#the stranger danger / fear of something In The Neighborhood or living next door is in fact the entire film

[aidenwaites]

The thing about Halloween (1978) is when you don't watch Halloween (1978) for a few years you forget how good Halloween (1978) actually is

[drdemonprince]

That ask about small talk and fear reminded me: a few days ago my partner and I were at our local café. I went to use the restroom and found the toilet seemingly backed up, so went and told a worker since I didn't want to try using it and then make it worse. A random guy who'd been there for a while came over and said "Want me to take a look at it?" We all thought it was Weird and Creepy but he genuinely just wanted to help, and managed to fix it! It was great! He was just a kind stranger wanting to help. And as we left later it hit me how sad it is that fear was our initial reaction. I wish I would've thanked the guy instead of being awkwardly frozen. But it also gave me a little hope and a reminder that most people are just like me, just a person trying to enjoy the life we have and be nice to others.

Yes, I really do believe that if we are invested in mad pride and disabled liberation at all, we gotta take that initial knee-jerk reaction of "this person is weird" or "this behavior is breaking unspoken social scripts" and throw it into the fucking garbage.

No one is a bad person for feeling wary in that way, it is a socially conditioned response -- but it is very dangerous. It's the same kind of thing that leads to people covering their homes in security cameras and calling the cops on children knocking on their neighbor's doors in search of their missing cat. You probably would never do anything of that nature, of course! But it's all part of the same social ideology. And that ideology keeps you isolated and less likely to seek help -- it doesn't keep any of us safe.

Personally I LOVE talking to fucking WEIRD PEOPLE. I spent an hour this summer at a picnic table talking to a tweaked out guy covered in facial tattoos and scales about my aura and the psychic journey he was on and shit. It turns out that he was a trans woman in the 1980s but he didn't have the language for it! He was drawn to me because he could tell I was gender-weird too, and because he said I had a very open looking soul. I could scoff at that or I could be afraid of him, but why??? He was fucking cool! he had a ton of fascinating life experiences and is friends with a lot of the other people I see on the streets in my neighborhood. Turned out we were both Aries' and we talked about that a ton too.

I also met a guy in a dusty old cowboy hat in the park by Loyola beach who told me he is the official 'patriarch of the park' and gets to decide who he allows to pick up litter there. He pointed to a very clean-cut white woman stabbing at trash with a stick and a needle and told me that he had given her personal clearance to clean up "his" park. She might seem like a fussy white suburban type lady, he conveyed, but she was interested in making the space better for everyone and wasn't doing any Kareny shit, so she was welcome.

Last weekend I was going to a free concert in Ping Tom Park and edgy 19 year old punk kids danced next to 70 year old Chinese retirees and middle-aged yuppie parents and their toddlers and homeless people and 50 something Mexican old head techno fans and it was the loveliest fucking thing in the world. A guy up the street from the park was selling dozens of old back packs and coats and electronics on his front lawn and I dug through them and chatted before getting there.

Living in a city and spending a lot of time outside, I meet people like that a lot, and my life is immeasurably enriched by it. It makes me sick and sad that so many human beings never get to talk to strangers like this, recoil from homeless people or people on drugs, and fear any stranger's intrusion into their life. I think even a lot of left leaning, queer people harbor these reactions and chalk them up to things like "being afraid of men" or "being afraid of straight people" and we even promote that kind of thinking within our communities at times. I find it very damaging. Some of the most wholesome experiences in my life have been random nice/warm things cishet men on the street have done for me.

[chokingonpaper]

Ohla Bola, how are you today? I come bearing a request; ej, with a "kidnapped" s/o, but they went willingly, because they are a monster lover, and who would pass up the opportunity to be with that hunk of a demon 🥵 (I know I wouldnt). So the gist of it is, they are compliant, they know exactly what is going on, manipulation wise, dont care because they are finally being loved (emotional distant parents maybe?) And fully reciprocate the affections and obsessions that ej has for them. (Maybe they see it as the only way they will ever find true love?)

If this is possible? Many thanks adieu

Im doing good, and of course! Again, I might make a part two :D This ended up kind of being the prologue for how this would go in the future ig- If I make a part two it’ll be more about the kidnapping and stuff like that

Also happy 100 posts!

//

𝐍𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞 (𝐄𝐉 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

//

1,390 words

//

You had always been a lonely person. Often times people avoided you, and the people that decided to stick around always seemed to fade away sooner or later.

You lived at the edge of your neighborhood with most of your house concealed by large, dark trees. The community was always planning things and arranging little parties, but you never went. It wasn’t entirely other people’s fault that you were alone, you just weren’t that interested in other people. Though a part of you yearned for a friend, someone that understood you and wouldn’t leave at only a moments notice. But that person hadn’t arrived yet, and you had given up hope that they ever would.

Life was dull, and every morning you woke up you wondered if anything would ever change. Every day was the same. Wake up, go to work, get home, and sleep. Then it’d repeat over, and over, and over again. Every time you came home you found your house empty, and you were once again reminded of how alone you were.

But then one day you felt the strange feeling of eyes on your back. Not having very many friends, you often spent your time observing rather than socializing. You knew this feeling very well, and you knew that you were being watched. Yet along with this unnerving feeling, you felt a rush you’d never experienced before. You weren’t alone, and for whatever reason you were okay with that.

Whenever you walked through the kitchen, you felt eyes trailing you from your windows. You didn’t know who the person was or why they were watching you. You hadn’t even managed to catch a glimpse of them yet.

Whenever you got ready for work and headed out the door, you felt the same thing. Even when you were at work, you swore you could still feel their presence. A part of you wondered if you had just made this person up, just to make you feel less alone. By the other part of you wondered if you were in danger. If this was real, you had a stalker on your hands, and you had no idea who it could be.

It could be a coworker, an old employer, or even just a passing customer. Their identity was completely unknown, and you spent hours pondering who they could possibly be and what they looked like. But they were good at hiding themselves, and you hadn’t even seen a shadow.

Weeks passed and you began to tell yourself that it was all in your head, but then knocking came. It was almost like it was to reassure you that they were there, that they hadn’t left, and that they were anything but imaginary.

The first time it happened you nearly jumped out of your chair, but as time passed and the little knocks and taps continued, they became almost comforting. You weren’t supposed to feel at peace when you had a stalker, but it’d been so long and they hadn’t hurt you yet, so who’s to say they ever would? They might just be an observer, like you.

But soon enough just observing wasn’t good enough for them. It had been over a month, and now Jack wanted a little more than just standing to the side and watching your life as if it were a movie. He wanted to be around you, to hold you, to be the one to take you away from your loneliness. He knew how little you went out besides when you had to work, and he knew how much you wanted someone to talk to and spend time with. He’d seen you watch groups of friends with envy, wondering what it was like to be so close to someone. He’d seen you lie on your back staring up at the ceiling, feeling so empty that you couldn’t even cry. Jack had seen you stare out the window where he stood only a moment ago with eyes full of desperation, silently begging him to reveal himself.

He knew you, and he wanted to take you away from everything you disliked about the world.

So the next time you looked out the window with a sad sigh, he decided to try something he’d never even thought to do before. Jack slowly stepped out of the shadows and in front of your window, finally allowing you to see the dark figure who had been watching you nearly every hour of every day.

Your eyes widened in pure shock and you froze, just studying the man who had presented himself to you.

He was tall, several inches above six feet. His physique was impressive, with broad shoulders and muscular arms. Though he was at a distance, you could tell how much he towered over you. He stood still, holding eye contact with you and staring you down with an intense gaze. Anyone could see that this man wasn’t someone to be messed with, and it was already clear to you that you weren’t getting out of this one.

But even if you could, would you want to?

Then suddenly he was no longer still, and his noticeably large hands reached for the window. The window was locked, but you guessed he already knew this. This was was a stranger who had been stalking you for a little over a month. You had never seen him before, and you knew damn well that if he got into your home he could overpower you with ease. Yet as your heart beat faster, pounding loudly in your chest, you hesitantly stepped towards the window.

A small sliding lock was the only thing keeping the man out, though you could guess he had other ways of getting in if he needed to. After all, the windows weren’t bullet-proof.

You gulped down a lump of nervousness and placed your shaking hand over the lock. The man, Jack, watched with interest as you slowly unlocked it, giving him access to your home, and to you.

Why were you doing this? Why were you letting him in? You were unlike any human he’d ever encountered before, and that only made his desire to keep you for himself grow.

Not doing anything more than unlocking it, you backed away from the window as the man pushed it open and climbed inside. Once he stood at his full height you looked up at him in awe. Covering his face was a navy blue mask that dripped black from the eyes. It sent a chill down your spine and froze you in place. Now that he was closer it was only more obvious just how strong he was. He was so much taller than you and obviously very strong. He was the definition of intimidating, and if you weren’t frozen in place you would have crumbled to the ground.

The two of you stared at each other in silence for what felt like hours, but then he took a step forward and your eyes widened.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” His voice came out less comforting than you would have liked. It was deep and incredibly raspy, as if he hadn’t spoken in weeks.

You nodded slowly, his words not really making you feel any safer. “W-Who are you?” You asked in a tone only a bit above a whisper. It was clear that you were afraid, yet you made no attempt to leave.

“I’m Jack.” He answered simply, not offering any more information that could help you understand what exactly was going on. You had just let your stalker into your home, and now you were having a semi-calm conversation with him.

Jack soon took another step towards you, and now only about a foot was between you.

“I’m going to take you with me. Either cooperate, or I’ll knock you out. Understand?” He stated lowly, staring down at you with complete seriousness. You were about to be kidnapped, but instead of fear you felt almost… relieved. Someone wanted you. Someone wanted you so badly that they were going to simply take you. It sounded so wrong, so terrifying, yet all you could think about was how you would no longer be alone.

And so you nodded, letting him silently lead you out of your house and into the tree line from which you would never emerge from again.

[missinghan]

caged in this lullaby ⤖ lee felix

❖ genre : assassin au; cop au; action; fluff; angst

❖ word count : 7,2k.

❖ warning : explicit language, mentions of blood, arson & violence 

❖ summary : felix ultimately lets go of all and allows himself to drown in the ashes of bitter tragedy to see what stays. the last thing he’d expect is a stranger with his greatest secret. 

❖ dedicated to @blueprint-han​ : a continuation of aria of an assassin. song used — the lullaby by sophism, all credits to the owner. 

prologue.

Fire cares not for the time it vanishes, only that it gives the world heat and light.

The entire building burns deeply in red, orange, and yellow. The cries of the neighborhood echoes into the night with sirens blaring in the background. Your frozen figure can only watch in terror as glowing embers dance and twirl, searing through the ground, ripping through the roof in despair. Tendrils of smoke are reaching into the sky desperately as if attempting to escape the blazing inferno below.

“Kid, I wanna have Chinese for dinner today.”

“Okay, and I should care because…?”

“Because I’m housing your ungrateful ass.”

No. No!

You drop the plastic bags in your hand, your muscles move before your mind can register what’s happening. The next thing you know, you’re racing to the heart of danger, utterly unfazed about the fact that fire is the most beautiful weapon of them all. Powerful. Destructive. Heartless. In mere moments, everything you love can be reduced into nothing but sheer ashes.

“But we always have Chinese!”

“Who’s paying again? Was it you? No, I don’t think so.”

Tears blur your vision and you elect to ignore every white noise buzzing at the back of your head. Each step you take is rather a negotiation than an order. Your limbs move like they never belonged to you. This agony has an unpleasant warmth to it, eating at your stomach and searing inside your rib cage. Your body concedes to the torment, unable to bring a single thought into consideration. The entirety of your existence yearns to curl into something fetal, something primeval, and all while the pain burns and radiates.

“Officer! Stop her! She’s running into the fire!”

“Child! What are you doing?! It’s dangerous!”

But what you’re going through is nothing compared to his torment. He’s in there. Writhing and suffering alone. It must be so painful, so cold despite the enraged flames around him. 

When a strong pair of arms slip around your body and every motion comes to a stop, there is a scream of the mouth and lungs, the sound of his name lingers on the tip of your tongue. Because a response is impossible, there comes a scream of the eyes and soul, the kind that bypasses the ears and speaks right to the heart. 

You forget how to scream from that day on because you are either left with dead silence or punished with cruelty. 

Because you couldn’t save him.

one.

The housekeeper wakes with a tight knot in her stomach. Her body topples the sheets over to reach for her nightstand, flickering on some source of light. Only silence accompanies the hard throbbing inside her chest until a loud thud comes from the hallway. Her body jolts up instantly, a hand over her chest as a soft string of melody saunters into the emptiness of the night.

“When the night is falling, and you have lost your way.”

Her quivering figure quickly exits her room with a flashlight. Her right hand clutches at her other one as an attempt to stop the shaking as adrenaline sears through her vessels. With dreaded steps, the housekeeper manages to reach the staircase, approaches the end of it, and proceeds toward the living room.

“When the rain is storming, and your world’s turned to gray.” 

The voice smoothly slips through the chilling nightfall like an allure yet there’s nothing musical about it. The lullaby sometimes goes off-tune or comes out in broken waves as though whoever’s singing genuinely doesn’t care. They sound more dead than angry, more tired than irate, making her innards shift uneasily. 

“When the wolves await outside, and you feel like you’ve nowhere to hide.”

“Oh, don’t you worry, just remember. Remember when I said.”

And they stop. The housekeeper musters up every bit of courage left. A breath in. A breath out. 

In the darkroom, even the ticking clock has a relaxed feeling, as if it’s merely a heart-beat at rest. She feels as though the air moves like cool water and the aroma of the house owner’s scented candles infuse her far more deeply than it did in the light of day. The hollow space is etched with charcoal, the fabrics are muted hues as if they too await dawn to ignite their colors for all to see. The moment she heaves a sigh of relief, her eyes make the mistake of averting to the ceiling, unveiling a scene of unimaginable terror.

Fear floods her system, it pumps and beats like it’s trying to escape. Her heart might as well explode right now because even her jaw is shaking non-stop. Her body urges her to either run fast, away from the horror laid out flat in front of her eyes, or to stay quiet and do the right thing, calling the police. But instead, she remains where she’s standing. 

There is Mr. Yuuki, the house owner she’s been working for over three years, hung upon the crystal chandelier. His limp body lets its limbs stick out awkwardly, white eyes rolled to the back of his head as blood drips to the floor, forming a dark pool. The flashlight drops to the floor, and so does her trembling gaze. She gasps sharply when a thick smear of crimson is splattered across the wooden tiles, sinking into the cracks like poison. 

Her adrenaline surges so fast she almost vomits, she can taste saliva thickening in her throat and beads of sweat trickling down on her forehead. At some point, she’ll have to move and risk the chance of getting herself killed.

Just then, a shadow comes into view and her legs go weak, letting her body collapse to the ground like a crooked puppet. Incoherent pleas pour from her lips as she screws her eyes shut, bracing herself for whatever comes next. “Please! I’ll do anything! I won’t call the police! Just don’t kill me, please! Please!”

Footsteps are advancing toward her, getting louder by the tick of the clock. They echo listlessly until the sound slowly fades away, only a soft response comes afterward.

“Greetings to his boss for me.”

two.

The mansion has been his home for decade upon decade, embraced by nature on the outskirts of the city, away from all the noises, the buzzing flow of time people have signed their souls up for. It is all concrete and tall glass windows that give overlooking views of the clear horizon, a chance to relax and take in the changing of the seasons from the comfort of an easy chair.

Yet coming from the hollow building is a strange sound, a melodic voice of pain and sorrow, of heartache and loss. The tune is soft, like grass on a summer day, or the tenderness in the air in which only spring possesses. It can fill one with warmth while weaving a sad tale of indescribable, rather forgotten memories.

“Darling, close your weary eyes. Everything will be fine.”

“Let the breeze wipe away your tears. There is no need to cry.” 

He’s seated at the edge with his back straight, he no longer feels dwarfed by the grand piano as he used to as a kid. His fingers are limber as they glide on ivory first and ebony after, his neck slightly bent down, tousling his hair to the front while his eyes flutter shut in serene. 

“You can lay down. No one will hurt you.”

The music stand lies empty, has been so for years. He only ever reads the notes within his mind because he goes as far as playing the instrument to this day for this peculiar lullaby. Slowly, the music seems to fill the room to the brim, then spills out through doors and windows and the cracks in the walls, while at the source trembling fingers dance sweetly on.

He knows that he needs to calm down. 

“Let your fears be carried by the streams. The twilight gleam watches over you.”

In his head, he reads through the music scrupulously as though he’s practicing during the old, innocent days, beat by beat, bar by bar, note by note. His fingers know precisely where to go and how each key reacts when he applies the same, adequate amount of pressure. It’s as though he can make the hammer hit each string in a way to resonate with the most beautiful of sounds. 

The thought of playing as a kid eases the spike in his heartbeat and clears his mind. He can still vividly remember the first time he got lifted onto the bench on his sixth birthday, his tiny legs dangled over the edge and his figure completely overwhelmed by the mammoth-sized instrument. His arms could barely span the length of the keyboard, his feet could only do so much as graze the pedal below.

“And when the morning arises…”

He recalls the mounts of sheets cluttering his father’s old bookshelves in such ways that he himself can’t remember their initial color. He recalls the tall figure seating beside him each time, guiding his hands across the keys, ones that were unfamiliar to music and the swell it can bring to one’s chest. He recalls those starry eyes staring down at him, the outburst of laughter, and the cat-like smile that brings love and harmony to his fragile soul. 

“I shall be by your side…”

Yet he never recalls a proper goodbye, only tears.

“Minho.”

The melody pauses sharply, his body stiffens at the name. Minho isn’t here.

“Minho, is that you?” Minho isn’t here, a voice inside him snaps.

A deep breath. He elects to ignore the strings that are bound to break inside his chest before pushing himself off the wooden bench. With a swift turn, he sees Mrs. Lee standing by the door with her hair in her face, her soulless eyes lighting up once they graze the sight of him. “Minho, my sweet child. You’ve come home. You’ve finally come home!” Her voice echoes in joy, a hand clamped over her mouth as her eyes brim with tears.

Minho isn’t here! His heart yells aloud, yet his mind can’t comply.

He doesn’t know what’s urging him to approach her, to let her lean on him. Perhaps, it’s guilt. Or the yearning for the warmth of a mother who abandoned him long ago. “Yes, mother, I’m home,” he sighs softly when she clutches at his shirt. “I’m never going to leave you again.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be here.”

Hurried footsteps flood the hallway rapidly until the housekeeper barges through the door, simply breaking the agonizing silence. “Good gracious, Mrs. Lee! Goodness, she must have forgotten about her sleeping pills again.” She then hastily rushes to his side, supporting Mrs. Lee by her waist while bowing continuously. “Young Master, please, allow me.”

“It’s alright, you’ve done enough,” he waves his hands with a small smile. “I’ll tuck her back to bed, today is my day off anyway. You may go home and rest now.”

He can’t forget how much lighter Mrs. Lee has gotten, how paler her face has been. He’s afraid that one wrong movement and he might send her frail body flying to the floor. Only when she’s fully covered by her blanket, the stars come out to play and the evening takes on the aroma of a breezy night. He likes this, the softness, the quietness of the sense of resting. Moonlight is streaming through the windows yet his mind, clouded with grey, throbs uncontrollably when he realizes the sudden pang inside his chest. 

It’s been fifteen years…

His phone rings. “Sergeant Lee Felix, Seoul P.D,” he keeps his voice from shaking. Suddenly, his eyes grow wide. “I’ll be there.”

And I still couldn’t do anything for you.

three.

Light fog seeps into the depthless night when Felix exits his car, throwing on his blazer in a hurry as he staggers toward a water fountain. There’s barely any vehicles operating at this hour, leaving the streets chilling and empty. He quickly checks his watch one last time. One AM on the dot. Another sleepless night.

“Lix! Over here!”

