#which meant i didn't find any and assumed they weren't there. i really did try yk but i missed smth

[skrunksthatwunk]

ok i just beat lucia's campaign. it's like 5 missions shorter has an actual story and is like. wayyyy less painful

[nativegirltapes]

trailerpark!mom!reader was just trying to go out to her favorite local bar when she met drew ........

warnings: i don’t think obx is actually filmed in outer banks but for this fic yes it is. this is basically just lots of dialogue but i’m just trying to fill in tp!mom!reader and drew’s lore. drew being tipsy + corniness & cliches

"we are getting fucked up tonight." your bestfriend shouted. it was thursday, which meant it was 'going out' night. your baby was safe with your sister, and you were in the passenger seat of your bestfriend's 2009 honda civic adjusting final touches to your makeup in the vanity mirror. "i fucking hope so. jason has been blowing up my phone all week, threatening to come steal baby." you applied another layer of lipgloss.

"are you fucking serious?" aubrey questioned, looking at you with loving eyes. even though you brought the topic up so casually, she knew it hurt you. "i love you." she branched her arms out over the car console, you accepted her embrace. "now let's get fucked up!" she gave you a kiss on your head. no one had ever made you feel as loved as she did.

ᡣ𐭩˙⋆.˚

"sorry ladies," your usual bouncer stopped you and aubrey, "bars closed tonight. some cast rented it out."

"what?" you realized he wasn't joking. "what cast?" you furrowed your brows, wondering who the fuck would rent out a bar in the middle of nowhere, north carolina. "don't know, some show that's filmed here though."

"you can't just let us in?" you bestfriend proposed. "we know we're you're favorite. cmonnnn." the bouncer giggled, you guys definitely were his favorite, but unfortunately he wouldn't budge. "i wish there was something i could do. sorry girls."

"it's okay." you sighed, grabbing aubrey by her arm and dragging her to the side. she was one to cause a scene and you weren't in the mood to deal with that right now. "this is bullshit." she groaned. "i bet they're rich. rich people always ruining some shit for normal people like us." she circled around you. "can't even enjoy our thursday night anymore."

"it's okay, we can go somewhere else."

"you wanna get in?" an unfamiliar voice interrupted, before you could yank aubrey back to the car. both of you jolting your heads towards the voice. it was a tall pale man, a lit cigarette hung from his lips.

"yeah, can you get us in?" aubrey took no time taking up the offer, interrupting the prolonged eye contact you were sharing with this guy; he was cute and that was hard to find around here. "this way." he tossed his unfinished cigarette in the floor and stomped on it.

"thank you." you said as he held the door for you. as soon as you entered the bar you realized that maybe you really didn't belong there. thursday's usually had a solid crowd, and a familiar one at that. but there wasn't one familiar face aside from yours or your bestfriend's. "shit." you mumbled under your breath, the guy who let you in now long gone, entertaining a group of who you assumed were his friends.

finding a seat at the bar with aubrey, you asked the bartender what the deal was, "so, what's going on?" he poured you your usual. "some netflix cast rented out the bar for the night. outer banks or something?"

“oh, i’ve heard that show.” you replied, trying your best to discreetly look around, seeing if you seen any famous faces from tv, although you didn’t watch much tv. “i didn’t think they actually filmed that here?”

“me neither,” the bartender agreed, before leaving you and aubrey to tend to another person.

you watched as people danced, they all seemed well bonded, almost like family. you giggled at them, hoping one day you’d find a bond like that. you spotted the guy who had let you in, he danced pretty okay for a white guy. “should we dance?” you turned back to aubrey, practically shouting over the loud music.

“why are you even asking?” aubrey laughed, you knew her better than to ask if she wanted to dance, she was always down to dance.

you both danced together as ‘yeah!’ by usher played over the speakers, before you both had roaming hands all over you. you felt big hands wrap around lower stomach, “was hoping i’d come across you again.” a somewhat familiar voice whispered in your ear. you kept your back and ass to him, but turned your head to see his face, selfishly hoping it was the man who’d let you in, relief washed over you when you realized it was. “i was thinking the same thing.” you flirted.

“oh yeah?” he whispered in your ear again. the way he had lean down to reach your ear had your stomach doing flips. “why’s that?” you noticed his breath smelled of liquor and mint.

“i wanted to thank you again.” you answered, pushing your ass even closer to his crotch. flirting with men at the bar definitely was not foreign to you. “you don’t have to thank me. anyone would have let a pretty girl like you in.” he spun you around so you were facing him. “there’s that face.” he smiled, his bloodshot and droopy eyes staring down at you like you were the only girl to ever exist. this felt too intimate for your liking.

“so, why’re you here?” you grabbed his hands from your waist, just holding them with your own, you both still feeling the rhythm of the music playing. “you’re famous or something?”

“something like that i guess.” he shrugged, like he didn’t really want to talk about it. “why are you here?”

“i live here.” you said confused, wondering if he has expected a different answer. “i don’t want to sound like a creep, but you’re like, insanely beautiful.” his lips grazed your ear as he whispered to you. you weren’t sure if it was the alcohol talking or if he actually meant it, but nonetheless you were flattered. a sexy— famous guy saying you were insanely beautiful?

“thank you.” you blushed, pulling your jean skirt down. usually you were good at playing a man’s game but this time felt different. this time felt like something could actually come from this and you hated it.

after some more ramble jamble on the dance floor, the mysterious man asked if you wanted to go outside. “wanna step outside for a minute with me?” he extended his hand, you accepted.

you watched as he lit a cigarette. it seemed like every ounce of outgoingness left your body, you loved talking to and entertaining men, but he just made you flat out nervous. “so you’re from around here?” he offered you a swig of his cig, you declined.

“yeah, just down the street. me and my bestfriend come here every thursday.” you watched his lips as he took a swig, the way his eyebrows furrowed from the smoke was hot. you hated people who smoked but there you were getting turned on over it.

“sorry about that again. i seen the whole fiasco with the bouncer.” he looked down at you. “i mean it’s not your fault.” you reassured him.

“sorry i never asked. what’s your name?” his voice seemed so much deeper and clear now that you two were outside, almost like he was fully sober. it made you question how drunk he actually was, and how much of what you told you he actually meant. “y/n!”

“i’m drew.” he held his hand out, you shook it. his hands was so much bigger than yours. matter of fact, everything about him was so much bigger than you.

before you could question drew and his ‘famousness’ any further you heard his group yelling his name. they were all getting into a limo. how famous were these people? they needed a limo? but you couldn’t recognize literally any of their faces? “i guess that’s me.” drew again, flicked his unfinished cigarette on the ground and stomped it out. “what’s your number y/n?” he pulled out his phone and pulled up the keypad.

you swiftly put in your number and called yourself. you never gave your phone number away to the men you entertained, it was your own personal rule you set for yourself. but something about this one was different and you just couldn’t say no. “i’ll see you around y/n.”

[geeky-politics-46]

Kinktober 2023 - Day 12

Titty Fucking with Arthur Shelby

"Pearl Necklace"

Smut - Explicit content - NSFW - 18+ only!

Summary: You & Arthur have another afternoon romp in his office

Warnings: Smut (NSFW) - 18+ ONLY - adultery/extra-marital affair, jealousy, swearing, pet names, marking, oral sex, titty fucking, handjob, cumplay, pearl necklace, almost facial, little bit of fluff

After that first night you crossed the line, you and Arthur continued your affair with little guilt from either of you. Yes, he was still technically married to Linda; but emotionally and mentally, he was all yours. To the world, you were his in all possible aspects after that night. Something that soon spread to those in the office as well as those throughout Birmingham, and you are sure, got back to his wife as well.

Not that she could really have treated you any worse than she did before your affair started. If anything, Linda's abuse and vitriol towards you had lessened since your real affair began. She knew she had lost the battle that she had created in her own mind. That much was evident by the locket Arthur bought you with both of your initials on it. It was a promise that when business settled down, when the stock market fallout was done, he would leave Linda and make an honest woman out of you. Assuming she didn't divorce him first. He had contacts who told him she had been trying to find a lawyer for a while.

His family pretty much all knew about the two of you, and most of them were supportive. Tommy especially. Which was no surprise, really, knowing his dislike of Linda and preference towards you. He would often say he was sending Arthur out of town for business only to send the two of you to spend a few days locked in a suite at the Midland Hotel together instead. Polly and Lizzie were a little more critical that you two weren't doing more to hide your affair and keep it out of the office. Both metaphorically and literally.

Arthur's office itself still being one of the main sites of your romps. Even now, as Arthur called you into his office, you couldn't help the smile on your face. Your stride became all the more confident as other employees started to move towards the front door. None of them frankly wanting to hear you two fucking again.

"Yes, Mr. Shelby."

You used your sweetest voice as you walked in and shut the door behind you, not even bothering to throw the lock. If someone walked in, it was their own fault. You and Arthur loved playing cat and mouse at the office. A lopsided grin on his lips and a predatory glint in his eyes as you sashayed over to where he sat. An extra sway in your hips as you undid a couple extra buttons on your blouse. Making sure he would get an eyeful of your breasts and peek at your bra, his favorite mauve silk one, when you bent down over his desk.

He immediately grabbed your hand and pulled you to sit in his lap. His face immediately buried in your neck, sucking and kissing at your throat. You wrapped your arms around his neck and hummed happily. Closing your eyes and focusing on the feeling of his lips on you.

"Apparently, you left some impressive scratch marks on my back a couple nights ago, love. Didn't even bother making up a lie to Linda when she saw them. Just shrugged. Don't fucking care anymore. Love it when you leave your mark on me, darlin’. Can't wait until I can openly tell everyone you're mine."

His fingers playing with the locket around your neck as he daydreamed about fucking you silly in your wedding dress. He had already removed his wedding ring. He only put it on anymore when he went home to Linda. He hated seeing it and knowing that it meant he wasn't married to you. That he still had to deal with her bullshit.

You could already feel his cock hardening beneath your ass. Letting your hips wiggle against him just a little to let him know you could feel it. He growled low in your ear nipping at the spot just below your ear.

"Well, Mr. Shelby, I did just touch up my lipstick, so how about I leave a new mark or two? Maybe here…"

You tilted his head up and to the side, placing a kiss on his neck. Pulling back to see the red lipstick print you left behind.

"... and here…"

This time, you placed a kiss on the other side of his neck. This time, making sure you placed it low enough on his neck to leave lipstick on his collar. Smiling at the way the bright shade popped against the starched white fabric.

You slithered out of his lap onto the floor in front of him. Your body poised between his legs. Keeping your eyes on his as you opened his waistcoat before unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. Opening them enough to expose the crotch of his white boxer shorts. Lowering your head until your lips were hovering just over the tent there.

"... and here."

You couldn't hold back a little giggle when you saw your lipstick print over his cock. Oh yes. This was the perfect little 'fuck you' to Linda. Maybe if you made her mad enough she would just leave on her own already. At this point all three of you knew she was staying merely out of spite.

"Fuck, angel. So good to me. Now quit that Mr. Shelby bullshit. At least until I can call you Mrs. Shelby. Besides you know I love hearing you scream my name when we fuck."

You raised up on your knees and drug your hands up over his muscular thighs onto his abdomen. Pulling at his suspenders as you tugged his head down to meet your lips. Nipping at his bottom lip before pulling away just far enough to whisper against his skin. His mustache tickling you lightly as you spoke.

"I want to make you scream my name right now, Arthur. You can make me scream later tonight."

Placing one more kiss on his lips, you pulled away and started working to undo his suspenders from his pants. Wiggling your behind excitedly once you had them undone and could start pulling his pants and boxers down to his knees. A smirk on his face at how exuberant you were to suck him off. He would happily return the favor later.

His cock springing free of it's confines as you settled back down onto your heels. Smiling up at him as you began peppering his inner thighs with lipstick tinted kisses. An almost lovesick look in Arthur's eyes as he watched you. His sweet little angel could be oh so devilish.

“Fuck, love. I can tell you right now I'm not gonna last long. Look so fucking pretty on your knees for me.”

With your most innocent eyes you started to kitten lick the tip of his cock. Lapping at it several times before licking your lips and fluttering your lashes at him. Humming to yourself like he was the most delicious treat you had ever tasted. Thoroughly pleased with your work when you opened your eyes and saw Arthur's mouth hanging open looking totally hypnotized. The lanky gangster may be feared by most of Birmingham, but you had him wrapped around your little finger.

“Love you, Arthur”

“Love you too, sw– ohhhhh”

Before Arthur could finish his sentence you lowered your head and took his cock as deep as you could. His words halting and giving way to needy groan. His head falling back and his eyes closing as you started to shallowly bob up and down on his shaft. Keeping your suction consistent until you decided to pull all the way off his cock with a loud pop.

You began to suckle on the head of his cock as you brought one hand up to stroke his hard length. Purposely licking over his slit and tasting his precum on your tongue. You loved getting a taste of what was now reserved just for you. Purring as you swirled your tongue around his ridge. Letting your saliva drip down his shaft and onto his balls.

