#waking up Lisbon

[where-is-my-whump]

+bonus😏

The Mentalist 5x08

[g1rlarch1ves]

It’s 2am and I have to wake up at 7 for school…somebody kill me now

[just-here-for-the-whump]

The Mentalist 4x10 Fugue In Red

[lisbonsteresa]

oh ok 😵‍💫

[whatsagirltoblogabout]

... I may have forgotten how addicting the Mentalist is. Uh oh.

[enbyjane]

So I woke up at 4 am in a frenzy with my brain telling me only "If you loved me, why'd you leave me?/Take my body, take my body" as being firstly a song for Jane S1-S6 towards Angela (kinda) but then a VERY Lisbon song towards Jane. I told my friend @onlineproblems but I have to inflict the song and angst on y'all too because I can't edit MVs

[just-another-sickfic-blog]

I have no idea where to dump my Mentalist whump prompts but here we are:

Jane who definitely has a penchant for abandoning people leaves Lisbon to chase a lead but it's weirdly cold and/or rainy and ends up being caught outside for an extended period of time.

Of course she yells at him when she returns soaking and he deflects with humour and that is that.

Until she comes in showing the first symptoms of illness.

[flyingupwards]

;; tag dump - CHARACTERS 2

[lilirari]

🧋 everyone thinks pedri should stop pining for you because you 'don't give a f*ck' about him but they don't know what your actual relationship with the footballer is.

💌 pedri gonzález x fem! joao felix's bff! reader (social media au)

🌟 cw : pedri being a total simp, cheesy pick-up lines, translated spanish & portuguese sentences, timelines don't matter

💭 author's note : this is for my beloved pookie @leclercloml ! ilysm <3 idk if the ending parts make sense but please just bear with it 😞

instagram 🎥

yourinstagram

📍 new york city, usa

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, jennaortega and 13,193,299 others

yourinstagram the wind was a paid actor

view all 17,929 comments

pedri 😍😍😍

pedri eres la chica más hermosa que he visto en mi vida.

pedri i ought to complain to spotify for you not being named this week's hottest single

-> spotify complaint received 😉

-> user59 oh spotify's definitely on the pedri x y/n agenda

pedri do you happen to have a band-aid ? i just scrapped my knees falling for you

-> yourinstagram deserved fall down again

-> user80 HELPDHSHDHSHDH WHY IS SHE LIKE THIS

-> user44 poor pedri but this is kind of funny 😭

jennaortega my favourite girl (⁠ ⁠˘⁠ ⁠³⁠˘⁠)

mikkykiemeney 🫶🫶🫶

saraguendogan gorgeous !!!

user45 the way two of the most popular barça wags are in her comments.. joão really must've introduced her to everyone in barça by now 😭

joaofelix79 minha linda melhor amiga 🥰

-> yourinstagram te amo joao 🫶

user33 babe wake up pedrizz gonzález is in the comments of y/n's post again

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yourinstagram

📍 ibiza

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, ferrantorres and 15,364,748 others

yourinstagram i love pink <3

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pedri and i love you 🥰😘

-> yourinstagram ew

pedri ¿dónde has estado toda mi vida? 😍

pedri if beauty was a crime, you would've been sentenced for life in prison

-> user11 omg this is actually so good y/n please accept his love 😞

emmamyers 🩷🩷🩷

ferrantorres ❤️

liked by yourinstagram

joaofelix79 my prettiest girl 🫶

-> yourinstagram joao best boy !!!

user34 pedri should just stop trying to win y/n's heart man she clearly has no interest in him he's just wasting his time..

user50 i want a friendship like y/n and joão's 🥹

user96 is something going on between y/n and ferran ?? 🤔

user23 wait i'm a new barça fan and i came from x after seeing a post about pedri commenting on this girl's post.. who is she exactly ?

-> user22 she's y/n l/n, an upcoming model and also the bff of joão félix ! ^^

-> user23 ooh she's so pretty i get why pedri wants her lol

user82 huh ?? wasn't y/n in new york like literally yesterday ? how is she already in ibiza 😭

-> user25 queen's working so hard fr 😞

user75 pedrito i know you'll get the girl of your dreams someday i'm rooting for you !!!

liked by pedri

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yourinstagram

📍 lisbon, portugal

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, frenkiedejong and 20,182,838 others

tagged mikkykiemeney, saraguendogan, annalewandowska, taia_belloli, joaofelix79

yourinstagram on a trip with my girls (there's an imposter among us)

view all 25,999 comments

pedri quisiera ser joyero para poder apreciar un diamante como tú todos los días 🤍

-> yourinstagram bro please stop before i block you 🧍‍♀️

-> user77 pedri i think you should listen to her y/n can be absolutely ruthless 😭

pedri ok but why did joão get invited and i didn't ?

-> yourinstagram bc you're not one of the girls ???

-> pedri and joão is ??

-> yourinstagram yeah !!! ☺️

-> joaofelix79 i was forced to tag along against my own will, hermano 😞

mikkykiemeney had so much fun with you, love ! 🫶

annalewandowska thanks for inviting me, angel ❤️

joaofelix79 who's the best tour guide & chauffeur ??

-> yourinstagram you are !! 🥰🥰 thanks for making this trip fun and memorable, amor 🫶

-> joaofelix79 yeah yeah i accept thanks only in cash and credit

saraguendogan 💋💋

taia_belloli mi novia 🥰

user23 AHHH Y/N WITH THE BARÇA WAGS

user81 OMG THOSE POOL PICTURES OF Y/N AND SARA ARE SO PRETTY

user43 wait does this mean y/n is a barça wag ?

-> user19 i don't think so but i also won't be surprised if she's dating one of the guys

-> user01 nah, i think she just got really close with the wags because of félix

user99 MOTHER IS MOTHERING !!!

user45 MY WIVES 💅

user55 can pedri please just give up on pursuing y/n.. she's CLEARLY not interested in you bro

-> pedri 🙉

-> user39 shut up man he clearly doesn't give a fuck about what people like you are saying

user26 no bc are we sure joão and y/n are not dating ?

-> user34 yep pretty sure

-> user84 they sure are sus for two best friends who call each other 'amor' and say 'ily' to e/o all the time

-> user07 i'm sure it's just in a platonic way, man

-> user02 what ? can't two people of the opposite gender say ily and still be only friends ? this is just a healthy friendship bro

user43 y/n please notice pedri and treat him properly challenge 😞🙏

user46 AHHH i hope joão showed them all the best places in lisbon ❤️🇵🇹

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yourinstagram

📍 paris, france

🎼 my love mine all mine : mitski

liked by joaofelix79, oliviarodrigo, gigihadid and 33,127,289 others

yourinstagram bts for the photoshoot of a new magazine cover for vogue ! oh, and i got some flowers today ;) 💐

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joaofelix79 nice flowers

joaofelix79 who's that man though 👀

-> yourinstagram idk you tell me 🫣

jennaortega already omw to pre-order 1000 copies of the magazine

-> yourinstagram please i love you 😭🫶

gigihadid perfection 🫶

-> yourinstagram love u gigi

heidiklum 🤍🖤

konichan7 🥰

adrianalima xoxo 💋

_ferminlopez 🤭

-> user77 ariana what are you doing here

user34 some of the biggest names in the modelling industry are here in the comments... y/n really has come so far i'm so proud of you girl 🥹

user27 here for y/n's famous era !!!

user97 our prettiest princess !!! we love you y/n 💌

user36 SIS IS THAT A MAN I SEE BEHIND YOU 😧

user05 don't be shy y/n show us a picture of the man in the second slide

user72 the song... the picture... the flowers... HAVE WE LOST Y/N TO A MAN ???

user55 um guys where's pedri ?

-> user78 EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING

-> user40 WHERE'S OUR GOLDEN BOY AND HIS SHITTY PICK-UP LINES

user95 pedri's @ is not there in the likes...

user33 no cringey pick-up line comments from pedri and he's not in the likes either.. what's happening..

user67 i'm guessing that man must be her bf ??

user15 well ig at least we all know that the man with her is not pedri since he's nowhere to be found 🤷‍♀️

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yourinstagram

📍 barcelona, spain

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, louispartridge_ and 40,932,389 others

yourinstagram hi barcelona

view all 45,693 comments

joaofelix79 what are you doing here

-> yourinstagram came to visit you bestie 🥰🥰🥰 i missed you sooooo much

-> joaofelix79 what a liar 🙄

oliviarodrigo love u girlie

alejandrobalde 🤍

liked by yourinstagram

taia_belloli you are glowing, sis !!!

jennierubyjane pretty in white ♡

alexiaputellas 💓💘

user13 my sunshine !!! 💛☀️

user04 what's balde doing here 😧

user82 BALDE ??? HELLO ????

user75 pedri in the likes but still no comment...

user16 what is happening with y/n and the barça boys

user30 damn i kinda miss pedri's comments 😭

user27 has pedri finally stopped trying to rizz y/n up ??

-> user08 i hope so.. he doesn't deserve her she seems so annoying

-> user89 how exactly is she annoying ??

-> user08 she's always dismissing/ignoring his comments and being mean to him what a bitch

-> user89 i don't think she's actually being mean though.. and if he isn't bothered by the way she acts then why are you ?

-> user75 please stop calling y/n names and trying to make her a villain she's an absolute angel

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, jennaortega and others

user66 the way we see different barça players comment on her post everyday 🧍‍♀️ guess today's man of the day is balde

user05 THAT DRESS IS GORG SIS

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yourinstagram 10 minutes ago | pedri 2 minutes ago

seen by joaofelix79, pablogavi, frenkiedejong and 17,929,199 others

y/n's dms 🏷️

☆ joaofelix79 replied to your story !

husband ??? 😰😱

yourinstagram

yuh

☆ user56 replied to your story !

HUSBAND ???? QUEEN WHO ???

☆ user69 replied to your story !

please tell me that's just a beyonce reference and you don't actually have a husband.. 🥹

twitter 🫖

imessage 💬

mi esposa 💌

i think it's time

mi esposo ❤️‍🩹

wait really ? are you sure about this ?

mi esposa 💌

yeah 100% sure i'm ready

mi esposo ❤️‍🩹

alright then

mi esposa 💌

it's been a good run, hasn't it ?

mi esposo ❤️‍🩹

it sure has...

3 years ain't that bad

mi esposa 💌

frfr !!

we're a bit too good at this 🤭

mi esposo ❤️‍🩹

i second that

mi esposa 💌

i'll drop a head's up now

see you on the other side 🫡

mi esposo ❤️‍🩹

let's go give the world a shock, mi amor 🫶

twitter 🫖

instagram 🎥

yourinstagram

📍 tenerife, canary islands

liked by pedri, joaofelix79, jennaortega and 50,199,143 others

tagged pedri

yourinstagram i'm guessing this wasn't the type of news y'all were expecting, huh ? jokes on all of you bc pedrito and i have actually been together for three years now. we were just a bit too good at hiding our relationship 🤭 anyways happy three years together, mi amor, and also happy 6 months of our marriage ! te amare por siempre, my golden boy 🤍

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pedri my gorgeous girl

pedri te amo, mi vida 🫶

liked by yourinstagram

pedri te voy a denunciar a la policía por robarme el corazón

-> yourinstagram oh no ! i can't be behind bars now — i've got my whole life ahead of me ! 😰

joaofelix79 ahh finally !!! keeping your relationship a secret was probably the hardest thing i ever had to do in my entire life

-> yourinstagram you're the absolute best joão thank you 🫶

-> joaofelix79 as i've said before, i accept thanks in only cash and credit

-> yourinstagram sending you some money rn

-> joaofelix79 😁😁😁

jennaortega my favourite couple !!!

-> yourinstagram my maid of honour 🥹🫶

pablogavi ❤️

gigihadid still in awe over this look of yours you really are the prettiest bride

mikkykiemeney 😍😍😍

annalewandowska my babies 🥹🥹

fcbarcelona the best couple 🫶

ferrantorres ❤‍🔥

user81 .... girl what

user90 WHAT IN THE ACTUAL FUVK

user12 three years... THREE YEARS ?????

user04 not only have you been together for three years but URE FRICKING MARRIED ????

user24 HOW TF DID NO ONE KNOW ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP

user46 HUHHHHHHHHHHH 😧😧😧😧😧😧

user57 we are all fvcking clowns

user68 another day of blaugrana being an entire circus

user38 THREE YEARS ???? but félix joined barça only this year.. huh how did you guys meet i'm confused

-> yourinstagram pedri and i have actually known each other for a long time now 😭 most of you may just know me as joão's bff but only some people know that i'm friends with pedri's brother hehe so we got to know each other through fernando :)

user72 HOW DID YOU GUYS HID YOUR RELATIONSHIP FROM US FOR THREE HECKING YEARS ? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE ?????

user01 HOW DID THE MEDIA AND PAPARAZZI NOT CATCH YOU WHAT

user07 goodness idek how to react to this

user29 wait so you were just pretending to hate pedri in your previous posts... but why ?

