening. One Albedo was certainly not looking forward too.

All the lights were off in the apartment, something that struck Albedo as odd. Walking towards the kitchen he found a piece of paper crumpled up on the kitchen floor, though when he uncrumpled the paper he was met with eraser marks. Letting out a huff of impatience Albedo went to put some water on the stove. So this is how the evening was going to pass; you presumably at a friend’s house, Albedo in stony silence.

“How petty,” Albedo murmured.

He didn’t expect such a show of emotions from you, having come to the conclusion that you were quite the rational sort. Really, this was all too much. He had been in the right after all, even if he had been a bit cold about it. There was no reason to react in such a way. It was this mindset that carried Albedo through the rest of the evening and off to sleep. After all, it was better than the kernel of doubt that rested in the back of his head, that told him he was the one being callous.

You didn’t show up at the apartment or the lab the next day. Albedo buckled down to work, but by midday the irritation and anger that he’d been holding over were replaced by a deep sense of unease. Hurrying home after work he felt panic shoot through him at the sight of your home empty, nothing suggesting anyone had been there in the time he was at work.

It took all of Albedo’s willpower not to run out the door and go look for you. All the anger and irritation he had felt had been thrown out the window, replaced instead with an intense feeling of worry, and of the realization that his actions might bear actual consequences.

Tossing and turning in bed Albedo stared up at the empty ceiling. He had been certain he was in the right, even this morning. You were clumsy, you had been inconsiderate of his work, you were simply stubborn and petty. Now however he replayed your argument, your fight, over and over again. The more he did so the more he became aware of how harshly he’d acted; the more he wished you would simply appear in front of him so he could apologize. He wanted to go after you, wanted to let you know that he genuinely felt bad. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to do so, to go after you. After all, what if you didn’t want to see him? What if he just made things worse? Once more turning in bed Albedo sighed. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he’d see you again. Tomorrow he’d make things better.

There was no sight of you tomorrow either. Albedo stood in his lab in stunned silence, heart hammering in his chest as he contemplated what this could possibly mean. Was this it then? Had he messed up that badly?

Staring around him Albedo noticed all the papers scattered this way and that on the tables and the desks. Seized by a sudden urge he scooped them all up, carrying them over to where he kept his files. A part of him jeered that it was too little too late, but still the alchemist didn’t stop until everything was filed away properly. Turning around to look at his desk he collected the dirty mugs and discarded equipment, putting them in the sink before turning around to pick through the no longer needed papers that still lay sprawled around the room. He didn’t stop for lunch, nor did he go to start back up on the experiment he was currently working on. Instead he kept picking up and putting away and rearranging. It was almost a ritual of some sort, and though it brought little relief, at least it finally brought distraction.

Still that distraction was shattered the minute Albedo stepped outside. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon, and the people of Mondstadt were still wandering around, enjoy the cool summer evening. Staring at the people around him, their eyes filled either with purpose or contentment, Albedo realized he couldn’t go home. He couldn’t face the empty apartment again. He thought that his anger would last longer, that he might go a week before feeling as if he burning from the inside out; but now he knew that that had been an arrogant, if somewhat funny, assumption. Turning away from the familiar path home he climbed up the steps of Mondstadt. He knew where he needed to go.

Walking up to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters Albedo was met with the sight of Eula, arms firmly crossed in front of her, faced even colder than usual. Hurrying over to your higher-up Albedo felt uncertainty bloom in his chest. Someone this seemed to bode ill.

“Eula?”

“Ah, the Head Alchemist. What do you wish to say to me?”

“Have you seen my partner?” Albedo paused, somewhat unwilling to reveal what had happened. “They haven’t been home for days, and I wondered if you knew where they might be staying.”

The look on Eula’s face was one of pure disbelief. “You, you don’t know what happened?” Her face shadowed over and she seemed to pull herself up. “If I were your partner, I would declare eternal vengeance for your idiocy. I don’t know what you’ve been doing Head Alchemist, but while you were off doing whatever it is you do, your partner was languishing underground.”

Albedo froze, unsure if he’d truly heard Eula right. The Knight tended to be quite flowery after all with her words. Perhaps this was just a metaphor he couldn’t understand.

“I see that it still hasn’t gotten through your head what happened.” Eula sighed, relaxing slightly. “I sent them off to monitor a few Fatui members, as it seems a group had made their way out of Dragonspine and into Windwail. While doing so they attempted to hide in a small crack in the mountains, but there was a steep drop after that onto the next shelf. Thankfully Amber had also been ordered to scout there, or else who knows how long it might have took to realize they were stuck. I just got the report from them, thankfully there was no lasting trauma.”