Turning to look at the clock over your shoulder quickly while you moved to massage his balls, you realized just how soon Tommy was due to be back in the office. You needed to work fast if you wanted to finish Arthur off before you were inevitably interrupted. A wicked little plan forming in your mind.

Smiling sweetly up at him, you placed open mouth sucking kisses up and down his throbbing length. Your fingers nimbly working to open your blouse even more to completely reveal your chest. Your eyes locked with Arthur's as you pulled the cups of your bra down and let your breasts spill free.

After leaning over and spitting on the tip, you started stroking his cock with both hands. Twisting them in opposite directions on your upstroke. Making sure his cock was thoroughly soaked.

Once you were satisfied you suckled on his swollen head once more. Sucking as hard as you could while your tongue flicked at his frenulum. Pulling off of his cock after earning a shallow buck from Arthur's hips. You knew he was getting close.

Bracing yourself on his strong thighs, you scooted as close to the chair as you could. Letting the head of Arthur's cock rub against your chest. Painting a dribble of precum right next to the locket that bore both of your initials.

Arthur's eyebrow quirked up in question of what you were up to. His curiosity growing when you moved the locket over your shoulder so it was out of the way and brought your hands to your breasts and started toying with your nipples. Spitting onto his cock again as you positioned his manhood between your tits and squeezed them together.

Slowly starting to move up and down you smiled deviously as you saw the light bulb click on in Arthur's brain, finally realizing that you wanted him to fuck your tits. Excitedly he brushed his hands over your cheeks and down onto your shoulders as he gently started to thrust his hips.

“Oh, such a naughty mind you have, lovey. Gonna be wearing my cum the rest of the day.”

“Maybe that's what I want. I marked you, now I want you to mark me, Arthur.”

The visual of his cock squeezed between your beautiful breasts was quickly pushing Arthur to the edge. His thrusts growing faster and harder by the second. His teeth gritting together and a growl coming from deep in his chest when you stuck out your tongue so you could lick at the tip of his cock when it peaked up between your breasts.

His breathing started to fall in heavy shaky blows as he struggled to keep any sense of composure. He looked truly wrecked as you gazed up at him through your lashes. His brown hair falling forward over his face, his mouth hanging open, and desperately trying to keep his eyes on the erotic sight of you before him.

“Oh, fuck love, gonna cum! So fuckin’ good to me. Feels so fuckin’ good! Keep your tongue out darlin’. Here it comes!”

A deep growl and a moan falling from Arthur's lips as his hips stuttered and his fingers dug into your shoulders so hard they were sure to leave bruises. His cock twitching as his cum erupted onto your chest, neck, and chin. The warmth of his thick white spend making you shiver against the cool air in the office.

You couldn't help but giggle at Arthur as he fell back exhausted into his chair. Desperately trying to catch his breath. Leaning forward and placing a few more kitten licks on his softening cock and his thighs before pulling up and refastening his boxers, and lovingly caressing his thighs. Comforting your contented lover.

Suddenly, the door quickly swung open and in stepped Arthur's brother, Tommy. He, in particular, seemed to have a knack at knowing the worst possible times to appear. Startling both you and poor Arthur out of his post-orgasm haze. Arthur immediately moved to sit up and pretend you hadn't both been caught.

As soon as he saw you on your knees and his brother's pants undone, Tommy essentially knew what he had walked in on. He was relieved to see that at least it appeared he missed the main event. He plucked the cigarette from between his lips, addressing both of you nonchalantly before leaving just as quickly as he had entered. His face was unchanged the entire time.

“Clean up. Both of you. Family meeting in five minutes.”

Your cheeks had turned beet red in embarrassment. Unsure of whether Tommy had been able to see your bare breasts or that your chest and neck were coated in Arthur's cum. Suddenly second guessing your decision not to lock the office door after all.

Arthur pulled you up into his lap and started cleaning you up with his handkerchief and laughing at your sheepish expression. He placed a sweet kiss on your lips as he finished wiping you down. He fixed your bra and straightened out your locket, kissing you more deeply before reassuring you his brother wouldn't give you trouble.

“Don't worry, sweetheart. If Tom says anything, I'll just say that he hasn't paid me enough to buy you a proper pearl necklace, so we improvised.”

You threw your head down into his neck and burrowed into his arms even farther in embarrassment. Arthur's arms holding onto you as tight as he could, laughing even louder when he felt you starting to giggle too and placing kisses into your hair. Both of you were aware that even if Tommy didn’t say anything at the very least, John would enjoy giving both of you hell.

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

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[privatehousesanatomy]

House x Reader

Reader forces House to go with his Team (you decide which combo) and Wilson to an amusement park. And with Reader of course.

House only agrees because he secretly has a thing for Reader.

_________

I just think this could be very funny. LMAO :D

this is literally such a cute little idea i love it! hopefully this does it justice!

GREGORY HOUSE X READER

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

Amusement parks weren't typically disability friendly as there weren't many rides that would accommodate people with mobility aids. The mere idea of going to an amusement park sounded dreadful to House.

"Oh, come on, House. It'll be fun. We've all got tickets for this weekend," you urged. Cameron, Chase, Foreman and Wilson were all going as well.

"Do you honestly think I want to spend hours walking around in the hot sun just to watch everyone else go on rides?" he scoffed, shaking his head.

"It'd be good for you to get out for once. How many more Saturdays can you spend alone on your couch with a porno magazine?" you joked.

"That's not fair. I'm too old and crippled for amusement parks," House frowned.

"Just come with us. You'll have fun, I promise," you begged. "Besides, I think there's supposed to be a monster truck jam in the evening."

The prospect of watching monster trucks live piqued his interest, and as much as he wanted to decline, he knew he couldn't. Plus, it would be a day he would get to spend with you, but he'd never admit that he had a thing for you.

"Fine. But I'm only going for the monster trucks. And you'd better pay for all of my food, too," he huffed, and you simply nodded and smiled.

When Saturday rolled around, House climbed out of the car when the crew pulled up to the amusement park. It's been years since he'd last been to one, and even then he couldn't remember the last time he'd even been to one.

"You guys really expect me to walk around in this heat? I'm going to collapse before we even get through the gates," he scoffed sarcastically, grabbing his cane from the trunk of the car.

"We'll get you one of those scooters," you teased.

"Right, like that won't make me look like an old geezer," House rolled his eyes, though he wasn't completely opposed to the scooter. In fact, he fully planned to rent one.

As they all made it through the gates, the first thing House did was rent one of the scooters, and he sighed in relief when he sat on the seat.

"See? Now you won't complain as much," you teased, and House smirked a little.

"Bold of you to assume I won't find something to complain about today. Or many somethings."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

The day went surprisingly better than House expected it to. He didn't dare get on any of the rides, and no one bothered to pressure him into getting on any rides, either. But the heat was relentless, and House was beginning to get slightly restless.

"You really had to pick the hottest day of the year, didn't you?" he grumbled as he drove the scooter under a shaded area, breathing a sigh of relief when he felt a slight cool breeze.

"It's the only weekend for the next month that wasn't calling for rain," you shrugged, sitting down on the bench beside his scooter. Everyone else was either on a ride or exploring different parts of the park, but you'd stuck with House and Wilson for most of the day.

"Yeah, well, next time you come here, don't bother inviting me. I'll stick to my porno magazines," he joked, grabbing the bottle of water from the cupholder and taking a large drink.

"Oh, come on. You've gotta be having some fun, right?"

"There's nothing fun about being a cripple in an amusement park, Y/N. I'm only here because you wanted me here," he said, and you felt your eyes widen slightly.

"I thought you were only here for the monster trucks?"

"Yeah, right. The monster trucks...That's what I meant," he said, trying to recover himself, but he knew that it was too late.

"You're really here because of me?" you asked. House knew there was no point in trying to argue, so he nodded.

"You were right...I can't keep spending my Saturday's alone," he admitted, looking away for a second. He might have put on the facade that he liked being alone, but in reality, being alone was, well...lonely.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you agreed to come out today. Next time we'll do something that's a little more your speed."

"Do we have to invite the team? Or Wilson?" he asked, causing you to raise your eyebrows.

"Just the two of us? Like a date?" you asked. House wanted to say no, but deep down, he knew he'd be lying.

"Yeah...I guess like a date," he mumbled. He wasn't good at this whole thing, and he was left feeling pretty awkward.

"I'd like that," you say, much to House's surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Why do you think I was so insistent on you coming with us today? It was an excuse for me to spend time with you," you said. It all made sense now, and House couldn't believe that he'd missed those clues.

"And so you picked dragging me to an amusement park?"

"I figured the monster trucks would interest you," you shrugged, causing him to smirk a little.

"Well, you were right about that," he replied. At this point, everyone was walking over to where they were sitting, ultimately interrupting the moment.

"The sun's setting. We should probably head over to the arena before the show starts," Wilson said, which everyone promptly agreed to. House glanced over at you and patted the seat on his scooter. You climbed on behind him.

"How come she gets a ride and none of us do?" Cameron asked, and House looked up at her.

"Because she paid for the damn thing," House rolled his eyes, though you knew the real reason why. And with that, House started up the scooter and began driving behind his colleagues as they headed for the arena.

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

So post Beyond the Spider-Verse. Miles and Gwen have things patched up, you know those two are EXHAUSTED and Peter B. is gonna turn around from whatever celebration they're having (they BETTER end this movie with a cookout if Miles' parents learn he's Spider-Man) and you've got Gwen curled into Miles passed out while Miles is snoring. Gwen's got her hood pulled up to keep the lights out of her eyes and Miles' jacket is spread across them.

I like this idea, mind if I write a bit about it with some variants?

Headcanon: Gwen when she is sleepy defaults to following people who she is close to; Miles may be closer to the top of the list that he may realize.

AO3 link

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

In a liminal space, we still find ourselves reaching for each other

As much as Miles wanted to kiss his parents goodnight and hit the bed, Peter's proposition to stop by his house to recharge seemed like the best idea.

He still needed to tell his parents that he was Spiderman, and maybe would be better to do it when he is less beaten down and with some sleep. Miles isn't sure when was the last time he slept; dimension hoping made time very confusing.

As they stepped into the house in Queen's (Miles assumed it was the living room but he couldn't be too sure,) Mary Jane stepped in from another room. It was kind of weird knowing who she is without even being presented first.

"Hi, I'm-" He started, a bit slower than he would like to. Too many hits in the head for one day.

"Miles" She completed seamlessly, smiling brightly at him as she put her hands on his shoulders "I had heard so much about you," And out of nowhere, she hugged him "Thank you for bringing him back to me," she told her in a really low voice, one he wasn't sure if it was meant just for him or not.

As tired and beaten down as he felt, he couldn't help but smile fondly as he awkwardly hugged her back. It was a good reminder too, that some of the greatest things he did weren't for being Spider-man, just by being Miles.

"C'mon honey, let the kid breathe," Peter says as he walks up to them.

"And you-" Mary Janes puts a finger on his chest, she doesn't look especially pleased but not too angry "I imagined it was serious when you went back to leave Mayday with me, but what happened? All of you look like you were thrown into a blender."

"Is a loooong story," Peter said, putting his hands up as he is trying to placate her anger, "Speaking of which, I promised them they could crash here until they recharge, hope that's okay-"

"Hmph," Mary Jane crosses her arms, looking at her husband unimpressed "I prefer a little bit more of a warning when you invite people, but I guess this was an emergency. Help me out to get some stuff for our guest."

"On it ma'am," He said with a mocking salute, to which she rolled her eyes before going to what seemed to be the kitchen. Despite how tired Peter B should be, he smiled brightly at them and said "Relax guys, my house is your house."

"Don't need to tell me twice mate," Hobie said as he looked around for a place where to drop dead, which seemed to be everyone's idea. They were all beaten down.

Miles, despite being ready to sleep for an eternity, followed Peter B and Mary Jane because even half dead his upbringing was stronger than any tiredness could be, and he could hear his mom in the back of his head saying "Be polite, bring a gift, and ask if you can help with anything they may need when you are visiting someone!"

Sadly he couldn't bring anything after trying to defy fate and time itself, but at least he could still be nice.

Aparently the couple didn't realize he was following them, because when Mary Jane turned around with cups in her hands she said "Oh Miles! Do you need anything?"

The place was homey, almost in an old-timey way. Pictures everywhere, a floral wallpaper that reminded him of white old ladies, but the warmth he feel around wasn't exactly for the warm lighting.

The kitchen seemed to have the same vibe, kind of similar to the one the Aunt May of his universe had.

"Um, I was going to ask if you guys needed any help?"

"Oh you are sweetheart," She said cheerily, before softly shaking her head "But you don't need to do anything, you are our guest and you had done more for us than you can ever imagine; please go to rest."

"You hear the lady, sit this one out, we will handle it," Peter said as he patted his back, before looking behind Miles and saying "Hey Gwen, you want anything?"