-> yourinstagram oh it was just a bet we made when joão joined barça this year. most of you knew me only when joão joined barça and pedri and i had already been working on our marriage plans by then. we've hid the facts about our relationship for three years now but marriage is a huge thing and there was no way we could hide our wedding for years so we just wanted to see how long it would take for the paparazzi to catch up on the news lol. to help hide our marriage a little longer, we just pulled an unrequited love act on my instagram posts and i pretended to ignore him irl too for fun 🤭

-> user57 this is absolutely insane... you guys are geniuses

-> user80 OKAY BUT WHO WON THE BET THOUGH ???

-> yourinstagram technically no one since we both thought the news wouldn't get out until next year but we're spending our honeymoon in barcelona rn and we just got a bit too bold in public and sadly got caught 😞

yourinstagram ok correction you guys we never really hid our rs tbh i guess you guys just never knew me or like paid much attention to things so it just got really easy to date him without having to deal with the media 🤷‍♀️

-> user03 now that i think about it... i feel like you've appeared in a few of the gonzález family photos, y/n 🤔

-> yourinstagram yes i have ! but if i remember correctly, most people just thought i was fernando's gf or sumn 😭

-> user99 omg we were so fucking blind 🧍‍♀️

-> user67 well we just never expected pedri to have enough rizz to pull a beauty queen like you ig

-> pedri HEY

-> yourinstagram LMAO FOULLLLLL

user44 i love how y/n just spilled the whole tea to us 🥹 she's so iconic

user12 GOD I LOVE Y/N SO MUCH FOR THIS LITTLE STORYTIME UNDER THE COMMENTS

user06 THEY'RE SO FUCKING ADORABLE I LOVE YNPEDRI

user55 SUCH A BEAUTIFUL WEDDING DRESS 🤍

user21 what is with joão and money though LMAO

-> joaofelix79 if barça doesn't have enough money to buy me, then i'll provide them the money instead

-> user02 I'M IN TEARS THIS IS SO ICONIC OF YOU JOÃO

-> user74 LMFAO WHAT A LEGEND

user23 PEDRI IN THAT FOURTH SLIDE DAYUMMMM

user16 i hate you both so much for lying to us for so long but also congratulations on getting married !!! 🥹

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pedri

liked by yourinstagram, pablogavi, _rl9 and 69,239,839 others

tagged yourinstagram

pedri feliz aniversario, mi vida 🤍

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twitter 🫖

♡ translations of pedri's pick-up lines !

“eres la chica más hermosa que he visto en mi vida.”

: you are the most beautiful girl i have ever seen in my life.

“¿dónde has estado toda mi vida?”

: where have you been all my life ?

“quisiera ser joyero para poder apreciar un diamante como tú todos los días.”

: i would like to be a jeweler so i can appreciate a diamond like you every day.

“te voy a denunciar a la policía por robarme el corazón.”

: i will report you to the police for stealing my heart.

© LILIRARI, 2023 ★

[pedroscurls]

second chances | pt. 1

Character(s): Marcus Pike x fem!Reader Summary: After a stressful past couple of days at work, Marcus is ready to spend his day off relaxing. Until he gets a new neighbor asking for his help. Word count: 1.3k  A/N: I've become a Marcus Pike girlie and I can't go back now. Don't even get me started on Lisbon... So, I decided that Marcus Pike deserves a happy ending. Stay tuned and enjoy! Warning: None.  SERIES MASTERLIST - ultimate masterlist

Since moving to Washington DC – alone – Marcus has busied himself with work. Long hours in the office. Late nights. Barely any sleep. It was his way of distracting himself from the fact that Lisbon had chosen Jane over him. Marcus wasn’t a jealous man, but he was filled with frustration at himself for seeing a future with someone who was so obviously in love with someone else. 

Marcus was never going to be the one Lisbon chose. 

And he should have known better. 

Now, after six months of being in DC, Marcus’s colleagues finally convinced him to take the next couple of days off. Each day was getting better and better, but the pain still lingered. 

He wakes that morning to the sound of a knock at his door. Marcus looks at the time; he’s usually awake and out of the door by six, but with today being his first day off, he had decided to sleep in a little bit. It’s only eight in the morning and Marcus wonders if he just stays in bed that maybe the person knocking on his door would just leave and after a few minutes, the knocking stops. 

With a relieved sigh, Marcus sits up from bed and decides to get ready for the day. He isn’t yet sure what he has planned, but he does know that he wants to keep to himself, to minimize the amount of people he would need to talk to as much as possible. He stands from his bed and stretches his arms above his head, dressed in a white v-neck and plaid boxers. 

“Coffee,” he mumbles to himself. “First thing’s first, need coffee.” Marcus runs a hand over his hair and walks out of his bedroom to the kitchen, beginning to make a pot of coffee for himself. 

He looks around and lets out a sigh. He had imagined that his life in DC would be different, that he’d be with Lisbon, that she’d give more life into this home, but instead, he’s standing alone in a very bland and basic apartment. It has a nice view, but how nice could it be if you can’t share it with anyone else?

He walks to his patio and opens the sliding door. Marcus can hear the sounds of cars – honking and speeding – as it passes below him. He glances over to his right and Marcus can hear the chatter from his neighbor. He doesn’t remember someone living next to him, so he just assumes that it’s someone new moving in. Marcus just hopes that this new neighbor of his won’t keep him up at night. 

His mind drifts to Lisbon and Marcus wonders what she’s doing. Her green eyes and smile had captured his attention from the moment he laid eyes on her. Marcus was sure that what he had with her was real, that it would be his second chance at love after his failed marriage, and for a while, Marcus believed that his life would be different when Lisbon agreed to move in with him to DC, then agreed to marry him. 

Marcus never wanted to let her go. 

His thoughts are interrupted when the coffee pot goes off and the knocking on his door begins again. Marcus figures that the person wouldn’t leave until he answers, so he walks towards his door and opens it. His eyes soften instantly at the sight of you and he’s now become so aware of what he’s wearing. 

“Um–”

“Hi, I’m so sorry. I know it’s early and you’re probably getting ready for work, but I’m having trouble with moving my bed through the door and I just–” you take a deep breath, realizing that you must be rambling and that you’re asking a complete stranger to help you move. 

“Let me start over,” you say. “Hi. Good morning. I’m your new next door neighbor,” you laugh nervously and then tell him your name. 

The corner of Marcus’s lips lifts upwards and he nods, looking over your shoulder at the large bed that’s leaning against the wall. “Nice to meet you. I’m Marcus.” Then, he points to your bed. “You sure that’s gonna fit?” 

“A bit too late for that, I think.” You blush. “I should have just hired movers, but I thought I could do this myself.”

“You’re in luck,” he chuckles. “It’s my day off and I have no plans whatsoever, so I’m happy to give you a hand. Let me just get dressed and I’ll be right out.” 

Then, you look down at his frame and realize what he’s wearing. Your eyes slightly widen and the blush on your cheeks redden even further. “Oh right! I’m so sorry. I’ll just–” you clear your throat and point over your shoulder, turning on your heel and tripping over your feet. “See you in a bit.”

Marcus quietly chuckles to himself. He finds your clumsiness cute and he gives you one more glance before he shuts his door. He walks back into his bedroom and slips into a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie. Marcus walks back into his kitchen and grabs two mugs, pouring the coffee he made into each cup before he walks out of his apartment. When he looks up at you, he smiles when he sees you trying to make the bed fit into the door all by yourself. 

Eager, he thinks to himself. And independent. 

“Hey,” Marcus calls out softly. “Here, take a break.” He hands you a mug of coffee. 

You look up at him and smile, taking the mug from his hand and leaning against the wall with a sigh. “You’re amazing, thank you.” 

“So, it’s just you moving in?” Marcus asks, sipping his cup of coffee.

“Yeah. I got a new job teaching kindergarten at a nearby private school, so…” You take a careful sip of the coffee and look down at your feet. 

“Well, welcome to the club. I just moved here about six months ago.” 

“From where?” 

“Texas, you?” 

“California.” Then, you raise your mug and gently tap it with his, smiling up at him. “Cheers to us newbies here in DC.” 

Marcus chuckles. “Cheers to that.” 

You drink about half of the coffee before you set it down. You then clasp your hands together and look up at him with a hopeful look in your eyes. “You ready?” 

He smiles to himself. “That was barely a break.”

“It was five minutes, that was enough.” 

Marcus chuckles. He finds that it’s easy to talk to you and he’s beginning to enjoy being around you, even if he just met you ten minutes ago. “Alright, you’re the boss.” 

It takes you and Marcus the next half hour to bring your king-sized bed into your apartment and then into your bedroom. Your apartment is a bit smaller than his, but it might also be because of the amount of boxes scattered around. Once you and Marcus set your bed the way you want it to in your bedroom, you lead him back outside to your living room and plops down onto the couch. 

“So, uh, I should get going and–” 

“Wanna grab breakfast?” you interrupt him. “Sorry. If you have something to do, that’s okay. I appreciate all your help, Marcus.” 

Marcus wants so badly to say yes, to get to know more about you, but he has to remind himself that this is what happened last time with Lisbon. He’s sure that love and being in a relationship is no longer something he’s interested in. 

“I actually have to go into the office,” Marcus lies. “But rain check?” 

You nod and stand from the couch to walk him out of your apartment. You smile up at him and then reach down to grab the two mugs that were left in the hallway. You hand it over to him and stare into his eyes. “Next time, I’ll bring coffee to you.” 

Marcus smiles and takes the two mugs. “Sounds like a plan.” 

“Thank you again, Marcus.”

Marcus nods and then begins walking towards his apartment before he turns around and faces you. He’s a few feet away from you and you’re about to walk into your apartment before he stops you and says, “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

—

next.

[wheelsupimagine]

Meant to be -Spencer Reid x Fem!reader

Pairing: Spencer Reid x FemReader

Word count: 3.2k words

Warnings: mentions of s3 e16 and s4 e24, angst and fluff

Summary: A case reminded Spencer of his past and you the only friend he had in high school, what if one day you two meet again in DC.

Being a resident genius had its favors, the team bets everything on him and he could always retrieve this but this case was different, it was difficult it got personal.

His edict memory is a blessing but not when a case like this reminded him of his past - Alexa Lisbon.

Then he wished he could forget everything for once in his life, but he will always remember.

When Spencer stepped out of the plane, he felt like he could breathe again, but his mind still raced - this case was an emotional roller coaster for him and the best way for Spencer to calm down was to go to his favorite bookstore.

The moment Spencer stepped into the bookstore he felt relieved, the familiar smell of old books and fresh coffee felt like home and no other person was in sight.

"Hey Spencer though case?!" Miranda the owner of the shop asked.

"Hey Miranda, yeah it was."

"Okay, your coffee will be ready in a bit, the bookstore is almost empty just one more person is here."

Spencer nodded but he was surprised that someone else would be here at this time still Spencer didn’t let himself bother knowing he would probably not even find this person.

Spencer left Miranda and made his way deeper into the bookstore. He was so invested in finding a new book, that he totally forgot about his coffee till he heard his name being called.

"Spencer Reid?" A stranger called his name

He turned his head and then he saw you.

Y/N Y/L/N.

What Spencer didn’t tell Derek was, who got him down from the goalpost back then - it was y/n, after that night you two spent more time together - Spencer could always come to you, and you two never talked about his problems and struggles because when he was with you it didn’t matter, once or twice he talked with you about his mom but mostly he just enjoyed your company and felt like a decent kid with a friend.

When he graduated high school, he never looked back but after 14 years you stand now in front of him right here in this bookstore in DC.

"Miranda asked me if I could bring you your coffee before it gets cold." You said and pointed at his coffee in your hand.