His blank expression breaks into a grin when two familiar faces come into view. “Changbin? Hyunjin? You both got called in too?”

“Yeah, can’t believe the Chief had the audacity to interrupt my beauty sleep for a simple homicide,” the taller officer, Hyunjin, has his face contorted in faint annoyance, brushing through his long locks of hair with his gloved hand.

“The night duty squad is handling another case on the other side of the city. We know the neighborhood like the back of our hands,” Changbin gives him a hard smack on the chest, only to wince quietly later to himself. Ugh, I’m so out of shape. “If anything, we have the best chance to catch up to the culprit.”

Hyunjin protests with a forced smile, “Shut up, Lieutenant, I know that.”

“Alright, let’s review,” Felix hops into the conversation, clasping his hands together in feigned excitement. “Someone dialed 911 with a murder case on the line. The culprit, escaped or not, we’re still uncertain of. But they did leave behind a witness.”

His coworkers nod simultaneously as he recaps what Seungmin told him on the phone earlier and the three of them find themselves standing right before the provided address.  The house seems oddly quiet for someone getting murdered. “Right, chances are they’re still in there. We’d better-”

The front door comes flying open. A woman dressed in her nightgown collapses to the ground instantly, fear echoing through the rumble of her voice. “Help! P-Please! Mr. Yuuki! He-He’s dying! Please, I beg you! Save him!” With her face buried in her hands, a wave of laughter bubbles up her windpipe, shaking her core tremendously. “They did it again! They’ve claimed another victim!”

Changbin is the first one to step up, helping the housekeeper to her feet. “Miss, please try your best to stay calm. Everything is alright now, we’re here because you did the right thing of calling us. You’re safe with us,” he gently supports her by the shoulders, his voice soft but serious. “If it’s okay for me to ask, what exactly happened to Mr. Yuuki? Is there anyone else inside?”

The housekeeper seems to still be shaken. Tears are threatening to fall but she bites them back, shaking her head to answer the second question first. “N-No, Mr. Yuuki has a son but he’s currently studying in Europe so I’m the only one other than…” 

Her voice trails off, the pools of tears in her eyes are clouded with those moments of horror she wishes she could erase forever. “It was horrible! I-I was having trouble sleeping before a strange sound woke me up completely. Someone was singing. Th-The culprit was singing. And there was s-so much blood. Mr. Yuuki was hung upon the chandelier when I went downstairs! So-So much blood. I didn’t know how- or why- I- I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know!”

“Miss, please try to stay calm. I won’t ask you any more questions, I am not here to interrogate you,” Changbin exhales deeply, looking over at his underlings. “Hyunjin, go check up on Mr. Yuuki. Felix, look for the culprit. I’ll call Seungmin for more back-ups.”

The two officers comply, “Roger that.”

Entering the house, Felix is bathed in a whirlwind of chilling silence and utter darkness. The smell of blood makes something inside him twitch, prompting him to look over at his friend. “I’ll go upstairs, you stay down here and handle the body until Jisung or Seungmin comes.” 

The Sergeant advances up the long flight of stairs with his gun clutched between his hands. Almost immediately, he takes notice in the stream of moonlight illuminating the end of the hallway and rushes toward the wide-opened door. His figure barges into the room with caution and is met with the night breeze kissing his face and white curtains fluttering gently. 

Just then, a loud bang is heard in the distance. 

Felix feels himself tense up, eyes darting from one place to another in hopes of finding- there! On the rooftop from across the streets. 

In a heartbeat, he picks up his transceiver and speaks, “I have eyes on the suspect. Pursuing on foot.” With his feet on the window frame and his arms on the tiles of the roof, he manages to lift himself while his muscles contract in pain. Facing forward, Felix begins to sprint. 

The wind screams into his ears, his feet flying over steel and leaves. His shoes pound heavily across the hard surface, causing what’s remaining of the downpour this morning to slash up his legs. From one rooftop to another, his calves burn tremendously yet he keeps darting past houses, buildings, and trees with his eyes glued onto the shadow before his eyes. 

Adrenaline courses throughout his system; he can feel his whole body working, his leg muscles running warm, a thin layer of sweat covers his nape. The cold air keeps biting at his blood and lungs but he keeps his breaths as steady as he can, pushing harder and going faster. For a split moment, his foot slips when his mind is frantic with cloudy thoughts. How is it possible for one to move this fast?

The hooded figure a few feet ahead of him speaks volumes in the silence; they’re running. They’re running like the devil himself is in pursuit. Only it’s worse because the felon is flesh and blood and means to send people straight to hell just the same way. His breathing quickens at the thought process, trying to appease his need for oxygen. 

Several thuds of footfalls later, he finally decreases the proximity although fresh air now shocks his lungs, making him want to spurt and pass out in exhaustion. His body trembles from the consistent pace he’s forced himself into, yet his hands lift the firearm swiftly, his gaze shaking with the pounding inside his chest. 

It only takes so much strength to pull the trigger. He shouldn’t be hesitating like this. Felix stops himself completely, regains his composure, and raises his gun once again. He elects to ignore the blood roaring in his ears, the throbbing of his anxious heart, and squeezes the trigger. 

The bullet cuts through air and comes flying toward the wanted figure, missing them by a strand of hair. His face contorts in anger as he mumbles out a curse word. He missed. He shouldn’t have. He can’t miss. Missing isn’t an option. 

Felix pumps his legs, gaining momentum with each push. But it feels gut-wrenching all of a sudden after a few thrusts forward—his body is giving in. He watches the culprit quicken their pace until their steps turn into leaps. Just a few more feet and they’ll jump the other side of the neighborhood. 

He won’t make it in time. 

Three. Two. One. The figure gathers enough strength and takes one final leap into the night. His heart immediately drops to the pit of his stomach, every movement comes to a full stop like the sudden stretch of silence within his rib cage. 

“Shit!” He perks up at the scream and glass shattering. “Ow! Ah! Ouch! Ugh…” And...dogs barking?

“Oh come on!”

four.

His feet slip outwards on the wet autumn leaves as he rounds the corner, his breaths coming out in spurts, hot and nervous as he inhales deeper, faster. With each footfall, a jarring pain shoots ankle to knee, ankle to knee. Perhaps jumping off someone’s rooftop in a time crunch wasn’t the smartest decision. 

“Give me a break. Do you have any idea how much time it took me to outrun those dogs?”

“I won’t let you slip away. It’s best for either party if you cooperate. Don’t do anything foolish and mercy might be an option,” Felix clicks a bullet into the chamber, gaze falling onto the hooded figure.

In the dim light that oozes through a narrow gap lies the alleyway. It's the underworld of any town: gloomy and unpleasant. Darkness is lurking in every corner inside the labyrinth of narrow passages and dead ends. Litter is dumped on the street and birds nest amongst the sprawling rot. Moonlight lights up the pathway for him, making it easier to back the felon up into the corner. 

“One more step, officer, I dare you.” A warning like poison pours into his ears.

Although something seems different this time. They sound more frantic. Is there something that’s bothering them? “You just committed murder, you filthy scumbag. One more step, I dare you.”

“Oh, you’re so unoriginal,” they clutch their right arm and chuckle lightly. Felix squints his eyes with the limited source of light; inevitably, they go wide upon seeing crimson dripping to the ground. But as the second ticks by, less and less blood pour from the wound as though the muscles and skin are simultaneously closing up the seams. 

What the hell am I looking at?

A smirk. “Don’t mind if I do.”

What are they... Wait, shit-

At the kind of speed he never thought humans could acquire, the hooded figure approaches him in what seems like seconds. The sudden whiplash blows the hood back and allows them to bathe in the moonlight raw.

 “Say, what are you going to do with a filthy scumbag like me again?” Something sharp and shiny comes into contact with the warmth of his flesh but he can’t bring himself to register or counter it.

Your features flash before his eyes, glowing from within, leaving him in complete awe. Although you’re talking nothing but venom, pain is evident in the crease of your lovely brows and the way your lips are pressed into a straight line. Your eyes are deep pools of restless gold, an ocean of hopeless grief. There’s something so damn familiar about you. Felix almost finds himself resonating within your agony. He almost gasps.

In this growing light, your dark silhouette becomes full colors. 

But why aren’t you moving? He’s completely open like this.

“You!” Your voice suddenly trembles and so do your pupils. “You-You’re-”

Snapping back to his senses, Felix leaves no time for you to finish your sentence and grabs your armed limb with one hand while striking a harsh blow at your stomach with the other. You let out a hushed wince at the impact, falling to the cement ground along with the blade in your palm. He swiftly flips you over, cuffs your hands, and puts his gun at the back of your head. 

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.”

“Oh, spare me, Robin,” you involuntarily snort. “I’ll be gone before you can finish reading my rights.”

He nearly sneers, “Move an inch and I’ll put a bullet through your head. Your hands are cuffed, don’t you try to make your face worse than it already is.”

“I’m an Ace, darling. It’d be insulting if a pair of handcuffs and your scrawny little ass could stop me.”

His grip on the gun grows a fraction tighter, his heart starts beating faster at the name. “You work for the House of Cards?” The name rolls off his tongue bitterly, leaving a lick of fury consuming the rational side of his brain.

House of Cards—thieves, terrorists, assassins, dealers—the largest criminal organization that has been the dread of the country for decades. Just like the playing cards, the organization consists of four main groups: Diamonds, Clubs, Hearts, and Spades. The Kings and Queens lead these groups for they’re either new or incompetent for the higher ranks. The Jacks come second in commanding and are often advisors while the Jokers remain anonymous to all as messengers. The four Aces are the most trusted by the chairman and only take orders from him themselves.

“I do,” you reply flatly, a sigh going unnoticed. “Shouldn’t you be fleeing by now upon receiving this information?”

“A murder. A gunshot right across the street. A living witness,” he grits with a timid smile. “All that and you call yourself an Ace? We’ve encountered worse than amateurs like you. You’ll be rotting behind the bars before you know it.”

“I like your optimism, officer. Genuinely, it's a blessing for you to bring us light in this time of darkness,” you turn sideways, smirk, and make sure that he sees it. “Ignorance is truly bliss sometimes.”

Something inside him snaps, water overflows the cup and he instantly grabs you by your head, burying it further into dust and cement. “I don’t know who you think you are. But you clearly don’t know what I’m capable of and the fact that I will stop at nothing to bring your boss down. I will make him face justice as you’re hearing it from the news in prison. I’ve promised. I’ve sworn.”

“Oh?” You dare to glance at him again. “I never knew cops detested my boss so much. Or is it just you? Is your hatred personal? You’ve broken a protocol from the get-go, haven’t you? Is it the reason why you even became an officer in the first place?”

Shit, Felix curses inwardly as your words stab him in the chest, twisting the tip of the blade deeper and deeper as though you’re not allowing him to breathe properly. His hands start shaking; the vibration against your nape makes you exhale, drawing yet another grin on your lips. “Tell me, who did they kill?”

To hell would he ever tell you.

“A family member?” Focus. 

“Your loved one?” Cover your ears. 

“Or a close friend, perhaps?” One wrong move. 

His shaking freezes midway, his voice comes out monotonous. “Shut up.” And you’ll die. 

“Bingo,” you feign excitement before clearing your throat. “Also, I wouldn’t pull the trigger if I were you. Because I am your best asset to get to my boss. You and I aren’t so different, trust me. After all, we both want his head.”

He yelps in surprise when you twist your back slightly, swinging your arm and elbowing his jaw while disarming him simultaneously. With a swing of your leg, he loses his balance on the knees and lands harshly on his back. 

With your knife pointed at his neck, your orbs bore onto his like you’re about to set him on fire. He gulps nervously, “What? How did you?”

“Listen up, I have a deal for you.” 

You were injured, how could you risk tearing your wound up like that? His chest rises then falls inconsistently, eyes darting to your forearm. It’s no longer bleeding. There’s no way! 

“...what are you?”

“Call me what you want. Murderer. Killer. An assassin. A monster.”

Felix squirms under your grip, spatting in aggression, “If so, you’re daydreaming if you have the audacity to believe that I will get my hands bloodied with you.”

“I’m not telling you to pick a side, officer. I’m just trying to say that I know something you don’t and you know something I don’t. If we pool our information we might actually have a good shot at capturing the bastard. If you brought me back to headquarters now, I’d escape either way and you’d get nothing from me. But if you pretend like our encounter never happens, you’ve got yourself a new partner.”

“What feud do you have with your boss so bad that you’re willing to work with a police officer like me?”

“I never considered him as my boss. I never considered the organization as a place that I belonged to. No one knows who the leader is. I’ve been tracking him down for years already.”

“...what? That’s-“

“They killed someone very important to me, too.”

five.

Chan murmurs tiredly at the knock on his door, “Who’s there?”

“Sergeant Lee’s present to report on the assassin from last night, Chief.”

“Come in.”

Chan fixes his collar as Felix closes the door shut, strides straight into his office, and collapses on the nearest armchair. Usually, he’d be complaining about the lack of sunlight in the Chief’s working space. Because like any other civil office, there are enough windows for one not to choke to death but Chan has made a habit of keeping them close. Now, he decides to open the blinds and lets the light in completely, prompting Felix to throw an arm over his eyes dramatically. 

“Shut it. The lights are killing me,” he groans aloud, forehead creasing in frustration. Focus. 

Chan says pointedly, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms, “But you look like shit.”

“Of course I look like shit. You should try chasing down an Ace yourself some time. Really, it’s been a pleasant distraction from my unfinished paperwork and impotent stress,” the junior officer mumbles, dropping his arm and staring blankly at the space ahead. 

“Yeah, I’ve heard,” Chan sighs, sitting back. “It just makes sense, you know. Yuuki and his neighbor were moles the Yakuza planted in that filthy organization. No wonder their leader had to send one of the four Aces to finish him off.”

Felix closes his eyes for a moment, resting his arms on his knees, the muscles are still aching from last night’s incident. His fingers unconsciously reach for his bare neck, tracing the shallow cut as goosebumps bubble upon his skin. Focus. “Enough being mopey,” Chan grins and slaps something cold against his cheek, causing his friend to jolt up in surprise. “Aren’t you here to report?”

He flashes Felix a cheeky smile when the younger clenches the cold towel on his face in annoyance. Nonetheless, there’s a twinge of faint nostalgia and affection lighting up inside his stomach—the kind that comes from long-time friends. “Alright, I gotta come back to my desk before Changbin goes off about my productivity anyway.”

“Good, elaborate,” Chan whips out a pen with his crusty notebook, eyes narrowing and turning serious. 

“The Ace escaped,” Felix starts, “After checking in with Yuuki’s housekeeper, Hyunjin and I went inside the house. He handled the body while I was heading upstairs. I pursued them as soon as I heard the gunshot from across the streets. I only managed to wound them from afar, but it’s not enough to slow them down. They were too fast so I was outpaced at the end.”

The Chief raises a dark brow, eyeing the cut on his throat, “I can see that you’re injured, too. Did they shoot you? Seungmin only found a semi-auto pistol next to the second victim.”

“No… I did this to myself during the chase,” Felix touches his wound again, gulping, “They only carried a knife, of all the things.” Don’t be obvious. You can’t risk getting them to suspect you. 

“You couldn’t get close enough to see if we’re dealing with a man or a woman, right?” Chan then casts a meaningful look at the mountain of unfiled paperwork upon his desk, feigning interest in the light reading that awaits him for the rest of the day. 

“Unfortunately, no. They have a good physique, clearly well-trained and more skilled than the little fries we’d managed to throw behind the bars,” Felix shakes his head, eventually pushing himself off the black armchair. “What about the housekeeper? According to what I’m able to recall, she did, in fact, see the Ace.”

Chan wants to scream at the mention, fingers massaging his temples. “That woman is far too traumatized to even speak a word right now. She’s been giving Seungmin headaches all morning.”

“Yeah, about that...sorry, I couldn’t be more helpful,” Felix bites his lips as he can feel his own lies suffocating the space around him, filling his lungs with water and squeezing at his windpipe. He needs to get the fuck out of here. 

The Chief chuckles lightly and waves his hands, “No, no, we’re all kinda impressed, actually. No one has ever been able to propose a mere chase with them before. It’s already a miracle that you came back alive.”

His heart instantly sinks, his fists curl up unconsciously. Felix could have died. He should have died last night. But you hesitated. Why? Why would you spare him? And why were you looking at him like that? “Hey.” A hand on his shoulder snaps him out of it. “Don’t worry about it. You should take a day off today. You look unwell.”

“But-”

A figure lands soundlessly on Chan’s balcony, swiftly turning around to face Felix.

His brain stutters for a moment and his eyes take in more light than they should, still, they widen when shock riddles his senses. Every part of his body tries to catch up and his thoughts go on a dreadfully long pause. It’s you. Standing in broad daylight without anything to cover up. Distanced a few feet from his grasp. 

One shout and you’ll be cuffed in mere moments. It’d be insulting if a pair of handcuffs and your scrawny little ass could stop me. His precinct has been desperate, ramming into one dead-end after another for a single lead to House of Cards. 

Felix can turn you in right here. Right now. If you brought me back to headquarters now, I’d escape either way and you’d get nothing from me.

“That is an order, Sergeant,” Chan grins, not noticing how pale his friend has gotten in such mere moments. “You’ll collapse the moment you head out for patrol, trust me.”

“No, Chan! You don’t understand, I-”

“Do it,” you mouth, sealing his lips instantly. 

“I just didn’t get enough sleep last night. I’ll take a nap in the infirmary.” You slap on a devilish smile at his words, wiggling your phone high enough for him to see.

As soon as Felix closes the door behind him, the spike in his heartbeat finally falls with the stiff smile on his face, his breaths short and uneven. The urge to punch something is cut short when his phone vibrates timely. A message from an unknown number: “Ten PM. The waterfall in Yellow Woods. You’ve got one chance.”

six.

Felix has underestimated the cold since nightfall. His muscles ache and shiver all at the same time, momentarily yelling at him to turn around to head back to the comfort of his family’s mansion. Yet the dark Yellow Woods seems to silence time and space, only leaving him with the urge to march forward. 

He lied to Chan about your encounter, lied to Changbin so he wouldn’t have to go on his night shift, lied to Hyunjin that he’d go home and rest like his friend always told him to. Humans have been taught not to lie but deception still exists and one cannot escape its grasp. Even Felix never knew there would be a day where he’d become this desperate. Just thinking about it makes him want to vomit, utterly disgusted. 

Clutching his gun tightly, he begins walking faster into the light fog. 

“My my, look who it is.” His frantic steps come to a halt, his head snapping back immediately. “Someone was so hellbent on giving me a headshot the last time we met. What changed?”

Felix raises a brow in confusion. “What the- Didn’t you ask me to meet up at the waterfall?”

“The waterfall is the other way, you fool,” you jerk your head back, clearly unimpressed. 

“Cut me some slack, my phone was dead! Wait, how did you- were you stalking me?!”

You can’t help but stifle a chuckle; his face is priceless. “Tracking sounds more appropriate, don’t you think?”

“You-”

“You’d better pick up the pace if you want to survive this little partnership of ours, officer.”

Eventually, he complies and stumbles through the woods with you, his feet feeling like they’re being dragged across cement. During the day, Yellow Woods is alight with the serenity one yearns for at their lowest, birds chirping and leaves rustling to one united song of Mother Nature. In contrast, it is now hollow, colorless, almost empty to a sense with all this darkness around him. 

“I never said that we had a deal,” Felix says while trailing after you, cautious not to trip over any branches. 

You turn around for a meager moment, giving him that sly grin of yours. “Suppose that you do, we need a contract. Some simple protocols between comrades. What do you expect from me? Keep it simple. Excessive details bore the shit out of me.”

“First, no with-holding information. If you know something, I need to know it and vice versa. Second, no personal questions. I don’t want you in my life nor do I want me getting my hands dirty with you.”

