#the way vivi's been trying to carry all this herself. barely let herself cry when igaram gets blown up [bites her lip bloody keeping it in]

[forged-in-kaoss]

you want it so no one dies in this fight. aren't you being naïve? people die.

The rebel army, the royal army, the people of this kingdom haven't done anything wrong!! So why do people have to die when it's all Crocodile's fault?

then why are you putting your life on the line?!

TRY PUTTING ALL OUR LIVES ON THE LINE TOGETHER! AREN'T WE FRIENDS?

[dream-a-little-bigger-x]

Paralles | Chapter 10

Add yourself to my taglist! | Here’s my masterlist! | Parallels Masterlist

Characters: OC! Violet Grace Dawson, Luke Patterson, Julie Molina, Carrie Wilson, Bobby Wilson, Reggie Peters, Alex Mercer, Flynn nolastname, Willie nolastname, Nick Danforth-Evans, Dirty Candy 

Guideline: Sunset Universe is the universe in which Sunset Curve is famous and Violet is friends with Carrie, Julie and Flynn. Candy Universe is the universe in which Dirty Candy is more famous and Sunset Curve has broken up. 

Song(s) used: Boy Bye - Emma Bale

Warnings: I wrote this after watching Ginny and Georgia, so.... I added Marcus Baker as a character don’t @ me. Minor anxiety. 

Words:  4,231

The second Violet woke up the day after her date with Luke, her phone started ringing. Glancing down at the screen, Carrie’s picture smiled back at her. Violet chuckled, not surprised that the girl was FaceTiming her at this moment and immediately picked up. 

Before Violet could even greet her best friend, the blonde girl attacked her with the important question. “How was it? Tell me everything!” 

Violet chuckled as she sat down on her bed with the phone angled in front of her. “It was so amazing! He took me to this fancy Italian restaurant called “Figurati Italia”, which I’m pretty sure means “Imagine Italy”.” She sounded dreamy and resembled a lovesick puppy. It scared Carrie a little as the girl droned on and on about how chivalrous and amazing Luke had been on the date. 

“He did say something about a blind date you guys had set us up on…” Violet continued after minutes of dream-talk about the date. “What’s that about?”

Carrie swallowed harshly. Being reminded of that mistake made the guilt well up in her stomach. “That was – uhm…” She searched her brain for the right words. “Violet – other Violet – was so in love with Luke and the boys knew Luke had a minor crush on Violet too, or at least they thought he did. So, we set them up on a date, before the whole Sunset Curve thing blew up. When they realized what we had done, Luke kinda laughed in her face and told her he’d never date her…” 

Violet’s jaw dropped. “What an asshole!” she snarled. “And you let me go out with him?!”

“I’m sorry, Vi! But this is different, this is – this is to get you back!” 

Violet chuckled, her second of anger switching out into worry. “And what if that’s not how we get me back?” 

“Then we’re just gonna have to find another way and in the meanwhile, get you used to this universe?” Carrie suggested. Her stomach felt weird in that moment, like a bad omen, a foreboding that something terrible was going to happen. 

The brunette girl nodded her head slowly, trying to wrap her mind around the idea of being here. Forever. She wasn’t the Violet that used to live here. She was nothing like her. Or at least, she didn’t think she was, judging from the stories she’d heard. People would notice, at some point that she wasn’t who they knew her to be. There had to be a way to mislead them. To learn to be the Violet they knew. 

“Do you know if Violet had some sort of diary? Just so I can get a sense of what she was like, how her brain worked and stuff?” 

Carrie pondered over it for a moment. “She did have this songbook she used to write her songs and thoughts into? I believe she hid it in her nightstand.” 

Violet immediately dove towards the white nightstand and opened the first drawer, finding a bright blue fake leather notebook with ‘VGD’ embossed in gold on the front. 

“I found it…” 

Curiosity rose within both girls. Carrie had never been allowed to look into that unless it was a song Violet was willing to share. Though she knew there was more in there than she was allowed to see. Violet’s biggest secrets, her deepest thoughts. They were all stored in there and now, the girls were granted a free pass into Violet’s mind. 

“What’s in it?” Carrie asked. 

“Songs, mostly,” Violet replied as she browsed through the notebook. She halted at a song titled ‘Homesick’ and as her eyes scanned the lyrics, she could feel every single feeling her parallel self was feeling in that moment. Her eyes halted at the date that was scribbled at the very top of the page. “Care… Around what time did you set her up with Luke on that blind date?” 

“Uhm…” Carrie hummed as she pondered about the question. “I’d say around March 2018 or something.” 

Violet’s heart dropped. “Huh…” 

“What?” Carrie asked. 

“I think Violet may have written a song about him,” she mumbled, but Carrie heard her, loud and clear. “It’s kinda heartbreaking…” Her fingers traced over the stains of run-out ink. Violet had been crying while writing this song. “Luke’s an asshole…”

“That’s no news,” Carrie scoffed. 

Violet stared at the paper while the gears in her brain started doing their work. “He needs to pay for what he did… He needs to pay for breaking that poor girl’s heart.” 

“And how are you gonna do that? He’s so self-absorbed and obsessed with his fame, he won’t even notice you’re trying to make him pay for what he did…” Carrie reasoned, but to no avail. Violet was already plotting the perfect scheme in her mind. 

“Vivi,” her mother walking into her room made her snap out of her train of thought. “Can you go to the store for me, please? I forgot the feta cheese for dinner tonight.” 

Violet rolled her eyes at her mother. “Of course, ma, I’ll go in a minute.” 

“Don’t call me ‘ma’,” her mother frowned. “And get outta bed, it’s past noon!” 

The girl managed a smile. “Sorry, mom. I’ll go in a minute.” 

Her mother shot her a smile before turning on her heel and leaving her daughter’s bedroom, letting Violet and Carrie to their conversation. 

“I hear there’s a super cute new bag boy in the store around the corner,” Carrie informed with a smirk. “Total cool guy. Guitarist and has a motorcycle.” 

“Huh,” Violet hummed as the gears in her brain started working yet again. “I do have a thing for guitarists, don’t I?” 

“That you do,” Carrie agreed. 

Violet chuckled before saying goodbye to Carrie and getting off her bed. After throwing on some fresh clothes and doing her makeup, Violet left the house for the store with the scheme unfolding in her brain. The new bag boy would be the perfect pawn in her plan. 

Though, when she entered the store and laid her eyes on the new bag boy, she didn’t expect him to be this gorgeous. His sharp jawline and high cheekbones, along with the perfect swoopy brown hair was enough for her heart to nearly burst out of her chest. 

“Fuck,” she muttered and made her way towards the cheese aisle. With her mind set on the pretty bag boy, she searched the shelves for the feta cheese and once she had found it, she reached for it. Being in such a rush, however, caused her to take the packet behind it with her, causing it to fall to the floor. “God dammit, stupid cheese,” she groaned to herself as she bend down to pick it up. 

A hand bumped with hers as she reached for it, and, when she looked up, she stared straight into Pretty Boy’s light brown eyes. Violet swore they stared right through her soul, baring every little piece of her. 

“What’s the cheese done to you?” he asked, chuckling as the two of them got up again, both holding the cheese. 

She regathered herself from the impact the boy had on her ovaries and flicked a strand of hair out of her face. “It did what I want you to do.” She confidently said, her lips slightly parting as it had always been one of the many tricks she had up her sleeve. 

Pretty Boy’s eyes skidded from the left to the right, trying to figure out what she meant. 

