#sticking my head in the sand to ignore the angst

[ms-dead-inside]

Do you ever think that Ranpo accidentally lets out, like, major secrets because he genuinely forgets what these less-intelligent life forms can and cannot figure out for themselves?

"Oh, it was so obvious I thought everyone already knew it and was staying silent out of politeness."

"No, we didn't know! And why would we stay quiet over such a matter???"

"I DON'T KNOW HOW MANNERS WORK!"

[mo-ondrcps]

♖ ˗ˏˋ 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 ´ˎ˗

❛ how fate cruelly plays with your hearts while a stranger desperately try to save you in each dream you had, over and over again.❜

: ̗̀➛ dragon! jiyan x town folk! reader warning(s): reader drowning twice, mentions of death (no major!). content: fem! reader, magical town vibes like magic humans and mythical creatures, jiyan dragon protective of you genre: au — magical town, fantasy, reincarnation, soulmates, romance, slight angst word count: 2.4K author's note: i love protective jiyan, makes anyone feel safe in his arms.

    Water surrounded you, making it impossible to breathe. You couldn't decipher whether you're dead or drowning in the ocean, though a bystander would think you're suffering from both because of your lack of struggle, slowly descending deeper. The light from the waters above your clouded vision continued to fade until a figure above dove in, swimming towards your direction. Unfortunately, his face was only just a silhouette, attempting to reach for your hand and resurface to save you. You wanted to move forward, take the stranger's hand in yours, but an unknown force within you had no strength to do so.

"(Y/n)...!"

    Your name, or what sounds like your name, came out in thick gurgles of water from the stranger. They still persisted in swimming with much of their might to save you. Who is this person? If they continued to sink in deeper with you, there would be no hope for either of you to live. How foolish. Your eyes slowly gave in to the darkness surrounding them before opening once more.

    Your eyes take in the surroundings of your room, all dimly lit by the moon that glanced from the open peak of your window curtains. Your head turned in search of your wall clock.

2:37 am.

    A sigh left your lips, burying yourself further into the warm blankets for comfort. It was the same dream that haunted you for years, the ocean and you sinking into your demised. However, the small moment didn't strike fear in you, at least you hoped not yet. You haven't visited the beach for over ten years now and you always found yourself sticking by the sand whenever your family asks you to come with them.

    You rise up from your spot on your bed, leaving to grab a glass of water before returning to your room. They were both calm, your water and the ocean from your dreams, moving on their own except for the other being more dangerous if you sink in too deep.

    But that man, who was he?

    You thought of leaving it aside, knowing your work starts early in the morning, taking a sip of your water before resting back on the comforts of your mattress.

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

"But you never saw his face? That's a shame... You should've seen it if he was cute or not."

    Your eyes narrowed at your friend after telling them the entire story of your dreams again. They always knew what kind of stress you're dealing with, but never knew the answer to how to solve it. At first, they informed you to brush it off as a simple vision your mind had randomly come up with until it grew too frequent for them to ignore.

"You really had to focus on that detail?? I can't just fall for every random stranger in my dreams."

    A boisterous laugh came from the mouth of your friend before shaking their head at your deadpan expression.

"At least they treat us better than the men in this reality. Who knows? With how frequent you meet yours, he might actually appear right through that door!"

    Now a smile erupted your features before bursting into a laugh at how silly they were acting with you. Though absurd, you still appreciate their sense of optimism in your dream related problems. A small chime came from the door, signaling a customer walked into the shop. Your friend gave you a small nod, which you returned before watching them move to entertain them. You, on the other hand, busied yourself in writing a list of the potions you both need to make and what's available to write down and display on the racks.

"Excuse me?"

    A voice deep yet soothing to your ear came in front of you, making you look up to them.

"Hello, what can I get for you?"

    The man was dressed in simple black and midnight green robes embroidered by silk and gold accents, making him stand out only just a bit but not too much to get everyone's attention. It was clear he looked like a soldier or a protector of some kind because of the sword strapped around his waist.

    You thought you would have recognized him because of this small town, but then again, he might be a wandering traveler from afar so you can't assume too quickly.

"Do you have any good potions for healing? I seem to run out myself on the way here."

    The man replied with a slight scratch on his nape. You nod before smiling, taking out a regular sized bottle. It's mixture flowing through green and hues of blue gradient inside, shimmering in utter brilliance.

"That will be fifty gold for a healing potion."

    He reached out from his pocket, pulling a small pouch where he fumbled to grab the amount needed. The man set down sixty-five gold instead of fifty, leaving you surprised at the change. You took the extra, your hands moving to give it back.

"I can't accept this much."

"Please, this shop deserves much recognition for the work you and your companion put through for everyone who needs it. Keep my change."

    Before you could push more to give the extra back, the man bows slightly before leaving the shop. Your friend, who just came back, glanced at the man you just entertained before turning to you with a playful smile you knew you wouldn't enjoy.

"Who was that? He looks so good! I've never seen him before. Do you think he's-."

    Just when your friend was about to ask you for more information about the customer you entertained, you stopped her train of thoughts, speaking ahead of them before it goes in a direction you'll never get back from.

"And don't you think it's your turn to brew new potions to stock while I grab some herbs we need outside? The strength and healing potions won't produce themselves."

    Your friend groaned.

"Let me dream a little. My single life won't move by itself either!"

    Throwing your quill pen at them, you caused them to move aside but still took the blow from the quill thrown at them, laughing at your advancements before heading into the staff room to do their work while you prepared your journey in the forest for herbs. You pack containers, water, and a bit of snacks to aid your short travel. You bid goodbye to your friend, starting your walk into the forest.

    You had a list written by you with a few additions to your friend. You crouched down to pick up yellow and purple flowers, one that radiated like the sun and the other mirroring the deepest night sky of the auras. Since you were here, it shouldn't hurt to grab them for a potion of good sleep. Not that you never tried it before and have it mix with your cup of tea. Your friend suggested this once after experiencing four nights of the same dream in your sleep, but it never worked.

    You move to the next item on your list, which is dewberries, picking at least three before turning your head to the bushes rustling nearby. Your eyes scanned the area before resuming your work of collecting three more until a large hand grabs your mouth, pulling you back towards their body.

"Such luck of running into a lady."

    A skinny man walked into the scene, next to his companion, who took you by surprise. He spoke before smirking. The items from your bag scrambled down after being forcefully pulled away. The man who held you back took one of them, shaking the containers of herbs inside before turning his head back towards you.

"A smart one who can provide and heal too! How much do you think we can make out of her if we sold her to the palace?"

    The skinny man only laughed before ordering his companion.

"Stuff her in the bag. I know we'll make a fortune in that case."

    You struggle in the gruff man's hold who was opting to lift you up while his friend took the large sack they had slung behind his back. Your legs kicked and swung around, managing to injure the skinny man on the groin out of pure luck. But you knew you needed more than that.

"Feisty as well! You'll pay for all the damages you'll do to me and my companion. Now stay still or-."

    A powerful surge of wind ripped through the scene, causing all of you to shut your eyes while your captors try to stay in place on the grass below, gripping onto the strands before getting blown away a few steps.

"You!"

    The voice of a man came, commanding and stern, but there was no man. Only the figure of a large, bright green, slender dragon came in sight. He was exactly like what the stories you kept hearing as a child.

    The Midnight Dragon.

    Its nostrils flared in anger, watching the two men as if they were its prey. The men who held captive of you had their hands tremble beneath their fingertips, eyes staring wide at the force of nature they just angered without moving another muscle.

"Begone or I will banish you myself."

    The men cowered in fear, flinging your body to a shallow lake before leaving in a hurry into the direction of the city. The dragon quickly shifts into a human man, running to the lake before diving in to save you.

    Your arms flailed around to resurface from the water. You weren't sure if you should feel even more terrified now that reality is making you sink deep into the waters just like in your dreams. No, nightmares. If only you agreed with your friend to teach you a bit of swimming, but you were too stubborn, confident enough that drowning would never cross in a moment of your life.

    Right now, you were afraid.

    Maybe it was a warning that you stupidly ignored and now you've fallen deep to your demise. You allowed your eyes to shut, accepting the darkness with the faint figure of the man reaching for your hand.

────────⊹⊱✫⊰⊹────────

    Jiyan thought he could never save you, blaming himself for how slow he was in every haunting nightmare that plagued his thoughts. As if his previous life wasn't enough to make him feel guilty about how much pain you've pulled through and now in this timeline? How much more does he need to suffer?

    He swam deeper, faster, just to grab a hold of your hand before pulling you up with him to the surface. Jiyan carried your body to a nearby tree, setting you down next to it before leaning his head to your chest and mouth to check for your vitals. For the love of the gods, please don't let him see you dead again.

    Using the heel of heel of his dominant hand and the other hand resting on it above your breastbone, he began to push, watching a couple of water droplets leave your mouth. Jiyan counted quietly in inaudible whispers, begging for your revival until slowly a cough came from your lips, causing him to step away a bit to give you some space.

"(Y/n)?"

"W-who- I-."

    You shut your eyes, rubbing away the water residuals that dropped from your hair, regaining consciousness from the events prior.

"What... what did you just say?"

    Jiyan's eyes widen but you didn't catch his surprise, only a clear of his throat before carrying you in his arms again as if you were lightweight. A feather, if he might add, but he'll tease you later. He valued your safety the most, so he took you back home while you had a million questions running in your head, especially how he knew where you lived.

"Stalker much?"

    You uttered above a whisper, making Jiyan shake his head quickly before you act on him.

"I-... You wouldn't believe me if I told you this."

"I'm all ears... Midnight Dragon."

    You didn't know how else to call him besides what the stories and myths had told you. It made Jiyan's heart sink, trying to accept the fact that you will never remember him. Maybe in this life you wouldn't, but it didn't stop him from being your sole protector wherever you go. Why did it have to be him to be cursed to remember everything while you were reborn to forget?

    Jiyan was silent through the entire journey, slipping into the crack of your window with you in his arms, which you forgot to close before leaving. He set you down on the comforts of your mattress before finally answering.

"I've been protecting you endlessly in our previous life and now... Believe it or not."

    Jiyan confessed. It made you confused.

"Previous life? I never remembered anything or been aware of... living longer like you do."

    If it has been that way, maybe you should've had some majestic powers to make you live longer like him. Your thoughts only made Jiyan chuckle softly before ruffling your damp hair, mind racing at what you both could've possibly been, but you had no memory at all whatsoever.

"You may not remember anything about me. But I'll make sure you'll always feel safe and maybe... feel loved by me again in this timeline..."

    Jiyan took your hand, kissing your palm gently. It felt as if a gentle breeze flowed against your skin, gracing you with the dragon's passion and attention. Everything felt like a dream, to actually see the dragon in person who has concealed its identity until years later. Did it have anything to do with your existence? It made you wonder. Most especially with the mystery laced in his words about you and him.

"If heaven ever gives us the chance to meet again, I'll always keep loving you at that time and the next."

    His words held a promise that strangely made your heart accept him entirely. Jiyan smiled, rising from his feet, making you scramble from your seat on the bed.

"Wait."

    He paused, eyebrows raised in question.

"What's your name?"

"Jiyan."

    He blew a soft breeze in front of your face, effectively hitting your eyes before watching you fall back asleep on your bed. It made Jiyan smile, admiring how peaceful you look, waving his arm above your figure to use his own magic, drying your clothes to avoid you from waking up with a cold. He pulled the covers over your body, leaning down to press a kiss on your forehead before leaving the room. Jiyan shut the windows behind him, taking a mental note to remind you about it before disappearing into the night.

    For the first time in your life, you finally got over your nightmares of drowning. Your dreams only painted the image of green and blue hues of a dragon before shifting to the figure of Jiyan, planning on your next meeting with him again.

author's note: took a bit of inspiration from the potions event of genshin. i was trying to find a good occupation for reader in a magical town and thought of that!

© MOONDRCPS. avoid stealing or translating my work to other sites. likes and reblogs on my works are appreciated ᵔᴗᵔ

[djarincore]

— vampire!simon punishes you

warnings: noncon/dubcon, smut, angst, dark, jealousy if you squint, blood, sorta based off this post

You're stiff when he throws you against the sheets. A silk nightgown does nothing to shield the feeling of his body molding into yours, trapping you against the bed.

His hands leave trails of ice along your skin as they slide beneath your thighs to force them apart. His lips are on your neck; his tongue drags against your rapid pulse for a taste. You shrink beneath him when it becomes teeth—pointed canines scraping against your skin.

Your voice wavers, a thick lump swelling in your throat. Tears gloss over your eyes as you force the words out. “My Lord, forgive m-”

“Shut up,” he hisses, wrenching away from your neck. His nose meets yours as he looks into your tear filled eyes. “You’re lucky I don't fuckin’ drain you.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” you whimper, shutting your eyes. His gaze, so intense, is enough to make you feel like you're being swallowed whole. If he wants to bite you, fuck you, then he can. You just want to be free of his grasp and breathe again.

“What did you hope to accomplish tonight?”

“N-Nothing, I-”

“Look at me!” He roars. A hand clamps around your jaw and forces your face back to his.

When your bleary eyes open, Simon is still above you, holding a carved stake. The same one you tried plunging into his back.

“Thought you could stick me with this twig? Who gave you that idea, huh? You think that bastard wants to save you?”

You know you shouldn't be going back to him, but you can't help yourself. John makes you feel safe, wanted, more than a lamb for slaughter. When he takes you into his arms, they're warm. Pressed against his chest, you hear his heartbeat, reminding you you're still alive too.

When you're forced to return to Simon at dusk, you're hit with the harsh reality of why you no longer belong to the living.

Simon barks out a mocking laugh. “No one wants to save a pathetic, sniveling thing like you.”

Your chest aches and the tears you hold back flow down your temples.

“I should stick this in you to teach you a lesson. You'd like that wouldn't you?”

A new cold washes over you. When his hands push your nightgown past your hips, exposing your naked core, you grab at his wrists. He ignores your clawing fingers and you begin pleading instead. “Please, don't. Please.”

“You'll take anything in that greedy cunt. This won't be a problem,” he sneers, smoothing a hand down to your mound. “I'll even get you nice and ready for it.”

His thumb presses down on your clit and your legs lock around his waist as the sensation jolts through your body. Quick circles are all it takes for you to shift your hips forward.

“Look at you. Already asking for it.”

You bite your lip and hold back a moan. You hate the way he makes you feel used and dirty and breaks you apart with his touch.

When the stake’s tip touches your folds, you gasp. Luckily, it's dulled at the tip, not sharp enough to pierce you, and the round base is sanded down.

Simon bullies the stake into you, ignoring the way you squirm. He's met with resistance as he pushes deeper because you're not wet enough to take it.

“I can't,” you insist, shaking your head. Its pointed head prods at your walls and you wince. You resist shifting your hips and focus on his thumb still slowly swirling on your clit instead.

“That's not what this cunt’s tellin’ me,” he retorts. “Look at ‘er, takin’ it just like a cock.”

Simon thrusts the stake further. The head stabs deeper into you, forcing a pained gasp from you. Tears swell in your eyes once again and your finger dig into the sheets.

“I can't—I've learned my lesson. Forgive me,” you cry.

He pulls the stake from your cunt. It drags against your walls, making you wince, as it is pulled free, glistening with some of your arousal. Simon throws it to the side with so much force it’s embedded into the wall. To serve as a reminder for the next time you get any foolish ideas.

You take in a shuddering breath, hoping the worst is over, but yelp when his hands suddenly grasp your hips and flip you on your stomach.

Simon bends to your ear, chest pressed against you back and his hard cock against your ass. “Next time the two of you try to kill me, bring him along and I'll drain you last.”

You burrow your face into the pillow and nod your head in shame. You would be a fool to try anything like this again. And you wouldn't dare put John in danger.

“That’s a good girl,” he coos, grinding his cock against your ass. A hand sneaks between your thighs, returning to your clit.

You can't help but move your hips against his hand now that the stake is gone.

His nose brushes your bare shoulder and his other hand forces your head to the side, baring your neck for him. “Now, stay still for me.”

The pierce of his fangs is a cold sting at the juncture of your neck and shoulder. The shock is always first, rooting you in place and unable to even form a scream. And when that subsides, the pain comes hot like poison spreading through your veins.

You squirm beneath him, both the heat of his bite and your rising pleasure clash in you. But the pleasure always wins and the pain becomes nothing but an afterthought against his fingers. Instead of a scream, you moan.

You're so close, you can feel the knot in your belly tighten, but your vision is becoming blurry. You begin to fear he’ll make good on his threat to drain you.

He drinks and drinks, taking what he needs, but you feel yourself slipping between consciousness and your climax. You open your mouth but all that you manage is a weak, intelligible mumble and any pleasure you hoped for slips into a cruel darkness.

[bomber-grl]

hi could I be able to request number 8. embracing them from behind for leo valdez? or if that one's closed by the time you get to this (it's probably popular cuz it's super cute ^-^), then number 30. Laying their head on the other's shoulder also works.

My request is something with some mild angst comfort, maybe Leo is having a stressful day and sees reader turned away from him, and he decides to help himself to some behind-hugs (feel free to adapt that to 30 if that's what you use, also if you wanna switch reader and Leo's places that's cool too). thank you so much I love your writing a lot, its seriously helped me and made me smile through a rough week this week (sorry for making this super long)

Prompt #8: embracing them from behind

The week was long and tiring. You and Leo hadn’t been able to meet lately and when you did it was because of something.

Either monsters, missions, or something just going wrong.

It was a mess and in all the chaos you were finally able to find a calm and quiet place to relax: a place near the lake.

You weren’t the only one affected either, Leos usually cheery demeanor and vibrant light dimmed as exhaustion took its place.

He was really affected- actually. He was skilled and it was no wonder why he was occupied all the time.

Your thoughts stopped swarming you as you picked up on the sound of footsteps against rocks and stray sticks snapping.

It should’ve been scary, it was night but you knew whose footsteps those belonged to.

“Hey, what are you doing out here?” Leos familiar voice rang, loud in comparison to the previous silence.

“Nothing, just relaxing, I guess…” you began playing with the dirt.

Usually sounds of laughter, teasing and jokes would be heard but right now you just needed to be near each other.

He got closer and sat behind you as he wrapped his arms around your your shoulders and stuck his face into the crevice of your neck.

You let out a pathetic laugh, “you tired?”

He let out a mumbled “yea” but then stepped back from his position to stand in front of where you were seated.

Your confusion was short lived as he sat down and spoke once more.

“Can you hold me too?”

Despite the fact that you were both facing each other you somehow ended up switching positions, with you embracing him and now him being embraced.

This time, however, you were both leaning back against a stray log and he was laying in your arms.

Sand was all over the place but despite being near the lake and night, it still held the warmth of the day.

Luckily your hands weren’t a victim of the sand, and so you lifted your right one to play with his hair while your left one remained on his chest.

Mostly because Leo was holding onto it.

“Feels nice” his voice was raspy and his drooping eyes showed how truly spent he was.

“Go to bed, you’re tired ” you spoke without a second thought to your surroundings.

Worst case scenario you’ll wake up by some harpies, maybe Chiron. You’ll get teased by campers, that’s it.

Worst case because if something were to be a danger, you could defend you and Leo.

Leo finally cracked a smile and began giggling at your command. “Really?” His tone was dripping with sarcasm.

You playfully smacked his shoulder and chose to ignore it. “Yea, I’m going to sleep too I don’t care if we become the laughing stocks for a few days. As long as you’re here with me is all that matters.”

He hummed “Kay’ me too then” he yawned “ I never really cared either.

You both fell asleep near the lake and when you both awoke you were lucky and watched the sun rise.

Then scolded for not returning to your cabins last night, dish duty for you!

-

A/n: I’m glad my writing helped you and that you enjoy my posts, it makes me happy. Also don’t worry for how long it is, it’s fine :)

[maneatrrz]

‧₊˚✩ 01 ; girls like girls / k. sully

♡ 𓂃 ꒰ girls like girls! ꒱˚.༄ ೃ kiri sully x fem!reader. 901 words. one of two. ⌒(≧▽​° )

𓆩♡𓆪 synopsis: kiri sully was certain she wouldn’t ever exist to you-at least, not in the way that she wanted to.

content: na'vi!reader, metkayina!reader, emo teenage angst!kiri, reluctant babysitter!kiri, kiri turning into shakespeare. tuk being the sweet little demon baby she was meant to be. she is my child and i love her so dearly. i don't know, this is pretty short for the first part? but i wanted to get this out for the additional notes and i was just having writer's block with it. sorry!

ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ additional notes: i have posted this in the midst of aging drama-the actor who portrays kiri, sigourney weaver, is not a minor. and according to john landau, james cameron's literal production partner, the na'vi have a longer lifespan than humans: 160-180 years, as oppose to the average 80, and they are older than the "equivalent-looking human". as in: na'vi years and human years are not the same. the na'vi reach their adulthood in the time that is equal to 15-17 human years. after that, their aging stagnates. which means if lo'ak and kiri have been alive for fourteen human years, and neteyam has been for fifteen-lo'ak and kiri are the human equivalent of seventeen, and neteyam is eighteen. idk what to tell you girlies. these are 8-foot tall, motion-rigged blue space aliens. enough. i turned eighteen like two months ago and watching you guys made my head hurt. let's put this energy towards real-life child predators, and women & men pushing thirty simping for blatanly established human minor characters! anyways, hope you enjoy this first part of the fic. thank you lovelies.

୨✩୧ ; fic under the cut!

there was no reason for kiri sully to feel such ardor towards you. absolutely none. yet, she couldn’t help but be entranced by the way you moved through the waves.

you were just gliding through cerulean waters with lo’ak, neteyam, tsireya, ao’nung, and roxto. jake had introduced you all to the human custom of ‘marco polo’ when you were young, and it seemed you had never grown out of it. kiri had been thrown out of the game, looking over tuk’tirey for her father while she made a sandcastle. tuk was especially displeased with this, as she thought she could beat you all flawlessly in marco polo. but alas, she was not allowed to wade out that far.

watching your every move from afar, kiri surmised that you were not very good at this game. every single person who was marco before had gotten you immediately, no matter how far away you started. probably because you would start splashing and kicking every time they got close, through a fit of feverish giggles. especially when lo’ak was marco-he’d ignore everyone else just to get to you. then, it became the coquettish game of ‘how fast can [name] swim to escape impending doom?’

“this sucks,” she caviled and clutched a stick limply, etching your name in the warm, manila sand.

“you would feel better if you built a sandcastle,” tuk hummed with an expectant lilt, looking at kiri.

“i would feel better if i was lo’ak.”

“would you really? he kinda smells.”

“true,” kiri tilted her head with a nod, scribbling out your name. “[name] doesn’t seem to care, though.”

“oh, blegh,” tuk’tirey stuck her tongue out, swatting at kiri. “stop that.”

“jeez, jeez-” kiri raised her hands in defense of tuk’s minacious and staunch (endearing and incredibly light) pummels. “tuk, i’m not even doing anything!”

“you’re doing that thing that daddy does when mommy looks at tonowari for more than like, two seconds. you’re being all,” tuk did a sashay back to her sandcastle before turning around and putting her hands on her hips, “j-e-l-u-s. jealous.”

“hello? it’s j-e-a-l-o-u-s. you literally cannot spell.”

“i’m literally seven and i’m trying my best.”

“fair enough. but i’m not jealo-” she was cut off by tuk ‘kikiki’-ing at her with an outstretched finger. “you know what? fine. maybe i am a little bit jealous. but it’s not like it matters, anyways.”

kiri threw her head back, falling into the sand. she stared up at the calm azure heavens adorned with ivory, velvet clouds. the image paired perfectly with what kiri called the polyphonic melody of unrequited love: her pining heartbeat reverberating through her spine, your distant, cherubic laughter, and the sound of the waves skimming across the shore, before melting back slowly into the sea. as far as kiri was aware, you only knew her as one of two of neteyam’s (your neighbor) siblings your age. not the goofy, obnoxious younger brother with unkempt braids and winsome dimples, but the brooding basketcase of a sister. the looming, deviant character who thought she could feel the heartbeat of the empyrean, the atlantis, and the motherlands. she was certain that to you, she faded miserably in comparison to the awkwardly-charming foreigner and prodigal eldest son that newly inhabited awa’atlu. she could tell from the way you hung on every honey-coated word that was uttered from neteyam’s lips-big, sparkly doe eyes complete with dilated pupils completely enraptured by him. kiri could tell from the way those roseate, glacé lips of yours curved into an intoxicating smile that she simply couldn’t get enough of, everytime lo’ak unleashed his ‘comedic brilliance’. she was certain she wouldn’t ever exist to you-at least, not in the way that she wanted to. “yeah, this seriously sucks.”

“why don’t you just ask if she likes you?” a query from tuk that made kiri jolt up, turning her head to tuk’tirey in bewilderment.

“absolutely flabbergasting. that you just told me, to do that.”

“why? whenever i have a question, i ask it.”

“but this is different, tuk,” kiri exhaled deeply, bringing her knees to her chest. she ran her hands through her hair, before scratching the top of her head. “she’s a girl, and i’m not a boy.”

“so? i don’t see a problem,” tuk contorted her face in confusion, before shrugging and kicking her meticulously crafted sand fortress-she was getting bored. she sat down crisscrossed in front of kiri, tapping her nose. “girls like girls, like boys do. nothing new.”

 tuk’s idea was not entirely inane as kiri’s riposte made it out to be. it was getting harder to mask her tempestuous affinity for you, with each passing moment. you merely being around her made her heart beat at such a frenetic pace in her sternum. your scent permeated her senses, suffusing her cheeks a feverish and tender sanguine-you smelled as saccharine as the candied simpers you gave her, with light floral notes and a hint of ocean’s brine. and your visage-oh, your countenance as a whole-remained steadfast as the most ravishingly beauteous thing she had ever seen. you were like a painting to her: every curve and every color was painted by eywa’s pedantic hand.

“so if i were to…” kiri closed her eyes with a sharp, delayed sigh, shaking her head. “...confess, when would i? or-how would i?”

tuk’s mouth curved into a smile laced with playful, youthful malign.

kiri was going to have her hands full, wasn’t she?

all writing works are my own, do not repost or repost on platforms such as archive of our own (ao3), wattpad, fanfiction.net, and the like. — maneatrrz © 2023.

[a-aexotic]

Congrats Ren<3🌙 For Rafe Cameron

For My Tears Ricochet!

“And if i’m dead to you, why are you at the wake? Cursing my name wishing i stayed”

pairing. rafe cameron x fem!reader

warnings. angst, mental abuse, insecurities, cheating so so so sorry for this fic....

summary. rafe betrays you after years of you commiting to him.

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Betraying you was the worst decision that Rafe had ever done and considering everything he's done, that's pretty far.

He'd done a lot to you but you always stayed. You always saw the best in him, no matter how bad he hurt you. You wanted to be there for him, protect him from himself and at first he thought it was endearing. It was sweet that you thought there was more to him.

You were the best thing that's ever happened to him and he knew that. Ward told him millions of times that you were his way out - if he kept going out with you, listening to you and loving you that eventually he wouldn't become the person he feared the most.

He was so scared to lose you, for you to slip through his fingertips like sand that eventually he was too scared to even be with you. He was scared he was going to lose you.

But then Rafe did the inevitable; he self destructed.

The relentless voice in his head that he wasn't good enough for you eventually won. But he wanted you to stay, he wanted you to stay for him and save him from yourself but you were too fragile, you deserved someone better.

The more you dated, the more toxic you became.

Before him, you were happy; you had a life outside of him, you had friends, a family. Until you dedicated all your time to loving him, to proving to him that he was not only enough for you, but enough for himself as well.

You proved yourself wrong plenty of times. Every time that Rafe degraded you for even sticking around, you knew that he was right. But you couldn't just walk away, you loved him. You swore to everyone that you loved him more than anything, even when he stabbed you in the back, you still swore that somewhere he loved you back.

