#tom sato fanfic

[aces-and-angels]

Title: Close to You (SFW Edition)

A/N: Hello friends! I had the sudden urge to reread a fic I had originally written for ILAW and decided that I wanted to give it a makeover. Why? 1. bc I’m always up for exploring Ro’s life post-finale. and 2. I thought it would be nice to have a version of this story to share with the girlies (gn) who aren’t into nsfw content. 

To make things exciting for old and new readers, instead of just removing this fic’s ‘dirty thirty’ scene, I wrote an alternate scene in its place. For returning readers, the new content begins under #3. As always, I hope y’all enjoy 🖤

Pairing(s): Abel x MC (F!Rowan), Connor x MC (M!Devon)

Word Count: 7.2k

Summary: Set sometime after the ILW finale (Mixed Route) by @itlivesproject​; The many times Rowan wakes up without Abel, and the one time she does.

cw: language; brief mention of blood 

—

1.

Mornings were usually lost on Rowan. Despite following Jocelyn’s intense training regimen, chasing down horrors left her exhausted on a good day. And on a bad one? The ever-shrinking rolls of gauze and medical tape in the first aid kit speak for themselves.

But today was neither a good day nor a bad one. It was the last one. The last one in California, that is- and knowing that left her restless.

It’s pitch black when she wakes up. The world may as well be at a standstill. There were no cars on the road. The neighbors have long since turned in for the night. Even the croaks and whistles of nature disappeared into the wind. She pointedly avoids the clock mounted on the opposite wall. It’s better this way. Easier for her to pretend that time had stopped altogether.

As the grogginess fades, Rowan becomes aware of the weight resting on her. A soft smile graces her lips as she realizes what it is. Or rather, who it is. Abel had rolled over to her side. His head found purchase in the crook of her neck while his arm loosely draped over her frame. So clingy, she thought, raising her hand to stroke his hair. He lets out a pleased hum in response, nuzzling further into her skin.

There’s no stopping the warmth that creeps inside her chest. It swells, dipping down to her belly and back up again, filling her heart. Slow, yet instantaneous. With her eyes locked on him, she hangs onto the moment. No sensation, no matter how little, goes uncherished. Her arm grows numb, but she doesn’t dare to move.

But eventually, her hold on time loosens. The moment fades as her breath gradually matches his, her hand still on his head. All the while, the clock on the wall ticks away. Cars begin to fill the streets. The croaks and whistles of nature mix back in with the wind.

—

“Live from KQED news, I’m Natalia Navarro, filling in for Diane. Good news for commuters! Traffic this morning on the-”

Half-asleep, Rowan blindly reaches out, feeling for the smooth surface of the phone screen. Her irritation grows the longer she searches. Glasses. Water bottle. Abel’s copy of Treasure Island. Glasses again. Where the hell is it? The news reporter continues to babble on, moving from traffic to weather. It’s only when they reach the sports segment does a much larger hand guide hers toward the phone. With a single swipe, the broadcast finally goes silent.

“It’s easier to find things with your eyes open, y’know,” Abel chuckles.

“Tell that to the blind,” she counters.

“You’re not blind. You’re stubborn. Wanna open them for me now?”

“Nope, ‘s too early.” She doesn’t miss how his mouth curves up even with her eyes shut. Not a minute passes before he’s shifting his body, the sheets rustling with his movements. Then, there’s a soft peck on her cheek.  

“Still too early?” The sheer proximity and the low timber of his voice made her shudder.

“Mhm,” she responds, barely suppressing a smile. The bed dips as Abel leans in closer. Her body stiffens with anticipation. Another featherlight kiss, this time on her neck. Quick, but enough to make her skin tingle. “You’ll have to try harder than tha- AH!” A sudden wetness in her ear startles her eyes wide open.

“Gotcha,” Abel grins, triumphantly sticking his tongue out at her. Despite his teasing, his gaze was gentle. It made it annoyingly difficult to glare at him. But she wasn’t quite ready to yield to his charm.

“You are such a- mmph-” he swallows her words with a kiss.

“M’sorry,” he murmurs against her lips, slating his mouth over hers once more.

The will to fight back vanishes- as does any thoughts she had left in her mind. All of them were replaced by the need to glide her hands anywhere she could reach. To feel everything- the rough edges of his scars, the steady thump of his heartbeat, the air leaving her lungs as she kisses him senseless. But, much to her disappointment, Abel pulls away first. “You were saying?” he asks, his tone slightly taunting.

“Um- I- you-” she stammers, unable to form a cohesive thought. Her attempts to collect herself fail miserably. Abel moving closer to rest his forehead on hers also didn’t help anything.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” he whispers. That snaps Rowan out of her daze.  

“That’s my line,” she smirks, brushing her nose with his. “And how dare you. I’m always cute.”

“You certainly are.” His hand gently cups her face, lingering briefly before dropping to her side. They stay that way, lying face to face, and breathe each other in. Unlike earlier, the room was now full of color. Morning light peeks through the blinds, casting a beautiful, golden hue over Abel’s features. He glows brighter than any sun. Much easier to stare at too, Rowan jokes in her head. “What’s that smile for?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing. I was just thinking how cute you are for someone with a raging case of bedhead,” she snorts, attempting to tame his unruly mess of hair.

He lets out an exaggerated gasp, which causes her to snicker even more. Tugging at a loose strand of her hair, he sasses back. “You should see what I’m looking at.”

“Baby, what you’re looking at is sheer perfection.”

His eyes glimmer with mischief. “Perfection could use a hairbrush.”

“Rude,” she scoffs, playfully smacking his arm. Still, she allows him to pull her into his arms. Wrapping her own around his broad frame, Rowan feels his shoulders shake. “You’re lucky I love you,” she mumbles into his neck.

“Luckiest man alive,” he manages to choke out between laughs. The joyous, airy sound is infectious, and she finds herself unable to keep a straight face. After a few minutes, his laughter dies out, and there’s a slight pause. Something in the air shifts. Then, ever so softly, he calls out. “Ro?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m gonna miss you.” Her chest tightens at the sadness in his voice. The reality she desperately wanted to escape had finally caught up with her. But the only thing worse than her leaving Abel was leaving Abel upset. So, with a deep breath, she steels her nerves and pulls away just enough to look at him directly.

“Hey, I’m still here,” she soothes, lovingly stroking his cheek with her thumb. He glances over at the wall. His frown deepens.

“Only for another hour,” he grumbles, his eyes glued to the minute hand. Shit, was it already that soon? “I swear, that thing moves faster when you’re here.”

“Baby, look at me.” Her gentle tone brings his attention back to her. “One, I hate that damn clock too.” That earns her a short, breathy laugh. “Two, it’s not forever. Just for now. And three, I love you.”

“I love you. So much.” With that, he leans in and kisses her. Slow and sweet- like they had all the time in the world. Until they didn’t.

—

The hour was up before they knew it. Outside, Rowan slides into the driver’s seat of her car. Abel sticks his head through the open window. “Did you pack your charger?”

“Yes, you watched me pack it remember?”

“Right,” he chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, how about your wallet? Do you have that?”

“And all the cards that go with it.”

“What about-”

“Abel,” she interrupts his well-intentioned checklist.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got everything. I promise.” She rubs his hand comfortingly, giving it a quick squeeze.

“Alright,” he concedes. “Drive safe, yeah?”

“Go 30 miles over the speed limit. Got it.” Rowan kisses him once. Then, twice. Then, once again. She bumps her forehead with his. “Love you.”

“Love you more. Now go before I change my mind and carry you back inside.” Reluctantly, Abel steps away, allowing her to roll up her window. Turning the key in the ignition, the engine roars to life. She takes more time than necessary to switch between radio stations. Unbeknownst to her, Abel watches as she needlessly adjusts her mirrors with a sad smile. She does it for the same reason his feet stay rooted at the side of her car door: to savor those final few seconds together.

—

The five-hour drive to Westchester was nothing new to her. She had become somewhat of an expert, no longer relying on the GPS to guide her home. Straight highways eventually curved into winding mountain roads. It’s late in the afternoon when she arrives. The sky had turned grey as clouds blocked out the sun’s rays. She is grabbing the last of her bags from the trunk when someone yells, “Rowan, is that you?” Sitting by the apartment building was Señora Gomez.

“Yeah, it’s me! Hi Señora,” she greets warmly, walking over to her.

“How was California?”

“Fantastic. Abel says hi. He also told me to tell you to lay off the smoking.” She gives a pointed look at her hand.

“That pendejo is 300 miles away, yet still finds a way to nag me,” she clicks her tongue, begrudgingly putting out her cigarette. Rowan stifles a laugh.

“Well, he does a little more for you than that.” The older woman’s eyebrow quirks up with interest. Grinning, she takes out a medium-sized container from her suitcase. “He baked you these conchas. He wanted to make you a tres leches cake, but I thought these would survive the drive better.” Señora Gomez’s eyes light up, her hands eagerly reaching for her gift.

“Ay, I knew I liked that boy for a reason,” she beams, her previous qualm against him already forgotten. “Muchas gracias, mija. Here, take one! You must be hungry from driving.” Knowing better than to refuse her offer, Rowan graciously accepts. The stickiness from the topping instantly coats her fingers. Much like Abel, Señora Gomez stares at her expectantly, waiting for her to eat. Several crumbs fall from her hand as she takes a bite.

“’Fank you,” she says, swallowing before speaking again. “Enjoy those. I’m gonna head inside.”

“I will,” she practically chirps. Rowan grabs the handle of her suitcase and makes her way up to her apartment. After struggling to unlock the door, she’s nearly tackled to the ground by a very excited Moss.

“Damn, Moss. At least let me get inside first,” she chuckles, dropping her bags in the corner. Crouching down, she coos, “Did you miss me, boy?” Moss barks loudly in response. Rowan scratches behind his ear, making his bony tail wag in delight.

“For an undead dog, he’s a damn good runner. Might be better than you, Burke,” Jocelyn says from her spot on the couch.

Ignoring her lighthearted jab, Rowan continues to pet Moss. “Thanks for watching him, Joss. I really appreciate it.”

She shrugged off her gratitude. “Eh, it’s no problem. How’s the nerd?”

“Abel’s doing fine. You should’ve tagged along. It would’ve been fun.”

Her nose scrunches up. “Watch you two be gross during the day and hear you guys fuck through the walls for an entire week? Pass.”

“We didn’t-” Rowan’s protest falters as Jocelyn crosses her arms, giving her a flat look. “It wasn’t the entire week,” she mutters unconvincingly.

“Right. Anyways, I’m gonna head out. Don’t forget- we’re meeting up with the others tomorrow morning.”

“I won’t let you down, coach,” she salutes, which earns her a fond eyeroll.

“Get some sleep, Burke. You look like shit,” she barks over her shoulder. The door clicks shut, leaving her alone with Moss.

“C’mon boy, let’s make some dinner,” she claps. The pitter-patter of his paws follow her to the kitchen, where he (somewhat) patiently waits for his food.

—

The rest of the evening is uneventful. Unpacking her suitcase turned into watching reruns of Dateline. She leans forward, engrossed by the witness testimonies. It’s always the husband. Suddenly, her phone chimes, lighting up the screen with a notification. Her face softens as she reads what it says:

Abel💛: Heading to bed soon- sweet dreams, baby. I love you

She rapidly types back a response, her attention still glued to the television.

Rowan: love you ♥

The phone chimes two more times.

Abel💛: Ro, stop watching Dateline

Abel💛: It’s late. Go to bed

She frowns. How’d he know- Another chime.

Abel💛: We share a Hulu account

Amused, she responds.

Rowan: Okay, mom. I’m going lol

She shuts off the TV. “Looks like the jig is up for us, buddy.”

Moss yawns loudly, stirring from his spot on her lap.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. It’s bedtime.” He hops off the couch and shuffles his way to his dog bed. Within minutes, his loud snores fill the living room. “Night Moss.”

Rowan sheds off her outerwear, slipping on one of Abel’s old college hoodies. Crawling into the sheets, she sends him a picture of her in bed with a text that says, ‘happy?’ He responds immediately.

Abel💛: Very. You look incredibly hot in that btw  

Rowan: that’s why i wore it

Abel💛: You’re evil

Rowan: an incredibly hot evil genius- i know, i’m amazing.

Abel💛: I’m sleeping before you give me any more ideas 😓

Rowan: i say lean into that inspiration- sweet dreams, baby 😘

She sets her phone on the nightstand along with her glasses. It doesn’t take long for her eyelids to droop, growing heavier with every blink. Curling on her side, she inhales the faint scent that lingered on her hoodie. Notes of cinnamon and soap lull her into a dreamless slumber.

—

“Live from WNX, this is Cameron St. Claire. Good morning, Westchester! We’ve got a great show for you folks. Today’s guest is former congresswoman-”

Rowan’s hand slaps at her phone, shutting off the alarm. Every part of her body protested against being awake; Her legs refused to move- her eyes struggled to open. But she muscles through the drowsiness, not wanting to be late.

She stretches her arms out, sighing in relief as her spine cracks with a satisfying pop. Her hand falls, landing on the space next to her- right where Abel would be. She clutches at the empty sheets. It’s not forever. Just for now.

—

2.

*one week later, Rowan’s apartment*

The bathroom counter was littered with various tubs, tubes, and palettes. Rowan’s hand steadies at her lash line, carefully applying eyeliner. Her wrist flicks up to draw a perfect wing. Well, a passable one, at least. It had taken a lengthy YouTube tutorial and several makeup wipes, but the results were worth it.

She strolled into the living room, stopping in front of the floor-length mirror. Damn. I’m hot. Jocelyn told her it was overkill to buy a new black dress to eat at home. But the way it hugged her curves was all the reason she needed to get it. Plus, she knew it would drive Abel crazy. They did agree to dress up, after all.  

“What do you think, Moss?” Moss, lounging on the couch, perks up at his name. She strikes a pose for him. “Pretty good, huh?”

He barks happily, the best compliment he could give.

After her shift at the bar, she’d gone out to grab everything she needed. A white tablecloth to add a bit of flare. Candles for ambiance. And the pièce de résistance: Thai food from Kanda House. Her laptop was placed on the opposite side of the dining table, the camera pointed at where she was seated. She quickly shakes her wireless mouse, clicking on the Zoom link Abel sent her yesterday. Only her video appears on the screen. Guess I’m early. Out of habit, she turns off her camera and microphone while she waits.

Her fingers tap rhythmically against the hardwood. A soft, orange glow radiates from the candlelight, its flames gently flickering left and right. Rowan’s eyes follow the flames dance, watching the wax slowly melt away.

“Baby, are you there? Can you hear me?” Her face immediately lights up at Abel’s voice. She unmutes her microphone.

“I’m here! Ready to be impressed?”

“By you? Always.”

“Alright, turn on your camera on three. One… two… three,” she clicks the camera icon. Their video feeds turn on simultaneously. “Hi,” she greets softly.  

“Hi,” he echoes. “Wow. You look-”  

“I know. So do you.” Unlike her, he opted to wear something that was already in his closet. Not that she minded. Quite the opposite. She couldn’t help but admire him in his father’s old blazer, entranced by the way it stretched at his shoulders. “I like the suit,” she compliments.

‘I love yours,” he sighed.

Rowan bit back a smile. “You love my suit?”

He blinks, confused, before correcting himself. “Dress. I meant dress. Cut me some slack, okay? I’m processing.” A sense of pride surged through her at knowing she could have that effect on him, even virtually.

“Process away, professor. I did get dolled up for you, after all,” she teases, leaning closer to the camera.  

“Consider your efforts thoroughly appreciated.” A buzz from his phone breaks him out of his trance. His eyes dart down, flashing with recognition at the message. “Speaking of effort, I have a surprise for you.”

“You do?” She can barely contain her curiosity, her mind shuffling through all the possible things he could’ve done.  

“Should be at your door any minute now,” he sings. As if on cue, there is a knock on her door. Moss jumps off the couch to inspect the scene himself. He eagerly circles around the welcome mat, barking at the unexpected visitor.

“Moss, down,” Rowan commands. Obediently, he scoots further back. “Good boy,” she praises, then turns back to Abel. “Who is that?”

A knowing smirk spreads on his lips. “Why don’t you go and find out?”

Giddily, she half-jogs to the door, smoothing out her dress. A deliveryman, no older than 20, stood outside with a large bouquet of white calla lilies in hand.  “Rowan Burke?”

She raises her hand. “That’s me.”