“W-where are they?”

“At home I presume. Aren’t you their partner?” Eula tilted her head. “Really, perhaps she should declare a need for vengeance.” And with that the Spindrift Knight walked into the Headquarters, leaving Albedo reeling on the step, heart thudding as if he’d just run a hundred miles.

Albedo practically fell down the steps of Mondstadt, so desperate was he to find you, to make sure you were okay. Eula had said that there was no lasting trauma, but what that meant Albedo was completely unsure of. Had you broken anything? Had you been deprived of oxygen? These thoughts catapulted through Albedo’s brain, constricting his lungs and plunging him into a roil of incoherent emotions.

The sight of you standing in front of his lab cause Albedo to stop in his tracks. For a moment the alchemist was overwhelmed by his emotions, switching between dizzying euphoria, terrible guilt, and unending worry. He took a step forward, then another, walking slowly down the stairs, as if in fear that you might disappear or turn away. However instead of turning away when he reached the end of the steps and made his way towards the fountain you let out a sort of shudder, running towards him and throwing your arms around his neck. Albedo wrapped his arms around you in turn, feeling slightly overwhelmed from the sudden proximity, the sudden feeling of once more being able to feel your skin against his. Letting his head drop onto your shoulder Albedo breathed in deeply, centering himself with your presence, grounding himself in the knowledge that the agony of the previous days was finally over.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled against your shoulder.

“For what?” You whispered back.

“For not listening to you, for blaming you, for being cruel.”

“I’m also sorry.”

“Why? I was in the wrong.”

“Well, I just went off without telling you where I was going. I was going to write a note, but I was so angry I erased it.” You tightened your grasp around Albedo. “I wish I could’ve seen into the future. I never would have done something like that.”

“I don’t care about that,” Albedo ran small circles around the small of your back. “I’m sorry.”

“You already said that.”

“No. I’m sorry for not being there, for not being able to help you; for doing nothing while you…” he stopped, unable to finish the sentence.

Pulling back for a moment you cupped Albedo’s face in your palms, studying his expression. Finally you bent over to press a soft kiss to his lips.

“I forgive you,” you whispered, breath mingling with his.

Albedo leaned into to kiss you once more, finding that his emotions were blocking out any words he might have been able to say. Everything seemed so surreal, as if he’d been stuck in some awful nightmare that only now faded away. And yet this wasn’t a nightmare, this was reality; and Albedo would have to remember that.

For now though, he only wanted to wipe all the fear and conflict away.

[zuluc]

hello i just had a little vacation and came back to my regularly scheduled lack of sleep 🥲 hope you enjoy this drabble ! this is set in a modern!au and if they are typos im too tired to fix them rn 😀

he really shouldn’t be here, not with your parents downstairs alert as always to make sure you aren’t hanging around with that boy again. they constantly talk ill of him to dissuade you from mentioning or even thinking of him. he’s not good for you, he’ll ruin your clean reputation. a delinquent.

didn’t he run away from home? isn’t he living with that woman who’s always drinking?

he doesn’t say much about his home, but he does mention how he wishes to return one day. visit old friends, maybe, and to show you the sights. one day he hopes, it just isn’t soon.

and the woman in question is boisterous at all times and not at all less responsible when drunk, which is most nights. she can hold her own and takes care of you like her own when you visit. she’d poke fun at the male for making a move so quickly but she forgets that she knows you’ve been together for quite some time. he teases her back, saying that she’s becoming like your parents for not knowing and she’s slightly offended. no offense to them, of course.

he’s a bad influence!

you could laugh in their face about the absurdity of their claims since they haven’t even met him, let alone held a single conversation. instead of vulgar language and slang they could not figure out, your parents would be surprised as to how well-versed he is in literature. his poems capturing much that he observes which now so happen to focus on one particular person.

“hey,” kazuha waves a hand in front of your face and you forget that he’s barely balanced on your window sill. you gasp slightly and grab his hand to help pull him in. he was as quiet as he always was.

it’s a skill he’s perfected to come up to your bedroom window without a peep, making sure to time his climbing on your large front lawn tree with the wind, masking his noise with the sound of the leaves. once you watched him in his entirety climbing and it’s as if he doesn’t even touch the bark, he jumps up like the wind is helping beneath him.

after he shuts your window you’re immediately taken in his arms, the smell of maple and his warm embrace greeting you welcomingly.

