#so YEAH AVERY YOU ARE REALLY COOL

[yes-asil]

Been playing Sky for a little while and Avery, a friend I made in the game, helped me out so much.

Had to draw us in memory of unlocking Piggyback mode and flying endlessly through Valley for fun!

[luveline]

i feel like the kbd girls would be absolutely over the moon about blue toilet water, steve’s little home improvement promotes him to coolest dad ever, and sweet bethie wants to invite her friend over to show off their cool blue toilet water

(i just remember thinking that was like the coolest thing ever as a kid)

Steve doesn’t hide his smile. “Girls, it’s not gonna be as exciting as you think it is.” 

Avery, Beth, and Dove sit in a line on the bathroom floor, watching. 

“It’s gonna be blue, dad,” Avery says. “That’s exciting.” 

“Sort of weird having you all watch me clean the toilet.” He’d bleached and scrubbed and bleached again, and now he’s wiped down the tank and removed the lid, he’s peeling open the blister pack for the blue cistern tablets. 

“Gross,” Bethie says with a wrinkled nose. 

“It is kind of gross, but that’s why I clean it so much. Okay, are you guys ready? I’m gonna drop it in.” 

They all stand at once to crowd him. Steve tosses a tablet into the cistern and grins as the water turns blue immediately. His fingers are stained with it. He replaces the lid and rinses his fingers before he forgets. 

“Okay. Ready?” 

They all agree in their ways. Avery slaps her hands together and nods, Bethie says, “Yeah!” and Dove attempts to climb his leg like a sloth up a tree trunk. 

“Wait!” Bethie says, tapping Steve’s stomach and running out of the bathroom. Her feet thud across the landing and into your room. 

She drags you into the bathroom by the hand. “Okay, now you can, dad!” 

Steve meets your eyes. “You ready? This is about to change our lives.” 

You look around the upstairs bathroom in surprise. “Woah, what happened in here? It looks like a hotel. Did you scrub the grout? Incredible.” 

“Mom!” Avery yanks you by your shirt to the toilet. Too many people in one place, you smush in next to Steve and he gives you a flirty smile on instinct. “Dad, please do it. I can’t wait anymore.” 

“It’s really gonna let you guys down.” Steve stands at full height and reaches for the flush. 

He presses it. Blue water floods the bowl and, despite the girls having seen exactly how he managed it, they all gasp. Dove giggles wildly against his leg before she reaches her hand toward the water, fingers a hairs width from the bowl when you catch her and drag her up into your arms. 

“Oh no no no,” you say sweetly, turning her to see everyone, “we can’t do that, can we? We don’t put our hands in the toilet.” 

“Wow,” Beth says. “Wow. Dad, it’s magic. Now we can have blue pee.” 

“That’s not how that works, bug.” Steve takes Beth by the shoulders for a quick squeeze, then touches Avery’s, trying to get them to move on. 

“It’s really cool, I love it. Can we have other colours?” Avery asks. Dove squeals in your arms to be put down, but you’re tickling her sides in an attempt to appease her. 

“I’ve only seen blue ones,” Steve says, reluctant to let her down. 

Avery looks exactly like him as she frowns. “Oh.” 

“Can I ask Francesca to come?” Beth asks suddenly, nudging Avery out of the way to look up at him. “Please, dad, can she come look? It’s amazing.” 

“Oh, honey, I think Francesca’s probably seen it before. But we can still ask her tomorrow if she wants to come over, okay? When the rest of the house is clean, not just the bathroom.” 

“Fat chance,” you interject quickly, snorting. 

“Excuse me?” Steve asks. 

You laugh again and dive away as he pokes your side. “Get away from me, freak. I almost dropped my baby.” 

“I can clean this whole house top to bottom in a day. I could do it in my sleep,” Steve says. 

“Sure thing, honey.” 

Avery pokes you in the stomach. “Not nice, mom.” 

“Not nice, mom,” Steve parrots, grinning. “Wow, look at that. This blue toilet water brought us all together.” 

[mia-ugly]

In honour of Good Omens Season 2

HAVE A SLOW SHOW FICLET with thanks to @weatheredlaw for the amazing graphic ❤️❤️❤️ how we doing fam

It’s a kid on set that first tells him. 

Not really a kid, but anyone less than thirty seems a kid to him these days (ugh, that’s a loathsome thought.) Jiyana’s a queer and pink-haired punk type, rainbow pin on their jacket, trans-pride flag tattooed on their inner wrist. The first time he met them, the whole wirey confident glittery thing made his gut clench with - what was it - joy and gratitude but also envy? Maybe? (because what must it be like to be that young and that certain of yourself? What must it be like to have the whole world open in front of you? Not that there still isn’t a lot of shit to deal with, and in Merry Old fucking England there is More Shit than Otherwise, but. Still. It’s something Crowley thinks about. Sometimes. When he hasn’t had enough sleep or when he’s had too much of it.)

The kid came up to him Day One to mumble about “being a big fan” and once they wore a Warlock t-shirt to an afterparty (“Vintage!” they said cheerily, and Crowley wanted to swallow his own face at the thought of something from the 2010s being considered vintage, good Christ.)

Anyway, Jiyana tells him first.

“Congrats on the new season!” They’re beside him in the makeup trailer. Crowley doesn’t realise they’re talking to him, assumes they’re wearing AirPods or something, until George gives him a nudge with the powder puff.

“Er, yeah, cheers.” It’s too early to talk to anyone this perky. Then his exhausted, coffee-less brain takes a moment to catch up with his exhausted, coffee-less mouth. “Er, wait, what?”

“Warlock. Heard it’s coming back. Did I tell you I wrote a paper on it in, like, Grade 10? So cool, the GSA at my highschool used to have watch parties, I can’t wait to see what they do with your -“

“Wait -“ Warlock? It’s been bloody years. “Where’d you hear this?”

The kid starts to list off some sites or social media whatsits that Crowley has never heard of, so he just nods and pretends to understand, the same way he does when Az’s niece tries to explain some show called “Jojo’s Big Adventure” or something. Validate, validate, empathise. Just like Pepper taught him.

It’s probably nothing right? A rumour.

But it’s a rumour Az has heard too.

When Crowley gets home that night (they’ve rented a house in Buckinghamshire, even though the studio’s not two hours from their cottage) Az is on him immediately. Heard about it from his sister apparently, who got the news from one of the kids.

“Isn’t that exciting?” His face is all lit up and his hair is wet, bathrobe snugly belted around his waist. The house has an indoor pool, and there are little indents on Avery’s nose where his extremely attractive and sexy swimming-goggles must have been resting.

Crowley presses his lips to each mark.

“Not that we’ve been going hungry or wanting for work –” Az continues.

“You work too bloody much,” Crowley murmurs into his cheekbone.

“But I do love those characters. The whole thing wrapped up so nicely though – what more is there to tell?  I wonder what the arc could possibly be.”

“I wonder what you’ve got on under this robe –”

“Anthony!” Az laughs in fake protest, tilting his head back so that Crowley can get his mouth on his throat. Yeah, that’s the ticket. Az tastes like chlorine, and maybe Crowley should join him in the shower after this. After a day in the studio, he could probably use it.

“Would you really want to do a series again?” Crowley asks after he’s finally let his husband go, turned to hang up his coat and thrown his bag on the nearest chair. “Awful lot of commitment. And you’ve that whole run at the Globe coming up, don’t rehearsals start in the spring?”

“We’ll have to see if Helen can mind the goats again while we’re in London.” Az has wandered into the kitchen, turned on the kettle. Crowley looks at the back of his neck (Crowley always looks at the back of his neck. Sometimes he dreams about it.) “If she’s free. I called her this morning to check in, Elmyra’s eating, so her anxiety must be getting better.”

“Cool, yeah,” Crowley says, casual and nonchalant and no big deal. As if Elmyra isn’t his favourite of the bunch and he doesn’t have a song that he made up and no one knows that he sings just to her. As if he didn’t hand feed her all night once because she wasn’t sleeping or eating and neither was he because he was so afraid this tiny rescue goat was going to starve to death, anyway whatever, super cool, who cares. “Is it weird that no one’s reached out to us, though? Do you think?”

“About the goats? Helen has my number –”

“No love, the Warlock thing.”

Az blinks at him, flutters his pretty blond lashes in an attractive, aggrieved sort of way. “You mean you haven’t heard from Beez?”

“I haven’t heard from anyone.”

“Oh.” Az thinks it over. “Well. Neither have I, actually. Do you – is that odd?”

“Maybe they’ve recast us with younger models.”

“They wouldn’t dare.”

“Gotta up the sex appeal of the whole thing. Jawlines. Cheekbones. Sexy results.”

“I –” Az goes a bit pink. Glances at Crowley and then away. “Fail to see how they could improve upon perfection.”

Crowley looks at his husband’s bathrobe and the slight scattering of silver chest hair and his hand on his tea cup and fuck off, his neck. His neck, his neck, who gives a shit about Warlock actually?

 “Come over here and say that to my mouth.”

Avery smiles, and sighs, and he does.

ONE YEAR LATER:

Crowley opens the email from Beez.

He fuckin' closes it.

[sam24]

Metal Arm Cupid

Summary: Bucky didn't know what to expect in the 21st century. But he definitely didn't expect cute girls to barge into meeting rooms and beat people up.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!reader

*****

Bucky made no attempt to stifle his yawn as he pretended to listen to the debrief (that was looking more like an argument to him) that was going on way too long for his liking, earning a sharp glare from Steve, but Bucky could tell that deep down, Steve wanted to hightail outta there too.

“Stop taking all the credit, Josh. I was the one who stabbed him. You just sat there and watched like an obese cow.”

Josh (Bucky thought his name was Jack until now) scoffed. “That’s Agent 16 to you, Avery.”

“It’s actually Avril, you little-”

“Agents, you better stop this instantly.” Fury narrowed his eyes at the bickering partners.

“Stop embarrassing me in front of the Avengers, Evelyn, and let me do the talking. Clearly you can’t because of those oversized donkey teeth of yours.” Josh paid no heed to Fury.

The girl (Avril?) gasped and her hand instinctively flew to cover her mouth. “Why you-”

“Okay, that’s enough.” A dangerously calm voice rang through the room.

All eyes flew towards Natasha, you looked like she was going to murder the next person who opened their mouth.

“This is why I don’t go on missions with sensitive baby agents.” She muttered in Russian.

Bucky cracked a smile.

“How come no one listens to me?” Fury grumbled.

“Probably because you aren’t a trained assassin with 20 different weapons hidden on your body, and I bet you also don’t know 5 different ways to kill someone with an oven mitt.” Clint whispered in Fury’s ear.

“It doesn’t matter who stabbed who, it matters what happened in the end. And in the end, I was the one you saved your ungrateful asses, so you can stop arguing like toddlers now.” Natasha growled.

Her eyes narrowed specifically at Josh.

Nobody spoke. Probably because no sane person wanted a bullet from Natasha’s gun in their head.

“You seriously couldn’t have done that 20 minutes ago?”

Of course, though, Tony Stark was far from sane.

“Shut up, Tony.” At least 5 different people said at the same time.

Josh cleared his throat, recovering from his mini paralysis stroke.

“No offense, but-”

Before Josh could get himself killed, loud voices outside of the door made everyone turn.

Honestly, they all probably would’ve turned even to watch a fly so they could ignore Josh’s excuses.

“Miss, I can’t let you-”

“I really don’t care, so move. Now.”

Bruce immediately sat up. “Is that Ace?”

“Oh, thank god.” Tony let out a dramatic sigh of relief. “I’m so bored right now, maybe she’ll make this actually interesting.”

Even though Bucky’s stay at the compound started recently, he had heard plenty of stories about you, the infamous ‘Ace’. To what he’d heard, you worked at the lab with Bruce and Tony, like a daughter to them both. You were an ‘intellectual sage’ (described by Barton), hence the nickname, Ace.

“I said, MOVE!”

“Banner, what is the meaning of this?” Fury ordered.

Bruce furrowed his eyebrows and completely ignored him. “What in the world is she doing?”

“Banner!”

“I SAID MOVE, DAMNIT.” A loud thud followed closely and the door was flung open so hard it practically ripped off of its hinges.

“Lord have mercy.” Bruce buried his face into his hands as you barged into the room, pulling along a terrified looking girl behind you.

Bucky’s eyebrows raised with interest as he took in your purple highlights, Converse High-Tops, and Gravity Falls shirt peeking out from under your lab coat.

“Look, missy, in case you haven’t noticed, this is a private meeting. I’m going to give you 5 seconds to leave before I have you escorted out instantly.” Fury demanded.

“Yeah, that’s cool, Patchy the Pirate, just give me a minute.” You weren’t even looking at Fury as you scanned the room.

“Ha! Patchy the Pirate! Laura’s gonna love this!” Clint smacked his hand on the table and leaned his chair back (and almost fell backwards if Steve didn’t catch it, but that’s not the point).

Fury looked like he was seriously contemplating life as you still didn’t spare him a glance, and your narrowed hawk eyes landed on someone behind Bucky.

He followed your gaze to meet Josh, who had raised two fingers in the air cockily to greet you and the girl behind you.

“Josh, you mother fucker.”

And before Steve could say ‘language!’ (yes, Bucky had caught on pretty quickly after Tony would say it every other sentence), you had crossed the room in what felt like just two strides and socked Josh right in the jaw.

The room erupted in chaos.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Steve was up on his feet in a millisecond, his Captain America side taking over.

“That’s it, honey! Do it again!” Tony cheered.

“Is this some kind of Midgardian greeting that I have not yet been informed of?”

“Someone tell me what the hell is going on in my own meeting!”

“That was the best thing I’ve seen in my whole life.” Avril grinned.

Natasha didn’t say anything, but her face clearly said ‘girl, me too’.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.” Sam chuckled from next to Bucky.

“Same.” Bucky muttered under his breath.

“Whoa hold up, did you just agree with me??”

“Shut up, pigeon brain.”

“Excu-”

The only thing that stopped Sam and Bucky’s cat fight was another punch to Josh’s precious face, this time right in the nose.

Bruce tried to reason with you from across the whole ass room, practically shouting over all the commotion as Steve tried to pull you away from Josh.

“Ace, sweetheart, why don’t you talk it out instead of going straight to violence? Doesn’t that sound like a better idea?”

“Sounds great, Bruce, but that’s not an option anymore!” You shouted back over your shoulder.

“Look, champ, it’s not right to randomly punch people like that!” Steve was still trying to pry you away from Josh.

“Look, Pops,” You mocked. “It’s also not right to cheat on your girlfriend with some random chick you ran into at a bar!”

Everything stopped.

Except Josh’s struggling from your grasp.

“He cheated on you?” Tony broke the silence, looking like he was going to blast Josh into outer space. “Wait, when were you guys even together? And why in the goddamn world would you date that guy?”

“Not me, dimwit, her.” You point your free hand that was not gripped on Josh’s collar at the girl behind you, looking ready to sprint out of there when all eyes landed on her.

“Just leave it, ma moitié, it’s not worth it.” She said quietly, her words coated in a thick french accent.

Bucky recognized her as the nice agent who gave him a coffee last week after Sam ‘accidentally’ knocked over Bucky’s.

