#only for the brass and screaming to kick up and i turn around to see a fucking nightmare-- iM NOT GONNA MAKE IT IM NOT GONNA MAKE IT

[luxsea]

first time getting to phase two. scariest gaming experience of my life.

[kingofthe-egirls]

BETTER THAN SAKÉ: LUFFY x HIYORI

part 1

(cw: kissing, sex, gear 5 shenanigans)

(a/n: am i the only one who ships them?)

words: 1.8k

****

You strum your shamisen, humming along to your favorite tune. You’re sitting on your knees atop the ship’s figurehead. Luffy is sitting crosslegged next to you, swaying side to side with his eyes closed. He hums along, too.

“I like your voice,” you say softly. It’s loud and brass, unashamed and sweet. “I like it when you sing.”

“Shishisi!” Luffy giggles, his hand behind his head. He sways side to side again, singing louder. He doesn’t know the words, so he just la-la-la’s it to his heart’s content.

You play for him, smiling softly.

He smiles back, and sparks fly down your chest. His grin widens, as if he can see it on your face. He leans forward, over the shamisen, to kiss you. It’s not the first kiss you’ve shared, but it still sends firecrackers down your spine.

“Luffy,” you whisper. His name is fizzy on your tongue, sweet like ginger soda. His lips taste like plums.

“Captain’s quarters,” he says briefly. He stands, holding out his hand to you with a grin on his face. The setting sun casts shadows over his eyes, the brim of his straw hat obscuring them from you.

You slide your hand into his.

“Gum-gum…rocket!” Luffy roars. You gasp, holding your shamisen to your chest, but it’s too late. You’re ricocheting through the air.

Luffy slams against his cabin’s door, with you at his side. You scream out a curse, shielding your instrument from the impact. Your shoulder thuds against the wooden door. “Luffy!” You gasp indignantly.

“Shishishi,” he snickers as he opens the door to his room. He lets you walk in first. Such a gentleman.

You roll your eyes.

As soon as the door is closed behind him, he takes your hips in his strong hands, and pushes you up against it. You gasp, surprised and turned on almost immediately. “Luff—!”

“Captain,” he corrects you, spiky black hair brushing your forehead. You swallow, and nod.

“Captain.”

He grins.

“Good!”

And then he is kissing you, fiercely.

Luffy’s lips are soft and warm, and his practice with you these past few weeks is showing. He closes his teeth around your bottom lip, and pulls. You groan, arching into the touch. Your hands curl into the red fabric of his vest. He snickers.

“Melting already?”

You scowl, pushing him away from you. He laughs, falling backward onto the bed with a rubbery bounce. His face is rosy, his eyes dark with pleasure from kissing you. His vest is left open over muscular abs, the V of his hips sharply disappearing into the waistband of his shorts.

Gods, he’s hot.

You stare.

Luffy lets you.

He leans back on his elbows, kicking his heels into the base of the bed.

“Like whatcha see?” He asks with a cock of his head. His syrupy grin betrays the confidence he’s started to build from these trysts with you. You haven’t more than kissed him.

But he’s in love with you.

“So much,” you breathe, closing the distance between you to take his face in your hands. You kiss him, standing between his legs. He eagerly kisses you back, sitting up to circle his arms around your waist.

His lips move softly against yours. His tongue tastes salty from his meat-only dinner, as he slowly strokes it inside your mouth. He circles the tip around your tongue, and you let out an embarrassing moan.

You’re in love with him, too.

“Captain…,” you whine. He sucks at your bottom lip, before kissing along your heated cheeks. His touch, his mouth, his fingertips…everything melts you into a puddle of fizzy, liquid gold.

“Whaaaat?” He drawls, circling his tongue at the space below your ear, “What does princess need from captain?” His voice is low, hoarse.

“…More.”

He pulls back, studying your face with shadows in his eyes. “More?”

You nod, biting your lip.

The ship rocks gently in the waves, the orange light of the almost-set sun tingeing the room burnished gold. His bed is messy and soft, with a deep red comforter all comfy and plush. You want to tangle yourself beneath it. You want to tangle yourself with him.

“Never done more than this,” he says, stroking your waist.

You shake your head.

“I don’t care.”

He smiles: big and genuine.

You want to bury yourself inside his smile and live there.

“Captain Luffy, please…,” you moan, touching your forehead to his.

He makes a small sound, before pulling you onto his lap. You gasp, surprised. His desire is evident through the hardness in his jeans.

You move against it, instinctually. Luffy groans, thunking his head into your shoulder. His straw hat is pushed back, and you gently run your fingers through his crow-feather hair. “If…if you want, I mean.”

Luffy smooches your collarbone. “Don’t wanna mess it up,” he mumbles into your skin. You shrug.

“Somethin’s always gonna get messed up,” you say, still carding your fingers through his hair. He hums appreciatively at the touch. “But it doesn’t matter, cuz it’s you.”

Luffy looks up at you, chin between your breasts. “Will ya teach me?”

Your whole body flares hot.

You nod dumbly.

“Whatever ya want…,” you whisper.

Luffy grins.

“I want everything.”

****

Luffy is soft.

He skims his fingertips up the sides of your arms, sitting back against the bed’s headrest. You’re straddling his lap, arms around his neck. The sea is calm: the ship’s motions soft and lulling. Luffy kicks up his chin, fitting his nose beneath your jawline.

“So pretty f’me, princess.”

You smile, cheeks hot, as you stroke his hair. It’s dark and spiky, with a thick texture and grease at the roots. His own fingers go to the ends of your turquoise strands. He brings a lock to his lips, and kisses it.

The gesture brings fireworks to your belly. You swallow, and find that your hips have begun moving of their own accord. You slowly grind against Luffy’s clothed cock, all hard and ready beneath you. Your core aches.

“More, Captain?”

“Course,” he whispers, hooking a finger into the knot of your wrap shirt’s sash. He deftly undoes the satin knot, and slowly reveals your bare chest. He sighs, lips parted, and with darkened eyes brings his lips to your nipple. His hand massages your other breast, small sounds of pleasure escaping him. You toss your head back, riding his clothed lap.

“Fuck,” he mumbles against your skin, switching sides.

His ministrations strike lightning across your chest, electricity spiking your heart rate and warming your face. You stroke his hair, and once your eyes open you see the start of white forming at the ends. His hair waves and foams, little white clouds swirling in the air around him.

“Captain?”

He looks up, mouth still attached to your sensitive nipple.

His eyes are pink.

“Mm?” He asks, still focused on his task. The white clouds have formed a mantle around his shoulders, and his hair is now the color of moonlight.

Gear 5.

“Luffy!” You say in surprise, as he starts to laugh softly against your skin. He pulls back, hands still kneading your breasts like dough.

“Sorry,” he says, voice raspy, “S’okay?”

Gulping, you nod.

You have no idea what you’re in for.

****

Hearts form in Luffy’s eyes.

He’s got his hands on your hips, hissing as he slowly lowers you onto his cock.

“Fuck,” he groans, eyes squeezed shut in pleasure. His girth is immense and the stretch of it stings. A moan of discomfort leaves your lips, and Luffy slows. He gazes up at you with heart eyes. A wolf whistle sounds off to the side.

“S’big,” you say, pouting.

Luffy grins.

“Sorry, princess,” he snickers (not sounding sorry at all) and placed a hand on your lower belly. “Lemme stretch ya, babygirl~”

His touch brings warmth, and you melt into it. He’s softened your body, let you be as rubber as he is, and suddenly the sting is gone. Replaced only by pleasure.

Luffy is a god.

It’s something new, you’ve realized, that this is sun god Nika. This is Luffy, but it isn’t, but it is, and the confusion of it all has you burying your face in his hair. You breathe in, and smell cinnamon.

“Luuuffyyy,” you moan, riding him slowly. His hands travel to your ass, giving it a slight squeeze. “Faster?”

Luffy lets out a surprised sound of pleasure, before gripping your ass hard with a wicked grin. He lowers down into the pillows, plants his feet flat on the mattress, and starts pummeling up into you from below.

You yelp, and steady yourself with your arms around his shoulders. His cock is massaging your walls, hitting all the right spots. Has he really never done this before?

“So—good!” You whine out, the feelings of fireworks still exploding like gunpowder in your belly.

Luffy’s eyes pop of out his head.

Literally.

Steam curls from his ears. His tongue rolls out of his mouth as whines and gasps of pleasure leave him. His movements stutter, as another wave of train whistles sound off from the side.

“Luffy!” You say his name in a broken rasp, doing your best to hold on. He’s got his arms around you, holding you in place. His hips slap up against yours. The sound of his balls slapping your ass is nothing short of pornographic.

Your pleasure is growing, as a cresting wave overtakes you. “Luffy!” You say his name with your eyes squeezed shut, mouth parted in an “O” as you orgasm around his cock.

“That’s it, pretty girl, cum for captain~” He whispers in a heady tone. His hips speed up, and it’s all you can do to cry his name in moans of ecstasy. He’s better than saké.

You drag your hands down Luffy’s abdomen, marveling at his muscles. He grins, cheeks flushed.

“Like it?” He asks with an arch in his swirly eyebrow.

“Mhmm!” You nod eagerly. He laughs, an outburst of pure joy. He licks his lips, and speeds up even more inside you.

“S’coming, baby~!”

Luffy’s eyes are squeezed shut, steam still pouring out of his ears. Pink hearts fizzle and pop around his cloudy head. Your own breaths puff steamy and hot, ducklings squeaking in circled around your head. Fuck.

“M’cumming, m’cumming~!”

Luffy’s cries of pleasure send you over the edge right along with him.

Sparks—!

“Luffy!”

His seed fills you up, all white and hot as it paints your walls in pleasure. The steam dissipates. One last, lone whistle sounds off, and you laugh. Your body is warm, all melty, all liquid gold as you both come down.

You lean forward, kissing all over Luffy’s sweaty face. He’s blushing, panting, and so beautiful.

“Love ya, captain~”

He smooches your lips, smiling sleepily. He nips at your bottom lip.

“Love ya too, princess.”

****

[multi-dimensional-turtles]

Chapter 4: Enter Casey Jones

Finally this stupid hothead is in my story. I could have worked on this a bit more but I've spent too much time on it already. Almost 5k words again, and here's the ao3 link

The air was still warm, despite it being fall. April started classes again and was too busy with homework to hang out, so the turtles decided to just run around the city. Their mask tails fluttered in the wind as they jumped from rooftop to rooftop.

Leo was in the front, as always, and Raph followed closely behind him. Donnie was behind him, followed by Mikey bringing up the rear. The stars were out tonight, not that they could see most of them thanks to the city lights. But a few managed to shine through the light pollution.

“Nothing beats the surface,” Mikey said, putting his hands behind his head as they slowed down to a stop.

“Fresh air,” Donnie agreed.

“Great food,” Leo added.

“Humans,” Raph growled, his scowl adding to his obvious disdain.

His three brothers groaned in unison, tired of the same old spiel. Despite coming to the surface so regularly, Raph just can’t get past his distrust of humans. 

“Dude, can’t you just chill?” Leo asked.

“Not all humans are bad,” Donnie reminded him, eyes half lidded.

“Like April!” Mikey added with a wide smile.

Raph threw his arms open. “Am I the only one that remembers humans fear us?”

Mikey’s smile became more sly, his brow creasing. “April doesn’t.”

“One human! Not everyone is like her!”

“How do you know? Bet we can make a new friend tonight!”

“Mikey-” Donnie tried to intervene before their brother blew his top. He could see where this was going.

“Seriously?! Do you want to be killed?” Raph cut him off.

Mikey folded his arms and closed his eyes. “Not gonna happen! I’m so lovable, no one would hurt me!” Raph punched his arm “OW! Leo!”

“Enough!” their oldest brother yelled. “Both of you! Cool it, Raph!”

“Me?!” Raph put his hands on his chest. “Tell shellhead that!”

“Me?! You’re the paranoid one!”

“Paranoid?! I should-” Raph took a step forward.

Leo got between the two of them and pushed them back, grabbing their shoulders. “I said stop!”

Raph turned around. “Whatever, I’m outta here.”

“Raph wait!” Donnie stepped forward as his brother ran off, but Leo blocked him with his arm.

“Let him go, he needs to cool off.”

Mikey rolled his eyes, arms crossed again. “Yeah, he’s got a short fuse.”

Leo glared at him. “You didn’t help.”

“You’re paying for tonight's pizza,” Donnie added.

“What? No fair!”

Raph was jumping rooftops again, the buildings were getting shorter so the jumps were easier. He grumbled under his breath as he ran, “Stupid Mikey, stupid Leo.”

He would have continued complaining as he ran to burn off his anger and energy, but a sharp scream caught his attention and he came to a halt. He hesitated before peaking over the edge, praying he wasn’t caught. 

In an alley, a woman was running away as a man in a hockey mask stood between her and three other men. He had a hockey stick in hand, another on his back held in a bag. The other men had their own weapons, one a crowbar, another a chain, and one just held his fists out but there was a glint coming off of his knuckles.

The one with the brass knuckles ran first, taking a swing. He was way too slow, and thankfully Hockey Mask wasn’t as he stepped out of the way, raising his stick. It came down on brass knuckle’s neck.

Chains whipped through the air at Mask, making Raph lean forward to get a better view. He knew he wanted him to win, but for some reason a part of him wanted to get down there and help, and it wasn’t just because he wanted to fight. It looked like fun.

The chains wrapped around the hockey stick, and Mask reached back to grab the second stick as the man with the crowbar charged him. He pulled it out just in time to intercept the crowbar with a loud crack that echoed through the alley.

Mask pulled on the stick that had the chain wrapped around it, making the man stumble forward. He was swiftly kicked right in the stomach before Mask spun around to the final standing man, once again blocking the crowbar. This time he used both sticks, he made sure they were faced inward as he trapped the weapon between the two sticks and tugged it down, also pulling down the attacking man.

The vigilante tossed one of his hockey sticks and punched Crowbar while he was standing back up, knocking him down.

Raph smiled as the fight finished, feeling satisfied after seeing those jerks get what was coming to them. He knew his brothers were right, not all humans are bad, but those three definitely were if they were harassing a lady.

He was going to keep moving, there was nothing here for him anyway, but he stopped and leaned over the edge of the building again when Mask raised his hockey stick again. All three of the guys were still down, and he was standing over one, ready to still do some serious damage.

Normally Raph couldn’t care less what happens to jerks like that, but for some reason he found himself jumping down and onto a fire escape, shouting, “Wait!”

Mask turned around as he reached the alley floor, ready to fight another thug. He clearly wasn’t expecting a short ninja turtle, as he took a step back to fully turn around. “What the?” he asked.

The man he was about to attack pushed himself up with a loud groan, almost making Raph roll his eyes. Mask turned back around and raised his stick again.

“Oh no you don’t,” he threatened, but right before he swung, Raph trapped the stick in one of his sai’s.

“You’re going too far,” he warned, glaring up at him.

“So you’re one of ‘em, are ya?” Mask turned to face him, slipping his stick out of the weapon.

“If you think that’s true you gotta get your eyes checked.” 

“Well I don’t know what kind of costume you’re wearing, but I don’t see any Purple Dragon on you. But that doesn’t explain why you’re helping them.”

Raph squinted his eyes and looked at the three men laid in front of him. Now that he was closer, he was able to see tattoos and embroidered dragons on them. Stupid Purple Dragon gang, they’ve been growing bigger lately and April has felt uneasy walking alone because of them.

Being down here also gave him a better look at this masked guy. His hockey mask was clearly custom made, whether he made it himself or ordered it. It wasn’t the normal oval, instead it was shaped like a skull. Sharpie made out the lines for the teeth on the bottom and asymmetrical nose holes in a skull.

His clothes were a bit ruffed up, patches covering holes in his sweats, a shoulder brace with a pad on it went over a green jacket vest on his left shoulder. His hair was black and all over the place, like he fell right out of an 80’s rock concert.

“I’m helping them cause I don’t like to watch murder,” Raph retorted.

“Then look away!” Hockey Mask swung at him. Raph ducked down and ran forward, twirling his sai’s in his hands.

He went to strike with the pummel of his weapon, but Mask jumped out of the way, dodging by centimeters. He walked to the side, posed for the next attack. Raph saw where he was going, to his other stick.

So he ran to intercept him and the makeshift weapon, this time Mask swung low at him. Raph frontflipped over it, landing perfectly between his attacker and the stick.

“I ain’t as dumb as these other guys,” Raph warned.

“You’re a better fighter too, kid. But don’t get cocky, why don’t you run on home and work on your Halloween costume some more.”

“Says the man wearing the ugliest hockey mask I’ve ever seen.” Raph ran forward, stopping only to block the hockey stick.

Mask twisted his way around Raph, pulling his weapon back and swinging again. “Ugly?! I made this myself!”

Raph blocked the blow again. “That’d explain why it looks so bad.” He caught the next blow in his sai. He twisted it so Mask couldn’t pull it back.

Still he tried, sidestepping low and grabbing his other hockey stick. Raph cursed himself for letting him get close to it. He tried to catch the stick as it swung at him, but it was just an inch too low for his sai, and it ended up hitting him hard enough in the plastron to knock the breath out of him.

“Look kid, I don’t feel comfortable beating up some random teen, so why don’t you get running?” The stranger asked as Raph stumbled back.

“I’m not a kid!” He ran forward again. As a stick swung at him, he caught it in one sai, and spun the other in his hand. With an uppercut, his sai’s pummel hit the masked man on the chin, which was just barely visible.

“Gah! Motherfucker that hurt!”

Raph rolled his eyes. “Uh, yeah, it’s supposed to.” Behind the man, he saw the dragon’s quietly getting up and running off. It was about time.

Just as the last one turned the corner, he slowed and turned around, shouting, “We’ll get ya next time, Jones!”

The masked man, Jones presumably, turned to see them run. “Dammit! Look what you did!”

“Uh, I kept you out of prison?” Raph shrugged before getting back in a fighting stance.

“You let them get away! If they hurt someone else, that’s on you!” Jones pointed at him before turning to run off.

