#this starter has been calling out to me for hours amber

[lalaluuz]

"Oh, dude, just ignore those popups, they're not--"

"Wait, is that a picture of Eda?!"

"Hot moms in my area...?? I mean yeah, it's been hot."

"Do they require assistance? Where are they?"

[arc-misadventures]

Dragon Faunus au: can I please ask for Jaune finding out who it was stalking him and confronting them?

Mobile Easel

Jaune: So… Pray tell… Why are you here? Definitely not for the sights I take it.

Sienna: I came to meet you, your Grace.

Jaune: Ahh… So it’s more dragon related faunas crap. Peachy.

Sienna: Is that a surprise, your Grace?

Jaune: No, but I do find it uncomfortable. I feel like some sort of zoo exhibit. And, please don’t call me your grace, king, or whatever silly titles you can possibly give me. Jaune is just fine.

Sienna: Very well then. So it seems you have accepted your nature as a faunas, I heard you were denying it, and posing as a human.

Jaune: That’s not true… entirely. I never hid the fact I was a faunas from anyone, I just don’t have any visible traits that scream: ‘Hey, that guy is a faunas!’ My teeth, as well as my talons are retractable so no one would notice them. And, unless I was breathing fire would anyone notice that?

Sienna: Fair point, if I had worn a hat you would have thought I was a human.

Jaune: Yes, a human with some nice looking stripe tattoos.

Sienna: Those are not tattoos.

Jaune: Really? Well they still look nice.

Sienna: Thank you.

Jaune: Well, it doesn’t matter whether those faunas traits are visible, or not. I can’t hide what’s coming next.

Sienna: Are you developing a new trait? That’s impossible!

Jaune: Hey, I already have three traits, most faunas only have one. How’s that for impossible?

Sienna: You are a rarity of rarities among faunas… I suppose you gaining another trait isn’t something to be unexpected. What is this new trait you are developing?

Jaune: Horns. I’m growing horns.

Sienna: Horns? Let me see…

Jaune: Wait, hold on now!

Sienna moved in a flash, moving mear inches from, Jaune’s face, as she held up his hair to display the two mounds forming on either side of his head.

Sienna: Well that’s certainly interesting. Most faunas would be showing signs of growing horns when they were at least ten years old, but to be growing them at seventeen. That is quite… interesting…

Cerulean gazed into amber, and amber gazed into cerulean. The duo stood there for a moment, their eyes locked upon one another as a deep blush spread across their faces. What felt like an age past before the two realized their position to one another, and jumped back away from one other. The blushes upon their faces slowly fading away.

Sienna: I’m sorry for that, it’s just the fact you have so many faunas traits, and the fact you have more to come is quite impressive.

Jaune: Hopefully it’s the last, I’m tired of being the circus freak.

Sienna: So you would not be upset if you heard that I was sent here to confirm whether, or not you were the dragon faunas of legend who would be crowned king of the faunas, and would lead his people into a golden age of prosperity for all faunas, and the world itself?

Jaune: Uhh… No, no I would not. Blake Belladonna has already told me a thing, or two about all that kingly stuff. But, aren’t you the high leader of the, White Fang, who commands you to do anything?

Sienna: On principle, no one. They may recommend, and advise me on various courses of action. But, at the end of it all it is my decision on what I shall do. Or, it was…

Jaune: Was?

Sienna: You are my, King. Whatever your command is, I will obey.

Jaune: Seriously?! I’ve known your for half an hour! Why are you pledging your undying loyalty to me?!

Sienna: Oh, but I have been here for days. Observing you since your match with, Mercury. And, I have become quite found of what I have seen so far.

Jaune: W-What have you seen?

Sienna: For starters…?

Nora: Big bro!

Jaune: Oh hi, Nora. Need something?

Nora: Just wanted to call you, ‘big bro!’ Hehehe~! I love that I get to call you that~!

Jaune: Right back at you, lil sis.

Nora: This is amazing~!

Pyrrha: Ahhh… Is it just me, or was she faster then, Ruby just now?

Ren: If you think that was fast, you should see her on a caffeine high.

Pyrrha: I would rather not.

Ren: No, no you don’t…

Nora: Hey, whose the kitty lady?

Jaune: Nora, may I introduce you to Sienna Khan. Mrs. Khan, this is Nora Valkyrie Arc, my little sister, and teammate.

Nora: Hello~! Can I pet your ears?

Sienna: Hello, and no you can not…

Nora: Naww…

Sienna: And, its Ms. Khan. Not, Mrs.

Jaune: Oh sorry. Ms. Khan.

Sienna: Sienna is fine, Jaune~!

Jaune: Okay… This is my teammate, Lie Ren.

Ren: Nice to meet you, Ma’am.

Sienna: A pleasure.

Jaune: And, lastly we have my partner, Pyrrha Nikos, and together the four of us make up, Team JNPR! Ya!

NPR: YA!

Sienna: It’s a pleasure to make the acquaintance of you, Ms. Nikos. I have heard of your…? (Sniff, Sniff.) Hmm…?

Pyrrha: Is something wro… EEP!

As, Sienna held, Pyrrha’s hand she suddenly pulled her towards her, and held, Pyrrha there for a moment, allowing, Sienna a chance to smell her. As, Pyrrha pulled away she could see a thirsty smile spread across the tigers face as she looked to her, and then to, Jaune.

Sienna: I see… So you’ve claimed her as your own. How interesting.

Pyrrha: Bwa?! WawawawaWHAT?!!

Jaune: You can smell that?!

Sienna: Easily.

Jaune: I thought faunas couldn’t pick up on my sent due to various hierarchical reasons?!

Ren: Hierarchical reasons?

Jaune: I’ll explain later… (Sniff, sniff!) It’s very confusing. But, answer the question!

Pyrrha: Y-Yeah! How do you know that we… did it?

Sienna: It’s more of a female faunas thing. We female faunas, particularly the older ones among us can tell certain… things about woman who have been claimed by a male. I can’t pick up your sent, Jaune, but I can pick up the ‘mark’ you placed upon her.

Pyrrha: WHAT?!

Jaune: Damn faunas, and our incredibly powerful noses!

Ren: Well, that explains why everyone was shooting death glares at, Pyrrha lately. Well, more so than usual.

Nora: Ohohoh! What do I smell like?!

Sienna: Syrup.

Nora: Nice!

Jaune: Haa… So why are you here exactly…? Oh yeah: More pledges of undying loyalty…

Ren: Is this one any different compared to the rest of them; can’t you just decline it like usual?

Jaune: Partly; She may be a single faunas, but she represents thousands of faunas. For, Sienna is the High Leader of the White Fang.

Ren: Ahh, she isn’t just anyone you can say no to.

Jaune: Precisely. So, then we have to do things that prove you’re worth for my trust.

Sienna: Prove my worth?

Jaune: Yes, your worth. I don’t trust blindly; as a businessman, and a leader, you must prove there is worth to me putting my trust in you. (Sniff.) Understood?

Sienna: Earn your trust? That seems perfectly reasonable, tell me, Jaune how can I, and to a greater extent prove our worth to you?

Jaune: You can first start off with why you are spying on me; I understand it’s because of the whole dragon king bullshit. But nonetheless, why are you spying on me?

Sienna: Spying?! I have given no order to spy upon you? In fact I gave the exact opposite order for our operatives to leave you alone.

Jaune: You haven’t? Then why is, Kali Belladonna here?

Sienna: She is the wife to, Ghiria Belladonna, the Chieftain of Menagerie. It’s only natural for her to come here, and see if the rumours of a dragon faunas are true.

Jaune stared down the cat faunas as he sniffed the air. The air of confidence, and assurance in the truth of her own words were etched across her face. And, yet…

Jaune: If that be true then explain this: Team JNPR!

NPR: Yes!

Jaune raised his hand and pointed to a tree near the edge of walkway, and simply said three words.

Jaune: Mobile Easel: GO!

In three seconds three scrolls were pulled out of their respective owners pockets. In a second a single button was pressed. And, in five seconds, three standard issue rocket lockers crashed into the ground before them.

As quick as a flash, Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha each rushed to their respective lockers, and grabbed their gear, and did as Hunter’s do. They hunted their quarry.

Jaune: Nora! Fire one round behind the tree! Force them out of their hiding spot!

As her fearless-leader/older brother commanded, Nora fired a single round from her rotary-grenade launcher. The round impacted behind the tree forcing some black clad individual to pop out from behind it.

Jaune: Pyrrha, open fire on them, don’t let them get away! Ren, charge them!

Listen to their leaders instructions, Pyrrha changed her spear into it’s rifle form, and started firing upon their uninvited guest. The rounds struck true, and prevented them from fleeing, giving, Ren the time to close the distance, and engage in close quarters combat.

The spy was apparently more skilled at fleeing than fighting, for they could barely last a few seconds before they were knocked to the ground by, Ren’s swift onslaught of attacks. There they lay, defeated. Nora quickly ran over, and threw the spy over her shoulder like a bag of rice before dumping them in front of, Jaune with a pained groan.

Jaune: Excellent job team! They won’t know what’ll hit ‘em come the, Vytal Festival if we can keep this up!

Nora: That was AWESOME!!!

Pyrrha: I must admit, that was quite exhilarating.

Ren: I’m surprised we reacted that fast, I thought we would have a harder time with such a quick response.

Jaune: But, you didn’t. So excellent job guys! Now then… Who are you…?

Jaune pushed over their spy with his foot. They had brown skin, and wearing a black bodysuit. Their long brown hair done up in a ponytail, but what stood out the most to, Jaune was the white mask with horns she wore upon her face.

A Grimm mask, often worn by the members of the, White Fang.

Jaune: Interesting… So, the White Fang is following me, and you said they weren’t. Care to explain yourself, Ms. Khan?

Sienna: Ilia…

Jaune: Beg pardon?

Sienna: Her name is, Ilia Amitola.

Pyrrha: And, you know that because?

Sienna: She is as you said, a member of the, White Fang. She’s a chameleon faunas; She can change her skins natural pigment to whatever colour she wants. Because of this we use her to spy on others.

Jaune: She can change the colour of her skin? Well, that explains why she smells like oil paints.

Sienna: You smelt her out?

Jaune: Yes I did, this smell isn’t hard to miss. Now then, what was that bit about not spying on me?

Sienna: I’m not, I swear!

Jaune: This says otherwise.

Sienna: She may be spying on you for another faction within the, White Fang. Probably trying to see where your allegiances are, and if they could sway you to their side.

Pyrrha: Factions? I thought you were the, High Leader, shouldn’t they listen to your commands?

Sienna: I am the High Leader! It appears there are those among the, White Fang who need a reminder on who is in charge…

Jaune: Let’s start here then shall we? Hey, wake up!

Jaune slapped the sleeping faunas who slowly started to rouse herself from sleep.

Ilia: W-What…? W-Where am…?! Oh no…!

Sienna: Hello, Ilia… Care to explain what you’re doing here?

Ilia: Sight seeing…?

Jaune: And, I’m the sight to see, no?

Ilia: N-No… Ghak?!

Sienna grabbed, Ilia by the scruff of her neck, and held her in the air. A fierce gaze burned in her eyes, as she stared the quivering little girl.

Sienna: Considering I gave the orders that I would be meeting the dragon king alone, I expected them to be carried out! But, for some reason you are here, care to explain that?!

Ilia’s body seemed to literally turn white from fear, no doubt her unique faunas trait coming into play. Nora couldn’t help, but give a soft ‘aww’ as she saw this interesting display, while the others just watched on as, Sienna imposed her place within the faunas hierarchy.

Sienna: Answer me you pathetic little welp! I know you would have never sought him out yourself, you pathetic little dyke! Who sent you!

Ilia: T-T-The Albain Brother’s! T-They sent me to see if it was true! If the dragon king was real!

Sienna: Ahh… Those wretched bastards…

Ilia: Ooph?!

Without fanfare, Sienna unceremoniously dropped, Ilia on the ground as an unamused frown spread across her face.

Jaune: Friends of yours?

Sienna: Religious zealots is what they are! Always preaching about the good of the faunas in a holier than thou tone. Their personality is utterly unbearable.

Jaune: Would they also drop to the floor before me, and start worshiping me, praising me as this god I supposedly am?

Sienna: Most likely.

Jaune: So if I ever met them they would be the ones erecting statues, and murals of me for my supposed divinity?

Sienna: It wouldn’t surprise me if they haven’t already done that.

Jaune: Well… That sounds bother some…

Sienna: They would probably try, and wipe up the faunas, and rile them up to committing a holy war in your name.

Jaune: S-Seriously…?

Sienna: They are part of the more fanatical militant arm of the, White Fang. They already have been trying to force me to committing to such a course of action. While I admit that I am willing to attack enemies of the faunas that have slighted us. The Schnee Dust Company, and Atlas for example. But, they would be more open to attack civilians indiscriminately, to show people that faunas are to be feared. Such a course of action will only make more enemies of the faunas as a whole, and not just the, White Fang. With you however, they will try all the more harder to do so, and the likely hood of such a course of action happening is all the more likely.

Jaune: …

Jaune: Fuuuuuuuuuuck! I don’t wanna do this… but, they’re leaving me no choice…

Pyrrha: Do what, Jaune?

Jaune: I have to align myself with, Sienna, and Mrs. Belladonna. Dammit! I didn’t want to take part in this!

Ren: Who says you have to join them? Can’t you stay on the sidelines like you have already been doing?

Jaune: No, if I align myself with, Kali Belladonna it says I am looking towards a peaceful coexistence with humans, and general peace. Aligning myself with, Sienna will show that I do support the, White Fang, but I don’t favour its more violent aspects. People may still worship me as a god, but they will know that I do not like it. So there numbers will be less than if I adopt a more neutral position.

Ren: And, you can easily push for more favourable outcomes if you adopt their sides of the argument than the, Albain Brothers?

Pyrrha: But, is that really better? The White Fang are still militaristic.

Jaune: True. But, what would you rather align yourself with: A militant group, or a fanatical militant group?

Pyrrha: The militant group.

Jaune: Precisely. I will choose the lesser of two evils. On top of that I can curtail their more violent habits, no?

Sienna: I will do as you command.

Jaune: Good! Now there’s only one thing left to deal with! You… Ilia…

Ilia: Y-Y-Yes your, Grace…?

Jaune: How long have you been following me?

Ilia: For about two weeks…

Jaune: So you were there when I was at the, CCT Tower.

Ilia: I wasn’t ther… Gack?!

Jaune’s hand was on, Ilia’s throat, pushing her body against the ground. He stood above her, his other hand held high as he flexed his fingers revealing the talons he hid beneath them. Ilia’s body paled to a ghostly white as he stared at the terrified little faunas below him.

Jaune: Don’t lie to me! I picked up your sent there, and I’ve been looking for it ever since! So were you there or not!

Ilia: I-I-I was there!

Jaune: And, did you hear anything?

Ilia: W-What…?

Jaune: Did you overhear the conversation I was having!!

Ilia: N-N-No! You finished your call as soon as I entered the room!

Jaune: Is that the truth?!

Ilia: I uhh… A-Air!

Jaune: I said: Is that the TRUTH!!!

Jaune opened his mouth, and snapped his teeth together, letting everyone see the fangs that lie within his mouth, as jets of fire shot out of the sides inches from, Ilia’s face. It was a truly fearsome sight to behold, one clearly showing the contained rage the, Dragon King held in check, one that no wanted to be on the receiving side of. Ilia displayed this fact as she promptly fainted from being on the receiving end of, Jaune’s furious visage.

Jaune: …

Jaune: Oops… I went a little too far…

Pyrrha: Damn that was hot…

Sienna: That can certainly get your engine purring~!

Ren: Understandable considering the circumstances.

Nora: Whoo! Do it again!

Sienna: What circumstances?

Jaune: That is none of your business…

Sienna: I see…

Jaune: Well, good talking with you, Sienna. I think we have other things to attend to. I’ll live you to deal with your… associate. Till later.

Sienna: Till later, Jaune.

As, Team JNPR made their away from the faunas duo, Ren fell into step with his team leader to ask him some pressing questions.

Ren: Are you alright?

Jaune: Somewhat. It appears she didn’t hear about the conversation I had with my sisters, but until I know if he has any traits… There is much to worry about…

Ren: What about your breathing?

Jaune: My breathing; What about it?

Ren: You may have smelt, Ilia out, but you were still sniffing heavily. Is something wrong?

Jaune: Damn you noticed that! I thought I was hiding that better.

Ren: You were, but most people tend to focus on the eyes, than the nose. What were you smelling?

Jaune: Sienna. I was smelling, Sienna.

Ren: Oh… Is this the same thing that you’ve been dealing with, with Ms. Goodwitch?

Jaune: Yep…

Ren: Oh… It doesn’t appear like you had the same reaction to her as you did, Ms. Goodwitch though.

Jaune: I know what I’m smelling, I won’t have such a violent reaction. I hope…

Ren: We can only hope that.

Jaune: I don’t like the fact I can sniff people out like that. Oh well… I’ll just look to the bright side in all of this mess.

Ren: And, that would be?

Jaune: That I’ve got good taste~!

Ren: …

Ren: Okay then…

///

Hahahaha!!! Haaaaa…

It’s finished… This has been sitting in my draft for at least a month…

But, it is finished!

Now I have to finish all the other ones…

Nerts…

[regulushair]

Brands I'm already familiar with today, but oddly a few revelations:

Jardin d’Essai by Maïssa Parfums - this one has tuberose written literally on the bottle, so you knew I couldn't pass it up. I was however, disappointed because I didn't feel any white flowers there at all... It's not bad - I just mostly feel fruits (hi, peach) and some freshness. Disappointed.

Purple Fig by Vilhelm Parfumerie - same as the first but fig instead of tuberose and here it's very much there - very fresh and juicy and coupled with a lot of different greenery. Lovely, not too special, but lovely.

The Oud Affair by Vilhelm Parfumerie - this one is a little odd, but not unpleasant. At the top is very very sharp probably thanks to ginger - like something you breathe in and it instantly clears your nose and then it just balances somewhere between pure tobacco (an okay one, but definitely not the best) and a variation on tobacco-vanilla. I'll probably try it again at some point.

Chicago High by Vilhelm Parfumerie - disclaimer: this is only my opinion and how I specifically feel this perfume. So... I've heard that honey in perfume can get indolic or animalistic and that might be the case here. Probably a lot of sourness at the top doesn't help either, but for me it smelled downright pissy. Then it settles down into tobacco, but not tobacco leaf, cigars or even really smoke - it smells like a shirt you've been smoking in for two hours straight and the smell clang to the fabric. It's unpleasant... From the title and the pyramid they were trying to go for a fancy speakeasy but it came out as someone pissing in an ashtray.

Ambre Eau de Parfum by Molinard - this one is interesting. For starters, it doesn't have actual amber - it has benzoin and incense. But if we try to think about amber it's definitely not sweet "might as well include vanilla" amber (even though there's vanilla in the pyramid) but a very much "salty sea-like" amber and for me it remained pretty much the same the whole time. Will return to this.

Osmanthus Eau de Parfum by Molinard - and here comes the actual revelation. I don't like osmanthus! Putting aside the fact that I read "osmanthus" and thought of labdanum and was expecting something like "Marquis de Sade" by ELDO and obviously got nothing like it. I felt the damn note that haunted me in "Good Girl Gone Bad" by Killian and a variation on it by Attar Collection and which I called "sweetened citruses" - it's actually soured apricots! Not spoiled, but on the other hand when you have a slightly overripe apricot or syrupy apricot jam and you're trying to negate the sweetness with lemon juice or something like that. And what does fragrantica say about osmanthus? "An apricot-smelling flower". I finally cracked the code! Yeah, this definitely smells like osmanthus and it's not for me.

[its-deputy-caleb]

does the vdl gang include sadie because 😢😢😢😢😢 my lesbian meow meow SKLSKDKSJS but if u do!!! i was wondering if you could write a post-game sadie (bounty hunting, gun-slinging, gaslight gatekeep girlboss)/female reader where sadie is being paid to bodyguard rich/high-profile reader thank u so much 😭

hell yess it does, now warning i've never written for sadie so this might be terrible but i gave it a go! i hope you enjoy this!! :))

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

Gosh you absolutely hated your father sometimes. Not only had he ruined your plan for a relaxing weekend but he had dragged you off to one of his business parties again.

You had all these plans to get new dresses fitted at the tailor in Blackwater before heading home for a warm bath on your families Estate. You were so excited too, since the entire property would be yours for three days. Granted that didn’t include the array of maids, bodyguards and groundkeepers that worked on the Estate but for three peaceful days both your parents and siblings would be out of your hair.

That was until you received a letter from you father requesting you be dressed in your finest gown and make your way to Saint Denis immediately in order to arrive by sundown. Your family had been in the oil industry for many generations now and were extremely wealthy, even more so with the downfall of Leviticus Cornwall and these business parties were just one of the many responsibilities you had to attend to.

The whole point of the party is to make polite pleasantries with potential business partners and establish connections on to where your family’s company could grow. And it was so, so boring.

As you walk down the steps you see a young woman leaning against the carriage with a shotgun in hand. She’s dressed in slacks and a red waistcoat and a large leather jacket draped over her shoulders. Her beautiful golden hair is just peaking out from underneath her hat and her soft amber eyes match it perfectly. Wait a minute…beautiful??

“Who the hell are you?”

You hear her scoff before she rolls her eyes at your bluntness, some may call it rude but you’ve always preferred blunt or honest. Your father always told you that was more lady-like.

“Don’t get so upset Missy, I’m Sadie, your bodyguard until the regular guy comes back. I’m only here to take you to Saint Denis and I’ll be long gone.”

You huff angrily as you hold your hand out to her waiting for her to help you onto the carriage but she never does. Fine, you’ll do it yourself.

“It’s Madam to you and his name is Hamish.”

You hear her mumble a ‘whatever’ under your breath and get comfortable in the carriage. You signal to the driver up front to get the carriage moving as you watch Sadie mount her horse and ride up front. It was going to be a long ride to Saint Denis.

-

To say the ride was long was an understatement. You spent the first two hours staring at the seconds go by on your platinum gold pocket watch and twiddling with the ends of the ribbon in your hair. It was all rather boring until there was yelling from outside.

Fear wells in your stomach at the riders approaching, all heavily armed and with a murderous look in their eye. You anxiously grip the side of the carriage, looking out the window as Sadie and the two other guards aim their weapons high.

When the shooting starts, you hide between the lush velvet seats of the carriage, doing your best to avoid the gunfire. You’d never been one to defend yourself, its why your father had guards do it for you. You could’ve never matched to a woman like Sadie. So you’re complimenting her now? You’re in the middle of being shot at!

All your thoughts are interrupted by a scream, one you’ve now realised is your own as the carriage is flipped and sent you flying. Your back hits the door which barges open under the force of your body hitting it, leaving you lying in a puddle of mud.

You’re frozen for a moment, your body still trying to catch up with your adrenaline riddled mind. What the hell just happened?

Eventually the shooting stops and Sadie is running over to you in a panic to see if you’re okay. Her hair has fallen from her pony tail and strands of her blond hair blow over red cheeks from running.

“Are you alright?!”

“You ruined my dress, look at it! I can’t go to the party like this— and my hair! Oh my god my hair!”

Sadie stops dead in her tracks. Here she was worrying over your safety after not only saving your life but putting her own at risk and you’re more worried about your hair.

