#the only red herring I can see is Brady being the one who left the notes

[peacock-patrol]

Who invited Lyra: We all think it was Eve, right?

Process of elimination:

I don't think it was Alice because The Watched is just that: watching. It implies she hadn't done anything yet.

It wasn't Odette: no motive, she doesn't even like talking about Omega/Hawthorne drama etc.

It wasn't Rohan or Gigi.

It could have been either Knox or Brady, but neither of them have payed any attention to Lyra or shown interest in messing with the Hawthornes.

It only leaves Savannah: both with motive and opportunity. Or rather Eve.

Here's the possible timeline:

1. (Final Gambit) - back when Eve was on her spy mission she DID have access to the capital L list. It's how she got the papers on Sheffield (she even took pictures). She wouldn't be looking for a Thomas Thomas at this point obviously, but she'd seen the papers.

2. (Brothers Hawthorne) - Eve/Slate show up at Grayson's hotel at the same time as Lyra starts calling. The first time Gray meets Slater we get little mentions of listening devices/cameras which puts the idea in the reader's head. We also get a damn suspicion hotel manager that seems to make life easy for Eve (payed off? Similar weird interactions with hotel staff happen multiple times). She would have had the prime opportunity to learn about Lyra's calls, listening in. The book also ends with Eve asking to met Savannah to finally 'talk about her father' hence the idea of being a Sponsor.

3. (TGG) The same dark-blue ink on both the invitation and the notes

Savannah is the first person to show up when Lyra finds the notes. Acting out-of-character might I add. When has she ever cared to ask a stranger (a competitor no less) about their well being? About their personal life? Rohan is the one who keeps interrupting. He thinks it's sabotage, when it's likely a genuine interest in conversation/digging up dirt.

IF Eve is sponsoring Savannah they could have some mutual arrangement since Lyra is a distruptive presence. Both Xander and Avery talked to her personally, trying to get her measure. It keeps attention away from Sav, who has no real personal interest in Lyra beyond only doing what she's told by Eve.

Savannah is also the dirtiest fighter in the game. She knew the blackout was coming. Which means she knew someone else was on the island (Slater). The bag Gigi found was likely also for her. Nash made a little comment about how the necklace 'suits' Gigi. They are twins. Lyra's notes are just another dirty move.

■ As to how she found Lyra I still don't know. The Blakes are not as rich as the Hawthornes, but they have more connections. In Final Gambit we see how hard things get for Avery, even down to similar things like slowly ruining her financials, finding family secrets, playing mind games etc. Eve had an entire team for finding Lyra, Grayson was alone.

—

But there is a problem: Savannah’s plan (to be crowned on a livestream) is not something that Eve SHOULD want.

Who shot Sheffield? Mellie, Eve's half-sister.

Who disposed of the body? Oren and Toby, Eve's father.

Either Savannah's revenge ends in just a media scandal (lame revenge) or it actually opens a police investigation, in which the Hawthornes can simply say that he blew up a plane, killed 2 of Avery's men and then kidnapped her. He wasn't an innocent man and Mellie killed him in defence of another (which follows similar principles to self defence). Toby is the one who wanted to cover this up. He is used to running from problems. But the Hawthornes can survive the story getting out.

And Eve isn't stupid, so: Savannah is just a pawn in a grander scheme. The reason she even wanted her instead of Gigi is because she's similar to Grayson, who Eve has successfully played before. Sav's plan will never happen because it would hurt Eve as well. If anything she might have bigger ambitious regarding Lyra stuff, not Sheffield stuff.

[nugnthopkns]

if everything could ever feel this real forever

word count: 4.3k

warnings: explicit!fem reader, cursing, alcohol consumption, allusion to sexual content (nothing explicit but minors please be aware!)

recommended listening: everlong | foo fighters

a/n: broke down and wrote for ratty matty. alternalty titled four times matthew thinks you’re the one and one time he knows (4+1′s are fun to write, pls don’t fight me). also pls ignore the fact i don’t know how airports work, i’ve only ever flown domestically lmao

Matthew feels different when you’re around. 

You don’t turn him into a completely different person. He’s still himself – an absolute pest at times – but more genuine. With you he can feel everything deeply, say whatever’s on his mind without the fear of being judged. It’s the best kind of different, and he wouldn’t change it for the world. His teammates constantly ask him when he’s going to lock you down; put a ring on your finger and change your last name, but he needs to be sure before he makes such a big commitment. 

one

It’s the beginning of July, and you’re sweating buckets in the back of an Uber. The driver has the air cranked, but nothing seems to alleviate the heat. You know it will be worse in St. Louis so you do your best not to complain, but it’s hard. Taking two weeks off to visit your boyfriend in his hometown sounded like a great idea, but reading the weather forecast has you re-evaluating the trip. 

Your phone lights up in your lap, and you eagerly unlock it. It’s a text from Matthew. Have a safe flight. Text me when you land. Tayrn will be there to pick you up – Brady and I’s on-ice got extended. I’ll see you when I get home. Love you. 

Though you wish he could be the first person you see when you touch down, you understand that his job comes first. Besides, your re-unification will be more private this way. I get to see the best Tkachuk first, fuck yeah you reply, before following it up with Love you too Matty. See you soon. 

Soon after sending the text you arrive at the entrance of Calgary International Airport. With a polite thank you to your driver, you grab your suitcase and head inside. The working air conditioning answers your silent prayers and you feel your body slowly return to a normal temperature. Check in is fast, and before you know it you’re breezing through security. A slightly nervous traveller, you’re at the gate earlier than you need to be. The plane doesn’t take off for another two hours. You don’t mind the wait, listening to a couple of podcast episodes and grabbing a snack at the lounge before boarding. 

The five hour flight passes in the blink of an eye. St. Louis is busier than Calgary, and it takes you longer than you thought it would to get through customs. Once passed immigration and at the baggage carousel you let Matthew know you’re safely inside the city limits. You grab your obnoxious suitcase – a bright red thing with a giant Flames logo that Matthew thought would be funny to give you – and set out to find Tayrn. She’s easy to spot, waving a giant poster with your name on it. Abandoning nearly all airport etiquette, you rush through the crowd to see her. Over the years she’s become a little sister and close friend, and you really wish you could see her more frequently. 

“Y/N!” Taryn squeals as you wrap your arms around her. The pair of you embrace for another moment or two before making your way to her car. Neither of you can stop talking, so excited to be in each other’s presence.

“It’s so nice to be back,” you sigh. “I really do like St. Louis.” 

Tayrn giggles. “You’re just excited to see Matthew.” 

Though she isn’t wrong, you swat her bicep in faux annoyance. “What? Can a girl not enjoy a nice Midwestern city?” You push your sunglasses up onto the bridge of your nose before continuing. “Besides, I only came here to see you. I see enough of Matt at home.”

She rolls her eyes but extends her arm so you can fist bump her. With a quick look to make sure the way is clear, Taryn exits the parking spot and heads in the direction of your temporary home. The open sunroof allows the wind to whip through your hair and you struggle to tame it enough to put it in a ponytail. One Direction blasts from the stereo, and you join Taryn in screaming the lyrics until your lungs hurt. Being on vacation, even if it’s only to St. Louis, is so freeing. You don’t have to deal with work deadlines or friendship drama. All that matters is spending time with Matthew. 

When you pull into the Tkachuk’s driveway it’s empty. It’s Thursday afternoon; Chantal’s at work, Keith is golfing with friends, and the boys are at the rink. You take a few minutes to unpack, filling Matthew’s drawers with your clothes, before joining Taryn by the pool. St. Louis is just as hot as the city you left, and the travel has left you feeling below average. A quick swim is sure to be the perfect remedy. 

The water is the right kind of cool, and alleviates any stress you were possibly feeling. You’re properly in vacation mode now, lounging on pool floaties and gossiping with Taryn. An hour later when Matthew returns home you’re in basically the same position. Stepping out into the yard he sees you urging Taryn to turn around so you can place sunscreen onto the one spot she missed, laughing all the while at some ridiculous celebrity rumor she’s telling you. Seeing you get along so easy with his sister, and the rest of his family, makes his heart swell.

In the couple of months you’ve been separated, Matthew’s thought a lot about his future. Specifically about his future with you. When he closes his eyes he can see it clearly: the two of you married with children and a dog, living in a house in the mountains and loving life. It’s idyllic, and even though he knows you’d say yes if he asked you, Matthew still can’t bring himself to do it. There’s something in the back of his brain telling him to wait until he knows with absolute certainty that you’re it for him.

Not wanting to be separated from you for a minute more, he snaps out of his daze and scurries over. Wrapping his arms tightly around your waist and pressing a kiss to the base of neck, he relishes in how you mould to him immediately, not even questioning who it was. 

“Welcome back baby,” Matthew mumbles into your skin. 

With a chuckle you wriggle slightly in his grasp, allowing yourself to face him. You press a kiss to his lips and it feels like heaven. Absence does make the heart grow fonder, you suppose, because you could stand here kissing Matthew your the rest of your life and be happy. 

“Hi Matty,” you giggle against his lips, parting from him only to rest your forehead on his and twist a curl around your finger.

From somewhere inside the house you hear Brady yell,  “Jesus Christ, you two, get a room.”

Without taking his eyes off you, Matthew replies, “Fuck off Brady!”

two

The energy inside the Saddledome is electric. It’s the Flames’ first home game in nearly a week, doing an east coast road trip and sweeping every team they faced. Six games later the team is on a nine game winning streaking and are hoping to keep it going. You know how much it matters in this moment – the playoffs are fast approaching and all points they can tally up are needed. 

You had decided months ago to buy rinkside tickets for this game, planning to surprise Matthew. He loves when you sit in the regular crowd, cheering and spilling your beer like any old fan. It’s humbling for the both of you, and honestly you enjoy it. Though you love those in the Better Halves box, you were a hockey fan before dating Matthew and sometimes like to enjoy games by yourself. Plus, your friend was supposed to be in town and join you at the game, and you figured she’d like to experience how insane the area is firsthand.

So you do your best to quickly shimmy around those blocking your seat, beverage in hand. It was all you could do to get to the rink on time, sitting in the dense downtown traffic for nearly three quarters of an hour after rushing out of work. You wanted to make it before warmups started to make sure Matt knows you’re there supporting him. No one really bats an eye at you, which you’re thankful for. In no way are you notorious, but it wouldn’t take a die-hard fan long to recognize you. Sitting down and letting a soft sigh escape your lips, you carefully place your jacket over the seat beside you. At the last minute your friend had to cancel her trip to Calgary, leaving you solo. With a quick look at the clock you see that warm up will start in just under a minute. The players begin to step onto the ice as you sip your beer. Matthew is yet to notice you but you don’t take offence. He’s in the zone and most likely won’t realize you’re sitting right in front of him until halfway through the third period.

“Look daddy, it’s Matthew Tkachuk!” you hear a young boy shriek in excitement. “He’s so fast, I want to play just like him.”

You turn to look and see two rows above you there’s a father and son, who looks around eight. He’s wearing a jersey identical to yours, and from the sounds of his excited chattering it’s his first game. Seeing the young boy so happy to be here, to see your boyfriend, has your heart swelling. You want to make this a game he’ll never forget.

“Hi,” you smile at the father. “I don’t mean to intrude, but I know Matthew quite well. Would you like me to get his attention so your son could meet him?”

A shocked expression makes its way onto the dad’s face, but he doesn’t react negatively. “You’d do that?” he asks. “Riley loves Matthew. Wants to be just like him.” When you nod, he lets you approach the boy. 

“Hey there Riley, I’m Y/N,” you say, smiling and extending a hand to him. “I’m a special friend of Matthew’s. Would you like to meet him?”

The boy looks at his father tentatively, and only once he nods encouragingly does Riley respond to your question. “Yes please.”

“Why don’t you come down here with me and we’ll get his attention?”

With a little help from you, Riley climbs over the seats and plops unceremoniously beside you. You help him straighten out his jersey before beginning a conversation. He tells you he plays in a local youth league and wants to make it to the NHL one day. When prompted, you explain to him that you work a boring office job that you love even though it makes you angry sometimes. It’s all very formal, but after cracking a few jokes you get him to loosen up.

Matthew, still not having noticed you, begins to skate along the boards in your direction. “Watch this,” you whisper-yell to your newfound friend, “I bet he’ll jump super high.”

As soon as Matthew passes your spot you bang on the glass and scream his name. Sure enough, his skates lift a good three inches of the ice and he shrieks. Teammates around him laugh and the look on his face is priceless when he discovers you’re the culprit. 

“Babe!” 

You smile. “Matty, this is my new friend Riley. He wears number nineteen just like you!” A glance at the boy lets you know he’s starstruck, and your eyes lock with Matthew’s. 

He leans down and rests his hands on his knees, at eye level with the child. “Hi Riley,” he begins. “I’m Matt. I like your jersey.” 

After that, Riley’s a tap that won’t turn off. He details every bit of his day to Matt, and even though their voices are muffled a bit from the glass they get on like two peas in a pod. Matthew is great with children and doesn’t shy away from having legitimate conversations with them. He talks to them like they’re people, which is something you admire about him. The warmup time runs out, but before he heads back to the dressing room Matthew hoists his stick over the glass, giving it to Riley. The younger boy beams and waves goodbye. You blow Matthew a kiss, which he gladly returns, and turn your attention away from him as his figure retreats. 

“Is he your boyfriend?”The question makes you laugh.

“Is it that obvious?” you ask, to which Riley just shrugs. 

“He called you ‘babe’, and my mommy calls my dad that. That means you’re in love,” he says as though it’s the most obvious thing in the entire world. 

Matthew cannot pay attention in the locker room for the life of him. He’s trying really hard to listen to everyone’s hype speeches, but his mind keeps wandering back to the interaction you shared during warm up. You looked so happy watching him interact with the boy you found god knows where within the arena. It’s then he realizes he wants to watch you act like that for the rest of his life. He wants to see you bring excited children to meet him because you have the power to make their nights. His suspicion is confirmed when he steps onto the ice and looks in your direction, finding you and Riley pressed up against the glass cheering loudly.

three

The Giordano’s are hosting an end-of-season barbeque before everyone scatters into the wind, and you’re going to be late. No matter how much you reminded Matthew of what time you had to leave he still started getting ready as you were finishing up. This typically wouldn’t be a big deal, but he has recently started taking care of his curls, and the routine eats up a lot more time than he anticipates. 

“Matty, are you almost ready? There’s going to be no parking!”

His footsteps echo off the hardwood floor as he comes towards you. “That’s what you’re worrying about, baby? Parking?” Matthew laughs, pulling you into his side and kissing the crown of your head. 

“Yeah Matt, I am. You know I have parking anxiety.”

“I’ll drive then,” he says sweetly. “Besides, it’s been a while since I’ve driven us. Have some fun tonight.”

The short drive across town is full of laughter. Neither of you are great singers, but it doesn’t stop you from belting out lyrics at the top of your lungs. At some point Matthew breaks out a rather terrible impression of Axl Rose and you just have to post it to your instagram story. Captioning with a simple microphone emoji, you slip your phone back into your sweater pocket. Though most certainly warm enough to spend the entire evening outside, Calgary currently has a bit of a proclivity for wind, and you’d rather be prepared. Outside of Mark and Lauren’s house Matthew finds a spot and parallel parks with ease.

“Shut up,” you mumble, poking your tongue out at him. 

Matthew ruffles your hair in retaliation before jumping out of the vehicle, booking it around to the other side so he can open your door. He isn’t slick about hiding his intentions, grabbing a handful off your ass before leaning down to kiss you. Though you’d much rather stand in the cul-de-sac and make out with your boyfriend, you both have appearances to keep up. You get him to stop being a pest kong enough that you can enter the party and pass him off to his teammates. 

You congregate with some of the other girls in the corner of the yard, and enjoy a drink while the sun sets. It’s fun to gossip with them, to catch up one final time before most of them leave. You’ll be staying in Calgary, job tying you down for the foreseeable future. The only thing that’s better than spending time with your friends is glancing at Matthew from across the space. 

He’s enjoying himself, glass of water in hand. When he offered to be the designated driver he was serious, and he took the shit the boys were giving him in stride. Though you’ve only had one gin and tonic and can’t feel the effects of the alcohol, you’re glad he’s staying true to his word. The heightened water intake makes his skin glow, and you’re having a hard time staying focussed on the story Lauren is telling. He catches you staring and shoots you a dazzling smile. Tired of keeping your distance, you excuse yourself from the conversation and saunter over to your boyfriend. 

“Hey Y/N,” Noah says breezily, raising his glass to you in mock salute. You wrap your arms tightly around Matthew’s waist.

“Hanifin,” you smile. “I’m really sorry to do this, but I need to pull Matt away for a quick second.”

No one in the group is the least bit surprised. The two of you have a reputation for being young and in love, sneaking off often and doing everything that entails. Once the two of you are alone you rest a hand on his chest, dangerously close to the button of his shirt. You then move kissing along the underside of his jaw, pressing your body closer to his to ensure he gets the point. 

“Needy baby?” Matthew tries to smirk, but his voice wavers when you reach the junction of his jawbone and earlobe. 

Declining to speak, you continue your actions until he’s just as desperate to get home as you. Though you try to be sneaky as you exit through the back gate, you won’t be surprised if you wake up to a few crude text messages. You’re too far gone to care, solely focussed on showing your boyfriend how much you love him. 

The entire ride home Matthew can barely focus on the road. Not because you’re doing anything particularly risqué, a few too many close calls have put you both off of initiating things in the car, but because he doesn’t ever want to stop sneaking away from events with you. It’s exhilarating in more ways than one, and he hopes the feeling never goes away. Being with you, his best friend, is something he wouldn’t trade for the entire world. So what if he gets chirped by the boys for having precariously placed marks on his back.

four

September brings a chill to Calgary, but you couldn’t feel warmer. Matthew is due home this afternoon after nearly four months of being away. Of course you visited him in St. Louis, and he even flew back to the city once, but the two of you were mostly separated. Your shared apartment felt cold and lonely without him to annoy you, so you had spent as much time away from it as possible. No longer do you have to fall asleep with Matt’s side of the bed stone cold. 

Though you know he likely won’t care, you’re nervous about the new decor. In an effort to make yourself feel better in Matthew’s absence, you completed some home renovations. Most are superficial, like a new sectional and an ungraded home speaker system, but you had redone the entire kitchen after scrolling through pinterest. The cabinets are a bright yellow, and the walls are a warm cream. Subway tile has also replaced the previous backsplash. You’re quite proud of the way it looks – doing pretty much all of it yourself and only calling your dad when you really needed help. 

You spend much of the morning not doing anything productive, pacing the hallway back and forth. It’s nerve wracking and exciting to have Matthew home. Things will go much smoother with his presence even if he can sometimes be the most annoying person on the planet. You force yourself to eat a small meal before continuing to wear holes into your floor. He’ll arrive in a matter of minutes, and you’re practically vibrating with how much your legs are shaking. 

A key twists in the lock, as though it’s a Pavlovian response, you bound towards the front door. Not even letting him step over the threshold you wrap yourself around him as tightly as possible. Matthew giggles sweetly, and you swear it’s the best sound you’ve ever heard. Tears flow freely down your cheeks and soak through his shirt. In a very ungraceful waddle Matthew carries the both of you inside your home and shuts the door lightly. 

“What’s the matter, Y/N?” Matt asks, obviously concerned because this is more emotional than any homecoming you’ve ever had. 

Through hiccupping sobs, you stutter out, “I painted the kitchen cabinets yellow and you’re going to hate them. And then you’ll want to break up with me but I won’t be able to take them with me.”

“Woah woah woah, slow down baby,” he soothes, rubbing circles on your back. “Why am I going to hate it?”

When you can’t come up with a justifiable answer, he knows your anxiety just got the better of you. Repositioning you slightly so you’re tucked into his side, Matthew walks through the apartment to see the kitchen for himself. He’s blown away by its beauty, and he can see just how much work you put into it. The room is so much brighter and inviting – he can’t imagine having any other kitchen now. 

Once you ramble off an apology for being so dramatic that he won’t accept, the two of you settle into the couch and start a reality television marathon. It’s a tradition that both of you take very seriously, and though he’d never admit it to anyone but you, Matthew looks forward to watching the outlandish dramas. The night is quiet, with you getting through quite a few seasons of Desperate Housewives, and at some point you fall asleep on Matthew’s chest. He knows he should gently move you off of him, start to unpack his bags, but he can’t tear himself away.