“Wait a minute, we’re not done here!” Raph shouted and gave chase. As they reached the street, he saw that thankfully the purple dragons were no longer in sight, must be hiding. However Jones jumped on a bike, an engine quickly roaring to life before he kicked off.

Raph slowed down to a stop, gritting his teeth. There was no use in chasing him now, but he didn’t have to be happy about it.

~~~

April adjusted her backpack to ease the tension in her shoulders. Today was one of her busier days, three classes in one day. Luckily they weren’t too long, but they all had their own textbooks. Physical ones too, why not just switch over to digital? It makes things so much easier.

Thankfully the campus wasn’t too far away from her apartment, just a few blocks away. It was already dark out, so April was planning on heating up some leftovers and crashing in bed, maybe she’ll even put on a show if she doesn’t pass out immediately.

It didn’t seem like there were that many people out on this side of town. That was fine, less potential pickpockets to deal with. A few shops were already closed, most of the restaurants she passed were still open.

It would be nice if she could get something to eat freshly made by someone else. Maybe tomorrow, she doesn’t have as many classes tomorrow, though she will have lots of homework. After her morning class, she should get started on her research essay. That means looking for resources and organizing her arguments. Maybe even writing the first paragraph if she’s lucky. By the time she finishes that, her second and final class of the day should start. Yeah, tomorrow will be a better-

Someone ran right into April, breaking her out of her thoughts as she kept herself from falling into the street. She turned around, mouth already open to chew them out, but her voice got caught in her throat.

The man had run out from an alleyway, he was pretty skinny but way taller than her. He wore a black denim jacket, his long hair was dyed purple. When their eyes met, his expression changed from one of terror to a desperate smile.

In the split second she got a good look at him, he was grabbing her and pressing something solid against her head. She grabbed his arm which wrapped around her throat and shouted in surprise, trying to pull away from what she could only assume was a weapon.

“Don’t move or I’ll shoot her!” he warned, and April looked down the alley to see who he was talking to.

There was a man in a hockey mask and green vest. A bag was slung on his shoulder, and two hockey sticks were in his hand. He reminded her of the man Raph told her about a few weeks ago.

Around him, there were a few guys on the ground. More concerning were the ones who were still standing and surrounded him. The man in the hockey mask froze and April could swear she could see his eyes widen behind his mask.

“Let her go!” he shouted, taking a step forward. “She’s not part of this!”

“Not another step or her brains will splatter!” The gun was pressed harder against April’s head. She gasped in fear, on the verge of hyperventilating.

All she could do was look at the masked vigilante, not sure what she was asking him to do. The last thing she wanted was for someone to die, including her. She could feel his eyes on her as he lowered his weapons.

“Drop ‘em!”

He did, gaze back on the man holding her hostage. What April wouldn’t give to have her other friends show up.

One of the other men ran up from behind the masked man, raising his arms. April winced as his fists came down on the masked man, hitting right below the back of his neck. The vigilante fell to his knees, catching himself with his hands. But he didn’t make a move to get up.

They were going to kill him. She couldn’t let that happen, she couldn’t let someone die in front of her. April started breathing heavier, thinking of her options. She really only had three. Die, watch someone else die, or…

Biting on her lip, she let go of the man’s arm and raised her hand as fast as possible, hitting the hand that was holding the gun. He pulled the trigger and April screamed as the bullet went over her head.

The blast was deafening, and April felt dizzy as she pushed herself out of his arm. She wasn’t sure what to do now that she was free, but before the man could do anything to her, something came flying out of the alley and hit him square on the nose.

April realized it was a hockey stick, it was thrown like a spear and he was hit with the butt of it. As it fell, April grabbed it right as the heel hit the ground. She swung up as hard as she could, hitting the guy in the face once more.

His gun clattered to the ground just as he fell on his butt, screaming in pain and reaching for his face. April stayed frozen, snapping her head to the alley as the masked man tripped one of the other men before tucking his knees in and springing back to his feet with the other hockey stick in hand.

He smacked the other man in the neck, making him double over and choke for breath. April once again winced in sympathy, but took a step back as the masked man ran for her. She put a hand up to stop him, or maybe brace herself, but he took this opportunity to grab her hand and pull her away.

They started running down the street and it took April a moment to find her voice again. Once she did, she asked, “Wha- where are we going? What was that?! Who are you?!”

“I don’t know, Purple Dragons, not important,” the man answered.

“Purple Dra- the gang?!” She was not excited to run into them again. This is the second time she has, man she just has the worst luck.

There was a loud blast behind them and a bullet flew between the two of them, catching the masked man's crazy hair. April screamed in fear before the man pulled her into another alleyway. He turned at another corner, only to stop. Dead end.

“Shit, shit, okay,” he stepped between her and the entrance.

April looked around for something to do, still holding tightly to the hockey stick. She froze when her eyes landed on a manhole cover.

“Help me!” she told him, running to it and trying to pry it open. It was much harder than she anticipated, the turtles make it look easier than it really is.

“What-” he tried to ask, looking at her from the exit of the alleyway. He groaned before dropping down in front of her.

He grabbed onto the cover and together they got it off in no time. April wrinkled her nose but jumped in without hesitation, grabbing onto the ladder before she fell far. She dropped a few more rungs to make room for the masked man.

He climbed in quickly before her and pulled the manhole cover back on. They quietly climbed down the ladder and reached the concrete landing. When they reached the bottom, April heard him gag at the smell. No matter how many times she was down here, she couldn’t get used to the smell. How the others did it is beyond her.

She still shushed him. Right above them, they could hear loud footsteps.

“Where’d they go!” one of them shouted. “Where’d they fuckin’ go?!”

“Shit, did they go to another alley?”

“Go! Find them! I’ll kill that Jones guy myself!”

There were some more footsteps before it was finally quiet. April let out a breath, relaxing her shoulders. She turned to Jones and gave him a mean glare. Even though the lighting was dim, she got a better look at him now that they weren’t running from their lives. He was taller than her, and had a strong build. There were a few cuts on his arms but they were already drying.

She whisper-yelled, “What the hell was that?!”

“What?” He looked down from the manhole cover.

She gestured up. “That! Why were you fighting Purple Dragons, are you crazy?”

“No I’m not- I didn’t mean for-” he sighed, turning away from her. “Are you alright?”

“I had a gun to my head, no I’m not alright!”

“Are you hurt?!”

April stopped for a moment, letting herself focus on her body. Her lungs and legs ached and her hands were shaking, but that was it. “No, I’m not hurt. Now are you gonna answer my questions? Or are you just gonna keep avoiding them?”

“I think I’ll do the latter.”

“Oh come on, I was held hostage because of you! I think I deserve some answers.”

“They’re Purple Dragons, I don’t think I need a reason to fight them.”

She stared at him with wide eyes before nodding. “Got it, you’re crazy.” She turned around and started looking for some familiar landmarks. “Can I at least get your name?”

“Can’t I get yours first, Miss reporter?” he snapped back.

“April O’neil. Now yours.”

He sighed once more, raising his head to look up as his shoulders dropped. “Casey Jones. So, are we gonna stay here and wait for them to leave the area? Cause that could take hours, and it stinks down here.”

“No.” April took out her phone and turned on the flash. “There should be another way out. I just don’t want to pop out somewhere unfamiliar. Luckily I’m uh, a bit familiar with the sewer system thanks to some friends.”

“What kind of friends hang out in New York sewers? Frogs?”

That made April chuckle a little. “No but you’re not too far off.”

Casey frowned from behind his mask but followed as April started to lead the way. They didn’t walk very far before he felt his hair rise on his neck. There was the sound of four splashes that made him twist his head before wrapping his hand around April’s phone, killing the light.

“Hey-” she tried to argue, but he grabbed her and pulled her close to the wall, shushing her.

“We’re not alone,” he warned.

April held her breath before looking around herself. She saw two shadows, but the harder she looked, the more familiar they were. She couldn’t help but snort in amusement. 

“What? What is it?” Casey asked.

She just pulled herself away. “Oh nothing.”

“Yeah, it’s nothing,” a new voice said from behind Casey.

He jumped and turned around, swinging the hockey stick. It clanked against wood. April turned the phone flashlight to reveal Donnie and Mikey standing behind them. Mikey was smiling, and Donnie was rolling his eyes.

“What the!” Casey shouted and stepped back. “Where the heck did you come from?”

“Hey April,” Donnie greeted, ignoring Casey. “What brings you around here?”

“Yeah, we were just about to come see you when we heard your voice,” another voice behind them spoke up. They turned around to see Leo and Raph, the shadows April saw earlier.

She frowned slightly when she saw Raph scowling, glaring at Casey.

“What’s he doing here,” Raph asked, pointing his sai at Casey. The masked man held his hockey stick tighter.

“It’s you! I know you,” he growled.

“Yeah, and I know you too.”

April went between the two. “That’s enough, we are not fighting down here. I don’t care what you do out of the sewers on your own time, but we’re not doing this right now.”

Leo, of course it would be Leo, was the first to sense something was off. “What’s going on?”

“We were being chased by Purple Dragons, we just barely got away in time,” April answered.

“Purple Dragons again?” Mikey asked. “What is with those guys?”

“I think they’ve gotten bigger,” Donnie said. “Their territory has expanded, but what about the other gangs? Are they stronger now?”

“Okay what the heck is going on?” Casey interrupted their conversation. “Who are these… kids?”

April tried to speak up, but Raph beat her. “We’re ninja, so if you so much as tell your mom about us, we’ll find you and keep you quiet.”

“Oh yeah, I’d like to see you try. If I recall, I won our last fight.”

“Yeah, as if running away is winning.”

“Stop it, both of you!” April told them. “I said no fighting, what part of no fighting do you not understand?! I can’t think with all this yelling. Now let’s just-”

She froze when they heard metal slide against metal. Light cast down from the manhole cover, and someone poked their head in. Once he saw them, he pulled his head up and they heard a shout. “I found ‘em! There’s more now!”

“Goddamn it!” Casey moved to the front. “You guys go, I’ll hold ‘em back!”

“Like hell I’m gonna run away from a fight!” Raph said, moving in front of him as the Purple Dragons started entering the sewers.

“Raph wait!” Leo shouted, pulling out his swords. Casey gave chase after Raph did, and Leo quickly followed.

More than three Purple Dragons entered, they must have gotten back up or their buddies woke back up. Maybe even both.

When April saw the skinny guy who held her at gunpoint, and she couldn’t help but feel satisfied to see he was covered in blood from a nosebleed. Whether she gave him that or Casey didn’t matter, though she told herself that she had a hand in it.

“You should stay back,” Donnie warned before he and Mikey went to join in on the fight. 

She did just that, she couldn’t help but feel useless. Not that there was much for her to do. Raph and Casey were fighting like demons, spearheading the fight. Leo seemed to realize they wanted to fight, so he and his brothers just played as back up. Not letting them sneak up on the two hotheads or go after April.

“Bet I can take down more than you,” Raph egged Casey on, a smile creeping up on his face as he took one of the men down.

“Please, it won’t even be a challenge, short stack,” Casey shot back, smacking someone with the flat part of the hockey stick’s toe.

“I told you earlier, we’re ninja.”

“Kid ninja frogs? Yeah, real frightening.”

Raph hit someone in the face with the butt of his sai. “We’re turtles!”

“And teenagers!” Mikey added as he moved low and hit the back of someone's knee with his nunchuck.

“Okay he might be a kid,” Raph admitted, hitting the guy Mikey knocked over in the back of the head. “He’s only thirteen.”

“Hey! I’m officially a teenager now!”

“Mikey!” Leo shouted, pushing him down before a loud blast echoed through the tunnel. “Pay attention to the fight!”

The man with the gun was the same skinny guy from before. Casey smacked the gun out of his hand, which clattered into the sewage. That seemed to be the only gun in the fight. Raph then tackled the guy to the ground. “That’s my brother!” he shouted before punching the guy.

As soon as he was out cold, Raph got back up and went back to back with Casey. There weren’t that many men left so Donnie and Mikey stood on the sidelines. Leo joined them as soon as he finished the last man he was fighting.

With only two men left, Casey and Raph were the only ones left fighting them. Casey swung his hockey stick up, hitting the guy in the chin. At the same time, Raph punched his dude in the stomach before bringing his fists down on his head as he doubled over.

They both turned to each other and shouted, “I got four!” at the same time.

Casey frowned, “How’d you get four? I don’t believe it!”

Raph crossed his arms. “Well I’m just that good.”

“Yeah right, I have a hard time believing a kid tied with me.”

“Well you better believe it!”

Leo rolled his eyes. “That’s enough, boys.”

Raph huffed and put his sai’s away. Casey put his sticks away before rolling his shoulder. “Oh well, guess you guys fought pretty good for a bunch of frogs.”

“Tur-tles,” Raph hissed. “But you did pretty good too for a meathead.”

“So what do we do with these guys?” He gestured to the knocked out dragons.

Leo stepped in, “We should leave them for the police. That way we get them off the street and no one has a vendetta against any of us.”

“Not that anyone would believe them about you guys,” April said. “How are you guys going to get them up out of the sewers?”

“Well… I don’t think we have to. We’ll just call the police and say we heard a fight coming from a storm drain in the alley.”

“Well, less work for us I suppose.” April turned to Casey, eyeing him under her phone’s flashlight. With better lighting, she spotted a familiar green emblem on his shirt, just barely hiding under his vest on the left side of his chest. It was in the shape of a shield with a book in it and it was surrounded by a leafy wreath. “You should be heading home, if you don’t keep your grades up, you might not be able to play in the upcoming hockey game.”

Casey sighed, “Yeah, I- Wait what? What are you talking about?”

“You go to Eastlaird University, don’t you? I just guessed you played for the hockey team. Do they let you wear your custom hockey mask? Or is that just for vigilante stuff?”

He covered the emblem with his vest when he noticed her eyes bounce to it. “I could be a graduate.”

“You seem too young for that. Besides, you already admitted it. Guess I’ll be going to the next hockey game, Jones.” She walked past him and grabbed onto the ladder, the turtles quickly following her. Mikey and Leo were giggling.

“Nothing gets past her,” Donnie mumbled under her breath.

“Try not to wear anything that reveals your identity anymore,” Leo advised. “If she can figure it out, someone else can.”

Casey waited for them to have climbed up enough before following. Out of all the things he was expecting tonight, this was definitely not one of them.

“If I’m gonna be seeing you guys, can I at least get your names?” he asked once they reached street level.

Raph reached out a hand to help pull him out of the manhole. “I’m Raphael. Big blue over there is Leo.”

“I’m Donnie.”

“And I’m Mikey!” he ran up to him. “I knew there were more humans that wouldn’t hate us! Told you, Raph!”

“The first thing he did when he met me was pick a fight,” Raph argued. “But I guess that was because of a misunderstanding. We can’t all be smart.”

“Yeah you’re not either,” Donnie told him.

“Well, I’m gonna go home and take a shower. Try to forget the smell of sewage. Guess I’ll be seeing you all, fighting Purple Dragons and all that.”

“Don’t be a stranger dude,” Raph told him. “And stay out of jail. That means don’t kill anyone.”

“Yeah yeah, no promises on jail though.”

“Alright, let’s head to my place,” April said, watching Casey leave. “But I’m not buying take out this time. Sometimes I think you guys take more of my money than my landlord does.”

[fandom-imagination-ss]

Imagine: Joel trying to plan out a Date for you and him

When Joel asked you out you were stunned! beyond stunned. the last conversation you had with him. was threatening to cut his balls off for being a stupid man.

Joel, Elle, and you traveled to check on Tommy. you were friends with Tommy. and were worried. you never really cared for Joel he was rude, Brass, and emotionally cut off.. he was burdened with Guilt of surviving , of Living after the world ended and his little girl. you Only knew about Sara because Tommy mentioned it. then after they started doing highly morally questionable things. to survive. Truthfully Tommy was your favorite Miller. especially after Joel agreed to human traffic a kid. you went with him. incase you had to Kill Joel and whoever was planning to use a kid.

things changed. once learning Ellie was immune, Joel started to open up and you could see the good man. that Tommy swore was behind all the grit and asshole behavior's. it was when Elle found a old Cassett tape making a joke about how Joel must of loved Hank williams growing up. you chuckled as he said trumpery that was before his time as Elle asked if your dad listened to him.

"yea.. those.. My grandpa use to love this guy. he saw him at a fair once. "

"Jesus how old are you?" Joel asked as you chuckled, "i was 17 when the world ended.. after i turned 18. i stopped counting."

'Jesus Christ." he mumbled as you chuckled as you spoke, "Sorry old man."

you weren't used to see Joel smile. you knew him for years. And before Elle you don't think you ever seen him smile. not even with Tess. they have a mutual bond a respectful love. you personally think they both were so fucked up that they found each other by the cosmo's and they used each other to survive. you missed Tess. she was a equally Hard ass but she was funny.

It was when you arrived at the compound where Tommy was living. and thriving you were at the movies with Maria when you got back to the house to hear Elle screaming at Joel. you got upstairs asking what was wrong as Elle said Joel was passing her off to Tommy to send her to the rest of the way. 'Joel rubbed his face as he spoke, "he will be better. he's younger and he knows the land... Y/N isn't going with you."

that is when you three all fought. It was after you calmed Elle down and she kicked you both out. that you started fighting with Joel again about you going with Elle. you weren't leaving Elle. Joel made the case.. shew as under he's protection. he's weird 'guardianship" and he said that you would just get Tommy killed.

which you cursed him off and stormed off and slept in the guest room. you culdn't even enjoy a real bed with clean lining and being clean because Stupid Joel ruined your mood. you didn't slepe at all. when you heard Joel get up and leave the house. you rolled over to your side. cursing at him. you knew he would probably physically hold you down So tommy could leave with Elle. you hated. he was Right. you couldn't go off without him. you relied on Joel to much. you were a decent Shoot. but you didn't have that gut reaction. when you had the truck and a kid came out of no where screaming for help. your first reaction was to help him. Joel realized it was a trap.. you would just Put Elle at Risk.

Getting up with Elle the first thing she said was you looked like Shit. "I feel it.. come on."

you walked her down to the stables to see Tommy was there as you turned Elle around looking at her as you Pulled out your lucky flashlight. "you stay safe.. okay you listen to Tommy. out of the two Millers. Tommy is funnier. he will love your puns." Elle smiled weakly as you whipped your cheeks quickly as she spoke, 'i'll be fine."

you nodded your head as Joel was there as he gave Elle a choice as she choose Joel. you said you would go with them. but Joel gripped your shoulders pushing you away from Tommy and Elle as he spoke, "I need you to stay here.'