You hum in response, “Hmm, short and sweet. But I have my own as well.”

He gulps, “Go on.”

“I don’t work with dogs. I don’t care if it’s licensed as emotional support. I won’t hesitate to shoot if you even let one do so much as breathe in the same room as me.”

“...that makes way too much sense.” So that explains why-

“What about you? Afraid of the dark?”

“I wasn’t born this morning.”

To the East lies the waterfall you’ve mentioned this morning, which you lead him down a dirt road and right behind it, straight into a small cave. There are two paths diverged that catch him by surprise but there’s nothing he can do other than taking the left side, hastily following the source of light from your phone. Your final destination unveils before his eyes as a small, underground lair.

Felix suddenly feels cold for no reason. “How do you even sleep?” He scrunches his nose while rubbing his hands together. 

“I don’t,” you say without looking at him, exhaling and shrugging off your coat. “Make yourself at home. I’ll go heat up some tea before you freeze to death.”

Not knowing what to do with himself, his eyes roll around the seemingly confined but commodious space in curiosity. Your working desk is as big as the one in the conference back at headquarters, mounted with an overwhelming amount of files. To the right, the wall is lined with weapons, target boards, and rag dolls; you seem to prefer blades over firearms. The whole place is lighted up with candles all around, giving it that eerie feeling like something straight out of an old movie. 

Still, not bad.

His careless feet drag him across the concrete, subconsciously reaching out for the files on your desk. He can’t fight the urge, he can’t resist it. Before his mind can register and his conscience can yell at him, the plastic binder is already yanked open. Experiment #180108–Y/N, it reads. “What the hell… Enhanced strength and agility… Instant self-healing… Metamorphosis? Is this what they’ve been doing under our noses all this time?”

“No, only my parents.” Your voice snaps him out of it, prompting him to drop the files. “Your office was giving me anxiety, by the way. Thank god for home sweet home.”

“What the hell were you doing in my-“ A dagger flies past his head, missing him by a strand of hair and ending up embedding itself on the bull’s eye of a nearby target. “Daughter of a bastard,” he breathes out in disbelief, eyes boring holes on you. “What kind of tea was that?!”

“Lee Felix. Only son of the Prime Minister. Ranked Sergeant at the eighth precinct, Seoul P.D. The precious heir to one of the five great families.” Words leave you. You only stare into those bright, brown eyes burning with anger, his heart almost falling silent. “Gosh, you’ve got quite the profile. Shouldn’t you be worried about the image of your family instead of shaking hands with the devil like this?”

Felix clenches his jaw, everything is slow and warbled as he looks down, shaking violently. “And yet you still thought I’d be crazy enough to make a deal with an Ace?”

“You’re not crazy,” you sigh, grinning internally. “Just extremely desperate-“

“I am not desperate!” A lie spats out, leaving him with a bitter aftertaste. “I have no reason to be.” Focus.

A mocking shrug. “Right, you’re not desperate. You just followed me all the way here without taking out your gun or rambling on with your boring death threats. Like a little, perfect pet. Exactly what I needed.” 

“Death threats don’t work on monsters,” he croaks, fists balled and eyes wide. Even so, the way you gaze darken still goes unnoticed. “I’ve seen your kind kill anyone without hesitation. Getting blood on your hands without even blinking. You, all of you, aren’t humans anymore. You’re all a complete write-off of a species.”

Felix lifts his head, pupils trembling at the sight in front of him. For a moment there, you look sad and broken. Raw, naked, and vulnerable like the rest of humanity. It makes him ponder, how can humans be so weak yet so cruel at the same time?

“...why? Why are you doing this?” he inquires shakily, head racing with a thousand thoughts. “I don’t understand. Actually, there’s a lot that I don’t understand about you.” No! Focus, you idiot!

“You don’t have to.” Finally, you speak after the long dread of silence, combing a hand through your hair tiredly. “You know. It’s funny how the same thing happened to us. And now look at where we ended up individually.”

His brain pauses and chokes up. “What are you saying?” Cover your ears. Do not be misled!

You look away, simply knowing that you won’t be able to hold it in if you’re making eye contact. “I know you’re not the rightful heir of the Lees. You weren’t part of the bloodline in the first place. You’re simply a replacement. A second option. Nothing but an afterthought-“ 

“No! Shut up! Just shut u-“ Cover your ears. Do not trust anyone!

“—the real heir supposedly went missing during the Eiji Station tragedy where my organization ordered a bombing fifteen years ago. It’s been over a decade and they’ve already concluded his death even though a body was never found. Am I right, officer?”

Choose the wrong path. 

Felix buries his face into the palms of his hands as streaks of silvery tears burn his cheek. His exhausted shoulders shake in each rake of emotion through his frame, the fire of anger and despair boils past the seams he can no longer hold together. With his knees weak, he can only sob and drops down on his knees, screaming with all his might. 

And you’ll die. 

But even you, the devil itself, can’t save the man who’s drowning himself in his own tears of hell. 

“Welcome to the team. The name is Y/N,” you offer him a hand, blankly eyeing his quivering figure. He finally picks himself up with difficulties, eyes glowing with tears and fury. After a split moment of hesitation, his hand reaches for yours, firmly clasped and sealing your deal. 

Because he’s falling down the same bottomless abyss with you. 

Because you both couldn’t save him. You couldn’t save Minho. 

epilogue.

__ fifteen years ago

“Hey, Minho, you’re really good at playing the piano. Are you gonna be a musician?”

“Hmm, I do like music. But I’d rather become a police officer. 

“Why? Didn’t you say that you like music?”

“I’ll become anything for my mother.” 

“Then, I’ll be a doctor when I grow up! And we can save people together.”

“Okay. It’s a promise, Lix.” 

[redridinnghood]

How should I call it?💕 Part 1

Hello There,

I'm Back with a new Story, Story will contain more parts and be a bit slow burn.

You meet a man with a Addiction and other Problems. For example he doesn't have any Impulse Control. Can you work it out? Can you help him heal? Or will he be your End?

What happens when you meet a certain Chaotic blonde?

Polyam relationship between Rafe, JJ and Reader. Don't like, don't read.

(Y/N Pov)

The first time I met him it was a late Summer Night. Met is the wrong word, I found him lying in an Back alley behind some Fancy Club.

He was clearly under the Influence of some Drugs and Probably Drunk as Fuck. But I couldn´t just leave him there like that at three in the morning. Should I call an Ambulance? Shit but I couldn´t risk it to pay for it. On the other Hand he needed defiantly help. I let out a deep sigh. Y/N how do you get yourself always in such situations? Leaning down I check his pulse, it´s fast but not dangerously fast. His skin is hot nearly Burning and his breathing is uneven.

Gently I stroke his head. ”Hey Man wake up, you shouldn´t sleep here it’s Dangerous.” My Voice is soft, I know how People under the Influence can act out. He just slightly lifted his head he tried looking at me, he failed his Head rolled Back. His Long limbs splattering out on the Pavement. Dam it! “Can I call someone to pick you up?” Voice still soft. He shook his head slightly. No. “Okay that’s not a big Deal do you live anywhere near here? I could call you an Uber and bring you there.” My Voice sounded a little more desperate. He blinked slowly. “No..” his Voice was raspy and sounded worn out.

Again I sighed deep. I held my Hand out for him, “Come on Big Boy, you can crash at my place but I can´t carry you so you need to help me a little bit.” He blinked Again slowly he reached out to take my hand. As I got a grip I pulled him up at first into a sitting Position, scared he might throw up. I waited a few seconds than I helped him up on his feet. He stumbled into me but I managed to help him stay Upright.

He groaned, he was distressed, his Head spun and he is pretty worn out. Yeah I know how it feels being slightly overdosed, not from my own experience but from a few people I grew up with.

His body felt Hot and I could feel his shirt being drenched in his own sweat. He needed a shower and to take of his drenched clothes. Slowly I made my way towards the big Apartment complex dragging him with me. Thank God it wasn´t far away, finally we reached the building climbing up some stairs.

As I put my Keys into the door I felt him clinging to me as if his life depended on it. It kind of did, I mean this neighborhood isn´t peaceful. Isn´t good to people who fall asleep on the pavement. After a few moments of struggling with the door it finally opened. Gosh when will the Landlord finally repair those fucking doors. Carefully they made their Way into the small apartment. I placed him on the couch.

“Alright Big Boy, can you tell me your Name?” Voice Soft but louder than before. Blue eyes with giant orbs fixated me, Truthfully he was quite Handsome. “Rafe” I heard his hoarse Voice. “Okay” I smiled a little. “We need to get you out of those dirty Clothes. It would be best if you would take a Quick Cold Shower.” He nodded absently. I walked out of the small living room into my Bedroom, searching for a few clothes my best friend Luca always left here. It were just a pair of gray shorts and an old Band Shirt but that would do it, Just in case I put a pair of Boxer in the pile. Since Luca wouldn´t wear them again I could throw them Away. I walked back into the Living room handing him the Clothes.

“Here take those, and there is the Bathroom. It´s nothing special.” He nodded and took the clothes. Slowly like in slow motion he got up steading himself on the couch. Than he reached for the wall because he started stumbling a bit. “Don´t look the door in Case you faint and keep in Mind it should be a cold shower.” I said loud enough so he could hear me but not loud enough to be shouting. When I heard the Water in the shower I started preparing the couch for him. After I prepared the Couch I filled a big Cup with water and placed it on the small Table. I made myself a tea and waited in the Kitchen area for him to finish. As he walked by I could just confirm my statement.

He was Handsome, beautiful Face with storming blue Eyes, he was Tall and had Dirty Blonde hair. When he spotted me he looked at me intensely. I just smiled “You are ready, that’s good I prepared the Couch for you and some Water. I will hop in the shower next If you want I can throw your clothes into the washing machine.” He looked at me and nodded I took a deep inhale. “I hope the cold shower lifted the fog a little bit of your mind.” His Gaze softened. “Yes, thank you” his voice was still cracking and the small smile he gave me didn´t quite reach his eyes.

Giving him a small nod I disappeared into my small Bathroom. The old blue tiles were still a bit wet I looked around and found his small pile of clothes throwing it into the Machine with my clothes. Turning her on, on a short Program so she would be ready in 20 minutes. As I stepped into my shower letting the Hot water embrace me. So I started thinking. He doesn´t Look Poor, his clothes seem to be pretty expensive. So what is he doing here? And why did I help him, I mean yeah I couldn´t just left him there I mean I could have. Why didn´t I just called the Police? It didn´t matter anymore he would crash here tonight and be gone tomorrow. Leaving the shower I hop into an old shirt and some panties hanging up the freshly washed clothes.

As quietly as possible I walk down the apartment into the bedroom. Soft snores coming from the Man, so I stop and look at him. The way the slow sunrise aluminates his Body makes him look so peaceful so out of a fairytale. Realizing that I just stared at a Stranger while he slept I quickly kept going. Carefully I lay down in my Bed, its full of Pillows and I have a few Books laid out on the other side. Sleep came faster than expected.

 

(Rafe Pov)

A soft humming sound wakes me gently I open my Eyes. Where am I? This is not the new Mansion? Not the Hotel where I usually stay when I go out.

It´s a small living room with a weird combination of furniture but it looks Good. Kind of. It seems cozy. Slowly I sit up stretching out. Wait those are not my Clothes. What the actual fu…

“Good Morning Big Boy” I hear a soft Voice. Why does it sound so angelic? Turning around I spot a Young girl in the Kitchenette. It´s probably her apartment.

“Want some coffee?” she asks while turning around grabbing a cup. “Sure” I reply while standing up and walking towards her. As I reach her she hands me a Baby Blue Mug with Puppy´s on it. Really?

She smiles, a smile so pure I never seen before. “thanks” I answer as I take the Mug. “Milk is in the Fridge and Sugar there.” She points at a small Container. “You want some Breakfast? I suppose after your consumptions yesterday you are pretty Hungry.” She asks while I pour some sugar in the Mug. “ This would be really nice.” I give her a small smile. My Memories of yesterday are coming back slowly. Why did she take Me in? Rafe takes a moment to Look at her, really look an her.

She is small around 5`3 her (Y/H/C) is tied in a lose ponytail her Skin looks so smooth and her (Y/E/C) are trained on the food she´s making. She is not skinny but also Fat, She´s just Beautiful.

But at the same time I´m  concerned, why did she took a stranger in? What if I had Lashed out on her? “ Thank you for Yesterday. I.. Honestly I´m really grateful but you could have gotten Hurt.” I swallow the Lump in my throat. “I could have Lashed out on you or something.” She hands me a plate with scrambled Eggs and some Toast. “Come let’s sit down and eat.” She just rounds me and sits down on the couch placing her plate on the small table and mentioning me to sit back down where I slept the last night. I obliged.

“Listen I´m Fine and that’s all that counts. You didn´t Lash out. You didn´t hurt me. And I couldn´t let you stay there.” Her Voice was genuine. It feels weird having someone so lovely not fearing me. Everyone fears me. “I.. Thank you.” I was dumbfounded she was right and I shouldn´t think about what if´s. Peacefully she sits next to me eating her Breakfast so I also start eating.

And oh my I never thought scrambled Eggs could taste so good. “This really good.” I smile at her, and she smile´s Back. “Thanks” she mumbles, she is cute.

Than it struck me I don´t even know her Name. “Hey.. um.. I think you didn´t tell me your Name…so.. What is your Name?” Why am I so Nervous. “ (Y/N). My Name is (Y/N)” I felt like my Heart skipped a beat the way she smiled and how soft her voice was. We ate the rest of our Breakfast in silence. It´s weird but I didn´t want this moment to end. I don´t know when it was the last time I felt so at ease. So content with myself. After Breakfast she handed me my Clothes and I changed. When it´s time to say goodbye and go our separate ways I find longing for staying. As if she could read my mind she hands me a small piece of paper. Confused I Look at her. “My Number. In case you need anything like a place to crash or something. Or just want to talk. I´m here.” Her gentle smile mesmerizes me and I can´t help it but embrace her in my arms hugging her. Carefully or she might break. “Thank you so much. I will defiantly reach out to you.” I say a little to enthuasstic. When I realise hear I hear a small giggle. I´m making my way down the stairs notifying my Dad I won´t be home for a few Days. Then massaging my dealer that I need some new Stuff.

After that I stare at the small pice of Paper, alright nothing to lose. It's late when I send her a Message, just a basic Hi.

[youryanderedaddy]

Hello, dear 💛 firstly, I am congratulating you for your blog, you’re doing an amazing stuff and I’d very delighted to support ya’ 💕 so here’s mine; what about a hitman/assassin yandere who is very infamous in underworld for his reputation finally finding his darling, what would be his first encounter and the after? A little bit smutty maybe? It’s up to you, 🌹

Aww, thank you so much for the support and for the idea. I hope that you will like how it turned out. It isn’t as filthy as I wish it was, but oh well, there is always a next time lol

 Title: Stone cold 

 Tw: female reader, obssessive behavior, non-con, dub-con, veery slight knife play, slight dirty talk 

   You should have known that something was up the very moment someone knocked on your door on a Friday night – it was unusual. Especially when you take into an account the weird accidents that had been happening the last three months. People in the neighborhood went missing one by one, some of your personal items like clothes, lipsticks and even toothbrushes were stolen and you always felt a pair of eyes burning a hole through your back. But still, you didn’t want to freak yourself out and tried to stay positive, reasonable. If someone wanted to take you out, they would have already done it, right?

 While mentally encouraging yourself, you slowly got closer to the black door. By now the knocking had stopped, but you could hear the soft breathing of your visitor outside of the apartment. In a way you really wanted to stop for a second and rationalize why this unknown person was breathing so damn loud, but decided against it – what good would it do anyways? With that in mind you finally reached out to unlock the door and slowly opened it to reveal a man, covered from head to toes in black. The darkness of the corridor had swallowed  all of his recognizable features and you could only make out his eyes, while his mouth and nose were hidden away by a ski mask. And if this wasn’t alarming enough, the bulge in his right pocket looked suspiciously close to the shape of a gun.

“Caught you.” The intruder hummed, looking more than pleased with himself, and his eyes sparkled with a wild emotion you didn’t know the name of. Your body was paralyzed at the sight of the weapon and you were starting to regret moving into such a dangerous area where no trace of a police involvement could be found. Not that you would have the time to call them anyways since the next moment the man had managed to push you  to the floor with a loud „boom”, pinning your body down with his own. You finally gained the courage to scream your heart out, but your terrified cries were quickly muffled by the gloved hand, covering your mouth.

 “You scream one more time and I will drill a fucking hole into your pretty little head.” The man whispered into your ear in a dark, eerie voice. “Right here.” He gently touched your forehead in a clear warning. You broke out into a cold sweat, but remained motionless, immobile. “Do you understand me?” The hitman asked huskily and pressed his elbow into your shrinking stomach. You nodded quickly, your heart now racing so fact you could almost feel the abrupt beats against your skin. You had made a grave mistake opening the door, but it was too late now.

 “Good.” The stranger smirked like a wolf, ready to tear apart the innocent lifeless lamb in front of him. He finally raised his hand away from your mouth. As if to prove your darkest fears and theories, the man suddenly took a sharp shiny knife out of his left pocket and slowly ran it trough your exposed collarbone. He only let the very end touch your skin but its coldness, combined with the adrenaline rushing into your veins, were enough to send you over the edge with fear. “Don’t panic. I have already decided to keep you for myself, so as long as you behave, I have no reason to hurt you. ” The man finally uttered after watching you squirm helplessly for a while, the stupid teasing smile never leaving his lips. He took off his mask and dropped the knife on the ground, just a few inches away from your carotid artery, and fiddled with the first button of your thin shirt. This mere action of his made shivers run down your spine and you couldn’t help, but shut your eyes tight, just for a moment, just to put yourself together.

 “Why are you doing this?” You whimpered, cringing at the way your voice broke into a sob right at the end. You never thought that you would be violated on the cold, hard floor by an unhinged psychopath, but fate always finds a way to screw with us, they say.

 “Do you know who I am, princess?” The man asked with a smug, arrogant expression on his face. You shook your head in response. In an alternative universe you might have thought that the intruder was quite handsome – broad shoulders, dark green eyes, a well defined jaw line and a strong muscular body. But in the current situation the only word you could use to describe the dangerous fellow was insane. He had shamelessly attacked you in your own home, your supposed safe heaven, and showed no remorse whatsoever. “You might not know me, but I know you.” The man continued. “I used to work with your father. ” His gaze was now fixed on you. “I doubt that daddy dearest has ever shared with you what he does for a living, but tell you, it isn’t pretty.” The trespasser lowered his head to bite at the soft skin of your neck, making the hairs on your neck bristle due to the unexpected contact with his teeth and because of that you couldn’t even register the hurtful words he was spitting about your father. You didn’t want to believe him anyways. “But he made a mistake.” The man added, still licking your sensitive skin. “The bastard messed with the wrong people. Stole money from my boss too. Lots and lots of it.”

 “T-that can’t be true.” You moaned in discomfort against your better judgment and tried to kick at his joints out of impulse. But of course, he quickly grabbed your leg before any damage was done and pinned it back to the floor.

 “Oh, but it is, princess. And that’s where I come into the picture.” The man purred contentedly, his attention on you once again. “I am quite infamous in the underworld, ya see. ” He stopped to make air quotes with his fingers. “ My name is Edgar, I am an assassin. I would kill anyone and everyone for the right price. ” For a second the murderer stared at intensely. You could swear that his eyes turned red in a spar of moments and in them you saw a mixture of bloodlust and a desire for flesh. “So when  they asked me to hunt you down in order to mess with your dad, I obviously agreed. It started off as a way to make an easy buck, but the more I followed you around and collected private information, the more I postponed killing you.” The man sighed, seemingly frustrated with himself. “At first I thought that I wanted to plan out your disposal well ahead of time and that’s why I was wasting so much time, but soon enough I realized I was interested in you.” He smiled softly this time as if he was recalling a pleasant memory, involving you. “You were so sweet, so… normal. I wanted you.”  The assassin admitted at last and took a deep breath. His little confession had made you vivid, frantic with worry, and suddenly you were a living, breathing creature again. You scratched at the back of his neck and summoned all of your strength left to get your hand out of his grasp. You tried to punch him right in the face, but your attempts were fruitless as he easily overpowered you. Before you could strike again the ruthless killer picked up his knife from next to you and put the blade under your chin. His eyes sparkled with childlike excitement.

