#the entire world is made of dirty slush

[inseparabiles]

Greetings from my present location, which is NOT a means to avoid my mother's merciless judgement when I go watch Gladiator II again in two hours

[cellythefloshie]

;; I Want Your Midnights     𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓗𝓸𝓵𝓲𝓭𝓪𝔂𝓼 from cellythefloshie

Summary: You and Jeremy are forced to ring in the new year together after you find yourself stuck in an elevator. Inspired by that time Swayman got stuck in an elevator. Kinks & TW: getting stuck in an elevator, new years kiss, forced proximity. Word Count: 2.2k

New Year's Eve was always a time you reserved for family. So when your brother invited you to his home in Boston to celebrate, you jumped at the opportunity. But you didn’t realize what exactly you were getting yourself into. 

You arrived at his Boston apartment, dressed in a silver mini dress that rivaled a disco ball, a pair of new-years themed sunglasses on your face and a wine bottle in each hand. You had every intention of getting wine drunk and taking drunken pictures with your soon to be sister-in-law. But when you walked in the door to a crowded apartment filled with your brother's teammates among their family and friends, you hid your frown behind a forced smile. You would have to be on your best behavior, or at the very least, try to be.

But you could only tolerate the crowds, the watered down drinks and the fake smile you wore on your lips for so long. You wanted nothing more to be yourself, but you couldn’t. Not with the entire team there. As a promise to your brother, you needed to keep up appearances as his sweet baby sister. But you could only uphold the face for so long. Your cheeks quickly began to age from your fake, forced smile and the air in the room felt so thick it was suffocating around you. Your finger traced along the chain of your necklace as you took in a quivering breath. You needed some time alone – somewhere away from the laughter, the chatter, and the clincking of champagne glasses. So you grabbed your coat and found yourself outside, alone. 

Compared to the party inside, the streets were quiet. The occasional car would rush through the slush on the streets before disappearing into the city and leaving nothing but the swirl of snowfall in the air. You pulled your coat tightly around your dress, your hands resting at the collar to protect your bare neck from the icy wind. You stood there under the amber glow of the streetlight; the snowflakes danced softly around you like a scene of a snow globe. You smiled at the feeling of the flakes hitting your cheeks, their chill melting away when met by the heat of your skin. Looking up at the sky, you admired how the moon hung high and bright in the skies, waiting for the kiss of fireworks to grace it. At that moment, the world felt calm, like holiday magic was in the air before it would become lost at the dawn of the new year. 

A single hand left your neck to dip into the warmth of your pocket. Frigid fingers wrapped around your phone, bringing the screen to life with a "fingerprint doesn’t match" message dancing at the bottom of the screen. Normally the message would annoy you, but you only needed to see the time–it would be midnight soon.  

Your heels slipped on the icy Boston sidewalks as you shuffled back into the apartment lobby. The door was cold against your shoulder as you leaned into it to push it open, not wanting to remove your hand from the warmth of the pocket, and you stomped your feet on the wet mat on the floor. Each impact made a squish of dirty water with each step that was almost more slippery than the ice outside. And it was just as slippery to walk on in your heels as you noticed the elevator doors closing. You weren't waiting for the elevator to come back down if you didn’t have you, so you rushed to it with quick steps, your hand shooting out of your pocket and between the closing doors. For a moment, you thought the door might crush your hand, but when they parted instead and you saw who was already inside, but you quickly found that you wished it had. 

Standing there, still draped in his coat, and large flakes of snow in his hair was one of your brother’s teammates looking like the male lead of a Hallmark holiday movie. Jeremy. Fucking. Swayman. 

“I’m just going to take the stairs,” you muttered, taking a step away from the elevator. Your hand slipped away, but Jeremy’s hand quickly took its place to keep the doors from closing. 

“It’s a quick ride up,” Jeremy spoke, his voice warm yet teasing as he looked at you with a soft smile. “You’ll only have to tolerate me for 15 floors.”

For a moment, you stood dead in your tracks, looking at him through your lashes in what you were sure was a glare. It was no secret that you and Jeremy hadn’t exactly hit it off the first time you had met and it was to no fault of his own. It was very much the opposite. Jeremy was practically perfect. Handsome. Successful. Impossibly nice. He was the kind of guy your parents wished you would bring home, and that was the very reason you couldn’t tolerate breathing the same air as him. 

You in the phase of your life that you were stuck being drawn to all the wrong things–bad boys, late nights and relationships that went nowhere because the fuckboys ghosted you before you could catch feeling. Men like that paired so perfectly with your desire for loud music and a taste for expensive wine. Jeremy was the very opposite of all that, and because of that deep down,in a place you kept hidden away in the subconscious of your mind that only just the right of alcohol could unlock, you knew that if you let yourself, you could easily fall in love with Jeremy Swayman. But falling for someone like him felt too risky–like too much potential for heartache. 

Sighing, surely loud enough for Jeremy to hear, you stepped into the elevator with nothing more than a nod of acknowledgment. Then you stood there straight and stiff, your hands coming together to wring at one another as you stared straight ahead at the elevator doors. You watch your distorted reflection as the elevator traveled up, only to look away when you felt the elevator lurch. It sent your stomach into your through, your heart skipping a beat as you looked up to the numbers at the top elevator. If the dim light of the numbers were any indication, the two of you were stuck somewhere between the 9th and 10th floors. 

Narrowing your gaze, you looked at Jeremy, who was looking right back at you, but he was no longer smiling. He wore the same concerned expression as you. 

“You’re not fucking with me, are you?” you asked, trying to keep your voice from cracking. 

“Afraid not,” he replied, his tone serious.

Panic hit you like the crash of a wave. It overtook you in a heat that left you sweating, and the air around you felt hard to breathe in. Quickly, in an attempt to relieve the suffocating panic, you shrugged off your coat and let it drop to the ground. Without its weight on your shoulders, you reached a hand out and pressed each button. When the first didn’t get it moving, your movements became more frantic. Each button was alight like a holiday tree, but not a single one of them got the elevator moving again. Stumbling back, your back hit the wall of the elevator that suddenly felt smaller. 

You had completely forgotten Jeremy was there, stuck with you, until you felt each of his hands as they cupped your cheeks. His sudden touch was warm, comforting even, as you heard his soft words in the deafening quiet of the elevator. Jeremey’s words were soft as he walked you through your breathing, anxious gasps for air quickly calming into steady breaths with his guidance. It left your eyes shutting, your hands coming up to grasp at his wrists to ground yourself with him for a moment. You leaned into his touch, focused on the warmth of his hands, and welcomed the calmness of his voice. 

Only with his help did your panic subside. 

“Thank you,” you offered quietly. “Does your phone have any signal in here?”

A single hand dropped away from your cheek. You didn’t have to open your eyes to know he had looked at his phone. You could hear his sigh leave his lips. He had no signal. Dropping to your knees, you let your eyes fall on your coat. Digging into your coat pocket, you found your phone only to find the same. 

“Well, that’s about as useless as a brick,” you groaned, your hand wrapping around it tightly until your knuckles were white. You wanted to throw it. Let it bound off the elevator walls and leave its screen broken as it lay on the ground–but it would solve nothing, so you just let yourself slip to the ground fully, sitting there on your jacket to keep your ass from getting wet, and sat there defeated. 

You watched as Jeremy pressed the emergency button, waiting for the elevator to come to life with its ring, but there was no call. No connection. Just a droning ring that left your heart racing with panic once more. 

“Let’s hope someone hears that,” he says, his tone becoming heavy with the realization that help might not be coming. 

“If it stops, we will keep ringing it,” you suggest, your voice uneven and shaky. “Someone will notice we’re missing eventually, right?”

“Yeah, right,” Jeremy nodded, offering you another soft smile as he took off his coat and laid it out on the floor next to you. 

Jeremy’s body slid against the back wall until the two of you were sitting side by side in silence. You waited for the ringing to fade before you reached out and pressed the button again. You took turns pressing it every few minutes until. It didn’t take long for the efforts to feel useless and the silence to grow heavy between you. It was then the small talk began. 

“Are you having a good season?” You asked him slowly, your head lulling to the side to look at him. 

Jeremy smiled, and you noticed his shoulders rock as he let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah, it’s good, but you knew that.”

You watched a fair share of their games, you couldn't deny that. Not that you watched every game, you had a life outside your brother’s hockey career. Nodding slowly, you let your hand slip down to your phone; the screen illuminating the space between you with its light and the time was blatantly on the screen. Midnight was minutes away, and that fact sent your heart sinking a little. So much for ringing in the new year with family and friends.

“Hot date waiting for you?” Jeremy asked, his tone teasing but gentle. 

“Nope,” you sighed, your head shaking slowly, “just me and a bottle of champagne. You?”

He grinned, a twinkle of mischief that resembled the one you had so often gleaming in his eyes. “It’s just you and me in here, isn’t it?”

Smiling, you looked from side to side playfully, as if someone were hiding in the small elevator. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Swayman.”

“Call me Jeremy,” he insisted, and suddenly your stomach was fluttering with butterflies. 

Your skin flushed with heat, this time for all different reasons that panic. Biting down on the inside of your cheeks, you tried to distract your mind from the feelings that were creeping up on you. You took a deep breath in, and averted your eyes down to your phone screen. 11:59. 

The seconds were ticking down to midnight, and you could feel Jeremy’s eyes on you. You told yourself not to look up, feeling in the very air what would happen if you did. But the moment the clock on your phone struck midnight, your eyes had found him and the air between you shifted. There was no fear or panic of being stuck in the elevator for a moment, there was only the fixation of Jeremy’s lips as he leaned in and pressed his lips to your. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, but when your hands raised to grip at the collar of his shirt, his hand came up to cup your cheek. The kiss deepened, and you lost yourself in the warmth of his lips and how he tasted as you parted your lips and welcomed his tongue. It had been enough to make you shudder; the kiss striking electricity to you like a bolt of lightning that sent you recoiling at the realization of what you were doing. 

But as you pulled back, it wasn’t regret you were feeling, nor was it shame. There was a lingering excitement that confirmed all your worries to be true. As desperately as you tried not to let it happen, you were falling for Jeremy Swayman. Choking back your pride, you pressed up onto your knees, ready to lean in for another kiss–

Sudden movement from the elevator sent you lurching back from Jeremy and your neck snapping back to look up at the lights as they illuminated the number ten. Then, with a loud ding, the elevator doors parted, flooding the dimly lit space with light. Squinting your eyes, you welcome the sight of a group of firefighters, your brother, and several party guests staring at the two of you. You should have been relieved to see them, but all you could feel was embarrassment, as on Jeremy’s lips was clearly your own lipstick.

TAGLIST: @mp0625 , @starshine-hockey-girl , @wingedwheelprxncess , @kurlyteuvo , @couldawouldashoulda50 , @hagelpoint-3821

[gothprentiss]

this is buried in a (don't look at me) 16k demily fic but it was like, a lil bit of prentiss character vignette stuff (scoots around in time and biography etc.) and i figured i'd tug it out of there and put it... here? idk. anyway:

book of the earth / 986 words / g rating / emily prentiss character study ranging through time & seasons. warning for mediocre linguistics, speculative meteorology, and self-indulgent (if thematized) nature imagery.

In the spring the balcony looked romantic, as when she left the glass doors open gentle breezes would play in the curtains, moving them like water, and bearing through them the occasional flower or leaf, shed early, a necessary sacrifice to the duress of growth and bloom. Late in her time in Paris she began to consider using it, as summer swelled and that balcony presented itself, despite its exposure, as a breezy refuge from the hot air the apartment seemed to trap and insulate.

For a while she’d rented the converted attic apartment of a large old house in Connecticut which had access to a wide span of the roof, though this was less a balcony than it was a poorly conceived outdoor hallway which, weather permitting, connected the ends of the apartment. It was wonderful in the summer, if buggy, and she’d perch out on it with her mosquito candle and watch the town lie sleepy and slow under the humidity’s oppressive weight. There in August she eased her way into the coming semester: into air so thick it seemed to swallow her voice entirely she read out Mawsim al-Hijrah ilâ al-Shamâl, practicing until she was satisfied that the words sounded natural on her tongue, that she’d polished off the hard edge of her American accent.

…وكانت تلك نقطة تحول في حياتي. كان ذلك أول قرار اتخذته محض إرادتي This was a turning point in my life. It was the first decision I had made of my own free will…

Autumn’s cooling nights brought the pale teen out at sunset, when the sky was a painted dome over the sea and the whispering breezes no longer felt like sparse mercies. She sat on the edge of the pier, the farthest habitable edge before Puerto de Cádiz was uninhabitably industrial, where she had time to throw her cigarettes into the sea when the familiar sound hit her ears— ¡Emiliaaaaaa! ¡Mija! — María Dolores had noticed her missing charge. Vamos, mija, ve adentro— que hace frío— te vas a pillar un resfriado de muerte en eso! It was like being battered by the wings of a dove, the care and cajoling with which sharp-eyed María Dolores ushered her inside.

And so it was that winter found her inhabiting her new life like a rented room. It set about raiding the coast hard and early, bringing snowfall in late November, and descending so suddenly in December that it shocked a storm out of Chesapeake Bay and up through the Potomac. Over the snow-damp air you could hear the thunder growl and snarl, like it was hungrily prowling over the cloud canopy, looking for an opening. It was only a distant rumble in the overheated halls of Quantico, which were squeaky wet with dirty water where the unexpected snow had quickly become slush. It added an undersong to the lull and thrum of Behavioral Science, which had been given in the previous season to uncomfortable sciences. Above it all there was the rustle of paper and chatter, and the varied ding and whoosh of unsilenced email alerts. 

This one was from Penelope. It said: 

Due to APOCALYPTIC HELL WEATHER CONDITIONS I am functionally out of office until further notice. If you need to contact AND/OR comfort me, you can find me HIDING UNDER MY DESK!!!!! xoxo ur fave California Gurl PG

“Jeez,” said Derek, slinging his coat over the back of his chair. It landed with a wet slap. “Somebody up there is pissed.”

“In literary studies, that’s called the pathetic fallacy,” said Spencer. “The art critic John Ruskin coined the term to criticize the Romantic literary tendency to read emotional capacity into the unfeeling natural world, which made all of their representations of nature function as representations of the emotional self. The cruel, crawling foam, flowers weeping with dew…”

“God hurling thunderbolts from on high?”

Reid rolled out into the aisle to talk, and grinned. “If you believe in that kind of interventionist God, I guess it’s just natural science. But it’s treated more like a literary device than a true fallacy now, since criticism in the humanities is more concerned with critics talking to critics about interpretation than artists talking to artists about creation.”

Emily yawned massively. The blast of hot air into the bullpen brought an uncomfortable wooziness, and the unfriendly sensation of sweat on her brow drying as soon as it formed. “It sounds so mean,” she said. “The pathetic fallacy, just for something as normal as poets getting touchy-feely about nature.”

“Besides, if you think about it, the representation of nature as reflecting consciousness or emotion is extremely natural to human thought,” Reid pointed out. “Storms as signs of divine disfavor, inclement seas, fallow harvests, hard winters… Jupiter Tonans smiting the earth…”

“Tonans?”

“Thunderer,” said Emily, almost without thinking. 

“Some medieval Christians borrowed that epithet for their God,” added Spencer. 

Derek rolled his eyes fondly. “That’s a lot of academic-ese to say I was right.”

Out through the halls, tiles repatterned with the abstract geometry of muddy boot-soles. Out the doors with a puff of cold air, every gust carrying a spray of crystalline flakes of snow which melted as they collided with the combative indoor heating. The storm was dying. Where lightning had cracked the sky behind the clouds there was now only the emergent sun peeking down to earth. Out further, northward, up the long commute past Alexandria to D.C., and from there to the center of the city. There is the unobtrusively smart house in Dupont Circle. The snow would soon melt to slush and run through its old gutters and sink into the soil. That soil was rich with clay and given to swelling with water and shrinking without it. For years it had battered the concrete slab it supported. It nudged against the burgeoning crack in that foundation like a tongue against the world’s biggest loose tooth.

[gukyi]

in the frosty air | a jjk drabble

summary: two weeks ago you and your roommate slept together. which would be fine, if you knew you both felt the same about each other. but you don’t. and now it’s christmas, and jungkook is still gorgeous and gentle and wonderful and here, and and you don’t really know what to do about that.

{college!au, roommates!au}

pairing: jungkook x reader genre: this is just an angst train tbh, but it has a happy ending! word count: 1.6k warnings: mentions of past alcohol consumption, this centers around everyone’s favorite capitalist holiday, being sad in the wintertime a/n: OHHHHHHHHHH *internet breaks* anyway yeah i’m back baby!!! here’s a little drabble to celebrate because i can’t help myself when it comes to jungkook. love me or we both go down coming soon!

“This Christmas is pretty fucking lame, isn’t it?”

You whip around at the sound of his voice. “Oh, hey. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“I figured,” Jungkook chuckles, bending his head down as he crawls through the open window to join you on the fire escape. The temperature is freezing and the wind is stinging your skin, but it didn’t really feel right to be spending tonight inside. “Saw the window open. Thought you might be here.”

“Yeah. I was probably gonna head inside soon, though.” In the hopes that you would be curled up in your bedroom before Jungkook even got home. Seeing him lately has been hard. “How did your final go?”

“It was alright.” You don’t have to keep looking at him to feel Jungkook taking a seat next to you, crossing his legs over each other as he stares out into the city below you. It snowed a few days ago, and the sidewalks are still covered in that dirty slush that always lingers, wet and cold and black from car tires. Just being beside you makes your heart race, makes your chest tighten. “I was pretty stressed out about it, but then I just sort of remembered that I did my best and that was all I could do, you know?”

“That’s good.” You wish you had that mindset. You spend days studying for an exam and once it’s over, you spend days dwelling on all the things you might have gotten wrong. It’s a philosophy you apply to most aspects of your life. Why you did the thing you did. Why doing the thing you did was the worst thing you could have done. How you will recover from it. If you even will. 

Jungkook sighs. You turn to look at him, just briefly, glance at his side figure, and notice he’s wearing nothing but a giant zip-up hoodie. Isn’t he cold? “It doesn’t really feel like Christmas.”

“Yeah.” You don’t have anything else to say to that. It doesn’t. Which is a damn shame, because you and Jungkook spent the entire beginning of this month turning your tiny, two-bedroom apartment into a winter wonderland. You got a tree to put up next to your TV and decorated with the weirdest ornaments you could find. You hung up those dangly white Christmas lights on the balcony of your fire escape, the ones meant to look like icicles dripping from the metal railing. The radio has been playing nothing but Michael Bublé and Mariah Carey. And yet.

It’s not hard to wonder why this Christmas is such shit. Your spring internship fell through a week ago. Your parents rented a lake house and assumed you wouldn’t be coming with. All of your other friends have gone home already. And Jungkook, perhaps the last person in this whole goddamn city you would have wanted to spend time with, you can’t even bear to look at. 

“How did your finals go?” Jungkook asks, trying to keep the conversation going. 

“They were fine.” At least that torture is over. But living with Jungkook, seeing him every day and knowing that what you have done you can never undo--it’s endless. 

There’s silence. It’s like the two of you simultaneously have no idea and know exactly what to say. Like the words are lingering on the tips of your tongues but your lips are sealed shut. Opening them won’t be like a can of worms. It will be a dam, a waterfall of I’m sorrys and What nows. One week ago, in the heat of the night and in the haze of drink after drink, you and Jungkook made the worst mistake two roommates could ever make. 

“Are you going home this break?” You blurt out the words before you can stop yourself. 

Jungkook sighs. “I’m not sure.”

“It’s okay if you want to.” I get it. I’m not sure if I’d want to hang around and see me either. 

He shrugs. “I just haven’t decided yet.”

He knows that you’re staying. The two of you were so looking forward to spending Christmas together. Now look at you. Jungkook was the perfect roommate. Then everything changed. 

“Okay.” He’s probably just trying to figure out a way to let you down easy. 

Next to you, Jungkook rustles a hand through his pocket. “By the way, uh--I just remembered. I got you something.”

You don’t even have time to object before Jungkook is placing a small fabric box into your open palm, resting on your lap. You look down at the item, at the way your hand seems to envelop it. 

“You didn’t have to--”

“I wanted to.” Jungkook is firm in his response. “Besides, I got it a while ago. Figured now is as good a time as any to give it to you.”

There’s not really anything else to do except open it. Carefully, with trembling fingers, you pull off the lid. Inside sits a dainty silver locket resting amongst a pile of folded tissue paper. You gasp, your breath coming out in smoke in the cold winter air. 

“Oh my God, I--”

“I overheard you talking on the phone saying you wanted one,” Jungkook admits sheepishly. “I wanted to give it to you before I forgot.”

Fingers shaking from the cold, you pull the locket from the box. It dangles from its chain, a delicate little thing, barely the size of a fingerprint. Even on this hazy winter evening, it still catches the light.

For the first time tonight, you look up at him. His eyes are a swirling brown, a deep chocolate. They are unreadable. He offers a small, guarded smile your way, lips pink in the chilly air. “Thank you,” you tell him honestly. This is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for you. 

You can’t accept this without returning the favor. Wordlessly, you get up from the fire escape, rushing indoors for a moment as you grab your gift from your bedroom. It’s been sitting in there for at least two weeks now. You hold your hand behind your back as you make your way back to the fire escape, sitting down next to him once more. 

With a small flourish, you reveal your own present. They’re drumsticks. 

“For you,” you tell him, that same small grin on your face. “Since you’re always drumming on everything. Thought you could use something to do that with.”

Jungkook looks positively starstruck. He takes the sticks in his hands, feels the wood with his fingers, tracing over the logo at the bottom. You aren’t very well versed in the world of drum equipment, but your friend in the orchestra told you it was a good brand. 

“Wow, Y/N,” he says, mouth agape. “This is... this is the most thoughtful thing anyone’s ever gotten me. Thank you.”

“Always.”

And that’s the truth, isn’t it? No matter what you do, no matter what you say, you will always be there to give Jungkook what he deserves. To make his life just the tiniest bit better. Doing thoughtful things for him has never required effort on your part. There is just a part of you that will do them, because he deserves it. Because he is so gentle, and loving, and kind, and wonderful. 

You sit there for a little while longer, relishing in the brief respite of your gift exchange. It’s softened the ice, warmed the air, broken the tension. Even if only a little. But it’s enough to keep you out here, sitting next to him. It’s enough to keep you from drifting away. 

“I don’t regret that night.”

The words feel like biting wind. 

“What?” You turn to him. 

“I don’t. I’d do it again. A thousand times over.” Jungkook is resolute. He looks at you, eyebrows furrowed in determination. 

“Jungkook, what happened that night--”

“Is something I’ll never forget,” he finishes. “Do you know how fucking long I had been waiting to do that? To hold you? Kiss you? To spend the night with you?”

Each syllable presses deeper into your chest, imprinting themselves on your heart. You stare back at him, too shocked to say anything at all. 

“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same,” Jungkook adds on, quickly backtracking. “I sort of... got that message when I woke up that morning and you were gone. But I just wanted you to know that that night didn’t change anything about how I feel about you.”

Jungkook’s got it all wrong. You were the one who fucked up. You were the one whose feelings won’t change. “I thought you were the one who didn’t feel the same.”

Jungkook chuckles, this sad, forced cough. “Are you kidding? I’d do anything to relive that night. You’re my favorite person in this whole world, Y/N.”

If the weather were just a little bit warmer, if the wind wasn’t as dry, perhaps tears would fall. But instead, you blink back at him and it feels at once like your heart weighs a million pounds and nothing at all. “Me too,” you choke out. “I never want to be without you.”

Your fire escape is barely big enough for one person, let alone two, but that doesn’t stop Jungkook from reaching over and pulling you in, pressing a chilly kiss to your frozen lips, the heat of his mouth warming you up from the inside out. It’s cold tonight, yes. But Jungkook makes you feel like it’s summer all year long. 

You smile against his lips. They feel like home. They taste like peppermint lip balm and coffee and ice. 

“Do you want me to stay?” He asks. As if he was even thinking about going home anyway. 

“Yes,” you whisper back. 

It feels a lot more like Christmas now. 

“Then I’ll stay.”

↳ don’t forget to message me with any thoughts or feedback! i missed you guys!

[mandoalorian]

I saw this Tik tok edit of Max Lord with “Money money money” by Abba and I just can’t stop think about him absolutely railing me in an obnoxiously expensive setting like a hotel golden bathtub or something like that 🥵

Bubble Bath [Maxwell Lord x F! Reader] SMUT

Rating: 18+

Warnings: unprotected p in v, creampie, bath sex (?), hardcore railing, slight degradation from Max, male masturbation

Masterlist

You sat on the edge of the gold engraved bathtub, slushing your hand in the warm water to check the temperature. It was one of those rare occasions where you'd decided to join Maxwell on one of his business trips. You hated being without him, and you'd always wanted to see Italy, so it sounded like the perfect opportunity.

You ditched your short silk robe, letting the flimsy material fall to the ground, and relished the way the hot thick air made your skin sticky before you dipped your toes into the water. Little did you know, Maxwell was in the other room, laying on your hotel suite bed, lazily jerking off. He had gotten hard from the little make out session you had earlier, but once you saw the time, you told him you had to stop and get ready for your dinner reservations. You encouraged him to do the same, even picking out his tux for him before you went into the bathroom. He'd get ready, sure, but he had to sort this out first.

His eyes fluttered shut as his fingers curled around the base of his cock, pumping it to the thought of you in the bath. He groaned, imagining you washing your body, your slick wet hands soaping up every inch of your skin. He wished he was in there with you, helping you out. Washing you. Any excuse to touch you— touch every part of you. He wanted to let his hands slide over your perfect breasts, squeeze them, pinch them. He wanted to rub your tummy and kneed his fingers into your hips.

Just then, his eyes snapped open as he had a bright idea. Why couldn't he do that? He heard the faucet in the bathroom stop running, indicating the bathtub was full and you were about to go in. Still holding his erection in his hand, he shuffled out of bed and stepped out of his pants. Padding over to the door, he was grateful to realise you hadn't even locked it.

Dirty little slut. He thought. You want this.

He chuckled darkly, pushing the door open and immediately spotting you brush your teeth at the sink. His eyes were fixated on your body. You were beautiful, and you were all his. He quietly stalked over to you, before abruptly wrapping his big arms around you causing you to squeal in shock. "Maxie!" you exclaimed, a little bit of toothpaste dribbling onto your lip. Maxwell chuckled and wiped it away with his thumb.

His large hands navigated down to your tummy, his rock hard member pressing against the curve of your ass as he pressed hot, wet kisses down your neck and along your shoulder. "Baby, what are you doing?" you mumbled, your eyes fluttered shut in delight as he slid his tongue across your wet sticky skin. His touch was blissful and you felt your cunt begin to ache with need for him.

"Feel this?" he asked, his voice deep and gravely. He brushed his erection between the inside of your thighs, leaving a small trail of his leaked precum along your skin. It was enough for your to feel, that's for sure. You were unable to escape the uncontrollable moan that left your lips.

"Shit, I do," you whimpered as you realised how hard he actually was. "One second, I gotta spit."

"You don't spit anything." he growled, his large hand finding your neck and experimentally squeezing.

"Mm-Maxie," you whined, rinsing the toothbrush and placing it on the edge of the sink. "It's toothpaste." you giggled sheepishly. A small 'oh' left his mouth. You spat into the sink, rinsed it away, took a sip of water, and turned yourself back to your boyfriend. "You need me to take care of you?" you cooed, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips and letting your hands fall down to his cock. You let your thumb sweep over the head of his manhood, collecting anymore of his precum from his slit before bringing it up to your mouth and sucking with contentment.

He felt his cock twitch just from the sight of you sucking on your thumb. He wished he could just ruthlessly fuck your pretty mouth and cum all over your face. And you'd take it like the greedy little thing you were. But he didn't have all the time in the world and you both still had to get ready.

"Get into the tub." He commanded, pointing his ring clad finger to the filled up bath.

"Maxie, I was gonna go down on you." you explained, fluttering your eyelashes seductively.

"Later, we don't have time," he Max told you. You obliged, walking over to the bathtub and swaying your hips. He gave your ass a spanking, seeing right through your dirty action. "I wanna fuck you in the tub." He announced, pulling off his undershirt so he, like you, was completely naked.

You climbed into the tub and he followed suit, immediately pinning you against the tiled wall. He held your arms up in the air and you rubbed your ass against him with desperation. "Isn't this like, a slip risk?" you asked, but any concern you might've had was immediately brushed away by Maxwell nibbling at your skin.

"I've got you," he promised, pushing the blunt head of his cock against your dripping wet folds. He moaned as he felt just how aroused you were. "I'm gonna rail you so hard baby girl, you aren't gonna be able to walk to dinner."

"You'll have to carry me then," you purred, tossing your head back against his shoulder as he pushed himself inside you. He doubled back, waiting a few moments, before once again seating his full, thick girth inside your warm pussy. It felt a haven to him.

"So perfect sweet girl," he praised, letting you adjust to his length. "You take my cock so well."

You felt your walls clench around him at the appraisal. He knew the compliments and words of affirmation from him were the key to your heart. Your breasts were pressed against the white tile and you unapologetically began to pinch your hardening nipples as Maxwell began to set up a pace.

"Fuck Max," you hissed as he built up his rhythm. He started out slow, making sure not to hurt you, but then gently built himself up, working himself into you harder and faster. No matter what, he was always consistent. He pulled your legs apart slightly and thrusted upwards, his cock hitting your g-spot. You let out a scream, and immediately felt your cheeks heating up hoping that your hotel neighbors hadn't overheard. Maxwell on the other hand wanted them to hear. If he could have it his way, he'd want the whole world to know how good of a fuck he was.

"Right there?" he asked almost condescendingly, thrusting upwards again and hitting your sweet spot. "Oh you like that don't you?" he chuckled. "I can feel it. Such a good little hole taking me like this in the tub huh."

Pearls of sweat laced along your collarbones as he kept you steady, and despite him absolutely railing you in the bathtub, you knew you could trust him to keep tight a hold of you and not let you fall. His large biceps always made you feel safe. He was so strong, and you loved him so much. As his speed increased, the both of you were so lost in the coital haze you hadn't even notice the water spilling out of the tub and pooling onto the ground.

"I'm close princess," Maxwell gasped, nuzzling his head into the crook of your neck. You reached a hand into his damp hair, tugging on it. You knew how much he liked it, and it only stirred him on. "Cum on my cock. Come on baby girl, I know you can do it." he encouraged, another loud groan escaping his lips as his hips snapped into yours.

"Mm Maxie, more," you whined and Maxwell bit down on your skin.

"Oh, more? You always were greedy," he chuckled, bringing his hand down to your clit. He began to swirl his thumb into perfect, tight little circles. You felt your thighs shake and your legs felt like they were going to cave in. Your climax was about to wash over you and you knew it.