"My god Spencer, I can’t believe it’s you." You continued.

"Thank you y/n." Spencer took the coffee from you.

"It’s been a while, you look good by the way."

Spencer blushed, but he didn’t say anything back.

"Ähm yeah it was nice to see you again, I don’t want to bother much longer." As you attempted to leave, Spencer stopped you.

"Actually I could use some company if you like… Only if you want to obviously, I would understand if you don’t want to…" Spencer

rambled, but you stopped him.

"I would love to keep you company Spencer."

You two sat down and drank your coffee and talked. Spencer found out that you moved here two years ago because you got a job offer at the Walter Reed hospital and nothing held you in Las Vegas. Spencer talked to you about his job in the FBI, you asked him about Diana and it surprised him that you still knew her name, you two had a great time together until you caught Spencer off guard.

"Spencer, how are you really? You have very dark circles under your eyes."

"I…I haven’t slept really, it was this case that reminded me of something in the past." Spencer sighed and didn’t dare to look you in the eyes.

You knew where his mind went, you rubbed Spencer’s arm.

"But look at you now, these High school jerks and Alexa are definitely regretting this now." You looked at your clock.

"Hey Spencer it’s getting late, I have to wake up early and honestly you need some sleep too."

Spencer's mimic changed from happy to sad in one motion.

"Oh, I understand. Yeah yeah, you should leave you need your sleep." Spencer took his distance from you, thinking you wanted to leave because you already had enough of him.

"Spencer hey, if you want we can exchange phone numbers so we could meet again."

Spencer’s lips curved into a smile.

"Yeah, I would like that."You exchanged numbers and you both left the shop together.

Sadly you two had to split ways, Spencer insisted on walking you home but you promised him that it wouldn’t even take 10 minutes till you were home. Spencer started rambling about unsafety and what everything could happen in 10 minutes.

"Wow, now I might think I have to stay with you forever." You joked

but Spencer was stunned and it caused his cheeks to turn slightly pink.

"I just made a joke Dr. Reid, okay. Would you feel better if I wrote you when I made it home save in 10 minutes?" You asked him.

"This would make it slightly better. But.."

"But?" You asked confused.

"You lied," Spencer said.

"What?"

"You first said you would be home in less than 10 minutes now it’s exactly 10 minutes." Spencer smiled and you laughed.

"Come home safe Dr. Reid."You smiled and turned around making your way home.

When Spencer arrived home, he thought about going to bed immediately but you crossed his mind again and when he looked at his phone he saw that you hadn’t wrote him yet. So instead of getting in his pyjamas he sat on his couch and waited for your text.

After 10 minutes and 45 seconds, you texted him letting him know you made it home safe.

Spencer:You are too late.

Y/n:What?!

Spencer:You are exactly 45 seconds too late. Next time I call the FBI.

Y/n:haha. I am so sorry dr Reid, I changed into my pajamas first.

Y/n:You didn’t need to stay awake for me

Spencer:But I wanted to make sure that you save.

Y/n:Thank you Spencer but you also need to sleep.

Spencer:Good night Y/n sleep well.

Y/n:Sleep well genius.

Over the last few months, Spencer and you met at the bookstore when your jobs allowed it. Otherwise, you two stay connected through messages and phone calls. Even the team noticed a shift in Spencer’s mood and as the man Derek is he asks him about it.

"Hey, pretty boy, who’s got you on the phone like this?"

"What do you mean, I use my phone like I always do."

"No boy wonder, for someone who rarely uses his phone in his free time, you are really caught up in it now." Derek laughed.

"Is pretty boy in love?" Derek asked and wiggled with his brows.

"Derek please can you leave it, it’s nothing," Spencer answered and didn’t dare to look Derek in the eyes.

"Okay Spencer, I let it slide for now but just so you know I care about you and if there is someone in your life that makes you happy, I just want to know."

Paperwork days for Spencer were never a problem, he accepted it cause it needed to be done but now with you in his life, he loved paperwork because it meant he wasn’t away on a case and with you having the morning shift, it gave you two the chance to meet up after work and he enjoyed your time together, he feels like he can be like himself with you and he hasn’t laughed so much since he met you.

But your jobs didn't allow this too much, either you had the night shift or Spencer was out of town for a case and he hated this, he hated when you weren’t around, he hated it when you two were in the same city but didn’t get to see each other and even though he loves his job, he couldn’t wait to come home, to see you - he missed you.

Cases also mean for him that he barely has time to call you.

Currently, Spencer has been away for a week already, this case going longer than he thought it would take, Spencer lay on his motel bed and tried to find the breakthrough for the case but nothing came to his mind.

He put the papers aside and looked at the clock, it wasn’t too late in DC yet, and he was unsure if he should call you, it’s nothing you usually do so that Spencer could stay focused on the case but honestly, he needed to hear your voice tonight, so he tried to call you hoping you aren’t already asleep.

"Spencer? Is everything okay?" Your voice sounds raw.

"Hey, yeah everything is okay. Did I wake you up? I am so sorry, I really didn’t mean to, it was a stupid idea to call you, you obviously slept, and your voice sounds raw. I should-."

"Spencer, breath, everything is fine. I didn’t sleep, I - I just rolled around, I was thinking about you."

Spencer was stunned by your confession, he stayed silent but his heart was beating very fast.

"So yeah, what’s on your mind, Spencer?" You asked breaking the silence.

"We don’t come forward with the case and I...I wanted to hear your voice." Spencer confessed.

"Sometimes it takes more time to find the perpetrator but the only thing that matters is that you will find him. I miss you but please stay safe there."

"I will y/n, I promise."

"Hey, Spencer."

"Yes, y/n."

"Why don’t we meet when you come back, we could order takeout and make a movie marathon at my place nothing fancy." You suggested.

"Yeah, yeah I would like that."

"Good, I will see you soon, good night Spencer."

"Good night y/n."

A few days later the team finally caught the unsub.

As the team flew back to Virginia, Spencer wrote you to let you know that he would land in the late afternoon and asked you if you two wanted to have the movie marathon tonight which you accepted.

Spencer didn’t even realize that he smiled like an idiot until Derek pulled him out of his thoughts.

"You pretty boy what got your smile like that?" Derek asked Spencer.

"Uh n-no-nothing," Spencer said but his cheeks turned 10 times darker every second.

"Sureee Spencer."

Spencer didn’t say anything.

"Hey Spencer," Derek said.

"Yeah."

"It’s good to see you like this," Derek replied. He left Spencer alone with his thoughts, he couldn’t wait to see you tonight.

Spencer arrived at your apartment complex 10 minutes too early, he first waited in his car, drumming his fingers on his bouncing leg, trying to calm himself down but he failed miserably, so he stood in front of your door 7 minutes and 43 seconds too early but it was okay, in that time he tried to get his breath under control.

But before Spencer got his breath under control, you already opened the door.

"Man, I thought you would never knock at my door." You greeted him.

"How-how did you know I stood in front of your door?" Spencer asked.

"I saw you parking your car 5 minutes ago, I waited for you.”

"Oh yeah I didn’t want to be late here but I also didn’t want to be too early, I didn’t know if you were ready yet," Spencer explained.

"It’s okay Spencer but next time just knock you could never be annoying to me, even if you're too early you can sit on my couch like right now."

"I will quickly make the popcorn, you can look for a movie we could watch." You suggested and Spencer sat down and looked for a good movie to watch that you also liked, when you returned with the popcorn and other snacks, you sat down next to him but not too close, Spencer still didn’t decide what to watch.

"I-I don’t know what to watch, movies that I like are mostly not the type from others," Spencer admitted.

"Okay mhm, what do you think of Star Trek?"

"What?!" Spencer was completely shocked.

"Ähm okay was that a bad request?"

"No, no it’s- it’s great actually, I love it, I didn’t think you would like these types of movies," Spencer admitted.

"I am full of surprises Spencer."

So you watched the Star Trek series and after some time you both fell asleep, no one knows who fell asleep first maybe it was you or him but for sure was that you both bumped your heads, after a phone went off - it was Spencer’s.

"I’m sorry, I’ve got a case, is your head okay?"

"Yeah, yeah is there enough time for coffee or do you have to leave immediately?"

"No, it looks really important I have to leave now, but at least the case is here."

"Okay, good luck, be safe."

"I will be." As Spencer was about to leave he turned around once more.

"Hey y/n?"

"Yes, Spencer."

"I had a lot of fun last night."

"Me too, maybe we couldn’t do it again sometime?"

"I would love to, bye y/n."

"See you soon doctor, come home to me in one piece."

Just when the door felt shut, your phone started ringing, it was the hospital.

"Hey, y/n. Is it possible for you to fill in today, maya is sick."

"Yeah sure, I am on my way."

Spencer just visited Abby one of the remaining survivors, in the middle of their conversation Abby got aphasia, which scared Spencer, this stain kills people in a short amount of time and right now he couldn’t do anything.

Then he thought about you, and he had the urge to talk to you, even though he may get in trouble for this he needed to know you were okay.

"Spencer, is everything okay?" You said quite in panic.

"Yeah, yeah sure why wouldn’t it be… I.. I just wanted to hear your voice and I wanted to know if you are okay."

"Everything is okay, besides I have to work today."

"What !! I thought it was your free day?"

"Yeah, change in plans, one of my colleagues is sick and they asked me to fill in, but it’s fine, it’s a quiet day." You lied to Spencer, nothing was quiet on this day.

Hey, Spencer, it looks like I’ve got to go out there again. Look out for yourself and maybe if you’d like we could out soon.. like on a real date, maybe?"

"..I would like it, yeah, that would be great."

"Good, stay safe Spencer. Bye"

"Goodbye, Y/n. Take care of yourself. See you soon."

You both hung up with a smile and at least forgot the scary situation for a few seconds, before you got out again and took care of the anthrax-infected patients.

Spencer and Derek made their way to Nichols a possible suspect in the anthrax case. When they arrived Spencer had cut himself briefly on the thorn bush but it didn't stop him and continued to walk with Derek closer to the house.

Before Morgan and Reid entered Nichols's private lap, Derek got a phone call, Reid made his way into the lab and left Derek behind.

As Derek ended the call, he realized Spencer was not behind him. Derek ran towards the house calling for Reid and just when he arrived at the house, Spencer closed the door from the lab and told Derek he couldn’t get in there just then Derek saw the broken test tube with Anthrax in it.

Spencer was a step closer to death.

You took the mask from your face and took a deep breath and you finally broke down, you started crying, it was too much for you, seeing all those vulnerable people and you can’t do anything to help them, you can only try to make this stay as comfortable as possible.

You knew what this job meant, you can’t save everybody but this is not fair, how can a human being so heartless and let these people perish?

You took another deep breath and then you thought about Spencer, hopefully was okay, far away from this situation but deep down you knew he wasn’t, he is in the FBI of course he is involved but please let him be okay.

You needed to hear Spencer's voice, so you called him.

"Y/n…" Spencer began to cough.

"Spencer.. what's happening. You don’t sound okay."

"Everything is fine." Spencer coughed again.

"Spencer…no matter what is happening…"

"Y/n listen." Spencer cut you off.

"I love you Y/n… everything is gonna be okay but I've got to go now. Then Spencer hung up and you didn’t get to answer him.

You tried it a few more times but he didn’t pick and now it felt like your world broke down, you burst into tears knowing couldn’t do anything.

After Spencer and Dr. Kimura may have found the cure for this anthrax, Spencer finally gets to go out of the lab and go to the shower, but as Spencer untied his tie, Dr. Kimura sees the cut Spencer got from the bush and the situation just got more dangerous, hopefully, the cure was in the inhaler.

When Dr. Kimura came in with a newly infected anthrax patient your heart skipped a beat - it was Spencer.

He was in an awful state and for a moment you didn’t know if he would survive this.

The situation finally got under control with the confirmation from the lab that the cure was in the inhaler, the last survivors and Spencer were able to be cured and now it was a matter of time before Spencer woke up.

When you walked towards Spencer’s room, you saw a man sitting by Spencer and eating his jello that you put on his table, just then Spencer woke up and immediately asked if there would be more jello.

As you arrived at Spencer's room you couldn’t hold back anymore.

"Hey." You've said as if a stone fell from your heart.

"Hi." Said Spencer with a smile on his face.

You both wanted to say so much more but with this muscular man in the room who you didn’t know - there was an awkward silence there.