 “There is no point in fighting me. Everyone already thinks you’re dead, I made sure of it.” The man moved the edge down, stopping at your cleavage. He licked his lips suggestively and the alarms in your mind went crazy all over again. “Your life belongs to me – your body and your heart too. I will take you right here and there is nothing you can do to stop me.” Edgar laughed cruelly as he cut the fabric of your blouse, revealing your chest, hidden by your plain bra. With one swift move the string holding it together was ripped apart and your upper body was fully exposed to the hungry eyes of the stranger. He cupped your breasts with his palms and massaged them gently, twisting your erect nipples lightly with his fingers. You wanted to numb the unfortunately pleasurable feeling but it wasn’t going away as the intruder kept on teasing the swollen tips.

 “S-stop!” You protested, shaking your shoulders violently. Everything was starting to feel too real and you couldn’t let the savage man take away from you something so intimate and personal. In the end he paid no mind to your continuous struggles and selfishly did as he wished.  Soon enough his hand traveled down your thighs, to your crotch. Edgar slid his wrist beside the elastic waistband of your panties and wasted no time, starting to rub the sweet spot between your legs. You held back a moan, as the embarrassment washed over you.

 “Don’t hold your voice back, princess.” The assassin growled in your ear, pressing harder on your sensitive bud. You couldn’t help, but cry out due to the intense pleasure you were receiving. “Yeah, just like that, let me hear you.” The man kept fingering you, while you arched your back, and eventually you felt yourself getting damp down there. The killer chuckled, satisfied with your cute reaction and the way you were squirming around his forefinger.

 “You act like you hate all of this, but your pussy is so wet, baby.” He suddenly drew his fingers in and out of your entrance, making a lewd pop of splashing juices just to get his point across. “You might turn out to be a little slut after all, huh.” Edgar whispered in your ear and licked the trace of salty tears down your scarlet cheeks. Your face felt red and hot, your eyes were still shut tight. The way his touch made you feel was so invasive, yet ecstatic none the less

 After the man had stretched you properly, he was ready to claim his prize. The assassin had spent so much time stalking you, following you, desiring you and now he finally had you in his arms, exposed and split open for him alone. Moving down to leave wet kisses and love bites along your shoulders and collarbone, the intruder lowered himself onto your tight, sloppy hole and you felt his hard erect member rubbing onto your tight entrance. A new powerful wave of hot, choking tears fell down your cheeks as you shook your head violently.

 “Please, I am begging you, don’t do it!” You whimpered, defeated and light-headed from the fear, arousal and adrenaline, pumping in your veins. Edgar ignored your pathetic pleas and instead decided to shut you up by gently pressing his lips against yours, moaning into his little seal of love. He pushed his big throbbing cock into your heat ruthlessly, unable to wait any longer, simply using your wetness as a lube. The murderer started thrusting into you in a steady, harsh rhythm, without giving you the time to adjust to his inhuman length. In just a few minutes your mind had stopped worked and you were reduced to a mumbling mess of tiny moans and mewls.

 “S-shit, you feel so good, princess. So fucking tight.” The man exclaimed, breathing heavily and quickly moving his hips back and forth along the way. One particular move of his send you very close to the edge and your walls clenched down on his dick, which didn’t go unnoticed. “Did I hit your sweet spot?” The man smirked, running a hand trough his sweaty dark hair. The other one went straight to your nipples, twisting and rolling them once again. You couldn’t stop yourself from crying out in unwanted, but intense pleasure. “Wanna cum, baby?” Edgar teased, as he touched every part of you  – your breasts, your belly and your soft thighs. “Wanna squirt all over my cock?” The criminal kept taunting you, driving you crazy little by little. “Do it. Cum for me, princess.” Soon enough your sensitive, over stimulated body convulsed as the powerful hot orgasm washed over you. You felt dizzy, tired and lost. Unfortunately, the crazed man wasn’t finished yet – he kept thrusting and thrusting, until he finally released into your very core.

 Once his breathing calmed down, the intruder pecked your cheek tenderly, pulling you in his lap. It went better than he had imagined it would.

 “You did so well, princess. So good for me.” Edgar stroked your hair lightly, whispering sweet nothings into your ear. But you couldn’t make half of his words as exhaustion and shame overtook your tired mind, the voice in your head screaming louder than the man’s love affirmations. But maybe it was better that way – anything else would be too painful after everything that had happened. “You are mine now.” The killer spoke after a while, before hugging you even tighter. Soon enough you would realize there wasn’t an easy way out of his warm, deathly embrace.

[border-spam]

Leech Lord - Beginnings and regrets

The single least Seifa thing Seifa has ever done, is probably also the most actual Seifa thing she's ever done, and that's extremely Seifa of her.

It was going against every lesson survival had beaten into her so far in her life, and helping Tyreen instead of walking away all those years ago.

(Pre CoV)

Pandora is a terrible place.

The whole Galaxy is, Pandora just has a reputation that's honest about it.

The Edens, Athenas, Promethea, Tantalus, every city on every settled planet is built on a foundation of bones, nowhere's really safe or actually wants the humans that settled uninvited and ruined the neighborhood. Can't really expect an ecosystem to welcome you with open arms when you immediately start destroying it for profit, and life ain't easy anywhere. Nowhere is good. Nowhere is nice.

You can't live for long without finding out how dangerous "caring" is.

Small family units survive, yeah, clans scrabble out a living on rock plains and migrant space-rigs, but if you hold out a hand to a stranger in need you need to know the risks, need to really understand how likely it is that there's a knife behind their back and a couple of crosshairs already trained on you.

You have to be harsh, you have to be cruel. Everyone who makes it on the border planets knows the unwritten rules.

Unless you've the backing of a town militia or a hell of a lot of weaponry, you can't afford to risk your own safety for others - and Sei has walked past more people who gasped out a desperate plea for help with one of the few breaths they had left then she could ever, ever let herself acknowledge. Fuck man, everyone has. It's one of the sad truths of living at the knifepoint everyone balances on out here at the fringe.

...It's no different really on the corporate ones, the blades waiting to land in your back are just better dressed there.

So, when Seifa went to walk away from that filthy kid in the junkyard with the busted SMG and found herself stopping as the girl pleaded for medicine, that was beyond out of character.

That was weird. That was impossible to justify, and she lost plenty of nights to trying to do so after - long ones, with tears and far too much whiskey.

It's hard to think back on, how unsettling and stomach turning that first month had been. The whole thing feels like a blur, some grease smeared memory that's mostly lost to the desperately anxious conflict that was going on in her head the entire time. She can remember specific points, but they're half images half feeling, nerves and worry all tangled together into something she hates dwelling on.

She remembers the heat mirages swirling above the desert sands as Elpis set on the horizon, driving the girl out across the salt flats as Ty panicked and urged Sei to go faster, all while she was trying to explain to herself WHY she hadn't slapped this stranger out of her buggy and throttled in the opposite direction. What had gotten into her?

She doesn't remember anything that the kid had said as she was lead by her into that dark shack, still battling with why she wasn't turning around, why she was gingerly picking through debris to reach what looked like a hastily set up camp surrounded by rusting sheet metal and pieces that used to be the hovel - but she remembers the stink of fever sweat that wrinkled her nose and that sad mound of sharp angles heaped at the center by a burnt out fire pit, and the shock of realising it was a man when Tyreen had dropped to her knees and begged through sobs for him to keep breathing.

That she had "Found someone to help."

Recalls fighting back the equal disgust she felt with herself for helping carry the nothing he weighed out of that shithole, and for the fact he was still alive in this state. Covered in filth, blood, chunks of.. something, and reeking of puke and god knows what else. How she chewed at her lip till she tasted copper as the buggy engine rattled in complaint under them, flooring it when she knew the shoddy weld job on the left axle wasn't going to take this strain and would need another couple of hundred dollars she didn't have in repairs by the time she got these pathetic kids back to her ship - and she remembers wincing hours later at her empty medical cabinet after gutting it to keep the boy alive.

Saline stock sucked dry, bactum wasted, and she was saving those health kits for when she might need them...

It was a bad decision. It was a stupid decision, and she'd spent that first night when the girl had cried herself to sleep and he'd finally stabilised, sitting on the cold floor of her quarters with her back pressed against the repurposed mag-lock door, cradling her pistol in her lap as she gnawed at her nails.

They were Sirens.

Sirens.

Moron. Stupid fucking twat, If Boss found out, he'd kill her before these two could get the chance.

Helping them had been idiot move enough, had gone against every fiber of who she'd built herself into, but she couldn't have known. Tyreen had been covered in rags, and Troy's markings too dim and caked in muck to even see before they'd gotten him cleaned up and stable.

She hadn't known. She didn't know, nothing about Sirens anyway, just that you didn't fuck with 'em in the first place. Sirens were bad news, Sirens were the bane of Pandora in the last few years and everyone knew the stories. They were monsters who could turn you inside out or roast you alive without needing to point a gun first, and now she had two in her home with no defenses bar a shitty Jacobs she knew damn well she could barely aim, and hopefully enough faux confidence to seem in control of the situation.

That first night had been the worst.

The twins slept fine, Troy out cold and Ty having cried herself unconscious shortly after his heart beat had become something possible to confuse with normal if you squinted at the scan display from the right angle, but Sei didn't close her eyes once.

Sat awake all night in the clunking, humming, rattling silence of her home as she thumbed the revolver's cylinder slowly, considering how each click marked another second she'd left them both alive instead of doing the right thing and emptying a round into each of their skulls. Pandora would take care of the bodies and she'd fix a serious mistake she was walking straight into... but the suns rose in the end, and the twins were none the wiser about how close the decision had actually been.

It didn't really get better. The fear did, that passed over the next couple of days, but not the worry, not the regret. Two more mouths to feed when she only had the funds for herself? The girl was going to have to learn how to work. The cash she'd put aside was for her junker colony, not strangers, and the boy still couldn't even stand... and how were things going to pan out even if they so far didn't seem to be quite as monstrous as she'd been told so many times in no name dive bars in settler towns?

What if she took Tyreen out on a barter run and her markings got noticed? That mad corporate fuckwad Sexy George or fuckin whatever had just been running some reward scheme for Sirens, right? Would the lowbrows she dealt with on a daily basis here comprehend that wasn't a thing anymore, or would Sei be shanked and Ty abducted within hours of setting foot in a trade dock?

And him...

What the fuck was she going to do with him.

He wouldn't talk, wouldn’t even look at her, just some massive, gangly, awkward, nervous child that ghosted around the edge of her vision and scurried out of the room like a panicked Skag pup if she made the mistake of looking directly at him.

Sick still, even if he was trying to stay in his crew cubby for less every day, the one she'd told him was his and still had not a word of thanks for yet. Shaky, delicate, and in no physical condition to be able to help around the ship yet alone have a chance of bringing in some extra dollars, even if he hadn't been missing such a huge chunk of himself. Pity wasn't going to keep him fed, and she was pissed with herself for feeling it for him in the first place.

She figured that's what had done it really... them being siblings.

That raw desperation in Tyreen's voice as she'd begged Seifa to help when she'd turned to walk away. That her brother was so sick and she didn't know what to do. Siblings gut punched her in ways she knew were a weakness out here. The twin thing? That had just cemented it really. Helping wasn't in Seifa's nature, but leaving kids to die wasn't in her bones.

Still, she'd make it work, she always did. They'd survive, and she'd come out of this in profit one way or another, that was as sure as an Athenian monk lowballing an offer.

She'd train the girl up and run some deals with her, cover the costs of helping them out with a tidy margin for herself - then she'd leave 'em with the tools to survive, a couple of hundred bucks to get started and never have to see them again.

She'd be fine. She was always fine.

That's very Seifa of her.

Asks are Open!

[astoria00]

Retribution tastes so Sweet

Retribution tastes so Sweet

Neo was more than relieved when they finally reached the outskirts of Wind Path.

Jumping swiftly from the sleigh that carried Cinder and her, she smiled a fake smile to the driver.

It had been pure luck that they had found a lumberjack deep in the forest they had traveled into to get away from the Brunswick farms.

‘…Brunswick…’

She knew that name…

Where had she heard it before?

Since escaping those nightmarish Grimm Neo had been a little bit more on edge than usual.

‘Apathy.’

That’s what Cinder called them.

The shorter girl wasn’t as knowledgeable about the different kinds of grimm as her companion was, but for all the monsters, faunus and humans she had fought, nothing had felt as horrible as these Apathy.

The moment all of her fight and willpower had left her, this awful feeling of being abandoned…all alone in the world.

Just like the time she had realized Roman was dead…

And not only that…

Side-eying Cinder from her spot, as she paid the lumberjack some lien to help him forget he ever encountered them, she had to suppress a shudder.

Neo couldn’t help but remember how terrifying the maiden had appeared, how dangerous the golden like aura around her had sparked menacingly all over her body…even her left arm.

And shouldn’t that have been impossible?

Was Cinder now more grimm than human?

Had these horrible powers slumbered inside her all along or were they a recent addition?

She should probably leave.

Who knew what else would happen if she stuck around with the maiden…

This Salem was no one to be trifled with. Of course she had already known that, but this exceeded everything she could have imagined.

Being able to sway and control another being was beyond frightening and furthermore she probably wouldn’t stop. Traveling with Cinder was bound to be even more dangerous now.

By all means, she should get the hell out of here…

And yet…

Thank you!

She had never seen her companion this…broken before.

And hadn’t that been the reason she even hugged her in the first place?

To get her back?

‘I…don’t want to be alone…’

Was that truly the only reason?

Neo wasn’t so sure anymore, to be honest, she wasn’t sure about anything right now, but seeing Cinder like that made her afraid…afraid of losing her altogether.

Even now, watching her worried, almost vulnerable expression filled the short girl with determination.

A yearning to eradicate the maiden’s fears.

As Cinder’s gaze met her stare, Neo had to push down the urge to look away. The maiden looked...tired.

“Can we go now?”

Her voice sounded anything but energetic and she turned away before Neo had the chance to respond. She seemed to be just as unsure after this whole ordeal as Neo.

Neo was still cold, the weather in Wind Path only a fraction more bearable than the farms or Argus.

…well, at least it wasn’t as freezing here.

Suppressing a shudder, she nodded to Cinder’s back, startled as she realized her companion was already on the move. Not for the first time in her life she cursed her inability to talk.

With a scowl the shorter girl followed after her.

They decided to stay at an inn this time around. Dealing with thugs, bandits…or the authorities was far more bearable than another run in with some spooky life draining Grimm.

It didn’t do anything to lift Cinder’s mood though. The whole time she didn’t look anything but miserable, her eye always flitting around from one source to another, judging and gauging possible threats.

It pained Neo to admit it, but she would give anything to get her over the top drama queen back.

But...what could she do?

They decided to get something to eat in one of the shadier looking restaurants. The underground was known to both of them...it felt more secure...in a weird way. In her paranoia, Cinder had them wear some rags over their usual clothes. She couldn’t fault the maiden for being careful, but it did nothing to ease Neo’s own uneasiness. They needed to do something.

Something that would feel normal and fun to both of them…

Lie, steal, cheat and survive.

Roman‘s slogan if you wanted to call it that. Maybe...she could use some of his old advice.

What would he do in her place right now?

‘Do what you do best.‘

Neo hoped Cinder wouldn‘t recognize how nervous she actually felt when she brought up her idea, trying for a nonchalant grin, as she relayed it.

“A robbery?”

Her companion appeared positively flabbergasted, causing Neo‘s grin to widen.

With shining eyes she immediately signed her answer:

/Yes/

Cinder’s eye narrowed in disbelief.

“You do realize that we are wanted criminals, right?”

/Why Cinder, are you afraid of getting caught?/

It felt so easy to sign along now. The maiden for all her huffing and moaning about having to appease her, was quite a fast learner. Neo could practically feel how her nerves calmed with each new sign that greeted her sight.

Cinder was simple enough to rattle if you knew which buttons to push, as she crossed her arms defensively, raising to the bait.

“Not at all, I was just making sure you know what you are getting into.

And where do you propose we strike?”

The short girl tipped her head mysteriously. Reaching over the table she corrected her comapnion‘s signs, her smile softening.

She was definitely a fast learner.

After a dramatic pause that had Cinder glaring daggers at her, Neo leaned closer, forming her next sentence with the maiden‘s very own hands:

[“Have you ever robbed a candy store?”]

She had followed the bowler wearing redhead for quite some time now, still not sure if she should trust him to return her home safely…but the direction they moved into seemed to be accurate for now.

His sudden question threw her for a loop.

Was he trying to see if she was a criminal like him?

Did he want to send her stealing?

Was she supposed to be a decoy of sorts?

Shaking her head she awaited his response with baited breath.

“A pity, it can be rather fun, you know?”

Rummaging inside his pocket, he pulled some orange, sugary sweet out of it and handed it to her.

The girl looked at the candy suspiciously.

Her father never told her anything of the sort, but apparently, it was a dangerous idea for kids to take sweets from strangers.

She had heard the neighbors’ gossip about this from time to time. Always warning their children about the consequences of not obeying them and listening to their rules.

And yet she frankly couldn’t care less.

This…strange boy, this Roman as she recalled, had been the nicest person to her since her mother had ‘left’.

Still…it was better to stay on guard…just to be on the safe side.

Shaking her head once more, she pointed to the rundown houses a few meters away from them.

This was it.

Her home…

Of course her neighborhood wasn‘t the best. People said the higher up you lived the better off you were, so they truly had to be the lowest of the low.

Roman however didn‘t seem deterred in the slightest, striding towards her building as if he owned the place…

Come to think of it…

‘How does he know where I live?‘

She may have pointed him in the right direction, but not to which exact house he would need to go. And still...he found it no problem.

“Are you coming, or what?“

His voice startled her. She hadn‘t realized she had stopped in front of her door with no intention of going in.

She didn‘t want to see her father.

She didn‘t want to cower in a corner tonight, begging for forgiveness.

But stalling the inevitable wouldn‘t protect her for long.

“I hope you fixed what you broke, ya little fre-“

Her father‘s voice, brash and loud greeted them as soon as they opened the door. Roman didn't seem taken aback though, to the contrary, he did something she had never seen anyone dare before. He interrupted him.

“Ah ah ah, you really shouldn‘t send a little girl out to clean up your messes now, should you?“

Hesitantly she followed after the redhead into the living room. She was even more surprised when her father just laughed his rude words off, gesturing to a chair across from him for the boy to sit on.

“If it isn‘t Roman Brunswick. To what do I owe the pleasure?

Has Koel come around?“

She had no idea what he was talking about.

Who was Koel?

The only thing she understood was that he apparently knew that Roman.

“It‘s Torchwick now“, the boy replied pleasantly, sitting on the offered chair with a smug expression on his face,“I am here to tell you your debt has been taken care of and no...she sadly wasn‘t swayed by my words whatsoever.“

At his last words he waved his arms theatrically, causing her father to chuckle once more. It send shivers down her spine.

So...she hadn‘t actually done something wrong?

She should have known.

“A bloody shame…

I thought sending that kid would help. Koel always has a use for fresh meat, no matter how defected...but I guess I‘ll have to send her to a brothel one of these days.

She may be mute, but somewhat pleasing to look at. No backtalk.

Think I should charge double for that?“

‘...huh?‘

He...he couldn‘t mean the houses the men always visited...right?

