#watch me come up to a stranger and be like: excuse me can you tie up your hair in a bun? yeah like that perfect

[lz-didyounotice]

“ It was quite a sunny day today”

This gif doesn't belong to me.

Heyyyy! 'sup, let me give you a small temporal paradox with a reader meeting 9th while traveling with Bow tie man. Hope you enjoy it.

Plot hevealy inspired by this work by : @am-i-obsessed---maybe : "Wrong Tardis".

Warning : english is not my first language, so please be indulgent. Might contain a little bit of ansgt, but a lot of comfort for our doctor.

Froggit-

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

The TARDIS had made a strange calculation once again. The Doctor found himself on Earth, in London, yet unsure of the reason behind his visit, still attempting to pick up the signal.

While examining the screens and discussing the matter with his temporary companion, Jack, the doors unexpectedly opened on their own, despite being locked. A female voice called out, leaving him uncertain how to react. The man beside him mirrored his expression before attempting to prevent the stranger from entering.

"Doctor! I thought you were only picking me up at seven; you’re early."

Turning toward the door, the Doctor watched warily as a woman with (h/c) hair approached the console, attempting to send a message to what seemed to be a friend.

"You're awfully quiet, are you okay, darling?" Finally looking up from her phone, the girl realized the situation she had stumbled into. Lifting her chin, she found Jack’s chest mere centimeters from her nose. "Jack? How are you here?" It had been a while since she had seen Jack. His appearances had dwindled after the Ponds began traveling with the Doctor.

“And who might you be, beautiful lady?”

At that moment, she realized her mistake. Looking past the captain, she saw someone she didn’t recognize at first. His hair was too short, his ears larger, and his style vastly different. This wasn’t her Doctor and his gaze indicated that he had never met her before. She had entered the wrong TARDIS. At least with Jack's presence, she assumed he was still with Rose, but she didn’t seem to be with them.

Deciding to take responsibility, she assumed a different identity, at least temporarily. Using a past name seemed the safest option. Neither of them would recognize her if something went wrong.

“Sorry for the intrusion. Name's Sunny. I’m a 'future' friend.”

“Sunny? What a wonderful name. Well, I suppose you already know who I am, but I'll introduce myself anyway. Jack Harkness. Pleasure to meet you.”

Extending his hand, she accepted it with a slight smile. She had forgotten how charming his younger self could be.

“Pleasure to meet you too. So, tell me, what brought you both here? I can only imagine some kind of Sontaran planting a bomb again.”

“Again?” asked the Doctor, now fully turned toward her.

“Spoilers,” she said with a small smile as she examined the younger Doctor. Even with a different face, he was still mesmerizing. She wondered what his smile would look like if he wasn’t frowning so much. She wanted to kiss his forehead, smooth it from any wrinkles.

“We have picked up a strange signal in the middle of London.”

“Never would have thought to be called a strange signal.”

“How could you be the signal?” Asked Jack, now leaning against the rail.

“Your little emitter is dying in my pocket. Distress signal, I guess. When you left me, you were going to look for a new one.” As she put her hands in her pockets, she pulled out a small phone wired with other components.

Approaching the console, she gently brushed it, lingering with a small smile at the old console. “Hello, old girl,” she thought, before handing the device over to the Doctor for analysis.

“How come you have this? I haven't finished this prototype yet.”

“Told you, future friend.”

And there it was, the smile she had been looking for. She almost wished she had met the Doctor sooner to see more of it. Sensing the tension, Jack excused himself, wanting to “explore” for a bit before returning to his time.

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

The sound of the sonic made her feel dizzy. The silence felt weird, at least to her. The Doctor hadn’t met her yet, after all, but here she was with a younger version of himself, filling her chest with butterflies .

“So, tell me, why would I give you this sort of device? Do you get lost so often that I need to provide it?”

“Kinda…”

“When are we meant to meet?”

“Hey… Spoilers, darling.”

“And why do you look at me like that?”

“Like what?”

“What are we? Obviously, we are not just friends with those eyes.”

If only he knew. Fiddling with the three rings on her hand, she smiled, thinking back to her “wedding.” It was under weird circumstances, yes, but she couldn’t have wished for a better way. The Doctor, River, and her, before the universe.

“That’s for me to know and you to find out...” Fully turning to face him, she took his hand, their ringed fingers intertwining as if they were always meant to be. “You know what? I suppose I could give you a small glimpse into the future. I’ll give you three questions. Of course, I won't provide anything that could disrupt your timeline. I'd be an awful partner if I did.”

“Partner?”

Looking at his hand in hers, he wanted to ask about the rings. Why were there three, and not one? Was she married to multiple people?

”Why three rings?”

“A promise for each heart. Two were given to me by the man I love, and the last one by a particularly dashing anthropologist.”

“What promise did you make?”

“I promised to always come back to them, no matter what life brings. To love them until the end of the universe without doubt. To love them until I truly die.” As she spoke, he could see the affection she held for those individuals. It wasn’t just promises; she had already fulfilled them before and would do so again if needed.

Thinking back to what was just revealed, he felt his ears burn. Two rings for two hearts . That man was him, at least his future self! Looking at her with wide eyes, he slowly pointed at her and then himself, still unsure of the implications. Her smile melted his hearts as he realized he had guessed correctly. He couldn’t wait to meet her again, but the fact that she had made such a promise meant something significant had happened.

“Something happened, didn’t it?”

“Not in the way you might think.” Lifting her free hand, she cradled his face, brushing his cheek affectionately. “I made this promise on the day of our first encounter. It wasn’t easy for either of us, but there was only one way out of that situation. And I'll have you know it wasn’t your fault. Years from now, you still think of that day as a dark one, where you lost someone once more. To me, it was one of the brightest days in the universe. That day, I finally had a purpose, something to keep going. And I think you tend to forget how powerful your name can be, how much hope you give by simply giving others a way to shine.”

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

She went to release his hand, but he held onto it, wanting to savor the moment a few seconds longer. It felt weird, he never had met her before, but here he was trying to make her stay.

“How long until I meet you?”

“I thought I only gave you three questions.”

And there it was, that pleading look he gave her when he wanted something. Those two blue eyes piercing her heart with curiosity, wanting to know more about their first encounter.

“It's going to be a while before you find me, and a brief trip to France to meet me for the first time. And when I say we’re going to meet again, I might have to relearn how to be myself before catching up with  you.”

As she finished her explanation, she heard a faint and familiar whirring noise from the other side of the TARDIS doors. Giving a final smile to the Doctor, she kissed his forehead before finally letting go of his hand.

“Well, this is my leave. See you soon, Doctor…”

And as the TARDIS doors closed, the man beside the console was left in daze. Confused yet excited by this new encounter. This woman was someone he would travel with, fall for, and marry. But what struck him the most was what she had implied: they would meet again and again, yet she would forget it at some point. It pained him a bit to know, but he couldn’t wait to meet her again.

As Jack made his way back, “Sunny” was nowhere to be seen. In her place, a grinning doctor, holding the now repaired device in his hand. Thoughts of a brighter future flooding his mind. 

—---------------

Bonus : 

“(Y/N) I found what we were searching for !” Did Your doctor exclaim, meeting your gaze with a bright and excited smile. The one you always loved to see. “Also found a yellow note with a sun on it, not sure why, don’t remember putting it here.” 

Giving you both, you smiled at the small note. A sun circling a small sentence. “ It was quite a sunny day today”.  Smirking silently, you finally brought the device to your now empty pockets, and folded the small note to put in your phone case.

“Come here bow tie maniac” Reaching for his bow tie, you planted your lips on his forehead before kissing him on the lips. 

“How come I didn't know you had worn leather jackets before ?” Did you ask him with a teasing tone.

[aaizawashouta]

say it, tell me

pairing: todoroki shouto x fem!reader

word count: 1.7k

summary: when was the last time he told you he loved you? that thought — that one, singular thought almost brings you to your knees.

warnings: angst, lack of communication, friends to lovers to slightly strangers

a/n: look at me writing angst. who is she? you’re losing me by taylor swift has been stuck in my head for days. I totally didn’t edit this, not sorry about it.

He’s so handsome as he stands there talking, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Nodding along to what the man in front of him is saying. He looks comfortable, confident, sure of himself. Your grip on the champagne glass tightens, free hand smoothing down your dress even though there isn’t anything wrong with it. Everything is immaculate, just perfect.

And you fucking hate it.

You’re standing in a room full of people you know and love here to celebrate your engagement, but you’re standing all alone. It’s slow motion almost, watching everyone around you. As they laugh, and gush over what a beautiful couple you are. How your union had been planned since you were in diapers.

That’s what really gets you, because you can’t tell the difference. Is it love? Or are you comfortable because it’s all either of you know. Your gaze falls to the ring on your left hand. It’s beautiful. It’s casting light from where the sun breaking through the windows is hitting it. Sparkling rainbows shifting with each twitch of your finger. But you know he didn’t pick it out. You’re not sure who did — not somebody who knows you.

Everything comes screaming back to you when you feel a warm hand on your lower back. Bakugou is standing next to you, barely a breath separating you. Some might raise their eyebrows seeing a newly engaged woman this close to another man. But no one pays you any mind. They never do. Sighing, you glance up at him, curious.

“A little weird for the soon to be bride to be all alone at her own engagement party isn’t it?”

You swallow, looking back across the room. Shouto is no longer there. What can you say to that? He’s not wrong. There’s no point in lying. Fuck it, you lift the lukewarm champagne glass and down it. The grimace rolls over you before you have a chance to stop it. The glass is pulled from your grip, the warm hand on your back ushering you away from the sea of people. You don’t look back as he leads you away. No one is going to miss you anyway.

“Where are we going?”

“I’m takin’ you home. Bullshit that I have to sit there and watch you like that.”

“It’s just another day.”

“Fuck that. Is that really how you envisioned your engagement?”

No. That’s not how you envisioned it at all. You used to daydream about it — just like you used to daydream what it would be like when you finally became a pro hero. But it all faded with time. You can’t think of the last time you thought about marriage, starting a family.

“Hey.”

The sight of your apartment makes your eyebrows raise; lost in your thoughts. Bakugou flicks your nose, making you wrinkle it. He’s watching you, gaze narrowed, eyes hard.

“If you need me —”

“I know.”

Bakugou nods, waiting as you exit his car and enter the building. You wave as the glass door shuts behind you. You've been alone most of the day, but you’re relieved to be back in your own space. But standing all by yourself in your shared space with Shouto while he was none the wiser still at your engagement party…

You spiral.

It’s late when Shouto finally walks through the door. His suit coat is hung over his arm, tie loosened, hanging freely off his neck. He looks worn, tired from interacting with so many people. You, on the other hand, are sitting on the couch. Three glasses of wine deep, an old UA tee on an excuse for your pajamas.

His eyes widen at the sight of you. “You look comfy.”

You don’t say anything, swirling the dark liquid in your glass before swallowing it down in one gulp. It's comical, watching him stand there, eyes wide. It’s like he’s never seen you before. Maybe he hasn’t.

“This is the comfiest I’ve been all day.”

You see it. The gears moving in his head as he realizes that he was at the party with you. That you should have come home with him. Shouto swallows loudly, shifting his weight. He’s never looked so uncomfortable before. You want to feel bad, but after today, you honestly don’t feel anything at all.

“Did you have a nice time?” You ask as you stand and head towards the kitchen.

He stands there, staring after you. “I…”

“You looked like you did.” You continue, not bothering to wait for a reply, as if he had one. “You looked content, happy, even.”

“When — how did you,”

“Katsuki.”

A muscle in his jaw jumps, and you turn away, resisting the urge to roll your eyes. It’s not the fact that he brought you home. It’s not even the fact that you left early. It’s the familiarity.

The room settles, quiet washing over you. You’ve had plenty of time to think, and you think some more as you wash your dishes and put the wine back in the cabinet. You think about your life and what you want. You think about your future, your past. You think about Shouto.

In every thought you’ve had he’s been a constant. He’s always been by your side, your most favorite person. How could there ever be anyone else?

But…

It shouldn't feel like this. The unbearable weight of being alone. Of constantly questioning whether he loves you. Does he love you? Does he know how? Was he ever taught? Has it been up to you to do that? You go round and round in your own head. When was the last time he told you he loved you? That thought — that one, singular thought almost brings you to your knees.

Hands slam on the smooth granite countertop, the air punched from your chest. Warmth consumes you as he surrounds you. Familiar palms placed on your hips, the smell of his cologne invading your senses, reminding you to breathe. Of course he’s right here, he always is. He always has been.

“What’s wrong?”

His worry drowns you, chokes you on your own tears. Uncertain, watery eyes meet his. “I—”

“Tell me what it is. I can fix it.”

You laugh, a hollow, joyless sound. Hands shaking where they grip the counter, tighter and tighter until it splinters in your grasp. Mirroring your heart as it falls apart in your chest. Your glassy eyes catch on your ring. Your beautiful engagement ring — a ring you know Shouto didn’t pick out for you, a ring you’d never pick out for yourself.

“Do you love me?”

It’s a whisper, words barely falling from your parted lips, but it might as well have been a gunshot. Shouto stares at you, but you cannot bring yourself to meet his eye.

“What kind of — of course I do.”

“Say it.”

“What?”

“Say it, Shouto. Say that you love me. Tell me you love me.” you push him away from you, but he doesn’t go far. “Come on, say the words. Because I cannot recall you ever telling me in all the years I’ve known you.”

“You know I love you.”

There’s no stopping the tears, falling like nuclear bombs destroying you with every sob. Every fear you pushed aside and ignored is staring you down. They are what’s been keeping you warm at night with familiar eyes as they watch you sleep.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

“What?”

“You don’t love me, sho. I don’t — I’m just here. You expect me to always be here because that’s what you’re used to. But I can’t — I cannot wear a ring you didn’t even pick out. As beautiful as it is, I fucking hate it, and as someone who’s known me for my whole life, you should know that.”

He trembles where he stands. Eyes wide as he takes you in, takes in your words. There is no denying you’re right. He’s never had to tell you, never had to reassure you. That’s what happens when you come to expect things. He expected you to love him. He expected you to always be there.

Shouto never expected this.

He watches as you fall apart. Years built up between you crumbling at your feet. There is no way to fix this. He can say the words, he can. But they’d be empty. Not because he doesn’t mean them, but because he doesn’t give them to you freely. Shouto has always been a man of action, running head first without a second thought of the consequences, figuring it out as he goes. But this — with you — you’re all he knows. How can it be anyone but you?

“I can’t lose you.”

“You’ll always have me.” You answer, wiping at your eyes. They’re swollen and you're getting a migraine. Nothing good is coming from this. “You’re my best friend, Shouto, but I think that’s all you’ll ever be.”

He looks lost. Defeated. This is not how either of you planned the night to go. Even though you’re a snot nosed mess, you have to admit that you feel lighter. You take a deep staggering breath before pulling him into you. Shouto clutches on to you as if it’s the last time. For all you know, it very well might be. You run your fingers through his hair, scratching up the back of his neck. No matter what happens you know without a doubt you love him. That’ll never change. For your own peace of mind, your own well being, you know you deserve to be loved in return. Openly, freely, frequently.

“How am I supposed to go on without you? What am I supposed to do? I don’t —”

“We’ll figure all that out later.”

He nods, his grip on you tightening. “Later then. Will you, could you please come to bed with me?”

“Of course.”

It’s later in the night, too late to be up and too early to be awake. You haven’t slept. Shouto is dead to the world asleep in your shared bed. You’re sitting on the couch, phone in hand with your thumb hovering over the familiar contact. You do not want this. You can’t do this. It replays and replays and replays in your mind.

He didn’t fight for you. He didn’t do anything. He didn’t do anything except think of how all of this affects him, even with you laying bare and bleeding before him. Maybe there’s a reason Shouto never told you he loves you.

Sighing, you tap the contact and bring it up to your ear.

“Bakugou.”

“Hey, it’s me.” You sound broken even to your own ears. “Think you can swing by and pick me up?”

[five-rivers]

The next part of my pollfic! You guys got me with a tie last time. I tried my best!

Previous.

(Edited to actually put the poll in, sorry about that.)

.

For a moment, Danny was paralyzed by indecision.  Who should he go to?  Who should he help?  But then he remembered that this wasn’t a combat situation.  He could help both, one at a time.  

There were, perhaps, some negative side effects from spending his formative years as a ghost as a superhero and satisfying his Obsession through combat.  It was very unfortunate.  Useful in combat!  Less so at other times.  

But he should ask the large man first, or else by the time he finished translating for the attendant he might be done.  He inched closer, hovering so he could actually see what the man had spread out on his table.  

His heart sank when he saw clay tablets and papyrus scrolls covered with the tiny, black squiggles of Coptic.  

Danny knew a fair amount of Akkadian cuneiform.  While Pandora tended to focus on the immediately and practically applicable when it came to language lessons, Clockwork had a more chronological method.  As in, he seemed intent on teaching Danny languages in the order of when they were first written down, except for when a certain language was necessary for one of the time field trips he sometimes sent Danny on.  

(He had not, perhaps, revealed the extent of those trips to his parents.  A story for another time.)

Coptic was, sadly, not among those.  

Still.  He was a bit more concerned about the expressions of abject suffering the man was making.  

“Um, excuse me?  Sir?  Are you alright?” asked Danny.  He bobbed in the air, near the man’s shoulder.  “Do you need help?”

The man looked up in clear surprise, eyes flicking over Danny from head to toe.  Not that there was a whole lot of Danny to look over right now.  “Ah,” he said, “I am afraid I have reached beyond my grasp, but unless you have the Coptic and the language of Blessed Sargon both, it is not to be.”

“I know some Akkadian.  I could translate it into English and then you can put it into Coptic?” suggested Danny. 

“Alas, I am going the other way,” said the man, pulling slightly on his curly beard.  “The Coptic, into mine own language, yes?”

“Oh,” said Danny, deflating further.  “Okay.  Sorry.  You just looked, um…”

“Wait,” said Dad.  “He’s from ancient Sumeria?  Ask him what that was like!  He’s got to know so much stuff!”

Danny was not going to ask him that.  That would be rude, considering how hard he was working, and edged just a little too close to asking a stranger about their death for Danny’s peace of mind.  

“That is very dear of you, to come see,” said the large man.  “Perhaps after this, our paths cross again, hm?”

“Maybe,” said Danny.  “Sorry for interrupting you.”

The man waved him off, already refocusing on his tablets.  Danny gathered up his things and hurried to the attendant’s desk only to discover that she had been watching him.  But for how long?

“Hi!” he said, a little nervous from the pressing need of his Obsession.  “I finished this translation, and I was wondering if I could help you out with the others you mentioned?  Or other Elysian ones?”

The attendant stared at him for a long moment, and Danny got the distinct and vaguely embarrassing sense that his Obsession had been correctly clocked.  

Then her face scrunched up into the expression people made when they had seen something indescribably cute.  Ugh.  

“Oh my goodness,” she said, “that’s so lovely and sweet of you to offer!  Like I said, we have a pretty big backlog, so any help you can give us there is greatly appreciated.  But… if you don’t mind doing something that isn’t strictly translation, there’s something else you can help us with that needs Elysian Greek.  Among other things.”“Er, Danno,” said Dad, “why are we doing this?  I thought you just wanted to give us a look around the library?”