He can’t help but stare as you snore softly. There’s nothing Matthew would like more than to spend the rest of his life relaxing after coming home to you. If he’s being completely honest, St. Louis doesn’t feel like home as much anymore, and he finds himself counting down the days until he can return to Calgary. Matt supposes you’re the defining factor, and even Antarctica would feel like home to him if you were there. He never wants to lose that feeling. 

+ one 

There’s ten seconds left on the clock. Ten seconds until the Calgary Flames will become Stanley Cup champions. You’re holding your breath – you know a lot could happen in such a short amount of time. The lead isn’t as wide as you’d like it to be, only one, and you squeeze Taryn’s hand tightly. Everyone in the friends and family box is just as amped up as you. If the choice had been yours, you’d be sitting in the stands of the Saddledome, but in event the Flames win you need to be with everyone else if you want to join the team on the ice. 

Matthew carries the puck up the ice, and you audibly gasp. At the last second, a Bruins defenseman is blocking his view of the net. Not letting the scoring opportunity go for his team, he snaps a pass backwards to Elias Lindholm. A nano-second later the puck is in the back of the net. You possibly scream the loudest of anyone in the box, jumping into Brady’s arms excitedly. 

“Holy shit, they’re going to do it,” you whisper, and Brady nods enthusiastically. The clock now only has two seconds, and there is virtually no way the Bruins can make a comeback. 

You untangle yourself from your boyfriend’s brother and approach his parents. “How exciting is this!” Chantal gushes. 

“So fucking exciting,” you say honestly. “Listen, I want to talk to you about something.”

The Bruins’ head coach is halfway through his timeout, so you have to talk fast. You explain that you want to hang back while the family celebrates with their son and brother. Keith and Chantal try to argue, but you insist. You want them to be the first people to greet him as a Stanley Cup champion. 

A horn signals the return to play, and you return your attention to the ice pad below you. Everything seems to move in slow motion; all you remember is the final whistle being blown and getting crushed in a group hug by everyone else in the room. Your voice goes hoarse from screaming, and tears stream freely down your face. 

The party continues for a short time in the box, but then you’re being led through the arena and out onto the ice. Nodding in the direction of Matthew, you urge the Tkachuks to greet him. You congratulate other members of the team, snapping candid pictures of everyone to share in the group chat later. So many families will treasure the photos that you can’t bring yourself to stop, trying your hardest to grab everyone. 

Once enough time has passed for Matthew to properly be congratulated by his family, you make your way towards him. Wasting no time, he skates over and lifts you off your feet. Your lips meet his in a passionate kiss, and if you weren’t so proud you’d have reservations about sticking your tongue down Matthew’s throat in a packed arena. 

“I’m so proud of you,” you whisper against his lips. “My champion.”

Matthew blushes profusely at your words, and you can tell he likes them. “Couldn’t have done it without you supporting me,” he responds, leaning into your touch as you rake your fingers through his hair. 

While you celebrate with the rest of the team, holding babies and snapping pictures, Matthew realizes he can’t live without you. No one else will fit into his life as perfectly as you. There’s no one he wants besides you. Matthew makes a mental note to go through your jewelry box in the morning to get your ring size. His mom always said he’d know when someone was ‘the one’, and now he understands what she meant.  

☼ ☼ ☼ ☼

taglist: @jamiedrysdales​ @kiedhara​ @tortito​ @brokeninsidebutnobodyknows​ if you want to be added shoot me an ask :)

[hockeyisit]

Auston and Amelia, where Amelia meets him home town friends

- Amelia meeting Auston friends from AZ for the first time

A.N. Hello! This was requested like ages ago and I had started to write it but never got around to finishing it. Then it got requested again so I decided to stop being lazy and finish it. I’m really happy with how this turned out and I hope you enjoy it as well. I also want to say that I don’t actually know who any of Auston’s friends are from Arizona so I made all of them up. 

Word Count: 4,396

Warning: Talks of an abusive ex-boyfriend

Masterlist

“Auston we are having tacos tonight. Is that all right?” Ema asked as she turned the sink off and turned around to face the two of us as we sat at the kitchen table. The two of us had made it out for the weekend because Auston had a game on Friday but the next two days off. I had flown out on my own to meet Auston here and we were staying at his house but were spending most of our free time at his parents.

“Amelia and I are meeting some of my friends for drinks and food so we won't be here,” Auston said, looking away from me to her. She nodded her head before turning her attention to me with a small smile.

“Oh alright! Which friends?” she asked as she hung the towel on the rack before making her way over to join us at the table.

“Clayton, Matt, Brady, and Chucky. Some of their girls too,” Auston listed off. His mother nodded her head understandably. This was going to be my first time meeting any of Auston’s friends and I was extremely nervous.

“Oh how have they been?” she asked, clapping her hands together. He smiled at her as he started talking.

“Yeah they have been good, Clay’s been talking about this new job he has and he’s pretty happy with it. Says it pays pretty well,” he said running his hand through his hair.

“Oh that’s wonderful for him. Amelia, they are lovely people, it'll be fun for you,” Ema reassured me, reaching her hand out across the table and tapping my fidgeting hands. I smiled gratefully at her.

“Yeah I’m excited they sound like great people,” I smiled at the two of them as I reached up to tuck my hair behind my ear.

“What time are you guys going?” she questioned as she glanced down at her watch.

“Eh we should probably leave soon we said we'd meet at 6:30,” Auston mumbled as he glanced at the clock.

“Did you want to stop at mine first or are you good to go from here?” Auston asked, turning his attention to me. I thought about it for a moment before shrugging my shoulders.

“I should be fine but is there any chance I could borrow a sweater?” I asked, glancing between the two. I didn’t really care who gave me the sweater as I could borrow one.

“Yeah I have something in my room I’m sure,” Auston pushed himself up from his chair to go get it.

“Wait honey. I might have something better for her,” Ema said standing up and placing a hand on Auston’s arm to stop him from moving. She walked over to the closet that was in the hall near the front door and opened it up to pull out a black leather jacket. She walked back over to the two of us and held it out to me. She handed it over and I stood up to try it on. It was a bit longer and oversized then my normal leather jackets but it looked cute so I smiled happily at her.

“Thank you,”

“Oh it’s no problem, I’ve had it forever and don't wear it too often,” she grinned as she turned to face Auston again.

“I will get to see you tomorrow right?” she asked, him reaching out for a hug. He nodded his head as he hugged her back.

“Yeah we're going to come over for lunch before our plane,” Auston mumbled to her. Once they were done hugging she pulled away from him and turned to me to pull me into a hug. I hugged her back as tight as she held me and relaxed into the hug.

“Just call if you guys need anything,” Ema said to the two of us as she pulled away from our hug. I smiled sweetly at her as I followed Auston to the front door. We slipped our shoes on and then said our final goodbyes before making our way out the door.

“Babe,” Auston called out to me once we were outside of the house. I hummed as I looked up at him. He pulled me against his side as he led me to the car with an arm on my back.

“You excited?” he asked with a teasing grin. I felt myself pale slightly as I tried to nod back enthusiastically. He laughed lightly while opening the door for me. As I went to step into the car he pressed a kiss to my cheek causing me to blush bright red.

“I’m nervous,” I admitted as he went to close the door. He quickly made his way around the car and got in.

“Nervous for what?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he buckled. I did the same as I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn’t place exactly what had made me so nervous to meet them other than the fact that I was meeting important people to Auston.

“What if they don’t like me?” I finally asked quietly over the sounds of Harry Styles singing on the radio. He had already started driving so he kept his eyes on the road as he answered me.

“That won’t be a problem. I don’t know anyone who doesn't like you,” he smiled trying to reassure me as he reached his hand out for mind and locked them together over the center console.

“But like what if they think I’m annoying or like not the right one?” I asked louder this time. His face scrunched up for a moment before his hand gave mine a gentle squeeze.

“Not the right one?” he asked with a high voice causing me to giggle slightly.

“I don’t know,” I shrugged, turning to look out the window feeling slightly embarrassed. Auston pulled into the parking space before turning to look at me.

“Listen babe. You're perfect, I know and they will too. You have absolutely nothing to worry about, they'll love you like I do,” Auston told me seriously, causing me to blush as he gave my hand another squeeze.

“Thanks,” I smiled at him. He grinned before leaning forward to press a kiss to my forehead.

“Ready to go?” he asked when he pulled away. I glanced out the window quickly before turning back to him and pulling him into a quick kiss. Then I pulled away and nodded my head as I reached for the door and hopped out. We met at the front of the car and Auston grabbed my hand as he led us to the host stand.

“Hi reservation under the name Lexi?” Auston told the host. She looked down at the list before looking back up at us.

“Yeah they are already at the table you can follow me,” she smiled before leading us over to the table of almost 10 people. I felt myself sink further into Auston’s side as all the people at the table turned to look at us.

“Papi made it,” someone with shaggy brown hair called out standing up from the table and walking over to us. He pulled Auston into a big hug causing him to let go of me, leaving me standing to the side awkwardly. I looked over the rest of the table which was a mix of guys and girls when suddenly I recognised one of the guys.

“Amy?” Kyle asked standing up from the table. I shared a shocked look with him as I waved shyly.

“You two know each other? Auston asked, pulling away from his hug and giving us a confused glance. I looked at Kyle before turning my attention back to Auston.

“Um uh yeah,” I coughed trying to hide how awkward I felt.

“Really that's cool I’m Kyle's girlfriend, Beth,” A beautiful brunette said standing up to hug me. I laughed awkwardly as I hugged her back.

“Oh awesome,” I turned back to Auston hoping the topic would change. Unfortunately I am not that lucky.

“How do you two know each other?” Beth asked, slipping her hand around Kyle’s waist. I scratched at the back of my neck as I tried to come up with something to say.

“We went to high school together,” Kyle answered for the both of us.  

“And we dated,” I continued awkwardly. I watched as everyone at the table shared a look of shock before turning my attention back to Auston who also had a look of disbelief on his face.

“The two of you?” Beth asked, pointing to the two of us.

“Uh yeah,” Kyle answered shrugging his shoulders.

“Not for very long,” I provided, hoping to clear any of the tension that was going around. Auston’s hand slid out from mine causing me to panic slightly only to calm down when he slid his hand to rub reassuring at my back.

“Alright well let’s take a seat and maybe order a drink,” Auston suggested pushing me gently to the table. I gave him a grateful look as he pulled my chair out for me. He then took a seat to my right and with Kyle to my left. Everyone continued the conversion they were having before we arrived at the table.

“Aus, should we talk?” I asked not knowing if he was okay. He looked down at me with a thoughtful look before leaning in to whisper in my ear.

“Is he the one your dad hated?” he asked gently. I had told Auston about Kyle very briefly on one of our dates. My dad disapproved of him so much that it was one of the reasons we lasted as long as we did. I nodded my head slightly as I glanced at him and Beth talking. We ended on good terms. I just never expected to see him again.

“Yeah he was not a fan, he’s also the one that I got caught with,” I had told him the story about how we had been smoking weed in my room when my dad had caught us. He was so mad that he had kicked me out of the house for a week. He sent me a sad smile wrapping his arm around my shoulder and placing a kiss on my cheek.

“Wow,” he mumbled against my cheek.

“I’ve known him for like three years and I never knew,” he continued as he pulled away. I shrugged but as I went to talk we were interrupted by a boy with black hair and blue eyes talking to us.

“Hey Amelia it’s so nice to meet you. Papi never shuts up about you. I’m Clayton,” he said smiling softly at us. I grinned as I reached my hand out to shake his.

“Oh he never shuts up about you guys either,” I laughed as I tapped Auston on the shoulder. The three of us laughed.

“Auston said you worked for a magazine?” Clayton questioned as he raised his beer to take a sip.

“Yeah, It's a pretty popular magazine in Toronto. It covers almost everything from sports to fashion,” I said reaching out for the glass of water that was on the table.

“Do you want to share the nacho appetizer?” Auston asked me as he pushed the menu in front of me to take a look. Once I read over the description of the nachos I eagerly nodded my head. Almost everyone at the table already had their drinks and some type of food on the table.

“Sounds good babe,” I told him, reaching under the table to pat his leg. He smiled sweetly at me before turning to the server.

“We're going to share the nachos and I’ll have a modelo and she'll have a vodka pink lemonade,” he ordered for the two of us as he closed the menu. I smiled sweetly at the two before turning my attention back to Clayton.

“What do they have you write about?” he asked.

“I was writing about fashion when I first started there but they are trying to transfer me to the sports department,” I said shrugging my shoulders casually. Honestly they had been trying to get me to switch ever since I started dating Auston but I had been extremely against the idea since the beginning.

“I bet Allsya here would love to read all the fashion stuff you've written,” he said as he pointed to the beautiful girl to his right.

“Yes, I model here in Arizona,” she said joining the conversation. I gave her a soft smile as I glanced to her shyly.

“I actually think I’ve seen you on the runway,” I admitted as I thought back to a show that I had attended at the beginning of the summer right after I had met Auston on the plane.

“It was a swimsuit catalog and your pieces were amazing. I wrote about them in the magazine,” I continued as the server set our drinks and nachos down. I picked up my drink right away and took a small sip as she started talking.

“Oh my god! I remember that! I read the article too, oh my god Clay I told you about her article it was one of the best ones that was published after that weekend,” she said, shaking his arm slightly.

“Oh wow thank you,” I blushed as I set my drink down. I reached in for a nacho and took a big bite.

“How did the two of you meet?” Allsya asked after a brief pause in conversation. At the question everyone at the table turned their attention to us to hear the story.  I glanced over at Auston seeing as I had just shoved food in my mouth hoping that he would tell them. He smiled before shrugging his shoulders.

“We met on the plane ride to Arizona from Toronto. I sat next to her and she started rambling about how she was a nervous flyer,” he started to say but I let out a slight gasp.

“No I didn't, I told you once that I was not a good flyer and anyway you were the one who started talking to me first,” I said, cutting him off. Everyone at the table let out a laugh at that.

“We talked the whole flight and then I got her number after and we went out on a date and the rest is history,” he finished as he took a sip of his beer. I shared a sweet smile with him as I also lifted my drink up to take a sip.

“Where’d you take her?” Matt asked.

“He took me to chipotle then we went to his house,”  I told them. They all let out a laugh.

“Sounds like Papi was trying to show off,” Clayton mumbled, causing the table to laugh again. Auston tried to hide his blush by leaning his chin on his hand.

“It was really fun,” I told them honestly as I reached for more nachos.

“So how long have you guys been dating?” a girl I didn’t recognise yet asked from across the table.

“Uh about 10 months,” Auston told her as he sent me a soft smile. I sent him one in return as I rested my hand on his leg under the table.

“I want to hear the story of how the fuck Kyle and Amelia know each other,” someone blurted out from the other end of the table. I felt the blood drain from my face not feeling comfortable talking about this with a group of strangers.

“Nah we don’t have to talk about this,” Kyle said, picking up his own beer and taking a long sip.

“C’mon it’s got to be a good story. It’s crazy that you two even know one another,” Matt said. Kyle glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and I shrugged my shoulders. I knew they would keep asking if we didn’t answer them.

“It’s not that great of a story. Were from the same hometown and we dated for like a month after my mom died,” I told the table. Auston’s hand reached down to grip mine that was on his leg.

“We broke up when my dad caught us smoking weed in his house,” I continued.

“That was pretty funny though,” Kyle mumbled. I glanced at him with a smile as I thought back to the moment. It was pretty funny up until the part that I had gotten kicked out but I had never told Kyle that part.

“Yeah. But what I really want to know is how you met the beautiful Beth,” I told him as I sent her a soft smile. Her face lit up at the question as she went into the details of how the two met at college here in Arizona.

After another few rounds of drinks a few of Auston’s friends started leaving so that it was just Kyle, Beth, Matt, Lexi, Allsya, and Clayton.

“So you guys have known each other almost all your life?” I questioned Matt, Clayton, and Auston as I took a sip from the beer that Auston had ordered for me after a few vodka drinks.

“Yeah we all played hockey together actually,” Clayton said.

“Yeah but we weren’t very good so we stopped pretty early but Auston still hung out with us after,” Matt joked.

“We did everything together and went on a lot of trips together too,” Clayton continued.

“Oh fun. What was he like when he was younger?” I asked them hoping to get something juicy on him.

“Pretty much the same as he is now. Likes things to go his way, and he loves himself of course,” Matt teased, Auston rolled his eyes as he wrapped his arm behind me resting it on my chair.

“He was really possessive,” Clayton said, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

“Oh?” I said waiting for him to continue.

“He hated sharing anything. He was so possessive of his stuff it was kind of funny actually. If someone stole his favorite stick or toy he would throw a fit until someone gave it back,” Clayton finished. I let out a loud laugh as I threw my head back.

“Oh my god. Two weeks ago I was wearing his favorite sweatshirt and he wanted to wear it and he threw a thirty minute fit until I took it off so he could wear it,” I told the table as I let out another laugh, the rest of the table joining in.

“Alright we can stop talking about me now,” Auston pouted as he leaned his chin on my shoulder. I laughed as I leaned closer and pecked his lips quickly. I was starting to feel a bit tipsy. Auston narrowed his eyes at me when I pulled away so that he went cross-eyed causing me to let out a giggle. When I was drunk or tipsy I tended to display more PDA. Auston was always a fan of PDA but I hadn’t been so I knew moments like this when I let myself go he really enjoyed it

Kyle started telling us a story about his new job and I felt myself growing bored rather quickly. Deciding that I would have to make my own fun I slid my hand back onto Auston’s thigh. We had been at this bar for almost four hours now and he had stopped drinking almost two hours ago so that he would be sober to drive us home. I slid my hand higher up on his thigh as I leaned in so I could whisper into his ear.

“I was wondering if you could take me home and fuck me.”

His breath hitched at my words. He glanced around to make sure nobody had heard me before sliding his own hand onto my thigh so that it was gripping my inner thigh. He slowly slid his hand up my leg but then abruptly stopped.

“Be a good girl,” he mumbled against my ear as he pressed a kiss to the side of my head and removed his hand completely. I huffed slightly annoyed before turning back to pay attention to what was being said at the table. I finished my beer as I listened to Clayton and Auston talk about a trip they were trying to plan for the summer.

“Alright well I think we're going to head out. We got a big day of travel tomorrow,” Auston told everyone as he stood up and then helped me up from my chair. Everyone else stood up and there was a round of hugs before we were all making our way out of the bar and to our own cars.

“Did you have fun?” Auston asked, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we made our way back to the car.

“I did. It was fun to meet the people you grew up with,” I said softly as I leaned into his side.

“Although I really wasn’t expecting you to be friends with Kyle,” I admitted as we turned the corner and approached the car. He walked over to my side and opened the door for me.

“We met through Clayton. They were roommates at AU and got along. He’s a pretty cool dude to be honest. Not sure how I feel about the fact that you two dated though,” he helped me up into my seat after I almost tripped over the curb I let out a little giggle as I settled into the seat. I pulled my buckle on as Auston walked around the car and hopped in.

“It was in high school it was barely even dating. Like all we ever did was make out we made it to like second base maybe twice. I mostly just needed a friend at the time and he was a good one,” I told him as I thought back on the difficult time I had been going through when I lost my mother.

“It’s just weird that I’ve known him longer then you and like youve told me stories about him but I’ve never connected them to my friend Kyle,” he reached his hand out to hold mine. I smiled down at our interlocked hands before leaning onto the center console so that I could look at Auston’s face.

“Yeah, do you think it’s weird?” I asked softly.

“No not really. I mean we all have a past and we can't change it. It's nothing I can’t handle, baby,” he answered. I felt my heart warm at his response as I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.

“If I was with Nick and this happened he would have slapped me,” I sleepily mumbled out. I heard Auston suck in a harsh breath as the silence overtook the car.

“He would have slapped me the second we got into the car and then we would have driven to my apartment in silence. He would have followed me up to my room and he would have apologised and because I would be too scared to do anything I would say it was okay,” I took a deep breath as I revealed all of that to Auston. I slowly opened my eyes and turned to look at his face scared to see the expression that would be waiting for me.

“It feels really great to know that you would never do that to me. You make me feel so safe,” I finished holding in a sob. Auston had just pulled up to his house so he put the car in park and turned to face me.

“Babe,” his voice broke as he said it. He cleared his throat as he shook his head, probably trying to piece together his thoughts. I had probably surprised Auston considering I never brought up Nick on my own. I had told him about the things that Nick had done to me in the past but I had yet to share everything. Mostly just because I was happy now and it wasn’t something that I thought of a lot. His hand squeed mine gently.

