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betweenapitchandacast · 1 year ago
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Expert Tips to Help You Find Perfect Firewood During Winter
If you’re planning a winter camping, or hot tenting trip this winter, you’ll want to ensure you’re prepared with the best campfire wood to keep you warm and comfortable. Here are some helpful tips to help you identify the ideal trees or fallen logs for dry firewood, avoid common mistakes when collecting firewood in winter, and deal with collecting firewood from under the snow. Table of…
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keehomania · 7 days ago
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act a fool — rcm (18+)
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⋆. 𐙚 ˚ smut, fluff, slowburn, swearing, fast & furious elements, reckless driving, drunk driving, enemies to lovers, gun use, crashout!rafe, kook/pogue dynamic, eventual smut, minors dni, drop! 2 fast, drop! 2 furious
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there was a world on the island that went beyond the surface-level rivalry between the rich and the poor, one that thrived off something the two tribes both loved, made into a competition. a good alternator, lubrication, a solid engine—things that led to the adrenaline rush they couldn't get from their gas station beer or firing their dad’s gun. it was the wind in their hair and the money they knew they’d get from it if they were good enough.
you had moved to outer banks when you first heard the rumors, striking up your fancy as you pondered finally being able to live up to your father’s name. he had made a name for himself when he was your age, on that very island, and you were determined to honor it as much as you could. he was what the islanders considered a pogue, and so were you. you weren’t ashamed of it—it was just the way things were. and you weren’t ashamed of him either.
“that’s good, guys. right there,” you said, your voice carrying over the low hum of conversation and the clang of tools against metal. workers shuffled around the shop, hoisting equipment into place and unrolling cords across the smooth concrete floor. the building was nothing fancy—cinderblock walls painted a clean white and a pair of garage doors wide enough to fit the biggest cars on the island—but it stood out amidst the weathered, sun-bleached shops and homes that made up the cut. that was the point. it needed to catch their eye, needed to show them that even a pogue could make something worth noticing.
the smell of fresh paint mingled with the faint tang of oil and grease, scents that already felt like home. a sleek hydraulic lift sat in one corner, freshly bolted into place, while a row of shiny toolboxes lined the back wall. you’d spent months saving for those, cutting corners wherever you could, taking extra shifts at the docks, and bartering favors to make it happen. now, they gleamed like trophies.
your gaze drifted to the wall above the toolboxes, where you’d hung a photo in a simple black frame. it was an old shot, the colors slightly faded—a younger version of you standing beside your father, both of you grinning ear to ear with a grease-streaked hood open behind you. he’d always said, “it doesn't matter if it's by an inch, or by a mile—winning is winning,” and you’d carried those words like a mantra, applying them not just to the races but to everything else in life. fixing cars, building this shop—it didn’t matter how long it took or how many setbacks you faced. progress was progress.
you smiled faintly as you brushed a bit of dust off the frame, imagining the way his eyes would light up if he saw what you’d built. he’d be proud, you were sure of it.
“hey, boss, where’d you want this?” one of the workers called out, interrupting your thoughts. he was holding a heavy-duty air compressor, shifting his weight under its bulk.
“over there, by the second bay,” you directed, pointing toward the far end of the shop where a workstation was slowly coming together. a workbench stood half-assembled, and you could already envision it cluttered with tools and parts, the heart of the operation.
as they hauled the compressor into place, you moved to another corner where a small office space had been carved out. the desk was secondhand, its surface worn and scratched, but you’d given it a fresh coat of varnish that brought out the grain of the wood. a laptop and a stack of invoices sat neatly on top, alongside a mug that still smelled faintly of the coffee you’d downed that morning.
outside, the rumble of engines drifted through the open garage doors, reminding you why you were doing this. the underground racing scene was cutthroat, a place where the line between rivalries and respect blurred in the haze of burning rubber and roaring engines. you’d need every edge you could get, and this shop was going to be your base, your sanctuary, and your weapon all at once. satisfied with the progress, you stepped back to take it all in. the shop wasn’t finished yet, but it was getting there.
it was hard to snap you out of your thoughts, but an unfamiliar voice had done its job.
“this your shop?”
you cocked your head to the right, meeting the friendly gaze of a man you didn’t recognize. he looked to be in his early twenties, taller than you, with tan skin, sun-bleached blond hair, and arms that suggested he spent more time surfing than doing anything car-related.
“yeah,” you replied coolly, the edge in your tone natural. “getting there.”
he took a step forward, his gaze sweeping over the shop with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. “no kidding,” he said, grinning wide enough to light up the room. “the cut doesn’t have any good mechanics. shitty parts, shitty people. i was getting my dodge fixed the other day, and the guy was totally drunk…”
he kept talking, his words tumbling out one after another, like he couldn’t stop himself. you guessed it was nerves—the way he kept glancing around, his hands fidgeting in his pockets.
“shit, i’m sorry,” he said abruptly, realization dawning on his face. he stopped in his tracks and ran a hand through his hair, looking sheepish. “i’m jj maybank. sorry for rambling.”
you didn’t know anyone on the island yet, and he seemed harmless enough, with a disarming charm that wasn’t exactly unwelcome. you extended your hand. “nice to meet you, (y/n) (l/n).”
his handshake was firm but friendly, his smile genuine as he asked, “you a racer? mechanic?”
“whatever i wanna be,” you replied with a casual shrug.
jj’s grin widened, impressed by your confidence. “i like your enthusiasm.”
he stepped further into the shop, his curiosity getting the better of him as he started to examine everything. he crouched to inspect the hydraulic lift, nodded in approval at the toolboxes, and paused by the engine stand, where a half-dismantled v8 waited for your attention.
“what’re you doing to this one?” he asked, gesturing toward the engine.
“rebuilding it,” you replied without missing a beat. “block had a crack, so i welded it. now i’m just replacing the camshaft and lifters.”
jj blinked, clearly surprised. “you did the welding yourself?”
“yeah. why?”
he let out a low whistle, his admiration obvious. “most people would’ve scrapped it, don’t you know?”
you smirked but didn’t respond, letting him wander through the shop. he asked more questions as he went, quizzing you about everything from the tuning process to the differences between turbochargers and superchargers. you answered each question easily, and his impressed nods became more frequent. when he reached the back wall, he stopped abruptly, his eyes landing on the photo of your father. he stepped closer, studying it with reverence.
“you’ve met him?” he asked, his voice quieter, almost awed. “dude’s like my hero.”
tension settled in the air as you replied, your voice steady but firm, “well, i’d hope so. dude’s like my dad.”
jj turned to you, his mouth slightly open, his expression stunned. “you’re joking.”
you folded your arms, your gaze steady. “dead serious.”
“bullet?” he asked, his voice rising. “the bullet? your dad?”
you nodded, the weight of the moment pressing down on you thanks to the rather spontaneous topic. but it was gonna come up at some point, you knew that. jj looked back at the photo, shaking his head like he couldn’t believe it. “that’s insane. he was a legend. the races, the cars, everything. i mean, he’s the reason i even started racing in the first place.”
“he’s the reason i came here,” you said quietly, your eyes flicking to the photo. “wanted to honor his name. his legacy. that’s why i started this shop.”
jj was silent for a moment, clearly processing everything. his mind was working—though you could tell it didn’t happen often—until something lit up in his eyes. when jj maybank got a good idea, it wasn’t often, but it was always worth considering.
“what if,” he started, pausing to make sure you were listening. “what if you drove with the pogues?”
you blinked, caught off guard. “drove with you?”
“yeah,” he said eagerly, the excitement building in his voice. “we’re always looking for drivers, and with what you know? you’d be perfect. plus, your dad’s reputation alone would make waves.”
you thought about it, letting the weight of the opportunity settle over you. your father’s voice echoed in your mind, reminding you that he’d always been one to take a chance. winning is winning. finally, you nodded. “i’m in.”
jj had spent the next hour perched on the edge of a worn metal table, watching you in silence. his gaze tracked every movement of your hands as you worked on the motorcycle in front of you, the harsh fluorescent lights of the shop casting a sharp glow over the sleek black paint. he was fascinated, though he tried not to make it too obvious.
the motorcycle wasn’t anything special—just a kawasaki with a busted fuel pump you’d been hired to fix. you’d dismantled it with expert precision, the kind that made even jj, someone who lived for speed, pause in appreciation.
“that’s not your ride, is it?” he finally asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.
you clicked your tongue in mild irritation at the interruption, but your answer was sharp and clear. “not a fan of anything with two wheels. only use them if i have to.”
“so what is your ride?”
you glanced up at him, smirking. “in the back.”
jj raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “wanna show me?”
you finished tightening the bolts on the fuel pump, wiped your hands on a nearby rag, and straightened up. “sure. why not?”
he hopped off the table, following you eagerly as you wheeled the motorcycle into place and locked up the shop. when you led him to the garage at the back, he couldn’t hide the anticipation bubbling beneath the surface. his mind raced with possibilities. a supra? a skyline? he had already started placing bets with himself. whatever it was, he could already tell it’d be something worth seeing.
the garage door groaned in protest as you unlocked it and slid it open. the smell of oil and gasoline hit him first, but his attention snapped to the vehicle parked in the center of the space.
“no fucking way,” he exhaled, his voice barely above a whisper as he stepped closer. his hands hovered over the car, reverent, before finally making contact. “camaro?”
you nodded, leaning casually against the garage wall, watching him with amusement. “z/28,” you clarified.
“but the z/28 isn’t supposed to be out yet,” he said, his voice full of disbelief. “not until next year.”
you shrugged, smirking. “rules don’t apply to everyone, maybank. what’d you think?”
jj turned to you, his eyes wide and pleading, a grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. he didn’t have to say a word for you to understand what he was asking.
“you wanna take her for a spin, don’t you?” you teased.
he nodded furiously, and you couldn’t help but laugh as you tossed him the keys. “don’t wreck it,” you called after him as you slid into the passenger seat. “you’ll owe me an eight-second car if you do.”
he didn’t need any more encouragement. the engine roared to life as he turned the key, the deep, guttural sound filling the small garage. he gripped the wheel with a wide grin, barely containing his excitement. the camaro tore out of the driveway and onto the street, its tires screeching as he pushed the gas pedal to the floor. the car was smooth, powerful, and perfect—a beast on wheels.
“holy shit,” jj breathed, his knuckles white on the steering wheel. “this thing is unreal.”
“told you,” you replied, smirking as you leaned back in your seat, your eyes on the road. “handles like a dream, doesn’t it?”
“more than a dream. gotta be in heaven or some shit.”
he shifted gears with practiced ease, the camaro responding to every command as though it was an extension of himself. the wind whipped through the open windows, and the sound of the engine reverberated in your chest. the drive to the pogues’ shop didn’t take long, though jj seemed to savor every second of it. when he pulled up, the building came into view—a far cry from your setup.
the shop was rough around the edges, just like the pogues themselves. the walls were made of weathered wood, the roof patched in places where time and storms had taken their toll. a rusted sign hung crookedly above the door, reading “outer banks auto parts.” the front yard was littered with old car parts and broken tools, a makeshift graveyard for vehicles long since stripped for parts.
jj parked the camaro carefully, as if it was made of glass, before jumping out and grinning at you. “welcome to paradise,” he said with a laugh, gesturing toward the shop. you stepped out, taking in the scene. it was rural, gritty, and undeniably pogue, but there was something charming about it. something real. something your father would have respected.
yoy let your gaze drift over the pogues’ shop, taking in its rough exterior and cluttered front yard. the place had character, you’d give it that—old wooden walls bleached gray by the sun, mismatched patches on the tin roof, and rusted car parts scattered around like they were part of the decor. it was the polar opposite of your shop, but it felt honest in a way that was hard to ignore.
“this is nice,” you said after a moment. “real earthy.”
jj rolled his eyes, smirking. “it’s okay, you can be mean. i can take it.”
you shrugged, letting a sly grin play on your lips. “alright, it’s pretty shitty. but it’s practical.”
“damn straight it is,” he laughed, walking around to your side of the car and gesturing for you to follow him inside.
the moment you stepped into the shop, you felt like you didn’t belong. the interior was as mismatched as the outside—a haphazard mix of tools, parts, and personal touches that somehow worked. it wasn’t the mess that made you feel out of place, though; it was the dynamic. you could tell right away that these people were a family, and you were the outsider walking into their world.
“guys!” jj called, his voice echoing in the small space. “got someone you need to meet!”
the group turned toward you, their expressions a mix of curiosity and friendliness.
“this is john b,” he started, clapping a hand on the shoulder of a tall guy with messy hair and an easy smile. “our fearless leader, or something like that, kind of glazing him.”
the man grinned and offered you his hand, “nice to meet you.”
“and that’s sarah, his girlfriend,” jj continued, gesturing to the blonde girl beside john b. she had a warm, welcoming smile that immediately put you at ease.
“hey,” she said, stepping forward and giving you a quick hug. “it’s great to meet you.”
“over here, we’ve got pope,” jj said, nodding to a guy who was leaning over a disassembled engine, his hands covered in grease. “he’s the brains of the operation. technical genius.”
pope looked up, wiping his hands on a rag and offering you a firm handshake. “nice to meet you. you a racer or a mechanic?”
“both,” you said with a small smile.
pope raised an eyebrow, impressed. “good to know. we could use someone with your skills around here.”
“and this is cleo, pope’s girlfriend,” jj said, pointing to a girl with short, dark hair and a sharp, confident demeanor.
“finally, another girl around here,” cleo said with a grin. “it’s a relief, i tell you. what’s your pick?”
before you could answer, jj jumped in. “that’s the best part. she’s not just a racer or a mechanic. her dad, dude? her dad was bullet.” the room fell silent.
“that’s not funny, j,” john b said after a moment, running a hand through his hair in disbelief.
“it’s true,” you said, your voice steady. “he’s the reason i’m here. wanted to honor his name and his legacy.” the weight of your words settled over the group, their expressions shifting from shock to admiration.
kiara, who had been quiet until now, smiled and crossed her arms. “well, it’s a good thing you’re here, then. our cars are busted to hell, and we don’t have enough hands to fix them.”
pope nodded in agreement, his brow furrowed in thought. “think you’re up for it?”
jj scoffed, rolling his eyes. “what kind of question is that? did you see the babe she rolled up in?”
sarah exchanged a glance with pope before turning back to you, curiosity lighting up her eyes. “okay, i have to ask. what do you ride?”
you pointed to the camaro parked outside, its bright orange paint gleaming in the sunlight.
“no way,” john b said, walking to the door to get a better look.
“bless your heart,” sarah said, pulling you into another hug.
the guys crowded around your camaro like kids at a candy store, their voices blending into an excited buzz. they ran their hands over the sleek orange paint, marveling at the flawless bodywork and muttering about its specs. you let them admire it, knowing the car deserved every ounce of awe it was getting. instead, you leaned back against the shop wall, folding your arms as the girls joined you.
“that’s some ride you got there,” kiara said, her tone more genuine than envious. her sharp features softened slightly as she looked between you and the camaro.
“thanks,” you replied, watching the boys from the corner of your eye. “seems like it’s already making an impression.”
she laughed lightly. “you came at the perfect time. we’ve got a big one coming up tonight.”
her words piqued your interest immediately. “big one?” you echoed, tilting your head.
sarah and cleo exchanged knowing glances before sarah leaned in slightly. “the kooks,” she said with a mix of irritation and anticipation. “we’re supposed to race them again tonight.”
you furrowed your brow, intrigued by her tone. “tonight?”
“yup,” kiara answered, a flicker of disdain crossing her face. “they’ve got their shiny cars and their squeaky-clean reputations, but they’re dirty as hell when it comes to racing.”
“they can race up front,” cleo added, nodding toward the shop’s door, “since they’ve got the cops under their thumb. us?” she gestured around dramatically. “we’ve got to be more lowkey. hence the shop.”
your gaze wandered to the garage’s cluttered interior and then back to them. “what’s the winning streak like?”
the girls shared a look that told you everything you needed to know before sarah even said, “not great.”
“not great?” you pressed, arching a brow.
kiara let out a frustrated sigh. “the kooks have everything. better cars, better drivers, and they don’t play fair. we’re lucky if we finish a race without something going wrong.”
“or someone crashing,” cleo added pointedly.
sarah’s expression darkened slightly. “especially when rafe’s involved.”
“rafe?” you repeated.
“my brother,” she admitted reluctantly, her cheeks coloring in embarrassment.
“wait, hold on,” you said, straightening up. “your brother races against you?”
she nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line. “some people call him crash. others go with crashout. he’s—let’s just say he’s a dirty racer with a good car.”
the nickname didn’t ring any bells for you, and you shook your head. “never heard of him.”
sarah looked both relieved and mortified at the same time. “well, consider yourself lucky. he’s dangerous, and not just on the track.”
“not to mention a total asshole,” cleo muttered under her breath, earning a small laugh from kiara.
“where’s this race happening?” you asked, leaning forward slightly, intrigued.
kiara stepped in to explain. “figure eight. there’s a parking lot on prairie avenue between a few streets. that’s where everyone meets up. people bring their cars, check each other out, and if they’re feeling bold, they race.”
“and the problem?” you asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear it anyway.
“our cars are in the worst shape imaginable,” kiara admitted, her voice heavy with frustration.
you couldn’t help but grin. “well, good thing i’m here.”
the three girls looked at you, surprised by the confidence in your tone. “you’re really gonna help us?” sarah asked, her voice tentative but hopeful.
“yeah,” you said with a small nod, letting your eyes drift back to your camaro. “bring your cars to the shop tomorrow, and i’ll see what i can do.” the relief on their faces was evident, but you weren’t done. you hesitated for just a second, then added with a smirk, “but on one condition.”
cleo raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “what’s that?”
“we race tonight,” you said firmly, your gaze fixed on your camaro as the sun glinted off its polished surface.
the heat was relentless, even as the sun dipped lower, casting an amber glow over the dusty road. you could feel it seeping into every fiber of your clothing, making the denim of your shorts crease uncomfortably against your skin. the humidity clung to you like a second layer, and you tugged at the flap of your tank top, attempting to let even the smallest breath of air cool you down.
your thighs stuck together with every shift of your legs against the seat, and you found yourself leaning forward slightly, hoping the breeze coming through the open window would offer some relief. it didn’t, not really, but you were too focused on the directions pope was giving you to care too much. “left up here, then just keep going straight for a bit,” he said from the backseat, his voice steady and sure.
your hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel as you nodded, your eyes scanning the road ahead. each turn brought you closer to the meeting spot, and the thought of the race waiting for you settled like a heavy weight in your chest. jj sat beside you, his elbow propped against the window as he stared ahead—or at least he was supposed to be staring ahead. instead, his eyes kept darting to you.
he knew he should be focused on what was coming: the race, the cars, the adrenaline of it all. but sitting this close to you, he found himself completely distracted.
the way your tan lines peeked out from under your tank top, hinting at just how much time you’d spent in the sun. the way your shorts seemed to live up to their name, riding up just enough to make his throat dry. and then there was the sheen of sweat on your neck, trickling down to disappear under your shirt, making him lick his lips absentmindedly as he tried to focus on anything but how good you looked. It wasn’t working.
“you sure you’re cool with racing?” sarah’s voice broke through the tension, her words directed at you from the backseat where she leaned comfortably against john b’s chest.
you glanced at her briefly in the rearview mirror before returning your focus to the road. “why wouldn’t i be?” you asked, keeping your tone neutral.
she shrugged, though the concern in her voice remained. “they could put you up against rafe, for all you know. he doesn’t exactly play fair.”
your stomach churned slightly at the thought. you weren’t afraid of racing—not in the slightest. losing didn’t scare you either. but being humiliated by someone like rafe cameron? a dirty racer with too much confidence and too little morality? that was a whole other story. you swallowed the knot forming in your throat and shrugged one shoulder, keeping your gaze firmly ahead as the scenery began to shift. the buildings thinned out, replaced by open stretches of road and the occasional cluster of trees.
“we’ll see,” you said simply, your voice steady despite the unease twisting in your gut. it was all you could manage.
as the city gave way to open roads, you began to notice a shift in the atmosphere. people, crowds. they were scattered along the sides of the road, gathering near the parking lot pope had mentioned. the thrum of engines filled the air, a low hum that vibrated through your chest and sent a shiver of anticipation down your spine. there was no turning back now.
the meeting was unlike anything you had imagined. cars were everywhere, of all makes and models, their glossy exteriors illuminated by the flickering streetlights overhead. the smell of gasoline and burnt rubber mixed with the salty tang of the sea breeze, a stark reminder of the island setting. music blasted from several vehicles, creating a chaotic symphony that drowned out the distant crash of waves.
people milled about in groups, leaning against cars or crouching near open hoods, talking shop or simply passing time. they ranged from sun-kissed surfers in board shorts to mechanics with grease-stained hands, and even the occasional tourist drawn in by the allure of rebellion. this wasn’t just a car meet—it was a full-blown spectacle. you had never seen anything like it on such a small island.
guided by pope's directions, you navigated the camaro into an open space, sliding it neatly beside a sleek motorcycle. the rumble of the engine ceased, leaving an almost deafening silence in its absence. you exhaled deeply, your fingers lingering on the steering wheel before glancing over at jj, who was already grinning like he owned the place.
“let’s go, hotshot,” he teased, nudging your shoulder.
with a roll of your eyes, you pushed the door open, stepping out into the crisp night air. it was a relief against your overheated skin, instantly making the effort of the journey feel worth it. you stretched your legs, groaning softly as the ache from sitting too long set in. leaning against the hood, you extended one leg at a time, trying to shake the feeling back into them.
“my legs are killing me,” you muttered, leaning back as you let your body relax against the car’s warm surface.
jj chuckled, already fishing something out of his pocket. a small flick of a lighter revealed the joint he’d pulled free, and he tucked it between his lips with practiced ease. he took a slow drag, letting the smoke curl around his lips before catching the look on your face.
“what?” he asked, his grin lazy. “cops won’t be here for a while. might as well relax.”
you narrowed your eyes but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at your lips. when he passed the joint to you, you didn’t hesitate, taking it between your fingers and mimicking his earlier drag. the burn was sharp, and the faint haze that followed was just enough to steady your nerves. as you passed it back, you began to notice the shift in attention around you. whispers spread through the crowd, heads turning toward the camaro with curious gazes. it wasn’t just because of the car—it was because of you.
the pogues showing up at a meet like this wasn’t exactly uncommon, but showing up in a ride like this? that was unheard of.
one gaze, in particular, lingered longer than the others. it belonged to a tall, lean man with blond hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to glow under the streetlights. his stance was rigid, his jaw clenched, and his expression was a mixture of confusion and unbridled fury. you met his gaze head-on, your lips curling into a subtle smirk as you passed the joint back to jj.
“whose ride is it?” the man’s voice rang out, cutting through the chatter like a knife. conversations died instantly, leaving the air heavy with tension. “whose fucking ride is it?”
john b and jj exchanged a glance, both clearly ready to jump in and defend you, but you weren’t about to let anyone fight this battle for you.
“why?” you called back, your tone laced with casual confidence. “you like her?”
the man’s eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer as he stepped closer. “enough to know no damn pogue should be driving her,” he spat.
he stopped just a foot away, his presence looming. the girl clinging to his arm tightened her grip, her gaze flickering nervously between the two of you.
“that might be an issue,” you mused, feigning worry as you stepped away from the car. your smirk only deepened. “she’s all mine.”
the murmurs around you grew louder, and the man’s scowl deepened. he scanned the camaro like it was something out of place, something that didn’t belong—much like you.
“never seen you around before,” he said finally, his tone low and clipped. “yet here you are, driving a car that shouldn’t even be out yet. what’s your game?”
his question hung in the air like a challenge, his blue eyes boring into yours with an intensity that demanded submission. for a split second, you wavered, but then your gaze caught sarah’s in the crowd. her wide eyes and subtle shake of the head told you all you needed to know. that was him. that was rafe cameron.
“i’m here to race,” you said, your voice steady despite the knot in your stomach. “what about you?”
gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd, the shock obvious. someone challenging rafe—crash—was a rare sight. doing so with such blatant confidence? absolutely unheard of.
rafe’s smirk returned, cruel and condescending as he turned to glance at his friends. “shit, almost feels mean, y’know?” he drawled. the smirk vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a cold, predatory look. “but i guess you’re asking for it, yeah?”
you shrugged, refusing to let him see even a hint of the unease simmering beneath your calm exterior. pulling your wallet from your back pocket, you thumbed through the bills inside before pulling out a neat stack.
“three grand sound okay?”
jj and john b’s heads whipped toward you, their expressions a mix of disbelief and panic. “dude, you sure she’s not a dealer?” john b muttered under his breath, earning a smirk from jj.
rafe’s eyebrows shot up, surprised but clearly pleased by the amount. he reached out to take the cash, his smirk returning. “just kissing your minimum wage money goodbye,” he taunted.
you held his gaze, unflinching as you replied, “we’ll see.”
the moment the crowd began to gather around your camaro, a sense of tension hung in the air, thick and uneasy. every movement you made felt magnified—your every touch, every glance, being scrutinized by dozens of curious eyes. it was as if the crowd held its breath, watching not just the car but the story unfolding before them. some whispered to each other, eyes flicking between you and rafe, while others simply observed, waiting for something to happen.
kiara, standing off to the side, looked at you with concern etched across her face. her usually cool demeanor was cracked with worry. “you don’t have to do this,” she said softly, stepping closer to you, her voice filled with an unmistakable sense of care.
john b, leaning against the door, chimed in, his tone casual but tinged with unease. “yeah, seriously. this could just be a waste of money, and we don’t even know if it’s gonna be worth it.”
you could feel their eyes on you, the quiet insistence that you step back, that maybe this was too much. the worry in their voices almost made you hesitate, but you brushed it off. this wasn’t about money or the risk—it was about proving something. not to them. not to rafe. but to yourself.
without saying another word, you ignored their concerns, focusing on the task ahead. the crowd had thickened around you now, the murmurs of awe growing louder as the sleek camaro stood at the center of attention. it wasn’t just the car; it was you, the girl who’d shown up on the island with something the pogues rarely ever had—something new, something bold. you popped the hood, and the sound of the latch clicking was a signal to the crowd. you stepped forward, your fingers brushing the cold metal of the engine, making subtle adjustments as you moved with practiced ease.
“she’s really good,” sarah said from behind you, her voice laced with admiration.
rafe, standing with his friends and glaring at the scene before him, overheard the comment. he scoffed, trying to mask the flicker of doubt in his eyes. “good? please,” he muttered under his breath. in his mind, this was just another way to put the pogues in their place. if you could make it to the starting line, he figured, you’d be an easy target.
the kooks watched, standing in a small huddle, exchanging glances. but it wasn’t just the kooks you had to worry about. the crowd itself was becoming more animated, murmuring louder with every adjustment you made under the hood. jj, watching closely, exchanged a look with pope, both of them speechless at first. they couldn’t believe it—not in a million years. they thought they knew you, thought they’d seen every side of you. but this?
“you’re kidding, right?” pope said, eyes wide with disbelief. he took a cautious step forward, clearly in awe.
jj exhaled sharply, his eyes locked on what you were doing, his voice low as he tried to comprehend what was unfolding. “that’s good thinking.”
cleo, standing off to the side, seemed confused. she glanced between the three of them, wondering what they were seeing that she wasn’t. “what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice cutting through the noise.
but it wasn’t until you clicked something into place, securing the small device under the hood, that they all saw it. your hands wiped against your thighs, brushing off the excess grease from the engine.
“nitrous oxide,” jj finally spoke, a slow grin creeping onto his face. the pride in his voice was unmistakable, his confidence swelling as he looked at the sleek system you had just attached with ease.
pope's eyes were wide with shock, the realization dawning on him. “nitrous oxide,” he repeated, his tone almost reverent now. “you’ve got nitrous in there.”
jj chuckled, his grin broadening as he leaned back slightly, watching the reactions around him. “told you she was a pro.”
the camaro’s engine thrummed under your fingertips, the steady hum vibrating through your hands as you gripped the wheel tightly. you kept your eyes darting between your friends, who were standing by, watching the tense scene unfold with a mixture of nerves and excitement. each of them looked different, their faces reflecting their worry and disbelief, but they weren’t going to stop you. not now. the three grand, all of it, was in pope’s hands, and you were past the point of no return. then there was rafe.
he sat in the blue skyline beside you, the car that seemed like it was built for something other than street racing—a car that was sleek, dangerous, and made your skin crawl just by being too close to it. the paint job was dark, almost black in the night, with a glossy sheen that made it look like it was alive. the grill at the front, sharp and angular, gave the car an aggressive stance. the rims gleamed under the streetlights, and the custom body work screamed money and power—a car meant for someone who never had to worry about getting caught.
rafe leaned back in the driver’s seat, his smirk irritatingly smug, his eyes gleaming with the confidence of someone who knew he could win. the kooks, standing on the sidelines, weren’t giving him the same level of attention they’d given you. they didn’t see you as a threat, not yet. rafe was everything they believed in—money, power, status.
he rolled down his window and glanced at you, eyes filled with disdain, the condescension oozing from his every movement. “you can still quit, walk away with some dignity,” he called, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. his smirk only deepened as he waited for your response.
you gripped the wheel harder, ignoring the slight tremor in your hands. “i’d rather walk out with three grand,” you shot back, trying to sound steady, your voice not betraying the nervousness you felt in your gut.
rafe’s smirk faltered for a moment before morphing into something darker, more sinister, like a predator sizing up its prey. he didn’t respond. the air between you thickened, charged with the bitter taste of impending tension. you couldn’t back down now.
the countdown began, and the sound of the crowd intensified, murmurs flowing like a wave through the crowd. you adjusted your grip, eyes locking on the red lights ahead, each second stretching on forever. rafe’s skyline revved beside you, his engine purring in a way that sent chills down your spine, the sound of it cutting through the night like a warning.
three.
two.
one.
the lights flickered green.
without hesitation, you slammed your foot on the pedal, the camaro lurching forward as the engine roared to life. your heart hammered against your chest as the world blurred around you, the rush of adrenaline flooding every inch of your body. you didn’t even think—your focus was singular, your vision narrowed to the street ahead of you.
but rafe wasn’t just racing. no, he had something else in mind. he took the lead, his car shooting ahead with the kind of precision that came from years of practice. you could hear the engine of his skyline growling as he sped ahead, his tires gripping the pavement with ease. his technique was flawless—he was smooth, cutting through the curves with a level of control that made it seem like he had done this a hundred times before. but you weren’t out yet.
with a fierce push, you hit the button for the nitrous, the world around you instantly transforming. the sudden surge of speed jerked your body back into the seat, the force of the gas shooting the camaro forward in an explosive burst. the crowd gasped, eyes widening as the car roared past rafe, cutting through the air like a bullet.
the street blurred past in flashes—streetlights, dark corners, distant buildings, all a streak of color and light as you shot forward. the world felt like it was moving in slow motion while your heartbeat raced to match the speed of the camaro. rafe’s skyline was already fading into the distance, his once confident smirk now replaced by the flash of surprise that barely registered before your car overtook him.
you were ahead. you could feel it, the surge of power under the hood, the tight grip of the steering wheel as you maneuvered through the streets with precision. the sounds of tires screeching, engines roaring, the shouts of the crowd—it all felt distant, like it was happening to someone else. you were in the zone. the finish line was in sight. the end was near. but then you heard it. the sirens.
your heart lurched as you glanced in the rearview mirror, your pulse spiking. flashing lights flickered in the distance—red and blue dancing in the rearview mirror. the cops. you dared a glance to the side, your eyes catching rafe’s face. his smirk was back. of course it was. he knew exactly what was coming. the kooks got away with everything. you knew that. they always did, but you? you were just a pogue. the rules didn’t apply to them.
without thinking, you swerved sharply, the tires screeching as you turned hard onto a side street, your hands working the wheel with a frantic precision. you had to get away. you couldn’t be caught. not now. not when the finish line was so close. you pushed the pedal down harder, your foot practically cemented to the accelerator as you raced down the dark streets. the cops were gaining on you, but you couldn’t afford to let them close.
a sharp turn ahead forced you to slide the car sideways, the tires barely catching the slick pavement as you shot through the intersection, narrowly avoiding a crash. the camaro’s rear end fishtailed, and you gritted your teeth, feeling the car fight against you as you struggled to regain control. but you didn’t stop. you couldn’t.
you could hear the sirens growing fainter as you swerved back onto a familiar street, the one where the race had begun. your friends were still there, waiting, watching in shock as you came into view, just barely ahead of rafe, whose skyline was left trailing behind you. you pulled up, the camaro skidding slightly as you came to a stop. your heart was still pounding, but the adrenaline rush was starting to wear off. you barely had time to catch your breath before you yanked the door open, your legs unsteady as you practically fell out of the car.
the sound of sirens was growing distant now, the cops lost in the maze of streets behind you. but you were here. you made it. and you’d won.
the cheers from the crowd echoed in your ears, but they felt distant, like they belonged to someone else. you didn’t have time to celebrate, not when the unmistakable wail of sirens grew louder behind you, chasing you down like a relentless predator. the victory you’d earned so hard, the three grand, the rush of taking down rafe—it was all slipping away as quickly as it had come.