"Sh- shit Max!" you cried as he continued to fondle with your clit and fuck his way harder into your pussy.

"On the count of three, we cum at the same time." He commanded, not stopping his movements once. You couldn't even reply, instead breathlessly nodding your head in agreement. "Three, two, one- ah!"

Your walls gripped his cock like a vice and he felt his balls tighten as he pushed his final thrust into you. You came undone beneath him, your entire body shaking in ecstasy as you felt his warm seed spill inside of you. Neither of you said a word. He kept you still pinned against the wall, pressing gentle and affectionate kisses into your back. He let himself soften inside of you before finally slipping out. You groaned at the lost feeling of fullness. He turned you around so he could kiss your lips. "I love you." he confessed, with a helpless shrug of his shoulders.

"I love you too." you smiled, gazing into his honey brown eyes.

"Come on, quicker we get to dinner, quicker we can come back to the hotel room for dessert." he winked and you felt your tummy erupt into a frenzy of butterflies. He really was the love of your life.

Taglists— let me know if you wish to be added!

Max Lord: @mrschiltoncat

Permanent: @supernaturalgirl @phoenixhalliwell @ah-callie @luvzoria @stardust-galaxies @wickedfrsgrl @goth-topic @nerdypinupcrystal @wonderfulfluffer @kiwi-the-first @pedroepascal @castiel-barnes @honeymandos @rocketqueen @ladycumberbatchofcamelot @dybalalover10 @girl-obsessed-with-things @elena-myth @moth-guillotine @pedro-pascal-love @hayley-the-comet @pinkninja190 @maxiarapamaya @autumnleaves1991-blog @artsymaddie @harrys-stan @kennedywxlsh @cripplingmoon

[fruitcoops]

Hey I was wondering if you could write something kinda angsty but with a pretty ending with the cubs, I’m trynna project getting stood up and turning it into something nice and good, even if it’s just in my head. No pressure but I just wanna smile for a bit and your work always makes me do so :)))

Hello lovely! I’m so sorry that you were stood up--that feels awful and whoever did it missed out on a wonderful person. I’ve combined this with some other asks in the same vein (y’all wanted my boys to hurt) so I hope you don’t mind. Sending love and hugs your way! Sweater Weather credit goes to @lumosinlove​ <3

1. Bad mental health day for Finn + pushing himself too hard + passing out (ft. Bee anon!)

2. O’Knutzy boiling over with a fluffy ending

3. Insecure Leo

TW for internalized guilt, vaguely implied self-harm (pushing himself too hard at practice), and relationship arguments

Finn had a few bad habits. He left dirty dishes in the sink, could never remember which setting the laundry was supposed to go on, and barely wiped his shoes on the doormat before entering the house. He wasn’t proud of his flaws, but he acknowledged that everyone had some—as long as they didn’t hurt anybody, it wasn’t the end of the world.

This one…this one was different. Even Finn knew that.

He gritted his teeth for the next set of squats, ignoring the ringing in his ears and the climbing nausea in his gut. The chart only said to do three reps, but he had been beating himself up for slacking a set earlier in the week and decided to do five to make up for it.

That, it seemed, was a poor decision.

His thighs were shaking when he finally put the weight down and he leaned on the wall to stabilize himself. “Fish? You okay?” Logan asked from the yoga mat to his right, staring up at him in concern.

“I’m fine,” Finn lied. “Just straightened up too fast.”

“D’accord.” He could feel Logan’s eyes on his back as he left the gym and headed toward the showers.

Finn’s worst habit was taking care of himself, and it wasn’t something that could be explained away as “oh, silly Harzy” like the washing machine. He made a mental note to take some ibuprofen before driving home so he would be marginally less sore in the morning, but he had the sinking feeling it would be a rough practice the next day.

Remus and Talker were playing some sort of volleyball with an old balloon between their stalls when he entered; he missed getting nailed in the head by a narrow margin and waved off their apologies with a forced smile.

A hand closed around his bicep as he passed, snapping him back to reality as Leo’s bright eyes came into focus. “Hey, lovey, is Lo with you?”

“He’s finishing up.”

A small furrow appeared between Leo’s brows. “Is something wrong?”

“Nope.” Finn faked a yawn and stretched his arm over Leo’s shoulder, dragging him down for a kiss on the cheek. “Cap’s workout just kicked my ass today.”

“That’s what they’re supposed to do,” Sirius said, rolling his eyes playfully as he passed. “You’re not a rookie anymore, O’Hara.”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.”

Logan entered the locker room a few minutes later; Finn closed his eyes and breathed in the thick steam of the shower until the fog in his head cleared a bit and he couldn’t feel the skin on his shoulders. It billowed off him as he dressed again and tossed the keys to Leo, who raised his eyebrows. “Me?”

“You. There’s a little bit of slush left, and you still need to learn how to drive in it.” And I feel like I’m going to pass out at any minute. He swallowed down the last thought and pasted a teasing grin on his face—what Leo and Logan didn’t know wouldn’t hurt them. It was his own fault for being lazy in the past.

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

What Leo and Logan didn’t know apparently did hurt them. In hindsight, Finn should have seen that coming before he passed out in the middle of a scrimmage.

The lights of the coach’s office made his headache even worse. “Care to explain?” Arthur asked in a voice like frost. To his left, Sirius was glowering.

“I already told Hestia—”

“Yeah, I know what you told Hestia,” Arthur interrupted. “I want to hear it directly from you.”

Finn sighed through his nose and picked at a stray thread on his jersey. “I…I pushed myself a little too hard at yesterday’s practice and didn’t say anything when I started feeling bad.”

“Why.” Sirius’ eyes were hard as flint.

“Because I didn’t want to be a pain in the ass! I can handle some aching muscles, it’s not a big deal!”

“Not a—”

Arthur put his hand on Sirius’ shoulder. “That’s enough, Black. O’Hara, I want you to look me in the eyes.” Finn raised his head. “This was a dumbass mistake and all of us expected better from you. Your safety and health come before any workout routine, and it is your responsibility to speak up before you scare the shit out of us by dropping like a rock.”

“I’m sorry, Coach.”

“Apology accepted. I also want you to call Heather when you get home and schedule an appointment with her.” Some of Arthur’s frustration melted into genuine concern and guilt crawled up Finn’s throat. “Doing that to yourself isn’t healthy, Finn. You’re a good man, smart, and I know you know better.”

“Can we talk for a second?” Sirius asked quietly, glancing at Arthur. He nodded and left the room.

“I’m sorry.”

“What the fuck, Finn?” Sirius ran a hand down his face, suddenly pale. “What the fuck was that?”

“It was stupid.”

“Yeah, no, I got that part.”

“I slacked off a set on Monday.”

“Wow, nobody’s ever done that before,” he said sarcastically, sitting down in the chair by the wall as Finn resumed messing with his hem. “You scared the hell out of all of us.”

“I know.”

“You know I’m not mad at you, right? I’m upset that you thought you had to do that at all.”

Tears prickled the backs of Finn’s eyes. “I know.”

“I’m sure as hell not your coach or your dad, but I’m going to say this as your friend, okay?” Sirius leaned over into Finn’s field of view. “Whatever you need, I’m here for you. This team wouldn’t be the same without you. I wouldn’t be the same without you. We need you to take care of yourself, Harzy.”

Finn nodded silently and Sirius gave his hand a quick squeeze, which he returned. “Does everyone know?”

“I told them you were under the weather, nothing more.”

“Classic media answer.” He tried and failed to crack a smile. “Thanks for not telling on me.”

“That’s not my job. My job is herding cats on ice skates for five hours a day.”

Finn’s smile was real that time and he managed a light laugh as he swiped away the dampness on his cheeks. “Love you, man.”

“Love you, too.” Sirius helped him stand up and hugged him tight for a second before letting go. “Speaking as someone who used to do the exact same thing, talking to Heather makes a world of difference.”

“I’ll give her a call.”

The cold feeling returned to Finn’s gut when they stepped out of the office; Leo and Logan were waiting by the opposite wall, looking angrier than Finn had ever seen. Sirius patted his shoulder once before walking off down the hallway toward the locker room, where he would no doubt deflect even more questions.

“Hey,” Finn said, barely above a whisper. Logan continued to stare at the ground.

“You lied to us,” Leo said bluntly. “Several times. Both of us asked if you were alright and you told us you were fine.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I accept your apology, but I don’t understand.” He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. “Finn, this isn’t how we deal with things. We agreed to be a team.”

Finn bit his lip. I fucked this one up. “We did. I am so sorry for scaring you—”

“We’re not mad that you scared us,” Logan snapped, still looking anywhere but his face. “We’re upset that you refuse to take care of yourself and then lied to us about it.”

Leo nudged Logan’s shoulder before turning back. “Why did you do that, Finn?”

“I didn’t want to fall behind. I was just trying to make up for the set I skipped on Monday.”

“What? Twenty squats and some pushups? That’s not worth your health, honey.” The pet name soothed the terror clutching Finn’s heart and he took a deep breath. They still loved him. This wasn’t the end.

“It was a stupid thing to do and it won’t happen again.”

“Good. Let’s go home.” Logan grabbed his duffel bag off the ground and started walking toward the door; Leo looked like he was going to say something, but Finn gently took his elbow.

“He’s going to need a minute,” he said under his breath. Logan was a hothead about many things, but lying was in the top three. Finn knew he hurt him deep.

“Did you…” Leo trailed off and pressed his lips together as they followed Logan into the parking lot. “Did you feel like you couldn’t tell me?”

Finn shook his head. “No. This was all on me.”

“It’s just that I know I’m younger than both of you and I’m new to the hockey lifestyle, but I never want you to think you can’t trust me—”

“Leo.” Finn stopped walking and tugged on Leo’s hand, turning him around. Worry was painted all over his face and it sliced to Finn’s core. “I trust you and Logan with everything, but I got into my head about this and I wasn’t thinking about how it would hurt you. Please believe that.”

Leo sighed. “I do. I just don’t get it.”

“Neither do I, to be honest.” Logan was already sitting in the car with his headphones on as they crossed the lot. “It’s going to take him a while to talk to me, isn’t it?”

“He was really upset.”

“We’ll figure this out.” He tightened his grip on Leo’s hand. “We’ve made it through worse.”

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

The apartment crackled with tension until Finn literally had to stick his head out the open window to get a breath of fresh air. Waves of frustration and hurt rolled off Logan, though he still refused to look Finn in the eyes.

After dinner, Leo slid into the armchair before Logan could get there, leaving only the couch available. They carefully sat on opposite sides—Finn stole glances at Logan out of the corner of his eye for the entire first half of the movie. Ninety minutes of action later, he felt something chilly poking at his calf.

Logan kept his gaze trained on the TV as he scooted his freezing toes under Finn’s legs. Relief flooded Finn’s veins; he felt a little like crying, but instead schooled his expression into a small smile and rested his hand on Logan’s ankle, where it stayed until the movie ended.

Leo had fallen asleep by that time, splayed out sideways on the cushion with his face smushed against the armrest. “Il est mignon,” Logan said softly. There was a beat of silence and he looked over at Finn. “He’s cute.”

“He is.” Finn cleared his throat and met his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Lo. I never meant to hurt you, but I did, and I’m sorry.”

“Promise me you won’t do that again.”

“I won’t.”

Finn had a few bad habits, but backing out on his promises would never be one of them.

[sohotthateveryonedied]

Living is Harder

Read here on AO3!

Summary:

Tim drops the knife like it’s white-hot. Oh, god. Oh, god.

Tim did this. He was...he didn’t mean it. He didn’t. He would never. But the man was on top of him and Tim couldn’t breathe, and...he didn’t mean it.

Tim is walking home from Steph’s house, his light-up Sketchers the only things illuminating his path through the Gotham night. He stayed out later than he planned, utterly captivated in the Among Us tournament he and Steph were playing against their Titan friends all the way in San Francisco. (And Tim would have gotten away with the murders too, if it weren’t for that meddling Bart Allen who stared Tim down every time he killed a player, watching it happen but never reporting until Tim finally cracked from the shame and called an emergency meeting on himself.)

Tim rode in Steph’s car on the way to her house, but forgot that it would mean he’d be without a ride home. Steph offered to drive him back to the manor, that she doesn’t mind losing a measly hour of sleep, but Tim insisted he didn’t mind walking. Besides, it’s not like it was a lie. Sure, it’s Gotham, which means Tim can see drug deals going down on street corners and the occasional drunkard puking into a trash can, but Tim feels at peace here.

It brings him back to his early days of climbing fire escapes, tailing Batman and Robin under the cloak of night in the hopes to get just one more photo for his collection. It was a simpler time with fewer psychotic clowns—back then it was just the one, and all he did was tell shitty jokes and occasionally tie Robin up over a swimming pool filled with Jokerized sharks. Nowadays it’s all grotesque murders and creepy masks made of human skin. Where’s the showmanship? Where’s the pizzazz? Disgusting. Deplorable. Lazy beyond all reason. Tim is insulted by the lack of artistic ability in these new Jokers, and you may quote him on that. Regardless, Tim takes comfort in knowing that if something did go wrong, Cass is patrolling somewhere a good five blocks ahead. Maybe he can track her down and pick them up some corn dogs. He’s currently in the Red Hood’s territory, but whether Jason is around at the moment is a gamble at best. His schedule is harder to tamp down than a solid answer on Ted Cruz: Zodiac Killer. Jason might not even be in Gotham right now; he could be in space for all anyone knows. Sometimes Tim feels like Jason is more of a feral cat than a brother, which isn’t too far off, really. Tim happens upon an empty beer can on the sidewalk in front of a boarded-up store that he’s fairly certain used to be an adult film shop. Good ol’ Gotham City. He stoops down to pick up the crinkled can like the good samaritan he is and drops it into a trash can at the mouth of a nearby alley. He wipes his hands on his jeans, designer style be damned. That’s when Tim is grabbed from behind, a hand reaching up to cover his mouth and muffle his shout. He’s pulled into the alley and pushed up against a wall, the bricks digging into his back and knocking the breath from his lungs. Shit, shit, shit. How could he have been taken by surprise so easily? It’s hard to make out his attacker in the shadowed alley, the only discernible features being dark eyes and bared yellow teeth—never a good sign. Tim’s hands are pinned together above him in a strong grip, practically wrenching his shoulders from the sockets. He tries to scream, but the man’s disgusting hand presses harder against his mouth. Tim freezes when he feels the poke of a knife at his throat, digging into the skin just below his Adam’s apple. “Make a sound and I’ll gut you,” his attacker says, his voice a low rumble. The stench of cigarettes and alcohol assaults Tim’s sinuses and makes his stomach roll. He’s going to have to be careful about this. Robin could get out of this hold in five different ways with varying degrees of injury to the opponent, but a civilian couldn’t. Even if the only witness is a low-life scumbag, he shouldn’t run the risk. Better to wait until he’s at the point of no return to bust out the Robin moves. Instead, Tim goes for the oldest trick in the book and knees the man in the crotch, hard. It has the desired effect and the grip on Tim’s wrists slackens, the man dropping him with a grunt. Tim ducks out of range and makes a run for it. If he can just get to the street, he should be home free. Even in Gotham City, there are always witnesses to help out a poor, defenseless teenager under attack. Tim almost makes it to the sidewalk when he’s grabbed by the hair, crying out as he’s thrown violently to the ground. Then there’s weight on top of him, pinning his shoulders to the dirty ground under his back. Tim fights, kicking out and delivering purposeful hits under the guise of a panicked struggle. “You little shit,” the man spits. He’s still got a hold on Tim’s hair, which he uses to slam Tim’s head against the pavement so hard that Tim goes blind for a good ten seconds, his head spinning. The back of his scalp feels wet, and he hates to think about what bacteria must be lurking on the ground beneath him. The knife clatters somewhere to Tim’s side and he’s almost relieved until a hand wraps around his throat, cutting off his next breath. Instinct plunges him into panic, choking on the lack of air and scrambling to get a hold on his attacker. Scratching, kicking, desperately trying to loosen the grip crushing his windpipe. “You didn’t have to make this so difficult,” the man tells him. His body presses down on Tim’s smaller form, keeps him trapped against the unforgiving asphalt, and this is it. This is the point of no return he’s been waiting for, but now Tim is here and he can’t do anything about it. Not even Robin could get out of this without a weapon, and Tim has none. He’s powerless. The creep releases Tim’s hair with a whisper of, “Don’t move.” Before he can do anything more with his newly freed hand, though, Tim’s body is thrown into action faster than he can comprehend moving at all. The world goes hazy, time itself turning to molasses. Absently Tim feels muscles flex, sees shapes move in front of his eyes, but someone else might as well be controlling Tim’s body while he’s locked in the backseat, missing the entire ride. One minute Tim is on his back with the creep on top of him, and after a chunk of time that Tim can’t remember participating in, he’s standing against the alley wall with something clutched in his hand. Tim blinks back the fog, but it lingers. He looks down and studies the way his fingers clasp the handle of the knife. That can’t be right. He wasn’t holding a knife before. Tim comes back to his body in increments, a stop-motion reel. First there’s a stinging ache on the back of his head, blood soaking into the back of his shirt and plastering his hair against his neck. His gaze slips from the glinting knife to the blood that covers his hands, warm and sticky. Then he catches a shape on the ground in front of him and Tim’s breath catches in his throat. The man from before is on the ground now, his eyes closed and blood spreading from a stab wound directly over his sternum. Tim drops the knife like it’s white-hot. Oh, god. Oh, god. Tim did this. He was...he didn’t mean it. He didn’t. He would never. But the man was on top of him and Tim couldn’t breathe, and...he didn’t mean it. Tim staggers back until his back hits the cold brick wall, his pulse pounding in his ears so loud the entire city must hear it. He just stabbed a person. He just killed a person. The one rule he’s supposed to follow, the one thing he promised never to do, and he just did it. Without even a second’s hesitation. He took a life. What is Bruce going to say when he finds out? Tim’s legs are made of jello, wobbling in warning until they give out entirely and he slides to the ground, knees pulled in close to his chest. His hands are still covered in blood. A dead man’s blood. He should...he should do something. He should act. First-aid, stop the bleeding, do whatever it takes to help in case there’s a chance. Tim doesn’t move. He doesn’t even try. His limbs have been replaced with rubber, his brain with slush. He just killed a man. In the back of his mind he knows he can’t go home, not like this. Not covered in another man’s blood. Even if he tried, Tim isn’t sure he’d make it two steps without collapsing into a puddle of whatever emotion is making him feel as though he’s rotting from the inside out. His family lives by a code, would sooner die themselves than take a life. Bats don’t kill. Tim doesn’t kill. Tim killed. His fingers shake as they take out his cell phone on autopilot, and the screen is cracked at the corner from when he was slammed into the ground. That’s going to cost money to fix. Tim gets blood on the screen, smudging over his contact list and warping the names. He finds the one he’s looking for and puts the phone to his ear. A ring. Two rings. A click. “This had better be important,” Jason says. Tim swallows. “Um. I—um.” He can’t take his eyes off of the body, lying there still as a corpse. Because it is a corpse. “My...head isn’t working. It’s—something is wrong. With me.” “Are you high or something? Because if you are, I’ll fucking kill you.” That does it. What little resolve Tim held on to cracks in one clean split and a sob bursts through. He covers his mouth with his elbow, choking on gasps. “Jay, I—it was an accident. I swear to god, I didn’t mean to. He was...it wasn’t...I didn’t mean to.” There’s a creak on the other end, maybe Jason sitting up in his chair. Or maybe he just sat down. Maybe he closed a door. Too many things in the world are creaky. “What the hell are you talking about? What happened?” “He’ll kick me out. He’s gonna take Robin away from me.” Something slams—definitely a door. “Kid, tell me where you are.” “I don’t know. It was—” His brain isn’t working. For the first time in his life, logic and reason escape him and Tim’s mind pushes into overdrive, drags him deeper and deeper into oblivion. Bruce is going to find out. He’s going to find out and he’s going to hate Tim for the rest of his life. Bruce doesn't like murderers. “Goddamn it. Tim, listen to me. Can you do that?” It takes a moment, but Tim manages to get out an affirming noise. “I’m going to track your phone and come get you. Don’t move, got it? Stay right where you are. I’ll be there soon.” Jason hangs up, leaving Tim alone again. He drops his phone back on the concrete, uncaring of potential breaks. It’s already been cracked. “He’s going to kick me out,” Tim repeats to the empty alleyway. ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim is cold by the time Jason arrives. Or maybe he’s been cold this entire time. It’s hard to tell. “Fuck,” Jason swears as he takes in the scene before him. The body on the pavement. Tim, huddled against the alley wall, his eyes glazed over as he stares at the body like a horror movie he can’t turn off. Jason isn’t wearing his helmet, just a domino mask. He takes it off when he kneels in front of Tim, makes Tim meet his eyes. “Hey, kid. You with me?” “I killed him.” The words taste acrid on Tim’s tongue, sour. “Don’t worry about that now. Are you hurt anywhere?” Tim doesn’t answer. The back of his head stung before, but the pain is muffled now. Everything is muffled. “I killed him, Jay. I’m a murderer. Bruce is...I’m not supposed to kill. Robins don’t kill. They don’t.” His chest is tight, getting tighter by the minute until it feels like every breath is being sucked in through a tiny straw. “Tim, breathe,” Jason tells him. He puts his hand on Tim’s shoulder, and that helps a little. Gives him something to latch onto. “You’re in shock. Try putting your head between your knees.” Tim does, stares down at the dirty pavement between his sneakers. His eyes linger on an old fast food receipt. It has droplets of blood on it. “I don’t know what happened, I really don’t. He was—it was an accident. He was on top of me and he had a knife and then he was choking me and...I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t breathe, so I just—I just moved. And now he’s dead. I killed him. What am I going to do?” “It was self-defense,” Jason says, as if the answer could really be so simple. “If you hadn’t acted, he would have hurt you. Maybe even killed you. You did the right thing.” “No, it’s—” Tim picks his head up, digs his nails into his knees to keep himself above the fog. “No. I took a life. I’m guilty. I can’t—there’s no coming back from that. There isn’t.” How can he live with himself after this? Does he even deserve to? “What, so you would rather be dead than have to tell Bruce you took a life? Seriously?” “Yes.” There’s no hesitation, not even a pause to let the words soak in. Jason sighs, and Tim is too far gone to decipher what it means. He squeezes Tim’s shoulder once and stands, goes over to the body still lying on the ground. (As if a dead man would go anywhere.) Jason crouches down and takes off one of his gloves, presses two fingers over the man’s neck. After a moment or two, he lets out a breath. “He’s still alive.” Tim’s breath hitches. “Really? Are you sure?” “Pulse is thready, but he’s not dead.” All of the air leaves Tim’s lungs in one huge whoosh, making him lightheaded. “Oh my god. That’s…” That’s good, right? It’s a good thing. It should be a good thing. “Yup. That’s one hell of a relief.” Jason straightens up from his crouch. He reaches into his jacket, pulls out a gun, and fires it into the man’s head. “Jason!” It happens so fast that Tim doesn’t even have the capacity to think about the blood and brain matter splattered over Jason’s clothes, Tim’s shoes, the cracks in the alley’s pavement. “How could you—” “What? It’s not like he was going to walk it off or anything.” “We just—” Tim’s stomach churns. It feels like he’s going to be sick. “We just killed a man.” “No, I killed a man.” Jason holsters his gun, then kicks the body in the side for good measure. “You, however, are off the hook.” “What are you talking about? I stabbed him.” The knife is around here somewhere. That’s evidence. Proof of what happened tonight, what Tim did. What Jason finished. “And I shot him in the head. One of those is worse than the other.” “But I—” “No,” Jason snaps. He lowers himself to look Tim in the eyes. “You didn’t. Kill. Anyone. Got it? I killed him. Your slate is still clean.” “There’s a body. Evidence. I still did this.” Jason grabs the bloody knife and tucks it into his jacket. “No, the Red Hood did this. He cornered the guy in an alley, stabbed him, then shot him in the face. That’s what happened.” Tim shakes his head. “You can’t. You can’t take the fall for me.” “I’m not. I’m the one who killed him, right? I’m just taking responsibility for my own actions, which nobody is going to look twice at because this is the third one this week.” Jason takes Tim by the arm, pulling him upright and keeping him steady when he wobbles. “What about Bruce?” “We’ll tell him the truth. That you got attacked by some creep, I killed his slimy ass like he deserved, and then I let you crash at my place for the night to make sure you were safe. That’s it. Understand?” Tim isn’t sure if he does or not. He’s too numb to attempt puzzling it out, but he does know one thing he can say. “Thanks, Jason.” “Don’t mention it. Just try not to puke on me until we get to my place and I’ll call us even.”

[mrfitzdarcyslover]

My Drummer Boy

Hello lovers, this is a fic STRICTLY based off the movie version of Roger and how he was depicted in the film. If you’re not into fanfics just keep scrolling! :)

Also warning if you choose to read I’ve added a bit of smut at the ending. If you don’t care for that but still want to read I’ve marked off where it begins! 

xx mrfitzdarcyslover

Y/n is a close friend of the band who has been there to watch their success grow from the start. What happens when y/n is reunited with her boys after months being apart? And how does a certain drummer boy react to her return?

Flushed and out of breathe you ran towards the makeshift studio that the boys were recording in. To be completely honest the excitement of finally seeing your best friends again was electrifying and made you feel completely alive. But the thing that made you feel most giddy was finally seeing Roger, It had been months since you’d seen him last. With his tour of America with the boys and you’re marketing job always keeping you on your toes you hadn’t had a chance to see your boys return home from America. You had planned to surprise the band by showing up unannounced in the countryside while they were recording their new album. In order to pull it off you had to go to Ray Foster’s office and con the address out of his secretary Kelly. In all honesty you’d always found Kelly extremely annoying flirting with Roger anytime she saw him. It always drove you wild to see Roger flirt with other girls when all you wanted was for him to look a you and decide that you were all that he needed. 

Completely tangled up in your thoughts of Rog you didn’t notice the dip in the ground and due to the gravel you lost your footing and collapsed onto the mud. Grumbling to yourself you looked down at your white polka-dot dress covered in mud and stood up muttering to yourself about the stupid English rain always mucking things up. Wiping as much of the yucky brown slush off you as possible you continued the last few steps up to the door and yanked it open with all your might. The first thing you heard opening the door was Rog’s normally deep voice singing at a pitch only dogs can hear. Grinning to yourself you came into view of the boys. The first one to notice you was Brian who stared at you with eyes as wide as globes. With a stupid grin on his face Bri stood up and came barreling at you wrapping his arms around your waist and spinning you around. Giggling you wrapped your arms around his neck and squeezed the boy you considered a brother. The next one to see you was Deacy who gave you a big adorable Deacy smile and smacked Freddie on the arm causing him to whip around with a dirty look on his face. As soon as Freddie saw you he gave you that charming little look and said,

 “Darling it’s been far to long. Where the HELL have you been?”

“I’m sorry Freddie work”

“That’s not good enough darling it’s far to hard to contain these boys without you around. I absolutely forbid you from leaving us for so long again!”

“Of course Fred” you said with an edge of sarcasm “I’m at your beck and call” finishing it off with a little bow you heard Brian chuckle beside you.

Grinning at your shenanigans Freddie opened his arms and wrapped you up with a flourish.

“What the hell is going on out there?” you heard Rog say a bit of annoyance edging the remark. Knowing he couldn’t see you yet you stepped out from behind Brian and Freddie to let Roger see you. The grin that engulfed his gorgeous face had your heart beating wildly in your chest.

“Hello my love” he said his voice deep and husky.

“Hiya Rog”

Without breaking eye contact Roger removed the big headphones from his blonde mop of hair and rushed towards you out of the sound booth. 

“Darling” he said grabbing you by the waist and tucking you into his arms, “Where have you been? I’ve been going crazy without you around.” he whispered into your ear so that the boys couldn’t hear him.

Grinning you buried your face into his shoulder and breathed in the comfortable scent of Roger. Sighing you heard the band behind you snicker causing you to pull away from the heavy warmth engulfing your body.

“Well I think we need to celebrate” Freddie said “Darling I am so happy your back they won’t let me have any fun anymore. Please say we can go to the bar, they’d never refuse you.”

“Of course Freddie a trip to the bar is definitely in order, I need to let loose and have some fun with my favorite people in the whole world.”

“Great! Now let’s address the small problem of your outfit. What the hell happened to you? Did you get into a fight with a cow?”

“I fell...outside in the mud. Bloody English rain”

Chuckling Freddie shook his head at you and grabbed your hand pulling you fully away from Rog who squeezed your hip as you moved towards Fred. Freddie continued to pull you through the doors, past the muddy spot you fell, and into a cute little farm house.

“y/n where did you put your suitcase?”

“It’s on the landing of the stairs”

“Good, good lets go you can use my room to change, I want you cleaned up and ready to go in half an hour. It’s the second door on the left.” he said pushing you towards the stairs with a peck on the cheek.

Grabbing your suitcase you moved up the stairs towards Fred’s room. Once upstairs you grabbed your little black dress and the deep red lipstick that made your eyes pop. All together it took you about twenty minutes to get looking presentable enough to go downstairs. Opening the bedroom door you heard the band all downstairs laughing and joking with each other causing you to smile with a deep fondness. 

“Alright boys who’s ready to go out and get absolutely trashed tonight?” you jokingly said while descending the stairs.

All eyes turned towards you including a particular drummer’s causing you to shiver with excitement. 

“y/n you look absolutely spectacular.” Bri said standing up to grab your hand

“Well thank you Mr. May.”

“Alright let’s go I need to have some fun before I succumb to a tired and bored death.” Freddie remarked with smile on his face.

Freddie was the first to exit closely followed by Deacy and Brian. Roger came towards you holding out his hand for you to grab.

“y/n you look ravishing tonight, I hope you know that.” he said while slowly raking his eyes up your body “I’m not entirely sure I’ll be able to keep my hands off you my love.”

“Behave yourself Roger” you said with a giggle pulling him towards the door and into the cab waiting to take you to the pub.

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Arriving at the pub your first impression was that it looked run down and worn out but the boys insisted it they served nothing but the finest beer, having come here a handful of times for a quick nightcap. You all quickly located a little round booth in the back corner and shuffled in one by one. Starting from the left side it was Freddie, you, Roger, Deacy, and then Brian. The waitress was quick to come running over giving Roger her most sultry look while pushing her chest out in an attempt to grab his attention, which made your blood boil. 

Sensing your anger Brian redirected the waitresses attention and ordered a pitcher of beer for the whole table along with the glasses necessary for each member of the group. After that the night went off without a hitch each of them telling animating stories about their time in the states while on tour. You added a couple stories about the crazy things that happened to you on the tube as well as the new gossip at work. A few beers in you noticed the waitress coming back towards your table eyeing Roger up and down like he was a piece of meat. Annoyed beyond control you scooted in closer to Rog and nuzzled your head into his neck. The movement caught him by surprise causing him to inhale deeply and mumble a string of profanities. 