You stuck with him through everything. And he still stabbed you in the back, right where it hurts. You thought maybe everyone was wrong, everyone warned you how dangerous it was getting this close to the devil himself, even he did.

You couldn't even blame him at that point.

Rafe had never hated anyone more. The adoration you held for him was a new low for you and that was very low. He hated the fact you tried to prove yourself to him every time they were together and he was tired of it.

That's why he was with this girl right now, doing everything right - doing everything he was supposed to be doing with you. After the pleasure faded, he laid in bed, ignoring her calls of his name.

He got up and put on his clothes, walking out to see the one person he didn't want to. You. His heart dropped once he saw your face.

"What the fuck Rafe?" Was all you managed to choke out as he looked at your face. For the first time in months he registered your pain, and he felt a sharp pain right in the heart. He'd seen you cry more times than he's seen you smile at that point, but for some reason this time it physically pained him.

You were holding flowers in your hand. It was your anniversary, he finally remembered. That's why you were blowing up his phone more than usual today.

"Y/N... I..."

You threw the vase next to him and as the glass shattered, you walked away, your hands wiping your tears. He ran after you, calling your name.

"Y/N, please. Listen, wait. Listen to me."

You turned, your eyes puffy and red. "What do you have to say for yourself, Rafe? You finally pushed me away, this was my last fucking straw. You finally fucking proved yourself, you're a shit human." He knew you didn't mean any of it but it finally clicked in his head that in a few months, you would mean it.

Rafe wanted to cry. "Y/N, I'm so sorry. You never deserved any of it-"

"Rafe, stop." You knew the more he talked, the more he was going to pull you back in. Especially with the whole pained look, he knew you couldn't resist him. "I'm done."

He knew what you meant and this was he wanted, right? You to leave? You to finally realize what a shit human he was? So if he wanted it, why did it hurt? "What?"

"I'm done. I didn't want to tell you but I accepted into (dream college) and I'm going."

He looked down and let out a soft cry.

"I wasn't going to accept it to stay with you."

Rafe looked up, "But I love you."

"No. You don't."

You thought you would've been crying harder but it seems like you were just tired. Tired of the same old thing, same apologizes, same habits. It was draining. You wanted back your life and you knew you can't have Rafe and your life, you had to choose one. And for the first time in months, you did something for you.

When you left, Rafe had somehow hit a new low. He realized that you were the one for him, if he had just given you a chance. If he hadn't listen to that voice in his head, maybe he wouldn't have turned out the way his father sees him; a coke addict with no future.

If he had treated you right maybe he would've gotten what he's always dreamed; a beautiful wife, beautiful kids and a home far away from the Outer Banks. But he gave it all away, for what? A quick fuck? Some coke?

Maybe one day, when he's sober and you're happier, he can get a second chance.

[cuubism]

Hey, okay so I'm still very much ruined by your Dream with wings au and I love the overall theme with coming to terms with the loss of them and accepting it and being able to move on, but my brain is by angst like this immediately in the mode of I have to fix this, have to give him back what he lost in some way. 

And yeah, here is what I thought could happen.

So the universe ends, Death closes up. But with every end comes a new beginning and so on. So new universe, all Endless are still there + Hob. But because there aren't any humans yet or maybe there never will be, Hob becomes something else, Hope for example, and grows wings because Hope probably has some. Hob is very much conflicted over that because of obvious reasons but then the first beings of this new universe begin to dream and something changes in Dream. He adapts to the new universe and the new dreamers and one day his back is in absolute agony, his wings have started to grow back because the dreamers of this universe need him to have them. And of course he is rather conflicted about this because he did accept his loss and learned to live without them but also he is so elated to have them back. And Hob is there with him every step of the way and it makes it a lot easier and the first time they fly together is magnificent. And maybe Dreams wings are not completely the same as his old ones as he is not the same he was then but he can fly again and cradle his dreamers close not only in his arms but in the safety of his wings as well. 

And well this kinda got a bit sappy but hope you like it. Of course feel free to ignore this ramble if it doesn't fit with your idea of your fic it's just how my brain works. Loved your fic by the way if it wasn't obvious.

Oh this is sweet! Yeah I understand the impulse to want to make it better for him somehow. Dream could definitely regain his wings in a new universe with new dreamers.

I love that it's just Hob at the end. Just Hob and the fundamental concepts of the universe chillin in the void. NOTHING can stop Hob.

On that note--

--

The first thing Dream knows of the new universe is grief.

He had not expected to know anything. Everything had gone when the universe he'd known had finally succumbed to its ultimate entropy, and if, when, a new one came to be, he had expected to reformed utterly. New dreamers. A new Dream.

The thought of not knowing had given him peace. One could not miss anything when one did not even know one had had it. And Dream, at the end, had had much to miss.

Strange, that. Terrible, that.

Why, then, is he sitting on the shores of creation, wet sand sticking to his clothes, the Dreaming stretching out around him? It's empty, flattened, nothing but black sand and dark sea infinitely in every direction--but it's still the Dreaming he knows. Why? And why is he sitting here?

In the next moment, why ceases to matter. He is sitting here, in the reformed, empty Dreaming of this empty universe. And Hob is not.

He curls his knees up to his chest, presses his forehead into them, wraps his arms around his head. He doesn't want this sun, this sand, this Dreaming. He doesn't want this universe that doesn't have Hob Gadling in it.

He blocks it all from his vision and sobs, there on the beach where he'd once spent so much time creating. There is no one to hear. None of his creations remain. There are hardly any dreamers. He digs his fingers into his hair, wishing he could simply rip himself right out of this universe. Some other Dream can tend it. He's had enough.

A light hand lands on his shoulder.

"Go away," Dream growls. It can only be one of his siblings, new-but-not, and he does not want to see them. Cannot, yet. "Tend your own misery."

"What misery?" says a familiar voice. Dream goes still. Someone sits down beside him. "Don't you want to explore a whole new universe?"

Dream throws his arms around him. Hob catches him, laughing, even as Dream presses his face into his neck, still sobbing. "I care not for this wretched universe."

"What kind of attitude is that to start out with?"

"Hob."

"Shh, it's alright." He pets Dream's hair as Dream persists in trying to crawl into him until they're irreparably tangled together.

"How?"

Hob kisses the top of his head. "You've really got to learn the power of just saying no to stuff."

Dream lets out a hysterical laugh against his neck. He just may have lost his sanity when the universe was scrambled. But he'll take this insane universe that has Hob in it over a sane one that does not. "Just saying no?"

"I didn't want to leave you, so I didn't. Simple," says Hob, and Dream wraps his arms around him tighter.

"Destiny will need to invent a new form of logic to accommodate you, Hob Gadling," he says, and Hob chuckles.

Finally, Dream lifts his head to look at him. Hob looks much the same as Dream last saw him, but a new power thrums around him, an aura that's obvious to Dream now that he is looking. "What... are you?"

Hob tugs on his ear in thought, and Dream smiles inwardly to see that that affectation still persists. "I think I, uh. Don't get mad."

"There is nothing that could possibly anger me now other than losing you again."

"Well. I think I... stole part of your power? Not on purpose, really. It's like you said. When you tell Destiny no, things get... weird."

Dream lays a hand on his cheek. Yes, he can feel it, the hum of his own essence, swiftly merging with Hob's. "You've stolen nothing. But part of my domain is within you, now. Under your care."

"What part's that?"

Dream finally manages a tiny smile, even through lingering tears, at the thought. "I believe it is hope."

Hob studies him, eyes wide, then huffs an incredulous laugh. "Sounds a bit messed up, doesn't it? Me taking hope from you?"

Dream leans his forehead against Hob's. "You give me hope. Every day. By being here. And as I said. You have taken nothing. The power is still a part of me. Hope and dreams are inextricable intertwined. But it is in your care, now."

"Right," breathes Hob in wonder, cradling the back of Dream's head. "That's. Wow."

"'Wow,'" Dream echoes, and Hob laughs, cuffing him lightly about the ear in admonishment for the mocking tone.

Dream's hand is still on Hob's cheek, and he reaches for the power that's in Hob now, touches it, lets it flow through him. It reaches for him in turn, lights up his own power that feels so new and fresh and alive, in this newborn universe. He closes his eyes at the warmth, cries finally quieting in his chest.

Hob sucks in a breath. "Dream..."

Dream comes back to himself with a start. "What? What is wrong?"

Hob is looking over his shoulder. "Nothing." He reaches over Dream's shoulder. Brushes his fingertips along the-- along the wing that is now arched there, folded carefully over his back.

He had not even noticed them appearing. They are not physical wings, to whatever extent Dream has ever been physical. They are pure energy, shimmering translucent in the sun when he folds one around himself to touch it. The ghostly feathers spark with power at his touch, and brighter still when Hob lays his hand over Dream's.

"You're beautiful," says Hob, as Dream keeps touching the feathers in wonder. Hob swipes his thumb under his eye, and it's only then that Dream realizes he's crying again. Silent, glittering tears.

"I do not... understand."

"New universe," Hob says. "New dreamers?"

Dream leans his head on Hob's shoulder. "New dreamer. Have you been imagining me with wings all this time?"

"Couldn't help it," says Hob. He strokes a hand along the phantom bone of the wing, and Dream shivers. "Knew you'd be glorious." He strokes the wing again, in awe. "You're beautiful."

Dream tucks his forehead further into Hob's throat, overcome. "What will I do with you, Hob Gadling?"

Hob pets his hair. "Well, right about now I could really do with a hot bath, I'm absolutely covered in sand. Don't suppose you can make that happen, Dream Lord?"

Dream laughs, wet and aching. "If you had not noticed, we are in the middle of an empty desert."

"So? Blank canvas."

"I suppose... I could create something for you." He thinks about it more, the pain of the empty, desolate Dreaming ceding to a different feeling. Hope. "I suppose... I could create anything."

Hob kisses the top of his head. "Exactly."

[scarasimping]

But have we talked about Pirate! Scara angst?

He knows he’s a pirate and he steals and gets in trouble but it doesn’t you from loving him, he’ll distance himself not wanting you to get hurt, if he got caught stealing something of value you would run after him and the guards, you know when they lost him were he would be and when you find him…

Insert fluff

note before you start!: I haven't mentioned it in anything yet, but in my mind the princess is under strict watch, so it's almost impossible for her to leave the castle and see scara....almost. I'm also trying to stick closer to the plot I have in mind for pirate scara and the princess’s story, so it's a little different than the request. hopefully it all makes sense.

also i was listening to work song by hozier while writing this i think its fitting for how scara feels about the princess.

word count: 1.85k

Pirate! Scara believes wholeheartedly that he does not deserve you. He's a liar and a thief; he can't wash away the blood on his hands from all of the battles he fought, where someone had to die and he couldn't let it be him.

Yet, these same hands are the ones you hold so gently, the ones that you bring to cup your own face and kiss the palm of. He feels as though being with him is going to stain your perfect and gentle soul, that he's smearing the blood he's taken onto you while you just smile so beautifully and tell him how much you love him.

He doesn't even notice he's begun to distance himself from you; it happened instinctively. His nightly visits soon turned to every other night, to once a week, until he stopped showing up all together. 

It wasn't like you could ask someone to check up on him, or else that would give away all the rendezvous you were having, so you really had no idea why he stopped coming to see you. All you know is that in his more recent visits before he disappeared, he seemed so much more...sad. He clung to you tighter, his voice cracked like he was going to cry, but the tears never fell, and his responses were much more vague, whereas before he would tell you all sorts of stories in great detail about his adventures on the open sea.

For a while, you thought he left your kingdom all together, without even saying goodbye. That soon proved to be false, however, when you overheard some guards talk about how they heard someone sneak into the people’s bank on the far side of your kingdom, and how they almost caught him, but were a few seconds too late. 

So, not only was he ignoring you, he was getting sloppy with his work, meaning something had  to be wrong with him, and you were determined to find out what. 

When the moon rises the following night, and the kingdom is asleep, you put your plan into action. Waiting until just after a set of footsteps passes your door, since there’s usually a large gap of time between each person passing, you step out onto the terrace and start climbing down the same way you had watched your lover do many times before. It definitely took a lot longer than he would take, too scared of falling and getting gravely injured to go any faster, but eventually you made it to the cold, grassy ground underneath. Pulling the hood of your cloak over your head, you made a break for the treeline that separated the castle from the ocean. After a short run through the miniature forest, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks and sand reaches your ears, soon followed by the ocean coming into view. Though there were many ships at the pier, it was easy to tell which one was Scaramouche’s, his being the only pirate ship in a swarm of those meant for business only. 

The crew members on night watch easily picked up your presence as you approached, as any cloaked figure nearing the ship would be suspicious and hard to miss. Though you hadn’t met most of them before, you could tell the man staring down at you from the edge of the ship was Xiao. Scaramouche had described him before, and said he was the only crew member with tattoos.

He was observant and knew who you were as well, staring down at you with an unblinking and piercing glare.

“I know why you’re here, but if I let you on, you won’t like what you’ll see,” he warned, and a loud thud coming from the ship drew your attention away from his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was Scaramouche making that noise.

You look back at Xiao with a determination on your face, your own glare matching his own. He sighs, turning his back to you and lowering the gangway for you to climb on. Walking on the ship without Scaramouche right next to you is definitely a  different experience, and one you are not happy about. 

Xiao watches as you approach the captain’s cabin, before walking away, not wanting to invade at a moment that should be private.

The thudding you heard earlier only gets louder as you approach the door to Scaramouche’s quarters. You knock softly, barely audible, and there’s no answer, so you assume he didn’t hear you.

You’re cautious as you open the door, peeking your head inside. Scaramouche is there, standing over his desk with his hands gripping the wood so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. Crumbled pieces of paper were scattered across the floor, his bottle of ink thrown across the room as well as his hat. Everything was shoved off of his desk as well, as if knocked off in one fell swoop, and many other things were thrown around in anger, making a mess of his usually neat room.

“Did I say you could come in?” Scaramouche seethes, looking up with such fury in his eyes, it had you scared. He didn’t seem to realize it was you until after he said those words with such a bitter tone. When his eyes lay on you, they soften just a bit and a look of regret washes over him. He never wanted you to see this side of him - the angry and harsh side he only showed to his enemies or his crew when he was really upset.

“You..” he starts, sighing and dropping his head to avoid looking at your fear-stricken face. “What are you doing here?”

“Did you really think you could disappear and I wouldn’t notice?” You responded, shifting awkwardly where you stood, still behind the door. 

“Can I…come in?” 

Scaramouche runs a hand down his face, shaking his head at his own foolishness. It was clear you were trying your best not to upset him more, and that only made him feel worse.

“Yes, yes, of course, get in here.”

At his words, you cautiously step inside his room, closing the door behind you softly. Still, you were barely inside, hanging by the door and attempting not to overstep. Scaramouche sighs once more,  moving away from his desk and sitting down on his bed, head in his hands. “Sit.”

Though it’s true he was a man of few words, how little he was saying made you anxious. You sat down on the bed, keeping a few feet of space between your bodies.

“So what happened, dearest?” You asked him, breaking the silence that had grown between you.

“Nothing, I was just writing, that’s all.”

“Just writing?” You looked at him incredulously, glancing at all of the papers and the ink bottle spilling on the floor. “What were you writing that could have possibly made you so angry?”

“It’s not necessarily what I was writing, more so that I couldn’t explain everything the way I wanted to,” he responded, and true to his deceptive nature, you could tell he was only telling half-truths. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole story.

“I’m sure it’s not so bad, let me see,” you say, leaning down and picking up a crumpled paper from the floorboards, unraveling it in your hands.

“No! Don’t read that!”

Scaramouche snatches the paper from your fingertips, but it was too late. You had already seen the most important part.

“You were going to leave? And you were going to tell me through some letter instead of coming to see me?”

Scaramouche sits in silence, tonguing his cheek as he looks away from you, crushing the paper once more in his hands. It took him a while to form words, and for a second you thought he simply wasn’t going to answer. He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before, finally, he speaks.

“It’s for the best…that way you can finally marry someone like your father wants who would treat you way better than I.” Again, he doesn’t say the whole truth, but growing up with a dismissive father and a mother who never spoke up, you have learned to read between the lines.

“You don’t think you’re enough for me, do you? Is that what this is?” 

His silence answers your question for you, and the fact that he couldn’t face you only enforced that fact. You scoot closer to him, closing the distance that separated you two. One of your hands rests on his shoulder while the other cups his cheek, turning his head to look at you. His face was tinted red and tears welled in his eyes. You decide not to point that out though, as to not ruin how far you had gotten to being able to comfort him. When it came to emotions, Scaramouche was difficult, to say the least, so the fact that he was almost crying around you was a big step.

“I don’t want some pompous prince or a rich man’s son; I want you.”

He simply clicks his tongue at this, rolling his eyes. He takes hold of the hand that holds his face and removes it, simply planning to let go afterwards, but you intertwine your fingers instead. When comforting a man that’s as emotionally constipated as Scaramouche is, persistence is key after all.

“Dearest, if you weren’t enough for me, I wouldn’t be with you despite the universe being against us or sneaking out of the castle to come see you. I only want you, so stop being an idiot and avoiding me!” You tried to reason with him.

He simply drops his head once more, and you lean your forehead against his. He bites his lip, holding back a smile as you insult him in this situation.“Alright, I get it, now drop it please.” 

A small chuckle escapes you, and once again you hold his cheek in your hand. His eyes look up, meeting your own, and you can see the relief flooding through him.

“Are you still going to leave?” You whisper, and Scaramouche shakes his head.

“Not yet, though you know I will have to eventually? A man like me can’t stay in one place for long.”

“We’ll figure that out when the time comes, but for now, can I stay with you?”

Scaramouche doesn’t answer; he simply leans forward and presses his lips against your own. The hand that holds onto yours tightens as he pulls you even closer, turning his body to face you even more. His other hand holds onto your waist, thumb caressing you over your shirt. He’s smiling as he kisses you, each movement filled with more and more longing than the last. Even without words being spoken, you can feel how much he’s missed you these past couple of weeks. He’ll allow himself to taint you with his hands that have committed countless sins just this once, and be selfish with you, because who knows how long it will be until his hands can’t hold you anymore. 

[gretavanmoon]

Caught in a Daze

Spinning Now: "Ex" by Aer (2014) (and a little bit of "Wonderin' Why")

Pairing: Sam x OC

Word Count: 12.2k

Warnings: Drinking, Cursing, Manipulation, Cheating, Sadness, Bad Coping Mechanisms, Hella Angst

Smut including: Kissing, Touching, Oral F!Receiving, Fingering, Unprotected Sex, Reluctant Dominance if you squint

+ So these songs aren't ones that were suggested by you guys, but Aer has always been one of my favorite groups, and these two songs have kind of always gone hand in hand for a little storyline playing out in my head. Not much thought went into this, but sad surfer boy Sam just felt too appealing to pass up lol. Give them a listen if you don't know them, they'll make you want to live in a little beach town with nothing better to do than skate & surf <33

◇ ◇ ◇

A glance to your watch lets you know it's nearing eleven, but the bloom of warmth in your chest from your scotch on the rocks is making you forget about your impending 9AM clock-in. The bartender, Marcus, raises an eyebrow at you as you slide the empty glass his way, silently asking for a refill. 

“Same thing, Sammy? Since when did you start drinking scotch, anyway?” he asks, refilling your glass with a handful of ice before pouring the Johnny Walker overtop of it. You return his question with a menacing glare; he knows exactly when you switched from whatever draft IPA was on tap to… this. You watch the ice cubes swirl around in the glass as it fills, keeping silent as your bare foot taps on the wood-slat floor beneath your barstool. “Oh. Right, nevermind,” he responds with a bite of his tongue before being approached by another patron. 

You sigh as you turn in your stool beside the ice machine, running a hand through your saltwater-damp strands, feeling the effects of forgetting to put sunscreen across your cheeks this morning. The icy liquor hits your teeth as you sip from the edge of the glass, letting the fire ignite inside your chest again. The feeling is one you’ve become fond of as of late, but you know the headache that will accompany it will have you kicking yourself in the ass tomorrow. The wind is blowing the palms Eastward, and the warmth of the humid air feels like a storm may be preparing to blow through, if you had to guess. 

Sand is still gritting between your teeth every now and then as you people-watch at the crowded beachfront bar, Donovan’s, watching as locals and tourists alike dance and sing along with the house band. The multicolored spinning lights are bouncing off the faces of the strangers mixed in with your acquaintances, and you suddenly feel a little envious that you aren’t out there enjoying being alive with them. 

A year ago, you would have been right in the middle of it all, stealing the microphone away from the front man, belting out the words to Sweet Caroline or Margaritaville, but now, things are different. Now, you stick to the sidelines in a way that you never have before. Your entire mind, body, and soul have been overtaken by a completely new human being, someone that you aren’t familiar with, drifting further and further away from your true self as the sun rises and sets over the ocean.

Are you happy with yourself?

No, not necessarily. But what the fuck is your other option? You can’t run away to a new place, and you can’t ignore the elephant in the room, so instead of taking control of your life, you let it have you. You bask in the fact that this degenerate side of your lifestyle has become more addictive than any drug you’ve ever done, and you have to admit, it’s more delicious than you could have ever imagined.

◇

A few years ago, now, you’d ridden into this tiny little beach town with your surfboard riding behind you on your baby pink Schwinn bike. You’d come here with nothing but an oversized backpack stuffed full of ratty t-shirts and a few pairs of board shorts, a straw hat, and your lucky koozie in your back pocket. You barely even had more than $300 in your wallet. You’d spent the first week sleeping on the beach and avoiding high-tides, riding around town looking for a job and a place to stay that had a decent roof. 

Finally, after four or five days of searching, you’d landed a job as a surf instructor at the Ten Down surf shop, working Wednesday through Sunday for minimum wage plus tips. You were over the moon, of course, working in the field of what you knew and loved best, the ocean. 

Growing up as the only child of a single dad was oftentimes more difficult than it was enjoyable, but your father took the hardships in stride. He’d raised you alone, working while you were at school and then teaching you how to surf in the evenings. Even if your father struggled, you never knew it. He was a wild character, always the life of the party and had more wisdom in his pinky finger than you had in your whole body. All your memories of him are fond, and he taught you more about life than you’d ever learned on your own. 

He was street smart, intelligent in ways that didn’t make sense to other people. And damn, if he didn’t love the ocean. Loved it so much that he devoted his life to it. And in the end, it was the ocean that took him away from you. Why he thought venturing out during a storm by himself is beyond you still to this day, and you’ve only just now started to forgive him for it. Maybe it had something to do with your mom not being there to help raise you. Maybe he thought he was more powerful than the waves he rode. You’ll never know.

It was only a week after you got hired at Ten Toes that your co-worker Scotty figured out that your home was somewhere up underneath the pier, and asked if you’d like to crash on his couch with him and his housemates. You couldn’t turn down his offer, of course, knowing that if you had to sleep one more night with the sandflies you might actually move back to your shitty hometown. The house was small, but big enough to hold his three roommates and you on their sofa. 

In hindsight, that might have been the absolute best year of your entire life, thus far. Everyone you lived with was on the same level as you… surfing to live, and living to surf. You shared meals, met their families, partied way too much, and spent every single night together watching the sun drift down below the waves from your seats on your boards. You were making money, you were having more fun than you ever imagined possible. You were in a constant state of bliss, that is until she came around and turned your entire world upside down. 

The day your manager introduced her as the new hire at the shop was the first day of the rest of your life. Her sweet and timid hand taking yours into a handshake, taking your breath straight from your lungs as she introduced herself as ‘Cora’. You became enraptured by her, the way her green eyes poked through her lashes, the way her freckles sat perfectly across her tanned face, the way her long hair reached far past her waist…

She was the newest hire at the shop, just like you had been the summer previous, so you understood completely how it could be a little difficult to grasp how things went, there. So you took her under your wing a little, volunteering to show her the ropes and walk her through her probie-period of learning. She was shy at first, hardly giving you more than a few sentences a day. But you committed each of those sentences to your memory, hanging on her every word like they were the last ones you’d ever hear uttered from her perfectly pink lips.

Over the period of that summer, your shy coworker became your good friend, and as the blaze of the summer started to drift into the coolness of Fall, your good friend became the one you ended up falling asleep with under the pier, this time by choice. 

You fell fast and hard for one another, freefalling blindly into what felt like a bottomless pit that the two of you would never tire of floating through. Everything was perfect, she was perfect. Every waking hour was spent with her, surfing, hiking, biking, socializing… and the sleeping hours were spent wrapped up in each other, tangling your limbs and intricately weaving your emotions into what you could only describe as pure and effortless love. 

She came out of her shell once she became comfortable with you, spending more and more time away from her own roommates to crash out on the futon in your room you were able to acquire when one of Scotty’s buddies moved out. For the longest time, it felt like life couldn’t get any better, like you’d truly hit the peak, and there was no way you’d ever be able to be any happier than this, here, with her. 

‘Love, Sammy… you love me?’

‘With everything I am, baby, I swear…’

And you did, you really and truly did love her. All the other failed relationships of your past dulled in comparison to what you had with Cora. You didn’t have to try with her, the ease of your lives came and went just as easily as the waves crashed onto the beach and drifted away again, always unfaltering and headstrong.

You weren’t even upset when she decided to get a second job at the only 24-hour restaurant in town waiting tables during the lunch and dinner shifts. In fact, you were happy, seeing as how the two of you had begun to save up a little money to rent a place of your own. 

You weren’t upset when she began to pick up more shifts there at the restaurant than she did at Ten Down. And you weren’t even pissed when she started bringing home more money than you, even after you’d been employed at the shop for almost two years. You shrugged it all off, because you were a team, in this together, sharing everything under the sun as you survived the world with her. 

You weren’t pissed. Not even in the least. 

Until one night in early summer when you woke up on a Saturday morning ready to rush to the shop for your surf lesson, pulling yourself from the sheets only to realize she wasn’t asleep next to you. You checked the bathroom, the other guys’ bedrooms, outside on the porch… she was nowhere. And her bike wasn’t parked outside. 

Her phone went straight to voicemail over and over and over, and her texts pulled up green as you began to realize her phone was off. Panic set in as your mind began to rush with possibilities of if she was hurt or harmed… thoughts back to last night reminded you that you’d crashed out early after a smoke session with Scotty, sending her a sweet goodnight text that assured her not to work too hard. 

After telling Scotty to call you if he heard back from her, you took off on your bike down the sandy street toward the restaurant, hoping to talk to someone who may have closed with her last night. 

“Nope, they cut a couple of us at 11:30 and sent us home, I haven’t seen her since…” one of her coworkers told you, only sending your panic into a deeper spiral. You called her roommates, her friends, hell, you ever texted her mom to see if anyone had spoken to her since yesterday. But all came up empty handed. It was like she had vanished. 

You decided to ride to the shop to see if by some miraculous chance she’d be there, ready to work her shift. Your feet pedaled hard as you zipped through alleyway shortcuts and across parking lots to get there faster, your heart pounding in your ears as you continually checked your phone for any updates. Your tires slid sideways across the pebble gravel as you let your bike fall against the tin building, and you rushed inside in a huffed mess of nerves and sweaty exhaustion. 

You yelled through the building at your coworkers, announcing your arrival. Your voice was chopped and strained as your hands shook with anticipation. 

“Damon, Marie! Have you guys heard from–” 

You were stopped in your tracks as you met eyes with her, seated at the check-in desk sipping coffee from a bright orange mug.

“What the FUCK! Cora, where– why…where have you been?” you squealed as you approached her, your hand reaching out to touch her to see if you were imagining things. “Why weren’t you at home?” Your last sentence came out as a hushed whisper only meant for her, as your other two coworkers walked away from the scene. 

Her normally chipper and honest demeanor was replaced by something you weren’t familiar with as her eyes fell from yours, her words skipped and uncertain as she tried to explain herself. 

“It’s nothing, Sammy, baby… I– I went over to Cameron’s for drinks with some of the restaurant crew after work last night… I had too many drinks and decided I shouldn’t ride home, shouldn’t walk, it’s nothing, I just…stayed there.” Her story would make sense if she had ever fucking done something like that before. 