Miles turned around once he saw Peter looking behind him. Gwen stood at the entrance to the kitchen, she has been so quiet Miles also didn’t hear her come.

At the sound of her name, Gwen straightened her back and blinked a bit, as if she has been falling asleep on her feet, yet somehow she has decided to follow them here for some reason.

As she looked on to the front, she seemed to have the faintest blush, before she groaned and scrubbed her eyes “No, I- sorry, I guess I need some sleep.”

“Oh you can say that for all of us,” Peter laughed gleefully, before leaning his head to the side for Miles “You guys go to the living room, we will see if we can whip something quick to eat and see what we can do about emergency sleep arrangements.”

As they went to the other room, Miles realized that everybody has somehow found an answer to that last issue.

The living room had two loveseats and one armchair, and everyone more or less had found a place. On the loveseat that closest to the entrance, Noir was sleeping with Peni and Ham in his arms, Peni’s robot was turned off in a corner, and on the arm closest to Peni’s and Noir’s head was a hologram that read “Say ‘Spider-byte’ to bring user’s attention. P.S: Don’t wake me up unless the dimensions are collapsing.”

Pavitr has decided to go on the armchair, and you would believe he has been sleeping there for a long time because his head was hanging on the side, one of his legs was on the arm of the couch and the other lying against where your back is supposed to go. If it wasn’t because he was breathing fine, Miles would have thought he lost conscience and someone drop his body from the ceiling.

Speaking of the ceiling, even with one more loveseat available, Hobie had opted to make a hammock out of webbing as close to the ceiling as possible, on a corner of the room. From his position, Miles thought Hobie was using his mask on; maybe he needed more darkness to sleep than he needed to breathe properly.

At least it meant his decision was easy.

Dragging his feet on the ground, he let himself fall onto the side of the loveseat, he would have rejoiced in glee at how soft the couch felt against his beaten body if he himself wasn’t so tired.

Yet he didn’t have time to even sigh before he felt someone else not only fall right beside him but had her head leaning towards him. Miles felt himself go still as he felt the warmth of Gwen right beside him.

Despite the loveseat being big enough to have space for both of them.

How rigid his body was must have alerted Gwen because her eyes fluttered open, and seemed to look a bit confused towards him before she almost jumped on her spot and moved away enough that their bodies weren’t touched anymore.

“Shoot,” She muttered to herself before she hit her forehead “Sorry, when I am sleepy I just- sorry.”

Perhaps is because he was tired and his mind was making stuff up, but somehow things were starting to click in his head. The sleepiness in Gwen seemed to make her follow someone, and for reasons beyond his understanding, Miles has been the person she has decided to attach herself to, even if subconsciously.

“That’s different” Gwen had said to him before in the Williamsburg Tower, saying it as if somehow what they had was different from what she had with anybody else. That conversation felt like a lifetime ago, and yet his heartbeat raced all the same.

There were still a lot of things to talk about, of the lies and the secrets that she has keep, and how he has been feeling about all of this. Even now he wasn’t sure what to say.

“Is fine, we are all tired,” He said casually, before raising the arm that was closest to her side, “Come here, we can catch some zzz together.”

And regardless of all of it, he felt himself wanting to reach out to her too, missing her warmth even if he only got to have it for a second.

In a way, that’s what had ended up happening to him, wasn’t it? She came for what should have been just a blink in his lifetime, and he still was unable to let her go.

Her eyes opened slightly, as if she was surprised he had actually said that; probably thinking all the same things that were still between them and neither of them had the brain to talk about. He saw the hesitation in her eyes, as if she herself wasn’t sure if it was okay to accept.

Maybe it was a bit of wishful thinking on his part to think that way, as he said “Is okay, you can lean on me Gwen.”

Miles has really meant that in a literal way, even if deep down, he knew he meant it all the way. As upset as he was, he couldn’t bring himself to be mad at her, not when they were like this.

That seemed to be all the encouragement that she needed, because she quickly went back to his side, in fact so quick he was a bit shocked.

“Thanks,” she whispered to him, bringing her knees up to her chest as she rested her head on his shoulder, one of her arms hugged Miles’ waist as her other hand was left between her knees.

As it was the most natural thing in the world, his arms went around her, holding onto her as he rested his head on top of hers, “No problem.”

Despite the pain, the couch and still being in his suit, it was the best sleep he had in months.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

This was supposed to be a drabble, oops?

I Will upload this to ao3, may as well. I like it more than I expected for something that I made on a whim.

Sorry for not having any analysis yet, I am kind of sick and I feel my brain is fried 80% of the time, HaShem knows how I managed work like this.

Hope you guys like it!

[not-poignant]

Can I ask, why do you love BL romance better than het romance? What makes them better? I did not mean anything negative, and I know everyone have their own like and dislike but I want to know your thoughts....

Also what do you think that made Asian MLM (BL manga/manhwa/manhua/ danmei) romances better than western MLM romances?

Can I ask, why do you love BL romance better than het romance?

Because I had no choice for many years.

Because that choice was taken away from me by a homophobic, transphobic, queerphobic, acephobic society. So all the romances I read had to be heterosexual, all the romances I watched had to be heterosexual, all the romances I heard of had to be heterosexual.

Because I'm not heterosexual.

Because I never saw myself represented in any stories ever, for over about 20 years (queer stuff existed, but where I was situated in Perth, Western Australia, meant that I was not seeing it).

Because I was force-fed allonormative, heteronormative, heterosexual tropes, bullshit, toxicity, misogyny, patriarchal culture, rape culture and more, and because everyone assumed that was normal, which made me feel isolated, marginalised, alone, and bereft, and cut me out of knowing what a life could look like for myself, and made relationships harder, when you don't have the words or stories to latch onto.

People like me couldn't even be erased out of the media, we hardly existed in the media, and if we did, almost never under our real identities, and almost always having to pretend to be something we weren't, for many people who hated us, or wished we were dead, or simply didn't care about us at all.

So, when I finally got a choice, I made a choice.

And I do not want to read heterosexual content anymore, unless it's queer (like T4T). The only place I actually willingly consume heterosexual romantic content these days is like 80s and 90s and early 00s romantic comedies. It's the only thing I allow through my filter, because so many of them have a really strong bent of hurt/comfort in them, and it's rare to find movies that have this in general.

But yeah otherwise het is just not a thing I look for in fiction. Literally a squick. Literally reminds me of 20 years of oppression in the mass media. It's not inherently bad, it just wasn't good for me personally, to never have a choice.

So I made one :D And my life has been so much better for it. I'm never going back.

Also what do you think that made Asian MLM (BL manga/manhwa/manhua/ danmei) romances better than western MLM romances?

It's just better for me, anon! I find a lot of western published m/m (so not like m/m fanfiction which I still read) often feels stifled and too short for me, and the characterisation doesn't get as deep as I want it to get. I often can feel the rigidity of the novel structure on authors who are trying to rapid release, and the depth I'm looking for is rarely there. Sometimes that's what people want! Sometimes they don't know there's other options!

Sometimes that's true of some BL manga/manhua/manhwa etc. as well. Tbh it's probably true of a lot of it! Serial format doesn't always allow for depth either. But I find the visual format easier to read as well. If I reread western m/m it's almost always fanfiction. And tbh, I'm sure some amazing m/m was published last year, I just get tired of having to wade through it all to find something I like. It got to the point where I was reading like 60+ titles just to find one average read, and I gave up.

The recommendation systems for BL tend to be better and more on point for me, I find most people who recommend published m/m to me generally always miss the mark (which isn't their fault - I'm particular, there's a reason I write what I write - because I can't find it to read!!), but close friends like @morbidlizard who recommend BL to me almost always hit the mark!

I don't actually read much danmei, but mostly because I haven't had time to really sink my teeth into it. Aside from MXTX, I haven't explored much further.

But yeah, hope that helps! :D

[aladaylessecondblog]

The Whore AU - Vemyn

Author's Note: Vemyn's into almost getting caught. nsft.

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

The walk from the tunnel under Kogoruhn to Vemynal thankfully wasn't very far, and glad Sadara was of that. The blight winds were even worse inside the Ghostfence than out, and she was happy to get back indoors.

An ash ghoul who identified himself as Dagoth Nilor greeted her, and directed her to the "library," where she found Dagoth Vemyn.

The interview with him was short and to the point. There was no one else in the library at present. He would leave the room, after which she was to take a book - any book, it didn't really matter which one - and stand at a table in the corner to read it. Then he'd come back in and do as he pleased with her, while trying not to be seen by any who passed by or entered the room.

She nodded and Vemyn left.

Looking over the bookshelves she finally find a book that looked both small and interesting - The Seven Curses. She wouldn't be doing much reading anyway, once he got started. She carried it over to the table, and opened it.

...through the doors of the unmourned house

where scoffers scoff and schemers scheme

from the halls of the oath-breaking house

rings seven curses of gods blasphemed

She'd heard of these prophecies only a few times, from a customer of hers who had been the type to be deep in his cups and chatty. A Dissident Priest, before he'd disappeared. These things never seemed to turn up at all, he'd said, and if they did they were kept under lock and key, in secret compartments. But House Dagoth had them out in the open.

There was an echo of footsteps, and she kept her eyes on the paper before her.

first curse, Curse-of-Fire

second curse, Curse-of-Ash

third curse, Curse-of-Flesh

fourth curse, Curse-of-Ghosts

Curse of fire, curse of ash. Obviously Red Mountain itself, she thought, that was easy enough. Curse of flesh...corprus. She'd caught it a while back and thought nothing of it, assuming perhaps she'd just gotten lucky enough not to have a serious case. But then she'd learned that ALL cases were serious ones.

Save hers. And THAT, that was a small reason to think she was what Araynys had thought her to be. But once she was out of this she had no intention of declaring it. That was the surest way to get into trouble here.

Curse of ghosts, though, that was one she couldn't figure out.

fifth curse, Curse-of-Seed

Sadara gave a chuckle in her throat at reading those words. She certainly knew what THAT meant...

A pair of hands on her hips, that moved slowly forward and then up, to the neckline of her robe.

"Something funny?" came the whisper in her ear.

"Just reading the prophecies." Sadara replied to Vemyn, who took a firm grip on her breasts. "Seven curses...and one of them is curse-of-seed. I'm not certain I'd call it a curse, though."

"How fortunate for us that you're so open-minded." His tone flattened as he gave a tug to her robe; it was enough for her breasts to pop out over the neckline. In an instant Vemyn's hands were on them again. A growl of desire sounded off in her ear.

"So eager," she teased softly, "I--"

And then, suddenly, a hand moved up to cover her mouth. Someone was walking past the library entrance, meandering practically. Her chest was left bare to the air - even if whoever-it-was came in, they'd see nothing unless they got too close.

(She could feel Vemyn's cock, already half hard, rising to full mast as they waited for whoever-it-was to pass.)

Only when they were safe again did Vemyn move his hands again.

"So close to being caught, weren't we?" she teased, "Surely, they'd have seen me bare, but do you think they would have seen your cock hard like that for me too? Do you think -"

Vemyn groped her a bit longer before moving one hand south, to pull at the knot tied in her belt. It came loose, and the front of her robe opened for him. He let his hand slide slowly over her bare skin, seeming to revel in the touch, until it slipped beneath her smallclothes and his fingers began to probe at the heat between her legs.

Sadara clenched at the table, prompting a short laugh in her ear from Vemyn. He pressed closer - and she pushed back, grinding against his cock with her ass.

"Minx," he accused.

"Professional," Sadara retorted.

Once she was wet enough, he tugged her robe outward, tucking it back. It exposed her leg, and then her ass to the cold air of the room. She shivered just slightly, and bent slightly over the table, waiting. There was the slight shuffling sound of Vemyn adjusting his loincloth, and then suddenly--

She pressed a hand over her mouth to stifle the groan that wanted to slip out. The sudden shift from emptiness to being utterly filled with that cock was overwhelming. Clearly, he was eager - but she thought she might be too, if a year elapsed between each opportunity to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh.

"Can't keep quiet on your own, can you?" It was Vemyn's turned to tease. "No. No, of course not..."

It was a steady piston, his thrusts, and Sadara wanted to bring her hand down so she could respond. But he was right - she didn't trust herself not to make noise. The entire point of this was NOT to get caught.

So why--why, she wondered, as his next thrust, hard and deep enough to practically take her breath away, enough that her knees were suddenly weak--did he seem to be working so hard to make her do it?

Part of the draw of it. Easy to keep quiet and not get caught. Harder to do this and manage it.

"You're trying--" Vemyn's pace slowed as he pulled her upright, which let him hit a bit deeper, "--so hard to say nothing, aren't you?"

She nodded, hand still firmly clamped over her mouth.

He whispered a bit longer, words that seemed to touch some deep part of her that craved the praise he was dispensing. Words telling her how good she was being for him, trying to obey his orders, trying to do as he'd asked her. And all the while that cock spreading her around him, stoking the flames in her belly higher and higher.

"Lord Vemyn?"