“These are for you. Please sign here.” She quickly scribbles her signature on his tablet before taking the flowers from him. “Cool, you’re all set. Have a good night.”

“You too,” she replies, shutting the door. The shock had barely worn off by the time she sits back down. “Oh. My. God.”

“My coworker’s brother is a florist. I picked those because they reminded me of your hair. You like them?” Abel asks, his expression hopeful.

“Baby, I…” she trails off, mesmerized by the elegant display of lilies in front of her. They stood tall, carefully arranged amongst smaller bundles of baby’s breath. She reaches up to touch one of the petals, appreciating the soft texture between her fingertips. Her heart constricts inside her chest, a rush of emotion hitting her all at once. “I fucking hate you.”

His eyebrows shoot up, clearly not expecting that response. “What?! Why?”

“Because I really want to kiss you right now and I can’t,” she whines helplessly.

His features soften. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to make it up to me when we see each other again.”

“I intend to. I’ve got quite the tab to settle with you,” she quips.

Grinning, he continues their banter. “Do you now?”

“Mhm, and I pay with interest,” she winks flirtatiously. Suddenly, a loud gurgle erupts from her stomach.

“We can discuss your payment plan after dinner. Let’s eat,” Abel chuckles, picking up his fork from the table. They spent the rest of their date chatting over their respective meals. She enjoyed a green curry while he ate away at his leftover barbacoa from last night.

“Oh! I almost forgot to tell you,” Rowan exclaimed, her words muffled by the rice in her mouth. “I got promoted! You are looking at Westchester Bar & Grill’s newest bartender.”

“That’s great, baby,” Abel congratulated.

“I know! I finally got out of dishwashing duty. And here’s the best part: I get a 30% employee discount on all the food and drinks there. Next time you visit, we’re getting hammered.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll just stick to the wings. I’m not much of a drinker.” To further prove his point, he holds up his glass of water.

“Aw, why?”  

“Because the last time I got drunk, I ended up doing the butterfly naked in a pool.”

She snorts, hiding her laugh behind a napkin. “The butterfly?”

“A rendition of it, yeah,” he elaborates sheepishly.

“You’re such a dork,” she shakes her head. “Okay, no getting hammered. We can be fancy and slowly sip on a glass of white wine together, instead.”

He smiles warmly at her. “Sounds perfect.”

“Of course it does. It was my idea,” she boasted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her mood sours as her eyes catch the time displayed on the microwave. “I should get going. I have an early day tomorrow.”

“Me too,” he agreed dejectedly.  

Neither of them move to end the call.

The candles on the table had melted down to tiny nubs, more flame than wax at this point. They don’t say goodbye. Goodbyes hurt too much. They leave that word unspoken, choosing to say this instead:

“I love you, Ro.”

“I love you too, Archaeology Boy.”

And then her laptop goes dark.

—

3.

*another day in Westchester*

Not many people tend to frequent Westchester’s only bar. The occasional patron that would stumble in during the day was far more likely to be there for the food rather than the drinks. Which made it the perfect time to learn how to bartend.

“Alright Burke, let’s see if you’ve done your reading.”

Rowan stares at Niel from behind the bar, a series of nozzles and glasses in front of her. “Hit me, boss.”

“I’ll have one classic daiquiri, an old fashioned, one Moscow mule, and three green tea shots.” He presses start for the timer on his watch. “Go.”

In a flash, she sets all the glassware upright for mixing before turning to grab the liquor. The ingredients along with any garnishes that were needed were already prepped. This was simply a test of speed and finesse- her third attempt since being promoted. Her first try ended with spilled liquor, a sticky floor, and a broken shot glass. The bottles that once felt foreign in her hands- too heavy and awkward to grasp- were now held with a firm, confident grip as she poured out the liquid with practiced ease. It wasn’t long until she slid his completed order towards him. “Your libations, good sir.”

Niel stops the timer. “Hm, not bad.”

“Not bad? I crushed that.”

“Let’s put a pin on the ego until after I try the drinks, yeah?” He picks up the bronze mug closest to him, eyeing its contents before taking a sip. There was no obvious sign of disgust. That’s good, I think? But Niel left little up for interpretation, his face remaining stoic as he smacked his lips together to assess the flavors. Being the only two people in the bar only added to the scrutiny she felt. The only sounds between them were the clank of glasses against the wooden countertop.

“So?”

“So what?”

“How’d I do?”

Niel sniffs, setting down his empty shot glass with a thud. “Decent presentation overall. You don’t need to look up the ingredients anymore, which is good. You’re still a heavy pourer, though. I'll go bankrupt if you keep that up.”

“I’m sensing a big, fat but coming,” she sings, leaning forward with a smirk tugging at her lips.

“But you managed to pass the test, kid,” he sighs. His exasperation only grew as she celebrated her triumph.

“Fuck yeah! Goodbye dishes, hello sweet tip jar. Up top,” Rowan hollered, holding out her hand to Niel, who only stared at her palm blankly. “Oh, c’mon boss. Don’t leave me hanging.”

There’s a brief pause. A moment where she thinks her request will be denied. Then, it comes- the roughness of his weathered skin meeting hers in a single, satisfying slap. “Anyone tell you that you’re insufferable yet?”

“Too many to count. I take it as a compliment,” she snickers, putting the empty shot glasses in the sink. “What do you want me to do with the extra drinks?”

“Consider this happy hour, Burke.”

Rowan’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re not bullshitting me, are you? Like if I agree, you won’t fire me right?

“Ain’t anyone here to entertain. Just make sure you’re sober before the dinner rush.” With that, Niel swipes the old fashioned and heads towards his office in the back.

“I love this job,” she hums, sipping on a daiquiri. 

~later that night~

“Get yer paws off my keys, woman!”

Rowan groans, pinching the bridge of her nose. I spoke too soon. “Jasper, you’re drunk. You can’t drive.”

“The hell I can’t! I’m per- belch- perfectly fine,” he slurs. His poor attempt to prove her wrong ended with him faceplanting on the floor. 

“That looks about right.” She pockets his keys before moving to lift him off the floor.

“That was smooth,” Devon comments from his stool.

“Are you here just to criticize me?" Rowan grunts, pushing Jasper up against the nearest booth. He snores loudly, but otherwise is dead to the world.

"I'm here for the free booze, actually. The critiques are a bonus," he winks cheekily.

"What he means to say is thank you. Isn't that right, sweetheart?" Connor gives his fiancé a pointed look, which he returns with one of his own. They stare each other down, having a full conversation with their eyes alone.

Eventually, Devon relents. "Ugh, fine. Thank you for the free booze. Happy?"

"Very." Connor gives him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Aw, that was really moving," she coos, placing a hand over her heart. Her façade crumbles into a fit of laughter as he teasingly flips her off. "But you guys don't have to thank me. Consider it an early wedding gift."

"There will be another gift from you at the actual wedding though, right?"

Connor nudges him with his elbow. "Devon!"

"What? I'm just asking!"

Rowan only smirks, returning to her place behind the bar. She slides a half empty champagne bottle towards them. "I trust you two will know what to do with the rest of this. I'm gonna call a cab for Jasper."

"Hey, you didn't answer the question!"

Connor pats him lovingly on the shoulder. "Let it go, sweetheart."

"Yeah, let it go sweetheart," she taunts. Devon glares at her, ready to argue, but is quickly distracted by another glass of champagne being shoved into his hand.

"To us," Connor cheers, clinking their glasses together. Chuckling, Rowan takes the opportunity to escape and walks into Niel's office.

"Evening, boss. Jasper's passed out on table four."

Niel heaves out a long sigh then picks up the phone on his desk. "He didn't puke on my floors, did he?"

"Happy to report that your floors are vomit-free."

"Fantastic. Go make sure it stays that way," he says.

"On it," she salutes, turning back towards the bar. Upon her arrival, she catches Devon and Connor in the middle of a heated make out session, their champagne flutes empty and forgotten on the counter. Well, that didn't take long. They don't notice her presence at all- completely lost in each other's embrace. "Ahem."

The sound startles them both apart, their heads simultaneously whipping in her direction. It was hard not to laugh at their equally disheveled appearance. "Oh- uh- hey! H-how long have you been standing there?" Connor asks breathlessly, his voice hoarse.

"Long enough to see tongue." Her blunt response causes Connor to flush profusely.

"Don't mind her, babe. She's just jealous," Devon purrs, sliding his hand down Connor's chest suggestively, which only made him blush harder.

"W-we should head out," Connor suggests, gently prying his fiancé's hand off his body.

"Mm, yeah we should. I can't wait to-"

"And we're going!" Connor blurts out, cutting him off. "Ro, thanks for everything."

"It was my pleasure. You boys enjoy the rest of your night." She tips her head at them, thoroughly amused. Devon stumbles forward, giggling as he and Connor leave the bar hand in hand.

—

It’s nearly three in the morning by the time Rowan makes it back to her apartment. Moss, loyal as ever, greets her at the front door. "Hey, bud. What are you still doing up? Did you wait for me?"

He makes a small noise in his throat, nuzzling her leg lovingly.

"Good boy," she praises, scratching the spot behind his ear. After a moment, Moss licks her palm and trots to his bed. Taking his lead, she plops herself on the couch, sinking into the soft cushions. The hours of standing had taken a toll on her feet. Turns out combat boots weren't the best choice of footwear for pulling a double shift.

For the first time that night, she checks her phone. One text from Amalia, two emails that are probably spam, and a voicemail from Abel.

Bitch: congrats on the new gig! shots on you next time i’m in town lol

She chuckles quietly while typing her reply.

Rowan: i’ll make sure to save the really good stuff if you bring over some la bandera

As expected, her message is left unread. Amalia always had the healthier sleeping pattern between them. Even before the nightmares. She goes to her voicemail next, pressing play.

“Hey baby!” Abel’s warm voice fills her ears, instantly bringing a smile to her face. “Remember that research proposal I'm working on? The rest of the team thinks we have a real shot at getting our grant approved! I’m so excited- I know I shouldn't get my hopes up too high, but I can't help it. I already baked two dozen sugar cookies trying to burn off all this energy. Anyways, I'm calling because I wanted you to be the first to know. Well, second. Lola called me earlier. Not sure when you’ll hear this so goodnight, good morning, or good afternoon if you end up sleeping through your alarms again. Love you.”

Her vision was blurry by the time the message ends. It was simple- nothing more than an update. So why was she teary eyed over it?

Maybe it was because Jasper decided to throw up right when her shift ended. Maybe it was from the soreness in her muscles from working a double. Or maybe it was just because it was 3 AM. Yeah, that’s it.

It’s 3 AM. She's tired.

It’s 3 AM and all she wants to do is call him, hear him talk way too fast that his words blend together because he's happy. But she doesn’t.

Because it’s 3. Fucking. AM.

If anything, she’d be pissed at him for being awake or pissed at herself for waking him up.

Frustrated, her gaze lands on the calla lilies resting on the coffee table. Its petals have since wilted despite her best efforts to maintain them, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw them away. Not when the only thing she sees whenever she admires them is him. Him and his stupidly adorable face.

A face she could only see in flowers. One that’s forever mixed with golden rays of light. He’s plastered all over the walls- old family photos he couldn’t fit in his suitcase along with some of their own. Behind closed eyes, if she’s lucky, he appears in her dreams. She can see him everywhere. Just not in person.

It’s 3 AM, so she sends one last message. The only one her brain can manage to think of at a time like this.

Rowan: I miss you.

—

She wakes up to the sound of rain hitting the rooftop. There’s a nasty crick in her neck from passing out on the couch. Groaning, she turns away from the window, blocking the light with a throw pillow. Meanwhile, the calla lilies droop a little further as the pile of petals surrounding its vase grows. On the floor, her phone screen lights up. A single message is left unread.

Abel 💛: I miss you too

—

4.

*one week later, at the warehouse*

“A gun?” Rowan examines the weapon in her hand, testing its weight. Huh, it’s pretty light.

“A dart gun,” Tom clarifies. “This bad boy is gonna make injecting horrors way easier. Allow me to demonstrate.” He takes the gun from her, unloading the cartridge. “See that chamber on the darts?”

She nods. “What about ‘em?”

“I filled them all up with Lucas’ serum,” he explains enthusiastically. “With this you won’t have to tackle every horror you see. Just pull the trigger and presto, another cured human.” He mimes shooting a horror down with his fingers. Impressed, Rowan claps him on the back.

“Nice work, Sato. Where’d you get all the darts anyways?”

“Parker knows a guy from Animal Control.”

“Hm, I guess there is a bright side to having a cop for a friend.” Tom snorts loudly, drawing the attention of the witches nearby. “When can I test it out?”

“Today, possibly. Devon found a new lead, but he’s driving up to Portland with Connor for a cake tasting. I’ve got work in an hour, so I’m out. Can you and Jocelyn take this one?”

Grinning, she whips out her cell phone. “Already on it.”

~one hour later~

The sun hung high in the sky. Tall trees surrounded her from all sides. Up ahead, Jocelyn examines a smear of blood splattered on a boulder. “Burke, come check this out.”

Rowan jogs to where she is, peering down at the rock. Her fingers swipe a line through the stain. “It’s still warm. Maybe-” a terrified shriek in the distance cuts her off. Her and Jocelyn take off immediately. They weave through the forest trail, cutting across a shallow river. Adrenaline courses through her, propelling her legs to run faster. “Which way?”

“Go right,” Jocelyn barks out. The screams grow louder. A harsh growl roars through the air.

“RRAGH!”

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!”

Rowan unholsters her dart gun, her boots pounding hard against the gravel below. A blood-splattered horror enters her field of vision. Next to them was a  teenage boy, desperately trying to stumble away from his attacker. His face is marred with scratch marks. He receives another gash to his leg as the horror swipes at it with their claws.

“Hey ugly! Over here!” Rowan whistles. The horror spins around, their face twisting with rage. No longer interested in the boy, they charge directly at her. “That’s it. Just a little closer.” Her finger steadies itself on the trigger, waiting for a clear shot. She looks through the sight and lowers her shoulders to fix her aim. With a deep breath, she pulls the trigger. Shooting out the barrel, the dart hits the horror square in the chest.

They collapse to their knees, groaning as the serum enters their bloodstream. Tremors wrack through their body as their sickly grey skin transforms back into a warm beige. Their claws retract and their frame shrinks back to normal. “Wh-wha? Where am I?”

“About five miles off regulation hiking trails. Now let’s go,” she replies, pulling them up to their feet. They glance at the teenage boy, who was currently being bandaged up by Jocelyn. Their face morphs with regret.

“Was that because of me?”  

Rowan looks at them with sympathy. “It wasn’t your fault. If you follow me, I can get you the help you need.”

“A-alright,” they nod, brushing the dirt off their clothes. “Um? Could you?” They point at the dart lodged in their chest.

“Right. Sorry.” Rowan grips the base of the dart and swiftly pulls it out. “Hey Joss! You okay if I go ahead and take them to the warehouse?”

“Yeah, sure. I won’t be- BURKE, YOUR LEFT!” She whirs her head around in time to see a second horror, much larger than the former, barrel into her, knocking her to the ground.

“Get- off- me-” she grunts, struggling to pry the horror’s hands off her arm. A kick to their abdomen pushes them off enough for her to crawl out from under them.

“You’re mine,” they sneer, baring their fangs out menacingly. A string of drool hangs loosely from their lip. Rowan tries to lift herself up, but the horror moves faster, tackling her back down. The force of the impact sends them both tumbling down a hill. A searing pain shoots through her as she slams into a jagged stone. There’s yelling in the distance. The weight of the horror on top of her is pulled off. A panicked voice tells, no, begs her to wake up. But she can’t seem to focus, her head suddenly hazy. Something trickles down her forehead. The last thing she sees is sunlight shining through the thick foliage of the trees. Then, everything goes quiet.

~meanwhile, at Rowan’s apartment~

Abel locks the car door behind him as he skips up the stairs of his old apartment complex. He spent the last couple of days in back to back meetings with his research students, but it was well worth it because it cleared his schedule for him to surprise Rowan. Excitement bubbled up inside his chest as he got closer to her door. She had loved the flowers he got her so much that he decided to buy the same bouquet again. Only this time, he could give it to her in person.

He adjusts the collar of his sweater and rolls back his shoulders before knocking on her front door. A moment passes. He knocks again. This is what I get for being spontaneous, he scolds himself. Taking out his phone, he calls her. The phone rings several times.