“Just leave it? Absolutely not, hun!”

“Listen to her, Ace.” Bruce pleaded.

“No! This sleazy bastard cheated on my best friend! No fucking way! Literally, who the hell would cheat on a cute french girl?”

“Ace, violence isn’t the right way to-”

“Excuse me?” Josh’s voice rang out, sounding like someone was holding his nose closed shut. “Can someone get me an ice pack?”

You whipped around towards him.

“You. Want. An. Ice pack.” You restated, shooting daggers- no, 7 inch sharp kitchen knives at him.

“My nose hurts.” Josh rolled his eyes. “Y’know, after you turned all Crazy Psycho Lady on me and broke it.”

“You know what?” Your smile dripped with bitterness and sarcasm. “How about I punch it again so it’ll go numb and it won’t hurt anymore?”

You reached your arm backwards to land another punch, but Steve rushed to grab you again, and the chaos resumed.

Tony was instructing you to “kick Steve in the balls and resume beating the shit out of Josh”, while Bruce was very strongly vetoing the idea.

Sam and Clint, meanwhile, were placing bets on how much the medical bill was gonna be.

Suddenly, Bruce rushed over to Bucky.

“Look, man, you gotta help me.”

Bucky looked at Bruce with wide eyes. “Me?”

“Yeah! If you tell her to stop, she would in a heartbeat!”

“Why?” Bucky knew where this was going.

“Because of your metal arm!”

Bucky’s heart sank. Of course you were scared of it. Everyone was. They thought it made him a monster.

So did he.

Even though he was so, so grateful to Shuri for trying to help him feel like a new person with a new arm that wasn’t associated with HYDRA, that bloody ruthless murderer that they made him into never seemed to leave.

He would always be him.

No matter how hard he tried, the memories followed him like a lost puppy, attacking at night when he was trying to sleep.

No matter how hard he tried, he could never shake off the imprint HYDRA had left on him.

No matter how hard he tried or how much Steve told him otherwise, Bucky was still a monster.

A cruel, cold-hearted, evil monster who killed the innocent.

Who killed innocent men, women, and children who didn’t deserve to be killed.

He was the one who deserved to be killed.

“She’s absolutely obsessed with it!”

Bucky choked on his spit.

“Wha-w-what?”

“She adores it.” Bruce rushed. “She says it’s, and I quote, the most beautiful and extraordinary thing to ever be made in history.”

Okay, so apparently Bucky did not know where that was going.

“Still not convinced?” Bruce groaned. “She thinks it’s the most amazing thing in the galaxy. She says it’s the ‘peak of engineering’. You can ask Tony if you still don’t believe me.”

Tony wasn’t extremely fond of Bucky, and neither was Bucky of him, so he decided to take Bruce’s word for it, no matter how much it shocked him.

She likes my arm?

Just because she likes your arm doesn’t mean she likes you, idiot.

“Uh, okay? So, um, what do I do?”

“Tell her to stop!” Bruce lightly shoved Bucky forward when he slowly got up out of his seat.

Bucky hesitantly took a step forward, his mind still trying to process everything.

Bucky maneuvered around Steve, tapping you - who was still out to get it for Josh- on the shoulder after a moment of hesitation.

“Bruce, I already told you, it’s too late-” You spun out of Steve’s grip, but your mouth dropped open when you realized it was not Bruce.

You stared at Bucky with wide eyes. But not out of fear.

Out of adoration.

He was struck with a sudden flash of nostalgia of how his mom looked at him when he gave her a card for Mother’s Day when he was 6.

"Oh, Jamie, I love it.” She had said as she read it with a soft smile.

And that same smile was on your face. “Um, hi there.”

He smiled back.

But not one of those fake smiles he put on to make Steve happy. An actual genuine smile.

And it felt good.

You smoothed out your coat, taking in a breath. “Can I help you?”

Steve stared at the two of you, a grin spreading onto his face.

“I’m not surprised. Those psychos are perfect for each other.” Josh rolled his eyes.

Neither of you heard him.

“Hi, I’m Bucky.”

“She knows.” Tony groaned.

“Shut up, Tony.” Your eyes never left Bucky’s. “Hi Bucky.”

He saw your eyes light up as they made their way to look at his metal arm.

Bruce cleared his throat loudly.

“So, um, Ace. The arm has been giving me a bit of trouble recently. I was wondering if you could maybe take a look at it?” Bucky glanced at Bruce before looking back at you.

“He means now.” Bruce added.

You looked like you were going to faint out of excitement.

“Y-yeah, of course.”

Bruce let out a loud sigh of relief.

“Um, actually.” Bucky started.

Bruce’s head shot up and started mouthing something to Bucky - probably something along the lines of ‘No! Get her out of here before she kills him!’- but he was busy looking at you.

“Maybe you wanna grab a coffee first?”

[wildesqdreams]

midnight drop

pairing - grayson hawthorne x reader.

summary - a late-night swim in the swimming pool after the shocking will reading doesn't help grayson cool down, but it's a good thing that his girlfriend is there to help.

warnings - spoilers from the book "inheritance games", shirtless grayson + kissing.

navigation | masterlist | request | taglist

a/n: my first grayson fic has finally arrived, yeyeyeyeye :)) i also have to read the third book, but i don't want to, because I don't want the series to end.

y/n sat on the edge of the swimming pool. the sky was dark, but not pitch black, because the stars were visible. even though the girl felt at peace, she felt slight waves crash against her legs, making her lip corners lift.

the reason she was out at midnight was because of her boyfriend. grayson hawthorne. her eyes followed his figure in the water.

swimming laps was his way to relax. to clear his mind. but it was visible that he couldn't get the shocking news from today out of his mind.

even though he wouldn't admit it, y/n knew he was quite upset. she could tell by his tensed muscles and by the tone of his voice, as he spoke, filling in the silence.

the fortune that he should have inherited from his grandfather. the things that he should have gotten, for his hard work and his wasted time, were given to a random girl named, avery. and the question was - why?

why would someone leave something so meaningful to a random person? but in the hawthorne house surprises and mysteries were a normal thing, so the girl couldn't help but smile, when she heard her boyfriend, for the thousand time, talk about how the girl had seduced or manipulated him.

"what?" grayson noticed the grin on the girl's face.

"nothing."

"then what's so funny?" he slightly furrowed his eyebrows as he stopped swimming.

she just shrugged with a smile still on her face.

"y/n."

his stare was intense.

the kind of intense that made grayson stand out. that stare that made others feel threatened or powerless, but for the girl, it was like she was the only girl he could see, while the world slowly disappeared, "it just humerus me how you think that she manipulated your grandfather because he was the real mastermind."

"so funny," he stated, as he rolled his eyes.

she could feel the annoyance in his tone, which made her want to tease him even more, so she continued, "that's what i'm saying."

but for some reason his next move wasn't the one she taught it would be - him getting more frustrated - but instead grayson started swimming towards her, "mhm, yeah, really funny."

"wha- what are you doing?"

"nothing," he said calmly, with a small smile.

sensing that he was up to something, she started to take her leg out of the pool so she could get away, but before the girl could do that, y/n felt the boy's wet hand on her leg, holding her in place, "gray..."

"mhm?" his hands slowly traveled up her thighs to her waist.

"what are you planning?"

a smirk appeared on his face and she felt his hands grip her sides tighter, "i just want to laugh too."

"wait grayson-" but her words were silenced when she felt the cold water.

her clothes, face, and hair were soaked. y/n felt the coldness against her skin, hitting every nerve, that made her immediately come up from underwater.

the girl saw her boyfriend laughing and she splashed water on him, "you idiot!" but that didn't stop his laughter, "it's not funny you asshole!"

"oh, but it is," he chuckled, as he reached for her.

when she felt grayson's hand grab her side, y/n removed from his touch "don't touch me."

the boy smirked, "you mad, princess?"

"fuck off."

"that's quite hard when you're so beautiful," he reached for her side again.

"i'm wet," y/n stated in a serious tone, but when she saw the boy's eyebrows slightly lift, the girl immediately said, "not like that!"

"i didn't say anything," he pulled her closer with a grin on his face.

y/n rested her head on his shoulder, so he wouldn't see her tinted face, "i'm still mad," her hands wrapped around his waist.

"oh, really?"

the girl hummed. she felt his hand move slowly up and down her side.

"well, there's no need to be. i didn't do anything," he added.

she pulled back and stared at him, her arms remaining in their place, "oh, really?" the girl said the same words as he.

grayson gave her a small smile, before leaning in and capturing her lips in his. he grabbed the back of her thighs and lifted her, so the girl could wrap her legs around his waist.

y/n's arms wrapped around his neck, "i despise you," she murmured in the kiss.

grayson started to trail kisses down her jaw towards her neck, "we both know that's a lie, princess."

and it was because y/n y/l/n would die for him. her heart beat for him and he was her home. her safety. grayson hawthorne felt the same. that's why their love for each other was magnificent.

"well maybe now you're right," the girl murmured.

he disattached his lips from her skin and looked at her, "i'm always right," and with that, he leaned in for another kiss.

[guppygiggles]

Hooooboy, okay. /////// I had a really bad day yesterday, so I wrote this as stress relief.

This is, um. Very vulnerable and emotionally intimate. @////////@ A-heh. It also contains some of my favorite descriptive imagery that I've ever written, so I'm going to to share it anyway, but,,,,, I'm,,,,,,, yeah, don't look at me. ////////// Contains: ~1.2k words, Ler!Avery, very underarm-focused tickling, teasing I can't even believe I managed to write out, lots of vulnerability, and GAY. Seriously, this is so sappy and gay, if you do not like sappy gayness do not read this okthanksbyeI'mgonnahideforevernow ////////////

“Alright, Casper. Lay down, and lift ‘em up.”

I flushed hotly, squirming in place as we stood in my bedroom. It was evening, and we had already changed into our pajamas. Avery looked wonderful in a tank top; tall and powerful, his bare arms pale and smooth as marble. Lacking two nights worth of sleep, I looked like a frazzled raccoon by comparison, my own oversized tank and gym shorts only adding to my gremlinized appearance.

Ravaged by an unrelenting bout of insomnia, I was exhausted, and I looked like it. But, as I seemed to learn again and again, with Avery... I was never too tired to be sheepish.

“Ah-! Avery, please, I…”

He chuckled knowingly, nudging me toward the bed. 

“I know, I know. It flusters you terribly, but you always sleep so well afterwards. The last thing you need is a third sleepless night, my dear; I won't allow that to happen, if I can help it. I know it's tough, but it will help you relax, I promise. Go ahead and get comfortable, now… Let me take care of you.”

I offered an embarrassed glance before turning toward the bed, my knees wobbling as I laid down on the quilt. He dimmed the lights, then floated over beside me and made himself comfortable, the brawny elemental's feet nearly hanging off the bed. For someone so big, he always moved with effortless grace.

“Alright, now… Arms… Uuuuuuup up up~” He ordered playfully, taking my wrists in his big, chilly hands and gently guiding them over my head. I tried to relax, the cool air wafting over my now open, vulnerable armpits. My hands balled into fists. 

“You know what I'm going to do next~ I know how much this makes you laugh, but just try to stay still for me, okay?”

I swallowed hard. Easy for him to say! I took a deep breath, but caved to more whining on the exhale. 

“Avery… Please, not the pits…” I was already glowing, my lips warbling into a twitchy smile before he had even laid a finger on me. A surge of giddiness welled in my chest, threatening to burst from my lips at any moment. 

Simpering deviously, he pushed right into my anticipation. 

“Hehe, ohhh, why not~? Does somebody have tickly pits, Casper~?”

And there went my resolve.

“Ah-! D-dammit… You already k-know-EEEEEHEHEHE?!” 

Without another word, he leaned down and pressed a soft, cool kiss into the middle of my right armpit.

I gasped.

Kisses?! 

He'd tickled plenty, but Avery had never kissed me before… Not there. I’d never known the elemental to be squeamish (not as if I weren’t hygienically meticulous...), but I would’ve never foreseen such a gesture – apparently, I didn’t know what he was going to do! My shocked body struggled to react, emitting a combination giggle-squeal as my back arched and ears burned with exploited sensitivity. His lips were a hunter’s arrow clad in cold silk, penetrating right to my core. My arms trembled as I struggled to keep them raised; even his breath tickled. 

Though my face was a billboard of fluster, Avery wasn’t content with my suffering. He continued to tease, smirking down at me as he thumbed through the pages of my expression; panicked delight, terrified desire, excited dread. Like most who had ever willingly submitted to a tickling, I was the embodiment of a war between philia and instinct, waged on a battleground of trust. Just by looking at him, I knew that he saw everything behind my eyes… and loved it.

“Keep ‘em up… The left one needs kisses, too~” 

“NohoHOHOHOOO!” 

“Mhmmm~ Right here…”

Holding my left arm up, he planted three swift kisses right into the hollow. I screeched and twisted as he giggled, his lips vibrating against my skin as he held onto my elbow, easily preventing me from lowering my arm. 

I was still laughing and squirming as he stopped to speak again. 

“Ohhhh, somebody really likes this, don’t they~? Tickle, tickle, tickle, Casper likes tickly kisses in his pits~ Hehehe~ Keep those arms up, or I'm gonna getchagetchagetcha~”

“AHaHahaAvery p-plehehehease~!” 

What had I done to deserve such savagery?! He was positively merciless!

“Are you going to be a good boy and sleep through the night, for once?” He leaned down again, brushing his satin lips back and forth across my left underarm, before planting another deep kiss into the center. I bubbled up with gleefully hysterical giggles, making him chuckle again. 

“YEHEHEHEhehes! PLEEHEhehease, no mohohore k-kihihisses~!” My heart palpitated fiercely. I was certain I couldn’t blush any deeper, but my face still managed to betray a wisp of regret as he relented. Like a center-fielder with an unbroken streak, Avery caught this, too.

“Alright, alright. I won't give you any more kisses… But that doesn't mean you're safe!” With that, he scribbled his plush fingertips into my pits, making me clamp my arms down as I shrieked and howled, curling into a ball as I did. 

“Aaa-gitchygitchygitchy~! Who's my ticklish, handsome boy?” 

“EEEEEEEEHEHE-AAAHAHA~!” My eyes welled with tears as he continued to wiggle his trapped fingertips under my arms, the limited range of motion doing nothing to lessen the sensation. How did it tickle so badly? I could hardly think…! My heart raced as the sensation ran all over me, making me tremble as my vibrant blush spread down my neck and chest. Enduring a tickle from Avery wasn’t a rarity by any means, but I couldn’t remember the last time he’d made me laugh so hard; he really did intend to exhaust me!

“We're going sleep alllll the way until morning, right? Or does the tickle monster need to wear you out a bit more~?” 

“I’LL SLEEEEHEHEHEHEEP!” “Wonderful! Now, I don’t think I received an answer to my first question. Let me ask it again…” “NOOOOHOHOOOO!” “Who is it, Casper~? Who’s my pretty, sensitive, ticklish boy~?”

His gentle fingers were so fiendishly persistent as they wriggled into my pits, I could scarcely get the word out. “M-MEEEEHEHEHEHEE!” “There we go! Good boy~!” 

