#twice a month i come down with some bullshit that leaves me unable to work or do anything i cant do it anymore

[clownpassing]

i can't wait to go to the fucking urgent care once it's not 4am anymore i am so miserably sick again

[briankeene]

An Open Letter to Pete Kahle of Bloodshot Books

Dear Pete,

I was supposed to be writing about the dangers Artificial Intelligence presents to the gainful employment of full-time authors, but instead, I’m having to write this because of your bullshit. So you’ll forgive me if I’m less-than-fucking-polite.

Mary SanGiovanni, Cynthia Pelayo, Sonora Taylor and others who know me like to tell people: “Leave Brian alone. He’s retired, and spends his days caring for cats and playing with his ham radio station.” And they’re not wrong, Pete. I’ve worked very hard to get to the point where I am — a place where there’s enough of a backlist that I can count on it providing an income when I’m no longer able to write due to the forthcoming infirmities of old age, and I don’t have to deal with anyone’s bullshit anymore.

When I retired, Pete? When I killed off The Horror Show and stepped out of the spotlight and quit fighting the horror genre’’s battles for it? I did so with the knowledge that there was a whole new generation of writers, artists and filmmakers who were now empowered to do that for themselves and for the genre as a whole. And it’s been delightful watching them do just that over and over again these last three years. Sure, they check in with me once in a while — asking my advice or guidance on dealing with the nitwits and threats, and I’m happy to offer that advice and guidance, but make no mistake, Pete. They step up all on their own, and take the bull by the fucking horns.

Case in point is Todd Keisling putting you on blast yesterday evening on Twitter.

Which brings me to the point of this letter.

Now, I don’t know Adam Millard. To the best of my knowledge I’ve never met him (although it’s possible he’s come through my line at a signing or bought me a drink at a convention). But despite my not knowing him, I have no problem believing his allegations, Pete, because they’re the same allegations many other authors have been making about you for several years now, both publicly and in private. And I do know some of those other people. And I’ve seen your communications with them. Twice now, over the last two years, I was going to get involved in this (despite retirement) but both times I was asked to wait, and to give you a chance to rectify the situation. But you are either unwilling or unable to do so, so allow me to briefly step out of retirement and say hello.

Hello.

If your first reaction to this is to offer apologies and share whatever is going on in your personal life — don’t. You’ve done that repeatedly in the past, when other authors in your stable have raised these allegations. Personal problems — be they health, a loved one, depression, day job, etc — are all perfectly valid, but they lose that validity as months turn into years and you still haven’t rectified the problems. So don’t apologize. Don’t make excuses. We’re beyond that now, Pete.

What can you do to rectify the situation? What can you do to help the genre at a time when we’re seeing publishers begin to use A.I. to do the writing and drawing, and the global economy slides into recession, and a worldwide paper shortage plays havoc on release schedule, and Amazon seems intent on making it impossible for people to easily find or purchase our books, and we compete for the attention of an ever-increasingly distracted populace that has more entertainment choices than ever before?

Well, I’ll tell you what you can do, Pete. Here’s my advice, freely and earnestly given.

Step 1: Immediately send each and every one of your authors a royalty statement, accounting not only for online sales, but direct sales at places like the Merrimack Valley Halloween Book Festival and Camp Necon. If you can’t immediately provide each of them with a royalty statement, then immediately revert their rights, take their books out of print and out of distribution, and shut down Bloodshot Books.

Step 2. Pay them what you owe them. If you can’t pay them what you owe them, then immediately revert their rights, take their books out of print and out of distribution, and shut down Bloodshot Books.

Step 3: Once you’ve paid them what you owe them, immediately revert their rights, take their books out of print and out of distribution, and shut down Bloodshot Books.

Step 4: Shut down Bloodshot Books. If you can’t do that, then know that these people won’t be quiet any longer. And neither will I, Pete. I’ve got some free time, in between playing with my cats and my ham radio. Know that the next time you set up a table at a convention, there will be someone watching and taking note of every copy of every author’s book that you sold in real time, so that those authors can then be informed.

If you give a shit about this genre, about your own writing, or about your peers and the folks you call friends, then do the right thing, Pete. Because being a publisher? This is not for you.

— Brian Keene PS: As we’ve seen time and time again over the last 25 years, whenever there’s trouble like this with a publisher, there are always one or two authors who say “Well I haven’t had a problem” and rush to the publisher’s defense. In advance of that, know that your peers see you, and will remember that you only care about yourself.

[artificialqueens]

By Your Side (Biadore) - Candy Cane

A/N: just a oneshot based off of a prompt sent in that asked for bianca finding out abt adore’s onlyfans! its not quite that tbh but the words take me where they want to go lol please enjoy!! <3 theres some other things ive been trying to work on but its slow going rn as my cat is very sick and a lot of my time and energy has been dedicated to him, but i hope to get more out soon!

It’s only been a few months into quarantine when Adore finds herself on the phone with one of her oldest friends. Like, old physically not old as in how long they’ve known each other. But to be fair, there aren’t a ton of people she’s been friends with longer than she’s been friends with Bianca. Courtney and Darienne too for that matter.

She loves Bianca. Their friendship is something precious to her, and surprisingly this is only the second phone call they’ve had since quarantine has started. They talk basically every day through texts, and that’s on top of the hours they spend going back and forth in the ABCD group chat with Courtney and Darienne. The four of them have something special, all of them realize that. There’s just something specifically between her and Bianca that Adore’s never really been able to place her finger on.

Out of the blue this morning Bianca simply… called her. Adore spends a full moment staring at the CallerID trying to figure out where the fuck this is coming from. With an uncertain frown, she answers the phone, hanging upside down off the side of her bed of course.

“So… OnlyFans? Seriously?” Bianca asks incredulously, her voice crackling over the phone speaker.

What a way to start a conversation after not hearing each other’s voices for like a month! Even though Adore can’t see her face, she can practically hear the raised eyebrow.

“Fuck you,” Adore laughs, unable to help smiling at Bianca’s playful accusations.

“Not that I’m mad, but why fucking OnlyFans? Aren’t bitches doing podcasts now?”

“I’m bored, okay? There’s not a lot to do but drink and masturbate, and drinking hasn’t really been doing it for me lately. Plus, I gotta make money somehow,” Adore grumbles through an explanation, lifting herself up and sprawling out on her bed awkwardly.

“Do I need to set up an intervention? You know I will,” Bianca says with faux seriousness, “Seriously though, if you need some help…”

Adore frowns down at her phone. She hates pity, she hates unnecessary worry, and she definitely hates burdening people with her bullshit.

“B, I’m fine, I promise,” she says earnestly, “I guess I just… I miss you. A lot. And we can’t see each other right now and it fucking sucks and I’m really lonely-”

“Come over.”

“What? I can’t, B, we’re quarantined…”

“When’s the last time you left your apartment?”

“Uhh, I dunno, maybe a month ago?’ Adore answers, unsure of where Bianca is going with this.

“Okay, that’s well over two weeks. Come hang out with me for a few days, get some human interaction, I’ve been needing it myself. I haven’t gone out or seen anyone for a few weeks now,” Bianca admits, and Adore feels suddenly giddy.

It’s been so long since she’s seen someone, since she’s even gotten a hug, and she really wants to see Bianca…

“I’ll be there tomorrow morning,” Adore agrees, not even thinking twice about it.

Bianca is everything to her. This person was one of the first to really take her seriously, to really see something in her, and Adore doesn’t know where she’d be without her. Every time something goes wrong, her first instinct is to call Bianca. Everytime something amazing happens, her first instinct is to call Bianca. They’ll spend hours talking or texting just because and Adore wouldn’t have it any other way.

They are as good together as PB&J, or peanut butter and celery, or peanut butter and pretzels… And Adore realizes she is feeling very snacky, specifically for peanut butter. With a sigh she rolls off her bed to get a snack before she starts packing for the next week.

The point is Adore loves Bianca, and Danny loves Roy. Sure maybe it’s in a different way than they should, or even once did, but it can’t be helped. It can be hidden, though. And Danny is more than fine with hiding this secret, as long as they get to have Roy in their life at all. He’s more than what Danny should ever even hope for, and yet a part of them can’t help but hope.

After spending so much time apart, Danny knows it’ll be harder now than ever to hide these feelings they’ve been harboring for Roy. They’ll try though, because sometimes the thought of this man loving them back is all that keeps them going.

Danny arrives at Roy’s beautiful new house in Palm Springs at nearly noon the next day. Which, to be fair, is very much the morning for Danny. They even woke up early to make the trip! …If ten a.m. counts as early in any book except their own.

Roy is already standing out in the driveway waiting for Danny when they get there, his arms spread wide for a hug the second Danny gets out of their car. The younger practically rocket launches themself into his arms, clinging tight to him as they savor the first hug they’ve gotten in such a long fucking time. Danny can’t help the tears that fall at finally having such warm, loving human contact, especially from this person.

They hold onto each other as tight as they can, each beyond glad to have each other’s trust in such unreliable times. Being alone for so long had hit Roy hard too. Alcohol and binge watching can really only do so much, and he’s genuinely been feeling lonely being stuck in one spot for so long. The dogs help some, but at the end of the day it really doesn’t replace human interaction, no matter how hard he wishes it did.

“I missed you, baby girl,” Roy says, and Danny can almost hear his voice waver.

“I missed you too,” Danny whispers, trying and failing to hold back a sob.

They leave Danny’s bag in the car for now, much more eager to go sit down and enjoy each other’s company. The dogs bombard the two of them the second Danny crosses the threshold, the enby leaning instantly down to kiss and coo at the babies and Roy can’t help grinning widely at the sight. He loves his babies, and he loves his baby girl.

They spend the afternoon talking and laughing and playing with the dogs. Danny clearly gets some ideas about the golf cart, and Roy is suddenly excited about the upcoming few days. It’s been a while since either of them have really had something to look forward to.

“Alright, I still need you to explain this OnlyFans thing to me,” Roy says with a smirk a few hours later, after they’ve gotten properly settled in on the couch together with the dogs.

Danny’s eyes go wide with slight panic, “Okay, grandpa, it’s like uhhh, Patreon but-”

“No, no, no!” Roy laughs, “I know what it is, I mean why that? Why not literally anything else?”

“First of all, I am sexy. Second of all, I spent a lot of time not making money masturbating, which is a fucking shame because as I said before I am sexy.”

They both crack up at that, giggling like idiots on Roy’s couch, the puppies quickly joining in, yipping at them to be a part of the excitement.

“Awww, do you two think I’m funny?” Danny coos, picking Dede up and cuddling the pup close, “Your daddy doesn’t think I’m funny!”

Roy snorts, “You’ve certainly picked up a thing or two from me.”

“Like how to be a bitter old hermit!” Danny grins sweetly.

“Exactly,” Roy laughs.

“So if I ask really nicely will this bitter old hermit make me food?” Danny asks, batting their eyelashes pleadingly.

“My original plan was to let you starve to death while you were here, but since you’re asking nicely…” Roy says teasingly, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction at the way the younger throws their head back with laughter.

Late that night, after a long night of talking and watching TV and a decent dinner, they curl up into bed together. At one point they both needed to at least be tipsy to do that, but nowadays that’s just overkill. They have progressed well beyond that point of friendship, though Roy sometimes still likes to put on a show of being annoyed, if only because of the way Danny pouts and rolls their eyes.

Tonight he just holds the thick comforter up so Danny can slide in easily with him, he’s not really interested in making either of them wait longer than they already have for cuddles. In seconds the two are holding each other tight, savoring the touch. As Roy lays there, holding Danny like the younger is his lifeline, he starts to think about the time they’ve known each other. All the ups, downs, and side-to-sides… Danny has grown up a lot over the years they’ve been friends, and it’s hard to deny that it’s changed Roy’s feelings for them.

Once his feelings to the younger were almost motherly, but now it’s closer to attraction. It’s kind of weird, at the least it’s very fucked up. Roy wants to just give in to the feelings, but he can’t. Not when he has no way of gaging Danny’s feelings for him. He can live with this secret, he’s not sure he can live without Danny’s friendship.

Danny interrupts his thoughts, their voice small and curious, “Why were you so invested in my OnlyFans?”

“Bitch, I’m trying to sleep here,” Roy groans.

“No, seriously,” Danny pouts, sitting up in bed and looking down at Roy. The moonlight streaming in from the window highlights the enby perfectly, and Roy curses his luck.

“I don’t want you renting yourself out on the corner like Bunny, now get back to sleep you dumb slut,” Roy says with all of his usual teasing heat.

Danny pouts though, clearly not satisfied, “But…”

“Sleep. Now.” Roy demands, reaching up to tug them back under the covers. Danny reluctantly gives in, and snuggles close to Roy.

Just as Roy is about to fall asleep, Danny’s voice has his eyes flying open.

“Roy?”

“What?”

“I love you,” Danny whispers.

Roy’s heart melts a little at that, “I love you too, Danny.”

Danny bites their lip nervously, “I mean like… I think…”

Roy’s heart starts to beat faster in his chest. Surely they couldn’t mean…

“You think…?” Roy asks, hoping that despite it all this person is about to say what he thinks they are.

“I think I might be… in love,” Danny says, their voice quiet and timid in a way Roy hasn’t heard in a very long time, “With you.”

This time Roy is the one to sit up in bed, staring down at Danny with pure infatuation. Those words echo around his ears, his chest, his very soul, and before he even realizes what he’s doing he’s leaning down to capture Danny’s lips in a kiss.

His lips against theirs feels so undeniably right. Their lips move slowly against each other, Danny brings a hand around to cup the back of Roy’s neck and in that moment nothing is wrong in their own little world. In that moment it’s just them and the moonlight. He thinks that he could live forever in this moment and never need anything else.

They break apart much too soon for either of their tastes, and Roy stares into those pretty eyes and murmurs, “I think I love you too.”

Danny surges forward for another kiss, this one much more desperate than the last. It’s a hot, heavy kiss that ends with Roy flat against the bed and both of Danny’s hands cupping his face as they explore each other. It’s like no kiss either of them have had before, with so many years of emotion and uncertainty between them it’s intense. Bianca and Adore have drunkenly kissed before, but this absolutely cannot compare. Danny whimpers pathetically against Roy, their hips grinding down against Roy’s thigh.

Roy lets out a shaky breath and grips at the enby’s barely covered ass. From the way Danny is squirming and moaning after only a little contact, Roy knows it’s been a while since Danny has been with someone like this. Roy hasn’t been able to get laid in a while either, rendering them both more than eager for this. Neither of them have a sexual partner in their circles right now, except maybe each other. Just this morning that would’ve been an absurd thought, and now it’s simply what makes sense.

Both of them need sexual fulfillment as much as they need emotional fulfillment, and even the thought of providing it for each other is thrilling. Roy grabs Danny’s bottom lip roughly between his teeth, sucking on it as he rubs his hands underneath Danny’s oversized tank top and over their skin. Danny whines and whimpers so deliciously in response, and Roy loves it.

Roy and Danny pull the little clothing that is off one another, each soaking in the familiar sight of the other being completely exposed. It’s nowhere near the first time they’ve seen each other like this, but it’s another one of those things where it’s simply different this time around. Because now it’s been established they love each other as much more than just friends.

Danny sucks hickeys along Roy’s collarbone, moaning roughly as Roy twists their nipples harshly, their bodies so close and warm wrapped up tight together.

“Think… Think I’m gonna get my nipples pierced,” Danny giggles breathlessly before it’s cut off in a moan of sheer pleasure when Roy pinches them even harder.

“Oh really? You’ve done a lot of slutty things, baby girl, but that is definitely up there,” Roy smirks.

Danny smiles innocently, “It would only make your job easier.”

“What? This job?” Roy asks teasingly, then trails his fingers down Danny’s stomach so they ghost over the enby’s half-hard cock.

Danny gasps, and Roy takes the opportunity to press his lips against theirs all over again, sucking their tongue into his mouth as he teases their cock. They moan and whine and squirm, their fingers gripping and squeezing at the flesh of Roy’s back frantically in response. Roy knows that that’s going to leave a mark, despite the fact that their nails are usually kept short. He doesn’t mind though, in fact it makes him harder knowing that he’s the reason Danny is reacting like this.

Danny’s head falls back against the pillow, feeling heat rush to their cheeks upon seeing the smouldering look in Roy’s eyes as they stare up at him. He’s so fucking gorgeous, all his sharpness and softness in just the right places.

“Tell me what you want,” Roy whispers roughly.

Danny inhales shakily, “Want- Wanna feel you-”

“What do you want me to do to you, Danny? Use your words…”

“Fuck me, oh God please just fuck me, holy shit,” Danny begs, squeezing their eyes shut tight and squirming underneath Roy’s tight hold.

“Shh, that’s so good, thank you,” Roy murmurs, caressing Danny’s cheek, “I’m going to fuck you so hard.”

And Danny just moans. They’ve wanted this from Roy for so long, and so many years were wasted convincing themself otherwise that this really feels like a fucking dream come true. It’s their own little fairytale, just for the two of them. Danny gets to live this fantasy with Roy, and that thought alone is almost more mind blowing than the idea of getting rammed until they can’t remember their own name.

Roy leans across to riffle through the nightstand, and turns back to Danny with lube, a condom, and a devious grin on his face. Minutes later, Danny is a whimpering, begging mess just from two of Roy’s fingers stretching them open. Roy is clearly enjoying it, whispering dirty things in their ear as he slowly tortures them with his fingers. When he slides in a third finger, Danny lets out the filthiest, most inhuman sound Roy has ever heard.

“You are just so fucking needy,” Roy says lowly, pulling out his fingers and quickly rolling the condom on.

Danny nods feverently, their eager words of agreement being almost incomprehensible. Roy grabs their tiny hips in his large hands and slides himself in. That moment is almost pure magic, the connection that had been simmering for so many years finally coming to a boil. Danny sobs from the mix of emotion and sheer pleasure, throwing their head back and forth, panting and begging for more while Roy closes his eyes and takes it all in.

Danny is incredibly warm and tight around him, and after a minute he begins to thrust shallowly, making Danny’s mindless babbling slur together. His thrusts quickly become harsher, aiming specifically for Danny’s spot, his grip on them tightens and he grabs the enby’s cock and starts to lavish it with some much needed attention.

“OhGodohGodohGodoh-” Danny rambles, pressing their face into the juncture of Roy’s neck and collarbone, inhaling his comforting, familiar scent, “So good, feels so good, don’t stop please don’t stop.”

“I’m not going to stop, shh, I’ve got you, fuck you’re so good,” Roy groans in response, his thrusts speeding up and his fingers around Danny’s cock tightening, “Are you about to cum for me? Huh?”

“Yes, fuck,” Danny rasps, “Yes yes gonna cum Roy please let me cum I’m gonna- gonna-”

Roy pumps his hand a few more times and whispers right in Danny’s ear, “Cum for me like a good girl.”

And Danny is a gonner. They moan high and long, their hips twitch rapidly and their whole body shakes with the force of their orgasm, ropes of cum covering Roy’s hand and both of their abdomens.

Danny practically goes limp in Roy’s hold, and just a few thrusts later Roy is undone as well, unable to help thrusting even harder and deeper into Danny’s body as he does. He falls on top of Danny, breathing heavy and ragged, and they hold each other tight. Danny’s arms still wrapped around Roy’s back when he carefully rolls them onto their sides so that they’re facing each other, nearly nose to nose. He gingerly pulls out of Danny, ties the condom, and throws it into the bin that he knows is next to the bed.

Roy cups their chin with his clean hand and stares into their dazed, half-lidded eyes. Danny blinks slowly, the afterglow beginning to wear off.

“I can’t believe it took us seven years,” Danny murmurs, reaching up to thread their fingers through Roy’s currently long hair.

“It was worth the wait,” Roy smiles softly, “And now we have the rest of our lives.”

“Yeah,” Danny whispers, “I get the rest of my life with you.”

Because for Roy and Danny it’s nowhere near over. For them it’s all only just begun.

[evolmaze]

truth or drink

summary -  truth or dare never works out, but when you add drinking things just get worse

paring - han x reader ft. twice, the rest of stray kids, bts, and blackpink

genre - fluff, angst, comfort | friends to potential-lovers!au, nonidol!au

word count - 4.6k words

warnings - slight harassment and bullying by O.C. against reader, drinking, very minimal slut shaming of O.C., swearing

 masterlist

“I don’t even wanna go tonight,” Dahyun said, laying on your bed. “Who’s even going to be there?”

“The usual crowd I think, us girls, Han and his friends, Tae and his friends, and I think Jennie and Lisa are coming too,” you conclude, putting the finishing touches on your makeup.

“Ooh, I haven’t seen Jennie in ages,” Dahyun commented, suddenly sitting up. “I suppose I can make an appearance.”

“That’s more like it,” you laughed, turning around. “How do I look?”

“Absolutely stunning!” she cooed, “Han isn’t gonna know what he’s missing.”

You scoffed, “I’m not doing this for him, I’m doing this for myself.”

“Sure, sure, and you’re absolutely not wearing that blue sweater because he told you it looked nice on you last week?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Absolutely not,” you declared, though a slight red hue appeared on your face. “Come one we gotta go soon anyway. Party starts in 20 minutes.”

“No one ever shows up right away, Mina and Jihyo said they aren’t coming till closer to eight.” Dahyun whined, going into the closer to change.

“Yeah, but I promised Bang Chan and Felix I’d help set up, so unless you wanna find your own way there, you’re stuck with me,” you laughed, grabbing your jacket off your desk. Dahyun groaned, but reappeared minutes later, ready to go.

“Alrighty, let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”

______

“y/n, Dahyun, so glad you could be here to help!” Felix said as he opened the door, quick to grab a couple of bags from you and Dahyun. “Please, please come on in!”

“Thanks, Lix,” you said, closing the door behind. “Any word on when people are planning to show up?”

“It varies really, Tae and his friends said sometime around eight-ish, Changbin and Minho said they’d be here around 7:30, I’m assuming the girls will be here around then as well?”

“Yeah, Sana just texted me now, said they’ll be here in about 20,” Dahyun said, as she started taking bottles out of her backpack and adding them to the drink table.

“Oh that’s awesome, I’m so excited to see them!” you cheered, going over to help her. 

“Excited as you are to see Han?” she teased, nudging your shoulder as she poured a bottle of vodka into a giant container you had bought specifically for wop. Across the room, Felix chuckled as he untangled some cords for the sound system. 

“Oh my god, please shut up,” you plead, your face a slight hue of red as you unscrewed your own bottle. “It’s really not that big of a deal.”

“Sure, sure. Felix did you know that she literally hasn’t stopped talking about this party all week, seems a little coincidental that this also happens to be the first party Han has been able to come to since he left to go visit his parents,”

“I’m actually going to kill you,” you muttered, unable to keep a straight face as the two of them laughed. Dahyun may have had a point, Han had left two weeks ago to visit his parents, which meant you hadn’t seem him for a couple weeks due to conflicting schedules. You missed him, missed his jokes, his vibrant personality. You guys had met about six months ago when Dahyun invited you to a party at her place, and ever since then you guys had hit it off.

“Oh leave the poor girl alone won’t you?” Chan said as he entered the room, laptop in hand. “So she has a thing for the kid, it’s not like you two haven’t ever had a crush.”

“Yeah,” you chimed in, gracious for Chan’s appearance. “If I remember correctly Lix you had quite the infatuation for a certain barista down at Two Rivers, right?” You grinned at his red face, and inability to rebuttal, “and Dahyun,” you said, facing her. “Don’t make me bring up the infamous crush you had last fall-”

“Okay!” Dahyun said suddenly, smacking a hand over your mouth. “Point taken! Sorry y/n, you know I think it’s cute that you like him, I think y’all would be cute together! I’ll shut up now.”

You laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, “Apology accepted, sorry for bringing up your past, I promise not to do it again, unless circumstances call for it.” you grinned, running away from her as she chased you with an empty bottle.

______

Music blared from the speakers in the backyard as you sat with Felix and Sana, currently exchanging your thoughts on the latest season of stranger things. “There’s no way Hopper’s actually dead,” you argued, taking a drink. “Why else would they include that clip of him in the promo?”

“I agree!” Sana said, “Plus that’d be so cruel for them to kill him off like that just as he and El were developing a real relationship!”

“Right, and I’d rather die than not see Hopper and Joyce get together, literally made for each other!” Felix agreed, the three of you laughed at his sudden outburst, but sudden stopped as Sana whispered.

“Who invited them here?” you turned towards the entrance of the house, and spotted exactly who she was talking about. Currently talking to Chan and Jennie were two girls who you had briefly met your freshmen year, they were awful; mean and cruel just for their own enjoyment. Unfortunately, at a school so small, circles overlapped, and somehow they ended up at this party.

“God, I hate them,” you muttered, taking another sip of your drink. You turned back around. “Think they’ll stay long?”

“Well Aria has a huge crush on Chan I think,” Felix said thoughtfully, “So yeah unfortunately.”

“Fantastic,” you muttered again, annoyed that you even had to be in the same room as them. It wasn’t that Aria and her friend Soon were ever mean to you directly. In fact, you even used to be friends with Soon a couple years ago, but times change, and so do people. While you had learned more about yourself and learned from your wrongdoings, Soon found Aria and together they adhered to this “preppy-high-school-mean-girl” bullshit attitude that never really wore off. 

“Oh don’t be sad, y/n! Look who just showed up,” Dahyun said suddenly as she appeared behind you, wiggling her eyebrows. You rolled your eyes at her as she sat down beside you, but turned around anyway, already knowing who had shown up.

Han Jisung walked through the doors and you hated to admit it, but your heart leaped out of your chest. It had been so long since you had seen him, and not to be cliché, but he was literally glowing. He looked amazing, his hair was still that same raven color you loved. You remembered when he had first dyed it two months ago, he was nervous to go back to a dark color after being blonde for so long, but you had assured him he looked good in any hair color.

“y/n, earth or y/n, hello?” Felix said, waving his hand in front of your face, you jumped, not realizing you had zoned out. Sana and Dahyun laughed as you blushed. “Sorry what?”

“I asked if you wanted to go grab a new drink?” Dahyun laughed, and you look down at your drink.

‘Yeah sure,” you agreed, laughing at yourself as you folllowed her back inside. You crossed the yard, mentally preparing youself to walk by Han, it was dumb, really. He was your friend, there was nothing to be personal about, but you’d be lying if you said he didn’t make you nervous. It wasn’t till a weeks ago that you had even developed these feelings for him, and if it wasn’t for a drunken night at Chan’s, no one would have even known you had felt that way, but when you’re drunk, your filter leaves you, and that night you spilled the beans to Dahyun, Sana, Felix, and Chan over a game of truth or dare. You tried to keep it lowkey, you did, but as you got to know him better, it was becoming harder and harder to avoid it.

Dahyun passed Han and Changbin as they talked on the porch, as you did the same someone grabbed your wrist, “y/n!” Han said, grinning from ear to ear. “Don’t think you could pass me and not say anything!”

You laughed, and looked at Dahyun who wiggled her eyebrows. “Changbin,” she said, looking past you. “Wanna help me grab some drinks?”

“Sure,” he agreed, brushing past you. “Nice to see you, y/n.”

“You too,” you said, taking his seat next to Han. “So, how was home?”

“It was great,” he said. ‘It was nice to see family and celebrate my grandma’s birthday, but I’m glad to be back.”

“I’m glad you’re back too,” you agreed. “Someone needs to be the life of the party.”

“Oh, you don’t think that Jin already has that handled?” he asked, and you both looked into the house, where he was currently, furiously rapping some song on the karaoke machine.

You laughed, “I’ll admit that he’s pretty chaotic when he wants to be, but there’s only one person I know who enjoys starting conga lines at the most random of times. Remember when you started one when we walked to the grocery store? People were so confused!” you said, and he laughed. 

“Well I’m glad someone appreciates my antics,” he grinned, taking a sip of his own drink. “What have you been up to since I last saw you?”

“Nothing too exciting, just the usual.”

“Bullshit, I follow your photography page, that place you went last week looked incredible, you’ll have to take me sometime,” he said, nudging your shoulder.

You blushed, “Ahh thanks, it was so pretty, a super nice hike too, you’d love it. The sunset there was incredible!”

“Well we’ll have to make sure we go at night then,” he mused, and you grinned.

“Oh absolutely, when are you free next week?” you asked, hoping to set something up, hanging out with Han one-on-one was a rare and fun occasion.

“Let me check,” he said, pulling out his phone. About to pull yours out, you suddenly hear the music cut out. A chorus of boos and cheers resounded throughout the party.

“Sorry everyone!” Chan said, mic in hand. “Aria and Soon here wanted me to let everyone know, that if you’re interested, there’s a game of truth or dare happening over here.”

You rolled your eyes, poor Chan, you looked over at Han. “Should we go save Chan from an evening of Aria’s torment and neverending questions?”

“Good idea,” he agreed, standing. “Ayo Seungmin, I.N., you guys wanna go play a couple rounds of truth or dare.”

“Why not?” Seungmin said, standing up, with I.N. following suite. Changbin and Dahyun appeared next to you, with a handful of drinks.

“So true or dare, huh?” Dahyun said. “Classic Aria.”

“It truly is her signature,” you agreed, grabbing two drinks from her and handing one to Han. “Let’s get this over with, yeah?”

You made your way over to the firepit where Aria and Chan sat, surround by some others. Jennie and Lisa sat to the left of Chan, while Seungmin and I.N. sat next to them. Soon was next to Aria, and Mina, Jihyo and Sana were next to her. You took a seat in between Dahyun and Han, and Changbin in between you three and Felix. The group waited as a few more people piled in, Jimin and Jungkook taking sets behind Changbin on the brick wall, and Hoseok and Tae taking up seats on the wall as well behind Chan.

‘“Let’s get started, shall we?” Aria said, scanning the group. “Felix, truth or dare?”

______

Numerous rounds had passed since you first sat down, and the rules were simple. If you didn’t want to answer a truth or do a dare, you had to take a shot, but the catch was you only got three shots per game. So far people had jumped into the pool while fully clothed, made out with random party goers, and made prank calls to people who weren’t at the party. So far, you had told everyone which professor you would sleep with if given the chance, called your good friend Solar to tell her her cat had ran away, and told everyone about your most embarrassing moment from 5th grade.

Currently, Tae was attempted to walk along the entire edge of the pool without falling in. “You got this, Tae!” Jimin cheered, getting everyone to start a chant of encouragement. You did your best ro hold in your laughter as Tae slipped at the last second and fell into the pool. A chorus of laughs resounded, and the game continued on.