Smirking, Violet wrapped her hand tighter around the cheese and, as he was still holding it, pulled it closer towards her, pulling him along until his face was inches away from hers. “Fall for me,” she whispered before letting go and pushing past him. 

“You got plans tonight?” he shouted after her. 

Violet smirked and turned around, glad her plan was working. “Yep, I’ll be at Red and Blue tonight,” she told him, hoping he’d get the hint. Judging by the smirk that lifted his plump lips, Violet knew she was winning. 

“I’ll see you there then.” 

And the boy managed to keep his word. That night, when Violet was at Red and Blue with Julie, Flynn and Carrie, the Pretty Boy showed up too. Her breath hitched in her throat as she noticed him approach her. 

“You didn’t,” Carrie gasped in Violet’s ear. 

“I did.” She smiled at the boy. “Hey,” she greeted when he was close enough. 

“Fancy seeing you here,” he teased as he reached for her hand and kissed the back of it like a true gentleman. “I never got your name.” 

She went on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his ear. “Violet Dawson,” she introduced herself over the loud music. 

“Marcus. Marcus Baker.”  The two of them smiled at one another, causing Violet’s world to stop spinning for just a moment. “Wanna dance closer to the DJ? The atmosphere’s always better there.” Violet bit down on her lower lip as she nodded her head in response. Marcus then led her through the sea of dancing people, holding on tight to her hand. 

As the two danced together to the music, Violet noticed Luke walking into the club with his bandmates closeby. His eyes skidded across the crowd and halted when they met Violet’s. He hadn’t even noticed who she was dancing with until he had approached them. 

“Hey,” he said, “Who’s this?” 

“Marcus,” Pretty Boy introduced himself with a smile as he reached his hand out for Luke to shake, which the rockstar completely ignored. “Okay…”

“You wanna get out of here?” Luke asked Violet, cocking his head towards the door. 

Violet’s eyebrows knitted together, “I’m actually having fun, Luke. I’d rather stay.” She looked up at Marcus, shooting him a quick, apologetic smile. “But you can go if you’re not having fun.” 

“Oh, uhm… No, I’m staying. You want something to drink?” he asked instead, and Violet could tell he was getting a little nervous. 

“Sure. You want something, Marcus?” 

Marcus hummed and grabbed Violet’s hand again before guiding her towards the bar, leaving Luke to trail behind them. 

“When were you gonna tell me you had a boyfriend?” Marcus asked, his lips pressed to her ear to make sure only she would hear. 

Violet chuckled. “Oh, he’s not my boyfriend. We went on like one date and I think he’s desperate for another, but I’m not really that interested.” 

“Ah,” said Marcus, nodding his head. “You need me to make sure he knows that?” 

Violet smirked. “No, I’ve got another idea for that.” She said and confidently made her way to the stage. Marcus watched as she walked, his lips turned up into a smirk. 

She grabbed the microphone on the stand and cleared her throat before nodding at the band, telling them to start playing the song. While the upbeat, bass-driven music chimed through the venue, the girl started swaying her hips before starting to sing with her eyes focused on Luke. 

“You thought I'd worry That I've made the wrong decision But I'm moving on way faster than I thought I think I've grown out Your destructive efforts Still you're holding on to all the things we loved”

A soft, yet distinctive guitar riff chimed in at the pre-chorus and when she looked up, she found Marcus next to her with a guitar in his hands and a smile on his face. 

“You want me to come back Like I want you anytime Now I'm here with somebody Now it's the sad boy you play out And again I'm falling Yet again that's no surprise Thought I left it behind”

Having Marcus there gave her the confidence to really go for it on the chorus. She started moving her hips to the music while singing the lyrics to Luke, who stood near the bar, watching her and Marcus like a hawk. 

“But I don't want this You think I want you back But I'm so over this Boy bye And I'm not homesick You think I want you back But I'm so over this For now?”

The music went back to its bass-driven core and while Violet focused on Luke at the back of the club, Marcus couldn’t keep his eyes off of Violet as she sang. From the moment they had met, he had found her interesting. She was this overly confident, attractive woman and it intrigued him. He wanted to know what she was compensating for. 

“Friends keep asking why we're not together So I guess you haven't told 'em what you did Oh You may be sorry It's not better late than never And I think this time I'm glad we called it quits”

As even Marcus grew more confident on the guitar, Violet made her way over to him and leaned on his shoulder. This action made him look up. Neither of them could hide the smile crawling to their lips as their eyes locked. 

“You want me to come back Like I want you anytime Now I'm here with somebody Now it's the sad boy you play out And again I'm falling Yet again that's no surprise Thought I left it behind”

She stepped away from Marcus again and for a few seconds, kept eye contact with him until she got lost in the music and let herself go during the chorus. 

“But I don't want this You think I want you back But I'm so over this Boy bye And I'm not homesick You think I want you back But I'm so over this For now?”

Her eyes landed on Luke again to see his reaction on her performance. She didn’t like what she saw though. He looked at her in the same way he had during their dinner. The literal embodiment of the heart eyes emoji. It frustrated her, but it didn’t distract her from the song. 

“But we gotta stop the playing round The playing round For Gods sake Oh we gotta quit the playing round It's more than we can take Oh we gotta stop this playing round The playing round For Gods sake Oh we gotta stop the playing round It's more than we can take”

“But I don't want this You think I want you back But I'm so over this Boy bye And I'm not homesick You think I want you back But I'm so over this For now?”

Marcus took Violet’s glance his way as a sign to really go at it on the guitar and show off a little. It did seem to impress her as she turned towards him, giving him that same smirk she did in the store. 

“But I’m so over this Boy bye And I'm not homesick You think I want you back But I'm so over this Boy bye Boy bye”

She let out a very last hum as the band stopped playing, Marcus included. The crowd then burst out into applause and even the guitar boy next to her clapped for her. Her cheeks heated up whilst she locked eyes with him. 

“I didn’t know you could sing,” Marcus said, placing the guitar back where he found it. 

Violet shrugged. “Didn’t know you played guitar.” That was a lie, Carrie did tell her that, but it was the right thing to say as it caused Marcus to bare his pearly white teeth that nearly caused Violet to get a heart attack. 

“That was hot,” Luke grunted in her ear when she and Marcus approached the bar for another drink.  

Violet furrowed her eyebrows. “You didn’t get the hint, did ya?” she asked and Luke tilted his head a little, the smirk vanishing from his face. “Leave me alone, Luke. Please?” 

“Wha– Violet?” Before he could say anything else, Marcus had already whisked her away to go and dance on the dancefloor with a drink in their hand. None of it made much sense to Luke, but he figured it was just the new way Violet operated. Maybe she didn’t want to be exclusive. Maybe he needed to try harder. 

And that’s what he was going to do. 

Try harder.  

Violet was almost scared to turn up to practice the next day. Luke would probably hate her for rejecting him and it would make everything awkward and weird. It wasn’t going to end well and she knew that. 

When she arrived at the garage, she was proven right. Luke acted cold towards her as soon as she entered the studio and everyone could feel how the warm, comfortable bond they had, had turned ice cold. 

“No, Bobby!” Luke groaned for the nth time that rehearsal. “It’s a B chord, not a C chord! Are you ever gonna get it right?!” His voice was thundering through the garage and it startled each and every person in that room. 

Violet glanced over to Carrie, who furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She hadn’t been informed about the conversation Violet and Luke had had the other day, but she could tell something had been off about the two since rehearsal started. 

“Luke, calm down!” Alex yelled at the lead guitarist. He did know what had happened between the two and he knew Luke was taking it out on everybody else instead of owning up to it like an adult. 