“Love what are you doing?” he asked looking down at you with dark eyes. Smirking you glanced back at the waitress who was frowning deeply, anger in her eyes. Roger noticed where you were looking at and chuckled internally, of course he noticed the waitress’s sultry looks he wasn’t blind but nobody could interest him the way you did. To be honest on many occasions Roger had fantasized about capturing your lips into a heated kiss and lifting you up into his arms only to continue in his bedroom, but whenever he thought he might actually go for it he chickened out. Everyone knew there was chemistry between you too, neither of you made an effort to keep it quiet, constantly flirting and teasing one another but for some reason the final move was never made. Roger hoped that tonight would finally be the night he would get to claim you as his and show you off the the world and all the adoring girls who lusted after him.

“y/n if you keep that up I’m going to have to pick you up right here and punish you my love.”

Blushing crimson you looked down at your lap internally debating what to do next. Not wishing to go another night without him you looked back up at him and said 

“I’m all yours”

“Bloody hell” he said with a sharp intake of his breathe “Lads I believe I need to go back to the house now, to many bad....pickles.” He stumbled out, visibly cringing at his own excuse.

“Yeah I think I’ll join you Roger, I’m absolutely wiped after the long bus ride down here.” you said

Freddie stood up with a smirk allowing you to slide out of the booth closely followed by Roger. The rest of the band all watched you rush out smiles on their faces. 

“Do you think?”

“Absolutely darling and about damn time to.” Freddie said finishing Brian’s sentence.

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(A/N Smut ahead read at your own risk, the story ends in smut so if you don’t like reading smut this is where your version of the story ends!)

Once you and Roger had grabbed a cab you sat on opposite sides of the car starring at each other with heavy lust filled eyes. Roger’s eyes were electric drawing you in. 

“E’re we are” the cabbie said in his thick accent “That’ll be 20 pounds.”

“Here you go mate” Roger said leaning over you to pay the driver.

You got a whiff of is cologne mixed with the smell of beer and cigarettes. Slipping out from under him you opened the door and slipped out making sure your ass stuck out for him to look at while you climbed out and onto the gravel. Looking over your shoulder you gave him a sultry little smile and began to sway your hips back and forth while walking towards the front door. Not turning around you heard Rog’s feet hit the gravel and then you heard the sound of the door being slammed and the cab driving off. 

“Well well my little mynx, its just you and I now.” he said huskily “What in the world should I do with you.”

Turning around you leaned against the column of the house and popped your knee out.

“I told you, I’m all yours tonight.”

“Bloody hell you have no idea what your getting into y/n. I have so many things I want to do to you.”

“Then do it Rog.”

Stalking towards you Roger pinned you against the column bringing your foreheads together and breathing heavily against your lips.

“Please Roger, I need you.”

That was all it took for all his walls to break slamming his plump pink lips against yours in a heated embrace you moaned into him as he bit your lip silently asking you to open up your mouth for him. When you didn’t immediately oblige Roger grabbed your hips and pulled you flush against him which caused you to gasp opening up your mouth and giving him an opportunity to slip his tongue in. Sighing you gave in and continued to kiss him while gently grinding your hips against his.

“Christ y/n what are you doing to me?”

Smiling you slipped out from under him and opened the door. Grabbing his hand you pulled him into the house and up the stairs.

“To the left love, the first door.”

Shaking in anticipation for the night to come you opened the door and dragged him in. With a quick turn of events Roger slammed the door closed and turned you around and pushed you into the door.

“You’ve been very naughty tonight y/n. I think you need to learn your lesson.”

“Yes sir”

“Now I’m going to walk over to that bed and sit down. I want you to strip for me darling.”

Grinning you slowly stalked over to the bed shaking your hips from the left to the right and pulling the zipper down your side to open up your dress. Lifting up your arms you let the black dress slowly slip to the ground and pool at your feet. This left you in nothing but your lacy red panties and heels.

“You are the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen y/n. Absolutely stunning. Leave the panties and heels on and come over here.”

Smiling you slowly sauntered towards him giving him the most innocent look you could muster. Once you reached the edge of the bed you lifted your knees to rest on either side of him and slid down so that you were straddling his lap. You felt Rog shudder underneath you and slide his hands up your back before he brought them up around your shoulder towards your breasts. Inhaling deeply Rogers rough fingers drifted over your sensitive buds causing you to whimper pushing your chest further into his big hands. Understanding what you wanted Roger trailed kisses from your jaw, down your neck, finally coming to rest over top your your pink bud. He began to kiss and bite with his mouth while one hand massaged your other breast. After a few seconds he kissed his way over to your second bud and began to repeat the action on your other breast.

“Oh Roger please, don’t stop.” you moaned out

“On your knees love.”

With fire coursing through your veins you slid off his lap ensuring to press down harder over his member before you came to rest on your knees between his legs. Glancing up through your eye lashes your hands began to work at the zipper and button on his pants. Slowly you hooked your fingers into the belt loops of his pants and pulled them down, leaving Roger only in his briefs his member clearly erect and impatient. Palming at his member you stood up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips and pulled his briefs fully off finally allowing you to get a look at his cock. Gasping at its size your felt your walls clench in anticipation of what was to come.

“Can I lick it sir? Please?”

“Yes baby you can.”

Excited you sunk back down onto your knees and stared at it head on. Slowly you leaned forward and licked a long strip from the base to his tip.

“Christ y/n please put those pretty red lips around my cock.”

Eager to oblige you slipped your crimson lips over the tip and allowed his cock to slip into your mouth. Moaning you took as much of him in as possible choking a little bit when he hit the back of your throat.  

“Oh baby that feels so good, don’t stop”

You hollowed out your cheeks and began to suck him. Popping off his dick you began to leave open mouth kisses up it while massaging his balls.

“Your turn my love” he said while grabbing your arms and pulling you up onto the bed. You fell back onto the bed with a giggle opening your legs so that he could slide up your body claiming your lips with his own. 

“I’m going to make you feel as good as you made me feel love. Keep your legs open for me.”

He began to kiss a heated trail down your body across your chest, past your stomach and finally reaching the brim of your lacy red panties. You felt him slip his rough fingers under the hem and pull down leaving you completely exposed to his awaiting mouth. He began to tease you kissing everywhere but the place you craved the most. Bucking your hips towards his mouth he placed his big hand on your stomach and pushed down holding you to the bed. 

“Patience darling.” he chuckled darkly

“Stop teasing me.” you whined

With a dark smile Roger finally lowered his head onto your core and kissed your sensitive bud. Moaning you grabbed his hair and pushed him further into you, holding him in place. Darting his tongue out Roger split your folds open with his fingers and slid his tongue into your heat. Roger continued his assault on your pussy licking, and sucking until you thought you might pass out from pleasure. When you thought it couldn’t get any better Roger slipped two fingers into your core beginning to stretch you for the events to come soon. Moaning you whined out feeling the familiar clench in your stomach. 

“Roger I’m cumming.”

“Let it go baby, cum for me.”

With a deep sigh you felt your walls clench together over Roger’s fingers. Ever patient he kept his fingers inside of you, helping you ride out your orgasm. Once every last bit of your orgasm was gone, Roger slipped his fingers out and quickly sucked them clean.

“You taste amazing love, so sweet.”

With a lazy grin you looked down at him and quietly called him up to the top of the bed with you. With a new breath of life you claimed his lips with your own and began to palm at his cock once more. 

“Rog”

“Yes my love.”

“I want you inside of me now.”

With lust blown eyes Roger pushed your legs apart and began to line himself up with your entrance. 

“Wait, can I be on top?”

“Are you sure love?”

Nodding you pushed him down onto his back and slung your leg over his hip straddling him to the bed. With agile movements you lifted up your body lined yourself up over his tip and slowly sunk down onto his cock.

“Oh fuck your so tight.”

Biting your lip you breathed through the slight pain from his size and then placing your hands on his abs began to rock back and forth creating a dangerous friction.

“That’s it love, you take my cock so well.”

Grinning you began to feel immense amounts of pleasure coursing through your body causing you to lift your hips and then sink back down onto him feverishly fast. Flipping you over Roger lifted your leg up and began to pound into you bottoming out each time his thrust in. 

“Faster, faster Roger please.”

Grunting Roger hiked your leg up higher and began mercilessly fucking your pussy. With a loud moan you grabbed the headboard opening up your chest for him to lower his mouth down onto. Biting and nipping Roger grunted a couple more times before you felt your walls clenching around his cock making his movements far more sloppy. With one final thrust you felt his hot seed squirt out into your walls mixing with your own desire.

“Oh god baby, yes”

“ROGER”

Collapsing down onto your naked body Roger’s cock remained buried deep inside your core slowly getting softer and softer. Running your hands through his hair you hoped this night would never end. A few minutes later you heard Roger’s small snores. With one last kiss to his forehead I pulled his cock out of my core and snuggled into his body falling into a deep heavy sleep.

[awkwardpenguinproductions]

Melee

Part 3 of the Dragon of the Yuyan

Read on AO3 | Series Masterpost

Zuko has been living in Pohuai Stronghold for two months, and would very much like winter to be over now, please.

It had snowed a few weeks ago, just enough to cover the top of one's foot when one stepped in it, and Zuko had hated it at first sight. There was just something unnatural about how Koh-damned cold it was, forcing his inner flame to burn hotter in his chest to compensate. Most of the snow is gone now, only little piles of dirty slush left in the corners of the yards where the weak winter sun doesn't quite reach, but it is now somehow colder than it had been when the snow had first arrived. None of the other Archers are firebenders, and Zuko honestly has no idea how they cope—Kai actually seems to like it, but Kai is also mildly insane and not to be trusted.

Zuko is now triply glad that he took the Commander's deal. He gets three meals a day (plus access to all the snacks he could ever want—all he has to do is blink and people shove food at him), he'll be learning from the most badass soldiers in the entire world (although he has yet to actually start training—Dr. Atsuko says he needs to gain more weight before she'll let him even touch a bow, and Dr. Atsuko is really scary so he doesn't want to cross her), and he gets Agni-blessed warm clothes (Zuko will bite anyone who touches his koala-sheep wool cloak—Zheng and the twins make fun of him for his attachment to it, but Zuko ignores them with the ease of someone who literally couldn’t care less). And all Zuko has to do is figure out new and interesting ways of getting past the Stronghold’s security, like the voyage through the ventilation system he’d taken last week that had allowed him to access the single most secure prisoner holding cell in the entire complex without even Captain Katsuro, leader of Banli Squad and the oldest and most experienced member of the Troop, knowing where he was.

Considering that two months ago he’d been staring starvation in the face, Zuko feels that maybe the luck that he’d used up just by being born is starting to come back.

Now if only winter would end.

Zuko is sitting with Kai and Jiyoti at breakfast in the mess, watching with increasing skepticism as Kai discourses the merits of arrows made out of ice, of all things. He’s neglecting his bao, and Zuko waits until Jiyoti distracts him with a salient point—how would one make ice arrows without waterbenders?—before swiping one. Mmm, sweet bean paste.

Kai pouts at him when he realizes what has happened, but Zuko is distracted by Commander Toshiaki coming their way.

Privates, Zuko, good morning, he greets them.

Good morning, Commander, they sign in unison.

Zuko, you need to report to Dr. Atsuko in the medical wing when you finish breakfast, the Commander informs him.

Zuko nods. Yes, sir.

Commander Toshiaki nods, the faintest trace of a smile playing at his stern expression, and Zuko feels like a million gold pieces. The Commander had been impressed with his breaking into the secure cell, and Zuko can’t wait to impress him again on his next “mission” to test the Stronghold’s security. He can only hope that nobody’s too disappointed when he inevitably proves how much of a failure he is at archery and non-bending hand-to-hand. He’s already resigned himself to never completing his firebending training, since the Yuyan are all non-benders. He’ll just have to hope that he never gets into a situation where firebending is his only weapon. He wonders if the Commander will let him continue learning the dao, since it’s a non-bending form of combat.

He still needs to be cleared by Dr. Atsuko though, so after Commander Toshiaki signs for them to carry on, and he steals Kai’s other bao (and ducks the listless protesting swipe the older boy aims at his head), Zuko heads over to the medical wing.

For once, the CMO seems pleased to see him, and within moments Zuko is stripped to his underwear and standing on a scale. He tucks his hands in his armpits and shivers in the chilly air of the medical wing.

“Good news, you’re just on the right side of healthy weight for a boy your age and height,” Dr. Atsuko declares briskly. She allows him to step down and get dressed while she scribbles on the scroll that contains his medical information.

Does that mean I can start training? He asks, smiling hopefully.

Dr. Atsuko rolls her eyes. “Yes, yes, you can start training, put that look away, you brat,” she grouses. “But don’t overdo it, understand? If I see you in here because you did something stupid, I’ll have Toshiaki triple the time you spend on the bench for recovery.”

Zuko nods rapidly as Dr. Atsuko scribbles on a small square of paper and rolls it up. “Take this to Toshiaki,” she orders, handing the note to him. “And tell the Commander that I’ll have his hide if he breaks you in ways I can’t fix.”

Zuko has absolutely no intention of telling the Commander that; he’s not a complete idiot, no matter how stupid Father and Azula and his tutors and combat instructors thought he was. He knows perfectly well that he’s exactly one screw-up away from being tossed out of the Stronghold on his ass, Zheng and the twins never let him forget it. Better to keep his mouth shut and his hands still unless spoken to directly—he’ll likely have fewer bruises for doing so when they do finally get sick of him and kick him out.

The sentiment is appreciated, though. Dr. Atsuko is scary (not quite as scary as Azula—it’s doubtful that anyone’s as scary as Azula except maybe Father—but Dr. Atsuko is close), but she cares in her own way. Zuko forms the Flame and bows, she scoffs and waves him off, and he departs.

His grin hurts his face, especially where the muscle of his cheek wrinkles the stiffened scar tissue of his burn. He doesn’t care, though—he can finally start training with the Troop, instead of watching from the side like someone’s useless kid brother! He can’t wait to tell Kai!

But first he has to find Commander Toshiaki. At this time of the morning, the Troop is usually on the target range, working on speed drills.

Commander Toshiaki is exactly where Zuko thought he would be, along with the rest of the Troop. He presents the scroll to the Commander, who favors him with a quietly pleased expression.

This is excellent news, he declares. He then assigns Zuko to Chihese Squad for PT and weapons training. Zuko and Kai exchange grins, and Zuko ignores the ferocious glare Zheng sends him.

Captain Hiroki, Chihese Squad’s leader, looks Zuko up and down. Ever touch a weapon before, kid? He asks, and Zuko can see the sarcasm in the way his hip is cocked, his half-lidded eyes, and the smirk lurking just below the surface of his stoically flat mouth.

Something about him reminds Zuko of Azula when she was fishing for something to torment him with, and his spine snaps straight. I studied the dual dao for three years with Master Piandao before my father demanded I stop, he answers, keeping his hands and expression tightly under control. Father forbidding him from continuing his studies with the Master is a memory almost as painful as that of the Agni Kai, but he powers through it, refusing to let this potential Azula-replacement have any kind of ammunition against him. My Uncle helped me continue learning, as well as helping me learn other blade techniques. Such as this.

As fast as thought, Zuko draws his pearl dagger, flips it to grasp by the tip of the blade, and throws it handle-first at the closest archery target. It hits a fraction of an inch off of dead center, buried to the hilt. The target is at least twenty feet away.

Kai looks like Summer Solstice has come early. Mika and Jiyoti are smirking. Zheng is audibly grinding his teeth, dark eyes narrow and furious. Captain Hiroki looks… impressed.

The Captain walks over to the target, pulls out the dagger, and examines it as he walks back. Zuko watches like an eagle-hawk, but all Captain Hiroki does is look it over, shine the blade on the sleeve of his tunic, and hand it back to Zuko, who immediately tucks it into the sheath in his belt.

Very nicely done, he signs, all traces of sarcasm gone from his face and body. And quick, that’ll serve you well with a good set of real throwing knives. Why did your father make you stop learning from Piandao? I thought he was supposed to be the best swordmaster in the Fire Nation.

My father didn't like Piandao, and believed that weapons were beneath a firebender's dignity, Zuko replies, and doesn't miss the sneer that crosses Zheng's face. Annoyance churns in his gut, but Zuko's been ignoring Zheng's sneers and jibes since he was able to understand the Yuyan hand-language, and he's not about to break that streak.

A firebender, Captain Hiroki signs, almost absentmindedly, hairless eyebrows furrowed in thought.

I'm not very good, Zuko shrugs.

It seems as though Zheng can no longer hold his peace. You can't possibly be going through with this, Cap! He signs, fury in every line of his body, his hands flying so fast that Zuko can just barely keep up. He's a thief! He should be shipped back to the Home Islands in chains, not be trained in our ways like he's actually one of us!

Shut up, Zheng! Kai's hands snap out. Don't pretend you're not just jealous that Zuko's better at shadow walking at fourteen than you are at twenty!

Why would I be jealous of a spirits-damned street rat? Zheng replies, sneering. He's obviously lying about studying under Piandao, wanting the Captain to fawn over him the way the Commander does, while all he's doing is using his ridiculous street rat tricks to make it seem like he's actually useful and not planning on selling us all out to the closest dirt-eater forces––

Zuko can't take it anymore. He's many things: a failure, a soft-hearted weakling, a useless embarrassment to his father and family. But he is here now in this new life because he believed, and still believes, that it is wrong to sacrifice loyal subjects of the Fire Nation as battle fodder. The idea that he could be a traitor to his people burns even worse than Father's fire-whips, or the handful of flames he'd held to Zuko's face.

He breathes, and exhales fire. The force of his rage produces a plume of reddish gold flame that roars toward Zheng like a stampeding komodo-rhino, causing everyone to jump back to avoid being burned.  

Zheng is white under his Yuyan tan. Kai once again looks like the Summer Solstice has come early, with his birthday next. Mika's eyes are wide, and Jiyoti is practically hiding behind the older woman. Captain Hiroki looks thunderous, but before he can even move his hands, Zuko is already signing.

You don't know a damn thing about me, you giant piece of shit. His entire body is trembling, he’s so angry he feels like he’ll actually burst into flames. He doesn't even care that he might get kicked out for this. Zheng's been a boarcupine quill in his side since Commander Toshiaki and Chihese Squad had pinned him to the storeroom wall, and Zuko is done. I stole so that I wouldn't starve, because I was dumped in the middle of Koh-damned nowhere with the clothes on my back and a single useless knife, and I didn't even make it out of the Stronghold before I got caught anyway. I was going to die. I was supposed to die, but the Commander decided to let me live because he thought I would be useful. And I will never be able to repay him for that, for giving me a home and a new life, so I will stay here and learn everything I can and be as useful as I can possibly be, and you can shut up and stay the fuck out of my way!

He can feel the force of his glare in the pressure on his temples and the ache in his scar where his left eyebrow used to be, and the expression must be something because even Captain Hiroki seems reluctant to get close to him.

A hand lands gently on his shoulder, and Zuko flinches hard before whirling around to face the new threat, which is—

Kai, with an easy smile on his face, though his dark eyes are pained. Come on, he signs, let’s go to Master Arata and get you kitted out. Cap can deal with Zheng.

Kai leads him away, and Zuko glances back to see Captain Hiroki turning on a still white-faced Zheng.

Master Arata, the bowmaker for the Yuyan Archers, takes one look at Zuko and gives him the one bow with the single lightest draw weight in the entire Stronghold. Kai laughs himself sick as Zuko tries and fails to draw the bowstring back to his chin.

The Commander finds them in one of the training areas used by the regular Army companies that are stationed at the Stronghold. Kai is showing Zuko the strengthening and conditioning exercises the Yuyan use as part of their archery training, and Zuko recognizes many of them from both firebending and sword training, so they're in the middle of a planking contest when boots appear in Zuko's vision. He falls flat on his face when he realizes just who those boots belong to.

He and Kai both snap to attention, but Zuko can't look anywhere but at the ground, shaking as he awaits the Commander's punishment for firebending at Zheng. His shoulders ache with tension. He wishes the Commander would just hit him and get it over with.

Boots reappear in his vision, and Zuko squeezes his eyes shut and braces for the impact.

And nothing happens. Slowly, the fuzzy buzz of panic enveloping Zuko like a suffocating blanket falls away, and after a few moments he gathers every scrap of courage he possesses and opens his eyes.

The Commander is crouching in front of him, his head level with Zuko's chest, looking up at him with calm dark gray eyes. In this position, Zuko is head and shoulders taller, instead of the Commander looming over him, and he can't understand why the Commander would do this because it has to be absolutely demeaning for the leader of one of the world's best strike forces to take such a position before a useless idiot child like him––

Peace, Cadet Zuko, Commander Toshiaki signs slowly, expression serene.

Oh. Duh. As if Zuko needed another reminder that he's an idiot.

Captain Hiroki has informed me of your altercation with Private Zheng, the Commander continues. As the instigator of the incident, Private Zheng has been reprimanded and assigned a punishment detail. He has also been transferred to Banli Squad, per recommendation from Captain Hiroki and Sergeant Mika. However, firebending at someone outside of training scenarios or active combat is forbidden here in the Stronghold, by order of Colonel Shinu, and I'm afraid that means that I need to give you a punishment detail as well.

I understand, sir, Zuko signs haltingly.

You are to report to the komodo-rhino barn half an hour after dawn for the next two weeks, where you will perform tasks assigned by Stablemaster Guo until the mess opens for breakfast, the Commander declares.

Zuko blinks. He can't have understood that correctly. The Commander wants him to help take care of the komodo-rhinos… as a punishment?

But he has definitely learned to hold his tongue in front of superiors, and has probably pushed his luck enough for the next year, so he simply signs Understood, sir, and bows with the Flame.

I have also spoken to the Stronghold's firebending master, and he is happy to take you on as a student, Commander Toshiaki adds. You will report to him at dawn every day after your punishment detail is complete. He wished me to inform you that he understands if you have gotten lax in your meditations in the recent past, but he expects you to resume them immediately, so that you are well in the habit once your training resumes.

For the second time in as many moments, Zuko is shocked. He honestly hadn't expected to be allowed to continue his firebending training, and he could admit that a small part of himself had been just a tiny bit relieved. Before, even with Uncle's intervention, firebending training had not been a pleasant activity. No one had dared to physically harm the Fire Prince, but Zuko knew full well how the palace masters compared him to Father, to Uncle Iroh, to Azula, and never really seemed to care if he hurt himself in the process of trying to prove himself worthy of them.

But now, there's no one to compare himself to other than the soldiers who bend, and the master who oversees them. Anyone to whom he might try to prove himself wouldn't care about his firebending, because they don't bend themselves. Zuko isn't the Fire Prince, the Crown Prince, anymore, he doesn't have anyone's boots to fill but his own.

And that is a very exciting prospect.

So he grins widely at the Commander and signs Yes sir!

Previous | Next

[yatorihell]

In The Darkness Chapter 79 - Missing

Noragami x Harry Potter AU

Words: 1,224

Summary: Yato wonders what has become of his friends and family.

Also available on Yatorihell AO3

The Sword of Gryffindor glittered, surrounded by piles of jewels and coins and treasures.

A golden goblet engraved with a badger lay on its side, ropes of pearls spilling from it.

There was a distinct sound of grating, like a heavy door being dragged over stone, before a reverberating slam shut him in darkness.

~

Yato woke in a bleary haze. His shoddy little tent had barely survived the night's snowfall, the canopy bowed with snow that threatened to collapse the entire structure and bury him alive. The scratchy polystyrene of the sleeping bag had tangled his legs and by the time he fought his way free he felt the cold chill that had seeped around his cocoon. The gas lamp sat abandoned, out of fuel for a few days now, and Yato groaned in protest as he stood up. He’d need to find the nearest village if he didn’t want to freeze to death tonight.

The horcrux looked at him dully, nearly invisible in the darkness of the tent as he picked it up and put it around his neck. He had tried every offensive spell he could think of trying to destroy it. Confringo, Expulso, Bombarda Maxima, Astrapicus; fire, lightning, and blasting spells didn’t even make a dent in the smooth surface, pinging the locket through the snow to Yato’s increasing agitation.

Hiyori told him that only Basilisk venom could destroy it, but there had to be another way. There had to.

Yato cursed lightly as he pulled on another pair of thin socks, his tracksuit, and the dirty, sorry excuse his white scarf had become. His coat was beginning to tear in the pockets and his brown boots were still wet from yesterday’s journey, but the need for warmth forced them onto his feet.

He left Hiyori and Yukine weeks ago, apparating to spots of beauty he’d heard of. He didn’t have Hiyori’s knowledge of the Muggle world, but he knew enough to survive.

The nearest village he apparated to was nondescript, empty in the early morning cloudy weather. Here the roads were gritted and the snow had turned to slush that seeped into his worn boots, but there were the supplies he’d need to see in the spring.

The only shop had just opened, and the bell jingled overhead as he entered. The clerk, unloading the day's magazines and newspapers, gave him a wary look but Yato shuffled to the back of the shop, eyes averted. He couldn’t be too sure who was magical or not, and he didn’t fancy drawing attention to himself by acting suspiciously. Without the radio – which he’d left with Hiyori and Yukine – he had no idea what was going on in the outer world.

Yato stared at the cans lining the back wall and felt his thoughts begin to drift. He thought of Hiyori or Yukine as he did every day; of their safety, of their reaction to wake and find him gone. He wondered where they were, or where they would’ve gone if he could finally come back. Were they looking for him? Had they risked going back to Grimmauld Place to call Kofuku? Had they been snatched…?

Yato felt the gentle hum of the horcrux and realised it was twisting his thoughts, feeding off his negative energy. He nudged it away from his skin through his coat and dumped his shopping basket on the counter.

The clerk said nothing but eyed him warily. If she was surprised to see him pull out a crumpled note to pay for the tins of food and fuel, she didn’t show it. She handed him back a few coins in his gloved hand and Yato sighed inwardly. He’d forgotten about Muggle money until he first went to get supplies, and whilst he wasn’t proud of it, the only way to survive was to trick shopkeepers into thinking that he had paid.

The doorbell jingled as he stepped back into the early morning. The first houses were stirring, the lights lit and kids leaving to catch their bus to school. Yato ducked his head as he passed a man in a neat black coat, feeling his eyes linger on him like he’d detected a bad smell. Perhaps he had; it had been a while since he’d had a proper shower, so he could only imagine that he looked like a tramp.

The walk out of the village was quiet and muffled by last night's snow, growing thicker the further he trudged the lonely road. His breath came in puffs of clouds as he slung himself over the nearest wooden stile into a field and took shelter behind the hedgerow.

The thoughts he’d shucked away crawled back into his head slowly. Where would Hiyori and Yukine be now? What had become of Kofuku and the rest of the Order? Had Grimmauld Place been discovered, and was Ebisu ok?

Yato thought back to the big empty house and its lone occupant. He didn’t even know if Buckbeak and Coo Phone had reached the Burrow. The guilt twisted in his gut, yet it had abated over time with each painful thought.

Yato shook his head, remembering the horcrux and its sadistic appetite, and drew his wand. A second later the field was empty, and Yato was gone.

~

Hiyori absentmindedly pulled at a loose thread on the blanket, staring into the dark canopy. She hadn’t slept in her own bed since Yato left, not that she had for months anyway. In a way, it was comforting to smell him on the sheets, but it was still a sore reminder that he was gone.

He abandoned them when they promised to stay together.

She and Yukine reluctantly moved camp after a few days, hoping Yato would see sense and come back. When he didn’t, they packed up and left, unsure of where to go or what to do. They couldn’t go back to Grimmauld Place after Kofuku’s warning, and they couldn’t go back to the Burrow in case it was being watched. It was made clear that any leverage the Sorcerer could use against Yato would be seized, and the best leverage they could get would be his friends.

Instead, they stayed in the wilderness, leaving tattered markers made from Hiyori’s pink scarf so that if – by chance or fate – Yato found them, he would know they were near.

Yukine snorted from across the room and Hiyori sighed. Sleep didn’t come as easy to her, and when it did, it taunted her with nightmares of snakes and blood and Yato, lost, captured, or dead. On these nights there was no one to comfort her and lure her back into sleep, to remind her that he was safe, and she hated him for it.

At the very least there were no reports of his capture, by the Ministry of Magic or Kazuma, whose attempts at keeping their spirits high were failing as he referred to the three constantly as if they were still together.

She rubbed her thumb along Sakura’s wand beneath the blanket. The fact he’d left it for her was another stab in the heart. He planned this. He knew that he was leaving, so he gave her the most important thing he owned to protect her. He danced with her and told her they would go home…

And then her home left.

[madpanda75]

“Snow Day”

Rafael Barba x Reader

Prompt 7: Snow for @thefanficfaerie‘s Christmas OTP Challenge

Rafael walked down the hall, his apartment door just a few feet away. His entire body sighed in relief. The weekend was finally here. While Rafael would normally use that time to catch up on paperwork, he walked into his home that Friday evening, wanting nothing more than to relax and spend the next two days with you.

“Y/N?” he called out, only to be greeted with silence. Figuring you were still at the office, he shrugged off his coat and headed into the kitchen where he spied a note on the counter.

“On the roof. Come meet me.” It read in your loopy, cursive handwriting.

As odd as your request was, Rafael complied, taking the elevator all the way to the top of the building. A strong gust of wind smacked him in the face the minute he opened the door to the rooftop.

Rafael instantly spotted you, leaning against the ledge, your hair whipping around as you gazed out at the city. He smiled and walked towards you, past Mrs. Kwan’s flowerbeds and Mr. Russo’s boxers frozen on the washline. Wrapping his arms around you from behind, he placed a tender kiss on your cold cheek. “What are you doing up here, mi amor? It’s freezing,” he purred.

“Do you smell that?” You asked, completely ignoring his original question.

Rafael sniffed the air. “I smell garbage and vent fumes.”

“Not that.” You turned to face him. There was a slightly wild look in your eye. “I smell--”

“Y/N,” he warned. “Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.”

“Snow!”

Rafael threw his head back and groaned. Over the years, he had learned that you had an uncanny way of predicting when there was going to be a snowstorm. It seemed as if all you had to do was say the word “snow” and the next morning there would be 6 inches on the ground. “Y/N, how do you know this? It’s been sunny and clear all day.”

“I have a sixth sense about these things. It’s in the air. I can feel it in my bones.” You shivered and closed your eyes. “That cool sharp sting that makes your skin tingle.”

Rafael arched a brow. “I think that’s called hypothermia.”

“Don’t tease your wife,” you said, playfully smacking his arm. “You watch, tomorrow morning you will wake up to find snow covering our street.”

“Well then we better get inside before we get caught in the storm,” Rafael teased, rubbing your arms to bring some warmth back into your limbs.

*****

Later on that evening Rafael lay in bed, checking on some emails while you were brushing your teeth. The 11 o’clock news playing on the TV suddenly switched over to the weather report.

