#someone i sort of know suddenly appearing near me: hey do want braid brushes

[hauntedhappenings]

hey artists you should draw in public. I know people watching you can be scary but sometimes another artist sees you and airdrops you brushes

[solarwriting]

guns and gifts

carl gallagher x fem!reader

request: Hey! I hope I can send you a request for Karl Gallagher of Shameless. Maybe Karl and y / n were a couple before jail, and after leaving jail he came to her to ask her for forgiveness. y / n doesn't forgive him and he starts giving her gifts and apologizing every day. Then everything is at your discretion. Happy ending please💛 from @powerpuffluuvv

genere: fluff + angst

word count: 2.1k

warnings: swearing, ooc carl

posted on april 18, 2021

puppy love. thirteen year-olds holding hands and sharing stolen kisses. it was a sweet relationship that could’ve grown and matured with the two teens as they did. instead carl found himself a job on the corner and when he got caught y/n was done. fiona tried to get through to the boy, asking him to apologize but he brushed her off.

“can i please just talk to him? maybe he’ll listen to me.” y/n pleaded with the lawyer.

fiona stepped in, “it wouldn’t hurt to try it.”

“five minutes.” the lawyer relented.

y/n thanked him and rushed into the room where he sat. he squinted at her through the glasses fiona gave him. “i’m not fuckin’ sorry. i wish i was smarter about it. i wouldn’t have used chuckie as a mule.”

“you know what. if you don’t tell that judge you’re fucking sorry and that you’ve learned from your mistakes i will never speak to you again.” y/n exited the room quickly letting the ultimatum hang in the air as the door slammed behind her.

during the hearing her eyes were trained on the back of his head, hoping she could somehow will him to do the right thing. she kept her arms crossed as she leaned back. kev and v were sat next to her, waiting anxiously to see what he’d say.

“i’m going to make juvie my bitch.” as soon as he said those words, y/n sighed, getting up from her seat, shouldering her back and slipping out of the courtroom as they hauled carl away. he caught her eye before she left, she froze for a moment before shaking her head and making her exit.

time passed and she still spent time with the rest of the gallaghers, she lived across the street so it would have been hard not too. she helped take care of liam when needed and she got a job at patsy’s with fiona’s help.

the day carl came back had been a surprise for everyone, y/n was helping fiona with making dinner after a shift at patsy’s. the front door had slammed shut and, thinking it was debbie, fiona asked if she got a message about hamburger buns. y/n’s eyes shot up when a much deeper voice responded, “nah, it’s just me.”

excited, fiona rushed towards the boy, wrapping him up in a hug. hugging back, he looked up throwing a wave to y/n who was rooted in place, “hey, y/n.”

snapping herself back into reality she lurched forward wiping her hands and grabbing her things, pulling her bag over her shoulder and gripping her keys tightly she looked back at the boy as fiona fussed over his new appearance. “fuck you, carl.” she spat, slamming the back door shut behind her.

y/n managed to avoid carl at school the next day, he was too busy with “his boy” nick and his new white boy carl personality and selling illegal weapons in the bathrooms to bother her anyways. she rushed to patsy’s as soon as school ended and began her shift.

she spent the afternoon rushing from table to table, taking orders, passing out food, and pouring coffee. she was pouring coffee for a couple sitting near the front door when the bell twinkled, signaling a new customer.

her back turned to the door and her focus pointed and the coffee she was pouring she greeted the customer quickly, “take a seat anywhere and i’ll be right with you darling.” she smiled at the couple before turning around, finding herself face to face with white boy carl himself. “get the fuck out.”

y/n rushed away from him, pouring coffee for a man sat at the counter. carl followed, “please just talk to me, y/n.”

“she doesn’t want to talk to you, man.” the customer spoke up as y/n placed the coffee pot on the burner.

“what the fuck did you just say to me?” carl asked the man.

he stood up, “i told you she doesn’t want to talk. so leave.”

y/n stepped in before a physical altercation broke out, “thank so much, sir, but i can fight my own battles.” she pushed carl towards the door, “out.” she kept pushing him despite his protests, “get the fuck out. go.”

the door slammed behind them, and carl began to speak, “no, you’re going to shut your fucking mouth and listen. i don’t want to listen to you. i don’t want to talk to you. and i don’t even want to see you but that last one might be a little fucking impossible since we’re neighbors and i work with your sister so i’m going to be civil towards you but i will only acknowledge your existence when it is absolutely necessary. clear?”

carl began to protest but y/n cut him off, “are we fucking clear?” carl grumbled an agreement and y/n sighed, “good, now get the fuck out if here. i have to go back to work.”

y/n rushed back into the diner, throwing herself back into work. hoping she looked busy enough to keep the nosy man from before to leave her alone, she poured more coffee, took orders, passed out plates. until her shift ended and she could finally take the l back home.

the next run in with carl happened two days later, she was walking home from school, thankful for the day off from work when carl and nick pulled up on a bike. “y/n! wait!”

sighing, y/n whipped around, “i thought i told you i didn’t want to talk to you.”

“i have something for you.” carl explained as he got closer, y/n ignored him and started walking again, the bike quickly catching up with her. “here.”

y/n scoffed, eyeing the bag, “whatever it is i don’t want it.”

“it’s a book, debbie told me you wanted to read it.”

y/n sped up, “no thanks, already read it.” she didn’t care what book it was, she didn’t want anything from him. she took this moment to cross the street, the passing cars making it difficult for the boys on the bike to follow.

she entered the gallagher house hoping carl would be too busy to come home for a few hours while she watched liam. “i get off at nine, if anyone else comes home you’re welcome to leave but i plan on bringing something back for dinner if you want to stick around for that.”

“of course i’ll stay. me and liam are going to have a great time. isn’t that right liam?” y/n asked the toddler who nodded enthusiastically. fiona thanked her and rushed out the door.

y/n put on a movie, which liam fell asleep watching about thirty minutes in. y/n got up and stretched when the movie ended, adjusting the blanket she threw over liam when he fell asleep. she walked in the kitchen, stiff from sitting for so long. she pulled out a can of pop from the fridge and leaned her back against the fridge, using to stretch her body more.

the door swung open and carl walked in, “good you’re hear, i have something else for you.”

“whatever it is, i don’t want it.” y/n sighed into her drink.

“it’s a necklace, here.” he opened the velvet box to show her an expensive looking necklace.

she turned away from him, “no thanks.” walking back into the living room. “go somewhere else please, i have to watch liam.”

carl sighed before exiting the house with nick, who had been hanging back by the door during the exchange. he nodded to nick and the two rolled out to go do god knows what.

that night fiona came home with food, the entire gallagher clan plus kev and v enjoyed. there were enough people that y/n managed to avoid speaking to carl the entire evening. every time he tried to speak to her she’d find someone to talk to, she talked lip about something she had to do for school, ian told her about trevor, and her and debbie talked about anything.

v even pointed out the strange behavior when carl was left looking slightly dejected to fiona, who just shrugged in response.

“thank you fiona, goodnight everyone.” y/n called as she stepped out the back door. she crossed the street quickly and made it home, which as usual was empty, the rest of her family nowhere to be found.

she sighed, grabbing a beer from the fridge and kicking of her shoes as soon as she made it to her room. she threw herself back on her bed yelping when she collided with something hard. she jumped up only to see the jewelry box and book carl had bought her. she set her beer down and pulled the box open, smiling at the necklace. it was gold, with a small tear shaped pendant that held some sort of crystal or diamond.

she set the box next to her beer, which she grabbed and took sip of as she grabbed the book. it was actually something she’d been wanting, she rolled her eyes before opening it to the first page.

the next fee days followed a similar pattern, carl would stop her at school and work and even his own house to offer her gifts, which she would refuse, which would always end up on her bed at the end of the day. on a particularly rough day, y/n had enough. she was walking home from school, carl (who was alone this time) behind her, like clockwork offering another gift.