Luke scoffed, “No, Alex! This is exactly why we broke up in the first place! Because we don’t work!” His eyes flicked over to Violet, making her feel like there was a different layer to that sentence. They wouldn’t work either. 

“No, you’re just mad because you got rejected!” Alex fought back. At least someone mentioned the elephant in the room. The girls on the sofa gasped and all three of them immediately looked at Violet, who shrunk in her seat behind the piano. 

Luke clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Rub it in, why don’t you?” he muttered before placing his guitar on its stand and gathering his stuff. 

As he started to make his way to the door, Violet got out from behind the piano and ran after him. “You can’t run out of rehearsal, Luke! Come on! Just because I didn’t wanna go on a date with you, doesn’t mean you have to quit the band!” 

“I do though,” he said and turned around. With a few large, but slow-paced steps, he stopped in front of the brunette girl that had broken his heart and hurt his fragile reputation. 

“Why?” 

Sighing, Luke muttered,“Because I joined for you, you idiot.” 

Violet couldn't possibly say anything to that and let Luke walk away again. The feelings she had been feeling for him all this time finally got reciprocated. By a different version of Luke, that is, but still. It didn’t quite matter which Luke said it. She heard it coming from his mouth. The words she’d been wanting to hear for years. 

“I am so sorry, guys,” she breathed, hiding her face in her hands. “This is all my fault.” 

“It’s not your fault, Violet,” Reggie said, shrugging. “Luke’s just stubborn. He can’t take no for an answer.” 

It was supposed to make her feel better, but it didn’t quite. She had ruined any and all chances she had of returning to her own universe just because one version of that guy had hurt her years ago. 

“Can we end rehearsal early then?” Alex questioned, coming out from behind his drums. “I got a date with Willie tonight.” 

Violet smiled. At least that was a thing here. “Yeah, sure. It’s not like we’re gonna be able to perform at Chubbie’s anyway,” she said, shrugging. 

“We’ll get there, don’t worry,” Alex tried to soothe her and placed a hand on her shoulder as he passed her on his way to the door. 

“Yeah, we’ll be ready in time,” Reggie agreed as he, along with Julie and Flynn left the garage, leaving Violet with the Wilsons. 

Violet shook her head, trying to wrap it around what had just happened. “How can we be ready in time when the gig is this weekend?” she mumbled to herself when Carrie wrapped her arms around the girl. 

“I know how to get your mind off of everything,” she said, pressing her temple against Violet’s. “Girl’s night at my place.” 

Violet couldn’t help the smile reaching her cheeks. That did sound like a good plan. The best plan, even. It would keep her mind off Luke and the gig and the whole universe thing. It would calm her nerves and anxieties. 

Or at least, she thought it would until they arrived at the Wilson’s house. A group of girls stood at the front door, angry expressions on their faces and arms crossed in front of their chests. 

“Where have you guys been?” Kayla asked, grumpily. “We’ve been waiting here for over an hour!” 

Carrie squeezed her eyes shut. “Fuck, I forgot about rehearsal…” she muttered. 

“Rehearsal for what?” Violet questioned, unaware of any gigs that were happening for Dirty Candy. Though, judging from Kayla’s shocked face, there was a gig she should be aware of. 

“The gig this Saturday!” she sneered. “A mega-important gig at that!” 

Carrie and Violet glanced at each other, eyes widened in complete horror. The exact same day as the gig at Chubbie’s with the boys from Sunset Curve. As Kayla and the girls started yelling at Carrie and Violet, the latter completely zoned out. She couldn’t hear a word of what was said. All she could think about was how she might be stuck here for the rest of her life if she didn’t perform at Chubbie’s on Saturday with the boys. 

What if they didn’t show up after that humongous fight? What if that wouldn’t be the thing they had to do to get her back? 

The girl’s storming off snapped Violet out of her thoughts, yet she still found herself in some sort of state of shock. Nothing felt right anymore and everything kind of sucked. There was no way she was ever going to survive in this universe if stuff like this kept happening. 

“Vi?” she could hear Bobby’s voice in the far distance. “Are you okay?” 

She coughed, shaking herself back. “Yeah… Yeah. I’m okay,” she clearly lied but the Wilsons didn’t push further and instead took her inside where the girls watched some movies together. 

Within half an hour, Carrie had already fallen asleep and Violet couldn’t bear watching the rest of the movie. Her mind was restless and kept running back and forth over her options and every possible scenario that could happen. 

There was only one thing that could keep her mind off everything. So, she hoisted herself up from the couch and made her way to the music room where she took a seat at the piano. 

Her fingers grazed the keys, letting a soft melody fly out the instrument. A content sigh left her body as she let the music take her away. It felt nice to let everything out of her system. It seemed to be her one and only escape to her from this crazy world. 

“You okay, Vi?” Bobby’s voice shook her out of her thoughts, causing to stop playing the piano. “You seemed a little out of it earlier.” He moved over towards her and sat down next to her. Their shoulders touched and it caused a weird spark to send shivers down Violet’s back. Something she had never felt before. 

“Yeah… Everything’s just… a lot, you know?” Bobby tilted his head, urging her to elaborate. “The switching universes, Luke suddenly being into me, the pressure of being in Dirty Candy…. It’s just – a lot… I’m used to being on my own, writing music with my best friends, but now I’m suddenly supposed to be this whole other person…. It’s exhausting.” 

A single tear rolled down her cheek, which Bobby caught with his thumb just before it reached her lip. The two locked eyes and for a second, Violet found herself drowning in his eyes. She had never noticed how gorgeous they were until now. The dark brown, the slight twinkle that was in them. She had never seen him up close like this. Her eyes took that liberty to scan his entire face. From his eyes to his nose and cheeks to his lips. Before they could move back to his eyes, Bobby closed the gap between the two of them and kissed her, full on the lips. 

Violet was startled, at first, but quickly melted away under his touch, closing her eyes as he deepened the kiss. The kiss lasted longer than it should’ve, but Violet didn’t quite mind. Or at least not until her mind drifted back to Luke and she felt like she was kissing him instead of Bobby. 

This caused her to flinch back. 

“Sorry! I shouldn’t have…. I’m sorry,” she quickly muttered before getting up and running out. 

Though it was a mistake to Violet, Bobby didn’t quite see it like that. If it were up to him, this would’ve happened a lot earlier and could happen a lot more often. He had never admitted it to anyone, but he had been in love with Violet for years. Those feelings had never been reciprocated, so he didn’t act up on them either. Violet was just Violet. Until now.

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[bluesey-182]

We Have To Stop Meeting Like This: Chapter 7

Chapters one, two, three, four, five, and six. fic on ao3

Notes: once again i would like to mention that when i write about seizures i’m taking from my own experience which may be different from others. i also want to mention that, though i’ve been having seizures for years now, i have never been in the hospital for them, so if i got things wrong then i’m sorry. hopefully you enjoy the update :)

--------

Early morning sunlight was streaming through the window as the soft hush of morning slowly pulled Jude from sleep. Her legs--exposed beneath Cardan's t-shirt--were tangled up in the blankets, her face smushed against her pillow that also smelled of Cardan, and overall her thoughts were taken over by Cardan, Cardan, Cardan. With eyes still closed, she rolled over in her bed and reached for him, his warmth, the comfort of his arms--only to find empty sheets.