"what why?"

"because Someone needs to be a aunt to Tommy's Kid and out of the two of us.. your better qualified to help out with the kid then I am."

"I never changed a diaper.. Look- I 'm not leaving you now! we can do this together." Joel sighed heavily as he said No. as he told Tommy to hold you back as he and Elle left you cursed out Joel calling him every name in the book.

then he was gone. they took longer than expected to return. you were sitting on a yard chair talking with Maria you couldn't figure out how a idiot like Tommy landed her. she was far to good for him. when you heard the door alarm beeping as they opened. you stood up to see the riding party return with Joel and Elle. you smiled brightly running over as they got into the compound as you pulled Elle into a hug hugging her tightly.

'WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN!" YOU cursed out hitting Joel's Leg as he got off the horse. he was stunned he was speechless seeing you as Elle spoke up for him. "Had a bit of trouble.. they didn't need me."

you hugged her tighter as you spoke, "God I don't care if they did or not i was scared to bits over you guys."

"they need a proper meal." Tommy ordered as you freed Elle as Joel was now off the horse you pulled him into a hug. he wrenched from the pain in his side. but when you tried to free him to ask what was wrong he just squeeze tighter.

It was after they got food in their bellies and got washed up. at your place. that Joel walked over as he spoke, "I want to take you out on a date."

you nodded your head as he smiled saying good as he said he would plan it. all as you said okay as you asked if you needed to find a new place to live. that took the smile off his face as you spoke, 'well- Tommy lives across the road, I'm assuming you and Elle are staying. I mean we haven't seen a nicer place then this in years.. So you aren't going back to the QZ right?"

he shook his head, "No, were staying.. why can't we just.. live together?"

you chuckled as you spoke, "okay.. just fair warning I'm planning on being the babies third favorite person." he chuckled saying impossible as you laughed as you spoke, "is..Is Elle alright how did that all turn out?" he shook he's head, "fine. it was fine.. we had a bit of trouble.. i'll tell you later." you agreed as you said you had to go for your shift in the kitchen he said okay. as you walked off.

Joel walked around finding Tommy as he asked for help. it's been years since he did anything like plan a date. he never planned a date with Tess. they just happened without having to court. they just found each other and clung onto each other he never did anything romantic. but you deserved that. he wanted to be romantic with you.

Tommy was stunned hearing about Joel asking you out. he remembered living in the QZ and you use to bug the Hell out of Joel because he would call you too "naive" and a danger to society with your kindness. but seeing how you reacted these few weeks. shielding your emotions and pushing away whenever Tommy mentioned Elle or Joel. he just couldn't think how this happened. Joel got a gazeeboo covered in white lights. as a few people helped out. dinner and drinks under the stars and a old classic flim "Sabrina" to watch on a projector that would shin onto a wall. that they put a white curtain out to watch.

Tommy spent the day helping his brother and watching the smile and sparkle in his eyes. he hasn't seen that side of joel in years. which only made him wonder what the hell happen during that trip.

it was after work you walked home to see Elle was reading a dairy. "you have a diary?" you asked as she spoke, 'No- it was whoever use to live here.. did you have one?" you chuckled softly, "yea. those my older sister was snoopy and would always read it. so I stopped." "you have a sister?"

you nodded your head softly, you haven't thought about your sister in years. to painful. your entire family was taken down in one swoop. brownies.. brownies. turned your entire family. into the infected. you got home from a school dance when they were all infected. you ran. "Long time ago. my entire family got infected the first night.. ugh.. I was at a school dance. with a awful Date... when it all happened."

"what did he do?"

hearing the door open you answred Elle. ingoring Joel, "Oh, he put the moves on me. tried feeling me up. and when I regretted him he went to my best friend."

"who's feeling you and Tommy up?" you smiled Hearing Joels tone he was playful, you chuckled, "Fucking Lance Lane."

"who's that?"

"my Prom Date." he chuckled as Elle spoke, 'you know that Y/N had a sister?"

Joel nodded his head, "and two brothers." I nodded my head, "good memory." Joel grinned pleased with himself as you smiled turning to Elle. "Proms were very lame.. and too much pressure its just a stupid dance. right Joel?"

"I don't know.. I liked mine. I went all the way with my date." Elle gasped grossing out as you rolled your eyes. "which didn't late long i bet." he chuckled at that as elle said what as you spoke up distracting her, "I Got to get washed up.. from work. Elle, Maria asked if you wanted to go to the movies tonight?" she nodded her head saying sure as Joel told Elle to have fun.

Once Elle was gone. you walked down freshly washed as Joel was always cleaned up as you smiled, "So what we doing?"

I thought dinner and drinks.. and maybe a movie? hope you don't have a curfew." you laughed as you spoke, "hopefully you can stay up late old man." he chuckled as you both walked off.

the Dinner and drinks were great it wasn't until the movie started that you noticed the northen lights. you grabbed Joels arm pointing them out. you were both under a blanket as you spent the time watching the lights move in the sky vs the movie.

It was once you both got home that Joel asked how the date was. you smiled brightly shaking your head, "annoyingly perfect.. i dont know how im going to ask you out now. and beat snuggling under the northern lights." he smiled brightly. "I get a second date? huh?" you smield as you nodded your head. "yea. what you say?"

I'll love to."

[thekimspoblog]

Preview

The second she was in his arms, the bond between father and daughter was magnetic. He inhaled the smell of her head deeply, practically waltzing around the small room with her. Jimmy kept chuckling to himself under his breath, until fat tears started to stream down his cheeks.

“Oh come on. That’s not very manly,” Kim teased.

He wiped his face with his sleeve, “If someone had asked me five years ago, I would have said my life was over. Even just two years ago. I never would have dreamed… Thank you, Kim. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had”. Speaking directly to the scrunched face of their precious, perfect angel he declared, “I’ll never be a coward again. When it comes to you, I’ll never take the easy way out. Promise”

It was probably good that at least one parent welcomed Iris with blubbering, overwhelmed love. “Can I have her back yet?” Kim sighed, reluctant to break up such a magical moment. But she’d barely gotten the chance to get a good look at their child yet. Knowing herself, Kim had read up on postpartum depression beforehand. She knew there wasn’t anything wrong with her, just because she didn’t gush with affection the second her baby was born. But postpartum wasn’t really what this feeling was either. She wasn’t depressed; if anything, she felt the same high as when she had gotten away with a crime. She could revel in the way her brain was currently stewing in oxytocin and other endorphins, but that didn’t prevent her from seeing things clearly.

Her love for this child was like fire and ice, at the same time too cold and much too intense. It wasn’t some ultimate act of grace giving birth to her. The loving thing to do would have been to never drag her kicking and screaming onto this mortal coil in the first place. To keep her sequestered safely in the realm of the hypothetical, where she could never commit any sins or suffer any hardships. But it was more important to set her free, she’d decided. There had been this thing inside Kim’s soul for at least half her life; it felt like a sharp rock. And as she had aged, it had just gotten bigger. She guessed she’d thought that once she passed it along to someone else, it would leave her. But it was still there; she could only suspect Iris had inherited it. She hoped she did. She’d need it… to cut through the miles of bullshit and bureaucracy which lay ahead.

Motherhood for her meant embracing paradox: She’d have to protect her, but still let her grasp for the proverbial brass ring. She’d have to plan for the future, and take pride in her, but not burden her with expectations. She’d have to instill in her daughter a strong moral compass, while teaching her when, why and how to break the rules. She’d have to be honest with harsh truths, but not scare her. She’d have to be selfless, but not a martyr. She and Jimmy would have to take turns, when it came to who was going to be the hardass and who got to be “the fun one”. Give her everything, but don't spoil her. It was enough to make a person's head spin. But at this point in her life, she was confident she was up to the challenge. She felt at home in paradox.

@richeeduvie @mcwexlerscigarette @2entangledworms @chainsawsangel @garfballed

[fanficg12023]

The future of the farm with Snowball

What would have happened if the animals protected Snowball and expelled Napoleon and his dogs from The Animal Farm? Snowball, a misunderstood hero or a masked villain, was expelled from the farm after a "revolution" made by Napoleon. What would have happened if Snowball, with the help of the animals, stayed on the farm and continued in power, making decisions and creating innovative ideas? Would the dream of working 3 days a week and having plenty of food be a reality?  

Tomás Bouza and Diego Lenzi

It would just be another normal Sunday at Animal Farm. The animals were gathered in the barn listening to the ideas for building the WindMill that Snowball wisely told the animals after long readings of Mr. Jones' books.

At this, there was a baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws. In a moment he was out of the door and they were after him. The barn was silent, only to hear Snowball's desperate screams for the animals to stop. At this moment, a low voice was heard from the back of the barn: 

- We have to help our leader, don't we, Napoleon? - And Napoleon didn't answer. He just kept watching the chase with a subtle smile. At this moment, the pigs, who were spending most of their time with Snowball, understood what was happening, and screamed:

- These are the puppies that Napoleon said he would educate - they said , pawing the ground with all their might - He sent the dogs to attack our leader, we have to help him. - At this moment the strongest animals, led by the horses, began to run towards the field where Snowball was trying to escape with all his energy to save his life from a painful death. The dogs tried to bark as loudly as possible so that the dogs indoctrinated by Napoleon would stop acting in the name of a terrible pig. Meanwhile, weaker animals like sheep screamed and chased Napoleon.

Boxer is impressive. As soon as he reached the dogs he soon knocked down 2 of them and managed to kick 2 more, leaving only 5. Snowball understood the actions of the animals, who risked their lives to save him and stopped running unusually, turning against the dogs and started running towards him. This action distracts Napoleon's "puppies" who do not realize that the horses catch up and knock them down. Now there were only 3 more dogs left standing. When they saw the situation in which their brothers and their leader found themselves, they began to run beyond the field. Napoleon, upon seeing that his coup attempt had failed and his dog subordinates were unable to resist the dozens of animals that surrounded him, began to run.

Snowball returns to the barn where everyone celebrates around him, screaming "Snowball the Animal Hero first class" mixed with Beasts of England.

- Comrades - said Snowball - I wanted to thank all those who joined me in this attempted revolt. Napoleon always wanted to delay our development and even though many of us were hurt, this event made us learn - he said with a leadership voice - I would like to nominate Boxer, the newest member of Animal Hero First Class, and in addition, I would like to announce that I have already decided where we will make our windmill. While running from those hellish dogs, I found a plain in the west of the territory of Animal Farm, this will be the perfect place for construction. I know it will be difficult, we all must work twice as hard and food until we finish will be scarce, since our objective will be construction and not harvesting, but in the end, everything will pay off. The next day they started the construction

1 year has passed... 

The farm changed a lot that year. Its name is no longer Animal Farm, but Snowball's farm. According to Squealer, the name change was made in honor of the pig who saved all animals from the tyranny of Mr Jones. The Windmill was ready, and this quick construction was possible, because all the animals on the farm, even the pigeons, worked hard, in fact not all of them, Snowball just organized everything and everyone so that the work flowed. The Sunday meetings were managed by Squealer, who brought the most important topics to be discussed, where everyone would have the opportunity to speak, but the final vote was only allowed to animals that knew how to write, that is, chickens, sheep and other animals were left out of decisions.

It is a fact that you, dear reader, must be wondering, would the dream of working only 3 days a week have come true?

It's not what it looks like. The animals continued to work hard, every day of the week, but at least, when they arrived at their rooms, they had electricity to have fun and play games, among other things. Snowball was present, but he always had something more important to do when everyone was working.

The following Saturday, before the day on which the 2 years of rebellion would be celebrated, there was a buzz on the farm that Snowball was using the energy to make his food in his pigsty, so Squealer went from group to group of animals explaining that Snowball did use energy, like all other animals, to light up his rooms. The animals, although they tried not to believe it, ended up agreeing with Squealer's wise words.

The next day, Snowball did not appear to make the great announcement of 2 years of freedom for the animals, in this case, the 2 years of the rebellion. All the animals were already gathered in the barn, and Snowball didn't appear, it was then that one of the pigs gave Boxer the idea to go and call him. Boxer went to the pigsty and started screaming:

- Comrade Snowball, where are you - said the horse, opening the gate. And there was the image, which Boxer would have preferred never seen, his leader, with the light on, eating his food, not just any food, it wasn't a simple ration, but rather, some cooked food. Boxer just watched the pig eating. After that he ignored everything Snowball was saying to trying to convince him not to tell the other animals, and left in silence, heading back to the barn.

From that moment on, nothing was the same, Boxer, Snowball's hardest worker and supporter, stopped working so hard, stopped always being happy, giving his all. Consequently, the farm began to lose its effectiveness and productivity. Boxer didn't tell anyone, but everyone quickly discovered that Snowball used energy for human-like actions. Even faster, all the pigs started using energy to cook and other stuff. At the same time, the other animals had no idea how to cook and how to use energy besides lighting their room. The farm, which until then was very united, ended up separating, and its members no longer worked as they used to. This was not the end of Snowball's farm, but the end of one of the most beautiful achievement it had, the union of animals.

[robotlearnstolove]

2023-08-29

Freyaline I

It took her several minutes after first waking to remember where she was.

All that time, she kept perfectly still under her thin blanket, lying square on her back. She felt neither warm nor cold but was very much afraid, her mind racing in a silent panic. It was awful. It was uncomfortable. She could tell that she was lying in some sort of tent but its yellowed canvas walls and everything else she could see around her looked so unfamiliar. Sick with worry, she closed her eyes and focused her attention further outward.

There was noise all around her and, to her surprise, she could even tell was some of the sounds meant. There were birds and trees nearby. There were other people and dogs around her. In every direction, she could hear the sound of talking, yelling, screaming, the sound of many simultaneous conversations. Closest to her was the sound of boots shuffling across hard-packed dirt. In the distance, she could hear a rhythmic, hard ringing noise that could only be the hammer strokes of a blacksmith. Taken all together, the cacophony of it all was, initially, overwhelming. However, the more individual sounds she managed to recognized, the more she began to relax.

Eventually, she felt ready to open her eyes. She saw the inside of the tent again and realized that it was her tent. She recognized the yellowed canvas walls, the simple brass candlesticks and the weathered leather backpack. These were her possessions. She lived here. She knew hadn’t always lived here but this was her home. She was in a tent in a camp outside of Biboton. The tent and the candles, the bag and the the few articles of clothing, they were hers. And they were all she had.

As her mind continued to right itself with the world around her, she realized that her mouth and throat were uncomfortably dry. She sat up and the top of her head brushed against the thin wooden ridge pole. As soon as she was no longer lying down and keeping herself still, she was reminded how small the space felt. She turned herself onto her stomach, kicking off the blanket in the process. Then she crawled forward on her elbows and began untying the front flaps of the tent.

[therecordchanger62279]

An excerpt from my unpublished novel.

I grabbed my empty cardboard box from the back seat, and walked into the office building – probably for the last time. The paper was moving its offices anyway, but I doubted I’d have occasion to ever visit the place again wherever it was located. I hadn’t appreciated seeing my notice of termination letter in an envelope slipped under my office door near the end of my work day yesterday. After twenty plus years, and a handful of awards, I thought I deserved something more dignified than a pink slip on my floor left by one of the higher-ups who conveniently vanished from the office immediately after rather than face me. Imagine my surprise, and anger when I turned the knob to get back in to clean out my desk, and found it locked.

“Benny!” I screamed. “Benny Davidson!”

“What?” came a voice from the opposite end of the floor.

“Why the hell is my office door locked?”

“Keep your shirt on, Joe. I’ve got the key. Just hang on a sec.”

I waited a few moments, and then saw him emerge from his office carrying the key.

“Why the hell was it locked? Everything in there is mine except for the furniture, and I could hardly have stolen it without security noticing.”

“Jesus, will you relax? Randall had me lock it yesterday after your tantrum. He saw the mess after he got back from the meeting with the brass, and was afraid somebody had ransacked it. When I told him you’d done it when you got the letter, he ordered me to lock it in case you came back, and decided to finish the job. I think he was afraid he’d come in today and find your desk and chair on the sidewalk.”

“Oh, please. I ought to be entitled to trash my own office on the day I get laid off.”

“Well, your temper isn’t –“

“Don’t start with me about my temper. I lose it about once a year. The other 364 days I’m about as passive as it gets.”

“Yeah, but they only remember the tantrums, not the rest of it.”

“Well, they won’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“Come on, Joe. You knew these layoffs were coming. Why the blowup?”

“I didn’t like the way it was done. I deserved better. Somebody – probably the guy that signs my checks – should’ve handed me the envelope and offered condolences or something. Twenty years should’ve won me that, at least.”

“Yeah, I know. You’re right. But we’re surrounded by cowards.”

“Ain’t that the truth. He could never even face me when he had to edit my pieces when you were on vacation.”

“Well, you didn’t like anybody editing you. Not even me.”

“I know. But at least you had the guts to make the changes to my face, and tell me why. My temper never seemed to scare you.”

“I knew you’d never hit me because you knew I could kick your ass.”

“In your dreams.”

“Besides, I never did much editing with you anyway.”

“You didn’t need to.”

“No, I didn’t. And I always appreciated that.”

“You wanna hang around and have a belt while I pack? I think there’s still a bottle in the bottom drawer.”

“Sure. What’ll we drink to?”

“Freedom. An end to overtime. And no more alarm clocks.”

“For you maybe.”

“Yeah, well, your turn is coming.”

“Don’t I know it. I’ll get us a couple of paper cups from the break room.”

© 2023

[rj-drive-in]

Love, Accursed Style Department:

Caveat Emptor. And Happy Valentine's Day.

BIG BRASS BED © 2023 by Rick Hutchins

