#vant put the phone down i beg

[ivanttakethis]

Ah yes, another reminder that Ivan suffered from the beginning of his life to the very end of it and was never loved and always felt alone and never felt worthy of anything cAN WE PLEASE TAKE A BREAK DEAR GOD

[minyoongijjangjjangmanboongboong]

Ephemera Chapter Seventeen

Ephemera: In art, transitory written and printed matter (receipts, notes, tickets, clippings, etc.) not originally intended to be kept or preserved.

Alternatively, things that exist or are used for only a short time.

Description: Nobody knows who Vante really is. Everything about the popular artist is shrouded in secrecy: from his face to his name to everything in between. After years of working for his art gallery, Y/N feels she may just be the closest thing he has to a friend. Between her success at work and her relationship with campus hot-shot Jeon Jungkook, Y/N’s life has never been better. But is Jungkook truly who he says he is? And who will Y/N protect now that she knows Vante’s livelihood may be on the line?

Genre: Romance, Drama, Fluff, Angst

Pairing: Jungkook x (f) Reader x Taehyung

Word Count: 5.0k

Tags: Non-Idol!Au, Gang!Au, Art History Student!Reader, Film Student!Jungkook, Art Student!Taehyung

Warnings: Swearing and mentions of alcohol, although infrequently

A/N: PER-SO-NA ! WHO THE HELL AM I ! I’m so hyped up for this comeback, you guys. I can’t wait to see what they’ve prepared for us. I hope you guys like this new chapter! We’re winding down now. Probably only a few more chapters! It’s pretty lucky because the timing works for my trip to LA. Anyway, please don’t be shy and send feedback, critique, questions, theories, and comments my way. I’ll be sure to respond to all asks I receive within a day of receiving them! Links will be added later, so for now check my masterlist to find previous chapters!

And again, if you want to follow my Twitter, my username is @/plzpunchmebts. I’m super active over there and hopefully in the future I’ll do some livestreams/chats with you all! And concert videos!!

- Mercury

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Masterlist

Weekly updates: Sunday, 1PM (PST)

“Sanyo Industries celebrates their thirtieth year in business-,”

“Six Sanyo products you can’t live without!”

“Last year, Sanyo’s gross income was-,”

Everywhere I went, it felt like that name followed me. On the walk back to my apartment, a disembodied radio host would shout it at me from the open window of a passing car. The ads on my social media all pointed to it. The very phone in my hand as I collapsed onto the couch was manufactured by them. I squeezed my eyes shut, begging night to fall faster. I didn’t want this to be reality.

Of course, I’d had my suspicions. With what Jungkook said before and that guy Younghoon from Sanyo and all the strange connections…

But I didn’t want to live in a world where this sort of corruption bled into even the most respected of companies. I didn’t want to believe what Seokjin said about corporations being legal criminals. I didn’t want to believe that the institutions I trusted were fraudulent.

Eyeing my cell phone, I quickly powered it off and slid it across the floor, furrowing my brow as I rested my face on the couch cushions. Today had been a bad one. Between the strange photo Taehyung had taken, Namjoon adding pressure, Nara losing her job, Yoongi’s involvement, and my own misgivings about ratting out Seokjin and the others, I felt like I could sleep for days.

And, even though my arm was dangling off the side and my cheek was squished against the stiff couch cushion, I shut my eyes and drifted off into a fitful sleep.

Sighing, I took my seat in class. Professor Jung stood at the front of the room, scrolling through his phone, and I couldn’t help but feel hyperaware of it. His cell phone. Her laptop. His drawing tablet. I rubbed my bleary, warm eyes and rested my cheek in my palm, shaking my head.

“Morning,” said a deep, comforting voice I’d recognize anywhere.

I opened my eyes with a start and turned toward Taehyung as he stood beside my desk, smiling gently. He set a hot coffee beside me and settled in the seat to my left. He looked well. Shaven, hair windswept but not messy, glasses prim on the high bridge of his nose. He was dressed as usual: colorful and artsy, with a blue patterned button down and baggy slacks. He settled into his seat and gave me a smile before sipping his own coffee.

At his entrance, there was a noticeable shift in the classroom atmosphere. People became quieter, talking in hushed tones. Instead of chatting openly, now they leaned across desks and pushed aside paint brushes to whisper. I felt all the eyes on him and, by proxy, on me and sighed, resigning myself. I took a drink of coffee and ran my fingertips along the sides of the paper cup.

“I’m happy you came,” I said with a gentle smile his way.

Perhaps I’d have been content to forget about that picture he’d taken of me, sleeping. Perhaps deep down I wanted to pretend I’d never seen it. But when he turned to me with warm, tender eyes and a smile I felt a little piece of me shift out of place. The gesture wasn’t so innocent anymore. There was more now, more than before.

And I was too chicken to face it.

So instead I simply kept my smile pasted right on my face. Unwavering. “Yeah. After talking with you…I realized I’d probably regret it if I let my fear get in the way of something I’m passionate about.”

I nodded. “Good,” I said, giving his shoulder a weak punch. “Don’t go running away again, alright?”

He smiled and patted my hand, sighing as he eased into his seat. “I missed this room,” he said, then glanced around, his gaze quieting every person it touched. He winced a little, like it hurt, then chuckled and nodded. “Didn’t miss that.”

“What?” I asked.

He eyed me and shook his head. “Being looked at like that.”

I nodded. “I see…”

“But it’s different now,” he said with a simple nod, smiling as he sipped his coffee. “They’re not looking at me like I’m weak. They’re looking at me like…like I’m cool.”

I chuckled. “Maybe it’s because you are cool,” I teased with a smile.

He laughed, shrugging, and took another sip and another sweeping glance around the room. “I’m glad I came back.”

I was quiet for a moment, debating whether or not I should say what I wanted to say. But seeing his eyes cast down, watching his own deft hands as they moved gracefully over the top and sides of his coffee cup, I couldn’t help myself.

With a soft smile, I took a swig of my drink, sighed, and eyed him sidelong. “I’m proud of you, Taehyung.”

His back visibly stiffened and he turned to me with round eyes. “Hm?” he asked, and I caught a faint blush on his cheeks.

How had I missed all these signs?

Despite myself, I smiled and nodded. “I’m proud of you.”

He swallowed hard and looked away, back toward his hands, and smiled gently. Like he was really pleased. “Thanks…,” he said on an exhale.

Class finished a few minutes earlier than usual, and as I was collecting my things and arranging my scarf around my neck, Taehyung reached out and grabbed the crook of my elbow. Startled, I turned to him expecting something to be wrong, out of place, but instead simply saw him smiling beside me, his bag already packed.

“Do you have time?” he asked.

I raised my brows and consulted my cell phone, checking the time. I didn’t have work until the evening and had intended to spend my break studying, but the hopefulness in Taehyung’s eyes halted me and instead of wasting my breath explaining it to him, I chose instead to nod and smile. Even though I had a feeling I knew what was coming next. Even though I didn’t want to face it.

“Sure,” I said.

He grinned and led the way out into the hallway.

The day was crisp, but not unpleasantly so and the sky looked unblemished and endless overhead. The Han River lay peaceful below us as Taehyung and I leaned our forearms on the railing beside the sidewalk, overlooking the water and the boats and the children playing. I kicked the toe of my boot against the ground and watched a thin swirl of dust escape into the air.

“We came here that night, didn’t we?” I asked, although I knew the answer.

Taehyung nodded beside me and sighed. “Yeah.”

“I’ve caused you a lot of trouble these days, I think,” I said with a nod. It was true.

Looking at him now, I felt a little guilty keeping everything from him. He wasn’t a bad person, nor did he have bad intentions. But the longer I thought, the more I realized concealing the truth was an act of pity rather than cruelty. If I told him I was working as a spy for Namjoon, infiltrating Jungkook’s gang, putting myself at risk…surely he’d have a fit. And beyond that, he’d find some way to make himself the martyr.

And really, I didn’t see a single reason why anyone should be the martyr.

Perhaps it was foolish, but I held out hope for a more diplomatic solution.

He smiled and rubbed his jaw with a pensive sigh. “It’s not that you’ve caused me trouble,” he began, eyeing me with a smirk, “but that trouble follows you wherever you go.”

I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “It didn’t used to,” I said, then paused, alarmed at just how true that was…

He nodded. “Regardless, I’d rather be in trouble with you than living a peaceful life without you.”

I stiffened, cheeks flaming, and cleared my throat. “Ah, well, the sentiment goes both ways,” I said with a nod, but cursed myself. Wasn’t I supposed to be more careful now? “Anyway, I guess more than anything I need to say thank you.”

He raised his brows and glanced at me, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth. “Thank me? Why?”

I shrugged. “For everything. For being here,” I said, then shook my head. “For being someone I could trust and rely on.”

His smile slowly fell and he nodded, letting his eyes wander back toward the river. “Is…is that all I am?”

I swallowed hard. Here it was. I laced my fingers as they dangled over the edge of the railing. “What else is there?”

“I…I think you know by now, but…I have feelings for you. Real feelings,” he said with a nod. “And I don’t know how else to say it.”

I kept my eyes on my hands, watching as they clasped and unclasped. My heart thumped too loud in my ears. “I…see…”

“Not a great reaction,” said Taehyung with a chuckle. “Although I didn’t expect you to feel the same way. Not now anyway.”

I tried to remain calm, to maintain my composure, to manage my expression so as not to hurt Taehyung. He was someone I valued, someone I loved. Long before I met him in person, he was someone I cherished more than anyone. The last thing in the world I wanted to do was hurt someone like that.

I exhaled slowly, shutting my eyes for a moment as the wind swept up from the river, blowing against my cheeks. “You know…I told you before, that night we went out, that Vante was everything I couldn’t be.”

He nodded. “I remember.”

“I remember when I first began working at the gallery, feeling overwhelmed. I was so happy to be working. Like…a real job. In my industry and everything,” I said with a breathy chuckle. “My mom…she left when I was pretty young. She wanted to be a graphic designer, so she moved to Seoul. And, when I was old enough…so did I.”

“I…never knew,” said Taehyung with a somber nod.

I smiled. “Yeah,” I said, then sighed. “I staked a lot of my hopes on this job.  Getting good work experience, making connections, seeing my mom again. Everything that meant anything to me was tied to the job. And…in the beginning, I was scared I’d mess it all up somehow. Like, I’d forget something critical or I’d flub a sale and lose everything. So, just like when I was younger, I started taking on too much. More than I could handle, really. Extra shifts, opening or closing alone…because I was so desperate to do well, to be useful.”

“That’s a heavy burden,” he said.

I nodded. “But Vante made it lighter somehow. Like he understood me, understood the desperation. Like he would root for me even if I failed,” I said, my heart swelling as the fond memories returned like a warm rush of water. “Like I didn’t have to do anything or be anyone for him to believe in me.”

“I see…”

“He was almost like a guardian angel, as cliche as that sounds. Like someone who was watching over me while I was making my way in this new place, new job. He never asked me to be anything more or less than what I was, and he never made me feel like he’d disappear if I did something wrong,” I said, feeling my chest constrict.

“You’re very afraid, aren’t you? Of being abandoned?”

I nodded. “I realized it once I got older, but…I’ve been like this for a while. Like if I didn’t do everything perfectly, everyone I loved would leave,” I said with a sigh. “Which was why it was so powerful for me to have someone as strong and competent as Vante telling me I had value even if I didn’t do things perfectly.”

Taehyung was quiet for a long moment, but there was no malice in the set of his eyes as they watched the river. Just quiet. Just thinking. “I’m…happy I could be that person for you.”

I let the cool autumn air swallow his words before responding. “That’s why…it kinda hurt when you used me at that party,” I said with a nod. “I know it seems strange that I was so hurt by you when Jungkook had done such horrible things. I know it’s…counterintuitive.”

“I understand, though,” he said, eyeing me almost desperately.

I smiled. “I know you do,” I said, voice soft against the quiet cacophony of activity around us. “I guess…having the person who I trusted most, the person who would never exploit me like I let other people do…,” I paused with a sigh and clasped my cold hands together tightly, like a prayer. “I understand why you had to do it. Namjoon is your friend and I would have been happy to help had you told me beforehand.”

His brows furrowed as he gazed out across the river. “But would you have?” he asked, glancing at me. “Would you have knowingly betrayed Jungkook?”

I set my lips thin and met his eyes. “Yes,” I said with a single, sharp nod. “I would have done it.”

He swallowed hard and nodded. “I guess I was trying to do too much on my own,” he said.

“You have a tendency of doing that.”

He chuckled. “I know,” he said. “I’ll work on it. I don’t want to make a mistake like that again.”

I sighed. “I forgive you, by the way. Completely. Because your intentions were never cruel,” I said. “It just…disillusioned me. Which was probably for the best, really. Worshipping Vante made me rely on him too much. I figured if I just had him believing in me, that was enough.” I chuckled and nodded my head as my thoughts became clearer. “But now I think…I think it’s not enough until I believe in myself too.”

“That’s all I ever wanted,” he said, glancing at me. “I wanted you to get stronger.”

I nodded, smiling. “And I want to get stronger too,” I said. “On my own two feet. With nobody’s help.”

“Good.”

“Which is why I have to reject your confession,” I said, turning to face him properly.

His eyes widened and for a fraction of a second his expression revealed a little bit of shock, round eyes, open mouth. “O-oh!” he said, turning to me as well. “Um, sure.”

I smiled, reaching out to rub his forearm. “I think…maybe if you’d told me this before everything with Jungkook happened, I might have said yes.”

“Timing is a bitch,” said Taehyung with a soft smile. “I don’t have any hard feelings.”

I shook my head. “I’m not done,” I said, smiling up at him. “I might have said yes, not because I felt anything, but because I would have been too scared to be abandoned by you.”

He raised his brows, lips parted, and shook his head. “I-I’d never leave you behind because of something like this,” he said, chuckling. “You can’t control your feelings. No more than I can.”

I nodded. “I know,” I said. “I know that now. I know that the right people will stay even if I can’t be everything they want me to be. That the people who belong in my life won’t disappear like Mom did.”

He flashed me a slow, sad smile and swept me up in a soft embrace. “You’re right,” he said, nodding against my head. I wrapped my arms around his waist and squeezed. “You’re worth staying for.”

I sniffled a little in the cold and held on tight, feeling his warm, strong arms around my shoulders. Things seemed clearer now, less confused. And with that clarity came a feeling of strength. I remembered that ruby necklace, sitting on my wardrobe in its box. Perhaps I’d never needed something like that at all. Perhaps I didn’t need anyone holding me up.

Perhaps I could be my own strength now.

I knocked on Nara’s door as the sun hung suspended on the horizon, nearly dipping below with the coming evening. Taehyung had called his driver and offered to take me home, but I’d refused. It wasn’t that I was uncomfortable around him, in fact with the invisible tension between us now severed I felt more comfortable than ever, but I needed to check up on Nara and I needed a little time on my own to settle some matters in my mind.

Unfortunately, the walk did little to help, as the recording I had made my phone feel heavy and hot in my back pocket.

Nara pried the door open with Hyun pushing his head through the space between her hip and the doorframe, straining to meet me in the hallway. She gave me a weak, pale smile and gestured for me to come inside. I followed her small frame into the dark living room, the blinds drawn and the TV on low. It looked as if she’d been sleeping on the couch for the past few nights. Her hair was a mess, roots growing in black, and her eyes sported violet bags underneath, hanging to the starts of her cheekbones. She smiled and again it felt hollow.

Seeing her in such a state shook my resolve.

Wasn’t she more important after all? If it meant saving my friend, wasn’t I willing to sacrifice those boys at the headquarters?

“Hey,” she said softly, rubbing Hyun’s head like it was cathartic.

I crouched down before the big ball of white fur and gave his neck a good scratch, smiling. “You been well, Hyunnie?” I asked, working my fingers behind his ears. He panted and wagged his tail, leaning against my hands.

“He’s been better,” said Nara with a sniff.

“Yeah? Are you stressed because of all that business with your mom’s job?” I asked Hyun who remained, predictably, unbothered.

She chuckled. “Mhm. And the fact that mommy has applied to just about every open position in the city with no word back.”

“And college? Are you worried about your mom’s coursework?” I asked, eyeing Nara from below.

She was still smiling fondly at the top of Hyun’s head. “He’s not worried about that since Mommy hasn’t been keeping up with it anyway.”

At this, I sighed and stood upright, resting my hands on my hips. “Nara…”

She smiled and shook her head. “Too busy applying all over. And besides…I may as well drop out,” she said with a sigh.

I felt my eyes go wide and I approached her, gaping. “Nara, you can’t be serious.”

She shrugged. “I can just move back home with my parents. They always need help with Nunchi.”

“Nara, you can get another job,” I said, rubbing her shoulders. “You can’t get so down like this.”

She smiled. “I know,” she said with a sigh. “I really love my major and I want to get my degree. And it’s not like we’re in the middle of nowhere with no jobs. There’re plenty of opportunities. It’s just…with school and Hyun it’s a lot to take care of.”

I nodded. “I know,” I said, smoothing my palm against Hyun’s head. “I can take care of Hyun while you job hunt,” I offered.

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Nah, he’s the only reason I haven’t really gone off the deep end. I need this little shithead.”

“Have you heard from-,” I began, then swallowed hard and glanced away as she looked at me with expectant brown eyes. “That guy? That stray cat guy?”

She raised her brows. “I…no? Why would I?”

He…hadn’t reached out? After the conversation we had? I’d been too soft on him. I’d given him too much mercy. I should have been harder, should have demanded he take responsibility, demanded he write her a check right in front of me. Seething, I tried to conceal my clenched jaw with a hand.

I opened and closed my mouth a few times before shaking my head. “Just…figured maybe he’d reach out after seeing you’re not at work.”

She laughed, a wry sound, and shook her head. “Nah. I don’t think I made that much of an impact on him,” she began, then sighed. “Or on my job for that matter. Seems they’re doing fine without me.”

I sighed, feeling my phone in my pocket. I touched it gently and sighed. “You know…as soon as I give the proof to Namjoon you’ve got a job at Ori Technologies.”

She smiled. “But…that’s too much pressure to put on you,” she said, rubbing Hyun’s back. “Y’know, I realized it recently. Back when we had to help out around Nunchi.”

I stiffened. “What do you mean?”

She shook her head, crouching beside Hyun and working her hands through his thick fur. “When you said you’d get me a job at Ori. I felt…really useless, you know? And it made me realize that I’ve been relying on you for everything for so long. When I asked you to come over and help wth Hyun and didn’t even ask about what happened at Jungkook’s. When I beg you to keep me company at the pet shop…just when did I start treating you like the class dog too?”

I swallowed hard, my throat constricting. I shook my head. “You don’t treat me like that.”

She smiled up at me. “But I do,” she said with a nod. “Until when can I keep relying on you all the time? Until when am I gonna let other people fix things for me?”

I crouched beside her and held on to her shoulder. “Nara-,”

“If I get a job at Ori, it’ll be on my own merit,” she said, leveling her eyes at me. “You can keep doing this…spying thing or whatever, but just know you’re not doing it for me.”

“Nara…”

She looked at me seriously. “I’ll get back on my feet,” she said, nodding. “On my own.”

Troubled, I sat at the front desk of the gallery as Areum worked the floor, showing patrons around with a halfway-there smile. I tried to greet them warmly, but my mind was elsewhere. Where was Yoongi and why hadn’t he compensated Nara yet?

And furthermore…wouldn’t she be mad if she knew I was coercing him into helping her after everything she said?

I worked my lower lip between my teeth and set my eyes low, watching the door as a well-dressed woman sauntered in with a smile. I gave her a nod and forced a grin before returning to stewing, resting my chin atop my laced fingers. Nara…wasn’t there anything I could do for her that wouldn’t upset her further?