"Okay, I think it’s my time to leave. Have fun lover boy." The man said and left you too alone.

"You’ve scared me, Spencer." You sat down on the bed and took his hand in yours.

"I didn’t mean to do this and I am sorry for what I said, I would understand if you don’t want to see me anymore, I mean with what I said I took this.." Spencer rambled.

"I love you too Spencer."

"WHAT?! Really?"

"Yes Spencer, of course I do, I've loved you since we first met back in Las Vegas."

Spencer cupped with both hands your face and you leaned in and then you two kissed for the first time.

"So you still want to go out with me?" You asked.

"Of course Y/n." You both hugged and Spencer's face was crooked in your neck.

"Hey, Y/n?"

"Yes, Spencer."

"Before we go out on the date, can I have some of this jello?" Spencer asked shyly but you just started laughing.

"Of course, my love, you can have as much jello as you want."

Man - when I wrote this it felt from length okay but now I feel like it’s a little rushed maybe you could give me feedback if I should get more in detail with the story and the conversations.

I am still very new to writing and it feels super though to write Spencer so that he still has his character traits and doesn’t sound like a totally different Spencer.

[bluewinnerangel]

FITF Tour exit songs

- NA LEG - Uncasville: Tina Turner - The Best

Gilford: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Laval: Petula Clark - Downtown

Toronto: Bryan Adams - Summer Of '69

Cuyahoga Falls: The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony

Sterling Heights: Shed Seven - Chasing Rainbows

Cincinnati: The Killers - All These Things That I've Done

Columbus: R.E.M. - The One I Love

Indianapolis: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Maryland Heights (St. Louis): Chuck Berry - Johnny B. Goode

Kansas City: Van Morrison - Moondance

Milwaukee: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now

Chicago: Earth, Wind & Fire - September

Minneapolis: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Council Bluffs: Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)

Sioux Falls: Don McLean - American Pie

Seattle: The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Vancouver: The Police - King Of Pain

Troutdale: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Berkeley: INXS - Never Tear Us Apart

Los Angeles: 2Pac - California Love

Las Vegas: The Killers - Human

Phoenix: Spear Of Destiny - Liberator

Irving: The Doors - Hello, I Love You

Austin: Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag

Houston The Woodlands: The Police - Walking On The Moon

St. Augustine: The Police - Every Breath You Take

Hollywood: Elton John - Your Song

Tampa: Pat Benatar - Hit Me With Your Best Shot

Atlanta: The Rolling Stones - You Can't Always Get What You Want

Nashville: Duran Duran - Hold Back The Rain

Charlotte: Lou Reed - Perfect Day

Raleigh: Van Morrison - Moondance

Columbia: Commodores - Easy

Boston 1: Boston - More Than A Feeling

Boston 2: Pixies - Here Comes Your Man

Philadelphia: Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2 U

Asbury Park: Bruce Springsteen - Dancing In The Dark

New York: Queen - We Are The Champions (dj elf asked a fan to pick between this one and David Bowie - Heroes)

- EU & UK LEG - Hamburg: Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Copenhagen: Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure

Oslo: Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Stockholm: The White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Helsinki: Elvis Presley - Always On My Mind

Tallinn: Smash Mouth - All Star

Riga: AC/DC - Thunderstruck

Kaunas: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love

Krakow: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Łódź: Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop

Vienna: Oasis - Supersonic

Ljubljana: The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It

Budapest: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Bucharest: Foo Fighters - My Hero

Sofia: Rage Against The Machine - Bombtrack

Bilbao: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Lisbon: White Lies - Farewell to the Fairground

Madrid: Editors - Munich

Barcelona: At the Drive-In - One Armed Scissor

Turin: Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way

Bologna: Bloc Party - Helicopter

Luxembourg: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Antwerp: Queens Of The Stone Age - My God Is The Sun

Paris: Biffy Clyro - Bubbles

Amsterdam: Blur - Song 2

Cologne: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Prague: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Berlin: The Cure - Friday I'm in Love

Munich: Fatboy Slim - Praise You

Zurich: The Strokes - Last Nite

Dublin: Inhaler - These Are The Days

Sheffield: The Killers - Mr. Brightside

Manchester: The Smiths - This Charming Man

Glasgow: The Snuts - Gloria

Brighton: Ramones - I Wanna Be Sedated

Cardiff: T. Rex - 20th Century Boy

London: The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now

Birmingham: Boyz II Men - End Of The Road

- ASIA & AUS LEG - Jakarta: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Melbourne: Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl

Brisbane: The Temper Trap - Fader

Sydney: Oasis - Rock 'N' Roll Star

- LATAM LEG - Panama: Hard-Fi - Living for the Weekend

San Juan: Pixies - Where Is My Mind

Rio de Janeiro: Nirvana - Heart-Shaped Box

Like last time the plan is to keep editing this post as tour goes on - 2022 LTWT here

Apple music playlist here

[sparklingelectricblue]

From the Ashes: Marvel Infinity #14

Continuing on from last week…

The comic starts with the following narration:

"Sometimes, you get a moment..."

We then see Max as a child with his father, Jakob.

The narration continues: "...when everything lines up... ...when anything is possible."

We now see Max facing a firing squad who has opened fire with Jakob's hand on his shoulder.

"When suddenly, you can make things happen."

We then see Max as child with bullets in midair.

"But other times.. Perhaps most of the time...

...you can't."

We then see blood and broken glass on the snow. We're back from where issue #13 left off and Max is waking up after being hit by a car.

Someone is calling to him off panel, "Mr. Eisenhardt..." Turns out, he's being roused by Rabbi Sagan and a bystander.

According to Google Translate, Max is saying "I... yes, Dad takes us across the Vistula. There's a famer in Radom who will hide us."

Cut off in the picture is the wreckage of the car in flames.

What might not be clear in the art is that Max is dragging his lower body to get to the car.

Narration continues: "A few months ago, Magneto could have made something happen."

"A few months ago, he could have dismantled the ruined car and spirited the child away to safety with a thought."

We now see a horrific scene of Anna in the fiery car screaming, "Somebody help us! Poppa won't wake up!"

Narration: "But now he is helpless"

Max is reaching into the car to get to her with the Rabbi reaching out behind him but Max is immediately burned.

Narration: "As helpless as he was when the jaws of the twentieth century closed on his people."

"Now, as then, he is condemned to simply bear witness."

Anna is grasping at her seatbelt, "I'm... I'm stuck!"

Max, face illuminated by the fire, is calling out to her "Then... then you must cut yourself loose! Is there anything to hand, a... a tool... something sharp?! Anything!"

Anna cuts through the seatbelt and begins clinging to her dad in the driver's seat, "I'm free! We can go now, Daddy!"

Max shouts back, "No! You have to leave him! He would want you to."

"Look! There are people here to help your father, but you have to climb!"

Anna is hesitant, "I... I..."

"DO IT!" Max shouts.

Anna starts climbing over her father as the firefighters are getting into position to hose off the car, "Daddy, I'm sorry! It's... it's too hot!"

"I've got you." - Max

Max is being attended to by a medical professional. They're wrapping up his burnt arm. Someone off panel says, "It smells like reindeer sausage in here."

Rabbi Sagan confirms that Anna is safe and well. "The father too. Concussion. Smoke inhalation, but he'll be fine."

Rabbi Sagan sits with Max. "... Did I tell you how my grandmother Coralie came to live here in Alaska?"

Max: "I can guess..."

Rabbi Sagan: "When she was just three years old, she was a detainee at Furs internment camp in France."

(as Rabbi Sagan speaks, we see scenes of grandmother Coralie's life illustrated)

"And she would have surely died there had Andree Salomon not rescued her and put her on a train bound for Lisbon, where the S.S. Mouzinho was waiting to take her to America.

She arrived in New York on June 21st, 1941, where she was placed with a foster family who moved to Anchorage soon afterwards.

On Purim, she'd always get maudlin drunk and tell us about her mother -- her desperate, hopeful smile as she entrusted her only daughter to a stranger and the sea.

She knew she wouldn't live to see her daughter thrive across the ocean.

She sent her anyway."

"With the coming of Moshiach and the resurrection of the righteous" the Rabbi responds. "But I think you already had one of those covered."

Back to X-Men HQ, AKA "The Factory." Later.

"Summers and the others are heading out on another mission. You should get some rest." Max says to Hank.

Hank: "Max... Respectfully.... ...You won't."

Max: "Henry, trust me..."

The end? Infinity comics will be focusing on the Alaska team for the next 2 issues so maybe we'll see more on this.

[teecupangel]

Inspired by the "multiple ancestors time travel ask"

How about a reincarnation/time travel au?

Like:

Altair gets reincarnated in Bayek's time or he time travel from the moment of his death to the start of AC Origins in his body of 16 years (yes, I choose that age because Desmond).

The same for Ezio (in AC), Edward (in ACII), Connor (in ACIV) and Haytham (I don't know). Desmond ends in ACIII or in Rogue.

I don't care exactly, you can choose.

The same goes for the others protagonists + Clay (you decide what games/period you chose)

Maybe Arno gets Rogue and Shay gets Black Flag?

Or Shay gets ACIII with Haytham gets Black Flag?

Or the twins get Unity?

Go wild

Does this count as a time travel round robin scenario? Lol.

So let’s add a bit of order in this time travel shenanigan.

All of them will time travel and wake up in their 16 year old body BUT they would have the memories up to their death.

Since you put Altaïr in Bayek’s time then we’re setting this from AC1 to Origin only because if we were to include Odyssey, Valhalla and Mirage, Altaïr would end up in Eivor’s time, not Bayek’s

The time travel would be as followed:

Bayek’s time – Altaïr

Altaïr wouldn’t follow Bayek around. He has his own problems to deal with. He’s planning to leave for Masyaf or even Alamut as soon as he can but… the Hidden Ones start their operations and Altaïr is intrigued. He’s more of an observer who more often than not intervenes because he can’t just let innocent people suffer. (One of the Hidden Ones call him ‘that stray cat that comes every day to watch us but never lets us pet him’)

Altaïr’s time – Ezio

Ezio as a 16 year old who follows Altaïr around. He tells people he’s adopting Altaïr and everyone sees their dynamic (annoyed but letting the kid do whatever he wants, chill but extremely talented and nice chaotic gremlin) and is like “yeah, Altaïr’s the one getting adopted”.

Ezio’s time – Edward

Edward has no idea why he’s in this time but he’s trying to make the best of it. It’s not every day he can train with the legendary Ezio Auditore! Mario is actually suspicious of him and thinks he’s a spy. Edward falls back to the whole “I was a pirate once” shtick and that’s still suspicious but more on the side of ‘he wants money’ and less on the side of ‘he’s a Templar spy’.

Edward’s time – Haytham

Oh boy. Haytham absolutely does not want to be in his situation. Honestly, the man almost decided to join the British Templar Order but he knows he’d regret it if he doesn’t at least try to assist his father for a bit. The crew of Jackdaw (all of them) knows he’s a posh British aristocrat. He’s too posh to be a convincing spy so they believe he’s like Stede. Haytham is offended to be compared to Stede but he can’t say anything because they all insult him and jeer him when he starts giving ‘constructive criticism’ about how the Jackdaw is being sailed.

Haytham’s time – Shay

Nothing much changes to be completely honest. Shay appears and acts like Haytham’s loyal right hand man, an aspiring Templar recruit. Haytham doesn’t have any direct encounter with the Colonial Brotherhood so there’s no actual angst for Shay. He does wonder more often if he was doing the right thing. If this wasn’t his time to actually change the past by going to the Brotherhood instead of following Haytham around.

Shay’s time (this is because Rogue is set between Haytham’s prologue and Ratonhnhaké:ton’s start) – Ratonhnhaké:ton

Ratonhnhaké:ton would not know why he was sent to this time but he would immediately go to the Brotherhood and talk to Achilles because he believed Achilles would trust his words. Achilles doesn’t fully believe what Ratonhnhaké:ton told him but he’s willing to believe it more than he should because he does understand the power of these artifacts. Ratonhnhaké:ton wouldn’t know about Lisbon so he won’t be able to stop it but he’d be able to stop things from escalating and become a bridge between Shay and the other Assassins.

Ratonhnhaké:ton’s time – Arno

He would absolutely try to return to France but would get rope into the Revolution by Lafayette. Afterwards, he’d just search for the Colonial Brotherhood and find out how Ratonhnhaké:ton is all that’s left so he feels that he should stay and help.