[moeitsu]

The Tie Which Linked My Soul To Thee

Ch 17 - To Watch The Dying of the Day

Summary: Say, isn't it strange? I am still me, and you are still you. In this place. Isn't it strange how people can change? From strangers to friends, friends into lovers. To strangers again.

Ao3  Wattpad Masterlist - All Chapters  Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

A/N: Oh gosh, it's been so long! A mixture of burnout and chaos will do that to a girl. But it's here, coming in at a strong 7k words. It's on the shorter side, especially since my previous chapters have been anywhere between 10-13k words. But this chapter is transitioning us back into the main story. So do with that information as you will, its going to be a bumpy ride....

TW: None really, just hella angst.

Tag List: @photo1030 @ariacherie @thatweirdcatlady @ultraporcelainpig @marygillisapologist @eternalsams @lunawolfclaw 

**please let me know if you would like to be tagged in future chapters!

StoryTags: Widowed, Original Character(s), High-Honor!Arthur Morgan, Arthur Morgan Does Not Have Tuberculosis, Arthur Morgan Deserves Happiness, Chubby!Arthur Morgan, Canon Divergence, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Eventual Smut, Eventual Sex, Eventual Romance, Emotional Sex, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort,Touch-Starved, Sexual Tension, Friends to Lovers, Child Loss, Infant Death, Trauma, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Torture, Blood and Violence, Survivor Guilt, Aftermath of Torture, Caretaking, Injury Recovery, Period-Typical Racism, Anxiety, Self-Hatred, Night Terrors, Emotional Constipation, Self-Doubt, Men Crying, Bathing/Washing, Sweet/Hot, Romantic Angst, Romantic Fluff

“Are you out of your goddamn mind, John?” Abigail’s voice echoed through the camp as the tent flaps were shoved open harshly by the young man, who only ignored her comment. He was making a beeline for the one person he needed to complete his team—the one person he knew would stand by his side to enact revenge on the men who nearly took his brother's life.

Kate was chopping celery and carrots for an afternoon stew when she heard the heavy footsteps of John approaching. His gaze was determined, each step fueled with a fiery purpose. She glanced up to see Abigail standing not far behind him, arms crossed in frustration, throwing her hands in the air as John continued to ignore her protests. Kate already knew what he was going to ask of her.

John had found Colm O’Driscoll’s hideout, and he was ready to take action.

Kate placed the knife down with a sigh. Since their return from Emerald Ranch, things had been relatively calm. At least as calm as life could get when you were running with a bunch of outlaws, hanging onto the threads of some "plan" by a man she barely trusted. When they arrived back from their trip, Sean and the boys had planned a small party for Arthur—a ‘Celebration of Life,’ the ambitious Irishman had called it. Though it was more likely just another excuse to drink beer, dance, and be rowdy.

They used the get-together as an opportunity to tell the others about their relationship. Kate drank and sang with the girls, talking with them into the late hours of the night about her time with Arthur. Their small circle was filled with ‘aww’s’ and teasing glances. Kate felt a weight lifted off her shoulders after telling them, like somehow their relationship was finally real now that the rest of the gang knew—at least the ones most important to her.

Arthur was gradually reintegrated into jobs and missions, starting with small fishing trips and eventually moving on to more lucrative endeavors like robbing stagecoaches. Kate protested at first, trying to convince him there were safer ways to make money, but she knew she couldn't take the thrill of the heist out of the outlaw so easily. Arthur found work where he could, especially when Dutch wasn’t ordering him around. All of Arthur’s worries about being replaced seemed to dissipate in the days after his return. Dutch, ever the charmer, appeared overjoyed that Arthur was making a steady recovery and happy that his son found some happiness in a woman. He couldn't resist leaving Arthur with a gentle reminder that their priority was, and still is, to make enough money to escape. Arthur assured him with a promise: he would see it done.

This morning, Dutch sent Arthur, Sean, and Micah into Rhodes to meet up with Bill. Sheriff Gray wanted to speak with them about some work, and Arthur felt mighty proud to be involved, given his month-long absence. After breakfast, Kate pulled him aside for a few quick good-luck and be-safe kisses. It had become a new habit of theirs, since alone-time was rarely granted. They always made sure to say goodbye when one was leaving for a job, sealed with a kiss and a hug.

Kate looked up at John from under the brim of her hat, wishing in that moment Arthur was there to set him straight. But she knew nothing was going to change the young outlaw’s mind.

“Kate,” John greeted with a nod, his tone indicating he was ready to say more.

Wiping her hands on her raggedy apron, she leaned against the cutting table. “Fine afternoon, ain’t it, John?” she said with a smile, squinting up at the sun.

John wasted no time. “We’re ridin’ out today, to Hanging Dog Ranch. You coming?”

“Is that so?” She sighed. “What for?” Kate’s voice carried a hint of feigned ignorance. She knew why, but she was still trying to find it in herself to say no.

Since their ride back from Emerald Ranch, Kate had wrestled with Arthur’s words. She knew revenge was foolish, but seeing the way it had changed him cut her so deep she feared she would carry that rage with her for a long time. It was the same rage she felt years ago when she lost everything. Back then, her anger often consumed her, but over time she learned how to control it, to use it to protect herself and others. Right now, she wanted nothing more than to keep her word to Arthur, but also to protect him.

“You know why, Kate,” John’s voice grew stern, pulling her from her thoughts. “Colm’s men are up there. This is our chance.”

Kate’s heart clenched. She wanted to protect Arthur, to ensure that what happened to him never happened to anyone again. But she also knew that succumbing to vengeance could destroy her just as easily as it could destroy their enemies.

“John,” she began, her voice wavering slightly, “I promised Arthur I wouldn’t get swept up in this mess.”

John’s expression softened a moment, but his resolve remained firm. “I get it, Kate. But we need you. If we don’t take this chance, we might not get another.”

Kate huffed and lowered her voice so only he could hear, “Does Dutch know about this? Doesn’t he have a plan to get back at Colm?” She tried to make him see reason in her questions.

John only shook his head. “To hell with his plans. The way I see it, Colm doesn’t see us as a threat anymore. He tried to lay a trap and set the law on us. Well, he fucked around and it's about time he found out.”

Kate rolled her eyes at John’s ambitious statement. “John, no. I can’t go through with this and you shouldn't either.” She planned to leave him with that, pulling the apron over her head and starting to walk away.

John grunted and followed behind her, his frustration growing more evident. “C’mon, Kate, quit pussyfootin’ around. We need you, and we’re losing daylight.”

Kate turned and saw behind him as the others began saddling their horses and loading their weapons. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw Sadie packing her saddlebags, and her heart began to race as Lenny waited proudly on the back of his stallion, ready to take off at a moment's notice. Charles was there too, making his way over to see what the hold-up was. She was surprised to see this was the group that would be leading the charge. But, after all, these were Arthur’s closest and most trusted comrades.

Consequently, they were also the people Kate cared for deeply and saw as her own family. They were all putting themselves in harm's way for the sake of revenge.

“What would Arthur say about this?” Kate said finally.

Charles had finally caught up to them and heard the last bit of the conversation. “Arthur would say revenge is a fool’s game,” he stated.

“Exactly, thank you Char-”

“But those are his words, not mine,” Charles interrupted.

Kate pinched the bridge of her nose as John continued his persuasion. “Arthur’s the goddamn fool. We need to strike back, now. What if they come after us again? What if this time Colm takes one of the girls, or you?”

Kate felt the weight of John’s words settling heavily on her shoulders. The thought of Colm’s men taking her or any of the other women gnawed at her heart. She couldn’t deny the logic in John’s argument, even if it went against Arthur’s wishes.

Looking past the two men, she saw Lenny waving to her as if simply asking, "What are you waiting for?" John must have told them she would be joining, as Sadie looked over in anticipation, already holding Lorena’s reins, ready to leave as soon as Kate gave the word.

“Charles,” she began, her voice deep with conviction, “you’ve got a level head. This is a bad idea. How could you go through with this?”

Her words came out with a bite, unintended, but they stung nonetheless. Charles had always been a beacon of reason, often the one she or Arthur leaned on in times of need.

Charles' response betrayed no hurt, only his own sense of determination. “These bastards deserve it. Arthur suffered enough.” 

Kate found herself seething at his words, anger bubbling up like black coffee neglected over a fire for too long. The gang knew Arthur better than she did, Kate understood that much. But nobody had watched him suffer like she had. Night after endless night, holding his broken body and cradling him as she willed with all her strength that the pain and tortuous nightmares would cease. Her thoughts drifted to the night of their shared intimacy, seeing how Colm had broken him in unimaginable ways.

Nobody understood the extent of his suffering, except for Kate.

“Sadie suffered by them too,” Charles added after a moment. 

“We’ve all suffered from the O’Driscolls!” John exclaimed with a defeated sigh. “Choose your battles, Kate. But we’re going to send a message to Colm, whether you come or not.”

The two men turned to walk away, their boots kicking up dust as they marched back to their horses, saddled and ready for battle. Moments later, a third pair of footsteps fell in time behind them.

Kate had made her choice.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

The dry spell had lingered for well over a month, and the oppressive heat of Lemoyne had turned the air into a stifling, dusty haze. The town of Rhodes lay beneath a thick, barren cloud of yellow dust, each gust of wind sending particles stinging into Arthur’s throat and eyes, making them water. The winds whipped past him as he spurred Belle forward, urging her faster and faster. His grip on the reins was white-knuckled, his breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps as he tried to steady his racing heart.

The Sheriff had caught on to their schemes, and set them up in Rhodes. Sean had paid the ultimate price with a bullet between the eyes. The image of Sean’s lifeless body was seared into Arthur’s mind, a haunting image he knew would never leave him. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the relentless memory that played over and over like a broken motion picture. Sean had been on the cusp of becoming a man, his 24th birthday just a few months away. Though Arthur gave him grief since the day he joined their gang, deep inside he saw the ambitious Irishman as his younger brother. 

The irony of the situation gnawed at Arthur’s consciousness. Sean had warned them it was a setup. He had sensed something was off from the moment they entered the sleepy town, but both Arthur and Micah had dismissed his concerns as mere paranoia. Now, anger swelled in Arthur's belly, especially toward Micah. As much as he despised the shady outlaw, Arthur couldn’t deny that he wouldn’t have made it out alive without his help. Micah recognized that Arthur’s injuries had hindered his abilities, though his accuracy remained as deadly as ever. Together, they had picked off nearly every lawman and trigger-happy drunk who stood in their way, barely escaping with Bill in tow. Arthur knew his disability had slowed him down, and he blamed himself for Sean’s loss. 

The escape was a blur of gunfire and chaos. Arthur's mind raced with the events of the ambush, replaying each moment as a jarring blend of fear and fury. Belle's hooves thundered against the ground, each stride a desperate attempt to outrun the mix of anger, guilt and shame that threatened to overwhelm him. The acrid taste of dust and blood lingered in his mouth, a reminder of the violence they had scarcely escaped.

As they galloped through the barren landscape, Arthur's thoughts turned to Kate. He knew she would be waiting for him back at camp, a small comfort amidst the chaos. But the moment of peace would be short lived, they would have to leave again, and soon. The law would catch up to them in a matter of days. 

The thought of facing Dutch made Arthur cringe inwardly. Dutch would undoubtedly demand a report of what happened, and Arthur knew it could go one of two ways: Dutch might dismiss the incident, as he had when Arthur previously warned about their increasing sloppiness and the Pinkertons closing in. Or he might tuck-tail and opt for retreat to a new hideout, favoring the path with the fewest casualties. Either way, Arthur was in for an earful back at camp. He silently hoped that someone would go back for Sean, praying he wouldn't be discarded in a mass grave. Every man deserved a proper burial, but for people like him and his gang, it was a luxury rarely granted. 

As Clemens Point came into view, a deep sense of unease settled over Arthur. The camp seemed unusually quiet, devoid of the usual bustle and chatter. An eerie silence had taken its place. He panicked for a moment, what if the law had found them while he was away?

Arthur barely had time to dismount before Abigail came running towards him, tears streaming down her face. Dutch was close behind her, his expression grim. A chill ran down Arthur's spine.

Abigail grabbed Arthur's arm, her voice trembling with panic. “Arthur, they took Jack! Someone took Jack!” she cried, her eyes wild with fear.

Dutch placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though his eyes were hard with determination. “We’ll get him back, Abigail. I promise you that,” he said firmly.

Arthur opened his mouth to explain what had happened in Rhodes, but the urgency of the situation left no room for words. His mind was whirling with this new information, trying to piece together what happened while he was away. There was a moment of silence, and Arthur’s heart skipped a beat as he realized Kate was also nowhere to be seen.

“Who took him?” Arthur said finally, his voice betrayed no hint of the unease he was feeling.

Hosea stepped forward, his expression was dire. “We believe the Braithwaites have taken Jack. They’ve been gunning for us ever since we crossed them,” he explained.

“Where is my son?” Abigail shouted. “If anything–oh God,” she choked on the words. “Where is my son Dutch!” 

“We will find him,” Dutch affirmed, clenching his jaw, eyes blazing with resolve. “We’ll make that Braithwaite bitch pay for this.” He surveyed the three men as Bill and Micah stood awkwardly nearby, unsure what to say. “What the hell happened to you three? Where’s Sean?”

Arthur took in Hosea’s words and then let out a breath as he shook his head. “They set us up, Dutch. Sheriff Gray killed Sean, nearly got Bill too. We shot up half the town trying to escape. If we’re not careful about this, we’ll surely be caught by the law.” They were in deep shit now, both families were gunning for them. They couldn't afford another casualty, let alone young Jack. The situation tore at his heart. 

Dutch’s eyes darkened, his mouth set in a tight line. Arthur recognized that look—it was the look of a man out of options. “We’re getting that boy back, Arthur, or so help me God—”

At that moment, the thunderous sound of hooves echoed down the path to their hideout. Arthur's hand hovered over his revolver, his mind still in fight-or-flight mode. As the riders emerged from the trees, he saw John leading the group, with Kate at the rear. A wave of relief washed over him; at least the law hadn't caught up to them yet. But as they drew closer, Arthur noticed Kate's clothing was stained with blood. His relief quickly turned to a mix of worry and dread.

As John dismounted, Abigail flung herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. “They took him, John! They took our boy!” she cried, her voice breaking with desperation. John shot a confused look at Arthur, his own emotions swirling with shock and concern. He held onto Abigail, trying to process the chaos around him.

Dutch's voice cut through the commotion like a knife, demanding answers. “How nice of you to finally show up. Where have you lot been?”

“Taking care of business,” John replied dryly, his grip on Abigail tightening as he tried to make sense of the unfolding crisis. The air was thick with urgency and panic, even the winds seemed to hold their breath, anticipating the next move.

“What business?” Dutch spat, his agitation palpable as he glared at his returning crew members. The tension crackled like electricity in the air, setting everyone on edge.

Arthur's heart pounded in his chest, the rapid beat echoing the chaos of his thoughts. Sean's death, the ambush, Jack's disappearance, and the blood on Kate’s clothes all swirled in his mind. He moved with heavy, purposeful steps toward Kate, his focus narrowing to her alone. He tuned out the escalating argument between Dutch and John, his attention solely on the woman he loved.

“Kate,” he called, his voice rough from the dry air and his mounting anxiety.

She turned at the sound of her name, immediately reading the worry etched into Arthur’s face. Noticing her bloodied clothing, she quickly reassured him, “It’s not my blood.”

Relief flooded Arthur, and he pulled her into a tight hug, inhaling her familiar scent. The rhythm of her heartbeat against his chest provided a momentary solace amidst the turmoil.

“What’s going on?” she whispered, her breath warm against his ear as she pulled away slightly.

“Rhodes was a trap. They set the law on us, Sean’s dead,” Arthur briefly explained, his voice heavy with grief. Kate gasped softly, her eyes widening. “We just got back, and Jack’s missing. Hosea thinks it was the Braithwaites.”

Kate stood speechless, feeling the weight of the world crashing down around her. "Oh, Arthur, we have to—"

Arthur gripped her arms fiercely, his eyes burning with a mix of confusion and betrayal. Desperation etched into every line of his face. “Where were you, Kate?” he demanded, his voice laced with hurt and anger.

He hadn’t meant for the words to come out with such force, but his mind was a whirlwind of doubts and anxiety. Jack could be dead for all he knew. The thought of an innocent child being involved in this nightmare gnawed at his soul. Despite everything, Arthur blamed himself for Jack's disappearance. He cursed himself for not ensuring someone was watching over the boy when he left. Normally, there were plenty of people he and Abigail trusted with Jack, but those people had been gone nearly as long as he had. He desperately needed an explanation for her absence.

Kate pulled away from his grip but held his hands tightly, her gaze filled with guilt. Arthur’s heart began to sink, a cold dread settling in his stomach. “We were up at Hanging Dog Ranch,” she breathed. “Where Colm’s men were hiding.”

Arthur’s gaze hardened, a cold look crossing over his features. “I don’t s’ppose you were there to play hooky?” he spat, sarcasm dripping from his words. He felt the world spinning around him, losing Sean, losing Jack, and now, feeling a profound sense of betrayal from the woman he loved.

Kate shook her head quietly, her cheeks flushing pink with shame. “Arthur, I—”

Arthur’s grip on her hands tightened momentarily before he let go. “You promised me, Kate,” he said, his voice breaking. “You promised you wouldn’t get involved with Colm.”

Kate’s heart shattered at the pain in his eyes. “I know, and I am so sorry. But I thought—”

“You thought what?” Arthur interrupted, his voice rising with a mix of anger and fear. “You thought this would help? That getting yourself killed would make things better?”

Kate’s eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling slightly. “I just wanted to protect you and the others from those terrible people.”

“That is not your job, Kate!” Arthur shouted, and Kate flinched, taking a step back from him.

Arthur let out a breath, shaking his head, the betrayal cutting deep. “You just don’t get it, do you? You don’t understand what it does to me, seeing you put yourself in danger like that.”

“I see you put yourself in danger every day,” she answered meekly, her voice wavering with a mix of fear and frustration.

“Don’t make this about me,” he said sharply. “I trusted you to keep that promise.” The life he lived, the life she had joined, was a dangerous one. And Kate wouldn’t be the first woman he lost to such violence. Born from a promise that he broke, costing the life of his family. If he had lost her and Jack in the same night, he feared what he would unleash upon himself.

“I’m sorry Arthur,” Kate breathed deeply, tears finally spilling over and streaming down her cheeks. There was an old selfish ache deep in her soul, a desperate need to make them suffer for taking someone from her. Her fear of loss drove her every thought, every action, every breath. It had consumed her, nearly losing herself during Arthur’s recovery. Kate had never known anything but grief and loss. Holding on so tightly to her sliver of happiness that she was smothering it. Her selfish need cost her Arthur’s trust. 

“Kate,” his voice was softer now, laced with deep sorrow. Arthur shook his head, “I can’t go through this again.” His eyes softened, though the hurt remained. 

Kate opened her mouth to respond, but the words wouldn’t come. She felt a dark sense of dread, knowing that despite her intentions she had broken his trust and his heart. 

The weight of the moment pressed heavily upon them, a suffocating silence settling in. Arthur’s eyes, filled with a mix of anger and hurt, searched hers. The pain of his words, the pain of her actions, it all mingled together in a storm of emotions that neither of them could escape. A deeper love that remained unspoken.