The ones you never openly talked about?

The forbidden houses for adults?

If he really did that...then her life was as good as over. Girls never left there alive.

And yet...she couldn‘t even feel shock at this revelation.

Just...numbness...endlessly spreading through her body.

“I think you shouldn‘t advertise her too much or else someone might just decide to steal her away. Gods know I could need a partner like her.“

“That was a good one, Brunswick. Anyways, thanks for the help. Tell me if that stuck up bitch changes her mind, will ya?“

“Of course. It has been a pleasure doing business with you.

Now, if you‘ll excuse me.“

The remaining conversation had been like a blur to her. She cast her eyes down quickly, as the redhead stood from his chair, passing her without a second glance or a goodbye. It was stupid, but it left her disappointed. Against all odds she had hoped that maybe...maybe someone would save her.

In the background she could hear her father barking at her to clean the house and take out the trash, while he made some phone calls regarding her future.

Dejected she returned to her little niche where she normally slept. So this would be the last time she could snuggle up to her hidden stuffed teddy bear.

Tears burned in her eyes, threatening to spill, but she couldn’t risk it.

Her father hated it when she cried.

Quickly her hands rummaged through her pockets to find a handkerchief, but...instead her fingers connected with something that seemed like paper. Curiously she pulled it out.

It was a card, a weird pumpkin like logo pranked on its front and underneath it, there seemed to be a scratchy written message.

/Wanna run away together?/

‘Run...away?‘

As soon as the words registered with her brain she tugged her bear close and ran to the door.

‘Please...still be there.‘

Breathing heavily she looked left, then right, trying to spot the redhead somewhere.

“Took you long enough sunshine.“

Whirling around she saw him, Roman, leaning right next to their door with a grin.

“Well…?“, he asked with a drawl in his voice,“What do you think of my proposition?“

She didn‘t know why she thought it would be a good idea. For all intents and purposes he could be just as bad as her father.

And yet...there was something about him, something familiar.

Looking up at the boy she managed a quick nod, before looking down again.

Everything would be better than what her father had in store for her.

She almost flinched when a hand was placed on her shoulder. Peering up once more Roman smiled at her, offering his hand for her to take.

“Alright then, little Neopolitan, first we‘ve got to steal you some clothes and after that...let‘s rob a candy store. I am in the need of something sweet to get this foul smell out of my mouth.“

‘Neo...politan…‘

She couldn‘t help but crack a smile. She had never met such a silly person before.

‘What a dum dum.‘

She wasn‘t afraid anymore when she finally took his hand.

Of course it had been way too easy to break into the shop at night. She had to hand it to Cinder, for all her dramatic flare, she knew how to plan and strategize. Neo swept through the store, all the cameras having long been dealt with and, nipping at some pink cotton candy on the way. Her companion seemed a little...at a loss on what to do after the hard part of their operation.

That just wouldn’t do.

This was to take their minds off of...everything.

Picking up a chocolate covered apple, the short girl held it out to the maiden.

/There./

With how baffled Cinder looked Neo truly wondered if she had never gotten sweets before.

‘...oh…‘

Maybe...she hadn’t?

Sometimes it was easy to forget where they both came from. Neo would never ask of course, but she had the distinct feeling Cinder‘s childhood hadn‘t been any better than hers.

Still...why pity Cinder if she could use that to her advantage?

Although her eyes had softened, her grin was still there.

She pointedly looked at the maiden and then at the apple, tapping her right index finger innocently against her chin.

/I see...you probably don‘t know how to eat an apple./

Cinder‘s gaze switched from bewildered to embarrassed in a matter of seconds, her face flushing slightly, as she ripped the chocolate covered apple from Neo‘s hand.

“Of course I know how to eat an apple!

You are ridiculous!“

Hesitantly she bit into the fruit, the fingers of her right hand digging a little harsher into it than they needed, but Neo decided the sight was worth it,

She had never seen anyone biting into an apple with such fierceness and determination.

She also had never witnessed someone‘s eye lighting up in childish wonder and happiness before.

The short girl‘s grin faded to a genuine smile, as she watched Cinder devour her apple treat. She had never thought they both would one day end up standing in a candy store together, but here they were. And for the first time in ages...she didn‘t feel as sad about Roman‘s absence anymore.

Not with Cinder present…

All her fears seemed so far away right now. She just knew she wanted the maiden to stay with her.

A warm feeling settled in her stomach.

“And what are you so happy about?“

Cinder‘s expression had soured after having finished eating her treat...though it would probably be more fitting to describe it as something akin to a pout.

Neo‘s eyes fell towards the maiden‘s chocolate covered right hand. Without giving her companion an answer, her grin returned to her face once more. Stepping closer into the dark haired girl‘s personal space she grasped her right hand pulling it towards her mouth.

Feeling no resistance whatsoever Neo decided to push her luck and gave one finger an experimental lick…

“What the hell are you doing?“, the maiden almost yelped, drawing her hand back at the speed of light, wiping it clean against a rug on the counter.

The short girl couldn‘t help but chuckle silently at Cinder‘s flabbergasted face.

/Are you feeling better, grumpy cat?/

“I...what?“

To her surprise Cinder hadn‘t really jumped away from her when she had retracted her hand.

A good sign?

‘I sure hope so.‘

There was a storm of emotions visible on the maiden‘s face, her voice softening in a way that had always been so rare to hear.

“All of this...this...hairbrained idea of yours to rob this stupid store...all of this...was to make me feel better?“

Rolling her eyes, Neo huffed in annoyance. Leave it to Cinder to ruin her goodhearted intentions.

‘Goddamm drama queen!‘

Crossing her arms defiantly, the short girl stared up at her companion in a way that almost screamed: /Yeah, what are you gonna do about it?/

She didn‘t see it coming.

From one moment to another Neo felt soft lips pressed against hers, rendering her completely motionless. It was as if an electric strike had just jolted down her spine. So very much like her companion, just sweeping her off her feet.

Before she was able to reciprocate the kiss, Cinder pulled away in a hurry, stumbling a few steps backwards in panic, her eye wide with...

Fear!

Fear that practically radiated from her in spades.

“I…“

The maiden never finished her sentence.

Neo had seen it in her eye. The need to flee, to hide.

She was done hiding. They both were.

She wouldn‘t let Cinder run away from this...from her...from...them?

Her lips connected with the dark haired girl‘s almost a little too forceful, her arms pulling her companion closer. She could taste a hint of apple and chocolate that Cinder had eaten before, making it all the more sweeter. Closing her eyes she deepened the kiss and the tension inside the maiden‘s body seemed to melt away.

Arms began to circle around Neo hesitantly, causing her heart to skip a beat. Her face felt warm, growing hotter with each pounding her heart emitted, echoing all the way to her throat.

Her nose bumped softly against the maiden‘s, as she sank a little bit deeper into her arms, her hands almost hesitantly reaching out to caress her companion‘s cheek.

She wanted Cinder...she liked Cinder. No matter how dangerous she wound up to be. Somehow somewhere, the dark haired girl had become important to her.

And by the gods, she wouldn‘t give her up, even if it cost her her own safety. She wouldn‘t let her become like Roman.

Neo hadn‘t felt this warm...this secure in a long time.

She couldn‘t say when they finally parted again, but it left them both breathless.

Mismatched eyes met gold.

Confusion, fear, need, want.

A silent storm that swirled in both their gazes.

This would change things between them...but Neo found it hard to care any longer.

/Alright...let‘s talk./

“...yes.“

AN: Yep, still doing this and one day I will finish it...hopefully ^^‘

Credit for the awesome cover goes to @ hoepunkausta =)

[gatheringbones]

Sheila Anne, Opening the Door, from Finding the Lesbians, edited by Julia Penelope and Sarah Valentine, the Crossing Press, 1988:

[”The idea of being a Dyke or that there were other women who were living as Dykes was not a tangible part of my reality when I was growing up. Looking back, I find that there were subtle but powerful messages being put across to me by the community in which I lived that certain ideas and people would not be tolerated. I knew this most clearly by who and what was not mentioned.

My concept of Lesbian— although I didn’t really know the word until late adolescence— was formed by my unconsciously responding to the gaps, the silences, the hesitations I was experiencing both in language and in “human” relations. As naming something brings a concept into existence, not naming something renders “it” invisible and nonexistent. Women related to men or ???—BLANK— there was nothingness. Nothingness was loaded with dread, the fear of the unknown.

These blank spaces, these pockets of nameless fear, had a lot to do with my learning process as I grew up irish-catholic in a working-class italian and jewish neighborhood in brooklyn, new york. My family was respectful friends with our jewish neighbors, but was adopted by the italian-catholics on the basis of our shared religious heritage. There was a bottomline sense of neighbor— meaning those you knew and understood enough to live next to vs. “stranger”— someone who was unpredictable and nameless. Nameless strangers were always the perpetrators of evil. Persons known and named were alleged to be “good.”

Not naming something gave the person, idea, or activity a nonspecific, irrational, ghostly power and presence to be guarded against, protecting the agreed-upon and named values of individuals of the community from outside influence. If by some slip or misadventure you allowed yourself to fall victim to such “outside influence,” the door would be open between you and that “other” world, allowing you to be haunted and pursued and possibly won over by the unknown forces of evil.

Once my mother whispered to me that my father was tired one morning because he had been tormented the night before by dreams of “demons.” She couldn’t explain what these demons were or why they’d be after my father but she implied that there was a connection between demons and guilty consciences and she proudly had neither. Beyond that, there were demons and if you weren’t careful, they’d “get” you— just how was another terror. Enough said. “Best to be good, think good thoughts, and you won’t have to worry about anything else.”

There were many fears in my neighborhood, both real and sensible to survival in the city, and then unreal and irrational ones that bolstered the cohesion of little ethnic, father-controlled nations called “families.”

I was taught, through unspoken fears of difference, not to notice or appreciate the diversity in the many cultures that lived side by side, separated only by plaster walls, but to look for and relate to the commonalities that left my parent’s beliefs unchallenged. Facts of life, contradictions and differences were perhaps stumbled upon, but were not for examination in my house. No one discussed why the doors were made of metal with tiny peepholes or why the door had three locks that always and nearly automatically had to be relocked behind once inside the apartment— click, click, and click.

Intuitively, we knew that, in addition to human outsiders, there were also those ideas, contrary to neighborhood or family values; these were detours from the “right path” down the middle of the street. Even “thoughts” (a lesser transgression of the various sins mentioned in catholicism) could reach out and grab us and make us stray from safety and goodness— which were rumored to be one and the same. I learned survival tactics against dangerous people and ideas. To be unsure about anything was to present oneself as open and vulnerable to attack or worse— vulnerable to the swaying of morals and beliefs.”]

[mycatshuman]

Fright Night But Make it Gay

Chapter 2 : Human Is Too Pretty It's Illegal

First/Previous | Next | More

Pairings: Prinxiety, Intrological, Moceit

Warnings: panic attacks, let me know if I missed any

🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻

Virgil had existed for a long time. Existed. Not lived. He wasn't alive. But he also wasn't necessarily dead either. He just kind of was. And his being had been in existence for a while. So there really wasn't a lot that surprised him anymore. He had been all around the world. More than twice. He had experienced nearly everything the world had to offer. It's cultures, environments, it's people. He had a few lovers and acquaintances here and there, but for the most part, he was alone. All on his own. 

Along with being not quite dead or alive, Virgil was also immortal. Humans called what he was many things, the most simple definition was a vampire. Because of this, he had to move often to keep suspicion off of him. He didn't want any unwanted attention. He just wasn't that kind of person. 

Luckily, as the world progressed into the 21st Century and touch screen phones came into existence, people became more eqngrossed in their phones and less and less concerned themselves with the business of their neighbors. It made it a lot easier for Virgil to live in a place without people noticing his lack of aging. Of course there was the occasional Karen who couldn't learn how to mind their own business but for the most part, Virgil was able to live comfortably in one place for more than five years. Lessing moving was good for him. He wasn't all too comfortable with things changing all the time. 

As of late, existence for Virgil had become kind of boring. Things didn't really cchange.it was too much of the same things day in and day out.  Sure there were small differences from day to day but things had become kind of dull. He had been alone for a while, deciding to take a break from people and isolate himself for a few years on top of a mountain. But now, Virgil actually found himself missing a little adventure. Interacting with people online was nice but sometimes he craved a cuddle. Was that too much to ask? 

So, he decided it was time to enter the physical human world again. Virgil  could never have guessed that the adventure he was so craving would come in the form of a hot as hell theater human living next door to his newest house. 

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

Virgil randomly picked an area on the globe for him to move to before picking another random area on a map of that area. He repeated these steps until he had a nice little college town. After that, he worked on renting some storage and a hotel room in the town until he was able to find a suitable home in the market. He almost considered going through college again until deciding it was not for him. He was only just starting to fully immerse himself on the public again, he needed time to readjust. Maybe in a year or so he would be ready. 

Surprisingly, it didn't take Virgil long to find a suitable house that he could move into. It was a nice old Victorian house. And it was relatively close to the college so if he did ultimately decide that he would go in for another degree, it wouldn't be a long commute for him. He quickly purchased the house and set up a date for the move. 

Virgil moved into his new home on a stormy weekend in early September. It was in a relatively small neighborhood near the college he had been looking at. He had played for a moving company to move his things from the storage unit he had rented and into his new house. He did feel a little  bad for making the movers work in rain for the better part of the day but he knew that if he moved on a sunny day, he would forget to reapply sunscreen every hour and he didn't know how to explain to people he was supervising that he was a vampire and burned easily.  He also wasn't really in the mood to get a severe sunburn anytime soon. But he had paid them fairly well and bought them pizza for their drive, so he only hoped that made up for moving things in the rain.  

As they drove away, he was able to truly appreciate his new home. I think I'm going to like it here. 

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

It had only been a few days since he moved into his home. Unlike normal people, he didn't spend any time unpacking anything aside from the essentials. He just sat. Moving took a lot out of him. Even if he wasn't the one moving everything, it still took its toll on him. Talking to strangers, having them move his things, the anxiety with just that alone would wear out his social battery for a day. But the worst part of the entire moving process was the adjustment. Virgil had to take two whole days just getting used to the noises and movements of his new home and neighbors. He had to actively adjust to the new environment otherwise he would be woken up because of some noise that scared the hell out of him and threw him into a panic attack only to find out that it was just somebody opening their mailbox or something. (Virgil had learned his lesson from the last time it happened.)

But by the end of the first two days, Virgil was comfortable enough to begin unpacking and organizing. And by the time a week had passed, Virgil could say he had settled into the environment nicely. He was comfortable and things seemed to be going well, no one had come to bother him. There wasn't a mob outside gunning for his head. Things were good. 

Then it happened. 

Virgil was just bringing in some blood bags from the vamp market, minding his own business when he suddenly heard someone screaming about a vampire next door. Immediately, Virgil dropped his cargo and slammed his backdoor shut before pushing himself flat against the wall. He froze in fear as he heard the yelling again. It sounded from behind him. Oh my Selene! Did they see me?!?! Did they see the bags?!?! Are they coming for me?! No! No! No! 

Whoever had yelled, however, did not come banging on his door with a torch and pitchfork. Virgil listened intently and picked up on faint, tired sounding voices as someone told whoever had yelled that it was just a dream and to go to sleep. 

Virgil let out a sigh. He wasn't completely in the clear. He still didn't know if they actually saw him or not. But he also wasn't in immediate danger either. He leaned down slowly to pick up his box of blood bags so he could put them away. He would be on high alert for the next month. At least until he was sure that it was indeed just a dream. Although, he had to recognize that the supposed dream was oddly specific. He couldn't just blame it on coincidence.  That could cost him greatly. 

He also couldn't help but wonder how his neighbor would react if they found out he was an actual vampire. The thought terrified him. Images of horrible deaths that could be inflicted on him flashed rapidly through his head. If only he knew how opposite the reaction would be to what his anxiety riddled brain told him would happen. 

-----------

The next morning, Virgil went about his business while keeping an ear on his neighbors house. He faintly heard them talking about vampires again. Most of them didn't believe the other guy. (Thankfully) But then Virgil heard the guy say that the vampire was going to bite him and then they were going to get married. Virgil froze. What the fuck? 

Virgil got lost in his thoughts after that only to startled out of it when he heard a knock at the door. Virgil frowned and moved to the door and peeked out only to nearly have a heart attack. Oh no! He's hot! Slowly, he worked up an ounce of courage and opened the door. "Yes?" He asked quietly. 

"Um, Hello. I'm Roman Belmonte and I just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood with some homemade cookies."

Virgil eyed Roman suspiciously. "Mm." Roman learned forward a little and Virgil shrunk back a little. 

"Oh, who am I kidding," Roman exclaimed. "These aren't homemade cookies, they're just store-bought." A chuckle. "I was just trying to impress you, I caught a glimpse of you when you moved in and well, what can i say, you're gorgeous." And then he had the audacity to flash Virgil a flirtatious smile. 

On the inside, Virgil was shouting "No! Stop! I'm already gay!" But on the outside,  Virgil somehow kept his composure. He snorted. "I don't know, I mean you're hot as hell but then I found out that you didn't even make me homemade cookies and I don't know if I'm willing to date a guy who won't even put in the effort to make homemade cookies. What, are your kisses gonna be store bought too?" Virgil opened the door more and motioned for Roman to come in. 

Roman's jaw dropped. Score one for Virgil! Then he licked his lips. "A date? I don't remember mentioning anything about a date...but if you're offering."

Screw you and your handsome face! Virgil snorted. "Princey, Princey, Princey, so naive," He said, in an effort to keep his composure. "You're going to have to do more than flirt with me to get a date with me."

Roman raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?" 

Virgil grinned. "Sure, pretty boy." 

"Be prepared to go on a date with me," Roman said with a grin.  Virgil rolled his eyes as Roman handed him the cookies. "I know they're just store bought but they're still good."

Virgil watched as the other turned to leave and frowned. "Wait." He waited until Roman was facing him again. "You don't even want to know my name?" He asked. "That's going into the cons." He was only teasing. And the flush that spread across Roman's face was worth it. 

"I-well-uh, what's your name?"

Virgil smirked. "Virgil. Good luck in that challenge, Princey." He watched Roman leave with a smirk before closing the door and burying his face in the cookies and let out a high pitched squeal. "Oh my Selene! How did I do that?!?!?"

Virgil leaned back and slid down the back of his front door. He sighed somewhat dreamily. "I have never, in all my years upon this earth, been flirted with like that." Virgil stared at the boxes scattered around the foyer. "Wow," he breathed. Long had he forgotten about the fact that his next door neighbor suspected he was a vampire. He was too busy in his gay panic. He had been flirted with. It was going to take him a bit to recover from that being the gay mess that he is. Little did he know the other was in the same boat. 

----------

Virgil stared at his phone in utter horror. "What…Roman are you there?" He already knew he wasn't. He had heard the line go dead. What's going on? What is Roman's family doing? It took Virgil a few more seconds for things to fully register. What if they had found out what Virgil was!?!? Virgil jumped up and quickly tried to figure out where Roman was. As soon as he figured out, he was out the door. 

Only to come back in and get his car keys. It was daylight out and he couldn't very well run without risking getting spotted. Plus, he was too worried about his boyfriend to put sunscreen on. Virgil quickly climbed into his car, a nice '67 Chevy Impala, and started the engine and set his GPS to Roman's location. He was really lucky that Remus had forgotten to check to see if Roman's location was on. 

"Don't worry, Ro. I'm coming. I'm your Prince Charming this time." 

🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻💀🕷🎃🕸👻

FNBMIG: @lehuka123

Everything: @misery-killed-me @superwholocked-for-life @mirror2thespirit @aroundofapplesauce @lyditist @little-euro-girl @unicornofdarknessstuff @maryann-draws @odette-ssbu

[jcolden]

WHILE YOUR PRAYING HANDS ARE UP

     The apartment felt emptier than it had in a long time. All the lights were off, and he was too high up for the ones on the street to really make a difference, but he didn’t switch any on as he went, first to the kitchen for a half-empty bottle of bourbon, then to his bedroom for a new shirt. He drank and paced, back out to the living room, emptying the little flask-shaped thing faster than what was probably wise. Always more shit, and maybe this distance that was growing between him and Queenie was natural. Maybe he should just stop pushing. Maybe it was God or the fucking universe trying to tell him that you’re meant to be alone — as if he didn’t get the fucking message the first time. With a furious growl, Julian whipped around and hurled the empty bottle at the brick wall to his left, where it burst into a thousand pieces, raining across his floor in a hail of shattered glass.

     Out. He needed to get out. His phone was already in his pocket. He shoved a fold of silver into another, patting himself down for weapons. Nothing big enough, nothing… his fingers curled around a grip sticking out of the waistband of his black jeans, warm where it had pressed against his lower back. Arin’s gun. He pulled it out, his hold tightening for a moment as he stared at it in the gloom that shrouded his apartment, then he smacked it down onto the kitchen counter and left it there, off in search of what he’d decided he really needed: a twin pair of karambits, ivory like tusks and even more lethal.

                                                                     * * * * *

     At first, he thought he’d gotten the wrong house. The whole neighborhood was dark, rundown, the buildings crowded closely together and largely unnumbered, so it wouldn’t have surprised him. Trash leaking from the ripped bags piled up next to cans and dumpsters had been trod flat, plastered to the sidewalk by people passing by, cigarette butts and roaches and beer caps laying out in the open. This close to the slums, it didn’t matter.      Julian knocked again, and finally the door opened, a large, bald man who filled almost the entire frame coming into view, scowling at him.      “Who are you? What do you want?”    “X marks the spot,” Julian said, indicating a red letter spray-painted on the peeling plaster on the side of the building.      “Seven-fifty for newcomers, boy. Cough it up.”    “I’m not here to watch.”      A deep rumble that somewhat resembled a laugh rose from the man’s chest, but he stepped aside, letting Julian pass into the hallway. The stranger lifted a hand, bringing him to a stop, and as he was patted down, he looked around, glancing over his shoulder and seeing that what he’d thought was a peephole in the door was, in fact, a camera. The lamp on the ceiling cast a sickly green hue over the unfurnished hallway, and the whole rest of the house was silent as the grave — not a sound from anywhere.    “Alright,” the bouncer said, handing his daggers back as he straightened. “Follow me.”

     Led through the hallway and out into a narrow, fenced-in back alley, Julian rounded a corner and descended a staircase in the bouncer’s wake, then emerged into a crowded basement. The air was soupy with sweat, smoke, and alcohol, voices filling up the space in stark contrast to the silence outside. There was no music.      “Briar!” the bouncer called out, locking eyes with someone in the crowd, near what seemed to be a bar. “Got a live one for you.”      As Briar sauntered closer, he wandered off, leaving Julian to fend for himself in a room of sharks and hyenas, none of which meant a lick to him. They were there, paying to see what he’d come to draw: blood.      “Hello, stranger,” Briar greeted, a deep alto timbre from a heart-shaped face, hair cropped close, dressed in a plain white tank and jeans, tattoos up and down their arms, piercings all over both ears. “What is your name?”    “Julian.” He was over the theatrics already, but would endure for the sake of not causing a fucking scene.      “Julian,” they repeated, popping the lid off a small compact and rubbing their thumb into the red powder there before ceremoniously dragging it down his face – from his forehead, over his eye, across his cheek and all the way to his jaw in a line. “Marked for death. A little young, aren’t we? Had enough of life? Or are we at the end of our rope in a different way? Desperate?”      He shrugged. Briar looked five years his senior at most, but he refrained from comment. After all, they weren’t the one participating.      “Either way… Drinks and favors are on the house.” They started retreating, gliding a hand over his shoulder. “Enjoy your last hour.”

     He didn’t. He had another drink — two — but fury and need were still crackling through him, forging impatience and restlessness in his bones, setting him on edge. He didn’t speak to anyone, and was approached only once, by one of the favors the host had mentioned, clad only in a sparkly thong and dangerously high heels.      “Hey, boo,” she’d said, trailing a finger up his arm. “You up for some fun?”    “Not with you.” He’d glanced at her, but she’d seemed undeterred.      “You sure? How about my friend?” She’d indicated over her shoulder at some other skinny thing with dark makeup smeared around his eyes, sporting three silver rings in each ear, one in his nose, and one on his lower lip.    “Maybe after.” His response had amused her, a trill of laughter left in her wake as she’d slipped back into the crowd, and he’d returned to his drink. Agitated, buzzing, the oppressive claustrophobia of a wall of bodies closing in around him.

     Now, Briar was coming for him, two words in passing and a faint caress across his cheek before they disappeared in the crowd again, no doubt in search of the other fighters: “Time’s up.”

     Julian could feel eyes on him as he approached the lowered pit in the center of the room, and no wonder, with the red slash of color marking him for what he was. No announcer called attention to the start of the event, no lights were flashing, no one was cheering or making a racket, and still there was no music — in fact, a hush fell over the basement, the din of voices muted to faint muttering and whispers as everyone directed their attention towards the pit.      It wasn’t deep; the rest of the floor was at about knee-height when he’d descended into it, and it was as if someone had cut the foundation away, hard-packed dirt underneath his boots instead of concrete.      Another man entered, tall and stocky, with the same red line, clutching a spiked baseball bat, and he looked about as on edge as Julian felt, but the brunet could tell it wasn’t anger, like with him. It was fear. Desperation, like Briar had said, and it made sense. For most people who signed up for shit like this, it was a last resort. Usually, they were in debt, owing people who would take their limbs off if they weren’t paid, and death was as good a way out as the payday that came with winning. A third appeared, middle-aged, tired-looking, holding what appeared to be an ordinary kitchen cleaver, and Julian almost felt bad for him. Almost. He removed the karambits from their sheaths at his lower back, hooking his index fingers into the rings. Sweat was beading on the middle-aged man’s forehead. Briar had materialized at the edge of the pit, looking down at them. There was a glint in her eyes, but she didn’t smile.      “Begin.”

     There was a split second in which the three of them looked at each other — the other two frozen, maybe, but Julian was deciding which one to dispatch first: the biggest threat, or the easiest kill. Without devoting much thought to it, he went for the latter, lunging forward and hooking both daggers into the man’s abdomen before he even had a chance to move, his eyes widening in shock as Julian wrested the curved blades upward and they ripped through flesh and skin, the force of it lifting the man off the ground. A snarl tore its way up Julian’s throat, rage and exertion, blood gushing onto the front of his shirt as he wrenched the two of them around, just in time for the spiked bat to crash into his victim’s skull instead of his own.      The nails stuck, lodged into bone. Julian yanked his karambits free, soaked in red, and the gurgling remains of the owner of the cleaver plummeted to the ground, pulling the bat along with him as he landed with a thud. The stocky man stepped onto the corpse’s chest and pulled; Julian took half a second to admire his work — parallel rifts up the torso, the flimsy fabric of the pale blue, sweat-stained button-up that covered it drenched in blood, a loop of slimy intestine, pulled out along with his blades…      Freed, the bat came sweeping at him, a single motion as it was yanked out, then brandished in a rising arch at Julian’s jaw. He dropped to his knees, dodging underneath the stocky man’s arm while simultaneously slicing his armpit with the dagger in his left hand, and, as he landed, a backhanded stab behind him that plunged the blade into the back of his opponent’s knee. It buckled under him with no resistance, a shout ringing out through the room as he knelt, followed by another grunt of pain when he landed. Julian was on his feet again, on his way back around to face the man he was about to kill when something slammed into his upper arm. Pain raced all the way to his fingertips, his grip on the karambit loosening, and he would’ve lost it if it wasn’t for the fact that it was hooked onto his finger; not that it mattered much, because his entire arm was limp with agony. Infuriated, he planted a boot in the center of the man’s chest and pushed, his right hand crossing his body to cut the underside of his arm, the bat slipping from his grip and landing somewhere behind the brunet. Another flash decision, and he’d rather kill this stranger with his own weapon, so he whirled around, not even making it a step before he felt a grip around his ankle.

     Flattened dirt flew up to meet him, and though he managed to catch himself, the impact still knocked the air from his lungs. Julian tried to crawl, but it was no use, because the piece of shit wasn’t letting go. Twisting, he kicked him in the face, then wriggled forward, ditching his knives before his fingers curled around the leather-wrapped handle of the bat. Pulling it towards himself, he used it to stand, then raised it from the ground and swung, turning around as he did.      The stranger was further away than he’d expected, in the middle of an attempt to get to his feet, and the bat collided with his jaw and mouth instead of his temple, blood and teeth flying. Julian struck again, this time where he’d intended, sending his opponent to the floor. Again. A sickeningly satisfying fucking crunch. Again, what had once been a head now a collapsed, crimson ruin of bone fragment, blood, and brain matter. He let go. The bat clattered at his feet. His chest rose and fell heavily as he regained his breath, fury burning through him like a wildfire. Slowly, he paced over to where he’d dropped his daggers and picked them up, wiping them off on his thigh before sliding them back into their sheaths. His arm was throbbing, and when he looked at it, he saw the trails of blood that had trickled from the cluster of holes in his skin, all the way down to his wrist, interspersed with the spatter from the second man to die and the gushing spray from the first. He was covered. His arms and chest got the worst, but he felt the droplets on his face, too, tasting metal when his tongue darted out to wet his lips. Over in a heartbeat. Over in two heartbeats, and yet it’d been exactly what he fucking needed.

     Now… booze? Numb the rest of his fucking discomfort. Drown it. He climbed out of the pit, and Briar was there, slipping a small memory device into his palm.      “Welcome back, and congratulations. Quite a show.”      Julian almost handed it back to them, about to say he didn’t give a shit about the money, but decided against it, dropping it into his pocket instead. “You got a bandage?”      “I can arrange that.”      He nodded, turning away and heading over to the bar, where he demanded a bottle of their strongest liquor, smacking the fold of bills he’d brought down onto the counter. The bartender presented him with sixty percent whiskey that Julian snatched by the neck and dragged off the counter. Some other goon appeared with a roll of gauze secured with a safety pin, and he took that, too, before making for the exit. Emptiness stretched out inside him, vast and dark and cold, his gaze focused ahead without meeting that of a single person he passed on his way. Out the door, up the stairs, around the corner — fresh air — back inside and down the crudely lit hallway, where the bouncer looked up from his phone to watch him approach.      “Fuck me,” he said, laughing again. Julian ignored him and pushed through the door, thinking dully as he peeled the foil wrapping off the mouth of the bottle he was holding that some homeless junkie had probably either stolen or looted his car. He drank as he walked until he reached it – surprisingly intact — and unlocked it with a touch to the handle on the driver’s side door, dropping sideways into the seat. Wedging the bottle between his legs, he rolled his sleeve up, then leaned forward a little as he lifted the whiskey, taking a breath in. Another sip for courage. Fuck. Tipping the bottle, he poured a splash over his punctures, watching the blood thin as it ran down his arm and dripped onto the sidewalk between his legs. Searing fucking agony, his teeth clamped together, but he kept pouring, just a little more, before lowering the bottle, gasping in a breath. Carefully, he set it down beside the mess he’d made, grimacing as he bandaged his arm tightly, fastening it with the same pin that had held the roll together. The burn remained. He picked the bottle up and drank, wanting it in his throat instead. In his lungs. A cigarette. His pack was in the console; he felt around for it, mostly blindly, but found it and got one lit, wondering as he sat there whether he should go back. Tell that fucking hooker with the lip ring to show him a good time after all. But he didn’t want the questions. The looks. There were sure to be more shows lined up in that basement, as unsavory or worse than the one he’d just put on, and he wasn’t interested. If he could, he would’ve sat there, half in and half out of his car until the sun rose, drinking and smoking, staring into nothing, but even in his peripheral, in the reflection in the window on his door, he could see that he looked like hell, and it was beginning to dry. His arm throbbed and stung. Julian pulled his legs into the car, closed the door, and drove.

[kpop---scenarios]

Stolen Heart (3)

Warning: None 

Word Count: 1.3k 

As Baekhyun starts his car, the rumbling from the loud engine causes you to groan in the backseat, but not enough to wake you up apparently. He sits there for a second weighing his options. Where was he supposed to take you? Clearly you weren’t going to let him know where you lived. He could take you to the garage, or to his house but the last thing he wanted was something happening to you while there. The garage and his place weren’t exactly the safest places considering his line of work. Before he could decide on a place, he hears his phone ringing. Looking down, he sees Kai’s name flashing on the screen. Letting out a small groan, he answers his phone. “What?” he snaps. “Hey man, sorry to do this. Can you do a quick drop for me? I’m in desperate need of something." he says, trying to muffle the giggle of a girl in the background. “Yeah sure, whatever" Baekhyun huffs. “Text me the address” he says before hanging up, not giving Kai the chance to respond. Once his phone lights up again and he sees the address he figured Kai would be there. Turning his head, he looks back at you, still sound asleep, no surprise there. You infuriated him to no end. He didn’t want anything to do with you, he didn’t have the time. Being with him wasn’t safe in the least and he didn’t know how to make you understand. But he would figure it out, like he always did. Baekhyun whips his car around, heading to the house Kai was currently residing in, wanting to drop off his drugs as quick as possible. Once he reaches his destination, he turns his car off, locking the doors after he gets out and checking on you one last time before heading up the pathway and knocking on the door. Kai answers, looking exhausted and already strung out on something but Baekhyun didn’t have the time to go into details with him, not did he really care enough at this moment. “Thanks man, I owe you" Kai smiles before Baekhyun turns away, walking quickly back to his car. As he approaches, he sees the backdoor left wide open, and the backseat empty, with you nowhere in sight. Fuck. ** You startle yourself awake, sitting up in a empty car that you did not recognize. You slightly begin to panic as you look around your surroundings. You can tell by what you see this wasn’t exactly the safest neighborhood to be in by yourself, but you decided you’d rather take your chances than being in someone’s car you didn’t know, possibly being kidnapped. Unlocking the door, you stumble your way out onto the side walk, looking to your left and right, trying to decide which direction would hopefully be your safest bet to travel. Choosing to go left, you walk as fast as you can, while tripping over nothing and having the world spin around you. You eventually make it to what looks like a main street, with men you can almost guarantee are gang related. You pray as you make your way towards them, hoping to walk past quickly without any issues. “Hey there, baby girl” one of them whistles, from down the street. Oh great. Keeping your head down, you try to walk past the group of men, when you’re yanked back, the grip on your upper arm tighter than it needed to be. “Yanno, it’s rude to not respond to someone talking to you” the man growls as his friends laugh. “No, it’s rude to cat-call someone" you snap back, your still drunk state taking over. “Don’t talk back to me baby” He whispers, leaning in too close for comfort. “What do you say you and some of my friends here have some fun, mhm?” he purrs, his friends moving in to surround you. A tear slips from your eyes as you try to figure out how you’re going to get out of this predicament you’re in. You almost wished you would have stayed in the strangers car, might have been better than this. Before anyone could do anything, you all turn your heads to the sound of tired screeching, coming to a hard stop right in front of the group. The leader of the group, steps forward as whoever was in the car gets out, walking towards everyone. Within a few seconds everyone stiffens up awfully quick, confusing you as to who would be so scary to frighten them all. You move around one of the men, catching Baekhyun’s eye almost immediately. “B-Baekhyun, what can we do for you" the leader mumbles. “The girl" he snaps.  “Hand her over.” “We were just about to have some fun with her" The leader says, turning his head to give you a small wink. “I think the fuck not” Baekhyun snaps. “If you’d like to remain under the protection of us, I suggest you give her to me before there’s a bigger fucking problem" “What are you going to do about it?” one of the other men chuckles, wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you in closely to him. Baekhyun’s eyes darken in a split second, his fists clenched tight as he moves through the others to the man who has his arm around. Baekhyun turns to look at you, seeing the stiffness of your body and the fear in your eyes. The man laughs as he looks at his friends, who at him with the look of disappointment, knowing what will come next for him. Baekhyun raises his fist and with one shot swiftly connects with the mans jaw, forcing him to let go of you and stumble backwards. Baekhyun grabs your wrist, dragging you away from the crowd before turning back to look at the leader. “He is no longer under our protection. Take care of it, or we will" he threatens before dragging you to his car. ** The drive with Baekhyun was silent after you had told him your address. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched and his brows furrowed. He screeches to a stop in front of your apartment complex, still staring straight ahead. “Thank you for..” you begin before he cuts you off. “Don’t.” He snaps, turning to look at you, the anger on his face very obvious. “Listen closely. Stay the fuck away from the races. Stay far away from me, I’m nothing but trouble. Go on living your life, and stay the hell out of mine" he finishes, turning his head back towards the street. “Okay" you whisper, getting out of his car and walking away. Baekhyun sighs as he watches you disappear into the building. He didn’t want you to stay away but it was the best for both of you. You lay in bed that night, thinking of what happened. You didn’t want to stay away from him. You couldn’t put your finger on it but there was something about Baekhyun that had you so intrigued by him. So much so you had to know more. It didn’t help that the thrill and adrenaline of putting yourself in dangerous situations and having him save you was addicting. You knew you wouldn’t stay away. You wanted to see him again, and a part of you just knew that he wanted to see you again. Rolling over you grab your phone, that you had finally charged. When you turn it on, you’re bombarded with messages from Lisa wondering where you were and if you were okay. [12:32am] You: I’m fine. It’s a long story, I’ll explain tomorrow. [12:33am] Lisa: You better. I was so fucking worried. [12:35am] You: Question for you. Do you know where EXO might frequent, a specific bar maybe? [12:37am] Lisa: I think I heard something about O’Doul’s. Why? [12:39am] You: Just wondering. Talk to you tomorrow. And like that, you knew where you were headed for a drink tomorrow night.

[stachmousworld]

Lie to me in my eyes

 Pairing: Stuckony and an original black (man) character 

Summary:  (No AU) Steve just got back from his first day at his Arts college. His boyfriends, Bucky and Tony, have both always been supportive. Was that the truth or an act?

Words: 2485 

“Do you think he was serious?”

That was Bucky’s voice. Steve approached silently enough. He was holding his first real canvas and tools and couldn’t wait to show them what he bought for himself. His smile was hurting so much. He hadn’t been able to wipe it off since he went to his first classes and after he bought his tools on his way back.

“Arts school?” Tony’s voice rose, dubious. “Yeah, didn’t think he’d really do it.”

Steve stopped walking. He unconsciously held his stuff closer to him. They were talking about him?

“He always was interested in arts, but it was in the 30’s. We didn’t have enough money and his little sexy drawings (Tony snickered) helped us when things were too tight. But now…” Bucky was moving around the living room. Steve who had been frozen, rush to hide behind a wall.

Normally Bucky would have been able to hear him. He could pick up any kind of noise which made him the first one to greet Tony or Steve. Tony had called him “puppy” because he’d jump onto them, nagging them about their day and wouldn’t let go until he was sure everything went well.

His fear that something could happen sometimes overrode all of his conditioning and for a few minutes the young Bucky was back.

The canvas in Steve’s arm cracked. He dropped his head hiding his face behind it. Tears threatened to spill, and at this point he’d be able to hide. He tried to sniff and wipe his eyes.

“And you were the one to offer him to pay for his tuitions as a gift,” Bucky added sarcastically. “You should have known he’d accept it.”

“Hey! Don’t put the blame on me!” Tony heard was louder than before. Steve heard his footsteps getting nearer. “If you’d told me that he was dead set on going back to university, I’d never offer.”