The voice came from the doorway, and suddenly the orgasm that only a moment again seemed close enough to taste - was denied. Vemyn withdrew from her in a hurry, pushed her robe forward, and she hastily tied it while he adjusted himself.

"Yes?"

"We have new dreamers," came the voice, now more clearly an ash ghoul, "Three of them."

"Thank you, Soler," Vemyn said quickly, "I'll speak to them shortly. For now process them in the usual fashion."

There was a sound of acknowledgement and then of footsteps, as their intruder left.

Vemyn pounced on Sadara the moment he was able. Her robe, untied, pulled open, her pushed down and bent over the table - his cock, spreading her cunt wide around him.

"That--really--excited you--didn't it?" she let herself tease, forcing the moans to stay back. "You almost--seemed like you--wanted to get caught."

He didn't answer. Now those clawed fingers were at the bare skin of her hips, eagerly tugging her back against him, never letting her get completely free of his cock. A moan slipped from her lips, and seemed to energize him further.

"Gods," she moaned softly, "I'm so close."

She slipped a hand between her legs, stroking over her clit; between that and the rapid movement of Vemyn's thrusts, her climax rushed through her like the sudden crash of a wave and dashed her on the rocks below.

"Oh--GODS--" The sound she made now was strangled, broken, and she shuddered around his cock as pleasure drowned her.

A sudden clench--a hot triple pulse, wet inside her--and it was over.

Sadara was left breathing hard, and took a few moments to relax before she let herself get shakily to her feet. Vemyn helped her re-tie her robe, and gave a grin when she turned around. He indulged in a few kisses - riding out the high of that lovely heat.

"You did much better than the rest we've had," he said, "Perhaps next year we should ask you back, provided you've not yet been scared off."

"You all are nothing I haven't handled before," Sadara replied, "Speaking of...I was told Tureynul's next. What should I expect from him?"

"Nothing much, he's quite plain," Vemyn said. "Compared to the rest of us. He simply wants to get off and be done with it, nothing special. Sometimes he wants his whores to sleep beside him."

"That doesn't sound too bad."

[galadrieljones]

i read your theories. And i believe it but there is a feeling inside me and telling me that beth will never comeback. i don’t know.

I would be lying if I didn't say that every day, I deal with a similar nagging voice in my head: If she doesn't come back, is this all for nothing? I do truly believe that lately, there has been too many strange developments to be pure coincidence. But, at the same time, I have skepticism deep in my roots. It's simply in my nature to interrogate, which is how I got here in the first place, so I feel you.

I came into the Bethyl fandom about 6 years late. I saw "Coda," during my first TWD marathon during covid in 2020, and I had been accidentally spoiled a long time back. I knew Beth was going to get shot and that she was going to die, so while I was really upset about it, I knew it was going to happen. BUT. I didn't think it would be that...weird?? I just thought a rogue bullet would tag her during a shoot-out, and she'd die in Daryl's arms. But it didn't happen like that at all. It was just so WEIRD! It was so unlike any of the other deaths. And it just didn't sit right. The way Dawn was trying to convince Beth to stay, to do something that she said would be "the most important thing she'll ever do in her life??" Rick's repetition of the "Can't go back, Bob," line? The weird POV and high angle shots during the exchange? The bizarre audio and closed captions that don't match what we hear and/or see? The canted shots, which I remembered from a film class I took in college were meant to communicate messages of disorientation and even psychosis. I thought, is something wrong with Rick? Is he misremembering what happened? I was also stunned by the coda with Morgan, because it was just so...oblique? Like what were all those weird, random bits of inventory? The magazine, the little things he leaves at the altar, and how he seems to be laughing at some cosmic truth we can't see or understand. I thought, I have to be missing something!

Then I watched WHAWGO, and I knew something was like really off. I knew that the writers were playing some sort of game. I couldn't really put my finger on it, but like, I just figured they would address it later. I figured that whatever was being hidden, it would soon surface. But it never did. Around the time I was watching season 8, so maybe a month or two later, I found Team Delusional on tumblr, and I realized that my instincts were, if not definitively correct, than at least being shared by tons of other fans. It was amazing to me that, six years later, I could be asking the same exact questions, completely unprompted, that they were asking at the time the episode aired. How could that be a coincidence?

In any case, skepticism still finds me from time to time, mainly, I assume, as a form of self-preservation. I mostly cope with my creeping, inevitable skepticism by just...continuing to badger the evidence. Anytime I simply feel like being reminded of why I care so much about this, I go back and revisit "Slabtown" and "Coda." For me, the most convincing evidence is actually the Christ imagery. Why plant a bunch of Christ imagery if you weren't planning a resurrection? It really doesn't make sense. And it's really not that unusual for the GA of a show like this to just miss the signs. Because while "the signs are all there," if you don't know how to read them, you might just think you're looking at confusing writing choices and/or you might just tell yourself, "Meh, well, it's just a TV show. It's not that serious." And, of course, it's not. It IS just a TV show, but I have met lots of people who, because of TD, at the very least, have gone back and admitted that, um, yeah. "Coda" IS kind of weird. Like, what is it with that? And the angle of the gun actually DOESN'T make sense, and yeah, why DIDN'T we see Beth's funeral? Isn't a whole big deal made in "Alone" about Beth and how important she thinks it is to give dead people funerals? These are all objectively valid questions! They don't take "true believer" or "conspiracy theory" ideologies to entertain. They just take one single second look at the evidence and an open mind. Team Delusional really isn't delusional at all. We're simply very inquisitive, detail oriented people who really love Beth and Daryl.

All of that said, I definitely understand where your skepticism is coming from, and it's been such a long time. The best way I've found to deal with it, other than continuing to interrogate the show, is to just sort of let go of control and enjoy the moment as a hobby and/or a passion. For me, this kind of research and analysis is definitely a passion. But also, to (badly) quote @twdmusicboxmystery, "Until the powers that be come right out and say, 'Beth is dead and she is never coming back,' I'll be here." I do really think she's alive! And at the very least, I believe they'll create closure for Daryl, in some way that has to involve Beth.

Keep believing!! But don't let it cause you pain or anxiety. It has to be fun. Whatever will be will be, and if you're not enjoying it, it's okay to take breaks or to just take a firm "wait and see" approach. You can always change your mind and dive back in when you feel up to it again ❤️💕💫

[olderthannetfic]

Re this ask, 722433031603879936 , specifically the part from below:

It literally makes no sense to me how people who will claim that "consuming disturbing/triggering erotic fiction is self harm!" Will almost never apply that logic to horror fiction (especially movies)

This isn't really what you were talking about, I know, but the ask made me think of it and got me on a mental tangent. I very much agree in broad strokes with this anon and the reply--this isn't any form of attack or disagreement, but an add on, and a slightly different, but related, comment.

I actually have used my consumption of media as a form of self harm, and know others who have likewise done with same. I never really did so with horror or erotica personally, but would seek on content I knew I found to be triggering (though at the time, I didn't know it was a trigger and hadn't even heard the term beyond 'trigger on a gun' and had no clue this was a form of self harm) and read it until I was, well, triggered. I can go on about why I did this (12-16 year old me wanted control, and reading the triggering content in fandom somehow did that, even if not in a healthy way) and how it was actually hard to stop, but wow did I ever seek it out. I looked for content with child sexual abuse, looked for characters who self harmed themselves, and looked for other content along those themes. I never really liked erotica, but did find the odd extreme underage smut and read it, but usually clicked out due to boredom. A lot of what I sought out and read in those years did hurt me, in a way. I dabbled in writing some as well. However, I always saw it as fiction and escapism, even when, in retrospect, I was actually hurting myself and using it as a weird form of self harm.

I do know this is different than anti's seeking out content (and not exactly what anon above meant, I think), and it VERY much had nothing to do with the media. At all. It was always on me for clicking on the links, which is where I think I, and those I've talked to who also have done this, differ from anti's. Even as that pretty messed up 12 year old I knew I was seeking this out, and I knew I was the one reading it. I didn't have the language for how it affected me, or why I looked for it so often even though it left me Not In A Good Place, but I did. And you know? It was still healthier than some other things I could have done, and was tempted to do. But wow my therapist has had fun with all this, poor woman.

Basically, there are definitly people who use media as a form of self harm. I never personally went to erotica for that, but knew people with similar experiences who absolutely did, and while I don't know anyone who used horror, I would assume at least a few exist. I still read and write some of that content, but in a much healthier way at 32 than I did as a teen. AO3 has been a godsend for that to be honest. I started on ff.net and it was always a bit of a trial to find (or not find) what I wanted.

Anti's are just jerks about it. I needed therapy and help as a teenager, but likewise was able to understand I was the one seeking out things that fucked with me, and that the authors had no blame. Hell, I commented a lot (generic -- loved this!!). It was never on them. I've reread some of those fics as a much better adjusted adult, and still appreciate them, even if in retrospect, they weren't the best fics lol.

A part of me can understand, or even pity, some of the anti's who seem to look for erotica they know makes them uncomfortable or worse. But overall I just think they need to sit down and shut up, and look inwards. There are a lot of complexities to the anti mindset sometimes. I'm sure some are fucked up kids who are trying to get control wherever they can and fell into an anti group, and will hopefully eventually grow the hell up. But too many anti's have chosen to be terrible to others, and for that? My understanding and pity runs out very quickly. I've been there, in a very different way, and even then knew better than to blame someone else for something that was hurting me, especially when I was the one looking for it.

This got long and rather rambly, but the ask brought it to mind!

--

Yeah, I think many of them are self-harming in a similar way. They're just in denial about who's holding the reins.

[armpirate]

The Only One || JJK || Ch. 45 (Epilogue)

Pairings: mafia!jk x fem!reader

Genre: smut, angst, mafia, contract relationship

Warnings: Prostitution, torture, blood, use of drugs and weapons

Summary: You've always wished for a better life. Every single day at work, you were hoping something would change. Although you didn't think that change would come in the form of one mysterious man and a contract.

His controlling and selfish behaviour only wanted to keep you away from any other man that wasn't him, and you only had to wait for him.

Too bad you really thought you'd be smarter than Jeon Jungkook.

Previous

MASTERLIST

Aprox. time of reading: 10 minutes

Chapter warnings: Forced use of drugs, violence

Over the last techno tracks of the playlist, drowned by the thick walls separating the nightclub from the basement, the dry and hollow sound of the wooden bat against the stomach and chest of the man collapsing on the floor echoed between the four walls.

—You really thought there would be no consequences? —Minho carried the wooden stick, placing it over his shoulder while he looked at the man kneeling in front of him— What did you expect? —he asked, squatting in front of him— Give us the money.

—I promise I don't have it —the man whimpered, moving his gaze down.

—You don't have it? —Minho was getting ready to use his bat again, before he was stopped.

He recognized that thick voice, which immediately made him drop the stick to the side of his body before he turned to his boss. Jungkook appeared through the darkness, followed by two of his men as he strutted his way next to Minho.

—So you don't have my money? Yet you kept my drugs? —Jungkook raised his eyebrow, looking down at the man— Look at me when I'm talking to you.

His jaw clenched as his fingers tangled on the greasy locks of his black hair, pulling him up and forcing his scared eyes into his cold gaze.

—Je... Je... Jeon, I promise I tried to, but I wasn't able to get people to buy it —he managed to speak while his lips trembled—. Please, don't do anything to me. I promise I'll work harder if you give me a second chance.

Jungkook bent over, slightly but enough to be heard without speaking too loudly, smirking maliciously.

—I'm not the one you should be scared about.

Kijung looked up at Jungkook, unable to hold back his lips from pouting when he heard that sentence. Everybody in the room knew what it meant. And the fact that it wasn't just one or the other, but the two of them dealing with the issue, showed how serious it actually was.

Every man in the room stood straight when they heard her sighing. Every man, except Jungkook. He looked at Y/n with a proud smile, waiting for her to join him, at the same time he stepped back slightly to allow her to get control of the situation.

—You had two months to sell what we gave you, what are you talking about? —she questioned, relaxed— Either our product isn't good enough or you aren't doing your job properly. So which one would it be?

Kijung was unable to hold her gaze, dropping it back to the floor as he tried to keep her from seeing his tears flooding from his eyes. Y/n felt her patience vanishing slowly, unable to hold back her fingers from hooking on his jaw to force him to look at her.

—I will guess you've been trying your best, because not only we trusted in you, but we gave you a business you feed from, right? Because if you weren't doing your job right, that'd be like an insult for us. So I'll assume the problem is with what we sell.

Jungkook looked at her from behind, impressed by how her Korean kept improving every day, but also finding himself admiring the woman she had become. He had been witness to similar situations a few times, but he was still surprised at how the sweet and kind soul she was behind closed doors was also that tough and intolerant freak that was about to teach Kijung a lesson.

Aware of where it was heading, he motioned Minho to open one of the small bags. Taking a small metallic straw from her pocket, she handed it to Kijung.

—Take it or I swear I'll mop the counter with your head until you snort it clean —Y/n warned him.