“Alright folks, get those shovels out! Stock up on that toilet paper and bread because it looks like we’re getting some snow,” announced the meteorologist.

You ran out of the bathroom and pointed at Rafael. “Aha! See! What did I tell you!” You exclaimed with a mouthful of toothpaste before going back to the sink to spit.

“Ok, you were right,” Rafael said with a sigh. He shut down his laptop and placed it on the nightstand, getting comfortable under the covers.

You walked out of the bathroom with a smug smile on your face. “I usually am.” Turning off the lights, you went to the window and pushed back the curtain, looking out at the street below. Your hot breath fogged up the glass. “I love when it snows. The city always looks so beautiful. The world becomes soft and quiet. It’s so peaceful.”

Rafael snorted a laugh. “Sure, if you think treacherous ice, grey slush, and delayed trains are peaceful.”

“Says the man who arranged our ski trip to Gstaad next month,” you retorted and crawled into bed.

“Gstaad is different. That’s a vacation. I can ski and then just relax by the fire with you.” Rafael wrapped his arm around you, nuzzling his nose against the top of your head.  “It’s not like in New York where I slip on black ice in my new Italian loafers and end up in a dirty snow bank that a homeless man just used as a urinal.” At that last part, you tilted your head up to meet his gaze. “Hypothetical situation,” he replied.

You sat upright, a light bulb going off in your head. “You know what you need? A snow day.”

“A snow day?” Rafael repeated and sat up, his eyes widening.

“Yep, tomorrow you and I are gonna go outside and play in the snow. Who knows, maybe we’ll even melt that icy heart of yours.”

Rafael playfully pinched your side causing you to giggle and squirm. “Says the woman that ended up marrying the man with the icy heart.”

“Actually it was the suspenders and gorgeous green eyes that did it for me. Besides deep down I know you’re a total softie.” You booped his nose with your index finger. “Come on Rafi, unleash your inner child. Have a snow day with me. Please.” You cupped his face and gave him a slow, sensual kiss, your tongue brushing up against his before pulling away with one last playful nip to his bottom lip.

“Not a very fair tactic.” He leaned forward for another kiss only to have you place your hand against his mouth, effectively stopping him.

“So does that mean yes?” You jut out your bottom lip and pouted while batting your lashes, giving him big doe eyes. You knew he wouldn’t be able to say no.

Rafael rolled his eyes and took your hand off his mouth. “Fine, I’ll have a snow day with you,” he grumbled.

You squealed with joy and lunged towards him causing you both to flop back down onto the mattress.

“You know I can’t say no to you, cariño,” he purred, kissing you deeply.

“You’re too good to me. Best husband ever.” You laid your head on Rafael’s chest and dropped a tender kiss over his heart. “Trust me. A few hours outside in the snow and your mind will be forever changed,” you said with a yawn. In a matter of minutes you both were fast asleep, your limbs entwined while outside the snow began to drift down.

*****

You bounced on the balls of your feet, watching Rafael eat the snowflake-shaped pancakes you had made for breakfast. You had already scarfed down yours, excited to go out and enjoy the winter wonderland that seemingly appeared overnight. “You’re doing this to torture me, aren’t you?”

“What’s the rush, Y/N? We have all day,” Rafael said, taking a sip of his coffee.

“I’m just excited to spend the day with you but you’re right. I’ll just sit here and patiently wait for you to finish eating.” You sat down next to him, drumming your fingers on the counter and jostling your legs. Rafael leisurely swirled a forkful of pancake around some syrup before slowly putting it in his mouth. It was pure agony.

As soon as he had finished his breakfast, you hopped out of your seat. “Ready to go!”

“I guess so,” he mumbled, finishing the last dregs of his coffee. “What’s first on the list?”

“I’m glad you asked that.” You smiled and led Rafael to the hallway closet, pulling out two sleds. “Surprise!”

He shook his head incredulously. “Where did you get those?”

“I have a few tricks up my sleeve,” you said with a wink. “Now come on. Let’s try these babies out!”

You walked arm in arm with Rafael to Central Park, making your way over to Pilgrim Hill which had the steepest slope. Although it was still early, there was already a crowd of people beginning to form. Rafael glanced around nervously. He hadn’t gone sledding since he was a little kid. Aware of the fact that he wasn’t a spring chicken anymore, he couldn’t help but envision himself sliding down the hill and shattering his hip bone.

On the other hand, you didn’t seem to worry at all about breaking any bones as you sat in your sled at the crest of the hill. “You excited?”

“Something like that,” Rafael replied, getting in his sled.

You planted your hands on the ground on either side of you. “Ok, on the count of three. One, two, THREE!” Using your hands as leverage, you propelled yourself forward by pushing off the ground, careening down the hill.

Rafael could hear your whoops and laughter all the way down. Now it was his turn. Cautiously, he wiggled his body forward, his sled teetering before falling over the edge.

You looked around for Rafael, finally spotting him flying down the hill. Just as he was about to make it to the bottom, he hit a snowbank. Rafael’s sled caught some air, hovering several feet off the ground only to come crashing down. He fell out of the sled, landing face first in the snow.

“Rafi!” You ran towards him and rolled him over, wiping snow off his face. “Oh my God, are you ok? Are you hurt?” You asked in a panic, scanning his body for any injuries.

Rafael sat up, a smile slowly spread across his face. “Let’s do that again!” He grabbed his sled and started to run back up the hill. “Come on! I’ll race you down next time. Loser has to buy the winner hot chocolate!”

You laughed and ran after him. “Hey! Wait for me!”

*****

You lost track of how many times you and Rafael raced down the hill. When you both were exhausted and no longer in need of your sleds, you decided to give them to a nearby family and went to a coffee shop. Rafael may have ended up winning the majority of the races, but he still insisted on paying for your hot chocolate. The pair of you sat at a small table by the window, watching people enjoy the snow.

“So what’s next?” He asked, after finishing up his drink.

You stood up and took hold of his hand. “Follow me.”

There was a lot more in store for Rafael’s snow day— building a snowman, having a snowball fight, and just enjoying each other’s company. By the afternoon, you both were starving and stopped by your favorite Italian restaurant, only this time Rafael was the one with the surprise.

You left the restaurant to find a horse-drawn carriage waiting by the curb. “Thought we could take this home instead of a cab,” he said.

The carriage was white with plush red cushions. Evergreen garlands and sleigh bells adorned the outside. You approached one of the horses and softly stroked his chestnut brown fur. “How did you plan this?”

“You’re not the only one with a few tricks up their sleeve.” Rafael beamed and opened the carriage door for you.

Once inside the carriage, Rafael lay a blanket across your laps as the driver picked up the reigns, signaling for the horses to go. The sun was just beginning to set and a light snow started to fall. He smiled watching your face light up while riding through the snow-covered streets. You were absolutely radiant, a free-spirited woman who he had fallen madly in love with. You brought so much joy to his life.

“What?” You asked when you caught him staring.

“Nothing. I just had a wonderful time today,” he replied, wrapping his arm around you

You clutched your chest and gasped. “What’s this?! Could it be that Rafael Barba actually had fun in the snow?!”

“Yes, I admit it. You were right.”

“I usually am,” you teased and kissed the tip of his nose where a snowflake had landed. “Get used to it.”

Rafael glanced down at your mouth before looking up to meet your gaze. Cupping your cheek, he kissed you deeply. His tongue parted your lips, gently caressing yours. You shivered and pressed your body up against his.

“You’re incredible,” he whispered against your lips. “How did I get so lucky?”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” you replied, passionately returning the kiss.

Moving your scarf out of the way, he dropped a kiss to the sensitive spot below your ear as his hand slid underneath the blanket, stroking your knee. “Want me to warm you up when we get home?” Rafael purred, biting down on your earlobe, his hand inching up your inner thigh.

You nodded and softly moaned, tilting your head to grant him further access. “Excuse me?” You called out to the driver. “Are we there yet?”

***** 5 weeks later*****

It was Rafael’s first week back at the office after your ski trip in Gstaad. He had been working late every night, trying to catch up on what he had missed. Luckily, he had managed to leave early on Friday and come home to surprise you. “Y/N?” He called out when he opened the door. Only you didn’t respond.

An overwhelming feeling of deja vu began to sink in. He set his briefcase down and took off his coat, walking into your apartment in search of you. “I hope she isn’t on the roof again,” Rafael mumbled to himself before calling your name again.

“I’m in the bathroom,” you softly replied.

Normally Rafael would give you your privacy, but you were acting strange. In fact you had been acting strange ever since your vacation. “Are you ok?” He asked through the bathroom door.

“I’m fine,” you said after a long moment. “You can come in if you want.”

He opened the door to find you sitting on the edge of the bathtub. “Mi amor, what’s going—” Rafael immediately went silent when he noticed the pregnancy test lying face down on the sink. “Is that what I think it is?”  You bit your lip and nodded. Rafael’s eyebrows shot up into his forehead. “Are you...I mean does that mean you think you’re...” His voice trailed off, unable to finish his thought.

“I don’t know. I think so. I took a test when we were in Gstaad and it was positive but I wanted to be sure. Did you know Schwangerschaftstest means pregnancy test in German?”

“Nope, didn’t know that one.” He ran a hand across his face, warily eyeing the test. “So..ummm..what can I do? Do you need anything?”

“Will you just sit with me? We still have two minutes on the timer.”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Rafael sat next to you and took your hand in his. Neither of you said a word to each other. It was the longest two minutes of your lives. Finally the alarm on your phone went off.

You audibly gulped and nervously glanced over at Rafael. “You check. I’m too scared.”

“Of course,” he said, squeezing your hand in reassurance. He went over to the sink and flipped the test over to see the results. Rafael’s heart skipped a beat. Two lines. You were pregnant. A smile slowly spread across his face as he showed you the test. “It’s positive.”

“Really?!” You exclaimed and instinctively pressed a hand to your stomach.

He nodded, his eyes shiny with tears. You screamed and stood up, immediately jumping into his arms. Rafael laughed and held you tightly, kissing every inch of your face that he could reach, your happy tears melding with his.

You sniffled and looked down at the test. “You know, I’m pretty sure we conceived this baby during our snow day.”

“You mean that night after the sledding and the carriage ride, we did this?” He asked, gesturing to your stomach.

“What can I say? It was the snow,” you said with a shrug.

Rafael grinned and placed his hand over your lower abdomen, gazing down at his child’s home in wonder. Bending down, he kissed your stomach before standing up to pull you into his embrace, giving you a tender, sweet kiss.

From then on, every first snowfall of the year, Rafael would think back to that perfect day and the beautiful miracle that came along with it. All because of a little snow.

@glimmerglittergirl​ @southern-magnolia​ @sweetcannolicarisi​ @delia26​ @obfuscateyummy​ @sass-and-suspenders​ @eclecticminded​ @thatesqcrush​ @katmstanton​ @amirightcounsellor​ @beltzboys2015-blog​ @letty-o​ @sonnysdoll​ @lyssa1385​ @sweetsummertime99​ @burningsorr0ws​ @gibbs274​ @izzythefanfreak​ @riodallas​ @babypink224221​ @livxrafa​ @esparza-army​ @obsessionprofessional​ @ottosuricato​ @melsquared79​ @dreila03​ @frenchiefoxy​ @tropes-and-tales​ @thecraziestcrayon @goodluckfindingone

[ceealaina]

Hazy Shade of Winter

Hazy Shade of Winter - Chapter 1

008 - “Snowball Fight” - IronHusbands - T - AO3 (or see below) For the @tonystarkbingo December flash bingo Chap 1 | Chap 2 | Chap 3 | Chap 4 | Chap 5

It was a couple days before New Year’s Eve, and Tony had A Plan. He’d made a deal with Maria: He would come home for Christmas, make the society party rounds and play the dutiful son, even play nice (within reason) with Howard. And in return, he was able to head back to MIT right after Boxing Day Brunch, and spend the rest of his holiday and New Years in Cambridge. 

Which meant he had six full days with Rhodey all to himself. 

Tony had been nursing a crush on his roommate-turned-best-friend since his first week at MIT -- although back then it had been more of a physical thing (and, admittedly, a little bit of a ‘this would really piss off Howard’ thing). Tony had always been the type to fall fast, and hard, and to be honest, briefly, and had figured he’d ease out of it once he’d gotten to know the other man a bit better. No better cure for a crush than finding their socks soaking in the kitchen sink, or tripping over their dirty underwear on your way to the bathroom, right?

Instead, it had only grown worse. He wouldn’t have traded his friendship with Rhodey for anything in the world, but at some point in the past few years he’d fallen fully, completely, pathetically in love with him. At first he’d tried to tell himself that wasn’t really what was going on. It was just that Rhodey was gorgeous, and they lived in close quarters. Tony had grown up in a mansion, he’d never lived this closely with anyone before. It was only natural that his feelings would start going all wonky. Plus he was a teenager, and hormones, and, and, and... 

(And, when he was feeling particularly raw, he’d ask himself if maybe it wasn’t a crush at all. If maybe he had just confused because Rhodey was the first person to actually care about Tony’s well being for no other reason than that he genuinely seemed to like him, and his brain didn’t know how to process that.) 

But when Tony tripped over said dirty underwear for the fifth time in a week, and realized that it didn’t even give him pause, that it was irritating but also weirdly endearing? He’d given up trying to pretend that he was anything other than completely in love with his best friend.  

He knew absolutely that it was one-sided. Rhodey definitely did not feel the same way. But sometimes he would give him this fond smile that was different in a way that Tony couldn’t quite place. Sometimes there was a hug that went on a beat too long, a hand just a centimeter too low on his back. Tony was a genius, he couldn’t turn his brain off even when he tried, and he found himself cataloguing every touch, every glance, and how they differed from everything before. And sometimes he found himself wondering if maybe -- maybe -- there couldn’t be something there. 

And, since this was their last Christmas break where they’d be together in Cambridge, since Rhodey would be off somewhere probably classified with the military next December, Tony had decided that it was finally time to do something about it. He had an absolutely foolproof perfect plan. The greatest plan he’d ever come up with, definitely. 

Step One: Getting wet and sexy. If movies had taught him anything, nothing was better than a car wash or water fight for realizing latent sexual attraction. (And if he was honest? Yes, Tony was fully sunshine and red roses in love with the man, but goddamn, did he want Rhodey to realize some latent sexual tension too.) Admittedly, he was a little constrained by the time of year — he was pretty sure if he tried to have a water fight in the middle of December, he’d end up in the hospital, either because of hypothermia or because Rhodey would have him committed — but they didn’t call him a genius for nothing. A fresh dusting of thick, powdery snow had fallen in the night, the kind of snow that was perfect for packing. So if they couldn’t have a water fight, Tony was pretty sure he knew the next best thing: Snowball fight. They’d get all wet, and out of breath, and flustered. It would be totally sexy, with the added bonus of having to “warm each other up” wink wink, nudge nudge, all that good stuff. 

Yeah, Tony was a genius. 

***

Tony was not a genius. Tony was the biggest idiot to have ever lived. Nothing about this was even remotely sexy. He hadn’t had a snowball fight since he was seven, and had somehow managed to convince Jarvis it would be an important life skill. And somehow, in the ensuing years, he had managed to forget just how cold snow was.

“Oh! Oh fuck!” he yelped as an entire handful of snow was dumped down the back of his jacket. “Oh fucking fuckity fuck!” He bounced around, squirming as the icy snow melted down his spine. “Oh fuck, it’s cold. It’s too fucking cold.” He paused to glare at Rhodey, who was actually cackling. “Where the hell did you even come from?”

Rhodey just shrugged, giving Tony a wink that made him feel all flushed and too hot. “I got skills, man. I told you what would happen if you tried to start something with me.” 

Tony opened his mouth to retort, but all that came out was an embarrassingly high-pitched squeal as icy slush slid right down the crack of his ass. 

This was not sexy at all. 

“This is awful,” he moaned. “Everything’s so cold. I’m freezing and somehow sweating at the same time? What the fuck is this? And why can’t my teeth stop chattering??”

Rhodey snorted, laughing at him. His eyes were fond, but ‘my adorable adopted brother roommate’ fond, not ‘I’m so in love with you it’s driving me crazy’ fond. Tony pouted. “You are so rich, it’s embarrassing,” Rhodey informed him. “You ready to admit defeat?” 

“Never,” Tony replied, but it was half-hearted at best. 

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Come on,” he told him, slinging an arm around Tony’s shoulder, and steering him toward their apartment. “I’ll even make you some conciliatory hot chocolate, I’m just that good of a friend.” 

And that had been Tony’s next step, dammit! But he still found himself going along with Rhodey, warming up where their sides were pressed up against each other. 

“Yup,” he agreed, doing his best to keep the disappointment out of his voice. “You’re the best, honeybear.”

[hidekikitsune]

Coffekinoid | Nell & Hideki

tw: blood, brief mention of self-harm

Location: Coffee Plus

Characters: Nell (@https://nelllraiser.tumblr.com/) & Hideki (@https://hidekikitsune.tumblr.com/)

Summary: What was meant to be a brief battle of the wits morphed into a karkinoid cook-off, the likes of which Coffee Plus shall never witness again. ft. an interesting jacket, an overpriced cardigan, soft boi Hideki, and spicy girl Nell. Oh, and glass. Lots of glass. 

It had been a moment since Penelope has come to a Coffee Plus since it was fairly close to campus, and she didn’t really have a reason to be near the campus in the first place. But sometimes she just really wanted the chocolate muffins they had here in particular, even if their desserts weren’t as popular as their beverages. Nevertheless, she was hunkered down over her muffin and mocha, all too eager to dig in when she saw a familiar face pop into the shop. Damn it, she really should have left her Amphisbaena jacket at home today, especially after it had struck Hideki’s interest the last time he saw it. But with all these karkinoids roaming around and...raining fish- she’d figured it was best to be protected. 

The cold had never bothered Hideki much. What did bother him was the slush that just loved appearing to ruin his favorite shoes after the snow melted a little. He knew he should have just worn his snow boots to work today. He sighed as he tugged the door open to Coffee Plus a little stronger than he needed to. The baristas took one look at him and immediately started making his usual drink - proof that he came far too often. He went through the motions of paying for his drink and making small talk, but didn’t bother to address the feeling that someone was watching him until his americano was solidly in-hand. When he realized it was Penelope staring at him, though, he suddenly felt a surge of energy that could only come from the need to antagonize the poor soul in front of him. “Afternoon, Penelope.” He said her name with an unnecessary amount of entertainment as he slid into the seat across from her without permission. He raised a meticulously groomed eyebrow at the spread in front of her. “I never imagined you’d be one for sweets.” Hideki reached across and plucked the muffin from in front of her, though he took care to keep his fingers on the muffin liner so as not to dirty his fingers with the sweet. “Tell me… how does a girl like you get a jacket like that?”

Nell nearly groaned as Hideki slid into the chair across from her, her eyes narrowing in his direction. Though...it was mostly all in good fun. After all, it was amusing to try and ruffle his feathers in return whenever he decided to make his attempts to prey on her. “Old man, Hideki,” she commented back in as neutral a tone as possible, as if greeting an age old, but respected adversary. “Why not?” she asked, figuring there was no other choice but to take that bait if it was indeed bait. But the moment he took her muffin her eyes bugged out. Normally- she managed to pretend like she wasn’t as bothered by him, but this was crossing a line. Messing with Penelope was one thing, but messing with her food? Unacceptable. “Get your own muffin. That’s a great way to lose a finger,” she said gruffly as she reached across the table to make her attempt to snatch her muffin back. “A girl like me?” she replied indignantly. “What’s that supposed to mean? How’s an old man like you get out of bed every morning to terrorize the youth of this coffee shop? Don’t your bones creak? Nearly break when you force their tired selves out into the world?”

The girl’s ceaseless teasing had always been a bit of a treat for Hideki. He looked to be in his early thirties at the latest, but only he knew he had lived long enough for the average human lifespan already. He chuckled and let her snatch the muffin from his clutch. He rubbed the pads of his fingers with his thumb, trying to remove any remaining crumbs before crossing his arms and resting them on the table, leaning into her onslaught of questions with a perfectly amicable smile. “With such a fiery personality, I always assumed you wouldn’t have much of a sweet tooth,” he admitted with a slight shrug. “But you are absolutely correct, Penelope. My bones nearly break with every step I take in this harsh, cold world. The only warmth and joy I can ever find in my boring old man life is to steal nourishment from youths such as yourselves in this very coffee shop. It’s your own fault, really. You should have known better than to come to my hunting grounds.” 

Obviously Nell knew Hideki couldn’t be much older than Bea at most, but still— it was amusing to make fun of the way he acted like he was an old man in a younger one’s body, saying the strangest things and proving himself time and time again to only have more traits she’d expect of someone much older. But as she regained her muffin she hummed pleasantly, easily placated by the re-acquirement of the little pastry. But her lips pursed in the slightest at the mention of fiery. It seemed her personality was the only part of her family’s legacy she’d inherited. Though she’d made a name for herself without the connecting link to their fire elemental tendencies, it still wasn’t exactly fun to be the odd one out. “Yeah well- human beings are very complex creatures, Hideki,” she said with the element of a tease back in her tone. Despite her attempts to always seem unamused by him, her lips still tilted up at the corners in a small grin. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you. Maybe you should just spare us all, and stop hunting for the sake of your rapidly decaying body.” But she snickered at the mention of hunting grounds. “Not a very good hunter when you return the food.”

Hideki snorted and leaned back in the seat of the booth, finally letting himself take the first sip of his americano. It had been far too long since he’d last had an adequate amount of caffeine coursing through his veins so it took a shameful amount of self-restraint to keep himself from downing the entire thing in front of… present company. “You have no idea how complex…” he muttered around the rim of his cup, eyes glittering with entertainment. He would always wonder at how rash young humans could be despite how delicate they were. Although, he still questioned what the woman sitting in front of him was. His eyes shamelessly scanned the details of her jacket, his recent obsession. “Well, that’s quite a good proposition to make. Perhaps, since you like bantering so much, you might be inclined to study political science at the local college. Our debate team is quite good from what I hear. I’m sure you’d have a great deal of fun as a lawyer.”

A little frown crossed over Nell’s lips, never sure what Hideki meant when he said such cryptid things. Maybe he was just being weird. Who knew? Nevertheless, she fixed him with a disapproving look as she noticed him focus in on her jacket, and she subconsciously gripped the edges of it, pulling it closer to her body in a somewhat defensive maneuver. How could he know what it was made of? He’d have to be supernatural himself. Or perhaps a Scribe? A Scribe seemed more likely, and much more Hideki’s speed. “Mmm you know it’s funny you mention that. I have considered applying recently.” She dangled the carrot for a moment, wondering if he would bite. “Would you like to know why?”

Hideki couldn’t help but lean forward on his elbows a bit, eager to hear whatever tale the young lady had decided to weave up for him this time. “Oh, please do enlighten me.” He had to resist being sarcastic, just in case she was genuine, even for a single second. That second’s pause was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. Hideki cursed in Japanese under his breath and dove under the booth table to shield himself. He tugged not-so-gently on Nell’s arm to try and drag her under the makeshift barrier with him. “What in God’s name…?” he hissed, eyes going wide as the tiled restaurant floor echoed with the sound of strange clicks that could be heard around the other patrons’ panicked whispers.

For a moment, Nell felt the smallest bit guilty about possibly teasing Hideki. It really did seem that he was at least partially genuinely excited at the prospect of her going to college. And she didn’t need to disappoint more people in her life. So she hesitated, that pause made longer by the sudden outburst of the broken windows, and a clicking sound she thought was vaguely familiar, but couldn’t quite place. “Hey!” she exclaimed as Hideki tugged her downwards, hiding certainly never being her first instinct when it came to danger. Though...she supposed it was nice of Hideki to think of her. Still, she wasted no time in straightening herself to sneak a peek over the top of the table, a rather passionate curse of, “Fuck, god dammit,” falling from her lips as she recognized the karkinoids. “It’s the kar- the giant lobsters.” Fiddling with her clothes, she pulled out a dagger from who knew where, readying herself to fight. “Uh- just- stay here,” she told Hideki, not wanting him to get hurt.

Hideki felt his hands starting to shake despite his best attempts to keep calm. He was not ready for this. The thought that there were other people - that Nell was there - was a good reminder that he needed to figure out how to handle the situation. At least, that was what he had been telling himself until he realized that Nell had pulled out a dagger. “Woah!” He grabbed her shoulder to stop her, only just then realizing she had almost said the word ‘karkinoid’. “What the hell are you doing?” He hissed, cautiously leaning his head around the booth. “There’s… at least six of those…” He paused, scanning her expression and only found reassurance that she knew exactly what she was doing, so he resigned himself to slipping out of his guise. “There’s six karkinoids. Whatever experience you may have, you’ll need some back up.” 

Nell frowned at being pulled back by Hideki, though she should be very used to people holding her back when she was constantly attempting to dive head first into situations. “I’m gonna kick their ass!” she said restlessly, annoyance coloring her words that she was having to wait to make sure these little shits didn’t hurt anyone in the shop. But then he uttered the word karkinoid, the very one she’d done her best not to say, and she the small suspicions she’d had were at least somewhat confirmed. Unless...Hideki was simply very into the mythology he was responsible for teaching. But he didn’t seem unfazed that apparent mythology could come to life. Her pride made her say, “You don’t know how capable I am or not.” But now wasn’t the time for pride. “The longer I wait, the more likely people are going to get hurt! So unless you have a bazooka hiding under that cardigan-” She let her words cut off, her impatient look cutting into him.

The kitsune sighed as she argued with him. Though, she was right; he had no idea what she was. For all he knew, she was a 600 year-old-vampire who just liked acting like an absolute child at the most inopportune moments… He doubted it. Hideki grumbled under his breath as he pulled off the aforementioned cardigan to protect it; it was $300 dollars. And really soft. “Alright, kid. Let’s see what you can do.” He tossed a smile her way and slid out from beneath the table, just in time to see a karkinoid descending on one of the baristas who’d been brave enough to try to fight them off with a broom. With a flick of his wrist, a carefully aimed burst of fire engulfed the creature. Thank God the windows were broken, though. The stench...

Nell’s impatience turned momentarily to confusion as she watched him take the cardigan off. What the fuck was he doing? But her confusion quickly turned to intrigue as he seemingly put out a challenge. He was...encouraging her now? The surprise one her face only grew as she watched him throw himself into the battle, and fire sprouted from his hand in a similar fashion to the methods her family of fire elementals had used all their lives. But...she didn’t feel any magic in the air as he did it. Nevertheless, she let out a delighted bark of a laugh as he torched the karkinoid, her hands flying straight into the air in triumphant fists. “Haha! Yes, old man! Yes!!” And then she wasted no more time in launching herself into the fray, grabbing the brave barista by the arm, tossing her towards the door, and telling her to “Get the hell out of here!” And then relaying it to anyone else who was in the shop by yelling it over the mess of a shop. In another moment, she was jumping onto the counter, overlooking the field as the karkinoids went in search of whatever food they were trying to find. Picking the first overgrown lobster she saw, she dove from the top of the counter onto it’s back, quickly pinning it’s fatal claws to the floor as she grabbed one of it’s legs nearest it’s middle and yanked it off. “Hideki, I got us dinner!” she yelled after tossing the leg aside. Then she promptly drove her knife into the weak spot she’d created, and the thing’s struggles began to wan. 

Hideki rolled his eyes at her encouragement, but was unable to deny the genuine smile that was creeping onto his face. It had been a long time since he’d felt so excited. Hideki was quick to spring to action though as patrons began flooding out of their hiding spaces to run. “Go through the backdoor! Quick!” He shouted, holding open the kitchen door as he ushered everyone to safety. When he turned around to see Nell practically tackle a Karkinoid, it was all he could do to keep from laughing. “Dinner, you say?” He caught the leg and set it ablaze. “Seems as though we’ll be having fire roasted lobster tonight.” He chuckled, but only then realized his mistake in getting distracted. A Karkinoid was coming to the aid of its friend and was dangerously close to Nell. Fearing he might burn her if he were to use his fire, he quickly unbuttoned his pants and shifted. With a vicious snarl, the kitsune tackled the bottom feeder, fangs ripping deep into its exoskeleton.

Another bright laugh fell from her as he ‘prepared’ their dinner, and she finished off her first karkinoid, driving the knife into the weak bit of flesh she’d created again and again. “I’ll have to pick up some butter on the way home.” The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end, battle instinct kicking in as she whipped her head around and saw another karkinoid coming her way. Magic gathered at her fingertips as she got ready to blast it into oblivion, but instead out of the corner of her eye she saw Hideki...taking off his pants? What the fuck. But it all became clear as he shifted, and she barely even blinked as he took out the karkinoid. “Are you shitting me?! A fucking kitsune?!” It was a mix of shock and excitement. She’d met a few of them when she’d been travelling in Japan during her five-year-long attempt to see the world and all it had to hold. “You’ve been holding out on me, jerk!” Then she joked once more in the midst of battle. “Also rude of you to take the one I wanted.” Speaking of ones she wanted it seemed that the rest of the karkinoids were quickly pegging Nell and Hideki as the threats to be most worried about at the moment, and were gathering their forces as the advanced on the pair. In a flash, she’d run her knife down the side of her arm, letting that glorious river of red blood run free as she felt its power flow through her veins, and she dropped it onto a bit of glass on the floor. In another moment, the glass that had shattered in perfectly sharpened bits began to hover in place. Normally, they wouldn’t be enough to make a karkinoid flinch, but if she summoned them to her all in conjunction, and with a lot of muscle behind them. Well...they’d see whether it worked or not. The only problem was at the center of this circle was Nell and Hideki. “When I say jump- jump. After three.” Then she began the countdown. “1...2…3...Jump!” The glass shot inwards as her feet left the ground, doing its best to imaple anything that was in its path.

Hideki only rolled his eyes as the woman cursed at him. Well, at the very least she seemed to know her stuff. At this point he’d believe she was a hunter with the way that she handled that dagger… which was a terrifying thought he didn’t dare to think that much harder on; the massive lobster in his mouth did not want to die. He was forced to let go of the creature as a massive claw clamped down where he had been standing on it just a second ago. Instead, he took a few paces back as the side of it that was the furthest from Nell burst into flames. Just in time for him to see her rip into her own arm. He let out at alarmed yip and ran towards her. Had the girl lost her mind? Things were dire, but not that dire! He was about to try and pull the dagger from her when he realized the glass was floating. Magic? Well… he had asked to see what she could do. Still, his ears pressed nervously to the back of his head as he circled anxiously, waiting on her count. On her command, he leaped, delicately tucking his tail to avoid any injury as the glass rushed forward. All he knew was that he did not want to be those karkinoids at the moment. 