Sitting up in a panic her open eyes confirmed what her empty hands had found: he was gone. A quick lap through the apartment turned up empty of black haired, black eyed boys, and the truth settled in like a stone in her stomach. He had left. Last night meant nothing if he left. Last night was just a one-night stand if he left. Last night was nothing. 

Jude would not cry. She wouldn't. This was stupid. Hadn't she been trying to convince herself last night that it was just sex? Nothing more? So why now, when Cardan was proving it, did it hurt so bad?

Back in her room, Jude collapsed onto her bed. She was sore--physically after last night and now emotionally as well. She didn't know what to do with herself as she tucked her knees up under her chin and stared at her wall. When her phone buzzed against the nightstand she reached for it absentmindedly. The text read: i had a test this morning and didn't want to wake you. see you later though???? 

Oh. Oh. 

So he hadn't just left. Last night wasn't nothing then. Right?

Jude texted back: how did you go to school if i'm wearing your shirt 

Cardan replied instantly. His test must be over already. i went in the nude ;). lol jk i just wore my hoodie, he said.

Jude found herself smiling like an idiot. when are you finished with school for the day? 

Cardan: getting in my car now. Why?

Jude: come back over? 

Her phone was silent for several minutes. Anxiety built in Jude's chest until she couldn't sit still anymore. She wandered around the apartment and went through the motions of her morning routine but still her phone didn't ring. She made herself some toast that she burned in her daze but still her phone didn't ring. She choked on a piece of her over cooked toast and still her phone didn't ring. 

When a knock came at the door she figured it was Taryn coming home from last night. She was too tired and too happy to deal with the fight that was sure to come but reluctantly opened the door. Instead of Taryn, though, someone much taller stood in the doorway. Her gaze followed the body up, up, up, until it settled on the gorgeous face of a gorgeous boy with gorgeous eyes looking at her like they could devour her.

"Hi," she said lamely.

"Hi," Cardan teased back.

"I was waiting for you to text me." 

"And I was driving to see a beautiful girl."

"Oh, well let me know when you get there." 

"Behave."

"Or what?" 

"Or I'll have to take my shirt back, which would be a shame considering you look better in it than I do."

“I suppose you want it back,” she said, looking down at the fabric consuming her.

“I was just about to tell you to keep it.” His eyes were burning when she looked into them. Had it not been for how gently he held her last night, the intensity of that look would make her stomach stir. As it was, she found herself wanting to curl back up in his arms again. 

For the first time since she answered the door she became aware of the chill from outside. A thin dusting of snow covered the ground and, if the sky was any indicator, it looked like it would snow again before the day was over. Exposed as she was, she shivered.

Cardan, looking concerned, ran his palms along her arms in an attempt to bring some warmth back into her. “Here, let’s go inside,” he said, ushering her through the door and sliding it closed behind him. "You're not even wearing socks?! Girl, what's wrong with you?" But before Jude could answer Cardan had her swept up in his arms like she weighed nothing and he was carrying her to the couch where he set her down and pulled a blanket around her. Flopping down, he joined her, nearly laying on top of her, and curled around her so their bodies were pressed together. Jude was instantly warm in more ways than one. 

"How did you sleep?" Cardan asked softly.

"Good. Really good. How about you?" 

"Honestly?" He asked. "It took me awhile to fall asleep. You looked so beautiful and I couldn't stop looking at you."

"You were watching me sleep? You creep!" Jude teased as a smile and a blush consumed her face. 

"Well, you were bound to find out eventually. Maybe someday you'll let me watch you shower too."

Yup, Jude was definitely warm. 

"Only if you join me," she purred with a sultry tone.

"Damn. Now it's getting interesting." His voice shook ever so slightly in his response. She wanted him back where she had him last night. She wanted his bare skin against hers and his breath in her mouth and his hands all over and oh god she was in trouble. With her thoughts still spiraling into a very unwholesome place, Cardan kissed her once on the tip of her nose as his hand came up to tangle in her hair. He began tracing circles on her belly with the tips of his fingers that both tickled and excited Jude. She found herself curling her toes under the blanket he had thrown over her. "How are you feeling?" Cardan asked, concerned. Jude, on the other hand, was confused by this sudden turn in conversation.

"Fine?" She said, voice dragging the word up at the end without meaning to.

"I didn't… Did I…?" Cardan didn't seem to know how to ask whatever question he was wanting to. Jude only grew more confused. "Did I hurt you at all last night?" 

What? Oh. Oh!

"You were a perfect gentleman," Jude giggled. Actually giggled. She didn’t giggle. What was wrong with her? At Jude's answer, though, Cardan visibly relaxed. "Which was surprising," she continued, "because I had you figured to be a freak in the sheets." 

Cardan laughed, loud and surprised and unrestrained. “I can be, if you’d like.” His wicked smile turned her on more than she’d ever want to admit. Had it not been for the slight soreness between her legs lingering from last night, she’d tell him to prove it. 

Another time, then. 

“Your sister caught me leaving your room last night in my boxers.”

“Wait, Taryn’s home?!”

“Well I don’t know if she is now but she was last night when I went to use the bathroom.”

“Oh God.” Jude put her face into her hands and felt Cardan chuckle beside her.

“Still had a bit of a boner, too,” Cardan laughed.

“I hate you,” Jude said from the confines of her hands. 

“No you don’t. I’m delightful.”

Jude rolled her eyes.

“Given what Taryn was saying at dinner last night she probably thinks we came here to hate-fuck your anger away.” Cardan continued to laugh. Jude wanted to punch him in the face. 

“Stop talking, Cardan. Before I break your pretty little nose.”

“You think my nose is pretty?”

“Cardan!”

“Okay, okay, I surrender.” But he was still laughing. His laugh truly was a magical thing--like music or poetry or some kind of healing magic that puts one at ease. Jude thought that if she could swallow the sound like it was a pill then she’d forever be okay. His laugh, she thought, could probably save her.

Fuck the soreness from last night. Jude rolled over on top of Cardan to straddle him and his eyes instantly went dark as his hands gripped onto her hips. She leaned down and kissed him, deep and desperate and like a confession. Their lips slid together, kiss melting into kiss melting into a bite on the lower lip, and then he was carrying her back to her bedroom with her legs still wrapped around him. Jude could feel him against her thigh before he unceremoniously dropped her onto her back on her bed. He went back to kick the door closed before joining her on the bed. This time when she put him on his back, he stayed there. 

By the time Cardan went home that night, Jude was exhausted and even more sore than she had been before. He kissed her goodbye on her forehead, made some teasing comment about the way she was walking funny, and then slipped out the door. A text from him alerted her when he got home and they texted back and forth until Jude finally drifted off to sleep--wishing he was next to her.

--------

The next several days went by in a blur. School continued to kill Jude with its workload, the weather continued to be shitty and full of snow storms, Jude and Taryn largely ignored each other. Jude hardly slept, and when she did, she had nightmares that woke her in a cold sweat. Nightmares that, upon waking, she immediately forgot. 

On Friday she woke to the heat down too low and the weather outside too cold. Padding across the hardwood floors with her socked feet, she went into the family room and adjusted the heat. Breathing some warmth into her cupped hands, she went into the kitchen to find something for breakfast. She popped a few frozen waffles into the toaster (the breakfast of champions for that morning) and pulled her phone out of the pocket of her sweatshirt while she was waiting for the waffles to pop back up.There were two from Taryn that she promptly ignored, one from Vivi--a picture of her and Heather at a comic book store event the night before--and one from Cardan. Smiling to herself, she opened the message from him.

Everything went black.