His hands trembled before he took the straw, getting up under the supervision of everyone in the room, heading to the messy amount of coke that was poured over the surface. He was about to make some lines with it, but Y/n stopped him.

—Snort until I tell you to stop —she instructed.

A thick gulp was visible on Kijung's throat, clearing it up before he took a deep breath, barely inserting the straw in the hole of his nose and starting to snort the white dust they had prepared for him. She was supporting her weight on her hand, comfortably resting on the edge of the counter, a few steps away from him.

As she motioned him to stop, Jungkook walked between them, holding Kijung down, and keeping him from taking the straw out.

—Is our shit good? —Jungkook pressed his head down, making the metallic stick sink a bit deeper into his nostrils— Or is it so bad that you'll have a problem selling it?

Kijung shook his head in panic, feeling Jungkook's hand down his nape pressing his head into the counter, letting him feel the straw sinking deeper, millimeter by millimeter. And he'd have gone on if it hadn't been for Y/n patting his back gently, reminding him they couldn't waste any more time there.

—You better sell it all out and have our money by the end of the week.

Again leaving it all on Minho's hands, Y/n and Jungkook left together, hopping inside the car they came in. Y/n kept checking her phone, huffing when she realized the time it was. It was already past eight in the morning, and she wasn't ready. She was already seeing themselves being late to their own wedding.

✸ ✸ ✸

Opposite to Y/n worries, they both were on time. He had it easy to get ready, but even she managed to get everything done on time.

And for sure she was ready.

There was something indescribable in the way she looked that day as she showed up with that long beautiful dress. Y/n had always been gorgeous in his eyes, but there was a brightness in her in that moment that he wasn't able to describe. And that same brightness made him hopeful, ready for the future they were heading to together. Y/n felt something similar, but her feelings were more related to the way he looked at her. His eyes shined bright under the lights, and there was a shy smile dying to burst all over his face that confirmed to her how everything they went through was worth it. And how everything they'd live together would always make them stronger.

All that ceremony was simply a way to let everyone know what they already had proved to each other.

Although maybe she needed to vocalize it to be completely convinced everyone understood.

"My whole life I've been looking for a place to stay, a place where I could feel safe. I've been looking at all the wrong places, not knowing what was exactly what I needed. Until you showed up in my life. I know we didn't have it easy, but it only made us grow closer to each other. It made us realize how much we're willing to risk to be together, and that's one of the purest ways someone has ever proved how much they love me. You showed me the meaning of home, of dying to run back to that roof that kept me away from everything that hurted me. You made sure to let me know I would never be alone as long as you were with me, and I want you to know that you will never be alone as long as I live. Today, we promised each other to keep by each other's side until we die, but I want to let you know that it won't be like that. Because this isn't something that could last only one lifetime. Even after we die, in all the lives I have to go through, I will always find you. It doesn't matter what happens, you will forever be my safe place".

Jungkook had tried to hold himself back from getting up, but he wasn't able to, standing up to kiss her forehead and wipe some of her tears away. Y/n hardly ever was the one dedicating that type of words to him, it was always the other way around, but the fact that she took the courage to say all those words to him, in front of all the guests... He indeed had no words to describe all the love that was pouring from the bottom of his heart.

He barely moved away from her throughout the party, which was more related to keeping the connections they already had than actually celebrating their union past the two hours. It certainly was one of the perks of working with her: she'd be by his side, and she'd be aware of every business he was in.

She also knew all the guests that were in the party, going from the Bangtan members to smaller families in Korea, including the Choi family, that agreed to go to build those buildings Jungho had tried to destroy months back.

As she mentioned once: they were both a team.

But even then, and especially that day, he couldn't wait until the party was finally over so they both would be completely alone. Ever since the day started, they had been surrounded by people. And, even if they were by each other, it felt completely distant at some point into the event. Y/n had been with her husband the whole part of the morning and afternoon yet, except for the slow dance they shared together, it didn't feel intimate.

A pair of hands trapped her hips from behind, breaking her short time alone by herself outside. Y/n smiled when she was aware of Jungkook behind her, slowly moving her arms around her body to pull her back against his chest.

—What's my wife doing alone here?

Her head cozied on his shoulder, rubbing her cheek against his jaw as she breathed in deeply, feeling completely relaxed in his arms.

—Were you planning to run away from me? —he joked with a cheeky smile— I'm afraid it's too late.

—It just... doesn't feel real.

While looking at the lights that emerged from the tallest buildings in the city, she thought that maybe life was treating her a little bit too good out of nowhere. After so long, she finally had everything she could ever have dreamed of.

—This is real, babe —he kissed her exposed collarbone—. This is our life —he hugged her tight.

Y/n turned to him, wrapping her arms around her shoulders while his hands kept their place on her hips.

—We're already done suffering, Y/n —he assured her—. And I'll be by your side to make sure you never feel any pain again. I promise.

Before he was able to bend over to kiss her, a loud whine caught her attention, making her move her head back to look at the direction that sound came from. Jungkook tried to draw her attention back to him, but it quickly went back in that direction.

—Sounds like a dog —she frowned.

—You won't stay still until I go to see what it is, right?

Y/n didn't need to do much more other than smiling to answer. With a huff, Jungkook motioned her to stay in the terrace, as he stepped forward into the darkness, following the invisible path the noise was creating in front of him. He headed downstairs, hearing those sounds closer with every step he took, until the light from his phone found a pair of puppy eyes in the darkness, in between two cars that were parked outside the building. It only took Jungkook to take one step closer to notice how one of his paws was trapped in the gate that limited the area, seeing the small dog battling with the metallic bars to get out.

Y/n, who had been waiting for him, looked at the way his flashlight moved among the part least lighted in the parking lot, feeling a bit anxious until she saw him walking back upstairs with her.

With the difference that he was bringing something with him.

The brown dog, with big floppy ears, was cuddling, scared, to Jungkook. It wasn't too big, and it was obvious it was still a puppy.

—It was trapped there —Jungkook pointed with his head back to where he was—. And it seems like it has no collar or anything.

Y/n was too busy petting the dog to care about anything he was saying at that point, smiling foolishly at the small animal.

—You're so beautiful, aren't you? —she said with a baby voice— Yes, you are.

—I'll tell someone to take it to the animal shelter.

But the whine that came out of his wife's lips stopped him from even thinking to move.

—Bam has no business in an animal shelter.

—Bam? —Jungkook frowned— Did you already find him a name? —he was surprised by how fast she acted.

—I think we should keep him —she ignored him—. Let's adopt him.

—These beasts get big as hell —he insisted—. He won't be this cute forever.

—Come on, love —she playfully pinched his arm—. He will be our spoiled kid.

The dog didn't flinch when she took him from his arms, carrying in hers as if she was carrying a baby. Actually, the dog seemed even more relaxed and comfortable after she picked him up.

Her smile was so wide, and it radiated that vast amount of happiness he knew he wouldn't be able to ignore. He'd kill and die to keep that smile on her forever, he couldn't see why he wouldn't let a dog in the family.

Whatever made her happy, he'd give it to her without a second thought, just the same way she was willing to do so. 

Taglist: @kaiparkerwifes @sheylamc @amy2006jones @allamericanuniverse @00frenchfries00 @massivelyfullenthusiast @coralmusicblaze

[spyderlondon]

The Amazing Pokemon Circus: Chapter 2

Art by @mangotangerinepastry ❤️

Pomni stumbled backwards a bit as she landed on the ground and before Ragatha was able to reach out to grab her, the Alcremie ended up knocking into a Cinderace that was teasing an Eiscue. She fell onto her stomach with a grunt, her eyes swirling in her dizziness, "Oh... I wish I was warned..." She mumbled a bit as she put a hand to her head, trying to keep the contents of her stomach inside of her stomach.

"HEY! WHAT GIVES?!" The Cinderace yelled out at the dizzy Alcremie with an annoyed glare before turning his glare to the two pokemon that entered within seconds before and after the fairy type, "Weren't you two just supposed to find a lost item, not rescue?" He sneered at them.

"Oh, chill out, Jax!" Ragatha glared right on back as she handed the said item to the pokemon that gave the circus the mission and sent them on their way. She looked back at the Cinderace while crossing her arms, "Pomni here needed help since she just recently was placed into this dimension and has no idea what is going on."

Kinger carefully helped the Alcremie up, "You okay?" He asked her with a light worried look on his face, looking her over for any signs of injury or sickness.

"I-I'm okay..." She mumbled as she gave herself a moment before standing straight and looked around the area that she was now suddenly inside of. She rubbed her arm, uncertain of how to feel about everything quite yet but for now, it'd be a good idea to get a feel of the place.

Ragatha was right, this really was a circus tent with the entire circus layout. The top of the tent had a couple trapezes set up with nets placed underneath to catch any falls, there was also a long pole in the middle of the tent to keep it from collapsing as well as a lookout at the very top of the pole in case anyone wanted to relax up high. There were also a few silks and hoops connected to silks that were there for anyone wanting to practice their flexibility as well as a few other random items just scattered about to act as props for juggling or anything else. There was also two bulletin boards with numerous little scraps of paper on them- it seemed like they were just recently torn off.

There were also a few pokemon here and there that she assumed also went out and did missions like Ragatha and Kinger did. There was a Falinks who had their different small parts separated a little as they chilled near a pillow fort with Kinger doting on them as if they were his pet which didn't seem to bother the bug type much; then there was an Eiscue that was on the ground looking down at the broken ice face broke when she was knocked to the ground, leaving with a much smaller ice head that seemed to have frozen tears attached to it, but was the most interesting, at least in Pomni's opinion was how instead of the usual bluish coloration, this Eiscue had a reddish coloration which meant that she was a rare shiny; and last but probably least was the Cinderace, Jax as Ragatha called him, that she bumped into when she first came into the tent- he was currently arguing with the Indeedee.

The Alcremie rubbed her arm as she watched all the other pokemon do their thing before deciding to speak up, "U-Um-"

"BOSS! They're back!" She was suddenly interrupted by a loud, childlike voice shouting nearby which made her yelp and jump in surprise. A Swirlix seemed to pop out of nowhere as he called out to someone he called boss. The little puffball seemed to notice her after a moment, "Oh! You're new! Boss! We have a newbie here too!"

Pomni tried to move away from the from him in her unease but didn't seem to notice the apple core that was suddenly appeared behind her and ended up tripping on it, "Ack!" She yelped in shock as she fell again but this time two thin arms caught her and lifted her up in the air.

Her eyes widened in surprise as she looked up at who stopped her from falling, only to see a large transparent head that had a lot of little colorful dots as well as a rainbow top hat that floated above his head weightlessly. He had no eyes on or a mouth or anything a face should have but somehow she could tell that he was looking down at her by how his head was tilted and was smiling in a perplex manner by him giving off some sort of vibe- it was strange. "Are you alright, my dear?" The floating head questioned.

"U-Uh... yes, I am-" The Alcremie answered with a frown as he put her down- what pokemon was he...? She knew she's seen his species in a book before but she was drawing a blank, "W-Who are you? Wh-What are you...?" She questioned with a stutter as she looked him over after backing up a little. He was extremely colorful, looking almost like a clown- he had thin limbs that were a mix of pink and blue while his feet and hand were white; his ankles had two pompoms on them- blue on the left and pink on the right- and another white pompom on his pole like chest as well as two others on his shoulders but this time it was pink on the left and blue on the right. His torso was mostly yellow with pink and blue stripes going around the body. His torso and large dotted head was separated by a large white ruffle collar. He wore a rainbow ringmaster's coat with the inside and collar being black.

The large pokemon had used his psychic powers to force Jax into a cage as a sort of time out for all his pranks before turning back to face her, "Oh! My name is Caine- the ringmaster of this wonderful Pokemon Circus!" He spread out his arms to proudly show off the circus tent, "As for what I am..." He lowered his arms, "I'm a Blacepheon. You probably never heard of my species aside from passing rumors because of how rare we are to even been seen in any dimension other than our own." He explained with a light shrug. He looked her over, "I suppose you're a new human to this dimension?"

"I-I... yes?" Pomni confirmed, her tone laced in confusion, "I don't even know how I got here... or why I can't recall my name or what I looked like... I just know I *was* human before and some of my memories..." She trembled as she felt fear running through her.

The air around Caine seemed to shift into something more sympathetic as he floated to the ground and landed on his feet, "Now, now, dear..." He placed his hands on her shoulders to calm her a bit, "All of that is perfectly normal. Nobody can remember any of that when they enter this dimension, think of it as a clean slate." He waved off casually.

"Yea, a clean slate where we still have most of our memories and our same personalities." The Cinderace scoffed from inside the cage, "In a place with no escape. Sorry, toots, you're stuck with us." He crossed his arms.

"Shut up, Jax, she's already freaked out enough." The Falinks deadpanned as they sent the rabbit pokemon a glare with all of their eyes before looking at Pomni who was twitching nervously, "But he's right, we haven't found any way of getting out of here and, judging by how long Kinger has apparently been here, there is no way back home." They sighed in defeat.