“Y/N?”

I jumped and turned to face Mr. Kwon as he stood before the front desk, peering over the surface. Panicked, I wondered how long he’d been standing there watching me stare off into space. But to my relief and surprise, he greeted me not with a scolding or a scowl, but with an easy smile. He adjusted his lapels and scanned the desk, humming.

“Uh…hello, Sir,” I said, bowing my head.

He met my eyes once more, still smiling. On edge, I forced my own smile to remain plastered across my face. “You don’t have a drink at the desk,” he said.

I blinked at my empty desk and struggled to find the words. “Um…no, I don’t…,” I said, meeting his eyes once more with a confused smile.

He hummed once more and produced a banana milk from behind his back, handing it to me. “Well then, here you go,” he said, grinning. “Keep up the good work!”

I nodded, bowing my head, and glanced down at the milk in my hands, perplexed. I watched as he approached Areum, tapping her shoulder. She jumped and was quick to bow at the waist. He chuckled and, although I couldn’t hear him, I was sure he was giving her a similar speech because after only a moment he was presenting her with a banana milk as well.

She bowed as he excused himself to his office. Taking a cursory glance around the relatively quiet gallery, Areum rushed over to me and leaned down beside me behind the desk, eyeing her own milk.

“He gave you one too?” she asked, raising her brows.

I nodded, glancing over my shoulder at where he’d disappeared down the hallway. “Yeah…,” I began, shaking my head with furrowed brow. “The hell’s gotten into him?”

She raised her sculpted brows and leaned back. “You haven’t heard?”

I shook my head. “Heard what?” I asked.

She smirked and cupped a hand around the side of her mouth like we were sharing secrets at a slumber party. She leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Rumor has it he’s having talks with those Japanese charity guys about a business venture.”

“Business venture?” I asked, eyes wide.

She nodded, resting a hand on her hip after she stabbed her milk with the straw and took a sip. “Mhm,” she said with her lips still wrapped around the straw. “Dunno what kind of business, but it has to do with the gallery so he’s excited.”

I hummed and took a sip of my own milk. “Wonder what it is,” I said with a sigh.

She chuckled. “Don’t wonder,” she said, patting my shoulder as she turned on her heel back toward the floor. “You’ll just get sucked in to his weird energy.”

Weird was right, alright. I glanced back toward the hallway and wondered. Maybe Taehyung would tell me about it if I asked…

I stepped out onto the street after my shift and sighed, glancing at my phone as it sat hefty in my palm. I had a big decision yet to make. And, despite trusting Jungkook well enough, I didn’t want to rely on him for this. I wanted to make the choice on my own. I wanted the decision to be mine only, so I could confidently stand beside it.

Despite my heavy thoughts, my stomach was light and as I took a step toward the subway entrance down the street, my gut grumbled like it was trying to communicate. I stared down at my abdomen and gave it a few rubs. Had I eaten today? I sighed and glanced around the road, tall buildings on either side. I’d eaten in this neighborhood a few times, but mostly for company dinners. Company dinners where I wasn’t expected to pay…

One of the detriments of working in a rich area.

I sighed and patted my stomach. Surely I could find a fast food joint around the corner or something if I gave it a real shot. I shoved my phone into my bag and wandered down the sidewalk, hanging a left down the street. To my chagrin, this street was no better. Businessmen and women walked with purpose on either side of me, in either direction. The buildings were just as tall and the restaurants were just as glitzy. Tenth-floor steakhouses, prime sushi bars, fusion restaurants with intoxicating scents and ridiculously expensive menus.

I shook my head and kept walking, but things weren’t much different on the next street. Or the next one. Block after block, things were just too glamorous to match my pay grade.

Would’ve been better off taking the subway, I thought to myself with a scowl. Frustrated, I wrapped my arms around my torso to keep my stomach from groaning and pressed onward. I was blocks away from the gallery, in a part of town that was labyrinthian and far too ritzy. Nonetheless, I held out hope for a McDonald’s.

I sighed, waiting at a busy crosswalk, watching the lilac twilight emerge through the gaps in the tops of tall buildings. Arms crossed, I sighed and my breath escaped in a plume of white. I lowered my eyes as the signal changed and the amorphous crowd of people moved forward in sync. But as I took a single step toward the street, I paused. Something caught my eye.

Across the street was a sleek black car with heavily tinted windows. A driver had just stepped out onto the sidewalk and was glancing around with shifting eyes partially obscured by sunglasses. Sure, I was in a rich neighborhood but this seemed excessive. Quietly, I watched, waiting for a celebrity to emerge or maybe even a politician.

But as the passenger stepped out, I felt my expectations crest and fall flat. Because not only did I know him, he was the person I was actively avoiding.

Kim Namjoon braced his polished shoes on the concrete sidewalk and adjusted his black button down so it lay just right across his broad chest. He smiled as he turned back to the car, leaning down to speak to someone still inside. Was he with someone important? An investor perhaps? I hung back across the sidewalk and watched like a hawk. It wasn’t my business, but something like curiosity kept me in place.

Namjoon stepped back from the car and fixed the sleeves of his shirt, patting down his pants with his palms. Was he preening or something? I might have laughed, but for fear of drawing attention to myself I kept quiet. He crossed his arms across his chest and grinned down at the car as his passenger scooted out onto the sidewalk. Not even offering his hand? I sighed and rubbed my forehead. He sure did have a knack for rubbing people wrong.

But before I could begrudge him for his lack of manners, his companion emerged, ducking his head as he exited the low cab of the car. My breath caught in my throat and my heart raced, thundering in my ears. Palms gathering sweat, I turned toward the crosswalk and saw that the signal was about to change to red. Desperately, I sprinted across to a symphony of honks from cars awaiting their turn. I waved my hands, frantic, and gave a few sloppy bows as I reached the other side of the street. Breathless, I turned back to the car where Namjoon had emerged, just to be absolutely certain I’d seen it right.

And indeed, there he was. Looking my way after the scene I’d caused in the crosswalk.

Standing beside Namjoon with wide, startled eyes and lips parted as if to speak was none other than Min Yoongi.

[doomlover21]

Widojest Week Day 3

Well originally I had no ideas for this until a certain Full Metal Alchemist episode popped into my head. The rest of the story kinda wrote itself. Enjoy Kissing the Shots Away!

Caleb Widogast had always hated needles at the best of times, and having one of those needles inside his own body was certainly one of those times. Beauregard knew first hand what it had been like when he had to go and get his most recent flu shot for his new job, and she would often regale their mutual friends of the tale at every opportunity. And Caleb would always sit there, face flushed in embarrassment, as she would tell of how she had had to wrestle him and hold him down. She would oftentimes embellish the story to make him seem more squeamish than he really was, but Nott and him would always be there to correct him. It was thereafter decided that any time he had to have a shot or a needle poking him, that Beau or her new girlfriend, Yasha, would be there to hold him in place.

While working his new job in the antique shop, a particularly old table had caught the tail end of his long coat and tripped him up. In the effort of freeing himself, he had scrapped his leg against the side where an old rusty nail was sticking out. The nail tore into his flesh leaving a nasty gash that left his already filthy and hole-ridden pants covered in blood.

Caduceus, the kindly old shopkeeper, had heard him cry out and immediately rushed over to help. He was gentle as he poked and prodded at the wound.

“Let’s get you all cleaned up. That could get nasty if we don’t,” he told his employee. Caleb simply nodded. The gash wasn’t that deep, but the pain from it still left him speechless. Caduceus led him to the small bathroom in the back and fished in the cupboard for the first aid kit.

“Ah…here it is,” he announced when he finally found it. He laid it out on the sink and gestured for his charge to sit on the toilet lid. He looked at the wound just above his left knee.

“Hmm…you’re gonna have to remove these,” he said as he poked at his pants. A deep red graced the red-headed man’s face.

“Is zat really necessary, Mr. Clay?” he asked.

“I’m afraid so, Mr. Caleb. I can’t properly treat this without getting a better angle at it,” he said softly. Caleb nodded and reluctantly removed his pants. It didn’t take very long for the much taller man to clean and bandage his cut, and Caleb is relieved when Caduceus finally left him to put his pants back on.

As he left the bathroom, he told him in no uncertain terms that the injured man was to take the rest of the day off to rest his leg. Caleb protested, but the pink haired hippie was very persistent. Finally Caleb relented.

“Okay, but I vill be here tomorrow. I promise you zis.” Caduceus waved him off.

“Just do us both a favor, preferably before you come back to work, make sure you get yourself a tetanus shot.” And with that Caduceus was gone. The man may as well have told Caleb that he had cancer and only had a few days left to live. His normally pale complexion became ghostly, his palms were suddenly fountains of sweat, and his hands were shaking so badly he wasn’t sure if he’d even be able to get himself home. With some extreme mental effort and several minutes of floundering, he finally managed to find and dial Beauregard’s work number from his cell.

“This had better be good, Widogast! I’m not so trusting of our other instructor, Old man river,” she warned. He snickered. Old man river was the name she had adopted for the latest instructor at the dojo/fitness place she worked at. He was apparently very good at what he did, but Beau had never been very good with authority figures or people showing her up. Both of which this man had seemed to do from day one.

“Ja, ja…don’t vorry. It is a good vone,” he assured her. He took a deep breath. He never did like getting on his roommates bad side and this was definitely going to get on her bad side.

“I need a ride home,” he continued. He pulled the phone from his ear just in time to avoid blowing his eardrums out from the sound of her scream.

“WHAT?! THE FUCK’D YA DO?! DON’T TELL ME THAT OLD PIECE OF SHIT YOU DRIVE FINALLY DIED ON YOU? I TOLD YOU TO GET RID OF THAT OLD THING!”

“It is not zat, Beauregard. I am simply…I..uh..don’t know if I vill be capable of drivink myself home,” he said in a low tone. His face became flushed again.

“Huh?” she asked in confusion. It didn’t take her very long to reign in that confusion and just go with it. It never did with her.

“So what gives? Deucy decide to give his resident bookworm a fucking break for once?”

“Ah, nein. I..uh,” he trailed off. Now that he had to tell her why he needed to leave made him feel small and weak again. Not that his friends and roommates didn’t already know that, but he certainly didn’t need anything else for them to tease him about.

“Just promise you won’t..um..it’s kind of embarssink, Beauregard,” he whispered into the phone. He could practically hear her smirk over the phone.

“Oooooo…..embarrassing…huh? What’d ya do? Stub your toe on an old chair? Get dust in your eye from a moth ridden book? Trip over a dirty old rug?” she teased.

“See, zis ist vhy I don’t like tellink you eferysink zat goes on. You alvays turn it into a joke,” he groans.

“Ah, come on, Widogast. I was just teasin’ ya. Relax.” He clears his throat.

“To answer your question, sough, I..um..cut myself on an old table. Caduceus vants me to go home and rest,” he explained. The only reply he got was raucous laugher. He groaned again. Maybe calling her was a bad idea.

“Beau,” he growled. Her laughter slowly died down and he could hear her gasping for breath for a few minutes.

“Okay…okay. So let me get this straight. You cut yourself on a table, which not gonna go into any details sounds deeply fucked up, Caleb.” He rolled his eyes at the phone.

“And then Deucy tells you hey, Mr. Weak Knees, I’m sending you home to rest, and now you’re calling me to come and pick your sorry ass up because you’re afraid to drive?” He nodded.

“Ja. Zat about sums it up,” he confirmed. She sighed.

“Fine. But you owe me for this.”

“Ja, ja. I know.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll be there in ten.”

“Alright. Oh and Beauregard?”

“Yeah?”

“Danke.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see ya soon, Pansy.” They both hung up then, and Caleb walked out to go and wait. Knowing how his roommate drove it really wouldn’t take ten minutes. It would be closer to five, but he wasn’t about to argue with one of the girls he knew could easily kick his ass.

Sure enough, the deep blue jeep of his roommate arrived five minutes after she said she would and the surly woman stomped into Caddy’s Curiosities. She greeted the pink haired proprietor with a wave and he pointed her towards the Zemnian sitting in a plush armchair.

“What the fuck am I gonna do with you?” she asked. He shrugged.

“So let me see the big bad boo boo,” she teased him. He scowled at her.

“It is a cut, Beauregard and nosink more zan zat,” he insisted.

“Ah…Miss Beau,” Caduceus called out. They both turned to look at him. He was holding a teacup in his hand and smiling warmly like he always did.

“Yeah?”

“You really should take him to get a tetanus shot. That nail was pretty old,” he told her. She nodded and rolled her eyes. A violent sigh erupted from her as she pulled her Zemnian roommate to his feet and out the door. Admittedly she was a bit rougher than she should have been, but right now she didn’t care. She was pissed. She really hated taking the stubborn scaredy-cat for shots, and she especially hated how she always had to hold him down for them.

“Come on, Widogast! You’re more trouble than you’re worth sometimes,” she huffed in exasperation. The pair climbed into her car, her closing the door with far more force than was really necessary, and she drove off.

It didn’t take long for Caleb to realize that they were going the wrong way. It was one of the things that drove her crazy about him. The man was a walking encyclopedia, and he would spout off trivia and various other facts or just go on and on about some new thing he learned for hours. Frantically, he looked around.

“Vhere are you takink me?” he asked in a shaky voice.

“Gods, you are such a pussy, Caleb. And you have the immune system of a fucking twig. There’s no way that I’m about to let you just go home and risk getting a fucking infection or gods know what the fuck else just because you’re a wuss,” she ground out. If he had been frightened before, he was terrified now. So terrified in fact that she was glad that her car’s passenger side door lock was busted. If it hadn’t have been, she doubted that he’d have been in the car for much longer, despite the fact that she was making a new land speed record to the urgent care.

It was certainly a sight to behold watching the pair of them entering the pristine white building. It was more like he was a reluctant pet being dragged to the vet’s rather than a tall skinny man being taken to the doctor’s. The receptionist greets them with a snort and barely contained chuckles as Beau wrestles a flailing Caleb inside. All the while he curses and begs and pleads in several different languages, all but one she was familiar with.

“Will you just sit the fuck down and be quiet, ya big baby?” It wasn’t long before a nurse came bouncing out into the waiting room. She was unlike any other nurse that either of them had ever seen. Her shrubs had all manner of unicorns and sparkles on them. Two bright rainbow lollipop earrings dangled from her ears, and her short chin-length hair was a deep blue color. She didn’t even bother looking at the patient folders before approaching them.

“Hi, I’m Jester,” she introduced.

“And you must be Cayleb,” she said to the still shaking man.

“Come with me, Cayleb. I have something I have to give you.” She didn’t wait for a reply. She just skipped off.

“But wait…hold on..” Beau protested, but the nurse wasn’t listening. She dragged Caleb to his feet and continued dragging him the whole way to the small room Jester led them too, once again cursing and flailing the whole time. Jester smiled at them as they came in and gestured for him to take a seat.

“I’ve just gotta warn ya that he can be a bit of a pain in the fucking ass to give you know what’s to,” Beau whispered conspiratorially.

“Don’t worry. I have a secret weapon against that,” Jester whispered back.

“You know I can still hear you,” Caleb said but neither woman paid him any mind.

“Now you just sit here, Cayleb. I have something very special to give to you,” she told him. He shook his head furiously.

“I know vhy I am here. You can’t fool me like I am some sort of child,” he insisted.

“Oh really?! So you’re like a smart guy, huh?” Jester asked. Neither Caleb nor Beau could tell if she was being serious or not.

“Uh…..” he trailed off. Beau giggled. It wasn’t often that the Zemnian was at a loss for words. Gods was she gonna treasure every moment of this. Jester giggled at him, and it was such a delightful sound to his ears. It sounded like sweet music or even like water flowing down a river. She winked at him, and a deep flush came to his cheeks. It wasn’t often that he found himself this flustered, and especially not by someone he had only just met. But flustered he was.

She approached him slowly and gently placed a well manicured hand on his arm. The nails weren’t very long, he noted, but they were a very pretty pink color that contrasted quite nicely with her blue hair. She ran her fingers up and down his arms, and against his better judgement he actually began relaxing. She leaned in and gently placed a kiss on his lips. It was his first kiss in nearly twenty years.

He had never seen her pull out the needle, nor did he see her put it in his arm, hell he didn’t even feel it when it went in. All he was focused on was this strange nurse in front of him and her lips on his. All too soon she broke away. A bright mischievous smile was on her face.

“All done! Now see that wasn’t so hard was it?” she asked. He looked down then. Down at the arm she had touched with her hand. It now had a bandaid with multi-colored unicorns on it. He was angry and more than a little shocked that this strange woman was not only able to pull one over on him, but that she was also able to put him in such a stupor in the first place.

“Wow! I’ll admit it! You’ve got skill, Girl,” Beau said. Caleb recognized the tone. It was her I’m horny tone. Her I want to bed this woman tone. He rolled his eyes. Jester simply laughed that sweet laugh again, and he nearly swooned. He shook his head to clear the thoughts away. There was no way that he was going to allow himself to fall for another woman. Not after his last relationship had ended so disastrously.

“So can I like call you sometime?” Beau was asking. Caleb didn’t hear Jester’s reply as he was too focused on her placing something in his hand.

“If you ever need me to kiss away your bad shots away again, just give me a call. Or you could just call me, and we could like totally hang out and stuff….Well, I mean we would technically have to hang out when I’m not at work and stuff technically but…” she was ranting but Caleb simply nodded curtly.

“Ja. I…uh..I vould like zat….uh..…Jester,” he stuttered. It was the first actual words he had spoken to her and she shrieked with delight. Her bright and cheery smile shocked a small shy smile out of him. It was his first real smile since….well he didn’t want to think about anything that came before. That was in his past and it was a painful past at that. All he wanted to think about was this moment. Oh and maybe the future, so long as Jester was a part of it.

“Okay so it’s settled….Oh we are gonna be like the best of friends, you guys!” she gushed. She flashed him another smile as she lead them back out to the waiting room. The normally hyperaware Zemnian couldn’t tell you what happen after or when they got home or how long they were there. He was lost in his thoughts. Beau and Nott knew better than to disturb him when he got like this. It often ended badly when you did.

It wasn’t long after that Jester Lavorre became another one of their friends. Her joyful pranks and easy smiles became the delight of all their friends. And it was said that from that fateful day on, Caleb Widogast was no longer afraid to get any shots, at least as long as Jester was around to give them to him.

[anxiousboi-char]

“A midnight snack”

Words: ~1k?

Characters: Henrik, Chase, Jackieboy, others mentioned

Warnings: Just a little scare

Notes: Inspired by a scary story I saw online, if anybody wants a link I can try to find it again.

Henrik sat by his table, looking Chase directly in the eyes. The man glanced away and stayed silent, causing the doctor to sigh. He wasn't a psychologist, he was a surgeon, for God's sake! He didn't understand how did he end up becoming Chase's therapist of some sorts. They would meet up at least once a week and the depressed dad would rant about how terrible his situation with Stacy was. But Henrik would never push him away, he was a divorced man himself and as much as he didn't think he was the right person to help, he believed that he was someone, at least.

"Oh! Won't you look at the time!" Chase said suddenly. The Doctor looked to the clock on the wall.

"...I zhink you missed your bus," he pointed out. Chase's face dropped. He just remembered that the last bus was supposed to leave about 5 minutes earlier.

"Oh crap," he mumbled. "D-do you think I can stay over tonight?" he asked nervously.

"I zon't know..." Henrik muttered. Truth be told, he wasn't seeing Chase much between their 'sessions' and he wasn't exactly comfortable with him just staying there. Well, maybe he'd be if he had a couch at least, but only his bed could be used to sleep on.