“Come upstairs,” Miriam called down when she heard George come in the front door. “Wait till you see what I got.”

“Be right there,” he shouted back up. “Just give me a second with the groceries.” In the kitchen, he set down the bags on the center island and put the eggs and milk in the refrigerator, leaving the rest for later.

Heading upstairs, he found Miriam in the bedroom, primping the comforter on a gigantic antique brass bed.

“Didn’t see that coming,” he laughed, looking it over. “Where in the world did this thing come from?”

“I found it online at an estate sale in the Hollywood Hills,” she said. “Dirt cheap. It used to be used as a prop on some old TV show in the 60s.”

“Well, that’s cool,” George nodded as he circled the bed admiringly. “I’ll have to ask Uncle Stu about it. He was a kid in the 60s.”

“There’s also a story that goes with it.”

“What?”

“They say that it’s magic.”

“Wait a minute. You mean it’s like haunted or cursed or something?” Not that he believed in all that stuff.

“No, no, no,” she replied, fluffing the pillows. “Just the opposite. The agent said that it’s purported to provide any couple that gets into it with awesome supernatural sex like nothing else they’ve ever known.”

“Purported?”

“Precisely.”

“Presumably,” said George, “you want to give this urban legend a test.”

“Positively,” she replied, already half undressed.

Their clothes quickly hit the floor and they slid between the cool sheets under the comforter, on opposite sides of the big brass bed.

No sooner had they started making out than the light in the room began to turn pale and gray, and was quickly extinguished.

“What the hell–?”

The bedroom had disappeared. The big brass bed sat in the center of an infinitely black plain under a black sky, illuminated only by a red spotlight from nowhere. As the couple looked around wildly in a growing panic, fireworks bloomed distantly in the sky.

“Miriam, what the hell,” said George. “Is this some kind of prank?”

“No, no.” She shook her head. “I don’t know.”

At that, a burst of black smoke billowed at the foot of the bed and two beings stood there who had not been there before. Seven feet tall, male and female, their muscular bodies glistened a bloody shade of crimson and long black hair flowed from their bony skulls. Their nipples and their monstrous, writhing genitalia were pierced by intricate brass devices. Their smiles were not endearing.

“Oh, my god,” said George.

“What’s going on here?” Miriam screamed.

The two creatures stepped heavily around to the sides of the bed. The female grabbed George by the throat and lifted him bodily into the air; the male wrapped Miriam’s long hair around his hand and lifted her similarly aloft.

“We have answered the call!” the male bellowed.

“Ow!” screamed Miriam. “Stop it!”

“There’s been a mistake!” yelled George, his feet kicking in the air.

“No mistake,” said the male.

“Listen to me!” gasped Miriam. “We just wanted the awesome supernatural sex!”

“And you shall have it, mortal!” laughed the female. “Just... not with each other.”

[emidioschiavone]

Holiday Fright

This is it. Walk up the path on the opposite side. It's Goldfish Villa.expression at all. He always had a sullen face and didn't know who to show it to." Yu Guang smiled: "What do you care how many others do?"? How can you be so gossipy? Ego put his head together and said, "Sister-in-law, maybe this guy is just lovelorn. That's why he has such a virtue." "Go!" Weng Beibei kicked Igor on the shin: "Who is your sister-in-law?"? I would have divorced this bastard long ago! Ego's teeth flashed to one side, and out of the corner of his eye there was a wry,High Speed Nail Making Machine, helpless smile on his face. The mountain was so high that I couldn't see where the top of the mountain was. A gust of wind was blowing, and the pine trees on the roadside kept shaking and screaming. The sky on the horizon was a little dark. Weng Beibei looked at her watch. It turned out that the car had been on the road all day, and now it was close to night. Strangely, she had been in the car all day without eating anything, and no one felt hungry. Stepping on the cold stone slab, a chill gradually spread from the foot board, Igor can not help but shiver,Nail machine manufacturer, look at the side of Yu Guang and Weng Beibei is not much better, the body kept trembling. The people around him were not much better, especially the fat woman named Xue Wei, who kept breathing heavily and cursing the long mountain road loudly. Only Lao Liu walked in the front, holding a bright flashlight in his hand, encouraging everyone to move forward. Wang Xiaose and Wang Xiaomiao, the beautiful twin girls, jumped up and down behind Lao Liu, full of spirit. Finally, after climbing the long stairs, fourteen of them saw a hotel-like villa standing in front of them. It was dark, Coil nail machine ,Nail Making Machine manufacturers, and because of the dim moonlight, it was not clear what shape the villa was, but there seemed to be something on the outer wall that was swaying slowly with the breeze. Because she did not know what was swaying, Weng Beibei's heart was hairy, and her back seemed to be crawling with thousands of invisible insects. She couldn't help trembling all over, and a trace of cold sweat oozed from her forehead. Suddenly, in front of the lights, the villa inside and outside suddenly a bright lights. Only then did Weng Beibei discover that the villa was originally a Gothic building, and that there were several similar villas around it, but they were all hidden in the deep and unreachable night. The tiny things swaying with the wind on the outer wall turned out to be ivy covering the whole wall, and the dark green leaves were flying one by one, like spirits flying in the dark night. Weng Beibei couldn't help laughing, but suddenly a question came to her mind: "Eh?!"! Who turned on the light? We're all outside the villa! She looked up. The door of the villa creaked. The brass door slowly opened. A thin and short shadow stood under the arched door. A gloomy and old voice came slowly: "Welcome to Goldfish Villa.". ” Who is this man? Before Weng Beibei could ask, suddenly a faint white light flashed across the distant horizon, probably lightning? that, he bent over and left here with his crutches in his old age. I do not know why, looking at the figure of Wang Laosan gradually away, Weng Beibei's heart is like being pricked by a needle, very sad. Entering the door, Lin Feng's daughter Kou Kou, who was holding a dirty doll, rushed in first. The hall of the house was luxuriously decorated with white marble on the floor,wire nail machine manufacturers, pale yellow wall paint on the walls, and sometimes a few Western paintings in the style of the seventeenth century. There is a revolving wooden staircase on each side of the hall to the second floor. The second floor is the guest room, a long and narrow corridor on both sides of a standard suite. 3shardware.com

[twisted-wonderland-but-gayer]

How would 7 parents react to Yuu having a nightmare about something bad happening to them (them as in the parents)?

Great 7: Nightmares

I read so much wiki lore, please look at Evil queen's wiki and see how much wasted potential she had along with how down bad the animators were for her. I was listening to the musical of The Scarlet Pumpernickel and it gave inspiration for Qoh. A majority of these are from a mix of the live-action and animated movies along with video games, Starkid's Twisted (for scar and Ursula), and PattyCake.

Reader is GN however in QoH Part it is mentioned that some refer to you as "Madame/Lord/Liege" interchangeably and occasionally wears dresses as I believe gender norms are very different in the Hearts Kingdom given… Everything… other than that there's no description for Yuu. This is an AU where the Great 7 are in Yuu's head and are Yuu’s parents.

Jafar

You woke up in complete darkness, with no way at all to see what was in front of you. The strange floor you lay on was made of an uncomfortable metal that dug into you. The scent of damp brass hung heavy in the air, violating your nose. Just where the hell were you?

Attempting to sit up you felt your head press into a wall, not even an inch above where you rose from. Ow, okay perhaps it's just a low ceiling. A very low ceiling. Spreading your arms or legs, or rather attempting to, makes you realize you had no room to work with. No matter how many ways you push and bend your limbs, the walls refuse to budge. Arching your back made your ribs and stomach feel the damp, cool brass above you.

You started to panic in the pitch-black 'room' if you dared to even call it that. You kicked your legs as much as you could and struggled. The walls seemed to get lower and lower. You couldn't even turn your body or move your arms from your sides at some point. The metal walls made your labored and panicked breaths echo in the box you were in. The dark place so quiet you could only hear your own heartbeat and the deep breaths you took.

You couldn't move, you couldn't see. You couldn't even scream without it echoing back at you. The metal scent is all there was. Scent so strong you can practically taste it. The metal wall above your face was mildly damp from your breathing. You can't even see yourself. In that moment you knew you were trapped. You could never get out. You were all alone and stuck in here forever. It was only you and the mildly damp brass holding you down in place. 

Tears started to form as you realized your fate of either losing it or starving here in this brass prison. You let out a gut-wrenching scream that cuts off once you open your eyes. You can see. Looking around you realized you were in the rickety old bed at Ramshackle, Grim softly snoring right next to you.

You sat up in a cold sweat and slipped out of bed, making your way to the bathroom. Some cold water will cool you off. 'Child, what are you doing up?' You heard some of the seven speak. 'Oh, poor thing had a nightmare.' 'It's okay we're here.' 'Staying up too late is bad for you, get back to sleep' all their voices melded together to where you can barely tell who was who. One voice stood out amongst them.

'This may have been my fault.' Jafar? You scrubbed your face with cold water and took in a few breaths. 'I think some of my memories may have bled into your dreams, diamond.' "Memories?" You voice a whisper as you ground yourself. It was quiet for a moment? And you can feel Jafar stare solemnly in the distance. 'Of my defeat.'

"When you were sealed away…" your voice trailed off. Jafar, or rather Iago, mentioned that. Sealed way by a Djinn in an oil lamp. Was that it? Jafar, the illusion of him, glanced over at you. Sharing a mind with them was a blessing at times. 'Yes, that was it. That was the damned lamp I was sealed into' you hear him curse about a damned street rat for a moment before sighing. 

'I honestly thought I was going to go mad…' You frowned, recalling the feeling. Stuck in the world's smallest prison in the pitch black. Nothing but yourself unable to move an inch. For years. 'I'm sorry you had to see that, but thankfully, that reality is no more now. At least like this, I have a little freedom.' You smile a bit and nod. It never occurred to you just how awful Jafar's fate was. You took in another breath, "I'll free you all one day, I promise." 'That can wait until later, go back to bed.' You couldn't tell who that was actually, Jafar or maybe even Scar, annoyed from being awakened. You chuckle a bit then nodded. 

Jafar was no longer suffering. And you promise to find all of your family a happily ever after. One step at a time though, and it was time to go to sleep. At least now the feeling of Jafar brushing your hair out of your face as you drift off puts you at ease.

Mary Elizabeth Hearts (Queen of Hearts) 

Alice. Wonderland's resident troublemaker. Always sticking her nose into places it doesn't belong. Disrupting the delicately organized chaos that creates harmony in this world. That damned brat. This is all her fault.

Wonderland is a place of carefully constructed chaos that has its own set of rules. An outlander like her could never understand. What may be seen as mindless violence to one, is a necessary balance to the other. That is what your mother, Mary Elizabeth Hearts has taught you ever since you were a child. Her many wacky and mundane rules held up the very principles that the kingdom depends on. Every single rule has its purpose.

To many outside the kingdom Mary, the Queen of Hearts was a cruel and intimidating figure. To those in the kingdom, however, she was their idol, their upholder of laws. And to you, she was your beloved mother. What people failed to realize is how happy the kingdom was. With every beheading came a celebration and with every day came a new story. 

Your mother's rules were poetry, the foundation on which millions of citizens relied on, and you did your damned best to uphold those rules. You were the crown child of the queen. The lord everyone bowed to. The liege everyone sang tales of. The Madame that everyone longed for and adored. The guillotine that enforced your mother's orders, beheading all those who opposed her. The civilians would idolize your blade work, and the servants would immediately get you a new change of dress or suit whenever a drop of blood stained it.

Yet despite this all, people were happy, so why? Why must she have done this? You looked over the dilapidated kingdom. From when Alice fled and brought back an army. Little did she know what "freeing" your people would do. The disrupted balance of the land ruined the lives of millions all because of her– and your mother. How could she?

Donning your mother's tattered dress and crown, you retrieved her royal battleaxe, ready to show the world just who this Madame Guillotine was. Just what His Royal Executioner could do. You would restore your kingdom. Wiping the dirt and tears off your face, you charged into the battlefield. A feeling of a hot iron piercing through you is what startles you awake. 

"Little Crown? Rose? Are you alright?!" You felt the Queen shake you as much as she could as a ghost, her voice laced with concern. "Sweetheart, are you alright?" Your eyes shot wide as you looked over at her. Your shock faded as you hugged the ghost in front of you.

"You're here and you're alive… I had a dream where… Alice…" The Queen cringes at the mention of her. "There there, my little crown, I am with you. Alice isn't anywhere near us…" you hear your mother mutter under her breath. You focused on her embrace and gentle touches. You swear to her, what you'll bring her back. You will bring all of them back.

Maleficent 

"No! Wait! Stop! Don't hurt her! Please, that's my mother, don't hurt her!" You pleaded, voice hoarse from crying out."Don't do this! Please! She never hurt anyone! Please!" You struggled against the magic chains that the king's soldiers held you in, the reinforced iron jingling as you struggled against it. Tears rolled down your face at the sight of your mother. Bound very much like you. Wings now stumps from the cruel king that stood in front of her.

The large jet-black dragon let out a few pitiful shrieks as the iron chains burned against her skin. The sickening smell of smoke and burnt flesh was nauseating. Your own chains didn't allow you to move at all. It sapped you of all your strength and you struggled to even keep your eyes open, you couldn't even imagine what your mother felt. 

The sight of your mother's beautiful wings that she once embraced you with being torn off would forever be burned into your memory. The beating wings flapped and struggled, attempting to reunite and attach to their owner before more guards came and chained them up. The delicate scaley leather burned against the iron chains, filling the air with an awful smoke. "No!" You screamed out. "Mother! Mom!"

You dropped the formalities as you began to sob, locking on to the dragon's sad eyes through her bindings. The king— the bastard that attempted to slay your mother years ago and failed, had returned. After years of slandering her kind and fear-mongering did he raise enough troops to slay her. His hand held a fine iron blade, sharpened to the finest point there is. First, it was her wings. Now it was gonna be her head. And next, it might be you.

"MOM!!" You shrieked out, managing to pick up enough momentum to escape the grip of your captors and run to her. There was no way you would have made it. As quickly as his arm rose, it fell, and you heard the sickening screech of a dying dragon crying out. Her body began to wither and dematerialize as you stayed down on the dirt where you fell earlier. All you could do was watch the light in her eyes fade away. "Mom…"

You nearly woke up with an agonized shriek at the back of your throat. Sitting up quickly and panting, you held your head in your hands. That stupid king. That stupid fucking king. You'll never forgive him. the stories your mother told you of him. Making her fall in love only to burn off her wings. "Child? What are you doing up so late?" You heard her voice and you breathed a sigh of relief.

"I had a dream that that king came back and hurt you again…" Maleficent was quiet as she approached, her clawed hand gently wiping away a tear. "Him…" She look off into the distance and sighed at the memory. "You do not need to worry about him. I could destroy him in an instant and reclaim my wings." The fae spoke in a calm yet gentle matter-of-fact way that stabilized you.

"Plus you have the other six of us here, not counting the familiars at least" Hades spoke in his usual velvety voice. "Familiars?!" Iago screeched, "I'll have you know‐" "Silence." Jafar interrupted. "Now is not the time.

"Moms? Dads? Can you teach me some more fighting techniques tomorrow? I want to get stronger. For all of us." A carefully manicured hand brushed through your hair and you felt a large furry body press against you, either Scar or one of the hyenas. "Oh, you're so cute" "What a sweet child." The sea witch and the hearts queen coo at you. Maleficent sighs at everyone's interruptions. "Of course. We never intended to have your talents go to waste, to begin with." It was much easier to sleep after that.

Queen Grimhilde (Evil Queen)

A queen will never be as powerful as the king. She is simply there to look pretty and proper. Eye candy for the men at meetings. A pretty woman can't also be intelligent either. You are either pretty and dumb or smart but ugly. If she were both, she'd simply be too powerful and intimidating for men.

Grimhilde saw it all. If you show your personality, you will be attacked for your looks. If you look pretty, they attack your personality. Vanity is insanity unless it pleases the people around you. It's the very first thing you learn as a young girl. 

Fine then. She will play the part of the dumb obedient Queen for now. No one saw the death of her husband coming. The king poisoned and fed to the panthers. No one suspected it was her, or what came next. One of the kingdom's finest rulers that held the world in a heavy hand, with you at her side. 

It's funny. You remembered when you first met her. She never wanted children and was upfront with how much she disliked being stuck with you. Now here she was, appointing you as her second in command and her future successor. Strict, yet caring, she teaches you everything she knows and then some.

Daily sword fights, magic practice, potion-making, and even politics. You always looked your best. Everything should have been perfect. So why? Why did it end up like this?

'Remember young seedling, no matter how brilliant your ideas are, there are those who won't listen. To some, your appearance is everything to them.' You remember that conversation. How solemn she was. How much she was held back and harassed into always looking perfect, to be the fairest of them all, because that was the only one her kingdom would listen to. After all, surely everyone would listen to the fairest of them all?

Snow White should have been your sister. Now she is nothing more than a crack that tears you apart. Everyone in the kingdom adores her so much. You were happy for her at first. But now, the Queen is no longer the fairest of them all, and thus she is to be ignored and overthrown. The new prettiest girl ever will be the one to rule based on appearance alone.

She had no talents or experience in ruling. Hell, you wouldn't even mind if she ruled instead of you in the future, you could have guided her as any other sibling would do. It doesn't sit right with you. People are rioting in the street for the new queen, and the princess does nothing to stop it. She's naive and ignorant of everything around her. Now here was mother being locked up, her appearance now is the form of a hag as her punishment for no longer being the fairest of them all.

Why? Your mother was beautiful the way she was. She was intelligent and an idealist. She led the kingdom into a golden age and overthrew the old corrupt king. Shouldn't that count for something? Why is it that appearance only matters? Why? Why Why Why Why Why? 

You wake up a bit frustrated. The dream played in your head as you remembered what your mother told you of her palace life. To always look perfect. To have your value placed on nothing but looks. And now, she is known as the Evil Queen for wanting to be more than just a pretty face. 

"Momma Grimhilde…? Are you up…?" "What are you doing up? Vessel, you know that staying up is bad for you by now!" You huffed a bit and nodded in agreement. "Sorry I had a bit of a strange dream… it was about you…" 