"Did somebody say something about an insect collection?!" The Slowking popped his head out of his pillow fort.

Ragatha put a hoof to her face and groan, "Will you all stop giving the newbie more reason to panic?" She sent everybody a look before moving over to the twitching Alcremie and replaced Caine's hands with her hooves, "Hey there... It's okay, Pomni... Just take some deep breaths... In... out... in... out..." She guided her with a soothing tone. She waited until the girl in front of her seemed calmer before speaking, "Better?"

"Y-Yeah... Thanks." Pomni murmured, her panic subsiding, and she just seemed exhausted from the long day she ended up having out of nowhere.

The Indeedee gave a sad smile at how the Alcremie looked, "Here... Why don't I show you to your room?" She offered while handing her the big apple she had in her treasure bag, "And here, eat this along the way. You need all the energy you can get."

Pomni nodded tiredly as she followed the older pokemon while munching on the apple.

-----

"We weren't supposed to get any more humans..." Caine mumbled to himself after he entered the cave where a certain psychic pokemon lived, "We were told that he and I would get only a certain amount of humans each. I was at my max- unless..."

"Unless you had one of the human turned pokemon go feral." The Lunatone finished the sentence for him, having heard him as he entered her cave, "That Mr. Rime had turned feral the day before that Alcremie's arrival. You were down one human, a replacement was given." She turned to look at him- or well, she would have but her eyes were glazed over and she only saw fogginess.

The Blacepheon grew a bit agitated, "More are cursed to be here if I can't keep them satisfied or help them find a way to leave?" He questioned as he tapped one of his hands against a leg, "I'm sure he's loving that." He hissed, pacing, "He always enjoyed seeing others suffer..."

"He hasn't lost any yet." She informed him.

"WHAT?!?" He shouted in disbelief, "HOW?!" He seemed to stop and stare at her with his lack of eyes but it was clear his face was one of shock.

The Lunatone said no more to these questions. Simply going silent to meditate like she was doing before he entered.

Blacepheon groaned in irritation but took his leave as he tried to figure things out on his own, he wanted to help the humans leave. It was unfair to them to be trapped with no clear explanation why.

-----

A flash of purple could be seen near the cave for a split second before it flew off through a portal.

[imagine-you]

every lover's got a little dagger in their hand (2/?) [joel miller/reader]

Summary: You find Joel at Cumberland Farms in the midst of his quest to save the human race. "You had so many questions you wanted to ask Joel. Where did he get a kid from? Where was Tess? Was he on a job? If so, then why the kid? Did he feel anything when he looked at you?" Word Count: 3.9k Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who supported part one. This wouldn't have continued without y'all. Title from Love From the Other Side by Fall Out Boy.

part one

The trip to Lincoln was supposed to be relatively short compared to most of the trips you were used to taking. The painfully awkward silence made it feel like it was several days long and not the hour it took to trek out there.   

You kept shooting small glances at Joel, wondering if he was regretting his decision to let you tag along. Joel seemed to purposefully keep his eyes forward, not even bothering to acknowledge you. There was a set to his jaw as he walked, and you knew something must have happened, because he looked like he had something on his mind that he would rather forget.  

"So," Ellie started, falling back to walk at your side. "When'd you meet Joel? You don't look that old," she observed, looking you up and down.  

"We've got a few years between us," you admitted, shooting her an unimpressed look at her scoff. "What?" 

"It's more than that," she said, pulling her knife out of her jacket pocket. She started trying to flip it over and over in her hand, fumbling it every so often.  

"Yeah, well, I don't think a kid should be hearing about that," you pointed out. You knew you could keep the conversation PG enough to give Ellie the gist of your relationship with Joel, but not while Joel could overhear. What if he heard the love you still carried for him in your voice? What if he disagreed with you? What if he never thought you actually had a relationship and instead considered it a series of flings? What if he didn't think it was worth mentioning at all? You didn't want to find out the answer to any of those questions, so you decided to go the easy route and bow out.  

"Alright, well, I'm about to start eating my hair out of boredom," Ellie told you, briefly pointing her knife at you. "So, give me something here. Like you said that infected at Cumberland was put there by you. How'd you manage that?" 

You noticed Joel glance briefly at you, a quick there-and-gone-again look, as if he was also interested to know how you trapped an infected in the cellar.  

"Well," you started, aimlessly kicking at a rock. "It almost cost me my life," you reminded her, ignoring another brief look from Joel.     

--- 

You weren't sure how this job had gone so sideways so fast. It should have been a simple pick-up-and-trade, but you faced an obstacle at every turn. It was one of the first times you began to regret your choice of not having a designated partner for your runs. First, FEDRA blocked the road you would have taken, searching for something which you hoped wasn't you. Next, your contact failed to show up, which meant the whole run was a bust. Then, you had the bright idea that you were so close to Boston, you might as well visit Tess.  

Even you weren't really kidding yourself. Visiting Tess meant visiting Joel and that was really what you wanted after all the bullshit you had gone through. You wanted to drop by Cumberland Farms to stow away the goods you had meant to trade, so you wouldn't risk losing them if you were attacked or came across FEDRA.  

You were less than a mile out when you made a near-fatal error.  

 You saw one infected stumbling along in the woods. It wasn't far away from you, so you resolved to take care of it as quietly as you could. Your mistake was assuming it was alone. That one infected turned out to be five infected, and they all came running at you.  

You got off one shot, two, before you realized that you would simply have to run. You thought you could get to Cumberland and hold them off from there. You didn't count on the sixth infected to run at you from the side, tackling you into the dirt. You felt something scrape your side, your hand sliding over a sharp, jagged rock.  

The blood only made them more frenzied, eager to get to you. Your ankle felt like it was on fire, but you couldn't care. You had to run, escape, because if you became one of them, then you ultimately lost.  

You managed to take down the one that tackled you before pushing to your feet. You ignored the pain, counting on the adrenaline to carry you through. Every moment felt drawn out and weighted, but it was simply a passing second where you had to make the right choice or die.  

You didn't dare look over your shoulder as you ran. You kept your eyes forward, avoiding roots and debris that would trip you. You felt like there was a knife in your side, each breath in painful and sharp. Your ankle threatened to buckle under you and your hand was bleeding, stinging little zings of pain reminding you that you were wounded.  

You were trying not to panic, but you could feel desperation to survive clawing at you. This might be it, you couldn't help but think. This might be the last moment you were alive. The last moment you were truly human. You tried to push those thoughts aside and just focus on moving forward, ignoring the pain and fear fighting for your attention.  

You could just see Cumberland Farms up ahead when you started to finally allow yourself to think that you weren't going to make it. Five infected all on your trail while you hobbled along, injured and bleeding? No chance.  

You were going to have to do something crazy, you resolved. Something that might take you down with it, but at least you weren't going to leave this world infected with Cordyceps. That was all you really cared about at the moment.  

For a fleeting second, you thought of Joel and how much he would disapprove of your plan. Maybe he would mourn your death and maybe he would be glad to be rid of you. You didn't know. You had no clue. Which just about summed up your whole relationship with Joel. Confusing and uncertain and leaving you clueless.  

You only had a few seconds to enact your plan, knowing that if you slowed down at all, you would be swarmed by the infected. You rounded the back of Cumberland Farms, letting out a cry of pain when you stretched an arm back, grasping for the weapon you kept lodged in the side pocket of your bag. You finally wrapped your fingers around it, allowing yourself one moment of relief.   

You drew to a stop once you hit the back of the store, fumbling with the door for a moment before pushing inside. In a perfect world, you wouldn't need the weapon in your hand at all. You could get to the cellar and lock yourself in, regroup, and then deal with the infected once you weren't about to pass out from the pain.  

You got the cellar door open before it all fell to shit again.  

You assumed the infected would follow you around the building and through the back, but one of them surprised you, running in from the front. You had barely enough strength to push it away towards the back of the room before you brought the weapon in your hand up. You pulled the pin on the grenade and launched it into the group of infected at the back of the store, attempting to shield yourself from the oncoming blast.  

The grenade detonated quicker than you thought it would, taking care of the infected for you. You didn't count on being so close to it when it went off, though, and you were launched backwards, through the cellar door. You were weightless, floating, for one perfect moment before you hit the ground.  

You were sure you blacked out, because the next time you were aware, you were writhing on the ground, screaming. The pain in your side had doubled, tripled into a knot of agony. You glanced down, your hands covered in blood, to see a piece of a branch sticking out of your side. Had it been there the whole time? It must have been, but this was the first time you allowed yourself to notice. You were sure it was scraping along your gut, causing internal damage you wouldn't be able to fix stuck in the cellar of a gas station.  

Your hands traveled down to wrap around the branch in your side. You knew you shouldn't pull it out, but now that you knew it was there, you were painfully annoyed by its presence. You wanted it gone. Now. But you had a higher risk of dying if you simply yanked it out. If the shock didn't kill you, then the blood loss surely would.  

You heard the screech of an infected and prepared yourself for the worst. You weren't in any shape to fight one off, but the sharp sting of a bite never came. You cast your glance to the far side of the cellar, where part of the building had collapsed, rubble taking up the back half of the cellar. There was a face staring back at you, the rest of the body submerged beneath the debris. It shrieked at you again, uselessly trying to pull itself free, but stuck.  

"Fuck you," you snarled, pain making your vision swim as you shakily held a hand up, flipping it off.  

--- 

"Now, hold on," Joel said, halting your story. "What the hell were you thinking? Do you know how reckless that was?" 

You quirked an eyebrow at him before slowly raising your shirt to show the scar on your side. "Yeah," you drawled, smiling at him. "I think I do." 

Joel opened his mouth, no doubt ready to give you hell, but Ellie spoke first.  

"So, you were bleeding out, delirious from the pain, and what? You magically got better? Rubbed some dirt in it and walked away?" 

"No," you snorted, shaking your head. "There's more to the story than that." 

--- 

You lost track of time in the cellar. You knew you were bleeding. You knew you were in pain. You knew you were in danger. But you couldn't seem to make any of your limbs work. Once it started growing dark, you knew you had a hard choice ahead of you. Make yourself move or simply lie there and die.  

The sounds of the trapped infected had become background noise to you.  

"You can do this," you muttered, your hands clenched into fists to help you deal with the pain. "Just get the fuck up," you hissed, finally pushing yourself to your knees.  

It was a slow, torturous crawl to the trash can you had dropped into the cellar years before. You managed to roll it into the right place and slowly but surely pull yourself up onto it. The tricky part came when you had to straighten up, an excruciating ball of fire exploding in your side. You let out an agonized shriek to rival that of the infected before you forced your shaking hands to grab the edge of the floor above you.  

You didn't remember much of how you managed to actually get out of the cellar. It was a blur of pain and swearing and wondering if you should just let yourself fall back into the cellar and die.  

By the time you were stumbling out of Cumberland Farms, you knew you only had one option if you wanted to survive.  

You were sure you could easily be mistaken for an infected as you staggered down the road. You were covered in blood, your ankle dragging as you pushed yourself forward against your body's wishes. You forced down a scream of pain when you felt your foot roll over a rock, your ankle protesting the movement. There were black spots dancing at the edges of your vision, your field of view growing smaller and smaller the longer you walked. Your head felt dangerously weightless, as if it would simply float above your body and eventually become untethered and your breaths were getting shorter and shorter, barely coming at all.  

You didn't remember reaching your destination, but suddenly your hands were fumbling with a keypad and you were struggling to remember a string of numbers you could have sworn were ingrained in your memory. You didn't remember sitting on the ground and you didn't remember when it started raining. Your clothes were soaked, a mix of blood and water, making them cling to your skin in all the wrong places.  

"We've got one that somehow avoided the traps," you heard someone say, startling you out of your daze. 

You didn't know how you were suddenly looking up at the sky or why it was now daylight.  

"Help," you rasped, hoping you were discovered by a friend and not a raider.  

"Shit," Frank hissed, his voice coming closer. "It's Y/N. Let's get her inside." 

"Hold on. Stay on that side of the fence," Bill said, holding out a hand to stall Frank from coming any closer. "She could be infected." 

"It's Y/N," Frank tried to argue. "She needs our help." 

Bill pulled to a stop over you, staring down at you. You saw Bill pull out a virus checker before he crouched down, holding it near your neck.   

"Bill," Frank warned, apprehension in his tone.  

"Please," you managed to say, staring up at Bill. You didn't know if any of the infected had managed to bite you in your rush to escape. If you were infected, then you wanted them to put you down before you turned. You didn't want to risk Bill and Frank more than you already had just by coming here. "Please," you repeated, managing to nod up at Bill.  

He watched you for a moment before pressing the sensor to your neck. The sharp sting barely registered to you. It wasn't long before you heard Frank let out of a breath of relief. You saw the flash of green signaling you were in the clear before everything went black.  

You were aware of things in brief flashes of time. You woke up the first time, a pained cry leaving you as Frank and Bill attempted to get you into their house.  

"I know, I know," Frank tried to soothe you. "We've got you." 