“Hey, this is Ro. Leave a message if you want. Beep.”

He tries again, but is met with the same voice message. Suddenly, his phone vibrates in his hand. BFFL 👩🏻‍🤝‍👨🏽 displays on the screen. He quickly taps the answer button. “Joss! Guess what? I’m back in town! Is Rowan with you? I guess I should’ve told her I was-”

“Abel, something happened.” The seriousness in her voice gives him pause.

“Where are you?”

“The hospital. Listen, she’ll be fine but-” His stomach drops. He’s too distraught to listen to anything else Jocelyn tells him. The flowers in his hand drop to the ground, forgotten. His feet are running before he can register that he’s moving.

—

*several hours later, at Westchester Medical Center*

The strong smell of antiseptic hits Rowan first. Machines whir and chime in a steady pattern.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

“Calling Dr. Benson to Room 8.”

Beep. Beep. Beep.  

She struggles to open her eyes. The florescent light above her too bright for her to bare. Through the small slit of her eyelids, she sees that she’s dressed in a white gown. Tubes of IV lines hang from her arm. Where am I? Something soft presses to her hand. It’s warm. Familiar. As the haziness fades, the ache in her limbs become more apparent. Everything is sore. Why does it hurt to breathe? Metal rings clang together. Some sort of curtain being pulled, she assumes. Then, a young man’s voice breaks through the white noise.

“Sir, only family is allowed to stay after visiting hours.”

“But I am family! I’m uh- I’m her fiancé,” Abel stutters out. Abel? But he’s in California. Wait. Am I in California? No, I was hunting with Joss…

“I don’t see a ring.”

“We’re getting it resized.”

The other person huffs out a disgruntled ‘whatever’ before exiting the room. There’s another squeeze to her hand. Abel’s thumb soothingly rubs over her knuckles. She tries to say his name, but her throat is tight. The best she can manage is a weak groan. “Nng.”

“Rowan?” Abel’s grip on her hand tightens. She begins to move, but winces as a stabbing pain shoots to her side. “Hey, take it easy,” he instructs gently, easing her back into bed.

“Aye aye captain.” Her eyes slowly flutter open. She smiles lazily at him. “Hey, sunshine.”

“How do you feel? Do you need anything? I can go get the nurse. Is your pillow-”

“Baby, slow down. I’m processing one question per minute right now,” she jokes, but her head does still feel like it’s spinning. “Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital. Y-you… you got-” Abel hiccups, his frown deepening.

“Hey, it’s okay-”

“It’s not okay!” He yells, his voice cracking. “You promised! You said you wouldn’t get hurt and you did! You-” he takes a shuddered breath before continuing. “You scared me to death.” His hair shields his face as he looks down at their joined hands.

“Abel…” He doesn’t move, except for the slight tremor in his shoulders. A teardrop lands on her hand. He’s crying. A bitter taste fills her mouth. He’s hurting and it’s her fault. She tries to think of something to say but she can’t think straight with that stupid beeping. Wait… that’s it! “Abel, do you hear that?”

“No,” he mumbles, too preoccupied with holding her hand to look at her.

“You don’t hear the beeping?”

He glances up, confused. “You mean the heart monitor?”

“Yeah. Do you hear it?”

“I hear it. So what?”

She gingerly moves her free hand to her chest and taps at her heart. “It means that this thing still works,” she smirks.

Abel let’s out something between a scoff and a laugh. But it’s enough to bring him out of his sorrow. “You’re an idiot,” he sniffles, wiping away his tears with his sleeve.

“But I’m your idiot.” She squeezes his hand in reassurance. “Also ‘idiot’ is a mean thing to call your fiancée.”

His eyes widen. “You were awake?”

“Barely. But I still heard it. So remind me, my oh so wonderful fiancé, how’d you propose? Did I know it was going to happen? How big of a diamond are we talking about here? I can’t quite remember on the account of the concussion,” she chuckles, wincing as pain shoots through her ribcage.

Smiling, Abel plays along. “It was a surprise. We talked about it beforehand, but you never knew when I was gonna pop the question. I finally asked during our romantic getaway in Mexico. And I went with a non-traditional moss agate ring. I thought it would suit you more.”

“Oo, did I cry?

“Like a baby.”

“Gross. I love it.”

Abel kisses the inside of her wrist. Then he moves up, placing soft pecks to each of her fingers with such reverence her heart does a flip. The heart monitor speeds up slightly. “I love you,” she breathes. “And I’m really glad you’re here.”

“So am I.” He brings her hand to his chest. She feels the steady thump beneath her palm. Gentle, yet strong. Just like him. “And I love you, Rowan Burke. More and more each day.”

—

In the morning when I wake And the sun is coming through Oh, you fill my lungs with sweetness And you fill my head with you

Shall I write it in a letter? Shall I try to get it down? Oh, you fill my head with pieces Of a song I can’t get out

Can I be close to you?

[snow--witch]

We love the same Choices books we love ❤️😭

As a new RC Player (downloaded 2022 but had no time to play more since catching up on old Choices), I totally agree with you. No matter how awful Choices is getting, the good old books will forever remain in my heart. Been Choices Player since 2016. So I understand you. Choices has fallen sooo low. I will miss my beloved Nik Ryder and Nightbound. My Ernest Sinclaire and Damien Nazario.

I better hurry playing Choices, write more fanfics before it's too late. The only hope I have are the really really good fanmade Choices games happening which you can play like a real Choices game. It Lives 3 is already out and Nightbound 2 is currently in work. I played the Demo and it was really good.

I feel so happy that you share the same opinion, the Favorite Choices books and same love like me ❤️ You seem kind. My ask box and blog is always open for you <3

It joys my heart

Hello dear, it's so cool to meet people who like the same things as me. I also played Choices since 2016, since there were only two books, I played my favorite books like 10 times each, no exaggeration lol and I will always love these old books (Ernest Sinclaire/Anabelle Parsons, Aster D'Yew, Tom Sato, Adrian Raines, Nik Ryder are forever in my heart ❤️). But for some time now Choices has become unrecognizable to me, these books that seem to have been written by a teenager with raging hormones bother me, they have no soul, just smut :/ So I took some time away from Choices (I also played It lives fanmade and I'm a game tester for Nightbound fandmade) and I'm totally focused on Romance Club now, RC is amazing and I really recomend to you Its so nice to meet you and my inbox is open to you too ❤️

[dystini]

Indycar Driver Lore

Indycar Driver Lore Masterlist

Takuma Sato

Birthdate: Jan. 28, 1977 Hometown: Tokyo, Japan Residence: Indianapolis/Tokyo Height/Weight: 5’4”/117lbs

Rookie Year: 2010

Team: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Indy 500)

Follow him on: Instagram Twitter

Career Stats

2010: KV Racing Technology - 21st Overall 2011: KV Racing Technology – Lotus - 13th Overall 2012: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 14th Overall 2013: A. J. Foyt Enterprises - 17th Overall 2014: A. J. Foyt Enterprises - 18th Overall 2015: A. J. Foyt Enterprises - 14th Overall 2016: A. J. Foyt Enterprises - 17th Overall 2017: Andretti Autosport - 8th Overall 2018: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 12th Overall 2019: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 9th Overall 2020: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 7th Overall 2021: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing - 11th Overall 2022: Dale Coyne Racing w/ Rick Ware Racing - 19th Overall 2022: Chip Ganassi Racing (ovals only) - 29th Overall

Formula One 2002: DHL Jordan Honda - 15th Overall 2003: Lucky Strike BAR Honda - 18th Overall 2004: Lucky Strike BAR Honda - 8th Overall 2005: Lucky Strike BAR Honda - 23rd Overall 2006: Super Aguri F1 Team - 23rd Overall 2007: Super Aguri F1 Team - 17th Overall 2008: Super Aguri F1 Team - 21st Overall

-A two-time Indianapolis 500 winner. -Sato was the first Japanese driver to win an INDYCAR SERIES race and the first to win the Indianapolis 500. -Sato previously raced in Formula One. -Outside of racing, Sato was a national high school cycling champion and still uses cycling as part of his training regimen. -The Japanese edition of Esquire magazine named Sato one of The Mavericks of 2019 and the Japanese edition of GQ magazine named him one of the nine “2017 Men of the Year.” -He was also awarded “Goodwill Ambassador” for the British Embassy in Tokyo. -nicknamed "Taku" -Sato has become known among fans and media for his motto "no attack, no chance" with regards to his racing style

Iconic/memorable moments INSIDE THE RACE // TAKUMA SATO AT GALLAGHER GRAND PRIX No Attack, No Chance: Takuma Sato Takuma Sato Captures His Second Indianapolis 500 Victory // Behind The Visor Honda Pace Car Lap with Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato // Mid-Ohio Bourdais, Sato fight after IndyCar practice in Toronto The Hayai Man from Japan: Takuma Sato 2022 PACE CAR LAPS // TAKUMA SATO AND DAVID MALUKAS AT BARBER Tom Griswold Interviews Takuma Sato (2022 Indy 500) Dave Calabro shares sushi with Takuma Sato 11 in '11 with Takuma Sato 2017 Indianapolis 500 - Last 5 laps + Interviews JAVA WITH JAMES // TAKUMA SATO AND JAMES HINCHCLIFFE The Fast Four: Takuma Sato, The Fighter Sato Talks Japan, Part 1 Sato Talks Japan, Part 2 Sato Talks Japan, Part 3

One of the most liked guys in the paddock, Takuma is also, not exactly feared on track, but other drivers are wary. His ‘No attack, no chance’ philosophy leads to him making high risk moves, often successfully. But then they’re not, and another driver has paid the price, it’s referred to as being ‘Sato-ed.” Moderately well-known in the states, he is a very big deal in Japan, a national hero, welcomed home with a massive celebration after his 2017 Indy 500 win.

Fanfic Lore

none

[choices-binglebonkus]

I’ve been considering writing another Tom Sato x MC fanfic

I know I’m definitely not the best at fanfiction, but I’ve really been having the Tom Sato fever again lately. If I write a Tom Sato x MC fanfic, do some of you want to be tagged in it?

[chriscdcase95]

Unwritten fic update: ATLA + Godzilla: “The Ancient World”

So I've been looking over unwritten fanfic I shelved, and one I often revisit is called The Ancient World, which is the result of me wanting to do a crossover adapting Godzilla and other monsters into the world of ATLA and LOK.

I wrote an older post on The Ancient World back in December, but since then I often revisited the story. Even wrote a draft for the first chapter. The original post is here.

I also had Korra based sequel, Age of Rebirth, which evolved into a crossover with the Star Wars sequel trilogy. I wrote a post for it, but I'm giving it a rewrite since the original post was over 8000 words.

It's not even the only Godzilla crossover I had in mind; I wrote ideas down for one with The 100, and another for Game of Thrones. Both of which The Ancient World took cues from.

Anyways, since I've been doing some revising and revisiting of The Ancient World, I thought I'd give it a follow up post based on these revisions. Much of the story and character arcs remain the same, but here it's expanded by more worldbuilding, character arcs, and a few OC's I had in mind.

----

Summary: Taking place a few years after Avatar The Last Airbender. The United Republic began international mining operations in the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, as society progresses with early technological advancements. When they dug too deep, they uncovered the remains of an ancient civilization lost to time, and regarded as myth. When dug deeper, they awaken Titans - beasts of these myths, that brought “The Ancient World” to an end, and may do the same to the current one.

One such the Titan known as “Godzilla” decimates the Water Tribes and makes his way to and through the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdoms. Another is a weakened and wounded dragon fleeing the wrath of Godzilla. Quickly showing its own spiritual power, communicating with humanity, introducing itself as Ghidorah, a claiming to be "guardian" sent to protect the world from Godzilla. Too weak to do much of anything (save for destroying a vast cabbage field), Ghidorah is seen as harmless by the general populations, who rally behind him as the only one who can stop Godzilla.

The leaders of the Water, Fire and Earth Kingdoms elect to throw their armies to face Godzilla until such a time Ghidorah’s power is restored. While Aang, his Team  and a small band of Kyoshi warriors, seek out the secrets of these monsters and try to find the way to put a stop to them with as little bloodshed as possible, Zuko is pushed by the other leaders, prioritizing the threat of Godzilla and a militant approach to deal with them. During an initial encounter with Azula and her followers out at sea, Godzilla attacks the expedition, getting them stranded on "The Uncharted Lands".

Between Ghidorah’s growing power, and the hero’s isolation, people on both sides find themselves going down the rabbit hole, learning of the Ancient World, and the monsters that brought it to an end in a bid to save their current one.

----

First off, let’s get this story’s main ships out of the way; Kataang, Maiko and Tyzula.

Out of the Godzilla timelines, it's mainly based off the Monsterverse, but there's nods to other and continuities.

1. "What is the Ancient World and what is the lore behind it ?"

If you haven’t guessed by the title, the twist would have been the titular “Ancient World” was our Earth. That and the recovery and reverse engineering of old technology explains the advancements seen in Legend of Korra. The “Ancient World” fell to an apocalyptic event known as “The Final Wars”, which would would have occurred a century or two before Wan’s time as civilization collapsed, and excessive radiation and mutation caused the animal hybrids.

The ATLA world would be revealed as the result of ten thousand years of rapid climate and geographic change, with the age of science giving way to the age of mysticism; some Titans show a supernatural and spiritual aspect to them, such as Mothra and Ghidorah. The Lion Turtles would be an example of such Titans. Mothra for example, would have the ability to enhance one's power.

What is currently known as “The Water Tribes” was once Alaska, and Northern Canada. “The Fire Nation”, was once Eastern Asia and Eastern Europe. “The Earth Kingdom”, was once South Asia.

The "Uncharted Lands" refer to any country/continent/region unexplored on ATLA/LOK’s map.  For example, the lands explored in this story were once the province of Ontario and New York state.

The Water Tribes were once Alaska, Greenland, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Yukon, Nunavut, and the North-West Territories. 

The Fire Kingdom was once Japan, Korea, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, North China, Far East Russia, South and Central Russia, and the Ukraine.

The Earth Kingdoms consist of India, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, South China, Tibet, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam.

As people and civilizations of these lands ? Think the Grounder's from The 100, or the tribes in Horizon Zero Dawn, and you’ll know what I'm going for. This is something carried over from Welcome to The New Age, when I wanted to crossover with The 100. They have a Clan system similar to The 100, and one of the OC's is called "The Commander", who is Lexa in all but name.

Despite mysticism and spirituality seeping back into the world after "The Final Wars",  these people live more mundane and down to Earth lives. Bending isn't prominent among these people. They know of Bending, but they generally lack it themselves, usually reacting with curiosity and wonder when they see it.

While the Ancient World’s are more obscure "myths" to the Three Known Nations, they're a lot less murky to the Uncharted Lands and their people; in fact they still find bits and pieces of "old world technology", which they try to recreate. As such, they have more knowledge of the Ancient World, and a more objective version of the Final Wars in their mythology. To the Three Nations, "Final Wars" myths vary; to the Uncharted Lands, there are a few variations but the constant was Godzilla was usually the "hero", while Ghidorah was always the villain.

As for this stories OC’s ? There's the Commander (again, a Lexa expy), though she isn't that prominent or involved. When her people first uncover Aang and Azula's parties, she has them brought before her to explain themselves. Discovering their Bending, she offers both parties places to stay as guests; not of her "palace" of course, but at a massive ranch that serves as her "palace's" main food providers.

The ranch itself is owned by a powerful family, that all but runs a community of servants. There's really not much to go about with them; narratively, they have no purpose except for giving the protags a place to stay, as well as an exploration of their culture. Though Aang and co (including Azula’s party) do sometimes end up doing a few chores for them during their stay, which includes helping taking care of a servant's baby, while said baby's mother is sick.

The only “major” OC would be Shirio, a minor Fire Nation noble, and foil to Kei Lo from Smoke and Shadow, but we’ll cover him in character arcs. 

2. Monster and Human interactions

Another thing I came up with was “Channeling”, in which a person (usually a bender) can soul-bond with a Titan through meditation.  A Titan can be telepathically/empathetically linked to a human, some verbally communicating through them. This is something taken from Toho, with the Heisei character Miki Saegusa having a psychic link to Godzilla; and the alien possession from Ghidorah: The Three Headed Monster.