Generally, Nell wouldn’t have resorted to magic if she could help it when in public, and in front of a man she didn’t know all that well— but he’d shown his so it didn’t seem all that bad to show her’s. Besides, she knew he wasn’t a witch hunter...right? She’d never heard of a shifter being a witch-hunter. Well- it was too late now. This was much faster than dispatching them individually, anyway. She jumped on her own command along with Hideki, and the glass pieces impaled anything in their path, driving deep into the karkinoids. Her feet touched ground once more as the pieces of glass came to settle, the ones that hadn’t come into contact with anything crunching under her shoes. The karkinoids had been considerably slowed, some of them dead in their tracks, though a couple still managed to crawl towards her and Hideki. “One last one for you, and one for me?” she asked, a blood-thirsty grin on her face as she looked at the carnage of the overgrown lobsters they’d wrought, and delicious adrenaline pumped through her veins. 

Hideki landed delicately on his feet, doing his best to ignore the small shards of glass piercing his paws. The small pads on his feet had grown rough from long summer adventures in the mountains where he’d grown up in, but glass was a new sensation that he didn’t ever want to experience again. Still, there were karkinoids to be grilled. He let out a tiny huff in response to her proposition. He took a step forward as though to launch himself at the remaining karkinoid he’d chosen, but let out a small whine as more glass stood in his way. He growled in indignation and set the whole damn creature on fire - perhaps a bit hotter than he’d intended. Still, the sound of sizzling karkinoid was confirmation enough that his part of the job was accomplished.

It took a moment for Nell to realize what was desparinging Hideki, but a little flash of guilt ran through her as she realized the problem. His paws. Sure, she had shoes to protect her feet, but he was working with just the skin of his feet. But it had occurred to her too late, and he was already dispatching his karkinoid, glass be damned. Meanwhile, she approached her own opponent. It had a couple shards of glass sticking out of its shell, but still seemed determined to fight until its last breath. Or at least...get to whatever food it had come here for to begin with. It was easy enough to dispatch the thing, and she did so by magicking one of the heavy looking trash cans over to it, before unceremoniously dropping it on top of the overgrown lobster with a loud crunch. “Well...I guess we can’t eat that one.” Finally- there was silence in the shop, and she remembered Hideki’s dilemma. “Are your um- feet alright? Sorry.”

Hideki jumped a little as the sound of the trash can landing on the karkinoid echoed around the once packed coffee shop. He sighed as he picked his way through the glass and back towards his discarded pants. He dragged them behind the counter, where he could shift without ‘injuring her delicate nature’. He slid his pants on with a quiet grunt, ignoring his bare chest for the time being as he pulled himself onto the coffee counter to examine his feet. “It’s alright. Considering how dangerous karkinoids can be, a little glass means nothing.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile but was keenly aware of the blood dripping from his hands and feet. “Do you ah… Would you please get me some paper towels? And a first aid kit? They must have one here somewhere.”

Nell was going to tell him to stay put, and to just let her clear the glass before he went wading through it, but it seemed she was too late as he disappeared behind the counter, and for a moment there was confusion on her face. Was he....hiding? But his emergence along with the pants made it easy enough to put two and two together. Still- perhaps it would have been better if she hadn’t been staring when he came out from where he’d gone. She might call him old man but...lack of shirt considered— Hideki was decidedly...not old. In a moment she looked away, a bit embarrassed simply because she felt intrusive when he obviously hadn’t meant to end up shirtless in a coffee shop. But her frown came back once more when he answered her, and she didn’t hesitate to step closer, holding out an open and upturned palm that was demanding his hand. “Let me see. I’m not the best healer, but I can get by usually. At least make it stop bleeding and keep you from dying of infection.”

The Kitsune blinked at her outstretched hand. He supposed after what they’d just been through, a little truce was more than due. He placed his hand in hers, allowing her to examine at will with a soft smile on his face. “That is… a relief. Most of my family were healers. It had become a bit of a tradition, so everyone was rather surprised when I was useless when it came to injuries. The fire comes in handy though.” He chuckled a little and nodded towards the burnt husks of the karkinoids. He was silent a moment as he deliberated. “Penelope… What was that back there?”

Nell knew that this was a bit...out of the ordinary for them, and it was rather strange to think that not fifteen minutes ago she’d just thought of Hideki as some stuffy, college professor who lived to shame her about college and steal her muffins. But her brow furrowed as she worked, not in the nature of letting people suffer around her unless they deserved it as her small hands traced the air above his injuries. It was true what she’d said about healing, and her work was slow as she did her best to patch up his hands. Though at the same time...blood injuries had always behaved well for her, it being easier for her to will the red droplets to cease, and bring those platelets together to scab over. The part that consisted of turning those scabs into new flesh was where she often ran into trouble. She couldn’t help but pick up on his phrasing, and asked before she could think not to. “Were healers?” Nevertheless, the corner of her mouth turned upwards, certainly being able to relate to not holding up family traditions. “My family’s just the opposite. A bunch of fire elementals and I can’t even make a puff of smoke.” She looked up from her paused work when she heard her name, even if she was still a little thrown that he tended to use her full one. “What was...what? The karkinoids? You said their name?” He’d known what they were, hadn’t he?

Well, Hideki had always admired Nell for her quick wit, though this was one of the few times he wished she hadn’t caught on so easily to his slipping up. He continued to stare at her hands as she worked - it was a good distraction from the memories and emotions bubbling up. “Were healers,” was his simple response. He hoped that was enough to satisfy her and, thankfully, her slight joke was quick to bring his smile back, even if it was only a small one. “No, not the karkinoids. Your abilities. I hate to assume things, but you are quite skilled and most certainly not a regular human. Call it… an old man’s curiosity.”

For the moment, it seemed that Nell had forgotten her own arm that she’d cut open during the fight for her magical purposes, rather intent on fixing Hideki. Besides, she was used to parts of her bleeding, and as far as injuries went it wasn’t that bad. But Nell knew a dismissal when she heard one, or rather— the shutting of a book Hideki didn’t necessarily want her reading when it came to his family. She was curious, but she wouldn't pry at the moment. It was probably easier, anyway. Nell didn’t think she was particularly good at helping people sort through emotions. “Oh-” Despite herself, her pride granted her a bit of a smile as he called her skilled, and that grin widened as he took it upon himself to claim his ‘old man’ title. “I’m a witch,” she shrugged, as if it was everyday news. “A spellcaster, if that’s easier for an old man to grasp. And you’re...a kitsune?”

“A witch?” Hideki echoed, gears turning in his mind. That made the most sense, but he was admittedly still wary of her. What kind of witch had knife skills like that? And blood magic? Clearly, its healing abilities had done him some good, but, as far as he understood it, blood magic was generally… disapproved of. He’d need to do more research on the subject to be sure. Most concerning of all, was that he wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t a hunter. He did his best to keep his face calm as he weighed his options but mainly kept his gaze downcast. “A+, little witch,” the subtle insult made him chuckle as he finally met her eyes, his own glittering mischievously. “I am what is known as a Kasai - or Fire - Kitsune.” His Japanese accent slipped a little as the words from his native tongue rolled past his lips. 

Nell wasn’t sure what to make of his tone, feeling like something was shifting back into the territory they normally inhabited of tit for tat, and sizing one another up. Perhaps their momentary little truce was over? “Yep,” she simply said, confused what other answer he might be looking for. “Black cat and all. Pointy little hat for sure.” Well...the black cat comment wasn’t entirely wrong. And then she was back to her impassioned outbursts as he hit just the right button. “Well we can’t all be freakish giants!” But then she was coming down a little once more. “And your A+ isn’t going to get me to enroll.” Kasai, she knew she’d heard the word before when she’d been talking with her kitsune friends she’d met in Japan, but she hadn’t stayed long enough to know all the types of kitsune and their names. “Funnily enough- I might have guessed the fire bit from the whole barbecue shrimp act. At least we’ll eat well tonight, right?” She’d finished with his hands, and pointed to a nearby counter, indicating he should sit on it. “Alright, feet.”

Getting the desired rise out of her made him laugh. It wasn’t his fault he was over a foot taller than her. Hideki shrugged his shoulders as she refused to enroll yet again. “Perhaps one day you will change your mind and prove to the rest of the professors that you could be a fantastic student.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, knowing full well how ‘cringey’ it may be. His students taught him that word the other day. He nodded, in agreement and slowly shifted a long leg up on the counter so she could have better access. “We might as well open up a seafood restaurant. A one night, lobster-only buffet. It could be quite profitable if we play our cards right.”

Nell’s nose scrunched in her disapproval as she pushed out a hand to shove him lightly in the shoulder. “Stop laughing! Short is normal!” But her face quickly shifted to entirely nonplussed, looking mildly concerned and perhaps disturbed at such movement of his eyebrows. “What was that?” But then her next reaction was to laugh a bit. “That was terrifying. You should have done that at the karkinoids!” Her amusement was kindled by talk of a restaurant as she bent a bit to begin work on his feet. “One-night while supplies last. We could be rich. We’ve already got the place and the health code...grade thingy,” she finished while pointing towards the window where the paper was posted. 

“Oh yes, I’m quite certain my eyebrows would have stopped the karkinoids in their tracks,” Hideki mused, as he leaned back a bit, examining their surroundings. “I suppose… we really should donate any profits to the owners, though,” he said with a soft sigh. “I do hope the repairs to this building don’t take too terribly long.” Hideki’s apartment was only two blocks away and he stopped into Coffee Plus on his walks to school each morning. He knew he was fully capable of making his own coffee, but the mere thought of such inconvenience. Which reminded him… “Whatever happened to your muffin?”

“You never know. Have you tried it?” As he leaned back her gaze shifted upwards for a moment to make sure he wasn’t falling or something, and she was once again reminded of his lack of shirt. In a moment, she was floating his discarded cardigan towards them, it landing just beside him on the counter. “Yeah...probably. This kind of thing isn’t exactly uncommon here, though- you know?” Now that she thought about it, she realized she hadn’t the faintest idea how long Hideki had lived in White Crest. “Are you upset for the owner, or your loss of coffee?” she teased. But at the very mention of her muffin, her eyes widened in the slightest, her lips uttering a mournful cry of, “My muffin.” She didn’t spare a second to summon that too, though her pout only strengthened as it came into view. It was in miserable shape, and was there a....bit of karkinoid shell sticking out of it? “My muffin,” she repeated again, this time it being more of an acceptance of the poor thing’s fate. “I guess...would you like a bit of it now? I might be able to share.”

Any kind of response was lost on him as his precious cardigan came floating into view. Sure, he was rather accustomed to magic considering his upbringing, but making things float was not something his family members were generally capable of. He watched like a fascinated child until it finally came to land beside him. “Thank you,” he muttered as he pulled his sweater back on. Hideki purposefully refused to answer her question, though; he was definitely only upset about the coffee, but he wasn’t about to genuinely admit that. The muffin floating still surprised him and he watched as she examined it. “Share?” Bewildered, he stared at her for a moment before laughing. “No, I think we should leave it as inspiration for our dessert menu instead.” With his hands and feet nearly cared for, he finally stopped joking around and leaned forward. “However, I think we should focus our priorities on your arm instead of our faux restaurant. Are you… able to heal yourself? Would you like me to fetch you some bandages?”

Nell watched with some amusement as he seemed to be all too eager to have his cardigan back, though she did not more than shrug in response to his thanks. A small, non-verbal motion that simply meant ‘don’t mention it’. But she also wasn’t going to let him get away that easy with avoiding her teasing question. “Hmm, your silence is awfully telling. Don’t you think?” She wouldn’t judge though. At least not right now. Her own chuckle peppered through the air as he seemed mystified by the muffin. “Oh- come on. I’m being so generous, and this is the thanks I get?” As he shifted his posture, again she looked up, surprised to find that he was closer than before. “I- what?” Oh her arm. “Oh, don’t worry about it. It kinda comes with the territory.” Nevertheless, this time a small pile of bandages appeared from seemingly thin air on the counter, Nell having magicked them here from home. Suddenly, she was hit with a small wave of fatigue. Perhaps she’d done one too many spells in quick succession after the glass stunt, but she brushed it off. After all, healing generally took more out of her than other magics. “I’ll just put them on in a bit. Magical healing isn’t always as prudent for me.” She’d healed her sacrificial wounds before, the ones she made in exchange for power, but sometimes doing so had...unexpected consequences. It seemed that something in magic didn’t always approve of healing something that was meant to be freely given in exchange for power so quickly. Perhaps it felt cheated. “Thank you, though,” she said, remembering her manners at the last moment. After all, it was nice of him to ask.

“When you get to be my age, you learn quickly where your loyalties lie. Mine just so happen to belong to a caffeine addiction,” Hideki finally admitted with a quiet but knowing laugh. Nell was right in that things like this just… happened in White Crest. He��d been there about a year and a half and had learned that lesson quite quickly. The sudden appearance of the bandages on the counter startled him, making him jump. He scrutinized them as though they might come alive, and then he scrutinized her calm demeanor. She wasn’t acting as though anything were out of place… so it must’ve been her doing. He relaxed and turned his gaze to his palms, where he experimentally made a fist. The scabbing would restrict a bit of his movements, but he figured his fine motor skills weren’t too impaired. “Come now, little witch. No need to be stubborn over a simple fix.” He leaned forward - proving himself to be quite flexible - as he gently took her by the elbow of the injured arm and led her towards him for better access. He examined the gash and plucked the bandages off the counter. “I may not have the magical ability to heal, but I’ve cleaned my fair share of wounds.”

Nell’s head tilted to the side, realizing that along with him being a kitsune, she really didn’t know how old he was. “Are you admitting to being an old man, in the same breath as being willing to do anything for coffee?” She was teasing, but also genuinely curious about an answer to her first question. Trying to remember back to the rush of the fight...she couldn’t recall staring at any tails he may or may not have, but she didn’t think there’d been a plethora. Nell shouldn’t have been amused by startling him with the bandages, but another small grin slipped over her lips nonetheless. She’d have to warn him next time. “How’s it feel?” she asked, craning her head a bit to try and get a look at his hands. Be careful though, I don’t want you to open up the scabs.” She grumbled a bit over her apparent new nickname that he’d settled on. Apparently he was determined to make it stick. But her barbs were lowered for a moment when she realized what he was doing, and let herself be brought closer. Still, she was uncertain, mind still decently confused about how they’d gotten from swiping muffins to this. “I- um- alright.” Perhaps the first time she hadn’t fought him on something. “Thanks.”

Hideki made a soft humming sound as he contemplated his answer. “By human standards, I am very much an ‘old man’, but, in the eyes of the ancient ones, I am still a baby.” He winked knowingly and set about the task of cleaning and bandaging up her arm. His touch was gentle, but a bit clumsy with how he couldn’t fully bend his fingers. It didn’t help that his hands were shaking again. He frowned as he realized he hadn’t eaten anything… again. When was his last meal? He’d had… a bowl of rice for dinner two nights ago? No wonder. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, willing his muscles to comply until he could scavenge something up. “They’re a little stiff, but I should be just fine, thank you.” Despite his shaking fingers, he tied off the bandages with a practiced ease. With his immediate concern appropriately addressed, he finally noticed the scarring that undoubtedly came from her magic. He made a mental note but decided it would be best if he simply… didn’t ask. “Now then… I vote we find my shoes and get out of here,” he muttered as he wiggled his feet, testing their new flexibility too.

Nell let out a hum of amusement before she simply said, “Baby, old man,” still having no qualms with poking some fun at him. “That explains a decent amount, though.” Like why he literally sounded like he’d come out of a different century at times. But she stilled as he went about his work, watching curiously as he did what he promised. She couldn’t...entirely remember the last time she’d let someone help this way. It seemed different than letting the healers at the Ring heal her, and she didn’t even always let them do their work. Her frown joined his as she watched his hands tremor, and she didn’t waste time to ask, “You’re sure you’re alright?” Yes, shoes would be a good idea. Despite her wave of fatigue earlier, she didn’t hesitate to call the shoes to them, as she was fairly certain she could at least handle this one other thing for the moment. “Should we see if it fits, Cinderella?” she asked, presenting them to him. 

The Kitsune only nodded in response to her question, not wanting to have her worry over him. While he undoubtedly enjoyed her presence, there were some things he still needed to work out about her - such as whether or not she might be a genuine threat. He was slowly getting accustomed to things just floating towards him, but it didn’t stop his eyes from going wide as he watched. “Ah yes, my good prince. Let us see,” he laughed and held up his foot, but the laughter died in his throat as the sound of distant sirens started getting closer. Hideki paled as he looked around the destroyed coffee shop. Of course, the police would be on their way. His eyes met Nell’s for a beat and he opened his mouth, but the words refused to come out. All he could communicate was panic. He snatched the shoes and slid across the counter, bolting through the kitchen door and out of the emergency exit as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn’t even bother to pull his hair from his face as he sprinted down the block, completely bypassing his apartment and heading for the woods. For familiar territory. For safety. 

Hm. Nell wasn’t sure how satisfied she was with his nod, but she’d have to take it for now. They needed to get out of this mess. She laughed before leaning over to help him get his shoes on, but it seemed she wouldn’t get the chance to see if the slipper fit. In another moment, she’d heard the sirens as well, and cursed lightly. “Shit.” She doubted the police would blame them for this, but you never knew who might become the scapegoat in a town such as White Crest. But Hideki’s panic held her captive for a moment, making her want to reach out and take the reins when it came to getting out of this. No sooner had she thought such a thing was he bolting for the door in a way that only raised more questions for her. Nell ran after him for a moment, but didn’t get all that far from the shop before she stumbled onto the pavement her shaky legs giving out for a moment as the cost of her magic left her less coordinated than usual. And by the time she looked up he was long gone, nothing but a single shoe left in his wake.

[nelllraiser]

coffeekinoid | hideki + nell

LOCATION: coffee plus. PARTIES INVOLVED: @hidekikitsune and @nelllraiser. SUMMARY: hideki and nell decide to go in on a seafood restaurant together that serves fresh-killed karkinoids.

It had been a moment since Penelope had come to a Coffee Plus. Since it was fairly close to campus, she didn’t really have a reason to be near the campus in the first place. But sometimes she just really wanted the chocolate muffins they had here in particular, even if their desserts weren’t as popular as their beverages. Nevertheless, she was hunkered down over her muffin and mocha, all too eager to dig in when she saw a familiar face pop into the shop. Damn it, she really should have left her Amphisbaena jacket at home today, especially after it had struck Hideki’s interest the last time he saw it. But with all these karkinoids roaming around and...raining fish- she’d figured it was best to be protected. 

The cold had never bothered Hideki much. What did bother him was the slush that just loved appearing to ruin his favorite shoes after the snow melted a little. He knew he should have just worn his snow boots to work today. He sighed as he tugged the door open to Coffee Plus a little stronger than he needed to. The baristas took one look at him and immediately started making his usual drink - proof that he came far too often. He went through the motions of paying for his drink and making small talk, but didn’t bother to address the feeling that someone was watching him until his americano was solidly in-hand. When he realized it was Penelope staring at him, though, he suddenly felt a surge of energy that could only come from the need to antagonize the poor soul in front of him. “Afternoon, Penelope.” He said her name with an unnecessary amount of entertainment as he slid into the seat across from her without permission. He raised a meticulously groomed eyebrow at the spread in front of her. “I never imagined you’d be one for sweets.” Hideki reached across and plucked the muffin from in front of her, though he took care to keep his fingers on the muffin liner so as not to dirty his fingers with the sweet. “Tell me… how does a girl like you get a jacket like that?”

Nell nearly groaned as Hideki slid into the chair across from her, her eyes narrowing in his direction. Though...it was mostly all in good fun. After all, it was amusing to try and ruffle his feathers in return whenever he decided to make his attempts to prey on her. “Old man, Hideki,” she commented back in as neutral a tone as possible, as if greeting an age old, but respected adversary. “Why not?” she asked, figuring there was no other choice but to take that bait if it was indeed bait. But the moment he took her muffin her eyes bugged out. Normally- she managed to pretend like she wasn’t as bothered by him, but this was crossing a line. Messing with Penelope was one thing, but messing with her food? Unacceptable. “Get your own muffin. That’s a great way to lose a finger,” she said gruffly as she reached across the table to make her attempt to snatch her muffin back. “A girl like me?” she replied indignantly. “What’s that supposed to mean? How’s an old man like you get out of bed every morning to terrorize the youth of this coffee shop? Don’t your bones creak? Nearly break when you force their tired selves out into the world?”

The girl’s ceaseless teasing had always been a bit of a treat for Hideki. He looked to be in his early thirties at the latest, but only he knew he had lived long enough for the average human lifespan already. He chuckled and let her snatch the muffin from his clutch. He rubbed the pads of his fingers with his thumb, trying to remove any remaining crumbs before crossing his arms and resting them on the table, leaning into her onslaught of questions with a perfectly amicable smile. “With such a fiery personality, I always assumed you wouldn’t have much of a sweet tooth,” he admitted with a slight shrug. “But you are absolutely correct, Penelope. My bones nearly break with every step I take in this harsh, cold world. The only warmth and joy I can ever find in my boring old man life is to steal nourishment from youths such as yourselves in this very coffee shop. It’s your own fault, really. You should have known better than to come to my hunting grounds.” 

Obviously Nell knew Hideki couldn’t be much older than Bea at most, but still— it was amusing to make fun of the way he acted like he was an old man in a younger one’s body, saying the strangest things and proving himself time and time again to only have more traits she’d expect of someone much older. But as she regained her muffin she hummed pleasantly, easily placated by the re-acquirement of the little pastry. But her lips pursed in the slightest at the mention of fiery. It seemed her personality was the only part of her family’s legacy she’d inherited. Though she’d made a name for herself without the connecting link to their fire elemental tendencies, it still wasn’t exactly fun to be the odd one out. “Yeah well- human beings are very complex creatures, Hideki,” she said with the element of a tease back in her tone. Despite her attempts to always seem unamused by him, her lips still tilted up at the corners in a small grin. “I can’t imagine how hard that must be for you. Maybe you should just spare us all, and stop hunting for the sake of your rapidly decaying body.” But she snickered at the mention of hunting grounds. “Not a very good hunter when you return the food.”

Hideki snorted and leaned back in the seat of the booth, finally letting himself take the first sip of his americano. It had been far too long since he’d last had an adequate amount of caffeine coursing through his veins so it took a shameful amount of self restraint to keep himself from downing the entire thing in front of… present company. “You have no idea how complex…” he muttered around the rim of his cup, eyes glittering with entertainment. He would always wonder at how rash young humans could be despite how delicate they were. Although, he still questioned what the woman sitting in front of him was. His eyes shamelessly scanned the details of her jacket, his recent obsession. “Well, that’s quite a good proposition to make. Perhaps, since you like bantering so much, you might be inclined to study political science at the local college. Our debate team is quite good from what I hear. I’m sure you’d have a great deal of fun as a lawyer.”

A little frown crossed over Nell’s lips, never sure what Hideki meant when he said such cryptid things. Maybe he was just being weird. Who knew? Nevertheless, she fixed him with a disapproving look as she noticed him focus in on her jacket, and she subconsciously gripped the edges of it, pulling it closer to her body in a somewhat defensive maneuver. How could he know what it was made of? He’d have to be supernatural himself. Or perhaps a Scribe? A Scribe seemed more likely, and much more Hideki’s speed. “Mmm you know it’s funny you mention that. I have considered applying recently.” She dangled the carrot for a moment, wondering if he would bite. “Would you like to know why?”

Hideki couldn’t help but lean forward on his elbows a bit, eager to hear whatever tale the young lady had decided to weave up for him this time. “Oh, please do enlighten me.” He had to resist being sarcastic, just in case she was genuine, even for a single second. That second’s pause was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. Hideki cursed in Japanese under his breath and dove under the booth table to shield himself. He tugged not-so-gently on Nell’s arm to try and drag her under the makeshift barrier with him. “What in God’s name…?” he hissed, eyes going wide as the tiled restaurant floor echoed with the sound of strange clicks that could be heard around the other patrons’ panicked whispers.

For a moment, Nell felt the smallest bit guilty about possibly teasing Hideki. It really did seem that he was at least partially genuinely excited at the prospect of her going to college. And she didn’t need to disappoint more people in her life. So she hesitated, that pause made longer by the sudden outburst of the broken windows, and a clicking sound she thought was vaguely familiar, but couldn’t quite place. “Hey!” she exclaimed as Hideki tugged her downwards, hiding certainly never being her first instinct when it came to danger. Though...she supposed it was nice of Hideki to think of her. Still, she wasted no time in straightening herself to sneak a peek over the top of the table, a rather passionate curse of, “Fuck, god dammit,” falling from her lips as she recognized the karkinoids. “It’s the kar- the giant lobsters.” Fiddling with her clothes, she pulled out a dagger from who knew where, readying herself to fight. “Uh- just- stay here,” she told Hideki, not wanting him to get hurt.

Hideki felt his hands starting to shake despite his best attempts to keep calm. He was not ready for this. The thought that there were other people - that Nell was there - was a good reminder that he needed to figure out how to handle the situation. At least, that was what he had been telling himself until he realized that Nell had pulled out a dagger. “Woah!” He grabbed her shoulder to stop her, only just then realizing she had almost said the word ‘karkinoid’. “What the hell are you doing?” He hissed, cautiously leaning his head around the booth. “There’s… at least six of those…” He paused, scanning her expression and only found reassurance that she knew exactly what she was doing, so he resigned himself to slipping out of his guise. “There’s six karkinoids. Whatever experience you may have, you’ll need some back up.” 

Nell frowned at being pulled back by Hideki, though she should be very used to people holding her back when she was constantly attempting to dive head first into situations. “I’m gonna kick their ass!” she said restlessly, annoyance coloring her words that she was having to wait to make sure these little shits didn’t hurt anyone in the shop. But then he uttered the word karkinoid, the very one she’d done her best not to say, and the small suspicions she’d had were at least somewhat confirmed. Unless...Hideki was simply very into the mythology he was responsible for teaching. But he didn’t seem unfazed that apparent mythology could come to life. Her pride made her say, “You don’t know how capable I am or not.” But now wasn’t the time for pride. “The longer I wait, the more likely people are going to get hurt! So unless you have a bazooka hiding under that cardigan-” She let her words cut off, her impatient look cutting into him.

The kitsune sighed as she argued with him. Though, she was right; he had no idea what she was. For all he knew, she was a 600 year-old-vampire who just liked acting like an absolute child at the most inopportune moments… He doubted it. Hideki grumbled under his breath as he pulled off the aforementioned cardigan to protect it; it was $300 dollars. And really soft. “Alright, kid. Let’s see what you can do.” He tossed a smile her way and slid out from beneath the table, just in time to see a karkinoid descending on one of the baristas who’d been brave enough to try to fight them off with a broom. With a flick of his wrist, a carefully aimed burst of fire engulfed the creature. Thank God the windows were broken, though. The stench...

Nell’s impatience turned momentarily to confusion as she watched him take the cardigan off. What the fuck was he doing? But her confusion quickly turned to intrigue as he seemingly put out a challenge. He was...encouraging her now? The surprise on her face only grew as she watched him throw himself into the battle, and fire sprouted from his hand in a similar fashion to the methods her family of fire elementals had used all their lives. But...she didn’t feel any magic in the air as he did it. Nevertheless, she let out a delighted bark of a laugh as he torched the karkinoid, her hands flying straight into the air in triumphant fists. “Haha! Yes, old man! Yes!!” And then she wasted no more time in launching herself into the fray, grabbing the brave barista by the arm, tossing her towards the door, and telling her to “Get the hell out of here!” And then relaying it to anyone else who was in the shop by yelling it over the mess of a shop. In another moment, she was jumping onto the counter, overlooking the field as the karkinoids went in search of whatever food they were trying to find. Picking the first overgrown lobster she saw, she dove from the top of the counter onto it’s back, quickly pinning it’s fatal claws to the floor as she grabbed one of it’s legs nearest it’s middle and yanked it off. “Hideki, I got us dinner!” she yelled after tossing the leg aside. Then she promptly drove her knife into the weak spot she’d created, and the thing’s struggles began to wan. 

Hideki rolled his eyes at her encouragement, but was unable to deny the genuine smile that was creeping onto his face. It had been a long time since he’d felt so excited. Hideki was quick to spring to action though as patrons began flooding out of their hiding spaces to run. “Go through the backdoor! Quick!” He shouted, holding open the kitchen door as he ushered everyone to safety. When he turned around to see Nell practically tackle a Karkinoid, it was all he could do to keep from laughing. “Dinner, you say?” He caught the leg and set it ablaze. “Seems as though we’ll be having fire roasted lobster tonight.” He chuckled, but only then realized his mistake in getting distracted. A Karkinoid was coming to the aid of its friend and was dangerously close to Nell. Fearing he might burn her if he were to use his fire, he quickly unbuttoned his pants and shifted. With a vicious snarl, the kitsune tackled the bottom feeder, fangs ripping deep into its exoskeleton.

Another bright laugh fell from her as he ‘prepared’ their dinner, and she finished off her first karkinoid, driving the knife into the weak bit of flesh she’d created again and again. “I’ll have to pick up some butter on the way home.” The hair on the back of her neck suddenly stood on end, battle instinct kicking in as Nell whipped her head around and saw another karkinoid coming her way. Magic gathered at her fingertips as she got ready to blast it into oblivion, but instead out of the corner of her eye she saw Hideki...taking off his pants? What the fuck. But it all became clear as he shifted, and she barely even blinked as he took out the karkinoid. “Are you shitting me?! A fucking kitsune?!” It was a mix of shock and excitement. She’d met a few of them when she’d been travelling in Japan during her five-year-long attempt to see the world and all it had to hold. “You’ve been holding out on me, jerk!” Then she joked once more in the midst of battle. “Also rude of you to take the one I wanted.” Speaking of ones she wanted, it seemed that the rest of the karkinoids were quickly pegging Nell and Hideki as the threats to be most worried about at the moment, and were gathering their forces as they advanced on the pair. In a flash, she’d run her knife down the side of her arm, letting that glorious river of red blood run free as she felt its power flow through her veins, and she dropped it onto a bit of glass on the floor. In another moment, the glass that had shattered in perfectly sharpened bits began to hover in place. Normally, they wouldn’t be enough to make a karkinoid flinch, but if she summoned them to her in conjunction, and with a lot of muscle behind them. Well...they’d see whether it worked or not. The only problem was at the center of this circle was Nell and Hideki. “When I say jump- jump. After three.” Then she began the countdown. “1...2…3...Jump!” The glass shot inwards as her feet left the ground, doing its best to imaple anything that was in its path.

Hideki only rolled his eyes as the woman cursed at him. Well, at the very least she seemed to know her stuff. At this point he’d believe she was a hunter with the way that she handled that dagger… which was a terrifying thought he didn’t dare to think that much harder on; the massive lobster in his mouth did not want to die. He was forced to let go of the creature as a massive claw clamped down where he had been standing on it just a second ago. Instead, he took a few paces back as the side of it that was the furthest from Nell burst into flames. Just in time for him to see her rip into her own arm. He let out at alarmed yip and ran towards her. Had the girl lost her mind? Things were dire, but not that dire! He was about to try and pull the dagger from her when he realized the glass was floating. Magic? Well… he had asked to see what she could do. Still, his ears pressed nervously to the back of his head as he circled anxiously, waiting on her count. On her command, he leapt, delicately tucking his tail to avoid any injury as the glass rushed forward. All he knew was that he did not want to be those karkinoids at the moment. 