Arno’s time – Evie and Jacob

They’re there to cause chaos and try to find a way back to their time. Jacob would absolutely join the revolution. Evie would try to cooperate with the council. The two of them would join Arno as fellow recruits. Evie has a lot of questions about Arno and his lover/adoptive sister who is a Templar. Jacob thinks ‘love is love’ but, also, he warns Arno that tragedy is always waiting in the corner for star-crossed lovers.

.

And then we set up the modern day time travel shenanigan and it will be glorious chaos because…

Layla will time travel into Desmond’s time and she knows the broad strokes so she’s going backpacking to find them before Desmond goes into a coma. Does she have any idea what to do to save the world without Desmond dying? Nope. But, at least, she can tell them that Lucy’s a traitor and stop her from getting stabbed along the way. She’s going to wing it after that.

Desmond, on the other hand, will time travel to Clay’s time and his main goal is to save Clay. Problem is… Clay’s already in Abstergo and is reliving Ezio’s memories. So… First step is getting to Italy. It doesn’t matter if he was seen or recognized, anyone Abstergo orders to hunt him down is taken down because, even if he’s back in his sixteen year old body, he still had the skills and guidance of his Bleeds. Oh fuck. He should have thought of warning the current Desmond Miles of this timeline. Well, that was one mind fuckery that Desmond wasn’t going to ignore for now. Especially since he got the Apple from the Colosseum vault. Now he can really fuck shit up.

And then there’s Clay. You might be where would we punt Clay? Syndicate? Sure, that would be fun. But there is one ‘time frame’ that we can make work. The time frame of the Fall Comics starring Daniel Cross. This would put Clay before the Great Purge and before Cross assassinated the mentor. And Clay knows the best way to take revenge is to make sure the Brotherhood stayed strong. This means… oh. Clay would have to take the lead. Well, fuck.

[jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka]

𝕸𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖊𝖛𝖎𝖑

Pairings: Jake Kiszka X Chris Turpin

Word count: ~7800

Warnings: 18+ only!! This is deranged, deprived, and delusional, don’t look at me. Smut including: m/m sex, multiple orgasms, cum play, overstimulation, blood, Talk about Jake being in hospital, making deals with the devil

Lisbon - Winter 2023

I never thought I’d meet the Devil in Portugal. Certainly not on the last night of my most expeditious tour of spellbinding Europe. Most of all, I never thought the Devil would be someone I already knew.

“Feeling sick Josh?” Jake asked his brother as he watched him stir his third cup of hot herbal tea.

“No, my throat is just killing me” he replied as he took a large gulp of the tea before it even had time to cool down. “Feels dry and scratchy”.

“Well don’t overdo it tonight. Just because it’s our last night on this leg doesn’t always mean you need to show off”. Jake placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder, his tone kind and gentle though his words still picking lighthearted fun.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever” Josh rolled his shoulder, knocking Jake’s hand from him and continued to sip his tea hoping to calm the tender muscles in his throat before stage time. He couldn’t shake this feeling he had though, a strange and unsettling feeling he’d had since waking up this morning. He’d tried to brush it off as pre show nerves, but he knew what those felt like and this was different. It’s like his body and his mind were trying to tell him something, warn him to be on alert because something was coming. Something bad.

“Great job everybody!” Their team clapped and congratulated them on another excellent show as they each descended the stairs of the stage, the roaring of the crowd behind them growing more muffled and faint as they made their ways back to the greenroom.

“Josh!” One of the stage hands called after them and Josh turned on his heel to see a man hidden behind a large vase full of flowers. “These came for you”.

“Me?” Josh pretended to act surprised like he’d never gotten flowers before, though these were definitely the largest he’d ever received.

“Who are they from?” Danny asked as he sidestepped around Josh and his excessive bouquet.

“Don’t know” Josh set the heavy vase down on the table next to the sofa and shifted through the foliage at the base for any indication of who’d sent them. When he finally found a small card, he flipped it over and his stomach dropped. The only thing on the stark white was an ‘X’ but in a hauntingly familiar handwriting.

“Seems like a waste to me” Sam huffed as he flopped down onto the couch and pulled one of the flower petals between his fingers. “Don’t know how you’re going to get this on the plane home tomorrow. They should’ve sent a bottle or something”.

Josh slapped Sam’s hand away, who in turn shouted “Hey!” and rubbed the back of his hand like it had really hurt. “Don’t touch” Josh asserted with a squint of his eyes. He had a gut wrenching feeling he knew who sent him these flowers, but he didn’t know why. Regardless, he knew it had to be bad news.

Sam grabbed Danny by the arm and the two of them left for their dressing rooms as Josh still studied the ominous card and Jake hydrated with a bottle of water.

“What’s the matter?” Jake asked, sensing some tension coming from his other half.

“Oh, nothing” Josh stuffed the card into the waistline of his suit since it didn’t have any pockets and tried to hurry out of the room, but as soon as he opened the door he came chest to chest with another crew member.

“Sorry, this just came for Jake” the man handed Josh a letter to pass along before scurrying off to finish his duties. Josh closed the door again, deciding to stick around a little longer to see what it was about.

Jake seemed confused when he took the black envelope from Josh’s hand and tore it open, his brows furrowed as he read until his expression softened and his face lit up. “You will never believe who’s here” he smiled as he jumped off the couch in excitement, ready to get out of his stage clothes and dressed to leave in a hurry.

“Who?” Josh questioned in return as he followed Jake down the hallway to his dressing room next.

“Chris!” Jake explained with a bright smile on his face, a friend they had made on the road who Jake particularly had taken very fondly too. “That bastard says he was in the area on some business that finished early. Said he couldn’t make it to the show but he can get a drink”.

“Oh…” Josh didn’t share the same enthusiasm for seeing their so-called friend after so long. In fact he would've been content never seeing the man again, but that would’ve been wishful thinking. It all started to make sense now though, the feeling of impending doom he’d been experiencing, the cheeky bouquet, his throat…

“I’ll come with you” he blurted out right before Jake could shut the door in his face to jump in the shower.

Jake frowned, but not because he didn’t want Josh to come. “If you’re not feeling well you should get some rest. We will probably be out late catching up, and you know things with him can get a little… out of hand”. Jake’s frown faded back into a smile as he recalled the last night he’d spent out with his friend drinking. It was after a show they’d played together in Wisconsin, and although he couldn’t remember much of the night, he remembered watching the sun come up laying in the grass at a park.

“I said I’m fine” Josh pouted, standing in the doorway so Jake couldn’t close it. “What, you don’t want me there or something?” He didn’t want to be sassy in this instance, or make his brother feel guilty for wanting to go out with a friend alone, but Josh couldn’t let him be alone with Chris anymore. At least not until he knew it was safe.

“No, you should come” Jake sighed in defeat, “it will be fun”.

“If you say so” he stepped back now, allowing Jake his space to get ready and headed towards his own dressing room.

Josh took a long shower, his mind fueled by the steam surrounding him as it worked in overdrive trying to reconcile what was happening. If this was really happening. When he got out he already had a text from Jake.

Hurry up, car is waiting in the parking lot.

Josh dressed in the clothes he’d packed for after the show, not really what he would’ve chosen to go out in, but still presentable enough in case they were spotted. Once he finally made his way outside Jake was calling him over through the rolled down window.

“Come on! He’s already waiting for us!” Jake hollered, not caring if anyone lurking around might hear them.

“I’m coming, damn” Josh replied, zipping his jacket up and jogging over to the car glad it had already been warmed up before climbing inside.

“So what did he say he was here for?” Josh questioned as he stared out the window at the cityscape lit up by street lamps.

“Don’t know, some business” Jake replied with a shrug. He didn’t seem bothered by the fact it was odd he was running into a friend overseas. Whether the friend was from Europe himself or not, Josh thought it was strange.

“We can get a cab back to the hotel” Jake told their driver when they reached the bar, not wanting him to wait up for them.

“Listen,” Josh grabbed a hold of Jake’s arm when they stepped back out into the crisp winter air, “I have a bad feeling about this”.

“About what?” Jake turned to face him, confused and slightly hurt by Josh’s reluctance.

“About Chris” Josh whispered, looking around to make sure he wasn’t outside waiting for them and hearing this whole conversation.

“Why would you say that?” Jake tugged his arm from Josh’s grasp, growing more irritated and concerned by the second. “He’s my friend”.

“I know he is, but just promise me that if things get tense we can leave”. Josh was begging already, reaching out to Jake again who stepped back out of the way.

“I said you didn’t have to come”. Jake’s brows furrowed, he was torn between still being excited to go inside, and worried about why Josh was acting so absurd.

“I know, let’s just go in” Josh decided to brave it and walked ahead of Jake, his eyes scanning the packed bar for the man in question.

“Over here!”

Jake found him first, walking quickly over to where Chris stood up from the table he’d saved, the two meeting each other in a hug before sitting back down across from each other.

Josh slid into the booth next to Jake, who eyed him sideways to watch how he reacted when Chris thanked them for coming out so late.

“This isn’t late for us, we’re usually up a good few hours after the show anyways, right Josh?”

Josh nodded, avoiding eye contact with the man across the table.

“Well, what are you drinking?” Chris asked, already starting to stand again so he could order from the bar.

“You know what I like” Jake smiled up at him, confident that the friend he remembered Chris being would save that information about him.

“Coming right up” Chris smiled back, sending a quick wink to Jake before turning his attention to Josh. “And for you dearest?”

“I’ll get my own” Josh answered curtly, standing as well and taking off to the bar first.

“Did you get my flowers?” Chris asked with a playful smirk on his face as he leaned on the bar next to Josh, waiting to get the bartender’s attention.

Josh squeezed his hands that he had folded over each other, a phantom pain on his palm having flared up since arriving. He knew what it was, but he couldn’t bring himself to look down and see if the old seemingly healed wound had somehow reopened.

“What are you doing here?” Josh murmured underneath his breath, glancing back to check and make sure Jake was still waiting for them at the table. “I thought I had more time”.

Chris chuckled, obviously taking amusement in Josh’s distress. “Oh you do, I just wanted to check in and see how my friend was doing. Seems like he’s recovered well”.

“Jake is fine” Josh spat back, his protective tendencies over his brother overtaking him.

“And i'm glad to see it” Chris chuckled again, not even a bit concerned with Josh’s defensiveness.

“I take it you didn’t tell him anything?” He asked after they put in their orders, the bartender making their drinks quickly so she could move on to the next waiting patron.

Josh didn’t reply, only grabbed his drink when it was ready and headed back to their table, trying to collect himself on the way. How could he have told Jake anything about what happened? He still hardly believed it himself.

A few drinks in and Chris and Jake were still laughing with each other as they got caught up. Josh stayed mostly quiet, pushing around melted ice in his glass with the stir straw, his hand still clenched where it rested on his thigh beneath the table.

“Well, I’m glad to see you’ve been doing well” Chris reached over the table and took one of Jake’s hands in his own, making him adjust in the booth and lean closer to the table. “You know I visited when you were at the hospital”.

“You did?” Jake was surprised to hear this, glancing over at his brother for answers that Josh didn’t want to give. “Wait, they let you visit?” He started to think back on the whole ordeal, remembering how hard it was for even his family to visit with Covid protocols still in place.

“Josh remembers” Chris revealed, pretending to not understand why he wouldn’t have said anything. “Don’t you?”

“I remember” Josh bit out through gritted teeth, Jake being the one he avoided eye contact with now and he stared Chis in the eye.

Jake pulled his hand from the table and leaned over to whisper, “Josh can I talk to you?”

“Be right back, bathroom” he told Chris as he followed Josh out of the booth, waiting until they were in the hallway to the bathroom to begin his confrontation. “Did something happen between you two while I was in the hospital?”

“It’s nothing” Josh replied, fighting off a wince as his palm burned again.

“So something did happen?” Jake scoffed, knowing Josh would only say it’s nothing when he was avoiding telling the truth.

“See this is what I meant when I said I had a bad feeling” he tried to explain, without really explaining anything at all which only made Jake more upset. If only he could think he would come up with something to tell him, but the pain just kept growing, overpowering all his senses. “Fuck, my hand hurts!”

He finally turned his hand over and looked down, seeing the faint scar that had once faded into the creases of his palm inflamed and irritated. The red X that had been marked into his skin now fully visible.