For example, Katara accidentally “Channels” Godzilla at a few points, starting when she and Aang meditate together. It is through this, the protagonists get more of an understanding of Godzilla, vice versa as he interacts with them through Katara. It's shown that Godzilla has a marginal understanding of human emotion, but human culture and etiquette are so beneath him, they leave him utterly baffled. His attempts to comprehend customs - be it dancing at a wedding ceremony, or sitting down to have some tea - are often Played For Laughs.

Katara and Godzilla's "bond" is partially based off of Miki Saegusa. At first you'd think that there'd be a "Brooding Boy/Monster Bonds with a Gentle Girl" but no; Godzilla is surprised (and amused) to see that, caring as she is, Katara will choke a bitch. Between the two, Aang's the more "gentle".

But strong enough Titans don’t need consent to “bond” others. For example, Ghidorah, nearly crippled for two thirds of the story, relies on “channeling” to beg for human assistance. He can’t do much of anything beyond destroying a cabbage field where he goes to rest. Ghidorah has enough understanding of human emotions, relationships, and how they follow leaders, that he seeks out one who he can speak through. Ghidorah's first attempt was to “bond” with Zuko, but fails to make a link. 

His second option was to forcibly bond with the more “vulnerable” Mai speaking through her to manipulate Zuko, and turn the masses against Godzilla, propping himself up as a “Guardian Monster”. Ghidorah claims that other “Guardians” are asleep but will answer to his call. The Guardian Monsters is something taken from GMK (where Ghidorah was the hero). The story Ghidorah tells through Mai is pretty much a recap GMK, even having Ember Island host a stage play of it as “Pro Ghidorah” propaganda.

3. Other Monsters

Revisiting the story, I decided that I  more monsters to fatten the story up. It’s “Godzilla vs Ghidorah” story, but they fight once at the beginning and again at the end, with not much in between. Sure, Godzilla fighting benders could add variety to the “Godzilla vs the Army”, but I’m not sure that’s enough.

Some monsters I considered include Zilla, Desotroyah, Biollante, and even Gigan, but I wanted to use them in other stories and don’t like having to use the same monsters over and over.

Mothra’s also included. For two thirds of the story, Mothra would be in a chrysalis state, having made a home in the Fire Nation. Ghidorah would constantly feed off Mothra’s power to slowly rebuild his strength, essentially torturing her throughout. All while that Mothra is another “Guardian Monster” and who doesn’t mind being fed on.

Mothra tries to “Channel” with Benders, warning them of the truth, but the only one she reaches is Azula. Towards the third act, Azula speaks for Mothra to the Three Nations...but because she’s Azula, they don’t believe her (even with Aang, Katara and Ty Lee advocating for her) - in fact, they end up attacking Mothra when she emerges, with Ghidorah declaring her "tainted" by Azula.

For another monster, I ultimately went with Bagan.

For those who don't know, Bagan was infamous for numerous planned but scrapped appearances in the Heisei era. Toho had different ideas for what Bagan would be, but the “canon” origin they went with was a “demonic dragon god” from Ancient China. This origin for Bagan would be included here. Despite/because of Bagan's obscurity and constantly being scrapped, Godzilla fans tend to overhype Bagan as this ultimate Godzilla villain. To avoid that, Bagan here is a mid-story boss.

Bagan is awakened by the Three Nations, believing him to be a “Guardian Monster” who’d help against Godzilla...only to backfire because, y'know; Demon Dragon God. Bagan lays waste to the Water Tribes and a city in the Uncharted Lands, before facing Godzilla in Ba Sing Se. 

Godzilla is injured and exhausted from the fight, but with the help of Aang and co, Bagan is forced to flee...before having his power and life drained by an opportunistic Ghidorah, who lifts Godzilla into the air before dropping him into Boiling Rocks lake, before going on to lay waste to the Three Nations, with nothing but a weakened Mothra to fight him. 

This prompts a new expedition to revive Godzilla.

4. Ships and Character Arcs

First up is Kataang.

Aang's arc isn't that deep; when he learns of the Ancient World, he briefly angsts about the Air Nomads and his current world being forgotten like the Ancient World. But a lot of that existential stuff takes a back seat to the threat of the Titans and the discovery of Uncharted Lands. Though it still lingers as Aang watches society shift around him. By the end, he comes to terms that even if he does revive the Air Nomads, it'll likely be in a different form.

Aang is also the first one who tries to understand the Titans as opposed to attacking them blindly. While Katara accidentally channels Godzilla, Anng and co eventually manage to verbally communicate with him (albeit through Katara's mouth). Katara is more angry at Godzilla, since he did wreck her village upon making landfall, though she cools down when it dawns on her that most of the destruction Godzilla causes is accidental.

Then we get Godzilla's perspective; he's lost faith in humanity sometime after the Final Wars. He has sensed genocide, war and environmental damage for the past ten thousand years; last time he awoke (Kyoshi's era), he saved the world from another monster, and humanities armies attacked him while he was exhausted, nearly killing him. 

Aang and Katara take it upon themselves to show Godzilla that humanity is still worth caring about, letting Godzilla look through Katara's eyes as they interact with the world and culture around them.

As for Maiko’s arc.

Zuko is put into the role of Hero Antagonist as the Fire Nation throws their army against the threat of Godzilla. Zuko was who Ghidorah first had in mind to “bond” with, but found his mind too “stubborn and resilient”; Mai was considerably easier, although even she slowly severs the bond. Initially, Ghidorah uses Mai's position as Zuko's significant other, and the daughter of a governor to speak to the Fire Nation and sell his claims as a “Guardian Monster”.

To keep Mai in line, Ghidorah threatens to kill Tom Tom using her own hands. After a while, Ghidorah begins underestimating Mai as she begins putting up more resistance to their “link”, eventually overcoming Ghidroah's influence; Mai doesn’t letting herself be intimidated by him, and successfully resists his puppeteering attempts.

With Zuko's help, she severs Ghidorah's link and they plan on revealing the truth. Unfortunately, Ghidorah notices Kiyi is strong for her age, but has a “weaker, vulnerable mind”; forcibly bonding with her, threatening to self harm her to keep Zuko in check, and force him to set the Fire Nations armies against Godzilla, and threatens to have Kiyi kill Ursa to make sure Kiyi plays ball (in some revisions, he makes good on that threat). 

Great guy, that Ghidorah!

And now for Azula, who I consider the stories secondary protagonist. Yes, The Ancient World would be an Azula Redemption fic.

Picking up after Smoke and Shadow, Azula is still trying to influence Zuko and his rule, getting her hands dirty when Zuko’s are tied, following Aang’s expedition behind Zuko’s back. Ty Lee is among the Kyoshi Warriors joining the expedition. Azula figures she can play the expedition to her advantage (“For Zuko’s benefit of course. What would he do without me ?”) when the miners uncovered WMDs, which were to be put on the same ships Aang and co are using “for safe keeping”. 

Azula’s initial plan was to use these weapons to manufacture something to deal with the Titans (“And if anyone should have this power, it’d be the Fire Nation. Zuzu will thank me later.”) However, Godzilla attacks Aang’s expedition, leaving them - Azula and her crew included - on the Uncharted Lands. 

At the start of her arc, Azula herself isn't seeking redemption. She’s still trying to “guide” Zuko’s rule, and maintains a haughty front 70% of the time. But now that she's out of an environment, with none of Ozai’s lingering influences, the emotions Azula considered "weakness" start to surface.

Like Zuko, Azula would have a “bonding chapter/episode” with Team Avatar, and two with Ty Lee (three if you count Azula and Katara looking after her when Ty Lee has a fever). Azula wouldn’t have the same humility as Zuko and very reluctant to show her vulnerability to others. Whenever she shows compassion or altruism (notably, saving a baby from choking) she's quick to downplay it. It isn’t until Azula accidentally “bonds” with Mothra that she airs out her baggage to the others. Even then, she puts up a haughty front afterwards.

For much of the story, the cast has mixed feelings with Azula being among them. Aang is the most optimistic of them, being one who tries to see the best in everyone. Katara and Ty Lee are cautious about Azula, but warm up to her as her arc goes on. Then you got this asshole, Ty Lee's “boyfriend” Shirio (the fics only major OC) who takes “Azula is crazy and needs to be taken down” as gospel. Shirio has a hate boner for Azula, and soon makes it everyone’s problem.

While this is a Tyzula story, we don't go for “Caretaker Ty Lee”. In fact, Ty Lee’s arc is about being assertive.

Ty Lee doesn't immediately forgive Azula, nor does get relegated to Azula's support system. In fact, I'd say Aang would have more to do with helping Azula. Ty Lee has these mixed feelings, always second guessing herself whether she is just afraid of Azula or has buried romantic feelings for her. In fact, during the botched hijacking, Ty Lee is the one who fights Azula head on.

At first Ty Lee reconnects with a childhood friend of hers, Shirio, a minor Fire Nation noble trying to insert himself into Zuko’s circle. Shirio has a Nice Guy/White Knight complex, trying to be the “healthy/wholesome” savior to an “infantile/naïve” Ty Lee. Shirio also joins Aang’s expedition because Ty Lee’s on the trip.

Ty Lee spends much of the first half telling off Azula and standing up to herself, but bit by bit her resolve falters, and her more romantic feelings start to boil over. While Ty Lee herself isn't that instrumental to Azula's reformation, their relationship is used to juxtapose it. The more Azula heals and betters herself, the more she and Ty Lee start to reconnect, and it’s only when the walls break down does Ty Lee let her own walls break too. 

By contrast, Shirio shows a more toxic side to Ty Lee (and everyone else). 

Shirio's corruption arc is juxtaposed with Azula's redemption. At first Shirio seems like an enthusiastic friend looking to help the protagonists, but has a few red flags. Sure, he uses gaslighting tactics whenever Ty Lee second guesses herself. Sure, he self harms when things aren’t going his way. And when initially stranded, Shirio keeps an injured Ty Lee in an isolated camp, claiming everyone else was killed, to be “alone” with her, and feigns surprise/relief when they’re found. But y’know, he’s such a Nice Guy!

Anyways, the more Azula opens up, (re)connects with others and heals herself ? Shirio becomes more bitter, vindictive and unhinged, showing himself as the unstable monster he sees Azula as. He even silently considers smothering a baby because Azula “tainted” it by saving it from choking; he only doesn’t go through with it because he couldn’t get away with it. Later, Shirio helps awaken Bagan, deliberately provoking Bagan’s attack on two cities, getting hundreds of thousands of people killed; all because Ty Lee told him off and shared a dance with Azula at this ceremony they attend.

Azula’s first redemption moment (besides saving a baby) comes when she gets her hands on the WMD’s, but rather than manufacturing something that can kill the Titans, she instead uses it to power Godzilla, when he is left near dead by Ghidorah. The second is during the final battle with Ghidorah, where Azula pulls Kiyi from a river after Ghidorah has her throw herself in. Azula ends up resuscitating the unconscious Kiyi, and the first thing Kiyi does when she sees Azula is give her a hug.

At the end of her arc, Azula is in a much better place than we saw her before; she is even given a position of power in Republic City; I see post-redemption Azula as being “Reformed But Not Tamed Type”, putting her ruthlessness into being a businesswoman. 

In a Korra era sequel, it’d be revealed Azula had a hand in the United Republics industrial development, investing in different industries. Specifically, she helped a young Hiroshi Sato develop Future Industries, and Hiroshi becomes very close to Azula and Ty Lee's daughter.

Yes, I’m implying what you think I’m implying

4. Other Stuff

So Azula's not a human antagonist, then who fills that spot ? Technically the United Republic, with the Three Nations bringing their armies together to stop Godzilla; Zuko leading and representing the Fire Nation, Hakoda for the Water Tribe, Kuei for the Earth Kingdom. I say “Antagonist” and not “Villain”; they're only antagonists because they're in opposition to the protagonists.  

There’s no ill will with the protagonists. You see where they're coming from, and even if they're being manipulated and misguided by an Eldritch Dragon, they are uniting to stop what they see as a tangible threat to their people. And they do realize what they're doing was wrong and spend the third act trying to make things right.

Buuuuuut for a less nuanced Hate Sink ? Shirio’s your guy! Though he spends the last third of the story imprisoned after setting off Bagan’s rampage.

The third act plays out similarly to King of the Monsters, with a revived Godzilla battling an enhanced Ghidorah in the Fire Nations Imperial City. Godzilla would be backed up by the three armies, as well as Team Avatar and Azula. Ghidorah would eventually get overwhelmed and try to flee, but through Aang and Katara's water and air bending - enhanced by Mothra - Ghidorah's frozen solid mid air and explodes into a cloud of snow by Godzilla atomic breath. 

Mothra would survive this fight, but would sense something “off world” and fly off to investigate. Godzilla leaves peacefully after staring down the survivors, and the Three Nations have to rebuild their societies. And Azula's in a much better place with her family, Mai, and especially Ty Lee.

Beyond that, there's really not much else to cover. 

I remember writing this one sequence down that I really liked; it had Aang and his team (and Azula and hers) exploring the Uncharted Land's culture, and end up invited to a wedding. It was the “breather” episode of the story, with Aang sharing a dance with Katara, and Ty Lee sharing a dance with Azula.

In this sequence, we learn that this society has recreated/preserved songs from the Ancient World though various methods (mostly oral tradition). This is low key an excuse for IRL songs to exist in this story and it’s Korra era sequel. 

I call it the “How Do I Live ?” sequence.

[transdavidstephens]

Torchwood fic recs!

(@torchwoodbutmostlyowen is where I should've posted this)

First off - I'm going to link this whole page . Everything @iianto-jones writes is genuinely beautiful and makes up a chunk of my top favourites. I've linked the whole thing because Recover was the one which was in my Ao3 recs but On Happiness is one of my personal favourites. Recover has some of the most amazing imagery (and is a CoE fix-it, so, spoilers for that?) and is a very healing thing to read. In On Happiness Ianto is deaf, and this is actually a Jack/ Ianto fic (shocking, considering the rest of these XD). When I read it honestly gave me back a passion for reading which my kinda shit mental health was losing. It's a long fic, and definitely worth it. @aellesiym also did such a pretty piece of art based on Recovery it's genuinely stunning and so calming to look at.

Anyway!

No 1 - A Journal Of the Plague Year

If you do two things for me, please let reading this be one of them. This is right up there as one of my favourite, favourite Torchwood fanfictions. Owen is so in character, first of all, and he (along with the rest of the fic) is hilarious. It's set primarily during the Spanish Flu pandemic, and whilst there are slightly more emotional moments overall it's fairly uplifting. It is Owen/Andy, which I know may put some people off. However, I really do believe it is worth the read and have read (and recced) it several times.

Word Count: 16,152 Rating: Teen and Up

No 2 - tell rock n roll im alone again

Guys? This is the second thing. It's Ianto/ Owen and, although I would definitely say to give it a try, if that's not your thing you probably won't enjoy it. It's a Band AU, which I'm personally usually not a fan of, though honestly focuses more on their characters than anything. It's fairly cutting, and emotional in a way that isn't really sad? There are some bitingly humourous bits in it though - bits I keep coming back to. I think Gwen does cheat on Rhys in this, and Jack fucks around (including with John, who is also in a band) but I cant remember thinking anyone comes out particularly unfairly.

Anyway there's some good use of language and I've re read it a few times. Tosh is with Adam, just as a note. And I also feel I should say now that there is a s*icide note involved after Suzie (a character we never see) commits, and Owen is hit particularly hard.

Word Count: 17, 055 Rating: Mature

*I would still try No 1 is Andy/ Owen doesn't seem like your thing though. I mean it's totally chill if you read a bit and think 'not for me' but I just need more people to appreciate it, sorry I keep going on about it

No 3 - Message in a Bottle

This focuses on Torchwood 4, which is stuck in a wormhole in this story. They get involved with Torchwood 3, who then try to help them get back. I will say that at one or two moments Jack felt ever so slightly OOC but made up for it the rest of the time. The plot is interesting, the story is well paced and it is genuinely hilarious in places. My favourite thing about this does have to be the characters the authors have created for TW 4. They all feel so real and I would honestly love to see them.

Word count: 31,017 Rating: Teen and Up (there is phone sex involved I'm pretty sure but I think that's it and it can be skipped)

No - Long Road Home

This is an AU which sees Jack and Tosh unable to come back through the rift after Captain Jack Harkness. Admittedly, I don't remember much about it apart from it being very emotional. I have it recced in my Ao3 bookmarks and I've commented on it positively but will try and re read it give more accurate feed back.

This one! Is Jack/ Ianto, for those of you waiting for that. Also Toshiko/ Tim (I think? She does get her happy ending).