“get in!” you shouted, your voice sharp as you cut through the noise of the crowd. you didn’t have to say it twice. kiara was already jumping into the backseat, followed quickly by the others. their faces were a mix of exhilaration and concern, realizing that the win wasn’t enough to guarantee freedom. the sirens were closing in, the lights flashing bright and blinding in your rearview mirror.
the rest of the crowd was scattering now, some of them cheering as they saw the drama unfold, while others realized what was happening and fled in fear of the cops. but you weren’t going to stop. not now. not after everything.
with a quick glance at your friends, you slammed your foot back onto the pedal, the camaro roaring to life as you surged forward, the engine growling under the strain. the car seemed to leap forward, the tires screeching against the pavement as you floored it, the gas pedal an extension of your will.
jj’s voice broke through the hum of the engine, his words barely audible over the chaos. “holy shit, holy shit, holy shit,” he repeated, his voice cracking with disbelief as he held onto the door, clutching anything he could find to keep steady. you could feel his body jerking with every sharp turn, the force of the acceleration pulling everyone back into their seats.
none of them had ever felt anything like it. the rush was unlike anything they’d experienced, the car’s power and the nitrous giving them a surge of speed that was intoxicating. the scenery blurred into streaks of light and dark, the world outside narrowing into a tunnel as you pushed the camaro to its limits.
“you won,” kiara said, her voice filled with awe, trying to catch her breath from the sheer force of the ride.
you didn’t respond right away. sweat dripped down your temple, stinging your eyes as you focused on the road ahead, trying to block out the flashing red and blue behind you. it didn’t matter that you’d won. not when rafe had pulled every dirty trick in the book to make sure you wouldn’t get away unscathed.
“he rigged it,” you scoffed through gritted teeth, eyes darting to the rearview mirror again. “called the pigs.”
a heavy silence washed over the group. kiara’s breath hitched in the backseat, and pope’s expression hardened, the weight of the truth sinking in. they all knew what it meant.
“he knew he was gonna lose,” sarah spoke up, her voice tinged with disbelief, though she didn’t sound surprised. she knew how rafe operated. “he called them in advance.”
your fist slammed against the steering wheel, the impact reverberating up your arm as frustration bubbled over. you should’ve seen it. you should’ve known. your victory didn’t count when the police were already on your tail, and the realization stung more than the heat of the engine. you forced yourself to focus, to block out the anger and the regret. you had to get away. the sirens were almost unbearable now, but you couldn’t let them catch you. you needed a plan, a way out.
“where to now, pope?” you asked, your voice sharp but steady, trying to keep the panic from creeping into your tone.
he leaned forward from the backseat, his face illuminated by the dim glow of the dashboard. “where they won’t expect it,” he said, his voice steady despite the tension. “tannyhill.”
the sound of loud music and laughter echoed throughout the expansive, chaotic mansion, but inside the game room, a tense silence hung heavily in the air. rafe’s anger was palpable, his fists slamming onto the pool table with such force that the glassware and ashtrays scattered in all directions. his knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of the table, his eyes narrowed in pure frustration, as beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
“dude, what the fuck’s your problem?” topper asked, leaning against the doorframe, his brows furrowed in confusion.
rafe wiped his forehead roughly, trying to shake off the burning anger that seemed to radiate from every part of him. “got the cops on her,” kelce reminded him. “she didn't win.” he could see his friend was losing it, and he wasn’t sure what was worse—the fact that rafe had been outsmarted by a pogue, or that he was pissed off enough to go on a rampage.
“nah, man,” rafe growled, his fingers trembling as they pressed against the surface of the pool table. “you don’t get it.” his gaze sharpened, cold and menacing as he continued, his voice low and barely contained. “she's a pogue. shouldn't have had to call the cops in the first place.”
topper and kelce exchanged a concerned look, clearly aware that rafe’s pride had taken a hard hit, but unsure how to deal with it. kelce raised an eyebrow, pushing himself off the chair and giving rafe a sideways glance. “what’d you expect, man?” he asked, his voice carrying a touch of disbelief. “you know who her dad is.”
rafe’s attention snapped to his friend, his eyes darkening as he leaned in. “what’d you say?” his voice was a low growl, every syllable dripping with tension.
kelce didn’t flinch. “her dad, y’know? king of the road. bullet. you know, the one who used to run shit back in the day.” his words were casual, but there was a sense of finality to them. “word travels fast, bro. she came back, opened up her own auto shop, all for her pops.”
rafe froze. his fingers, still trembling, gripped the edge of the pool table, but his attention was now fixed on kelce. “bullet,” he muttered, a cold realization creeping into his voice. his mind began to race, the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place.
topper and kelce exchanged another glance, this time more wary than before, as they watched the slow burn of recognition in rafe’s eyes. kelce leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly as he clarified. “that bullet. not a different guy, the one you’re thinking of. the same bullet that faced ward twenty years ago.”
he paused, letting the weight of that sentence sink in, “the one who won.”
rafe’s jaw tightened, his muscles visibly tensing as the name echoed in his mind. bullet. his father’s old rival. the man who had humiliated rafe's father in a way that still stung to this day. now, the realization that your father—bullet—was the one behind you, fueling your ambition, was like a slap to the face.
rafe muttered something under his breath, a guttural sound that barely left his lips. the anger that had been boiling over now shifted into something darker, more dangerous. his eyes narrowed to slits as he dug a small bag of white powder from his pocket, the crinkling of the bag sounding too loud in the tense silence. he flipped open the bag, spilling the powder onto the pool table, his hands shaking as he used his black card to cut thin, meticulous lines.
“fuck,” he whispered under his breath as he stared at the lines. his hand trembled slightly as he rolled up a dollar bill, preparing to snort the powder. as he did, his mind began to focus, the fog of rage lifting ever so slightly, replaced by something more methodical. “i think we should,” rafe trailed off, his voice low and still shaky, the tremors not just from the drug but from something far more sinister.
he paused, his eyes fixed on his friends, who were both watching him closely. “well, rafe?” topper asked. “tell us, what's your great idea?”
“i think we should kill them all.”
the bass of the music hit you before you even stepped through the door, the pounding rhythm vibrating through your chest. it was the kind of house party that could only be thrown by someone who had too much money and too little to lose. the walls seemed to pulse with the sound of voices and laughter, the air thick with cigarette smoke and the tang of spilled drinks. people were scattered around, some lounging in the living room, others crowding the kitchen, while a few shady figures lurked in the corners, eyes darting around like they were waiting for something to go wrong.
pope, walking beside you, couldn’t help but notice the way your hands shook. it was subtle, but enough for him to notice. he glanced at you, concern written across his face. “on second thought,” he said, his voice quieter than usual, “i don’t think this is a good idea,” but you didn’t stop. it was too late now, the moment you’d stepped foot into the lion’s den. rafe was here, and the race might’ve been over, but this was far from finished.
jj trailed behind you, already making his way to the cooler in the corner, grabbing a beer. you noticed the smile on his face, the way his lips curled as if he was already relishing the thought of watching rafe squirm.
“what’re you smiling for?” you snapped, trying to steady yourself against the wave of tension that was crawling up your spine.
he shrugged, cracking open his beer. “not every day you get to see rafe cameron lose,” he said, his words carrying a hint of truth, but you knew it didn’t change the fact that rafe had played dirty. he’d made sure the victory didn’t feel real.
you barely had time to dwell on that before you heard a familiar voice. “hey!” john b called out. you turned to see him and sarah standing at the top of the stairs, grinning like they were in on some private joke. he had his arm wrapped around sarah's waist, and you couldn’t help but smirk.
“we’re gonna—well, there’s something i gotta show sarah upstairs,” he said, his voice laced with playful mischief.
jj raised his beer and threw a wink their way. “you crazy kids have fun,” he called out, his voice dripping with enthusiasm.
the two of them disappeared up the stairs, leaving you to continue through the crowd. the house was a mix of people—some familiar, some not. there were a few faces you recognized from the high school halls, kids who never seemed to do much more than party and live off their family’s money. but then there were others, people with sharper eyes, a bit too much grit in their demeanor, lurking in the shadows. you could feel their gaze flicker over you, sizing you up like prey.
but you didn’t stop walking. you pushed forward through the mass of people, not caring if you brushed against anyone. not caring about anything except the feeling of knowing exactly where this was heading. and then you saw him.
he was standing near the back, surrounded by his usual crew—kelce, topper, and a couple of other people you didn’t know. rafe’s eyes met yours the moment you stepped into his line of sight, and for a split second, the room seemed to pause. it was as if everything else faded, and you were the only two people in the house.
you didn’t hesitate. without even a thought, you walked up to him, your steps sure, your anger driving every movement. without warning, you grabbed him by the collar, yanking him forward. the world seemed to blur around you as you smacked him across the face, the sharp crack of skin on skin echoing in the room. the crowd around you went silent for a split second, but it didn’t matter.
“you stupid, cheating son of a bitch,” you snarled, voice dripping with rage. “hurt that bad losing to a pogue? you had to cheat?”
rafe didn’t flinch. his expression remained cold, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your skin crawl. his jaw tightened, his lips curling into something cruel. and then, just like that, his hands shot up and wrapped around your neck.
you gasped, struggling against the sudden pressure as his fingers dug into your skin. “don’t you ever call me that again,” he whispered, his voice cold, deadly. you tried to pry his hands away, your vision starting to swim as you fought for air.
“my old man might’ve lost to your dad,” rafe continued, his grip tightening even more. “but i sure as hell won’t lose to a dirty fuckin’ pogue like you.”
and it hit you. the words, the venom in his tone—it wasn’t just about the race. it was about something much deeper. his father had lost to your dad, bullet—the man who had earned his reputation in a way that rafe’s father could never match. the history between the two didnt run deep, but the animosity was thicker than blood.
you struggled harder, but the more you fought, the tighter his grip became, the pressure on your throat making it harder to breathe. your thoughts began to blur, your fingers clawing at his wrists, desperate for freedom.
but then, out of nowhere, you felt rafe being yanked away. jj, who had appeared from the crowd, threw his weight into the pull, dragging rafe off you with force. he stumbled back, hands still twitching as he tried to regain control, but jj wasn’t letting go.
“just you wait, pogue,” rafe called out, his voice hoarse from the force of his own words. “see what happens when you act a fool.”
jj didn’t respond. he didn’t need to. he shoved rafe back, and you staggered away from the chaos, breathing deeply, trying to recover from the shock of it all. as you made your way out of the fray, you glanced back to see rafe sitting back down at the table, his gaze empty. his body trembled slightly, his fingers still shaking. it wasn’t just about the race. it wasn’t even about you. his father didnt think he was good enough, so he wanted to be better.
the next morning, the smell of oil, metal, and grease filled the air as you worked in your shop. sunlight streamed through the garage’s open doors, illuminating the chaos within. it was shaping up to be a long day. your friends had brought their cars in, and calling them “in bad shape” was an understatement. each vehicle had its own set of unique, stubborn problems, from mechanical issues to cosmetic disasters. and on top of all that, jj’s dirt bike sat propped on its stand in the corner, waiting for a fresh coat of paint and some mechanical tlc.
you were perched over jj’s dirt bike, one leg swung lazily over the seat as you carefully sprayed on a bold blue coat of paint. the color shimmered slightly under the sunlight, and you allowed yourself a small moment of satisfaction. jj had insisted on something flashy, claiming he wanted it to “blind anyone he left in the dust.”
nearby, sarah’s car sat on a lift, its underside exposed. it was a sleek white coupe, but the suspension was shot to hell, the front bumper barely hanging on, and there was a mystery rattle that drove her crazy.
“you could do a lot more with it if you had a v8,” came a voice, smooth and cutting through the sound of your wrench.
your heart jumped. tense, you turned slowly, eyes narrowing as they locked onto rafe cameron standing at the edge of your garage. he was dressed in a crisp button-up, shorts, and boat shoes, a golf club casually slung over his shoulder like it belonged there.
“typical boys,” you quipped, recovering quickly, a smirk forming on your lips as you straightened. “always worried about whose engines bigger.”
rafe’s mouth twitched into a wry smile, though his eyes still held that unnerving sharpness. “what’re you doing here?” you added, your tone turning sharp. “came to trash my stash?”
he scoffed, taking a slow step forward, the metal head of the golf club clicking lightly against the cement floor as he walked. “got a garage more expensive than these rides,” he replied coolly, eyes scanning the cars around you. you rolled your eyes and turned back to sarah’s car, wiping your hands on a rag.
“the rumors are true,” rafe continued, a hint of amusement in his tone. “cut’s got its first shop run by a woman.”
you scoffed, glancing over your shoulder at him. “and if you open one, it’ll get its second.”
his smile faltered for a split second, irritation flashing across his face, but it didn’t stick. instead, he stood there, watching you with an expression that was equal parts frustration and intrigue.
“listen, pogue,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, “you can call me out for calling the cops, but i know about your nos tanks. doesn’t seem fair to me.”
you set your wrench down with a loud clang, turning to face him fully. “any real racer knows you can use as many tanks as you want,” you said, stepping closer to him, your tone unwavering. “if you can handle it. can you handle it, rafe?”
for a moment, his annoyance shifted into something else, something almost predatory. his gaze flicked over you, and he tilted his head slightly, as though trying to figure you out. how could a pogue talk to him like this—fearlessly, no less—after what had happened last night?
“i can handle a lot more than you think,” he responded, a sly grin creeping onto his face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a fat stack of bills. “how about you set it up for me? i’ll make it worth your while.” with a sharp motion, you pushed his hand down, forcing him to lower the money.
“bring your ride in and put your money away,” you said, your tone low but steady. “you’ll pay me back with a race. a fair one.”
rafe’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, his smirk growing wider. “sounds fair to me,” he countered, his voice dripping with challenge. “if you can handle it. can you handle it, (y/n)?”
you tilted your head slightly, mirroring his grin as you leaned closer. “i can handle a lot more than you think.”
the roar of the skyline’s engine filled your shop as rafe pulled back in, the bright blue paint glinting under the fluorescent lights. the car was immaculate, sleek and modern, with a body that screamed speed and power. you couldn’t help but appreciate it. rafe stepped out, leaning casually against the car, his gaze drifting to the corners of your shop.
“nice place you got here,” he said, his tone almost dismissive, but his eyes were scanning every detail.
“nice car,” you shot back, wiping your hands on a rag as you approached. r34, right? not bad, even for you.”
rafe’s smirk deepened, pleased you knew your stuff. “figured i’d bring her to the best,” he said, his voice dripping with irony.
you didn’t rise to the bait, gesturing for him to follow you. you led him to the closeted section of your shop, a hidden alcove where you kept your stash of tanks. the area was organized chaos—rows of shiny tanks stacked neatly, tools hanging on the walls, and a sturdy metal workbench in the center.
“how’s this shit work?” rafe asked, leaning against the table as he watched you pull a tank from the shelf.
you set it on the bench, grabbed a wrench, and began working. “it’s simple, really,” you said, your tone matter-of-fact. “nitrous oxide gets injected into the engine. gets the oxygen levels up during combustion. more fuel burns, so that means more power. it’s a burst, though—not something you use all the time.”
rafe nodded, his expression unreadable as he watched you work. you moved with precision, attaching the nos lines to the skyline’s engine, ensuring every bolt and connection was secure.
“got a closet full of this shit,” rafe remarked, glancing around.
you shrugged, not looking up from your work. “guess i like it fast.”
he raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. “how do i know you’re not screwing me over?”
you straightened, wiping your hands on your shorts with a smirk. “take her for a spin,” you said simply.
he scoffed, crossing his arms as his gaze flicked between you and the car. “yeah, right. and if it blows me up?”
you rolled your eyes, already fed up. without a word, you opened the passenger door and climbed in, settling into the seat next to him. rafe hesitated for a moment, unsure if you were planning something, but eventually slid behind the wheel. you were immediately impressed by the interior—sleek, modern, and meticulously maintained.
he pulled out of the shop and onto the main road, driving casually until you reached a long, empty street.
“how’s it work?” he asked, his voice breaking the silence.
you pointed at a button near the gearshift. “press it,” you said, your tone almost mocking. “unless you’re scared.”
rafe’s gaze snapped to yours, his jaw tightening at the challenge in your voice. he wasn’t going to back down. slowly, deliberately, he pressed the button.
the effect was immediate. the skyline surged forward with a ferocity that pressed you both back into your seats. the engine roared, the world outside becoming a blur as the car rocketed down the street. rafe’s hands gripped the wheel tightly, his eyes flickering between you and the road.
“keep your eyes on the road, playboy,” you said, your voice steady despite the speed.
rafe smirked, his knuckles tightening on the wheel. “why? think we’re gonna crash?”
you didn’t blink, your gaze locked on him. “don’t know,” you said calmly. “haven’t decided yet.”
taking that as a challenge, rafe shifted his focus back to you, his blue eyes burning with determination. he kept the car hurtling forward, the engine screaming, his gaze never leaving yours. the tension in the air was evident, every second stretching into eternity as you stared each other down. the red light came into view, and rafe hit the brakes hard. the car skidded to a stop, tires screeching, the force jolting you both forward slightly. but even then, his eyes stayed locked on yours.
“i could’ve killed you,” he said, his voice low, almost a whisper.
you held his gaze, unwavering. “you wouldn’t.”
the sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as you parked the last of your friends’ cars at their usual spot. each vehicle gleamed, repaired and polished. you stepped out, expecting gratitude and maybe a few jokes, but instead, you were met with silence. they were all there, standing stiffly in front of their shop, their expressions grim. you could feel the tension radiating off them as you walked closer, the quiet pressing against your chest.
“guys?” you called out, slipping from the driver’s seat and approaching cautiously. “what’s wrong?”
no one answered. the explanation came into view soon enough.
their shop was a disaster. broken glass littered the ground, the walls were defaced with cruel graffiti, and the door hung off its hinges. the words scrawled across the front made your stomach churn: “pogue trash,” “deadbeats,” “just like your daddy.” your breath caught in your throat as you took in the scene, each insult like a punch to the gut.
“what the fuck happened?” you asked, your voice tight with anger and disbelief.
jj ripped his cap off and hurled it to the ground, his face flushed with fury. “those fuckin’ kooks, man,” he spat at no one in particular. “those fuckin’ kooks.”
you stepped closer, your boots crunching against the broken glass as you stared at the hateful words. the damage was extensive—tools missing, shelves overturned, and a pile of broken parts in the corner.
“they didn’t even try to hide it,” you muttered, your voice shaking.
pope sighed heavily beside you. “don’t take it personal,” he said, though his tone suggested he didn’t quite believe his own words. “at least they didn’t touch the cars.”
kie nodded, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. “yeah, thanks for fixing them for us,” she said softly, though her gratitude was muted by the weight of what had happened.
but their words barely registered as you stepped closer to the shop, your hands curling into fists. “who was it?” you asked, though you feared you already knew the answer.
jj scoffed bitterly. “who do you think?” he shot back, his voice dripping with venom. “rafe and his buddies.”
your stomach sank. you’d gone out of your way to help him, to level the playing field, and this was how he repaid you? it wasn’t even about the shop—it was about principle. he had crossed a line.
without another word, you grabbed a broom and started cleaning. the others joined in silently, the air thick with anger and frustration as you worked together to sweep up the glass, scrub off the graffiti, and salvage what you could. every stroke of the brush, every shove of the mop, only fueled your resolve.
by the time you finished, night had fallen, and exhaustion hung heavy in the air. you handed the broom to jj, your jaw set as you turned and made your way back to your car.
“where’re you going?” sarah called after you, her voice laced with concern.
you didn’t answer, you didn’t need to. the sound of the car door slamming shut was your only response as you started the engine and drove off into the night, your mind racing with one thought: rafe cameron was going to answer for this.
the engine hummed beneath you as you sped toward figure eight, the north side of the island, where the kooks played their games and looked down on people like you. your fingers drummed against the steering wheel, a steady rhythm that betrayed the pounding of your heart. the streets were quiet, eerily so, but you scanned every shadowed alley and empty corner, searching for him. or, more specifically, for his stupid skyline.
your knuckles whitened against the steering wheel, tension coiled in your chest. rafe cameron. of course, it had to be him. the golden boy with a mean streak a mile wide, hiding behind wealth and privilege while wreaking havoc for fun.
as you turned onto another desolate road, your eyes caught the glow of a parking lot up ahead. slowing down, you squinted, scanning the lot as you passed by—and there it was. a skyline, much like his, sat tucked in the farthest corner, its polished body gleaming under the fluorescent lights.
“there you are,” you muttered, a sharp edge in your voice as you pulled into the lot.
you drove straight toward the car, parking directly across from it, headlights glaring like a spotlight. the engine idled as you stepped out, leaving the car on as a statement. across the lot, the driver’s side door of the skyline opened, and out stepped rafe. he didn’t look pleased.
“what the fuck are you doing here?” he snapped, his voice dripping with disdain.
you didn’t answer. Instead, you marched toward him, shoving him hard enough to send him stumbling back a step. “have a busy night, kook?” you spat. “steal some parts? trash some shops?”
rafe scoffed, recovering his footing as he stepped closer. his smirk was infuriating, his air of nonchalance calculated. “you’re out of your mind,” he muttered, but when your hand shot up to slap him, he caught it mid-air, his fingers wrapping around your wrist in a grip that made you wince.
“what’re you gonna do? arrest me?” he taunted, his voice low and biting. his grip tightened, making you clench your teeth. “you said you liked it fast, but you’re still not up to speed—this is the way things are here, pogue.”
he let go of your wrist, and you shoved him again, this time harder. his reaction was swift, his hands grabbing the front of your top and yanking you forward, slamming you against the hood of his car.
“let go of me, you son of a bitch,” you growled, struggling against him. but then your gaze locked onto his, and your tone turned razor-sharp. “what’re you gonna do next, rafe? choke me again? hit me? gonna hit me, rafe?”
his jaw clenched, his expression darkening as he stared down at you. he knew you were provoking him, pushing him toward the edge—but the hit never came.
instead, it came in the form of cold metal pressed against your temple, sleek and unyielding. your breath hitched as you realized what it was. a pistol, pulled from his waistband, now trembling slightly in his hand.
“come on, rafe,” you murmured, your voice soft but deadly. “do it, pull the trigger. let me see you do it.”
his hand shook, his grip faltering as his body trembled with barely-contained rage. the air between you was electric, charged with tension and unspoken words. finally, with a roar that made you flinch, he pulled back, stepping away as he spun around and shouted into the night, his voice raw and guttural.
“don’t push me,” he hissed, turning back toward you, his expression twisted with anger and something else—something almost like regret. “you know i’ll hurt you.”
you stayed frozen, stunned as he climbed back into his car and slammed the door. the tension still buzzed in the air as you staggered back to your own car, fury boiling in your veins. you didn’t look at him as you started your engine, but you knew he was watching.
as you pulled your car into reverse, you didn’t stop. you turned, aiming your headlights straight at him, and accelerated, tires screeching as you sped toward him. rafe’s eyes widened, but only for a second before his expression hardened, glazed with anger. you could see him mutter something to himself, though you couldn’t hear it over the roar of the engines.
“come on,” he whispered, his voice almost a growl. “see if you have the fucking balls.”
neither of you slowed. the distance between you closed rapidly, your gazes locked, unflinching, as your cars raced toward each other like bullets. it was a game of chicken, and you weren’t about to lose.
at the last second, rafe was the one to swerve, tires screeching as his skyline drifted to the side, narrowly avoiding impact. your own car skidded in the opposite direction, drifting towards the opposite sode, and for a moment, the lot was silent again, save for the low rumble of idling engines.
“i told you you wouldn’t,” you whispered under your breath, gripping the steering wheel so tightly your knuckles ached.
the gym was barely lit, the overhead lights casting long shadows across the space as rafe paced like a caged animal. the heavy bag swung idly, a testament to the beating he had given it earlier, but his fists weren’t satisfied. his knuckles were raw, bloodied, and split, but the rage in his chest burned hotter, untamed.
kelce leaned against the wall, trying to appear nonchalant, but the tension in his posture gave him away. topper sat on one of the benches, a water bottle in hand, his expression hovering between amusement and concern.
“she got you good, man,” kelce said, trying to lighten the mood. “never seen a girl get you this mad.”
rafe didn’t respond. his chest heaved as he muttered to himself, words too quiet for anyone else to catch. his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his entire body taut with frustration.
“hard to find a girl who knows how to drive,” topper chimed in, a smug grin on his face as he leaned back. “but a hot one? needle in a haystack.”
it was the wrong thing to say. rafe’s roar echoed through the gym, a guttural sound that tore through his throat, making both kelce and topper jump. before they could react, rafe’s fist slammed into the wall with a sickening crack, leaving a jagged dent in the drywall. his knuckles followed suit, blood smearing across the pale surface as he pulled back.
“dude, you need to calm down,” kelce said, stepping forward cautiously, his hands half-raised in a placating gesture. he exchanged a nervous glance with topper, who was now sitting upright, the humor gone from his expression.
but rafe wasn’t hearing any of it. his breathing was erratic, his gaze wild as he turned away, pacing again. he ran a trembling hand through his hair, tugging at the strands as if the pain might distract him from whatever was boiling inside. what was it with her? how could someone so infuriating, so goddamn pogue, crawl under his skin like this? she was everything he despised—defiant, reckless, unpredictable—and yet she was all he could think about. the way she stared him down, the way she challenged him, dared him even, as if she knew just how far to push before he broke.
was it the hatred that fueled him? the way she made his blood rush, his heart race? lr was it something else, something he couldn’t put into words but that kept him coming back, like a moth to a flame?
“i hate her,” he finally hissed, his voice low but venomous. his chest rose and fell rapidly as he turned to face his friends, his knuckles still dripping red. “i fuckin’ hate her.”
the bonfire blazed brightly against the inky night sky, crackling and sending sparks into the air as the party raged around it. the salty tang of the ocean mixed with the scent of burning wood and the faint whiff of spilled beer. laughter, shouting, and the deep bass of a playlist made the beach feel alive, every corner buzzing with energy. people crowded around coolers, passing drinks, leaning against cars, or dancing to the music. shadows flitted across the sand as groups clustered closer to the fire, the light flickering across their faces.
you pulled into the makeshift parking area, your headlights briefly illuminating the crowd before you cut the engine. the hum of the party immediately filled the car, but you stayed seated, your hands still on the steering wheel. the adrenaline from earlier hadn’t worn off, but it had simmered into something heavier, something confusing.
how could someone be so insufferable? how could he manage to boil your blood and make your pulse race all at once? you hated his entitlement, his smirk, his stupid blue eyes that always seemed to hold a challenge. he wasn’t worth the energy, and yet here you were, your grip tightening on the steering wheel as if trying to ground yourself.
“you okay?” jj’s voice broke through your thoughts.
you turned your head slightly to look at him, his blue eyes filled with concern. he noticed the slight tremble in your hands but didn’t push.
“yeah,” you said quietly, forcing a small smile. “yeah, it’s a party. i’m great.”
he didn’t believe you, not entirely, but he nodded anyway. jj knew when to let things go.
stepping out of the car, you were immediately hit with the cacophony of the party. the bonfire cast an orange glow that danced across the sand, illuminating faces both familiar and unfamiliar. the crowd was thick, packed with kooks and pogues alike, though the latter were clearly outnumbered. as you walked toward the fire, someone approached you, his voice loud and filled with enthusiasm.
“camaro!” he shouted, clapping a hand on your shoulder. “too cold for cameron.”
you blinked at him, startled, unsure how to respond. the race had clearly made an impression, and word had spread faster than you could’ve imagined. it was an uncomfortable kind of notoriety, but jj took it in stride.
“the people love you,” he said with a smirk, grabbing two beers from a nearby cooler and handing one to you. “give the people what they want.”
you rolled your eyes, but the truth was clear. everyone was impressed—almost everyone.
rafe was seated by the fire, his legs stretched out lazily, one arm draped over the shoulders of a girl who was chattering away. her friend sat nearby, giggling at whatever she was saying, but rafe didn’t seem to be paying attention. he didn’t even know her name, not that it mattered. just that he was lonely, and she tasted like tequila. his gaze was locked on you. the tension from earlier wasn’t visible in his expression, but there was something in his eyes. his beer bottle hovered near his lips as he stared, his brow furrowing slightly as he took in the sight of you.
you weren’t wearing your usual gear—no grease-stained shorts, no leather boots. Instead, you’d chosen a white dress, short and flowy, paired with white heels. it was simple, but it transformed you, softening your edges in a way rafe hadn’t expected. he should’ve looked away, should’ve focused on the girl clinging to his arm or the drink in his hand. but he couldn’t.
you noticed his stare and felt the weight of it, your stomach twisting uncomfortably. quickly, you lifted the beer jj had given you and took a long swig.
“thirsty, aren’t you?” he teased, raising an eyebrow.
you exhaled sharply, shaking your head. “sober. way too sober.”
the night dragged on, the bonfire crackling loudly as laughter and chatter mixed with the low thrum of music. jj handed you another beer before motioning toward the campfire. “come on, let’s sit,” he said, his tone light, though his eyes lingered on you, searching for any signs of lingering tension.
you sighed but followed, settling into the sand next to him. the heat from the fire washed over you, much unlike the cool breeze that carried the smell of saltwater. you leaned back slightly, the exhaustion of the day weighing heavily on your shoulders. every muscle ached, and all you wanted was the sweet escape of sleep. but sleep wasn’t an option, not here, not now.
you sipped your beer slowly, savoring each drop as it slid down your throat. across the flames, rafe sat, his arm lazily draped over the girl he had come with. he wasn’t looking at her, not really, but when she leaned in to kiss him, his lips met hers in a display that felt more performative than passionate. your gaze dropped instantly, your stomach churning. you prayed no one had noticed your reaction, but the heat crawling up your neck betrayed you.
“camaro,” topper’s voice cut through the din, dragging your attention back to the group.
you turned your head slightly, your body tense as you met his gaze.
“word on the street says you’re racing our man again,” he said, his tone laced with amusement.
jj glanced at you, his confusion evident. “again?” he asked, but you only shrugged, feigning nonchalance as you popped the cap off another beer.
“street doesn’t lie,” you said simply, taking a swig.
kelce and topper exchanged impressed looks, nodding as if to say they approved. but kelce’s smirk widened as you continued, “even when its racers are dirty cheats.”
the air shifted. rafe’s head snapped toward you, his eyebrows raised in challenge. the firelight reflected in his narrowed eyes, adding to the intensity of his glare.
“called street smarts for a reason, isn’t it?” he said, his smirk sharp.
you rolled your eyes, leaning back against the driftwood bench. “let’s see how smart you are without the cops,” you said, your voice steady, though your pulse hammered in your chest.
rafe opened his mouth, clearly ready to retort, but something stopped him. he clenched his jaw, leaning back in his seat with a forced calmness. his breath came in shallow, frustrated huffs as the firelight danced across his features. the tension in the group was uncomfortable, but the silence didn’t last long. you drained your beer, allowing the alcohol to dull the edge of your exhaustion and frustration. the conversations around you resumed, and for the first time all night, you felt yourself beginning to relax.
rafe, however, wasn’t relaxing. his eyes flicked to you every chance they got, watching as your posture softened, as your lips curled into a small smile at something jj said. he watched as jj leaned in, whispering something into your ear, his hand brushing your shoulder. whatever he said made you laugh, a soft, genuine sound that tugged at something deep within rafe. you made him angry. everything you did made him angry.
jj tipped his beer bottle toward you. “we staying here tonight?” he asked, his tone casual.