“Now listen here Missy, I did not put my ass on the line to save you just so you could whine about your— Oh jeez you’re bleeding.”

She rips her leather glove off with her teeth before bringing her surprisingly soft hand to your face. Its then you realise the cut on your cheek bone that must have come from the shattered glass of the window when you fell out.

You’re lost for words, mumbling incoherently under her touch as she takes the ribbon from your hair and begins to use it to stop the small trickle of blood there. She’s so concentrated and focused on your wound that you can’t help but blush under her intense gaze, feeling like the fool for speaking out.

“I’m sorry…”

She sighs, dropping the bloodied ribbon and puts her gloves back on.

“Ain’t nothing to be sorry for Missy, common now, let’s get you to the party.”

She takes your hand and leads you to her horse which is huge up close. Much larger than when you saw it back at the Estate. Her arm comes to wrap around your waist so she can hoist you up and sit you side saddle on her horse before hopping on herself.

When she starts riding you nearly fall of the large creature and wrap your arms around her waist out of fear of slipping. Sadie voiced that she didn’t mind you holding on and the rest of the ride was spent making pleasant small talk.

You learnt that Sadie’s horse was called Hera and that she was her pride and joy. She worked in all sorts of jobs as a gun for hire, working as a bounty hunter and personal body guard most of the time, she even told you of her most recent bounty of Shane Finley.

You were amazed at how brave and wild Sadie was. How she didn’t fear working on a job that could get her killed at any moment, no she didn’t shy away from it— instead she ran straight towards danger.

“I feel like such a bore compared to you, all I do is attend parties and lounge around the Estate all day. When I’m feeling extra adventurous its a trip to the store for some cakes and maybe a new dress not hunting and killing.”

You can hear her smile in front of you, a little laugh coming from under her nose.

“I’ve met plenty’a boring rich folk Missy, you are not one of them. For starters most of them don’t find themselves falling out of carriage windows on their way to dinner parties.”

The playful tone is enjoyable for you both and it continues through the rest of the ride. It seems like ‘Missy’ is a nickname that’ll be sticking with you for the meantime but you’d be lying if you said you didn’t like the way it made you smile and your heart skip a beat.

-

It was dark by the time Sadie pulled up to the party, hitching Hera and this time, taking your hand to help you down. Her hand didn’t leave yours until you were standing out the front gates where she dusted as much of the mud off your dress as she could muster. Her hand came to her neckerchief and untied it before ripping it in half.

You gasp at what she was doing to the fine fabric before she was tying it in your hair where the ribbon had sat, tucking the loose strand behind your ear.

“Now you’re looking like a real lady.”

She gives you a gentle nod before making her way back over to her horse.

“Wait! You’re not coming in? I thought you were gonna protect me?”

Sadie gives you a soft but broken smile, one that says she’s trying not to hurt your feelings.

“I handle outlaws and thieves not parties for the rich, you’ll handle yourself just fine Missy. Ain’t no more for me to do I’m afraid.”

You take her hand in yours squeezing it in a silent plea for her to stay. Despite the rough beginnings, you’re actually enjoying her company and would hate to see her leave.

“Will you wait for me…please?”

-

When the party ends you sigh defeatedly. You’re tired and worn out from today’s attempted robbery and excruciating party. You’re expecting to do home in one of your father’s carriages when you spot Sadie leaning against wall with a cigarette in her hand.

“Common Missy, It’s my job to see you home safe.”

That night as Sadie led you home on the back of Hera, your arms came to wrap around her as they had before. You cuddled up to her as you let out a soft yawn and slowly began to drift off to sleep. Your head rested on her shoulder as you slowly let sleep consume you, a large smile on your face.

Needless to say you now have a new personal body guard.

[katsukikitten]

A harem collab in which we go to a party with our v precious hero 18+ Smut boooiiii

Sitting across from him never did get easier. As much as you told yourself it would. 

If anything it got harder and harder to share the same room as him, let alone air. 

But you were lucky enough, or unlucky enough, to join the agency when you did and to be partnered with your big time crush FatGum. Although you idolized him you were sure he didn't remember you. 

And how could he? He saved countless people a day so it should be no surprise that he had no idea who you were on your first day. Still, it stung. 

And it shouldn't still sting or come to a surprise when he sets down a flyer on your desk. A huge smile on his chubby cheeks as he taps the sheet of paper.

"Can you believe it?! The agency is throwing a new year's eve party!" He practically gushes, lingering by your desk with his intoxicating smile. He rummages in his brown bag, setting breakfast onto your desk careful to avoid getting grease stains on the flyer as if you'd hang it up one day instead of shoving it into the trash. 

"They have one every year." You shrug, thanking him for the breakfast but tossing the paper into the trash can. His smile never waivers as he pulls it from the fresh bin, returning it to the smooth wooden top. 

"Yea but not at a fancy hotel and never an open bar! We should go!" His eyes crinkle in the corners and your heart hammers in your chest. 

Little do you know he prays to the Gods you don't say no. 

"I dont know, it's such short notice. Like next week ain't it?." At least it wasn't a no. He smiles, thinking of your competative behavior. 

"Oh I see what it is." He takes the sheet from your desk, waltzing to his own, "You're scared."

"Tch, scared of what?" You hiss, snatching for the paper. 

"Scared I'll out drink you!" He laughs at your cute scowl as you size him up. His metabolism was insane, and with him being in his larger state you might not be able to win. 

But he didn't have to know that. 

"You fucking wish you could out drink me! Remember the last party we went to? You showed your age and could barely stand!"

"Oi! I was much thinner then. I think luck is on my side this time." He slaps his belly and you smile. A genuine laugh fills the room causing Taishiro's heart to clench. 

"Yea, yea." You wipe away a tear, "We'll see." 

The day drags on and on, turning into a week of you glancing his way. Making sure he wasn't gaining any extra weight as he brought you your normal breakfast daily. 

It wasn't until the day of the party did you gain the advantage, a fight almost turned wrong and Taishiro had to use majority of that stored fat for a deadly punch to stop the villain from terrorizing the city. 

Still you'd never want this type of advantage just for a stupid drinking contest. Although he was not at his largest, he still had a considerable "dad bod" going on. 

"I still can't believe they had a tux in this size so late!" Taishiro shouts into the locker room at the agency, adjusting his tie as he waits for you. Meanwhile nerves eat you alive as you stare into your reflection, wondering if this dress fit okay, smoothing the fabric over your stomach self consciously. 

"You okay in there? We're gonna be late." He calls softly, hoping you aren't having second thoughts about going with someone like him. 

"Coming!" You call back, glancing at your deep amber dress a final time before rushing into the hall. 

"I was just thinking you were going to forfeit and then I-" Words die in his throat and he drinks you in. Beautifully complimented by the shape and color of your dress as he mouth hangs agape. 

"Wow. You look…" 

"Tai, I know, I look...different." 

"Amazing, perfect, breathtaking." He gives you a pointed look, "Which is no different than how you normally look." 

Heat creeps up the back of your neck and you're thankful he misses your flustered expression. The walk to the hotel and the brisk cold air gives you time to not only cool off but think.

Really reflect on the year, this horribly rotten, all bad luck year. Reminding you of all the times you had failed but also reminding you of all the opportunities you had missed. And not opportunities in the sense of promotions or saving people but opportunities to get closer with a certain somebody. 

You glance up at him and he glances down at you, smiling in a way that sets your skin on fire and yet it makes you feel at ease. 

Slowly you were coming to hate it. 

"I'm excited that they decided to invite some smaller agencies. Means I can introduce you to some of the kids I interned. Well I guess they are adults now huh." He looks nostalgic, sad even as he stares into space. Opening the door to the large hotel and it the look sticks with him until he is just before the party doors. 

"Ready?" 

"As ready as I'll ever be." You huff as he places his hand on the small of your back, bringing you into the rented ballroom. Lights and sounds consume your sense as music dances around light conversation. You're beginning to wonder if a drinking contest was such a good idea that is before you see the CEO of your agency totally shit faced. You glanced down at your watch, it was only 8pm. 

Taishiro guides you around the room with a "starter" drink, introducing you to old and new faces. Beaming with pride as he introduces you as his partner and not his sidekick like other heroes had done in the past. You hated how much your heart raced. 

"And this is Kirishima! He was one of my best and most memorable! Kids got guts and heart in spades!" He slaps Kirishima on the back and the young man slumps forward with a sharp toothed smile. 

"Aw come on, I wasn't that great…" He scratches the back of his head. 

"I heard that's when you became 'unbreakable'! I think that's so cool!" You gush over the young hero complimenting him to no end. 

"Stop. You'll give me a big head." He smiles, blushing furiously before his eyes wander to the closeness of the two of you and then they settle on your drinks, "You're not trying to out drink the infamous FatGum are you?" 

You laugh loudly before leaning in close as if to share a secret. 

"Oh, yes and I plan to kick his ass." 

Kirishima returns your smile and stage whispers 

"Taishiro-sama has lost a good bit of weight. I believe in you!" He winks before someone across the room calls for him, "Call me when you get really started!!" 

Two hours pass and you find yourself sitting across from your partner with his sleeves rolled up. Showcasing those deadly forearms as he slams back another shot. Kirishima keeps tally on hotel stationary and announces the number of shots. 

"You'll have to take five to be in the lead! You'll have two minutes to decide to forfeit or-" But before he can finish you're grabbing for one of the prefilled shot glasses. 

"Kanpai!" You shout, slinging them down, ignoring how the room is spinning and how bright the light reflects off of the table full of empty shot glasses. 

Kirishima's eyes widen as you down an extra shot for good measure, tallying the booze count with worry.

"Fat hero." He says, almost gritting his teeth, "You'll have to take seven to be in the lead." 

The large hero leans on his forearms on the table, the alcohol he's had had mostly been processed and maybe your figured that out. That he was starting to lose his edge so he takes you up on the challenge knocking back the several shots as if they were water. You're eager to gulp down a few more praying it drowns out your feelings for the sexy man across from you, instead he lets his broad hand hover over the shot glasses. Silently giving you a reprieve and noticing just how much you're sweating, how blown your pupils are. 

"Let's give it a minute shall we?" He smiles as you drown in his golden eyes. Biting at your lower lip and with a defiant grip you swallow down a final shot.

"Your turn." You focus hard to make sure your words didn't slur, not wanting this feeling or night to end. He snorts, shaking his head wishing you acted out any other time than this. 

"I forfeit." He places his hands up and you glare at him as you wonder if he did it on purpose. Before you have the time to accuse the crowd erupts into a deafening cheer, the room lags as you try to place names with faces as they come close to congratulate you. As more and more people crowd you, the hotter the room feels. Politely you excuse yourself to an enclave balcony closing the doors tightly behind you as you gulp down air, desperate to cool off and douse the desire that burns hot in your belly seeping to your core. 

"Fuck." You rake your nails through your hair as a hit of icy air skates along your skin leaving goose flesh in its wake. A steady warmth comes from behind you, voice deep as he speaks softly. You can tell he's using the same tone he uses on victims, trying not to startle them with his size. 

Little did he know how much you loved how much bigger he was. A safe haven, protection embodied. 

"Ready to go home?"

"No I'm fine! Perfectly fine." He sucks his teeth at your stubborn reply, leaning in close with his hands in the pockets of his tux. 

"You look flushed...you seem out of it." 

"I'm totally of sound mind!" A bark to which he laughs, giving in to the liquid courage as his large hand tilts your chin towards him. Flirting with a line he swore he'd never cross. 

"Yea, if you're so sound of mind, would you let me do this?" He asks, leaning closer, lips almost brushing yours. Your breath mingles with his in little puffs of fog agaisnt the cool air and suddenly you're burning again. 

From the inside out.

His lips touch yours, gently, passive at first and if he's trying to fight against his urges. Slowly he breaks away, amber eyes glued to your mouth before he sighs. Hoping he didn't just fuck everything up. 

In an instant you're drawing him back to you, hands in his golden wheat hair and your fingers weave through the strands. Mouth opening and demanding more as his large hands grip onto your ribcage as if you'd float away. 

And maybe you would, you felt like you could. 

Frantically your hands demand more, exploring up his shirt, touching across his stomach and digging your nails down his back. His own hands follow suit, gripping at your ass and tits, memorizing every luscious curve until he is drunk off of you and you only. You moan into his mouth and with that he loses all restraint. 

Shoving you against the harsh brick building, fisting your hair to tilt your head for better access, exploring your mouth with his well skilled wet muscle. Hands trailing beneath your dress to find your dress, squeezing at your thick thighs and when you moan in approval he moves higher and higher still until his fingers brush against the damp fabric. This time it is his turn to groan as he presses his hardened cock against you, your hips move to grind against his large fingers. 

"Please Tai" It is soft, breathy, sending him into a frenzy as he gives you exactly what you want. Letting his fingers slip beneath the fabric to gather the slick between your folds, gently rubbing against your throbbing clit. You arch against his touch, exposing your neck to him, he leans over and bites. Placing kisses along your throat, making sure to be careful enough to avoid marks before his hazed brain causes him to speak. 

To confess. 

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do this?" He asks, plunging his fingers into your tight heat, stretching you as you mewl, "Ever since I first laid eyes on you. Kamisama you were perfect. And tonight. Fuck baby. Wearing my eye color for all to see. You want people to think you're mine?" 

"Yes, Taishiro. I want people to think I'm yours." You moan, fucking yourself on his fingers before he takes over. Setting a quick pace before he curls his thick fingers just right, in an instant you're creaming against his digits. Crying out as he overstimulates you before he covers your mouth with his broad hand, reminding you just how much he dwarfs you.  

It makes you cum again and again and he corners you against the wall. Cock twitching as he laps up your sinful faces with a gluttonous appetite. 

"Please Tai, pleeeasse." 

"What's wrong baby? My fingers not enough?" His cocky tone drives you mad and your hips buck against his touch before he withdraws from your heat. Panting he levels his gaze yo you. 

"Is this what you want?" Peppering you with kisses as if you could deny him and his godly hands.

"Don't make me beg Tai…" You rasp, he gives a devilish smile. 

"Then I won't." His hands slink up your dress, gathering it at your waist as on skillful finger pulls the overly damp underwear away from your soaking sex. He frees himself and you swallow, not realizing just how large he was, for a moment you worry you won't be able to take him. 

"I'll be gentle." He coos, easing himself in an inch at a time as your stretch around his thick cock. Pussy fluttering as it adjusts to his size, he gathers your legs to his sides, squeezing your hips to keep from rutting into you roughly. He pistons his hips slowly, watching your face contort as he angles himself just right. Sensual thrusts have your legs and pussy squeezing him so deliciously tight. Still he worries he's going to hurt you.

"You okay?" Alcohol lingers on his breath and you swallow him whole with a kiss. Moaning into his mouth softly as he rocks you into one of your most intense orgasms to date. It's a slow build, undeniably intoxicating as his steady pace hits your spongy soft spot and his pelvis rubs against your clit. The coil in your stomach snaps and your body clamps onto the behemoth of a man tightly, stars dot your vision as he continues to fuck you through it. 

"God you're so beautiful ya know? So responsive to my touch. Taking me so well baby." He purrs against your ear, "Makes me want to keep this pace all night." 

He keeps true to his promise, bringing you to new heights at the steadiest of paces, causing you to lose count of how many times you've cum on his length. Pussy attempting to milk him dry as he palm swallows your screams. He looks at your features, your makeup running from delirious tears, mouth fallen opened in a propetial O as your hair clings to your skin. 

"Kamisama you're like art." He kisses your quickened pulse, "Ready for me to fill you love? You're squeezing me so tight…" 

He groans and all you can think of his him and the searing pleasure that courses through your veins to settle in your over sensitive heat. His cock twitches and you want nothing more than to be stuffed full of the Fat Hero's fat cock and his cum.  But words are lost in your hoarse throat and all you can do is nod, moaning his name as if it were a prayer. It's all the encouragement he needs, quickening his pace as the crowd inside grows louder. Counting down from 10. 

It's all lost to you and his hips snap against you, the brick scraping against your shoulders as his grip on you becomes so tight you're sure you'll bruise. Your body hyper aware of every little sensation as you drown in pleasure and warm amber sun, he groans, painting your walls in hot ropes of cum, your vision spots as your body arches to meet him as your spams a final time while his lips crash to yours. 

All the while fireworks erupt over head, bringing in the new year on a literal high note. 

He huffs, sweating as he looks at you, still buried to the hilt. Swiping his thumb over your cheek and running mascara before he breathes out so gently. 

"Happy new year baby." 

[currywaifu]

𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: you can have half 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: hyodo juza/reader 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: sfw 𝐰𝐜: 3.0k words, 2 images

𝐚𝐧: my first a3! fanfiction

He was in three of your classes. Three, and not once have you gotten the chance to talk to him! Granted, you never took the initiative either but after a few months, you’d think some kind of pair or group activity would pop-up to help you out.

The two of you were even in the class with the highly-acclaimed (by the student body) matchmaker professor, and either you were too subtle with your pining or weren’t interesting enough because not once has she tried to pair you up with him, or anyone for that matter.

Seriously, what does one have to do to get close to Hyodo Juza?

There wasn’t a particular moment you could pinpoint when you fell for Juza, but rather it was an accumulation of things that got you more and more attracted to him.

His cool and tough exterior first caught your attention, from the way he dressed to his purple hair. It didn’t help at all that he was extremely attractive to you.

Then you started noticing more things about him, like how polite he was to the professors, or the tiny smile he wore when he ate the anmitsu from the school canteen, or when that one upperclassman handed him some mochi, or when the photography-club senior gave him a box of pocky.

Juza being a sweets lover? Isn’t this what they call ‘gap moe’? Ahhh, your poor heart.

“That’s it!” You exclaimed to yourself excitedly, sitting up from your bed so quickly your head hurt slightly.

“I’ll give him some sweets as a conversation starter!”

Easier said than done.

“Isn’t it awkward to just give sweets out of nowhere to a guy?” You whined, hiding your face with your arms and laying your head down on the table. Your friends sighed for the nth time within the past hour, patting your head comfortingly as the two of them looked at you incredulously.

“It’s normal to confess feelings through sweets though?”

You jolted your head back up to look at the girl. “And who said I was gonna confess?”

The disbelief on their faces increased tenfold. “You’re not?”

Grimacing at the volume of their voices, you looked around to see if anyone was paying attention. By the history books section, you locked eyes with the librarian who paused putting back returned books to glare at your table, causing you to give an awkward smile in return.

Right, library. Inside voices.

“I wanna become friends with him first, but I’m too much of a wimp to even approach him huhu…” When the two girls don’t respond, you turn to the direction where they were staring straight ahead. A slight heat spread throughout your chest and into the roots of your hair.

“Omg, yankee Barney is here.” Choking on saliva, the speed at which you turned away probably gave you whiplash.

“I was gonna go with Dibo the Delinquent Dragon, but I like yours more.”

The two crackheads were stifling their laughter and looked like they were moments away from bursting out and getting themselves kicked out of the library. “Shut up! Let me wallow in my misery in silence.”

“Oh? Since when did Elmo get so dramatic?” Feeling your face heat-up and redden further, you stood up to leave.

“I’m gonna get strawberry milk from the vending machine, go talk shit without me.” You groaned, only staying long enough to hear them laugh as loud as they could without getting caught.

...

There was only one left, and you were the only one in line. How lucky was that? You waited for the machine to do its thing and drop the milk carton through the chute.

Except it wasn’t doing its thing. Odd. Should you stick your arm in the slot? Shake the machine? Kick or punch the glass? Ask someone for help? All of the above, in that order?

Fate had decided for you.

“You, do you need help?”

Holy holy holy-

Hyodo Juza was behind you! And he was talking to you!

Okay brain, here’s the game plan. Turn around, casually ask him for help, thank him, introduce yourself then continue the conversation from there!

Except you decided to make like the vending machine and malfunction.

“I- uh- yes? Please?”

Fuck, you probably sounded dumb. What kind of first impression is this? That response would probably get you intimacy points close to none. You went outside to cool down but weren’t the heat levels rising again?

He stared at you for a second, before quickly looking away and kicking the machine. Ahh, wasn’t that really cool? He crouched down, sticking his hand through the slot before handing you the carton.

“Strawberry milk…”

It looked like he was glaring for a second, but wasn’t he staring because he actually liked the flavour? He was holding out the drink to you, but you hastily pushed his palm back towards him.

“Thanks! You can keep it since you helped me with, you know. The machine! Okay, see you in class Ju-san!” You spoke quickly, before swiftly fleeing the premises.

Back in the library, you let your head fall down on the wooden surface. “You look like crap, what happened?” Letting out a pitiful whimper, you look up at them with a pout ready on your lips.

“He probably thinks I’m weird now…” The two girls exchanged a look with each other.

“Not that you aren’t, but what you do boi?”

“Ju-san…” He murmured quietly, palming the pink and white milk box in his hand. He sat in the dorm’s living room, wondering what he should do.

Juza’s seen you before in a couple of his classes. You always sat somewhere in the middle beside your friends, taking down notes and asking questions when needed. Other than the fact that you were a hard worker, he didn’t really know anything else about you.

Until the fateful encounter today.

At first, he thought you were scared of him from the way you froze up like a mannequin. Then you turned to him, not looking afraid but definitely a little faint and red-faced. Were you sick?

That didn’t explain how you just rushed off without your drink, and that odd nickname.

Ju-san.

Ju-san.

“Juza? Are you okay?” Flinching a bit, his eyes met with Omi’s concerned amber coloured ones.

“Omi-san, I’m fine…” He replied, doing little to convince Omi who proceeded to sit down next to him.

The strawberry milk was still sitting in the purple-haired boy’s hand.

“Are you not gonna drink that?” The brunet didn’t say it aloud, but both of them knew what he meant, ‘It’s not like you to just save it for later, so something’s up.’

“Someone gave it to me.” If the 4th year student was surprised, he sure didn’t show it. Instead, he gave a smile as if he knew this would happen eventually.

“And then? Why don’t you want to drink it then?” It probably wasn’t cold anymore if he had it since class hours.

“It’s not that… it feels…” Juza trailed off, looking for a word that would describe their chance meeting.

“Weird?” Omi supplied, but he shook his head. No, that wasn’t it.

“Sudden? Confusing?”

“Both of those, I think. Also, Ju-san…”

The brunet’s ears perked up at the nickname, almost believing he misheard it. Was this Ju-chan 2: Electric Boogaloo? Ah, Juza attracts cute people, doesn’t he? Can it be that cute people see through that toughness and see his softer side? It’s certainly true with Juza’s cousin.

“So they called you that, huh. Ju-san because Ju-sa sounds like Juza?”

Said person ignored him, unaware of the pink on his cheeks. Being a good mother senpai, Omi decided to help him out. Since Juza’s been delaying drinking the milk, he probably thought he didn’t deserve a free drink out of nowhere. That was an issue with a quick and easy fix.

“I’ll help you give them something in return on Monday.”

That was enough for Juza, who finally ripped the little plastic packet and poked the straw through the carton hole.

For a lukewarm drink, it tasted particularly good today.

You spent an hour last weekend praying to a couple deities that you could start over your first meeting with Juza. Not only that, but didn’t you end up calling him something weird?