I couldn’t believe it; even after such an admission, he continued to tickle me!

As my laughter began to border on screaming, he finally gave my armpits a break, switching instead to my ribs, belly, hips, feet; anywhere he could reach. My laugh was too big for me to keep my eyes open, but I could feel that he’d conjured extra hands to assist him… The sheer cruelty of it all! I quickly slipped into silent hysteria, which afforded me an opportunity to listen to Avery’s melodic, affectionate chuckle as he tickled me. Oh, how wonderful… how terrible, how unbearably tender. Enough love to fill every ocean radiated from that laugh, and I wanted to swim in it until the end of time.

Once he was satisfied that he’d soundly melted me into a flushed, ticklish puddle, Avery finally stopped. He leaned down to give me one last kiss, this time on my forehead, as he tucked my hair out of my face.

“I love you, dewdrop. I'll be right here, okay? If you wake up scared, just wake me up, and I'll help you get back to sleep. With tickles, or without.” He softly caressed my cheek, then winked, causing the light in the room to flick out. Pulling me into his arms, he nuzzled into my neck as a deep, exhausted sigh rolled from my chest, my body buzzing with the characteristic tingle of a thorough tickling. His plan was working… I could already feel the tug of sleep on my consciousness, pulling my thoughts into a wooly haze. My eyes slipped closed as I snuggled my back against his pillowy, cool body.

Just as he anticipated, I slept straight through until dawn. 

[michaelceraifhewasagirl]

I accidentally assaulted Clarisse

NEW SERIES ALERT

summary: A new girl at camp, but…. She’s different..

warnings: minimal swearing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ow. “Ow” is a onomatopoeia, I think, but it didn’t matter if I was grammatically correct, because I had just hit Clarisse La Rue in the head with a rubber axe during practice with the Stoll brothers, and she was now sitting on the ground in a fetal position, holding her head in agony, and staring at me with anger in her eyes.

“Oh my God” I muttered under my breath, as I slowly backed away. “Avery, come back, she’s, she’s not going to hurt you!” Connor Stoll pleaded, but then Clarisse began to get off of the grass and I sprinted towards the strawberry fields. I looked around frantically, trying to see if Clarisse was still following me, but then I caught a glimpse of Beckendorf scolding Clarisse, and I visibly relaxed. 

Okay, quick Backstory: two days ago I nearly got killed by a big bear-wolf thing. A goat-child told me that my mom fucked a Greek God and I’m the offspring. If that makes sense. I thought my mom was Hindu, can multiple Gods exist at once? Anyways, the goat guy brought me back to this cool camp and I got to talk to a horse man and a LITERAL GREEK GOD but he was an asshole so I don’t really care about him to be honest. Fast forward to now, this is my first day training, and I somehow managed to injure 5 people, including myself. 

I was sitting down under a tree, trying to catch my breathe after running a fricking marathon trying to not get stabbed by Clarisse, when I noticed one of the Stoll brothers coming up to me, Connor, was it? “Hey, Avery,” he greeted 

“My name is Aikaterini”

“…Can I call ya’ Avery?”

“No”

“Fair enough,” he nodded, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah” I responded “She’s just… She’s terrifying” and Connor chuckled.

“She’s not that scary, give her a chance, she’s tolerable” he said, and gave me his hand to take to get up off of the dirt, and I took it and dusted off my pants when I was off my butt, “She wants to kill me” I retorted and Connor grimaced. “Stay outta trouble, okay? And be careful”, I nodded and he offered a hand on my shoulder as comfort before heading off somewhere to scold an Ares kid, or kill a small child, one of the two.

I awkwardly walked to the Hermes cabin, in which I was staying in, since my father hadn’t claimed me as yet. I hope he does. I heard a lot of undetermined kids get stuck at the Hermes cabin because their bitch-ass parents didn’t claim them. Anyways, I was like, an Inch away from the cabin, before the boat goy came up to me, wait, no that didn’t sound right, anyways, he came up to me, “Chiron needs to talk to you” he said and he practically dragged me by my arm towards a big building “Who’s Chiro- woah! Okay, so I guess I don’t get to say no”

We arrived inside the building and I paled at the sight of the old horse guy. “Aikaterini Balakrishnan, how are you? Getting along well with the rest of camp?” I could tell that he was trying to make conversation, but I couldn’t focus when there was a 7-foot centaur standing infront of me “I… uh… yeah” was what I managed to choke out before glancing around the room, and noticing that the asshole of a Greek God was sitting at the table, with a irritable look on his face and I rolled my eyes.

The centaur sat down on his hind legs and offered me a seat at the table, where I noticed that they were playing a card game “You’re playing Pinochle.” Chiron raised an eyebrow “Why, yes, do you know how to play?” “Yeah, my mom taught me, well, actually, she taught me Bezique, but I taught myself how to play Pinchole” Chiron nodded in approval “You know how to play Bezique as well, that is quite impressive for a girl your age” I blushed in embarrassment, “Yeah, I guess, why did you call me in here?” “Ah,” he put down his pack of cards and looked at me.

“Do you know what tomorrow is?” He asked

“Friday” I responded confidently

“Yes!” He clapped his hands excitedly and I squinted my eyes “Huh?” Mr. D groaned and stepped out of the room, and Chiron waved him away “Don’t take him on. Tomorrow is Friday! Which means we are playing capture the flag!” He explained and I pursed my lips “You guys actually do things in this place besides trying to impale people or set people on fire?” And Chiron grimaced, “Now now, girl, what happened yesterday with Sanya was a mistake, she was just trying to make a sword and her hair caught on fire, it was a, what is it you children say now-a-days? No biggie” I raised my eyebrows “So why don’t you go find a group to be apart of, huh? Get out there, make some friends, I heard you were training with the Stoll brothers, cheeky bastards, aren’t they?” I furrowed my eyebrows “No, no, they aren’t cheeky, they seem really nice” I said and Chiron chuckles, “That is until they steal a family heirloom from you” “Why would they steal from me?” Chiron seemed suprised I didn’t know about these things, “Aikaterini, their father is Hermes, the God of thievery” “I thought he was the God of messengers?”

Chiron looked at me with a thoughtful look on his face, “Has your mother not thought you anything about your roots?” “Not really, I’m Hindu, I grew up believing in Hindu Gods, now, I don’t know what I believe.” If my mother knew that, that Greek Gods are real, and not just fiction, then why would she grow me up with a religion?” “I am sure your mother had her reasons, that of which, I do not know, but you will come to find out anyways, now, I’d like you to meet some people, if that’s okay with you,” I nodded. Chiron called the goat boy, in which I learnt his name, being Grover, into the room, “Yes?” “It would be appreciated if you could kindly locate our respective leaders, those being one for Team Blue and another for Team Red." Grover nodded and came back into the room shortly with a two girls, a pretty one, with long box braids, and then Clarisse.

“Ladies, we have a new camper joining us, I’m sure you have seen her around, I am going to be making a public announcement soon, tomorrow, before the tournament, but for now, you can introduce yourself to her, and maybe recruit her to your team,” Chiron smiled and I looked at them and awkwardly waved, “Hi, uhm, hi Clarisse, sorry for hitting you, uhm, at- at the uh, the axe throwing thing, sorry” I swallowed nervously “My name is Aikaterini, it’s long, I know, you can call me, Kat, or whatever” my voice cracked and I made a mental note to hit myself in the head with a bat later.

“Hi, I’m Annabeth, I’m blue team leader” “You’re not joining the red team”

“Clarisse.” Chiron butted in, “Atleast see what she can do before you make a decision, now go on, bond, I want to finish this game of Pinochle.” We left the building and Annabeth made conversation “So, do you have any special training? Or any training at all?” “Uhm, I can do kumon?” Annabeth looked at me, a puzzled look rested on her face “What is that?” “It’s like… maths” and Clarisse snorted, Annabeth glared at her, “I mean, physical combat. Do you know any form of self defence?” “I, I can dance?” Clarisse butted in “Yeah, no, Annabeth, you can have her on your team.” I looked down in embarrassment, God, I wanna go home. “What kind of dance can you do? Ballet?” “Kuchipudi,” “Okay, I don’t know what that is, how hard do you have to train for that?” “Not as hard as ballet, probably, but if you saw me do it you would be terrified” “You can’t be any scarier than any monster I’ve ever fought, if you put the same energy that you put into dancing into training, then you’ll be a pro in no time” 

I smiled at her, she was nice, unlike Clarisse, who was walking away, I didn’t mind though, being on the blue team seemed like the better choice. I guess we’ll see how the tournament goes tomorrow, but for now, I’m going see if I’m any good at hand-to-hand combat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ hey guise 😁 I hope you enjoyed the first part of this Pjo fandom seriesssss 💗💗 nones of the characters in this stories except my oc’s (Aikaterini Balakrishnan) that were used in the story so far are mine. I wanted to add a Desi character to this story because they don’t get enough recognition 💗💗 Please lmk what you think about this in the comments and lmk what else you would liek to see in this series 💗 idrk where I’m going with this but I am not gonna let this story go to waste, I’ll try to get it done but I got school and stuff so 😪😪 thanks for reading 💗

[soft-persephone]

No Good For You: (After All This Time)

Avery (Laz Alonso) x Fem!Reader

MDNI // M // WC: 8.4k // warnings: lying, emotional abuse, phycological abuse, GASLIGHTING, mentions of blood, light violence // masterlist

AN:// Daniel Kaluuya is Louis Denton idk why. That’s who it is to me. And this is the closest to DDE I’ll ever be. Enjoy!

“Personal items in here.” You slowly put your stuff in the little plastic box.

“Seat four.” The guard looked at you funny, silently exposing how perplexed he was of your visit. The question and look everyone in your life gave you.

“How do you know this man?”

You stared for a moment. Frozen.

He was so big.

How? When?

Sure he was never short. He wasn’t scrawny either, but this large massive man who looked off into the distance with an anger-fueled disappointment, looking nothing like the boy with the prettiest brown eyes and most charming smile you’d known.

But the way he slumped in the seat and how his eyebrows furrowed across his head, that was a look you were familiar with.

You sat down, looking at his head. His hair was cut so low, but his curls wouldn’t look right on his head. Not now.

Something in your heart pulled, missing his boyish grin and too big for his head ears that matched.

In a way, he grew into the big head of his.

He grabbed the phone with a huff, barely looking at you. “Do I know you?”

You slowly held the plastic phone to your ear.

“Surprise.” You weakly croaked, your voice unexpectedly cracking, making you feel raw and exposed. It was supposed to be nice. Sort of. A little mockery of an almost fond but distant memory. An ode to the relationship you once had. He was behind a big thick glass, but the small rush of fear of messing up something in front of him still pulled at the strings of your entire being, threatening to send you into a frantic spiral.

He slammed his hand on the glass a little too harshly, making a guard shout, but he ignored it. His eyes grew wide, the pupils reflecting the light, starting to sparkle in the pools of dark brown that surrounded them. His eyebrows shot up and his bottom lip stuck out in an almost pout.

He said your name.

It was a plea, a prayer, a greeting, and a promise all wrapped into one.

You methodically placed your thumb in the glass where his palm resided. Fighting the itch under your skin, the crawling of your nerves and the lurch at your stomach, all the things that created a crashing wave of desire to touch him.

His hand pushed against the glass harder as if it would make it disappear, but his eyes were still on you studying your face, unaware of what his hand was doing and urging you to look at him.

But you couldn’t.

Not now.

It was too much.

Plus, you already had your look.

“A lot of people know you're here.” Was all you said. You lifted your finger, slowly tracing the outline of his hand, imagining the warmth of it.

“Yeah.” He nodded. “I’m sure word traveled fast.” A confirmation of your warning.

His face started to revert to an expression you couldn’t read. It was a face that filled you with fear. A face that haunts your nightmares.

“I made a phone call for you.” You sucked in a shaky breath before letting it out.

He blinked repeatedly. His eyes flutter over your face.

“You didn’t have— thank you.”

You huffed.

Well, now you were the one who was stunned.

You examined how his face softened. How it pleaded with you, confided in you. His cool demeanor shifted to something of soft reverence, a casual devotion of. . . a fondness for you.

You wouldn’t call it love.

“I go to therapy.” You licked your lips. Starting to tell him what you really wanted to say.

You ignored his face. You never knew what was real with him if he meant it or if he was up to something. Because even in jail, and more vulnerable than he has been in his entire life, you’re sure he’d find a way to use you. To suck you dry for what’s worth of your life and carry around what’s left, owning you and leading you around like he did everything else.

Like you’ve let him do before.

You pushed away the evil little voice in your head that sounded too much like him.

What once was a voice of your youth turned into a voice of a man you didn’t know that well, but the fear was the same. The underlying terror still raced through your veins.

You closed your eyes. Fighting it.

“I started to go for the nightmares.” You said it matter of factly. Your voice soft. You didn’t have to explain when. He knew it was sometime after.

“That’s good.” The warmth of his voice washed over you, deep, rich, and comforting as always.

You absentmindedly licked your lips.

“I thought that was my only problem. That if I got to the bottom of those,” you looked him in the eye, but now it was him who was avoiding eye contact with you. His hand focused in yours. “But I-“ you stuttered. When had you comfortably placed your palm on the glass? When did you start to crave his affection?

“I was wrong.” You focused in his face, willing yourself to hold strong to what was real and not the world he was creating. The world he wanted to suck you back into.

Him.

“It’s you.” You said it softly like you loved him because maybe some part of you did, but that might not have been real, so you have to work hard to ignore those feelings, even if they overwhelmed every other sensation in your body, mind, and soul.

“Your voice stayed in the back of my head. The lying, gaslighting, and manipulating,” you paused, waiting for him to look at you, pleading him. Because you need to see his face when you say this. You need to. It was the whole point. The only reason you found the courage to come. “It almost broke me.”

“You’re not broken.” He turned towards you slowly. His face taught and haughty. He was always taller than you, but now he looked larger than life. Like something you could never beat. “And I didn’t break you.” He leaned in. His eyes were cruel and leering.

“I tried to free you.” He spat, “because you like it. You liked the blood, you liked the violence, you liked the money.”

You liked me.

He didn’t say it.

But you both knew he didn’t have to.

“Because it’s our blood?” You sneared at him. “Don’t start that bullshit with me. Not now. Not after all this time. I can make another phone call just as easy as I made the first one.” You threatened. “You pick.”

He smiled, leaning back in his seat.

“Look at you,” he praised. “Guess something I taught you stuck.”

Your heart skipped a beat, almost rising in your throat. Your stomach fluttered but you just as equally started to feel sick, but neither physical reactions of protest stopped the rising heat in your body as he bit his lip as his warm words washed over you, filling you with a desire, however unwanted it may be.

“You really have changed.” He continued. His eyes scan over you as if he could confirm it, as if he could see every memory, thought, and day you’ve had without him up until now. “But you haven’t changed in the way you think you have.”

“Sounds funny when you're the one stuck in here.”

“But I look so good on you,” he ignored you, his voice dropping into something low, filled with honey, decadent and rich, “everything you are.” He licked his lips, “is because of me. Yeah you go to therapy to deal with all that dark shit, but you don’t see all the good I caused you.”