"C-come on, please? I can just sleep on the floor, I just don't want to go to the other side of the city after midnight..." Chase begged. Henrik could tell that the dad was tired already. And so was he, so he quickly gave in.

"Fine. I vill put some blankets by my bed and you vill catch a bus tomorrow, okay?" he offered and Chase's face lit up.

"Thanks, dude, you're literally saving me here!" he thanked.

Soon, the two of them were asleep. Henrik in his bed and Chase on the ground next to it. The room was perfectly silent and the time was passing quickly. Suddenly, around 2 am, Henrik felt someone shake him. It was Chase, obviously, and he seemed nervous while doing so. The doctor was clearly not amused by being woken up in the middle of the night.

"Vhat zo you vant?" he groaned tiredly. Yet Chase was fully awake.

"I'm hungry, can we get food?" he asked. Henrik felt an urge to slap him for waking him up with such a reason.

"Now? It's 2 am, Chase," he pointed out.

"Well, don't you ever get hungry late at night?" Chase asked.

"I sleep zhen," Schneep sighed, "I still have zome bread and cheese in zhe kitchen, go help yourself," he instructed. Chase seemed to think for a second.

"But I don't want a sandwich. Though you know what, I'm pretty sure that there's a gas station down the road! We can grab a hotdog or something there!" he offered. Henrik covered his head with a pillow.

"No. You vill either eat vhat ve have at home or starve," he refused.

"Come on Henrik, please! I’ll pay and we can say that it's my way of refunding you for talking to me?" Chase offered.

It took over 5 minutes of convincing, but Henrik finally agreed. He got out of bed and put on some clothes. Chase seemed very happy to leave the house, so he assumed that his friend was really hungry. They walked out of the apartment and left the whole building before walking down the sidewalk. Chase seemed to zone out a bit.

"So, vhat are you getting firm zhe station, a hotdog?" the doctor asked, snapping Chase back to reality.

"...I'm not hungry," the dad confessed, staring blankly at the road in front of them.

"Vhat?! Vhy are ve here zhen?!" Henrik snapped, but Chase just kept staring.

"I- I woke up and..." he tried to explain, his voice shaky as he spoke. Henrik felt unsettled. "And there was a guy under your bed," he said and Henrik stopped, shocked.

"A- a guy? Vhat guy?" he asked, feeling his insides twist.

"I- I don't know- I didn't look closely and I got up before I even saw more than a silhouette... But he had a knife. I saw it," Chase insisted. Henrik's hands became shaky.

"I- I vill call Jackie to check it out-" he said and pulled out his phone.

Half an hour later, the hero snuck into the doctor's house. He was pretty sure that Chase was seeing things because of being tired, but he still wanted to make sure. Though he didn't look under the bed, figuring that if someone was there, they'd leave already. Just as he was about to head out and to the gas station so he could tell the others it was safe, he heard something move in Henrik's bedroom. Like crawling. And then, a loud swear.

Henrik and Chase were both sitting in the gas station, eating a small snack and drinking some coffee. They both tried to convince themselves that whatever Chase saw before, wasn't real. And just as they started to believe their own explaining, they saw Jackie enter the building. His face was kind of blank, and he had a couple of cuts all over his face. Henrik was the first one to see him.

"V-vhat happened?" he asked hesitantly. Jackie stumbled over to the table they were sitting by and almost fell into a seat.

"He was there," he said and silence fell upon everyone.

"Who?" Chase asked finally. Jackie stared forward for a moment.

"Anti," he finally said, "He had a knife. He fell asleep and was mad that you were gone," he added, still recovering from the shock the fight brought him.

"V-vhere is he now?" Henrik asked.

"I called Marvin and he took him. He won't bother you anymore," the hero assured before taking a deep breath, "He had a knife, for God's sake, he was going to-" he didn't finish. The thought was slowly sinking in.

"That's... terrifying!" Chase choked out. Henrik suddenly found himself shaking as he was wrapping his mind around what would've happened if Chase didn't wake him up.

"Z-zhank you, Chase. Zhank you for vaking me up. Zhank you-" he stuttered, suspecting that he was close to having a mental breakdown. He was tired, terrified and lost.

"O-of course, dude-" Chase nodded and tried to rub the doctor's shoulder to offer comfort.

"If you guys need somewhere to stay for tonight, my apartment's not that far. You can stay there with me," Jackie offered and Henrik nodded shakily.

"I- I vould like zhat," he agreed.

"Yeah, that sounds like a safe option," Chase agreed.

And so, the three of them spent the night in Jackie's apartment and in the morning, everyone seemed to move on. Chase came back home, Henrik went to work as if nothing happened, Jackie went over to Marvin to make sure Anti wasn't a threat anymore... But even months later, the doctor was haunted by the thought of what would happen if Chase wasn't there that night. Something terrible, he was sure. Whether it was death or becoming a puppet, he didn't want to know.

[valkyrieofsmut]

Starting with an accidental encounter part  15

Kurt Wagner x Non mutant! OC

Types: Smut. All smut. Romance, too. Maybe some angst?

Overall series warnings: Smut. Always smut. Anxiety, panic attacks, bit of violence, swearing, sexual harassment in one chap, German (translations provided, but I have bad grammar… Sorry native speakers…) (can’t remember any more at the moment)

A/n- Sad, soft, hopeful... angst... Oh, and a furry con, Furave; Fur rave, but they combined the r so it’s Furave. I have no idea if this is a real convention, but I intended to make it up. 

Series masterlist     Masterlist

Story!

Lacy laid in her bed, huddled under the blankets. She tried to read, but she couldn’t focus. The memory of Kurt accusing her of cheating kept replaying when she closed her eyes. She felt the trembling in her lip start again and pulled the pillow close as the tears came.

She hated feeling this vulnerable. Hated it with a fiery passion that burned in her chest. She’d developed the hatred growing up in the foster system, having to get tough quick to keep up with the kids who had been in tough situations, getting into fights, having to defend herself. Crying or showing emotions only got you beat up more.

The toughest part was that she had let the walls down, even if it was just a little, and he’d turned on her.

…    …    …    

Kurt stood outside Kitty’s door, hesitating a moment before knocking.

Kitty opened the door and looked out at him. “Kurt, I don’t know if I can handle being polite right now,” she warned him.

“Kitty- I just… I need your help,” he told her sadly.

“Well, you do need help, but I’m not a psychology major. You should visit the Professor.”

“No, Kitty… I need technical help; finding Lacy’s phone number…” She looked at him silently, waiting for him to continue. “I vant to call her… She von’t let me in…”

“Gee, I wonder why,” she said sarcastically. “And why should I help you find her number?”

“Because, I vant to tell her I’m sorry, zhat I’m an idiot- Kitty, please help me, you’re my only hope…”

Kitty glared at him through narrowed eyes for a moment. “You are an idiot. But you’re also my friend. I guess I’ll help you,” she said with a sigh.

…     …    …    

Lacy opened the door and threw her bag onto her chair gently, not wanting to damage the dvds she’d bought.

She went to the fridge and pulled out a soda, walking past the phone, not noticing at first that the light was blinking, but stopped and stepped back looking at it in confusion. No one ever left her a message. She didn’t know that many people, it was true, and almost none of them called her.

She picked up the phone and pushed the button for the message, expecting a sales call.

“Lacy, I- it’s Kurt, I-”

Lacy pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it in shock. She hung up and put it back in the cradle. “I don’t care,” she told herself. “I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care,” she chanted, trying to push away the tears waiting to come out.

She went to her closet, pulling out a box in the corner and digging in it until she found a half empty bag of old Valentine's laffy taffy, the one she’d bought herself after her last boyfriend had broken up with her. She pulled one out and opened it, chewing hard on the stiff candy.

The sudden, loud ringing of the phone surprised her and she looked at it, standing and slowly walking to the thing, finally picking it up as she wondered who would be calling her. “Hello?” she asked uncertainly.

Kurt’s voice filled her ear. “Lacy, I’m so glad I-”

Lacy’s eyes slammed closed and she hung up the phone. A moment later the phone rang again, but Lacy didn’t answer it. Unfortunately, the machine did, out loud so she could hear.

“Lacy, I’m sorry, bitte… I understand zhat you are mad at me, I do, really; I vas such an idiot. Lacy, bitte, pick up-”

Lacy couldn’t stand to hear his voice, so she grabbed her bag of laundry and quickly left her apartment, still chewing on the taffy in her hand.

The answering machine hung up on Kurt and he stared down at the phone sadly.

“Are you really surprised?” Kitty asked.

Kurt closed his eyes, feeling the pain radiate through him. “No,” he whispered.

Kitty could hear the pain in his voice and relented a little. “Well… Maybe she just needs some time to cool off,” she suggested.

“It’s been a veek…” he said mournfully.

“Maybe she needs more,” she told him. “What you did was-”

“I know, Kitty,” he interrupted, looking up at her. “I know vhat I did vas stupid, und terrible, und unforgivable, but I zhink I- I zhink I might… Kitty, it hurts to know zhat I hurt her so badly…”

Kitty looked at him trying to guess at what he’d been about to say. “You think you might… Wait, you think you might-!” Her eyes widened. “Kurt, seriously?!” He looked away, shame still covering his face. “Then how could you do that?!”

“I don’t know, Kitty… Zhat’s vhat I’ve been vondering for zhe last veek…” He admitted. “How could I be such a terrible person…”

Kitty shook her head. “Kurt…”

…    …    …    

Lacy opened her door, looking around as though making sure no one was going to attack her. She sat on the ottoman, looking around, still.

As she opened her laptop and started on work, the phone rang. She looked at it, knowing it was Kurt again. She dug into the bag she’d set down next to her, pulling out her headphones and plugging them in, starting the transcription file where she’d left off, concentrating on what was being said, closing her eyes and typing. She finished the file and opened another one, working through that one for another while until she couldn’t concentrate.

When she checked her phone, she had five new messages since that morning from Kurt. She sighed and pushed play.

“Lacy, I just vant to talk to you, bitte-”

Delete.

“Lacy, bitte, listen, I know I vas an idiot-”

Delete.

“Lacy, please, please, please-”

Delete.

“I- Lacy, I have to talk to you-”

Delete.

“Lacy, Kitty says zhat you are probably just deleting zhese messages, but, please listen,” Kurt’s voice begged.

Lacy paused, her finger hovering over the delete button.

“I vant to say I’m sorry, for being so stupid, and for even zhinking anyzhing I said, or zhought, I- I know zhat you vouldn’t- Lacy…”

It was silent for a moment, and Lacy felt tears pushing at her eyes from how much pain was communicated by the dead air.

“Lacy, I- I can’t say vhat I vant to over zhe phone, I have to see you, I vant to tell you in person, because I know vhat vill happen vhen I say zhe vords. Bitte, Lacy-”

The machine cut him off and Lacy stood frozen with the phone to her ear. Most of what he had said was nonsense, just begging for forgiveness, but it still hurt her to hear his voice. She blinked, realizing that she was crying. “Stupid,” she cursed, rubbing her eyes.

The phone rang in her hand and she looked at the number, recognizing it as the blocked one Kurt was using.

She hit the answer button quickly followed by the end call button. “Liar,” she whispered blandly. “They always lie. They always say things; I’m sorry... I don’t want to hurt you… I love you… It’s not you, it’s me…” She wiped her eyes again. “Well it’s not me! It’s you!” She cried out, throwing the phone at her bed.

She went into the bathroom and washed her face, seeing how red and puffy it was getting. There was a knock at the door and she cautiously went to answer it, wondering if Kurt had somehow gotten into the building. She looked out the peephole and saw Doug. She opened the door, wiping at her face again. “Hi, Doug,” she said.

“Hi, Lacy,” he said shyly, looking up to her. “Still having trouble?” She shrugged, looking away. “Well, I wanted to check on you… I know, I’m headed out in a little bit, come with me,” he said.

She looked up. “I don’t think so, sorry…”

Doug took a breath, putting his shoulders back and standing straight to look at her. She looked at him in confusion. She knew he was shy, only able to be confident in his fur suit, but he was looking almost that confident now, with not even a scrap of fur on. “Lacy, I’m not going to let you sit up here and mope. You’ve been locked away for weeks, I haven’t even seen you going to work,” he said.

“Yeah, I work at home now,” she told him.

“What? I thought you liked going to an office to work?”

“Yeah, until something happened there…” she looked away.

“Oh, well…” He drew himself up again. “Lacy, I’m not taking no for an answer. Get ready to go with me.”

“Doug, I look like Hell,” she said, gesturing to her face.

“But you’ll be wearing a mask… Lacy, I told you, I’m not taking no for an answer, so… Get your tail and stuff now and get ready to go!” He told her forcefully, looking nervous and making her eyes widen.

…    …    …    

Kurt sighed, feeling the pain in his heart. “Lacy, bitte, warum willst du nicht auf mich hören?” He asked himself in frustration. {please, why won’t you listen to me}

Kitty stopped next to Kurt where he was sitting outside. “Still won’t answer?” She asked.

“Oh, she answered,” he said morosely. “And hung up before I could say anyzhing…” Kitty put her hand on his back. “I- I zhink I have to try again- to see her in person…”

“Well, I can’t say I know what you should do, but I don't know if that’s a good a plan,” she told him as concern filled her face.

“I have to try,” he said, standing and going into the mansion. He showered and put on something that wasn’t dirty before walking out, glad that it was dark enough that he could take the fast way to Lacy’s apartment.

He was on the building next to hers when he saw Lacy leaving the building with a small bag, almost being dragged by another man who was carrying a large bag. They walked down the street and Kurt followed them, interested in what was going on.

They started running, seeing the bus approaching, and Kurt hurried to catch up with them. The bus left the stop with them on it, and Kurt followed, jumping and lightly landing on the bus so he didn’t have to waste all of his energy to not lose it.

He laid flat to remain unseen, and finally the bus stopped and they walked off. Kurt turned on his inducer and slid from the bus, letting the two get ahead of him before he started after them. He looked up at the building they’d stopped at. “Ein hotel?” He questioned, nervous that Lacy was trying to get him out of her system by finding a rebound bed partner.

Oh God, he hoped not.

He knew she’d had a lot of problems with sex before, but now, maybe she was feeling confident enough to try.

He shook his head. She wasn’t that kind of woman, he was just thinking of worst case scenarios…

He hoped.

Kurt quickly walked into the building, seeing a few people meandering in the entryway. He went to the desk and the clerk looked up. “Um, excuse me, have you seen a voman, about zhis tall, black hair, blue eyes, vizh a man, about zhis tall, brown hair…” He asked hopefully.

The clerk looked at the ceiling, moving her mouth around her face. “Hmmm… Oh! Yeah, I think so, I think they went down that way, probably headed to the event,” she answered.

“Oh, zhank you,” he said gratefully, turning and following her pointed finger.

He saw arrows pointing in a path to where the event was, but when he got there, the room was empty. He back traced his steps to the hall, finding that that event had been over for an hour, and found another sign, following that one to a conference that looked like an AA meeting. He poked his head in, and the people looked back at him. “Ah, sorry,” he apologized. “Just trying to find somevone.” He hurried back to the hall and was trying to find his way back to the front desk when he heard loud music coming from another room.

He walked forward seeing a sign. “Vhat is fu rave?” He asked himself quietly. “Furave. Fur ave? Fu rave…” He opened the door and peeked in, seeing the dark room filled with colorful lights flashing and spinning as the loud music played.

The door closed behind him and someone passed him, bumping into him and apologizing. He watched in shock as the painted and scantily clothed body moved around him, sporting a pair of cat ears matching the tail that passed.

He looked around, now paying attention to the people around him. They were all wearing something like the person before; having ears, tails, or fur somewhere, if not wearing mascot like outfits, covered head to toe in the stuff.

He couldn’t get rid of the stunned look from his face as he moved through the room. He would have never thought in a million years, in fact probably would have bet the farm on it not happening, that he would be the only normal looking human in a room so full of people they almost touched.

He stepped through another knot of people and saw a familiar body. Kurt paused to get a good look, taking in the black high heels, almost thigh high black and grey striped socks and matching tail, short black skirt, tight black tank top, grey and black striped arm warmers, and ears nearly hidden in her pulled up hair. She turned and he saw a black mask, one of the ones that only covered around your eyes.

Lacy swung around, linking arms with Doug. She had to admit; the loud music and friendly faces were helping her feel better. She leaned in close to Doug’s face, telling him loudly, “thanks for dragging me along. You’re a good friend.” He pulled back from her gesturing to his head. “I know you know,” she told him, laughing and turning in a circle next to him, shaking so that her tail swung back and forth.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she jumped in surprise, turning around. Kurt stood before her, looking out of place in his image inducer. Lacy gasped and stepped back, pulling away and turning her head. “Lacy!” He called to her over the music.

Doug turned and saw her looking upset and stepped in front of her, raising his hand to the man, warning him to stop.

Lacy caught her breath and looked back, seeing Doug pushing Kurt back, but Kurt was fighting him, telling him to stop, insisting that he needed to speak with her. Lacy stepped closer to Doug, putting her hand on his side and grabbing Kurt’s hand, starting to pull him to the door. She stopped next to it and told him, “you should go.” She turned and started on her way back to Doug, but he caught her hand, refusing to let her get away so easily.

A couple of people by them took notice and put their hands on Lacy’s shoulders and back, seeming to glare at Kurt, though the mascot type heads smiled. Lacy waved her free hand, telling them that it was ok, and they turned back to what they were doing, some still glancing to make sure she was ok. “What are you doing here, Kurt?” She asked.

“I- I vent to see you, and saw you leaving- I had to see you, Lacy,” he told her. She looked away, not saying anything. “Vhat is going on here, vhy are zhey all dressed like animals?” Kurt asked.

“They’re furries, they feel more comfortable dressed like that,” she told him.

“Vhy are zhey all staring at me?”

“Because you have that stupid thing on,” she answered. “You’d fit in better if you had it off. I have to go, and you should, too.” She turned again, but his hand tightened on hers, pulling her back to him. She turned and looked up to see that he’d turned the image inducer off and felt tears prickling in her eyes.

“Vhy are you dressed like a raccoon?” He asked.

Lacy fought the tears starting to pool in the corners of her eyes. “B-because I felt like it,” she told him. He pulled her even closer, and she blinked, fighting the feeling of tears discretely leaking under the edges of her mask.

Kurt stared into her eyes as he held her close, and she tried to stay away, leaning back over his arm a little. “I vould have chosen a much more beautiful animal for you,” he told her as his lips captured hers.

Lacy felt the electricity shoot through her, followed by the heat that always filled her when he kissed her. She tried to resist the feeling, but Kurt pulled her even tighter against him, one hand on the back of her head, holding her lips against his as he nearly pulled her breath from her, his other just above her hip, keeping her skin tight against him.

The kiss was seeming to last forever, Kurt’s tongue moved along the roof of her mouth, making her knees weak and her lip quiver, then it moved around hers, pulling back until he wasn’t kissing her anymore, speaking into her ear, begging. “Lacy, bitte, bitte... verzeihen Sie mir, ich bin so dumm, ich weiß, ich verdiene es nicht… Aber, bitte…” {please, please... forgive me, I'm so stupid, I know I don't deserve it… but, please...}

She could hear that he was near tears as well, but she closed her eyes and tried not to care, failing badly. Kurt pulled back, his hand on her cheek now as he tried to stare into her eyes. “Lacy… I- I don’t zhink…” She opened her eyes to see the pain in his. “I don’t zhink I’ll ever be happy again if you say no…” Lacy felt the tingling in her stomach and the tears running down her face. “Lacy…” he asked, unsure of her silence. Lacy blinked again, closing her eyes and turning her head to the ground. Kurt felt his stomach in a moment of panic.