By now, some people had left to get drinks or eat food, so the only people left were you, Han, Dahyun, Chan, Aria, Soon, Felix, Sana, Seungmin, and I.N.

“Aria, truth or dare?” Soon asked, taking a sip of her drink.

“Dare, obviously.” Aria said, a tone of cockiness in her voice. “Truth’s are loser who enjoy being an open book,” she commented, glancing in your direction. You rolled your eyes, taking another sip of your drink.

“Takes one to know one,” you muttered under your breath, across the fire, Chan chuckled, amused at your lack of filter coming out.

“What was that?” Aria said, obviously irritated that Chan had laughed at your retort.

“Oh, nothing.” you said, looking up at her as she glared daggers into your eyes. “Soon what’s her dare?”

“Aria, I dare you to make out with Chan!” she said excitedly, and the rest of the group, minus Aria, groaned.

“Shocker,” Dahyun said, and you looked over at Chan who looked less than thrilled to be in this position. 

“Hey don’t make him do something he doesn’t want to do,” you chimed in, worried about Aria’s influence over your friend.

“It’s okay, y/n.” Chan said, taking a quick shot. “I can handle her.”

You sighed, and took a long sip of your drink as the two of them made out for the next 15 seconds or so, as they pulled apart Aria looked at you. “Yeah, y/n, Channie’s a big boy, he can handle himself. Plus he’d probably prefer a girl with experience anyway, unlike you.”

You rolled your eyes for what seemed to be the millionth time that night, “Sorry Chan, just looking out for you, didn’t want you to get an STD or something.”

Alcohol had this affect on you that sometimes you didn’t realize what you were saying until you had said it, as the words left your mouth, you instantly regretted them due to the way Aria started you down, a look of hatred in her eyes. Around you, everyone lost their minds at your reply, some congratulating you on your comeback, others looking shocked the words even came out of your mouth. You weren’t sure how to feel, on one hand Aria deserved a taste of her own medicine for how she belittled every person she ever met that didn’t meet her standards, but also you were never one to slut-shame, so who knows what came over you. Beside you, Dahyun was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes, and Han looked so shocked you weren’t sure whether it was a good thing or bad thing.

Aria narrowed her eyes at you, unsure of what had come over you, but sure of what her next move was going to be, ”y/n, truth or dare?”

“Uh-” you started. 

“Don’t bother answering, I’ll pick for you since I already know the answer: truth. y/n, tell me, what’s it like to be a lonely virgin, with no romantics pursuits besides having a crush on a close friend who doesn’t even think of you that way?”

The group quieted down pretty quick after that, you stiffened, shocked she had said that, confused how she even knew that, but mostly concerned of where this was going to go. You were sure that if someone took a photo of you now, you would look like a ghost. Aria cocked an eyebrow at you, “Oh y/n,” she feigned concerned. “Cat got your tongue? Need some help with that? Must be tough to like someone who doesn’t even think of you that way, right? Who goes away for weeks and doesn’t even text you? Let alone think of you in any other way besides a friend. You can call me a slut all you want, but at least I get the things I want, I don’t sit around and wait for them to happen like some stupid hopeless romantic. At least boys answer my texts, what do you get? A pity reply to one of your numerous attempts at a real relationship with him?”

“Aria, shut the fuck up.” Dahyun said beside you, you were frozen in spot, so utterly humiliated, but also amazed at her level of intel, how the hell did she find out?

“Why?” Aria asked. “It’s okay for y/n to blatantly slut-shame me in front of my crush, that I can’t expose her in front of hers?”

“That’s not the point-’” Dahyun said, anger seething from her body. You put a hand on your shoulder.

“It’s fine,” you said, trying you best to remain calm. “I mean she right, right? What I did was a low-bow, and I’m truly sorry, Aria.” you said, trying to look as sincere as possible despite your mental stability rapidly declining. “It’s only fair you attack right back, but if you don’t mind, I think we’re pretty even now; I think I’ve heard enough.” You finished, your voicing cracking slightly at the end. You quickly got up, and made your way inside the house, ignoring the calls from the rest of the group.

As you entered the house, you got some looks from everyone you passed. Some concerned, some confused, and some just straight up lost as to why you were running through the house crying.

It was your own fault this had happened, you knew Aria was the type to have dirt on everyone, so why didn’t you think about the fact that’d she have dirt on you? You shouldn’t have even responded to her, no matter how much she got under your skin, Aria always won every battle she started, but you never expected her to rebuttal with things so cruel and close to your heart. You just hoped people were too distracted to piece together the underlying meaning.

Your phone buzzed rapidly in your pocket, a call from Dahyun on the screen. You sighed, and picked up the call. “Hey-”

“Are you okay? I swear to god I’ll kill her for saying those things about you! That was so fucked up, you made one comment and she spilled your entire load of dirty laundry for everyone to hear. Where are you? We should go home, forget-”

“Dahyun, slow down.” you laughed, feeling a little less awful than you did before. “I’m in the bathroom, I’ll be back out in a little bit, no need to have Aria ruin this whole party for us.”

“Oh that’s good, I’m glad your okay,” she said. “Aria’s gone anyway, after her little performance, Soon and Chan convinced her to go home for the night. The bitch was too intoxicated to form a coherent thought after she used them all on you.”

You laughed at that, “Serves her right, I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Sounds good, bye!” she agreed, hanging up the phone. You looked in the mirror, wiping off your mascara that had run onto your face. You pondered how the rest of the night would go, everyone had heard the embarrassing details of your life, but on the other hand, fuck Aria and fuck her for trying to ruin a perfectly good night. Yeah she every right to be upset at you, but unlike her, you could bounce back from this, you determined. How would things go with Han? You had no idea, you suppose it depending on his ability to read between the lines, and whether or not he was too intoxicated to do that or not. 

“It was what it is at this point, I guess.” you said to yourself, accepting your fate, whatever it may be. It was odd, you had always imagined that your crush finding out you like them would be mortifying, but you felt oddly calm, maybe it’s because you knew thing would be okay. You had great friends, supportive friends who would stand by you no matter what, and even if Han did know, you knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t be mean about it, maybe weirded out, but that was only temporary, cause at least then you’d have closure and could move on. 

You exited the bathroom, ready to get another drink and hang with Dahyun and Felix, and everyone else if they were still around.

“y/n!” Sana yelled from the end of the hallway, running up to you. “Are you okay? God I can’t believe Aria did that, she’s awful, I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine, really.” you assured her. “Aria’s a bitch, but it’s not like I didn’t have it coming with what I had said to her.”

“I guess, but she said some really personal things that weren’t her business at all. Everyone knows that she gets around here and there, she even admitted it! You weren’t saying things we didn’t already know,” she said, looking annoyed. “But if you’re fine, then so am I. Wanna grab another drink?” 

“Yes, please.” you laughed, following her into the living room. As you were there getting drinks, you assured many people that were at the fire that you were okay, and you didn’t need them to kill Aria for you.

“y/n!” you stopped talking to Sana and Changbin, and turned around to see Chan, he looked frazzled, a look of worry on his face. “Can we talk?” he asked, you bid your goodbyes to Sana and Changbin, and followed Chan back outside.

“What’s up?” you asked.

“First I wanna say I’m so sorry for Aria’s behavior, I know it doesn’t mean much, but she was pretty drunk, but I’m not sorry that I didn’t do anything to stop it. I’m the reason she was even here, and it’s not cool that she did that to you.”

“Chan, Chan, it’s fine, really. Aria isn’t your responsibility, you’re not her dad or boyfriend, so you couldn’t have predicted she would have done that. I accept your apology, but there’s no need for it, truly.” you assured him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Okay, good. The other reason I wanted to talk to you was because of that,” he said, gesturing over his shoulder to the fire. At the fire was Han, Felix and Dahyun sat with him, but he looked distant. It didn’t seem like he was paying them any attention. 

“Is he okay?” you asked. You felt bad, this was your fault.

“Dahyun, Felix, and I have been trying to talk to him, get him to come inside, but he isn’t really speaking to anyone. We all figured he might talk to you; but only if you’re comfortable doing so.” Chan explained, you nodded. “Of course, he’s still my friend.”

Chan and you walked over to the fire, and as soon as Felix and Dahyun saw you were with him, they stood up, leaving with Chan. As Dahyun passed you, she whispered in your ear. “I think he’s just confused is all.” You nodded, understanding.

Han didn’t look up as you sat down, just kept staring into the fire. You weren’t sure what to do, it wasn’t as if you had done any malicious to him in any way, but you’d also understand if he didn’t want anything to do with you. 

“I’m sorry,” you said, breaking the silence; he didn’t look up. You sighed, “I know you must feel really weird with everything that Aria had said, I swear I didn’t know she was going to say that stuff at all; I honestly don’t know how she found out, but I’m sorry that that indirectly put you in a weird position.”

“Why are you sorry?” he muttered. “It’s not like you asked her to do it.”

“No I didn’t, but what she said involved you, and that’s something you should have heard from me, privately, not in front of all our friends at a bonfire,” you reasoned, nervously chuckling at the hilarity of it all. Who would have thought this was how you night would end? “So, I’m sorry.”

Han put his head in hands, running his fingers through his hair. He sighed, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

“I-uh, I don't know,” you stuttered, unsure of what to say. “I didn’t want to make things weird, change our friendship in any way. I like being your friend, and we hadn’t been friends for that long when I first realized, so I choose not to say anything in order to keep being your friend. If I’m honest, I thought I’d get over it by now.”

“You thought something like that would end our friendship?” he asked, looking up at you. “y/n, that’s crazy.”

“Well, I don't know!” you exclaimed, “How could I be sure how you’d react? We aren’t exactly best friends, and I hadn’t seen you in awhile, so it felt awkward to hang around after she had said that. Figured it would be easier to leave so you wouldn’t be obligated to talk about it if you didn’t want to. I’m sorry if I hurt you, or made things confusing, that wasn’t my intention, I just didn't know what to do.”

“It’s okay,” he said. “I get it, feelings are weird, and you can never be sure how things will turn out, but I still wish you would have said something, don’t you trust me?”

“Han, we may be friends, and I do trust you, but this is probably the one thing I wouldn’t have told you about.” you laughed awkwardly. “Usually people don’t tell their crushes they like them till they’re sure their crush feels the same.”

He blushed, “Ah yeah, that’s a good point, but hey! Who’s to say I don’t feel the same.”

You paused, “You like me?” What was happening right now?

“Well maybe, I don’t know!” he laughed nervously turning an even darker shade of red, and you chuckled. “I feel like we’ve become better friends lately, and I like having you around, like spending time with you. I don’t wanna rush into anything, but I would be down to start hanging out more one on one.”

You smiled, “I feel the same. I don’t want to rush things either, and I’d rather us both be on the same page about it if this does become something in the future.”

“Well I hope it at least means we’ll become better friends,” he said hopefully. 

“Me too,” you agreed, feeling a weight being lifted off you shoulders.

“But I could be okay with us being in a relationship too, I suppose.” he mused, pretending to look thoughtful. You laughed, and lightly kicked his foot.

“I suppose I could be okay with that too,” you joked, and he grinned. “Well if you’re up for it, the offer to go hiking still stands.”

“Let’s do it!” he said excitedly. “We can take some sick pics at the top too!”

“Oh absolutely,” you grinned. “I’d love nothing more.” Han smiled at you, a glint of something promising in his eyes. Everything was going to be fine, you could feel it.

______

a/n: hope y’all like this one, it took a different turn than I thought it was going to, but I still like how it turned out!

[zwowow]

I’m in the mood for angst, so Em ignoring Kells, and kells feeling like shit because of it

saw an old man in a sweatsuit. thinking of u

The first day, he understands that Em is busy. He's always working on his own shit and working with artists he knows, too. He has shit to do other than answer Kells' dumbass texts.

The second day, he gets it still. Em isn't attached to his phone the way Kells is. But really, he could've at least opened the text. Maybe Em had just swiped away the text, he thinks. 

fit check? 

He sends the text with a mirror selfie he'd actually taken three days ago attached. He was wearing a hoodie he'd stolen from Em, there was no way he couldn't open it and respond.

By the third day, Kells would never admit it, but he's mad anxious. He'd been right about Em being unable to resist opening the text, but had been proven wrong when even hours later, he hadn't texted anything back. Was there something wrong? Had he said something to deserve the silent treatment he was getting? Was the sweatsuit comment, though he’d sent almost the exact message five times in the last few months, too far? He shoots off a quick we good??? and he pretends he doesn't notice the way his fingers shake on the keys.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth days drag and fly by at once. For the first time since Em's cold front had started, he was busy all day every day. He didn't have time to check his phone every hour and see the lack of notifications under Em's contact. He still felt every minute pass by. He perked up every time he did get a call or text, only to come down every time it wasn't who he wanted it to be. 

With each day the urge to call or text Em again grew stronger, but he made himself wait. If Em wanted to talk to him, he'd reach out. He'd read Kells' message. The ball is in Em's court, though the more he thinks about it, Kells wonders if it's ever been his.

Seven days marks exactly a week since the last time Em texted him. His thumb hovers over the call button at least ten times throughout day. He needs to hear Em's voice, if only to hear him say that it's over. He can't just fade away. Kells won't let him. 

This time, he actually presses call. Em doesn't pick up, but Kells stays on the line anyway, just to hear Em's outgoing message.

"Call me." He says quietly, desperately, into his phone when he gets prompted to leave a voicemail.

The worst part, he thinks when he gets to day eight and Em's radio silence has taken its permanent place as the most important thing on his mind, is that he doesn't even know what he did wrong. The last time they'd actually talked, they'd been facetiming and it felt like a normal conversation. There were no awkward pauses or barely concealed annoyed sighs, just a normal conversation that ended slowly, neither of them ready to hang up. When it finally came time, Kells pressed his screen to end the call, and cut Em off right in the middle of saying something.

He texted him right away and asked if it was something important, and Em texted back quickly.

Nah.

So Kells left it at that. And that was the last text Em had sent him. Kells hadn't thought anything of it at the time, but looking back a week and a day later, he wonders if the end of their normal phone call had been normal after all.

On day nine, or ten, Kells isn't sure what to call the wee hours of the morning when he hasn't slept at all, he finally breaks. Obviously Em doesn't want to talk to him. If he can ignore him like this without even an update text. No explanations of how busy he is or anything else Kells would think was bullshit but accept as an excuse because anything is easier than accepting the truth. The truth that he's finally come around to.

Em is done with him.

They had a good run: great sex, funny banter, and even though they argued twice a day it seemed, Kells has never really felt known like he did with Em. But that's over. Em has made it quite clear that he's done with this by ghosting him this last week.

Kells pulls out his phone and opens Em's contact for the last time.

Got the message, asshole. Guess this is over.

It's 4 AM California time, so around 6 in Detroit. Em is probably still sleeping. He'll wake up to a breakup text and be relieved. Kells hates him for it. Why did he have to be the one to send the final text, and the one to get his heart broken?

If Em wanted to end them he should've done it himself. But no, he's a fucking coward. He always has been. Kells should have fucking known. He's a stupid piece of shit for not knowing, for not expecting this. Em was always going to tire of him. Shit, he gets tired of himself sometimes, he's whiny and needy and kind of a prick, but he hadn't expected Em to just go silent. He'd thought they'd made it past the point of the fadeaway. He'd assumed he deserved more for Em. Kells chuckles into the dark. Idiot move. To believe he deserved anything but to get shit on.

Whatever, what's done is fucking done. Em can stop answering his texts, but he can't un-suck his dick or un-eat his ass. At the very least, Kells will always have that. There's enough memories of the two of them to relive a new one every night until he's finally over him.

After sending the text, Kells lays back onto the headboard of his bed and feels around his bedside table in the dark for the half smoked joint and lighter he'd left there earlier. He lights up in the dark, guided only by the flame of his lighter. In the dark, nobody can see the tears he sheds silently while he smokes. Not that there's anyone with him, he's alone and lonely. As it should be.

The roach is just starting to burn his fingers when his phone lights up and begins to buzz.

It's Em.

He contemplates letting it go to voicemail. He wants to ignore Em the way Em has been ignoring him. At the last minute he picks it up, unable to resist hearing Em's voice. It's pathetic, how much he needs to hear Em on the other line.

"Kells?" Em rasps into his ear.

"Hm?" He doesn't trust himself to talk. He might say some stupid shit like 'I didn't mean it' or 'take me back' or 'I love you'.

"Kells. Fuck. I just saw your text." Which one? He wants to snear. Which text? The one he just sent breaking up with him or the ones before that he had no problem ignoring?

"Okay." He says instead. His throat works tightly over the word, threatening to squeeze out one of the things he absolutely must not say.

"You're done with this? You want us to be over?" Em sounds frantic, but Kells doesn't understand how he didn't see it coming.

"You're the one who's been ignoring me for over a week! Obviously you want this to be over." The silent tears he shed earlier come back with a force that almost turns them into full blown sobs.

"No! Kells… That's not it." 

"Then what is it?" There is no logical reason Em can give for going from texting and calling multiple times a day to radio silence for ten days.

But he wants to hear the illogical reason anyway.

"Do you remember what I said last week when we were about to end the call?" Their last call. When Em cut off in the middle of his sentence. And the last text he sent Kells. Nah

"Like right at the end? I didn’t hear you, you told me it was nothing."

"I said I love you." Those words steal the breath from his lungs. He chokes on the meaning behind them. Em loves him, he said he loves him. Regardless of what he said, though, he still hasn't talked to Kells in over a week.

"Kells... you still there?" Em says says he's been silent for a while. Kells inhales deeply, clearing his lungs of the last of the weed and what Em just laid on him.

"Yeah. I'm just tryna understand how the fuck you go from saying you love me to not thinking I'm worth a fucking text back." He hadn't known his words would come out with such bite, hard despite coming out through tears, but it's what Em deserves.

"We haven't said that yet." Em says like that explains the cold shoulder.

"I know."

"You didn't say it back. Man, you fuckin’ hung up." Kells wants to hang up again. He's told Em multiple times now.

"I didn't hear you." His voice is wrecked and desperate. If he had heard Em, he would've said it back. He's been feeling the same way for months, but hadn't wanted to ruin what they had by admitting to such deep feelings so early on.

"I know but... it fucking scared me, y'know? I said I love you, Kells. Do you know how fucking awful that is, to say you love someone and have them not say it back?"

Do you know how hard it is to be ignored by someone you love, he wants to ask? Does Em know how awful it is to fall in love so easily you never know when it's real until they leave? Because Kells knows how Em feels, but he doubts Em knows how he feels.

"You didn't answer my calls. You left my texts on fucking read." He's crying openly now, loud sobs into the night.

"I know and I'm sorry. It was a dick move, but I didn't know what to say to you. I love you, Kells, and I was convinced you didn't love me back, that you hung up on purpose to get out of saying anything back, so I tried to see how long I could last without you. I fucking tortured myself...." Em clears his throat and lowers his voice "Obviously, I wasn't just torturing myself."

"No. You weren't." 

"I'm sorry, so fucking sorry. I love you Kells. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Kells doesn't forgive him. Because even if he didn't mean to, he did hurt him. Bad. He's spent the last ten days in pain and he won't lie about it. So he tells Em the truth, though both his brain and heart beg him to tell an easier to swallow lie.

"I love you, too." He says.

[storiesforallfandoms]

mistake ~ machine gun kelly

word count: 2024

request?: yes!

@colsondaddybakerxx​ “okay can you do one where they were dating for almost 5 ish years but then Kells made a huge mistake and cheated and instead of him admitting he was wrong he got with another artist (anyone Idm) and y/n was so heart broken about it but after a couple months Kells realized he was wrong and was trying to win her back? ? (Fluffy ending tho pls)🥺”

description: after making the worst mistake of his life, colson tries to win back the love of his life

pairing: machine gun kelly x female!reader

warnings: swearing, cheating

masterlist

i’m using sommer ray but know that this isn’t hate or anything towards her, i don’t really know much about her besides the fact that she’s dating colson she was just the first person i thought of where she’s his current girlfriend

Five years. That’s how long we were together: five years. Most couples had gotten engaged in that time, or even gotten married. Some had kids, or were considering having kids. In five years, most couples were preparing for a future together.

Not me and Colson. After five years, Colson was throwing away our entire relationship.

At first, I thought it was another bullshit, drama baiting article using pictures Colson himself had taken and posted on Instagram. It had happened at least twice so far in the year, and twice the year before. Colson had plenty of female friends, which meant the press had a field day whenever he even looked their way.

But then I saw the paparazzi photos.

They must not have known there was anyone taking any pictures or else they would’ve been more discreet. Or maybe not, maybe they wanted to be caught.

They were kissing, Colson’s hands were on her ass, and she was leaning into him as if to get as close to him as she possibly could.

I didn’t call him. I didn’t send him the link to the article, I didn’t even text him. I packed my things, called my best friend, and went to stay with her. The minute I got there, I blocked his number and all of his social media accounts.

That was months ago. The first month after I spent most my time crying or just generally struggling with it all. The second month, my best friend helped me find a new apartment. By the third month, the pain was still there, but I had moved on the best I could.

That was, until the familiar blonde hair and blue eyes walked into the café I worked at.

I desperately looked over my shoulder to find a coworker to serve him instead, but everyone else was either busy or on break.

“What do you want?” I hissed under my breath so none of my coworkers heard me.

“I want to talk to you,” he responded. “You blocked me everywhere, I didn’t know how else to get ahold of you.”

“I wonder why. Maybe it’s because you fucking cheated on me after five goddamn years together.”

Colson grimaced. “I’m sorry.”

I scoffed. “You’re sorry?! Colson, this is so far past sorry that sorry is like a fucking insult.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to calm myself down. “Please leave Colson.”

“Not until you talk to me.”

I eyed the growing line behind him. I sighed heavily. “If I say yes, will you leave?” He nodded. I rolled my eyes and replied, “Fine. I get off work at five, meet me outside of the café and we can go for a walk or something.”

“I can’t meet you at your apartment or something?”

I glared at him. “Don’t push it. Get the fuck out.”