“Tell me what happened” Jake pushed, ignoring the distress Josh was currently in.

In their distraction, they hadn’t seen Chris join them in the hallway until his voice echoed through, “tell him Josh”.

“Jake, we need to go” Josh pleaded again, cradling his hand to his chest as he started to breathe heavily.

“No, not until you tell me”.

“I promise you I will tell you everything, but please not here. Not around him” he glanced over to see Chris standing in their way, hoping there was an emergency exit somewhere near them they could escape from if needed. “He’s- he’s not good”.

“He’s right” Chris began toward them, his hands stuffed in his pockets to seem harmless, though Josh really knew what he was capable of. “I’m not good”.

“What do you mean?” Jake turned towards Chris now, searching for the answers no one would give him.

Josh used his good hand to grab Jake’s arm again and pull him back, trying his best to protect him even if Jake didn’t know yet why. “Jake, you have to believe me, Chris, he’s-”

Before Josh could finish whatever sentence he had, Chris smiled wickedly and cocked his head to the side. “I’m the Devil”.

“You were dying Jake” Josh explained how desperate he was, sitting in that white room next to his twin wasting away in a bed.

“So you made a deal with the devil?” Jake repeated what Josh had told him only a moment ago, still trying to wrap his head around everything.

“I made a deal with him, yes” Chris responded, “to save your life in exchange for his voice”.

Jake winced, falling back against the booth of the table they’d found empty in the darkest corner of the bar. “His voice? But why?”

“Because it’s his livelihood. It’s what makes him successful, special” Chris replied simply, like it was as obvious as asking for his soul.

“So in two more years Josh won’t have a voice anymore?” He grabbed his brother's hand laying next to him, regretful now for having been such an ass to him earlier. He was only frightened that Chris was here to collect early.

“That’s correct”.

“So why are you here now then?” Josh asked next, still worried that there was something else he wanted rather than to just torture him with his presence.

“I’m here to offer you another deal” Chris smiled, his charm never wavering.

“Whatever it is, hell no” Josh replied without hesitation, trying to flee from the table, but getting caught by Jake’s hold on his hand.

“What’s your offer?” Jake wanted to stay and indulge him. He couldn’t imagine what would be worse than Josh losing his voice, so he wanted to know what else he could possibly want.

“He’s the thing, Josh is just a means to an end. Who I really want is you, Jake”.

“Me?” He was shocked, wondering ‘whatever did the devil want with me?’

“This is what I do” Chris explained, “I find talented successful people and I turn them to me. I’ve had my eye on you ever since we met but I never found a good enough reason to convince you to make a deal with me. Your band was already growing in popularity, more than you could ever have dreamed of. You’re not in it for the money or the fame. You’re already living your dream. What could I offer you to agree to an eternity of service?”

Josh squeezed Jake’s hand, a silent plea to leave, but Jake wanted to hear more. He wanted to know what Chris was convinced he finally had to offer him.

“Except Josh’s freedom”.

“No Jake” Josh tugged him closer, forcing him to look at him. “I won’t let you sacrifice yourself for me”.

Tears started welling in both their eyes as Jake tried to maintain his composure. “But you did it for me” Jake choked back a sob, his throat clenching around his words.

“Yes, I did it for you and I’d do it again, but what’s done is done” he held his injured palm out, showing Jake the red X that had been carved into his flesh over a year ago. The symbol of the contract he’d made to save his twin's life.

Jake ghosted his fingertips over the welts, Josh trying not to wince at the pain. “So if I agree, Josh will be let go? He won’t lose his voice, ever?”

Josh tried to argue with him again, but Jake curled his fingers up around his scar and pushed his hand back to his chest. “Is that the deal?”

“I’ll break his contract. It will be like he never made it to begin with” Chris assured him, already grinning at his cunning ability to entrap Jake the way he’d wanted. The only way he knew he could. By the use of his family.

“I have some stipulations though. If I’m to serve you for eternity that is” Jake asserted, wiping his cheek dry of the one tear he couldn’t keep contained.

Chris chuckled, no doubt entertained by Jake’s assertion considering who he was trying to barter with right now. “I’m listening”.

“Nothing happens to my family, ever” Jake started, that being the most important to him. He didn’t want anything like this to happen to a loved one again.

“Fine, you’re the only one I want anyways”.

“Next, I want to start another band, and you're going to help me”.

“Jake” Josh groaned, unsure about why he was demanding that of all things.

Jake looked at him again, regret and sorrow coloring his expression as he tried for once to actually telepathically explain: he said I’d been free while I’m still touring. I won’t make the three of you give up the rest of your lives to save me.

“Done” Chris responded, actually interested in what Jake had in mind. He’d been quite bored for a while now, and now that he’d have Jake soon he could use something else to consume his time.

“So what do we do? I need to sign something in blood?” Jake looked around nervously, thinking if Josh had that scar on his palm from his deal then he’d have to offer his to be cut open too.

“Go back to your hotel, I’ll come when the time is necessary”. With that Chris left them alone, Josh crumpling onto his arms against the table as he couldn’t hold back his emotion any longer, and Jake running circles on his trembling back.

Jake waited in Josh’s room until he was finally asleep. It was early in the morning but still sure to be dark outside for a few more hours at least. Josh tried to convince him to change his mind, to let it be and leave him to face the consequences of his own deal he’d made. Of course Jake couldn’t allow that, Josh had made that deal out of fear. When he thought there was nothing else he could do to save his life, and Jake couldn’t go on living knowing he’d be the cause of Josh’s pain for the rest of his own.

When Jake finally made it to his room he didn’t flip the light on, just kicked his shoes off at the door and made his way to the shadowy figure who lay waiting for him.

“Did you console him?” The figure asked as Jake continued to ignore him, shedding his outermost layer and tossing the jacket onto the chair across from the bed.

“As best as I could, but how do you tell someone everything is going to be alright when they know what you’re doing?” Jake fussed as he collapsed onto the edge of the bed.

“I want you to know that I didn’t want to bring him into this. I quite like him actually, especially after giving himself up like that for you. I just needed a way to have what I wanted”. It was odd hearing him plead with Jake to believe him, even in some sick way to forgive him, but at the same time when Jake looked up at him he still saw his dear friend staring back, and it confused him- made his heart clench.

Chris had never made Jake uncomfortable or been any cause for stress. In fact, the two of them had hit it off almost immediately after meeting. He’d been so thrilled to see him tonight, ignorantly oblivious to what he was walking into, and yet Josh had tried to warn him.

“Why me?” Jake still didn’t understand, he was just a man after all. What had he done to bear the burden of the interest of the devil himself?

Chris slowly approached, stopping just a few feet from where Jake sat frozen in place, and crouched down before him. “Because you’re you” he quizzically explained, “your talent, your drive, your passion, I want it all”.

Jake shook his head, “I still don’t understand. What’s wrong with me? Am I no good?”

A hand found its way onto Jake’s knee, snaking between his legs and coming to rest hot against his thigh. “You're perfect Jake”.

“No,” Jake sucked in a shuddering breath, feeling his body tremble with fear, or anticipation, or something else, he couldn’t discern the difference in this moment. Not when he had those piercing eyes staring right up at him. “I think there is something wrong with me. Because I know I should hate you, I know I should fight this harder, but I can’t, and I’m not”.

“Why not?” Chris tried to suppress his smirk this time as his other hand came to rest on Jake’s opposite knee as well.

“Because I know I should be scared of you, but instead I’m drawn to you still. I always have been”.

Chris gave Jake’s thighs a gentle squeeze, trying to show him that his touch wasn’t harmful. “You don’t have to be afraid of me, I won’t hurt you”.

Jake knew he must’ve been hysterical at this point, or perhaps he was already under some wicked spell, because he let out a soft laugh which filled the warm room. “I feel like that is exactly what the devil would say to you. I don’t know if I can trust that”.

“And what would your friend say to you to make you trust them again?”

“I don’t know” Jake sighed, the frustration getting to him once more as he covered his eyes with his forearm so he could attempt to think straight. “Trust is earned not given”.

“I can earn your trust again, we’ve got a lot of time. You’ve no reason to be in a hurry anymore”. Chris moved to stand again, pressing his knees to the edge of the bed between Jake’s legs and used one hand to slowly pry the arm away from Jake’s face.

“There really must be something wrong with me” Jake trembled again when Chris didn’t let go of his arm, his nimble fingers smoothing down and around Jake’s wrist, “but if I’m going to hell anyways I might as well make it worth my while, right?”

Without a second thought about what he was doing, Jake grabbed Chris by the collar of his button down and yanked him closer, bridging the small gap between them until their lips were crashing together.

The kiss was desperate and eager, Chris allowing Jake to take command as he bit down on his lip hard enough he tasted the warm metallic of blood. Jake pulled back, expecting to see the fresh wound, but Chris’s lips were perfect as ever, the only evidence there had ever been a tear in the pinkened skin was the lingering taste on Jake’s tongue.

“So, what’s next? Where do I sign?”

It felt like the air in the room shifted, maybe the heater kicked on Jake couldn’t tell, but he felt a warmth growing in the pit of his stomach as Chris silently scooped him up by the small of his back and deposited him back further onto the bed.

Jake immediately wrapped his arms around Chris’s shoulders and pulled him in again, their kiss taking its time now as fingers mindlessly worked on the buttons of each other's shirts.

“We can do this the fast way” Chris softly spoke against the curve of Jake’s neck as he placed kisses there next, sending a shiver down Jake’s spine despite the flush spreading across his chest and brow.

“Or?” Jake dared.

“Or,” he felt Chris’s lips curl into a smile against his jaw, “I can take my time and you can savor this”.

“So you’re going to fuck me then? Is that how this works?” Jake continued to challenge with the tone in his voice and the way he tangled his fingers into the golden locks that framed the face of the figure above him.

Chris answered him with another kiss, a deep kiss that flooded Jake’s senses with the taste of black tea and the smell of the salty ocean. “I’m going to worship you” he continued, his sultry voice smoother than dark chocolate as his hands slipped Jake’s linen shirt off his shoulders and found purchase along his waist. “Tonight will be your first taste of eternity”.

Jake licked his lips, holding his breath as he felt his body starting to tremble again underneath the palms that caressed up his chest then sailed down until they hit shore on the waistband of his pants.

“Wait-” Jake jerked back up when those steady fingers found destination at his button, skillfully slipping the plastic through the hole with one hand.

Chris paused where he was, knowing that Jake would allow him to continue when he regathered his sorts.

“I want to… can I… touch you too?”

Taking one of Jake’s hands in his own, Chris placed his palm against his chest, Jake settling down as he felt the thrumming of a heart beat just behind the rib cage. He somehow hadn’t expected that, but the feeling calmed him, it felt real.

“You’re going to be mine Jake,” he reached over with his other hand and cupped Jake’s face, swiping his thumb over his cheek bone then his lips as Jake’s eyes fluttered closed, “but first that means I’m yours”.

Jake tore Chris’s shirt the rest of the way off his body before removing his own that still barely clung to his frame, capturing him in another kiss as he pressed their now bare chests firmly together.

“Mine?” Jake pulled away for a split second to ask.

“Isn’t that what you want?” Chris answered him with a provocative cock of his brow. “I saw the way you looked at me when you thought no one was watching”.

Resuming his affections Chris placed open mouthed kisses against Jake’s collar now, arms coming around him again as Jake cradled his head against his chest. “The way you wanted me” he continued between kisses that grew harder and deeper, pulling a whimper from deep within Jake’s throat, “made me want you even more”.

“You can have me,” Jake whined when his nipple pebbled over after being played with by a cool wet tongue. “You can have me like this… but let Josh go, and let me live”.

Chris stilled again, lifting his head to look Jake in the eye. “I’m sorry dearest, but that’s not up for debate”.

Jake frowned. He could try begging but he knew it would only damage his character in Chris’s eyes, ultimately getting him nowhere but a little less respect. All that was left now was to accept his fate, and he did that by laying back down and opening his arms.

Chris rejoined him, starting back at his chest and slowly working his way down until Jake was lifting his hips, silently asking for his pants to be removed next. “Do you want me to leave these on for now?” Chris asked as his fingers ghosted the elastic of Jake’s boxer briefs.

“No, I want it all off”.