Before she could find the words to make things right, Dutch’s voice boomed across the camp. “We’re not waiting another damn minute! Mount up, we’re riding out to get Jack back now!”

Arthur turned away, his expression unreadable. “I’m glad that you’re home safe. I wish I could say the same for Jack,” he said, walking over to mount his mare once more. The other boys were saddling up, the tension in the air thick with anticipation.

Kate stood in stunned silence, tears streaming down her face. The fear of losing Arthur, the guilt of breaking her promise, and the terror of what lay ahead gnawed at her. She felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness as she watched Arthur ride off into the night, leaving her standing there with her heart in pieces.

As she watched the men race down the winding path out of Clemens Point, she noticed Abigail's trembling form. Abigail was using her apron to wipe the tears that stained her cheeks. Kate swallowed her sorrow, pushing down her own broken heart. This was about Jack and Abigail.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

“I bet this has something to do with why you got shot to hell in town.” John’s voice broke Arthur from his clouding thoughts. The trees raced past them in a blur, and Arthur hadn’t even realized his brother was riding right beside him.

Arthur’s mind was a whirlwind of anxiety and turmoil. The events of the day had left him feeling raw and exposed. The setup in Rhodes, Kate’s actions, and now Jack’s abduction—all of it weighed heavily on him. The feeling gnawing at his insides.

“I don’t want to think about that right now, John,” he answered, trying to push the memory of Sean's lifeless body out of his mind. “We have to focus on Jack.”

John’s voice rose with anger, a mirror of Arthur's own inner turmoil. “I swear, I’ll kill every single one of them.” The desperation in his voice was palpable, and Arthur could sense the fear behind his brother's bravado.

Dutch’s voice called from the front of the line, a forced calmness trying to steady the group. “Easy, John. Try to stay calm. We’ll make them pay for this.”

“What about the plan, Dutch? Isn’t this family sitting on gold?” Bill’s voice cut through the night, his ulterior concerns evident.

Hosea answered, his tone grim and weary. “I hate to break it to you, but there is no gold. I’ve turned every stone. If they ever had any, it's gone.”

“For Christ’s sake, Hosea, after everything? Another perfect plan fed to the dogs,” John retorted, his voice laced with bitter frustration. Arthur felt the same anger bubbling up inside him—another one of Dutch’s schemes that had led them into danger and kept them on the run from the law.

“We underestimated them,” said Hosea, his voice heavy with regret and concern.

“No, they underestimated us!” Dutch roared, his voice echoing through the trees. “Enough talk. There’s no point arguing how we got here. This is where we are. And we are going to kill every one of those inbred trash.”

Arthur’s grip tightened on the reins, his knuckles white with tension. The thought of what lay ahead mixed with a fierce determination to bring Jack back safely. His heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drumbeat of anxiety and resolve. As they rode on, the night closed in around them, a shroud of darkness and danger. The only sounds were the thunder of hooves and the heavy breathing of their mounts. Arthur’s mind was a storm of emotions, the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him.

The ride to Braithwaite Manor was filled with a tense silence, each man lost in his own thoughts. Arthur’s mind kept drifting back to Kate. They were close now, and there was no turning back. Jack’s life was at risk. The stakes were higher than ever, and the weight of their mission rested heavily on his heart. There was no room for distraction or hesitation.

Dutch’s voice broke through the silence, a final order before the storm. “Nobody makes a move until I say so. Follow my lead.”

The tension in the air was electric as they approached the manor, each man ready for the fight of their lives. As they dismounted, Arthur’s thoughts turned briefly to Kate once more. 

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

Kate couldn’t sleep. The lamp was down to the midnight oil in the small green canvas tent that the Marstons called home. She had stayed with Abigail while the men were out in search of Jack. She couldn’t tell how long they had been gone; her weary mind drifted in and out of consciousness. She tried to stay alert for their arrival, or for anyone else who might try to abduct another member of their gang.

Abigail slept beside her, her cheeks tinted pink from tears. She clutched Jack's nightgown tightly to her chest, inhaling the scent of her child, her whole world. Kate understood that feeling. She looked down at her hands, the dim light flickering across her fingers. Old blood was dried into the cracks of her nails. Images flashed before her eyes of the violence that had defined her day. She had unleashed herself on Colm’s men, disregarding her promise. And consequently, she had neglected the safety of those left behind at camp.

An acidic queasiness settled in her belly. It had felt good to kill those men. By some miracle, or perhaps coincidence, she had found Arthur’s captors amongst the men hiding at the ranch. The two men had recognized her, though she had no idea how. They had never met before. But like most cocky men, they boasted about Arthur’s torture and the pain they would inflict upon her. Little did they know who she was.

Keeping them alive as the last two men standing, Kate gave them the same courtesy they had given Arthur. She made sure they would never use their arms again, and strung them up by their ankles. Finally, she sliced open their bellies, their blood draining like pigs for the slaughter. Her friends watched in cautious silence. And when she was done, she mounted Lorena, and together they left the ranch without so much as another word.

It was justice, Kate tried to convince herself. But no, it was a deep selfishness. One that an old friend had stoked like flames to a fire. Perhaps it was in her nature, to lose lives and take them. All of the people Kate was, and tried to be, were always a part of her. The mother, the nurturer, the defender, and the killer.

She regretted her actions, but selfishly, she would do it all again. The thrill of revenge had brought her a temporary sense of control, a fleeting moment where she felt powerful in a world that constantly threatened to strip her of everything she held dear. But as she sat in the tent, the reality of her choices weighed heavily on her. She wasn’t sure if she could ever reconcile the different parts of herself—the woman who longed for peace and the one who couldn’t escape the violence that had shaped her life.

Exhaustion finally overcame her. The flickering light of the lamp faded as she drifted into a restless sleep, haunted by the faces of the men she had killed and the fear of what might come next.

When Kate awoke the next morning, the first light of dawn seeped through the tent’s seams. She reached out instinctively, but the space beside her was empty. Abigail was gone. Panic gripped her heart as she sat up quickly, straining to hear the muffled voices outside the tent.

━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━

Arthur stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes scanning the faces around the small wooden table where Dutch sat, the tension palpable in the air. Dutch was deep in thought, the weight of leadership pressing heavily on his shoulders as the gang awaited his orders. Abigail stood silently next to John, her face a mask of fury and desperation. Her tears had dried, replaced by a seething anger at the men she had trusted to protect her family, now arguing over their next move.

The Braithwaites didn’t have Jack. They had passed him off to a man named Angelo Bronte. Arthur’s mind raced with strategies for their next step. Bronte was supposedly in Saint Denis, the heart of the new modern America, where law was heavily enforced, and policemen patrolled every corner. They needed to be cautious. Any misstep could end with them at the end of a rope, and that wouldn’t help Jack at all.

As Arthur idly rubbed his wounded arm, the pain a constant reminder of his recent ordeal, he replayed the events of the night over and over in his mind. They had stormed the Braithwaite manor, killing everyone who stood in their way. But they had been too late. Dutch had shot Catherine Braithwaite without hesitation and ordered the house to be burned to the ground. An entire empire, a long-standing family, wiped out in an instant. 

He was lost in his thoughts when a gentle touch on his arm brought him back to the present. Turning around, he found himself face to face with Kate. The memory of her actions, the betrayal he felt, and the look in her eyes were too much to bear. He quickly averted his gaze.

“Arthur,” she began quietly, her voice trembling with worry. “Where is Jack? Is he—”

Arthur shook his head, cutting her off. “They didn’t have him,” he said curtly.

“W-what did you find?” she stuttered, her voice edged with panic.

He knew he was being cruel by withholding details, but the turmoil inside him made it difficult to be gentle. With a sigh, he turned to face her again. “They handed him off to some Bronte fellow. Jack is somewhere in Saint Denis.”

“I don’t understand, why would they do this? What do we do now?” she asked, her voice rising in desperation.

Arthur gestured towards the group of men who were still arguing heatedly. “They’re working on it,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Feeling incredibly defeated, Arthur’s thoughts were a blend of frustration and sorrow. He had thought things were getting better. After nearly dying from sepsis, he had started to find comfort and joy in Kate’s presence. But now, everything seemed to be falling apart. Sean’s death had barely been processed, overshadowed by Jack’s disappearance. His recent fight with Kate had left a gaping hole in his heart, the urge to mend things with her gnawing at him. But there was no time for feelings right now.

The gang was on the brink of a precipice, and Arthur knew they needed to act quickly and decisively. As much as he wanted to fix things with Kate, Jack’s safety had to come first. Pushing down his own emotions, he focused on the task at hand, knowing that every moment they delayed could bring them closer to disaster.

“It’s gonna work out, John,” Hosea’s voice joined the commotion, his tone reassuring. “Jack will be fine. Just listen to Dutch.”

Dutch’s voice cut through the din, authoritative and calm. “I don’t expect you to understand this, but I need your trust. Your word, now more than ever. No more running off behind my back. I know you were trying to do the right thing—”

“If I don’t get that boy back safe, I’m—” John shot a glance at Abigail, who stood trembling with a mix of anger and fear. “She’ll kill us all.”

“Looking at this logically, that boy is fine. They only took him to scare us. Nobody takes a child to harm him,” Dutch continued, his words meant to be comforting but failing to ease the tension.

“It’s true, John,” Hosea chimed in, placing a reaffirming hand on his shoulder. “Arthur, what do you think?”

Arthur sighed, shaking his head slightly. They were all trying to be strong for John, but deep down, they were just as scared. They’d seen what this world could do to children. The cruelties of their life were too real, too close. There was no guarantee Jack was safe.

“The boy will be fine,” Arthur lied, trying to steady his voice. “But of course, Marston’s scared rotten. We killed all those people, stirred up all that trouble…for nothing.”

Dutch scoffed from his seat. “No. No, not for nothing. For living. We get that boy back, and we go. It’s about time we leave this place. Trust me.”

Suddenly, Lenny’s voice boomed from the camp entrance. “Dutch! We’ve got a problem!” He shouted, rifles raised and pointing at two strangers who walked into camp with their hands held high.

Arthur’s mouth went dry. It was the Pinkertons. Agent Ross and Agent Milton.

“Not a problem, visitors. We come with a solution,” Milton said coldly, his demeanor relaxed and confident. His gaze found Arthur’s. “Ah, Mr. Morgan. Nice to see you again.”

Instinctively, Arthur stepped in front of Kate, shielding her from whatever was about to unfold. The other gang members began to surround the two agents, their suspicion evident. Dutch betrayed no hint of surprise, remaining seated comfortably.

“To what do we owe the pleasure, Agent Moron?” Dutch said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but this is a civilized land now. We didn’t kill all them savages only to allow the likes of you to act like human dignity was not yet invented,” Milton explained, his disdain palpable. “This thing? It’s done,” he spat.

Dutch finally rose from his seat, confronting the agent. “This land was never civilized. It’s consumed with man’s love for greed.”

“And that lets you take what you please? Kill whom you please and hang the rest of us? Who made you the messiah to these lost souls you’ve led astray?” Milton retorted coldly.

“I’m nothing but a seeker, Mr. Milton,” Dutch replied.

“You’re nothing but a bunch of killers. But I came here to make a deal; you come with me and I’ll give the rest of you three days to run off and disappear. I’m giving you one last chance to live like decent human beings.” Milton’s voice rose, addressing everyone in the gang.

A bitter chuckle rose from Dutch’s throat. “Ain’t that a fine thing? You risked death by coming into a den of murderers and thieves to have me. And to give them the chance to live and love?”

Kate remained quiet behind Arthur, her hand ready to draw her pistol at a moment's notice. But she sensed that this man, this detective, was telling the truth. Why would he risk so much for one man unless he was out of options?

“I don’t want to kill all these people, Dutch. Just you,” Milton answered, his resolve unwavering.

Dutch raised his hands, a hint of mockery in his voice. “In that case, I’d be happy to join you, Agent Milton.” As he stepped closer to the detective, everyone simultaneously began to draw their pistols.

Kate watched the moment unfold with genuine concern and admiration. These people, Arthur’s gang, were willing to risk everything for one man. Their loyalty and dedication ran deeper than she could ever imagine.

It was Ms. Grimshaw who leveled her shotgun and gave the final orders. “I think it’s time our new friends leave.”

Agent Milton raised his hands once more as Lenny and Javier began to escort them out of camp. “You’re making a big mistake, all of you!”

“The only mistake is how you keep following us. Good day, sir,” Dutch said, turning away, suddenly unbothered.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. And when I return, all of you will die. Run away from this place, you fools!” Milton’s tone carried a desperate warning. As he turned to leave, his gaze locked with Kate’s for a moment. He narrowed his eyes, trying to piece together her familiar face, but Javier’s gun pushed him along.

“How dreadful,” Dutch chuckled as he returned to his seat.

Arthur approached Dutch quickly, his steps heavy with the weight of the situation. “What now?”

“We get out of here. Have the women start packing. I’m sending you and the others to look for a new hideout. We’re running out of time,” Dutch said quietly, his urgency clear.

As Arthur turned to carry out Dutch’s orders, his eyes met Kate’s once more. The pain and fear were mirrored in their gazes. There was no time for reconciliation now. They had a mission to complete, and the stakes had never been higher.

“Arthur, maybe we should consider—” Kate began her voice quiet, searching for the right words to address their precarious situation.

Arthur spun on his heel so fast it made her dizzy. “Don’t. Don’t you even suggest it. You don’t have a say in this anymore, Kate.” His rage towards the Pinkertons and his anxiety about the lives at stake spilled out in hot bursts towards the woman he loved, and he couldn't stop the fire from spreading.

“Excuse me?” she responded, her voice a mix of offense and hurt. “I only want what's best for the gang.”

“The best thing to do now is leave. Go help the women pack,” he ordered, turning away from her.

“When does it end, Arthur? This cat-and-mouse game you have with seemingly every lawman in this country. How many more people have to be killed for it to stop?” Kate’s voice wavered with her fading strength. It was all too much to handle; everything was changing so fast. And now an innocent child was involved. She didn’t know what to do.

Arthur’s voice roared back, “I don’t know! Make up your goddamn mind, Kate. You go back on your word and put a target on your back. And now you want to lecture me on my poor choices? If you’re tired of running, you can leave. I won’t stop you.”

He left her with those words, his steps heavy and final. The men took off without a moment's hesitation, Ms. Grimshaw dishing out orders to begin loading the wagons. Kate felt a bitter moment of déjà vu, back to the day at the Downes ranch. She had scolded him for his actions, as if she were one to reprimand him. Kate had glimpsed the kind of man he truly was that day—the hardened outlaw, the merciless killer. She knew there was a kind heart inside him, and she had fallen in love with that part of him. Convinced herself that she could persuade him to leave it all behind, to give up that title for something softer. Arthur wanted it too, but only now was she beginning to understand the giant inside him. The man who had never known peace, who spent every moment fighting for his life and the lives of his family.

Arthur was consumed by his loyalty, as Kate was consumed by her grief. The realization hit her hard, and she felt a deep, gnawing sorrow. She watched him mount his horse, his back tense with determination and anger. The bitter truth settled over her like a shroud—no matter how much they loved each other, the world they lived in was tearing them apart.

A/N: I hope this chapter was alright! To be honest I went back and forth over this conflict for a while, and I think that’s where the birth of my writers block began. I wasn’t intending for their fight to become so heated, but then i was like “you know what? Their situation is a crock of shit, it can’t all be sunshine and rainbows.”

(Also trying to squeeze this in while simultaneously returning to a major plot point of the game was really hard haha)

So yeah, i may have gotten a bit carried away. But fear not, my summary for this chapter was incredibly dramatic. They’re not breaking up! They just got to figure themselves out, and come to understand one another. I want to make it clear that Kate has just as many flaws as Arthur, and that she suffers in silence too. God these two really need each other 😭

I think this was my first time writing some serious angst that didn’t involve one of them nearly dying (lol). So let me know how I did! It’s been awhile since I updated this story, and sometimes things can get lost to the tricks of time. If you notice any inconsistencies or plot holes please don’t be shy to point them out to me! 🙏❤️

[mysecretlittlelibrary]

Don't Really Know A Lot About Love

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Reader

Word Count: 3.1k

Warnings: reader is kidnapped because yeah, cannon level violence, oral (f receiving), slight overstimulation, multiple orgasms, fingering, praise kink Matty, unprotected sex (wrap them joysticks okay), creampie, implied cockwarming I think

Genre: angst, smut, & fluff

Summary: Life after Daredevil was supposed to be simple. Apparently, there's no such thing as 'after' him, at least not for you. “I don't really know a lot about love // But you're in my head, you're in my blood // And it feels so good, it hurts so much” - About Love by MARINA

A/N: People wanted a part 2 for Lies: Don't Wanna Know for some reason???? Either way, I wrote one.

Part 1

***

The first few weeks after you stopped seeing Daredevil, Matthew, were... hard. Harder than you expected. You'd become so accustomed to seeing him, even if your time consisted of sneaking in through open windows at the witching hour to share kisses nobody can know about. You miss him more than you wanted to admit, more than you wanted to miss him. You're surprised how much it sucks knowing he won't come back, but you go to work, you go out with your friends, you even let them set you up on dates, because it's not like you can tell them you're mourning the end of your barely a situationship with a local vigilante. You do your best to reestablish normal, the normal you had before he snuck in to hide in your apartment that first night you met.

Tonight, you don't have plans with your friends so, as you walk into your apartment after work you're very ready to take it easy and relax alone. You don't even manage to get your shoes off before something is pulled tightly over your head and you're thrown over a shoulder with your arms held tight against you. You flail your legs fruitlessly hoping to injure your kidnapper as you're carried presumably out of your apartment building, an assumption confirmed when you're eventually tossed into a car but before you can jump up to put up some sort a fight a needle is jammed into your neck and you hiss momentarily before losing consciousness.

When you come to some time later you immediately rub your eyes to adjust to the lighting. A quick look around and the first thing you notice is the three gun wielding strangers around you. One on each side and one behind you.

"You'll have to excuse them. I didn't want to tie you down like an animal but, of course as a result precautions must be taken." Your head snaps to the source of the voice and down the stairs comes Wilson Fisk.

"And you think you needed 3 guns on me to keep me in line?"

"Better safe than sorry."

"Sure."

"Apologies, my name is-"

"Wilson Fisk. I know who you are." You say cutting him off with your arms crossed.

"My reputation proceeds me as always."

"Of course it does, you tried to singlehandedly ruin hell's kitchen."

"You're misinformed dear, I've only tried to save it. Make it better than it was."

"By forcing minorities out of their communities? You'll have to excuse me if the employment of white supremacist ideology doesn't get me jumping for joy."

"White supremacist ideology? That's what you think of me?"

"That's what I think of anyone who forces people out of their homes by buying out the property and making it too expensive for the people to stay there, in their community and brands it as making said community better." You roll your eyes.

"Hm." Fisk nods contemplatively.

"What am I doing here? I can't imagine you kidnapped me because I disagree with your pompous arrogant savior complex."

"Did you know a certain red suited pain in my ass, follows you? Regularly. He watches, lurking just out of sight. Like he's guarding you."

"You kidnapped me because you think daredevil is my stalker?"

"He once tried to get at the woman I love he tried to take her from me."

"Wow you're like a cartoon. You kidnapped me because Daredevil tried to steal your girlfriend?"