You were walking to class when your friend leaned in closer, voice quiet so only you could hear. “Alert, yankee Barney is approaching. I repeat,”

“Don’t repeat.” You mumbled, not having the nerve to respond further, watching as he slowly neared you.

“Hyodo-san? Did you need something?” His mouth twitched at that, before handing you a purple tupperware.

“For last Friday. You can give the container back tomorrow.” You stared at the purple-haired man in shock, before accepting the gift.

“Thank you, Hyodo-san. I’ll be sure to enjoy it!” He lingered for a moment, waiting to see if you’d say something else, before nodding and walking past you and your friend.

Did that just happen?

You didn’t even realise your friend had stepped away from you until she came back running and shaking you with a magnitude strong enough to make a tree collapse.

“I thought you said he was gonna think you’re weird and shit! The fuck is this then?”

“Wait hoe I’m still shookt, let me check.”

Lifting the lid, the contents inside made your mouth water, and you wouldn’t be eating lunch for another 3 hours! Cookies! The torture of having to wait to consume them. Well, one couldn’t hurt?

Delicious! And the crisp, the size, the texture- all of them were to your liking.

“Hoh— isfh— so goo—“

“Oh look, there’s a note. While you’re greedily eating your heart out, let me read it.” Your friend pointed out, before unsticking it from the plastic lid.

“Juza felt bad for the free strawberry milk, so I helped him prepare something to show his thanks. I hope you enjoy. P.S. Ju-san? That’s cute.”

You almost choked, your friend wildly patting you on the back. “What’s this? A note from his mom or something?”

“Ju-ju-san…” You muttered in embarrassment. So he did pay attention to that! Not only that, but he even told someone about it? Well, that wasn’t your biggest worry right now.

“Isn’t this too much just for one strawberry milk? I have to find a way to repay him back!” Your friend narrowed her eyes at you, before shaking her head.

“Why do I feel like this is gonna be the start of a strange back-and-forth between the two of you?”

The next day, you handed him back the purple tupperware.

“Open it, it’s my favourite from the bakery two streets down.” You told him, doing your best to mask your shyness before walking away.

As soon as you left, Juza opened it to find a slice of red-velvet cheesecake and a disposable fork inside. He’ll eat it for dessert later. As he was about to close the lid, he noticed the cute sticky note designed like a strawberry.

Thank you for the cookies, they were really good! I passed by a bakery last night and thought you’d enjoy this!

You signed it off with your name, and he realised that he never knew it until then.

He said it quietly, testing out how it sounded.

He sighed, staring at the library door which you exited from.

The school canteen had some delicious milk bread, but don’t they sell strawberry shortcake on Wednesdays?

…

Wednesday, you delightfully ate a slice of strawberry shortcake which came with a plain white sticky note with nice calligraphy from Juza.

On Thursday, Tsuzuru found Juza eating dorayaki while reading something on a pastel blue paper.

Friday came, and the usual purple tupperware had two Castella cake slices and a lined paper, clearly ripped from his notebook, folded and taped to the lid.

Juza wondered if it would stop by next week and be handed an empty tupperware, but a surge of courage must have overcome you because Monday came with brownies and a note.

I don’t want you to keep ripping pages from your notebook. Do you have Inste? Discord? If you’re up for it, I can message you there instead. Otherwise, my number is…

He placed the paper with your socials somewhere he wouldn’t lose it.

...

Monday night arrived when you got a text from an unknown number.

This is Juza.

What a simple message, but somehow your heart fluttered. Your phone dinged again when you got a follow notification on Inste. Scrambling to follow him back and check out his posts, you didn’t know whether to laugh or be amazed when you saw that the posts there were purely promotional for MANKAI plays, some of which he wasn’t even in.

You took a screenshot of the image of him with the vest and purple tie and asked about the play.

It may not have been in person, but that marked the longest conversation you’ve had with Juza so far. Somehow the two of you went from talking about acting to food, to hobbies and complaining about teachers and before either of you knew it, it was midnight.

A couple days pass by and its Thursday night when people notice a change in Juza. Particularly, his phone habits.

“He’s not as bad as Itaru, Banri, and Kazunari but…” Tsuzuru trails off, looking at Omi who only seemed amused.

“He’s been spending a lot of time talking to someone is all.” The two of them turned their heads back to the first year as he let out a small laugh.

Three weeks in the food exchange and the two of you began having actual conversations in real life. It started when he handed you the purple tupperware, asking how you were and how your weekend was.

It somehow resulted in the two sitting together during classes, and having lunch together when Omi and Tsuzuru were busy.

You began to wonder who would break the streak.

You were running late. Maybe it was a bad idea to rush an essay worth a good chunk of your grade in the span of 8 hours, but somehow you managed to complete it at 3 am.

Thank god for online submissions. You wouldn’t be able to stand a noisy printer at this hour.

After plugging in your laptop and phone to make sure it would be fully charged before classes start later, you flop onto your bed to take a well-deserved rest.

When you woke up, it was 11 am.

Shit, you just missed a 3-hour lecture. Shit raised to the power of two Juza was in that class. Would he be worried that you weren’t there?

It looks like you’ll be the first to turn in an empty tupperware.

Still, you have a plan B prepared.

...

Juza was worried. When you messaged last night you hadn’t mentioned being sick at all. Had something happened? Sure, he didn’t get to message you that much over the weekend because of increasing practice hours but you’d definitely say something.

Omi and Tsuzuru eyed Juza as discretely as they could. No purple tupperware, no wonder he was upset. It went unsaid, but it clearly stopped being about the surprise desserts every other day and more about the person giving them.

“Ju-san!” An unfamiliar voice reached the former two’s ears, but the latter was clearly well acquainted with it based on his reaction. All three men turned around to see you, smiling and holding out Juza’s favourite food.

It was anmitsu with cream, specifically the one from the campus canteen.

“They wouldn’t let me put it in the tupperware, but will you accept it anyway?”

Did he look like he cared where the anmitsu was placed? Sure, it made him happy that despite skipping a class she still remembered to get him something, even more, his favourite dish, but…

“You didn’t show up to class a while ago.” Juza was frowning. You knew he usually gave off an angry disposition, but this was different.  

“Sorry, I was up ’til 3 am and forgot to turn on any alarms, haha.” He sighed.

“So the goodnight text then was-“

“A lie so you wouldn’t scold me for it, which obviously didn’t work in my favour.”

Having previously failed to notice the two upperclassmen, you turned to greet them, introducing yourself as Juza’s friend. “Sorry to disturb your lunch.”

Omi smiled. He introduced himself, as did Tsuzuru. So this was his troupe mate’s special friend. “Not at all. Have you eaten? You’re welcome to join us.”

Too tired to protest, you thanked him and sat down beside the purple-haired boy. “I just rushed here without eating, actually. Oh, I should probably get my lunch-“ You proceed to stand back up, but a firm hold of your arm from Juza stops you.

“You can have half.” He says, sliding a lunch set with a serving size you didn’t even know the university provided.

“What?”

“You slept through breakfast time, too. We can share.” He insisted, clearly not accepting no for an answer.

You take the unused chopsticks and begin to prod at the side dishes. “Fine, but now I owe you something. Should I get you banana milk from the vending machine?”

Juza looked away for a second, eyes hesitant as he glared at the anmitsu instead of you. When he looked back, he seemed to be filled with resolve.

“Then watch me… Autumn Troupe’s next upcoming play, I mean.”

For a moment you felt heat beginning to encompass your body, but quickly tried to shake it off. Of course Juza meant his acting.

“Obviously I’m watching it. Opening night and closing night, if I can help it.” You insisted. As if you would miss the chance to see him on stage. Sure, your massive crush on him wasn’t gonna go away any time soon, but to be able to see him do something he was extremely passionate about?

“Quick, help me finish lunch already so you can enjoy your anmitsu, Ju-san.”

...

The two of you somehow forgot the presence of Omi and Tsuzuru, both of whom were listening to your conversation intently.

“Then watch me? Seriously, lines like that can be interpreted…”

“I think we’ve become the third and fourth wheel, Tsuzuru.”

want to order again?

[angel-caked]

𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐍 ;; 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 / 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐁𝐋𝐄 ;; 𝑩𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒑𝒕 𝑰.

This is an extra long drabble/development/open starter solely because I promised waaay too long about writing so this is in two parts, npc introductions and death is promised in the second as well as more in depth assholery. 

'' It's part of the code to hold yourself with dignity in public. ,,

That's the first thing Angel heard fall from Henry's mouth when catching the smaller arachnid about 3 seconds after going off from catching some underhanded comment about returning back to the family. It genuinely made Angel's teeth itch. Henry could yell at whoever and it be applauded yet, he was to remain silent and level headed about a coward not speaking frankly?

What a fucking load of shit. No one ever really did follow that.

Plus, this wasn't a public setting in the first place ; the meeting place had switched to one of the other boss's residences to avoid what happened a few months ago because SOMEONE wanted to test out their shiny new toy on a couple of jackasses that apparently keep their mouths shut. Due to their tardiness, it just fucked over the others and made the Ragonis look suspicious since it was their territory and let's be honest, who ever would want to own up being off'd be a whacky overlord?

The only upside to this was that the boss that held this meeting was someone Angel recognized and faintly remembered from childhood that would intervene ( when there anyway ) when Henry had his bursts towards him or Molly. Arackniss was smart enough to stay silent whilst the other two admittedly not so much. No fucking clue what she was saying, but the next thing Angel knew was sitting in the meeting room with a warm sandwich in hand and an insistent donna of the hour sending looks in the spider's direction before it was her turn to speak. They called her "Yaya" because of her pining behavior, always looking for others but ruled with an iron fist.

Through the 6 hours of the meeting, between each don/donnas talking in turn about their territories and making trades, the occasional polite squabble or disagreement that dragged the meeting on did happen. It would've been amusing yet there were eyes on the arachnid though, it was nothing unfamiliar, it was still irritating when trying to focus. Pink hues lazily trailed from Brutus, a shark that had known all too well what Angel's bullets tasted like  to a baphomet-esque demon that leaned more towards humanoid enough to make Angel realize who it was and stared right back in annoyance. 

The Goat’s impressive amber eyes went on examining the fluffy arachnid's features carefully as if looking for something. 

In turn Angel rolled his eyes at the man then flashed the iconic gold fang and watched the eyebrows furrow. The Goat's name was Domino, he had been around since the 30s if Angel could recall and often was one of many dealers the studios got their ' choices ' and of course Angel hated him and vice versa though no one knows why.

The stare down was broken when Henry's hand firmly made friends upside Angel's head, it wasn't hard nor hurt but it was enough to gain Angel's attention. " Speaking of expansion, the cotton ball had something to say about the outta rings. Wrap it up and keep it short. "

Cue the younger Ragoni being a bit shocked Henry was giving a chance to speak up. . . was this a legitimate chance?

" Bit too late about wrapping it up. "

" Shut up, Brutus. "

Angel just blankly stared, regretting not using holy bullets if these quips were about to be a common thing. Yaya smiled and waved her hands in a 'shooing' motion for the youngest of the bunch to continue " Well. . . Los Satanio,  Mint City  an' Crystal Stadium are pretty easy to get into despite the rule'a sinners not able to ; It just has ta be done by sinners with the correspondin' vices an' a logical reasoning fa said sinner to be there. " 

Angel explained with a hand waving about despite the intrigued looks as if it were the most obvious thing, " Your best bet if anythin' is just to get the right sex worker ta hit all three rings or just do business wit' someone in Crystal Stadium. Los Satanio is a good try because, they're always fightin' each other unless it's that Harvest Moon an' Mint City is full'a greedy bastards just ta get their hands on nice things while Crystal Stadium is full'a vices but much more refined--. " 

There was a snap that made the expectant demon instinctively stop and look in the direction, the restraint to keep from leaping across the table when seeing the source was almost broken.

" What makes you think a bunch of prostitutes are anyway something either of us care for, Annie? Besides, it's not like you've been to either of them anyway." Domino commented from behind a cigar, leaning back in the chair and ignoring the death glare casted his way continuing on before Yaya could interrupt. " Wasting material on a bunch of people who just want to get their jollies off 24/7 is moronic, don't be trying to stiff us with stuff like that." 

Ignoring the 'Annie' comment, Angel merely held a smug look and neatly folded slender fingers on the table. " Hey didja forget there's three types'a lust? Yeah sure, Crystal Stadium is the lust ring but, it's also the most advanced in comparison to here. Sexuality, Money an' Power or Flesh, Power an' Life --if ya wanna get technical with it, make up that ring.  They're willin' to throw money at the prettiest thing or anything that will assist their shi-- shenanigans.  Regardless, if ya don't wanna listen then don't, just quick makin' an ass outta yourself just ta be right when ya aren't. " 

Henry inwardly snickered, looking rather somewhat amused at the situation. His normal frown had upturned only slightly. Yaya wasn't even hiding hers, a big grin sprawled across her glass face. The only ones unamused were Theo, Domino and. Brutus... possibly still sore from their last encounter or maybe just not listening? 

" Well, forgive me for not knowing what's common to a pro skirt, you dumb philly. " 

" . . . The fuck didja just call me, ya dimwitted patsy? "

" OKAY!" The porcelain doll immediately stood up before the fight could escalate, " I think we can pick this up tomorrow, yes? Toni, I'd like to talk to you more about Crystal Stadium after dinner. It's always nice to have a back-up plan and I'm interested. Henry, dearie if you don't mind I would like to speak to you alone about our deal. Everyone else, feel free to pick a room for the night and enjoy yourselves. " The other dons rose to their feet at the meeting, seemingly being adjourned for now. 

Domino bumped past Angel in the doorframe, making the spider clench a fist hand enough to draw blood though let it go with a sigh. His pettiness couldn't bring down the giddiness about having at least one head listening to Angel's suggestion. For now, the demon was going to leave for the hotel to avoid further conflict and sent a text to Henry. Hopefully Yaya wouldn't mind.

[thatonebirbnerd]

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

Prompt: Cryptids

Word count: 1343

Trigger warnings: Minor violence, body horror (description and image of aftermath)

Man, does coming back to writing feel good. This story is set around 1329.

AO3 link

---

“Haven’t you heard, Tolaug? There’s a terrible Mordrem in the Grove. I’ve been told stories of how it steals away young saplings, and drains them of life with its shimmering scarlet blade…”

My charr partner and I are sitting in a tavern outside Hoelbrak, enjoying a mug of the local beer as we plan our next adventure.

We call ourselves thrillseekers. The proper words would probably be “bounty hunter,” but that’s passe. We’ll do whatever earns us a living, and that’s easier to do in pairs.

“How have the Wardens not caught it? Surely such a huge, twisted creature would be hard to miss.”

“I don’t know.”

“Me either. But sounds like a cash prize waiting to happen. I like those.”

“Sounds like a plan. One Maguuma-style bonfire, coming right up.”

Hopefully this job doesn’t cause anything spectacular.

---

“Welcome, travelers. Please state your identities and business in the Grove.”

“Yes, Warden. I’m Hanne; the charr is Tolaug. We’re here to make… an arrest. We’ve tracked a Nightmare Court spy into the city.”

So far, so good. She’s always been the better liar.

“With all due respect, Hanne, such a case would be our business. The Wardens can take it from h-”

Not good. I unsheath my dagger, and feel a little fire in my veins. Hanne would tell me I’m getting too ready, too quickly.

“Trust us. It’ll be fine. This help?” My norn partner hands the warden a few gold pieces, and he sighs.

“If you insist. Don’t disappoint us, or we’re sending you home, by force.”

Bummer. Extortion worked. Ah, well; we’ll have plenty more knife time later.

---

Tolaug is disappointed. I can hear it in his breath, for Raven’s sake - he’s just growling to himself. “Cheer up, buddy,” I console him. “Sun’s about to set - we’re just in time. Let’s get hunting.”

“Ale first.”

“Do the sylvari even have that?”

“Time to find out.”

---

We decided to kill some time at one of the taverns. Tried some blackberry mead. Tasted an acidic sort of sugary, almost sickly-sweet, but certainly made us feel like we could stay on the chase for hours. All good things must come to an end, though. Night’s fallen, and the Grove and all its people have begun to glow. Hanne calls it “bioluminescence.” Reminds me of the Foefire, but not just blue - rather, every color imaginable.

“Alright, Hanne,” I remark as I stand up from the bar stool. “Excited for some action?”

“Couldn’t be more ready.”

---

From all the research I’ve done on this Mordrem killer, it doesn’t glow in the dark like other sylvari. I’ve made a sketch of it, compiled from all the accounts. It’s massive and covered in thick corrupted bark, with piercing red eyes - some say it has three of them, in fact - and an organic blade at its hip that’s tainted with dragon magic. Difficult to miss.

Now all that’s left is to find this odd creature out.

---

I think it’s been hours. The booze is making it hard to tell. No luck. Searched every level of the Grove. Got death-glared out of a few neighborhoods.

“You think… by some stroke of luck the Wardens got it recently? Too soon for the news to spread?”

“Can’t hurt to check.”

“To the jail, then.”

---

Hmm. No one looks out of pla- oh, Spirits.

“Tolaug. Ears up.”

“Wha-?”

It’s not quite like in the stories. For starters, “it” would appear to be a “she,” and…

“Wow. Not much of a giant.”

“We’re both bigger than her. Easy.” 

Who was freaking out about this thing, an asura? She’s huge by sylvari standards, but she’s only about the size of a tall human, or a tiny norn. Distinctly un-Mordrem white blossoms adorn the branches on her head. Seems… normal, at this angle, if not for the bark.

“That sword, though. I don’t like it.”

“Yeah,” Tolaug grumbles. “The accounts I heard got that part right.”

“The wardens seem to be on a shift change. Is she talking to that prisoner? Can we try this anyway?”

“I say do it.”

---

“But what about- Geanais! Watch out!”

What the -

I haven’t drawn my sword this quickly since… since the jungle. It catches the edge of a steel knife. I look up, into gray-black fur, feline amber eyes, and a confident sneer. I’ve never seen this charr before… 

---

“Why?”

The Mordrem’s eyes meet mine, and suddenly the stories and Hanne’s drawings make sense; her face is split down the middle, like an actor’s mask, and a third vermilion eye sits between her Pale-Tree-given pair. None of the three has a pupil. The effect is eerie.

I expected a murderer’s face, a twisted grimace, but all I see in her three eyes is fear.

“Why… are you trying to hurt me?”

Her voice still has that draconic rasp to it, a little. I notice that only one side of her mouth moves when she speaks, and only the eye on that side can blink. I wonder… 

---

I can’t stay in control for much longer. I don’t know why they want me dead. Please. Don’t make the dragon come out again… 

---

Tolaug is silent and stony-faced. That’s not the right move. I walk to his side, and give the sylvari - the prisoner called her Geanais - a good look.

“Oh, wow.”

“What?” grunts Tolaug. “Just dragon-spawn trash-”

“Tolaug!”

Geanais lunges at the oblivious charr with a cry of frustration. I take a step back, and he dodges just in time. 

“What are you waiting for? Bring her in!”

“She wasn’t trying to hurt you, but you called her all sorts of things and made her angry, you idiot!”

Geanais twitches and whimpers. Energy crackles at her balled fists and gleams through her eyes.

“Ugh. Alright,” pants Tolaug. He inches away, dagger still at the ready.

---

Everything feels hot. My vision’s gone red. I can’t keep it in…

---

I think I have to de-escalate this situation.

“It’s Geanais, right?” I ask her. “Gen-ash. Lovely name.”

She already looks tense and worn out, as if she’s been forcing herself not to fight us. Upon hearing her name, she seems to let her guard down, just enough to let us approach her.

“I’m Hanne. We heard… some things about you, but I guess it’s better to ask you first. Didn’t think it’d end up quite like this.”

“I - I don’t know what you’re…”

“Something about killing saplings -”

“I swear, it’s not true! I’ve had enemies here since I came home from Maguuma. I’m not what I look like. I’m myself again… mostly, but they don’t believe me. Please believe me…”

“Tolaug over here is clearly awful at reading emotional cues,” I explain. “Sorry for that. Now we just have to get this cleared up with-”

---

“What in the name of the Pale Mother is going on in here?”

Warden Delwyn. Thank goodness.

“I, uh…” The charr - Tolaug - is at a loss for words.

“Geanais? You look like you’ve had your… nonexistent leaves ruffled a bit. Is everything alright?”

“Wait, you know her?” Even the norn, Hanne, is surprised.

“Yeah,” I mutter. “I… I’ll be fine… just need to cool off.”

---

“She was one of us, once,” the warden continues. “The jungle changed her so much that she couldn’t rejoin our ranks. Not everyone likes that she’s come home after all the dragon did to her. They see her as a threat. It looks like that’s what’s brought you here.”

“Yup. I admit it, we lied to one of your folks earlier. Thought it’d get us a sure payout. I guess there wasn’t really a trophy hunt to be had after all.”

Goddammit, Tolaug’s yapping. I have to step in. “The charr’s said enough and then some. We’ll head off in the morning. Apologies for causing trouble.”

“For your sake and hers, please, don’t come back.”

---

“Whew! Never had that happen before. Quite the thrill, being banned from an entire city!”

“Serves us right. I suppose we should try not to judge a cryptid by its cover next time. Right, Tolaug?”

“You got it, Hanne.”

[matrixaffiliate]

Endeavor

Chapter Update! FFN and AO3

Early Update! The autumn colors are coming in where I live and tomorrow my little family and I are going to go enjoy them. Which means you get an update a few hours early! The next chapter posts on Saturday, September 26th. :)

Chapter 11

Victoire managed to make it home after her family had gone to sleep, but she stayed up another hour on the phone with Ted. He'd made her promise that if she was going to drive herself home at one in the morning then she would call him once she was home.

But when Dom came in at nine and pounced on her bed, Vic's roughly six hours of sleep made her regret not giving into Ted's suggestion that it was late and she should just stay at his flat.

"Someone got home late," Dom sprawled out next to her, tugging down on the covers that Vic pulled over her head.

"If you knew I got home late why are you in here?" Vic threw her arm over her eyes and tried to get back to sleep.

"Because, I want to gossip with you about your new beau, obviously."

Vic felt the smile pull on her lips, even as she contemplated throwing a pillow at Dom for waking her up before she was ready.

"It was amazing, Dom."

Dom rolled onto her stomach and pushed Vic's arm away from her face.

"Did you kiss him?"

Vic didn't open her eyes, but she could feel the smile spreading across her face.

"Oh! Whatever could that smile mean?" Dom laughed. "Come on, Vic, I helped you pick out clothes and I did your hair and makeup!"

Vic finally batted her eyes open and smiled at her sister.

"Dom, it was amazing!"

"So, tell me!" Dominique shoved her.

"For starters, he called it a date." Vic smiled over at her sister.

"Ha! I knew it would be!" Dom cheered.

"And, he took me back to his flat after dinner," Vic rolled over to her side and propped herself up on her elbow.

"Oh, come on! Did you kiss him?" Dom moved to mirror Vic's position.

"We snogged and talked until one in the morning," Vic bit her lip and felt her toes curl at the memory of it all.

Dominique squealed loudly, "I knew it! I knew it! When are you seeing him again?"

"Today," Vic looked over at the clock on her wall. "I'm meeting him at his flat for lunch."

"Well then you should get up and get ready," Dom gave her a shove. "And while we're talking about how wonderful your night was; when do we get to meet your new lover boy?"