“are you alright?” he’s asking, pulling back to hold your face with one hand. his thumb caresses your cheek softly with a gaze set so sweetly on you. “what’s going on in that head of yours, maple leaf?”

kazuha isn’t unaware of your parent’s distaste of him nor is he of your ponderings over it. he doesn’t share much of his feelings about the topic, showing nonchalance against the situation but there is something that makes him uneasy. he hates to voice it out loud as if it could come true and you’d choose that way but he’d never know. not unless he asked.

actually, scratch that. he wasn’t uneasy. he was scared.

you sigh and he tightens the arm around you, still holding your face tenderly. you lift your hands up to hold onto the front of his sweater and lean forward to kiss him. it’s short and sweet and you laugh inwardly when his eyes downcast slightly when you pull away.

“my parents.” you say simply and he tenses. there is a beat of silence before you look up at him, and it surprises you. his expression is somewhat odd, an indescribable way his mouth is curled and how his stare is deadset on something past you. you can tell he isn’t looking at anything in particular but his hand is what gives you the clue.

it’s not touching your cheek now, instead it hovers.

he opens his mouth for a second and closes it.

“kazuha?” you say and he pulls away fully now. his eyes are on your floor and he’s darting them from all corners trying to figure out how to piece his words together.

it may be the first time he’s truly stuck.

“do you,” he starts slowly, having a hard time to let himself look you in the eye, “want to stop this?”

you’re flabbergasted. utterly taken aback. he’s taking small steps to the window but you pull on his wrist to bring him closer to you.

“what are you talking about?” in your head you’re thinking that maybe he’s had it with your complaining of the overprotectiveness, which was what you were going to do, but with his voice shaking you think it may be another thing. “are you crazy? do you think i’d let go of the best thing that’s ever happened to me?”

kazuha’s head shoots up at the statement and your mouth in shock after processing your words. you stutter with useless explanations but he just laughs airily with his head thrown back in relief. he hugs you again, the tenseness slowly dying down.

you weren’t lying, your now warm face giving it away. he gave you a sense of freedom away from the suffocation your family provides. you love them, absolutely, but they just wouldn’t let you live your life how you wanted. nothing bad was happening and you were happy, wasn’t that supposed to be enough?

“i thought you were breaking up with me,” he cups your face, a solemn smile shown to you, “dove, you almost gave me a heart attack.”

the next few minutes are filled with the both of you consoling each other, reassuring that no, you were both happy with your relationship and that there were just a few things you both wish could change with external factors. ultimately, between the two of you, everything was fine.

your legs grow more and more tired and from a shifting of your feet kazuha raises a brow and doesn’t think twice in lifting you in his arms. a surprised yelp comes from you and your mom calls up the stairs to ask if you’re okay. you quickly yell back an answer just as he throws you both on your bed, his head coming to cuddle into your neck with his arms around your middle tightly.

“we would have to tell them eventually,” he mutters, his breaths slowly evening out. you nod from your spot, turning to face him better and bringing up your hand to card through his hair.

“eventually.”

your eyes close and you mentally reassure yourself that you locked the door before he came in, slowly bringing yourself to sleep. kazuha tends to leave early in the morning just in case your parents get to suspicious from the lock so your worries die down to nothing.

that is, until he whispers once more.

“tomorrow morning it is.”

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

From Eden: Four

Warnings: noncon sexual acts, mentions of mental illness, grieving, trauma, panic attack; delusion, manipulation, drugging, intimidation.

This is dark!Bucky Barnes. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: The mc suffers from agoraphobia. After a new neighbour moves in across the street, her home becomes even more of a prison.

Note: Well, here’s the next chapter of this creeper story and this one even had me a little shook.

Thank you so much for your patience! And support!!

As always, if you are so inclined, please like, reblog, and comment. <3

Transcript:

Sunday

It’s Sunday now and she’s asleep. At last. She wouldn’t drink the tea so I had to make her. I promised her it was just chamomile to keep her calm, a half-lie. Now she’s sleeping, her soft breaths against my elbow as I sit with her.

She screamed when she found me in the house. Then the panic made it hard for her to breathe and I had to count with her. She couldn’t even remember what came after three so I kept my hand over her mouth until she was woozy and weak. Now the pills will keep her asleep until I’m ready. Until she’s ready. I found the old bottle in her cupboard, if they’re expired, that means they might not last.