You woke up the next time on a table, screaming in agony as Bill pulled the branch out of your side. You were vaguely aware of the push and pull of your skin being stitched together. You could hear Bill and Frank talking above you. Frank sounded so worried and you wanted to tell him it would all be okay, but you couldn't seem to get anything out.  

The first time you could actually make sense of what was going on, you realized you were on a bed.  

"You scared Frank," came a voice from your side.  

You glanced up, noticing Bill leaning against the wall of what you assumed was a spare bedroom, watching you. He had a gun in his hand, aimed at you, as if he didn't fully trust you wouldn't turn despite the all clear you got from the scanner.    

"I'm sorry," you got out, your throat dry and scratchy. "I don't even remember getting here." 

"You're lucky you didn't trigger one of my traps," he pointed out, finally lowering his gun. "You're lucky to be alive." 

"Yeah," you sighed, suddenly aware of the tight feeling at your side. You moved to touch your side, but Bill stopped you.  

"Don't," he warned, shaking his head. "You'll fuck up your stitches." 

You wanted to thank Bill for having your back. He had every right to leave you out there. You knew he'd let the whole world burn to protect Frank and you respected that even when it meant you'd burn too. You simply settled for meeting Bill's gaze, letting everything you wanted to convey show on your face.  

Bill simply dipped his head in a nod, his expression as stoic as ever, but his eyes conveying his understanding. In turn, you knew what he was telling you with just a look. His expression was stern, with just a hint of softness beneath it.  

You can't stay here. 

I have to protect Frank.  

I'm glad you're alive.  

"Once you're back up on your feet again--" 

"I'll be out of here," you finished for him. "I'm grateful," you told him, offering a small smile. Your eyes felt heavy and your breaths were coming out slow and measured. You could feel yourself beginning to fall asleep again. 

"I know," you heard Bill say before you drifted off.  

Two weeks later, you felt like you were on the edge of overstaying your welcome. Your wounds were healing nicely and you could walk without feeling like your ankle was going to snap. You knew it was time to leave. 

"You could stay," Frank offered, escorting you to the fence surrounding Lincoln.  

"I know," you said, grinning at Frank. "But you know me. Can't stay in one place too long. It's not me." 

"Y/N," Frank called, stalling you near the gate. "You know you're welcome here anytime. You don't have to wait until you're bleeding out to visit. Bill’s a grouch, and he’s got a funny way of showing it, but he likes you. He wouldn’t mind seeing you more often either." 

"Thanks," you told him, taking a step towards him. You held your arms out, waiting for Frank to step into your embrace. "I'll be back," you promised him. "Hopefully without the blood next time," you joked, pulling away from him. "Take care of yourself, alright? And the grouch too." 

Frank laughed, shaking his head. "You too. See you later, Y/N. Be careful out there." 

"I'll try," you promised, winking at him, before you exited through the gate. You started walking down the path, sparing a look for Frank at the gate. You raised your hand in a wave before you turned around, resolving to visit them the next time you had to do a job in the state.  

---  

"And I haven't been back since," you admitted with a frown.   

"Wow," Ellie breathed. "So, they saved your life and you couldn't even make the time to visit them? Remind me to let you bleed out next time." 

"Okay, smartass," you said, rolling your eyes. "It wasn't that easy, alright? Besides, I'm here now, right?" You pointed out, glancing at Joel, wondering if he got your meaning.  

Joel was focused on Lincoln, though. He carefully instructed Ellie around the traps Bill had built and approached the gate. He typed in the code, glancing around, waiting for Bill or Frank to appear at any moment. Surely, Bill already knew you were here.  

You followed Joel and Ellie through the gate and shut it behind you. You kept waiting for Bill or Frank to greet you, but you made it to their house without a sign from either one of them. A tendril of dread started to take root in your gut as you watched Joel easily push open the front door of their house. Bill always made sure it was locked if they were both inside. There was an eerie stillness that had settled over the town and you feared the worst.  

You immediately moved upstairs, searching for the couple, but you drew short just outside an upstairs bedroom by Joel's worried voice calling Bill's and Frank's names. You rushed downstairs to see he was trying to open their bedroom door, obviously locked to keep anyone out.  

"Uh, guys?" Ellie called, drawing you both to the dining room. She held a paper in her hands, reading over the words written on it. "This is for you," she said, glancing up at Joel. She tried to hand him the letter, but he refused with a shake of his head.  

"You read it," he prompted, moving to lean against the wall while he listened.  

You listened to Ellie read Bill's letter to Joel, keeping your eyes on him. You weren't sure if you were concerned about Joel or just trying to ignore your own feelings about Bill and Frank dying. It wasn't until Joel reached forward and snatched the letter away from Ellie, reading over something, before he shoved it at you.  

"Joel, you know--" 

"Just give me a moment," Joel interrupted Ellie, pushing past you to walk out of the room. You heard the door open and close and you were left alone with Ellie in the dining room.  

You glanced down at the letter, reading the words Joel and Ellie didn't dare read aloud.  

"I don't think he's over it yet," Ellie started, looking to you, cautious in case you didn't want to talk about it. Talk about Tess.  

"I didn't even realize she was gone," you admitted, trying to process three deaths all at once. The world grew smaller each day and you weren't sure what you would do when it finally disappeared.  

"I think he really loved her," Ellie observed, watching you.  

"It was hard not to love Tess," you conceded, trying to get your thoughts in order. There was pain and shock and grief and guilt. You couldn't even find it in you to be jealous that Joel was so torn up over Tess and so obviously in love with her, because you understood. She was there for him through everything. She was his constant and you knew that losing her had to have shaken his world.  

Your eyes caught on your name further down the letter.  

And Y/N, if this is you, Frank wants you to know that you're welcome to any of it. You can stay, put down roots if you want. Pick any house you want. You'll find everything you need in the bunker. But if you can't stay, take what you need. Don't go falling on anymore trees, because we're not here to keep you from bleeding out. Good luck, kid. 

A sob caught in your throat, the reality hitting you all at once.  

Frank and Bill were gone.  

Tess was gone.  

You only had Joel now and by association Ellie and Tommy.  

"I'll be right back," you told Ellie, hastily handing her the letter. You followed after Joel, finding him sitting on the lawn outside. "Hey," you whispered, approaching him, not wanting to startle him.  

He didn't look at you, but you saw his shoulders tense before relaxing just a bit. You moved to sit at his side, letting your knee brush against his leg.  

You sat there in silence with Joel for a few moments before you glanced over at him. "I'm sorry," you told him. "I know," you cut yourself off, knowing there weren't even words for what Tess was to Joel. "I know," you repeated, letting it stay there. Joel didn’t want to talk about it and you’d respect that, but you didn’t want him to feel alone. Not now and not ever.  

He didn’t have to be alone and you were starting to realize you didn’t quite need to be alone either. Frank and Bill had years together, loving each other and surviving together, because those experiences didn’t need to be mutually exclusive. You only wished that you had understood that sooner.  

Joel dipped his head in a nod before he finally looked at you. "I've got to go get Tommy out of some trouble in Wyoming and then I've got to get the kid somewhere. You're welcome to join us if you want in," he offered, the corners of his lips ticking up in a smirk. “Unless you’ve got a job you’d rather get to.” 

"No. No job,” you answered, not caring about anything else but Joel and whatever journey he needed to take. "I'm in.”  

taglist: @stilldreaming666 @littleshadow17 @rickysgrimes @owenniasstars

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[kykymbapp3]

Hi! Can I get a fluffy kylian please. Where kylian is scared that the reader will fall out of love to him and she finds someone else so he will do everything just to make her happy but sometimes he gets inside his head that she is sleeping with someone else whenever he is gone for international games and start jumping to conclusion when the reader doesn't pick up the phone when he’s calling or responding to his texts immediately. He doesnt open up to the reader about his thoughts but the reader notices it… make it romantic and lovey dovey ending pleaseee 🫶🏻

MY EVERYTHING

summary; you went out with a friend when kylian was overseas for a game. he assumed you were with another man.

content; kylian thinking your cheating, fluff, angst,

kylian was gone overseas in saudi arabia for the hybrid friendlies. you both had a rule where whenever he was gone, you would call every night and every morning. he had won the game a couple hours ago but the team all agreed to stay and celebrate for the day. which meant he wouldn't be back for at least 2 days. he tried calling you, but you didn't pick up. no big deal, he thought. called you again. no answer

after 3 times is when he got worried. "relax" hakimi said grabbing onto his shoulders. he just decided to text you.

"hey baby, just won our game. thinking about you. call me.💗"

you didnt pick up his calls because you and your friend decided to have a movie night. you put your phone on silent as any normal human being would do. after 2 hours you and your friend finally walked out of the theater. you realized kylian called you three times and texted you. you called him back. finally you called him back and he had been anxiously waiting for the call. he picked up instantly. "hey ky" you said on the phone. "hey amor, what you doing?" he asked. "hold on babe" you said. "shut the fuck up" you whispered to your friend who was talking about the man in the movie. "ok sorry about that" you laughed. who were you talking to? "whos that?" he asked. "oh nobody" you said.

you were with someone, even if you said you weren't it was obvious. "girl he was so fine" your friend says. you hit her in the arm. "hey kylian I'm gonna talk to you later, okay?" you asked him. "yeah for sure" he said and hung up the phone. "FUCK" he yelled and caught the attention of hakimi. "jeez, what happened" hakimi asked. "i gotta go home" he said grabbing his things. "dude the flight doesn't leave till tomorrow night" he laughed a little. "don't care, I'm driving" kylian said walking out of the door. once he got in the car he starting going faster every second. who the fuck were you talking to? he gripped the steering wheel and noticed his knuckles turning white.

the image of someone else with you. it burned his mind.

"you asshole!" you yelled at your friend. "what did I do?" she asked. "I was trying to talk to my boyfriend" you mumbled. a text came in. it was from hakimi? he never texted you. only about if mbappe was coming to practice or not.

"dude what the fuck did you say to kylian?"

"shit shit shit!" you yelled.

"i didnt say anything? why?" you responded

"he yelled fuck as soon as he hung up and was really pissed"

oh my god. he thought your friend was another guy you were with. "take me home" you told your friend. "but-" you interrupted her. "I'm serious" you said. she mumbled something and took you home. you ran inside and saw mbappe sitting on the couch with his hands over his head. "hey ky" you said softly knowing what he was thinking. "I'm sorry I wasn't good enough for you" he said without looking at you. "what? what makes you think that?" you asked him.

"when I called you, that's why you didn't pick up because you were out with some other guy. that's why you had to go, because he was trying to say something." he looked at you with tears forming in the corner of his eyes. "ky, I was with Kaitlyn. we went to the movies together." you said. "so then why were you telling her to shut up?" he asked you. "because she was just talking nonsense" I smiled softly. "ky your perfect for me, I don't need anyone else if I have you." you said opening your arms to hug him. "I'm sorry I thought you could be with someone else" he said sniffling. "its just that your this really really pretty girl and sometimes I feel like I cant keep up with that and fulfill your needs" he said crying. "kyky, your perfect for me." you kissed him, it was a long and passionate kiss. "your my everything" you said.

[a-vampire-culturelover]

Something is wrong with my Minecraft Dog.

I'll try to explain it to the best of my ability. To start, I hadn't touched Minecraft for a couple of years; Just wasn't into it during that time and got busy with other things, mostly just stuff in my personal life. It was around some time ago that I decided it would be nice to go back and check on one of my old Minecraft worlds. Going back I did notice one thing; I didn't have an dog. Just never got around to getting one in game. I had tons of cats though, evident by the village nearby my house. I didn't want to feel like I hadn't accomplished something easy like that, so for a while I worked on readjusting to the basics before going to collect bones from skeletons. When I did have enough I went straight ahead to the nearby forests, but I didn't find any for a while. I didn't really know how fucked things would get in the future but for a while I had to keep going, even holing up for the night just to not get killed. Eventually though I did manage to find a single wolf. It was a little odd to me that it was all by itself; I just chalked it up to weird generation, mostly since I hadn't played in years. After I had gotten back home I looked up a tutorial on how to build a doghouse, one that actually looked good too, not wanting it to look hard on the eyes. I did note that night was approaching in game just as I had finished watching it, and decided to just let the dog sit outside for the night. God if only I knew how weird it would get from there.. Once it was morning again I noticed two weird things: One, all of the sheep I had kept in an fenced area were just... gone. No mutton, no wool, and weirdly enough no wolves nearby. Two, my dog wasn't sitting outside where i'd kept it, instead simply walking in circles around where the Sheep had been fenced in. I didn't think much of it, under the assumption there had been a wolf pack nearby, but it must've left and killed the sheep before I had gone to check outside. Even so, I was a little unnerved with how my new dog was starting to act; for one the thing seemed more sluggish, like it had the slowness effect. Only problem with that theory is there weren't any witches or swamps for them to appear nearby, and no particles were coming off from the dog. Another weird thing was that its sprites had changed. No longer did it look as goofy as it had when I first got it, but it almost looked sad, with some drool poking from it's mouth. It wouldn't even respond to me giving it rotten flesh, mutton, anything. When I did finish the doghouse I hastily made sure the trapdoors apart of it were shut, hoping it would prove my paranoia about the dog wrong as I went to go get iron from an cave not too far from base. Everything was ok.. up until I got back to my base. Things were just getting weirder and weirder with both all of fenced-up cows gone and one of my cats seemingly dying while I was mining. 'Whiskers was slain by error' I didn't know what possibly could have happened as even I knew pets in the game didn't just die on the whim, and when I had gotten back, the dog was in the house. All of the cats I had accumulated were practically running from the thing, the dog's sprite looking even worse now. It had the shading and textures of an angry wolf only with that same, sad look in it's eyes, almost as if the thing was suffering. I hadn't played the game for years so i assumed this had to be some sick easter egg, although I could remember that most easter eggs regarding animals were caused by name tags. Maybe it was because I hadn't given it a name?