“You d—“

“Let. Me. Finish.” His eyes seared with a heated anger.

You swallowed but otherwise didn’t say anything. Backing down, but refusing to cower in front of him.

He sat there. Silently watching you, waiting for you to break, but you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t dare give him the satisfaction.

He let out a breath. As if he was happy you didn’t break. His face going back to something sweet and sticky with adoration.

“Look how you carry yourself, huh?” He waited for you to say something, but you only bit your lip. Your face was set in something neutral, but slightly apathetic.

You looked a little hollowed out, your eyes too big, and slightly tired, but the nightmares were the cause of that. They eluded you for so long, but with the news of him in jail caused them to come back.

“You can come here, look at me while I’m on my knees and put your foot on my neck. You can smell anyone’s bullshit from a mile away and you got more money than anyone else, at whatever fuck ass job you ended up in.”

You ignored him, thining your lips.

“You can handle buisness because of me, take care of yourself because of me. . . He put his forhead in the glass with a sigh, “and now, you’re the one taking care of me.”

“I think it’s time for me to go.”

A lie.

You both new that if it was a revisit visit, you’d have been gone ages ago.

But you did your part, and you said your piece.

But it was far from over.

You left before you could regret it.

-

Your crossed your arms with a shiver.

You wore a skirt and a sweater. It was good enough when the sun was up, but you did not expect it to get this cold once the sun started going down, and you did not know you were going to be outside at this hour.

You huffed. The white cloud of your breath made you feel worse. A slow shred of panic started to rise underneath your skin.

The email told you to come at this building at 6:30 and here you were. For some reason the door was locked.

Who does that? Who makes a meeting at a closed building? And when you called the number on the application, nothing.

A guy was walking towards you. A key in hand.

Is this a dorm?

You’ve never been on this side of campus, so you don’t really know. However, you didn’t particularly care at this moment either.

He was so pretty. His short curly hair looked so soft. He was tall, brown skin, there was barely any light around, but somehow his eyes seemed to sparkle. He grinned at you, drawing your attention towards his lips. Thick and so soft. You also wanted to touch them and for them to touch you.

“Hi.” His mouth twisted into a cheerful smirk.

“Hey.” You said small giving a polite smile, before looking back and forth in the direction of the sidewalk. Where was the for you were supposed to meet?

For some reason that made the stranger laugh.

“Are you not here for the job?”

“Wha?” You turned back towards him in suprise. “Sorry,” you cringed at the situation, but also your self, “I just thought you were some guy.”

“Some guy,” he scoffed with a smile, brushing his own shoulder, “well I thought I looked fly this morning. I guess I’ll dress to impress next time.”

“My bad.” You excused, “I’m just cold.”

“Some way to treat the man responsible for getting you the job you so desperately need. A guy willing to help you out of the kindness of his heart.” He ignored you, unlocking the door.

You huffed in relief after following him inside.

The dorm room common area was warm. The tips of your fingers tingle a little too harshly as they warm up.

You paused with a thought.

“What makes you think I’m desperate for this job?”

“Look at you,” he waved his hands downward at you, “look at the weather? You could have emailed and we could have rescheduled.”

“It’s not my fault you scheduled this meeting at a building that locks it doors after five and your,” you looked at your watch, “five minuets late.”

“But you were what, 15 minuets early?” The change in his tone was off putting. Like he was mocking you somehow, but his smile and demeanor held no other evidence.

He took a step towards you, and you took one back to keep the distance, but he only took another step, crowding your space, lowering his face only a few inches above yours.

“You were 15 minutes early, not accounting for the walk here. I was late, and you still stayed. And it’s freezing cold outside.” His voice was low and icy. It sent a chill down your spine. His mouth curling into a barely concealed snarl.

“Can we start the interview?” You tilted your face away from his, silently begging for him to stop. But you couldn’t bring yourself to tell him.

“In Progress.” he turned on his heels.

You followed, pursing your lips.

“That's my roommate over there. Don't mind him.

He led you to his room. Something in the back of your brain was screaming at you. The whole thing starting to feel wrong.

He plopped down at the seat of the shared desk in the room.

You looked over to his roommate in a chair in the corner. He gave you a small nod and a wave, going back to whatever he was doing.

He didn’t seem all that comfortable in the little chair. His bed was flat against the wall and the space it normally lay on, held a white sheet on the wall, with a camera in front of it.

“You bring the stuff?”

You brought your backpack around from your shoulder to your front. Pulling Out your license, social security card and all the usual askings from a job. He scanned each one, sending it form the printer to the computer and stored the files away. You casually looked around as he documented each one.

On the desk were blank plastic cards, some had words, some didn’t. Various sets of different states were on them with different places for a photo, a stack of little blue squares were next to it blank in the center where a ssn would go.

The makeshift photo set up started to make a little more sense.

The hairs on the back of your neck bristled and not from the cold.

You turned toward him with your mouth open, but you stopped. What would say? What could you say?

“Here,” he interrupted you from your spiraling thoughts, handing you back your papers, “don’t touch anything.” He chided after.

He didn’t seem to notice your reaction, or maybe he didn’t care, more concerned with you leaving it all alone.

You put your papers back in your bag, thinning your lips to hide your dismay.

“When do I start? Where will I be working?”

This got you a winning smile. Why? You remained unsure.

“Give me your phone.”

You handed it over with a huff.

“There,” he handed it back to you, “you have my number. When I call, answer, and we’ll get started. After that, we take it from there.”

“This isn’t professional on any level.” It was a statement.

“Look, we all have our side hustles,” he gestured around the room, “but that has nothing to do with this work study program, aight?”

You nodded.

“I guess, I’ll wait for that call then.” You put your bag on your shoulder, ready to walk out the door.”

“Uh-uh,” he stood, putting his hands in your shoulder to stop you, “where are you going?”

“Home.” You squinted in confusion.

“Not like that, you're not.” He walked over to his roommate's closet and pulled out a hoodie and some sweatpants, throwing them at you, “here, put these on.”

You held them with a frown.

“But these aren’t yours.” You complained, “these belong to—“

“Maurice doesn’t mind sharing.”

You looked over to Maurice for reassurance that it was okay. He slowly nodded. His mouth opened to say something but after quickly looking at his roommate, he stopped.

You huffed with disapproval as you pulled the pants on over your skirt. And quickly shimmied into the hoodie.

The instantaneous sensation of warmth dissuaded any thoughts of doubt in your mind.

Maurice wasn’t as tall as his roommate, so they weren’t ridiculously baggy on you. That made you feel a little better. You quickly walked around. Peering into different corners and nooks of the room.

Thinking you were just being nosey, He put his hands on your shoulders, gently but firmly ushering you out the room.

“I was looking for a mirror.” You smacked your teeth and defended yourself.

He took your back pack and slung it on his shoulder. You didn’t necessarily let it go, so it wasn’t an easy process, but he more than forcefully tugged it out your hands, standing up straight. There was no other opportunity for you to snatch it back as he stood over you.

“What are you doing?” You groaned, at your breaking point.

“I’m walking you to your dorm. It’s dark outside and it’s a long walk.”

You blinked.

“Lead the way.” He ordered, and you reluctantly obeyed.

The walk wasn’t so bad.

You could gratefully cross your arms as you walked. Shielding yourself as much as you can from your new. . . Boss, you suppose he is now. A stranger in a new budding professional relationship he was ruining at every turn.

He walked too closely to you, refusing to start a walking pace faster or slower than yours, if you sped up, he sped up, if you slowed down, he slowed down. When you needed to stop and tie your shoe, he patiently waited for you to finish without complaint.

Despite his amicable walking behavior, you wish conversation with him was just as easy.

“I’m Avery,” he introduced, “by the way.” He quickly added after when you only nodded.

“I know what your name is. It was on the application and on the job board with the phone number, it’s in your email, and you told me on the phone call for what’s supposed to be an interview.”

“But you hadn’t said it.” His tone accusatory, making the air feel all that colder.

“Maybe if you set clearer professional boundaries, then you wouldn’t have to be doing this now.” You shrugged.

“I was going to introduce myself.” His voice was clipped and even, but it didn’t hide the scowl that almost appeared on his face “You interrupted me.”

“I really didn’t.” You laughed, more out of a sick amusement for striking a nerve with him. Glad to be getting on his nerves as much as he had been getting on yours.

“I was,” he stepped in front of you, not letting this go, “I said Hi, and I was going to do the whole dance,” he held up a finger, “I’m Avery with the student ran work study program,” he held up another finger, “you were going to introduce yourself, and everything would have went like normal.” Saying his side and apparently satisfied he turned on his heels and started walking.

You rolled your eyes and followed him.

“But it’s your fault it didn’t go that way.” He blamed, apparently not done.

“Oh, so it’s my fault now.”

“Of course it’s your fault,” he said it casually, almost a little too matter of fact for your liking, “instead I saw you were freezing cold and had to get you inside as soon as possible. . . It threw me off”

“Well I’m sorry for ruining a standard interview procedure by patiently freeezinf my ass off and expecting you to show up on time.”

“You should be.”

With more persuasion then what should of been needed, you sent him away. Insisting you didn’t need anyone to walk you to your actual dorm room. That if you somehow died from the front door outside to your own dorm room door, he could watch it on the news with everyone else.

Later on, he called and you answered.

You picked the time and place, this time around.

The common area in the library, at 11:00 you originally instead on an earlier time, but Avery likes to argue over everything. You settled for 11:00 just to get him to shut up.

“Some meeting place this is.” He had a paper cup in his hand, shaking it by your ear to get your attention. A few people turned towards him with frowns and glares, but he didn’t pay them any attention.

“Will you lower your voice,” you smacked his hand that held the cup to your ear away, keeping your voice low, “this is a library.”

You narrowed your eyes at him.

“For somone who complained about meeting earlier, you look wide awake and well rested to me. You don’t look like someone who just woke up and hates mornings.” You said tersely.

“Who said I hated waking up early?” . He took a seat next to you, “I just have things I need to do early in the morning. Things that I don’t cancel for anyone.”

“Fine.” Was all you said in response to that, not really caring.

“So let’s get straight to business,” he pulled up his back pack into his lap, pulling out a neat crisp envelope, “this is yours,” he started to explain.

You opened the envelope, taking a peek at it as he talked to you.

“So, I don’t have anything for you as soon as expected, so it’s gonna be a little while,” he explained further.

It was $500.

You swallowed, deciding to listen to him, unsure of how to react, but the relief that washed over you was there. You could finally get your books without figuring out how to pay for them. All of them. All at one time. . That way what money you did have left could go to whatever else you may need without worry.

“So here’s a, down payment or a type of deposit, to hold you over, until I can get you a real job,” he explained further.

He looked better in the daytime. His hair looking even softer. His face glowy, but you still couldn’t get over his eyes. You were equally enamored with the way his mouth moved as he talked, but what came out of it annoyed you too many times to count, ruining your infatuation with them, but you’d happily settle for looking into his eyes as he talked.

“So is that enough?” His eyes were on you as he talked, but they also darted to some random kid who zoomed by on a skateboard. You weren’t as shocked because you were always here and that guy did that at this exact time of day everyday.

If someone talked too loud or moved too closely, his eyes would absentmindedly follow them.

“Yeah it’s enough to buy my books with, so I’m not too worried about the rest of things later. I can wait. I’m good with any job.”

He stopped talking after you responded. His eyes lock with yours. The casual mirth in them seemed to dim into something serious that didn’t match his smile.

“Will you stop looking at me like that?” He accused.

You scrunch your face in confusion, but otherwise, you didn’t look away.

“Like what? What are you talking about?”

He looked aghast, almost offended. But he didn’t say anything about how he felt, licking his lips before pulling another semi-serious face.

“I’m looking you in the eye because that’s how conversations work? People tend to make eye contact with whoever’s speaking with them.” You waved your hands up as you explained, thoroughly confused by his confrontational energy.

He huffed. Not responding, he pulled another envelope out his bag and handed it to you.

“You need more than just book money.”

He stood up, fully frowning, but refusing to look at you.

“Just wait for me to give you another call. Aight?”

And he left, not waiting for your reply.

You looked into the envelope. $800.

What the fuck were you going to do with $800? Why is he just handing you so much cash?

You put both of them in your bag with a huff.

As irritating as he was, he was considerate. You hoped this wasn’t the money he had been paid to run this program. Something in you just knows how he doesn’t feel too nice about debts and people that owe him anything.

The last thing you ever wanted to do was owe Avery anything.

You got another call about another way too late meeting.

7pm.

You were irritated, but you showed up.

“There she is.”

Avery was wearing a suit, or maybe it was tux, or maybe, a fancier suit.

It was hard to tell.

Whatever it was, he looked nice.

You were back in his and Maurice’s dorm room.

“Here,” he wasted no time. he handed you a stuffed garment bsg, “put one of these on. I got a lot of different sizes, so one should fit.”

“I’m working now?!”

“The early bird gets the worm, right?”

“It’s not early.” You muttered.

You looked around before opening your mouth, but before you could ask he was already pointing, “Bathroom’s inside. That corner over there.”

You gave him a tight lipped nod. More out of being shocked and confused than irritated, usually because of him, an occurrence you were both used to at this point.”

Dim light aside, the bathroom was fine. Not the disaster you feared it would be.

Freakishly annoying behavior aside, Avery was neat.

The dress was black, very simple, but you wore it well. It looked fancier on you.

“This one fits.” You moved to put on the heels he told you to bring.

“Wait wait wait wait,” he stopped you, “that one fits perfect, but you need to size down one. It’ll look even better.”

You stood up straight. “What kind of job is this again?”

“Easy,” he held up his hands, “it’s not my call okay. I just know you need to size down.”

You sighed, going back in the bathroom.

It was too tight.

You didn’t like it. It exposed to much, it threatened to roll up your thighs, but you tested it, taking a few steps back and forth. Your breast felt too smushed together and kind of hurt.

But what really upset you was the exposed panty lines.

You’d have to take them off. . . And you don’t want to, but you had to.

So you stalked, pacing around in the bathroom for no reason.

With one final sigh, you opened the door.

“Can you hand me my bag real quick?”

“Why? Just put the dress in and come out.”

“Hand me my bag! Just throw it over!”

“We’re going to be late if you keep this up! If you have it on, just get out the bathroom and put the damn shoes on!”

“Hand! Me! My! Bag!”

He smacked his lips.

Scowling, he threw your bag towards you.

“You’re an asshole.” You said sweetly before closing the door.

You walked out.

“That was fast.”

“I never said it would take long. I just said hand me my bag,” you rolled your eyes, “ you made a big fucking deal out of it, so,” you ended the sentence open endedly, putting on your shoes with one hand.

He paused for a moment, looking at you.

“You changed your hair.” He stuck his tongue in his cheek, attempting to hide the pout on his face.

You averted your gaze, blinking a few times to hide how fast you looked away from him.

“I wanted to. I like looking nice.” You attempted to sound stern, to say it with some sort of attitude but you lost it half way, more thrown off by his sudden change in mood.

“Let’s go.” He gestured toward the door with his head, grabbing your coat for you to put your arms through.

He led you to a car already waiting for you both outside.