The Queen was quiet, you swear you can feel the queen strutting in front of you in thought at your words. "Of the kingdom, you told me about. They were so unfair and-" "Hush now Vessel, I know very well how annoying it is... However! I cannot return and exact my revenge if you're too tired to train in the morning, can I?" Her voice had a hint of smugness within it, an oddly comforting tone to you.

"Go back to sleep dear, I'll be right beside you." The Queen started to hum a familiar tune. One that she would hum to you in your early childhood. Your mother was far from evil.

Scar (Starkid)

"The pride has never seen a more progressive king than me. Both lion and hyena live in perfect harmony. I brought an end to what has been a senseless age-old feud. I was prepared for everything except for what ensued. My brother ate my cubs- my precious cubs and stole my throne. Returned to segregation and the hateful ways we've known. Though I'd advocate for unity I always was denounced. So when I saw the opportunity to right the wrong? I pounced."

A song sung to you at your first meeting with Scar. The shadowy figure looming over you before returning into a puddle of blot, hiding in the darkness. A hero, whose acts were washed away by time. You remember the hyenas and Scar always bantering when you first met. Despite all the times they got on each other's, they never once made it about their races. 

It was inspiring to see someone believe so heavily in their ideals that they are willing to be punished for it. He would take any measure necessary to ensure them as well, even scheming. You hated that his pride saw him as a traitor for his interactions with the hyenas. The way he met his end annoyed you even more. 

The two fought over the overhang cliffs of rock you lay flat on. Your body, beaten and bruised from the ensuing fight. Limbs shaking; you manage to push yourself up against the hot rock below you. Your legs wobble as you stand up, watching the battle in front of you. Scar and Simba, fighting brutally claws, fangs and roars exchanged. 

Scar was older, no longer in his prime, yet he still fought hard. There should be no way Simba wins. There shouldn't have been. Lightning struck the edge of the rock Scar was on, making him tumble into the fire below. A painful roar sounded out from below, and you felt sick. The sound woke you up, making you pant for a moment.

You sat up, body sweating, and sat on the side of the bed. You hear a familiar displeased groan come from behind you as the bed shifts under the lion's weight. "Tch, you woke me up from my nap, Cub." Scar grumbles, but it lacks the edge he usually has. Glancing over at him with his tail batting irritably, you knew something wrong. You knew he wouldn't want to talk about it.

"I had a nightmare. I saw you fall into the fire…" Scar tensed at that and looked at you. "So that visier was right." "Huh?" "We've been together so long that some of my memories have bled into your dreams. What you saw is what happened…" the lion growled a bit towards the end. Annoyed with the idea of anyone poking into his memories.

"... I'm sorry." Scar huffed and stretched his back. "I still won in the end. Hyenas and lions live together. Oh, how I would love to see the faces of the pride right now…" Scar trailed off, though you can tell he was still a bit annoyed. Scar curled up and you used his body as a pillow, the same way you did back then as a kid.

"I guess it means I'm gonna have to find a way to bring you back faster. That way you can really get the last laugh." Scar let out an amused chuff. "That you do."

Ursula (Starkid)

"My brother held the antiquated notion that women should be seen and never heard. So he dethroned me then disowned me, and on top of that, rezoned me, to the outskirts of the kingdom in a cave. Took my scepter and my crown, though I tried to take him down, the truth and I now share a watery grave. The story lingers on, but the version that is drawn is twisted…"

You've started getting nightmares. Shared memories of the seven that live in your head manifesting within your dreams and haunting you. Ursula would often console your "poor soul" after experiencing it. She shared stories of the ocean and reminded you of all the fond memories you had under there as a kid. When she'd cast a spell on you and let you sink to the bottom to play with all the fish.

When you woke up in the ocean, you thought you were living out a happy memory. One where you would ride on Flotsam's and Jetsam's backs as you explored your new underwater playground. That was until you saw magic bolts fly into the water around you.

Ursula along with the eels engaged in some sort of battle. The eels slithered around the enemy mer, hoping to throw her off, however, a bolt of magic ricocheted off of her and onto the eels. Flotsam and Jetsam let out a final hiss as they disintegrated, burning away to ash. "MY BABIES!" Ursula shrieks. Raw anger flashes in her face in a way you've never seen before.

Her form stretches out, swallowing everything around her, yet it wasn't enough. A trident pierces through her body, leaving a hollow hole. Ursula lets out a choked gasp as she falls, succumbing to the tides. Dead. This was how she passed. You remember her telling you of the girl who dared to hurt her eels and how she swore vengeance upon her.

Waking up you don't feel as panicked, remembering what Jafar said. It was a bad memory that surfaced in your dream. But why were you crying? Was it perhaps the thought of watching three of your family members die in front of you? Tears roll down your face and you feel a large hand wipe them away. "What Is wrong, my little guppy?" Ursula purrs. Her voice immediately relaxes you. "Ah, a nightmare is it? I got just the thing!" She chuckles, usually you wer eused to her disregarding you, but as time went on she started to consider you one of her own. You feel a familiar pair of slimy eels wrap around you.

"I had a dream of that story you told me… where you fell." You paused, holding onto the eels tightly. "I was scared. I thought… the thought of you guys dying…" you trailed off and Ursula turns to look at you over her shoulder, small vial in hand.

"Hmph, that little mermaid. I will never forgive her for what she did to me and my babies! I won't go down that easily anytime soon..." Ursula frowned before turning around to face you. The eels snicker slightly. "Aww, you really do love us!" Jetsam starts. "How cute." Flotsam replies. Ursula chuckles and hands you the vial.

"Here you go. Drink up now. This potion will put you back to sleep and give you a much sweeter dream, little guppy." Her smooth hands glide over you once again as you press your head into her chest. "I'll be right here with you…"

Hades

The fun yet inappropriate uncle dad. He has always been there to tease and make fun of you, much like Ursula. Yet you loved him all the same

He admitted to enjoying your time stuck together quicker than the others, stating that this adventure was much more entertaining and fun than being stuck at his regular job which he complained much about. Ruler of the underworld and the dead was gloomy, boring. He was stuck all alone with nothing. No entertainment, no lights, no music. Just the screams of the damned swirling in that pit.

A pit he got stuck in. A pit he despised. One where he was stuck for eons, suffering, just to somehow get connected to you as a ghost. How odd...

Yet here he was in a dream, reliving the same painful memory he experienced all those years ago. Fighting the son of his enemy. Hercules. Just like the gods to send down a child to do their work for him. He knows well what his brothers think of him…

It was a good fight, great even. He was strong. Magic, fire, smoke, and total control over the domain. He has the upper hand. Yet why did it come crashing down? Why is it that anything he does isn't enough?

After all these years of planning. Years of scheming. Just for this. Failure. All he wanted was to be in Olympus with his family. To be included. Invited. And now some boy gets to ruin that just because he's his brother's son. 

He hated it. As he fell into the River Styx, you dived after him. Hades called out for you to stop, you don't want to– ah shit. You stopped breathing for a moment. The sensation of some sort of limbo. The feeling of your bones rotting within you and your soul withering away. You were drowning. You struggled and cried out to reach Hades, your father, from in front of you. Yet to no avail.

Waking up you took in a breath. You were alive. You can breathe. Your skin is on the bone. You were safe. The blue glow of Hades fire was right there, alive and well. He looked like he just woke up too. "Tch, whatcha doing away kiddo? It's late you know? Oh are we breaking rules, I love breaking rules yknow?" You chuckled, knowing your other dads and mom wouldn't like you up so late.

It was hard to feel scared with Hades. "Just some dumb dreams." "Oh yeah, kid?" Hades turned to you and leaned in. "Tell me about it." His voice seemed softer than usual.

"We were in the underworld and I had to watch you fight Hades." "Oh! Did I kick his ass?!" Hades asked, childishly excited, the smirk on his face drops when he sees your frown. "C'mon kid, don't tell meI lost!" You frowned. "I had a dream where you got hurt. And I was scared. I didn't know what to do without you."

Hades seems to shut up slightly at that. His teasing nature put on hold as he saw tears fall from your eyes. "Hey hey hey! Come on kid don't cry right now! I'm right here with ya! I'm not going anywhere!"

You would take full advantage of his softness right now, knowing damn well he was gonna tease you to death later.

[heavens-moonlight]

𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟤 | ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟦

𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝟐 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐎𝐔𝐀𝐃 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐜𝐨��𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐦 𝐈! 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫 ♡

By the time you and Cheong-San reach the top of the next flight of stairs, you’re met with another hindrance as the girls struggle to break open a padlocked classroom. 

“Can we go somewhere else? I can’t get it open!” I-Sak’s voice is loud, but it wavers, giving away just how panicked she is. 

“Where?!” That’s not up for discussion! We’re completely surrounded!” Dae-Su groans from exertion, solely blocking off one end of the hallway while the other half of the group mirrors him, forming a protective wall around the door. 

“Guys, we don’t have much time left. They can’t hold off the zombies for long and their strength will only deplete from here.” You squeeze by I-Sak, relieving her from futile attempts at miraculously getting the door to open. Out of options, you resort to kicking the padlock as hard as you can with the heel of your foot. Pain starts to shoot up your leg along with the vibrations from impact as you relentlessly attack the steel lock but you choose to ignore it. In your peripheral vision, you can see I-Sak eyeing you apprehensively, half scared for the approaching consequences, and half concerned for the possible aftermath of injuries. Regardless, anything is better than imminent death. 

“Try harder!” Na-Yeon screams beside you while doing nothing to help. 

“Can’t you see that’s what we’ve been doing?!” I-Sak shoves Na-Yeon away in anger. 

Swiftly, On-Jo is at your side with a fire hose, handing you the metal end where water spouts out and you convey a silent thanks for her quick thinking by your gaze alone. With renewed fervor, a remaining spark of hope, and a quick prayer to any divine being listening, you slam the brass nozzle with all your strength into the shackle, bypassing the locking mechanism as it breaks.

“Everybody in! NOW!” 

Na-Yeon pushes you to the side as you try to help the others in before you, intending to only save herself. Losing your balance, you slam into someone, but they hold you steady against their chest. 

“Are you okay?” Wu-Jin asks, turning his body quickly so that you’re closer to the classroom door, protected. 

“Yeah…thanks,” you say sincerely, but remove yourself from his hold as everyone jostles one another to get inside. 

The moment Dae-Su slams the door closed from the inside and slides down against the wall soon after, you finally take notice of how loudly your heart pounds in your ear. From the damaged windows, incessant snarls resonate, and suddenly a bloody hand clutches Dae-Su’s head. His loud and deep scream makes you jump as you whip your head his way, only to see Cheong-San climb a table and smack the hand away. Bless Joon-Yeong’s nerdy heart for trying to help, but his fire extinguisher breaks more windows than zombie heads, resulting in a swarm of arms sticking down blindly reaching for humans. 

“Let’s flip the desk sideways to keep the door blocked,” Cheong-San proposes, watching the monsters guardedly. “We can also stack the chairs around the class for better defense.” 

Everyone works in silence, lost in their own thoughts, but especially you. The last time you ran into a classroom thinking it to be a safe haven, everyone ended up running from hell. The last time you barricaded doors and windows, they ended up having to be taken down. The last time you were all together, Su-Hyeok was still by your side. 

“What do you mean you dropped the phone?” On-Jo mumbles something you can’t quite hear, and Na-Yeon grits her teeth irritably, their argument background noise to you. 

“Who cares about that right now when we have more urgent matters to take care of?” Gyeong-Su reproves, dragging a chair across the floor, metal scraping on wood. As it squeaks, so does Na-Yeon. 

“Who the fuck are you to butt in, huh?”

Gyeong-Su slams the chair down hard, the sound making the zombies outside growl louder. “What did you say?”

“It’s all because of you! If you had actually done what you were supposed to and held the door, Mr. Kang wouldn’t have intruded.” Na-Yeon scoffs. “One mistake from you, and all of us were on the verge of being dead.” 

Laughing without any humor, Gyeong-Su points a finger at Na-Yeon. “Well damn, maybe you should’ve held the door then, seeing as you only like to blame others. Have you even lifted a finger today? If you haven’t maybe you should consider trying to shut yourself up with it. Stop running your mouth.” 

“You’re a fucking annoying asshole.”

“Says the bitch.” Gyeong-Su shoves the chair he’s holding, hitting Na-Yeon in the ankle. 

“You—!” 

Before Na-Yeon can retaliate, Ji-Min snaps. “You both are childish! Fight all you want after we protect ourselves first. We don’t have much time yet you guys always make time to be at each other’s throats.”

“I didn’t want to have to be the one to say it, but I agree with Ji-Min,” Hyo-Ryung adds quietly and softly. “Come on, Gyeong-Su. It’s not worth it. Let’s just finish what we were doing.”

You’re aimlessly stacking chairs, almost mechanically, staring straight ahead. Beside you, Cheong-San opens and closes his mouth at a loss as to what to say. Too afraid to ask if you’re alright, he resorts to throwing glances your way occasionally, whispering quietly to On-Jo on his other side. You pay no mind to their conversation even as they elbow one another and nod in your direction. 

Nam-Ra comes up to you trying to gauge the situation, footsteps so airy and silent you almost miss her presence entirely, until she speaks only loud enough for you to hear. “Where’s Su-Hyeok?”

“I…don’t know.” Your voice comes out so soft-spoken, dejected, that it sounds odd even to your own ears. 

Nam-Ra reaches for your hand and stops you from continuing to form the barricade, squeezing lightly. “Will you be okay?” On second thought, that probably wasn’t what you wanted to hear, and so she rephrases. “Is there anything I can do?”

You turn to her, seeing her eyebrows scrunch together at the look on your face before your vision blurs, tears threatening to fall. Before Nam-Ra can say anything more, you throw your arms around her, and if she’s taken aback at the sudden embrace, she doesn’t show it, only hugging you tight as you sob into her shoulder. “I don’t know,” you repeat, hiccupping out the words that hang heavy on your tongue. I wish I did. 

She brings you over to two empty chairs and sits you down in one as she occupies the other, letting you rest your head on her shoulder as you cry until you can’t anymore. You ignore the alarmed looks from everyone in the room, and close your eyes, only registering just how much they hurt. Even so, it can’t compare to the ache in the hollows of your chest. 

Nam-Ra miraculously still has her earbuds, placing them in your ears, and even without music, you’re grateful for its symbolic nature. “It has always helped me block out sounds, voices, and worries. Maybe it’ll help you too. Just…imagine lyrics that relax you.”

Unlike the others, Nam-Ra is quiet, meaning that she doesn’t pry, question, or pity, and the companionable silence that surrounds the two of you offers a welcoming comfort. Everyone is scattered around the room, lost in their own thoughts and huddled in each corner as the intercom abruptly crackles to life, eliciting eerie wails down the length of the hallway as the zombies chase after the foreign sound. 

“Students and teachers of Hyosan High School, I’m Park Sun-Hwa, a faculty member.” 

Suddenly, English class feels like a lifetime ago, your favorite teacher’s voice that once was confident and steady now uncertain and shaky. Behind your closed eyelids, everything is dark, and you wonder if you’re dreaming, not daring to open your eyes in case Ms. Park’s voice fades and you’re left to chase after the dreadful idea that your group might be the only survivors left. 

“As I’m sure you’re all aware of by now, something strange is happening throughout the school, exacerbating exponentially and threatening our chances of survival. Students—,” Ms. Park pauses, rearticulating her choice of words, “—former students are attacking indiscriminately, and I can only offer the measly advice to find shelter somewhere, anywhere, that is safe. Your protection comes above all else, so please hide first and foremost, and if you should have the chance or the means, whether student or staff, please alert the police and fire department. Students, wait for help if you can’t escape, and if there’s a sliver of a chance that you can, take it and get as far away from here as possible.” Ms. Park gets choked up, and you can hear a few others in the room sniffling along with her. “Kiddos, are you all well? No one is hurt, right?” The switch from her formal announcement to an informal tone, her caring personality as a teacher that shines through makes your stomach lurch at the fact that there’s still one adult keeping the younger ones in their mind in a situation like this. “I hate to admit that I have no clue why this has befallen on us all, but I despise even more the fact that I can’t be of any help. Promise me you won’t put yourself in danger willingly, and that we’ll meet soon…alive.” 

The speakers cut off in a slew of static, and the classroom is thrown into reticence once again, growing colder by the second. 

You slowly lift your head from Nam-Ra’s shoulder and no longer feeling the weight, she turns to you, still looking as concerned as when she had approached you earlier. She pats the top of your hands placed in your lap reassuringly, and you flip it palm-side up, squeezing hers in confirmation that you would be alright. Walking over to the window overlooking the school grounds, you simply stare into the distance, your vision blurring as you focus on nothing, forcing yourself to zone out external stimuli. Soon, the seemingly hypnotized figures ambling around on the field below reconfigure into some semblance of normalcy when you find you can no longer make out distinct facial features. 

A soft pat on your shoulder makes you jump, and the hand retracts quickly. “Sorry,” I-Sak says quietly and apologetically. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.” You give her a small smile, and hope it doesn’t come across as forced as it feels because truly, you do enjoy your friends’ company, and it will always be a tether for you in bad times. She pokes your cheek lightly and teasingly, and this time, it draws out a genuine smile from you as you playfully swat her hand away. “I know you’ve probably heard it enough already, and if not, I’m sure it’s been running through your mind long enough as a form of assurance, but don’t worry too much. I’m sure with how athletic and fast Su-Hyeok is, he’ll be fine. I can guarantee you that.” As she finishes speaking, On-Jo walks over to flank I-Sak’s other side so that I-Sak’s sandwiched in between the two of you. She elbows both of you in the ribs jokingly. “You guys should stop moping around, you will get out of here, I can feel it.” 

“Don’t you mean ‘we’?” You turn to her, but she just looks down fleetingly before glancing back up again with her usual smile spread wide across her face, ignoring your question to segue into another matter entirely. 

“…And when you do, you’ll finally have boyfriends.” 

“What? “ You and On-Jo ask her simultaneously, peering at her like meerkats. 

I-Sak just giggles. “Gosh, you guys are oblivious. There are two guys over there in the corner pining, one for each of you, respectively.” 

On-Jo looks at you, and you look over at her wordlessly before you both jostle I-Sak’s shoulders from both ends, denying it vehemently, though that does nothing to deter her. 