Word count: 14,793 Rating: Teen and Up

If you read any or have any thoughts (or recs for me) feel free to message! Also! Definitely add your own fave fics!

[julia-highstorms]

It Lives Beneath Masterlist

My complete masterlist

Tom Sato x Julia Vance-Chu (F!MC):

Tom x Julia drabbles

Tom x Julia - NSFW Alphabet

Tom x Julia - Fluff ABC

Runnaway - one-shot

I Can Feel It - NSFW - one-shot

Over - one-shot

Play My Game - one-shot

Moving Day - NSFW - one-shot

Video Call - NSFW - Valentine’s Day Special 2019 - one-shot

Movie Date - NSFW - one-shot

One of Those Nights - NSFW - one-shot

I Can’t Hide My Feelings From You Now - Valentine’s Day Special 2020 - one-shot

Playlist:

Julia Vance playlist

*Updated on 5 June 2020

[lovelahela]

❛ it lives in the woods ❜ ─ masterlist.

⇢ cast ; n.b. the fc used for mc (marisol reyes) is paris berelc. for characters who i’ve listed multiple options for, the ones used in this fic are in bold & italic. (e.g. cole as noah, manny as lucas, etc...)

⇢ prologue

⇢ chapter one

⇢ chapter two, coming soon !

p.s. a huge thank you to @noahmrshall​ for the  gorgeous gifs used below from when i used to cast nick as dylan!

[rulesofthebeneath]

If you’re still doing the prompts, could you please do 18 or 66 for a Tom (ILB) and Mc? The other fic you did for him was so good!

Hey anon! Sorry this took a bit, I had tests and essays and stuff to write. I ended up doing #66: “And then you laughed.”. I hope you like it! (And thank you for the prompt, Tom is my main man no matter how much I write for HSSCA)

A fire lit inside of Harper’s heart as she sat with her family and friends at the dinner table inside Arthur’s old musty house.

“Tell us how it happened!” Imogen begged. “Please, please, please please?”

Elliott rolled his eyes. “It’s really not that interesting of a story,” he said. “And I had to hear about it twice, once when they got here and again when Grandpa came home.”

“But we have to know for ourselves,” Parker said. “It’s not every day two of your friends get engaged.”

“Yeah, and we haven’t heard the romantic story at all,” Danni said, rolling her eyes at the teenager’s antics.

“Oh, stop fighting,” Harper giggled, cozy in Tom’s embrace. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and Elliott pretended to gag.

“Tell us!” Imogen whined again, and Harper grinned. 

“Well, if you insist.”

Elliott groaned.

“You can leave if you want, Scooter,” Harper said, but Elliott looked comfortable holding Robbie’s hand and playing cards with Arthur at the foot of the table. Harper’s friends had crowded around her and Tom and the head ever since their announcement.

“So we went out for our anniversary,” Harper said, “and it was super romantic. He set up all these candles in the park near our house and we had a picnic.”

“Wait, Tom can cook?” Danni asked with a smirk.

“When it’s for Harper, yes,” Tom said back, causing the group to break out in laughter.

“Anyways,” Harper’s voice cut through the laughter, “We were just eating, and then he whips this little box out of nowhere and asks me to marry him, no preamble whatsoever.”

“And then you laughed,” Tom reminded her.

“And then I laughed,” Harper nodded, remembering how surprised she’d been. “I don’t remember why that was my knee-jerk reaction, but I was just caught off-guard.”

“So she’s laughing and I’m automatically like, oh god,” Tom continued,

“And then I shut you up.”

“Three guesses how she did that,” Danni mumbled. Imogen shushed her, but Harper’s blush was enough for everyone to know.

“Let me just say, the ground was surprisingly uncomfortable,” Tom added, not helping at all. Harper buried her face in his chest, embarrassed. He turned to kiss the top of her head.

“Babe, if you think that’s all I’ve got, think again. I have a whole lifetime of embarrassing you to look forward to.”

As everyone else laughed, Harper giggled into her fiancé’s shirt. This was home, she felt it more strongly than she’d ever felt anything before. These people, her friends and the man who would become her husband- yes, they would lead her home.

[ladykateofledfordpark]

The Lake

This fic was inspired by the Choices July Challenge! =)

Day 29 Prompt: Comfort

Main Pairing: Parker x F!MC (Harper)

Warning: Talk about death

This fic is dedicated to @darley1101. It took me quite a while but I finally finished it. =)

Tagging also my wonderful friends @lady-kato @mariaoz @itsbrindleybinch @a-i-n-a-a-s-h @kingliamsbish and @jlpplays1! Thank you for all your support!

Summary: A few years after the finale, after Harper finishes college, the gang meets up once again.

Unedited-ish. Please excuse grammar errors and typos.

Harper’s boyfriend pulled on her hand. His eyes shone with the most beautiful happiness in the world, like a mix of mischief and elation in one. When Harper’s eyes met his he smirked devilishly, as if he knew something she didn’t.

She furrowed her brows. “What?”

Parker’s smile grew. “You’ll see.”

He led her down the nearly empty street, the eerie silence their only companion. Harper drank in the familiar neighborhood: the white, rickety houses; the barely usable fences; and the familiar pathways. A strange mix of nostalgia and dread filled her, as if her body didn’t know what to feel. 

The truth was Harper did miss Palm Springs while she was away, but this area held too many bad memories. Each house they passed reminded her of Ned’s, making her rehash the same scenes over and over again: Ned’s smiling face as she offered to work together with him; his empty eyes, urging her to run as fast as she could; and the constant fear of the Society as she looked through the window, her heart pounding at every sound.

This place held so much hope and so much fear, Harper couldn’t understand how Danni could still stay to live here after everything that happened.

At some point, Parker woke her from her thoughts. “We’re here. Do you want to call them, or should I?”

She didn’t think twice before jumping in. “I’ll do it.” The dark tingling was now so much stronger, urging her to look where she first met Danni. Harper knew it was there- her senses were screaming at her- but she also knew that looking, even if only for a second, would only intensify her pain.

So she forced herself to look straight ahead. She slowly walked toward the door, ignoring the tempting voice whispering in her ear. They were Ned, they were Josephine, they were Richard: people that haunted her dreams, and every waking moment too.

Harper paused before the door. She swallowed, took all the strength she had in her, and knocked. Before she could prepare herself, Danni opened the door. A smile rose to her face at the sight of Harper, but just as she opened her mouth Tom rushed past her. His arms wrapped around his best friend, an enthusiastic cry leaving his mouth. 

“Harper, I missed you!”

She smiled. “Long time no see, stranger.”

Danni shoved Tom away. “Not now, Tom.” She turned to Harper and absentmindedly patted her shoulder, grinning. “Never expected to see you again. How long were you stuck in that college for?”

Harper chuckled. “A few years.”

Warm arms wrapped around her, and familiar lips brushed her earlobes. “For the record, I missed her too.”

Danni crossed her arms. “I wasn’t talking to you, Boy Scout.”

“I told you I was an Eagle Scout.”

“I know.” 

Before Parker could answer, a shrill voice called out. A slim figure rushed toward them, a box in its hand. As the person neared them, Harper made out a familiar blob of curly hair and a warm smile, one with kindness she never met somewhere else.

“Sorry!” The girl apologized as she came closer. “I brought pancakes.” She held out the small plastic box like a peace offering, fidgeting. She tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry I’m late.”

Tom smiled. “It’s okay, Genny, we’re just happy you’re here.”

Danni turned to take the bag that lay at her feet, and then turned to the others. “Let’s go, then.”

Their walk was slow and relaxed, as if they had all the time in the world. It was strange walking down the streets of Pine Springs with the whole group, as if they were back to the summer of 2020. As if nothing changed since all the life-threatening situations they endured.

She didn’t know how to feel about that.

The group soon arrived to a grassy hill. Below them lay the lake, shining in the strong light of day. It seemed so quaint, so innocent. If Harper didn’t know better, she would have called this the most enchanting place in the world. However, memories of the lake tainted its allure, making it seem more like an enticing deathtrap than nature’s beauty. 

For a moment, Harper wished that she could look at this view in that innocence. She wondered how it was to be one of those people, humans who knew no better than what they were told. She couldn’t remember looking at any body of water that way, let alone the original lake itself.

“Harper.”

She turned toward Tom. He scanned her, his eyes betraying his worry. “What’s wrong?”

Harper clenched her fists. “It’s everything, really. This lake, the memories. They don’t go away.”

His mouth tightened in a thin line. “I know.”

Harper sighed. “I just wish there was a way to forget this ever happened.”

“No.” Danni interjected. Her eyes blazed like a living inferno, sending random bursts of lava as warning. “Forgetting is not the solution. It never was, and never will be. It’s a way of running away that only adds harm. Because if you forget, you don’t learn. And if you don’t learn, you repeat the mistakes. We can never forget, Harper. This happened, and we need to learn from it. There is no other way.”

For a moment, they were all silent. Harper turned toward the lake, the sparkling waters now seeming like a cackling laugh. She closed her eyes before giving a silent nod. “You’re right.”

Tom met Danni’s eyes, but didn’t say anything. He stepped past the two girls and walked to where Parker and Imogen were taking care of the picnic. Harper watched him, her heart aching at the sight. “Do you think we’ll ever completely get past this?”

“No, we won’t,” Danni answered instantly. 

Before she could elaborate, Imogen’s voice called their names. “Come! The picnic’s ready!”

It wasn’t really a picnic, as Harper found out. A stack of plastic plates were piled on the checkered cloth, Imogen’s pancake box beside them. The empty picnic box was now on the side, waiting patiently for the group to finish.

“We really should have brought more food,” Imogen commented. She frowned at the picnic box as she took another pancake. “I would have brought more food, but life has been hectic lately.”

“Oh, really?” Harper teased.

Imogen beamed. “Yeah! I applied to the colleges I want, and got accepted to the one I want the most! Now I’ll be able to truly help people.”

“What are you thinking of learning?” Parker asked curiously.

“Finance. That way I can help charities earn money, so they could give to people who really need it.”

“So like what you did with your parents’ money?” Danni asked.

The happiness on Imogen’s face disappeared, leaving only a weak smile behind. “Yeah.”

Danni frowned, but didn’t say a word.

Before things could get worse, Tom spoke. “I’ll soon finish college. It’s strange but exciting at the same time. I’m happy to finally get it over with.”

“Congratulations, Tom!”

He grinned. “Thanks, Harper.”

“Honestly, though, I don't know what I’ll do now. I have to plan my future now.” Her eyes met Parker’s and they shared a hidden smile, one full of hope, happiness and love. Parker took her hand and gently rubbed soothing circles on her palm, his touch as kind as his soul.

“I’m just happy Harper is back,” Parker uttered. “Life feels like one long day without her. Don’t get me wrong: I love my job, but it feels a bit repetitive.”

Danni shrugged. “Same here.” Once she thought about it, she added: “Except the Harper part, of course.”

The following moments consisted of fun and laughter, but also calm and silence. It was the perfect blend of comfort, like a riveting drink meant to heal the pain and help to gather strength for the way ahead. Harper lost herself in those moments: laying with her head on Parker’s lap; sharing jokes with her friends; feeling for once like a normal girl without any worries.

But when it started to grow darker and darker, Tom, Imogen and Dannie. They gathered the picnic materials before leaving. Parker and Harper stayed behind, their bodies now lying side by side. They watched the sky slowly shift, until suddenly the sun was setting, casting the world in a warm and comforting light.

“Parker,” Harper uttered.

He turned to her with a questioning gaze. “What?”

Harper ran a warm finger over the bridge of his nose, his cheek and then his lips. Her eyes sparkled with colors more brilliant than anything else could ever hold. Parker watched as their shade changed from deep blue to ocean green to majestic purple, almost as if she was tied to the sun itself.

Harper smiled. “I love you.”

Parker pulled her closer, so now they were almost touching. “I love you, too, Harper. You have no idea how much.”

She chuckled. “Maybe.”

Harper closed her eyes as Parker now ran his finger over her face. Her breathing slowed and her smile widened. She buried her head in Parker’s shirt and breathed in his comforting scent. It hardly changed throughout the years. He still smelled like a perfect mix of cologne, sweat and salty sea. Like water.

She smiled. “Parker?”

“Yeah?”

“What do you want to do now?”

He stiffened slightly. “I don’t know. Do you want to stay here?”

She thought about it: about Elliot, about her grandfather, and about her history here. Did she want to stay near her family or run away from the threatening lake?

Eventually, Harper nodded. “Yes.”

Parker looked at her incredulously, like a little boy who just got the perfect present. “Really?”

She grinned. “I think I can learn to love the lake.”

How could she not, when Parker was like the side of the lake she never knew? The comforting smells, the purity and the calm he always gave her?

He pulled her closer, and lay his chin on her head. “You don’t know how happy you made me just now.”

“I feel the same.”

At some point they drifted off to sleep, lulled by the chirping crickets, the silence of the night and the beauty of the lake.

[mythris]

I am not a writer by any means but I MIGHT do headcanons for Tom and MC in a long distance relationship. Would anyone be interested in my amateur ass writing for the first time?

[danni-whatshername]

cut your teeth // chapter 1

It’s said that everyone in Starklake knows a missing person. For the last decade, the small town has been plagued by disappearances and sparked its own satanic panic. Through the combined efforts of the police and tourism departments the general public is none the wiser. In fact, the nearby beach is perfect for bonfires and camp outs...

Chapter 1 Almost two years after that fateful homecoming night, the survivors of the Westchester attack come together for their first annual camping trip.

Word Count: 2.1k

Note: The leaves emoji links to accompanying Choices music. I decided to use 2nd person POV to simulate the experience of playing the app in a sense. I’d love constructive feedback and any comments! Strap yourselves in for a wild ride of a mystery.

Tags (For this first chapter I’m basically considering this a thank you/dedication for good pals! 💝): @brightpinkpeppercorn @strangerofbraidwood @jesusofnazario @itlivesinthegays @lady-kato

[  🍃🍃🍃]

It starts the same way every time. Somewhere deep down you know it’s not real, but you don’t have a chance to stop it. You feel as though you’ve been walking for miles. Every step sends a dull ache up your legs, but there’s nowhere to stop and rest. Besides that, you’ve felt it coming closer and closer the whole time. You heard from one of your professors that the reason cavemen survived was their sheer ability to endure the hunt. Where wild beasts tired after a sprint, humans could track for hours. Which is how you know what follows must be human—a beast would have taken you out long ago.

Tall pines surround you and every step feels agonizingly slow and heavy. You finally consider just collapsing onto the ground when you hear it. Telltale whispers that feel as though they’re coming from all directions at once. They are growing louder and louder despite your efforts to escape them. The edges of your vision grow dark as a shadow begins to envelop you. You feel a sharp blow to the side of your head—

[ 🍃🍃🍃]

“Whoa!”

Your eyes jolt open as a hard smack against the car window shakes you from your nightmare.

“Sorry. The potholes here are crazy,” Andy says and casts a worried glance at you. “You alright?”

“Yeah. Ouch,” you say as you rub the already growing bump on the side of your head.

Andy’s focus is back on the road as he attempts to avoid any more potholes. The road stretches on for miles ahead and is flanked by tall pines. Unlike the ones in your dream, the morning sun makes these look almost friendly.

“I know what’ll make you feel better,” he says.

“A kiss?” you tease as the fog of your nap wears off.

“I was gonna say picking up some snacks at the gas station, but if you insist on a kiss…”

“Oh I definitely do,” you say as you lean over.

“I could go for some snacks,” Tom pipes up from the backseat.

“Ah!” you jump in your seat, “I totally forgot you were riding with us,” you turn to look back at Tom who has the whole backseat to himself.

“Oof. Straight shot to the ego,” Tom winces and cutches his chest.

“Hey! You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Don’t worry about it, Katya.,” he laughs, “I’m just stoked you guys decided to invite me to your camping trip.”

“What? C’mon, man. Of course we’d invite you,” Andy grins at Tom through the rearview mirror.

“And it’s not just a camping trip. It’s the first annual Westchester Badass Club camping trip.” You turn back to Tom and make jazz hands.

“Please tell me you don’t actually call yourselves that.”

“I named our group chat that, so it’s basically the same thing,” you nod resolutely.

“I’m just excited to see everyone again. Everyone’s out doing their own thing now, so other than you two I barely see anyone.” Andy frowns and you notice him drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.