"My wife!" He snaps.

"Semantics." You shrug. "I'm not Daredevil's girlfriend, I'm not 'the woman he loves' so whatever your beef is with him, trying to use me to lure your archnemesis here like this is some sort of bad action flick let me be clear, it doesn't matter who you have sitting in this chair, you could have anyone from Hell's Kitchen, maybe even anyone from New York sitting here and Daredevil will show up not because of your victim but because you are Wilson Fisk and he is Daredevil, and he stops guys like you. That's what he does, Fisk." You say. You're annoyed, being caught in the middle of drama that has nothing to do with you because of a man you haven't seen in weeks. All you wanted to do tonight was shower and watch a movie.

"It seems you don't know the hold you have on him." Fisk smirks.

"Gimme a break." You scoff. Fisk looks at you as if he's about to say something in rebuttal, but before he can say whatever he's planning to, there's a beam of red knocking out one of the armed men surrounding you. The other two turn sharply to find the source of the- apparently baton, that flew towards them which now sits on the floor. You watch as Daredevil rolls towards you to grab the baton.

"Hey." He says standing up.

"Hey."  You nod. Daredevil pulls you out of the chair and behind him as he takes on the two goons left standing.

"I told you to shout. You didn't shout." He huffs over his shoulder as he fights.

"And yet you came anyway."

"Of course I did." He scoffs knocking out both of the remaining gun toters. You're not paying enough attention, forgetting the guys by your chair aren't the only enemies in the room and you shout when Fisk grabs your arm from behind you.

"Y/n!" Daredevil shouts turning to you.

"Nice of you to join us, Devil of Hell's Kitchen, although you did interrupt a conversation and that's quite rude." Fisk says.

"Fisk thinks you're stalking me because you're in love with me." You tell Daredevil.

"We can test my theory, now that you're here." Fisk says, his grip on you tightening.

"Hey watch it!" You hiss at him.

"Leave her alone Fisk! Your problems are with me. She's got nothing to do with this."

"Yeah, I told him that already, he doesn't care." You scoff. Fisk hauls you over to the balcony of his penthouse, swinging the doors open.

"Let's see what he does about this one hm?" Fisk smiles at you before pulling you over the railing. He's holding your shirt tightly, dangling you off the balcony on the top floor of this building and the longer this nightmare goes on the less you want to believe any of this is happening. YOU ARE DANGLING OVER THE EDGE OF A FUCKING BALCONY. "Daredevil! Our friend here is in quite the pickle it seems. You can't save her, and fight them, but they'll never let you get to me. What oh what are you going to do about this?" Fisk jerks you around for emphasis. Daredevil is still for entirely too long in your opinion, you don't know what he's contemplating but the lack of solid ground beneath your feet has you less than patient.

"Daredevil do something!" You shout.

"This is stupid Fisk. You know she's got nothing to do with this." Daredevil tries to reason with him. Reason with the man holding you over the edge of a 20-story building like a rug he's about to dust off.

"Oh my God! He does not care Matthew! STOP TALKING AND DO SOMETHING OR I SWEAR YOU WILL HOPE HE KILLS ME!"

"I like this one. She's spirited." Fisk says with deranged excitement in his eyes.

"Look I'm not going to let you get hurt okay?" Daredevil tells you.

"Be careful making promises like that." Fisk says, losing his grip on you momentarily, just long enough to make you scream and grab his arm. You cannot think of a shittier way to die than being splattered on the streets of New York because one of Daredevil's enemies thinks you're more important to him than you are. From this height, by the time they scrape you off the pavement your family will have no choice but to cremate you or something. A casket would be pretty useless for an inkblot of a person. You close your eyes and think of anything but the fact that your life hangs in the hands of a flighty part time vigilante and his ability to stop a psychotic rich man. You keep them closed even as you hear grunting and punches landing because if Daredevil is losing against Wilson's goons you literally cannot deal with watching it happen. For a moment it all stops, the sounds of fighting settle and you think for sure these are your final moments, even more so when suddenly Fisk's grip on your clothes loosens entirely and you're falling. You don't realize it at first, it's a rush of air around you, and at 20-plus stories up the wind has been beating your face since you got dragged out to the balcony. You don't realize it at first, but then you're screaming and flailing as the sky gets further away. In the next moment, Daredevil shoots off the balcony towards you. He can't fly can he?! What does he think he's going to do in this situation? Holy shit you're going to die. You close your eyes and brace for impact but Daredevil catches up to you surprisingly fast and his arm wraps around you tightly. Your eyes open again when you feel something solid beneath your feet. Daredevil is lowering you onto a balcony. How did- you look around for a moment. Same building, several stories below Fisk's penthouse. Daredevil grabs your shoulders and your eyes snap to his face- well, helmet.

"Are you alright?! You aren't hurt, are you? Did I-" He trails off taking a nervous breath.

"I'm fine. Shaken up but not hurt, how did you do that? We should've hit the ground."

"My batons have grappling hooks I just used one. I told you I wasn't going to let you get hurt." He says. "We should get you home."

"I'll- call a cab." You say.

"No. No way. I'm not- I will take you home myself. I won't risk anything else happening to you tonight." He says. As much as you want to argue with him, you have no desire to get into any more nonsense tonight.

"Okay." You say. Matt scoops you into his arms and grabs his baton, shooting the grappling hook towards the neighboring roof. You're surprised he can carry you so easily as he hops from building to building with very little sign of exertion. It's not long before you're back in your apartment.

"I'm- I am so sorry you got dragged into all of this y/n."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault Wilson Fisk is a delusional psychopath."

"Psychopath I can probably give you but delusional I'm not sure I can agree with." He huffs out a chuckle.

"Come again?! You're not sure you can agree with delusional?! He kidnapped me because he thinks you're in love with me. We fucked for a few months and then we stopped talking to each other, now I dunno about you but that situation didn't seem like love to me at all."

"Yeah- yeah I know that because of the circumstances we may not have had love between us but he was not so far off in his conclusion. I do care about you way more than necessary for our... arrangement."

"Huh." You mutter.

"That's all you have to say? 'Huh'?"

"I'm not sure what kind of response you're expecting from me Matthew."

"You can start by telling me what's on your mind right now."

"You're very good at faking indifference. If you care for me oh so much I don't understand what happened that night. You left."

"You told me to."

"I told you I wanted more than you were offering to give but if you cared for me as much as you claim to now why wouldn't you say something? What's the point of caring if you plan to do it in secret?"

"My life is messy and complicated. I wanted to protect you from it. I thought- it would be safer the less you were involved but I couldn't- I couldn't stay away when you asked me to."

"Well, clearly that was not a correct assumption."

"If I had known that I would've-" He trails off.

"Would've what? Clearly pretending not to care didn't work. You can't protect me with this one foot in one foot out thing you've got going on so if that's still all you're willing to offer you have to leave." You say. Matthew sighs and you watch his jaw muscles move as, you assume, he contemplates his response. As the moment of silence drags on you're sure he's going to bid you goodnight and climb out the window just like he did the first time you kicked him out but, to your surprise, his hands slowly rise to the top of his pointed helmet and, with notable hesitation, he tugs off the identity obscuring armor on his head. He clears his throat once he's removed it.

"My name is Matthew Murdock, by day I'm a defense attorney at a firm, called Nelson, Murdock, and Page. It's run by myself and my best friend from college and a woman insane enough to stick with us after she saw firsthand that our initial attempt at our own firm kind of went to shit." 

"Matthew Murdock."

"Yes. I was born and raised here in Hell's Kitchen oh and I've been blind since I was nine."

"You're blind?"

"Hard to believe I know but it's true. I can't see in the traditional sense, the world looks as if it's on fire, just blobs of reds and oranges really but I have other ways of- perceiving the world. My other senses are extremely helpful."

"So what happens now?"

"What?"

"I mean- thank you for sharing Matt but like- what happens between us now?"

"You- you wanted more from me, more than late night meetings with an anonymous vigilante, right?"

"Correct."

"Do you- would you still like that?"

"Would you like that?"

"I have always- y/n, it is not even a question of if I want it. I've always wanted more but it's something I never allowed myself to hope for."

"And now you will?"

"If you'll still have me." Matt has the sense to look at the ground nervously as he mutters the words. You almost want to chuckle, as if a blind man can truly find the floor more interesting than the conversation you're having. You take the few steps necessary to cross the short distance between you two and latch your hand onto the collar of his suit, pulling him towards you in a searing kiss that catches him off guard but he's quick to reciprocate. His hands settle on your waist and like second nature, yours wrap around his neck. Even after weeks apart there is no strangeness, no feeling of unfamiliarity as Matthew's hands roam your body. They pull you closer to him, trail across your back, under your shirt, as if he's trying to feel all of you at once. You walk Matt backwards towards your couch but before you can push him down onto it he turns the pair of you, guiding you to sit instead. He drops to his knees and pulls your pants and underwear off in one go.

"God I've missed you." Matt mutters between your legs before burying his face in the apex of your thighs. Your fingers shoot down into his hair as he laps at your center.

"Holy fuck." You sigh, your back arching at the feeling of his tongue. He lets out a grunt when you tug at his brown locks in response to a particularly sharp lick. One of his hands comes up to your thigh, holding you open for him, while his other hand joins his mouth between your legs. When two fingers slide into you and curl just right you realize Matt still seems to know exactly how to toy with your body. He focuses his lips around your clit while his fingers toy with the area inside you that has you whimpering and squirming against him. "M-Matt. Fuck!"

"Come on baby, come for me." He mutters into your clit and between his unrelenting digits thrusting into you and his lips sucking at your clit his request is easily met as your body tenses up and your release washes over you with a drawn out moan. "That's it." Matt muses, working you through the orgasm with his fingers. "You always get so tight after you cum." He groans still pumping his fingers into you while you draw shuddering breaths in an attempt to recover.

"Matthew-" You whimper pulling him up to kiss you. His fingers continue stroking your inner walls, slower now, working you open gently.

"You have no idea how badly I've wished to hold you again since you sent me away." Matt breathes against your lips as he works off the bits of his Daredevil suit.

"I'm sure I have an idea." You mutter back running your fingers against exposed skin once his suit hits the floor. Matt adjusts you on the couch, pulling you towards the edge and standing to line himself up with your entrance.

"Oh you think so?" He clips.

"What? Did you think it was easy for me to send you away like that?" You ask.

"You made it look pretty easy." Matt chooses that moment to finally sink into your heat with a strangled groan. Whatever retort you had in mind dies before you can say it as Matt settles into a rhythm between your legs. His thrusts are sharp and quick, your back arching towards him, chasing the pleasure he's so easily bringing you.

"Oh God Matt!" You groan. Your nails drag down his back and the hiss he lets out tempts you to do it again as he pumps into you steadily. Matt's fingers dip between your bodies and find your clit with ease. He rubs precise circles against the bundle of nerves reducing you to whimpers as the knot in your belly begins to tighten.

"Wanna feel you cum for me sweetness." Matt grunts and with a few more thrusts plus his fingers on your clit you're whining his name as release hits you hard. "That's it." He hums with a satisfied grin before tightening his grip on your hips. His hands tightening against you lets you know he's not far behind and his thrusts grow sloppy as he chases his end.

"Let go Matty. Wanna feel you fill me." You breathe out and the words seem to be the final push he needs, his hips stilling and that familiar warmth spreads through you. You both lay there for a while, the only sound your slowing breaths as you simply enjoy each other's presence.

"So many times I wanted to see you, but I thought you would be angry if I showed my face again." Matt eventually murmurs against your neck where his head is still buried.

"I probably would have. Unless you were going to do what I asked."

"Well if I'd known Fisk was gonna kidnap you even without me in your life I just might have."

"That's what you get for stalking me I guess."

"I'm sorry-"

"Stop apologizing. It was Fisk who kidnapped me. Plus you got to rescue me like the hero in a fairytale. All's well."

"Thank heavens for that." He mutters wrapping his arms a little tighter around you. You can't say you expected to find Daredevil back in your life when you first sent him packing, but you'd be lying if you said you weren't thrilled to have him back. On much better terms this time.

***

[lux-scriptum]

Elliot's Vampire Au, Part Two

Part One | Next

Owen’s apartment was a good thirty minute walk from where Elliot had found himself. He supposed Owen could have come and picked him up, but Elliot wanted the exercise to shake off the jitters.

Unfortunately it didn’t do much in the end. Elliot felt more wound up than before by the time he made it to the shop below Owen’s home. The first thing Elliot did when he ducked inside Owen’s apartment was to shuck off the hoodie he’d stolen and throw it away. Owen stared as Elliot immediately dragged it back out and retrieved the lavender blouse. He clenched his fingers around it and tried to pretend he hadn’t just noticed his nails still had blood under them.

“Elliot.” Owen began. His tone was so… gentle. Elliot ignored it, and hurried to the kitchen. He hip checked the island in his rush to the sink. Did vampires bruise? That was definitely going to if they did. “Elliot what’s going on?”

“I fucked up.” Elliot was babbling. He couldn’t stop the words if he wanted to. “I thought he was, I dunno, cute? You know how I am. I thought a quick tumble would be fine.” He turned on the cold water and started to scrub at the stains. “He fucking bit me.” The shirt hit the sink with a wet slap as Elliot whirled. “He bit me? And then- and then we- he- we fed. Owen I don’t know what to do.” Owen was a witch, he would know. Both what Elliot meant, and how to fix this. Right?

But Owen was staring again. Not at Elliot, but at the ruined shirt in the sink. “What happened, exactly?” He asked slowly. It was clear he was still mid morning routine; his hair hadn’t made it up into its customary half bun yet.

“A vampire bit me.” Elliot swallowed. He watched Owen’s attention flick to his neck. “Not. Not there. I don’t know what to do. You’re a witch. You can help me. Right?”

“Elliot, you fed,” Owen began. He paused, stepped close with palm outstretched. “There’s no undoing it now.”

Despite himself, tears welled up. “I didn’t mean to,” he said. His voice cracked. He’d never felt so particularly pathetic before. “I was just. So hungry.” As if that excused the body he’d left behind on some stranger’s couch.

At least Owen folded him into a hug. He smelled like the coffee he’d abandoned on the counter, and the herbs he’d been mixing at his worktable near the front door. It would have been more comforting if Elliot hadn’t become hyper aware of the sound of Owen’s heartbeat.

Elliot pulled back as he wiped his face. “Can you at least help with my shirt?”

Owen laughed. The sound was cut short guiltily. “Yeah. Yeah, of course I can do that. Until then, you’ve left enough clothes here. They’re in my closet, left side, if you want to change.” He traced Elliot’s bottom lip with his thumb. The familiar motion soothed Elliot more than anything else had.

Elliot kissed Owen’s cheek. He didn’t have to do anything to help Elliot. And yet. Here he was, taking care of Elliot. Like he always had. Even that first night he’d met Elliot, he’d taken care of him. It was half autopilot, then, to head for Owen’s bedroom.

He knew exactly where the clothes Owen referred to were. His collection was, admittedly, larger than he remembered. He hadn’t thought he’d spent so much time here. He chose to shed the jeans in favor of a broom skirt and one of Owen’s hoodies. Owen tie dyed them himself. The one Elliot picked out had several of Elliot’s favorite shades of blue artfully splotched across a wisteria base. It was still soft to the touch, and smelled of his friend.

By the time Elliot retreated back to the bed (silk sheets and pillowcases like Elliot had suggested, he was pleased to note), Owen had circled back and made sure to check the curtains were closed properly against the rising sun. Owen gave a small smile, and held his arms open a little. Elliot dove into them and almost immediately regretted it. The bite of hunger had sharpened.

“I’ve always wondered if you could hear a vampire’s stomach growl,” Owen mused. He led Elliot to the bed and sat him down. It was second nature to watch him crouch so that he was looking up at Elliot. “Hey. We’ll figure it all out. I’ve got some books around here somewhere.” His thumb tapped against Elliot’s wrist comfortingly. “If not me, then Hector and his dad.”

“I’m still hungry,” Elliot mumbled. “What if I eat someone else?” What if I try to eat you?

“You’re still alive.” Owen’s tappings had matched Elliot’s heartbeat. “You can eat regular food. We’re going to figure out the rest. So how about I make some breakfast? And make some calls. You stay away from the sun. Maybe take a nap, okay?” He folded Elliot’s blouse, clean and dry, into Elliot’s hands. “Something tells me you didn’t get much rest last night. This morning? Ah, whatever.”

Elliot would have offered to cook, but he didn’t want to mess up the gesture Owen was making. So he nodded, and then sighed. “Thanks, Owen. Sorry again, for waking you.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. That’s why you have my phone number.” Owen tugged on one of Elliot’s midnight curls, a small grin peeking through. “Your fancy shmancy hair stuff is still in my bathroom. Judging by how yours is still damp, and your general aura, I’m assuming a real shower would feel nice.”

Elliot grimaced. “All he had was five in one. What is five in one? I get three in one shampoo, at least, even if I don’t approve-” He broke off as Owen started to chuckle. “What. You know my feelings on-”

“I do,” Owen promised. “I rearranged the bathroom last week, but your little emergency kit should still be under the sink. It can wait until after breakfast if you’d prefer to join me. Or you can freshen up properly,” and here he winked, “while I get us some omelets going.” Elliot debated it. In the end he decided it would be a good exercise in self control. He had never been good at sharing the kitchen. He must have shown something on his face, because Owen pressed a kiss to his forehead and stood. Elliot took the proffered hand.

“Omelets?” Elliot asked.

“Nuh uh, No meddling.” Owen tucked him close as the wound through the living room to the kitchen. “This is my treat.”

“I know,” Elliot promised. He perched on a chair demurely. “I can behave.”

“Sure,” Owen snorted. He set his coffee maker to brew a fresh batch. “Hector should be up soon.”

“Oh, he’s here?” Elliot perked up. Owen’s roommate was half shifter himself. Despite Hector having a feline form, Elliot had found the shifter-witch to be delightful company.

“He does live here,” Owen pointed out dryly. He fished ingredients out of the fridge, and then paused. “He’s going home Monday though, so. Fair enough I suppose.”

Elliot hummed. He rested his chin in his hand as he pulled his phone out to check it.

“Hey. No vamp forums.” Owen pointed his skillet in Elliot’s direction. “You’ll just work yourself up. At least wait until after breakfast.”

“I wasn’t!” Elliot closed the search engine guiltily. “Just feels weird not helping.”

Owen flicked him an amused look. “If I give you some veggies to chop will you promise that’s all you’ll do?”

Elliot was on his feet in an instant. “Mmmhmmm.” He flashed a winning smile. “I can be trusted!”

Owen shook his head. “Sure you can.”

~~

@mecharose @incandescent-creativity @cwritesfiction @fragmentedink

as always ask to be tagged

[distant-eclipses]

I'm gonna be writing DCA fanfics(using @dca-fanart-gallery's prompt list for this particular fic) for at least some of october(idk if I can write every day). Today's prompt: dream

Summary(which I forgot to add...): Sun is having a persistent dreams of another fairy

Note: This was inspired by @ayyy-imma-ninja's fairy au. I was already thinking of making one, but this prompt gave me an excuse to write something

"Wait-!" Sun reached out his hand towards the fairy, watching as they flew away. "Come back!"