“I’m so sorry that you went through what you did, but I am so happy that I can make you feel safe. I also want you to know that you're the love of my life and I will never let anything happen to you again,” Auston told me softly as he stared into my eyes. I knew that I could trust every word he was saying.

“ I know. Let’s go inside,” I whispered. He nodded his head as he turned the car off and we both made our way out and inside his house.

“I’m really tired,” I mumbled as I slid my heels off. Auston slipped his shoes off before glancing at me with a fond look in his eyes.

“Let’s go up to bed,” he said, reaching out to rub his hand up and down my back.

“I know I wanted to have sex but can we just do that in the morning,” I asked as I made my way up the stairs. Auston let out a laugh as he led me into the bathroom. He grabbed a makeup wipe and handed it to me before standing behind me so he could tie my hair up in a ponytail for me.

“Yeah babe whatever you want,” Auston leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the back of my neck. I rubbed my makeup off before glancing up at us in the mirror.

“Hey Auston,” I mumbled quietly.

“Huh?” he whispered into my neck as he hugged me from behind.

“You're the love of my life too,” I reached down for his hand and lifted it up to my lips so I could press a kiss on it.

He turned me around so that he could press me into the counter and pressed a sweet kiss to my lips. When he pulled away he led us to the bedroom, we both changed into our pajamas and then climbed into bed. Auston turned the tv on before spooning up behind me.

“What do you want to watch?” he asked. I glanced towards the tv before shrugging.

“Anything I’m going to fall asleep any minute,” I mumbled. I drifted off to sleep as Auston watched That 70s Show.

Side Note: So I know that I kind of teased ya’ll with a bit of smut so I promise that I will try to write that sometime lol

[troubatrain]

afterglow - k. hayes

a/n: a repost from my old blog!

You were having the day from hell. You were late for a work meeting, which only ended in being berated by your boss for the third time this week. You were positive she was just trying to push you to quit, which is just wonderful. You’d barely been working there a year, and the thing that you sacrificed for that job was one of the hardest decisions you’d ever made. Then, in true New York City fashion, you were six blocks from a subway station and it started to downpour on your walk home. You finally walk into your apartment, kicking off your now soaked beyond belief heels, walking into your kitchen immediately and grabbing a bottle of wine out of your fridge. You sigh, pouring it and taking it into your bedroom.

The worst part of your day was still looming. You pull out a box, filled to the brim with the memories of your past relationship. You called Kevin a week ago, after running into Mika at the Starbucks a few blocks away from MSG. You remembered you had a box with his, and you offered it to him when he came to play the Rangers. You didn’t think you would even get an answer, and you knew Kevin left things everywhere and he’d just replace them like it never happened. You couldn’t even remember how many ties of his would go missing by the time he would come back from a road trip. But, Kevin answered that he would swing by and grab them after his flight landed. You hadn’t seen Kevin since the night you kicked him out of your apartment, far too livid at him to form words.

February 25, 2018

You were on edge all day. Kevin had mentioned to you when you started dating that he might not be in New York all season. You both decided to ignore that, pretending like it wasn’t happening until it was. You had only been seeing each other for a few months, but with Kevin, you knew it would be him forever. 

You stared at the TV in shock, mouth hanging open at the news.

Kevin Hayes traded to the Winnipeg Jets

You didn’t care what the Rangers had gotten in return, you didn’t care about how far away Winnipeg was, you cared that your entire world was just torn apart. You hadn’t been dating long at the time, a mere six months, which put you in a bizarre position about what the future would hold for the two of you. You sat in your apartment in the West Village, waiting for Kevin to make the short trip from Chelsea. 

“Babe?” You hear him unlock the door with the key you’d given him a month ago.

“You’re leaving,” You whisper lowly, not wanting to admit to yourself.

“Y/N, it’s going to be okay, we’ll work it out. You can come with me, in the off-season I’ll sign a new deal and we’ll start making a new home for ourselves,” Kevin says softly, baby blue eyes looking into yours as he kneels in front of you on the couch to get eye-level with you. 

“Kev I can’t just pick up and leave, I have work and a life here,” You tried to explain, you’d moved to New York when you were 18 and headed to NYU, bright eyed and full of hope, and stayed after graduation, building a career for yourself in the city. You loved New York, the culture, the atmosphere, and on most nights the people. You’d just taken your dream job, and you weren’t in any position to give it up.

“I can take care of you, come September we’ll be able to settle down somewhere else,” Kevin whispers, resting his large hand on your thigh.

“I don’t want that Kev!” You shout, not realizing your voice had risen, “I did all of this on my own, I’m not going to let you just take care of me, you know that.”

“Y/N what am I supposed to do? This my job, I don’t have a choice, I told you this might happen,” Kevin shouts back. 

He was right, he told you after your first date that he wasn’t sure if he would even be a Ranger for the rest of the season. His contract was going to expire and the team was in a rebuild, he knew if he had a good season he would be gone by the deadline.

“Kevin, I’m not that girl,” You start, you were upset and you were lashing out at Kevin for even asking you to leave New York, “I’m not going to follow you around and give my dreams for your job.”

“I’ve never asked you to be,” Kevin shouts back, “Can you be the kind of girl who’s there for me?”

“I’m sure you can find her in Winnipeg,” You deadpan, crossing your arms at him. It was the first time you’d ever fought, and most definitely the first time Kevin’s ever raised his voice at you. His face was red, veins popping out of his neck. He was mad, and you were mad that he couldn’t understand where you were coming from. Kevin was more traditional than you, and while it made him a gentleman, it made it hard for him to get that you liked to work.

“You want me to go off to Winnipeg and find another girl?” Kevin asks, his tone harsh, “It would make road trips fun again.”

His last words were muttered under his breath, but that didn’t mean you didn’t hear them. The second the words slipped out of his mouth, you both went silent. His sentence rocked your world. You never thought Kevin would cheat on you, he’d always made it clear to you that he was yours and you were his. But, the way the words fell out so easily made your skin crawl. You wanted to scream, cry, and fight with him for the next day - but you weren’t being given that time.

“Kevin, just go, I’m sure you need to pack,” You say, tears threatening to spill. 

He stands in the doorway, debating whether or not to leave, he looks at you defeated and walks out of your apartment. You sat on the floor of your apartment that night, tears flooding out of your eyes while you wore Kevin’s too big Red Sox hoodie that you loved so much.

--

You wipe a little dust off the box, it's been almost a year since that night. You’d seen Kevin, on the internet at least, not being able to stop yourself from Instagram stalking your ex-boyfriend. You unfollowed all of his friends, and most of his family - only following his sister just because you liked to see pictures of his niece. Which was fine, until she posted a video of Kevin trying to braid her hair when they headed to Winnipeg to visit, and you cried in the bathroom at work. You opened it, trying to even remember what was inside.

You pulled out a few of his hoodies, because his clothes were always thrown around your apartment. You laugh, pulling out the Patriots hoodie you’d borrowed after the first night you crashed in his apartment. You wore it on the walk back, ignoring hollers about the sports team on your chest while you weaved through the streets of Manhattan while you took a walk of shame back to your place. You hold the gray fabric in your hands, remembering the way it felt - soft like Kevin always was with you. You pull out a couple of his beanies, remember how many he would leave at your house and then just buy another because he forgot about it. You pulled out a few ticket stubs, random concerts you’d both been to that you tossed in there when you broke up. Then you hit the two small velvet boxes that you never stopped thinking about.

You pulled out the first box, opening it to reveal the necklace Kevin had gotten you for Christmas. It was so perfect, you were positive Brady’s girlfriend had to have helped him pick it out. You only tried to wear it once after you broke up, but the memories that flooded back when you put it on was too much. Then there was the other box. Kevin had gotten you the most beautiful ring you’d ever seen in your life for your birthday. He claimed it didn’t mean anything, but when his eyes sparkled when you slipped it on your left hand, to try it on in the restaurant you were in, you thought it may mean more than he was leading on. It was your favorite piece of jewelry, the ring was dainty and small just the way you liked it. You were surprised Kevin even picked it out, considering he lived by the motto that the bigger the better, but he told you he knew you needed it when he saw it in a shop window on a roadtrip in Chicago. You drop the box, hoping maybe he would give it to someone else one day, if there wasn't someone else already.

You hear your someone try to buzz into your building and you knew it had to be Kevin. You carry the box with you in the living room, buzzing him in and dropping it on the island in your kitchen. You sigh, hearing his heavy footsteps come down the door, opening it and letting himself in.

“Hey,” You say, your voice small.

“Hey,” Kevin breathes out, you were both nervous which you guess could be a good thing. He looked different, his hair was a little longer and his beard a little fuller. 

Suddenly, as if the universe decided to lay it all on you today, the power in your apartment shuts out, a loud crash of thunder following. You jump, feeling Kevin’s large hands on your shoulders when you do.

“Fuck, give me a minute,” You mutter, running into your room to grab some candles. You spread them around your apartment, lighting them until your apartment wasn’t completely dark.

“All of downtown is in a blackout,” Kevin says, reading the news on his phone, “Like all of it.”

You bite your lip, debating your options. You shouldn’t let Kevin go back out in this weather, and with no power on one half of Manhattan, it wasn’t a great idea. 

“You should stay, til this all blows over,” You offer, gesturing to your island where the box sat.

“That’s my stuff?” Kevin asks, opening the box and smiling at the contents. You watch them sift through the box, a wide smile on his face that could barely make out in the glow of the candles that littered your apartment. His hands gripped the same velvet box you dropped in just before he arrived.

“You should keep these,” Kevin says, “They were gifts.”

“Give them to someone else one day,” You whisper, sitting on your counter while you watched him, “That’s what you wanted right?”

You didn’t realize the words came out of your mouth. You’d been harboring this feeling of resentment for so long, your entire world was crushed in a matter of a night and you just wanted some closure. You thought you could get it by just giving him his stuff back, but it still wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t want that,” Kevin says back, “You said it first!”

“You asked me to be someone I wasn’t Kevin,” You say, your voice rising, “That wasn’t fair to me!”

“It wasn’t fair to me that I had to leave, but I did,” Kevin shouts, “And all I wanted was for you to come with me, because I love you.”

“Do you think that it was fucking easy to let you go? Or that I didn’t spend months of my life regretting it? Because I did,” You yell, tears welling up in your eyes, “Congrats Kevin you win, I was fucking miserable without you and the reason I stayed in New York isn’t working out.”

You stomp into your room, slamming the door and sliding down it. You finally just let yourself cry. About that fucking night. About losing the love of your life for some job that isn’t working out. About ruining your own happiness because you could just compromise once. Kevin knocked lightly on the other side, finally giving up after what was probably his hundredth time, sliding down the other side of your bedroom door.

“It was really lonely up there” Kevin whispers, loud enough for you to hear through the door, “In Winnipeg.”

Kevin talked for an hour. He talked about Winnipeg, how no matter what he did he couldn’t stop thinking about you. How he wishes you could have been there. He talked about his summer in Boston, mentioning how his sister got married and he wished you were there. He talked about how his mom asked about you all summer, but he just kept brushing it off because he couldn’t tell her it was his fault. Which leads up to now, where he is finally getting to the new city he set roots in.

“-I like Philly,” Kevin whispers, “You would too, everyone there is great. You’d love my teammates, and they’d love you.”

“Kev?” You finally say, your voice still trembling, “What happened to us?”

“I don’t know,” Kevin says back, his head tapping the door, “I didn’t mean what I said, I don’t know why I said it, but I didn’t mean it.”

“We were both upset, about everything,” You say back, standing up and opening the door, “I’m sorry for telling you to go find someone else.”

Kevin stands up, his hands finding both sides of your face to wipe away the stray tears that were left, “I’m never going to find someone else.”

“Kevin, I can’t pick up and run off with you,” You say, repeating the same thing you did a few months ago, “Just not right now.”

“Philly is barely three hours away,” Kevin counters, “I’m willing to do it if you are, because I can’t walk out of here without trying.”

You finally place your lips on his, soft and slow at first. But when your hands found the back of Kevin’s neck, playing with the hair that was starting to curl, you could feel him grunt into your mouth and you smiled against his lips because you knew it drove him crazy. That was the point, you knew everything about him because he was yours, and you were his.

[rahleeyah]

A little follow up to this post; Elliot's new partner comes over for dinner.

The next day, Stabler comes in looking a little sheepish.

"Doing anything Friday?" He asks.

They've only been working together a month or two, and they don't really talk personal stuff, as evidenced by the fact that Stabler introduced him to his not-wife and didn't even bother to mention her connection to him. Stabler's never asked him about his weekend plans. Mark is immediately wary.

"Why?"

Stabler laughs.

"Listen, Liv wanted to know if you wanna come by for dinner. The boys have sleepovers that night."

Idly Mark wonders if all six of their kids are boys and where the hell they found six families willing to host them for sleepovers. Maybe some of them doubled up. His first instinct is to say no, but honestly, he's curious about her. Captain Benson. Olivia. Liv.

"Yeah all right," he says.

"You should bring your girl. If you want."

Mark raises an eyebrow at him, and Stabler lifts his hands in a "don't shoot the messenger' kind of way.

"Liv said I should ask," he says, like that explains everything.

"You always do everything she tells you to?"

Mark just wanted to tease him about being whipped, but Stabler's face gets kinda serious.

"Yeah," he says. "There's a lot of shit in my life went wrong that would've been right if I just listened to her the first go round. Took me thirty years but I've learned my lesson."

Thirty years. That's a hell of a long time, Mark thinks. Thirty years, six kids, four grandkids, and working the job the whole time. He doesn't know how they're still alive.

"Her name's Kelly," he says. His girl. "I'll bring her."

Stabler gives him a smile that's all teeth.

So Friday rolls around and Mark and Kelly turn up at the address Stabler gave them with a bottle of cab bc he says Liv only drinks red. It's a nice little house in Queens, on a nice little street, two big ass black suvs parked out front. His and hers tanks.

"Are you nervous?" Kelly asks him. He wants to say no. Why should he be nervous? He spends all day, every day, and some nights, too, with Stabler. He likes the guy. But then he's never had dinner with a Captain before. She definitely makes him nervous.

"Nah," he says, and kisses Kelly quick before they get out of the car.

Stabler answers the door in jeans and a black button down and no shoes. He's comfortable, in his own home, and Mark can smell dinner from the doorway.

"Elliot Stabler, this is Kelly (can't be arsed to pick a last name)."

"It's so nice to meet you," Kelly says as they shake hands. "Mark talks about you all the time."

"Back at you," Stabler says with a grin. It's bullshit, Mark hasn't told him anything, but he can't help thinking the man just did him a favor by lying. Kelly is smiling ear to ear.

"We brought this for you. Mark says your wife likes red."

"She's not my wife," Stabler says reflexively as he takes it. "But she'll love it. Come on."

There's bookshelves everywhere. Mark figures they must be hers, he didn't peg Stabler as much of a reader. There's pictures everywhere, too, but Stabler's walking too fast for Mark to get a good look at them. In the kitchen she's waiting for them, Captain Benson. Her heavy, dark hair is pulled back today, and she's wearing soft, casual black pants and a cream colored blouse. She doesn't look scary, at home like this. Stabler goes to her, passes her the wine with one hand and lets the other settle at the small of her back, lets it stay there while he makes introductions.

"Thank you so much for having us," Kelly says. "You have a lovely home."

Benson looks at Stabler before she answers, the two of them sharing a private smile.

"Thank you," she says. "With a seventeen year old and a ten year old in the house it usually looks more like a federal disaster area."

"You didn't have to clean up just for us, Captain," Mark says. It's partly a joke and partly a test, and she sees through him at once.

"Please," she says. "Just Olivia here."

"You're a Captain?" Kelly shoots Mark a dark look. He may have forgotten to mention that to her.

"She's gonna outrank me for the rest of our lives," Stabler says easily. His hand is still resting at the small of her back.

"And don't you forget it. Now, who wants a drink?"

They stand around the kitchen with their wine glasses while Stabler and Benson finish cooking. He does as much of the work as she does and Mark is kind of impressed, bc he didn't peg Stabler as a cook, either, but he can tell Kelly's taking notes. The conversation flows pretty easy; Benson is nice and she knows how to talk to people, and she keeps the conversation away from work, keeps Kelly engaged. But it's kinda weird seeing Stabler, who Mark initially thought was a grim son of a bitch, smiling so much at this woman he can't take his eyes off of. They carry the food to the table, settle down to eat, and at the first lull in the conversation he strikes.

"How long you two been together?"

Stabler told him thirty years already, but he wants to hear the story. He figures it's a good one.

They share a look, Stabler and his not-wife. Like they wanna get their stories straight before one of them answers. It's not a question Mark would have thought would require a dress rehearsal.

"Long time," Stabler says softly.

Olivia reaches for him under the table. She's discreet about it, but Mark can tell her hand has just landed on his knee, and it's not going anywhere.

"It's a long story," she says, and then she switches gears. It's a fascinating deflection. "I want to thank you for coming," she tells him then. "I wanted to get to know the man who's gonna be watching his back. But I wanted to wait until I knew he hadn't scared you off."

"He got a history of running off partners?"

She laughs, Stabler doesn't.

"What's the record?" He asks. He wants to know if it's true, if Stabler really doesn't work with anybody for long. There's another long, strangely communicative glance between the pair of them.

"Thirteen years," she says, very softly. Stabler reaches for her hand and kisses the back of it gently.

"Lucky thirteen," he says.

Holy shit, Mark thinks. They were partners. That's the story they don't wanna tell. They were partners for thirteen years, and now they're shacked up. It's kind of impressive.

"Mark says you have six kids," Kelly says then. She doesn't like being left out. "Is it just the two boys at home now?"

Benson's smile is a little forced. Under the table, Stabler covers her hand with his own, there against his knee.

"Yes," she says. Doesn't offer anything else. Like she's waiting for Stabler to decide how much he wants to tell them.

"My first wife-"

"Only wife," Benson says, so quietly Mark almost doesn't hear it. Stabler shoots her a wounded look. Apparently it's a disagreement they've had before.

"My first wife and I had five kids. She uh. She died. A few years ago. The older kids are grown. Maureen and Kathleen have kids of their own now. Dickie's getting married next year, Lizzie's…Lizzie. Eli's a junior this year. Liv adopted Noah when he was a baby."

It's a lot of information to take in all at once. He can tell that Kelly regrets asking. She thought it would be a safe topic of conversation; what mother doesn't want to talk about her children? She hadn't counted on the baggage. But Kelly is Kelly, and she is devoted to her optimism.

"You're like the Brady Bunch," she says.

Benson laughs out loud. Stabler relaxes, infinitesimally.

Mark can see it all in their eyes now, though. How Stabler was married to someone else, had five kids with someone else, while they were working together. How he lost her, how he grieved, how he and Olivia finally got together and made a home out of the wreckage but the memory of his wife lingers, and maybe Olivia isn't ready to assume the title she's always thought belonged to someone else. She'll live with him, fuck him, raise her kid with him - Liv adopted Noah, he said, no mention of his own involvement, like he wasn't involved at all - but she can't bring herself to be his wife. We'll get there, Elliot told him. He wonders if that's true. He feels kinda bad for the guy.

[macbetha]

below the cut, you'll find an interest check chapter for quatervois, a nancy drew pc fic. it's francy and also my idea of my absolute dream game. please let me know what you think and enjoy!

+++

After Ned breaks up with her and she loses her father, Nancy struggles to find her old vigor for detective work. While on vacation in London with Bess and George, Nancy accepts the urgent invitation to return Blackmoor Manor. Her English getaway quickly turns into an investigation once Nancy realizes the true reason Nigel Mookergee asked her back to the moors. Finding Deirdre Shannon at the manor under the same pretense only sets Nancy’s nerves further on edge. It isn’t until the Hardy Boys show up in Blackmoor that Nancy gets a glimpse of who she once was. With a manor full of suspects and a glass heart cracked open, Nancy is determined to find the truth.