“You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to coordinate eight people’s schedules after you graduate high school.” You groan and feel the bump on your head throb just from remembering the constant rescheduling, following up, and organizing it took to even make one trip happen. Now with Andy finally graduated from his senior year, a summer camping trip sounded like the perfect activity to bring everyone together. Luckily group chats and Pictstagram made keeping in touch with everyone a lot easier.

“The last time we were all really together was at the memorial,” Andy says.

“Gosh, that’s coming up again soon too,” you frown and think back to the nightmare you had earlier.

“It’s in a few months. Do you think you’ll give another speech?” Tom asks.

“I hope not. There’s not much left to say. At least as far as the rest of Westchester is concerned.” You shift uncomfortably at the memory of your nightmare and the similarities it shared with the events that had taken place. “Anyways… this campground seemed nice online. Bonus points for being close enough to town that we won’t be totally screwed once we realize we forgot to bring something important.” You change the subject and hope it’ll stick.

“So… how much longer ’til we get there?”

You pick your phone up out of the cupholder and pull up the GPS app.

“Five hours.”

Tom whistles and leans back into his seat.

“Geez. Guess I’ll make myself comfy back here then."

“Are you gonna be okay driving so long?” you ask Andy. Your gaze naturally drifts over to his left leg. Despite Andy’s assurances to everyone (including the college recruiters) that his leg was doing better, you know enough to see that he still has his bad days.

“Hey, my eyes are up here,” Andy teases, “I’m doing fine. Really. Besides, what’s the point of getting a car if I’m not gonna take it out for a road trip or two?” he pats the dashboard.

“Alright. But if you need a break let us know.” You point between Tom and yourself.

“Seriously, dude. And we promise we won’t crash it or anything.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m going Dukes of Hazard on it the moment I get on the wheel.”

The next stretch of road is punctuated by singing along to old school hip hop (‘Can they even say that on the radio?!’), games of I Spy (‘Ok… I spy something green.’), and debates on the finer points of who really controls the music on a road trip (‘I have girlfriend and front seat privileges.’ ‘Oh yeah? Well I have seniority in how long I’ve been friends with the driver.’ ‘Neither of you has good taste in music.’).

———

Some time after crossing the Oregon-California border you decide to make your final stop.

Apart from the gas station and a tire shop, there isn’t much to see. The woods are far sparser and you swear you can smell the sea, but it’s definitely just in your head.

The three of you pile out of the car and stretch your legs. You swipe your card at the pump to pay and Tom heads into the gas station to pick up some final snacks.

As the number on the pump’s display slowly creep up you realize Andy hasn’t said anything yet. You turn to see him leaning against the hood and experimentally kicking his leg in and out. He stops when he notices you watching.

“Hey.” He grins innocently.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me,” you cross your arms, “You should have said something earlier if you weren’t feeling good.”

You’ve gone through the same conversation at least a dozen times before.

“I know, but if I can’t make it through one road trip…”

“Andy, you need to stop making up these arbitrary rules for yourself.” The two of you pause for a moment in awkward silence before you speak. You clear your throat and drop your voice to a comically low baritone. “Alright, Kang. I’m benching you for the rest of this car trip. You’re riding in the passenger seat ’til we get to the beach.”

The two of you break out into laughter.

“You’re so cheesy.”

“You mean you aren’t impressed with my vast knowledge of sports lingo?”

“If I close my eyes it’s like I’m really on the court.”

You finish filling up the car and settle into the driver’s seat. Not long after, Tom finally emerges from the gas station. His pace is hurried and when he finally gets in you notice his worried expression.

“Hey. You alright, man?” Andy leans his seat back and looks over to Tom.

“Yeah. The attendant just said some weird stuff after I mentioned where we were going,” he says.

“Gas station employees are either really cool or total weirdos. I wouldn’t worry about it,” you reassure him as you pull out and back onto the road.

“Spoken like a true horror movie victim, Katya,” Andy says.

“Shut up!” You laugh and playfully punch him on the arm. “I refuse to be a cheesy teen movie. I read Google reviews for this place. If a bunch of old white people say it’s fine, it’s fine.”

Your banter seems to ease the mood and the conversation slips back into something more lighthearted as you finish up the last leg of your trip.

———

[ 🍃🍃🍃]

The scenery begins to change the closer you get to the beach. The tall, dark pine forest is pushed further back and what trees do line the road are short and sparse You drive by the fork in the road that leads to the nearby town of Starklake. Even outside of the town proper you drive by a few homes and small businesses. A small brown sign points you in the direction of the campgrounds.

“We’re here!”

You pull into a small gravel parking lot and hop out to stretch your legs. Surprisingly, only a couple other cars are present. You figured that a beach campground would be absolutely swarmed during the summer which was why you had been so insistent about leaving early in the morning. The almost stranded lot proved that to be a wasted effort.

“Look who finally decided to show up.”

You recognize her voice before you even turn around.

“Ava!” you shout and have to hold yourself back from running over and hugging her. “How long have you guys been here?”

“Almost an hour. We were lucky to find a spot with how busy it was,” she waves a hand at the almost deserted parking lot.

“Ok, so I may have overestimated how packed it’d be. Can you blame me?” you say, grabbing your bags from the trunk.

“Oh don’t worry. We’ve already decided you’re in charge of setting up camp,” she says and grins.

“Suddenly I’m regretting my decision to ride with you,” Tom jokes before giving Ava a short wave. She nods in return.

“Don’t worry. I know the secret to setting a camp up real quick,” Andy says and slams the trunk closed.

“Pitching the idea that camping under the stars is the hottest summer trend?” you offer.

“No, but that can always be Plan B.”

“If you’re done trying to worm your way out of the work I’ll show you where everyone else is,” Ava says and begins to walk ahead without waiting for a response.

“You know it’s been too long when I actually miss Ava’s attitude,” Andy says.

The three of you scramble to keep up with her on the way to everyone else.

Your campsite ends up being about a fifteen minute walk from the parking lot, but the landscape of the beach makes it feel far more secluded. A rocky peninsula juts out to the right and encloses the campsite in its own little space. While the water isn’t crystal clear (or even particularly inviting) just being by the ocean invigorates you. Up ahead you see familiar figures standing by a small mountain of bags and camping gear.

“Hey guys!”

“Lily!” You break out into a run, but the sand slows you down and instead you amble on over to the group with all the grace of a giraffe. You almost knock her over with the force of your hug when you finally reach her.

“Whoa!” she yelps, trying to steady herself.

“Sorry. I just missed you.”

“You’re so lucky we missed you too or you’d need to do a lot more than set up our tents for making us wait so long,” Stacy says and pulls you into a hug.

“Don’t worry. Ava already chewed us out about it,” Andy says after he and Tom drop your cooler and bags off with everyone else’s.

“It hasn’t been that bad,” Dan says and bumps a volleyball over to Andy.

“Dan’s right. There’s actually some really interesting examples of the growing erosion problem on the beach here,” Lucas says and points out certain spots of the shore.

“Oh my god. Somehow your nerdy Picstagram posts pale in comparison to the live action Lucas,” you say.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” he says and pulls you into a side hug. “It’s great to see you all again.”

“Same here. I’m psyched we all get to hang out again before I start school,” Andy says while bouncing the volleyball between Tom, Dan, and himself.

“Let the first annual Westchester Badass Club camping trip begin!” you exclaim to a chorus of groans.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

End of Chapter 1

Chapter 2: With the camping trip in full swing will everything go on without a hitch?

[pixelburied]

Trees and Tradition (Tom x MC)

Summary: Tom and Elliot search for Harper (f!MC) when she goes missing while shopping for a tree. I figured I should write a little holiday fluff for ILB.

A/N: I’m emptying my WIP before the holidays. This may be my last fic for the year. Thanks for sticking with me!

TW: Anxiety

Disclaimer: All rights to Pixelberry.

“You alright there, Elliot?” Tom glanced at the teen in the passenger seat.

Elliot hadn’t said a word for a while and was staring out the window, watching the buildings pass by.

“M’fine.” He shrugged without looking back at Tom.

“How about we go get pizza after we find your sister?” Tom nudged him lightly with his elbow. Elliot’s lips curled into the tiniest hint of a smile.

“Sure.”

“All the toppings you want.” Tom grinned.

“I only like cheese.”

“Then we’ll get you the biggest slice of cheese pizza we can find!”

Elliot shrugged again but he smiled as he looked out the road. A companionable silence settled between them as they listened to the engines of the passing cars, the sounds of people milling about the streets and the low hum of the stereo.

Just a few hours ago, Harper had left messages on Tom’s phone, each one more distressed than the last.

-

Tom, I’m going out to buy a Christmas tree to surprise Elliot.

-

This is… harder than I thought it would be…

-

Ohgod, Tom. I can’t do this… I can’t.

-

Tom had accidentally left his phone at home when he went out to run errands but the moment he got the messages, he rushed to Harper and Elliot’s apartment. He knocked on their door breathless, knees weak and hands shaking. Elliot opened the door in shock, eyes widening as Tom tripped over his words explaining the situation.

“I’m worried about her.” Elliot was the first to break the silence.

“Me too, bud.” Tom took one hand off the steering wheel and placed it on Elliot’s shoulder.

They had been driving for the past hour, stopping by every lot that sold trees and scouring the establishments around them, looking for Harper.

“Stop here!” Elliot exclaimed as they passed by a familiar looking store. The quaint shop was outfitted with old wood trimmings, tiny lights twinkled outside the windows. A few trees for sale were on display outside and the smell of cinnamon and vanilla seeped through the cracks of the door frame.

They parked a few feet away, then Elliot hopped out and rushed into the store. Tom canvassed the block, looking around for any sign of Harper.

He found her leaning against a brick wall in a nearby alley, one hand pressed down on her chest while the other gripped the hem of her shirt tight, knuckles turning bone white.

���Harper?” Tom took a cautious step toward her, reaching out to cup her cheek. Harper leaned into his touch for a moment before collapsing into his arms in small sobs. Tom held her tight, quietly stroking her hair until she calmed down.

“I’m sorry. I thought I could do it. For Elliot.” It was the first time they would celebrate the holidays alone – just the two of them.

“You don’t have to do this alone, you know.” Tom kissed the crown of her head. “You don’t have to be strong all by yourself.”

Harper looked up with a small smile before catching Elliot standing a few feet behind them.

“Elliot! I-“ Before she could finish her sentence, Elliot had jumped into her arms, clinging tightly around her.

“Missed me?” She laughed.

“You big dork!” He held onto the back of her shirt tighter. “You had us worried sick.”

“I’m sorry, Scooter.” She whispered. “I just wanted to surprise you with a tree we could decorate. You know, like we used to every year.”

Tom stepped back to give the siblings some privacy. He let them whisper between themselves for a while until it got too cold to stay outside.

“How about I drive you two home and make hot chocolate for everyone?”

Tom and Harper sat on the couch together that night, limbs tangled together while each holding a warm cup of cocoa. Elliot had retired for the evening, exhausted by the excitement of the day.

“I was thinking…” Tom had an arm slung over Harper’s shoulders, pulling her in as he gently stroked her side.

“Hm?”

“I don’t have work tomorrow… Why don’t we go shopping for a tree together?”

“What?” She looked up at him with raised eyebrows.

“You know – you, me, Scooter?” Tom ducked his head as a blush crept on to his cheeks.

“You mean it?”

“Yeah. We can even go shopping for decorations. Or we can make our own! I may know a thing or two about origami.” He smiled down at her.

Harper pushed herself up slightly to capture his lips. Tom melted into the kiss as he pulled her closer.

“That sounds… wonderful.” She kissed him again and felt him smile against her lips. “Like a new tradition.”

“Yeah. Our own little tradition. Just the three of us.”

[choices-binglebonkus]

The Best Worst Night of My Life (Tom X MC - NSFW)

Book: It Lives Beneath

Pairing: Tom Sato X MC (Harper Vance)

Rating: NSFW

A/N: This is my first fanfiction on Tumblr, and it’s been quite a while since I’ve written any, so I did my best.  Formatting may be a little wonky, but bear with me here, folks.

Summary: After losing his temper and saying something soul-crushing to Harper, Tom Sato is feeling something a little more than guilt...

Word Count: 5886

“For all we know, Elliot is already dead!”

 Tom’s words were fierce and shattering like a boom of thunder.  He had felt his stomach drop as soon as he realized what he had said. Imogen looked completely blown away and had a scowl on her face wider than Tom had ever seen.  Danni looked like she wanted to tear him to shreds right where he stood, and judging by the look on Parker’s face, he wouldn’t have stopped her.  

Tom had never felt more guilt in his life than when he looked at Harper.  Her eyes had widened—he swore it—for just a second, but her face remained blank.  He had just told her that her brother was probably nothing more than a lifeless body, chow for the fish, bobbing around in the lake, and she didn’t even look surprised by it.  She looked like she had even accepted it.  And fuck, if that didn’t make Tom feel worse than he did before…

Tom took his glasses off and massaged his temples.  He briefly glanced over the two new smudges—one on each lens—both smudges from the tears that had slipped past his ducts after earlier’s blowout.  Harper hadn’t done anything to him and he yelled at her like an angry customer chewing out a poor retail employee.  Imogen and Danni had berated him, and Parker sent him to an empty room to think about what he had done.  Tom wiped away some of the forming tears that threatened to spill from his eyes.  He deserved this.

Harper had been his friend and companion ever since she had moved to Pine Springs.  He would have been lying if he said he didn’t feel an immediate attraction to her.  She was hot, after all.  All Tom could do after their first meeting was sigh and try to push the wild butterflies in his stomach away.  What would Arthur think if he caught his employee making goo-goo eyes at his only granddaughter?

 As time went on, the two grew closer.  After a quick conversation in the garage, he had even managed to score Harper’s cell phone number!  The two traded numbers and sent texts to confirm that they had indeed gotten the correct numbers entered, and for the next hour or so, the only thought in his mind was cha-CHING!  He had even briefly forgotten the arrangements they made to meet by the lake that evening until Harper started texting him with a sense of urgency he hadn’t felt before.  By the time he realized he’d royally fucked up, he almost thought it was too late to go out and meet her.  Something in the back of his head told him to go out anyway though, so he grabbed his bat and headed out.

 And boy, was he glad he did.  

 Brutally slaying a terrifying bear…snake…whatever monster with nothing but a baseball bat was cool enough on its own, but saving Harper’s life in the process?  To Tom, it was the wildest night he’d ever had.  Well, since the all-night Mario Kart 8 tournament he’d had with Andy, anyway. Harper had looked at him with such uncertainty but with such unmistakable awe that night.  Tom truly felt like a knight in shining armor.  

 Their friendship progressed slowly yet surely, and aside from a few instances of casual flirting, nothing out of the ordinary happened.  Then, tonight…oh, tonight…

 Harper was injured from the Lake Day disaster.  After taking off her shirt for him (and, of course, causing his heart to scream out “YOWZA!”), she sat patiently on the edge of the bed waiting for him to work his magic with the contents of the first aid kit.  After disinfecting her wounds, Tom asked her how she felt, preparing to put everything back into the kit.  

 Tom couldn’t even begin to fathom what his face looked like when she asked him to kiss her better.

 He could feel his cheeks burning a brilliant red as he stammered his nervous reply.  Harper coyly smiled at him and gently cupped his jaw in her hand, and the minute her lips touched his, he could have sworn there were fireworks going off somewhere in his brain.  The kiss had ended all too soon, and all Tom could do was helplessly utter a quick question as to how she felt.  She responded by leaning back in, but this time, Tom eagerly wrapped his arms around her waist.  

 Up until that very moment, he had forgotten that she was topless, the only thing separating her supple chest from the cool air of the cabin was her black lacy bra.  And oh man, if that wasn’t the total package, Tom didn’t know what was.  The icing on top of the…er, package was that the two were on a bed.  Tom was praying that his lucky stars would have his back tonight and not reveal the growing tent in his pants.

 Thankfully, a few minutes later, they had stopped.  Tom cleared his throat and started hurriedly putting the medical supplies away.  He was thankful that his erection was calming down, but he was still terrified Harper would see it and call him a creep or a pervert or something.  He just couldn’t let that happen.

 In an effort to distract her, he made idle conversation with Harper about how he had been nervous before coming to see her.  When Harper gave him a huge grin after he expressed his worry about possibly being sick, his mind suddenly shifted and had him fully engaged in the conversation.

 “Haven’t you ever been in love before?”