He nodded and walked out. I watched him go, my anger rising. I had to take a deep breath to calm myself down, before plastering a fake smile on my face and calling forward the next person.

~~~~~~

I wanted the time to go slow so that I didn’t have to face him just yet, but of course that’s not how things work. When Colson had left, I had nearly four hours left of my shift. I continued to serve customers, and it felt like only a few minutes passed. I was shocked when the girl taking over for me touched my shoulder and told me I was good to go.

And of course, there he was. I could see him before I even walked out of the door. I dreaded having to go out there and talk to him, but I knew if I didn’t he would just keep coming and bothering me.

He was smoking a joint when I walked out. “You shouldn’t be doing that, you can get in trouble.”

He jumped and turned to look at me. Those beautiful blue eyes that I loved so much looked down into mine, and I had to look away. My heart was beginning to flutter the way it had whenever he used to look at me before, but I knew I couldn’t let it. Not after what he did to me, not after I finally got over him.

“You have however long it takes for us to walk around the block,” I told him. “But just know that just because I’m letting you explain doesn’t mean that I’m going to forgive you.”

I started walking before he could digest what I had said. Colson took two long strides to try and catch up with me.

“I understand, and I totally deserve that. I hurt you so bad and I hate myself for doing that - ” he started to say.

I put a hand up to cut him off. “I don’t want to hear any of that shit. Just answer some questions for me.” He nodded, but stayed silent. “Who was she?”

“Sommer Ray.”

I sighed and pinched my nose again, this time to keep from crying.

Of course, Sommer. I knew who she was. She and Colson had become friends around the beginning of the year. I had met her once at a party at Colson’s house. She seemed really nice, but I also knew she was the most beautiful girl I had ever met, and she was very flirty, despite being in a relationship at the time.

“How...how long?” I asked, although I knew that the answer was going to break my heart even more.

“Just that one night,” he responded. “We met up while I was on tour and went out for a few drinks. One thing led to another, and next thing I knew I was...waking up in her bed.”

I nodded, unable to speak. Part of me wasn’t sure if I believed him. Why would I? He hadn’t exactly given me any reason to considering he cheated on me in the first place.

“I didn’t see any of the articles until I got home,” he continued when I didn’t say anything. “You weren’t answering any of my texts or calls, I got really worried so I came home early. When I walked through the door and saw all your stuff was gone, I just...I collapsed onto the floor. I cried for hours, I couldn’t see straight, I couldn’t even breathe. I knew you found out, but it wasn’t until one of the boys sent me the numerous articles about Sommer and I being caught that I realized you found out in the worst way possible.”

“Finding out I was cheated on in any way is the worst way possible,” I pointed out. “I just...I can’t believe you did it. Did our relationship mean nothing?”

Colson stopped then, causing me to stop and turn back to look at him. “Of course it meant so much to me, it still does. I love you so much, (Y/N), you’re the love of my life.”

“If I’m the love of your life you wouldn’t have cheated on me,” I snapped.

“I was drunk!” Colson argued, suddenly raising his voice.

I raised an eyebrow at him and stepped forward so I was in his face. He nearly stepped back, realizing what he had done wrong.

“First off,” I started, “being drunk is not an excuse. You’ve been drunk so many times before and you’ve never done this to me. Not that I know of, but now that I’m thinking about it maybe you have and this is the first time you’ve been caught.”

“It was the only time - ”

“Don’t fucking cut me off!” I snapped. “Also, don’t raise your voice at me. You don’t get to be mad right now Colson. You aren’t the one who was fucking cheated on! I waited for you, constantly, in that big empty house whenever you went on tour. I waited when you recorded yet another album despite telling me you were going to take time off for us, and for Casie. I waited through constant cheating rumors because you were hanging out with fucking Noah and Demi and Chantel and Ashley and whoever the fuck else you were supposedly linked to since we started dating. And I never once considered leaving you, or cheating on you, because I fucking love you Colson. You were the love of my life, you were the person I wanted to marry and have a family with. And you decided one night that what? I wasn’t enough? That you were tired of not being able to take me on tour? That you were just done with our relationship? And you threw away a five year relationship for a girl you met months ago!”

Tears were forming in Colson’s eyes. He looked away from me, trying to hide them no doubt. “That’s not what it was at all.”

I sighed again, shaking my head. “I don’t care what it was Colson. The fact that you did it at all pisses me the fuck off, and it pisses me off more that you think you can come around my place of work and harass me into listening to your shitty apology for it!”

Colson shook his head and turned to start walking away. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, leaning against a nearby wall. This was a waste of time, all it did was break my own yet again. I was finally getting over the heartbreak and he just had to come back into my life like that.

I was getting ready to walk back to the café and to get in my car when I suddenly felt someone grab my face and pull me to them, kissing me deeply.

I raised a hand at first to hit Colson. I was ready to shove him into traffic and cuss him out and hope he got hit by a fucking car. But something in me stopped me from doing it. I guess it was just the fact that I was so familiar with this feeling - his soft lips on mine, his calloused fingers holding my face - but I melted into the kiss without meaning to. I ran my raised hand through his hair, tangling his longer locks around my fingers, yet another familiar feeling.

At some point, my common sense kicked in and I pulled away from Colson, backing away from him and shoving both hands into my pockets. I couldn’t meet his eye. I didn’t even really know what to do.

“I’m not giving up on us that easily,” Colson told me. “I did fuck up, and I know that our relationship will never truly recover from this, and I don’t expect it to. But I’m not letting the best thing that ever happened to me get away. Even if I have to start all over from the start to win you back, I will try my best. I’ll do anything, (Y/N).”

I looked up at him. His face was so serious, so sincere. I blinked back any tears that were forming in my eyes.

I knew I should’ve said no. I knew I couldn’t let him back in that easily, not after what he did to me. But at the same time, I meant what I said; Colson was my soulmate. I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone in my life. He broke my heart, in fact he shattered it into a million pieces, but at the same time I wasn’t ready to let him go just yet.

I couldn't stop the smile that started to form on my face as I told him, “Okay, I’m willing to try and start over, but you have to be patient with me. You’re not going to fix everything within a few months, or even a year.”

He nodded. “I know, I understand, and I mean it when I say I’ll wait as long as possible if it means I don’t lose you completely.”

Lamely, I extended a hand to Colson. “You, sir, have a deal.”

He laughed at my lame attempt to lighten the mood, but shook my hand anyways.

[santoteez]

The Dormant Beast - Jongho (7)

Part: 7 of ?

Idol: Jongho of ATEEZ

Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Friends to Lovers

Word Count: 9.4k

Warnings: Violence, Murder, Profanity MC is a Black Female (I've been writing this for months so if I forgot any warnings I am so very sorry but that should be all of them!)

Jongho laid motionless on the slab of cement molded into the wall, the sound of a leaky faucet the only auditory source in the room. Goosebumps rose along his arms from the frigid temperature in the colorless room. He sat up from the slab, groaning in pain from lying still for so long.

“Finally I hear you move from over there. You were silent so long I thought you were dead.” Desire croaked, her voice barely audible.

After charging towards the Void, Jongho blacked out. Once he gained consciousness, he was in this cell. There was the slab he was sitting on and a small toilet in the room. The only light came from a very small window in one of the high corners of the room. The cell was adjacent to the one Desire was being held in, which he learned left very little privacy for either party, seeing as they often spoke through the walls.

“I feel dead,” Jongho muttered. One of the Void’s men came by twice a day with food for both Jongho and Desire, but neither of them ate it. They were surviving on the water provided by the men, which was barely any.

“You can’t say that. Remember you have Crescent to get back to. I’m sure she’s been going crazy since that day.”

Jongho sighed. He really didn’t want to remember the look on her face when she shouted his name as he blacked out. The despair in her voice gave him an indescribable pain when he thought about it, which was quite frequent.

“How long has it been since that day, anyway?” Jongho changed the subject.

“Well, I never know what time it is in here, so I’ve been counting how many daybreaks I see. Today makes 10. You came on #4, the last time I left this place.”

“Six days,” Jongho said as if he was trying to convince himself.

“Jongho.”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

He shrugged. “Take your time, I ain’t got nothing to do.”

There was a brief silence, eventually broken by Desire suddenly laughing. Jongho joined in, momentarily forgetting where they were.

“I wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Desire.”

“Still, I kept pushing an agenda and a marriage even I wouldn’t be happy with. By doing that, I made things harder for you and Crescent. Now that you can finally be together, you’re the farthest you’ve ever been. If only I had cut my shit earlier-”

“Desire.” Jongho interrupted. “Don’t you dare blame yourself for what’s happening to us. Void’s the only one at fault here. Whatever happened before this has nothing to do with what’s going on.”

Desire sighed. “I just feel like I wasted so much time trying to force this arranged relationship that I didn’t stop to think about what I wanted.”

“Well, what do you want?”

“Felix.” She said, dreamily.

“Sorry, what was that? You said Felix? Felix Felix? With the frog aura?”

“He’s a poison dart frog.”

“Wow. You really like him. Okay. Well, I’m sure if you just spoke to him and let him know you’re interested, you’d be well on your way to make life worth it.”

“Will he talk to me after all the crap I’ve done is the question.”

“No one’s perfect,” Jongho laid back down. “I know that, and I’m sure someone like Felix knows that too. Just try talking to him. And please, Des, just be yourself. No snotty valley girl like you’ve been trying to be all these years. Remember when we used to run that Star Wars club?”

Desire laughed. “That feels so incredibly long ago.”

“You used to do a mean Chewbacca impression.”

“What do you mean ‘used to?’” Desire taunted. “AAARARRRGWWWH!”

Jongho burst out laughing. “Sounds like you still got it. And Felix runs the movie club, so I’m sure he’s seen the movie and will love your impression. Just be yourself.”

“Jongho?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

Jongho smiled. “No problem.”

Just then, an alarm sounded. Some of Void’s men came running into the room to check the locks and add more locks to each cell door before rushing back out.

“What’s that about?” Jongho asked.

“They’re securing the area because they’re leaving us alone. Void is off to do a mission. It happened the first night I spent here.”

Jongho imagined how hard it was for Desire to spend that night cold and alone in her cell. He waited until it was quiet for some time before speaking.

“Desire.”

“Yeah?”

“What would you think if I said I had an idea that might get us out of here, and I’ve been waiting for the right opportunity to try it?”

“I would say that I’m in and it’s about damn time.”

Jongho smiled, getting up and walking to the adjacent wall. “What if I told you our auras weren’t exactly gone, but dampened by the bracelets they put on us?” He hit his chest, then knocked down the wall, meeting face to face with a very surprised, very exhausted Desire.

“And what if I said I had a way to take them off so we can make it out of here?” He said, reaching his hand out to the girl.

“Now that’s the town’s king.” Desire smiled, running into the cell.

-

-

-

-

“So you’re saying she hasn’t done any of her assignments?” Solar questioned.

“Not only am I saying that, Mrs. Moon. I’m saying Crescent isn’t even engaging in any of her class meetups. I know I’m her therapist and all, but for such a bright girl to just drop the ball so suddenly and completely…I felt like I had to get in contact with you.”

“No, I understand, Ms. Parker. This isn’t like her. My husband and I will speak with her. Thank you for calling.”

Solar turned to Lunar, sighing. “She’s not even attending the online classes, let alone doing the assignments.”

Lunar shook his head. “She’s going through a lot, but what do we do? Can’t just let her keep failing.”

“I’ll ask Eclipse to have a talk with her. I don’t want her to feel like she’s in trouble by speaking to one of us.”

Crescent rolled her eyes, tip-toeing back up the stairs. So much for getting a drink from the kitchen.

She closed her door softly, throwing herself on the bed. Whose side was that therapist on, anyway? She was better at being a snitch than a therapist. Every time Crescent brought up Jongho and how she felt, she always offered to do strategic exercises from her treatment plan. Crescent didn’t want that. She wanted to go out and do what the police weren’t. Jongho was missing for 6 days already. They already knew who took him. What were they waiting for?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. “What?” She asked, irritated.

The door cracked open, Eclipse peeking in. “Can I come in?”

“I guess.”

She closed the door back, sitting on the bed. “What’s up?”

“Thinking.”

“You know your therapist snitched, right?”

“Yep.”

“Why aren’t you doing the work then?”

“Fuck that shit.”

“Crescent!” Eclipse was surprised, her sister was never one to talk so bluntly.

“You asked.” She shrugged, sitting up. “Jongho gets abducted right in front of me and I’m expected to do what? Just get online with a smile and raise my hand in Google Meets? The cops know the Void took him and they aren’t doing ANYTHING.”

“Crescent, everyone is doing what they can-”

“Bullshit. That’s what they tell you so you can leave them alone. Two abductions in a week from the same town. Kids that go to the same school. There’s something they’re not telling us.”

“Even if there is Crescent, what are you going to do about it? What can you do?”

Crescent chuckled. “Jokes on you. I have a whole plan in place.”

“Wait, what?”

She nodded. “I leave tonight. I’m gonna uncover the truth. About the Void. About myself. About everything.”

“Crescent, you can’t just run off on some crazy mission because you feel overwhelmed!”

“I can, and I will.”

Eclipse shook her head. “I can’t let that happen.” She gets up, walking towards the door.

Crescent’s cheetah aura activated as she blocked the doorway, meeting Clips’ gaze.

“Where ya goin, big sis?” She said, pushing her until she landed on the bed. Crescent towered over her, pinning her to the mattress.

“Crescent, let me go.”

“You think you’re gonna go snitch on me, too? Huh? You think I’m just gonna let you walk out of here and run to mom and dad and tell them everything I just said?” She shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t allow that.” Her grip on Clips’ arms tighten, a squeeze away from breaking skin.

Clips winced in pain, unable to overpower her little sister. “I’m not gonna tell them. I’m sorry, I’ll go to my room. Just let me go.”

Crescent stared for a while before letting go and powering down. She watched as Clips got up and walked to the door.

“At least let me go with you. If no one can know where you’re going, take me with you.”

“No. I have to do this on my own. You’d just be another liability.”

Eclipse opens the door, walking out.

“I’ll text you when I get there.” Crescent called out, causing Eclipse to momentarily freeze before she closed the door fully.

-

-

-

-

Later that night, Crescent got in bed and waited until her mother and father went to bed. Just as she suspected, her mother came to check on her.

“Crescent? Are you asleep, baby?” She whispered, rubbing her daughter’s back when she made a stir. “Shh, go head and sleep. We’ll talk in the morning. I love you.” She kissed her cheek before walking back out and down the hall to the room she shared with Lunar.

Crescent threw the covers off and stood up, fully clothed. She sighed, momentarily hesitating. Was she really gonna lie to her sister? Her parents? Take the car?

Crescent shook her head. “This is for Jongho. Once he’s back, I’ll face the consequences.” She grabbed her bag from the closet, already packed. She checked the hallway before shuffling down the stairs, shoes in hand. She ran out to the car, tossing her bag in the backseat. Before climbing into the driver seat she looked up, making eye contact with Eclipse who was watching her from the upstairs window. They both stared for a moment before Crescent started the car and drove off.

She drove for about two hours, stopping at a small motel a little past midnight.

“Are you still allowing check-ins?” She asked the guy working the front desk.

He looked up from his phone, amber-colored scleras and black irises peeking out from under his black hair. A hump under his hair indicated his forehead had a horn. Must be a rhino.

“Lucky for you, you’re just in time.” He smirked, opening the check-in book.

Crescent scribbled “Akira Mason” in the book and fished out her wallet. “How much?”

“$45 a night, I can make it lower if you do me a favor.” He leaned onto the counter, breath fanning her face.

Crescent fought the urge to grimace, smiling instead. “Not a problem, I can afford $45 a night. I’ll check out in two days.” She said, handing the guy $135.

He shrugged, opening the cash register. “Suit yourself. I’ll be here every night if you get lonely.” He said, handing her a key. “Room 308. Enjoy.”

“I will. Thanks.” She snatched the key, heading for the elevator. She got situated in the room, laying on the bed. She fished out her phone, texting Eclipse as she promised.

I’m here

C’mon Crescent. Where is here??

Crescent turned her phone off, putting it on the nightstand. She dug out her laptop, hoping the motel at least had Wi-Fi. Once she was connected to the internet, she pulled up all her research on the places that might help her understand the Void or the OmniAura or if she was lucky, both.

The first place she heard of was a library no one’s ever been able to find. Her only source of its existing was an online forum called Where’s Omni, which isn’t much. People theorizing where it is, how to get there, what they’d find when they got there. Legend has it the person who created the forum, Tam64, was someone who has been to the library and possibly was trying to document what they saw. Some say Tam64 is the OmniAura, but their posts ended in the 70s and they’ve never reappeared. Their posts are still up, and the last sentence is one that creeps most out:

It’s up to me to save humanity.

Crescent jotted down as many tips from the forum as she could, eventually closing the tab. Not much she could do about a place with no known address. The next two places weren’t as interesting: A gym in the neighboring town where multi-aura holders compete with each other for the title of who’s closest to the OmniAura and a café calledOmniAura.

Crescent sighed. Her luck was between a place that possibly didn’t exist, an ego competition or a cup of coffee. She closed the laptop and after making sure the door was locked from that weirdo downstairs, she went to bed.

-

-

-

Crescent made her way to the lobby first thing in the morning. On her way out, she runs into the receptionist from last night.

“You up bright and early.”

“I’m also leaving. Bye!” Crescent called out. She hopped into the car, using her phone as GPS to the gym. She didn’t want to risk using any built-in features of the car in case that made her traceable. She parked nearby the gym, stopping in a diner to get a quick bite to eat before entering.

“Name?” A bulky guy at the front of the gym asked.

“Akira.”

“Akira, you’re aware you need more than one aura to be eligible for this gym?”

“I have three.”

For the first time in the exchange, the man looked up. “Do you now?”

Crescent nodded.

“I would very much like to see that. He’s your nametag, you’re up against Sylvia over there.” He pointed at a woman near the back of the room. Please go to the back room over there for aura verification.” Crescent scoffed. She didn’t plan on wasting her time fighting anyone.

There was a lady in a white coat who smiled at Crescent when she walked in.

“Hi. Please stand on the square in the middle of the room. The windows in here are tinted, so please show me your full powers with confidence.”

Crescent took a deep breath and activated her seal. She looked back at the woman with all-black eyes.

She nodded. “Is that a seal?” She wrote on her notepad when Crescent nodded. “Nice, you can keep going.”

Crescent closed her eyes again, activating her cheetah aura.

“Cheetah?” The woman grabbed an apple from the table. “Catch this for me.” She said, tossing the fruit behind her. Crescent caught it in a matter of seconds, the wind she created blowing the woman’s hair around. “Quicker than most around here. You must be younger than I thought. You can power down now.”

Suddenly, the lady yelped. The table she was sitting on was suddenly lifted. She looked down to see Crescent balancing the desk on one arm.

“I wasn’t finished,” Crescent explained, the glimmer in her eye from the tiger aura shining bright. She hoped the woman didn’t feel the table shaking in her grasp as Crescent struggled to keep her aura activated.

“I see. So, you have the seal, cheetah, and tiger. Noted. Please wait outside for your battle.” She said, visibly relieved when Crescent set her down.

“I’m not here to fight.”

“You have to fight. Those are the rules.” The woman asked, confused. If she wasn’t here to fight. What was she here for?

“I could care less about this little bullshit arena you run here. Having people battle it out for the title of ‘Omni of the month?’ How does that even make sense? The OmniAura isn’t a title you earn beating other people up, you’re born with it. You’re either it or you’re not. You’re just trying to make a profit here.”

The woman set her clipboard down, sighing. “What do you know, little girl? Okay, maybe none of these people are the OmniAura. But don’t you think one of them could be? Having two auras is rare, having three like yourself even rarer. If an OmniAura possesses all auras, don’t you think you would activate more auras here? There could be someone here right now, thinking all they have are two auras when really they have millions of dormant assets.”

Crescent chuckled. “So the best way to figure it out is to have everyone beat each other up? Don’t make me laugh.” She sat on the desk, humored when the woman flinched. “What I’m really here for is information.”

“What information?”

“Whatever you have on the OmniAura. And don’t give me that ‘that’s what the arena is for’ crap. We both know you have more than what you let on.”

“Even if I do, why should I tell you? What’s some kid gonna do with that information?”

“I have some friends in need. The OmniAura can help.”

“Those kids taken by The Void? Don’t you know they’re good as dead by now? He probably killed them by now.”

“So where are the bodies?” Crescent shrugged. “Spill the beans, lady.”

“I don’t know anything.”

“When you spoke earlier, you said ‘even if I do.’ Usually, when people speak about something they don’t have they say, ‘even if I did.’ So, I think you’re lying.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “We have the reason to believe the OmniAura exist and have existed for years. No one knows if it’s a male or female, and people who have claimed to see them in the past all say different genders and stories and encounters that we can’t get any confirmation. All I can say for certain is whoever it is, they’re from Strongville. Nowhere else.”

“What makes you so certain they’re not from around here?”

“Have you seen the auras of people around here? Mole rat, bunnies, hamsters. Nothing strong enough for OmniAura material. Strongville has tigers and gorillas roaming around. It’s different over there. It’s Strongville for a reason.” She shrugged, walking around the desk. “Anyways, if you’re hoping to find out information about that library, you won’t get any. I’ve looked for years and could never find it. I’ve checked old maps, encyclopedias, coordinates I’ve found on obscure web pages and nothing. It might not exist. That’s all the info I have for you. And that’s the truth this time. I’ll give you a forfeit slip to give to the referee. It won’t say why you’re refusing to battle, just that you won’t.” she said, snatching it out of reach when Crescent extended her hand out. “Answer one question for me.”

“What?”

“Your name isn’t Akira, is it?”

Crescent smiled. “What makes you say that?”

“You mentioned those Strongville High kids were your friends and you’re a TripleAura. Strongville High has no student named Akira, so you must be named something else.”

Crescent laughed. “Well if you know that much, I don’t even have to tell you my real name, do I?” She grabbed the note from the woman, walking out.

“Good luck, Crescent. I hope you find them.”

Crescent smiled again. “I knew I didn’t have to tell you.”

She walked back out of the room, making a beeline for the ref. She tapped his shoulder.

“Oh good, you’re finally out. We can start the match.”

“Actually, tell the other person they’re winning by default. I’m outta here.”

“But wait! You’d be the first TripleAura competitor! C’mon!”

“You must be scared, little girl. Here I was thinking I was gonna ruin that pretty little face.” Sylvia shouted.

Crescent turned to get a good look at her. She appeared to be mid-thirties with a bulky build. “Whatever, grandma!” Crescent shouted, headed for the door again.

“What you call me, bitch? I should show you some manners.” Sylvia said, activating her gazelle aura and pouncing at Crescent.

Crescent sighed before turning around, clawing at Sylvia’s neck just as she reached her. While Sylvia reached for her bleeding neck, Crescent pounced on her, trapping her under her cheetah strength.

“You already won. What more are you fighting for? Back. Off.” Crescent let go of her and walked off, leaving the room full of stunned faces.

“Did you see that? She tackled Sylvia immediately.”

“She had the speed of a cheetah and the strength of a tiger. I wish we got to see the third aura.”

“Who IS that kid?” The doorman asked the woman from the office.

“Now that,” She said, smiling. “Just might be the OmniAura.”

-

-

-

-

By the time Crescent reached the OmniAura Café, the sun was setting. Crescent sighed, it was a regular café, just as she’d imagined. She went in and ordered an americano with a danish. She sat down, laughing at her order. She hated americanos. She always mocked Jongho for being so obsessed with such a bitter drink. Somehow, drinking it made her feel closer to him.

“Jongho,” she mumbled breathlessly, “Where are you?”

The danish was fresh and tasteful, despite it being nearly nighttime. Or perhaps it was the lack of food all day clouding Crescent’s judgment. She finished her food, tossing a few dollars in the tip jar on the counter. She stepped onto the pavement, zipping up her jacket as it had gotten notably colder since she arrived to the café. She decided to walk for a bit. After all, there wasn’t much to do back at the hotel. She stood at the crosswalk, watching kids play up the street while waiting for the light to change. She smiled as she watched one of the children be particularly protective of a little girl, reminding her yet again of herself and Jongho.

She passed the children, walking towards a relatively secluded area.

She paused, confused. “This street is so much quieter and darker than the one I just passed.” She said to herself. It was true, the street where the café and children were seemed like it was worlds away from where she was standing. Turning back around, she saw an abandoned building at the next corner over. There was a sign dangling off the gate, but the wear and tear prevented Crescent from reading it.

“That looks like an old library. Could it be…?”

Reluctantly, she crossed the street. Just as she’d suspected, the sign stated the building used to be a library. There was no condemned or demolition notice, but it seemed like no one had tended to it in years.

Crescent turned to cross the street again, but as she waited for the light, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more than meets the eye. A library so close to the OmniAura café, that just happens to be abandoned with no plans for demolition or renovation? And all of this while Crescent is looking for a library that is rumored to not even exist?

The light changed, but Crescent didn’t budge. She watched the countdown on the traffic light reach zero. Before she could think about it, she walked back up to the gate, prying it open and slipping inside.

A closer look at the door revealed it was bolted shut, and the windows had bars in place. Crescent checked the sides of the place, determined to find a way in. Even if the place was abandoned, surely there was information still sitting on the shelves, right? Or at least a clue.

On the left side of the building there was a narrow alleyway, with a ladder leaning against the structure, leading to the roof. Crescent shone her phone flashlight on the ground, showing fresh footprints heading to the ladder.

Someone’s been here recently. She thought.

She stood at the base of the ladder. Was she being too reckless? This is something Eclipse would do. For all Crescent knows, the owner of the footprints is still here. A homeless person? A criminal? Or was it all a trap by the Void? Did he know she was looking for Jongho?

She shook her head. If she just stood around, nothing would get done. She climbed up to the roof and found…nothing. The roof was completely empty. In the far corner, Crescent saw what looked like a door handle sticking out from the roof floor. She reached out for it, the door opening up like a black hole, a seemingly bottomless void within. Tired of wasting time, Crescent jumped in, gasping when her feet finally touched ground.

Immediately there was light throughout the room. Crescent stood up straight, goosebumps forming on her arms. She met the eyes of a man with long, grey hair sitting at a desk at the end of the hall. Behind him was a door.

I knew someone was here. Crescent thought.

“Do you realize you’ve trespassed, child? What gives you the impression that this establishment is open to the public? Once I give the police the fingerprints you’ve left on the door handle, you’re looking at 3 years, give or take.” The man shrugged.

“Well, it’s a good thing I have this.” Crescent picked at her wrist until an insanely thin layer of fake skin peeled off her hand. The man watched as she also peeled the other half, amused.

“Fake skin and fingerprints? You came with a purpose.” He chuckled. “What is it that you seek?”

“Are you the Void?”

“Is that who you’re looking for?”

“I asked you a question first.”

“And if I am?”

Crescent activated her cheetah aura, staring the man in the eyes in a matter of seconds.

“I’m tired of you running circles. Just answer the question!”

“Let’s say I am the Void. What’s going to happen to me? All the people I killed? All the ones held captive?”

Gripping the desk, Crescent flung it across the room, wooden planks and splinters tumbling to the ground.

“Wow. Impressive amount of power for such a young one.” The man muttered. “I’m not the Void. In fact, I have no aura at all.” He said, raising his hands.

Crescent froze momentarily before powering down. Especially after what she’s been through, she vowed to never show violence to someone without an aura. “I lost control, forgive me. I’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

“I see. No need to apologize. I’m simply the gatekeeper of this library. The abandoned look is to avoid the influx of people that would come claiming to be the OmniAura. If that’s the information you are seeking, you’ve found the right place.” He stood up, reaching for a key in his grey slacks. “Follow me.” He said, opening the door.

The library was littered top to bottom with books. The room itself was about the size of a two-bedroom apartment and the shelves were made of mahogany wood.

“Is every book in here about the OmniAura?” Crescent asked.

“Auras in general, really. But most of that information is probably public knowledge. Feel free to roam around.” He said, sitting on yet another chair at the front of the room. “I’ll be here.”

Crescent browsed the aisles, not even sure where to start when a book falls from one of the shelves across yonder. Instinctively, she ran to grab it and put it back, but then she caught a glimpse of the title on the front page:

OmniAura: The Origin.

She examined the exterior. No title or author on the cover. The book was bound together by leather, and it definitely wasn’t from the previous generation. Or the one before that.

This is my chance to find out who the OmniAura is. Crescent thought, sitting at a table near the shelf.

She flipped open to the first chapter, titled Two Hearts Make One. She furrowed her eyebrows. A love story? In a book about the strongest being on Earth? She shrugged. There has to be some point to the story.

To understand the OmniAura, one must go back to the story of Demelza Ainsley and Prince Gladstone Quinton. Prince Gladstone was next in line for the throne of Wilikar, and it was time to choose a bride. He’d already gone from town to town in search of the perfect maiden, but none of them seemed fit to rule by his side. On his way back into town, his carriage was halted by a woman struggling to cross the road.

“Make haste, young lady! Can’t you see we have the future king on board?” The coachman shouted.

“My apologies! All I ask is for a second to make it across!” She said, tripping and dropping her stuff once again. “Goodness gracious.” She muttered.

“Young lady-”

“It’s alright.” The Prince said, silencing the coachman at once.

“But my sire!” The coachman objected.

“I said it’s alright.” The Prince exited the carriage, curious as to what was going on.

“Do you require assistance, damsel? He asked the troubled woman.

In that moment, the young lady looked up, eyes widening at the sight of the Prince in the flesh. The Prince’s eyes widened as well, but for a very different reason. He’d never seen such beauty before. Her black curls framed her almond skin, and her pillowy lips made the perfect ‘o’ shape as she looked at him in surprise.

“Oh, Your Majesty! I’m terribly sorry! I’ll be out of your way in just a moment.” She said, struggling to carry all her items once again.

“I asked if you needed assistance. Allow me.” The Prince grabbed one of the baskets the woman had dropped, walking it to the grass.

“Your Majesty, that’s quite alright! I was just having a moment, surely I can manage myself.”

“Nonsense, I’ll help you to your destination. Lead the way.”

“Sire! That isn’t necessary! Allow me to assist the young lady.” The coachman said.

“Stay where you are, Squire. That is an order. I shall return.” The Prince said, ignoring the coachman’s pleas.

The prince and damsel walked for a while in silence.

“What is all of this for? Do you sell?” The Prince asked.

“Y-yes, Your Majesty. Every afternoon in the marketplace.”

“Please, call me Gladstone.”

The lady looked up at him in shock. “Demelza. I appreciate the courtesy, Your Majesty, but I just cannot do that. It’s not right.”

“I insist, Demelza.” He smiled, flustering the young woman. “If I’m correct, your parents are the Ainsleys.” She nodded. “I’ve always seen your siblings Dexter and Deana, but never you. Why?”

“I’m the eldest and the adult child, I have to support our family. Mother and Father can only do so much.”

“Surely you have fun sometimes?”

Demelza laughed. “Fun is for those who lack responsibilities like my siblings. I can’t remember a time I went out that wasn’t for my market sales.” She sighed.

“DEMELZA!”

Demelza looked up. “Oh! Your Ma-, I mean, Gladstone. There’s my brother. He’ll help me carry everything the rest of the way, so you can get back to your duties.”

“It’s fine, I’m in no rush.” He replied. “Dexter, how are you?”

The younger boy looked nearly starstruck at the sight of the Prince. “I’m doing alright, Your Majesty. Hopefully Demelza hasn’t caused you much trouble.” He said, ignoring his sister’s glare.

“Oh, none at all. Our chat has been quite fun, actually.” He smiled.

“Dexter! Have you found Demelza?” A woman shouted. “Oh! Demelza, there you are! What has taken you so long- Oh goodness! Your Majesty!”

“I apologize, Madam Ainsley. I accompanied Demelza down the way to help, but it seems I’ve made her even later, chit-chatting along the way.”

“Oh of course not, Your Majesty! All the time in the world for you!” She laughed. “Demelza, we really should be getting to the market before we lose our spot.”