Dear Ned,

How are you? It’s been a while. I’ve always started off my letters telling you about my latest case, but I’m not on one right now. I’m sure that’s hard to believe. Bess and George have whisked me away to London. I’m sure you would love it here. This is the first time I’ve seen Bess and George since I sold the house in River Heights. I stayed with Kyler and Matt in Ireland for a while. I needed a change of scenery. Their daughter just turned two. I’m somewhat jealous I’m happy for them. Anyways, I miss you I hope you’re doing well. I’m sure New York is lovely at Christmas time. I hope Stephanie is I wish Stephanie well How is Stephanie? I hope Stephanie is doing all right. I appreciated the card Stephanie sent when dad passed away. Warm regards, Merry Christmas, Love Nancy

She stares down at the letter as if the red ink were her own blood. It feels just as wounding, seeing her emotions made physical in the words on the paper. Only when a tear splatters on the page does she break free from her trance to the past. Nancy is the only person in her hotel suite, yet she works to rid the evidence like one of her own suspects. She pulls her feet up in the desk chair and crosses her ankles, holding the arch of her right foot – it recently became the victim of her latest culprit. Nancy’s foot got caught under the getaway car’s tire, and she is lucky to even be able to walk after the event. Months later, it’s stiff as hell with the most intense cramps she’s ever endured. Heart racing to forget the night it happened, she focuses on the snowfall out the window – counting little sparkles of snowflakes, though the world blurs when she squints. The doctor thought her failing sight as well as the daily headaches were on account of being hit in the head so many times.

She busies herself with choosing a postcard to send Hannah and Nancy selects one with a cat dressed up as a royal guard. The cuteness puts a smile on her face, however small – she hopes it’ll do the same for Hannah, but there is no telling. Nancy had the gut-feeling Hannah was lying about recognizing her the last time Nancy visited the nursing home. Torment swirls like wind to fallen leaves. She doesn’t have Hannah or Togo to come home to. Togo passed just before Nancy’s thirty-second birthday, and Carson fell ill soon after that. Nancy looks to her hotel bed where Mr. Woogle Woggle sits tucked between two pillows. It seems he is the only one that hasn’t left her. A knock on her hotel door reminds her that is simply not true. Nancy rights herself, fixing her posture to the stance of someone passionate, and she opens the door. Bess and George greet her with blazing smiles; Nancy gives silent thanks for their presence in her life. She would still be in Scotland with Kyler and Matt, had Bess and George not insisted to take her on a vacation. Nancy imagines that their insistence was due to them wanting to keep Nancy from spending Christmas alone on the road again like last year. “Nancy,” Bess stresses. “You’re never going to guess who we ran into in the lobby!” Horror strikes dull and loud in her ears. Surely, it’s not Ned. Please, don’t let it be Ned. George says, “Give you a hint: they were involved in one of your cases.” Nancy’s despair leaves her throat tight. She glances down the hallway, preparing to yank Bess and George into her room and dial her Cathedral contact to get them set up in witness protection.

“That didn’t narrow it down at all, George,” Bess says with a roll of her eyes. “Nancy’s been on hundreds of cases.” Nancy’s strain creeps into her one word: “Who?” Bess and George beam. “Maya Nguyn!” ++

Nancy follows Bess and George to the elevator in a hurried stupor. No thoughts can she conjure as she steps free from the elevator walls which seem to close in on her; Nancy marches into the lobby and notices a woman in the crowd of tourists. She stands with her back to Nancy, her hair drawn up in a bun, and her chin is lifted high with no time for games. Maya turns around and her bright red mouth stretches into a smile. “Nancy!” “Maya,” Nancy huffs in disbelief. She tenses in Maya’s sudden embrace before all but falling into it. This is something good I did; Nancy cherishes with shut eyes. This is someone I helped. When Maya pulls back, Nancy says, “What are you doing all the way out here? You said in your last letter, you were still in Washington.” “My house is technically there,” Maya nods. “But I get to work on the road more these days.” Her brows crease over a sympathetic smile. “Bess and George tell me you’re kind of in the same boat.” Nancy shrugs, struggling to hold Maya’s concerned gaze. “It’s just easier,” Nancy lies. Maya seems to see right through it, but she doesn’t speak on it. Nancy will have to thank her later. George says, “Maya offered us free tickets to a play she’s reviewing tonight and get this – it’s at the Globe Theater!” “Remind me what’s so special about a globe theater,” Bess sighs, checking her nails. “Not ‘a’, Bess, the.” George shakes her head. “The Globe Theater – well, technically it’s a reconstruction of the first one, but it’s where Shakespeare wrote his plays.” “It’s the opening night of a new play,” Maya explains. “And Nancy, you’ll never guess who the star is.” Nancy cannot take anymore guessing games. “Brady Armstrong.” Maya blinks. “Well – yes, actually.” Nancy frowns. “Wait, really?” “Yes,” Maya laughs. “I’ll be conducting an interview with him after the show if you want to go backstage and chew him out for all the stunts he pulled back in the day.” A spark of vigor heightens Nancy’s senses. That doesn’t sound bad at all. Still – “Are you sure we won’t be a distraction or –” “Nancy.” Maya’s hand falls on her shoulder. “You saved my life. You’re the furthest thing from a distraction.” Gratitude floods her before Nancy nods. “All right, then.” +++ The walk to the Globe would be depressive what with the sky being the color of a soaked napkin, but the Christmas decorations lift everyone’s spirits. Nancy limps by a shop playing Christmas oldies through the open door and she is borne back to her father listening to records over cocoa on Christmas morning. She tries to push the memory from her mind, then she thinks of building snowmen with Ned and having snowball fights that turned into the sweetest kisses she’s ever received. The music won’t stop. There are three Christmas trees in the display window and their flashing lights strike pain behind Nancy’s eyes. She pants through a sensory overload before someone squeezes her hand. Maya smiles in understanding as Bess and George walk obliviously in front of them. “It’s hard,” Maya says. “This life on the road. You pick up a few habits.” Nancy squeezes her hand in thanks before tucking her own in her peacoat’s pocket. “I want to enjoy this,” she admits quietly. “But I think the holidays are always hard.” Maya nods. “It won’t be this way forever, Nancy,” she promises. “I’ve got my fingers crossed for you.” Cross your fingers, there’s a story behind this door! Nancy swallows around the lump of panic in her throat. She plasters on a smile. +++ The theater is packed with noise and touching and all-around boisterous patrons. They find their seats in the crowd and Nancy doesn’t watch where she’s going – she must keep her eyes on the open ceiling to remember how to breathe. She sits down at the end of the group and Maya passes out programs. Quatervois, the title reads. Bess says, “What does that mean?” “It means you’re at a crossroads,” Maya says. “A turning point.” “Sounds a little dramatic,” George grumbles. Nancy traces the swooping lines of the title with

her thumb, repeating the process until the lights go down. The masked chorus emerges from the shadows and gives a synopsis: Down from Olympus a great hero emerges, Mighty in his strength and courage! A choice he must make Shall he ignore fate? Will he choose love, Or follow his destiny there-of? When Brady saunters on stage in an impossibly short silk chiton, it’s an out-of-body experience for Nancy. He still hasn’t grown his ponytail back, so Simone could very well be in the audience right now. Nancy rubs her aching temple at the thought. Brady begins his journey as the character Diogenes, a demigod that was supposedly – according to the play’s plot – written out of ancient Greek mythos. Diogenes must defeat those who want to leave him forgotten in history, lest he admit that he can’t win this fight and live his life like everyone else. Nancy assumes the play’s ending too soon. She imagines this will be a droll experience written only to paint Brady as a glorious hero that can conquer anything – but she is quickly surprised. Brady is stabbed in the final act and addresses the audience in a wail: And so my story ends a breath too early, No time to even be weary! The moon shall pass over my corpse, And the sun will beat down on my ashes with no remorse. Today, I have failed my quartervois Alone, forgotten, and lost. When the curtain falls, Nancy’s mouth is parted in disbelief as a tear burns down her cheek. They don’t receive a proper goodbye with Maya since the rest of the crowd is bustling toward the exit. She does have time to say that Brady is producing a new television series and will be scouting some locations further into Essex; Maya will be following the film crew there for test shoots. She embraces each girl individually and holds Nancy for a beat longer, whispering, “You’ll call if you need to talk?” “Of course,” Nancy says by impulse. “Same to you.” +++ Nancy is proud of herself for going out, but when she closes the door to her hotel suite, her back thunks against the wall and she must take deep breaths for several minutes. She decides to treat herself to a bubble bath even though it’s nearly midnight. She rolls her hair up into a bun and looks at it in the mirror, how haphazard and messy hers is in comparison to Maya. Nancy isn’t jealous – but she can’t help but notice when people are thriving. She wants to figure out how to do it herself and hasn’t found the cure yet. The bath is claw-footed and deep. Nancy sinks into the steaming water before goosebumps rise on her arms, and her freckled skin blushes in the heat. The water does wonders for her foot. She eases her head back on the lip of the tub and nears a light doze when her cell phone rings. It rests atop a stack of towels by the tub. Nancy wipes her damp hand off before looking to the screen. Frank Hardy. Nancy answers and taps the speaker button to relax back in the tub. “Hey.” “Hi, Nance,” Frank says, his voice a familiar balm after such a stressful time. “What’s going on?” “Things aren’t too different from last week’s call,” Nancy smiles. “But I’m on vacation with Bess and George.” “Oh wow! That’s awesome. I hope it’s been fun.” Nancy’s glazed eyes blink. “Yeah,” she rasps. “It’s nice.” She clears her throat, searching for her old enthusiasm. “But what about you? How’s Joe?” “Same as usual, a pain in my ass.” Nancy chuckles before a distinctive lift raises Frank’s voice. “We’re actually getting ready to get on a plane for a case – but I wanted to make sure everything’s good with you.” Nancy’s hand closes in a fist on her raised knee. “Gosh, it’s been so long since I’ve been on a case.” “Not really. You just took a few months off to stay with Kyler, right?” “Yeah, but that’s the longest I’ve ever gone without a case since I started.” “I’d give you ours if I could,” Frank says. “Really not looking forward to such a long plane ride. Oh, they’re calling for our gate – but do you want me call you when I land?” Gratefulness is a warm glow in her heart. “No, that’s okay – but

thank you. Be safe on your trip and tell Joe I said hi.” “Can do.” Frank pauses. “I – tell Bess and George I said hi.” “Can do,” Nancy repeats. She chews her lip. “See you soon?” She feels foolish for saying something when Frank is headed to a case. While the weekly phone calls have kept Nancy sane, it would be even better to see the Hardy Boys. “I’ll make it happen,” Frank promises. “See you, Nance.” After they hang up, Nancy struggles to get out of the tub with her swollen foot. She gets into a pair of sweats and wraps up some ice in a washcloth, then holds it against her foot. Nancy mulls over her conversation with Frank, wondering how much of her poor mood could be due to not solving a mystery. With a deep yawn, she tosses the soaked washcloth in the wastebasket, not able to walk to the bathroom to put it in the sink. She cuddles up to her teddy bear and flicks the lamp off when her phone rocks to life on the nightstand. Bewildered, Nancy turns the lamp back on to look at the screen. The number is unknown; she sees her hand tremble around the phone. She lets the call go to voicemail before the phone vibrates to life once again. Bracing herself, Nancy answers. “Hello?” “Yes, hello – I’m trying to reach a one Nancy Drew?” The voice is British and eerily familiar, like Nancy heard it in a dream. “This is she.” “Splendid! Oh, you wouldn’t believe the trouble I’ve gone to in order to find your number.” “Sorry? Who is this?” “Why, Nigel Mookergee. We met at –” “Blackmoor,” Nancy whispers. “Nigel, hi. What’s going on?” “I’m afraid the manner of my call is not a jovial one,” he says. “How should I explain this? Well, I suppose from the start. You see –” He sighs. “Don’t tell anyone I’m speaking of this, but the Penvellyns have fallen into a bit of… financial trouble.” Nancy says, “’Financial trouble’?” “It’s certainly not my business to spread, but yes. It’s not that they are a poor family by any means, but one diplomat’s salary is not enough to keep up a castle.” Nancy sits up, grabbing a pen and notepad from her bedside table. She jots as Nigel continues. “The Penvellyns began to host historical tours at the manor – much to Mrs. Drake’s dismay, I might add. Jane wishes to expand the business to the paranormal side of things, and I don’t quite agree with the idea myself, but she insists it’s just what the manor needs.” Nancy finishes scrawling and says, “So, you’re working for the Penvellyns now?” “Yes. I’m afraid there’s been some situations – inconsequential events, if you will – that need a glance over.” Nancy arches a brow. “You mean an investigation.” “Ah, such a serious word. I simply want to make sure we are fully prepared to expand the business.” Nancy’s eyes narrow. “Right. When would you need me there?” “As soon as possible -” Nigel catches himself. “I mean, at your earliest convenience.” Nancy glances over her notes, running her hand over the page filled by red ink. She closes her eyes against the sight and says, “I’ll be there tomorrow.”

thank you so much for reading! please let me know what you think and stay safe. and please consider following me here and on twitter! xoxo

[sweet-lemon]

Little Vixen Pt. 2

Part 1, Part 3

A/N: Thank you for being so patient. It’s hard being a teacher these days, life is getting so busy that I can barely find time to sit down and write. I should mention that this timeline is a bit jumbled together. The Cullens recently left but the wolves have all turned except for the littles (Colin and Brady). Anyway, I hope you like it!

Wolf Pack POV 

The pack followed the fox and german shepherd to a small spot with boulders and overgrown bushes. They looked like they were just exploring their new surroundings. 

“I didn't know there were other shifters." Leah said watching as the fox ducked in and out of the bushes.

"The elders never said there were others. I always thought we were the only ones." Sam said. 

"She probably heard the leaches left and came to look for new hunting grounds. We should kill her." Paul added casually.

"She's literally playing in the bushes with her dog. How does that look like a killer?" Jared asked. 

"I'm just saying we should kill her before we find out." Paul said body ready to lung into the small clearing. 

“Why do you always want to kill. Are you secretly a serial killer or something?” Embry joked.

“Yeah you’re always so violent.” Quil added.

Caught up in their own conversation they didn't notice when they lost sight of the fox.

"Where did she go?" Jared asked. They looked around trying to catch a glimpse of red fur. All they could see was the dog laying down by the boulders trying to take a nap. 

They were about to approach the clearing to start looking for the fox when a noise behind them raised their hackles. Just as they turned to face the noise a flash of red and white fur jumped at the nearest wolf. 

Sam was too stunned to know what to do. She wasn't attacking him so biting her didn’t seem like the right thing to do. Looking back at his pack he could tell they were just as surprised. Seeing their alpha, a giant black wolf, laying on his side confused as a fox pounced around him. They looked like they weren't sure if they should intervene or laugh.

Finally, Leah broke the silence with her laughter. The fox looked over to her and with the same excitement as before jumped around her. Leah didn't mind, instead she played along pawing at the fox. 

"What the fuck is happening." Paul asked.

"I think Leah made a new friend." Embry replied. He looked just as delighted as the fox.

"Enough," Sam's voice rang out. "Who are you?" 

The fox stepped away from Leah turning to face Sam. They all expected to hear a reply but a small yipping sound was all they could hear. Clearly confused Sam tried again. 

"What are you doing here?" 

Again, they got high pitched barks in reply. 

"Can you even understand what we're saying." Jared asked instead. 

The fox, looking just as confused, nodded her head. 

"What, are you mute?" Paul mumbled. 

"Dude, how would that even make sense? We listen to each other's thoughts." Jacob said. 

"Then maybe she doesn't have any." Paul added. 

A small growl emitted from the fox before she jumped at Paul, barking in his face. He growled in return, his muscles winding up ready to attack. Both pair of eyes locked and focused on their target, but before anything could happen a wall of fur got in the way. 

"I'm going to take her to my place and see is we can talk after shifting back. I'll see you idiot's later." Leah said nudging the fox back into the clearing. 

"Are you sure you can handle it Leah?" Sam asked. 

"Please, what's there to handle." Leah looked down at the fox who wasn't much smaller than her. "You coming?" 

The fox yipped up at her and ran towards the german shepherd. The dog sleepily opened its eyes he wasn't even the slightest bit worried to see the giant wolves. 

"Can I come?" Seth asked sitting next to Leah.

"No."

"Why?" He almost whined. 

"I don't think she'd feel comfortable talking to a boy who saw her strip in the woods." Leah replied. 

A surprised bark came from the fox. The rest of the pack burst into laughter as they dragged a stammering Seth away. 

“We’ll be waiting at Emily’s.” Sam said before following the boys.

"I swear I wasn't looking!" Seth tried defending himself.

"Please, it's all you've been thinking about." Jared chuckled.

"But you saw her too!" Seth’s voice rang out as they got further away. 