Vic felt her stomach clench, "I don't know about that yet. No one knows that we're together or anything except you."

"Ooo, secret relationship, kinky," Dom poked Vic's side and laughed.

"Stop teasing me and let me get ready for the day," Vic gave Dom a half-hearted shove. "I won't be able to give you more gossip if I don't make it to lunch with him."

"Off I go," Dom jumped up and moved to the door, "but I expect a full report when you get home."

Vic just rolled her eyes and wondered if maybe Ted would mind if she showed up earlier than they had decided on.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Vic bit her lip as she knocked on Ted's door. She was nearly fifteen minutes early and she was hoping that he'd be pleased as opposed to annoyed.

"Couldn't stay away?" Ted teased as he opened his door.

Vic just laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't try to deny that you haven't been waiting on the edge of your seat for me to show up; you were the one trying to keep me here all night yesterday."

Ted shook his head as he grinned.

"Still so torturous," then he lowered his lips to hers.

Vic sighed into his mouth and pressed Ted back against the door frame.

"What the hell?!"

Ted's head whipped up and he pulled Vic closer to him, tightening his arms around her.

Vic looked with him toward the sound of the voice. To her surprise, Jamie stood staring at them with his mouth hanging down by his trainers.

"What are you doing?!"

"Welcoming Vic to my flat," Ted rolled his eyes. "Did you need something, Jamie?"

"You two are together?" Jamie's eyes were still wide.

Vic laughed, "Yes Jamie, now did you need something or can I go back to snogging my boyfriend?"

Jamie shook his head, "I was just going to see if Ted could help me with an assignment, but er, I think I'll see if maybe anyone else can help."

Ted chuckled, "Text me before you show up the next time, mate."

"You're as bad as Mum and Dad," Jamie shook his head, "I'll see you later."

He gave them one more incredulous look before turning and hurrying back down the stairs.

"Looks like the cats out of the bag," Vic chuckled.

"Did you mean it?" Ted brought his nose to nuzzle against hers.

Vic closed her eyes and hummed as she tried to kiss him, but he moved his lips to her ear.

"Did you mean to call me your boyfriend?"

Vic smiled and leant in to murmur in his ear.

"If you think I'm girlfriend material."

Ted moved his lips down her jawline and Vic felt her breath catch.

"I think you're quite a bit more than just girlfriend material," he murmured against her lips. Then he smirked. "You're author material and editor material and chocolate eater material and…"

Vic giggled and cut him off by pressing her lips to his.

"Take your girlfriend inside and make her some lunch, won't you?" She pulled back a moment later.

"So demanding," Ted stole one more kiss before pulling them inside.

"Do you think Jamie's going to broadcast this to both our families?" Vic asked as Ted moved with her into the kitchen.

"Oh, knowing Jamie, we can count on it." Ted rolled his eyes.

"Are you alright with that?"

Ted paused as he pulled out a box of pasta from the cupboard. He turned and leant back into the counter, gripping the edge behind him.

"I guess I should explain that my family more or less knows about you already."

"Did you text them all this morning or something?" Vic laughed.

Ted gave a nervous chuckle before looking down at the floor.

"Er, no, but, while we worked together, and especially after you got engaged to Sean, I went to them for support, told them a bit about what the situation was, asked for advice, that sort of thing."

Vic felt her stomach clench.

"Did, did that by chance, include my Uncle Harry?"

Ted rubbed the back of his neck, "Yep."

"Oh," Vic fell into a chair at the kitchen table, "How, how much does Harry know?"

"Only that I told you I loved you back in January," Ted finally looked up at her. "And I told him to keep it on my side of the family, it shouldn't have gotten around to your side."

"So, no one on your side knows that we kissed?" Vic bit her lip and started to wring her hands.

"None of my family, no," Ted looked down again, and his tone quieted.

"Wait, does someone on your side know?"

"Just a friend, she listened to me when I was freaking out about being such an arse for kissing an engaged woman."

"Oh," Vic nodded, "I guess I should tell you that I told my mum that I had kissed you, but I didn't give her much more than that. I told Sean I kissed someone, but he doesn't know it was you."

"I appreciate that," Ted's grip on the counter behind him was turning his knuckles white.

Vic rested her head in her hands and took a deep breath.

"Are, are we alright?" Ted's voice was quiet, timid even.

"I don't know," Vic sighed, "I just didn't think this part through, you know? I sort of thought that once we were together it would be sunshine and roses or whatever they advertise in those princess movies."

"Do you fancy yourself a princess?" Ted chuckled.

Vic turned and gave him a small smile, "Not at the moment, no."

Ted let out a long breath before pushing off the counter and coming to sit next to her at the table, grabbing her hands as they tried to rub her fingers raw and lowering them to the table with his.

"Vic, I know this is going to make things weird and awkward to some extent, but the best day of my life was yesterday, and I don't want to lose this a second time; I don't want to lose you."

Her chest ached as she tried to figure out what she wanted, how she wanted this to go. If she could only turn back time and dump Sean the day Ted started at Bread & Butter, maybe this wouldn't be so hard. Maybe she and Ted would have had a normal build-up to a relationship. Maybe this wouldn't feel like everyone knew that she'd been having an emotional affair for the last six months of her relationship with Sean. Maybe she'd feel less like she was tarnished in everyone's eyes.

"Vic?"

She lifted her eyes from their clasped hands and met his gaze, rich amber meeting deep blue.

"I'm not leaving," she sighed, "It just feels like now everyone knows what sort of girl I am."

Ted blinked.

"What?"

Vic shook her head and looked back down.

"Ted, you can't deny that I'm not going to be highly favored in your family, or with that friend that listened to you talk through what happened. You can't pretend like they aren't going to question whether I'll be faithful to you since I wasn't to Sean. What happened didn't paint me in the best light."

"Stop," Ted shook his head. "Vic, no, you've got it all wrong. You're amazing! There's no way they won't see that."

Vic shook her head, "I appreciate that you think I'm not a slag."

"Anyone who does is going to meet my fist," Ted growled.

Vic gave him a small smile, "I'm not going anywhere, I just think that your family might wish I would."

"They won't," Ted squeezed her hands.

Vic didn't believe him; she didn't see how anyone couldn't see what was happening and not immediately point out how manipulative her actions were. Especially when Ted and Harry were the only kids from that generation. How could these people not be protective of Ted?

"Hey," Ted brought a gentle knuckle to her chin and guided her face back up to his. Then he leant in and brought their lips together, all warmth and reassuring; his hand came to cup her face as his lips slanted over hers, holding her, pulling her closer.

"We're going to be ok," he smiled when he pulled back. "And I think that my girlfriend was asking for some lunch made by her boyfriend a moment ago, and I'd like to deliver on that."

Vic finally laughed, "Want a hand?"

"I'd love one."

Vic followed him to the counter and tried to ignore the knot that formed in her stomach, the knot that stayed throughout the rest of the day.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Vic made it home earlier than she had the previous night, which meant her family was still awake.

"Back before the crack of dawn, I see," Louis teased.

Vic gave a nervous chuckle.

"Be nice to your sister," her dad chided, "She always lets us know where she is and if she's staying where she is."

"If she had her own place, she could do whatever she wanted," Dominique chimed in.

"You only want her to move out so you can switch rooms." Louis shot back.

"She has the better view of the ocean; of course, I want to switch rooms."

"Well, if one of the leads Aunt Ginny has for me works out, maybe you will get to switch rooms with me." Vic moved to the stairs. Dom winked at her.

"Or you just move in with this bloke," Louis called as she started to climb.

"Louis!" Her mum swatted him with her magazine.

"Ouch! Maman!"

Vic smiled, it didn't sound so bad, living with Ted. And based on the way everyone acted, it sounded like Jamie hadn't texted her family and told them everything. At least her cousin hadn't completely freaked out. But she was sure of one thing, Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry definitely knew.

But as she stepped into her room, Vic took comfort that at least they didn't know everything.

"Ma chérie," her mum tapped on the door frame.

"Hi Maman," Vic tried to breathe through the panic she felt that maybe her mum knew. Her mum tended to know everything.

"How was your date?" Fleur sat down on the foot of her bed.

Vic couldn't help the smile that grew across her face.

"It was lovely."

"And are you going to tell your poor maman who the lucky boy is?"

Vic bit her lip and looked down at what was left of her chipping blue nail polish, she'd conveniently left out the name of who she was with the last two days.

"Er, it's Ted, actually."

"The boy you worked with?" Her mum's smile was small but Vic could see it in her eyes that she was laughing.

"Yes," she sighed, "the one I worked with."

"Have you thought about the things I wrote down for you?"

Vic blinked. She hadn't looked at that page in her notebook since the first time she'd summoned the courage to read it.

"N-no, I mean, I read it back when you first wrote it, but, I, well I forgot about it." She finished lamely.

Fleur stood and moved to Vic's desk and retrieved the notebook.

"You and your desires are important," her mum read. "Have you thought about what you want, both now and in the future?"

Vic shook her head no.

"You are a good person. You are brave." Fleur continued, "Do you believe this?"

Vic swallowed and shook her head again.

"You must decide your life's story." Fleur set the notebook down. "What will you choose?"

Vic shook her head, "Maman, I don't get to just choose what my life is going to look like."

"No, ma chérie, you misunderstand me. You are not in control of what will happen in your life, but you are the leading lady. Life is going to send much your way, but you must choose how you react, you must choose what the story looks like. You have determined that because you are not the author, you must simply float along, doing nothing. This is not the case. Do your characters in your novel not help to shape their stories?"

Vic blinked, "No, because I write them."

Fleur pursed her lips, "Think about what I've said, ma chérie, you might find that it's different than you think it is. Youth often makes us believe that things are only as we perceive them, but often we are simply not seeing the whole picture."

Vic sighed as her mum moved to wrap her in her arms. Leave it to her mum to make everything sound like a riddle.

"Thank you, Maman."

"Of course, ma chérie, and when you feel ready, we'd love to meet your Ted."

Vic felt her face grin of its own accord.

"I'll talk to him."

"Good," Fleur kissed her cheek and then slipped back down the stairs.

Vic watched her go and shook her head. Why did people who had never written a story think they knew anything about writing? But before she could really brood over that, her phone rang.

"Hey, Ted," Vic fell back onto her bed.

"Whoa, you alright? That was a very dejected sounding hello."

Ted's voice was warm and comforting and Vic felt herself falling into the embrace of it.

"I just have very well-intending family members who think they know what they're talking about."

"Did Jamie tell your parents? Because I will dunk his head in a toilet or something."

Vic laughed, feeling her frustrations slowly fade to the back of her mind.

"No, no he didn't tell my family, I just, my mum seems to want me to find myself or something or other and she tried to use a writing metaphor, but my mum has never written a novel and it seemed like she was trying to point out what's been wrong with my story and I don't know, I'm just frustrated."

"I didn't know you thought something was wrong with your story."

Ted seemed focused on the wrong point, but Vic decided that she'd rather talk to him about her book than her family troubles.

"I, yeah, I know something is off, I just can't figure out what it is." She paused. "Before, before everything in January..."

"Vic, you don't have to dance around that," he interrupted. "You can say, 'before you kissed me while I was engaged' and it won't offend me."

She rolled her eyes, "Except when you include that I kissed you back."

Ted hummed, "Not like you did today."

"Will you focus," Vic laughed.

"Right, yes," Ted laughed with her, "You were saying that before you kissed me back with great reservation you were going to…"

Vic shook her head as she smiled.

"Yes, that I was going to ask you if you wanted to read the draft I have and let me know what you think?"

"I'd love to," Ted answered immediately. "Ooo do you have it printed off with red pen marks everywhere?"

"No," Vic laughed, "It's an online document, I'll send you a link."

She pulled her laptop to her from her night table and powered it on.

"I'm going to have to be careful," Ted's voice vibrated in her ear as she used her shoulder to keep her phone in place. "If I can read it on my phone then that means I can read it at work."

"You love your job," Vic rolled her eyes as she sent the email invite to view the doc. "And I doubt my little story is going to be that captivating."

"There's the first problem," Ted's voice was almost stern. "You need to think more highly of yourself, and what you create."

"Ted," Vic sighed.

"No, you're amazing and you need to believe you're amazing, Vic."

"Now you sound like my mum."

"Your mum sounds like a smart lady."

Vic laughed. "You're ridiculous."

"And you like it, so where does that leave us?"

Louis stuck his head in the door and nearly spooked Vic out of her skin.

"Vicky, Maman says dinner is ready."

"Thanks," Vic mouthed to her little brother.

"Well, I suppose that leaves us with me going to dinner like I'm still sixteen."

"I hope you're not still sixteen, I'll go to prison forever if you are."

Vic burst out laughing, "I repeat, you're ridiculous, and I need to go."

"Text me tomorrow, I'll start on your novel tonight."

Vic smiled as she pushed off her bed. "Thanks, have a good night."

"I'll do my best without you." Ted's voice betrayed his smirk.

"For heaven's sake, Ted, go make yourself some dinner or something!" But she couldn't keep from laughing.

"Alright, alright, enjoy your family, I'll talk to you soon."

They disconnected and Vic felt like maybe it wasn't so bad to have her family meddling in her life if she got to spend time on the phone teasing Ted as well.

[vengfulfate]

One Bad Coffee

Summary: Weiss Schnee spends her time in two worlds, but one bad coffee begins a chain of events that leads to her worlds coming together in a beautiful way.

One Shot written based on the White Rose 2019 prompt Coffee/First (yes I know it's late)

AN: The last few years I have noticed the phenomenon knows as White Rose Week, and it's subsequent partners, and I've always told myself I'd get involved at some point. I, however, have the misfortune of never seeing it coming before it's here and I have no time to prepare for the prompts. Another White Rose Week comes and it is the same story. But I did have this idea based on the day 1 prompts 'Coffee/First', and felt the need to write it regardless. I know it's technically 'late' for the day 1 prompts and I'm still not sure if I'm going to do the other prompts at all, so I was hesitant to officially tag this as 'White Rose Week 2019', but worst case scenario is I drop a tag if it becomes an issue.

'Coffee' takes the form of a coffee shop, 'First' takes the form of 'first IRL meeting'I hope you enjoy!

   ---

Weiss Schnee was a busy woman. She was trying to get her own company off the ground to spite her father, dealing with the social and political backlash of openly attacking him in the process, and subsequently got little time to herself. A quick coffee from a café in the early morning was one of her few short moments, so was it too much to ask the universe for things to go smoothly?

Apparently not.

For starters, her go-to café had apparently closed, and she had no idea until the was staring at the sign on its door apologizing for the permanent shutdown. And with her free time to get a coffee quickly shortening, she didn’t have time to decide where to go next based on any research or recommendations. So, she quickly searched for the closest coffee shop and headed straight there.

SunnyKat Kafé was one of those coffee house names that clearly meant something to the owners personally, and so was clearly small-time. It didn’t matter, as long as Weiss could quickly get some decent caffeine. She would look for another coffee shop tomorrow. She barged through the door, looking up long enough to see no one at the counter. Her attention was firmly re-planted into her phone, trying to damage control her inevitable late-ness before it came to pass.

“Welcome to SunnyKat!” A disturbingly cheerful and strangely familiar female voice rang out. “What can I get you?”

“Vanilla latte made with soy. Please,” Weiss added after a pause like it was an afterthought.

“Coming right up!” The voice seemed to shrug off Weiss’s impoliteness and seeming disinterest.

Her energy almost reminds me of Crescent, Weiss realized, before quickly squashing that thought. This wasn’t the time to be thinking about her nightly activities.

She did manage to smile that morning. It seemed her pre-emptive mitigation for her impending tardiness paid off, and she may even be able to stretch a moment to enjoy her caffeine rather than simply consume it. Maybe the universe only placed a small bump instead of a large pothole on her day. Until she received her drink.

“Here you are, ma’am!” The cheery voice called her to her beverage.

“Thank you,” Weiss nodded to the barista a bit more sincerely along with her slowly rising mood. She raised the cup to lips and took in a mouthful before promptly spitting the mouthful right back out.

“AAIIEE” The barista jumped back.

And so the universe rears its ugly head! “Are you deaf and dumb!? I said soy!” Weiss shouted.

“I’m sorry!” The barista screeched quickly.

“Sorry!? Is that all you have to say!?” Weiss’s day was already bad before it began, and it didn’t help her mood.

“Well, what am I-” the barista began before being cut off.

“It’s not even a complicated order! How hard is it to get right!?” Weiss interrupted.

“I just-” the barista tried again to get a word in.

“I am a paying customer, and you don’t even have the decency to listen!?” Weiss continued unabated.

“If you would let-”

“Do you have anything at all to say for yourself!?”

“Can I-?”

“Oh, never mind, you’re clearly useless. Where is you manager?”

Silence fell while Weiss waited to the barista to do something. “Well?”

“I go get them, ma’am…” the barista walked away, dejected and slightly frustrated.

Weiss impatiently tapped her foot while a barely audible discussion took place in the back rooms. She had managed to buy herself a few extra minutes, and now they were spent dealing with an ignorant barista and a likely apologetic manager. She couldn’t remember having a worse morning in recent memory.

“Hello,” the apparent manager, a woman with amber eyes and raven hair, finally stepped out of the back room. “Allow me to apologize for our mistake. I am willing to make you the correct drink myself, and charge you for neither.”

Weiss didn’t have to time to continue her tirade and nodded. “Vanilla latte. With. Soy.”

The manager nodded and quickly made the correct drink, handing it over with a nod. “I hope you have a better morning.”

“Just tell me that dunce will be reprimanded appropriately,” Weiss demanded.

“We have our policies, I assure you,” The manager spoke vaguely.

It will have to do, Weiss nodded and finally left. With no time to enjoy her coffee, she couldn’t even tell the quality as she downed it.

   ---

Thankfully, the rest of Weiss’s day was not nearly as terrible as her morning. Aside from her father’s usual shenanigans trying to kill her career, things went quite smoothly in the office. She was in a much better mood by the time she got home, and it would only get better before bed. Because, you see, Weiss Schnee has a secret.

Between work and bed, Weiss had more free time than all the rest of her stolen minutes throughout the day put together. A solid few hours where she can do whatever she wants, and in the privacy of her own home no one would even question her chosen indulgence. An indulgence where she could truly be herself, casting aside the cold demeanor that dominated her life even after breaking free of her father and wearing a personality that, she dared say, was a little ‘warmer’.

An indulgence called Remnant Online.

Weiss grabbed a box of takeout and headed right for her computer, booting it up as she quickly sated her hunger. This was where she could be her true self. This is where she found her true friends, even if she has never met them in person. This was where she found her true happiness these days.

Myrten Aster has logged into the sever.

The virtual world loaded around her character, a white-dressed ‘battlemage’ with significant specialization in the ‘mage’ part over the ‘battle’ part. Three other player characters were already in the inn she loaded in to. Ember Celica, a gold-scaled draconic specialized in bare-handed combat and high defense. Gambol Shroud, a black dressed trickster who didn’t fight so much as use tools to inflict status effects on their foes. And finally, Weiss’s closest in-game friend if she had to choose, Crescent Scythe, a very high-level player who managed to combine high speed with using a great-weapon, a legendary scythe she’s apparently had for years before Weiss joined their group.

Crescent Scythe has sent you a party request, for Ember Celica’s party.

You have joined Ember Celica’s party.

Weiss put on her headphones in time to be assaulted by Crescent Scythe’s greeting, “AAASSTTERRR!!!”

“OW!” Weiss flinched, “I have better headphones now, Crescent, you don’t have to scream to get my attention!”

“Sorry, Aster…” Crescent’s voice sounded through the party chat. “I just couldn’t wait for you to get here!”

“I’m not late, am I?” ‘Aster’ asked. I don’t think I am.

“Nah, Crescent’s just excited for the boss!” Ember Celica, the party leader and apparently Crescent’s older sister, spoke up.

“As long as she remembered to place the warp crystal before we logged out this time,” Weiss teased.

“You forget one time…” Crescent bemoaned.

“We lost three floors of progress in that dungeon,” Weiss reminded her.

“One time! One little mistake, I’m sorry I was distracted!” Crescent shouted.

Weiss noticed this outburst was a little out of character. “I didn’t mean to offend you or anything…” she apologized, “Are you okay?”

“Crescent had a rough morning at work,” Gambol Shroud informed her. “A, to use her delicate language, ‘butthole’ customer, has been stuck on her mind all day.”

“Warp crystal or no, I just need to beat something up,” Crescent confirmed.

“If they were so in the wrong, why didn’t you say anything?” Weiss’s question was met with giggles and laughter from the other three party members. “What?”

“You’ve never worked in customer service, have you?” Celica asked, “Have you ever heard the phrase ‘the customer is always right’?”

“It doesn’t literally mean ‘the customer is always right’?” Weiss was confused.

“Wow, you really don’t know anything about this, huh?” Crescent commented, “Lucky.”

“C’mon,” Gambol cut in, “Let’s get on with it. We can continue this conversation as we play.”

The group gathered around Crescent as her spell allowed them to pick up the dungeon where they left off the night before. They quickly fell into their battle routine, their roles so clearly defined and practiced between themselves communication wasn’t necessary unless someone had a plan that would take them off-script.

Myrten Aster handled a lot of long-range spells and healing, usually of Ember Celica who drew a ton of aggro and tanked the damage. Gambol Shroud made sure to make the enemies weak to certain spells and damage types. At the front of the charge was Crescent Scythe, hitting for multiple strikes per tick and causing bleeding damage with her legendary scythe.

“So, what does ‘the customer is always right’ really mean?” Weiss picked up where they left off once they had settled into their lull.

“It’s a guideline, in a way,” Celica answered, “The customer is always right, even when they’re wrong. It doesn’t always apply; we can’t give away drinks for free just cause a customer demands it. It’s more for when a customer is being rude.”

“Yeah, when someone’s being a butt, we just have to grin and take it,” Crescent vented.

“If people were to start hearing we regularly shout at customers, we’d begin to lose patronage,” Gambol explained, “Even if we had reason, people will trust a customer’s review over a manager’s assurance.”

“So we have to play nice, even if a customer doesn’t deserve it,” Crescent continued, “And yes, I did make a mistake, but it was a small mistake and she didn’t have to be sooo mean about it!”

“What happened?” Weiss didn’t mind Crescent venting to her. It was strange to hear Crescent angry, and she wanted their happy-go-lucky speed reaper back.

“Have we ever told you where we work?” Celica asked.

“No,” Weiss confirmed, “I do remember you guys saying you all work together once, though.”

“Well, Gambol and I run a coffee shop together, and Crescent is one of our loyal baristas!” Celica announced happily. “It’s our pride and joy.”

A coffee shop? The comment tripped a small twitch that she couldn’t identify in her mind.

“One of my first customers this morning was this important-looking woman I’ve never seen before,” Crescent picked up, “She ordered something with Soy, but I was… distracted, while I made the drink and forgot the Soy part.”

That made Weiss freeze. It can’t be… I mean, what are the chances we all live in the same city? I met them online, after all…

“And, yeah, she might have been lactose intolerant and that could be bad, I know I made a mistake,” Crescent continued uninterrupted, not being able to physically see Weiss’s reaction, “But it was still an understandable mistake, I’d like to think anyway.”

Weiss quickly shook herself and resumed her healing duties before Celica died and she was called out for going AFK mid-combat. “And, um, how did she react?” she asked, still holding some hope.