I read it all. These pages of her thoughts. She’s so alone, so confused she can’t even see that I only want to take care of her. That she needs me. Her doctor, her caretaker, they can’t really help her. I know it better than anyone. 

A diagnosis does nothing, hell, this journal does nothing. The doctors say writing down the  mess helps sort it all out. What a bunch of liars. And what can they do for her but keep her in this house all alone and take her inheritance. That’s all they want, to be paid for their empty words. 

She doesn’t have to pay me, I will help her.

Monday

She tried to scream when she woke up. I had to cover her mouth again and hold her down in her bed. I hated it, seeing her so afraid. She didn’t stop flailing and the tears trickled down her cheeks and temples in her terror. I hushed her and begged her to be quiet, she did but her round eyes assured me she was still afraid.

I let her sit up as I took away my hand. I never meant to touch her with that one. The metal is so harsh and inhuman, I only want her to feel me. 

She mopped her face as I looked through the closet and I found a pretty dress with the same purple colour as the pansies I brought her all those weeks ago.

I gave it to her and told her to get dressed while I called Tisha. I assured her that the girl is okay, she is, she’s safe and she has me. The doctor’s happy to have someone there with her and added that she’s even more happy that she’s warming up to me. 

She mentioned it was tough for the girl to trust men. I can’t blame her, I have met too many evil ones too.

Now she’s sitting at the table and eating some pancakes with blueberry syrup. She keeps looking at me and I see her eyes linger on the journal. 

I told her I just want to know her and this is the best way. If she won’t talk to me, I need to learn about her another way. The more I read, the more I realise we’re so much alike.

She’s so precious, the way her tongue flicks over her lips to lick up up the sticky syrup. She trembles just a little as she cuts the fluffy pancakes with her forks and stabs them. 

This place needs a good cleaning. It’s stuffy and dusty and smells of mildew. It will give me something to do then maybe we can sort out the garden. I didn’t realise picking those tulips would leave such a mess. Well, I could find some sunflowers to replant from the garden center down at the depot. I think she’ll like that.

She’s crying again.

Tuesday

I had to give her more of the pills. After Tisha came by to evaluate her and Lorena dropped off the groceries, I saw how fidgety she was. Her voice shook as she spoke with them and I worked on fixing that shed window once and for all. 

The doctor commented on how kind that was but it had to be done. This place really needs to be fixed up. How could such a precious creature live like this for so long? How could she be hidden away from the world when she’s so beautiful? I know why. I see it in her eyes, the same deep cracks I see in my own. She’s been hurt.

When Lorena was finally gone and we were alone, she began to sob and even hit me. She tried to push me away and told me to go. I had to stop her, I had to…

I don’t want to write about what I had to do but I didn’t hurt her. I just made sure she stopped and I got her some more tea. She drank it as she sniffled and I watched her as she set down the mug. It wasn’t long before she slumped and began to snore.

I pulled her down so she’s comfortable across the couch, a pillow under her head with the little throw over her middle. She looks peaceful. While she’s sleeping, I’ll make some dinner and maybe a dessert. She has lots of cookbooks around here. I want her to realise everything I can do for her, that she doesn’t have to do everything alone.

Wednesday

I don’t know what happened. I wasn’t thinking.

She didn’t wake up for dinner so I left it in the stove to keep warm. I ate when my stomach began to grumble and the tart I made wasn’t too bad, just a little dry. I got washed up and came out to check on her again. She was still dead out so I moved her over and sat to feel her breath against my fingers.

I couldn’t help but admire her as she slumbered. I felt her soft lips and had to poke my finger just inside. I felt the stirring and I knew I should go, get dressed and come back to take her to bed. She could have her dinner tomorrow.

But I didn’t. 

It was so fast. It hurt how hard I suddenly was as I let my hand wander along her throat and down her chest. I peeked under her shirt, she’s very womanly, so soft and warm. I did stop…

For a couple minutes. I don’t know. It felt so weird. Like I wasn’t me, like it wasn’t my body. It felt like those days when my mind wasn’t my own and I just watched from the side as horrible things happened. As I did those things.

My hand was between her legs before I realised it. I rubbed her warm cunt, I couldn’t get enough of it. It was so soft, so wet, so welcoming. I rubbed and rubbed until I heard her low breaths hitch.

She didn’t wake, the pills heavy on her eyelids still. I pulled open my towel and pulled her hand against my cock. She touched me too, I helped her as she slept. I moved her hand as my own continued to explore her. Her body twitched and she came as hre bud throbbed beneath my fingertips.