Generally, Nell wouldn’t have resorted to magic if she could help it when in public, and in front of a man she didn’t know all that well— but he’d shown his so it didn’t seem all that bad to show her’s. Besides, she knew he wasn’t a witch hunter...right? She’d never heard of a shifter being a witch-hunter. Well- it was too late now. This was much faster than dispatching them individually, anyway. She jumped on her own command along with Hideki, and the glass pieces impaled anything in their path, driving deep into the karkinoids. Her feet touched ground once more as the pieces of glass came to settle, the ones that hadn’t come into contact with anything crunching under her shoes. The karkinoids had been considerably slowed, some of them dead in their tracks, though a couple still managed to crawl towards her and Hideki. “One last one for you, and one for me?” she asked, a blood-thirsty grin on her face as she looked at the carnage of the overgrown lobsters they’d wrought, and delicious adrenaline pumped through her veins. 

Hideki landed delicately on his feet, doing his best to ignore the small shards of glass piercing his paws. The small pads on his feet had grown rough from long summer adventures in the mountains where he’d grown up in, but glass was a new sensation that he didn’t ever want to experience again. Still, there were karkinoids to be grilled. He let out a tiny huff in response to her proposition. He took a step forward as though to launch himself at the remaining karkinoid he’d chosen, but let out a small whine as more glass stood in his way. He growled in indignation and set the whole damn creature on fire - perhaps a bit hotter than he’d intended. Still, the sound of sizzling karkinoid was confirmation enough that his part of the job was accomplished.

It took a moment for Nell to realize what was troubling Hideki, but a little flash of guilt ran through her as she realized the problem. His paws. Sure, she had shoes to protect her feet, but he was working with just the skin of his feet. But it had occurred to her too late, and he was already dispatching his karkinoid, glass be damned. Meanwhile, she approached her own opponent. It had a couple shards of glass sticking out of its shell, but still seemed determined to fight until its last breath. Or at least...get to whatever food it had come here for to begin with. It was easy enough to dispatch the thing, and she did so by magicking one of the heavy looking trash cans over to it, before unceremoniously dropping it on top of the overgrown lobster with a loud crunch. “Well...I guess we can’t eat that one.” Finally- there was silence in the shop, and she remembered Hideki’s dilemma. “Are your um- feet alright? Sorry.”

Hideki jumped a little as the sound of the trash can landing on the karkinoid echoed around the once packed coffee shop. He sighed as he picked his way through the glass and back towards his discarded pants. He dragged them behind the counter, where he could shift without ‘injuring her delicate nature’. He slid his pants on with a quiet grunt, ignoring his bare chest for the time being as he pulled himself onto the coffee counter to examine his feet. “It’s alright. Considering how dangerous karkinoids can be, a little glass means nothing.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile but was keenly aware of the blood dripping from his hands and feet. “Do you ah… Would you please get me some paper towels? And a first aid kit? They must have one here somewhere.”

Nell was going to tell him to stay put, and to just let her clear the glass before he went wading through it, but it seemed she was too late as he disappeared behind the counter, and for a moment there was confusion on her face. Was he....hiding? But his emergence along with the pants made it easy enough to put two and two together. Still- perhaps it would have been better if she hadn’t been staring when he came out from where he’d gone. She might call him old man but...lack of shirt considered— Hideki was decidedly...not old. In a moment she looked away, a bit embarrassed simply because she felt intrusive when he obviously hadn’t meant to end up shirtless in a coffee shop. But her frown came back once more when he answered her, and she didn’t hesitate to step closer, holding out an open and upturned palm that was demanding his hand. “Let me see. I’m not the best healer, but I can get by usually. At least make it stop bleeding and keep you from dying of infection.”

The Kitsune blinked at her outstretched hand. He supposed after what they’d just been through, a little truce was more than due. He placed his hand in hers, allowing her to examine at will with a soft smile on his face. “That is… a relief. Most of my family were healers. It had become a bit of a tradition, so everyone was rather surprised when I was useless when it came to injuries. The fire comes in handy though.” He chuckled a little and nodded towards the burnt husks of the karkinoids. He was silent a moment as he deliberated. “Penelope… What was that back there?”

Nell knew that this was a bit...out of the ordinary for them, and it was rather strange to think that not fifteen minutes ago she’d just thought of Hideki as some stuffy, college professor who lived to shame her about college and steal her muffins. But her brow furrowed as she worked, not in the nature of letting people suffer around her unless they deserved it as her small hands traced the air above his injuries. It was true what she’d said about healing, and her work was slow as she did her best to patch up his hands. Though at the same time...blood injuries had always behaved well for her, it being easier for her to will the red droplets to cease, and bring those platelets together to scab over. The part that consisted of turning those scabs into new flesh was where she often ran into trouble. She couldn’t help but pick up on his phrasing, and asked before she could think not to. “Were healers?” Nevertheless, the corner of her mouth turned upwards, certainly being able to relate to not holding up family traditions. “My family’s just the opposite. A bunch of fire elementals and I can’t even make a puff of smoke.” She looked up from her paused work when she heard her name, even if she was still a little thrown that he tended to use her full one. “What was...what? The karkinoids? You said their name?” He’d known what they were, hadn’t he?

Well, Hideki had always admired Nell for her quick wit, though this was one of the few times he wished she hadn’t caught on so easily to his slipping up. He continued to stare at her hands as she worked - it was a good distraction from the memories and emotions bubbling up. “Were healers,” was his simple response. He hoped that was enough to satisfy her and, thankfully, her slight joke was quick to bring his smile back, even if it was only a small one. “No, not the karkinoids. Your abilities. I hate to assume things, but you are quite skilled and most certainly not a regular human. Call it… an old man’s curiosity.”

For the moment, it seemed that Nell had forgotten her own arm that she’d cut open during the fight for her magical purposes, rather intent on fixing Hideki. Besides, she was used to parts of her bleeding, and as far as injuries went it wasn’t that bad. But Nell knew a dismissal when she heard one, or rather— the shutting of a book Hideki didn’t necessarily want her reading when it came to his family. She was curious, but she wouldn't pry at the moment. It was probably easier, anyway. Nell didn’t think she was particularly good at helping people sort through emotions. “Oh-” Despite herself, her pride granted her a bit of a smile as he called her skilled, and that grin widened as he took it upon himself to claim his ‘old man’ title. “I’m a witch,” she shrugged, as if it was everyday news. “A spellcaster, if that’s easier for an old man to grasp. And you’re...a kitsune?”

“A witch?” Hideki echoed, gears turning in his mind. That made the most sense, but he was admittedly still wary of her. What kind of witch had knife skills like that? And blood magic? Clearly its healing abilities had done him some good, but, as far as he understood it, blood magic was generally… disapproved of. He’d need to do more research on the subject to be sure. Most concerning of all, was that he wasn’t entirely convinced she wasn’t a hunter. He did his best to keep his face calm as he weighed his options, but mainly kept his gaze downcast. “A+, little witch,” the subtle insult made him chuckle as he finally met her eyes, his own glittering mischievously. “I am what is known as a Kasai - or Fire - Kitsune.” His Japanese accent slipped a little as the words from his native tongue rolled past his lips. 

Nell wasn’t sure what to make of his tone, feeling like something was shifting back into the territory they normally inhabited of tit for tat, and sizing one another up. Perhaps their momentary little truce was over? “Yep,” she simply said, confused what other answer he might be looking for. “Black cat and all. Pointy little hat for sure.” Well...the black cat comment wasn’t entirely wrong. And then she was back to her impassioned outbursts as he hit just the right button. “Well we can’t all be freakish giants!” Then she was coming down a little once more. “And your A+ isn’t going to get me to enroll.” Kasai. She knew she’d heard the word before when she’d been talking with her kitsune friends she’d met in Japan, but she hadn’t stayed long enough to know all the types of kitsune and their names. “Funnily enough- I might have guessed the fire bit from the whole barbecue shrimp act. At least we’ll eat well tonight, right?” She’d finished with his hands, and pointed to a nearby counter, indicating he should sit on it. “Alright, feet.”

Getting the desired rise out of her made him laugh. It wasn’t his fault he was over a foot taller than her. Hideki shrugged his shoulders as she refused to enroll yet again. “Perhaps one day you will change your mind and prove to the rest of the professors that you could be a fantastic student.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her, knowing full well how ‘cringey’ it may be. His students taught him that word the other day. He nodded, in agreement and slowly shifted a long leg up on the counter so she could have better access. “We might as well open up a seafood restaurant. A one night, lobster-only buffet. It could be quite profitable if we play our cards right.”

Nell’s nose scrunched in her disapproval as she pushed out a hand to shove him lightly in the shoulder. “Stop laughing! Short is normal!” But her face quickly shifted to entirely nonplussed, looking mildly concerned and perhaps disturbed at such movement of his eyebrows. “What was that?” Her next reaction was to laugh a bit. “That was terrifying. You should have done that at the karkinoids!” Her amusement was kindled by talk of a restaurant as she bent a bit to begin work on his feet. “One-night while supplies last. We could be rich. We’ve already got the place and the health code...grade thingy,” she finished while pointing towards the window where the paper was posted. 

“Oh yes, I’m quite certain my eyebrows would have stopped the karkinoids in their tracks,” Hideki mused, as he leaned back a bit, examining their surroundings. “I suppose… we really should donate any profits to the owners, though,” he said with a soft sigh. “I do hope the repairs to this building don’t take too terribly long.” Hideki’s apartment was only two blocks away and he stopped into Coffee Plus on his walks to school each morning. He knew he was fully capable of making his own coffee, but the mere thought of such inconvenience. Which reminded him… “Whatever happened to your muffin?”

“You never know. Have you tried it?” As he leaned back her gaze shifted upwards for a moment to make sure he wasn’t falling or something, and she was once again reminded of his lack of shirt. In a moment, she was floating his discarded cardigan towards them, it landing just beside him on the counter. “Yeah...probably. This kind of thing isn’t exactly uncommon here, though- you know?” Now that she thought about it, she realized she hadn’t the faintest idea how long Hideki had lived in White Crest. “Are you upset for the owner, or your loss of coffee?” she teased. But at the very mention of her muffin, her eyes widened in the slightest, her lips uttering a mournful cry of, “My muffin.” She didn’t spare a second to summon that too, though her pout only strengthened as it came into view. It was in miserable shape, and was there a....bit of karkinoid shell sticking out of it? “My muffin,” she repeated again, this time it being more of an acceptance of the poor thing’s fate. “I guess...would you like a bit of it now? I might be able to share.”

Any kind of response was lost on him as his precious cardigan came floating into view. Sure, he was rather accustomed to magic considering his upbringing, but making things float was not something his family members were generally capable of. He watched like a fascinated child until it finally came to land beside him. “Thank you,” he muttered as he pulled his sweater back on. Hideki purposefully refused to answer her question, though; he was definitely only upset about the coffee, but he wasn’t about to genuinely admit that. The muffin floating still surprised him and he watched as she examined it. “Share?” Bewildered, he stared at her for a moment before laughing. “No, I think we should leave it as inspiration for our dessert menu instead.” With his hands and feet nearly cared for, he finally stopped joking around and leaned forward. “However, I think we should focus our priorities on your arm instead of our faux restaurant. Are you… able to heal yourself? Would you like me to fetch you some bandages?”

Nell watched with some amusement as he seemed to be all too eager to have his cardigan back, though she did not do more than shrug in response to his thanks. A small, non-verbal motion that simply meant ‘don’t mention it’. But she also wasn’t going to let him get away that easily with avoiding her teasing question. “Hmm, your silence is awfully telling. Don’t you think?” She wouldn’t judge though. At least not right now. Her own chuckle peppered through the air as he seemed mystified by the muffin. “Oh- come on. I’m being so generous, and this is the thanks I get?” As he shifted his posture, again she looked up, surprised to find that he was closer than before. “I- what?” Oh her arm. “Oh, don’t worry about it. It kinda comes with the territory.” Nevertheless, this time a small pile of bandages appeared from seemingly thin air on the counter, Nell having magicked them here from home. Suddenly, she was hit with a small wave of fatigue. Perhaps she’d done one too many spells in quick succession after the glass stunt, but she brushed it off. After all, healing generally took more out of her than other magics. “I’ll just put them on in a bit. Magical healing isn’t always as prudent for me.” She’d healed her sacrificial wounds before, the ones she made in exchange for power, but sometimes doing so had...unexpected consequences. It seemed that something in magic didn’t always approve of healing something that was meant to be freely given in exchange for power so quickly. Perhaps it felt cheated. “Thank you, though,” she said, remembering her manners at the last moment. After all, it was nice of him to ask.

“When you get to be my age, you learn quickly where your loyalties lie. Mine just so happen to belong to a caffeine addiction,” Hideki finally admitted with a quiet but knowing laugh. Nell was right in that things like this just… happened in White Crest. He’d been there about a year and a half and had learned that lesson quite quickly. The sudden appearance of the bandages on the counter startled him, making him jump. He scrutinized them as though they might come alive, and then he scrutinized her calm demeanor. She wasn’t acting as though anything were out of place… so it must’ve been her doing. He relaxed and turned his gaze to his palms, where he experimentally made a fist. The scabbing would restrict a bit of his movements, but he figured his fine motor skills weren’t too impaired. “Come now, little witch. No need to be stubborn over a simple fix.” He leaned forward - proving himself to be quite flexible - as he gently took her by the elbow of the injured arm and led her towards him for better access. He examined the gash and plucked the bandages off the counter. “I may not have the magical ability to heal, but I’ve cleaned my fair share of wounds.”

Nell’s head tilted to the side, realizing that along with him being a kitsune, she really didn’t know how old he was. “Are you admitting to being an old man, in the same breath as being willing to do anything for coffee?” She was teasing, but also genuinely curious about an answer to her first question. Trying to remember back to the rush of the fight...she couldn’t recall staring at any tails he may or may not have, but she didn’t think there’d been a plethora. Nell shouldn’t have been amused by startling him with the bandages, but another small grin slipped over her lips nonetheless. She’d have to warn him next time. “How’s it feel?” she asked, craning her head a bit to try and get a look at his hands. “Be careful though, I don’t want you to open up the scabs.” She grumbled a bit over her apparent new nickname that he’d settled on. Apparently he was determined to make it stick. But her barbs were lowered for a moment when she realized what he was doing, and let herself be brought closer. Still, she was uncertain, mind still decently confused about how they’d gotten from swiping muffins to this. “I- um- alright.” Perhaps the first time she hadn’t fought him on something. “Thanks.”

Hideki made a soft humming sound as he contemplated his answer. “By human standards, I am very much an ‘old man’, but, in the eyes of the ancient ones, I am still a baby.” He winked knowingly and set about the task of cleaning and bandaging up her arm. His touch was gentle, but a bit clumsy with how he couldn’t fully bend his fingers. It didn’t help that his hands were shaking again. He frowned as he realized he hadn’t eaten anything… again. When was his last meal? He’d had… a bowl of rice for dinner two nights ago? No wonder. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, willing his muscles to comply until he could scavenge something up. “They’re a little stiff, but I should be just fine, thank you.” Despite his shaking fingers, he tied off the bandages with a practiced ease. With his immediate concern appropriately addressed, he finally noticed the scarring that undoubtedly came from her magic. He made a mental note but decided it would be best if he simply… didn’t ask. “Now then… I vote we find my shoes and get out of here,” he muttered as he wiggled his feet, testing their new flexibility too.

Nell let out a hum of amusement before she simply said, “Baby, old man,” still having no qualms with poking some fun at him. “That explains a decent amount, though.” Like why he literally sounded like he’d come out of a different century at times. But she stilled as he went about his work, watching curiously as he did what he promised. She couldn’t...entirely remember the last time she’d let someone help this way. It seemed different than letting the healers at the Ring heal her, and she didn’t even always let them do their work. Her frown joined his as she watched his hands tremor, and she didn’t waste time to ask, “You’re sure you’re alright?” Yes, shoes would be a good idea. Despite her wave of fatigue earlier, she didn’t waste time to call the shoes to them, as she was fairly certain she could at least handle this one other thing for the moment. “Should we see if it fits, Cinderella?” she asked, presenting them to him. 

The Kitsune only nodded in response to her question, not wanting to have her worry over him. While he undoubtedly enjoyed her presence, there were some things he still needed to work out about her - such as whether or not she might be a genuine threat. He was slowly getting accustomed to things just floating towards him, but it didn’t stop his eyes from going wide as he watched. “Ah yes, my good prince. Let us see,” he laughed and held up his foot, but the laughter died in his throat as the sound of distant sirens started getting closer. Hideki paled as he looked around the destroyed coffee shop. Of course the police would be on their way. His eyes met Nell’s for a beat and he opened his mouth, but the words refused to come out. All he could communicate was panic. He snatched the shoes and slid across the counter, bolting through the kitchen door and out of the emergency exit as fast as his legs could carry him. He didn’t even bother to pull his hair from his face as he sprinted down the block, completely bypassing his apartment and heading for the woods. For familiar territory. For safety.

Hm. Nell wasn’t sure how satisfied she was with his nod, but she’d have to take it for now. They needed to get out of this mess. She laughed before leaning over to help him get his shoes on, but it seemed she wouldn’t get the chance to see if the slipper fit. In another moment, she’d heard the sirens as well, and cursed lightly. “Shit.” She doubted the police would blame them for this, but you never knew who might become the scapegoat in a town such as White Crest. But Hideki’s panic held her captive for a moment, making her want to reach out and take the reins when it came to getting out of this. No sooner had she thought such a thing was he bolting for the door in a way that only raised more questions for her. Nell ran after him for a moment, but didn’t get all that far from the shop before she stumbled onto the pavement her shaky legs giving out for a moment as the cost of her magic left her less coordinated than usual. And by the time she looked up he was long gone, nothing but a single shoe left in his wake.

[lovemesomerafael]

Destroying the Planet to Save It    Chapter 3:  One for All, and All that Shit

Chapter 1   Chapter 2   Read it on AO3

Bruce Banner had gathered as much data as possible about the latest event, and had done as much with it as he could with the equipment he’d brought to Washington D.C.  He needed to get back to his lab in New York and get to work.  He tried to sleep, but found himself staring at the sunrise from the window of another Stark jet, rolling ideas through his head and trying to plan his next steps. Trying not to think about Catherine Mulready.  

He hadn’t wanted to call her.  Hadn’t wanted to barge back into her life when he’d promised her he wouldn’t.  But he’d had no choice.  She was one of maybe four people on the planet with the knowledge and ability to help him, and the other three were scattered across the globe. Of course, he wasn’t in love with the other three, which was a significant complicating factor.  

She’d taken his call. Just picked up the phone with a casual, “Hello, Bruce,” like the last time they’d seen each other they hadn’t both been crying.  And when he’d asked her how she was, she’d actually answered, rather than simply shutting him down with the “fine,” he deserved.  Like she was happy and it was no big thing that he’d called.  Which is what he wanted; he’d told her to get over him and be happy, it was just…  He didn’t know that her actually doing that would hurt quite this much.  It was one thing to miss her, like he did every damn day. It was another to know that she didn’t miss him.  That she’d moved on.  Just like he’d told her to.

 Clint Barton wasn’t sleeping, either.  He was looking down at Natasha, the only person on the plane who was sleeping. Her head rested in his lap, her beautiful, shiny red hair spilling down his thigh to pool on the cushion next to him. As soon as they’d boarded the jet, they’d just gravitated together, settling on the sofa near the center, as if they’d had reserved seats.  It had always been like that for them, from the very beginning.  As he stroked her smooth, sleek hair, Clint thought about the day they met, and the almost instant sensation he’d had that they’d always known each other.  And now, they really had known each other for a lifetime.  He could no longer remember, couldn’t even imagine anymore, what it would be like without Natasha Romanoff in his life.  

And in his heart.  

It had been many years since they’d met, since that day when he’d first seen her and knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. had been wrong.  Yes, Natasha was lethal and yes, she was working for the enemy.  But she was nothing like they’d believed.  Clint had seen immediately who she was.  What she was.  And instead of killing her, as he’d been sent to do, he’d brought S.H.I.E.L.D. one of the very best agents it ever had.  

It hadn’t been a choice. He’d tried to explain it a thousand times, and each time he’d failed to find the words that would explain how he’d simply known that’s where she belonged.  This woman, this beautiful, tortured, devastatingly lonely woman, was a hero.   And he’d seen it as soon as he’d looked into her eyes.  

He huffed a quiet laugh at that.  Part of the reason it was hard to explain how he’d known in that moment that Natasha Romanoff was a good woman was that she’d been covered in someone else’s blood at the time.  And then she’d cursed him and fought him and led him on a four-day chase through three countries.  It had taken most of that time for him to realize that, all the while, she was doing just enough to escape but never really hurting him.  

And then he’d caught her. Or maybe she caught him.  He’d followed her to Tallinn and thought he’d lost her, entirely convinced she’d found a way to cross the Gulf into Finland. He’d been devastated.  Clint didn’t give a rat’s ass about explaining to his superiors at S.H.I.E.L.D. that she’d escaped.  They knew how good she was, and they’d expected that.  What he cared about was her.  So he’d holed up in a ratty old dockside inn for the night, nursing his wounds and a bottle of black-market vodka.  He’d been standing, wearing nothing but jeans and looking out the dirty window at the poor fucks trudging around in the thick slush on the street, when she’d just… been there.  

He’d heard a scrape behind him and turned to see Natasha, no longer bloody, but showing definite signs of having been on the run, sitting at the tiny table in his room and drinking straight from his bottle of vodka.  She’d given him a smug little salute with the bottle, stood up, and offered it to him. He took it from her, swigged a mouthful, and then moved to stand face to face with her, leaning his arm behind her to set the bottle back on the table.  Neither of them was surprised that she didn’t move away, but slid one hand around his neck and the other down his bare chest to the button of his jeans.

They’d stayed there, in that damp, dingy little inn, for three days, sleeping for a couple hours at a time between rounds of hard, messy, athletic sex.  They barely spoke.  They asked each other no questions and shared no information beyond moans and cries and instructions.  And when it was over, Clint had simply stated that he was taking Natasha to the U.S. with him, and she had not objected.

*****

Stark Tower was not your usual skyscraper, in pretty much any way.  Tony had no trouble at all housing a planeload of surprise guests, one of whom was the President of the United States.  A lot of things bugged Tony, but housing important people wasn’t one of them.  That was what Friday and his staff were for.  Besides, he had other things on his mind.  He was anxious for Bruce to arrive so they could start comparing notes and, until then, he just planned to lock himself in his lab and work with the data he had so far.  The rest of the team could take care of the guests.  Even the damn President.  Well, Presidents.

Tony almost made it.  He was that close to getting into his lab and away from everyone, especially the newly-bearded, tank-like asshole who was even now getting off the other elevator.  Fuck.  It was still dark, way too early in the damn morning for this.  

“I thought we should talk,” Steve said, wearing his patented Wholesome and Earnest© expression.

“No, we really shouldn’t.”

“Tony-“

“You should get back in the elevator - I designed them so they go both up and down, I’m clever like that – and you and your pet assassin should deal with our guests. Isn’t that what you do?  Aren’t you, like, the Jawline of Democracy, or the Shoulders of Freedom or something?  Babysitting the President seems right up your alley.  I have work to do.”

“Damn you, Tony, we have a deal.  I expect you to hold up your end.”

“Yeah, you know what, Not Chuck Norris?  I am holding up my end.  You might have noticed me last night, right next to you the whole damn time, getting the President out of there, hauling him here on my plane, to my secure building.  That was me, holding up my end.  I’m all about keeping the Avengers together.  One for all, and all that shit.  But here’s the thing.  A little of you?  That goes a long, long fucking way, and I’ve had about as much Captain America as I can stomach right now.  Someone tries to take over the world?  Call me. I’m in.  But until that happens, I seriously need you to fuck off.”

Tony turned on his heel and slammed his palm down on the sensor that would open the doors for only him.

“So that’s it?  This is as good as it’s gonna get?  We just coexist and you avoid me and –“

Tony wheeled around and stormed up to Steve until they were chest to chest, with Tony’s livid expression mere inches from Steve’s stubbornly set jaw.  “Yeah.  Yeah, it is. Because we were a team, and we were something, y’know?  We did some amazing shit together.  I thought that meant something, that we’d built something.  And then you turned around and took a blowtorch to the whole damn thing like it had all been some cute little hobby for you and you were on to the next thing.”

“I had no choice,” Steve hissed.  “It was Bucky.”

“Yeah, no, I get that. I read the files, I know what they did to him.  I had a lot of time to think while you were in Wakanda, and me and him?  We’re good.  But me and you?  No.  And I don’t see that changing.”

“How do you expect us to be a team if we don’t work together?  Train together?  Trust eachother?”

“Yeah.  I know.  That’s what you cost us.”  Tony turned around and went into his lab.  “See you around, Cap,” he sneered as he punched the button to shut the sliding door between them.  

*****

Craig Thomas had volunteered to take the first shift in the President’s suite, along with another two Secret Service officers.  Joss Emerson had agreed to relieve Agent Thomas at seven, and she was just fumbling her way to consciousness and beginning to form the hazy thought of caffeine when she heard a quick, solid knock on the door of the room she’d been assigned.  Frowning, she rolled off the edge of the shockingly comfortable bed and to her feet.

She’d groaned as she crossed the room, but it was nothing to the groan she let out when she looked through the peephole into the hallway.  Glancing down with a whimper at the nightgown she wore, she opened the door a crack and poked her head around it.  

Bucky stood there, slight confusion clouding his blue eyes, despite the amused quirk of an eyebrow. “Are you…  Everything OK?”

“I’m good. Thanks.  I just, um…  I just woke up.”

“I see that,” he grinned, indicating her sleep-scrambled hair.  “I brought you coffee.”  He held up a very large paper cup with a lid, from which came a scent almost as seductive as he was.  

Joss reached out a hand, but didn’t open the door any wider.  “Oh, man.  You are officially my new best friend.”

As he handed the cup to her, Bucky stepped closer and tried to look past her into the room.  His expression was a little more serious now. “You sure you’re OK?  I wanted to talk to you about something.  If you’re…  You don’t have company in there, do you?”

“No!  For Pete’s sake, we’ve been here, what?  Six hours?  And you think I…”

“Well, President Lattimore does seem to really like you.”

“That’s not even remotely funny.”

“It will be, once you get a little caffeine in you.  C’mon, let me in.  I wanna get your take on something.”

“Give me a chance to put some clothes on, will ya’?  I thought you were from the ‘40’s, aren’t you supposed to be embarrassed that I’m not dressed?”

Bucky grinned, enjoying Joss’s discomfort.  “I’m a quick study.  Anyway, you have clothes on, I can see your sleeve.  What’s the problem?”

“It’s…  I just…”  She looked down at herself again.  “I can’t. Come back later.”

“Joss.  What’s going on?”  Suddenly, he was serious.  He put his right hand on the door, ready to push it open unless she gave him a very good reason not to.

“Damn it,” she sighed, stepping back and opening the door so he could enter.  

Bucky stepped in, looked her from head to toe, and instantly had to fight not to laugh, although he didn’t fight very fucking hard, if you asked Joss.  

The nightgown she wore was basically a black, long-sleeved, V-necked T-shirt that came to mid-thigh, which wouldn’t have been a problem except for the left arm.  The gray left arm with black stripes of various thicknesses at random intervals and a large red star on the shoulder.  

“I hate Tony Stark,” she spat, hunching her shoulders and looking everywhere but at Bucky.

“I don’t.  I get royalties from those.  And they’re selling like crazy.”  Bucky’s eyes danced as he affected a way-too-innocent expression.

“You laugh, and your reign as my new best friend will come to a bloody end.”

“Well, if you don’t like it, why are you wearing it?”

“Stark got some store to deliver clothes for us to wear today, but he said this was all he could do as far as sleepwear.  If the damned President isn’t wearing one of these, I am going to have some very unpleasant things to say about this place on Yelp.”

He chuckled.  “Well, it looks good on you, if that makes you feel any better.  May I?” He indicated the sofa that sat across the room, under a wall of windows with an extraordinary view of Manhattan. It really was a stupendously luxurious room, especially when Bucky Barnes was standing in it.  Joss looked down at her coffee.  It was tempting as hell, but if he was standing there, that meant she was still dreaming, and this was one REM cycle she really did not want to interrupt.

*****

On five hours’ sleep, Anita Herrera looked as if she’d stepped out of the pages of one of those glossy magazines they put a blocker in front of at the grocery store so little kids won’t see cleavage.  Sam Wilson, not so much.  He was standing in the large communal kitchen that served this floor of luxury hotel-like rooms and suites, finishing his second cup of coffee and beginning to wonder if cup number one was ever going to kick in.  The grainy dryness of his red, swollen eyes could not be attractive, and he almost wished Agent Herrera wasn’t here right now to see it.  

Out of the corner of his eye, Sam saw her pick the carafe out of the huge, stainless steel, state-of-the-art  coffee maker that looked like it belonged in the cockpit of a Space Shuttle.  She carried it, practically gliding across the floor, until she was standing next to where he leaned against the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.  She lifted it in question and, when he held out his cup, refilled it, smiling. Suddenly, Sam was wide awake.  

“Short night,” she commented.

“Yeah.  I guess Banner and the others have landed now.  They should be here soon, and maybe we’ll get some answers.”

“About that.  I’ve been thinking.  We need to get back into Arias’s… bunker?  Lair?  Hideout? Whatever he calls it.”

“What do you have in mind, Agent Herrera?”  Sam lifted an interested eyebrow.

“Well, for one thing, I’m not calling you ‘Mr. Wilson.’  So my name is Anita.”  The cheeky smile and flip of her hair just about dropped Sam where he stood.  “And for another, I’m thinking you and I should go on a date.”

Sam’s mind skipped like a dirty CD.  “Uh…”

“How are you at breaking and entering?” Anita asked as she crossed the floor again to replace the coffee carafe.  

“Breaking and entering. You’re not seriously thinking we can sneak into that… underground fortress?”

“We need to get in there. You got a better idea?”

“That’s asking a lot on three hours of sleep.  But let me think about it.”

“You do that,” she said over her shoulder, opening the huge refrigerator and beginning to take stock of the very full shelves.  “In the meantime, Stark said to make ourselves at home, so I’m going to make breakfast.  You’re going to help.”

“What makes you think so?”

“I was a Navy Warrant Officer.  I outrank you.”

“Shit.”

*****

Breakfast was a noisy, chaotic affair made bearable by the fragile, temporary camaraderie among those who had been unexpectedly and unwillingly been brought together in New York. Sam and Anita had been busy, and everyone had been lured into the common room by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen.  Even both Presidents were there, although President Burke spent much of the time on the secure phone Tony had put at his disposal.  