What? Steve blinked away the tears. Some escaped and rolled down his pale cheeks. He tiptoed to the elevator, breath shuddering so loud he was sure they’d hear him. The doors opened before he could press any button. He silently thanked JARVIS.

The last words he heard was Tony’s voice, “Captain America, in art school, I better call Pepper before the press get heard of it.”

The door closed on Steve’s trembling body.

 Steve didn’t come back. He walked in the streets, canvas and gouaches under his arms. Every time he passed by a trash bin; he felt compelled to throw everything away. The more he went and the heavier everything became. He knew that it was in his head. His tools didn’t weigh that much and there was no scientifical reasons for them to gain a significant amount of weight. Steve could almost hear Tony reasoning in his head. They may not have seen eye to eye in the beginning but even back then Steve has appreciated the way his brain worked.

Steve stopped walking and looked around. He didn’t recognize the neighborhood. It looked residential which meant he wasn’t near the Tower. He wandered a few minutes before giving up. He sat down on a bench, laying his stuff carefully next to him.

He caressed the plastic protecting his canvas and sighed.

“Guess, they are right. That was ridiculous…” he laughed, his heart breaking at the mere thought of letting his dream go. “Yeah…that-.”

“Mister Rogers?”

Steve’s head snapped on his right. His body was already tensed and prepared to tackle the – Steve shook his head and smiled.

“I knew it was you,” the man, Jonah, continued, a smile stretching his plump lips.

Steve flushed embarrassed, under the intense gaze of the man. He looked at his belonging and stopped caressing the canvas.

“Yeah, I wanted to walk.”

Jonah raised an eyebrow and walked closer.

“To walk? If I remember correctly you live in the big phallus in the middle of the city.” Steve chuckled at the coincidence. The first time he’d see the Tower he’d compare it to a penis too. He may or may have not based his private report on Tony based on the building. Something to compensate, he remembered thinking. “Here it is back.”

Steve raised a quizzical eyebrow.

“You literally shone with the brightest smile I’ve seen in a long time. Most of my students are pretty much depressed, between the tuition and the workload most of them quit before the end of the semester. But you, you seemed not to care. Although I do know you were able to pay the tuition in full, the workload didn’t faze you. And it seemed to me that you still have to save the world between classes,” he joked.

Jonah paced in front of him looking around with inquisitive eyes. Steve sputtered some words. His blush was intensifying and the man in front of him didn’t seem aware of it. Steve’s thoughts were scattered around. He hadn’t been able to formulate a single coherent thought since Jonah stood in front of him.

The purple light from the sky wrapped the man in such an ethereal way. His dark brown skin glowed as he basked under the rays. An angel. Steve blinked, shocked by his thought. He shook his head and cleared his throat.

“Thanks,” he answered.

Jonah barked a laugh, startling Steve. He had already heard the man laugh during the lecture but to witness it up close was…intense. Jonah had a deep, raspy voice which didn’t really match his body. He was tall and lean. Steve knew that he had some prominent muscles under the layers of clothes and yet his voice has shocked him to the core.

His laugh reverberated in the empty street. Steve couldn’t help but join him, although his were more contain.

“Don’t thank me kid.”

“Kid?!” Steve exclaimed, almost indignant. Didn’t Jonah know that he was from the thirties?

“I have read your story, kid.” Jonah winked at him. “You were in your late twenties when you were gone, then 70 years later, poof! Here you are. So mentally and physically you are still a twenty-something boy, compared to me.” Jonah opened his jacked and took it off. He folded the soft looking material over his forearm.

Steve’s laugh surprised him. He didn’t know where it came from, but it rattled his entire chest and left him breathless.

Jonah stood there, looking at him, with soft eyes. It took a long time before Steve stopped. And even then, he had some quick chuckles. A boy? It’s been a long time…a long time he hadn’t been called that.

“So care to tell me why you were so down? A boy like you was made to smile, not to frown, but it seems to me that you are more used of the opposite.” Jonah walked closer. He raised his hand and tapped his forefinger on Steve’s forehead. His eyes fluttered under the soft touch. His entire face scrunched before relaxing.

He had seriously thought that Bucky and Tony would be happy to see him go back to university. They never complained or tried to reason him for the last few months. Maybe that’s why it hurt so bad…to think that they certainly laughed behind his back during the entire process filled him with anguish.

“My boyfriends lied to me. I thought they were supportive of me going back to school. But they only pretended…” Steve dropped his head and closed his eyes. The presence of Jonah weirdly anchored him. “I came back earlier and eavesdrop their conversation.” He swallowed with difficulty. The words, thanks to his eidetic memory came back raging in his head. “They thought I’d eventually come to my senses and recognize how ridiculous my idea was.”

Steve crossed his arms on his chest and slowly raised his head. Jonah wasn’t looking at him but on his right, where his newly acquired tools were.

“Why did you choose arts, Mister Rogers?”

Steve looked at him perplexed. What did it have to do with what he just revealed? Before he could properly think about it, the answer spilled out of his mouth.

“I have always loved arts under all its forms. Bucky always thought it started out of pure necessity. I used to sell sexy drawings to a newspaper, and it’d help us at the end of the month. I was sick and frail, almost like a burden first to my mom, then to Bucky. But arts…arts have always been something I could do. It didn’t demand any efforts, but it’s not only that. I could take a pen and draw anything. I could reinvent the world and create smiles where they were long gone. Draw people who died…or capture the moment,” he added quickly. He should have never talked that long. Jonah was practically a stranger. And what if he talked to the press, his heartbeat rose. He grabbed his thing and stood up, wobbling dangerously due to the lack of food.

“Whoa whoa Mister Rogers, calm down,” Jonah helped him out. “I can see how your brain works and no, I’m not going to talk to the press about any of that. And I guess you only have my words, huh?”

Steve’s brain short-circuited. The warmth of the hand on the middle of his chest seemed to burn through his clothes. He took a deep breath and relaxed. Somehow.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, cheeks still flaming red.

Jonah shook his head, a small amused smile playing on his lips. “So polite,” he muttered, to himself. Jonah took a few steps away and Steve mourned the comforting feeling.

“Have you told them what you used to do, mister Rogers?”

What?

“When you talked about your past, I couldn’t help but notice how you talked about dead people, how you drew them. Why didn’t you tell your lovers...” the word coming out of Jonah’s mouth sounded sinful. “what it truly means for you to go to school and achieve your dream.”

Steve dropped his gaze to the ground. The meaning of Jonas’ words passed right over his head. He knew what he said was meaningful and supposed to help him get better. Why couldn’t he focus! Instead his thoughts were getting on a dangerous territory. Just this morning he was waking up with Bucky and Tony by his side, thinking that it was a sight he’d never get tired of, and now he was getting flustered by his teacher. Fuck…get a grip, he thought with conviction.

“I already have.”

Jonah hummed while playing with his beard, which covered what seemed to be a sharp jaw. Steve closed his legs as the phantom sensation of a soft hair bruised his inner thighs. He didn’t dare close his eyes to face the perverse images which were crossing his mind.

Had he been cursed? Maybe a lust potion? Steve scratched the back of his neck and took a deep breath.

“You know what. I’m going to give you one good advice. Go for it. If you end up not liking it or being bored then…change major. You have all your life in front of you, Mister Rogers, don’t be a secondary character to your own life. And if your lovers can’t understand that, maybe it’s time for you to move on, as painful as it is.”

Steve opened his mouth. Then closed it. The idea of losing Bucky and Tony constricted his heart. And at the same time, he didn’t imagine himself giving up on his dreams.

“Oh, no, what have I done?” Jonah exclaimed dramatically. “The frown is back.”

Steve huffed, chastised. He massaged his forehead to let go of some tension.

“Sorry,” he mumbled again.

“…the death of me,” he heard the man whisper. Steve tensed, eyes bulging and mouth agape. He wasn’t supposed to hear that, right? He cleared his throat and fidgeted with the gouaches.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” Jonah groaned and put his head in his hands. “I’m really sorry, Mister Rogers. How unprofessional of me.”

Steve wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans.

“We are outside the classroom. And if it is really a problem, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.”

“I trust you, Mister Rogers.” Jonah winked.

“Steve,” he corrected him, without thinking.

Jonah whiskey eyes gleamed. There was something quite familiar and dangerous in his eyes. “Steve,” he repeated, tasting the word on his tongue.

Steve hid his sudden moan behind a cough. His face was not hell warm. Probably a lust potion. Someone – Clint- must have slipped something in his drink. It was the only solution. Jonah checked his watch and groaned. Steve felt instantly sorry. He hadn’t meant to talk that long to him. He must have

“I’m sorry, you must have a lot of things to do and –.”

He trailed off when Jonah got closer to him. Steve eyed him with unconcealed curiosity. Jonah extended his hand to probably shake Steve’s. As soon as both of their palms made contact, Jonah bent forward and kissed his palm. At this point, Steve’s control over his emotion crumbled. His heart went haywire. He wasn’t sure if it was healthy, but his heart missed a beat. Actually he was a 100% sure it missed at least one if not several beats.

Jonah stood straight and stared into his eyes. “You sure are going to be the death of me, Steve.”

On these last words, Jonah let go of his hand and started walking down the street. Steve stayed frozen at the same place, eyes still on the other man. As he was getting far enough, Jonah turned once back to wave at him.

 After that, Steve ran. He vaguely noted that it took him less longer to come back. Actually, he was so distracted that he almost missed the Tower.

He didn’t know what would happen. One part of him, wished it was a misunderstanding, that Bucky and Tony were genuinely happy for him. But the words…what he’s heard wouldn’t be easy to explain and he wasn’t sure to be ready to argue with his lovers.

There again time went by fast. He barely had the time to formulate a somewhat intelligible speech that he was in the penthouse.

He slowly made his way to the living room where Bucky and Tony were. Bucky jumped to his feet, as usual, when he saw him and smiled happily, arms already open to hug him.

At this moment, Steve was ready to throw any of his resolutions away. Maybe it was just misunderstanding after all. Bucky has always been with him and had his back more than he could count…

Then, Bucky eyes went to his canvas and his smiled dimmed before coming back a little too tight on the corners. Tony who just got up eyed him curiously. When his eyes found the canvas, he looked away.  

Steve smiled sadly. “We need to talk.”

 Fin

[mychemicalficrecs]

Someone sent in a request for highschool frerard aus with bullying, so... here's the list :D

Some of these have either Frank or Gerard as the bully, in others they are bullied by someone else. Many of the fics deal with pretty dark issues, so if that's not your thing, don't forget to check the tags and warnings!

High School Frank/Gerard And Bullying

The Story of Us by SnowBazIsLife, 9k [WIP], Mature. Frank has had a crush on Gerard since like ninth grade, but Gerard was straight, right? Wrong, Frank learns, after something unexpected happens. This is the story of their life together, starting with that one day in March of senior year.

It's not Lovin' if It's Just Fuckin' by GeesCLUELESSgirl, momiji_neyuki, 28k, Explicit. Frank stopped and looked down at his best friend. "I love you Gee, you know that right?" Gerard swallowed, his smile slipping a little. He nodded. "Yeah, I know." Just not the way Gerard wanted him to. "Good..." Frank leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

All In A Day by GeesCLUELESSgirl, 14k, Teen And Up Audiences. Gee in a skirt with Bob by his side...enter Frank, and the day gets interesting.

Frank wasn't really sure how any of this happened. by Frnk, 2k, Not Rated. Why was he still awake? When the fuck did it start raining? Does Jamia still have his fucking lighter? Aka Gerard is an asshole but Frank likes him anyway.

Careful by francoantoniohierro, 20k, Teen And Up Audiences. Gerard Way is a preppy idiot who doesn't get high school dynamics. Frank Iero is a loser who wants him. parallel story to my other fic Careless

Careless by francoantoniohierro, 20k, Teen And Up Audiences. Frank Iero is Gerard's biggest bully. He's also totally in love with him. parallel story to my other fic Careful.

Something Worth Losing by KafePest, momiji_neyuki, 50k, Explicit. Frank, a boy suffering from the abuse of his step dad, has moved to a new town with low hopes. He's transferred to a new school that allows vampire students and he's not sure if he'll be able to make it there. And he's right, capturing the attention of a powerful vampire prince is one thing. Capturing his heart is another. Can Frank survive long enough to melt Gerard's heart?

I Need You More Than Ever by Frnk, rockforfrnk, 10k, Mature. Frank has been out as trans for just under a year. After a one-stand and a pregnancy scare, he realizes how much he likes Gerard. But it is not an easy road for their relationship.

Can't Take It Any More! by GeesCLUELESSgirl, 13k, Mature. Gee's life was not the best...in fact, it was very far from it. When he was just 5 years old, his mother and his baby brother Mikey had died in a car crash, leaving his father to bring him up alone. On the day of the accident Gee was unwell, so he'd stayed home with his dad, while his mom took Mikey to the supermarket...Gee never saw them again, and he didn't get to say goodbye. Gee's father, Don Way, blamed Gee for their deaths. He said that if Gee hadn't been ill, his mom, Donna, would've been taking him to school, and she wouldn't have been on the bridge when that 18 wheeler lost control. Don and Gee had never been that close to begin with, but ever since the accident, Gee found himself living in a nightmare.

Unspeakably Unique by loganmai, 88k, Explicit. When Frank moves to a new school after being taken in by a social worker, the last thing he expects to find is Gerard, the kid who just really likes skirts. Can Frank overcome his ‘behavioral problems’ from his past trauma and learn to trust Gerard? And will Gerard ever truly trust Frank with all his secrets?

Stay by YouKnowNothinJonSno, 14k, Teen And Up Audiences. Gerard has bullied Frank for years throughout high school, but when Frank is in real danger, will Gerard save him? Even if he does, will Frank ever forgive him for the past?

The Locker Room Creep by ChemicalPunkSongwriter, 10k, Explicit. Gerard Way spies on his crush, Frank Iero, in the locker room showers. Gerard is a creep and Frank is a popular jock with some complicated feelings.

Under The Willow Tree by GeesCLUELESSgirl, 41k, Mature. When Gerard goes to sleep at night, the last thing he wants to do is wake up in the morning...or at all. When Frank and his mom arrive in Belleville New Jersey, the last thing he's expecting to do is fall in love.

A Step In the Right Direction by MCRmyGeneral, 49k, Mature. As long as Gerard's been alive, it's just been him and his mother, and that was just fine. They didn't need anyone else. Until one day, Donna decided they did. Too bad Gerard doesn't take too kindly to strangers. Even really cute ones in Joy Division shirts.

What happened to you? by SenpaiFrerard, 13k, Not Rated. Frank was running as fast as his legs would let him, he swears it wasn't his fault he tripped and it slipped out of his hands. He couldn't keep going though his legs hurt so much and they were gaining on him. It was way past getting an adult to help him they already chased him out of the school and into the neighborhood.

I Just Want You To Know Who I Am by mcr_rockstar, momiji_neyuki, 31k, Explicit. Frank stares at his reflection in the mirror. He's trying to pinpoint when his life got so bad. It had to be around the time the most beautiful boy he had ever seen transferred to their school after Thanksgiving break

Kick Me Like A Stray by lukesdaydreams, 8k, Explicit. Gerard hates Frank. He hates him he hates him he hates him. So why does he get so turned on when Frank beats him up?

Frerard Football Team AU For Which I Could Not Think of a Title by franks_hands, 5k, Teen And Up Audiences. In the locker room and at practices, Frank was noisy, bordering on obnoxious. He seemed to bounce off the walls sometimes. He didn’t know about personal space.

Pray For The Dead by curvethisonapearl, 25k, Explicit. And you say that you can save me ✬ Don't hope to ever find me ✬ And I fear I'm too far gone✬ Pray for the dead

Your Guardian Angel. by MCRmyKilljoySoldier, 8k, Teen And Up Audiences. Frank realizes there's more to the asocial older Way brother than he thought; so he tries to help him come out of his shell.

Nobodies by thehotinpsychotic, 31k, Explicit. Gerard's a bit of a misfit. He has zero friends to his name; unless his brother, who is a seventh grader weighing in at about 102 pounds, counts as one. Frank, spotting this awkward boy, decides to make his living Hell. Later, we find why Frank is so full of rage, and Gerard begins to fall in love with him over it.

The Friends Who Stuck Together, And Wrote Their Names in Blood by ierostache, 13k, Not Rated. Gerard and Frank are juniors at Belleville High Scool. They used to be best friends back when they were kids but soon drifted apart when Frank got Popular and Gerard stayed, well, Gerard. Now, at the age of 16, Gerard is bullied by Frank and his friends, as well as jocks. What happens when Frank moves next door to Gerard?

Only When I Hit the Ground... by jatty, 53k, Mature. After switching schools to avoid a sadistic ex-boyfriend, Gerard is introduced to Frank who he thinks is a normal, albeit an oddly nervous, guy. Frank was forced to transfer after getting caught enjoying his favorite pastime—spying on boys in the locker room. If only Gerard knew that he was Frank’s new favorite model.

[mrs-evadne-cake]

“You shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to.”- Movies And TV

Since we’re about to hit the Stranger Things Doldrums where it’s been a while since S3 and S4 has just started filming and if you’re anything like me you’re gonna start jonesing bad- I thought I’d make a So You Need A Hit survival kit for myself of some Stranger Things-esque media to read/watch/play during the wait and that maybe you guys might be interested too. Not all of them are gonna set the world on fire- but hopefully there’s some stuff that people haven’t seen before Expect a lot of Small Town Nostalgia, a bunch of monsters, and more plucky, dangerously unsupervised kids than you can shake a stick at.

(STRANGER THINGS-ESQUE RECS CON’T) 

It (2019 and 1990): “Set in 1989 (and 1959, respectively) in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, the story begins when a young boy named George "Georgie" Denbrough disappears after the sudden arrival of a mysterious clown named Pennywise. Georgie's older brother, Bill, is left distraught by his disappearance, and after an encounter with Pennywise, looks for the help of six other outcasts who have had similar encounters with the clown and its other forms. The seven work together to examine the behavior of this shapeshifting creature — which they dub "IT" — and see if they can rescue Bill's missing brother at the same time.” -TVTropes (Obviously)

Super 8   “A group of middle schoolers in a small Ohio town in 1979 are dedicated to making a zombie movie to enroll in an upcoming film festival... While filming a scene late at night, they happen upon a freak train crash and barely escape before the authorities show up. Shaken up by the experience, they find that they accidentally filmed something on their Super 8-mm film camera in the aftermath of the crash, and soon they're caught up in strange happenings  with a monster on the lose and a secret military operation.”- TVTropes

(You don’t get closer to ST than Super 8. If this doesn’t fill the Teenagers, Monsters and CIA shaped hole in your life nothing will.)

Monster Squad -  “The film follows the exploits of a group of genre-savvy kids who seek to stop Dracula — and a host of other infamous movie monsters — from finding a mystical amulet and bringing about The End of the World as We Know It.” -TVTropes

Midnight Special “Alton Meyer, an 8-year-old boy with supernatural abilities, has been reported missing. In reality, his father Roy, along with Roy's lifelong friend Lucas, have taken the boy from the religious compound where he previously lived and gone on the run. Meanwhile, they are being pursued by members of the religious sect and agents of the FBI and NSA, both of whom are pursuing Alton for their own ends.”-TVTropes

Beyond the Gates Two estranged brothers reunite at their missing father's video store and find a cursed VCR board game dubbed 'Beyond The Gates' that holds a connection to their father's disappearance.” -IMDB

The Hole (Joe Dante 2009) “17-year-old Dane Thompson, his 10-year-old brother Lucas, and their mother, Susan, move from Brooklyn to the quiet town of Bensenville where Dane and Lucas befriend their next door neighbor, Julie. While exploring their new home, Dane and Lucas discover a trapdoor with several locks along each side in the basement. Opening the trapdoor reveals a hole which appears to be bottomless and  leads to the darkest corridors of their fears and nightmares.” -IMDB

The Babysitter “Tells the story of a twelve-year-old boy named Cole Johnson  who is constantly bullied, but is very good friends with his babysitter Bee. One night, while his parents are away in a hotel, Cole stays up to see what Bee does after his bedtime...and things take a turn for the worse.”- TVTropes

The Lost Boys “A recently divorced mother and her two sons move to Santa Carla, CA. The older one, Michael, falls in with a gang of biker vampires; the younger, Sam, befriends a couple of seemingly insane comic store assistants. When Michael begins turning into a vampire it’s up to Sam, with the help of the Frog brothers, to save him.”- TVTropes 

(For the Billy fans out there since Jason Patric and Dacre Montgomery got the same look going.)