Jude came to with her face pressed against the hardwood floor of the kitchen and a thick sticky substance coating her hair. She could hardly register where she was, hardly process the fact of the red of her blood on her hand after touching it to her head, could hardly get her vision to stop swimming. What happened?

Her tongue felt coated in slime, her nose was filled with a metallic scent. Where was she? Her phone lay near her and she reached for it. There was a number she was supposed to call but she couldn’t call it to mind. There was a conversation open on her text messages but she couldn’t make sense of the words. She clicked the phone icon in the corner and was met with a dial tone. Almost immediately a voice answered. Warm. Male. Familiar. 

“Jude?” The voice said.

She could hardly speak, words were evading her. Finally she croaked out a single, desperate word. “Help.”

--------

There was a banging on the door, someone shouting her name. She could process she was on her kitchen floor but couldn’t get herself up. Her head hurt, her body ached. She was on her back now, staring at the ceiling. The banging on the door continued for another minute before the sound changed--someone was trying to break the door down. What was going on? Something was wrong, wrong, wrong. Jude began to sob just as the door finally gave way and a boy with black eyes rushed to her side. His hands were on her bloody hair, he was saying her name, she was crying. He was crying. 

He pulled his phone from his back pocket and put it to his ear. He was speaking but the words didn’t make sense other than their desperate tone.

Minutes later, sirens were blaring outside.

---------

“Can you tell me your name?” A woman was asking as she shone a light into Jude’s eyes.

“Jude,” she whispered. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to go home. But wait, wasn’t she already home? What happened what happened what happened?

“Do you know where you are?” The paramedic furthered inquired.

Jude tried to look around her but her neck hurt, her head hurt, everything hurt. “Home.”

“Do you know who this boy is?” The paramedic asked, jerking a finger towards the boy that had found her on the floor. The boy she had called. He looked wild and afraid and like he would run to her side if it weren’t for the man restraining him by the doorway.

Cardan.

“What was that?” The woman asked. Jude must have mumbled. She repeated his name, clearer. Saw tears on his face as the paramedic continued to hold him back. She touched her hand to her head and was surprised when it came away sticky and red. Was she bleeding?

“We’re going to take you to the hospital, okay?” The woman said. 

Jude made to respond when her throat closed, eyes rolled back, and she was dragged under again.

--------

Machines were beeping. The bedsheets of the hospital bed crinkled when Jude shifted. She could feel the scratch of gauze around her head as she shifted her head on the thin pillow. Beside the bed, a nurse watched her over the clipboard she had been writing in. 

“Oh, you’re awake,” said the nurse. “Do you know where you are, sweetheart?”

“Hospital,” Jude croaked, not sure how she got there. She vaguely remembered being loaded into an ambulance after waking up on the floor. Vaguely remembered Cardan’s hands on her face, in her hair. One of the machines beeped faster as her heartbeat kicked up in a panic.

“Do you know what happened?” The nurse asked softly. The tag around her neck said her name was Ashlynn. More than anything, Jude wanted to say that yes, she did know what happened. She remembered every bit of it. But she didn’t--she couldn’t. So instead she answered truthfully.

“No,” she responded, tears welling in her eyes.

“You had a seizure,” the nurse told her gently, as if speaking to a spooked animal. “And hit your head. It’s a lucky thing your boyfriend found you.” Boyfriend? “You had another seizure after the paramedics showed up and they rushed you here. Your boyfriend is in the waiting room still. You can see him after the doctor checks you out.”

--------

By the time the doctor left the room, Jude was fully aware again. There was a fog over her memory of the last few hours but she was present and with herself again in a way that was a relief to feel again. By now she had put together that boyfriend meant Cardan and when they asked her again if she would like to see him, she almost said no. No, she didn’t want to see him. Didn’t want him to see her like this. But a strange flash of his panicked face came into her mind with the memory of him holding her, and instead she found herself agreeing to see him.

She raised her eyebrows at him as he entered the room and closed the door behind him. "Boyfriend, huh?"

He immediately looked defensive and mischievous at the same time, sitting in a chair beside her bed. "It felt weird to just call you my friend after I've been inside you and I didn't want to explain to the 9-1-1 operator that you're a girl I hit with my car and then slept with and you may or may not actually hate me, so I panicked and said I was your boyfriend." 

Jude chuckled and shifted again in the bed in an attempt to get comfortable. More than anything, she wanted out of this damn hospital gown. Cardan’s eyes were haunted when she looked back to him. He took her hand in a way that suggested he didn’t know he was doing it, looked at the wall above her head, moved his eyes back to meet hers. He was clearly shaken. Badly.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he confessed barely above a whisper.

“I’m sorry,” she returned in the same voice.

“No,” he said too loudly. He lowered his voice with an apologetic look in response to her wince. “No. Don’t be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about, okay?” 

Jude nodded. This seemed to placate Cardan enough for his shoulders to relax. “Did they tell you if you have a concussion?” He asked, diverting the subject a bit as he touched his fingers lightly to the bandages on her head 

“Mild one, yeah.”

“You hit your head on the counter.”

“I heard.”

“There was blood.”

Jude looked down at her hands and saw small crescents of dried blood under a few of her fingernails. “Oh,” she supplied lamely. Cardan’s eyes followed her line of sight to her fingernails and he took her hands in his again to cover up the evidence. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

“You just did,” Jude said in an attempt at humor. The joke clearly fell short in the tense room.

“Why didn’t you call 9-1-1? Why did you call me?” Cardan finally asked after a long beat of silence.

“I don’t remember calling,” Jude admitted. “I don’t really remember anything.” At this, Cardan gave a tight-lipped nod to her answer. His thumbs were rubbing pleasant circles along her palms. 

“When can I go home?” She asked. Cardan met her eyes with his beautiful black ones and Jude found herself wanting to crawl out of bed to be in his arms. 

“I’ll ask,” he said sadly.

--------

Walking in to her apartment took more bravery than she expected. Inside she was greeted by the pool of blood on the kitchen floor, the smear of blood on the counter, the bloodied prints on the floor from the hands that had touched her. She wanted to throw up. After closing the door, Cardan moved to block her view of the kitchen. Said her name once, twice, three times, before gently taking hold of her arms.

“Hey, look at me. Breathe. Breathe, Jude. It’s okay.”

She was hyperventilating. Shaking. Nothing felt okay. She closed her eyes and let herself fall forward into Cardan’s arms where he held her--fingers digging into her back--as he continued to utter soothing words to her. She felt him kiss the top of her head, knot his hand in the back of her hair, tuck her head beneath his chin. She was safe, he kept saying. She was safe. She was safe. She was safe. The more he said it the more she believed him until finally the panic attack ebbed away, leaving only soul deep exhaustion in its wake. As if sensing Jude running on complete empty now, Cardan scooped her up into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Gently, so gently, he laid her down on her mattress and pulled the blankets up over her. He sat there for a moment, running his fingers through her hair, before he made to stand. Without thinking about it, Jude’s hand shot out to grip his wrist and he froze in place.

“Stay,” she begged. “Please stay with me tonight.”

Cardan kissed her forehead, tucked her hair behind her ear. “Your wish is my command, darling,” he whispered.

He curled up behind her and held her like she might drift away as she drifted off to sleep.

[thewhumpstuff]

You and I, Me and You [14]

@badthingshappenbingo​ [Original characters and content for ‘Burns’]

[TW: Non/Dub-Con, NSFW, cigarettes and scalpels, psychological manipulation. Vivianne (Vivi-Anne/a) presents with a constellation of personality traits and identity-defining choices/compulsions that are unique to her and this world. (Attributed to her past and involving experiments with sci-fi drugs) She does NOT represent any disorders or conditions] [Teaser and Master List] [Archives of our Own] (On their turf: Chapter 5)

[<– Previous] ~ [Next –>]

Scalpels and Cigarettes. 