“Cameron’s? Baby, you hardly know him, and where is your phone? I’ve been calling all morning…” you pestered, still out of breath. 

“It’s dead, it’s in my bag…” she said, leaving her sentence with no more explanation as she nonchalantly sipped at her coffee. 

“And you didn’t think to charge it? To text me from someone else’s phone to let me know where you were? Fuck, Cora, I almost sent out a search party out for you…” your voice began to raise. “You never–why did you…?” You were at a loss for words as you tried to understand her reasoning. You knew she would have been just as worried if it were you… well, you think. Your blood was boiling for a whole other reason now, as you knew she deliberately chose to keep you in the dark for the entire night, and well into the morning.

She stood from her stool as she glanced to the double glass doors behind you, meeting eyes with her family of three for their early morning surf lessons. She placed her hand gently on the center of your chest as she still avoided eye contact. “Sam, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly. Please, don’t be mad…” She left you standing there in the middle of the shop like a dumbfounded idiot, her explanation offering you quite literally nothing. Your hands dropped to your sides as you fought with admitting defeat. That was really fucked up of her…

Things only got progressively worse after that. What once was a loving and beautiful sex-fueled relationship turned into one of secrecy and absence, the action of her not returning to your bed each night becoming something you got quite used to. 

Drag-out fights left her crying in your arms, pulling her back into your shanty of a home you’d finally found for $400 a month. Both of you soaked from tears and the rain outside after you told her to just go… only to have her tumbling back into your bed, ravishing each other like it was the first time you’d ever laid your hands on her. 

‘Don’t make me go, Sammy… this is our home… it’s ours…” she’d beg as you fucked into her, sprawled out across the mattress. 

‘I’m not making you go… you keep choosing to leave…”

But yet, the vicious cycle continued. The best thing in your world, the most joy you had ever felt, continuously choosing to stay away for days on end like some type of terrifying nightmare. After so long, you stopped following her location on your phone. You stopped making sure she was okay, wherever she was. You stopped letting her into your house when she’d come back begging for another chance.

Fuck it, you’d decided, losing all the fight you had left in you when you heard through the grapevine that it wasn’t her partying that kept her at Cameron’s, it was Cameron himself. 

That was the fight to end all fights. The worst one yet, when she did everything but admit that she’d been cheating all along. God damnit, you should have known. All the red flags were whipping across your face, your gut screaming at you day in and day out to listen to it. But you didn’t, because you loved her. Until that fight. 

That was a long, long time ago. And after that, she never came back home.

◇

Tonight, as you work on your third scotch and deliberate on going and scooping up a girl on the dancefloor and sneaking her away for a night of revelry, your mind feels more jostled than normal. 

For the past five weeks or so, Cora had inched her way back into your life after a year of separation, friendly at first, and seemingly more mature than when she had left. But, like the addictive drug that she was, she cast her spell across you, hypnotizing you into falling back into bed with her on multiple drunken occasions. 

‘I’m still trying to fucking heal from you Cora, none of this feels right…’

‘I know it doesn’t baby… I’m so sorry… but nobody can love me as good as you… nobody can get me right like you can…do you know what I mean? I still crave you, baby… Don’t tell me you don’t miss me…”

After five backslides, you’d begun to fall into a routine with her again, not giving one single fuck if she was with Cameron or not. She’s still beyond addictive, a substance so disturbingly pure that you swear she isn’t as tainted and devious as she seems. Her entire being is laced with some kind of other material that you swear could end up being your demise. 

The sex is even better than it was before, rounds upon rounds of the most beautiful love you’ve ever made, but you know deep down that it is far from such. There is no love in that home. No laughs shared, no blissful reconnections that end with breakfast in bed. No early morning dates out riding the waves together… No, all you do is indulge in each other’s bodies after nights of too much weed and too much alcohol, using each other to get exactly what you want and nothing else. 

You can’t seem to pull yourself away from her spell, sneaking her into bar bathrooms and out onto the beach to hide her in the dunes, spilling yourself into her without a care of any repercussions. You’re drunk on her. A slave to your impulses, a traitor to your own devices. It hurts. It really fucking hurts. You know your heart still lives within her, but hers is so far gone that you don’t think it has a home at all. And you know for a fact that it doesn’t belong to you, anymore.

You think you’ve successfully managed to slip through the cracks on her list tonight, not having seen her for a few days, now. You don’t frequent this bar in search of her, like many of your friends think you do. You were here first, this is your spot. But apparently it’s hers again, too, much to your simultaneous dismay, and deep-seeded pull to fulfill your dependency on her. It’s a double edged sword any way you toss it. 

“Haven’t seen her tonight, Sammy, maybe you’ve escaped her wrath yet again,” Scotty jokes as he slides into the barstool beside you. Scotty knows everything about you, and you him. You’d never admitted it to one another, but you’d probably call him your best friend. After living and working side by side with him for the past three years, you’ve been forced to like each other no matter how opposite you may be. You both share a love for surfing and it’s a language you both can understand, so when it comes to your fateful relationship with Cora, he gets it. 

“Yeah, maybe so,” you agree with a sigh. “Kinda weird for a Saturday though. She’s usually got her fingers in my belt loops by now.”

Scotty scoffs a laugh, running a hand through his waves. “God damn, you’re still tied up in her eh? You ever gonna let yourself be happy?”

You sigh a deep breath of disappointment in yourself. “Tied up’s not the words, Scott. I’m fully aware that I’m a sick individual who can’t seem to stay the fuck away from her. Why am I like this?” You ask your friend over the loud music. “Should I seek help?”

“No helping you, little brother!” Scotty teases as he rustles the hair on your head. “She must squeeze that thing right,” he jokes. 

“Yeah, she fuckin’ does,” you agree, avoiding eye contact with him. “That’s all it is now, man. Swear.”

“Don’t lie to me, Sammy boy. I know you better than that shit. You telling me you have no emotions when you sleep with her? No feelings anymore?”

You grit your teeth, holding back the truth. “I dunno, I mean… we were serious, man. I loved her. Now that we’re doing this shit again…” Your inner monologue with yourself fights to the death once again, your head and your heart fighting an endless battle with one another. “It just is what it is right now.”

“She still with ol’ boy?” He asks. 

You shrug. “Don’t know. Don’t care,” you say blankly as you take another sip from your glass. 

“So you’re just fucking, now. No strings attached?”

“That’s it, my friend,” the admission feels lifeless, as you know you still hold a candle for her.

“You know she’s using you right? This can’t be healthy for you…I know she broke your fucking heart, man,” Scotty goes on, adding a little empathy to his tone. 

You simmer on his words for a second, knowing they came from a place of complete honesty. He’s entirely right. 

“I’m guilty, I’ll admit to that,” you say. “My heart’s losing but. My body’s winning,” you cheese a smile at him, feeling transparent as you admit to letting a woman use you for just your body. 

“Livin’ the fucking dream, my guy,” Scotty laughs hard as he places a hand on your shoulder, finishing off his beer. “You want another?” He asks as you turn back to lean on the bar, finally feeling the effects of your intoxication hitting you hard. Numbing the pain you so often succumb to. 

“Ah, maybe one more. Gotta open tomorrow,” you say, winking to the bartender to add one more to your tab. 

“You still uh, you still think the deal’s gonna go down?” Scotty asks as he leans his head in closely to yours. 

“Hope so, everything is on track for it to be official by beginning of next season,” you explain. You hadn’t told many people yet, but the original owners of Ten Toes had decided to take an early retirement, and since you and Scotty had become their most trusted and knowledgeable employees, they offered you the business as a partnership. “You think we can do this?”

It’s a large endeavor, and you are terrified beyond belief, but you try your best to see it as the opportunity of a lifetime, taking the reigns of an already successful business and making it into your own. All the pieces are already there, all you need to do is sign your name, and your dream career of being an entrepreneur is yours for the taking. 

Scotty takes his new beer in his hand, leaning it in to cheers against your glass. “I think we can do this.”

You nod at him as the two of you share a moment, letting the realization fall on you once again. “We growing up, finally, Sammy boy?”

Just as his question rings through your ears, you catch sight of her. The pretty blonde who holds every single key to all the chambers of your heart. The one you’d settled down with, the one who could truly care less about anything besides stringing you along for no more benefit than her own agenda. 

She catches your gaze from across the bar, pulling her hair behind her ear as she begins to saunter your way through the crowd.

“I hope so, Scott. Maybe tomorrow, though. Looks like I’m staying an immature asshole for tonight.” You tilt your chin her way, causing Scotty to follow your gaze her way. 

“Fuck. She showed. Thought you might actually get a night of freedom,” Scott complains with the slightest bit of clip to his tone. You know Scotty is worried about you, wants the best for you. And you do, too, but for tonight you’re going to allow yourself to think with the wrong head yet again. And with that tight dress she has on, you’re going to fucking enjoy it, too.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, man,” Scott says with defeat as he slides his half-drank beer mug across the bartop. 

“Night Scott.”

Her eyes haven’t left yours since you caught sight of her, the breeze blowing up the ruffles at the bottom of her stark white dress. She’s making her way closer, her perfectly tanned legs sauntering across the floor as you finally break your gaze, turning to the bartender to order her a drink. 

You feel her presence behind you, the smell of her perfume already wafting across your nose. She pulls the stool that Scott had just inhabited a few inches closer to you, leaning her chin down into the crook of her folded arms.

“Where’s Cameron?” you ask lowly as the bartender slides her glass in front of her.

“Hello to you too, Sam,” she barks from behind her arm, sitting up to squeeze the lime into the vodka.

You cut your eyes her way, knowing that sometimes it wasn’t unlike her to show up at this bar and flirt her way into your embrace, only for Cameron to show up an hour later and whisk all of her attention right away. It’d only happened a couple of times, but still yet, it stung. 

“I said where is Cameron?” you bite, really not feeling like pursuing this if he was going to show up. 

She sighs a quick breath of aggravation. “Not here. Not coming.”

You sip at the scotch that’s discontinued burning your lips, now numbing not only your mouth but your ability to make decisions, too. “You came all the way over here by yourself, again?”

Cora flips her brown leather bag up onto the bar, her multiple keychains hanging off of it clanking against the wooden bar. “Yeah, Sam, I did. I’m actually… back in town, kind of…” she trails off, smoothing her waist-long locks against her hip. 

All the blood rushes from your head, straight into your extremities. Fuck. Back in town?!

“What do you mean kind of?” you ask, beginning to tap your toes against the bottom rung of your stool again. 

“I mean I’m working on getting back over this way… looking for a.. place…” She speaks almost as if she’s embarrassed to be admitting this to you.

“What, things not working out in la la land?” you scoff. 

“Can you cut the shit, Sam?” she slams her glass down. “God, everything has to turn into some bullshit argument with you. Every single time.”

You can feel the resentment billowing up in your chest. You know that she has regret, and she lets it show every time you’re together. But you revel in the fact that she made her bed, now she has to lie in it. And everytime she ends up back in your bedroom, you press the dagger a little further, knowing that hurting her just as much as she hurt you is enough to get you through. Until the next time, of course. 

“I’m not arguing, Cor. Just asking.” You make a point to keep your words short. If an argument is going to happen, again, it won’t be by your hand. 

She huffs. “I just… want to be on my own right now. Figure my shit out. Plus the surf sucks down there, anyway.” You can tell she’s lying. 

You smile behind your glass. “Cameron only lives fifteen minutes away, doll. Can’t imagine it’s that much different.”

“Why are you pushing the Cameron agenda? We’re not even–”

“Not together? Do you think I’m stupid, Cora? People talk, and I talk back. It’s not a fucking mystery,” you run your tongue behind your teeth as you feel the rage boiling up in you again, knowing that this fourth scotch isn’t doing much to help. “Everyone knows what happened, what you did to me. So just admit it, you’re unhappy because the grass wasn’t greener. Now you want your old life back, that what it is?”

You know this isn’t a discussion that needs to be held at this bar. You know that your words are flying a lot faster than you’d intended. But you deserve to bitch.

“Sam, you really don’t want to do this,” Cora hums as you hear the band move from one song to the next, the crowd finally riling up at the late hour.

Your skin is burning with rage at the realization that she’s seriously thinking about moving back here again, after everything that had happened. After knowing what she did to you. Cheated, lied… then allowed herself to play you like a marionette, a puppet she could call on whenever she needed a quick fuck. 

No. No. This is your home, now. 

“No, I kinda do, Cora,” you raise your voice a little, turning your body toward her to face her completely in your stool. You could feel the intoxication slurring your words and blurring your vision. “Admit it. You left me because I obviously wasn’t what you wanted, so you ran away without even having the decency to tell me why… to even break things off before you hopped into bed with Cameron. Admit it! You came here looking for me tonight, didn’t you? Looking for the same goddamned thing you always are.” You were borderline yelling at her, now. But it felt good. It felt good to finally get it all out, the alcohol doing away with all your inhibitions. 

She cowered away a little, sitting back in her seat as her face got more red with each passing second. But you’re smarter than that, this is all part of her act. 

“You think I came here just so you’d take me home again, Sam?”

“Yeah, Cora! What the fuck else would you be here for?! This happens way more than it should. Honestly, it’s slutty behavior, and it’s not a good look on you, it never has been.”

Just as your last word leaves your mouth, you feel the icy stickiness of vodka splashing you across the neck and chest, the lime slice thudding against your stomach as the cold liquid drips down into your lap, followed by a hundred slivers of ice. 

You throw your hands up into the air as you scoot your stool back, catching the attention of a few people seated nearby. “What the fuck, Cora?! Are you fucking crazy??” you scream, brushing off the vodka that dripped down your chin. 

“Fuck you, Sam!” she yells as she grabs her bag and jumps from her seat, rushing down the steps back out onto the beach. You glance to Marcus, wordlessly telling him that you’ll pay your tab tomorrow.

You follow her down the steps out onto the beach that is nearly empty, now. You can feel your feet tripping over themselves as you chase her to the pier, the tide already coming up well above the beams. The wind is whipping furiously, now, and the storm you predicted earlier is most definitely on its way. 

“Cora! Stop!” you shout, ordering her to slow down. 

“NO!” she yells over the howl of the wind that was now blowing tiny specks of sand against your legs. “Leave me be, Sam!”

Finally she makes it to another set of stairs that lead up to the road, not far away from what used to be your home with her. “Cor! Please!” you beg. You don’t know why you’re chasing her, your chest still dripping with the vodka soda she decided to douse you with. Why? Why follow her at all? Fuck her, fuck this… but your legs carry you, yet.

She stomps up the stairs, finally turning and crossing her arms across her chest when she reaches the top. Her eyes were red, but no tears wet her cheeks. “What? What, Sam? What do you want me to say?” she barks. 

Your body is like a magnet to hers, pulling you instantly into her bubble. You reach up and brush away the invisible tear that you know is bound to fall at any second, willing yourself to catch it before it decides to escape. “I want you to fucking admit it to me, Cora! Be fucking real with me for once! Tell me everything, not just the parts of the story that benefit you!”

She rips herself away from your hand, turning and walking through the parking lot. “I fucking can’t Sam! I won’t! I know I’ve screwed everything up, and it’s all my fault!”

You chase after her again. “Why, Cora?! Be a fucking adult and tell me! I deserve at least that much, don’t you think?” Your breath is heaving again as you practically beg her to just speak to you.

She continues running through the lot and down the street as the clouds continue to push across the dark sky, threatening rain. You can smell it in the air as a few flashes of lightning flash over the sea again. 

She finally stops at her car, standing beside it as she furiously tries to dig her keys from the bottom of the bag. You finally catch up, maneuvering your body to stand between her and the door. She’s in full-on sobs, now, choking back the cry that you’ve seen her put herself through time and time again. “Let me go, Sam,” she begs through clipped chokes.

“No. You’re going to talk to me. I’m–I’m sorry I called you… that. I shouldn’t have said that, and I deserve to wear this fucking vodka,” you say reluctantly as you brush it off you again. “I’m not letting you into this car until you talk to me. Tell me the truth. Once and for all, Cora.” You could feel the sadness sticking in your throat, all the old emotion you had for her bubbling up again. Old love is a strange thing, the way it intertwines itself in your bones, strong and stoic until the person that shared it with you comes back and makes it fragile again. Like cracked glass, you begin to shatter for her. 

“Tell me you cheated on me. Just say it. Tell me you love him more than you ever loved me, and I’ll let you go,” you say with defeat, hot tears filling your eyes. “I just need to hear it, please… I can’t do this anymore, Cor…”

Her hands come up to cover her eyes as she turns and paces, your final request hitting her as hard as it hit you. You can’t do this any more, you can’t chase her for months on end, only for her to race back into the arms of someone else. It’s time to end it, if it’s going to end at all. Still, even after all this, you’d do anything for her. 

Finally she gets herself together again, standing tall and sturdy before you. You watch as her hands slowly make their way to wrap around your waist, her chest still heaving, too. Just the feeling of her skin on yours is enough to make every muscle in your body relax. Her hands gripping into your back, her cheek pressed to your still-soaked chest. “I’m sorry, Sammy. I’m so sorry…” she cries.

“Sorry for what, Cora? Please…”

Her arms tighten around you as her mouth finds your neck. “Please don’t make me say it… I can’t stay away from you…”

You slump with defeat, but the wet kisses she’s started to lay onto your throat begin to cloud your judgment. “Please say it, baby. Just be honest with me for fucking once…”

Her teeth bite into your ear lobe making you hiss, and she leans into you, pressing her core right against you. God damn her. It isn’t fair, all the times you’ve let her get the best of you, using you and manipulating your feelings. She knows all your weaknesses, and your most prominent one is her. Your eyes peep open through the tears, seeing the palms still blowing sideways in the wind. It’s going to pour at any second. 

Her hand snakes its way between you as she takes your already hardening dick in her palm, not caring if anyone is even around to see. Fuck her and her ability to melt you into putty every single fucking time. “Cora…” you grit as she squeezes you in her hand. “Tell me you still want me…”

“I think it’s pretty fucking obvious, isn’t it baby?” she laughs through a sob. “I want you, I’ve always wanted you.” 

You can’t stop yourself from grabbing her face forcefully in your hands, pressing her tear-soaked lips to yours in a fiery and wanting kiss. Her nails grip into your back, raking across it and back over your stomach as she continues to squeeze your still-covered cock. Your mind is racing with thoughts, but what’s fucking new? Here we go again…

Raindrops begin to patter on your head and on the hood of her car as loud thunder rumbles in the distance. You kiss her hard, just like you always do after some time apart. She’s delicious in every sense of the word, her skin still glowing from the sunscreen oil she applied to her shoulders earlier in the day. The sand still caked on her long blonde strands, the taste of the lime still sour on her tongue. Everything about her, delectable and addictive, and once again, you can feel yourself dancing with the devil.

“This is such a fucking grey area, Cora. I hate when you do this to me…” you mumble as you break away, the rain falling harder, now. 

“Let me make you happy, Sammy, please. That’s all I ever want,” she pleads, kneading you in her hand. 

You grip her shoulder, turning her to put her back against her car door, switching places completely. You push her back, pinning her against the door. You can feel the sexual tension rising with each passing second as you grit your jaw, wanting nothing more than to devour her right here where you stand. “What would make me happy is if you tell me the truth. But that’s not going to fucking happen, is it?” you ask, raking your eyes over her face.

“The truth is that I’m a fucking fool for you, Sam. And I always will be,” she admits, her teeth biting at your lip as the two of you pant into one another, the need growing heavier by the minute. You thrust your hips into her touch, your body begging you do something.

“I don’t think you’re the fool here, Cora.” The rain begins to fall in giant beads, bouncing off the metal car hood as the thunder rips through the sky. “Park across the street and come meet me up in the shower,” you order her as your hand grips her ass, pulling her even closer into you. 

“Are you su–”

“Don’t make me think about it,” you say as the rain begins to soak through your shirt. “Just get in the car.”

◇

You know the hot water is going to sober you, and the last thing you need right now is a clear head. You strip the soaked shirt from your limbs before you even make it inside your house, flicking the kitchen light on as you search the cabinet for a glass. You pull the scotch down from the top of the refrigerator, pouring a few fingers as you take a long drink, letting the liquor get you back where you needed to be. This is all so fucked... You feel so fucking weak.

You reach into the freezer and grab the ice tray, popping a few cubes free and dropping them into your drink. You roll your neck on your shoulders as you take a deep breath, making your way upstairs to the bathroom. 

You eye yourself in the mirror as you push your hair back from your shoulders, and your reflection meets you with a disapproving look. As the years go on, you notice yourself looking more and more like your father, his pointed features becoming more apparent as you mature toward the age he was when he passed. Your eyes are red, your skin is blotchy, and your expression is way past defeated, knowing that here you are again, about to drunkenly make the same mistake you’ve made time and time again. 

You can still feel the scratches she left behind on your skin as you step into the steamy shower, the hot water stinging where her fingernails tore at your skin. The feeling of her hand on you over your shorts, the remnant taste of the lime on her tongue. You’re still so attached and devoted to her, when all she’s ever done is give you quite literally, nothing. You’re the fool.

After a few minutes of standing motionless in the water, you hear your bathroom door creak open, and her footsteps enter the small room. 

“S’me,” she mutters, and you kick yourself into gear.

“Get in here,” you demand, your attitude on one hundred as you surprise even yourself. You hear her begin to undress. 

The curtain pulls back, revealing her completely nude self as she steps in to join you in the shower. “Hey…” she says meekly as you fill your hand with shampoo. 

“Hey.”

You step to the side, letting her get under the water. You watch as chill bumps cover her body as her temperature adjusts, her head falling back to soak her hair as she shudders a little. You watch her perfect tits bob a little as her arms reach back to wet her hair, her nipples hardening as the water rushes over them. Your eyes drift down to her chest, her stomach… her tan lines more apparent now in the dim lighting of the bathroom. Perfect. Always so perfect.

She finally wipes the water from her eyes as she steps out from the streams, and you motion for her to turn around as you put the shampoo from your hand into her hair, beginning to massage it softly into her scalp. 

After a few seconds, she finally speaks. “Why’re you so good to me, Sammy? After everything…after me treating you the way that I do…?”

Her words take the breath from your lungs, making you second guess this whole thing. “I think you know why, baby.”

“But I don’t deserve your attention, much less for you to be washing my hair for me.”

You bite back what you want to say, instead channeling your dad and his wisdom. “Sometimes showing your love selflessly to someone who doesn’t even want it means more to them than telling them that you do. You might not remember all the times I told you how much I loved you, but you’ll probably remember me showing it.”

It’s silent for a beat as your fingertips rub into her scalp. 

“Loved,” she murmurs.

“What?” 

“You said loved. Do you not…”

Ah, fuck. 

You swallow hard, unsure how to even answer that question. “I don’t know what you even want to call it anymore, Cora. It’s… a mess, you know?” You level with her. You feel her nod as you turn her to rinse her hair. 

As you meet her face again, she avoids your gaze as her eyes jump to the ceiling, blinking away guilty tears. Maybe she’s finally beginning to understand…

“Of course I still feel something for you, I probably always will. We spent years together. Things like that don’t go away in the blink of an eye. But, you mistreated me, Cora. And now you won’t even admit to it. You don’t even want to be civil enough to give me the benefit of knowing the truth. And that tells me… maybe you never even loved me back in the first place.” Your words of admission make her bite both of her lips in, her chin beginning to shake as she fights back the tears again. Her eyes stay trained on the ceiling above you. 

“I did, Sammy. I swear I did. I do…” she whispers. 

You shake your head as the last of the bubbles fall from her strands. “No. See, no. You can’t love me anymore. You can’t love me and then sneak back into the sheets with someone else. It doesn’t work that way. Don’t you understand that?”

She wipes the water from her face again, her eyes red with disappointment in herself, but you hold steady. “What we had, it was good. It was perfect. I wanted it all with you, Cora. I wanted the flower pots on the porch, the planning dinner while we make breakfast, the surfing from the time the sun comes up until it goes down again. Sharing a home with you, sharing a closet, sharing my deepest fears and all my memories… you were it. It was going to be you from then on out. But you tarnished it. All my trust in you is gone, especially now since you still won’t even give me what I need. I need reciprocation. You don’t bring me happiness anymore. You bring me doubt, and suffering, and bad decisions… So no. You can’t love me. I…I can’t let you.”

She stays silent as your words sink in, the water now steaming up the air between you. 

“...Yet here I am in your shower with you. In our old home. That you invited me back to, knowing and going along with the exact reason I came here in the first place…” she shakes her head. “You’re just as helpless as I am, Sammy…”

She steps closer, gently craning her neck to meet your lips again. What started as a peck, a barely-there tap that spoke more words than you needed it to, quickly turns into a rushed and fervent kiss, your tongues dancing and fighting against one another as her hands grip into your damp hair. She’s so completely overwhelming to you. You’re unable to even form thoughts as you feel her lips on yours, so velvety and sweet. Four hands, already gripping and pulling at each other again, her breasts pressed against your chest as they slide over you. 

“Tell me, Sammy…” she pulls away. “Do you still crave me? Do you still think about me when you lay down at night?”

Her hand grasps at your hair, pulling it back as she starts in on your throat again. The feeling of her, so addictive and so blinding. Her mouth and tongue gliding against your skin as the hot shower continues to pour over you making you dizzy as that last shot of scotch begins to soak into your bloodstream, giving you just the right amount of confidence to get through this again. 

You swallow and bite back a moan at the feeling of her mouth on you. “Of course I do,” you admit, as much as you don’t want to. 

“Have you ever had someone fuck you the way I did? The way I do?” she goes on, her lips making their way down your shoulder. 

You refuse to answer, knowing that all she’s doing is using her siren song to lure you back to right where she wants you. But the funny part about it all is that you’ve already succumbed to it.

Instead of speaking, you slip your hand between her folds, making her entire body quiver as your finger finds her clit within seconds. She steps her feet apart a little as you pull her wetness up, coating her all over. “God, Sam…” she purrs as her head falls back. You move your hand to let your thumb go to work, wasting no time in letting your fingers enter her completely. Everything happens fast, your sexual pull to her undeniable and unable to be ignored. She cries out, her sounds bouncing off the plexiglass walls of your small shower. 

Her hand finds your dick again, stroking it right in time with the circles of your thumb against her. You grit your teeth, sending your middle two fingers even deeper inside of her, flicking your fingers against her most sensitive spot. “Oh my god…” she cries again, her hand gripping hard on your shoulder to hold herself up. 

You know how her body works, and you know that she is liable to get off at any second, so you drop to your knees, knowing that you’d do anything in the world to taste her release on your tongue right now. You’re blinded by desire for her, her words from earlier  falling completely to the wayside. 

You pull her leg over your shoulder while she leans with her back against the wall, her hands ruffling hard into the roots of your hair again. “Baby, fuckkkk…” she wails as you let your tongue dip into her, pressing it as deeply as it will go. The water is falling directly onto your face, and you feel like you might be drowning, but you don’t need air right now. If you’re going to suffocate, you’re going to suffocate just like this. 

Her hips jut forward onto your face, rolling slowly as she begins to corner your tongue right where she wants it. If she’s going to try to say she still loves you, you’re going to make her eat her words. You reach one hand behind her, gripping at her ass as you feel her body begin to shake. You knead your fingers into the muscle, pulling her further onto your mouth, flicking your tongue against her clit as you add just the right amount of suction. You pull your hand away, signaling with the two fingers that were just buried inside her to come on, let you have it. 

“That what you want baby? Want me to come on your face?” she asks, panting through her words as she pulls your hair incredibly tight. 

“Mhmm…” you reply, making sure to vibrate the word directly on her clit. 

Her hands hold your head in place as you feel her stomach muscles tighten, and you do all that you can to hold her upright. Finally you feel her letting go, coating your face and tongue as she mutters obscenities into the thick air. Her hips tremble in your hold, but the taste of her is immaculate, the sight of her letting go for you forever being burned into your brain. 