“Oh, right! Gladstone, you’ve been oh so kind! I’m indebted to you.” Demelza smiled.

“You can make it up by coming to the palace tonight. There’s a dinner being held for all the damsels in the village. I know you said you don’t have time to have fun, but surely you can take a break? I’d love for you to come.”

She nodded. “If that is what you wish, I will see it through.”

Once the Prince was farther away, Demelza’s mother grabbed her arm, yanking her in the direction of the market. “You can’t go.”

“What?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“But mother! I just promised the Prince I’d go see him!”

“After seeing the rest of the girls in this village surely he won’t remember you. We’ll send Deana in your place. You’re the oldest, Demelza. You’re the one that has to stay behind and help us. My older sister did it, and now it’s your turn. That’s how it is.”

Later that evening, the palace was full of young ladies in their best gowns, all hoping to catch the Prince’s eye. And yet, his eye was glued to the door. He momentarily lit up at the sight of Deana, only to realize she had once again arrived sans Demelza.

“This won’t do.” He mumbled. “Father, I’ll return shortly.”

“Return? Gladstone, the event has just begun, and here you are running off already? We need to find you a wife so you can take the throne!”

“I’m aware of that. Just- I’ll return.” He said, walking away before the King could say another word.

He exited the palace out the back entrance, making his way around to the front. He ran into his Squire out front.

“Sire! What is the meaning of this? You should be inside!”

“Yes, Squire, I know. I just need to make a quick run. Please wane my father’s concerns should he try to come after me. I’ll come right back!”

“But Sire!” He shouted, but Gladstone had taken off into the night.

Gladstone reached the quaint house he had walked to earlier. Peering through the window, he saw Demelza tidying up the dining area. He knocked urgently.

“Yes? Deana is that you? Is everything alri-” She paused, coming face to face with the Prince once again.

“I thought we had agreed to see each other tonight, Demelza.”

“I’m so sorry, Gladstone. My mother says as the eldest, I shouldn’t worry myself with such fantasies like falling in love with a Prince. My duties are here at home. Please understand.”

“I know this is sudden, but you’ve been on my mind since this afternoon. I watched as girl after girl came into the ballroom, and yet I still waited hoping to see you.”

“Demelza, who is at the door?” A man’s voice said.

“Father!” Demelza said, more out of surprise.

“Who is it- Your Majesty! What are you doing here? It’s the night of the ball!”

“As the patriarch of the Ainsley household, I am asking for permission for your daughter to come with me to the ball, sir.”

“Demelza? But Demelza is not to be wed. Surely Deana-”

“Sir, I’ve never felt this way before. Any other woman just wouldn’t feel right. It must be her. All I ask for is the chance to prove it to you.” He said, kneeling before the middle-aged man.

The man sighed. “Well, I can’t argue with a declaration like that. If the Prince is so adamant he arrived for you himself, surely my wife and I have raised a fine young woman.” He said, smiling at Demelza. “Run along, you may go.”

“What is all this noise- Your Majesty! You’re here again! And during the ball! Demelza-”

“It’s alright, love. Let her go.”

“But what about-”

“We don’t need to drag our daughter down. We’ll be alright on our own.” The man said, taking his wife back into the house.

“Come on! I refuse to let the night end without so much as a dance with you!” the Prince said.

“Even if I have permission, look at me.” She motioned to her housedress. “I haven’t so much as a thread of ballroom-worthy garments here!”

The Prince thought for a bit and said, “I have an idea, but we have to run, yes?”

He took Demelza’s hand and the pair ran off in the direction of the palace, heartbeats racing from both adrenaline and excitement.

The Squire was still outside when they returned and he breathed a notable sigh at the sight of the Prince. “Sire, is this the young lady from earlier?”

The Prince nodded. “This is Demelza, Squire. She’s in need of a dress for the ball. Can you assist?”

The Squire thought for a bit. “I believe my wife should have a dress that’ll fit, but we truly must hurry.”

The three ran into the palace in search of the seamstress, who dressed Demelza in a deep blue, floor-length gown with gold accents and helped her style her hair in a neat bun. A gold necklace was placed on her neck as the finishing touch. The pair thanked the Squire and the Seamstress before running to the ballroom in time for the King to announce there would be a dance between the Prince and a damsel of his choice.

“Father! I’ve returned! And I made my choice!”

The King turned to see his son beaming with a beautiful young lady by his side.

“Are you sure, son?”

“It can’t be anyone else, Father.”

“What is your name, young lady?”

“Demelza Ainsley.”

The King smiled. He’d heard the name, but never seen her, meaning she was most likely destined to care for the family before his son stepped in. It was in his son’s character to fall for the one no one else sees.

“Well then, it has been decided! The prince will dance with Demelza of the Ainsley family! Please clear the floor for the chosen pair!”

Demelza wanted to shy away from the spotlight; she had never been the center of attention.

The Prince squeezed her hand. “Don’t hide. Let them see your beauty.” He pulled her in close as they began to sway to the music. Demelza caught a glimpse of her younger sister, who smiled sweetly.

“Now that I’ve got you, good luck getting rid of me, Miss Demelza Quinton.”

Demelza furrowed her eyebrows. “Demelza Ainsley.”

The Prince smiled. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”

The wedding set the village ablaze. The soon-to-be royals were the talk of the town, both good and bad. The Royals couldn’t understand why the Prince would choose such a humble woman, whereas the commoners saw this as hope that life would improve for everyone in the village.

“What’s so special about her? There were so many girls prettier than her at the ball!”

“Not to the Prince. Rumor is she wasn’t even at the ball at all, and he went searching for her AND dressed her when she didn’t have anything to wear.”

“Now that’s love.”

“Sounds like exploitation to me. You want me at the ball, so you have to dress me. She couldn’t just make her own dress like the others?”

“SHH! Here they come!”

Demelza lowered her head, clinging to the Prince’s side. She hated all the things said about her. She never intended to marry the Prince for his money, or at all in the beginning. She never envisioned herself in this position either. Was it such a foreign concept, that of love at first sight?

“Don’t pay them any mind, dear. We know the truth.” The Prince placed a hand under her chin, raising her head once more.

The crowd surrounding the carriage cooed at the display of affection, chanting “Long live the Royals!”

“People of Wilikar, please make way for the Royal Couple, as they must get dressed for the royal ceremony! And of course, the entire village is invited!” Cheers erupted throughout the area as the carriage’s path was cleared.

-

-

-

“Gladstone.”

“Father.”

“The path you’ve chosen, I want you to know a long time of defending your bride is in store. Can you handle it?”

“I wouldn’t go through with it if I couldn’t defend her honor. I knew it had to be her from the minute I laid eyes on her. I’ll make sure the whole world knows no one else can take her place.”

The King smiled, embracing his son. “I’ve raised you well. All I want is for you to be happy. I may rule this entire kingdom, but you’re my greatest prize.”

“Your Majesties, it is nearly time for the bride to arrive! We must get downstairs!”

“Come on, future king.”

The palace was filled with villagers from far and wide wanting to witness such a historical moment.

Demelza’s gown was a simple off-shoulder white gown with silver accents. She donned a sheer white cape that trailed feet away from her person and an all-white bouquet of the village’s finest flowers.

The Prince kept his eyes trained on his bride, a small smile forming the closer she got.

“Your beauty is unmatched, dear.” He said once she reached the altar.

“You’re far too nice to me.” She blushed.

“Surely, that’s impossible.” He replied.

“We are gathered here today to witness the union of Demelza Ainsley and Gladstone Quinton, the future rulers of our kingdom.” The officiant said. “Demelza, please repeat after me. "I, Demelza Ainsley, take thee, Gladstone Quinton, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

“And now you, Your Majesty. "I, Gladstone Quinton, take thee, Demelza Ainsley, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge thee my faith."

Once the vows were done, the officiant spoke again. “If there is anybody who thinks these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“I object!”

Gasps and whispers filled the palace, onlookers searching for the source of the voice.

A young man in a simple white button-up and dark-colored pants stepped out of the crowd.

“Melbourne?” Demelza said in disbelief.

“My love, you know him?” The Prince asks.

“Yes, he’s a friend from childhood.”

“A friend from childhood that deserves to be with you. Demelza, I know you better than this man ever could!”

“That’s not just any man! That is the future King! Show some respect!” Someone shouted from the crowd.

“Fret not, I’ll allow it.” The Prince said, raising his hand.

“Demelza, I have loved you for years. Yet, when I expressed that, you told me you couldn’t marry. And now here you are, signing yourself off to the Royals. Was it all a lie to wane me off? Did you dislike me that much?”

“Melbourne,” Demelza said, grasping his hand affectionately when he approached the pair. “That was never the case. What I told you was true. I was destined to never marry. But, Gladstone fought to be with me. It is because of him that I am even here. It was never my intention to make you feel betrayed. You deserve someone who makes you happy. The way Gladstone makes me happy.” She said, turning to the Prince, who smiled in return.

Melbourne chuckled humorlessly. “I wish that were enough, Demelza.”

The Prince charged towards him. “Don’t harm her!”

Melbourne turned to the Prince, piercing him with a pocketknife he had concealed until now. “Very well, then. I’ll just harm you.”

“Gladstone!” Demelza shouted as Melbourne pulled the weapon out, blood oozing out onto the palace floor. The crowd began evacuating at once, screams and hollers filling the building.

“Last chance, Demelza. Marry me, love. It can only be you.” He pleaded.

Demelza stared at him. “You’re unbelievable. Look at the despair you’ve caused, and you say it’s all in the name of your love for me? This isn’t love, Melbourne. And I won’t marry you! Not now, not ever! My heart lies with Gladstone!”

Melbourne sighed. “My poor Demelza, foolish as ever.”

Demelza gasped, clutching her bleeding abdomen. “Melbourne!” She coughed.

“Don’t you get it, Sweetheart? If I can’t have you, no one can.” Melbourne said, just as the guards were able to reach the altar and drag him away.

Demelza crawled to the Prince’s side, who was barely clinging to life.

“Gladstone! My love, can you hear me?” She asked, her own voice barely a whisper.

“Son!” The King shouted, holding the distraught Queen.

“Demelza.” The Prince croaked. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”

“Don’t you dare.” She shook her head. “Don’t you dare apologize at a time like this.”

“Your Highness, would you like me to continue the pronouncement?” the officiant asked. “It may not mean much, but you can still be wed.”

“Yes, please continue. I want to die married to the love of my life.” He mumbled, his words becoming more and more incoherent.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride, Your Highness.”

Gladstone didn’t have much strength to move, so Demelza leaned over.

“No matter how many times, no matter how long it takes. Come back to me, beloved.” She said, enveloping his lips in a loving kiss.

The Prince and Duchess of Wilikar perished in each other’s arms that day, and Melbourne was stoned to death for his crimes. The King and Queen were never able to recover from the loss of their only child, deeming them unfit to rule, so the throne was passed down to Deana. She ruled with the assistance of Gladstone’s former Squire since she was still shy of her 18th birthday. Notable differences Deana made include the abolishment of marital objections at weddings. One can guess why.

Why is this story important to the origin of the OmniAura?

Well, it’s said that when the Prince and Duchess finally took their last breaths, several animal-shaped lights glowed throughout the palace and the entire kingdom. These became known as astral projections and later, auras. The origin of auras in its entirety, not just the OmniAura, originated with Demelza and Gladstone Quinton.

Crescent slammed the book. What did she just read? The first people to have auras…didn’t even get to use them? So, the OmniAura are these two people? How was she going to get two deceased people to help her get Jongho back?

She opened it again.

By now, you’ve probably understood that the OmniAura isn’t one lone person, or a group or even chosen at random, but two intertwined souls destined to always be together, with love as their binding. The power has evolved over the years, with a new animal manifesting with every reincarnation. The previous story is from hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and it is said that every so often the couple will reincarnate. Melbourne, unfortunately, reincarnates as well, making their reunion complicated. Melbourne takes on a random role in society, but the couple is always together. Whether it be a boss and employee, coworkers, a professor and college student, or childhood best friends, the pair always reincarnate already destined to have a bond.

Crescent scratched her neck at “childhood best friends.” Could it be? Were they?

She kept reading.

Because the instance of the OmniAura is so specific and who exactly is the OmniAura is so fickle, many doubt the very existence of the OmniAura, sometimes even the OmniAura themselves. Signs of the OmniAura include a strong, deep-rooted connection that seems to have festered out of nowhere or triggered by a traumatic event, a strange feeling of déjà vu. These also include a sense of loss or longing when the couple is separated that may turn into reckless endangerment, the apparition of extra auras for one or both parties, etc.

But being the OmniAura comes with its dangers as well. Aside from the expected desired amount of power, the OmniAura depends a lot on one another. Regardless if the power is equally distributed or not, strength for both parties significantly diminishes when apart. This reduction in strength has not been seen in other couples with auras, not even when married. It can go as far as to weaker the immune system of the weaker party, or better yet, the party that houses fewer auras. This is all caused by the body’s natural necessity to be one with its other half-

Crescent slammed the book closed again, for real this time. She stood up from her seat. If her assumption was true, and her and Jongho were the OmniAura, then that meant that Jongho’s immune system was…

“Young lady?”

Crescent jumped. She had been read for so long she had forgotten she wasn’t alone.

“Are you finding everything okay? What made you want to research the OmniAura today?” The man asked.

“Oh,” Crescent said, “well, my friends were kidnapped by the void, and I was hoping to find some information on the person he’s really looking for.”

“Ohh, yes. The children kidnapped from the high school?” He asked, to which Crescent nodded. “And how do you feel now with the answers the book has provided?”

“Like I have more questions than answers. Did you know one of the OA’s? How did you come to guard this building?”

The man smiled. “Well, I was in fact part of the story. You might have seen me in that as ‘Squire.’”

Crescent gasped. “But if you were…then how?”

“When the Prince and Duchess passed, life went on as normal. People slowly began realizing they had auras and they explored all they could do with those abilities. I assisted Lady Deana, she refused to take on the Duchess title, and everything was fine. Until one day, after my 65th birthday, I stopped aging. All my other coworkers grew old and retired, passed away, their children passed away, My wife, Lady Deana, Dexter. They all grew old and passed. But I remained. Scientists and doctors were baffled. Even during things like the Spanish Flu, I was completely healthy. It was a running joke in the village that I would live forever. It was funny until the last person from my generation passed away. On the night of the funeral, I went to bed like normal. When I woke, I was in this library. I had no idea how I got here, and no idea how to get back to my village. I spent my days wandering the streets of the city and the halls of the library until one day a girl came rushing in. She was frantic, saying she needed to help her tutor who was bedridden and frail. No one could understand what was wrong with him. It was then I understood my purpose. I’m here to facilitate the union of the OmniAura through every reincarnation. And I’ve been doing so ever since.”

“And how long has that been?” Crescent asked. “And the book only ever called you Squire, what’s your name?”

The man sighed. “I’ve seen the reunion of the OmniAura a total of 43 times, all of which have ended in tragedy. Every time, Melbourne kills them both, with the promise of killing them in the next life. I truly hope it ends soon, so I can finally rest. I’ve lived for far too long. Oh, and my name is Alston.” He chuckled.

“Well, Alston, if you never saw this place prior to living here, where did all these books come from?” Crescent gestured to the rest of the room.

“They probably belonged to Gladstone’s family. I must confess, however, several of these books were written by me. Including the one you’re holding.”

“Really? I suppose it would make sense. You need something to busy yourself with here.”

“I wrote it around the time of the 22nd and 23rd reincarnations. I had finally grasped the concept enough to explain it and I had noticed patterns that repeat each time. Every time one of the OmniAura stumbles upon this library, that book is involved in the reunion or revelation, so I guard it well.” He sat down.

“Throughout the years, many people have attempted to access the library, seeing as it’s the only credible source of information for the OmniAura, so I make an effort to guard the door at night. I used to allow open visits until people became rude and arrogant, insisting on taking ownership of the materials and claiming to be the OA due to their strength and auras. Many would refuse to leave and got violent, genuinely believing they had the right to be there. The biggest misconception is that the OmniAura is a title to be earned; a competition to be won. But the title of OmniAura is determined by destiny, years before it actually comes to fruition, so all who claim they’re the OmniAura are frauds. What caused you to slam the book, young one?”

“It says that the half with fewer auras’ immune system gets compromised when the halves are apart, and I have no idea where he is.”

“Yes, it’s definitively safe to assume you’re the multi-aura vessel this time around.” He looked at her, chuckling at her shocked expression. “Let’s dropped the act, dear. We both know it’s reunion time.”

“How are you so sure it’s me?”

“When you charged at me earlier, while your speed and strength were both impressive, it seemed something was off. Perhaps a missing aura?”

Crescent’s mouth fell agape. “Yeah. I’ve been struggling with my tiger aura. Sometimes it activates, sometimes it doesn’t.”

“In the absence of the other half, the aura most closely associated to that person might not work as well as usual. Does this sound like it might be the case?”

Crescent nodded. “It’s the only aura I developed when I was with him, and it’s the one I used to defend him. It’s only natural it falters when he’s not around. I struggled with it when I went training with my sister, too. He was too far away.” It all started making sense. Crescent grabbed her phone off the table.

“What’s your name, dear?”

“Crescent. Crescent Moon.”

“Go ahead and hang onto that book, Crescent.”

“Why?”

“It has some information you might need. And quite frankly, I’m getting a feeling I’ll no longer have a use for it.”

A chill ran down Crescent’s spine as she realized what he meant. She picked up the book and carefully puts it into the pocket of her jacket. She bids the older man good night and makes a beeline for the door. Just as she’s out, he calls out to her:

“I have a really good feeling about this time, Demelza. 44th time’s the charm.”

Crescent ran down the street back to her car and drove back to the motel. There was a new receptionist this time, a woman who smiled at Crescent as she heads up to her room. Crescent showered and changed into some pajamas before taking one last peek at the book for the night.

The most effective and fool-proof way of activating the OmniAura:

The OmniAura are already strong in each other’s presence, but for maximum strength in both hosts, activation is needed. The most effective way of activation is through the declaration of love and a lover’s kiss to seal the proclamation. Once that occurs, both vessels will be able to power up either aura they have between the two of them. They can also power up the same aura at once, coming in handy for double attacks.

Crescent closed the book, setting it on the table. She turned off the light and got under the covers, closing her eyes. Moments later, her eyes shot open.

“I’VE NEVER EVEN KISSED HIM!”

Crescent woke up in the morning and got dressed. She had breakfast downstairs in the lobby before heading to the front desk to checkout.

“Leaving so soon, beautiful?” The guy receptionist from last time said.

“Yup, I’m going back home. And by the way, I have a boyfriend. And we’re destined to be together. Bye.” She turned around walking away and leaving the receptionist extremely confused.

“If this is gonna work,” She told herself, “I’m gonna have to work on a much larger scale…” She pulled into the driveway…where her parents and Eclipse were already standing.

“..if I survive this first.”

not me taking months to update this story

my bad y'all

also Tumblr isn't letting me add the picture I've been using for this story and I'm sad about it

[bittywitches]

Change Your Ticket (Grayson Dolan Fanfic)

A/N: kinda embarassed to say that this is inspired by the 1d song 😬 but hey when you get inspo you just gotta write even if it’s not great lmao

basically Grayson and Y/N meet up every once and a while at conventions and sneak away to a hotel to get nasty (can I be more cringey) but Grayson’s starting to want something more~

Anyways thanks for reading ly <3

Grayson’s bed head spread messily across his pillow, one of his arms buried comfortably under it. It wasn’t the rustling of the bed that woke him up, or the slight opening of the curtains causing the light to dance across his forehead, but the sound of footsteps tiptoeing across the floor, then the thump of a cell phone dropping onto the floor. Suddenly he felt like there was an empty void right next to him.

Grayson groaned. He stretched his arm out, groping for the warmth of an arm, a waist, a face, and finally opened his eyes when he was met with the cold comforter.

“Y/N?” He said groggily, turning around under the covers, then bringing his hands up to rub the sleep out of his eyes.

“Shit.” She said quietly under her breath, bending down to pick up her phone and place it on the night table. 

“Come back to bed...” he said.

There was no response. Grayson finally sat up, him resting his back against the headboard and stretching his arms. He finally took a look at her, noticing that she was in just a t-shirt and her underwear, holding a pair of jeans in her arms. 

He blinked. “What... are you doing?”

She sighed, stepping into the jeans and pulling them up her legs. “I was trying to leave before you woke up.” She buttoned the clasp.

Grayson ran a hand through his tangled hair. “..oh?” He tilted his head at her, watching her run her fingers through her hair, trying to get the knots out best she could without having a brush on her. “Why’s that?”

She turned around, sighing as she did. “You know why.” She placed a few bobby pins between her teeth, then began pulling her strands of hair back up into a ponytail.

“That doesn’t mean I like it.” He threw the covers off of him, planting his bare feet on the cold hardwood floor. He was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, and he could tell by the way that Y/N awkwardly avoided looking at him that he should feel self-conscious about that. But he didn’t, because it was her.

“That’s not my fault, Grayson.” She scanned the tables of the hotel room, then went to look at Grayson but froze, embarrassed.

“Is my hair tie on the bed?” She asked, not looking at him. 

He hated that her eyes wouldn’t find him. He flipped the covers and pillows over and found the simple black elastic on the mattress. He thought about how she confidently slipped it off last night, throwing it away carelessly in the heat of the moment.

He handed it to her now, and she reached for it while keeping her eyes trained at the floor. She turned away from him, facing the mirror now, pulling the elastic over her hair and tying it up. She stood there, looking at herself in the mirror for a moment, but really looking at Grayson sitting on the bed behind her through the reflection. He stared at her back, her day-old t-shirt and bare feet, only reminding him more of what he couldn’t have.

“Do you have to go?”

He watched her shoulders tense up, her fingers scrunching up into balls at his question. She took a deep breath, relaxing. She went to search the floor, grabbing her socks as well as Grayson’s t-shirt. 

“You know I have to.”

She threw the shirt at him, it landing against his chest and fell safely into his lap. He didn’t touch it, not wanting to admit that she really had to go. She walked over to the edge of the bed, the farthest she could sit away from him, and pulled on her socks.

“Y/N...”

“Grayson, you should know how this works by now.” She huffed, finally looking at him. “We get one night. It’s suspicious enough that we did it the last day.”

“But why?” He shifted over on the bed, sitting closer to her. “Why only one night?”

“Grayson...”

“Come on,” he placed a tentative hand on her thigh. “Give me one good reason.”

“We can’t afford any more than that.”

“Why? Because you work with another YouTuber?” 

“Grayson, don’t be dumbass.”

“Then why? Do you not like me?” He implored.

She laughed. “What’s that supposed to mean? We just spent the night together.”

“Not like that. Like...” he looked at her, the question burning through her. She really looked at him, his beautiful face waiting for an answer, his toned body rigid.

She sighed, then stood up. “I’ll see you later. Gray.”

He grabbed her wrist. “Don’t go.”

She turned around, exasperated. “Grayson, seriously.”

“Please, Y/N I can’t do this anymore.” He pleaded. “All this sneaking around, meeting up at conventions, leaving parties early, finding the nearest hotel— it’s not enough. I want more time with you.“

She stood silent, contemplating. What could she do? There was something about him that set her heart on fire, that sparked this dangerous need and want that couldn’t be extinguished by anybody else. But it was so risky. This was already bad enough-

“Grayson, I can’t-“

“Don’t leave me alone again, Y/N.” He was standing now, holding both of her hands in his. “It gets worse every time. I keep thinking, it’ll get better. Any time with you is good, right? But I can’t.” His hands traveled up her arms to cup her face. “I can’t handle watching you walk out that door every. Single. Time. It breaks me. So please...” he lowered his face down, his nose touching hers. “Don’t go.”

She breathed against his lips, her eyes searching his for what he wanted, what he needed. And she could see what they were saying:

I need you.

She leaned in, kissing his soft lips with a hunger she didn’t even realize she had. Grayson let out an unexpected moan, and that set her loose. She threw caution to the wind, letting her arms travel his bare chest and his broad back, tugging at the roots of his hair. 

They finally pulled away, breathless.

“Stay with me for the weekend.” Grayson whispered against her lips. 

Her eyes widened, and she almost laughed. “Are you serious?”

“More than I’ve ever been.” He held his arms strongly around her waist and lower back.

She then let that laugh escape. “And what am I supposed to tell the guys when I don’t show up for two days?”

“You tell them you were busy, doing something much more important.” He kissed her lips again, twice, three times until the smile on her face wouldn’t let him anymore. 

“Shut the fuck up. Don’t be an idiot.” She leaned away from him, letting herself take his face in. “You have to go home too.”

“I found something more important to do.”

“Oh my god, Grayson.” She released herself from his grasp. The fact that he was wearing almost nothing wasn’t helping. “Look, even if I would agree to this, I’m going back home tomorrow morning. I have a flight to get on.”

“Then you delay your flight.” He said, crossing his broad arms.

“Do you think I’m made of money?” She laughed.

“I’ll do it for you.”  He placed his right arm on her waist and his left on her cheek, tilting her head so he could peck her lips again. 

She smiled. “Well now, you're just showing off.”

He rolled his eyes at her “I’m being serious. Stay here with me.” He peppered her cheek and jaw lines with kisses.

She moaned a little, letting her hands rest gently on his chest. “Grayson, we can’t.”

“If it’s the hotel you’re worried about, I don’t think they’ll mind. I plan on tipping very generously.”

She laughed.

“Stop thinking about what happens next.” He kissed her neck. “Just two days. You and me.” He straightened up to look at her. “Who knows when I’ll get to see you again?”

She didn’t respond, she couldn’t respond. Even if she really did want to stay, which she would never admit, she couldn’t, right? All she could do was look down at her tense arms against his chest, unable to meet his eyes.

His eyes fell and his shoulders slumped all at once. He released her, stepping back to run two hands through his hair.

“God, why do you have to do this to me?” He held his face in his hands for a moment, rubbing his eyes. “I can’t keep doing this Y/N, it’s just too hard. You can’t keep leaving me like this.”

She rubbed her arm. “I don’t...”

It’s not even like it’s me, yknow?” He turned to her. “You’re always the one who comes and finds me. I thought that would mean something. That you might want more.” He sank back into the mattress cushion. “But I guess that’s my fault for over analyzing, right?”

She coughed. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“But you do, Y/N.” he pleaded.

She had nothing to say.

He groaned. “Is this all its every going to be? Our relationship? You find me every three months or so, we have sex, and then you’re gone? That’s it?”

Now she was getting pissed. He was painting her to be the bad guy. “I didn’t realize this was bothering you so much.”

He laughed, but there was no smile in his eyes. “Are you for real? You’ve always thought I was cool with this?”

“Well, you’ve never mentioned otherwise!” She threw her arms in the air. “I thought you were into it. We’re passionate and intimate and the longing makes it worth it, doesn’t it?”

“You know that’s bullshit.” 

She gaped at him. “So you’re saying you haven’t enjoyed yourself at all? This was just some sort of chore for you all this time?”

“No, of course not. Jesus, no.” He got up and walked over to her, holding her elbows. “I love seeing you. You’re amazing. This is always the best part of any trip, and it’s not even part of the conventions!” He was finally able to get a laugh out of her, easing the conversation once more.

“But you have to have known all this time, right?” He searched her eyes for an answer. “We go out to fancy diners, we get breakfast, I take you to movies and carnivals and- you think I’m gonna do all of that for a sex buddy?”

She tensed at those words. Is that what I think?  “I don’t know...”

His arms fell to his side, but her hands lingered a little bit before leaving his chest. She crossed her arms, looking at the cold floor between her feet. “I’m sorry, Gray.”

He exhaled. “Damn it, Y/N.” he left her side, walking back over to the bed and picking up his shirt. He turned it inside out then pulled it on, facing away from her. 

Her heart fell in her chest. “Grayson, please...”

“Please what?” He didn’t turn to her, just picked up his jeans off the floor and pulled them on. 

Look at me, She thought. just look at me. I don’t know how to say I’m sorry. “Please don’t be angry with me.”

He turned around rapidly “I’m not-“ he said with a sharp tone, but then breathed out in frustration. “I’m not angry.” He buttoned up his jeans. “I could never be angry with you.”

“No, don’t say that.” She walked up to him, gently shoving his chest. “You’re not allowed to say that. that’s not fair.”

“What?”

“Be angry with me. I don’t want it to be weird the next time.”

Grayson sighed and scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t think there’s gonna be a next time.”

Her heart fell to the pit of her stomach. “What?”

“...I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

She stood there motionless, her heart now shattered, the pieces poking into her stomach. It hurt. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He tilted his head at her, watching, but not responding.

“What the fuck, Grayson?” She shoved his chest again, but this time with more force. “You can’t just do that!”

“What? I can’t make sure that I don’t get myself hurt again?” He stumbled back, a bit stunned by her response. 

“Gray...” her voice cracked ever so slightly.

“How many times do I have to say it, Y/N? I can’t do this. I can’t do this anymore.”

“You can’t do that to me, Gray.”

“Then why do you keep doing it to me?” He shouted. Y/N flinched. Tears began to trickle through her eyes. He had scared her.

His eyes widened. “Oh god, no...” he stepped towards her, enveloping her in his arms. “Y/N, please...”

They stood there like that for a while. In silence. Y/N, staring at the wall over Grayson’s shoulder, trying not to let that tear fall. Because if it did, that meant this was real, and she had accepted it. 

Grayson’s arms were firmly wrapped around her back. He knew it probably wasn’t a good idea, but what could he do? This was Y/N.

Her dormant arms finally made their way to his chest, clutching the thin fabric of his T-shirt in her fists. She needed to hold him somewhere, and it was the most she could muster.

But then he started rubbing her back gently, and she broke down. She buried her face into his shoulder, letting a sob escape her throat. 

Grayson’s heart climbed up into his throat. “Oh, angel...” he stroked the hairs on the back of her head, trying to soothe her.

He sighed. “I didn’t mean it.” He kissed the top of her head. “I don’t think I could ever leave you if I tried.” He laughed dryly.

She breathed in sharply. “You’re such an asshole.”

She obviously didn’t mean that, but she was embarrassed. This was never something important enough to cry about. She made sure of it, always keeping Grayson as arms length. But what did she know? She was young, and stupid, and thought she was doing right by him, not getting too involved. With their work and what they do, it couldn’t work.

But it’s not like she could help herself. Every time her team went to any sort of event or social gathering, she found herself always searching, waiting for him. She’d fooled herself into thinking she didn’t need it to be anymore. But she couldn’t keep lying to herself.

She groaned. “I’m sorry.”

“No, Y/N.” Grayson buried his nose in her hair. “I’m sorry.”

How did she not realize it sooner?

“God, I’m so stupid.” She let go of his shirt to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“No, you’re not.” He leaned back so he could look at her face. He brought a hand up to wipe a tear off of her cheek. 

Y/N looked at his eyes, really looked, for what seemed like the first time. She could see all the anger and disappointment was gone; they were soft. They were the colour of the sky. And they cared, so much.

“God, I’m so sorry.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes tightly.

Grayson was, to put it lightly, speechless. He didn’t know what to do. He’d never seen Y/N like this before. All he knew was that he wanted her to feel better, because seeing her like this hurt. He tightened his arms around her back and buried his nose into her shoulder, inhaling her scent. 

“I can’t lose you, Gray.” She pulled away from him finally, looking at him directly in the eyes. His eyes widened at those words. “I just never realized how badly I can’t. I’ve always felt like you’d be here. I need you to be here.”

He was about to respond but was cut off when Y/N kissed his lips, letting herself melt into it. She scrunched her eyes closed, but finally relaxed when she felt him kiss her back just as strongly.

She pulled away, more exhilarated than ever. “I want to stay with you. For the weekend.”

Grayson’s mouth fell open. “I.. really?” 

She smiled. “Yes.”

”you’re sure.”

“Yes!” She laughed.

He grinned, picking her up from her waist and spinning her around, laughing in return.

He set her down and kissed her again, flushed with relief and just an overwhelming feeling of love for this girl. “What are you going to tell the others?” He asked finally after pulling away from her.