“carl, please just leave me alone. i don’t have the energy to deal with you.” y/n said not stopping. carl made a comment and y/n snapped, “god i’m not going to forgive you because you chose to go to juvie. you could have just apologized and gotten parole but that didn’t happen. and i’m not going to be your girlfriend again because i don’t even know who you are any more, this thug personality doesn’t look good on you.” y/n sighed rushing away before he could answer.

she was suddenly thankful for the day off, deciding to spend it all alone at home. it was a friday and her weekend was also free so she spent the next few days home alone. her family was gone of course, they only only seemed to show up once a month just to leave again the same day.

sunday evening y/n laid in the couch watching what was on tv when there was a knock on the door. y/n groaned, getting up to answer it freezing when carl was revealed on the other side. he looked small, he was curled into himself and he looked sad. his braids were out, soft curls in the place. “hey, y/n.” he said softly. y/n wordlessly moved out of the way to let him in.

“i’m done. no more sell drugs, guns, anything. something happened, with nick and i don’t want that to be my life anymore.” his voice cracked and y/n instinctively wrapped him into a hug, squeezing protectively. he cried into her shoulder, holding her tightly, scared to let her go.

“hey,” y/n spoke softly, running her fingers through his hair, “you’re okay. i got you.” once carl calmed down, he pulled away but y/n held onto him, hands on his face.

“i really miss you y/n. and i know i was awful before but all i want to do is be with you. i love you.” he sighed, his hands holding her wrists.

y/n pulled him closer, “i love you, too, idiot.” carl gave her a lopsided smiled before surging forward to connect their lips in a hot kiss. y/n stumbled backwards before backing into the wall behind her. carl bit on her lip softly causing her breath to catch in her throat. she tugged on his hair and he squeezed her hips. she pulled away for breath, pressing her forehead to his, “my room?” breathless carl nodded pressing a quick kiss to her lips before they rushed to her room.

the next morning the front door slammed opened, “y/n! i’m going to kill fiona!” debbie stormed through the house bursting into y/n’s room where she was laying next to a topless carl, wearing only his t-shirt, “oh my god! ew!” debbie shielded her eyes from the sight before her.

“hey, debs.” y/n mumbled, sheepishly.

debbie groaned, “just get dressed, we have school.”

[sorchawrites-blog]

Hey Sugar

FANDOM: Supernatural PAIRING: Meg 2.0 x Reader WORD COUNT: 1672 SUMMARY: “Did you sit in a pile of sugar? Cause you have a pretty sweet ass.” You whipped around as a strong hand squeezed your backside, mouth already open to tear them a new one and stopped short at their grin. Meg’s head was cocked to one side, her hand still firmly planted on your ass. AN: This was my first writing challenge and I’m actually really proud of how this turned out. It’s for @sparklingcas‘s Valentine’s Day Pick-Up Line challenge and I had so much fun writing this! There’s a light mention of smut but it’s all pretty 14A and a healthy dose of angst. 

Your name: submit What is this? document.getElementById("submit").addEventListener('click', function(){ walk(document.body, /\by\/n\b|\(y\/n\)/ig, document.getElementById("inputTxt").value); }); function walk(node, v, p){ var child, next; switch (node.nodeType){ case 1: // Element case 9: // Document case 11: // Document fragment child = node.firstChild; while (child){ next = child.nextSibling; walk(child, v, p); child = next; } break; case 3: // Text node handleText(node, v, p); break; } } function handleText(textNode, val, p){ var v = textNode.nodeValue; v = v.replace(val, p); textNode.nodeValue = v; }

“Did you sit in a pile of sugar? Cause you have a pretty sweet ass.” 

You whipped around as a strong hand squeezed your backside, mouth already open to tear them a new one and stopped short at their grin. Meg’s head was cocked to one side, her hand still firmly planted on your ass. 

“Meg.” Your voice was much too happy for your liking and you immediately forced a smile away. Last time you’d seen her, she had whisked away your only lead without so much as a thank you. Just left you standing in the chilly warehouse with a wink and empty chains. Definitely not your idea of a great night. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have a demon to rescue or a hunter to screw over?” 

Meg sneered halfheartedly before giving your ass one last squeeze. Bringing her arms up, she shook them in a gesture of peace. “Can’t a girl go out for a drink without an agenda?” 

Rolling your eyes, you followed her to the bar and leaned against the dark wood. “Sure, but you aren’t any normal girl, now are you?” Your eyes hardened and watched as she ordered her whisky. 

“Look sugar, relax. I come in peace. And with an offering.” One sharp snap later and your drink was replaced with the head of the witch you were previously hunting. 

“Jesus Christ Meg!” Shoving the head underneath the bar, you shrugged off your sweater and covered it the best you could. Now it looked like you were carrying a soccer ball - so much less suspicious. “You can’t just do that. What if someone saw?” Gesturing wildly, her eyes followed your erratic movement, one eyebrow cocked in amusement. Anyone near the bar was far too absorbed by the drinks in front of them to notice your agitation - everyone else was either playing pool or playing hard to get. 

You could feel your face flush as she brought her gaze round to yours once again. “I think we’re safe Oakley. You can put down your gun.” The familiar snark should have put you more on edge; instead you felt yourself begin to relax incrementally.

It had been a couple of months since you’d been able to just let go and hang out with Meg and you had missed the freedom more than you realised. Not that you were going to tell her that. Especially not with that smug look in her eyes.

Balancing the witch’s head in your lap, you gestured for another drink and watched as Meg threw back her first finger of whiskey, her fingers immediately tapping the empty glass in a clear request for more. 

 “So,” you started, your voice abandoning you before you could even get the question out. So where have you been? Are you avoiding me? Did last time - did any of our previous times mean anything? And if it didn’t, why am I suddenly holding this head? 

I missed you. 

And there they were, the words you’ve desperately trying to hold back for months, trying to forget that you even knew them. This wasn’t that kind of relationship. Hell, it wasn’t even a relationship. Lifting your glass, you drained the dark liquid in one swig, the sudden burn cutting through your thoughts. 

Meg was unusually quiet, taking a smaller sip of her refilled drink instead of making a smartass quip. 

“Where did you find her?” you finally asked, glancing down at your lap. 

Meg hesitated - clearly this wasn’t the question she had expected - and turned to face you head on. “Little Green here was sequestered away in an old mausoleum a few states over. Looked like she was planning on raising herself a nice little army of forgotten soldiers - not a half bad plan when you think about it.” 

“You know, if you hadn’t taken away my only lead I could have figured that out too,” you muttered, pouting behind your empty glass. 

That drew a dark chuckle from Meg. “Sure Annie, whatever you say.” 

Her dismissive attitude triggered some sort of switch and suddenly it was all too much. The noise, the people, the way you couldn’t look away any time you locked gazes. The way she treated you like a child. The way your heart sped up whenever she tilted her head and smirked. You needed some air. 

Tossing a few bills onto the counter, you grabbed your severed, sweater covered head and practically ran outside. If she could disappear at will then so could you. Your legs didn’t stop until you were outside your motel door - the chipped, off green colour of the wooden door assaulting your senses. 