Leah rolled her eyes and looked back at the fox. This was an interesting turn of events that she was sure would lead to more surprises.

 ~~~~

Reader POV

It was the last thing you expected to find in this damp old town. A pack of wolf shifters. Back in California you had met different types of paranormal creatures that would stumble their way into the state. Coyote shifters from the south, mountain lions from the Grand Canyon, even a humanoid wolf from the north east.

You didn’t know you were walking through a packs territory until you heard their thoughts slowly creeping up on you. It was obvious they were stalking you through the woods even if you couldn’t hear them. They were careless in concealing their massive size behind trees and bushes.

Coming to a clearing with boulders to one side and berry bushes on the other you decided you wanted to meet them. Moose could sense the wolves nearby and looked like he wanted to investigate. Not wanting to give away that you knew they were watching you; you started jumping around the bushes trying to get Moose’s attention. It’s not long before Moose gets tired from playing along. Having him lay down next to the boulders he instantly starts to snore.

With Moose sleeping your able to sneak off into the woods and around behind the wolf pack. You can hear their confusion and decision to go out and look for you. Before they get a chance to wake Moose up you jump out of the bushes and crash into the nearest wolf. It was all too exciting finding another pack that you pounced around while the giant black wolf laid on his side stunned.

“Hi, I’m [Y/N], what’s your name?” You asked the wolf.

Guessing he was still shocked you waited for his reply but were interrupted by a laugh to your side. You noticed the gray wolf laughing in a feminine voice. There were few female shifters so finding one was always a happy sight.

“Hi!” You said greeting her. She seemed happy too by the way she laughed along and played with you.

The other wolves started talking amongst themselves before you heard a deep voice behind you.

“Who are you?” He asked.

“Uh, [Y/N] I already told you.” You snickered thinking he had already forgotten.

“What are you doing here?” He asked with a bit of uncertainty in his voice.

“My mom and I just moved here.”

"Can you even understand what we're saying." The dark brown one said.

Now it was your turn to be confused. You nodded your head to signal that you could hear them. Were they really not able to hear you? This hadn’t happened when you met other shifters.  

You are too busy trying to come up with an answer to the communication issue that you aren’t paying close attention to the conversation between two of the wolves. That is until you caught the part where one of them basically said you were braindead.

You growled jumping in his direction. “Are you saying I’m stupid?” You barked in his face. 

It was obvious now that they couldn’t hear you. Instead of a reply you got a growl in return. He looked ready to attack and you weren’t about to give in just because he was bigger than you.

Before anything happened, another wolf got in the way nudging you away. It was the female suggesting taking you to her place to talk as humans. It was a good idea, not only to understand what’s going on but also getting to know someone in this town.

As you went to wake up Moose you heard them talking behind you. It almost made you laugh when they asked her if she could handle the situation. Then you heard her mention that one of them had seen you strip before shifting.

An embarrassed yelp escaped you before you could stop it. You honestly thought you were alone when you did that. It was a waste of time and money buying new clothes that you decided a long time ago that taking them off was much more efficient. Now it didn’t seem like such a good decision.

You watched as they dragged the young wolf away who seemed just as embarrassed as you were. After they disappeared into the woods the female turned to you and nudged her head in the opposite direction. You followed her with Moose trailing after you.

“My place isn’t far from here. I’m Leah by the way.” She said.

@oopsiedoopsie23 @callie-bear15​ @buckysjuicyplums @smileygirl08​​ @r-rose08​

[dovebuffy92]

https://fandomopolis.com/2021/01/23/wandavision-episode-3-review/

Now in a “Brady Bunch” world, Wanda and Vision deal with an unexpected pregnancy.

Spoilers

WandaVision Episode Three, directed by Matt Shakman, reveals that Wanda Maximoff may be the cause of her and Vision’s appearance in Westview. In the third episode, the Marvel couple finds themselves in the late 1960’s-mid 1970’s era of American sitcoms. The primary influence appears to be The Brady Bunch, but the episode is impacted by all the family sitcoms of that era. They are direct references to The Brady Bunch with the distinctive shapes in the opening credits and the Brady staircase featured in the episode. Some other family sitcoms from the 1970s that you can check out to better understand the episode are The Partridge Family, All in the Family, and Happy Days. I enjoyed seeing Wanda and Vision trying to manage her magical pregnancy that only lasted a couple of days.

WandaVision’s commercial for Hydra Soak Bath Powder points to Marvel’s popular supervillain organization’s involvement in the existence of Westview. The clues keep adding up to Hydra, causing Wanda and Vision entrapment in this Sitcom universe. The Hydra bath powder box is covered with octopuses. The male voice over on the ad talks about how you can use the powder in your bath to transport yourself somewhere relaxing. Perhaps Hydra injected Wanda with powder or serum to create an alternative sitcom town somewhere in the real world.

Everybody else in Westview appears to be aware that they’re not living in the real world. The first clue is that their neighbor Herb cuts into the dividing wall separating their homes with an electric bush cutter. Vision points out that Herb has cut beyond the bushes. The neighbor makes a joke about it but continues to cut into the wall. Later on, Vision spots Herb and Agnes whispering to each other. When the android walks up to them, they act awkwardly toward him.  Vision walks away, but Agnes calls him back. She asks if Geraldine is with Wanda and the babies inside the house. Vision doesn’t understand why there are asking about Geraldine. Agnes explains that she is a bit is odd. Geraldine doesn’t have a family or home.  She is an imposter. Herb almost tells Vision that they are all trapped in Westview, but Agnes stops the conversation. Geraldine is up to something.

Geraldine is Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Air Force Pilot Maria Rambeau and friends with Avenger Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers).  S.W.O.R.D. Agent Monica is there to save Vision, Wanda, and everybody else in Westview. S.W.O.R.D stands for Sentient Weapon Observation Response Division. Monica’s pointed comments to Wanda’s last episode were her trying to wake the other Avenger up to the reality Westview is not her home.

However, there is some evidence that Wanda is partly in control of the American sitcom Westview world. In the last episode, Wanda and Vision see somebody in a modern hazmat suit in the streets. Scarlet Witch says, “Oh, no.” The scene rewinds to before they left the house. In this episode, Vision tells Wanda about how he thinks there is something wrong with Westview. He lists the dinner with the Harts and his weird conversation with Herb about the bushes as evidence. Wanda has a freaked-out expression on her face, then snap there is a glitch we go back in time. One of Scarlet Witch’s powers is tampering with perception meaning Wanda can create an alternative sitcom reality where Vision is still alive. They can have a happy life together. Perhaps Wanda was comforted by American sitcoms when she first moved in with the Avengers, so this is a safe space where she can avoid grieving Vision.

How Wanda responds to Monica as “Geraldine” is further evidence of Wanda being one of the people in control of this alternative universe. Geraldine helps Wanda gives birth to twin boys. After the birth, Wanda tells her new friend that she has a twin brother named Pietro. Geraldine talks about how Pietro was killed by Ultron, referencing Avengers: Age of Ultron. Wanda focuses on her as the twins begin to cry. She notices that Geraldine’s necklace looks like S.W.O.R.D.’s emblem. Wanda demands to know who Geraldine is since she knows that she is not part of Westview. Wanda throws the agent out of this forcefield with her mind. I know Scarlet Witch is responsible since the red energy throwing Monica out of the Suburban Sitcom world is the same kind, I have seen in MCU films. She doesn’t want Monica to disrupt her new perfect life with Vision. I’m not sure if Wanda purposefully created Westview, but she is definitely in control.

The episode ends with S.W.O.R.D. Agents surrounding the fallen Monica. Next week we may start seeing more of the outside world. Can S.W.O.R.D free everybody, including Wanda from Westview? Has Wanda turned evil, or is she just in denial?

I’m enjoying how WandaVision is full of mysteries. I find shows with unraveling especially plots engaging.

[goldeneyedgirl]

mcu xover: jar of hearts 3/?

Oh yes, my MCU x Twilight crossover is still happening.

And this chapter may even reference the MCU directly. SHOCKING. 

Seriously, I’m so sorry this took so long. I’ve been writing a lot, across a lot of different fics and this one slid to the back of the queue. Also, I wrote myself into a corner and needed to get out again. 

And yes, we’re inching closer to joining up the MCU. These things take time, but it’ll happen. 

part two here

roadtrip.

They’re almost in Arizona when Charlie calls to find out where the fuck Seth Clearwater is, because apparently he’s been tangling up his story all over town - he’s told anyone on the Res who asks that he’s staying with Charlie. He’s told Charlie that he’s staying with Colin or Brady.

Alice scowls at Seth through the rearview mirror and begins to weave a tale of being told Seth had permission to join them to go see their cousins - in between lecturing Seth about setting them up for a kidnapping charge across state lines.

By the end of the conversation, Charlie’s trying not to snigger at Alice’s increasingly indignant rant at Seth, at law breaking in general, and at fucking  son-of-a-bitch moron drivers, sweet Jesus. Emmett and Seth are howling at Alice’s cussing and even Charlie is a little bit shocked at her language (later, when the boys are picking on her about it, she rolls her eyes, looks over the top of her heart-shaped sunglasses, and reminds them both - quite primly - that she married a goddamned soldier.)

Seth’s favourite part of the whole ordeal is that Alice isn’t even driving.

But Charlie clears Seth accompanying them, so that’s one less problem. Of course, it means his Jeep stinks of human food, and that they have to stop, but they still make good time up to Alaska.

It’s a hard drive to make - closer to the cities and urban, abandoned cars have been moved off the road. But in the rural areas, cars are still scattered, seemingly abandoned or crashed. Most of the bodies have been removed, thankfully. But still, only most. And it’s been weeks - months - since it happened, so those bodies aren’t in good condition.

And not all of them are adults.

They start out burying the people they find (well, Emmett and Alice do - they both insist Seth stay in the damn car), but then only the children.

Then they just stop because they are both tired of handling rotting bodies who never should have died, let alone forgotten on the side of a long, empty stretch of highway. The graves they’ve already dug haven’t got markers or anything. Just a hole on the side of the road.

It doesn’t feel like enough.

The house in Denali feels wrong before they even get out of the car. The house has always had a sense of otherness, thanks to the fact that it’s the permanent residence of immortals. But right now, it feels more forgotten, lesser in a way.

Tanya’s walking out the front door the second the car pulls up, and she looks old. Tired and strained, and she walks straight into the hug Alice offers.

Seth gapes at the house - the enormous glass-and-wood lodge, tucked carefully in the wilderness where it is mostly forgotten. It might be on a map somewhere, might be noted down in some database, but it is mostly overlooked, a sanctuary in the middle of nowhere.

There’s not really much for them to say or do in Alaska, Emmett realises; Carmen and Tanya are more than capable enough to manage on their own.

Except… Carmen looks like a ghost. She looks disorientated and disinterested, and there’s a part of Emmett that is cold and dead that is perversely fascinated with all the different ways there are to fall apart after the loss of a mate. He’s walking around like a hollowed-out old man, Alice is… not quite there, a little unbalanced.

Sometimes he wonders if Rosalie should have stayed, should have taken his place instead. He would have given it to her, without question. Rose only deserved good things, easy things.

But then he wonders. If living through it all really was easy or good. It doesn’t feel like it, most days. It’s a heavy weight in his chest and a constant feeling of leaving something behind (he’s got one of her hair ties around his wrist; it’s dumb but he always had one on him just in case - at school, when they went hunting, everywhere; he’s also got one of her shirts in his bag. It won’t smell right, being crammed in with his stuff, but he brought it anyway).

Rose wouldn’t have been happy in this world. She wouldn’t have known what to do with Alice or Seth. She would have been angry at the disruption to her life. She would have been afraid and lonely and lashed out at everyone.

No, not good and easy at all.

Then he wonders how Jasper would have faired, without Alice, and that is a grim, grizzly train of thought. Thanos would have begged for death, if Alice had been taken and Jasper left behind. He’s only ever seen a glimpse of the monster behind the man over the decades since Jasper and Alice joined the family, and it’s enough to think that perhaps nature intervened and tried to protect everyone from what Jasper would become without Alice.

They stay in Alaska for two days; Tanya and Carmen are ill-at-ease with Seth, even after they explain who he is.

“But,” Tanya had frowned, “why is he with you?”

He didn’t have an answer for that.

Because Seth was… he was Other, like the Cullens. He understood what it was like to be special and expect to be strong enough to survive and to save; to be beyond the reach of petty mortal shit. He was a fucking kid, who’d lost his family, his friends, and most of his community. Fuck, at this rate, he’d lost his childhood too. He was the natural leader of what remained of the pack, and he’d done something fairly smart - looked for adult guidance.

A shame that the only thing he could find in its place was him and Alice. If someone had ranked his family by ‘best choice to care for a teenage boy’ he, Alice, and Jasper would have been dead last. Edward would have ranked higher.

(It still feels weird to think or talk about Alice without adding ‘and Jasper’. Like he’s mispronouncing a word.)

But it is what it is, and Seth’s still clocking more hours doing online school than online games on the laptop Alice gave him, plus there’s a bunch of food in the back of the Jeep, so they aren’t failing too badly.

Seth turns red when Tanya smiles at him, and Alice banishes him to a guest room, loudly forbidding any imprinting for the next decade, and that just means Emmett has to explain imprinting to Carmen and Tanya, and Alice has to read the riot act to Tanya about not flirting with the fourteen-year-old boy upstairs and it almost feels like old times.

They go hunting whilst Seth is asleep, and it’s obvious that nothing is the same. So much of the forest surrounding the house is just… gone. Empty, as if there was never trees looming over them, underbrush to push through. There are less animals to track and hunt, no excuse to be picky.

It was probably the same around Forks, truthfully, except there was that cloud of grief and horror surrounding him and Alice when they hunted - that was where Edward stumbled and fell. That was where Jasper couldn’t run any longer.

That was where he heard Alice scream when Rosie disintegrated.

In the harsh light of day, the situation feels much bleaker, much bigger outside of the insular forests of the Olympic Peninsula.  

They don’t see a single bear.

He’s not entirely sure why they’ve come to Alaska, except he sees Carmen and Alice go off together, finds them sitting quietly together talking. On one hand, he wishes that he could sit with them; that he lost Rose just like they lost Jasper and Eleazer, but on the other hand, he doesn’t want to be a part of that particular club. Doesn’t have words left to comfort Carmen. Most of his platitudes have started sounding hollow.

Alice vanishes one morning, and leaves him to help Seth with school work, and he grimly realises they have nearly four more years of this until Seth graduates. But things will be different before then; they’ll be back in Forks and Seth can ask paid professionals to explain algebra to him.

When Alice returns, it’s time to go - she’s been off in the wilderness, trying to See around Seth, and deciding to go off on her own is, apparently, the best way.

“Call us if you need anything,” Tanya says, pulling all three of them into crushing hugs, and if Seth turns red and tries to look down Tanya’s top, Alice pretends not to notice.

“Where are you headed next?” Carmen asks, as Seth climbs in the back, clutching an energy drink they’re all going to regret.

Alice smiles. But it’s the wrong kind of smile; it’s sharp and sinister and looks wrong on her face. A Cheshire Cat smile, a Joker smile, and Emmett wonders if after all these years together, if Jasper’s reactive violence hasn’t bled into his wife a little.

“We’re going to Mexico.”

—

The trip to Mexico can be described as long.

If the Jeep wasn’t Rosalie’s last gift to him, then they probably could have run there faster, even with Seth in tow. But there won’t be anymore perfectly modified cars ever again, so he’s staying with the Jeep.

Alice gives up the passenger seat once they make it through to Alberta, apologetic that Seth’s been crammed in the backseat. But then Alice starts muttering to herself, tapping away on her phone, and seems distracted and irritated when Emmett tries to get her attention.

He can’t make out what she’s saying at all, it’s just an irregular hum, and he wonders if she’s having more of her one-sided conversations with Jasper.

The trip takes a week, winding through landlocked states. It shouldn’t take so long except everything is in chaos; they lose an entire afternoon carefully shifting some abandoned cars off the road to get the Jeep through in the middle of backwoods Montana. They spend hours waiting for gas every time they stop. And Seth might be a mystical shapeshifter, but he needs a proper bed, and hot food, and human moments; they have varying success at finding all three, but they try, and Seth is nothing if not agreeable and grateful for even the smallest attempt at making him comfortable.

They find an abandoned farm in Wyoming and they let Seth transform and run for a few hours at dusk, sitting on the front of the Jeep in silence until it’s dark enough for them to hunt, as well.

It feels like the world has ended, some days, and they are the only ones left - to him, at least. Maybe that’s why Alice is talking to herself - it’s the only sensible answer she’ll get.

Some towns are empty; no one for miles. The information that filters through the internet mentions people heading to the cities, to the larger towns, because the population is too small to keep so many different settlements functioning. There’s no money or survival if you’ve lost your entire farm, if the hospital or the school is unmanned.

And Emmett wonders if he’s been cured of human blood for good now he’s seen so much of it spilt, stale and rotting, on the backroads of the country. It feels like everything smells just a little bit like decomposition right now. He’s not sure if that’s him or if that’s everything.

And they get closer to Mexico.

—

They arrive just as the day turns to night, and he expects… he’s not sure what he expects, honestly. Maybe setting up in the motel they’ve found, that Alice has declared a safe distance from any of Maria’s plotting, and getting Seth some fresh food - he hasn’t complained, but even Emmett’s tired of the pre-packaged, long-life crap.

Instead, Alice slips from the car, clad in jeans and a leather jacket, tucking her phone in her back pocket.

“I’ll be back in a few hours,” she says, like she’s going alone.

“What?” Seth looks suspiciously at the pair of them, and it’s only later that he realises the kid is terrified of being left behind. That he’ll cling to their belt loops with his dying breath. His mom left, his sister left, his friends and pack left, and he took a chance on leaving everything else that was left to stick with them.

That makes Emmett feel guilty for no reason he can name.

“I can’t see with you around me,” Alice says gently. “It’s a simple clean-up job, it won’t take long.”

Seth frowns and looks at Emmett.

“You aren’t doing this alone, Alice. Even if we wait in the car,” he says with finality. This isn’t going to be an argument, because there’s nothing to argue about. He’s not letting Alice roam around in a city full of uncontrolled newborns, no matter how talented she is.

Alice scowls. “I know what I’m doing, Emmett,” her voice is sharp, and she never likes reminding them of how long she was alone before she found Jasper; what the family knows about those years is quite vague and patchwork - as far as Alice is concerned, nothing important happened before she met Jasper, as if she popped into being on a diner stool just in time.

Rose always suspected Alice’s real story was very lonely, very frightening, but no one asks when she so obviously doesn’t want to talk about it. He knows what it costs for her to bring it up now.

“I know. But that doesn’t mean I’m letting my only sister go newborn hunting alone,” Emmett says, and Alice sighs and nods - her visions have gone dark, obviously this is not a battle she can win.

Emmett ends up wishing that he and Seth had stayed behind.

Alice is like a laser, zeroing on her targets with a single-minded intensity. He hears that hum faintly, of her talking to herself and he wants to ask her what she’s saying, what thoughts are so important she needs to say them almost out loud but he doesn’t get a chance.

The first one of Maria’s abandoned acolytes is a girl around seventeen with matted black hair and a dress that Emmett mistakes for some kind of lace at first, except it’s the remnants of dozens of meals dried across the front of her, ripples of dried, stale blood that have solidified into a repulsive black and red mass.

She snarls at them, her face bloody, and the pale form of a man beneath her. Alice just walks up to her and backhands her with a crack that makes Seth jump; Emmett flinches but he’d never admit it.

The newborn snaps at Alice, and in one movement, the girl is pinned to the brick wall behind them, cracks spiralling up her neck from Alice’s tight grip.

“Who the hell are you?” the girl snaps in Spanish and Alice says nothing, just rips her head off by her neck, the screech sounding deafening so close. Moments later, her body is in pieces in a dumpster, along with her victim, and Alice has set the entire thing alight, her face blank.

Emmett makes a decision then, to leave Seth in a brightly lit burger place with a promise he’ll be back in one hour because this is nothing a kid should see.

And he’s so, so glad that he made that choice. Alice’s hunt is something that will be burned into his brain for the rest of his life.

The next newborn is a middle-aged male who reminds Emmett of his English lit teacher back at Forks, right down to the salt and pepper streaks in his hair and the slightly off-centre nose. He’s the worst of the night, Emmett silently decides, as he guards his hunt - a family of five that he’s only half-finished. The father is extremely, viscerally dead and there’s no putting him back together; the mother is choking and struggling for a breath that her torn throat will never give her as she bleeds out; the baby in her arms is long dead with its head taken up by a gaping wound. There are two young girls, clinging to each other in terror, and there is no way this ends well.