She smiled. “That I have something more important to do.”

[lovelyirony]

Footnotes

it’s been a bit since i added to the bookshop au: time got away from me! 

We’re taking over the world/a little victimless crime -Do It All the Time, IDKHBTFM

Tony notices that Bucky doesn’t come into the store for a month. This is fine. Should be fine. Not like he wonders what Bucky will think of the newest latte, which is geared more to the warmer weather that has been breezing in cheerfully. The iced latte, flavored with caramel and coconut, had been a hit with MJ and Ned, who both loved it. 

But Bucky hadn’t come in and tried it.

His anxiety tells him that he is found out and are currently waiting until Tony leaves the building to set up a trap and probably blow up every single book and also him.

But that would be stupid. There’s no way that the Avengers know who Iron Man or War Machine is. Tony Jarvis is a nice guy who runs a bookstore, has a suspicious amount of money from inheritance, and got a degree in English from a local college. 

He even photo-shopped pictures there with Rhodey and everything. (Thank god for anti-aging technology and Rhodey’s genius.)

But he still kind of wants Bucky to come in and look at books. He even has a few records pulled just for the occasion.

“You are quite honestly the worst kind of person,” Rhodey says. “Who gets a crush on who is supposed to be their arch-nemesis and wants to make a custom coffee menu for them?”

“Not me,” Tony says quickly, pushing away the lemon-blueberry scone idea. “And besides if anyone would be my arch-nemesis, it would clearly be Black Widow. We match each other intellectually.”

“Not a chance,” Rhodey says with a snort. “Or did you forget the time you got so nervous you—”

“Hello?” comes a voice from the front. Rhodey immediately cuts off, going back to filing new shipments. Tony looks over.

“Hey, you’re back!” Tony cheers.

Rhodey makes a motion of gagging. Tony flips him off with one hand behind his back as he comes forward.

“Sorry I haven’t been in. Work has been…enlightening.”

“Usually code for ‘I-don’t-get-paid-enough’” Tony teases. “You wanna try an iced coffee drink?”

“I’m game.”

“Sit down at the table, I’ll get it out for you.”

Bucky has to admit that a good apron can do wonders for an ass. Or maybe Tony just has a really nice one. Either way, the view is spectacular.

“What has work been having you do?” Tony asks, pouring in syrup.

“Oh just…the usual,” Bucky says. He’s horrible at lying. He really, really is. “They keep twisting up what they want, it’s getting confusing.”

“Bookshops, luckily, are much simpler than that,” Tony says, smiling. He slides the drink over to Bucky. “Try it. Tell me what you think.”

Bucky takes a long slurp. Puts his head back.

“Tony, you ever experienced a masterpiece?”

“Once or twice,” Tony says, smiling.

“This is the damn Mona Lisa of drinks.”

Tony grins. Bucky sips a bit more, sighing in contentment.

“Hey, I know that last time I learned that you sold records. What are, um, your favorites?”

“I’m glad you asked…”

Bucky learns about new music. He learns that he needs to google new bands. AC/DC is a clear favorite of Tony’s, who sings along. It’s a funny juxtaposition with his cardigan and old jeans, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

Bucky finds some of the old ones, which Tony doesn’t look surprised at.

“You have an old soul,” Tony says.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Bucky mutters.

“Don’t I?” Tony teases. “You act as if you’ve never had iced coffee before.”

Bucky has to turn back to the player to stop from laughing in front of him. What Tony doesn’t know…well. He’s damned sure he doesn’t know that technically all of Bucky’s favorite records were either unable to be found, most likely questionable, or long disintegrated with time.

Oh, Tony knows. He knows for a damned fact that Bucky has never had iced coffee, most likely does not know who the hell Jimmy Carter was and knows how to disassemble and reassemble most weapons in under sixty seconds.

But it’s cute to mess with him. His brow furrows. Tony has a thing for furrows.

“Hey Tony?” Rhodey asks, head popping up from the upstairs. Bucky automatically looks up, finding the face to be vaguely familiar.

“What is it Rhodey-dear?” Tony calls back out.

“I have a computer glitch, you gotta come see it! Now!”

“This better not be a repeat of the pinball incident,” Tony mutters, turning back to Bucky. “I’ll be back in five minutes, I promise.”

“Take your time, love,” Bucky responds.

Bucky then immediately wonders if he bangs his head against the column near him if Tony and Rhodey will hear it. Tony also called his…person “Rhodey-dear.” Dear! Does he even have a chance?

But this brings him to think about Rhodey. He looked familiar. Bucky’s life doesn’t consist of knowing that you know someone from a certain social event and trying to place them. No, Bucky knows people because of two reasons:

1.)         He tried to kill them.

2.)         SHIELD has something on them.

He’s pretty sure that if he was faced with someone like Rhodey, he wouldn’t be able to kill him. Even from the head poking out, he could see a pretty defined shoulder and a look set to his gaze that read as very competent, entirely capable of taking down an authoritarian government, and also probably likes gourmet cheeses. The last one is a guess. But Bucky likes to guess pretty damn accurately.

Rhodey…

Rhodes. Colonel James Rhodes. Close with Tony Stark, who went missing. They thought he had something to do with something. He moved to New York pretty quickly after that, refusing to go into military service to a “previously unreported mental incapacity.”

Bucky smells bullshit.

Tony Stark. Another mystery in this puzzle. Bucky remembers trying to kill Howard and Maria Stark. It was the wrong person. Winter Soldier never missed his targets. Of course, Tony Stark wasn’t the target.

-

Rhodey is freaking out. Someone at SHIELD figured out there was a tiny bug in the system.

“When did they hire someone competent?!” Tony whisper-yells. “I thought they were two years behind schedule!”

“We made that schedule when we were drunk out of our minds from Moscato,” Rhodey hisses.

“Still! It was Moscato. It wasn’t like we drank vodka until we were shit-faced. That would’ve ended up disastrously and possibly given Dum-E and U a new sibling before Butterfingers.”

“Butterfingers wants a baby, just so you know,” Rhodey says.

“Why are you telling me this now?” Tony asks.

“Because you know what you’re doing and I figured you should know what your daughter is up to. It’s very important in developmental psychology.”

“Do not,” Tony hisses. “Let me fix this…”

With a couple more frantic curses, one eye shut, and a yelp, the problem is (mostly) taken care of.

“You think they can trace it?”

“It’ll trace back to a random e-café,” Tony says. “And there will be Justin Hammer who is currently trying to work out why his dating profile isn’t working. I’ll give you a hint: it’s the bio and the fact that he looks like he’s going to bail on paying for your dinner.”

Rhodey smiles, shaking his head and looking out the door.

“Get back down to Barnes. Don’t let him know what this is.”

“When would I?”

“You tend to be a terrible liar around people you like.”

“Why you—!”

“Thank you for helping with the pinball machine again!” Rhodey says, throwing his voice. He shoves Tony out of the office. Tony’s cheeks are bright red, he’s flushed, and he can barely walk down the stairs.

He’s not sure what exactly happened. He knows someone found out about them, tried to trace the bug back. That simply wouldn’t do because Tony runs a legitimate business. Pays taxes on April fifteenth and everything.

“Sorry about that, emergency with a pinball machine game,” Tony says.

“Understandable,” Bucky says. “What was wrong it? A bug get in?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Tony responds, body going tense for a moment. “You want to pick out a new record?”

“Yeah, sure…”

They find out that Bucky absolutely hates the pop, almost-fake music from the fifties.

“It’s…unsettling,” Bucky says, shuddering. “Gross.”

“Let me get some Benny Goodman then,” Tony says.

“How’d you know?”

“Everyone likes his music,” Tony says. “But then again, you did say you were an old soul.”

Bucky can hear the familiar music fill the air as he hums to himself.

“Hey handsome, wanna help me with something?” Tony asks. “I have some books that need to be shelved. I was wondering if you could help?”

“No problem,” Bucky says, grinning. “Can’t reach the top shelf?”

“Why you—”

“I’m shelving!” Bucky calls, grabbing one of the boxes.

Tony thinks that no one should be attractive when they’re lifting boxes. Especially when they’re holding what is essentially about forty pounds with one arm. His left one, but still.

There is also the matter of making sure that Barnes never finds out who he is. Tony has been quite careful about that, although the “bug” comment got to him. Does he know about them? Is he playing some sort of long game?

Answer: no. Bucky got distracted by a book title that he remembers from years ago.

“I forgot I read this,” he says, smiling. “It was forever ago.”

“Old books get to you like nothing else,” Tony responds. “I grew up with Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. You read that one yet?”

“Add it to the recommended box,” Bucky answers.

He has his own box now. Technically a crate, but Tony’s been putting books there for Bucky when he thinks he’s found one that he’ll like. Which of course, Bucky will like whatever book is in there if Tony chose it. He likes anything Tony chooses. He would wear the worst outfit in existence if Tony chose it.

Shelving goes by with little conversation, although they both hum along to the music being played softly over the intercoms. Tony comes and goes, helping customers with different items, brewing some more coffee, and getting some more boxes.

Bucky likes the routine.

He’s sad to go, taking his books with him and waving a soft goodbye. Tony’s leaning against the doorframe, a fond look on his face as the bookshop light floats out onto dark pavement. He wishes he could be there all the time.

And then, of course, people are in his apartment.

“Bookstore again, huh?” Steve asks. Natasha’s looking through the pile of receipts on the kitchen counter.

“You go there a lot,” she murmurs.

“I like being literate, gives me a headstart on Clint,” Bucky answers glibly.

“Even if someone liked reading this much, they wouldn’t be buying obscene amounts of books and coffee.”

“I don’t buy every book. To—the owner lets me take some home if I return them the next day.”

“You’re on a first name basis?” Natasha asks, eyebrow arched. “Just what bookstore are you going to?”

“One that’s none of your business,” Bucky says.

“It says it on top of the receipt,” Steve says.

Bucky curses.

Steve laughs at him.

[popculturebuffet]

The Loud House Valentine’s Day Double Feature (Back in Black and Stage Plight) or My My My Once Bitten Twice Shy

What is up my Loudites? And while I am returning to the Loud House I do have some sad news to get out of the way first.. i’m ending regular coverage of the Loud House. I don’t like doing this.. but when I picked up the show, I didn’t really have a set schedule.. and that was a bad thing as I didn’t get nearly everything I wanted done. Now I have one and honestly it’s been great: it allows me to stay focused and if I end up not feeling what I was going to do that day, provided it’s not a comission or specfically needed that day, I can swap things around a bit easier. 

The reason I bring this up is Nick’s way of scheduling means I CAN’T reasonably put the show on the schedule. They often don’t announce airdates until the wee before, which isn’t a bad thing WATCHING, and isn’t unresonable for a children’s network. But for someone who likes to have a concrete schedule at the top of the month, still flexable and able to make changes if they come up but at least some idea of what i’ll be doing and when, that’s a non-starter, as not knowing when a show’s going to be there or not really messes with things. In contrast Disney puts up their entire programming schedule for next month towards the end, so I know if a show’s coming back, and thus that it’ll probably be around for next month’s too. And if it goes away a week earlier than expected then super I have that space for other sttuff. But I just have too much other stuff, paid and on my own time, to keep friday’s open in perpetuity.

I will however still reviewing the show infrequently as I still love it, Season 5 will probably have plenty of episodes I want to talk about, already it has Leni running for mayor which sounds like one of my wonky spinoff ideas and I love it all the more for that, and ther’es tons of episodes I have and haven’t seen to dig into. So like Lori I won’t be in the house on a daily basis but i’m still going to show up a lot. I already have an April Fools special planned, as well as a retrospective ready for some time in the future. And of course if more Sam and Luna episodes show up, you know i’ll be on those as fast as humanly possible so yeah not leaving the show.. just not coveirng it because I like having some control of my schedule, it’s a thing with me. 

Good then we can get to why your ACTUALLY reading this unless you’ve already scrolled past or scrolled up to this. Next Sunday is Valentine’s Day, and so to continue Valnetine’s Shenanigans on this fine blog, i’m doing some romantic style episodes of the loud hosue for you. I did intend for this to be bigger, but frankly i’ve been running behind on reviews and running out of steam lately, so I paired it down to the two I wanted to do most. So for today we’ll be covering two of the show’s couples: One they badly need to bring back and I question why they haven’t, and one that I feel has gotten a lot of flack for things that aren’t it’s fault. Both are really adorable so expect some awkward blushing, bats, blood, and other stuff rhyming with B under the cut!

Back in Black: So we begin our double feature with Lucy

Yeah I have not covered this adorable harbinger of death enough on this blog, and intended to do this one, among other lucycentric episodes back in october.. and the fact I didn’t is a good argument for why I have a schedule now ain’t it? But sometimes your plans not panning out right at the exact time you planned them works out for you. Not getting to do Plan 9 From Mission Hill during Pride Month meant I got to do it on comission later. And not getting to do this one at Halloween means it still works fine just fine for valentine’s day.  

So we begin the episode with Lincoln working on his science project, with Rusty coming over to help. 

Shockingly though not only is he not just taking a nap or hitting on Lincon’s sisters while Lincoln works but actually helping, he’s actually good at it. I’m as suprsied as you. Though this is early in his characterization, so he hasn’t’nt been established as horribly sucking at everything or his friends being done with his bullshit QUITE yet. Give him time.  This is an interesting moment in the character’s history though, as it’s the episode that firmly establishes him as a close friend of Lincolns. While he was already turned from a member of a random violence gang to LIncoln’s buddy in the span of season 1, this episode cements him as one of his closer pals simply by him coming over and the two being fairly familiar with one another. Granted by that same token Girl Jordan should be in the group.. and I have nothing to add to that. Add Girl Jordan to the Lincrew. Just do it. 

Anyways Rusty brought his brother along. And you’d expect me to be terrified as there’s now three of them. But.. nope I like Rocky. He’s a chill kid and his personality goes together well with Lucy’s as while he’s a more typical kid, he’s still very subdued in his emotions like she is. Also he mentions both parents so my divorce theory.. is honestly still valid as this was three seasons ago and I could buy their mother left during that time. 

And yes Lucy’s in love.. and stalking him a bit as she follows him around the house sighing while he wonders who did that.. though it is a nice clue their compatible. When you can sense the presence of someone whose big running gag is showing up out of nowhere to scare the crap out of people that means something. And it’s either that you’d really get that person or your Wolverine. Or one of his kids. Or his clones. Or clones of his clones. What i’m saying is Rusty’s mom banged the wolverine and his family tree is really weird even by marvel standards. 

But I do give her a pass as she’s not trying to be creepy or obsessive, she just doesn’t know how to talk to him as he’s your average kid and she’s a creature of the night. It’s just a kid being shy which is very refreshing both because pre-savnio being fired the show had some very messed up ideas about relationships and gender politics at times, the latter of which actually crops up here, and because having grown up with the cartoons of the 90′s and 2000′s.. I had to put up with things like this. 

Full Disclosure: I DO ship sonamy.. but only after around Sonic Chronicles, where Bioware and then Sega decided to not make “Constantly harasses sonic despite him clearly not being interested and saying so vocally” and “Obessess over him to a point I worry she’s going to break his legs so he’ll never run away from her again”, as well as aging her up from 12. Still find her ungodly annoying at best and terrible at worst before that point, Sonic CD and Sonic Advance excluded. And yes I am that huge of a nerd, damn proud of it too. 

What i’m getting at is that a little girl unable to talk to a guy and only being kinda creepy because that’s what she does is LEAGUES better than “IT’S NOT CREEPY WHEN A WOMAN DOES IT”. Given this episode was written by a woman that probably helped a lot if not entirely but I don’t blame her for that.. more on that later. 

Point is she’s smitten but her first attempt to talk goes back as he rushes to leave after she tries talking to him.. and also appears out of nowhere to spook him. Come on man, your better than that. YOu sensed her before why not now? Up your game. But yeah Lucy’s depressed while Lincoln talks to her about it, about them leaving and once Lucy confesses she’s into rocky asks what he’s into. Lincoln.. has no idea as he’s barely been around Rocky. He’s just an average kid he dosen’t quite understand. Normal is the word he uses and Lucy ponders that.  We next see the three most traditionally feminine sisters, Lori, Leni and Lola, all pissed someone stole their stuff, though Lori does suspect Lola at first because let’s face it, this fits her MO of being an entitled brat and not being above petty theft. But no the culprit is Lucy who genuinely apologizes and understands that their mad but the other girls are fine with it given the context, which Lucy explained, and are happy to make her over.  This is where the problem I was hinting at comes in: ALL the girls are on board with this makeover plan. the problem is.. only the three who came in in the first place make actually sense making Lucy more tradiotnally feminine. Lori loves fashion and is a control freak who has troubles with empathy at times especially at this point in the series, Leni while not INTETIONALLY hurtful is kind of ditzy and thus can miss some cues, and Lola has a yawning starless void where her soul should be. For these three? Yeah this plot actually makes sense they wouldn’t think of Lucy’s feelings and actually help her use who she is to get rocky or tell her it doesn’t matter she’s beautiful as she is.. then presumably bring the wrath of god down on that poor child before things were cleared up.  The issue is more dragging the other sisters into it. It only fits the three above to really give a shit about making Lucy more “normal” and “Girly” and “Other stereotypical bullshit”. Luna is very chill and empathetic and would be the first to say “Wait maybe making her the opposite of herself isn’t a good idea”, Luan is likewise empathetic though I could possibly see it she really doesn’t need to be in this plot, Lynn ENTIRELY doesn’t fit as she prefers sports and getting dirty and what not and is the closest to Lucy out of the sisters and thus would probably be the most defensive about her not changing and that could’ve actually been interesting, Lana would be the same minus the being closest and Lisa is coldly detached a lot of the time and wouldn’t care about any of this on a good day. It feels HORRIBLY offensive and out of character to have them all suddenly be “nah your not girly enough”. These girls don’t give a shit about whose more feminine than who and it’s really bad to pidgeonhole them as that.  However.. I dont’ blame episode writer Gloria Shen entirely for this. She wrote it, she gets some of the discredit.. but she didn’t DIRECT the episode and a LOT can change from page to screen. No  THAT was series creator and known sexual preadator Chris Savino. And i’m not just blaming him because he’s a creepy asshole, but because the seasons he directed, seasons 1, 2 and most of 3, had a bad habit of having episodes where all the girls acted as a group and often to weak ends, like the green house, the one where they all fought, the gender swap episode or  heavy meddle.. which is a headache for another day. Point is it doesn’t surprise me he didn’t fix this or even genuinely cared to differentiate  them and it’d be until next season where the show fully became an ensemble piece. SO yeah I blame him on this not for his horrible history, but simply because it sounds like his writing style and as director, and a producer on the show, he had the power and responsibility to fix things and did nothing. So if it wasn’t directly his fault in the first place , he certainly didn’t fix it, call it out in storyboarding or well anything. So yeah shared blame all around.

So after a makeover montage, Lucy is uh... well I can’t describe the abomination they’ve created. 

I mean.. none of it works, and I think that’s very much the intent, dosen’t make it any less horrifying. Nothing about this is right: makeup REALLY shouldn’t go on a child in any circumstace so the blush on her cheeks is creepy and makes her look like one of those creepy porcelian dolls that i’m 100% sure either are planning to kill us all one day or were made to keep the souls of the damned trapped inside forever. The ear rings just look creepy and again are a bit much for an 8 year old, and the blonde hair just brings it all together. The pink outfit is fine.. I guess but the face is just so unsettling I can’t process the rest of her outfit and i’m not even going to try. 

Point is she looks terrifying, and not in the fun way she usually does, and Rocky dosen’t know what to make of this. Oh and if your wondering why he’s here Lynn just.. took a hockey stick to Lincoln’s project to get the Spokes Boys back over here, and Lisa mocked him for pointing out the obvious holes in their plan despite being 4 and LIncoln having a girlfriend at this point. Granted his relationship with Ronnie Anne at this point is also kinda effed up, but given you all pushed him in this direction, Lisa still has no room to talk and they amicably broke up at some point once the writers decided “Let’s pretend like this never happened and they were just friends, despite her being introduced with a crush on him and us still replaying episodes with said relationship in play, instead of actually dealing with this directly”. You may be easily able to guess what hte retrospective’s about at this point.  So Lori comes in for phase two .. WITH BOBBY!

Just.. I cannot tell you how much I needed my boy to calm me down after the last two scenes of horribly off character writing and ... that thing up there. He dosen’t do much this episode but every episode is better with Bobby and that’s a scientefic fact. So Lori claims they had a double date fall through which Bobby barely follows along with.. and it does kinda feel pressurey to kinda force Rocky’s hand here but her intentions ARE good, and a group date is a good way to relive presssure. It just ends up falling through becaue Lori wants her to act intentionally helpless, which makes no sense both for Lori’s personality given how driven and controlling she is and how Bobby clearly knows both things and likes the first and she worked on the second for him. So yeah the golf date falls through and Lori apologizes for being a bitch about all of this, as they all do, which again. .has me questioning WHY we needed the whole sister group instead of just Lori and co. Or even just Lori. The show REALLY needed to learn character ballance and while it is struggling on occasion, as seen with how lincolncentric this season has been so far, this episode reminds me it used to be MUCH worse. 

But Lucy thanks them because their intetnions were good, i’m going to need a citation on that given it came off as them wanting her to change because they found her weird nad not because they genuinely wanted to help her, and goes off to sulk about being alone. Lincoln dosen’t know what to do till the next day where, again suprisingly, Rusty had the right idea and had them come over to his place. We also find out he’s scared of blood.. which.. I can relate to. Seriously i’ve only insulted the guy once the whole episode

But we find that out because Rocky made his own because he actually found Lucy’s really cool, what a kid. So Lincoln gets the brothers over to his house by damaging the project himself then claming they need to go back and once he sees Lucy’s around has Rocky go into the kitchen to get them some sodas which he agrees to because why not. 

So in a nice little change-up on the running gag Rocky shows up startling Lucy and we get a really fucking cute scene as they hash things out. They have a normal conversation, finally getting past their shared awkwardness, in part because he admits he prefers her as herself.  As it turns out Rocky wasn’t scared.. he just thought she was too cool for him and felt intimidated and like Lucy had no idea what to say. The two then blush and after my heart melts and I freeze it back into shape in a few hours, the two decide to go look at her coffin collection and the next day proudly show off their perfected fake blood.. which destroys the project one more time. WAH WAH WAH. Oh rusty... I knew I could count on you to fuck up at least once. 

Back in Black Final Thoughts: First off Black in Black: Weird Name. I mean it kinda gives the game away, not that fans would thikn horrifying mistake lucy would stick but still, and dosen’t really fit. Call it “Why Do Ghoul’s Fall in Love” or something like that or something related to makeovers. Makeover Mistep. Don’t Make Me Over. Makeover Your Case... okay that last one sounds more like the Legally Blond equilvent of Cobra Kai but the point is it’s just weird.  Outside of the parts I already went in detail about why their dreadful.. this ep is pretty good. That one bit isn’t enough to derail the episode, merley take it’s goodness down a notch, and Lucy is genuinely fun to watch and her heartbreak is hard to watch, and Rocky was an engaging new character with lots of potetial. A large part of why I did this episode. is to ask WHY he hasn’t come back. Rusty’s now a major character, to the point he’s co-headlining an episode next week with Zach... why Zach’s getting an episode, a SECOND one at that I have no earthly idea but the point is the show’s getitng comfortable enought heir giving lincoln’s friends starring episodes without him too, as Liam got one , if alongside Lynn the power couple of 2021 I tells ya. My point is, besides when is Stella getting an episode dammit, that Rocky really should make a come back as he both provides another character for Rusty and the rest of the lincrew to bounce off of, and he and Lucy had genuine chemstiry and now she has her OWN cast there’s an easy story there about her friends reaction to her dating a non goth. There’s a lot of story potetial with this precious boy bring him back.  But overall Pretty in Black is a decent episode, worth checking out if you haven’t seen it and rewatching even if you have.

Stage Plight: So we open with Luann, whose one of my personal faviorites along with Leni, Luna, and Lucy. Granted I haven’t checked out her yearly bouts of going ax crazy on her family yet, but we’ll see in april. But outside of that, which is easy enough to isee iven it’s three episodes out of 214 where she’s like this and she gets her compuance, I find her precious, awkward, and entertaining, from her habit of saying “Get it “ to her love of puns, to the fact she’s essentially a wholesome version of the batman villian the ventriloquist..

Yeah in case you forgot about this gag, she often talks through her dummy Mr. Coconuts.. who functions as her sounding board and helps her figure things out, talks like he’s from the 40′s or 50′s, and in general is a delight. He also once or twice, including this episode acts of his own free will so I don’t know if this is a Child’s Play situation and a dying comedian put his body in her dummy and she’s just rolling with it, if she somehow put a piece of her soul in a dummy or what the hell’s going on here. Compared to the series recently what with it’s mayoral campagins, children murdering guys, and actualy factual spies, this is mildly sane. MIldly. This may also be a serious and untreated case of Disociative Identnity Disorder, but given it’s not framed that way, and Coconuts just seems to be Luann’s way of talking with herself, for now she has’nt gone full vintriloquist. Thoguh givne her april fools day behavior and her profession as a comedian, she probably WILL become the new joker at a some point. 

So the two are talking about Luann’s crush on Benny. Benny was introduced back in L is for Love and is one of the only three love interests there to actually return, and along with Sam the only onen to get multiple episodes about their relationship with their respective loud and a full personality. He was also MASSIVELY hated. For those who joined the fandom more recently, Luann was massively shipped with Maggie, an emo girl who showed up in Luann’s second spotlight episode and one where she didn’t torment her entire family, one I still need to see but have read about. It was pretty cute and nothing was wrong with that or the opposites attract dynamic. But said fans got REALLY and understandibly upset about his introduction and were presumibly none too happy he got to return and got his roll expanded.  And I.. genuinely like the kid. I have nothing against Maggie and in fact poly ship her with both Luann and Benny, as both seem like they’d be open to that and her dour demanor creates a nice contrast between the chipper luann and the somewhat chipper but also chill benny in the middle. I just feel he’s a very likeable character, sweet and awkward and very much on Luann’s wavelength. Like Sam he’s SIMILAR to his love intrest, having Luann’s love of puns, mime and the theater, but is also not quite as giggly about it and as I said has a bit more of a chill to him, in contrast to how sam is slightly more energetic to Luna’s near constant calm off stage. 

I also like him because he’s voiced by Sean Giabrone, an up and coming voice actor who I first met watching the Goldbergs as Adam. His other biggest role so far has been playing Jeff on Clarence, though he’s currently picked up another lead voice roll as Yumulack on Solar Opposites, easily one of the best parts of that show, and has done othe rminor and recurring work, but I feel he’s got the potetial to have a long and fruitful career in voice acting if he wants it. I mean he’s far from the first former ABC star or former Ron Stoppable to make a long and successful voice career of himself. Be the next will fredle man you can do it. 

But yeah I like him and think their cute together and feel demonizing a ship for one that had a low chance of happening isn’t fair, especially when you know, we’re in a fandom where incest runs rampant and is STILL a recurring problem to this day. Pick your fucking battles for god’s sake. As I mentioned you can put maggie in with this relationship or Still ship luaggie regardless. 

So back in the episode Luann and Coconuts notice Benny signing up for the school play and decide to join him. 

Yeah i’ve noticed that a LOT of school set plots are about one of the mains joining a play to either be near or play romantic lead with their crush, or romantic hyjinks happening anyway.  Seriously i’ts a lot. I DID think most of them were around romeo and juliet, and Proud Family, Pepper Anne, and Ned’s Declassified all are probably why, it’s actually way more diverse and i’m happy to give credit to shows and movies for that:  Jimmy Neutron used Macbeth (IN SPACEEEEEE), American Dragon Jake Long used Antony and Cleopatra, as did the comic strip Foxtrot (That one I remembered), Daria used the canterbury tales, Arrested Development used Much Ado about Nothing, and one of my faviorite instances is the film Get Over it. It’s a cheesy as hell early 2000′s high school pg-13 comedy, that I loved as a teen and nos nostalgicaly love but am aware it has issues and some stitled acting as an adult where our hero joins the high school play in order to win his ex girlfriend back from the douchebag she’s seeing now and ends up falling for his best friend’s kid sister instead. They do a mid summer’ night’s dream, which is not only awesome SOMEONE thought to use that one , as the film has given me a special affection for the play.. but it’s a cheesy musical version written by the gloriously over acted director of the play played by martin short. 

My faviorite part of it is the boy band style number about Hermia. Yes really. And I didn’t even get into the fact Siquo is one of the main character’s best friends, Kristin Dunst had to reshoot a scene while making the first rami spider-man , our heroes weird parents who are sex therapists and have no real filter AND offer Coolio a threesome on their advice show, and yes the actual coolio and yes that was an actual person that existed, or best of all the douchey rival who stole our heroes girlfriend, whose not only a former boy band member whose band peformed the song love scud, but also threatens our hero with nunchucks at one point. 

Just see this movie.. i’ll hopefully talk about it some day. 

Point is this kind of plot is stock.. but it’s the good kind you can do a lot of twists and turns with as every example mentioned, even the ones using the crush thing, had some clever twist or turn. And this one is no exception as we’ll see. 

So we meet Ms. Berardo, the schools HAMMY as hell drama teacher who gives herself an entrance and is just wondrously entertaining throughout. She’s played by Grey Delise Griffin, which I could recognize immodestly and man does she bring it. Seriously bring her back. Wonderful character. So our heroine and her leading man audition and in a refreshing change of pace they do not get the lead rolls, instead a modern valley girl and a jock who writes his stuff on his arms do so instead.  But since Bernado’s a bit nuts, she decides to have the Montagues and Capulets practice separately despite tha not making a ton of sense, to drive up tension and what not. I mean isolating an actor to drive up tension is a vallid technique but even having not read Romeo and Juliet since high school, over a decade ago, I can tell you they have several scenes together and this is a logistical nightmare. However our heroine finagles her way over to swapping camps so she can talk to Benny since honestly given the whole thing was a way to get to spend more time with him, she might as well quit otherwise. It also.. isn’t a bad tactic. She wants to know him before asking him out properly, which is fair and a good way to go, and they already know each other and are friendly, and it’s something she likes doing anyway as they were both involved with a play in his first appearance and her liking theater makes sense as she’s a comedian, and while she clearly prefers standup, it’s often a natural evolution to go fromt hat to acting in comedy stuff or making your own show, so it’s not a bad idea to learn that side of the buisness too. 

So Luann FINALLY gets to talk to Benny.. after fast ball specialing mr coconuts in the way of someone trying to sit down

But we get a really cute moment as the two just.. talk like two dorky teenagers; They talk about the real mimes of la, which I want badly to be a show.. even if it’s just to find out what the Mime from Animaniacs is up to now. Where DID that guy go? Did the anvil finally kill him? These are the kinds of things that keep me up at night.. which is probably why I’m finishing this at 4 in the morning. But the two have genuine chemistry with Luann offering him her banana, phrasing, and making a pun he chuckles at. It’s adorable as all hell. 

And Bernardo notices, and since her leads have no sparks she regretfully demotes them.. though their reaction is hilariously realistic as both are just happy to have less lines and walk off. She decides to cast Luann and Benny despite being freshman which would never happen but eh this is a unvierse with a snakebird and spies trying to destroy cherries with a death laser why I do I care two seasons later if two freshman got the leads in the play. Still I love the twist: our hero wasn’t trying to get the lead to creeiply force intamacy or anything.. the two just had natural chemistry and the director noticed that and wants to use it. 