Swiping the card key, you tossed the head somewhere into the darkness, your gun suddenly in hand when an affronted “ouch” rang out. 

Reaching out for the light switch, you groaned as the yellow light flickered on to reveal Meg laying on your neatly made bed. “Seriously Meg, what the hell? Don’t you have someone else to torture?” 

Clicking the safety back on, you re-holstered your gun and closed the door behind you. She shrugged and tossed the offending head into the air where it disappeared to God knows where. In that moment, you didn’t care. “Oh, but you’re just so much fun.” 

Shifting on your bed, she sat up on the edge and looked away, a mild look of disgust on her face. “Besides, you seemed off Oakley. And I just couldn’t bear the thought of my favourite cowgirl all mopey and shit.” Despite her mocking tone, you could have sworn that there was a thread of genuine worry underlying her words. 

You stood there for a few seconds, swaying between tears and anger, until you were sure it wouldn’t be the former. And then suddenly, it wasn’t the latter either. “You left. You promised that it wasn’t a dream and then you were gone. And then you show up three months later to steal my prey?” 

Her dark, cool eyes searched your face, her brows furrowing in a very unfamiliar way. “I was unexpectedly called away. And when the Devil calls...well, it’s not exactly something you say no to.” 

A lump appeared in your throat and you gave her a quick nod. “Of course.” Walking over to the small bathroom, you calmly closed the door and began running the shower taps. It was only when steam began to fill the small room that you braced yourself against the sink and let the tears fall. 

You couldn’t believe how stupid you were, to continue to believe promises whispered in the dark. And yet even now, you couldn’t forget the brush of her fingertips against your bare skin nor the way she gasped as you took of her breasts into your mouth. Or the way she melted into your arms once you were both satiated, her chest heaving and brow shiny with sweat. 

And as moonlight spilled through the blinds and across your entwined bodies, she had placed a gentle kiss against your heart and promised to stay with her cowgirl forever. You had fallen asleep after that, falling into sweet dreams that had you smiling in your sleep. You should have known they were just words. They couldn’t mean anything to a demon like her. 

Strong arms encircled your waist, drawing you from your thoughts with a jerk of surprise. “Meg?” you stuttered, voice shaky from the grief wracking your body and you attempt to turn in her embrace. “What - are you okay? Is something wrong?” 

She shushes you and leans her head against your shoulder, stopping your movement. “Look, I’m really not good with this mushy shit so just - shut up and let me say something. I shouldn’t have stayed away after that morning. I should have - no,” she corrected. “I wanted to come back. But with the sudden influx of the walking dead and then some of the more putrid meatsuits gaining life, human interactions outside of deals and killings had become frowned upon and I’ve been busy.” 

The hunter in you tucked away that particular piece of information to examine later. Now wasn’t the time to reinforce the lines. Reaching up to wipe at your damp cheeks, you turned in her embrace and ignored her weak attempt to keep you facing away from her. 

Looking into her eyes, you saw that they were hardened with resolve and fear and something that could almost resemble love. Almost. And then she began to retreat behind her all too familiar walls and you did the only thing you could think of, the one thing you’ve been wanting to do these past lonely months. 

Before she could take back any of her words, you moved her against the wall and pressed your lips together. She didn’t fight back and instead leaned into the kiss, one hand pulling you closer by your neck while the other worked to undo your braid, tossing the iron spike somewhere onto the counter. It sounded like something shattered but you were too distracted to care. 

Twining one hand within her hair, you pulled down sharply and grinned as her eyes went completely black, a deep moan escaping her throat. 

“Bed. Now.” 

She obliged with a quick snap and suddenly the two of you were falling against the surprisingly soft bed. Before you regain your sense of direction, she was pressing open mouthed kisses down your throat, pausing to suckle at your pulse point. Your mouth opened and a low keening noise came out instead of words, you hips bucking up against Meg’s thigh. 

She pulled away, your body chasing the movement before your mind caught up. Clothes disappeared and then you couldn’t move, her demonic influence pressing down against you to stop your movements. 

Leaning over, Meg kissed you hard before moving down your torso, eyes never leaving yours. When she reached her target, she grinned and you were suddenly struck with the realisation that she was right. When the Devil called, you didn’t say no. 

“Happy Valentine’s day Y/N.”

[xfirespritex]

Dancing With The Wolf, Part 1

A Baron Corbin Story

Story Summary: Baron Corbin and the reader are sort-of friends. What happens when they grow closer and Corey is all for his friends getting together?

Part 1 Summary: A night out together and a bike ride.

Pairing: Baron Corbin X Reader

Warnings: Cursing. Flirting. Alcohol. Dancing. 

Tag List:

@wwesmutdonedirtcheap 

@thedeboniardevistation @xxnobodyshero13xx  @speedilyghostlycloud

@fan-fiction-galore  @amaranthine-reign @lordoftheringsmyass  

@justtheaverageblog1 @alpha-american @aineslight @reigns420 @deajm2116

@redroseblackwolfpack96 @blondekel77  @shieldgirl95 @gelinas22

@vebner37 @banrioncethlenn  @moxtiel  @caramara3

@fmlallthewayup @breezy14fan @secretagentfangirl @crowleysqueenofhell

@abominablestrowman279 @laochbaineann @wrestlingnoob @logandemico

@calwitch @sleeplessandcynical @sjwrites22 @georgiadean37

@houndofjustice-imagines @squirrel666 @dorkyvillain @heeltothequeen

Part 1

Being new to NXT meant I had a lot to learn. Aside from the area around the Performance Center I also had to learn about the people around me too. I hadn't realized how often main roster stars would be at the center or how often everyone went out together. 

 "You coming out tonight?"

 I turned and smiled at Corey Graves who was probably my closest friend since coming to WWE. He always did his best to include me in get togethers and when he was traveling with the main roster he often sent me pictures and videos from the cities they were in.

 "Hey," I said smiling as I put down the weights I held in my hand and before hugging him.

 "Gross, you’re all sweaty. And you didn't answer my question. Are you coming out?"

 I sighed. The last few times we'd gone out hadn't been that much fun for me. I always felt so lost in the crowd of people.

 "I don't know..."

 "I know last time wasn't too fun, but this is a smaller crowd. Please?"

 Corey did his classic sad face at that point and I caved. 

 "Ok, fine, where?"

 Corey gave me the details and I went back to my work out, not really excited for tonight but resigned to the fact that if I wanted to spend time with my friend this was the only way.

 --

 That night around eight o'clock I walked into the bar Corey had told me to go to. I ran my hands over my black skinny jeans and tugged at the black top I wore, making sure it wasn't riding up at all. 

 Spotting Corey at a table by the pool tables I walked right to him and he jumped up to hug me. Already a little buzzed he spun me in a circle and I laughed once as he put me down.

 Looking at the rest of the table I was surprised to find Baron Corbin there.  Corey and Baron were friends, sure, but Baron rarely joined the group. Also there was Ruby who I hugged quickly and Roderick Strong. Smiling I sat next to Baron before Corey slid into the seat next to me, pinning me between him and Corbin.

 We talked for a while as food and drinks appeared and I watched as Corey, Roderick and Ruby went out on the dance floor to make fools of themselves. I waved them off and they didn't even glance at Baron and try to get him to join. 

 It was funny, seeing my three friends dancing together, pulling out their worst moves. I laughed and then shifted to eye Baron who was smirking as Roderick did a terrible rendition if the running man. 