The newborn obviously thinks Emmett is more of a threat than petite little Alice, practically frothing at the mouth as Emmett approaches him, and grabs at one of the children. It all happens in seconds - the girls scream, there is a crunch of bone and more screaming, the rich scent of fresh blood, another crunch of bone and muscle, and then the newborn’s head is half-torn away before Alice can get better leverage and finish the job. The dead child dangles from his grip, bent the wrong way; her sister has her head half caved in, and the mother still chokes on her own blood. It all happens so fast.

He should have stayed with Seth.

He lets Alice handle the rest of them - she’s located six of Maria’s surviving nine, and after the family, she takes them down swiftly and wordlessly, just a diminutive blur and the sound of tearing metal.

The sweet smoke clings to them as they make their way back to Seth, Alice’s head down.

“I thought,” she began and just shook her head. And he reached out to squeeze her shoulder.

She thought it would be closure, would feel like an ending or an achievement. That there would be some peace in ending Maria’s life’s work. Instead, she’s just the same, but with blood on her boots and a tear in her jeans. The newborns barely got an opportunity to fight back, to give her the pound of flesh she was looking for.

Seth is waiting for them in the window of the store, a broad grin on his face when he spots them. Back to the motel for the night, now. And then tomorrow…

“So,” he says finally. “What now?”

[myhauntedsalem]

The Last Words of 30 Famous Serial Killers

Some killers have offered sincere apologies for the heinous offenses they committed. Others’ final words were filled with anger and resentment, while some seemed indifferent. A few of the most interesting final words are quizzically strange rantings.

What are the last words of some of the most famous serial slayers? The last words on this list come from the mouths of some of the most heinous, dangerous people in human history.

James French

“Hey, fellas! How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? ‘French Fries.'” (August 10, 1966)

James French has the distinction of being the last person to be executed in Oklahoma, via electric chair

Carl Panzram

“Hurry up, you Hoosier bastard. I could kill 10 men while you’re fooling around.” (September 5, 1930)

Peter Kurten

“Tell me. After my head has been chopped off, will I still be able to hear, at least for a moment, the sound of my own blood gushing from the stump of my neck? That would be a pleasure to end all pleasures.” (July 2, 1931)

Peter Kurten, AKA “The Vampire of Dusseldorf,” drank the blood of at least one person.

John Wayne Gacy

Kiss My Ass (May 10, 1994)

Thomas J. Grasso

“I did not get my Spaghetti O’s. I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.” (March 20, 1995)

Tom Ketchum

“I’ll be in Hell before you start breakfast, boys. Let her rip.” (April 26, 1901)

Jeffery Dahmer

“I don’t care if I live or die. Go ahead and kill me.” (Novemer 28, 1994)

H.H. Holmes

“Take your time. Don’t bungle it.” (May 7, 1896)

Dr. H.H. Holmes was one of the first American serial killers.

Albert Fish

“I don’t even know why I’m here.” (January 16, 1936)

In the 1920s, Albert Fish claimed that he had slain at least 100 children.

Ted Bundy

“I’d like you to give my love to my family and friends.” (January 24, 1989)

The exact number of women Ted Bundy offed or hurt in the 1970s is unknown, but some say the number is somewhere in the 100s.

Marcel Petiot

“Gentleman, I have one last piece of advice: Look away. This will not be pretty to see.” (May 25, 1946)

Petiot was a French doctor who was only found out when the remains of 23 people were found in his Parisian home during WW2.

Steven Timothy Judy

“I don’t hold any grudges. This is my doing. Sorry it happened.” (March 9, 1981)

Steven Judy slayed a woman and her three children in 1979.

William Bonin

“I would suggest that when a person has a thought of doing anything serious against the law, that before they did that they should go to a quiet place and think about it seriously.” (February 23, 1996)

William Bonin’s habit of dumping cadavers near freeways earned him the nickname Freeway Killer.

Amelia Dyer “I have nothing to say.” (June 10, 1896)

Dyer is believed to have slain 400 children during a 20-year period in Victorian England.

Peter Manuel “Turn up the radio and I’ll go quietly.” (July 11, 1958)

Manuel was an American-born Scottish man who is believed to have slain from nine to 18 people during the 1950s.

Francis Crowley “You sons of bitches. Give love to Mother.” (January 21, 1932)

Francis Crowley went on a three-month spree that ended when he was sent to the electric chair.

Angel Maturino Resendiz “I want to ask if it is in your heart to forgive me. You don’t have to. I know I allowed the Devil to rule my life. I just ask you to forgive me and ask the Lord to forgive me for allowing the devil to deceive me. I thank God for having patience in me. I don’t deserve to cause you pain. You do not deserve this. I deserve what I am getting.” (June 27, 2006)

Reséndiz left people’s cadavers near railroad tracks.

Fritz Haarmann “I repent, but I do not fear death.” (April 15, 1925)

Fritz Haarmann of Germany, active in the years following WWI, became known as the Vampire of Hanover because he would bite through people’s throats.

Ned Kelly “Such is life.” (November 11, 1880)

Ned Kelly was often considered a folk hero in Australia.

Donald Henry Gaskins “I’ll let my lawyers talk for me. I’m ready to go.” (September 6, 1991)

Donald Henry Gaskins was known as the Meanest Man in America for slaying at least 100 people, most of them hitchhikers, from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Israel Keyes “Okay, talk is over, words are placid and weak. Back it with action or it all comes off cheap. Watch close while I work now, feel the electric shock of my touch, open your trembling flower, or your petals I’ll crush.” (December 2, 2012)

Israel Keyes took his own life; the words are from his final note.

John George Haigh In a letter to his girlfriend, Barbara: “It is difficult to say farewell under these circumstances, but you will understand that you will always be in my thoughts. You know I have been proud of our association: it has always been an honourable one. I shall remember your great kindness and devotion. Now I must leave you.” (August 10, 1949)

In the 1940s, John George Haigh dissolved six women’s cadavers in acid.

Kenneth McDuff “I am ready to be released. Release me.” (November 17, 1998)

After his sentence was commuted in 1989, Kenneth McDuff killed again before being detained in 1992.

Carroll Cole “It’s all right.” (December 6, 1985)

Carroll Cole possibly committed acts of cannibalism

Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck “I wanna shout it out; I love Martha! What do the public know about love?” – Raymond Fernandez (March 8, 1951)

“My story is a love story. But only those tortured by love can know what I mean […] Imprisonment in the Death House has only strengthened my feeling for Raymond….” – Martha Beck (March 8, 1951)

In the 1940s, Fernandez and Beck would place personal ads in newspapers with the intent of taking money from the women who replied.

Aileen Wuornos “I’d just like to say I’m sailing with the rock, and I’ll be back like Independence Day, with Jesus, June 6th. Like the movie, big mother ship and all. I’ll be back.” (October 9, 2002)

From 1989 to 1990, Aileen Wuornos terminated seven men, with the excuse that each of them tried to rape her.

James Allen Red Dog “I’m going home, babe.” (October 9, 2002)

James Allen Red Dog had been connected to at least five murders

Myra Hindley According to the Catholic priest who gave Hindley last rites, “The last conversation she had before she died concerned her mother. She just expressed concern for her mother – but I will not say exactly what she said.” (November 15, 2002)

Hindley, with her lover Ian Brady, shocked 1960s England when they killed five children.

Earle Nelson “I am innocent. I stand innocent before God and man. I forgive those who have wronged me and ask forgiveness of those I have injured. God have mercy!” (January 13, 1928)

During a two-year period in the mid-1920s, Earle Nelson felled 22 women, most of whom were landladies he approached about rooms they wanted to rent.

Sean Flanagan “I love you.”

Sean Flanagan terminated two gay men in Nevada, claiming he was doing “good for… society.” (June 23, 1989)

[strangerontheotherside84]

Live Wire Part 1 (Billy Hargrove x Reader)

Disclamer: Hey everybody thank you all for your sweet feedback on the teaser for this story. It actually motivated me to finish this quicker than I thought I would. But there isn't anything better to do in quarantine anyway. Hope you'll enjoy!

Note: This will most likely consist of 2 (maybe 3) parts (so let me know if you wanna be tagged in the second part when I upload it)

Warnings: language, underage drinking (at least for now)

____________________________________________________________

Being Vicki Carmichael's sister clearly was enough of a burden to begin with. Luckily you were almost a year younger and therefore didn't share any classes with her. Most people didn't even know that you were related. And you both made sure to keep it that way.

You ignored each other at school, almost never left the house at the same time and only spend time together when it really had to be or because your parents forced you to. Like tonight.

When it came to your parents, Vicki clearly was their favorite. Or at least the more presentable child. Everything Vicki was interested and engaged in was amazing. Whether it were stupid horses in elementary school or that Cheerleading bullshit she did now. However, your drums had been banned to the basement where you were only allowed to play them when nobody was home and when you got sent to detention for punching a guy that slapped your ass, this suddenly wasn't an achievement they'd tell the neighbours about.

Same thing counted for boys. The guys Vicki dated were always „such nice guys“,yet you didn't even dare to think about introucing any of the guys you'd slept with to your family. But it wasn't like anybody ever asked you to do that anyway. Judging by the Mötley Crüe posters in your room they'd propably rather not know who would enter their precious home in that case.

Vicki's newest addittion to her collection of „nice guys“ had just recently moved to Hawkins and was sitting at the kitchen table across from you right in this moment.

„So Billy, where did you meet Vicki, again?“,your mom tried to fill the awkward silence while all of you pretended that eating dinner together totally was something you did every night.  

This whole Brady Bunch atmosphere, combined with Vicki's stupid giggles made you wanna throw up.

Since your sister seemed to be very busy drooling over her new boyfriend, who clearly had absolutely nothing in common with her, you decided to answer that question for them instead: „Well there would be Tina's Halloween Party, the car, propably that one dumpster behind school and let's not forget the countless times Vicki asked me to make sure to not come home unti-“

„Y/N!“, your mother interrupted you. Oh boy if looks could kill.

„Oh you said meet! Damn I'm sorry. Wonder how I could get that one wrong.“,you chuckled sarcastically, moving your eyes towards Vicki at your last words.

„I think you're done with dinner, honey.“, your dad intervened with a calm but stern voice.

„I think so too.“, you replied with the sweetest smile as you got up from your chair, „Well Billy it was nice meeting you but if you'll excuse me, I'll withdraw myself to the basement where I'll continue to be the dissapointment of the family.“

„Nice to meet you too.“, the boy replied while following you with his piercing eyes. He almost looked like he was very much enjoying the situation.

„Baby you don't have to be nice to her. Just ignore her.“,Vicki chimed in with a voice sweet as sugar, while grabbing his chin and forcing him to kiss her.

„Also it's really nice to finally have a face to match those noises that keep me up at night.“, you quickly added before leaving the room.

„Y/N! Shut up!“

Not as sweet anymore, are we sis?

You could still hear her going on about how much of a loser you were to your parents, as you entered your room. Okay maybe you had been a bit extra snarky today but she deserved it. You didn't ask to join this amazing family event anyway. However,you couldn't stop thinking about what a guy like Billy could see in Vicki. She was a shallow bitch and usually the guys she dated were complete airheads. But this new kid? He seemed different.

However, if you hadn't been that busy trying to make your sisters night as miserable as possible you'd might have realized that Billy had been watching you the whole time. The two of you had met before. A fact that you couldn't possibly admit in front of your parents since it occured about a week ago when they were out of town. Vicki had invited Billy over to watch some movies and basically forced you to stay in your room. However, you obviously hadn't listened to that. You had caught Billy's attention right away, the moment you entered the kitchen, ignoring both of them, while you grabbed a can of beer from the fridge. You had been wearing nothing but a Metallica shirt and some black lace panties underneath.

„Dad's gonna kill you if he finds out you took his beer.“

„He's gonna kill you first if he finds out that you're not staying at Carol's.“

„Shut up, loser! Also put on some clothes you look like a cheap groupie.“

„Try to keep yours on until after I'm back in my room, loser.“

If Billy had met you at school he would have never figured that you were Vicki's younger sister. You really were one of a kind. But getting to know you could be a tough one. You had a sharp tongue and didn't seem like the kind of girl that would fall for his tricks which made you even more interesting.  

____________________________________________________________

„Hey y/n?“

You had to admit you were rather surprised as you looked up and were greeted by the face of Billy. You hadn’t really spoken since you officially met at your house a few weeks ago. And you definitely wouldn’t have expected him to just walk up to you in the schools parking lot like it was nothing.

„Hey boyfriend number 27 of the year. How can I help you? Need a last minute escape plan?“, you greeted him cynically.

You could see that Billy was kinda taken aback by your repartee. However, he quickly regained his composure and chose to ignore your comments. He seemed to be in quite a rush, his dirtly blonde curls falling into his frowning face as he took a pack of Marlboro Reds out of his denim jacket.

„Have you seen a girl? Tiny. Red hair. Bit of a bitch.“, he came straight to the point while lighting a cigarette.

„Yeah, I think Vicki is waiting at your car.“

„Not your sister. I'm looking for my stepsister Max.“

„No idea who that is. Didn't even know you had a sister.“

„Stepsister. And ditto.“

„Well I'd be surprised if Vicki had told you anything about me. We like to keep that unfortunate fact between us. Now if you'll excuse me you're blocking my car door. And we don't wanna let Vicki wait any longer, do we? I'm sure she can't wait to help you with all that homework.“, you commented dry with a nod towards the books he was carrying in his hands.

„This is yours?“, Billy sounded rather surprise as he examined the rusty 1970 Ford Falcon, you could barely tell that it once used to be perfectly shiny grabber green. “Never seen it around your house.“

„That's because my parents make me park it a few blocks away. Wouldn't want the neighbours to see that rust bucket, you know?“

„You do band as an after school activity?“, the curly haired boy chuckled while rasing his eyebrows, propably having spotted the drumsticks lying on your backseat.

„Hell no! Do I look like a fucking virgin?“,you scoffed while raising your eyebrows as well.

„Well... no. I just figured from the stuff Vicki keeps telling me-“

„Well note that: you shouldn't believe most of the bullshit that my sister has to say about me. Speaking of the devil you might not wanna let her wait any longer. Wouldn't want your study session to fall through, right?“

-

You hadn't left school right away. If Vicki and Billy were planning to hook up at your place you'd rather give them some advance. Also, Vicki had her way of making it very clear to you that you’d better stay away from home whenever she had a guy over. And since she had threatened to tell your parents where you hid your booze and other things, you were more than happy to oblige.

You were just driving off the schools parking lot when you spotted a small redhead by the side of the road. She seemed rather distressed, kicking against an old Skateboard.

„Hey kid, is everything alright?“, you asked as you pulled over.

„Uhm yeah...it's just..my stupid brother was suposed to wait for me but he didn't and now I have to skate home.“

„Yeah I know, he drove off with my stupid sister. Get in the car I'll drive you.“

„Really?“

„Yeah sure I don't wanna be at home now anyway.“

„I can imagine. I hate when Billy has girls over. It's like he doesn't even like them. But I still have to stay in my room.”, the girl stated with an eye-roll as she sat down on the passengers seat, ” I'm Max by the way.“

„Nice to meet you. I'm y/n. And just for the record: next time a stranger asks you to get in their car, don't do it!“

„I'm not stupid.“, Max clarified within a heartbeat.

„You're a tough kid, aren't you? I like that.“ you laughed. Her upfront attidude and tomboy-ish apperance reminded you a lot of yourself at that age.

„And I like your car.“

„You do? Well thanks I bought it myself.“

„Yeah it's really cool. They used the same one in Mad Max, you know?“

„'Course I do.“

[brichan87]

Trying out a new story

Been working on a new story: a new take on the superhero genre. Figure I will post it here and see what people think. Still a work in progress but feel free to leave feedback.

Chapter 1

The morning cold seeped into her bones as she shuffled into the kitchen not quite ready to face the world. Her eyes opened to narrow slits, filtering out all of the world except her intended target. The sky outside was still dark and caused her mind to plead for her to go back to bed. Yet, as she does every morning, Tally resisted the urge to turn around and return the the bedroom.

The winter holidays were fast approaching; however, the days seemed to be lengthening while her energy diminishes more and more each day. Every morning she should wake up feeling refreshed and revitalized; instead Tally feels more exhausted than when she went to sleep, defeating its entire purpose. Meditation, tea...nothing seemed to help which caused her frustration to increase with each failure. Why waste that time sleeping if it did nothing for her?

Part of her understood that the stress of the season was adding to her exhaustion. Between the decorations, preparations for guests, and trying to that holiday scene perfect for social media, it was natural for someone to feel burned out. And her second job only added to the exhaustion. However, Tally could not shake the feeling that something was not right.

Something about this exhausting felt strange: like it was unnatural. Maybe it was just her trying to explain away her stress and fears as reactions to things that are out of her control but something inside of her was screaming “danger!” The damage dealt to her arm the night before did not help her with the feeling of impending doom. For such minor injuries, the pain level kept creeping up over night.

“Maybe I need to call the doctor to get checked out,” Tally mumbled softly as she wrapped her hands around the warm ceramic mug waiting for her on the counter. The smell of orange and cinnamon wafted through the air causing her brain and body slowly began to become more alive.

“Hey, that could have been mine,” a voice teased from behind her. 

Turning her head to glance over her shoulder, she saw her boyfriend set down his tablet and stand up from the table. Making his way into the kitchen, he popped open the refrigerator door and dug out some ingredients. After mixing some of them together, the man walked up to Tally and placed a small kiss on her cheek before handing her a bowl of fruit and yogurt.

“Me, tea. You, coffee,” she grunted. Last night was a rough one; getting in at one in the morning definitely made her less than cheery at 5 A.M. But the soft smile she got in return made her heart flutter as she reached out and grasped the bowl that he held out to her. 

“Wow. Didn’t know I was dating a caveman.” Bradie chuckled as she flashed him a less than loving hand gesture. “Alright, alright, I get it. Mornings are still not your thing. I appreciate you sacrificing your chance to sleep in to spend some time with sad, little me who has to be at work by seven in the morning everyday.”

“Sad, little you is exceptionally cheery today. Why?”

“Because it is the last day of school before Thanksgiving Break. So not only will I have 5 days of no work related activities because I was ‘a good child’ who got all his lessons planned before the break, but tomorrow I finally get to meet your family.”

THUNK!

Every dish on the table rattled as Talaleigh let gravity drag her head down until her forehead struck the surface; whether or not the groan she let out was out of pain or frustration was a mystery to both of the people in the room. 

“Are you sure we have to go visit my family? It’s really not too late to say something came up,” she pleaded. The table muffled the sound of the words but the dread managed to ring out loud and clear. “We can even hop a last minute flight and go see your parents. Or a nice, quiet couple’s Thanksgiving. Anything but going to see my family.”

The room was silent for a few minutes then Bradie let out a soft sigh as he slid into the chair opposite of hers. “What’s going on, Tal? Because you never want me to meet your family. And I try to not be offended by it but more and more it is starting to feel like you are ashamed of me.”

“No, not you,” she reassured. Lifting her head up, Tally reached across the table and rested her hand on his forearm. “Never you. You are amazing. Smart, intelligent, kind, good-looking, amazing, and I know I am repeating myself here but it is true. It is not you that I am trying to hide.”

Standing up from the table, Tally grabbed both of their cups and took them into the kitchen. “It’s just that…,” she began as she poured Bradie more coffee and began to brew herself a new cup of tea. This conversation seemed easier to have if she was slightly distracted by a separate task. “My parents are a little nontraditional. Loving, supportive people but definitely different. Nothing like your parents. And then my brother,” she continued as she brought finished the preparations and brought their drinks back to the table. “He and I really don’t get along at all. As in we get into fights pretty frequently. And they are not small fights.” As much as she tried to fight them back, a few tears began to fill her the corners of her eyes. “And it sucks because he were actually really close as kids, but then something happened and it has never been the same since." Grabbing a tissue off the corner of the desk, Tally wiped away the tears before they escaped. "So it is not that I don’t want to show you off to my family, it is more that I don’t want you to bear witness to the kind of crazy you’ll be tied to if you stick with me.”

“Oh honey, I’ve already witnessed that crazy. However…” he paused to duck the wadded up napkin being thrown at him. “I love you too much to care what your family is like. They are a part of you, so I  am sure that I will love them just like I do you. And if not, I promise we never have to see them again. Deal?”

A twitch of her lips revealed her thoughts before she gave him a small nod. "Deal, but that means you.." A yawn fought its way to the surface, breaking off her comment. As she brought up her arm to hide her mouth, her sleeve slipped down, exposing several bruises and cuts littering the expanse of her forearm. Most were shallow but a few of them were deep enough to require bandages until they scabbed over.

“Jesus Tal!” Bradie exclaimed. He clamored out of the chair and knelt by her side. “Those look bad. Why didn’t you say anything?” He gently grasped her wrist to examine the wounds. Rolling up her sleeve further, he noticed some areas that looked like they were burned by some sort of chemical: the skin was red and pebbled with tiny bumps.

Tally half-heartedly tried to pull her arm out of his grip but her boyfriend was not done investigating the wounds. "It’s nothing, really. Just ran into some trouble with a nasty plant last night, and it left me with some scratches and little poison ivy I think. Not a big, oh sh------” she hissed as Bradie accidentally grazed one of the wounds with his fingernail. Waves of pain pulsed through her arm, and Tally squeezed her eyes shut while trying to ride out the pain. When she was able to open her eyes again once the pain faded away, Talaleigh felt a twinge of guilt when she laid eyes on her boyfriend. Disapproval was sketched all over his face.