“yeah,” you replied, pushing yourself to your feet. “let’s just hope they won’t trash this, too.”
your words carried a pointed weight, and you capped them off with a glance in rafe’s direction, your gaze cool and challenging. it was subtle, but he caught it. he always caught it. you disappeared into the tent jj had set up, leaving the campfire and its occupants behind. rafe’s knuckles whitened as he gripped his beer. everything about you, everything you did, made him mad. and he still couldn’t look away.
the tent was suffocating. you’d been lying there for hours, trying desperately to sleep, but it was impossible. exhaustion clung to your body like a second skin, but no matter how much you tossed, turned, or closed your eyes, rest wouldn’t come. your mind was a storm, thoughts swirling violently around one person.
you hated him—every inch of him. the way he carried himself with arrogant confidence, the way his words dripped with disdain, the way he always seemed to have the upper hand. conceited, rude, filthy rich, and far too smug about it. but worst of all? his mouth. it wasn’t just the venom he spat or the smirks that played on his lips; it was the fact, when it came down to putting his money where his mouth was, his mouth went everywhere. you hated it, hated him.
you sighed heavily, leaning back against the soft wall of the tent. your head rested against your pillow, eyes staring blankly at the fabric above you. the muted sounds of the bonfire party carried through the night, distant but persistent. you closed your eyes, exhaling sharply through your nose, but peace still eluded you.
your body stiffened at the sound, the slow, deliberate movement of the tent’s zipper trailing sending a chill down your spine. the tent flaps parted, and he stepped inside. you didn’t react.
“come to kill me?” you asked, your voice flat, devoid of any interest.
he didn’t answer. instead, he moved toward you, his steps slow, purposeful. there was something unnerving about his silence, and it made your stomach twist. your head snapped toward him, your breath catching in your throat.
“rafe,” you said, panic creeping into your voice as you scrambled to your feet. “what are you doing?”
he didn’t respond. you glanced around the small space, frantically searching for something, anything, to defend yourself with, but there was nothing. he noticed.
“defenseless,” he murmured, his voice low, almost mocking.
your heart raced, pounding so loudly in your ears that you thought he could hear it. he stopped in front of you, his broad frame blocking the exit as he loomed over you.
“what do you think is gonna happen next?” he asked, his tone dark and taunting.
you swallowed hard, your palms clammy. “i know this story,” you said, forcing your voice to remain steady. “this is the part where we hurt each other, right? where we give in and see who’ll really win.”
amusement flickered across his face, but it was fleeting, his expression hardening as his gaze pinned you in place.
“that’s an interesting way to end things,” he murmured. “but i like my ending better.”
before you could respond, he closed the distance between you, his lips crashing against yours. the kiss was searing, all teeth and desperation, a clash of emotions too raw to name. hatred morphed into something else entirely as his hands gripped your waist, pulling you closer. your body reacted on instinct, your hands tangling in his hair as you kissed him back, just as hard, just as rough.
even as your lips moved against his, the fight never stopped. tongues battled for dominance, breaths mingling in the heated space between you. it wasn’t gentle, wasn’t tender—it was a war, and neither of you was willing to surrender, but this time? this time, you would lose.
without breaking the kiss, rafe sank to the ground, pulling you into his lap. his hands roamed, gripping your hips, sliding up your back, under your dress, as though he couldn’t get enough of you. he lay back, bringing you down with him, his body pressing into yours as his lips trailed away from your mouth. his kisses moved to your jaw, then down your neck, his teeth grazing your skin.
“i hate you,” you whispered, the words escaping through a breathless moan.
he groaned against your neck, his breath hot and ragged, “i hate you, too.”
there was something about playing with fire that everybody loved, ranging from the kids that would play with their mothers’ stoves despite warned not to, and the adults who lit their cigarettes despite knowing that it could kill them. despite being so different, every one of those people had one thing in common—they knew a thing or two about getting burned. the closer he was to you, the more you thought about it—playing with fire. you knew it’d hurt you at some point, but pain was fleeting, temporary. the warmth was what counted.
“show me,” you gasped as your fingernails clawed at the back of his neck. “show me how much you hate me.”
he took it as a challenge, he took everything you said as a challenge. just like that, his lips were on yours, his nose grazing your cheek. he tasted like beer—bitter, with a hint of something that you knew would keep you coming back for more. his lips were chapped from the alcohol, but still found a way to melt against yours. his fingers were long, rough as they crept up the back of your neck, sending goosebumps down your body before tangling themselves into your hair, pulling softly.
“look at me,” he whispered, and you’d never heard him so quiet. he pulled your hair downward, forcing your eyes to meet his.
your eyes were hazy, clouded with the same sensation that coursed through his veins. he couldnt have missed it, and he didn’t, a low hum vibrating through his chest as he took in the way you looked at him, unsure if he’d ever get to see it again. he kissed you again, his hips grinding down against yours, eliciting the softest whimper from you as his hard length pressed into the soft flesh of your thigh, separated by the fabric of his shorts.
“feel that?” he whispered, continuously rolling his hips against your thigh, pressing into you, making sure you could feel it—all of it. “that’s how mad you make me.”
you let out a sound, something between a laugh and a moan, biting your lip at the feeling of him like that—so hard, so deluded with lust. “who knew i had such an effect on you?”
rafe’s eyes darkened at your words, a wicked smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. his grip on your hair tightened slightly, and his nose brushed against yours as his lips hovered just inches away.
“you’ve got no idea what you do to me,” he murmured, his voice low and gravelly, sending a shiver racing down your spine.
you bit your lip, your body betraying you as you arched against him. his lips were on yours again, and this time it was hungrier, rougher, filled with all the pent-up frustration and hatred that had festered between you for so long. he kissed you like he was trying to devour you, his teeth nipping at your bottom lip before his tongue slipped inside, claiming your mouth as his.
his hands roamed your body, one sliding down to grip your waist while the other stayed tangled in your hair. he pulled you impossibly closer, his hips grinding harder against yours. the friction was intoxicating, drawing a soft, breathless moan from your lips that only spurred him on.
“say it again,” he demanded, his lips moving against your neck now, his teeth grazing your sensitive skin.
“say what?” you breathed, your head tilting back as his tongue traced the column of your throat.
“tell me how much you hate me,” he growled, his fingers digging into your waist as he pressed his hips firmly against you.
you let out a shaky laugh, your hands clutching at his shoulders. “i hate you,” you whispered, though your voice lacked conviction, trembling with desire.
he pulled back just enough to meet your gaze, his blue eyes blazing with intensity. “liar,” he murmured, his lips curling into a smirk before capturing yours again.
you fought for dominance, your nails scraping down his back through the thin fabric of his shirt. he hissed at the sensation, his hips bucking against you in response.
“careful,” he warned, his voice husky as he nipped at your jaw. “you’re playing with fire.”
“maybe i like the burn,” you shot back, your voice dripping with defiance.
he chuckled darkly, his breath hot against your skin as his lips trailed down your collarbone. “you don’t know what you’re asking for,” he said, his tone both teasing and threatening.
“then show me,” you challenged, your hands gripping the hem of his shirt and tugging it upward.
he pulled it off in one swift motion, tossing it aside before leaning back over you, his bare chest pressing against yours. his hands roamed freely now, exploring every inch of your body as his mouth claimed yours once again.
“you make me crazy,” he muttered against your lips, his voice filled with raw, unfiltered need. “i can’t think straight when i’m around you.”
“good,” you whispered, your fingers threading through his hair and tugging hard enough to draw a low groan from his throat. “i don’t want you thinking straight.”
you ran your fingers down his chest, unable to stop yourself from admiring just how strong he was, how broad he was. he was so lean, tan, with broad shoulders and big arms that he kept hidden. you bit your lip, keeping yourself from being too brazen, too nice—saying something you knew youd come to regret when the time came.
his touch was gentle, feather-like as his fingers slid your dress down, his eyes never leaving your frame as he did so. he tugged it down your chest, down your hips, until it was completely off. he groaned at the sight—the sight going straight to his shorts. you were beautiful, though he’d never say it out loud. with your white bra, your white panties—you looked like an angel.
“fuck,” was all that he managed to utter, staring down at you the way a predator would eye its prey.
“yeah,” you murmured, propping yourself against your elbows. he watched the way your plush thighs rubbed against one another, legs shuffling softly as you brought a foot up to his chest, sliding it down his chest until it was right where he wanted it. he took your foot in his hand, pressing it into the center of his clothed cock, making sure you could feel just how bad he had it for you.
his eyes stayed on you as you reached back, unclasping your bra and letting it fall to the floor. your tits fell out, sliding out of the comfort of their fabric as rafe tensed up. he leaned forward, bringing an arm around your back as his lips wrapped around one of your hardening buds. cradling his head against your tits, you threw your head back and mewled at his ministrations. he lavished equal attention on each breast, his darkening eyes darting up to take in your face every so often.
you bit back a whimper as your hands travelled up his neck, scratching where you could, leaving red lines he knew would be hard to explain later on. his lips and tongue worked together, travelling down your stomach, past your navel, his hot breath littering goosebumps across your flesh. he grunted, he could practically smell your desire, just inches away from him.
his fingers hooked themselves under the sides of your panties as he looked up at you. you had to bite your tongue, because he's never looked better. his eyes were glossy, drool dripping from his bottom lip as he stared at you from between your legs. and then, he pulled. he pulled until your panties were off, discarded somewhere, anywhere.
rafe only took a second to get a look at you, but it felt like eternity. he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as his fingers trailed down your sopping cunt, over the surface, but never where you needed him to. “rafe,” you sighed with an impatient frown.
“i know, baby,” he murmured, “i know.”
you didn’t get the chance to respond as one of his long, slender fingers slithered into you, curling just right where you needed it, pumping in and out at a slow pace. the cool metal of the ring on his finger grazed your clit each time. you gasped, your hand gripping his shoulder, nails pressing crescent moons into his taught skin. he repeated the motion, suppressing a groan before adding a second finger, much to your delight. his knuckles woulded against you as his fingers bottomed out, the digits sliding out completely, before diving all the way in again. his thumb hovered over your clit, but never made the small reach to press it the way you wanted.
you cried softly, hips moving against his fingers in the same up and down motion as earlier, “rafe, come on.”
“not yet,” he whispered, “not until you surrender, until you beg.”
you shook your head no, head tilting back with your eyes closed.
“bet you beg so pretty,” he murmured as his thumb flicked ever so lightly over your clit, “tell me what you want.”
you had to weigh your options carefully, precisely. you could save what little dignity you had left, and keep you mouth shut, even if it meant losing him—losing the nirvana that was waiting for you. it seemed impossible, especially compared to what you could have, what he could give you. he was so good, so good—and he was gonna show you just how good he was.
“please,” you barely managed to utter. “please, rafe, need you to fuck me.”
it was all he wanted to hear. “that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he murmured, a condescending edge to his tone as he pulled his fingers, coated in your juices, out completely. “take ’em off for me, baby, come on.”
you nodded as you allowed your fingers to slip below the waistband of his boxers, tugging them down as anticipation coursed through your body. his cock sprang free, slapping against his stomach. he was so much bigger than you could’ve guessed, your breath catching in your throat at the sight of his length, his girth. you wrapped a curious, hesitant hand around his dick, before pumping as best as you could. rafe groaned, head tilted back as he bucked up into your hand. he couldn’t get enough of the sight of you, small and defenseless, with a hand around his dick, tracing his pulsing veins with your fingers.
“gonna let me ruin you?” he whispered, his cock aching against your soft fingers. “if you can handle it. can you handle it, baby?”
you nodded, hating how powerless you had really become, as if he had you under some sort of spell. you let go of his cock before lying back down. you watched the way rafe grabbed a hold of his cock, spreading your thighs as he positioned himself with a grunt. you could feel the head of his cock sliding between your folds, lightly teasing against your clit as a moan passed your lips.
“let me hear it again,” he murmured, eliciting another moan from you as his cock brushed against your clit a second time.
“please,” you needed to give in—just this once, “please, fuck me, rafe.”
with that, rafe thrusts his cock forward, and a victorious smile warping his features as he pushed past your wet folds. your walls stretched to their limit, unable to stop the grimace of pain the more of him you took in. you let out a moan as your eyes rolled back, your tight cunt adjusting to his sheer size.
“that’s it, baby. takin’ it so good,” rafe praised through a groan, holding onto your hips and pushing until your clit clashed with base of his cock.
you felt so filled, so dominated, so alive. your nails dug into the sheets, your body writhing beneath him as he began to pump in and out of you. each stroke was brutal, his length stretching your weeping pussy and claiming you in a way that no one else had ever done. your eyes remained closed, focusing on the pleasure-pain as your body fought against the intrusion before succumbing to the delicious feeling of his rhythmic pounding.
the tent grew hazy with the scent of sex and sweat, your breaths coming out in pants and whimpers as he picked up speed. his teeth grazed the side of your neck, making you shiver with every thrust. his tongue flicked against the sensitive skin, tasting your sweetness as he claimed you, making you his. you couldn't help but arch your back, pushing your breasts up, begging for his mouth.
he took the hint, his teeth sinking into the soft flesh of your neck, not hard enough to leave a mark but enough to make you gasp. he sucked, hard, leaving a bruise that would surely be visible in the morning. his hand moved to play with your clit, the pad of his thumb pressing down and swirling around in a way that made your toes curl and your back arch even more.
the pleasure was building, a wave threatening to crash over you at any time. rafe’s eyes were on yours, watching your pupils dilate and your mouth form silent pleas for more. he smirked, his teeth still digging into your neck, feeling your pulse throb under his teeth. he knew you were close, knew he had you right where he wanted you.
with one final, powerful thrust, he swiped his thumb over your clit one more time, and you shattered around him. your orgasm washed over you in waves, making your body spasm and your legs tighten around his waist. you moaned his name, your nails digging into his back as your pussy clenched around his cock, milking him for all he was worth.
rafe’s eyes rolled back in his head, his own release barreling towards him like a freight train. he pulled his mouth away from your neck with a wet pop, his teeth marks clear on your skin. “gonna cum, baby,” he grunted, his voice strained with effort.
you nodded, your own orgasm still coursing through you as he drove into you one last time, burying his cock to the hilt. he groaned as he came, filling you up with hot, thick ropes of cum, from the inside to your clit.
when it was over, he collapsed on top of you, his weight pressing you into the mattress as you both panted for air. his cock still twitched inside you, releasing the last of his load, making you feel so completely owned. it was a feeling you never knew existed, but one you were now craving with every fiber of your being. he kissed you then, hard and possessive, his tongue claiming your mouth as thoroughly as his cock had claimed your cunt. you could taste the saltiness of your sweat on his lips, feel the stickiness between your legs. it was raw, it was carnal
the first thing you noticed was the warmth. it enveloped you like a heavy blanket, your body pressed against something solid and unyielding. your eyes fluttered open, the dim light of dawn filtering through the thin fabric of the tent, and your heart stopped. rafe was sprawled on top of you, his arm draped possessively around your waist, his face buried in the crook of your neck.
the events of the night before came rushing back in flashes: the kisses, the heated whispers, the way his hands felt on your skin, the way he made you forget every ounce of hatred you harbored for him, if only for a moment.
you felt the cool morning air against your bare skin, the absence of fabric a cruel reminder of just how far things had gone. panic set in as you slowly, carefully shifted beneath him, trying not to disturb his steady breathing. you reached for your dress, crumpled on the floor of the tent, and slipped it on as quietly as you could manage. your hands trembled, the fabric catching on your damp skin as you smoothed it over your body.
you paused, your eyes flickering back to him. rafe was still fast asleep, his features softened in a way you’d never seen before. he looked peaceful, almost innocent, but it only made the bile rise in your throat. what the hell had you done?
your thoughts spiraled as you crept out of the tent, each step feeling like a betrayal of yourself. what would your dad say? the man who taught you to stand your ground, to never let anyone—especially someone like rafe—get the better of you? and your friends? jj? god, jj.
you barely made it a few steps before jj’s voice startled you. “what happened?”
he was standing near the campfire, his hair disheveled, a beer bottle still clutched in his hand. his blue eyes bore into you, concern etched across his face.
“nothing,” you muttered, your voice hollow as you brushed past him.
“don’t give me that,” he said, following you as you made a beeline for your car. “you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
you ignored him, fumbling with your keys as you slid into the driver’s seat. he climbed into the passenger side, his confusion mounting as you started the engine.
“you gonna tell me what’s going on?” he pressed, his tone sharper now.
you gripped the steering wheel tightly, your knuckles turning white as you navigated the dirt road away from the campsite. the weight of what you’d done settled heavily on your chest, making it hard to breathe. then it hit you. you were racing rafe tonight.
your stomach dropped as the realization clawed its way through you. he’d done this on purpose. seduced you, distracted you, gotten into your head—all to throw you off your game. the anger came next, hot and unrelenting, burning away the shame and replacing it with a seething fury. how could you have been so stupid? so careless? you’d let him win, not just last night, but the entire war you’d been waging against him.
“jesus christ,” you whispered under your breath, your grip on the wheel tightening as jj looked at you, more confused than ever.
“what?” he asked, leaning forward to study your face. “what’s going on?”
you didn’t answer, your thoughts a chaotic mess as you sped down the road. tonight wasn’t just about the race anymore. it was about getting your revenge.
the rest of the day felt like a blur of heavy, suffocating silence. you spent most of it sitting in your car, parked in an isolated corner of nowhere, just staring into oblivion. the world outside seemed distant, a place that didn’t matter, didn’t exist for you. thoughts swirled in your mind like a storm you couldn’t escape, each one more troubling than the last. what had you done? what was going to happen now?
you couldn’t bring yourself to cry. not yet. not until you could at least get through tonight, at least finish what you had started. you still had a fighting chance against rafe, didn’t you? the race was everything now. it was the one thing left that you could control, the one thing that would keep him from completely getting under your skin.
jj had asked you what was wrong earlier when you barely spoke to anyone. sarah had asked him too, her voice laced with concern, but he didn’t have any answers. nobody did. you barely had any answers yourself.
the hours passed in a haze, and before you knew it, it was time for the race. the drive to the meeting was dreadfully silent. the engine roared beneath you, but it did nothing to drown out the buzzing in your head. every thought was a needle, and each one pricked at you until you were wound too tight to even think straight. every so often, you'd mutter to yourself, trying to reassure yourself that you were still in control, that you could still handle this. but it wasn’t working. frustration built in you like a pressure cooker, and every so often, your fist collided with the steering wheel in sharp bursts of anger.
jj, who had been quiet the entire drive, kept stealing glances at you, but he didn’t ask any questions. he didn’t need to. you didn’t know how to answer him anyway.
the race was worse. even though the cheers of the crowd should’ve fueled you, you felt nothing but dread, a deep, gnawing sickness in your stomach. you could hear your name being shouted, the excitement of the crowd, but it all felt so distant. when you saw rafe’s face in the crowd, that sickening feeling only intensified. he was there, watching you, his eyes locked onto yours with something that twisted your insides.
and then there was her. the girl rafe had been with the night before. you hadn’t missed her, standing there in the crowd, glaring at you with an expression that made your blood boil. her eyes were cold, calculating, and when she met your gaze, she didn’t flinch.
“take it easy on him tonight,” she said, her voice sweet but laced with venom.
the words crawled under your skin. it was too much. you were already so close to the edge, and that was the final push you needed. before you knew what you were doing, your fist was swinging through the air and colliding with the underside of her jaw. she gasped as she stumbled backward, the crowd around you gasping as well.
for a moment, everything was silent, and you took a step forward, ready to finish what you’d started. but before you could, jj was there, his strong arms pulling you back with surprising force. he didn’t even give you the chance to go for her again.
“easy, easy,” he said, his voice low and urgent as he kept his grip on you. you could feel the heat of his hands on your arms, his breath against the back of your neck. he was trying to calm you down, trying to get you to focus, but it wasn’t working. the only thing you could focus on was the feeling of rafe’s eyes on you, watching everything unfold with a look you hadn’t seen before. sympathy? pity? it almost made you want to puke. you quickly looked away, not wanting to let him have the satisfaction of seeing you crumble.
“look,” jj said, his voice softening, his tone more serious now. “i don’t know what’s going on with you, but whatever it is, you need to pull it together, okay? we’ve got five grand riding on this. you need to calm down.”
his words hit harder than you expected. five grand. that was all that mattered now, wasn’t it? you couldn’t let everything else get in the way. you nodded, your throat tight. you could feel your eyes threatening to well up, but you forced them to stay dry. you couldn’t break now. not yet. not with everything on the line.
the roar of the crowd still lingered in the air as you took your place at the starting line. your hands gripped the steering wheel, the leather cold beneath your fingers, but the heat from the race, from the tension building in your chest, quickly overpowered everything else. you kept your eyes forward, staring at the road, refusing to let your mind wander to anything else. not to the pit in your stomach, not to the fact that rafe’s car was right next to yours, not to the way you could feel his presence from the corner of your eye.
out of the corner of your vision, you caught him tapping on the window, the sound almost too soft against the chaos of the crowd. his eyes were no longer dark, no longer intense with that gleam of challenge. they were something else, something softer, but you refused to look at him. you wouldn’t. you kept your gaze on the road, your pulse racing, the air thick with the impending start of the race.
the countdown began, and with it, your heartbeat seemed to match the ticking clock until they went off. when they did, they came to life, and the world around you exploded into sound and movement. tires screeched as cars shot forward, speeding down the street, their engines roaring like wild beasts. the world blurred into a haze of color and sound, the air whipping past you, the car humming beneath you, and the rubber of the tires grinding into the asphalt as you pushed forward, faster, faster.
every turn, every maneuver felt like a calculated risk, your body swerving with the weight of the car, the grip of the tires, the thrill of the chase. the engine purred beneath you, urging you to push harder, to find the edge that would leave everyone else behind.
but your mind couldn’t help but flicker to rafe, his car beside yours, his presence there like a shadow, reminding you that something was there. you could feel him pushing, feel his need to win, just as much as you needed it. the sounds of the race around you—the screeching of tires, the hum of engines, the roars of the crowd—faded into the background. all that mattered was the road ahead.
but then, something happened. the way rafe’s car surged forward, the way his engine roared louder, faster, harder—it didn’t feel right. the energy shifted. You saw him from the corner of your eye, pushing his car up a steeper incline, his hands tightening around the wheel, his expression hidden behind the visor. it was the moment when you knew he was going too fast, too reckless. and then, you saw it—the press of the button, the one that activated the tank. the flash of light as it ignited.
you knew exactly what he was doing, and the thought hit you like a freight train. he was pushing it too far.
time seemed to stretch as the car lurched forward, the impact of the tank too much for his control. his car surged into the incline, the tires screeching, the engine roaring in a desperate cry. it was too much. the back end of his car fishtailed, and then, with a terrifying screech of metal against pavement, it veered off course.
your heart skipped a beat as you watched, the crash happening in slow motion. his car slammed into the barrier, the impact deafening as it crumpled like paper, and for a split second, all you could hear was the grinding of metal and the screeching of tires. the crowd’s roar became a distant hum, and your world narrowed down to the wreckage of rafe’s car.
your foot slammed on the brake, and the car skidded to a halt, the tires screaming in protest. you sat there, frozen, the weight of the decision pressing down on you. you could keep going. you could race to the finish line, claim the victory. you’d already beaten him in every other way. but your stomach twisted at the thought. you couldn’t leave him like this.
you were out of the car before you even realized it, your legs moving without thought, the adrenaline still coursing through your veins. you ran toward the wreckage, ignoring the shouts of the crowd, the chaos around you. when you reached his car, your heart dropped into your stomach. the car was mangled, unrecognizable, the front crumpled and twisted. smoke poured from the hood, and you could barely see anything through the shattered glass.
he was unconscious, his head lolling to the side. his breathing was shallow, labored, but there. it was enough to make you breathe, though the sight of him—bloody, broken—sent a wave of nausea through your chest. you knelt by his side, your hands trembling as you reached for him, your heart hammering in your chest. the familiar coldness of his hand in yours sent a shock through you. his fingers were stiff, and you could feel the weight of his body, his pulse weak beneath your touch.
“rafe,” you whispered, panic creeping into your voice as you shook his shoulder. no response. “rafe, stay with me.”
you didn’t know what to do, how to fix this. you wanted to scream, to curse, to shake him awake, but all you could do was hold his hand and wait.
“help!” you screamed, your voice breaking through the chaos as you turned toward the crowd, looking for anyone who could help. “get the paramedics! now!”
every second felt like an eternity. time seemed to stand still as you knelt there, your fingers clutching his hand tightly, waiting for someone to come. his breathing was still shallow, but he was alive, and that was the only thing you could hold onto. you could barely think through the panic, through the raw, ugly emotion that twisted in your chest. you hadn’t meant for this to happen. you hadn’t meant for it to go this far. but now, all you could do was wait. wait for the paramedics. wait for the help that you knew was coming, but it felt so far away.
the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, a reminder of the countless times you’d been in a hospital, yet never this way. the last time you had been here, you’d watched your father slip away, his final breath taken in the cold, quiet halls of this place. it felt almost uncanny now, sitting next to rafe, your heart hammering in your chest, as you waited for something—anything—that told you he was going to be okay. the memories of your father’s final days pressed heavily against you, making the sterile whiteness of the room feel suffocating.
you sat in the chair next to his bed, gripping your hands tightly in your lap, your fingers aching from the tension. the beeping of the heart monitor was the only sound in the room, a rhythmic pulse that felt too fragile, too tenuous. you kept your eyes trained on the floor, refusing to meet his face. the fear of seeing him in that state—broken, vulnerable—was too much. your mind raced, torn between the reality of the situation and the weight of everything you had just witnessed. and yet, despite all that, you couldn’t shake the feeling that you needed to do something. anything.
then, something shifted. at first, it was so subtle you thought you imagined it. a slight twitch of his hand, the soft rise and fall of his chest. your heart skipped a beat. you leaned forward, unsure if you were imagining the movement, until you saw it again. a small, faint movement.
“what happened?” his words were slurred, barely more than a breath, but they were enough to make your heart tighten.
“you crashed,” you said, my throat thick with emotion. “you pushed too hard. you used the tank too early, rafe. you lost control of the car.”
“you came back for me?” his voice was small, vulnerable, almost childlike in its simplicity.
you nodded, your hand instinctively reaching for his, fingers shaking as you gripped his palm. “someone had to,” you whispered, trying to swallow the lump in your throat.
your voice cracked as you spoke, the weight of the situation bearing down on you like a heavy storm cloud. his eyes shifted away from yours, gazing out the window, but there was something in his expression that you couldn’t ignore. the emptiness in the room, the absence of anyone else who cared enough to be there, was impossible to miss. no one had come for him, not even his family. it was just you. just you, sitting there, holding his hand, praying for him to wake up.
“you’re not the villain they think you are, rafe,” you said, your voice quiet but firm. “you’re just hurt. you wanted to make your dad proud, didn’t you? you wanted to win for him because you think no one else could be proud of you. but you’re wrong. you act out because you’re scared, rafe. you won’t open up, because you’re scared.”
he turned his head slowly, meeting your gaze again. for the first time since you’d met him, you saw something in his eyes that wasn’t anger or arrogance. it was vulnerability. it was fear. and something else. something softer.
“you win, rafe,” you whispered, your voice cracking as you choked on the words. “if it means anything to you, you win.”
a tear, just one, slid down his cheek. he never cried. not in front of anyone, not in all the time you’d known him. but there it was, a single tear that betrayed everything he had tried so hard to keep hidden.
“i love you,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, but the weight of it hit you like a punch to the gut.
his hand was shaky as he placed it over yours, his fingers brushing against your skin with an almost desperate tenderness.
“i’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “for everything. i can’t deal with any of this. i’m not strong enough to deal with anything, no matter how awful i act.”
you shook your head, your chest tightening at his words. “don’t act,” you whispered, squeezing his fingers. “you could’ve lost your life tonight, rafe. and then what?”
his eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened again, there was a small, hesitant smile on his lips. “you could never lose me,” he said, his voice quiet but certain. “you know how i know?”
you shook your head, not understanding, but you didn’t press him. you simply waited, your heart heavy in your chest, as he gave my hand another squeeze.
“because you never lose.”
⋆. 𐙚 ˚
a/n: ok guys be skibidi plz bc i had to shorten the ending thanks to tumblrs limit that i didnt even know existed
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cookiescribble · 3 months ago
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Flufftober Day 13: Attic, Cellar, Hidden Rooms
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A/N: I took a bit of creative liberties here and decided that the batcave is close enough to a cellar and/or hidden room and the clocktower is close enough to an attic 😅 - mod angel
Pairing: Jason Todd x GN!Reader
Summary: You’re helping Oracle with patrol watch until you need to comfort a mildly injured vigilante.
~~~
You never thought you’d be able to see vigilantes in action like this. But, considering you were already aware of everyone’s identities at this point, and with how close you had become with everyone, you were invited to help watch over everyone on patrol. 
Barbara had invited you to the clocktower one day, saying she could use an extra pair of eyes while everyone was out on patrol. Really, she probably just overheard you say how much you wished you could see everyone in action. 
The first thing you noticed when you entered the room was all the monitors. Various tracking maps, security cameras, databases… all on huge screens that towered over you. 
“Whoa…” you breathed, awestruck. 
Barbara turned her head towards you, smiling. “Welcome to my utopia,” she announced with a flourish of her hands. 
You walked over to her desk, really getting a feel for all the technology in the room. You ran your fingers over the table, feeling the smooth wood under your skin. All that was on the desk was a keyboard. There was no need for paper with all those monitors, you guessed. 
“Impressive,” you muttered, transfixed by watching all the movement on the screens. “What happens if the power goes out?”
“Very powerful generators,” she replied, gesturing to one that was sitting under the desk. “We have quite the budget.”
“Right,” you laughed lightly, crouching down next to the desk. “So, what am I looking at?”
She started pointing out each part of the monitors: the locations, which of the moving dots corresponded to which person, the cases that were currently being worked on…
“Oracle,” you suddenly heard a familiar voice coming from Barbara’s comm link. “I need sights on a group of robbers near Gotham National Bank. I’m in pursuit, trying to keep myself out of their sight, and I need to know where I can cut them off.”
“I’ll get right on that, Hood,” she replied, sounding very professional as she started clacking away at her keyboard. 
“Hood?” You asked her quietly, looking at the dot on the map she said was Jason moving very quickly away from the bank. She nodded without breaking her concentration. 
Almost without thinking, you started shouting, “Hi Ja-“ you cut yourself off, suddenly remembering the circumstances you were in when Barbara gave you a stern look. “Hi Red Hood!” You shouted, fixing yourself. 
“Huh?” You heard him reply, confused. “Is that- AH!” 
Suddenly, you heard a loud crash! and saw the dot on the map stop abruptly. You widened your eyes and covered your mouth in shock.
“… Hood?” Barbara asked as you looked at each other, her eyebrows raised. 
“Shit,” he groaned, and you could hear the clanking of metal from around him. “Uh… yeah, I don’t think I’m catching those robbers,” he sighed. “Is anyone else around? I’m going back to the Batcave.”
There was various chatter over the comms, from what you could hear over Barbara’s laughing, before one of the other dots on the map started moving towards where Jason was. 
“You wanna go meet him there?” Barbara asked, covering her comm for a second. 
“Do I wanna…?” You repeated quietly, your eyes widening. “Uhh, am I allowed in the Batcave?”
She shrugged. “Batman’s not there. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” She started clacking on her keyboard again. “I can give you access. I trust you.”