“As for you,” she points a finger in your direction. “There’s another one that’s yet to come back.” Unfortunately for you, On-Jo takes that as an excuse to redirect half the attention on her back onto you, and you’re left gaping. 

“Traitor,” you narrow your eyes at On-Jo before the look on her face sends you into quiet laughter. 

“I…don’t think we have the time to be concerned with that,” On-Jo mumbles, staring back out through the window. “When did feelings ever fare well in life-or-death situations?” 

“I don’t care what happens out there,” I-Sak points down below. “As long as my best friends are safe…and happy.” Turning her hands up, you and On-Jo grab one each and hold onto it tight. 

For a second, everything is almost perfect. 

Almost. 

Fear grips your insides as On-Jo shakily whispers, “I-Sak…”

“…Your hands are cold,” you finish for her. “Tell us it’s not true…that you’re not…” An incoherent noise comes out of your mouth, replacing the words you can no longer form and neither wish to form. You slowly drag your eyes up I-Sak’s face as On-Jo hesitantly lifts their joined hands up to place against her cheek, eyes shifting and wavering at the temperature difference. When you finally see twin trails of blood cascading out of her nostrils, you painfully drag in air to your lungs, but your chest stutters at how quickly you’re forgetting to breathe. 

I-Sak turns her head back and forth between you and On-Jo, scared and in denial. “No…I wasn’t bit. I really mean it. On-Jo, Y/N,” she squeezes your hands still, not letting go. “Can’t you guys believe me?” You nod through your tears, though it’s too late to hide the truth as you hear shuffling behind you. 

“Did I hear correctly?” Na-Yeon walks over, before jumping back away once she sees I-Sak’s face. “You…you…were bit.” 

You swallow down the lump in your throat as it lodges, wedging further. Guiltily, you think back to the scuffle from earlier when you all tried to get into the classroom. How had you let yourself miss even one person when you were trying to keep the zombies at bay, away from biting ankles?

I-Sak drops both yours and On-Jo’s hands, leaving them to swing limply at your side, your fingertips still doused in ice and your heart freezing over in trepidation as she runs over to a small mirror atop a locker. Even as her own unfamiliar reflection stares back at her and she catches sight of her rapidly morphing features, I-Sak can’t accept it. But how can she, when you can’t either? “I wasn’t!”

Gyeong-Su cautiously approaches and lightly grabs I-Sak by the upper arms. “You’ll…be okay, right?”

“No! I’m not like them! Please tell me I’m not!” Her now-red eyes are rimmed with tears as she removes Gyeong-Su’s hands a little too harshly in her outburst. 

“Get her out! Remove her!” Na-Yeon screeches repeatedly, drawing more zombies to the broken window on the other side of the classroom. 

“I’m fine…I’m normal…right?” You and On-Jo are the only ones brave enough to hug her, possibly for the last time. Drawing her in closer with your eyes shut tight, you wish that you could answer her in the affirmative, but knowing better, you remain silent as she shakes in your arms. 

Cheong-San wrenches you and On-Jo away just as I-Sak drops forward onto her face in a heap on the floor and turns rapidly—much too quickly for you and On-Jo to register as the two of you stand stunned, unable to move forward any more. The crack of I-Sak’s bones sounds a lot like the breaking of a friendship meant to last a lifetime. 

“Just…do something…anything! HURRY! Throw her out the window for all I care! She’s turning into a zombie!” Na-Yeon stumbles back as far as she can, bumping into a table in her haste. 

Cheong-San holds I-Sak out of reach by reversing a lab chair, legs out so that they stick toward her. It’s effectual until On-Jo’s screams for her friend sends I-Sak lunging to the left. Before she can tackle the former to the ground, Cheong-San manages to bodycheck her, but with everyone being so close to the open window, I-Sak’s body tumbles down, and you find yours sinking to the ground in unison, drops of tears splattering as it hits the cold ground endlessly. 

You’re vaguely aware of Cheong-San desperately yelling at On-Jo to give up. “Have you lost your mind?! Let go!” When she doesn’t, he says softer, “On-Jo…you have to let go. That’s not I-Sak anymore. That’s no longer your friend.”

You bite down on your lip hard, almost enough to draw blood. Deep down, you know that Cheong-San is right, but the memories that flash through your mind refuse to let I-Sak go; the girl with the bright smile, the girl who lovingly teases everyone to death, and the girl who only wanted her best friends to be safe and happy. She’ll always be I-Sak to me, and she’ll forever remain as a friend. 

You turn your face away from the window as you can’t bear the sight of Cheong-San using Na-Yeon’s proffered chair to push I-Sak out of On-Jo’s barely-there hold. The thud of I-Sak’s body shouldn’t have been as deafening as it was, and the silence that ensues after shouldn’t have been as empty as it was. 

»»———————————————-————-————-———————-««

It isn’t until hours later after you and On-Jo are leaning on each other for support, backs against a wall and staring into empty air that Cheong-San speaks up. His voice echoes, almost unbearably so, in the room devoid of sound. 

“Let’s find a way to leave. We can’t last here much longer.” 

“Where should—would—we go? How would we even get there?” Wu-Jin asks skeptically. 

“What about the fire hose from earlier? I’m sure we could use it as a rope,” Cheong-San reasons. 

Gyeong-Su sighs exasperatedly. “Let’s…just wait it out. I know you mean well and we’re all also impatient, but this might send everyone to their doom faster. We don’t even have a plan.”

“I guess we start making one now.” Cheong-San doesn’t wait for agreement and you track his movements with your eyes as he heads towards the lab’s backroom, disappearing out of sight momentarily before reemerging with a mannequin hand. “Waiting might be one of our choices, but it doesn’t have to be the only one.” 

With that, he strides over to the sliding doors, inching it barely open, just enough to slide the mannequin hand through. You watch with apprehension as one zombie comes a little too close for comfort, though it luckily doesn’t notice Cheong-San where he’s flat on the floor, reaching with the length of an extra arm towards where you all ditched the hose outside the classroom. Luckily, with a final stretch, the hose is drawn into the room, the door promptly sliding shut once again. 

“Guys, I got the rope. Come help me knot it.”

“Knot it how?” Ji-Min stares at the long winding white hose, confused. 

“We can wrap it around our hand and then tie it off, but it has to be big enough for a hand or a foot to fit.”

“…For a foot?” If anything, Ji-Min is more lost than before. 

“I think he means to alternate the knots,” you speak up for the first time in a long time. 

Joon-Yeong nods in agreement. “She’s right. Zigzag them in 50-centimeter increments.” He quickly goes to work soon after, taking over for Gyeong-Su as well when it’s apparent that only him and Cheong-San know what to do. 

“Do you really think we can make it with just this? Will it be able to hold our weight?” Gyeong-Su eyes the rope anxiously, and you don’t blame him. Fire hoses are meant to hold water, not people. 

“We won’t know until we try,” Cheong-San deadpans. 

“What ever happened to safety first, idiot?”

“How about I climb down first to check for empty classrooms, and when the coast is clear, I’ll let you know so you can follow suit?” Cheong-San compromises. 

“Be careful.” Gyeong-Su eyes his friend warily, halfway already out of the window. 

A split second of hesitation as Cheong-San looks over at On-Jo still dazed next to you has him scrambling back inside. “Gyeong-Su, you go first.”

“What the hell, dude,” Gyeong-Su admonishes, slapping Cheong-San on the arm, hard. “I’m not a lady.”

“Rock, paper, scissors for who goes?”  

“Just go, one of you,” Wu-Jin says, pinching the bridge of his nose as the two boys in front of him keep throwing out the same sign. 

Rolling your eyes, you stand up and head over to the group, but not before throwing one last worried glance at On-Jo. “I’ll go.” 

“I mean…if you’re offering.” Gyeong-Su can barely hide his grin at the fact he doesn’t have to be the sacrificial lamb. 

You only get the toe of your shoe onto the window ledge before someone is grabbing you by the wrist. 

“Don’t go.” Wu-Jin is looking at you seriously, his eyes pleading as your face clouds over in confusion. 

“Someone has to,” you try to negotiate. 

“Anyone else but you.” 

“Why—"

“Move, move. This is hurting my pride. Just let me go.” Gyeong-Su slides past you, holding onto the rope tight as he descends before you can take his spot. You feel Wu-Jin’s hand loosen its hold on your wrist until it slackens all together and removes itself. 

“I can’t tell if he found someone or not,” Cheong-San voices out beside you. 

“GUYS, I FOUND MS. PARK!” Gyeong-Su screams up happily. “I’m going in. Head to the second-floor classroom!”

“My turn next!” Na-Yeon tries to squeeze her way through but Wu-Jin and Cheong-San hold her back. 

“No, it can only be one person at a time. You might fall if the rope shakes too much. It’s not sturdy enough to hold two people at once.” 

“Of course, I won’t shake it. Who do you take me for?”

Cheong-San sucks in a breath through his teeth, clearly annoyed. 

“How long do I have to keep waiting?” 

“Let’s just let her grapple down right now. She can test the rope for us.” Turning to Na-Yeon you raise your eyebrows at her, egging her on. “Won’t you do us the honors?” 

“I—" Na-Yeon splutters, suddenly nervous. 

“IT’S SAFE DOWN HERE!” You lean over and see Gyeong-Su disappear from sight through the open window he mentioned earlier. 

In the span of a few minutes, Na-Yeon, Dae-Su, Ji-Min, Hyo-Ryung, Joon-Yeong, Wu-Jin, and Nam-Ra have landed safely a few floors down. With nearly everyone gone, you and Cheong-San turn to On-Jo, encouraging her to go next. 

“Get it together, On-Jo.” He pulls her up from her sitting position but she still refuses to meet his eyes. “Who here hasn’t lost a friend? Think of all the people who have died—they were all important to someone too. Why are you—"

“I don’t want to lose anyone else. There aren’t many people left that I like.”

“There are people who like you, though. You still have your dad, Y/N, and—" Cheong-San trails off mid-sentence but you knew he was going to include himself, and maybe he should’ve, with that look in his eyes. “You mean the world to these people, so please…live for them.” He places the rope into On-Jo’s limp hand. “Come on, let’s go.” On-Jo looks over at you and you nod firmly, steering her toward the window. Slowly but surely, she climbs, and you breathe out a sigh of relief that she had listened. 

“Y/N, you next.” 

“No, you go.” 

“We don’t have time to argue over this.” Right as Cheong-San says it, you hear just how loud the zombies are slamming into the door, and you realize the crevice where the hose is wedged into the tiny open space against the wall isn’t going to hold out for much longer. 

“I-”

“I know you want to wait until the last minute in case Su-Hyeok magically shows up here, someway somehow, but can you prioritize yourself for once?”

“I’ll listen the day you stop putting On-Jo and I first before you.” 

Cheong-San smiles lightly but ushers you forward. “We’re both too stubborn for our own good.” 

“Fine, I’ll go. You…be careful, okay?” He nods and steadies you as you lean out the window. “I’ll see you down below.”

“Of course.” 

You step as fast as you can without losing balance and eventually are pulled into the classroom, where you’re reunited with the rest of the group. Before you can rejoice, the clinking sound of small bits of glass knocking together and breaking violently has you turning around to see multiple zombies free falling to the ground in a shower of minute shards. Your heart plummets as you realize Cheong-San is among the slew of bodies falling into oblivion. 

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟤 | ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 𝟦

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Ｔａｇｌｉｓｔ

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© 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐱’𝐬 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐛𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨, 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞, 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫-𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐭. 𝐀𝐥𝐬𝐨, 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞, 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞.

[witchthewriter]

𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝐶𝘩𝑎𝑝𝑡𝑒�� 𝐹𝑖𝑣𝑒.

Personalised story for @leniabranch  Pairing: Otto Hightower x Reader (Lenia) Word Count: 2.7k

The clash of swords rung throughout the battlefield. Screams of pain morphed together, the men forming a choir of death. The sun was harsh in the sky, heating the soldiers in their armour, singeing any bare flesh that came into contact. Crows cawed from the trees, like spectators at a tourney.

    A man with blood matted in his hair looked across the battlefield. A Targaryen breastplate laid at his feet. He kicked it, spat, and ran. He did not care that he was a deserter. The Targaryen’s didn’t stand a chance. Not with their armies, not with their dragons.

                                                           -✶-

   It felt as if the heat had never left your cheeks. Life had never felt more full. Your heart was a steady thump in your chest, reminding you of what truly mattered. Another sibling. Someone else to join the family. The thought brought a smile to your face, as you sat in silence at your vanity. This moment was the first in three days that you had a chance to yourself. House Branch had been celebrating nonstop; continuous music without pause and a bright smile on everyone’s faces.

  You promised Papa that you and Sanah would only be an hour. You both wanted to freshen up, but more importantly, to sit down. The basin of water had gone cold, but neither you, nor Sanah cared. The cold water felt wonderous against your warm skin. Even for a Summer’s day it was hot. Like the sun had decided that he too needed warming up.

  You sat down on your vanity’s chair. Even the brass backing was warm. But you didn’t care about that either, all you could think about was your aching feet. You had danced more than you thought.

Sanah slumped on your bed, laying in a starfish formation. Her light brown, nearly blonde hair, flung out in all directions. Her face was as red as a tomato, and yours wasn’t much better. Celebrating was a well-known, and cherished tradition in House Branch. And it was one that you were glad for.

   “Boy or girl?” You asked, turning around in your chair to face your sweaty sister.

“Huh? Oh, umm… boy. I think Darrick would appreciate not being the only boy. And not feel so responsible for the House’s legacy.”

  Although Darrick was a quiet young man, he and Sanah were always in some sort of tiff. If Sanah had been born a boy, she would have made a great heir. She kept her jealousy well hidden, but not enough that you couldn’t pick up on it.

  “Hmmm, good point,” you replied, turning around to face yourself in the mirror. Your brown hair hung in thick ringlets, and the braid was barely keeping it off of your face. You quickly pinned it back.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could see the castle grounds. Down below, you saw a familiar mess of dark-hair. Darrick hadn’t been at the celebration, but you realised that you hadn’t noticed until now.

   “Tell Papa I’ll be back soon, I’m –“

“Going to see Otto?” Sanah teased, wiggling her eyebrows and smirking. A bright red blush crept from your neck to your cheeks. So you weren’t so great at keeping secrets either?

  You rolled your eyes and threw your shoe at her lying form.

                                                        -✶-

Your footsteps were light and unheard. Barefoot and uncaring, you made your way over to your brother. Darrick’s head was in his hands, his back against the foot of the apple tree. The same apple tree that Otto had saved you under. A common place for destinies?

A thought popped into your head, was Darrick upset because of the news?

 “Darrick, what’s the matter?” Your voice drifted across the courtyard. The distant sound of drums could be heard from your position.

He looked up at you with bloodshot eyes. His notebook of drawings was crumpled in his lap. Pages were torn and balled up around him.

  “Oh, Darrick-“

         “Don’t,” he interrupted sharply. Darrick sniffed and tried to get rid of his running nose. All he did was smear boogers over his shirt’s arm. Seeing Darrick cry was uncommon. His emotions were usually in check, his head always levelled, and he never once cared about the opinions of others. So, it was completely out of character for him to be crying, and in public.

 “Please, tell me what’s the matter?” You cooed, the nurturing instinct showing itself.

“I’m the worst heir the world has ever seen. So bad that they had to make another son because they knew I’d fail!”  He brought his legs up and wrapped his arms around them.

   “No, no! That’s not it at all,” you crouched down next to him, placing a gentle arm around his shoulders. He didn’t move away, but he didn’t lean in either.

A moment went by. Then two. When Darrick didn’t answer, you continued on. “And you’re not the worst heir. There are a lot more horrible boys than you.” You tried to weasel in a joke but regretted it. Seeing his brown eyes so upset made your heart crack.

     “But to fulfil my duties, I need a …wife. And how am I ever going to do that?” The reason behind his mood suddenly seemed so obvious. A girl. You thought. His first crush, and first heartbreak.  

  You smiled kindly at him, and an idea popped into your head.

                                                         -✶-

Sanah followed behind you and Darrick, who was helpless in your grasp.

   “No, Lenia, what are you doing? Let go-” your brother struggled against you. His smooth artist hands were no match for your own strength.

 You stopped suddenly, and let your brother go. He stumbled for a moment, not expecting you to obey his command.

  “As you say, Milord,” you bowed slightly and hinted at Sanah to do the same. “But you need to trust me,” you whispered to your brother, a mischievous smile on your face.

You had stopped in the hallway before the large oak doors. The music from inside drifted throughout the castle, and now it seemed to make the stones vibrate.

Redness started to blotch its way onto your brother’s neck and face. But he nodded his answer.

   You smiled. Your usual toothy grin that promised goodwill and fun.

As if those inside were awaiting you and your siblings, the doors threw themselves open as soon as your hand started to push against them.

     “My children!” Your father boomed, his voice drowned by the flutes, drums, and guitars. The tune was different than earlier but no less lively. The energy in the room felt warm like something was quivering in the air, making everyone feel alive.

  “Papa,” you all responded and waited for him to kiss each of your heads’. His face was bright red, and a sheen of sweat made his face glisten.

You looked at Darrick, anticipating some sort of reaction. But all he said was, “congratulations.” The sadness in his eyes were still there, and a silent droop in his frame told you that it took a lot for him to say that.

  “Come,” you motioned to both of your siblings and when they hesitated, you grabbed onto their hands and pulled them onto the dance floor.

  The three of you glided across the dancefloor, getting into position. You looked over at the musicians, your cousins, who could play nearly any song in the six kingdoms. With a quick nod, the band stopped and played a song the three of you knew all too well.

   It didn’t take long for you to beckon Rhaenyra onto the dancefloor, her need for fun outweighed any nerves. She kept in time and hardly missed a beat. Her shoes were soon thrown off and kicked underneath a table.

 “I like your family,” Rhaenyra shouted in your ear. Her arms in high arcs above her head. Her cheeks were warming, and you smiled back at her.

    Soon, the gloom in your brother’s eyes had long disappeared. Darrick was laughing, as Rhaenyra spun him around the dancefloor. The heirs were barefoot, and you realised you had no idea where your own shoes had gone. Such matters would be rectified later, now it was time to celebrate.

                                                             -✶-

   Alicent’s tears seemed to be an unending sea. She felt alone. Undesired. Rotten. The babe in her belly wouldn’t stop moving, it’s tiny feet kicking at her stomach; rolling, and fidgeting. She laid on her side in the bedchambers. It was too difficult to walk anywhere, her bump so large it felt like she would tip over.

How do other women do this? She thought solemnly. Even though pregnancy was the most natural thing in the world, Alicent couldn’t stop thinking of how wrong it felt, for another thing to be moving inside her. Those that came before her had been able to do this without much trouble. But some women didn’t make it through the birth. She wouldn’t even be in this position if a woman hadn’t died in childbirth. Aemma. Viserys’ first wife, and the woman he truly loved, ripped from this world by an act of love.