“She literally spit the coffee in my face, soaking my apron, and yelled at me,” Crescent vented, dashing Weiss’s fleeting hope.

“And you weren’t allowed to say anything because of ‘the customer is always right’?” Weiss pressed, surprised to learn these things. Do I really act this way? Is this how all my waiters and waitresses see me?

“Even if I could, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise!” Crescent shouted, “She demanded I explain myself and then gave me no room to do so before demanding to speak to my boss! I think she was hoping I’d get fired.”

“You didn’t get fired, right?” Weiss asked.

“You think I’d fire my little sister!?” Celica seemed offended.

“Of course not!” Weiss quickly corrected, “That’s not what I meant. I meant would you have if it were anywhere else?”

“Only if the boss was a real jerk,” Crescent affirmed, “Boss-types know how to talk down someone without making promises.”

“And when it’s a customer being unduly rude, there’s usually some silent understanding between manager and employee,” Blake added.

That made Weiss feel slightly better. “Maybe she was just having a bad morning,” Weiss found herself saying without permission from her brain.

“I’ve seen her type plenty,” Gambol countered, “Some self-important VP or CEO or something high up in some corporation. It’s like they don’t understand that the people serving their coffee and cooking their meals are human beings too. I don’t doubt this is far from the first time she’s done this.”

It was only thanks to plenty of practice with her party that Weiss was able to keep fighting while her mind was thrown into turmoil. Is that really how I act? I know I spend most of my day cold and emotionless, but I’d like to think I’m warmer underneath it all… but if I did it to Crescent, I’ve probably done it to others as well… I could blame my father’s method of raising me, but I’ve already broken free of him, so is that really any excuse?

“Aster, you in there?” Celica called out, bringing Weiss back, “You’ve been healing me for the last ten rounds, except we’re not in battle.”

“Sorry!” Weiss quickly returned her mind to RO and her party.

“Can we stop talking about butthole customers now?” Crescent asked, “I’m pretty sure this is the boss gate!”

“Let’s do this!” Celica cried.

“I’m ready to go!” Gambol cheered on.

Weiss pushed the conversation back in her head, promising herself to meditate on these thoughts later and returning to the ‘Aster’ mindset. “He won’t know what’s coming!” She was ready to support her friends.

The fight was long and tedious, but well within the party’s level. The loot was automatically generated based on their characters, and Weiss got a rare rapier for landing the last hit. “Aw, lucky!” Celica complained, “I wanted the last hit bonus…”

“You don’t use weapons?” Gambol reminded her.

“Still, I never seem to get last hit bonuses,” Celica argued.

“We can re-do this dungeon starting tomorrow?” Crescent offered.

“Nah, I’d rather start a new one,” Celica answered, “I think there’s still a couple new dungeons we haven’t touched yet in the far regions.”

As they returned to the inn and wound down the session, Weiss continued to stare at Crescent’s character on screen, imagining the barista from the morning standing there in Crescent Scythe’s place. “Hey, Crescent?”

“Yeah, Aster?” Crescent spoke up.

“I’m sorry about this morning. You’re too sweet to have to deal with… people like that…” Weiss tried to apologize.

“It’s okay, Aster,” Crescent assured, “It’s not like you’re the one who spit on my clothes and shouted at me.”

A pang of guilt shot through her heart.

“I mean, if that’s how she reacted to misplaced soy, can you imagine if she discovered why I was distracted?”

Weiss’s head perked back up. “Why were you distracted?”

“Yes, my hopeless little gay-by sister, why were you distracted?” Celica spoke in a clearly teasing tone that told Weiss the older sister already knew.

Hopeless little what now?

“I… umm…” Crescent didn’t sound like she wanted to confess the point.

“C’mon, don’t be bashful now!” Celica continued to press.

“She was just… pretty…” Crescent admitted, “Like… really, really pretty…”

Not for the first time that night, Weiss’s world was rocked. She had no idea Crescent was even into women, and now she knew where she worked, what she looked like, and that she thought Weiss was pretty? “O-oh…”

“Do you mind…?” Crescent asked carefully.

“Mind what?” Weiss asked, confused. Crescent couldn’t have known Aster was her rude customer.

“Me being gay…?” Crescent clarified.

“Oh, that?” Weiss decided to be cheeky and made her character shrug, “It would be hypocritical of me, honestly.”

“Woah, really!?” Celica seemed more surprised that Crescent.

The night finally ended soon after, giving Weiss plenty to think about. It’s not like you’re the one who spit on my clothes and shouted at me. Except she was. And it made her feel like… well, like a ‘butt’, to think that was how she treated anybody, let alone Crescent. If Myrten Aster couldn’t apologize for Weiss, then Weiss just had to do it in person.

   ---

SunnyKat Kafé stood in front of her once again. This time, Weiss headed straight here, and that meant she had the time to enjoy her coffee and – most importantly – apologize. She stepped inside with a new mindset that had her examining the store around her. Nice and homey, bright art on the walls, little snacks that could be served alongside the café’s coffee, were all visible from the door – and things she failed to notice yesterday.

“He-EL-llo!” The barista with Crescent’s voice called out to her, hoping her squeak went unnoticed.

Of course she’s worried I’m going to yell at her again… Weiss frowned. She approached the counter, examining – and totally not checking out – the woman she knew to be Crescent Scythe. A short mop of messy dark-red hair seemed perfectly in style for Crescent’s personality. A cute, round face perfect for things Weiss really shouldn’t be thinking about. Finally, Gray eyes that looked over Weiss herself expectantly, reminding Weiss she was a customer in a coffee shop.

“Hello, again-” Weiss caught herself before she called the barista ‘Crescent’ and looked to her nametag, “…Ruby.”

“Um, hello again,” Ruby tried her best to be cheery. “It was a, umm… ‘something’ with soy, correct?”

“Vanilla latte made with soy,” Weiss ordered mechanically, “yes, please.”

Ruby blinked, feeling that today’s ‘please’ was a bit more genuine. She quickly got to work while Weiss sat nearby. Ruby was making a point not to let herself get distracted. Weiss could tell because she herself couldn’t take her eyes of the cute girl.

What the hell is wrong with you!? Weiss scolded herself, you’re here to apologize, not to ogle her!

“Here you go!” Ruby handed over the coffee carefully. Weiss took it with a smile and a nod, but her smile failed when she noted Ruby actively taking a step back. As to not get spit on.

Weiss lowered the coffee, figuring now was the time. “Listen, I’m sorry about yesterday.”

It clearly wasn’t what Ruby expected. “What?”

“Last night I was speaking to… a close friend,” Weiss explained, “And they made me realize I had treated you unfairly.”

“So… was it just a bad day?” Ruby asked.

Weiss decided to open up to Ruby. After all, if she were to open up to anyone in her life, it would have been Crescent. “I was raised to believe myself better than everyone else. It took me a long time to break away from that life, and it seems I’m still learning about how to treat people properly.”

“That… kind of sucks,” Ruby nodded. “I think I get it, though. You’re trying to be better, right?”

“Yes, I am…” Weiss admitted shyly.

“Well… this is a good start!” Ruby smiled genuinely, “If it’s not too much for me to say, of course…”

“It’s not,” Weiss smiled. She finally took a sip of her coffee and was pleasantly surprised to discover it was a genuinely good coffee. Maybe I don’t need to find another coffee shop after all…

“Well, enjoy your coffee! I’ve got customers, so…” Ruby awkwardly shuffled away.

Weiss nodded, deciding it was time to go to the rest of her own day. As she left, she found her mind stuck on Crescent’s – or rather Ruby’s – eyes. The had been gray at first, but after her apology they changed. As Ruby’s mood brightened, so did her eyes, until they shined a beautiful silver.

   ---

“Oh, Aster, you’ll never guess what happened today!” Crescent cheered happily as they worked through the next dungeon.

“Oh?” Weiss didn’t have to hide her knowing smile since Ruby couldn’t see it, “Something good, I hope.”

“That mean girl from yesterday came back,” Ruby told her.

“What?” Celica cut in, “You didn’t tell me that. Do I have to smack a- ow!” she was interrupted by taking a massive hit from the mini-boss they were fighting.

“Language,” Gambol chided.

“No, no! She actually came to apologize!” Ruby defended.

“Really?” Gambol seemed surprised.

“Yeah!” Ruby’s voice seemed excited, “She said she was trying to be a better person.”

“Huh,” Gambol sounded thoughtful, “Do you think she meant it?”

“I do,” Ruby acknowledged, “she told me other things that… I’m not exactly comfortable sharing, and I’m positive she meant it!”

“You’ve always had that effect on people,” Celica sounded proud, “So… you crushin’ on Customer Lady?”

Weiss’s heart skipped a beat.

“What? Nooo,” Ruby denied, a bittersweet feeling washing over Weiss, “I don’t even know her. We’ve only spoken twice. Not even. Once, really.”

“I take it by the teasing, you’re not in a relationship?” Weiss asked.

“You’re not gunna start hittin’ on my sis, are ya Aster?” Celica responded. It sounded a lot like a threat.

“Shut up, sis!” Ruby intervened before Weiss had to respond.

“Is there anyone you’re interested in?” Weiss, once again, couldn’t help but ask.

“Is there anyone you’re interested in!?” Ruby countered in a tone Weiss couldn’t decipher.

“Touché…” Weiss nodded. While she felt she knew a lot about her RO friends simply by interacting with them, questions had never become that personal before now. She herself often rebuked questions about her history or career so she could understand wanting to stay quiet, especially online where you never know who is listening.

“You didn’t answer the question…” Gambol pointed out.

“Wait, was I supposed to?” Weiss was sincerely confused. She heard Ruby giggle. “Something you want to say, Crescent?”

“So much you still don’t know…” Ruby teased, “It just reminds me of when I first found you in the Beacon Guild’s hall. You barely knew what a hit point was!”

“Quiet, you!” Weiss’s scold was met the laughter of her friends.

   ---

Weiss’s mornings improved immeasurably once she became a regular to SunnyKat Kafé. She would go so far to say that ‘Weiss’ and ‘Ruby’ had become fast friends. Several weeks passed to reach this day, which started as any other. Weiss entered the store to Ruby’s cheery cry of her name, before the barista immediately set to work on Weiss’s drink that Ruby had long since memorized.

“So how was work yesterday?” Ruby asked, a habit she defended by arguing she didn’t have any way to talk to Weiss in the afternoons.

“It’s getting easier,” Weiss smiled, “I think my father is finally backing off. Or he has some new strategy, and this is just the calm before the storm.”

“I really hope it’s the first one,” Ruby’s smiled that smile that could light a pitch-black room.

“Thank you, Ruby…”

They had their usual short and pleasant conversation, and Weiss felt her resistance waning. She couldn’t hold back anymore, and her next question had been a long time coming. “Hey, Ruby?”

The barista made sure no one was at the counter before turning her attention over, “Yeah, Weiss?”

“Are… you doing anything later today? Around lunch or… maybe dinner?” Weiss gripped her latte tight as her nerves rose.

“Um… are… are you… asking me on a date?” Ruby questioned slowly.

“I… yes,” Weiss cleared her throat, “yes I am.”

“Oh…”

Weiss didn’t like the sound of that ‘oh…’.

“I… don’t get me wrong, you’re great,” Ruby tried to soften the blow, “You’re pretty and I know that you are a good person, even if you don’t think you are yourself, deep down… And I am single… But my heart already wants someone else…”

“…I see…” Weiss nodded slowly. “I’m sorry… to have put you in this position… I need to go to work.”

Weiss retreated quickly, and Ruby didn’t stop her.

   ---

Weiss debated logging on to Remnant Online that night. She knew Ruby had no idea Weiss equaled Myrten Aster, and the party would certainly be missing her. Celica in particular had come to rely on Aster’s healing. I just don’t know if I can separate Ruby and Crescent Scythe. Instead, the young CEO simply stared at the RO launcher.

Private Message received.

Weiss’s eyes were drawn to the corner of the launcher. It was linked to her account, so she could receive private messages even if she wasn’t technically ‘logged in’ to the world of RO. She saw the message came from Crescent Scythe, and hesitated to open it.

Crescent Scythe: Hey, you not logging on today?

Crescent Scythe: I mean, it’s cool if your not, the party just needs to know before we head out.

Crescent Scythe: Not to be ‘that person’, but I can see your reading my messages…

Myrten Aster: You’re** and yes, I’m logging in soon. Just had a rough day, I didn’t know if I was up to questing.

Crescent Scythe: No pressure! If you’re not up it I totally understand! I used you’re right that time, right?

Myrten Aster: It’s fine, I think questing might be a good distraction, in retrospect. And yes, you used it right. ‘See’ you in a moment.

Weiss put on her headphones and jumped into the game. The inn built around Myrten Aster and her party was waiting for her as always.

Crescent Scythe has sent you a party request, for Ember Celica’s party.

You have joined Ember Celica’s party.

“Hey Aster!” Celica greeted, “You okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine, Celica,” Weiss assured.

“You sure?” Celica pressed, “Cause you don’t talk about your real life, but you’ve never skipped a night online either. I doubt this is your first bad day in almost two years.”

“Has it really been that long already?” Weiss was surprised by the knowledge.

“Yeah, and you’ve come so far from the n00b I found in the guild hall!” Ruby laughed.

“Must you always lord that over my head?” Weiss groaned.

“Not until the student surpasses the master,” Ruby replied, putting on a cheesy voice.

“That’s literally impossible. You’re almost twenty levels higher than the rest of us,” Weiss pointed out, “You know I’ve gotten messages asking what blackmail I’m using to keep you around?”

“Really?” Ruby asked, “I… don’t know how to process that.”

“Actually, I have too,” Celica confessed, “I usually just ignore messages unless I recognize the screen name.”

“Same here,” Gambol spoke up.

“That is so weird…” Ruby’s character ran a ‘shake head’ emote. “So! Shall we quest? Maybe Aster will open up once she’s distracted by being knee deep in slimes!”

“Must you lord that over me as well!” Weiss scolded, knowing exactly was Ruby was trying to tease her over, “I didn’t know how to fight back then!” Her comment was only met with laughs.

Teasing finally over, the group made their way into the fields for some basic leveling for Celica, Gambol and Aster. Crescent didn’t need it, clearly, but she still wasn’t going on the next quest alone – even if she could theoretically handle it – and said quest was still a level or two above the rest of them.

“So, are we going to hear about your terrible day, Aster?” Celica asked.

“If you must know,” Weiss searched her head to pick her words carefully, “I was turned down today from something I thought might have been a sure bet…”

“Oh, that does suck,” Celica seemed to properly empathize for once. “Don’t get ice cream all over your keyboard!”

Weiss didn’t retaliate for two reasons. One, she knew Celica’s teasing came from a place of love. And two, she was totally right about Weiss indulging in ice cream while she played. “I know how not to make a mess,” was how she eventually decide to respond.

“So you are eating ice cream?” Celica was surprised, “Damn.”

“That’s… kinda funny,” Ruby responded, somewhat subdued.

“Excuse me?” Weiss asked.

“Nonono!” Ruby panicked, “I mean, I uhh… actually had to turn someone down today, is all.”

“Really?” Celica questioned, “Why am I not hearing about these things?”

Weiss quickly wracked her mind for how she would react before she knew who Crescent really was. “I bet she’s just turning down people all the time!” Weiss winced at herself. She’d call that a 50-50 success.

“Not really,” Ruby admitted, “The only social interactions I really have are with customers in the coffee shop.”

“So it was a customer,” Gambol quickly deduced.

“Who?” Celica quickly jumped in, ready to be Ruby’s big sister.

“It was that regular who was mean to me a long time ago, Weiss,” Ruby confessed.

“I could have told you that would happen,” Gambol told them.

“Why did you turn her down?” Weiss quickly interrupted before anyone could try and dissect Gambol’s comment. She quickly cursed herself for her choice in question doing so.

“B-because… I…” Ruby was hesitant.

“Because she’s already got an eye on someone,” Celica spoke up for her sister.

“YA- I MEAN CELI- AH, YOU… SISTER, YOU!” Ruby screamed, “SHUT UP!”

“What? You’re turning people down for a crush you’ve never pursued,” Celica rationalized, “It’s time to crap or get off the pot.”

“Ew,” Weiss scrunched her nose at the vulgar metaphor.

“So, Crescent does have a crush after all?” Gambol teased.

“If you only talk to people from the coffee shop, is it another regular?” Weiss asked, deciding she’s gone too far already and might as well go all in.

“No, I don’t really talk to any of them. Except Weiss,” Ruby answered, defeated.

“That just leaves Remnant Online,” Gambol seemed interested in unraveling this puzzle herself, “Do you play with anyone else regularly when the rest of us aren’t online?”

She plays without the three of us? Weiss learned, I guess that explains how she maintains her level gap over us.

“Not anyone specific, just anyone who’s free at the moment in the guild,” Ruby continued her slow, defeated reveal.

“So…” Weiss pressed.

“That means…” Gambol seemed closer to the truth herself.

“Well…” Ruby sighed, “Celica is my sister and my boss, and Gambol is both straight and my other boss…”

“That just leaves… Aster…” Gambol finished.

“Yeah…” Ruby confirmed quietly.

Weiss completely froze, her character taking hits from the enemies around the party.

“A-Aster…?” Ruby squeaked, clearly seeing Weiss’s motionless character. “Aster, say something… please…”

Myrten Aster has left the server.

Weiss smashed the log-out button. Her next discernable thought was her curled into her bed, desperately trying to process. She had panicked, oh hell, she had panicked. Her brain just couldn’t take being rejected one moment, and then approached just a few hours later by the same girl. Sure, that girl thought she was talking to two different people, but in all the emotional drama Weiss’s brain was having a hard time comprehending that fact.

When it finally came through as she calmed down a little, Weiss still faced the issue of what exactly she was going to do about it. Weiss had fallen for Ruby, and Crescent had fallen for Aster. The only issue is that Ruby/Crescent didn’t know Weiss was Aster. Weiss did, though, and the ball was in her court now. It was time to come clean, especially if she had any hope of things working out between the two of them.

The next morning, Weiss awoke and noticed RO’s launcher was still on her screen, with twelve new PMs.

Crescent Scythe: Aster! I’m so sorry! Please log back on so we can talk!

Crescent Scythe: Aster? Please log back on…

Crescent Scythe: I’m sorry I freaked you out. Can we still be friends?

Crescent Scythe: We can meet up IRL?

Crescent Scythe: Not in a girlfriend way, of course! In a friend-friend way.

Crescent Scythe: That was stupid of me, wasn’t it? I don’t even know if we live close by. You could be halfway across the world!

Crescent Scythe: You probably would have called me a dolt or something for trying to pull that, haha.

Crescent Scythe: Aster…?

Crescent Scythe: At least you’re not leaving me on ‘read’…

Crescent Scythe: I get it…

Crescent Scythe: If you don’t want to play anymore, I understand… just please let us know. You can message Ember Celica if you don’t want to talk to me.

Crescent Scythe: Goodbye, Myrten Aster.

Reading Ruby’s messages broke Weiss’s heart. Ruby clearly thought she had massively screwed up and was losing Myrten Aster. Weiss knew what she had to do. She had learned lot of things the past few weeks, and while it wasn’t the most important lesson, she knew which one would serve her here. She had to apologize in person.

   ---

From the outside, no one would know something was amiss inside SunnyKat Kafé. But stepping through that door, Weiss could feel it. The energy within was different, and she had a hunch she knew the cause. Behind the counter, Ruby half-heartedly cleaned out the machines. Her eyes were gray.

“Hello, Ruby,” Weiss called out cautiously.

Ruby did a double take. “W-Weiss!? You’re still coming here…?”

Weiss stepped up to the counter, nerves making her bite her lip. “Yeah, I am.”

“I mean, not to be rude, but… why?” Ruby asked. “Isn’t it… awkward…?”

Weiss shook her head. “A little, but… you did ask to meet IRL, Crescent Scythe.”

Weiss could tell Ruby completely shut down for a brief second, blinking blank eyes rapidly. She finally began returning to the world, her mouth flapping and her fingers pointing around randomly. “I don’t under… how did you… that means…” Ruby finally met Weiss’s eyes once again, “Myrten Aster…?”

Weiss nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, properly.”

“But t-that means…” Ruby was struggling to process. Weiss imagined she looked much the same way the previous night. “YANG!” The young barista suddenly called out.

“What’s up, sis!?” Celica’s voice returned the call.

“Can I go on a break!?” Ruby continued to hold a long-distance conversation.

“If no one’s up there, sure! Sun said he’s just around the corner!”

“Thank you!” Ruby shouted one last comment before leading Weiss to one of the few tables. “So… you’re really Myrten Aster?”

“I first met Crescent Scythe in the guild hall for the Beacon Guild,” Weiss answered with indisputable facts, “I had chosen my character based on appearance, and knew nothing about my own stats. I didn’t like being accidently forced into a support role, but you taught me everything I needed to know to survive Remnant Online. You constantly tease me about dying against a group of slimes in my first dungeon. You were my first online friend, and honestly… probably my first friend period.”

Ruby nodded, absorbing the info slowly. “How long have you known I was Crescent Scythe?”

“Since you complained about me to Myrten Aster,” Weiss answered honestly, “You were the ‘close friend’ that taught me the error of my ways.”

“So… you asked me out, and I turned you down…” Ruby articulated her thoughts, “Then I asked you out… no wonder you vanished… that must have been confusing…”

“It was,” Weiss nodded.

“And you’re here now to say…?” Ruby questioned, clearly unsure of herself.

Weiss smiled, “I go to lunch around ten-thirty, eleven… Are you going to be free?”

Ruby’s jaw dropped. That was clearly the last thing she expected. “Y-yeah! Of course!”

“I can send you a message when I’m coming to pick you up, if you’re willing to trade numbers?” Weiss asked.

“Definitely!” Ruby whipped out her phone and followed Weiss’s instructions to add her contact info. “We can do – oh what do people do for a first date – this is a date, right? – Of course it’s a date, dummy! – We can do… coffee…?”

Weiss giggled throughout Ruby’s rambling, even as the redhead became less sure of herself by the end. “A coffee date? Seriously? I can’t a do a coffee date with you.”

“Oh. Why not?” Ruby asked innocently.

“Because then it wouldn’t be you making my coffee,” Weiss answered, turning slightly red herself, “And then the coffee wouldn’t be perfect.”

It was Ruby’s turn to blush, “You think my coffee is perfect…?”

“It is for me, at least,” Weiss nodded.

“Hey, Rubes, I need you back on the counter,” a blonde, large in more ways than one, stepped out of the back while speaking with Celica’s voice. “Sun said he’s going to be late… oh hey. You must be Weiss.”

“Hello, Yang, was it?” Weiss skimmed her memory for whatever Ruby called her big sister a few minutes ago.

“That’s right,” Yang stepped protectively next to Ruby. “No offense, but why are you here? After yesterday… What exactly do you want with my sister?”

“Yang, wait,” Ruby cut in. “Weiss, this is my sister, Yang Xiao Long. Or, Ember Celica.”

“Why are you-”

“And Yang,” Ruby cut her sister off, “This is Weiss Schnee. Or, Myrten Aster.”

Yang blinked. “Wait, seriously?”

“Yup,” Ruby nodded.

Yang stepped back, taking in the information. “So… everything is good here…?”