“It’s not a big deal, my ass,” he grumbled, letting her arm go as he stood up. “You should have woken me up.”  Reaching into the cabinet above the sink, he shoved boxes and bottles to the side, digging for an item buried in the back. “You know I wouldn’t mind helping you clean up your wounds. If anything,” he continued as he pulled out a first aid kit and made his way back to her side. “It would help me because then I wouldn’t have mini-heart attacks every time I find one on accident.” He knelt down beside her and held out a hand, waiting for her to place her care literally and figuratively in his hands. Tally did not hesitate to comply.

“I know,” she replied softly. She winced a little as the man at her knees started to apply antiseptic to the cuts on her arm. Flames licked at the wounds as the medicine killed the bacteria surrounding the edges of the cuts. For the second time in the past five minutes, Tally felt tears welling up in her eyes. But these tears were different; they were for the man who loved and worried about her enough to risk being late for work in order to take care of her. “I know it scares you, and I’m sorry. I...I just figured that I had it handled so there is no point in waking you just so you could worry more.”

A hand reached up and brushed off a few of the tears that had escaped to her cheek, surprising Tally because she did not even notice them leaving. Then a pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and brought her to his chest.  The continuous beat of his heart soothed her frayed, emotional nerves and surrounded her with warmth and safety.

“I will always worry,” he whispers in her ear, causing more tears to join the ones that he erased a moment earlier. “It is just the price of loving someone who cares so much about others and will do whatever she can to help them. And I know your job is important but so are you. Don’t make sacrificing yourself the first option you pick. Can you promise me that?”

A flurry of emotions raced through Talaleigh. Her instincts to make light of serious issues warred with her desire to comfort the man before her. All of the thoughts and feelings swelled up in her throat, making it impossible for her to speak. So instead she slowly nodded her head against Bradie’s shoulder, smearing tears over the shoulder of his shirt.

“Okay,” she croaked. “For you.” The two sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the comfort of being near each other. However much they desired to spend the rest of the day cuddling like this, both new that the real world would soon be calling. Sitting up, Tally wiped her face off with her sleeve and glanced at the clock. “And now I have made you late. So sorry.”

“Nah, I’ll still be there on time. I’ve got no copies to make and probably very few children there today, so no need to get there early. What are you up to today?”

"Nothing special, I hope. Probably spend a little time straightening up and then most of the day working on my book. Hopefully I can get a chapter done before we leave tomorrow. Since I worked last night, I should be a 'last resort' call but we know how that goes sometimes."

"Well, I hope you have a quiet day of writing because no matter what happens, tomorrow will be a day to remember." Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her cheek then headed to the door. "Remember to use your powers for good, not evil," Bradie called out as he walked through the doorway.

“Very funny,” she yelled as the door closed behind him. “It’s not me you have to worry about."

Collecting the breakfast dishes from off the table, Talaleigh carried them to the sink and began to clean them, losing herself in the routine of dipping her hands in and out of the  hot, soapy water. Her mind drifted to her family and what might be awaiting her tomorrow. The prospect of introducing the one she loved to her family should be thrilling since it is proof of how committed Bradie and her are to one another. However, the fact that she cannot even begin to imagine how her family will behave in front of her boyfriend was making her incredibly anxious.

How long has it been since I went home, she thought as she placed one of the dishes in the drainer. It has been at least a year, if not longer. I mean mom and dad did come visit me here in the spring. So I have seen them just haven’t visited them. And they haven't met Bradie yet even though I promised them we would stop by a month or two ago. But things have been crazy between work and Bradie hardly gets any long breaks until the November/December time frame. And I did see Axel last month but God knows that was anything but enjoyable...

Anger rushed through her veins at the thought of her younger brother. The brother that she always put first. The brother who she sacrificed her free time to take to friends' houses and after school activities. The brother she practically raised. The brother who turned his back on her.

She slammed the pot in her hand down into the sink, sending a spray of bubbles and water over the wall and her shirt. “Damn him,” she ground out as she flexed her hands over and over, trying to release the fury boiling under her skin. “I swear if he does anything to ruin this holiday he will regret it.”

A shrill chime echoed through the room, dragging Tally out of her pensive state and back into the real world.. “Oh you have got to be kidding me,” she groaned as she dried her hands on a dish cloth before heading back to the table to grab her phone. 

“Hello? Yes, it is her. No,.. see I worked last night and have the marks to prove it. Got tangled up with… no, the pun was not intended! Yes, I’m fine but..look! I don’t mean to be short or sound disagreeable but I have a life too and there are other people who can handle this. I mean what's the point of having a union if you are going to keep calling up the same people all the time. So unless you can explain to me why it is so important for me specifically to be there, I am hanging up and turning the phone on silent.” 

The speaker on the phone had to say only three words before she interrupted him with a brusque “I’ll be there in fifteen” and ended the call. “Eff my life,” she grumbled as she threw the phone onto the sofa while heading into the bedroom to change into her costume.

When Bradie joked with her about “using her powers for good”, it wasn’t actually a joke. For the past year Talaleigh has been working as the superhero Safeguard, and she has just been called onto another assignment.

[secretadventuresociety]

Episode 27 Recap

What’s up SASholes?! I’m Bren; resident SAStorian and note-taker extraordinaire. Welcome to Episode 27: Under New Management.

The Xarus Problem

We last left off with Kess staring down her jilted ‘lover’ (I mean, if you can call an arranged husband a lover), Xarus, who had just revealed he now owns her childhood home. Well, I say home. I guess childhood MANSION is technically more correct. Anyway, as this red-headed scum delights in Kess’ confusion, a flock of guards file in behind him all dressed in black; anticipating an attack. True to form, Pearce leans over to Kess and asks if he should shoot him, and she waves him away, blowing the whole thing off as a joke. Turns out that ole Xarus lost his humor in a tragic Born-Without-A-Soul accident, so he stares back flatly and invites the group to dinner; suggesting the trio clean up beforehand.

Kess loudly announces that her mother (Norse), Zev, Kü, and Pearce are going to… help… brush her hair? And Xarus just accepts it?? So the definitely-not-suspect group file up to Kess’ bedroom, led by Norse. The party takes in their spotless lavish surroundings in a mixture of disgust and disbelief-- and then they find their destination. The room might as well be adorned with a neon sign reading ‘Messy Kessy’. The colors inside are dark and earthy, with flora and drawings of fauna littering the walls, lit by a majestic bay window. In an awkward silence, Kü compares the living space to the shit-covered walls of his cavern home, then switches gears to ask if all fathers come with so much tension.

Norse gently explains that Xarus isn’t Kess’ father, but was her husband-to-be, who recently took over the house and the super-secret ‘family business’. Surprise-- Kess’ family is a band of merry Robin Hoods who keep Mardosta eating with silver spoons. Despite being there the whole time— Norse doesn’t quite understand how the boring, ginger-haired square of a man grew the balls to overthrow their reign of thievery; but she momentarily morphs into fantasy Vin Diesel (not actually, I know it’s a little weird ‘cause technically she’s a changeling and very much COULD do that) and tells Kess they can handle it As A Family.

An Iris by Any Other Name

After assuring The Nobodies aren’t going to kill Xarus in his sleep, Mama Shadowmore pulls Kess aside and leads her to the family greenhouse. It smells overwhelmingly like smoke, and as they enter, Kess sees hundreds of her black and white flowers. You know the ones. Norse then tells her how they tried to cover Kess’ absence, the way she would go into the greenhouse to just sit somewhere that smelled like her daughter (OUCH, dude), and all about the first night she saw one of the Irises appear. From that night on, Norse and Kess’ father Arthur would sit and wait for a flower to bloom; knowing somehow it was connected to their daughter’s safety. Now, if you thought your teeth were rotting out from the sweetness already-- that’s when Kess hugs her mom for the first time in years, and sometime during the embrace, Norse drops her high elf facade and embraces her daughter in all her changeling glory before Kess grows a flower just for her. Touching stuff. You crying yet? No? Just me?

Dry those eyes, though, because now we’re on to some shenanigans. As Kess and her mom are off repairing their relationship, Pearce and Kü attempt to make themselves at home. After grabbing a drink with Zev, the pair stake out a guest bedroom with an adjoining bathroom. Pearce ushers Kü inside and offers to guard the door as he showers, which the kobold has CERTAINLY done before. Tons of times. In his underground home. Despite this setback, Kü figures out the tub quickly, but the challenge becomes when he needs to drain the water. He finds a bucket, remembers that the toilet gets rid of its own fluid, and scoops up the grimy bathwater like a scaly Mickey Mouse. But that’s not all. Getting to the bottom of the tub, he notices a chain floating in the dregs and hauls out a crowbar to liberate it.

Pearce, hearing a sudden thump and fearing a sneak attack, manhandles his way into the bathroom and finds a wet Kü who laments about the ‘necklace’ at the bottom of the tub. The gunslinger quickly realizes it’s a chain for the drain (heh, a rhyme) and shoves Kü out. He then takes a pile of Zev’s clothes he found and dresses, appalled at the deep-v tunic and skin tight leather pants he is now sporting. Being his only choice, he chastely covers his bare chest and spikes his hair, coming out of the bathroom to help Kü shine his helmet. Yes, that helmet. Pearce is making Mother’s skull GLEAM. Kess, after realizing she could just change her form in lieu of ACTUALLY bathing, brings Kü a long silk tunic to replace his dress and steals a white button-up from her dad for Pearce. Now they’re Awkward Dinner Party ready!

Evil Exes, Amirite?

In case you’ve forgotten, Kess has a Brady-Bunch-worthy family. She runs into her dad, and later all three of her brothers: Zev, his twin Voss, and Rook. However, these aren’t all of the introductions the party is subjected to. As they enter the dining room in what I can only imagine is Oh My God They’re So Hot Slow Motion (with Kess donning her owl, Tibbins, for intimidation), they lay eyes on an unfamiliar and unimpressed elven woman who Xarus introduces as Sienna-- his current fiance. Well, he sure did move on fast. Between Sienna’s eye rolls, Kü’s harried feasting, and EVERYONE’S overwhelming discomfort, Xarus describes how he grew suspicious when Kess disappeared. After a little digging, he found out about the family’s arrangement with the city’s mayor, Vendreth; how he caught her criminal parents and promised them protection if they used their forces to help his failing city thrive.

Kess doesn’t see any issue, but Xarus laments that the townspeople have no idea who is running the show. It’s a clear threat, as Kess realizes the denizens would run them out of Mardosta if they knew the truth. Happy with himself and his mind games, Xarus invites his elven mistress to retire to their chambers with him…. if you know what I mean. She emotionlessly agrees, and the two leave the family alone. The Nobodies excitedly chatter about their exploits; no adventure going untold. Kü even introduces his mother, Marrow, and spends a moment praising Norse for being a good mother too. Pearce changes the subject to their treasure map, showing it briefly to Voss. He has no idea what the X’s could mean, but implores them to keep him updated. Norse then asks how long the party is staying-- enticing them with an upcoming festival that is SURE to have stickmeat. Kess proposes they stay for a while, saying they could make use of the family library and also figure out what the X closest to Mardosta hides.

Pearce not-so-subtly asks about the family’s trading habits, mostly trying to gauge if they have any dealings with his absent father. Turns out this ain’t an arms race, it’s a goddamn scene, and with routes halted in Larsham and Evercrest, the business has slowed down to a trickle. Kess breaks the business talk with a proposal for her companions and her siblings to go out on the town, and so they all prepare for a night in Mardosta. Pearce grabs his gun, Kess raids Rook’s training room for daggers (noticing a hefty potion collection), and everyone bundles up for the biting weather as they walk to the docks.

The Return of Nice Ghost

Kü spots a stationary boat in the water, with a rumpled dragonborn climbing out of it. Sus. As they get closer, they notice that it’s not a boat at all, but a disguised opening to a meeting spot called ‘The Underfrost’. Kess leads them down the cavernous tunnel lined with torches until they reach the bottom. Once there, they feast their eyes on merchants, a bar, and an imposing fighting pit-- all teeming with figures of all races. Kü jumps on the chance to, as he so eloquently describes it, ‘fuck shit up’; racing off with Voss and Zev in tow to sign up to battle. Kess instructs Pearce to place bets for the both of them as she grabs drinks… which turns out to be a monumentally bad idea. Pearce throws down 500 gold on Kü for himself but-- without express instructions from the druid-- dumps out her bag and wagers all of her 1,275 pieces of gold.

It turns out Kü is the next challenger to face… get this… Dickius Muscular. Is it his fantasy God-given name or a stage moniker? The world may never know. In any case, fervent hands push him toward the pit-- one attempting to remove his helmet. In retribution, Kü bites the tip of the offending person’s pinkie off, keeping his adornment as he summons a flood of shadows from it to cover him in armor. Thus the fight begins, and the massive goliath Dick...ius attacks our boy Kücifer with a mace in a blinding rage. Kü retaliates with his Bonemerang-- and when that does less damage that he expected, he summons Nice Ghost to keep him company. The spectral being chases after the goliath relentlessly; booping him any time he can come close. Dickius flees from the spectre, pursuing Kü-- who wreaths himself in shadow and disappears. Out of the darkness comes two fireballs, liberated from the kobold’s dwindling necklace.

Amazingly, this blast does not take his opponent out-- so Kü chugs a health potion as his vision suddenly goes green. He smells smoke and hears Mother in his head, asking to take a turn. He can do nothing but stare at Dickius as the shadows leave Kü to snake around the goliath and squeeze. Though deeply in pain, Dickius breaks free and heaves one last attack at Kü-- rendering him unconscious and sending Nice Ghost back into oblivion. With that, Kess rushes in to heal her friend, momentarily pissed at Pearce for losing all her money. Back on his feet, Kü shakily requests to be taken to bed, and the gunslinger scoops him up like a child and carries him; only to be repaid with a flow of vomit down his back as the kobold recovers slowly from his trauma. Still, Pearce keeps his composure and reassures Kü that he fought well, but begs him to try to sleep.

The Scream Heard ‘Round the Mansion

The group groggily returns to the family home and branches off to their respective rooms. Pearce gently lays Kü down and tucks him into bed before searching for a piece of paper and a writing utensil to pen a short note. He slips 200 gold into it and scrawls ‘I’m sorry’ onto the page. He slips out of the guest room to try and find Kess’ door-- and the one he picks, unbeknownst to him, is her parents’. However, our boy tried his best, so he returns to Kü; watching him as he sleeps. This dad-like worry Pearce has got going on makes me SOFT, y’all. I need MORE.

Kess, however, forgoes sleep for a time and instead grabs a bottle of wine from the kitchen. She takes it to the greenhouse and attempts to grow her second flower of the day-- which she has never done before. It takes a little more effort, but it does sprout, and she pleadingly asks to speak with the friend she grows them for. She waits, but no answer comes. Kess finishes the wine and stumbles up to her room, leaving the window open for good measure. She and Kü are sleeping soundly while Pearce fitfully wakes up from his perch on the sleeper sofa every so often to watch Kü’s chest rise and fall (PASS ME THE TISSUES). During one of his half-awake moments, Pearce watches the candle in the room extinguish and simultaneously hears a scream coming from downstairs.

Leaving the passed out kobold, Pearce takes off, only to be intercepted by Kess, who we all know has the passive perception of a dog waiting for you to drop that pepperoni on your pizza, Karen. She pulls him into the stairwell and they end up at the opening of Xarus’ chambers-- Sienna standing speechless in the doorway. When she ends up being less than helpful, the duo slip into the room, immediately laying eyes on the lifeless body of Kess’ failed groom. I wish I could say I was at all upset about this revelation, but I would be lying to you, dear readers. However, we now have a murder mystery on our hands! WHODUNNIT?!

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

TL;DR

Our heroes attended a dinner party more uncomfortable than all of my family reunions put together. Talk about second-hand anxiety!

Kü is the Underfrost Fighting Pit Champion in my heart and I hope he gets a rematch against… *checks notes* the Goliath’s dick.

RIP, Xarus— ex-fiancé and stick in the mud. See you in hell.

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

Kess’ed Be and catch the next session over at twitch.tv/lochness on July 21st at 7:30CST/8:30EST! AND if you’d like to watch THIS episode, you can find it at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyi5JkW-SNY

[papenniesandbentoboxes]

The Impossible Imposter - A Nancy Drew Among Us Crack Fanfiction

I wrote this at midnight last night to celebrate my 20th birthday. This is probably the most stupid thing I’ve ever written.

Here’s the AO3 link!

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Characters: Bess Marvin, Sonny Joon, Mason Quinto, Alec Fell, Dwayne Powers, Ethel Bossiny, Jacques Brunais, Lou Talbot, Brady Armstrong, Harper Thornton

Word Count:  2224

Here’s the fic!

[Camera pans to table with a button in the center, ten individuals stand around. The smallest in pink is BESS MARVIN, the tallest JACQUES BRUNAIS in purple, DWAYNE POWERS in red, ALEC FELL in green, SONNY JOON in cyan, MASON QUINTO in blue, ETHEL BOSSINY in white, HARPER THORNTON in black, BRADY ARMSTRONG in lime, LOU TALBOT in yellow.]

[All crew members eye each other, each suspicious of the others. MASON QUINTO leans on the table.]

MASON: Alright, since no one wants to talk, I’ll do it. We each have tasks right? Let’s do them. We’ve got to go and get to our destination.

BRADY: But where are we going?

[Silence.]

ALEC: Good question. We were never really told where we’re going. We just are here… I guess.

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: Instantly, I thought Mason was suspicious, but he’s just like that I’ve realized. He’s always up to something, whether it’s being an asshole or a dick or a genius. Depends.}

[SONNY slams hands on the table.]

SONNY: Let’s yeet !

[Crowd disperses, leaving LOU in the cafeteria to empty the garbage]

{LOU CONFESSIONAL: I wanted to go in a group, just so I wouldn’t be alone. I hate it here. But like, you know, they were all so fast. Going by all zippy-zoom.}

[In ADMIN, BESS MARVIN struggles while swiping her card.]

BESS: C’mon! Just work!

[DWAYNE enters, eyes squinted at her. They both watch each other warily. BESS’s card still won’t scan. DWAYNE heads toward the wires.]

BESS: Please, please, please, please…

{BESS CONFESSIONAL: Dwayne freaks me out. He’s so… Unhinged. I’ve heard everything he’s done! Even if he isn’t the imposter, he’d probably kill us all anyway!}

[DWAYNE leaves.]

BESS: [releaved] Oh, thank God.

[In ELECTRICAL, BRADY is struggling with wires.]

BRADY: [puts two wires together and shocks himself] Ouch!

[HARPER enters, laughing to herself.]

BRADY: Hi, Harper. [shocks himself again] Ow.

{BRADY CONFESSIONAL: Harper is scary. She just is. I’ve heard rumors that she’s actually, like, crazy. I don’t want to believe them, since I like to see the best in people and it helps with my celebrity image, but she’s… Just scary.}

[HARPER helps fix the wires with him.]

HARPER: Maybe if you’d put the wires together in the right way you wouldn’t die so fast.

BRADY: Huh?

HARPER: Oh, nothing, hon.

{HARPER CONFESSIONAL: My condescending cousin says that all the time and it makes others feel awful, so I thought I’d give it a try. [loud laugh] It worked!}

[Without any warning, OXYGEN DEPLETION ALARM goes off. Both crew members look each other in the eye and then run off down the hall.]

[ADMIN at OXYGEN CONTROL PANEL, MASON is typing in the deactivation code.]

{MASON CONFESSIONAL: I expected to be the only one doing anything about this, but deep inside me I didn’t want it to be that way. You know, I could totally just not do anything and then we’d all die. But I actually want to live, unlike some people apparently.}

[SONNY runs in, then runs out to the other PANEL, CAMERA FOLLOWS]

{SONNY CONFESSIONAL: I’m only here for the aliens. If they’re anywhere, it’s space. Also, these suits are cool.}

[SONNY almost runs into ALEC, who is also headed to the PANEL.]

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: Sonny… What a guy. I have no idea what to think of him. But he does have a file where I work. Which is classified.}

[ALEC and SONNY run to the PANEL where DWAYNE is inputting the code.]

DWAYNE: [smiles] Ah, greetings.

ALEC: Aye, greetings.

SONNY: [waves]

[All three men stare at each other for a long moment until a DEAD BODY is REPORTED and the ALARM sounds.]

[CAFETERIA, where all but two crew members meet. LOU and JACQUES are missing from the group. BRADY, who reported the bodies, is quiet. ALEC speaks up.]

ALEC: Where were they?

BRADY: Reactor. It was only Jacques I saw.

ALEC: Did you see anyone?

BRADY: [shrugs] No. But Harper is giving me mad sus vibes.

[In the back of the room, HARPER is sitting on a chair in the shadows, laughing in the darkness.]

HARPER: Oh, good! I was afraid I was the only one who thought so! You are right not to trust me.

MASON: What’s that supposed to me?

HARPER: You decide. Though, I figure that young man is only trying to cast suspicion on me.

BRADY: Not really--

HARPER: Well, if you insist, I’ll tell you. I am an Imposter. [stands up, hands on her hips] Y’all better be afraid if you know what’s good for you.

{BESS CONFESSIONAL: Well, I’m betting that either she’s bluffing of the other Imposter is really, really angry right now. I honestly can’t tell if she’s lying or not. But… She does scare me.}

[TIMER counts down. All crew members have to vote within 30 seconds.]

BRADY: [holding black flag, HARPER’s color] I vote Harper. I don’t want to risk it.

BESS: [holds up grey flag] I’m going to skip this round. I can’t tell whether she’s… You know…

SONNY: Evil?

BESS: [blushes] Yeah…

SONNY: [holds up black flag] Well I think she’s super sus so I’m voting for her.

MASON: [holds up black flag] Might as well go with the rest.

{MASON CONFESSIONAL: Democracy, am I right?}