“Then… I won’t say no…” Kurt’s face lifted, a smile breaking out over his mouth. “But… I won’t say yes…” His smile dropped a little.

“But, you’re not saying no,” he confirmed, his hands tightening on her. She nodded and he pulled her close, burying his nose in her shoulder. “Zhank you, danke, oh, danke… I know it’s not a yes, aber, I’m just so happy it’s not a no, liebling,” he told her. She stiffened in his arms, her eyes widening and shooting to him. “I know, I know I said it, liebling, but I can’t stop, I- I’m so happy,” he pulled her against him. “Just breazh,” he told her. “I’ll try not to say it again…” He pulled back, his hand stroking her cheek as she held onto his arms. “And, zhink, who vould have ever zhought zhat I vould be able to kiss you, looking like zhis in a room full of people vizhout zhem pulling me avay and taking me to zhe senator, ja?” He smiled at her, listening as her breathing started to slow a little. “Zhat’s it, just breazh, everyzhing is going to be ok,” he told her, leaning closer and lightly kissing her on the lips. ‘As long as I have you,’ he thought to himself.

Lacy gently pulled herself from his arms. "Kurt, you should-”

Kurt cut her off, knowing that she was going to tell him to leave. “Vhat is a furry?”

Lacy paused, but she pointed around. “The animals that they’re dressed as, that’s how they feel about themselves, it’s a part of themselves they only feel safe to express here.”

“Zhey feel like zhey are zhat animal?”

“More or less, at least part of them,” she answered.

“Zhen, vhy in zhe Hell are you a raccoon and not a,” he paused as he searched his mind for the most beautiful animal he could think of. “Svan? Neine, not beautiful enough-”

“Kurt, it’s just something that was easy to throw together. Besides, how could I be something beautiful,” she muttered to herself.

Kurt put his hand on her arm, staring into her eyes. “Because you are zhe most beautiful voman in zhe vorld,” he told her. She stepped back and he let her arm go, but continued looking into her eyes despite the untrusting look she was giving him. “I’ve been a lot of places in zhe vorld, and you are zhe most beautiful vone I’ve found,” he told her.

Lacy looked away and told him, “I think you should go.”

Kurt took a breath and stepped closer to her. “Ok, I vill… to give you space… li- Lacy, may I- kiss you good night?” He asked. She was silent as the pounding music bounced around the room, but finally leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek. “Nein, eine echte,” he said in her ear as she hesitated to pull back, his lips turning to catch hers again, his hand wrapping around her and holding her close as he slowly devoured her mouth. {no, a real one}

After the flux in time that seemed to contain days but only last seconds, he pulled back, seeing her eyes still closed and her lips parted. He smiled, his hand stroking down her face. “Good night, Lacy,” he told her. “Have a good time, I hope I vill get to see you again soon.” He stepped back and turned on his image inducer before leaving the room and going home.

Kurt climbed the stairs and went into his room, but shortly after he closed the door there was a knock. He opened it and looked out.

“So?” Kitty asked. “You’re back kinda early…”

Kurt smiled as he looked at her, turning and going into the room to his entertainment center, her following him. “I saw her as she vas leaving.”

“Is that a good thing?” Kitty asked, wondering why he was smiling.

“Vell, I followed her, and I zhink it vas Doug vizh her.” Her eyes widened. “Zhey vent to a hotel.”

“Oh my God,” Kitty whispered in shock. 

Kurt turned and looked at her. “Oh, no, zhey vere going to an event zhere, a fu rave? Or, I’m still not sure how to say es, but it vas people dressed as animals dancing,” he told her.

She nodded, her hands falling from her face slowly as her brows drew together. “And, what happened?”

Kurt turned back to his shelves, finding a movie to watch. “Vell, I saw her dancing, and I- vell I suppose it vas a little more zhan asking,” he muttered to himself. “I asked her to forgive me… I told her I vould never be able to be happy again if she didn’t…”

“What did she say?” He looked at her.

“She said she vouldn’t say no…”

“So she forgave you?”

Kurt shook his head softly, confusing her. “She said she vouldn’t say yes, eizher…”

“So she didn’t forgive you, but she’s not mad at you?” Kitty asked.

“I’m sure she’s still mad at me,” he answered. “But at least she doesn’t hate me and hasn’t told me to get out of her life.”

“Well, I guess that’s something,” Kitty comforted.

..    …    …    

Lacy sat next to Doug on the bus, both hot, but him drying from being drenched in sweat. “So… That was Kurt?” He asked in their silence.

“Yeah…”

“He… didn’t seem too rude- I mean, at least he wasn’t calling me a fur-fucker or any other slurs…”

“He didn’t even know what a furry is,” she told him.

“Oh… So that was the first time he’s seen a party like that, or any one in a fursuit?” She nodded. “What did he say when you took him to the door?” Lacy looked at him defensively. “I-it’s just that you were gone for a while, I figured that you guys must have been talking,” he told her.

She looked away and shrugged. “Not much,” she answered as the bus stopped and they climbed off. “He was just asking me to forgive him…”

“Are you going to?” Doug asked.

“I don’t know. I want to say no, but I don’t know…”

“Well, come on, what did he even do that made you mad?”

She looked away. “He…” She sighed. “He said some stupid things. And did some stupid things…”

Doug rolled his eyes, still feeling some of the confidence from being in his fur suit all night. “You know, it was dark in there, but I do believe that I saw that he was a man?” Lacy shot him a look and he nodded. “I thought so. And do you know what men’s speciality is?” He paused, but not long enough for her to speak. “Saying and doing stupid stuff! Seriously! That’s about eighty-five percent of the stuff we do- no, maybe seventy, the other thirty is filled with eating and sleeping,” he said.

Lacy looked over at him, feeling irritated that he was siding with Kurt. “But it was really stupid. It hurt…”

“Lacy, again, he’s a man-”

“Doug!” She snapped. “He accused me of cheating on him! With you! While he was-” she lowered her voice. “While we were… in bed…”

Doug raised an eyebrow. “In bed, or during bed time activities?”

“The second one,” she mumbled.

Doug looked away, shaking his head and thinking. “Wow… That is stupid… Seriously, who would jeopardize sex… While you’re already having it…” Lacy smacked his arm. “What? I’m just thinking out loud. But how did he even think of me?”

Lacy shrugged. “I guess one of the people he lives with saw us at your parent’s restaurant and mistook my panic attack for cuddling.”

Doug looked over at her. “Well… Weird.”

…    …    …    

Lacy laid on her bed, reading, when the phone rang. She looked over at it, wondering who it was until the answering machine picked up.

“Lacy… I ah, just vanted to talk, about last night…” She turned and sat up, looking at the phone where it stood in its cradle, silent during his long pauses. “I vas hoping I’d get to talk to you and- I guess ask if you’ve given any more zhought about us… I-” Lacy heard him groan. “I zhink zhe machine is going to cut me off before I can finish vhat I'm trying to say... I’m going to call back and say it on zhe next message, bitte, please, please, please listen to zhe next-” the machine cut him off and Lacy cocked her head, waiting for the next message.

The phone rang, but she still didn’t answer it, waiting to hear his words despite being able to hear them sooner and longer if she picked up the phone.

“Lacy, I vant to tell you- Agh, vhy is zhis so hard to say over zhe phone?” He paused and Lacy leaned forward, wondering if he’d continue. “Lacy I vanted to tell you zhat I really- I mean really- like you… I’m sorry I vas so dumb, zhat I let Scott’s stupid vords get into my head, zhat I zhought any of zhat…” He sighed, his breath blowing past the phone. “I… I zhink zhe machine is going to hang up again… but I vant you to know it’s not me,” he told her. “Only goodnight, never goodbye, right, Lacy?” After a moment the machine ended the message, leaving Lacy wide eyed.

She stood and looked at the phone, picking it up and replaying the message again. “Only good night, never goodbye, right, Lacy?” His voice asked again.

He was referring to when she’d told him she hated goodbyes because she’d heard it too often. He’d said goodnight instead, but was in the habit of saying goodbye when he left, so he told her that when he said it it was really goodnight, never goodbye.

He put his fingers on her chin and tilted it up, kissing the sour look on her nervous lips. “I didn’t mean zhat, it’s just too much of a habit. I’m not saying goodbye to you. Only goodnight.” She turned away, but he turned her chin back to him. “Only goodnight, never goodbye, right, Lacy?” He asked, kissing her again until she agreed.

Lacy put the phone back down and laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Kurt sighed and put the phone back down stairs, making his way out of the front doors. He sat and looked up at the clouds and tried to think of something better, what he should have said instead of that fumbling he’d just done.

…    …    …    

Lacy laid back on the bed as Kurt kissed down her stomach, his lips trailing across her skin and making goosebumps raise behind them. He looked up at her and moved to her lips. “Lacy, you taste delicious, have I told you that before?” He asked.

She didn’t answer, just moaned and arched to him.

He nipped her collarbone and she felt something touch her, slipping between her thighs and pushing them apart. She couldn’t tell if it was his tail or his hand, but it was starting to make her skin tingle. His hands ran down her sides, pausing at her hips to squeeze them before he pulled her closer. Her eyes opened as she gasped, looking up at him, her eyes full of longing.

Why had she waited so long? He was a god, he always made her feel amazing, even if she hurt or was nervous.

“Lacy,” he whispered in her ear. “You feel so good,” he told her, making her gasp and arch as she lost herself in the feeling. He ran his tongue up her neck, nibbling at her jaw before he stopped at her ear again. “I can’t wait to get inside of you and make you mine,” he whispered and shivers of pleasure ran through her stomach.

Lacy’s hands ran down the back of his shoulders, pressing deep to feel the muscles hidden under the soft fur. “Kurt,” she moaned to him. “Oh, Kurt…” Her panting was covering the rest of what she was trying to say, but he seemed to know what she wanted, sliding into her as his hands moved over her chest, teasing and tormenting her breasts, taunting and flicking her nipples into peaks of desire.

Lacy’s breath caught in her throat, she couldn’t take the torment any longer, and she felt herself tighten as she moaned.

Lacy’s eyes shot open and she looked around as the waves of amazing pleasure rolled through her body. She was in bed, had been asleep, and she was so pleasantly tingly…

“Oh,” she sighed as she laid back, realizing that she’d just orgasmed in her sleep. “Oh,” she said a little stiffer as her face reddened. “Been awhile since that happened,” she mumbled as she turned over, trying not to think that her dreams were insanely accurate to how good Kurt was.

…    …    …    

Kurt turned in his bed, his face going to the pillow Lacy had laid on when she’d been there. His hand moved up and smoothed across it a little as he thought about her.

His eyes turned to the ceiling as he tried to curb the enthusiasm his body was trying to show for the thought.

The image of Lacy laying under him, trying not to scream as she came, again, filled his mind, fueling his thoughts.

His tail moved to his erection unconsciously, brushing against it and making him jump. He realized what was going on and pushed his tail away, but it soon came back.

He wrapped his hands around his tail and looked at it, softly stroking it, running his fingers up and down it, imagining it was Lacy’s fingers instead of his softly tickling his fur.

She was amazing, maybe the best thing that had happened to him, even including joining the X-Men…

He closed his eyes, turning to the side with his arm under his head and his nose in the pillow, wishing it still smelled like her, but she’d hardly spent any time on it.

He choked back the emotions as his hand moved down his bare skin to his hardness, needing the release, hoping it would make him feel a little better, even if it was only for a little bit.

His hand stroked, up and down, but in his imagination he was with Lacy, kissing her neck, thrusting into her and telling her all the sweet nothings he couldn’t without causing a panic attack.

“Ah, Lacy… Liebling... Ich liebe dich,” he whispered against her throat, kissing and nuzzling, making her moan and pull at him, trying to get him closer, begging for more as he poured his heart out. His teeth gently gripped the skin on his arm as he thought about nipping Lacy, but it fell from his mouth as he started whispering in German again. “ Bitte… Sie hassen Sie nicht mich... Bitte liebe mich auch… Lacy,” he groaned as he felt himself shooting, spilling cum in a puddle as the bitter feelings took hold and he realized the tears in the corner of his eyes weren’t just in the corners anymore. “Lacy…” He whispered, trying to hold back the pain from the sob.  {Lacy… darling… I love you. Please… don’t hate me… please love me too}

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[flimflamfandom]

Valentine’s Day

Hey, so this’ll just be a little one shot about everyone on the day...well, everyone who at the time this one takes place is in a relationship. So Viktor/Mordecai, Mitzi/Wick, Pearl/Lacy, and Calvin/Ivy. Happy Valentine’s Day! (Or, as I say, happy ‘Raid the CVS and hope they still got little Reese’s cups only they’re on clearance now day’ eve!)

Words:1737 Summary: Valentine’s Day special! Warnings: None, but it is incredibly saccharine. 

“Of course, then the Slaking of the rock can be an issue...I’m sure you’re familiar with the concept of Slaking?” Wick asked. Mitzi rested her head on her chin. She sipped a bit of wine from his private collection. “Does it have anything to do with romance?”

“You know, if you want me to stop talking about rocks you can just ask.” Wick said, smiling. A butler brought out the next course, leg of lamb and dressing with dijon mustard glazed carrots and, of course, this being Sable, more wine. Mitzi grinned. “My, you pulled out all the stops this evening...and to think I thought you just ate the ice at the bottom of the glass when you finished your whiskey.”

“It’s Valentine’s Day, I wanted to entertain.”

“And entertain you have...haven’t had this much wine in a while.” She ate a little, looking over. “So, the daisy’s doing very well nowadays.” She said. “We made nearly $12,000 last week.” Wick smiled. “Good! Finally getting back to the old numbers...do you all have an accountant?”

“Beg pardon?”

“A bookie. Someone who makes sure everyone gets paid on time...it used to be that Carmichael fellow, what ever happened to him?”

“Works for Asa now. I figured I could just borrow Lacy at the end of the month.” She shrugged and batted her eyes. “As long as her big, mean, old brute of a boss would be so kind as to loan her to me for an afternoon?” Wick sipped some wine, stifling a chuckle. “I dunno if she’d want to, something tells me she doesn’t like you.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, I mentioned I was going to be having you over and she insisted that someone else help me with work for the rest of the day. I had to teach Bix how to do interest math.” Mitzi ate a bit more. “Well, now, sweetheart, that’s just because she had to get ready for Valentine’s Day herself. She’s gotta try and impress that opera girl, she’s probably been all flustered and worked up.”

“I don’t understand, she’s just an opera singer.”

“Well, you’re just a rock mining tycoon. It’s all relative.” Mitzi said.

“True...wonder how her evening’s going?”

Lacy had been to big houses before. She worked in a larger one than this. She wasn’t scared of the size of the house, nor the decor, nor the expensive dress she was wearing...she was worried about the girl.

Pearl and Lacy had been together for a while now, but other than a few off nights where they were actually able to meet, they hadn’t done much other than hold hands and gaze at each other. Most of the time, unfortunately, they met in public; not much they could do there. But now things were private. Lacy walked in and handed her hat to the butler. The butler knocked on a door. “Miz Lacy Hardt here to see you, ma’am.” he said, opening the door wider for Lacy to see Pearl, sitting at a small table, wearing a white sleeveless dress and a large feather boa. “Lacy, dearie, come in!” Lacy nervously walked to the chair across from her, and sat down. “...evening.” Pearl winked. “Likewise...Daniel, bring us some of the, uh...collection.”

“The champagne, ma’am?”

“Please.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Daniel walked out. Pearl perked her ears high. “So! I want you to tell me about your day.”

“It’s been fine...I did a bit of work in the morning, and I’ll admit I spent the majority of the day getting ready for this.” Pearl nodded. “Was it accounting today?”

“Worse. Booking appointments.”

“Goodness, what’s so bad about booking appointments?”

“It’s just a lot of phone calls, and then you get another phone call from someone you just booked saying they have to change, and then the other one gets the time zones mixed up, and sometimes they have such awful manners!” She saw champagne come around, and sipped some, nodding in thanks and setting the glass down gently. “And to make matters worse I’ve essentially been teaching someone all she needs to know about joining the ‘community’. It’s just so time consuming!”

Pearl nodded and put her hand on Lacy’s. “Oh, dear...it must be difficult.” She said, looking into her eyes after picking up her hand. “But you at least have tonight to look forward to?” She winked, kissing Lacy’s hand. “I haven’t got much planned...dinner won’t even be particularly big. Most of it I just wanted to spend with you.”

“Oh?”

“We don’t spend enough time together, darling, I want to actually know we’re in love!”

“Dear, you know I love you, with all my heart.” Lacy said, smiling a reassuring smile.

“I know but it’s nicer for you to say it.” Pearl said. Lacy stood up. “Lacy?” She walked over to the dining room doors, closing them. “Lacy, what are you up to?” Before Pearl could react, Lacy was on top of her, gripping her and kissing her deeply, letting off a small moan and digging into the kiss. Pearl didn’t resist, hugging around Lacy’s waist and letting her onto her lap. After a while, Lacy pulled away. She looked mortified. “Pearl, I…” She looked nervous and started to get up. “I shouldn’t have done that without asking, that was wrong and selfish and stupid, I should-”

“Lacy.” Pearl kept her from getting up. “...do that again?”

She did.

Meanwhile, Mordecai was just getting home from work. He looked around the house and noticed something. “You know I asked for that key back since we stopped working together?”

“You never ask for key.” Viktor said, sitting on the couch.

“I did indeed ask for the key.” Mordecai sat next to him.

“You vant I should leave, ja?”

“No. Stay.” He nestled into the large man, his jacket hung on a rack and his hat next to it. He sighed. “I changed my mind about the key anyhow. I would just like to know why you came.”

“Is Valentine’s Day. Day for lovers.” Viktor looked down at Mordecai. “I figure I should visit.” Mordecai looked up at him. “So you decide to just walk in unannounced? What if I never showed up? What if I worked until 4 in the morning?” Mordecai sat up, heading to his bedroom and changing into a robe. He returned to the couch. Viktor shrugged. “You did not work until 4. It’s only 7.” He patted a spot on the couch. “Sit.” Mordecai did sit, and curled into Viktor, sighing. “I miss working with you sometimes, I won’t lie.” He crossed his legs. “The Savoys are good, but it’s just not as efficient.”

“You miss me, not vorking vith me.” Viktor said. “You hated vorking vith me, remember?”

“No, I hated the fact that sometimes you were sloppy. You weren’t always good at cleaning up after yourself on jobs, you never quite warmed up to the idea of stealth…”

“See? You hate vorking vith me. Is very obvious.” He said.

“Well, either way, I don’t hate you.”

“You act like it sometimes.” Mordecai crossed his arms. “When?”

“First thing you say vhen you see me is ‘how you get in’? Not even hello.”

“Well, if a stranger was in your house, you wouldn’t be too keen on just letting them sit there.”

“Ve’re not strangers.” Viktor said, smirking and rubbing Mordecai’s back. He kissed the top of Mordecai’s head. “Ve’re lovers. Lovers see each other on Valentine’s Day.”

“...I suppose we do.” He said. He kissed Viktor. “So, how was your day?”

Meanwhile, Ivy was slumped over on her bed. She was upset, wearing pajamas and a large, earth shattering scowl. Tonight, Calvin was supposed to pick her up, go rowing out in the park, go dancing with her, and come back to spend the night in her dorm while her roommates were away. It was supposed to be perfect! But Calvin went and got sick...very sick. It was the flu, and he didn’t want her getting it. She could hear his coughing when she went over earlier that day and Nina turned her down. And now here she was, alone in a dorm room, mad at the world, mad at those dumb germs for infecting her boyfriend. The phone rang. She picked it up. She tried very hard not to sound upset. “Hello?”