“O… okay…” you muttered, standing up. “I guess I’ll just… go there, then…” You never thought you’d be allowed in the Batcave. It was kind of exciting. 
You followed the directions Barbara gave you, eventually going through some secret tunnels and emerging in a huge, yet oddly well-kept cave. Computers, training equipment, and various vehicles were in their designated places. The place was basically devoid of people, except for…
“Fuck,” you heard a familiar groan, making you stifle a laugh. His steps echoed throughout the quiet cave, sounding like they were coming closer to you. 
You popped out of where you had been standing behind a car, making Jason drop his helmet. That made you really start laughing. 
“Jesus, why are you surprising me so much today?” He asked as you moved closer to him. He looked like he was holding back a smile. “Are you even allowed to be here?”
You shrugged, tucking yourself into his side. “Oracle let me in.”
“Of course she did,” he replied, wrapping his arm around your waist. “Nothing is sacred to that girl.”
As you got a better look at his face, you frowned. Bruises were starting to form on his cheek. “What happened, by the way?” You asked, pointing to them. 
He grit his teeth, looking at you pointedly. “I was chasing people when someone distracted me, and I…” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head. “I ran into a bunch of trash cans.”
You covered your mouth, trying not to laugh hysterically, but absolutely failing.
“Hey, don’t laugh,” he rolled his eyes, a slight grin on his face. “It’s your fault.”
“Yeah, yeah,” you shook your head, gently tracing the bruises. “It’s alright, I can make it better.” You stood up on your tiptoes to press a little kiss to his cheek. 
He scoffed, looking like he was blushing a bit as he looked away from you. “I’m not five, that’s not going to work.” He ruffled your hair, making you giggle. “I’ll be fine, no major damage. I’ve been through a lot worse,” he sneered. 
You rolled your eyes. “Not everything has to be about your death,” you poked him in the side, making him laugh. “C’mon, let’s go see Alfred for some first aid.”
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marvelfilth · 1 year ago
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The Witches Trap
Part 2
Pairing: dark!Wanda Maximoff x f!reader
Warnings: ghosts, description of death, paranormal activity, gore, blood, a bit of horror ig, typical ghost hunting stuff, nothing too scary tho
Words: 5.5k
Summary: you go ghost hunting with Peter, Yelena and Kate. What could go wrong?
A/n: first time trying out some spooky stuff, so bear with me. Heavily inspired by Sam and Coby on YT.
Masterlist
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The way Yelena drives is far from smooth and sound, but she vehemently refuses to let Peter behind the wheel, so here you are, yelping and griping the sides of the driver's seat headrest like your life depends on it. You hiss when your head meets the roof, and Kate sends you another toothy smile from the front seat, her eyes flickering to look at Yelena every few minutes. You look to your right to check on Peter, but he is busy fumbling with equipment, his camera carefully stored away in a bag as he keeps checking the microphone.
You sigh and relax against the seat when the road finally smoothes out, and think about why you even agreed to this. Peter asked you to tag along for a new video for his YouTube channel, and by asked you mean begged you with his best puppy eyes and a bag of goodies in his hands. Apparently, if you agreed to go, Kate will go too. And if Kate goes, he won't even have to ask Yelena.
He was right.
So now the four of you are on the way to one of the most haunted places of America - Westview hotel.
"Are you sure this is the right way?" Yelena asks, turning her head left and right.
"Yes," Peter answers, glancing up for a second.
"Honestly, this is too creepy already," Kate mumbles, her eyes locked on the numerous dolls pinned to the trees surrounding the road.
"The owner probably made someone do that. No way they had this type of dolls back in the eighteenth century." You try to reassure Kate as much as yourself.
"Actually, the first doll like that was made-" Peter finally looks up with an excited glint in his eyes, and you immediately press your palm against his mouth, "No. I don't need to know that."
"Ha! Little Y/n is scared," Yelena laughs, but her laughter is cut short when a twig hits the side window, making her shriek like a maniac.
"This never happened," she grumbles when the laughter finally dies out.
Relaxing against the seat you try to remember everything Peter told you about this hotel.
It got notoriously famous in the late eighties, when a high schooler got possessed by a demon and later died in a psych ward. The room the girl stayed in was closed off for twenty years after that. You wonder if Peter managed to book it.
Another thing you remember is numerous sightings of a dark, cloaked figure appearing in most random places, whether it's a supply closet or a presidential suite. It always managed to scare the shit out of anyone who was unfortunate enough to catch its interest. You shudder at the mere thought of encountering that particular entity.
"We're here," Yelena cuts off the ignition, and leans against the wheel to take a look at the building.
Your breath catches in your throat the second your eyes land on the magnificent hotel. At seven stories high it stands proudly on a hill, overlooking the vast grounds. The facade is noticeably worn, but no less majestic - a blend of dark wood and stone, a balcony stretching along its entire length. A dark figure on the corner of the rooftop makes you squint, and you gasp when you realize it's a gargoyle, albeit a very rickety one. You make a note to yourself not to walk under it.
Yelena ushers you along, shuddering as she notices the stone figures. “The air here is kinda thick,” she mutters.
You nod, feeling your chest tighten. She's right - the air grows heavier with each step you take. You hope the hotel itself is ventilated enough.
When you finally step inside you take a deep breath, looking around the foyer and spotting who you presume is the owner.
"Welcome to Westview Hotel! My name's Agatha, I'm the owner of this happy little place and your guide for today. Hope you have the worst time of your life here!" Her voice is too cheerful for the late hours, and you cringe at the full on villainous laugh she lets out.
Peter goes to speak with the woman while the rest of you look around. Yelena plops on the loveseat, her backpack thrown on the carpeted floor near her feet, and Kate just stands beside you with her mouth hanging open - you're sure you're wearing a similar expression.
While the outside of the hotel looked somewhat old and weathered, the inside completely blows you away with its beauty. It's elegant, if a bit eerie, with a grand chandelier and high arches that make the space feel even bigger.
You frown, sensing someone's eyes on you, and notice Peter glancing in your direction every so often. You send him a questioning look, but he only shakes his head, his lips pressed together and his cheeks puffed.
"Do you think he's going to sacrifice one of us to that witch? Scarlet Witch, right?" Yelena muses.
"Yeah, but I don't think you're her type." Kate winks at the blonde.
You snicker at her annoyed expression, and stumble back, accidentally bumping into someone. You turn around, an apology on your tongue, only to choke on your words when you are met with an empty lobby.
Your friends stare at you quizzically, but Agatha seems to be lost in thought, her eyes trained on the space right above your shoulder, then she slightly shakes her head, her lips pressed in a tight line.
"Sorry. I thought I bumped into someone…" You trail off, your back burning, an eerie feeling settling in your stomach.
"Sure thing, buttercup." Agatha winks at you, her mood changed back to normal in an instant.
You shudder, looking back at your friends. Yelena whispers something in Kate's ear that causes the younger one to chuckle, and Peter has his camera pointed at you.
"We already got some paranoid activity ten minutes into the night," he blabbers behind the camera, motioning for you to explain what happened.
"Um... It felt like I bumped into someone?" Talking to a camera is weird, but you manage to explain what you felt. "... I think it was nothing though, just my nerves acting up." You force a chuckle, your eyes moving to meet Agatha's stare.
She moves closer to be in the frame, and tells everyone about how much the Scarlet Witch loves to mess with younger women, her favorite pastime in this hotel seems to be entertaining the ladies. However, her idea of entertainment slightly differs from yours, and you gulp when Agatha mentions her choking sleeping guests and locking them in elevators.
"This is going to be incredible, guys," Peter says to the camera, his excitement too contagious for you to worry about your safety.
×××
The next two hours are spent walking behind Agatha and listening to her stories about various tragic deaths that occured in this hotel over the past hundreds of years. She stops every ten minutes or so in front of different rooms, each story worse than the previous one, and you shudder when she tells you a story of a woman buried alive in one of the walls, Agatha's hand casually resting on said wall.
She is telling you another story about a guy that danced on a ledge to impress a girl and fell on one of the spikes in the lobby, when you suddenly feel a tug in your chest. You stop, checking to see if anyone else felt that. Kate is staring at the ledge with her mouth wide open, Peter's busy filming Agatha and butting in with commentary (much to Agatha's displeasure), and Yelena grips Kate's hand so hard, you are sure she couldn't possibly see anything other than the wall in front of her.
You exhale and look around, trying to spot anything interesting, even though you've been looking at the same set of stairs for the past ten minutes. Strangely enough, you notice a door that surely wasn't there before, because you would've noticed it right away if it was.
While every part of this hotel was renovated, this door looks like it belongs in the past, with heavy iron hinges and a weird looking handle. There are no signs on the door, nor any numbers or words, and when something tugs on your hand, you follow the feeling.
You walk almost in haze, your friends' voices blurred in the background, unfamiliar warmth surrounding you, your chest lighter than it ever was and your mind in a euphoric state. You turn the knob and it gives in, the door rattling loudly as you tug it open, but before you could even glimpse inside, a hand slaps harshly on the wood, the door closing with a loud creak.
You blink owlishly, warmth gone and your head suddenly clear, as you take in Agatha's furious expression.
"It says 'Employees only'," she hisses through gritted teeth, and you step away from the woman.
"No, it doesn't, there's noth-" you choke on your words when you look back at the door, because now it looks like every other door in the room, 'Employees only' written in bold.
You look back at Agatha and apologize, but it seems like she doesn't hear you, her brows furrowed and her eyes flickering between you and the door.
"Okay that's hella creepy," Kate breaks the silence, her unoccupied hand digging in a pocket of her jeans to present a cross. "God will protect us." She puts it around her neck, and nods to herself.
"You don't even believe in God." Yelena jams her in the ribs, not letting go of the brunette's hand.
"You really should," Agatha casually advises, tugging at your elbow to move you further away from the door, "follow me, I'm going to tell you the story of the Scarlet Witch."
You cast one last look at the door and follow her down the hall to the very last room, something warm pressing at the low of your back to lead you. Shuddering at the feeling, you wonder why it is only you who feels something weird. Kate keeps sending you worried looks, but, other than that, she seems okay with Yelena's hand pressed firmly into her side. Peter isn't fazed at all, excitingly recording everything in sight.
Exhaling, you try to relax. If something here wants to harm you it wouldn't use such a gentle approach.
Or maybe it's just luring you in.
When you finally stop in front of room number 208 you feel a poke in your ribs, Yelena nods her head for you to look at Agatha, and you confusedly look up. Apparently, she wants you to open the door. Gulping, you move forward, your hand reaching on its own accord. You turn the doorknob with some hesitation, your hand trembling slightly. When you're met with a sight of a regular hotel room, you let out a quiet breath.
The walls are painted an unassuming beige, with green and brown accents, the earth tones bringing a feeling of calm. The four poster bed is pushed against the farthest wall, with nightstands on either side, and you could already imagine how soft it would feel to sleep in it. But the only thing that truly gets your attention is a floor to ceiling window and a french door, which hopefully leads to a balcony you spotted from the outside.
Agatha walks past you into the room, resting her weight against the foot of the bed. "It was locked," her eyes seem to be glued to yours as she speaks, "second locked door you opened today. I find that… interesting."
You are aware of Peter's camera being shoved right in your face, you're aware of Kate's hand reassuringly clasping your own, aware of Yelena's calming presence, but you are focused on something else entirely. There is this feeling again, now familiar warmth taking root in your chest, almost singing to you. You briefly close your eyes, savoring the sensation, wishing you could feel more.
"This is our most active room," Agatha says, "last year some teenagers decided to use a Ouija board in here and it got even worse. So you're in for a wild ride."
"This is nuts," Kate says from the other side of the room, trailing her hand over the painting of a burning witch.
"Oh, this actually happened here," Agatha drawls, taking note of your surprised faces, "almost a hundred young alleged witches were burnt at the stake here, on these grounds…" Agatha continues on with the story, but your eyes are stuck on Kate, on the other side of the room, your body frozen in shock. You can still feel what you thought was Kate's hand on your own, but with her standing on the other side of the room, and Yelena looking at you like you've grown two heads, you decide it's enough.
"Can you tell them to stop?" you shriek, stepping further into the room.
The warm feeling in your chest intensifies, the ghost of a hand sliding up your arm to settle on your cheek, turning your head to look at the painting. It's so gentle, so soft, it makes you lean your head in search of more.
"Them?" Agatha's voice grounds you. "I believe there's only one witch who is interested in you."
"What's going on?" Kate asks, moving away from the painting. Panic starts to rise in your chest, making you struggle to breathe. "Y/n, are you okay?" Kate's by your side in an instant, hands rubbing your sides, and you lay your head on her shoulder, silently reminding yourself that no ghost can hurt you.
"I thought you were standing beside me, I felt you take my hand, but you were on the other side of the room," you whisper against her shoulder.
"No. We're going back home." Yelena pales and tugs at your elbow, smacking the back of Peter's head with her other arm. "Your idiotic idea is going to give her a heart attack," she hisses and leads you to the door, hurriedly turning the knob.
It doesn't turn.
"What the fuck." She tries to open it again, and again, and again, until Agatha gets pissed and yells at her for trying to break the door.
"If she wants you to stay, you'll stay." She places her palm on the wooden door, and gives everyone a stern look.
"Say the word and I'll break that door open." Peter reappears by your side, looking guilty as ever, his camera now hidden away.
You take a deep breath and look around, now feeling much safer with all of your friends (and Agatha) by your side. The room looks like no one has touched it in years, and the warm, calming feeling in your chest only intensified after your little break down.
Maybe the witch just wants some company.
You meet Peter's eyes and manage a smile. "I survived Yelena's driving, I'm sure I'll be fine after this."
"Are you sure?" Yelena and Peter ask you at the same time.
"Yes, guys, I'm fine. I'm just not used to it like you are," you smile at Peter, and he nods in understanding.
He spent his college years filming in haunted places, a little hobby turned into a full time job as his channel grew bigger and bigger. Usually he invites his friend Wade to film together, but this time he really wanted you to come.
"Glad we settled that. Now sit," Agatha commands.
You take a seat on the bed, Yelena and Kate immediately placing their arms around you. Peter settles in a comfortable looking chair by the window, and Agatha stays standing, clearing her throat before venturing into the story of the Scarlet Witch.
"I'm sure you know that being a redhead, green-eyed, and exceptionally smart young woman in the 17th century meant one thing."
"Barbecue," Yelena mumbles, earning a scathing glare from the older woman.
"Yes. But here's the thing - the Scarlet Witch was never burned at the stake, and not because she was so good at staying hidden, but because she has never had a physical presence in this world, at least one that we know of. There's no proof of her existence, no paintings and no pictures, no sightings either."
Yelena shifts beside you. "Then how do you even know-"
Agatha cuts her off with another scathing glare, before continuing on. "We know because every single one of these poor women cried out her name before their inevitable death. They begged her to save them, but she never did."
"That still doesn't-"
"For the love of god, just shut up and let me finish!" The older woman shrieks, throwing her hands in the air. Momentarily closing her eyes, she clenches her jaw. "She never saved any of these poor girls, feeding on their fear, anger and desperation. She enjoyed what was happening. Hell, she spurged it on, manipulating minds, changing people until they became unrecognizable, and after this hotel was built she took charge, driving owners and residents away, leading people to their inevitable death, and lately possessing unsuspecting women. All of those poor people had one thing to say - 'it was the Scarlet Witch'." She shifts on her feet, turning to look out the window. "Hundreds of years of terror, but there was one good thing she's done. There was a particularly nasty witch trial, the poor girl was accused of seducing a priest's daughter. Imagine the horrors she was bound to be faced with if they got their hands on her. They never did, she escaped their clutches, and every single man involved in the hunt on the girl was brutally murdered. The girl died of old age in the safety of her own home, forever protected by the magic of the Scarlet Witch." Suddenly, her eyes lock on yours. "There's no trace of the Scarlet Witch, but there's a painting of the woman she saved. I'd show it to you, but for you it'll be the same as looking in a mirror, so I'll save myself the trouble."
Peter suddenly sits up straighter, nodding along to Agatha's words.
Kate slides her hand away from your shoulders. "Don't want to make her jealous or anything," she whispers, looking around.
"Do you say this to everyone or..?" You hesitantly speak up.
Her eyes turn serious, causing a chill to run down your spine. "Oh no, buttercup, you're a spitting image of the only woman she deemed worthy enough to save."
"She's not lying," Peter says, "that's actually the reason why I asked you to come." He sends you a sheepish smile, and shows you a picture on his phone. It's an old painting, weathered by time, but undoubtedly beautiful.
The woman looks just like you.
You gulp, your heart hammering in your chest. "Well, I'm not her."
"Maybe not. It's not like it matters." Agatha mumbles, standing up, a faraway look in her eyes. "She must've had her reasons to save the poor girl, and I suspect they were far from noble. Be careful." She looks at you one last time before turning to Peter. "Well, it's been fun entertaining you, but it's nearing midnight, so I'll leave you to your ghost hunting, or whatever it is that you're doing." Her lips purse at the numerous cameras Peter's unloaded from his bag.
"Wait!" You jump up, stalling Agatha. "How do you even know about what happened at the trials? Is there some kind of document?" You're aware of the absurdity of your questions, after all you are the one who experienced all of the activity so far, and while some of it could be blamed on your nerves or your brain playing tricks on you, the door accident still burns at the back of your mind.
"You don't believe me?" Agatha smirks, making you shift uncomfortably. "Don't worry, you'll see, you have a long night ahead." She sends you one last look, and easily opens the door before disappearing behind it.
You fall back on the duvet, pressing your palms against your face. The past hour puts an uncomfortable weight on your chest, and you struggle to wrap your mind around the fact that you're probably going to be targeted even more as the night goes on, either by your terrified, overly anxious mind, or the Scarlet Witch.
The warm feeling you felt when you first stepped into the room slowly disappeared, leaving you to wonder if it's done its job in luring you in.
"Okay, it's time to-"
"We're not using a Ouija board."
"- light up some candles." Peter says, looking quizzically at Yelena. "I'm not stupid, you know." He huffs, rolling his eyes.
You snort, shaking your head at your friends' antics. "Why do we need candles?"
Peter rolls his eyes. "To communicate with ghosts."
"Don't you have some fancy tech for that?"
"I prefer to keep it simple," he shrugs.
You share a look with Yelena. "And we'll be left talking to the AC," you mumble loud enough for Peter to hear and send you a middle finger.
"There's no AC in this room. Some people use flashlights, but I prefer candles. We'll also use a spirit box."
"We're not catching any spirits in a box, right?" You sit up, eyes darting between your friends.
Peter sighs and goes on a rant about his tools, explaining how everything works. To your great relief, you won't have to catch anyone, just put on a blindfold, some noise canceling headphones, and let some spirit talk though one of you.
"Sounds fun," Kate gulps.
"I'm not doing that." You shake your head, crossing your arms.
Peter looks up from the floor, where he adjusts the rem pod, the piece of equipment going off when he touches it with a tip of his finger, calibrating the sensitivity. "Yelena will do that."
It's almost comical how far Yelena's jaw falls. "And why is that, Parker? Why don't you let some spirit use you as a radio?"
"Um… my tarot reader told me you'll do best out of all of us."
Kate starts cackling like a maniac, clutching her stomach and bending over. You can't help laughing either, burrowing your face into the pillow to keep quiet.
Yelena continues arguing with Peter, and you decide to leave them to it and satisfy your curiosity. You smile at the questioning smile Kate sends you, and gesture to the balcony door.
You were right, it is the balcony you saw from the outside, stretching all the way to the other side of the hotel. You sigh and lean against the railing, taking in the view. If you thought it looked terrifying on the way here, it looks even worse from high up. Moonlight shines on crooked trees surrounding the land around the hotel, dark and menacing, broken branches hanging on the last threads. There is a well within walking distance, not too far away from where you parked the car. You swear to yourself you won't let Peter drag you over there, it looks way too creepy.
You finally relax, letting your eyes fall shut for a second, but a blurry movement to your left forced them open. You grip the railing, squinting.
Nothing.
"What the fuck." Kate's voice sounds from the inside, and you rush back just in time to see her exit the adjoined bathroom, snapping the door shut with a terrified look on her face. "No. Oh fuck no. Oh no, no, no."
Peter sits up, alarmed. "What is it?"
"There's blood on the mirror," she whispers, her hands shaking violently, "and in the tub, and on the floor."
Peter immediately gets up, taking the only camera that's been filming the whole time with him. You follow your friend, not paying attention to your shaking hands and your hammering heart.
When the door opens you see a pristine bathroom, so clean it's almost mocking. He inspects every corner from every possible angle, only to come up short.
"Guys?" Kate calls out from behind the door. "Are you good?"
"There's nothing he-" you freeze mid sentence when your eyes land on the mirror.
It's fogged up, one word clearly written.
Your name.
You reach out - not of your own violation, your hand guided by some unseen force - and touch the reflective glass right where your name is. You're hit with a vision, bits and pieces of what feels like distant memory escaping the prison your mind put them in.
You see a wrinkled face of an old man, his expression pure disgust as he spews something right in your face. The scene changes abruptly, and now you're in a dark cell, with only the moon to keep you company. Your heart clenches at the pure anguish you're hit with, the desperation drowning you, leaving you no room to breathe. There's a sudden blur, and everything turns blinding white, and then… you feel that warmth again. A woman stands in front of you, reaching out, her eyes glinting red. She looks ethereal, her skin pale, almost sheer, her unruly hair pushed back by a red tiara. You gulp, feeling the power radiating from her, chest aching with the need to submit to it.
You stumble away from the mirror. There's no warmth in your chest now, only pure, unconcealed dread. You lean against the door, palms pressed to your face. Peter doesn't dare breathe, his hands only shaking slightly as he makes sure to get it in the frame.
"Where did you just go?" He whispers, not daring to speak any louder.
You shake your head, blinking back tears. "Tell me you did this. Tell me it's a prank."
He looks at you, eyes full of fear. He bites on his lower lip, eyes wide. "I did this. I totally did this." He nods rapidly, ushering you out of the room.
Kate and Yelena wait on the other side, each holding a candelabra. You don't even bother to ask where they found them, heading straight to the balcony for a breath of fresh air while Peter explains what happened.
You look at the full moon, rubbing your chest in tight circles.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Again, and again.
The floorboards of the balcony creak, along with the railing, and you wonder if it's all gonna fall to the ground, and bury you in a mess of wood and cement. Maybe that's what the witch wants - for you to stay here forever.
You feel the remains of that need, that hunger for the witch. You long to see her again, even if it's just a glimpse, a whiff of her presence.
When you come back, the lights are off, and Peter is already asking questions, Yelena's terrified expression telling you everything you need to know about the answers they've been provided with.
The candle on the nightstand goes out, and Peter blinks, looking at you. "Weird."
"What?" You ask, looking around, hair on the nape of your neck standing up.
"He asked the ghosts if they wanted us to leave." Kate answers.
"That means they do." Yelena points at the candle.
You shiver, a breeze from the balcony making you curl in on yourself, eyes flickering to every dark corner of the room, flinching whenever you see shadows from the moonlight that look a little too ominous.
Someone is watching you, you're sure. A part of you hopes it's her.
"And why is that weird?" You ask Peter, watching as he collects the candles. You sigh in relief, glad to have missed the conversation.
"I thought they liked us - you - at least," he mumbles.
"Maybe they want us gone so the witch can have some alone time with Y/n." Yelena's brows jump up and down suggestively, and you can't help, but laugh, some of the tension finally seeping away.
That is, until the last candle on the nightstand lights up again, completely on its own.
Peter staggers back, dropping the stack in his hands. "No fucking way," he whispers, "that never happened before."
He pulls back to check the camera, making sure it's still recording.
"That's a yes, right?" Kate gulps, looking at you with wide eyes. "She wants you wants you. It's not a coincidence."
You take a seat on the rocking chair in the corner and close your eyes, reminding yourself that nothing here could ever hurt you. It doesn't really work when you still feel eyes on you. Your hands tremble, and your legs feel too heavy to stand on. Every sound is amplified, your senses going into overdrive, so when a clock stops ticking, you immediately notice.
The clock reads 12:08, the hands still for a moment, before resuming their course.
You're slowly starting to wish you never agreed to come to this place.
Agatha's words ring in your head. What if the witch thinks you're that poor girl? That'll explain the witches' interest in you. Maybe she made you see those visions to help you remember.
But… What if it's not even her that's been following you? What if it's one of the dark entities Agatha told you about? The thought makes you even more uncomfortable - you'd prefer the Scarlet Witch to haunt you instead of some dark, trapped soul, no matter how absurd it sounds.
"Hey," Kate approaches you.
You blink, and offer her a hesitant smile. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?" She bites on her lip, her hands on your knees.
You nod, and take her hands in yours. "I'm fine. Just a bit shaken up."
She sighs heavily, head falling to rest on your lap. "Same," she mumbles, "I feel like a prey."
You rub her shoulders, hoping to ease some of her tension. "We'll be out of here in the morning."
She looks up, smiling. "Actually, we're not sleeping here. Peter said we'll try to talk to them one last time and then go."
You hum, wondering why the information makes you feel worse. Shouldn't you be relieved to leave earlier?
"Okay, come here," Peter calls, putting noise canceling headphones on Yelena's head.
Kate jumps up, her eyes lightening up at the sight of Yelena sitting rigidly on the chair, a blindfold and headphones in place. "Oh, this is gonna be good," she smiles, settling in front of the blonde.
Peter looks at you. "I think you should ask the questions."
You nod, biting on the inside of your cheek. You think of something appropriate to ask - something that would reveal information without offending any of the spirits here.
"Are we here alone?" You ask, and everyone turns to look at Yelena, awaiting an answer.
Yelena's head bobs up and down, like she's listening to her favorite song, but you know for sure it's just white noise.
"Hello," Yelena says, smiling slightly.
Not alone, then.
You nod, and Peter gestures for you to continue.
"My name is Y/n, what is your name?"
It's quiet for a little while, occasional squeaks from the balcony making you jump up and look around.
When Yelena doesn't answer, Peter decides to speak up. "Did you follow us here from the lobby? Was it you-"
"Shut up," Yelena barks.
Kate stumbles back on the floor, and settles against the foot of the bed. "Oh fuck."
Peter takes a step back, raising his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Sorry." He nods at you, urging you to continue.
"Do you not like him?" You ask.
"In… in the way…" her voice is unsure as she trails off.
"Peter's in the way? In the way of what?" Kate speaks up, looking at you.
"Deal," the blonde whispers, "owe."
Peter frowns. "You made a deal and you owe someone?"
Yelena purses her lips, tilting her head to the side like she can't quite figure out what is being said.
The bathroom door slowly creaks open.
"Are you in the bathroom?" Kate's voice shakes, and you take her hand, shuffling closer to the girl.
"Blood."
You exhale, looking at the open doorway with wide eyes.
Kate nods rapidly, her hand trembling. "There was a lot of blood. You scared the shit out of me."
Yelena chuckles, "Feed."
So whatever is here has been feeding on your fear.
"Who are you?" You ask again.
"You know," Yelena replies. "You all do."
"What's behind that door?" You have the strongest urge to go back there.
Yelena chuckles, shaking her head. “Go see for yourself.”
Light starts flickering, tears spring to your eyes, and you fight the urge to curl into a ball and cry. Yelena turns her head and sits up, leanings towards you.
"You forgot."
"Forgot about what?" You shudder, eyes darting between the door and Yelena.
"Our deal."
Peter darts to the other side of the room and snaps the door to the bathroom shut, his mouth set in a flat line. "We're leaving."
"She can't," Yelena singsongs.
"There's no deal. You're mistaken," Peter snaps, collecting the equipment.
"What deal?" You hesitantly ask.
Lightning strikes outside, a loud boom of thunder following. The painting of the burning witch falls.
"I own y-"
Peter tugs off the headphones, Yelena's mouth snaps shut. She tugs off the blindfold and blinks, brows set in confusion. "Are we gonna start any time soon?"
Kate groans, falling face first to the floor. "Fuck my life."
_______________________
Before you yell at me - yes, there will be a part two
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magicalbats · 3 months ago
Text
Kinktober 2024 Day 1: Neuvillette x Reader
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Rating: R-18+
Word Count: 5670
Warnings: Afab!reader, boss/employee relationship, orgasm denial, cock finger warming, accidental/ruined orgasm, dacryphilia, punishment in the form of finger cleaning/cum eating, mentioned chastity
A/N: Welcome to October and this year's super freaky nasty spooky kinky extravaganza! 👻 Let me give a quick but massive shoutout to @frozenfauna for being kind enough to beta read these for me, I've so greatly appreciated having your eyes on standby! I was also going to credit the user who made the list I'm using but when I try to pull it up it looks like they may have deleted the post ...? So out of respect for them I'll just say thank you random stranger on the internet!
And without further ado ... please enjoy day one!
Fidgeting and nervous, you rock forward onto the tips of your toes with your arm raised up to deliver a curt knock to the stately door in front of you only to think better of it at the last second. You quickly settle back on the heels of your buckled shoes again and let your hand drop down to your side. Far be it that you wanted to give up so easily but … oh dear, this wasn’t an ideal situation at all. 
Forlornly, you glance over at the little tea tray you’d just carted halfway across the Palais Mermonia while the faint sound of indistinct voices continues to filter through the meticulously polished wood. One was recognizably that of monsieur Neuvillette, which certainly made sense given that this was his personal office space and it would have been far more strange not to find him here. But the other you do not know, nor is Sedene in her usual spot behind the front receptionist desk to give you any indication whether you should stay or leave. It was a conundrum, and one without a clear cut solution. 
You needed to make a choice quickly though. If you didn’t and your crippling indecision left you floundering out in the hall for much longer, monsieur Neuvillette’s afternoon coffee was going to get cold which would leave you with no choice but to go back and remake it. Although the Iudex was usually such an exhaustively kind, understanding individual he’d been so strict with you recently ever since … 
A sensitive shudder races down your spine when your pussy clamps down hard around nothing, pulsing in high strung need as much as remembered agony. You feel dizzy with the hot rush of arousal that crashes into you all at once, and you sway unsteadily there on your feet before you manage to reorient yourself. 
He expected you to be punctual and obedient, this you knew well, and no excuses or negligence of your duties would be tolerated. If the honorable Chief Justice was too preoccupied to take his coffee then he would tell you so, but you couldn’t just make those kinds of decisions on your own. He’d made it perfectly clear at the onset of this arrangement that you were not well equipped for such matters and you trusted him implicitly despite all that you knew was wrong about having this sort of relation with him. 
So you decisively lift your hand once again and start to bring your knuckles down on the solid wood of the door — only to miss it entirely when it suddenly swings open. Squeaking in surprise, you widen your eyes up at the handsome woman standing just inside the office with your loosely curled fist stopped just short of smacking into her chest. 
Glancing from your hand up to your face, she quirks a single, sardonic brow at you. “Is it time for afternoon tea and snacks already? Hmm. Actually … judging by the rich aroma, the Iudex must prefer coffee.” 
Your mouth works but nothing comes out, so startled by her sudden appearance and the curious yet delicate way she sniffs at the air that you simply don’t know what to say to that. 
Luckily monsieur Neuvillette appears just behind her, sending you a brief, unreadable look before focusing his attention on the unknown woman. “Indeed, I must admit to having a fondness for good brew in the afternoons. Would you like to stay and enjoy some refreshments with me, Lady Arlecchino? I’ll send for another place setting immediately.” 
“That won’t be necessary.” She drawls in her monotone, soft spoken voice with the whole of her gaze focused singularly on you. The eerie intensity in that stare unnerves you more than just a little bit, and you numbly shift to the side to allow her through when she takes a step closer. But she pauses there, peering down at you as if in further consideration. “This little one looks quite skittish, doesn’t she? The working conditions at the Palais must be even more challenging than I thought.” 
“Please do not jest in that manner, Lady Arlecchino.” Neuvillette quietly scoffs behind her. “I can assure you that everyone employed here is treated with the utmost respect and consideration due to them.” 
“I see.” 
Giving you one last, lingering glance, the tall woman steps fully out into the hallway and brushes past you without saying another word. The sharp click of her heels on the marble floor sounds somehow ominous in your ringing ears as you hesitantly tip your face up, looking to monsieur Neuvillette for instruction. 