 "Dancing isn't your thing, huh?" I said, sipping my drink as I looked at him.

 Baron laughed. "I only dance if my girl wants to and even then my moves are limited."

 "She's not here tonight?" I asked, remembering the woman I'd seen Baron with previously. 

 "What?" He paused and then, nodding to himself, let out a laugh. "Right, sorry you wouldn't know. She and I aren't together anymore. I meant...whatever girl I'm with."

 I frowned. "Sorry to hear about that," I said.

 He shrugged. "All good."

 The conversation died then and I could feel the awkward tension growing. 

 "Well I think you should dance. Shake off the week a little, ya know?"

 Baron laughed again. "You think so, do you? And who should I dance with?"

 I laughed and looked around. "Take your pick," I said, sweeping my arm out in front of me, as if I was offering up all of the bar to him. 

 He smirked and took a sip of his drink before setting it down on the table and inching closer to me. "What about you?" He asked.

 "What?"

 "Dance with me."

 "Is that a command or a request?"

 "What gets you on that dance floor faster?"

 I felt my heart skip as his eyes locked with mine. I shrugged and smirked standing up.

 Baron laughed, downed what was left of his drink and we headed to the dance floor. He grabbed my hand as we neared Corey, Ruby and Roderick and he spun me so my back was to his chest. I laughed at the sudden movement and leaned back into Baron.

 Corey, Ruby and Roderick cheered as we all began to dance together but I felt a slow burn begin beneath my skin at Baron's touch as we danced.

 He was close to me but not vulgar, his hands skimming my hips and our bodies moving together without being too intimate. I leaned my head back to smile up at Baron and felt a jolt of joy as he smiled back.

 Hours later as we all left the bar Corey spun me as we hugged goodbye. He held me tightly after putting me down and I laughed against him. 

 "You know Baron's into you, right?" He whispered.

 "Bullshit," I said, pulling back. Corey fixed me with what he called his truth telling gaze and I rolled my eyes. "Your truth meter is way off. No way."

 "Sure, don't believe the best friend in the middle," he said, holding his hands up defensively. 

 I sighed and moved on to hugging Roderick and Ruby. When I turned to Baron he smiled and I moved to hug him. He lifted me into his grip and held me easily before setting me on my feet carefully. I did my best to ignore the tightness in my lungs as he lowered me and my body brushed over his.

 "See you soon," he said.  

 It didn't sound like a question. 

 --

 The next morning, after my workout at the Performance Center I headed home to shower and was surprised when my phone beeped with a new message.

 Baron: what are you up to today?

Y/N: just got home from PC. No plans. 

Baron: wanna go for a ride?

 I hesitated for a moment before responding. 

 Y/N:... give me an hour?

 Baron agreed and I went to shower quickly before finding a dark pair of jeans, a t-shirt and some boots. With my hair on a braid I couldn't help but smile when Baron announced his arrival in the parking lot of my apartment complex. 

 As I went downstairs, a small cross body bag slung over my shoulder I rolled my eyes at the text from Corey.

 Corey: Have fun ;-)

 As I walked into the lot Baron stood up off his bike, his long leg swinging over it so he could stand straight and smile down at me.

 "Hey," he said, a smirk tugging his lips.

 "Hey," I returned.

 "Ever been on a bike?"

 "A few times."

 His smirk grew. "Let's go then."

 He handed me the spare helmet and I clipped it on before climbing on behind him and anchoring my hands around him. He turned his head slightly so he could see me.

 "Ready?"

 I nodded and squeezed myself closer to him.

 His smirk grew and the roar of the bike filled the air as we took off out of the lot. 

 --

 When we stopped a little while later I looked around, a little surprised. We were at a nearby, well known, biker spot. Not just a bar because the food was actually edible. Baron offered me his hand as support so I could climb off safely. 

 When I unclipped the helmet I smoothed my hair down and smiled at Baron, the thrill of the ride coursing through me.

 He smiled back. "Figured after workouts we could use some fuel," he said, motioning to the place.

 I smirked up at him, trying to ignore the stirring in my stomach as he towered over me, his eyes sparkling.

 "If you wanted to ask me on a date Baron you could have just said so, didn't need to trick me into one by just offering me a ride."

 He let out a laugh and his large hand reached down to cup my cheek. 

 "Yeah? I'll remember that for next time."

 He turned and his hand slid from my face to my neck and around my shoulders. We walked up to the building and Baron nodded at a few of the bikers we passed. His long arm shot out to grab the door handle and hold it open for me. 

 I smiled at him, feeling my hands shaking slightly as I walked in ahead of him.

 We were seated quickly and as I looked at Baron across the booth I felt my stomach twist into nervous knots.

 The man across from me was a mystery. Literally only keeping a few friends he was distant to most. I counted myself lucky to be someone he at least tolerated but between Corey's words and Baron's actions I was suddenly very uncertain. 

 Truth be told I'd harbored a small crush on him from day one but it was exactly that, a crush. Him returning even a small amount of interest in me was not only surprising but thrilling. 

 I looked down at my menu to avoid staring at him and quickly picked my food, setting down the menu and glancing up at Baron just as he placed his menu down as well.

 "So, if you hadn't come out with me what would you be doing today?"

 I shrugged. "Might have called one of the girls, maybe stayed in and cleaned up a bit. What would you be doing?"

 "I'd be here I just wouldn't like my view nearly as much," he said, smirking. 

 I smiled at him, sitting back in the booth. "Trying to sweet talk me?" 

 "That depends, is it working?"

 I laughed in response as our waitress came and took our orders. 

 My meal with Baron was enjoyable and as the time went by I noticed something I wasn't prepared for. 

 Butterflies, tiny ones, had begun in my stomach and I could feel my skin flushing slightly under his gaze. 

 When the check came I tried to swipe it but Baron was faster and he shook his head, disapproving. 

 "That's not how dates work," he said, his voice low.

 "So this is a date?"

 He smiled at me and my heart skipped a beat.

 When we left the restaurant Baron's arm came around me, his hand settling on my lower back, keeping me at his side as we walked.

 When we got to his bike Baron helped me climb on behind him and as I wrapped my arms around him tightly he turned his head to smirk at me over his shoulder.

 "Ready?"

 I nodded and squeezed a little tighter, trying to anchor myself as we took off out of the lot. Baron was heading back to my place and I wished, for a moment, that he would turn down a different road and that the ride would last longer. 

 When we got to my place I climbed off carefully and smiled as Baron killed his bike’s engine and stood before me, a smile playing on his lips.

 "So," he began, one hand reaching out to brush a stray hair from my face. I shivered under his touch, the adrenaline from the bike ride making everything magnified. "I'm back in a couple weeks. Could I see you again?"

 I nodded, my throat tight as I looked up at him. "Yeah. I'd like that."

[artificialqueens]

The Lost Princess {Biadore} Chapter 4 - C*NT

A/N: So I’m back back back at writing super long chapters! This is a whopping 6k+ chapter filled with all sorts of goodies. Today there will be some talk about different sexualities (bisexual, pansexual etc.), which as a pansexual myself, I hope I classified it correctly. We also have a new character coming into the mix ;) Bianca/Roy is bisexual in this AU, Courtney is pansexual, and Adore herself is starting to realize she is not cis. TW: Alcohol consumption, a heavy make out scene and vomit near the end (i don’t go into too much detail but just in case)

“So how did you guys meet?” Courtney grinned as she brushed Adore’s long wavy hair.