“Yup,” Ruby nodded again.

“Okay, cool… I’m gunna go bug Blake.”

“I’m guessing Blake is the black-haired one from ‘that day’?” Weiss asked as Yang retreated, “As well as Gambol Shroud?”

“That’s right,” Ruby confirmed.

“As much as I would love to meet everybody, I am already late for work,” Weiss stood up.

“Wait!” Ruby dashed back behind the counter and started working the machines. In record time she had made a vanilla latte with soy. “It’s probably not as ‘perfect’ as usual, but you still need your coffee!”

“Thank you, Ruby,” Weiss smiled, taking a sip. “It is still perfect,” she assured, “I’ll see you around lunchtime!”

“See you then!” Ruby smiled brightly, her eyes once again a gleaming silver.

   ---

This is most likely my only WRW2019 post, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless

[the-blind-assassin-12]

Passing Through

Part Four: Snowed In 

A/N: I really missed Ryan. It’s good to be back to this story. This picks up immediately where we left off in part three- you and Ryan are about to be snowed in for...a while...better get comfortable. 

Word Count: 4,472

“You could let me do that,” he offered, stooping next to you and sitting on the red brick ledge of the hearth. He pulled his snowy boots off and set them next to yours, beside the stack of wood he’d brought in from the porch.

You had been trying to get the fire going, but so far had only been successful in creating a large pile of ashes under the grate from all the newspaper you’d lit as kindling. Kevin had always taken care of getting the fire started, and you realized that you really had no idea what you were doing; that you’d never lit a fire in your own damn fireplace, and that you only wanted to now because Ryan was there and he’d need the extra warmth in your drafty living room. When you were home alone, you never bothered with the flue or the firebox, never touched the woodpile that had become a permanent fixture- and likely home to countless spiders- on your patio. You simply layered up your socks and spent most of your time in your bedroom either crashing into the mattress after a long day, or occasionally wrapped in an afghan and seated at your keyboard well into the midnight hours.

Suddenly that thought bothered you- that you couldn’t do something for yourself. You watched as the bright orange flame hungrily burned through yet another wad of paper, a disappointed scowl on your face. With a sigh and a shrug you turned to Ryan. “I guess that’s for the best if we ever want an actual fire.” You handed him the box of long-handled wooden matches, sitting back on your heels in defeat.

Ryan set the matches aside, reaching for the dwindling stack of newspaper to your left, leaning over you with a smile. “Lemme show you a trick I learned for startin’ fires,” he winked and you half expected the spark in his eye to jump into the hearth and ignite. “Makes it real easy, watch.”

Eyes glued to his fingers, you watched him tear the newspaper into thin strips, folding and ripping it until his hands were full of black and white fringes. Setting the pile of paper shreds aside, he pulled a small wood handled pocket knife from his jeans and flicked it open, the silver blade catching the light from your empty dining room. He tested the blade against his thumb, tapping the sharp edge against his cracked and calloused skin. Deeming it up to snuff, he picked through the wood pile until he found a small piece of pine, dry bits of bark falling between his fingers and onto the bricks. Concentrating on the soft wood, Ryan took the knife and used it to carve peels from the branch, repeating the motion until he had a cluster of curled ribbons next to the newspaper strips. “Learned this from a…” he paused, flicking the knife closed again, eyes narrowing slightly as his lips twitched. He cleared his throat and looked over at you. Is that… you thought you saw a twinge of sadness in his warm brown eyes, but before you could be sure he blinked and it was gone.  “From a good friend’a mine, out on the rails.”

Out on the rails. You’d guessed that Ryan was a freight hopper and he’d just confirmed it. You’d known a few back in your busking days, when you and Kevin hitched rides and splurged on bus fare when you were in between cities. You’d even hopped a train once yourself, and even though it was a solid five years ago, you could still feel the rush that widened your eyes and swept through your blood when you gripped the steel rungs of the ladder to climb up into the car that had just started to rumble over the tracks. You could remember pushing off through your toes, your boots leaving the rocky ground to reach for Kevin’s hand as the wheels that could crush you picked up speed just inches below you. It was the most dangerous thing you’d ever done, but it was also the most free you’d ever felt, the wind whipping at your face and your fingers as you went wherever the rails took you, the landscape stretching out for miles in all directions.

You looked over at Ryan, picturing him choosing a car in the train yard before he and his long limbs ambled up inside of it, could easily see him leaning against the corrugated steel walls with a lit cigarette between his lips and an open notebook on his thigh, jotting down lyrics and thoughts. The image made you smile. Most people would see someone like Ryan and not be able to look past the illegality of his actions, the danger he put himself in, the instability of his life. But you knew better having tasted that life for yourself. He’s a free bird, a hawk spreading his wings to ride a breeze. He was wrapping the shredded newsprint around the pine curls, fingers nimbly assembling a fire starter as he’d clearly done thousands of times before.

“So you just,” he held up the bundle for you to see the way he’d interwoven the paper with the ribbons of wood. “And if stuff’s wet, you could tie some twine around it, light that like a wick. But everythin’ here looks dry enough to me so,” he reached into the fireplace to nestle the fire starter under the grate, a few pieces of crumpled paper and some bark chips surrounding it. “Let’s give this a shot,” he wiped his hands on his pants and sat back, grabbing for the box of matches and pulling one out. You watched the head strike the phosphorus strip, igniting with an audible sizzle and spark. Carefully lighting both ends of the little pine and paper package, Ryan dropped the spent match in with the pile that you’d used before leaning further in to blow gently at the small flame that danced beneath the grate, feeding it oxygen and helping it grow. Lips pursed, he continued to supply the fire with air until he saw a splinter of wood from one of the larger logs catch. Satisfied that his work was done, he leaned back and looked over at you. “There we go,” his smile flashed in his eyes.

“Thanks, Ryan, that’s a really good trick.” You grinned back at him, all the feelings of inadequacy for being unable to start your own damn fire banished by the warmth from his smile and the growing flames. "And now I finally know how to use my fireplace." You laughed and shook your head.

He chuckled. “S’my pleasure, least I can do. It is a good trick, works every time.” He scooted back and off of the red bricked hearth and rose to his feet. “I’m just gonna…” he pointed in the direction of the bathroom and you nodded.

“Yeah, of course, I’m gonna,” you stood as well and gathered the two empty glasses that were still sitting by the window. “You want another?” you asked, indicating the glassware.

He smiled with just the corner of his mouth. “Sure, thanks.” He retreated down the hall and once you heard the click of the bathroom door, you let out a breath, looking around the room. When you left to go downtown that morning, the sun was throwing harsh white light against your plain white walls and empty white carpet. Now the amber glow of the fireplace illuminated Ryan’s bag and guitar case, his boots and coat. What a difference a day makes…feels more like home than it has in…stop it. You pushed those thoughts from your mind, reminding yourself that this was only temporary. He’ll be back on the rails, soon.

But you knew you’d never be able to forget the kindred soul you’d been fortunate enough to find. Wouldn’t want to even if I could. You refilled both yours and Ryan’s glasses from the growler in your fridge and set them down on the counter before opening the door to the small laundry room off the kitchen that doubled as storage, finding the air mattress and extra pillows that you’d bought for all the people you thought might visit you out in Colorado when you first moved out here. It was still in its original packaging. Least I know it doesn’t have any leaks. Ryan seemed as good a guest as any to break in the mattress. Pulling it down off of the shelf above the dryer, you took it from the box and brought it out into the living room just as Ryan came back out from the hallway.

“Hey grab those glasses, would you?” You called over your shoulder to him as you unfolded the navy blue full sized mattress, plugging it in to let it fill.

Ryan brought both glasses back over to the living room, moving to the wall so that he was out of your way. “You don’t have to do all’a that,” he said, motioning to the mattress.

“Yeah I do. Let that fill up, I’m gonna grab some blankets. Sorry it’s drafty in here,” you shrugged towards the large window that took up most of the front wall. “Old windows.”

He shook his head as you walked passed him, heading back to the storage shelves to grab the red and green plaid blanket. “S’more than I need.”

“Well, it’s what I have, and you’re welcome to it.” You came back out with the blanket and two pillows, tossing them towards where Ryan was sitting before checking the air in the mattress and turning off the filling pump. You took a seat next to him, wrapping your fingers around the glass he offered you. “Look, Ryan…” you turned to face him, struck again by his soft, warm leather eyes and the quiet calm that pooled there. “I…earlier, when I said that about needing a place to sleep and renewing my lease and all that-“

“Hey, I told you,” he tilted his head. “Just forget about it, I know you didn’ mean anything-“

“No. I didn’t mean anything by it, but it still bothers me that I said it and I want to tell you why, okay?”

Narrowing his eyes at you, he weighed your words. “Okay…”

You took a long pull from your glass and set your beer down before scooting over to the fire to give it a poke, arranging the now steadily burning logs into a better configuration. Sitting back against the wall next to him, you picked your glass back up and tapped your fingers against the rim before speaking. “It bothered me, Ryan, because that’s not who I am. Saying things like that? That’s not me. Never was. I used to travel, like you. No real permanent address. Guy I was dating, Kevin, he and I would pick a bus or hitch hike as far as we could, find a place that would rent to us for a month or two at a time. Even hopped a train, once.” You looked up to see his eyebrows rise at that last detail. “My point is, I get it, what you’re doing, what you’re choosing. I miss it… and…” you sighed.

“What made you stop then?” He asked.

It’s a simple question. Should have a simple answer, but… Another sigh. “Kevin wanted to stick somewhere and give it a shot, so… I agreed. And then…” you trailed off.

“Then he decided to go again,” Ryan finished your sentence for you, no pity in his tone, just understanding.

“Yeah. And I got stuck… after my mom… I lost touch with my brother and my dad and…and I just got stuck.” It was the first time you’d said it out loud, but it was true.

“Well, the road ain’t goin’ anywhere, Junebug. Rails ain’t either. You unstick yourself, you can get back out there.” He smiled. “Lot’sa people out there to share your music with.”

“Yeah…yeah…when I unstick myself…” you let out a breath and bit your bottom lip. “Thanks, Ryan.”

“Yeah.” He took a drink, grinning around the rim of his glass, a thin layer of foam clinging to the hair above his lip before his tongue darted out to remove it. “Just got one question for you.”

“Go ahead and shoot,” you said, opening your arms to indicate that there was nothing off the table. You’d already been more open and candid with him than anyone you dealt with on a daily basis.

“Did you have a road name when you were out there hoppin’ freight an’ hitchin’ rides?”

You gave him a quizzical look, laughing with a tilt to your head and a wrinkle in your brow.

“Lotta hoppers take road names,” he explained, lifting one shoulder and tilting his ear towards it. “‘Specially if they’ve been in some kinda trouble or if they’re runnin’ from somethin’. Oz was from Seattle… never knew his real name, and his girl’s name was Robin.” Ryan tapped his fingertips together, bending his knuckles as he spoke, eyes focused on the thin black lines and dark dots that ran up and down his digits as the orange light from the flickering flames illuminated his cheeks. “‘Cause she sang like one, not cause that was her,” he shook his head. “Never knew her name either. Oz wasn’t musical but Robin sure was.” His lips turned up, pulling his beard with them. “Played together a few times, Robin’n Georgie, Cowboy’n me, with another one’a their crew, Louie. Oz, Nikki an’ Kissie-“ he turned to you when he heard the subtle snicker at the name. “Kissie was a hit with the college girls.”

“Naturally,” you wrinkled your brow and nodded, drawing a laugh from Ryan, who shrugged again.

“Worked out for him, worked out for them- he wasn’t lookin’ for anythin’ and they were just lookin’ for somethin’ new. Anyway, the rest of ‘em would come and watch us play, look after our stuff for us, grab us some grub. We’d pool our earnin’s an when we could swing it we’d get a motel room. Stayed together for about three weeks before splittin’ up again. Longest I ever stayed with that many people, it was nice…”

“Sounds like you had a lot of fun together,” you said, taking a sip of your drink, the foam clinging to the rim of your glass. “Like you all made a real impact on one another.”

“Hmm, yeah,” he smiled wistfully, spreading his fingers out and holding up his hand. “Got these when I was out there with them.”

You looked at the tattoos on his fingers that had caught your eye nearly from the moment that you met him. “Yeah?” you asked and he nodded eagerly. You were always intrigued to hear the stories related to the ink that people chose, but everything about Ryan, tattoos included, piqued your interest more than most. “What’s the story there?” Setting your glass down, you pulled your knees to your chest under the blanket, hugging them close to your body for warmth.

“Well, these were my first,” he said, turning his upper body towards you slightly while flexing his fingers. You traced the lines with your eyes, stopping yourself from reaching out to trace them with your fingertips, noting the small black dots and the connected horizontal and vertical lines. “Got ‘em when I was 17, first year on the road. That was my first time out on the West Coast…think that’s why we ended up stayin’ so long, just… just mesmerized by the Pacific an everythin’ out there. The trees’n the sky…it’s different…”

You knew what he meant. It was the same sky no matter where on Earth you were standing, but the view was never the same. The angle, the clouds, the colors. You’d never been further west than where you were currently sitting, but getting out that way had always been a dream. “Where were you all? California?”

He shook his head, a few pieces of hair falling over his ear before he dragged the unruly strands back. “Nah, Coos Bay, Oregon. Little fishin’ town on the coast. Its-” you felt your eyes light up when you heard the town name. “You know Coos Bay?” he asked, just as surprised as you were to hear him say the name.

“Yeah,” you nodded enthusiastically, your own locks tumbling into your face before you mirrored his action and pushed them out of your way. “Never been there, but it’s on my bucket list.” Ryan fixed you with a quizzical look, clearly interested as to why a small town- though one of the largest on Oregon’s coast- that most people haven’t heard of would be somewhere that you wanted to see. “I told you I was a runner?” He nodded, eyebrows wrinkled, still not sure where this was going or where your interest in Coos Bay came from. “Well, Pre- Steve Prefontaine- is my running idol and that’s where he’s from. Always wanted to visit. There’s a bunch of memorials there to him and… I don’t know,” you shrugged. “Always wanted to go and see where he grew up…thank him for the impact he made on my life.”

“Yeah…you know now that you…” he scrunched one side of his face up in concentration. “I think I do remember seein’ a mural or somethin’ downtown with that name…sounds…s’a name you don’t really forget, ain’t it? Prefontaine? S’a mouthful.”

You laughed. “Yeah, sure is. So anyway, I’m sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt you.” You motioned to him to continue with his story.

“Nah, s’alright…but yeah, so we were out in Oregon, buncha young, dumb kids from all over the place… but it felt right bein’ together like a group. Felt like a tribe, ya know? Buncha wanderers. So Nikki, girl from…I think Santa Fe? She had a tattoo gun, wanted to get some practice in one night, so we all decided to let her.” He laughed. “Hindsight says we probably shouldn’ta… not guaranteed things are clean and sterile out on the road like that…we were in a motel that night so I guess it coulda been dirtier, but…like I said, young’n dumb. But we all wanted to get somethin’ similar…somethin’ that would connect us all even when we scattered all over again. Nice as those three weeks were…we all knew we couldn’t stick in one spot forever, ya know?”

Yeah. I know… You did know. You’d felt stuck for the last three and a half years and the urge to go was always there…but so was that voice in the back of your head, the one laced with doubt and reminiscent of Kevin’s condescending tone. You nodded.

“So we all got these lines’n dots… like places on a map’n roads an’ rails between ‘em. Got ‘em in all different places. Georgie got his on his shoulder,” he reached across his chest to tap his left shoulder. “Right where his fiddle sits. Cowboy got his on his hands… wanted mine on my fingers ‘cause that’s what I use to make music… shoulda thought about how I’d have to take a few days offa playin’ to let ‘em heal, but…don’t regret it. Robin’s are behind her ear and Oz went bold about it, got ‘em on his face, right around the corner of his eye.” The hand that he used to indicate the location of Georgie’s ink moved up to his face, pointing out the spot Oz chose.

I could listen to his stories all night. The way Ryan spoke about things that mattered to him was enchanting, like listening to his music. He put his whole soul into it; you could see it in the shine of his eyes and hear it in the tone of his voice. When he touched each spot, his fingers, his shoulder, the side of his face, it was like he could feel the connection to the people he was telling you about. It was like you could feel it too. “So do you still keep in touch with all of them? Do you get to see them when you’re traveling?” You couldn’t help but ask questions that would keep the story going.

Ryan nodded, looking down with a sniff. “Yeah,” the word came out more quietly than he’d been speaking just a moment ago, and your heart faltered at the slight change. Shit. I shouldn’t have... “Yeah, I still see some of ‘em…” Picking his head back up, eyes finding yours, he gave you a sad smile. “Nikki found a place to put down roots. Went to school and graduated. Her’n Kissie got together...think they’re still makin’ it work...but I don’t see mucha them anymore. Still got Georgie’n Louie, and I still meet up with Robin from time to time...she ain’t been the same since she lost Oz though…he uh…” Ryan cleared his throat. “Oz had demons, you know? He struggled. Drugs’n all that… been about six years now I guess. And Cowboy…” He stared into the fire as your heart sank further. You didn’t dare breathe until he spoke again. “Lost him a year ago...year ago today.”

Your chest tightened as though someone had spun the crank on a vice, that breath you’d been holding fleeing from your constricted lungs. “Ryan…” You’d stopped yourself from reaching out to follow the lines on his fingers, but this time, before stopping yourself even crossed your mind, he’d leaned forward and you’d placed your hand on his back.

It’s a special day for me too. That’s what he’d said when you’d shared what the day meant to you. But you never thought that this was what he meant. You never thought that he’d be hurting in the same was that you were, that he’d be feeling the same things, reliving memories and missing a part of him all at the same time that you were missing a part of yourself. You kept your hand on his back, and he didn’t move away. Your thumb swept slowly up and down over the soft fabric of his tee as he started speaking again, the vibrations of his deep voice rumbling through your palm as a log burned through in the fireplace. “S’what I’m doin’ in Denver. The buddy I was supposed to stay with… Cowboy’s brother. Reason he got stuck up in the mountains is ‘cause he was pickin’ up Cowboy’s girl Virginia and their kid over’n Utah. We’re supposed to meet up for a couple’a days an…” he looked up and towards the window, where the snow was still coming down in silent sheets. He looked back towards you and you let your hand fall away as he sat back against the wall. “I’m sure I’ll get to see ‘em in a day or two. Once this all clears out.”

“Ryan, I’m sorry about your friends…” They were too young. Like my mom. So much more life to live.

He looked down through his lashes at the lines on his fingers. “S’alright, Junebug. Got ‘em with me always.” He picked up his right forearm, rolling it so that you could see another small tattoo that you hadn’t noticed yet. The firelight threw a warm glow over his skin as you read the black lettering: (like a you or a me). “Got this a few weeks after he… after the funeral.”

You recognized the line. “That’s from an E.E. Cummings poem, isn’t it?” You knew that it was.

“Yeah,” the sadness was gone from his voice and it was leaving his eyes, too. “His brother read it at the service…said Cowboy read it at his High School graduation… I never knew that, but, it fits. If you’da known Cowboy… it fits him. An’ it… I donno, it makes me feel connected to him still…he’n I were so much alike…”

“He’s still a part of your life, Ryan, he always will be.”

“Yeah. Yeah… jus’ like your mom.”

You nodded. “Yeah.” You sniffed and sat up on your knees, moving towards the fireplace to throw another log on. Since Kevin had left, you’d gone through this day alone. Processing your emotions and memories, replaying conversations you wish you could have had, or ones you wish could have gone differently. It was comforting to have someone else there…someone who understood, someone who’s presence felt right, even if just for the day.

“Hey,” he’d moved behind you, trading your hand on his back for his on yours, the weight of it grounding you and feeling foreign and familiar at once. “We’re gonna be alright, you know? Just gotta keep on livin’ like they’d want us to.”

You brushed your hands together to get rid of the dirt from the log you’d added to the fire before turning to face him. There were only inches separating the two of you. You could see every detail of his face so clearly- each pore, every line, faint freckles and that one distinct birthmark, the patchy bead and every crack in his lips. You couldn’t remember the last face you’d studied so closely, or the last face that had been so kind, so warm. Despite the heavy topic you’d fallen into, you felt your lips turning up into a smile, felt your heart lighten. “Yeah, you’re right.” You sat back against the wall and he followed suit, leaning into the pillows and blankets you’d piled there. “You mentioned that harmonica before…” He nodded, a glow in his eye that was more than the reflection of the flames. “Wanna play a few songs? For Oz and Cowboy and my mom? I’ll grab my keyboard and…”

“Yeah, Junebug, sounds like a plan.”

The snow was piling high outside, the sky dark and the wind howling. You’d likely be stuck inside all the following day. If I have to be snowed in with anyone… I’m glad it’s him. You didn’t know how long you’d have Ryan in your life, didn’t know if this was meant to mean something or if the two of you were just meant to pass through one another’s worlds just for today, just to be there for each other in the storm. But one thing was certain, and that was that the man who was reaching into his pack for the small silver instrument had landed in your life for a reason. And who am I to question the reasoning of the universe? He blew a short burst of air through the mouthpiece of his harmonica, the bluesy notes adding to the warmth from the fire. No matter how long you’d have each other, you were glad that you were together for the night. Sometime tomorrow or the day after, things would thaw, and you knew he’d be on his way, heading out to meet up with his people. But tonight we’re in this together.

@something-tofightfor @its-my-little-dumpster-fire @suchatinyinfinity @thebbtongue @lexxierave @thesumofmychoices @songtoyou @traeumerinwitzhelden @gollyderek

if you’d like to be added or removed please feel free to let me know! 