You hate it. You hate this.

With one final pull of your tongue across her, you stand back up, taking her tits in your hands as you delve your face onto her collarbone, sucking hard at the skin purposefully leaving behind a bright pink cherry hickey. “There. See if Cameron notices that tomorrow,” you jerk, knowing that it will piss her off. 

“Fuck off, Sam. Are you fucking serious?” she bites as her words come through a little more heated than the blissful expression her face gives. 

“Yeah, I’m fucking serious. Now, do you want me to fuck you in here, or on the bed?” you ask, pressing a hand to her stomach to push her against the wall again. 

“I–I…”

“No, none of that. Tell me what you want,” you reply with a little bit of a slur, watching as her eyes glint with surprise. 

“Fine,” she breathes. “Both.”

“Both? Fuck, baby. You’d think after how the night has gone you’d ask for the bare minimum, but. God, pulling more out of me than I even bargained for. Just like always, huh?”

You know you’re being a jackass, but you really don’t care. If you’re only fucking her for the sake of it, and she isn’t going to give you the truth you’ve been searching for, might as well do it up, right?

“Spoiled. Always so fucking spoiled,” you bite again.

“Sam…”

“Shh. Stop talking. Turn around. The only word I want to hear is my name leaving your mouth,” you demand.

She does what you ask as she turns around and faces the wall, pressing her cheek up against it as you pat between her thighs, having her step apart a bit as you take yourself in your hand, pumping a few times before lining up with her. You take a second to pull her hair to the side, sucking her skin into your mouth again as you finally push yourself into her. The angle isn’t the best, but you make it work, bending your knees a little to press into her as far as you can. 

“Motherfuck, baby…” she coos as you thrust further inside, savoring the feeling of her wetness coating you once again. 

“Hmm-mm. My name, baby,” you say as she begins to arch her back a little, leaning away from the wall to give you deeper access. Her right hand comes back to pull at her own asscheek, stretching the skin as she cuts her eyes at you.

“S-Sam…mmy…” she utters as you begin to furiously pound into her, the muscles of her ass like shockwaves across water.

“There it is, baby, that’s all I wanna hear…” you grunt as you gather up the hair that’s splayed down her back, picking it up into your hand and wrapping it around your fist.

You use it as leverage to arch her back further as you let your other hand slap across her ass, the sound of the smack startling her into a fit of needing moans. “Fuck, Cor… you feel so fucking good...just like always…” you say as your hips continue into her, messy and slick as the water continues to make everything a soaked mess. 

You swear you could do this for the rest of forever, but even through the thickness of the air around you, and through the clouds clogging up your inebriated mind, something about sex with her suddenly feels different. Even in the heat of teetering on the edge of an orgasm, you feel like the earth has shifted, a giant crevice metaphorically forming in the ground between the two of you, separating you by what felt like miles.

Something is off. No, not off. Gone.

Completely just… gone. Just like that. 

You look down at the gorgeous body of the only one who has ever made your heart beat fast, and suddenly you see her just as she is– a woman.

A woman who has lied to you, cheated on you, tested your patience and made you question your every move. Manipulated you, used you in every sense of the word. And though she told you tonight that she still loves you, could you even trust her enough for it to be the truth?

This isn’t what you want. This isn’t even close to the happiness you know you deserve. Scotty is right. He’s always been right. 

But as your body and human instinct begin to defeat the thoughts rushing your mind, you shift gears, pulling her hair up to meet her ear with your mouth. 

“You said both, right?”

You pull yourself out of her, hearing her cry out at the loss of contact. You reach behind you and turn the water off, reaching outside of the curtain to grab two towels. You toss one to her and dry yourself off a little with the other, quickly running it through your hair as you rip the curtain open. “Hurry up, go get on the bed.”

She gives you a side glance as she squeezes the water from her hair, stepping out and into the bedroom. You follow her, your bodies still dripping wet and red from the heat of the water. If you’re going to do this for what you’re deciding is going to be the last time, you’re going to do it right. 

“I said on the bed,” you bite as you watch her hesitate. “This used to be your house, why are you being shy?”

“I… I don’t know, you’ve never really acted like this before, just… I picked out this comforter, and you still have it…”

You stand for a second as the flashes of lightning fill the room, the sound of the rain absolutely pounding on your metal roof. You shrug, unknowing of what else to really say. “I mean, why would I get another comforter?”

She shrugs again as she sits down on the bed, slowly inching herself backwards as you watch her hair drip onto the sage green material she once was in love with. 

“Look, Cora, you came here to hook up, right? Are we gonna finish up, or what?” your tone surprises you, you don’t even really know who you are right now. And she’s right, you’ve never really acted like this before. But in all honesty, this is the very first time ever that you feel like getting yours, so she can leave. And never come back. You’re washing your hands of this bullshit. The rose-colored glasses are being thrown into the fire, and you don’t even care to stick around and watch them melt.

“Yeah, Sammy. Come here… show me what I’ve been missing,” she says with a pull of her pointer finger. 

You damn near roll her eyes at her. What she’s been missing? Is she fucking serious?

You shake your head and scoff, kneeling down to crawl across the messy bed covers when an idea pops into your head. 

Love, huh?

You can make love…

You lean down, pressing slow, sweet kisses to the insides of her thighs as you move from there to her still-dripping cunt again. You let your tongue ghost over it again, making her shiver at the contact that you’d so graciously blessed her with earlier. “You cold, babe? Want to get under the covers?”

She nods her head, and you pull the puffy green cover over the two of you, instantly warming the chilled air around you. “That better?” you ask, trying to throw on the charm.

You kiss all over her body, gently running your tongue over the places you know will make her shiver and squirm, paying special attention to take your time. Your hands rub into her as your tongue drifts, making your way up her body slowly as the thunder rolls in the background. You make your way up to kiss her, letting your lips dance passionately across hers as you feel her body beginning to want more from you. She cranes up, her hips jutting as you can tell she’s getting antsy. Her hands finally wrap around your waist, pulling you roughly into her. 

“Want you, Sammy…please…” she begs as she breaks away from the kiss. 

“Patience, baby… you want me to show you?” you ask, leaving the question open-ended on purpose, the sentiment of love suddenly feeling like poison in your mouth. 

She nods hard, wrapping one hand around your neck, and the other around your dick, massaging her hand up and down the shaft as she tickles her fingertips around the head. It makes you shudder, and you feel yourself become impossibly hard in her hand. 

You reach down and roll your fingers through her folds again, making sure she’s still where she needs to be. “So wet for me, baby… always so soaked. You think about me sometimes, huh? Think about me and get all excited…make yourself get like this…” you breathe into her ear, your voice just a whisper as you taunt her. 

“Yes, baby. Always, all the time… miss you so bad…” she says, but you hear no ounce of honesty in her tone. None. 

Finally, her hand guides you to her opening, and you press forward again, filling her slowly at this new angle as her head shoots backward into the pillow, her mouth gaping open as you enter her, inch by delicious inch. You grit your teeth as you watch her face in awe, her doe eyes finally coming down to meet yours as you hit the hilt.

“Baby, god, please…” she groans, pulling hard at your hips. Watching her already falling apart like this is exactly what you want. You begin to slowly fuck into her, rolling your hips deviously slow as you rock into her, paying special attention to take this slowly again. 

You back up, pulling her knees up to her chest and holding them there as you roll your hips into her again, hitting her at another impossibly deep angle, low and slow. “Jesus Sam… you’re so fucking good, baby… please keep going…” her moans are pleading and her eyes flit open and closed; you can tell she’s absolutely enjoying every single second of this. 

You’re enjoying it, too, but that crevice in the ground is only becoming wider, sending you further and further away from feeling any type of connection with her. Suddenly you’re on another planet completely.

You let her legs fall to the sides again as you go back to missionary, resting either elbow on the sides of her head, putting you face to face again. You take her in a kiss again, licking your tongue into her mouth as you let it quiet her whimpers. 

“Like this baby? This how you like it?” you ask, rolling your hips with even more passionate force.

“Mhmm.. yeah… just like this… just me and you…” she pleads, taking her tits into her hands as her breath picks up. 

You lean back again and cross one of her legs diagonally between you, hitting her from the side now. Her hands grip into the sheets as you hear the wetness between your skin smacking together, her breathing picking up significantly. “Oh my godddd, what the fuck…” she cries, her body absolutely falling apart for you. But still, you hold strong, not letting any emotion at all come through. And to your continued surprise, it's fairly easy. 

“Roll to your belly,” you demand, and you pull out just long enough for her to do so. You enter her again, and she stays flattened against the mattress. You maneuver her legs so that they’re closed together, making her feel ten times tighter than she did before. You fall against her back, letting your body weight do most of the work as you continue quick thrusts, now.

After a few minutes, you watch as her hands grip into the comforter again, holding on for dear life as she whines, turning her head sideways to look at you. For the first time in your life with her, you see love in her eyes, but not the kind that you yearned for so heavily. Not the kind that was going to give you everlong happiness. 

“Sammy… I’m close baby…” she says, and you feel her walls fluttering around you. You reach a hand under her, finding her clit again and rolling it under your middle finger, giving her double stimulation as you continue from the back. “Oh my god please, yes…” she cries, and within seconds, her body is silent and shaking as she hits her peak, her breath hitching in her throat as she does so.

You aren’t far behind, the sound of her getting off striking a chord deep within you to carnally follow after her. But you are careful. 

You deliver a few especially forced and quick thrusts before pulling all the way out, letting yourself go across her back. You pump yourself with your hand as you make sure you finish all the way, still yet feeling nothing at all for the woman beneath you. Had you finally broken her spell?

You collapse beside her, lying on your back so as not to get the bed too messy. You’re panting and tired, fanning yourself with your hands as you feel the humidity from the storm rolling in through the open windows. After a few seconds of catching your breath, you sit up and go into the bathroom to get her a warm washcloth, returning within seconds to get her cleaned up. 

“Thanks, Sammy,” she mutters, her tone very different than it was just a few minutes ago. She rolls over to face you, pulling the thick blankets over her body. You both lie there in silence for a few minutes as you contemplate what to do, now feeling a little clarity from the alcohol leaving your system. 

“Why did you… ya know…” she asks shyly. 

“What?”

“Why did you pull out?” she asks, taking you by surprise. 

“Well, you’re not my girlfriend anymore, so. Think that’s a good reason.” You’re glad you’re able to keep up the careless demeanor that so graciously fell upon you earlier. 

She’s stunned silent for a second. “I’m not anybody’s girlfriend, Sam.”

You laugh through your nose, the notion of her answering part of your request only just now coming from her. “Hah, good to know. Fucking two hours late.”

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry before you’ll believe me?” she asks, rolling up to lean on her elbows. 

“I guess as many times as you want to say it, I don’t know,” you quip, not really feeling like entertaining this same goddamned conversation for the thousandth time. 

“Well,” she says lowly, “I am. And I’ll keep saying it. For as long as it takes.” You bite your tongue before looking into her eyes, her bright green irises staring back at you with absolutely zero emotion. She’s still not telling the truth. She’ll never fucking tell you the truth.

“Yeah, here’s the thing, Cora.” You roll over to lean up on your elbows, too. “You can say you’re sorry a million times, but it doesn’t mean shit when you don’t have the intention of changing your behavior. I’ve begged you to be real with me, and I’ve never gotten it. I haven’t gotten your true self in ages, Cor. I don’t even know who you are anymore. I’ve given you a hundred chances. And the fact that you want to move back here is a little unsettling for me, to be honest. Scotty and I are about to inherit the business, and I swear to god, I can’t have a distraction like you around if I’m going to run this business the way it deserves. I know you’re not being honest with me. I know you, and I feel like I know you even less now. I deserve happiness. I deserve to get what I give, and I know you’re not the person to give it to me. I’m not perfect by any means, but at least I’m willing to listen, and change my ways if I need to. I’m frankly tired of the back and forth, Cor. I’m exhausted. Showing you how much I care for you and then you rushing back to Cameron, it’s not what I want. It’s never gonna be what I want.”

“Why do you always have to bring up Cameron, Sam?!”

You smile, her actions proving exactly what you intended them to.

“Because you becoming defensive when I mentioned him just now instead of becoming defensive of literally all the other shit I just said… really put it into perspective. That’s all I needed to hear.” 

“What the fuck do you mean?!” she cries, her voice strangled. 

“I mean, you’re practically numb to all the other shit I said until I bring him up. Only then do you try to defend yourself. Only then do you even hint at being truthful with me. I’m fuckin’ done, Cora.”

You begin to stand from the bed, grabbing a t-shirt from the closet and throwing it her way before pulling on a pair of shorts. 

“That’s not what I mean, Sam! You know this! Where are you going, are you leaving?” she says in succession. 

You run your fingers through your hair, turning back to look at the one who was once the love of your life still naked in your bed, begging you to come back, but all you can feel is the couch downstairs calling your name. 

“You can sleep here, I work early tomorrow. Just make sure you lock the door behind you when you leave,” you say as you open your bedroom door, listening as she calls your name from behind you over and over until the sound of the rain drowns her out.

It fucking hurts, it really does. But the rush of relief you get as you make your way down the steps and into your living room is almost enough to knock you over. Finally. Finally… your pull to her no longer feels like a rope wrapped tightly around your hands. Having sex with her just now brought you a disconnect that you’ve never experienced before. No longer did it feel like she was woven into the deepest depths of your soul, but instead she was just a section of your life that you experienced. And now, you’re ready to move past it. 

Did that really just fucking happen? Did you finally do it? 

You curl up on your cozy couch as you listen to the heavy rain now turn into a drizzle, the orange glow from your salt lamp in the corner making you feel more at home in your house than you ever have. You know you’re about to get the best sleep you’ve ever gotten, dreaming about something other than her haunting your mind. You feel like the whole world is now at your fingertips, ready to be taken advantage of, and lived.

◇

As your bare feet struggle to stand on the wooden bartop, you balance yourself in the center, leaning back to check with Scotty and Marcus. 

“How’s that? Is it dead-center?” you ask as you bite a nail between your teeth, a hammer in one hand while you hold on to the ceiling with the other.

“Little to the left! There…there! Perfect!” Marcus yells out as you position the nail in the saltwater-worn wood of the bar. You pound the nail in, and grip the string that’s fastened securely on the back of the old photo frame. You hang it over the nail, making sure the picture is hanging balanced and straight. 

You hop backwards down off of the bar, standing back with the other two as you place your hands on your hips. “Damn, that does look good, doesn’t it?” you agree as you look at the photo of you and your dad hanging perfectly over the bar, you about 9 or 10, his hand on your shoulder as you pose with your very first surf board.

“He would have loved it, my man,” Scotty says with a pat to your back. “I never even met him, but I know he would have.”

You nod. “Yeah, thanks for letting me put that up, Marcus. I’ll see it more here than I will at home…” you tease as you join Scotty in your respective bar stools.

“That’s an understatement,” Marcus agrees with a laugh. “You two are here more than I am.”

Cora never came back downstairs that night, nor did you go up to tell her goodbye when you left for work that next morning. She didn’t leave any notes, send you any texts… and when the day came for you and Scotty to sign the paperwork setting you up for the rest of your lives, she was the absolute last person on your mind. 

She never came back into town, either. If you had to guess, she probably moved the complete opposite way, much to your delight.

Now, you don’t think of her when you’re out on the water, you don’t think of her when you smell her favorite sunscreen. She’s still a memory, of course, and if she called you today saying she needed you to fix her bike or sell her a new board, you would. But that would be the end of it. 

You’ve taught yourself what it means to be loved by yourself, and yourself alone… knowing that at the end of the day, you’re the one that has to comfort yourself to sleep, and no one is going to love you more than you. It’s fucking corny, you know, thinking of life in that way. But it makes sense, and fuck, if it isn’t liberating.

Life’s peaceful air feels different now. Even surfing feels more fulfilling than it ever has. You’re headstrong, you’re confident. You feel like you’ve gained more knowledge and wisdom from owning this business than you ever thought you would, all in part to the memory of your dad, and what would have made him proud. 

Even Scotty is proud of you, your best friend on earth. The two of you together are a force, bringing in more money to the company than it had ever seen before. You’d never tell anyone that, though. And you’ll never flaunt it. 

You’ll just sit at Donovan’s every night in your bar stool beside the ice machine, laughing with Scotty as you scream Sweet Caroline, and drink anything but scotch.

◇ ◇ ◇

xoxoxo J

@wetkleenex-gvf @britney-gvf @gretas-sweat @josh-iamyour-mama @highway-tuna @bestfriendsallstrungout @jjwasneverhere @gretavanbrie @writingcold @thewritingbeforesunrise @myleftsock @edgingthedarkness @its-interesting-van-kleep @jjsooobsessed @ageofcj @starcatcher-jake @capnjaket @cozyjakey @jakekiszkapunchmeintheface @stardustjake @dancingcarbon @builtbybrokenbells @gretavangroupie

[berrypass-de-murdler]

2 - 30 A^2 + B^2 = Murder!

What is this title 😭

Random irratino angst to transition to a hilariously bad episode-

DON'T READ THE EPISODES WITHOUT READING THE BOOKS!!

It’s Irratino’s LEAST favorite time - convention time!! 

LOGICO: Time for YOU to learn some REAL maths! IRRATINO: NOOOOOO

It’s difficult, but Logico manages to drag him there. Principal Applegreen is there, which sort of makes sense, but Brownstone and Aureolin are also there, which makes less sense. It’s a long, droning presentation, as one could guess. Logico points and giggles with excitement at the new mathematical developments, while Irratino is stuck melting away in his chair, praying for it to end. He finally gets a moment to breathe during intermission.

IRRATINO: I can’t believe this. All of that felt like sand going directly into my brain, and it’s only HALF OVER? LOGICO: I found that first segment INTRIGUING. It’s incredible how everything can be so precise!

After a quick eat, they head back. The presenter is… alive? JUST kidding they’re super dead.

LOGICO: OHHHH!!! >:( IRRATINO: YAYYYY

Real profesh, Tino. It turns out the three suspects are also the only other people who joined the convention, unsurprising. 

PRINCIPAL: Great. Now I’m being accused of murder by my WORST STUDENT. LOGICO: You weren’t my teacher! PRINCIPAL: Not everything is about you, Deductive.  AUREOLIN: This motherfucker really kicked me out of school. I’m literally only a magician because of him! PRINCIPAL: See? So disrespectful, yet you owe me so much. AUREOLIN: DO YOU THINK THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE

This is escalating so fast! Brownstone takes a break from the fighting to try to solve a riddle on the wall. Logico ignores everything, but then does a double take and runs over.

LOGICO: What the fuck? You’re supposed to be dead! BROWNSTONE: Cool, thanks. LOGICO: I MEANT YOU WERE DEAD!!! BROWNSTONE: Uh… no. LOGICO: You died, and your twin brother became Manservant Brownstone. Am I wrong?? BROWNSTONE: Yea. I’m not dead. LOGICO: WHAT IS HAPPENING

While Logico does… that, Irratino takes statements.

BROWNSTONE: Amazing Aureolin was in the bathroom. PRINCIPAL: ‘Amazing’ Aureolin brought a protractor. AUREOLIN: GET OFF MY BACK!!!

She yeets her drawing compass and it sticks into the wall. That exposed the Principal’s lie pretty quickly!

PRINCIPAL: There is no proof she didn’t ALSO bring a protractor. Ever thought of someone carrying two items?

My god he’s obnoxious. Logico has to debate with him, while Irratino approaches Aureolin. 

AUREOLIN: Go away… IRRATINO: I’m not here to be an ass.

He sits down next to her.

AUREOLIN: I don’t even care about maths… I only came here to show up that dumb Principal. He’s the reason I couldn’t graduate. IRRATINO: Do you like doing magic? AUREOLIN: I mean… yeah, it’s grown on me. But I don’t feel like I’m making a difference to anyone. IRRATINO: Well… could I see a trick?

Auree reluctantly pulls the compass out of the wall. She delicately balances it on her hand, and slaps the top of it! Irratino winces as it looks like it jabs straight through her hand. But she’s unharmed. Irratino claps, and Bunni does a small smile.

Looks like Logico won the debate. Principal Applegreen runs over to a 3D printer and tries to print out a knife, but some humans pop up and drag the man away! He’s so stressed, his single blond hair tuft falls clean off, and could easily be mistaken for a dead rodent on the floor. But no one’s gonna touch that.

PRINCIPAL: This whole convention gets an F-plus, from MEEEEEE- LOGICO: A, you used that same dumbass catchphrase before. B, if you really MEANT it, it would just be an F! An F-plus is a BETTER grade! IRRATINO: And C, that’s another murder in our book! [laughs] What a dumb teacher. LOGICO: So I never got an explanation about Brownstone. IRRATINO: What Brownstone?

Brownstone is gone! Logico wonders if this has to do with the Iron Tsar. He smacks himself. Drakonia is in the past! And hopefully, so is this episode…

The end!

I had a dream that because they were working on a Star Wars horror movie together, Tangerine was revealed to be Eminence's kid.

Ultimately decided will not be canon

God I'm tired. Hopefully next episode is better than this.

The power of Goat Lord compels you!

See you next time murdlers!

[timextoxhajima]

KISS & MAKE UP: PARK SUNGHOON

≛ an anthology series of break-up stories that end up in a one-night stand [only hyungline] -> HEESEUNG | JAY | SUNGHOON | JAKE

≛ genre: pretty explicit smut, angst

≛ warnings: alcohol, cursing,

≛ word count: 2.9k

≛ synopsis: it’s been a couple of months since you broke up with your high school sweetheart. the reason? he wanted a family and you wanted freedom. but come the day you meet him again and park sunghoon apparently hasn’t moved on. 

≛ taglist: @from-xero​​ @haechanhues​​ @abdiitcryy​​ @kyleeanne​​ @dontcallme20​​ @vantxx95​​ 

what a petty man, you think to yourself. you should’ve known you’d run into sunghoon - this was his territory. but bringing his personal feelings onto work grounds? 

unprofessional. 

“the labels?”

you frown at him. “what labels? i wasn’t told to label anything.”

a sharp glare. “the food? the condiments? the drinks?”

“you’re only telling me now, ten minutes prior to it starting?” you scoff and turn towards the storage. “i don’t even know if i have labels.”

sunghoon initially doesn’t follow, but you can hear his loud louboutins clacking against the floor as he hurries after you. “i find it hard to believe as an experienced event organiser, you had the brains to forget this. or rather, the lack thereof.”

ignoring him, you scour through your storage boxes. 

“great, now it’s gonna start without labels.”

“you have a strange obsession with labels,” the items in the box clunk against the sides as you shove them around like sand in a pit. “besides, if you’re running this event for the privileged, i’m almost positive they’d be clever enough to figure out... oh, i don’t know. a plate of chicken wings?” 

“but how will they know if it’s spicy or not?”

halting in your movements, you turn, still squatting, and glare upwards at him. he has his arms crossed over his chest, the curve of his tie winding outwards between the two sides of his blazer. there’s a little pinch of hair that’s sticking out from the rest of his head, and you’re just itching to cut it off. maybe stick it up his nose or something. 

“you did not just tell me to label hot wings.”

“i just did,” he clears his throat and finally relaxes his hand to point accusingly at you. “don’t mess tonight up. i don’t care what you do, don’t mess it up like you messed up everything else.”

the packet of labels in your hand falls back into the box when you stand, squinting at him in disbelief. 

“’everything else’? excuse you, it’s absolutely not my fault that we wanted different things. did you think you would still be happy if we stayed together despite knowing we wanted different things?” 

“i’d like to think we could’ve gotten through it together,” the vulnerability is nothing but a smear in his voice. this is what he likes to do - make you believe him for a moment, just long enough to win you over, before he goes back to his own beliefs. at first, you fell for it like a dog obsessed with his favourite chew toy, but at time went by, all you saw it as was manipulative. 

“don’t play that card again.”

“what card?” sunghoon frowns his dark brows together. 

“the ‘together’ card. i’m so sick of you talking about being together and getting through things together when it’s just you giving me the fucking problems and i pull you through them-”

“but isn’t being together the fucking definition of a relationship? you called it quits just because we were on different roads-”

“i called it quits because we were on different roads. you wanted a home and a family and have a dainty wife at home cooking all your stupid meals because you don’t bother how to learn to pick up a knife- but does it look like i wanna do that?”

“what’s so bad about having a home and a family, huh? is it my fault that i wanted to spend the rest of my life with you and i was just obsessed with the thought of having you to myself forever?”

“oh, my god. even now... you don’t care about how i feel and what i want. you only think about how prestigious and how privileged i should be that you’re in love with me and that’s all that matters to you. the value of you to other people, and never the other way round.”

sunghoon doesn’t scare you. at some point, you loved him. he may have been spiteful and manipulative with his words but he always had good intentions, though it may have been for his own benefit. you would never know. 

it was difficult to come to terms with how bitter the relationship had gotten. nearing the end of it, you were hoping he’d be able to find the strength in him to agree to an amicable break-up. but sunghoon is a raging eternal fire stuck in ice buried deep underground, and so initiating the break-up was as good as shoving a bomb down under. 

‘amicable’ was an antonym. 

“what do you want me to say?” he looks down at you, brown eyes staring into your soul. he doesn’t cry easily, but here he is, tearing up. 

are those crocodile tears?

“i wanted a fairytale and you wanted a reality. i don’t know how to tell you that i don’t think either of those was wrong. i just thought we could come to a compromise.”

“compromise? what compromise would it be had i done what you wanted? then i’ll be living your dream, not mine.”

“and what exactly is your dream? you’ve been working so hard and yet you’re still here! you may think it’s noble of yourself that you’re putting this amount of effort and that it’ll reap some kind of harvest at the end but i was watching you work your life and time away. all i wanted to do was let you rest and relax at home at your own comfort. was that so wrong?”

“where is park sunghoon?”

the voice from outside is a relieving break from the confrontation. it worked for you, because you had no rebuttal. 

sunghoon sighs and looks down at his feet, then he looks up to the ceiling and sucks in a deep breath, finally using his fingers to push the pinch of hair on his forehead back into the rest of his dark brown locks. he rubs his eyes, getting rid of his tears. 

he clears his throat and pats down his blazer before squatting to reach behind you for the labels. he turns without a word, leaving you to look at the surrounding floor. 

but he stops at the door for a moment, then turns. 

“you think i’m not good for you because i stop you from living your life the way you want to. but it frustrates me to see you run around in circles with yourself. all i wanted to do was come home to you, stress-free and happy. but if you’d rather spend your time chasing after your own tail, then be my guest.”

he swallows, his adam’s apple shifting up and down. the door clicks open and he leaves the storage. 

“oh, there you are! god, we were looking all over for you and the event organiser. do you happen to have any kind of labelling or signages for the food? i have guests that can’t have hot wings.”

“was just looking for them.”

the footsteps fade away. the conversation gets further. the storage light flickers off due to the lack of movement.

the evening runs in slow motion. sunghoon had all the food and drinks labelled just as the doors to the event opened, and somehow used it as a conversation starter for everybody greeting him at the table. something about how he tried to snag one or two wings before it started and instantly regretted it because they were spicy.

as someone who didn’t particularly love spicy foods, sunghoon had developed a keen instinct to telling whether something was spicy. 

but occasionally, you’d sneak a peek at sunghoon, hard at work and immersed in the conversation he probably initiated. it never failed to wonder you how the introvert in him is able to hold professional conversations. 

there are few regrets in the world you would admit to having. one of them was falling out with him. 

the happier you were, the more upsetting the break-up was. sunghoon loved sneaking into your room and spending the night, but that made it all the more harder when you spent them alone thereafter. he had a knack for picking you little flowers off the road, wrapping them in napkins and leaving them at your window, but they began rotting away and flying off in the wind like ash from your ended love. 

sunghoon isn’t a man of many words - words that make sense at least - but it’s in his ache and heart break that he means every syllable he articulates. 

it’s annoying that they make sense. 

by the end of the night, you realised that sunghoon had saved you from ruining the event - half the hot wings were left untouched because they were too hot for the public. they were samyang flavoured. 

once the event had ended, sunghoon spent most of his time at the doors, seeing his guests off and making sure everyone got into their respective vehicles. you are left with the mess in the storage, that you begin to pack, worried about how you would respond when he comes in to tell you “i told you so”.