Twin Peaks “The plot kicks off with the discovery of a teen cadaver,  one Laura Palmer. Eccentric FBI agent Dale Cooper responds to the matter in Twin Peaks, Washington, where he's teamed with the trusty-if-skeptical Sheriff Harry S. Truman. With the arrival of the Feds, further scandals start to bubble to the surface along with this supposedly unprecedented crime. Cooper, meanwhile, finds himself visited by enigmatic visions and dreams pointing to the real culprit.” -TVTropes

Marianne : “Emma, a famous and successful French horror writer, is forced to return to her hometown after the woman who haunted her dreams fifteen years ago begins to re-appear. The work she writes is apparently a work of fiction, but how much is fact? Joined by her childhood friends she finds herself battling a creature that takes the form of her own creation.” Wiki

(This series is one of the most legitimately frightening things I’ve seen in ages and feels more like a Stephen King adaption than most ACTUAL Stephen King adaptions. Like IT it bounces back and forth between a bunch of childhood friends as kids and adults as they fight a monster- originally French but the English dub is excellent for those who don’t like subs.) No-Creature Features:

Summer of ‘84 - “In the Summer of 1984, in the sleepy suburb of Ipswitch, Oregon, teenager Davey Armstrong is a conspiracy theorist who begins to suspect that a neighbouring police officer is a serial killer. With help from three friends, Davey launches a daring investigation that soon turns dangerous.” -IMDB

The Sandlot   “Follows the summer adventures and misadventures of a group of boys and their ragtag baseball team playing on "The Sandlot," their makeshift baseball field in Los Angeles, during the summer of 1962.” -IMDB

(You’re KILLIN’ me Smalls.)

Stand By Me: Twelve-year-old Gordie  and his friends Chris Chambers ,Teddy Duchamp and Vern Tessio  journey into the woods near their home to look for the body of a boy named Ray Brower, who was struck by a train while picking berries. Through the boys' misadventures and conversations, the viewer learns about each character and their friendships.- Wiki

The Goonies: “A small group of kids living on the "Goon Docks" of Astoria, Oregon are in dire straits: the owners of a local country club have threatened their families' homes with foreclosure so they can finish building a new addition to said country club. On one of their last days in the neighborhood, one of the "Goonies", Mikey discovers a Treasure Map in his attic. The map supposedly reveals where to find the treasure of infamous pirate One-Eyed Willie —but to get it, they must outwit a trio of mobsters and survive numerous death traps designed to keep One-Eyed Willie's treasure safe from outsiders.” -TVTropes

[painfulstitches17]

Keep it slow (Bandit x Jäger)

It was an early morning back in Germany, air cool against his skin, the sun was slowly rising in the horizon, on a road cutting through fields in the middle of nowhere, some place near Dusseldorf he had never encountered. The wind made the leaves dance high in their branches, catching Marius' attention. Did everyone experienced the world as vividly as he did ? The countryside had always been a favorite place of his despite his love for machinery, a way to flee the painful city. Working on motorcycles and cars in a wooden barn around his hometown at sixteen was part of the best days of his life, surrounded by the quiet greenery and the random chirping of passing birds. He could think there, nothing to bother him for hours on end, nothing to crowd his mind. He'd lay down in the grass after a while, looking up at the blue sky. All kinds of books would await him in the evening, helicopters remaining his wildest dreams. The only compensation was to help the old man lending him the space, he sometimes missed those simpler days when things got ugly.

"Do you have any data yet? I'm lost on this fucking map."

Dominic "Bandit" Brunsmeier, his best friend. They've known each other for a few years now, Dominic liked to keep to himself and it had been difficult at first but the ice had melted between them. Now Marius couldn't imagine a life without him in it. The older man hadn't got it easy, a drawn out undercover mission that left both physical and psychological scars, losing his family in the process. The way he talked was akin to dark humour, cracking up jokes to tell the other how he felt, what he had done. Marius didn't always get it but he tried. Dominic was no-nonsense when it came to his work and Marius liked it, focused on the task at end just like he was, if not slightly enjoying it sometimes. They got along well.

So well that Jäger realised he had fallen in love.

Talking about cars and motorcycles, the later being of huge interest to his best friend, even going as far as to work on Dominic's one together. Going on small trips with the rest of the GSG9 (or not) around Hereford, engine roaring, Marius' hands firmly in place on Dominic's sides as they enjoyed the adrenaline. The long hours of doing nothing but being in each other's company, nose in books, watching TV, hands tinkering with objects. The way Bandit could make him focus on days when everything was too much too quickly, when he felt like he couldn't escape the noise and surrounding blur. Marius felt comfortable when Dominic was by his side.

Until he didn't, until Smoke was in the picture and Bandit started talking about past lovers and soiled sheets, until he heard details of tongues in intimate places and mouths full of hot, sticky love, until multiple partners at once were mentioned and how nothing could top off such experiences, how he had lost himself in random bathrooms knees on cold floors too busy doing something else rather than watching the movie on the screen, stranger's hands in his hair and a will to forget everything else. Until he said he wasn't certain he could love someone ever again. Maybe it had to be expected, he was scarred so deep he feared being burnt again.

They have seen each other crying in the middle of the night, uncertainties, fears, traumas, pain, nightmares, words soothing but wounds never healing. When Marius wasn't joyful and gentle he was distant and anxious. When Dominic wasn't confident and mischievous he was depressed and self-loathing. Countless nights were spent with a hand around Marius' arm, resting on his stomach or holding him in his sleep to make sure he was still there and breathing. Countless nights where long gone names resonated off the walls, be it from untimely death or abandon. Countless nights where Dominic would look at him like he didn't believe Marius was still there by his side, realising it had been a nightmare all along. He couldn't blame him.

"Not yet, maybe we should get going, it's stressing me out."

Despite all of this... He couldn't let it go. The blond hair split by a mysterious scar, trimmed beard, brown eyes and hooded lids always on the lookout, pink lips on which his name sounded ten times softer, the tattoos which he thought were over the top but wouldn't question, the outside showing danger but a heart twice as big as he let on, hunched over the hood of the car now and cursing at the paper map threatening to blow away with the wind, the glance he just gave him screaming it'll be alright'. Nothing could make this sliver of hope go away when he looked at Dominic.

They finally arrived after an additional half an hour of struggling to get ahold of Marius' uncle and rolling around the neighborhoods, the rented hall finally revealing itself outside the city. It looked inviting surrounded by trees and other greenery, the large window panes giving them a glimpse of the upcoming chaos. Marius wasn't that fond of family gatherings.

The Streicher way consisted of family and friends getting together for a day, usually during summer, an abundance of food, people, children and music, all of which had a way to wear him down after just a few hours. He always found it funny how his line of work broke him less than these events, still, he wouldn't miss it if he could make time for it as he liked most of these people. Dominic had long been adopted by them so he agreed to join and be somewhat of an emotional support. Marius knew he also craved these sorts of interactions having no family members willing to talk to him left, they complemented each other's needs that way. 

The first few steps inside were just as expected as the noise reached them with full force, children running around, different smells mangling together and worst of all, the addition of a dancefloor and its accompanying DJ. Bandit seemed to have spotted the buffet but stopped himself in time to realise that maybe he should greet everyone before indulging. Gluttony incarnate, Jäger thought.

It was hot inside, Jäger had long since lost Bandit who knows where, though probably close to the buffet. It was time for a break outside away from all the noise, children were playing out there but he could live with it for now. It had felt like an eternity, answering questions over and over from everybody under the sun, most of the time having to repeat himself, again. He took a seat at the furthest part of the venue's garden, bathed in the sun and surrounded by magnificent pink rose bushes. It was nice being around people he had spent his childhood with for a change. A soft breeze against his cheeks reminded him of his adolescence again, the choices and missed opportunities. Overall, he was happy, wasn't he ? As happy as could be when you suffered from PTSD and mild injuries, sure, but happy nonetheless. He had found another part of his family with rainbow, one that could surpass his expectations, one where he didn't worry being himself. He loved his biological one but rainbow was where he was his full self. And... He had Dominic now, too. Fuck, he can't stop thinking about him, can he ?

Where was he anyway? His eyes spotted a figure coming towards him but it was far from the bearded man, a young brunette in a long, ankle length dress and a nice, white brimmed hat was indeed coming closer. He recognized her, she was a family friend. Each and every time they met, she would make sure he felt alright, initiating small talk and offering drinks. She was several years younger, wasn't she ? She took a seat next to him, the same song and dance they usually went through. Now Jäger had to go through the same round of questions he had already went through earlier today. She started monologuing, not unusual since Marius had a hard time relating or even caring. She seemed like a good person but unless you talked about his few interests, he could completely be turned off. Plus, she kept leaning against him.

That was when he felt watched. Eyes darting towards the building, Dominic was standing at the door nursing a drink, looking right at them. After a while of staring, he left. Hm, peculiar.

It was almost midnight, the cold air rolling in from outside alleviating the hot and humid sensation still lingering from such a busy day indoors. Marius was sitting at one of the round tables nursing a glass of alcohol, an ineffective way of drowning the ever growing discomfort his surroundings were giving him. He quickly spotted Bandit coming in big strides towards him, picking up a chair before seating himself close to the engineer. "You're drinking again ? Guess I'll be the one driving us home." "Doesn't it always ends like this?" He earned a laugh from Dom. "We should stick around a bit and then leave, I'm getting tired." "Alright, the buffet is empty anyway and I'm getting bored of your drunken uncles and all. Nice people but I can't stomach the politics." Jäger couldn't help but snort, it was so typical it almost sounded like a parody of himself.

They stayed here for a while, just looking at the others enjoying themselves. The music had gotten softer as the day had progressed, which they were both glad for, until the lights got switched off leaving space for a more intimate ambience. People gathered in pairs towards the DJ, the music started again and... It was a slow. The two defenders looked at each other, surprised. That was new. Jäger felt a feeling tugging around in his stomach, like an envy. Wouldn't it be nice to be so close to Dominic, just like they were ? "You know-... Oh fuck, not again." Dominic put his face in his hands, visibly annoyed. "What's wrong?" "She's coming towards us, that gal you were talking with earlier today." He tried pointing in her general direction as subtly as he could. "She keeps flirting with you Marius." "What ? No, she's not, she's just being nice. I've known her for years, she's one of my cousin's friends." "Yeah and that friend looks at you like she looks at a Snickers bar, believe me, she wants you. Can't you see her body language? Wait, of course you don't but I saw it from meters away!" Dom whispered.

Before Jäger could interject, the woman was taking a seat next to the both of them. "Hi boys, what are you talking about?" "Just work." Bandit's voice sounded like a growl, his expression somewhere near anger. "Need anything ?" "Oh I just wanted to spend some time with Marius, we don't get to do that often, do we?" She put her hand on Jäger's arm as she said this, whom put his glass down before dropping it from stress. The atmosphere was almost suffocating, the two of them ready to jump at each other's throat while he was stuck in the middle. What was going on?

"You know what, let's dance together Marius ! This would be so romantic, don't you think?"

Jäger's mouth felt dry. Dominic was right. How was he going to get himself out of this ? He felt uncomfortable shifting in his seat, the woman staring at him almost pleadingly, hopeful that her advances would be successful. Nobody knew he wasn't into women, he was too scared to be open about it. Should he keep the facade and accept? The thought made his stomach turn not only because it would be lying to others while caging himself down but because the only person he wanted to be close with was Dominic. Looking back at her, her head cocked to the side like a confused puppy, eyebrows raised, Marius felt a slight panic. He had to act, didn't he? He tried opening his mouth but fear pushed his words back in his throat, his heart pulsing harder and harder. Shuffling beside them finally broke the awkward tension rising.

"Sorry darling, this man's taken."

The hand that grabbed Marius' pulled him up from his chair and before he knew it, they found themselves in the middle of the other couples. Dimmed lights were hiding the bright smile on Dominic's face as he tried his best not to erupt in laughter. Marius was unsure if he should be focusing on the divine looking man in front of him, shifting lights changing the features of his face as they tried to 'dance', or the hands firmly planted on his hips. "That's not where you put your hands, you look awkward, have you never done this before ?" Bandit said close to his ear. The negative head shake he got in return made him laugh. "Let me show you." Bandit grabbed his wrist ever so gently, Jäger's arms now placed around his neck, bodies almost flush against one another, hands traveling down to the other's hips again. "God you're clumsy !" Dominic was talking but it was barely registering, Marius laughed when he thought he had to pretending not to be looking at the other's lips with need. He tentatively turned his attention to the rest of the room only to be stopped in his tracks.

"Just look at me." And so he did, his gaze never leaving Dominic's, the only person he had almost no issue doing so. Since when did Dom smell this good ? A faint mix of nicotine and cologne he couldn't ignore now, every fiber of him was screaming how much he wanted Bandit. To Marius he was the embodiment of temptation, perfectly sculpted, charming despite some parts of his personality and he would be lying if it didn't add to it in some way. It had been so hard hiding it, pretending for the sake of their friendship. There was nothing he could do, he needed him, he couldn't do without him, his heart was slamming against his ribcage like it was about to jump out. Marius wanted to show him he didn't have to be alone, heal this ache he knew he had in his chest-

The was, kissing Dominic. The feeling of lips on lips, the taste of alcohol and sweets still on his skin transferring onto Jäger's, hands traveled up to Dominic's hair pulling him closer with desperate need. Was he being pulled closer as well or was it just his imagination ? It was unclear who of the two initiated the addition of tongues in the middle of it all but there was no complaining. Dominic was sure Marius had left out a small whine as he playfully bit his bottom lip, a slight feeling of possessiveness growing. How many times had Jäger dreamed of doing this ? How many times had he been close to act upon his deepest wishes ? There was no going back, he was loving every single second of it, oblivious to the world around him.

The world around him.

The kiss broke as suddenly as it had started, Dominic's fingers hurting his midsection while Marius' hands caressed the messy hair underneath them. The world around him. There was a glimmer in Dominic's eyes, gears turning inside that silly head of his. The world around him, the world around him. Butterfly kisses were placed on his cheeks, beard scratching at his skin. Eyes darted around the room, distinguishing silhouettes from the dark background. Eyes, stares. What was Dominic doing? The world around him. Lips trailed down to his neck, softly kissing the pale skin underneath as they're staring a hand caressing his lower back as they were still attempting to follow a semblance of rythm like the other couples.��They're not a couple, what if this is unwelcome? What if he's pretending ? A hand pushed past the collar of his shirt, the tie and first few buttons long gone due to the heat and as everyone was looking fingers traced his collarbone. They shouldn't be doing this here. Whispers fell into his ear but their message was left cryptic in Jäger's mind because he was going to get Dominic hurt, was he going to get hurt? No, that's absurd. What if somebody reacts badly? He shouldn't have done that, but it's irrational

Shaking hands pushed the bearded man away as softly as they could, Marius felt as if he was watching the events unfold, unable to control what was happening. "I'm sorry..." He could hear his name behind his back as he made a beeline for the closest exit to the parking lot. Several people tried talking to him but he wasn't looking for a chat, especially not right now. He swung the double doors open nearly running into the few men having a smoke outside. He ignored his name, the question being raised. Marius wanted out and away.

It was a disaster, he had made a mistake, outed himself to his whole family and friends, kissed his best friend when he shouldn't have and was now ready to ignore everybody and hide until the end of times. He loved Dominic so dearly, it hurt just thinking about how their relationship might change for the worst. He stopped himself against their car, finally able to breathe for a while. Could he even fix this ? Not without time travel he thought. The sound of footsteps on the gravel fueled his anxiety, he didn't want to see anybody, explain himself, or worse.

"Give me the keys."

That was it, he fucked up, Dom was going to leave him here and he would be right to do so. Marius overstepped boundaries and there was clearly no going back, he was going to lose him right then and there for a joke he hadn't understood, or he ignored even. He gave him the keys, barely looking in an attempt to hide the tears threatening to fall.

"What are you waiting for? Get in, we're running away!" Running away ? Curiosity almost overrid his previous thoughts because what the hell was he talking about? What are they running from ? He obliged, avoiding to look at the other German. The car came to life and they quickly made it away from the venue. Dominic wasn't mad.

"Fuck Marius... You're going to hate me." He was clearly suppressing a laugh. "What did you do ? Should I be worried ?" "After you left, a few of your very drunk family members thought they should give me a piece of their mind about two men kissing." Jäger was mortified, the worst case scenario was happening, wasn't it ? "So I told them to go suck a dick or lick some pussy to calm down." Bandit was now trying his hardest not to burst into full blown laughter. "But there were kids around, so a few parents got pretty angry but I kept cursing while running out for you! Don't look at your phone, I'm sure there's nothing worthwhile on it. Your uncle was worried but he just laughed so hard, even waved me goodbye!" That was it. That was the thing that pushed Jäger to a fit of laughter he had rarely had before, closely followed by Bandit's. What was Dominic thinking ? Scratch everything, this was the best outcome possible.

The minutes passed quicker than expected, both finally calming down after a while, still, Jäger couldn't brush off the idea that what he did was wrong in some way. They stopped at a red light not far from the apartment, the car drowned in the shade. "Dominic... You're not mad at me ?" There was a pause as they looked at each other. The eldest finally broke the silence. "No, why would I be ? Wait, did you believe I would be ?" There was a nod on Jäger's part.

"Fuck, Marius... Have you seen how we kissed ? Do you really think I'd be angry? I've been waiting for that to happen for a while. No matter how I tried to make you wary of me you still looked at me like I was your world. Don't tell me otherwise, you're not the best when it comes to discretion." Bandit came closer, faces inches apart making the other look away. "Look at me." Bandit tried softer when he realized his words were sharper than intended, as usual. "Please Marius, look at me." He waited until he tentatively turned his head again. "I've been in love with you too. I love you, I really do." It was Dominic who initiated this time, pressing themselves together as best as they could in the car. It was soft, oh so soft, like he was trying to declare his love as gently as possible in this single act. Hands found themselves traveling down Jäger's torso with an obvious need to discover each and every spot. The heat sure was quickly rising. "Fuck, Dom" the man crashed against him harder at his name, tongues rougher and shirt buttons popping off their holes. "Dom, the light's green..."

Oh. "Fuck !" Bandit left out a giggle that surprisingly made its way down Jäger's stomach, a flutter forming. It was happening, he had what he had dreamed about, it was happening, oh God-A hand sitting on his thigh sure did become a distraction from his own thoughts, which rapidly headed down south.

The car finally came to a stop in the parking lot, the two lovers pressing themselves out of the vehicle. Hands found themselves entangled without even having to wonder about it. It felt natural, didn't it? The elevator came down with a satisfying ding allowing them to enter into momentary privacy, butterfly kisses being spread across cheekbones and necks.

They tried to straighten themselves right before having to step out but anybody could tell, right? Maybe by the way Bandit was pulling Jäger by the arm, an idea rummaging in his mind Jäger was sure they both shared, or the fact that the engineer's shirt was open already. Dominic was the one pinned to the wall when Marius looked for his keys, the keyhole too hard to find while desperately kissing another man in the middle of a barely lit hallway.

But when the door gave in, allowing them in, they both knew the night was long from over.