“Ivy?” She heard a familiar voice. “Calvin!?”

“Ivy! I’m very sorry about today...I thought you’d want to hear from me at some point.” Ivy sat up. “Of course, of course! How are you, sweetie? Feeling any better?”

“A little, aye. It’d be nicer if you were around.”

“Oh, honey, I know, but it’s better this way, we wouldn’t wanna go infecting the whole town!”

“I suppose not.” The two were silent for a bit. Calvin spoke. “You aren’t all alone there are you?” Ivy blushed. “Well...I didn’t wanna go out without you around!” Calvin giggled, then coughed very loudly. “You should. You deserve to enjoy tonight. My fault I went and got sick anyhow.” Ivy shook her head. “No, I really just wanted to go with you!”

“Alright...so do you want I should stay on the phone then?”

“Of course! It’ll be like a date by wire!” She said, laying on the bed, moving the earpiece to her ear and the receiver to her lips. “How was your day?”

“Awful, spent it in bed. Yours?”

“Awful, spent it in class.”

“Splendid, we both hated how are days went.” He laughed, letting out another big fit of coughing. “It was my History that I just hated today...I can barely stay up for it!”

“What were you studying in there?”

“Well, we’re trying to go over the Romans, but he’s just so dry.” Ivy said.

“The Romans were interesting, y’know.” Ivy scoffed. “Someone should tell him that.” The two talked for near hours, until Ivy finally stretched and sighed. “I figure this is costing quite a bit...we’ll wanna hang up.”

“How long have we been...oh...oh, it’s been 2 hours.” Calvin laughed mischievously,  sighing. “I love you very much, Ivy, I wish I could’ve spent all day telling you.”

“I love you too, Cal...wish I could’ve spent all day with you, too.” She sighed. “Goodnight, sweetie!”

“Goodnight!” She heard him hang up. She hugged her pillow, smiling, and went to bed.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

“I was framed!” The hero shouted, desperately trying to get the others to believe him.

“It’s all on the table Jackie, the evidence doesn’t lie.” Marvin’s voice was stern, his gaze disapproving.

“No, I would never-“

“Don’t try and explain zhis avay, Jackie.” Henrik shook his head. “Just accept your fate, ve know you did it.”

“Told you it wasn’t me this time.” Anti snickered, watching the hero grovel with an amused twinkle in his eye.

“You’re the real villain here! How’d you frame me?! Tell me!” Jackie demanded standing from his seat, a speech slide appearing in front of Anti to stop him.

“I believed in you…” the hero’s eyes went to JJ, who looked hurt by the situation more than anything.

“JJ, not you too! You can’t believe that I would do this! Please!” Jackie begged, but the mute man simply turned his head refusing to look at him.

“Pffft..”

“Chase shut up you’re ruining the moment.” [Y/N] whispered, elbowing the father ego.

“Sorry, Sorry.” Chase said back, holding his phone up to record the whole ordeal.

“No, the moments gone now. Chase ruined it! Cut!” Marvin shouted as Jackie sat back down in his seat with a laugh.

“That was really good acting though.” [Y/N] commented with a huff. “I wanted to see where that was going.”

“Oh I was gonna run for it.” Jackie said, using his thumb to point behind him.

“That would’ve been fun to see!” A speech slide showed next to JJ, his shoulders still shaking with laughter.

“Does any vant to go another round or should ve change games?” Henrik questioned, picking up all the cards and putting them back into the deck.

“I think we should move on from Clue. My heart can’t take another dramatic performance.” [Y/N] said with a hand over their heart.

“Mine was better.” Anti comment off handedly.

“You wish.” The hero shot back as the others cleaned up.

“Girls, you’re both pretty. Now, JJ since you won that one why don’t you go pick a game?” Marvin suggested, The youngest egos eyes lighting up before he got up and hurried over to the game cabinet to choose their next game.

“I love game night…”

—— I got inspired by the game night asks and tried to throw something together :p it was funnier in my head

......

Awh this was great!! ^^ Thank you for this lovely little ficlet!

[there-for-him]

A Look Into Tae’s Sexuality

Part one of my LGBTS analyses

Hello, it’s Charlie here again, and in this post I’m going to be sharing my opinion on Tae’s sexuality. Or in other words, why I believe he may be LGBT+.

Of course, I should start this by saying, yes, I do not in fact know what his sexuality is, the only way to truly know is if he says it himself. With that being said, I do think that we are allowed to speculate on the matter. If we weren’t, they themselves would have said so. And also, this is Tumblr so who gives a fuck. And we need to acknowledge the possibility of idols not being straight. Talking about this will only pave the way for a future where they would feel safer to be who they truly are.

Another thing I should add is that, if you are expecting this to turn into a t/k analysis, I apologize, but it won’t. I myself believe in Jikook, as those of you who already follow me know. In fact, this post won’t really talk about any ships in a way that is trying to prove their legitimacy. There will be a few moments that are mentioned but they will be used mainly to prove TH’s attraction to men. Who I ship and don’t ship won’t have anything to do with this. But I’d also like to point out that I love all ships (OT7 is the best) so I won’t be looking down on any of them here.

And of course, if you want to discuss any of what you said, feel free to drop into my ask. Just please stay civil, I want to keep my blog positive so if you’re going to be rude I just won’t answer you.

Now, let’s get onto the actual post:

I’m going to be building my case (I apologize for my dictionary, one of my hobbies is competitive debating so bear with me, I don’t take myself as seriously as it may seem) on a few things that are more obvious in of themselves and then a few that may not mean anything if look at separately but when put together make too much sense. Also, I’m only going to be mentioning only things I can analyze. There are things he has done that I, as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community myself, recognize as, well, gay culture (Won’t be me if I don’t use memes) but I cannot really explain (ex.: his whole kinky puppy on a leash thing he’s got going on with the other members) so I will be refraining from using those so people can’t come and say “tHaT dOeS nOt mEaN aNyThInG fUcK yOu”.

Let me start with one of the most obvious ones to me, which I know many others also agree on:

1.       Stigma

Before we even play the song, the first thing we notice is the title – “Stigma”. The Cambridge definition of the word is “a strong feeling of disapproval that most people in a society have about something, especially when this is unfair”. We off the bat get the vibe that this song will be about something society tends to disapprove of without a real reason, such as being LGBTQIA+. Then we notice the melody and TH’s voice. We immediately understand that the song is a sad one, an emotional one, a deep one. Now let’s get onto the actual lyrics. I’ve been hiding it

I tell you something

Just to leave it buried

Now I can’t endure it anymore

Why couldn’t I say it then?

I have been hurting anyway

Really I won’t be able to endure it

It starts off with a person who has been keeping a secret from those close to him, a secret that has been eating him from the inside. He can’t take hiding it anymore. The song starts with a confession. Now cry

It’s only that I’m very sorry towards you

Again, cry because I couldn’t protect you

The secret he has just shared is hurting the one who he shared it with. They are crying and he is sorry for disappointing them, for hurting them. More often than not, when one comes out to their family, they are met with a negative reaction. Their family has lived their entire lives expecting their child to marry someone from the opposite gender and have a traditional family. All of a sudden, their fantasy is gone. They are faced with something they do not approve of coming from someone very close to them. Along with being disappointed they are also afraid for both their child and for themselves and what the future holds for all of them. They see it as a disgrace to the family. Deeper, deeper, the wound just gets deeper

Like pieces of broken glass that I can’t reverse

Deeper, it’s just the heart that hurts every day

(You) who was punished in my stead,

You who were only delicate and fragile The person who made the confession is deeply hurt. He is both sorry for himself and for disappointing his family. (I’m saying family as they are mentioned later on in the lyrics, clarifying who he has been talking to throughout the song).

Stop crying, tell me something

Try saying to me, who had no courage

Why did you do that to me then

I’m sorry

He continues on enforcing the idea that he is both hurt and apologetic. He’s sorry that he is the way he is both because he is hurting them by it and they are hurting him because of it.

Forget it,

what right do I have

To tell you to do this, or that

He believes he is not deserving of their approval, support and forgiveness. *chorus again*

I’m sorry I’m sorry

I’m sorry ma brother

Even if (I try to) hide it, or conceal it, it can’t be erased

Here is where he shows that he’s talking about his family. Here is where we also see that what he is sorry for is not something he did, which is what most people speculate, but rather something he IS. How could he hide, conceal or erase a past action. If he has DONE something which hurt someone else, that’s not something you try to hide, that’s not how it works, for one to hide something that thing has to be present for more than one moment. Like a trait, not an action. If something he has DONE has hurt someone directly, that person must have been there or at least be aware of it, hence it would not be a secret. And here also comes the fact that hiding, concealing and trying to erase is the very definition of what being in the closet is.

Are you calling me a sinner

What more do I have to say

That part pretty much speaks for itself. Homosexuality being a sin is the main argument homophobes have. People have been and still are being killed for being gay because it’s “against god’s will”. Not to quote the lyrics but like, what more do I have to say.

I’m sorry I’m sorry

I’m sorry ma sister

Even if (I try to) hide it, or conceal it, it can’t be erased

So cry

Please dry my eyes

For the first time in the song, conveniently near the end, he is asking for support. He is asking his family to dry his eyes even if they are also crying. Please don’t stop loving me.

That light, that light, please illuminate my sins

Where I can’t turn back the red blood is flowing down

Deeper, I feel like dying every day

Please let me be punished

Please forgive me for my sins

Please

The song ends with him begging to be forgiven. Begging to be accepted. He is hurting so much he wants to die and he just needs their love. Sin is once again mentioned, twice this time.

To finish off, Tae is the only member who has chosen not to share the meaning behind the song. The darkest song out of all seven of them, left without context. Because the context is already in it.

It is also interesting to note that we all know Tae went through some shit near the end of last year and the beginning of this year. I do know that his grandma’s passing is a big part of it. But the thing is, Stigma comes from a very deep place within him. Everyone who has read the lyrics can tell that the one who wrote them has been through a lot of pain. Something is so dark is bound to put you through hell for at least a while. It is a song that basically shows self-hate. I’m sure those of you who are also LGBT+ will recognize the feeling he described so well. I do believe he went through a serious path to get to a point where he accepts himself. And he does confirm he has gone through a lot in the letter he wrote to JM.

2.       When he fell in love with the photographer in 2 hours

https://twitter.com/ironchim/status/917878874779848704 - here is the video of the moment I’m talking about.

Main thing I’d like to point out here is how shy he gets when YG makes fun of him for having a crush on the photographer. I’m sure this reminds some of you of that time JM fell for the helicopter pilot.

3.       The reason behind his love for Gucci

Tae has said that one of his role models is Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci. Here is one instance where he has said it - https://mimibtsghost.tumblr.com/post/161685823623/vs-taehyung-profile-eng-trans-name-kim . First, I’d like to point out the fact that Alessandro is an openly gay man with a long-term partner. He is also someone who has been very outspoken about LGBT+ issues, which can also be seen in one of his collection that directly challenges gender expression. Here we can also bring up Gucci’s rainbow love. The abundance of rainbow attire in Gucci is linked not only to colors but also to the gay flag. This may answer people’s questions about why some of us are making a big deal out of Tae’s Gucci phone case with the rainbow UFO and recently the same UFO as a pin on JK’s tie at 2017’s Gayo Daejun. Knowing that Tae’s role model is Alessandro conforms that he is aware of the meaning behind it.

4.       Ryan McGinley

Another one of his role models is Ryan McGinley (as mentioned in the post linked above). Who is Ryan McGinley you may ask? Another openly gay artist. He is a photographer known for his nude pictures, many of which are of men and of gay couples. Here is what Tae has said about him:

5.       This

6.       Ante Badzim

 *gasps* another gay photographer he idolizes. The two of them actually had a sort of collaboration (exchange of photographs) and Ante is the one who came up with the nickname Vante. Here is TH’s part of the exchange:

And here is what Ante gave back:

7.       “I can understand now why people look at you and go ‘oh’”

Let us never forget the time Tae posted a series of picture he took of HS on fancafe and accompanied them with this poem:

8.       Lack of boundaries with skinship

Now, we all know that SK is a lot more open when it comes to skinship between friends. But what we also know is that even in SK, there are some boundaries. Things that make people raise their brows. And Tae is very prone to those. Here are some examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKQu4v0Pyvo

As much as some may just want to say “he’s just a touchy person”, I as a very touchy person who is LGBT+ and has many LGBT+ friends, can tell you that there is a thing like skinship being platonic at the same time as there being no hetero explanation for what is happening. When LGBT+ friends are together touchiness and flirting takes on a whole new form, believe me.

9.       That time he accidentally called a co actor handsome and got super shy about it

In an interview with him and two of his costars from Hwarang they were, I believe, reacting to the drama. At one point Tae reacted to Hyungsik by quietly mumbling “You are handsome” but the other actors and the staff heard him and started laughing and he got so shy he tried to disappear off-screen.

10.   This

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpLTlXAL-0Q

11.   I mean….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpfTP3ibqh0&index=5&list=PLAw_Pp0vdPw1_TzREMD0J5pcXmtlwOTWK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ChR_wd2rHA&index=3&list=PLAw_Pp0vdPw1_TzREMD0J5pcXmtlwOTWK

– Someone please give me a straight explanation for this, I’m begging you

12.   Checking guys out

We can’t just ignore how many times he has directly checked guys out (we all know how he has a habit of leaving his mouth hanging open when he’s amazed by something). Here is an example of this but if you do your own research you will find a lot more:

(Credit to the creator of the gif, I apologize that I couldn’t find who made it. If it’s you please contact me so I can give propper credit).

In conclusion, I am not saying Tae is definitely LGBT+ but you shouldn’t be saying he’s definitely straight either because there are reasons to believe he may not be.

Cheers!

[strawberryfiction]

Two Tones (part 4)

Pairing: Raywod

Warning: heterochromia!Ryan

Summary: Ray was working nights at probably the safest bar in Los Santos. ON night a man comes in not looking for alcohol, and its the first thing Ray’s never seen int he bar before. The second is the mans eyes, one green and one blue. They haunt Ray until he meets the man again in different circumstances.

Ray stepped in quickly, “And Michael is drunk! Video games, less talking!”

Ray could hear Michaels heavy sigh of anger, his line of questioning wasn’t done, but Ray wasn’t mentally prepared – and he bet Ryan wasn’t either. Ryan struggled to start a conversation without looking nervously at Michael who looked like a rubber band about to snap.

“Michael can I talk to you?” Ray had paused the game.

Michael shrugged, “Sure.”

“What the fuck?” Ray hissed.

Michael shrugged again as the two stood in the kitchen.

“Why are you giving Ryan the third degree?”

Michael smirked, “Someone has to play the father figure.”

Ray clammed up quickly.

“Gavin likes everyone, just have a conversation with the guy. If they have a pleasant conversation Gavin automatically gives them the seal or approval. I’m here to be on your side.”

Ray shook his head, “I don’t need anyone on my side.” He rolled his eyes.

Michael leaned in on the counter, “Ray, you’ve never liked anyone like this before.”

Placing his elbows on the counter Ray leaned in towards Michaela, “I’ve had crushed before.”

Michael shook his head, “Not like this, you’ve never talked to them or asked them to hang out. Usually they fizz out in a week tops. I just don’t want your first relationship to be your worst.” He gave a half smile showing off his dimple.

Ray sighed rocking back on his heels holding on to the counter, “You’re right, thanks.”

A ringing phone cause Michael and Ray to turn their heads back towards the couch. Ryan stood up looking sheepishly back tot hem a sleek black phone in his hand.

“Uh, where’s your bathroom?” Ryan asked his smile tight.

“Down the hall on the right,” Ray answered.

Ryan hurried towards it.

“What do you think that was about?” Gavin watched Ryan jog towards the bathroom.

Michael opened a new beer, “We could find out,” he winked.

“No,” Ray snapped waging his finger, “No.”

“Come on Ray snoop a little, why is he so secretive?” Michael pushed, “What is he hiding?”

“It’s not my business,” Ray groaned.

“Snoop!” Michael shouted.

Ray pushed him, “He’s going to hear you.”

“Ha! You’re gonna do it!”

“Are we ever going to finish this game?” Gavin waved his controller in the air.

“You guys play a round without me.”

“Love bring me a beer,” Gavin requested.

Ray crept towards the bathroom praying none of the boards would creak. As he slid up to the bathroom he strained to listen feeling a pit start in his stomach. Snooping wasn’t Ray’s MO.

“I’m sorry, look” Ryan sounded distressed and out of breath.

Ray held his breath getting closer to the door. He was an inch away from pressing his ear up to the wooden door.

“I swear I can get it. Give me time, you know I can.” Ryan’s voice lowered to a harsh whisper, “I can get the money.” He hissed.

The pit in Ray’s stomach became instantly bottomless. It sounded like Ryan was in some sort of financial trouble. Then he could hear water running from the tap, Ray flinched when Ryan’s hand slapped the countertop. Taking that as the cue that Ryan had finished his phone call Ray scrambled down the hallway back to the kitchen.

“Find out anything juicy?” Michael snickered.

Gavin was still focused on the game, “Does he have a secret life?”

Ray bit his lip which caused Gavin to actually look back at him.

Ray’s mouth fell open; he wasn’t sure what to say. Before a word could fall out though Ryan had returned a smile on his face.

“Sorry, work is a pain in my ass sometimes, but I love it.” Ryan rolled his shoulder causing a pop.

“And the party continues,” Michael tossed a controller to Ryan and one to Ray, which Ryan caught for him.

While game night was fun Ray couldn’t help finding his mind wander to the conversation he had overheard. Maybe the business was under paying Ryan, but what kind of trouble could he be in financially? The man seemed to innocent for gambling debts, and he seemed like he paid everyone on time if he borrowed money. Ray was slowly realizing that he didn’t know as much as he thought about the man with two different colored eyes. This is how he was going to change it though.

Game night ran smoothly, Ray and Ryan were an unstoppable team – though Ray was the backbone. Ryan had a dark murder side when it came to GTA, he seemed to enjoy the chaos. Though Ray and Ryan dominated in team kills Gavin was taking home the gold in races.

“The R and R connection will not stand for this!” Ray jumped from his seat.

“The what now?” Ryan asked.

“It’s our team name,” Ray shrugged looking down at his feet., “They have a team name.” he grumbled.

Ryan rose an eyebrow at Michael and Gavin.

Michael wrapped his arm around Gavin putting him in a headlock, “We’re team nice dynamite.” He said while Gavin squeaked.

“What?” Ryan looked to Ray.

“They’re inseparable” it was the only answer he could give.

Ryan’s two toned eyes looked Ray straight on and his smile crept up, “I accept the team name.”

Ray could have exploded on the spot. Instead he chose a gentle smile to match Ryan’s.

“Okay stay with me here,” Ray was leaning over the bar, he’d shown up early just to talk to Geoff.

Geoff was finishing cleaning before the night crowd showed up, “I’m listening, but only sort of.”

“You liked Ryan,” Ray started his pitch.

Geoff shrugged, “Seemed like a good guy.”

“We don’t have a bouncer for the night shifts.”

“Ray,” Geoff dragged out the name narrowing his eyes.

“What if you hired Ryan,” Ray spoke slower.

“You’re kidding; we’ve never needed a bouncer. There’s rarely trouble here. I was joking.” Geoff hung up his apron and the conversation was over.

Ray panicked, “I was attacked a week ago out by the dumpsters,” the words tumbled from his mouth in a haze.

Geoff’s eyes were on him clear blue searching for a lie, there was no way something bad could happen in their safe haven. By the way Geoff’s eyes fell to the bar Ray knew he accepted the truth.

“Fine,” Geoff gave in, “He starts tonight.” Geoff balled up his apron.