I came too and watched the ropes drip down her hand. I kept her hand around me, moving it until I was so oversensitive and tender that I gasped. Her hand was slick with me and the sight of her glistening palm is intoxicating. My cum is still there on her hand. 

She’s on the couch still. I don’t know what will happen if I move her to the bed. I’m afraid to find out… but excited too.

Thursday

Today was a good day!

I took her out to the garden to see the flowers I ordered. I still can’t leave her, she’s not ready. I helped her plant them and her hand kept touching mine. She would flinch but I saw the way she pressed her fingertips to her palm after as if basking in it.

When we finished, she even made lunch. We sat and ate, quietly, but I don’t mind. I’m not very talkative either and I understand, a lot has changed in a life that hasn’t changed for a very long time. 

As she finished her soup, dipping the crusts of her sandwich into the tomato broth, I went to the living room and looked at the old victrola. I knelt to examine the records and I knew many of them to my delight. This place reminds me of a lot of things, as if I’ve found everything that I lost.

She came and watched me from the door. When she’s nervous, she moves around a lot and she teetered on her feet as she clasped her hands. I smiled at her, I wanted her to smile back but she just blinked.

“What’s your favourite?” I asked, “you have Garland? Sinatra? Armstrong?”

“I like them all,” her voice was so thin I barely heard it.

I took out a Louis Armstrong vinyl and dropped the needle. She shied away as I went to her but that’s how the girls always were at the dance hall. I took her hand and she didn’t resist further. I drew her to me and led her as her untrained feet tried not to stomp on mine. For a moment, I was back there again, before the war, before the uniform, before the train.

It was just me and my gal! 

Friday

Last night, I gave her more pills. I caught her in the garden just after dinner. I was washing up and she snuck out like a naughty child. She was by the gate when I came out, peering out into the street. The new lock was still in place, the one she doesn’t have the key to.

She began to cry as I told her to come back in. She said she wanted to leave if I wouldn’t. I told her she was being dramatic and she needed her tea. She said she’s afraid of me. Afraid? What have I done but taken care of her when her doctor and caretaker can only be bothered when they ‘have time’.

She calmed down and drank her tea and had some of the tart. She liked it a lot and I said I’d get more strawberries, she didn’t need to send Lorena this time. She’s in bed now, still asleep.

Later

I thought I heard her so I went to check on her. She had kicked off her blankets, she must have been hot. So I pulled out a night gown from her dresser and took off her jeans and her shirt. It took me a moment to process her nakedness and I got that same tingle from nights ago.

I couldn’t help but touch her just a little. She was wet again, as if she was expecting it. So long together and I can’t blame her for wanting me but I know she’s too shy to say it. When she’s awake, she just gets in her own way.

I’m not going to make excuses. I lost control. I touched myself too and before I knew it I was on top of her. She was still only in her bra and panties and her tits fell out as I shook the bed. 

My hand is hardly enough but I didn’t want to rush this. I played with her chest just a little, her nipples went hard and I had to taste them.

When I was ready to explode, I stayed bent over her and pulled down her panties. I came on her but I didn’t enter her. Not yet, as much as it hurts, it’s not time yet. I left her covered in my cum and pulled her panties back up. I took off her bra and dressed her in the night gown.

Now I’m just winding down and I’ll sleep too soon. I’ll hold her and think about my cum still in her panties. Maybe I’ll do a little more, use her hand a little to release a little more tension. It’s so hard being so close but I have to take it slow. For her.

Saturday

I kissed her good morning and today she didn’t pull away. She didn’t do much until I told her to get up. When she did, she didn’t even try to cover herself as her night gown had ridden up in her sleep. 

And I saw the way she stared at my body, my boxers all I had on. When she realised I caught her, she quickly looked away.

She also didn’t know I noticed how she tugged on her panties and shifted on her legs awkwardly. No doubt she could feel me still but she wouldn’t know why. 

She’s in the shower now and I’m waiting for the coffee to brew. I can hear the patter of water and I wanted badly to join her and help her scrub her body, admire it beneath the trickle as it explores every crevice I long to.

I know I can’t and just thinking of it is making it hard to sit still. I thought playing with her hand last night would keep me happy for a little longer. That it would help my thoughts and my patience but now I want to do everything and more. And I want her to know it this time. To feel it.

No. Not yet. But I can still make her smile. When she comes out I’ll give her her new journal, with pages not about to fall away from the spine and unstained by errant drops of tea. I can’t wait to see her surprise!