“thirty minutes,” he calls out from the outside. you assume he was talking to the person in charge of locking up the space. “thanks.”

mindlessly dumping what was left into the storage boxes, you try to lift it onto the trolley you have parked in the room. you use your thighs, but the edge of the box is heavy and it seeps into your flesh, leaving a mark. then the weight causes it to slide off and just before everything can spill out-

“what the hell-” sunghoon quite literally steps over the boxes and into a space in between - the ends of his pants rolled up thanks to the other boxes in the room - one hand gripping the edge of the box and the other holding the trolley still. “are you-”

his eyes automatically look down where the box had been resting on, and he notices the little rip in your nylon pants where the box had been resting on. with a gentle tut of his teeth, he snatches the box from you and rests it atop the others, a frown on his head. 

“you’re a fucking idiot, you know?” he grabs your arm and pulls you out of the mess. 

“i was just finishing up-” trying to move back in to take responsibility of your logistics, you take a step forward. 

“you. stay. right the fuck. there,” he says, jabbing the air with every word. he rests his arm by his side, frame awkwardly slanted over the mess on the floor. his blazer hangs by his side, the tip of the expensive material kissing the roll of mahjong paper sticking out from one of the boxes. he sighs, and purses his lips, turning around and squatting to repack the boxes. 

“i... come on. just leave it. i can do it.”

“stop trying to think you can do everything,” he rebutts, turning to look at you from his squatting position. with a gentle huff, he lifts the box infront of him and dumps it on the trolley. “if you were superman, you would’ve figured it out earlier.”

“okay, well... i get it, alright? you don’t... you don’t have to keep rubbing it in.”

“i’ll rub it in because i can and because you don’t listen,” he finishes with another box and stacks it. sunghoon stands, taking in a deep breath and combs his hair with his fingers.  

the strands of your fringe come loose from the rest of your hair, but your eyes travel down to the floor. there’s an issue of pride that you can’t overcome, but your heart drops and you forget about it when sunghoon reaches out to tuck your hair behind your ear. 

your fringe falls back into your eyes, so he pushes it up, and keeps his finger there as he looks down at you with a gentle frown on his forehead. 

before you can say anything, he leans forward. with the other palm, hot and slightly sweaty from all the lifting he’s been doing, he presses his lips into yours. 

by instinct, your eyes close. the scent of his cologne is worn, but still identiable. your hair falls back onto your lids when he releases it to cup your other cheek, and the memories of him flood back into your heart. all the nights of playful bickering about what movie to watch, all the late night strolls in the park and the skating rink dates he would drag you on just because he wanted to let you into his world. 

you had forgotten what it was like to feel special, to be the only person that sunghoon had been able and willing to open up his heart to. knowing that he still loved you made you feel like you were still special. 

your hands find the collar of his blazer, gently pushing him away. through pursed lips, you look at him with tired eyes. “hoon, i don’t think this is healthy.”

he’s quiet, refusing to remove his hands from your face. he remains his position, even after you reach up in a bid to pull his hands away from your cheeks.

“not everything anybody does in their life is healthy,” he presses his forehead unto yours. “i’d love an unhealthy love with you even if it means we’d fight and cry about it. this... cannot be replaced. not by anybody. you are my unhealthy love, and that is what i want.”

your heart is racing. you can hear the beating in your ears, and if he wasn’t holding you, you might’ve started shaking. 

but he leans down and kisses you again, this time begging you to remember everything that you once had with him, convincing you that it wasn’t worth giving up. 

it’s so much easier to know that you’d crying in his arms after a fight, than worrying about forgetting him. 

sunghoon gently pushes you back until your rear hits a countertop, and he blindly pushes whatever was on it aside. lifting you by your thighs, he places you on the surface and runs his fingers down the length of your arm. your skin tickles under his nails and his cold fingertips, which stop at your hands. he interlocks his hands with yours at the edge of the counter, then he stops and pulls away, slowly tilting his head upwards to kiss your forehead. 

his thumb and index finger are on your chin now, gently pushing you back so you were laying down. 

“wait, isn’t there a camera here or something-”

“you forget i know the people who own this building,” he raises his brows and moves backwards to kneel. then, his lips are on your ankles, undoing the straps of your heels. hold palms move up your calf and under your knees after your shoes come off, and he stands to undo the buckle on your pants. 

he helps you lift your hips, the silk sliding off your skin and to the floor with ease. sunghoon kneels again, kissing the inner side of your knees and thighs and then your hip bones, your fingers finding the crown of his head and making a mess of his waxed hair. 

your head tilts back when the final piece of clothing in his way comes off, and the heat from his skin hits where you’ve missed him. guiding your legs to rest on his shoulders, he has you like you had been in a long-distance relationship.

your toes curl, heart thunking in your chest and fingers gripping his hair tighter and tighter. 

then he stops, licking and biting his lips to get the rest of it off. you sigh, relieved from the sudden affection he’s providing you. you look down and watch him undo his belt, but he doesn’t bother to remove it, simply unbuttoning himself and pulling the zipper down. 

then he gently pulls you towards him, and it’s a moment of truth as you lock eyes with him. 

he waits for you to protest.

but you don’t. 

so he eases himself to your comfort, and your lips fall apart like your hair on the counter top as you lay back again. there’s a gentle frown in your forehead that he kisses away, his breath heavy in your hair as he gives you a few seconds. 

so, like the good ol’ times, he stands upright and starts to move, sounds and movements still tamed. but blame it on the yearning, blame it on the unhealthy need for him and the feelings he provides that cannot be replaced - it doesn’t take long for him to find where it makes your mind turn to static. 

“finish for me, princess,” he presses down with his thumb. 

and like a well-behaved one, you do. he pulls out once you’re finished, and he releases himself on your thighs. 

sunghoon is slightly panting, but he eases his breathing with a deep breath. turning around to your logistic boxes, he pulls out a packet of wet wipes. 

“are you sure i don’t have to worry about the cctv in here?” your fingers press into your temples. 

sunghoon chuckles, helping you sit up. “the only thing you need to worry about now is how you’re going to tolerate me for the rest of your life.”

[lovesickbtch]

Her

Pairing : Aged up! Lo'ak Sully x Omaticaya f!reader

Summary : Reader and Lo'ak are really close friends but after moving to a different home reader thinks Lo'ak might be inlove with a certain Metkayina Na'vi.

Warnings : Just some light angst n light fluff

Notes : Contemplating whether I should write Lo'ak smut/NSFW part 2 for this.

You and Lo'ak always had each other's backs. Everyone was aware that the both of you would be inseparable, sticking up for each other in the scariest and most painful moments. Both of you grew up together and never acknowledged any romantic feelings for each other.

After the encounter with Quaritch, Neytiri and Jake convinced you that moving somewhere outside the forest with them would be best, since Quaritch and his group found that you were close to the sully's.You were though, they considered you family, and you would be with them for almost every hour of everyday.

==================

You and Lo'ak were sitting back to back on his ikran and you were asleep, your head resting on his shoulder. The ikrans started to lower towards the land. "Y/n, were here" He mumbled to you, slightly tapping your thigh to gently wake you up.You quietly groaned, holding onto him to move your legs turning yourself forwards on the ikran.

As you lowered you hopped off of the ikran and teal na'vi surrounded and started to interrogate you and the sully's.You stood beside Neteyam and Lo'ak and saw a pretty girl appear in the corner of eyesight. You saw Lo'ak stare at her in awe for a moment, your eyes uncomfortably shifting to the sand.

==================

1st pov

==================

A few weeks after we had arrived and I didn't talk to Lo'ak much anymore, since he would always end up bringing Tsireya into conversations. I started avoiding him most days and even his siblings started to notice. I atleast got to know his siblings even better. They always told you,

'He's just hiding it

'Just wait

'He talks about you everyday too!

'He wants to talk with you again

But for some reason I want to convince myself to believe that they just want to keep your hopes high.

I had taken morning walks along the beach everyday remembering how nice it was back at home. The forest.I

heard distant footsteps and-

"Hey! Y/n wait up!"He shouted, catching up to me as I slowly walked across the wet sand ignoring him.

He soon moved infront of me blocking my way.

"Y-y/n?"The look on his face softened as he took a step towards me. I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"Y/n please I-I'm sorry for whatever i did just please tell me what's wrong, you've been ignoring me for so long."

"Lo'ak I-"My words had gotten stuck in my throat as I frantically think of what to say. I make eye contact with him.

"Lo'ak don't leave me for her"

Tears roll down my cheek as I fiddle with my hands.

He holds my head up towards him and places a kiss on the tear that slipped down my face.

"Y/n, there is no one who I would want to stay with besides the beautiful girl right infront of me"

"I see you, Y/n"

Part 2?

[lancearcherinrippedjeans]

Eternity - Chapter 9

*************

Is has been ALMOST A YEAR. WOW. So many of you have been waiting, here it is.

*************

Starring - Sawyer Holden, Veronica Rodriguez, Nova Jay, Kenny Omega, Adam Page, WARHORSE, The Young Bucks and many small appearances

Word Count - 6,076

Category - Angst, violence, small comedy bits, but this is a very "dark" chapter

Chapter 9/?

Summary - Full Gear has arrived. How will this rivalry end between Sawyer and Veronica? Their lives are about to change forever.

Warnings/Comments - There's so much violence and anger and NEGATIVITY in this chapter guys. Follow @adriii-omega

*************

ALLELITEWRESTLING- 

BREAKING NEWS : The finals to see who will be the new number one contender for Hikaru Shida’s women championship will now be decided in a Barbed Wire Death Match! The matchup of Sawyer Holden and Veronica Rodriguez will now be the MAIN EVENT of Full Gear this Sunday! 

Warhorse had been lifting in a gym near his home. Music blasting through his headphones, his mind was only on this last rep. The music quieted, meaning a notification had popped up. He sighed, before bending over to pick up his phone. His eyes largened, “Oh no… no. No!” He rolled his eyes, as he already saw tweets from the other AEW wrestlers picking sides. “I got to do something. They’re gonna to fucking get hurt!” He yelled in the gym, which he thanked God was pretty much empty. 

He clicked on Sawyer’s contact name and typed out a text- “I’m calling you in 30 minutes.” Warhorse saw she read it, and shut the phone off before he could see her response. He was determined to wonder what was going on through his friend’s heads, knowing that neither of them were thinking straight.

Sawyer responded to the text, before throwing her phone back down. She got back to her spot on the mat, near Lance Archer. She shouldn’t have any distractions, especially not the night before this huge match. She kept her eyes on the red spots tapped down on the punching bag. She kept going faster and even harder as Lance Archer shouted things at her, keeping the punching bag in place.

They had been training her for this match since the night after the brawl that she claims Veronica started. 

“Left! Right! Stomach!” Archer watched as Sawyer was definitely hitting the targets, but holding back on her strength. He pulled the punching bag away to where she couldn’t reach. 

“What the hell, Lance?” Lance put his hands on Sawyer’s shoulders, “Sawyer, you’re supposed to be my baby murderhawk. And you won’t murder shit if you don’t get your head in the game.” 

Sawyer opened her mouth to protest before he interrupted, “Close your eyes. I want you to think about the match.” Sawyer huffed, closing her eyes and crossing her arms.

“Now imagine, there’s exploding barbed wire all around you. There’s kendo sticks broken everywhere, thumbtacks all over the ground. And you and Veronica are standing face to face, you’re so close to winning that championship,” Sawyer visibly felt angrier, the thought of Veronica winning consuming her, when Lance slapped Sawyer one good time across the face, “And she once again slaps the taste out your mouth.”

Sawyer opens her mouth to yell at Lance before she realizes how angry Veronica made her, stooping that low, like they weren’t even equal anymore. Sawyer opened her eyes, throwing the boxing gloves off and turning back to the punching bag.

Lance held the bag in place as Sawyer delivered punches, this time not holding back. All Sawyer could see was Veronica’s sinister smirk, wanting to beat it off her face. Sawyer’s knuckles started to throb, ignoring it continuing to attack the bag.

The thought of Veronica standing tall at the end of the match made her lose it, causing the punching bag to rip open, sand falling everywhere. Sawyer didn’t even look surprised. She didn’t know how hard Veronica was training right now, but tomorrow, nothing would matter.

Sawyer didn’t want the championship opportunity. She wanted to humiliate Veronica, teach her a lesson. Hell, Sawyer wanted to end her best friend.

*************

 “To the soon to be champions of All Elite Wrestling!” Brandon Cutler raised his drink in one hand, while holding his camera in the other. “Introducing your soon to be tag team champions… The Young Bucks!” Matt and Nick did their signature pose, making Veronica roll her eyes with a chuckle. 

“Ooo me next!” Kenny rested his hand on Veronica’s waist, and with his free arm, flexed his bicep through his shirt. “Fine.” Brandon huffed. “The man who not only will win tomorrow, but go on to defeat Jon Moxley… the Cleaner… Kenny Omega!” The group applauded, as he made a couple faces at the camera.

“Introduce my girl,” he pointed at Veronica, making her grin. “How could we forget,” Cutler said, putting her in the frame, “The lovely, Veronica!”

Matt whistled, “Sawyer or Shida don’t stand a chance.” He smugged, while Nick draped his arm around her shoulder.

“You damn right they don’t!” Cutler screamed from the other side. She looked around in bliss, spacing out as the group joked around a bit. 

Nick nudged her, “You alright? You sort of zoned out on us.” The group turned their heads looking at her, “Yea. Everything is perfect. Just thinking how good we’re all gonna look with the gold tomorrow.” She raised her glass in the air, causing the rest to clink their root bears. 

Veronica stifled a yawn, and sipped on her drink slowly. She squeezed Kenny’s hand making him turn his attention to her, “I’m glad you’re here.” He whispered. She gave him a toothy grin as her heart began to flutter, “I am too. Tomorrow is our night.” He kissed the inside of her palm before setting it in his lap, and continuing his conversation with Nick about a recent video game he started playing. She only heard bits, as the only thing on her mind was not wanting to let down the people around her.

*************

Sawyer sat her phone up on her bathroom sink, just finishing her shower. Warhorse stared at her in silence, before speaking up, “I should be there.”

“Jake-“

“No! It’s true, I felt like I could have prevented this…COME ON A DEATH MATCH?! Whose brilliant idea was that?”

“Try Kenny Omega. You think I would trust myself with that idea?” Sawyer said, finishing drying her hair. He held his hands in defense, “I’m just saying Sawyer, Veronica has won more of these matches. I just don’t want you guys to actually hurt each other out there.”

“Jake, she’s hurt me more times I could count… but when she went against the script to embarrass me on national television, that’s when I knew she was putting that mop head, a championship, and this company over our friendship... I’ve accepted that I’m not getting my best friend back. And if that’s the case, I want her to be terrified of me.”

“Sawyer you don’t mean that,” Warhorse tried to reason with her, “It’s the heat of the moment. When you win and you’re celebrating, all you’re gonna want is Veronica there with you.”

“You can fly in, right? That’ll be enough.” Sawyer tried to say sarcastically, but Jake wasn’t amused. “I mean it, Sawyer. Be a good sport about it. Even if she won’t. Things may never be the same but that doesn’t mean to make the situation worse.”

Sawyer huffed, “Alright MOM. I’ll be a good sport. I guess you got a point.”

Warhorse smiled, “I know I do. Now! Get some rest, partying is the exact opposite of what you should be doing right now.” Sawyer groaned picking up the phone, “I will…but I would like to note that you said “WHEN” I win.” She cheekily grinned, making him groan.

“Oh my god! Goodnight Sawyer! I Love you.”

“Goodnight, Jake. Love you too.” Sawyer hung up, putting her phone on her nightstand. 

*************

Sawyer set her stuff in her locker room. Sighing to herself. So many interviewers, makeup artists, and stage hands came up to her in the fifteen minutes it took to find her door. She looked in the mirror, questioning herself, “Is this all worth it? For revenge? To prove I’m not below her?”

Looking in the mirror, she began to wonder who she had become. The old Sawyer never let her anger get the best of her, but now, she couldn’t even recognize who the new Sawyer was.  Her negative thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock, and before she could even answer, John Silver and Alex Reynolds walked in.

“There she is! The next number one contender!” Alex said, pulling Sawyer in for a hug. Sawyer clenched her teeth, trying to look as unannoyed as possible. “Hey you two! Silver, are you ready for your match?”

Silver put on a cocky smile, “Oh, you already know. Orange will never know what hit him, he’ll be like,” he cleared his throat, putting on a raspy and lazy voice, “Oh my god I can’t believe Silver beat me, I guess I should’ve gotten my hands out of my pockets.”

Alex laughed at Silver’s impression, while Sawyer cringed. Alex and John quickly noticed Sawyer wasn’t laughing, as they awkwardly quieted down. 

Alex put his hand on Sawyer’s shoulder, “Are you okay? You seem…off.” Sawyer shook her head, “I’m great. Just the fact that my best friend has put me through living hell and tonight I’m finally giving her a taste of her own medicine.”

John cheered, receiving a glare from Alex. John mumbled sorry before Sawyer continued, “I mean, this could’ve all been avoided. If she just didn’t slap me on national television. Like what the hell?”

The two men looked at each other then back at Sawyer, nervous looks forming on their faces. “Yeah…about that.” Alex said, scratching the back of his head, shuffling away from Sawyer. She arched her brow, when Silver blurted out, “We were trying to help you out, but we ended up pissing her off…” John cringed, “And we’re the reason she kinda slapped you.”

Sawyer sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “So my life is being risked in a Barbed Wire DEATHMATCH, because you wanted to make her cry?” 

“It was mainly John! He even called her a hoe!” Alex said, pointing at his tag partner. “Alex what the fuck!”

“JUST…get out. Please… before I kill both of you before the Buy-In even starts.” Sawyer said, grabbing her ring gear. 

Alex and John shuffled out the locker room, before Alex peeped in one last time, “You’re gonna do great, Sawyer. The Dark Order is all rooting for you.”

Sawyer smiled, hearing the door shut. Her mood became lighter, as she really did realize that she might have lost a good friend, she was making more along the way.

*************

The preshow had just begun to start. The few fans took their seats around the arena and began to cheer as the countdown to Full Gear was on. Hangman had just come from collecting his new and “improved” gear for tonight when he saw Veronica walking in. 

She looked stressed, her hair was tied up in a messy bun and her sweatpants sagged extra low. She honestly looked like she hadn’t had a good sleep in weeks. Seemingly to be in her own little world, not noticing any of her surroundings. “Thanks for making my gear, I bet it looks awesome!” She thanked the seamstress, before taking her items and beginning to head back. Hangman began to panic, holding his arm out while speaking before he got the chance to think. “I can’t wait to see it!” he shot. 

She jumped in surprise, “Oh…I didn’t know you were here,” she eyed him suspiciously, “Thanks though… and good luck tonight.” She tried to leave again, until he pulled her back. “Wait, no. You’re not just gonna leave me here again. Aren’t we going to talk about-”

“I don’t think there’s anything to discuss. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we all got shit going on right now. I’m not trying to be a distraction.” She spat at him with a bit of venom. It stung him a bit, making him loosen his grip. “You aren’t a distraction to me V! I just thought I finally had a friend around here.” Her eyes softened, but she shook her head with disbelief. “Why do you keep trying with me… haven’t I given you enough reasons not to trust me Adam? I’m no good for you.”

“You don’t get to decide that for me…” He said to her, “Just like you shouldn’t let Kenny keep making decisions for you.” Veronica looked at him in confusion. He chuckled at her expression, “Sweets, you gotta see what he’s doing to you.” He laughed. 

“You… you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“This…” he pointed at her, “Has Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks written all over it. You’re their little group project.” He confessed. She clenched her fist to the side, and clicked her tongue. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Veronica responded. Hangman squinting at her, then at the bag in her hand, “Let me see your ring gear.”

“I don’t want to show you. You will have to wait like everyone else.” She pinned the bag behind her back, out of his reach. “Fine. You got me… is that free ice cream?” He pointed down the hall, making her whole body turn quicker than she could get the chance to react. He swiftly snatched the bag out of her hand, “Alright, let’s see…” He placed the bag nicely on a nearby table and began to unzip it. 

A smile formed, as he was in awe of the diamonds. He ran his hand down it, “Wow… Sandra really outdid herself with this one.” His hand stopped as his fingers got tangled, he looked over at her before pulling the jacket out. “TASSELS?”

“Would you be quiet!” She grabbed the jacket back from him, and put it nicely back in the bag. “Mind your business.”

“You have never worn tassels before. That’s new… kinda reminds me of a certain tag team, and those shorts are way… different from your usual baggy style.”

“Am I not allowed to try new things? My baggy pants, and hot tops are still there. I just wanted to spice it up for the pay per view tonight.” She smiled, “Plus… the tassels were a recommendation from Matt. It’s a one time thing.”

He scoffed at that, “He’s always recommending tassels to everyone… they couldn’t pay me enough to wear that shit.” She let out a small laugh before leaning in, “I think you could pull it off almost as good as them.” Veronica complimented with a smirk. “No, I’m okay… I’ll stick to my things, and you stick to… whatever that is.”

“I’m going to make you eat your words, Page.” She picked up her belongings, and made her way back to the locker room. He watched her go, and when she was gone he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Page let his head fall back on the wall behind him, and ran his fingers through his hair. Even after she put him through hell… she was back where she’s been since he met her. In his head. And with his match coming up in less than half an hour… he knew he was doomed.

*************

Nova waited for her cue to go out, which was a certain signal from Ricky and Brian Cage. Taz had come out, yelling at Cody and Darby on the mic. When Brian attacked Darby from behind, with Ricky following him after, she knew she was coming up soon. She watched as Brian threw Cody right into Ricky for a spear.

Right when they grabbed Darby, she ran out, pretending to get in between the two teams. The audience popped, Taz however, was screaming at the top of his lungs for her to move.

She went up to Ricky, pretending to lecture him.

“It looks like Nova and Ricky are having a bit of a disagreement here, Excalibur.” Tony Schiavone said, watching this all go down on the monitor. 

Nova “gave up”, throwing her hands in the air and turning towards Brian, who was holding up Darby by the back of the neck. They stared each other down, when Nova delivered a clean roundhouse kick, straight to the left side of Darby’s face. The crowd was shocked, but no one showed it more than Taz. 

Nova rolled out the ring, yelling at Brian to push Darby out. She dragged him over to the car, which he had made his entrance on, calling Ricky and Brian over. 

Brian hoisted Darby up, before powerbombing him onto the windshield. Nova and Ricky smirked, making their way up to the stage. Taz looked in disbelief, before holding his hand out to Nova.

She hesitated to put hers out, before she finally shook his hand, “Welcome to Team Taz.” He said, yelling at the camera guy to come closer.

“New Team Taz member! Nova Jay! The Supernova!”

Nova smirked, when Ricky grabbed her by the waist, kissing her passionately. They smiled at the camera before making their way backstage, Nova was finally noticed, and she was going to make sure everyone’s eyes stayed on her.

*************

Sawyer cracked her knuckles. Everything and everyone around her becoming quiet. Her earphones blasting. Her heart pounding. This was it. 

“Sawyer you’re on after this break!” Dustin Rhodes called from his monitor, “Go teach that bitch a lesson.” Sawyer handed her phone to Nova, who looked like she was about to vomit. “I’ll be fine.” Sawyer assured her friend, “This needs to be done.” 

“Why did it have to come to this though. Sure, you and Veronica have fought a hundred times before. But this is …” She stopped as she looked over and saw Veronica coming in. New ring gear on display, as she got rid of the baggy pants and went to new revealing shorts and a gorgeous rhinestone jacket with a picture on the back she couldn’t recognize, along white long tassels… it was hard to miss her. 

The wrestlers began to find any monitor they could, not wanting to miss a second of anything. Talking amongst themselves, placing bets. In awe of the reaction that the two had gotten in such a short amount of time. The crowd was awake, and ready for a fight.

“Knock ‘em dead baby! We’ll be here when you get back!” Chuck Taylor quickly yelled, making Sawyer turn just in time to catch him. She gave him a thumbs up, before she headed through the curtain.

Taylor glanced in Veronica’s direction feeling her stare already on him. He rolled his eyes at her before going to find a seat next to Trent and Orange.

 “Popcorn?” Trent offered as Chuck sat down. Orange lazily stuck some kernels in his mouth.

“I’m not sure what trick she has up her sleeve, but I don’t like it.” Chuck gestures toward Veronica who was beginning to warm up. “Her presence is enough to mess with your mind. Don’t worry about it, Sawyer is gonna WHOOP DAT ASS!” Trent said loudly, on purpose earning a scoff from behind them. The three turned around and were met with Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. “You sure are biting off more than you can chew, Baretta.” Matt snarled. Orange looked between the two, lowering his glasses.

Trent spoke up again, “Matt, no matter how hard you try. She isn’t going to sleep. with you. You need to realize that. It’s starting to seem desperate at this point-”

“Choose your next words carefully, momma’s boy.” Kenny got in his face. “I wouldn’t let her name leave your mouth again, if I were you.” Trent bit the inside of his mouth, looking back at his friends. “Forget it man, let’s just watch the match.” Chuck patted down the chairs, getting them to cool it. From the back of his head he could feel Matt began to burn holes through the trio making him smirk to himself. He had hit a nerve with Matt Jackson, and nobody knew that but him.

The beat dropped for Sawyer's entrance music, making the crowd more electric than they already were. She couldn’t help the smile break through as she stood on the ramp. The pyro went off, and she posed for the camera. She removed her jacket, revealing a dark gothic attire. The front row of wrestlers applauded, as she walked down to the ring, she got on the apron and began to take it all in, knowing this was the only bit of peace for a long time.

Veronica tilted her head in Nova’s direction as she passed. Not caring about Ricky clutching her to his side, or the glare they both gave her. She shrugged it off and went out as if this was an actual “storyline.” 

She walked out earning a mix of boos and cheers. She closed her eyes and turned her back. Revealing her jacket, to be a picture of a throwback photo of her, Sawyer, and Nova… with a drawn on angel halo hovering over her, and devil horns drawn on Sawyer. She chuckled at her antics, and spreader her arms to let the tassels gracefully fall, “Let’s fucking go!” She yelled, before making her way to the inside of the ring.

Sawyer never took her eyes off Veronica, ever since her music hit. If looks could kill, they’d both be dead. The bell rang, and Sawyer extended her hands outward for a lock up, while Veronica extended a foot— that connected with Sawyer’s nose. She blindly rolled her up, but Sawyer kicked out before three making the crowd gasp. She quickly backed up in the corner, trying to avoid the ropes from blowing up around her.

“WHAT THE HELL V?” She yelled, getting in her face. “YOU REALLY WANNA START LIKE THIS?” She pushed Veronica, making her fall on her backside. She immediately got back up, getting right back in her face. “Hit me.” She repeated, while harshly shoving Sawyer. “I know you want to.” 

Sawyer raised her fist, only to be slapped by Veronica before she could react. The crowd sat on the edge of their seats in anticipation, watching Sawyer blow the hair out her face, and stare down Veronica between her brows. She slightly gulped, not breaking her stare. Sawyer began delivering rapid kicks to her sides, then quickly delivering an arm drag sending Veronica just inches away from ropes. 

Her eyes widened, as she realized how close she was. Turning around she attempted to run away, but was met with a dropkick that sent her flying into the ropes, immediately feeling the electric wire going off around her. She yelped, as she rolled to the outside, not wanting Sawyer to gain an upper hand. Her skin began to burn, and the wind that was knocked out of her was still trying to come back. 