  Alicent knew Viserys would never love her as much as he did Aemma and Rhaenyra. And yet, she couldn’t help the yearning from deep in her chest. The pull, like a hook that had been stuck between two rocks. Alicent couldn’t free herself from the desire to be loved. To be adored and cherished.

But did Alicent want a love like Viserys’? Who sacrificed his wife for an heir. Alicent could see the regret in his eyes, every single day. There were a few moments where the cloud of grief seemed to lift, but it didn’t go far.

 Is that what love is? Like a mind-altering fever with which even the most level-headed men could be changed?

  Tears welled in her eyes once again, and she let them flow down her cheeks.

                                                         -✶-

The music was infectious, so much so that a faint smile made its way to Otto’s lips. The Hand of the King was sitting beside the fire, the only light emitting in the chamber. The curtains hadn’t been drawn, and there were books scattered on Otto’s bed. His beard had not been trimmed since hearing the news about Lenia and Ormund.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Otto’s thoughts were pulled from their spiral and he only just registered the second knock before the doors opened. He knew immediately who it was.

   “Alicent, how’s the babe?” Without looking up, he brushed the creases from his tunic and stared into the fire. A moment went by until a voice spoke.

“Not Alicent, my lord,” a young squire did his best not to quiver in the Hand’s presence.

The open-door filtered in more light. The brightness seemed to expose Otto and the mess in his chambers. Embarrassment crawled up his skin.

But the embarrassment soon faded as Otto near-flung himself from the chair, his appearance and state of his room of little concern to him now. He knew this squire, and what it meant.

    “I thought the war was nearly won?” Otto’s voice sounded deeper than usual.

“It nearly was sire. But the Martell’s chose a side and we were outnumbered.” The young man clutched a letter in his pale blotched hand.

   Otto grunted, the only sign of panic. He took the letter and tore it open.

 𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑠,

𝐼 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤𝑒 𝘩𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝘩𝑎𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑓𝑒𝑤 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠. 𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑡𝘩𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝘩𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑑, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑑𝑜 𝑤𝘩𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑦 𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑑𝑜𝑚.

𝑄𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑛 𝑁𝑦𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑠 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙

 Otto clenched his fists. His mind siphoned through hundreds of different possibilities, but he came to one conclusion.

  “I know I speak out of turn, but I cannot help myself,” the young lad looked to the Hand of the King with hopeful eyes. “What does this mean?” He whispered the rest of the sentence with bated breath.

 Otto took a second to register the squire’s question. This was the only moment that he would allow such an insult.

            “The Dornish, they’re coming.”

[ninetailedfoxmanchi]

Mafia! BTS - A Rival Gang Kidnapped You

Warning: explicit violence!!!!, sexual assault, profanity, can be very triggering - I MEAN IT

Jin

"If you fucking hurt a hair on her!" shouted Jin so loudly that his voice echoed through the warehouse for seconds after he spoke. His fists balled around your kidnapper's collar as he slammed him into the brick wall. The man groaned but Jin was far from done. On the contrary, it was just the beginning. He slammed his massive fist at the kidnapper's face and he dropped to the ground, spitting out blood and even a broken tooth. Without giving him a moment's break, Jin kicked his abdomen with his pointed men's boot over and over again until the kidnapper was doubled over in pain and threw up blood.

"YOU FUCKING TOOK HER! HOW THE FUCK DARE YOU?!" roared Seokjin at the wallowing body before kicking him again, this time so forcefully that the man flew up and against the wall. His head hit the ground and he lost consciousness.

"Tie him up by his feet," instructed Jin and waved his hand madly at his men.

He turned to your limp body tied up against a chair. You had a cut on your brow where they hit you and made you pass out. Tape covered your mouth before Jin peeled it off and you could finally speak again.

"Jin," you breathed through the tears streaming down your cheeks. You were awfully pale and there were dark circles beneath your eyes.

"It's alright, princess, I got you, everything's alright" soothed Jin as he cut apart the zip ties on your wrists. You fell into his embrace, having no strength at all. You did not even know how long they had kept you here but it was a day or two at the least. He picked you up in his arms delicately but firmly as if he were to lose you all over again. Jin almost went mad without you by his side.

He carried you outside where his men waited for his orders. The unconscious body of your kidnapper already hung by his feet from the warehouse ceiling.

"Leave him there," he commanded, "I want him choke on his own fucking blood."

Goosepimples turned up on your arms at the sound of Jin's words, but you were too hurt to respond. What the man put you through in the past few days was too much to defend him. Your wrists were cut where the plastic zip ties dug in, your cheeks bruised, you hungry, thirsty and afraid never to see Jin again, never to see your family again.

Jin took you home and helped you take a bath. He washed your hair and body, touching you so very softly as if he were afraid to break you. He wrapped you in a soft warm towel and pulled your hair into a ponytail before carrying you to your bed.

"No, don't go," you begged as he tried to change his own clothes but your eyes filled with tears at the sight of him leaving.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm not going anywhere princess," he whispered and caressed your hair as he knelt down beside you. You cried silently, clutching onto his hand. He only took off his shirt before climbing into the bed beside you. You leaned your head against his chest as he pulled the covers over you.

"I... I-I thought I'd never s-see you again," you cried and hugged him tightly which was not much really because you were so weak.

"Shh, don't cry, princess, you're home," cooed Jin and kissed the top of your head. "You're here with me and no one will ever hurt you again, I promise you that," he swore. What he did to you kidnapper will surely make everyone think twice about even looking at you the wrong way.

Namjoon

Namjoon grabbed one of the stray wood boards from the floor and twirled it in his wrist before slamming it against the kidnapper's head as if it were a baseball ball. The man's cheekbone cracked as he hit the floor, screaming in pain but Namjoon's hits kept on falling. The plank broke against his body but your boyfriend did not need another, he continued beating on him with his own two fists reinforced with brass knuckles. The man was long dead and Namjoon's white shirt soaked and dripping with blood before he stopped his wrath.

His brass knuckles clinked against the dusty floor when he took them off. His glare scanned the warehouse while he attempted to control his heavy breathing. But when he saw one of his men help you stand up upon cutting you free, all of his efforts to calm down were in vain.

"Don't fucking touch her," he growled at him as he grabbed his collar and shoved him against the wall.

"Joon," you whispered weakly, placing your hand on his chest. Namjoon froze beneath your delicate touch. He could feel your body tremble against his and forgot about everything else.

Your boyfriend picked you up in his strong arms and carried you outside as quickly as he could. When you arrived home, he had a doctor look at your injuries. She was a kind lady in her fifties with a touch as gentle as a feather. She gave you an IV to keep you from dehydrating completely and urged you to eat something light, even though your stomach was in knots.

After she left, Namjoon helped you shower and dress into something comfortable. But instead of heading for the bed, you curled up on the sofa.

"Baby, you need to get some rest," said Namjoon softly as he knelt down in front of you and kissed your bandaged wrists. "Come to bed with me, my love."

"I can't sleep," you whispered and your eyes filled with tears, even though you did not know why. Namjoon nodded understandingly yet he was worried about you. So worried that he wouldn't be able to sleep himself.

You weren't sure why but watching a Disney movie made you forget about what happened at least a little bit. You stared at the screen absent-mindedly whilst Joon ran his fingers through your soft hair. Eventually, you did fall asleep and Namjoon carried you to bed but he still couldn't shut his eyes. Losing you for just two days, made him want to shoot himself - not being able to see you, to hold you and make sure you were safe. He never wanted to shut his eyes again in fear that he might lose a moment with you.

Even in the days to come, he watched over you with more care than ever. It took you weeks before you walked around your apartment comfortably and months before you dared to go outside on your own again. But Namjoon was patient. He brought you flowers whenever he could and took time off work just to be with you, just to make you felt safe. Whenever there was a sudden move or a loud bang, you jumped and broke down in tears. You did not even watch proper movies for a while, only animated films and read books. But eventually you were making your way to your old self, although you knew that person was long gone.

Yoongi

One of the men that kidnapped you grabbed your chin and made you look at him. He smelled of sweat and cigarettes and that was the only thing you could still make out. You were so tired, so exhausted that you could not even look properly anymore. It's been days since you had seen the comfort of your home, the security of Yoongi's arms. The thoughts made tears creep into your eyes again, although there was hardly any strength left in you.

You did not even notice when, but at some point, the awful man was yanked away from you. Your chin still hurt where he grabbed you in attempt to kiss you.

"Tie them up!" commanded Yoongi, surprising his men. They imagined he would shoot the kidnappers on the spot.

Yoongi cupped your cheeks, trying to get you to look at him but you were so far gone. Everything felt like a dream - his touch, the voices, the noise... Your boyfriend picked you up into his arms and carried you to his car where he placed your head gently against the car seat. You cuddled into the softness as you already fell asleep in Yoongi's embrace.

"You and you," pointed Yoongi at two of his men harshly. They responded immediately. "Watch over her. Anyone comes near her and I'll fucking kill you," he threatened with an expression so formidable that his men, ruthless killers, dared not look him in the eye.

Yoongi grabbed a gasoline bucket from his trunk and stormed back towards the warehouse. His men stood by the tied-up kidnappers. Their faces were beaten bloody but when their gazes fell upon the bucket in Yoongi's hands, a few of them screamed in horror. Wordlessly, Yoongi flicked off the lid and showered the men lined up in gasoline. It stung their wounds and their eyes but that was nothing compared to what was to come.

"Get out," he ordered to his men. All of them bowed and marched outside. The tip of Yoongi's tongue protruded against the inside of his cheek as he watched and listened the men beg for his mercy. Out of his pocket, he pulled a silver lighter. He flicked it open, observing the kidnappers' reactions. They screamed and squirmed like worms on the ground, trying to get away but they did not make it not even a foot. Yoongi dropped the lighter into one of their laps and watched the flames climb high. The corners of his lips curved upwards at the sight of the burning flesh and the sound of their agnostic cries. The flames reflected in his pitch black eyes as he smiled and left the screaming corpses behind him.

His men averted his eyes from him in fear as he made his way past them. Yoongi found you sound asleep on the passenger seat and sent his men away before taking you home.

You stirred awake when he scooped you in his arms and you wrapped your hands weakly around his neck.

"Shh," soothed Yoongi quietly as he carried you up the stairs but you could not fall back asleep no matter how tired you were. The sight of returning home made your heart break in gratitude. You began crying and Yoongi did not question you why. He knew.

As the two of you reached the bathroom, he ran hot water into the bath and sat you on the edge. Yoongi helped you strip, his touch ever so gentle. There was a laceration just beneath your eye which he cleaned gently. You could not help but lean your cheek against his warm palm when he touched you. Upon seeing you crave his touch so gratefully, a knife twisted in his heart.

"I'm sorry."

"I love you."

You both spoke at the same time. You opened your heavy eyes, barely hearing what he said. Yoongi was no less surprised than you.

"I love you too," he said quickly as if he were desperate to hear those words.

"It wasn't your fault," you whispered and caressed his cheek. His lips parted as stared at you.

"I should have protected you," he insisted regretfully.

"You did," you said, making Yoongi frown. "I'm here, aren't I?"

It did not only took you a long time to recover because Yoongi stayed with you at home for nearly a month before returning to his office. He kept watch over you at all times, working only from his study. You'd still wince when he appeared out of nowhere. Or whenever there was the smell of cigarettes lingering in the air, you couldn't help but break down. You'd wake up with terrible nightmares which resulted in panic attacks but Yoongi held you through every single one of them. It lasted a long time, yet eventually you made your way closer to the person that you used to be.

Hoseok

One of Hoseok's men that found you first cut the ties around your ankles and wrists, setting you free. You stumbled up immediately and ran into Hoseok's arms, nearly collapsing there. His face was sprinkled with blood as you looked up into his eyes.

All of the men that had participated in kidnapping you and keeping you captive were made to line up against the wall. There, your boyfriend took his gun and pressed it to each individual's forehead and pulled the trigger, savouring the delight of seeing blood trickle from their wounds. He did not let them die easily. He talked to them, he made up things so that they could buy his mercy but no matter what they did, how much they humiliated themselves; in the end he shot them and moved to another.

A river of blood ran down the main corridor where Hoseok carried you outside and you knew that was his doing. The pattern of blood on his shirt and handsome features left little to the imagination.

A deep laceration on your forehead made you dizzy. You needed to see a doctor. She was already waiting for you when Hoseok carried you home and sat you down gently on the sofa. You were nauseous because you had not had anything to eat in days and had to lean against a pillow while the doctor stitched your laceration. Hoseok kept a watchful eye over her, his nostrils flaring each time you whimpered or winced.

When the doctor left, Hoseok delicately kissed your forehead. "Good girl," he whispered. Your hand searched for his whilst your eyes were still closed, too heavy and tired to open them.

You ate some gentle soup, not wanting to upset your stomach with something larger. Immediately, you felt warmer and more awake, although you were still frail.

Hoseok ran a warm bath for you and helped you take off your clothes. He pulled his shirt over his head as you soaked in the water, nearly falling asleep in the same instant. Hoseok helped you wash away every trace of the god-forsaken experience. Each glance at your cuts and bruises made his jaw clench in fury but his touch remained as soft as a cloud.

You were leaning your head against the bathtub edge, staring up at Hoseok tiredly. Your muscles ached and your wounds burned where they came in contact with the water but you couldn't help but feel grateful that it was all over. You were home.

A few tears slipped down your cheeks as you caressed Hoseok's cheek with your wet hand. You washed the blood off his skin, noticing a look of immense concern in his brown eyes. You frowned and leaned in closer, and kissed Hoseok's lips. He barely responded at fist, but then he cupped your cheek and pulled you to him desperately.

"Will you ever forgive me, Y/N?" he asked quietly as he broke the kiss. Your eyes watered with even more tears that made you look away. Your chin quivered.

"There's nothing to forgive," you whispered and glanced down at the water. "I'm just... so happy and grateful... I thought..."

"What, baby?" asked Hoseok.

"I thought m-maybe... Maybe you wouldn't w-want to save me," your voice cracked, although it was barely a whisper. Hoseok's frown loosened as his face drained of colour.

"What are you talking about, Y/N? This should never have happened in the first place," said Hoseok, visibly upset. "I'd go through a sea of bodies to find you," he assured darkly that made you look him in the eye. You nodded but the tears kept falling from your eyes. Hoseok wrapped you into a soft towel and for a while, you simply sat in his arms, gluing your broken pieces with his touch.

Jimin

Your wrists and ankles were tied together, making it impossible for you to move or fight against your kidnappers. It had been the second day at the old abandoned building. You knew because it only had one matte window and you saw the light come and go. It was raining heavily that day because water trickled through the patched up roof and crackled against the glass of the window.

Three men were in the same room with you. Two of them waited by the door whilst one observed you as he paced around. You were sitting on the floor, atop of an old battered mattress that disgusted you almost as much as the men surrounding you.

"We still have no response from your pretty boyfriend," said the kidnapper who was pacing around you like an animal trailing its prey. "Afraid he might not show up?" he grinned a yellow smile. His breath stank of cigarettes and stale beer, although he did not seem drunk.

You glared and would have sworn at him if your mouth had not been covered with grey duct tape.

"Such pretty eyes," said the man and grabbed your chin as he made you look up at him. "Too bad they belong to a whore." He yanked your chin away as he let go of you when suddenly you could not detain yourself anymore. You snapped at him, mumbling obscenities at him, although you could barely move and none of your words were understandable.

He slapped your face and knocked you on your side before he got himself on top of you. You kicked and screamed to get him off but he was heavy and you were tied up. Angry and desperate tears trickled down your cheeks as you squirmed beneath him. His fat fingers tore your top.

"Boss, maybe you shouldn't..." interrupted one of the other kidnappers by the door.

"What?!" snapped who seemed to be the leader of them.

"If... if you rape her, doesn't that make her worthless?" he asked, clearly focused on the blackmail deal they were trying to make with Jimin.

"I don't give a fuck! He'll never know anyway!" snarled the man with yellow teeth and returned back to you. His eyes were bloodshot with lust and frustration. He squeezed your chest before tracing abominable kissed down you neck, pushing you to the very edge. You screamed and cried and finally managed to bend your leg and knee him, although not even close to as hard as you intended.

"You fucking slut!" he shouted at you and slapped you even harder. There was a terrible ringing in your ear and your vision went black for a moment, but there it was, a sound, somewhere far far away and yet coming closer - machineguns.

Your kidnappers all faced the door and time seemed to stop before speeding on in fast motion.

The door burst down from the hinges, two men wearing black blasting their machine guns at the two kidnappers by the entrance. They did not even get the chance to point their handguns at them before they were struck down.

The boss was paralyzed as he towered over you still, not comprehending what was going on. Jimin stormed in right behind the two of his men, holding an AK-47. His nostrils flared at the sight of you and the man that tried to assault you. His big almond eyes did not blink as he charged towards and slammed the hoof of his rifle at your kidnapper's face.

A sickening crack echoed through the room and the man stumbled onto his back like a humble dog. Blood poured down his chin and into his mouth. Jimin slammed the hoof at his face over and over again, a biblical type of fury coming over him. He knocked out most all of his teeth, making the man squirm in pain. He called for his mother the same way you thought of Jimin since they took you captive.