[chordstrvck-blog]

sharp gray eyes size up their unwanted companion through a lung-staled waft of smoke. “ ‘ey. ”  a tip of the chin. cigarette ash darts to pavement. crunch. eddie grinds that shit in, real good. nothin’ like a pair of trusty docs to do the trick. “ what the fuck’s your damage ? ”

or alternatively :  yo, yo, whassgood ?  the name’s liana ( she/her/hers ) and i am so friggin’ hyped to bring you my spoopy lil’ music man, eddie williams !!  below the cut you’ll find a big hodge-podged mess of facts, potential connects, and other delicious chips of info. his favorites are hoppin’ jalapeno crunch tators, thanks for fuckin’ askin’. (   imagine how heartbroken he’ll be when frito lay discontinues them in the 90′s... rest in spaghetti never forgetti.    )

— ❝ wait is that THOMAS HAYES ? or is that KEITH EDISON “EDDIE” WILLIAMS who arrived in las vegas TWENTY-THREE years ago? HE is TWENTY-THREE years old. last time i checked they were a GUITARIST IN CRIMSON & CLOVER / ARTIST AT ATOMIC TATTOOS . rumour has it they’re very BEGUILING and very HARUM-SCARUM. the CISMALE reminds me of SAY WHAT YOU WILL BY FASTWAY.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: DEATH, DOMESTIC ABUSE, VIOLENCE, DRUG USE/ABUSE, MENTIONS OF ADDICTION.

eddie is the lovely ivy williams [ @poiseonxivy​ ] ’s older brother !  they grew up in a contentious household here in vegas, with an abusive alcoholic for a father and a complacent/despondent mother. fed up with the abuse and chaos, their mother walked out on them when eddie was 13. he and ivy caught her in the act, and this savage kid called her out for being a coward and opened the fuckin’ door for her. “ die in a ditch, ”  is the last thing he ever said to that sorry waste of a woman.

naturally, things with their father only got worse. he was quick to provoke and impossible to please. the williams siblings had to step up to upkeep their home, make sure bills got paid, etc., all while receiving the worst of it from their father. ivy, as the youngest, was blamed for the family’s downfall. eddie got berated and slurred at for his tendency to peruse his sister’s things, paint his middle fingers interesting colors, ask her to do his makeup on halloween. his father was the first person to ever look eddie in the eye and call him a faggot, and, well... that shit dug deep.

it’s not that he’s overly concerned about it. hell, labels are fuckin’ dumb, alright? he’d sooner be gagged with a spoon than told he has to live his life all boxed up. he doesn’t care that the lady at the bar’s stunning and so is the guy pourin’ her drink, alright? what he does care about is... what if he is that thing his dad said? what if he... what if he is the man his dipshit dad saw in him ?

guitarist in el’s band, crimson & clover !  the band formed several years ago and has been playing gigs ever since. it’s definitely made him grow as a guitarist :  you can frequently find eddie chilling on fire escapes experimenting with new riffs and the like. he’s absolutely got that band aesthetic ––  distressed tees, tight pants, leather, leather, leather. doc martens. beat up sneaks. jaw-length hair, wavy. usually teased on stage and left to its own devices off-stage. music has always been an escape for him, especially from the hellscape that was his childhood home. catch him chillin in el’s record shop, cig in hand, blissed out to the latest rock releases blasting in his headphones.

jake wheeler’s next-door neighbor / best friend !  we have yet to plot about this, but that’s a wc eddie fills & we could do something with that, too!

tw: drugs, abusive tendencies, mild violence.  eddie’s genetics do predispose him to addiction. and, unfortunately, this bitch way more than dabbles in a haphazard lifestyle. he’s BIG into psychedelics, stimulants. alcohol. acid. he’ll pulverize the occasional bar asshole’s face. make fights out of nothing. but s’not a problem, alright ? he’s cool. he’s cool.   (  this guy’s a sinkin’ ship in heavy ass denial.  )

art. tattooing.  art has also played a pivotal role in eddie’s life. from a very young age, he created edgy doodles: skeletons in their sunday best, ghost cartoons carrying guns. the late 60′s/early 70′s saw his school notebooks filling with vietnam-inspired strips, doodles, and sketches. he used to draw “tattoos” on his fellow delinquents during detention in sharpie ink. gave himself his first poke tattoo on his ankle  ( a scrawled so what ? )  in eighth grade. now, he works as a tattooist at atomic tattoos. always flirts with the clientele. and they always leave happy.

tw: death. wears a dharma wheel pendant at all times, tucked beneath his shirt or, if he’s shirtless, just out in the open. he’ll say he found it in the street, but it actually belonged to a guy he started seeing his senior year of high school, in secret.  glenn farley. he was older, around 27, but he offered up the first safe place eddie’d ever known. dude disappeared close to eddie’s graduation. eddie stayed angry for a long time, until his photo turned up in the obits :  glenn was killed in a hit-and-run outside a dive bar.

on the topic of sexuality & gender expression :   eddie honestly couldn’t give a flyin’ shit. he’s of the belief that existence shouldn’t be coded or explained. so, yeah, he’s male. and yeah, he’ll be attracted to whomever he pleases. but in a time where that shit’s not too common? not too accepted? he does feel like he’s playing hide-and-seek. it’s exhausting. and... there’s still something that nags him, at the back of his mind, when he decides to hook up with a guy. it’s all tied up with his family history ( see the stuff about his dad above ) .

eddie is very outspoken & unfiltered. he won’t mince his words; he’ll speak bullets without considering the exit wound. 

he’d much rather have coffee and cigarettes than a meal. but if he’s gotta have food? and you’re forcing him? cinnamon waffles with ten gallons of syrup. delicious.

wears rings because hell, if he’s gonna punch you, he wants that shit to hurt.

smells like tobacco and amber and fresh-fallen rain.

likes makeup. tends to get away with some eyeliner/eyeshadow on stage, but typically doesn’t wear any day-to-day. maybe some eyeliner on his waterline, but... he’s learned how to get by.

cross his sister and he’ll eat your face for breakfast.

default greeting: blinking at you like you’re offending him by taking in the same air.

honestly he’s never thought to leave vegas. he likes it here. his crew? they’re good people. as in reckless. fun.

has almost a full sleeve on his left arm, and two bands curling around his right bicep. one ear pierced, but doesn’t always wear an earring there.

can he offer you a winter green lifesaver in this trying time ??

goes by eddie or williams. call him keith and he can’t be held responsible for what happens to you. the only person who’s got keith privileges is his kid sister.

thomas hayes has brown eyes but eddie’s are a staggeringly light blue-gray. they look like ice. he’s 6′1 and that type of lanky that tends to look sleek, enticing, and mildly emaciated. he does have muscle to him, but the guy doesn’t eat very often and he’s on a steady diet of destructive habits, so... he’s got that matty healy circa 2012 vibe going on

potential connects.

chaos crew. they hit the clubs. they try their hand at scheming and tricking the best poker leagues. chug beers, crush the cans, and toss ‘em in front of cars. experiment with drug cocktails and haunt the town. all laughs and dilated pupils and forgetting, forgetting, forgetting the cracks in their ribs, the scabs on their knuckles. nothin’ hurts when your blood pumps this quick.

diner pal.  eddie rolls up to his favorite diner in the wee hours of the morning. 2am, 3am. when he can’t sleep or he’s comin’ down from a heckish night, he’s there, whole pitcher of coffee and a stack of waffles. mussed hair. an entire encyclopedia of wild stories. one night, he stumbled into this person’s booth high as all shit, and they’ve been inviting themselves to one another’s tables ever since. could be a romantic connection. could be platonic.

ex on bad terms.  kid’s got commitment issues. i’d love to give them a source.

fuckbuddies.  they could just be friends who get fucked and do the deed. maybe there’s feelings. maybe it’s a you service me, i’ll service you situation. either way, they’re indulgent. they’re reckless. and they’ve got no regard for any damage they’ll cause.

people he’s tattooed.  

sworn enemies.  acerbic words, gnashing teeth, icy glares. they’ll cross the fuckin’ street just to avoid being within a ten-foot radius of one another.

caretaker.  a friend ( or even stranger ) who’s taken it on themselves to monitor this maelstrom. all i can say is... good friggin’ luck, kid.

obviously there are so many more but this is just a list to get some juices flowing !

if you want to plot, please feel free to message me !!  i’m headed to the gym now but after that i’ll hit up the starter tags !!  so flipping excited to write with you goons !!

[attemptingtowriteagain]

Commander Cody x Jedi!Reader

Protective Sentence Starters : “Don’t ever leave my sight again.”

A/N: So this ended up taking longer than i thought it would...

         Warnings : None

         Word Count : 1902

         Blaster fire exploded all around you as you ran through the streets of Christophsis, almost slipping when you took a turn to sharp. You spared a quick glance over your shoulder and caught a glimpse of  the  battle droids rolling hot on your heels.

          "Kriffing hell." You cursed under your breath. You quickly opened up the link on your com. "Cody! Cody, come in!"

          "Yes General?" The strained voice of the Clone Commander sounded from your wrist. You could hear the sound of the war going on a couple blocks away. Your heart jumped in your throat at the thought of him being hurt in the battle. You pushed the feeling aside turning another corner.

          "Please tell me that you have the droid poppers in place. I'm closing in and I have Destroyers, B2-HA's and tankers on my tail! They're closing in fast and I can't take them out by my self."

          "Sorry General. These clankers are coming in to heavy." There was a thud and a grunt before he continued. "We might need to lose ground if were goin' to win this battle."

          "Cody is right, (Y/N)." Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice patched in on the com. You huffed as you turned another corner.

          And into a dead end.

          "Oh no...." You gasped. "Kriff!" You yelled as a blaster bullet nearly missed your temple.

          "(Y/N)- General, are you okay?" The Commanders worried voice carried over the loud sounds of blasters. Quickly as you could, you pulled your lightsaber out and deflected as many shots as you could.

          "No!" You gritted your teeth. Sweat starting to bead on your forehead. "I must have taken a wrong turn! I'm stuck... In a dead end." You grunted falling back until the wall hit your back. The way to get back was closed off by 4 Destroyers and 3 B2-Ha's. The tanker was just starting to come into view.

          "You need to get back over here and regroup with the rest of the battalion." Obi-Wan commanded.

          "No." You hissed as you ricocheted a bullet back and shot down one of the B2 units.

          "No?! What the kriff do you mean no?" Cody snapped and the grunted and you heard more blaster shots ring out.

          "You guys are swarmed. If I regroup, I'll just end up bringing all these droids to you. You'll be over run!" You threw your last droid popper and set it off. The electrical shock gave you enough time to jump along the walls and behind the the tank. It slowly started to turn as you dashed down the street again, leading the opposing army away from the rendezvous point.

          "I'm going to lead them in the other direction." A realization hit you and your voice turned somber as you turned and saw two more tanks join the chase behind you. "I'll hold them off as long as I can."

          "(Y/N), no! You must regroup!" Cody urged frantically.

          "I'm sorry, Cody." You sighed, tears forming in your eyes and you turned the com off, running away from what you were sure was your only hope at survival.

          Commander Cody ducked behind a broken wall as more shots barely missed him. He furiously jammed on him com device, trying to connect to you again.

          "(Y/N)! Dammit!" He exclaimed in frustration and pulled himself from behind the wreckage and focused his anger on taking out as many droids as he could before needing to duck down again.

          "Calm yourself Cody!" Obi-Wan called from behind a downed walker. "We need you focused! (Y/N) will have to take care of herself." His heart jumped into his throat at the thought of you facing at least half of a droid battalion all by yourself.

          Cody knew it was wrong and against every regulation, but he cared for you more deeply than he should of. He wasn't even sure himself when the respect he had for you being a General and a friend turned into longing of wanting you beside him every day. He spent most days at your side and most nights being not to far from you. It was only thing about this god forsaken war that he enjoyed. He knew with every fiber of his being that he was in love you. When he was alone at night, he spent his time trying to remember when those feeling changed.

          Had it been when he took you 79's after a long drawn out battle to relax and you out drank more than half men there in a drinking game? The repercussions of which cause Cody to have you carry you back to your room at the Jedi temple while you drunkenly explained to him why purple wasn't a color but a lifestyle.

          Was it every time the two of you would sit atop one of the gunships while everyone else was sleeping? You always had yourself wrapped in a soft blanket and he would always bring the caf. The two of you would spend hours talking or just sitting in the quiet watching the stars.

          Maybe it was the way you jumped into battle to protect those who couldn't  protect themselves and even always made sure to cover his brothers if you could.

          Cody could contemplate all the ways he had fallen for you but he knew the answer to his internal conflict.

          He knew he loved you from the moment he met you. Your easy smile and the way your eyes lit up every time you talked to him, how couldn't you melt his heart? And he knew he could never live with himself if he didn't help you now, against orders or not.

          "I'm going to help General (Y/N)!" Cody yelled, looking to were your last com coordinates came from. "She won't make it on her own!"

          "No Cody! I'm ordering you stay here!"

          "I'm sorry General but I can't do that." Cody looked at Obi-Wan, and even though Cody was wearing his helmet, Obi-Wan could feel the determined gaze.

Sighing Obi-Wan nodded and pointed off past the right of the droid army.

          "She's over that way." Cody swung his head in the direction his General pointed and sure enough every few seconds a red bullet could be seen flying towards the sky. Without looking back, Cody pushed himself out from behind the debris and towards you.

          You slammed yourself against the wall after rounding the corner, trying to catch your breath.

          'I can't keep this up much longer.' You thought.

          You peeked around the bend and nearly got your nose taken off by a blaster shot. You tore yourself off the wall and started down the street again. You didn't get far before there was a series of explosions behind you. You held out your lightsaber in front of you, ready for whatever was coming around the bend.

          "(Y/N)!?" An all to familiar voice called through the smoke and dust. Relief flooded you and you almost collapsed.

          "Cody?" You called out tentatively. A figure skidded to a halt in the middle of the intersection and looked around wildly. They did a double take when they saw you. You could have cried when the recognizable orange visor came into view. "Oh.. Cody!" Deactivating your lightsaber, you ran forward and threw your arms around Cody's neck. Without hesitation, he wrapped you in his arms and pulled you tight against him.

          "I thought I was a goner..." You mumbled into his armor. Your heart hammered in your chest as you let the man you had fallen in love with hold you. Jedi rules and Clone regulations be damned. If he would ask it of you, you knew you would leave the Jedi Order for him.

          "I would never let that happen." Cody stated fiercely and pulled you tighter to him. You felt your face heat up and buried you face into his neck, sighing deeply. You pulled back to say something when a fast scrapping noise rang out in between the buildings. Cody's head swung around and he swore.

          "We got rollies coming! And I don't have any droid poppers, only grenades."

          "Then drop them!" You insisted and you pulled yourself away from him.

          "We won't have enough time to get out of the blast zone." Cody warned as he dropped the grenades and grasped your hand to pull you with him as he started to run down the street. "Hold on!" He yelled and a small group of destroyer droids rolled around the corner. Cody hit the detonator and the next thing you felt was Cody pulling you to his chest and the explosion knock you both off your feet. The air was knock out of your lungs and Cody landed on top of you before both of you rolled to a stop, you on top of him.

          Your forehead rested on his bare cheek and you looked up to that the blast has forced his helmet off. You both took deep breaths as you looked into each other eyes. His amber eyes looked deeply into yours and you couldn't help but run your thumb over the scar on his temple. Cody leaned into your touch and sighed. The words were right on the tip his tongue, it was difficult for him not to say them and kiss you. Kiss you and never stop. Unbeknownst to him, you were fighting the same internal battle. And lost.

          "I love you." You blurted out and held your breath, waiting to see his reaction. His eyes widen, caught off guard. "I have since I met you." You admitted.

          Cody smiled softly as he brushed his fingers along your cheek to tuck hair behind your ear. Cinders from the fire started to fall around the both of you but they were paid no mind.

          "Don't ever leave my sight again." He joked and you couldn't help but smile. "I love you." He finally admitted, feeling a weight being lifted from him.

          You responded by slowly leaning forward and softy placing your lips over his. It felt like your whole body came alive as his cupped the back of you neck, moving his lips against your at a slow place. You reached up and cupped his face, sighing when he ran his tongue you bottom lip. Without hesitation, you opened your mouth and allowed him to explore. The war, the world, and everything but Cody disappeared. He only pulled away when you both needed air.

          "I wish we could stay like this." He confessed and kissed you jaw briefly.

          "Hm...." You hummed and pecked his lips one more time. "Maybe when this battle is over, we could find a quiet place to talk?" Cody smiled and pulled you in for another kiss before his com started to beep.

          "Cody, did you find General (Y/N)?" Obi-Wan's voice rang out.

          "Yes sir, we are on our way back now."

          "Good, the enemy forces seem to have been defeated. Make your way to the gunship so we can go."

          "Yes, sir." Cody switched the com off and shifted to help you stand up.

          "I don't know about you," You started, brushing the dirt off yourself. "But I am starving." Cody chuckled and kissed you deeply once more before retrieving his helmet.

          "Same. How 'bout we grab dinner when we get back to the Resolute?"

          "I think I could do that." You smiled coyly and for what felt like the first time in your life, you felt complete.

[riverdale-is-just-okay]

Saving Grayse, chapter two

Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven

Riverdale x OC (Sweet Pea x OC)

Word Count: 1780

Summary: There's a new member in the Serpents, a troubled girl, with a dark history and an unknown past with FP. Settling in to her new life might prove a little difficult than anticipated.

Warnings: none, as far as I know

"You made any friends yet?" FP asks walking into his office.

She shrugs, straightening her posture in the chair by his desk.

"You need friends.” He takes a seat opposite.

"I have you," she tries to reason.

"We're not friends."

"Rude."

"I'm you're God-father."

"Unofficially."

"Good enough.”

"It is," she smiles.

“I’m a parental-figure, you need friends your own age."

She sighs, dramatically.

"So we need to get you situated," he diverts the conversation, sitting back in his chair.

She remains in the seat opposite picking at the fries and burger in front of her. "This is really good," she mumbles stuffing a fry into her mouth. "Where's it from again?"

"Pop's."

"And that's a...?"

"Diner."

"Okay, right, I'll be visiting there soon." She slurps on her pink drink.

"They never let you out?" he mumbles staring at the girl. Astounded she's lived her whole life in this town, but she knows nothing of its contents.

She shakes her head. "And you know that."

"I find it incredible."

"I wasn't allowed over here. And you know that. Pop's," she says. "You work there, right, when you're not here? Being a badass king of the Serpents," she laughs, she knows she has to face the her past at some point.

"Yeah, I guess, that's a way of putting it."

"You need an update?" She looks up, taking a break from eating. "I was free as a bird, or snake, until I was five, you know about that?"

"Of course."

"And they we disappeared…"

"That's where it gets foggy."

"But you still had contact with mom and dad, right?"

"A bit."

"Then everything happened… and they just... kept me..." she shrugs. "They wouldn't dare let me out, just in case. I don't remember much about before we left this particular portion of the Southside."

"I'm sorry... I didn't help you until now."

"It's fine," she dismisses and continues to eat what’s left of her food.

FP watches her for moment, then smiles. “You’re so like Jug.”

“Of course I am,” she beams, then continues to eat.

He nods, then goes back to what he was initially saying. "So we'll get you situated. I'll tell Jug, I might have to explain your situation-"

She snaps her eyes up. “No.”

"Only if necessary," he assures her. "And I'll make him keep quiet, promise, then once he's in the know, you can stop spending the night in on that couch," he nods to the beaten, leather couch stuffed into the corner of his office. A small pillow and blanket neatly folded lie on one corner.

"It's not so bad."

He frowns. He can't even fathom what the girl has been through. He doesn't want to. If half the stuff that happened to Amber had happened to Jellybean he'd probably murder those responsible. Even with Amber he wants to murder those who hurt her, but he knows better. He can't protect her from behind bars. He has to be smart.

"Once that's sorted, we'll get you enrolled at Riverdale High."

"Wasn't there a school over here? Or is that my memories playing tricks on me, they have a tendency to do that."

"Got shut down a month or so ago."

"Oh," she chuckles. He's not sure why, neither is she to be completely honest. Maybe it’s because it looked like it would collapse over ten years ago when she last saw it, it’s a surprise it lasted that long.

"So I have to go to school?" she tilts her head.

"Of course, you're only seventeen and you've got a lot of catching up to do."

"Doubt it, I'm probably smarter than half those idiots in that place, for starters I have a brain."

"You need to stop that."

"What?"

"Kick those Northside assumptions they fed you out of your mind. That's no way to get on over here."

"But don't you hate them too? Or is that another false memory?"

"It's complicated. Repairs are being made."

"If you say so."

"Right, anyway, so you'll live with me and Jug, you'll start at Riverdale High," he recites through his plans aloud. "Oh, and it's still too fresh so I don't want you wondering about alone, too dangerous with them lurking about-"

"I could take 'em."

He rolls his eyes.

"I could.” She slurps the last of the pink foam from her cup. "They never gave me a chance, but now, I have control, of my mind, body... I could and I'd enjoy every minute, compensation I deserve," she smirks, but there's hint of sadness in her voice.

"This is half the reason I don't want you alone. I don't trust them, but I don't trust you either. Be smart, Amber."

"Whatever."

"So they'll always be a member allocated to you at all times."

"No way," she protests. "I ain't being babysat."

"For now you are."

"Someone will take you to and from school, be with you during school hours, and someone with out of hours whether you're at the bar or home. Someone will be with you at all times. No exceptions. No excuses."

"That's ridiculous. Don't you think that's a little over kill?"

"Given the circumstances not at all."

She rolls her eyes. "Fine, might be nice having company in the bathroom, can get quite lonely."

He frowns.

"What? You said no excuses. You never know, they might pop up through the toilet or maybe the plug hole, can't be too careful, right?"

"Eat your burger." He rolls his eyes.

"You know." She looks up. "I didn't resist losing the memories from my time here, over time they just faded, got mixed up," she shrugs. "But with every inch of my being I wouldn't let go of the ones that stared you and your son – my Raven-haired Knight," she smiles.

"You wanna be there when I explain?" FP asks as they ascends the trailer steps.

She shakes her head. "Not really."

"I get it." He pushes the door open and gestures her in. “Give me and Jug a minute, then.”

She stops abruptly. Her eyes widen, her eyebrows collapse.

"What-" His eyes widen also. "Jughead? Didn’t know you have company?"

A tall red-haired boy and a small girl, despite her heels, with hair similar in colour to Amber's, stand from the couch. They stare back, just as confused as the two that just walked in.

"Mr Jones," she girl nods.

"FP."

"Dad?" Jughead tilts his head as he glares to the girl hiding in the doorway. "What's she doing here?"

"My intention was to explain, but this place is a little crowded," he glares at the two teenagers.

"Oh, yeah," the girl exclaims. "Course, we best get going anyway.” She nudges the boy, a little too firmly, in the ribs.

"Right," he just nods.

"Erm, well it's nice seeing you Mr Jones," she says. "And it's been a pleasure..."

"Amber," she mumbles.

"What a beautiful name," she beams. "I'm Veronica, this is Archie.” She gestures to the boy who is still glaring.

Amber shifts her body, trying to widen the distance between them.

"Do you not speak?" Veronica chuckles.

"I'm selective with speech."

She nods stepping towards the door. "Actually." She waves her arms. "We were gonna head over to Pop's for dinner, and seeing as these to clearly need to talk about something, how about you come too, my treat?"

Amber looks to FP. He pauses, then nods. "It's all right, you can trust 'em."

She looks Veronica and nods. "Okay."

FP watches as the two girls follow out, then pushes his hand to Archie's chest. "You better look after her, Red," he warns. "If so much as a hair is disturbed, you will regret you even stepped foot over here."

"Dad!"

He nods backing away. "Course, FP.” He obeys hastily closing the door behind him.

"What the hell was that?" Jughead demands. "You can't go round threatening my friends," he rants. "Who the hell even is she? What was she doing here? And what is she doing with you? Well?"

"I don't owe you any answers, boy!" He tosses his jacket to the chair, frustrated.

"You kind of do, actually."

He sighs dragging his fingers through his hair. "If you just stop for a minute I might be able to tell you she's gonna be saying with us."

"No, way, there's no room, and the whole not knowing who the hell she is. She could be-"

"I know. This is my place. I make the decisions. I don't care how old you are, you are still my kid, Jug, you listen to me."

"So what are you doing here?"

No response. Veronica shifts in her seat, then looks to Archie, slouched into the cool leather of the booth beside her.

"Oh, still being selective," she nods remember the silent girl's previous words. "How about, how do you know FP?"

The girl just stares from the opposite side of the table.

"Can I ask where you are from?"

"Here," Amber states.

"Oh, well, I'm still relatively new, not quite met everyone yet."

"I've never seen you,” Archie sits up.

She shrugs.

"And I've been here all my life, know Jug since we were five."

"Well, when your life with him started, mine had come to an end."

"Fine, but I deserve an explanation.” Jughead sinks to the couch. FP slumps into the chair.