A distant note of relief curls through you, dispersing some of the fog from your mind, when he offers you a brief smile. This time it is he who steps aside, nudging the door further open with one hand while he gestures into the office with a sweep of the other. “Come in, mademoiselle. Apologies for the delay.” 
“There isn’t anything to apologize for, monsieur. Thank you.” Bobbing a quick curtsy, you retrieve the tea tray so you can wheel it past him into the room. He gently closes the door and you don’t miss the sound of the lock discreetly turning in place as you get to work setting everything up for his break from all the endless paperwork and case files that flood into the Palais on a daily basis. 
“If you don’t mind I think I’ll take my coffee at my desk today.” He says behind you, causing your heart rate to immediately start picking up again. The expectation of how this session was going to play out had now been set with just the simple utterance of a few, seemingly unassuming words. 
Your fast mounting excitement is nearly palpable now as your hands begin to subtly shake around the fine china you’re handling. “Yes, monsieur. I’ll have it ready for you right away.” 
Humming a soft sound of acknowledgment, he steps around you to make his way over to the ceremonious desk situated on the opposite side of the richly furnished office. 
You keep your head down and focus on the task of pouring his coffee into a pristine cup while you listen to him get settled in with a quiet rustle of his robes against the high backed chair. This room and all that was in it had quickly become something you were now intimately familiar with over the last few weeks, as had this routine you’d settled into with him. It was strange and unorthodox, you couldn’t deny that, but there was also something deeply gratifying about carrying on with him in this manner.
You don’t exactly know what to call it but, you idly muse as you take up the smaller hand tray and carry it over to the desk, perhaps it didn’t actually need an official label. Monsieur Neuvillette made you feel safe and secure in a way that very few others ever had, even when you were outright sobbing and begging him for the release he never granted you. Even when it took what seemed to you like hours to come down from the shuddering ledge of oblivion, curled up in his lap while he dotingly petted you back to calmness, there was something about it all that you found unexpectedly fulfilling. As if in the process of punishing your body for some long forgotten transgression that you couldn’t quite recall anymore, he was making you whole again. 
It’s egregiously backwards in many ways but you find that you really don’t care about any of that as you place his coffee and the side plate of carefully selected finger foods in front of him, earning yourself another small smile for your efforts. You can feel your cunt already starting to weep excitable slick when you straighten up to wait for his next command with nothing short of eager, quick thrumming anticipation. 
Nodding his approval, Neuvillette reaches out to take up the cup which he brings close to his face for a slow, savory inhale of the wafting steam. “It smells delicious. Thank you, mon petite. I’m afraid you spoil me terribly.” 
“I’m flattered to hear that, monsieur.” You murmur, flushing even warmer at the praise. “But it is the same coffee that anyone else can make. I don’t think mine is particularly special.” 
“Well, that just isn’t true at all. Everyone seems to have their own unique methods when it comes to preparation. Some end up with a far weaker consistency while others produce little more than black sludge. In fact, there was a housekeeper some years back who was so woefully ill equipped when it came to the matter of brewing coffee that it almost soured me away from the concept all together.” 
Slowly, you bring your head up to look at him. “Is that really true?” 
“It is.” Nodding once, monsieur Neuvillette takes a polite sip from the delicate cup before breathing out a content sigh of satisfaction. Setting it back down with a soft clink against the matching saucer, he lifts his gaze to regard you with a fond look. “And how are you today, my dear? Have you been behaving yourself since our last session?” 
Never mind the fact that it was only just yesterday when you’d stood before him in his office exactly like this, waiting impatiently for the Chief Justice to direct you in the matter of debauchery as he alone seemed apt to do, and your answer since then hasn’t changed. It still makes you fidget though, particularly when you could feel slick arousal slowly seeping into the gusset of your panties to make the soft cotton start to cling. So many days had gone by without being permitted to find your release on his fingers or anywhere else for that matter that you were finding yourself flooding at the slightest suggestion. 
You’d thought it was bad before, at the onset of all this when he’d so expertly turned your own body against you with very little effort to show for it, but the prolonged effects of this treatment were so much worse than you could have ever imagined them to be. It was as if you were slowly going mad, driven by the insistent throbbing deep inside your cunt to keep coming back for more punishment. 
The notion that you were perhaps a masochist of the highest order had never occurred to you before, but now that there was ample evidence to support it you couldn’t exactly write the idea off entirely. 
“Yes, monsieur.” You murmur, anxiously clenching and unclenching your fingers around the hand tray you were still holding. “I’ve been good. I followed your orders precisely as you instructed.” 
Encouragingly, Neuvillette tips his head ever so slightly to the side. “You haven’t been touching yourself when I’m not there to keep an eye on you?” 
“N - no, sir. I haven’t.” 
“Good.” He seems pleased to hear that as he nudges his chair back from the desk at an angle that would allow enough room for you to join him on the other side, holding up a hand for you to come around and take. “Come here then, mon petite. Let’s check that you are telling me the truth.” 
Such an intense surge of heat rushes to your face that you feel well and truly lightheaded with it even as you skitter forward to accept his offered palm. Gloved fingers gently curl around yours in what would have otherwise been a gentlemanly, chivalrous gesture had the opposite hand not promptly lifted from his lap to snake under the flouncy material of your skirt with an unfalteringly casual motion. 
Your eyes seem to vibrate in their sockets from how intensely your pulse pounds, almost making you go cross eyed as he reaches up between your legs. The tips of his fingers find your cunt easily enough and he presses into the center seam, pulling a sticky click from the excess of arousal as pudgy lips squish under the pressure. The sound rushes straight to your pulsing loins to feed into the never fully realized excitement of being touched and doted upon, encouraging yet more copious slick out of you. It was a truly vicious cycle with no end in sight. 
 “Goodness, you’re already this excited?” Ever so slightly frowning at this discovery, Neuvillette gives his head a brief shake with an accompanying click of his tongue. “What am I to do with you, little love? Such an insatiable thing.”  
“I’m sorry,” You mewl even as your hips subconsciously nudge forward to grind against his fingers, asking for more. 
You were so desperate for release on such a bone deep level that you would have happily gotten on the ground and groveled at his feet if he’d requested it of you. Lesser men probably would have. It wasn’t hard to imagine others taking advantage of someone so naive and trusting, and someone who was as delirious with unfettered lust as you were, but that is not the sort of person monsieur Neuvillette is. 
Instead, he primly removes his hand from underneath your skirt so he can pluck the tray from your stiff fingers. You’d almost forgotten you were still holding it at all, and you numbly watch him set it aside on top of his desk before then reaching up to palm over the curve of your waist. 
“Sit in my lap, mon chou. I believe that you are telling me the truth and you have not disobeyed my orders when you are outside of the Palais, which pleases me a great deal. It demonstrates not only an ability to listen but to also learn from your past mistakes. The fact that you still cannot control this libidinous behavior of yours concerns me though. I suspect it might be time to reinforce the cautionary precept I’ve already established for you once before.” 
You almost hesitate to bid his command but under monsieur Neuvillette’s infinitely steady guidance you allow yourself to be coaxed into climbing into the chair with him. 
With a placid, unhurried motion, he reclines against the backrest to accommodate you and ensure you have enough room while you work to get settled in on top of him. It’s a somewhat awkward thing, straddling the Iudex of Fontaine in such a shameful manner, but you at last manage to find a comfortable position with your thighs bracketing his narrow hips. The urge to squirm and fidget nearly overpowers your common sense but you forcibly stamp it down as you look to him for his next instruction. 
Offering you another one of his unfalteringly kind smiles, Neuvillette brings both of his hands around to give your sides an encouraging squeeze before then dragging higher up your body. That he intentionally avoids touching you in any of the spots you would like to have him touch you brings a certain disappointment with it, but you bite down on your tongue to silence those thoughts. And when he firmly hooks his fingers into the space under your arms so he can tug you forward, you happily let him pull you in against him without complaint. 
The motion makes your cunt lift up from his lap, taking some of that delicious pressure off your soaked core, and you breathe out a terse, shaky exhale as your tits press into his chest. Your next inhale brings with it an overpowering rush of his scent straight into your buzzing head and further clouds your senses. Numbly, you lift your hands to clutch at his shoulders in a loose hold as you nuzzle your face into his soft, silken excess of hair. He smelled divine as usual. 
“Good girl.” Murmuring softly, Neuvillette dotingly pets over your head with one of his hands while the other curls down to slip under your skirt again. The brush of his finely made glove against your inner thigh makes you shudder something fierce, while the sensation of him hooking a finger into your panties so he can pull them aside positively steals the oxygen from your lungs. 
Stiff and halting, you kneel there over his lap as if you were a frozen, petrified statue, just waiting for the pin to drop. You’re so punchdrunk and feverish with need that you aren’t quite sure what to expect next but the nudge of fingertips just at your entrance quickly clues you in. 
Still showing you an infinite amount of care and gentle consideration, Neuvillette tenderly parts the seam of your body so he can dip one of those long digits into the sticky mess you’ve made. A small push, a tiny amount of carefully applied pressure, is all it takes to have that gloved finger sinuously sliding up into your cunt. Your mouth drops open as if to let out a dire scream of ecstasy yet all that materializes is a wounded little animal sound as you bask in the friction as much as the stretch. Your pussy doesn’t even try to fight it, so wet and puffy after only a short few weeks of endless edging that it now welcomes the intrusion with nothing short of delight. 
That alone would have likely been enough to satisfy you for the foreseeable future but after giving his digit a perfunctory wiggle to test the give of your inner sleeve, Neuvillette slowly slides a second finger in to join the first. The internal pressure instantly swells to new dizzying heights that leave you groaning a gutted sound into the elegant bend of his neck, gasping for breath. 
“Ooohhh! Monsieur …!”
Shushing you, the Chief Justice turns his face to place a lingering kiss to the side of your head before speaking in the solemn tone he usually reserved for meting out judgements in the court. “Quiet now, little one. You don’t want to alert anyone who might be outside my door of the punishment you’re being made to endure, do you?” 
“N - … no, sir. I don’t.” 
“As I thought.” Nodding once, he slowly trails the hand resting across your back further down to nudge at your hip. “Sit down on my fingers then, and do not even think to indulge yourself in grinding on them. That’s it now, slowly. Just like that.” 
Shuddering, you gingerly settle into place with his digits wedged deep inside your body. The motion forces your cunt to stretch around them and take him in even further until it feels like he’s just short of tickling your cervix. The already blinding pressure seems to double and then triple, and you sway unsteadily there on his lap with a low, gutted moan of wanting. 
“There.” He coos, rewarding you for your compliance with a brief squeeze around the waist. “Such a good girl you are. And are you comfortable? Ah, I suppose that might be a silly question to ask, isn’t it? No matter. All you need to do is quietly sit there while I enjoy my coffee and read over a few documents, and then you’ll be free to go about your day. Simple, isn’t it?” 
That was certainly easy for him to say but you couldn’t claim to be in agreement with the sentiment. In fact, you couldn’t say much of anything at all. 
You were so overwhelmed by the blinding sensation of being impaled on his fingers that it was a struggle just to think straight, let alone speak, and that was to say nothing of the intense pulse making your cunt spasm around the intrusion. It’s as if your body was trying to instinctively milk him of every last drop and you couldn’t make it stop. You were going to cum. 
Archons help you, you were going to cum and there wasn’t a single thing you could do to prevent it from happening. 
“Nnnghn, m - monsieur Neuvillette, I - I —“
“This is only a friendly word of advice, mon petite, but I suggest you learn to control yourself quickly.” He warns in an idle tone as he reaches across the desk for his cup. “I don’t think you’ll be very happy with the next manner of discipline I have to enforce if even this is not enough to make you understand.” 
Screwing your eyes shut, you gnash your teeth and desperately try to will your body to relax around his fingers instead of tensing up around them. It’s an effort in futility and one you don’t think you’ll win after weeks of denial, but with a dull, hollow throb your body reluctantly starts to cooperate. It’s an incredibly difficult thing to do when you were already teetering so close to the edge that you could all but taste release on your tongue, but you somehow manage to reach a purgatorial state wherein you find yourself simply hanging in the balance. 
It doesn’t come without a cost though. 
Feeling simultaneously drained and incredibly euphoric at the same time, you bonelessly sag against the front of him. Your cheek finds his shoulder, staring off into the far distance without actually seeing anything at all, and he noises a soft sound of approval when you go still again. The vibration seems to rattle through his chest and right into you where you’re pressed up against him, the resulting vibration making you whimper in high strung distress. This was somehow even more harrowingly tortuous than your usual sessions with the Iudex. 
After only a few clandestine meetings in his office he’d become so familiar with your body and its tells that he could easily recognize when you were getting close and remove the source of your pleasure before you tipped over into the awaiting abyss on the other side. The current situation was ten times more precarious though, because it put the responsibility of stopping yourself from cumming squarely on your own shoulders and there was no escaping the constant pressure pushing in on your guts. It felt like you were going to devolve into a wild fit of spasms at any second if you let your mind focus back in on your body and what it was feeling for even a moment. 
What manages to register as being even worse is the inherent humiliation that comes with being made to warm his fingers like this. Not only were you forced to deny the natural urge to grind and rut onto them, which was degrading enough on its own, but the fact that you weren’t even permitted to suffer this indignity on his cock further highlights your position here. Monsieur Neuvillette wasn’t doing this for his own gain or satisfaction, nor was he even really doing it for yours. He remains as nonchalant and even disinterested about what’s happening as he seemed to expect you to be, and you wonder how he as a man can be so unaffected by this even as your aching cunt continues to gush around him. 
You’re so wet it seems to border on obscene. Even through the barrier of his glove you’re certain he must be able to feel it too, but he maintains his implacable facade as he drinks from his coffee as if it were any other afternoon at the Palais. And for him it likely was, your presence on his lap not nearly enough to distract the always composed and collected Chief Justice from his duties. A lesser man would have broken by now, given into carnal urges and the chance opportunity you presented to lay you out on top of his desk and have his way with you. At this point you weren’t so sure you would have even feigned to protest it. 
You wanted him. Wanted to cum screaming his name while he laid claim to your perfectly willing body with his cock stuffed deep inside your — 
A violent shudder suddenly assaults you in a rush, and you whimper low in your throat as you deliriously try to reign your control back in. The involuntary throbbing deep within your cunt starts up again, mirroring the frantic pounding of your heart while your hips weakly twitch with the onset of an orgasm you hopelessly try to stop. 
It’s no use though. You’re wound too tight, stretched too thin over weeks of denial, and your pussy clenches so tight it actually hurts. Sucking in a sharp, horrified gasp, you desperately fist your shaking hands into his robes and clutch at him as you’re wracked by an abrupt onslaught of spasms that seem to rock you straight down to your very soul. The only thing that stops you from relishing in it and crying out your pleasure for the whole Palais to hear is the sinking, suffocating dread that comes with the knowledge that you’ve gone against monsieur Neuvillette’s wishes and disobeyed him. 
You were going to be punished for it, of that you were sure. 
Even that knowledge is not enough to cut your orgasm short though, and you tremble wildly through the roiling waves of ecstasy that just keep crashing into you, again and again. You’d been so pent up that it stretches well past the point of discomfort until you finally collapse against him an eternity later, your hips still bucking in a weak attempt to drain his fingers of something they simply didn’t have to give. But it’s an instinctual drive that makes you try, and it isn’t until his free hand comes down to take bruising hold of your waist and physically stop you from moving do you finally give up with a frazzled sound of defeat. 
Slumped against him while you take stuttering mouthfuls of wet, gasping breaths, you dazedly try to reorient yourself to no avail. It felt like the room was spinning, everything impermanent and intangible save the unyielding man underneath you. Truly, monsieur Neuvillette was the only thing that seemed at all real anymore and you blindly cling to him when he brings his hand up to lift your face from his shoulder. 
“Oh, mon petite,” He sighs, sounding disappointed and rueful in equal measure. “You didn’t even last ten whole minutes. I’ve really no idea what to do with you.” 
“I - I - I’m ss - sorry, monsieur.” 
Softly clicking his tongue, he nudges your chin a little higher with the finger he’s got curled underneath. You feel him lean in close then, and your lower lip sadly warbles at the thoughts of punishments and scoldings that dance through your cotton stuffed head, supplying an endless list of possible retributions you might be made to endure next. 
But all you feel is the sudden, damp swipe of his tongue across your cheek and you blearily crack your eyes open to glance at him. You hadn’t realized you’d started crying, though you know not how when your face was so hot and wet with tears. It was glaringly obvious now, and you shamefully try to turn your head from him but he holds fast even as his tongue flicks out to once again lap at the salty tracks coating your skin. 
This was the only thing that ever seemed to pierce through his mask of carefully held stoicism and you still didn’t understand it any more than you did at the start of all this. But the change that comes over him is undeniable, from the mere act of licking up the tears from your face in such an ungentlemanly manner to the way he covetously seems to curl himself around you, like a snake winding around its captured prey. Or … perhaps a dragon of long forgotten myth claiming it’s pilfered treasure would be more accurate. 
You’re not sure why such a strange notion should come to you but it’s an intrusive thought you haven’t been able to shake for weeks now, and you mewl softly when Neuvillette turns your face so he can get at the other cheek now. It was almost as humiliatingly dehumanizing as having his fingers still stuffed inside your cunt as if to stopper some great leak. 
That analogy was perhaps not as inaccurate as you’d prefer it to be but that doesn’t mean you have to like it. 
“Monsieur please,” You beg, vainly squirming in his too tight grasp. “I didn’t mean to do it, I - I swear I did not.” 
Rumbling a faint sound that is eerily reminiscent of a growl, Neuvillette takes one last lick at your tear stained skin before straightening up to look at you again. 
“You may not have intentionally disobeyed me, little one, but that does not change the fact that you did. Your behavior must be corrected or I would be remiss for not enforcing the rules I’ve set for you.” Pausing, he issues a quiet breath through his nose as he intently studies your face. The unexpectedly hungry glint in those lilac irises, obvious even when his dark lashes were drooping down in attractive half mast, inspires a hopeful throb low in your gut. 
Surely he wasn’t going to … he wouldn’t actually — 
“Such a lovely flower you are, even now when you’ve displeased me so. There is no need for you to tremble though, mon petite. Your punishment will not be a physical one. Mmmm … and I do believe I have something in mind that should sufficiently correct this insatiable appetite you harbor but it will take me a few days to make the necessary arrangements. Have you ever heard of the term chastity before, sweet girl?” 
Your brows draw inward to knit while you ponder through that question. “Do you mean … my virginity, monsieur?” 
“Not quite.” Chuckling, Neuvillette shifts slightly underneath you with an accompanying soft creak from the chair. “No matter. All will be explained to you in due course, when the time comes. But for right now I must think of some other way to mete out your penalty for this transgression. I’m very disappointed in you, you know.” 
“I’m sorry.” You murmur as you abashedly drop his gaze, too sheepish and embarrassed to meet his eye any longer. 
A quiet beat passes over the still office before he offers up a brief hum as if to signal his conclusion has been reached. “Let’s start with having you kneel for me. On the floor, carefully now. Do not fall.” 
Gathering all of your shuddering strength, you hesitantly manage to pry yourself away from where you were all but plastered to the front of him but he assists you every step of the way with a steady hand. Lifting your cunt up off his fingers is the most difficult part and you grimace slightly at the sticky wet slurp that results when you do, leaving behind a deep ache that begs to be filled with something much more substantial. 
You know that’s not going to happen any time soon though as you shimmy down off the chair and gratefully sink onto your knees between the spread of his feet. Keeping your hands loosely braced on the Iudex’s legs, you obediently look up to him for your next command. 
All you wanted was to be good for him and you think he must recognize that on some level because he fixes you with another kind, indulgent smile that makes your heart skip a beat. But then he offers out his hand to you, the one you’d been sitting on for the last some odd minutes, and a gasp promptly rattles in your chest when you look to find the dark leather coated in a sticky film of arousal. There was something of a thicker consistency clinging to his fingers as well, white and creamy, which you innately recognize as being the end result of your unearned orgasm. 
Deeply ashamed to have the evidence of your failure shown to you, your gaze nervously travels back up towards his face again. ”Monsieur?” 
“Do not look so sad, little one. It is your mess so it’s only right to make you clean it up, no?” Tipping his head to one side, Neuvillette coaxingly nudges his soiled fingers towards you. “Go on. Lick them clean for me and taste yourself on my glove, pet.” 
Jittery uncertainty grabs you in a chokehold as you snap your attention back to his hand. You weren’t quite sure about this when the very notion of doing such a thing was so foreign to you. Of course you’d heard whispers of people talking about putting their mouths on their lover or vice versa, but you hadn’t thought you’d ever be presented with an opportunity to find out what your own arousal tastes like. You'd certainly never thought to do it yourself. 
Even more disconcerting though is the hard note of command in monsieur Neuvillette’s voice when he’d issued the order. You were unaccustomed to him speaking to you like that but, you try to reason, this was supposed to be a punishment. And you certainly didn’t want to displease him any further than you already had … 
So you timidly lean forward, bending your head over his lap in a way that makes you feel hot and bothered again, your pussy distantly clenching around nothing. Your mouth opens just enough to allow your tongue to slip out and you take a shy little kitten lick at the tip of his longest middle digit. The faintly salty, bitter taste of your own cunt instantly swarms your tastebuds, unfamiliar to you yet not entirely disagreeable. It’s a unique flavor, particularly when paired with the leather of his glove, and you issue a quiet, faltering mewl as you somewhat reluctantly close your lips around his finger down to the first joint.  “That’s it, little love.” He breathes out from somewhere seemingly far above you, an almost imperceptible tremor in his voice now. “Make sure you get them nice and clean for me. In just a few days time I’m going to take away your freedom to even think about touching yourself so savor it while you still can. I will have you under control soon enough, sweet girl. That I can promise you.”
Crossposted: here
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cybiirz · 1 year ago
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ೃ⁀➷ DOCUMENTS
Wriothesley x Gn!Reader
Sypnosis : Seems like a certain Warden had tired himself out. Being the kind person you were, you chose to help, but you forgot how deceiving an inmate can be. He was no different…But at least he pays?
WC : 829
“Wriothesleyyy! I brought you something from Sigewinne. She says it’s for like, helping you stay awake or whatever,” You groaned out as you treaded up the stairs. Currently, you were holding a large box of medicine that you were supposed to be delivering to other inmates.
That was your punishment for getting involved in a little experiment that was supposedly forbidden in the fortress…Either way, it was tiring and you just wanted it to be done with.
Your footsteps echoed against the walls as you stomped onto the metal stairwell. Finally, you reached the top, and with a lack of breath might you add. Who the hell needed so much medicine anyway? Nevertheless, you kept your head low as you observed the different bottles inside.
“There’s a lot here, let me just find yours and…got it. Huh, this thing has way too many side effects! How the hell do you even—” You lifted up your head to look at Wriothesley, only to find him practically passed out on his desk. You paused and cocked your head to the side.
Suddenly, you had an idea and with a smile and a slight skip in your step, you closed in on the desk. Outstretching your arms, you held the box over the table before dropping the heavy equipment, creating a loud slam against the wood.
No reaction.
“Huh? So he’s really knocked out then,” You murmured quietly to yourself. You opted to walk around the table and slowly approached his unconscious form. You began poking his head, and to no surprise, no reaction.
“Jeez. You overwork yourself too much you idiot,” You whispered next to him. Glancing at all of his papers, it took less than a second to see how messed up everything was. You sighed deeply and decided to help out this son of a gun.
It had been about an hour or so, with you going over the different documents and having to dig deep into his shelves to pair up each page to its designated folder. Covering your mouth, you let out a loud yawn before looking back over at the warden. Still fast asleep.
A small chuckle left your lips as you walked back over to him. Resting yourself against the table, you lifted your left hand and gently stroked his head.
“Well I organised each and every document for you. And since I went over each word written, I've seen you’re doing a good job for this prison. Even for inmates like me, you treat us well…But you are definitely paying me back one way or another once you’re awake,” After partially scolding him but mainly complimenting him, you began to get lost in a daze as you stared softly at the man in front of you.
Once you finished speaking, his head turned slightly, eyes opening with a small smirk splayed on his lips. You swiftly retracted your hand and looked away, trying to avoid his stare.
“Thanks for that (name). I appreciate you doing that but, you know I could’ve done all of it that whole time. I wasn’t actually asleep you know?,” He replied, his voice slightly condescending.
“Yeah well I expect payment back and—” Your arms crossed over your chest before you paused. What did he just say? “Hang on, you were pretending?! You little liar! You’re so lazy that you had to fake sleeping to get someone else to do your work for you?! Now I better get that payment before I rip your—”
You were quickly cut off as a pair of lips landed directly onto yours. Your eyes instantly widened in shock as Wriothesley lifted his hand and cupped your face. Slowly but surely, you melted into the kiss and held your arm up before resting your hand onto his shoulder.
After parting, the light sounds of heavy breathing could be heard from you. You tried to look everywhere apart from him, but he moved his hand to grip your chin, causing you to face him.
“That was, unnecessary warden,” You mumbled, barely loud enough for him to hear.
“That was your payment,” He responded smugly. Looking at him with your blood rushing to your cheeks, you noticed the slight crease in the corners of his eyes. He was smiling at you, and not one of mockery or a fake smile, it was genuine.
“Well then…I have to get going and deliver these to the other inmates. Thank you for paying me back,” You cleared your throat before moving away from him and picking up the box. You left his medicine on the table as you made sure to secure the lid of the box. He crossed his arms over his torso as you began to descend down the stairs.
“(Name). Come back again and I'll be sure to repay you for whatever documents you organise for me,” Wriothesley’s voice had a somewhat teasing lilt to it, but it was evident he was serious. You rolled your eyes and simply scoffed at him before taking your leave.
But who were you to deny such a special treat?
A/N : Love me a little overworked man. But anyway, it’s finally my half term so i’ll hopefully be posting small drabbles that appear my head. Series work is becoming boring so oneshots and drabbles will probs be my thing. I might finish off the Gepard series but we’ll see. Also i’m thinking of doing a revamp to this blog buttt idk. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, feel free to leave requests!
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gaybirdnerd · 6 months ago
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Medical Attention
Note: this is 2009 Ghoap inspired by a conversation with @spottlessspectre. I think it’s fitting I listened to El Tango De Roxanne during the angsty bits :3
It was supposed to be easy. The mission was meant to be easy.
Captain Mactavish and Lieutenant Riley were meant to get in, get information, maybe plant a bomb or two, and get out.
They got in perfectly fine but found that their intel on the base they were infiltrating may be a slight bit wrong when presented with the tens of guards and plenty of weapons that the base had. Something they severely underestimated.
They made a mistake going in there.
They were in a snowy climate, dressed as heavily as possible yet still able to comfortably wear their tac vests and necessary equipment and be able to move around, thermals helping wonderfully with that.
Getting in was easy, getting to the main room of the warehouse and seeing approximately 50 more people than they were expecting nearly gave Captain Mactavish an aneurysm right then and there.
In the act of trying to leave and calling the mission a bust, the two got discovered and a shout was given before bullets were flying.
Riley and Mactavish tried to give themselves an opportunity to retreat, killing those behind and to the sides, making a break for it at every chance they can, hiding behind crates of unknown materials.
They’re almost at the door to the hallway out before it goes tits up.
Mactavish runs towards the door as Riley covers him, then takes shelter to cover Riley’s retreat.
They don’t notice the grenade thrown before it goes off.
It pushes Riley closer to the doorway, taking his breath but seemingly not touching him as he bounces up from where he was thrown and hightails it, grabbing Mactavish and pushing him in front of him.
The corridor is filled with footsteps cutting off their escape route, around a bend they need to pass to get out the door and to the RV site.
With a quick breath and a whispered “in here” Mactavish drags a heaving Riley into a small supply closet barely big enough to fit them.
Hushing Riley and purposefully calming his own heavy breaths, Mactavish listens as those that were chasing them and those that had been coming towards them meet in the middle and debate where he and his lieutenant went. One suggests their supply closet only to be berated by at least five others who tell him it’s stupid to go into a supply closet barely fit to handle the brooms and mops they had shoved in there.
To his relief, none of them choose to check the closet and instead split off to check the warehouse top to bottom, debating who goes where long enough for his adrenaline to lower itself and his breath to calm remarkably.
Once those outside of the closet retreat to go check, Mactavish turns around to tell Riley they should leave only to be met with a pale, shaking, and still heavily breathing lieutenant.
“Mate, are you ok?” His concern rises when Riley meets his eyes and gasps “I’m sorry” only to collapse forward into his captain’s arms, shaking and gasping out repetitive “I didn’t realize”s.
”Riley? What’s wrong? Lieutenant?” His panic rises as he maneuvers them to sitting in the stuffed closet against the door, pulling the string for the light as he pulls Riley onto his lap.
“My back” is all that’s muttered between gasps as Riley lets himself collapse into his captain, trusting him to help.
Losing his words and getting Riley to bring his arms around his neck, Mactavish looks over Riley’s shoulder to what of his back he can see. He’s confronted with a slowly spreading red spot on Riley’s jacket and a rather large piece of wood from the blown up crates from earlier on his lower back, thankfully missing the spine.
“We have to take off your vest, I can’t see well past it. Your jacket too, there’s a rather large piece of wood. Can you do that for me? Help me take your vest and jacket off?”
His words are met with a couple of gasps of pain and a nod against his shoulder.
He gets Riley up, helping him position his hands on Mactavish’s shoulders for stability. Looking at him up close, Mactavish concludes that he’s far too pale, but not enough for significant blood loss yet.
Unclipping the tac vest and taking it off is the easy part, it doesn’t take much moving on Riley’s part. The jacket becomes a problem as soon as Mactavish unzips it and tries to get it off of his lieutenant’s shoulders.
Trying to be as helpful as possible, Riley tries to move his shoulders downwards to make it easier to relieve him of his jacket, only to be met with pain flooding through his already tired body from the movement.
With a whimper of pain, Riley collapses against Mactavish’s shoulder and nearly blacks out, tiny whimpers joining the now heavy gasps as his captain cradles his head and shushes him, apologizing for the pain.
After Riley catches his breath and stops making such painful noises, Mactavish tells him not to move and just let him do it. Getting the jacket off his shoulders is hard to do without him moving, but they get through it without tweaking the injury again until it comes to getting the jacket off from around the shrapnel.
Mactavish grabs the small but packed first aid kit Riley stores in his vest and grabs scissors, apologizing for ruining the jacket before he cuts around the shrapnel.
Once the jacket is away from Riley, Mactavish gets him to put his arms around his neck again by pulling them up towards where they were earlier. Riley goes with no complaint or comment, to the concern of Mactavish who also notes his shakes turning into shivers of cold quickly due to the lack of his jacket.
“I’m going to feel it, see if it’s safe to pull out so we can patch it up, yeah?”
It’s a simple whisper and said right next to Riley’s ear. It causes him to bury his head between his own arm and Mactavish’s neck, nodding.
Prodding the wound and seeing what he can of it from his position while cursing the size of the closet, he determines it to be safe to pull. Relief pulses through Mactavish at this because a wound like this would have been hell to try to get Riley out with. And he would be getting him out no matter what.
Mactavish tells Riley what he’s doing as he prepares to pull the wood and prepares gauze to pack the wound until they can get out far enough for what stitches may be necessary.
Giving his last warning, Mactavish pulls the wood as quickly but softly as he can, making sure it doesn’t tug too painfully. Easy enough with the blood soaking it to his chagrin.
As he pulls, Riley buries gasps and whimpers of pain into his neck, instinctively pushing his body closer to Mactavish’s to try to escape the pain, only to find nowhere to go.
Once the shrapnel is cleared, Mactavish takes what smaller pieces out that he can see from his position with sterilized tweezers, ignoring the tears sliding down his neck and tickling his chest and back as they pool under his shirt from Riley’s position buried deep to keep himself quiet.
He shushes him every once in a while with assurances that it’ll be ok.