Sawyer’s first thoughts being to go check on her, before remembering the reason they were in this match in the first place. She shook her head, shaking all the sympathy away. As she climbed to the top turnbuckle, she stood along with the crowd. Phones flashing, their voices rising. Screaming, as she attempted a perfect moonsault to the outside. Suddenly, feeling a devastating crack to her ribs, causing the audience to fall in silence. Veronica held the kendo stick in her hand, leaning on the barricade. She watched Sawyer lay on the floor, refs coming to check on her. She pulled Bryce by his T-Shirt, wanting to continue the damage. She swung another good three times, before rolling her back in carefully. She went for the pin, once again.

1…

2…

“This fight will continue,” Tony yells in his headsweat. Sweat beading off his forehead. “We all knew that wasn’t gonna be enough to put down the Angel Slayer.” Jim added. “It’s almost as if…that name couldn’t be any more truer tonight. The white, the diamonds, the entrance…Veronica is the angel that Sawyer is slaying tonight. We’re in for one hell of a ride.”

The two had been going back and forth for about fifteen minutes. Each seeming to have a counter for each other’s move, and when they didn’t…they just started beating the absolute shit out of each other. Blood was pouring from the hairline of Sawyer, who had been curb stomped on a pile of chairs. While Veronica's left eye was beginning to swell up, as well as a huge slash from being sliced by a piece of the broken table.

Luckily, Sawyer had done her best to avoid the electric wire throughout the whole match so far. The two crawled their way back into the middle of the ring, Veronica kicked pieces of broken table out of her way. She gestured her finger at Sawyer telling her to bring it on. She charged, only to be hit with a drop toe hold. She held her mouth, and realized she fell forward on a steel chair. Immediately, tasting blood. Veronica smirked to the hardcam , rolling out the ring and pulling up the ring skirt. She tossed a couple of kendo sticks on the ramp way, for an emergency. She faked a confused face, before innocently pulling out a light tube. She rolled in the ring, swirling it around. Sawyer saw it, and let out a groan. She raised her middle fingers up, spitting blood at her. Veronica laughed, wiping it off and whispered, “You asked for this bitch” before cracking the tube on her head, glass shattering around them. Quickly covering for the pin. 

1..

2..

Sawyer barely kicked out. Making Veronica throw a tantrum, “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?” She screamed at Bryce, who did his best not to back down. “LEARN TO DO YOUR JOB.” Veronica pointed her finger in his chest. 

“Back off of me. Focus on your match, Rodriguez.” 

“Don’t tell me- AH!”

Veronica was lifted from the ground, and placed on Sawyer’s shoulder, who when no one was looking had wrapped a piece of barbed wire around her kneepad. Veronica tried to scramble, hearing the crowd go crazy as Sawyer signaled for the Go to Sleep with her hands. She successfully hit it, cringing as she stuck to Veronica’s forehead. The crowd gasped, and held their hands over their mouths. She went for the pin.

1…

2…

Aubrey was milliseconds away from her hitting the mat, they could feel it.

“WHAT? VERONICA KICKED OUT. VERONICA KICKED OUT,” Excalibur rose from his seat. “BARBED WIRE IS STICKING TO HER FOREHEAD…WHAT THE HELL?” Jim asked with concern. “What are we witnessing here folks?” 

“This is awesome!” The crowd chanted, if there was a roof on Daily’s Place, it would have been blown straight off.

Sawyer laid in the corner, not knowing what else to do as she stared at her former best friend with widened eyes. Veronica waved towards the entrance ramp, signaling for someone to come out. Sawyer turned her head with confusion, tears forming as she saw Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks dragging a helpless Chuck Taylor and Orange Cassidy.  She stared in horror as she saw Orange and Chuck get hit repeatedly in the torso with kendo sticks. Their cries making Sawyer furious.

“You bitch.” Sawyer huffed, as she began to drag Veronica back by her feet. Veronica kicked, connecting with her busted lip, making her curse. Veronica quickly snapped up, ducking as Sawyer attempted to grab her. Going around her and connecting her arms for a snap dragon suplex. An idea popped in her head, as she looked at her boyfriend who nodded with darkened eyes. She backed up to the ropes, breathing in, and before she breathed out she delivered a devastating snapdragon sending Sawyer through a ton of pain, as her neck was met with electricity. She hid her face, as she repeatedly hit the mat, doing everything to not let her pain be shown.

Sawyer stumbled to stand, as Veronica began to spit more venom at her, “You thought what they did was bad?” She chuckled, as Matt threw a kendo stick in her direction. She picked it up, and placed it under Sawyer’s chin making her look at her. “Watch this-” She swung, only for it to be caught under Sawyer’s arm. She gritted her teeth, not letting her react to the sting. Veronica did her best to pull it back, but she wasn’t budging.

Veronica reached her arm back to attempt to slap Sawyer again, but she grabbed onto her, slowly looking up at Veronica with angry eyes. Sawyer delivered a headbutt to Veronica’s, “That’s for bringing your boyfriend into this!” Left hook, “That’s for hurting my friends!” She kicked her in the stomach so her back hit the turnbuckles, “THAT is for putting a title over our friendship!” Sawyer balanced the kendo stick in her hand, “And THIS is for all the pain and tears you’ve put me through since July!” She went feral, whacking Veronica left and right. Veronica bawled up on the floor, trying her best to avoid her. Only to get hit harder, not being able to move. She whacked Veronica in the back once more long enough to climb to the top rope. Sawyer stood and looked around the crowd of people and wrestlers, who cheered her on as she finally did what she always wanted to do. A swanton bomb, on live pay-per view. The crowd erupted as Sawyer went in for the pin, without her Canadian Destroyer.

1...

2…

3!

The girls laid there, staring at the ceiling. Their breathing rapid, their faces red. Veronica felt the tears start to form, she scooted away to the other side of the ring, hand over mouth holding back sobs. 

“Sawyer.” Chuck shook her, “You did it baby. It’s over.” He groaned, holding his side. Her head snapped towards him, and Cassidy who were both equally hurting. “Me? I won?” She looked with disbelief. Orange gave her a thumbs up, as she pulled them in for a hug. “I’m so sorry you guys got hurt.” 

“Eh.” Cassidy lazily replied, “We lived.” 

Veronica watched the three, not realizing her own group was next to her. “Let’s get out of here.” Nick bent down to help her up, she wrapped an arm around his shoulder looking for Kenny who couldn’t meet her gaze. Instead, he angrily stared at Sawyer, who had the biggest grin on her face as she stared back. 

“Kenny-“ Veronica reached out, his demeanor broken, as he saw her covered in blood. “Jesus Christ…”He commented, pulling her away, flinching when he heard her wince. “Careful with her hip, it’s gushing.” Matt commented. 

Veronica tried to respond, telling them that she was fine until she saw Hikaru Shida walk right past her, with her AEW Women's Championship straight to the ring for Sawyer. 

Jealousy filled up, and she couldn’t help looking away as they stared down at each other. The sounds of her boyfriend’s concern were muffled, as all she could do was focus on them. Sawyer couldn’t help but glare past Shida sometimes. Veronica’s tears staining her brain. Eventually, Tony Khan came out applauding as the crowd gave a standing ovation. 

It was over. It was finally over.

—-------

Sawyer tried her best to get rid of the smile on her face, but she just couldn’t. She was on Cloud 9. Of course, something felt off. She knew what it was, Veronica. But she knew, she couldn’t let this affect her celebration. She turned up the music playing from her speaker, hoping that even Rihanna could distract her from this feeling.

Just as she put on the finishing touches of her outfit, there was a knock on the locker room door. “Come in!” Wardlow walked in, bouquet of flowers in hand, “There’s the next women’s champ! God, you’re amazing.” Sawyer gasped, “Michael! You’re so sweet.” She took the flowers, giving him a kiss.

“So, you really gave Veronica hell out there. How about you and I go to dinner? You’re already dressed, and of course, I have another gift for you back at the hotel.” He smirked, grabbing Sawyer by the waist from behind, hands sliding up and down her body.

“That sounds lovely Michael, but some of my friends set up a party for me at my favorite bar downtown. You wanna come with?” She asked innocently, thinking nothing of it. Wardlow’s energy shifted, he suddenly just seemed furious.

“You’re kidding. You’d rather spend this win with vodka and screaming than wine and classical music?” He asked, acting like there was no discussion. “Uh, yeah. It is my celebration.” Sawyer grabbed her purse, heading for the door.

“And let me guess, Chuck set this celebration up.”

Sawyer stopped in her tracks, her mind was telling her a million things, but only one was the right thing to do. “Well, you caught me. Chuck did set this up. And Isiah. Along with Nova and Ricky. And how could I forget ‘your’ buddy, Max? My friends set this up, Michael. They knew this would make me happy and they were right, I’m going!”

“I knew you were still talking to that weirdo! I knew I couldn’t trust you. If you walk out that door, we’re finished.” He threatened. Sawyer only stared back, frowning, tears forming in her eyes.

“After everything I went through tonight,” Sawyer choked on her words, before cutting the act, “You think I’m scared of a white man breaking up with me? I’ve seen some stupid shit, but this has gotta be the stupidest shit ever. We’re done, the third shot is dedicated to you!”

Sawyer cackled, walking out of the locker room, knowing that Wardlow no longer affected her. 

On the other side of Daily’s Place, the Elite got to the back. Veronica doing her best to not crumble in front of the roster. She felt a hand leave her lower back, causing her to stop them in their tracks. “Kenny, what are you doing?” Matt asked, not sure why he stopped walking. 

“You guys go on without me… I have to catch up with Don.” He looked between them, giving a disappointed look toward Veronica, “Just let me know what the doctor says.” 

Veronica’s face grew with confusion, “You’re not coming with me?” Matt held his grip on her wrist, as she tried to walk away from them. “You’re hurt.” He reminded her, “I’ll make sure she gets back.”

“Thanks man.” Kenny spoke, “I got to go fix this. I’m not letting her screw up ruin my future plans.”

Nick’s eyes widened, as a silence fell between the group. Veronica felt her blood begin to boil, as his words finally hit her. “I can’t believe you. I know I didn’t win, but I tried my best and-“

“Save it. I don’t want to hear any more excuses tonight.” He rolled his eyes, before pulling out his phone typing rapidly. Nick and Matt looked between each other, not sure what to do. Veronica pushed through, wincing at every step she took. “You know what? This loss isn’t on ME. It’s on YOU, and you know that. You told the whole world that I was this Elite superstar, and you never once considered my feelings.” Her voice trembled, “Sawyer and Nova want nothing to do with me, because of you, and now I’m finally understanding why.”

She shoved Nick and Matt’s hands off of her as she walked off in her own direction. 

As Kenny watched Veronica walk away, he groaned, throwing his hands up in the air, “I swear to God, I don’t know what her deal is.” He marched off, mumbling to the Bucks about not following him. “She has to be kidding, none of this is my fault. I got her here at the top. In this company, I gave her everything. It’s all-” His own thoughts were interrupted, almost making him stop in his tracks.

“It’s all her.”

Sawyer and Nova stared back, trying their best to hide their grins. “Looks like someone will be sleeping on the couch tonight.” Nova joked. Kenny shook his head, embarrassment beginning to wash over him. 

“You couldn’t even help your own girlfriend, when she needed it most.” Sawyer spoke up, “What makes you think YOU could defeat me?”

He opened his mouth to argue, being cut off by a car honking grabbing their attention, Nova rushed over to the side door leaving Sawyer. 

“One day, Veronica will realize that you were nothing more than a weight holding her down. It really sucks that you were the reason we had to nearly kill each other tonight, but if you think that I won’t stop trying to get my friend back… you’ve got another thing coming.” She pulled her glasses down on her head, letting herself finally relax. 

“Goodbye, and Goodnight Omega.”

◤━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Feels nice to be back, chapter 10 is coming soon.

[thehighpriestess1]

Scars Don't Fade : 9

Pairing : Gojo Satoru x y/n

Genre : Angst, fluff, Smut ( 18+ only )

Previous Chapter 🤍 Masterlist

A/N : This chapter is longer than previous ones. 12k words. Next chapter would be updated by 14th March. Huge thanks to everyone who have been following this fic!! Also I have written and edited most of this chapter on my phone so please ignore spelling mistakes or errors 🤍 Ask Box 🤍

Geto sat opposite to the trembling man tied to a wooden chair. “Who asked you to do it?”. Akiba threw his head back and gasped for air. “Look, I have told you that I didn’t do it”. His lie cost him another punch to the face. Geto grabbed him by the hair and put his phone in front of him, “Look at this! that’s you right? Look carefully and choose your next words wisely”. Akiba squinted his eyes at the screen. It looked like CCTV footage, it showed Akiba and another gang member sticking posters on a wall. He gulped as sweat beads rolled down the sides of his forehead. “You..how did you?”. Geto looked right into his eyes, “Who asked you to do it?”..

The man confessed immediately fearing police arrest. Geto walked out of the room and ran his hair through his hands and lit a cigarette. When Shoko told him what happened 6 years ago and how she wanted him to look into it, he wasn’t sure if it could be done. There was no police complaint or proof of anything, not even poster to get address of the shop that made it but luckily there was an attempted bank robbery three days after the incident and CCTV footages were stored in the archive, it was the same bank across the alley where Akiba and his member put up the poster. He wondered what kind of influence the person had that even police refused to investigate the incident.

He was skeptical about helping you initially but it seemed like Shoko needed it for herself more than she needed it for you. He still hated you for what you did to Satoru but right now he was doing everything for Shoko. He took his phone out and typed a quick text to Shoko.

Geto : Got it.

Shoko : ??

Geto : The culprit. Got the confessions and name of the person. What do you want to do?

Shoko : Is it someone from our batch?

Geto : Yes.

Shoko : Do you think I should file a report? Will it work?

Geto : To be honest I don’t think so.. The litigation will be long since you didn’t file a report and I kind of did the work without a report or complaint so I don’t know how useful the confession would be. You can confront her directly.

Shoko : Fine. Send me the details. Don’t tell Satoru about this.

Geto: Fine.

Geto sent the written and video confession to Shoko. He hit two birds with one stone. A week ago he found out that Takahashi was smuggling drugs from the Kobe port but he was struggling to find connection between him and the gang who was doing it. Now he had all the details he needed to proceed. But first you needed to know the truth. Takahashi was a dangerous man and a well connected one, if Geto had to move against him then he needed to make sure it causes minimal damage to those around him.

–x-

Nanami and you sat on the sand and watched Kiro build his sand castle. The day was perfect for a beach day and you couldn’t deny them when Kiro promised to make a sandcastle for you. You were smiling without realising. It was so easy to enjoy silence with Nanami. “Kiro is adorable. I am jealous that you get to spend so much time with him”. Nanami chuckled. “Not as much time as I’d like anyway. But you are always invited to join us”. You pouted, making Nanami’ heart race.

“You can’t tolerate me and Kiro together”. Nanami smiled at you. “I’d love to”.

“Y/n, I need to tell you something”.

“What is it?”. “I’m moving to Kyoto..”. You were silent and the sound of waves crashing filling the void. “Why?”.

“Better job. I would get to spend more time with Kiro”.

“When are you leaving?”.

“Next week”. You gulped down and tried not to cry. You fixed your gaze on a boat far away in the sea. “I will miss you”. You leaned your head on his shoulder. “I will miss you too”.

“I hate you for taking Kiro away from me”.

“You can always come visit. It’s not that far..”.

“I promise I will visit every month. You better not kick me out”. Nanami chuckled as tears glossed his eyes. “I promise”.

Ever since that day at the teahouse Gojo craved your presence. He wanted to spend more and more time alone. SUddenly spending late nights in his office working was not enough for him. He kept on coming with excuses to spend even an hour with you. Sometimes it was client dinner, meetings which would get cancelled last minute leaving you two to explore the city. He realised that he didn’t like spending time with you because of your relationship in the past but it was because he was himself around you. No pretense. No need to be the Gojo Satru, he can just be Satoru. He knew there was a barrier of professionalism but he kept on pushing it ever so slightly every time you guys were together. He wouldn’t even realise it when his hand started reaching out for yours when you stood next to each other only to pull away at the last second, how his eyes always searched for you in the crowd and his heart won’t rest unless he found you.

Even Miwa noticed the change. He started appreciating her more. He was kinder with his words now and sometimes she thought he wanted to have a good impression on you. She liked you the most out of everyone who worked here. You would always ask her if she had lunch or breakfast, reminding her to take a break once in a while. She felt seen around you. You always asked for her opinion when it was needed and always acted on it. She looked up to you like a big sister.

Gojo sat opposite to you looking between the file on his lap and you. The clock showed it was already 11:30 Pm and even Miwa was tired. “Is everything okay?”. You asked. “I want to ask you something. It’s not an obligation but are you free this weekend?”. Miwa shook her head to clear her brain and looked at the both of you. Was it finally happening? Is he going to finally ask you out?. “Yeah I am. Do you need me to come in for work?”. Gojo bit his lip nervously, the fluttering in his stomach left him tongue tied. “No, exactly. There is an orphanage that my family takes care of and there is a fundraiser for it this weekend. Since you are so good with kids I thought I would ask you..”, Please say yes. Say yes..

“Wouldn’t Mei be better suited for this? There might be media so I don’t-”. Gojo cut you off immediately as he spoke leaning towards you. “No there won’t be. It is an extremely private event so only a few other organisations will be present.”. You looked at Miwa who nodded confirming it. “Alright then. When do I need to be there?”. “Miwa do you have the itinerary?”. She got up and pulled out her ipad and read from it, “We will leave on friday evening and reach at night. Saturday morning you have reserved time to spend time at the orphanage, Saturday night we have a fundraiser and we will be back by Sunday evening..”. You gaped at her. “It’s a whole weekend thing?”. She nodded at you. “yes”. “Alright then.”.

“Miwa , call Kiki and inform her that we will be visiting tomorrow morning.”. You raised your eyebrow in confusion. “We?”. Gojo smiled at you, “Yes we need outfits for the fundraiser so we are going shopping tomorrow.”.

You walked out of the fitting room to show your third outfit to Miwa and Gojo. This one was a yellow sequin lined floor length dress that fit delicately on your body. Your hair was tied up and loose strands fell on your face from trying all the dresses. “So?”. Miwa gave a thumbs up and Gojo stared at you with his chin on his palm. To be honest Gojo liked you in all the previous dresses. If only you would let him he would get all of them for you. You were barely even ready yet and you looked so beautiful. He shook his head..”Good but not great. Yellow is a nice colour but let’s try that blue one”. He pointed towards a dress. Gojo had booked the entire boutique for the day and he was in no rush. “But i already tried a blue one before..”. “But this one is different, right Miwa?”. “yes sir!”. You groaned and walked inside with the assistant walking in behind you.

Miwa spotted a white Zuhair Murad gown and pointed at it. “How about that one?”. Gojo looked towards the dress hanging in the glass display, “Get me that one”. He ordered the manager who hurriedly handed him the dress. It looked like a wedding dress. “Miwa would it be unlucky if I saw her in this?”. Gojo said, winking at his assistant. She giggled and shook her head. “No sir.”. He pulled out the gown and walked towards the dressing room. You came out to show the dress but Gojo held the white dress in your face. “This. Try this”. “What about the one I am wearing now?”. He shook his head and handed you the dress. You walked out wearing the dress, fidgeting a little because it was a wedding dress after all. “So..?”. Gojo stood up from his chair and Miwa gasped with her hand on her mouth. Gojo felt his heart skip a beat, he blinked nervously as he fumbled with his words. His eyes watered as you looked at him hoping to get some feedback. “Umm yeah this.. you..this is nice..ya good..this is good…but clearly for ummm your wedding..We will try the red one”. You went back in confusion, Did I look that bad?. Gojo sat down again and tried to calm his heart. He was sure he was close to getting a nose bleed.

You walked out again wearing a one shoulder red gown which had a thigh high slit on one side. It was embellished with crystals and sequins. Gojo was sure he was going to get a nosebleed now. “Holy fuck..this is the one”. You smiled and turned towards Miwa who was gaping at you.

You checked the price tag on the dress and your jaw fell to the ground. “I can’t buy this..”. “You don’t have to”. Gojo siad taking the dress away from you. “No please, it was too expensive. We can check other stores”. You felt guilty about Gojo buying you this dress. “No. Next we need jewelry!”. Miwa handed you a water bottle. “Miwa do we need jewelry?”. She nodded enthusiastically. “And shoes..”. This was going to be a long day. “Ms. y/n you looked really pretty so don’t worry”. “Thank you”.

You stood next to Gojo in the cartier showroom as she looked down at the different rings placed before him. “Which one do you like?”. “Oh..anything is fine”. Gojo hummed in response, making you think it was finally over. “Fine then we’ll take this one..and this one…and this one…”. The manager smiled at him and asked you to try the three rings he picked out. You weren’t sure if you needed three rings for one even but you stopped questioning logic the moment you saw the price tag on the red dress.

Gojo dropped you home and reminded you to be ready by 6:00 PM. You had less than four hours to pack. You groaned as you picked yourself off of your bed and began packing. You were glad Miwa was accompanying you on this trip. Gojo picked you up in a black Rolls Royce. “Why are we heading towards Airport?”. “Because we are going to the airport”. “But you said it’s right outside the city”. “I didn’t say how far..”. Gojo smirked at you and you rolled your eyes at him. “Can you tell me now?”. “We are going to Okinawa”. “That’s not outside the city”. “It’s not inside the city either..”. You looked at Miwa who gave you an apologetic look. The car took you directly to the tarmac and your nervousness rose. You didn’t like flying at all and avoided it at all costs. Something about not being on the ground, surrounded by dark clouds and vast nothingness made your stomach tumble.

You sat next to Miwa and Gojo sat opposite you. He looked pouty and Miwa smiled to herself knowing the reason behind the pout. She excused herself and sat on the couch behind the seating area. You fidgeted with your fingers on your lap. “Are you scared of flying?”. Gojo asked, his arms crossed across his chest. “A little. But I’m fine”. He got up and took the empty seat next to you. “Here hold my hand if you’re scared”. You looked at the outstretched palm and wondered if you really should. “I’m good.”. He grabbed your palm and intertwined your fingers. “We’re friends y/n. It’s alright?”. “We are not friends and you know it”. Gojo’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Then what are we?”. “I don’t know..”. He turned in his seat to look at you. “What if I tell you that I don’t hate you? Would you believe me?”. You turned away towards the window, “I won’t..”. He smiled to himself. “I guess then I’ll have to prove you wrong..”. The plane went through slight turbulence and your grip on his hand tightened. “It’s alright. Just close your eyes and try to sleep okay?”.

You were woken up by the flight attendant informing Gojo that they were about to land in Okinawa. You realised your head was on his shoulder and you immediately straightened up. On your way to Gojo’s house you noticed how beautiful Okinawa was even though you couldn’t see much at night. The house was one of the Gojo clan’s ancestral homes and was a beautiful traditional Japanese style mansion surrounded by gardens. Men in coats took your bags from you as you followed Gojo inside. The dinner was filled with conversation about work and upcoming fundraisers. You didn’t want to sleep alone in this huge house and asked if you could share a room with Miwa to which she happily agreed.

Next morning the three of you left for the orphanage. You opted to wear a light dress with flats. Evn Gojo was dressed in a simple linen white shirt and blue jeans. When you got out of the car, you were greeted by children running towards Gojo. He bent down and patted them on their head. Miwa had told you last night that this orphanage was started by his mother before he was born and he came here often even when he was studying in the USA. You smiled to yourself looking at him interacting with kids. It was a fresh change from the image of a cold and calculating heir of the Gojo group. He introduced you to a woman named Carrie who managed the orphanage. You walked next to him in the garden looking at kids, some were drawing and some were playing with legos. One girl got up from his drawing table and ran to Gojo. He grabbed his wrist and dragged him, Gojo dragged you behind him. The girl was about 9 years old and was vocally impaired. She handed both of you an empty drawing sheet and crayons. Her name was lilly. She kept looking up at both of you but refused to show you her drawing. You spent the afternoon playing different games and drawing with the kids. It felt good to be away from the office politics and crowd of the city. Miwa came and reminded you that you need to get going for the fundraiser event.

You stood in front of the mirror as Miwa tried to fix the zip of your dress. You held the front of the dress with your palm over your chest, freaking out that it won’t be fixed. Gojo walked in and saw Miwa kneeling on the ground behind you trying to fix something and your face gave away how close you were to having a panic attack. “What’s wrong Miwa?”. “Sir the zipper is stuck. I am trying to fix it. Everything else is done”. Gojo walked and knelt to her side trying to see the problem. “Miwa go get ready. I’ll fix this”. “Yes sir”. She hurried out of the dressing room, leaving you two alone. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how this happened..”. “It’s alright y/n. It looks like it is stuck on the cloth.”. Gojo gave it a few tugs and zipped it upto your ribs in one go. “There, fixed it”. “Thank you so much”. You rushed to the other side and picked up the heels Miwa got for you. You sat on the bed and fumbled with the straps. You were still in a panic mode after the dress fiasco. Gojo chuckled and knelt in front of you. He held the hells and helped you slide your foot into it. “Calm down y/n..everything is fine”. You nodded frantically and Gojo helped you stand up. “You look beautiful;”. Heat rose to your cheeks and you were glad that makeup covered it.

“Your bow is tilted”. Without waiting for his response you fixed the bow, he was taller than you even in your heels and you had to tiptoe a little, his hands found their place on your waist and held you in your place. “Still not friends?”. He asked, raising an eyebrow. You scoffed as you got away, “No”.

Gojo was right, there was no Media but there were people. The moment you entered with Gojo everyone turned their head in your direction. “Oh boy”. You whispered under your breath which made him chuckle. “Relax y/n. They are more scared of you than you are of them”. You had to bite your lip to not laugh right there. Everyone smiled in your direction but you knew they were only for Gojo. You were just a show piece. The event was for special needs children of the orphanage and displayed their art along the walls. People could buy it and the money entirely goes to the orphanage. Everyone looked really rich but yet you hadn’t seen them in papers. You walked next to Gojo with your arm in his’ as you looked at the art on the wall. “Are you enjoying yourself?”. He whispered, leaning towards you still maintaining a smile on his face. “I have never seen any of these people..not even in papers”. “There are two kinds of rich people. One whom you know, the kind you see in papers and magazines. They are counted as celebrities. The other kind, whom you don’t know anything about are the ones who actually run the economy”.

You stopped in front of an art, a crayon drawing and both of your mouths fell open. It was a crayon drawing of a man and a woman standing next to each other and holding hands. The man had white hair and the woman was wearing a white dress. “Is that…?”. You asked, looking at him. He nodded and gestured something to Miwa and continued walking with you. You spoke to a few people about work, current affairs and how it affects the economy. Both you and Gojo were tired by the end of the night.

Miwa had left earlier than both of you. You got in the car after you said all your goodbyes and all you thought about was how badly the heels were killing you. You were proud of yourself for not spilling any wine on the dress, it earned you a lot of compliments after all. Gojo was equally tied with all the superficial business talks and pulled his bow tie and undid the top button of his shirt. “You tired?”. You asked, looking at his slumped form next to you. “Yeah. You?”. “Yeah”. Gojo straightened up and pulled out a paper bag. “You want wine?”. He asked, grinning at you. You both scooted close to each other and passed the wine bottle between both of you. Both of you were tipsy by the time you reached his house. He helped you get out of the car and both of you burst into a fit of giggles.

“Ssh you don’t want to wake up Miwa”. You said putting your finger over your lips. Gojo dragges you to his room and shuts the door behind with his legs. He pressed your back on the door and towered over you. Neither of you said anything for a while. You were not completely in your senses and couldn’t make out his expression in the dark room. “You look so fucking beautiful..”. Gojo gulped looking down at you. His blue eyes gleaming with adoration it held. “I don-t thin-”. Before you could finish your sentence Gojo crashed his lips onto yours,cupping your face in his palms. The world went silent for a second and it felt like the earth stood still around its axis. 6 years, he had waited 6 fucking years for this. You couldn’t move your lips out of shock, your resolve still standing against his. “Please..” He whispered against your lips as his thumbs ran circles on your cheeks and your resolve crumbled to dust with a single tear from your eyes. You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him back. He dragged his hands along your curves before settling on your waist as he pulled you into him. He wanted you closer. So close that all the distance these 6 years had put between you both disappeared. You moved your one hand out of his hair and held his cheek as you felt his mouth move against yours.