But while this should be great.. it isn’t as Luann keeps dodging actually kissing Benny when they rehearse the kiss. The reason.. is really frigging endearing. Luann simply hasn’t kissed anyone before, this will be her first.. and naturally she’s REALLY nervous about having it in front of a crowd or Benny thinking she’s a bad kisser. And I mean... while I had no personal experience at that age in kissing, most media and personal accounts detail it as awkward as fuck. But that’s the irony: she dosen’t KNOW it’s always awkward and thus is putting a ton of pressure on herself like anyone her age.

So she breaks under the pressure despite the reasurances of her Dummy/Possible Sign that she needs therapy and while she finds a way out the next Day Benny has aburbtly quit because of “chess club”.. which he’s not in. Luann finds him and talks to him about it, worried it’s her fault.. and she’s right, though Benny bowed out because she clearly wasn’t comfortable with him and didn’t want to make her kiss him when she clearly wasn’t comfortable with it. What a man what a man what a mighty good man. Luann TRIES to explain.. and then lets Mr Coconuts do it. Which usually in high school would lead to humilating rejection. instead Benny brings out his own puppet Mrs. Appleblossom. 

Just those eyes.. black and souless.. like a doll’s eyes.. because htey are a doll’s eyes. So yeah Benny also has a puppet he uses to say the things he’s too nervous to say. Which is endearing even if again , KILL IT. KILL IT. I mean i’ts like tha tone guy from victorious if the puppets were actually charming and one of them looked like it was about to play hide the soul. Mrs. Appleblossom explains that Benny is also nervous and with the air cleared and the two realizing theyw ere nervous about the same thing... the inevitible happens

So that fades into the kiss happening on stage, with Luann’s family cheering her, our heroes take a fookin bow and Coconuts and Appleblossom look on.. and talk somehow...and somehow got in the seats on their own. 

Stage Plight Final Thoughts: This episode.. is one of the series best, with great pacing, a low amount of repetition and a relatable conflict, while building up Luann’s love intrest to be a wonderful and engaging guy, and giving us a hell of a guest character and Mrs. Gerardo. This episod eis great, the chemistyr between Gambrone and Pucelli is fantastic. This one is just awesome and worth a look especially if the ship contrversy had hit you hard. It really is good. And there’s always room for benny. Until the next rainbow it’s been a pleasure. 

[panda-noosh]

Hi, I love all of your stories particularly the best friend x reader ones. I’d like to politely request a Sokka (or Aang but you didn’t hear that from me👀) x best friend fem reader who’s in a relationship with Zuko, but the reader is only a rebound from Mai and so Zuko is miserable and takes it out on her all the time. Not like abuse more like just lots of brooding and the cold shoulder. Lots of angst, but a fluffy ending with Sokka and reader ending up together! Thanks so much ☺️🧚🧚‍♀️⚡️✨✨

I’M SO SORRY, THIS REQUEST GOT LEFT BEHIND IN MY ASK BOX AND I’M ONLY JUST NOW GETTING TO IT. i hope you enjoy. sorry for the wait!!! xxx

----

   Sokka watches you.

   That’s all he ever does. He doesn’t think it’s appropriate to question the logic behind why you’re staying with him when he clearly treats you so badly.

   Zuko has changed, and Sokka knows this. He watched it happen. The prince went from a blood-thirsty, annoying little shit to someone Sokka can genuinely vent to if he feels like it. The two have shared moments in the past few months that have solidified some sort of friendship between them, even with the tension they once held, the tension they will forever hold. 

    But he still has his flaws, and apparently, treating you with respect is one of them.

   It’s another one of those days where Zuko is just. . . being Zuko. He’s probably thinking about Mai again, which angers Sokka to no end. He understands, and he hates that Zuko is hurting over his previous break up, but you will always be the first one on Sokka’s priority list, which is why he finds it so infuriating that Zuko isn’t treating you right. He sits at the table and ignores you, one hand cupping his cheek as the other jabs a fork into a plate of leaves that Sokka made fun of when he first laid eyes on it. His own pizza goes cold in front of him, because he’s spent so much of the past hour just watching Zuko completely ignore you, like you don’t even exist.

    You continue your attempts to get your boyfriends attention, attempts you shouldn’t even have to make. Zuko should be listening to you. Zuko should be treating you like god damn royalty, because you’re one of the best people on the planet. You give your everything to everyone, treating everyone with respect and kindness, no matter how many times they- 

    Sokka has to cut his thoughts short. They always get like that, completely out of hand no matter how much he tries to block them off. 

    He will admit to himself that he loves you, but that confession can never be uttered to anyone else. It’s terrifying. It’s humiliating. You would rather be with someone who gives you the cold shoulder than with him, and that’s enough to shatter any ounce of confidence Sokka is so renowned for.

    “Zuko, are you okay?” Sokka hears you ask, his ears immediately prickling at the question. You’ve tried to keep your voice down, but it hasn’t worked. 

    Zuko grunts in response.

    You bite your lower lip, glancing at the table. Your own meal is unfinished, slowly going cold. You’ve been letting that happen a lot recently, and the weight is dropping off you faster than Sokka is comfortable with. He’s mentioned it once or twice, but you always use the same excuse: “We’ve been running around a lot more often; it’s just burning off me.”

     “You haven’t touched your salad,” you continue. “I can go get you something else if you-”

    “If you want to help me, go away and leave me alone.”

   You flinch. Flinch. Sokka has to curl his fingers into fists to stop himself standing up and punching Zuko square in the face.

    You nod and slowly stand. You follow his order, because he’s Zuko and he’s upset so therefore, everybody has to adhere to exactly what he wants. It makes Sokka sick to his stomach watching it happen, and when you flee from the table, he can’t take it any more.

    He stands and marches over to Zuko. “What the hell man?”

   Zuko glances up. “Oh. Hey Sokka.”

   “Don’t Hey Sokka me! Why are you being like that to Y/N?”

    Zuko raises a brow, but he doesn’t seem all that bothered. His face is still cupped by a lazy hand, his fork still jabbing into his dinner leaves. “What are you talking about?”

   Sokka inhales, trying to keep his cool. “Listen, Zuko. I get it, okay? Mai broke your little heart. You gave her everything and all that bullshit. But just because you’re in a bad place doesn’t mean you get to treat Y/N like shit, do you understand? They don’t deserve that.”

    And Sokka doesn’t even know where the words come from, but they’re out there now, and there’s no way he can just snatch them back. Slowly, Zuko raises his head, his eyes boring into Sokka’s with an intensity that only a member of the fire nation can really hold.

    He says, “Sokka. Are you in love with Y/N?”

    It feels so obvious. Sokka almost wants to laugh, almost wants to say “Well, obviously,” because surely every single person in the world should just know that he’s been head over heels in love with you from the moment he laid eyes on you all those years ago. 

    He swallows now and says, “Yes. Yes, I am. So please stop dragging them around like a sock puppet. They don’t deserve that.”

    He turns then, unable to hear Zuko’s reply, unable to witness the anger that surely overtakes his features. Sokka has just confessed to being in love with his partner - no man in their right mind would ever take that lightly.

   Without turning back, Sokka walks away.

    ---

    His name sounds like a prayer on your lips.

    He turns, bleary eyed and tired from a long day of work and a long night of tossing and turning. He stands in the window of his cabin, wearing a pair of pyjama shorts and a flowy white shirt he stole from his father before they left the water tribe behind. You stand in the doorway, wearing baggy grey trousers and a low cut pyjama shirt.

    Sokka’s eyes widen. “Y/N.”

   You look up, offering the tiniest of smiles. 

   “What are you still doing up?” Sokka asks, approaching you with caution.

    “I wanted to come see what you were up to,” you reply. “Plus, I was talking to Zuko earlier and he told me a few things. A few things I wanted to ask you about.”

   Sokka’s heart stops at those words. There’s nothing else it could be, is there? His conversation with Zuko lasted approximately two minutes, and there was nothing significant about any of it besides his confession.

    He takes a step back, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “Actually, I was just gonna go to bed...”

    “Sokka, why didn’t you tell me before?”

   He pauses. “Huh?”

   “That you’re in love with me.” You take a step closer, and Sokka’s body shifts into overdrive. He’s going to overheat. He’s going to start sweating and that’s so gross, and how are you ever going to like him if sweat is lashing off him and he can’t even- 

     “You’re with Zuko,” he blurts out.

    You freeze, hand outstretched, inches from his own, and suddenly Sokka regrets ever saying anything before you held his hand. 

    “You’re with Zuko,” he repeats, calmer this time. “I didn’t want to jeopardise that. I care too much about you both to do that.”

    You blink like this isn’t the answer you expected. And then, “Zuko told me to go after you. He said I should be happy.”

    “You should be. He’s right. Did he finally apologise for treating you like shit?”

   You laugh. “Well, kind of. He - uh - broke up with me.”

    Heat rises in Sokka’s face. His jaw falls open before he snaps it closed and exclaims, “He what?”

    But then you laugh again. Short, sharp, confusing. “He broke up with me, Sokka. He said he wanted me to be happy, so he ended it.”

   Sokka raises a brow, genuinely puzzled. “Where’s the logic in that?”

   You roll your eyes, and before Sokka can fully comprehend what is happening, you’re marching towards him, grabbing his shirt collar and tugging him in for a kiss.

    A kiss. A genuine kiss!

   Sokka’s mind explodes the instant he feels your mouth on his own. He has kissed plenty of people in his lifetime, but this is so different. This is like his first kiss all over again. Suddenly, he doesn’t know what to do, or how to move, or where to place his hands, so he just stands there, letting you take control. Your hands travel into his hair, guiding him closer and closer and closer until you eventually pull away and say, “Did I misread something?”

    The panic of you thinking he doesn’t want this drives him on. He grabs your hips and pulls you to him, slamming his lips back to yours. 

[myuntoldstory]

Mystic Messenger | Behind the Scenes

AO3 | FF.net

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character (Named)

Warning: N/A

Word Count: 6, 990

Summary: "This... this is real."

Set after Zen's Valentine's Day dlc.On Valentine's Day, 

Lux received comfort and reassurances from Zen after he discovered the rumours surrounding him and his co-star, Jocelyn. That's the end of it. Lux feels no insecurities as the rumours reach an all-time high, not even when Zen leaves for a month-long location shoot.

But one kissing scene changes everything...

Behind the Scenes

“I don’t want to leave you… it’s bad timing.”

Lux smiles helplessly at Zen, squeezing his hand.

On Valentine's Day, Zen discovered the rumours surrounding him and his co-star, Jocelyn. Back then the media and public speculated in reckless fun, but now everyone believes that the two are in a real relationship. They have all but discounted Zen's announcement as a sham… that he and Lux are.

It angers him. He's angry for her.

As for what Lux feels about it... well, does it matter?

They love each other. That's the truth.

It should be enough.

"I want to come with you if that's any consolation," she chuckles.

Zen smiles back at her, kissing her hands.

"Screw the contract, honestly," he sighs. "I want them all to see us together, even on my work trips. If they see how perfect we are for each other they'll think twice on the bullshit they spread every day."

"Mmm," she agrees. "But sadly work's called both of us away."

"Yeah..."

Zen pulls her in a tight embrace. Lux circles her arms around him, holding on as she buries her face in the crook of his neck. Inhaling deeply, she comforts herself with his favourite cologne, his clean scent that’s just underneath. The consoling way he rubs her back almost brings tears to her eyes. The moment they met he's always put her first. Even now, when he's advancing in his career, he continues to look out for her. Why should she worry about what everyone else says? He never fails to show her how much he loves her.

"I'll miss you," she murmurs. "So much."

"I'll miss you too, babe," he says. "I miss you already."

With a sigh, she steps back. She feels the reluctant flex in Zen's arms, but he follows her lead. Holding onto his shirt, she stares into his garnet eyes. Within the glittering depths are longing and concern. She smiles as he cups and caresses her cheeks.

"Take care, okay?" she says, leaning into his touch. "Don't work yourself sick. Also, do enjoy yourself. Jeju's a beautiful place so take the time to heal."

"Your wish is my command, my princess," Zen says with a small bow. "But without you beside me, I can never fully heal. You're the best elixir in this whole universe, after all."

"Zen..." she laughs, blushing.

"Don't be sick too, okay?" he continues. "Stay healthy. Eat well."

"I will."

"Let's do our best."

“Yes.”

“And let’s think about each other—at least once a day.”

“I’ll think about you every minute,” she promises.

“Me too,” he beams. “Let’s meet each other in our dreams.”

“Of course,” she says. “And I’ll text you every day.”

“Same.”

“It’s okay if you don’t reply; I just want to tell you things.”

“Same goes for you.”

“And we’ll video call each other.”

“As much as possible.”

She laughs. “We’ll be fine.”

“We will be.”

Then, tenderly, Zen kisses her. Lux holds onto his hands, savouring the moment. His lips glide gently against hers, making butterflies flutter in her stomach. The very edge of his teeth brushes against her mouth in the most careful nibbles. She feels it, the way he yearns for her, kissing her like it's the last time. Through her response, she accepts his feelings and offers her own.

"Goodbye, darling," he murmurs against her lips.

"See you in a month."

"See you later."

"Yes," she chuckles.

Finally, they let go of each other. Zen opens the door to reveal Seongjin, his manager. He wears an expectant expression tinged with impatience. When he sees Lux, though, he smiles politely. She bows to him in greeting as Zen picks up the suitcases and makes his way out. Lux watches from the door as Seongjin catches up to him and helps him load the luggage in the van waiting outside the complex. Then, Seongjin opens the door and gestures for Zen to go inside first. Before that, Zen looks over his shoulder and blows her a kiss. Beaming, she blows one back.

And in an instant, he's gone.

Lux's happy expression dims. Sighing, she closes the door.

ZEN, Lux

Lux

Zenny~

ZEN

Lux!

My love~

We’re really meant for each other~

I was just about to call you…

and suddenly I get your text!

Isn’t that amazing?

Lux

No matter how far apart we are

we’re still connected~

ZEN

<3

What can I do for you, my princess?

Lux

I just want to know if you’re home yet~

You said you’re out of the airport by 7, right?

ZEN

My babe is worried for me~

I love you so~ much!

Actually, I just got out.

Seongjin’s driving me home.

Lux

I’m so relieved you arrived safely!

I want to see your handsome face~

Hopefully, time passes by quickly.

ZEN

I can’t wait…

I really want to spoil you…

;)

You get off at 9, right? :(

Are you okay?

Lux

:(

But I am okay! ^^

I love how you worry about me. <3

You know how the start of the year’s always busy.

Two hours left, though! It won’t be long now~

We can see each other again!

ZEN

I’m counting down the minutes~

Lux reads the messages with a happy smile. The past two hours have been unbearable knowing that he's waiting for her at home. Now, finally, she's done—she can finally see him. Unable to contain her excitement, she sends a message telling him that she'll be home soon. Her heart leaps as he replies back, saying that he's waiting for her. She sends a few hearts before closing the app.

"Lux."

Looking up from her phone, she sees Seojun, her mentor, peeking in.

"Seojun, hey," she greets.

"Finished?"

"Finally," she sighs in relief. "I'm going home. You?"

"Same." He gestures to the hallway. "Let's walk out?"

"Sure."

Seojun waits as Lux closes the door to her office. Then, they both make their way through the hall towards the staircase. In this late hour, the staff department is almost a ghost town. Two or three offices still have their lights on as, like her, some staff work overtime. The rest is dark and empty, making the hallway they're walking through dim and eerie.

"He's back today, right?"

Lux starts at the sudden question. Glancing at Seojun, she finds him looking expectantly at her with a teasing smile. The corners of her lips tug up as the words sink in. Zen is no longer far away—granted it will still take a few trips for her to reach him. Despite that little detail, she takes comfort in one truth.

Zen is home.

"He is," she says, cheeks reddening. "I can't wait to see him."

"Good effort," he compliments. "You hung in there."

"Seojun," she laughs. "This isn’t the first time he goes on location shoots."

"Yeah, but all those other times weren't surrounded by crazy rumours."

Lux tenses at that. "Right... true."

"Didn't it get worse after he left?" Seojun continues with a disapproving tone. "Weren't there pictures floating around? Everyone's speculating about it."

She shrugs with a helpless smile.

"Yeah, well..."

"That's rough."

Lux looks at her mentor again and finds him wincing.

"There's nothing in them, though," she defends.

"I know that," he agrees. "Everyone else? Whew..."

"I can't do anything about that."

"Which sucks for you."

Biting her lips, she says nothing.

"Does he assure you at least?"

"He does," she replies quickly. "He never forgets me."

"Good."

They descend the stairs to the ground floor. Everywhere else is dark, testifying to the lateness of the hour. In many areas the only lights remaining are ones in the hallway. They're for the stragglers and the cleaners who prepare the school for another busy day. As they approach the entrance Lux sees a small group of people at the doors. Wow, there must be more people taking overtime than she realises.

"You're strong, as always," Seojun comments.

"Come on."

"Seriously. This would've destroyed anyone—understandably."

"Hmm."

"But you? Like a Ginko tree. Completely unbothered."

“Oh…”

Lux shrugs.

"I wouldn't say that," she admits. "It's definitely weird and... yeah. Zen announced our relationship to the world... everyone knows I'm his girlfriend, but still... I mean, it happens, right? Isn't that expected of the industry?"

"Where the currency is gossip and rumours? Yeah."

She chuckles weakly. "Exactly."

"Of course, none of this is my business," he continues. "As long as he prioritises you and protects you from all this nonsense, that's all that matters."

"He is," Lux confirms. "I appreciate you worrying, though."

"We're friends, Lux; of course I'd worry."

They stop at a crossed path close to the entrance. A flash catches Lux's eyes and, with a confused frown, she glances towards the crowd gathered at the doors. She thought they are all overtime workers going home. Now that she's paying proper attention she finds them all tittering. Every few seconds a flash pops up, which she realises comes from mobile phones. What is happening over there?

"Well, I'm parked on the other side," Seojun says.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow," Lux replies with a smile. "Good work."

"You too."

With that, he's off.

Lux watches over him with a smile. Then, she turns her curious attention to the hubbub near the doors. Her nosiness gets the better of her and she approaches the crowd. The murmurs and giggles increase in volume the closer she gets. An atmosphere of excitement has clearly settled over them. She also sees a few people swooning over whatever it is they're looking at. How mysterious.

“Excuse me…” she says.

Someone from the crowd turns to her. Lux blinks as they gasp.

"Lux!" they exclaim. "O-of course!"

They shuffle away, catching the attention of people nearby. To her further surprise, they react the same way upon seeing her. Soon, she finds herself a clear path leading to the object of her curiosity. She bows at their courteousness before walking through. The first thing that catches her gaze is another small group that's gathered ahead of the doors.

"Honey!"

Lux's heart leaps at the voice. With wide eyes, she focuses on the crowd... and sees a familiar tuft of silvery-white hair. Next, she catches a pair of glittering garnet eyes, gazing at her with happiness. At that moment the world and everything in it cease to exist. It's her... and him, the one who has her heart. Suddenly her chest twinges in pain as she feels the length of their days apart. Yes, a month was that long—too long to spend without him.

Her feet carry her to him before she even thinks about it. A happy smile tugs at her lips as his eyes follow her. The distance between them shortens, but it still feels far away. She wants to jump into his arms and wrap herself around him, but she steels herself. It's hard. She wants to make sure he's real and that this isn't all a dream...

"Zen!" she exclaims, stopping beside him. "What are you doing here?"

"Being a good boyfriend and picking you up," he answers, chuckling.

He reaches out and gently pets her head. Lux relaxes at his touch, so much that she feels it in her shoulders. Relief overwhelms her like a flood. The next second Lux blinks in surprise. This gesture is not new between them... but somehow, at that moment, it's comforted her more than any other time he's done it.

“Surprised?” he teases.

To her further confusion, tears wet her lashes. “Yes—”

“But Zen isn’t Jocelyn your girlfriend?"

The question brings a stop to everything. Lux freezes in shock. She turns to the group gathered before them. Embarrassed, she recognises her carelessness. She is so eager to see Zen that she forgets that they are there. None of them are from the school, she notes. They're also young. On top of that, they look at her with suspicion and disapproval.

Reality, at that point, hits Lux like a bullet.

Suddenly, she's conscious of herself, of her relationship with Zen. The rumours surrounding him and Jocelyn become this very real thing. She grips the strap of her bag as her chest twinges with a different kind of pain. For all her blasé attitude towards this scandal she now finds herself at a loss of how to respond.

“Oh, that funny rumour.”

Zen's playful sigh brings Lux to the present. She watches him as he returns to his fans and continues to sign for them. He briefly meets her eyes. His expression softens for a second before he wears a professional and friendly face. It's different from the happy look he had before. Though she missed the atmosphere before she arrived, she assumes it's different from what it is now. Zen exudes distance. From the stricken way some of the fans look… it doesn't seem like a good thing.

“I’m not dating Jocelyn. I have a beautiful girlfriend already.”

An awkward feeling wraps around them. It's so suffocating that Lux grips her bag strap tighter. Looking over the group again she notices that some continue to smile obliviously. Others seem to be on the verge of cringing. This is her fault, isn't it? Her presence has caused a divide for what should have been a happy moment between Zen and his fans. The one who asked the question looks like her world fell apart.

“O-oh… no, I’m sorry…”

"It's all right," Zen assures her. "I'm sorry to my girlfriend, though; she's been so patient and forgiving with me through this. That makes her the greatest, don't you think?"

A murmur of agreement spreads throughout the group. The girl who asked the question nods fervently. Lux sighs with a helpless smile when Zen glances at her and winks. In the next second the atmosphere lightens and becomes friendlier. All the fans are now beaming and tittering around him.

"Ready to go, babe?" he says, signing the last of the autographs.

"Whenever you are."

"Okay."

Once done, he helps her up the motorcycle. Then, he puts the helmet on her, arranging her hair to make sure it's not caught on anything. She protests when he gives her his jacket, but he insists with a gentle shush. Despite the helmet muting the sound, she can somehow hear some whoops and hoots. Her face reddens when she looks around and finds that they still have an audience. Zen opens the visor, prompting her to turn to him.

"Hold on to me, okay?" he says.

Lux nods.

He gets on and she wraps her arms around his waist. As he starts the engine she presses herself onto his back. She waves to her co-workers who wave back enthusiastically. Zen, meanwhile, says farewell to his fans. With that, he rides them off the campus and into the main road.

Lux's hold around Zen turns vice-like as he weaves through the cars. He slows to a stop at the lights when it turns red. As they wait, Lux runs her hands along his torso. She starts when he takes her hand. To her surprise, he presses it to his helmet in a sort-of kiss. Her face warms. She presses her head into the middle of his back, shaking it in embarrassment. Through all the layers between them she still feels the deep rumble of his laugher. The light turns green and they're off again.

The whole trip takes ten minutes. Lux relaxes as she sees their building. Zen goes into the parking area and stops at a spot, turning off the engine. With a sharp sigh, he takes off his helmet. Then, he hops off and helps Lux, assisting with her helmet. Smiling gently, he combs back her mussed hair.

"Are you okay?" he says.

"Yes," she assures him. "But what about you? Did you get cold?"

Smile widening, he lifts her hands and kisses them.

“What cold? Your arms warmed me up plenty,” he says, winking.

She still hasn't recovered from his display earlier. Wordlessly, she takes the helmet and wears it again. With a hearty laugh, Zen hugs her head and kisses the top of the helmet before taking it off once more. She catches his radiant, happy grin and it steals her breath away.

“Zen, your handsomeness makes it hard to breathe.”

“Then, my princess, let’s go home before you faint,” he teases.

Taking her hand, he leads her home. He opens the door with a flourish and lets her go in first with a sweeping bow. She turns to him the moment the door closes, gasping when a desperate kiss meets her. Zen advances on her, making her step back and press against the door. She clutches his shirt as he cups her face, placing little kisses all over her lips.

"Zen..." she whispers when he pulls away. “I missed you..."

"God," he laughs, breathless. "That sounds dangerous."

"What does?"

"The way you whispered..."

She chuckles. “Did I wake up the beast?”

"Almost.”

He kisses her forehead as she wraps her arms around him in a tight hug. He slips his arms around her waist and pulls her flush against him, moulding her body to his in a tighter embrace. Seconds of silence pass as they reacquaint with each other. Lux has to come to terms with his month-long absence in her life.

“I’m home, honey…” he whispers in her ear. “I missed you so much.”

“Welcome home—”

The sudden sound of knocking had them both jumping. They laugh as the emotional atmosphere of their reunion dissipates. After one last kiss to her forehead, Zen goes on to answer the door, urging Lux to go on and settle in.

“Waiting for something?” she says.

“I ordered delivery,” he says with a grin.

He opens the door, revealing a delivery girl whose beaming smile falls in abject shock at the sight of him. She drops the plastic bags full of takeaway. Zen reaches out and catches them with a panicked yelp. Chuckling at the scene, Lux goes further inside the apartment. As she goes into their bedroom she can’t help feeling… comfortable, like everything’s back in place. Without Zen’s bright presence the apartment had been painfully quiet. Hearing his voice down the hall erases the dark mark of loneliness that settled within her since he left.

Finally, he’s home.

And it feels like she’s back home too.

“This way.”

Lux follows Seongjin as he leads her.

After returning from his location shoot, Zen only had a day of rest. Then he's back to early morning pickups and late-night drop-offs. As her schedule returns to normal levels, his maintains its busy state. At the very least she’ll be with him, no matter how late. She prefers that to not being with him at all.

Ever since Zen discovered the rumours he has been inviting her to visit him on set. Because of work she's unable to find the best time. Now with her schedule back to normal she was freer. After some planning, she decided on a day to visit. In the morning she told Zen that she’d drop by. The happiness he exuded was enough to energise her for years. She planned to go there on her own, but when she got out of work Seongjin was waiting for her. She was so touched that she couldn't refuse.

Now she follows him to where Zen is.

The production had sealed off a large area for the shoot. Various lights and equipment surround the perimeter. Several people walk in and out of it, sometimes to check on equipment and sometimes to consult other people. The bigger lights circle a small area inside the perimeter. From the cameras that surround that area, Lux assumes that’s where the shooting location is.

Seongjin leads Lux inside the perimeter and towards the smaller area. He weaves through the bustling staff, finding a spot for her to stand in. As she follows him she catches a few people glancing at her in recognition and surprise. To prevent any awkwardness she bows to every one of them.

“You can stand here,” Seongjin whispers, guiding her to a specific spot. “They’re in the middle of a shoot right now so I’ll let him know you’re here when they take a break, okay?”

“Of course,” she murmurs. “Thank you, Manager.”

“No worries—now, behave.”

He brings his finger to his lips and she nods.

The director calls for quiet and commands action. Lux smiles proudly as she watches Zen in his element. He looks so perfect—natural. It’s like he’s born for this very purpose. She never tires of watching him behind the camera, it’s like she’s privy to a private stage performance. Shows and movies always add elements to make a scene feel a certain way. But with this, she sees the power he has, how he enthrals with his skill alone. He leaves no doubt that the character he wears can exist in the real world. On top of that, he also elevates his co-stars. Next to him, Jocelyn’s demure acting is all the more endearing and adorable.

She continues to watch as Zen sits on the bench. He and Jocelyn talk. There’s cautious flirtatiousness to their conversation. The shyness Jocelyn exudes makes Zen’s confident playfulness attractive and charming. Their teasing rises to a peak as Jocelyn walks off in a huff. Suddenly Zen grabs hold of her wrist and pulls her to his lap. Lux starts when the people around her gasp. Looking around, she finds most of the staff gazing adoringly at the two, completely taken with the scene unfolding before them.

As the scene continues on she overhears a conversation behind her.

“God, it’s so romantic—I’m so jealous!”

“Yeah, it looks so good—no wonder they’re in a relationship.”

“What do you mean?”

“Eh? What are you asking—aren’t they dating?”

“What? No, they’re not!”

“No? But they’re all reporting about it!”

“It’s all just rumours! Zen already has a girlfriend!”

“What—oh, the conference thing? I thought that was fake!”

The smile on Lux’s face falls and her heart sinks.

Discomfort churns in her stomach. Gradually hurt replaces the pride she feels. Zen and Jocelyn look into each other’s eyes, and Lux recognises his expression with a pang. He’d stare at her like that sometimes. She clutches her bag strap, eyes wide and glimmering as he leans in and captures Jocelyn’s lips in a chaste kiss. All around her she hears the staff melting at the sight.

Pain twinges in her chest, twisting her in a way that makes her want to keel. A lump forms in her throat as tears sting the back of her eyes. Zen kisses Jocelyn with such gentleness that’s familiar to Lux. He’d kiss her that way too. When Jocelyn responded by cupping his face, she wants to scream at them to stop.

Time goes at a standstill. The scene seems to go on for way too long. Are they still acting or is this real? From where Lux stands she feels the magic between them—inexplicable, but compelling. It’s so intimate and private that she wants to take her eyes away... but like a spectacular train wreck, she can’t stop herself from watching.

She wants it to stop.

The director’s yell breaks the spell. Zen and Jocelyn separate as the crowd breaks into enthusiastic but scattered applause. Lux releases the breath she didn’t even notice she’s been holding. She hears it, the praise Zen and Jocelyn receive as a couple. This despite that she’s right there… despite that some of them had seen her coming in.

Unable to take any more she turns to walk away. She weaves through the crowd, speeding until she steps out of the perimeter. After that, she slows to an amble, heart over her chest to calm her pounding heart. Tears continue to sting her eyes and she has to bite her lip, almost breaking the skin, to prevent herself from crying.

“Honey!”

His voice is like a douse of cold water. She keeps walking, only stopping when Zen’s gentle hand touches her shoulder.

“Where are you going?” he says.

She doesn’t face him. “I’m going home.”

“Home? But…”

Both of his hands are now on her shoulders. She tries not to flinch as they slide over her upper arms.

“But we just saw each other,” he protests softly.

She blinks away the tears that persistently push through.

“I know… I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling well.”

“You’re not well?”

He turns her to face him. She keeps her head down, trying not to show her face, but as expected he tenderly lifts her chin. He exposes her to him as he looks over her and places a gentle hand on her forehead. Reluctantly, she looks at him. She sees his eyes widen, but whether that's because he feels something, or he sees how close to tears she is, she doesn’t know.

“I should take you to a doctor,” he says.

“You’re still working,” she reminds him with a weak smile.

Avoiding his gaze once more she takes his hands off her. Stepping back, she puts a considerable distance between them. Against her wishes, a sniffle escapes her lips. She catches Zen reaching for her, but she crosses her arms and his hands drop to his side.

What’s wrong with her? Why is she being like this?

“I’ll sleep this off,” she assures him.

A pause passes between them and Zen sighs.

“Okay…” he relents, voice low. “Okay. I’ll let Seongjin know—”

“No, don’t bother him,” she says hurriedly.

“But, babe—”

“He went through so much trouble dropping me off here.”

“But it’s night and you’re not well…”

She casts a quick glance at him, assailed with guilt at his troubled face.

“I’ll be fine,” she insists.

He hesitates, but then nods.

“Okay, darling… but text me when you get home, okay?”

“I will.”

“Uhm…”

Zen looks like he’s struggling to say something. Lux waits, anxious, but he shakes his head.

“No, nothing… thank you for dropping by,” he says, smiling tenderly. “It made me really happy to see you.”

The bottom of her lip trembles at his words, at his ready acceptance and protectiveness. Even when she’s acting like this he treats her with gentleness. Though she's imperfect for him... though she gives no explanation for her actions, her attitudes... still he shows her how much he loves and cares for her.

She doesn’t deserve him…

As she begins to walk off he reaches out, this time grasping her wrist. Zen pulls her towards him and to her panic, she realises that he’s going to kiss her… kiss her like he kissed Jocelyn. Those perfect lips had been on another’s minutes ago—and not just anyone. It’s not right. All this feels out of place. Before he reaches her she turns away, leaning back so he doesn’t come into contact with any part of her. Tense silence falls between them. She doesn’t need to look at him to know how confused and hurt he must look. Self-loathing and guilt almost succeed in making her cry. She pulls from him and quickly strides off.

“Bye.”

Over an hour later she’s back in their apartment. Cleaned up and dressed, she now lies on the couch. She stares at the television, which shows a variety show in low volume. Despair churns inside of her along with guilt, jealousy, and self-loathing. She hates herself for how she acted towards Zen. Rejecting him was not what she intended, but it was instinct. She wanted to protect herself, but it ended up hurting him.

How pathetic is she…?

Tears now escape her eyes as the scene replays itself in her head. It torments her. The way it looked so romantic, so real… of course, everyone would read a relationship into it. It makes sense for people to think that it’s them that are together. Zen always kisses her that way… always looks at her with the same kind of gentleness that moves her. But somehow he and Jocelyn make it a reality. She sniffles as irrational possessiveness wells up in her. For the first time, she feels like nothing in her relationship with Zen is legitimate. Nothing. Not the kisses, the touches… not even the words.

Because no one sees it, it doesn't exist.

But they see it in a show and somehow that’s more real.