With that Chris curled his fingers underneath the fabric and pulled both his pants and underwear down past the swell of his hips, Jake pulling his legs free one by one until he was left in absolutely nothing on the bed.

“You’re beautiful even here too” Chris mused as he wrapped his fist firmly around Jake’s already hardened length. He watched closely as he gave a tentative tug, noticing the way Jake’s eyebrows knit at the center when he pressed the pad of his thumb firmly against the underside and followed that prominent vein up to the sensitive head of his tip.

Jake’s back arched slightly off the bed as the strokes grew faster and tighter, bringing him to the edge faster than he would ever admit after the fact.

“Wait, I’m gonna-” he grabbed Chris’s wrist in a feeble attempt to slow him down and at least prolong the inevitable.

“It’s okay, cum for me Jake” Chris commanded, fascinated by the way the man below him squirmed and fought until finally he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Thick ropes of creamy white shot across Jake’s abdomen as Chris worked him through it, waiting until Jake had descended back down from his high before he removed his hand and brought it to his lips to lick his thumb clean.

“So much for not being in a hurry” Jake huffed, sitting up onto his elbows to examine the mess he’d made.

“Don’t worry, we’re not done” Chris smirked, standing from the bed to slip out of his own pants. “Do you have any lube?”

“No” Jake blankly answered as he stared at the man in front of him in awe. His muscular thighs, slim waist and broad shoulders. Even in the near pitch dark he could see him perfectly, golden and nothing short of angelic.

“Do you not come prepared, or did you use it all?” His smile grew wider as he noticed Jake staring.

Jake rolled his eyes, but that was really just an excuse to avoid eye contact before a blush could spread across his face. “I usually keep it in my overnight bag, but before we got on the flight to come overseas I forgot it was too big to bring in my carry-on” he explained. “I had to throw it away. Sam made fun of me for three days”.

Jake felt the bed dip as Chris crawled back over to him. “That’s alright, we can just use this” with two fingers Chris started to gather up Jake’s cum from his stomach. “We don’t want to let it go to waste anyways, do we?”

A whimper slipped from Jake next as Chris positioned himself between his legs, moving his cum slicked fingers towards his entrance. “What? Did you want a taste first?”

Jake had never once thought about wanting to taste himself, but he still felt his head nodding as his pupils blew wide when we watched Chris bring his hand back to his mouth and lick just a small amount dripping from his middle finger, preserving the rest for its other intended purpose. Holding it there on his tongue Chris leaned back over and Jake opened his mouth willingly, their tongues dancing together for a moment of distraction as his fingers went back to massage his hole. Once he was slicked up Chris pressed the first inside, coaxing a groan from Jake that he swallowed down.

“Good, that’s it” he praised as he worked that finger in and out, only pushing deeper after he felt Jake fluttering around him then relaxing. He took his time working him open, adding a second finger only when he was ready, and then slowly a third until Jake was thrashing around again.

“Mmm, need more” he panted, a glistening of sweat collecting across his brow and underneath his lip.

Chris retreated his third finger, then pushed inside harder and as deep as he could, hooking his two fingers until he was reaching somewhere deep inside.

“Fuck!” Jake moaned sinfully, back arching off the bed again as his now neglected cock lay hard and leaking again.

With the spot that made him see stars found, Chris stayed there committing its precarious location to memory until Jake was gripping his thigh, digging his blunt nails in as hard as he could.

“You said your mine..” Jake managed to gasp out between moans.

“Yes?” Chris concurred, though he questioned Jake’s intention for bringing it up now.

He squeezed Chris’s thigh again, craning his neck to try and get a look at him, still looking calm and collected as Jake gradually unraveled piece by piece.

“I want you”.

Chris chuckled, giving a few more calling motions of his fingers before he slowly pulled them free and lifted one of Jake's legs to his shoulder. “I want nothing more” he confessed as well, turning his lips to the shaking knee he held and peppering kisses there until he felt Jake wiggling his hips.

“Someone is still impatient” he taunted, but shifted to line himself up anyways, quickly losing his own patience as Jake gave into desire.

Jake’s jaw went slack as his body fought the first couple of inches, but soon he was melting back into the mattress and Chris was sliding all the way inside.

“I feel… so full” Jake groaned, waiting to adjust to the size he was taking before he reached over and pulled Chris down for another taste of that rich darkness.

There was no need to express readiness, they could both feel the tension give way as Chris started to rock his hips forward, Jake throwing his head back onto the pillows in bliss. Free again, Chris leaned back and angled his thrusts upwards, nailing Jake right in that special spot he’d found earlier.

“Right there?” Chris provoked with another harder pointed thrust, sending Jake into a fit of moans and desperate grasps of the sheets beneath him.

“Right fucking there” he managed to respond coherently, his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth hanging open as he gasped for air between the noises that tore their way from his throat.

Suddenly the rocking of the bed Jake hadn’t even registered was pounding into the wall behind them stopped, and before he could express his dismay Chris was scooping him up by his underarms and lifting him into his lap.

“You want me? Take me” Chris instructed, picking away the strands of hair around Jake’s mouth and brow that had clung to his sweat.

Jake swallowed hard then wrapped his legs around Chris’s waist, placing his hands against his shoulders and leveraging himself just right to begin to bounce up and down. Chris grabbed two handfuls of Jake’s ass, groping him more than he helped. Jake didn’t mind, he was faring just fine as he slipped one hand between their bodies and started to stroke himself along.

“I’m gonna cum again” he whimpered, feeling his cock twitching wildly in his hand as it worked to produce once more.

“This is only going to sting for a moment” Chris whispered, his words confusing and just barely comprehensible to Jake who was working so hard to get himself back on that edge of darkness.

A sting did come, sharp hot pain coming from his chest as Chris used the nail of his thumb to carve an X into Jake’s skin.

“No!” He cried out, tears falling from the corners of his eyes as the shock of it all ripped him from his impending orgasm. His chest tightened, lungs fighting for air as his blood seared in his veins. “I can’t breathe, Chris I can’t breathe!”

“Shhh,” Chris soothed, kissing at his jaw and exposed throat until he started to lap away at the open wound, collecting droplets of blood and sweat with each flick of his tongue. “It’s over, you did so good”.

He moved Jake’s hand that had stopped working over himself and started up where he’d left off, pulling more sobs from Jake as his body shook from all the sensations it just had to withstand.

“Are you going to give me one more?”

Jake glanced down, realizing only now that he had already come again, but he was still painfully hard and needing more relief. He tossed his head from side to side, boarding on over stimulation when his thumb began to pass back over his slit with firm pressure.

“I think you can Jake” Chris encouraged him, stopping his thrusts to focus his attention between them.

Jake’s grip on Chris’s shoulder tightened as he felt his muscles lock into place. He stared down at himself, amazed as he came for a third time, the creamy substance just barely leaking from his tip in between Chris’s fingers.

They sat still for a while as Jake caught his breath, then Chris gently lowered him back onto the bed.

“Rest, your body is going to be weak” he kissed Jake’s temple, smoothing his hair again as Jake laid there limp and completely spent.

Jake worried what he was supposed to do now, but those worries faded away when his eyelids grew heavy and sleep took him into its comforting embrace.

A banging at his door woke him.

“Jake come on, late check out it at 3” the sound of Josh’s voice seeped into his hotel room.

He sat up in the bed, weary of what was going on around him and the state he’d been left in last night. When he stood though he found that despite some wobbly legs he’d been cleaned up and tucked into bed safely.

“Jake!” Josh banged again.

“Hold on!” Jake hollered back, grabbing the hotel robe from the bathroom before opening the door to see his twin starting to grow frantic with worry.

“Are you alright?” Josh glanced around the room, not noticing anything out of place but still suspicious nonetheless.

“I’m fine” Jake answered him, clutching the robe closed tightly across his chest. He remembered all of what had happened last night up until falling asleep.

“Well, are you going to get ready? We kind of have a flight to catch. You can sleep on the plane home”.

“Yeah, just let me shower real quick. I’ll meet you guys down there at 3 ok?”

Josh’s eyes narrowed. He could sense something was off, but more importantly when he woke up this morning the pain and the scar on his palm was gone. “Okay, but hurry up we can’t be late this time”.

Jake assured him he would be down in time and shut the door before hurrying back into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror, mentally preparing to see a large ugly fresh wound on his chest, but when he slowly peeled the robe back he was met only with a faint scar. His fingertips traced the lines, the X carved into him marking the deal he’d made.

After the shower he dressed in something comfortable for the airport, always dreading the long haul flights even in the comfort of their upgraded seats they were now able to afford.

He made his way down the hallway, suitcase and overnight bag both in hand, his mind racing with thoughts of last night while he waited for the elevator to deposit him onto the lobby floor.

Sam and Danny had apparently managed to get up early to grab breakfast and were already packed away and ready in the van to take them to the airport, but Josh waited behind to make sure Jake made it.

“Hey, can I talk to you real quick?” Jake asked him, knowing they needed to have this conversation in private before getting onto the van with the others.

“Sure” Josh replied, staying seated on the couch in the small lounge by the front desk.

Jake sighed, he didn’t know how to break it to him easily so instead he just came right out with it. “Chris was in my room last night when I left you”.

Josh shifted in his seat, anger and betrayal and sorrow flooding his thoughts, but he maintained his composure out here in the open. “I had a feeling”.

“Really?” Jake questioned, sitting down next to Josh and taking his hand, not even remembering that it had been bothering him before.

“Yeah, I’m free now. I can feel it” he turned his hand over in Jake’s, showing the clear skin no longer adorned with his mark. “You made the deal with him didn’t you?”

Jake thought for a moment, things clicking in his head as he realized that if Josh had made a deal first then did that mean he and Chris had… “What happened when he met with you? In the hospital I mean?”

Josh squirmed again, it wasn’t something he liked to reminisce on considering he’d blocked the memory out for so long he’d even managed to convince himself it was never real in the first place. “We went into a room,” Josh began, eyes growing distant like he was picturing it now. “He told me what the deal was. You would make a recovery and in exchange I would lose my voice in four years. When I agreed he used his thumb and cut my hand like this” Josh used his finger to trace the invisible X. “Then he kissed me”.

Jake physically recoiled a little bit, so what he feared was true?

“And then he left. I went back to your room and fell asleep. When I woke up the nurses were rushing in because you were regaining consciousness”.

“He just left? Did you see him again?”

“No”. Josh shook his head. He hadn’t wanted to see him again, not ever, and certainly not last night.

“So you and him… you didn’t?”

Josh looked over at Jake, not following where he was going.

Jake lowered his voice in case curious ears had come looking for them. “You didn’t sleep with him?”

“What? No!” Josh immediately responded, then his eyes grew wide. “Wait, did you?”

“It doesn’t matter”. Jake jumped up and grabbed his room key out of his back pocket to return to the desk, “come on, let’s go”. Josh followed behind him trying to get him to answer his question but Jake only ignored him.

“Jacob Kiszka?” The clerk asked when he handed in the key. “This was left here for you”.

He handed over a letter, just like the one he’d gotten after the show. It had to be from Chris. Jake tore the letter open, eyes scanning the contents quickly.

“Well?” Josh dropped the last subject, more concerned with what Jake was reading now.

“I’m not coming home” Jake spoke shortly as he read the letter over once more.

“What?”

“My flights were changed. I’m staying in Europe during the break. To work on the new band”.

Josh was slightly relieved, he was afraid Jake was being taken away from them already even though from what he’d heard last night their deal was Jake wouldn’t have to do the devil's bidding as long as he still toured.

“He can’t just do that can he? That wasn’t what you discussed at the bar. He can’t just-” Josh tried to figure out how to prevent Jake from staying, but he felt powerless knowing who he was up against.

“It’s ok” Jake steadied his brother with a hand on his shoulder as he folded the letter and kept it in his pocket. “Don’t worry, I’m staying. We will work and record, and by Spring time I’ll be back ready to finish out this tour. We’ve still got projects we’re working on, hell Danny’s already convinced everyone we’ve got another album ready to go. I won’t be disappointing anyone”.

Josh let out a long exhale. He wanted to fight this, tell Jake he had to come home, but what he saw in Jake’s eyes told him he could trust that he would soon enough. Jake was excited, he’d always had more he wanted to share, more music he wanted to produce outside the realm of what they had already established together in their band of brothers. Maybe this was going to be good for him, as backwards and fucked up as that did sound- starting a band with the devil.