At this point it was almost used to the dreams. Of seeing another fairy and hoping for a new friend, only to see them leave before the two could talk. Even if the situations in the dreams were different, the fairy was still there, just out of his reach. At first he was confused, but overtime said confusion turned into disappointment and longing.

The animals were wonderful little friends and he was rather curious about the humans he'd occasionally see. It was always a treat when he saw the little ones of any species, even if it usually couldn't get close. But he never saw another fairy before the dreams started and wasn't able to have proper conversations with the animals. Sure he could try to learn some human languages, but the giant beings were intimidating in a way that most creatures weren't. The lack of closeness usually didn't bother him, but it was easier to notice as the dreams kept occurring.

The dreams also made him start to wonder about some things. While he usually had a hard time telling apart different members of the same species, the fairy in his dream seemed pretty different from him. Instead of having a giant spot on part of their face like Sun, the stranger had clusters of white dots along different body parts. If it wasn't for the spots and glowing, Sun was sure that they'd blend into the night. It made him wonder if there other fairies that were different colors. Did the stranger know? What if they were an outlier? What if he was an outlier?

But not all his questions were related to appearances. When he woke up the plants Sun wondered why all the dreams happened at night. When he watched some stray humans it wondered if the other fairy had talked to any of them. When he tied on his ribbons he wondered if the fairy's hat hid their rays. There was so much it wanted to ask.

But despite the questions and the loneliness, he was fine. It was happy with his life. The curiosity and longing didn't interfere with anything.

At least, not until recently. Sun groaned, covering his face. He had woke up a few minutes ago with a sudden desire to fly—despite it being the middle of the night. But no matter how much he twisted and turned, the longing was still there. It reminded him of his dream and that fact almost made him want to pull his rays out. "Now now Sun, it's nighttime, you don't want to hurt yourself." Was it a little silly to talk to himself? Yes. But he was tired and his source of joy and disappoint had just become a bigger problem.

He looked outside of the hollow, praying that sunrise had come. Despite knowing it was unrealistic, he still gripped his rays tighter when all he saw was stars. There was only one way he could think of dealing with the feeling. With another dramatic groan he got out of his bed, only bothering to tie a string with a little bell onto one of his wrists. Hopefully the ringing would keep him from falling asleep outside(he learned his lesson after he woke up to a bunch of rain). Yawning, he walked over to the opening of his little hideout and flew out.

Now that it was outside he felt the desire grow, like there was something calling to him, pulling him somewhere. Deciding to follow his instinct, he took off in a seemingly random direction, trusting his heart more than his(very tired) mind. But despite its initial regret over getting up, it was actually rather... nice to see what everything looked like during the night. He even saw a few new animals. Were some not awake during the day?

After a few minutes of flying, he came across a stream and... didn't know where to go next. Why did he here? Was he thirsty and didn't realise it? But why did this feel like the dreams? Maybe it just because it was late. Groaning, Sun turned around and was about to leave, but paused when he saw something glowing in the corner of his eye. There was a fairy with a blue glow near the stream.

Wait- a fairy! The fairy from his dreams. The stranger was sitting on a rock, kicking his feet and looking down at the running water. Flying closer, Sun rubbed his eyes. If this was a dream he'd- he'd- he didn't know what he'd do. "Hello! New friend?" Part of him knew what would happen. The fairy wouldn't notice him, then they'd leave. And Sun would wake up as he asked them to wait, to slow down-

"Hello?" This wasn't a dream! The fairy seemed a little caught off guard, tilting their head and staring at him. With the confirmation that things would be different, Sun grinned and flew closer, almost vibrating.

"My name is Sun! What's your name?" Now that he was looking closer, it could see the other fairy also had some string tied around the wrists, with some seashells instead of bells. And the rest of their body wasn't grey or black like he assumed, it was actually a dark blue.

The question made the other fairy grin, tilting their head further. "My name is Moon"

[tooti-fruiti]

MORTAL SOUL [CHAPTER FOUR]

Stranger Sewers

"Six pieces left." Bierce said. "Ready to try again?"

You nodded and walked through the portal.

Inside the hallway, a giant wall blocked your path.

"Malak's blocked the entrance. Now that's just pathetic, don't you think?"

"Uh-"

"Never fear love. There's a solution. You'll just need to rearrange your brain a bit. Come back to the ring alter."

"Alright." You sighed and walked back into the portal.

You put your hand on the alter and a jolt of electricity went through you.

"Your new ability allows you to see enemies through walls. To activate it, put your hands on the side of your face. You'll be able to move Malak's wall by doing so."

You nodded and walked back into the portal.

You stared at the wall as you put your hands on the side of your face.

Your vision blurred for a few seconds before the wall rose up.

You walked to the other end of the hallway and walked into the nightmare.

You immediately gagged and covered your nose.

You were in the Sewers.

"Ugh! The sewers?! Really?!"

"Not afraid of a little sewer water, are you?" Bierce asked as you trudged forward. "Just don't get any of it in your mouth."

You groaned as you moved forward.

Then you noticed the water was slowing you down tremendously.

So you got out of the water and walked along the sides.

"You're heard the urban legends I'm sure. All sorts of this get thrown away down here. Alligators, goldfish, duckies."

As she said duckies. Some lights lit up to your right and there was a show of oversized ducks with traffic cones on their head.

"Just like how you threw your life away."

"Okay okay, I get it. I fucked up." You groaned.

You kept walking and opened a door to keep going.

You went further and saw a hole in the water with some writing beside it.

"Watch out for the big one?"

You shrugged and opened the door ahead of you.

But as it was opening, a giant hand came out of the way and grabbed you.

You yelled out in surprise and wiggled around to get the hand of you.

Once you were free, the creature that grabbed you slinked back into the darkness letting on an evil duck sounding laugh.

You quickly ran through the door and saw some shards up ahead.

You rolled up your sleeves and began collecting the shards.

Then you saw a duck and Bierce started talking.

"They're trying to blend in. Let's see how well you pay attention to details."

You pressed your hands to the side of your face and saw the outlines of some ducks.

But the one next to you didn't have an outline.

Which lead you to believe there were fake enemies.

Now you understood what to do to survive.

•

After collecting all the shards, you ran to where Bierce said the ring alter was with several ducks behind you.

You reached out and transferred the shards for the next ring Pierce and cheered in celebration.

Then suddenly, someone teleported behind you.

You turned around and saw Malak standing by a wall.

You tried to run but Malal raised his hand and you couldn't move.

"That's far enough, mortal."

"You know, you're the first of Bierce's pets to actually cause me some trouble."

He glared at you. "I should commend you for your tenacity. Or better yet, maybe I'll just finish you off here."

"However, despite how aggravating you are. I will admit, I do like watching you run around trying to stay alive. So, instead of killing you of like a pest. I'll watch you run around just a little longer."

He smirked and raised his hand to his chest. "Watching you follow Bierce's orders so obediently, has reminded me that I have a loyal pet as well."

Then he raised his hand and the wall behind him raised. "Here, let me introduce so. So you can both become more properly acquainted."

Behind Malak was a giant duck with nails in it's head and several hands on it's back.

Your eyes widened in fear.

"Now, you'll have to excuse me, mortal." Malak said as he straightened his tie. "I must take my leave. I have some business I need to attend to."

"Oh! And Bierce, I know you're peering through your puppet girl. I will settling matters with you soon enough."

Malak let out an evil laugh before disappearing.

Once Malak was gone, you could move and you were left alone with the giant duck.

•

After defeating the giant duck, you ran away through the sewers.

However, while you were halfway there, the giant duck broke down on the walls and started to chase you.

As the bigger duck chased you, the other duckies were blocking off your short cuts.

You kept running through the sewer water as you uses your boost.

But even with the boost, the giant duck was slowly catching up to you.

But just as you got out of the water, a gate shut on the giant duck, keeping him from you.

You let out a laugh before running back to the portal.

Just before you touched the portal, the giant duck broke his head through the wall and tried to eat you.

However, you were able to avoid the giant duck and ran into the portal.

Once you were back to the portal, you let out a loud cheer of victory.

"YES!"

Malak started to chuckle and you turned to the eyeball on the door.

"It vexes me greatly that you're still here, mortal. I had hoped you would have perished by this point. Because now she has another piece of that infernal ring!"

Malak sighed. "Every piece Bierce gets makes her more powerful. Don't you get that, sweetheart? What do you think is going to happen when she doesn't need you anymore?"

"She'll grant my wish to change my fate?"

"Do you really think she'll do that?"

"Pay no mind to him. He knows that I am getting more powerful and that makes him afraid. You're right love, I will grant your wish."

"Bierce. Tell her what happened to the last person who trusted you."

Bierce once again grew quiet and turned her back to you.

She waved her hand and opened the next portal.

"I'm warning you, mortal. The consequences will be dire if you continue to help her."

You stared at Malak for a little bit before turning to the newest portal which had a clown on it.

Who were you supposed to trust now?

[Hope you enjoyed. Stay tuned for more and have a good day]

<-Chapter Three

Chapter Five->

[xdarkhowlx]

Raiju, where the hell you been, loca?

TIMING: Shortly after the cemetery incident with Van and Nora. LOCATION: Midnight Drive-In PARTIES: @xdarkhowlx and @bountyhaunter SUMMARY: Kyle and Daiyu try to enjoy their movie. They're interrupted by a real-life Pokémon. CONTENT WARNING: gun use

The mere idea of a Twilight marathon was enough to gain Kyle’s attention. The viewing being at Midnight Drive-in only piqued his interest further. An emo cinema icon, in an iconic format. What more could he ask for? Of course, he had to be parked behind the one truck to block his view. The owner of the truck sat atop the vehicle instead of inside, which put her at just the right height to obscure his view. At first, he decided not to say anything. He figured out quickly that if he leaned out his window a little, and craned his neck, he could see much better. This was fine for a while, but his favorite scene was approaching and he was beginning to get a crick in his neck. He debated just moving his car, but that seemed inconvenient at best, not to mention inconsiderate. He weighed his options briefly, before deciding he had no choice but to ask the truck owner to move. 

With a drawn out sigh, Kyle stepped out of his Jeep and approached the truck parked in front of him. “Hey,” he called, trying not to interrupt the movie for anyone. “Could you maybe actually get off of your truck? I can’t really see past you, and the baseball scene is coming up.” A stranger on their truck would not ruin the scene for him. 

—

Maybe it was sad, how big an accomplishment this was to Daiyu. But she’d never done something like this — a neighborhood initiative. Most of the time her ‘initiatives’ involved causing a ruckus and accidentally lighting a trash can. Besides, she never tended to tie herself to places and so to organize something like this rather than just watch the bad movies at home was something. But it had been a funny idea that had snowballed into something real and now here she was, sitting on top of her truck cross-legged. She wasn’t doing it to be rude — she just wasn’t thinking. 

So when someone approached her about it and she was pulled out of her focus on the movie, she felt the urge to apologize and then, immediately after it, the inner demand that she shouldn’t. “Can’t see it well through my window, though,” she said simply, giving him a glance before looking up again. In the distance the sky rumbled. Whether it was another quake, the movie’s audio being very good or a storm coming, she didn’t know, but it barely mattered.  Something tugged in her stomach and she wondered what it was – this guy, or one of the other people surrounding them. She couldn’t go a day without having something in her body go off, though, so she tried to ignore it. She was here for the movie, not for her hunting instincts. Daiyu sighed, straightening her legs and sliding down her window onto the hood of her car. The window held, much to her relief. (She had wanted to look cool and totally had.) “There. Better? Don’t wanna ruin your Supermassive Black Hole needledrop.”

—

Can’t see it well through my window, was a flimsy excuse in Kyle’s eyes. He frowned. “Better clean your windows, bestie,” he said. His ears pricked at the sound of thunder. He hoped it wouldn’t be a storm. His dad complained when he came home smelling like wet dog. On the other hand, that would make for a wicked cool backdrop for the rest of the flick. 

Kyle’s smile returned at the Supermassive Black Hole comment. “Hey,” he said, raising his hands in mock defense. “You can’t tell me it’s not the most iconic scene in the first movie.” He shrugged, looking from the stranger to the screen. “Alice and Jasper in the baseball scene were a crucial part of my bisexual awakening.” Looking back to the stranger, something clicked for Kyle. “Hey, aren’t you the one who, like, organized all this?” In the distance, thunder rumbled again. Maybe that background storm would pop off after all.

—

She glared at the other and his unwarranted advice. “Clean your own windows,” she retorted, which made no sense but was still a very good comeback. Better than pointing out that she was in the forest a lot and that keeping her windows clean was a sisyphean task. She didn’t know what the word sisyphean meant, anyway. 

Daiyu let out a chuckle. Even if this person had come to complain, he made a good point. “It absolutely is. Banger soundtrack, Alice being an icon, et cetera. I’m not going to lie, I know Vic is a villain and all but she was a crucial part in my gay awakening.” She shot a look at the screen, where Esme was talking to Bella. It wasn’t very important. “Hell yeah I am. I also organized the thunder, actually. Talked to the weather gods and everything to make it fit the mood.” She hadn’t, but she liked having bragging rights. As if on cue, there was a flash of lightning. Two seconds, and then a roar of thunder. “You’re welcome.”

—

Oh, so it was like that. “My windows are clean,” Kyle contested with a grand gesture at his clean, albeit cracked, windshield. “I just can’t see through people on top of trucks.” He wasn’t actually upset, mostly inconvenienced. His car didn’t have the height benefit of a truck. If he sat on top of his car, he figured he probably still wouldn’t be tall enough to see.

“You’re into gingers?” he said, sounding critical. After a moment’s pause, he nodded in approval. “Good taste.” The well timed thunder sent a shiver down Kyle’s spine. “Wow, impressive.” He gazed up at the sky, half expecting the rain to start, too. “You’ll have to show me your raindance, eh? Teach me what the weather taught you.” Glancing back at his car, Kyle started to excuse himself back to the movie, but he was drowned out by another rip of thunder. He could almost feel it in his chest. Another flash of lightning arched across the sky and connected with the ground somewhere in the distance. He could almost see where it flickered just beyond the farthest cars from where they stood. It was too close for comfort. Kyle let out a whoop. “Your storm is shaping up to be something.”

—

“Mine are clean too,” she retorted easily. She was very good at these kinds of endless exchanges, the back and forth, the yes-no, did not-did too’s of the world. Spending a youth with two older siblings did do that to a person. “Well, you should get x-ray vision, then. Next time, that is. I’m down now.”

Daiyu wondered if he’d slam her for liking the villain as he critiqued her. Logically, she should despise Victoria the most — she was the kind of vampire that required putting down by slayer or even a skilled ranger. But she’d liked her, because it was all nonsense. “Yeah,” she said, nodding fervently. “I’m known for my amazing taste, you should follow me o—” Her self promotion was cut in half as the lightning crashed through the sky again. She looked up, impressed at what the sky was capable of. “Damn.” She was a little impressed with herself before remembering she hadn’t actually caused the storm. 

As her eyes traveled from the sky to the screen something caught her eye. It was lightning, but not quite in the way lightning tended to travel. It was like a ball passing past the treeline behind the screen. Another roar of thunder crashed through the sky and this time there were no flashes of light in the sky — just the creature. “Shit.” Daiyu glared at the creature, then rolled off her truck and rushed to her passenger seat door and swung it over. She eyed the other person from the other side. “Hey, yo — you should get the fuck out of here.” She pointed up. “Weather. Bad.”

___

“Then why— y’know what? Forget it. Thanks for moving.” Kyle wanted to argue back, but there was no real point to it. He could already tell he was being wound up just to end up chasing his tail. Metaphorically, of course. “I’ll work on being a little more Clark Kent and a little less Lois.”

Kyle followed the stranger’s gaze up toward the sky as the first couple notes of Supermassive Black Hole began. Shit, he was gonna miss it anyway. “Woo, good job on that timing,” he said, cracking a smile and taking a few steps back. But the mood had changed suddenly. The stranger was distracted. Her focus was elsewhere. Again, Kyle tried to figure out where she was looking. He could see that flickering lightning low at the ground again, but this time it was closer. As he was urged to leave, he didn’t look away from it. The lightning seemed to bend around something; it was vaguely animal shaped, and coming closer. 

“What the hell?” he thought aloud. He looked between the electrified animal and his new acquaintance. She looked tense, maybe even a little worried. “What is that? Is that like—like a generator? A power box? Should I call the fire department? I mean, I can—“ He was cut off by another rip of thunder, with no accompanying lightning. The beast seemed to light up brighter at that and Kyle stepped around the truck to stand beside the other movie goer. “This might be outside of the fire department’s jurisdiction,” he posited.

—

Once, a long time ago, Daiyu had asked her father if she’d been named after raiju. He’d not liked the question, as it was his late wife who’d chosen their youngest name. Besides, the idea that a ranger’s name could be inspired by a beast was absolutely unacceptable, and he’d made that very clear. That hadn’t stopped her brother from calling her one, especially when she was throwing a tantrum. Storm’s coming!, he’d yell, mimicking the sound of thunder.

But whatever kinship she felt with the beasts was ignored in the face of the situation at hand. There was a storm. There were multiple people sitting in metal cars that would become death traps if touched by the raiju. There was the baseball scene still playing, too — and she couldn’t even give it her full attention. She pulled a crossbow from under the passenger seat, grabbing a set of bolts with her other hand. The human – was he human? – was talking and Daiyu popped her head up, staring at him.

She wasn’t very good at this. “Do not call them,” she said. A firetruck was an even bigger death trap. Water would make everything worse. She’d gotten electrocuted by a raiju before – years and years ago – and she didn't recommend it. “You need to – fuck!” She cursed, realizing the impossible way the cars were parked as she glanced around. Daiyu felt frustration rise, the white hot anger that so often cradled her but also sometimes rendered her useless. She could not give into it now, with all these people. (Maybe the person in the woods was right, maybe she was a protector – or wanted to be, anyway.) 

She glanced at the screen, where Edward was running through the forest. The raiju seemed bothered by the noises. Dread rose. She threw a look at the other person. “We need to take it out. I need to – you should —” She was no good with words and just started to make a run for the creature, synchronizing with the Cullen’s as she left her car door open, leaving her arsenal open for the picking. 

 —-

Watching from across the truck, Kyle tossed his hands up defensively as the crossbow was withdrawn. “Easy, cvpon,” he said. “Maybe we should just chill out with the weapons. What are you gonna do? Shoot the electricity? Fuck’s sake.” If he wasn’t supposed to call the fire department, what was there for him to do? He glanced around at the cars surrounding them. Maybe someone had a fire extinguisher in the boot of their car. His new acquaintance cursed and he snapped his attention back to her. All he’d wanted to do was watch a classic film from the comfort of his car. Now, he was caught up in something he didn’t quite understand. 

Coming to this town had been one strange experience after another. Goo, and crystals, and werewolves—now a trigger happy Twilight enthusiast going after a moving ball of electricity. Kyle opened his mouth to protest further, but before he could get much out, she was running off. “I just don’t think— wait! Wait, where are you going?” He cursed under his breath and ran around the truck to at least close the door. What he found inside wasn’t exactly expected. There were knives and ammunition of a few different calibers, as well as a hunting rifle sitting ripe for the taking. Kyle looked over his shoulder at the stranger running headlong into battle, then to the screen where Jasper and Alice whisked Bella to safety. Wouldn’t that be too easy. He glanced back at the stranger, then the rifle. “Fuck.” He grabbed the rifle, fumbled with ammunition, and took off towards the electrified mass.