There was a man in the car, making your freeze, but Avery paid you no mind, forcefully pushing you forward into the car.

“Im Louis Denton, nice to meet you.” he politely introduced himself, holding out a hand for you to shake.

You took his hand reluctantly, but not too much so, you didn;t want to be too rude. His demeanor not holding any alterior motives from what you could sunrise off of an initial meeting.

“I’m sure you have more than a few questions, but I’d be more than happy to answer them before you get started on your job tonight.”

They were brothers, not by blood, but that didn’t stop them from being so close.

Louis was very obviously so not like Avery. He was. . .calm, even headed. You assumed he was the type of guy who never raised his voice, not even if he was angry. Something about him and the way he explained everything, persuaded you to stay.

He was darker,than Avery, his undertones cooler. Much Shorter, and less athletically built, but he had a presence about him. He carried himself just as highly, but he was cooler about it. He didn’t run as hot.

You still weren’t happy about it, but you stayed.

“This is your new boyfriend.” he handed you the photo. You thumbed over it, now uneasy about it all over again. It all felt too real too soon.

“Look,” Louis, leveled with you, “ we aren't expecting you to sleep with this guy, but if it gets to that point, I promise you we’ll be there to stop him. We won’t let him do anything to you that you don't want to do. That’s not what we need your help with.”

“But you still need to show him a good time.” Avery interrupted. “He needs to believe that you want this and you’re into him or everything falls a part.”

“She seems like a smart and capable girl. She can figure that part out on her own.”

Avery glared at his bother, but ultimately relented, letting it go.

You took your coat off, the car hot.

“I just have to get him to this hotel?” you flipped through the papers that held the address.

“And this hotel room, the person at the desk already knows what’s up, so you just have to pretend to get the room.”

You nodded biting your lip.

“You’ll be fine.” Avery attempted to comfort you, but something about it seemed off and distant. His tone sounding a little too harshly. “This guy already likes you. You're his type. Your looks do half of the work for you, and you have some things in common with him, so try to hone in on what those are, and everything after that should come naturally to you.”

The car stopped.

Not wanting to drag this out any longer, you made to leave out of the car. Avery grabbed your arm pulling you back.

“Leave your coat.”

“Leave my coat? No!” you jerk your arm back towards yourself. “Why would I leave my coat?! Its fucking freezing outside!”

He looked to the ceiling, rolling his eyes so dramatically, you had the fight to fight the urge to slap him while his guard was down.

“Will you please, do as I say for once without arguing with me?” He pleaded, earnest.

‘I just want to know why it's so important I leave my coat!” you yelled continuing to argue because being vague doesn’t do anything to deter you to do what he says.

“Leave the fucking coat!” He yelled.

“Why!”

“It makes you vulnerable!! He’ll think you’re cuter because of it!”

You blinked. Stunned.

‘You make” you started lowly, his words confusing you to the very core of your being, “no fucking sense.”

He scowled, about to say another thing, probably something just as stupid as before , but you interrupted him.

‘You never make sense, and its so fucking annoying. I’m so tired of all your fucking mood swings, your weird attitude, your lies, “ you went on and on, at some point you don’t even know what’s coming out of your mouth. Just everything he’s put you through and made you feel comes out. The euphoria of it overwhelms you, consumes you. In your sudden fervor of frustration, anguish, and nerves until it’s all out and your were huffing with the exertion of it, “I'm so sick of all of it.”

His nostrils flared, his face pulled taut in anger. He twisted his mouth open, ready to unleash some form of hell onto you, most likey to say something even stupider than he has the entire night so far, but he didn’t get the chance.

“Hey,” Louis said your name in an even tone, causing you both to turn toward him, “leave the coat.”

Your face fell, almost in to a pout,

Frowning, you exited the car into cold.

This guy wasn’t so bad. The stranger you needed to lure in somewhere for some reason.

He had tan brown skin and a kind smile. It didn't go with his striking face and jet black hair. Thick as it fanned across his face onto his shoulders in a wavy raven halo.

He was even nice to be around.

“Your’re even cuter in person!” he popped in front of you with a grin from ear to ear.

“Where’s your coat?” he laughed, the sound of it reverberating around in your brain. The echoes of it resounded like the aftershocks of a bell, ringing in your mind.

“I was too excited to meet you. I accidently left it at home.”

“Well, we need to fix that.” he held out his arm, waiting for you,” you stood, almost forgetting what you were here to do. You wrapped your arm in his, letting him lead you to his car.

“We can get you a coat, and so much more!” He mused, looking down at you,“let’s have some fun.”

It took you a while to figure out that this guy likes to impress girls with money. That maybe his one and only move had been buying things, showing off shiny fancy things and cars, and going places.

You've, declined his offer, for five separate spontaneous vacations in the first hour of meeting him, convinced he’ll change your mind, and at some point you'll either end the night or start an entirely different day in another country.

“You picked out a long baby blue pea coat. The cut of the coat was unique and the color made you happy. The warmth it provided made you even happier. 100% cashmere, Mr rich stranger insisted.

He’s told you his name, but you keep forgetting.

You stopped to look at something in the window for one second. No longer and no less.

The sparkle of some random diamond twinkled in your eye.

“Did you want those? What is it?” it was like he had a sixth sense for when you wanted something.

“Oh, nothing, I–”

“-- ah-ah-ah,” he grabbed your hand, practically dragging you into the jewelry store, “I saw you. There's something in here you want, and we won’t leave until you get it.”

“I. . .didn’t” you insisted, pouting.

“You're adorable.” he smiled, “please, it’s all I want from you. Please.” he begged, smiling.

You tried to hold back a smile but failed.

“I’m not adorable.” was what you said first, “and fine. I’ll find smething, if you wnt me to have it so bad.”

“Of course.” but you both know he was lying.

“I like these.” you pointed at a pair of diamond earrings.”

“Are you sure?” the sales woman asked. You wee thrown off by the question, scrunching your face.

“I think something more dramatic would suit you, one sec” she walked away and came back with a similar pair that was much much bigger.’

You swallowed intimidated by the size.

“Yes!” Your date exclaimed next to you, those would be so perfect. You must get them.

“Let me try them on first.”

And you did, and then you accidentally found a necklace you liked, then he insisted on getting one that he liked on you to go with it. And then he declared you needed a bracelet to match.

As you walked out the store you had several bags, filled with empty boxes, jewelry cleaner and more diamonds on your body than you could dream of.

The idea of wearing all this money in such flashy way made you feel slightly queasy.

“Where should we go next?”

“Well, . .”

You sold them this story of a hotel youve always wanted to go to. Something about the music, the fancy restaurant nearby, the live band being one of your most favorite musical ensembles. Something wistful and dreamlike.

His eyes widened at the middle of your lie, buying it completely.

“Then we shall go there!” he happily declared taking your arm in his towards his car.

It was all so fast.

Drinking, eating, and enjoying the music. He was so easy to be happy with. You wanted to believe the lie for his sake. The thought of deceiving him now felt too harsh. He didn’t deserve it.

You both laughed as you missed the place to scan the keycard. You weren't that drunk, just so. . .something else. You weren’t sure. You both spilled into the door with a fit of giggles. Your bags from all the shopping had already been brought up.

“Grab him.”

“Whu- what's going on?”

Louis stood in front of you.

“Sit.” was all he said.

You sat on the bed a little confused.

You watched as Avery threw the man on the floor. A sick grin on his face.

“Not happy to see me, Raime. Thought we were friends.”

“Please, I'm sorry. Just let her go. She has nothing to do with this.”

“Oh Raime, buddy.” Avery took off his suit jacket, throwing it on the bed. He rolled up his shirt sleeves, “I don’t want nothing to do with her. Its just you and me.”

Quicker than you could process, he had hit raime in the face. The sound was a wet dull thud. You sucked in a breath. You fisted the sheets in your hand to keep them from shaking to badly, everything in you was screaming, but you kept your mouth shut.

‘Hey,” Louis stepped in front of you, obscuring your vision. “Put in your banking information. Dont pay attention to that.”

His steady calm tone was unwavering. What you once felt as a comfort now sent an eerie chill down your spine.

“Uhm, okay.” you took the phone with shaky hands, you silently typed in your numbers, the sound of Avery’s fist hitting Raime resounded on the walls of the room. Raime’s cries of pain grew more dull with each one. His screams morphed into low desperate groans of protest.

“You know what you have to do if you want me to stop.” Avery huffed before spitting on him. He wiped his mouth, smearing the blood on his hands onto his face.

‘Fuck.” he swore to himself. He blinked for a moment, looking at his hands, and then the blood on his shirt.

He swore again.

He looked at you, inhaling sharply with a sniff, his face blank. The glow in his eye transitioned into something cruel, something you couldn’t quite decipher.

“Hurry that shit up. This is an easy one.”

Avery nodded at him, breaking eye contact with you.

“You,” Louis poitned inyour face, “Don’t look at him. Look at me.”

The thud of Avery’s fist started to make Raime sound wet, sometimes accompanied by a crack or even weirder sharper thud.

Your tongue felt too thick in your mouth.

“Breathe.” Louis pulled out a pack of gum, offering you some.

You shook your head, taking in a shaky breath in your mouth before letting it out.

‘That's right,” Louis encouraged you, “just like that, in and out, keep looking at me. Don’t look at them.”

You weren't calm, but you felt like you could finally breathe again. However, your hands wouldn't stop shaking.

“You're a smart girl. You don’t need me to tell you not to look.”

“Please.” Raime’s voice ws barely a whisper. Low and broken as he gargled it out before coughing up a patch of blood.

“You know what you have to do to make it stop.” Avery sniffed harshly.

“Fine, please, anything please.” Raime weekly held up his hands.

Avery fished a phone out of his pocket, throwing it into Raime’s chest.

He stood over him, staring him down as he struggled to grab a hold of it.

The room was full of nothing but Raime's groans and Avery’s huffs from exertion .

You stole a quick glance at Avery as he was silent.

Splatters of blood rested on his brow, the smear of it on his cheek from earlier. His shirt surprisingly, wasn’t that bloody, but nothing could hide the amount of it left on his hands.

“Will you do me another favor?”Louis asked, taking your attention away from him.

You rose your eyebrows at his question.

“Do what you can to calm him down.” He handed you $500.

You took it, unsure and confused.

“You did good.” He patted you in the shoulder. “Take care of yourself.”

And with that he left.

Avery was now slumped in a chair. The phone now back in his hand.

His eyes were shut, but he didn’t seem relieved or glad that it was over, or happy to have gotten whatever it was he wanted in any way.

You stood up, not really sure what your next move was.

Two men pushed by you grabbing Raime nand dragging him out.

You went into the bathroom to grab a washcloth. You dowsed it in hot water. It stung your hands, setting your hand ablaze as the prickly sensation tingled along your skin. You blinked, you could feel it and it hurt, but for some reason, you didn’t move it.

Avery sniffed, making a loud obnoxious and quite disgusting sound you’ve hated hearing You were tired of hearing it, but in this rare moment you thanked him for it. It brought you to your senses.

You turned the water off, wiping away the phantom tears that wouldn’t fall from your eyes. No matter how much you wanted to cry, the tears refused to fall.

By the time you made it out the bathroom, all the evidence of what just happened was gone. The only shadow of that horrific hazy dream you wanted to push far into the depths of your mind, was covering Avery’s hands, it was smeared across his face.

You swallowed as you approached him. Still sitting in the chair. He was glaring into space at nothing and no one in particular, his gaze hard and frightening.

Tentatively, you brought the cloth to his face, careful not to burn him.

He flitched away from your touch, making you jump just as abruptly. His gaze slowly transitioned into something more familiar to you, something more annoying than violent to you.

You breathed through your nose in relief.

A sensation of happiness threatening to run through you. Through the cloud of anguish and confusion you were feeling.

He was still there.

“What are you doing?” He scolded you.

“Just . . . Let me do this.” You pleaded earnestly. Too tired to fight.

You wiped the blood off his face, it was starting to stick, but it eventually came off, taking more than a few tries, but after it was gone, it was like new lines of it appeared, were you making it worse?

The more you wiped, the more blood seemed to appear on his face.

You made a small squeaking sound, but it didn’t seem to set him off. He didn’t say something snarky or irritating. His expression was something soft. His eyes slowly dart around your face like you weren’t breaking down more and more as the seconds went by. Like you weren’t experiencing a raw terror through every sensation of your body.

He brought a hand to your face, slowly caressing your cheek, leaving trails of something cold, dark and sticky on your face, making you freeze.

“Breathe.” Was all he said, but it didn’t sound so calm and soothing like when his brother said it, it sounded sweet and sinister, his voice dripped in honey, disguising its venomous intent.

Your throat felt a little tighter.

“It’s gone,” he moved his head from side to side, proving it to you.

You brought a hand to his head a little too harshly, almost slapping him as you did. He winced with a tisk, but didn’t complain about it.

You moved his face around some more for your own conscience.

Once you were finally satisfied, you found your ability to breath easily again, without anyone’s help.

You let your hand stay there.

Tracing one of his eyebrows with your thumb.

Then you had a thought.

Taking your chance, you put your hand in his hair. Caressing it, massaging it through your fingers, once you were satisfied, you slowly scratched his scalp with your nails, rubbing his head in circular motions.

He closed his eyes with a hum.

Something nagged at you when he did.

“Your eyes sparkle.”

You said it out loud like you weren’t talking to him. Soft and low like you were talking to yourself. You didn’t look at him directly when he sharply opened his eyes once more. They were wide as he blinked in confusion.

“What’s so special about these earrings?” He changed the subject. Thumbing at the diamonds and covering with them with blood.

“They remind me of a pair a woman had on, in this old movie my mother loved to watch when I growing up.” You looked at your hands, fiddling with the washcloth.

He took it from you, silently demanding your attention.

“I only smiled at them because they reminded me of her.”

“Well they look good on you. You should wear more diamonds.”

“Too many people died for a useless pair of earrings.” You bit back. Not sure why the diamonds made you angry.

“And even more people have died for the next pair I’m gonna get you.”

“That’s not funny.”

“Am I laughing?” He glared up at you, wiping the blood off his hands without looking. “Come here, you got somethin’ on your face.”

“I am here.”

“No,” he grabbed your arm, pulling you into his lap, hard, “your not.”

He laughed as you scrambled off of his chest, sitting up as quickly as you can to put distance between you.

Somehow you were still snug against him, straddling his lap, he slid his hands along your body, resting his palms on your ass. He squeezed it though your dress, his nails digging harshly into your skin.

You dug your nails into his shoulders in response with a surprised yelp. He only licked his lips as he watched your face change.

“Stop.” You cried.

He immediately let go, letting his hands rest on your hips to keep you steady. Perhaps from falling over and breaking your neck.

“Have you. . . Done this before?” You suddenly asked.

He moved a stray hair from your eyes, letting his hand linger on your face. He swiped the pad of his finger up and down from on cheek to. You blinked in confusion before you realized he was wiping a tear from your eyes.

“First time.” Was all he said.

“This blood.” He picked up the stray towel. Wiping harshly at your face, a steep contrast from his attitude before, from the sweetness in his tone and the gentleness in his gaze, “is on your hands as much as it is on mine.”