 Tom felt his heart practically stop.  He confessed that he hadn’t, his hands suddenly covered in a slick layer of sweat. His heart, having just recovered from the fact that he had inadvertently just admitted he was in love with Harper, nearly came to another stop when she admitted she was in love with him too. After Tom had bounced back from his initial shock, the two kissed like they never had before.

 But now, here in Ned Mallory’s house, nothing between them would ever be the same.  He blew it.  

 You fucking IDIOT, Tom.  You fucking hurt her, you loser.  God, what a scumbag.  Astrid should’ve jabbed your eye out, you worthless prick.

 Tom sighed, drying his eyes. He put his glasses back on, but not before gently wiping away the dried tears on the lenses.  He had to apologize, but he doubted she would even listen to him. He basically told her to stop giving a fuck about going back to the lake because her little brother, one of her only family members left, was probably floating around in the lake in bits and pieces.

 He took a deep breath and let it go.  Quietly standing up and creeping out of the empty room he sat in, he poked his head out into the hallway, glancing downstairs.  Imogen and Danni shared a blanket on one of the armchairs, both slumped over.  Arthur sat in the other armchair, idly staring ahead, blinking only once in a while as if he were deep in thought.  Tom got worried when he noticed Parker’s absence, but he realized that he was probably still on watch.  

 With the coast clear, Tom tiptoed as quietly but as quickly as he could to Harper’s room.

 Knock.

 Tom panicked.  “Gah, fuck, fuck, what—who the fuck knocks once? F-Fucking…”

 Knock knock knock.

 Tom patiently waited at the door, nervously tapping his foot.  He knew she was probably sleeping.  She had almost drowned.  But he couldn’t help but feel just a little nervous. After all, “Nervous�� was his middle name.  Uh, figuratively, of course.

 Without a second thought, Tom gently turned the knob and pushed the door open.  Harper lay on the bed, facing the wall.  Tom was about to turn back and leave when he heard the quietest sob come from the room.  

 Against his better judgment, Tom found his feet mindlessly scurrying over to Harper’s bedside after he shut the door behind him.  

 “Um, hey—”

 “Go away, Tom.  I’m not in the mood.”

 Tom cringed.  “Harper, please, I’ll only be a minute.  I’m not here to give you any more trouble,” he swallowed, looking down in shame as he mindlessly twiddled his thumbs.  

 Silence.

 “Uh, yeah…so…thanks,” Tom nervously shuffled a bit closer.  “Um, I…I just wanted to, um,” Tom cleared his throat.  “M-My behavior today…what I said was…was not cool, and—”

 “Go away.”

 Tom frowned.  He was starting to get annoyed, but he let his guilt extinguish the flames of his anger.  “Harper, please don’t let this change anything between us, I didn’t mean what I said,” he nervously shifted his weight to one leg.  “I was scared and angry and I was acting like a jerk, just like Parker said.  Just…GOD! I’m so fucking sorry, Harper.  I’m doing the best I can here, please—”

 Harper rolled over and planted her feet on the ground in a millisecond.  “I told you to leave me the fuck alone, Tom!” she snarled.  

 Tom was taken aback. “Harper—”

 “NO!  This has been the worst fucking night of my life, Tom. Don’t you fucking get it?! Tonight has been worse than any other damn night in my entire life! Worse than when my dad left my mom and I, worse than when I found mom and Todd dead in our apartment, worse than when I watched Kyle get dragged to his death inches away from me!”

 Tom felt his heart shatter. The worst night of her life?  “Well,” he sharply inhaled.  “I guess I was wrong to think what happened between us in the cabin meant anything, then.” He backed away, glaring at her.  

 Harper’s eyes widened, and a split second later, the fires of a thousand demons burned in her pupils. “You don’t get to say that,” Harper growled.  “You don’t have the fucking right to put words in my mouth, you fucking ASSHOLE!”

 “Keep your damn voice down, you’re practically screaming!” Tom hissed.

 “We wouldn’t even be arguing if you had just left me alone like I asked in the first place,” Harper spat, stepping closer to Tom even though he towered over her by a good four or five inches.

 “No, we wouldn’t be arguing if you weren’t so damn fickle,” Tom crossed his arms, his glare still fixed on Harper.  Why is she acting this way?

 “Well, maybe I wouldn’t be,” she made air quotations with her fingers and lowered her voice to match Tom’s.  “’so damn fickle’ if my brother hadn’t been kidnapped by a crazy skeleton monster, The Society hadn’t turned on us and sent all the authorities after our asses, and my grandpa hadn’t dropped the biggest fucking bombshell of the century!”

 In the heat of the moment, Harper put both her hands on Tom’s chest and shoved him backwards. Tom managed to resist most of the push, and when Harper moved in to shove him again, he firmly grasped both her wrists to prevent it from happening.

 “Let go, dammit!” Harper squirmed as much as she could to get Tom’s grasp to loosen up even the tiniest bit.

 “Hell no, you’re just going to push me again!” Tom grunted, tightening his grip on Harper’s wrists when he felt it beginning to slacken.

 “Then you’d better hope I don’t come free or it’s your ass!”

 Tom gave Harper a questioning look when she stopped struggling.  This has to be some kind of trick to get me to let my guard down.  His eyes ran up her body.  Her chest was heaving, her cheeks were flushed with anger, and her eyes darkened as a strange expression crossed her face.  The hostile atmosphere between them seemed to morph into something else entirely, and Tom could feel his heart hammering out of his chest as a strangely familiar feeling began to wash over him.

 “I…” Harper swallowed hard, briefly biting her lip.  Her chest continued to rise and fall erratically.  “Goddamn, I’m so turned on right now,” Harper growled, her voiced laced with a hunger that wasn’t there before.  

 Tom hadn’t even noticed his raging erection until Harper had made her comment.  His pants were absolutely killing him.  No sooner had he released his grasp on Harper’s wrists than her hands darted down to make quick work of his belt buckle.

 The next minute or so was a blur.  Tom had helped Harper out of her shirt while she had helped him out of his.  One of them had removed Tom’s jeans—he couldn’t remember who—and as Harper took a minute to look his body up and down, Tom suddenly recalled what had started the whole thing.

 “Shove me, will you?” Tom half-asked, half-exclaimed as he shoved Harper onto the bed.  She blinked away her surprise at the taste of her own medicine and grinned widely, her eyes half-lidding as Tom loomed over her.  

 “Come get me,” Harper teased, winking and sticking her tongue out.  

 “Oh yeah?” Tom licked his lips, looking over her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  “Why should I do that?”

 Harper reached up and pulled him to her by the hair, causing him to wince a little.  “Because, Tom,” she began, staring right through him. “I’m the one who’s going to be in control tonight.”

 Oh.

 So she was going to be like that.

 Tom swallowed hard and nodded obediently, Harper’s grasp on his raven locks not faltering.  Instead, she leaned in a bit more and pressed her lips to his.  As Tom started to return the kiss, she stopped and pulled away.  She leaned in again and kissed him once more, repeating the same actions over again.

 Oh.  My GOD.

 Harper, gentle and polite as she might have been before, was teasing Tom.  She was trying to see how far she could push him.  

 And he loved every bit of it.

 Harper broke the kiss a final time and looked up at him through her lashes, a coy smile playing at her lips.  “So, what am I going to do to you tonight, Mister Sato?”

 Tom pleasantly shuddered at the sound of Harper referring to him by his last name.  “Maybe…s…sex?”  he managed to eke out, trying to stand a bit taller to regain his composure.

 Harper laughed quietly and gently ran her fingers through Tom’s hair, earning more pleasant shudders. “Well, obviously,” Harper stood on her tip-toes and pressed a quick kiss to Tom’s lips.  “But the real question we need answered is what I’m going to do to you before, during, and after.”

 Tom stood silently, watching Harper with rapt attention.  His palms were covered in yet another layer of sweat and his rapid heartbeat had no intentions of slowing down.  He hadn’t been this nervous in…well, ever.

 “Make no mistake,” Harper tugged on one of his longer strands of hair, eliciting an excited whimper from her companion.  “I’m going to be the one in charge tonight.  I promise I’ll take very good care of you, but if you don’t do as you’re told…” Harper’s eyes lowered as she tantalizingly trailed her fingers down Tom’s chiseled chest, down his stomach, stopping when she reached the waistband of his boxers.  “You’re going to be in a world of trouble.”

 Tom’s eyes were the size of saucers.  When he had gotten out of bed that morning, he had never, not in a million years expected what had happened that day to take place.  After narrowly escaping The Society, Tom thought the curveballs would stop coming.

 He thought wrong.

 Harper suddenly gave a harsh tug on another lock of Tom’s hair.  “We clear?”

 Tom nodded frenetically. “Y-Yes, clear.  We’re clear.  We are so clear.”

 “That’s good.  Now,” Harper smirked and snapped her fingers. “Help me out of my jeans, and make it snappy.”

 Tom would have laughed at her pun had he not been so entranced by the situation at hand. Before his mind had even processed what was happening, his hands were unbuttoning Harper’s jeans and unzipping them. Harper smiled and sat back on the bed, raising her legs, and Tom tugged each pant leg off until she sat before him in nothing but her black lace underwear and matching bra.  

 “Alright, that’s good,” Harper grinned wider.  “Get rid of those boxers.”

 Tom didn’t need to be told twice.  He had his boxers off quicker than a bride’s nightie.  His erection, freed from its cottony prison, gently slapped against his stomach for a moment.  Tom could feel searing heat in his face, another blush blooming across his cheeks.

 “Very nice,” Harper purred, admiring his manhood with a faint blush appearing on her own cheeks. “Now, lay down for me and play with yourself.”

 Tom froze.  He swallowed so hard he could have sworn a visible lump went down his throat.  

 She…wants me to masturbate in front of her?

 Nonetheless, Tom was hard as a rock, and the thought of Harper getting pleasure from watching him jack off was enough to obliterate his shyness.  Well, most of it, anyway.

 Harper moved a bit on the bed to give Tom enough room to lay down.  He sat on the bed and reached back, freeing his hair from the band that held it in the messy bun he fixed every morning.  Setting the hairband on the nearby nightstand, Tom eased onto his back, his hair splaying across the pillow.  He propped himself up slightly and took his erection in his hand, gripping it ever so slightly.

 Slowly and steadily, his grip firmed, and his hand slid up and down the length of his manhood.  It felt pretty good, but it would feel even better if he sped up.  But Tom wanted this for now; he wanted to tease Harper like she had teased him.

 Ignoring his burning cheeks, Tom looked over at Harper who sat at the foot of the bed.  She met his eyes and smiled, giving him a small wink. As awkward as Tom felt, he felt himself return the smile and give her his own clumsy wink, quickly looking back down to focus on what Harper had commanded him to do.  

 Tom autonomously bit his lip in concentration, his eyes half-lidding as his pace began to quicken.

 Down.  Up.  Twist. “Nnn…”  Down.  Twist. Up.  Down.  Up.  Gasp.

 Tom almost forgot Harper was in the room until he happened to look up for a brief moment.  He had also not realized that she had stopped giving commands.  She was just…watching.

 Only when he more closely paid attention to the position of her hands did he realize that one of them had dipped into her panties.

 A warbled moan from somewhere deep in Tom’s throat escaped him, a small globule of pre-cum beading on the tip of his dick.  It was just too much, but it wasn’t enough.  

 “Harper, please,” Tom panted, clumsily sliding his hand up and down his length.  “Do something.  Anything.”

 Harper gave a quiet gasp at the urgency in his voice, pulling her hand out of her panties and taking a deep breath to relax herself.  Her impish grin returned to her face a moment later.  

 “I suppose I’ll oblige,” she giggled, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.  “But you’re not really supposed to be asking anything of me, so I’m going to have to punish you somehow.  You know how it is.”

 Harper’s eyes came to rest on something by the nightstand Tom couldn’t quite see because of his position on the bed.  She got off the bed and walked over to the nightstand, bending over to pick up the item in question, the pair of handcuffs the group had decided to keep after Imogen was locked into them.  As Harper walked back to the bed, Tom couldn’t take his eyes off her lovely waist and shapely ass.  Every swivel of her hips drove him mad.  Had he still been playing with himself, he might’ve cum right then and there.

 “Lay down all the way for me,” Harper ordered, Tom immediately slinking down to where he was completely on his back.  “Okay, now hold your arms back for me.”

 Tom lifted his arms above his head, and Harper looped the handcuffs through one of the posts of the headboard before putting Tom’s wrists in the restraining device, cuffing him tight enough so he couldn’t wriggle free, but loose enough that it wouldn’t hurt him.

 “Well, I guess I’m really at your mercy now,” Tom sheepishly grinned, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively before his nervousness returned.  “I, um, I’m sorry if I don’t last too long.  I kinda got pretty far when I was, um…playing in…‘single player’ mode…”

 “Mmm, don’t worry,” Harper crawled up the bed, stopping at Tom’s erection.  He shivered when she gently took it in her hands, running her fingers over every inch of it, almost as if to memorize its shape and feeling. “I promise I’ll take good care of you tonight no matter how long you last.”

 Tom suddenly gasped, his fists clenching as Harper slowly licked all the way up his shaft. “H-Harper, hhaaaaahhh…please…”

 Harper smiled, repositioning her hand on Tom’s manhood.  She leaned in once again and gingerly dipped the head in her mouth, her tongue running over its surface area.  She gave him a gentle, experimental suck, earning another quiet gasp from her companion.

 “No more, g-gonna cum…”

 Harper gently released Tom and watched as he lay writhing beneath her, panting with sweat beading up on his forehead.  His face was beet red, probably one of the reddest shades of “Tom’s blushy-nervousy complexion” she’d ever seen grace his cheeks.  

 “Sorry…‘m sorry,” Tom rasped, his chest’s rising and falling beginning to slow down a bit.  “You almost finished me off just then, I don’t want this to end before you’re ready.”

 Harper gave a small smile. “Thoughtful of you,” she brushed a stray lock of hair from Tom’s face and reached down to straighten his glasses for him.  “Most guys probably wouldn’t hesitate to let their lady finish them off.”

 Tom’s heart did a little backflip.  Harper had just indirectly referred to herself as his lady.  His lady.  What did this mean for them?  Were they just a budding romance, or were they, dare Tom even ask, boyfriend and girlfriend?  The thought of them together as an official couple made Tom internally swoon.  But now, here, he had to focus on the matter at hand.

 And that matter at hand was getting laid.

 Harper bit her lip and looked down at her panties, Tom’s eyes following her hands as they slowly dragged the fabric down her legs.  She reached back and locked eyes with him as she fiddled with the clasp of her bra, Tom’s heart skipping a bit faster as soon as he heard the click of her bra being unclasped.  She shrugged it off and let it fall to the floor, her deliciously round breasts illuminated by the pale moonlight that crept through the blinds.

 Tom couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from her chest.  Had he not been restrained by the handcuffs, he would have sat up and reached out to touch them.  Just by looking at how round and supple they were, he could practically feel them in his hands.  

 Harper once again crawled high up on the bed, hovering over Tom’s pelvis.  “Is this okay?” she asked, looking him in the eyes.

 Tom swallowed and nodded, giving a hint of a smirk.  “Yeah, but you’re the one in charge here, remember?”

 Harper lightly chuckled, reaching down to stroke his cheek.  “I know.  I haven’t forgotten,” she murmured, her eyes darting downwards as she reached for him, carefully lining him up against her.

 The only sound in the room as the two of them became one was the quiet, almost inaudible gasp that escaped both their lips simultaneously.

 Harper lowered herself onto Tom until he was buried to the hilt.  He sincerely hoped she was enjoying this as much as he was.  He mindlessly reached for her hips, only to find his hands pulled back by the handcuffs.  

 “Let me do this for you, Tom,” Harper whispered, leaning down to kiss his collarbone.  She traveled upwards and planted several soft kisses across his jawline, stopping to gently nibble the crook of his neck. “I may be the one in charge, but I promised to take care of you, and that means giving you the ride of your life,” Tom gasped as her lips found his sweet spot, gently nibbling and sucking the tender skin of his neck.  Harper suddenly stopped and looked down at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “And I plan to deliver.”

  Harper firmly planted her hands on either side of him, slowly moving up and down.  Tom drank in the sight of her hovering over him, her gorgeous breasts bouncing with every movement she made.  He desperately wanted to reach out and grasp her hips, her breasts, anything, but the handcuffs kept him securely restrained. He would have complained had he not been completely entranced by the situation he was in.