What does that mean for her? How can she be sure that they’re real?

The sound of keys jangling makes her sit up in panic. Quickly, she grabs the tissues to wipe her face and nose. As the door opens she composes herself, managing a weak, welcoming smile as Zen steps inside. At the sight of her, his eyes widen in surprise.

“Oh, babe!” he says softly, closing the door. “Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No.” She shakes her head. “You didn’t.”

He strides towards her, dropping his things on the floor. She scoots to the very corner of the couch as he sits next to her. It takes effort for her not to recoil as he cups her face, brushing away her fringe to feel her forehead. She watches him as he looks over her, but is unable to meet his eyes. When the tips of his fingers skimmed underneath her eyes she nearly cringes. Are her eyes still red? She can feel how puffy they are. Does he notice?

“How are you feeling?” he says, voice subdued.

She’s about to say that she’s fine, but memories of that kissing scene flash in her mind. She can’t find it within herself to lie. Sighing, she takes his hands off her and stands up, avoiding his eyes as she turns towards the kitchen.

“Have you eaten?” she says. “There are still some leftovers—”

“Wait.”

She stops.

“What’s wrong?” he says.

A jolt runs through her body. “I-I don’t know what you mean…”

“Back on set you looked like you were about to cry,” he reveals, voice full of concern and hurt. “But… just before I got home you really were crying, weren’t you? You’ve been crying for a while…”

The tears emerge again. “Zen…”

“Did something happen on set? Did—did I do something?”

“No! You didn’t do anything.”

“But someone did? Did they say something to you?”

“Nothing like that.”

“Then… please, babe, tell me what’s wrong…”

Lux opens her mouth to tell him it’s nothing, lips poised to utter the first vowel, but Zen coaxes her to turn and look at him. He holds both of her hands, face full of worry. Underneath the apartment lights his eyes glimmer and she sees herself reflected in its crimson depths. What a wretched image she makes. Zen doesn’t deserve to see this. Tears well in her eyes, her lower lip trembles as she struggles to answer.

“I…”

Dismay crosses Zen’s face. He kisses her hands and guides her back to the couch. Once again sitting beside him, she looks down on her lap. Her vision blurs as tears sting the back of her eyes. Biting her lip, she tries her best to not let a single drop fall as Zen tucks her hair behind her ears.

“Honey,” he pleads. “Talk to me, please.”

Lux sighs, reluctant to say a word. This is her problem, not his. It’s not that she doesn’t want to include him… more like she doesn’t want to make him feel uncomfortable. The way she feels is not his fault—in fact, he does his best to protect her from all this… but somehow it still reached her. It still hurt her. She let it. She needs to sort this out on her own; he doesn’t need to know…

But he deserves to.

“I get it,” she says. “What they say about you and Jocelyn.”

With a quick glance, she catches horror crossing his face.

“Darling, it’s not true,” he says quickly. “None of it. I love you so much. You’re the only one for me. I would never, ever cheat on you—god, I honestly would rather die first. If you want to check my phone I’ll give it to you. You can ask anybody on set—”

“I know,” she replies hurriedly. “I know. I didn’t mean it like that—that’s not what I was thinking about. I know you wouldn’t do that. I trust you completely.”

He sighs in relief, but he still looks worried. “Then what’s wrong?”

“Me,” she confesses.

That stuns him. Somehow that forces the tears to fall. Admitting this makes her feel so pathetic. She can’t help feeling like the annoying, clingy girlfriend. Someone so selfish and greedy who doesn’t have the strength or attitude to be in a relationship with an actor of Zen’s calibre.

“I’m what’s wrong,” she continues, sobbing. “Everyone loves you two together. You’re perfect for each other. Your chemistry is so magical that you must be in love. They believe what they see in you two—they prefer it.”

“Babe…” Zen whispers. “Babe, that’s not true—”

She shakes her head at his placation, sniffling.

“But you hear what they say,” she says. “We’re not married yet. They don’t see us together so it must not be real. Your press conference was a setup. Our relationship is fake... even your fans believe her to be your girlfriend…”

Zen doesn’t say any more as she continues to spill her dark feelings. Word after word tumbles from her mouth with no sign of stopping. She’s desperate to. This turn of events is not something she wants. She hates how she’s weak, how a simple thing like this unhinges her so easily. Zen’s life as an actor will always have this. She must be stronger; that’s what he needs from her.

“And… god, I don’t know,” she sighs in defeat. “I saw that kissing scene—how everyone reacted to it and I understand. You two are magical together. Even I believe it. And they know her—they trust her. You two make much more sense than we do and… god, I’m sorry.”

She pulls her hands from his and buries her face in them as she sobs in earnest. As she struggles to calm herself she worries about Zen’s reaction. How disappointing is she to him now? He always calls her these beautiful and nice things. But now that he sees that she doesn’t embody a single one will he still like her? She wants to stay by his side and support him in everything he does… but after this, there might not be another chance.

“I’m sorry,” she gasps, rubbing her face and combing back her hair before grabbing more tissues. She avoids his eyes, afraid of what he looks like in the face of her weakness. “I’m sorry—don’t worry about it. It’s just… all the rumours got to me and made me weak. I didn’t mean to be a cry-baby and make you uncomfortable with all this.”

“Lux.”

She ignores him and stands up, quickly shuffling to the kitchen.

“I’ll prepare some dinner for you, okay—”

Zen captures her wrist. A yelp escapes her as he pulls her to him. Part of her expects to sit on his lap, but to her surprise, she falls on the couch instead. Her breath leaves her in a huff as she lands on the cushions. A few seconds of silence pass before she realises that she had squeezed her eyes closed.

Slowly, she opens them, inhaling sharply at the position she finds herself in. Her hands are flat on his chest while his… one is on her thigh, the other rests at the back of her head, holding her in place. The way she fell had her legs draped over his lap. They’re so close together that their breaths mingle as they breathe. He wears an impassive expression… but in the depths of his eyes is an emotion so intense that it makes her heart race. She swallows hard, nerves on haywire because she can’t tell what he’s thinking. Somewhere she hears the clock ticking. It accompanies the building tension, counting down to something…

“Zen—”

He takes her lips in a passionate kiss.

Lux freezes in shock as his mouth glides over hers. She doesn’t know what to think, how to react as the intensity of his actions washes over her. A flush spreads over her cheeks as the tip of his tongue teases the seam of her lips. Then he follows with a few gentle nips with his teeth. A fire ignites within her, sparked by the man she loves. Gradually, she kisses back—

But the image of that kissing scene invades her mind, tainting this moment. Discomfort now replaces the warmth that started to spread in her body. Once again this feels all wrong. She tries to push him away, to push away the reality that she mistakenly believed she was ready for.

In response, he presses her closer to him. A whimper escapes her throat as he deepens the kiss, carefully sweeping his tongue inside her mouth. He tastes of mint toothpaste; combined with his cologne it makes for an intoxicating combination. He starts to stroke her thigh, every touch erasing the image of that shoot from her mind. It vanishes completely when he suckles her bottom lip. Now her mind is full of him, of the way he overwhelms her heightened senses.

The need for air separates them. Their eyes meet briefly before Zen nuzzles her neck. Leftover tears escape Lux’s eyes as they breathe heavily together. She bites her tingling lips. Meanwhile, Zen rains kisses along her neck; he pays attention to a particular spot before gently suckling. She thought he was marking her, but he barely applies real suction. She takes the comfort he offers her, turning her head to kiss the shell of his ear.

“This… this is real,” Zen says. “This kiss, this moment… it’s real. It will always be real. It’ll be the most real thing in our whole lives. If you ever feel unsure… then just come to me. Tell me and I’ll remind you. I’ll give you all the proof you need.”

Her chest twinges at his words.

“Zen…”

He hugs her to him, his heart hammering against her palms.

“I’m so sorry, babe. I’m sorry you had to see the kissing scene—no, I’m sorry for allowing a situation where seeing it hurts you. I should have done more; I should have given you more confidence. I shouldn’t have listened to them and just… showed the world how much we love each other…”

“Zen, you don’t have to apologise…”

“No, I do. I won’t do publicity with Jocelyn anymore. I won’t take any offers for romance shows,” he says. “I’ll also ask the agency to change the contract and give us freedom. Let’s go on dates, okay? I’ll tell the world that I’m yours and only yours. That should shut them up.”

“Please don’t. You don’t have to…” Lux protests quietly. “I’ll be all right. Just... all this got to me and made me a bit weak. I don’t want to hold you back from acting—you love acting. If you start making compromises then you won’t get what you want.”

“I do love acting.”

Lux looks at him as he lifts his head. Their eyes meet.

“But I love you more.”

The sincerity of his words overwhelms her to the point of tears. Her face flushes in embarrassment and in a panic, she covers her face with her hands. Zen’s husky, amused laugh mortifies her and she refuses to budge when he tries to pry her hands away. It doesn’t make her feel better when he contents with kissing her knuckles.

“Honey, I want to see your adorable face,” he cajoles.

“No, it’s embarrassing!”

“More embarrassing than what you look like when we—?”

With a squeak, she presses her fingers to his lips. His triumphant chuckle makes her realise what he succeeded in making her do. Finally, though, she relents and laughs with him. At that moment they have returned to focusing on each other, on the love they have only for one another.

“Better?” he murmurs.

She nods gratefully and he kisses her fingers.

“You can be greedier with me, you know,” he says. “I’d love it if you are. I love you for your consideration—I appreciate it so much… but I hope you know that I’ll do everything for you. I’m so ready to give every part of myself to you… all you have to do is ask.”

She hesitates, looking into his eyes, which sparkles with love.

“I’ll be by your side as you have been on mine, right?” he reminds her.

“Okay,” she smiles helplessly at him before looking away. “Then…”

“Yes, my princess?”

“Then… spoil me a bit more,” she requests. “Just until this show ends. After that I’ll be fine and you don’t have to anymore, but until then…”

He laughs, nipping her fingertips. “It will be my pleasure.”

She sighs in relief.

“But…”

She tenses as their eyes meet. He winks at her.

“I can’t guarantee that I’ll stop after the show ends.”

She bursts into soft giggles, relieved at his playfulness. With one last peck on her fingers, he pulls back. He’s about to put some space between them when she reaches out and holds onto the sleeve of his shirt. He stops and gives her a questioning look.

“I’d like to continue,” she says.

“Really?”

She nods. And he doesn’t need telling twice. He gives her another kiss—this time urgently, with more heat. The flame he’s sparked within her now blazes into an indistinguishable fire. She yelps as he sweeps her in his arms. He carries her to the bedroom, kissing every part of her he can reach, eliciting more laughter out of her.

The things happening outside of their relationship… doesn’t matter.

They love each other. That’s the truth.

It will be enough.

[olliepig]

Waiting in the Wings, chapter 6

Massive thanks as always to @willow-salix for her endless help, support and editing of this. 

As usual, the whole work can be read on AO3 here.

*********************

“What’re you pacing around like a caged animal for? They won’t be here for at least another half an hour.”

“I’m not pacing, I’m just... checking,” Scott retorted, leaving the window and heading down to the couches, sitting for 30 seconds before getting back up again.

“Right, that’s it. What’s going on? You’ve not stopped fidgeting and checking the time all day.” Selene had been drafted in to try to distract Scott by a fed-up Virgil after he had insisted on ‘helping’ with the routine maintenance on Two. He wasn't known for his ability to sit and wait for things to happen but he had been taking it to new levels today and, as his best friend, she wasn’t going to let him away with it.

“There’s nothing going on,” he huffed, “I just don’t understand why Parker insisted on bringing her in FAB1 when I offered to give her a lift.”

“Maybe because you’re on duty?” Selene, suggested innocently. “And don’t fob me off with that ‘there's nothing going on’ bullshit. I know she's your ex girlfriend.”

“Who told you that?” Scott hissed, finally quitting his prowling by the window and shooting down to sit next to her.

“Gordon. What? I didn’t think it was some big secret given that you’ve gone to London by yourself twice in the last couple of months. Unless you’ve been going out without me?” She feigned outrage and Scott knew he was beaten.

“Alright, fine, but this stays between us OK?”

“Of course,” she soothed, despite the slight irritation that he even felt like he had to ask.

“We dated for a year when I was in the air force. I stupidly ended it when I shouldn’t have and then we didn’t talk or see each other for a decade. We met again at that thing Penny invited Gordon and I to a couple of months back and we’re friends again but that’s it, OK? Nothing more.”

“OK, OK,” Selene soothed, holding her hands up, knowing full well that there was more to it than that but prepared to let it lie for now. Well, almost. “It’s just funny how you’ve been pacing around like Gordon does when he’s waiting for Penny to arrive.”

“I have not!”

“I respectfully disagree,” she laughed, unable to contain her amusement at Scott’s denial any longer. “Anyway, I thought you guys fell out?”

“We didn’t,” Scott countered, a little too quickly and forcefully to be believable.

“You did! You were in a right state when you called me after you left hers last time. Something about women never knowing what they fucking want if I remember correctly?”

“OK,” Scott’s shoulders slumped, ashamed to be reminded of his outburst to Selene after leaving Cat’s the last time they had seen each other. “We did fall out for a bit. But then she called me after Gordon’s accident and we talked and we’re friends again so please don’t mention it to her, Sel.”

“Of course I won't!” Selene gasped, genuinely shocked that he even thought he had to ask. Her loyalties were and would always be with her family, no matter what and there was nothing that would change that. “What do you take me for? All I want is for you to be happy, and if having Cat visit us makes you happy then I’m totally on board with that. I just wanted to make sure it’s really what you want.”

“It’s really what I want,” he confirmed with a smile that he hoped was reassuring enough for her.

“Well that’s OK then,” Selene soothed, standing up and starting to head towards the kitchen “I’m going to make some coffee. You want a mug?”

“Yeah, sounds good to me,” Scott smiled, trying to at least stay on the couch until Selene was safely out of sight.

“Oh, I think I can see them in the distance,” Selene commented innocently on her way past the window, grinning as Scott lost his battle for self control and shot off the sofa to look as she disappeared down the stairs.

******

“...and is Mr Scott treating you right, Miss?”

“Better than I probably deserve, Parker,” Cat answered, ignoring the doubtful look and raised eyebrow that were directed her way in the mirror as she settled back into FAB1’s leather seat, en route to Tracy Island. “I mean, we had a bit of a fallout last time we saw each other but that was entirely my fault.”

“I’m sure I don’t believe that, Miss.”

“No, it was. I pushed him with something I shouldn’t have and we had a stupid fight, but we’ve worked things out now and we’re friends again.”

“Just friends, Miss?”

“Just friends, Parker,” Cat replied firmly, smiling at the memories of all the times both she and Penny had had this conversation with the protective butler over the years, knowing full well that he had never believed her then either.

The pair settled into an amicable silence as the autopilot took them halfway around the globe, countries and continents shooting past underneath them until there was nothing but water as far as the eye could see. Letting the world go by outside her window, Cat leant her head back, closing her eyes and contemplating the week ahead and the events that had brought her here.

It hadn’t been an easy time since Scott had stormed out of her flat leaving her completely blindsided; when she looked back on their interactions with the benefit of hindsight, his feelings seemed so obvious that a child could have picked up on them, and the realisation that she had got this so, so wrong made cringe with embarrassment.

Unable to seek Penny’s guidance for fear of putting her in an uncomfortable position and unwilling to discuss it with her friends at work, she had let it fester for far longer than she should, losing track of the number of times she picked up her phone to contact him before putting it down again when she realised she had no idea of what to say.

Then Gordon had been injured and everything else had paled into insignificance. She knew Scott would be hurting and, if previous experience had taught her anything, that he would likely end up doing something stupid as a result, so she'd shovedher embarrassment aside and reached out.

At first their conversation had been clipped and to the point, focussed solely on Gordon and his recovery, but, as the days wore on, they had begun to relax with each other again and apologies were made from both sides.

With the realisation that there may be a potential to rescue his dad, Scott had taken on a whole new raft of stress but had remained adamant that she should still visit him, despite all that had happened. And so here she was. She had no idea what to expect of either the week or the rest of the family but she was determined to make the best of it. After all, it wasn’t every week that she was invited to the home of the Thunderbirds.

“... there it is, Miss Catriona. Tracy Island,” Parker announced, cutting into her thoughts as he sat forward to take back the controls and prepare for landing.

Cat sat forward, craning her neck to see her home for the week. At first, it looked just like a rocky outcrop peeking out of the vast ocean but as they got closer she could see the sun glinting off a glass structure perched high on the cliffs and the splash of blue that she guessed was a swimming pool. A beach came into view next, along with the lush green of trees and shrubs covering the lower levels of the rocky terrain.

“Woah,” she breathed, wondering what she had let herself in for. Scott had warned her that it was remote but she hadn’t quite imagined this.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” Parker observed, carefully maintaining his neutral expression while watching her in the rear-view mirror for any sign of discomfort, more than happy to whisk her away before they even landed if he thought she was regretting her decision to come.

“Just a little.” Cat was flabbergasted. In all her wildest dreams she still could never have come up with anything that even vaguely resembled the island ahead of her. “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s amazing.”

“On the final approach now, Miss.”

Parker expertly lined the car up with a tree lined runway and before Cat even felt the wheels touch the tarmac, they were down. If she had been surprised before, nothing prepared her for the experience of driving into the gaping cavern ahead of them and straight past the enormous hulk of Thunderbird 2, sitting waiting quietly for her next callout.

Scott hopped from foot to foot, unable to stand still as he waited impatiently for the car to come to a halt, having been waiting at the hangar entrance since his guest had started her descent. His eyes had zeroed in on the woman in the back seat as soon as he could make her out before dashing back into the shade of the hangar just as they touched down, so as not to appear too keen.

He’d been picturing this moment from the second he'd woken up that morning and his nerves had only intensified as the day went on, but now that the time had come he was surprised to find that he was calm. The worry that had filled him about her not liking the island for some reason or that he would mess up again and ruin any chance of a friendship with her left him, and he watched quietly as the pink car made its way into the hangar and came to a halt.

Hurrying over, disappointment washed over him that she wasn’t even looking in his direction, her attention obviously still captured by the giant Thunderbird.

Undeterred, he carried on, hoping to at least help her out of the car. However, the chauffeur got there first, nodding his greeting as he opened the back door and offered a hand to his passenger.

“Holy shit, that is absolutely fucking massive,” Cat exclaimed, finding it very difficult to focus on either of the men in front of her as she stepped out of the car, craning her head over the vehicle to gawk at the giant Thunderbird.

“Well hello to you too,” Scott grinned, putting himself in between her and the machine and managing to divert her attention for a moment.

“Hiya,” she grinned, her heart skipping at the intense blue of his eyes as they met hers before she was distracted again by the green monolith behind him. “Sorry, but you have to admit it’s pretty impressive.”

“Well, hello, Mr Scott, sir,” interjected Parker. “I trust we find you all well?”

“Yes, thank you, Parker,” Scott replied absently, his attention focused on maneuvering himself around the butler in a bid to get Cat’s attention back from the machine that he was uncomfortably aware he was currently jealous of.

“And how is Master Gordon now, sir?” Parker persisted, somehow positioning himself between Scott and Cat despite not making any obvious movement.

“He’s a lot better now. Starting to get moving again a little,” Scott replied, shifting his focus to the butler as he accepted that Cat was a lost cause for now.  

“Oh that is good. Her Ladyship will be most pleased,” Parker said, his comment finally attracting Cat’s notice.

Her eyes caught Scott’s and they shared a look and a half smile that conveyed just how aware they both were of how happy Penny would be to hear that news.

“Now that I have your attention,” Scott joked, “would you like to come up and meet everyone or would you like a tour of the island first?”

“I think a tour if that’s OK?” decided Cat, her heart fluttering dangerously at the thought of being alone with Scott again. “I’ve been sitting down a long time and it’d be nice to stretch the old legs.”

“Your wish is my command. Step this way,” Scott smiled, with an exaggerated bow and the offer of an arm that Cat accepted with a giggle. “Parker, would you be able to bring Cat’s bags up to her room please?”

Parker nodded in agreement, watching Cat and Scott heading for the lift. He had always had a particular fondness for Penny’s friend, having first met her as a shy but determined 11 year old with almost entirely absent parents. He’d lost track of the number of times he had comforted her over the years, filling the role her own father should have and it was perhaps this that made him feel particularly protective over her.

“Mr Scott sir?” he called, waiting for Scott to retrace his steps, before lowering his voice and continuing. “Be gentle with Miss Catriona, sir. She’s been through a lot and I would hate for her to get hurt again.”

Scott smiled, pleased to see that Cat appeared to be under Parker’s protection as well as his own. “I will, Parker, don’t you worry. You have my word.”

With that, he turned back to his guest, taking her arm again and leading her into the lift that would take them to the living areas of the villa and out into the fresh air.

******

“How was your last performance by the way?” Scott enquired. “With everything going on I don't think I ever asked.”

They had been walking for what felt like miles around the island, covering every path that Scott could think of to prolong the time he had Cat to himself. He knew that everyone else would want to meet her as soon as they were in the house and, while he was looking forward to introducing her to everyone, he really wanted to keep her all to himself for just a little longer.

He couldn’t deny that he’d been worried about seeing Cat again after the way things had been left the last time. Being with her in person always felt different to messaging and calling each other and, going on what he could tell so far, this time seemed to be no different.

The familiar spark of attraction was most certainly in attendance and he was very much enjoying feeling it whenever she caught his eyes and smiled at him, while still asking sure he was being respectful of her boundaries. The disaster of their last meeting was as fresh in his mind as hers, so he was determined to be himself, trying to balance his usual flirting with her desire for friendship.

“It’s really no problem,” she smiled, coming to a halt and taking his offer of a seat on a rock looking out over the ocean, “you had slightly better things to be thinking about. It went really well though. Penny and Gordon came to see it actually and they seemed to really enjoy it anyway.”

“Oh, did they now?” Scott grinned, a twinkle appearing in his eyes as he sat down on the rock next to her, very happy to resume their previously favourite pastime of gossiping.

“They sure did. And she’s still maintaining that there’s nothing going on there,” Cat revealed, grinning at the closeness that had suddenly sprung up between them. It hadn’t exactly been stilted since she had arrived but they had lost some of their easy manner around each other and she felt that Scott had, perhaps understandably, been very cautious in how he was acting so this return to old ways was a welcome relief to her.

“Sounds familiar. He’s denying everything too.”

“Hmm… interesting,” Cat said in an outrageous Russian accent, enunciating every syllable as she raised an eyebrow and stroked her chin as if it were a beard, pretending to contemplate this new information. “Ve-ery interesting.”

Their eyes met and they both managed to hold it together for a moment before dissolving into laughter, any lingering awkwardness between them disappearing in an instant.

“God, I’ve missed you,” Scott admitted when he was able to speak, wiping his eyes and trying to pull himself together again.

“I’ve missed you too,” Cat admitted, catching his eyes and feeling the familiar rush that their blue depths always sparked in her. “I’m sorry about last time. I shouldn’t have pushed you like that.”

“It’s OK, and I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have reacted that way, it wasn’t fair of me. Are we friends again then?”

“Definitely,” Cat smiled, a small pang of loss in her chest taking her by surprise as she spoke. It wasn’t something she had even considered before, but she suddenly realised that there was a part of her, deep down, that hoped that he still felt the same way as he had a few weeks prior. “Seriously though, I’ve never seen Penny as scared and upset as when she told me about Gordon’s accident. Whatever’s going on there, it’s obvious that she really cares about him.”

“I can relate to that. I was pretty scared myself,” admitted Scott, his eyes giving away a lot more than he intended.

“I’m not surprised. It sounded awful. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to have to rescue your own brother. Is he doing OK now?”

“Yeah, he’s on the mend. Not completely mobile yet but getting there.”

“Well that’s good news at least,” Cat reflected. “And how’re you doing?”

“Me? I’m fine,” Scott stammered, automatically giving his standard answer for whenever anyone asked how he was before remembering who he was talking to. “I mean, it was scary when it happened but it turned out relatively OK in the end.”

Cat said nothing, just fixed him with an unwavering gaze and raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“I’m not sure I believe you,” she commented. “Based on what you and Penny told me at the time and the stuff Parker said on the way over here, it sounds like Gordon could have died and you’re just brushing it off. It’s not like you.”

“I know,” Scott slumped where he sat, running a hand through his hair and finally letting the weight of what had happened over the last few weeks show. “I’m not really OK with any of it to be honest. We’ve just got so much to sort out if we’re going to rescue Dad that I just can’t take the time to process it right now.”

“I totally understand that. If you ever want to talk to someone about it though, I’m your girl,” Cat met his eyes and smiled, shocked but unsurprised at the swirling mix of emotions that she could see in them. “Any time. I have zero experience of anything like what you’re doing, and I can’t really imagine what any of it must be like but I’m good at listening, remember?”

“I remember,” Scott said softly, holding her gaze and smiling. “You were always the one I went to when we were together and it would be nice to have that part back. I’ve got Selene to talk to now but it’ll be good to have someone who’s not on the island to get a bit of perspective from. Thank you.”

“Any time. I’m always here,” Cat smiled back at him, glad to see the emotions in his eyes calming as he straightened up again and regained his usual composure.

Cat knew how privileged she was to have been allowed to witness him looking anything other than in complete control. Weakness was not something that Scott Tracy showed willingly or easily and the fact that he was still prepared to show it in front of her even after their argument made her heart swell a little. Despite her fears, it seemed that she hadn’t ruined their relationship irreparably.

“Right, I think I’ve been hogging you for long enough. Time to introduce you to everyone,” Scott broke the moment, standing up and offering his hand, feeling the pleasant tingle spread through him as her skin touched his.

“Sounds good to me,” Cat grinned as they set out down the path towards the villa. “I’m glad we’ve had this chance to catch up though. After how we left things last time, I wanted to be able to speak to you properly before we were in the midst of everyone.” “Yeah, I think it was a good idea too. I’m just glad you still wanted to come really - I was afraid you’d say no after what I said.”

“If I’m honest, I did have to think about it,” Cat admitted, hating the way Scott stopped walking and seemed to sag slightly at her statement.

Whichever way he looked at it, Scott was devastated to realise that his actions really could have cost him this week. He’d accepted that there was a likelihood of it as the weeks had passed without any contact from her but once they were on better terms and he’d felt it was the right time to make the offer again, those fears had largely been allayed. To discover that they could have come true was a blow he wasn’t expecting.

“Not because I didn't want to,” she continued quickly, desperate for him to understand and hopefully feel better. “Please don’t think that. I just didn’t want to risk hurting you so I wasn’t sure how sensible it was to start with. I’m really glad I did come, though, I think we’re going to be just fine.”

“Me too,” Scott smiled, reassured by her words and relieved that her reasoning didn’t appear to include that she felt uncomfortable because of his admission. “Before we get back to the house though, I need to tell you something.”

“Anything,” Cat assured him, wondering where on earth this might be going, given their previous conversation.

“Right, listen carefully because this is the most important piece of advice I’m going to give you this week.”

“OK… I’m all ears.” Cat’s interest was well and truly piqued by the cryptic manner in which Scott was speaking.

“Never, and I mean never eat Grandma’s cooking, OK? It could easily be described as biological warfare and it’s most definitely not fit for human consumption,” he explained earnestly, holding her eyes and willing her to understand, not wanting her to be a victim of food poisoning on her holiday.

“I understand,” Cat laughed, both relieved and disappointed that it wasn’t a revelation about something more personal. “If she offers something I’ll decline politely and find a snack later.”

“Good call. Shall we do this thing then?” Comfortable that she understood his warning and would take it seriously, Scott offered his arm and the pair continued down towards the house and dinner.

*****

“Here we are, fresh from the takeaway,” Virgil announced, trooping into the kitchen with a box full of delicious smelling food in his arms, Alan trailing behind him similarly laden.

“We thought we’d get something in seeing as it’s your first night here,” Scott explained with a smile, jumping into action and helping to unpack the containers of food onto the centre island in the kitchen, ready to be served and distributed onto the table.

“Sounds lovely. What’re we having?” Cat grinned, relieved to have been spared Grandma’s home cooking for at least one night of her stay.

“Indian. Scott gave us your order, I hope that’s OK?” Virgil checked, suddenly conscious that perhaps they should have waited to ask her directly and hoping that she wouldn’t be offended by Scott assuming that he knew what she’d want.

“Not a problem,” Cat smiled at him. “Scott knows I eat pretty much anything anyway, so he had a pretty easy task so I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

As Virgil turned back to help with the preparation, Cat felt a little lost in the midst of the family setting up for dinner, chatting and joking together. It was a world away from her quiet flat where most nights it was just her cooking and eating alone after rehearsals and she was a little unsure as to what she should be doing. Her instinct was to help, but not knowing where anything was meant that she worried she would be more of a hindrance. Equally, just sitting down and waiting at the table seemed rude and she didn’t want to give the impression that she was lazy or expecting to be waited on.

Just as her overthinking was starting to get the better of her, Gordon came hobbling into the kitchen, taking his seat and motioning for her to come and sit with him while the others got everything ready.

Cat gratefully accepted his offer and the pair chatted amicably until everyone else was at the table too. Scott took the seat on the other side of her, making her feel a lot more comfortable being sandwiched between the person who had invited her and the only other one she had spent any time with before.

“So, tell us about yourself, dear,” Grandma Tracy opened, as soon as the food was served and relative calm had descended upon the table. “Scott's told us nothing so I’m afraid we don’t really know anything about you.”

Scott’s heart sank, realising that it was his desire for privacy that had led to Cat’s questioning. He could almost feel the fear coming off her as he turned to give her a smile and a nod of reassurance, hoping that would be enough for her to forgive him for inadvertently putting her on the spot.

Catching his eyes, Cat was surprised to see that Scott looked worried. She couldn’t even begin to think what might be the cause, but she appreciated the smile anyway and returned it gratefully.  Being in the presence of arguably the most impressive family in the world had made her feel rather small and insignificant and she found she was almost embarrassed to talk about herself in their presence.

“There’s not much to tell really, Mrs Tracy,” she stammered, suddenly forgetting everything she’d ever done now that she had been put on the spot. “I come from Kent originally, I stay in London now and I dance with the Royal Ballet. That’s about it really.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Gordon interjected, beating Scott to it and earning a grateful look from his older brother. “You don’t just dance with the Royal Ballet, you’re like their superstar ballerina.”

“I wouldn’t go quite that far,” she deflected, a flush appearing at the bottom of her neck and radiating upwards as she felt everyone staring at her. “I dance the main roles but I’m not a superstar or anything.”

“So, if you’re a ballerina does that mean you can dance on your toes?” interjected Alan.

“It sure does,” she smiled at the youngest, grateful to have a question that was more about her profession than herself, knowing that she could easily talk about that all day.

“That’s so cool. Doesn’t it hurt though?” he pressed, following the same line of logic that thousands before him had used, including his biggest brother when they had first met.

Looking around the table at all the faces eagerly awaiting the answer made Cat realize that, for all their amazing talents and abilities, they were still exactly the same as everyone else, making them seem more human and approachable somehow.

“Yep, it sure does,” she laughed, finally feeling at ease and wondering why she had been so in awe of them all just moments before.