The hospital bed was flush against a corner. Akira’s left leg—the one that was shot—was grateful for the extra support and protection the wall provided. About a foot above her shin, the windowsill began. It overlooked the driveway. Vivi had cracked it open, to allow the smoke that curled from her cigarette to escape… and perhaps to hear the processions below. She could not make out the words, but the wind carried sounds sometimes and Vivi was grateful.

Aki had flexed her good leg to let Vivi find her perch. She’d been watching the processions with rapt fascination as she stitched. “It looks bad. I’ve never seen Tariq like this.” She ducked to finish the final knot. “All done! Gotta say, I didn’t think you’d be so still… Well done.” Vivi rested her hand on Akira’s good knee casually and patted.

Akira had dipped in and out of consciousness as Alcyone guided a distracted Vivi to perform stitches. Akira’s bullet gouge was going to scar. The stitches were uneven. Some knots were too tight, others not tight enough. Anne—Anna, part of Vivianne was decidedly better at medical procedures.

This archaic process of stitching wounds itself had been abandoned though. Technology and advancements in the field of biology had made so many alternatives readily available. Akira was nothing more than a fascinating test subject to be toyed with. Alcyone hummed as they walked by and idly squirted some of the shealing (sealing-healing) gel onto the surface in a miserly manner… Like an afterthought. They walked away briskly. “Oh boy. This is not looking good.” Vivi’s emphatic word contradicted the lascivious intrigue painted on her face. She spoke at Akira, speaking to her was not really an option, since she was still rather pain addled.

Akira’s breathing was uneven. She had received serum to aid with the wound healing process, but barely anything to help with her pain. This was a reminder, that on some level, she was considered disposable. She had not earned her right to comfort. She wondered if Alcyone and the others had just wanted her to die in the bus. They must hate me for stubbornly living on then. If fate had given her a chance, maybe they decided to as well? The administration of the gel made things a little better.

“He’s got Jared pinned under his boot.” Vivi twittered. She had folded her legs and was bobbing with excitement. It was no secret that Vivianne enjoyed her share of raw violence. Akira stirred and opened her eyes a crack at the mention of Jared. No one had bothered to dress Akira up again. She was in her solid black underclothes, with a flimsy sheet that Alcyone had thrown clumsily onto her, they were around but interrupted nothing. “Jared?” Akira wanted to know more, she tried to sit up. Vivi put her foot against Akira’s shoulder and pushed her back down. Aki had no strength to resist and fell back against her pillow. Vivi’s gaze hardened when she heard the way Akira inquired about the man. The information Ezekiel shared may be accurate after all. Vivi wanted it not to be.

“You know… You must be in a lot of pain… I’m going to help…” Vivi took her promise seriously and worked on braiding her bubble-gum pink hair, it was blonde at the roots. Something about the scene outside kept drawing her away. So, as she fixed her sleek tresses, she peeked outside again. She winced. “I don’t like having only one leg to work with…” Vivi muttered absently as she made idle circles on Akira’s ankle, then began her slow ascent upwards, sliding her hand under the sheet, tracing patterns against the inner thigh. Akira stirred. She groaned and stilled again. Something was tickling her, it felt nice, but also uncomfortable. She flattened her leg against the bed and kicked Vivi gently in the process. Vivi grabbed Akira’s ankle.

“Now see, that’s not very nice- Fuck.” She let something distract her again, something that was happening beneath them. She watched as Jared stood up to face the baton flourishing men. “Tariq is playing a dangerous game. I don’t think he should be making the call to mess Jared up...” Aki blinked her eyes open this time and licked her lips. Her thoughts came to her slow, they were scattered and bleary, but they were there. She connected the dots of what Vivi’s words. Mess him up?

“Aww.” Vivi cooed as she noticed the flick of Akira’s tongue and assumed it to be a come-hither cue. Akira recognized that look on Vivi’s face, the one that emphasized her desire, and, in the moment, she decided to use it. “Pull me up… I want to feel closer to you.” Akira could be an excellent liar when she wanted and right now, she needed help so she could peek out of the window herself. Vivi looked around sheepishly, then readily obliged. Wedging herself between Akira’s legs, she hoisted her up and set her leaning against the window. She stole a soft kiss for her troubles. Akira did not pout. She did not lean into the kiss and did not return it. Vivi’s eyes narrowed as she pulled away, her fingers tenderly climbed the ladder of scars she had left against Akira’s ribs… The cuts she had willingly accepted. She did not accept the kiss like that today. Vivi was more perceptive than people gave her credit for. She could see that there was some attachment between Akira and Jared. The way her breath hitched ever so slightly with each blow he endured.

Akira hadn’t even realised that Vivi’s fingers were tugging at the waistband of her panties. Her mind was trained on what she had heard, and her heart was in her throat. Akira could now glimpse at the act through the corner of her eyes. It was more than enough, especially if supplemented with Vivi’s commentary. They’re going to kill him. She tried to hold her breath, it felt like the easiest way to steady it. Akira’s eyes were glassy, unfocused and clear, till she closed them again.

Vivi could see the tears that never fell. She shook her head and pulled her fingers off the elastic. She resorted to using her scalpel to make a dangerous slit in the fabric that covered Akira, instead. The cold metal teased the exposed flesh carefully, and fingers quickly replaced it. “You know endorphins and aphrodisiacs are natural analgesics.” Akira looked at her vacantly and her body stiffened. Vivi teased Akira’s folds with expertise. After all, this was not the first time they were doing this. “Controlled pain and fear with sex equals Painkiller. So… I’m just trying to help.” She took another puff of smoke and blew it against Akira. As she re-emerged from the plume and the smoke dissipated, Vivi searched the outline of the slender neck, for the faint scar of that cigarette burn. She pulled her fingers out and pulled the blanket off Akira. Vivi held the scalpel in one hand and the other held the cigarette.

“You know, Nova told Eze some things about a certain man… and cigarettes… and you…” Akira didn’t respond. So, this is theme of my life. Everyone knows everything, but me. Everyone around her, seemed to have it all figured out. And she was the last one to find out that her cover may be blown. “Now, you know I am very jealous when others mark you, right? I’ll forgive it, because it was before my time…” The scalpel rested against the old burn scar. Vivi made a soft cut into it. Marring the mark and the memory. She kissed the cut sloppily. They locked eyes and Akira glared, but she could not fight, not in this state. Vivi ran the handle of the scalpel against the slit in the solid black panties again, using the tool to widen the tear, the fabric split with an agonizingly slow ripping sound.

“You had poor Tariq like a puppy on a leash… You had me too. You led us on, but you always wanted him, right?” She ran the glowing tip of the cigarette across Akira’s inner thigh. Akira’s lips trembled, she inhaled quietly and deeply. She held her breath again. She was not going to give Vivi the satisfaction of seeing any reactions. The scalpel warmed, nestled inside Akira. It certainly was not satisfying. It was not meant to be. Vivi pulled it out and pressed the sharp end into Akira’s cheekbone, forcing her to turn towards the window and watch, or sport a rather deep cut. Akira let the gash cry blood defiantly. Reluctantly she eventually turned.