..Unfortunately I had no name tags which meant I had to go look for some in an Zombie Dungeon I spotted in the caves before but was too afraid to actually get loot from. Not wanting something weird to happen I decided to do something i'd later regret; holing up my dog and sealing it with cobblestone for safe measure. It had somehow managed to get out of the doghouse while I was gone and into my base back when I was mining, so I didn't want to take any chances. Although i'd soon come to realize that holing it up would just make things so much worse. While I was out I continued to see that something similar with my now dead cat was happening to all of my other ones, each oth their names popping up as they were proclaimed to have been killed by some kind of "error". I couldn't come back as fast I would've normally due to getting lost in the caves after finally finding the name tag, but by that point it was too late; I came back to an absolute mess. Not only were all of my farm animals gone, Horses, Pigs, even the few llamas I had managed to obtain back before I stopped playing on my world. Not only that, but some of the villagers nearby when I hurried back to my base were just.. gone. Checking on the hole i'd stuffed that dog in didn't help either, as while the cobblestone i'd trapped it there with was intact- -The dirt around it was not. Almost as if it was some rabid animal clawing its way out through any means, I had found an hole created that led out of the hole, wide enough for an dog to get past. I was a bit nervous at this point and quit my game, deciding to go online for answers. I checked every update up until the point I left years ago and even then, nothing. No answers. None at all. I vaguely remembered the old secret updates but adding in an feature where dogs just started going rabid out of nowhere didn't seem like an sane idea in the first place! Seeing as the internet got me nowhere I went back and decided to go and find that dog- Wherever it was - And kill it. I hated the idea of putting down my first dog in this game, but thinking back to the way its sprite just.. degraded as time went by, I was more worried about it than myself.

My first clue as to where it might've gone was an trail of different meats, mostly livestock like my pigs and cows and sheep. Along the way were bits of rotten flesh, bones, spider eyes and more, almost as if this thing was attacking everything it saw. When I finally had found it, I was frankly horrified; The poor thing didn't look like an Minecraft Dog anymore, but an malformed creature that somehow retained what made it once an dog in the first place. The thing's tail seemed to be wagging, and it turned its head around to look at me, revealing blank, dark eyes that if the graphics of Minecraft had been better, would've looked like hollowed out eyes. The dog, its sprite showing foaming at the mouth, didn't seem to be hostile to me. For some reason the thing was showing heart particles despite not being fed, feeding it still not working. The thing was letting out little whines and if not for the foaming, the frown of its sprite? It almost sounded happy despite its degrading body. Admittedly I couldn't handle it, and didn't go through with killing it. Even if that thing had essentially killed my cats, all my farm animals, and everything around it since I got it? It was still my Minecraft Dog. It didn't seem to know any better.

I closed out of the game after that revelation to myself and haven't touched it since. I checked for any mods that someone could have somehow installed, but didn't find any. No add-ons, nothing to assure me it was just some feature not adjacent to Vanilla minecraft. I tried at one point to document this on the Minecraft subreddit and a few other places, but they just got taken down. Whether this has happened more than once to others or they were taken down just because they sounded ridiculous to any sane person- and I don't blame anyone reading this to believe it's bullshit. But please, if you do even believe this? Delete your world if your dog starts acting like this in-game; Put the poor thing out of its misery, do what I couldn't do. Please. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

An Minecraft Creepypasta.

[shwoo]

Day 31 of @flooftober! Thanks a lot to everyone who read/interacted, and especially @flooftyfizzlebeans for creating the challenge, and saying such nice things about these stories.

I would also like to thank antihistamines. They really... anted those histamines. And unclouded my brain a little.

Anyway, this story involves Gramble, and I'm using both the "Trick" and "Treat" prompts. Also it's double length since it's the last one. I considered making it much longer, but my brain's not quite that unclouded.

(Prompt list)

Title: Has many discipline-specific uses Summary: Floofty notices a sleepwalking Gramble about to make a mistake. (Also on AO3)

.

Floofty had released what was happening too late, and Gramble was too far away. They yelled "Wake up!" as they crossed the rest of the distance.

Gramble opened his eyes all the way. "Wh…" He noticed the Grapeskeeto in his hands, which were raised to his mouth. "Ah! Igrapetius!" He lowered his arms and hugged it, as it struggled.

"One of your pets, I assume?" said Floofty. They hadn't seen it get out, but these days, any loose Snak generally belonged to Gramble.

Gramble jumped. "Floofty?! Why're you here?" Floofty wasn't good at judging tone, but they knew suspicion when they heard it.

"As we both reside in the same town, I assume you are asking why am I in this particular spot at this particular time," said Floofty. "I merely observed you come across this Grapeskeeto in your sleep, and prepare to eat it. Knowing your views on this subject, I awoke you before any consumption could occur."

They were too tired to bother trying baby language. Gramble would just have to take what he could understand. Maybe he'd end up being yet another Grumpus who turned out to be smarter than they looked.

"You… saved Igrapetius?" said Gramble. He looked down at the Grapeskeeto in his arms. "I… I didn't know you cared… But why were you watching me in the middle of the night in the first place?"

"I often watch you," said Floofty. They knew Gramble might find that creepy, but that was his problem, because they weren't actually being creepy. "There is precious little else of interest occurring at this time of night."

Gramble didn't run away screaming, but he did frown. "A-are you running some kind of experiment on me, Floofty? Wait. Are you the reason I've been so tired lately?"

Floofty's tired brain took a second to catch up to what was happening now. "What? Your sleep difficulties are clearly the result of stress! I, too, am prone to sleep difficulties. Believe me, I would much prefer to be asleep in my hut right now. Alas, my brain chemistry will not allow it."

"Oh, you just can't sleep?" said Gramble. "I guess I have been a little stressed lately, what with having so many little ones to take care of, and Wambus, and I still got a couple Grumpuween decorations to finish…"

"What?" said Floofty. "Grumpuween already?" Last they'd checked, it had been July. That meant they'd already missed their birthday.

"Um, yeah, it's tomorr--" Gramble looked up at the sky. "Today," he corrected himself. "Wiggle's been real excited, and I thought… Maybe I could knit some little Fryders, or some bats, and hang them up around town. I dunno if the little ones would appreciate it, but I think the others might…?"

Floofty didn't know why he was asking them. "Potentially." They decided they might as well tell him what they did know. "I, at least, would be… disposed toward that concept." They'd always really liked the idea that boundaries between the living and the dead were thin at this time of year, although it was obviously not plausible from a scientific view.

"Y-you would?" said Gramble. He squeezed his Grapeskeeto. "Just goes to show. You never know what someone's gonna like until you talk to them!"

"Yes, I am beginning to see that," said Floofty. If Gramble had seriously believed that Floofty might be experimenting on him without his consent, then it was surprising that he hadn't expected them to like Grumpuween. Maybe they could lean into that. "Perhaps I, too, will create some seasonal decoration," they added, "if my work allows. Yes, some fake blood, perhaps some green lights inside test tubes… It may be quite entertaining."

"Ooh, the more the merrier!" said Gramble. "Just so long as the blood is fake." He almost laughed.

"I shall make every effort to ensure that it is," said Floofty. Gramble had sounded like he was about to laugh, so he was probably joking. Apparently that was something he could do, sometimes.

[too-much-tma-stuff]

For the fanfic requests—this isn't a ship, but if you don't mind kidfics, could you do Michael (pre-distorition) babysitting Jon as a kid? I got that scenario rooted in my brain because I apparently want sadness. The realization that someone else, someone Jon cared about got eaten by another DOOR would have probably wrecked him...and me. Feel free to ignore of this isn't your thing tho.

Michael liked kids, they were chaotic and unpredictable and normally he hated that! He himself was a bit timid and quiet, but he liked the chaos, they pushed him out of his comfort zone. They were funny about it too, and he could usually assume they meant no harm so the chaos could be a refreshing change from his usually rather ordered life. Not always, some kids could be cruel, but he could choose not to go back to those families when they weren't his own.

Baby-sitting had made the obvious choice as a job during university then. It wasn't the highest paying but it could be easily fit in around lectures and studying and it was really the brake he needed to keep him from going mad. He rather thought he found the release his peers found through partying through minding the good natured and frankly adorable chaos of children.

Of course his most common clients were parents looking for a date night away from the kids so he was rather surprised when he got a call from a frazzled sounding older woman. He had barely gotten out a greeting when she started to unload on him talking about her dead son and daughter-in-law and the son they had left behind. She took pains to clarify that he really was a good child, bright as anything! Before she exploded with how much trouble he was!

"He's curious about everything! He never listens about anything! Just the other day I told him not to touch the electrical outlet that broke and I way trying to keep an eye on him, but I only have two and there are other things in the world! I swear I only turned my back for a moment but when I turn back around he's standing there with a burned hand and that boy, he looked and me and said, he said "You're right. That did hurt.

"At least he didn't have the cheek to complain about it when he'd done it to himself! I just need another pair of eyes so I can close mine for a second! It feels like I haven't slept at all since he got here and I'm to old to be raising a child on my own!"

"Alright, that's no trouble at all ma'am. When would you like me to come in? We'll do a few trial nights and if we get along I wouldn't mind having a consistent schedule of nights I watch him so you can have some time off," Michael assured quickly while she was taking a breath.

"Oh thank goodness," She sighed, and Michael found himself helping the boy. This was clearly hard on the woman, but no doubt it was very hard on the child as well, he could use a friend. "Could you come tomorrow?"

"Yes, but lets talk about other things as well first. Does Jon have any allergies? What rate would you find acceptable?"

It took a little haggling to get to a hourly rate they could both agree on but it helped that she could admit Jon wasn't the easiest child. Some parents who thought too highly of their children seemed to think he should be paying them for the privilege of spending time with their children.

So on Wednesday he went to the address the woman provided where he was greeted by a well dressed woman. Some hair had come loose from her bun and there was a stain on her shirt which he got the feeling was as messy as she was willing to let anyone see her. Certainly more then she would have if it weren't for the grave-faced dark haired boy hovering behind her and staring at Michael.

"Hello. I'll give you a tour of the house and show you were everything is and then leave you to it. My number is on the fridge but do try not to call me unless something goes very wrong." She said seriously as she beckoned him in. The tour was brisk, and he just had to follow when he would have at least like to introduced himself to Jon first. He followed behind them, watching and not blinking as often as most children did, slightly unnerving but not unexpected.

"Alright, that's all you need to know I think. Jon try not to scare the nice young man away," She said with a thin smile to indicate it was supposed to be a joke. Inside Michael had to wince because he was rather sure Jon was too young to understand such subtleties of expression.

He watched her leave and then Jon looked back at him, solemn and wary, his eyes to old for his age. The poor kid had been through a lot. "Hello Jon, I'm Michael," he said, extending his hand with a friendly smile. Jon examined him again before reaching out and taking Michael's slim hand giving it a formal shake. Michael hoped that with time he would get to the point of being able to hug the boy and have him acting like a normal child. But not yet.

"Why don't you show me your favourite books?" Michael asked and watched as Jon's face light up even as he tried to suppress it. Michael didn't try to repress his answering smile.

When Mrs. Sims returned Michael was sitting on Jon's floor, long legs folded under him, surrounded by little piles of books as Jon babbled about the next book on the shelf. Michael couldn't possibly remember all of them, but what was important was the unrestrained joy on Jon's face. It hurt to see it shutter again when his grandmother made a comment about it being irritating.

"I don't mind," He promised immediately and firmly reviving a ghost of Jon's previous smile and making the grandmother look slightly chagrined. "I'll be happy to come back."

The grandmother being a non-nonsense sort of woman nodded, said they'd see him again same time next week, and shoved the money they'd agreed on into his hand. He saw himself out, and didn't notice that Jon was following him until he felt a small hand tug on his jacket, turning around obligingly to find a book being shoved into his stomach.

"I want to know what you think," Jon said before skittering back upstairs to get ready for bed. Michael promised himself that no matter how busy his course schedule was he would find time to read the book before he came back to see Jon again.

Part 2: here