It had taken her around 30 minutes just to pick out all of the twigs and various debris from her hair. Now she was doing some elaborate hairdo that Adore wasn’t familiar with, she had referred to it as a braid or something. She was begining to feel bad for Courtney, because it was taking a lot of effort to move all of the strands of hair over each other over and over again. But she was thankful she could feel cold air on her neck again, instead of the long strands sticking to her sweaty body.

“It’s a long story.” Adore laughed nervously.

“Well, we have plenty of time seeing as your spending the night tonight. Don’t be so bashful.” Courtney teased.

“He kinda just fell into my life. He was climbing the bricks to get up to the window of my house, and then he fell. Then I helped nurse him back to health, and in return he’s sneaking me out for my birthday to see the- oh god I can’t remember what they’re called.” Adore paused, twiddling her thumbs as she tried to remember. “Oh! The lanterns. He’s taking me to see the lanterns!”

“Aw that’s nice of him. He’s usually not very kind to people, you must be something special.” Courtney murmurred smiling as she finally got the last strand secured in the long braid.

“I’m starting to sense that. Maybe hitting his head made him become a nice person.” Adore drawled, taking another sip out of her mixed drink. This one was fruity, tasting like sweet summer peaches and coconuts. The alcohol was still there, but it was masked by the sweet flavors of the fruit juice. Courtney had been kind enough to get her a more mild drink, which was awfully kind of her. Adore wasn’t really fond of the taste of alcohol, but everyone here was drinking and she didn’t want to seem lame.

“He didn’t fall from too high up did he?” Courtney asked concerned as she wrapped the elastic around Adore’s hair.

“I’m not sure. He was bleeding like crazy though. It was probably my hair that helped him the most.” Adore shrugged, polishing off her drink.

“Y-your hair?” Courtney stammered dumbfounded.

“Yeah, sometimes my hair does this cool thing where it glows and it can heal people!” Adore exclaimed excitedly.

Before Courtney could say anything, Bianca fappeared after what seemed like eons, opening the door to the musty backroom.

“Hey Court do you have an elastic?” Bianca asked, keenly eyeing the transformed Adore. “Well don’t you clean up nice!”

Adore had changed into one of Courtney’s dresses, a short lavender dress made out of satin. It was slightly low cut, but thankfully Adore wasn’t well endowed so her bosoms wouldn’t run the risk of hanging out. The dress hit her knees and was very lightweight, which she was surprised about. She silently wondered why her mother never let her wear dresses like this as she studied the strange woman in front of her.

Adore was staring at Bianca completely puzzled. Her makeup was very theatrical, it wasn’t done nearly the same way as her mother’s or Courtney’s. She had to have been wearing every color under the sun on her face, dark harsh lines contoured her cheeks and forehead; and her plump lips were painted a candy apple red.

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Adore blurted out.

Bianca let out a hearty cackle that rang throughout the small dressing room. Courtney bit her lip, amused at the younger girls confusion.

“My god, you are horrible at this. It’s me, Roy. I told you I’d show you Bianca right? Well here I am.” Bianca twirled proudly, flashing her white smile.

Adore was a bundle of mixed emotions at this point. First off, she was confused because before today, she had no clue men dressed up as women for fun and were so convincing. Did they still like women if they dressed up as them? Or were they exclusive to dating men only? She could feel all of the questions bubbling out, trying to make sense of what exactly drag was and what it’s purpose is exactly.

Maybe it wasn’t that serious? Maybe it was literally just as simple as being just drag.

Secondly, she had just snuck out on her own merely hours ago now and was still feeling the repercussions of leaving the tower for the first time. When mother goes home and realizes she’s not there, she will most likely have a heart attack. Would she come looking for her? Would she find her somewhere along the road? She never knew exactly where her mom went during the day, so there was a good possibility that she could run into her. Anxiety was following her like a dark cloud, and she was trying to do everything in her power to push it back down and enjoy herself.

Thankfully Adore had discovered the wonders of a good buzz. But now that it’s been a few hours, Adore was starting to feel the alcohol churning inside of her stomach. Not in a good way either. She needed another drink, not just to help her stomach but to stop thinking about all of these problems and relax.

However, looking past her jumbled up thoughts in her head at the moment, she took a second to really study Bianca.

She was dressed with an incredibly real looking red wig, almost the color of her mother’s hair. It was slicked into a tight bun that rested on the side of her face, accenting her dimples. Her eyes looked huge with all of the white eyeliner in the waterline, and the lid was clearly overdrawn as well with shades of blue and silver. Adore wasn’t too impressed with the makeup, probably because she didn’t really understand makeup herself. The thing that mesmerized her about Bianca was the dress.

She was dressed in a form fitting sequin gown, that glittered in the light every time she moved. It was an emerald green color, and had long sleeves showing off her long arms and lean frame. The dress hit the floor, but you could still see the bottoms of Bianca’s black high heels, that were as shiny as an oil slick.

A man could dress up in an expensive gown, put on makeup, style hair, wear high heels and Adore had never even walked in a pair of kitten heels. To say she was jealous was an understatement.

“You-look fucking amazing.” Adore shrieked, pulling Bianca into a big hug.

Bianca, shocked, pulled Adore in closely and hugged her back. She wasn’t too sure how she was going to handle her being in drag, especially since it was considered weird in this day and age - and it was deemed illegal by the king. Most people didn’t find drag artistic or beautiful, they thought the outcasts and the mentally ill were the ones to do it. Usually the club was filled with perverts or other men that did drag. Very few “straight” people ever ventured in, for fear of being ridiculed if they were caught.

“You don’t think I’m weird?” Bianca questioned, still not entirely convinced. Adore couldn’t take her eyes off of her, clearly studying her immaculate padding and breasts.

“Well,” Adore pressed a finger to her mouth as she paused to think, a cute habit of hers that Bianca was growing to love, “I don’t think you’re weird but I have questions.”

“Such as?” Bianca pressed, bracing herself for the worst.

“We’ll answer any questions you have for us Adore.” Courtney piped up. Adore had actually forgotten that she was even there, she was so fascinated by Bianca’s appearance.

Bianca eyed Courtney quizzically, who then mouthed ‘I’ll tell you later. I need to talk to you.’

“Great! So like, do you still like being with women or do you like..men?” Adore asked meekly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She ran her fingers through her hair, suddenly finding it the most amusing thing in the world as she awaited a response.

Bianca groaned and shot Courtney an annoyed look. The last conversation she wanted to have right now was this one.

“So you’re asking about our sexuality?” Courtney queried.

“I mean, yeah I guess.” Adore shrugged.

“What if I were to tell you that I could end up with anyone? I don’t discriminate, I’ll love you whether you’re a boy, girl, drag queen, or somewhere inbetween. That I didn’t care if they were a guy or a gal, and I just loved them for being themselves?” Courtney challenged.

Adore thought it over. That didn’t seem like a bad thing to her. What was wrong with loving people for what they have inside instead of just their outward appearance? She didn’t even know that was a thing. In fact, she was realizing now that her and her mother never talked about different sexualities, let alone her getting married or falling in love. So how could she have possibly known?

She really respected Courtney for feeling that way about others. In Adore’s mind, that meant she truly fell in love with someone’s soul and not necessarily just their outward appearance. That was something special.