Jared had fallen to his knees again. Distant grunts were occasionally loud enough to be heard. Akira clenched her eyes shut. Her jaw was set. She shook, frustrated and angry. Vivi placed the scalpel against Akira’s crinkled eyelids. “Open your eyes, or I won’t hesitate to take your sight forever. No Tariq to save you this time, he is busy… you see. Well, you don’t, but you should.” Akira opened her eyes and instantly found them squinting towards the blade in front of them. She shuddered again. Vivi took another puff and ran it higher up Akira’s thigh and let the scalpel’s handle bury itself once more. Akira did respond to fear... Among other things. The steel tool collected the evidence. She held the glistening handle in front of Akira. Jared had fallen to the ground.

“Can you tell me with certainty, what’s arousing you, Kira?” Another puff, another streak of the cigarette across her flesh. Much like Vivi’s climbing fingers, the cigarette certainly had a final destination. Just the idea made Akira want to throw up. They both noticed Ezekiel and his voice rang loud enough for them to know where Jared was headed, especially when he mentioned Alcyone.

Vivi was contemplating something. She set the scalpel aside and continued her puffing and streaking, erratically now. Akira’s inner thigh sported a mesh of ash. “You’re not going to get to remember this as some valiant sufferer, Kira. You do not get to play hero.” She threw her arms around Akira and whispered softly in her ear. “No, I’m going to ruin you. When they haul Jared in here, you best wish he isn’t conscious…” Vivi was cruel when she wanted to be. And she truly was a sniper. She really knew which shot to take, to make this truly hurt. Unfortunately for Akira, Vivi also had a lot of experience with women. Now that Aki’s arousal had betrayed her. All Vivi had to do, was push her over the edge. Almost with clinical precision, Vivi’s fingers pinched and pulled, teased and taunted… fluttered and fucked.

Akira tensed, she remained as still as a statue and hated the fact that not rolling her hips… took effort. As Vivi promised, when the men dragged Jared into the hospital wing, Akira was silently and unwillingly experiencing the throes of several small deaths. She absently recognized the bloody and bruised body that disappeared behind the partition. He was out cold. She did not like the flood of relief that washed over her, amidst other sensations. She collapsed against Vivi. Tears rolled down Aki’s cheek in thick rivulets. Vivi lapped at them and kissed Akira’s cheek. She pulled away and beamed up at Akira, as if nothing had happened and held the cigarette against the torn fabric till it charred.

She let it teeter there for a bit, but Akira did not respond with fear anymore, she did not respond at all. A bored, Vivi pressed the stub into the crease of Akira’s thigh. “I’d say we’re even now.” Aki drew a ragged breath, the burn of hatred, felt so much worse than the final stab of the cigarette. Hatred, towards Vivi, towards Ezekiel… towards the whole world. But mostly, towards herself.

A few BioHackers streamed in to work on the unconscious man. Her eyes darted towards the shadows they made on the screen between her bed and Jared’s. Ezekiel walked in soon after. “Alcy, I need everybody fixed up soon. Use whatever you need to use. Do whatever you need to do. I’ll send Nova to help.” Alcyone didn’t acknowledge Ezekiel words as they busied themselves with Jared. The ruby-eyed man knew his request was heard and that was enough. Actions were following his words. A cursory glance around the room allowed the blonde to spot the girls. “Vivi… Anna. Kira.” He acknowledged politely. Before turning on his heel to leave.

[Category - 1/2]

[holy-honeybees]

Snowdrift

AO3

Rating: T+ (for swearing)

Summary: Three friends and  their dog get lost in a snowstorm while investigating the paranormal. Amidst swirling flurries of white, some lose their way and get lost in their memories, others lose sight of their friends and loved ones, and an unforgiving winter quickly fills in the footprints one would follow to get back home.

A/N: I started this back in November but sadly never finished the work. I was thinking of holding off till it started to snow again, but figured now was as good a time as any to try and finish this.The title is taken from Snail's House song "[snowdrift]" which you can check out here!

Ah, so that’s where I put the plot...

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Chapter One

Chapter Five

In the dead of the night, when the world was quiet and all sound was swallowed by the ever-deepening snowdrifts, a lone figure moved through the dark. She glided over the top of the snow, her bare feet not disturbing a single snowflake as she drew closer to the unsuspecting occupants of the van. It was rare for anyone to come this way, least of all in winter. The long and lonely stretch of road she haunted was always avoided by the locals, even if the reason why only lived on in urban legends. Tales of sudden blizzards and passersby getting lost in the snow were enough to keep them at bay. The van’s passengers were the first visitors she’d had in a while. She had quickly picked up on their presence in the vastly empty landscape and had gone to investigate, so eager she’d almost given herself away. Even though she was sure she’d been spotted, the interlopers seemed to take no heed of her presence, and had continued on their journey as far as they could. She had observed them from a distance, keeping out of sight as they frolicked and played without a care in the world.

She despised them for it.

They were an odd little group, much stranger than anything she had seen pass through these parts before. There was a dog that was far more than what it seemed, and she had scarcely believed her eyes even after seeing its monstrous transformation. She didn’t know what the creature was, but she instinctively knew it was dangerous and made note to avoid it. The ghost that travelled with them surprised her even more. She had never encountered anyone like herself before, but she didn’t think it was common for the dead to keep the living company. She didn’t think it was fair either. He got to carry on as if he were still breathing, and she was stuck in this barren, frozen wasteland, reliant on the too few and far between visitors. The wind whipped more violently around her in response, pulling at her long white hair and nightgown as she refocused on her task.

The two that she was most interested in were the mortals. The power she sensed in the blue-haired woman intrigued her, but the young man was simply irresistible. In secret, she had exerted her influence over them, tugged here and there, getting a feel for what memories might come loose. While the monster was immune and the ghost resistant to her sway, she was certain the two humans wouldn’t be able to fight back. It appeared someone had already messed with the poor girl’s head, and many memories, old and new, were on the forefront of the young woman’s mind. The boy’s memories surfaced just as readily, almost eagerly responding to her meddling, as if she were travelling along a well-worn path. This was almost going to be too easy. It had been a long, long time since anyone had come her way, and she wasn’t about to ignore such a perfect opportunity when it presented itself.

If her cold heart had still beat in her chest, it would have been pounding in excitement as she continued to drift silently over the snow, circling the van. She could feel a protective barrier all around the vehicle, sure to have prevented her from breaching the exterior had she not needed permission to enter in the first place. She peered in through the window, the glass frosting at her touch. The occupants within, unaware of what was waiting for them outside, peacefully slumbered. Now, she just had to lure them out. She scratched at the door with icy fingers, her nails scraping against the exterior of the van, and patiently waited. A smile stretched across her lips, turned blue from the cold years ago, as she heard someone begin to stir. She would have taken a special delight in tearing this close knit group apart, even if she hadn’t been hungry.

And she was so very hungry.

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Arthur squinted at the brightly glowing screen of his cell phone, hoping that if he stared at it long enough, he might be able to turn back the time. After a couple minutes of glaring proved fruitless however, he conceded that it was still midnight, and he wasn’t falling asleep again anytime soon. He wondered if something had woken him up this time or if his body had simply decided that two hours of sleep was enough for one night. Letting out a defeated sigh, he tossed his phone to the side. He knew he would drive himself crazy checking the time for every minute he couldn’t fall asleep. Some nights, being unable to sleep made Arthur frustrated to the point that he wanted to cry. He hated the countdown to morning, recalculating how much sleep he would get if he fell asleep right now every time he glanced at the clock, the number dwindling away to nothing as the sun began to rise. Just as bad were the nights where he did manage to fall asleep, only to wake a couple hours later somehow feeling even more tired than before. Like now, when his mind was hopelessly hazy and the exhaustion ran bone deep. He’d only managed a few meager hours of rest over the past couple of days. Last year, he had purposefully shunned sleep in order to put more hours into the manhunt for his missing best friend. Even then, the nights where he had been forced to take a break by Lance or Vivi were plagued with nightmares and anxieties, vague feelings of guilt he couldn’t quite place. Although Lewis had since been found and forgiveness granted, Arthur’s sleeplessness was almost habitual at this point, even without the aid of lingering fears and a guilty conscience.