You sucked in a breath. Almost falling with it.

“N-no it’s not,” you stuttered, “y-you did that. Not me.”

“But you led him here,” he leaned in whispering in your ear, letting his lips grace softly at your neck as he continued, “you lied to him.”

“No. . .I—

“What did you think was going to happen after you brought him here, huh?” He wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer into him. Your throat feels tight and your chest heaved. He nuzzled his nose along your neck, letting his words fan across your skin, “I don’t go to your school,” he kissed your neck.

You swallowed, gasping as he did. A wave of an undefinable emotion washed over you, or perhaps it only felt so because you didn’t want to acknowledge them for what they were, what they are.

You squeezed at the fabric of his shirt, desperate to cling onto reality.

“I don’t fucking know, Maurice,” his words grew sloppier as he mouthed slowly up your neck, dragging his lips on your delicate skin, “you knew I was lying.”

“No, I didn’t.” That you could say firmly. That you knew.

“Look who’s lying now.” His lips felt too hot on your cheek. Each kiss on your skin felt like it left a mark , burning you. You tried to move off him, having enough, but you couldn’t, his arms too snuggly around you. His hold on you too tight.

“No.” You shook your head.

“You took the money.” He grinned, resting his forehead on yours. His breath smelled like mint and whiskey. “You could have acted on every part of yourself that said this wasn’t right. You could have listened to every thought of doubt that crossed your mind.”

“It’s- it’s not me. It wasn’t me.”

“You’re a part of this.” He said definitely, “this is your mess too.”

It felt like your heart stopped. You put a hand to your chest trying to breath.

“Avery.” You choked, desperate for him to get help.

He inhaled and exhaled loudly, grabbing your hands, squeezing so tightly you winced.

“Just, breathe.” He scolded. “You're fine.” He inhaled, then exhaled.

It wasn’t long until your mind caught the pattern. Your body’s natural inclination to survive overrode the emotions warring inside of you.

On your last exhale, he parted his lips, leaning towards your face to touch yours with is. You tilted your head as much as you could, pulling away.

“Let me kiss you.” he pant.

You shook your head.

“I’m not a bad person.” You trembled.

“Of course your not a bad person.” he tisked. “I’m not a bad person.”

“You are a bad person.”

“If I’m a bad person,”He leaned in to kiss you, “You are too.”

[benwvatt]

for the weekend sleepover ask game: what are your favorite Grey's headcanons?

aaaaahhhh beachy i love chatting with you! <3

i need alex & jackson & april to move in together and be, like a weird group of 3. sort of a grover-percy-annabeth or a katara-sokka-aang in terms of the cheesy couple and their weird best friend who has emotional regulation issues but, like, needs hugs. he just also needs you to be chill so he doesn't feel embarrassed. and when he's sick he also wants japril to watch movies with him and make him chamomile tea

jackson fell first but april fell harder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can we please give matthew some actual character development because i would LOVE to see him actually grow & develop. I'm an exchristian and I really loved the episode where matthew & april talked about her not being a virgin because I found it very insightful and lovely.

I am team-matthew's wife never dies and april never marries matthew and he actually gets to grow as a human being. also he gets to be happy.

I always loved April as christian representation because she is a christian but is so kind (and I also headcanon that she has very complex feelings about christianity and the struggle against god. I can see her partly deconstructing.)

I am team-everyone lives AU. teddy and henry were CUTE. so were teddy and alison, and merder (who are not, like, my absolute favorites but I want them to be happy and I want derek to become a better person, not die because he reached for his phone while turning his truck.)

IF SAMUEL HAD LIVED AND JAPRIL COULD HAVE GOTTEN A STORYLINE ABOUT RAISING A DISABLED KID !!!! IT COULD HAVE BEEN GOOD DISABILITY REP!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am also team "Link and Amelia get back together" because I LOVE their romance and am so mad they broke up

I realize not all of these are headcanons. this is just a list of what I want to see. WHATEVER???

nonbinary callie because [gestures at sara ramirez in all their glory]

CALLIE AND ARIZONA SECOND WEDDING TO RENEW THEIR VOWS

also mark & lexie live happily ever ever ever after and they dance at the second wedding <3

okay we both love japril so also

Jackson is really good at crosswords and April is so fucking pissed at him for it

April (with Jackson's consent) yells at Jackson's dad for being terrible and Jackson becomes weird best friends with April's dad. They drink beer and listen to country songs and talk about, like, spirituality and god and soccer games and cherry pie recipes. Jackson learns how to drive a tractor and he meets Jackson, the pig April named after him, which the Kepners refuse to kill because HE IS NAMED A HUMAN NAME.

They also talk about April's embarrassing cute childhood (Jackson has 65353 pictures on his phone) and Jackson ALSO yells at April's family for making her feel embarrassed. Kids with disabilities and braces don't need to be shamed and mocked.

Jackson becomes friends with April's dad because he gets to have a dad (well, aside from Webber, who is also a nice dad figure) who loves him for HIM :'))))))))))))))

it's very healing and wonderful. he totally cries on mr. kepner's flannel shirt.

Jackson keeps his lucky pencil from med school and fucking signs his marriage certificate with it. (Office person voice: Sir, that's not valid. We need BLACK or BLUE PEN.)

JACKSON AND APRIL START A GLOBAL HEALTH NONPROFIT

Can we please have an April-centric storyline about why the US military fucking sucks and she had a nice time with them but was also, uh, IN THE MILITARY

April goes to her med school reunion and is like, "oh? this guy? yeah, whatever, he's super famous. mostly he just makes me tea and hangs out with our kids, I don't think of him as an AVERY"

everyone is super impressed. jackson is silly and goofy and eats hors d'ouevres with her

can we please get a Reed Lives AU because I LOVE REED (mostly because i am gay and i think she has cool hair) and I want to see more of her and April's friendship.

marginally off-topic rant but: the San Francisco episodes where they're doing the board exams and japril has sex in the bathroom? MY HEADCANON - VERY SLIGHT - IS THAT THEY WOULD JUST HAVE SEX ON THE COUNTER, NOT GO INTO THE STALL AND SLAM THE DOOR SHUT

BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU NEED TO LOCK THE STALL AND HAVE SEX IN THERE IF THE MAIN BATHROOM DOOR IS ALREADY LOCKED?????????

also, april totally takes kickboxing lessons after beating up that guy at the bar (at the boards) and Jackson is just Very Turned On by his cool friend who, like, comes home from kickboxing all SWEATY? and BRUISED? taking off the tape around her hands and peeling off her tank top to get in the shower? it's really hot and he's very confused.

[laugtherhyena]

@ninjagirlstar5 YEAH‼️Mary is straight up one of the nicest people in our cast i think? She's outward friendly to most of the characters as you can see in this silly chart.

Ramblings under cut tho maybe check out the cast post so that you know who I'm talking about (made by the same dude that made this chart template, hi avery)

So a thing about Mary is that she's really not that shaken with the whole termina festival thing? The horrors are the horrors but she's been struggling by her whole life to the point that she's desensitized to a lot of things + the insanity of the situation in Prehevil is a little beyond her comprehension, so even tho there are fucked monsters and crazy cultists running around while the moon tries to morph them into twisted versions of themselves she's watching that and sorta just going "Damn that's crazy" before continuing focusing on staying alive herself long enough so that the train passes by and she can leave (1st round survivors leave Prehevil by hopping on a cargo train wagon as it passes by the town)

She is one of the characters that keeps their cool through a majority of the festival and only moonschorches on day 3 morning after some nasty stuff happens. So pair that with her just being a nice person in general and you have Mary!

The worse people get in her chart is neutral + avoidant and that's because she's got a gut feeling that something's off about John and Hilda but she doesn't want to fuck around and find out so she just keeps her distance from them.

The other 3 she avoids are all people Mary does like quite a bit but none of them want to be around her for one reason or another; Damian and Claire are both rather reclusive people who have their minds set on escaping Prehevil alive and their own personal goals while Addison is kinda of a paranoid dude which makes him avoid a lot of people through termina in general. So Mary sees that and steers away not wanting to bother them (she is used to people avoiding her out of being disgusted by her presence seeing her as a filthy, stupid and untrustworthy street rat so this isn't anything new for her. None of these opinions applies to the dudes I just stated tho), which is kinda sad because she does like these people quite a bit. She is impressed by Claire and Addison's professions and would love to know more about those and has never been around a journalistic photographer or actor (She's seen tvs once or twice in random gigs she got over the years and was just absolutely mesmerized on how that little box has people on it), and she's heard a lot of good things about Damien from his brother.

She would have avoided Lola for similar reasons, she's nice to everyone but she's a bit of a cleaning freak so Mary's appearance bothers her quite a bit, but because Lola is not much of a fighter and is terrified of the situation they're in Mary sticks by to help. It's in the same vein as her being around Anatol and Ebba even tho they don't care much for her, she's seeing these 20 year olds with a lot of life ahead of them stuck in this hell on earth and takes upon herself try helping them even if she is aware of what they think of her.

Kit is a buddy tho, they're both people who grew up in the outskirts of society (albeit in wildly different settings) so they had a pretty harsh life which in turn means they got quite a bit in common :] she also chats and hangs around Matyas even tho she can't understand half what he's rambling about.

The 3 people left are the closest to Mary out of the whole cast, so much so that if certain events aren't prevented at least one of these people being alive is a requirement for her to make it out alive.

Mary and Amos both come from the orphanage, while they weren't necessarily friends back then, they did know each other during the time Mary still lived there, tho she can't remember that due to blocking out pretty much all her memories from her time in the orphanage out of trauma. What she can recall is really vague and hard to understand and the thought of setting foot there again terrifies her, this stuff is also the reason why she's afraid of the dark priests but she isn't scared of Amos due to the familiar feeling he evokes even if she can't remember knowing him prior to termina. They grow closer out of shared religious trauma and sorta look out for each other in a way.

As for Catherine and Leslie they're both people she's only met during termina that surprised her a bunch because she's so used to people with big important carrers like them to just ignore her existence entirely, so to see a doctor of sorts and a lawyer not only be unbothered by her presence but straight up like and treat her nicely it's just,, wow! "I never talked to someone so smart before!" Or "I never had someone take care of me before!" And I think she cherishes their company a lot through the festival.

[miyuhpapayuh]

Twelve

Her new commute to work being cut down by ten minutes gives her plenty of time to sit on her new balcony and gear herself up for the day.

“Hey,” a voice calls, making her turn back towards the sliding door. A half-dressed Leon comes into view with a plate in his hand.

“Don't forget your breakfast.”

Sitting it on the table by her, he presses a kiss to her forehead. She smiles down at the french toast, bacon and eggs and then smiles up at him.

“Aw, you tried something new on me!”

He chuckles, leaning down to kiss her lips.

“Yeah, I had to! Couldn't have you thinking I only make waffles and pancakes for the woman that makes my toes curl.”

She giggles, crossing her legs under the table. He saw it, too, his low laughter falling in line with hers.

“Ah, what a man!”

“I know,” he nods enthusiastically, “you deserve waffles, French toast, cinnamon bagels with extra cream cheese, biscuits and gravy,..” he continued rattling things off in between wet kisses against her face.

“I'm holding you to the biscuits and gravy, cause that's one of my favorites.”

“Noted. Now try it and tell me how you like it.” He says, resting his hands on the chair as she cuts into the french toast, taking a bite.

“Delicious, like I definitely expected! Mm, so buttery!”

He smiles, actually patting himself on the back and making her laugh.

“So glad you like ‘em, sweet stuff. I gotta head out or ima be late, but I'll call you on my break, okay?”

“Okay. I gotta head out soon, myself.” She says, going back for another bite of her food, before standing up to hug Leon.

“We hangin’ out tonight?” He asks, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

“I was thinkin’ we could all meet up at my job, after work. You round up your friends, I'll bring my sisters. Sounds cool?”

“Yeah, that sounds real cool,” he smiles, “look at you, gettin’ everybody together!”

She playfully rolls her eyes, “go to work, Leon Avery.”

“Aw, ‘kay, Zora-Jean. I'm out the door now.” He replies, placing plenty more kisses to her lips.

“Mmkay, I'll seriously see you later.” She laughs at their, still entwined, fingers.

“Okay, okay. I love you.” One more kiss.

“I love you, too.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

Sitting at work, looking pretty with nobody to bother her was the absolute best!

It had been almost a month since Cory was fired, and Zora got Linda to agree with her, that him being gone really did her business some good.

They'd had a full house, every night, like she'd been dreaming about, which is why she ran it by Leon to finally bring his friends by.

They'd finally been able to open up their entire floor for customers and use that dusty old jukebox in the far corner.

“Hell, we might be able to get some people in here to sing and things! You know how restaurants do events?? We could do that!”

“We could!” Zora smiles at her beaming boss. “I hope you're ready to host it up, tonight! Told Leon and his friends all about you!”

“Oh, I've been waiting for this! Friends of yours are friends of mine, you know that, dear!” Linda says to Zora.

“The hungrier, the better?” She asks, as they both fall out in laughter.

“Absolutely! I cannot wait to meet ‘em.”

As another busy day came to a close, she got a text from Leon, he was going home to change and wondered if she wanted to ride back with him.

She replied in agreement, mentally preparing for the hour she'd given herself, to pull herself together as she rushed home.

Thanking god for closet space again, she sifts through her dresses— unable to bare another pair of pants sticking to her— and lands on an orange and white sundress, immediately pulling it out and hopping in the shower.

While brushing her teeth and drying her body, she mulls over which sandals to pair with the dress, already hearing Nique telling her to go with black! Everything goes with black!

She's not wrong, but Nique would never hear that… again.

Pulling the outfit on, she stands in front of the mirror and squints, tilting her head to one side.

“No.”

She pulls everything off and puts it back in its place, rummaging around for a totally different look in mind.

Stepping back in front of the mirror, she's rocking a white graphic t-shirt, tied in the back to show off the little bit of belly she wasn't self conscious about, a black skirt that hit mid-thigh and hugged her very well and red sandal-heels, showcasing her pretty brown legs in ways that are gonna make a certain somebody salivate.

“That's more like it.”

Dousing herself in a sandalwood and vanilla cloud, she fluffs her hair and grabs her phone, snapping a few pictures before heading back down the hallway.

Answering the door a beat after he knocks, she smirks at the way his jaw drops at her appearance.

“Don't go droolin’ on my new floor,” she quips, before grabbing the single white rose from his hand, putting it up to her nose.

“I ain't sorry. You look so damn good, baby.” He compliments, making her blush and pull him in for a kiss, which turns into a couple more.

“Thank you, it took me a minute to pull it together.”

“Yeah, me too. How I'm lookin’?” He asks, stepping back from her and spinning around for her. His all green ensemble was very on brand.

She fondly shakes her head. “You always look so good, boy. I'll be stealing this shirt next.”

“Ima start hiding my clothes from you,” he laughs.

“Oh, please! Don't act like I leave you bare.”

“Just about!” He jokes. “But, you ready to go, sweet stuff?”

“Yeah, I gotta head across the hall and see if Nique is ready.” She nods, as they head out of her apartment and across the way, where she knocks on Nique’s door.