“Gojo..”. You whispered panting, he felt your breath on his lips and he was sure he was addicted to you. “I need you..”. His words made heat rise in your core. You couldn’t think straight anymore. You wanted him just as badly. You nodded and kissed him again. He moaned against your lips as he picked you up wrapping your legs around him. He carried you to the bed and gently laid you down without breaking the kiss. “You’re so beautiful..and all mine..”. He said between each kiss. You arched your back and wrapped your hand around his neck. His mouth moved from your lips to jaws to your neck, marking you. He kissed your exposed collarbone as his hand found the zipper of your dress. In one drag he removed your dress leaving your chest exposed to him. Within seconds both of yours’ clothes were discarded on the floor.He pulled you by your waist. He kissed you once more as his free hand ran all over your body. Feeling every inch of your skin. Your skin burned under his touch and you wanted more of him with each passing second. “I missed you so much..so fucking much..”. The kiss was sloppy and filled with moans. His hand slid towards your core and he looked at you for permission you could barely speak and let out a breathy yes..

His thumb ran circles on your clit and two of his fingers prodded inside your walls,his mouth latched onto your tits. Your hands found their place in his white locks as you rolled your hips against his fingers. “I..I am so close..”. He increased his pace and gave kitten licks to your sensitive nipples. Your body shuddered as you came over his fingers. He grabbed both of your arms above your head and slid his dick between your folds nudging at your clit. “No..please don’t..”. He smirked above you. “I missed this so much..I missed you so much y/n”. You looked into his eyes glossed with tears. “I missed you too..Satoru”. He chuckled as his tear landed on your cheek. He pushed in gently, scanning your face for any discomfort. His breath hitched as he bottomed out inside you. “I’m fine..”. He nodded at your confirmation and picked up his pace. You had never felt this good. You had hooked up before but this was different. It was euphoric. Gojo latched his lips with yours as he pushed your knees up and slowly rolled his his into you hitting the spot inside you with every roll making you gasp. He wanted to savour each second of this moment. Nothing mattered to him anymore. Not the past, not your relation with him, not even the future. All that mattered to him at this moment was you. He was edging himself just to feel you around him for a little longer. “Please…I..need..”. You clenched around him and he smirked as his one hand slid between both of you and pressed your clit. “Cum for me. Be a good girl and fucking cum for me”. He groaned as he felt you cum around his dick, his thrust grew sloppy as he came along with you.

He rolled off you and laid down on your side. The three words stuck inside your mind never came out. He brought a wet towel to clean you up while you lay on your back gasping for air with your eyes shut still trying to process what happened and what will happen now. He discarded the towel and pulled you into his chest. “Don’t think too much..”. He soothed the back of your head as you fell asleep in his arms.

You were the first to wake up. You gently opened your eyes to sunlight filling the room and found yourself still caged in Gojo’s arm. You admired his sleeping form and how beautiful he looked as sunlight reflected off of him. Then in a flash last night’s event came back to you. You panicked as you freed yourself and began grabbing your clothes from the floor. Gojo woke up supporting himself on his one arm as he rubbed his eyes. “Good Morning..”. You didn’t reply as you seemed to be looking for something. “Y/n what happened?”. He sat up. “I … this was a mistake”. You grabbed his shirt and put it over you. “What do you mean by mistake?”. He grabbed you by your arm and turned you towards him. “Look, last night shouldn’t have happened..”.

“Why not?”.

“Because I work for you!”.

“I don’t care about that”. He grabbed your face and tried to kiss you but you pulled away. “But I do..I do”.

“Y/n you are over thinking..we can make this work”. He said pulling you in and nuzzling his face in the crook of your neck, kissing over the marks he left last night.

“No we can’t!”. You tried pulling yourself away but his strong arms only pulled you in. “Why? Do you not like me anymore?”. You felt his hot breath on your ear and finally pushed him away before you could crumble under him again.

“You know why? Because I cannot move on from what has happened between us”

“That was years ago..I can forgive you”. You stopped in your tracks and turned towards him. “No..You can’t forgive me.I..this was a mistake and I’m sorry. I should have known better”.

“What do you mean? Do you hate me that much? You were the one who fucking broke my heart y/n! You were the one that signed that fucking contract! I can talk to my father and we can fix it..please..”. In that moment you could have told him the truth. He would have believed you but you didn’t. You knew if you told him the truth it would affect his relations with his already ill father. You might not have a family but he does. “This is it for me, Gojo. I don’t care about the fucking contract!”. You grabbed your clothes and walked out slamming the door on his face. The gift wrapped painting stayed under the bed..

It has been a month since your encounter with Gojo. Neither of you brought it up and neither of you tried to talk about it. There was an ice cold wall between you, you could see each other clearly but never touch.

You were in your cabin working with Miwa when Mei walked in, without knocking. Miwa straightened up in her presence. In past months Miwa had grown terrified of Mei. She treated her like she was her secretary rather than Gojo’s. She would make Miwa get coffee and then throw the coffee in the trash can as it was not the perfect temperature, or the cream was too much, sometimes simply because she changed her mind. Miwa dreaded working with her and preferred working with you instead. You had developed a friendship with her, you both even had lunch together at times. When Miwa showed you her sketches you truly appreciated them which made her feel welcome in the cold environment.

“Hi Mei, how can I help you?”. You put your pen down and leaned in your chair. You had gotten immune to her taunts and name calling. At one point you even thought of telling Gojo about it but when you found out about his father’s condition you changed your mind, not wanting to burden him with more office drama.

Mei took her seat opposite to you, crossing her legs, completely ignoring Miwa’s presence next to her. “I wanted to simply chat..”.

“About what?”. You understood it was nothing important and focused your attention on your laptop. “About you..and your apartment..”. You raised an eyebrow at her. When Gojo accidentally told her about you and him living in the same apartment complex you understood it was only about time that she would bring it up, you were surprised at how long it took. “What about it?”.

“I found out how you could afford it..”. You sighed. It was going to be one of the times when she calls you a gold digger. “What about it?”. Mei smiled at you. “You see y/n initially I was confused. So confused but then I realized that hey it’s y/n and she can do anything to get what she wants..So I did a little digging and found out that the apartment actually belongs to a cousin of your beloved friend Nanami Kento. Now let me tell you the truth. You joined the company with Nanami as your boss, a year later he lost his wife and had a kid. That's when you stepped in to help him with his loss, how sweet of you y/n. Then within six months you were promoted! That’s a pretty fast promotion..soon you were also looking to move out and guess what? Nanami helped you. He got you his cousin’s apartment at cheap rent! How sweet of him. But then I thought why would he help you so much? That’s when it clicked for me, this is you we are talking about..Nanami found an easy young girl to warm his bed and you found a new sugar daddy. I thought he was a man of honor and pride but I guess in the end men are men..”.

The cabin had pin drop silence. Even Miwa didn’t know what to do. You were staring at your hands on the table the entire time. Mei was elated as she spun the chair around. “You know what Mei? Go fuck yourself”. She stopped the chair and looked at you, “What did you say to me?”. You chuckled as you looked to your side and shook your head. Miwa had never seen you like this. There was no kindness on your face anymore. “Who the fuck gave you any right to pry into my personal life? You think only because you have the money to do so, you can .. you can get involved in anything? God you are so stupid. So fucking stupid”. You got up, your palms flat on the table as you leaned towards her. “Maybe you should focus on trying to do better work than waste your fucking time in poking your nose into my life, maybe that’s when you will understand how someone gets appreciated for their work. Yes you are right Nanami helped me with the apartment but do you know why he did it? Because my sister fucking killed herself! You want to know how I got my promotion? Because I worked fucking hard for it! Do you know what hard work is? Have you ever worked for anything Mei? I don’t think you have..Say what you want about about me but keep my friends’ name out of your fucking mouth..now get out”.

Mei sat frozen in her chair looking up at you. Everytime she crossed you, you’d always stay silent and let it go but who was this y/n in front of her?. “Did you not hear me? Get. Out.”. She got up and stormed out of your cabin. Miwa looked at you as you settled in your chair and rubbed your palms over your face. “Ms.y/n are you okay?”. You nodded at her as you wiped your tears. Miwa got up and placed a glass of water on your table. “Thanks”. You drank the water and got back to your work. You knew you could get fired for it. But if standing up for your friends costs you this job then so be it.

You got a message after lunch from Miwa, telling you that Gojo would like to see you in his office. You assumed it was about the report you were working on and carried it with you. You walked in and saw Mei sitting opposite to him, crying. Fuck my life. “You called for me?”. “Yes, come in”. Gojo said. You could see he was tense and pissed. His tie hung loosely around his neck and he had dark circles under his eyes. “Y/n apologize to Mei”. You frowned at him and looked at Mei who was wiping her tears with her silk handkerchief. “For what?”. Gojo signed in annoyance.

“For making her cry ''. You could not believe it. Was he really just going to pick a side without listening to you?. “I didn’t make her cry and I won’t apologize”. You did not want to cause him trouble but you were not going to let this slide.``Y/n..stop this right now! It was your fault so stop being stubborn and apologize”. You scoffed at him. “Do you even know what happened?”. Gojo was getting more annoyed by the second. This was the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. He had board members breathing down his neck and that unknown number and takahashi.

“I know enough! Just fucking apologize right now and get it over with! Your behavior was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for! ”. He yelled at you, making you flinch a little. Even Mei quite down with her sniffles. You gulped trying not to lose your cool. “I didn’t do anything-”. Before you could finish Gojo slammed his hands on the desk, “Y/n I am asking this for the last time..stop behaving like a fucking child”. Your hands trembled at your side. “Do you want to listen to my side of the incident?”.

“I don’t care. Just do as you're told.Don’t think you can get away with anything only because of what had happened”. You couldn’t believe him, you couldn’t believe he was pulling this card. Right now. You turned towards Mei, “Mei, I am sorry for saying what I said. I should have used better words, I should have known better. But I meant everything I said”. You turned towards Gojo with a formal smile. “Is this good enough?”. He looked at Mei who nodded in agreement. “You can go y/n”.

“No. I apologized for my behavior. Yes it was unprofessional but it wasn’t uncalled for. I had every reason to be upset. I know you don’t trust me and you wouldn't believe anything I say so I request you to ask Miwa. She was present at the time”. Mei’s eyes shot up towards Gojo, “You can’t trust Miwa! Of course she will take her side!”.

“You wanted me to apologize so I did. All I ask from you is to hear my side as well”.

“I trust Miwa”. Gojo said as he picked up the phone and called for her. Mei was trembling in her seat praying to god that Miwa be busy somewhere. But she wasn’t.

She walked through the door a few seconds later. She could sense the tension in the room and figured out what was going on. Gojo asked Miwa to tell him everything and she did. She told him everything that Mei said about you and Nanami. She told him everything you said to her. Gojo’s eyes shot towards you when he heard what you said about your sister. He had no idea. Mei had hardly told him anything. She didn’t lie but she didn’t tell him the entire truth and now he felt stupid. He couldn’t believe he took out all that anger on you. You had your eyes fixed on his table and Gojo could see how hard you were trying not to break down. “Here’s the report you had asked for”. You placed the report on his table and walked out.

“Stop..Look I am sorry..I was irrational. I have the board voting tonight and .. just a lot going on right now”. You bit the inside of your cheeks. This was all an excuse. You had read those magazines and all the tweets about how he and Mei were the new power couple. “All the best then. Hope they vote in your favour”. You were not going to forgive him. He didn’t just act irrationally, the whole thing was insulting to you. It made you feel how he would never trust you and how it would always be your words against everyone else’s.

Gojo was sitting in his dad’s office. It felt weird. But Mrs.Tanaka had insisted that he become the acting chairman until the board voted him in. Mrs.Tanaka took his position as the CEO which caused a rift between him and Takahashi. But he couldn’t have Takahashi take the position as the CEO when he was planning on exposing him. The only way to pacify him was Mei. He had been going out with Mei, making sure that he is seen by the paparazzi every time they step out. Mei was believing it all. Though to her disappointment Gojo still insisted that you would work with him and not mrs.Tanaka. Ever since the trip to Okinawa Gojo had been wondering if he could start again with you. When Geto confronted him about this he told him that once he becomes the chairman officially he will start afresh with you. At least try to..Right now he had to make sure that he was playing the game the right way.

He was about to leave for a meeting when he got a message notification from an unknown number.

Unknown : Takahashi knows about your plan

Gojo froze in his place. Gojo : Who is this?

Unknown : Just returning the favour. I have proof.

Gojo stared at his screen, confused. The only people who knew about that were ,MrsTanaka, Geto and...you. The number sent a voice recording.

“.... Oh he thinks he can do something about it. But we cleaned the entire port...yea ya thanks to my intel….Of course it can be trusted..she took good money for it. She works with him and he trusts her that’s how…”.

Gojo’s hands trembled as he heard it. He decided to ignore the message..for now.

He sent the recording to Geto who confirmed that it was Takahashi. “Do you think she did it?”.

‘I don’t know..”.

“Satoru, don't jump to the conclusion he can be talking about Mrs.Tanaka as well..”.

“I don’t think so. She is the one who would gain the most out of Takahashi going away..”.

“I just can’t believe she would do it.. betray me again..I don’t want to believe it”.

“Then don’t jump to conclusions you idiot and let me figure it out..”.

“I fucking can’t believe it sho! Like he fucking yelled at me! Without even listening to me. I expected this from Mei but not from him”. You ran your hand through your hair as you paced around. Shoko sat still on the couch. The cigarette between her fingers burning. “Y/n ..calm down..”.

“No I can’t! Do you know ho fucking pissed I am right now! I have been taking every insult she threw at me for months only because I didn’t want to bother him but look what happened? Fuck it I should have done the same thing she did! It wouldn’t even be a lie..”. The doorbell rang and Shoko got up to open it. You sat on the couch trying to calm yourself down. You looked up and saw Geto walk in. Great, now I can’t even rant out. You rolled your eyes at him. He looked towards Shoko and all she said was, “Bad day”.

“Not just a bad day! Fucking worst day!”. Geto chuckled and sat opposite to you. “I guess my best friend had something to do with it?”. “Him and his girlfriend”. Shoko chipped in. You looked at both of them. They looked like they were hiding something. “What are you two upto?”.

“Y/n we have something to tell you..” Shoko looked nervous. “Are you guys getting married?”. Geto blushed slightly. “What?! No! It’s not that. Promise me you’d be calm please”.

“Fine..what is it?”. Geto brought out his phone and handed it to her. “Y/n I know you said that we would never talk about what happened with..the whole poster situation..But I kind of asked Suguru to look into it”. You frowned at her. “You did what?”. She sighed and Geto put his arm on her shoulder. “I know but please don’t get mad at this. I had to, okay? You..y/n you went through hell because of that and I couldn’t just let it slide so I asked him to look into it and he found the guy who did it and got a confession from him”. Shoko blurted everything out in one breath. Geto handed her a glass of water.

“Shoko what are you talking about? Are you telling me you know who did this? Shoko please..”.

“It was Mei. I..We don’t know why she did it but she did. We got the confession from that man on a recording and if you want we can file a complaint..”. She opened the recording and played it for you.

“-I don’t know why! She sent me the money and asked for proof of work, that's all. It wasn’t the first time I worked for her so we knew each other..please just let me go!......she paid the station officer and the police officer … they are a dangerous family…let me go..Takahashi Mei..”.

You looked up at two pairs of concerned eyes. “I am going to kill her..No no no no..All this time I thought it was just some delinquents who did for thr fuck of it.. why would she? I have never done anything bad to her?! Fuck why shoko? why?”. You were in shock. Nothing made sense. You thought she hated you because you dated Gojo but the incident happened when you both were not even talking!. “Does Gojo know?”.

“He doesn’t but I can tell him”. Geto said, taking the phone away.

“No. Not now. He has a lot on his plate-”.

“I can’t believe you are still thinking about him!”. Shoko said in frustration. “I am not thinking about him. Telling this to Gojo does not make any sense! This is between me and Mei so it will stay between us. I don’t care if she did it because of Gojo or did it for her entertainment but it stays between us!. No one will say anything to him. I will confront Mei..”.

You called Mei and asked her to meet you at a cafe under the pretense of making it up to her. You sat outside waiting for her. Your eyes were puffy and your throat hurt from all the screaming and crying. She arrived with a gloating smile on her face. “So you finally came to your senses”.

“I did..I am glad I did. But can I ask you something?”.

“Sure, go ahead. But, please make it quick. I need to meet Satoru”. She said winking at you.

“Why do you hate me? I know it is not because of my social standing or my clothes so why?”. Wind blew, making strands of your hair fall on your face. You thought you would be angry at her but now that you see her, all you feel is sadness. A heavy blanket of sadness.

“Because you alway took what’s mine and you are still doing it. I have loved Satoru all my life. He is everything I have ever wanted and you took him away from me.”.

“Who told you that I took money from his father to break up with him? or that I gave up my scholarship?”. Mei looked away biting her lip. “Why are you asking me this now?”.

“Mei..please..just answer”.

“I don't owe you any explanation..”.

“You know the truth right? About my sister and about everything else. Right?”. Her eyes shot up at you. You sat there smiling at her. Smiling like you will forgive every sin in this moment. “Y/n… why?”.

“You paid Akiba to harass me. Why?”. She clenched her palms on her lap and her throat went dry. “I don’t know what you’re talking about..”. You placed your phone on the table and played the recording. Mei stared wide eyed at the recording, tears fell down her cheeks..”How did..how did you..”.

“I just want to know why? You knew my sister was bed ridden and out of work. You knew my situation so why did you? Why do you hate me so much?”. Mei sat looking down. Tears falling down her cheeks. She had nothing to say. No apology could fix it. “Are you..are you going to tell this to Satoru?”.

“No. But cross me again and I might. You stay away from me..”. You grabbed your phone and bag and left. Mei sat crying, scared that you might tell Satoru and everything would be over for her. She was so close! So close to getting what she wanted! She did the only thing she could and called her uncle.

Truth was she didn’t hate you. All her actions were out of jealousy. When you got the student achievement award she saw how her father looked on the stage at you, she could feel he was disappointed in her. She saw how people always talked to you and how you were always surrounded by friends, friends that she wished she had. Friends that were not bought by matching Chanel bags. She was jealous of you. She wanted everything you had. She had family and money but yet she was jealous of you and she hated this. Her ego wouldn’t allow her to be jealous so she started hating on you..it was easier than accepting the truth. She had spent so much time hating and hating that she didn’t realise her mistakes. Everything was fair, every action was justified when it was directed towards you.

She was not going to give up now..

Toji waited outside Takahashi’s office. He was called here for some “work”. He could hear the man talking to someone inside, “Yeah don’t worry…He will become the chairman..that is given. The girl? Yeah I will take care of her. You have already sent the recording to him with the number I gave you right? so he is not going to trust her now..yes yes that night….Why feel bad? She has no family, who is going to miss her?”. He gave a hearty laugh. Toji understood it was dirty work. “Oi Toji come in!”. Toji stood at the side of the table.

“Take care of this for me. Make it look like an accident. Got it?”. Before Toji could open his mouth to refuse Takahashi opened the file and his eyes landed on a photo of yours. His eyes were glued to that photo and his palms turned sweaty. ‘What ? Do you like her or something? Fine then have fun with her if you want but she needs to go okay?”. Toji realised what he was talking about. If he didn’t take the job someone else would. “Fine. But double the money for the accident”. Takahashi laughed as he placed two stacks of money on the table. “Have fun”. He winked at Toji and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

The file felt heavy in his hand. This was his chance to do some good. Something that his son could be proud of. He went home and opened the file and picked up your photo. It looked like it was taken in your cabin. He squinted as he noticed something familiar in the background. It was Megumi’s drawing…

Takahashi leaned in his chair. His dream of becoming a part of the Gojo family was finally going to come true. The board will vote in his favour, you will be out of picture and Mei will be with Gojo. He had even paid every gossip magazine in the city to post about Gojo and Mei every week. When time comes for Mei to take his side, she will be well accepted by the public. Public opinion matters, Because after that even if Gojo wants he won’t be able to leave Mei. But he wondered how you found out about Akiba..Who was helping you? Toji?

As soon as Toji left, Takahashi picked up his phone and called for Sukuna.

“I have a job..”.

“Price?”.

“Double..I had given it to Toji but he had doubts. I have sent you the details of the girl”.

“Done”.

Gojo stood before the board members with his father by his side, as they clapped for him. He was their new chairman.Every news channel in the country was there, his eyes burned with the flash. He looked over at Takahahsi who was smiling at him. Guess keeping Mei close paid off in the end. He bowed to them and signed the papers. He couldn’t believe it worked out for him. Two months ago he promised his father that he would make him proud and now he had the chance to do it. But something felt off. The recording from the unknown number was still playing in his head and yet you were the first person he wanted to tell this news to..

The whole week was spent in meeting with different clients and closing some old projects. He didn’t receive any message from the unknown caller again. In any normal circumstance he would have sought you out and told you how he made it but you had taken a sudden leave and even your phone was not reachable. This increased his suspicion. Did she leave after taking the money? Did she find out that I knew and left?. He even went to your apartment twice but it seemed that you weren’t home anymore. He was growing frustrated by each passing day. He asked Miwa to contact you but even she couldn’t reach you.

“Suguru I need you to find her!”.

“I..I know where she is but I can’t tell you. Please understand..”.

“What do you mean you know? Tell me dammit where is she? Are you protecting her?”. Gojo paced around his office as he yelled into his phone.

“Calm down. She just needs some time to be alone okay.. Even though I don't know everything, trust me she hasn’t said anything to Takahashi..”.

“Why should I trust you when you are barely telling me anything!”.

“I can’t!”.

“Since when do we keep secrets from each other?”.

“Satoru..please calm down. Just give her some time..”.

“I can’t fucking believe it. She even turned you against me.. I can’t believe I trusted her again..You know what tell her she’s fucking fired!”.

“Satoru!”. The ever calm Geto raised his voice at his best friend. “I don’t are if you trust her or not but trust me please!”.

“Prove it to me she is innocent. Because I have proof that she isn’t”.

“Do you seriously want proof? After everything that she did for you…she was there for you Satoru all the time! She was there for you when all the fucking senior board members cornered you. She helped you stand against them and you are doubting her?! Did you ever ask about her? Did you ever ask what she was going through? Fucking proof..”.

“Yes I do want proof! Because I was ready to leave the past behind but she was the one who fucked it up AGAIN! Either she talks to me or I am taking her to court for this.”.

“You’re being irrational”.

“I don’t care. Tell her to talk to me”.

“Fine but not right now I’ll bring her to you ..”. Geto sighed as he cut the call. He turned around and saw you standing, looking at the ground as tears ran down your cheeks. “He thinks..I leaked the information?”

“Y/n don’t believe everything he says.. He is just not himself right now..”. You chuckled as you looked up at him. “I guess I am fired..”.

“Can you just text him? He will calm down if you just talk to him”. Geto looked at you with pleading eyes. “We have two days. I promise I will find out who did it..”

Geto had told you about Takahashi the moment he got the recording from Gojo. He was the one who asked you to move in with Shoko knowing well how dangerous Takahashi can get. He hated hiding things from his best friend but this was the best he could do given the situation..Now he had two days.

Y/n : Congratulations.

Gojo : Where are you? We need to talk.

Y/n : I can’t meet you right now. I’m sorry.

Gojo : Just let me see you, meet me I’m serious y/n.

Y/n : Do you think I did it?

Gojo : It doesn't matter

Y/n : Please tell me do you think I did it?

Gojo : Yes.

You were frozen the moment you saw Gojo's text. He didn't trust you, even now, even after everything you have been through nothing had changed and you were still the same y/n as you were years ago. You were glad that you took the leave and stayed with Shoko, being in office around him and going back to an empty house would have been worse. After that night with Gojo things had begun to go sour between the two of you. You hardly spoke to each other save for the formal greeting. Maybe this was the reason for him to doubt you. The fact that you pushed him away? Even if things were the same, this time you were not going to let him blame you for something you didn't do. You have dealt with Mei and you can deal with Gojo as well. You felt nauseous and ran to the bathroom to relieve yourself..Maybe all this is taking a toll on me.

Meanwhile , Geto made his way towards Gojo’s office. He had to see for himself, even though he didn’t have a search warrant he was going to do everything he could. Gojo stood from his chair when he saw Geto walk through the door. “What are you doing here?”.

“Look, I don't have time. I need to search your office. I don’t have a warrant but I don’t have time to get one..”.

“What is this about?”.

“I just need to find proof that y/n is innocent..”. Gojo sat back in his chair and laughed. “Fine, do as you please but you won’t get any assistance from me. I need to go now. See you at the party tomorrow..”.

"Why don't you trust her?".

"She has hurt me for money before and she can do it again .". Gojo shrugged, pretending to not be affected by it but Geto could see right through him. He saw that Gojo didn't want to believe it but he had to. Believing a lie was easier for him than accepting the truth.

"How do you know that she took money to break up with you?"

"I saw the contract Geto I am not stupid … here I was thinking of starting fresh and all the while she was planning on betraying me".

"We don't know that-".

"It's up to her to prove she is innocent.. I gotta go now. Wish me luck". Gojo left without looking back at his best friend.

Geto got to work. He started looking for any listening devices or anything at all. He was interrupted by a blue haired girl, “Mr.Geto..”. He turned towards her. “Yes..I have permission from Satoru. You can call him”. He said and returned his attention back to his work. “I know. I just want to say that Ms.Y/n is innocent..”. Geto paused what he was doing and looked at the girl who looked like she was about to cry. “You knew Ms.Y/n?”. She nodded politely. “Can I ask you some questions?”. “Yes”.

“How long have you known Ms.y/n?”.

“Seven months now.”.

“How were your relations?”.

“It was good. We were like friends. We had lunch together sometimes”.

“How were her relations with everyone in the office?”.

“It was good. She was..is well liked by everyone except Ms.Mei..”. Geto nodded and wrote down the details in his notepad.

“Did she ever tell you anything about Mr.Takahashi?”.

“No”.

“Did she ever speak to Mr.Takahashi?”.

“Only in meetings. Mostly her work was with Mr.Gojo and Mrs.Tanaka.”.

“Who worked with Mr.Takahashi?”.

“Ms.Mei worked with Mr.Gojo and Mr.Takahashi”.

“Did Ms.Mei and y/n share a common laptop? or working space?”.

“No.. Their working space and everything was different".

“Have you ever seen Ms.Mei alone in y/n’s cabin?”.

“I.. am not sure. There were times when Ms.Y/n was in a meeting with Mrs.Tanaka and I was away so I am not sure about that”.

“How was Mei with you and others?”.

“She is temperamental. It is hard to tell what can trigger her..”.

“Has she ever been aggressive with you?”.

“She once threw a water bottle at me, luckily it didn’t hit me”.

“Can you take me to y/n’s cabin?”. Miwa guided him to your cabin. Geto entered and flicked on the light switch. He looked around tapping his pen on his notepad. He noticed the drawing and other few personal things on your desk and around it.

“Can I have a look at CCTV footage?”. He turned towards Miwa who looked embarrassed. “You see if I have to prove y/n is innocent I will need it..”.

“Yes. I will get it and I can email it to you..”. Geto nodded and smiled at her. “Mr.Geto, I think you should check Mr.Gojo’s old office. The one you were looking at was the new one..”. She took him to Gojo’s old office which was empty now. As Geto looked around, Miwa thought about all the time you spent there. Late night working with you and Mr.Gojo and how you would always end up eating pizza as you worked into the morning.