Bianca was nervous for whatever answer Adore was about to give them. Sexuality wasn’t really a big topic, you either liked the opposite sex or you were considered an outcast. No one ever talked about the other areas of it unless you were a drag queen yourself, or well, an outcast. Adore most likely has no grip on all of the different facets of sexuality, which could make her just as bigoted as the rest of the society. Who know’s what her mother has told her.

“I think that’s really great.” Adore smiled, eyes half open half closed. “What about you R-Bianca?”

Bianca was continuously being surprised by Adore and her answers. She smiled to herself as she realized she was even trying to correctly identify Roy as Bianca, which most people who knew him would just call him whatever - regardless if he was in drag or not.

“I like men and women, exclusively.” Bianca simply said. She didn’t feel like explaining bisexuality to Adore, but she figured her blunt answer would be enough.

Bianca’s answer made Adore’s heart flutter.

Good, that means not all hope is lost Adore thought.

She smiled a toothy grin and rubbed her eyes as she leaned back in her chair.

“Good, that’s great. I’m really glad you like women.” Adore slurred.

“And that’s your cue blondie.” Bianca started to help her up, but Adore swatted her hand away.

“No. I’m not ready to sleep yet. Don’t you put on a show or something?” Adore asked.

Bianca shooted a knowing glare over in Courtney’s direction.

“What? We had to talk about something while I was picking the twigs out of her hair.” Courtney objected playfully.

“You’re really trying to fucking kill me aren’t you.” Bianca replied dryly. “Fine. I’ll put on a show. But Courtney, you’re opening and Willam better be on after you.”

“Who’s Willam?” Adore asked.

“My crazy other half.” Courtney said sweetly, fluttering her eyes.

“Crazy is an understatement don’t you think?” Bianca muttered.

“I need to get our little guest another drink before she hits the hay. Go get Willam, and I’ll make sure she’s near the stage.” Courtney ordered as she took Adore’s hand gently.

“She has no idea what she’s in for.” Bianca uttered.

“Neither do you.” Courtney murmured.

————————

Courtney had opened the show for a small crowd of men, and a few women peppered in here and there. Most of the men Adore suspected were also drag queens, due to the makeup they were wearing. It was a very loud and rowdy audience, despite Courtney singing slow ballads on stage.

Her voice was really pretty, Adore kept forgetting that Courtney was a man underneath all of that makeup; especially since her voice was so feminine. It was endearing to listen to, and near the end of her set she sang a more upbeat song to make way for the next act: which was Bianca.

As soon as she came on stage, the crowd grew wild. It seemed like Bianca was a big deal in the drag community, everyone knew who she was and the energy of the room shifted completely when she began to speak.

“How the fuck are you idiots doing tonight?” Bianca roared, holding a glass of white wine.

Classy, Adore thought. She would’ve thought for sure Bianca would be a whiskey drinker, or at the very least a beer drinker.

Bianca was very funny, Adore realized. She had sort of a love/hate relationship with the world, but she could tell that there was something sincere underneath all of that comedy. Maybe it was the multiple drinks she had, or the fact that she was actually letting herself really relax for the first time since leaving home, but she was a joy to watch on stage.

Such a joy, in fact, that Adore was finding herself more and more drawn to Bianca. Or Roy. Both? At this moment, she didn’t know which part exactly, but she was drawn to them.

Was this what having an infatuation for someone was like?

After having a couple of different sexualities explained to her, she was now at a crossroads about her own. She had always assumed she only liked men, but she thought Roy dressed in drag was really sexy. Bianca was beautiful, in lieu of the harsh makeup; the comedy and personality really shined through for her. Did that mean she was like Courtney?

“Now I’m gonna bring one of my favorite queens to the stage, she’s a good bitch; please welcome Willam to the stage!” Bianca yelled.

The bar cheered as a thin blonde walked out onto the small stage. Willam looked more like a woman then Bianca, with makeup similar to Courtney’s albeit a bit messy. She had bright blue glitter smeared across her eyelids and glossy pink lips that Adore realized she was fixating on. She left little to the imagination in a short risqué dress made out of thin pink satin, exposing her long tanned legs. Strappy crystal heels completed the look, and Adore found herself eyeing her from head to toe.

Willam was hot, and Adore was now confused as ever.

“Hey you old broad, what do you say we bring up a newbie?” Willam wiggled her eyebrows.

“Who are you thinking of?” Bianca asked cooly, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. She was silently hoping she wouldn’t bring who she was thinking of up on stage. The last thing the bar needed to see was a drunk girl hanging onto Willam.

“I’ll get her!” Willam looked straight down at Adore, sending a chill down her spine. “Everyone, it’s her first time at a drag show, please welcome Adore to the stage!”

Bianca sighed, instantly regretting talking about the young girl to him in the dressing room. She had filled Willam in all about Adore’s innocence and how she had no idea what a drag queen was. Willam had thought that was hilarious, and Bianca had made a joke about bringing her on stage in front of everyone.

She didn’t think Willam would actually do it.

Bianca made eye contact with Courtney for a second, who had been basically babysitting Adore the whole night other then when she was on stage herself. Courtneys lips were pursed, which meant that she was upset.

Courtney glared at Willam as she clenched her glass angrily. She hated it when she brought up people on stage, because that usually meant she would make out with them and/or have them take body shots off of her. She was all for free love, but when she was in a serious relationship, she got very possessive very quickly.

Willam shrugged and winked back at Courtney, hoping she wouldn’t be too upset with her later. She had to know by now that her sexual nature was just part of her act, it wasn’t serious. The only thing that was serious about her was her feelings for Courtney. She just wished she wouldn’t get into such a jealous rage after every single performance.

There was scattered applause as Adore froze in her seat. She was way too drunk to be going on stage at the moment. The last thing she wanted to do was embarass herself, but she decided she would live in the moment. Willam was sexy and she wanted to impress not only her, but Bianca as well. With a shrug, she handed a shocked Courtney the remnants of her drink, and climbed up onto the stage, taking Willams hand to help her up.

“How you doin?” Willam asked with a toothy smile. Her makeup was much messier up close, but still gave a convincing illusion of a woman. Her hair was a similar blonde to Adore’s, and had that effortless beachy look to it.

“Good man! You have to teach me how to do my makeup like you.” Adore slurred, admiring the glitter and long eyelashes.

“Oh god you have to be really drunk to think that my makeup is good. Which is why this next part of the show will be perfect for you!” Willam exclaimed. “Can I get two shots and a table pulled up here?”

Fuck, Bianca thought. Clenching her fists, she watched on as Courtney meekly grabbed a small table and pushed it onto the stage.

This was not going to end well, Bianca thought.

A couple of moments later, a waiter came by with two clear shot glasses filled to the top with a golden liquid.

“Alright, here’s what we’re gonna do. I’m gonna lift up my dress, set the shot glass on my stomach snd you have to take the shot without using your hands. Think you can handle it?” Willam challenged playfully.

Adore wanted nothing more to impress everyone in the bar so she excitedly said,” Fuck yes!”

“You’re a good sport.” Willam smirked, climbing onto the table. As soon as she lifted up her dress, the crowd went wild with cheers and cat calls. Willam was wearing a matching pair of satin underwear that covered her privates. Once she placed the glass onto her stomach and made sure it was secure, she motioned for Adore to come to her.

Adore strutted confidently over to Willam where she saw the shot glass balancing perfectly in the contours of her muscular torso.

Take the shot without your hands, but how? Adore thought confused.