Tony Stark was nowhere to be found, since Bruce Banner had now arrived and the two were holed up in Bruce’s lab on one of the top floors.  Which left Steve playing host, which wasn’t his strong suit.  As it turned out, however, it was Sharon’s, and she came to his rescue quickly, smoothly, and without question. So smoothly, in fact, that no one noticed.  No one except Steve.

There were heaping serving bowls of scrambled eggs with peppers and onions, spiced with a Cuban flair, that everyone devoured, along with seemingly endless platters of bacon, toast, and fruit.  Anita had found a bottle of ridiculously expensive champagne, with which even the President spiked his orange juice.  Sitting around the huge table, groups of strangers became almost friendly, with Sharon gently guiding conversations and smoothing over occasional quiet spells and rough spots.

Air Force One was on its way, now that the weather was clear in D.C. and no further energy spikes had been detected there.  Since they hadn’t recurred in any of the places they’d appeared so far, there was no reason to suppose Washington would be any different.  President Burke was expected to be back in the White House by afternoon.

President Lattimore, however, lived in Mobile, and wasn’t happy that he wouldn’t be on that flight. Instead, Bucky had arranged to fly him back home in a Quinjet, with his Secret Service detail and Joss Emerson. That’s what he’d wanted to talk over with her earlier, and she was still having occasional retroactive blushes about being caught out wearing an officially licensed Avengerswear™ Winter Soldier nightgown.  

Everett Burke was known to be a big eater, and to have a sincere appreciation for good food. Fortunately for him, he liked to exercise as much as he liked to eat, and had a reputation among the Secret Service for being extremely competitive when they had to accompany him on his runs. He managed to retain much of his SEAL-era conditioning despite now having a desk job that required him to attend banquets and dinners almost nightly.  He managed to put down the phone for long enough to tuck into an enormous plate of breakfast, engaging a hollow-eyed Clint and entirely refreshed Natasha in a series of questions about last night’s phenomenon.

“Dr. Banner is convinced that the energy he’s detecting is responsible for the destructive events that follow, and he’s hopeful that he’ll be able to learn about the connection from the storm in Washington last night.  He was able to gather an overwhelming amount of data on it, more than we have on any of the other events.  He has a world-renowned meteorological scientist coming in today to consult, and we should have some answers soon,” Natasha said, her face a bland mask of competent calm that only Clint could see through.  He could tell that she was, in fact, highly amused to find herself across the breakfast table from the leader of the free world, given her former occupation.  

For his part, Clint was just sleep-deprived enough to find the whole situation hilarious.  The Secret Service agents around the table and surrounding the President seemed much more concerned about an as-yet theoretical threat than the fact that their principal was, at this moment, having mimosas with the Winter Soldier and the Black Widow.  He was sorely tempted to ask Bucky and Natasha to list the number of ways they could kill him – hell, everybody in the room – using just what was currently within arms’ reach.  Yeah, he should probably excuse himself and take a nap before he found himself answering uncomfortable questions in a soundproofed room somewhere beneath the Pentagon.  

Sharon stepped in.  “Director Coulson and Captain Rogers have asked me to be your liaison to S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, Sir.  It’ll be my job to make sure that you know everything we know.”

“I appreciate that, Agent Carter,” the President replied, almost retaining his placid mask of imperturbable authority without letting the twinge of disappointment show.  “I’m used to working with Captain Rogers, but you’re much prettier.”

Half the room grinned, while the other half consciously restrained themselves from facepalming. How many times in his political career had Everett Burke gotten himself in trouble over inappropriate remarks like that?  Sharon’s face showed nothing of her annoyance, or her gratitude that there were no reporters in the room.  

“Sir, you don’t want me,” Steve said with a self-deprecating smile that belied his irritation on Sharon’s behalf.  “You need something punched, I’m your guy.  Science and tech, that’s Sharon.”

She gave him the slightest nod of approval, while promising herself that, if she ever got the chance, she would thank him in a much more personal way for that.  

*****

The lobby of Stark Tower was much like Tony Stark himself: blatantly luxurious, faintly ridiculous, easy but dangerous to underestimate.  Bruce knew there were a plethora of defensive systems that would make even approaching this level of the tower a suicide mission at a word from Tony.  He looked around, trying to spot all the cameras, lasers, remotely-operated panels, and other fixtures that weren’t what they appeared to be.  Tony liked to say that the strange sculpture in the middle of the fountain was actually a robot drone that could be controlled from several places only Tony and Friday knew, but he was never sure whether to believe that.

Bruce was exhausted, frightened, annoyed, frustrated, and anxious as he paced the area in front of the massive, ultra-modern reception desk, chewing on a thumbnail and, had he known it, muttering to himself.  He paid no attention to the many people who steered extra-wide of him.  In fact, he paid no attention to any of the passersby and tourists who thronged the lobby, having no idea that the strange, rumpled man scowling at the floor was, in fact, one of the Avengers they were there hoping to glimpse.

Preoccupied as he was, he knew the moment she appeared outside the tall, glass doors, squinting up at the landing platform jutting out into the morning sunshine and squaring her shoulders before she nodded to a young man in a suit who held the door open for her, and stepped inside.  He stood, not breathing, just letting her happen to him all over again.  Her jet-black hair was short now, rather than the long, straight fall it had been when he’d last seen her in London. Although he knew intellectually that it was an intentional style, his body thought the shaggy, spiky layers made her look like she’d just gotten out of bed, which he really didn’t need right this minute.  Her suit was stylish and professional, but it fit her like a glove, reminding him of her body, which he really fucking didn’t need right then.  

She saw him almost as soon as she entered the lobby.  Did her steps falter a little?  He thought so, but then, he wanted to think so.  What he knew for sure was that she was smiling warmly when she came to stand in front of him.  She took off her Ray-Bans and he was immediately struck anew by those piercing green eyes.  

“Hello, Bruce,” she said. Was it a little hesitant?  A little tight?

“Catherine.  Thank you so much for coming.”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” she said in the Estuary accent he still heard in his most private fantasies. “I’m dying to get a look at what you’ve got.”

“I can’t wait to show you,” he grinned shyly.  “Let’s go.”

Bruce waved her toward a bank of elevators down a hallway that was guarded on both sides by imposing men whose firearms were intentionally not well-concealed under the jackets of their dark suits.  They nodded to him as he passed, having been briefed that he would be bringing a guest up to the Research floors.  They weren’t worried that she might be armed or carrying anything they might not want on the upper floors of the tower.  The elevator would silently scan her and invisibly detect any of several hundred dangerous organic and explosive materials.  There was even radiation detection.  If any of those scans showed a problem, the elevator would descend to the lobby and lock down until the doors opened on a fully suited Ironman.  Tony took no chances with security.

They were alone on the elevator.  It seemed quiet after the bustle of the lobby, especially because the thick, soft wool carpet and brocade wall panels absorbed sound, and the mechanism itself was all but silent.  

Bruce was staring.  He knew he was.  But he couldn’t help it any more than he could help the awed tone of voice in which he nearly whispered, “You look good, Catherine.  I like your hair like that.”

She smiled self-consciously and seemed to be forcing herself to meet his eyes.  “You look good, too,” she said softly.  “I wasn’t sure what to expect.  You’ve been through a lot these last years.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled mirthlessly.  “You could say that.  It’s not every day you get to battle an alien invasion.”  

“Speaking of that,” she said, now clearly avoiding his eyes.  “I, uh…  I know that you were responsible for destroying the ones that attacked my building. I don’t know if that was for me, but… I appreciated it. You may be a superhero, but I am decidedly not.  I was scared shitless.”

“Yeah, me, too,” Bruce grinned, and she met his eyes again.  “Don’t tell anyone.”

For a second, they just stood, grinning softly at one another.  

“Are you really OK?” She finally asked, no pretense now. “I can’t stop caring just because you tell me to.”

“I’m as OK as I always am,” he muttered.  

“That’s a shitty answer.”

“Yeah, well…”  

She sighed.  

“Have you ever met Tony Stark?”  Bruce asked, fooling neither of them with his change of subject.

“Never.  I’m afraid I’m going to be a little starstruck.”

“If you tell him I said this, I’ll deny it, but I’m a little starstruck myself.  His mind is…  not like other people’s.”

“So I understand. Anything I should beware of?”

Bruce barked a genuine laugh with a smile that, although he couldn’t know it, rocked Catherine back on her heels.  “Pretty much anything having to do with him.  We’re just lucky this particular crisis will have us working with a lot more theory than mechanical engineering.  That’s the part where there’s usually explosions and inadvertent time travel, things like that.”

“What’ve I bloody gotten myself into?”  She mumbled, loud enough that he knew it was intended to be a joke.

When the doors opened, they found themselves in a room that comprised most of this floor of the building, so spartan white that the morning sunlight streaming in made it seem uncomfortably bright.   The scattered work stations throughout were almost bare except for sparse bits of… some kind of electronic hardware whose purpose wasn’t immediately apparent to anyone who hadn’t seen it in action.  Walking toward them through the sun-drenched room was Tony Stark, barefoot and wearing jeans that looked ancient, with a black T-shirt featuring a white decal of an old-school floppy disc.  

“Dr. Mulready!  You have to be Dr. Mulready,” he said, holding out a hand for her to shake.

“Mr. Stark, it’s a pleasure.”

“Oh!  You’re English!  Cool.  Bruce didn’t tell me that, just that you used to bone and then he dumped you. Something about being an enormous green douchebag.  So. Let’s get started, we got a lot to show you.”  

Entirely oblivious of the effect of his words, Tony turned around to the closest white-topped table, a long, curved expanse with only a few of those electronic-looking odds and ends scattered atop it.  Until he flung his arms wide and, so unexpectedly that Catherine jumped and let out an embarrassing yelp, a glowing screen appeared in mid-air.  

“Banner’s gonna bore you with a bunch of squiggles on a graph, but I know you’re a tornado expert, so I’m going to show you the really cool stuff.  Starting with this.”  He did something with a flick of his wrist and the screen was filled with video of the previous day’s tornado over Washington D.C.

They watched in silence for several minutes, Catherine’s entire attention laser-focused as the storm raged and the funnel wreaked devastation on the ground.  “Anti-cyclonic rotation,” she murmured.  “That’s interesting.”

“Why?”  Bruce asked, watching her as she watched the screen, crinkling her nose and tilting her head to the left in a way that instantly flooded Bruce with nostalgia.

“The Coriolis effect. Less than five percent of tornadoes rotate clockwise in this hemisphere. Doesn’t mean anything on its own, it’s just rare.”

They watched for a few more minutes before Catherine stiffened and said, “Wait.  What was that?”

“What was what?”  Tony asked.

“Go back.  Play the last ten seconds again.”

He did and they watched as a jagged lightning bolt shot across the sky.  It was cool, but Tony wasn’t sure that it was particularly interesting. He looked curiously at Catherine.

“Can you slow it down?”

“I can do anything. How slow do you want it?”

“Frame by frame, if you can. Starting just before the lightning strike.”

He did, advancing the video and watching her as he did.  

“There!”  She cried, pointing to the screen.  “That.”

Tony and Bruce looked at each other.  “OK, I’ll play,” Tony said.  “What am I supposed to be seeing?”

Catherine stepped up to the screen and pointed to the leading edge of the lightning bolt where it appeared to actually strike the side of the tornado.  “See that?  How the lightning looks like it’s poking a hole in the funnel?”

“Yeah…”  Bruce answered tentatively.

“Now.  Next frame.”

In the next frame, there appeared to be an actual divot forming in the wall of the funnel.  

“Next,” Catherine said, scowling.

In the next frame, the divot had grown and was clearly a bend in the wall of the tornado, making the funnel look like it was moving away from the lightning.

“Next.”

The effect became more pronounced in the next frame, and the next.  The lightning strike lasted only a few frames beyond that, but it was clear, now that they had slowed it down, that the lightning had actually “dented” the funnel of the tornado, and caused it to bend away from the strike.

“OK.  We see it now.  So what?” Tony asked impatiently.

“So that can’t happen. Lightning isn’t powerful enough to affect a tornado, and the power surge doesn’t last long enough, even if it was. Whatever we’re looking at, it’s either not a tornado, or it’s not lightning.  Or both.”  

*****

When breakfast was over, Steve and Sharon were left alone in the ravaged common room amid the greasy, jumbled remains.  

“Do you suppose we’re supposed to clean this up?”  She asked, looking daunted at the possibility.

“Of course not. Tony’s got people for that,” Steve answered, with a look that told Sharon he disapproved of something about what he’d just said.

“What?”

Steve looked over at her, trying to cover his look with a smile.  “Nothing.  We don’t have to clean this up.”

“Did something happen between you and Tony?”

Steve blew out a breath in disgust.  “Tony happened.  I thought we were gonna try to get past this.  I believed him that we’d put aside our anger and were going to try to figure things out for the good of the team.”

“But that isn’t true?”

“Doesn’t look like it. He told me to stay away from him unless someone’s trying to take over the world.  In so many words.”

Sharon put a hand on his arm.  “I’m sorry. I know you really want things back the way they used to be.”

“It’s not about what I want.  It’s about what the world needs.  If the Avengers hadn’t been here, who would have stopped the Chitauri?  The military?  They were about to nuke the city!  If it wasn’t for us, working together, New York would be gone now and maybe the Chitauri would be in control of Earth anyway.”

Steve stood up and began pacing the room, pent-up frustration and energy with no outlet urging him to action.  

“I’ve gotta find a way to get through to him.  We have to work together.  We don’t have a choice.”

“Steve,” Sharon began tentatively.

“What?”  He stopped pacing to look at her.

“What have you and Tony… said to eachother about what happened?  About the Accords, and about The Raft, and Berlin?”

“Plenty.  There’s a bloody bunker in Siberia that will show you, we had quite the conversation about that.”

Sharon stood then, walking over to where Steve stood in front of the wall of windows.  She reached out hesitantly, laying her hands lightly on his chest, and was pleased to see him take a step toward her and rest a warm, heavy hand on each side of her waist.  “That’s what I was afraid of.  You haven’t talked about it at all.”

“We did, Sharon.  I called him, and we met in Washington. You know that, you were there.  We agreed that the Avengers is too important to end.”

“And that’s the only time you’ve sat down and talked about this?”

“Well…  yeah.  What else is there to say?”

Sharon basically banged her head against Steve’s chest in disgust.  “Men.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that, for a really smart guy, you’re a damn fool.  That’s what it means.  You need to talk to him, Steve.  You need to talk, and you need to keep talking until you each understand what made the other take the position they did.  And you need to apologize to each other.”

“Apologize?  What the fuck for?  He’s got us answering to a committee, for fuck’s sake!”

“Yes, and he believes that’s the right thing.  He believes that.  Do you really think Tony Stark, of all people, would willingly submit to anyone’s authority if he didn’t truly believe it was necessary?  And do you know why he thought it was necessary? Did you even ask?”

“I know why.  Of course I asked, we argued about it for hours…”

“You argued.  You both talked at each other – shouted, actually – and neither one heard a word the other said.”

“Whose side are you on, Sharon?”  Steve yelled, letting go of her.

“Yours,” she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could.  “Always yours.  You have to know that.”

He frowned and turned toward the window, his face working as he thought through what she’d said.

“Steve.”  

After a moment, he turned back to her.  She stepped to him again, this time wrapping her arms around his waist.  His arms naturally encircled her, and she found herself pressed against his chest, looking up into his bright blue eyes. “Do you remember when we first met? How we first met?”

“Of course I do.”

“I was on your side, there for you, even before you knew who I was.  I stood with you when Hydra infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D.  I stood with you when you refused to sign the Accords, and when you went to Bucharest to try to keep Bucky from being captured.  I kept you both from facing criminal charges, and I’ve worked like hell to help him get through all the other fallout of what Hydra made him do.  Right?”

“Right,” Steve admitted softly, holding her a little closer.

“And then, when you were ready to try to approach Tony again, who made that happen?”

“You did.”

“Yeah.  I did.  So please tell me that you know I’m as loyal to you as anyone could be.  You do know that, right?”

He looked into her eyes for a long, long moment.  “I do know that, Sharon.  I do. And I’ve been selfish as hell when it comes to you.”

Sharon rolled her eyes, lowering her forehead to rest against him and shaking her head.  “I’m in love with a fucking moron,” she muttered to his chest.  Then, looking up at him again, she said, “We’ll come back to that.  Right now, I just need you to try to hear me about this.”

But Steve wasn’t hearing anything.  He was blinking at her, his face an absolute mask of surprise.  

“What?”  Sharon demanded sharply.

“You…  You said…”

“I said you need to listen to me.”

“You said you’re in love with me.”

“I said I’m in love with a moron, and that we’d come back to that.  Focus!”

Steve smiled weakly, still looking at her with wonderment, as though he’d never seen her before but found her fascinating.  It was definitely about time he looked at her like that, but right now she was trying to make a crucially important point that could have repercussions for the whole world.

“You said it yourself. You and Tony need to make up.  You need to find a way to start working your way back to trusting one another.  You both fucked up.  Huge.”

“I didn’t-“

“You left him to deal with the Accords by himself.  You turned half the team against him.  And then you beat the shit out of him and threw your shield away like it was nothing.”

“I could have killed him. I didn’t.”

“No, you just left him for dead.”

Steve broke away angrily and turned back toward the window.  “I think you and I might have different definitions of the word loyalty, Sharon.”

Undeterred, Sharon just closed the distance again.  “Loyalty doesn’t mean saying what you want to hear.  Loyalty means saying what you need to hear.  And you need to hear Tony’s side of the story, which is what I just told you.  Do you really think you’re blameless in all this?”

Steve scoffed furiously, but didn’t answer.  

“Just think about it,” Sharon said, giving his arm a squeeze.  “I’m going to go check on Tony and Bruce.”

She walked slowly across the large room, wondering whether she’d just ruined any chance she might have had with the man she loved.  The man she’d just, entirely without her knowledge or consent, told she loved him.  She hoped he would stop her, or say something to let her know he understood that she was trying to help him, and Tony, and the Avengers.

He didn’t.

[hoseokmylovesworld]

Picture of Love | 14 (M)

Pairing: Photographer!Hoseok x OC x Producer!Yoongi

Genre/Warnings: Hoseok AU/Yoongi AU/Includes strong language, anxiety attacks, violence, mentions of death, fluff, smut, dirty talk, rough sex, deep throating, choking, oral and vaginal sex.

Words: 9,464

Summary: Charlotte Galloway is the leader of the up and coming girl band, “She-Bang”, with a side hustle as a photographer for anyone who will hire her.  She meets a fellow professional photographer named Jung Hoseok who helps “She-Bang” realize their dreams and Charlotte to make a love connection along the way.

A/N: This is the longest one yet, but please read to the end, it’s a doosey

“Leyah this is serious, come on.” I chide, yanking her back from flicking the blinds with her fingers in the empty apartment. After browsing the internet and newspaper idly for more adequate living situations for the last few weeks, the girls and I finally decided to actually take a look at some of them.

“I was just checking if the blinds were up to par...they’re not.” She flicks them again and they shake wildly, proving her accusation.

“We can always replace the blinds Leyah, what do you think about this place?”

“I think it’s way too small.” she responded curtly, looking up and around in an unsatisfactory way.

I sigh in defeat. “It’s one of the only ones we can afford so it’s gotta count as a definite maybe right now.” Leyah just hums and rolls her eyes.

The apartment we were viewing was much like the others we looked at this week. Two bedrooms, a small kitchen and a small living area. Everything was just small and as much a we needed a space to accommodate all of us and our belongings, we all made the same living and it just wasn’t enough.

“Well, maybe if you asked your loaded boyfriend nicely, he might pitch in.” Leyah muttered with her hand against her cheek as if she were telling me a secret. I slap her arm quickly.

“That’s not funny, Leyah. I wouldn’t ask him to do that, we’re not even like...together, together yet.” Leyah whips her head around to face me with a shocked expression.

“Are you serious? You guys haven’t talked about making it official yet? It’s been like...over two months.” Leyah’s eyes went out of focus as she did the math in her head.

“No, we talked about it.” I share as she follows me to check out the master bedroom once again. “He didn’t really understand why I didn’t want to be called his ‘girlfriend’, it sounds really selfish now that I’m telling this to someone else, but he understood. Like he does everything. We agreed to just be together without any actual labels. It’s like our own little ‘official’.” I shrugged, thinking back to that awkward conversation.

My breakdown in his kitchen, prompted many questions about our relationship from Hoseok that I couldn’t ignore. After going into detail about my strong aversion to the word girlfriend and relationships altogether before I met him, he decided he was content with simply being mine and vice versa.

“Wow, you are officially the luckiest girl alive.” She drawled, looking quite impressed with Hoseok herself. “Thank you, but I’m aware.” I smiled to myself and we moved onto the next apartment on the list.

After hopping all over town from Ocean Avenue to Daly City looking for apartments, Leyah and I crash as soon as we enter the apartment around 7:30 PM. I plop down onto my bed, lazily removing clothing items from where I lay and drifting to sleep easily.

“No, Char! Are you dumb or something?”

“Should you still be eating? Gimme that, you’re gonna get fat.”

“I should’ve known you wouldn’t be able to do it on your own!”

“Why do I even bother? You never do anything right!”

“God! Have you always been this dense?”

“I literally said the opposite. Fucking listen for once!”

“Gak!” I gasped as I was jolted out of my sleep by yet another nightmare. I look up at the ceiling, focusing on it’s squiggly pattern, trying to calm my heaving chest and my racing mind. The room was pitch black in most places, the only light being offered was by the moon in lines of white along the walls. I lie awake, convinced that if I attempt to go back to sleep, I’ll only be able to see his face barking at me for all of my defects and faults.

The sudden need to need to vomit that will never be relieved takes over my gut and the heaving of my chest has increased and as it was constricting tighter and tighter.

Instinctively, my hand flies to cover my mouth when the familiar sting behind my eyes begins. The last thing I want is to wake any of the girls and have them worry about me. I try and try to shake the nasty voices, but the tears keep coming and I can’t find it in myself to be silent any longer as it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

I quietly make my way to the bathroom, shut the door and climb into the tub where I hugged my knees and allowed myself to sob, but somehow still keeping the volume to a minimum.

This had to be the fourth one this week.

It would surprise no one that I am no stranger to nightmares and I that usually handled them better than most people did. That is, if you can call suppressing my own emotions and traumas handling it, then I’m your girl. But this recurring shit storm that I was experiencing was different than any of the nightmares I’ve had previously. The reason being: they were all about my past. And almost all of them were about Yoongi.

Whether the dreams were pleasant or brutal, I was always an emotional mess afterward, feeling empty from reflecting on my past. I would get them often after Yoongi left. That’s when the panic attacks started getting serious. Knowing that I was actually alone in the world with no one to call a friend or even care that I existed unleashed a lot of dark thoughts and I had to learn how to make it on my own for real this time. If I had known opening up to J-Hope was going to send me spiraling back down that dark hole, I would have shut up and ate my pancakes.

But, I can’t put the entire blame on him. He didn’t force me to say those things or revisit the past and as cheesy as it sounds, the nightmares only come when he’s not sleeping next to me. I’ve noticed over the past couple of weeks or so that J-Hope is my personal dream catcher and tonight has solidified the fact that if I didn’t have him by my side as I slept, I was royally fucked.

The pounding in my ears softened and eventually slushed to a holt. The vice grip on my heart faded at a devastatingly slow pace and my breathing evened out as I counted the tiles on the shower wall. I let out a thankful sigh once the room stopped spinning and I was painfully aware of the silence in the room. I let my body fall back and I turned to lie on my side, still letting the tears fall from my eyes silently. I debated calling J-Hope during the aftermath. Hoping my personal ray of sunshine would pull me from my depressed funk as usual.

It’s gotta be at least 3 am, he won’t answer anyway.

He might, we have to try.

And say what? Hi, I’m sad. Drop everything to make me happy?

Obviously not, but he cares, he’ll want to help.

He’ll want to go back to sleep and wish we never called.

Don’t do this. We need it.

It felt like my conscience was wrestling with itself or with me, knocking against my skull in the battle causing a pesky headache. It took all of my strength to peel myself off of the floor of the tub and drag myself back to the room, to the bedside table where my phone was. It was indeed 3:36 AM and the confirmation made me place the phone back on the desk and forget the idea of calling J-Hope entirely.

We need to sleep Char. Come on. My conscience scolded me again.

I wanted to fight back at least for the sake of my pride. I made it a point not to need anyone for anything after that asshole broke my heart and here I am needing someone else to be able to sleep. I felt pathetic in plain terms. But at this point I knew I needed to try.

I take the phone and a room key, sneak into the hall and slide down the nearest wall. I glare at the screen a while longer, hurriedly dialing the number before I could change my mind. After the third ring I moved to hang up and throw away this half-baked plan, but then I heard his beautifully, groggy voice through the phone.

“Charlotte?” he rasped. I gasped slightly, not expecting him to pick up.

“Uh, yeah. Hey.” I spoke brokenly. I didn’t take into account the condition of my throat and voice sounding like I just gargled glass. I sniffle subconsciously.

“What’s going on? Are you alright?” He sounds more awake now, coming to with concern.

“Yeah, I just…” I choked, not knowing what to do or say in this situation. I felt lost. My words were trapped in my throat that seemed to be closing in on itself again as I wipe more fresh tears from my face. “No.” I finally whimper.

“What’s wrong? Are you crying?”

I don’t answer as I am too overcome with emotion, my words being turned into snivels and moans. After a moment he tries to get a response again.

“Charlotte.” He calls out, making sure I’m still there.

“I’m sorry...for calling so late. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

“It’s fine, just tell me what’s wrong, baby.” The pet-name sends warmth through my chest and a fractured smile to my face.

“I’m…” How does one tell another ‘I’ve just had a panic attack and I need to sleep next to you’ over the phone? I scour my brain for answers.

“Uh...are you home?” I squeak through the phone.

“Yes, I am.”

“Can I...can I come over? I’m really sorry, but I-I just need to see you.”

“Of course, Charlotte.” I close my eyes and let out a thankful sigh.

“Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.” I could hear movement on his end, probably him getting dressed to get me.

“No! You don’t have to do that. You just woke up, I don’t want you to get into an accident. I’ll just call an uber.”

“It’s ten minutes, Charlotte. I’ll be there in no time-”

“No, please, just stay, I’ll be fine on my own.” I said sternly, not willing to budge this time. He figured as much. There was a beat of silence.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.” I reply automatically.

“You know what, I’ll call it, just so I know you’re safe.” He decided.

I roll my eyes, but smile at the sentiment. “Fine, Jay.”

“Okay, I’ll see you when you get here.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

I tiptoed back into the hotel room, to change into something more decent, but ready to sleep in and grab my necessities to head down to the lobby. A good amount of my clothes were already at J-Hope’s apartment, some makeup and toiletries as well so I didn’t need to bring much. I began staying over so often that it would be silly not to have my belongings over there. The girls made fun of me for it of course, but for once I didn’t buy into it. I was comfortable with our arrangements.

In no time I was knocking on J-Hope’s apartment door. I could hear faint footsteps before the door swung open in front of me to reveal him. He was shirtless and wore navy blue, checkered pajama bottoms and a comforting smile. I immediately threw my arms around him and buried my face in his neck. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into the apartment and closing the door behind me. We just stood there for a long while until I separated us. With no words yet to be exchanged, J-Hope led me to his bedroom and basically tucked me in and watched as I got comfortable.

“Do you need anything?” He asked, still standing off to my side of the bed. “Water? Tea?” He added. I look up at him through tired eyes.

“Water sounds great, actually.” I all but croak. All the crying I did took a lot out of me and I realized I needed to rehydrate. He nodded, scampering off to the kitchen.

He made it back in record time, handing me a glass of water after I sat up a bit. He finally got in bed himself and I could feel him watching me. Studying me to see if I would break down again.

“You don’t need to watch me like that you know?” I say glancing up at him, he suddenly looks down when our eyes meet. “Like I’m gonna break at any moment.” I mutter.

“I’m sorry...it’s just when I heard you crying I got worried.” He looks me up and down again while I look at my already empty glass. “Thank you...for worrying. I really didn’t know who else to go to. I’m sorry.”

He grabbed my hand from my lap and squeezed. I looked at his wide eyes.

“Charlotte, you have no idea how glad I am that you came to me. I’m always gonna wanna make sure that you’re alright. Please don’t be afraid to come to me with things like this. You can trust me...Okay?”

I looked up at his deep brown eyes so full of emotion and nodded, believing in every word. I was still very much in shock that he’s not acting like I inconvenienced him or that he didn’t turn me away in the first place.

“Okay. With that being said...Are you alright?” He asked carefully, caressing my hand in his. I think about it and I find myself nodding slowly, once more. “Yeah.” Now that I finally have you next to me, yes.

“Good. What happened?”

“Uh, I had a nightmare.” I admit hesitantly. J-Hope knows about my recent night terrors and most of their contents. No matter how much I wanted to hide it from him, it’s like he has the power to get me to talk about these things. Like a vampire using compulsion. But he doesn’t know that he’s the antidote.

His shoulders drop and he sighs disappointedly. “Again?” I nod. “And then I kind of had a panic attack.”

He makes a pitiful face and clenches his jaw. He motions for me to put the glass down and then to get under the covers. We cuddle up to one another, facing each other and he rubs my back soothingly.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” I sigh as the familiar words leave his mouth. It always seemed to help to get these things off my chest to J-Hope so I threw myself back into the mess that started this whole ordeal.

“He was yelling at me again...barking more like. All those obnoxious things he used to say whenever I did something wrong...And then I was running. Down this pitch black street that never seemed to end. Until I get to this weird looking building with one white door on it...Y-” I wince as I almost uttered his name.

“He came out and just stood by the door like he was waiting for me or something. And then I turned around to see Maeve behind me...she looked like she was waiting for me too...It was like I had to choose. And I didn’t want to, but...I chose him.” I laugh bitterly before continuing. “It was so real, like a fucking slap in the face...No matter what happened between us or what horrible things he did or said to me, I always went back to him...all while pretending like Maeve never even existed. I turned my back on her, just like I did five years ago.”

“That’s not true.” J-Hope interjected immediately. “I know you feel like what happened to Maeve was your fault, but we both know that it wasn’t. And you were coping with her death in your own way.” I let out another harsh laugh.

“Well, thanks for seeing it that way.” J-Hope suddenly scooched down to my level and tilted my chin up to look him in the eye.

“You don’t know this, but I have made it my personal mission to get you to stop beating yourself up this way and to, instead, make you smile whenever you do. You’re so much better than that. I just wish you saw yourself the way I see you.” He said sincerely. I let the corners of my mouth slide up one at a time at the statement, knowing that, that is literally what he’s been doing and well. My heartbeat increased and small currents of electricity found a home in my fingertips. I had no words and so I settled for a slow, searing kiss to get my message across. “Mission accomplished.” He whispered when we broke the kiss. We giggle and actually settle in for bed, turning off the bedside lamps.