After getting what he could see, Mactavish packs the wound, cleaning up what blood he can see around the wound and packing more gauze above the skin to keep a thick layer between the wound and the air, Mactavish grabs bandages. He has Riley put his hands on his shoulders again and starts wrapping them around Riley’s torso to keep the gauze in place, ignoring how badly he’s shaking and the redness of his eyes beyond the mask.
Once he’s done with that, Mactavish packs up and lets Riley pull himself together, helping him put his torn jacket and tac vest back on. Mactavish pulls a stim out of his own vest and holds it up for Riley to see. At a nod from the now composed man, he injects it into his right thigh and drags them both into a standing position to wait for it to kick in fully.
Hearing nothing right outside the door and determining it to be safe to move, Riley back to his old self with his gun in his hands, ready to go as the stim hits him, Mactavish gestures for them to leave, turning off the closet light right before they exit it.
To their relief, they make it to the RV point with no more sightings of those from the warehouse and get a medic to take a look at Riley. The medic chooses to pack the wound again and fix it properly at the hospital back on base.
They get their information two weeks later when they take more people in and demolish the forces within the warehouse, taking the information freely then blowing up the place to cover their tracks.
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wizzdot · 5 months ago
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The Patron Saint of One Way Trips
Ch20
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Description: action heavy chapter - mainly from the guys’ POV - laika is held by Graves… next chapter is gonna be JUICY!!!!
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*Ghost's POV*
Johnny had fallen asleep briefly on our drive over. He wakes up when I pull the car up to a halt. It's early morning, the rain has finally stopped..
"Where are we?" Johnny asks - "Alejandro's safe house. Gave me the location just in case" I reply - "Why didn't he tell me?" - "It was need to know" - "What if I needed to know..?"
I roll my eyes - "Shhh, Johnny.." stepping out of the car..
As we approach the building, I sharply come to a halt, stopping Johnny in his tracks too. "Booby trap... Stop Johnny.."
"It's a pressure plate LT.." - "Alejandro rigged it" - "Smart bastard.."
I look up at the building and spot a window that will get us inside. "There, Johnny - look" I nod my head in the direction of the window. Johnny jumps through first and I climb through just behind him. I see a red laser point from the darkness - pointing right at Johnny.. "Don't move".
I remove my knife and throw it towards the shadows, roughly where I think the laser is pointing from. I hear it hit wood - missed.. FUCK. Johnny raises his rifle and takes aim at the dark shadow..
¿Quien esta ahi? a voice calls out. Fucked if I know what that means.. "Rodolfo!!!" Johnny shouts. "Soap, Ghost.. You're alive!!
"Affirmative" I reply
Rudy pulls my knife from the wooden beam and walks towards us. "Good to see you, amigos" - "Igual, amigo" Johnny replies in dodgy Spanish. My knife is handed back to me, I nod in thanks.
"Nice throw. Where were you guys?" Rudy asks in his accented voice. He is brave for an Omega..
"On the run" I reply.
"I was on the run. Ghost waited for me" Johnny cuts in.
"Of course, no?" Rudy asks as if it should be obvious - it was obvious...
"No" Johnny says at the same time I say "Yes-"
Johnny looks at me, surprised.
"We're pack... This happened on my watch and I'll need help to fix it. No one fights alone. We need to find the others.." I say, trying not to worry too much about Laika or Alejandro. I should never have ordered to stay in the room. The Shadows knew exactly where she would have been. I hope she is safe - otherwise it's my fault.. my mistake..
Johnny nods.
"Why did Graves turn?" Rudy asks
"We don't know" - "Las Almas can corrupt anyone" - "Not us"
"For now, General Shepherd, Laswell, and anyone else outside this room is considered a hostile. With one exception"
"Alejandro...?" - "We need him back"
Rudy nods in agreement and turns to a map on a table. "Graves is holding Alejo here - my team are there too"
"And Laika..?" Johnny asks. "Most likely - I couldn't find her when they started detaining us though.. she had already gone"..
My stomach drops and a growl escapes my throat. "What do you mean, 'GONE'?!" I bark. I feel a little guilty when Rudy steps back. It slipped my mind that he is an Omega.. I need to keep my cool..
"That doesn't matter right now, LT - How do we get 'em all back, Rudy?" Johnny steps in, somehow staying calmer than me - he was usually the hotheaded one...
"By breaking in" I grumble, head screwed back on.
"And that's why I love the Ghost" Johnny teases.
Rodolfo walks over to a huge door and slides it open, revealing an armory full of weapons and gear.
"It's well-stocked" Rudy explains, nodding to the vast array of weapons and equipment..
Johnny laughs, amazed by the selection. He always gets excited by this sort of thing.. like a kid at a sweetie shop.."My man- We're gonna need new wheels. Preferably up-armored" he says to Rudy.
At that, Rudy tosses me a set of keys and turns on the lights to the building. We had been standing in the darkness this whole time. As the lights flash on, it reveals an armored vehicle. That'll do!
"Alejandro thought of everything" I say, respecting the Alpha's preparation.
"Yeah, he did. Let's go get them"..
*Laika's (Y/N's) POV*
"Sweetheart?" I wish he would just leave me alone..
"C'mon sweetcheeks, I'm gettin' bored of this now.. we have almost arrived - tell me..? You wanna share a cell with your buddy Alejandro..? Or do you wanna stay with me.. I'll keep you safe, you can be my little attack dog, huh - so good at following orders..?
I stay silent. "Maybe we should call the Russians, ask them how to re-wire you a little bit.. what buttons to press.."
I gulp. He chuckles at my reaction.
"Alejandro doesn't like me.. thinks I'm a rat.." I whimper, trying to manipulate Graves, by telling him little truths, sprinkled by a little white lie here and there..
"Does he now, Princess..? S'that why he made you leave the meeting on the roof..? Stupid sonovabitch played right into my hands there!" he chuckles "Oz led you back like a lamb to slaughter.. pity you'd already pissed off when we came back for you.. smart, by the way - probably wouldn't have caught you if you didn't have such an obsession with helping civvies.. your file says you've always been disobedient in that way.." he laughs. “Look at the bigger picture, princess - acceptable losses are - necessary.."
Bastard. Fucking Bastard!!!!
"Yes, commander.. it's a vice I'm unable to shake" - "Well, if you're gonna be useful to us, you better start fuckin' shaking it, asset"
WHAT?!
Graves turns his attention to the soldier driving the car. "Fuck this, Shadow - take us back to HQ, buddy. I don't want her at the prison with the others. She stays with us.. Understood?"
"Yup yup"- the car makes a sharp turn and speeds in a different direction. "Your buddies will not be able to find you, you're on a one way trip to America, sweetcheeks.. you look good in Shadow gear, I could get used to it"
Creep. Fucking slimy, pervy fucking creep!
*Ghost's POV*
We pull up outside the old prison facility. Rudy grabs a huge rucksake, filled with guns and weapons for his men once we'd freed them.
Rudy speaks up once he has hauled the rucksack onto his back "Graves'll have this place locked down".
"Let's hope they're alive" Johnny says with a hint of anxiety..
"Count on it, amigo"
Johnny starts asking Rudy questions - he does this when he is nervous, I have noticed. A distraction, or coping mechanism..
"Rudy, how long've ya known Alejandro?" he asks
"20 years. Signed up together. Toughest dude in the regiment. Turns out we weren't just friends, he claimed me five years ago now"..
"I wouldn't wanna mess with him..." Johnny says, seriously.
Rudy laughs "We used to say 'el unico que puede matar a Alejandro es Alejandro...'"
I furrow my brow, not understanding "What's it mean?" I grunt.
"The only thing that can kill Alejandro is Alejandro..."
"Glad he's on our side, then, amigo" Johnny replies.
"Two snipers, first tower. Soap- you take one, I'll get the other" I bark orders. The Shadows are shot down quietly.
The sound of a helicopter roars from above. "Looks like a supply drop!" Rudy shouts over the noise..
We move quickly through the facility, using CCTV to guide us. The place is crawling with Shadow soldiers, we deal with them quickly and quietly.
I go off on my own with guidance from Johnny and Rudy. I plant a few bombs and settle behind a barrel for temporary cover. I speak over the comms "We're all set here, Johnny. Have we located Alejandro?"
Rudy's voice cuts through the radio "Perfect timing. I found him on CCTV".
"Where?" Johnny asks, studying the screen in front of him.
"He's in solitary. Two Shadows on the door" Rudy points.
"I see 'em. Ghost, we got him. He's alone, no sign of Laika. Two Shadows on guard"
"Vamos!" Rudy shouts - I know that word. Lets fuckin' Vamos then!!
"Ghost, what's your status?" Johnny asks
I stand from my hiding spot and make a move to start towards them "Comin' your way".
The sound of another helo comes from above. They must be onto us by now..
"It's locked!" Johnny shouts - having reached the cell block door.
"We'll need to breach it" Rudy replies
"No, Rudy- Knock.." I suggest, finally having caught up with them.
"On me..." Rudy says, as he stands and bangs the door in the same way a returning guard would. Stupid fuckin' Shadow opens it immediately That was too easy..
We ambush the guard as soon as the door cracks open. Bullets rain from above, balconies lining the upper floor of the cell block.
"Light 'em up-!" I bark
We make it through all of the Shadow's for now.
"There's Alejandro's cell... Open it up, I'll cover you" Rudy shouts.
I remove the bolt cutters from my belt and cut open the lock.
Johnny enters the cell immediately. Suddenly, Alejandro grabs Soap from behind and shoves him against the wall, ready to punch him. Rodolfo steps in and stops Alejandro.
"Al- It's me, hermano" - Johnny says, shocked by the sudden attack.
"Alpha! Calm, tranquilo - it's us.. we came for you" Rudy speaks softly
Alejandro calms down, happy to see his Omega, they have a fast hug and Alejandro grumbles happily before speaking..
Soap!! Rudy, Ghost...!" he sounds surprised..
"Didn't think we'd leave you, did you...?" Johnny jokes, shaking hands with a grateful Alejandro.
"What the fuck took you so long, pendejos?" he jokes back..
I roll my eyes at his joke before replying "place is crawling with Shadows. There'll be hell ahead. Let's get Laika and then make a move. Rudy, go get your Cowboys.. Alejandro - where is she?"
Alejandro looks confused, then. I feel anger rising to the surface.. "Alejandro..? Where are they keeping her..?" trying to keep a lid on my anger..
"Amigo, I don't think she is here.. And I don't think she is on our side. Be careful who you trust.."
I growl, "What the fuck do you mean by that" I bark at him, grabbing the neckline of his jacket and shoving him backwards.
"She has been here before. I recognised her as soon as she arrived. Almost killed me a few months back - missed her shot. She's a sniper, amigo. A spy.. A rat..?" he explains.
Johnny looks utterly betrayed.
"Alejan.." - "NOT NOW RUDY! I KNOW WHAT I SAW" he shouts at his Omega.
I take a step back, lifting my lips angrily, like a growling dog. FUCK!
"We find her - I don't care. Find her first, ask questions after. That's a fuckin' order. We came for you Alejandro, now you fuckin' help us find her" I bark.
Alejandro shrugs "Fine, if that's your call. I wouldn't be shocked if she isn't in league with the Shadows, amigo. They've proven that they are not to be trusted.. but I will help you find her if that's what you want.."
I nod, mulling his words over in my head "It is what I want.."
"Let's go then - we've wasted enough time" Alejandro shouts.
Rodolfo hands Alejandro a BAS-P submachine gun.
"Let's fight fire with fire" Alejandro laughs as he storms towards the cells his men are being held in.
We make good progress in freeing the soldiers,
Johnny speaks up and asks Alejandro "You seen Graves here?"
"No, but I plan to pay that cabron a special visit" he replies - "Aye, Me too...he might have our girl.." - "Don't get too attached, amigo - she cannot be trusted..."
We move outside into the open yard of the facility. There are several Shadow soldiers ahead. FUCK -
"Riot shields-!" Alejandro shouts in warning.
"Soap, throw whatever you got at them!" I shout, knowing that Johnny loves his flashbangs and grenades.
After a series of bangs and crashes, Johnny laughs "Think we're clear, LT."
The freed Vaqueros rally around Alejandro and Rudy, collecting weapons and readying themselves to help us fight our way out of here.
The front courtyard is saturated with Shadows. We are massively outnumbered, even with the addition of the cowboys..
Alejandro speaks to his men "Weapons hot, hermanos. Stairwell leads down and out... We'll link up with the other and exfil the fuck out of here"
"Exfil vehicles are set. Ghost planted charges to help us get out" Rudy explains.
"With Johnny's help.." I add, I didn't plant all the bombs on my own, after all..
Alejandro laughs "I can't call Soap "Johnny"..."
"Don't" Johnny smiles "Only pack can pull that off".. I nod and give him a quick pat on the head before moving off.
"We'll have to cross the yard to get everyone out" Rudy shouts.
We reach the doors leading out into the prison exterior, but come under fire from the Shadows.
"Sniper on the roof"
"Sniper down" Johnny shouts.
"Good shot, hermano!"
Soap, and Alejandro lead Los Vaqueros down the road, but a pickup truck arrives and offloads more Shadows.
"Johnny- That truck's got one of our charges on it. Detonate it" I bellow
" With pleasure, LT - Here it comes"
BANG
"Ka-freakin-boom, baby-!" I roll my eyes at Johnny's happiness. He always has loved explosives..
Shadows start to organise their position. They're surrounding us!
FUCK
We keep trying to get closer to the exfil point but the Shadows have us held. The sound of an approaching helicopter catches my attention. If that is more Shadows, we are fucked..
"You hear that?" Johnny asks
"Helicopter-- Searching for us! - Take cover, amigos!" Alejandro shouts.
The enemy helo opens fire on the first group of Los Vaqueros. We stand no fuckin' chance now!!
Our comms growl to life simultaneously.
"All stations, this is Bravo-6- Get down!" - I could cry - but I won't - It's Price.
I glance up to the perimeter wall and see Price fire a rocket at the helicopter. It hits and plummets to the ground with a huge explosion.
"Hell fucking yeah!" Johnny shouts, elated.
"All Bravo and Vaqueros... Top o' the wall. Get here and I'll get you out. How copy?" I hear through my earpiece.
"Loud and clear, Alpha. Comin' to ya...!" I reply
"Who is he?!" Rudy asks, anxiously
"Our Alpha..." Johnny replies - Rudy raises an eyebrow. "You're a pack of all Alphas.. unusual, no?"
"We make it work.." Johnny answers.
"I like him already" Alejandro laughs.
We all hurry to the wall where Price lowers ropes for us to climb.
*Johnny's POV*
As I reach the top of the wall, two arms reach to help me. "Gaz" I laugh, climbing into his arms, hugging him and stuffing my nose into his neck.
He laughs along with me, re-scenting me as well.. "Well, what happened to your arm, Soap..?" he teases "Fuckin' Graves is what happened".
Gaz steps to the edge of the wall and scans all of the soldiers climbing up. He turns sharply, the smile wiped from his face.
"Where is she, Johnny...?." He growls.. I pause - not able to think of how to tell them.. that we didn't exactly know, and that Alejandro has reason to believe she is a traitor. I can't bring myself to believe it though. Not Laika, not our girl..
"Sergeant MacTavish..." Price warns from behind me. "Kyle asked you a question.. where is she..?" he warns..
"I - We don't know exactly.. we thought she'd have been brought here when HQ was taken.. but we haven't found her.."
"We need to find her. Laswell thinks she is in danger... Soon as Shepherd and Graves went dark, she called us" John explains as we load up into the exfil vehicle.
"Laswell, still solid as a rock - we weren't sure who to trust.." Simon grumbles "You trust pack, Simon.." John growls back, angrily.
Alejandro appears at the top of the wall then, he quickly makes his way towards us.
"Colonel Vargas, meet Captain Price and Sergeant Garrick" I introduce - "Thanks for the assist" the Alphas shake hands - "You need to help us find our girl" John growls.
"Let's get the fuck out of here, hermanos" Alejandro orders his men
"Down the wall... WE ARE LEAVING!" Price barks, too.
We start getting in the vehicles - "Captain, follow me" Alejandro speaks, jumping into the drivers seat of the first jeep.
"Copy. Gaz, drive!"
Gaz starts up the vehicle and drives away from the prison.
"Shepherd burned us" Ghost says as we follow Alejandro's vehicle.
"He sent Graves and his Shadows to kill us and round up Los Vaqueros" I explain
Price growls and nods his head.. "We know why"
I raise my eyebrows, surprised.. "Why..?" I ask.
Gaz answers from the drivers seat. "Laswell did a bit of digging..."
"What did she find?" Simon grunts
"The truth...The truth about the missiles. And - the truth about Laika.. we need to find her.." he growls, absolutely livid.
Alejandro leads us back to his safehouse.
*Laika's (Y/N's) POV*
Graves has been pacing up and down in front of me for the past hour. I'd been cuffed and my head covered with a sack. He has been on a video call with General Shepherd. The computer starts making a ringing noise and a familiar voice joins the conversation. Before Shepherd answers, he tells Graves to stay silent so he doesn't pick up that he is on the call. Graves walks over to me and roughly puts his hand over my mouth so I can't make a noise.
"You hid this- Why...?" a rough growl comes through, angrily - "We all keep secrets, Captain Price.. some more than others.." he laughs. I whimper from within the darkness of the sack. Graves shakes me roughly to shut me up.
"Why the hell wasn't I informed?" - "Consider yourself well-informed now, John"
John laughs in a terrifying tone "Oh, that's really fuckin' helpful, General. Thank you. But, you're a day late and a missile short. There's three of them- we only found two. And, you've taken something of ours. I want her back.."
"Then, point yourself in that direction and fix it" The General snaps back.
"And who fixes you, eh?" John says, threateningly. "I don't need fixing. I'm a patriot protecting my country".
I hear the scuff of a chair sliding sharply. Price must have stood up in anger.
"You're protecting your own ass" he growls. I'd never heard him so angry. He was radiating pack Alpha energy.
"I do what needs to be done, Captain, and no one holds me down with a roll of red tape. I know what's best for the cause"
"You've lost your fuckin' mind, General"
"And you've forgotten what you're fighting for, John. To do good, you gotta do some bad. When we shit, we bury it, that's how it works"..
"Yeah... But we don't bury each other with it, do we? Where is she..?" he growls again.
"You need to turn off that side o' your head and face down the real enemy" - "she ain't our enemy.." John interrupts.
"You need to call off your Shadow, NOW"
"You mean Graves...?" - "Yes!" - Shepherd laughs "Now, Captain.. He's a dog with a bone, and I highly recommend you don't try and take it"..
"This is your last chance to change your mind" John warns..
"Then what?" Shepherd taunts..
"Then after I kill him... I'm coming for you" the laptop slams shut.
*Captain Price's POV*
I slam the laptop, shutting off the uplink. I nod to the other four soldiers in the room. "Graves has her" I growl, angrily.
"Hey- Vaqueros, pay attention" Alejandro shouts into the large safe house.
All of Los Vaqueros gather around Alejandro us at the table.
"Alright, listen - We are taking back your HQ. We are getting our girl. We are killing Commander Graves" I order.
"When?" Rudy speaks up
"Now" Ghost grunts
"We are not 141 and Los Vaqueros on this. We're a team...understood..?" I growl
Ghost empties a bag full of skull masks onto the table.
"...Ghost Team" I nod, clenching my fists. The Alpha in me was desperate to get loose and rampage the HQ with little regard. But as Captain, I needed to keep my head.. No being a hero. Get in, get our girl, kill Graves, get out.
Ghost removes his mask in front of everyone. I nod and smile at Ghost.
"Good to see you again, Simon" I laugh, he rarely took it off in public. I hadn't seen his face since we had taken Laika, come to think of it..
I remove my boonie hat in solidarity and notice that Kyle takes off his 'lucky cap' too.
"If you're in, take a mask... If you're not... Don't" I order.
Everyone around the table takes a skull mask.
"My troops know the Fuerzas Especiales facility better than the Shadows. So, we'll have the advantage - Be advised, they'll be on high alert because of the prison break. We'll infiltrate the base with two Ghost Teams....Team-1 is Captain Price, Gaz, me, and one pilot.. Team-2 is Ghost, Soap, Rudy, and Los Vaqueros.. Team-1 will use the tunnels to get to the tarmac and commandeer a helo. My pilot will take the Captain up. Team-2 will stand by outside until Price fires on the entry gate and lets them in to fight their way to Graves, and the girl... I suspect he'll be in my HQ defended by his best shooters" Alejandro describes. I nod along in agreement. This has to work...
"we will see how this plan goes and once the place is clear, Gaz and I will locate and secure Valeria... The rest of you will look for the girl and Graves... and Kill him.." he growls.
"Lets fuckin' go" Johnny shouts, marching towards the vehicles.
Lets go get our girl..
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hauntedhowlett-writes · 1 year ago
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𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐬
pairing: dieter bravo x ghost hunter!female reader word count: 4.9k rating: explicit (18+ MDNI)
𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲
The producers of your hit ghost hunting show, Spirit Seekers, have picked your next celebrity guest. Dieter Bravo. You’re not looking forward to being locked in a reportedly haunted mansion with one of Hollywood’s biggest divas.
𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫
the first of my october spooky specials is here! ghost image in title art is from TO LIFE, TO DEATH by Jean-Marie GITARD. if you enjoy this fic, please consider reblogging or leaving a comment and thank you for reading!
𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
explicit sexual content (18+ minors do not interact), drug use - weed, smoking, dub con - sex following drug use, vaginal fingering, handjob, dry humping, getting locked in a haunted house together, misunderstandings. let me know if any tags are missing!
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It’s not often you get called into an actual meeting with your producers. You’re on the road a lot filming for your hit ghost hunting show, Spirit Seekers, so they usually spare you from attendance and send you an itemized e-mail recap.
Not today, though. Today, all five producers were CC’d on the e-mail that requested a meeting to go over your next episode, which is set to start filming in two days. You tap your fingers against the shiny wood conference table, staring out at the Los Angeles cityscape through the panoramic windows as you wait for the suits to join you.
They all arrive at once, three men filing through the doorway with veneered smiles and abnormally smooth foreheads. They shake your hand one by one before taking their seats.
It’s Alec, a paunchy man with grey hair and round glasses, that speaks first, starting with a mumble of your name followed with, “I’ll cut to the chase. We’ve got a celebrity guest for the McCallister mansion episode that you’ll need to work into your production this week.”
“This is pretty late notice,” you reply, mind already running through what you’ll need to do to adjust for the format of a guest special. “Who is it?”
The three men exchange wary glances and you sit up straighter, bracing yourself for the response.
“Dieter Bravo,” Alec finally says, smoothing his tie with his hand.
“You’re shitting me.” If there’s one person you can’t stand, it’s Dieter fucking Bravo. “Is this how I find out Ashton is filming Punk’d again?”
The joke doesn’t land. Alec clears his throat before saying, “This isn’t a joke. And it’s an excellent opportunity to—”
“To what? Pander my show to a diva who’s just going to make my job difficult?”
“He has a very strong fan base that could bring in a large number of new viewers. Your show is popular, but only to a limited demographic,” Alec says. “We’re doing this for you. Spirit Seekers has a lot of potential but if you’re going to remain at the top and have a chance for another Emmy nomination, maybe even an award, you need to be willing to work with the guests that will bring in views.”
You sigh heavily. “I hate that you’re right.”
“I know. But I always am.” He slides a folder across the table to you. “Here are his requirements.”
“Requirements? He does know this isn’t a blockbuster production set, right?”
“This is the modified list,” the man to Alec’s right, Stephen, says. “Trust me, this is significantly better than it once was.”
You open the folder, scanning the document. “Alkaline water, glass bottle. Absolutely no plastic,” you read. “Organic, non-GMO, dye free, gluten free crackers. Did he just pick every Whole Foods buzzword and stick them together?”
“We will make this as easy for you as we can. We just need you to focus on the episode. Okay?”
“Fine,” you mumble, shutting the folder. “He breaks any of my equipment, I’m billing you.”
“Deal.”
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Two days later you’re sitting in your makeshift command center with your crew mates, Andrew and Mike, making sure that all the monitors are displaying the feeds from the static cameras set up inside the mansion. You’ve already filmed solo interview segments with the owner, an elderly man who inherited the house over thirty years ago but left it untouched because of what he believes is a ghostly presence.
The sun is low behind the gorgeous Queen Anne Victorian home, orange sky haloing the steep roofed mansion. The historic building sits on six acres of land surrounded by a wrought iron fence that the owner, Paul, had to unlock for you to set up for the night filming session you would be doing this evening. He stands behind you now with his arms crossed over his chest as he watches you connect your equipment.
“So you’ll be in there all night?” He asks, voice wary.
“Most of it. We’ll get three hours of footage with Andrew following us through the house and then a few more hours of single camera action, coupled with the static night vision feeds that will roll all night. We’ll be inside until 3 a.m. and then work out here for a bit before packing up,” you reply. “Thank you so much for letting us come in and do an investigation.”
“I’ve got a bet going with a buddy of mine,” Paul says, puffing his chest out. “If you find something, he owes me a hundred bucks.”
You laugh. “I can’t guarantee anything. My goal isn’t to make a ghost where there isn’t one.”
“I know, I know. But I’m telling you, this place has always been weird.” He glances up at the house, his frame shivering despite the California warmth. “Doors always opening and shutting on their own, footsteps, voices. Whole nine yards. S’why I never moved in.”
You knew all of this, of course. You’d done a walk through of the property with one of your camera guys, letting Paul tell you his first hand experiences in the old house. You’re about to reply when the sound of a car barreling up the gravel driveway pulls your attention away from the conversation.
A black Escalade approaches, coming to a stop in a cloud of dirt that makes you cough. Paul pats your back as the back door opens and designer boots drop onto the gravel.
Dieter Bravo stands with one hand gripping the door of the car while he uses his other hand to tilt his sunglasses down his nose to squint at you. He’s wearing black joggers and a faded gray t-shirt with a hole near the collar, his hair a fluffy mess of dark curls.
“Hey,” you say in greeting. You hold a hand out and give him your name, forcing a smile on your face. “Welcome to the command center.”
“Command center? This some kind of secret army operation or something?” He asks, shutting the door and walking past you, leaving you with your hand out stretched for an unreciprocated handshake.
“Michael keeps an eye on the static cameras in case one needs to be fixed,” you explain, gesturing to the man sat in front of the wall of screens with a headset on. “Now that you’re here only,” — you check your watch — “an hour late, we can get started. Andrew, could you get him mic’d?”
Andrew approaches with a wireless microphone and the actor steps back and holds his hands up. “Hold up, I gotta make sure you got everything.”
“Got everything?” You ask.
“Yeah. My snacks and water?” He looks around expectantly.
You pinch the bridge of your nose. “Yes, they got your snacks. They’re in the cooler. Can you please let Andrew get your mic on? We have to start the guest filming before the light is gone.”
Andrew approaches Dieter again, who lets him get close enough to hook the mic to the waist of his pants. Dieter smirks as he says, “You could at least buy me dinner first.”
You groan, grabbing your own mic. “Let’s get started.”
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“The mansion itself was built in the late 1800s and has only been home to two families since it was finished. It’s been in Paul’s possession for thirty years,” you say, walking backwards towards the house as the camera man follows. Dieter stands off to the side of the wraparound porch, waiting for his cue. “And tonight, we’ve got the exclusive opportunity to explore this gorgeous home with a special guest. Tonight’s Spirit Seeker is none other than Emmy Award winning actor, Dieter Bravo!”
Dieter steps into frame and gives a smile to the camera, clapping his hands together. “Let’s catch some ghosts!”
“Now, Dieter, we’re not the Ghostbusters,” you say, your voice deadpan. Dieter raises his eyebrows at you.
“That’s the best you’ve got?” He asks. Your brows pinch together.
“Excuse me?”
“‘We’re not the Ghostbusters’? Really?” He waves his hands to the camera. “Come on, sweetheart, give it a little more energy.”
Your teeth are clenched so hard your jaw aches. “I had energy over an hour ago. You know, when you were supposed to get here?” You pinch the bridge of your nose. “Can we just get inside?”
He holds an arm out, gesturing for you to enter in front of him. Having toured the mansion already, you signal to Andrew to focus the camera on your guest for his reaction.
Dieter looks around the foyer, grand staircase and marble floors the centerpieces of the large space. “It’s a damn shame they don’t make them like this anymore. Look at the carvings! This has gotta be all original, right?”
“Yep. They’ve only upgraded the internal stuff, like plumbing and electrical,” you confirm. “The owner, Paul, inherited the house after his grandfather passed thirty years ago. He used to spend his summers here when he was a child and vividly remembers experiencing some…unexplained events that have left an impression on him.” You approach a table that’s been set up with your usually line up of equipment. “Tonight, we’re going to see if we can find an explanation for the inexplicable.”
“That’s so cheesy,” Dieter laughs. “You’ve got the cutest serious face, though.”
He thinks I’m cute? Your treacherous brain says, your face heating in response to the compliment. You quickly look at your equipment.
“Anyways,” you say, clearing your throat. “Let’s go through the equipment.”
You start with the basics. A digital recorder for capturing electronic voice phenomenon, night vision cameras, and dowsing rods. Further down the table you have thermal cameras, electromagnetic field meters, REM pods, and spirit boxes. Dieter listens attentively, to your surprise, and even asks a thoughtful question about the spirit boxes.
“How about we divvy up the gear? I can take the recorder and thermal camera, you can take the EMF reader—“
“No can do,” he interrupts, holding his hands up. “I don’t fuck with EMF.”
You blink. “What do you mean?”
“That shit is toxic. It’ll warp your DNA.”
“Dieter,” you say incredulously, “The entire planet is comprised of EMF.”
“No, that’s the geomagnetic field,” he argues.
“It’s the same thing!” You take a deep breath. “You know what? I’ll take the EMF detector. You can have the thermal camera,” you compromise, shoving the camera into his hands. You hastily gather the rest of the devices.
“Alright. Let’s do this.”
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It’s the last hour of the main filming session where Andrew films you and Dieter using the equipment. So far, there haven’t been many notable experiences. You’ve captured a few creaking floorboards and the EMF meter has gone off a few times, but nothing that you can undoubtedly point to as proof of the paranormal, which is par for the course. What people don’t realize when watching your heavily edited show is that you cut out hours of silence and empty footage.
“Alright, Andrew, you’re welcome to head out. We’ll do a bit more upstairs,” you tell the camera man. “Thanks for you help.”
“‘Night, boss,” he replies with a little salute. Dieter watches him as he leaves.
“So, it’s just us now, huh?” He says, his eyebrows raised suggestively. “All alone in a haunted house…pretty hot.”
“Oh, please,” you say nervously, fiddling with your thermal camera, “We haven’t gotten any evidence that this place is haunted.”
“Maybe the ghosts are just shy,” he suggests.
You grab the REM pod and turn on the device, the LED lights flashing. “Let’s do a REM pod session. Here, hold the camera.”
Dieter holds the expensive equipment delicately, staring at the night vision screen to keep you in frame. “Not often I get put behind the camera,” he comments.
You spend the next twenty minutes asking a series of questions in the quiet room, your digital recorder running in your hand. Dieter remains focused on the screen.
“Why don’t you playback the recording?” He suggests. You glance at him, his face illuminated in the dark by the lights of the camera and the faint moonlight that filters through a window.
“Good idea,” you admit, hitting the stop button and running the tape back. There’s some static feedback before your voice announces the date and time of the recording.
“Is there anyone here with us?” Your recorded voice asks. There’s a beat of silence and you fully expect your voice to be the next thing you hear but instead there’s a garbled, “Yes.”
“Holy shit!” Dieter shouts. “That was a fucking ghost!”
“Shhh!” You hiss, flapping your hand at him. You play it back and sure enough, the same disembodied voice echoes through the room, clear as day. “Holy shit!”
“Play the rest, play the rest,” Dieter demands. He steps closer with the camera trained on the recorder.
Together, you listen to the rest of the recording. There’s another moment where you think you might have gotten a response, but it’s not as clear as the first one. You play it back again and again, and finally Dieter takes the recorder from you.