She leaned over and clenched the shot glass with her teeth.She grazed Willams stomach with her lips in the process, feeling her shudder underneath her. Lifting her head up slowly, she clamped her teeth down harder and suctioned her lips around the glass, making sure she wouldn’t drop it. She could feel the liquid burning the back of her throat already, so to keep herself from gagging on it she tilted her head back, draining the glass of its contents efforlessly.

Bianca was clenching her teeth in anger as she looked on at the scene. Adore was being very sexual with Willam, she didn’t realize she had it in her. Maybe Adore wasn’t as innocent as she had once assumed.

It shouldn’t bother me, she thought. Adore isn’t mine.

But in the short amount of time that they had already spent together, Bianca had grown fond of her. She was protective of the girl, and thought Willam had taken it a little too far for someone who had just found out what a drag queen actually was.

Maybe Bianca was just bitter that it wasn’t her that Adore had just took a shot from.

Willam hopped off of the table with ease as the crowd cheered for Adore. Adore grinned and bowed, earning more applause from everyone.

“I’m impressed,” Willam admitted. “Give me a smooch!”

“Party!” Adore exclaimed drunkenly as she leaned in, giving the queen a peck on her plumply glossed lips. Adore had never been kissed before, but she thought she had done a good job at kissing for her first time. Willam tasted sweet like cotton candy, so yummy. She let her tongue slip into his mouth as Willam dipped her low, deepening the kiss.

Bianca and Courtney looked on mortified as the audience erupted in a roar of applause. Willam gently grabbed Adore’s braid as he held her low to the ground, eliciting a small yelp out of her.

Bianca was furious. She was seeing red as the two of them kissed longer and longer, lipstick smearing all over Adore’s porcelain skin.

Why was this bothering her so much?

Courtney was crossing her arms across her chest now, looking as red as a tomato. Bianca had never seen her so mad. Courtney motioned to her to do something about the makeout session from the audience.

Bianca cleared her throat loudly, breaking the two apart from their embrace. Willam grinned sheepishly and Adore was brought out of her trance, and right back to reality where she met Bianca’s cold brown eyes.

Adore had just had an amazing first kiss, but she felt weird all of a sudden. She wasn’t spoken for, and she really enjoyed the kiss with Willam but for some reason she was feeling guilty about kissing her in front of Bianca. She wasn’t even feeling that guilty that she had made out with Courtney’s boyfriend. She assumed Willam did this all the time as a part of her show, so she wasn’t too worried about it. What bothered her more was that she couldn’t tell what Bianca was thinking at the moment. She tried to read the older queens expression, but she kept her face so neutral it was hard to tell exactly what she was feeling.

Once their eyes met however, Bianca’s eyes were a blazing brown and telling a different story then what her facial expression was. Adore couldn’t tell exactly, but it looked as if she was hurt. Right now, they were an intense deep brown and frankly a bit hard to look at, as Bianca stared her down. Adore looked away in shame and out into the audience, where she noticed Courtney was more openly showing her emotions as she glared at Willam.

Fuck, Adore thought. The last thing she had wanted to do was upset Courtney, especially after how nice she had been to her.

“Anyway, that was some nice entertainment but I think our lovely audience member is done here.” Bianca snapped, trying to keep a smile on her face.

Adore took that as her cue to exit the stage, and once she got back to her table with Courtney; she asked a nearby waiter for a water. She needed to calm down.

Bianca and Willam said goodbye and went backstage, leaving Adore confused and Courtney angry.

“I didn’t realize you were into drag queens Adore “ Courtney snapped breaking the silence.

“I didn’t know either.” Adore confessed. “Hey, you know I’m not into Willam like that though right? It was just fun, like a kiss y’know?”

Courtney audibly sighed in relief as Adore stumbled over her words nervously. She reached out and touched her arm softly, nodding her head.

“Of course. I’m sorry I got a bit snappy.. it’s just. I think Roy is really fond of you. I’ve never seen the great Bianca Del Rio get so angry on stage before,” Courtney giggled.

“I don’t know.” Adore shrugged, sipping on her drink.

“No Adore, he really is. I’ve known Roy for 10 years, we lived in the orphanage together and he’s never treated a lady the way he treats you. Trust me.” Courtney urged. “Anyway, I get really possessive of Willam. I know it’s not your fault that my boyfriend is a bit of a whore, but next time could you maybe cut off the kiss after awhile?”

Adore frowned at the thought of Roy and Courtney living in an orphanage. Courtney was such a nice person, she can’t even begin to fathom how she was able to stay so sweet after living in one for 10 years. Her heart filled with sadness as she realized that Roy was in the orphanage because his parents had died. She wondered how long he had been in there, and if he still remembered his mom and dad. Just that one detail that Courtney had given her about Roy’s life explained so much about him; the dark humor, the intelligence, everything. It broke her heart, and she wondered about his life now in the present. What was he doing now that he was out of the orphanage? Where did he live?

On a more positive note, the thought of Roy being fond of her made her smile, even if it wasn’t true. He was handsome as a man, and beautiful as a woman. But she wasn’t going to believe he was attracted to her until Roy told her his feelings himself.

“That I can do. Hey Court? Thanks for helping me out tonight. I’m sorry I kissed your boyfriend, I really am.” Adore apologized. She was really appreciative of Courtney, especially after giving her more details about Roy and his past.

Courtney knew that Adore was most likely being sincere with her apology, she seemed so young and naive so she nodded her head.

“It’s okay. I’ll just have to punish Willy later.” Courtney laughed.

“I love that, Willy is a cute name.�� Adore giggled.

“Speaking of Willy, we should probably go backstage and see what they’re up to. Hopefully Roy isn’t strangling him.” Courtney joked, getting up from her seat. “You coming?”

Adore felt a sharp pain go through her stomach as she got up. Her stomach churned and bubbled. She realized she needed to go to the bathroom. Now.

“I’m not feeling very well.” Adore moaned, clenching her stomach.

“The bathrooms upstairs sweet.” Courtney gestered to the wooden staircase in the corner. “Take all of the time you need.”

————————–

Once Courtney had entered the dressing room, Willam jumped up from his station.

“Hey baby,” Willam grinned. “What did you think of the show?”

Courtney returned his question with a firm slap across the cheek. The sound echoed across the room, and Roy looked away embarrassed.

This was going to be something, Roy thought.

“Ow! What the fuck Court?” Willam felt his cheek, already swelling up from the hard slap.

“I hope you know you just made out with a 17 year old on stage.” Courtney shouted angrily.

“Cougar.” Roy mumbled.

“Shut up Del Rio, you know you’re trying to hit that! Pot calling kettle.” Willam shot back.

Roy felt his cheeks flush and turned back towards the mirror.

“I knew it!” Courtney squealed, momentarily distracted from Willam’s antics. “Are you going to ask her out?”

“No! I’ve just met her, give me some time. What did you need to talk to me about anyway?” Roy asked annoyed.

“Oh that’s right!” Courtney exclaimed. Looking around, she went to close the door and lock it behind her.

“Whoa, she has some serious gossip. What is it babe?” Willam asked.

“This cannot leave this room. Promise?” Courtney hissed looking between the two men.

“Whatever.” The two said in unison.

“Adore told me earlier that her hair is magical, and that it healed you Roy! She said you had been bleeding heavily when she first found you, and didn’t know what else to do but to use her hair.” Courtney exclaimed.

Roy felt his heart stop cold. He knew when Courtney was fucking with him, and when she was telling the truth. This was definitely a time where she was telling the truth.

“So that means..?” Willam questioned.