Answering by poking her head out, she makes the couple snicker at her wide-eyed expression. Her hair was still in rollers.

"Hey friends!"

“Why are you not ready, yet?” Zora asks.

“Because you cannot rush perfection, Zora-Jean. You look scrumptious, by the way!”

“That's what I told her.” Leon smiles, earning a high-five from Nique.

“I'm almost done,” she turns her focus back to her friend. “Come inside and relax a little.”

Letting them in, Leon makes himself comfy on her couch while Zora follows Nique into her room to help her with an outfit.

“Okay, so are these grown, hard working men?”

“Yes, girl. First time I've seen a group of ‘em, up close.”

“Ooh, are they fine?? Be honest.”

“Yes, Nique. You think I'd be dragging all three of y'all down there if they weren't?”

“Listen, I just have to clarify. I know Leon is pretty, but his friends coulda been mud ducks and I've already had my share of them.”

“Trust me, you'll be pleased.”

“Okay, alright. Is this a plunging neck situation? Or is that too much?”

“Hm, considering it being a first meeting, yeah, let's save that for next time.”

“Okay, okay. How about this top?” She asks, pulling out a tan, long-sleeved crop top. “It accentuates my tatas.” She cheeses, making Zora laugh.

“Yeah, friend! This is actually cute, and now you can wear those khaki pants that I bought you!”

“Ooh, they make my ass look fantastic, too!”

“Hey Leon!”, the two hear from the living room, making Zora look at Nique, who shrugs.

“You don't know your own sisters’ voices or something?”

“I didn't ask you who it was, did I?” She quips with a raised brow.

“Nope, but you look clueless. They wanted to meet us here. I think Neoma bought—”

“D’ussé!” She shouts, making them laugh and hurry to get Nique fully ready, before they step out of her room and join Neoma, Lovita and Leon in the kitchen.

“Hey, baby sisters!” Lovita greets, handing Zora and Nique a shot glass. “Y'all look good!”

“Thanks, y'all do too! Lord, we pre-gamin’?”

“I feel like I'm back in college.” Leon snorts, making them laugh.

“I know! What are you tryna do to us, girl?”

“Oh, come on! It's just one shot! Start the night off right, right?”

“Right, yeah,” Zora nods, as do the others.

“Alright, then! To a good night!” She raises her shot and they follow suit, repeating her cheer and clinking their glasses to one another's.

“To a good night!”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

And a good night, it was.

After everyone got acquainted, Linda started them off with a round of cheesy potato bites, which Leon and Zora were super excited about.

“Don't be mad if these disappear while we're talking,” Darnell chuckles, plucking another one from the large plate.

“There's like sixty of them on the plate,” Neoma laughs, “if you inhale all of these, ima be concerned.”

“Right! You ate today, right?” Leon joins in on the taunting.

“Lay up off me, man. Yeah, I ate. And I'm gonna eat again.” He quips, making Nique and Neoma laugh, while Leon holds his hands up.

Lovita was too busy flirting with Clyde, and he was hanging on every word that left her glossed lips.

“Tell me your middle name ain't Alize,” he jokes, making her giggle a little too much for her liking.

“No, no. I love Lovita Alize Jenkins, though!”

“Who doesn't??” Zora says from across the table, catching her sister’s playful glare.

“She's right. Her and Cedric were my go-to. Too funny.”

“You remember they had those shirts with their faces on ‘em? I thought that was so cheesy and cute!”

“What? That's one of my favorite episodes!”

“Don't let them bother you. I love a man with an appetite.” Nique says to Darnell, grabbing another one of the bites for herself. He raises an eyebrow at her, to which she winks.

“Good to know,” he smirks, looking over at Craig, who's twirling one of Neoma’s twists around his finger.

“You are so pretty,” he says for the thousandth time, making her blush profusely.

“So are you,” she replies, feeling her insides burn as he flashes her a smile, those gold-capped canines peeking at her.

Everybody had matched off, making the head couple secretly high-five underneath the table and snicker to each other.

Several appetizers and heavily poured drinks later, the couples sit along the bar and listen to the live band that Linda found.

It consists of three super sweet guys. The lead singer can blow down anybody's favorite singer, the drummer can beat down the best of drums in the most incredible ways and the guitarist definitely lets his talent speak for itself.

“They sound really good, don't they?” Linda asks the group, getting a gaggle of yes’s back.

“I'm glad you could finally expand, cause it's jumpin’ in here!” Nique comments.

“Me too! Get out there and have a dance for me, all of ya.” She nudges her, slyly pushing her against Darnell.

“Ima get Zora on you!” Nique jokes, before looking to her left, finding him already honed in on her.

“You know this song?” She asks.

“Nah, but we can learn it.” He says, holding his hand out for her to grab as they find a spot on the floor.

“Oop, looks like Nique got ‘em!” Leon points to the two, quickly getting swatted by Zora.

“That ain't take long,” Lovita giggles, her and Zora’s jaws dropping as Neoma pulls Craig away from the bar.

“Don't wait up, chicken!” She teases her older sister.

“C'mon, don't let her show you up like that.” Clyde says, placing his hand over hers.

Zora was cheesing so hard, Leon had to pull her away before she bursted and ruined their moment.

“You wanna dance with me, huh?”

“Badly.” He leans closer to her, giving her another opportunity to inhale the godly scent that was coming off him.

 “Wow, you smell good.” She blurts, unable to help herself.

“I was just about to say that about you, beautiful.”

“Let's go dance, handsome.”

✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿ ... ✿°•∘ɷ∘•°✿

“Tonight was so fun!”

“Yeah, it really was. We made off like real matchmakers.” Leon says, making them both laugh.

“We are real matchmakers! All we did was introduce them to each other and bam! Three new relationships, just like that!” She exclaims, plopping down on her bed and kicking off her sandals.

“Those hurt my feet,” she frowns, getting ready to contort her leg all types of crazy, til she's stopped by him pulling it up to his level, massaging it for her.

“Did you forget I was standing here or sumn?” He asks, chuckling after, at her harmless glare.

“No, you lank. I didn't think to ask.”

“You ain't gotta ask, baby. Put them purty feet on me, I'll get the hint.”

She giggles as he leans down and presses kisses to her feet. Her skirt began to ride up, as she quickly pulled it back down.

“All that ass in that skirt was a mystery to begin with!” He cracks, getting a harmless kick to the stomach.

“Shut up, it lasted the whole night!”

“You right.”

“I know. Gimme my feet back,” she laughs, tryna pull her legs from his grasp.

“Why? I was havin’ fun!”

“Sit down, at least. You're making me dizzy.” She says, patting the spot beside her.

He took a seat on her, now, deep navy blue sheets and pulled her legs into his lap, going back to rubbing her feet.

“Them drinks made you dizzy, don't do me.”

“Don't do— never mind,” she starts laughing, covering her face. He squints and laughs at her, even though he's not sure what's so funny. Her laugh was too damn infectious.

“What?”

“Nothing,” she drags out, still laughing at herself.

“Zora,” he laughs, pulling her hand away from her face, “you gotta share it cause it's got you in stitches.”

“It's not even funny, that's what's so funny!” She gets out between giggles.

“You're so damn goofy, Jean.” He fondly comments.

“Aw, Avery!” She squeals, reaching up to pinch his cheek, making him laugh and swat her hand away.

“Pinchin’ my cheeks like my mama, girl. What's got you so giggly?” He asks again, leaning down to her level.

“I was gonna make a joke about doing you, but I couldn't get it out.” She softly laughs, trying to suppress it.

But the expression on his face made it come back to full giggles. Her back found her mess of pillows as she covered her face once again.

With another shake of his head, he watches his liquored-up girlfriend giggle her life away.

She was precious.

“Oh man, that's an ab workout for ya,” she says after she's calmed down, leaning up on her elbows to meet his gaze.

“You done, now?” He asks.

“Yeah,” she smiles, “I'm done, now.”

“Good. You know what I wanna do?”

“What?”

“You.”

Ch. 13

@thegifstories @blackerthings @sheabuttahwrites @ghostfacekill-monger @nahimjustfeelingit-writes @cecereads209 @abeautifulmindexposed @twistedcharismaaa @essaysbyciara @nayaxwrites

[pamsimmerstories]

jealous should be this gen's name

previous | next

[freya]: and what do you think about our school? no, better question... how you and your brother do? are you living in windenburg?

[oliver]: well, we’re living in both places. during week we’re here and weekends if we feel like, we go back home. that’s the advantage of having money. you can fly anytime you want.

OLIVER WARD

- 14yo

- son of judith ward with clement

- traits: perfectionist, rancher, horse lover; clearly he wants to be a cowboy

[freya]: that’s so cool! i’ve never left windenburg. my mom and dad are always busy working because of... too many kids to feed. maybe now that my siblings are leaving home we could have a family trip. WAIT! my brother wants to be an actor!! when your mom comes to visit you could you invite us to come?

[oliver]: uh, i don’t know about that. we don’t know each other that much... my mom is famous, but we like privacy, you know.

[freya]: oh, sorry! that was so rude of me! i’m really sorry.

[oliver]: it’s okay.

-

[freya]: i think i’ve made a mistake! i invited myself to oliver’s place. so embarrassing

[collin]: oh god! how did you manage to do that?

[freya]: i talked about eris and i don’t know... maybe because he’s cute i was just rambling. i mean, he’s cute, but not that cute cute. but he’s famous!! yes, that’s it. that’s the problem. he’s famous i couldn’t stop myself.

[collin]: oh yeah, that seems like you. you never stop talking.

[freya]: what do you mean?

[collin]: it’s getting dark. i’m gonna head home. do you wanna come or are you staying and hoping owen shows up next?

[freya]: why are you acting like that?

[collin]: i’m tired. avery sent me a text. i’m going okay?

[freya]: yeah, fine.

[luveline]

kbd steve and r dealing with two of the girls holding a grudge/fighting and helping them make up 🥹🥹🥹

kbd —mom!reader and dad!steve attempt to get their girls to forgive each other

“I thought they’d just forget,” you whisper. 

Steve looks over your shoulder, hand on your waist, the smell of hot butter bubbling on the stove like an itch in his nose. “Right? Like, they’d sleep and forget. Especially ‘cos they like sharing the bed.” 

Avery and Beth sit as far away from one another as is humanly possible. Beth sits with Dove toward the head of the table, frowning as her little sister climbs onto her legs and tries to comb her hair, while Avery sits by the open kitchen door. She’s pretending to poke at the snail that lives under the stoop, but she’s really on the edge of tears. 

They’re fighting because Avery took one of Beth’s fruit slices yesterday at lunch (warm pastries that all the kids can’t get enough of). When Steve asked her about it, she lied and said Beth actually ate one of her fruit slices, and Beth had been so betrayed she actually got mad. Beth never gets mad. 

Avery couldn’t take the guilt, confessing in tears the night before that she’d lied, and so you and Avery knocked Beth’s door together to apologise. Only Beth didn’t forgive her. 

It’s weird to see them not getting along. Avery and Beth are so sweet to each other usually. It’s odd that they aren’t sharing their breakfast, that they aren’t trying to feed the baby her mushy eggs. You and Steve are used to a more lovey-dovey feeling in the mornings. 

You dip down to sit with Avery when she does eventually start crying. “What’s the matter?” you whisper. 

Steve knows you’ve got the reins on that one, taking a seat by the other disgruntled party. 

“Is she crying?” Beth asks him softly. 

“Yeah, baby.” 

“‘Cos of me?” 

“It’s not like that.” He pulls Dove off of Beth’s lap before the toddler can trample her. Dove frowns at him but decides to allow it, resting in a lump against his chest. He pats her back. “She feels bad that she upset you, and she lied, and she wishes you were feeling better.” 

It must be strange to be young and be terrified that nobody will believe you, even over something as small as a fruit slice. Steve can’t imagine what he’d feel like now having to justify things to his parents. Or maybe it was that Avery’s never done something like that, at least not that Beth could remember. 

“She lied,” Beth stresses. 

“I know. But she did say sorry, honey, and she promised you two of her fruit slices today to make up for it. Maybe we can be friends again?” Steve says. 

If Beth wants to be mad a little while longer, that’s okay, but from the looks of her where she’s looking back and forth between Steve and the open kitchen door, she’s ready to forgive, or make her sister feel better at the very least. 

“It’s nice to forgive someone,” Steve says. “It’s kind. Avery didn’t wanna get in trouble, but she got you in trouble instead, so it’s cool if you’re still grumpy.” 

“I’m not grumpy.” 

Steve gives her an encouraging smile. “I know. It’s up to you, baby. Between you and me though, I think Avery’s super duper sorry.” 

In your lap, Avery sniffles. Dove climbs down off of Steve as Beth slips from her chair, then looks back for Steve. “Will you tell her I’m not mad?” Beth asks him. 

He wriggles his fingers. She takes his hand. 

It’s an unusually cold morning for the season, Steve can see your arms have wrinkled with goosebumps where they’re wrapped tight behind Avery’s back. You’d already given her a scolding for lying last night, and you and Steve are one and done with parenting; you don’t comfort her reluctantly, you just comfort. “It’s okay,” you say under your bread, swaying her from one side to the other. 

“Hey,” Steve says, crouching down to catch your attention. 

“Hello.” You see Beth, and you smile with relief. “Hi.” 

“Beth has something she wants me to tell you, Ave,” he says, nudging her arm gently with his knuckles to catch her attention. She peers up tearily from your arm. “She said she’s not mad anymore, okay? She wants to be friends again.” 

Avery looks at Beth cautiously. “Really?” she asks. It’s hard not to hear how hopeful she sounds. Steve feels extremely sympathetic, and he can’t help thinking she’s cute. She’s such a sweetheart, just like Beth, and Dove, and baby Wren he’s sure will end up the same. Like you. He can’t count how many times you and him have argued over the years, but every time it ends with you being more sorry than you need to be, and usually some of Steve’s guilty tears. 

“Yes,” Beth says, “so please don’t cry anymore.” 

Avery pouts. “You wanna give your sister a hug?” you prompt. 

Avery jumps up and throws herself at Bethie, almost knocking her younger sister down. Steve puts his hand behind them to stop a calamity. “I’m sorry, Bethie,” Avery squeaks, her voice high with upset and scratchy as she squeezes Beth tightly. 

“It’s okay! I’m not mad!” 

“I know!” Avery sniffles. “I’m still sorry. I told dad you ate my slice but you didn’t, I’m sorry.” 

“She’s forgiven you, baby,” you say, patting Avery’s shoulder. “It’s all water under the bridge. Yeah?” 

Beth holds Avery by the arm as they pull away. “Yeah. Water un’ the bridge.” 

“Thank you,” Avery says. “I don’t like when you’re mad.”

You and Steve make similar expressions of love and empathy over their small heads.  

[writingwithciara]

Just Friends ~Jack Avery~

summary: jack doesn't like that he & the girl he's loved for years are never going to be more than just friends

word count: 1.7k

pairings: jack avery x reader

notes: based off THIS song. & yes, I still listen to the jonas brothers because they’re incredible af. italics are song lyrics. [this has been in my drafts for so long]

masterlist

there she goes again, the girl i'm in love with, it's cool we're just friends

Jack stood against the set of lockers as he watched y/n grab her belongings. He would do anything to prove how much he loved her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Their friendship was fairly new to him & he didn't want to scare her off, since he had waited almost 8 years to finally build up the nerve to talk to her.