Geto saw a paper weight on his shelf behind his chair, which looked out of place. He picked it up and examined it. It was pyramid shaped and completely made out of wood. He twisted it around to check if it opened up but it didn’t. He tried sliding the bottom open and it slid open. Geto brought it to the table and switched on the table lamp. It looked like some kind of recording device. He saw the carving on the bottom which looked like a shop logo. Bingo.

“Miwa I think we got it…”. Geto winked at her.

Toji has visited your apartment four times already but you were never there. He even waited outside your office but never saw you. He was going restless with each passing day. He was about to return home after waiting outside your office for the whole day, when he saw the newspaper on a stand which showed Gojo’s photo. He picked it up and read through it. Gojo had become the chairman. He cursed under his breath. He heard some people who seemed to be working in the same office talk about the party. She would have to be at the party. If not then I will tell Gojo myself.

Gojo was standing in front of his mirror fixing his tie when Mei walked in. “You look so Handsome..”. “Thank You”. She reached out to help him but he simply swatted her hand away. “I can do it”. She waited for him to compliment her for her custom Dior dress that she wore just for this occasion but he stayed silent.

“I have something I need to tell you”. She said, wiping a fake tear from her eye. Gojo turned towards her, confused as to what changed her mood suddenly. “What happened?”.

“I don’t want to talk about it now. It’s your special day and I don’t want to ruin it…”.

“Mei, tell me what happened. I won’t ask twice”. Gojo checked her phone for the third time since Mei arrived, waiting for Geto’s text. “It’s y/n. She threatened me..”.

“What are you talking about..?”.

“She found out that I was the one who sent you the text telling you that she Leaked the information to my uncle. She said she had contacts and she could ruin my life. I wanted to remain anonymous but I don’t know if she found out about it. Ever since she threatened me she hasn’t come to office so I couldn’t apologise to her”. Mei broke into sobs and Gojo felt blood rush through her veins. “I didn’t want to bring it up given uncle’s health and all the pressure on you but I am scared of her.”.

“You should have told me Mei..”.

“I did tell her that I would tell you everything but she said she had you wrapped around her fingers and that you wouldn’t believe me anymore..I am so sorry ‘toru..”. Gojo sat next to her and rubbed her back. “Mei are you sure she was the one who leaked the information to your uncle..?”.

“Yes ‘toru! How else would I even know about it. I heard my uncle talk about it and I secretly recorded it. I didn’t wan tot betray my family but I couldn’t betray you..I’m so sorry”.

“You have nothing to be sorry about Mei..I will fix it..Don’t worry”.

Gojo left the room with Mei behind him and was greeted by his father with Takahashi standing next to him. “Dad you should be resting”. His father swatted his hand in dismissal. “Not tonight. Tonight I will celebrate my Son. Mei you look lovely..”. “Thank you Mr.Gojo”.

Geto had asked you to meet him at Gojo's house tonight. You weren't sure if you should go considering it was a celebration for him but you didn't have time to lose. You were dressed in a simple evening gown that you had borrowed from Shoko. You took your car and drove to Gojo's house praying that he'll listen to you. When you reached there you saw Geto already standing outside. "Geto!".

"Y/n you made it! I got the proof. Don't worry about anything, okay?". You nodded. Glad that Geto found the proof of your innocence. "Let's go find that idiot". You followed him inside trying to stay out of sight of anyone from the office.

Toji saw you entering the party with a man in black leather jacket and picked up his pace to follow you inside. But once he reached inside he lost track of you amongst the huge crowd that had gathered.

Geto led you around the side of the house, away from plain sight. Gojo had told him this way. He found the door and opened it. You were inside what looked like a kitchen. You followed Geto through the hallway and up the stairs. You could hear the people in the background and wondered where Geto was taking you. He led you into an empty study room. You entered the room and saw Miwa there. "Miwa!". She ran and hugged you. "I'm so glad you're fine! I was so worried!". "I'm fine but where is Gojo?". "He'll be here". Three of you waited in silence for Gojo. Each second felt like an hour.

The door opened and Gojo stormed in with Mei behind him. "So you finally decide to show your face". He was standing right in front of you, seething with anger. "I know you are angry but just listen to me".

"WHY SHOULD I ?!"

"Because I haven't done anything! Can you for a second just listen! Geto has all the proof that you need! Just..just look at it and then you can think what you want". Gojo looked at Geto. "Do you have the proof Geto?".

"I do. I found a recording device in your office and I checked the email that apparently was sent from y/n's id to you know whom.." he said looking at Mei.

"Speak freely, Geto. Mei is with me..". Mei winked at you which made your stomach churn. Something was not right.."The email that was sent from y/n' s id to Takahashi was sent when y/n wasn't in the office. She was having lunch with Miwa". Gojo looked at Miwa, "Is that true?". "Yes sir!".

"I checked the CCTV tapes and the only person who went inside y/n's cabin was Mei". You bit your lips nervously scared of the outcome. Gojo smiled at Geto. "Mei was the one who told me about y/n. She didn't reveal her identity because y/n had threatened her days before that. She was scared. She might have gone inside her cabin but she is innocent".

"Are you serious? What threats did I give Mei?".

"That you would ruin her if she ever crossed you again. Days before this you made her cry and then you threatened her… she had no choice but to tell the truth to me". Gojo spoke, taking strong steps towards you, making your back hit the wall. He grabbed you by your shoulders and looked straight into your eyes, "Tell me y/n did you or did you not threaten her?". His eyes bhad madness in them. Like he had seen enough, heard enough. He was not going to forgive anyone anymore. You were too late.

"I did but it's not what you-".

"Then why the fuck should I believe anything you say!". He pushed you against the wall. Your head hit the back of the wall and Gojo froze realising what he had done. You lost every logical argument in your head. Geto stepped in and pulled him away from you. "Gojo listen to me, let me explain everything-".

"No Geto. He is not going to believe you… he … he is not going to believe me … it's all over…". You said and ran out of the room. "What is wrong with your Satoru! Do you even fucking listen! It wasn't her fault! Mei harassed her and that's why she confronted her! She didn't threaten her out of spite! I was the one who found out it was Mei who harrassed her, she fucking…dude she made nude posters of y/n and stuck it around her house, it got so bad that she had to change house and her number…do you realise what you have done? You hurt y/n…you fucking hurt her Satoru! " .Geto was yelling at his best friend when the door opened and a man came inside, gasping for air. Gojo recognised the man, the one with a scar on his mouth.

"Who are you?".

"Toji…where's y/n…need to see y/n". Gojo walked towards him, "Why do you need to see her?".

"Look, I don't have much time… something bad is going to happen to her... It's Takahashi… I need to find her". Geto made sense of things and pushed Gojo aside. "Shit! Takahashi is going to harm her!". Toji nodded. Geto turned towards Gojo, "This might be your last chance to do the right thing..". The two men ran after Gojo who guided them outside. Geto looked for your car but it was gone.

Gojo started his car as Toji and Geto got in. "Who told you this?".

"He hired me to take care of her but I think he figured out I won't be doing it . I think he must have given the job to someone else.."

"Why didn't you do it?". Geto asked Toji. "Because, because I have done something horrible to her years ago and she saved my son. I just want to help her".

"Fuck. Fuck what have I done…fuck!". Gojo slammed his palms on the steering wheel. "She must be headed to meet Shoko..". Geto frowned thinking hard if that's the place you'd go to or your house to be alone..

"I don't know . Shoko is at work so I think she will go to her house. Toji, how do you know Takahashi?".

"I work for him. Pretty things mostly. I have also worked for Mr.Gojo..".

"What kind of work?". "Suguru, now is not the time to interrogate him!". "Focus on the road. Let me do my job".

"Mostly dirty work..forging documents..".

“Why did Takahashi call you for this job?”.

“I stopped working for him a year ago but some of my family members ran into debt and I needed money urgently so I approached him to ask if he had any work for me and he did..Look I want to help y/n but I have a son and I can’t get involved with the police”.

“Help us crack Takahashi and I promise you that you’ll be fine”. Geto said, committing everything to his memory.

“How did y/n save your son?”. Toji told him about the incident at the store. “Satoru! Shoko just texted me, she is not at her place. She must have gone back to hers’”.

"What did you do to y/n?". Gojo asked, his jaw clenched and breathing ragged. "I .. I was the one who forged the documents your father gave you ..". Gojo heard a ringing in his eyes as blood rushed to his brain. Everything suddenly moved in slow motion. The..contract? it can’t be. Dad wouldn’t..would he?

"That's her car! Stop!". Geto yelled, pointing on the other side of the road, coming from the opposite direction. The car came to a screeching halt as three men got down. Gojo ran towards you without caring of the cars honking around him.

You didn't see the car that stopped on the other side. You didn't see a white haired man running towards you. You didn't see the black van coming from the other side. The last thing you saw was a bright white light before everything turned dark…

@fushiigumi03

Next Part

[tongue-like-a-razor]

There are Exceptions

(Part 2 of There Are Rules)

Pete "Maverick" Mitchell x F!Reader

Summary: Your Top Gun instructor continues to condemn your reckless behavior - this time out of the cockpit - while simultaneously being drawn to you against his better judgement.

CW: age gap (20-25 years), angst, swearing, some fluff, fairly mature content so please read at your own discretion. I'm gonna say this is a mature read just to be safe, not really sure where the line is, y'all.

WC: 2000+

Twenty minutes after your encounter with Maverick in the locker room, you walk into the debriefing room to find Cyclone pacing back and forth in front of the whiteboard with his hands in his pockets. When he sees you, he shoots you a stern look before shaking his head and turning away in disgust. You glance at Maverick who is standing to the side, watching you uneasily.

“Tell me what she’s still doing here,” Cyclone says through gritted teeth.

“She’s not going anywhere,” Maverick responds resolutely.

Cyclone looks over at Maverick sharply. “Excuse me?”

Maverick reciprocates his unyielding expression. “She made a mistake. I’ve already spoken with her.”

“You’ve spoken with her?” Cyclone raises his eyebrows in astonishment.

You make your way further into the room, waiting for an opportunity to communicate your version of events. Your call to land your aircraft despite unilateral engine failure was not a mistake, and you intend to voice that opinion.

“It’s my decision,” Maverick says, eyeing you grimly. “And my decision is that she stays.”

Cyclone watches Maverick bitterly. “Get her out of my sight,” he says dangerously.

Maverick’s gaze remains fixed on you as you let out a sigh, prepared to defend your actions. Maverick shakes his head slightly, cautioning you against it, so you press your lips together forcefully. Fighting to keep your anger at bay, you salute your superiors and proceed to storm out of the room before you could make the situation worse.

…

You head out into the parking lot in a fury without even checking to see if perhaps Maverick has followed you out. You toss your bag into the backseat and slam the door so hard that your car shakes. You start the engine just as Maverick steps out of the building, glancing around. Putting the car into drive, you hit the gas aggressively, pulling out of your parking spot with excessive momentum. He watches you wearily as you speed past him and you see him shaking his head and heading for his bike at a run in your rear-view mirror.

You find yourself hardly caring how he feels about your theatrics. You’re so furious that you know you’re not thinking clearly. If your rage makes your driving reckless, then so be it. You swerve between the sluggish cars, cursing every driver for not getting out of your way fast enough. Behind you, Maverick is following suit, so you clench your jaw and push down on the gas pedal, pulling a sharp turn at the intersection.

Two seconds later, you see Maverick appear on your left, signaling with his arm for you to pull over. You obstinately look straight ahead, ignoring him. You don’t want to see his stupid face any more than you want to go back to Top Gun and see Cyclone’s. You can’t tell if you’re more pissed off that Maverick walked out of the locker room before the two of you could resolve whatever the fuck it was that happened, or that he let Cyclone dismiss you without even giving you a chance to stick up for yourself. Either way, you’re not in the mood to be chewed out for a third time in one day.

You glance over at him again, noticing that he’s yelling something at you from the neighboring lane. You look back at your speedometer and realize that you’re going 30 miles over the speed limit. You let out a frustrated sigh and ease your pressure on the gas, letting the car slowly decelerate. You pull off to the side of the road, a cloud of sand lifting off the shoulder as you hit the breaks. Maverick pulls up right in front of you and hops off his bike before you’ve even unbuckled your seat belt.

He walks around the front of your car and slams his palm on the hood. “Do you have a death wish?” he yells so loudly that you hear him even with the window rolled up.

You stare at him mutely through the windshield as his jacket flaps in the breeze. The wind is messing up his hair and flattening his t-shirt against his abdomen and you’re irritated that you find him attractive even when you’re this mad. He’s in his aviators so you can’t see his eyes, but he looks livid; his jaw is tight, his lips pressed together in a thin line.

He steps around the side mirror, leaning down to peer into your window. “Open the door,” he orders.

You give him a flat look and turn away, so he knocks on the window.

“Y/N,” he calls. “I’m not leaving until you open the door.”

You sigh, wondering what he wants from you now, considering where you left things not even an hour prior. His knuckles rap on the window again and you look over at him coldly. Maverick takes off his sunglasses, hooking them into the neck of his t-shirt, and his eyes betray his concern despite the hard set of his jaw.

“Are you okay?” he asks through the window.

The fact that he’s concerned enrages you. How dare he presume to care now? Yet his troubled tone paired with the agonised lift of his eyebrows weakens your already volatile composure. You feel the sting of tears behind your eyes and you shut them tightly trying to hold back every last one. You turn away from the window, lowering your gaze.

Maverick leans his head into the glass, trying the door again even though he knows you haven’t unlocked it. “Talk to me, Y/N.”

You close your eyes, knowing that sooner or later you’ll have to face him again. You reach for the lock and, the moment it clicks, Maverick pulls the door open. You’re still not looking at him, however, because you’re too busy trying to neutralize the sudden onset of emotion, a condition with which you’re not too often afflicted. Your efforts fall short as several tears escape, dropping into your lap.

“Hey,” Maverick says, lowering himself into a crouched position by the side of your car. “Hey,” he repeats, laying a hand on your leg. “Please don’t,” he says, curling his fingers around the hand in your lap. “Don’t cry,” he whispers.

You lick your lips, glancing down at him with eyes full of tears, and his tortured expression crumbles further.

“Y/N,” he whispers, lifting his hand up to cup your cheek. He moves his thumb under your eye, catching a tear.

You let out a small sigh, leaning your face into his hand. Maverick furrows his brows, trying to mask the look of longing on his face. He pulls on your hand that’s still firmly in his grasp and brings it to his brow as he lowers his head.

“What do I do here, Y/N?” he mutters. “Tell me what to do.”

You have a few ideas but you decide to keep them to yourself. He’s too stubborn to listen to anybody but himself anyway.

“I’m sorry,” he says. “I’m sorry that I crossed the line today.”

It seems impossible that words could elicit this much hurt, and yet his words inflict an agony you’ve never experienced. Your only solace is that he looks just as broken as you feel.

Your extremely competent, confident instructor is falling apart right before your eyes and you’ve never wanted him more because it’s you who’s affected him in this way. You pull your hand back, taking his with it, and he glances up at you defeatedly. You twist your fingers out of his grasp and place your hand on the wheel. “I should go,” you say, wiping your face resolutely.

He nods, grabbing the door and lifting himself up. He sighs, glancing in either direction before patting the roof of your car. “Go slower,” he requests.

You let out a wry chuckle. “That’s not my style.”

Maverick shakes his head with a grim expression. “Please, don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re indestructible.”

You stare ahead at his bike a few feet away from your car. “Where’s your helmet, Captain?”

Maverick scoffs, a smirk materializing on his face. He nods, pursing his lips. “I am a terrible role model,” he admits.

“Kind of an unfortunate trait considering your profession,” you note.

Maverick laughs, lowering his head to peek into your car. “I’ll get a helmet if you slow down,” he offers.

“Not like you to play it safe,” you say, a hint of disappointment in your tone.

He sighs. “There are road rules for a reason.”

“Again with the rules,” you say rolling your eyes.

He watches you quietly for a moment and you know you’ve hit a nerve. “Some rules don’t have exceptions,” he says.

You meet his gaze. “And others?”

Maverick’s expression darkens. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Y/N,” he says, and pushes off the car with a heavy sigh, shutting your door.

You watch him walk back to his bike, his jacket flapping in the wind. He stands there for a moment, staring at the seat somberly. He hesitates for several seconds, then lifts his gaze to look at you through your windshield. He shakes his head slightly and sets his jaw, glancing upward as though he’s cursing whatever higher power has made him feel the way he does about you. His mouth twitches and, as though he’s made a split-second decision, he’s suddenly turning back, stuffing his keys into his pocket as he marches toward your car.

You stare at him in shock as he pulls your door open forcefully. The next moment, he’s ducking his head into your car. His mouth is clamped shut as he tries to compose himself, but he’s breathing so forcefully, his chest is heaving with each inhalation. His eyes are sweeping over your face with such ferocity that it feels obscene in the most amazing way. His jaw remains taut as his face hovers just out of reach, and you want more than anything to pull yourself closer, to kiss away the worried crease between his eyebrows.

He releases another heavy sigh, his hand sinking into your thigh. “If you think that this has been easy for me,” he says steadily. “That your face, your voice” – he inhales slowly – “your smell has given my mind a moment’s respite, you’re wrong.”

His other hand finds its way up your neck, curving around the back of your head. You shudder as his thumb brushes over your lips, nearly vibrating with desire. You want to ask him why he’s fighting it if you’ve been occupying his thoughts as much as he has been yours. But all that escapes your mouth is a hollow gasp as his thumb pulls down your lower lip, parting it from the top.

“First day of your training, you walked in with your hair down,” he says. “You stood at your desk, twisting it back up before taking your seat, pen between your teeth. You were laughing at something and I” – he closes his eyes for a moment – “I was gone. I knew it right then.”

You gulp down what feels like a solid bubble of air because your mouth is so dry. “Captain Mitchell,” you say quietly. His hand tightens on your thigh at the words. “I was standing because I wanted you to notice me.”

Maverick’s gaze softens, his mouth curving upward in a warm smile as he watches you fondly. “Oh, I noticed you,” he says ruefully. His gaze dips to your mouth as his thumb continues sweeping across your lip.

You pray that he kisses you soon because otherwise you might just erupt in flames right under the midday sun. “I noticed you too, Captain,” you breathe over the tip of him thumb.

Maverick groans slightly, inclining further into the car as the side of his head comes to rest on your forehead. With his eyes closed, he rolls his face slightly, until his nose connects with yours. “Good god, I want you.”

The words ignite something inside of you and you reach out to grasp a handful of his t-shirt and pull him forward. Maverick comes willingly, his mouth crashing into yours as his knee lands on the seat between your legs. His hand drops to squeeze your shoulder on its way down to support you as you lean back over the console.

Maverick catches your bottom lip between his teeth, pulling on it gently as you let out a soft moan. His hand moves higher up your thigh until you can feel a soft pressure between your legs. His tongue drifts along your jawline as he kisses your face on his way to your ear and then down your neck. You let out a whimper when his hand starts gently stroking you over your jeans. Maverick opens his mouth over your neck, bathing your skin with his hot breath. “What I am doing?” he whispers, his grip tightening on your leg.

“Please, Maverick,” you pant, grabbing a larger chunk of his t-shirt to keep him in place. “Don’t stop.”

You feel another gentle kiss on your neck. “Couldn’t if I wanted to,” he replies breathlessly.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked it. I may be adding one more part to this story so you can let me know if you’d like to be added to the tag list!

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[berryflops]

" not my job anymore " | jeremiah fisher

synopsis: jeremiah forgets that saving y/n isn't technically his job anymore.

warnings: angst x100, swearing, mentions of underage drinking, injuries, a bit of fluff, jealousy if you squint, gore descriptions, car accident, death, crying | word count: 1,846

PRESENT ( jeremiah's pov )

I'd picked up my skateboard and put in my earbuds, ready to cruise down the empty Cousins streets.

No one had much of a reason to be in a summer town during the winter. A few locals were walking around, but there was practically no one else there. Everything was mine.

I'd arrived at the house a day earlier. I didn't want to stay long. I just needed an escape, a place to think. After everything with mom, I wanted, needed, time to myself. It made me selfish, I knew, but everyone needs an escape.

Cousins would forever be mine. Although I used to have a different one.

I pushed off, the wheels of the board, rolling off the gravel road. Every turn I started thinking about things I didn't need to, things I should have long forgotten. Things that involved my Sunflower, my Sunflower that was no longer mine.

PAST ( y/n's pov, 7 months earlier )

"Jere!" You giggled, chasing after your friend. You ran around the counters and into the back, following the blond all the way into the storage room.

Jeremiah turned back at you and shook his head, laughing and sticking out his tongue. You shook your head in mock anger and jumped on him, hitting the ground with a thud.

You both burst into giggles, rolling around on the ground and bursting into bright pieces of joy at random moments. Your laughter was choppy and so was his, wheezes making their way into your voices.

"We're gonna get in trouble if we don't get up, Sunflower." Jeremiah gasped, turning to face you on the ground. You looked at him, laying on your side. His ocean blue eyes were alight, like they always were around you. Your stomach had fluttered at the nickname.

"Since when does Jeremiah fucking Fisher care about getting in trouble," you teased, bopping his nose and grinning when he swatted your hand away.

When he stood up and held a hand out a sudden thought struck you. Jeremiah was going to Cousins soon. He'd have his new job, his old friends, his old life. His favorite place, back again. He'd forget about you for a solid three months, before they came back.

He always did.

You let him pull you up and dusted your hands off. You flashed a quick, futile smile at him. The moment was lost like a grain of sand in the forever endless ocean, moving around in a way you couldn't get it back and know it was the same one as before.

"I'm gonna head out front." you called over your shoulder. "My shift ends soon."

You knew he'd nodded without looking as you walked out, a lost feeling drowning you as you stood by the counter and put on a fake smile for strangers. Jeremiah Fisher would be gone in less than a week. In less than a week, it wouldn't be him looking after you. You would be looking after yourself.

PRESENT ( jeremiah's pov )

I stared down at my phone subconsciously, thinking she'd have called me by now. December third, four AM. Always, yearly. Like clockwork. For the first time, she hadn't been on time.

I pushed off the road harder and the board hit a rock, sending me tumbling. I pushed myself off the ground, ignoring my scrapes and running towards the board.

I kicked it, channeling everything into an outlet. I pounded it, over and over, until the wood was broken and splintered and the fiery rage that had consumed me had dulled to a soft throb.

The rage was gone and so came the sadness, the nostalgia. The overwhelming feeling of loss although I hadn't really lost too much at all. Not in the eyes of anyone else.

Although in my eyes, she was everything. She always would be.

She'd posted a picture the other day. It sounds stalker-ish, but I just wanted to check up on her, like always.

She was sitting on the swing in her backyard, my house poking out through the bushes. She was smiling, but it didn't reach her eyes. She held a book in her hand, and I knew it was unread, because my Sunflower would be happily content in the pages of a book instead of holding it at a distance.

It looks like she's happy. Like she was thinking, daydreaming. But when she daydreams she squints her eyes, she lays her head somewhere, and her eyes close half-way. And when she thinks, she digs her thumbnail into her inner palm.

She was sad. Although she didn't think anyone would notice, I did. I always did. I knew her too well not to.

PAST ( y/n's pov, 7 months earlier )

"God, Sunflower." Jeremiah groaned, laying you gently to sit in the drivers seat. You grabbed his face with both your hands, palms on either side. Jeremiah kissed you on the cheek, smiling weakly before walking away to slip into the drivers seat.

"I'm sorry, J." you mumbled, laying your head back and closing your eyes. Your head was pounding and whirling all at once. You felt Jeremiah's ocean blue eyes on you, seeing their color because it was really all you thought about.

His hand grabbed your chin and tilted your face toward him, causing you to turn your gaze on him. "Don't apologize for shit. You didn't do anything, Sunny. You got drunk, and I'm helping you." he let go of your chin. "Like you always help me."

You smiled lazily, throwing your arms around his neck and hugging him loosely. "I do help you a lot." you drawled. Jeremiah laughed, a sound that was so melodious that it paused your headache. You wanted to bottle the sound and get drunk on that, although you didn't think your body could take much more of it.

He shoved you off carefully, leaning over you and pushing your seat back. When he was done he fastened your seatbelt and looked around the back, grabbing a trashcan he'd shoved in there earlier to hand to you.

When you were alright he started the car, looking out at the road although you saw him focus on you using the corner of his eye. Jeremiah would never leave you out of sight, out of protection.

You may not be siblings, or best friends, or lovers, no matter how much you wanted the last two. You may just be good friends from work, friends that help each other no matter what. Although your excuses were that doing two times the work for one person's pay was pretty invalidating. But Jeremiah would always act like you were special. Like you were his. And who were you to deny him that?

PRESENT ( jeremiah's pov )

I wondered if she was getting drunk tonight. I was sitting on the sidewalk, thinking about her, and she was probably getting drunk, or getting hurt. And God I was scared. I didn't want her doing any shit anymore. Especially not today.

She hated today. So much. She would be on high alert, wouldn't fall for anything. Before me she wouldn't let anyone talk to her. After me, she still wouldn't. But during me, it was all we did. It was a solid distraction, which was all she needed.

I knew how she felt. I was one of the only people that did. And I knew if she got hurt tonight, if something bad happened and someone called to tell me, I wouldn't be able to piece myself back together again. Not for the second time.

PAST ( y/n's pov, 7 months earlier )

I threw the rag into the sink, drying my hands off on the towel attached to my apron. Long veiny arms wrapped around me, muscles clenching at the biceps.

"Hey, J." you turned around and smiled, slipping out of his grip in a stupid manner. You hit the counter and slipped on a wet puddle, head colliding with the marble ground. You groaned, feeling Jeremiah fall onto his knees beside you.

"Y/N, Sunflower, babe, you can't be doing that." nerves laced his voice, his tone familiar. You tried to sit up on your elbows but Jeremiah lay you back down gently. If you didn't have an ache pounding at your skull you would have blushed from his various nicknames.

"Are you okay? You need ice? Hospital. I'm gonna call someone." Jeremiah blurted, his words jumbled and fast. You giggled, a sharp pain stabbing your skull again.

"Ice, J." you moaned. "Just ice." Jeremiah was up in an instant. He never wanted you injured, never liked seeing you hurt. He never liked seeing anyone he liked hurt. He'd seen enough loved ones suffer enough hurt.

A cool pressure was pressed to your head. "Thanks." you sighed out of relief, letting him lift you up carefully. Jeremiah carried you to one of the couches. You'd been about to close up so the place was empty. It was all yours.

Jeremiah made you look him in the eye. He held up his hands and without uttering a single word himself, made you name every single number he gestured. Then he looked into your pupils and you could only take so much sustained eye contact before you broke it.

"No concussion." he declared, making sure you stayed laying down. He kneeled next to the couch and held your hand.

"Thanks for taking care of me." you leaned into his touch, head tilting towards his.

"I'll always take care of you." he said lightly, like the words were a feather. But they took up a hammer of a weight in your heart, a weight that pressured you and lifted you up all at once. "I'll always save you, Sunflower."

Jeremiah Fisher wasn't a liar. But he also wasn't a seer.

PRESENT ( y/n's pov )

Lights were flashing and blinding and red was everywhere, scarlett gushing. Red, red, red. Spots and puddles, hidden within the small pieces of black metal. Sirens were heard in the distance, and so were some voices. But you couldn't recall any of it for if they asked later.

There are moments in life that are blurs. Moments that move so fast you don't know where they went or how you lost them. This was one of those moments.

But usually those aren't moments that you remember the one boy you've ever loved. Because in those moments you're living.

In Y/N's only one of these moments, she was dying.

PRESENT ( jeremiah's pov )

They called me and I heard but I didn't understand. I didn't process it. I walked through the streets and back into the house and collapsed into bed and the tears flowed, freely, disastrously.

I felt numb and consumed, all at once. Tidal waves of emotion were crashing down onto me and an overwhelming grief washed over them.

It was your fault,

You should have been there,

You promised.

And then a faint voice, at the back of it all.

But it's not your job anymore.