“Did you say you live in London?” Selene asked, realising that the evening could now easily turn into a question and answer session about ballet and end with them still not knowing anything about Cat.

“Yeah, I’ve got a flat in Highbury, not that I’m there much. I spend most of my time working,” Cat replied, to laughter from around the table.

“I think we all know that feeling,” chuckled Virgil, before motioning to Selene to continue as he reached across the table for another poppadum.

“Aww, I’m in Camden. We should get together sometime and go out.”

“Yeah, that would be fun,” Cat grinned, warming to Selene instantly and happy to feel included so quickly. “We’ll get something sorted once I’m home and I know what my schedule is like.”

“Fun though that sounds,” John cut in, shooting Scott a look that was equal parts scared and impressed at the speed at which the girls had seemingly made friends, “maybe Cat could enlighten us on how she met our esteemed older brother, seeing as he’s been keeping very quiet about it?”

“It’s not a very exciting story I’m afraid,” she started, directing a glare at Gordon, daring him to contradict what she was about to say as he snorted in mirth beside her. “We met in a bar about 10 years ago, dated for a year after that and then split up when Scott was deployed and I moved to London.”

“We didn’t see each other again 'til Penny invited us both to the same function a couple of months ago and we’ve become good friends since then,” Scott continued, doing what he could to take the heat off his guest. “Seeing as Cat’s not got rehearsals for a few weeks I thought she might like to come and get some sun for a week so here she is,” he finished with a smile at Cat that, once again, made her heart flutter dangerously.

“Well, we’re all very glad to have you and I’m sure Scott here will make sure you have a lovely week.” Virgil grinned. Cat smiled, looking round the table at the friendly faces, before fixing her gaze on Scott, sending his heart rate into orbit. “Yes, I think he will.”

All Scott could do was grin back. Nothing else existed in that moment apart from the woman beside him. He heard his grandma speaking and wrenched his attention back to the conversation, just in time to feel his blood run cold.

“And what about your family, dear? They must be very proud of you,” Grandma asked, blissfully unaware of Cat’s history.

“I don’t know how they feel to be honest,” Cat shrugged, trying to be very matter of fact and keeping a braver face on it than she felt. “I’ve not seen my dad since he walked out on us when I was 5, and I’ve not spoken to my mum in nearly 6 years after she proved, yet again, that I’m at the bottom of her list of priorities unless she wants something.

“It’s OK though,” she added, looking around the table to see the usual sympathetic expressions that formed on the faces of anyone present whenever she talked about her family and relieved to feel a squeeze of support on her arm from Scott beside her. “I’ve got good friends, that’s all I really need.”

As she spoke, she turned to give Scott a dazzling smile that both melted his heart and made him feel 100 times worse than he already did about not warning everyone that family was a touchy subject for her. He had to admit that he was impressed at the way she’d handled it; she never shied away from giving an honest answer to a direct question and the fact that she could be simultaneously so vulnerable and so strong was a huge part of his attraction to her, whether she knew it or not.

Realising that his hand was still on her arm, he hastily removed it, hoping that it hadn’t attracted too much attention from his brothers. It felt like he had been sitting there for an eternity, lost in her smile but in reality, he had to concede that it was likely to have been less than 30 seconds when she turned away at the sound of another voice beside her.

“Right, I think we’ve maybe asked enough questions for now. Poor Cat hasn’t had a chance to eat yet and I’m guessing she might want to,” suggested Gordon, earning himself grateful smiles from both Cat and Scott for taking the focus away from the ballerina. “Does anyone want to share this last naan with me?”

With the rest of the table’s attention diverted by the task of dividing up the remaining food, Cat flopped back in her chair and stifled a yawn, suddenly realising just how tired she was, very grateful not to be the centre of attention any more.

“How’re you doing? You OK?” Scott whispered, leaning into her to afford them as much privacy as he could in case she wanted to make her escape, enjoying the fleeting scent of her hair as she flicked it out of the way over her shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she assured him, feeling the butterflies in her stomach awaken at his closeness and once again wondering if she was really supposed to feel like this for someone who was just a friend. “It’s just been a long day, that's all. It’s coming up for morning London time and I’ve been awake all night.”

“Oh God, so you have,” Scott exclaimed, pulling away suddenly as he berated himself for his thoughtlessness. “I’m so sorry, I should’ve realised. I knew Parker would take a rest before he headed back but because you’re staying I didn’t even think about you.”

“It’s fine, really,” she tried to reassure him. “I’m used to crossing time zones to perform. Usually it’s an overnight flight, a couple of hours sleep then straight into rehearsals so this is already a million times better. I think I will go to bed after dinner though.”

“Of course. If you want to bail then just say the word and I’ll get you out of here.”

“Like my knight in shining armour,” she joked, leaning back in toward him so as not to be overheard. “Let me finish and then I might take you up on that.”

“Your wish is my command,” Scott murmured, as he closed the gap between them further, their foreheads almost touching as his eyes betrayed more than he would ever admit aloud.

Cat smiled her agreement, holding his gaze for just a second before looking away and going back to her dinner, her heart racing. Any doubts that she had about his continued feelings for her had evaporated in that moment; all she needed to work out now was whether she felt the same and, if she did, whether he was worth the risk of a second chance.

[nico-di-genova]

What’s Another Lie?

TK isn’t ready to talk to his dad, but he doesn’t exactly have another way to get home from the police station. 

Essentially the missing conversation between TK and Owen after his arrest. 

     “What the hell were you thinking, TK?” his father snapped, casting the man an alarmed glance before turning back to the road before them. They’d hardly been in the car for more than a few minutes, but TK had been bracing himself for this since his dad picked him up at the station.

       He should have known doing something so ‘suicidal’, as Carlos had put it, would come back to bite him in the ass. He’d been arrested, not processed, but arrested, nonetheless. And it’s not like he had his car so, obviously, he would need someone to pick him up after his release. For a moment, he’d almost considered setting aside his pride and asking Carlos for a ride home. He’d been wanting to avoid this, the confrontation that had been building for months, but it would appear that God just wasn’t on his side in Austin.

       Outside, the grey scale buildings of the downtown district flashed by, only broken up by the occasional intersection. TK chose to watch the scenery pass rather than face his father when he spoke.

       “It wasn’t that big of a deal-.”

       “Did you drink?”

       That was the key question wasn’t it? Everyone knew TK had fucked up, the question was how badly? He always seemed to be walking the line between sobriety and being found dead on a street corner, at least that’s how his dad thought it was. The truth was a bit more muddled; he’d given up one addiction but was desperate to find another. He’d always been a dependent kid, someone who clung to things a bit too tightly. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise that his adulthood was going any differently.

       He sighed, “no dad, I didn’t. I was a little preoccupied with dodging punches.”

       “This isn’t funny, TK,” the man said, exasperated, and already looking tired, “what were you even doing?”

       They’d come to a red light, Owen turning to look at him as soon as they were stopped, worry etched into every line of his features. His hands were gripping the steering wheel tightly, like he was trying to keep himself calm, or grounded. TK watched as his eyes went from his battered face to the specks of red on his shirt collar. He’d won the fight, at least by his standard, holding his own against the other two men for quite some time, and only coming away with a black eye and split lip. His dad obviously didn’t see it that way.

       “I don’t know. I just-.” He pauses, unsure how to word his thoughts without scaring the man further. They’d come here for a fresh start, a chance for something new, but TK was still finding ways to fuck it all up. He wished, not for the first time, that he could just be normal. Judd probably wasn’t having this problem. He was probably at his house, with his wife, not itching for something, anything, that would make him feel. He probably wasn’t thinking twice about their argument, and here TK was, mulling it over in his mind over and over again. He’d said everything that TK had been fearing for so long, the first person to ever actually have the balls to tell him the truth, and that was something that TK was not equipped to handle.

       The light had turned green, but Owen hesitated for a moment, waiting for TK’s answer. He sits there until a car honks behind them, and only then does he start to drive.

       TK taps his fingers against the car door, bites at his bottom lip, bounces his leg anxiously, all while his dad sits frighteningly still beside him. They shared the same hair color, eye color, general face shape, but that’s where the similarities ended. Everyone has always told him he looks Owen, no one’s ever said that he behaves like him.

       “It’s just been a lot,” he finally settles on, hoping that this will be enough to satisfy his dad, “the move, the new house, the new team. It’s a lot to take on at once, and I don’t know-. I just got overwhelmed.”

       He doesn’t mention Judd, or how the words that the man hurled at him are still digging beneath his skin. He doesn’t mention that each day feels like it’s going in slow motion, like he’s just going from one moment to the next, never really feeling any of it. He’d almost died for Christ’s sake, got sucked into a silo of corn, unable to breathe or see, and he’d liked it. The spike of adrenaline that had come with trying to survive had been close enough to a high, it’d been intoxicating. He’s scared to admit that he wants to be reckless, dangerous, maybe make a misstep here and there, so he can feel something other than the complete monotony that Austin has given him. The only other time he’s liked it here was when he was spending time with Carlos. Letting the man shove him around like he’s a ping pong ball, just bouncing from wall to wall until they ended up somewhere relatively horizontal, that had almost been enough. Until it wasn’t. It seemed like each day that passed he was having a harder time finding something to distract from what he really wanted. He was trying to stay clean, for his dad’s sake. It was probably the hardest thing he’d ever had to do in his life. So yeah, he’d let some guys in a rundown bar land a few punches because every time their fists connected, cracking against his cheekbone or thudding into his abdomen, he’d felt alive.

       Owen is silent beside him, seeming to digest what TK has just told him. If he has to take a moment to cipher through that small portion then TK knows he isn’t ready for the full truth. He might not ever be. If TK told him what was going on inside him, the whirlwind of emotions, he knows it would crumple the man. It would mean that no matter how much his dad loved him, told him again and again, it still wouldn’t fix all of his broken parts. If love was enough to heal TK they wouldn’t be in Texas in the first place.

       They’re almost to the house, with all it’s still packed boxes and empty rooms. TK finds he doesn’t want to go back. He needs comfort, familiarity, and that huge house is anything but home.

       “Do you want to go back to the city?” Owen asks when they’re a few blocks away. There’s a furrow between his eyebrows that speaks to the hurt he’s feeling.

       TK isn’t sure what to say, he didn’t even know that was an option.

       “Just tell me the truth TK.”          

       He considers it for a moment. New York, with its grid work of skyscrapers and crowded subway stations, trash piled up on the sidewalk, the small, cramped, space of his apartment. Before Austin, he hadn’t known anything else. The city was his whole world, where he’d spent his entire life. But, would going back solve anything, or would it just make him feel even more isolated, disconnected? A small part of him wanted to say yes, tell his dad he couldn’t survive here, and get out. But the more reasonable side of him knew the truth. It didn’t matter where he went. Whatever was wrong with him, it was inside, something he would always carry with him until he gathered the confidence to confront it.

       “No,” he breathed, leaning to rest his head on the car window, watching how his breath fogged up the glass, “I don’t think so.”

       “You don’t think so? I’m gonna need a better answer than that, kid.”

       He’s not sure if he can give one, his head isn’t exactly clear enough for reasonable thought, “I don’t want to go back, dad. I’m fine here.”

       It’s not the entire truth, but TK hasn’t been honest with his dad since he was a kid. There were always small lies that snowballed into larger ones. He wasn’t fine, not even close, but he could survive, and that’s what his dad really wanted to know. Owen just wanted to make sure he wasn’t about to run to the closest dealer and buy a baggie of little white pills, which he wasn’t, so objectively he was okay. For now anyway.  

       If there was one good thing to come out of all of this mess, it’s that he got to apologize to Carlos. He kind of missed their hookups, especially the ones where the man would pin him down and leave marks across his skin. Carlos was good at hurting him enough to still turn him on, knowing just when to stop. He could always tell when TK’s small breathy whimpers were bordering on real hurt, and he’d pull away instantly. If he couldn’t go out and look for a score, or a fight, he could at least turn to Carlos and his handy pair of handcuffs. He would make it work, he had to, because he couldn’t keep having his dad look at him like this. The pain, worry, fear, it was all so plain to see; written across Owen’s features like he was an open book. He’d already put his dad through so much, being so incredibly selfish and absorbed in his own bullshit that he failed to see the consequences for his actions. He had to make this work, there wasn’t another option.

       “I’m good, dad, honestly.”

       TK had become far too proficient at lying. Too skilled in the art of making Owen Strand believe there was no reason to press further. He used to feel guilty about it, now he knows it’s the only way to keep his dad calm. Lie, put on a smile, make a stupid joke, anything to not have to mess things up further. Anything to keep the storm inside him from getting out.

[themuffinbee]

Lore Olympus Novelized, Chapter 1

Hey all! I’ve moved my non-official fan adaption of Lore Olympus from Ao3 to Tumblr for anybody that might wish to read it. Hope you guys enjoy!

The plot and dialogue belong to the incredible Rachel Smythe.

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

Raindrops pelted the windshield as the slick streets of the Underworld glowed with fluorescent blue and electrified neon. A beautiful sight if anyone cared to notice, though few ever did.

Hades didn’t, not anymore. He hadn't for a very long time. 

At the present moment, like most moments, he had other things on his mind much more important than kaleidoscopic puddles of dirty city water. Important things like how it was only 9:15 and the night was already turning to shit.

Said shit-turning was mostly due to the absence of a particular river nymph, whose sultry silhouette should be right there, waiting under the awning of her apartment building. That was what she had agreed to with a little wink and a smirk only six hours ago, anyway. There was no way she had forgotten about it either. Not after the way she had gleefully crowed about receiving one of Hera’s coveted invitations to the night’s festivities. She had the damned thing pinned to her refrigerator, for crying out loud.

That left only one real question: what had he done to piss her off this time? He hadn’t even seen her since before the end of the workday. Then again, that had never managed to stave off her ire before. 

Eyes scanning for a streak of blood-red among all of the mirrored blue, Hades drove yet another circuit around the building, tapped out yet another text message, made yet another call. The phone rang once, twice, three times—

“Hey!” Minthe answered, voice low and relaxed. Carefree.

“You’re late, where are you?” Hades tried his best to keep any impatience out of his tone. Minthe didn't like it when he got impatient. 

He heard the sound of sloshing water in the background as she asked, “Did you get me that purse I wanted?”

“Um, yeah…” he began, “I did, but—”

“Oh, great!”

Another splash sent his heart sinking in his chest. Surely she wasn’t in the bathtub. She knew he had all but begged Hera for that damn invitation, there was no way she was taking a bath right now. He tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. “You’re coming to the Panathenaea with me, right?”

The other end of the line went silent, and he found himself holding his breath despite knowing her answer.

“Hmm…” She drew out her simpering hum long enough to sound playful. At least, it would have, if he hadn't known better. “...I don’t think so.”

Hades bit inside of his cheek and counted backward from ten in his mind. “What do you mean?”

“What I mean is that I don’t particularly feel like being seen in public with you today.”

Oh, screw this. 

"Real classy, Minthe," he said, anger finally leaking into his voice. He glanced at the clock again and felt some of that anger turn into nervousness.

9:19.

There was a large difference between late, fashionably late, and late. Hera, of course, had worked out how to tell which was which down to an exacting science. He really didn't feel like getting pinned under that calculating gaze or chastened by that arched I told you so eyebrow. Or, even worse, being the beneficiary of her well-meaning but oh-so-condescending pity. 

"Come on, stop messing around," he said, sounding pathetic to his own ears. "I can't go to my brother's party by myself."

Not again. 

Minthe sighed, then explained as though she were speaking to a particularly dense toddler, "I don't feel like being seen with you in general."

It wasn't the first time she'd said something like this, but the words still hit him like a slap in the face. Normally, there would at least be a reason for her to say these things. Maybe one of their infamous knock-down, drag-out fights, or even a careless word on his part. Something. But this...this was completely unprovoked. Things had been...good...between them recently. No fights in almost a month, she seemed happy most of the time, and the two of them had settled into a comfortable routine between work and after work. It had been nice. Normal. Or, at least, as normal as the two of them were capable of being.

He opened his mouth to ask what the hell had gotten into her, what he had done to make her so angry, but Minthe’s voice halted the words in his throat 

"Hades…" she said, tone as languid as a string of cigarette smoke, "all the fine suits in the world won't change the fact that you stink of death."

That...that was a new one.

His teeth ground against one another as he tried to think of some kind of coherent response, willing himself not to give in to the outrage and panic that threatened to fill his mouth with poison. When no ingenious plan or even the will to salvage this whole mess appeared, Hades did the most sensible thing he could: he ended the call.

His limbs and head felt heavy as he sank his forehead onto the steering wheel, but not nearly as heavy as the weight that felt like it could tear a hole in his jacket pocket.

Ha. He had really thought she would consider...

Gods, what an idiot he was.

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

Even two blocks away from the party, Hades could tell the night’s festivities would very much resemble his youngest brother himself: loud, flashy, and obnoxious. Thunderous bass beats reverberated his car windows in place and splashes of light reflected off of the clouds like multi-colored lightning. The music only grew louder as he entered the building, now joined by the sounds of drunken party-goers.

As if he didn’t have enough of a headache already.

If all went well, he could make a few strategic appearances here and there, suffer through a five-minute conversation with his brothers, and be home with a bottle of his favorite scotch in under an hour. Most important of all, he needed to avoid—

“Hey! Hey! HEY!”

...Hera.

He turned around to see the golden Queen of the Gods, dripping with jewels and looking as resplendent as ever. Also, drunk. From the gentle sway of her walk and tilt of her stance, she had to be at least on her third drink of the night.

“Where is your date, Blue Boy?” She cocked her head with a grin.

“Gone,” he answered, unable to keep from averting his eyes. There wasn’t much point in trying to lie to her, there never was. Being married to a pathological philanderer for two thousand years had given her the ability to smell bullshit a mile away. “I need a drink.”

She studied him for only a moment before her face melted from a cheerful smile to tired annoyance. “Well, I, for one, am grateful! I don’t have to spend the evening with that nymph trash.” 

Ah. So she was drunk enough to be honest. Fourth drink, then.

...Nymph trash, huh? It wasn’t that all nymphs were trash. After all, Amphitrite, Queen of the Sea and bride of his least annoying brother, was technically a nymph herself. Hera wouldn’t ever speak of any of the Nereids like that, not if she didn’t want saltwater running through her taps for a month. No, his nymph was the one who was trash.

Hades began twisting a scrap of paper from his pocket between his fingers at the thought of his sister-in-law. “Did Poseidon bring his wife?”

Hera glanced down at his restless hands, then back up to his face, wearing that dreaded look of pity as she answered, “...Yes.”

Anger and anxiety had been battling it out in his brain the whole night through, and anger finally seemed to gain the upper hand.

“Great!” He threw his arm out to the side. “So I’m the only one alone?”

With her most self-assured smile, the kind that could convince almost anyone to throw themselves off of a cliff, Hera said, “Relax, no one will notice.”

Hades glared at her out of the corner of his eye. “You did.”

“Hera!” An unfortunately familiar voice boomed across the hall as the host of the night’s event, the purple pain in the ass, strode into view. Zeus, looking every bit the smug asshole he was with his white suit and diamond laurel, grabbed his wife about the waist and spun her around. “Hera, I’ve been looking for you everywhere! You look beautiful tonight!”

“Oh stop! You’re embarrassing me!” she cooed.

Zeus leaned in close, their noses almost touching as he whispered, “How ‘bout we get outta here?” 

Oh Gaia, he wasn’t about to start making out with her, was he?

Hera wrapped her arms around her husband’s neck, words covered in honey. “You big silly! You can’t leave your own party!”

Zeus began nibbling on his wife’s ear and she giggled like a teenager with her first boyfriend.

Hades sighed. Yes. Yes, they were about to start making out in the middle of the hall. Now that he thought about it, he had walked in on the two of them making rather inventive use of one of their couches a few years back at a party much like this one. That was more of his brother than he had ever wanted to see.

Hades tugged at his cuff links and cleared his throat.

Zeus looked up with an empty smile as he finally met eyes with his brother. “Ooooh! Hello, Hades. I didn’t see you there.” 

Sure you didn’t.

Then the King of the Gods and idiot extraordinaire glanced around. “Hey, where’s your date?”

Hera groaned, “Zeus, I wish you knew when to shut up.”

This was going to be a long night.

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

“Hey, Artemis! What do you think?”

Persephone stuck her hands out to the sides and tilted her hips, hoping that if she struck a pose like she had seen on the cover of one of her cousin’s magazines she might look a little more...mature? Stylish? Less like a bumpkin straight from the country that had only spent a total of forty-eight hours on Mount Olympus?

Something like that.

Artemis looked her up and down with her dark eyes, then frowned. “Persephone...you can’t wear that. You look like a relic.”

Darn it. She had been afraid of that. The fashions on Mount Olympus were so different from those in the Mortal Realm. Like, way different. Her gauzy, loose tunics and chitons and shifts weren’t going to cut it up here, especially not at one of Zeus’ swanky parties. At least Artemis wasn’t the type to soften her opinion and hem and haw, dancing around the problem without actually saying there was a problem. Persephone rather liked that about her.

But that still meant there was a problem. A big one. Persephone’s pose wilted, hands coming up to her cheeks as if she could hide her embarrassment behind them. “But this is the only dress I have right now…”

“I’ve got something you can borrow!” Artemis smiled, still a little pitying, but Persephone had already accepted that she would be encountering a lot of that in the next few weeks. It was inevitable, really.

Either way, her cousin’s words brought a flood of relief. Persephone bounced on the balls of her feet and clapped her hands together. “Thanks! You’re a real lifesaver!”

Artemis may have been one of the three sacred virgins, but that didn’t mean she didn’t know how to turn a head. The Moon Goddess’ dress sparkled with sequins like stars in the sky and paired perfectly with her indigo skin, which was very visible with those high slits up the side of her thighs. Oh yes, Persephone would be in good hands on the fashion front. 

She smiled. Maybe the night wasn’t going to be so bad after all.

Chapter 2

[not-the-cleavers]

Target II - Chapter 6

HOLY SHIT sorry for the delay but I seriously got into a rut of ‘I don’t wanna” then Queen happened but now Chapter 6 is here!!! Now I’m not going to lie I did channel Penelope Garcia from Criminal Minds for a small section of this. Now Four comes across as a fuck boy in this chapter cause ya girl was dealing with some shit while writing this. Also I never thought that I would ever google “how to clean a gun” and “how to care for throwing knives” BUT HERE WE ARE!!!

Tags; @adrenaline-roulette​ and @amy-brooklyn99​ - if you would like to be tagged just let me know

Pairing; Four x Eight (female reader) Fandom; 6 Underground Warnings; Swearing, angst, mentions of trafficking again (sorry), violence against fellow ghosts and smoking Word count; 1.9k (total so far 9.8k) 

Summary; The team has moved onto their next target after dealing with Rovach Alimov, a war criminal named John Dough. Eight has just joined the team and is dying to show how much she deserves to be there

Catch up: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

A week has passed since my last interaction with Billy, was he avoiding me? I was able to keep my mind off the blonde for a while by concentrating on the hard drive and working out who John Dough interacted with most so we could hopefully take down his whole operation. Unfortunately, I made quick work of that task as Dough was meticulously organised. He had folders for business associates, shell companies, calendars and meetings with audio logs, he even had a folder for completed deals, and all were named as such. Normally organised hard drives were sought after, but all I wanted was a massive mess to have to dive into, search for what I need and take my mind off that stupidly beautiful blonde. So I started to make notes, prolonging my work and making the next brief easier, or at least that’s what I was telling myself. I decided a timeline was the best way to figure this guy out, so that’s exactly what I did. I hit play on a random playlist on my iPod to have play in the background while I focused. According to every system I had access to; John Dough did not exist before 2001 when he was 29. There are no birth or death certificates, no school, prison or medical records, no properties or loans under his name. He was effectively like us, a ghost. No real name or family, nothing tying him to anything before his crimes. Which began when he made a name for himself as a hitman. Starting slow, killing random strangers for other random strangers to make money, but without a conscious, it appeared he had no rules when it came to his murder for hire business. Three had previously mentioned almost all hitmen refuse to kill children, a few less refuse to kill women, but this guy had no cut off point. His youngest victim was just 6 months old when the car he was in with his mother exploded, as per the deal with the scumbag husband and father who paid him $500,000 for the hit. In 2008 he left the hitman business and became a human trafficker, more money and more risk involved with that particular lifestyle. And in that position he was able to create all sorts of partnerships with all types of psychopaths and lowlifes, so in 2011 when he decided that he wanted more money and more power, he became an arms dealer. His biggest earning clients were the terrorist cells he supplied with guns and chemical weapons. And that’s what he’s been doing for the past nine years, and that’s what caught One’s eye. One had a sneaking suspicion that Dough has supplied Rovach with the Sarin gas for the attack that he bore witness to all those years ago. Granted One had no idea I knew he was there during that attack, but I gather intelligence, of course I knew he was there.

Eight: Call a brief. One: You sure you’re ready, or do you still need your beauty sleep? Eight: Fuck off cunt. One: This better be fucking good. Hanger, 1 hour.

I busied myself, making seven copies of my notes and timeline and filed one copy into one folder for everyone, shoved another cigarette into my mouth and lit it, pocketed the pack and made my way over to the hanger with the files and my laptop. I had to set up to make this brief go smoothly, because unlike the rest of the ghosts, I have been legally dead for the past 3 years, well before One had recruited me. If One decided that he no longer needed me, I wasn’t stuck for options, he didn’t have to actually kill me and I could make do on my own, and he knew that.

I wirelessly connected my laptop to the multiple screens around the room, giving everyone a decent view of what I’ve found, and just as I was placing the folders around our table, One entered the room, making a scene and complaining that I was making the room smell worse with my cigarettes. “I prefer cigarette smoke over the smell of dried blood that normally floods this room” I sneered in his direction. He just rolled his eyes in response. Slowly everyone filtered in and took their seats, Billy was last in and refused to make eye contact with you. Fuck him; he doesn’t know what he’s missing! With a slight shake of my head I steadied my breath and started going over everything I know. “Alrighty squirrel friends, I have delved deep into this monsters hard drive and this is what I’ve learnt…” I started my monologue, going over the time line I created with all his victims in the early days, moving onto his trafficking days with the photos found a week ago inside their own manila folder for only the brave to look at. Four pushed that folder as far away from him as possible as soon as I mention what was inside. Finishing with his latest weapons deals that were leading to innocent deaths in the hundreds of thousands to possible millions. “Prior to 2001, there is nothing on him. I have no idea what this man was doing before he turned 29 so just in case it wasn’t obvious; John Dough is not his birth name.” this caused a small chuckle from the ghosts. “But what I do know, he travels to meet this man” I flashed a picture of a fat, white and balding man up on the screens for the team to see “twice a month, to eat expensive meals, drink ridiculously old and pricey scotch, smoke Cuban cigars and fuck high end prostitutes. Not to mention secure guns and chemical weapons for the people Dough sells to. His name is Stanislav Zakirov, a high level member of the Russian Mob. Now we could go after this piece of shit as well, but that would be more of a shit show than Hong Kong was. I would recommend hitting Dough after one of these meetings, after Zakirov leaves. This minimises the risk to us, keeps us away from the Russians, and means we can take this fucker down.” The room fell quiet as soon as I finished my speech; I was done talking so I just waited for someone to say something, a glance up at One revealed he was avoiding looking at me after his last words to me in person. After a few minutes with not a single word I decided I was done sitting around, I picked up my laptop once more, I walked past One and said loudly “Was that fucking good enough for you? Prick” lit another cigarette and walked out the hanger.  

Now with nothing to do to take my mind off everything that had happened over the past weeks I felt lost and unable to get rid of my anger, so a ritualistic activity was needed. Cleaning my guns and sharpening my knives. I walked to a rusted airplane fuselage across the lot that was upcycled into the armoury for the team, and over to my gear and started to lay out the items needed. I started with my knives, unsheathing the blades and placing them on the metal bench, and one by one sharpening them with my trusty bastard file, quickly washing away any shavings that might be left on the knife-edge and rubbing them down with lubricant, thankfully gun lubricant works for this as that’s all I had left. As I was sharpening the last blade I noticed it was slightly bent, possibly from the last mission, so I made quick work of straightening it out, placing it slightly offset from a piece of the fuselage and using my body weight. Not the best way to do it but after years I found it was the quickest. After all my knives were sharpened I started the formulaic process of cleaning my guns. Rolling out a towel and placing the brushes, lubricant, cleaning solvent and cotton swabs down and disassembling my guns one at a time. I found myself falling into rhythm, the clicks and smells of the cleaning solution taking my mind off the joke that was this teams current state of being. As I was working on my last gun my heightened instincts told me that someone was coming towards the armoury. I grabbed one of my knives and used my shirt to wipe away any remaining lubricant, and with one swift move I turned on the stool I was on and threw the blade. The knife pierced the plastic on the side of the planes body right by the door, a warning throw, not intended to harm but to scare away whoever was coming. “Fuck me dead Eight! You have to stop doing that to me” One’s voice, dripping with frustration and anger broke the silence of the room. “Maybe you should’ve learnt your lesson from last time and avoid sneaking up on me when I’m pissed off” I sneered, my attention was back to my gun, with one final click the barrel was back in place. “The fuck do you want, can’t you see I’m busy?” “Well we all wanted to know if you were coming back to the briefing or if you were gonna wallow here in self-pity” One snorted. That does it. I let loose another blade, this time aiming for his thigh, but he saw it coming and quickly dodged it. “See I did learn from last time” “Leave me alone One, I’m not in the mood for your bullshit right now. Last I checked, we were the ones working our asses off on your vendetta missions while you hang around out of danger and piss us all off.” I was yelling at this point. I was never one to hide my anger and One had hit just the right buttons, that and Four who was being the exact definition of a fuck boy right now, was enough to make me explode. “Now unless you’re here to apologise I suggest you get lost” my voice was almost a snarl at this point.

That’s when I noticed that the rest of the ghosts were also in the room with us, all but Two seemed surprised by my outburst, and even more so at my complete disregard to if I hit One or not. She had what almost looked like a smile on her lips. One pushed past them all in a huff, a string of profanities leaving his lips, all focused towards me. After a few awkward moments Two broke the silence. “Well I’m no pussy so I’ll speak. We agree with your plan, it’s smart and the easiest way to take him out. Also One is a dick. He wants to apologise but his ego is getting in the way” her French accent bringing an air of class to her words. The rest of the ghosts nodded along with her words.

“Right well he knows where to find me if he decides to pull his head out of his ass and apologise” I told her, standing from my position and making my way out of the room “excuse me, I need to be alone right now” I made my way past my team mates and out into the thick humidity of the Californian desert, unsure where I was going, but knowing I didn’t want to be around anyone.