“Hold up!” Kyle called. He was immediately shushed by fellow movie goers as he dashed between cars and called out again. “I’m coming with you!” He flipped the bird at a particularly upset man in a Kia. “Don’t yell at me, I’m trying to save the day, bruh!”

—-

It was good that humans didn’t know about all the shit that lurked in the shadows. Real good, as it meant they got to live life in ignorance without worrying about being eaten by werewolves or vampires or being trapped by weird grass or sand. Daiyu envied them sometimes. But right now, she thought regular humans were very annoying. None of them were seeing the ball of lightning as a threat and worse, the guy who did see her shooting into action telling her to chill.

She didn’t have the time or tact to explain the situation, which was why she just ran. She tended to hunt alone, anyway — and maybe this time it would be with an unwanted and annoyed audience, but hey. She wasn’t going to see all these cars go bzzzt with electricity and the people’s skeletons light up when they did. If that was even real. The guy was following her and at least it confirmed something: he was the cause for the tug in her stomach.

Fucking awesome. A shifter was helping her kill some beast. 

“Alright, okay, cool, that’s awesome and also great!” Maybe the shifter knew something about raijus. Or maybe he was just … stupidly brave. Which Daiyu didn’t want, because those were qualities she liked in people. She ignored all the protests from viewers (even if it was very nice that people were this passionate about Twilight in 2024!) and jumped on the hood of one of the cars in front to get a good look. She whipped her head around, her ponytail smacking her in the face. “Do not get too close.” She noted the rifle – her rifle – in his hands. Well, good. As long as she got it back. “It’s gonna shock you if you do. Yeah? How’s your aim?” She whipped her head back, the cacophony of sound – movie, yelling moviegoers, storm, someone eating popcorn with their mouth open – made her dizzy but she tugged at the sound and made it one large hum of noise as she attempted to take her aim.

—

The closer they got, the more the creature took shape. Kyle figured it mostly resembled a dog, you know, if dogs went Super Saiyan. That would be a show he’d watch. Dragon Ball Z, but they’re all dogs? Focus, Kyle. He could daydream about anime when he wasn’t in imminent danger of being barbecued. He came up next to Daiyu, mouth agape as he looked at the dog. “I’m gonna have so many questions after this,” he whispered, glancing at Daiyu. He didn’t know if the dog could hear them, but if its hearing was anything like his, it definitely would. 

“Don’t get too close, don’t get shocked, don’t die. Got it,” Kyle replied. He didn’t want to take his eyes off the ball of lightning, but it was getting hard to look at, like looking into the sun. He blinked hard and steadied himself. He drew the rifle and scoffed at the question. “How’s my aim? You think I would pick up a gun if I wasn't pretty confident I could use it? I’ll follow your lead.” He had hunted back in Canada with his cousins. He knew how to take down a deer, or any manner of wild fowl, and even coyotes if the situation called for it. This was probably like coyotes, if the coyotes could decimate the power grid. Simple. 

After a moment, he looked at his new partner in crime—or maybe partner in justice was a better title. “I’m Kyle, by the way. I just figure we should know each other’s names in case we, y’know…” He made a cut throat gesture paired with sound effects.

——

At least the shifter was down to clown — or, like, kill a raiju. Even if he didn’t know what it was. Daiyu tried to shrug off the comment about having to explain what was going on, as that was the part of hunterisms she was worst at, but she offered a quick look and a random thumbs up. “Gotcha!” Which was not a promise or an agreement, but just something to say so she could go on with her purpose.

Which was … what, exactly? Hadn’t she decided to make her code be as simple as the local bounty board? To be moved by money, not by considerations of morality or heroism. Still — even if she wasn’t going to catch any coin for this, could she just let the people die? It wasn’t something worth pondering about. It was simple. Almost as simple as picking a random bounty from the board and going for it so she could pay her rent. These people were in death traps without knowing it. Daiyu wanted to watch her movie without people dying. 

“I don’t know, people are pretty stupid when it comes to guns,” she responded, before offering her name as well: “Daiyu! You’re a —” She changed her mind halfway, deciding it better to not ask what kind of shifter the other is. “Not going to die.” She swished her head towards the raiju, squinting one eye close and taking aim. Soon enough her finger pushed the trigger and her bolt shot towards the lightning creature, piercing its hind thigh.

—

Kyle was satisfied with the thumbs up as a clear promise to fill him in if neither of them died. He was pretty sure that the stranger–Daiyu, as she identified herself–knew what she was doing. Otherwise she was doing a damn fine job pretending. The thought gave him a moment’s pause. Was she pretending? Was Kyle about to be on the bad side of killing a creature like him? The thing didn’t seem to have any sense of rationality, as it was actively walking into a minefield of sitting duck humans. But then, Kyle couldn’t call himself rational when he shifted. He had never taken issue with hunting before. Each animal gave its life for the greater picture. That was simple. It was nature. But where did he, a werewolf, fit into the greater picture? It was never something he’d considered. 

As the creature’s leg was struck, a shower of sparks burst around it. He flinched, abandoning the existential crisis for later. It would keep him up every night this week, but it wasn’t important now. The sparks and crackles from the beast reminded Kyle of a transformer exploding. Like live wires, the beast writhed in pain for a moment. In that same moment, the storm above them roared some of the loudest thunder he had ever heard. It left his ears ringing. Werewolf hearing be damned. The creature recovered itself, and charged in their direction. Beginning to back up, the rifle snapped up as Kyle reflexively took aim. “Aim where they’re going, not where they’ve been,” he murmured to himself, and lined up his shot. A crack rang out, and another shower of sparks rained down around the animal, halting its approach. He breathed a steadying sigh, and smirked at his new accomplice. “Nice to meet you, Daiyu.”

—

Frustration rippled through her, a familiar yet always unpleasant sensation, as her bolt did not pierce the creature through the heart or head but rather its legs. It was fine, she could have just used the immobility to fire another shot. But there was an audience, kind of. There was a hunting partner, which was really not her speed. And the hunting partner – Kyle, the shapeshifter – had a gun and that guy managed to get the killing shot in. The sparks were a welcome distraction, though, a large rain of them sprinkling around the screen. And then, it was done. No more sparks, no more rumbling thunder that came from the creature — just a still corpse.

Daiyu was still for a moment, disregarding Kyle the shifter and staring at the dead body before sliding down the hood of the strangers’ car. She patted it awkwardly before approaching the beast. If she was a hunter with a code to protect humans and keep them ignorant – which she wasn’t – she should get rid of the body. She gave a something to Kyle, though she wasn’t entirely sure what it was. A scowl, a grin, a smirk. “Yeah, man, that was a great shot. Nice to meet you.” He got the killing shot. He had her gun. And she’d … really made a mess of whatever it was she’d tried to do here. She extended a grabby hand. “Can I get that back?” The rifle, she meant. “So you … whatever. I’m gonna clean up.”

—-

He followed Daiyu to the dead beast, approaching it cautiously. It was certainly dead, but Kyle wasn’t sure if it still held a charge. “Sorry to steal your shine,” he said, passing the rifle back as asked. He couldn’t tell exactly what emotion she was feeling, but he got the impression that it was directly linked to the final blow. “My family is big on hunting. I’ve been going on hunting trips practically since before I could walk. I know my way around a rifle.” Maybe his experience would assuage whatever emotions were going through her head. He wasn’t some inexperienced punk rolling in off the street. He was a well-versed punk.

Looking over the body, Kyle grimaced. Up close it looked even more like just some unfortunate dog. Again, that guilt he’d never felt before tugged at his stomach. Was he so much different than this dog? “Okay,” he said, turning his attention on Daiyu. “Now is the part where you answer my questions. Like what the fuck just happened? Do you do this often?” Having just handed the rifle over into her hands, he shook his head. “Scratch that last one, I don’t need to know. How did you know what that was?” 

—-

She wanted to burst out laughing at the notion. Not that Kyle the shifter was apologizing for stealing her shine, as that was very bothersome because she felt very seen, but that he said that his family was big on hunting. Daiyu wondered what that meant, but didn’t want to pry. She didn’t recognize the other and that meant she hadn’t seen him on the board, which meant there was no good reason to pry. “Oh, awesome. Yeah, my family’s like that I guess too, you know? Hunting elk and pheasants and stuff.”

She took the gun back from him. It was getting harder and harder to ignore all the sounds around them so she trudged forward towards the dead creature. It looked almost like something normal, but she knew better than to just leave it there. “Well,” she said, “We just killed a lightning creature. That could have made all these cars go –” She made a crackling sound with her mouth, followed by a booom. “Oh, I just know. You know? Some people know how to do math. I know how about weird shit.” Like how the other person was a shifter. “Like you and anyone else in this town doesn’t.” She slung the rifle over her shoulder after flicking the safety on and then crouched down at the raiju. “We should get it away from here.”

—-

“Yeah, elk, deer–hell, squirrels if you can get ‘em.” Kyle nodded in agreement, bonding over their shared hunting skill. He wanted to tell her to not let her nerves get to her next time, genuinely wanting to be of assistance. But something told him that would not be received as intended, and he was okay letting it drop. “I used to go out with the uncles, and then my cousins when we were old enough. Family traditions and whatever.” He waved his train of thought away with his hand. This was a stranger, and she didn’t need the specifics of his upbringing. Especially when he had more questions.

He looked from the carcass to the cars, nodding slowly. As he’d pictured in his head, it would be absolute chaos, carnage, and bloodshed. “Good thing you were here, then,” Kyle affirmed. “I might know how to use a gun, but you provided it for me. Which brings me to another question; why are you driving around strapped like that? You get in trouble a lot?” It was another question he didn’t really want the answer to. He was connecting some dots, and the image he was piecing together unsettled him. What if she killed all sorts of creatures? What if she found out he was a werewolf? Would she kill him, too? Or did he need to present himself as a threat first? Those questions he left unsaid. 

Kyle wanted to protest to her that he knew more than he let on. But to do so was a tricky needle to thread, so he simply nodded. “I’m learning.” It was the truth. He’d learned about werebears, and maybe cemetery spirits. He’d heard talk of vampires and zombies, though he hadn’t ascertained if those were real or not. Now, he was learning about real life Pokémon. Kyle crouched beside her, looking down at the sad little coyote. It was much less threatening when it wasn’t actively sparking. “You need help carrying Jolteon here?” 

—

Hunters were traditionally meant to keep humans safe and separate from the supernatural world, but the Volkovs had lost that traditional and honorable cause a long time ago. A higher purpose was so easily translated into something uglier — like the divine right of kings, for example. So Daiyu didn’t do this often and Daiyu didn’t fucking know what to do. Especially because this guy wasn’t human, or at least not fully, or not all the time. So what did it mean when he said he hunted with his family? Were they a bunch of sirens, chasing prey, or bugbears? Or did they hold up human traditions despite being something else? Or was he unfortunately cursed with a werewolf’s bite?

The thoughts were dizzying. “Yeah, same here. Hunting trips with the fam, what a time,” she said off-handedly. Daiyu glanced at Kyle, then back at the raiju. It would be little issue to carry it, with her hunter strength. Should she still be trying not to come off as a ranger, though? Or was that too little too late? She chewed on her cheek as his question bounced around her head. “Nah, I usually am the trouble.” Cheekiness seemed like a safe bet. “But yeah, whatever, I’m just someone who’s prepared for these kinds of things. I try to be more subtle about it usually, though.”

She took the hind legs of the creature, gesturing that he could take the other. A laugh left her lips at the mention of Jolteon. “Fuck.” She huffed. “That’s good. That’s — yeah, Jolteon, that’s right on the god damn nose. Let’s just take –” Her eyes scanned their surroundings, the angry people in their cars. It’d be best to store the creature in her car until she could find a proper way to dispose of it, but to walk it past all those moviegoers was asking for trouble. “Into the woods. Hide it for now.”

—

The mention of her own hunting trips brought forth yet another question that Kyle couldn’t keep from tumbling out of his mouth. “When you say hunting, you mean the elk and not these—,” he looked down at the corpse, but without a real word for it, continued unsure. “These…monsters, right? That’s what this is, a monster?” Yet another question he didn’t want the answer to, but this time the need for it pressed him on. “You know, since you’re so prepared for anything.” He gestured with his chin to the rifle she now held. 

Kyle shouldn’t be prying, not here in the middle of a movie, not with Kristen Stewart monologuing in the background. But hunters were a fairly novel idea. He hadn’t thought they were real, just more fairytale fodder. Like werewolves. It felt stupid to admit to himself that he hadn’t once worried about being hunted down for the crime of being bitten. The very idea made the hairs on the back of his neck raise. It wasn’t something he’d had to consider. The apartment he lived in was above a cryptid-themed souvenir shop, which, conveniently, had a basement for mostly storage of old junk, tools, and broken mannequins. The basement did a pretty good job of holding a bloodthirsty werewolf, and his dad being the building’s super was just the cherry on top of his cover story.

Kyle tried to keep his tone and his expression neutral. He didn’t want the skepticism of being predator and prey to cross his face and give him away as he danced carefully around the topic. “Sorry, Jolteon,” he said, trying to break some of the tension as he took the front legs of the animal and hoisted it with Daiyu. “Can’t catch ‘em all.” 

——

She stared at him, at his clumsy way of speaking, at the way he hesitated to name the raiju anything. Beast, monster, creature, pest, prey. So what was she supposed to say? That she hunted elk? She didn’t, she hated hunting regular animals. She found it — well, she didn’t try to pass judgment, as that started a whole moral debate in her head, but she found it something. “I mean, this is just a coyote with sparks,” she quipped. Daiyu lifted the creature up, wanting to tell the other to fuck off, but here she was. Doing teamwork again. With a shifter, again. 

She could feel it rise within her, the clumsiness. Her father hated this about her, the way she had no control over the things that came from her mouth. Not just because she was vulgar, but because she was too forward. Daiyu tried to press her lips together, to keep her from blurting something out, “But yes, a monster. I hunt monsters. What are you?” Her eyes slanted upwards and she cursed herself inside her head – something she did very commonly – before starting to move. She didn’t owe the other secrecy, because he wasn’t human, but she did owe herself secrecy, didn’t she? But it had to be clear by now what she was.

The pokémon references didn’t help. It made the other too damn likable. Daiyu kept trudging into the woods, the raiju swinging between them. (If pokémon were real, would she be hunting them? That would be really fucked up.) She grit her teeth and managed to not reply this time, for which she still cursed herself.

—

More questions pressed to the front of Kyle’s mind. Why was she so hesitant to confirm his suspicions that this Pokémon-from-Hell was a part of the weird shit? He knew it was supposed to be left unsaid, (he had heard enough from his grandmother,) but they had clearly passed that point when they took it down. A coyote with sparks didn’t satiate the need to understand what he’d just witnessed. His thoughts were beginning to race as his mouth tried to form multiple questions at a time. How much of the oddities of Wicked’s Rest had she known? Would she have answers about werebears, too? Shit, did she know more about werewolves than Kyle? He thought of those questions as off of the table. Surely he couldn’t just ask–

What are you? The question hit him like a crossbow bolt of lightning between the eyes. Every hair on his body stood at attention. “Um.” He floundered for a moment, grasping for any words to respond. He almost tripped over his own feet and dropped the stupid–monster. If this dog was a monster, was that what Daiyu was looking for? For Kyle to admit to being a monster? Was that what he was to her? His stomach felt like a stone falling through him. “Could you be more specific with that, uh, question? Please?”

—

Her hunting training hadn’t covered this. Truth be told, her training hadn’t covered a lot of communication techniques, unless you considered the best ways to trick shifters or interrogation tactics as such. Daiyu felt frustration fly through her system, heard Vissa yell something about a storm coming as her face turned a little stormy. There was at least the creature between them, a good distraction from how the other fumbled with his reply to her forward question.

“Whatever,” she said, “I’m not gonna hunt you.” He wasn’t on the board. Besides, he’d helped. Her sister would talk this guy into the woods and prod and poke until he’d reveal his true nature and then slit his throat, to trick the shifter the way she’d been taught. But Daiyu didn’t want to hunt this guy, and it was only because he wasn’t on the board. No ulterior motive. It wasn’t because of the weeping heart in her chest that her sister Inna had chastised all her life. Just because there was no point in it. (The Raiju hadn’t been on the board, either, but somehow that distinction wasn’t made.) “But like … snake? Wolf? Bird? What are you?”

—

I’m not gonna hunt you, was all the confirmation Kyle needed. He was on the menu, so to speak. Maybe not to Daiyu, maybe not now, but to someone out there. It took him a beat to grapple with his new place on the proverbial food chain before he could get anything out. “Wait,” he said, immediately derailing once more. “There’s weresnakes and werebirds? I mean, fuck, it makes sense, you know, I’ve heard about the little people all my life, but I oonly knew about the bears and the wolves.” There were dozens of questions he had about the other shifters. Like, did the birds follow the same rules? Were they bound to the sun rather than the moon? Could you get bit by a snake and get turned into a snake? Even if the snake was venomous? Was it like Spider-Man, and the venom is what turned you into the snake? He set aside the questions for later (and maybe for Google).

Licking his lips and shrugging, Kyle replied, “I guess I’m the wolf variety.” He clicked his teeth and continued, “Shtah, I feel stupid being at a fuckin’ Twilight viewing and admitting this, man.” 

— 

Oh, shit. This was not the first time her big mouth had talked too fast and too much. Daiyu assumed that shifters all knew about each other, that they had some kind of big shifter text chain where they talked about eating humans and shedding issues, but maybe werewolves were excluded from that. “Yeah! Those totally exist too,” she said, nodding. It would be strange if lamia and sirens only transformed during the full moon, but probably better for society and humanity as a whole. 

She let out a huff of amusement, looking over her shoulder at the drive in behind them as she kept walking further into the woods. “Nah, it’s cool. It’s fun. I like these movies ‘cus of it.” There was something about watching bad movies about the supernatural that made Daiyu feel comforted. It was why she’d watched all of the Vampire Diaries multiple times — but mostly just the first three seasons. “Little bit stupid for telling me though.” She dropped the raiju to the ground. “Kidding.”

—-

Fueled with knowledge, Kyle couldn’t keep his mouth from running. “You probably have so much knowledge on all this stuff, right? I mean, probably more than me. Definitely more than me.” That felt like a mistake to admit as soon as he’d said it. He didn’t want to come off as inexperienced or ignorant. Worse yet, he didn’t want to come off as a problem. “There’s no real guidebook for all of this. Lot of trial and error and error and error,” he amended with a toothy grin. “It’s,” he gestured vaguely to the space around them, “all about learning and shit, though, right?” Maybe that didn’t help his case, but he’d rather be somewhat honest with the hunter. She had given him her word. She wouldn’t hunt him.

“As far as werewolves go, it’s bad,” Kyle mused. He had a lot to say on the topic, but kept it succinct for now. His head snapped up at the joke threat, but he relaxed when he realized she wasn’t serious. Cracking a grin, he huffed a laugh. “Yeah, maybe. I don’t have much experience with, uh, hunters. That’s what you’d call yourself, right?” He looked down at the animal at their feet. He almost wanted to ask what Daiyu planned to do with the pelt, but it didn’t seem particularly germane, given the circumstances. 