ETHEL: [holds up black flag] I also vote for Harper.

[BESS, SONNY, BRADY, and ALEC are startled, shrieking a bit each. ETHEL is unphased, looking as calm as ever.]

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: She’s terrifying.}

SONNY: [whispers] Oh my God, I forgot she was here.

BESS: [whispers back] Me too…

DWAYNE: [sighing loudly and holds up black flag] I vote for Harper. No use in voting against her.

ALEC: [holds up black flag] [says nothing]

HARPER: [holds up black flag] I also vote for me! Anywhere is better than here with all you upstairs people.

[Other crew members look at each other in confusion.]

BESS: What’s that supposed to mean?

ALEC: I have no idea.

[HARPER is ejected. Crew members await confirmation on the central screen.]

[HARPER is not An Imposter.]

ALEC: Shit!

MASON: [sighs] Well, there’s that.

BESS: [stares into the camera in fear]

{BESS CONFESSIONAL: I just want to go home.}

[Crew members have resumed activity. ALEC is in the HALLWAY, lugging around a container of GASOLINE.]

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: So, I’m just walking in the hallway, and then Sonny just comes walking by, whistling.}

[Camera cuts to SONNY walking through the hallway, whistling and glancing at ALEC. ALEC watches him carefully.]

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: Sonny’s just weird.}

[In MED BAY, BRADY is getting a med scan, looking at his stats.]

BRADY: They don’t have green eyes. They should have eye colors.

{BRADY CONFESSIONAL: They should!}

[MASON enters, heading straight to inspect samples. Both avoid eye contact. MASON leaves quickly. Relieved, BRADY steps down and lets out a long breath.]

BRADY: Well, that was better than I expected.

[MED BAY doors slide shut.]

BRADY: Uh oh.

[In WEAPONS, DWAYNE sits in the big chair, blasting asteroids.]

{DWAYNE CONFESSIONAL: Everyone expects me to be the Imposter ever since my stunt with Rick Arlen and my time in jail. Just because I’m a killer doesn’t mean I’m going to kill everyone! [rubs chin] It would be fun though. And if Rick Arlen were here, I’d just kill him. Being the Imposter would also be a bonus.}

[DWAYNE fires at his last asteroid, then stands up and leaves, tiptoeing down the hall.]

[SONNY is seen in the cafeteria, looking out at the stars.]

{SONNY CONFESSIONAL: You know, my grandfather always told me I was special. I always believed it. I stopped for a while, but I’m back to believing that. I believe somehow I might make contact with alien life out here. [shrugs] Who knows? Maybe they’re just vibing and waiting for me to be out there.}

[DEAD BODY is REPORTED. All crew members meet at the cafeteria. BRADY is missing. BESS, who reported the body, looks out at the crowd.]

BESS: I… I didn’t see anyone. I found Brady in the Med Bay.

MASON: That must’ve been right after I left.

ALEC: Did you see anything?

MASON: [shakes head] I try not to be in the same room as other people. I don’t know who I can trust right now.

ALEC: Aye, that’s valid.

SONNY: Well, I know who I’m voting for. [holds up green flag] Alec’s super sus.

ALEC: Why would you do that?!

SONNY: I don’t know, you’re Australian.

ALEC: I’m Scottish! From Scotland!

SONNY: Deflecting! Super sus.

{SONNY CONFESSIONAL: [rubs the back of his neck] I’ve really got to brush up on my accents. I mean, even if I did say that on purpose to throw suspicion off me-- don’t worry, I’m not that stupid--, I still need to brush up. I keep mixing up Italian with Jamaican. Don’t ask how that happens, I don’t know.}

MASON:[holds up white flag] I’m voting for Ethel. We haven’t seen her this entire time.

[All crew members look to ETHEL, who stands there and holds her hands together. She shakes her head.]

ETHEL: I assure you, I was doing tasks.

DWAYNE: [slams fist on table] Silence ! She’s guilty! Guilty !

SONNY: Yeah, that’s what they all say.

BESS: [holds up white flag] Mason has a good point.

ALEC: [holds up white flag]

{ETHEL CONFESSIONAL: I suppose I expected nothing less from them.}

[ETHEL doesn’t vote, forcing them to wait in silence for 30 seconds.]

[ETHEL is ejected. Crew members eagerly await confirmation.]

[ETHEL was An Imposter.]

[Only five members remain. Immediately, ALEC FELL heads to security. Camera follows.]

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: I had to look at security. I had no tasks and some time to kill, so the security booth seemed like the best option for me. At least, if no one comes through the vents.}

[DWAYNE stands in NAVIGATION, downloading data. He has a scowl on his face as he angrily presses buttons.]

DWAYNE: I could have killed Rick Arlen by now.

[To his left, the vent opens up. Camera pans over. MASON QUINTO steps out, takes out a gun, and shoots DWAYNE. He smirks at the corpse in front of him for a moment, then climbs back into the vents.]

{MASON CONFESSIONAL: [cleaning off knife from his last kill] Dwayne never saw me coming. Neither did Lou. I also assisted in the killing of Brady but I’m not telling anyone who my other partner is yet. They’ll find out soon enough.}

[DEAD BODY is REPORTED. All four crew members stand around the table, all quiet. SONNY, who found the body, looks around.]

SONNY: Well, since half of us are Imposters, how about a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who gets ejected?

MASON: No.

ALEC: How about you tell us where the body was found and who was nearby.

SONNY: No one was around and it was in navigation.

BESS: [gasps] That’s where I was right after the last meeting…

MASON: Wait, does that mean--

ALEC: No, I can confirm her whereabouts. She’s okay.

[All four stand in silence. The voting countdown begins.]

SONNY: [holds green flag] I still think it’s Alec.

ALEC: [holds up cyan flag] Och! How unexpected of you!

MASON: [holds up cyan flag] Sonny has been throwing accusations at Alec this entire time.

BESS: [looks around] I’m so sorry…

[After a long moment, Bess holds up a green flag. The voting results are tied. No one is ejected.]

[All crew members stare at each other, no one saying anything.]

{MASON CONFESSIONAL: [loads gun] All according to plan.}

[MASON takes out a gun and shots the ceiling. BESS cries out, ALEC puts a hand on her shoulder, SONNY just stares.]

MASON: Yeah. That’s right. I’m an Imposter. Now, since you know it’s me, I’m going to leave you to all sort it out between yourselves. One of you three is the last one of us.

BESS: Just tell us!

SONNY: He’d never do that.

BESS: [hugging herself] I want to go home…

ALEC: [giving her a kind smile] We all do.

[Voting countdown ends. All votes are for MASON]

{MASON CONFESSIONAL: [chuckles] Do you really think I was going to sacrifice my life for this? I’ve been planning to get ejected since the beginning. I have a small ship of my own waiting outside for me. They eject me? I call it to me and I get inside and wait until my partner executes the next step in the plan.}

[MASON is ejected. The three remaining look for confirmation even though they know the result.]

[MASON was An Imposter.]

[The lights go out. Crew members look up. No one moves. A gunshot is heard.]

[The lights come back on, revealing Bess holding a smoking gun over Sonny’s dead body.]

{BESS CONFESSIONAL: I really hate that I killed Sonny, but if I was gonna win, I needed to kill him. And you know what? I’m beginning to see why Mason and Ethel were actually having fun.}

ALEC: [turns to her, shocked] It was you?

BESS: [points gun at him] Always was .

{BESS CONFESSIONAL: Ha! Those acting classes I took last summer really paid off! And Joe was right. Reckless accusations are fun! Too bad I didn't contribute more.}

{ALEC CONFESSIONAL: [sighs] [takes a bite of a crumpet] [silence] [takes another bite] She offered me a last meal. [takes another bite and waits] I should have seen this coming.}

[gloriafc]

Are you going to listen now?

Paul Lahote hc? About being attacked by vampire and he saves you? Love your writings ❤️ -anonymous

You've been warned multiple times to stay out of the forest, but do you listen? Nope, instead you find yourself doing the exact opposite of what people tell you to do. But that's also how you ended up dating the resident hothead. People tell you stay away and you take two steps forward, it's how you've always been.

So should've your giant wolf of a boyfriend known you would eventually make your way into the forest to take a shortcut, probably.

You didn't realize what was happening at first. When the hairs on the back of your neck started standing up, you thought maybe you were just paranoid. That you shouldn't of watched that scary movie before bed.

When you hear a branch break, you think it's just one of the boys fucking with you. But that doesn't stop you from quickening your pace. You feel yourself getting lost but that doesn't stop you from trudging forward until there's a figure in front of you.

Once you spot his red eyes you can feel your heart beating like no tomorrow.

Even though you know you can't outrun this creature, your fight or flight has you booking it as fast as you can out of the situation.

Before you can process what's happening, you're being held by your neck. You watch as the vampire sort of examines you, his nose twitching and you can only think that he smells the pack on you.

"Not the most appetizing, but you'll do."

You instantly start squirming, trying to get out of his grip. He's quick to throw you, making you hit a tree and land on a boulder.

You bite your lip, preventing you from screaming when you hear your leg snap. You can only hope that what the pack told you about the imprinters feeling the imprints pain is true, if not you're shit out of luck.

When the vampire starts stalking closer, you try your best to scoot back groaning in pain when you fall off the boulder.

"Fuck me."

As your arms grow tired you notice the vampire freeze in place making you turn and stare in the direction he is. You can't help but let out a sigh of relief when you see the wolves break out of the tree line.

You watch as one wolf looks around before it's eyes meet yours, the same eyes as Paul, before it crouches and growls at the vampire who has now vanished. Before you realize what's happening the pack except for the two smallest ones are running chasing the vampire.

You watch as the two wolves head back into the trees and return in their human forms.

"Dude Paul's going to kill you after he kills that vampire." "Shut up Collin, you don't think I don't know that."

You let Collin and Brady help you stand, hissing in pain when you try standing on your left leg. Pushing Collin away after he tries to poke your leg, you let Brady pick you up as the three of you make your journey to Emily's.

"Hurry. If we get there first, it won't be as bad." "Meaning you'll just hide behind Emily until he backs off?" "Exactly."

When the two boys stop and turn you quickly tighten your grip on Brady, knowing exactly what's about to come.

Paul's the first one to break out of the tree line, quick to make his way towards the three of you, the rest of the pack following him.

"Let me see her." "I'm fine right here!"

Paul gives Brady a look, before you're quickly pushed into Paul's arms while you mumble "traitor" under your breath.

You notice everyone has already left you and Paul alone. Paul's quick to set you on a fallen tree.

"Let me see." "Don't touch it!" "Y/N let me see how bad it is."

You reluctantly let Paul examine your leg, wincing when his fingers brush the already giant purple bruise. He sighs before wiping the blood off your face that you didn't know was there and picking you up again, being careful with your leg.

He's quiet most of the way back to Emily's, and then the lecture begins.

"You're so lucky you're alive." "Hey hey hey I feel like-" "Don't even think about finishing that sentence."

He's quick to finishing the lecture before you set your head on his shoulder and he's back into caring boyfriend mode.

"You okay?" "Yeah." "Are you going to listen now? When we say don't do something because it's dangerous." "Mmmm if it involves you saving me while shirtless, nope."

Paul can't help but shake his head and give you that hot half smirk he does. You know he wants to be mad at you, but at the same time he's happy you're alive and okay, and just as witty as you've always been.

"Come on let's get you to the hospital before you die from an infection." "Oooo do you think they'll give me a baby blue cast?"

[feistypaants-archived]

Between The Pipes [Chapter 3]

Rating: M Words: 2105 Pairing: Kristanna Summary: When a new owner takes over the Arendelle Ice Breakers, Kristoff isn’t sure about his future with the team. That is, until a PR nightmare throws the newest member of the media team, who also just so happens to be the daughter of the new owner, right into his arms. Kristoff and Anna can’t even stand the interviews they have to do together… how on earth are they going to fix this mess? Hockey!AU.

[Chapter Index]

Where To Read: [AO3]

Notes: Okay, so far the changing POV per chapter seems to be working. But it’s also repeating scenes so you can get both perspectives on it. Do people like that? Let me know! It’ll probably change up a bit when they start having actual scenes together, but so far I kind of like this format :)

also Kristoff has the hots and Sven knows whats up.

Enjoy!

The second she left the locker room, Kristoff felt his whole body relax. Okay. It seemed like she hadn’t told anyone about how much of an ass he was yet, so maybe he could get ahead of this. Yeah, if he just told coach why he was so rude…

But then again, if she wasn’t planning on telling anyone, then he was outing himself for no reason.

But then again, it would be better for him to just own up to it…

Kristoff dropped his head into his hands, letting out a low and frustrated groan. He hadn’t even noticed that everyone was gearing up until Sven smacked the back of his head and pointed quite forcefully to his cubby. “Skate starts in fifteen, Kris, and if you’re late on day one, Coach will have your ass.” Sven cocked a brow at him before sighing. “Tell me what’s bothering you when we get on the ice, okay?”

Looking up with sad eyes, Kristoff nodded before standing and moving towards his gear. Most of the guys were already ready, moving to head down the runway to the rink before he had even gotten his jock on, and Kristoff moved as quickly as possible. But being a goalie came with more complex gear, and it always took him just a couple extra minutes of prep.

Coach Mattias came back to yell at the last of the stragglers, and Kristoff decided to just run out with his mask under his arm. That’s fine. He’s fine.

He can handle this.

There was no way they’d get rid of their starting goalie because he was a little rude one time to the owner’s daughter.

Right?

Yeah.

He was fine.

Kristoff pulled his mask on tight, grateful that he didn’t see her red hair anywhere in the arena, and stepped onto the ice, the feel and scrape of it underneath his feet immediately calming his nerves. It was almost as if he had no worries when he was out here… except for, you know, trying to win professional hockey games. But that was barely stressful at all.

After a couple laps around the rink to warm up his legs, Kristoff heard a high pitched whistle coming from the other side of the ice. Sven was skating over to him now, and Kristoff started having second thoughts about revealing just exactly went down. He knew Sven would think he was the asshole, but c’mon, was it really so outrageous for him to think that another fan girl found her way into the back of the arena?

… At seven in the morning.

Dressed in business casual wear.

… Okay yeah, he was dumb.

But he was also hungover.

“This is all your fault,” he yelled to his friend, frowning as he got closer. “I blame you entirely.”

“I mean, I guess that’s fair.” Sven couldn’t help but laugh as he slid to a halt in front of Kristoff, punching a gloved hand against his shoulder. “Can I at least know what I’m being blamed for?”

Kristoff bounced in place, glancing around the room to make sure no one else was within ear shot. “I’m hungover and dumb and it’s your fault.”

“You were born dumb, I did not contribute to that.”

Swatting his glove into the side of Sven’s helmet before laughing, Kristoff could feel his tension starting to ease. “Fine, I won’t blame you for that part of it.” His face dropped as he jumped at the sound of Mattias yelling at Zenobio. “Look, I, uh, may have been an asshole to the wrong person.”

Sven clicked his tongue once, already knowing just exactly who the person in question was. “Did you screw her and not call her again? I’ve told you to — ow!” He clenched as the goalie punched him in the arm, and rose his hands up in defeat. “Okay, okay, I know you don’t do that, I’m sorry.” His mitt rose to his helmet to push it back on his head. “What happened?”

With a sigh and a pitiful backwards swizzle, Kristoff confessed the short story to his captain. “I mean, I just assumed she was one of yours or like, Brady’s or something.” 

“At seven am?”

Kristoff nodded.

“Dressed like that?”

Kristoff sighed. 

“God, you are dumb.”

“Okay, but what should I do?” Kristoff felt his body deflating, worry rising up in his bones. If even Sven wasn’t sure how to handle this, he might’ve been shit out of luck.

Sven tapped his stick against his chin, frowning. “I mean, maybe take the lesson and stop being such an asshole.” A grin. “But ultimately, I don’t know… just apologize? Hope it doesn’t bite you in the ass?”

Kristoff nodded before Mattias was shouting at them to stop standing around, and get to practicing. 

Apologize.

Yeah.

He could do that.

—

About two hours later, Kristoff heard Mattias shout across the ice as the team was firing constant shots at him, laughing as he scrambled to catch each and every puck. He looked up, swiftly catching the last puck shot right at his hand, and grinned as Sven started skating over. Until he saw her…

Anxiety pulsed through his veins again as Sven turned around to wink at him briefly before slipping his helmet off and greeting Anna with a handshake.  What was this about? Maybe she just wanted to meet the captain? Maybe he would get another day of not talking to her.

Yeah, easy, this is fine. She only wants to talk to Sven because he’s the captain!

Kristoff could feel himself bouncing on his skates as he watched with narrowed eyes, but he was trying to pass it off as practicing some footwork. He wished he could hear just exactly what was going on across the ice, trying and failing to activate some type of hidden sonar superpower that maybe he didn’t know he had.

It only took a second for his mind to wander, for his eyes to drag down the curve of her leaning over the boards. She was tiny. He could just imagine that the span of his fingers would swallow her waist whole, that his one palm could cover the soft swell of her backside. 

Wait, fuck.

He noticed her jerk her head forward, soft curls bouncing on her shoulders as she did, and then saw Sven look at him with a grin before turning back to her. 

Oh no, please no. If that dickwad tells her anything compromising, he’ll kill him. Kill him dead. Icicles are good murder weapons, right?

Sven started skating back towards him, a fucking smirk stretched across his face. Kristoff was ready to slap it right off of his cocky, pretty boy — 

“She’s nice!” Sven snickered, practically ready to duck from Kristoff’s fist swinging towards his head. “Seriously, man. You should just—“

Bjorgman!

“Oh god please no.”

Sven laughed and patted him on the back. “Think she wants to meet everyone one-on-one. You know what’s funny though”

Kristoff glanced between her, Sven, and coach who was starting to impatiently tap his fingers. “What?”

“She’s totally your type.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

He knew that, god damn it. He was just trying not to think about it. 

Kristoff headed over to the bench, his whole body tense as two sets of watchful eyes stared him down. “Yeah, coach?” He hollered, pushing his mask up and letting it rest on top of his head. He didn’t miss her posture straighten, because god damn it she was fucking hot and he was a dumbass. 

“Miss Ar— ah… Anna was hoping to meet everyone today.” It wasn’t like coach to stumble over his words, but it also wasn’t like the owners to get this familiar with the players. Usually they liked to keep a distance, treat the players like pawns. If they stopped performing, they’d be replaced. No sense in making any sort of personal connections.

Kristoff nodded before glancing over to her, her arms crossed over her chest, and another fucking smirk on her lips. “Right, yeah.” He shook his mitt off, setting it down on the ledge before wiping at his sweaty forehead. “We… kind of met already.”

Her face faltered for just a moment, and Kristoff felt his confidence rise. She wasn’t expecting him to admit to it, was she? Okay, this gave him a bit of an upper hand. 

“Yes, right… if I recall, you were quite —“

Laughing to cut her off, Kristoff leaned forward, his hand on the boards beside his mitt. “Yeah, I wasn’t nice. You see, Sven over there,” he jerked his chin up, watching her closely as her lips turned into a frown. “He convinced me to go out last night. I was just tired and… not myself.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry for what I said, Miss Arne. It was absolutely unacceptable.” He had put on his most convincing act ever, and it seemed to be working. Kristoff let his eyes drop to her mouth, just for a second, as her plush lips parted in slight disbelief. 

“Oh,” she laughed, pulling some of her hair to the front, twisting it gently between her slim fingers. “Oh, gosh, it’s okay!” Her voice was about an octave higher than it was earlier, and Kristoff felt suspicion prickling at the back of his neck. “And it’s just Anna, really.”

Whereas her interaction with Sven seemed casual and comfortable, there was an obvious tension between them, eyes firmly locked onto the other’. “Well, Anna,” he started, his gaze dropping as her movement distracted him; she had shifted her arms to the boards, leaning forward on her palms, elbows tight against her sides, and her chest was now thoroughly emphasized. 

Shitshitshitshit. 

“It’s…” he swallowed thickly, rolling his eyes to the ceiling before shoving his hand out in front of him. “I’m Kristoff. It’s really good to meet you.” 

She sighed and lifted one arm, her slim fingers sliding against his much larger ones. Her skin was velvet, and Kristoff tried his best to ignore the itching in his palm as he grasped her hand firmly. 

She smiled, then. “Can’t wait to work together.”

And then he tore his hand away, slapped his mask down back over his face, and skated away.

… Only to shamefully come back when Mattias whistled and held up his mitt, Anna laughing beside him.

—

They usually went to lunch after morning practices, and today was no different. Except for Sven laughing hysterically at Kristoff’s pouting, red face. 

“You’re totally gonna fuck her.”

“What the hell are you talking about.”

“Oh, baby boy!” Sven clapped one hand on his shoulder, tearing into his sandwich with the other. “This is a classic case of hate sex! Fueled by an intense distaste and extreme sexual attraction.” 

Kristoff felt his cheeks flush deeper as he shrugged away from his friend, picking at his burger. “Why would I fuck someone I hate?”

“Because the chemistry is too much to bear until you tear into one another, in more ways than one.” He winked, his laughter calming, and took another bite of his food. His mouth was full as he continued. “I mean, obviously you’re you and you want a connection or whatever, but...” he swallowed before finishing. “C’mon dude. She’s hot and you haven’t gotten laid in like over a year.”

Kristoff didn’t even want to eat anymore. 

Maybe it was true, that he was a little into her. She had stayed for the rest of the practice and he had a hard time focusing on what was going on around him. But so did some of the other guys. They were all thrown off by having that fire of a woman observing. “How do you know she’s single? Or straight? Or maybe she wants to fuck Jacobs?” Kristoff picked up a tomato before dropping it back onto his plate in disgust. “Also, she hates me.”

Sven let out another chuckle. “Listen. I talked to all the guys afterward.” He turned in his chair to face the goalie. “They all had run of the mill, my-name, her-name, shake hands and leave meetings. You’re the only one that had something like that —“

“Yes, because she hates me.”

“And…” Sven pinched Kristoff’s cheek and Kristoff couldn’t help but smack his friends’ hand away. “She couldn’t stop staring at you.”

“You’re delusional.”

“Nah, baby, I know women. And I know you. And she, my friend, is probably your future wife.”

Kristoff could only grunt in reply before popping one lonely fry into his mouth. 

Sven didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.