Something felt broken between Ray and Geoff now, like Ray had betrayed him. He was just telling the truth, but it hurt Geoff’s believe of a safe haven paradise. Ray was staring at his cellphone, maybe it was the fact Ray had kept the attack from Geoff, like he didn’t trust him. Calling Ryan was a hollow victory.

Three rings in and Ray was afraid after his subtle battle with Geoff he wouldn’t even get his prize. That would cause a whole new line of issues - like Geoff hiring someone else to watch Ray – like a real babysitter.

“Hey Ray.”

Ray couldn’t stop the sigh of relief from his lungs, “Ryan.”

“Are you okay? You sound panicked.”

“I didn’t think you’d pick up,” Ray was leaning against the bar on his left hand as the right held his phone to his ear.

“It’s your lucky day,” Ryan’s smile was audible in his voice.

Ray forced himself not to sound too excited, “What do you think about coming to work more or less full time at the bar?” he rushed through his statement, “At night as a bouncer.”

Ryan said nothing.

Ray sat on the other end of line listening to breathing. Seconds ticked by.

“Ry-“ Ray couldn’t handle the silence.

“I can’t just leave my job.”

Ray’s heart was sinking, “Can’t you just give it a try?”

“Ray no one bothers you in there, I think you’re pretty safe,” Ryan had the same tone Geoff had of a finalized conversation.

Ray griped his cellphone harder, “You don’t know that, what about the skull mask guy?” He hated sounding like he was begging. Why did he care if Ryan took the offer or not, he had other ways to see him besides flirting at work. He’d already made a stink at Geoff though and brought the older man to the idea. He knew he would feel like a fool if Ryan didn’t come in at all.

Still the other end was quiet.

“Okay,” Ray was ready to hang up with the taste of shame in his mouth.

“Wait.”

Ray heard the voice from the receiver as he pulled his cellphone away form his ear.

“I’ll do it,” Ryan had agreed.

Ray could feel himself shooting towards the moon.

“Goodnight Geoff,” Ray gave his usual farewell to the man. His chest felt sore when Geoff gave him a worried look before saying his goodbye.

“He said he’d do it,” Ray told Geoff, but he knew he was reassuring himself.

After twenty minutes of being alone in the quiet bar Ray felt panic in his heart. As if the man in the skull mask would be the one to barge into the bar. The thought made his heart race, and Ray told himself he was being ridiculous. His eyes watched his fingers drum on the sleek wood of the bar. The door opened and Ray’s heart stopped.

Ryan stood there with a lopsided grin, “Sorry I didn’t bring flowers.”

“This isn’t a date you’re on the clock,” Ray got a glass form under the bar.

“If I’m on the clock why am I getting a drink?” Ryan leaned against the wall next to the bar.

“There’s no alcohol,” Ray grabbed the soda sprayer, “You’re aloud some soda.” Ray paused, “And hey maybe food!” He darted back to the kitchen. Sure enough a sandwich and a side of macaroni was waiting for him.

Ryan rose his eyebrows.

“Bruce is the cook. He always leaves me something, because according to him I’m going to waste away to nothing,” Ray emphasized with air quotes.

Ryan took a sip from his glass, “I’m on Bruce’s side here.”

Ray held out a sandwich slice, “Want it?”

Ryan shook his head, “Nah, you look like you need it.”

Against his better judgment Ray flung macaroni at Ryan.

“Come on,” Ryan warned stepping away from the cheesy mess.

Ray shrugged, “Not sure why you’re complaining I have to clean it up.”

“So like where should I stand? By the door?” Ryan called to Ray while he was digging in the supply closet fishing out the mop from behind the gazillion buckets they seemed to have stock piled.

“I don’t know, where’s the best vantage point to spot a shady looking guy?” Ray pulled the mop from its hiding spot.

The night rolled by with light conversation, only a few costumers with sleepy looks in their eyes. Ray poured Ryan five glasses of diet coke before the night’s end. Something about having Ryan there made the night go by so much faster, and the car ride to his apartment was so much better than walking.

Again Ray invited Ryan to spend the night looking into the mans two toned eyes, again he declined. One day, Ray sighed to himself as he stripped down to his boxers. At least he got to see Ryan more.

Getting ready for work Ray practically danced around his apartment playing the latest Starbomb album. He hummed along combing his hair, and checking his teeth in the mirror for bits of lunch his monster didn’t wash away. He looked pretty good. Winking to himself and giving finger gun Ray knew he was ready or work. Headphones in and he was off before it even got dark.

It was Ray’s fourth day working with Ryan, and he’d noticed how much busier the bar had gotten with an official bouncer. Ray wasn’t sure if it made the place look more official or if girls just wanted to take more selfies with the new employee. He hoped he wasn’t missing his romantic chance, but he couldn’t see the bumbling girls being Ryan’s type. Still he wanted to make a move on Ryan, he’d talked to Michael about it and Michael didn’t think he was being obvious enough. Ray’s hints were too subtle and friendly if he wanted Ryan to know his heart was available he’d have to be more obvious. The only issue Ray had was the possible tremendous back fire. What if Ryan didn’t see him that way or just plain wasn’t even into guys? Time and time again Michael kept reassuring Ray that his radar was tingling, and to make the move.

Taking a deep breath Ray walked into the bar as Geoff was taking off his apron and cleaning up a few stray dishes. Ray picked up a plate from a table as he walked across the hardwood floor.

“Missed one,” Ray held out the plate.

Geoff nodded as he took it to be placed in the dishwasher, “You’re early, couldn’t sleep in till the last minute?”

Ray’s face heated up as he looked at his shoes, were there still ovens on?

“It looks like you even combed your hair,” Geoff teased.

“I had some time,” Ray shrugged moving past Geoff to put on his apron.

“Still can’t be bothered to iron that shirt though huh? Even to impress someone.”

“I don’t own an iron,” Ray grumbled.

Geoff shook his head, but he smiled, “I don’t know how you guys are doing it, but you’re drumming up more night traffic.”

Rays hands were shaking, “We’re a good team.”

“Keep being a good team,” Geoff twisted the end of his mustache, “Have a good night.”

“Night boss,” Ray tied his apron around his waist, how did Geoff put it together before Ryan?

Cleaning off glasses and sweeping the floor Ray got ready for the night crowed to stir in, all he needed was Ryan by the doors and he was golden to go. While rubbing down the bar ray heard the door open.

Excitedly Ray lifted his head.

Ryan stood there giving a half wave. Ray could feel the heat in his cheeks while Ryan crossed the bar floor. He was stunning and Ray had to check for drool.

“You’ll never guess who shrunk their work shirt,” It was Ryan opener.

“So I’m not the only one who owns only one good shirt. Geoff always teases me about that.” Ray smiled wide.

“Hey,” Ryan held up his finger, ‘I do own more than one nice shirt, they’re just not all black.” He paused, “That’s you’re only nice shirt?”

“I had another one,” Ray rolled his eyes, “I just happened to leave it in the laundry mat and it got stolen. Course I left it there for two days.”

Ryan threw his head back in laughter not even trying to hide it.

As usual the night was perfect with only one altercation by a group of drunk twenty-one year olds celebrating a buddies birthday.  Ryan was in there in seconds practically threatening time out to the drunk squabbles. They both tucked their tails between their legs. While Ryan had the guys under control girls were another story. Ray watched one of the guests from the party hang on Ryan, and Ryan had no firm voice when it came to girls. He seemed to practically beg her to let him work. With a sigh Ray put his own tough guy act on.

Leaving the counter Ray went in to rescue Ryan from the shadow he had acquired.

“Miss please,” Ryan’s voice was gentle and almost nervous.

“Hey, s’cuse me,” Ray tapped the girl on the shoulder, she frowned like she expected someone else, “You’re kind of keeping our bouncer here from doing his job. As you can see we’re packed tonight, and I need him on his toes.”

The girl looked Ray up and down giving him a sneer.

“Maybe you guys can chat after his shift,” Ray looked at Ryan he’d have a plan for keeping her away. “Ryan can you come help me with some boxes?”

Ryan nodded, a look of relief in his multicolored eyes. The girl reluctantly let go and Ray cut through the crowd with Ryan in tow.

Shutting the door to the kitchen Ray snickered to himself as Ryan let out the biggest sigh of relief Ray had ever heard.

“Thanks for that.”

Ray shrugged, “Sometimes a guy has to be his bouncers knight in shining armor.”

Ryan crossed his arms, “I’m not your personal body guard you know.”

“I got you the job, protect me as a thank you.” Ray laughed.

Ryan rolled his eyes.

Ray was going to crack another joke when Ryan leaned down closed eyes. Lips pressed against Rays, and his mind was spinning he was still looking cross eyed at Ryan wondering if he was still sleeping in at home. When he willed himself to close his eyes he could feel his shoulders fall and warm hands place themselves on top of his bony joints.

With the new found leverage Ray felt Ryan remove himself from the kiss.

“Thanks again,” Ryan turned on his heels walking back out to the crowd.

Ray stood there feeling like he should have thanked Ryan, his body was shaking and walking felt impossible. Breathing in he tried to compose himself, he couldn’t wait to tell Michael and Gavin.

“Best late night shift I’ve ever worked!” Ray fell back over the arm of the couch.

Gavin made a high pitched squeak sound while letting his own body rest along Michaels knees on the love seat.

“Score one Ray,” Michael raised his beer, “Cheers to saving the damsel in distress!”

Ray could feel his face heat up, he put his arm over his eyes, “Pick a movie already.”

“Something romantic for Ray so he can take notes on what to do next,” Gavin cooed.

“Please something with explosions,” Ray hopped the two couldn’t see the smile creeping across his face.  He’d really done it, Ryan and him weren’t official yet, but Ray certainly hadn’t pulled away from the kiss.

They decided on a comedy as a medium between the three, something mindless. It let Ray’s mind come in and out paying attention wasn’t needed. If anything he was on his phone more than anything. He’d been texting Ryan on and off. Now that they worked together a lot of things became a lot less awkward. There were either hour long pauses between replies or they happened in seconds there was no in-between.

‘Got room for one more on your couch?’ Ryan had texted.

Ray’s reply was one of the ones that happened in seconds, ‘Are you asking me to come over?’

‘Yea.’

“Ryan asked to come hang out!” Ray shouted quickly replying yes.

“The shows on the road,” Michael shouted.

“Open a beer!” Gavin jumped off Michael and headed to the fridge where the two kept their hang out stash.

“How do I look?” Ray asked before heading to the door when he heard the bell ring.

Gavin winked, “Like a champion.”

Ray put on his biggest smile before opening the door, “Ryan!” his smile fell an inch, “What happened to your face?”

Ryan rubbed the back of his head shrugging his shoulders his smile sat sideways on his face under his purple eye, “Accident at work, I hit myself in the face while pulling out a stubborn weed.”

Ray tried to stop the chuckle from erupting out of his mouth, but he couldn’t. It came out in small hiccups, “Sorry,” he inhaled, “I – would you like some ice?”

“I think the damage is already done,” Ryan shrugged.

“Oh,” Ray examined the shiner under Ryan’s green eye, “It’s hardly noticeable.”

Ryan gently pushed past Ray getting into the apartment, “I think I look tough.”

“I knew we should have watched an action movie,” Michael smirked.

“What are you guys watching?” Ryan took a seat on the couch.

[valkyrieofsmut]

Starting with an accidental encounter  part 16

Kurt Wagner x Non mutant! OC

Types: Smut. All smut. Romance, too. Maybe some angst?

Overall series warnings: Smut. Always smut. Anxiety, panic attacks, bit of violence, swearing, sexual harassment in one chap, German (translations provided, but I have bad grammar… Sorry native speakers…) (can’t remember any more at the moment)

A/n- Um... I really wanted this to be out on time, but seriously, the only reason Gargoyle’s Angel came out on time this week is because it was already scheduled lol. I’ve been sick for the last week, and mostly either asleep, or wishing I was asleep, so I have a bunch of stuff to catch up on. I am working on it, though!   Lacy is a bit, shall we say, afraid, and says some things she shouldn’t when someone comes back to visit the mansion. Kurt is a big soft teddy bear... Think that’s it! Oh, also, I didn’t have enough time to check with my German fact/ word checking friends about the Spaetzle... I just remember eating eating it with only lemon and getting laughed at, and that it’s usually eaten with gravy?... So chime in if it’s not as weird as I remember... lol

Series masterlist     Masterlist

Story!

Lacy closed the file she was working on, finally done, and attached it to an email to Luis with the rest of her work from the week, then rolled over and tossed her headphones back to the laptop.

She looked out of the window, missing when Kurt would come to it and tap gently, as though worried to wake her. She realized she was smiling and quickly turned it to a frown. She didn’t want to miss him. She wanted to be mad at him. It was just hard to do when he called her every day begging for forgiveness.

The phone rang and she turned to look at it as Kurt’s voice filled the area around it. “I have to say it zhis time, Lacy. I vant to be vizh you. I’m having trouble sleeping. All I can zhink about is how stupid I vas and vhat I can do to make it up to you. You should tell me, Lacy, anyzhing you can zhink of, anyzhing zhat vill make it hurt less, even zhe tiniest zhing… Even if you vant me to turn myself in to zhe senator… I vill do it for you…”

He took a breath. “I hope zhat’s not vhat you vant, but… Ach, Lacy… Please zhink about it; us, I mean, our relationship… I remember, vhen you cooked zhose brats, remember?” Lacy nodded her head slightly, even though he couldn’t see. “Vhen you had zhat panic attack… Remember you zhought I’d leave? I told you zhat you’d have to try harder…” Lacy looked at the phone, knowing it was about to cut out. “You still do, because- Lacy- I’ll do anyzhing it takes for you to forgive me-”

“- because I zhink I love you,” Kurt finished, knowing the machine had cut him off before the words had left his lips. “Schisse!” He threw the phone on his bed and ran his hands through his hair. “Schisse,” he cursed again.

He’d finally worked up the courage to say it over the phone, knowing that she’d most likely have a panic attack and he wasn’t there to comfort her, and the stupid machine cut him off. He paced his floor for a moment, then took the phone back down stairs, glaring at it.

“Having an argument with inanimate objects?” Kitty asked, pausing in the doorway.

Kurt looked up. “I guess…. Her machine cut me off, just as I vas saying-” He sighed, running his hand through his hair again. “Just as I vas saying how I feel…”

“Rough,” she said. “Why don’t you come watch old romantic movies with me?” He raised a brow at her. “I’ve been thinking a lot about Piotr lately,” she told him softly.

Kurt went with her into the rec room and shared the tub of ice cream sitting on the table.

.

Lacy laid awake that night, wondering what Kurt had been about to say. It was obvious that it wasn’t the end of his sentence, but he hadn’t called back to finish, which meant he probably didn’t think it was something that should be said over the phone. She tossed and turned, but couldn’t fall asleep.

.

Lacy looked up from the book she was holding as the phone rang, knowing it was Kurt. “Your lips,” he said. “Vhen you smile. Vhen you laugh. Vhen you’re sleeping. Zhey open just a little, and, it makes me vant to kiss you… Your eyes, vhen you look at me, vhen you hear a joke, vhen you’re excited… Zhey shine- glow, really. It lights up zhe room… Your nose, vhen you’re zhinking and you viggle it, like zhe voman on Bevitched… Zhe vay your hair falls in your face vhen you lean over and you brush it out of zhe vay… Sometimes I zhink you do it on purpose, because it alvays catches my attention… Vhen you have it up, or down, or just in a ponytail… Zhe vay you chuckle and smile vhen ve vatch tv and zhere’s a joke… Your fingers, vhen zhey hold my hand… Your skin… It’s so soft vhen I run my hands over you…”

The machine beeped as it cut him off, and Lacy felt the tears growing in her eyes.

He called a few more times over the next few days, listing things he liked about her, the things he liked doing with her, the way he felt when she smiled, or looked at him…

Lacy had trouble trying to stay mad at him.

It was a little after she’d sent her email of work for the week when the phone rang. “I love zhe vay you bite your lip vhen you smile,” Kurt told her, sounding heart broken. “And how you brush your hair out of your face, but leave it vhen it falls back… Zhe vay you look at me vhen you zhink I’m not looking… I hope you haven’t lost zhat… If I could go back in time… tell myself not to be an idiot… just remember vhat I know is true… Lacy I- I-” He sighed and was silent for a moment.

“I love how you care about mutants, vorrying about zhem vhen I tell you vhat I do on missions, zhen pull me close and wrap my arms around you, comfort me vhen I tell you vhat happens… I vish I could see you right now… I vould wrap my arms around you and hold you close… Tell you about how I did somezhing so stupid I can’t sleep… beg for forgiveness…” He trailed off and Lacy could hear that he was near tears.

She bit her lip as she picked up the phone and laid on the bed, looking at it.

“I vould tell you zhat I- ... I love zhat you vear only zhe smallest amount of makeup so zhat I can see vhat you really look like…” He sighed. “Zhe machine is going to hang up on me again…” He didn’t say anything for a moment.

Lacy hit the talk button and laid there silently for a moment as he waited for the machine to hang up. “What else?” She asked softly.

“Lacy?” Kurt asked hopefully.

“What else do you like?” She asked him.

Kurt sighed, sounding like he’d just been relieved of a great pain. “I love hearing your voice. It’s been too long since I’ve heard it… Say somezhing else?” He asked tentatively.

“What else would you say to me?” She asked quietly.

“I vould tell you how beautiful you are,” he said, and she let out an almost inaudible snort. “You are, Lacy. Remember, vhen you came over here, und I made you admit it?” He asked, and she could hear the smile on his lips. “I have a hard time forgetting vhen I lay here… Zhe vay you smell, and zhe softness vhen I hold you close,” he paused as he smiled again. “It makes me feel… I don’t know vhat zhe vord is, Lacy. I just know zhat if I vas zhere, I vould tell you- I- if I vas zhere I vould say it…” He was silent, listening to her breathing.

“What would you say?” She asked.

Kurt hesitated. “I- I vant to tell you face to face. It vill be besser.”

Lacy was quiet for a moment, just laying on the bed with the phone to her ear. “Kurt… I have to go…”

“Vait, Lacy… I- I, ah… Bitte, let me hear your voice again, so I can remember it until next time?” He asked softly.

“Kurt… I think I still need some time… I’m sorry…” She told him.

Kurt closed his eyes. “I- I… Ok, Lacy. G-goodnight,” he whispered.

“Try to get some sleep,” she told him, holding back the choking feeling in her throat.

"I'll try, for you," he whispered.

…    …   …   

Kurt paced his room, not paying attention to the dvd menu screen that had been showing for the last two hours on his tv.

He had managed to keep himself from calling Lacy for the past two days, but it had been hard, causing him to log an inordinate amount of hours in the danger room.

Finally, he couldn’t stand to stay in his room any longer, and opened the door, making his way outside. He walked through the gate and started down the street, wandering aimlessly.

Hours later, he returned to the mansion, running into Kitty in the kitchen. “Kurt! There you are! I was looking for you earlier. Where have you been?” She asked, pausing before hopefully asking, “with Lacy?” Kurt shook his head, sitting at the table. “You’re awfully quiet… What’s wrong? Still trying to give Lacy time?” He nodded and she put her arm around him. “It’s ok, Kurt… She’ll come around. She said she wouldn’t say she didn’t forgive you, and she answered the phone… That has to be something, right?”

He didn’t say anything.

…    …    …    

Nearly a week had passed, and Kurt was again wandering aimlessly around town.

The heavy, grey clouds finally broke, rain starting to fall. After a minute the downpour really started and he was drenched in minutes.

He decided to turn around and head back to the mansion, walking slowly.

.

Lacy grabbed her jacket, looking out the window to see how the rain had slowed to a light drizzle.