"You really don't remember her?"

"No. Why would I?"

"Because you were in separable when you were kids."

"I've never seen that girl in my life."

"You were torn up when she left. Cried every day.” He nods remembering the pain the girl, his son can't recall, left all those years ago. "You couldn't understand why she just left. And I couldn't explain it to you. I didn't have an explanation myself. You couldn't understand why the girl with the raven curls just disappeared. Even back then, you spoke like a writer. She called you her Raven-haired Knight. Quite the pair," he chuckles. "Even when you were five."

"I really don't remember," Jug frowns. He touches his head, his guilt overwhelming, as if pressing her fingers to his forehead will draw these lost memories out.

"Bad experience. Probably pushed it out for your mind."

"And you know now. You've got your explanation for why she left?"

He nods.

"You gonna tell me?"

"Not now. She still thinks highly of you, even if you don’t remember her. She isn't ready, I'm gonna respect that.” He grabs his keys. "And you are too." He points a warning finger at his son. "Go pick her up.” He throws them to his son. "She's been exposed to Red and a Lodge long enough for one night."

A/T:  Hope you like it so far, the story is just warming up, but in the chapter Amber is introduced to a few more members (hint - a certain tall boy with the infamous stamp on his neck makes an appearance).

A/A/T: Thank you for reading, there may not be many of you, but it means the world that you take time to read my story.

Thanks again, all my love,

Oli x

*main blog: a-girl-stuck-in-a-fantasy-world

[drabbles-drabbles-everywhere]

What Is This Feeling?

Summary:

Remus Lupin never expected a lot of things to happen. He never expected to be able to go to Hogwarts, he never expected to make friends, or be excepted, or to fall in love. He had been told from a young age that love was a waste of time, that love was a weakness. He believed that all his life, but a certain Gryffindor has him questioning everything Fenrir told him.

Sirius Black is not what everyone wants him to be. For starters, his parents want him to be their perfect pure-blood princess, but that's just not who he is. He isn't their little princess, nor will he ever be their princess. Not that he can tell them that anyways. He believes he'll never find someone who will want him for who he is, just like his parents always told him, but upon meeting a certain werewolf everything seems to change. Like for starters, he learns that not all Slytherins are so bad.

Tags:

Not Canon Compliant, Dark!Remus Lupin, Trans!Sirius Black, Trans Male Character, Slytherin!Remus Lupin, POC James Potter, Black James Potter, Fenrir Raises Lupin, Transphobia, Homophobia, Implies/Referenced Child Abuse, Slow Burn

Warnings:

Strong language, some transphobia and homophobia, implies/referenced child abuse

Words: 2,072

AO3

Chapter One is under the keeping reading if you wish to read it here ^^

Remus was five, when his father's words backfired and ruined his life. It was late August, the night of the full moon, and the little family of three sat in the living. Hope was knitting, Lyall was reading and little Remus was coloring when the large reddish brown wolf jumped through the sitting room window, heading straight for Remus. Hope and Lyall were frozen to the spot as they watched the wolf's jaws close around Remus' shoulder as it pinned him down, only moving when Remus' let out a blood curdling scream.

It took a few different spells to get the wolf off, but as soon as it was off of Remus it was gone again. Remus laid in the middle of the floor, screaming and crying as his arm bled. As Lyall set to work on helping his son he hoped that there was a chance that Remus wouldn't be a werewolf, but as he tried every healing spell he knew to fix the torn flesh it was clear that Remus would indeed be a werewolf. After wrapping Remus' arm and laying him in bed Lyall and Hope could only hope that Remus wouldn't survive the transformation as the curse travelled through his blood stream.

They loved their son, they really did, but this wasn't the life they wanted for him. They wanted their son to be a normal wizard, but there was no hope of that now. So now all they could wish for their little boy was death. Even if he did survive Lyall knew that Remus would no longer be his son. As far as he was concerned werewolves were soulless, evil, and deserved nothing but death.

However after three days of being sick, barley being awake for more than half an hour and eating very little, Remus survived and started getting better. Hope was silently thankful as she didn't want to have to bury her only son. Lyall on the other hand was furious. So from that point on he wanted nothing to do with Remus. So if anyone asked him about Remus he would tell them that there was an accident and Remus' injuries were too severe and he didn't make it.

As the days went by Remus grew angry, angry at himself for being a monster, angry at his parents for pushing him away and angry at the man who ruined his life. But really he was masking his hurt with anger. He had caught his parents talking about him late one night, trying to figure out what to do with him as his first moon approached and as he became a little more feral everyday. Remus had left and locked himself in his room after he heard them calling him a monster, a disease on the family name.

A week before the full moon they decided it was time, and took Remus out to the woods on a camping trip. Remus had asked his parents if this was their way of getting rid of him, but they had just chuckled and told him he had a crazy imagination and that they were only going out there so he would be safe for his first transformation. Remus believe them, mainly because he didn't want to believe that his parents really didn't want him. Remus had tried to stay up that night to see if his parents were going to leave him, but once he was under the blanket, cuddling with his wolf plushie he couldn't stop his eyes from drooping.

Remus woke in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and found his parents tent empty. He still refused to believe that they didn't want him so he convinced himself that they had just gone out for a late night walk and would be back any minute. But as the minutes turned into hours he realized how wrong he was.

He must've fallen back asleep because he woke later in the morning, startled to find a man sitting across from him, his head cocked to the side as he watched Remus cling tighter to the wolf plushie he held in his arms.

"D-Do you know where my parents are?" Remus asked, his voice soft and hesitant. The other man sighed, bowing his head slightly. He didn't look much older than Remus' parents were and they were in their late 20's early 30's.

"They aren't coming back and you know that," Fenrir replied, his voice rough and gravely. "But it doesn't matter. I can help you. I know what you are. Just come with me and you'll be safe," Fenrir told him, reaching a hand out to the boy, who just shrunk away from the man. Remus shook his head, clinging to his plushie even more, the only thing he had left from his parents.

Fenrir had growled, trying everything he would use on his pack to convince the boy to come with him, but Remus still refused, clinging to the hope that his parents would come back for him. Fenrir sighed and stood from where he was sitting before wandering back towards where his pack was staying. He was never good with handling the young ones. He was hoping that Sasha and Max would be able to coax the boy into coming with them.

Remus sat by himself for roughly two hours, watching the animals that would dash around the forest floor, before Fenrir came back with two other people. A younger couple, no older than their early 20's. They say in front of Remus and asked about him. How old he was, if he liked to read, and who his little friend was. Slowly Remus began to open up to them, even telling them how he got the bite mark that was visible on his shoulder. Sasha and Max even told Remus how they got their bite marks and how it made the four of them kind of like a family, explaining that it made their wolves family and that they were called a pack.

"Hon, did you know your parents were going to do this? Have you ever heard them talk about doing something like this before?" Sasha asked, her voice gentle as she talked to him. Remus shrugged, burying his head in the plushies fur. "You know they're not coming back right?" Remus nodded, tears forming in his eyes.

"You could come with us. We are your family after all," Max told him. Remus hesitated, still wanting to believe his parents loved him, that he could still be the same little boy they used to love. But looking up at them he knew they would be a better family than his parents would have been if they hadn't left him. A sob crashed through him as he threw himself into Sasha's lap, burying his head in her chest as he cried.

Remus clung to her the whole walk to where the pack was staying. But by the time they actually made it there Remus was fast asleep, curled against Sasha's chest, his plushie held tightly in his arms. Remus was moved into Sasha and Max's part of the house, as it seemed right to let the two raise the boy.

Though while they were in charge or Remus human side, Fenrir was in charge of Remus' wolf side. Teaching him how to control some aspects of his wolf when in human form. He taught him about many things that most people don't know, like how every wolf has a true mate, someone made for them, but Fenrir said that looking for your true mate was a waste of time. That love was a waste of time and made people weak.

As Remus grew up Fenrir started pushing him harder, making him tougher, forcing him to leave behind the shy, quiet boy he used to be. He was no longer the boy that got pushed around by the other kids. Instead he started pushing back, he even started talking back to Fenrir which never ended well for him. In fact during one of the times where Remus had decided to fight back, Fenrir had lost his temper, lashing out at Remus and clawing him, leaving Remus with two scars over his left eye. Which he would have lost if the wolf's eye hadn't taken it over, leaving him with one honey brown eye and one piercing amber eye.

It was Remus' eleventh birthday when they got a visit from Dumbledore, who had just become headmaster at Hogwarts. After Remus had recovered from the bite, his parents had contacted Dumbledore and told him what happened. At the time there was nothing he could do for Remus, but now the boy had a chance to be great wizard.

"I'm aware you don't like us Fenrir, but it's a chance for Remus to make something of himself," Dumbledore said, as the five of them sat around the kitchen table in Sasha and Max's house.

"And what about the moons? How are you going to keep a castle full of kids safe with a werewolf on the lose?"

"We built a shack on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, connecting to Hogwarts ground via a tunnel protected by a Whomping Willow that can only be still by pressing it in a certain spot. I assure you everyone will be completely safe and only our head healer and I will know about him," Dumbledore countered.

"Please Fenrir? I never thought I'd get a chance to go to Hogwarts. This is my only chance. Please," Remus begged, his father had told him all about Hogwarts and how amazing it was and how he would be come a great wizard if he went there. But all those dreams had been crushed the moment he had been bitten.

Fenrir sighed, running a hand down his face. He didn't want to let Remus go, afraid that this was all just a trap, but it gave the boy a chance to have a better life. "Alright fine. As long as we are able to stay in contact with him. Being around so many people he's never met, that aren't his pack could agitate the wolf,"

"Of course. We can get a pair of two-way mirrors so you can stay in contact with him and he can contact you when ever he needs to," Dumbledore agreed, nodding his head as he talked. "Well I believe this is yours then," Remus smiled brightly as Dumbledore handed him a sealed envelope, his Hogwarts letter.

Remus' first trip to Diagon Alley was a few months before he was set to leave for Hogwarts. Being around so many people was not a pleasant experience, but he pushed through, knowing that if he couldn't do this there was no way he would be able to go to Hogwarts. For the most part the trip was quick and easy, though robes were a different story, since he was rather small. The last thing he had to get was a wand, which took a lot longer than any of them had expected. By the time he had gotten home that night he was mentally drained. The wolf hadn't liked being in a crowd of people that weren't his pack. Though it did help to have his parents with him.

As September rolled around Remus was excited to learn that he would be able to ride the train with the other kids, as the full moon was set to be a week and a half after he arrived at Hogwarts.

The night before he was set to leave Remus was scared. It was the first time in a long time that he had been scared of anything, but he'd never been away from the pack for more than a day or two. Now he was going to be away for months. Only coming back for a week or two during the holidays. He was nervous, afraid Dumbledore's plan would fail and he would get loose during a moon and hurt someone, exposing himself and potentially getting him sent to Azkaban.

He just hoped everything would be okay. That nothing would go wrong and he would be able to attend Hogwarts for all 7 years. He even hoped to make friends, but knew that was not a top priority and would more than likely never happen. All he really cared about was doing his best and getting the best marks he can get.

[iseeskiesofblueandcloudsofwhite]

Within the Fog

Summary:

Maddie was looking forward to getting away after a long quarantine avoiding coronavirus. She booked a rental that boasted luxury and relaxation, but she didn’t get what she paid for. Instead of escaping Maddie becomes tangled in local folklore and becomes trapped by the very thing she wanted to escape. 

 Within the Fog:

It was one in the morning and Maddie felt like she was suffocating. She slipped out of bed and down the stairs past an old baby crib left haphazardly broken in a cardboard box. Not knowing what to do with herself Maddie paced the ground level of her and her husband's colonial turning on all the lights. It had been over a year since coronavirus started and she desperately needed to get away. She needed a fresh start, if only for a little while to get away from the life that she was living. And now with vaccines around the corner Maddie was looking to leave asap, although the fear of coronavirus usually convinced her to turn her searches on vacation plans off. Maddie flicked on her computer. She couldn’t live like this anymore, she needed to break free. 

Her husband must have been looking at vacation stays as well because the screen flicked on to a cabin in the woods that was a few hours away from Maddie’s house in the cypress wetlands of Georgia. Maddie kept on scrolling. It looked modern and chic complete with a large porch, a claw foot tub, king sized bed and picture windows that gazed upon an “emerald forest”. The cabin was located in a town called Fairbanks which was described as out of the way and cozy with a general store and friendly locals. Maddie looked at the cabin with delight. She could see herself with her husband making love or even just holding each other like they did when they first met, before life had dealt them a cruel hand and they were locked with the reminders of their past for years. 

Before consulting with Dave, Maddie emailed the owners to book the cabin for the long weekend. She sensed that Dave was also stressed out, and this was their opportunity to get out of this rut in their marriage. A few seconds after Maddie sent the email she got a message back. 

“We have no bookings from April 9-11th. We would be glad to have you stay.” The email stated. Maddie smiled, the first smile she felt in a long time.This might just be the very break that she needed. With something to look forward to Maddie felt her eyelids getting heavier. She went back upstairs and slipped into bed next to her husband, with calm thoughts. 

The dirt road to Fairbanks tested their truck’s suspension with potholes and thick mud. Out of the way was an understatement when describing the location of this cabin. Maddie had lost cell phone service hours ago and the GPS was on the fritz. Not to mention that the hour road trip was stretched into two hours due to the fact that the roads were in terrible disrepair. Maybe that detail would not be so important if Dave had insisted that he work a full day before they drove down and now it was almost dusk. 

“I still can’t believe that you booked this cabin without consulting me.” Dave scoffed. 

Maddie furrowed her brow and tried to concentrate on the passing palmetto leaves. 

“I was a surprise Dave, you were supposed to be happy about it. Plus look, we are getting away and enjoying one another. I think that is what we really need.” Maddie replied. She was semi hurt that Dave wasn’t as enthusiastic about spending time with her anymore. 

“In five hunderd feet take a right, then your destination is on your right,” the robotic voice of the GPS demanded. 

Dave slowed down near a patch of woods where the GPS told them to turn. There was nothing but swamp and cypress in the distance. 

“There must have been an old road here that is now overgrown,” Elizabeth murmured.  

“Well now what?” Dave said slapping his driving wheel. 

“We go straight and have the GPS reroute us, or find a town and ask for directions,” Elizabeth suggested. 

Dave drove the truck a few feet forward. 

“GPS signal lost,” the GPS chirped. 

“Just keep on going down this road, we will get it back or find something I am sure”  Maddie said. 

Turning a corner Maddie could see a gas station on the right side of the road, hidden by a few trees. 

“Here pull in here and ask for directions.” Maddie insisted. 

As they pulled in Maddie started to feel like she regretted her decision. Where the two gas pumps were not rotted though they were tattooed with graffiti. Past the gas pumps was a shack of a building that looked like it was distinctly made out of haphazard parts of other buildings. 

“Maybe we should just stick to our original plan, I’m sure that the GPS would pick up soon enough.” Maddie suggested.  

“If we don’t get there soon we will be lost in the dark. We will just go in, ask for directions and come out. I’ll just go if you want me to.” David said, turning off the truck. Maddie nodded as David jumped out of the vehicle into the gas station. He was only a couple of moments before he was back in the truck. 

“He says the turn off is a few miles down the road. We will come to a fork and then we will take a left, the cabin will be a few yards to the right.” David stated, as he started up the truck. 

It was getting darker and Maddie could only see the silhouettes of trees against the sky. Finally after a good 15 minutes they arrived at the cabin. Maddie pulled out a flashlight she packed and inspected her rental. Even though the small vein of light that the flashlight provided, Maddie could tell that the cabin was not what was advertised. For starters the whole cabin was smaller and clearly neglected. The large wrap around porch that the website boosted was rotten in places and moaned with pain when Maddie tried to move across it to the front door. Once getting into the cabin Maddie found a single bare lightbulb. Turning on the switch next to it Maddie could see the king sized bed with a mattress that was badly stained. Next to that was the claw leg tub that still had strains of pubic hair in it. The large picture windows were curtainless and reflecting the darkness of the night like black holes in the walls. 

“No we can’t stay here tonight. That mattress is disgusting and the floors are filthy.” Maddie insisted making her way back to the front door. 

“Your kidding right? It’s fine. Plus it’s  another two hours back in the pitch dark. We will put our bankets down on the mattress and sleep there and reassess tomorrow.”

“Ok but I am totally going to take pictures and give horrible reviews when I get back.” Maddie murmured unpacking their sleeping blankets. That night Maddie couldn’t sleep. She knew what sounds to expect from swamps. The humming of bugs or occasional thrashing of an alligator. But this swamp and cabin was silent. Dead silent. 

“Dave? Dave?” Maddie called from the bed. 

She couldn’t tell what time it was because there was no clock. Maddie looked out the window. A thick soupy fog lingered engulfing the cabin. Maddie got up and walked around the cabin. She opened up the cabinet finding a lone can of coffee grounds that looked like it came from the stone age. Ignoring the coffee Maddie made her way to the front porch. On the front porch Maddie found a note. Went out to get groceries-Dave. Maddie balled up the piece of paper with her fist. Maddie gazed at the foggy woods. The Cypress trees looked like shadows of people and the water on the soggy ground they stood on was an inky black. Getting anxious Maddie wrapped her arms around herself and started slowly pacing the porch until something caught her eye. It was a bright red rattle. Maddie grasped the rattle, cleaned it as best she could with her clothes and brought it back into the cabin. She placed the rattle under her pillow and swallowed hard. She needed something to take her mind off of it. Maybe a stiff drink or two. She had to tell Dave about what she found, she knew that she had to tell him asap but her stupid phone didn’t work. Maddie eyed an overfilled bookcase in the corner of the cabin. Maybe that could take her mind off of things for a bit. Maddie shuffled through the bookcase until one book caught her eye. It was stuffed with old newspapers of missing persons, but the contents of the book focused on the history of Fairbanks. 

Fairbanks Georgia was a bustling town from 1790-1863 composed of a  small congregational community. On April 12th 1863 General Kelly sent 150 men to scout north of Atlanta to find union troops. Upon arrival Kelly’s men plundered Fairbanks using force to take the locals food supply forcing most of them into starvation. According to local folklore a woman convinced the soldiers that there was a much larger town just on the other side of the swamp. Most of Kelly’s men set out to find this other village, never to be seen again. Local folklore states that the spirits of those soldiers lure those close to the swamp into where they get lost, leading them to their death. 

Maddie looked out at the swamp. She wondered what happened to other vacationers that came to the cabin. Were they somewhere out there looking in the fog? Suddenly Maddie heard the front door open. 

“Hey I got the groceries if you want to help me.” Dave announced. Maddie rushed over to her pillow. 

“Dave guess what?I found this here. Recognize it, but I don’t know why it’s here.” Maddie held up the rattle. 

“It isn’t Amber’s, Maddie, Amber has been dead for three years. You just found someone’s trash.” 

It was hard for Maddie to hear those words, even after all this time. Amber was her little puggy playful baby that died in her crib. Maddie felt a wave of familiar powerlessness that came with the memory of picking up Amber from her crib as she lay cold and still. She suddenly felt stupid holding the rattle in her hand not knowing what to do with it. Dave sighed. 

“I told you to see a psychologist, this isn’t normal. We talked about this so many times, the episodes you have and your unrelenting depression.”

Dave sat down and put his hands in his head. 

“I just can’t do it anymore, living with you that is. The marriage we have is no longer the marriage we used to enjoy.”

Maddie fell silent and walked to the other side of the cabin. She knew how Dave felt, he expressed it to her multiple times before. But she also felt like she didn’t have a chance. With Amber dying and the pandemic going on, Maddie never felt like she had time to fully heal. She felt tears well up in her eyes as she laid down on the bed and covered herself with the sheets they brought. She hid in the covers and tried to force herself to go to sleep. 

Maddie woke up the sound of a cry.It was nighttime now but Maddie was wide awake, she could identify that cry instantly. It was Amber. Maddie got out of bed and started pacing the cabin.  The cabin was empty and Dave’s van was gone. 

“Aggg gigi”. The cooing sound was faintly drifting in the depths of the swamp. 

“Amber baby is that you?” Maddie was losing her mind. Of Course it wasn’t her, she was dead. You held her lifeless body. You know that she was dead.  Maddie’s mind was spinning. What if it was some other person’s baby, in the dark lost and alone. She had to go out just to see if it was ok. Maddie looked at her phone, still no reception and no way to call 911. The giggling increased in frequency outside in the fog, making Maddie’s footsteps faster and faster.

“Amber”? Maddie knew she was losing her sanity at this point. Yet Maddie knew that she couldn’t stand here all night listening to the sound of her child. What if it was all in her head? As she looked for the flashlight, Maddie knew that if she told Dave about this he would go straight to locking her up in the funny farm rather than insisting to see a therapist, but Maddie felt like she needed to get there and to put her mind at ease. Maddie fished out an old flashlight, changed into sneakers, an old tshirt and a basketball top and walked out of the cabin into the night. It wasn’t until she walked out the door that the story about the fog came back into her head. It’s just a legend. Maddie chanted to herself as she walked out into the fog.

“Amber!” Maddie called. The flashlight didn’t offer much visibility just to the curtain of condensation that was in the air as she took a step into the inky blackness. A few feet off the trail she felt her sneakers sink and fill with water. It was uncomfortable but Maddie hardly noticed. The darkness descended on her as Maddie tripped her way through the cypress knees towards the cooing. The mud was slick and suddenly Maddie lost her balance and tripped rolling her ankle. 

“Aggg'' Maddie cries. Frantically trying to get out of the mud Maddie noticed that the cooing had stopped. Maddie went into shock. What if the baby was in trouble. 

“Amber baby, I’m coming.” Maddie screamed. Her footing was no longer straight and her flash light was gosling so hard that it was barely of any use as Maddie scrambled deeper into the swamp. For a minute Maddie could only hear heart beating, soon she was out of breath. Taking a rest near a tree Maddie thought she heard another pair of footsteps running through the swamp. 

“Hey stop I need help.” Maddie hollered but the footsteps kept going making almost a supernatural speed away from her. 

“Stop.’ Maddie gathered up enough energy to hurl herself toward the footsteps only to fall face forward into the mud dropping her flashlight. She grabbed it from the mud and held it, but it did not work.

Maddie slowly got up. She was tired, cold, wet and completely lost and now breaking down into tears. She wasn’t able to find the baby. The cypress encroached around her as she pulled herself up. She got up and peered into the darkness. Taking a few steps Maddie saw something glowing, like a cell phone screen. Approaching it closer Maddie saw that the phone was smashed on a boardwalk deep in the middle of the swamp. 

Maddie recognized the case and had no trouble opening up the locked cell phone. On the phone were videos of Amber when she was alive playing with her toys and baby mobile. 

Maddie followed the boardwalk to a dirt path that had fresh tire tracks on it that lead back to the cabin. Maddie could see that the lights were on as she walked in holding her flashlight behind her back. Inside Dave was sitting on a chair with a knife . 

“I heard of this place from the internet. An abandoned town with a lot of missing persons with people getting lost in the swamp for days. I told you I can’t live with you any more. I thought it might take longer for you to travel out to the sounds of Amber and I didn’t believe that you would actually make it all the way out to me, but here we are. This way is not ideal, I'm a little more messy but it’s all the same in the end.”

Maddie felt the door slam behind her. It was now or never. 

The end!