“That Adore is the Adore.“ Courtney blurted out exasperated.

“Holy shit.” Willam marveled.

“Guys, she wants to see the lantern send off. But the palace guard is after me for stealing the crown. We have it with us, but if I told them we had found the king’s daughter do you think that they would waive my punishment?” Roy asked worriedly. Stealing the crown was enough to have him hung, especially if he was caught.

“They would have to.” Courtney encouraged. “They’ve been looking for her for almost 18 years.”

Roy nodded as he removed the last of his makeup. Willam shared a look with Courtney and then cleared his throat. Roy looked up confused as he saw the two of them whispering.

“What?” Roy questioned.

“Good. I have your attention. Me and Courtney have decided we want to go with you guys to the city.” Willam announced.

“Why the fuck would I let you two come with us?” Roy asked.

“Because we just saved your asses by giving you a place to stay.” Willam pointed out.

“We want partial credit for finding the lost princess. A reward from the royal family would help me and Willam buy a house instead of having to live above the bar.” Courtney explained.

Courtney and Willam had been Roy’s partners in crime for years. When they first got the bar, Roy crashed there for many nights often times when he was hiding from the royal guard. They had done more then their fair share of helping him, he didn’t mind returning the favor in the slightest.

“We’ll make sure that the royal guard doesn’t see you.” Courtney promised.

“And we’ll bring along food and booze so we don’t die.” Willam shrugged.

“You guys can come with then. But you have to promise me something.” Roy started.

“We wont hit on her.” Willam groaned annoyed.

“No, I want you guys to promise me that I’ll be the one to tell her who she really is.” Roy finished.

“I think that’s fair.” Courtney agreed. “Deal.”

“Where is Adore anyway?” Willam asked confused, looking around the room.

“She’s not feeling well.” Courtney frowned. “She’s been in the bathroom awhile now-”

“I’ll go check on her,” Roy interuppted, getting up from his station. When he left the room, Willam and Courtney shared a look.

“He’s got it bad.” Courtney muttured.

—————————-

Adore had been ill in the bathroom for a couple of hours now, on and off. She now understood why in some of the books she’d read, people wouldn’t have too much to drink. On and off she had been vomiting in the small toilet, and had given up standing after awhile. Now she was slumped down on the cold wooden floor in a ball.

There’s no point in leaving the room, if all I’m going to do is be ill, she thought.

Suddenly she heard the door rattle behind her.

“Who is it?” Adore groaned weakly.

“Can I come in?”

Shit. It was Roy.

Adore pulled her dress down so that it covered her modestly enough for Roy to see.

“Um, sure.” Adore croaked weakly. She pulled herself up, feeling her stomach curdle as she moved from her comfortable spot on the floor. Her hair being in a braid had been a huge help, thankfully she hadnt gotten any vomit in her long blonde strands. She didn’t know when she would have time to wash her hair again, so it truly was a blessing that it had stayed clean.

“It’s unlocked.” Adore whispered, clenching her stomach as she curled back up into a ball on the floor.

Roy opened the door slowly, not sure of what he was about to walk into. He saw Adore, a small ball of blonde near the toilet. It had smelled like bile, but much less like it then he had expected. His heart clenched at the sight of the girl, she looked incredibly pale and sucked up.

“Sit up. You don’t wanna fall asleep and throw up.” Roy ordered gently as he closed the door.

“I can’t. It hurts too bad.” Adore whined.

“Here.” Roy kneeled down, placing his arms underneath the girls back to sit her up slightly. He pushed her slightly backwards so that her back was against the wall. He then gently moved her chunky braid from behind her back so that she wasn’t leaning against it.

“Better?” Roy asked once she situated herself. He sat down next to her, examining her braid for any vomit or debris.

“Yeah, thank you.” Adore shyly answered, surprised by his sudden kindness. It felt good to have her hair played with, she had always loved it when her mother brushed her hair at the end of a long day.

My hair that healed my mother everyday.

“Oh my god, my hair! Duh!” Adore exclaimed, sitting up all of a sudden, whipping her braid away from Roy.

“Your hair?” Roy asked, not putting it together for a second.

Adore sighed and began singing her song that she had learned by heart.

Flower gleam and glow Let your power shine Save what once was lost Bring back what once was mine

Adore’s blonde hair began to glow a vibrant yellow, illuminating the small bathroom of Courtney’s bar. She pulled the braid against her stomach, hoping it would help heal the horrible illness she was feeling. She grabbed Roy’s hand and pulled it towards her so that he was touching her braid as well. He gasped as Adore’s hair began to glow even more vibrantly, and for a second he swore he felt a jolt of energy enter his body before the light finally faded.

Adore sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes. “Finally.” Adore breathed, feeling like she was actually able to get up from the bathroom floor for the first time in hours.

Roy was flabbergasted, not only did this confirm what Courtney had told him earlier, but he had never seen magic do anything good for anyone. All he knew was that magic was evil, that people fought over the very idea of it and risked their lives for just a tiny bit of it.

The power Adore now harnesses was what his mom had sacrificed her life to get all those years ago. Now that he had seen the magic from the flower being used for something good, he felt oddly at peace about the situation.

Now 18 years later, he was on the floor with the lost princess, who didn’t even know who she was, and was most likely into men and women after that kiss with Willam. What surprised Roy the most wasn’t even the kiss between them, it was her ability to be so open to different facets of society, and she approached it with an innocence that only a child sheltered from the world could approach it.

How was he suppossed to tell her that her ‘mother’, wasn’t even really her mother? That everything she had been told was most likely a lie? How would someone as fragile and vulnerable to the world as Adore, take such serious news like that?

Sure, exploring sexuality was one thing. That is a personal journey every 17-18 year old adult (most people even younger) goes on. But finding out that you were kidnapped as a kid and were then manipulated by a stranger for years, would probably take more then an open mind to handle.

“Roy, are you okay?” Adore asked, her voice dripping with sincerity and worry. She was clutching her hair still, a nervous habit of hers that she had done since she was a kid.

“I’m fine blondie. That…was the most amazing thing I think I’ve ever seen.” Roy admitted, trying to distract himself from his internal monologue.

“My mom used to brush my hair all the time and I would help her feel better after a really long day. She taught me that song.” Adore confessed, brushing her fingers through the ends.

“Yeah? Tell me about your mom.” Roy leaned in intruiged.

Adore chattered on and on about how her mom was an experienced witch, and often went out of the tower to help people. She described how fatigued she would look after she got home, and how singing and getting her hair brushed helped her feel refreshed and young again.

Adore talked as if she had a great relationship with her mom, other than her not letting her out of the tower for her 18th birthday. But Roy could tell by the little details she would let slip, that whoever this woman was had actually been very manipulative to Adore her whole life. She was only allowed to read certain books that were brought to her, not anything that her mother didnt approve of. She also couldn’t ever leave the tower, and Adore never once even thought of it which was so bizarre to Roy. But it just confirmed even more that this was the Adore.

Roy decided maybe now wasn’t the time to tell her what he was thinking about, especially with how passionately she had been speaking about this woman. He didn’t even know how to go about telling someone such a serious thing, and he didn’t have any proof to back up his claims that she was the lost princess. He needed something in writing, maybe an old missing ad or something. Something that would back up his claims so that she wouldn’t hate him when he did tell her.

He knew for sure what he did want to to do; he did want to help her see the floating lanterns, but now he also had a new goal in mind.

He wanted to bring her to her real parents.