"Hey, Jack, what are you doing after school today?" she asked him.

"N-nothing. Why?"

"My mom wants me to babysit my sister but I already made plans with Marcus. She said I could go on my date if I found a suitable replacement." y/n looked up at him with pleading eyes. "Will you do it, please?"

"Yeah, sure. Just, uh, don't stay out too late."

"I won't. Thank you so much, Jack. I owe you one." she smiled and walked down the hall to meet up with Marcus.

Marcus Devonshire. Jack envied him, not only because he had y/n, but because he was too nice to hate. Not one person in school had a bad thing to say about Marcus, and it absolutely irritated Jack.

"Yo, earth to Jack." a hand waved in front of his face & he zoned back in, not realizing he had actually zoned out. He looked up to see his best friend standing in front of him.

"I'm sorry. What?"

"I asked if you had plans after school."

"Yeah, I actually do."

"Really? What are you even doing?"

"I'm babysitting y/n's sister so she can go on her date with Marcus."

"That girl has you wrapped around her finger. It's been, what, 8 years of pining? When will you give up that idea?"

"Because, Gavin, she's been the object of my affection for 8 years & I'm working on a plan to get her to fall in love with me."

"It's never gonna work." Gavin rolled his eyes. In reality, he really wanted Jack & y/n to get together but he felt that if he added more wood to the fire, Jack would mess something up.

Later that night, Jack walked up to y/n's house and knocked. When she answered the door, Jack suddenly forgot what he was doing there.

"Hey, Jack. You're early."

"I know. I had nothing else to do so I thought I'd come over & maybe we could hang out a little before you go on your date."

"Okay, sure. That sounds like fun." she opened the door more and let him in. They walked through her house and went into the back room.

"So, where is Marcus taking you tonight?"

"Just to dinner and a movie. Our anniversary is this weekend but he's going out of town with his parents so we're celebrating tonight."

"Anniversary, huh? How long?"

"2 years." she looked up at him and smiled.

"He's a pretty lucky guy, you know."

"You really think so?"

"Of course." he looked at her quickly before turning his attention back to the tv screen. "I guess you're pretty lucky too. He's probably the nicest person I've ever met."

"Yeah, he really is." she looked at her phone. "Will you help me pick out an outfit for tonight?"

"Y-yeah sure. Why not."

"Perfect." she stood up and walked into her room. Jack followed and took a quick look around. He had only been in her room 2 times before & this time it just felt different. "Okay, since it's a simple dinner and movie, which of these do you think fits the tone better?"

Jack looked over at her as she held the outfits up to her body. "I like the white ripped jeans with the purple crop top & black jacket. But the sundress and the jean jacket look good too. If you want to impress him, the jeans and the crop top combo should do the trick."

"Alright. Yeah. That looks perfect. Thanks, Jack."

"No problem. He smiled as she headed into her bathroom to change. Jack looked around her room again and took in all the trophies she won in the past. Most of them were for gymnastics but the last few were from cheerleading competitions. She always had multiple scholastic awards placed on her walls and shelf. It was like she was the female version of Marcus, proving they were perfect together.

"Okay. I really like this outfit." she walked out of the bathroom and spun around to show Jack.

"Looks cute, y/n."

"Thank you for all your help tonight, Jack." she looked at him and smiled. "There's one more thing I need your help for. You can say no if you want."

"What is it?"

"Do you know how to do a french braid?"

"Yeah. I actually do." he chuckled. "Kind of a benefit of having so many sisters."

"Will you do my hair into a french braid? I never get it right." she went over to her vanity and sat down. Without hesitation, Jack stood behind her and began working on her hair.

They say the most intimate thing you can do with your significant other is wash their hair and even though he wasn't washing it, and she wasn't his significant other, Jack had never felt more intimate with anyone before.

"There. All done." he placed the tie on the end of the braid and let her admire his work.

"Wow. This is incredible." she turned to him and hugged him. "The whole outfit is tied together now. Thank you. I owe you."

"That's two things you owe me now." he held up two fingers and laughed. "Pay me back whenever you want to."

"It'll be soon, I promise." she smiled. "So what are yours and April's plans for Valentine's Day?"

"April? Oh no. We're not together."

"Really? I just thought you were since you're with her more than you're with Gavin."

"Nope. I am very much single." he chuckled. "Plus, she's Gavin's sister and that would be weird."

"Hmm, I might know someone you could date."

"Really? Who?"

"My friend Lexi. She lives two towns over and hasn't had a steady boyfriend in a while. She's pretty & I think you two would make a very attractive couple."

"As much as I appreciate the offer, I have my eyes set on someone already?"

"Oh, really? Does she go to our school?"

"Yes she does." he looked up at her and smiled as she tried to think of who it could be.

"Jessica Lambert?"

"Nope."

"Marissa Robinson?"

"No. I can't tell you who it is because you know her & she has a boyfriend so if word got out that I liked her, her boyfriend would kill me."

"Oh, please? Your secret will be safe with me, I promise."

"No can do. Sorry. Only Gavin knows and that's the way it's going to stay."

"You're no fun." y/n faked a pout and looked at her phone. "Marcus is on his way. Let's go downstairs." Jack followed her back down to the living room. "Since Delia isn't home yet, you can just chill here. But I'll be back around 10:30, I promise." y/n took one last look at him before stepping outside & getting into Marcus' car. Delia walked in a few minutes after y/n left and she smiled when she saw Jack waiting for her. Their mom informed him that she'd be out all night, and then she left.

A few hours later, Delia was asleep & Jack was alone again. He checked his phone constantly to see what time it was.

10:45 pm & y/n still wasn't home. Jack began to worry. At 11, he decided he should try to call her. Just as he pulled up her contact, his phone started ringing & her picture flashed across his screen. He answered before it rang again.

"Hey. Where are you? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. I was just calling to tell you I'd be home in half an hour."

"Okay. Why so late?"

"We just, uh, lost track of time. I'll tell you more when I get home, alright?"

"Alright. Please be safe." he hung up before he could hear her response. 11:30 rolled around and y/n slowly walked into the house. She nearly screamed when she saw Jack.

"Jesus, Avery. Give a girl some warning, would ya?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's alright." she smiled and walked into the living room. "How was your night?"

"Surprisingly fun. Delia and I played hide-and-seek for a while & then we drew some pictures."

"Did she get you to play dolls with her?

"Yeah. And it was fun."

"Wow. She's got you wrapped around her finger, doesn't she?"

"It sure seems that way, huh?" he chuckled and looked at her. "I guess that's just something you two have in common."

"Hmm, what do you mean?"

"You know I'd do anything for you, right? Like, there's no request too silly or stupid that I wouldn't do for you."

"Oh, right." she looked at him. "Yeah, you're in love with me."

"What? No I'm not."

"You can't lie to me, you know."

"Okay, fine." Jack sighed and looked at her. "You're my friend but sometimes, I wish you were more than that. No, I take that back. It's not just sometimes, it's all the time. Every single day for the last 8 years. It's been torture for me to see you with Marcus & it's so much harder because he's literally the best person ever. I hate it. I hate that he got you first. I hate that he's so nice. Most importantly, I hate that I can't hate him. It's just not fair."

"Jack, why didn't you tell me? Things would be so different than they are now."

"I know. And I'm sorry I had to tell you tonight. I just felt that I needed to let it out, since it's been locked inside for 8 freaking years." he stood up and walked towards the door. "It's cool that we're just friends."

taglist: @worldlxvlys​

[skarkkk]

First;

I think it's cool that the triangle is over, and that Tristan is with Vivian and Max and Avery are together, but it also doesn't seem right. I don't see much chemistry in Max and Avery together, you know? Just the two of them, even though I like them just as I like Tristan and Vivian.Something is missing, and we know what it is.

Second;

I loved that a bunch of cool costumes appeared in the Halloween episode (Wolverine, Addams, Jack fucking Sparrow, Velma, etc.) and I loved Tristan being a fan of Halloween.

Third;

I liked that there was a bad experience there just with Tristan getting high, but he barely had it this episode so I don't know what to say, besides that I was really expecting something more serious precisely because of him bumping into Gomes.

Fourth;

Tristan extended his hand to Avery, then extended the other to Max, and the look that Max and Avery exchanged and then looked at Tristan, damn, there's no way this won't end in a threesome, right? Does everyone agree? I want a slowburn, an attraction and denial of feelings between the boys and I want Vivian to be happy, but maybe don't with Tristan because he already has a man and a woman for him.

Fifth;

yes fuck, long live lesbians, I was happy she didn't die and didn't lose her arm (even though I think she was pretty stupid for going into that cave, but what can you do, brave people) and it ended well for them.

Sixth;

I need the Captain to have daddy issues, please, because then I can use "A middle-aged man who is healing boy's daddy issues while also healing his own." for his relationship with Tristan because I found it so meaningful and cute that he let Tristan wear his uniform (even though he said it was because of the near-death experience, I know your type, sir he's not my son-he's my son) and I really hope she's right, because it would be awesome to see Tristan's Mommy Issues put aside while he creates a father-son relationship, you know? Because now I'm also curious about his father, who I don't remember if they mentioned it until now, but anyway, yeah, I need to know.

Seventh;

can we talk, as fans of Doctor Odyssey and 911, how easy is it for someone to do a crossover starting with the guy from the cruise who was also on Athena and Bobby's cruise? That blond guy who was in Flash too. Someone really needs to do this. Maybe an almost Eddie/Tristan that triggers Buddie and Avery/Max/Tristan... Just an idea (someone please do it)

Eighth;

I had said in the study of the other episode that I wanted to see Tristan in a near-death experience, coincidentally that happened, but I don't feel like it was enough. I need more trauma, more character development and more Max/Tristan because I love their interactions.

Ninth;

okay, like Jack Sparrow Max might have won, but Tristan got the better of Neptune there.

Tenth;

(oh my god, how did I almost forget this???) that scene with Tristan at the party, the first one where he sees Max with the same Neptune costume but also before that, when it showed his blurred vision and he almost bumped into people, you know? We all realized that the looks those men gave him were definitely Queer as hell, we also noticed his confused state, but still, it means something, right? What men on this cruise want him (totally understandable) and maybe he can want them back? Maybe a scene of some man hitting on him and Max kind of in that way that we readers like, Tristan realizing some things about himself, if he doesn't already know. Because, come on, mommy issues (seeking approval, probably a "what's wrong with me?" ) + running away to the sea (repressing himself, an escape) + medicine (self-demanding, pressure) + giving off that vibe? This boy may not end up with Max and Avery, but there's no way he's 100% straight, please.

Eleventh;

Still waiting for a mention of Brazil... Silva... please ABC?

[charsoamerican]

OK so I made a Taylor Swift, the inheritance games playlist

The Way I Loved You - giving tfg when Avery was mad over jameson being over protective

I Can See You - such a hot song but also describing averyxjameson relationship perfectly

Bigger Than The Whole Sky - describes Avery and Toby’s relationship so well and just them especially the lyrics “You were more then just a short time” and “Everything to come has turned to ashes” so yeah

Sparks Fly - totally avery talking about Jameson like “you’re the kind of reckless that should send me running” and “get me with those green eyes baby as the lights go down, give me something that will haunt me when you’re not around” and “my mind forgets to remind me that you’re a bad idea” LIKE

Mine - fr just the lyric “you made a rebel of a careless man’s careful daughter” think about that is literally perfect

Long Story Short - it’s so perfect and also this song can literally be a summary of the romance in the whole series but anyway THESE lyrics; “no more keeping score, now I just keep you warm” and “if the shoe fits walk in it til your high heels break” fits Avery perfectly, she was literally broke and turned into the worlds richest teenager overnight, like she obvi didn’t know everything immediately

Evermore - it’s like sad but stillllll “in the cracks of light I dreamed of you” because when she was in a coma the first thing she heard was Jamies voice and then “it was real enough to get me through” because they never really called it love in thl but it was there (omg that was so cringy forget I said that)

Call It What You Want - literally this whole song is just perfect for them every lyric is perfect but what stood out to me was “you don’t need to save me, but would you run away with me?” Because she didn’t need Jameson to protect her by preventing her from doing things, but she still wanted to do it with him instead

Fearless - idk but there is just something so fitting with the name of this song like jameson literally took her hand and drove her head first fearless “you’re just so cool, run your hands through your hair” also *reminder* Jameson is cool, but on serious note, “I don’t why but with you I’d dance in a storm in my best dress, fearless” bc yes

Mastermind - them. they literally are masterminds. “And the first night that you saw me I knew I wanted your body” also this line “you see, all the wisest women had to do it this way, because we were born to be the pawn of every lovers game” works with how she felt like Jameson just thought of her as part of the game and not a human with feeling in tig

Wildest Dreams - I just feel like they would literally do anything for eachother and this is totally not on this playlist because of the “he’s so tall and handsome as hell” line and it’s also definitely not about Jameson 😳

Lavender Haze - the lyrics are just so perfect like “I’ve been under scrutiny, you handle it beautifully” and “I’m damned if I do give a damn what people say” AND “They’re bringing up my history, but you weren’t even listening” THESE LYRICS OH MY

Midnight Rain (“he was sunshine I was midnight rain” because Jameson is literally golden retriever on the inside and Avery is very chill and yeah this is just me fantasizing soo)

Wonderland (this song literally IS jameson and Avery. Get ready for me to basically quote the whole song “Didn’t they tell us don’t rush into things? Didn’t you flash your green eyes at me? Haven’t you heard what becomes of curious minds?” LIKE WHAT? I’m convinced jlb wrote this romance based off of this song and also “didn’t you calm my fears with a Cheshire Cat smile?” His smile is literally described as “a Cheshire Cat smile” in the first book before Avery starts calling it devastating. “We found wonderland, you and I got lost in it, life was never worse, but never better”

Anti-Hero - literally should be jamies theme song. People always are like “Grayson is so depressed he deserves better” but what about Jameson?? Like he literally blames himself for Emily’s death and basically sh when jumping off the cliff. He always compares himself to Grayson. Like the lyrics “pierced through the heart but never killed” he literally is almost if not just as much broken as Grayson is but he’s just better at hiding it and covering it up with a smile, but I do think Grayson needs therapy desperately like jlb please help him

You’re on your own kid - This song fits Avery soo well like after her mom died no one really could take care of her, I mean I know Libby did, and I love Libby, but it was just different? And also when she inherited the billions of dollars everyone hated her pretty much so yeah. I think the lyric “Everything you lose is a step you take” it just is Avery

Paris (it just relates to Avery and Jameson sm, like the lyric “I’m so in love i might stop breathing, drew a map on your bedroom ceiling” Avery made a point about how they want to go places together. “Romance is not dead if you keep it just yours”

Other ones that I’m too lazy to explain

Style

Vigilante Sh*t

Forever Winter

I Did Something Bad

Don’t Blame Me

Paper Rings (I’m a big xandermax and nashlibby stan)

London Boy

Getaway Car

Miss Americana and the heartbreak prince

Blank Space