—-

If there was any way to appeal to Daiyu, it was by saying that she was better at something than someone else. And though this wasn’t something she was particularly proud of, it was still true. She was more knowledgeable than this stranger, “Yup! I know a lot. I’m pretty much a genius when it comes to this.” Compared to him, she certainly was. Compared to other hunters, especially her siblings … well, it wasn’t knowledge she’d ever excelled in. Reciting species’ weaknesses had always been something that tired her — she’d rather find out through just hitting them. “Guess you’re gonna have to find shit out, huh?”

It had to be hard to be a werewolf. At least most other shifters were raised amongst one another, were taught what they were and how they could use that against others. But bitten werewolves, they were just left to their own shitty devices. “Twilight’s a shit resource for sure. And um, yeah, yeah, hunters — maybe that’s coolest for you, right? Just stay outta trouble. Don’t eat people or whatever.” She considered their surroundings, the dead animal at their feet, and started to gather some twigs, sticks and leaves to cover up its white fur. “This one’s called a Raiju, FYI.”

—-

The urge to ask for more and more information wouldn’t die down inside Kyle. He didn’t want to come off as entirely ignorant, but the hunter said she was a genius when it came to this particular subject. “Alright, Encyclopedia Daiyu, I’ll have to have you teach me more about all this sometime,” he said, hoping she’d agree so he could flood her inbox later. “I think I have a lot to learn.” The admission felt like one of weakness rather than simple ignorance. The feeling didn’t sit well inside his chest. Exposing your belly to the enemy couldn’t be a smart move. He had to remind himself that she had said she wouldn’t hunt him. 

The comment about eating people had Kyle grimacing. He had shifted a handful of times outside the safety of his building’s basement walls, but he hadn’t eaten anyone. Had he? The thought made his stomach do a somersault. “I’m good on the not eating people.” He followed the hunter’s lead, covering the animal’s corpse with forest detritus. “Raiju. Ha, kinda rhymes with your name.” He didn’t want to make another Pokémon reference, lest she think of him as a nerd. But there was a Pokémon based on the creature before them. “Real life Pokémon,” he quipped, unable to keep his mouth shut.

—

The concept of her – a ranger – helping a werewolf was absolutely beyond her comprehension. The whole situation was hard to grasp in general, what with her hunting this creature out of some kind of feeling of duty, enlisting a shifter for help and standing here, still and without action. Daiyu swallowed, shrugged, “Whatever, man,” she said, which was non-committal and not an answer at all to his non-question. She didn’t deal with unshifted werewolves a lot — the most she saw of them was when they were feral and wild in the woods.

She felt something press in her skull. A headache. A moral quandary that she didn’t have the tools to solve. These days those were the same. “Neat. I mean, that’s kinda … not cool, you know. Guess that’s gonna get you … targeted. Anyway.” She frowned at the twigs and leaves. “Maybe. I’m not a good — I don’t help people.” She poured some sand over the dead creature, let out a huff of air. “Yeah, it does. And yeah, it is. I used to wonder if the creator of Pokémon like, knew of these kinda creatures.” She started wiping her hands on her trousers, looking up. “Good enough, I guess. There’s still … movie left.” She’d get the creature a proper hiding place later. She held out her hand, though didn’t specify if it was to get her weapons back or to have it shaken.

—

Kyle got the feeling that maybe he’d overstepped some invisible line he hadn’t known was there. Maybe befriending a hunter was reckless, even when she didn’t feel like a threat. At least, she hadn’t felt like a threat. Her deflection read as dismissive to Kyle. Perhaps he didn’t view her as a threat because she didn’t view him as a threat. Something unfamiliar tugged inside his gut. He wanted to be respected by her, not brushed aside. Part of him wanted the hunter to fear him. The thought felt almost out of place as soon as he’d thought it, but wasn’t it sort of true? Wasn’t he a beast to be feared? He huffed a chuckle to himself. That didn’t feel like it fit right, either. Better, but not exactly. “Yeah,” he said, after considering Daiyu’s words for a moment. “I’ll do my, uh, best, I guess.” He met her extended hand with his own, both passing her back the ammunition she’d lent, and shaking her hand at the same time. “For the record, I don’t help people either. One time Pokémon battle.” He turned back towards the screen, frowning at the movie. It didn’t feel worth it to stay. It didn’t feel worth it to leave either. He looked back to his new not-enemy. “Walk you back to your truck?”

—

There should be another bolt in her crossbow, aimed at the heart of the untransformed werewolf. This could be her easiest hunt of the year. But that wasn’t her hunter’s code — if she even had one. Hunting the raiju also wasn’t part of her code, but maybe saving a bunch of people who are watching Twilight could be something she added. As for Kyle the Werewolf, there was nothing that demanded she hunt him besides the nagging lessons taught in youth. There was no immediate threat, nor was there a bounty on his head as far as she knew. So Daiyu simply shook his hand and took her weapon back and tried not to think about it all too much.

“Yeah, that’s fine,” she said, starting the walk back to her truck with one weapon in each hand, wondering if someone had called the authorities. Hopefully the sounds of thunder and Supermassive Black Hole had covered the sounds of the gunshot, though. “Was a good one, though. Good Pokémon battle. No fried people and shit.” She gave Kyle a look, a semi-grin. It wasn’t so bad, what they’d done. “Edward would be proud.” 

—

There was still some kind of unease that sat alert at the back of Kyle’s mind. On one hand, Daiyu had promised not to hunt him. On the other, she was a total stranger who had just played a hand in taking out a creature. Was he feeling conflicted about hunting the creature? He hadn’t long considered his new role in nature. Were he and the raiju equals? Had he too implicitly trusted this gun wielding Twilight-goer? He would have to sit with the topic later. He thought the hunter might combust if he started grilling her about her moral compass, and he didn’t want to put out any fires tonight either.

Kyle scoffed. “You think I care about Edward’s opinion? He would be a normal type trainer in the most boring way. He would have a team of fuckin’ pidgey and–y’know, never mind.” His face wrinkled in disgust. “Point being, I’m not ‘Team Edward,’” he concluded, with air quotes accenting his words. He crossed his arms across his chest as they reached the truck. Goodbyes felt awkward, especially given the circumstance of their meeting. “Hey, thanks for being cool,” he said flatly, with an air of hesitation. “I mean, letting me make you look like a chump with a bow.” He cracked a teasing grin and gave her finger guns. “You’ll get ‘em next time, bro.”

—

Once arrived at the truck, Daiyu worked on returning her weapons to it, making sure they wouldn’t go off if she went too hard over a speed bump (a common occurrence). A small laugh left her lips at the other’s response to her throwaway comment and she looked up with a quirked eyebrow. “Team Jacob, then? I think you’re biased.” She shrugged, straightened up and closed the door. “I mean, I’m totally team Alice, for what it’s worth. And she’d be totally proud too.” She would probably hate Daiyu for what she was, but luckily she wasn’t real.

She nodded at his comment, head bopping at his thanks. There were no guides for situations like these and Daiyu wished there were, and that they were shared at hunter camps. Guidelines for social interactions where you accidentally roped in a shifter into a hunt and didn’t kill them, or whatever. “Yeah, yeah, you’re welcome. Totally let you win, for the record.” She hadn’t, and it was annoying — because even though she was certain she would have been able to kill the raiju if it had been just her, she hadn’t killed it this time. “I sure will. Er – enjoy the rest of the movie. Won’t get in your way again or whatever.” She raised her hand in goodbye, ready to continue to watch the rest of the movie in escapist solitude.

[mtreebeardiles]

Stardew Effect, Summer, Year 1, pt 17

An update! Hey! Another chapter I had partially written and finally did something about!

Full chapter over on AO3!

"So you're having these dreams every night, now?"

The question was quiet, for all the bar wasn't overly crowded at this time of day. Not entirely empty, a few regulars seated in the booths on the other side of the main room for lunch, but Kaidan didn't want to risk drawing unwanted attention. 

Bad enough Everett looked asleep on his feet.

The other man fought back a yawn as Kaidan watched, largely failing, and rubbed at an eye. 

"Pretty much, yeah," Evvy replied, blinking down at the glass in his hand as if needing a moment to remember how it had gotten there and why. "S'not quite like the other ones, though."

"Yeah?"

Everett's brow furrowed and he resumed cleaning the glass. "Keeps taking me somewhere I don't recognize." He glanced up, catching Kaidan's eye, and added, "all the others are places around here, in the Valley. I mean I guess this place could be, too, but not any part of the Valley I'm familiar with."

Kaidan hummed, leaving off on any follow-up as another customer wandered over to place an order. Everett managed a smile, a little tired around the edges, and excused himself to drop the ticket off to the kitchen. 

Kaidan resettled on his bar stool, absently tapping his fingers against the side of his glass of lemonade, puzzling over the details Everett had shared with him so far. The dreams in and of themselves weren't anything new; Evvy had told him about them once it became clear they were a recurring thing. Some tie or other with whatever forest spirits resided in the abandoned Community Center, and he didn't think it was a coincidence that the dreams had started taking on a different tone when Liara had vanished. Some kind of warning, he figured, though to what end he couldn't begin to guess. Liara was gone, the circumstances as uncertain now as they had been before, and they already knew about mines. 

"What'd this place look like?" Kaidan found himself asking once Evvy had returned. The other man sighed, leaning a hip against the bar as he considered. 

"It was… dark? Seemed like a swamp, maybe? Not really the climate or environment for that sort of thing around here, but I guess stranger shit has happened."

"And is this coming from our, uh… Community Center friends, too?"

"Yes and no?" Everett grabbed a rag, absently scrubbing at the bar top. "It feels different, somehow, but they're there, still. But kinda like they're along for the ride, and I have no idea who's driving." He chewed on his lower lip a moment before glancing up at Kaidan again. "And… you don't have weird dreams, right? Or visions or…whatever this is?"

Kaidan shook his head, reaching out to cover Evvy's hand with his own. The other man looked exhausted in more ways than one. Maybe they weren't going through the same thing, but he remembered what it had felt like, to have something going on that he couldn't easily share with anyone else. Remembered how isolating it had been, how isolating it still could be, and the irony of finally finding some sense of common ground in this place so tucked away from the rest of the world he'd known wasn't lost on him. 

He just wished he could do more to help Everett.

Maybe I can… He drew a fingertip along the exposed line of Evvy's wrist, following the trail of his tattoo. Maybe there were things he could do, things he just didn't know about yet. 

Maybe it was time he headed back to Liara's tower to see if he could dig up any other answers. 

He stopped at home after his lunch with Everett before making his way to the tower, following the main trails down into the grassy stretch of land immediately to the south of his farm. A ranch was situated off to the east, owners he still hadn't properly met yet, and farther down from there was a cottage settled near the edge of the river. Some loner lived there according to Everett, a woman largely uninterested in socializing with the rest of the townsfolk, and Kaidan supposed he could appreciate that. 

Wonder if she's seen anything though… Doubtful, though he had to wonder if Everett knew everyone in the Valley who was…aware… of the sort of oddities they'd encountered so far. Monsters in the mines clear on the other side of town were one thing, but it wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibility that someone living in the shadow of an honest-to-god wizard's tower might've seen a thing or two. 

He just doubted they'd know enough to understand what they were seeing, if they'd seen anything at all. 

Absolute last resort, he thought, angling for the path that would take him past the lake and to the tower in the distance. And not without Evvy. Someone keen on maintaining their privacy probably wouldn't like some strange new neighbor appearing on their doorstep asking weird questions. 

The tower didn’t look any different as Kaidan drew closer -- no change in the air, no change in general atmosphere, just as empty and dark and dreary as it'd been the last time he'd come here. He pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside, setting the portable lamp he'd snagged from his cabin on the table to help brighten the darker corners natural sunlight couldn't quite reach. 

If he'd been hoping for some evidence that someone may have come and gone, he was sorely disappointed. A fine layer of dust lay over every surface, kicking up as he shuffled around to investigate. He sneezed rapidly in succession, eyes watering, and made a mental note to come back with a broom and duster to clean the place up a little. 

Least I can do for her, he thought, stubbornly refusing to accept the possibility that she may not come back at all. 

He made his way towards the far side of the main room, hefting the lantern closer so he could read over the spines of the books she had arranged on the shelves back there. Plenty didn't bear titles at all, and of the ones that did, many were in a language he couldn't read, or written in characters he didn't recognize. Several of them bore evidence of heavy use -- dog-eared pages in some that he took off the shelf and flipped through, notes scribbled in the margins of dense text or complicated diagrams. Whatever sort of power Liara had, Kaidan already knew it was a fair amount more complicated than what he himself could do -- if his was more a manipulation of physical properties (mass, if Liara was correct, and so far as he could tell that definitely tracked), then hers was something more akin to the sort of magic you'd hear about in fantasy novels. Spells and shit, components and wands and potions, things that required some measure of care in order to elicit certain results. 

Kaidan carefully shut the book again and slipped it back into its place with a sigh, glancing around with a frown. Some of the books struck him as…guides, almost. Textbooks, like the sort you'd expect to see in a school or library. He never had asked Liara where she'd learned, and if she were making her own notes in these books it stood to reason someone else had written them. 

But who? And where would they have come from? Could they even be contacted?

Or maybe she has something laying around, some diary or…or…wizard's address book? 

He felt stupid even thinking it, but he couldn't exactly picture Liara making do with something like a phone. Her home was hardly the epitome of modern technology or comfort, the tower something so out of step with the times he wondered if it'd been here long before she'd come to live in it. 

He stepped back from the shelves, looking up towards the ceiling, then towards the curtained off area near the back. 

Well, she clearly doesn’t sleep on this level, he thought, taking a deep breath and stepping forward. He pulled the curtain back, revealing a wooden door with an ornate handle -- a handle that turned, much to his relief, allowing the door to slide open. The air beyond wasn't as fresh, not helped by the stone cut of the spiraling staircase beyond, and he figured it'd be in his best interest to open some of the windows on his way up. 

Please don't let this be a mistake.

[cryingatships]

SOOO ep 2 let's goooo

If you change the props then this would 100% fir as a scene from a xianxia drama. Zhang Teng is versatile with genres

The lollypop. Zhang Teng needs his sugar fix??

This is creepy. I hope ZY kept a weapon stashed under his pillow or smt

OMG?? What is this sudden assault get AWAY FROM HIM

oh it was a dream. Valid when you're rooming with a bloodied stranger you found off the streets who keeps blackmailing you.

Food comes back again. What's gonna be the role of food in their relationship? An expression of love?

(Trying) to put on clothes on your love interest, the trope makes a comeback. Is ZR already in the feels? Even if he is, ZY def isn't rn

So ZR making food is showing that he cares, but then ZY doesn't want to eat it. He doesn't want ZR's care (love?) and doesn't want to be a part of ZR world. But ZR forces ZY to eat it, power dynamics coming back again??? I'm hungry and now I want eggs for dinner ueueue

Here lemme wipe nothing off the corner of your lips. Zy's cheek mole is cuteeee tho

Oh Ai di is ~fancy~ with his fan. I need to learn gif making

THE FOOD. omg why is this show using food in so many diff ways. I'm hungry don't torture me like this, but also food is again used as a medium for power dynamics, as a weapon (but Ai di's gonna fall for that man, no?). Interesting how they keep using food in diff ways, eh

I love Ai di's aesthetic! Also the jacket wearing person who stands next to Zhang Teng. They both got ✨✨✨✨

I wanna know how Ai di's eyes are fine and he isn't coughing when he's so near the pot. Your spice tolerance can only be so good...

Ok food as a metaphor for gremlin love. I get it.

His spice tolerance is actually great

Oh you wanna tie him up so bad- Yeah, they only hate eo. No love between them, nope. But atleast let him eat -_-

ZR made him a lunchbox. eeeee cute. ZR = feed my bae. CY = Don't let my bae eat. I'm gonna ignore Ai di's gremlin behaviour, he didn't deserve this, he's just a little meow meow 🥺

protecting your food from friends, that brings up memories TwT

Kitty cat Ze Rui doing nothing and lounging around in tables all day. Oh he actually does a lot of work?? I'm surprised. Maybe all he needed was a little care and a home that he never had before :')

"As a chance to have the cake" SURE whatever way you wanna use food lmao. Now you're using it as an excuse to hide that you care

Thunder! I beet one of them fears it.

And ofc ZY does.

Oh they both have mommy issues and family related trauma. A hug, support from another person is the first step to healing, but ZY needs more than that, I think. Atleast he has someone by his side now. For how long though? I think ZY is also unsure, and he's def not ready to share his trauma with a stranger (who's also blackmailing him no less)

We're finally getting the there was only one bed trope???!! This is more like a mattress commercial

ZR upgraded from crowding ZY on a vertical surface to pushing him on a vertical surface. Mission accomplished now he can sleep in peace.

I wanna examine what exactly was going on in their heads at that moment under a microscope. ZY's eyes? The way ZR was breathing? Smt was def Happening.

"Do you know any tricks other than coercion" - same question actually. What happened to honest communication? (looks up total ep no. Oh.)

ZR's face is very :3 coded. Much mischief u.u

ALSO THE GAY SHEETS BABYY

He's having a nightmare :( ZR is trying to help him :)

Cuddling upside - he slept well, downside - he's late.

dhfjbkbl why kiss out of the blue. why not ask.

the 'baobei' was cute tho

ZY's face. Yes, what exactly is wrong with ZR? ZY pls punch that man asap

OMG I think i'm getting too good in making predictions. Alt career path?

Ye I like the girl classmate. She feels like the most normal, sane one of the three. I bet she won't tolerate any of ZR's shit if she was in ZY's place.

ZY is hot headed when he's pushed enough, ZR better watch out or he'll be punched and clawed badly O.o

Nice framing. It looks as if the carpet ZR is sitting on is a box, and the door is separating his world from ZY's. But the door's open, so ZY can step right in, he's just standing at the threshold deciding what he'll do, he's not in yet. It's his choice to enter. He stands, till ZR offers him a compromise to show that he's sorry, and then he (ZY) steps right into ZR's world. The decision was his. But he doesn't stay in ZR's carpet, ZR has to step out of that box to follow him.

"Apology? That doesn't mean I should forgive you." 👏A character who can hold a grudge.

ZY isn't taking any shits. He isn't allowing ZR to take all the power in this (not romantic, yet) relationship, he isn't allowing any positive reinforcements, 'rewards', following an action that breaks his boundaries. He knows what he's worth and what ZR owes him, despite the knife Zr's holding over his head. This is a sign that he won't tolerate any abusive behaviour from now (hopefully?). It's nice to see a character nip a cycle of abuse at the bud ah! He deserves all the applause cause honestly, the situation isn't exactly on his side but he stood up for himself and for others in the future, too.

Yeah, ZR reflect on your behaviour. A bad childhood isn't an excuse for abusive, harassing behaviour as a grown up.

Oh his phone!! I love that actually XD

This man just wants a beating what the- masochism...? There are safer, saner, consensual ways to explore it

[noneuclideanwhimsy]

I uh

Regulus opened the door for his guest and offered to take his coat. Ga-men refused. The two touched foreheads.

"Thank you so much for coming, Ga-men. You're the only one I could ask for help, my star-mates think I've gone insane."

Ga-men chuckled.

"Oh, I am no stranger to that. Especially with this…situation you find yourself in."

The two walked together to Regulus' workshop. It was there he felt the safest.