“Night, Charlotte.”

“Night, Hobi.” A few moments of silence passed before I decide I have a confession of my own.

“Hobi.”

“Hm?”

“You don’t know this, but...you’re my dreamcatcher.” I say into the darkness.

He delivers a kiss to my wild hair and I smile once more before drifting off into a glorious, dreamless sleep.

++++++++++++

I opened my eyes lazily, adjusting to the change of scenery. I find a strong sense of comfort in Hoseok’s arms wrapped snugly around me and I nuzzle myself into him further. He does the same, pressing our bodies together firmly and tightening his hold on me. I attempt to fall back to sleep when I feel a soft kiss planted on the back of my neck, signifying that he was awake. He continued to kiss along the side and make his mark on my cheek and jaw causing me to giggle helplessly.

I turn in his arms to face him and kiss his lips hard, both of us smiling into it like maniacs. It’s not long until he tries to get on top of me and caress my body with his strong hands. I allow him to do as he pleases and arch my body into his, inviting him to grind his core into mine.

“I can’t even stretch my limbs before you’re trying to ravage me.” I laugh into his perfect mouth.

“Haha, well I had to try before you left me for the girls.” He goes to plant another kiss to my neck as my eyes widen with adrenaline. I dodge him, turning to look at the alarm clock that read 4:47 PM.

“The girls!” I push him off of me and run to the dresser in record time while Hoseok watches, cluelessly. “I totally forgot, we have a fucking gig today!”

The show today starts at eight o’clock and usually waking up in the evening doesn’t compromise that, but seeing as I only have three hours to shower, dress, beg the girls for forgiveness and travel all the way to a venue in Bodega Bay, I’m beginning to panic slightly.

I race to grab some of my own clothes in his dresser, scamper into the shower and crank up the hot water. When I return I throw on the fullest face of make-up I can manage while moving at lightning speed. I manage to buff out my foundation and concealer, slap some brown and gold eyeshadow on my lid and brush on some mascara while Hoseok finds something and freshens up.

“Uh, I’ll drive you.” He decided in his sleepy stupor.

“Thank you. I’m sorry bout this Jay, I’ll pay you back, I promise.” I peck his cheek on the way out the door. He just laughs, rushing with me to his car in our pajamas. “Don’t worry about it Charlotte, let’s just get you back.”

“Thanks, Hoseok!” I kissed him on the cheek once more before I’m flying out of the car and racing up to the hotel room, hoping to God the girls aren’t too mad at me.

I slipped into the room silently, not wanting to be seen out of embarrassment. The suite looked empty. Did they leave without me? The room was mostly silent, save for the whispering of two voices coming from the bedroom. My shoulders drop in relief as I approach the slightly ajar door, but I froze when I hear the deep, broken voice of Darren.

“So, what do you want me to do? Just stop feeling the way I do?” He huffed in his usual low register. What is he doing in our room?

“Don’t say it like that Darren, you’re making me sound like the bad guy.” I heard Leyah’s smooth voice join his and my eye brows furrow, my curiosity spiked even higher.

Darren replies, sounding defeated. “That’s what you’re saying though...isn’t it?” Leyah sighs and by the way the bed released a noise of pressure, I can tell she sat down. “Well, yeah...I guess I am...I’m sorry.” There is a moment of silence before Darren speaks up again.

“It’s just...it sounds stupid Leyah, but I can’t hold it in anymore.” My head cocks in interest at his ambiguous words.

“And I’m sorry, but I’m asking you to do exactly that.” I found myself leaning closer to the door as the conversation went on, hoping to get closer to what Darren was getting at.

“I just told you, I can’t. What do you want me to do?” He asked sarcastically with a bitterness to his voice. More silence.

“Look, I just want this to work out for everybody and in order for that to happen, I need you to-I don’t know, just somehow keep this to yourself, okay? I know I’m probably asking too much of you, but I promise you, it’s for the best.”  

“So this works out for everybody but me, huh?”

“Listen to me, I know you want a second shot or whatever, but telling Char how you feel is going to help, literally no one, trust me.” Leyah pleads with her best friend in a soft, reassuring voice and my eyes widen immensely.

Holy fuck.

They were having this deep, arduous conversation about me the entire time. So, Darren really did have genuine feelings for me and knowing Darren, that’s probably what he meant to tell me the night of our fight. That was weeks ago. By then, I already knew Darren had feelings for me, but hearing that his feelings were so deep that he literally couldn’t hold back anymore was daunting. I try to keep my breathing under control and not give myself away as I continue to eavesdrop for more answers.

“Besides, Char is really into that J-Hope kid and...they’re good together.”She spoke with an apologetic tone. “You telling her how you feel would just complicate things. Or it might get you hurt and I don’t wanna see either of my friends hurt. I…I just want you all to be happy.”

“Happy-what about my happiness, Leyah? Every time I see them together, I just want to punch something. I thought you were trying to help me in this-”

“That’s all I’ve ever done, Darren! And this time is no different.” Leyah suddenly yells, causing me to jump back from the door and almost lose my footing.

“You may be blind to it because of your feelings for her, but it’s obvious he’s it for her...and vice and versa. I know you see it, you just refuse to believe it and I’m sorry, but there is no way an apology and a confession is going to win her over when all she can see is him. The way they look at each other...even Char refuses to see it, but I know you do...I am trying to help you...this is me, trying to help you. Please don’t do this.”

Silence.

I couldn’t help the corners of my mouth slowly turning up into a smile when Leyah said Hoseok and I were good together. I knew the girls didn’t mind him, but I never asked them what they thought of the two of us together. I’m glad my best friend approves because I intend to keep him around for a while. And despite how much I wanted to grimace at her saying he was it for me, I couldn’t fight the butterflies that erupted in my stomach at the thought. Day by day, I’ve been exposing myself to the wonderous world of monogamy that once disgusted me and coming closer to embracing it. It only took the most awkward encounter of my life to realize that Hoseok may actually be the one. I huffed out a laugh to myself at the revelation when Darren finally speaks.

“Damn, Leyah. Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?” He spat angrily followed by the sound of his footsteps heading towards the bedroom door. My eyes widened tenfold and I panicked slightly before tip-toeing to the hotel room door at lightning speed. By the grace of God I was able to open it and slam it before Darren barged out of the bedroom and directed his heated gaze at me, pretending I had just walked in. It quickly turned to shock and relief as he recognized it was me, his mouth opening and closing like he wanted to say something, but changed his mind. I had trouble controlling my own facial expressions, not expecting to face him this quickly.

“Darren-oh, Char. You’re here.” Leyah said, closing the bedroom door behind her and joining Darren and I. She exchanged her frown for an emotionless line.

“What happened to you last night?”

“Oh. I, um...decided to go to Hoseok’s last minute and I got...caught up-uh…I’m really sorry I’m late.” I stammer, trying to give Leyah an excuse that won’t trigger Darren in turn.

“It’s okay, Char. I called, they pushed us back, it’s all good.” She shrugged. I sigh heavily and practically throw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her.

“You are the literal best. Why are you not in charge?” I whisper into her neck. She just chuckles and says “Because you’re much better at it.”

I continue to hug her, recalling what she said about my relationship with Hoseok, helping me to realize what was literally in front of my face the entire time. “Thank you.” I whisper once more.

“Anybody coulda done it Char, it’s nothing...come on, stop being weird.” he began to shrug me off, the longer we embraced and I broke away from her smiling. I turn around, remembering Darren was directly behind me and immediately avoiding eye contact. “Okay. Where is everyone? We should head out, right?”

“They’re in the garage, waiting for us.” Leyah shares, leading us out of the room.

“What were you guys doing?” I glance at the floor, trying to play dumb.

“I spilled something in your room, while I was waiting for Leyah to get ready. She helped me clean it up. Sorry.” Darren told me robotically as we got on the elevator. The excuse created another batch of questions I could have asked, but knowing the truth, I just left it alone for fear of being found out.

My friends were all waiting in the van in the garage and had many questions for me once I finally showed up. I just apologize repeatedly and dodge their questions as much as I can until they get that I don’t have any interest in discussing what exactly happened to me last night.

The atmosphere during the gig lacked that usual feeling of giddiness and excitement due to the events that occurred in the past 24 hours. My mind was full of thoughts of Darren and this incredibly uncomfortable situation he unknowingly put me in. It was obvious that Leyah and Darren were feeling it as well, their gazes always glazed over and far away whenever I laid eyes on them, which wasn’t often as I avoiding Darren again. Whenever he happened to be standing near me, I quietly slipped away to busy myself or when our eyes met, my eyes would dart elsewhere immediately. The other members seemed as lost as ever and skeptical, like they hadn’t been let in on a juicy secret.

When the option to visit the bar at the venue presented itself, I jumped at the opportunity, in desperate need of a drink after our set was over. I take a seat at the bar by myself, not bothered or surprised that the band left me alone. I see Darren do the same at the opposite side of the bar.They most-likely noticed me acting off and decided to give me space. I actually prefer it.

I had just downed my fourth shot and was starting to feel the effects when Darren took a seat on the stool on the right of me. I tense up involuntarily. I continue to look at the counter intensely, not acknowledging him until he speaks first.

“Hey, Char.” I turn to him slowly and glanced up at him from under hooded lids. He looked worried, for which one of us I couldn’t tell, but it made me antsy. I just nod at him. “You okay?” He followed up. I just nodded again, wishing to be anywhere, but here.

“Okay, um, I was hoping I could talk to you for a minute.” He stammered.

I made a face before responding. “You are talking to me.” I drawled. He just laughed, his pearly whites on full display, reminding me how painfully beautiful his smile is.

“In that case...I wanna apologize again for everything I put you through in the past couple of weeks-”

“You didn’t put me through anything Darren, you...were trying.” I cut him off, not wanting him to beat himself up over something he couldn’t control.

If you wanna apologize for something, apologize for sticking your nose in my business all the time.

“Well, I’m thankful you see it that way, but I’m sorry for the way I’ve been acting.” He said sincerely.

Then why are you doing this?

“I forgive you...I still haven’t apologized for those things I said to you weeks ago. I’m not gonna lie and say they didn’t come from a place of truth, but I really shouldn’t have said them, especially like that.” I ramble drunkenly.

“You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true, just pills I had to swallow, I guess.” He shrugged. I just shake my head, thinking back to that night and how nasty I was to him. But I don’t speak on it anymore, knowing he would take my side every time.

“I also wanted to tell you something that’s been on my mind for a while.” He spoke slowly.

I turn to look at the counter again and sigh heavily and my heart beat speeds up significantly. Even after listening to Darren and Leyah earlier, I’m not ready to hear it from him for real, face to face.

“I know you were listening to Leyah and I earlier.” My head snaps up at him and the room spins slightly, my eyes widen. He just chuckles at my reaction. “I saw you run by the door to make your escape.” I wish I could laugh like him, but the severity of the situation still has me on edge.

“I guess there’s nothing to say then.” I say still trying to escape this confession.

“I wish there wasn’t” He replies.

“There doesn’t have to be.” I look up at him with furrowed brows and eyes that read ‘don’t do this.’

He makes a face, signifying that he recognizes my rejection, but he goes on.

“I know you’re into this Hope kid, but like you said, I’ve waited long enough, I have to try and I don’t know what I’ll do if I don’t get this off my chest to you now.” He says with a passionate stare.

My body I moves before it has time to recognize the command form my brain, getting up and walking past Darren. I just had to get away in that moment. I stumble back when I feel his strong grip on my arm, turning me to face him. My eye twitched and my hands balled into fists. “Char, wait.” he pleaded.

“Darren let me go right now.” I feel my breathing quickened as I tried to free myself.

“Char, I love you.” His intense eyes meet mine, his voice was deep and fierce. His words immediately filled me with a sense of dread and my heart pounded in my chest, I was struck again with the need to escape.

“This isn’t happening, please let me go, now.”

“No, please, just listen to me. There is no one for me, but you, I need you to know that.” I work on unwrapping his hand from my arm when I made eye contact with the bartender behind Darren. He looked me over and his face lit up with concern. He took off to the front of the club and I was left to fend for myself against my friend in this sea of people who seem blind to what’s happening in front of them.

“Darren, let me go, I need to get out of here.” I growled at him. His grip only tightened.

“Char, don’t be like this. Please, just give me a chance.” He urged, staring me down with desperate eyes.

“I don’t want to! I don’t want you!” I shout above the music.

“Darren, what the fuck!” Leyah’s voice shot from behind me. I turn to see her enraged face and a burly bouncer making his way towards us in the distance, the bartender leading him to us. I feel stinging behind my eyes as so many emotions came over me  all at once because this situation has gotten way too out of hand.

“What are you doing? Let her go, you idiot!” Leyah joins in trying to separate us.

“Char, you can’t leave until you hear me out, please!”

“You’re hurting me!” I screamed just as the bouncer took hold of Darren’s arm and yanked it. Finally, I was free and clutching my arm, tears flowing down my face.

“Why are touching me? I didn’t do anything!”

The bouncer tried to restain Darren, but he fought back and the bouncer didn’t take kindly to that. In no time a fight broke out and we all backed away. Leyah tried to comfort me by wrapping her arms around my shoulders and I shrugged her off instantly, not wanting to be here anymore.

I slipped through the bodies and made my way out of the building onto the street, gulping in all the fresh night air that I could. I bend down, touching my hands to my knees, trying to get my breathing under control, counting backwards from ten. When I have enough confidence to roam, I quickly walk around the corner and hope the band doesn’t think to look for me here.

I never expected to want to hide from my friends in a time like this, but recently I’ve done it more than I would like to admit. I used to run to them for stuff like this and they would help however they could. It was never enough though. Before them I would bottle everything up because it felt like no one understood. No one does. Except Hoseok.

I would deal with the issue the only way I knew how. Sex and alcohol. I got the alcohol part down seeing as I’m still slightly woozy, leaning on a cement structure near the bar. The only thing I need now is an orgasm and all my problems should be solved.

I laugh bitterly and rub at the dry tears on my face.

You can’t fix this.

I can try.

I ignore my conscience and seek out my old method of numbing the pain as I pull out my phone and call uber to Hoseok’s place. I get myself together as much as I can in the back of the car, avoiding calls from my bandmates. My whole demeanor changed once I arrived and took the elevator up to his apartment.

I knock sternly on Hoseok’s apartment door, biting my lip in anticipation and restlessness. Thoughts of tonight's events playing over and over in my mind, making me jittery and somewhat uneasy. I shake it off, knowing Hoseok would give me just what I needed in a time like this.

He opens the door steadily, not expecting any visitors, and brightens when he sees me. “Oh Charlotte. Come in.” I do more than that.

I leapt into his arms, immediately attaching my lips to his in a feral manner, my fingers splayed out, running along the expanse of his muscular body.

“Mm, hello to you too.” He mumbled against my needy lips, but going along with it, kissing me back and caressing my body as well.

“I need you.” Is the only excuse I give, making brief eye contact before leaning down to suck at the juncture of his neck. He moans and plants kisses near my ear. I push him backwards in the direction of his bedroom, sitting myself on his lap, legs on either side of his hips as soon as he touches the bed.

“Have you been drinking?” He panted.

“Maybe.”

I suck his bottom lip into my mouth, nibbling on it hungrily as I grind my hips into his quickly hardening dick. I’m interrupted from my magical state when Hoseok takes a hold of the hair at the crown of my head and pulled gently. “You okay?” He asked slightly out of breath from our make out, seeking out my eyes.

I cup his face with both my hands and look him in the eyes intensely. “I will be…” My tongue slides out of my mouth to lick a slow stripe up his parted lips. “Once you fuck the shit outta me.” I look down at his glazed over eyes, raised eyebrows and sexy agape mouth, finding no signs of resistance, but of course everything about it said he saw right through me. But I could care less if it means getting what I want in this moment. He just nodded understandingly. “Okay.” He let his sinful tongue wet his lips before forcing my face to his to devour my mouth and the rest of my will power.

He made quick work of his plain white t-shirt, throwing it behind me and then unbuckled the overalls of my dress. I help the rest of the way, removing my shirt, leaving just my black lace bra. He takes a moment to admire the view and then he rips the cups of my bra down to suck my nipple into his mouth, flicking his tongue against it and repeating his actions on my other breast. I moan out, arching my back into him, continuing to gain brilliant friction from grinding my crotch into his.

I kiss my way down his neck and chiseled front until I’m on my knees, in between his legs. I fondle his dick through his sweatpants graciously and all-but rip the garment from his hips. He cooperates, lifting his hips and pushes down his underwear as well. I waste no time with teasing, taking his head into my mouth as soon as it is presented to me. Hoseok instinctively threads his fingers into my thick hair and tugs slightly.

“Fuck, Charlotte.” He hissed through his teeth and began fucking into my mouth. I invite him in further, relaxing my throat and jaw, letting it go slack to feel him hitting the back of my throat repeatedly. I let him do as he pleased with my body, enjoying the feeling of making him feel good. I celebrate the fact that the tears that sting the back of my eyes are the result of mutual pleasure and not from being triggered by too many built up emotions. No. The only emotion I feel now is extreme euphoria  thanks to my affection for Hoseok. The yearning, the adulation, the complete infatuation I have with him. I look up through teary eyes at his angelic, gyrating form.

“Goddamn.” He groaned. “Such a dirty girl, looking at me like that while I fuck your little throat.” I moan around him and nod in agreeance as well as I could.

“You like that? Nngh...huh, baby?” He questioned as he forces my head down on his cock, my nose nuzzling his pubic hair. I gag trying to still manage a nod, my nails scratching at his thighs. He suddenly pulls my head back up by my hair, not giving me time to breathe as he captures my lips with his. Wetness pools in my underwear when he pulls my hair roughly to break the kiss.

“I almost came so hard down your throat just now.” He said heatedly, almost as out of breath as me. I whimper at the husky drawl of his voice and his fucked out gaze staring me down like he’s about to wreck me. “No, I got somewhere else I want it to go.” He looks me up and down, likcing his lips like he would tear me apart piece by piece any second now. And I was patiently awaiting that moment between his legs, loving the anticipation of it all.

“Where is that?” I rasped seductively, stroking his spit covered cock with both hands. He threw his head back quickly and regarded me cooly, almost scolding me for my actions with his eyes.

“Get on the bed.” He ordered, ignoring my question completely. I wanted to disobey, to rebel just to see what he would do. But my lust for him controlled me, forced me to rush to the top of the bed and remove the rest of my clothing at lightning speed. He just turned around and crept towards me slowly.

His hands glided along my legs smoothly, parting them further to make room for his glorious, naked body in between. He licked pleasant patterns into my thighs, moving deeper towards my incredibly wet core. He sucked one lip into his mouth before he spoke.

“Is this what you want?” I nodded eagerly. “What you barged in here demanding?” He cocks his head to the side and smirks a if to reprimand me.

“Yes.” I utter, guiltily.

“Not so bold now. Hm.” He sucks my other pussy lip into his mouth and pinches my thigh causing me to gasp.

“You know, dirty girls don’t usually deserve to get their pussy eaten. Do you?” He licks a swift stripe straight up my slit, slowing down once he reaches my clit. My breath hitches and I feel myself getting wetter at the filthy words falling from his mouth.

“Yes.” I breathed immediately. “Please eat my pussy, Hoseok. I need you, I need your mouth, making me feel good...you always make me feel so good, Hobi, please.” I pleaded, gyrating my hips into nothing in front of his face, just looking for some kind of relief and I was so close.

Hoseok seemed pleased with this performance and swoops down to flick his tongue against my clit at a vicious speed, making me throw my head back into the bed and wrap my legs around his head. He invites the gesture, dipping lower to take the bud into his mouth and attacking it that way as he held my thighs down.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Hoseok! Argh-oh my-yes!” I cried out helplessly, letting the immense pleasure take me away, his hair now in my vice grip. “Your fingers.” I blurted out, on the edge, my climax in sight. “Please give me your fingers.”

He didn’t hesitate to give me what I asked for, plunging two fingers into me and curling them forward to hit that spot that made my legs shake.

“Ah! Yes...I’m gonna cum.” I announce, the feeling of earth shattering pleasure fast approaching. Until Hoseok stopped what he was doing.

“What the fuck?” I whipped my head to look down at him and before I have time to register what’s happening, his cock was sinking into my heat and his hips were snapping into mine.

“Awk! Nnnnngh, fuck!”

I immediately fell off the edge, my body jerked as Hoseok’s dick collided with my g-spot, igniting violent explosions in the pit of my belly. My eyes cross and my vision goes blurry as I spasm against the sheets, focusing on the breathtaking pulsing of my hole around his cock. I arched my back into his chest and reach for anything to hold onto. Finding his neck, I wrapped my fingers around it and squeezed.

“Oh, shhhhit...that’s it baby, cum on my cock, just like that. So fucking good baby girl.” He growls into my ear, his gravelly voice sending vibrations through my fingers around his neck, causing warm electricity to course through my body. I gurggled mindlessly and subconsciously squeeze his cock at the erotic words.

He continues fucking into my lifeless body at a steady pace, breathing life into it with every thrust. My body recovers from before, but is inviting more overstimulating pleasure from Hoseok’s efforts to cum himself. So, I gather the energy to get him there.

I finally release my hold on his neck and grip his face to look me in the eyes. He gulps for air, still slamming into me steadily. “You fuck me so good, Hoseok. You made me cum so hard, baby. Only you.” Hoseok grunts, heavily. His thrusts becoming harder and faster, burying his dick inside me, staring into my eyes sensually.

“I can feel you pulsing inside me, ready to blow.” I purr, caressing his arms as they work and flex to propel him forward into me. He abruptly takes my legs to hike them over his shoulders, his dick delving deeper into me, creating a new delicious angle that has both of us moaning like mad.

“Holy mutherfuckingshit, you’re gonna make me cum again, fuck.” I spew, not being able to hold back with another intense orgasm barreling towards me.

“Can I cum in you baby?” He pants, his hips sputtering with how close he was to finishing.

“You can do whatever the fuck you want-uugh! Mother of fuck! No one’s ever fucked me like you do. I swear I could fuck you for the rest of my life. Oh my fucking God, I want you forever.” I whimpered, so fucking close to that white light.

“Argh, fuck!” He cums into me with so much force, I’m sent flying through time and space, frozen in this one moment dissolving into pure euphoria forever. I let out a shriek, my tense, jerking body unable to contain the pleasure coursing through it.

Hoseok collapsed onto me briefly, catching my lips in a passionate kiss before giving me room to drop my legs back down onto the bed. We couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves afterwards, neither of our mouths wanting to leave the other’s body. Moments later he pulled away from me and looked me over thoughtfully.

“What?” I whisper, the silence in the room making itself known now. He doesn’t answer immediately, still weighing whatever it was.

“Nothing.” He decides and places the covers over us, cuddling me. “We’re talking about that in the morning.” He points to the new bruise on my arm that Darren created and closed his eyes while I tried to formulate an excuse for what happened.

++++++++++++

I woke up to Hoseok tracing light patterns into the skin of my shoulder from behind me. I could feel his eyes on me, but not in a creepy way. I turn to lie on my back and regard his beautiful face with appreciation.

“Good morning.” He said, now tracing patterns on my sheet clad stomach on his side and resting on his head in his hand. His eyes were focused on what he was doing, almost like they were distracting him from something else.

“Morning.” I replied, studying his face. He looked deep in thought, his brows slightly furrowed and his lip tucked itself under his teeth as he thought of his next words.

He opened his mouth to speak, pausing in even more thought before he found the words. “Last night was very fun for me, but...what exactly happened?”

Jeez, so soon?

I too, distracted myself with his movement on my body as I tried to figure out what to say.

“What made you come over here...like that?” He wondered, concerned.

I sigh. “Uh, at the gig yesterday...Darren, he…” Hoseok’s movements stop momentarily at the mention of my guy friend/roadie and then continue again. I glance up at his face that was now filled with malice. A look that didn’t look good on his angelic features. “What did he do?” He whispered sternly.

I swallow nervously. “He...he told me he loved me.” I force out in a small voice. The words sounded so foreign coming from my mouth, a person who doesn’t even deserve love. It was like I was finally coming to terms with it after running from it since it happened.

Hoseok’s movements stopped again and his hand lifted off of my body by millimeters, in shock. He rested his hand on the bed and I look up at him to see his reaction. His face is disgruntled and conflicted. I can just see the gears turning in his head.

“And do you...do you feel anything for him?” He spoke, not meeting my eyes.

“No.” I say immediately. “Of course not...not in that way. Not when I have you, how could you even think that?” I asked incredulously, grabbing his hand and placing our joined hands on my stomach.

He just shrugs, his bothered expression gone. “Because he’s built, good looking and you could have anyone you want.” He forces a laugh.

I lift my hand to stroke his soft cheek. “Well I want you so none of that matters.” He finally looked into my eyes and smiled genuinely, swooping down to kiss me firmly. “And for the record, you’re the most handsome man I’ve ever met.” I say when we part. He blushed slightly and smiled wider in thanks.

“So that’s why you came all the way here so...excuse my French, out of it? And what happened to your arm?”

“Yes. I didn’t exactly react too well when he told me...I tried to leave, but...he held onto my arm to keep me there.” I relay calmly, analyzing the bruise that’s only gotten worse since last night. Hoseok’s look of animosity was back.

“He did this? What a fucking asshole! Who does he think he is?” Hoseok spewed a few more insults before I climbed my way on top of him. He was now on his back, my hands on his bare chest not caring to toy with the sheet that fell from mine.

“Hey, forget about him. The bouncer took care of him...I think. He just got a little passionate, we were drinking and hey, I’m fine.” I smile to convince him.

“But he hurt you and you’re okay with it?” Hoseok asked hesitantly.

“I didn’t say I was okay with it, he and I will have words, but I am fine.” I leaned down to kiss him. My lips moved against his and his hands reacted by gripping my butt. I let go after a few moments. “And I would like if we stopped talking about this for a while.” I request, giving my best puppy dog eyes.

“Okay, fine.” He relented, stroking my face with his hands and staring into my eyes. “May I ask one more hard hitting question, though?” His profound features didn’t match his joking tone, I had no idea what to expect.

“Go for it.”

“Did you mean it? What you said last night? About...forever?” His eyes were intense with curiosity, like he had everything riding on this. I do some quick thinking of my own. Hoseok is everything I’ve ever wanted in a man, that much is obvious. And as much as I say I have trouble with commitment and intimacy, I’ve already committed myself to Hoseok. We weren’t seeing anyone else, nor did we want to, plus we were infatuated with each other. I can’t ignore this fact. Even though I have some issues that needed work, that doesn’t mean I have to let it hold me back from life.

“Yes...I don’t know about forever, no one does, but...” I answer, honestly. I watch him smile brightly in front of me, basking in his warm glow. “I wanna be with you, Hoseok.” His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

“You are with me.” He grabs my hand and squeezes.

“Like be with you, be with you.” I thread our fingers together in the air, gazing into his beautiful brown eyes.

“But I thought you said you didn’t want to...you know...labels?” There it was, that look of hopeful curiosity that Hoseok wore best and that always made me grin.

“I know, I know...I’m just done with letting my issues control me.” He smiles proudly, resting a hand on my cheek and stroking, gently. “So, Hoseok, if you’ll have me, I would love to be your...your g-girlfriend.” I fought back the bile building up with the sound of Hoseok’s comforting laughter. He grasps my cheeks and brings me down to his level, putting our foreheads together fervently.

“I think I’m supposed to ask you that.” He laughed.

“Well, when you do, I’ll say yes. Easy as that.”

He nods happily. “Are you sure about this? I don’t want you pushing yourself too far.”

I shake my head. “It’s the only way I’ll learn...and I wanna learn with you.”

Hoseok regarded me with a look of longing in his eyes and kissed me once again with so much emotion, it spread warmth throughout my entire body and tendrils of electricity to the tips of my fingers and toes. “Okay....okay.”

The two of us lay there whispering sweet nothings until I heard my phone buzzing from across the room and I sigh, figuring it was time to stop ignoring my friends. Hoseok properly stretches and I dangle my body off the side of the bed to reach for my phone and check my messages.

Several calls and texts from each of the girls riddled my screen, but I was surprised to find no messages or calls from Darren. I settle back into bed and Hoseok attaches himself to me again as I call Leyah back to check in.

“Char, hey, are you okay?” She picks up right away and her troubled voice filled my ears.

“Yes, Leyah, I’m fine.”

She sighs in relief. “So I can assume you’re with J-Hope right now?”

“Yes, I’m at Jay’s right now.”

“Okay, well, you might want to get back soon.” She said nervously.

“Why is that?” My skeptical tone caused Hoseok’s eyes to pop open in intrigue.

“Uh, Darren kinda got arrested last night after you left and we’re gonna go bail him out.”

I rolled my eyes and rubbed a hand around my face in annoyance. Well that explains the lack of messages. “No, you all can go bail him out, I’m going to stay here.” I say sternly. Hoseok moved to rest on his elbows beside me, studying my stressed out face.

“Are you sure? He mentioned wanting to see you.”

“I could give a fuck what he wants right now.” I spat. She just sighed. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you...later then.” She said dejectedly. I groan, hoping I don’t regret what I’m about to do. Her depressed tone shot right through me.

I know Leyah just the best for her friends and for me to just stop hiding and get this over with, so I figured I’d do her a favor.

“Wait, Leyah...I’ll go. I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay. See you then. Thank you.” We hung up and I ran my fingers through my hair roughly.

“Is everything okay?” Hoseok asked rubbing my arm comfortingly.

“No.” I answer easily, knowing the truth. “But I have to go. I’m just gonna take a shower first if that okay?”

“Yeah of course. Is it okay if I join you?” I just pecked his lips and nodded.

The shower was quick seeing as I had somewhere to be and I threw on a white t-shirt, black skinny jeans and the Doc Martens I wore last night.

On our way out, I see the glass on the nightstand from yesterday in the same place that I left it and decided to clean it up. Hoseok continues to gather his things in the bedroom as I make my way to the kitchen. I stop in my tracks when I see a familiar figure standing at the counter with his back to me. His height, shoulders, back muscles and even his hair (that was now a tinted, dark red) were all very visceral, creating flashes of so many memories in my brain.

My heart rate accelerates and my world begins to spin when the stranger finally turns around and I find that he’s no stranger at all.

His gorgeous face scrunches up in confusion and complete awe at the sight of me. “Charlotte?” His rugged yet celestial voice traveled over to me, sending a sinister chill down my spine.

“Yoongi?” I whisper brokenly.

“Oh, Yoongi hyung, you’re back!” I straighten up and blink away the blurriness in my eyes at the sound of Hoseok’s voice behind me.

“Charlotte, I see you’ve met  my temporary room mate, Yoongi. Yoongi this is my girlfriend, Charlotte.”

My heart leapt into my throat as the glass I was holding clattered to the floor, exploding into pieces.