His eyes roamed the dimly lit interior of the van, the only source of illumination the playback menu for A Nightmare Before Christmas still running on his open laptop screen. He toed the lid of the computer shut with one of his Chucks, plunging the van into darkness and cutting off the orchestral melody that had been softly playing in the background. The humming of the space heater and Vivi’s light snoring filled the void, though Arthur could still pick out the sound of the snowstorm raging outside. He realized then that the heavy feeling of his body wasn’t just fatigue, but that Vivi had draped an arm and leg over top of him as she slept, somehow undisturbed by his fidgeting. His cheeks heated at her close proximity, but he relaxed somewhat when a quick glance around the back of the van showed that no one else had seen them. He couldn’t imagine Lewis would be too happy to see his ex-girlfriend and ex-best friend cozied up together. Vivi was notoriously cuddly and had a tendency to cling to whoever was closest in her sleep, and tonight, that happened to be Arthur. He had been trying to avoid this exact situation, afraid of what the others might think. They all had accepted Vivi’s tendency to latch onto others in her sleep long ago, but it felt different, wrong even, since Lewis and Vivi started dating, especially after the cave. He’d done his best to keep his distance even as he craved the physical affection. He loved both his friends very much, and Arthur was ashamed to admit that he had been a bit jealous when they’d started dating. The last thing he wanted was for Lewis to believe that Arthur himself had wanted to push him off the cliff because of it. Mystery had explained that the mechanic’s negative feelings had made him more susceptible to the influence of whatever that thing was back in the cave, but had assured them all that Arthur’s actions were outside of his control. The mechanic couldn’t let go of his guilt over the role he’d played in his friend’s untimely demise though, wondering just how innocent he really was. It made him doubt Lewis’s offered forgiveness, wondering when it would be taken back, if something like this could wreck their tenuously rebuilt friendship.

Way to go, idiot. That kind of thinking is sure to help you get back to sleep, Arthur chastised himself. He sighed deeply, struggling through his grogginess to push away the unhappy thoughts clouding his mind. Instead, the mechanic did his best to relax into Vivi’s embrace, too tired to move, trying to appreciate the closeness while he could. It wouldn’t be such a bad way to spend the night, Arthur decided. He didn’t always mind not being able to sleep. Sometimes, when he had something to do or someone to talk to, anything to take his mind off his insomnia or whatever was keeping him awake, it could almost be pleasant. He’d long ago been banned from working on personal projects at night though, after the time Lance had caught him holding a blowtorch the wrong way at four in the morning, with Vivi happy to enforce the restriction. However, Lewis seemed to stick around at night more often than not lately. Arthur knew for a fact that it was lonely to be awake when everyone else was sleeping, but still had been surprised when the ghost had started to keep him company in the early hours of the morning. Months ago, when the glares directed at the mechanic had lessened into sparing glances and they found they could once again occupy the same room at the same time, Lewis had finally approached him.

Their first conversation was awkward and stilted, and Arthur was sure he’d said something to make the specter hate him even more. But Lewis was there again the next night, and the next, and continued to stay behind and visit night after night. Speaking together got easier, and they swapped stories of what they would do to keep themselves busy at night when the Mystery Skulls weren’t together. Lewis frequently found himself baking, occasionally doing extra prep work at the restaurant. Arthur found himself staying up using his laptop to research the latest case or cryptid that Vivi wanted to check out. They used each other as sounding boards for new recipes and robotic designs. It was almost like the way things used to be. By unspoken agreement, they didn’t talk about the cave, though Arthur had a feeling that Lewis was just patiently waiting for him to be ready. Even ghosts needed to occasionally rest and recharge though, and Lewis was presently nowhere to be found. While the mechanic took the opportunity to enjoy the comfort of one of his closest friends, he was disappointed the other was absent. Left alone to his thoughts, Arthur alternated between staring at the roof of the van and the backs of his eyelids. He could practically feel time dragging by as he mentally drafted plans to fix the latest dent in the van. Relief swept over him as his eyelids finally began to droop shut of their own accord, when he was suddenly jolted awake by a scratching at the back door to the van.

“Mystery…?” Arthur mumbled softly. The only reply he received was more scrabbling from outside, and he wondered if that had been what had woken him up in the first place. Arthur gave a cursory glance around the back of the van, still not seeing anyone but Vivi nestled beside the massive pile of blankets she’d accumulated. He worried that the dog had locked himself out of the van after stepping outside. Mystery may have been a powerful kitsune, but could still be thwarted by devices that required opposable thumbs to use. Arthur had told him before not to paw at the door though, that it would scratch the paint, and Mystery was usually more vocal about his demands to be let back inside. Something must be wrong, but in his sleep deprived state, the mechanic didn’t have the energy to think it over. Instead, he carefully extracted himself from the haphazard limbs Vivi had tossed over him in their sleep, edging towards the rear doors of the van to peer through the window outside. It was dark, and Arthur could barely make anything out beyond the heavy snowfall that was coming down like static on a television screen. He stepped out of the van, gently closing the door behind him, unable to hear that it didn’t click shut over the moaning winds. He quickly zipped up his vest against the chill and briefly thought about grabbing his hoodie, before discarding the idea, not wanting to let any more heat escape the van than what was absolutely necessary. He was sure this wouldn’t take long anyways, and the faster he did find Mystery, the sooner he could get back inside where it was warm and hopefully get back to sleep. He shouldn’t even need to try and wake Vivi up. But even outside, the dog was still nowhere to be seen, though Mystery must have been scratching at the back door just moments ago.

“Mystery?” Arthur called, his fatigued mind struggling to sense of anything. The mechanic blearily scanned his surroundings, trying to rub the last remnants of sleep from his eyes, before he caught a glimpse of a white shape moving quickly away.

“Mystery, wait! What’s wrong?” Arthur shouted, his voice muffled by the snowstorm and apparently unheard by the kitsune who continued to move towards the horizon. He quickly began to follow after the figure as it began to blend into the white flurry and disappear. Even as his mind conjured ridiculous images of yetis and other untold dangers waiting for him, the mechanic continued his pursuit, worried for his friend. Mystery had been acting strangely yesterday, and something had clearly been bothering him, even if he wouldn’t say what. Arthur called for the kitsune again, but the words were ripped away by the wind before he could scarcely hear them himself. The tired mechanic trudged through the deep snow, ignoring the vague thrill of alarm at the back of his mind that something wasn’t right, and kept walking. His head still muzzy from lack of sleep, he didn’t notice that there were no pawprints on the path he followed, but the snow was quickly filling in the footprints he’d left behind. Back in the van, unseen by the mechanic, a white dog was buried under a pile of blankets, ears twitching at phantom voices that seemed to call for him in his sleep. Vivi reached out for her friend, instinctively seeking comfort and warmth as the temperature began to drop despite the best efforts of the space heater, a draft whistling in through the crack in the unlatched door. Finding no one there, she curled up tighter, a small frown disturbing her once relaxed features as she fell into a more troubled sleep.