Your boyfriend raised the kidnapper up by his collar as the man's head bobbed powerlessly. He slammed him against the wall and wrapped his fingers around his throat. The man's bloodied face was beginning to turn purple. You wanted to say something to stop what was going on right in front of your eyes but not a sound made it past your lips, nevermind the tape over your mouth.

The world seemed to stop again as kidnapper's eyes rolled back and Jimin let him fall to the ground. He was dead. Jimin watched his corpse in delight whilst his upper lip curled with anger. If he could have killed him again, he would - over and over again.

When he turned around, his raging madness subsided at the sight of your teary eyes.

"Baby?" he asked softly as he cut you loose, quickly peeling off the duct tape as well before he caressed your cheek. You picked yourself up and threw your arms around him, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shh, shh, it's alright, I got you now, sweetheart," he whispered into your hair as he held you close. Jimin wrapped you in his jacket before he picked up your delicate frame. You did not know why but you could not stop yourself crying.

All of Jimin's men looked down respectfully when he carried you to his car, even though you wore his jacket.

He took you home and drew you a bath. He leaned his chin against the bathtub, watching you rest in the hot water. After the bath, Jimin combed your hair and helped you dress. You pulled on one of his warm sweaters that smelled just like him, yet although you were home, you could not stop shaking.

Jimin noticed it immediately but he knew that there was nothing he could do. You needed to feel safe and protected again.

He stayed at home with for more than a month, making sure you recovered, that you felt safe. You watched animated movies and he made you drink all sorts of healthy smoothies. And after a while, when you were ready, you told him everything that had happened to you in that old deserted building.

Taehyung

You shivered in the old warehouse, your arms and ankles tied with rough rope that burned deep into your flesh. You weren't sure how long it was but it was certainly more than a day.

When they took you off the street, there were three of them in the van, but now, it was only you and the boss left. He sat in his chair and ate his apple with a dangerously sharp knife. His legs were set apart leisurely and in an ungentlemanly manner. You were looking down, not trying to attract any attention but it did not help you at all.

"I do wonder what your pussy tastes like," he spoke suddenly, making your eyes widen as they snapped up to his. He observed the slice of apple in his hand before his glare pierced through your own. "It really must be something if it tempted someone like Taehyung," he wondered out loud as he got up from his chair. You winced and pulled your legs closer to you.

"Tell you what," he pointed his knife at you, "You show me your best and if I like it, I'll let you live even if your boyfriend doesn't sign the deal." The kidnapper spoke as if it were a no big deal. You felt sick to your stomach and more importantly, you were petrified. You visibly trembled but you couldn't stop yourself.

"Oh, come on," he whined as tears slipped down your cheeks. He caught one with the tip of his knife and tasted it. The abominable man smirked and you knew exactly what he was imagining.

You screamed through the duct tape across your mouth as the man pulled your entire body towards him as if you were nothing but a doll. More tears rushed down your face, soaking the damp floor beneath you. The man reached his palm between your thighs easily as you wore a dress when they took you. You tried to kick and squirm away, but it was hopeless.

Screaming at the top of your voice, the only thing louder was the bang with which the door burst open, nearly flying off the hinges. Taehyung and an army of his men stormed through. His eyes found you immediately. His brows scrunched into a formidable frown as his jaw clenched and his nostrils flared at the sight of what the man was doing.

He stormed towards you and pulled the kidnapper to his feet as you squirmed away as best as you could. Taehyung's face was nearly pressed against his while he kept his terrible glare on him. Your boyfriend shoved the man against the wall and with two quick but forceful kicks he did in both of kidnapper's knees. The man screamed at the top of his lungs as he clutched to his broken legs, clinging to the wall.

"What the fuck?!" he cried as his knees were turned in the opposite direction as they should have been. You looked away immediately, the sight making you sick. Taehyung nodded at one of his most trusted men who cut you free and helped you on your feet.

Tae kicked the kidnapper into his mouth with the bottom of his boot, dinting his face flat. Something glistened on the floor, catching you boyfriend's eye. He picked up the shinny knife that you kidnapper used to lick your tear off and twirled it in between his long fingers. Taehyung loved knives far more than he loved guns. Knives made pain real.

He sliced the man across his cheek and then the other, playing with the sharpness of the blade.

"I should cut off your fingers," he said quietly to the man as he knelt down and tapped his palm beneath his shiny black boot. The man was too weak to defend himself and there was no one who could help him.

"You are in luck, tho," said Tae as he pressed the blade against the skin of kidnapper's pinky finger. Blood dripped on the floor as he applied pressure and the man screamed. "I'll be quick because my love needs me," he nodded to himself, "But you do have to pay." And with those words he cut of the man's fingers one by one, first on his left hand then on his right.

You did not know what was going on inside because Taehyung's people took you outside. You could still hear the screams though as you sat in the car, wrapped in a blanket. You wished you could feel sympathy for him but you didn't. You trembled as you clutched to the water bottle, unable to forget the hands that touched you.

When he was done with the kidnapper, when every last drop of life drained off him, Tae dropped the knife at his feet and washed his hands in an old cracked sink. He found you curled up in the passenger seat, shaking like a leaf on water. He tried to caress you cheek but you winced away with a small whimper.

You looked at him with big wide eyes but he wasn't upset, not with you. He understood.

Taking you home, Tae let you take a bath on your own, although he wanted to help you. He understood that too and sat in front of the bathroom door until you came out on your own. You didn't even have the courage to look him in the eye, fearing that the slightest glance, even at your own boyfriend, would break you.

You climbed into the bed and hugged one of the pillows as you cried, so grateful to be at home but in pain because of the memories that stayed with you. For as much as you tried, you did not feel safe. Not even with Taehyung by your side, not even with a whole nation's army in front of your door if that were a possibility.

But Tae was patient. More patient than you knew him to be. He did not touch you, not even platonically unless you came to him first. It took you months to be able to get intimate with your boyfriend again. Yet Tae waited. He did not even mention it, not unless you made the first step. That let him know that you were ready, ready to even just hold hands or curl to his chest when you were sleeping. Often you would wake up with nightmares and you would not want his touch to sooth you. So, he'd stay with you silently instead, slowly helping you heal step by step.

Jungkook

Jungkook wrapped you gently into the blanket before he scooped you from his car and carried you upstairs to your bedroom. You clutched to his chest, every muscle in your body sore from being tied up for nearly three days.

A rival gang kidnapped you off the street and blackmailed Jungkook in accepting their ridiculous business proposal with which they would become in charge his business and territory. Although Jungkook would go to any lengths to get you back, Yoongi managed to gather some information off the street about your whereabouts. When your boyfriend learned of your location, he dropped everything and gathered his men. Three men kept you in an abandoned building, tied up to a chair. They'd slap you if you even said a word and allowed you to get up only to use the toiled which was nothing more but a plain old bucket. Your cheek was stung from hits and you were drained of all energy. You hadn't had anything to eat, only a few sips of water kept you going.

When Jungkook and his men burst down the door, you were on the edge of unconsciousness. Your head rested on your chest when a someone cut the zip ties that cut deep into your bloodied wrists. You were about to fall face front but a familiar pair of arms caught you against his chest. You recognized the perfume immediately, followed by Jungkook's homey voice. He called your name repeatedly and tried to make you look him in the eye but you were just so exhausted. You could see but everything felt like a dream. Your kidnappers were lying on the ground, their faces unrecognizable because countless bullets pierced through them. They reminded you of practice targets. A tommy gun rested on Jungkook's shoulder as he picked you up into his arms, whispering reassuring things to you but his words simply echoed through your head.

When he laid you in bed, your chest clutched together before a terrible sob escaped your lips. Your small hand balled into a fist around the sheets. You thought you were never going to spend another day at home, that you were never going to see Jungkook or your family anymore. Simply lying in your bed made you realize you were safe.

"Baby, please talk to me," begged your boyfriend as you sobbed and he caressed your hair. "Y/N, tell me what's wrong, tell me how to help you." But you couldn't say a single word. You were so tired, so tired and relieved and grateful to be home. Jungkook's gentle touch eased you to sleep.

When you woke up many hours later, an IV was attached to your arm. Jungkook was talking to a doctor across the room, his arms crossed over his chest. He nodded at the woman in her fifties, gesturing his hand to show her the way out when suddenly he noticed you woke up.

"It's alright, I'll show myself out," said the doctor kindly and smiled before she left. Jungkook rushed to your side and knelt by your bed. Before he could even say a word, you broke out in sobs once again.

"Baby, what is it?" hurried your boyfriend and scooped you in his arms. You wrapped your delicate hands tightly around his shoulders and held on for dear life.

"I... I-I just t-thought I'd never s-see you again," you sobbed. Jungkook wanted to say 'Me too' but he kept his thought to himself. Instead, he kissed your forehead and held you closer than ever before. For the first time since he could remember, since he was a child of five or six years old, he felt tears creep into his eyes.

"Baby, I'm so sorry I didn't protect you. I'll never leave you out of my sight again, I fucking swear it, Y/N," he vowed and held you close.

[the-pinstriped-hood]

Midnight Shenanigans

This Fic includes @rottent33th's OC Ellie, @slaasherslut's OC Ava and my OC Percy

All other characters are Canon to House of Wax 2005

TW: drunken shenanigans, boyfriend chasing, mentions of sex and alcohol

The door opened to find the girl cheering as they entered Percy's house.

This was the first big get together the girls have had to get to know each other in between the Tourist murder.

The usually clean living room was filled with a blanket fort, fluffy pristine pillows, wine, alcoholic Hot chocolate warming in a crockpot and tons of sweets and snacks with the first episode of the Golden girls all quued up on her TV.

"Percy, way to roll out the red carpet honey!" Ava laughed, setting her backpack down by the door.

"You really set all of this up yourself?" Ellie asked, removing her shoes.

"Nah, I bribed Bo with dinner for helping me before kicking him out. This is a hen's only party."

The door shut behind them. "Feel free to set your bags in my room which is two doors on your right and the bathroom is right across if you need it. I'll be in the kitchen."

Ava and Ellie were left alone as their hostess left their side to go tend to last minute food options.

The house was quite large, lavish bed and furniture is looked vintage. Four poster bed with a canopy, older wooden furniture with polished brass finish and an old Gramophone in the corner.

"is it just me or is Percy secretly rich?" Ava peeked inside the bathroom. Polished tile floor with a beautiful clawfoot bathtub, smelling like lavender. Everything in this house was very old looking.

"Well, I mean she is a writer, Ava....it makes sense..."

The girls returned to Percy where she was enjoying a glass of wine with her cat, Macavity.

"Welcome back girls, enjoy your self guided tour?" Percy smiled, sipping her wine as the ginger feline wound his way between the girls legs.

"Aww, hi kitty!" Ellie bent down. "You're a cutie, just like Salem!"

"Sorry about snooping, Perc. Couldn't help it." The guitarist sat down.

Percy shrugged. "Couldn't be helped. Curiosity is what drives us humans after all..are we ready to begin?"

Ava poured herself a mug of the hot cocoa and the trio settled in for their marathon.

-------------------- 2 hours later ----------------

Percy was nursing her second glass of wine between peppermint bon bons when there came a noise from her bedroom. She checked over to the girls and saw Ellie was asleep on the couch with Macavity and Ava shared a soft look with Percy.

"Go take a look at what that was, I'll be right back..."

Ava quietly crept down the tiled hall down to the master bedroom and peeked in cracking the door open slightly.

A hunched figure was rummaging through Percy's drawers. The light was off so Ava couldn't see.

Ava almost screamed as Percy covered her mouth. "Stay here."

There was a glint of silver in the Novelist's hand as she slammed the door open and turned on the light. "Hold it right there!" Percy announced loudly.

The figure was now more clear. His usual t bird cap and mechanics jumper was all too familiar. "Beauregard Sawyer Sinclair, drop what you have in your hands, put your hands up and turn around."

Bo chuckled. "Damn...."

There was no mistaking that crooked southern smile. "Hi angel...." A pair of Percy's silk panties dropped to the floor.

"A panty raid? Really, Bo?" Percy asked tone less than surprised to see her paramour rummaging around her drawers and setting her letter opener down on the table beside her.

Bo dropped his hands into his pockets. "Couldn't help it...it was just such an enticing idea..."

"One you conjured up in that depraved mind I take it?"

"Maybe?"

"Why do I get the sense you-"

Ellie screamed alerted the girls.

"Looks like that's my cue to leave darlin, see you later my angel~" he winked, grabbing the stolen loot and dove back out the window as the girls ran towards the scream to find Vincent and Lester hightailing behind the Eldest Sinclair with their respective girlfriends stolen loot.

"Motherfuckers!!" Percy hissed, pulling the door open and dead sprinting after them.

Tag: @cries-in-latino @allthingsblood

[alcinadimitrescuwu]

Homecoming (An Alcina x Reader Fanfic)

You can’t help but smile to yourself as you cross the drawbridge to Castle Dimitrescu, your heels clicking on the centuries old wood. You have just come back from a 5 day long business trip on behalf of the Sanguis Virginis wine company. This had been the first time in two years that you had left Romania to go abroad for any reason. As you raise the brass knocker on the door, you almost sigh in relief. The business trip was successful, but now all you wanted was to curl up next to your wife, kick off your Louboutin heels and rest.

Suddenly the door opens and you only see a flash of red before someone grabs your arm and pulls you inside. Your daughter Daniela has seen to it that she’s the first to greet you.

“Maman! I’m so glad you’re back!” Daniela chirps giving you a big hug. “Of course, I was the one who missed you the most!”

“I’m sure you were, dearest,” you manage to choke out. Daniela may not be as strong as her mother but she was still hugging you so tightly it was cutting off your circulation.

“No, she wasn’t!” You look and see that Cassandra and Bela, your other daughters have materialized from their bug shrouds. Cassandra crosses her arms. “And quit hogging Maman! I want to hug her too!”

Daniela lets go begrudgingly and you finally feel air come back into your lungs as Cassandra gives you a much lighter hug.

“Girls, let’s not bother Maman,” Bela says, ever the older sister. “She’s had a long flight and is probably tired.” She smiles and gives you a quick peck on the cheek. “Welcome back, Maman.”

“Draga mea?” you hear an elegant mature voice call. “Is that you?”

Your breath catches in your throat as you see your wife Alcina descending the stairs. The hardest part about this trip was being away from her. You make sure to drink in her full figure, her aureate eyes, her carmine lips freshly painted, her laugh lines that grow more indented as she smiles at you. She gently tilts your head up and gives you a chaste kiss. “Welcome home, iubirea mea.”

“Good to be back, darling,” you say as you take her hand and kiss the back of it. You quietly excuse yourself so you can go to the bathroom and touch up your face.

As you reapply your lipstick you smile as you think back to a couple nights ago when Alcina called your hotel room. You were just pulling down the sheets to get into bed when the phone rang. You picked it up on the second ring. “Hello?”

“Dearest?” Alcina’s voice hitches on the other line.

“Alcina?” You immediately shifted over into panic mode. It was four o’clock in the morning in Romania. Alcina normally wouldn’t call so late. “Darling, is everything all right? Are you and the girls ok?”

Alcina chuckles. “No, my love, everyone here is fine. It’s just…” There was a long pause before Alcina admitted, “I miss you.”

You found your heart welling up with love for Alcina. She was a proud woman by nature and hated admitting any sort of weakness. “Don’t worry, darling. It’ll just be two more days and I’ll be home soon.”

“Not soon enough,” she growled. “It seems like an eternity.” She suddenly lowered her voice to a husky whisper. “This bed has been so empty without you in it.”

Your cheeks were suddenly burning. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to make up for lost time when I get back, then, won’t we?”

“Indubitably,” Alcina purred. “Tell me, iubito, what are you wearing right now?”

“OH MY GOD!! Mother, are you seriously trying to have phone sex with Maman??” You heard Cassandra yell followed by peals of laughter and Alcina letting loose a string of curses in Romanian. After she successfully shooed the girls out of her bedroom, Alcina pleaded, “Just come home to me soon, darling. Please.”

You laughed. “I will. Te iubesc, Alcina.”

“Te iubesc, draga mea.”

As soon as you step out of the bathroom while you are closing the door behind you, strong arms grab you from behind and push you up against the wall. You look up and see Alcina and you feel your cheeks getting hot at her expression. There is naked longing in her eyes. “Five days,” she rasps. “Never in all my years of living has a week seemed so long.” She moves the collar of your blouse back so she can kiss your neck. You sigh and wrap your legs around her waist.

“If our daughters had not been in the foyer when you arrived,” she says, her lips grazing your collarbone. “I would have made love to you right there and then.”

“Do it,” you whisper. “Take me here. Take me now. There’s no one watching.”

Alcina stops nuzzling your neck and kisses you hard. She weaves her hands through your hair, knocking it out of its carefully crafted bun. You hear pins falling to the floor and Alcina kicks them aside. You lean your head back against the wall as Alcina deepens the kiss, opening your mouth with her tongue. You bite down gently on her lower lip and she moans with desire.

Her hand follows the line of the seam on your stockinged leg to your garter clasp. You remove the glove from her hand with your teeth. “Good girl,” she purrs, giving you a seductive smirk as she sets to work on removing the clasp.

“MY EYES!” you hear Bela scream. It is then followed by sarcastic clapping and wolf whistles. You look over Alcina’s shoulder and see to your horror that your daughters are bearing witness to your debauchery.

Cassandra turns to Daniela and smirks. “Well, would you look at that. Looks like I win. 500 Lei, please.”

Danela pouts. “I was so sure Mother would ravish Maman 10 minutes into her arrival, not 5 minutes.”

Cassandra puts her hand out pointedly towards Daniela. “That doesn’t change the fact that I won the bet. Pay up.”

Daniela gives a devilish grin. “It’s a good thing we didn’t shake on it, then!” She manifests into her fly form and flies away, laughing maniacally.

“Daniela Dimitrescu, you get back here, you little shit!” Cassandra manifests into her fly form as well, chasing after her duplicitous sister.

Bela turns and gives the both of you a dry look. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to put hydrogen peroxide in my eyes to burn the image of this out of my head,” Bela says, shaking her head. “Honestly Mother, sometimes you remind me of a rakish earl.” She turns on her heel and walks down the hallway.

Alcina can only lean her forehead against yours and sigh. You laugh and drop a kiss on her brow. “It’s good to be home,” you murmur against her hair.