“Alright, enough, if I hear you ask, ‘Do you mean any harm?’, one more time, I’m going to have to tattoo it across my ass,” he says with a laugh. “Actually, that would be kind of cool, right? Very…provocative.”
“Oh my god.” You can’t help but laugh and the man’s face lights up with a cute smile, the corners of his brown eyes creasing with the force of it. “Let’s go check out the study.”
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“How does this one work?” Dieter asks as you turn on the spirit box, the staticky feedback noise filling the room.
“It sweeps through different radio stations rapidly and, theoretically, a paranormal entity can manipulate it and use it to speak. Just ask question.” You fix the camera on him. “Ready when you are.”
“So…do any of the ghosts think I’m hot?” He asks, glancing around the room. You bite your lip to hold in your laugh as the static continues. “Tough crowd.”
You roll your eyes. “Be serious.”
“Okay, okay, fine. Uh…did anything like…bad….happen to you?” No response. “Do you…like having guests?”
“No.”
Dieter jumps, eyes wide as he looks at the spirit box. “No fucking way,” he says excitedly. “Okay, uh, why don’t you want guests?”
“Loud.”
“Oh my god,” you murmur. “Keep going!”
“Do you want to hurt us?” Dieter asks. The device is silent, no responses coming through. His shoulders drop in disappointment. “Damn. Some confirmation that we’re dealing with Casper and not that fucking thing from Insidious would have been nice.”
“Try one more question? I’m going to get the thermal cam,” you tell him, rushing to the desk in the center of the room for your equipment. You hastily power it on and point both cameras at him. “Ok, go.”
“You’re supposed to say action,” Dieter says, making you roll your eyes. “But I’ll let it slide. Hmm…ghost, is there a room we should explore next?”
It’s silent for a beat, and you think maybe the session may be over, but suddenly the device spits out the word, “Attic.”
Dieter stares at you with wide eyes. “Guess we’ve gotta go higher.”
“Let’s do it.”
You open the door to the attic, revealing a dark, narrow staircase that looks particularly haunting. The man stands at your back, looking up into the inky black darkness. He audibly swallows.
“Uh…how about you go first? You’re the professional,” he suggests.
“You scared?” You tease, taking a tentative step forward. “It’s just a little attic.”
“In a very haunted house!” He hisses. “What if it’s luring us here to kill us?”
“Then you would have had to film for this ‘stupid show’ with nothing to show for it. Tragic,” you reply sarcastically, placing quotes around the words stupid show.
Because that’s what you’ve heard him call it. Your show was up for a Primetime Emmy award last year for your Halloween special and it was your first time attending an award show. Dieter was there to present an award and was seated only a few seats down from you, talking to another actor you vaguely recognized, when you overheard his feelings for your show.
“I can’t believe they put such a stupid show in this category,” he said, loudly. “It doesn’t even belong here.”
“What are you talking about?” Dieter asks as you reach the open attic. There’s a circular window that looks out over the grounds, caked with dust and only allowing a tiny amount of light into the room. You turn to face him.
“At the Emmy Awards last year. I was sitting two seats down from you and you said — and I quote — ‘I can’t believe they put such a stupid show in this category’,” you snap.
He stares at you incredulously. “Are you kidding me? I love your show. I’ve been begging my agent to get me on as a guest since your first episode!”
“Yeah, okay,” you reply sarcastically.
“It’s true! Just ask him!” He steps closer, eyes wide and pleading, looking like a puppy who’s just been reprimanded. “I was talking about that stupid potato documentary. It was boring as hell and had no reason being nominated!”
“Wait…so...you like my show?”
“I love your show. It’s, like, the closest thing to being in an episode of Scooby-Doo.”
You laugh and Dieter’s face brightens, like he knows he’s in the clear. Suddenly, the sound of a door slamming has you both screaming and Dieter launches forward, his arms wrapping around your shoulders as he leaps into the air.
It catches you by surprise, all of his weight leaning into you and sending you crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs and an echo of groans.
“What the fuck was that?!” You ask. “Dieter, get off, I can’t breathe!”
“Sorry, sorry,” he says, rolling off of you with a thump and another pained noise. “You were supposed to catch me.”
“Catch you?” You wheeze, flat on your back.
“Yeah, like in the shows. Scooby always caught Shaggy.”
“Why am I Scooby?!”
“I don’t know,” he shouts. “Listen, let me go check what that was.”
“You’re not leaving me up here,” you hiss. “We go together.”
The two of you make it to the bottom of the stairs, only to discover that the door to the attic has slammed shut. Not only that, but the damn thing won’t open. Dieter slams his shoulder into it as he twists the knob, cursing up a storm as he tries to shove it open with no luck.
“Remember what I said about the ghosts trying to murder us?” He asks.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got a radio. I’ll tell Michael he needs to come try to open the door.” You tug the radio free from the waist of your jeans, pressing the button and asking, “Mike? You there?”
Silence fills the room. You try again.
“Mike?”
More silence.
“Fucking Mike,” Dieter grumbles. He heads back upstairs to the attic and you trail after him. He makes a beeline for the small window, feeling around the edges of it. “Maybe we can get the window open and call out to him.”
“Good idea,” you tell him, coming up beside him and pulling a flashlight from your back pocket, shining the light on the windowsill to help him find the latch.
There’s a rusted crank that he starts turning, the hinges squeaking loudly enough to make you wince. The window opens the slightest bit, fresh air flowing into the stale room.
“Can you get it open a little more?” You ask. With a grunt, he forces the crank around, his biceps stretching the sleeves of his shirt.
Not that you’re watching his biceps. Or the muscles of his back as he moves. Definitely not.
“That’s as far as it’ll go,” he says. “See if you can see your little tent down there.”
“Command center,” you grumble, doing as suggested. You can can’t see much except a corner of the white tent fabric, but you call out anyways, “Michael! Mike! Hey!”
There’s no movement from below, no responding shout. You call out for him again and again, but it’s no use. He’s clearly not answering.
“I don’t have my phone during investigations. Do you have yours?” You ask. Dieter pulls his phone from his front pocket.
“Fuck, it’s dead,” he groans, tapping the black screen. You sigh.
“What are we supposed to do now?” You check your watch and find it’s 1:30 a.m. You have no idea where the fuck Mike went, but hopefully he’ll be back by 3 a.m. for debrief and a very stern lecture about abandoning his post. Dieter grins at you.
“Wanna get high?”
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“The episode you did at the asylum in Kentucky is my favorite. It’s so fucking scary. The gurney moving? The shadows? Fuck, I was hiding in a blanket the whole time,” Dieter says.
You’re sitting beside each other with your legs out in front of you, your backs leaning against the wall beneath the small window. You’re pleasantly buzzed, your head a little fuzzy and your limbs loose from the joint you’ve passed back and forth for the last half hour and you’ve been talking about your favorite episodes, yours to film and his to watch, the conversation flowing surprisingly well.
“You know, maybe I was wrong about you,” you say when there’s a lull in conversation. Dieter looks at you, his eyebrows raised. “Yeah, I just…I don’t know. I thought you were this high maintenance asshole, I guess. But you’re kinda cool.”
Dieter laughs. “Oh, baby, I’m definitely high maintenance. You weren’t wrong about that.”
Something about Dieter calling you baby makes you feel warm and gooey. You’d like to blame it on the weed but if you’re honest with yourself for once, it’s because of him. You tried not to like him, you really did, but he’s funny and nice and doesn’t think your whole ghost hunting gig is a waste of time like a lot of men you’ve dealt with in the past. Not to mention he’s so hot, with his messy hair and pretty brown eyes and warm tan skin. Sure, he’s a pain in the ass, but you’re realizing now that it’s actually part of his charm.
You must be quiet for too long or fidget too much because he’s smirking at you now, plush lips tilted up mischievously. “You liked that, huh?” He asks.
“Liked what?” You whisper. He’s scooches closer, his thigh pressing against yours and your shoulders brushing.
“Me calling you baaaaby,” he says, drawing out the word teasingly. “You got all quiet about it.”
“N-no I didn’t.”
“Riiiight,” he teases. He twists his body, reaching an arm across to grip your thigh. “C’mere.”
You go willingly, maneuvering your clumsy limbs until your legs are spread over his lap. He looks up at you with glassy eyes and a syrupy smile, sliding his hands into the back pockets of your jeans.
“You wanna try that again, baby?” He buries his face against your chest and you laugh, squirming in his grip. “Come on, be honest with me.”
“Maybe…maybe I kinda like it,” you mumble. His hands drift up your waist.
“Like what?”
“When you call me baby.”
He presses a kiss to your collarbone, the touch electrifying. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
“You’re so annoying,” you huff, trying to pull away from him. He holds you tightly.
“Nooooo,” Dieter whines, peppering kisses along all the skin exposed by your tank top that he can reach.”’M sorry, I’ll be good for you, baby.”
Your eyes flutter as you sink into his hold. His light kisses turn into teasing nips of his teeth that make you gasp and grind yourself over his lap. You can feel him growing hard beneath you, the length of his cock pressing deliciously against the seam of your jeans to give you the friction you’re craving.
Dieter’s hand wraps around the back of your neck, pulling you forward to press his lips to yours. It’s awkward at first, just a lingering peck, but then he licks at your bottom lip and you open up for him, his tongue hot against yours as you explore each other. Your mouths are a little dry from the weed but the kiss quickly grows hot and wet, a little desperate and messy as you move together.
“Fuck,” Dieter groans when he pulls back for a breath. “Keep moving, just like that.”
You have a better idea, though. You move down a little bit until you can get your hands on the fly of his pants, popping the button and pulling the zipper. He helps you out a bit, lifting his hips to shove his pants down just enough for you to reach into his boxers and wrap a hand around his thick cock. His eyes are dark and his mouth goes slack as you slowly bring your fist up, palming the slick head and smearing the bead of precum around the sensitive tip.
You withdraw your hand, bringing it to your face to lick your palm, getting it nice and wet as you keep your gaze fixed on him. He’s breathing hard, chest heaving with the effort and he gasps when you take him back in your hand.
“Fuck, feels so fucking good,” he groans, tipping his head back against the wall with a thump. “Tighter, baby, squeeze it tighter. Fuck, that’s a good girl.”
His words have your clit aching with need and you reach down with your other hand to unbutton your jeans, trying to keeping your motions coordinated as you do. Dieter looks up and notices what you’re trying to do.
“You need a lil something, baby?” He asks. When you nod, his hand smacks yours away, successfully undoing the button and zipper. “Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”
His hand slides beneath your jeans and panties, thick fingers quickly zeroing in on your needy clit with tight circles that have your hand stilling around his cock as you moan. His other wraps around yours, encouraging your movements as he plays with your pussy.
“You’re so fucking wet,” he groans, fingers dipping lower until they’re pressing against your slick entrance. “Keep moving your hand, baby.”
You hadn’t even noticed that you stopped, too focused on how good his touch felt. “‘M sorry,” you mumble.
“Don’t be sorry,” Dieter murmurs, one finger pressing slowly inside of you. “Fuck, you’re tight.”
You try to focus on his cock, sliding your tight fist over his length, twisting your wrist around the flushed head, smearing the wetness at the tip around with your thumb. He pumps one finger, then two inside of you in a matching rhythm, the heel of his hand brushing your clit and making you moan.
“Oh my god,” you whisper, rocking your hips the slightest bit. “I’m gonna cum.”
“Do it, baby, I’m right there with you,” Dieter replies, his own hips chasing your hand. “Come on, come on, all over my hand, baby.”
The wave of pleasure crashes over you, your muscles tightening before releasing all at once as you cum, clenching around his fingers and moaning his name. Warmth spreads over your hand and when you finally open your eyes you see that Dieter has cum as well.
“Uh,” you say awkwardly, “What…what do I do?”
“Huh?” Dieter mumbles, withdrawing his hand from your jeans.
“With the” — you nod towards your cum covered hand — “mess?”
“Oh, right. Uh…just kinda…wipe it into my boxers?” He says. You do as he suggests, wiping the sticky mess into the fabric. “I’ll just deal with it later.”
“Boss? You there?” Mike’s voice calls out over the radio, which sits discarded to the side. You scramble off of Dieter’s lap to grab the device.
“Mike! We’ve been locked in the attic for over an hour!” You hiss. “Come get us right now and maybe I’ll let you keep your job.”
Mike responds that he’ll be right up and you fix your pants, hooking the radio back onto your jeans. Dieter stands, pulling his pants up and gathering some of the equipment. You stand together, waiting for Mike in what you would consider an awkward silence until Dieter bumps your shoulder with his.
“We should do that again sometime,” he says. “Maybe without the audience.”
“Audience?” You ask.
He leans in close, lips brushing your ear and making your shiver as he whispers, “The ghosts.” You shove him away, both of you dissolving into giggles. His face grows serious once more. “No, really. You wanna like…get breakfast or something? I know this good farm-to-table place that opens super early.” You smile at him.
“I’d like that.”
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Dieter sits on the couch, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a box of gluten free crackers in his lap. “Hurry up! It’s starting!”
“Your fancy microwave burned my popcorn,” you whine as you rush back into the living room. Dieter sneaks a hand into your bowl, shoving popcorn hastily into his mouth. “Hey!”
“Boyfriend tax,” he explains. “Now, hush, or I won’t invite you over to watch anymore.”
“It’s my show!”
The opening theme music starts, some eerie instrumental that plays over a montage of scenes from earlier episodes. As the music fades, shots of the house and your recorded voiceover explain the location for the episode right before it cuts to you and Dieter.
“…And this, is Spirit Seekers,” you and Dieter say along with your recorded self, matching grins on your faces.
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doomtrooper77 · 16 days ago
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The door down the hall was also made of heavy steel and was built almost like a bank vault. It was cracked open, and I could see the glow of fluorescent light coming through the crack. Although the door was heavy, it opened smoothly. I walked into another vaulting warehouse space. This one was full of rows upon rows upon rows of weapons. It was like walking into a Costco, but just for guns and weapons of every sort. Racks going all the way up to the ceiling of crates made of wood, some of molded plastic, and others of metal lined each level of racking around me.
The racking was configured so that a path led into the back of the warehouse. I followed it. When I reached the end of the path, there was an area of worktables, machinery, and tools. Sitting beside the table was a massive man with a buzz-cut and thick beard. His arms were covered in tattoos, and he was the size of a fucking Mac truck. The other guys he had met were huge, but this man was massive. His eyes looked at me from under heavy brows. Bright like steel, they looked right through me.  In his hand was a machine gun of some type I had never seen before. Well, that told me I was in the right place. It wasn’t pointed at me, but something told me it could be in a microsecond if I said or did the wrong thing.
I walked over to him and said, “I guess you are the guy I am looking for, Mr.” He said nothing and kept looking at me. “Okay, I was told that you were the guy who could provide me with some specialty equipment that I need,” I continued. He still didn’t say anything and just kept looking at me. I was getting nervous now. My hand twitched to move toward the button, but I pushed that feeling down. I needed more evidence.  I needed to get him to talk. We both stood there in silence for another 30 seconds, and I said, “Listen, if you guys don’t want to do business, show me the door, and I can get out of here. If you are turning away money, then that’s cool with me. I will find someone else who can give me what I need. I just heard you were the man to talk to for things like this. Professional with quality goods.”
Again, silence until he said, “Who sent you, and what are you looking for?”  I gave him the name of the informant gave us and just enough background on the guy to make it seem legitimate. I hoped. He nodded slowly and said, “What are you looking for?”  Ice broken, I ran off a list of things we “needed”.  There were some esoteric things on the list that we hoped he had because it would put him and the rest of them in prison for the rest of their lives.  Again, he nodded and said, “I’ve got that. But ah, what do you need all that for?” 
Okay, this is not an unusual question, but “Listen, Mr.?? Like you, we have our own need for discretion. I’m told that all the gear you sell is untraceable, which is part of why you get paid extra. It’s why I am here, your rep is that you can desperately supply damn near anything a man can need from a weapons standpoint.” I said. He nodded sagely again. It was when I heard footsteps coming down one of the isles of the racking.
A middle-aged man came into view with a tablet in his hands. He was beefy but not like these guys. He stood around 6’1" and had a belly, but his shoulders were broad, and his arms were thick and hard. He looked like your office type of guy who worked out—a guy who wrestled in high school but got a bit soft around the middle. He looked at me as he walked over to the “Boss,” leaned over, and whispered in his ear.  I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but I could see the Bosses eyes. Those hard eyes did two things: they went ice cold, and an evil glint twinkled in them. His bearded mouth smirked. The guy with the tablet reached into his back pocket and pulled out a clear bag wrapped around a mesh of wire. Oh shit. I could see my phone in the bag, a Faraday bag. My hand went to the 4th button on my shirt and started tapping It discretely.
“How long do you think it will take them to get here?” the Boss asked. He looked at me with a smile that did not reach his eyes. My finger was pressing against the button now, not trying to hide it. “What are you talking about? “I said, trying to keep my voice even. He stood up then, and I could see he was about 6’6” and seemed to be damn near that wide. I took an involuntary step back and bumped into something, make that someone. I started to turn when two massive pairs of hands grabbed my arms and held me in place—the two guards from out front were behind me and holding me in their vice-like grip. The Boss's smile became a grin as he walked toward me.
I sputtered and said a bunch of things that did nothing in the long run. When he stood in front of me, it was like being in the shadow of a giant monolith. Everything seemed small around him—insignificant.  He simply said, “Shhhhhh!” to me, and I quieted.
Turning to the guy with the tablet, he said, “Which one is it?” The tablet tech guy stepped in front, looked me up and down, and stopped at the buttons on the shirt. From somewhere, the tech guy pulled out a big folding knife and snapped it open. I jumped and tried to pull back. The hands holding me tightened painfully on my arms, shoulder, and neck, lifting me to my toes. The beefy tech expertly moves the knife to slide under the 3rd and 4th buttons on my shirt, slicing them off into his hand. Looking at them closely, he turned to the Boss and said, “Camera and emergency transmitter. They look like something Mossad made last year. It's pretty good tech. Not as good as ours, but pretty damn good. We’ve been blocking the signals since he got in the van. The camera is running on local storage since he came into the bar.  As far as they can tell, he disappeared when he left the bar. I’ve been retransmitting a false signal west of the city; they should be trailing him out past Naperville and Westmont about now. “
The massive man smiled genuinely and clapped the tech on his shoulder. “Good job as per usual Al. Lead the signal out toward the compound in western Iowa. You know, those wingnut survivalists the FBI is always looking at. Make it end there for now.”  The tech guy started to walk away, and the Boss said, “Wait, keep this with those.” He lifted the Faraday bag my phone was in, and I watched his gloved hand crumple the metal like it was a beer can. He crushed it once, then casually twisting it in his hand, crushed it again until it resembled a ragged ball of steel and glass.  He handed the bag and demolished phone to Al the tech.
Turning back to me, he leaned over and said, “Listen, I don’t have time to listen to your lies and denials. Then threats. Not only does nobody know you’re here, but they don’t even know who took you. Al will lead them on a nice little electronic goose chase through western Iowa, where they will raid that right-wing survivalist fuckers. When they don’t find you there, your handlers will be at a dead in.”
His big, gloved hand engulfed my chin, and he moved closer, “Right now, my boys here are going to have some fun. They like to pay with their food. Eventually you’ll tell them what I need to know.”  He said. The massive men holding him grunted in agreement. He pulled back with a dangerous smirk, and his big gloved hand patted my face roughly as he turned and walked back over to the bench.
The guy holding me shifted and the one on my left quickly slid his arms under mine and put me in a full nelson. The other guy walked around in front of me and, after rolling his shoulders, slammed his fist into my gut. Then again and again. The guy holding me pulled me up, and I could see the Boss back at his worktable and the Tech guy looking at me. His eyes were watching with lust and need as those guys were working me over. The Boss absently looked up and said, “Fellas, take your fun elsewhere. I’ve got work to do. They replied, “Sure thing, Boss.”  They started dragging me away when the Boss said, “Boys, it’s been a while, so, take your time and enjoy yourselves. Also, take Al with you; you know he likes to watch.”  All three of them said, “Thanks, Boss,” in unison as they dragged me away.
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letmeinimafairy · 17 days ago
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Where did you learn to do these amazing carvings? I see your work come across my dash every couple of months and every time I see it I think "I want to learn how to do this" so I figure if I know where to start looking I can make it one of my resolutions for 2025.
Thank you so much! I'm self-taught (my art education starts and finishes with art school sadly, my dream is to become a jeweller but I can't afford the education), and honestly, I'm doing this by intuition through trial and error. At some point I just realised that for some ideas I need something different, not paintings, and decided to try. I started working with small engraver on river shells, cleaning and polishing them to make pendants for miniature paintings, then at some point I started carving wooden landscapes for resin pendants and dioramas. So I'm mostly learning about materials through small experiments - a ribcage carved from a shell for an idea I'm still working on, arks made from small wood chips to test the waters, a new rotating tool for stones. I love looking at shapes and "finishing" them, so all my current stone carvings are made out of river pebbles, I don't have the equipment to cut bigger stones. Honestly, I'm useless at instructions because I don't know shit about serious crafts, but to get a small rotating tool and an object that gives you an idea about what it could become would be a good start.
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iamsherlocked1479 · 1 year ago
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Kinktober: Day Three hate fuck
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A little longer today: 1.6K words. i like this one alot and hope you do too.
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“Seriously?! Him?” you over exaggerate
“Calm down, it's just for three days.” Natasha sighed
“Are you joking, three days with a condescending sarcastic dick.” you could almost hear the sound of Stephens eye roll from your words
“You’re not the most pleasant cup of tea sweetheart.” he said sitting down at the table
“Look, all you have to do is hide out in a cottage for three nights to get a good idea of the patrol route and we’ll pick you up in three days so we can get Bucky back. 
“Fine, but only because i owe Bucky,” you sigh “ but i don’t see why i can’t just do this on my own
“Because this is too high risk and last time you had a solo mission it all-
“Went to shit.” Stephen finished Steve's sentence.
“That's not how i was going to say it but, yeah” you groaned and pushed your head into your arms “listen your new at this, you’ll get used to it, going from being a solo act to a team player can be hard.”
“I’m not in the mood for a team building speech right now cap.” you get up and purposely knock stephens shoulder as you walk past him causing his coffee to spill slightly.
Packing was easy picking comfortable yet appropriate clothing for the event of having to make a quick escape. You then pondered at the thought of bringing the useful tool that was tucked away in your drawer. You argued with yourself before throwing it in just in case it was needed. You jumped as there was a knock at the door
“Are you ready to go?” Stephen walked in “what's wrong packing your dildo?” He smirked
“What? No. Yeah, ready whenever you are.” You walked him and into the hall surprised that he didn’t follow. “Are you coming? It's a five hour drive, we gotta get moving.”
“You’re forgetting that i have a sling ring.” He popped his head around the corner and you went back into your room to see the opened portal. You huffed and stepped through the portal and carried your stuff to the room.
The rest of the evening was fine, you set up the equipment listening for any communications happening between the cabin and the base in the woods ahead of you. And as you figured, nothing, you were no closer to finding your friend.
“You know, if you keep staring at the speaker like that it might float.” Stephen said, pouring himself a glass of bourbon. “Why do you care so much anyway?”
“Because he got me out of the lab. He set me free.” You twiddling your thumbs around
“You mean from the mutant home?” He chuckled to himself 
“Prison, prison is probably a better word to use.” An awkward silence spread through the room. He put his glass down on the table letting a loud bang cut through the silence 
“I’m going for a walk, don’t get into any trouble.” He sighed and shut the door as he left. God you hated him, the sudden realisation that you were alone brought an excitement to your core. You remembered your toy that you had pushed into your bag, you headed to the room not realising the old wooden door hadn’t fully latched when you closed it behind you.
When Stephen got back you were gone, the room was quiet and the desk you had been sitting at was lifeless. He figured you had gone to bed and began to do the same until he heard that noise. The muffled moan coming from your room with a low buzzing sound. He smiled to himself as he peered through the door, he couldn’t help it, something else he could tease you with. But the noises you were making where not of pleasure, but frustration. He didn’t know what drove him into the room but he opened the door with the same cocky attitude he always treated you with.
“What's wrong can’t get off?” 
“What the fuck, the door was closed!” You threw you covers over your lower half
“That door was not closed, what were you doing? trying to entice me?” He leant against the frame
“No i uh, why are you here?” You say frustratedly sitting up in your bed.
“Well from what it looked, and sounded like, is that you couldn’t get off.” He shuffled slightly “so what if i propose an offer?”
“What are you talking about?” You ask as he crosses his arms
“What if, just this once, I help you get off.” His brow raises 
“What? Why, why would you do that.” 
“Because it's better than you not being able to and me having to deal with the sulking. But hey it's just an offer.” He shrugs and walks away 
“Wait” you call out “no strings attached?”
“None” he replies “just this once”
“Just this once?” You think for a moment “fine, okay”
“Okay?” He enters your room, closing the door behind you and sits on the bed “so uh” 
You sigh and lean forward, pressing your lips to his, he quickly kisses back, and you lay down with him on top of you. You couldn’t lie he was a damn good kisser, he trailed them down your neck and his hand went up your tank top where he could play with your nipple. You flinch slightly,
“Easy, it’s okay, I won’t bite. Unless you want me to?” He joked and you rolled your eyes, you were going to say something but then his hand found itself under your shorts and sliding through your folds. 
“Shit.” You called out as he circled your clit. He chuckled and pulled down your shorts
“No panties you dirty girl.” He watched as your eyes rolled back at the feeling of his tongue beginning to fuck you. He was good, so good you were trying not to enjoy it too much, you hated how good it was.
“Fuck don’t stop.” You were close, you were so pitifully close already. You needed this so bad and he was delivering, he spread your legs as far apart as he could giving him full access. You came so hard, over his face and he made sure to clean up every drop, your body was sweating, it was becoming hooked on him like he was a drug. And he laughed at you, he laughed at how quickly you had come.
“If you needed it so bad you could’ve told me.” He began to get up and you stopped him, grabbing his arms. “What?” His brow raised, waiting for your answer, god you hated that stupid face, you hated it so bad you kissed it, you could taste yourself on his tongue and you like it. You pushed him onto the bed, massaging the bulge growing in his crotch. He moaned at the sensation and didn’t fuss when you pulled down his trousers and boxers allowing him to be free. He didn’t complain when you took him into his mouth and began sucking like you need it. “Shit- what are you… god that's good.” He leaned back on the bed and took your hair and wrapped it around your head. You gagged as he shallowly thrusted into your mouth only causing you to swallow him down even more. You pulled him from your mouth with a pop and climbed on top of him. His hand flew to your waist as you sat just above his cock.
“Just this once?” You asked, he nodded and you aligned yourself with his cock and slowly sank down. It was good, it was so fucking good, you bounced like a needy teen and his hands pawed at you tits as he rejoyced at the way the bounced infront of him.
“God you’re so tight.” His hands shook your body up and down him picking the pace. 
“God i need this” you cried out
“You like this honey? Don’t enjoy it too much'' he panted “just this once remember?” He did that stupid smirk again.
“Shut up” you pressed your lips to his again and he kissed you as you rode him so desperately. You could feel the way he scraped your insides away, his curve hitting that spot so perfectly over and over again. You hated how good it felt, you hated how you gripped his shoulders as you screamed his name. Your pace slowed and he flipped you over so that he pinned you between his arms.
“My turn” he whispered into your ears
“Oh god” you cried out as he pounded into you, he flung one of your legs over his shoulder and rattled the bed. 
“God bet you’ve been thinking about this for so long huh, was that why you're so rude? Jealous that you don’t get to fuck me ever-shit, every night?” He gripped your leg and closed his eyes, his head dropping backwards, “go on tell em you wanted.” He panted
“Fuck stephen i- want it bad. Afraid i’ll get addicted, wanna see you cum, fill me up, i'm on the pill do it. Make me a mess.” You cried out gripping the bed sheets so tight they came off the corners.
“Gonna fill you up, you want that, bet you do” he dropped your leg and picked you up hitting you back against the bed frame pinning you between him and the wall. He fucked up into you, his pace becoming inconsistant and then he came, he came hard shooting his loads of thick white ropes into you and then he collapsed. You both laid there falling asleep, maybe even hating each other slightly less.
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Taglist: @rmoonstoner @mary-johnlocked
Lmk if you want to be tagged! <3
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meetinginsamarra · 8 months ago
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mayprompts2024 #16, experiment
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Read parts 1-11 on AO3 here
Part 12 only on tumblr so far
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The Perfect Place - Part Thirteen
John put the skull back on its place on the mantelpiece and pointed at the dagger Sherlock had stuck into the wood to keep several letters in place. He frowned and gave Sherlock a disapproving look.
“You shouldn’t keep such a sharp dagger in the wood.” John chided.
Oh dear, here come the admonishments, Sherlock thought.
He braced himself against what John was likely about to say. “It’s dangerous to keep a sharp object here. People could get hurt.” Or “You’re destroying the wood, it’s difficult to repair damage like this.”
John continued. “It’s really bad for the blade, it’ll get dull, you know? Also, the tip might break and get stuck in the mantelpiece. It would be a shame to ruin such a fine dagger.”
“Erm, okay?” Sherlock stuttered, surprised, “Yes, will do.” Not what I expected.
When John peeked under the sofa, he pulled out the Turkish scimitar that Sherlock had already missed.
“Oh, great, you found it! I’ll be needing it tomorrow.” Sherlock called out happily.
“What for?” John brandished the scimitar and made some thrusts into Sherlock’s direction. “You going to waylay guileless travellers?”
“No, of course not.” Sherlock decided to test John’s sense of humour. “I’ll need it to chop the remains from the latest flatmate-candidate. He insulted Billy and therefore he had to die.”
John looked Sherlock straight into the face, utterly deadpan. “Good then that I didn’t. Also, you’d better use this letter-holding dagger for precision cuts through the corpse’s joints.”
They stared at each other for three long seconds before they exploded into raucous laughter.
For the next ten minutes, Sherlock watched John hopping excitedly around the sitting-room, ogling things, pawing bits and fondling bobs.
It was an amazing sight of utter joy.
Sherlock was reminded of a toddler experiencing their first Easter egg hunt in a magical wonderland. He suppressed the urge of handing a basket to John so that he could put the found treasures inside for later perusal.
(Others might have been reminded of a squirrel suffering from dementia, getting excited over and over again about finding the same nuts it had hidden juts several minutes ago, thinking they were new.)
(And yet others would have thought of a cuddly hedgehog searching for windfall like apples and pears to gain weight for the next winter.)
John commented on every mysterious, unusual, weird or quirky object that he picked up, showing it to Sherlock and silently asking for more information, data that Sherlock was more than happy to provide.
“Are you needing a cup of tea as bad as I?” John asked after a lot of talking, “I’m parched.”
(Also, his throat was terribly dry from all the dust he had inhaled while scrutinizing Sherlock’s things.)
“Let’s make some,” Sherlock offered, “and you could have a look at the kitchen.”
Sherlock put the kettle on while John first commented on the lovely choice of green tiles on the kitchen wall and then asked about the array of chemistry equipment on the kitchen table.
“I’m doing a lot of experiments here,” Sherlock explained, “to gather data and evaluate clues in order to solve the crimes that I consult on.”
(This was true, of course. Also, it sounded much better than the whole truth. Namely, that Sherlock followed mostly some whims he had when he was bored and just experimented with whatever was available to him. He had produced mountains of laboratory journals with millions of spreadsheets of data that nobody would ever use. Like one of his latest obsessions when he had tested the durability of mummified Guinea pig embryos after being exposed to various kinds of acids and then thrown against a bed of nails.)
“What is it you’re currently experimenting on?”
“I’m measuring the coagulation of saliva after death.” Sherlock replied and poured the hot water over a teabag.
“Interesting.” John said. “I’ll get us some milk.” He reached for the handle of the fridge.
Sherlock suddenly remembered where the saliva had come from and an electric shock of terror struck him.
“No, don’t open…” he began to shout.
But it was already too late.
“… the fridge.” Sherlock whispered.
John’s shriek reverberated in the deadly silence that followed.