"I couldn't help it. She was injured. No, not just injured…someone had cut pieces of her off that she couldn't regenerate. They hurt her that badly."

"So you took her in. You are a very brave person."

Regulus picked up a small, thin screwdriver.

"More like crazy. I always wished to be like my caregiver, capable of infinite love but they don't have predators! They don't fear what we do!"

Ga-men watched as Regulus paced.

"I completely understand the fear. I…I feel the same about my son. That when they grow up they might…give in to their natural urges. You watch your back lest teeth are sunk into-"

Ga-men was cut off by the doors of the dresser near the entrance of the room bursting open. A one armed child exploded out. Ga-men was reminded of his mother Kuria, the two looked quite similar.

"I wouldn't hurt Regulus! Not ever! Why would you say that?"

Regulus' eyes widened.

"Oh, Piper. You weren't supposed to hear all that, I am so sorry…"

He went to comfort Piper but stopped when she glared at him. Ga-men adjusted his tie and turned to the child.

"I apologize, little one. I was yet to finish."

"You started by saying I'd hurt Regulus! You don't even know me, why would you say that? He…he's nice…I'm not heartless!"

A flicker of sadness passed over Ga-men's face.

"I never said you were. It's simply a biological fact. Your species is made to hunt ours. If you are raised improperly you may hurt him when you grow up."

It was Regulus' turn to be upset.

"You think I'll raise her wrong?"

"I didn't say that either! You need to get over your fear of what she could be! If you raise her being terrified of her the entire time you will raise her wrong and she'll be a danger because she expects to be! Don't make the same mistakes I did, Regulus. Don't…don't be scared. Both of you need to trust each other."

Ga-men hadn't meant to start crying but he had.

"Don't fail her like I failed my son."

Piper suddenly deflated, looking like a scolded dog.

"Sorry for getting mad…"

Ga-men shook his head.

"You had every right to be. I said something cruel."

Ga-men awkwardly pat Piper's head, then took a deep breath. Before he could speak, Regulus kneeled near Piper.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be scared of you. You're a child, a hurt child I have taken into my care. You're not dangerous, and…I truly believe you'll never be. I'll do my best for you, ok?"

Piper nodded.

"I'll do my best not to be scary for you."

"You don't have to. You just focus on being a child. It's a very important and serious job, but I know you can do it."

He gave her a playful grin, and Piper smiled back. He hugged her, then stood back up.

"Thank you. Now you go play with the others, alright? Mr. Coolatta and I have something to discuss."

Piper scrutinized Ga-men.

"Your last name is Coolatta? It doesn't fit you."

"Piper."

"Sorry…"

Piper left the workshop, closing the door behind her. Regulus turned to Ga-men.

"Are you alright? I didn't expect you to cry, is…is everything ok with Benrey?"

Ga-men looked away for a second, then suddenly his posture shifted. He looked Regulus right in the eyes.

"I made him think he was a monster. I was so scared of what he could be, I was always so scared of him and in the end he thought that was all he was. I am a poor excuse for a father."

Regulus wasn't sure how to answer.

"I'm sure that it wasn't all bad…I'm sure that you did good things as well."

Ga-men's face was stone, but Regulus knew this was just to keep his from crying.

"Does it matter?"

"I think it does."

Ga-men now looked angry.

"You think that you can rationalize me making my son think he's a monster?"

Regulus felt himself prickle up.

"No! Matron forbid I try to make you feel better!"

The two Worms stared at each other for a few minutes before their anger abated.

"You're right. Thank you for trying to make me feel better."

"It's the least I can do. You've always been the one training me in the ways of our species, huh?"

Ga-men shrugged.

"I have a soft spot for kids. I like imparting knowledge."

"You really can't be that bad of a father."

"I doubt it. You be better."

"I will."

The two touched foreheads again, then stepped away from each other.

"Thank you for all the advice."

"Thank you for letting me vent. Best of luck to you."

Ga-men chirped something out, moving his arms slightly. Regulus smiled. The older Worm then left, leaving Regulus to think over what he had found out.

I…. Orchid, I… I never thought any idea of mine could inspire something so touching.,,

[moonflowers-and-sunrays]

(suggestive stuff (its not that bad tho), a gun, threats)

original prompt by @gingerly-writing !!!

----

Hero stared at the floor, clenching her fists.

"Yes, sir."

The mayor beamed. "Wonderful! I'm so glad we're on the same page."

She turned to leave, slamming the door behind her.

---------

Hero checked her watch. 7:56.

Villain should be getting here any second.

She excused herself from her clumsy dance partner and swhng open the door to the bathroom, locking it behind her.

As she rifled through her purse, she caught of a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

She looked quire good, avtually. She was wearing a dark blue gown with an empire waist and balloon sleeves, and a mask that matched, with blue feathers on the sides and gold stitching. Her hair was down, though perhaps she should've put it up for practicality reasons. No matter. It was down now, and she looked good.

Hero finally found what she was looking for- a small pistol- and put it in a hidden holster under the dress. She splashed her face with cold water, went over the plan once more in her head, and finally, left the bathroom. And as she was walking towards a waiter holding a tray of hors-d'œuvres, she happened to make eye contact with the exact person she was hoping to see.

Villain.

She took a stuffed mushroom and positioned herself in his line of sight, making sure to be discreet. He was talking with a few people, perhaps colleagues, perhaps strangers.

Hero scoffed. He looked annoyingly good.

Just then, Villain looked at her, and they made eye contact.

Gotcha.

He walked to where she was standing, and held out a hand.

"Dance with me?"

Hero rolled her eyes in a way that she hoped was charismatic. "At least ask me for my name, first."

He smirked. "That kinda ruins the point of a masquerade ball, dontcha think?"

"Touché." She laughed as she let him lead her to the dance floor, taking note of where the mayor was as well- sitting with his partner at the head of the table. Figures.

"You're acting awfully strange, mystery girl. Care to tell me what's going on?", Villain said, jokingly, snapping Hero out of her world of thought.

"Ha-ha," she said, deadpan. "I'm just distracted by everything. Everyone looks so-"

"Beautiful?" He looked at her. "Yeah. They sure do."

"Oh my god, shut up. That was so cheesy." She snickered.

Villain grinned. "Agh, sorry. It's a reflex- I was raised on Disney channel."

They waltzed in silence for a bit, never missing a beat. After a while, Hero pulled on his tie, signaling him to lower his head.

"Meet me in the courtyard by the giant topiary in 5 minutes. Come alone." She smiled at Villain before leaving him alone on the dance floor.

Once she was out of sight, she took off her heels and ran to the courtyard, being careful to stay clear of guests. When she finally found the giant topiary, she stopped behind it to catch her breath before taking the gun out of its holster and putting her heels back on.

Five minutes later, Villain showed up.

Bingo.

He stood for a moment, waiting for his dance partner to show.

Hero silently crept behind him, holding out the gun. He turned around.

Shit, he's hot.

She held the pistol steady and pressed it om his heart as he slowy raised his hands.

"We really must stop meeting like this. mystery girl."

She blushed. Fuck.

"Cut the crap, Villain." He flinched. "We need to talk."

"And here I was thinking there wouldn't be much talking. Thats alright."

"Shut up."

Villain put a hand to his mouth and pretended to zip it shut.

She took off her mask for a moment. "I have a proposition for you."

"Im all ears."

"The mayor asked me to kill you."

Villain didn't even blink. "Do you know what a proposition is?"

She ignored him, and continued. "Actually, it was less of a question and more of an order. He threatened me too. If I dont kill you, he'll kill me."

Villain nodded. "Sounds like you know what to do then. Don't worry, I'll make sure no one uses your urn as a trash can."

"Very funny." Hero said, deadpan. "This is where you come in. You see, I have a few snipers here and there that are pointing right at you. I give them the word, and they pull the trigger without hesitation. Hear me?"

"Loud and clear, sir."

"Great." Hero tapped the gun on Villain's chest a few times.

"What do you want me to do?"

Hero smiled. "I'm so glad you asked."

Prompt #3388

“Do you work for me or not?”

“Well, I-” The hero paused, restarted. “Technically, yes.”

“Then, technically,” the mayor spat, “when I tell you to kill a villain, you do what you’re told. Or I’ll revoke your hero’s license, and you can find yourself on the other end of that order. Am I understood?”

[ficsforeren]

Rockstar! Eren’s wife gifts him with a t-shirt that says ‘DILF’ in big bold letters as just a little joke.

The very next day, paparazzi have uploaded pictures online of Eren wearing said shirt while he takes his kids out for a dad date.

that’s it, just wanted to share that :)

NICEEEEEE

ugh imagine if she got "DILF" written on a sleeveless black shirt and he just wears it so effortlessly with his jeans or sweatpants (when he's too tired to care about his appearance) and he looks like this

[bernraccnt]

wolf with a s / o who’s the jealous type 

i made this into headcanons because i think it’d fit better

good god, i never considered wolf being the less envious one in a relationship, but you just take the damn cake

depending on what type of person you are, there are two ways this can be gone about. you’re either outwardly or inwardly jealous, my friend.

if your jealousy is expressed in a more outward way, then i can expect that you don’t like/get along with diane at all

you saw their chemistry firsthand and if you’re the jealous type, you will be vibrating angrily in the background anytime you see them together

even though their conversation is mundane as hell

“nice tie, poodleton. where’d you get it?” “can’t remember, i think i stole it off of the last governor.” from afar, you are stabbing your fork through the dinner table. snake, who is sitting beside you, is afraid he’ll be your first choice of murder victim.

of course, if you’re that obvious about it, wolf will dial back his more charismatic and flirty tendencies. the last thing he wants is to purposefully upset you over something like that.

but, he’s going to tease the FUCK out of you

“sweets, i was just telling diane she looked pretty in blue. is that such a criminal act?” he cooed into your ear, holding you around the shoulders. you slowly turn to wolf, eyes ablaze. “yes.”

and he also is willing to tell you when you’re overstepping your boundaries with him. no matter how jealous you can get, you have to respect his free-will as well.

“sorry, baby.” you shrunk under his disappointed face. you had just threatened some chick’s life because she decided to ask wolf a question and now, wolf wasn’t too happy with you. “don’t get me wrong, i’m glad you want me for yourself, but this is ridiculous.” he sighed, reaching out and smoothing down your hair. “just-- let me handle it next time? please?”

oh and you have 100% made out with him just to ward off the more persistent flirters

“fuck off, eat shit, and die.” was all you said to the stranger before grabbing your lanky boyfriend and dipping him dramatically. you then kissed him so passionately that his mind went blank, unable to protest when he had lost his breath from how good of a kiss it was. the stranger decided to not flirt with wolf after that one.

now, if you’re more of an inwardly jealous, then i feel like wolf wouldn’t be as reprimanding. mostly because he won’t be able to tell if you’re jealous unless you say so.

what most likely comes from this is you sulking in your own sadness, watching from afar as wolf chats up so rich lady. of course, you know he’s just trying to pick pocket her (even as a good guy, old habits die hard) but still, it doesn’t make you feel to great

but sometimes, it happens right in front of your face and the only thing you can do is give the other person the most angry glare

wolf does pick up on that

the girls kept chatting up wolf, going on and on about how wolf was such a good criminal, not at all giving you any attention, despite you standing shoulder to shoulder to your boyfriend. when wolf glanced down at you and saw how you were silently seething, holding in your emotions, he knew that it was time to call it a day with this conversation. “excuse me, ladies,” he had cut off one’s rambling, putting an arm around your shoulder, “but me and my partner have a movie to catch.” he gave you a sly wink when you turned to him.

he also urges you to tell him about your more jealous moments, since you’re prone to internalizing them quite often. and communication is key to a healthy relationship, so it’s good to be able to express something like this!

at the end of the day, wolf is yours and you are his, so even if you do get green with envy, he’ll remind you that you are the only person he has any romantic interest in.

not without a joke about you marking your territory, though.

[geo-winchester]

THE VEST

Summary: Jimmy met you at a bar and try to get your attention, on one of your visit things got a little out of control.

A/N: hi lovelies, I finally manage to finish this story, I know I been absent a little but I been pretty busy lately, I have to study for an exam and I been a little down because of that anyway thank you to @jolovesfandoms for this idea I hope this is what you want it, if anyone have any other request please let me know I’ll work as fast as I can to write it!

Warnings: smut, 18+, mature content, please don’t read it unless your +18.

TARON EGERTON MASTERLIST

——————

Jimmy wasn’t the kind of man who went to places like this, he felt like an older guy as he just watch how people dance, he try to lose his tie to be more comfortable but it didn’t work, he was about to give up and go home until he saw you, he couldn’t help but smile when he notice you waiting at the bar as you try to get the bartender attentions, he excuse himself with his friends and walk to you, he got your attention immediately, after he sing to the dance floor the two of you danced together for hours, after you go to the bar again, he smirk at you and try to talk to you but you couldn’t heard anything, he took one of the napkins and wrote something, he handle to you “wanna go somewhere else?”, you thought for a moment but when you finally nod, he took your hand and guide you outside, you had a small chat in the car.

-Hi- he finally said when you were finally at his place.

-Hi, what did you say back there?- you asked him.

-It doesn’t matter, love, it was a stupid thing.

-So I we left the bar for a stupid thing?

-I can make you a drink, I have everything you can imagine, what do you want?- he look at you for a second -maybe a martini?- you shook your head with a smile.

-I’ll have a beer.

-Then two beers it is- he said as he took them for the fridge -here you go, love.

-Thank you- you said when he gave it to you the bottle -you know, this is the first time I do something like this- you said.

-Drink with a stranger?- he asked you.

-Drink with a stranger away from my friends, it’s a risk to do that from where I come.

-You just move out?- you nod.

-Then consider this as a welcome gift- you nod.

-In that case, I should order Champaign- he laugh, you took that moment to look at him, he was handsome and that suit fit him pretty good, you blush when he notice you checking him out -I never met someone who wear a vest before, I thought it was just for CEO or a mob, so what are you?

-Is that important?- he said with a smirk.

-Maybe, am I in danger?- You asked as you approached him.

-Not with me darling- he said -I’ll protect you for anything- he said as he approached you and brushed your cheek, you closed your eyes at his touch -Can I kiss you?

-You’re taking a lot of time to do it- you said making him smirk, he didn’t take a lot of time to kiss you, he was tender but at the same time rough, you put your arms around his neck making him get closer to you.

-Wait- you said before you continue -I need you to know something- you said -I don’t really care what you do but there’s something in you that makes me feel safe, but at least I need to know your name- he smiled.

-Jimmy- he said before he kissed you again and led you to the sofa.

You thought about that day as you made your way through the jail, it was a different path as the one you been used from months, when the guard open the door you saw him, he was sitting on the bed as he was look at his hands, when he look at the door, his face light up when he saw you, you run into his arms and he hug you tight, you look in to his eyes before you kiss him.

-Wait- he said as he broke the kiss -I have something to tell you.

-I know and we’ll talk about it later but right now I need you…- he looks at you -please- you whisper, after a few seconds he gives you a cocky look.

-I can’t say no to my lady- he said making you smile, he kiss you again, your arms flew around his neck making the kiss got deep -it's a lovely shirt darling but I going to need you take it off- he said sitting on the bed as you did what he said, you could see the desire in his eyes as he watch you getting undress -wait- he said stopping you before you could take off your underwear -come here- you do as he told and sit on his lap, you smile when you felt his hard cock, he groan when you move your hips trying to get more friction.

-This is unfair- you said -you’re still dress-he smile and make the two of you rolled, you lay on the bed as he took his shirt off, you bit your lip when he was finally naked in front of you -shit- you whisper -I forgot how big you were- he smirk and lay between your legs and kiss your neck, you gasp when you feel a little bit between those kisses.

-Let’s them be free- you couldn’t help but giggle when he take off your bra, your back arc when his mouth took one of your nipples as his hand took care of the other -perfect as always- he grin -tell me darling do you miss me?- you nod -do you used this pretty fingers when you thought about me?- you moan when you feel one of his hands make his way down to your core -Or maybe- he takes off your panties as he gets down on you, you smile when he kisses your inner thighs -just maybe you used one of your toys.

-Jimmy- you said as you arch your back when you feel his tongue on your clit, another moan escapes from your lips when you feel one of his fingers in you.

-Are you going to tell me or I need to stop- you shook your head.

-I… sometimes use my fingers and pretend they're yours- you moan when he adds another finger -but sometimes it wasn’t enough… so I used your special gift as I fuck me… shit Jimmy I can’t…- he stop with a grin -why…- before you could finish your question he push himself in you, he groan when he felt your nails press on his back and kiss you, you could still taste yourself on that kiss -Please jimmy…

-You want me to move darling?- he asked you, you got close to him and kissed his jaw.

-I want you to fuck me like that first night in your apartment- you said, he just gave you a look before he get out of you and flip you, he massage your ass, you almost scream you feel him inside you in one thrust.

-That’s it darling, let everyone know how good I make you feel- he said as he increase his pace, you moan every time he thrust you, making you feel like a porn movie, his hand press your hip as he groan, one of his hand push your back to the mattress giving you a better angle.

-Right there Jimmy- you said as you look at Him, you smiled when his face was full of pleasure -I’m going…- without notice the knot on your belly exploded making your legs shake, Jimmy turned you again and kissed you as he slowly pushed himself in you, still sensitive.

-Do you want me to stop- you shook your head -that’s my good girl- he wink making you smile, you start to moan his name as he move again at first slowly, giving you small kisses in your jaw, his pace start to increase making the two of you moan, your legs were around his hips giving him more access to you, he start to play with one of your nipples on his mouth making you moan -fuck darling, you feel really good…. I can feel you close… do it baby, let me see how you come- it wasn’t long when you came around him, his pace slowed a little letting you know that he was close too, after a few more thrust you feel the warm seed inside you making you smile, none of you move for a moment.

-I missed you- you said with a smile, as you cuddled next to him.

-Miss you too darling- you kiss his shoulder and look at him, you notice how he was trying to find the right words.

-You want to talk about it, don’t you?- he nods -You accept the deal, right?- he nods again.

-I need to do this…

-But what if something happens to you, what if…

-What if he gets free and keep killing or you walk in to him?- he asked -Beside I can walk free when this is over, we can start over where ever you want… and we can have a family- you look at him a little shock -I don’t want to ask you to marry me here, I’ll have that planned but the only thing that I’ll ask you today is to wait for me- he said looking at you.

-On one condition- you said -please be careful there- he nodded before he kissed you -and by the way I would say yes here.

-I know but I want to pop the question somewhere else.

-Are you going to tell me your plan- he shook his head.

-It’s a surprise darling.

-Can I know if I kiss you?

-You can try- he said, you kiss him and smile.

-Well?

-I’m not going to tell you, but that kiss just confirms how much I love you- you smile.

-I love you too, Jimmy- he smile

-I’m glad that you decided to come with me when we first met- he said.

-It was that vest.

-I’ll have to thank my tailor when I see him.

-Hell can be your best man- he laughs.

-So you’ll say yes?- he asked you seriously after a while.

-Yes, I wasn’t kidding when I said that I love you.

-I love you too darling- he said kissing you again.

-By the way I want to know what you tried to tell me when we met- he kissed the top of your head.

-I’ll tell you when I asked you to marry me- you rolled your eyes but keep by each other side trying to freeze time.