She started to the bus stop and rode it to the stop she needed, climbing off.

The bus pulled away, splashing her feet with the puddle that had accumulated. She sighed and shook her feet, but figured that she would be able to take her shoes off when she got where she was going.

Her eyes traveled over her surroundings, but she didn’t pay much attention, thinking instead about Kurt and how progressively tortured he’d sounded when he called. He had been so sad when she’d told him she needed more time, she could hear it in his voice.

She sighed again and continued down the sidewalk.

A car roared down the road, revving loudly and she turned to look, seeing a black sports car fly past, making a wave fly over her, soaking her as the jackass whooped and hollered as he roared away.

Lacy shook her arms off, glaring after the car.

.

Kitty sat in the kitchen with Logan, enjoying a plate of cookies dipped in hot chocolate. “So, then the guy thinks it’s like, this huge, heavy box, but then the magician pushes a button or something and it’s as light as air and he lifts it over his head with one hand. I don’t know, I guess it doesn’t sound like a lot but it looked-” She paused as they heard the door open and close. “Oh, Kurt must be back. Anyway, it looked really-” She cut off as a female head poked into the kitchen, short blond hair, green eyes, and a model like body following after.

“Hi, I thought I heard you in here, Kitty!” Logan’s hard stare settled on the woman and his jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed. “Logan, how’s it hangin’? Ok…” She mumbled at his silence. “Anyway, how are you, Kitty?”

“Fine,” she answered.

“How��s Kurt? I heard he got a hologram thingy, to hide himself so he can go out and stuff. Is he cute?”

“Yeah,” Kitty said, agitated. “What brings you here, Alissa?”

“Oh, you know, just have a meeting with the Professor, about the senator and stuff, you know.” Kitty nodded. “Is Kurt here?” Alissa asked.

“He’s out right now,” Kitty said, turning to Logan. “I hope he remembered an umbrella, he probably got soaked if not.”

“Yeah, he’ll have to take a shower,” Alissa agreed. “It smells like the river out there. Anyway, I have to get to my meeting,” she cheerfully chirped, turning and leaving.

“Did you hear her?” Kitty asked, disgusted. Logan grunted. “And asking about Kurt! Like she cares…” She turned to her drink and dropped a cookie in as her grip broke it while trying to dunk it.

The door opened again and Kurt wandered to the kitchen, pulling a drink from the fridge.

“Hi, Kurt- oh, yeah, it does smell like the river,” Kitty commented, covering her nose.

Kurt looked up, seeing them for the first time, though he’d walked past them. “Hi,” he answered softly, heading to the stairs.

Logan shook his head. “Elf just can’t keep from getting into trouble with women.”

Kurt chugged the soda as he walked up the stairs to his room. He threw the empty can in the garbage and peeled off his soaked clothes, tossing them into the basket in the corner after emptying his pockets.

He pulled his towels out and climbed into the shower.

Kitty ate the now lukewarm chocolate drenched cookie after fishing it out as silence filled the kitchen. “I hope Alissa leaves Kurt alone, hopefully she’ll be gone before he even finds out she’s here…” Logan grunted in agreement as there was a knock on the door. “Wow, we’re the most popular house on the block today,” Kitty declared as she stood and walked to the door. She opened it and saw Lacy standing on the step, looking like a drowned rat. “Oh my god, Lacy- I- what happened to you?”

“Some asshole thought I needed a bath and sped through a lake to do the honors,” she answered, trying to smile.

Kitty stepped back and let her in, taking her soaking coat. “Oh my- wow, I bet you’re soaked all the way through…”

“Yeah, kind of wondering about the hygienics of the water on me right now,” Lacy agreed.

“Well, let me take your coat and stuff… You should take a shower- sorry-”

“No, I know, it smells like the river,” Lacy agreed. “But I didn’t want to go home when I’d just gotten here…”

“Well, I’m sure that Kurt will let you use his shower again, and I’m sure I’ve got a sports bra or something, we’ve got some extra clothes around here, I’m sure… Um… Let’s go upstairs,” Kitty said, guiding her, wanting to get her out of sight incase Alissa came back. “Here you go,” she said as she handed Lacy a sports bra. “Sorry, we know my clothes won't fit you since you’re a bit taller than me.”

“It’s ok,” Lacy smiled. “I’m sure I can hide out in a towel or something until my stuff gets dry.”

“Yeah, and it’ll be no time at all, I mean just a rinse and dry shouldn’t take long,” Kitty rambled, knocking on Kurt’s door.

The door opened and Kurt stood there, dripping, in a towel from his shower and covered in blue fur.

Lacy blushed and looked down, missing the heartbroken eyes that drifted to her.

“Lacy!” He cried in shock. After days of trying not to call her, then calling her again with no answer, he hadn’t thought she’d just show up out of the blue. “Lacy, you’re here,” he murmured, still in awe.

She tilted her head uncertainly, still not looking at him.

“She needs to borrow your shower, too,” Kitty told him.

“Oh, ja, sure, of course, come in,” Kurt said, opening the door. He lead her to the bathroom and took her clothes through the door. “Please, take your time, use as much hot vater as you vant,” Kurt told her through the crack in the door. He heard the water start and pulled on some clothes after handing Lacy’s dripping things to Kitty. “Ah, dumm,” he muttered to himself, realizing that he’d used the towels on his own shower.

He made his way downstairs to grab some clean towels, heading past the kitchen where Kitty had settled again with Logan.

“I don’t know, Half-pint,” Logan said. “We can hope, but she seems to want to see him.”

“Maybe we can go up there and escort her out after their meeting- Oh, hi, Kurt,” Kitty suddenly and brightly called as she noticed Kurt standing in the doorway.

“Hallo,” he answered uncertainly. “Vhat are you guys talking about?”

“Nothing, right Logan?” Logan just grunted and took a swig from his bottle. “What are you doing down here?”

“I had to grab some towels for Lacy,” Kurt told her.

“Oh, well you should get those to her, she might need them by now,” she urged.

“Right…” Kurt agreed, still put off but her tone.

Lacy ran her fingers through her hair, rinsing out the shampoo she’d put in. ‘Why am I here?’ She asked herself, pulling a bottle of conditioner to her and pouring some into her hand. ‘Because Kurt isn’t a bad person,’ she thought. ‘He’s actually a good person… Like with saving people’s lives and everything...’ She sighed as she smoothed the conditioner through her hair. ‘And he’s human; everyone makes mistakes…’

She grabbed his scrubby poof and poured some body wash on it, starting to scrub the river smell from her body. ‘Even if what he said was stupid-’ Lacy’s thoughts cut off as she thought she heard a noise and peeked around the curtain. She watched for a minute, but nothing was there, and she didn’t hear any more noises, so she went back to the spray, watching the soap float down her as the water washed it away. ‘Besides, Doug is right; men do and say stupid things when they get nervous, especially when they-’ she had to pause for breath. ‘- like you... And... maybe... I like him... a lot... too...’ Lacy started rinsing the conditioner from her hair, trying to not focus on that thought.

“God knows how much stupid stuff I’ve said when a guy I feel threatened by gets close to a girl I like, more so when I’ve gotten up the courage to ask her out,” Doug’s words ran through her mind as she tried to focus on just getting the conditioner out of her hair.

Suddenly the shower curtain was pulled back and Lacy’s head snapped to see what was happening.

“Kurt!” The blond on the other side of the tub called. “What the hell, you’re not Kurt.”

“Uuuhhhh,” was the only coherent word Lacy could get through her lips.

“Alissa?” Kurt asked in shock from the doorway.

Lacy yanked the curtain closed, feeling her face turn the color of a tomato.

Kurt pulled the other girl out and set the towels on the counter. “I, ah, brought you some towels.” Kurt closed the door and turned to Alissa. “Vhat are you doing here?”

“Oh, well I was in the neighborhood, had to come see the Professor. I heard you got a little thingy so you can go outside,” she commented. “Thought I’d come see it,” she told him, putting her hand on his chest and smiling seductively.

“Alissa,” Kurt started, taking her hand from his chest.

“Aren’t you interested? I know you must have been so lonely without me,” she said, stepping closer.

“Alissa, I’m not-”

“Come on, Kurt, are you saying that you don’t miss our time together?”

Kurt almost shuddered to remember what they had done together, remembering how constrained and one sided it had felt with her versus how amazing and involved it was with Lacy. “Zhat is in zhe past, Alissa, I’m vizh somevone else,” he told her.

She raised a brow. “Who? That girl? In the shower?” She paused as she looked to the door and back. “Why, does she have one of those things, too?”

Kurt’s eyebrows met in confusion. “No, she is not a mutant,” he told her.

“Oh, so, you got that thing and then met her. You better hurry and put it back on, you don’t want her to see the real you.” She leaned against him, trying to rub her body against his. “But, you know, I had sex with you before you got that thing. I should get first dibs.”

Kurt pushed her away. “I met her before I got my image inducer. Alissa, please, stop, I like her,” he told her.

Alissa’s expression of simpering deepened. “Kurt, don’t you still want me? If it’s a question of looks, I’ll beat her, hands down, and powers, you said she’s not even a mutant. So what is it she has that you want? Haven’t you had her already? Don’t you want to come back?”

Lacy peeked through the crack in the door, looking out and getting the sliver of sight that the two of them were standing very close. “Um, excuse me, are my clothes done yet?” She asked, opening the door a little so they knew she was there.

“Ah, no, not yet,” Kurt answered, hurrying to his closet. “Aber, I zhink I have somezhing you can borrow…”

Lacy looked out at the other woman, her model’s body, short, blond hair, green eyes. She looked perfect, and a feeling twisted at Lacy’s stomach. How could Kurt not want this girl? Kurt handed a t shirt and a pair of sweatpants to her through the door and the other woman gave her a superior look before she started for the door. “I’m heading downstairs.”

Lacy took the clothes and closed the door, pulling on the things and tightening the cord on the pants so they didn’t fall down. She ran her fingers through her hair, gathering it all into a ponytail and making sure it looked ok.

Her fingers moved down to her stomach. Sure, her breasts were larger than that other girl’s, but she was chubbier, too, not model thin, and her hair didn’t have that glow of perfection, and her eyes seemed to fade into her face without liner and mascara on. She bit her lip, staring at herself for a moment before opening the door and stepping out.

“Ah, Lacy,” Kurt said, standing from the bed.

“H-hi…”

“S-sorry, zhat vas Alissa, she- has a habit of not caring for ozhers…” He looked away shyly, but his eyes found hers again. “Lacy, I’m so glad you’re here,” he told her, hesitantly stepping forward, not sure if she wanted him to be so close yet.

“Really?” She asked quietly.

“Ja,” he told her. “Of course, vhy vouldn’t I be?”

‘How about that perfection throwing herself at you, for one,’ she thought. Instead of speaking, she shrugged and looked away.

Kurt tried to smile. “Lacy, do you vant to go play some pool? I’m sure ve could get Kitty to join, maybe even Logan,” he suggested, knowing that she’d had fun playing pool the last time she was there.

“Sure,” she answered, and they walked through the door.

“Oh,” Kurt said, stopping. “I forgot my image inducer, incase ve vant to go out or anyzhing,” he told her. “I vill be right back.”

She slowly walked down the hall, getting to the top of the stairs and seeing the blond, Alissa, standing there against the wall.

“So, going after my sloppy seconds?”

“What?” Lacy asked.

“Oh, he didn’t tell you?” She asked coyly. “I’m Alissa. You know, maybe you should just go home. No offense or anything, just, you know, men fall in love with their first. And, that spot has already been taken, three years ago. By me.” Lacy stared at her in surprise. “Just thought I’d let you know.” Alissa straightened and made her way downstairs.

Kurt caught up to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Shall ve go down?”

Lacy turned to him. “Oh, yeah.”

They went down and stopped by the kitchen.

“Hey, Kitty, do you vant to play a game of pool vizh us?”

“Sure,” she answered, standing from her seat at the table and following them to the rec room.

They started a game, and Alissa asked to join in.

Lacy couldn’t help but notice how Alissa would look at Kurt, touching him in seemingly innocent ways as they passed around the table. She seemed to be rubbing it in, saying that she’d had Kurt first and that there was no way he’d want Lacy now that she was back. “Oh, sorry, Kurt,” Alissa’s voice floated to her as she scooted past him, her breast hitting his back.

Lacy gritted her teeth and didn’t say anything. She wasn’t sure if she should, since she wasn’t quite sure how her relationship with Kurt was right now; her refusing to answer the phone and all.

Maybe Alissa was right. 

She hadn’t been very nice to Kurt for the last month, even if he had said something that was stupid. As she’d thought in the shower, he was a good person, a nice person, who had been begging for forgiveness for a month. She cringed at the thought. She had been mad, and rightfully so, but maybe she’d taken her anger a bit far. “Excuse me, I’ll be right back,” she said to Kitty.

“What’s up?” Kitty asked.

“Just have to go to the bathroom,” Lacy said, turning to the couch. “Do you want to take my turn Logan? I might finally win a game,” she laughed.

Logan grumbled, but stood and took her cue so she could leave the room.

After she finished and washed her hands, Lacy was making her way back to the rec room, finishing drying her hands on the shirt, but as she passed a doorway, Alissa stood there.

“Hey,” she greeted. “Can I have a word with you?” Lacy paused and stepped closer. “In here,” she said, stepping into the room. 

Lacy followed her, seeing a room lit by night lights, looking much like an old fashioned parlor.

“So. You’ve already had sex with Kurt?” Alissa asked.

Lacy turned to the side, appalled by her sleeziness.

“So. Don’t you get bored? Tired of having to do all the work? You know, having to be on top,” she asked. Lacy looked at her in confusion for a moment before remembering what Kurt had said; that she hadn’t wanted to feel his tail, or his fur, or feel or see how different he looked. “He’s so boring and dull. I mean, maybe he’s just lazy. Not too good at the pleasing, either, right? I mean, eventually you get there, but jeez... Don’t you wish you could do something exciting? Like, you know, against the wall, or on a counter or something?”

Lacy’s eyes had narrowed in anger. Kurt didn’t deserve this. “Oh, you didn’t do it against the wall? Or on the counter? You didn’t get the chance to be held tenderly, kissed and devoured until you forget the outside world? Or taken so roughly that you can’t help but cry at how good it feels? You’ve never screamed in ecstasy, forgetting that there are other people in the same building, and begged for more? Or been held against his chest, listening to his tender nothings as he took you until you couldn’t feel your fingers or toes, then felt him kiss his way across your skin,” she turned and pulled Kurt’s shirt lower to show the scarred bite mark. “Making you tingle until he found the perfect spot and laid claim?” She let the shirt go so it went back up as she turned and started through the doorway. “Oh, and you definitely missed out on that tail. So, so, sexy.”

Alissa glared at her back, anger growing as she passed. She lunged and grabbed Lacy’s hair, yanking back on it as she accused, "self righteous whore."

Lacy turned around, her childhood fighting instincts rising to the surface. She grabbed the hand holding her hair and bit her arm, making her let go, then she reached back and gave a right hook that knocked Alissa to the ground. She jumped onto her, straddling her stomach and pinning her hands under her knees.

“How dare you say those things?” She demanded, slapping her. “Kurt is a wonderful person. He doesn’t deserve the things you say, or do. You’re so shallow. He told me about you, about the things you made him do, demeaning and making him feel less human because you didn’t like the way he looks. Here’s an idea, if you’re not interested in him, then leave him alone! Don’t play with him, make him think you like him, then throw him away like garbage. You stupid, selfish, petty little bitch,” she ranted, slapping her with almost every word.

Logan stood from the couch arm he was leaning on, silently walking to the door and down the hall. Kitty followed him, as did Kurt, and they were treated to the tail end of the conversation, slapping and all.

“You stupid, selfish, petty little bitch!”

“Lacy,” Kurt said in shock at the vision in front of him, never really expecting to see Lacy hitting anyone, though he knew she was capable from her few stories of life in foster care.

Lacy turned and saw the three of them standing in the doorway behind her, then back to Alissa under her, who started crying big, fake tears. She knew how this must look and slid off of her sideways, turning to watch as Alissa jumped up and threw herself at Kurt, crying into his shoulder and pulling him away.

His face as he stared at her while he was dragged away burned itself into her mind, despite her turning and closing her eyes. Lacy looked up to see Kitty and Logan still there, looks of disapproval on their faces as they looked after the two.

Probably due to her smacking the crap out of their comrade.  

“I-” she hesitated, not sure what to say. She stood and their eyes turned back to her. “I should go,” she told them, rushing past them, hardly stopping for her jacket and shoes on the way out.

“Lacy, wait,” Kitty tried, but she was too late, and she sighed.

“Did you hear what she was sayin’?” Logan asked quietly.

“Yeah.”

“Shoulda heard what she was sayin’ before,” Logan told her.

“I wish someone had done that a long time ago. She’s my hero,” Kitty commented sadly. “I just wish she would have stayed so we could throw her a party…”

“Yeah. Girl’s alright,” Logan agreed.

Kurt, having finally gotten Alissa to let go of his arm, made it back to them from the kitchen. He looked into the room, but didn’t see Lacy. “Vhere did she go?” He asked.

“She left,” Kitty told him.

“Left- vhat, vhy?” He asked in confusion.

“Don’t know, Elf, maybe she didn’t feel so wanted after you wandered off with the other girl,” Logan said, his voice a little gruffer than usual when talking to his friend.

“But- I didn’t vant to- she dragged me- I have to find her,” he said, rushing to the door and outside, running down the driveway, looking for Lacy. He remembered to turn his image inducer on before he made it to the street, but it was close.

He turned right and ran a ways, looking for her, but didn’t find any indications that she’d gone that way, so he turned and ran back in the direction that he’d come from, still seeing nothing. He looked for a bit longer, but still found no trace of her. He gave up, figuring that she’d caught the bus, and walked back to the mansion.

“Didn’t find her?” Kitty asked, neither her or Logan having moved from their spots.

“Nein…”

“I really wanted to throw her a party…” Kitty mumbled.

Alissa, having gotten bored of waiting in the kitchen, came into the hall with them. “Oh, Kurt, is that you? Your thingy is so cute,” she commented, trying to wrap herself around his arm. “Why do you look sad? I think I have an idea on what might cheer you up,” she told him suggestively.

Kurt pulled his arm from her, shaking her off angrily. “Get off! Alissa, vhat is so hard for you to understand about no? I told you no, I don’t vant you, I’m vizh somevone else, and now, like everyzhing else you touch, you’ve ruined es! Just vhen she vas coming back! Get avay from me, stay avay from me, and stay avay from Lacy!” He turned and stormed up the stairs to his room, a slam barely audible to them as he reached it.

Kitty and Logan looked to Alissa from the stairs to see her reaction. She looked shocked for a moment, then turned to them, her eyes still wide. Kitty’s look changed to questioning, then Alissa commented, “I’m sure he’ll come around. I’m going to be here for a little bit, so he’ll get the chance to get over whatever is bothering him.”

Kurt paced his room, his tail lashing about angrily as he waited for it to be dark enough to go to Lacy’s house the fast way, and for her to have enough time to go home, in case he’d missed her while he was looking.

There was a knock on the door and he paused his pacing to answer it. “Ja?”

Kitty looked at him through the crack. “What are you going to do, Kurt?”

“I’m going to Lacy’s, as soon as it gets dark. I have to straighten zhis mess out. I’ll be glad vhen she’s gone,” he grumbled.

Kitty winced. “Mm, well… That might not happen for a bit…”

“Vhat do you mean?” He asked, turning to her.

“Well… She said that she was going to be staying here for a while, but she wouldn’t say how long…”

Kurt ran a hand over his face, cursing. “Vhy, vhat does she suddenly vant now, after zhree years vizh no contact?” He groaned. “Vhy can’t she disappear back into zhe vorld and leave me alone?”