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tagging some people @calaisreno @totallysilvergirl @lisbeth-kk @peanitbear  @raina-at
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papersnakepress · 4 months ago
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I had a message the other day asking (among other things) what kind of tools and equipment I use in making books, and as it's something I like to go into detail on, I realized I couldn't fit everything I had to say in a message so it's getting its own post. With photos!
Disclaimer that I'm not a professional bookbinder, I'm entirely self-taught and probably have habits and practices that would drive a pro nuts. I'm no authority, but these are the things that have worked for me, and maybe you can adapt them to work for you too.
This post will not cover: storage options, materials like board and glue, or equipment specific to one narrower aspect of the hobby like embossing or gilding. It is also not a tutorial on how to make a book, though I am covering things in more-or-less the order I use them in during the book-making process.
This post will cover: What I've found useful, what I've regretted buying, and some things you can co-opt from other, more common hobbies. A lot of it you may already have in your house. Some of it is for beginners, some is nicer equipment you might want as you get further into making books. They are not separated, it's just a list and some description.
Keep reading below the cut; this is gonna be a very long one and there are a lot of photos of everything.
If you want to make books you will need access to a printer. I'm not going to go into detail on this part and I didn't take a photo of my HP (not the best brand, but that's a long discussion in and of itself). Once you've got your pages printed and it's time to fold it into signatures, it helps to have a folding tool like these:
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Folding tools can be anything as long as they're smooth and flat. The one on the left here is an actual bone folder from an art supply shop, but the center one is a plastic leatherworking tool that I got at Hobby Lobby, and the one on the right is an agate burnisher that I got from Amazon. None of these cost more than $10, and you can also use the edge of a pen (as long as it has no rubber grip or cap/clip) or the back of a spoon. Or your fingers, but the tools make it faster and the folds are more precise. I once worked a job where I had to fold maps, and all my coworkers were wondering how I did them so much faster and why mine were flatter than everyone else's, and it was because I'd grabbed a sharpie and started using the back end like a bone folder.
Once it's folded, you'll need to poke holes for sewing. I use one of these:
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Left is, again, an actual bookbinding awl from an art supply store, while the center one is a paper quilling tool and the right one is a beadwork awl, both of which came from a big chain craft store. The bead one is my favorite; it's a good size and very stable. The quilling thing has too long and thin of a blade and it's wobbly, and I don't like the tapering on the bookbinding awl. It tends to make the holes in the middle page too big, and the outer ones too small. Again, these were cheap, about $10 each, but you can also use a sewing needle stuck in a cork, or a thumbtack or pushpin. If it's pointy and rigid, it'll work.
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This isn't a requirement by any means, but I've found I like having a punching cradle for the hole-poking step. I got this 3d printed one from a fellow bookbinder, who was designing their own and made this one as a prototype. There are a lot of tutorials on how to make a punching cradle, or you can buy them online from several different vendors. They don's all look like this, and you can make them from wood or cardboard (though those don't usually have guide holes). If you're just starting out or this doesn't appeal, you can just use a paper template like the one on the far right. The cradle helps get the holes lined up and evenly spaced, and I've never liked this step so anything that makes it faster and less fussy is a win. If you use this kind, check that your hole-poking tool fits in the guide holes--the binding awl pictured above doesn't, but the other two do.
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We've made holes, so let's stitch them up. These are just regular sewing needles and beeswax, to make your thread less prone to tangling. You can get both of them in any store that has a sewing department. There are dedicated bookbinding needles, like curved needles, and some binders like them, but I've never gotten the hang of the curved ones and they aren't necessary, especially when you're just starting out. If it fits through the holes you made, it will work.
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Once it's sewn, you probably want to squish your new text block so it's flat. I've got a laying press that I bought a couple of years ago when I was first getting started. It was marketed as a book and flower press, and it's honestly not the best. I would probably not have bought it if I had known that it wasn't essential to the process, and I mainly use it now when I'm squishing a text block and still want to use my work space, because once it's tight I can move it somewhere else. You can really use almost anything for squishing as long as it's heavy and flat and rigid on one side, like the stack of books in the right-hand photo. Textbooks, encyclopedias, art and photo books, and comic book omnibuses are all great. I've seen people use all kinds of things, like paper-wrapped bricks and doorstops, and there are tutorials out there to make your own press out of cutting boards if you do want one.
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If you like your books to have smooth, flat page edges you're going to have to trim them. This is a book plow from Affordable Binding Equipment, and it was the first piece of actual expensive equipment that I bought. Not all plows look like this; I think the design is unique to ABE, but I've never used the traditional kind. In the interest of full disclosure, you can also trim edges with a sharpened chisel, which is much cheaper and can be bought at any hardware store, and some binders love this method. I do not love this method and have had zero regrets about caving and getting the plow. Very easy to use but does require some grip strength. Not pictured: the setup for sharpening the blade, which isn't hard but requires a bit of space and a small sheet of plate glass that you have to source yourself. Even with that, I still prefer it to the chisel. That said, this is not an essential step and you can leave your books with a "sawtooth" or deckled edge. Most of my early books have them, and some people just like them better than the flat ones and never learn to trim them. As another side note, some tutorials will say that you can trim your edges flat with a knife. You can't. Maybe on a pamphlet you can, but if it's more than 10 or 20 pages you just can't. It will look terrible.
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If you're going to use a plow, you've got to have the right kind of press. The one I talked about further up the thread is the wrong kind (full disclosure: I did use it with that press turned on its side, before I bought this one. But it's harder, more time-consuming, less comfortable, and less safe. Don't be like me). So here's a photo of my finishing press (also from Affordable Binding Equipment). I bought it so I could make backed books, but I use it for trimming too. The top part here has a narrow tapered section for backing, but if you flip it over it's totally flat, which is what you need for trimming. Not pictured: the stand that it came with for backing, or the c-clamps that I use to attach it to the desk for trimming. Again, though--this isn't a requirement for bookbinding. This is a later stage that's entirely optional. On the subject of backing, though:
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You don't need special equipment to round the spines of your books, but you do for backing. Left image is the set of backing boards I got from, once again, Affordable Binding Equipment, and on the right is a backing hammer from Hollander's. Neither of these are essential. Even if you get the boards (which have to be used in a press with a tapered edge, like the one directly above) you can actually use a regular hammer as long as the front part has no scratches or gouges. This one is a backing hammer, the primary difference being that it has a wider, convex head than a regular household hammer, to make the kind of glancing blows needed for backing a little easier. Honestly, I'm still learning how to use these and I'm not very good with them yet. Comes of being self-taught, probably. I don't think youtube is the best vehicle for learning this part, but it's what I have and I'm making do. Not every book is going to benefit from backing, either; it's primarily for helping mitigate spine swell.
Okay, time for my favorite repurposed equipment hack.
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It's bookends. Regular bookends that I've had for ages and that probably came from Ross or some other place that doesn't even sell craft supplies.
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Want to keep the text block upright while you glue it? Bookends. Want to sew some custom end bands but your text block keeps falling over? Bookends. They won't provide pressure for squishing, but if you just need to hold something upright while you work on it, bookends are the answer. They hold up books, it's right there in the name. Having said that, you want some with a little weight to them, like these agate slices, so they won't slide around. And you want something with a smooth finished edge like these, so they won't scratch up your text block or leave dents. I have other sets but these are the only ones I use for this purpose, and they're better for it than anything else I've got.
Moving on from making the text block, let's look at what I use to make covers.
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It's appeared in the background of most of the other photos, but here's a photo of just the desk surface covered in cutting mats. I really recommend a mat to protect the surface of your furniture and keep your knives from going immediately dull. I've got a big one that covers almost the full surface, and a small one for when I want to be more mobile. I started with just the small one and it was good until I started working with larger sheets of paper. The big one was bought largely for convenience but I have no regrets about it. They're self-healing, non-slip, and you can get them in the sewing section of any big craft store.
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I'll be honest, I am not big on knives. I've got a regular box cutter for trimming board, and a razor knife for paper and cloth, and that's it. There are a lot of kinds and really all you need is one sharp blade for board. Paper and cloth can be cut with scissors if you want, though I find I get more consistently straight lines with the knives. Also pictured: Metal rulers and a T-square. You want a metal ruler for this. Plastic will flex and wood won't lay flat. Ideally you want one without a cork backing (my 18" one has this problem) and with the tick marks etched in rather than printed (my 12" one has this problem). For larger sheets of paper and cloth, the 18" one is great, but you can get by with the smaller one. The T-square is for making right angles; mine is plastic and only 12", and I really wish I had a longer one that was metal. These are drafting tools and you'll find them in the section of the craft store that has easels and sketch pads and they're usually pretty cheap.
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This is an adjustable compass. You can probably get these at craft stores but I got mine on Amazon. It's for measuring hinge gaps and the width of spines, both essential for making sure your cover fits your text block and your hinges open the way they should. Both of those are incredibly frustrating situations, and this thing makes it so much easier to avoid them.
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Things to spread glue with! Any old paintbrush will do, though I like to have a few different sizes and textures on hand to choose from. I like the big one for cover boards and casing in, the mid-size ones for doing turn-ins, and the little fellow for details and touch-ups. I don't care for foam brushes because I find them hard to clean when glue is involved, but if you like you can use those. The metal thing on the left is a micro-spatula, and I did have to special order it from an art supply place but it was cheap and it's very helpful to have on hand for when the brushes are too thick, for doing turn-ins on rounded spines, and for separating pages if you decide to learn edge foiling. Not essential, but recommended.
One thing I neglected to take a photo of is my crepe eraser. Despite the best intentions, no matter how careful you are, you will at some point get glue where you don't want it, where it will be visible on the finished book. This is where the crepe eraser comes in; you can use it to remove dried glue from cloth or (to a lesser extent) paper. Very annoyingly, none of the craft or art supply places I went to had even heard of these and I had to get mine from Amazon. It was cheap (under $10) and I strongly recommend getting one.
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Once your cover is made, you have some options. You can leave it blank, hand-letter or draw an image, stamp it with ink or embossing powder, use a stencil, or do what I usually do these days and make a cover graphic from HTV. I've got a cricut for this (though they're not the only kind of cutting machine; it pays to research other brands) and a mini heat press (I want a bigger one, but I got this one cheap because the box is messed up). A lot of libraries have cricuts you can use, and you can use a regular iron to apply the HTV. Getting it to stick is a bit tricky, but that's true no matter which tools you use. Not pictured: a cutting mat, different than the kind shown above, necessary with most materials you can cut (mine came with one, they're about $20 at most craft stores, and they're lightly sticky to keep your materials in place while it's being cut). I don't know if other brands require them, but cricut does unless you're using their Smart Materials (I have never used these). If your library has a cutting machine, they will also have the appropriate cutting mats. Also not pictured: weeding tools. Weeding is when you remove the bits of HTV that you don't want in the final image, usually the spaces between letters and such. The negative space, if you want to get artsy. The special tools cricut sells aren't necessary, you can use an awl or needle and the dull edge of your knife blade, but I have a set of theirs and I like mine.
I didn't take a photo of it, but sometimes I use embossing inks and powder to make cover designs and text. You only need a heat gun for embossing powder, it takes up way less space than the cricut does, and it's cheaper. I got mine free from a family member so I don't know what it cost initially, but cutting machines are a really big expense; the cricut is my third most expensive piece of equipment, after the finishing press and the plow.
Good god I think that's everything. It sounds intimidating, I know. And it sounds like it takes up tons of space in your home, and to be honest it can, but it doesn't have to. The first dozen or so books I made, I made completely to my satisfaction with tools and materials that fit in one 12x16" moving box. If you love the hobby and can make the space, the bulkier items might be worth it down the line, but especially when you're first getting started it's smart to keep things low-cost and compact. Most of the basics are simple and your fellow bookbinders are delighted to share their shortcuts and substitutions if you ask.
The end! I hope it was helpful, @cardassianexpats! I did warn you it would be wordy, lol.
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space-mermaid-writing · 1 year ago
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What about a Supreme Family camping trip?
- Okay, so growing up rich Tony has never been camping before. Yes, outraging! Stephen, who grew up on a farm in Nebraska stares at him. Then he takes matters in his own hands
- They take Peter with them, because he is a big city boy whose dad figures died before they had the chance to go on some good ol’ father and son camping trip
- it’s safe to say the boy is EXCITED!
- fast forward to the actual trip. They are in a forest in the middle of nowhere on a Saturday. They made sure to have no other campers nearby who could possible recognize THE Tony Stark™
- "Do you want to pitch the tent or would you rather gather firewood?" Stephen asks his boyfriend. The way he says it, it's clear which is the easier task.
Tony huffs. “I’m an engineer who build the world’s first portable Arc Reactor using a box of scraps. I think I can manage to put up a simple tent.”
Stephen just shrugs and wanders off into the woods while Tony and Peter load everything out of the trunk.
Peter got his own little tent, because when Tony did the (online) shopping for this trip, Peter found this rather cute Spider-Man themed tent he had to get. Tony doesn’t mind. In his mind a camping trip could be rather romantic, sitting together at the campfire watching fireflies… yes, some quality time with his boyfriend would be appreciated. He did some research before buying the best reviewed pro camping equipment for northern America. It can't be that hard to set up, right? Right??
- Cue half an hour later when Stephen returns with enough firewood for the night. (He also put up some anti-bear wards to keep his family safe, but they don’t need to know that)
Stephen returns to what should be a camp but is actually utter chaos. Tony’s tent is a mess of fabric and poles (some of which are bent in ways they shouldn’t bent). The engineer is arguing with his watch (Friday), who keeps telling him that she got weak signal.
“What do you mean weak signal?” Tony asks exasperated. “What’s the point of owning a satellite in space when I still don’t have full signal in a fucking forest?”
- So Tony is forced to read the manual to put up the tent. Like the offline paper version of it.
- Cut to Peter who sits in front of his perfectly made Spider-Man tent. He’s just happy to be here.
- (Tony finally lets Peter help to build the second tent)
- Stephen makes a fire with the help of magic and while in Tony books this is clearly cheating, it’s also hot, so he lets it slide.
- Later they roast marshmallows and make S'mores.
„You put the hot marshmallow between the chocolate sides of the cookies,” Stephen explains, but also warns them, “Don’t eat more than two of them or you will get sick from the sugar.”
Tony and Peter exchange a glance. The challenge is set!
- Tony eats four S’mores, Peter seven. Both agree it’s the best dessert they ever had. Both of them feel sick afterwards. It was worth it!
- In the night someone (Tony) forgets to close the mosquito mesh and they wake up severely bitten
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alexihollis · 19 days ago
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Howling at the Moon (pt. 2)
part one
Swan always felt cold. Always. It didn't matter if she was right in front of the fire in the cabin living room, it didn't matter if she was in her wolf form or not, Swan was always cold. It drove Cleon a bit crazy, always putting an extra blanket over Swan or shoving mittens her way at the hint of the slightest chill.
How this all affected Cleon had to be the worst part of the situation. Far and away.
After all, Cleon picked her up when no one else would, back when Swan was just a random kid abandoned by the wolf that bit her. Only two months after getting kicked out of her house, too, so that was great. Cleon scooped her up, though, and brought her home. Taught her everything a young wolf needed to know. They lived less isolated, back then, in a farmhouse at the edge of a midsize town, just her and Cleon until she started picking up other strays around the time Swan started high school.
Swan heard Cleon talking one night, after everything happened. She was supposed to be asleep, but, instead, Swan perched on the top of the staircase of their new house that didn't feel like home and listened to Cleon.
"I let myself get distracted," Cleon said. "I wanted to build a pack. I wanted her to have what I had growing up and I just- I love you guys, you know I do, but I let her down."
"You can't blame yourself-" Cochise tried.
"She's my responsibility. I should have known everything about everyone she hung around, let alone someone she could start developing feelings for!" Cleon hissed. "I should have explained mating and not let myself believe she was too young for that crap. I know better and instead I let her down and now she's tied for life to a-"
"Hey." Swan jumped at the voice right by her ear.
Cowgirl smiled down sadly as she crouched next to her on the top step. "You don't need to be listening to this."
"I-" It was only when she tried to speak that Swan realized she was crying.
"C'mon, hon," Cowgirl helped her to her feet. "Let's get you back to bed."
It had been six years since then. Swan liked to think that she, at twenty-two, was better equipped to handle such issues as a screwed-to-hell mating bond than at sixteen. She only thought about Mercy once a day, now.
Figuring out that Mercy and her crew were hunting them down, though? As a coming-of-age ritual? Less fun. A lot less fun.
Especially because Cleon wanted to end this.
"...what does that mean?" Cochise asked when Cleon announced it to the pack. The other packs were game - once you got Cyrus on your side, like Cleon managed, the other packs of their woods would follow suit.
"We're taking out the head hunters," Cleon said. "If they cross into our territory, we are going on offense in a way we never have before."
An uneasy silence settled over the pack. Swan kept her eyes on the toes of her dirt-encrusted sneakers.
"Who, exactly, does that mean?" Cowgirl asked.
"Mercy Lane and Sully Morgan," Cleon said. "They should be pretty identifiable. The Lanes and Morgans are the two-"
"Absolutely the fuck not, are you insane?!" Cowgirl exclaimed.
Swan closed her eyes against the noise as the pack erupted.
"Do you know what that could do to Swan? No, that's not even a question-!" Cochise.
"-Can't believe you would even fucking suggest it!" Cowgirl.
"No, no, we can't- Even if she's...That's practically against pack..." Fox. Quiet, as always. She'd come to them from a pack that had been decimated by hunters, an old, old pack with strong ties to the old world ways and still worshipped the moon as a goddess.
"Swan agreed to the order," Cleon said, clear and firm, cutting through the noise.
It went silent, again.
"I want to hear it from her, then." Ajax.
Of course it was Ajax.
Swan looked to one of their newest members. She should have guessed Ajax and Rembrandt were mates. It made sense, the way they orbited each other, they were probably never cold-
It didn't matter.
"The Lanes are an old hunter family with only one real heir," Swan muttered, looking at the carpet in front of Ajax. "Take out Lane, that family will crumble. It's for the good of all of us if we do it."
"Okay." Ajax said, far too easily. "Say that again looking me in the fucking eye and I might believe you."
"Ajax-" Cochise.
"No," Ajax interrupted. "If you're going to make me go after a pack member's mate, that pack member is gonna need to be the one to tell me to do it. Cleon, I know you don't have much experience with this, it's going to kill her if you do this stupid."
"This was a difficult enough decision for her already," Cleon ground out. "You do not need to make this more difficult-"
"It doesn't seem like she made the decision!" Ajax exclaimed. "Did you actually ask her or did you convince her?"
"Mercy did a pretty good job convincing me six years ago," Swan said, pulling Ajax's attention back to her. "I appreciate what you're trying to do. If you don't feel comfortable...just tell me where she is."
Ajax's eyes went wide for a second. "No. No, you aren't doing that. There is no way your wolf will-"
"Considering she caused this fucking situation, my wolf's gonna have to learn to deal with it," Swan snarled. Ajax's eyes flashed yellow at the challenge, but Rembrandt's quick hand on her elbow brought Ajax's human mind forward.
Pity. Swan could use the fight.
"Mercy Lane needs to die. So does Sully Morgan," Swan said to the pack at large. "We need to put the hunters on the run for once." ---------------
Mercy Lane was going to murder Sully Morgan. She was going to murder Sully Morgan and run as deep and far into these woods as she could and pray to whomever the fuck was out there she ran into a wolf who might listen to her for just two seconds before trying to rip out her throat. Unfortunately, that would put about thirty other young, trigger-happy hunters on her ass as well which would be the opposite of helpful.
She should have run away. Mercy realized that now, she should have run away instead of waiting for her parents to approve her first hunt. She thought she could go off on her first hunt and disappear. They would assume she died and, yes, they would mourn, but Lanes did not do vengeance killings. If you died on a hunt, it was simply the sign of a poor hunter. You barely mourned deaths on a hunt, let alone on a first hunt.
Mercy underestimated the importance of being the sole Lane heir.
Which meant her parents reached out to the Morgans.
And Mercy's first chance of freedom without being tracked across the country turned into some god awful camping trip with thirty boys. Boys, regardless of their ages, because they were the most immature, arrogant, brainless people Mercy ever met.
To make matters worse? Mercy's parents decided that they needed to go hunting in the Riversend Woods. The largest old growth forest in the country, teeming with supernatural life. Humans rarely went in at all and hunters treated it as a sort of sanctuary - if they stayed in there, they would leave them alone.
But no. No. Here Mercy was with thirty young hunters at the edge.
Swan was in there. Mercy knew it, deep in her bones. It was the only place Swan take her pack, the only place Swan would feel safe after Mercy-
God. The memories of that night made Mercy feel sick to her stomach. The thought of how terrified Swan must have been as Mercy-
It took over a month for Mercy to realize why Swan ran. Why her heartbreak over Swan leaving felt deeper than it should. All-encompassing and aching and awful. Not to mention, overheating, though it felt a little ridiculous to tie Mercy's new inability to wear more than the thinnest layer of clothing to Swan leaving.
It wasn't until Mercy found the bite that she realized.
It was on her lower back, just to the left of her right hip. Her memories of that night were foggy, so God knows how it ended up back there. Scarred silver, but clear.
And, suddenly, a lot of things made a lot more sense.
The respect Swan had for her older sister, Cleon, that always seemed more than normal. How she would take a few days off from school every month. A wildness about her that both intimidated and attracted Mercy from the first moment they met.
At first, Mercy panicked. Lycanthropy transferred through bite, everyone knew that-
But Mercy never shifted. The bite was still there, still more than a scar, but Mercy never shifted or became unimaginably violent or...anything werewolves did. A family journal taught her about mating.
Wolves mate for life. They used to believe that mating was the moon goddess stitching souls together.
Unsurprisingly, the journal had been Crazy Great Aunt Gertrude's. The one who died by a crazed werewolf she thought was her friend. Mom told Mercy bedtimes stories about Crazy Great Aunt Gertrude as warnings of what happened if you befriended the supernatural.
Well.
Mercy went and did a little more than befriend.
It hadn't taken long for everything to unravel after that. For Mercy to start biting her tongue so hard she drew blood.
Because Swan wasn't like the stories. Swan was patient and kind, strong and reserved. Loving. Those few months Mercy had with Swan were the most loved-filled months of her life. And if Swan wasn't like the stories, maybe none of them were.
All Mercy wanted was to find Swan and apologize. She would fall to her knees if that is what it took, she just...she needed Swan back.
Standing at the edge of her home with a bunch of hunters did not seem the best way to go about this.
Standing at the edge of her home with a hunter who was actively proposing to her? Indescribably worse.
"Dude, what are you talking about?" Mercy finally interrupted as Sully started rambling about the strength of the families.
"Well, surely your parents have told you about the betrothal," Sully said. Mercy hated his smug mouth. "We've been matched since birth."
Mercy felt sick. "Sorry. Not happening."
Sully blinked. Furrowed his brow, "You don't really have a choice in the matter. It's settled."
"Uh, I get a choice, and I say no," Mercy said.
"Listen, here, I am trying to be chivalrous-"
"Oh, is that what this is?!"
"Our parents have-"
And that was a giant wolf tackling Sully to the ground. Holy shit.
They never did this. Werewolves never went after hunter groups like this. Vampires did, sometimes, because they were stronger and blended in easier, but werewolves?
Werewolves waited for the defense.
To have them leap out of the forest like that?
It was suddenly occurring to Mercy that she was in a lot more danger than she realized.
As the wolf turned to her, big and menacing and wow, that was a lot of Sully's blood, Mercy's hands went above her head.
And she said the first thing that came to mind: "Tell Swan I'm sorry."
Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Sorry? Sorry didn't even begin to tell Swan all the things Mercy wanted to say. Not even I love you, but I'm sorry. This wolf might not even know Swan, for fuck's-
The wolf wasn't attacking her.
It just stared.
Then, it was shifting and there was a large, buff woman standing in front of Mercy. She wore jeans with ratted cuffs and a tank top and a brown vest, like the one Swan always wore. According to Aunt Gertrude's journal, the one Mercy found hidden under the third floor board in the attic after she decoded Aunt Gertrude's official journal, werewolves wore identifiers to signal to other supernatural creatures what pack they belonged to; pack animals to the core, to not be apart of a pack, to not have everyone know who you belonged to, was a cut deeper than any physical wound. Seeing the vest on this new woman, it made the ever-present ache sting a bit more.
"Mercy Lane," the woman said. She looked a bit older than Mercy.
Mercy nodded. "Yeah- Yes. Yes, I am Mercy Lane. Do- do you know Swan?"
The woman's jaw flexed as she narrowed her eyes at Mercy. Then, "Lower your arms. Behind your back."
Mercy blinked. "What?"
Then, suddenly, her training kicked back in and she realized there was someone behind her. Not close, yet, but definitely there.
"Lower your arms, behind your back. Now." The woman in front of her said.
So Mercy did. She even crossed them at the wrist in the small of her back, not surprised when she felt them grabbed roughly and rope started tying around them.
"Cleon's not gonna be happy about this," the person tying Mercy's hands - a woman, it seemed - said.
"Yeah, well, you're the asshole who made me imagine what this would be like," the first woman grumbled. "Got her tight?"
"Yeah. Got her."
The first woman pointed a finger at Mercy. "You do a single thing that makes me think you're gonna hurt her," the finger moved over Mercy's shoulder, "and you're dead. Got it?"
"Yes," Mercy said. Then, because she couldn't help herself, "Are you taking me to Swan?"
"Yeah. Don't look too happy about it yet," the first woman said. Then, to herself, "This is so stupid, what the fuck are we doing?"
Which was how Mercy found herself being marched through Riversend Woods, escorted by two werewolves. It was interesting, the differences between the two. Where the first woman was tall and muscular and beyond intimidating, the second was smaller, lean, and had the bounciest, curly hair Mercy had ever seen.
"Stop looking at her," the first woman growled after the third time Mercy looked over her shoulder to look at the second. "Actually, switch with me, I should be holding her."
"Either you hold her or she doesn't look at me, you can't have it both ways." The second woman said cheerfully. "And, no, if you try, she's going to fall over a root and hurt herself. This is a job for a scout, thanks."
"Rembrandt, I swear- Aw, motherfucker!"
"You lasted half an hour without saying my name in front of the dangerous hunter heir. Congratulations."
They were weird. Mercy liked them.
Though she was exhausted by the time they reached the large, log cabin in the woods. The door flew open as soon as they entered the clearing.
Cleon. Mercy hadn't known her very well, only met her a handful of times, but she recognized her immediately.
"What the fuck did you two do?!" Cleon demanded. "Why is she here?"
Oh. That was not good.
"Cleon-" The first woman tried.
"Ajax, I don't want to hear it! You had orders, you knew the orders-"
"They're bad orders," Rembrandt interrupted. "Bad orders that Ajax was going to follow through on, but the situation changed. Can you at least let us explain or would you rather be a dictator like you've decided you want to try out recently?"
The words made Cleon pause.
Ajax took advantage of the pause: "She wants to tell Swan she's sorry."
For the first time, Cleon actually looked at Mercy.
Mercy kind of wanted to melt into the forest floor.
"What." The word came out as a statement as her eyes bored into Mercy.
"For that night," Mercy decided to try. "I- I wanted to say I'm sorry, for everything that happened after- I'm just sorry."
She was dead. She was so dead.
"You want to say sorry yet you bring a horde of hunters to our door." Yeah. Cleon was not impressed.
"That was not my call," Mercy said. "At all. I promise."
"Oh, you promise," Cleon repeated with a disbelieving laugh. "You promise? What the fuck does that even-?"
Yeah. Mercy was dead.
"It isn't her fault who her family is," Rembrandt said. "If she's willing to try...If she wants to be different, why would you want to make Swan go through this?"
"She's been going through this for six years," Cleon growled, eyes narrowed and darting between Mercy and Rembrandt.
Indignation bubbled up in Mercy. "You left! You didn't even give me a chance to understand what the fuck was happening, you were gone before I even realized we'd been mated!"
"We left to prevent your family from hunting us like animals!"
"I wouldn't have let them do that!" Mercy screamed.
Because screaming in the face of a pack leader was a good idea. Obviously.
"What exactly are you doing now?!"
"Oh, for fuck's sake, they're children," Mercy said. "Ajax killed Sully, kidnapped me, they'll run for the hills as soon as they realize. I just needed time to figure out how to ditch them."
Cleon studied her for a moment. Dragged a hand down her face and, in the most defeated voice, said, "Bring her inside. Living room."
They sat Mercy on the couch. No one spoke, Ajax and Rembrandt sat together on a loveseat while Cleon paced and no one spoke. A fire crackled in the fire place.
"Can you kill that please?" Mercy asked as a sweat began to break out on her forehead.
"The cabin's not well-insulated," Cleon said after a moment.
"Move me away from the fire, then?" Mercy tried. "I'm boiling."
"You're hot?" Cleon asked, like it was an insult to her specifically.
"Yes, I am."
"Cleon, for fuck's sake," Ajax muttered before getting up and moving Mercy herself. Mercy barely heard what Ajax said to Cleon as she made her way back to the loveseat, "Swan's not going to thank you for this shit."
Mercy was almost asleep when the door opened and women flooded into the living room. Mercy only had eyes for the one.
Swan.
She looked thinner than Mercy remembered. More severe, like she hadn't laughed properly in a long time. But she wore that vest and Mercy was just so happy to see her at all...
Swan did not look similarly happy as she looked to Cleon. "This was not the agreement."
"She wants to say sorry, apparently," Cleon said, gesturing to Ajax and Rembrandt.
Swan looked to Ajax and Rembrandt. To Cleon. Back to Ajax and Rembrandt. Then was suddenly moving very fast to the couch.
Ajax was between Mercy and Swan in seconds.
"Move," Swan growled.
"Think about this," Ajax said.
Swan barked a laugh. "That's rich coming from you."
"Swan, think about this."
"...I want to talk to her alone."
"...are you going to bring her back here?"
It was an uncomfortable amount of time before Swan said, "Yes," and Ajax moved away. Swan grabbed Mercy's bicep and pulled her to her feet, shoving Mercy ahead of her and out of the living room. Up a flight of stares. And into a bedroom that Mercy quickly determined was Swan's.
When the door closed, Mercy was speaking. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I scared you that night. I'm sorry I made you think you had to leave and that you couldn't tell me what happened and I'm sorry that I showed up with all those hunters and-"
"Stop talking," Swan interrupted. Mercy shut up.
Except Swan was just staring at her.
"I'm sorry that-"
"Oh, for fuck's sake," Swan's laugh was a wet, broken sound as she leaned against the back of her door. "Can you please not be you for two seconds?"
"Sorry," Mercy said, sheepish.
"They had orders to kill you," Swan said.
Oh, lovely.
"Take out the heir, take out the family and all that," Swan continued. "I approved it."
That hurt. "I understand."
"I didn't want to," Swan said. "I really didn't, but, Mercy, what am I supposed to do?! You came with hunters!"
"It was my parents," Mercy tried to explain. "I never wanted to. My plan was to run off on my first hunt, find you and explain that I understand now. I'm sorry about what happened and...I miss you." Mercy took a breath, "Fuck, I still love you, Swan."
Swan's eyes closed as if the words hurt her. "Don't say that."
That hurt. "Okay."
"You can't say shit like that," Swan choked out. "It's not- That isn't fair."
"I understand."
"Stop being so understanding!" Swan's hands were fisted in her hair now.
Shit.
"Hey, hey, I'm sorry, okay," Mercy tried, hyperaware of her hands still tied behind her back. "Swan, Swan, listen to me, please, okay? It's okay. You're okay, all right? Whatever you want to happen next, that's what's going to happen."
"No, it isn't," Swan said. At least she was speaking.
"Yes, it is. You're in control right now, okay?"
"Well, I want you to stay, and I don't think that's going to happen, is it?" Swan spat.
"I want to stay, too," Mercy said, hoping growing in her chest for the first time in hours. "Is that really what you want?"
"Of course it is," Swan looked at her like she was an alien speaking a bizarre language.
"Than we can work with that."
To Be Cont'd
@asthedeathoflight
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