 Tom would have never expected their relationship to turn out like this so quickly, or at all, for that matter.  He had never heard his boss mention anything about even having grandchildren, but when he stumbled upon the old man poring over legal documents entrusting him with Elliot’s care, Tom felt himself immediately bubbling with curiosity.  He simply had to ask what was going on.

 “Bah,” Arthur had sneered. “I’ve never met either of ‘em. I’m only doing this because my daughter would have wanted it.  If they so much as misplace one damn thing in this house, it’ll be their heads.”

 Tom found himself questioning who “they” were, as only Elliot was mentioned in the papers.  He inquired who else would be staying with Arthur.

 “Well, I have to take care of this kid, Elliot, and his older sister, Harper, will probably have to come stay here from time to time when she’s not in college,” Arthur replied. “I’ve never even met these kids, they’ll probably be a pain in my ass,” he spat.

 Tom had merely shrugged it off.  Arthur was his boss, not to mention cranky if he was bothered enough.  The last thing he wanted to do was piss the old man off by asking one too many questions.  Elliot and his sister, Harper, were going to be staying with Arthur, and that was that. Tom almost expected the pair to be an inconvenience to him as well, because Arthur’s mood would almost certainly go south.  He was a solitary man, only tolerating even Tom for a limited amount of time before shooing him off.  Surely two people living with him would wind up pissing him off, and fast.  What Tom didn’t expect was to come marching through Arthur’s front door one day to see a lovely young woman there.

 Harper suddenly gave a soft moan, her eyes closed and her movements quickening, which effectively pulled Tom from his train of thought.  “Tom…nnnnn…” He felt his lips quivering as he held back his own sounds of pleasure. She wasn’t making this easy for him; the sound of her moaning his name brought him to the brink of orgasm.    

 The day he had met her, he had called Andy up on the phone and yammered on and on about how he had hit it off with a pretty girl he had just met.  He knew she would probably end up in the arms of someone else in town within a week or month or so, but he never expected to be the one lucky in love.

 “S-So warm…” Tom blissfully mumbled, closing his eyes and bucking his hips to try and meet Harper thrust for thrust.  “You’re so beautiful…”

 Harper abruptly stopped moving, and soon enough, Tom felt the sensation of her lips on his.  He made a face to return the favor, thrusting his hips upwards as Harper gently parted his lips with her tongue.  Tom fiercely combatted her tongue with his own, managing to turn the tables and invade her mouth as her hands worked their way into his hair.  

 Tom felt yet another sensation, this time, a warm, contracting feeling around his erection. Harper, with her lips still pressed against Tom’s, moaned and sighed and grasped his hair as she hit her peak, riding out each wave of pleasure with a shaky thrust from Tom.  

 Harper gently pulled away, panting.  Her cheeks were even more flushed and her eyes were glassy with a post-climax look about them.  “Come on, Tom,” she seductively whispered.  “I know you’re almost there, you’re doing great, sweetie.”

 Tom threw his head back and groaned, Harper’s voice calling him “sweetie” replaying over and over in his mind.  The coiling spring in his abdomen was getting tighter and tighter by the minute.  She was right; Tom was almost finished.  Come on, Sato.  Just another minute—hnnn…another thirty seconds at least!

 “Just a…haaaaah…a m-minute longer,” Tom moaned, bucking his hips faster.  “N-Not ready…” He could feel his glasses about to fall off his face, but he didn’t care.  All that mattered was the beautiful girl he was making love with.

 “You’re so cute,” Harper giggled, tracing Tom’s jawline with her finger, earning a few pleasant shudders from him.  “Whenever you’re ready, Tom.”

 Tom slowed down his thrusts, instead exchanging speed for power.  He bucked his hips as hard as he could, sweat glistening on his forehead, and he felt the tension in his body start to come undone.  “H-Harper,” he groaned, his toes curling up as he began to come undone.  “O-Oh my G-God, HARPHPH!” Tom moaned into Harper’s mouth after she had pressed her lips to his once more, spilling his entirety into her warmth as he slowed his thrusts, slowly coming down from his high.

 Harper collapsed next to Tom, who was panting and gasping for breath.  She smiled and snuggled up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, which still hadn’t returned to a normal pace.  “Sorry for kissing you so suddenly,” she began, prompting Tom to open his eyes and look at her.  “When you started to cum, you got kind of loud.  Didn’t want to wake the others up.”

 “Oh, right.  I kinda forgot there are other people in the house,” Tom replied.  “But whatever.  I, um, had a pretty nice time…” he looked away, suddenly feeling rather awkward.

 “A pretty ‘nice’ time?” Harper laughed, pressing a kiss to his chest.  “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you probably had a little more than just a ‘nice’ time.”

 Tom rolled his eyes and smiled, the blush in his cheeks still ever-present.  “I…y-yeah, I really had fun.  Do you think we can maybe do this more often once this is all over?”

 Harper giggled, leaning upwards to kiss Tom’s jawline.  “Absolutely,” she locked eyes with Tom.  “We’re going to get through this.  I know it.”

 Tom frowned, remembering the circumstances.  “I sure hope so, Harper.”  

 “Come on, we’ll be fine. It’s you and me against the world, babe.” Harper lay back down, resting her head on Tom’s chest once more.  

 Tom could feel himself grinning.  He was just so content—no, happy—with life right now.  Even with all the drownings and The Society chasing after them and all the undead monsters, he had Harper, and he would never let her go.

 The two lay in silence for a few minutes, snuggled up together.  The room smelled of fresh sex, the musky scent lingering in the air. Oddly enough, Tom found it kind of refreshing.  The pair continued their silence before Harper spoke up.  “I feel gross,” she muttered, looking down.

 “Huh? Why?” Tom asked, sitting up a bit.  

 “I mean, um…we just kind of had sex on a dead man’s bed.”  

 “Oh,” Tom slunk back down. “Ned, right?  Did…you know him?”

 Harper nodded.  “Only for a little.  I met him the morning after Kyle died.  When I showed up at his house and told him I was suspicious of what was going on in Pine Springs, he gave me an Omen Bracelet to help protect me. But…then…”

 A silence hung in the air between the two, an understanding passing between them before Harper cleared her throat.  “Anyway, I don’t want to ruin the mood.  Tonight, as bad as things have been, was pretty good, all things considered,” Harper admitted with a smile.  “And I know I said this was the worst night of my life, but honestly?  This has been the best worst night of my life, so…thank you,” she reached up to cup Tom’s face and pressed a long, heated kiss to his lips.  

 “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of smooching you,” Tom grinned.  “But for now, how ‘bout you grab the key to these handcuffs and let me go? My wrists are feeling gnarly right now.”  

 Harper went rigid.  “The…key?”

 “Oh, no,” Tom groaned, sensing immediately where this was going.  “Don’t tell me the key wasn’t with the handcuffs when you grabbed them earlier.”

 “Um, we still have the key, remember?  It’s just that…I’m pretty sure Grandpa has it…”

 “Can you get the key from him and bring it back up here?”

 “Well, yeah, but there’s two things right off the bat that I can see causing trouble,” Harper raised one of her fingers.  “First of all, he’s going to be suspicious of me asking for the key,” she raised another finger.  “Second, there are a ton of keys on that keychain, and they all look exactly the same, and if I know Grandpa, he’s just going to come up here himself and find you like this.”

 Tom sighed.  “Yeah, that does sound like him…” he perked up a second later.  “Okay, just in case he comes up here, can you put my pants and boxers back on for me so it’ll minimize the embarrassment I’ll have to suffer through?”

 Harper grimly nodded. “Yeah, I can do that.”

 As soon as Tom’s pants were back on, Harper exited the room and gave Tom a sympathetic look before closing the door behind her.  He listened to her footsteps going down the stairs until they faded.  He strained to listen to the hushed tones of conversation going on in the living room, completely unable to make out any words between Harper and Arthur.

 Soon, Tom could hear footsteps making their way up the steps, but he felt a pang of terror shoot through him as he realized the footsteps weren’t Harper’s.  All he could do was lay there helplessly and wait for the inevitable.

The door opened, Arthur standing there with the keys in his hands.  He locked eyes with Tom, still shirtless and sweaty, bound to the bed in a pair of handcuffs with the sharp musk of sex still obviously present in the room.

 Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit…

 Tom forced a toothy grin, trying to look as casual as possible.  “Heya, boss! What’s shakin’, bacon?”

 Arthur stood there for a minute with a completely blank expression on his face.   Then, without a word, he turned around and left the room, closing the door behind him.

[ernestsinclairs]

Sun Daze

Parker Shaw x MC (Bethany)

It’s over. It’s finally over.

Autumn was beautiful in Pine Springs.

The little dock jutting out from the back porch made a suitable seat. The water lapped softly at Bethany’s feet as they dangled freely in it. There was nothing to be scared of now. Stretching, she sighed contentedly as footsteps grew louder and louder behind her.

“You’ve been out here for an hour,” Parker teased as he settled down next to her, wrapping one strong arm around her shoulder. Bethany laughed and leaned into his touch, breathing in the sweet scent that was so distinctively him.

“I’ll miss it when I go back,” Bethany murmured, her face still buried in the cloth of his dark fleece jacket. “I can’t see much from the quad.”

He was silent for a few moments before he spoke again.

“How long will it be? Before I see you again?”

Bethany exhaled, lifting herself up and training her eyes back on the sunset.

“Christmas break maybe? I can get away earlier if my professors will let me.”

She smiled, resting her head on Parker’s shoulder and tracing one finger lazily across his cheek.

“It’s the last year of college. I’ll be out soon.”

The two sat in silence for a little while, not talking, just enjoying each other’s presence. Their silhouettes shone starkly against the rich sunset backdrop, two shapes molded into one as they pressed into each other.

“Are you sure you want to come back? To Pine Springs, I mean,” Parker said, leaning over to kiss her temple. 

Bethany laughed, slapping his arm playfully.

“You know I want to, Parker. There’s no chance I’d leave when I have this.”

“Have what?” he teased, kissing her a little harder. She laughed and tried to push him off fruitlessly.

“All I want is here. You know that.”

Parker folded her hands into his, an easy feat given their size. Bethany attempted to pull away, to fix a strand of dark hair that had gone astray, adjust his collar a few degrees, but he kept her hands firmly in his.

“Will you stay?”

His voice had suddenly taken a more serious tone, all mirth gone from his face. This was the face he made during a late night call, the face of resolve months back when the cultists came, the face of utter solemness.

“Parker,” Bethany said slowly, looking straight into the bottle green eyes she’d grown to know and love. “I am staying. I am staying for you, and I am staying for what I already have. I won’t leave the things I love.”

He visible relaxed a little, as if a steel beam had been bracing his back and had just been taken out. Leaning forward, he pressed his forehead to hers, kissing it once briefly.

His hand shifted a little, and Bethany tilted her head in confusion as something cold, something hard made its way into her closed palm. Carefully opening it, she was greeted with a tiny sparkle of light.

“Parker . . .”

He stopped her, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. 

“Take your time. I won’t push.”

Bethany picked up the ring carefully, catching the facets with the blood red and gold rays of the sunset. It was beautifully crafted, the thin honey gold band melting into the gold of the sky, the tiny diamonds in their filigree settings sparkling like the lake on a clear summer day. 

She must have been silent for a long time. When she drew out of her shock, she was finally aware of how much time had passed.

“I know, it’s early,” Parker defended, his tone almost apologetic. “I should have talked, should have asked you. I just . . .”

He hesitated.

“I just couldn’t imagine a life without you.”

Looking at his face again, Bethany raised a hand to his cheek, feeling the smooth skin underneath, the slight pinprick of stubble.

“Yes.”

He blinked in surprise, taking a few seconds to reassure himself that it was actually happening. Bethany laughed and moved in to kiss him, pressing her lips against his in full contact.

He reciprocated, with such power that she almost fell backwards. His arms bracing her, she pulled herself back up, running her fingers through glossy dark hair.

Taking her hand, Parker carefully slid the ring on, a new marker of a new life. The sunset began to darken, twilight began to drop. The ring still glittered as brightly as ever. 

“What now, officer?” Bethany teased, twisting the ring around her finger. It was solid. Real. Good.

“I guess we start planning,” Parker replied, leaning in and pressing his lips against her forehead briefly. “Though it might take some time.”

“I’m willing,” Bethany breathed, closing her eyes in bliss. “Let’s do this.”

@give-me-ernest-sinclaire

[the-nazario-chug]

The Night Pangs: An It Lives Beneath Drabble

Pairing: Tom/MC (Margot)

Summary: Tom comforts Margot after a nightmare.

Rating: Fluff and angst.

Word Count: 785

Disclaimer: I do not own It Lives Beneath or any of its characters, they're the property of Pixelberry. (Also this is the first choices fanfiction I’ve finished! I hope you like it! <3) (Note: I did try to put in a keep reading thing, but it made my post disappear every time I reviewed it so I figured a drabble isn’t that long you can keep scrolling lol)

The dark settled around them like a balm, a breeze drifting in from their open window. The softness of two lovers breathing in sync echoed throughout the bedroom, and the moonlight gave a faint glow on their bared skin. Nothing dared breach their cocoon of peace, that is, nothing except from within.

And it wasn't the cold breeze that woke him, or the glare of the moon’s light on his eyes, but the shuddering and whimpering coming from the woman wrapped in his arms. Pulled from his grogginess, Tom shot up to sweep his gaze over Margot’s long curly hair cascading down her exposed shoulders to her delicate lashes fluttered in her sleeping state and her soft lips that pursed, then parted as quiet whimpers escaped from her. It must've been a nightmare.

Worriedly he stroked a hand down her brown locks, tucking the strands behind her ear. Then he pulled Margot close to whisper sweet nothings into her shoulder, the tenor vibrations and tender caresses slowly but surely lulling her to restful sleep again. It was only when he could feel her racing heartbeat calm did Tom sigh in relief and nuzzle her neck, planting a comforting kiss there.

It was often like this, each of them tormented by the ghosts of their past. His memories of Andy, what little he could do to save him. Even though Andy was still alive more than ever in fact, a professional basketball star and engaged to his highschool sweetheart, still Tom couldn't wipe away the sight of Andy’s broken body before him. Even as life continued on, Tom’s subconscious was still weighed down by the guilt of what he had almost let happen.

He was sure it was the same for Margot, plagued by these phantoms. By her parents, the horrors they witnessed in Pine Springs. When these traumas came up, it was hard for either of them to talk about it, but they tried. The first time it happened, Tom hadn't wanted to pry, but she told him anyway.

~8~

“It's not just the memories,” Margot choked out a whisper as she clung to him, while Tom wiped the tear streaks from her cheeks, “It's like my head keeps repeating the things I fear the most. I keep dreaming of everyone dying. Parker, Danni, Imogen, Elliot… and you. So many times I thought this is it, this is how you die, because of me. Because I failed you.” It was all he could do to pull her close to stop her shaking. And to stop himself from shaking too.

“Margot… I’m so sorry, you shouldn't have to go through this.” Tom’s fingers drew soothing circles against her back as she sniffled, “I know I can't make the memories go away, but I'll be here for you through every single one. No one died, not Parker, not Danni, not Imogen or Elliot… or me. We all lived, Margot, not because of dumb luck or Josephine's mercy. We lived because we all believed in you, and you helped us believe in each other. And now, after everything, the fact I get to comfort you like this makes it all worth it.” Tom whispered into the night, and Margot gazed at him silently with glossy eyes. Eventually, his brows furrowed in concern when she didn't say anything.

“Was- was that okay? Are you o-?!” The dark haired man huffed in surprise as his girlfriend threw her arms around his waist and squeezed him tightly, “Margot! What's wrong?” It was then Tom could hear Margot laughing through her tears.

“Not great but… I’m working on it.” Was all she could manage, there were no other words she could think of to express her gratitude. Luckily there was a way she  could use more than words. Peppering his face with kisses until he laughed was one of them.

~8~

Tom cradled Margot’s head against his chest and petted her hair with his free hand, the other hugged her waist. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, they would always be dogged by their demons, it wasn't possible to forget them and they didn't want to. They wanted to remember how they got there, how lucky they were.

It was difficult to accept the things they went through and what they had to lose along the way. What they had to do just to survive. But when Tom looked down at this beautiful woman he loved, who loved him, he wasn't scared about the past or what was to come, he only felt sure.

Sure he was excited as hell to ask her to marry him, so he could chase her nightmares away for the rest of their lives.