.

Lacy laid in her bed, her mind spinning. The way Kurt had stared at her in surprise as he was pulled away filled her mind, making her tear ducts itch as they tried to water.

There was a tapping at the window and Lacy glanced up, knowing Kurt was there. She looked away, trying to ignore the yearning in her chest.

Kurt tapped again, calling to her, “Lacy, I know you are zhere… Please open zhe vindow- I have to talk to you…” Lacy turned over, trying to ignore him. “Lacy, bitte…”

“Go away, Kurt,” she told him.

“I can’t go until you talk to me… Bitte…”

“You know, they say that guilty people often accuse others of committing the crimes they themselves are guilty of, to throw suspicion from themselves, or sometimes to see others reactions…”  

“Vhat?” He asked.

“Is that why you accused me of cheating? Had that woman on the side for a while?” She asked.

“Vhat?” He asked again, incredulously.

“Were you cheating on me with her for a long time before you accused me of cheating to throw off suspicion?”

“Lacy, no! I vould never-”

“But you think I would?” She demanded.  

“No, Lacy, I know you veren’t, I vas just stupid! Bitte, let me in…”

“Go away, Kurt.”

“Please, please, Lacy-”

“I can’t, Kurt,” she interrupted, trying not to cry.

“Lacy, please just listen. I don’t like her, she is just as you said, a stupid, shallow, petty… I only vant you...”

“Kurt… just go home. I’m sure that if you hurry you can still spend time with her.”

Kurt tried not to growl. “I don’t vant to spend time vizh her. She said she vill be zhere for a vhile, and if you don’t let me in- Lacy, I vould razher sleep under a bench in zhe park until she leaves.” Lacy clenched her jaw, staring at the wall on the other side of the room. “Lacy…” He said softly. “Fine," he told her after a minute. "I vill… I vill go. Am I right zhat I saw a park two blocks souzh? Vill you tell me zhat?”

Lacy’s hand pressed against her mouth as she tried not to let her emotions out. Like he’d really go to a park…

That would be stupid.

Anyone could find him when he was sleeping, they’d see his tail! It never stayed close to his body, and even with his inducer on, it would be visible.

“Lacy… Ok… Zhen, I guess I vill go see… Goodnight…” Kurt said, just audible through the window.

Lacy waited a moment, thinking that Kurt would knock again, but he didn’t. She stood, going to the window, going to tell him not to stay there, but when she opened the window, she saw him bracing himself as he slowly made his way down the building.

“K-Kurt, wait!” He turned and looked back at her. “You- you’re not really going to the park are you?”

“I told you I vould razher sleep zhere zhen be near her,” he answered.

“Kurt, d- don’t. Just- come back… You can come in…”

Kurt turned and climbed closer, her watching as he made his way back to her. “Lacy, I- if you don’t feel comfortable…” He trailed off as he stared into her eyes. “I vant to be here, but if you don’t vant me to…”

“No, Kurt, I can’t let you sleep under a park bench. Just come in. But you have to sleep on the chair,” she told him.

“Ok, vhatever you need, Lacy, vhatever you say,” he assured her as he climbed through the window.

She pulled the ottoman to the front of the chair to make it longer and threw a pillow on it.

Kurt passed her, silently sitting and watching her move. She went into the bathroom, obviously getting away from him for a minute. Kurt closed his eyes, feeling the squeezing in his chest. He was close to her, she’d asked him in, they were going to be together, for the night, at least. So why did it hurt so badly?

The door opened and he looked up to see her walking back to her bed. She pulled the blanket over herself, turning away from him and he turned to the chair, trying to get comfortable. It squeaked and shuffled, the noises sounded loud to him, and he knew that too much longer and they would start to be annoying, but it wasn’t easy trying to get comfortable in the chair.

Lacy listened as Kurt shifted around, trying to get comfy. The guilt started to grow in her stomach. She’d been too nervous to go see him, and had ended up running away, accusing him of cheating on her, and told him to leave when he’d only wanted to talk.

“Kurt,” she hesitated.

“I’m sorry, I vill stop,” he whispered.

“No, it’s... Kurt, come here, to the bed,” she told him, flipping back the blankets.

“Lacy, are you sure?” He asked.

“Yes,” she told him.

He stood and took the pillow, making his way to the bed and laying where she’d pulled back the covers. She pointedly stayed on the other side of the bed turned away from him, but he was just glad that she’d let him so close.

He watched her fall asleep as he grew drowsy. He was almost asleep when he felt something warm and heavy on him. He opened his eyes to see Lacy’s sleeping body against him, her head on his shoulder, her hand on his chest, just how she always cuddled against him when they were together.

He couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face as his heart beat faster and his insides warmed. “Lacy,” he whispered, but she didn’t answer. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and kissing her head as he closed his eyes again to sleep.

. 

Lacy slowly woke, opening her eyes to see Kurt’s shoulder. She sighed quietly, realizing that, even though she tried to stay mad at him, she couldn’t stay away. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore the thoughts in her head.

She felt something vibrating, and Kurt stirred to grope at his pocket.

“Hallo?” He grumbled sleepily. Lacy felt him jolt in surprise and pretended to be asleep as he looked down at her. “Stop,” he whispered. “Alissa, stop. I don’t vant to talk to you. I told you to leave me alone,” he said a little louder before he hung up the thing, then dialed a few numbers. “Kitty,” he whispered. “Ja, hallo, listen, Kitty… Listen! Vhy is Alissa calling me?” He paused as Kitty answered him, but cut her off. “No, I mean, how did she get my communicator code to call me? Ja. Ja, I am. Vell, vhatever. Vill you just, I don’t know, get my number off of her zhing or somezhing? Ja, bitte. Vhat? Vell… Kitty, zhat is none of your business. Nein, but, she’s not so mad zhat I had to sleep at a park,” Kurt told her, looking down at Lacy again as his free hand trailed down her cheek. “Ja, I’m serious, I don’t vant to be anyvhere near her. Vell, I’d better go. Ja, just emergencies. Guten tag,” he said, hanging the thing up again.

He sighed and looked down at Lacy again. “Better let you vake up not so close to me; I don’t vant you to be angrier at me,” he whispered, rolling her onto her back.

She felt him stand from the bed and heard the bathroom door close. Lacy looked to the ceiling, feeling something inside, it was strange, like she was happy, but ashamed at the same time, from him obviously telling the truth about not wanting to be with Alissa, and from her accusing words the night before. She was mad, but it was still stupid to say.

She closed her eyes against the tears building. How could she be so petty? She thought she had become a better person…

The bathroom door opened and she looked up. "Ah, you're avake. Good morning, Lacy."

"Good morning," she answered quietly.

Kurt smiled nervously as he stepped closer. “How did you sleep?”

“It was ok… Sorry, Kurt, but, I- I understand that you don’t want to go back, but I have to do some work today,” Lacy told him.

“So you vant me to leave?” He asked, trying not to sound sad.

“I- that’s- no, I was just saying that I have to do some work, I don’t want to seem like I’m ignoring you, but I have to concentrate.”

“Oh, zhat’s ok. I vas zhinking- zhat maybe… I vould make dinner for you, somezhing special. Do you zhink zhat vill be ok?”

“I- I guess. I mean… It would be nice,” she told him, trying not to sound rude. “But, don’t feel like you have to do anything for me-”

“Nein, I vant to,”  He told her with a smile and pulled his image inducer from his pocket. “And, I can leave zhrough zhe door,” he said with a smile.

.

Kurt pulled a can of spaghetti sauce from the shelf and looked at it for a moment. He knew that homemade always tasted better, but he didn’t know exactly how to make spaghetti sauce, other than it had tomatoes and some sort of spices in it and you cooked it for a long time.

He put the can back on the shelf. Maybe he would make something else.

As Kurt walked past the meat counter, he paused in front of the fish.

“Anything I can help you with?” The man behind the counter asked.

“Ah, I- vell, I’m not sure… I’m trying to find somezhing romantic to make, but…”

The man nodded knowingly. “Mm. Not sure what your girl will like, huh?” Kurt nodded sheepishly in agreement. “Well, spaghetti is the old standby, but these days, you can do whatever. You really can’t go wrong with a good piece of well cooked meat and a bed of pasta with a side of salad.”

. 

Kurt shifted the bag in his hand, wishing he could use his tail to help carry the bags. He stopped in front Lacy’s building, looking at the door.

He shifted the bag up his wrist and tried to turn the knob, but it didn’t move. He took his hand back and held the bag before it fell from his wrist.

On the right of the door there was a set of buttons with the apartment numbers next to them. He looked at them, but realized that he didn’t know Lacy’s apartment number since he’d only ever come through the door a couple of times, following her. 

The door next to him opened and he looked up to see a man in a hoodie carrying a bag.

He looked up as well and pulled an earbud from his ear. “Hey, you’re Kurt, aren’t you?” He asked. Kurt nodded, confused. “I thought so… So… Did Lacy forgive you?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m Doug, I met you at the dance, in the kangaroo suit,” he explained.

“Ah, ja, I remember. Vell, she did let me in earlier, aber, I vanted to make her dinner, so I vent out, and now…” He gestured vaguely.

“Ah, you got locked out,” Doug nodded. “Happens all the time. I’ll give you a hand,” he said, pulling the door open all the way so Kurt could enter.

“Zhank you,” Kurt said, going through the door.

“Yeah, good luck,” Doug told him, turning and putting his earbud back in.

Kurt got back to Lacy’s apartment and knocked.

Lacy stretched, leaning back and making her headphones pull off of her ears. She heard knocking and stood, untangling herself as she walked to the door. 

Kurt smiled as he saw Lacy, and held up the bags. “For dinner,” he said.

Lacy let him in and watched as he made his way to the kitchen. “Um, I…” she paused as he looked to her. “I still have work to do… So…”

“It’s no problem, li- Lacy, I vill be cooking for a vhile. You do your vork vhile I get dinner ready,” he told her.

Lacy watched as Kurt prepped all of the food for dinner, pausing the audio she was listening to. He was so sweet… She should talk to him, say she was sorry for how she had been acting…

.

Finally, the smell of cooked meats and delicious foods brought her out from the near half cocoon she’d built around herself from blankets, pillows and equipment.

“Lacy, are you done vizh your vork?” Kurt asked as she stood and made her way toward him. 

“Mmhm,” she answered, trying to look over his shoulder.

“Vell, zhen vhy don’t you get zhe chairs ready?” He asked, teasingly hiding the food with a pot lid.

Lacy pulled the ottoman up next to the chair and opened the camping chair, making it like a table. As they ate, Lacy couldn’t help but intermittently stare at Kurt, trying not to feel so guilty.

Kurt tried not to laugh as Lacy ate.

“What?” She asked.

“You are… you are only eating lemon juice on your spaetzle…”

“Yeah…”

“It’s strange… Like eating plain noodles…”

“I know…” Lacy trailed off, pushing around a fork full of the stuff.

“I- I have just never seen anyvone eat it like zhat before,” he told her, kicking himself that he’d embarrassed her.

After they finished eating, Kurt stood and took their dishes to the sink, washing them and the cooking dishes. When he finished and turned back around, he was covered in dishwater and tiny bits of food. “Ach, gross,” he groaned.

Lacy smiled. “Looks like you need to borrow my shower for once,” she teased, feeling more at ease with him. “I think I’ve got enough change to wash your stuff, too, let me look…” She went over to the cup on her dresser and dumped it out. “Mmm, looks like I only have enough for a wash,” she told him.

“Ah, vell… You still have my sveats, don’t you?”

“Oh, yeah, somewhere. Here, let me take your stuff and get it started while you take a shower,” she said. She showed him where the towels and things were before letting him hand her his clothes. Lacy threw them on her laundry and picked up the basket. She stopped at the bathroom door and knocked telling him through a crack, “I’m going to run downstairs and put this in the washer, I’ll be back in a bit.”

She started at a jog down the stairs, but ended at a walk at the lobby. She went to the basement and turned on the washer before tossing all of the clothes in and pouring in the soap.

Kurt ran his hands down his chest, lathering up the soap to get the grossness out of his fur. He tilted his head back in the spray, letting it run down his chest as he sighed. He’d hoped that when he was in Lacy’s shower, she’d be in there with him. He stepped out and wrapped the towel around himself before he opened the door. “Lacy, are you back?”

“Yeah, just a minute ago,” she answered.

“Do, uh, do you have my sveats?” He asked as he stepped out of the bathroom.

“Oh, just a sec, let me look.” She pulled things out of their places, moving around the room. “I know I took them off and threw them over here…” she mumbled to herself.

“Having trouble finding zhem?” Kurt asked, a little concerned that he’d have to spend the rest of the evening in just a towel.

“Ummm… Maybe… Oh!” She nearly smacked herself in the head. “I threw them… in the laundry…” She forced the words out through unwilling lips.

“Oh,” Kurt said. “Zhat’s ok, I vill vear zhem for tonight.”

“Um… no, I threw them in the laundry… that I just put in the washer…”

Kurt realized what she was saying and blushed a little. “Oooh… Ah…”

.

Lacy hung Kurt’s clothes over the shower curtain rod to dry. “Sorry again about that,” she told Kurt where he was sitting on the chair.

“It’s ok,” he told her, pulling the towel a bit lower to make sure it still covered him.

“Let me just put something on to sleep to,” Lacy said, coming into the dark room and leaning forward to see the buttons on the DVD player.

Kurt tried not to gulp as Lacy’s pajama shorts clung to her, almost giving her a wedgie as they moved up. His tongue moved across his bottom lip, and he felt the towel slide across his leg. 

Kurt stood to hide his reaction, making sure that his now semi erect cock was hidden. Looking down at her and the way her back sloped to her butt, showing a ribbon of skin as she pushed buttons on the DVD player only made him want to grab her hips and pull her against him, though.

He took a breath and tried to convince his legs to move him away from where he stood.

Lacy got the movie playing, but knocked the DVD case to the ground and leaned down to grab it.

Kurt groaned as she bumped into him, his hand drifting up to run along her hip, pulling her closer. Lacy stood and felt Kurt’s chest against her. “Es tut mir leid,” he mumbled against her shoulder. “Ich versuche nicht... aber... Es ist so lange her... Sie fühlen sich so gut…” {I'm sorry, I'm trying not to... but... It's been so long... You feel so good...}

Lacy felt Kurt’s bulge against her, settling against her butt, and she felt as though butterflies were fluttering in her belly. “Kurt…”

“Lacy,” he answered, nuzzling into her shoulder. “Ich weiß nicht, ob kann ich aufhören…” His tongue flicked out, moving up her neck, his lips following the trail, gently sucking and making her bite her lip. “Willst du mich zu?“ {I don't know if I can stop... Do you want me to?}

After this long without him? Was he kidding? She shook her head to the side, gasping, “no…”

Kurt groaned, his hands squeezing her hips as his tail wrapped around her, tightening and moving up to take her bottoms and start pulling. “Dann komm mit mir,” he told her, sitting back on to the chair. “Setz dich auf meinen Schoß,” he said, pulling her shorts and panties the rest of the way off. {Then come with me, sit on my lap.}

Kurt pulled the towel open and guided her down so her back rested against his chest, feeling himself slide against the wetness coating her. He pushed and pulled her hips, sliding against her for a few strokes before slipping into her. He groaned loudly, thinking, ‘It’s like coming home...’

His hands moved up Lacy’s body, pushing her shirt up to take her breasts into his hands to gently squeeze them. Lacy moaned, her head falling back onto his shoulder. Kurt’s hands pulled her shirt off, throwing it away from them before moving back to squeezing and fondling her breasts.

His tail moved up, twitching back and forth against her clit as he kissed all around her neck and shoulder. “Lacy,” he mumbled into her shoulder. “Schön…” {beautiful}

He kissed his way down to the scarred mark he’d left before and nipped next to it. Lacy moaned, arching against him, but he still didn’t thrust, only torturing her body as he stayed pressed into her.

“Kurt,” she gasped as she felt herself getting closer.

“Ja, oh ja,” Kurt answered, kissing her before biting the scar behind her shoulder.

“Ahh!” Lacy arched again as she came, moving around Kurt.

Kurt groaned, kissing the scar he’d just bitten, putting one hand on Lacy’s hip and pulling and pushing her with him as he thrust.

There was a little awkwardness as Lacy pulled her legs up so she was kneeling on the chair, but then she started moving with Kurt as he thrust, crying out as he pushed into her, squeezing her nipples and breasts, panting against her shoulder as she felt herself getting light headed.

Kurt’s hips rolled with hers, his hands taking turns with her hips, squeezing and pulling her harder against him. “Lacy,” he groaned to her, his breaths taking most of his air. “Ja… bitte… Ach…” Kurt grunted, trying not to hold or squeeze too tightly. “Lacy- bitte- ah- guh,” he was just grunting now, thrusting and pulling, hoping he was giving as much as he was taking.

He felt her start to pulse around him again, crying his name as she tensed. “Lacy- ah- Liebling!” Kurt ground out into her shoulder quietly as he fell over the edge, the worry of her having a panic attack buried in the back of his mind.

His arms tightened around Lacy as she laid back against him, her head on his shoulder while his lips nuzzled into the crook of her neck. “Lacy…” He stood, picking her up as he did. “Gehen wir ins Bett,” he whispered as he carried her to the bed. {let’s go to bed}

He laid her down and climbed next to her, kissing her neck and shoulders, his hands and tail roving over her.

Lacy kissed him back, her hands moving over his shoulders, her fingers digging in and pulling him closer. She could feel him starting to get hard against her leg again, and her hand moved down to him, gently squeezing and stroking. His hand covered hers, half heartedly trying to pull her away as he moaned, “Lacy.. ooh, Lacy…”

She pushed his shoulder and kneeled over him as he landed on his back, kissing him. Kurt sat up, pulling her closer and kissing down her neck as she moved, taking him and sliding up and down as he finished lengthening inside her.

They groped at each other, their hands pulling each other closer, their breath shared as they moved. Lacy tightened, her knees pushing against his hips, her fingers digging into him, and Kurt felt her pulse around him.

He pulled her down as he laid back, letting her lay on him as his hands continued to move her hips, bouncing her a little as he thrust her up and down and making her body slid against his, her breasts pushing against him and her nipples tickled by his fur.

Kurt gasped and panted, kissing anything he could reach.

Lacy’s hands moved to his shoulders, pulling herself so she moved with him. She looked down at him and felt her eyes start watering.

She was so awful to have been so cold to him. He had deserved a little of it, making baseless accusations and all, but she could have- should have- done something different, behaved more like a person instead of a vengeful, spiteful bitch.

She leaned down and kissed him, feeling the waves of pleasure washing over her as they always did when he touched her.

She didn’t want him to hurt, and she’d hurt him.

Why didn’t she want him to hurt? Was she feeling for him more than was safe?

Kurt rolled, kissing down her throat, his hand holding her hip up as he pushed into her. He panted, kissing down her chest and nipping at spots that made her moan.

“Kurt,” she called out, feeling the tears make tracks down the sides of her face.

“Lacy,” he groaned back, burying himself hilt deep. “Lacy… Lacy… Lacy… Bitte,” he chanted as he thrust into her.

Lacy arched, crying out and pulling at Kurt as she came.

Kurt’s lips crashed into hers so he could drink in her sounds, giving a few final thrusts as he came, still kissing her. Lacy opened her eyes to see Kurt looking down at her. He stroked her cheek, the look in his eye a little strange.

Kurt held Lacy close as she fell asleep. He gently kissed her as he thought, ‘I wish I could tell you how I feel… Maybe one day you will be ready to hear it...’

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