“Call me, anytime for any reason”. Josh demanded, throwing himself onto Jake and wrapping his arms tightly around his midsection.

“Of course, I’ll see you soon. Make up something to tell Sam and Jake for me okay?”

Josh nodded, wiping his face dry against Jake’s jacket.

St. Louis - spring 2024

Everyone was more than excited when Jake returned home. Of course Sam and Danny wanted to hear everything about what he’d been up to while staying behind in Europe.

Jake told them stories of the places he’d stayed. The countryside they’d traveled, and the sites he’d seen all in the interest of gaining inspiration for the new band - Mirador.

He recounted large English mansions that housed their own recording studios he’d spent hours in writing and recording, leaving out all the extra time he’d spent fucking his new bandmate between sessions.

With what little time they’d had, it all came together just in time to start opening on the spring leg of the Starcatcher tour. They didn’t have a full finished record yet, but the announcement was made anyways. There was no turning back now, not that there ever really was.

Jake took the stage, Chris watching him in his element with a smile on his face. Everyone in the crowd waited with baited breath, excitement filling their souls as the first notes they played together rang loudly through the stadium and Jake stepped up to the mic…

[piratekane]

7! Ava telling Bea that🫠🫠

seven: look at me. just breathe.

Ava looks small. She always has, despite feeling larger than life. But in a wide hospital bed with wires running from her body to the various beeping machines, she looks smaller than she did before she slipped through the Arc.

Before you sent her through it.

Beatrice stands at the edge of the doorway, wringing her hands as Jillian flutters around Ava with purposeful hands. Ava looks tired, but impossibly cheerful as Jillian puts another electrode pad on her exposed skin. She keeps stealing glances at the doorway, keeps ducking her head to meet Beatrice’s eyes, and always frowning a little when Beatrice gives nothing away. 

She’s afraid to step forward, afraid to meet Ava’s eyes. What if this is a dream? What if she’s fallen asleep and woken up in a dream world where everything has magically fallen into place? Ava escaping Reya’s realm the moment Beatrice crosses the threshold of Cat’s Cradle? It’s too… perfect. It slots together too neatly. 

She can’t cross the threshold because she might wake up in a hotel room somewhere - Cinque Terre, Faro, Lisbon - and this has all been a trick of the mind, a quiet torturous place her mind has found.

“Beatrice?”

Jillian touches her arm gently, trying not to startle her. Beatrice holds onto herself, a sharp inhale the only thing that gives her surprise away. But either Jillian doesn’t hear or she’s too kind to bring attention to it. She simply gives Beatrice a kind smile and slight tilt of her head. A quiet, she’s asking for you.

Beatrice searches for the part of her that’s always stood tall in the face of adversity. It wasn’t always there, grown out of a necessity, but it activates now as she takes that first step into the room on feet that feel steadier than her heart does. The live wire edge in her chest fizzles a little when she sees the way Ava’s face lights up as she moves closer and her hesitation simply vanishes.

Ava smiles wider. “Hi.”

Hi feels too small. Hey feels too informal. I’ve been thinking of you every minute of every day for the last nine months and you’re a ghost haunting all of my waking moments and sleeping ones too and I think I’ve been waiting for you my whole life feels too big.

She settles for a quiet, “Hello.”

Ava’s nose wrinkles. “Hello,” she echoes, pitching her voice slightly deeper. A clumsy attempt at mimicking her accent. She blinks up at Beatrice expectantly. “Anything else?” she asks after a moment.

“You’re back.” Everything else she wants to say sticks in her throat.

“I am.” Ava tips her head curiously, keen eyes studying her. Beatrice wonders if she sees the new highlights in her hair, the added years Beatrice sees when she looks at herself in the mirror. “I mean, I wasn’t expecting a party, or anything. Maybe a banner or a cupcake. Though, I get that it was kind of an impromptu arrival and there wasn’t a lot of time to plan. I mean, it’s not like you guys have a ‘Welcome Back to Earth’ banner on hand, right?” She pauses again. “I was expecting more than hello, though.”

Restraint, Beatrice, her mother used to tell her. Show some restraint. When she spoke out of turn, became too excited - it was always whip-sharp eyes in her direction, reminding her to practice some self-discipline. Ava, on the other end of the long spectrum between what is expected and what isn’t, is the least restrained person Beatrice has ever met.

Beatrice, months separated from Ava’s influence, struggles to find a middle ground. 

“Seriously.” Ava laughs. She sounds nervous. “They didn’t, like, replace you with a pod person or anything, did they?” Her eyes widen. “Is this some kind of alternate reality where people are different? Are you really Beatrice? Or are you her evil twin? Is this world run by toads? I had a dream once where there was a toad king who demanded we all speak in ribbits. Or is it croaks? Hey, can you look up the sound toads make? I think I missed that science lesson.”

“Ava,” Beatrice breathes. Fond exasperation is easy to fall into.

Ava grins rakishly. “Ah, there she is.”

Beatrice opens her mouth to scold her, to tell Ava that she’s not as funny as she thinks she is, but she’s horrified when a single sob loosens from somewhere in the back of her throat and explodes into the space between them. 

They both look startled at the sound, but Ava recovers quicker than she does. She curses softly when she tries to move, wires tangling up around her wrists. She starts to try and move them out of her way, her legs swinging over the side of the bed as she starts to inch towards Beatrice. She looks up, forehead pulled together in frustration. “Hold- just hold on.”

Beatrice claps her hand down over her mouth, trying to stop the next horrible sound that comes out of it. She holds out her other hand, trying to tell Ava to stay back. No, no, no. This isn’t how this was supposed to go.

Ava curses again, louder and in Portuguese this time, as another wire comes undone and loops its way around her arm instead. “I swear to fucking God and all her shitty decisions that if this thing doesn’t- Ha!” She wiggles out of one wire, then a second. She smiles triumphantly at Beatrice but that wrinkle in her forehead hasn’t faded away.

Something starts beeping as Ava disconnects the next wire. There’s a moment where they both stand, suspended as they wait for Ava to suddenly collapse onto the floor, that one wire the only thing keeping her up. But nothing comes and Ava must decide that it’s the all-clear; she starts pulling at wires until they disconnect, creating a cacophony of noise that feels like a mis-paced symphony.

“Hold on, hold on,” Ava is muttering as she pulls the last wire free. She’s suddenly in front of Beatrice, hands out in front of her carefully. “Hey, Bea.”

Beatrice’s eyes dart around the room. It’s starting to narrow to a pinprick, the lights spinning around. Ava is the only thing staying still, her focal part as the rest of the room rushes in on her. Another sob starts to build in her throat but it gets stuck there, forming into a hard knot that makes it hard to swallow around.

Breathe, she tells herself. Just take a breath.

“Look at me. Just breathe,” Ava says quietly. She takes a hesitant step forward. “I think- Bea, I think you’re having a panic attack.”

Beatrice tries to shake her head. She tries, but she’s not sure that she does. Her body feels far away, like she’s swimming underwater from one end of an endless pool to the other. The beeping of the machines distorts into a heartbeat, but that might just be the blood rushing in her ears. She tries to inhale and chokes on that knot.

“Okay, just follow my voice.” Ava sounds closer, but Beatrice can’t quite say how close she is. The room is starting to stretch out like a funhouse mirror. “Bea, uh, okay. Okay. I’m going to touch you. I know, you might freak out. But I’m going to put my hands on your hands, okay? Just like… just like this.”

She feels something cool and soft land on the wrist of her outstretched arm. It becomes a focal point. She focuses all of her energy there, all of her remaining senses rush to the spot where Ava’s fingertips curl around her pulse point.

Ava makes a noise that sounds like a hum just under the hot whistle of air in Beatrice’s ears. “Good. Now the other hand.”

Another cool hand touches hers, pulling it away from her mouth. She lets her world dial down to just the feather-light touch of Ava’s hand tangling with hers, lets herself focus in on the soft pads of Ava’s fingers running over the silvery scars on her hands. Each brush against her knuckle breaks down the knot in her throat until she can take in a ragged breath, then another, then one more.

The world begins to expand again - light filtering back in, the beeping stretching out into its asynchronous rhythm, the slightly sterile smell of clean cotton on the hospital bed. She focuses all of her attention on Ava, though. On the soft soothing noises Ava is making, the heat coming off her body as she gets closer, the strange patterns Ava is rubbing into her wrist.

“Hey,” Ava says quietly in the spaces between the beeping. “Hey, there you are.”

“I’m sorry,” she croaks, graceless.

Ava’s eyes are wide, but kind as they come into focus. Beatrice could count the inches between them on two hands. “You don’t need to apologize. I don’t think either of us expected this.”

“I should have.” She inhales again, the exhale a little steadier. “I should have been expecting this.”

“Beatrice, I mean this in the nicest way.” Ava ducks her head just a little, meeting her gaze directly. “This is a compliment, okay? You are not perfect. You cannot anticipate everything. And you shouldn’t be expected to do that. So it’s okay, alright? It’s okay that you didn’t anticipate some scientific marvel spitting me back into reality. I think I can forgive you for that, hmm?”

“Okay,” she whispers, not believing it entirely. But Ava looks so convincing, she lets the idea sit and tries to believe it could be true. “I’m-”

“Don’t apologize,” Ava says quickly. “This is a no-sorry party. Apologies department is closed for… the rest of eternity. No need to leave a message.” She strokes her thumb against the back of Beatrice’s hand before her eyes widen in mock-surprise. “Maybe this is an alternate reality where I’m not funny anymore.”

“Your jokes were always mediocre at best,” she manages.

Ava grins. “She speaks. And she lies.” Ava’s expression softens and she pulls until Beatrice can count the inches on one hand now. They’re nearly nose to nose and Beatrice can see the thin skin over Ava’s collarbone, just a little more pronounced this close up. “You’re okay.”

Beatrice takes in a slow, measured breath. “You’re here,” she exhales.

“All 238 bones of me.” Ava’s mouth falls into a serious line. “I’m including teeth, of course.”

She can’t help the laugh that bubbles up from her unexpectedly. Get control of yourself, her mother’s voice hisses. But Ava is looking at her, pleased. It sends her mother to the back of her head, back behind Ava’s smile.

“You had your wisdom teeth removed,” she reminds Ava gently.

Ava’s mouth falls open slightly. “How did you-” Her eyes narrow, but she’s smiling. “No stone unturned for you people, hmm? I bet Sister Frances kept those teeth, too. You know, Diego and I always thought she had some kind of creepy collection of, like, teeth and hair. She seemed the type.” Her fingers start working over Bea’s hands and up towards her elbows as she carefully starts to guide them around her back.

“Ava,” Beatrice tries.

“I don’t know about you,” Ava says quietly. “I don’t know how long it’s been since-”

“Too long,” Beatrice breathes. Eight months, twenty-three days, and somewhere around three hours, she doesn’t say out loud.

“But it’s been even longer for me,” Ava finishes. “And, I’ll be honest, okay? I really missed Mother Superion and Camila and, yeah, okay, parts of Lilith. But you were the only thing that kept me going. So I’m going to hug you and you’re going to hug me and then I’m going to pass out, if that’s okay with you?”

Beatrice startles a little, their forehead nearly knocking as she grabs Ava tightly and holds her against her body. Ava seems to sigh into the hug, her forehead dropping into the curve of Beatrice’s neck, her hands gripping the back of Beatrice’s shirt tight enough to crease the carefully ironed fabric. She grows heavy nearly instantly and Beatrice almost sways under the sudden weight.

“I’m-”

“Shut up,” Ava murmurs. Beatrice feels the words more than she hears them. “Just, be quiet, okay? I’ve been imagining this for years.”

Years, she thinks. But she goes quiet again, pressing her lips to Ava’s hair. She breathes in something bleach-like, like the ozone burning. She carefully inches forward, Ava’s abandoned bed her destination. She can hear her heart beating against her rib cage, but Ava’s own heart seems to be answering in its own language.

She starts to loosen her grip on Ava, intending to convince her that she should lay back down, let Beatrice reattach all of the wires monitoring her vitals, let Beatrice go and find Jillian to make sure they didn’t mess everything up. But when she goes to loosen her grip, Ava hangs on.

“Don’t,” Ava whispers. “Don’t let go yet.”

Beatrice holds on tighter; doesn’t tell Ava she has no intention of ever letting go again.